Category Archives: Free Downloads

Get ’em While They’re Hot: Download Some FREE Music from Black Sleep of Kali!

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Feeling kind of lazy on a Saturday afternoon, the perfect sort of day to chill out with some sludgey doomy slow jams.

Well, as luck would have it, Denver’s always-awesome Black Sleep of Kali have just announced that they’re giving away some new songs for free this weekend!

This band was another one that I discovered through one the Sludge Swamp‘s Swamp Comp collections. The song “Chorus of Flies,” which was taken from the band’s 2009 EP, was included in that compilation, and when I heard it I thought it was such a perfect composition of fuzzed-out sludginess that I just had to seek out more information about the band. So I was wrote myself a note to look them up the next time I was at my computer — but later when I looked at the note, it looked like I had written “Black Sheep” instead of “Black Sleep” and I (understandably) had a hell of a time searching for anything.

But luckily I eventually got that straightened out, and found them on Facebook. I also got myself a copy of that EP, and the rest of it is just as good as the first song that I heard. Anyway, fast forward to today, and like I was saying, I’ve learned that they’ve got four new songs to give away! Apparently back in March they put together a split LP with Union of Sleep (four songs from each band), which is currently available on 12″ vinyl through This Charming Man and Per Koro. And, BSOK were kind enough to announce that throughout this weekend, you can download their half of the record for free (or for whatever price you choose)! You won’t want to miss this deal…

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Two Reviews for the Price of One: Ritalin Attack – James Doesn’t Exist Split + Gutter Bombin’

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Ritalin Attack / James Doesn’t Exist – Split (13 April 2012, Torn Flesh Records)

 

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Ritalin Attack – Gutter Bombin’ (07 May 2012, Torn Flesh Records)

 

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Hey there. I thought it’d never get here, but it’s finally Friday!! And there was much rejoicing. Yay.

So, remember last week when I was talking about music journalists who somehow find the time to also be musicians?

Well, at that time I also started writing this review of the recent split release between Ritalin Attack (the brainchild of Ross Gnarly, of American Aftermath fame) and fellow one-man grind band James Doesn’t Exist, which was intended to be published that same day as kind of a companion piece. But then, as it often does, life got in the way and I didn’t get it finished on-time.

Then, ironically, on Monday I learned that Torn Flesh Records had issued another Ritalin attack release, called Gutter Bombin’. I said ironically, because here I sit, unable to complete one article written on-schedule, and meanwhile an entire album of music (well, more of a mini-EP, to be fair) had been written and recorded AND released.

It’s no wonder Ross manages to write and publish nearly 4,000 articles a week (approximately), and it’s also completely fitting that this artist’s name should refer to Ritalin. Also known as Methylphenidate, Ritalin is a drug often prescribed to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) — probably a condition with a high rate of occurrence among performers and fans alike in the grindcore scene — despite the fact that the medication itself is a stimulant, and from a chemical standpoint is basically a milder form of cocaine. Of course I’m not a doctor or a scientist or whatever, but I have absolutely no idea why that would help.

Anyway, the point of all this is, I’ve now edited and amended what I originally had begun writing, so that now it covers both releases — including how to download each of them 100% free, from the nice people at Torn Flesh.

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Get ’em While They’re Hot: Grab a Song from Vesperia’s New Demo for Free!

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STOP! You should totally check out THIS POST instead. Vesperia‘s entire The Swordsman demo is now available to download for free; the full details are included there.

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The “Signmeto” Unsigned Band of the Week: Patron Saint of Plagues

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Hello there, readers!  Hope your day is going well — or at least, as well as a Monday can be expected. Even though I’m at work, I’m not in a terrible mood, which is pretty unusual for me. Maybe because I feel like I actually got some stuff accomplished over the weekend. More likely, I’m just (still) not awake enough to really feel anything yet. Well anyway, I don’t know about you, but I need some music while I work. Today (just like I do every Monday) I’m heading over to the “Sign Me to Roadrunner Records” website to look for something good, and then I’ll share whatever I find with you!

A short while ago, I got a message from a Canadian band called Patron Saint of Plagues, who describe themselves as “a twisted concoction of ominous tones and eerie melodies melded into dark story-tale like songwriting that touches on the very essence of the darkside of humanity and the terrifying thoughts that plague the mind of a psychopath.”

That, coupled with the photos of the quartet (guitarist Dead Boy, bassist Robbie Graves, drummer Bonez, and founder/frontman/vocalist/songwriter/guitarist Opi Saint) looking like a cross between The Spooky Kids and The Misfits on Halloween, definitely let me know that we’re in for a fun ride today.

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Get ’em While They’re Hot: Free Compilation from Domestic Genocide Records!

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According to the label’s official bio,

Domestic Genocide Records is an independent, donation-run record label, focusing on musicians who have been oppressed, who have not been given the opportunity to deliver their message of creativity through music. We are 100% online-based, located in various parts of the USA. Our name reflects some of the harshest realities our artists and staff have had to endure throughout their lives.

If you ask me — and technically, since you’ve come here to read what I have written, you kind of are implicitly asking me — that’s pretty awesome. Since I’ve started writing this blog, and even before that, I’ve always gravitated toward the bands and music coming from some of the more, shall we say, non-traditional parts of the world. By “non-traditional,” I mean countries that aren’t traditionally associated with heavy metal music. And, I’ve quite often been pleasantly surprised by what I’ve heard.

In places that have been under the most oppressive of conditions for so long, you might not expect most of the people living there to even have the opportunity to know about heavy metal. But some do manage to hear it and love it — and some of those people go on to create music of their own. And as I was saying, a lot of the stuff I’ve heard has been pretty incredible.

So, for Domestic Genocide to work so hard to give those artists an outlet to get their work heard across the world is totally cool and deserving of your attention and support.

Earlier today, I learned that the label has just released a compilation of songs – called Death Zone, Volume 1 – from several different artists across the world. The comp is available to download for free if you choose, so the artists (and the label) can get as much exposure as possible, or for whatever price you decide to pay, if you like what you hear or if you want to help out their mission to give people a voice.

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In Case You Missed It: Fire in the Cave – Self-Titled

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Fire in the Cave – Fire in the Cave (28 February 2012)

 
Happy Friday!! I’m so ready for the week to be over so I can get my ass home! No more school for a few months, no more work for a few days, nothing to do but kick back and… do all the shit I need to take care of around the house, that I’m unable to do during the week. Sometimes it feels like I barely get a single minute to myself, to relax or whatever. I’ll be honest with you — I’m always amazed (and, I’ll admit, sometimes a little jealous) when I hear about one of my colleagues in the music-writing world being in a band, on top of the writing and also having a “real” job and whatever else they’ve got going on. I hardly find the time to go to shows as often as I’d like, let alone to be able to rehearse beforehand, or even to put in the effort to recruit a bunch of people to even get started in the first place! But like I said, there are some people out there that manage to do it all, and I definitely respect that.

Case in point is Jarad Oates, editor/writer for Orlandooom!, plus an occasional guest columnist for … well, as far as I can tell, pretty much every other Florida-based music-related publication in existence. In addition to all of that, he’s also a member of Orlando swamp-metal warlords Fire in the Cave, for whom he contributes caveman-esque (no pun intended) bellowed vocals. A couple of months ago, that band self-released a self-titled EP, and I’d like to share that with you now.

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Get ’em While They’re Hot: Download a Brand New Bonded By Blood Song for Free!

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Good morning.  Do you like free music?  Do you like thrash metal?  Of course you do, I was only kidding.

Bonded By Blood, who are associated with the contemporary “re-thrash” revivalist movement (and not, as the name implies, an Exodus tribute band), are putting out a new album, The Aftermath, on the 3rd of July (2nd July in Europe) through Earache Records.  In anticipation of that forthcoming release — their third full-length and fourth overall — they’re offering up a brand new track from that album for you to download for FREE!

Also I’ve got some pre-order info as well as tour dates to share with you, so keep on scrolling…

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Happy May Day! (Review of Krampus – Shadows of Our Times)

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Krampus – Shadows of Our Times (Self-released, 31 March 2011)

Happy May Day! Also, happy International Workers’ Day, for those readers lucky enough to live someplace that celebrates that holiday — I hope you’re enjoying your day off work as much as I am not enjoying my day not off work. Which is to say, quite a lot. But there’s nothing to prevent me from imagining I’m someplace else; I do it pretty much any other day, anyway!

Now, to be honest, as an American I really don’t know anything about May Day celebrations except for what I’ve seen in movies, so basically I am picturing a bunch of people in old-fashioned clothes, dancing in a circle with a bunch of ribbons tied to a pole, while playing some folk songs. There’s lots of flowers and happy shit all around, and people are celebrating springtime and nature and generally acting like a bunch of hippies. Actually, that sounds pretty fucking lame.

So naturally, in my imagined celebration, I need to make some serious modifications. First of all, any hints of happiness and dancing has got to go. That would just make me more depressed, and frankly, I’d be better off just being here at work, totally miserable. No thanks. We can swap out the folk music for some folk metal, and instead of the springtime celebration of nature… well, I don’t mind the pro-nature sentiments, but I need everyone to be all pissed-off about it, like they’re ready to smash someone’s face in.

Then it hit me — some really angry folk metal that’s rooted in pagan celebrations and violently pro-environment while being equally anti-humanity, that sounds awfully familiar. Time to break out some Krampus!

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The “Signmeto” Unsigned Band of the Week: Mind Structure

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Good evening, readers!  Well, another Monday has come and gone.  That’s okay by me; coming back to work after a three-day weekend is never fun, and I am glad to get it over with as quickly as possible.  Before the end of the day, though, I need to check in with the “Sign Me to Roadrunner Records” website to find something good to listen to, so that I can share it with you!  Today, I found a message that I’d received from Mind Structure, a band whose members come from the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv (Київ) and Kryvyi Rih (Кривий Ріг) asking for a review of their music.  Now, I’m familiar with Kyiv (also called “Kiev”), which is the capital of the country, but Kryvyi Rih was brand new to me.  Thankfully, I have Wikipedia to help me; it informs me that this city is located in the middle of a large iron mining region, and in fact, that it’s one of the most important locations in eastern Europe’s steel industry.  Sounds like a place I can relate to!  Besides that, I had such success listening to Ukrainian black metal last week, I figured it would be a good idea to check out someone else from that country.

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Now Available for FREE: Basement Torture Killings – The First Cumming

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Basement Torture Killings – The First Cumming (Self-released, Summer 2008)

 
London-based deathgrind/goregrind band Basement Torture Killings are also sometimes referred to by the acronym BTK — not coincidentally, the same initials used by serial killer Dennis Rader (in which case the letters stood for “Bind, Torture, Kill”). With this sort of pedigree, and with song titles such as “Drill Bit Erotica,” “Cut, Drained and Disposed,” and “Necrophiled and Cannibalised,” your first reaction might be — as mine was — to expect them to be one of those super-extreme-brutal-death-wacko bands. You know, where the whole thing sounds so muddled and the guitars and bass are both equalized so low that you can’t distinguish between them? And usually the vocals sound more like a handful of crickets tossed into a bunch of stomach acid inside a blender set to “puree”? I don’t know how people listen to that sort of thing, to be honest, and if you’re with me on that, then you’re in for a pleasant surprise just as I was when I first heard BTK’s music.
 
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