Honorable Mentions from the Abyss #8: Eggs of Gomorrh/Heresiarch/The Black Sorcery/Thecodontion

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 before reading the article, you have to know that my ebook about the first wave of black metal entitled "Nel Segno del Marchio Nero" ("in the sign of the black mark") was finally released on 24th March 2019. It's available on the best digital stores like Google Books, Feltrinelli, IBS, Amazon and others. It's completely in Italian. Thanks in advance if you'll buy it!

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Hey brutalbangers,

if the previous appointment with "Honorable Mentions from the Abyss" was entirely focused on heavy/speed metal, the new one is only about a sub-genre that I love since the time in which, 11 years ago circa, I bought "Vengeance War 'Till Death" of Bestial Warlust: bestial black/death metal! So, today I talk about 4 bands playing this kind of (anti-)music that, in some cases, are already famous in the underground scene. And I inform you that, of these 4 bands, 3 of them were sent to me by the promotion agency Qabar Extreme Music from Bangladesh, whom I thank for the promos. But come on, let's not waste any more time and read this article, bestial maniacs!

EGGS OF GOMORRH - "OUTPREGNATE"

For some obscure reasons, the Emmenthal lands often spew forth bands with an eccentric approach to the metal music, be it extreme or not, and these Eggs of Gomorrh (FB page) are no exceptions to this Swiss trend. They are an unprolific act that released only 4 productions, included their 2016 album "Rot Prophet (Vault of Dried Bones), since 2008. Incredibly, during this year, they released not only a new EP but, very recently, also a split album with the Turkish bestial squad Sarinvomit. Well, today you'll read about their freshier EP titled "Outpregnate", that was published by Krucyator Productions and mastered by nothing else than a demon like V. Kusabs, involved in terrific bands such as Temple Nightside and Vassafor.

Now, Eggs of Gomorrh, without doubts, plays bestial black/death metal but they play it in a particular way. Yes, they spit out an extreme savagery, violence and chaos as it should be for this special genre. But, at the same time, especially the spastic guitarwork show influences from hyper-blast thrash metal and is also able to spew forth very dissonant and noisy riffs. So, the final result is a killing combination between Blasphemy, Weregoat (in their most thrashing version) and Deathspell Omega, with the addition of totally strange songtitles (as "Prayeggrh", for example). And there is even a destructive cover of "Domination Xtasy" of Arkhon Infaustus. Killer!

HERESIARCH - "INCURSIONS"

The French label Krucyator Productions strikes again with "Incursions", a compilation covering the period between 2011 and 2014 in which Heresiarch (FB page) published firstly the demo "Obsecrating the Global Holocaust" (2011), and, then, the EPs "Hammer of Intransigence" (Dark Descent Records, 2011) and "Wælwulf" (Iron Bonehead Productions, 2014). As you know, Heresiarch, along with Diocletian and Witchrist, are one of the best war metal bands to be emerged from New Zealand. Useless to say, I adore also Heresiarch!

12 tracks per 49 minutes circa of total extermination. This awaits you when you'll play "Incursions", that mostly show Heresiarch in their early days. We are in presence of a band stylistically very orthodox in the approach of the bestial black/death metal, especially from the demo (that contains the cover of "Equimanthorn" of Bathory, a really classic song for a band of this kind) to the "Hammer of Intransigence" EP, that see a various tracklist ranging from the ultra-furious "Iconoclasm" to the more structured and atmospheric "Intransigent". Instead, the "Wælwulf" EP shocked a bit some fans (included me) because it express a slower style, that's completely exemplified by "Abrecan", a particular song with apocalyptic vibes and military drums at a marching, slow pace. The years pass but I still continue to prefer "Hammer of Intransigence", that destroys everyone and everything through a militaristic black/death metal very close to Diocletian with some doomish moments from to time. But now we have to expect also another release by Heresiarch: the 4-way split "Scorn Coalescence", that, since even the other involving acts (Serpents Athirst, Genocide Shrines and Trepanation), will be maybe a total extermination of greater dimensions !

THE BLACK SORCERY - "WOLVEN DEGRADE"

For the first time in the NBA history, a Canadian team, the Toronto Raptors, finally won this year an NBA title. And for the umpteenth time, Canada show to be a true bestial black/death metal factory with these Black Sorcery (FB page). They are a quartet (now a quintet) from Edmonton, Alberta, that was founded only in 2018 but already released so far 2 full-lenght albums, both under the auspices of Krucyator Prod (but now it seems they are only in the roster of the US label Appalachian Noise Rec). Despite their youthful, The Black Sorcery are formed by veterans in the extreme metal scene that currently plays or played in bands of the calibre of Thy Sepulchral Moon or Paroxsihzem. So, "Wolven Degrade", their sophomore album, must be a genocidal masterpiece...or not?

Opened by a short intro ("War Fangs") full of war noises ending with keyboards and a howling wolf, "Wolven Degrade", whose vinyl version was released by the same Appalachian Noise Rec, is classic bestial black/death metal onslaught featuring a ferocious drumming, ultra-cavernous guitars like in the vein of Conqueror, some totally chaotic guitar solos, and...and a little strange vocal departement. I used the "strange" term because it mainly show not only corrosive screams but, above all, also pig squeals, that are more suitable for a brutal death metal band. At the end, just these vocals made really sick the assault of The Black Sorcery. Now, their sound is very cruel and sick but without being memorable also because of a weak production. So, "Wolven Degrade" isn't surely a genocidal masterpiece but, anyway, deserve attention from the maniacs of this genre.

THECODONTION - "JURASSIC"

You should be familiar with this crazy duo known as Thecodontion (FB page). In fact, I talked about them in two live reports, so check these out because, sorry, but Thecodontion needs no introduction. At this point, let's talk already about their new EP "Jurassic", released in co-production between 3 labels: the US Glossolalia Rec, the German Wooaaargh, and Xenoglossy Productions, that's owned by the same guys that runs Thecodontion.

Ok, "Jurassic" is a concept-EP about 4 creatures living in the Jurassic period. So, it isn't a case if Thecodontion dubs their music as "Prehistoric Metal of Death". In other words, there are 4 songs (all titled after those creatures) in which there is a bestial black/death metal with a lot of primitive blast-beats and with some groovy mid-tempos with punkish vibes (fantastic is the one in "Berosaurus lentus!). But the total use of the basses instead of the guitars also for the solos made just primitive the sound of this Roman band, as well as the barbaric vocals of Heliogabalus, that represent another curious feature of them. Shame for the use of a drum-machine even though it's well programmed, but I think it's time that Thecodontion used a real drummer also for their recordings. Anyway, this is a little flaw for a band that promises plenty of nice things to come. Amazing news: now you can buy through BandCamp their EPs with the "name your price" formula because their singer had just a birthday some days ago! This is a very good reason to support them, don't you think? But this isn't enough because they'll be in the 9th edition of the fastest festival in Rome that is Go! Fest, scheduled on 21st September 2019. FUCK YEEAAAH!!!