TERMINUS: extreme metal podcast (thetrueterminus)

As the long hot summer drags onward, Terminus is back with a concise but detailed two-banger that features two surprise returns: forgotten USBM almost-legends I.C.E. in one corner, and returning Quebecois deathgrind legends Cryptopsy in the other. I.C.E. brings back a nearly forgotten style of 00s norsecore 20 years on from their debut; Cryptopsy attempts to project their churning, technical manner of death/grind/metalcore to a wider audience 10 years past their last record. Two bands enter, but only one can survive such a long absence. Who will emerge victorious? Listen and find out.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:01:01 - Imperial Crystalline Entombment - Ancient Glacial Resurgence (Debemur Morti)

0:47:01 - Interlude - Arkhon Infaustus - “M33 Constellation,” fr. Perdition Insanabilis (Osmose, 2004)

0:52:48 - Cryptopsy - As Gomorrah Burns (Nuclear Blast)

1:34:03 - Cryptopsy - “The Golden Square Mile” fr. Cryptopsy (Independent, 2012)

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

Terminus has been, to some degree, derelict in its duty to promote Outlaw Rock this year. Hopefully today's episode ameliorates this deficiency with a grip of records all firmly within this rough and tumble style of black metal(?). For those unfamiliar with the term, Outlaw Rock is a concept formulated by Terminus for a distinct style of USBM with a range of pointedly American influences, from country to hardcore and all points between. In this case, we have two very different sides of the same coin: one creaking out ghostly whispers of the old west, and another which explodes in passionate psychedelic violence.

A double-feature of Grave Pilgrim opens things up, with reviews of both last year's self-titled full length and this year's EP to provide better context. A mixture of KPN, Taake, and deep Americana makes for records which immediately hook the ear but feature surprising structural depth. The band's first record flamethrows the cave of Instagram black metal with deep, intricate riffing and the second iterates on these melodic concepts through flirtations with trad metal and desolate ambient. The only question: where do they go from here?

Providing counterpoint is the debut Ink & Fire record, likely familiar to terminators as a new project from MK of Fin. MK's unique riffing style is firmly intact but simultaneously stripped down and overdriven into brief, fulminating tracks. Ink & Fire's vicious yet manically joyful attack is immediately ear-pleasing but clattering and overwhelming, merging the smearing drone of Blazebirth Hall with MK's agile leadwork. Music to be enjoyed under the influence of any drug that makes you fast.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:03:05 - Grave Pilgrim - Grave Pilgrim (Death Prayer Records, 2021)

0:54:17 - Grave Pilgrim - Molten Hands Reach West (Death Prayer Records)

1:20:01 - Interlude - Peste Noire - “Ballade cuntre les anemis de la France - de François Villon “ fr. Ballade cuntre lo Anemi francor (De Profundis Éditions, 2009)

1:26:31 - Ink & Fire - Execution of Spirit (Independent/Death Prayer Records)

2:13:35 - Outro - Fields of the Nephilim - “Power” fr. Dawnrazor (Situation 2/Beggars Banquet, 1987)

Terminus links:

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Terminus on Facebook

thetrueterminus@gmail.com

Tonight's episode of Terminus is another lean, cold, efficient one, but for good reason- this is the first half of a double-header recording session, the second being a long-awaited new episode of Terminus Prime! On the new bonus show, we cover Absu's Tara and Bilskirnir's Wotansvolk, but you can't hear it unless you send me the 16 digits on the front of your credit card, the expiration date, and the 3 digit security code on the back. And maybe your billing address too. Send that just in case.

The first half of our show is dedicated to the eagerly awaited debut full length by Astral Tomb, the young death metal upstarts from Denver whose previous EP we covered last season. Astral Tomb plays truly bizarre, experimental death metal that's equal parts Gorguts and Frank Zappa, but the primary DNA might surprise you- slam death and bludgeoning beatdown hardcore. Does this head-on collision of high and low culture result in brilliance or confusion? Without question, the former- this immediately jumped onto our preemptive album of the year lists and we guess it will for you too.

On the flipside is the new record by Ostots, long running Basque black metal band who make a lateral move into slightly symphonic but by no means "nicer" territory. Drawn from the well of mid-00s trenchcoat obscurity, Ostots makes harmonically challenging and deceptively complex music from simple building blocks. This is a band which etches out rich yet rigid forms not unlike a 19th century charcoal sketch- highly detailed but crafted with sharp, dangerous angles. In some sense quite challenging, but undoubtedly highly worthwhile. 0:00:00 - Intro

0:04:06 - Astral Tomb - Soulgazer (Blood Harvest)

0:48:32 - Interlude - The Stooges - “Fun House,” fr. Fun House (Elektra, 1970)

0:56:16 - Ostots - Madarikazioa (Altare Productions)

1:40:01 - Outro - Azrael - “Untitled 5” fr. Into Shadows Act II: Through Horned Shadows Glimpse (Moribund Records, 2004) (Out of print and not available digitally, but easily found on the used market)

Terminus links:

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Terminus on Instagram

Terminus on Facebook

thetrueterminus@gmail.com

To abruptly switch gears from our Very Special Episode earlier this week, we deliver reviews of the newest installments from two tech death giants. Ulcerate is back with their seventh full-length record which shows the band committing even more fully to the elements of post-rock, black metal, and textured drone which have helped define their sound- but have they strayed too far from the path? Pitted against them is the mutated monstrosity Malignancy's fourth full-length, which seeks to bring their sound a bit closer to the center of death metal while leaving their whiplashing, wild style of technicality intact- but can they maintain their vicious edge? YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:01:56 - Ulcerate - Cutting the Throat of God (Debemur Morti Productions)

0:54:35 - Interlude - The Brass - “Treading Water,” fr. the Rugged Cross EP (Independent, 2015)

0:58:44 - Malignancy - …Discontinued (Willowtip Records)

1:40:43 - Outro - Copremesis - “A Poem” fr. Muay Thai Ladyboys (Paragon Records, 2008)

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

AS THE DARKNESS CREEPS OVER THE INTERNET, AND THE SILENCE REACHES THE PODCASTS, WE WILL AWAKE AND RISE...

Welcome back to the 2024 season of Terminus! Your intrepid hosts have risen from their dreaded tombs once again to provide the world's most crucial critical analysis of extreme metal records. Our first episode of 2024 covers two records from the waning days of 2023 which have received a lot of attention from our fanbase. Flaming Ouroboros has finally dropped their much-anticipated debut full length- is it a new heigh for outlaw rock, or does it slip over the edge in its dangerous dance with emo? In the other corner, the return of Finnish stalwarts White Death- is their sophomore release a powerful return to traditional Finnish black metal, or merely an exercise in self-congratulation? Find out the answers to these questions and more on a new year of TERMINUS!

0:00:00 - Intro

0:04:22 - Flaming Ouroboros - Anthems for Brotherhood (Death Hymns)

0:59:18 - Bronson - “Quelli Come Noi” fr. Brucia (Rupe Tarpea Produzioni/One People, One Struggle Records, 2018)

1:02:34 - White Death - Iconoclast (Werewolf Records)

1:47:14 - Behexen - “Fist of The Satanist,” fr. By The Blessing of Satan (Woodcut Records, 2004)

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

On today's installation of Terminus, two different sorts of returns: Arghoslent, back from the grave, and Strix Askesis, back on the show. Arghoslent are back from 15 years of slumber with a new record of... deathened heavy metal(?) while Strix Askesis refine their sound and explore new territories between black metal and hard rock. Does Arghoslent's unique sound stand the test of time, standing shoulder to shoulder with their previous work? And can Strix Askesis square the circle of Blazebirth Hall and the heaviest of 90s hard rock? (Spoilers: no and yes respectively.)

0:00:00 - Intro

0:04:02 - Arghoslent - Resuscitation of the Revanchists (Weltenfeind)

1:00:06 - Interlude - Abominant - “Left to Rot” fr. Onward to Annihilation (Deathgasm Records, 2013)

1:03:31 - Strix Askesis - Becoming Thunder (Independent)

2:05:25 - Outro - Furia - “Opętaniec” fr. Novel (Pagan Records, 2014)

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

After a week of epic, thrashing black/death Americana, we bring you a week of epic, thrashing brutal death. First up, we finally get a new release from The Death Metal Guy's favorite Colombians, Internal Suffering. Where a lot of modern BDM exists in a virtually self-contained sonic universe, nestled between tech-death and slam, Internal Suffering proudly trace their heritage to Morbid Angel. This influence is especially clear on Rituals, where they strip down their song structures to let the riffs shine through. Second, we ponder the metamorphosis of Long Island's Afterbirth, pioneers of brutal death now venturing into more proggy, cinematic territory. This could be terrible, but it isn't, and it may well be a masterpiece. In But Not Of is an uncommonly well-rounded record that speaks to every facet of teenage alienation, but from the vantage point of older, wiser men.

0:00:00 - Intro 0:03:45 - Internal Suffering - Rituals (New Standard Elite) 0:45:25 - Interlude - Carnivore Diprosopus - “Creation of a Sadistic Empire” fr. Condemned by the Alliance (Sevared Records, 2013) 0:49:39 - Afterbirth - In But Not Of (Willowtip Records) 1:48:53 - Outro - Lykathea Aflame - “To Give” fr. Elvenefris (Obscene Productions, 2000) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

We're a little late with this one, but for a good reason: there's a new bonus episode out! If you want to hear us talk about Cranium and Immortal for a while, all it takes is your credit card number (give it to us now.) But before you do that, check out this episode which features a pair of challenging black(?) metal records for the weird and dedicated. First up, however- the return of Sepulchral Curse, whose new EP shows the band experimenting with different angles on their Finndeath sound, perhaps indicating some intriguing things about the next full length.

Our first main review is another returning act: Gjendød of Norway whose 2020 record Angrep ended up being a year-end favorite of both hosts. Their newest record takes a radically different form, blending Nordic folkblack with an avant-garde rhythmic edge, resulting in a sound melodically familiar but structurally alienating. Simple yet harmonically rich riffing glides by in a distinctly airy manner, but the meat of the music lies among the rocks and roots of the bass and drums. A substantial departure from their last record, but it sticks the landing nonetheless.

Further down the rabbit hole is yet ANOTHER returning character in Doldrum, whose demo we covered in 2020. If that peek into the process didn't convince you, the full-length surely will: this is a weird one. From distant black metal roots and perhaps more immediate prog, post-hardcore, and jazz tendencies comes a gnarly and atmospheric work most reminiscent of extreme metal's mid-life-crisis experimental streak of the early and mid-00s. Somehow, though, the melange works, with precise musicianship and relentless atmospheric focus giving life to what will undoubtedly be one of the most unique metal records of the year. 0:00:00 - Intro/Sepulchral Curse - The Deathbed Sessions (Personal Records / Lycanthropic Chants / Transylvanian Recordings)

0:20:24 - Gjendod - I Utakt Med Verden (Hellthrasher Productions)

1:10:41 - Interlude - Trelldom - “Slave til en kommende natt” fr. Til et annet… (Hammerheart Records, 1999)

1:16:26 - Doldrum - The Knocking, or the Story of the Sound That Preceded Their Disappearance (Katafalque)

2:09:28 - Outro - Ewigkeit - “The Nightmare Institution” fr. Conspiritus (Earache Records, 2005)

Terminus links:

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thetrueterminus@gmail.com

Gentlemen... behold! A new lean and mean episode of Terminus has arrived now that The Black Metal Guy has returned from Parts Unknown, fattened on the riches of distant lands. What better way to celebrate than with two down-the-line black metal records? We can have a little shrieking, just as a treat.

First up is Ateiggär from the Helvetic Underground Committee, a group of Swiss artists we've been following on the show for some time now. Ateiggär reaches back to late 90s and early 00s Scandinavian black metal like Kvist and Old Man's Child for its riffing style but adds in the tasteful theatrics of synth, sample, and clean vocal for spice. The aggregate effect is something like Rotting Christ by way of the frozen north, delivering on a promise of epic and ancient tones well at home in that era's more obscure circles.

Following is the return of Oppressive Descent whose 2020 record ended up on TBMG's album of the year list- does the new one stack up? Most certainly. What follows is well within the project's established wheelhouse but distilled and refined in exceptional fashion. This band's moment to moment riffcraft is nearly unmatched in high-flying (and skull-crushing) consistency, and the reduction of the number of influences at play has only sharpened its attack. Who would have guessed that from Portland would emerge the year's best French black metal record?

0:00:00 - Intro

0:04:49 - Ateiggär - Tyrannemord (Eisenwald)

0:46:12 - Interlude - 122 Stab Wounds - “Hunting Humans” fr. The Deity of Perversion (Head Not Found, 1996)

0:50:25 - Oppressive Descent - Spite is My Scepter, Blood is My Crown (Inferna Profundus Records)

1:40:01 - Outro - Chemin de Haine - “Le Royaume Maudit” fr. Hobo of Aramaic Tongues/Le Royaume Maudit (Painiac Records, 2003)

Terminus links:

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thetrueterminus@gmail.com

Summer yawns over the horizon, but Terminus is interested in something a little colder: today's episode features both DSBM and material descended from Peaceville doom to add some well-needed cynicism to your time by the pool.

First up is the return of Austere some 14 years after their last full length. Titans of Australian DSBM, Austere return no less powerful for their time absent, with material just as grey, lonely, and withering as their classic works. Beyond simple depression, though, Austere explores fascinating textural territories with dense, novel chord voicings, a patient, nearly ambient manner of constructing songs, and moments of triumphant melody which burst through the music's dense, suffocating fog. Highly recommended for DSBM fans and even those suspect of the genre.

The other half of this episode features the return of Hanging Garden to the show, who made a great impression on us with 2021's "Skeleton Lake." Their new (nearly) eponymous full length presents an aggressively streamlined, pop-forward sound which manages to fully integrate the band's serious extreme metal pedigree with hook-laden, approachable songwriting. This record functions as a fascinating update to 00's Hot Topic stalwarts like Lacuna Coil, with just enough bite to keep noisemongers like us listening. While this is far more accessible than our typical fare, it's no less potent in its songwriting and craftsmanship.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:05:39 - Austere - Corrosion of Hearts (Lupus Lounge)

0:53:50 - Interlude - Totalselfhatred - “Total Self-Hatred” fr. Totalselfhatred (Ordo Decimus Peccatum, 2008)

1:01:06 - Hanging Garden - The Garden (Agonia Records)

1:52:32 - Outro - Theatre of Tragedy - “And When He Falleth” fr. Velvet Darkness They Fear (Massacre Records, 1996)

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

In the fractured and diffuse world of extreme metal circa 2024, very few people could be considered a "pillar" of the scene- but one among those is Yosuke Konishi of stalwart label Nuclear War Now! In this interview, your hosts enjoy a leisurely chat with the proprietor of the label, Never Surrender fest, and his newest venture: Helios Press, which seeks to bring vinyl production back stateside in what may be the most ambitious and challenging move yet in an already impressive career. WE WON'T STOP UNTIL WE'RE DEAD!

0:00:00 - Interview

1:06:55 - Blasphemy - "Weltering in Blood" fr. Live Ritual: Friday the 13th (Nuclear War Now, 2001)

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

It's been a laborious path, surely, but Terminus is back on track as TBMG and TDMG reunite after a long departure from one another. Creative differences? Lover's quarrel? Nothing so interesting as that. What's important is that we're back to the Terminus you know and love, autistically criticizing unknown records for the pleasure of equally autistic listeners. T-shirts in the back.

First up is the return of Vergeblichkeit, whose last record we covered in the very first episode of 2021. The new release features the same general ingredients of gothic (black?) metal, but arranged differently, with a greater emphasis on dissonance, burly riffing, and structural complexity. This album lacks much of the immediate, catchy, gothic melodies of its predecessor, but it more than makes up for it in complexity, nervous energy, and sheer, metallic weight.

On the back half we tackle the debut record by White Rune, a Finnish project which endeavors to restore the glory the now-rusted concept of symphonic black metal. Drawing from Finnish contemporaries as well as the more youthful efforts of bands like Cradle of Filth or Hecate Enthroned, the result is a record of catchy melodies and epic overtures that nonetheless allows the grit and weight of the Finnish style to penetrate every note. NO KEYBOARDS, NO FEMALE VOCALS- well, maybe we can start making an exception for one of those. 0:00:00 - Intro

0:06:59 - Vergeblichkeit - Unnahbar Dein (Independent)

0:49:56 - Interlude - Stahlhammer - “Messerschmied” fr. Feind hört mit (Nuclear Blast, 1999)

0:56:11 - White Rune - Dawn of the White Rune (Hammer of Hate Records)

1:52:28 - Outro - Cradle of Filth - “Beneath the Howling Stars” fr. Cruelty and the Beast (Music for Nations, 1998)

Terminus links:

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Terminus on Facebook

thetrueterminus@gmail.com

Welcome to Terminus Lite: half the calories but all the full-bodied flavor you know and love. Today's episode is on the shorter side- TBMG is off on a trip to Parts Unknown- but don't worry, we have longer ones planned for the future. We're playing with formats, introducing post-structuralist theory to the podcast realm- please keep listening (please.) Today is a tight, death metal focused episode from two very different sides of the spectrum:

Part one: sheer, uncompromising brutality. Indonesia's Cadavoracity recently released their second, self-titled full length, which elaborates on the New Standard Elite style of blasting ultra-brutal death metal with an intensely organic sense of rhythm and pacing. While Cadavoracity emerges purely from the realm of BDM, the overall effect of their withering attack is not unlike Impetuous Ritual, Grave Upheaval, or Antediluvian. Chalk another tally mark for brutal death accidentally becoming abstract art music, but way cooler than that because someone is gurgling the entire time.

The flip side: a more approachable but no less authentic new record by Swedish masters Vomitory. Comparable in many ways to the Defleshed record we covered last year, Vomitory plays a blend of Swedish and American styles of death metal augmented by large doses of thrash and grind. On this record, Vomitory's 30 plus year pedigree shows itself tremendously, effortlessly moving between melodeath riffs, Slayer-inspired thrash passages, and vicious downtempo stomp with an elegance far exceeding their contemporaries in nearly every dimension.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:02:56 - Cadavoracity - Cadavoracity (Earsturbation Records)

0:29:40 - Interlude - Coprobaptized Cunthunter - “Armed With an Awl” fr. Failure Prosthesis (Coyote Records, 2010)

0:31:59 - Vomitory - All Heads Are Gonna Roll (Metal Blade Records)

1:11:24 - Outro - Splatterhouse - “Warmest Place to Hide” fr. The House That Dead Built (Razorback Recordings, 2004)

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

For the first volley of non-musical content, The Death Metal Guy starts a new program: I Hate Video Games and Never Play Them, a series of deep dive, essayistic critiques of games in the style you know and (hopefully) love. This time, he takes a look at Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, a 2017 third person action/puzzle game from Ninja Theory best known for its deep themes and striking presentation- but does it live up to the hype? Listen and find out. But also, no.

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon TDMG on Substack thetrueterminus@gmail.com

Another episode so soon? Well, our cold, black hearts felt the distant and chilly fingers of shame over how long the last one took to come out, so we've ramped up production in the Autism Factory just for you! Today's episode is another that focuses on deep cut black metal, but perhaps a little less putrid and decrepit this time around. It's still gnarly, though, as demonstrated by our opening segment on a split between German hordes Burkhartsvinter and Wolfsblut who each present their own take on scrappy, longform black metal.

Next is the debut full-length by Rot, quite possibly Vietnam's first black metal band, languishing in obscurity for nearly two decades. So much time slow-roasting in the oven has developed an impressive flavor of resolutely oldschool black metal basted with touches of death and thrash, reminding the listener distinctly of earliest work in the Norwegian and Swedish scenes pre-second wave. Immediate and heavy but also well-paced and surprisingly broad in its musical techniques, this is a record for dedicated black metal aficionados to really sink their teeth into.

Following is the return of Imha Tarikat to the show, whose third full-length seems to represent the band truly arriving at their definitive sound. Exploring a territory somewhere between Mgla haze and Bølzer explosivity, this scans less as black metal and more as something entirely new- heavy, aggressive guitar music where the riff is replaced almost entirely with longform melodies. Not gonna lie, folks- we really reach into High Art Critique territory on this one. The Death Metal Guy unironically employs the phrase "interrogates the relationship." Brace yourselves- these are murky and uncharted waters. House of Ygra on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@houseofygra7198 0:00:00 - Intro/Burkhartsvinter/Wolfsblut - Return of the Black Hordes (Sturmglanz Black Metal Manufaktur)

0:25:43 - Rot - As Darkness Burns (House of Ygra)

1:08:06 - Interlude - Dark Angel - “Black Prophecies,” fr. Darkness Descends (Combat Records, 1986)

1:16:34 - Imha Tarikat - Hearts Unchained - At War With a Passionless World (Prophecy Productions/Lupus Lounge)

2:15:58 - Outro - Raven Woods - “In Loneliness I Wither” fr. In Silent Agony… (Zoo Sound, 2001) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

Not unlike a vampire repelled by the sign of the cross, TDMG is currently working through his long-buried trauma re: acoustic guitar, and so today's episode is a neofolk special by TBMG and the  infamous Hyper Shaman. Neofolk is something we mention on the show quite frequently but only rarely review, so for the more introspective, pastoral, and wizened among us, here's your time to shine. Today's episode presents two very different sides of neofolk which will nonetheless be of interest to all those who enjoy extreme metal.

First up is Poseidon, announcing the (and I cannot stress this enough) TRIUMPHANT RETURN of Argento and Azoth of the mighty Spite Extreme Wing. The result of this resurgence, however, is not more of their powerful solar metal, but a perhaps equally powerful but much more oneiric take on abstract neofolk/post-industrial. TBMG and Hyper Shaman make a solid case for Poseidon directly linking to SEW through melodic fragments and the gestures toward folk music that band made later in its career. All fans of SEW take note- they might have taken a different shape, but the boys are certainly back in town.

The other side of the episode is dedicated to Crooked Mouth, a neofolk project without Poseidon's ties to extreme metal but no less potent for it. Working in the more traditional territory of bands like Death in June and Of the Wand and the Moon, Crooked Mouth centers around beautiful acoustic guitar arrangements, precise vocal timbre, and a host of folk instruments which add texture and breadth to the simple yet elegant music. Much neofolk tends to stray from its folk origins- this is anything but the case for Crooked Mouth, who present pagan traditions unvarnished and unadorned, with all the scorn for modernity intact.

0:00:00 - Intro/Poseidon – Poseidon (Brucia Records)

1:12:14 - Interlude - Coil - “Ostia (The Death of Pasolini),” fr. Horse Rotorvator (Force & Form, 1988) / Death in June - “Dædalus Rising,” fr. But, What Ends When The Symbols Shatter? (New European Recordings, 1992)

1:23:24 - Crooked Mouth – Between the Fool and the Magician (Ætheric Recordings - LP and BC / Heimat Music - CD)

2:15:57 - Outro - The Revolutionary Army of the Infant Jesus - “Beauty After The Fall,” fr. The Gift of Tears (1987)

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

GENTLEMEN... BEHOLD! The Terminus Omega 2024 livestream is now mirrored here for your podcast listening pleasure. Join TBMG, TDMG, and harried Terminus intern Hyper Shaman as we go through the highlights of the year with helpful input from our... adoring(?) audience. This one was a great time and we hope those of you who don't typically listen on Youtube will enjoy listening as much as we did streaming. For those who weren't there: 2025 will feature some big but positive changes for Terminus, featuring all sorts of new forms of content that will lead us boldly into the second half of the decade. As always, thanks for listening.

BIG THINGS COMING *china cymbal crashes ominously*

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

The boys are back in town with a long and girthy 2020-style episode centered around 4 black metal releases from the deep underground. First up is a patron submission in Guerrero Nómada, a modern one-man black metal project which adds touches of emo and classic heavy metal into its stomping heathenism. Next is a new entry from Holland's Zwotte Kring collective in The Color of Rain, where our Dutch friends take a stab at bringing the black metal (and metalcore) back to post-black metal. Side B: the return of Kampfeswut who further iterates on their grinding style of explosive black/folk/power/melodeath/anything as long as it's FAST. And finally, we send you out with Forest Thrall, a promising outlaw rock upstart who breaks the psychedelic primitivity of Blazebirth Hall into even more molecular fragments.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:08:21 - Guerrero Nómada - Cuatro Partes del Mundo (Independent)

0:49:20 - The Color of Rain - Oceans Above (Void Wanderer Productions)

1:21:15 - Interlude - For the Fallen Dreams - “Brothers in Arms” fr. Changes (Rise Records, 2008)

1:24:14 - Kampfeswut - Die Rückkehr des Barden (Acid Vicious)

2:00:00 - Forest Thrall - Amidst Pines (Death Prayer Records)

2:49:47 - Outro - Skuggeheim - “Å Gå I Gl​ø​ymsle” fr. Ekko frå fortid - Fase fem av fem (Terratur Possessions, 2023)

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

Mom and dad are fighting again.

It's been a tough time on the Terminus homestead with regards to scheduling, TDMG waylaid from recording earlier by the insidious trickery of budget airlines. Perhaps a cooling-off period was needed, though, before recording what is perhaps the most contentious episode in Terminus history. Blood must be shed. There is no other path forward.

The cause of such discord within the family? The long-awaited return of Cromlech, epic doom purveyors with close ties to the podcast. "Ascent of Kings," a record a decade in the making, is without question one of the single most ambitious albums we've ever covered on the show. Epic in scope, scale, and concept, Cromlech pulls on threads of epic doom, traditional heavy metal, and those genres' progressive rock ancestors to make a record as unwieldy as it is grandiose. The question is simple: does Cromlech stick the landing, or is the sheer weight of compositional intricacy too much to bear? The battle lines are drawn and the positions the hosts take may surprise you, but one thing is clear once the dust has settled: "Ascent of Kings" will undoubtedly be a cult smash hit for a certain audience, and it is a record which necessitates tremendous discussion, whatever your position might be.

Following this is another album with tremendous ambitions, albeit in a radically different direction: the debut full-length by Haxprocess, Jacksonville progressive death metal band and friends of The Death Metal Guy. Haxprocess sets its sights on recreating the style of late 90s progressive death metal, closely hewing to the structural rigor of deathrash while also heavily invested in the psych and prog rock of yesteryear. Through careful recreation of that era's stylistic features but with a genuine charge of youthful spirit and creativity, this is a record which could easily have emerged from '98, but with an energy and soul all its own.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:07:12 - Cromlech - Ascent of Kings (Hessian Firm)

1:51:24 - Virgin Steele - “Through the Ring of Fire” fr. The House of Atreus - Act I (T&T Records, 1999)

1:56:49 - Haxprocess - The Caverns of Duat (Independent / CD on Witches Brew)

2:49:39 - Outro - Burning Inside - “Apparition” fr. Apparition (Crash Music, 2001)

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

Finally breaking free from the shackles of an endlessly repeated conversation on black metal pornography, your hosts return with an episode of lower-tempo extreme metal from two very different parts of the scene. Featuring a returning fan submission and a record from a style we rarely cover, this episode is a deep cut for those who want to expand their listening habits into uncharted territory. Or maybe charted territory but not usually by us.

First up is the return of Thaumaturgy, doom-ridden black/death solo project out of Kansas which presents its debut full length. Thaumaturgy's style exists in a realm influenced heavily by both caverncore and orthodox black metal. On this record, however, a decision is made to pursue death metal more fully by way of the Ledney school of Profanatica, Havohej, Prosanctus Inferi, etc., but delivered in a stately and austere manner. Angular riffs spill out over long sections of tremolo and blast wall, periodically collapsing into heaving doom. How does it stack up against the project's debut, reviewed in 2021? We discuss.

Following is Iron Walrus with their fourth full length record of Crowbar-inspired sludge metal. Taking a path less travelled in the style, Iron Walrus concentrates on a combination of elaborate heavy metal riffing combined with brute hardcore force, making for a record with a wide range of emotional and sonic territory. This is the antidote for the stoner scourge in the genre; we don't cover sludge very often, and you may not listen to it typically, but trust us- this one is worth a look.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:04:20 - Thaumaturgy - Tenebrous Oblations (Adirondack Black Mass)

0:56:39 - Interlude - Havohej - “Weeping in Heaven” fr. Dethrone the Son of God (Candlelight Records, 1993)

0:58:50 - Iron Walrus - Tales Never Told (Apostasy Records)

1:48:58 - Outro - Merauder - “Take by Force” fr. Master Killer (Century Media, 1995)

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

Sunday, February 12th, 2023 marks one of the most important rituals in American culture: the release of a new Terminus episode. We're back with some records the more death metal-inclined Terminators will undoubtedly appreciate, plus an appetizer provided by Russia's Utanförskap, a post-black metal project which arrives at a unique sound through a genuine appreciation and understanding of its post-punk and shoegaze source material. Many of you are undoubtedly soured on the post-black style (for good reason,) but trust us: this is the exception to the rule.

First at plate is Deiquisitor, a bashing Danish death metal outfit initially brought to the table by The Black Metal Guy, of all people. Deiquisitor's sound is difficult to pin down, operating in a hazy grey area of oldschool death metal songwriting combined with the cold and nihilistic atonality of the most avant-garde brutal death. "Apotheosis" reaches both forwards and backwards in time, with the primordial matter of Tampa and New York styles of death metal filtered through a prism of terrible, futural certainty.

Following this is the debut record from Apokatastasis, courtesy of our friends at Hessian Firm. This one-man project from Arizona sets itself a challenge right out of the gate: to successfully combine brutal death metal and melodic black metal into a cohesive entity. The result: something akin to a particularly ferocious take on Swedish blackdeath (Dawn, Sacramentum, etc.) infused with the convoluted, ever-spiralling technicality of Crimson Massacre. This one is a challenging listen, certainly, but one that rewards today and promises more in the future.

0:00:00 - Intro/Utanförskap - Förlåtelse (Independent)

0:24:37 - Deiquisitor - Apotheosis (Extremely Rotten Productions)

1:09:31 - Interlude - Nailed - “Rupture Savior” fr. Hatred, Failure & the Extinction of Mankind (Anticulture Records, 2008)

1:13:15 - Apokatastasis - The Consecratory Secretion (Hessian Firm)

1:54:49 - Outro - Vehemence - “By Your Bedside” fr. Helping the World to See (Metal Blade Records, 2004)

Terminus is back with an oldschool episode- 4 records of descent into complete madness on the part of your intrepid hosts. This time, the mix is an unusual one, from dissonant black to war metal to elaborate death metal and... sophisticated beatdown hardcore? All these things are different but they're all actually the same thing as you'll come to find out. First off, a mini-review courtesy of The Black Metal Guy featuring Chicago's AVOWD, a dissonant black metal project pulled from the 00s featuring a member of Malthusian Kommand and the ugliest chord voicings you've ever heard.

Now for a double dose of EPs from the Indian subcontinent. First up is a new entry from the Kolkata Inner Order in the form of Kaal Nagini, who play heavily death metal inflected war metal which won't be unfamiliar to fans of other KIO bands. Featuring a truly gorked production job, blistering tempos, and a lashing of brutal death, this is sure to please the most deeply deranged among us. In the other corner, the return of Kaal Akuma, whose war-inflected style of death metal has taken a more defined shape in the form of more traditional, Immolation-inspired death metal. While perhaps less obsessively extreme than their last record, the added polish and brilliant riffcraft on display more than makes up for it.

Wrapping things up is the return of Vamachara, California beatdown hardcore aficionados coming back with their sophomore full length. Inspired by bands like Xibalba, Knocked Loose, and a host of 00s beatdown, Vamachara feels like the most vicious streetfighting music of two decades ago updated with modern technical extremity. Crushing and rhythmically challenging breakdowns collide headlong into fully unadorned death metal riffs to make for something that bridges the (perhaps nonexistant) gap between the styles with remarkable power and style.

0:00:00 - Intro/AVOWD - AVOWD (Independent)

0:27:54 - Kaal Nagini - Reflected Lights of a Blind God (Iron Bonehead Productions)

0:54:10 - Interlude - Sect Pig - “Master Revealed” fr. Slave Destroyed (Nuclear War Now, 2013)

0:56:58 - Kaal Akuma - Turiya (Nuclear Winter Productions)

1:28:52 - Congress - “The Release,” fr. Angry with the Sun (Good Life Recordings, 1998)

1:32:28 - Vamachara - No Roses On My Grave (Closed Casket Activities)

2:20:16 - Outro - Deformity - “Bloodfields,” fr. Murder within Sin (Next Sentence Recordings, 1999)

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

Terminus is back with its first interview in a long while- and who better to bring the series back than Ron Vento, mastermind behind Imperial Crystalline Entombment and Aurora Borealis. I.C.E. recently released their 20 year-delayed followup to 2004's debut with Ancient Glacial Resurgence, an uncompromising but remarkably entertaining record which breathes new life into a nearly forgotten style of USBM. Join Ron and TDMG as they explore the new I.C.E. record, the history of the band, his work in Aurora Borealis, the changing landscape of black metal, and whether I.C.E. ACTUALLY sounds like Immortal. 0:00:00 - Interview Part 1 0:20:12 - Imperial Crystalline Entombment - "Of Blizzards and Banshees" fr. Ancient Glacial Resurgence (Debemur Morti, 2023) 0:24:27 - Interview Part 2 0:44:19 - Aurora Borealis - "The House of Nimrod" fr. Prophecy is the Mold in Which History is Poured (Hammerheart Records, 2022) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

It's that time of the season again! Terminus returns with another episode but, uh, a weird one again. This time it's TDMG that's our handling some personal business, which means we have an episode featuring TBMG and Terminus intern Hyper Shaman, this time focusing on wooly and wild strains of black metal from all over the (full) spectrum. Think of this as the perverse alternative to the first guest episode featuring TDMG and HS, but instead of slam and gorenoise it's even more cryptic, inscrutable black metal. So, in essence, business as usual.

The show kicks off with the triumphant return of war elephant-riding Dressed in Streams with a new EP. The project's second record, Swaraj, was covered on the show in 2020 and ended up on TBMG's end of the year list. The new EP, while clearly part of the project's sonic lineage, presents a more biting, hot-blooded take on the style, leaning away from the subtle post-blackisms of the previous record and more fully into the brackish and insane. An obvious required listen for Terminators.

Following this is a true oddity: the debut album by Dogman, a Bosnian project which presents itself as worship of equally obscure Brazilian project Sovereign. What we have here is a truly unusual combination of Franco-Finnish consonance and panicked, alcoholic blackthrash which straddles no lines but its own. Can Dogman bridge the gap between what seem to be wildly divergent musical concepts? Listen and decide for yourself.

We conclude our evening with the debut record of Danish band Grigorien, a band which attempts to resurrect, in a sense, the totality of the second wave that does not discount advances made in more recent years. Furiously devilish and bitterly aggressive, this might have been denounced with terms like "Norsecore" in earlier years, but within the heat and extremity is a subtlety of arrangement that defies its contemporaries.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:11:16 - Dressed in Streams - लड़ाई का मैदान (“Battlefield”) (Colloquial Sound Recordings)

0:53:23 - Dogman - Alcoholic Fury & Madness (Total Death) (Independent)

1:38:50 - Grigorien - Magtens Evangelium (Signal Rex)

2:29:01 - Outro - Belëf - “Deathwind Legion” fr. Deathwind Legion (Criminal Records, 2000)

Terminus links:

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Returning from an interviewmission, Terminus is back with a couple records at least approximately located in the outlaw rock space. First up--the sophomore release of Ink & Fire which trades a bit of the debut's wild chaos for a more deliberate and precise melodic attack. Second, the debut by Ghost of Lietus, a Strix Askesis side project which augments Slavic and Hellenic black metal styles with an additional flair of traditional heavy metal and psych rock. 0:00:00 - Intro

0:04:28 - Ink & Fire - Emblazoned Visions Yield Eternity (Death Prayer Records)

0:52:51 - Interlude - Odal - “Flammendes Schwert,” fr. …Wilde Kraft (Christhunt Productions, 2005)

0:58:57 - Ghost of Lietus - Dream of the Viridian King (Independent)

1:39:01 - Outro - Ildra - “Ofer hwælweg we comon,” fr. Eðelland (Sonnenrune Records, 2011) Nobly reissued by Heidens Hart. https://heidenshart.bandcamp.com/album/e-elland Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

As February progresses and winter's grip begins to falter, Terminus takes advantage of this space between seasons to present a real grab bag of an episode. Today's theme? Confidence and boldness, as exhibited by bands from all over the world and in all styles of extreme metal- there's something for everyone here. First: Cuban(!) slam death band Orphan Autopsy, whose refined presentation and brilliant sense of pacing elevates conventional ideas into a slickly listenable but intensely brutal package.

Next is a double feature of recent Sielunvihollinen releases which explore different aspects of the band's core sound. First is a split with fellow Finns Sudentaival. On these tracks Sielunvihollinen emphasizes the intense street punk influence in their black metal, where Sudentaival combines the rowdy schlager quality of Absurd with truly gorked garage punk. On the other side: Sielunvihollinen's newest EP, which shows off a more melodic side to the band, heavy on influences from melodeath and power metal but no less ferocious for their presence.

To wrap things up, something completely different: the hideous return of the mighty and terrible Rigor Sardonicous, cult Long Island extreme doom purveyors whose sound is at once singular and primordially familiar. Trundling, oppressive chords derived from equal parts Winter and Black Sabbath batter the listener with sluggish regularity while monstrous pitch-shifted vocals roar and a drum machine thumps, clicks, and whirrs in the background. This repulsively majestic release stirs in your hosts an intense discussion and one of our best reviews. Save your fork- there's pie!

0:00:00 - Intro

0:04:30 - Orphan Autopsy - Blistering Deprive From Sanity (Rotten Music)

0:20:42 - Sielunvihollinen/Sudentaival - Split (D88 Records)

0:42:02 - Interlude - Hasil Adkins - “Chicken Walk,” fr. Out to Hunch (Norton Records, 1986)

0:43:56 - Sielunvihollinen - Sielunmurskaaja (Independent)

1:15:44 - Interlude - Peste Noire - “Retour de Flamme (Hooligan Black Metal),” fr. La Sanie des Siècles - Panégyrique de la Dégénérescence (De Profundis Éditions, 2006)

1:20:02 - Rigor Sardonicous - Praeparet Bellum (Memento Mori)

2:13:37 - Outro - Thralldom - “Quantum Frost,” fr. A Shaman Steering The Vessel of Vastness (Profound Lore / Parasitic Records, 2006)

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

As Terminus prepares for its annual summer break (jetskiing, goblin slaying, etc.), we unleash a big black metal episode focused on only the coolest of wizard music. After an opening salvo by new project Arcane Bayonet, who present an oddball take on pagan black metal laced with black and roll, we get to a triumvirate of powerful spellcasting madness. First: the new record by Sear Bliss, legendary Hungarian hedge mages whose style of black/doom/folk/melodeath is as varied and well rounded as it is atmospheric and stirring. Second: the return of Windswept, a Saenko project which seeks to fuse the martial aggression of Hate Forest with the more delicate melodic sensibility of Drudkh to surprising results. Third: the mighty return of symphonic BM sorceror Limbonic Art, who drops the orchestra for something far more lean, hungry, and ferocious. 0:00:00 - Intro

0:05:24 - Arcane Bayonet - Bellicose Fields (Death Magick Collective)

0:27:02 - Sear Bliss - Heavenly Down (Hammerheart Records)

1:18:45 - Interlude - Rotting Christ - “Diastric Alchemy,” fr. Triarchy of The Lost Lovers (Century Media, 1996)

1:23:44 - Windswept - Der eine, wahre König (Primitive Reaction)

2:01:53 - Interlude 2 - Nécropole - “Immanence,” fr. Ostara (Résilience, 2015)

2:09:23 - Limbonic Art - Opus Daemonical (Kyrck Productions & Armour)

2:55:48 - Outro - Anaal Nathrakh - “Between Piss and Shit We Are Born” fr. Eschaton (Season of Mist, 2006) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

TDMG is back from an out of town trip just in time to present a death-metal focused episode ranging from the oldschool to the... well, the mid-00s are now basically oldschool. Will TBMG survive the onslaught of blasting and legitimate guitar chops? Listen to find out. First off, though: the new 7" by Ossuary, presenting an alternate take on early 90s doomdeath filtered through the prism of some of its most sinister cousins.

13 years past their last volley, New Jersey's own Deteriorot return from the grave(?) with a new full length. An obscure favorite of TDMG, Deteriorot plays an occult and doom-ridden style of death metal equally informed by New York and Scandinavian styles. "The Rebirth," though, distills these regional mannerisms to their most primordial elements. An album as carefully plotted as it is rigorously minimal, this one is highly recommend to fans of deliberately primitive extreme metal as a whole.

Closing out the show is a 2020-style Terminus pick with Ophidian Memory's "Our Shattered Garden." Pulling on threads of mid-00s popular extreme metal, Ophidian Memory plays a tech and prog-brushed manner of melodeath informed by both the classic (Swedish melodic black/death) and the highly modern for its era (popular melodic metalcore.) The result of this perhaps unexpected trip down memory lane is a record with outsized ambitions, tremendous melodies, and a plucky, confident attitude that reminds us why The Black Dahlia Murder was so cool in the first place.

0:00:00 - Intro/Ossuary - Forsaken Offerings (Darkness Shall Rise Productions)

0:24:12 - Deteriorot - The Rebirth (Faithless Records/Xtreem Music/Repugnant Records)

1:11:15 - Interlude - Unleashed - “For They Shall Be Slain” fr. Where No Life Dwells (Century Media, 1991)

1:14:35 - Ophidian Memory - Our Shattered Garden (Independent)

2:04:39 - Outro - Dead to Fall - “All My Heroes Have Failed Me” fr. The Phoenix Throne (Victory Records, 2006)

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

On the new bite-sized episode of I Hate Video Games and Never Play Them, your host takes a look at A Short Hike, a tiny game about a little bird on a medium-sized adventure with big pixels.

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon TDMG on Substack thetrueterminus@gmail.com

Let's face it, people: 2022 has been a difficult mating season for black metal. They're not sending their best, folks- or at least they haven't been so far. That might all change with today's episode, which features two excellent records of autumnal, melodic, and strikingly structured black metal which reaches back to the trenchcoat era of the late 90s/early 00s for its primary influences. If you're the type of Terminator who listens for assistance in separating the wheat from the chaff: welcome home.

First up is the newest record by Dutch stalwarts Asgrauw, who TBMG has mentioned numerous times on the show as a central figure to that nation's scene and as a personal favorite. For those unfamiliar, Asgrauw play an agile and melodic but traditionally aggressive form of black metal, pared down and structurally minimal, but harmonically and timbrally rich. This is a record that strikes a fine balance between accessibility and authenticity, between simplicity and dynamism, and is almost certainly one of the best black metal records of the year.

Drawing from a similar pool of influences but with a radically different vision is Firtan, a German band who reach back to ambitious, prog-infused black metal records to create something vast in both scope and sound. Featuring striking technical playing and impressively dense and saturated instrumental arrangements, Firtan manage to capture the excitement of early prog-black without sacrificing the core of heavy metal songwriting we're all here for. Violins? Spoken word passages? Maybe there's a place for those things after all.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:02:14 - Asgrauw - Façade (Death Prayer Records)

0:53:42 - Interlude - Thyrfing - “Set Sail to Plunder,” fr. Thyrfing (Hammerheart Records, 1998 / digital by Despotz).

0:58:06 - Firtan - Marter (AOP Records)

1:45:05 - Outro - Nagelfar - “Srontgorrth (Das Dritte Kapitel),” fr. Hünengrab im Herbst (Kettenhund Records, 1997). Here’s digital for the 2017 Ván reissue, with sadly inferior cover art. If you wanna hear these guys do a straight-up ripper, check the preceding track, “Bildnis der Apocalpyse,” or pretty much anything from Virus West (2001).

Terminus links:

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While conducting a dangerous Thulean reconnaisance mission, The Black Metal Guy managed to bed down in enemy triangle black metal territory to conduct a casual interview with a rare ally: Adrian Brachmann, whose projects Níðstöng and Perkwunos we have covered in earlier episodes. While dodging fire from the remains of the Orthodox scene, your intrepid host and his frigid counterpart enjoy a talk over coffee about Adrian's projects, his future musical plans, the broader black metal scene, and, of course, a Terminus favorite: 2000's metalcore.

0:00:00 - Interview

0:57:18 - Holyarrow - "空的進軍 / March to the Sky" fr. 吾​之​榮​耀​即​吾​之​忠​誠 (Pest Productions, 2023)

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

After an impromptu spring break (caused by technical issues, sorry guys), Terminus is back with an alumni-focused episode for the dedicated fans. After a mini-review by TBMG on noble dungeon synth barbarian Uppstigning, we revisit two bands near and dear to the show's cold, black heart. First: the return of Anahata, whose burly, powerlifting heavy/power metal has been infused with a tremendous dose of prog and a massively increased structural scope. Next: Syndexioi, who emerge slightly from the caverns with a sound louder, larger, and much more immediate than their first. Listening recommendation for this episode: clench your fist out in front of you at roughly eye level and roar. 0:00:00 - Intro/Uppstigning - Rite of Passage (Independent)

0:18:44 - Anahata - Syncretic Sovereignty (Independent)*

1:12:37 - Interlude - 3 Inches of Blood - “Axes of Evil” fr. Advance and Vanquish (Roadrunner Records, 2004)

1:17:06 - Syndexioi - Devouring Slumber (Independent)

2:00:18 - Outro - Elffor - “Infernal Woods” fr. Son of the Shades (Northern Silence Productions, 2008) *CORRECTION: Anahata's drums were NOT programmed. **FUN FACT: Uppstigning also contributed the synth intro / outro on the Anahata record. We had no idea! Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

A year and a half in the making, the time has finally come for Terminus to reconvene with the members of Mormegil, formed from the ashes of the late Cromlech. What ensues: a rollicking conversation covering Cromlech's "Ascent of Kings," songwriting techniques on an epic scale, the ambitions of continuing band Mormegil, and how the ghost of AFI haunts us all. Break out the mead, boys: it's time for another hangout with our favorite Canadians.

0:00:00 - Interview

1:43:15 - Cromlech - "Turambar (Master of Doom/By Doom Mastered) fr. Ascent of Kings (Hessian Firm, 2023)

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

IT'S HAPPENING! OH MY GOD IT'S FINALLY HAPPENING! Yeah, yeah, of course we were gonna cover it. But beyond the most obvious part of this show is a pair of excellent, highly melodic records which are equally worthy of your time. Case in point: the sophomore record of Thos Ælla, whose debut we covered on the show last year. The new record shows a supercharged version of the project, merging traditional melodic black/death with explosive power metal flourishes and guitar pyrotechnics. Talk about expansion on the ideal- this puts the project firmly on the map for all our listeners.

AND HERE IT IS. 17 years in the making, Kohanic Charmers has arrived to announce the return of hooligan black metal legends Grand Belial's Key. For those feeling trepidation over the job history gap, fear not: this is a powerful entry in the band's discography. Leaning toward the direct and compact disdain of Judeobeast Assassination, the new record combines a surprisingly understated delivery with mature, inventive songwriting. The quiet period of the last decade and a half has only sharpened their legendary musicality and scorn. Absolutely mandatory.

Finally, a powerful taboo is broken: we're covering a reissue! This time it's from Algaion, a fairly obscure Swedish project from the latter years of the second wave who make minimal yet elaborately melodic black metal that sounds like it could be released TODAY. This is part review and part history lesson as your hosts try to wrap their brains around the idea that this was recorded in the waning days of '94. All that being said, this is brilliant and provides an entirely new perspective on where the modern sounds today may have began. 0:00:00 - Intro/Thos Ælla - Sempiternal Mobocracies (I, Voidhanger Records)

0:19:22 - Grand Belial’s Key - Kohanic Charmers (Weltenfeind)

1:04:56 - Interlude - Toil - “Obscure Chasms” fr. Obscure Chasms (Grievantee Productions, 2007) (Long out of print but seemingly still available from underground shops)

1:08:00 - Algaion - Oimai Algeiou (reissue on Regain Records)

1:47:18 - Outro - Octinomos - “The Ground Shall Sorrow Be” fr. Octinomos (Infortunium Records, 1995) (Seems to be out of print- also search for On the Demiurge, essentially the same record.)

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TDMG has returned after withstanding the wrath of nature with shotgun and Miller High Life in hand just in time for an episode of punishing midpaced crunch courtesy of TBMG. After a mini-review of Keroeis, a project by associates of TDMG which plays around the edges of older USBM ala Black Funeral with updates from the orthodox scene, we move toward more minimal territory. Deadform: stenchcore supergroup dwelling in the realms of noisy, nihilistic sludge. Barathrum: long-running Finnish legends update their traditionally Beheretish style of black metal with thrashing tempos and more acrobatic guitars. 0:00:00 - Intro / Keroeis - Priestess Emanations (Independent) 0:24:35 - Deadform - Entrenched in Hell (Tankcrimes) 1:06:00 - Interlude - Skaven - “Plague Wind” fr. Skaven/Dystopia (Life Is Abuse, 1996) 1:10:20 - Barathrum - Überkill (Hammer of Hate) 1:56:47 - Outro - Goatlord - “Chicken Dance” fr. Reflections of the Solstice (Turbo Music, 1991) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

On today's installment of Terminus we get two dramatically different sides of Teutonic black metal, both of unquestionable interest to all burly, woodcutting Terminators. First: the return of Rostorchester, whose brand of heavily emo and punk-infused black metal achieves its full potential- mostly by becoming primarily an emo band!* Next: the debut full length of Ad Mortem, who follow closely in the footsteps of friends Totenwache in refreshing the Sargeist style with a steelier and more stoic German countenance- when they're not partying, of course. 0:00:00 - Intro

0:04:10 - Rostorchester - Der Zinnen Sang vom Niedergang (BergStolz)

0:53:43 - Interlude - A Pregnant Light - “Babychain,” fr. Broken Play (Colloquial Sound Recordings, 2019)

0:59:39 - Ad Mortem - In Honorem Mortis (Purity Through Fire)

1:37:59 - Outro - Mavorim - “Krieger, Voran!,” fr. the Verbrannte Erde split w/ Totenwache (Independent, 2018) *CORRECTION: At the start of the Rostorchester review, we refer to a Youtube comment by Antimessiah. This was actually a fake account! See the thread on the Rites of Pestilence upload, where the real Antimessiah drops in to set the record straight. Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

We're a little late on this one- had to go to some crucial chakra alignment workshops- but we're back with a lean and mean episode featuring two records from completely opposite sides of our musical map. The split here is about as TBMG and TDMG as you can get- choose your side wisely, mortals.

First up is the triumphant return of Tenhornedbeast, a personal favorite of TBMG whose dark ambient/drone/post-industrial-what-have-you merges murky, distorted synth tones with negative space and distant, crushing percussion. Hey now, this isn't a metal record at all! There's plenty to discuss, though- what's the difference between good and bad music made in this style, minimalism vs. maximalism in ambient composition, and the difference between meditative and deliberately challenging tones. Listen to this one on headphones in the dark.

TDMG's side brings us back into the comfort of extreme metal with the new Corpsessed record. At this point long-running purveyors of traditional, punishing Finnish death metal, Corpsessed make remarkably well-rounded and deceptively clever music with a surprising amount of restraint and elegance. Refusing to perceive any difference between high-minded noodling and caveman mosh music, this is a record which truly encompasses what made old school death metal great and which indicates the flame is still alive. 0:00:00 - Intro/Tenhornedbeast - The Lamp of No Light (Cold Springs)

0:47:08 - Interlude - Endvra - “The Battle Song of Endvra” fr. Great God Pan (Elfenblut, 1997) (Seems out of print but easily available on the used market)

0:49:09 - Corpsessed - Succumb to Rot (Dark Descent)

1:30:38 - Outro - Rippikoulu - “Kadonneet jumalat” fr. Musta seremonia (Independent, 1993) (Re-released several times over the years, remastered version available on Bandcamp)

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After a brief torpor in recovery from our epic (in the true sense of the word) dissection of the Spite Extreme Wing discography, Terminus returns with a tight episode featuring, quite specifically, two New Zealand war metal bands with highly anticipated returns. In this corner: Diocletian, with a record that returns to their roots, provoking a sometimes contentious reponse from their audience. In the other: Heresiarch, who come back with a substantially altered sound leaning into the more progressive strains of black/death. 0:00:00 - Intro

0:00:57 - Diocletian - Inexorable Nexus (Nuclear War Now!)

0:53:57 - Interlude - Gospel of The Horns - “Chaos Bringer,” fr. A Call to Arms (Invictus, 2002)

0:58:15 - Heresiarch - Edifice (Iron Bonehead)

1:36:10 - Outro - Niden Div. 187 - “Genocide,” fr. Impergium (Necropolis Records, 1997) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

HEAR YE, HEAR YE! We've come to that most hideous and crippling time of year where your intrepid hosts take a couple weeks off for the summer. TBMG is moving and TDMG is learning Mortician's "Hacked Up For Barbecue" in its entirety on guitar, so we're gonna take a quick break before once again commencing the mayhem. Before that, though, we've got an episode for ya: this time with two opposing takes on a sort of fantastical, folk-inspired black metal with fascinating similarities amidst their considerable contrast.

First up is the debut record by Gromoverzh, a one-man project headed by Stringsskald (Temnozor, Walknut, Nitberg, etc.) This record is primarily composed of material written during Stringsskald's time in the first of those listed bands, and it presents a similar yet enlarged approach: symphonic and folk-drenched pagan metal, but now operating on an epic time scale and with a substantial injection of 80s trad metal. TBMG is immediately smitten- TDMG is concerned with the presence of a flute and the lack of gravity blasts. We discuss.

The other side of this episode is dedicated to the return of Moulderyawn, whose gloomy manner of folk/black/dungeon synth pivots drastically toward post-black/screamo territory- but not in a bad way?! While certainly a departure from previous work, careful listening indicates a closer relation to those records than immediately apparent, with the same mouldering (lol) atmosphere and music box synth lines intact, just with a lot more heartwrenching 00's metalcore breakdowns and Orchid riffs. Seriously- it's awesome.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:06:16 - Gromoverzh - Izdrevle (Der Schwarze Tod/Werewolf Promotion)

1:05:17 - Interlude - Elvenking - “Seasonspeech” fr. Heathenreel (AFM Records, 2001)

1:12:48 - Moulderyawn - Wiltress, Queen of Flowers (Rempart Productions)

1:47:53 - Outro - Moulderyawn - “Fruitlessly Overflowing,” fr. Wiltress: Queen of Flowers

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No shit we’re reviewing these!

0:00:00 - Intro

0:03:03 - Grave Pilgrim - The Bigotry of Purpose (Death Prayer Records)

1:18:48 - Interlude - FIN - “Outlaws” fr. Arrows of a Dying Age (Folter Records, 2017)

1:22:29 - Der Tod und die Landsknechte - Wir fürchten weder Tod noch Teufel (Blasphemous Terror Records)

2:10:33 - Outro - Equilibrium - “Der Sturm” fr. Turis Fratyr (Black Attakk Records, 2005)

Terminus links:q Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

With a lustrous ambient soundtrack of stormy weather threatening TBMG's home, we have a new episode leaning heavily on extreme metal augmented with influences from other spheres of 00s music. Prepare to get weird and drunk dial your old art school girlfriend- we're heading straight to Brooklyn with a lot of this material, but don't fret- there's plenty of great stuff to be found. First off, a look at the new EP by Embodied Torment, an ultra-brutal death metal TDMG favorite, who rise from their gwave with no less intensity but a much developed sense of elaborate, narrative songwriting.

First on the docket is the return of Colorado upstarts Astral Tomb, hot off the heels of 2022's "Soulgazer." This newest independent release, "Total Spiritual Death," is a highly experimental and divisive work which will inevitably split audiences on its quality. TDMG likes it a lot, TBMG sort of despises it, and what follows is a wild journey through 00s indie rock, old kosmische musik, and every possibly point in between- with, of course, plenty of Astral Tomb's crawlinggnawinghowling doomdeath intact.

Following this is a look at last year's record by Shroud of Despondency, Milwaukee-based experimental/progressive black metallers with affiliations to Prezir, an aggressive black/death/thrash blend we covered some years back. SoD centers on late 90s/early 00s symphonic black metal colored by intense streaks of screamo, neofolk, and industrial. Easy listening this is not, but attention paid is highly rewarded by incredible harmonic density and a potent, unnerving emotional vulnerability. WE SEEK BAD FEELINGS EXCLUSIVELY ON TERMINUS.

0:00:00 - Intro/Embodied Torment - Archaic Bloodshed (New Standard Elite)

0:25:35 - Astral Tomb - Total Spiritual Death (Independent)

1:12:17 - Interlude - Eternal Suffering - “The Death in Your Eyes” fr. Echo of Lost Words (Inherited Suffering Records, 2010)

1:15:09 - Shroud of Despondency - Air of Abrasion (Independent)

1:54:50 - Outro - Anorexia Nervosa - “Mother Anorexia” fr. New Obscurantis Order (Osmose Productions, 2001)

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Spring has sprung! Flowers are chirping and birds are blooming and your intrepid hosts are back from the Spring Fling in full force. What better way to celebrate the rebirth of nature than with tales of cryptic occultism and destructive bronze age warfare? But before we get to that, let's revisit something almost nice and appropriate for the season. Luminous Veil's record from last year was the source of some debate on the show, and we're checking in with the cheeseheads on their newest EP, which shows a rawer, more explosive side to the band. A surprise, but not an unwelcome one.

Following is the debut of Chilean death/war metallers Concilivm, who play a strikingly traditional strain of somewhat melodic death metal within a more modern black/death aesthetic wrapper. Lots of structural talk here: how should death metal songs be shaped? What's the ideal balance of chromaticism to melody in music like this? Is there such a thing as Too Much Bolt Thrower? After much debate our impressions are positive, but this is a great segment for the true musical autists among us (so every listener I guess.)

Wrapping things up is a record from a friend, namely Nick of Hessian Firm who supplies a striking vocal performance to the debut record of epic doomdeath juggernauts Evocator. That genre tag might be a bit misleading, though- there's elements of atmospheric black metal, brushes of prog, and an intense funeral doom atmosphere that creates a style distinct and unmistakeable. This is challenging music, more based on movement than riff, but those who take on the task of unraveling the dense neoclassical structures will find themselves greatly rewarded 0:00:00 - Intro/Luminous Veil - Halcyon Tyrannous (Wilt-Shine)

0:21:05 - Concilivm - A Monument in Darkness (Iron Bonehead)

1:01:47 - Dismember - “Misanthropic” fr. Death Metal (Nuclear Blast, 1997) (Dismember is seemingly embroiled in some sort of rights dispute right now, but used copies of this can be found everywhere)

1:04:46 - Evocator - Ancient Cataclysm (Independent)

1:51:39 - Outro - Colosseum - “Weathered” fr. Chapter 1: Delirium (Firedoom Music, 2007) (Out of print and quite expensive now, but available on streaming services)

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It's been a little while, but for good reason: we're back with a HUGE, sprawling 4 record show with some old favorites and perhaps some new ones for all ye Terminators. Today, we're split roughly in half between black metal and grind. Side one: Gridlink returns from their long absence with an exquisite record of technical and melodic grind, while fiendish upstarts Trichomoniasis horrify with a bloated slab of grinding gorenoise. Side two: returning veterans Sielunvihollinen presents a new record of confounding but exciting black/heavy metal while Ynkleudherhenavogyon enters the arena with brackish but subtle storming pagan black metal.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:01:09 - Gridlink - Coronet Juniper (Willowtip Records)

0:41:07 - Sielunvihollinen - Helvetinkone (Hammer of Hate)

1:19:08 - Interlude - Ashbury - “The Warning” fr. Endless Skies (Ashbury Music, 1983)

1:23:05 - Trichomoniasis - Makeshift Crematoria (New Standard Elite)

2:00:48 - Ynkleudherhenavogyon - Honan Bleydh II (BC - Inverse Solar Reqvriem / tape - Analög Ragnarök / LP - Urtod Void / CD - Dark Adversary)

2:44:29 - Outro - Forest - “The Flames and The Ash before Horizons Opened Wide,” fr. Forest (Independent, 1996)

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Just in time for the spookiest of seasons comes a spine-chilling installment of Terminus with the team you fear most- The Death Metal Guy and Harried Terminus Intern Hyper Shaman. As is (usually) tradition for this combo, we've got a death metal centered episode for you, but fear not: only one of the records discussed has prominent slams! First off, though, is a look at the new Daemogog record, which follows in the style of bands like Astral Tomb in its gangly, abstract take on brutal death technique and dissonant melodic motifs.

First to bat is the newest record by Imprecation, stalwarts of the Texas scene, who provide yet another blast of traditional, blasphemous death metal from the early 90s. While this music is immediate and straightforward from moment to moment, it's also deceptively complex owing to elaborate song structures and a striking rhythmic performance. Imprecation rejects the conceits of nowadays "OSDM" and strikes at the heart of what made the original records of that era great. FFO Morbid Angel, Profanatica, the literal devil, etc.

Concluding the proceedings is the third (!) appearance of Anal Stabwound on the show with the project's second full length record. To the shock of absolutely no one who's been paying attention, the new record is a dizzying display of technical and compositional prowess. Expanding from the jazz-infused style of later Defeated Sanity, Anal Stabwound combines the brain-melting rhythmic concepts of The Sanguinary Impetus with an emphasis on readable and even catchy songwriting. I'm still mad at Nikhil though.

0:00:00 - Intro/Daemogog - Yawning Expanse Yearning (Bent Window Records)

0:23:51 - Imprecation - In Nomine Diaboli (Dark Descent)

1:02:15 - Interlude - Resurrection - “Smell of Blood” fr. Embalmed Existence (Nuclear Blast America, 1993)

1:06:09 - Anal Stabwound - Reality Drips Into the Mouth of Indifference (New Standard Elite)

1:50:43 - Outro - Charles Mingus - “Group Dancers (Soul Fusion) (Freewoman and Oh, This Freedom's Slave Cries)” fr. The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady (Impulse!, 1963)

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A Terminus first occurs on this episode when, in the intro segment, your intrepid hosts manage to recreate nearly word for word the intro to the last episode out of sheer forgetfulness. We left it in just for you. After the podcasting equivalent of leaving a toddler in a hot car, our episode:

First up is Verminous Serpent, a brand new Irish black/doom band staffed by a host of prominent musicians in the Irish scene, foremost among them Alan Averill of Primordial. Whatever comes to mind in terms of musical style, push that aside- we're heading into uncharted waters. Verminous Serpent plays slow, somehow simultaneously languid and vicious black/doom which pulls on unique musical threads owing to its congealing, seemingly improvisational song structures. While the aesthetics and tones might be at home in Bergen circa '94, the nuts and bolts of this music have more to do with advanced rock guitar technique and a darkly foggy yet still biting atmosphere. Recommended for those currently dying of black lung.

On a completely different note: the return of the infamous Torsofuck, Finnish slamming goregrind pioneers returning from a nearly two decade absence to present their sophomore full-length. While stylistically familiar to fans of the first record, all inherent aspects have been stretched to their breaking point, with white-hot animal ferocity and cold, mechanical precision merging into a Tetsuo-like construction of misery and human suffering. Is Torsofuck high art? We discuss. (Yes.) For fans of Fluids (the band) and fluids (the matter... however they might be extracted.)

0:00:00 - Intro

0:05:41 - Verminous Serpent - The Malign Covenant (Amor Fati Productions)

0:54:41 - Interlude - Slidhr - “Their Blood” fr. Deluge (Debemur Morti, 2013) https://slidhr.bandcamp.com/album/deluge

0:59:27 - Torsofuck - Postpartum Extasy (Morbid Generation Records)

1:50:32 - Outro - Catasexual Urge Motivation - “Bleeding for Spermqueen” fr. Satsujin Live (Deliria Productions, 1996)

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Merry Christmas and Happy Yule to all terminators (and lumps of coal to those who deny our power)! This is our last main episode of 2022 before we embark on the path to our end of year extravaganza and it's a doozy. We're finishing the year with two black metal records which need zero introduction- one arriving at the end of this week, the other released by surprise. Both these records are the latest installments of long-running, lauded black metal legends, so how does this most recent material stack up to the legacy?

First off is Satanic Warmaster's first full-length in 8 years, a record so highly anticipated the heat coming off it will make you spill your cocoa. What comes after such a long wait? An almost absurdly tight, refined, and polished take on SW's inimitable style. It's not without its own identity, though: Aamongandr explores deeply the relationship between the Finnblack style (which SW itself helped pioneer) and more traditional second wave black metal. Each song on this record captures a unique essence, exploring different facets of the band's long-running career to make for unquestionably one of the most well-rounded (and best) black metal records of the year.

Much like in 2020, Hate Forest has released their newest full length with little fanfare. Innermost displays Hate Forest at their loudest, most immediate, and (arguably) most aggressive, paring back the band's minimal style into the barest etchings of melody and form. Cold and austere but with flickers of fragile life, this record provokes a spirited debate between our hosts, with each taking a surprising position. How minimal is too minimal? How does one define and consider aggression? And why are those trees so angry, anyway? 0:00:00 - Intro

0:06:48 - Satanic Warmaster - Aamongandr (out DECEMBER 30 on Werewolf Records)

1:06:59 - Interlude - Osculum Infame - Vampiric Warmaster (Part II), fr. Dor-nu-Fauglith (Mordgrimm, 1997)

1:14:47 - Hate Forest - Innermost (Osmose Productions)

2:16:19 - Outro - Windswept - “Bookworm, Loser, Pauper,” fr. The Onlooker (Season of Mist, 2019) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

Are you tired of Terminus selling out? Reviewing records people have actually heard of, praising songs with melodies and good production? We're back to take it to the demo days with three forceful squirts of deliberately maddening and inscrutable noise. Well, maybe just 2- in a bizarre role reversal, it's The Death Metal Guy who has provided the record closest to actual music today, and it comes from a goregrind band! Before we get there, though, there's the matter of Ahulabrum, 00s Blogspot legends returning with a blast of blackened noise centering on Bigfoot (as you do). Your hosts have a Squatching good time with this one, reminiscing on the good old days of CDr rawblack and wild experimentation.

But maybe that thread isn't left there- Ärid's remarkably savage new record continues the theme with music more coherent but no less vicious for it. Pulling on strains of second wave primitivism, rotting old USBM, and even some brushes with war metal, this is a record that manages to fully absorb the listener despite its rough grit sandpaper presentation. Keep an eye on this one- it's a record that might end up on more than one year end list come December.

But before we disappear forever into some bloodcaked tomb under the desert floor, TDMG brings us back to (relative) sanity with the new Pharmacist record which pushes the band toward the mid-era work of Carcass. Goresplattered surgical riffs meet a powerful sense of groove and masterfully executed technical work for a record that could be an ideal paradigm of how "mainstream extreme metal" could sound. You gotta grow your hair LONG for this one. 0:00:00 - Intro/Ahulabrum - Strange Lights Portend Their Presence (Nebular Carcoma)

0:23:00 - Ärid (US) - From Anthropophagic Waste Breeds a Writhing Mutagenesis (Death Hymns)

1:10:39 - Interlude - Deathchurch - “Vomit Upon the Burning Heaven” and “Black Cum Suffocation” fr. Unsilent Hate Anthem (Klaxon Records/Nuclear War Now, 2007)

1:15:58 - Pharmacist - Flourishing Extremities on Unspoiled Mental Grounds (Bizarre Leprous Productions)

1:57:32 - Outro - Haemorrhage - “Obnoxious (Surgeon of the Dead)” fr. Morgue Sweet Home (Morbid Records, 2002)

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It's been a little bit and your plaintive cries for content have carried on the wind, so here you go: a gargantuan old-style Terminus episode with 4 big records and nearly 3 hours of dense, autistic discussion thereof. This one is most certainly For The Boys, featuring 4 bands well known to fans of the show, with a selection of styles so expansive you're certain to find a new favorite in the bunch.

Opening volley: the return of PASSEISME PASSEISME ARE BACK GUYS! With their first record a huge hit among Terminators in 2021, it's no surprise that they're back with their sophomore release, which manages to actually top the first but in a wildly unpredictable way. Eschewing much of the catchiest and most immediate material which defined the first record, "Alternance" is an album that seeks deeper and more difficult musical expression, with higher contrast in mood, technique, and presentation. It's Passeisme. You know you want it. Easy call for AOTY.

Next up is Sammath, the primary project of Jan Kruitwagen, whose project Kaeck we covered and thoroughly enjoyed in 2021. Sammath represents one of the few remaining torches carried in the name of the much-benighted Norsecore style, with a veritable river of blast beats and crushing, atonal power chord riffs defining this as a sort of alternate universe take on war metal. It's absurdly heavy and brutal and would most certainly work as a black metal record for death metal fans, but beneath the obvious animosity and extremity lurks a tremendous appreciation for moments in the second wave long forgotten.

Our second half opens with the return of Reverorum ib Malacht with "Vacuum," an album first released in 2022 but only just now given a physical edition. Fans of this band know the score: mind-melting industrial black metal with its own bizarre internal logic w/r/t song construction, but "Vacuum" takes it even further by functioning primarily as a tech death record (!) first and foremost. This is a challenging record within RiM's already challenging discography, and what ensues is a great conversation about the band's goals with this album, which are just about as academic as you're ever going to hear on our show.

Finally we arrive at Kaevum's "Kultur," the long-awaited followup full length to 2011's "Natur." A well appreciated sleeper hit amongst Terminators as well as the broader black metal community, that record was defined by intensity and clarity of form. So what of "Kultur?" Well, there's some pretty big surprises in store- namely, that this is primarily a DSBM record. Join us as we go down the rabbit hole tracing the oddly intertwined lineage of NSBM and DSBM as we attempt to uncover the music's relationship with its theme (and listen to some of the coolest riffs of 2023 too.)

0:00:00 - Intro

0:01:53 - Passeisme - Alternance (Antiq)

0:49:03 - Sammath - Grebbeberg (Hammerheart Records)

01:29:39 - Interlude - Niden Div. 187 - “Funeral Pyres” fr. Impergium (Necropolis Records, 1997)

1:32:29 - Reverorum ib Malacht - Vacuum. The Mystery of Faith. We Proclaim Your Death Oh Lord, and Profess Your Resurrection, Until You Come Again. Förlåtelse och levitation. (Malacht Media/Rubeus Obex vinyl)

2:15:48 - Kaevum - Kultur (Darker Than Black Records)

2:47:06 - Outro - Abyssic Hate - “Betrayed” fr. Suicidal Emotions (No Colours Records, 2000)

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Through loutish, piglike force of will, we have arrived at the halfway point of season 3 of Terminus. Weary but unbroken, your intrepid hosts are going to be taking their customary two week summer break, but before that, another episode, this time featuring what is surely one of the biggest records of the year. This is another episode of pure death metal, but in this case we reach from the deeper depths of the underground as well as the heights of one of the genre's most seminal acts.

For the subterranean: Melancholy Pessimism's newest record, continuing the legacy of these criminally underrated stalwarts of the Czech deathgrind scene. This time the band reaches back into the 80s, injecting a shot of surprisingly traditional thrash into their agile, mosh-ready brand of deathgrind. Like many of the records we've covered this year, this is an album for aficionados of the style, its core traditionalism elaborated upon with subtle touches of structural cleverness and masterful musicianship.

And then, yes, it's time- we're late to the party but we'd be remiss if we ignored the latest work by Immolation. No preamble is needed: Immolation continue to impress with their unique style of haunting, textured death metal that has now been iterated upon for upward of 30 years. That being said, this isn't a band content to rest on their laurels, and Acts of God proves itself one of their most ferocious and pummeling offerings in their post-Harnessing Ruin career. Sit back and enjoy as we engage in a sprawling discussion of not merely this record but the band's career, legacy, and position in death metal as a whole. 0:00:00 - Intro

0:09:24 - Melancholy Pessimism - Shut Up, Give Up and Obey! (Bizarre Leprous Production)

0:57:10 - Interlude - Destructive Explosion of Anal Garland - “Ureterakhamun” fr. Tour de Anal (Bizarre Leprous Production, 2014)

0:59:10 - Immolation - Acts of God (Nuclear Blast)

2:04:48 - Outro - Winter - “Into Darkness” fr. Into Darkness (Future Shock, 1990). Note fr. TBMG: Here's the other template for that last chug riff on Acts of God.

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The stars have aligned and the entrails have been read to provide a rare treat in the Terminus catalog- a themed episode! Out of either sheer happenstance or perhaps a dark conspiracy, several big hitters of the Portuguese black metal scene have all released new records, and what would Terminus be if we didn't cover them? The intro mini-review this time is of the new EP by grumbling dungeon-dwellers Mons Veneris, whose Abruptum-influenced tones fuse with the chunky Portuguese style to make music for blackout drunk vampires. The result of the mixture is predictably excellent (and kind of hilarious too.) First course: Corpus Christii, a longtime favorite of The Death Metal Guy, who return with a new full-length after a half decade absence. This is a fascinating deep cut sort of record by and for those with intense black metal fixations, playing off the listener's expectations of the style and constantly taking the road less traveled. Structurally fascinating but also inherently exciting from riff to riff, this is definitely an album that becomes more and more interesting with subsequent listens. Play along at home: crank it up, crack open a beer, and take diligent notes about the devil.

Wrapping things up is the third full-length by Candelabrum which provides another rare Terminus treat: a knock-down, drag-out argument between your two hosts whose opinions on this record diverge wildly. Candelabrum makes thin, ghostly, minimal music which slowly sculpts atmosphere out of reverb and negative space- but is it too thin to be meaningful? One host says yes, the other says no, and what follows is a (hopefully) illuminating discussion on the merits of minimalism, trends in nowadays black metal, and the role of production in experimental work. TDMG will talk more about it next time- after the fitting for his new glass eye. 0:00:00 - Intro/Mons Veneris - Torches of Entrancement (Signal Rex)

0:27:50 - Corpus Christii - The Bitter End of Old (Immortal Frost Productions)

1:18:15 - Interlude - Ofermod - “Calling of Setnacht: Twofold Triunity” fr. Thaumiel (Spinefarm Records, 2012)

1:24:46 - Candelabrum - Nocturnal Trance (Hells Headbangers)

2:09:48 - Outro - Be Persecuted - “The Last Right” fr. End Leaving (No Colours Records, 2009)

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Today's Terminus dispatch: an episode with a much more positive tone than our last. This installment features two Terminus veterans returning with multifaceted and excellent records, proudly continuing traditions of understated greatness. First up: the return of Inquisition, whose new record reaches backward into the band's catalog for a restored aggression but also peeks into the future with an array of unusual non-metal guitar influences. Second: Narbeleth, coming in hot off the tremendous success of their previous record, choose a more difficult path, where their unique style of Franco-Finnish black metal plays with the edges of strange rhythm and dissonance, making for music as tense and fearful as it is ecstatic and Dionysian.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:02:43 - Inquisition - Veneration of Medieval Mysticism and Cosmological Violence (Agonia Records)

0:59:18 - Interlude - Inquisition - “Baptized in Black Goat Blood,” fr. Magnificent Glorification of Lucifer (No Colours Records, 2004)

1:03:01 - Narbeleth - A Pale Crown (Folter Records)

1:51:00 - Outro - Narbeleth - “Moon of A Thousand Shapes,” fr. Svmma Cvm Nox Arcana (Folter Records, 2021)

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Terminus 162 is unusually contentious, at least relative to the last few years of the show. In this episode, we both bring black metal records aimed at broad accessibility, yet staunchly refuse to enjoy each other’s picks. Terminators, choose your fighter! (And in the comments, let us know who wins which round.) 00:00 - Intro 0:01:41 - Winterfylleth - The Imperious Horizon (Candlelight Records) English black metal standardbearers return with their most well-rounded, ambitious record to date. 0:54:54 - Interlude - Wodensthrone - “Those That Crush The Roots of Blood,” fr. Loss (Candlelight, 2009) 1:05:22 - Darkmoon Warrior - Graveyard Planet (Folter Records) Das Motorrad des Teufels macht VRÖÖÖÖM!!!! 1:44:46 - Outro - Galicia - “Despondent Deity,” fr. Precipice (Hessian Firm, 2022) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

On rare occasion Terminus will dip its toe into the heady waters of "mainstream metal" (referring to bands that human beings listen to)- it's a rare and dangerous venture, but a necessary one. Today's episode is one such occasion, one where owners of Black Metal Tapes Worth More Than Your Life eye us suspiciously, thumbing the hammers of their revolvers under the poker table. Fret not- while today's records might be more popular than our typical fare, both are excellent slabs of death metal rooted in styles from the early 00s.

First up is the return of Defleshed, Swedish stalwarts back after a 17 year absence but no loss of energy. Comparable to countrymen like The Crown or Witchery, Defleshed plays a unique style of grinding deathrash which simultaneously embraces a high-flying rock and roll energy as well as a vicious rhythmic intensity. Grind Over Matter is a comfortable blanket of a record for those who came up in metal back in the 00s, but even if you're a newcomer, Motörhead with excessive blasting can never go wrong.

Following this is the newest by Psycroptic, long-running Tasmanian tech death band whose style has always stood on its own amongst legions of sweep-picking drudgery. Divine Council is yet another entry in a nearly immaculate discography, presenting itself with the band's remarkable melodic clarity and mystical atmosphere totally intact. The almost surgically clean production and playing might be a tough sell to those who like their metal more rough and tumble, but concentration on the intricate structural dynamics reaps tremendous rewards. 0:00:00 - Intro

0:05:08 - Defleshed - Grind Over Matter (Metal Blade)

0:48:49 - Interlude - Vargavinter - “Frostfödd,” fr. Frostfödd (Invasion Records, 1996)

0:53:40 - Psycroptic - Divine Council (EVP Recordings/Prosthetic Records)

1:44:12 - Outro - Arsis - “Lust Before the Maggots Conquest” fr. United in Regret (Willowtip Records, 2006)

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WE LIVE... AGAIN. Terminus is back from summer break with a hot-ass episode of PURE BRUTAL DEATH METAL. To celebrate the start of Slam Boy Summer we have a four-banger of high profile records that we've been meaning to get to. First up- the sophomore record by 200 Stab Wounds- can they navigate the switch to a major metal label with their sound intact. Next up, Wormed, who attempt to bring their unique style of brutal death up to date with high profile influences. Third, the shocking return of Cephalotripsy, whose new record bears traces of the old but kicks off in a substantially different direction. And last but not least, Carnivore Diprosopus returns with a new record featuring a monster truck on the cover. That's it, that's the review.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:02:25 - 200 Stab Wounds - Manual Manic Procedures (Metal Blade)

0:45:37 - Interlude - Watchmaker - “Failing Upwards,” fr. Erased from the Memory of Man (Willowtip, 2005)

0:47:48 - Wormed - Omegon (Season of Mist)

1:28:13 - Interlude - Dephosphorus - “Storming The Sloan Wall,” fr. Ravenous Solemnity (7 Degrees Records, 2012)

1:31:06 - Cephalotripsy - Epigenetic Neurogenesis (...Independent. Seriously.)

2:12:55 - Interlude - Corpse Carving - “Drenched in Visceral Excretions and Excrement: Aftermath of Emasculation” fr. Grotesque Goratorium: Disemboweled Gorific Feast (Despise the Sun Records, 2005)

2:14:25 - Carnivore Diprosopus - Rise of the Insurrection (Comatose Music)

2:52:38 - Outro - Amputated Genitals - “Chessman Red Monday” fr. Human Meat Gluttony (Gore and Blood Productions, 2005)

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

In 2025's first assault, the plucky doughboys at Terminus investigate an obscure gem of 90s black metal: Niden Div. 187. Best known for featuring members of a host of Swedish death metal bands, the project stands on its own as a truly remarkable artifact of the era, far ahead of its time in melody and experimental structures. Sit back, relax, and enjoy an episode longer than the band's entire discography.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:06:28 - Niden Div. 187

1:21:45 - Outro - Zyklon-B - “Mental Orgasm” fr. Blood Must be Shed (Malicious Records, 1995)

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon TDMG on Substack thetrueterminus@gmail.com

On Terminus 161, we bring you two short and ripping records from bands we’ve covered in the past and reference frequently, both obsessively devoted to the extremity arms race, both back with #3. 0:01:45 - Pneuma Hagion - From Beyond (Everlasting Spew Records) Blasting USDM titans consolidate their sound around…. the slow parts? Rest assured, the ziggurat has never been vaster, denser, or more hungry for the blood of stars. 0:44:06 - Interlude - Baphomet - “The Age of Plague,” fr. The Dead Shall Inherit (Peaceville, 1992) 0:47:37 - Concrete Winds - Concrete Winds (Sepulchral Voice Records) Finnish pioneers of “music-adjacent” riffing get back to basics, grounding the white noise chaos of their last record in the driving deathrash structures of the debut. 1:26:51 - Outro - Xotox - “Eisenkiller,” fr. Lichtlos (Pro Noize, 2003) Extended version recently released by Infacted Recorgodings https://infactedrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/lichtlos-extended Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

As The Death Metal Guy recovers from the tumult of hurricane season, I call upon our bold young comrade Hyper Shaman to fill TDMG’s capacious, plutonium-toed boots. Our aim? Get caught up on GLORIOUS PAGAN BLACK METAL. This episode began as a normal two-record show, but due to time constraints, and the sheer scale of the work at hand, it became a standalone review of the new album by Auld Ridge. Here, O.W.G.A. steps out of the shadows and takes a fighting stance, reworking his symphonic style around a core of raging, racing folk melody. You can probably guess how we feel about this one. 00:00 - Intro 0:04:09 - Auld Ridge - For Death and Glory, to the Gods I Cry (The Hermetic Order of Ytene / Dark Adversary / Amor Fati) 1:00:52 - Outro: Gorgoroth - “Profetens Åpenbaring,” fr. Under The Sign of Hell (Malicious Records, 1997) Note 1: The “Krig”-based riff isn’t on Consanguineous, it’s here, in the middle of Track 5 (“Ar Cricinagneth, An Agen Albannu Tu Telyr”). Note 2: I forgot to mention Auld Ridge’s possible debt to Panphage, a forgotten legend of 2010s BM. The resemblance is especially strong on Track 4 (“Henmaen…..”) - a phrase from Panphage's Drengskapr crops up at 48:00, just as my sample ends. Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

On today's two-banger, both your intrepid hosts get to play show and tell with the latest releases from bands they love deeply. Side one: TBMG presents the newest record by Primordial, which shows the band investigating the murky territory between hard rock, heavy and black metal, Celtic folk, and all points in between, in a record as dense as it is long. TDMG brings on the new album by Profanatica, which goes CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG. All is right with the world.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:09:54 - Primordial - How it Ends (Metal Blade Records)

1:07:34 - Interlude - Primordial - “The Heretic’s Age,” fr. Storm before Calm (Hammerheart, 2002)

1:13:51 - Profanatica - Crux Simplex (Season of Mist)

1:54:54 - Outro - Havohej - “I Arose, Part 2” fr. Dethrone the Son of God (Candlelight Records, 1993)

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

A spectre is haunting black metal- that of the industrial black metal style of the late 90s and early 00s. Foremost among that cadre is Aborym, Italian stallions of legend now forgotten in the revised zeitgeist of 2025. Join your hosts as we examine Aborym's first and third records, discovering that not only are they not just "an industrial black metal band," but that they actually created some of the best and most forward-thinking extreme metal of the era. What, are you "too cool" for The Matrix now?

0:00:00 - Kali Yuga Bizarre (Scarlet Records, 1999)

0:56:06 - Interlude - Coil - “Ostia (The Death of Pasolini)” fr. Horse Rotorvator (Force & Form, 1986)

1:02:29 - With No Human Intervention (Code666 Records, 2003)

1:45:42 - Outro - Project Deviate - “Not My Kind” fr. Not My Kind/Flash! (Fusion Records, 2006)

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon TDMG on Substack thetrueterminus@gmail.com

TBMG is out sick this week, so while the cat is away, the... cat-owner will play? On this solo venture, The Death Metal Guy gives a quick rundown of some of his favorite power electronics albums, with an ear for the links between this style of music and extreme metal. Take the stuff you love from Terminus and make it even noisier, more inaccessible, and thematically repugnant- what's not to love?

0:00:00 - Intro 0:15:09 - Hunting Lodge - Will (S/M Operations, 1983) 0:27:40 - Whitehouse - Bird Seed (Susan Lawly, 2003) 0:44:52 - Navicon Torture Technologies - Pure-Skin (NCC, 2006) 0:58:38 - Deathpile - G.R. (Hospital Productions, 2003) 1:11:57 - Outro - Humiliate - Belle of the Ball (Independent, 2017)

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

Been a while, hasn't it? After a long drought of interview content, The Black Metal Guy returns in full force, bringing you a conversation with the mighty Alan Averill of Primordial, Verminous Serpent (whose debut we reviewed on episode 121), and many more. Alan is well known for his musical accomplishments, but also his own (excellent) podcast,* and what follows is a fascinating conversation on both his own work and the development of extreme metal, from the late 80s to today. Alan and TBMG variously touch on the original nature of black metal, the history of the greater UK scene, and the legitimacy of board shorts in death metal- so, without question, this interview is one for the ages.

(Note: TBMG had some audio issues on his end which I've worked to correct, but he'll still sound a bit different from how he typically does. Raw podcasts only, no trendies. -TDMG) 0:00:00 - Intro, work with Primordial, UK extreme metal

0:27:59 - Interlude - Verminous Serpent, “Transcendent Pyre” fr. The Malign Covenant (Amor Fati, 2023)

0:33:44 - UK extreme metal continued, black metal as a concept, Verminous Serpent, and beyond

1:04:17 - Outro - Incubus - “God Died on His Knees,” fr. the Incubus demo (1987) Alan Averill links: *Agitators Anonymous podcast, etc. Verminous Serpent on Bandcamp  Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

Terminators, thank you for your patience. After a couple weeks’ delay, for which TDMG has a good excuse (two fucking hurricanes) and I have none, we’re back! Or rather, I’m back, with a big interview. A couple weeks ago, I had the pleasure of speaking with Chris Naughton, frontman of Winterfylleth and pioneer of modern pagan black metal. I asked him to draw up a list of five quintessentially English bands/scenes that fed into the Winterfylleth sound. These serve as touchstones for a conversation ranging from details of guitar technique to lyrical source texts to obscure distro history. On the show, we’ve often characterized Winterfylleth as a kind of tricky folk-cultural transplant project, “English Slavblack.” Talking with Chris led me to revise this portrait: Much of what I attributed to the influence of Ukrainian bands has older roots in Chris’s native soil, in styles I hadn’t necessarily expected. As for the question of English black metal, Chris has a thoughtful answer, a robust rebuttal to the old saw that “there's no such thing as 'English' culture." 00:00 - Intro 3:08 - Peaceville death-doom, songwriting for Winterfylleth 33:22 - Bolt Thrower, Carcass 52:45 - Is there an “English Sound” in black metal? (YES, but it’s not what you think) 1:01:09 - Deep Purple 1:06:40 - Interlude - Iron Maiden - “Blood Brothers” fr. Brave New World (EMI, 2000) 1:13:54 - Fairport Convention, folk ballads, and pastoral poetry 1:30:21 - Primordial, the turn towards pagan black metal 1:43:22 - Drudkh / Hate Forest vs. other Slavic black metal 2:14:00 - Outro - Winterfylleth - “The Insurrection,” fr. The Imperious Horizon (Candlelight, 2024) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

On today's installment of the world's only extreme metal podcast, we come with three triumphant returns by three favorites of the show- this is one for the record books, folks, with one of the strongest lineups of records in a single episode we've ever featured. First up: the shocking return of Mutiilation, whose 17 year absence seemingly never occurred as Meyna'ch presents six tracks of caustic and necro French black metal in a style nearly forgotten.* Next up: another massive comeback by Brodequin, whose custom brand of blast-oriented brutal death is expanded upon with clearer production and a more pronounced sense of melody. Rounding things out: Coffins returns with more Coffins. No further explanation is required. 0:00:00 - Intro

0:01:54 - Mutiilation - Black Metal Cult (Osmose Productions)

1:04:31 - Interlude - Hell Militia - “Born Without Light” fr. Last Station on the Road to Death (Debemur Morti Productions, 2010)

1:10:22 - Brodequin - Harbinger of Woe (Season of Mist Underground Activists)

1:56:25 - Interlude - Cinerary - “Undying” fr. Rituals of Desecration (Deepsend Records, 2001)

1:59:48 - Coffins - Sinister Oath (Relapse Records)

2:48:28 - Outro - Grudge - “Altar of Asphalt,” fr. D.D.D.H. - Doomed to Death, Damned in Hell split w/ Coffins and Anatomia (Grindmind Records, 2007) *CORRECTION: When discussing Mutiilation's weird choice of cover art, TBMG misattributes the Baphomet statue to the Church of Satan (Anton LaVey). He meant to say "The Satanic Temple," a social justice NGO that's only been around for about a decade. Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

Okay I know last time I said we were back and were gonna be super consistent and everything, but here's the thing: I lied. I lied specifically to hurt you. The relationship between Terminus and its fans is inherently abusive, but don't worry: we're bringing you back some flowers and promising to never do it again with an episode featuring two radically different sides of the wasteland known as Detroit.

First up is a band long mentioned but only now getting covered: Syphilic. A longtime favorite of TDMG, this one-man project has acquired a cult following over the years through its blistering technicality, challenging song structures, and aesthetics and themes so far beyond the pale they make the rest of brutal death blush. On the project's ninth full length record, the boundaries are pushed even further, making for easily one of the most challenging and exciting brutal death records of the year.

Next is Perversion, long running stalwarts of the Detroit underground who employ a foundation of thrash metal to etch out complex death and black metal ideas with proper leather jacket and sunglasses flair. While built on a mostly established set of influences, Perversion pushes the boundaries of this style past its usual structural limits in order to create dynamic, ornate compositions out of primitive materials.

0:00:00 - Intro

00:05:46 - Syphilic - …And Justice For None (Independent/Brutal Mind)

0:51:43 - Interlude - Insidious Decrepancy - “Extirpating Omniscient Certitude” fr. Extirpating Omniscient Certitude (Brutal Bands, 2009)

0:55:19 - Perversion - Dies Irae (Hells Headbangers)

1:37:49 - Outro - Cannibal Corpse - “Rotting Head” fr. Eaten Back to Life (Metal Blade Records, 1990)

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After a brief lull following TBMG's (excellent) interview with Alan Averill, we return with our regularly scheduled programming of elaborate French black metal, absurdist pornogrind, and everything in between. The "in between," in this case, belongs to Demonslaught, forgotten 1.5 wave black metal band from the greater Los Angeles area who recently received a reissue of their second demo. If you want something that sounds like Bathory, Sabbath (JP,) and Possessed falling down an elevator shaft together, well, BUY IT.

We start our main reviews with the third full length record by Karne, a French black metal band which seeks to unite the disparate niches of its national scene under a single musical concept. Karne pulls on French black metal threads from Deathspell Omega to Hell Militia, stitching highly contrasting ideas together with ecstatic yet subtle lead guitar work. We're big fans of French black metal on the show, and we're guessing you'll be as fascinated as we were by a band that can put Mutiilation and Aorlhac into the same room without ruining the carpet with blood.

Side B belongs to Hymen Holocaust, longtime Dutch one-man pornogrind purveyor back with its 6th full length endeavor. TDMG takes the lead on this one, giving a brief musical history of pornogrind before diving into what makes Hymen Holocaust so distinct- namely, a fascinating grasp of contrasting rhythms and a melodic vocabulary that extends from Gut to Candlemass without ever seeming like a novelty act. Pornogrind is a hard sell in the best of times, but hopefully listening to a deep musical dive on the structural underpinnings will give you the confidence to go to your record store's counter and request "One Cock and Ball Torture CD, please." 0:00:00 - Intro/Demonslaught - Demonlord (Bunsen Burner Recordings, original from 2008)

0:19:34 - Karne - Condamnés (Epictural Productions)

1:06:53 - Interlude - Spite Extreme Wing - “Non Dvcor, Dvco” fr. Non Dvcor, Dvco (Behemoth Productions, 2004)

Absolutely free on Bandcamp - https://spiteextremewing.bandcamp.com/album/non-dvcor-dvco

1:15:39 - Hymen Holocaust - The Death King (Rotten Roll Rex)

1:52:14 - Outro - Celtic Frost - “Procreation of The Wicked” fr. Morbid Tales (Noise Records, 1984) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

After being battered for a fortnight by winds of frost and plague, Terminus once again valiantly gallops into battle against the forces of stoner doom and prog metal with another enthralling installment of the only metal podcast that has ever existed. Weathered and beaten but unbowed, your intrepid hosts present a melange of records from all over the map, starting most curiously with Lovebites, the current spearhead of the Japanese power metal scene. For all those who miss the classic days of oldschool Sonata Arctica, Rhapsody, and other legends of traditional Euro-style power metal, take note: they might be a meme for weebs, but they're an excellent band for the serious metalhead.

Our first full review goes to the sophomore full length by Schavot, the solo project of Floris Velthuis, one of the pillars of the Dutch black metal scene. The new record shows the project sharpening its focus dramatically into a fusion of Dutch and traditional second wave styles, with an emphasis on high contrast songwriting, unique chord voicings, and rigorous, austere forms. This album shoots straight down the middle between both hosts' tastes in black metal, which we wager means that it will be as remarkable to the listener as it was to us.

Further down the rabbit hole is the new record by Kanashimi, a grumbling and miserable DSBM/doom project from Japan which gathers melodic motifs from both pop and classical culture. Slow, trundling songs spin together gossamer threads of delicate piano melody into arduous paeans of modern isolation and misery. Both traditional in its minimalism and modern in its execution, this record is essential for any of those who want to experience some full-body gloom in the waning days of winter. 0:00:00 - Intro/Lovebites - Judgement Day (Victor)

0:27:31 - Schavot - Kronieken uit de nevel (Void Wanderer Productions)

1:24:07 - Interlude - The Funeral Pyre - “Thieves,” fr. Wounds (Prosthetic Records, 2008) https://thefuneralpyre.bandcamp.com/album/wounds

1:30:11 - Kanashimi - 闇歌 [Yamiuta] (Talheim Records)

2:18:24 - Outro - Susumu Hirasawa - “Gatsu” (Berserk, 1997) https://youtu.be/pPPlW_sLoXM Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

Continuing this year's ongoing theme of triumphant returns come two excellent records--one highly anticipated, and the other utterly unexpected. Side A: the return of Adversarial, a TDMG favorite whose brand of death-fueled war metal smashes contemporaries with a flail of technicality, extremity, and potent atmosphere. Side B: the shocking return of Tsatthoggua, German blasting black metal legends whose new record picks up almost exactly where the band left off a quarter century prior. Put on your gimp mask--it's time to party. 0:00:00 - Intro

0:03:59 - Adversarial - Solitude With the Eternal… (Dark Descent Records)

0:49:23 - Interlude - Allfather - “Evolution to Supremacy,” fr. Weapon of Ascension (Invictus, 2005)

0:51:42 - Tsatthoggua - We Are God (Osmose Productions)

1:50:37 - Outro - “Bless Thee for Granting Me Pain,” fr. Blackdoor Miracle (Regain Records, 2004) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

No excuses this time. We're back. For real. See? We've got another episode? This one's cut in pretty distinct halves, with some remarkably extreme, timbral music on one side and some true to the 80s heavy metal on the other, but surprising threads of composition run through both. To start, though: it's been a little while, so The Death Metal Guy took it upon himself to ruin your day with some brutal death. This time it comes in the form of Solemnity's debut EP, which follows in the footsteps of bands like Pustulated and Foetopsy to create grinding, gore-soaked brutal death in the style of the early 00's to great effect.

The first main review of the night is the long-anticipated return of Vermin Womb, with a concise record that sacrifices nothing in its brevity. This is music that could be described in a lot of ways: black/death, war metal, etc., but ultimately this is grindcore at its core augmented by a wide variety of influences from extreme metal. Balancing adroitly between noisy chaos and elegant riffcraft, this record blows its contemporaries out of the water by engaging in a challenging, nearly forgotten tradition: Writing Actual Songs.

Closing out the second half is the second full-length by Polish heavy metallers Amargh, whose style owes itself as much to 1983 NWOBHM as much as... pagan black metal? TBMG unsurprisingly has a deep thesis on this record, which moves seamlessly between trad headbanging and esoteric, mystical extreme metal in a manner wholly unique to itself. How, exactly, do Jaguar and Graveland relate to one another? Listen to find out. 0:00:00 - Intro/Solemnity - Scourging at the Pillar (Comatose Music)

0:17:58 - Vermin Womb - Retaliation (Closed Casket Activities)

0:55:47 - Interlude - PLF - “Trinitrotoluene Negation” fr. Devious Persecution and Wholesale Slaughter (Six Weeks Records, 2013)

0:57:29 - Armagh - Serpent Storm (First Wave Only)

1:47:56 - Outro – Armagh - “Foggy Dew / Wehrwolf,” fr. the Venomous Frost EP (First Wave Only / 2016)

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Much to the shock and chagrin on our audience, the stars have aligned here on Terminus to provide an episode of nearly exclusively death metal! Melodies? NO. Keyboards? NO. Satan? KIND OF BUT IT'S COMPLICATED. Before we get into the gruesome and guttural though, we have a small concession for the skinnier and more artistic listeners: that of the debut demo by Grave Chalice, an industrialized black metal project featuring Warg of Heretical Sect which takes a foundation of Grand Declaration of War and enhances it with modern technique- definitely a project to look out for.

Ominous carrion winds blow in from the east announcing the arrival of Aparthiva Raktadhara's debut record. Notorious members of the Kolkata Inner Order, the band has taken a surprising move on this release by in large part leaving their warnoise roots for colder, more alienating death metal pastures. The root riffing style of Morbid Angel's most difficult moments is expanded upon with brutal death drum technique and utterly deranged song structures making for something that feels equally at home in 1992 as it does in 2046. No more spoilers- this is one of the best records of the year.

On the flipside is the triumphant return of Holocausto Canibal, long-running Portuguese grindgore purveyors whose long absence (at least in terms of full-lengths) has done nothing to soften their bite. Continuing in the footsteps of artists like Haemorrhage, HC provide (human) meat and potatoes goresoaked deathgrind with a crusty hardcore edge that may be more relevant now than ever before. Gravity blasts good, lyrics about space bad- there's a reason this style has existed for almost 30 years. 0:00:00 - Intro/Grave Chalice - Demo MMXXII (Mercurial Gate)

0:17:54 - Aparthiva Raktadhara - Adyapeeth Maranasamhita (আদ্যাপীঠ মরণসংহিতা) (Iron Bonehead)

1:07:21 - Prosanctus Inferi - “Apex Jaws in Madrigal Posture” fr. Noctambulous Jaws Within Sempiternal Night (NWN, 2013)

1:10:55 - Holocausto Canibal - Crueza Ferina (Selfmadegod)

1:43:21 - Outro - Mortuary Punishment - “The Streets” into “Streets of Death II” fr. Pride.Power.Punishment (Independent, 2018)

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As though driven by an unearthly wind, Terminus' music pendulum is buffeted far to the opposite side of the last couple episodes with an evening of (mostly) pure death metal- generally oldschool, but portrayed in radically contrasting ways. We open with a peek at the debut EP by Licentious, announcing the return of Rob Fornicator (Fornicator, Whore, etc.) which combines his penchant for heroin-addict sleaze with the dissolute chaos of early Devourment. Recommended headbanging posture: stabbing motion. The Chasm returns after a long absence, allowing your hosts the opportunity to review not merely the newest record but the band as a whole. A long-running and crucial project carrying aloft the torch of the most erudite of oldschool death metal, the band on this record sets their sights on something a little different: highly technical, erudite thrash. The Chasm represents a crucial lineage in death metal: that of the Guitar Guy who sees technical performance and songwriting scope as inextricably intertwined. Recommended headbanging posture: invisible conductor's baton. Also returning from a long absence are Finnish bulldozers Slugathor, who have emerged from the depths of R'lyeh slower, lower, and more bestial than ever. Drawing from the ugliest and deepest pools found within Rippikoulu and Bolt Thrower, Slugathor appear primitive and reductive at first blush, but upon further examination reveal a master's touch in pacing and structure. Recommended headbanging posture: shotgun levelled execution-style at the head of planet Earth. 0:00:00 - Intro/Licentious - Licentious (Headsplit Records)

0:14:52 - The Chasm - The Scars of a Lost Reflective Shadow (Lex Inframundis Productions/Dark Descent)

1:01:54 - Interlude - Claude Debussy - Nocturnes III, “Sirènes,” performed by the Berliner Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado conducting (Deutsche Grammophon, 2001)

1:11:41 - Slugathor - Crypt of the Ancient Fire (Drakkar Productions)

2:02:38 - Outro - Slugathor - “Endless Halls,” fr. Crypt of The Ancient Fire (2022)

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In the inaugural episode of a new series on extreme literature, TDMG explores the earliest work by the infamous Peter Sotos, plunging headlong into the most perverse incarnation of so-called "true crime" writing in the beginning of an effort to explore the real power within one of the world's most scorned authors. Listener discretion strongly advised.

0:00:00 - Peter Sotos

0:19:50 - Total Abuse

0:28:41 - Pure

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Today's Terminus is recorded remoter-than-usual with TBMG broadcasting from Parts Unknown. What mysteries could this new setting reveal? Well, mostly traffic and pet sounds (but not the cool Beach boys kind.) Still, it's a fun episode with three records that encompass a wide swath of sounds and styles.

First up is the return of Father Befouled, a TDMG favorite whose style of Incantation and Profanatica-inspired brackish OSB/DM takes a turn for the somber and doomy on their newest full length. Father Befouled is well known as one of the initial volley of the wave of Incantation-inspired death metal bands that breed like rabbits these days, but in lieu of merely repeating themselves, this record explores the most sprawling doomdeath aspects of the band's sound.

TBMG's loins turn mottled and turgid at the reappearance of Nattfursth from Sorhin via his new(ish) project Lifvsleda, which defies expectations by taking a route much more melancholy and melodic than Sorhin itself. A deeply cross-pollinated blend of DSBM, black'n'roll, and oldschool Scandinavian second wave, this is a record for the most devout trenchcoat-wearing misanthropes among us- but don't be fooled, there's huge riffs too. Who else, though, is in this band? No public statement has been made, but we have a theory...

Finally, we have a Patron pick in the form of the self-titled Gates of Dawn debut which inspires wild comparisons and debate from your hosts. With one foot in the Instagram tapeblack scene and the other in noble, traditional Slavic symphblack, this is a project with no dearth of talent, but one which also finds itself at a crossroads: which way, black metal man? In the warrens of limited-run tape drops or in the glorious orcslaying fields of Black Metal Proper? We hope he picks the path less travelled- there's certainly enough reason to. 0:00:00 - Intro/Father Befouled - Crowned in Veneficum (Everlasting Spew Records)

0:39:40 - Interlude - Imprecation - “The Throne is Lost” fr. Promo 94 (Independent, 1994)

0:44:04 - Lifvsleda - Sepulkral Dedikation (NoEvDia)

1:29:36 - Interlude - Sorhin - “Tills döden er alla tar” fr. I det glimrande mörkrets djup (Near Dark Productions, 1997) (A digital version was at one point available but no more. Perhaps a rights issue? Still widely available on the used market.)

1:34:21 - Gates of Dawn - Gates of Dawn (Death Hymns)

2:22:46 - Outro - Coil - “The First Five Minutes After Death” fr. Horse Rotorvator (Force & Form, 1986)

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Consistency? I'm not familiar with a band by that name. Here on Terminus we refuse to color inside the lines of show structure, and so we have a big ol' 2021 style episode for you- or, most of the way. We were supposed to cover 4 records but then our computers exploded so we've just got 3, but never fear, we'll have more expanded Terminus Double Stuf episodes coming to make up for it. The theme for today? Being really ugly and weird and gross.

First up: new Impetuous Ritual. One of a triumvirate of Australian noise-ridden black/death bands (the others being Portal and Grave Upheaval,) IR concentrates on pure force delivered through inscrutable yet detailed riffing, dynamic, ever-morphing rhythms, and an expansive soundscape owing to the deep and resonant yet cluttered and noisy production. Beneath the chaos, though, lies the bones of a black metal band deeply invested in second wave traditions and even a pagan flair, pointing to a future potentially even stranger than the present.

Next is the surprise return of extreme doom/noise/free improv/Wiggles cover band Khanate with their first new material in 14 years. A perennial favorite of TDMG, Khanate is a band to which few immediate comparisons can be made, creating a sort of torture doom out of exclusively non-metal parts. "To Be Cruel" is an endurance test, sure, but it's also a deep exploration of intensely personal human misery, where minimal yet highly detailed compositions sketch out delicate shades of negative emotion in a way few bands can match.

Finally we arrive at the second record by Abraded, an Ohio death metal outfit which rejects the Maggot Stomp style which dominates much of the state in favor of something stranger. Drawing on a range of influences from Impetigo to the Razorback bands and possibly even GBK/Arghoslent, Abraded play death metal in the spirit of the late 80s, without established rules w/r/t timbre, song structure, aesthetic coherency, etc. Post-thrash chug riffs and sprawling prog rock solos not-so-peacefully coexist with frothing goregrind vocals and bizarre synth backing- really, no review is a replacement for listening to this thing.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:03:17 - Impetuous Ritual - Iniquitous Barbarik Synthesis (Profound Lore)

0:52:36 - Interlude - Averse Sefira - “Helix in Audience” fr. Tetragrammatical Astygmata (Evil Horde Records, 2005)

1:00:51 - Khanate - To Be Cruel (Sacred Bones Records)

1:55:57 - Interlude - Black Sheep Wall - “Tetsuo: The Dead Man” fr. I’m Going to Kill Myself (Season of Mist, 2015)

2:05:40 - Abraded - Unadulterated Perversity (Aggressively Uninterested - US, Selfmadegod - Europe)

2:37:28 - Outro - Macabre - “Hitchhiker” fr. Dahmer (Hammerheart Records, 2000)

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

WE HAVE ARRIVED. Terminus is back from a lingering summer break with even more white-knuckle, pulse-pounding aktion as TDMG and TBMG once again plumb the depths of the underground, emerging with hands full of cursed jewels from the mines below. This time, it's a 2020 episode: weird records straight from the collective bowels of the metal scene, but all of them profoundly excellent in their own rights. And what would the return from break be without TDMG presenting more unlistenable brutal death? This time, it's courtesy of Nithing, whose debut full length scars the ear drums with channel-switching noise rock riffs and an attacking, undulating drum performance.

Our first full review hails the return of Paimon Gate, whose 2022 demo was highly lauded by both hosts. The full length followup is no sophomore slump, instead elevating Paimon Gate's already ferocious and rigorous presentation with further structural complexity and new, distinct riffing styles. TDMG really schizes out on this one, drawing comparisons to the eastern mysticism of the silent horror film era while announcing that The Riff Was Sick repeatedly. His enthusiasm, though, is not misplaced- Paimon Gate's opening salvo is a triumph within its beloved style of primitive US black/death.

The other side of the coin is abruptly flipped by TBMG, who presents Bretwaldas of Heathen Doom, a distinctly English band whose wide-reaching but naturalistic blend of doom, crust, black metal, and hard rock has the power to win over just about anyone. Bretwaldas play with the countours of time in genre, abutting 70s psych rock with Gravelandian warmongering with none of the sense of frivolity that such a description suggests. Without restraint but similarly without compromise, Bretwaldas weave together the seemingly disparate into a resolute and stoic whole.

0:00:00 - Intro/Nithing - Agonal Hymns (New Standard Elite)

0:25:30 - Paimon Gate - Butcher to The Devil’s Court (Nuclear War Now)

1:05:29 - Interlude - Bestial Raids - “Ceremonial Bloodshed” fr. Prime Evil Damnation (Nuclear War Now!, 2011)

1:09:35 - Bretwaldas of Heathen Doom - Summoning the Gatekeepers (Old Man’s Mettle)

1:55:34 - The Gates of Slumber - “Castle of The Devil” fr. The Wretch (Rise Above Records, 2011)

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It's almost Christmas time here at Terminus, so what better way to celebrate the (un)holy trinity than with a triple threat of records focused on grinding dissonance? First up is the return of TDMG favorite Demoncy who go back to basics on Black Star Gnosis with their evergreen style of primitive US black/death metal. Next is Yersin, back on the show for the first time since 2020 with a refinement of their unusual style of crustblackdeathhardcore, pulling as much from Nails as Slavic BM. Wrapping things up is Blood Serpent from the Vietnamese House of Ygra collective, who debut with a record of war metal which, while losing none of the inherent aggression, pursues deeper territories inspired by some of the oldest ideas in 80s metal.

This is our last main episode of the year, but it's not quite over yet: next week, on December 27th, at 8 PM EST, is the livestream for our annual Terminus Omega, where we enumerate the definitive best records of the year. Join us on Youtube Live for the festivities- this has been a great year for music and we're looking forward to celebrating it with all of you who have listened throughout it.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:05:51 - Demoncy - Black Star Gnosis (Dark Descent Records)

0:52:45 - Interlude - Hell Rot - “Goat Chapel” fr. Vomit Altar (Independent, 2006)

0:55:33 - Yersin - The Scythe is Remorseless (Trepanation Recordings)

1:32:36 - Blood Serpent - Bestial Extermination (House of Ygra)

2:04:44 - Outro - Aura Noir - “Black Metal Jaw,” fr. The Merciless (Tyrant Syndicate Productions, 2004)

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On Terminus 163, we hearken back to the early days of the show with a wildly disparate lineup - two bands united only by their weirdness, and by the suddenness of their return. 00:00 - Intro 0:04:03 - Viscera Infest - Teratoma (Obliteration Records) Japanese brutal goregrinders break out of the psych ward with a shockingly fast and noisy reinterpretation of Death Metal - this is “full spectrum death metal” with all the insanity of the margins intact. 0:46:31 - Interlude - Deranged - “Imbecile Humans/Drag Her Out to Die” fr. Plainfield Cemetery (Listenable Records, 2002) 0:49:27 - Trelldom - …By the Shadows… (Prophecy Productions) Norwegian pagan black metal progenitors emerge from the nocturnal woods with, uh, saxophones? This raises two questions - 1. Does it make sense? and 2. Does it work? 1:34:30 - Outro - Gaahlskagg - “Skullfuck,” fr. Erotic Funeral (No Colours Records, 2000) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

On this very special episode of Terminus, your intrepid hosts are joined by a mysterious guest many of you may be familiar with: the notorious Jiub of Radio Free Innsmouth, extreme metal aficiando, deep-dive podcaster, and wonderful kisser. After an intro salvo from TBMG featuring the debut demo of Brazen Horde with its back-to-the-roots Slavic drone, we encounter two new releases from Iron Bonehead. First: the new full length by Crucifier, which reinterprets multiple riffing styles through the prism of primitive US blackdeath ala Profanatica, showing the new kids how it's done. Second: The return of House of Atreus, whose style of Arghoslentian melodeath strays closer and closer to Swedish territory. But maybe, that can be.... a good thing? 0:00:00 - Intro/Brazen Horde - Demo (Independent)

0:28:41 - Crucifier - Led Astray (Iron Bonehead)

1:13:33 - Interlude - Autopsy - “Fleshcrawl/Torn From the Womb” fr. Mental Funeral (Peaceville Records, 1991)

1:17:27 - House of Atreus - Orations (Iron Bonehead)

1:48:52 - Eucharist - “My Bleeding Tears” fr. A Velvet Creation (Wrong Again Records, 1993) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

The Black Metal Guy slithers out from his dreadful crypt. The Death Metal Guy emerges from his abattoir-cum-brothel. A chill upon the hissing wind raises hackles and lowers spirits. A sluggish and corpulent full moon hangs listlessly just over the horizon. A whisper whips through the trees, barely audible: "please bro I just need an aux cable to run my drum machine through the PA I swear I'll give it back as soon as I'm done with my set."

Welcome back to Terminus! At least partially rejuvenated from our break we return with SEASON 4 of the hottest extreme metal podcast on the market! This time we're opening the year a little differently: an embarrassment of riches came out toward the end of 2022, making it literally impossible to cover everything of note before the year is out. As a result, we've assembled a fast-moving episode of shorter reviews to attempt to cover as much territory as possible before proceeding with 2023 releases. Today's features include:

Chasm Shroud attempting to square the circle of high art and fast motorcycles.

Manticore continuing a proud legacy of middle-American* proto-war metal.

Tribal Gaze creating a tricky new sound from the bones of death metal and hardcore.

Stabbing reining in brutal death metal's most abstract impulses to create something more musical.

Shape of Despair providing the definitive soundtrack to visits to a mist-filled cemetery.

Komootra dedicating themselves to torture, nihilism, death, nothing, The End, etc.

Welcome back, terminators! It's time to put 2023 to death- by guillotine!

0:00:00 - Intro

0:06:11 - Chasm Shroud - Manna from Heaven (Forbidden Sonority)

0:29:04 - Manticore - Endless Scourge of Torment (HHR)

0:49:29 - Tribal Gaze - The Nine Choirs (Maggot Stomp)

1:11:39 - Interlude - Xibalba - “Never Kneel,” fr. Madre Mia Gracias Por Los Dias (Independent, 2010)

1:16:10 - Stabbing - Extirpated Mortal Process (Comatose Music)

1:33:33 - Shape of Despair - Return to The Void (Season of Mist)

1:54:58 - ๛ (Komootra) - ๛ (Non-Self Supremacy)

2:15:44 - Outro - Tetragrammacide - “Pulsating Sudarshan Gammadion of Aiwasstronic Fishnu,” fr. Third World Esoterrorism (Iron Bonehead, 2019)

*TBMG starts the year off right - with a thunderous, clunking error. Judas Iscariot is from DeKalb, Illinois, which is NOT in Ohio. The broader point, re. Midwestern black metal, still stands.

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

Again, a bit of a delay, but we've got something to make it up for you: a big, sprawling episode of highly anticipated records and autistic analysis guaranteed to please all Terminators or your money back (please don't call me on this I can't give refunds on Patreon.) This time we're looking at two scrappy, unusual records descended from a parallel universe war metal scene that somehow drifted into our own- one from an established classic act, and another from youthful upstarts on a mission to make their mark.

From the veterans in Ares Kingdom comes a record that refuses to rest on the laurels of the past. "In Darkness at Last" presents the band's resolute and powerful style of black/death/thrash metal in a looser, more jamming fashion that excites TDMG but may polarize longtime fans of the band. There's no shortage of crushing riffs and vigorous rhythmic stomping, but the atmosphere of this record is that of a long-defeated empire slowly slipping into memory. What's the goal, here? And has Ares Kingdom really been a black metal band all along? We discuss.

Coming off last year's "Serpentine Descension," California-based Axis of Advance worshippers Galicia return with "Precipice," a debut record as exciting as it is inscrutable. The structural brilliance of Olde Edmonton combines with the sheer ferocity and pacing of mid-era Cryptopsy to create dizzyingly intense yet tremendously melodic music where riffs and rhythms slip past as quickly as they're introduced. This isn't easy listening, but those willing to take the time will likely discover one of the best records of the year.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:06:46 - Ares Kingdom - In Darkness at Last (Nuclear War Now)

1:03:00 - Interlude - Order from Chaos - “Forsake Me This Mortal Coil,” fr. Stillbirth Machine (Wild Rags Records, 1992)

1:08:07 - Galicia - Precipice (Hessian Firm)

2:07:03 - Outro - Warrior’s Chalice - “Atomic Assault Troops” fr. Warrior’s Chalice (Independent, 2017)

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We return to your regularly scheduled programming after a brief diversion to record a bonus episode on Lykathea Aflame's seminal Elvenefris (which you should purchase your way into immediately.) This week we're going way down the line with three more-or-less black metal records occupying often-ignored sonic niches of interest to serious listeners. First up: the return of ColdWorld, a DSBM legend who has lost no vigor in the 6 years since the last full length, providing classic melodies with a renewed essence through impressive harmonic arrangement.

To the meat of the episode: Blood Chalice provides a truly alarming amount of ÖUGH with their second LP which sticks to the tried-and-true conventions of putrid Finnish blackdeath in the vein of Archgoat, Beherit, and all other good company. What it may lack in novelty, though, it more than makes up for in execution, with compact, high energy songs that trace this style's lineage back to primordial extreme metal and grindcore, revealing track by track that this style is capable of far more variation than one might suspect.

Following this is the mysterious ᛋᚢᚱᛏᚱ ᚹᛟᚢᚾᛞᛋ (Surtr Wounds,) a British one-man project exploring a strange and murky nexus between black, doom, death, and industrial. Somewhat like the Syndexioi record we covered several episodes ago, Surtr Wounds retvrns to pagan tradition by accessing originary extreme metal ideas and presenting them remarkably unadorned within the haze of a gauzy, unearthly production job. Discussion on this one is complex and unusual, resulting in the conclusion that, yes, Hate Forest and Crowbar do have something in common after all.

0:00:00 - Intro/ColdWorld - Isolation (Eisenwald)

0:32:39 - Blood Chalice - The Blasphemous Psalms of Cannibalism (Werewolf Records)

Interlude - 1:13:06 - Nunslaughter - “Raid the Convent” fr. Goat (Revenge Productions, 2003)

1:15:25 - ᛋᚢᚱᛏᚱ ᚹᛟᚢᚾᛞᛋ (UK) - ᛋ​ᚢ​ᚱ​ᛏ​ᚱ ᚹ​ᛟ​ᚢ​ᚾ​ᛞ​ᛋ (Inverse Solar Reqvriem)

2:09:20 - Outro - Cobalt - “Witherer” fr. Eater of Birds (Profound Lore, 2007)

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It's been a black year for Terminus so far- at least in terms of its metal. Why not switch things up a bit before we turn irrevocably to corpsepainted autists? On today's episode, your hosts explore two records of elitist, oldschool-minded death metal in radically different idioms. First: Drowned, who combine Tampa and Swedish styles into something resolutely minimal and traditional yet shockingly abstract. Second: Unaussprechlichen Kulten, who tap into the earliest strains of melodic death metal and lace it with explosive and dense guitar arrangements which suggest a debt to the prog rock of old.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:02:06 - Drowned - Procul His (Sepulchral Voice Records)

0:44:27 - Interlude - Darkthrone - “As Desertshadows” fr. Goatlord (Moonfog Productions, 1996)

0:49:07 - Unaussprechlichen Kulten - Häxan Sabaoth (Iron Bonehead)

1:35:37 - Outro - Totten Korps - “Hastur’s Voice Echoes in Our Minds” fr. Supreme Commanders of Darkness (Apocalyptic Productions, 2015)

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WE'RE BACK AND WE'RE READY TO PARTY! Terminus returns with another overstuffed episode of ugly sounds, so we'll keep the preamble short: there's something for everyone on this one. But first, you'll have to cross the deadly moat of Et in Arcadia Ego, a PABM project with an industrial-tinged take on French and Slavic black metal. It sounds kinda like black wind hissing in the gaps between enormous towers of unknown origin.

First up: approximately the billionth full length by Swedish doomdeath stalwarts Runemagick. "Beyond the Cenotaph of Mankind" will certainly be familiar to fans of the band, but this album perhaps more than others shows its cards in terms of influence: Runemagick is a doomdeath band which takes being a doom band very seriously, and the intricate wailing of Candlemass is just as important as anything more directly within the death metal realm. Come for the chug, stay for the bleak neoclassical diversions.

Next up is Dødssanger, a House of Ygra affiliate which plunges directly into the murkiest depths of DSBM with little in the way of sentimentality or simple sadness. Caustic and miserable, at first blush this reminds the listener most clearly of Danish misery-peddlers Make a Change... Kill Yourself, but as the album proceeds, layers of influence and melodic experimentation are layered on top of the frail, ugly bones of the project, making for a full body much more than the sum of its parts.

Wrapping things up is Blutschwur, a project already well known to many of our listeners which represents yet another attempt at fusing melodic black metal and stomping oi!/RAC. The result, though, is not what one might predict: Blutschwur is heavily invested in returning this style back to its home in black metal, and the sprawling, technically minded riffing suggests a scope far greater than its contemporaries. C'mon, look at the cover- you already like this one, but it contains further depths to explore.

0:00:00 Intro/Et in Arcadia Ego (US) - I (2023)

0:19:37 - Runemagick - Beyond the Cenotaph of Mankind (Hammerheart Records)

0:57:59 - Interlude - Runemagick - “Where Death is the Key,” fr. The Supreme Force of Eternity (Century Media, 1998)

1:02:28 - Dødssanger - Reflections of a Wretched Soul (House of Ygra)

1:31:59 - Interlude - Make a Change… Kill Yourself - “Fri fra denne verden” fr. Fri (Black Hate Productions, 2012)

1:43:42 - Blutschwur - Those of My Blood (Final Agony Records / Death Hymns / Rabid Attack Corps.)

2:21:22 - Outro - Ancestral Fortitude - “Final Kingdom,” fr. the Stronghold demo (PABM, 2023)

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

In this 2020-style installment of Terminus, we check in on two bands with unique methods of incorporating various post- materials into extreme metal. First: the return of They Came From Visions, who we covered in 2020, back with a much matured sophomore recording which takes traditional, folkish Slavblack and laces it with biting, anxious dissonance. Speaking of dissonance: the new record by Convulsing, a favorite of The Death Metal Guy, whose direct and forceful style of dissodeath belies a prog metal heart and a brutish OSDM sense of rage.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:05:09 - They Came From Visions - The Twilight Robes (Eisenwald)

0:48:22 - Akercocke - “A Skin for Dancing In,” fr. The Goat of Mendes (Peaceville, 2001)

0:55:40 - Convulsing - Perdurance (Independent)

1:39:30 - Haunter - “Shrouded Moor” fr. Thrinodίa (Red River Family Records, 2016)

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The third season of Terminus is drawing to a close, but of course, there's one last matter to attend to: a testimony to the unquestionable best metal records of 2022. As is tradition, our final episode of the year is a sprawling beast where your intrepid hosts discuss all the peaks and valleys of the year in review. This year's list has plenty of surprises in store, with lots of dark horse records creeping their way to the top and others losing steam upon further review.

As always, we'll be taking a break of a couple weeks at the beginning of the new year to rest and recuperate before the assault continues in 2023. Happy new year to all terminators, and thank you for your continued support. Here's to all the great music of this year and more in the future. 0:00:00 - Intro

0:31:20 - #20-16

1:09:14 - #15-11

1:41:38 - #10-6

2:20:26 - #5-1

3:10:19 - Aparthiva Raktadhara - "Gnostic Arousal of Shava Lingam" fr. Adyapeeth Maranasamhita (আদ্যাপীঠ মরণসংহিতা) (Iron Bonehead Productions, 2022) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

In this titanic, tumultuous episode of Terminus, we have the rare pleasure of covering two bands that complement each other perfectly. First up, it’s jazzy brutal death from Germany. Second, it’s German brutal-deathy jazz, or…. something? Both bands feature legendary German drummer Lille Gruber, on legendary German drums. Both records are insanely good. We had a lot of fun with this one, and we hope you do, too. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:03:31 - Defeated Sanity - Chronicles of Lunacy (Season of Mist) 0:44:51 - Interlude - Repudilation - “Decimation,” fr. Purging of Impurity (Numb Cum Productions, 1996) 0:48:16 - Ingurgitating Oblivion - Ontology of Nought (Willowtip Records) 1:32:06 - Outro - Disillusion - “And the Mirror Cracked,” fr. Back to Times of Splendor (Metal Blade Records, 2004) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

Terminus proudly returns from the prior week's collection of difficult black metal records with a new batch of, uh, difficult black metal records. Don't click the X, these ones are different! We're on a tear covering heady, structurally convoluted records these days, but perhaps today's works bring us a little closer to the Terminus center. First off, a well-aged appetizer: the return of the (to us) legendary Avsky, whose brand of caustic, arrogant black metal has lost no power in the dozen years since their last release.

First to bat is Theriomorph, a Finnish project that resembles little else in that well-trod geographic style, eschewing big, consonant riffs in favor of angular Orthodox concepts and some truly weird percussion ideas. This one is designed from the top down, with each track leading neatly into the next, creating an affecting occult atmosphere laced with ferocious speed and ugly, haunting harmonic depth. Good time music this is not, but the seasoned listener will find much to enjoy.

Koldkrypt takes another tact but similarly emphasizes structure: long, elaborate processions of melodic riffing take sharp turns into brutal key changes, slipping cleanly (but not easily) between the ecstatic and the misanthropic. Channeling the energy of French tradition, Gothenburg melodeath, and numerous other fields, this is a record with tremendous range but a nonetheless fully coalesced sound. Did you get your Seigneur Voland in my At the Gates, or did I get my At the Gates in your Seigneur Voland? 0:00:00 - Intro/Avsky - Sjukdom och död (Independent)

0:31:40 - Theriomorph - Diabolical Bloodswords (Terratur Possessions)

1:14:45 - Interlude - Vordr - “Fertile Human Waste” fr. I (Nykta Records, 2004)

1:18:38 - Koldkrypt - Holocauste Global (Hessian Firm)

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"Hipster black metal"- a term that inspires tremendous derision, even within the halls of this very podcast. But what if we were to confront the phenomena head-on and truly evaluate its potential? Today we have a triumvirate of records that could all be labelled as "hipster BM" in some sense, but with radically different takes. Hauntologist, a fresh spinoff of Mgla, plays heavily in the realm of goth and post-punk. Departure Chandelier returns from a long absence with something heavier, more primitive, and Bathorian, eschewing much of its melodic past. And returning from even longer: Vemod rises from the grave, reinterpreting grandiose post-rock song structures with the raw power of early Enslaved. 0:00:00 - Intro

0:02:53 - Hauntologist - Hollow (No Solace)

0:42:37 - Departure Chandelier - Satan Soldier of Fortune (Nuclear War Now)

1:11:36 - Interlude - Dzlarv - “Untitled 2” fr. 1996 Demo (Independent, 1996)

1:17:04 - Vemod - The Deepening (Prophecy Productions)

2:06:37 - Outro - Sólstafir - “Pale Rider,” fr. Köld (Spinefarm, 2009) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

With the holiday season comes Terminus descending into scheduling hell, as is tradition. We like to think of it as a fun mystery, like opening presents on Christmas morning: when will the new episode arrive? Will a random bonus episode get released with zero notice? How blackout drunk will one or both hosts be? To answer in order: right now, maybe at some point, and neither, unfortunately. But to that last query, maybe we should have been, considering just how demented and gorked the majority of the music on today's episode is. To wit: Onslaught Kommand, a Chilean war metal band rooted in primordial death, grind, and d-beat traditions whose thirst for gore is matched only by their hunger for rumbling bass.

Next: the return of Geheimnisvoll, first featured on Terminus in 2020, on a split with Russian newcomers КaБah (pronounced Kaban for our Occidental listeners.) Geheimnisvoll further iterates on its Franco-Finnish-rooted sound, now pushing more toward the former than the latter, with epic melodies tempered by an austere, scowling mood. КaБah takes a very different route: glum, hermetic, minimal, and seemingly equally influenced by both Ildjarn and primitive industrial. Either side should be sufficient to upset roommates, housepets, and any vegetation within a hundred yard radius alike.

Following is the arrival of the second full length from a band mentioned only by TBMG in hushed whispers: Wrok. Infamous legends of the Dutch underground, Wrok play the most putrid and primordial of raw black metal exclusively, jerking and lurching through track after track of basement noise hell, reflecting an era and style of black metal now seemingly forgotten except by the most wretched among us. The song structures are nearly incoherent, the melodies are an afterthought, and the production is merely the word LOUD repeated a dozen times, and it's one of the coolest things to happen all year.

0:00:00 - Intro/Onslaught Kommand - Onslaught Kommand (Godz ov War Productions)

0:23:12 - Geheimnisvoll/КaБah - Split (Nithstang Productions)

1:05:47 - Interlude - Warwulf - “Follow The Wolves to My Grave,” fr. Walking The Paths of Despair (split w/ Sad on Thor’s Hammer Productions / 2009)

1:12:26 - Wrok - De dood roept (Heidens Hart)

2:03:54 - Outro - The Hunches - “Compression” and “This Human Propeller,” fr. Hobo Sunrise (In The Red Recordings / 2004)

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If you're wondering why today's installment of Terminus took a while to get to you, it's simple: episode 111 is all about doom, so it moved a little slower. Amidst all the high energy death and black metal we've been covering this year, we've been waiting for the opportunity to cover records a bit more... lethargic. Call us Type O Negative, because today we're going slow, deep, and hard. First up: a mini review of the debut record by Chilean epic doomdeath purveyors Mournument, which fuses romantic funeral doom with Peaceville riffing and all the wistful sorrow you could ask for.

Next up: the 13th full length record by Candlemass. Typically while writing these descriptions we try not to spoil our overall assessment of an album, but in this case, it's unavoidable: it's a rough one, folks. Somewhere in a murky realm between stoner rock, bad Manowar, and a hint of actual doom lie the remains of Candlemass, who present a record composed nearly exclusively of terrible songwriting decisions and musical theater cheese. Those negative nancies who appreciate us at our most critical will undoubtedly enjoy this episode nearly as much as we despised the record in question.

Following is a record that makes its listeners miserable for the RIGHT reasons: the newest split between Grave Upheaval and Terminus alums The Funeral Orchestra. This came out back in August but it was worth the wait: this is a split that's more than the sum of its parts, feeling like a truly collaborative effort between the artists. Grave Upheaval slows way down and explores the dismal fringes of caverncore to great effect; TFO strips back their buzzing lurch to something more minimal, grumbling, and unsettling. The result: a record so empty, dismal, and harrowing it would make Mutiilation blush.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:06:08 - Mournument - Smouldering Into Dust (Ardua Music)

0:26:05 - Candlemass - Sweet Evil Sun (Napalm Records)

1:14:00 - Interlude - Reverend Bizarre - “The Devil Rides Out” fr. II: Crush the Insects (Spikefarm Records, 2005)

1:20:12 - Grave Upheaval/The Funeral Orchestra - Inexistentia (Parasitic Records)

2:06:53 - Outro - Lycia - “Ionia,” fr. Ionia (Projekt, 1991)

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By this point into Terminus Winter Break, you've no doubt exhausted our considerable back catalog, and have been reduced to listening to actual music instead of our reviews. But fear not! Every time we go on break, we release one of our elite, patrons-only bonus episodes to all you rank and file terminators. So here's the first single-record episode we've ever done. We think it's some of our best work, and we hope you enjoy it.

Most truly great albums leave a legacy, begetting new genres, subgenres, styles, or scenes, and so becoming points of origin for new traditions. But once in a very long while, there is a complete one-off. Lykathea Aflame’s only release to date, Elvenefris, is one of those albums: How do you build on a masterpiece of lush, ecstatic, melodic…. goregrind? Maybe you don't. Where the hell did this record come from? And why is it so damn good? The answers may surprise you.

00:00 - Intro

8:40 - TBMG reacts / major key metal

19:10 - Vs. the "happy death metal" cliche / religion, goodness, virtue

37:50 - "Bringer of Elvenefris Flame" - influences and lack thereof

54:51 - "Land Where Sympathy is Air" - the Elvenefris theme

1:03:20 - “On The Way Home" - insane song structure* / non-metal influences

1:32:45 - “Flowering Entities" - don't worry, this is still death metal / finding "the way home"

1:43:50 - “A Step Closer" - lurking black metal influence / newness from tradition

01:53:20 - “Walking in The Garden of Ma’at” - happiness, vulnerability, permanence

2:12:37 - Outro - Lightning Bolt - “2 Morro Morro Land,” fr. Hypermagic Mountain (2005)

*Chart for "On The Way Home":

Main riff: A B C B C’ D C’ E’ E F GB’ B

Drone: A A A A A A Note: X' = "X prime," marks a variation on that riff.

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Contact: thetrueterminus@gmail.com

Welcome back to Terminus: Extreme MetaHEY WHATTAYA DOIN' THERE! Yep, it's one of THOSE episodes, where we explore the furthest fringes of our established content, this time featuring two bands near and dear to our respective co-hosts hearts. In one corner: TDMG reps his set for Knocked Loose, which features a spirited discussion of the past, present, and future of metalcore, the usage of nu-metal technique, and what the band's success means for the broader world of heavy music. In the other corner: TBMG rides in on a powerful steed to present the new High on Fire, including a full discussion on the band's discography, the role of extreme metal in Matt Pike's work, and opportunity for more dimension in metal drumming.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:04:44 - Knocked Loose - You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To (Pure Noise)

Interlude - 1:08:40 - Thell Barrio - “A Toda Madre” (Independent, 2017)

1:12:01 - High on Fire - Cometh the Storm (MNRK Heavy)

2:03:54 - Outro - The Murder City Devils - “I Drink The Wine,” fr. In Name and Blood (Sub Pop, 2000)

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

In one sense, this episode took two weeks to record - in another, it took nearly twenty years. Terminus Extreme Metal Podcast is proud to present MONVMENTVM - our full examination and critique of the discography of one of the bands most central to the podcast's artistic vision, Spite Extreme Wing. From the earliest demos to the final notes of Vltra, join your intrepid hosts as they perform the first ever English-language deep dive on one of the finest bands that heavy music has ever produced. 0:00:00 - Intro/Background/History

0:29:44 - Magnificat compilation (Beyond…. Productions, 2003 / Behemoth Productions, 2007 reissue)

1:11:53 - Non Dvcor, Dvco (Behemoth Productions, 2004)

2:13:55 - Kosmokrator [Magnificat II] (Behemoth Productions, 2005)

3:10:11 - Vltra (Avantgarde Music, 2008)

4:11:31 - Outro - “Il sole di notte e la rivolta / The sun in the night and the revolt,” fr. Non Dvcor, Dvco Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

What's this? Terminus rising from its gwave once again? Well, not exactly- TBMG's work commitments are going on a bit longer than anticipated so we're not coming back from break just yet. However, in the interest of maintaining positive SEO trends and social standing, TDMG and infamous Terminus intern Hyper Shaman have put together an episode to tide you all over. We'll be back to your regularly scheduled programming sooner rather than later, but for now- records.

First is the long-awaited return of Singapore grindcore stars Wormrot after a 6 year gap from Voices, the record that brought them to the forefront of the genre. This year's record, Hiss, clearly and deliberately moves in more experimental directions, laced with lashings of screamo and ambient, but attempts to also hew closely to Wormrot's tried-and-true d-beat and blast attack. This has already proven to be a divisive record amongst fans of the band, so how does it stack up to prior work, and is the move toward headier material one that makes sense for the band? We discuss.

Next up is a record already catching fire within the Terminus black circle- the debut of Grenadier, Arghoslent-worshiping melodic death metal from Newfoundland, Canada (of all locales.) Calling this mere Arghoslent worship is a bit reductive, though, as Grenadier proves themselves not only capable of replicating that band's distinct riffing style but also bringing their own idiosyncrasies to the plate. Certainly one for all the Terminators out there, and definitely on the short list for melodeath record of the year.

Finally, we lower our eyes in respect and fear of the return of Pneuma Hagion, whose 2020 debut made that year's Terminus aggregate album of the year list. 2022's Demiurge is in a large sense more of the same- mid-era Morbid Angel perverted and downtuned to tectonic levels- but a close listen shows subtle shifts in the project's sound. The trudge and blast arrangement of the band's style maintains primacy, but an injection of perverse d-beat energy and hypnotic riffing makes this very worthy of further consideration. 0:00:00 - Intro

0:04:28 - Wormrot - Hiss (Earache Records)

0:36:25 - Grenadier - Trumpets Blaze in Burning Glory (Drakkar Records)

1:15:27 - Pneuma Hagion - Demiurge (Meat 5000 Records)

01:48:52 - Outro - Grave Upheaval - “Untitled 4” fr. Untitled (Nuclear War Now, 2013)

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Now that the dust has settled from our 2022 recap, it's time for the boys to dive headfirst into the new year with a smattering of genre- and quality-varied records. This week's episode features a major black metal release and a funeral doom record from a friend of the show, but first up- an appetizer. Noisy Neighors' debut full-length truly blasts from stereo speakers with a ripping half hour of traditional yet tightly coiled grindcore- an easy recommendation for all lovers of d-beats and death growls.

Six years after the release of the divisive "Stella Polaris," Goatmoon has returned with "What Once Was... Shall Be Again," a release that suggests a return to Goatmoon's core sound of stomping, punk- and folk-infused Finnblack. The band doesn't disappoint in its return to the traditional Goatmoon form, but how does this shake out after such a long departure from the style? TBMG and TDMG tease out the subtle structural differences between this and Goatmoon's classic works, attempting to answer a crucial question: what, exactly, will be Goatmoon's legacy?

Should the jangly stomp of Goatmoon raise your spirits too much, The Howling Void is here to crush them once again. The funeral doom project of Ryan from Pneuma Hagion, Intestinal Disgorge, and many others, THV's newest record points to a minimal yet multifaceted take on the traditional style. Early Skepticism is brushed with the symphonic backing and scope of Summoning, and further by a haunting veil of mournful folk melody. It may be a new year, but it's still winter, and The Howling Void reminds the listener that it always comes back again.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:05:56 - Noisy Neighbors - Derailing the Hype Train (Grand Vomit Productions)

0:22:22 - Goatmoon - What Once Was… Shall Be Again (Werewolf Records)

1:23:19 - Interlude - The Offspring - “Elders” fr. The Offspring (Nemesis Records, 1989)

1:25:30 - The Howling Void - Into Darkness Ever More Profound (Funere)

2:23:18 - Outro - Catacombs - “At the Edge of the Abyss” fr. In the Depths of R’lyeh (Moribund Records, 2006)

Hark! What's that on the distant horizon? Could it be a Very Special Episode of Terminus? It certainly is, one brought out for that most special of occasions--a new Burzum... album? Compilation? Collection of thematically related tracks? That's just one of the many, many questions this record inspires. Burzum is back to metal-- or something like it, at least-- and it's certainly an unusual take on the style. Combining neofolk, doom, ambient, and black metal, Burzum's new record suggests an entirely new model of folk music-- one that attempts to bring the past alive in a more literal sense than most.

(A quick note: another episode will be released this week. We decided to make this a solo episode because, c'mon, it's Burzum!)

0:00:00 - Intro

0:01:07 - Burzum - The Land of Thule (Byelobog Productions)

1:15:01 - Outro - Burzum - “Glemselens Elv,” fr. Belus (Byelobog Productions, 2010)

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

We did it, folks- we've circumnavigated extreme metal itself. On the 94th installment of the only podcast that matters we return to a band featured in our very first episode. Please do not go back and listen- those were dark days- but aside from this exception, we have an episode of... primitive death metal? Today's intro review comes courtesy of Oregon-based deathrashers Phenom whose second full-length brings to mind the barbaric and primordial sounds of Master mixed with streaks of Brazilian and Teutonic thrash. Definitely a weird one, but also excellent- recommended for all sorts of extreme metal fiends regardless of genre preference.

What better way to follow up that opening barrage with the return of legendary cheeseheads Jungle Rot? TDMG brought this on the show not expecting too many surprises, but quickly realized something highly unusual was afoot here. Jungle Rot's style shines through (as always) but with a tremendous helping of thrash and hardcore. Could this be the world's heaviest crossover record? But what's with the convoluted, nested riffing structures? And what the hell is going on with all the solos? A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one.

And finally we get back to the point of origin- the newest Horn album, bringing us all the way back to Terminus Episode 1. The world's greatest (and perhaps only) purveyor of Alpine Black Folk, Horn's new record provokes some excellent discussion- the different "modes" found within single projects and the power of iterative melodic refinement. This is an expansive record, ranging from oi-infused folkblack rippers to elegiac doom works, so there's something for everyone- but where does the strongest material lie? 0:00:00 - Intro/Phenom - Ov History and Death (Death is Imminent Records)

0:26:29 - Jungle Rot - A Call to Arms (Unique Leader Records)

1:11:18 - Interlude - Murder Squad - “Bloodfreak” fr. Unsane, Insane and Mentally Deranged (Pavement Music, 2001)

1:14:15 - Horn - Verzet (Independent)

1:54:54 - Outro - Liederjan - “Schitter Tod,” fr. Volksmusik Aus Der Heilen Welt (Polydor, 1979) and “Die Weber,” fr. Mädchen, Meister, Mönche (Polydor, 1978).

The first of these is a version of “Es ist ein Schnitter, a 17c German folk song that inspires Horn. See the Bardo Methodology interview: http://www.bardomethodology.com/articles/2018/01/11/horn-interview/

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thetrueterminus@gmail.com

We're excited to announce the proud return of a Terminus tradition- a carefully crafted, thematic episode that TDMG ruins with a random grind record. Who would have thought? Before we dive into two contrasting takes on traditional French black metal, TDMG regales us with the tale of Thai grinders Smallpox Aroma's debut full-length, a sub-20 minute record of blistering, oldschool grindcore with a technical edge and instrumental performances worthy of involuntary psychiatric commitment.

Over in Europe, though, things are different, starting with the return of the mighty Nécropole (sure, it was released in the last week of 2022, but who's counting?) The half decade since the band's debut record has tempered the style into something colder and more remote but no less ferocious and mystical. Nécropole finds a fine midpoint between the more technical work seen by Orthodox-influenced artists and the chivalric storming of the Antiq bands, making for a record kingly in its disposition but wolflike in its execution.

On the other side is Heresie, a young band reaching toward the traditions of French black metal ruralism but with the added bite of early Graveland and some of the meanest edges of the second wave. Deliberately primitive songs thrive on the high contrast of bloodthirsty aggression and aching longing while bass guitar freely floats around the stark, rewilded soundscape. Heresie finds itself in a strange place, somewhere between Pagan Hellfire and primitive CDr black metal of the 00s, but presents itself with a clarity of vision very few can achieve.

0:00:00 - Intro/Smallpox Aroma - Festering Embryos of Logical Corruption (Inhuman Assault Productions)

0:14:30 - Nécropole - Yoga (Northern Heritage)

1:11:57 - Interlude - Lutomysl - “Без вогню провідної зорі (Without the Light of the Guiding Star)” fr. Ecce Homo (2018, Drakkar Productions)

1:18:03 - Heresie - Heresie (France Black Death Grind)

2:01:42 - Outro - Graveland - “The Dark Battlefield” fr. Thousand Swords (Lethal Records, 1995)

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

This season, give thanks for the only thing in your life that truly matters - Terminus: Extreme Metal Podcast. In this great and terrible new episode, your hosts investigate new records from two esoteric enclaves of Russian black metal. You know we’re obsessed with this shit. So are you. Buckle up. 00:00 - Intro 0:03:35 - Blackdeath - Mortui Incedere Possunt (End All Life Productions / NoEvDia) Mad kappelmeisters of St. Petersburg wring jagged melodies from demon-addled fiddles. With ingenious full-band songwriting and a strangely compelling slantwise take on Orthodox black metal, this may be their finest record yet. 0:55:05 - Interlude - Bethlehem - “Second Coming” fr. Dark Metal (Adipocere Records, 1994) 1:01:05 - Old Wainds - Stormheart (Darkness Shall Rise Productions) Murmansk tundra shamans emerge from the murk with storming Slavonic riffage, savage stomps, and maybe even a few forbidden heavy metal kicks. 1:51:37 - Outro - Runes of Dianceht - “In The War,” fr. the Runes of Dianceht demo (Independent, 1996) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram thetrueterminus@gmail.com

On the newest episode of I Hate Video Games and Never Play Them, your host tackles a game almost universally played but rarely taken seriously: Peggle, the physics puzzler that marks the apex of Popcap Games- and maybe casual games as a whole.

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon TDMG on Substack thetrueterminus@gmail.com

You wanted the worst? You got the worst! It's time for the annual TERMINUS OMEGA episode where your intrepid hosts debate the best extreme metal records of the year. This time, we did our end of year episode as a livestream on Youtube, but we're republishing it here for our podcast platform listeners. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and by the end- maybe we'll all learn something. Enjoy, terminators, and see you in mid-January after our winter break.

Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com