In the first part of the BDMFT wrap-up, Dick Fetti digs into the disco box for his favorite records of 2022.

Disco Box Recommendations:
Blocks & Escher - Shot in the Dark EP 12" - R&S
Cerebral Rot - Excretion of Mortality LP/CD - 20 Buck Spin
Charli XCX – Crash LP/CD - Asylum Records
Clarity - Basalt EP 12" - UVB-76
Overlook - Lost Souls Club EP 12" - UVB-76
Phobophilic - Enveloping Absurdity LP/CD - Prosthetic
Purity Ring - Graves MP3 - Self-Released

BDMFT #35.1: The Best Records of 2022

Ep. 77 - Justin Ennis (Ulthar).  In this episode I talk with Justin Ennis drummer of the black/death metal band Ulthar.  Ulthar is out of Oakland, CA and just released 2 new albums on Feb 17th ‘Anthronomicon’ and ‘Heliomonicon’.  Be sure to check out their new albums on all streaming platforms (links below).  We talk about how Justin got into playing black metal, previous bands, and how he formed Ulthar.  Again, everyone should check out Ulthar’s new albums by streaming or purchasing physical copies on 20 Buck Spin’s website.  Ahéhee' / Thank you.
—
Band links:
http://www.facebook.com/Ulthar
http://www.instagram.com/ulthar_oakland
http://ulthar666.bandcamp.com
http://www.20buckspin.com
http://www.facebook.com/20buckspin
http://twitter.com/20buckspinlabel
http://www.instagram.com/20buckspinlabel
http://listen.20buckspin.com

Ep. 77 - Justin Ennis (Ulthar)

Welcome back metal heads to another episode of The Great Metal Debate podcast. It's Xander back with a brand new album review. Today, we will be looking at The Enduring Spirit by Canadian death metallers Tomb Mold.

I was first introduced to Tomb Mold a few years ago when someone on my Facebook told me to check out their 2018 album Manor of Infinite Forms. I remember enjoying their brand of death metal but at the same time, I never became a huge fan. This new album however might change that for me. I have a friend in the UK who told me the other day that Tomb Mold was releasing a new album so I decided to give it a listen.

Needless to say, this band has definitely improved upon their sound. There's obviously a lot more technical and groovy parts in the riffs instead of the dirty and grimey sound I'm used to hearing from these guys. This time around, things seem to be a lot more polished with even some calm moments.

A perfect example of this would be at the beginning of the track titled "Will of Whispers''. In fact it reminded me a lot of Rivers Of Nihil's Where Owls Know My Name just a little but then again, there were many other times throughout this record where I got Hooded Menace vibes; so much so that I even went back and listened to one of my favorite 2021 albums The Tritonus Bell.

Tomb Mold is a band that has evolved since the previous album which was released right before COVID. This means that the band most likely had a lot of time during lockdown to really brainstorm and write a perfect new album that stands out among the rest in the discography. In my opinion I think this is the best material they have ever created.

Derek Vella and Payson Power are both absolute riff machines and provide a gorgeous guitar solo on the track "Fate's Tangled Thread" and of course Kevin Sia rips on the bass.

I love how the bass cuts through the music like a knife through warm butter and to make it even more impressive is that the guy is only rocking a 4 string! Usually death metal bands with the techier sound need at least a 5 or 6 string. I mean hell, the band Obscura has a bassist who shreds on an 8 string fretless bass. As I was watching the making of this album I saw that Kevin's 4 string is also fretless. That's awesome! Especially hearing the bassline in "Servants of Possibility".

I'm going to be doing a review for the new Autopsy album next month and it got me thinking about how rare it is for the vocalist of a band to also be the drummer. It takes a certain set of skills to be able to pull of those slow cavernous growls while also blasting away at the drums and Max Klebanoff can do exactly that!

On the album title closing track which has the full name "The Enduring Spirit of Calamity", the guitar riffs remind me a lot of the middle era of a band like Decrepit Birth. As a fan of that particular style of tech death I can appreciate that. Now the metal-archives doesn't label them as tech death but I feel like it's the direction that this band is going and I can't wait to see what they put out in the future.

This album was a breath of fresh air and I can see myself listening to this one a few more times before the end of the year. I have nothing but positive things to say about this one. Let's give it a nice little 8.5 out of 10. It's amazing but at the same time not really my go-to genre yet it deserves some much needed attention and support.

You can support Tomb Mold's music by buying their music from either their Bandcamp page or from their record label website 20buckspin.com. Tomb Mold is also available on all streaming platforms.

The Great Metal Debate

Album Review - The Enduring Spirit (Tomb Mold)

Welcome back metalheads to another episode of The Great Metal Debate podcast. Its Xander back with a new album review. Today we will be briefly talking about my thoughts on the new album from Hulder titled Verses In Oath. Those of you not in the loop, Hulder is a one woman black metal band from Washington State.

I had heard the name Hulder muttered a few times on the internet over the past few years and I mistakenly thought it was an old school black metal band. But sometime last spring, I decided to give her a listen and discovered that Godslastering: Hymns of a Forlorn Peasantry was the one and only album released by her on Iron Bonehead Productions back in 2020.

I remember thinking the album was okay but before I began listening to Verses In Oath, I figured it would be a good idea to revisit the debut. In the past week, I have listened to the debut twice in a row because I ended up being kinda impressed when I really paid a lot more attention.

For Verses In Oath, we see that she has now signed with 20 Buck Spin. And 3 weeks ago, black metal promotion uploaded the first new music video for "Hearken The End". I had listened to the single only a couple times before I got my hands on the promo and even after listening to Verses In Oath front to back 3 times, I can confidently say that ... Godslastering is better. Sorry.

Don't get me wrong, Versus In Oath is a decent record but its a small step down.

It all begins with the obligatory intro track where all you hear is the sound of crows cawing followed by some thunder. Its very generic and cliche compared to the first song on the debut which was "Upon Frigid Winds". That was a great way to kick off a first album, not some build-up to a forgettable track like "Boughs Ablaze".

Going back to that single "Hearken The End". It don't mind the hypnotic chanting/choir esq clean vocals she does but it seems like the guitar throughout the majority of these songs are washed out in the mix with the other instruments. Its certainty a far cry from a song like "Creature of Demonic Majesty".

The album title track didn't really do much for me either but one thing about this record that I thought was silly was the two interlude tracks. Why couldn't the operatic sirens of "Lamentation" just be combined into the same track as "An Offering"?

"Cast Into The Well Of Remembrance" was a song that stood out to me because of the synth work and the acoustic guitar moment. Too bad it was faded out in the studio mix and was overpowered by the drum cymbals being too loud. Plus there was that mild tempo change where the electric guitar and the vocals both sped up together.

The remaining three songs didn't stand out much to me as they all kinda sounded too similar. This type of black metal definitely appeals to a certain crowd being both avant-garde and a little on the raw side. Again, I must clarify that both of Hulder's records are decent but are not what I would rank as top tier.

I applaud anyone who is a one person band because it shows both musicianship and dedication. I can also appreciate how her lyrics are more focused on medieval folklore instead of the tired satanic theme we're all used to seeing. So if you think you'd be into this, I'm sure you'll be able to buy her digital files and merchandise on her Bandcamp page. But in conclusion, I'll rate Versus In Oath with a 5/10.

Metal Debate Album Review - Verses In Oath (Hulder)

Welcome to Motel Hell where we discuss obscure movies, weird music, sexual fetishes, video games and manga. Join us each episode for a new topic of interest, long digressions and sexual tension.

My name is Kelvin (Navajo/Diné).  I started a metal music podcast. I interview bands and talk about music I like. I like to interview Native American metal bands, hence the name Rez Metal Podcast. Follow me on FB, Instagram, Spotify, or ITunes.
.
Instagram @rezmetal_podcaster
.
FB:  https://www.facebook.com/Rezmetalpodcast
.
Linktree to all platforms: https://linktr.ee/rezmetalpodcast

Podcast where Gomthog and co-hosts engage in lively debates on heavy metal music as well as interviewing artists and reviewing albums.  Occasional explicit language.

New tracks tagged #20 Buck Spin