Honorable Mentions from the Abyss #39: Automb/Obsecration/Kalt Vindur/Nomad/Batushka/Vader

Hey ultra-fuckin' pissed off metalheads,

there is another "Honorable Mentions from the Abyss" episode to read. This time it's all about the releases that I received, in the past, in CD format by the Polish label Witching Hour Productions.

Let's go to discover them!

AUTOMB - "CHAOSOPHY"

If their promising first album "Esoterica" was released by the Russian label Satanath Records, their second one, "Chaosophy" (2020), has been edited under the auspices of Witching Hour Productions. But the US duo Automb (FB page), strong also this time of the Morbid Angel drummer Steve Fuller, doesn't change in any case its formula: a violent and sometimes majestic black/death metal with very aggressive female vocals and with lyrics focused on Paganism, not so frequent in this genre. But now there is a problem: Automb has recently splitted-up. LONG LIVE THE AUTOMB!

OBSECRATION - "ONWARD THE MYSTIC PATHS OF THE DEAD"

In terms of metal music, Greece is very known for its fascinating black metal bands such as Rotting Christ, Varathron and Necromantia, that in the '90s created a different school to intend the genre when it was dominated by the Scandinavian masters. But, in that same period, in the country there were also death metal bands like Obsecration (FB page). Still rooted in the purest underground since 1990, this trio from Athens released in 2020 their 7th album called "Onward the Mystic Paths of the Dead". Recorded with the help of El (Thou Art Lord, Soulskinner) on the lead guitars, it is a 47-minute work in which there is an old-school death metal with some thrash influences and an amazing alternation between guttural growls and acid screams. Really recommended for the death metal maniacs out there!

KALT VINDUR - "... AND NOTHING IS ENDLESS"

I remember that "Delusions" didn't impress me so much. Fortunately, the second album by Kalt Vindur (FB page), "... and Nothing is Endless", is better than it thanks to clearer ideas. You must expect to listen to a creative black/doom metal full of melancholic but powerful passages, some acoustic parts, fascinating guitar solos but also unexpected and hysterical blasting moments here and there. In addition, the band have reworked their look since now they use a classic black metal face-painting. New look, same but better sound!

NOMAD - "TRANSMOGRIFICATION (PARTUS)"

After even 9 years from their 5th album, Nomad (FB page) are finally back in 2020 with their new "Transmogrification (Partus)". Leaded by Seth (Behemoth), they were helped by other two Behemoth members, Orion and Inferno, respectively for the bass and the drum parts. The result of this collaboration is really interesting because the new album shows a somehow strange black/death metal impregnated with martiality and severity and full of imaginative ideas like atmospheric or ethereal parts. Listen to this album to believe it!

BATUSHKA - "RASKOL"

I don't understand anything on the booklet of "Raskol" and the story of Batushka (FB page) with their many different versions is a bit difficult to follow. Anyway, the version of Batushka guided by Bartłomej Krysiuk (that is also the same owner of Witching Hour Prod) released in 2020 the EP "Raskol". We are in presence of 5 tracks devoted to that very particular, ritualistic and doomy black metal with baritone vocals for which Batushka are known since their incredible "Litourgiya". But there is need to say that now "Raskol" is a bit "old" because, after it, Bart released a live album and also another EP, that I am a lot curious to listen to.

VADER - "THE DARKEST AGE - LIVE '93"

This is History, nothing less, nothing more. In fact, Witching Hour Prod reissued a live album by Vader (FB page) that was originally released by the now defunct Baron Records in the very far 1994 with the title of "The Darkest Age - Live '93". The live was recorded on 13th December 1993 in Krakow, during their "World Incantation Tour". In this album you can find THE Vader, when they were young and totally pissed off, playing a furious death metal that is well listenable because of a very good production. And we mustn't forget that was Doc (R.I.P.) on the drums! Other words are unnecessary because, as I said before: "this is History, nothing less, nothing more". Ah, one thing: beautiful is the digipack format of this release but it's a shame that the booklet is all in Polish.