Audio Assaults 420/666, Vol. 888

Dodheimsgard
Black Medium Current
Peaceville Records
Dodheimsgard’s newest release showcases the band’s varied strengths across their 30 year history: elements of the more traditional Norge Black Metal DHG sound, their late 90s and 2000-era electronic experiments, plus their more solemn, clean vocal-led soundscapes; it’s all shaped together with class production.

The experimental DHG sides all work together with their earlier raw black metal flourishes, all held together by proggish experimentation. Vicotnik glides effortlessly from spoken passages, to clean singing vocals, to his current, trademark DHG entity voice (which started from 666 International onwards).

Black Medium Current is a more than hour-long album full of some of their strongest work to date, combining their mostly avant-garde material with some of their earlier works to balance out their experimentalist equation. Tinges of more recent atmospheric and slightly melodic black metal x electroindustrial dance beats are jacked up with cold, calculated guitars and synth waves. All of them coexist in (dis)harmony in this DHG universe.

It never feels like DHG is stretching out too much on Black Medium Current, as they have become a multifaceted band over the years. It’s a strong, progressive collection of work by Vicotnik and Co. and an engaging listen, with an odd flow that works well.

There’s just the right amount of balance to counter the more evil, destructive forces in these other tracks. The cold, expansive sound engineering adds to the atmosphere too. DHG fans and avant-metal disciples need to get this on vinyl as soon as possible. [VIVIsectVI]

Coalminer – s/t
Steinklang
Hails to Francesco Terrini for the copy. Coalminer’s debut vinyl release is made of haunting, distressed disturbances. Like the mutant emanation of older UK/Euro stuff (Whitehouse, Nurse with Wound, Maurizio Bianchi), it is soldered together with Japan’s extreme, harsh noise masters.

The key to the alchemical equation of this entity, the real elements at work are the expanded minds of Glen Dilanco and Francesco Terrini (aka Ches Masangya) who produce different layers of frequencies and industrial influenced noise that mutate into hellish, claustrophobic, industrial noise soundscapes.

The tension and unease of the vocals are meshed in weird sync with a range of dark ambient, industrial, and scratchy wall layers that are all well balanced. By fusing together Glen’s earth and analog frequencies with Terrini’s textured extremism, you get a killer debut of experimental noise that gets under the skin and into the neurons. The vinyl packaging and graphic design matches the (welcome) torture tunes within, with badass art by our own Ivan Pollo, to provide a doomed vision for the madness.

Watch out for upcoming 2023 Coalminer tours, guerilla 2023 top secret shows and new LPs out soon. Part 1 of our Francesco Terrini THC Spotlight can be found here. (Rx Ibanez)

Monochrome
Gray Sky Manila
Eikon Records
The second pressing of this album (alternate white cover & on clear vinyl) is already ongoing as of today. Gray Sky Manila is a sought out and killer record. They should press more copies of it and keep it in print.

Many shoegazers, post rock listeners, and psyche rock fans are united by Monochrome’s dreamy and multilayered wall of sound. It’s a super heady wall of sound especially live, as they build heavy and hypnotic instrumental atmospheres.

You don’t need any vocals to ruin the beautiful soundscapes. You won’t even notice its absence because you’ll be hooked by the riffs, atmospheres, and layers of uplifting sounds. Monochrome can be heavy and textured, but also tripped out and spacey. They can hold your attention, and also leave your head exploring in outer space. Monochrome can communicate lost, grand feelings through pure sound and different frequencies to fill your head in their debut record. There’s a lot of wicked cinematic, soundtrack-ish parts in the album that can help you get lost in your own world/mind. It becomes your personal soundtrack in search of meaning, or creating your own.

The random lithograph artwork prints are perfect for the additional vision/visuals to trip to, and the great production and balance from Pointbee Multimedia carries over to the pressing. Thanks Eikon Records for finally releasing it on vinyl.

Absit Omen
Insolence Demo 2023
Absit Omen has kept a busy schedule since the Mercyless Overture demo. Calculated attacks were made on unsuspecting Asian metal hordes, while holding down their local fortress for some serious headbanging action. The killing sprees here and there have brought some inspiration to their late night alcoholik jams, and it shows on these new tunes.

The new demo is a killer follow up to Mercyless, with good hits in the production and songwriting. AO puts in a few more grand, epic heavy metal passages to set you up for the kill. The brash, melodic runs accompanying their mid tempo ragers are perfect accompaniment for the more deadly evil riffing action in between.

The clean axe introspective parts are mostly concentrated on the opening song, keeping it short and tasteful, in favor of more trem-picked evil goodness. The title track meanwhile strings together pissed off killer riffs while keeping it uncomplicated, still within the vein of late 80s to early 90s thrash, but updated for the post pandemic wasteland era with a balanced production.

Era of Uncertainty ends everything in erupting chaos and perfectly describes the Philippines in 2023. I hope a cassette copy of this release makes it onto the merch table. That gnarly cover art by Joey delas Alas needs to be on some cassette or shirt.

Somewhere down the line, the new album is inevitable. But till then, we thrash at the convergence point, in a bar or concert hall, ready to destroy. These two releases under their (bullet)belts will hold off listeners until its fateful arrival.

Foodshelter&clothing
Junkified Maxi Single
SSS Records
Bacolod OGs FS&C have done it again with this cool new EP. Always going strong and putting out some good singles and EPs over the years, this most recent release Junkified is a cool late night dive into FS&C’s decadent club sound we fans have been tripping and partying to till early morning kicks in. It has all of their elements of post punk, new wave, synthwave, electronic, ambient, and industrial, but retains the band’s attitude and cool, laid back approach.

Junkified appears in 2 versions here as the full version lead single and the Neon Noon edit. The original version is longer, and focuses on the band’s songwriting and dynamics, building up the tension with heavy atmospheres and FX leading to the main beats, plus heavy synths and wavy guitars partying with ultra cool, shades-in-the-dark-club aloof vocals.

Neon Noon edit is a shorter, more condensed version that goes straight to the junkified beats, sounding more like a radio edit. Both versions do have some sax solo parts that sound great and not out of place in the midst of those heavy dancey beats.

Neon Dogs I-II is a tripped out ambient/electronic tune that offers a bent chill out room vibe (but still heavily medicated) great for playing on loop, to let you recover a bit but still trip you out. FS&C can take different elements and use them in their songwriting approach to create a mood and/or steady headnod beats that are addictive but retain that cold-as-ice attitude and slick production. Whichever way you enjoy their tracks, FS&C wins for making everyone slaves to their hypnotic beats and hypnotic layers of soundwaves. [R Ibanez]

Rabies
Barbaric Cleansing
Hells Vomit
Rabies stay consistent with each killer album, and this third wreckord continues the neckbreaking tradition. They stand out from all the local thrash assassins by being a little more technical, and slightly prog-influenced at times in songwriting and execution. The tricks up their sleeve are effective, throwing weird curveballs here and there, while not losing any momentum of their lethal attacks. They can play with oddtime rhythms in between aggressive riffs in the familiar thrash territory, then jar the listener with changes and grooves that you may find somewhere between Rush and old school Watchtower, but set in the tech thrash framework.

Another killer element of Rabies’ songwriting are the lyrics, all of them sharing the same sentiments of mankind’s impending extermination (hehe), whether it be from advanced nuclear detonation, genetically engineered armies, The Codex Gigas, or interplanetary war. It’s like a kickass apocalyptic sci-fi war movie in the end, and mankind is destined to fall. All of these scenarios are enhanced by a backdrop of violent, swarming tech thrash assaults with pensive, doomed, shredding solos, fluid drum and bass work, and killer vokills. [R Ibanez]

Incarion
1521
Misanthropia Records
Special thanks to Chaps of Thresthold Records for a copy of this CD. For black metal legions Incarion, time isn’t an important element, and more of a mortal limitation and non-priority to be laughed at under their Satanik invokations. Formed in 1993, the band has finally issued their debut record after 30 years of assaulting local shows and staying true to their black art.

While issuing a slew demos and very kvlt, vinyl only EPs in the interim, 1521 is their first full length record. It’s also their first release to garner a wider global distribution courtesy of Misanthropia Records. The title is the infamous date that refers to the first year of insurrection against Spanish christianity in the Philippines. Incarion pay respects and praise the golden era of 1521 Philippine Anti-christian rebellion.

All the staples of the band’s earlier releases are in here: hyperspeed blasting black metal, evil riffing, and sick, raspy vocal vomits. There are some classic 90s semi-melodic black metal styles in some choice parts, and Incarion arrange and place them strategically to good use among their caustic, classic black metal riffing.

Plus points from hell are also awarded for Incarion’s use of vernacular black metal lyricism in keeping with the unholy 1521 theme. Incarion also excel at solemn musical pieces that take a break from all the Satanik violence, as shown in the intro and outro pieces. The outro is a grand epic soundtrack to Satanik might and Victory. All of it is bound together by above average production and attitude as defiant and pissed off as it was back in their early 90s era.

Punebre
Ang Nasa Dako Pa Roon
Death In Pieces Records/Davao Hellbangers
Punebre unleash a barrage of ripping, old school death metal on their killer first album. From their demo cassette days to this debut record, Punebre stay true to their sick motifs: HM-2 chainsaw guitars, bellowing low gurgles, and short anti-complicated songs, in favor of true death metal brutality.

The tight drumwork by Iron Ryan Q kills with some cool, slick fretless bass from Xtian. It calls to mind some classic 90s death metal bass sickness, adding a unique counter to Alex’s sick caveman riffs with counter riffing and atmospheres from Ian’s headless axe. The only non-90s approach would be the modern production and engineering, further enhanced by Demiurge Digital for a full, beefy sound. It brings all these elements to life (DEATH). Danny Nelson from the mighty Malignancy also guests on on the song “Hele Hele”, and of course, it’s killer.

Another plus in this album is the use of tagalog death metal lyrics and local horror, murder lore, and supernatural cryptid legends. Punebre stand out with their unique vision in a scene already saturated by super jacked brutal death metal tough guys into gore and killing and olympics-level ultra technical death technicians all trying to out-brutal-tech each other (but I’m a fan and both are great). Well played brutal OSDM like Punebre still does the job like a mega gravity bonghit to your brain or a rusty, old chainsaw to your head.

Ataul
Dawn of Cataclysm
Garapata’s Blood
Although already available as a CD and cassette from previous years, the vinyl version of Ataul’s Dawn of Cataclysm had some delays and didn’t see the light only until early 2022. Better late than never, and to make it up for the local and int’l death doom fanatics waiting for it, local kvlt label Garapata’s Blood pressed this on a solid 2LP 180 gram set with maximum settings at 45rpm per side, with a vinyl-only bonus track, all in a gatefold jacket. The cover painting shows the mysterious doom robe cult headmaster ritual of the undead releasing the grotesque entities from the lower planes, in grim and proper purple, red, rust, and black color palette.

Ataul’s debut puts all of their doom in a cryo chamber, and distills the elements that can cross-strain with older styled death metal. Their first album remains a classic epic slab of SLOW Death that has the balance of the two, with sorrowful doom counter riffs to make you suffer even more.

Ataul’s style of oldschool Death DOOM is more obscure, somewhere between Doom Snake Cult, Goatlord, old Winter, some 90s funeral doom styles, and infected with late 80s and very early 90s death metal riffs but played at half speed. Enough to allow breathing space between the notes, and to make them even more doomed, fit for Ataul’s heavy death dirges and obsessed, grave visions of man’s forever doomed struggle to meet The End. It’s a long slow procession just like your decaying life. And Ataul will bring you there and see you to your real true doom. [R Ibanez]

Bobby Legaspi
Beneath Black Waves
Abraxas Lodge
Local composer Bobby Legaspi’s latest album, out on digital and CD, continues the doomed out dark ambient expanse found on his previous works. The last release was reviewed here which was created and released during the desolate times of the pandemic.

Beneath is the accompaniment for the dreary post-pandemic era of 2023 set in the deep ocean. It is perfectly visualized in the black and blue color palette of the artwork done by Janus Miralles.

Legaspi continues to progress with his new material, which is even more cinematic in approach. It would sound great as a soundtrack to a Nolan film with heavy, pensive, haunting moments. The deep sea exploration theme of Beneath has a lot of dark ambient orchestral sounds; It’s that deep sea or (aetheric netherworld) void where there’s no real concern or hurry to swim towards the light. It’s perfect for just wallowing in the pitch black realm and absorbing the rumbling dark emanations from the unknown, meditating forever in the abyss, but with a contrasting sense of calmness.

While the deep sea doomchestra soundwaves can overpower you, there’s an underlying calmness and relaxation as well, as you freely let go and float in peace in the abyssal wall of sound. You can place this record in the soundtracks section of your record store and it would stand alongside other great soundtracks. Only that the film is your personal state of mind accessible through this record and the acceptance of the post pandemic void. Yes you made it, but now what? Put this on and gaze into the deep sea abyss and get lost further. [R Ibanez]

Pain Chain
*The Omens In My Bones
*We Are Sacred Energy
Mutual Aid Records
These two latest releases from the almighty Pain Chain (2023 and 2021 respectively) on Mutual Aid Records are glorious, tripped out ambient noise industrial and drone explorations towards harnessing and engaging the energy realm. At times meditative and hypnotic, most of it explores the more heavy ambient range of Pain Chain’s catalog, with ethereal vocals and spoken word passages such as on “There Is No Time There Is No Death”.

Created at a time of grief and healing, The Omens is a personal record that has various textures and moods for late night listening and reflection. HIGHly recommended for loud stereo listening, or with good headphones and a toke, it takes you on a personal journey within. The harsh noise side is sculpted into heady walls and varied soundscapes, but there is also a balance of the psychenoise layers and electronics, and the ambientgaze atmospheres as it lulls the listeners to dreamscape portals and higher dimensions.

On We Are Sacred Energy, the drones are textured with various sound sources and instruments, crafted with a sound like the transition of the soul to either the DMT realms or alternate dimensions, as well as sinister drones to exit the earth.

You can get Omens in physical form from the label direct, while We Are Sacred Energy should be available soon. Hails. [VIVIsectVI]

A Place to Bury Strangers
*s/t
*Rare Meat: Demos and Rarities 2003-2017
*Exploding Head
*See Through You
APTBS live up to the tagline of New York’s loudest band live. Their second Philippines show was a massive wall of sound and attack to the senses. You are teleported to their own club that maybe exists in an alternate dimension (while standing firmly at Mow’s all that time) complete with thick smoke machines, lights, projectors, and a loud, heavy confrontational show.

For a power trio, they sure as hell sound heavy and thick, with the right dose of lysergic feels, some stoner, some ‘gaze, some krautrock, some postpunk and an overall doomed but chilled vibe in many of their songs. Some beats sound strangely danceable, like a potent mix of post punk new wave, with shoegazer tones and deafening noise, all combined in a killer bonghit.

I was able to complete all the releases available at that show except for the Hologram vinyl EP due to budget constraints. There were other killer stuff I failed to get such as earplugs, shirts, tote bags, not to mention several limited edition Death by Audio pedals all offered at factory price (which were quickly snapped up by audio freaks and gear collectors on the spot).

The s/t cassette and Rare Meat collection are a good starting point for anyone who wants to explore APTBS’ heavy, tripped out noise rock, with occasional electronic beats and as many obscure pedals and smashed Jaguars and Jazzmasters as possible. Oliver Ackermann’s reverbed-out, cool, lethargic vocals are perfect, and it tokes in grand fashion with hypnotic riffs and big beats that range from shoegaze slow to upbeat electronic jitter rock, to heavy stoned alternative rock.

The Exploding Head 2LP reissue on clear vinyl is probably their landmark album, and the most popular and recommended, should you decide to dive in headfirst into APTBS drowning lake of dense soundwaves and smashed (destroyed) guitars. It’s a heady and enjoyable album perfect for toking and drinking, and this definitive version provides you with even more of their addictive noise rock. Not only do you get the original masterpiece, but also additional tracks, demos, and covers from Love and Rockets, Thirteenth Floor Elevators, and David Bowie.

The most recent album See Through You (with a die-cut effect cover and layout) continues their trip into these musical realms and remains as strong as their other releases, maybe just having a better sound production compared to their earlier releases. It continues to provide different textures of noise rock and heavy stoner post punk with added vocal melodies that are much closer to garage/late 60s psyche.

A Place to Bury Strangers excel on their records, and even more in the live setting: they’re all of danceable and beat heavy, ‘gazer-ish noise rock, hypnotic psyche rock, and an overall badass attitude. See them live and buy their records and reissues, for a hell of a noisy good time. [R Ibanez]

Hexis
Aeternum
Debemur Morti Productions
Hexis are probably one of the hardest working/touring bands right now in the metal underground. Their current tour is for 4 straight months (!) Sept to Dec 2023 with only 1 day breaks every 2 weeks, and spans Europe, Canada, South America, and North America, in that order.

This limited edition cassette was on display on Natural High Distro’s merch table and online store and no one even snapped it up. Hexis display some belligerent metal hardcore tunes on their latest album, blessed by cleaner yet very heavy production values enhancing the killer tunes within. Occasional female singing adds a haunting vibe in a few tunes to give listeners no hope, along with synth soundscapes in between, as Hexis continues the riff barrage and overpower you to submission. They keep it varied and interesting all throughout by employing heavy doom slowdowns, midpaced breakdowns, double bass domination, and seething vocal attacks. Make sure to check them out while they are still on tour in these continents and grab this tape (or CD, vinyl) and get wrecked at the pit.

Danum
s/t EP
Still Ill Records
Another killer hit record from local power hitters Still Ill Records, Cavite’s Dbeat ragers Danum arrive with a killer debut that will ram cops and politicians to the ground. These six tracks are at a boiling point rage towards no hope as the coming doomsday approaches. It’s glorious, pissed off hardcore punk peppered with moody interludes and heavy blastbeats to balance out the equation (drummer Christian also plays in local grindcore powerhouse Swineslaughter). All killer, no filler here as Danum pulverizes listeners and shows you a glimpse of the wasteland that Philippines would become. Their lyrical approach mirrors the horrors of 3rd world Pinas and all the struggle against an oppressive authoritarian rule. The fat, heavy production showcases their tight and pissed off playing, wrecking everything in its path and exiting without a word. “Bulong ng Demonyo” is your wake up call, wake the F up.

Salot
Ill-Used
Mouhoi
For real, heavy local SLUDGE Doom metal, local misanthropes Salot should be your next dose. This 4 song debut cassette pulverizes with heavy pessimistic sludge doom. It’s fueled by a 3rd world mindview and aggression + shots & bonghits.

Bassist Banjo once wore a shirt with a huge backprint that read “Caveman Doom Riffs Forever” and that perfectly describes their musick. But they ain’t no slobs either as riff after riff drops like an abandoned slab of concrete wrecking an absentminded construction worker to the ground. The lumbering bass tone walks slowly in drunken sync with the heavy, swingy drumwork. They perfectly capture 3rd world pissedoffness with hazy, miserable, I-give-up-on-life killer vocals.

F off and simply give up, and make sure to put this Salot tape on the deck, and set it on auto reverse loop and drink and toke yourself to oblivion because there’s nothing you can do about real sludge doom, accept that you’re forever doomed, while rocking out to your strange final days on earth while having a good time.

NOVV – s/t
Delusion of Terror Records
No One Wins destroyed when I first saw them 6 years ago in a stoner/doom/sludge show in an industrial warehouse. They were a power trio back then. I just got the CD recently so their sound may be slightly different now and with a new lineup. Even then, this CD rips. NOVV to be honest is hard to pigeonhole, as they throw different elements into the mix and their vocalist throws in different styles of vocals all throughout, but the band always makes it work
with a certain flow. Is it hardcore, stoner groove, punk, metal, or heavy noise rock? The heavy riffs and songwriting mesh quite well without pandering to one style but the band manages to keep it rocking as well all throughout their debut disc. The graven imagery of their cover art painting adds to the mysterious vibe and its darker nods to dark hardcore and old noisy punk.

with contributions by: DRONEBOT, [R Ibanez], VVV, G VAZQUEZ
Next issue out soon!