Transcending Obscurity

Since Xtreem Music did climb up to the ultimate top of the worldwide (Death) Metal scene since a couple of years (I can list up some hands full of fabulous albums that have been released by this Spanish label in 2013 and 2014), I am always excited when I receive or buy a new album via this label of David ‘Rotten’ Gonzalez. This time it’s Swedish combo Dråp I am referring to: not the defunct Black Metal commando, but a Grind / Crust / Hardcore four-man army from the northern city of Sundsvall.

Since Xtreem Music did climb up to the ultimate top of the worldwide (Death) Metal scene since a couple of years (I can list up some hands full of fabulous albums that have been released by this Spanish label in 2013 and 2014), I am always excited when I receive or buy a new album via this label of David ‘Rotten’ Gonzalez. This time it’s Swedish combo Dråp I am referring to: not the defunct Black Metal commando, but a Grind / Crust / Hardcore four-man army from the northern city of Sundsvall.

A quick one… Not only because it’s a short one (fifteen minutes), but because I want to make a statement: Sepulchral Curse, take care of a full length soon!!!

Redemption is the latest album by Polish horde Preludium. It was released at the very beginning of 2014 (indeed, almost a year and a half ago) but there’s a reason why I still want to write a review about it, besides my unconditionally urge to promote both band and label. When talking about the latter, well, Transcending Obscurity gets run by Kunal Choksi, one of the most sympathetic and devoted persons I met lately.

Norse, hailing from New South Wales (Australia), will celebrate their tenth anniversary this year, but before this party, there’s another reason to celebrate: their newest epos, called Pest, and released this time via India-based Transcending Obscurity, one of the most professional and devoted labels I came in touch with lately.

When I listened to the debut album Backyard Butchery by Dutch act Nailgun Massacre (Slowrunner Records, 2011), I was totally blown away. I gave it a score of 90/100, by the way, and I do not think I did exaggerate. Also some other reviewers / magazines / webzines, though being less influential than Concreteweb and undersigned, evidently (smiley…), were pretty enthusiastic.

Since a couple of years, Australia seems to become one of the most important countries when it comes to Grindcore. And then I am not talking about the ‘average’ kind of grinding ugliness; I am referring to a new angle within the scene. Internal Rot, Captain Cleanoff, Infested Entrails, Coffin Birth, Filth (they seem to have been resurrected), Fuck… I’m Dead and many more; they’re all doing what the grind-fan needs: infecting our mind with slime, pus, mucus…

Most extreme bands from Chile pay tribute to the old school, and in Putrid Evocation’s case it is not different either. This young band released some demos and one EP (Blackness Enshroud, 2013, via Chilean Apocalyptic Productions), and now the trio comes up with their debut album, Echoes Of Death. It gets released via Spanish top-label Xtreem Music, of course, and lasts for forty two minutes.

The scene from Belarus might not be as ‘big’ as the one from neighbours like Russia, Poland and Ukraine (and even the Baltic states), but there are quite some impressive bands out there. One of the older ones is Infestum, which were formed fifteen years ago actually. This band consists of very experienced musicians, involved with other ‘notorious’ Belarussian bands, such as ID:Vision or Exist M.

Greek act Soulskinner was formed almost two decades ago under the Terra Tenebrae-moniker by members involved with e.g. Thou Art Lord and Necromantia (!). The band recorded and released several mini and full length albums (as Terra Tenebrae and as Soulskinner), showing their passion for the Old School. And still now they pay tribute to the early years, when our globe started being sonically infected by the nastiest sounds of the Underground.