Uruk

Uruk

Nihilistic Warfare in Inhuman Realms

Another amazing release from a Texas band this year. These Austin, Texas traditional black metallers have followed up their stellar 2016 debut, Battle Hymns, with an even better album. Nihilistic Warfare in Inhuman Realms is blistering, storming, battle-hardened black metal that sweeps you along for the ride, marching over everything in its path. The drum and bass guitar gallop like wargs, the guitars herald frigid dark doom, and the vocals rage and roar. It sucks you into the fray, sinks its teeth in, and never lets go, from start to finish.

But there's a twist: just when you get comfortable in the saddle, a beautiful folkish passage transpires, a-la Satyricon of old. And the album morphs, continuing its gallop of death, but pulling in an epic and emotional current, melding battle-rage and dark melancholy into a poignant musical blend, successfully evoking the album's title. And that epic whirling battle continues until the last note, tumultuous and powerful, glorious and grim.

The album can be obtained digitally from either the band or Flesh Vessel Records on Bandcamp.

CDs can be obtained from Flesh Vessel Records.

Tapes can be obtained from Red River Family Records.

Ghost

A Pale Tour Named Death

Photos by blogger. Bass Concert Hall, Austin TX, November 20, 2018.

German Industrial Band Funker Vogt is coming to America!!

Saturday, June 29th, 2019.

Seattle, Washington.

Mechanismus Festival.

This is really a horrible situation for a superb musician who made an excellent album.

A statement on the Batushka situation from its creator, Krzysztof “Derph” Drabikowsk. Transcript: My name is Krzysztof “Derph” Drabikowski. Most of You know me by the moniker Христофоръ, the leader and creator of the musical project Batushka. I am recording this video because I have lost control over Batushka’s website, Facebook page, webstore and as of Tuesday, even the Instagram account. This is the only way I can tell You what is happening and how my former vocalist is trying to take the band away from me. I created Batushka in the spring of 2015. I am the author of the music, lyrics, the name, the painting that you know from the album cover and the overall monk image idea. I have made the musical arrangements, wrote the melodies and recorded most of the instruments on the Litourgiya album in my private home studio. Before the finishing touches I invited Bartłomiej Krysiuk to do the vocals according to my guidelines, and Marcin Bielemiuk to re-record my drums parts on acoustic percussion. Batushka was meant to be an anonymous musical project, and from the beginning the idea was to keep the line-up unknown to the public so that the listeners could focus their attention on the musical experience itself. The album, released by Krysiuk’s underground label, became a hit. The demand for live shows from all over the world was enormous. So, I decided to, with the help of my friends, bring Batushka’s music on to the live stage. During the past two years I have written and recorded the material for the second Batushka album, and Krysiuk pressed me to release it as soon as possible. As I wasn’t satisfied with the results yet, I postponed the release of the follower of Litourgiya which followed with Krysiuk declaring he is leaving the band. On the Friday of the 21st of December I learned that Krysiuk hired musicians to produce an album that he planned to release as the new Batushka record, behind my back! He also registered Batushka as his personal trademark. Before I managed to do anything, he cut off my access to all Batushka’s media platforms, and tries to enforce some kind of censorship on all media interested in the band situation. In response I have taken legal action and have been advised by my lawyer to not say anything further. All the new pictures you see on the website and Facebook page are of Krysiuk and random people like his son pretending to be Batushka. Every upcoming festival claiming to have Batushka in their line-up has made a deal with Krysiuk and not me. I would like to kindly ask You to copy and share this message wherever You can. Let the truth be heard. As of now the only true Batushka will be that without Krysiuk behind the mic. Thank You for watching and thank You for Your support.

The Top 20

20)Alkymist - Canada- Spellcraft Ceremony

- This is just good, intricate black metal that is both melodic yet fiery, with great structure and delivery.

19)Trenchant- Martial Chaos

-This is some great new Texas death metal that is simultaneously bludgeoning and melodic, with a smooth delivery to the roar of the music. I need more death metal bands like this.

18)Elegiac- Pagan Storm

- A beautifully melancholic black metal album, raw but slower, with an expansive sound that pulls you in and worships times past. This project keeps growing, incorporating new elements, yet does so well enough that the growth remains organic and delightful.

17)Thy Dying Light- Cold in Death

- This is pure traditional black metal worship from Britain that sounds like it crawled right out of Norway in the 90s, yet instead of sounding cliche it just sounds amazing and fresh. It is awesome.

16) Churchacide- Bilesoaked Blades

- Roaring Texas death metal that will crush you with riffs. Its fast, its fun, it'll blast you off your feet. This was a good year for Texas death metal, and this was my favorite release for it.

15)IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT- Vile Luxury

- Another one of those perfectly titled albums, this thing is amazing. A mixture of the perfect slimey death metal undercurrent, with soaring brass interspersed and stellar musicianship, this album is a pinnacle of art. They're a great live show too.

14)Arketh- 12 Winter Moons Comes the Witches Brew

- This psychedelic, avant-garde black metal release is just so much fun. It's weirdly wonderful in all the right ways, and I listened to it a lot this year.

13)Gary Numan Official- Savage: Songs from a Broken World

- This is an amazing electronic album, and the song "My Name is Ruin" is one of my favorite songs this year. This album should not be overlooked. Another older musician showing the young ones he's still got it.

12)Lord Of The Lost- Thornstar

- This is an excellent album from this band, possibly my favorite of theirs yet. They've solidified their sound and delivered something exceptional.

11)Kvalvaag- Seid

- If I put you on par with Emperor, it means I really like your music. This is one of the few modern black metal bands that for me achieves that chaos made melody sound Emperor specialized in. I love it.

10)Lucifer's Child- The Order

- Its a really good take on the Rotting Christ black metal sound, roaring like a beast from the pits and just not stopping. Plus, riffs.

9)Crawl/Leviathan - Split

-So the Leviathan side of this split is good, but the Crawl side? Holy crap. It's stunning. He remains one of my favorite local musicians for precisely this bone-crushing, soul shattering sound, and this track is immense. And I find that it makes the Leviathan side better, like it feeds off the sound of the Crawl side.

8 )Morok (MOPOK)- Carpathian Fullmoon Ritual

- This is awesome traditional black metal with some of my favorite synth work this year. This is just too awesome for words. If you like black metal, check this project out.

7)Urfaust- The Constellatory Practice

- These guys are another band that get better and better, and they were already amazing. This atmospheric, beautiful black metal swallows you whole for a transcendental experience.

6) Ghost- Prequelle

- Much like Mastodon's Emperor of Sand from last year, here's another album about death that tends towards an upbeat sound. This album is all plague and fire and Eighties. An ode to music heroes now gone, it expertly blends the band's recognizable style with flourishes from said music heroes, and its a ton of fun too. Learn to let loose, but don't forget that you will die.

5) Powerwolf- Sacrament of Sin

- I love these guys, and this album exemplifies how well they've come into their own sound. They're fun, catchy, and just a wonderful music experience, and this album fully displays their range of style perfectly, from goofy good fun to beautiful ballads to even hints of Medieval metal.

4)Uruk- Nihilistic Warfare in Inhuman Realms

- This Austin black metal band took their already awesome black metal and made it even better. A pure inferno at the start, it transforms into something great with the incorporation of folkish passages a-la early Satyricon, and blends itself into a maelstrom of rage and beauty.

3) Zeal & Ardor- Stranger Fruit

- I cannot say enough good things about this album. A fantastic blend of Spiritualism, Americana, Folk, Occult Rock, and Black Metal, this is far and away one of my favorite releases this year. Do yourself a favor, and don't sleep on them like I was.

2) Orga- Demo

- So I spent a good portion of this year not shutting up about this demo, because it slays. Raw blackened punk that decimates everything in its path, while remaining an almost groovey thing. Riffs upon riffs upon riffs, and a fantastic barking vocal delivery that ties the whole thing together. It was a stiff competition.

----------------------------------------------

1)Black Jackal- Rock N Roll Nightmare

- I consider myself very lucky, having grown up on a farm in bumfuck nowhere South Texas, to now have the opportunity to witness so much amazing music on a regular basis. The reason I've come to constantly hype so many local bands is because THESE BANDS ARE GENUINELY AWESOME, and I am so happy to get to see and hear them. And this year, Black Jackal took the cake. For the first time in a year and a half, I had to work 7 am morning shifts, after growing accustomed to being at work until 12am. This album is how I survived. Its an injection of burning black n roll that is full of energy, spirit, and an indomitable soul. The vocal work is perfect, the bass lines roar, the drumming keeps you headbanging, and the guitarwork, from BOTH guitarists, is fantastic. Its catchy, fun, powerful, and just pure fucking rock n roll. It chewed the competition up and spit it out. I will miss Jesse's godlike guitar playing in the future, but a certain Nerd is doing just fine, and just continues to get better. Overall this band rules, this album rules, and for the billionth time, check them out!

** Hey, you survived this ridiculously long list. Happy New Year, here's to more awesome music in 2019! **

This will be happening Halloween night in San Antonio, Texas. The return of black n' roll masters Black Jackal!

The show is free, so if you're in the area there's no reason not to come.