Best of 2013...

Best of 2013 or something like that... Here is a list of albums that The Cracked Skull listened to more often than not in 2013. There are probably some albums left off this list for various reasons. Feel free to venture a guess as to which release saw the most spins. All in all, not a terrible year in heavy music... In no order...

Grave Upheaval--Untitled
Portal--Vexivoid
Lux Interna--There is Light in the Body, There is Blood in the Sun
Merkstave--Merkstave
The Body--Master We Perish
Altar of Plagues--Teethed Glory and Injury
Kinit Her--The Poet and the Blue Flower
Ruin Lust--Tethered and Lashed
Oranssi Pazuzu--Valonielu
Clandestine Blaze--Harmony of Struggle
Pissed Jeans--Honeys
Wormlust--The Feral Wisdom
True Widow--Circumambulation
Mouth of the Architect--Dawning
Sacriphyx--The Western Front
Nails--Abandon All Life
I Shalt Become--Louisiana Voodoo
Cloud Rat--Moksha
The Haxan Cloak--Excavation
Lycus--Tempest
Vastum-- Patricidal Lust
Fell Voices--Regnum Saturni
Rote Hexe--Red Witch
Chelsea Wolfe--Pain is Beauty
Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats--Mind Control
Bolzer--Aura
Sigur Ros--Kveikur
Malthusian--MMXIII
The Sterling Sisters--Hale
My Bloody Valentine--MVB
Castevet--Obsian
Wardruna--Yggdrasil

Indiana bands that ruled in 2013...
Kata Sarka
Boddiker
Casque
Conjurer
We Are Hex
Black Goat of the Woods
Parasitic Twins
Nakay
Torturess
Kvlthammer
Coffinworm
Nuclear Hellfrost

Of Planetary and Stellar decimation...

Hailing from Bloomington Indiana, Kiasuth is a project of bleak soundscapes forged in the cold vastness of space and the crushing enormity of infinity. On their five song album, Divine Celestial Famine, Kiasuth summon ambient drones and dirges that are without human soul. The song titles are the only clues into Kiasuth's collective conscience on universal armageddon. The droning doom the band produces is laced with the nihilism associated with the frostiest of black metal, but retains the harshness that comes from witnessing a failing industrial society. The songs on Divine Celestial Famine are constructed from layers upon layers of buzzing and droning effects, minimal garbled and howled vocals, tortured synths, and fractured bass and guitar. The occasional percussion is a mere blip on their space-time continuum. Often there are long passages of muted and minimal sounds, but the effect levies a sense of heft and gradual building of destruction. With this release, Kiasuth are seemingly conjuring some ancient wisdom gone insane. Take Divine Celestial Famine as a whole, and let it consume you. Kiasuth have crossed the event horizon and returned as a vessel for transmitting oblivion. Their music is a product of looking beyond our earthly realm, but it is an intermediary to some manner of ancient darkness that came before us all. All hail the never ending abyss.

kiasuth.bandcamp.com

The hammer is soon to fall...

Over whiskey and riffs four Indy veterans have come together to form Kvlthammer. Kvlthammer is drummer Dustin Boltjes (Skeletonwitch, Demiricous, The Dream is Dead), guitarist/vocalist Nate Olp (Lair of the Minotaur, Demiricous, Deadmen), guitarist/vocalist Carl Byers (Coffinworm, Deadmen, The Dream is Dead), and bassist Bob Peele (Suicide Note, Deadmen, Whiskeytits). The men of Kvlthammer are seasoned musicians and friends bound to forge a collective middle finger salute of sleaze and steel with their music. Anyone familiar with their previous and current bands will know what can be expected of Kvlthammer: detuned fury that pounds, seethes and pulsates while shredding ear canals at top volume. Though they are a young band, Kvlthammer are sure to bring forth a true blaze over the Midwestern sky that bleeds ears and crushes all false hope. Carl Byers recently spoke with The Cracked Skull to introduce Kvlthammer and provide a preview of what's to come.

Kvlthammer... How did you all get together, and how did you come up with the name? Does the band name give the middle finger to elitist sub-sub-genre wankery?

Dustin was the impetus behind the band. In winter of 2011 he talked to Nate and me about doing a project, playing a sleazy mix of early black metal (ala Venom, Bathory, Mercyful Fate, and Hellhammer/Celtic Frost) and keeping a punk/street vibe to it all. Also, we're trying to write songs with as little effort as possible to keep it fun for everyone involved. The three of us got together in December 2011 and wrote our first three songs quickly. We've chugged along after that over short intervals when Dustin is home from Skeletonwitch tours, finishing the writing and then starting the recording of our album. Roy Hayes (Black Goat of the Woods, Boddicker) was playing bass for awhile, but Bob Peele has stepped in to fill that spot now. Major thanks to Roy for playing with us!

The name was a laborious process since every fucking name has been used multiple times over anymore. Same criteria as the songwriting approach; we didn't want anything too serious, but nothing cartoon-ish either. The name Kvlthammer sounds cool and it is kind of a 'fuck you' to elitist sub-genre wankery and the self-importance that it breeds. But, we don't have a stance or whatever. We're just writing music we like.

What can the world expect Kvlthammer to sound like (very bland and obvious I know; I hate to ask it)? Does the music shift back and forth between styles and genres? Did you all have set songs going in or was the writing process more organic within the group?

There's a little variation, but this first group of songs we wrote all have a unifying feel to them: simple structures and riffs shifting between d-beat, down-picked mid-tempo fist-bangers, and some blast beats here and there. We also have a slow song with a creepy ass riff that Nate brought to the first practice. We started writing on the spot, whether that meant Nate or I had a riff or no one had anything beforehand. The idea is to start drinking whiskey and if we spend longer than 30 minutes getting a basic song structure together, we ditch it and move on to something else.


As a newly formed band, what's in the near future for Kvlthammer? Recording? Shows? Blood letting? Slashing and burning of the weak and false?

The recording is almost done, so finishing it is the first priority. It's 8 songs with an instrumental interlude. I'm planning on doing a cassette run on my Clandestine Arts imprint, but ideally I'd like to see this album end up on vinyl and/or CD. Beyond that we'll be booking more shows and writing more songs. Nothing concrete yet, but I'd like to get a few out of town shows setup once the cassettes are in hand.


Your first show is coming up with Windhand. Should we be on the lookout for any surprises?

No big surprises. We're looking forward to finally playing live, and the show with Windhand and Teenage Strange is gonna rule.

Thanks for the interview, Mark!

Kvlthammer's first show is September 10 with Windhand and Teenage Strange at the Melody Inn (Indianapolis, IN).
www.facebook.com/kvlthammerofficial

Follow the link to hear a demo version of an impending Kvlthammer song...
soundcloud.com/clandestine-arts/unnamed-band-track-01-live

Arising from the shadows...

Let's get serious. Real serious. It's been five years between albums for Bloomington's (IN) Medusa. That's plenty of time to exhale the tar and recharge the band's venom glands. And with Divine Malice, Medusa continue to strike with viper like precision with their brand of stark, riff-centric fury and might. Divine Malice sees Medusa continue where En Raga Sul left off. It's thrashing, bombastic, often furious, and concentrated on each riff leveling the listener. It's efficient while stripping away all pretense. The beast indeed rises again.

Upon opening the limited addition 12 inch EP version, one is greeted by a one sided, six song smokey black and grey picture disc. Auris Apothecary, once again, shines as the label's effort, skill, and dedication are on display with Divine Malice. The b side is embossed with a limited edition silk screened illustration by Colin McClain (check out his tattoo work: colinmcclain.com/home). The LP comes with an eight page lyric booklet and a download card with two bonus songs. As this is a limited edition release, it would be wise to jump on this before they are gone.

Now for the meat... Divine Malice is a fifteen minute excursion in hammered horror. After the initial sample on Bleeding Ocean, Scott Vanburen's vocals wail and screech in an octave or two higher than those of En Raga Sul making the aural derangement instant. His ever present wail remains a possessed conjuration over the course of the six songs, as the rest of the band begin chugging forth their brand of black bile. The guitars are laden with detuned sludge and heavy with viscous shards of malign acrimony. The bass is the thunderer to the drums pounding incantations. The longest song stretching a mere three minutes and fourteen seconds means there is little fat on Divine Malice. Medusa get down to business and bellow riff after riff. Medusa excel at stripping away filler and gristle, leaving only space for their plundering heft. Nothing exhibits this better than song five: Come Alive. Sample, wail, boom... The repetition in the opening riffs enforces the quick crescendo's ability to snap necks back. As is the case with bands that share members from previous or current bands, Divine Malice has a distinct Racebannon influence that occurs throughout the EP. It's most noticeable on Ashes & Glass, as it's a song that would not be out of place on the later Racebannon releases. With that said, a little Racebannon leaking in is never a bad thing. As a whole, Divine Malice is a swaggering collection of charred and damaged songs. As good as the illustration is on the b side, it would have been a whirlwind of devastation to have an entire LP's worth of music. The brevity and pace of the exposed riffs and rhythms combined with the wailing vocals on Divine Malice are an uncomplicated amalgam of craft and sorcery. Buy the limited edition version from Auris Apothecary if you want to hear the bonus tracks.

medusarules.bandcamp.com

aurisapothecary.org/AAX-095
aurisapothecary.bandcamp.com/album/aax-095-divine-malice

A Haunting... Glacien Demo (2013)

Hardened in frozen blood, Glacien are a three piece black metal band hailing from Bloomington Indiana. On this demo, Glacien hold nothing back. It's cold. It's miserable. It's bare. It berates the listener's ears. It's lower fi than most. It was recorded with minimal recording methods, but it is brutal and to the point. Of the three songs on their demo, Glacien conjure only one song (II) that churns longer than three minutes. The vocals are a mixture of tortured wails, growls, and screams surging forth from the coldest Antarctic blizzard. They preside over the music as a vessel spewing forth abuse. The drums are a steady bombardment of tried and true rhythms meant for aural punishment. The cymbals claw and chime their way in and out of the mix as if being pounded in the depths of a cave. The guitar is the heft and coldness powering the music. Over the course of the demo the guitar becomes suffocating and frenzied with the fluctuating echo of reverb. This is a demo spawned from the deep with minimal respite. When the guitar frenzy slows for brief moments, then Glacien shoot short volleys of doom in contained rage. This is harsh music bound to the fury of nature and the bleakness of the tortured and dark psyche. Over the course of the three songs one is resigned to the notion that Glacien would be perfectly content with endless winter. The future looks benumbed indeed if Glacien continue to trudge headlong in to the coldest winds of the void.

glacien.bandcamp.com/

Clandestine Arts Recording... Fully Backed...

Carl Byers as his alter ego, the mobile recording studio known as Clandestine Arts Recording, is quickly becoming the go to recording engineer for some of Indianapolis' and surrounding cities' bands. Providing low cost but high quality mobile recording and mastering, Herr Byers wrecks mixing boards and microphones in search of a band's ultimate recorded tone. As a long time musician himself, Byers achieves formidable recording success via ever expanding knowledge of sound and equipment. Whether it's surrounding a kick drum in styrofoam padding to enhance the deep essence of the drum or trying various mic or cabinet configurations, Byers is never short of ideas on how to best capture a band's sound and aesthetic. It's the pursuit of audio worship that propels Clandestine Arts Recording forward. With an ever expanding line up of equipment, Clandestine Arts Recording is only beginning to change the face of recording in and around Indianapolis. A band can take solace when recording with Herr Byers in his ability to capture any band's inspired emanations. Feel free to contact him to set up a session at this email address: clandestinearts@gmail.com.

Here is a link to Clandestine Arts Recording's Soundcloud page with various examples of bands and songs recorded by Herr Byers. soundcloud.com/clandestine-arts.

Further information:
clandestineartsrecording.com
www.facebook.com/clandestineartsrecording

Ft. Wayne Hates You...

Nuclear Hellfrost hate you. They hate your music. They hate your stupid mustache. They hate your three thousand dollar guitar and your Honda Civic. They hate your swooped and slicked hundred dollar haircut. They hate the flower bed in your grandmother's garden. They hate your love of cats. They hate your ambition. They hate your daily life of routine and false hope. They hate your harmonies and melodies. They hate your two ply toilet paper. They hate your BPA free coffee cup. They hate your perfectly ripped and placed back patches. They hate your lust for cheap beer and serious conversations. They hate when the sun shines in your direction. They hate your over-consumption. They hate the stale city you call home. Fuck you.

DIY to the core, Nuclear Hellfrost hail from Ft. Wayne (Indiana) and proceed to blast your ears with a filthy brand of crusty punk infused black metal. Lower fi than most, their demo rips and seethes with hate and venom directed at anyone not in their inner circle. Total annihilation would be a positive place to start in their minds. The drums are a non-stop exercise in nuclear war via a drum kit. The guitar buzz and shred with tremolo picking and napalm solos. The vocals crack, scream, and growl from the belly of the beast. Displaying a distinct grind influence, Nuclear Hellfrost never let up or slow down. And why should they? Nuclear Hellfrost are not happy. They are not hopeful. They do not care if you like them or their music. They are anti-establishment. As a whole, the demo is quite promising and punishing. There is hate in the world, and Nuclear Hellfrost are a bestial vehicle of hate. Nihilistic and cold, they are a band bent on doing whatever they want musically. No fucks are given. Their music is not for you or about you. Just remember, Nuclear Hellfrost hate you. Fuck you.

nuclearhellfrost.bandcamp.com/album/demo-i

An Ethereal Journey...

Hailing from Bloomington Indiana, Thee Open Sex is a psyched out experience in droning lushness. Occasionally shoegaze-y,their sound is pulled from the ether dripping with acid tinged excursions in meditation and desire. By sharing members with Apache Dropout and Racebannon, Thee Open Sex is quite experienced in the ecstatic release of emotion and longing. On their self--titled release, the band delivers a reverb laden explosion of analog goodness. The guitars swirl in and out, only to growl in heated waves that never seem to fully break. The understated female vocals compliment the torridity of the instrumentation with howling peaks and valleys. The rhythm section holds the entire band together with reservation and well timed pulsating nuances. This debut release should be taken as a whole. No one song outlives or is better than another. It's an excursion in to warm meditation and back alley ardor. In seven songs clocking in just over a half an hour, Thee Open Sex cultivate a radiant experience of pleasure based heat in a timely fashion. Though this album has been released for over a year it still holds up throughout the seasonal changes and breaking spring resurgence. Let Thee Open Sex enter your head space and take you on a transcendental jaunt.

theeopensex.bandcamp.com/

www.facebook.com/TheeOpenSex

A Late Winter's Blast...

Indiana's winter will not be defeated this year. Coupled with the hangover from daylight savings time means many natives of Indiana are restless. With that in mind, here is the video for Giraffes Eating Lion's Daylight Savings. It's a short blast of riffs and oddball tomfoolery. Giraffes Eating Lions is an Indianapolis four piece of noisy, no fucks given rockers bound to push a lot of air and stay corn fed. All members have been around the block a few times in multiple bands (Sleepbringer, Apostle of Solitude, Necropharmacon, and Nidus), but GEL won't be contained or restrained. Let this two minute blast of audio and video cure your hangover and fidgeting by directing your wanderlust towards the burgeoning signs of spring's arrival.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pY8aHUzRtA



Giraffes Eating Lions...
giraffeseatinglions.bandcamp.com/
www.facebook.com/GiraffesEatingLions

Radio to Ritual...

When something good is going on then people should know about it. Get familiar with Sonic Ritual Radio, and tune in to some quality people playing music they care about. Based out of Indianapolis, the men behind Sonic Ritual Radio play what they like and are committed to filling the airwaves with a much needed dose of independent heavy music. They're also branching out with interviews of the various musicians from the bands they play. Banter, jams, interviews... Tune in, and fall in or out...

www.sonicritualradio.com/

www.facebook.com/SonicRitualRadio

And while you're at it... Check out Conjurer for a de-tuned hammer fist of thunder... Never have a Fender Jazzmaster and Rickenbacker 360 sounded so heavy.

http://music.conjurer.in/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uI54b8iMto