Terminus Episode 7 - ...And Oceans, The Committee, Haljoruna, Kommodus

This week, Terminus goes full Joe Rogan with an epic, 3-hour black metal special. We lead with a face-off between two new takes on polished, melodic BM. Will Finland's late-00s veterans ...And Oceans surf to victory on the recent tidal wave of symphonic-BM-worship? Or will they fall to the Machiavellian machinations of The Committee? I bet you can guess. Our segment on The Committee builds to an exploration of Utopian Deception's thoughtful, strategically ambiguous politics, which may interest fans of last year's DSO and Mgla. (As well as Laibach, who we *should* have mentioned.)

After that, we hurtle headlong into two very modern takes on pagan primitivism. Haljoruna make a sullen but ecstatic midwinter racket, full of authentic Scandinavian folksong. Is it black metal or neofolk? Does it sound like Summoning? How could this very promising project solidify their sound? Finally, we turn to the new one by Kommodus, a prolific project that deserves serious attention. We debate the strengths and weaknesses of Lepidus Plague's relentlessly savage songwriting, and follow his esoteric reference points far afield, from Holy Terror hardcore to the Roman wolfcult and the worship of speed.

CORRECTION: "Haljoruna" doesn't have a "thorn" in it. My cohost comes closer to pronouncing it correctly. My bad, dudes.

00:00 - Introductory bullshitting / rundown of bands and labels

06:15 - ...And Oceans, Cosmic World Mother (Season of Mist)

35:00 - The Committee, Utopian Deception (Folter Records)

01:25:00 - Haljoruna, Midvinterblot (Old Mill Artifacts)

02:00:06 - Kommodus, Kommodus (Independent/Goatowarex?)