Recommendations

[Tyranor]

By the way, two new Atrium Carceri albums are good (as always). Simon Heath established bandcamp for his projects (the newest one being called Sabled Sun ), so if someone missed something from him, you can easily stream his records here:
cryochamber.bandcamp.com/

[Tyranor]

I have to second Darcrawls recommendation on Vulvark. Awesome and sick stuff. Wouldn't expect something likes this to come from Germany. It has definite urban decay feel to it. Both EP and full length are worth to check them out.
I also stumbled upon very interesting Irish black metal project called Haud Mundus. It is united forces of Slidhr and Rebirth of Nefast both being really decent entities on their own, but Haud Mundus is something beyond. There only two tracks so far on the split with Wormlust called Oblivio Oppositus. Highly recomended.

[St. Mark]

I mirror Tyranor's opinion of The Amenta. Occasus was an enjoyable album with a number of stand out tracks - Mictlan being my clear favourite - but N0N felt like a step forward artistically and has both a fantastic sound (chunky industrialised geetars & atmospherics) and an overall more ominous vibe. The back to back of Slave and Whore is possibly the highlight of the album for me. My only slight complaint is that, even with the personnel change, the vocals are still somewhat anonymous. I s'pose they're appropriate, though.

Also, didn't want to post a knee jerk reaction to Darkspace III, but I am now comfortable that my initial joy is not going to wear off any time soon. Basically, awesome. Obviously love the first track, but it is Dark 3.12 that I became and remain obsessed with. I'm going to spin this until it melts before purchasing another opus - there's just so much here to examine! Great band.

[Tyranor]

Is anyone into Swedish haters called Craft? I really enjoy their progression since the debut and "Void" was a pleasant comeback. There is something special about their music. Just how they manage to fuse primitive rockish groove with truly dark and discordant yet tasteful and well thought-out motives. Everything comes in proper portions thus making music of this band one of the more universal black metal around, which both die hard old school metal heads and geeks of more modern approach can find interesting, I guess.

[Mike]

Craft are class. The embryo of Axis was an attempt to combine Craft's dissonance with Emperor's ambition.

[Darkcrawl]

I really like Craft's first releases. I'll have to have a listen to the new stuff! I'm guessing the following band are known here but I've just discovered Stahlwerk 9's album 'the Grey Ghost which is adding a nice bit of darkness to the flat at the moment.

[Tyranor]

Mike, I do remember you mentioned that to me sometime and after that I was involuntarily trying to trace at least some similarities, because I would never have guessed that you kind of took Craft as a sort of reference.
Darkcrawl, thank you for reminding me Stahlwerk 9. I'll definitely check their latest.
Once again I remind you to check out Deadwood. The guy is good at making some dark and oppressive noise.
Also power electronics/death industrial act Controls made a new album called "The Resistance". Violent and thick as always.

[Tyranor]

Oh shit! Blut Aus Nord "What Once Was... Liber II" is the closest thing to MORT they did in a long time. Enjoying it a lot more than "777 Sect(s)". That's the BAN I prefer, personally. Can't say anything about "Cosmosophy" yet, but it looks like, it will be more melodic and spacey.
BAN is a good example how a band can put out if not outstanding then at least decent material while still being productive as hell in contrast to "projects" like Striborg (one of the worst sonic misunderstandings I had the "luck" to encounter).

[Mike]

Maeror Tri's "Emotional Engramm", one of my favourite albums ever and a crucial Axis influence (inspiring Pulsefear and thereby setting the whole mess in motion), has now been remastered and reissued by a Polish label called Zoharum. I ordered a copy from Old Europa Cafe, can't wait!

[St. Mark]

That is an irresistible recommendation - especially as my dark ambient knowledge/collection is an embarrassment at best. I will be claiming a copy shortly.

Personally, I am still buzzing about Darkspace. I got II for Christmas and already love it to pieces. It's hard to believe that this album in particular isn't an Axis favourite. Unfathomable, even.

[Tyranor]

"Emotional Engramm" definitely needed some touch-ups on its production so I assume that would be the case. will be checking it out as well.
I personally do not find any real relation between music of Darkspace and TAOP. Of course, both bands strive for organic unification of elements they use within their ethos and even making their work sound rather cinematic, but they use different means to accomplish it. While Darkspace it does through simplified blasting black metal mostly with truly overpowering production (which probably happens to be the key to their breathtaking atmosphere), The Axis entangles listener with complex almost flesh-like textures. And funnily enough Darkspace is far more cryptic with their messages, leaving listener in an abstract space with a hint to the mood only. TAOP however gives clues to where it wants to take the listener. That's only my personal opinion.
On this topic, Darkspace recently re-recorded their very first 2 songs demo. About time they do something, even if it's only this small lovely EP.

[St. Mark]

To be clear, I don't think Darkspace and TAOP sound at all the same. It's just that Darkspace play a grand, expansive, ambitious and thoroughly unique form of superbly executed aggressive black metal that includes genuine interludes of pure dark ambience, which to me seems to come from a similar headspace that spawned the embryonic Axis. On these bases I thought it would've resonated quite strongly and enjoyed an audience with Mike. I say this mostly based on Darkspace II.

I noticed that two tracker on Amazon and am indeed considering a purchase.

[thanatos]

I've been listening to Abyssal recently, black/death metal in the same vein as Portal, Mitochondrion, Antediluvian etc. Not quite as good as those bands, but a great and twisted listen regardless. Both the demo and full length are for pay what you want download, and the band still has some handmade CDs left.
abyssal-home.bandcamp.com
abyssal.bigcartel.com/

[Mike]

I've listened to the Abyssal album a couple of times in the last week and it really hits the spot. Not the darkest, or fastest or weirdest or most convoluted; just good metal.

[Darkcrawl]

I have just had Maeror Tri's 'Mort aux Vaches: Hypnos/Transe CD arrive which is ace. Very droney, a bit like good Moljebka Pvlse (not theit recent which aren't to my taste).
Maeror Tri, of course, partly became Troum and their 'new' release called Grote Mandrenke is superb! A 44 minute track, quite varied, at times quite suffocating and creepy. Sometimes gave a similar atmosphere to 'Urfe', if you don't have it and like their previous stuff, take this as a very strong recommendation!

Edit: I appear to be 'finally home'...that doesn't fill me with hope....