Silence Of The Old Man - Carencia De Ausencia EP (2010)

And a side project from the guitarist of Auka Runa (Chile).

 

The beginning of Silence of the Old Man goes back to a side project aukko, composer, producer and guitarist for bands like Rune aukko (Folk metal experimental) and IN / SANE (Metal insane).
This side project was born in the year 2007 with the first models, and bore the name Silence of Lament, then the models were inclined to Black Doom, more environmentally sustainable.
For the time and Rune aukko projects, is hampered further by creating this project, so that by the year 2009, aukko decides to take the models and restructure with a new sound that was something special, so it was decided create the project with the name Silence of the Old Man, it was locked, and not wanted to reveal what was working, by 2010 it began recording the EP, Lack of Absence, and gives birth to this Post Black Metal Shoegaze and transforming the genre into something aesthetically acceptable, and similarly trying to leave South America in the sights of foreign labels for bands and projects to be heard in Europe, Asia, and North America.

- Quote http://silenceoftheoldman.blogspot.com/ ("Biografia" - rough translation from Spanish).

Though Auka Runa themselves are yet to have any official release, their guitarist has managed to put together his first release, an EP, for his promising solo project, Silence Of The Old Man. And for a solo project, the quality of this release is impressive.

Musically, this is reminiscent of post-BM stuff, and maybe you can thrown in that shoegraze word in there too. Definitely comparable to the more cleaner and well-produced Cascadian (style) BM. For those into that type of BM, it really is pretty impressive. It's amongst the first of this kind of BM I've seen from that part of the world, and I welcome it wholeheartedly. Auscencia is a real stand out song, but it's a fairly solid EP all round.

Great EP, and I'd recommend keeping an eye out for the full length Lack of Absence in future.

Album Name: Carencia De Ausencia EP

Band: Silence Of The Old Man

Genre: Post-Black Metal/Shoegaze

Year: 2010

Country: Chile

Track Listing:

 

1.	Intro	00:23
2.	Cicatriz De Olvido	08:21
3.	El Silencio De Los Lamentos	07:00
4.	Colapso	03:53
5.	Tiempo De Miseria	08:08
6.	Ausencia	08:17
7.	Outro	02:54
Total playing time		38:56

 

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Tzitzimine - Extli Xochitl EP (2008)

Death Metal from Mexico.

In Aztec mythology, a tzitzimitl (plural tzitzimimeh) is a deity associated with stars. They were depicted as skeletal female figures wearing skirts often with skull and crossbone designs. In Postconquest descriptions they are often described as "demons" or "devils" - but this does not necessarily reflect their function in the prehispanic belief system of the Aztecs.

The Tzitzimimeh were female deities, and as such related to fertility, they were associated with the Cihuateteo and other female deities such as Tlaltecuhtli, Coatlicue, Citlalinicue and Cihuacoatl and they were worshipped by midwives and parturient women. The leader of the tzitzimime was the Goddess Itzpapalotl who was the ruler of Tamoanchan - the paradise where the Tzitzimimeh resided.
The Tzitzimimeh were also associated with the stars and especially the stars that can be seen around the sun during a solar eclipse. This was interpreted as the Tzitzimimeh attacking the sun, this caused the belief that during a solar eclipse, the tzitzimime would descend to the earth and devour human beings. The Tzitzimimeh were also feared during other ominous periods of the Aztec world, such as during the five unlucky days called Nemontemi which marked an unstable period of the aztec year count, and during the New Fire ceremony marking the beginning of a new calendar round - both were periods associated with the fear of change.
The Tzitzimimeh had a double role in Aztec religion: they were protectresses of the feminine and progenitresses of mankind. But they were also powerful and dangerous, especially in periods of cosmic instability.

 - Quote wikipedia ("Tzitzimine")

Eztli

From open-dictionary.com - the free dictionary.

Nahuatl

Noun

eztli

1. blood

 - Quote open-dictionary.com ("eztli")

Xóchitl (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈʃotʃitɬ]), a hispanicized version of xōchitlNahuatl pronunciation: [ˈʃoːtʃitɬ], (flower), is a feminine given name somewhat common in Central and Southern Mexico...

- Quote wikipedia ("Xóchitl")


Tzitzimine is a Death Metal band hailing from DF, Mexico. They have prehispanic influences in their music, less strongly evident than other prehispanic Metal bands, though apparently their prehispanic musical manifestations are more lyrical than instrumental.

This is fairly fast-paced and brutal Death Metal. Overall, I quite like it. Great riffs with nice harsh vocals. However, it's a short release (it's an EP), and the production could be slightly better.

One note on the quotations above, I couldn't find a translation of the word "extli", not outright anyway. Though I got the expression it is a variation of the word "eztli". My Nahuatl ain't perfect.

Tzitzimine @ myspace

Album Name: Extli Xochitl EP

Band: Tzitzimine

Genre: Death Metal

Year: 2008

Country: México

Track Listing:

1.	Tzitzimine	05:01
2.	Te Espero en el Infierno	04:37
3.	Maldita Perra	02:10
4.	Extli Xochitl	03:33
5.	In Miquixtli Cenca Mahuiztli	05:46
Total playing time		21:07

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Tad Piecka - Discography

And here's the person behind the amazing Petrychor project.

Fingerstyle guitar inspired equally by folk traditions and modern orchestral composers, following in the footsteps of traveling solo musicians.

Other projects he is involved in include Tremolite, Beware of Safety and Petrychor.

- Quote last.fm ("Tad Piecka")


So as I said, Tad Piecka is the person behind Petrychor. I found out a little while ago, and have been checking out his solo stuff, some such as I present here. However, it's confirmed as being him behind Petrychor now that he has created a Petrychor section at his official website.

Tad Piecka's solo acoustic music is in one word, majestic. It's completely instrumental, very melodic, soothing, and quite diverse. He uses a few different instruments here, blends folk styles (American and Irish according to him), and his fingerstyle and finger picking is a real stand out here.

It's truly beautiful.

It's funny, even before Tad Piecka put up info about Petrychor on his website, upon discovering him as the protagonist of Petrychor, when I heard his solo acoustic stuff, I could hear and feel the parallels in the music instantly. His style really is unique, and if listening the acoustic elements of Petrychor is something you would be into, definitely check this out.

And remember he has some other interesting musical projects too.

Official website
Tad Piecka @ bandcamp (Download for free here, or pay what you want)

Fingerstyle guitar and harp guitar pieces composed in Boston and various towns in Ireland, inspired by many different styles of folk music. Everything is live without overdubs.

This album was used as the source material for my electronic EP, Castles Rebuilt.

- Quote tadpiecka.bandcamp.com ("On Cunning and Castle Building")

Album Name: On Cunning and Castle Building

Band: Tad Piecka

Genre: Folk

Year: 2008

Country: USA

Track Listing:

1.	Little Boom	02:24
2.	Oso Delicioso	04:17
3.	A Thin Layer of butterscotch	03:36
4.	Snakes	04:38
5.	Slow Beacon Calling	05:37
6.	Commons	04:40
7.	Bring Up	01:28
8.	Quixotic Conundrum	02:29
9.	Killarney	02:39
10.	The Trees are Like Sentries	04:07
11.	Rattle	04:40
Total playing time		40:35

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Unlike On Cunning and Castle Building, this EP was put together with a singular theme in mind. Inspired mainly by traveling music, all of the tracks are fingerpicked, save for Kittyhawk which is mostly tapped. As always, everything is recorded live without overdubs. 

 - Quote tadpiecka.bandcamp.com ("A Feather to the Cheek is Comfort to the Vine")

Album Name: A Feather to the Cheek is Comfort to the Vine

Band: Tad Piecka

Genre: Folk

Year: 2008

Country: USA

Track Listing:

 

1.	Intro	00:41
2.	The Gift of Elocution (Part I)	05:23
3.	A Feather to the Cheek is Comfort to the Vine	03:35
4.	Ojo	01:59
5.	The Gift of Elocution (Part II)	06:17
6.	Kittyhawk	05:51
7.	Shoehorn	02:49
Total playing time		26:35

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More American and Irish folk played with modernist techniques, a touch of Philip Glass, and my oldest fingerstyle song finally rerecorded (Porblem No. 17).

 - Quote tadpiecka.bandcamp.com ("Stars Are Stars and Yours Are Yours")

Album Name: Stars Are Stars and Yours Are Yours

Band: Tad Piecka

Genre: Folk

Year: 2009

Country: USA

Track Listing:

1.	Stars Are Stars and Yours Are Yours	04:50
2.	A Feather to the Cheek Is Comfort to the Vine	03:13
3.	Porblem No. 17	04:26
4.	Nary a Nastier Dish	06:42
5.	Farishta's Folk I	04:41
6.	Farishta's Folk II	04:19
7.	We Call Each One by Name	02:33
Total playing time		30:44

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At Dusk/Idolater - Split (2010)

And here I present you with two bands from Santa Cruz, California (USA), At Dusk and Idolater.

 

At Dusk is a one-man project headed by Korihor. The songs on this split musically are some sort of a mix of your standard lo-fi BM and some DSBM, additionally with a bit of ambiance. For me, their last song on the split is the high point. The combination of ambiance and faster/heavy BM really drew me in. Themes in this music are a strong appreciation for nature, or "nature worship", and not surprisingly given the name adopted by the single member of this band, vehement anti-Christianity.

Korihor is a prominent skeptic mentioned in The Book of Mormon, in Alma 30. Korihor successfully preached ...that there could be no atonement made for the sins of men, but every man fared in this life according to the management of the creature; therefore every man prospered according to his genius, and that every man conquered according to his strength; and whatsoever a man did was no crime.
Korihor is directly referred to in The Book of Mormon as an Anti-Christ, because he claimed there will be no Christ. Despite a freedom of religion, Korihor's views and teachings alarmed the clerical government, who felt that his views were dangerous to their society. Under his teachings, people had begun to ignore the laws of the land (which were based on the religious beliefs of their society). Under arrest before a high priest, during a hearing for his apparent blasphemy and for causing social discord, Korihor offers a speech in his own defense. Korihor is turned over to higher authority and later gets into an argument with the chief judge and governor, Alma, about the existence of God. Alma refused to accept Korihor's arguments and Korihor finally demanded that Alma show him a sign from God or he, Korihor, would not believe in God. This culminated in Korihor being miraculously rendered deaf and mute, upon which Korihor confessed, in writing, ...I always knew that there was a God. But behold, the devil hath deceived me; for he appeared unto me in the form of an angel, and said unto me: Go and reclaim this people, for they have all gone astray after an unknown God. And he said unto me: There is no God; yea, and he taught me that which I should say. Cast out, Korihor became a beggar and was later trampled to death by a group who had separated themselves from the main Nephite society.

- Quote Wikipedia ("Korihor")


Idolater, another one-man project, and is also a fairly lo-fi production, amongst other similarities. A markedly rough vocal style, and perhaps less ambient (and less DSBM). Lyrically, perhaps a more intense anti-Christianity than At Dusk, and I feel the lyrical similarities end there.

Idolater actually has the two songs on this split on a full length, Black Sexual Blasphemy. As I've read elsewhere on the matter, it's a bit more of a "teaser" in that way, as opposed to a proper split.

For those into more dark/lo-fi stuff.

Album Name: At Dusk/Idolater - Split
Band: At Dusk/Idolater
Genre: DSBM/Black Metal
Year: 2010
Country:
Track Listing:

At Dusk
1.	Invocation of Ancient Power	03:10
2.	Colder Than the Merciless Snow	06:28
3.	End of Being	05:02
4.	My Flesh, A Pittance	05:32
5.	The Profaned Temple	05:29
6.	Forsaken, Betrayed	07:30
Idolater
7.	Lux Et Luxuria	06:38
8.	The Passion In My Heart	05:25
Total playing time		45:11

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Dead and Forgetten - The Tempest (2003), Ars Moriendi (2004) & Strix sive de ludificatione daemonum (2008)

From Italy, Dead and Forgotten.

Alessandria, Italy (2001 - present)
Dead and Forgotten is a solo project Depressive Black Metal \ Anarcho-Pagan Black Metal was born in 2001 in Alexandria, characterized by extremely cold atmosphere and decadent that draw the listener in the desolate moors of loneliness and depression.

The first two demos dating back to 2002 and 2003 ('The Tempest'), for the Intolerant Records. In 2004 he released the magnificent EP 'Ars Moriendi' (Winter Records),composed five pieces that will form in 2008 ( along with three previously unreleased songs ), thefirst full- length album, 'Strix sivede ludificatione daemonum ' .

You can listen to some songs on the band's myspace page, http://www.myspace.com/deadandforgotten17.

- Quote (translated) lastfm.it ("Dead and Forgotten")


It's also notable as far as ideology goes, this band has strong beliefs for both the liberation of animals and nature. Another band for those into the vegan ethic.

Sound-wise, this is very much a lo-fi production, with that depressive drone. Akin to some Burzum, and the like. Not bad really, but yet not strikingly different to similar sounding bands in my opinion. Though, I haven't listened to all of their recordings yet.


Recommend for those into such politics and sound (as opposed to the usual Cascadian BM).

Album Name: The Tempest

Band: Dead and Forgetten

Genre: Black Metal

Year: 2003

Country: Italy

Track Listing:

1.	Flesh Cages	03:15
2.	The Wisdom Tree	03:28
3.	The Tempest	03:35
4.	Beyond The Putrefaction	03:52
Total playing time		14:10

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Album Name: Ars Moriendi

Band: Dead and Forgetten

Genre: Black Metal

Year: 2003

Country: Italy

Track Listing:

1.	Detail of Hell	06:42
2.	Interlude I	01:02
3.	The Wounds are Never Healed	06:21
4.	Interlude II	01:20
5.	The End of Winter	06:43
Total playing time		22:08

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the 5 songs from Ars Moriendi + 3 unreleased songs.

- Quote metal-archives.com ("Dead and Forgotten")

Album Name: Ars Moriendi

Band: Dead and Forgetten

Genre: Black Metal

Year: 2008

Country: Italy

Track Listing:

1.	Waiting Again	07:39
2.	As A Dying Tree	05:00
3.	The Darkest Room	06:34
4.	Detail Of Hell	06:44
5.	Interlude I	01:04
6.	The Wounds Are Never Healed	06:24
7.	Interlude II	01:23
8.	The End Of Winter	06:43
Total playing time		40:11

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When Bitter Springs Sleeps - When Bitter Springs Sleeps (2008)

And now a little bit more on When Bitter Spring Sleeps.

Black Metal Rituals inspired by, performed and recorded in a nature preserve environment blending true night sounds and black metal - Nature sounds in the live tracks are NOT samples mixed with the music - but the actual surrounding atmosphere while the music was being performed and recorded.in the forest. When Bitter Spring Sleeps is an ultimate atmospheric black metal experiment to commune with nature in a truly pagan and ritualistic manner. Organic analog beauty drawing main influences from Nature, Ritual, Paysage D’Hiver, Njiqahdda, Darkspace.

- Quote paganflames.com

WBBS are from Iowa (USA), comprised of the members Lord Sardonyx and Syntax A, both also of the band Satan's Almighty Penis.

And we briefly looked at WBSS with their recent split release with Panopticon. Quite a solid release, most notably I appreciated the WBSS side, given it's improvement in production and all-round better composition of music.

Their previous release, a self-titled demo, I share with you now. However, this original release of their's never really grabbed my attention. Though quite interesting and unique in that the album was recorded in a nature reserve (as opposed to the nature sounds being electronically incorporated), it just really didn't work for me. Poor quality production. The mixture of natural sounds and instruments didn't fit to me. Perhaps the natural sounds were somewhat overbearing. A bit too lo-fi generally, though some might dig that. But I certainly didn't forget them for such a memorable concept.

Obviously, really not my thing, but I do very much reccommend to check out the split with Panopticon.

WBSS @ myspace

Album Name: When Bitter Springs Sleeps

Band: When Bitter Springs Sleeps

Genre: Black Metal/Ambient

Year: 2008

Country: USA

Track Listing:

1.	What The Rain Knows	08:43
2.	Tears For The Sounds Of Darkness	14:28
3.	Beneath Mother Moon	07:22
Total playing time		30:34

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Nechochwen - Algonkian Mythos (2008) & Azimuths to the Otherworld (2010)

And some Native American stuff from the US.

The name Nechochwen literally means “walks alone” in the Lenni Lenape (Delaware) language.  It was a name given to me about 16 years ago by a friend.  It’s not necessarily an “alter ego” or stage name, just another name I am known by.  I started recording music under the name Nechochwen to connect with other musicians and people with an interest in early American history and American pre-history.  I am using the sounds available to me to create musical textures and scenes representative of western Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley in years past.

When Angelrust folded... ... I decided to concentrate on this music for a while and explore the Indian side of my ancestry a bit more.

- Quote here.

Nechochwen are a project of Aaron Carey (also of Angelrust and Harvist) expressing the Native American Indian side of his ancestry. Again, this stuff is heavy on the folk elements, which by no means demeans it, but infact emphasizes the pagan/folk/cultural/indig elements trying to be expressed in this music. To a lesser degree, there are doom/black metal parts to give it that extra kick, that raw angry emotion, just in case you thought the history of indigenous people in the US (and elsewhere) was all flowery.

Pretty cool stuff, especially if you're all about the folk.

Personally, I'd love a bit more metal in it for me. But it's still really amazingly beautiful. Soothing and calm.

By the way, Andrew Della Cagna is a guest on some of the music here.

Nechochwen @ myspace

Peter: The new album Algonkian Mythos tells stories of your Native ancestors.  What do you hope the listener will get from listening to the album?
Nechochwen: The album’s subject matter is the Northeastern United States in the second half of the eighteenth century into the early nineteenth century.  Not all of the topics or characters are Algonquian in origin, some are Iroquoian.  All these people interacted and either directly or indirectly affected each others’ way of life and belief systems.  I want the listener to learn something and get transported to that dark era.  For those who are already familiar with this subject, this music is for you.  These are compositions to keep history alive.  Try to picture the sights and smells that go along with the music.

- Quote here.

Album Name: Algonkian Mythos

Band: Nechochwen

Genre: Folk/Black Metal

Year: 2008

Country: USA

Track Listing:

1.	A Blistering Fusilade	00:53
2.	Fallen Timbers	04:45
3.	Algonkian Mythos	05:28
4.	Coffin of the Flesh	02:45
5.	Talgayeeta	04:00
6.	Gnadenhutten	03:57
7.	Cut-ta-ho-tha	03:53
8.	Pilawah	02:00
9.	Nilu-Famu	07:19
10.	West Across the Missi-theepi	03:48
Total playing time		34:56

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Album Name: Azimuths to the Otherworld

Band: Nechochwen

Genre: Folk/Black Metal

Year: 2010

Country: USA

Track Listing:

1.	Allumhammochwen: The Crossing	07:52
2.	At Night I May Roam	04:01
3.	Gissis Mikana	04:18
4.	Red Ocher	06:04
5.	The Eyes of the Mesingw	01:45
6.	Charnel House	04:38
7.	Graves of Grandeur	03:22
8.	Confluence	03:10
9.	Noameatha, You Are the Ghost in the Water	02:30
10.	The Forgotten Death Ritual	01:41
11.	Hunting Among the Stars	03:43
12.	Four Effigies	08:52
13.	Azimuths to the Otherworld	05:30
14.	Graves of Grandeur (Reprise)	03:23
Total playing time		59:36

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