Paganfire - Wreaking Fear And Death

PAGANFIRE

"Wreaking Fear And Death" (Promo)

Independent/Self Released

Finally a PAGANFIRE full length in my hands!  I'm pissed as fuck 'cause they are starting to be like AGATHOCLES and NUNSLAUGHTER with all the split releases and I've missed out on a lot and I can't keep up. 

I have the promo tape. It's signed by Vro (Vocals/Bass) and it was handed over to me by Jay (Drums) when he was in Singapore. It features eight songs. Recorded at Sumata Studio. Artwork (Sketch Version) by Norman Trinidad. It comes with a fold out j-card with a band photo, lyrics, credits, contact information, and insults. 

"Wreaking Fear And Death" totally represents what the band is about and what they stand for. It's their finest work in all aspects: artwork, songwriting, and the production. It shits on the previous releases. Though some are totally shit to me. So it double shit on the others, but they can all fuck off after listening to this. They are all irrelevant to me now as this is all I need from PAGANFIRE. It's solid, raging, and destructive!  Unfortunately, my favorite PAGANFIRE song, "Metal Thrashing Militants" didn't make it to this release. 

It's officially released by Afterlife Productions (Malaysia) and Mandarangan Recordings (USA). I have yet to get my hands on either version, though.  If you are interested to check out Thrash Metal from the Philippines. "Wreaking Fear And Death" is mandatory!

It literally wreaked fear and death on my cassette player as this was the last tape I listened to before it died. Ha!

Brimstone In Fire/Pathogen - All Flesh Fades

BRIMSTONE IN FIRE/PATHOGEN

"All Flesh Fades"

Lifespan Records/Brute! Productions

I'm not high on drugs or God but "All Flesh Fades" is symbolic for me. It shows that the old (BRIMSTONE IN FIRE) and new (PATHOGEN) blood of Death Metal can kill as one. 

It features eight songs, four songs each, two new and two old, and plays for thirty minutes. It's released in two versions. The slipcase version was released by LIFESPAN RECORDS (Philippines) and it features BRIMSTONE IN FIRE's "Despair" demo and the standard version was released by BRUTE! PRODUCTIONS (Thailand).  

PATHOGEN starts the split with their raw, vile, and morbid as fuck Death Metal. "Suffocate In Blood" and "Sacrilegious Profanation" originally appeared on the "Into The Subconcious Void" demo (2004). I no longer think of espasol (rice cake) and buko pie (coconut pie) but Death Metal when I think of Laguna.

BRIMSTONE IN FIRE ends the split with their bizarre, odd, and mindfucking Death Metal. This is their first release after years of recording inactivity. It features original vocalist Lloyd and it took me time to get into his vocals in B.I.F. because I'm used to him growling "Aswang", "Pok Pok", and "Ebanghelyo" in DETHRONE, but his low and deep sinister vocals fit well with the style of B.I.F. If memory serves I think they played "Man Lives Ones Then Dies Forever" for the first time as a three piece at RURAL CARNAGE.

You know the feeling when you see or remember something that becomes an inspiration for masturbation? That's a similar feeling I get whenever I see BRIMSTONE IN FIRE and PATHOGEN live. Now that I have this split in my hands, I can have multiple eargasms anytime I want. To those who want to check out Death Metal from the Philippines this split is mandatory.

Oh, I had my copy signed by BRIMSTONE IN FIRE and it says:

"To Alex,

Hey man, Do we really have to sign this shit?

- Mike, Lloyd, Christian, & Dondi"

Yes. You had to sign that shit for me. The stoneglyph would have been on my skin if only my family is not against tattoos!

Defeated Sanity - Passages Into Deformity

DEFEATED SANITY

"Passages Into Deformity"
Willowtip Records

The mailman must still be hung over when he posted this package because it was missent to Thailand. (See photo). Speaking of Thailand, I got to see Defeated Sanity live in Bangkok in 2010 and they were killer!  The gig meant a lot to me because it's where I got to experience "Chapters Of Repugnance" for the first time, but that's another story. I'm glad the package made it to my mailbox safely as it's one of the four records that I'm looking forward to get this February.

"Passages Into Deformity" is their fourth full length record and their second release with Willowtip Records. It was recorded at Soundlodge Studios where "Psalms Of The Moribund" was also recorded and the artwork is done by Toshihiro Egawa who also did the artwork for "Chapters Of Repugnance." It's a concept record about the cause and effect of human hostility.  It features nine songs that plays for almost forty minutes. The first four songs represents the causes which is about the dark states of consciousness: hell, hunger, animality, and arrogance and the last five songs represents the effects which are in the form of short stories.

It's a hybrid of their releases with a total worship of the 90's style of this genre. Like the previous records, it can stand on its own, and it never makes me feel like I'm listening to a different band.

This is the first recording of Konni with Defeated Sanity and he is a beast!  His ultra low espohagus spewage destroys everything he did with Despondency. There are also guest vocals by Frank Rini from Internal Bleeding, Brian Forgue from Syphilic and Gutrot, and AJ Magana from Deprecated, who as you all know did vocals on "Chapters Of Repugnance." The bands of these vocalists will give you an idea about the feel of this record. 

The songwriting and musicianship is simple in Defeated Sanity standards.  It's not as insane as "Psalms Of The Moribund" which is my favorite record, but this is heavy as fuck!

"Naraka", "Perspectives", and "Martyrium" are my favorite songs.  "Naraka" is the heaviest song on this record for me. I love its simplicity. The bass and the riffs makes me bang my head like there is no tomorrow.  It also features the last riff of Wolfgang Teske (R.I.P).  "Perspectives" is a perfect song that combines the styles of all their releases. It's sick, brutal, and technical.  "Martyrium" gives me an idea on what the next Defeated Sanity will be like. It's progressive, but not the gay Cynic "Traced In Air" kind. It's got the jazz elements but with a strong Death Metal backbone.

There are also samples done by Jon Engman from Brodequin (I think it's the same Engman) that adds to the atmosphere of the record. I particularly like the one in between "Verblendung" and "Lusting For Transcendence." It gives a dark industrial feel.

It also includes a DVD that features interviews, the making of "Passages Into Deformity" and studio performance videos of "The Purging" and "Lusting For Transcenence" that plays for about an hour and you will get to know the driving force behind their music.

"Passages Into Deformity" slays! It's one of the heaviest records I've listened to in a while and I feel that this record will still be talked about decades later and I'm proud to have experienced it when it came out.  Mandatory.

Malignancy - Eugenics

MALIGNANCY 

"Eugenics"

Willowtip Records

"Eugenics" is Malignancy's third full length record that marks their 20 years of technical brutality. It's a concept record about the extinction of man. It features ten songs that runs for half an hour. It was recorded between 2010 to 2011 at the Geller Cellar Studio and mixed and mastered at Dissonant Studio. It comes in a standard CD format with a two panel artwork by Justin Osbourn from Slasher Design. This is their second release with Willowtip Records. 

I pre-ordered the CD, t-shirt, and sweatpants package from Willowtip Records a month before the release date.  Unfortunately, there was a delay with the printing of the sweatpants and my order was put in the Ulcerate pre-order. I received the package a month after the release date. Another pre-order disaster. My life is shit.

The artwork is not gore themed, but it fits the concept of the record. They have also broken a tradition and they used a different font for the title of the record. 

The music is an evolutionary mutation of "Cross Species Transmutation" and "Inhuman Grotesqueries." It's an obra maestra of order from chaos! The musicianship and songwriting is insane and it destroys the previous records! "Mortality Weakness" is my favorite Malignancy song and I think I will add "Eugenics", "Global Systemic Collapse", and "Cataclysmic Euphoria" to the list soon. 

The lyrics is about the extinction of man. This is the first time for Malignancy to release a concept record. It's also the first time that I was able to read their lyrics in one sitting.   Danny Nelson is writing in English this time. Well, for me at least.

I love the production of "Frailty Of The Human Condition" with a passion but I must say that the production of "Eugenics" is their best. It's clear yet brutal as fuck! I wish "Cross Species Transmutation" had this kind of production! Imagine what "Mortality Weakness" would sound like! 

Malignancy is one of the bands that changed my life. I have been a fan since the "Ignorance Is Bliss" demo and all that matters to me is that they have stayed true to their style and they consistently get malignant with every release. "Eugenics" is a reason for me to stay a fan. 

Mothership - Dirty Fucking Rehearsal 2012

MOTHERSHIP

"Dirty Fucking Rehearsal Demo 2012"

Independent

Joseph Conde, bassist, artist, scene veteran, and overall nice lad, gave this demo to me at the Third World Dopesick gig last September 29, 2012 at the Light & Space Contemporary, Fairview, Quezon City which was killer! If you were not there then you're a faggot! You must have attended another talent show disguised as a Metal gig with a line up of gay cover bands. Anyways, I also bought a couple of copies of the demo for my distro. It comes in a black and white slipcase pressed on a CDR with a Mothership stomp box sticker. I love the cover. I don't know but it reminds me of Roller Girl from the film "Boogie Nights."  It features three songs of fat and groovy stoner rock that will take you high as Pepe's kite. It's perfect for drinking, smoking, and having unprotected sex with strangers. Honestly, this is the first time I got into the vocals of Bene. His style is perfect for Mothership. He is irritating to see live, though. During their set, I need to close my eyes to fully enjoy their music. I need a "Refill." This demo is not enough. I hope they cut down on drinking beer and eating sisig to save money for a studio recording.

Slayer - The Vinyl Conflict

SLAYER

"The Vinyl Conflict"

Sony

This is fuckin' Slayer! Buy it!

RIIT - "Unholy Goat Worship Demo 2010"

RIIT
"Unholy Goat Worship Demo 2010"
Independent/Self Released

RIIT is from Bacolod City, Nekros (I miss KRATORNAS) Occidental. This is their second demo.         It features five songs and a MAYHEM cover that plays for about 15 minutes. It comes in a 3" CD with an eight panel sleeve. I got this from Carlos/We The Infected 'Zine through trade.              I have copy 55/666 and I wish I have the other 665 copies of this shit and I will flush all of them down the toilet where it belongs. "Anti Core! Anti Trend! Anti Poser!" They're lying. It also says "Written And Recorded In The Drunk Summer Of 2010." I guess that's their excuse for sounding like shit. I hope they stay away from alcohol next time they decide to write and record.         This sounds like a typical day at the Malabanan Siphoning Services. 

TRACES OF WAR - "Let's Do This!"

TRACES OF WAR
"Let's Do This"
Independent 

This demo lays the EP to waste. There are no more traces of AIDS. Fuck that metalcore bullshit. This is where it's at.

GOBLIN WARHEAD - "Rehearsal Promo 11/10/11: Third World Profanation"

GOBLIN WARHEAD
"Rehearsal Promo 11/10/11: Third World Profanation"
Independent

It makes me want to thrash in the pit with a beer in my hand! The influences are evident but these barely legal sick fucks knows how it's done!

PUS VOMIT - "Degrade The Worthless"

PUS VOMIT
"Degrade The Worthless"
Berdugo Records

"Degrade The Worthless" is a vile onslaught of misogynistic death metal in sickening depths of depravity in the tradition of Lividity, Devourment, and Lust Of Decay. This is absolute decimation through degradation. Fuck off and die!