Something that begins as a bit of fun can often turn into something bigger and this is certainly the case for UK death metal act DeathCollector. Getting together in 2021 as a way to pass the time while things got rolling again post-Covid, it didn’t take long for fun cover versions to turn into writing original material, the four-piece independently releasing the excellent Time’s Up EP last year.
Los Angeles Death Metal emissaries Annihilated are preparing to drop their brutal début manifesto, XIII Steps To Ruination from Unique Leader Records on October 28th (next Tuesday). Featuring former members of Abysmal Dawn, Grotesque, Excretion, and Arkaik the band may be new, but has the pedigree of hardened musical killers. Ghost Cult is proud to partner with Earsplit PR to bring you this great new band!
Listen to ‘Global Enslavement’ now!
Official Press Release:
California-based extreme death metal perpetrators, Annihilated — who features within its ranks, current and former members of Abysmal Dawn, Grotesque, Excretion, and Arkaik — will spread their sonic sickness across the lands this Fall with the release of debut full-length, XIII Steps To Ruination.
Set for official unleashing via brutality powerhouse, Unique Leader Records, later this Fall, Annihilated’s XIII Steps To Ruination was produced by drummer Scott Fuller (Abysmal Dawn) and boasts eleven pounding, methodically-crafted tales of torment bedecked in hailstorm riff sequences, homicidal blasts, maniacal vocal onslaughts, and strategically composed percussive syncopation all fueled, conceptually, by political/corporate disgust and societal revulsion. As an added bonus, XIII Steps To Ruination features guest appearances by Sven De Caluwe (Aborted), Monte Pittman (Prong), Peter Truax (Vesterian, Eyes Of Fire) and Eric Stobel (Plaguereaper, P.O.R.).
Comments Fuller of Annihilated’s union with Unique Leader: “We are psyched to be a part of the Unique Leader family. With such a notable roster of brutal death metal bands and awesome releases, we feel right at home.”
XIII Steps To Ruination Track Listing:
1. Global Enslavement
2. Eyes In The Sky
3. This Fear I Speak Of
4. XIII Steps To Ruination
5. Eradication Profits
6. Divide Distract Deceive
7. For The Ignorant
8. Wastelands
9. Creations Of Man
10. Throne Of Eternity
11. Putrifacation
Annihilated was forged in 2008 by guitarists Eric Matranga and Robert Fimbres shortly following the demise of Los Angeles’ Excretion. Intent on composing music with a purpose, Annihilated stands resolutely against the prevalent “sheep mentality” of society in favor of rational thought, questioning the motives of government and news media outlets though debilitating auditory domination.
XIII Steps To Ruination will see release via Unique Leader Records on October 28th, 2014 North America, October 31st,2014 in Europe and November 3rd, 2014 in the UK. Preorder your copy today at THIS LOCATION.
https://www.facebook.com/Annihilatetheworld
http://www.uniqueleader.com
http://www.facebook.com/UniqueLeaderRecords
Ghost Cult is proud to partner with the purveyor of all things brutal, underground and evil, Blasphemour Records, to premiere the title track off of the upcoming EP from Funerals. ‘Human Ruin’ is a blistering cut that is going to cave your head in upon the first listen. Hailing from Portland, OR, Funerals is a band that creates a sound of hate-encrusted hardcore that will have fans of Integrity, Twitching Tongues, Early Graves, Dropdead going off in seconds. Human Ruin drops on Halloween, just a few weeks away. Originally self-released as a cassette and remastered by the legendary Brad Boatright (Sleep, Beastmilk, Nails) at Audiosiege, there are several cool limited-edition vinyl packages available for pre-order here.
From the press release:
The debut release from Portland, Oregon’s Funerals. 3 tracks of heavy, low-tuned hardcore that will appeal to fans of Disembodied, Integrity, Twitching Tongues and The Banner. Originally self released on Bandcamp and on a limited cassette, Blasphemour Records felt this album needed a proper release. Recorded at D-Wreckords Studio in Portland, and now re-mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege, this album will leave you wishing this was a full length. Pre-Sales start 9/13/14 at 10:31AM EST.
Catalog #: BR009
Formats: 7″ Vinyl and Digital
Vinyl pressing information:
50 – Violet (SOLD OUT)
100 – Black (Only 15 left)
150 – Transparent Red (Only 40 left)
Second press coming out in November.
200 – White
Band Members:
Vocals: Craig
Guitar: Sean
Bass: Sonny
Drums: Gio
Funerals on Facebook
http://blasphemourrecords.com
UK Technical thrashers Sylosis have announced their new album, Dormant Heart, coming soon from Nuclear Blast Records. Although the band has had some bad luck, such as their tour van crash last month in Canada that forced them to drop off the Trivium, Devildriver, After The Burial Tour, things are looking up for the upcoming fourth full-length release of their career. Still, the band is one of the leading lights of the current UK metal scene, amidst a sea of death, doom and black metal bands populating the map. They have proved to be a standout act live as well.
From The Press Release:
Dormant Heart will be the title of the fourth studio album by the U.K.’s modern thrashers Sylosis. Despite the title, it’s not a peaceful album: It’s about a powerful force unleashing anger against everyday injustice and a sleeping society that lets these things wash over them.
“It’s the most pissed-off, aggressive and intense album we’ve done, yet it still retains the epic, progressive and melodic side we’re also known for,” reveals Sylosis frontman Josh Middleton. “It’s a very gloomy and atmospheric album. We’ve been through a lot as a band and individuals and we’ve made our darkest album to date.
“The title refers to people going through life on autopilot and being one of the herd, how a lot of people simply accept the way things are just because it’s ‘tradition’ as opposed to taking a good look at the world around you and thinking for yourself. Sometimes there are catalysts that happen and change our perspective or consciousness.”
The album was produced by Middleton with the help of engineer Scott Atkins and is mastered by TesseracT guitarist Acle Kahney.“It was great doing some of the recording with Scott again,” Middleton shares about the band’s studio time. “We’ve got a good working relationship and he’s really dedicated to what he does. We like to strive for a very earthy and organic sound. It adds to the human element and brings out the intensity and vibe in the music.”
Sylosis began tracking the new album back in March 2014, working away secretly alongside touring commitments. Drum tracks were recorded in May at Monkey Puzzle Studios by original drummer Rob Callard, who parted ways with the band last month due to time restraints. After filling in for some live shows during Sylosis’ Spring 2014 tour, Bleed From Within’s drummer Ali Richardson is now a permanent member of the band.
Watch the official “Fear The World” video from 2012’s Monolith album on the Nuclear Blast YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/watch?v=tocEwt4HHOg
Sylosis are:
· Josh Middleton – Vocals & Guitars
· Alex Bailey – Guitars
· Carl Parnell – Bass
· Ali Richardson – Drums
Sylosis on Facebook
Milwaukee’s own, Enabler, are back and ready to break your face (or maybe just your ears) in their newest release, La Fin Absolue Du Monde (The Compound/Creator Destructor ). Now I will come out and say that I am not really the biggest fan of hardcore punk and normally do not end up at said shows. However, Enabler has done a great service in recruiting me as a fan of what they have to offer. The sheer energy that the Wisconsin threesome create in this newest release is what hardcore bands of today should be modeling themselves after. Enabler is able to create speedy, short songs and give a crossover thrash and d-beat feel but keep their hardcore roots in as well. Lastly, well-timed breakdowns are extremely important and should not be the center of the song. So out of the 14 neck-breaking tracks, I was able to pick out a few of my favorites, although just about every song was enjoyable.
‘Neglect’ has one of my favorite riffs/tones on the album as Enabler keeps it really crusty which is one of the big selling points for a hardcore band for me. I love the pace of the song as well as it starts off quick then just runs into a breakdown and stays in that tempo to finish off the song. My favorite lyrics come from the end of the very next track, ‘I’ve Got a Bad Feeling About This’ and no, this is not a cover of Taking Back Sunday. The listener is once again greeted to a high-speed tempo attack to start of this track. Just when your neck starts to hurt, the tempo slows down but the aggression picks up. At the end of this track, the lyrics, “No future, no fate, there’s nothing but the lives we make” is repeated a few times. Not only do I completely agree with these lyrics, but the delivery of the message wrapped in the Enabler energy got my goose bumps to grow goose bumps. One last song I wanted to point out, which happens to be the longest song on the album at 5:46 in length, is ‘Felony.’ The intro riff to this song almost sounds like some sort of alarm you would hear out of a Silent Hill knock-off as it gives off vibes of something big coming. The song hits a crescendo that kicks into the high-speed tempo I’ve come to highly enjoy throughout the album until we hit what sounds like a build up for a breakdown. What we get instead is a breakdown that has the most epic feel to it that literally brings the song down back to just a crusty guitar riff until that too fades away.
Overall, it only took me a few spins of this album to get hooked on it. This band has indeed earned at least one more fan today in me and I will be searching for more at this point without a doubt. Looking back on La Fin Absolue Du Monde and the sound that Enabler is pulling for, I can only wish that I am able to review their next tour when it comes through my way. And maybe, just maybe, Cancer Bats can be included on said tour as well. Wink wink. Nudge nudge.
8/10
TIM LEDIN