Cherd

Sludge is the word.
Purified in Blood – Primal Pulse Thunder Review

Purified in Blood – Primal Pulse Thunder Review

By Cherd on March 18, 2025 in Reviews, Death Metal, Hardcore, Metalcore, 25 comments

“I came of age, musically and otherwise in the American Midwest in the 90s. Like so many of my adolescent male peers who lacked cultural outlets for our instinctive angst around blue collar upbringings, I latched on to the exploding scene of hardcore and early metalcore. For the better part of a decade, I mainlined releases from record labels like Victory, Revelation, SolidState, et al, but by around 2002, the prevalence of screamo and my own shifting tastes pushed me down other musical paths. Small wonder, then, that I was unfamiliar with Norwegian metalcore purveyors Purified in Blood when I selected—with trepidation, given the metalcore tag—their new record Primal Pulse Thunder from the promo sump.” A boy’s coming of rage.

Goatlord Corp. – Temple of Serpent Whores Review

Goatlord Corp. – Temple of Serpent Whores Review

By Cherd on January 26, 2025 in Reviews, Black Metal, 29 comments

“Picking your first official review of a new year is always a little tricky. Most well-established bands don’t release new material in January, so the promo bin generally yields the same types of promos given to our Nameless N00bs during their ritual humiliation audition cycle. As I patrolled the pit for a suitable victim, ample amounts of black metal met my gaze, not unusual in the cold winter months. I’d just finished my raw black roundup piece, so I decided to claim the debut LP from France’s Goatlord Corp. based on the silly band name alone. Further investigation gave me cause for some excitement, as drummer Alsvid and vocalist Saint Vincent of fellow noir métal français band Seth make up half the lineup.” Corporate bucks.

Cherd’s Raw Black Metal Muster [Things You Might Have Missed 2024]

Cherd’s Raw Black Metal Muster [Things You Might Have Missed 2024]

By Cherd on January 15, 2025 in Blog Posts, Black Metal, 88 comments

“There are two types of people in this world: those who appreciate raw black metal, and those who live fulfilling lives with friends and careers and family who speak to them at holiday gatherings. Since the advent of Bandcamp, the kvltest of all metal genres has become infinitely more accessible. Every year I wade through acres of tape hiss and tinny treble, looking for the half dozen or so raw black releases that rise above the buzzing tangle of cobwebs to rarified, putrid air. The following represent a cross-section of the seemingly infinite number of corpse-painted weirdos in basements the world over making music with no hope of even the smallest commercial success.” Enjoy of deep basements.

Weep – The Constant Strain of Life Review

Weep – The Constant Strain of Life Review

By Cherd on October 26, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, 14 comments

“The Constant Strain of Life is, in our dichotomy, drawing. Weep’s lone member, Cerastes, runs post-punk and shoegaze through a raw black metal filter but without the raw part. Comparisons can be made to fellow Minnesota bands Ashbringer or Wishfield, but this is a much more stripped-down, straightforward affair.” Tears in the void.

Funeral – Gospel of Bones Review

Funeral – Gospel of Bones Review

By Cherd on October 22, 2024 in Reviews, Doom Metal, Funeral Doom, 24 comments

“It’s a tricky business being the only remaining original member of a band more than thirty years after its creation. I don’t know how many members you have to replace before you’re in Ship of Theseus Paradox territory, but surely Anders Eek is there with his long-running Norwegian doom outfit Funeral. I suppose it’s one thing if the last remaining OG is the vocalist, since the human voice, unfairly or not, will always be the default through-line. It almost doesn’t matter what the music is doing, if the voice is familiar, it’s easy to say “See? It’s the same band.” But Anders Eek is not the vocalist. He’s the drummer.” Stepping over the bodies of the past.

Chat Pile – Cool World Review

Chat Pile – Cool World Review

By Cherd on October 11, 2024 in Reviews, Alternative Metal, Noise Rock, Sludge, 70 comments

“Two years ago, I named Chat Pile’s debut full-length God’s Country my Album o’ the Year, at considerable risk to myself. You see, the senior partners at AMG and Sons, LLC have no love for the Pile or for the greasy noise rock/post-hardcore/sludge these Oklahoman’s produce. After submitting my year-end list, I endured all manner of verbal abuse, which would have been fine had it not been followed closely by physical abuse. A hulking ape branded a large “P” on my chest, after which a gang of masked n00bs beat me senseless. Two years have passed, and Chat Pile’s sophomore release Cool World has arrived.” Pile on the abuse.

Glacial Tomb – Lightless Expanse Review

Glacial Tomb – Lightless Expanse Review

By Cherd on September 23, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, 61 comments

“Beneath the clear Rocky Mountain air, the craft breweries, and the cannabis boutiques, something grimy stirs, belching forth established and ascendant underground darlings like Blood Incantation, Khemmis, Primitive Man, and Wayfarer. Meanwhile, bands like Doldrum come out of seemingly nowhere with records that land in my year-end top five. Denver death metal-ers Glacial Tomb have been plying their trade in the Mile High City since 2016.” Ice, ice, deadly.

Demiser – Slave to the Scythe Review

Demiser – Slave to the Scythe Review

By Cherd on August 28, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, Heavy Metal, Thrash Metal, 23 comments

“Demiser are a metal throwback in spirit: hard drinking, fast playing, “Fuck yeah/you!” attitude. They’re a throwback in sound too, in that way only newer bands blend a bunch of throwback sounds into a sticky paste of pastiche. This is blackened thrash with a deep vein of NWoBHM combining the likes of Overkill, Motörhead, and Gorgoroth.” They’re too much.