TERMINUS: extreme metal podcast

Terminus proudly returns from the prior week's collection of difficult black metal records with a new batch of, uh, difficult black metal records. Don't click the X, these ones are different! We're on a tear covering heady, structurally convoluted records these days, but perhaps today's works bring us a little closer to the Terminus center. First off, a well-aged appetizer: the return of the (to us) legendary Avsky, whose brand of caustic, arrogant black metal has lost no power in the dozen years since their last release. First to bat is Theriomorph, a Finnish project that resembles little else in that well-trod geographic style, eschewing big, consonant riffs in favor of angular Orthodox concepts and some truly weird percussion ideas. This one is designed from the top down, with each track leading neatly into the next, creating an affecting occult atmosphere laced with ferocious speed and ugly, haunting harmonic depth. Good time music this is not, but the seasoned listener will find much to enjoy. Koldkrypt takes another tact but similarly emphasizes structure: long, elaborate processions of melodic riffing take sharp turns into brutal key changes, slipping cleanly (but not easily) between the ecstatic and the misanthropic. Channeling the energy of French tradition, Gothenburg melodeath, and numerous other fields, this is a record with tremendous range but a nonetheless fully coalesced sound. Did you get your Seigneur Voland in my At the Gates, or did I get my At the Gates in your Seigneur Voland? 0:00:00 - Intro/Avsky - Sjukdom och död (Independent) 0:31:40 - Theriomorph - Diabolical Bloodswords (Terratur Possessions) 1:14:45 - Interlude - Vordr - “Fertile Human Waste” fr. I (Nykta Records, 2004) 1:18:38 - Koldkrypt - Holocauste Global (Hessian Firm) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

16 Juni 20221h 58min

We're a little late with this one, but for a good reason: there's a new bonus episode out! If you want to hear us talk about Cranium and Immortal for a while, all it takes is your credit card number (give it to us now.) But before you do that, check out this episode which features a pair of challenging black(?) metal records for the weird and dedicated. First up, however- the return of Sepulchral Curse, whose new EP shows the band experimenting with different angles on their Finndeath sound, perhaps indicating some intriguing things about the next full length. Our first main review is another returning act: Gjendød of Norway whose 2020 record Angrep ended up being a year-end favorite of both hosts. Their newest record takes a radically different form, blending Nordic folkblack with an avant-garde rhythmic edge, resulting in a sound melodically familiar but structurally alienating. Simple yet harmonically rich riffing glides by in a distinctly airy manner, but the meat of the music lies among the rocks and roots of the bass and drums. A substantial departure from their last record, but it sticks the landing nonetheless. Further down the rabbit hole is yet ANOTHER returning character in Doldrum, whose demo we covered in 2020. If that peek into the process didn't convince you, the full-length surely will: this is a weird one. From distant black metal roots and perhaps more immediate prog, post-hardcore, and jazz tendencies comes a gnarly and atmospheric work most reminiscent of extreme metal's mid-life-crisis experimental streak of the early and mid-00s. Somehow, though, the melange works, with precise musicianship and relentless atmospheric focus giving life to what will undoubtedly be one of the most unique metal records of the year. 0:00:00 - Intro/Sepulchral Curse - The Deathbed Sessions (Personal Records / Lycanthropic Chants / Transylvanian Recordings) 0:20:24 - Gjendod - I Utakt Med Verden (Hellthrasher Productions) 1:10:41 - Interlude - Trelldom - “Slave til en kommende natt” fr. Til et annet… (Hammerheart Records, 1999) 1:16:26 - Doldrum - The Knocking, or the Story of the Sound That Preceded Their Disappearance (Katafalque) 2:09:28 - Outro - Ewigkeit - “The Nightmare Institution” fr. Conspiritus (Earache Records, 2005) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

9 Juni 20222h 14min

Much to the shock and chagrin on our audience, the stars have aligned here on Terminus to provide an episode of nearly exclusively death metal! Melodies? NO. Keyboards? NO. Satan? KIND OF BUT IT'S COMPLICATED. Before we get into the gruesome and guttural though, we have a small concession for the skinnier and more artistic listeners: that of the debut demo by Grave Chalice, an industrialized black metal project featuring Warg of Heretical Sect which takes a foundation of Grand Declaration of War and enhances it with modern technique- definitely a project to look out for. Ominous carrion winds blow in from the east announcing the arrival of Aparthiva Raktadhara's debut record. Notorious members of the Kolkata Inner Order, the band has taken a surprising move on this release by in large part leaving their warnoise roots for colder, more alienating death metal pastures. The root riffing style of Morbid Angel's most difficult moments is expanded upon with brutal death drum technique and utterly deranged song structures making for something that feels equally at home in 1992 as it does in 2046. No more spoilers- this is one of the best records of the year. On the flipside is the triumphant return of Holocausto Canibal, long-running Portuguese grindgore purveyors whose long absence (at least in terms of full-lengths) has done nothing to soften their bite. Continuing in the footsteps of artists like Haemorrhage, HC provide (human) meat and potatoes goresoaked deathgrind with a crusty hardcore edge that may be more relevant now than ever before. Gravity blasts good, lyrics about space bad- there's a reason this style has existed for almost 30 years. 0:00:00 - Intro/Grave Chalice - Demo MMXXII (Mercurial Gate) 0:17:54 - Aparthiva Raktadhara - Adyapeeth Maranasamhita (আদ্যাপীঠ মরণসংহিতা) (Iron Bonehead) 1:07:21 - Prosanctus Inferi - “Apex Jaws in Madrigal Posture” fr. Noctambulous Jaws Within Sempiternal Night (NWN, 2013) 1:10:55 - Holocausto Canibal - Crueza Ferina (Selfmadegod) 1:43:21 - Outro - Mortuary Punishment - “The Streets” into “Streets of Death II” fr. Pride.Power.Punishment (Independent, 2018) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Subscribestar Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

31 Maj 20221h 51min

We did it, folks- we've circumnavigated extreme metal itself. On the 94th installment of the only podcast that matters we return to a band featured in our very first episode. Please do not go back and listen- those were dark days- but aside from this exception, we have an episode of... primitive death metal? Today's intro review comes courtesy of Oregon-based deathrashers Phenom whose second full-length brings to mind the barbaric and primordial sounds of Master mixed with streaks of Brazilian and Teutonic thrash. Definitely a weird one, but also excellent- recommended for all sorts of extreme metal fiends regardless of genre preference. What better way to follow up that opening barrage with the return of legendary cheeseheads Jungle Rot? TDMG brought this on the show not expecting too many surprises, but quickly realized something highly unusual was afoot here. Jungle Rot's style shines through (as always) but with a tremendous helping of thrash and hardcore. Could this be the world's heaviest crossover record? But what's with the convoluted, nested riffing structures? And what the hell is going on with all the solos? A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one. And finally we get back to the point of origin- the newest Horn album, bringing us all the way back to Terminus Episode 1. The world's greatest (and perhaps only) purveyor of Alpine Black Folk, Horn's new record provokes some excellent discussion- the different "modes" found within single projects and the power of iterative melodic refinement. This is an expansive record, ranging from oi-infused folkblack rippers to elegiac doom works, so there's something for everyone- but where does the strongest material lie? 0:00:00 - Intro/Phenom - Ov History and Death (Death is Imminent Records) 0:26:29 - Jungle Rot - A Call to Arms (Unique Leader Records) 1:11:18 - Interlude - Murder Squad - “Bloodfreak” fr. Unsane, Insane and Mentally Deranged (Pavement Music, 2001) 1:14:15 - Horn - Verzet (Independent) 1:54:54 - Outro - Liederjan - “Schitter Tod,” fr. Volksmusik Aus Der Heilen Welt (Polydor, 1979) and “Die Weber,” fr. Mädchen, Meister, Mönche (Polydor, 1978). The first of these is a version of “Es ist ein Schnitter, a 17c German folk song that inspires Horn. See the Bardo Methodology interview: http://www.bardomethodology.com/articles/2018/01/11/horn-interview/ Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Subscribestar Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

24 Maj 20222h 3min