Midnite Madness CXVII—2018, PT. I

2018 was another fantastic year in the history of heavy metal, and this 60-minute, first-part round-up of the year's best pretty much proves this. Of course this is in no way a definitive 2018 list, but it's a good start at one, anyways.
Thanks to all the bands and labels for keeping the metal real, and to you (all 12 of you) for listening in. I will return on January 8th, for more MIDNITE MADNESS.

Midnite Madness CXV—Nocturnal Decay

ALFUCKINRIGHTTT... Show 115, more total Midnite Madness, with many-a-style represented. I must admit, I have been consciously trying to mix it up a bit more these days, and, well, without sounding like a cunt, it's kinda working. Anyways, my show is only as good as the releases that seem to keep coming, and 2018 is no exception. Show 117 promises to be a blast... See you in four weeks, on November 14th, for more Midnite Madness.

Midnite Madness LXXXIX—Lords of the Abyss

Show 89. Thank you all for listening and see you again on November 16th. Goodbye.

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Maniac Monday XLI - Live Evil Special

Okay. I know it is almost Maniac Monday time again and I am only posting the last show here, but this is down to it being removed from Soundcloud the instant it was uploaded by NTS. Now, they have decided to switch their player over to Mixcloud, so it should be up at some point, However, there is some bad news about the switch—there will be no more download options.
In the past where this has happened I have just uploaded the show myself to mediafire, but a few of them got taken down recently and I have now received two warnings, which I assume are my last. I don't want them to close my account as I have a lot of mixes etc there so I am going to try to put them all somewhere else so the magick isn't lost, so bear with me while I get that working.
I am not sure this link will last but it is here for the quick, nevertheless.
ANYWAYS, the last show was indeed a Live Evil special, the first hour of which runs pretty much like the Live Evil Mix 2013, albeit featuring a different Satan track and a slightly altered tracklist. Hour two features bands who slayed the two previous festivals in 2010 and 2011 respectively. There is also a new track from the blistering new Obliteration album, Black Death Horizon, which releases next month. There is also a track that was recorded from Live Evil 2010 by Natur, which has never been heard before. Well, unless you were there then, that is.
Monday sees the return of Maniac Monday on NTS, 9-11BST, where I will be playing some more of that real metal you tune in to hear. 'til then, DIE YOUNG.

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Maniac Monday XXVI - 2000AD

Apologies for the delay posting this, the NTS guys only just posted the show last nite. Slightly theme-free—only playing release from the year 2000-on, doubling up as a kind of Band Of The Week show too. Enjoy. 

Next show is on Monday 24th, so hold tight for more lunacy, maniacs.

Maniac Monday, obituary IX - Hail Quorthon

Sorry for the delay posting this, I only just found it online now. Total Bathory worship to mark the mighty Quorthon's 8-year anniversary last week. Thanks to him for making some of the best records EVER and to Fenriz, Daniel Salsten, Sindre Solem, Brad Smith, and Tom Swine for taking some time out to talk about Bathory for the show.
Next show will either be 1986-only or another heavy metal set. Not sure yet, trying not to play thrash every week haha so I may go with the latter. Tune in at 2100GMT on Monday June 18th to find out!

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A Fist in the Face of God presents... In Crust We Trust - A Mix by Brad & Sindre

When Nocturnal Cult scribe Bradley Smith said he and Sindre Solem—Obliteration frontman and Nekromantheon bassist and sometimes vocalist—were doing a crust mix, my first thought was: great. Given that Brad lives in Hawaii and Sindre lives in Norway, there was one small obstacle to overcome; the Atlantic Ocean. However, thanks to the internet they managed to compose it solely over email and here it is, with a little intro from Mr. Smith.


The In Crust We Trust compilation represents a cross-Atlantic crust duel between Sindre, Norwegian vocalist for Obliteration/Nekromantheon, and Brad, American editor Nocturnal Cult Webzine, each one trying to destroy the other by picking the most crushing or devastating crust track they can find in order to annihilate the opposition. So who wins this battle between metal brothers? Only you can decide.
TRACKLISTING:
1. Amebix (England) - “Arise!” (1985)
2. Axegrinder (England) - “Life Chain” (1989)
3. Holokaust (USA) - “54 Wars” (2005)
4. Hellbastard (England) - “They Brought Death” (1990)
5. World Burns To Death (USA) - “Apparatus” (2003)
6. His Hero Is Gone (USA) - “Thieves” (1996)
7. Monuments To Ruins (USA) - “Sleep Rite” (2005)
8. Morne (USA) - “Force” (2009)
9. Detestaion (USA) - “Searching for Oblivion” (1996)
10. Tragedy (USA) - “Crucifier” (2006)
11. Murderess (USA) - “Cover the Earth in Graveyards” (2009)
12. Masakari (USA) - “XII Abandoned” (2010)
13. After The Bombs (Canada) - “This is Hell” (2005)
14. The Secret (Italy) - “Weathermen” (2010)
15. Summon The Crows (Norway) - “Life is Shit” (2006)
16. From Ashes Rise (USA) - “The Mandate” (2003)
17. Sanctum (USA) - “Hault the Machine” (2008)
18. Severed Head Of State (USA) - “Dust to Dust” (2003)

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Interview with Samu Salovaara of Swallowed

Swallowed are one of the best death metal bands out there right now. Alongside some of their Scandinavian counterparts—think Obliteration, Diskord etc.—they're kind of reinventing death metal, or rather, redefining it. I spoke to guitarist and scribe Samu Salovaara, earlier in the week.

AFITFOG: Your sound has evolved since your first demo in 2007, would you say this is due to the additional members or just an obvious path for you as musicians?
Samu Salovaara: Both. It was clear what the primal emotion that we wanted to carry was, but of course the pathway is not always so clear. The songwriting is still basically done by me and Ville, and so are most of our rehearsals, as it has been since 2008s "Epitaph Of Nauseation" demo. There hasn't been any major influence from other members in that respect, but it builds a different atmosphere when we all play together.

Your style, in the beginning, was heavily influenced by Autopsy, would you say they are one of the main reasons you started the band? If not, what was your motivation?
It's not as blunt as WE PLAY AUTOPSY, but mainly the spirits were so in tune with made it inevitable.

You have moved onto a more stripped down sound, with more black metal influences, what are your influences outside metal/music? Drugs, movies, nature, etc.
Yes, we've stripped away everything useless. Drugs as gateways into the primal matter, yes. Paintings, nature, movies - every higher action tells us something about our own music.

Will you continue this sound into your forthcoming LP?
This sound will go on, however it's clear that development will be towards ever more subtle planes.

Where will you be recording this album?
Undecided, as yet. We've been thinking of an analog studio outside of Helsinki, but no decision's been made. Of course, the temptation of recording it by ourselves in peace and quiet away from a sound guy sounds very pleasing.

Who is your chief songwriter?
I build the pillars of the song with riffs, after that there might be the contribution of additional riffs from other members too, or just basic ideas. Structures are more Ville's forte, but they are worked in co-operation. Basically, it's me and Ville doing all the composing.

Do you have any rituals to uphold when songwriting?
The urge to conduct a black mass prior and post has not yet materialized.

You played this year's Kill-Town Deathfest in Denmark alongside Miasmal, Maim, Putrid and Obliteration, to name a few. How was it to be asked to play this prestigious event?
It was very cool for a festival. Very positive atmosphere. We had some problems with our soundcheck and the sound wasn't as good as we'd hoped, but it still sounded pretty necro.

What bands are you interested in at the moment? Anything new from Finland we should be keeping an eye on?
Just the same - Beherit.

Lastly, why the name Swallowed?
The alchemical stage between Solve et Coagula.

Swallowed (Finland) Epitaph Of Nauseation (2008)

1.Coffin Slumber
2.Epitaph of Nauseation
3.Horrifying Visions
4.In the Grip of Winter (Autopsy cover)

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A Fist In The Face Of God presents... Fenriz aka DJ V.K.O.M. & Sindre Solem of Obliteration—Trapped Under Vice, Vol. IV

Trapped Under Vice, Vol. IV is here. By now you know the drill, Fenriz, aka DJ Vast Knowledge Of Music, digs into his alarmingly large vinyl collection for you. This time accompanying Fenriz in the mix is Obliteration’s Sindre Solem. When I was in Norway last year I saw the duo DJ at Fenriz’s old place (which is where I took the picture for the cover), and it was insane. This mix lives up that memory, and beyond. I will leave the talking to the mix-makers from here.

Fenriz: I decided to do an epic metal mix for you all at Vice and those thousands who download the mixes. But, I was expecting Sindre over that evening, so I thought, “Why not just tell him we’ll do a mix together, like we did the first times both of us hung out together down at my DIRTY SHITTY GAMLEBYEN FLAT”. I had my songs laid out in 30 minutes, Sindre had no time to prepare, I just gave him 15 minutes to pull out some stuff, so the mix is rather gung-ho.
Sindre: I was taken by surprise when Fenriz told me that we we’re doing a mix for Vice, only few hours before Ciekals and I arrived to pound some brewskies and listen to great music. I quickly scrambled together some gems from Fen’s vast collection of killer vinyl. The cool and important thing with live mixes are the transitions, I live for a smooth transition and I think we got some cool ones here. Plus some fuck ups of course. That’s what you get when you don’t plan anything. Hope you all will enjoy mix of organic sounds and hairy balls! Ughhh!
TRACKLISTING:
1. [Fenriz] Metal Church (USA) “Beyond the Black” (1984)
2. [Sindre] E-X-E (USA) “Autopsy” (1987)
3. [Fenriz] Dio (USA) “Egypt” (The Chains Are On) (1984)
4. [Sindre] Bad Religion (USA) “You” (1989)
5. [Fenriz] Accept (Germany) “Princess of the Dawn” (1982)
6. [Sindre] Colosseum (UK) “The Kettle” (1969)
7. [Fenriz] Manilla Road (USA) “The Ninth Wave” (1985)
8. [Sindre] Autopsy (USA) “Retribution for the Dead” (1991)
9. INTERMISSION
10. [Fenriz] Agent Steel (USA) “The Day at Guyana” (1987)
11. [Sindre] Summon The Crows (Norway) “Scavenger’s Feast” (2006)
12. [Fenriz] Warlord (USA) “Beginning/Lucifer’s Hammer” (1984)
13. [Sindre] The Fire Escape “Journey’s End” (1967)

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Thanks again to Fenriz and Sindre for their hard work and mixtape making skills, enjoy.
Fenriz would also like to add that this mix is dedicated to Dio. †RIP RJD†
If somehow you missed the previous three mixes, links are here;
Trapped Under Vice, Vol. I
Trapped Under Vice, Vol. II
Trapped Under Vice, Vol. III

Interview with Sindre Solem of Obliteration for Terrorizer

Here's an interview I did with Sindre for the March 2010 issue of Terrorizer. Click to enlarge.

Brace yourselves for the new Nekromantheon record by the way, it's an absolute SCORCHER. In his own words, "burn the souls of the unworthy."