The Underground Metal Scene is home to an array of bands who have become somewhat of a household name to those who are familiar. Southern California Metallers Madrost are set to release their new album The Essence of Time Matches No Flesh come June 27th and the hype that surrounds this epic gem surmounts from the very core of every minute of this amazing release.
Picture yourself standing in the midst of a gloomy landscape, breathe in the air and the sounds of nature around you.. let it envelope your being. This is the feeling that Enisum has accomplished with their second full length album entitled Seasons of Desolation released through Avantgarde Music. This is the follow up to 2015’s Arpitanian Lands which received high praise upon its release. Since then the band has shared the stage with bands such as Primordial and Blaze of Sorrow just to name a few.
There is a rumbling in the distance, and feedback is pulsating through the fog. A force unto us masked in heavy riffage and guttural vocals…. Sixes is a band that hails from Southern California and they specialize in Sludgy Doom Metal brewed with hints of Black Metal that all comes together in a powerhouse of sound. They have recently premiered a single entitled “A Cross to Burn” off their upcoming full length album set to be released this Fall.
The beauty and atmosphere that is Hvile I Kaos was transposed into a live performance and it compelled me to express my thoughts. I have already reviewed selected works by said project but for those who do not know, Hvile I Kaos plays Cellistic Black Metal and while it is not the norm, Kakophonix uses the Cello as his medium to evoke the chaos within.
I first stumbled upon Astronoid about a year ago before the release of Air thanks to Bandcamp. I was drawn to their sound immediately but I was unable to form a conclusion as to what I thought of the band as a whole. After a few more listens to the EP The Stargazer I knew that this band possessed something unique and different that I have never heard before in the metal realm. They describe their sound as “Dream Thrash” so that gives you a little hint. The Boston quintet names Alcest, Devin Townsend, Mew, Windir, and Cynic as some of their influences and yet their music stands out all on its own.
After much procrastination and a journey through the dismal Atmosphere of Icelandic Metal, I bring forth the talent that is Southern California’s Black Metal act Coldvoid. A few weeks back I had the pleasure of seeing the band live at a small bar here in Socal, and I was sold even more so than before. The set itself was atmospheric, dark, and depressive the low lights adding to the overall ambience. Complete with corpse paint, and typical black metal garb Coldvoid managed to invoke an overall unison with the audience, sweeping through mid paced Black Metal to slow haunting passages. I was thourghly impressed and I definitely hope they bring more shows to the table.
In the world of today’s Black Metal scene we come across a wealth of bands who seek to procure the very foundation of the genre. If you have kept up with the various acts you will most likely notice that Iceland has exploded like a volcano, evoking a number of molten ridden bands.Both
Misþyrming and Sinmara have released superb debut albums that have left me hungry for more and this split has reminded me once again why I love both bands. It is no secret here that The Metal Wanderlust is a fan of Iceland’s scene, with bands like Carpe Noctem, Svartidauði, Wormlust, and Mannveira just to name a few there is something for everyone.
