Two Collections of Unreleased Material

 

Psalm 88 - The material in this collection was created at various times over the last 3 months. There are no vocals, and there is no production/mastering effects whatsoever. Quite a few songs here, mostly unnamed.

Download (mp3) 

 

Resurgent Atavism - An album's worth of material over four tracks. There are vocals, and cavernous "production." Neanderthal Black Metal, cave-dwellers howling in the night. Atypical uneasy listening. Intentionally difficult, but not without its rewards.

Download (mp3)

[Note 6/24/2020: "Resurgent Atavism" has been released here.]

Ukko (2019)

Alcohol is a hell of a drug, it can cause a person to do strange things. In addition to becoming an M.F.A. (that is, a "Mighty Fine American"), when you're an artist, it can make you think material you did for one project would be better off somewhere else.
So you start to move things around, creating 'sub-projects' on a whim just because you think it might be better represented in a different way.

 (Ukko - Kyllikki cover photo, taken in Sawyerville, QC)

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. It's really not that important, because out of the five people who've heard it, three said it sucked, one person liked it, and the last had no opinion.

What does make the music done with this project unique though, is that it is all basically a purge. It's literally a purging of bitterness, anger, love, regret, disillusion, dejection, and a thousand other descriptives ending in the same suffix.
It's all a mystery, wrapped up in an illusion, packaged in misdirection, and sent out to nowhere. I just had to get rid of it, and get the material off my hard-drive, and out of my system. How'd that work out, you ask? Meh... I guess it's better than it was beforehand.

(Ukko - Remembrance, cover photo taken in Sawyerville, QC)

The music was all created in a DAW. Originally, it was put under Wednes, or at least one or two albums were, each under different titles (one was called "Hate Synth," that much I remember). I threw some old vocal tracks over it, and made a 'new' project out of it: Ukko (named after the Finnish high god Ukko, equivalent of the Nordic Thor, and Sami Horagalles).

Don't let the fact that it was made in a DAW throw you off though, there's some soaring themes in this music, and it's pretty raw. Raw DAW. Eesh...  Whatever.

Only the Mediafire links available for these, and the files are in .wav, sorry about that.

Mediafire:

Ukko - Kyllikki (2019)

Ukko - Remembrance (2019)

Ukko - The True Path of Light (2019)

"Lords of Chaos" (movie review)

                            

[Note: I wrote this review some time last year. I posted it in a few places on social media, but didn't seem to make much of an impact. Since this is a blog, I thought 'why not post it here?' So that's what I'm doing. You've probably figured that out by now, I'm sure.]

**May contain spoilers.**

The review:

First off, as much as it pains me to say it... this was a pretty good film, as far as movies go.
It basically follows the story of Mayhem's early days, focusing on the drama between Euronymous and Varg Vikernes, and the now legendary antics of the formative stages of the Norwegian Black Metal scene.

Those of us who are really part of the Black Metal scene, and who have been following it for some time, are probably able to separate the fact from fantasy presented in this film. Although it does follow the basic timeline of events most of us are already familiar with, it nevertheless takes liberties by speculating on personal aspects of the individuals in question.
This is probably done for the sake of the film, however, in order to make it interesting and captivate an audience.

                                 

“I really liked looking at Varg as a shy kid who wanted to play Legos with the other boys. The scene where Varg is just at the party, and he’s watching everyone. I remember thinking about what it was like going to a new school for the first day, and watching all the other kids play, and wanting to make friends, but not knowing the rules. He didn’t know the rules.” - (Actor Emory Cohen, on playing Varg Vikernes)

For instance (**POSSIBLE SPOILER**), one of the first things I noticed (which irritated me) was a concerted effort to make Varg appear like a little bitch, a poseur trying to suck up to Euronymous. After a while though, I realized this was probably done for effect (e.g., character development), as by the end of the movie the role was flipped, with Euronymous becoming an increasingly pitiful and tragic characterization in the moments leading up to his death.

What the movie does highlight, and accurately portray (in my opinion) is a level of immaturity in the scene at this time, something which I have been thinking about a lot lately as I revisit the literature about it.
Many of the destructive events which occurred during this period seem to have often been impulsive actions fueled by a loose (but intense) ideology, which itself had not yet properly developed into anything coherent or sustainable. From what I've read, the movie's portrayal of the attitude of the "Black Circle" is, at very least, half correct. It is also safe to say that a lot has probably been lost in translation along the way, as it is clear to anyone who knows, that the individuals involved were not total imbeciles, fools, or plain idiots... even if they ended up doing some foolish and idiotic things. With this in mind, I cannot fully endorse the film as an entirely accurate representation of the events, or mentality of the Norwegian Black Metal scene at that time; although it is still entertaining, which is probably the main objective.

                        

(Rory Culkin as Euronymous)

Story-wise, the film is captivating enough, and holds the viewer's attention. I was disappointed that more of the bands weren't involved in the story, bands like Darkthrone (who arguably made the first actual Norwegian Black Metal record), and Emperor. In the case of the latter, Bard "Faust" Eithun does have a bit of a central role (as well as other recognizable portrayals such as Metalion, Snorre Ruch, and Attila Csihar on the periphery), but there were many other now-famous individuals who had a part in the "Black Circle" antics which were, unfortunately left out. As such, it's a bit of a fragmented tale.
One of the things I really enjoyed about the whole movie is the way it was shot. It has a bit of a vintage feel, and really gives a sense of the Norwegian geographic- and social-atmosphere, albeit subtly.

In conclusion, it is a film worth seeing for any Black Metal practitioner or fan, keeping in mind that some of it may come off as entirely frustrating at times due to how the story is being told. My concern, however, is that the film may influence the easily-impressionable, and less mature people within the scene, to attempt to re-inact or resurrect this type of mentality which led to such crimes.
The recent spate of church burnings after the release of this film is an indication of such immature behavior, in my opinion. Copycat-crimes of this nature are certainly indicative of trendiness, a lack of thinking for oneself, and inherently NOT Black Metal. If you weren't burning churches, etc., before the damn movie, doing so after the fact only reveals how much of a trendy follower you really are. Personally, I can only hold such actions in strictest contempt. Either you think for yourself, or you don't think at all.

                                

("We'll make our own subculture, with black-jack and hookers!")

Whether or not Euronymous had a bit of an inner struggle with all of this... nobody really knows (although the movie does speculate upon this). Many of the pioneers of this movement who were involved in these crimes (which were committed in their adolescene, I might add) have long since evolved in their outlook, and matured in their perspectives while continuing to remain as extreme in their views as they ever were.
So, for people new to Black Metal, or who are interested in these events, they should probably read the book "Lords of Chaos" first, (among others, such as those by Dayal Patterson) in order to form an objective opinion, before getting swept up in the atmosphere of the movie, which only tells part of the story anyway, in an incomplete fashion.

Watch the movie for free at.... just kidding. 

Razorwind (2018-?)

(New Razorwind logo, 2020)

The idea behind Razorwind was to make some form of 'Blackened Noise,' although conceptually revolving around the veneration and glorification of Winter (the season, not the band, obviously). 

What I wanted to do was compose original Black Metal songs consiting of the major elements (drums, bass and/or guitar, and vocals). Using this as 'source noise,' I would mix and master each song in such a way as to create a wall of noise with them (basically HNW), hoping to conjure, capture and emulate the sounds, feelings and emotions of being surrounded by a howling snowstorm on a desolate mountaintop.
I hoped to blend all the sounds so as to make them indestinguishable from one another, barely detectable and distant. It was hoped that the listener would 'get lost' in the sounds, occasionally hearing fragmented melodies, refrains and screams among swirling winds, whipping the snow and ice into a malestrom.

(Split album with Tristitia Nigrum)

I forget how it happened exactly, but somehow I ended up sending some of the initial tracks to 'Agrimonia Black,' the main man behind Tristitia Nigrum, and we decided to do a split. 

The three Razorwind tracks from the split are also the first three on the next album, "Grey.Winter.Noise.," although mixed to sound as if it were played on Marshall amps across a glacial chasm in the Antarctic wilderness.

 

(Cover to Motley Crüe's "Shout at the Devil")

I don't know if I'll do anything else with this project, but I've been considering it. I guess we'll see. 

Download at 'Name Your Price' (free or donation):

https://razorwind13.bandcamp.com/

Mediafire: 

Razorwind (first mix)

Salat - Hayya Al Las Salah (2018)

There's a lot of backstory to this project, but I'm not feeling too well right now, so I don't know how much of it will be told.

I had been intrigued with Islam since about 2010, after having some dreams of attending a mosque (I had never visited one prior, nor did I even know the location of any in the Sherbrooke area, where I was living at the time.
I got a copy of the Qur'an, started studying it, and began learning about Islam as much as I could. It got to the point where I would have converted back then, but had no idea how to do so formally.

Anyways, in 2018 (and ever following the spiritual turmoil of 2015), I decided to give Islam another shot. I guess I was trying in some way to stay within the arena of Abrahamic Monotheism. Even though I had some serious quandaries over Christianity, which prompted me to investigate Truth from other perspectives, I still wanted to give Abrahamism a fair shot. 

In February of 2018 I decided to seriously immerse myself in Islam again. One reason was that I was having substance abuse problems again, after having been clean for three years between 2013-2016. I had actually gone out in the city looking for drugs on the street, having no idea what to do or who to talk to. When I couldn't find any, I resolved to go back the following night and try again.

On my way home, I reasoned with myself. The thought struck me: "Instead of becoming a drug addict again, spending hundreds of dollars on opioids, why not just go get that Qur'an for $120 that you've been wanting since 2016?"

I honestly considered whether or not this might be God, urging me in my conscience toward a higher ideal. I decided I would try it. At very least, it would be better than getting robbed in the city or taken advantage of, due to talking with the wrong people.

So, this is how I got into Islam for realzies this time. I spoke with a Sheikh at a local mosque, expressed my desire to convert, and he helped me through the formal process.
I learned firsthand that the perception of Islam (and Muslims in general) in Quebec is extremely distorted, based on false presumptions, and (more often than not) total ignorance. Not only were the people I met kind and loving, hospitable and pious, they were also generous beyond belief.
I can only express my absolute gratitude to them, for without them my wife and I would never have been married.

Unfortunately, even though I had refrained from succumbing to opioids at that time, I still had a blossoming alcohol habit. [Note: I had had some health issues in early 2017; although I was following my doctor's guidance, after several months the medication for treatment was making it worse, and not helping the problem: as a result, I started self-medicating with alcohol and also abusing my benzos. I've been trying to get my benzos straight, and the alcohol habit under control for the past two years.]

All this is to say that, I had a difficult time adjusting to Muslim life. I read Qur'an, I said my prayers, and I learned as much as I could about the religion, its history, and its various factions and offshoots. Even if the intellectual-mind had been fulfilled though (which, I'm sad to say, it wasn't, but that's part of a different story), I still had a daily alcohol habit, dealing with depression and anxiety.
I went to pray at the mosque frequently, but usually when no one else was there. I attended Friday prayers several times, but eventually I stopped going. I didn't know Arabic yet, and (antisocial introvert that I am) being in a crowd of people like that is excruciatingly painful for someone with anxiety or close-proximity issues.

Had that been the only problem, I would have remained with Islam and tried harder to persevere through the obstacles. But I began to become more nihilistic, hopeless, and depressed as a result of my health problems, and other circumstances which lent themselves to the deteriorating optimism that I had worked so hard to cultivate since 2011.
When one gets too depressed, starts thinking of only drugs, suicide, or whatever relief he can find... attending church or mosque becomes pretty difficult. It's just survival from one day to the next.
I eventually just felt like the people at mosque were too good for me. They didn't need me there contaminating their holy place with my presence.

                        

("Hayya Al Las Salah" Album cover)

Now on to the album! I haven't heard this album in a long time, so I don't remember what it sounds like overall. Some people have enjoyed it though, and it has seen a bit more popularity than some of my other work. 

The one awesome thing about this album (imo) is that it's the first time I collaborate with 'Noizen,' who masterfully graced my terrible compositions with the lovely strains of a wind-instrument known as a ney (apparently played by Sufi's or something, traditionally).

If for no other reason, you should listen to this album for his contribution alone.

This album is considered as 'Islamic White Metal,' and one of the things I wished to do with this album was to contribute a release in a form that I'm not sure had been done before: pro-Islamic extreme Metal.

There are a few 'Islamic' Black Metal bands out there, but they're only Islamic in that they live in Islamic countries. Aside from that, I think they're mostly against Islam

As my definition of 'White Metal' has expanded over the years to include music by bands/artists whose musical focus is the expression of  ideals, doctrines, and praxes commonly found in spiritualities orented in a more 'Right-hand path' direction. In addition to Christianity this can include Buddhism, Islam, aspects of Sanatana Dharma (especially of the Vaisnava variety), certain forms of Paganism, and even Wicca.
If Christianity doesn't have a monopoly on Truth, then 'White Metal' may just be any RHP-focused type of extreme Metal, which sees union with God, holiness, and purity as their ultimate goal. Basically, the theological opposite to Black Metal, in it's glorification of the Left-hand path.

Just to give an example... (Varg may not like it, but)... I have always felt Burzum's Belus to be one of the greatest 'White Metal' albums of all time, it is so spiritually uplifting. Actually, I think he would be pleased that his music uplifts the spirit to a higher ideal. 

Also Moonsorrow's "Verisäkeet." 

Lyrics to this album are actually the daily Islamic prayers. 

I tried to use somewhat of a different vocal style, modelling it after the sort of 'chanting' one uses to say the Islamic daily prayers. I had planned to refine this technique over subsequent albums, but... they never happened.

Actually, that's not true, there is a second Salat album out there, somewhere.

No guitars, just a distorted bass, and some drum tracks.

Consider this in lieu of an appropriate conclusion.

Download at 'Name Your Price' (free or donation): 

https://salat1.bandcamp.com/releases

βαρ†ιστ chvrch (2015)

βαρ†ιστ chvrch was another excursion into electronic subgenre experimentation. Basically, I really wanted to try doing some Witch House, and this is what happened. I used the name 'Baptist Chvrch' because my wife and I, along with some other brethren, had all stopped going to a certain IFB church at the same time.
We ended up half-forming a small home-church gathering, and tongue-in-cheek references to the 'Baptist Church' were not uncommon.

Not surprisingly, I didn't put too much thought into the project name. It's basically used sarcastically, as a bit of joking commentary on how we viewed the Baptst denomination at that time, as basically embodying every negative thing they say about Catholics, but unable to realize it.

$alt Poi$oning - simply me trying my hand at Witch House music, with a strange quasi-religious slant. Actually, I guess it's not so strange, considering the genre. The title refers to a method of abortion.

Untitled - A bit of a mix between Witch House and Black Metal, although there are no guitars on this album whatsoever. I've often thought of putting this album under a more suitable project, but I guess it is more easily recognizable under this project. If I were to move it, out of the 5 people in the world who heard it, the two of them who liked it wouldn't be able to find it. So, with them in mind, I leave it.... 
...until I move it. 

Download at 'Name Your Price' (free or donation):

https://chvrch1.bandcamp.com/

Mourning Woods (2010-Present)

 

Mourning Woods was formed out of the chaotic ash-storm that was the dissolution of +AnHero+, a 'Comedic-Depressive' Black Metal band I was a part of from 2008-2010.
AnHero turned into Molesters, and then Mothers Of Depression (or M.O.D. for short). My bandmate and long-time friend, Rémi Bilodeau, and I parted ways for a while, but I later approached him with the concept of Mourning Woods in 2011. Naturally, he loved it from the start, because it was obviously a bad dick-joke.

Unlike AnHero, Mourning Woods was to be a Depressive/Post-Black Metal project, or 'Blackgaze,' if you prefer. However, much like our former projects, Mourning Woods was to have a bit of humour about it, albeit more subtle than with AnHero.

Rémi and I recorded a few songs on a practice cassette around Sept. 2011, he on drums, and I on guitar and vocals. I had tried to get some songs recorded in time to do a split with the now legendary Annorkoth, but unfortunately that fell through. Even more unfortunate, is that the practice tape eventually got lost with no hope of recovery.

Some of those original Mourning Woods songs, however, would later be used for other projects. Among others, there is:

• "Serotonin Syndrome," eventually was featured on Photosynthesis - "Turning Toward the Light," (2013)

• "Gazing at the Altar of Souls" (originally, it was "...Shoes"), was featured on Rotting Serpent - "Suicidal Ministries"

I decided to resurrect Mourning Woods in 2017, following a relapse into DXM abuse. Finding the best version of an early MW logo from at least 2012, I released "The Refreshening." Actually, it was supposed to be "The Refreshing," but I changed it at the last minute, and it has always bothered me.

Since I've always felt Rémi to have a place in this project, I tried to get him involved again. As a result, the next EP, ''Water/Breath of Life,'' is priviledged to have the track ''Horripilation,'' which, aside from the vocals, is composed entirely by Rémi. It is arguably the best track on the album.

Unfortunately, due to complicated life circumstances on both of our sides, Rémi and I were never able to make Mourning Woods work as a duo, at least not yet. The third release on the MW bandcamp is a cassette recorded in the interim period between AnHero and MW, when we were loosely going by the name M.O.D.

Long live Brown Metal! Long live Beige Metal!


Mourning Woods on Bandcamp, albums 'Name Your Price' (free or donation):

https://mourningwoods.bandcamp.com/


Mediafire links: 

Mourning Woods - "The Refreshening" (2017)

Mourning Woods - "Water/Breath of Life EP" (2017)

Exalted Saviour (2013-2018)

Exalted Saviour overlaps somewhat with Rotting Serpent. I had decided that I would lay RS to rest, and continue in a new direction, with a new sound. There is a lot of sonic familiarity between the RS albums "Breathless Mourning," and "Christian Funeral," and the first ES album, entitled "Tetrad." I imagine they'd flow well into one another. 
Indeed, what was supposed to be, at that time, the last Rotting Serpent song ("Casualties of the Cosmic War"), appears as the sixth track on the Exalted Saviour album "Tetrad."

The project was intended to be an excercise in more "symphonic" (read as "synth-driven") territory, something which I hadn't experimented with very much up to that point, due to lack of proper instruments and technology.
Continuing with the Christian focus of previous work, it has garnered at least a bit of recognition and (possibly?) appreciation within the Christian Metal scene, for which I am grateful.

On the last album, "Blood Sacrifice," I was joined by Noizen on keyboards, and he is a person who will show up in more of these posts later on. He has some projects of his own, so I will try and get permission to perhaps include them here on this blog, in future entries.

"Blood Sacrifice," was picked up by Bearded Dragon Productions, and a physical release distributed (or whatever) by Black Mark (?).
You can see I have no idea what I'm doing, and I can't even find good links to their pages, so I'll do the bast I can. I know they both have a presence on Facebook, but I no longer do, and therefore can't provide links to those places. I'm sure they're findable though.

Bearded Dragon Productions on Bandcamp: https://thebeardeddragon1.bandcamp.com/

Exalted Saviour on Bandcamp (all music 'Name Your Price,' free or donation):

https://exaltedsaviour.bandcamp.com/

Rotting Serpent (1997-2018)

("Official" RS logo)

I suppose the best place to start is with Rotting Serpent.

Rotting Serpent began with a dream, back in 1999 or therabouts. In this dream, I was rummaging through a discount bin of cassettes in some music store, and two casettes I looked at were "Infernity" (i.e., 'Infernal Eternity'), and "Rotting Serpent." The Rotting Serpent cover art was similar to Pantera's "Great Southern Trendkill," which I remember finding odd. I awoke with a sense that I should use one of these names for my music.

Up to that time, I had trouble finding one 'band name' under which to organize my music. If only I had known that, in the future, this conundrum would later blossom forth as a spurting chaos, birthing multiple projects in the process.
Rotting Serpent, as a name, wasn't used until 2003. Prior to that time (between 2001-2002), I had gradually organized all my music under the same Satan's Troops, and before that, I had toyed with several other names as well (Broken Open, Once Dead, Butchered, etc.).

While there is a certain bit of musical dovetailing early on, between Satan's Troops, and Rotting Serpent, there is hardly anything extant from the Satan's Troops days. Aside from two songs ("Marching on to Victory," and "Alive in the Forest of Death," both appearing on the Rotting Serpent album "Spirits of the Unblack"), all of the old Satan's Troops material was either lost or destroyed, to the best of my knowledge...
Even so, there is a big similarity with earlier, mostly acoustic, RS material, and the sound of Satan's Troops; it is possible to see that the one came from the other, and vice-versa.

From 2003 onward, Rotting Serpent was a Christian project. While neither Christianity, nor Christian Metal, was anything new to me (having grown up with both), the "Unblack" scene was still fresh to me. Somewhat naïvely, I fashioned the RS logo after Rotting Christ's logo, not thinking at the time about the cringey trend of Christian Metal bands to offer "Christian versions" of various secular bands. Back in earlier days though, I suppose this was seen as 'cool' somehow, and was looked at with less scrutiny than today (where it just seems kitschy).
This version of the logo would be the one used in 2012, before settling (for the most part) on the logo pictured above, late 2012-early 2013. Other logos are sometimes used, but the logo (at top of page) is probably the closest to an 'official' logo that there is.

The last two RS albums became increasingly ambiguous, with regard to spiritual focus, as I began studying different things.

 

(Drawings from 2003, logo sketches) 

The Rotting Serpent bandcamp has music spanning from 1997-2018 at time of writing. Even though RS technically only began as a project of its own in 2003, I have added music to its back catalogue that was either a precursor to Satan's Troops, or running semi-concurrently with it.

(Alternate logo from 2018 and modified 2020, possibly for future album(s)?)

All albums at 'Name Your Price' (free or donation):

https://rottingserpent.bandcamp.com/


Mediafire links: 

"Original Keyboard Recordings '97"

"Disenchant" (2000)

"Spirits of the Unblack" (2004)

RS - "Seduced by the Ghosts of Rotting Serpents (Death of Antichrist)" (Mediafire)

"Unblack Metal Ist Krieg" 

"Raping the Grave"

"In the Dead of Winter"

"Listen to the Donkey"

"The Last Noel"

"Solstice of Failed Prophecy"