I have been assured by the band that “Full Moon Conquest” does not refer to sodomy.

• Wulfgravf “Fullmoon Conquest” EP playlist

WULFGRAVF is old school hardcore, RAC and primitive black metal (Impaled Nazarene, Profanatica) in a blender.

To be released in 2012 by Wolftyr. Alruna plays fiddle on some tracks. For this video I used various samples from myspace etc (Note: some of the samples are in their unfinished form). Album is inspired heavily by Conan the Barbarian.

• Pre-order ($14 + $3.50 shipping)

OUT NOW: ALTAR “DARK DOMAINS 1989 – 1995” DEATHOGRAPHY CD
To order a copy, email to: konqueror_records@hotmail.com or order from Pulverized Records ($15)

1. Nothing Human (1992 CD)
2. Lifeless Passion (1992 CD)
3. Daymare/A Message From The Grave (1992 CD)
4. Decapitated (1992 CD)
5. Ex Oblivione (1992 CD)
6. Sleeping Prophet (1993 Demo)
7. Floodgates Of Emotions (1993 Demo)
8. Darklight (1993 Demo)
9. Violent Acts (1994 Demo)
10. Days Forever Grey (1994 Demo)
11. Severed On The Attic (1991 Demo)
12. Decapitated (1991 Demo)
13. Hallucinations (1991 Demo)
14. No Flesh… (1991 Demo)
15. Instrumental (1995 Demo)
16. Severed On The Attic (1992 CD)
17. No Flesh… (1992 CD)

Also can find them here
https://www.facebook.com/konquerorrecords

Tomas from Forever Plagued Records helped us out with some news. Apparently, a technical question on the album art arose and is being answered by experts in the coming week. As a result, the release of the CD has been pushed back by a fortnight or more. However, the label, band and staff remain committed to making this a release of the highest quality and so will not accept inferior compromises in the art or production. We should have more news within the delay period.

In the meantime, enjoy the track which has been released to the public:

Confidential sources suggest this is one of the less-distinctive tracks on the album and is used to bridge between two more complex songs. In the opinion of this author, Demoncy has never shipped a turd or anything like it, so the new Demoncy album should be relished by all.

Insightful commentary on those “Best of Metal 2011” lists:

I’ve begun to realize that most of the lists currently being published are also exercises in varying, and scalable degrees of exclusionism. I say this because in the past two years major non-metal/indie oriented media outlets have taken it upon themselves to declare to their reading audiences what is the Best Metal of the Year. I’m referring to websites such as NPR, Pitchfork Media, Spin, PopMatters, Stereogum, Noisecreep, Frontier Psychiatrist, etc…There are countless other minor non-metal oriented blogs and sites that have their own list up as well, and they all pretty much loosely mirror one of the examples posted above.

This is a curiously new phenomenon: ten, seven, even six or five years ago you wouldn’t find non-metal/indie media daring to touch the very idea of the “best metal” released in those years. The cynic in me wants to ask, “Did the hipsters get tired of all the garage-rock bands ironically limping around Brooklyn?” That is mean spirited I know, but part of me does wonder, how long will this new found interest last? First let me offer this: I am not attempting to argue that these sites have no business publishing best of metal year end lists, nor am I attempting to critically analyze their selections. Each of the writers of these lists have their own tastes, preferences, and the right to promote them…but after mulling these lists over for a few weeks and listening to most of the albums on them, one thing has become very clear to me: The most popular of these lists are created by a handful of very prolific writers/bloggers, and the rest stem from the templates laid out by said writers. In particular, the highly read and discussed lists from NPR’s Lars Gotrich and Pitchfork/Stereogum’s Brandon Stosuy are parroted throughout the blogosphere. In deserving respect to these two writers, they both offer their opinions with interesting takes and lucid arguments. I enjoy reading their stuff, and dislike having to single them out — however due to their popularity, I feel they are liable to be held to a higher standard.

Without delving too deeply into Gotrich and Stosuy’s lists, the most obviously striking things about them both is that they tend to lean heavily on the new crop of post-black metal bands. There are occasional death metal albums sprinkled throughout, the odd doom record, and a good bit of math-metal (I hate that label but its what everyone uses). Okay fine, I actually like a few of their selections as well, but here’s a question: Aren’t we missing something in terms of various other styles of metal? You’ll notice that traditional metal and power metal are noticeably absent from these lists. – The Metal Pigeon

That’s the point. These aren’t metal lists, they’re replacement metal. That is to say, indie metal is taking over with the support of Big Media.

Metal is undisciplined by commercial standards. It has a gauge of trueness of spirit. That makes it a hard product to sell. Rock music on the other hand is accepting, has no specific spirit other than ironic surliness and greed, and is universal and easy to make. The labels prefer to sell rock music.

As a result, they’ve invaded metal with the indie hipster crowd because indie-metal sells. It’s familiar like rock, but seen as “rebellious” like metal, so all the extremely ordinary people who work very hard to style themselves as extra-ordinary are in love with it.

It’s the perfect product.

Legendary BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi has been diagnosed with the early stages of lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphocytes, a type of cell that forms part of the immune system.

Iommi is currently working with his doctors to establish the best treatment plan and remains upbeat and determined to make a full and successful recovery.

This comes as BLACK SABBATH — Ozzy Osbourne (vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar), Geezer Butler (bass) and Bill Ward (drums) — are writing and recording their first album in 33 years in Los Angeles (still set for release this fall) with producer Rick Rubin. They will now go to the U.K. to continue to work with Tony. – Blabbermouth

:(

Has metal traded its soul for its popularity with the “service industry” workers, a/k/a hipsters and indie rockers?

Metal today is probably the most popular its been since the 80’s with bands reaching “the charts” with more frequency, worldwide acceptance in mainstream culture (even hipsters and indie fruitcakes are into it nowadays), feature films and documentaries (The Story of Anvil, Metal: A Headbangers Journey, Hesher). The ability for bands to tour on this side of the globe when in past years they would never had gotten the chance because of lack of label support, the popularity of Metal festivals not only in Europe but now in the U.S. with MDF, Gathering of the Bestial Legion, CIM, 70000 of Metal and others. The involvement of major companies like Scion with the Scion Fest and all the shows they put on and a wider acceptance by major venues like HOB to host Metal shows.

Come to think about it, its a pretty good time to be a Metalhead these days.

On the flipside one can’t help but notice that a lot of what people call Metal these days is utter crap I wouldn’t touch with a 10-foot pole. A lot of the bands and music being churned out left and right is unoriginal and emotionless. It is more concerned with fashion and image than with creative riffs and memorable anthems. So much of what kids (old fart voice) listen to nowadays is so watered down,tepid and soulless. Its hard for me to find new bands have any of that spark that would get my heart racing…. memories of listening to Dismember’s Like an Ever Flowing Stream for the first time and headbanging nonstop because you couldn’t help but feel the music. – SDMETAL.org

He makes a good point. Click the link above to read the whole rant.

From the mailbag:

I just had a rather unfortunate epiphany: after watching a few episodes of Spawn: The Animated Series, which allowed my sensibilities to become firmly engulfed by early/mid-90s aesthetic grimness, I decided, naturally, to continue along the same path and give Cause of Death a listen, followed by Spiritual Healing. Something about the nostalgia, or rather the temporary transportation to another time, in which everything from the music to the imagery (in regard to both lyrics and album artwork), rang true and made the experience that much more impactful, as a result of not only the sonic brilliance, but the context in which it was conceived. Feeling myself begin to weep for the state of modern metal (a lament to which I’m sure you’re no stranger), I then put on Epitome of Darkness, as it, in my mind, represents a genuine return to Swedeath form in the age of inconsequential copycat and/or hybrid genres, and typically provides at least temporary relief from the subcultural nihilism. Yet it did very little for me, especially when compared to the transformative genius of Death and Obituary, as it lacked that sense of earnest vision found within the aforementioned albums. So I was wondering if there are any relatively new bands and/or emerging styles or scenes that you find genuinely original? And, more importantly, do you think metal, mainstream or underground, has any place, aside from a parade of pitiful sentimentality, in today’s culture?

This was my response:

Let me take these questions in backward order.

Is underground metal or metal in general still relevant? — yes, mainly because it expresses an eternal idea, which is the importance of power/beauty of a situation over individual drama. Metal is anti-individualist, as reality itself is; hence our celebration of death, destruction and other factors bigger than the individual. The problem with metal’s relevance is that many of the newer listeners have grown up on state-, media- and commerce-supported propaganda and so have no idea of a world outside the self. They are perfect consumers and little egomaniacs.

Emerging styles, scenes or new bands of inspiration? — there are some newer bands of note, but not too many; most of the ones on the list (http://www.examiner.com/metal-music-in-houston/best-metal-of-2011) are older bands brought back in new form. I think that some have found new ways to take the old ideas, for example Beherit or Blaspherian. My thought is that good music out there exists in potential form, but musicians have no idea how to form a movement, express ideas, or even what ideas to choose. Metal is either stranded in imitating the past or in imitating indie, and neither is a new direction so it confuses musicians. Further, the preponderance of bad metal getting good press is driving away talented musicians. When you see all the magazines in a genre praising utter crap, you hit the road, because you know that your best efforts would be ignored in that genre.

Originality. — I’m not sure this is important. Coming from the world of classical music, nothing seems original; it takes known techniques and develops along those lines to the point of exclusivity. For example, syncopation and pentatonic scales have never been unknown to classical, but were seen as appropriate only at particular times in larger pieces. Is it original to use them to exclusivity? In the same way, Plato touches on every topic of philosophy in his writings. When we tackle any one of those, in depth, we’re not being original but getting more in depth. What matters more than originality, then, is truthfulness meaning “does this represent useful ways of understanding the world.” To my mind, the best of death metal helps us perceive this world more clearly and to construct a spirit for enjoying it as it is. I’m thinking of Demigod here, but the first few albums from Death or Obituary would work as well.

I like your observations on the state of metal and hope you take them further. We need more people to point out that the Emperor has no new clothes, and that we need instead to put our focus on quality and intensity so that newer metal of power can grow out of the community.

***

Discussion:

There are two views of history; one is the linear view (we evolve steadily toward higher levels) and the other is the cyclic view, which states that similar approaches in evolution beget similar results, and that individuals and populations tend to go through “cycles” as they discover these truths, until they stick and no longer need discovery. This approximates learning itself, in my view.

In the linear view of history, metal is evolving toward a higher state.

In the cyclic view of history, metal has lost a higher state and is stumbling through error until it rediscovers the value of a higher state and starts making moves in that direction.

Which is it?