Supuration: Sultry Obsession
Out 27th November on La Caverna records (originally released in 1990)
By 1993, Supuration had developed a unique voice within death metal, bridging the richly textured gloom of the Nordic style with the brighter prog permutations developing on the other side of Atlantic, adding their own distinctive goth sensibility to the mix. With this reissue of their very first demo, we witness this project already well under way by 1990. Unlike many first draft demos and EPs of this era, this is no amalgamation of the usual late thrash and first wave black metal struggling to materialise over and above its influences. Supuration are already elevating primitive extreme metal riffing with thick, murky atmospheres and jarring idiosyncratic breaks of dissonance. It goes without saying that this material is closer to germinal death metal than anything that made its way onto ‘The Cube’, leaving these tracks to only later receive the studio treatment in 2015 on the ‘Reveries…’ recordings. But acoustic interludes, deadpan clean vocals, drab melodic eccentricity, a pervasive, fatalistic dystopianism frame this otherwise primitive but highly competent death metal with a compellingly haunting mien, somewhere between traditional gothic histrionics and a more synthetic, techno fatalism that would come to define their contributions to extreme metal.
Morte France: Hesperia
Out 15th December on Antiq Records
Sweeping, orchestral, recklessly euphoric black metal that, for all its pomp and ceremony, sculpts itself around intimate folk melodies designed first and foremost as lyrical ballads. For all the activity, layers of guitar noise, and attention to detail in these arrangements, the final presentation ultimately feels limited in scope and ambition precisely because no attempt has been made to inject variety, austerity, or subtlety. The results, whilst initially impressive, quickly grow tiresome as repeated waves of high intensity sonic energy flow over the listener, with little beyond tempo changes to distinguish them. Equally, the semi-clean vocal crooning only serves to cement the fact that this is a piece of cheap stadium theatre wearing black metal clothing rather than any serious attempt to connect with some deeper communicative current on the part of this artist.
Noirsuaire: The Dragging Poison
Out 26th December on Osmose Productions
As pale imitations of energetic second wave black metal go this album is above par. But its appeal rests on little more than an appreciation of competence rather than anything uniquely captivating. From the churn of riffs early Gorgoroth emerges as the most obvious callback. Many of them feel like discarded ‘Pentagram’ offcuts. But unlike the material this artist emulates, there is no centrepiece through which to filter the material. The result is a linear, seamless flow of information without landmarks or distinguishing features through which to navigate. Each idea in isolation is inoffensive enough for fans of this style, but in their totality they lead nowhere. There are no peaks, troughs, or an overarching vision to bind each element together. This makes it the quintessence of knock off culture, satisfying anyone that craves the “look” of an experience that feels familiar, but leaving those wishing to interrogate it on a deeper substantive level coming up short.
Ectovoid: In Unreality’s Coffin
Out 9th January on Everlasting Spew
Energetic, linear death metal takes its cues from Incantation, but strips out the doom elements to create a relentless barrage of dark tremolo melodicism. Weaponised repetition creates a meditative flow to this music despite the inherent violence. This is contrasted by choppy licks and accents that create a sense of ironic play that only serves to undergird a comedic nihilism permeating these pieces. It stands apart from much contemporary death metal for its ability to create landmarks that allow the listener to orient themselves within the track despite the trancelike pacing. This is achieved either through a showcase riff or distinctive guitar solo that, rather than merely decorating the moment, whips the rhythm section into a frensy of dramatic topography or galloping energy. Modest from a technical perspective, the presentation is still professional without lapsing into genericism, walking the line between old school aesthetic appetites and a modern sheen of predictability.
Void Monuments: Posthumous Imprecation
Out 16th January on Blood Harvest
Dark death metal that toys with a regal, melodramatic, gothic aesthetic but never falls into the tiresome hammy theatrics popularised by Behemoth or Belphegor. Despite the lavish presentation, there is a focus and efficiency to these pieces which offsets any extravagance. Primitive riffing creates a sense of complexity and depth through the sheer conviction of the delivery. Elaborate melodic lines play off rudimentary early death metal riffing, but the overall impression is one of ambition, orchestration, and cinema. Even upon first listen the tracks stand out as distinctive yet complementary of one another, showcasing a distinctive identity knitted within the whole. Themes are not so much developed as they are evolved through repetition that introduces incremental variations, only to build into brief guitar leads or dramatic vocalisations. The result is powerful, busy death metal that still leaves plenty of room to allow tension to build. All bound together with a pervasively malevolent atmosphere.
Ligation: After Gods
Out 23rd January on Personal Records
Basic, plodding rock attempts to disguise its lack of imagination through forced experimental elements that amount to little more than fucking around for the sake of it. Very little is achieved throughout the course of a single track, each one being defined by a meek handful of ideas, usually a single flagship riff with some minor variations. The result is a slog of sparse, lazy music that attempts to get by on sheer eccentricity and character alone. Guitar noise, odd vocal exercises, the occasional “oddball” riff, all seem specifically designed to cloak what is at heart nothing more than off-the-shelf pop rock with nothing interesting to say. One is left with the impression of musicians that need to pick a lane. Either lean into a more sincere articulation of death ‘n’ roll, an option that would no doubt repulse more seasoned fans but would at least come across a genuine effort. Or abandon anything neighbouring metal entirely and lean into a concoction of dark ambient spiced with noise rock. Here the two competing elements only exist to the detriment of each other.
Hate Meditations 
Leave a comment