What started as a cheap PR tactic has become a beloved part of this forgotten corner of the internet (MER). Here, you—the people—send us your work, and we give you a platform so you can brag to your friends and family that you’re now a musician someone writes about. As usual, we’ll give you a bit of praise and a bit of critique. Things we liked and things that… could improve (I sound like your boss now, right?). Time to start!
Roraima – Caroni Orinoco: What’s with Venezuela lately? And I don’t mean the dire situation (we’re with you in spirit, guys—don’t give up!). I’m talking about the raw, harsh, and uncensored Post/Black Metal that’s been coming our way from there. If you’ve been here long enough, you know the Catto loves Wildernessking, and while Roraima isn’t quite that, it has certain features I like. The romantic story behind the rivers and deities they represent, and the vision of a type of nature that’s rarely represented in Black Metal—all that’s captivating. I hope this band can get proper production behind it, at least so it can sound like old Falls of Rauros. Click here!
A Xoloth – Thyself: I want you to return to your angsty youth, or maybe you’re in it right now. Thyself is a short EP full of tracks that will make you relive the time when you started to like heavy music, but weren’t quite ready for the heaviest stuff in the universe. As usual, the production is true kvlt, and while it’s not abysmal, it can—and probably will—get better as the band grows. A Xoloth isn’t usually my thing, but I do appreciate a few catchy tracks here and there that try to send a clear and consistent vibe. So throw this to your friends who aren’t converted to Metal yet but are starting to feel the itch. Click here!
Natal Cleft – Particles of Hate: I don’t know what they’re feeding people in Southeast Asia, but we get sick Tech Death from there all the time. Natal Cleft is no exception. If you’ve ever felt this style tends to be too mechanical or robotic, that it needs a bit more grit to be your thing, then Particles of Hate has you covered. Yes, the production is lo-fi, and it’s not reinventing the wheel, but I found it charming and crunchy. That’s something hard to find in Tech Death—a band that sounds dirty but where you can still hear everything that’s going on. On a side note, they wrote one of the nicest review requests we’ve ever gotten (being nice gets you far in life, kids). I hope these guys get something new out soon so we can fully review it here. Click here!
Niftar – Lacvs Asphar: What is this thing? Is it Black or Death Metal? Or maybe both? The truth is, Niftar surprised me with its unique blend of rusty, technical, and progressive space Metal. Imagine a strange mix between Mare Cognitum and Nile. That sounds exotic, right? Well, that’s what this album feels like—long, progressive, intricate, and crushing. Its only weak spot is that the production could be cleaner, but maybe you love that nasty sound. This has been the year of babies with tentacles, as in every album with one on the cover was fire. Niftar is no exception, and though I think the band needs to polish some details to reach its full potential, this is a great effort that should get you on board! Click here!
Venus – Obscured Until Observed: More space stuff! But this time, it’s more Thrash/Heavy! The mix is clean and doesn’t try to murder my ears. I’ll be frank—Venus sounds a lot like Vektor, to the point that it sometimes felt like a tribute. However, the band does make more melodic decisions that reminded me of Black Sites. Either way, I’m all in—it’s fun and complex, and as I’ve said before, there’s no problem if newer bands take inspiration from older ones in the beginning. They can slowly develop their own identity. It’s also been forever since we’ve had a new Vektor album, so this could help you cope with the painful wait. It helps me at least! Click here!
There you have it! We gave a chance to a diverse group of underground bands from all walks of life. At MER, we don’t discriminate by creed, ethnicity, or gender—we’ll discriminate based on the quality of your work. So rest assured, there’ll be fair chances to be put in the spotlight in front of hundreds, if not thousands, of readers who will brutally judge your work. Until next week!
Metal Eclipse Reviews 