I saw this band was playing Maryland Deathfest this year and remembered my friend Anthony used to have this album when we were younger. I put it on expecting it to be a joke despite this super awesome cover art and boy was I wrong!! This is really well done symphonic gothic black metal from Italia!!!!!!! All I want to do the rest of the day is eat Veal Scallopini and listen to this. Very excited to see this band next year.
Ursut - "Daranas Paradis"
Vicious Swedish crusty hardcore done only the way the Swedes know how, raw as all literal fuck. Fans of Disfear, Martyrdod, Victims, you get the point with this. No future style D beat worship with songs I won't even attempt to pronounce. Put this on and drop beers in the circle pit.
Enemy Soil- "Ruins of Eden"
Another band I saw is playing Maryland Deathfest this year and I about shat myself in excitement. Absolutely legendary grind / crustcore from the beltway with members who went on to be in Agoraphobic Nosebleed and Pig Destroyer. 1997, you wasn't there.
...More of Opera IX cracking open that spell book
Evoken- "Altra Mors"
Epic Funeral Doom band from New Jersey. For those unfamiliar with this subgenre of doom metal, brooding riffs and extremely slow punishing tempos are accompanied by keyboards and other layered instrumentation to literally set the depressing and mournful atmosphere of a funeral dirge. Put this on if you're having a really great day.
- Joe