Leading up to the end of the year, Revolver has asked some of our favorite artists to pick their Top Albums of 2012 and tell us why each record rules. Here, The Wizard (pictured left), vocalist-guitarist of the doom-metal band Pilgrim, selects his faves.
5. Cannibal Corpse, Torture
“We are constantly amazed by Cannibal’s ability to get progressively more brutal with each record. This one is no exception. Best track: ‘Followed Home Then Killed.’”
4. Earth, Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light II
“As a band, we tend to prefer Earth’s older, rocky material to their newer more mellow and dream-like music, but we worship Dylan Carlson and this record, and its predecessor, can take you to other realms. Best track: ‘Multiplicity of Doors.’”
3. Asphyx, Deathhammer
“CRAWLING THROUGH BARBED WIRE. Enough said. Best track: ‘Minefield.’”
2. Windhand, Windhand
“This may be the heaviest recording of all time. It’s like Garrett took the EQ and just pushed up every slider on every instrument. The bass is so heavy it hurts. Amazing songwriting and beautifully haunting vocal melodies. Best track: ‘Winter Sun.’”
1. Natur, Head of Death
“We waited in dire anticipation for this record to come out, and when it finally did, we were so happy and proud to say, ‘These guys have roots in Rhode Island and they fucking rule. Best track: ‘Decion.’”
On June 3, exactly one week after the self-proclaimed “world’s ugliest band” desecrated Maryland Deathfest, Aura Noir—made up of guitarist Blasphemer, drummer Kristian Valbo and bassist/vocalist Apollyon—made their way to Brooklyn’s Music Hall of Williamsburg to show locals how blackened thrash metal should be done.
That night’s bill also featured Marduk, Natur, Black Anvil, HOD and Panzerfaust. (For a full review of this show courtesy of Revolver‘s own Chris Krovatin, click here.) On the scene was photographer Chris Shonting (who also recently captured some images of Ghost’s NYC debut). Check out his photos of that night’s unholy gathering below.
[futureusgalleryimagebrowser id=16] ]]>
Chris “Cheese Dog” Krovatin is the author of two young adult novels, Heavy Metal & You and Venomous. He is currently working on multiple new writing projects, as well as new material with his local New York metal band Flaming Tusk. He is a contributing writer for Revolver and generally comes off as a good-natured pain in everyone’s collective ass.
On June 3, I saw Marduk with Aura Noir, Black Anvil, Hod, Panzerfaust, and Natur at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in NYC. Here’s what I witnessed.
Number of hours spent being tattooed before the show: Three.- General feeling: Just…just a little woozy.
- General feeling about the tattoo: Hail!
- Easiest way to find the Williamsburg Music Hall: Follow the guy in the Nunslaughter T-shirt!
- Disheartening sight of the night: The sheer lack of Aura Noir merch available. I wanted an “Ugliest Band In Metal” shirt!
- Onstage when I arrive at Williamsburg Music Hall: Natur from Brooklyn.
- Sounds like: Blackened thrash with over-the-top power-metal moments. Pretty entertaining overall.
- Happy time fun fact: The cover of Natur’s Spider Baby EP is preeeetty fucking cool.
- Number of people in corpse paint present: So far only one, and his is pretty low key.
- Thoughts on this: Marduk is just a little too militant and nihilistic for people to dress up in full black-metal costume for.
- Unlike: When I saw Immortal in February: Half the crowd wore corpse paint.
- Next up: Panzerfaust from Ontario.
- Sounds like: Really raw, acidic black metal powered by thrashing rage and morbid chugs.
- Overall opinion: Any band that turns their mic stand into a chain-and-skull-covered inverted cross is OK by me.
- Rainbow puppy good time fact: The band’s name is taken either from the Darkthrone album of that title or a German anti-tank weapon whose name means “armor fist.”
- Hope for the night: That some corset-wearing black-metal chick will notice my awesome new tattoo and swoon over me.
- Only people who notice my awesome new tattoo: Two Mexican black-metal dudes, in the bathroom.
- Sustenance consumed: A cheese dog and a Lone Star over at the Levee on North 3rd Street.
- Now, we have: Hod from San Antonio, Texas.
- Sounds like: Unrelenting death-march black metal instilled with a weirdly American sense of groove and sweep.
- Number of leather/denim vests onstage: 4.
- Number of members in Hod: 4.
- Diagnosis: True.
- “Say No To Drugs” fact: Hod’s first demo is named Cry And Piss Yourself. You only wish you could come up with such an awesome title.
- Weirdest merch: Thin metal shields and blasphemous art prints by Remi from Light’s Eclipse Productions. (Check his shit out at remiart.carbonmade.com).
- Other random items sold: A whole bunch of rare patches, sold, I think, by the dudes from Warhemic in Flushing.
- Patches include: A Raped God 666 patch! Holy shit, I just got a Raped God 666 patch! MEXICAN METAL DEATH SQUAD ARISE!
- On that note: Black Anvil from Brooklyn.
- Sounds like: Shred-heavy thrash with holocaustic black-metal overtones and brilliantly dark lyrics.
- Favorite song of the evening: The cunt-punching declaration of “Angels To Dust.”
- Explanation: It’s not a song about cunt-punching; it just feels like some huge unholy necrospirit has uppercutted you clean in your cunt.
- Members of the Metal Press Class Of 2009 present: Two that I’ve run into—Henry Yuan and “Grim” Kim Kelly.
- Members of the local Brooklyn metal militia present: At least six, including Lucky 13’s Melody Henry, Ralph from Demilitia, and a slew of others.
- Shout outs: Done and done, son.
- Second to last: Aura Noir from Oslo, Norway.
- Sounds like: Furious black metal-inspired thrash putridity.
- Personal response: AURA FUCKING NOOOOOIR!
- Standout track of the night: “Unleash The Demon.” What lyrics.
- “Unleash the demon!”: “Come satisfy my need!”
- “Release the semen!”: ….uuuuh…
- Aura Noir songs to look up when you get home: “Death Mask,” “The Pest,” “Blood Unity,” “South American Death.”
- Physical state at this point: Semi-conscious.
- State of my tattoo: Officially starting to throb like a bastard.
- Finally: Marduk, from Norrkøping, Sweden.
- Sounds like: Steel-plated occult war brigade marching across a field of desecrated coffins and burnt church remains.
- Peace love and happiness fact: Marduk’s lead singer Mortuus studies Judo (I believe) and threw a drunken fan over his shoulder at a show.
- Performance observation: Man, these guys are killing it, much more so than the last time I saw them.
- Favorite track: “Burn My Coffin.”
- Wave of nausea and exhaustion: Sudden and jarring.
- Number of times I’ve missed “Panzer Division Marduk” encore: Twice, once due to excessive drunkenness, once due to tattoo-inspired blood loss.
- Diagnosis: False.
- But guess what: No one really gives a shit.
When the four-day Maryland Deathfest kicks off in Baltimore this Thursday, May 26, metalheads will have an overwhelming number of bands to check out.
To help point you in the right direction, we asked Brooklyn heavy metal die-hards Tooth and Weibs—members of the band Natur and hosts of East Village Radio‘s Metal Inquisition Radio Show—to compile the five bands that should not be missed by attendees. Here’s what they had to say:
“Maryland Deathfest is one of the sickest things that has ever happened on American soil. Our friend Sean Bell from Rhode Island had been boasting about it for a few years but we could never pull it together enough to go. Then in 2009, Norwegian black thrashers Aura Noir were confirmed to play their first ever American show, alongside bands like Abscess, Absu, Bolt Thrower, Deströyer 666 and a shitload of other not-to-miss bands. This put the nail in the fucking coffin for us and we immediately purchased our tickets and booked the hotel.
When the day finally came to make the trip down to Baltimore from New York City, we didn’t know what to expect. However, when we arrived, it was very clear: tons of vendors carrying our favorite obscure bands’ merch, endless amounts of beer, new bros everywhere and heavy fucking metal! The festival has gotten better with every year and this year promises to be one of, if not, the sickest line-ups of bands to hit U.S. shores. Here are some of the bands we are most looking forward to seeing.”
IN SOLITUDE
“This band is absolutely unreal and their self-titled debut album has been on constant rotation since it was purchased. This is serious, blazing heavy metal that has unearthly guitars and lyrics that you will have stuck in your head after the first listen. MetalKult just streamed their newest record, The World. The Flesh. The Devil, and it does not disappoint. These Swedes are not to be missed!”
NUNSLAUGHTER
“What can you even say about these maniacs? They’re one of the most fun bands you’ll ever see. They can also be summed up in two words: Jim Sadist.”
GHOST
“We had the chance to play with these ghouls at the Live Evil Festival in London last October, which was also their second show ever . Nobody knew what to expect. When Papa Emeritus walked onto the stage, we were pretty sure everyone shit themselves. They put on one Hell of a show. Haters can hate all they want but this band will make the hair stick up on your neck. For this we’ll burn in Hell.”
AURA NOIR
“After seeing them in 2009 at Maryland Deathfest and having our heads torn off our necks, we seriously can’t wait to see what they have for us this time around. Kristian Valbo from the mighty Kolboltn, Norway-based death metal band Obliteration will be on drums and if there’s anyone to compare to the psycho abilities of Aggressor, it is Kristian. Speaking of Aggressor, will he be making it this year? He kicked everyone’s ass during the Inferno Fest in Oslo, Norway a few weeks back. Only time will tell.”
REPUGNANT
“We cannot wait to see this band! If anyone reading this hasn’t heard Epitome of Darkness yet, please, go buy it, download it or ask someone to make you a tape of it. This is the scariest recording we’ve ever had possession of. ‘Voices of the dead, chanting inside your head.’ Fuck.”