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Relentless total war on metal journalism.
Episodes
Tuesday Jul 26, 2022
Tuesday Jul 26, 2022
What's this? Terminus rising from its gwave once again? Well, not exactly- TBMG's work commitments are going on a bit longer than anticipated so we're not coming back from break just yet. However, in the interest of maintaining positive SEO trends and social standing, TDMG and infamous Terminus intern Hyper Shaman have put together an episode to tide you all over. We'll be back to your regularly scheduled programming sooner rather than later, but for now- records.
First is the long-awaited return of Singapore grindcore stars Wormrot after a 6 year gap from Voices, the record that brought them to the forefront of the genre. This year's record, Hiss, clearly and deliberately moves in more experimental directions, laced with lashings of screamo and ambient, but attempts to also hew closely to Wormrot's tried-and-true d-beat and blast attack. This has already proven to be a divisive record amongst fans of the band, so how does it stack up to prior work, and is the move toward headier material one that makes sense for the band? We discuss.
Next up is a record already catching fire within the Terminus black circle- the debut of Grenadier, Arghoslent-worshiping melodic death metal from Newfoundland, Canada (of all locales.) Calling this mere Arghoslent worship is a bit reductive, though, as Grenadier proves themselves not only capable of replicating that band's distinct riffing style but also bringing their own idiosyncrasies to the plate. Certainly one for all the Terminators out there, and definitely on the short list for melodeath record of the year.
Finally, we lower our eyes in respect and fear of the return of Pneuma Hagion, whose 2020 debut made that year's Terminus aggregate album of the year list. 2022's Demiurge is in a large sense more of the same- mid-era Morbid Angel perverted and downtuned to tectonic levels- but a close listen shows subtle shifts in the project's sound. The trudge and blast arrangement of the band's style maintains primacy, but an injection of perverse d-beat energy and hypnotic riffing makes this very worthy of further consideration.
0:00:00 - Intro
0:04:28 - Wormrot - Hiss (Earache Records)
0:36:25 - Grenadier - Trumpets Blaze in Burning Glory (Drakkar Records)
1:15:27 - Pneuma Hagion - Demiurge (Meat 5000 Records)
01:48:52 - Outro - Grave Upheaval - “Untitled 4” fr. Untitled (Nuclear War Now, 2013)
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Friday Jul 01, 2022
Friday Jul 01, 2022
Through loutish, piglike force of will, we have arrived at the halfway point of season 3 of Terminus. Weary but unbroken, your intrepid hosts are going to be taking their customary two week summer break, but before that, another episode, this time featuring what is surely one of the biggest records of the year. This is another episode of pure death metal, but in this case we reach from the deeper depths of the underground as well as the heights of one of the genre's most seminal acts.
For the subterranean: Melancholy Pessimism's newest record, continuing the legacy of these criminally underrated stalwarts of the Czech deathgrind scene. This time the band reaches back into the 80s, injecting a shot of surprisingly traditional thrash into their agile, mosh-ready brand of deathgrind. Like many of the records we've covered this year, this is an album for aficionados of the style, its core traditionalism elaborated upon with subtle touches of structural cleverness and masterful musicianship.
And then, yes, it's time- we're late to the party but we'd be remiss if we ignored the latest work by Immolation. No preamble is needed: Immolation continue to impress with their unique style of haunting, textured death metal that has now been iterated upon for upward of 30 years. That being said, this isn't a band content to rest on their laurels, and Acts of God proves itself one of their most ferocious and pummeling offerings in their post-Harnessing Ruin career. Sit back and enjoy as we engage in a sprawling discussion of not merely this record but the band's career, legacy, and position in death metal as a whole.
0:00:00 - Intro
0:09:24 - Melancholy Pessimism - Shut Up, Give Up and Obey! (Bizarre Leprous Production)
0:57:10 - Interlude - Destructive Explosion of Anal Garland - “Ureterakhamun” fr. Tour de Anal (Bizarre Leprous Production, 2014)
0:59:10 - Immolation - Acts of God (Nuclear Blast)
2:04:48 - Outro - Winter - “Into Darkness” fr. Into Darkness (Future Shock, 1990). Note fr. TBMG: Here's the other template for that last chug riff on Acts of God.
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Tuesday Jun 21, 2022
Tuesday Jun 21, 2022
As though driven by an unearthly wind, Terminus' music pendulum is buffeted far to the opposite side of the last couple episodes with an evening of (mostly) pure death metal- generally oldschool, but portrayed in radically contrasting ways. We open with a peek at the debut EP by Licentious, announcing the return of Rob Fornicator (Fornicator, Whore, etc.) which combines his penchant for heroin-addict sleaze with the dissolute chaos of early Devourment. Recommended headbanging posture: stabbing motion.
The Chasm returns after a long absence, allowing your hosts the opportunity to review not merely the newest record but the band as a whole. A long-running and crucial project carrying aloft the torch of the most erudite of oldschool death metal, the band on this record sets their sights on something a little different: highly technical, erudite thrash. The Chasm represents a crucial lineage in death metal: that of the Guitar Guy who sees technical performance and songwriting scope as inextricably intertwined. Recommended headbanging posture: invisible conductor's baton.
Also returning from a long absence are Finnish bulldozers Slugathor, who have emerged from the depths of R'lyeh slower, lower, and more bestial than ever. Drawing from the ugliest and deepest pools found within Rippikoulu and Bolt Thrower, Slugathor appear primitive and reductive at first blush, but upon further examination reveal a master's touch in pacing and structure. Recommended headbanging posture: shotgun levelled execution-style at the head of planet Earth.
0:00:00 - Intro/Licentious - Licentious (Headsplit Records)
0:14:52 - The Chasm - The Scars of a Lost Reflective Shadow (Lex Inframundis Productions/Dark Descent)
1:01:54 - Interlude - Claude Debussy - Nocturnes III, “Sirènes,” performed by the Berliner Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado conducting (Deutsche Grammophon, 2001)
1:11:41 - Slugathor - Crypt of the Ancient Fire (Drakkar Productions)
2:02:38 - Outro - Slugathor - “Endless Halls,” fr. Crypt of The Ancient Fire (2022)
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Thursday Jun 16, 2022
Thursday Jun 16, 2022
Terminus proudly returns from the prior week's collection of difficult black metal records with a new batch of, uh, difficult black metal records. Don't click the X, these ones are different! We're on a tear covering heady, structurally convoluted records these days, but perhaps today's works bring us a little closer to the Terminus center. First off, a well-aged appetizer: the return of the (to us) legendary Avsky, whose brand of caustic, arrogant black metal has lost no power in the dozen years since their last release.
First to bat is Theriomorph, a Finnish project that resembles little else in that well-trod geographic style, eschewing big, consonant riffs in favor of angular Orthodox concepts and some truly weird percussion ideas. This one is designed from the top down, with each track leading neatly into the next, creating an affecting occult atmosphere laced with ferocious speed and ugly, haunting harmonic depth. Good time music this is not, but the seasoned listener will find much to enjoy.
Koldkrypt takes another tact but similarly emphasizes structure: long, elaborate processions of melodic riffing take sharp turns into brutal key changes, slipping cleanly (but not easily) between the ecstatic and the misanthropic. Channeling the energy of French tradition, Gothenburg melodeath, and numerous other fields, this is a record with tremendous range but a nonetheless fully coalesced sound. Did you get your Seigneur Voland in my At the Gates, or did I get my At the Gates in your Seigneur Voland?
0:00:00 - Intro/Avsky - Sjukdom och död (Independent)
0:31:40 - Theriomorph - Diabolical Bloodswords (Terratur Possessions)
1:14:45 - Interlude - Vordr - “Fertile Human Waste” fr. I (Nykta Records, 2004)
1:18:38 - Koldkrypt - Holocauste Global (Hessian Firm)
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Thursday Jun 09, 2022
Thursday Jun 09, 2022
We're a little late with this one, but for a good reason: there's a new bonus episode out! If you want to hear us talk about Cranium and Immortal for a while, all it takes is your credit card number (give it to us now.) But before you do that, check out this episode which features a pair of challenging black(?) metal records for the weird and dedicated. First up, however- the return of Sepulchral Curse, whose new EP shows the band experimenting with different angles on their Finndeath sound, perhaps indicating some intriguing things about the next full length.
Our first main review is another returning act: Gjendød of Norway whose 2020 record Angrep ended up being a year-end favorite of both hosts. Their newest record takes a radically different form, blending Nordic folkblack with an avant-garde rhythmic edge, resulting in a sound melodically familiar but structurally alienating. Simple yet harmonically rich riffing glides by in a distinctly airy manner, but the meat of the music lies among the rocks and roots of the bass and drums. A substantial departure from their last record, but it sticks the landing nonetheless.
Further down the rabbit hole is yet ANOTHER returning character in Doldrum, whose demo we covered in 2020. If that peek into the process didn't convince you, the full-length surely will: this is a weird one. From distant black metal roots and perhaps more immediate prog, post-hardcore, and jazz tendencies comes a gnarly and atmospheric work most reminiscent of extreme metal's mid-life-crisis experimental streak of the early and mid-00s. Somehow, though, the melange works, with precise musicianship and relentless atmospheric focus giving life to what will undoubtedly be one of the most unique metal records of the year.
0:00:00 - Intro/Sepulchral Curse - The Deathbed Sessions (Personal Records / Lycanthropic Chants / Transylvanian Recordings)
0:20:24 - Gjendod - I Utakt Med Verden (Hellthrasher Productions)
1:10:41 - Interlude - Trelldom - “Slave til en kommende natt” fr. Til et annet… (Hammerheart Records, 1999)
1:16:26 - Doldrum - The Knocking, or the Story of the Sound That Preceded Their Disappearance (Katafalque)
2:09:28 - Outro - Ewigkeit - “The Nightmare Institution” fr. Conspiritus (Earache Records, 2005)
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Tuesday May 31, 2022
Tuesday May 31, 2022
Much to the shock and chagrin on our audience, the stars have aligned here on Terminus to provide an episode of nearly exclusively death metal! Melodies? NO. Keyboards? NO. Satan? KIND OF BUT IT'S COMPLICATED. Before we get into the gruesome and guttural though, we have a small concession for the skinnier and more artistic listeners: that of the debut demo by Grave Chalice, an industrialized black metal project featuring Warg of Heretical Sect which takes a foundation of Grand Declaration of War and enhances it with modern technique- definitely a project to look out for.
Ominous carrion winds blow in from the east announcing the arrival of Aparthiva Raktadhara's debut record. Notorious members of the Kolkata Inner Order, the band has taken a surprising move on this release by in large part leaving their warnoise roots for colder, more alienating death metal pastures. The root riffing style of Morbid Angel's most difficult moments is expanded upon with brutal death drum technique and utterly deranged song structures making for something that feels equally at home in 1992 as it does in 2046. No more spoilers- this is one of the best records of the year.
On the flipside is the triumphant return of Holocausto Canibal, long-running Portuguese grindgore purveyors whose long absence (at least in terms of full-lengths) has done nothing to soften their bite. Continuing in the footsteps of artists like Haemorrhage, HC provide (human) meat and potatoes goresoaked deathgrind with a crusty hardcore edge that may be more relevant now than ever before. Gravity blasts good, lyrics about space bad- there's a reason this style has existed for almost 30 years.
0:00:00 - Intro/Grave Chalice - Demo MMXXII (Mercurial Gate)
0:17:54 - Aparthiva Raktadhara - Adyapeeth Maranasamhita (আদ্যাপীঠ মরণসংহিতা) (Iron Bonehead)
1:07:21 - Prosanctus Inferi - “Apex Jaws in Madrigal Posture” fr. Noctambulous Jaws Within Sempiternal Night (NWN, 2013)
1:10:55 - Holocausto Canibal - Crueza Ferina (Selfmadegod)
1:43:21 - Outro - Mortuary Punishment - “The Streets” into “Streets of Death II” fr. Pride.Power.Punishment (Independent, 2018)
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Monday May 23, 2022
Monday May 23, 2022
We did it, folks- we've circumnavigated extreme metal itself. On the 94th installment of the only podcast that matters we return to a band featured in our very first episode. Please do not go back and listen- those were dark days- but aside from this exception, we have an episode of... primitive death metal? Today's intro review comes courtesy of Oregon-based deathrashers Phenom whose second full-length brings to mind the barbaric and primordial sounds of Master mixed with streaks of Brazilian and Teutonic thrash. Definitely a weird one, but also excellent- recommended for all sorts of extreme metal fiends regardless of genre preference.
What better way to follow up that opening barrage with the return of legendary cheeseheads Jungle Rot? TDMG brought this on the show not expecting too many surprises, but quickly realized something highly unusual was afoot here. Jungle Rot's style shines through (as always) but with a tremendous helping of thrash and hardcore. Could this be the world's heaviest crossover record? But what's with the convoluted, nested riffing structures? And what the hell is going on with all the solos? A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one.
And finally we get back to the point of origin- the newest Horn album, bringing us all the way back to Terminus Episode 1. The world's greatest (and perhaps only) purveyor of Alpine Black Folk, Horn's new record provokes some excellent discussion- the different "modes" found within single projects and the power of iterative melodic refinement. This is an expansive record, ranging from oi-infused folkblack rippers to elegiac doom works, so there's something for everyone- but where does the strongest material lie?
0:00:00 - Intro/Phenom - Ov History and Death (Death is Imminent Records)
0:26:29 - Jungle Rot - A Call to Arms (Unique Leader Records)
1:11:18 - Interlude - Murder Squad - “Bloodfreak” fr. Unsane, Insane and Mentally Deranged (Pavement Music, 2001)
1:14:15 - Horn - Verzet (Independent)
1:54:54 - Outro - Liederjan - “Schitter Tod,” fr. Volksmusik Aus Der Heilen Welt (Polydor, 1979) and “Die Weber,” fr. Mädchen, Meister, Mönche (Polydor, 1978).
The first of these is a version of “Es ist ein Schnitter, a 17c German folk song that inspires Horn. See the Bardo Methodology interview:
http://www.bardomethodology.com/articles/2018/01/11/horn-interview/
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Monday May 16, 2022
Monday May 16, 2022
The stars have aligned and the entrails have been read to provide a rare treat in the Terminus catalog- a themed episode! Out of either sheer happenstance or perhaps a dark conspiracy, several big hitters of the Portuguese black metal scene have all released new records, and what would Terminus be if we didn't cover them? The intro mini-review this time is of the new EP by grumbling dungeon-dwellers Mons Veneris, whose Abruptum-influenced tones fuse with the chunky Portuguese style to make music for blackout drunk vampires. The result of the mixture is predictably excellent (and kind of hilarious too.)
First course: Corpus Christii, a longtime favorite of The Death Metal Guy, who return with a new full-length after a half decade absence. This is a fascinating deep cut sort of record by and for those with intense black metal fixations, playing off the listener's expectations of the style and constantly taking the road less traveled. Structurally fascinating but also inherently exciting from riff to riff, this is definitely an album that becomes more and more interesting with subsequent listens. Play along at home: crank it up, crack open a beer, and take diligent notes about the devil.
Wrapping things up is the third full-length by Candelabrum which provides another rare Terminus treat: a knock-down, drag-out argument between your two hosts whose opinions on this record diverge wildly. Candelabrum makes thin, ghostly, minimal music which slowly sculpts atmosphere out of reverb and negative space- but is it too thin to be meaningful? One host says yes, the other says no, and what follows is a (hopefully) illuminating discussion on the merits of minimalism, trends in nowadays black metal, and the role of production in experimental work. TDMG will talk more about it next time- after the fitting for his new glass eye.
0:00:00 - Intro/Mons Veneris - Torches of Entrancement (Signal Rex)
0:27:50 - Corpus Christii - The Bitter End of Old (Immortal Frost Productions)
1:18:15 - Interlude - Ofermod - “Calling of Setnacht: Twofold Triunity” fr. Thaumiel (Spinefarm Records, 2012)
1:24:46 - Candelabrum - Nocturnal Trance (Hells Headbangers)
2:09:48 - Outro - Be Persecuted - “The Last Right” fr. End Leaving (No Colours Records, 2009)
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Monday May 09, 2022
Monday May 09, 2022
We're a little late on this one- had to go to some crucial chakra alignment workshops- but we're back with a lean and mean episode featuring two records from completely opposite sides of our musical map. The split here is about as TBMG and TDMG as you can get- choose your side wisely, mortals.
First up is the triumphant return of Tenhornedbeast, a personal favorite of TBMG whose dark ambient/drone/post-industrial-what-have-you merges murky, distorted synth tones with negative space and distant, crushing percussion. Hey now, this isn't a metal record at all! There's plenty to discuss, though- what's the difference between good and bad music made in this style, minimalism vs. maximalism in ambient composition, and the difference between meditative and deliberately challenging tones. Listen to this one on headphones in the dark.
TDMG's side brings us back into the comfort of extreme metal with the new Corpsessed record. At this point long-running purveyors of traditional, punishing Finnish death metal, Corpsessed make remarkably well-rounded and deceptively clever music with a surprising amount of restraint and elegance. Refusing to perceive any difference between high-minded noodling and caveman mosh music, this is a record which truly encompasses what made old school death metal great and which indicates the flame is still alive.
0:00:00 - Intro/Tenhornedbeast - The Lamp of No Light (Cold Springs)
0:47:08 - Interlude - Endvra - “The Battle Song of Endvra” fr. Great God Pan (Elfenblut, 1997) (Seems out of print but easily available on the used market)
0:49:09 - Corpsessed - Succumb to Rot (Dark Descent)
1:30:38 - Outro - Rippikoulu - “Kadonneet jumalat” fr. Musta seremonia (Independent, 1993) (Re-released several times over the years, remastered version available on Bandcamp)
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Saturday Apr 30, 2022
Saturday Apr 30, 2022
IT'S HAPPENING! OH MY GOD IT'S FINALLY HAPPENING! Yeah, yeah, of course we were gonna cover it. But beyond the most obvious part of this show is a pair of excellent, highly melodic records which are equally worthy of your time. Case in point: the sophomore record of Thos Ælla, whose debut we covered on the show last year. The new record shows a supercharged version of the project, merging traditional melodic black/death with explosive power metal flourishes and guitar pyrotechnics. Talk about expansion on the ideal- this puts the project firmly on the map for all our listeners.
AND HERE IT IS. 17 years in the making, Kohanic Charmers has arrived to announce the return of hooligan black metal legends Grand Belial's Key. For those feeling trepidation over the job history gap, fear not: this is a powerful entry in the band's discography. Leaning toward the direct and compact disdain of Judeobeast Assassination, the new record combines a surprisingly understated delivery with mature, inventive songwriting. The quiet period of the last decade and a half has only sharpened their legendary musicality and scorn. Absolutely mandatory.
Finally, a powerful taboo is broken: we're covering a reissue! This time it's from Algaion, a fairly obscure Swedish project from the latter years of the second wave who make minimal yet elaborately melodic black metal that sounds like it could be released TODAY. This is part review and part history lesson as your hosts try to wrap their brains around the idea that this was recorded in the waning days of '94. All that being said, this is brilliant and provides an entirely new perspective on where the modern sounds today may have began.
0:00:00 - Intro/Thos Ælla - Sempiternal Mobocracies (I, Voidhanger Records)
0:19:22 - Grand Belial’s Key - Kohanic Charmers (Weltenfeind)
1:04:56 - Interlude - Toil - “Obscure Chasms” fr. Obscure Chasms (Grievantee Productions, 2007) (Long out of print but seemingly still available from underground shops)
1:08:00 - Algaion - Oimai Algeiou (reissue on Regain Records)
1:47:18 - Outro - Octinomos - “The Ground Shall Sorrow Be” fr. Octinomos (Infortunium Records, 1995) (Seems to be out of print- also search for On the Demiurge, essentially the same record.)
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