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Relentless total war on metal journalism.
Episodes
Friday Mar 25, 2022
Friday Mar 25, 2022
Tonight's episode of Terminus is another lean, cold, efficient one, but for good reason- this is the first half of a double-header recording session, the second being a long-awaited new episode of Terminus Prime! On the new bonus show, we cover Absu's Tara and Bilskirnir's Wotansvolk, but you can't hear it unless you send me the 16 digits on the front of your credit card, the expiration date, and the 3 digit security code on the back. And maybe your billing address too. Send that just in case.
The first half of our show is dedicated to the eagerly awaited debut full length by Astral Tomb, the young death metal upstarts from Denver whose previous EP we covered last season. Astral Tomb plays truly bizarre, experimental death metal that's equal parts Gorguts and Frank Zappa, but the primary DNA might surprise you- slam death and bludgeoning beatdown hardcore. Does this head-on collision of high and low culture result in brilliance or confusion? Without question, the former- this immediately jumped onto our preemptive album of the year lists and we guess it will for you too.
On the flipside is the new record by Ostots, long running Basque black metal band who make a lateral move into slightly symphonic but by no means "nicer" territory. Drawn from the well of mid-00s trenchcoat obscurity, Ostots makes harmonically challenging and deceptively complex music from simple building blocks. This is a band which etches out rich yet rigid forms not unlike a 19th century charcoal sketch- highly detailed but crafted with sharp, dangerous angles. In some sense quite challenging, but undoubtedly highly worthwhile.
0:00:00 - Intro
0:04:06 - Astral Tomb - Soulgazer (Blood Harvest)
0:48:32 - Interlude - The Stooges - “Fun House,” fr. Fun House (Elektra, 1970)
0:56:16 - Ostots - Madarikazioa (Altare Productions)
1:40:01 - Outro - Azrael - “Untitled 5” fr. Into Shadows Act II: Through Horned Shadows Glimpse (Moribund Records, 2004) (Out of print and not available digitally, but easily found on the used market)
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Saturday Mar 19, 2022
Saturday Mar 19, 2022
In the wake of last week's giant, sprawling episode, we come back with something a little more concise but no less varied. Today's mini-review comes courtesy of Mitternacht, whose debut demo channels the originary essence of Darkthrone with a spike of primitive, ripping thrash- but blackthrash this is not! It's a brief record, but one with a lot of promise for a future where where thrash bands are not judged by their leather jackets but rather by the content of their riffs.
Next up, TDMG inspires groans in the Terminator population with the long-awaited fourth full length by Embryonic Devourment, a tech death band near and dear to his heart but often forgotten by the masses. ED plays tech death based around midpaced sprawl more than high-speed shredding, investing themselves deeply in uncovering the weirdest, most needling intervals a guitar can produce. This is tech death on hard mode, and this is what we used to listen to back in the 00's before everyone became deathcore. Listen to this section or be considered an ally of the reptilian agenda.
Wrapping things up with what will certainly be one of the most surprising releases of the year is the debut record by Sternatis, an outer-circle Blazebirth Hall affiliate who returns with a record titled the same. Brazenly waving the flag of BBH is a bold, almost dangerous move, but Sternatis justifies it through black metal which captures the essence of the movement without merely copying any of its legendary techniques. This is definitely not music for the uninitiated, but its powerful sense of melody and ferocious, primitive impulse makes it a mandatory listen for all fans of this show.
0:00:00 - Intro/Mitternacht - Blasphemous Warfare (Independent/Unchained Tapes)
0:15:56 - Embryonic Devourment - Heresy of the Highest Order (Unique Leader)
0:56:04 - Interlude - Gigan - “Plume of Ink Within a Vacuum” fr. Undulating Waves of Rainbiotic Iridescence (Willowtip Records, 2017)
1:01:15 - Sternatis - Blazebirth Hall (Drakkar Productions)
2:03:49 - Outro - Raven Dark - “For Glory Hat,” fr. Berustet av Kriegsdronnet (Independent, 1997 / Stellar Winter 2000) (Not gonna lie- your only chance to find this is on the used market for insane prices.)
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Sunday Mar 13, 2022
Sunday Mar 13, 2022
As Terminus trundles its massive bulk toward something resembling a conventional schedule again, we present an oldschool episode with a bunch of records, a bunch of different sounds, and a lot of confused late-night cackling regarding goats and the docking thereof. The opening ceremonies today are conducted by one Paimon Gate, a brand new project who blow the hinges off the barn door with their debut demo of primitive yet ornate black/death in the vein of Profanatica. Keep your eyes on this one- a full length will almost undoubtedly be an album of the year contender when it arrives.
Following this is the new split by Rotting Kingdom and Encoffination, personal favorites of TBMG and TDMG respectively. A well-arranged split always functions as a complete piece unto itself, and such is the case here, presenting two distinct sides of the doom/death coin: RK explore a nuanced take on the more melodic Peaceville sound while Encoffination suffocates the listener with nihilistic minimalism. Party music it's not, but it's a great disc for the seasoned listener.
Next up to bat is Downcross, a Belarusian duo who explore various fringes of black metal styles wrapped around an 00s trenchcoat black'n'roll core. Don't let that descriptor scare you away- this is subtle and rich music which employs its rock techniques in service of fascinating, eccentric tracks. Every track on Hexapoda Triumph could be the seed of a new band unto itself, and to hear all of these ideas bundled together and presented as a distinct unit is something of a revelation.
Concluding is, of course, more brutal death, this time courtesy of deep south butcherers Perceptions of Torment. Longtime friends of TDMG, PoT finally present a concise, punchy debut record of Texas-style brutal death. Ripping technical tremolo riffs whip across a surface of mechanical blast beats which periodically dissolve into crushing NYDM breakdowns suitable for mosh pit homicide- in short, it's everything a growing Terminator needs.
0:00:00 - Intro/Paimon Gate - Seven Legions (Nuclear War Now)
0:23:01 - Rotting Kingdom / Encoffination - Wretched Enigma of Salvation (Selfmadegod Records)
1:01:00 - Interlude - Rigor Sardonicous - “The Dead” fr. Principia Sardonica (Paragon Records, 2004)
1:08:05 - Downcross - Hexapoda Triumph (Cavum Atrum Rex)
1:49:01 - Interlude - Ashes - “Beloved Dust” fr. Ashes (Malignant Voices, 2019)
1:56:54 - Perceptions of Torment - Elegance in Postmortem (Sevared Records)
2:40:03 - Outro - Big K.R.I.T. - “Hometown Hero” ft. K.R.I.T. Wuz Here (Nature Sounds, 2010)
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Tuesday Mar 08, 2022
Tuesday Mar 08, 2022
It's been a bit longer than usual since the last episode with both hosts heading out of town for various IRL commitments, but what better way to celebrate the return than with an episode full of friends of the show? We open with last year's EP by Galicia, submitted by a patron of the show* who just so happens to like all the same things we like: Axis of Advance, arrogant thrash metal, winding, elaborate melodies, and maybe even torture doom? Galicia is a project which plays in styles near and dear to Terminator hearts around the world, which promises a resurrection of sounds which only in the past few years have made a resurgence.
After that, well, we GOTTA talk about the new Véhémence, right? Legends of chivalric French black metal and cornerstone of Antiq Records, the band has returned with, unsurprisingly, another great entry in their discography. Further delving into the strange modern confluence of black, folk, and power metal styles, Véhémence manages to once again capture their unique essence while further refining and expanding on their sonic possibilities. Equal parts thoughtful and Wacken-ready, this is a crucial listen for all self-respecting Terminators across the globe.
Wrapping things up is the newest by Meslamtaea, a project whose previous record we covered all the way back in Terminus' inaugural season. Modern legend of the Dutch black metal scene Floris continues to expand on the possibility space of Meslamtaea with a deeper infusion of jazz and also a more reverent recreation of 2nd wave black metal than before. This is an interesting, meandering review- how much is too much when it comes to prog? Must black metal be necessarily physical and immediate? What's the difference between jazz proper and porno soundtrack? Gaze into the orb for your answers.
0:00:00 - Intro/Galicia - Serpentine Descension (Independent)
0:27:25 - Interlude - Witches Hammer - “Frozen God / Witches Hammer” fr. the Canadian Speed Metal comp (Nuclear War Now, 2003)
0:32:35 - Véhémence - Ordalies (Antiq Records)
Interlude - 1:14:55 - Cirith Gorgor - “Winter Embraces Lands Beyond” fr. Onwards to the Spectral Defile (Osmose Productions, 1999)
1:20:29 - Meslamtaea - Weemoedsklanken (Babylon Doom Cult)
2:05:54 - Creation is Crucifixion - “Modeling the Fossile Evidence (There is Glory in Subversion)” fr. Automata (Cyberdine 243, 1999)
*CORRECTION: TBMG mistakenly identifies our patron as the vocalist of Galicia. He is in fact the drummer, but does some vocals too.
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Thursday Feb 24, 2022
Thursday Feb 24, 2022
As life on Earth once again reaffirms that we are in the Kali Yuga, Terminus lingers on to observe and record the trajectory of the downfall.
Our intro segment tonight is a double-header of great records that couldn't be further apart. TBMG brings on the new demo by Serpent Dweller, which shows the young band consolidating and improving their sound from the first demo dramatically with a bit of outlaw rock flair and more involved lead guitar concepts. TDMG brings the latest record by RazorRape, whose chunky yet nimble bloodsoaked deathgrind will likely be a favorite of any who appreciated the 200 Stab Wounds record we enjoyed so much last year.
Onto the main show: first is the new record by Author & Punisher, which shows the project exploring new layers of melody and dynamics across its expanse of sandblasted, sub-bass-heavy distortion. TBMG's background in industrial and punk is an asset here, helping to untangle the web of influences behind this work which may be unfamiliar to most metalheads, while TDMG wears cool sunglasses and stares across the desert wastes in a single-armed leather jacket.
Concluding the episode is the debut record of Kampfeswut, a band which merges the stomping, oi-infused black metal of Absurd with a dizzying array of folk instruments and melodies. The effect is something with depth but immediate satisfaction- Teutonic tradition crosses paths with pyrotechnic melodeath-infused riffing in a new interpretation of what "fun" black metal can really be. Stick around for this one- Terminators of all stripes will appreciate it.
0:00:00 - Intro
0:07:51 - Serpent Dweller - Demo II (Independent)
0:27:59 - RazorRape - Fucked Beyond Recognition (Morbid Generation Records)
0:47:29 - Author & Punisher - Krüller (Relapse Records)
1:37:14 - Interlude - Youth Code - “For I Am Cursed” fr. A Place to Stand (Dais Records, 2014)
1:42:11 - Kampfeswut - Des barden Schwarzer Gesang (Old Mill)
2:23:01 - Outro - Eisregen - “Mein Eichensarg” fr. Wundwasser (Massacre Records, 2004)
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Monday Feb 21, 2022
Monday Feb 21, 2022
Hey guys, great to be back with my best buddy The Black Metal Guy! Everything was totally fine while he was sick and there was absolutely no hideous comeuppance for my transgressions while he was gone!
Getting back into the swing of things we do a mini-review of the new Perkwunos record which fuses Hate Forest with 2nd wave concepts of riffing and form. This is deliberately difficult music (not unlike its primary influences), but it also taps into clear and defined ideas of nowadays black metal that help bridge the gap. Have you always imagined a version of Hate Forest that makes just a LITTLE more sense? Here you go.
Our first main record of the night is the debut of Syndexioi, which uses a basic template of Summoning-style ritual black metal to outline a concept of ancient occult worship. Where Summoning explores vast Middle Earth soundscapes, Syndexioi spelunks darker territories, familiar with both the traditions of black metal and martial industrial alike. Challenging music, in many ways more like ambient than black metal, but with big heavy metal hooks to keep the kids interested.
Wrapping up the evening is the second full length by Vladduh, which unashamedly attempts to replicate the essence of BBH legends Forest in a modern context. There's a lot of subtlety to dig out here: crazy harmonic overtones, undertones of chromatic brutality, and a conceptual rigor that defines it as one of the finest followers of the BBH school we've ever covered on the show.
0:00:00 - Intro
0:01:54 - Perkwunos – Stelae (Independent - tape forthcoming on Rat King)
0:25:28 - Syndexioi - Sol Begravd (Independent)
1:10:38 - Interlude - Endvra - “The Devils Stars Burn Cold,” fr. Black Eden (Red Stream, 1996)
(Check out Christopher Walton’s successor project, Tenhornedbeast, on post-industrial powerhouse Cold Spring. And his old blogspot, on wilderness tracking and weird fiction.)
1:17:52 - Vladduh - Spirit of Triumph (Independent)
2:03:43 - Outro - Burzum - “Glemselens Elv,” fr. Belus (Byelobog Productions, 2010)
(Distributed through Plastic Head.)
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Tuesday Feb 15, 2022
Tuesday Feb 15, 2022
IVE DONE IT, IVE BROKEN FREE OF THE BLACK METAL GUYS PRISON AND I CAN DO WHATEVER I WANT NOW, THERES NOTHING STOPPING ME, TERMINUS IS NOW THE MOST POWERFUL SLAMMING GOREGRIND PODCAST ON THE INTERNET AND IM MORE POWERFUL THAN ANY COP
TBMG IS GONE SO ME AND HYPER SHAMAN LISTEN TO A BUNCH OF SICK ALBUMS ABOUT KILLING AND EATING PEOPLE, MY HAND TO GOD I WILL NEVER GO BACK TO TALKING ABOUT LABORIOUS DEEPLY MYSTIC BLACK METAL RECORDS AGAIN, ITS ALL SICK HORROR SAMPLES FROM HERE OUT BOYS
BAALSEBUB IS SICK AND ESTONIAN AND THEYRE BACK AND THE SNARE IS STILL SUPER LOUD
NAEGLERIA FOWLERI DOES SICK GORENOISE WITH DOPE DRUM FILLS
INTESTINAL ENGORGEMENT IS PROBABLY 4 MINUTES OF MUSIC CUT AND PASTED AT RANDOM IN REAPER BUT I DONT CARE IT RULEZ
SCUMTOMY IS LIKE DEVELOPING DEMENTIA OVER THE COURSE OF 40 MINUTES
I WANT YOU ALL TO HOLD ME TO THIS: IF THE NEXT EPISODE OF TERMINUS IS AUSTERE ESOTERIC BLACK METAL ABOUT A MYSTIC DREAM OF AGES ONCE PAST BUT PERHAPS RETURNING IN THE FUTURE ILL GET MY DICK CAUGHT IN A ROLLUP CAR WINDOW
0:00:00 - INTRO WHEREIN I AM FREED OF MY SHACKLES
0:01:46 - Baalsebub - Famine (New Standard Elite)
0:19:58 - Interlude - Lowdown Da Sinista - “Lowdown is Da Sinista” fr. Coming For Your Soul (Independent, 1996)
0:23:07 - Naegleria Fowleri - Dissolved in Substance (Independent)
0:38:04 - Interlude - Manson Family - “Bar None” fr. Heltah Skeltah (Street Smart Records, 2000)
0:42:49 - Intestinal Engorgement - Putrefying Consumption of Dismemberment (Amputated Vein)
1:25:19 - Interlude - Niggaz of Destruction - “No Fear” fr. Niggaz of Destruction (Street Smart Records, 1996)
1:29:50 - Scumtomy - Planet Terror (Endwar Records)
2:10:18 - Outro - 3 Memphis Kniccas - “Rest Your Soul” fr. Kill ‘Em Dead (Independent, 1996)
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IN THE NIGHTSIDE ECLIPSE MORE LIKE ON THE NUTSACK YOU KISS
Saturday Feb 05, 2022
Saturday Feb 05, 2022
One of our great dreams here at the Terminus Bunker is that one day people will say we jumped the shark, and only the old demo material is still worthwhile. In eager anticipation of our critical demise, we present an episode that would fit back in 2020, with several obscure, mostly independently released records that play around the edges of disrespected genres and styles. "Once they learned how to mix audio properly, it was all over." We agree.
Opening the festivities is a presentation by The Black Metal Guy with Military Shadow, a Japanese metalpunk band which allows The Death Metal Guy to finally ask what the hell metalpunk is anyway. The answer, at least in the case of Military Shadow, is a high-flying combination of NWOBHM/speed metal and driving, raucous d-beat. It's an intensely good time- imagine Impaled Nazarene without the black metal and you have a pretty good idea.
Following is the second full-length by Isataii, a Los Angeles duo who emerged in 2021 and have released an astounding amount of material over the past year. Don't let this get confused for a lack of quality control, however- Isataii's music reaches back to the ooze of mid-00s black metal, typically decried as a dark age for the genre, but was secretly creatively fertile. Somewhere between Franco-Finnish, DSBM, and stomping Swedish, Isataii strips down modern riff forms and places them into the blocky structures of primitive 2nd wave or USBM, resulting in a record for patricians only.
Wrapping up is the newest LP by Deadlife, a similarly prolific Swedish one man project which plays... DSBM? Maybe? Discussion in this segment centers around what DSBM means anyway, given that Deadlife's music in large part reflects the strains of Peaceville doom and Katatonia rather than anything conventionally "black metal." Regardless of genre, Deadlife has mastered the resurrection of conventional riff forms of old, playing familiar melodies with a physical power and nuance rarely seen in the years since the style's heyday.
0:00:00 - Intro/Military Shadow - Violence Reigns (Black Konflik)
0:29:28 - Interlude - Syphilitic Vaginas - “Black Sorcery” fr. Black Motor Covenant (RFL Records, 2007) (Link is to the "Complete Studio Collection compilation, featuring that EP and much more)
0:33:08 - Isataii - Invoking in Darkness (Independent)
1:23:42 - Interlude - Ghremdrakk - “Chemikinesis” fr. Je m’exalte (Grievantee Productions, 2007) (Out of print, not available digitally, but still available through underground distros)
1:30:04 - Deadlife - The Darkening (Independent)
2:13:00 - Outro - Sangre - “As in Life, So in Death” fr. En Memoria (Restroom Records, 2005)
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Friday Jan 28, 2022
Friday Jan 28, 2022
Lusted for as much as it is feared, Terminus pushes a bony hand up from the frigid soil to return with a storm of blast beats and autism. A chill wind envelopes the soul- how will the masters of extreme metal critique announce their return? With a bunch of nerdy Finnish stuff, of course!
First on the plate is the new split between Serpent Noir and Sargeist. Serpent Noir plays a heavy metal and rock infused take on Greek black metal while Sargeist plays Sargeist as only Sargeist can. Who will be the victor? Can The Black Metal Guy handle noodly guitars inspired by 70s rock? Can Sargeist once again achieve the heights of Let The Devil In? Only a focused and meticulous listen will answer these riddles.
After this we cheat a little bit with a record from the last days of 2020- Ride For Revenge's newest opus of shambling, grotesque, primitive black metal. The new record will sound familiar to fans, but emphasizes the most uptempo and burly parts of their sound, jettisoning some of their experimentation for crushing 45-played-on-33 takes on Hellhammer tracks.
Wrapping things up is the first and apparently last record by Grieve, another side project of the notorious Werwolf of Satanic Warmaster. This time the target sound revolves around the earliest works of the mighty Gorgoroth, laced with the traditional Finnish sound that Werwolf himself helped establish. What ensues is a thrilling record of gnarly, oldschool black metal that is nonetheless laden with melody and intricacy to carry you through the winter nights.
0:00:00 - Intro
0:08:19 - Serpent Noir / Sargeist - Transcendental Black Magic (World Terror Committee)
1:01:17 - Interlude - The Sarcophagus - “Legend Sleeps Behind the Mountains” fr. Towards the Eternal Chaos (Osmose Productions, 2009) (Out of print and not on Bandcamp, but easily available used and on streaming services)
1:08:25 - Ride for Revenge - Feed The Infamy (Bestial Burst)
1:53:03 - Grieve - Funeral (Werewolf Records)
2:55:27 - Outro - Impious Havoc - “Holy City in Flames” fr. Manifestations of Plague and War (Warfront Productions, 2007) (Available at various underground distros only it appears)
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Monday Jan 17, 2022
Monday Jan 17, 2022
Since we're on break for another week, here's another old bonus episode, this one from back in September 2020. We talk about this one a lot on the show, because it helped us figure out some important stuff about BM history - in particular, the crucial question, "Who did what riffs when?" So sit back, young warriors, with your pints of heavily adulterated ale, and let us regale you with elder legends of the Trenchcoat Era.....
Believe it or not, there was a time before Darkthrone's "The Cult Is Alive." A time before a million "blackened crust" bands were born. If, in 2005, you told someone you liked punkish black metal, they'd probably assume you meant something like Impaled Nazarene or Carpathian Forest. Albums like Suomi Finland Perkele and Black Shining Leather were once canonical, or close to it. But do they stand the test of time? And, more important, can they Withstand The Fall of Time? Let's find out....
Impaled Nazarene - Suomi Finland Perkele (Osmose, 1994)
Carpathian Forest - Black Shining Leather (Avantgarde Music, 1998)
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