The Scrolls of Akhenaten: April 12th, 2024

April 13, 2024 / Akhenaten / Leave a comment

This one is coming to you a day late because life got in the way this past week and I didn’t get as much time to hammer out which albums I wanted to recommend to you all on Friday. I was also busy hosting a show at The Traxide in Montreal featuring some rather excellent bands from the Maritimes, namely the blackened death metal stylings of Paratomb and progressive metal wizardry of Omnivide, along with local thrashers Grimhold and death-sludge riffologists Obelisk. Now that I’ve got a few moments of free time to myself this Saturday (between recovery) I’m going to make up for it. Read on for some of your (somewhat) regularly scheduled riff recommendations!

Black

The first time I heard this record I was absolutely floored and to this day it continues to shock me. I’d like to thank Devon Milley for this recommendation as it was through him that I discovered this band. I’ve never heard a band so perfectly emulate the sound of Darkthrone’s early material. Everything on this record from the guitar tone to the drum approach to the production to the vocal approach is the closest I’ve ever heard a band mimic that style, and they do it wonderfully. The riffage is so pure and kvlt and trve and devoid of any bells and whistles. Even the vocals sound eerily similar to the range and tone of Nocturno Culto on those classic black metal albums as well as the post-Panzerfaust era of the band. All you have to do is listen to the first track here, “Three Desecrated Hosts”, and you’ll see what I mean. If you’re at all a fan of that style of Norwegian black metal, then Germany’s Pakkt is a must-listen, especially for Darkthrone die-hards like myself.

Death

I first discovered this band through a video made by the YouTuber known as The Punk Rock MBA. I think that guy sucks but I’d be lying if I said he hadn’t put me on to some cool music over the years. Human Remains is definitely one of those bands. The first time I put this record on I couldn’t quite believe what I was hearing. “A deathgrind diamond” as one Bandcamp reviewer named Brett put it, this thing is fucking weird. There are sounds on here that I didn’t even know a guitar could make before I listened to this thing. It’s exceptionally brutal, uncompromising, relentless, and unapologetically experimental. There’s plenty of moments where the music remains firmly rooted in brutalizing the listener with blast beats and atonal guitar riffs before launching into interludes that feel like they’re drawing upon bands like Mr. Bungle and The Dillinger Escape Plan. Of course Dillinger was probably influenced by this band considering that Human Remains predates them.

Doom

Wardehns – *Now Cometh the Foul*
**December 21st, 2018**
**Stoner Metal / Sludge Metal / Crust Punk**
**Independently Released**
**Wausau, Wisconsin, USA**
**Standout Song:** “Denim Dogs”

I was put onto this band through a friend of mine who just happened to be playing them out loud on a Bluetooth speaker while I was hanging with some pals at their house. I was pretty much immediately hooked by the quality of the riffage, the production value, and just how similar it felt to the kind of sludge metal that I am really drawn to: bands like Mastodon, Kylesa, and Black Tusk. The ones who are a little artsy but aren’t afraid to get deep, down, and dirty with their music. Wardehns certainly scratches that itch for me and I’ve had this record on repeat ever since that initial encounter. It’s monolithic in size, with every song imparting the image of a group of intrepid travelers and warriors climbing their way to the top of a frostbitten mountain, surviving blizzards and avalanches, and fighting horrible beasts all along the way. The album cover is indeed a perfect representation of what kind of music you’ll hear on this thing. It comes highly recommended.

Prog

I brought up Omnivide in the intro to this article not just to tell you about the show I was at last night, but also as a genuine recommendation for a band that kicks fucking ass that doesn’t live all that far from Newfoundland. This New Brunswick progressive metal outfit just released their debut album, A Tale of Fire, last month, and are currently embarking on a tour across Canada in support of it. Having seen them live a couple of times now as well as having listened to this thing all the way through time and time again I can attest to this band absolutely ruling. If you want your brain to be disassembled and then put back together wrong then this is the record for you. Their music certainly draws heavy influence from big-name prog bands like Between the Buried and Me, but there are also shades of groups like Cynic, Obscura, and Beyond Creation to be found within. If you like any of those bands you’ll almost certainly like this.

Punk

I was lucky enough to catch Flower at Varning Fest last year, an annual underground crust punk and metal festival that occurs in Montreal. They came up from New York City to play here and absolutely tore the place apart. I thought their live performance was already great but it was checking out their recordings after the fact on my own that really sold me on them. This right here is the kind of punk I like the most. It’s loud, aggressive, angry, and dirty as fuck. All the best crust punk is only a few steps removed from speed metal and black metal and Flower really embrace that vibe on this LP. The album opens with an atmospheric blackened guitar riff that reminds me extensively of Gallhammer and Darkthrone, before the unruly punk ripping starts at full force. It’s so gross and nasty, from the raw guitar tone to the punchy drums to the pissed off vocals. Flower are fantastic, and this LP absolutely slays.

Thrash

Mexico’s Phantom are pretty much everything I want from modern thrash. Their sound is supremely old school, drawing clearly upon the bands of the 80’s, with the Teutonic sound in particular being a primary influence. If you like Sodom, Kreator, or Destruction, or at least the way those bands used to sound back in the day, then Phantom may be for you. That’s not to discount the American influence in their sound either, because notes of Slayer and Metallica definitely crop up from time to time, but ultimately they keep things rooted in that more aggressive sound that veers on the edge of black metal without ever stepping forth into the blizzard. What makes this album even more impressive is that the dudes in this band are really young, most of them being around the ages of 18 to 20. For being as young as they are they’ve got a fantastic grasp of their instruments and their songwriting capability is excellent. I’m stoked to hear what they put out next.

Trad

I never thought I would unironically enjoy a NASCAR-themed metal band but then I am the Intimidator came out of nowhere and showed me the errors of my hubris. This is the new solo project of former Poison Idea guitarist Andrew Stromstad and the entire thing is lyrically and aesthetically based around the final day of NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt’s life. If that wasn’t already enough to sell you on the concept, then I’m happy to report that the music contained within is just as fucking awesome. It’s old school speed metal that draws as much influence from Metallica, Motorhead, and King Diamond as it does from a blackened speed metal act like Venom and an epic doom metal band like Candlemass. While the record may be all over the map in terms of influence it is surprisingly consistent all the way through, featuring fabulous riff after fabulous riff and vocals that’ll put hair on your chest.

Non-Metal

Shpongle – *Tales of the Inexpressible*
**March 29th, 2001**
**Chillout / Psychedelic Trance**
**Twisted Records**
**Chobham, England, UK**
**Standout Song:** “Star-Shpongled Banner”

I discovered Shpongle years ago when I was still in high school. While sick and staying home from school one day I went down an enormously long musical rabbit hole on YouTube (this was back in the day before algorithms ruined everything) which eventually led me to a fan-made animated music video for the song “Star-Shpongled Banner”. I was so enamored by the combination of the music with the visuals I was experiencing made that song stick with me for years to come, and to this day I still revisit this record from time to time. While I don’t often find myself listening to electronic music, when I do I prefer the kind of stuff that’s outside the realm of the typical club fare. I don’t go to clubs often, mind you, but I have a hard time imagining that this is the kind of thing played anywhere outside of a hippie drug den. It’s not for everyone, but if you like weird electronica you should definitely check this one out.

~ Akhenaten

The Scrolls of Akhenaten: April 5th, 2024

April 5, 2024April 1, 2024 / Akhenaten / Leave a comment

This week’s installment of The Scrolls of Akhenaten is going to turn up the heat because some of these records ended up being some of my top reviewed albums of the past several months (last year into the first few months of this year) over on our sister blog at Where Strides the Behemoth. Seriously, these are some of my favourite albums from recent memory, so even if you don’t like them, you might get a better idea of my own taste and why the albums I review here get the scores that they do (if you’ve ever been curious about that, that is.) Onwards!

Black

If ever there was a black metal project that just filled you with joy because of how utterly silly and full of whimsy the music is then this record is for you. I couldn’t believe upon first listen just how relentlessly catchy this record is. Every riff, every keyboard melody, every drum beat, just burrows into your brain and infects you like a virus. I kept coming back for more, re-listening to it again and again and again because I just couldn’t get enough of the addictive sound this record provides. Don’t let the frankly terrible cover art fool you. This album knows exactly what it wants to do and accomplishes it in spades. I can scarcely think of a black metal record that has invigorated this much energy and magnificence in me in recent memory, and for that reason Bloody Keep managed to craft what has easily become one of my favourite records of 2024 so far.

Death

Paratomb are a four piece death metal band who hail from Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island. Their first EP, while great, felt a little too adjacent to groove metal to really hook me in, especially in the vocal performance. With this new EP, however, Paratomb have absolutely outdone themselves. For one, the production here is immensely improved, sounding much more akin to old school death metal and first wave black metal instead of the more modern sound their debut EP had. Secondly the songwriting and musicianship on display has obviously matured. The songs sound way tighter and contain much more dynamism than their first effort. Paratomb had already made me a fan by virtue of being a band playing this kind of extreme music from such an isolated place, but with this new EP they’ve made me excited for whatever they’re going to get up to next.

Doom

This record almost squeaked by me at the end of 2023 and I’m glad I checked it out because it wound up making my best of list at the end of the year. I would describe this record as being an album for people who thought Ghost’s first album was great but couldn’t really vibe with everything else they did after. It’s occult-themed doom metal with a flair for the theatrical, combining huge, epic Hammond organ instrumentation with fantastic riffs and incredibly infectious vocals. Every song on this thing is a certified banger (in my opinion), chronicling the bizarre world of Albion occultism through a series of heavy, melancholy, and ultimately just mercilessly fun tracks. If any of what I’ve said sounds like this album might peak your fancy then you owe it to yourself to check this one out. It’s mesmerizing and I’ve found myself coming back to it time and time again.

Prog

The Greek band Naxatras has some of the best album art in the psychedelic rock genre, as evidenced by the absolutely badass and glorious cover art for IV, their fourth full length record. Naxatras’ music kind of falls somewhere in between the worlds of psychedelic rock, stoner rock, and progressive rock, all of which converge to create a sound that is spacious, atmospheric, and grandiose, like I’m on a hotboxed spaceship slowly cruising through the farthest reaches of the galaxy. If the phrase “far out” was an album, this would be it. The raucous drums and chunky yet sublime riffing are joined only occasionally by the vocals, which remain largely in the background, taking a back seat to the instrumentals which are front and center, in your face, ready to make you feel like you’re about to lift off into orbit, never to return.

Punk

This Montreal trio have been buds of mine for a long time, and if you think I’m gonna not shout them out just because they’re my friends well, that’s where your wrong. Skate punk has never really been my thing. It’s a genre that has always kind of turned me off with its whiny vocal approach and saccharine instrumentation, but Stand Alone have never quite fit that mould in my opinion. They’re unapologetically fast, ripping through these songs with intensity and an ability to write really catchy hooks. With drums that careen forth, unstoppable, and an attitude full of piss and vinegar and shouty vocals that are both raspy and melodic, Stand Alone definitely stands apart from the rest of the skate punk outfits I’ve personally been exposed to in Montreal. They’re a lot of fun, and if you ever get a chance to see them live I recommend you do it.

Thrash

With an introductory track that opens with a blistering double bass assault you should have an idea of what you’re in for with this sophomore effort from Japanese black thrashers Evil (appropriate name). This album pulls no punches as it seeks to accomplish its only goal: complete and total sonic destruction and the pillaging of the corridors of thought inside your mind. This stuff is unapologetically evil, brash, and violent, fitting in rather well with the early pioneers of extreme metal who sought to kick the already blazing tempo of thrash metal up a notch. Notes of Sodom and Kreator adorn this album as much as the more rock n’ roll adjacent outfits like Judas Priest and the even more raucous first wave black metal acts like Bathory and Hellhammer. If any of those bands are up your alley then this record is definitely for you. It shocked me with its quality and I hope it does the same for you.

Trad

Leather Heart – *Comeback*
**October 1st, 2015**
**Heavy Metal**
**The Fish Factory**
**Madrid, Spain**
**Standout Song:** “The Crow”

I’ve definitely recommended this album in the past when this segment was a bit more of a regular feature on the blog, but it bears repeating because this record is a complete and total masterpiece. Whenever anyone brings up the genre of traditional heavy metal or the modern NWOTHM movement I am always quick to tell them about this album. It’s a masterpiece of classic heavy metal revivalism that combines all the best tropes of the genre into one explosive cocktail of perfected, glistening steel. This is the only album that Leather Heart ever released and, to my knowledge, they’re not really doing much these days. The irony of the record being called Comeback is not lost on me, but don’t let the cliche album art and self-referential nature of the record’s title dissuade you. Every song contained within here is a brilliant piece that so perfectly encapsulates everything great about this genre.

Non-Metal

Antoine Dufour – *Development*
**2006**
**Acoustic Fingerstyle / Progressive Folk**
**CandyRat Records**
**Montreal, Quebec, Canada**
**Standout Song:** “Spiritual Grove”

The first time I heard “Spiritual Grove” by Antoine Dufour I would’ve been in high school and I remember very vividly being completely shocked that an acoustic guitar could sound like this. Dufour is an undeniably talented and skilled guitarist for whom the acoustic guitar feels more like an extension of his person than just an instrument that he picks up and plays. Far from the typical sounds of acoustic-centric folk music, Dufour adds a technically complex edge to his playing by approaching the acoustic guitar with the fingerstyle method of playing, plucking strings with pitch perfect accuracy. This approach to folk is somewhat progressive and even jazzy at times as the playing manoeuvres through different movements, never slowing down, always rolling forward to the next segment, ready to dazzle you with the beauty found within the complexity.

~ Akhenaten

December 2021 in Review

January 4, 2022January 2, 2022 / Akhenaten / Leave a comment

So ends the disastrously awful year of 2021, with a relatively active month that saw a bunch of new music released and some other news besides. Let’s take a look back at all the happenings within the heavy music scene of Newfoundland and Labrador during December 2021.

Biggest Stories
– ‘Best of 2021’ Radio Show on CJLO 1690 AM
– Rick Massie Teases New Music from Upcoming LP
– Winterhearth Part Ways with Manager Tony Carew

New LPs
– Last Soul Down – In Hindsight

New EPs
– Goddammit – A Very COVID Christmas
– Mistwalker – Kristmas ist Krieg
– Winterhearth – Speak No Evil [Reissue]

New Singles
– Artach – “Ode to Krampus”
– Jaded Truth – “Scrooged”
– Most Likely Forever – “Senor Santa Claus”
– Rick Massie – “We Three Kings”

New Demos
– Needle Crafts – 2021 Demo
– Real Tree – Demo 2020

Interviews
– An Interview with Anabelle Iratni
– An Interview with Brandon Herritt of Laxidaisy

Album Reviews
– Sentimentipede – Pretend This Sounds Goods [by Akhenaten]

EP Reviews
– Chimp Apparatus – Pizza Man [by Akhenaten]

We also released Episode 037 of our Official Podcast this month, the third installment of Merry Fucking Solstice, in which we played a decent chunk of the holiday-themed songs listed above. You can check that out on Bandcamp and it will be coming to YouTube soon.

~ Akhenaten

An Interview with Anabelle Iratni

December 13, 2021December 11, 2021 / Akhenaten / 1 Comment

Anabelle Iratni is a vocalist, musician, lyre player and composer from London, England, known for being the vocalist, orchestral composer and lyre player for her horror metal project Veile as well as being the keyboardist and orchestral composer and providing backing vocals for Cradle of Filth *and Devilment*. *Anabelle also writes and records solo orchestral music under her own name*. *Anabelle connected with the Newfoundland metal scene by guest featuring on* Riverbed Empire, the latest record from blackened death metal band Winterhearth.

First of all, could you introduce yourself and let the audience know who we’re talking to?

Hello, world! I’m Anabelle, a vocalist, composer and lyre player from London, UK. I’m the resident banshee of blackened horror spectacle, Veile, in addition to being associated with Cradle of Filth and Devilment.

Our audience most likely knows you from your guest appearance on the 2020 album Riverbed Empire by the blackened death metal band Winterhearth, who are from here in good ol’ Newfoundland. Could you tell us how that came to be and what it was like working with the guys in that band?

Alas, It’s the classic modern love tale… they emailed me! I believe they knew of my work as an independent musician through social media. It was an incredible experience to work with Winterhearth: they allowed me creative freedom and were very receptive to any ideas. It was refreshing to work with receptive, hardworking and professional individuals. I hope they feel the same as we have maintained contact ever since!

When it comes to working on material for another project, because I noticed on Metal Archives that this isn’t the first time you’ve done a feature with another band, how does it feel recording your guest parts for these songs while being on what is effectively the other side of the world?

It’s become rather normal! The other Veile members live in The Netherlands and I’m in the UK, so we have been coordinating and writing through Google Drive files and video calls. It’s a strange feeling, creating art through screens and walls of text. At the same time, it can be seen as another dimension of exploration, a modern tool to facilitate creativity.

You started a new band recently called Veile, which is described as blackened horror metal. Can you talk a bit about how the band was formed and what kind of sound you guys are trying to cultivate with this new project?

The music in Veile is lead by stories, so we’re not wanting to restrict ourselves to one genre (not the most original thing to say, I know!) as it is about servicing the narrative, not the other way around. I’m therefore very character led in my vocal and lyrical writing, which lends itself to an experimental sound. We definitely wanted to create something very dynamic and immersive that would give people the ‘heebie-jeebies’.

I can hear shades of other artists here and there throughout your songs but the cohesive whole sounds very unique to me. Are there other bands or artists that you guys can point to as a direct influence on your sound?

Thank you! We wanted to create something unique. We’re really influenced by an Italian-Slovenian act called, Devil Doll. It is very expressive – it has a poetic, expressive, Gothic, avant garde fusion sound. Definitely check them out!

Veile has released one track so far, entitled “The Unwelcome”, which has gotten pretty decent reception thus far. This was followed up by the release of The Ghost Sonata EP. What’s next for the band?

We have another chapter in the works: we have the concept and are currently working on demos. The aim is to get enough material together to create a full set so we can (in the literal sense) take this show in the road!

Do you have any plans to go on tour in the post-COVID world?

Nothing set in stone as of yet, alas, we hope these can solidify in the near future!

When Tony Carew first reached out to me and asked me to interview you, he said that you had expressed interest in connecting more with our scene here in Newfoundland and Labrador. Can you see yourself working more with artists from this part of the world in the future?

I really can. The level of camaraderie and support, both from fellow musicians and government assistance, is truly admirable. My experience with artists from Newfoundland and Labrador thus far have shown me there are many opportunities to collaborate with artists in this part of the world.

Have you ever been to Canada before? And more specifically, do you think there’ll come a day when you visit Newfoundland?

I have indeed! Back in 2017 I presented a paper at the University of Victoria at the ISMMS biennial conference (International Society For Metal Music Studies). I spent half my time there and the other half exploring Vancouver (which also fell on my birthday!). I’d love to come to Newfoundland when the world allows it – I’d love to meet the Winterhearth bunch in person as well as yourself, Gregory, to thank you for this interview!

Thanks for taking the time to speak to us here at Heavy NFLD!

~ Akhenaten

Nocturnal Prayer Announce Split Album with Abduction ‘Intercontinental Death Conspiracy’

July 28, 2020July 28, 2020 / Akhenaten / 1 Comment

Mysterious St. John’s black metal outfit Nocturnal Prayer are still enjoying a great critical reception to their debut record Advance on Weakened Foes, an album that compiles the group’s first demos together on one release. It’s only been a few months since that album dropped and already the band are on their way to their next new release.

The album is a split record between Nocturnal Prayer and UK one man black metal outfit Abduction entitled Intercontinental Death Conspiracy. The record is to be released on Inferna Profundus Records, the label responsible for releasing Advance on Weakened Foes on vinyl.

Intercontinental Death Conspiracy will be released on September 7th of 2020 with 200 copies on black vinyl and 100 copies on clear vinyl. In the meantime, check out Advance on Weakened Foes through Bandcamp.

~ Akhenaten

Nemophilist Releases New Single “Johanna”

December 4, 2019 / Akhenaten / 1 Comment

Hot off the heels of returning to Canada and the release of his last single entitled “Memories of Brighton”, Carbonear-based dark ambient project Nemophilist has added another track to his long and storied discography that spans the last five years.

The new song, entitled “Johanna”, was released through YouTube on December 1st by project helm Forest Wanderer. You can check out the 11 minute single through our YouTube embed down below.

~ Akhenaten

Nemophilist Releases New EP ‘The Forests of Home’

July 22, 2019 / Akhenaten / 1 Comment

Following a string of single releases from Carbonear-borne dark ambient project Nemophilist, Forest Wanderer has released a new EP entitled The Forests of Home. The EP features two of the previously released singles, “The Terror of the Enola Gay” and “An Old Friend’s Passing” alongside a third brand new track, “Alcohol in the Forests of Home”.

The EP was released via YouTube on July 18th and will soon be made available for streaming and digital download on the Bandcamp page for Viridian Records.

~ Akhenaten

Nemophilist Releases New Single “An Old Friend’s Passing”

July 10, 2019 / Akhenaten / Leave a comment

Deep in the depths of Conception Bay in the town of Carbonear, the figure known as Forest Wanderer has been steadily releasing music since 2014 under the project named Nemophilist. Early on in the project’s history it fit within the niche of atmospheric black metal, enduring as a spiritual successor to Forest Wanderer’s previous project, Himmelen. In the time since then, however, Nemophilist has transformed, leaving all black metal stylings in the dust in favor of vast ambient soundscapes produced with heavily-effected synths.

You never know what you’re getting when the project releases new material as his releases have shifted between hour long singles and full length albums numerous times over its five year lifespan. Now, Nemophilist has released the latest addition to his consistent output in the form of “An Old Friend’s Passing”, a seven minute dark ambient track featuring cover art that depicts rooftops in Brighton, England, where Forest Wanderer currently resides.

“An Old Friend’s Passing” was released on July 7th through Viridian Records.

~ Akhenaten

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The Scrolls of Akhenaten: April 12th, 2024

The Scrolls of Akhenaten: April 5th, 2024

December 2021 in Review

An Interview with Anabelle Iratni

Nocturnal Prayer Announce Split Album with Abduction ‘Intercontinental Death Conspiracy’

Nemophilist Releases New Single “Johanna”

Nemophilist Releases New EP ‘The Forests of Home’

Nemophilist Releases New Single “An Old Friend’s Passing”