Dec 2, 2010
WATAIN
The vulgar provocateurs and self-proclaimed black metal purists that make up Watain are the fathers of an undeniably distinct sound. They formed in 1988 as part of the first wave of black metal, building on the ferocity of thrash but rejecting any commercially viable sheen. Alongside groups like Venom and Celtic Frost, they worked to promote the shock value of music through irreverent and offensive subject matter and imagery, grating vocals, and relentless riffs. Watain has throughout their 22 year run maintained an epic songwriting approach that is dynamically varied and epic in scope. 2010’s Lawless Darkness continued this tradition with a focus on guitar solos, and a disregard for the BPM-calculating banality that plagues black metal. Angry Megal Guy praised the album, saying “So, once again, Lawless Darkness shows Watain as being one of the premier (if not the premier) black metal band(s) from Sweden. The legions of Swedish black metal are pretty thick, but listening to an album like this just puts into sharp perspective how black metal is to be executed.”
GOATWHORE
The fleet-footed death metal of Goatwhore is unmistakably influenced by the band's New Orleans roots. Specters of blues, southern rock and hardcore are echoed in their machine gun riffs. Formed by Acid Bath/Crowbar guitarist Sammy Duet and fronted by Soilent Green's L. Ben Falgoust II, the band has toured with the likes of Obituary and has twice graced the stage at Ozzfest.
BLACK ANVIL
The trio Black Anvil arises from the ashes of the legendary NYHC outfit Kill Your Idols. The hardcore that they perfected from 1995-2007 has since been perverted by sinister black metal and taken on a life of its own. Dark, unforgiving layers of distortion and riff sorcery take precedence over mosh breakdowns, focusing the pummeling impact of these exceptional musicians into the listener's psyche.
HAMSOKEN
The black noise metal of Hamsoken is the most pure expression of fear and rage on the music market, but that's to be expected from an artist that lists "weakness" as his primary influence. Nick Forte (Rorschach) has taken on the Hamsoken moniker for his thrash and black metal inspired experimental computer music that is deliberately deranged and dense.
