Leech (+ The Funeral Pyre & Thou) - Discography

And now let's look at some of the more famous (well, some more than others), early Cascadian BM bands.

First, I want to present the "heathen primitivists", Leech from Oregon.

To discover the politics of this band, you need not go far. The release, Against Leviathan!, is a great example.

Against His-Story, Against Leviathan! is a 1983 book by Fredy Perlman, for which he is best known. It is a personal critical perspective on contemporary civilization and society. The work defined anarcho-primitivism for the first time, and was a major source of inspiration for anti-civilization perspectives in contemporary anarchism, most notably on the thought of philosopher John Zerzan.

- From Wikipedia.


And....

The packaging is a 12-page zine
detailing the band's anarcho-primitivist sentiments, with the booklet
essentially serving as a primer.

-  From Metal-Archives.com (article - "Leech - Against Leviathan!")






Musically speaking, Leech adhere to a more traditional lo-fi sound. So they deviate a bit from your standard Cascadian BM, not so atmospheric, different sound of production. At the same time however, their sound differs greatly from release to release. The comment that appears to be repeated in this vein, is that from release to release, due to the differences in sound, it almost sounds like a different band.  I am not a huge listener of them, but I certainly did enjoy their last release, the split with Thou. Certainly this post will get me listening to them more.

Can't find a myspace (or official website) for these guys. Guess they don't like technology ;)

Album Name: Ten Black Hymns
Band: Leech
Genre: Blackened Folk/Doom Metal
Year: 2005
Country:
Track Listing:

1.	Hymn 1	02:58
2.	Hymn 2	03:19
3.	Hymn 3	03:38
4.	Hymn 4	02:42
5.	Hymn 5	06:09
6.	Hymn 6 (Instrumental)	02:24
7.	Hymn 7	02:24
8.	Hymn 8	06:05
9.	Hymn 9	05:12
10.	Hymn 10 (Instrumental)	02:42
Total playing time		37:46

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Album Name: Ten Black Hymns
Band: The Funeral Pyre/Leech
Genre: Melodic Death, Black Metal/Blackened Folk,Doom Metal
Year: 2006
Country:
Track Listing:

The Funeral Pyre
1.	The Last Breath of Man	07:42
Leech
2.	The Greatest Burden	03:24
3.	On the Eve of Battle	03:54
Total playing time		15:36

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Album Name: Against Leviathan!
Band: Leech
Genre: Blackened Folk/Doom Metal
Year: 2005
Country:
Track Listing:

1.	At Once, Our Home Was Overcome By a Roar Which Tore Through Our Hearts, Silencing the Wind and the Quiet Songs of the Birds; We Realised What We Had Lost, and Began to Call to Her.	11:40
2.	Chained to the Ghost of a Lie, We Blindly Stumble Toward Our Death, Stopping Occasionally to Kick (But Never Question) the Rotted Carcass At Our Feet Which Slows Our Pace.	09:29
3.	True History of Mankind (Live)	06:17
4.	A Long Forgotten Path (Live)	06:04
5.	I Saw a Hole in the Man, Deep Like a Hunger He Will Never Fill...	02:21
Total playing time		35:51

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Album Name: Ten Black Hymns
Band: Thou/Leech
Genre: Sludge, Drone, Doom Metal/Blackened Folk, Doom Metal
Year: 2008
Country:
Track Listing:

Thou
1.	Unmasked	02:03
2.	Here I Stand Head in Hand	08:03
3.	Rats and Mice and Swarms of Lice	06:07
4.	The Defeatist's Lament	02:52
Leech
5.	Untitled	20:43
Total playing time		39:45

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Unfortunately, couldn't find this demo, but it appears that stuff appears on other releases mostly.

Petrychor - Dryad EP

And from California, Petrychor.

So what's in a name?

Petrichor (pronounced /ˈpɛtrɨkər/; from Greek petros "stone" + ichor the fluid that flows in the veins of the gods in Greek mythology) is the name of the scent of rain on dry earth.

The term was coined in 1964 by two Australian researchers, Bear and Thomas, for an article in the journal Nature. In the article, the authors describe how the smell derives from an oil exuded by certain plants during dry periods, whereupon it is absorbed by clay-based soils and rocks. During rain, the oil is released into the air along with another compound, geosmin, producing the distinctive scent. In a follow-up paper, Bear and Thomas (1965) showed that the oil retards seed germination and early plant growth.

- From Wikipedia.

"The diverse nature of the host materials has led us to propose the name 'petrichor' for this apparently unique odor which can be regarded as an 'ichor' or 'tenuous essence' derived from rock or stone (hence the petr...)."

- Quoted from book, from this webpage.


Petrychor is an amazing, and most definitely promising project. I originally had alot more to say, but alas I lost the post I nearly posted yesterday. This is but a shadow of the detail I went into.

So from artwork and from the name at least, a strong appreciation of nature would be an understatement. This is universally categorised as Cascadian BM. But the music is something that has really stood out to alot of people. The lack of a physical release of their debut EP, it being electronically released online only, thas made it inelligle for a metal-archives profile. But people really have raved about this band. Some have said it's renewed their interest in BM, it's something interesting, something new.

They're an absolute standout, and at the very least, it's one of the best USBM projects and releases of 2010.

The music composed here manifests in an incredible mix of ambient/atmospheric, BM, but possibly most interestingly, folk, reminiscent to some degree for me at least, of Panopticon, such as in Collapse. But in a very different way, and very much their own.

I should give credit that I first discovered this band from the RABM blog, but saw it worthy of repeating. Unfortunately there is not alot of information around about this group.

I put this release up there with the releases that have really entralled me the most, amongst Altar of Plagues' White Tomb, and the recent Fell Voices/Ash Borer split. And I look for to future releases, especially the apparent up coming full-length.

I highly reccommend.

Official Website (you can download Dryad EP for free here)
Petrychor Myspace Page

Album Name: Dryad
Band: Petrychor
Genre: Folk/Ambient/Atmospheric/Black Metal
Year: 2010
Country:
Track Listing:

1.	Dryad (I Make My Home)	10:55
2.	Gamma Leonis	08:09
3.	...of Salt and Sky	04:08

             Total playing time  23:12


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Yaotl Mictlan - Guerreros De La Tierra De Los Muertos & Dentro del Manto Gris de Chaac

Yaotl Mictlan (meaning “warriors from the land of the dead” in the Mexican language Nahuatl) is is one of the most famous prehispanic BM bands, and most certainly is the most acclaimed.

From the Boston Phoenix:

... with an aesthetic that merges brutal death metal, Mayan imagery, and an over-the-top stage show, they have concocted an angry brew of metallic cultural warfare. In a conservative place like Salt Lake City it makes the band’s heads-on-sticks live savagery all the more righteous and dangerous.

And from their record label (Candlelight Records) website:

They’re lyrics talk about their belief that after christians colonized Mexico their people lost their identity and succumbed to a colonized way of life. Their lyrics are inspired by the unfortunate way in which at the present time their people live in extreme self hatred. Ultimately they would like to see the end of the colonized way of thinking and for their people to embrace their roots.

Quite honestly, I agree. I think Yaotl Mictlan is undoubtedly one of the best prehispanic BM bands around. Though one review of their releases I had read does make a good point that perhaps they do not use the element of their Indigenous sound as much as they could/should, which is of course their drawcard and strength, they are one not to miss.

I quite enjoyed their first full length, but as it turns out, I actually enjoy more their latest full length. The last two songs especially I find amazing. And the last song in particular. It's about nature, or there lack of.

Solid politics, sold music.

Yaotl Mictlan Myspace Page

Album Name: Guerreros De La Tierra De Los Muertos
Band: Yaotl Mictlan
Genre: Black Metal
Year: 2006
Country: (now USA)
Track Listing:

1.	Espejo Que Humea	02:43
2.	El Gran Sacrificio De Quetzalcoalt	05:23
3.	Aztlan	05:01
4.	A Batalla Vamos	05:55
5.	Códices	03:36
6.	Resistencia Itzae	05:54
7.	Sexto Sol Aún Naciendo	08:58
8.	Sangre De Vida	03:07
9.	Guerra Indígena	04:58
10.	Fuego Rebelde	05:26
11.	Anenécuilco: Semillas De Rebelion	03:51
12.	Nuevo Sol De Teotihuacan	10:10
13.	Caída Del Aguíla	05:30
Total playing time		01:10:31

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Album Name: Dentro del Manto Gris de Chaac
Band: Yaotl Mictlan
Genre: Black Metal
Year: 2010
Country: (now USA)
Track Listing:

1.	Dentro del Manto Gris de Chaac	07:21
2.	Garra de Jaguar (Ocho Venado)	06:16
3.	Cihuacoatl (La Llorona)	06:20
4.	Hun Hunapu	04:55
5.	Gemelos Heroes	04:32
6.	Noche Triunfadora	06:08
7.	Huelitiyotl Mexica	07:33
8.	Nada Verde Creece Aqui	06:21
Total playing time		49:26

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Prehispanic Black Metal (+ Compilations)

Translated from the Prehispanic Metal | Folk Metal Latinoamericano group from last.fm:

It's a genre inspired by the vast cultural wealth
Whose desire is to rescue Latin America throughlyrical, most of the time, are engagedancestors and the use of instruments of eachcountry, hopeful that American societylisten to this music and integrates a bit more toancient cultures of America. Also leada metal identity in Latin America.

Prehispanic Black Metal is a relatively unknown genre, but is slowing gaining recognition.

Looking at the name etymologically, it is derived of music inspired by indigenous culture predating the colonisation of the Spanish. This is then obviously strongly linked to music from Latin America (if not exclusive to, at least at this point), including countries colonised by other imperialist powers (such as Brazil with the Portuguese). This music takes inspiration and pride in both their culture (stories, traditions, etc) and music (indigenous instruments, singing/chanting etc). Not to mention their connection to the Earth. And this manifests itself as the sounds of animals and nature - or it's destruction.

This is evidently related to Folk music, though very much with it's own character - without getting into the many complex particularities, their specific relationship to colonisation and continued oppression marks a very distinctive difference here.

And because of this, I think it is difficult to categorise certain bands that imitate this music, yet do not share this history, this culture, this ancestry. For example, there is one such Russian band. I have not much listened to that band, but a Russian band imitating all this strikes me as strange, if not problematic, to say the least.

And of course, add all this to Black Metal. Though some bands may simply be different variations of Metal, the strongest tendency is variations of Black Metal.

And here are some compilations related to thus:

Compilation:

Metal Nativo Latinoamericano

01 - Aztra - Alturas (Ecuador)
02 - Ek – Hijos del sol (México)
03 - Guahahihoque – Along a Path (Colombia)
04 - Ch'aska – Imperio Caído (Perú)
05 - Yaotl Mictlán – Resistencia Itzae (México)
06 - Yanaconas – Tupac Amaru (Argentina)
07 - Folkheim – 1781 (Chile)
08 - Wangelen – Bajo Hualles y Canelos (Chile)
09 - Kukulcán – Señor de la guerra Huitzilopochtli (México)
10 - Kranium – Reencarnación (Perú)
11 - Paghania – Santuario del Puma (Chile)
12 - Chaquen – Donde los ángeles caminan (Colombia)
13 - Balam Akab – La última batalla (México)
14 - Yana Raymi – Magia Oscura (Perú)
15 - Mictlán – Ce Miquiztli (México)
16 - Diadema Tristis – Myth from the Ruins (Argentina)

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Metal Nativo Latinoamericano II

01 - Datura - Datura (Colombia)
02 - Muluc Pax - Akbal Lugar de Oscuridad (México)
03 - Toccata Magna - Incognite Soul (Brasil)
04 - Arraigo - Zamba para los Huérfanos (Argentina)
05 - Ai apaec Peru Salvaje- Marcha Inca (Perú)
06 - Anerhoth - Hordejaylli (Colombia)
07 - Tierramystica - Spiritual Song (Brasil)
08 - Auka Runa - Indian Land Brave (Chile)
09 - Khondor - Andean Metal Prevails (Colombia)
10 - Xipe Totec - Eztliquiahutl (México)
11 - Corubo - Nhanderu Hasy Katu (Brasil)
12 - Son Iok - Mexicca (México)
13 - Vento Negro - Centrodonte Triunfo Austral (Brasil)
14 - Hun Camé - Teponaztli (México)

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More prehispanic BM to come!

Ash Borer - Tour rehearsal demo

So here also is the Ash Borer Tour demo. I couldn't find the album artwork unfortunately.

Also, I am starting to wonder when Fell Voices and Ash Borer are gonna start naming their songs. They have alot of untitled songs...

Album Name: Tour Rehearsal Demo
Band: Ash Borer
Genre: Black Metal
Year: 2010
Country: USA
Track Listing:

1. Untitled 07:42 2. Untitled 10:11 Total playing time 17:53 DOWNLOAD

Fell Voices - 2010 Tour CD-R

So here is the Fell Voices 2010 Tour CD-R from their US tour with Ash Borer (their tour CD-R posted after this). I waited until I had a proper listen to both these releases before posting them. Indeed, this is just a demo for their upcoming releases (well, at least that is apparently the case for Fell Voices). And for me, that is a relief. I can't say I though that much of either of them, especially after listening to the amazing split they produced before this. Hopefully the upcoming releases will build up on this, but on their own, I don't see this much more than a rough update on the current progress of both bands.

Artist: 2010 Tour CD-R
Album: Fell Voices
Genre: Drone/Ambient Black Metal
Year: 2010
Origin: USA
Track Listing:

1.	Untitled	22:05
2.	Untitled	19:06
Total playing time		41:11

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Altar of Plagues - Discography

And here we are, with one of these Cascadian-inspired/influenced BM. Altar of Plagues from Ireland blew me away when I was first exposed to them through listening to the full length White Tomb. The uplifting power I felt/feel from that release is indescribable.

Altar of Plagues apparently claim not to be a political band, however, even if they are not trying to propagandist in the nature of their subject matter, what they describe (passively?) is.

Oppression, Urbanism, Ecology, Conservation

(quoted from metal-archives.com) ... what more can I say.

Their earlier demo and EPs definitely showed their potential, building up slowly through each release. Really exploring and demonstrating their ambient/atmospheric BM niche. White Tomb made it official. Then the latest EP, Tides, tries to stick with what they did on White Tomb, and does tries to explore a new direction a little. However, it didn't quite reach the same plateau. Let's wait for their next full length and see where they will go next. It's hard to match White Tomb, and that release alone puts them amongst the best BM bands around for me personally.

And of course, it's always good to support an artist and buy their stuff if you really dig it:

Altar of Plagues Myspace Page

Album Name: First Plague (Demo)
Band: Altar of Plagues
Genre: Black Metal
Year: 2006
Country: Ireland
Track Listing:

1.	0	01:28
2.	Questions Of Peril	06:08
3.	Hypnotic Soundscapes	06:26
4.	Towards A Higher State Of Being	06:34
5.	This Void	06:28
6.	00	01:15
Total playing time		28:23

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Album Name: Through the Cracks of The Earth
Band: Altar of Plagues
Genre: Black Metal
Year: 2007
Country: Ireland
Track Listing:

1.	Ascending	01:11
2.	I Am the Offering	06:13
3.	Cast to the Seas	03:42
4.	Promise and Purpose	07:57
5.	Skies Apart	08:30
Total playing time		27:33

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Album Name: Sol
Band: Altar of Plagues
Genre: Black Metal
Year: 2008
Country: Ireland
Track Listing:

1.	Intro	01:51
2.	The Titan Skies	05:43
3.	Twisted Structures Against The Sun	11:43
4.	With Fire In Our Veins We Drown In Light	14:16
Total playing time		33:34

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Album Name: White Tomb
Band: Altar of Plagues
Genre: Black Metal
Year: 2009
Country: Ireland
Track Listing:

1.	Earth: As a Womb	12:03
2.	Earth: As a Furnace	15:00
3.	Through the Collapse: Watchers Restrained	09:48
4.	Through the Collapse: Gentian Truth	13:10
Total playing time		49:59

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Album Name: Tides
Band: Altar of Plagues
Genre: Black Metal
Year: 2010
Country: Ireland
Track Listing:

1.	Atlantic Light	15:45
2.	The Weight of All	19:45
Total playing time		36:30

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