Posted in Whathaveyou on December 19th, 2016 by JJ Koczan
Brazilian death-doomers Mythological Cold Towers will release their next album through India’s Transcending Obscurity Records. Yet untitled, it will be the band’s sixth full-length, following after 2015’s Monvmenta Antiqva, and it might be needless to say, but they should be right at home in the lineup of their new imprint, which always seems to keep its focus on the extreme end of the spectrum, which of course is no less varied than any of the spectrum’s other ends. If you like it deathly, though, you already know death comes in many flavors.
2016 marks 20 full years since Mythological Cold Towers made their debut with Sphere of Nebaddon: The Dawn of a Dying Tyffereth. The label announced their pickup thusly:
Transcending Obscurity Records signs MYTHOLOGICAL COLD TOWERS
After signing Officium Triste, which is another very long-running band with a legendary status, we’re thrilled to have Brazilian greats Mythological Cold Towers on board for their new full length album. Their brand of doom is highly emotive and atmospheric in its own way, and has a special warm touch which seems to be a typical trait of the band all along.
Transcending Obscurity owner Kunal Choksi states, “I’ve been listening to Mythological Cold Towers since years if not decades, and it’s a dream come true to work with this legendary band with regards to their upcoming full length album. Alan’s a thorough gentleman and it’s been great so far. I must thank Pim Blankenstein of Officium Triste for helping me out getting this band on board. Expect stunning and emotionally-rich doom/death metal from this long-running Brazilian band.”
Alan “Hamon” Lima of Mythological Cold Towers adds, “We’re more than excited about our signing to Transcending Obscurity. Kunal is really a hard-working guy and I’m sure he is going to do an excellent work for all signed bands. Moreover his goals as a record label owner are equally clear and logical. Serious promotion and distribution are focused by him and that’s all we are looking for. Thanks Kunal, we’re really pleased to be part of Transcending Obscurity team!!!!”
Mythological Cold Towers is: Hamon – Drums Shammash – Guitars Nechron – Guitars Samej – Vocals
Long-running Singapore-based metal extremists Rudra will issue their new album, Enemy of Duality, via Transcending Obscurity on Dec. 17. It is the four-piece’s eighth full-length and first through the label, and it comprises eight tracks and 48 minutes of a vicious blend of black metal, thrash, overarching sl0w-nod-frown-face death metal groove and Eastern arrangements that they’ve long-since dubbed “vedic metal” — the heavy underground once again lapping the entire universe when it comes to self-branding. The term refers to Hindu mythology and literature — the Vedas are the oldest scriptures in Hinduism — and like a lot of blackened fare, Rudra pay homage to heritage while also basking in a modern sonic force that has become something of a spiritual exercise on its own level.
By the time they get down to the penultimate cut “Hermit in Nididhyasana,” between the sitar on opener “Abating the Firebrand” and “Slay the Demons of Duality,” Slayer-style soloing on “Acosmic Self,” blackened rasp screams, Kreator-esque riffing on “Seer of All,” chanting, blastbeating on “Root of Misapprehention,” and so on, Enemy of Duality would seem to be a work of worship on multiple levels. And that’s before they lock into to the tablas and Eastern-folkish break in nine-minute closer “Ancient Fourth,” so indeed, reverence abounds.
Listening to the flute that starts “Perception Apparent” and the scorched complexity that follows, one finds a Western parallel in what groups like Negura Bunget have brought to black metal over the years. Rudra‘s sonic balance is no less likely to tip to one side or the other — as the chants later in that same song show — but their thrashy underpinnings are an immediately distinguishing factor that stands them out within either the black or folk metal styles. It shows up largely in the guitar work of Vinod and Simon, and while bassist/vocalist Kathir keeps largely to an echo-laden rasp, drummer Shiva (fair enough the Destroyer would play drums) digs into and out of double-kick gallop with a technical fluidity that, at the time Rudra were starting out, was one of the founding principles melodeath took from both death metal and thrash.
They put it to rampaging use behind machine-gun chug and a soaring lead in “Acosmic Self” before sitar and tabla open “Root of Misapprehension” and shifts the context of Enemy of Duality once again as the second half of the album is introduced. They’ll bookend the track with the folkish arrangement, returning to a more straightforward thrust of extremity on “Seer of All,” which is fitting enough before “Hermit in Nididhyasana” and “Ancient Fourth” close out with the record’s most effective melding of influences. The former, at 6:40, hits first and moves smoothly between opening chants and Bathory-via-earlier-Enslaved progressivism, leaving a memorable impression through both its drive and the apex on which it fades back out into chanting.
As for that finale, it’s no less a stunner. East or West, it’s easy for a band working with any kind of folkish arrangement to come across as gimmicky, but on “Ancient Fourth,” and especially in its percussion-added midsection slowdown, Rudra obviously benefit from their years of experience, and one could easily apply that to Enemy of Duality as a whole. From the fullness and bite of the production through the tightness of performance and the mindfulness of their transitions, Rudra seem to heal as many wounds as they leave behind them, and as they finish out putting flute and didgeridoo over more double-kick from Shiva and slow-headbang riffing on a relatively quick fade, there seems to be very little out of the reach of their encompassing devotion.
Today I have the pleasure of hosting the premiere of “Hermit in Nididhyasana.” You’ll find it below, followed by more background from the PR wire.
Please enjoy:
‘Vedic metal’ pioneers since the early ’90s return this year with their most ambitious album to-date. Having worked hard over the years to forge a unique sound that’s a sublime blend of Indian classical music rooted in ancient spirituality and extreme metal encompassing death metal, black metal and thrash metal music, Rudra have influenced many and more importantly, have set standards. Unheralded overlords of Asia, Rudra have a cult following that remains mysteriously loyal, as they hone a sound that’s probably unparalleled.
Their latest album, again founded on the principles of Vedic spirituality, extemporizes on the conventional extreme metal template and achieves hitherto unknown sonic effects. Indian classical instruments such as sitar, flute, tablas (Indian percussion) and even a didgeridoo are used for this album, along with female vocals and ritualistic chanting to emanate a genuine, spiritual expression. ‘Enemy of Duality’ is destined to be a landmark from the Orient, one that doesn’t abandon the ancient roots and blends the traditional sounds and philosophies seamlessly into music that’s at once challenging and hypnotic.
Posted in Whathaveyou on April 3rd, 2014 by JJ Koczan
One imagines that when Chicago purveyors of the sonically profane Drug Honkey take the stage at the long-famed Roskilde festival in Denmark, set to run over the course of eight days this June into July, they won’t be backing Stevie Wonder — though that would be interesting. The four-piece released their transcendentally vicious Ghost in the Fire full-length (review here) in 2013, and their appearance at Roskilde will likely coincide with the release of their previously announced new EP, as yet untitled.
No update on that in the PR wire info below, but Drug Honkey also has a new shirt out that says “The only drug you need is Drug Honkey” on it, which is pretty badass in itself. Considering the hundreds of acts on the bill for Roskilde, from Carcass to Chromeo, I guess you have to do whatever it takes to stand out, though once Drug Honkey show up and plug their gear in, I can’t imagine that’d be a problem for them.
As the PR wire flies:
Drug Honkey invited to play at the Roskilde Festival 2014
Transcending Obscurity band from US, Drug Honkey, playing a genre-bending style of Death/Doom/Experimental music has been invited to play alongside acts such as The Rolling Stones, Carcass, Mogwai, Mournful Congregation, Electric Wizard and others in Denmark this year for the prestigious Roskilde Festival 2014. The complete line-up can be viewed here.
Drug Honkey has been at it since the ’90s, releasing four highly-acclaimed full-length albums in addition to a stunning live release. The band’s energy can only be palpable. Here’s an electrifying (almost literally so) live song –https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jb_nNCpViQ
The band has most recently released an anti-drug message T-shirt with the words “The only drug you need is Drug Honkey” on the back. It’s a limited edition print, available for purchase from the label’s bandcamp page –
Posted in Bootleg Theater on January 21st, 2014 by JJ Koczan
Of all the bands I’ve heard in the nearly-half-a-decade that I’ve been plugging away at this site, Drug Honkey make some of the most authentically disturbing noise I’ve come across. At very least they’re high on the list, and I mean that as a compliment. It’s not like they’re trying to write comforting songs — it’s “fucked up” as an aesthetic. I continue to be impressed with just how much they’re able to stick to that and how dark and looming their songs seem to be, slow-rolling doomers like half-speed sludge, drugged out in a tragic way like after the fun stops and somebody’s life falls apart.
The abysmal doomers — and that’s meant literally in the sense of pertaining to an abyss rather than a statement on the quality of their output — will reportedly release a new EP this summer for which they recently recorded, and as a precursor to that, they’ve put together a video comprised of fading still shots, some effects, some “found” footage (if I’m not mistaken there’s a little porn in there near the end, though it’s hard to tell), and so on for the song “Five Years Up” from 2012’s exercise in extremity, Ghost in the Fire (review here). If you’ve never heard them before, expect that by the time you’re done with “Five Years Up” you’ll probably need a prescription and at least two years of talk therapy to get your equilibrium back.
And by that I mean enjoy:
Drug Honkey, “Five Years Up” official video
Brand spankin’ new video for the song “Five Years Up” from the ‘Ghost in the Fire’ full-length… This should hold ya over until the new EP drops sometime around summer.. HAIL.
Excellent quality T-shirts are going to be made available from next month. Watch out for this page –
