TERMINUS: extreme metal podcast

TDMG returns with the (somehow) highly anticipated second installment of Balaclava Books, and the second installment of his investigation into Peter Sotos' Total Abuse. This time, we take a look at Tool, the notorious eight-part work which displays Peter Sotos finding his footing in his own style and plumbing ever-deeper depths of human despair and cruelty. Listener discretion strongly advised. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:11:33 - Tool. and Total Abuse 0:19:30 - One (Quality Time) 0:38:36 - Five 0:56:06 - Two and Three 1:11:36 - Six and Seven 1:21:31 - Four and Eight Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon TDMG on Substack thetrueterminus@gmail.com

Thought we were dead? You fucking wish! Terminus is back with a hot one long in the making, where your hosts take a look at the seminal mid-00s work of Enmity and Last Days of Humanity while drawing out broader ideas of brutal death metal's proximity to noise. If black metal without heavy metal gets you Blazebirth Hall, what happens when a similar concept is applied to death metal? Only the most extreme music ever made. After the reviews, stick around for a guided tour of some of TDMG's favorite obscurities from this scene and beyond. 0:00:00 - Intro/A Conception of Noisedeath 0:14:58 - Enmity - Illuminations of Vile Engorgement (Permeated Records, 2005) 0:59:54 - Interlude - Intestinal Engorgement - “Fetal Extraction Anal” fr. Putrefying Consumption of Dismemberment (Amputated Vein Records, 2022) 1:02:53 - Last Days of Humanity - Putrefaction in Progress (Bones Brigade, 2006) 1:40:12 - Interlude - Foetopsy - “Spilling of Blood and Urine Into the Body Cavity” fr. Dyspartum (Barbarian Records, 2003) 1:41:28 - Other fascinating records 2:11:40 - Outro - Masturbation - “Gutted and Incinerated In the Insanity of Your Thoughts” fr. Putrified Vaginal Infibulation (Brutalized Records, 2006)

What, you want a cute little description of the episode? It's BOLT THROWER. 0:00:00 - Intro / a brief history of Bolt Thrower and stenchcore 0:38:48 - Realm of Chaos (Slaves to Darkness) (Earache Records, 1989) 1:43:49 - Interlude - Bolt Thrower - “World Eater 94” fr. Who Dares Wins (Earache Records, 1998) 1:49:57 - The IVth Crusade (Earache Records, 1992) 3:16:28 - Just Before Dawn - “The Gulf of Tonkin” fr. A War Too Far (Raw Skull Recordz, 2023) HERESY CORRECTIVE: In a moment of warp-tainted hubris, TBMG misidentifies the Space Marine chapter on the cover of WH40K 1st Edition. It is the CRIMSON Fists, NOT the Imperial Fists. The Inquisition has been notified. Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon TDMG on Substack thetrueterminus@gmail.com

In the inaugural episode of a new series on extreme literature, TDMG explores the earliest work by the infamous Peter Sotos, plunging headlong into the most perverse incarnation of so-called "true crime" writing in the beginning of an effort to explore the real power within one of the world's most scorned authors. Listener discretion strongly advised. 0:00:00 - Peter Sotos 0:19:50 - Total Abuse 0:28:41 - Pure Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon TDMG on Substack thetrueterminus@gmail.com

On the newest episode of I Hate Video Games and Never Play Them, your host tackles a game almost universally played but rarely taken seriously: Peggle, the physics puzzler that marks the apex of Popcap Games- and maybe casual games as a whole. Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon TDMG on Substack thetrueterminus@gmail.com

A spectre is haunting black metal- that of the industrial black metal style of the late 90s and early 00s. Foremost among that cadre is Aborym, Italian stallions of legend now forgotten in the revised zeitgeist of 2025. Join your hosts as we examine Aborym's first and third records, discovering that not only are they not just "an industrial black metal band," but that they actually created some of the best and most forward-thinking extreme metal of the era. What, are you "too cool" for The Matrix now? 0:00:00 - Kali Yuga Bizarre (Scarlet Records, 1999) 0:56:06 - Interlude - Coil - “Ostia (The Death of Pasolini)” fr. Horse Rotorvator (Force & Form, 1986) 1:02:29 - With No Human Intervention (Code666 Records, 2003) 1:45:42 - Outro - Project Deviate - “Not My Kind” fr. Not My Kind/Flash! (Fusion Records, 2006) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon TDMG on Substack thetrueterminus@gmail.com

On the new bite-sized episode of I Hate Video Games and Never Play Them, your host takes a look at A Short Hike, a tiny game about a little bird on a medium-sized adventure with big pixels. Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon TDMG on Substack thetrueterminus@gmail.com

In 2025's first assault, the plucky doughboys at Terminus investigate an obscure gem of 90s black metal: Niden Div. 187. Best known for featuring members of a host of Swedish death metal bands, the project stands on its own as a truly remarkable artifact of the era, far ahead of its time in melody and experimental structures. Sit back, relax, and enjoy an episode longer than the band's entire discography. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:06:28 - Niden Div. 187 1:21:45 - Outro - Zyklon-B - “Mental Orgasm” fr. Blood Must be Shed (Malicious Records, 1995) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon TDMG on Substack thetrueterminus@gmail.com

For the first volley of non-musical content, The Death Metal Guy starts a new program: I Hate Video Games and Never Play Them, a series of deep dive, essayistic critiques of games in the style you know and (hopefully) love. This time, he takes a look at Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, a 2017 third person action/puzzle game from Ninja Theory best known for its deep themes and striking presentation- but does it live up to the hype? Listen and find out. But also, no. Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon TDMG on Substack thetrueterminus@gmail.com

GENTLEMEN... BEHOLD! The Terminus Omega 2024 livestream is now mirrored here for your podcast listening pleasure. Join TBMG, TDMG, and harried Terminus intern Hyper Shaman as we go through the highlights of the year with helpful input from our... adoring(?) audience. This one was a great time and we hope those of you who don't typically listen on Youtube will enjoy listening as much as we did streaming. For those who weren't there: 2025 will feature some big but positive changes for Terminus, featuring all sorts of new forms of content that will lead us boldly into the second half of the decade. As always, thanks for listening. BIG THINGS COMING *china cymbal crashes ominously* Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

In this titanic, tumultuous episode of Terminus, we have the rare pleasure of covering two bands that complement each other perfectly. First up, it's jazzy brutal death from Germany. Second, it's German brutal-deathy jazz, or…. something? Both bands feature legendary German drummer Lille Gruber, on legendary German drums. Both records are insanely good. We had a lot of fun with this one, and we hope you do, too. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:03:31 - Defeated Sanity - Chronicles of Lunacy (Season of Mist) 0:44:51 - Interlude - Repudilation - “Decimation,” fr. Purging of Impurity (Numb Cum Productions, 1996) 0:48:16 - Ingurgitating Oblivion - Ontology of Nought (Willowtip Records) 1:32:06 - Outro - Disillusion - “And the Mirror Cracked,” fr. Back to Times of Splendor (Metal Blade Records, 2004) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

This season, give thanks for the only thing in your life that truly matters - Terminus: Extreme Metal Podcast. In this great and terrible new episode, your hosts investigate new records from two esoteric enclaves of Russian black metal. You know we're obsessed with this shit. So are you. Buckle up. 00:00 - Intro 0:03:35 - Blackdeath - Mortui Incedere Possunt (End All Life Productions / NoEvDia) Mad kappelmeisters of St. Petersburg wring jagged melodies from demon-addled fiddles. With ingenious full-band songwriting and a strangely compelling slantwise take on Orthodox black metal, this may be their finest record yet. 0:55:05 - Interlude - Bethlehem - “Second Coming” fr. Dark Metal (Adipocere Records, 1994) 1:01:05 - Old Wainds - Stormheart (Darkness Shall Rise Productions) Murmansk tundra shamans emerge from the murk with storming Slavonic riffage, savage stomps, and maybe even a few forbidden heavy metal kicks. 1:51:37 - Outro - Runes of Dianceht - “In The War,” fr. the Runes of Dianceht demo (Independent, 1996) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram thetrueterminus@gmail.com

TDMG has returned after withstanding the wrath of nature with shotgun and Miller High Life in hand just in time for an episode of punishing midpaced crunch courtesy of TBMG. After a mini-review of Keroeis, a project by associates of TDMG which plays around the edges of older USBM ala Black Funeral with updates from the orthodox scene, we move toward more minimal territory. Deadform: stenchcore supergroup dwelling in the realms of noisy, nihilistic sludge. Barathrum: long-running Finnish legends update their traditionally Beheretish style of black metal with thrashing tempos and more acrobatic guitars. 0:00:00 - Intro / Keroeis - Priestess Emanations (Independent) 0:24:35 - Deadform - Entrenched in Hell (Tankcrimes) 1:06:00 - Interlude - Skaven - “Plague Wind” fr. Skaven/Dystopia (Life Is Abuse, 1996) 1:10:20 - Barathrum - Überkill (Hammer of Hate) 1:56:47 - Outro - Goatlord - “Chicken Dance” fr. Reflections of the Solstice (Turbo Music, 1991) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

As The Death Metal Guy recovers from the tumult of hurricane season, I call upon our bold young comrade Hyper Shaman to fill TDMG's capacious, plutonium-toed boots. Our aim? Get caught up on GLORIOUS PAGAN BLACK METAL. This episode began as a normal two-record show, but due to time constraints, and the sheer scale of the work at hand, it became a standalone review of the new album by Auld Ridge. Here, O.W.G.A. steps out of the shadows and takes a fighting stance, reworking his symphonic style around a core of raging, racing folk melody. You can probably guess how we feel about this one. 00:00 - Intro 0:04:09 - Auld Ridge - For Death and Glory, to the Gods I Cry (The Hermetic Order of Ytene / Dark Adversary / Amor Fati) 1:00:52 - Outro: Gorgoroth - “Profetens Åpenbaring,” fr. Under The Sign of Hell (Malicious Records, 1997) Note 1: The “Krig”-based riff isn't on Consanguineous, it's here, in the middle of Track 5 (“Ar Cricinagneth, An Agen Albannu Tu Telyr”). Note 2: I forgot to mention Auld Ridge's possible debt to Panphage, a forgotten legend of 2010s BM. The resemblance is especially strong on Track 4 (“Henmaen…..”) - a phrase from Panphage's Drengskapr crops up at 48:00, just as my sample ends. Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

Terminators, thank you for your patience. After a couple weeks' delay, for which TDMG has a good excuse (two fucking hurricanes) and I have none, we're back! Or rather, I'm back, with a big interview. A couple weeks ago, I had the pleasure of speaking with Chris Naughton, frontman of Winterfylleth and pioneer of modern pagan black metal. I asked him to draw up a list of five quintessentially English bands/scenes that fed into the Winterfylleth sound. These serve as touchstones for a conversation ranging from details of guitar technique to lyrical source texts to obscure distro history. On the show, we've often characterized Winterfylleth as a kind of tricky folk-cultural transplant project, “English Slavblack.” Talking with Chris led me to revise this portrait: Much of what I attributed to the influence of Ukrainian bands has older roots in Chris's native soil, in styles I hadn't necessarily expected. As for the question of English black metal, Chris has a thoughtful answer, a robust rebuttal to the old saw that “there's no such thing as 'English' culture." 00:00 - Intro 3:08 - Peaceville death-doom, songwriting for Winterfylleth 33:22 - Bolt Thrower, Carcass 52:45 - Is there an “English Sound” in black metal? (YES, but it's not what you think) 1:01:09 - Deep Purple 1:06:40 - Interlude - Iron Maiden - “Blood Brothers” fr. Brave New World (EMI, 2000) 1:13:54 - Fairport Convention, folk ballads, and pastoral poetry 1:30:21 - Primordial, the turn towards pagan black metal 1:43:22 - Drudkh / Hate Forest vs. other Slavic black metal 2:14:00 - Outro - Winterfylleth - “The Insurrection,” fr. The Imperious Horizon (Candlelight, 2024) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

On Terminus 163, we hearken back to the early days of the show with a wildly disparate lineup - two bands united only by their weirdness, and by the suddenness of their return. 00:00 - Intro 0:04:03 - Viscera Infest - Teratoma (Obliteration Records) Japanese brutal goregrinders break out of the psych ward with a shockingly fast and noisy reinterpretation of Death Metal - this is “full spectrum death metal” with all the insanity of the margins intact. 0:46:31 - Interlude - Deranged - “Imbecile Humans/Drag Her Out to Die” fr. Plainfield Cemetery (Listenable Records, 2002) 0:49:27 - Trelldom - …By the Shadows… (Prophecy Productions) Norwegian pagan black metal progenitors emerge from the nocturnal woods with, uh, saxophones? This raises two questions - 1. Does it make sense? and 2. Does it work? 1:34:30 - Outro - Gaahlskagg - “Skullfuck,” fr. Erotic Funeral (No Colours Records, 2000) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

Terminus 162 is unusually contentious, at least relative to the last few years of the show. In this episode, we both bring black metal records aimed at broad accessibility, yet staunchly refuse to enjoy each other's picks. Terminators, choose your fighter! (And in the comments, let us know who wins which round.) 00:00 - Intro 0:01:41 - Winterfylleth - The Imperious Horizon (Candlelight Records) English black metal standardbearers return with their most well-rounded, ambitious record to date. 0:54:54 - Interlude - Wodensthrone - “Those That Crush The Roots of Blood,” fr. Loss (Candlelight, 2009) 1:05:22 - Darkmoon Warrior - Graveyard Planet (Folter Records) Das Motorrad des Teufels macht VROOOOM!!!! 1:44:46 - Outro - Galicia - “Despondent Deity,” fr. Precipice (Hessian Firm, 2022) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com  

On Terminus 161, we bring you two short and ripping records from bands we've covered in the past and reference frequently, both obsessively devoted to the extremity arms race, both back with #3. 0:01:45 - Pneuma Hagion - From Beyond (Everlasting Spew Records) Blasting USDM titans consolidate their sound around…. the slow parts? Rest assured, the ziggurat has never been vaster, denser, or more hungry for the blood of stars. 0:44:06 - Interlude - Baphomet - “The Age of Plague,” fr. The Dead Shall Inherit (Peaceville, 1992) 0:47:37 - Concrete Winds - Concrete Winds (Sepulchral Voice Records) Finnish pioneers of “music-adjacent” riffing get back to basics, grounding the white noise chaos of their last record in the driving deathrash structures of the debut. 1:26:51 - Outro - Xotox - “Eisenkiller,” fr. Lichtlos (Pro Noize, 2003) Extended version recently released by Infacted Recorgodings https://infactedrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/lichtlos-extended Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

Returning from an interviewmission, Terminus is back with a couple records at least approximately located in the outlaw rock space. First up--the sophomore release of Ink & Fire which trades a bit of the debut's wild chaos for a more deliberate and precise melodic attack. Second, the debut by Ghost of Lietus, a Strix Askesis side project which augments Slavic and Hellenic black metal styles with an additional flair of traditional heavy metal and psych rock. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:04:28 - Ink & Fire - Emblazoned Visions Yield Eternity (Death Prayer Records) 0:52:51 - Interlude - Odal - “Flammendes Schwert,” fr. …Wilde Kraft (Christhunt Productions, 2005) 0:58:57 - Ghost of Lietus - Dream of the Viridian King (Independent) 1:39:01 - Outro - Ildra - “Ofer hwælweg we comon,” fr. Eðelland (Sonnenrune Records, 2011) Nobly reissued by Heidens Hart. https://heidenshart.bandcamp.com/album/e-elland Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

While conducting a dangerous Thulean reconnaisance mission, The Black Metal Guy managed to bed down in enemy triangle black metal territory to conduct a casual interview with a rare ally: Adrian Brachmann, whose projects Níðstöng and Perkwunos we have covered in earlier episodes. While dodging fire from the remains of the Orthodox scene, your intrepid host and his frigid counterpart enjoy a talk over coffee about Adrian's projects, his future musical plans, the broader black metal scene, and, of course, a Terminus favorite: 2000's metalcore. 0:00:00 - Interview 0:57:18 - Holyarrow - "空的進軍 / March to the Sky" fr. 吾​之​榮​耀​即​吾​之​忠​誠 (Pest Productions, 2023) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

WE LIVE... AGAIN. Terminus is back from summer break with a hot-ass episode of PURE BRUTAL DEATH METAL. To celebrate the start of Slam Boy Summer we have a four-banger of high profile records that we've been meaning to get to. First up- the sophomore record by 200 Stab Wounds- can they navigate the switch to a major metal label with their sound intact. Next up, Wormed, who attempt to bring their unique style of brutal death up to date with high profile influences. Third, the shocking return of Cephalotripsy, whose new record bears traces of the old but kicks off in a substantially different direction. And last but not least, Carnivore Diprosopus returns with a new record featuring a monster truck on the cover. That's it, that's the review. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:02:25 - 200 Stab Wounds - Manual Manic Procedures (Metal Blade) 0:45:37 - Interlude - Watchmaker - “Failing Upwards,” fr. Erased from the Memory of Man (Willowtip, 2005) 0:47:48 - Wormed - Omegon (Season of Mist) 1:28:13 - Interlude - Dephosphorus - “Storming The Sloan Wall,” fr. Ravenous Solemnity (7 Degrees Records, 2012) 1:31:06 - Cephalotripsy - Epigenetic Neurogenesis (...Independent. Seriously.) 2:12:55 - Interlude - Corpse Carving - “Drenched in Visceral Excretions and Excrement: Aftermath of Emasculation” fr. Grotesque Goratorium: Disemboweled Gorific Feast (Despise the Sun Records, 2005) 2:14:25 - Carnivore Diprosopus - Rise of the Insurrection (Comatose Music) 2:52:38 - Outro - Amputated Genitals - “Chessman Red Monday” fr. Human Meat Gluttony (Gore and Blood Productions, 2005) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

As Terminus prepares for its annual summer break (jetskiing, goblin slaying, etc.), we unleash a big black metal episode focused on only the coolest of wizard music. After an opening salvo by new project Arcane Bayonet, who present an oddball take on pagan black metal laced with black and roll, we get to a triumvirate of powerful spellcasting madness. First: the new record by Sear Bliss, legendary Hungarian hedge mages whose style of black/doom/folk/melodeath is as varied and well rounded as it is atmospheric and stirring. Second: the return of Windswept, a Saenko project which seeks to fuse the martial aggression of Hate Forest with the more delicate melodic sensibility of Drudkh to surprising results. Third: the mighty return of symphonic BM sorceror Limbonic Art, who drops the orchestra for something far more lean, hungry, and ferocious. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:05:24 - Arcane Bayonet - Bellicose Fields (Independent) 0:27:02 - Sear Bliss - Heavenly Down (Hammerheart Records) 1:18:45 - Interlude - Rotting Christ - “Diastric Alchemy,” fr. Triarchy of The Lost Lovers (Century Media, 1996) 1:23:44 - Windswept - Der eine, wahre König (Primitive Reaction) 2:01:53 - Interlude 2 - Nécropole - “Immanence,” fr. Ostara (Résilience, 2015) 2:09:23 - Limbonic Art - Opus Daemonical (Kyrck Productions & Armour) 2:55:48 - Outro - Anaal Nathrakh - “Between Piss and Shit We Are Born” fr. Eschaton (Season of Mist, 2006) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

To abruptly switch gears from our Very Special Episode earlier this week, we deliver reviews of the newest installments from two tech death giants. Ulcerate is back with their seventh full-length record which shows the band committing even more fully to the elements of post-rock, black metal, and textured drone which have helped define their sound- but have they strayed too far from the path? Pitted against them is the mutated monstrosity Malignancy's fourth full-length, which seeks to bring their sound a bit closer to the center of death metal while leaving their whiplashing, wild style of technicality intact- but can they maintain their vicious edge? YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:01:56 - Ulcerate - Cutting the Throat of God (Debemur Morti Productions) 0:54:35 - Interlude - The Brass - “Treading Water,” fr. the Rugged Cross EP (Independent, 2015) 0:58:44 - Malignancy - …Discontinued (Willowtip Records) 1:40:43 - Outro - Copremesis - “A Poem” fr. Muay Thai Ladyboys (Paragon Records, 2008) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

Hark! What's that on the distant horizon? Could it be a Very Special Episode of Terminus? It certainly is, one brought out for that most special of occasions--a new Burzum... album? Compilation? Collection of thematically related tracks? That's just one of the many, many questions this record inspires. Burzum is back to metal-- or something like it, at least-- and it's certainly an unusual take on the style. Combining neofolk, doom, ambient, and black metal, Burzum's new record suggests an entirely new model of folk music-- one that attempts to bring the past alive in a more literal sense than most. (A quick note: another episode will be released this week. We decided to make this a solo episode because, c'mon, it's Burzum!) 0:00:00 - Intro 0:01:07 - Burzum - The Land of Thule (Byelobog Productions) 1:15:01 - Outro - Burzum - “Glemselens Elv,” fr. Belus (Byelobog Productions, 2010) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

Welcome back to Terminus: Extreme MetaHEY WHATTAYA DOIN' THERE! Yep, it's one of THOSE episodes, where we explore the furthest fringes of our established content, this time featuring two bands near and dear to our respective co-hosts hearts. In one corner: TDMG reps his set for Knocked Loose, which features a spirited discussion of the past, present, and future of metalcore, the usage of nu-metal technique, and what the band's success means for the broader world of heavy music. In the other corner: TBMG rides in on a powerful steed to present the new High on Fire, including a full discussion on the band's discography, the role of extreme metal in Matt Pike's work, and opportunity for more dimension in metal drumming. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:04:44 - Knocked Loose - You Won't Go Before You're Supposed To (Pure Noise) Interlude - 1:08:40 - Thell Barrio - “A Toda Madre” (Independent, 2017) 1:12:01 - High on Fire - Cometh the Storm (MNRK Heavy) 2:03:54 - Outro - The Murder City Devils - “I Drink The Wine,” fr. In Name and Blood (Sub Pop, 2000) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

Continuing this year's ongoing theme of triumphant returns come two excellent records--one highly anticipated, and the other utterly unexpected. Side A: the return of Adversarial, a TDMG favorite whose brand of death-fueled war metal smashes contemporaries with a flail of technicality, extremity, and potent atmosphere. Side B: the shocking return of Tsatthoggua, German blasting black metal legends whose new record picks up almost exactly where the band left off a quarter century prior. Put on your gimp mask--it's time to party. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:03:59 - Adversarial - Solitude With the Eternal… (Dark Descent Records) 0:49:23 - Interlude - Allfather - “Evolution to Supremacy,” fr. Weapon of Ascension (Invictus, 2005) 0:51:42 - Tsatthoggua - We Are God (Osmose Productions) 1:50:37 - Outro - “Bless Thee for Granting Me Pain,” fr. Blackdoor Miracle (Regain Records, 2004) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

On this very special episode of Terminus, your intrepid hosts are joined by a mysterious guest many of you may be familiar with: the notorious Jiub of Radio Free Innsmouth, extreme metal aficiando, deep-dive podcaster, and wonderful kisser. After an intro salvo from TBMG featuring the debut demo of Brazen Horde with its back-to-the-roots Slavic drone, we encounter two new releases from Iron Bonehead. First: the new full length by Crucifier, which reinterprets multiple riffing styles through the prism of primitive US blackdeath ala Profanatica, showing the new kids how it's done. Second: The return of House of Atreus, whose style of Arghoslentian melodeath strays closer and closer to Swedish territory. 0:00:00 - Intro/Brazen Horde - Demo (Independent) 0:28:41 - Crucifier - Led Astray (Iron Bonehead) 1:13:33 - Interlude - Autopsy - “Fleshcrawl/Torn From the Womb” fr. Mental Funeral (Peaceville Records, 1991) 1:17:27 - House of Atreus - Orations (Iron Bonehead) 1:48:52 - Eucharist - “My Bleeding Tears” fr. A Velvet Creation (Wrong Again Records, 1993) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

After a brief torpor in recovery from our epic (in the true sense of the word) dissection of the Spite Extreme Wing discography, Terminus returns with a tight episode featuring, quite specifically, two New Zealand war metal bands with highly anticipated returns. In this corner: Diocletian, with a record that returns to their roots, provoking a sometimes contentious reponse from their audience. In the other: Heresiarch, who come back with a substantially altered sound leaning into the more progressive strains of black/death. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:00:57 - Diocletian - Inexorable Nexus (Nuclear War Now!) 0:53:57 - Interlude - Gospel of The Horns - “Chaos Bringer,” fr. A Call to Arms (Invictus, 2002) 0:58:15 - Heresiarch - Edifice (Iron Bonehead) 1:36:10 - Outro - Niden Div. 187 - “Genocide,” fr. Impergium (Necropolis Records, 1997) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

In one sense, this episode took two weeks to record - in another, it took nearly twenty years. Terminus Extreme Metal Podcast is proud to present MONVMENTVM - our full examination and critique of the discography of one of the bands most central to the podcast's artistic vision, Spite Extreme Wing. From the earliest demos to the final notes of Vltra, join your intrepid hosts as they perform the first ever English-language deep dive on one of the finest bands that heavy music has ever produced. 0:00:00 - Intro/Background/History 0:29:44 - Magnificat compilation (Beyond…. Productions, 2003 / Behemoth Productions, 2007 reissue) 1:11:53 - Non Dvcor, Dvco (Behemoth Productions, 2004) 2:13:55 - Kosmokrator [Magnificat II] (Behemoth Productions, 2005) 3:10:11 - Vltra (Avantgarde Music, 2008) 4:11:31 - Outro - “Il sole di notte e la rivolta / The sun in the night and the revolt,” fr. Non Dvcor, Dvco Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

On today's installment of Terminus we get two dramatically different sides of Teutonic black metal, both of unquestionable interest to all burly, woodcutting Terminators. First: the return of Rostorchester, whose brand of heavily emo and punk-infused black metal achieves its full potential- mostly by becoming primarily an emo band!* Next: the debut full length of Ad Mortem, who follow closely in the footsteps of friends Totenwache in refreshing the Sargeist style with a steelier and more stoic German countenance- when they're not partying, of course. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:04:10 - Rostorchester - Der Zinnen Sang vom Niedergang (BergStolz) 0:53:43 - Interlude - A Pregnant Light - “Babychain,” fr. Broken Play (Colloquial Sound Recordings, 2019) 0:59:39 - Ad Mortem - In Honorem Mortis (Purity Through Fire) 1:37:59 - Outro - Mavorim - “Krieger, Voran!,” fr. the Verbrannte Erde split w/ Totenwache (Independent, 2018) *CORRECTION: At the start of the Rostorchester review, we refer to a Youtube comment by Antimessiah. This was actually a fake account! See the thread on the Rites of Pestilence upload, where the real Antimessiah drops in to set the record straight. Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

On today's installment of the world's only extreme metal podcast, we come with three triumphant returns by three favorites of the show- this is one for the record books, folks, with one of the strongest lineups of records in a single episode we've ever featured. First up: the shocking return of Mutiilation, whose 17 year absence seemingly never occurred as Meyna'ch presents six tracks of caustic and necro French black metal in a style nearly forgotten. Next up: another massive comeback by Brodequin, whose custom brand of blast-oriented brutal death is expanded upon with clearer production and a more pronounced sense of melody. Rounding things out: Coffins returns with more Coffins. No further explanation is required. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:01:54 - Mutiilation - Black Metal Cult (Osmose Productions) 1:04:31 - Interlude - Hell Militia - “Born Without Light” fr. Last Station on the Road to Death (Debemur Morti Productions, 2010) 1:10:22 - Brodequin - Harbinger of Woe (Season of Mist Underground Activists) 1:56:25 - Interlude - Cinerary - “Undying” fr. Rituals of Desecration (Deepsend Records, 2001) 1:59:48 - Coffins - Sinister Oath (Relapse Records) 2:48:28 - Outro - Grudge - “Altar of Asphalt,” fr. D.D.D.H. - Doomed to Death, Damned in Hell split w/ Coffins and Anatomia (Grindmind Records, 2007) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

After an impromptu spring break (caused by technical issues, sorry guys), Terminus is back with an alumni-focused episode for the dedicated fans. After a mini-review by TBMG on noble dungeon synth barbarian Uppstigning, we revisit two bands near and dear to the show's cold, black heart. First: the return of Anahata, whose burly, powerlifting heavy/power metal has been infused with a tremendous dose of prog and a massively increased structural scope. Next: Syndexioi, who emerge slightly from the caverns with a sound louder, larger, and much more immediate than their first. Listening recommendation for this episode: clench your fist out in front of you at roughly eye level and roar. 0:00:00 - Intro/Uppstigning - Rite of Passage (Independent) 0:18:44 - Anahata - Syncretic Sovereignty (Independent) 1:12:37 - Interlude - 3 Inches of Blood - “Axes of Evil” fr. Advance and Vanquish (Roadrunner Records, 2004) 1:17:06 - Syndexioi - Devouring Slumber (Independent) 2:00:18 - Outro - Elffor - “Infernal Woods” fr. Son of the Shades (Northern Silence Productions, 2008) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

In this 2020-style installment of Terminus, we check in on two bands with unique methods of incorporating various post- materials into extreme metal. First: the return of They Came From Visions, who we covered in 2020, back with a much matured sophomore recording which takes traditional, folkish Slavblack and laces it with biting, anxious dissonance. Speaking of dissonance: the new record by Convulsing, a favorite of The Death Metal Guy, whose direct and forceful style of dissodeath belies a prog metal heart and a brutish OSDM sense of rage. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:05:09 - They Came From Visions - The Twilight Robes (Eisenwald) 0:48:22 - Akercocke - “A Skin for Dancing In,” fr. The Goat of Mendes (Peaceville, 2001) 0:55:40 - Convulsing - Perdurance (Independent) 1:39:30 - Haunter - “Shrouded Moor” fr. Thrinodίa (Red River Family Records, 2016) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

It's been a black year for Terminus so far- at least in terms of its metal. Why not switch things up a bit before we turn irrevocably to corpsepainted autists? On today's episode, your hosts explore two records of elitist, oldschool-minded death metal in radically different idioms. First: Drowned, who combine Tampa and Swedish styles into something resolutely minimal and traditional yet shockingly abstract. Second: Unaussprechlichen Kulten, who tap into the earliest strains of melodic death metal and lace it with explosive and dense guitar arrangements which suggest a debt to the prog rock of old. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:02:06 - Drowned - Procul His (Sepulchral Voice Records) 0:44:27 - Interlude - Darkthrone - “As Desertshadows” fr. Goatlord (Moonfog Productions, 1996) 0:49:07 - Unaussprechlichen Kulten - Häxan Sabaoth (Iron Bonehead) 1:35:37 - Outro - Totten Korps - “Hastur's Voice Echoes in Our Minds” fr. Supreme Commanders of Darkness (Apocalyptic Productions, 2015) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

"Hipster black metal"- a term that inspires tremendous derision, even within the halls of this very podcast. But what if we were to confront the phenomena head-on and truly evaluate its potential? Today we have a triumvirate of records that could all be labelled as "hipster BM" in some sense, but with radically different takes. Hauntologist, a fresh spinoff of Mgla, plays heavily in the realm of goth and post-punk. Departure Chandelier returns from a long absence with something heavier, more primitive, and Bathorian, eschewing much of its melodic past. And returning from even longer: Vemod rises from the grave, reinterpreting grandiose post-rock song structures with the raw power of early Enslaved. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:02:53 - Hauntologist - Hollow (No Solace) 0:42:37 - Departure Chandelier - Satan Soldier of Fortune (Nuclear War Now) 1:11:36 - Interlude - Dzlarv - “Untitled 2” fr. 1996 Demo (Independent, 1996) 1:17:04 - Vemod - The Deepening (Prophecy Productions) 2:06:37 - Outro - Sólstafir - “Pale Rider,” fr. Köld (Spinefarm, 2009) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

In the fractured and diffuse world of extreme metal circa 2024, very few people could be considered a "pillar" of the scene- but one among those is Yosuke Konishi of stalwart label Nuclear War Now! In this interview, your hosts enjoy a leisurely chat with the proprietor of the label, Never Surrender fest, and his newest venture: Helios Press, which seeks to bring vinyl production back stateside in what may be the most ambitious and challenging move yet in an already impressive career. WE WON'T STOP UNTIL WE'RE DEAD! 0:00:00 - Interview 1:06:55 - Blasphemy - "Weltering in Blood" fr. Live Ritual: Friday the 13th (Nuclear War Now, 2001) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

Today's Terminus dispatch: an episode with a much more positive tone than our last. This installment features two Terminus veterans returning with multifaceted and excellent records, proudly continuing traditions of understated greatness. First up: the return of Inquisition, whose new record reaches backward into the band's catalog for a restored aggression but also peeks into the future with an array of unusual non-metal guitar influences. Second: Narbeleth, coming in hot off the tremendous success of their previous record, choose a more difficult path, where their unique style of Franco-Finnish black metal plays with the edges of strange rhythm and dissonance, making for music as tense and fearful as it is ecstatic and Dionysian. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:02:43 - Inquisition - Veneration of Medieval Mysticism and Cosmological Violence (Agonia Records) 0:59:18 - Interlude - Inquisition - “Baptized in Black Goat Blood,” fr. Magnificent Glorification of Lucifer (No Colours Records, 2004) 1:03:01 - Narbeleth - A Pale Crown (Folter Records) 1:51:00 - Outro - Narbeleth - “Moon of A Thousand Shapes,” fr. Svmma Cvm Nox Arcana (Folter Records, 2021) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

AS THE DARKNESS CREEPS OVER THE INTERNET, AND THE SILENCE REACHES THE PODCASTS, WE WILL AWAKE AND RISE... Welcome back to the 2024 season of Terminus! Your intrepid hosts have risen from their dreaded tombs once again to provide the world's most crucial critical analysis of extreme metal records. Our first episode of 2024 covers two records from the waning days of 2023 which have received a lot of attention from our fanbase. Flaming Ouroboros has finally dropped their much-anticipated debut full length- is it a new heigh for outlaw rock, or does it slip over the edge in its dangerous dance with emo? In the other corner, the return of Finnish stalwarts White Death- is their sophomore release a powerful return to traditional Finnish black metal, or merely an exercise in self-congratulation? Find out the answers to these questions and more on a new year of TERMINUS! 0:00:00 - Intro 0:04:22 - Flaming Ouroboros - Anthems for Brotherhood (Death Hymns) 0:59:18 - Bronson - “Quelli Come Noi” fr. Brucia (Rupe Tarpea Produzioni/One People, One Struggle Records, 2018) 1:02:34 - White Death - Iconoclast (Werewolf Records) 1:47:14 - Behexen - “Fist of The Satanist,” fr. By The Blessing of Satan (Woodcut Records, 2004) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

You wanted the worst? You got the worst! It's time for the annual TERMINUS OMEGA episode where your intrepid hosts debate the best extreme metal records of the year. This time, we did our end of year episode as a livestream on Youtube, but we're republishing it here for our podcast platform listeners. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and by the end- maybe we'll all learn something. Enjoy, terminators, and see you in mid-January after our winter break. Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

It's almost Christmas time here at Terminus, so what better way to celebrate the (un)holy trinity than with a triple threat of records focused on grinding dissonance? First up is the return of TDMG favorite Demoncy who go back to basics on Black Star Gnosis with their evergreen style of primitive US black/death metal. Next is Yersin, back on the show for the first time since 2020 with a refinement of their unusual style of crustblackdeathhardcore, pulling as much from Nails as Slavic BM. Wrapping things up is Blood Serpent from the Vietnamese House of Ygra collective, who debut with a record of war metal which, while losing none of the inherent aggression, pursues deeper territories inspired by some of the oldest ideas in 80s metal. This is our last main episode of the year, but it's not quite over yet: next week, on December 27th, at 8 PM EST, is the livestream for our annual Terminus Omega, where we enumerate the definitive best records of the year. Join us on Youtube Live for the festivities- this has been a great year for music and we're looking forward to celebrating it with all of you who have listened throughout it. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:05:51 - Demoncy - Black Star Gnosis (Dark Descent Records) 0:52:45 - Interlude - Hell Rot - “Goat Chapel” fr. Vomit Altar (Independent, 2006) 0:55:33 - Yersin - The Scythe is Remorseless (Trepanation Recordings) 1:32:36 - Blood Serpent - Bestial Extermination (House of Ygra) 2:04:44 - Outro - Aura Noir - “Black Metal Jaw,” fr. The Merciless (Tyrant Syndicate Productions, 2004) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

A year and a half in the making, the time has finally come for Terminus to reconvene with the members of Mormegil, formed from the ashes of the late Cromlech. What ensues: a rollicking conversation covering Cromlech's "Ascent of Kings," songwriting techniques on an epic scale, the ambitions of continuing band Mormegil, and how the ghost of AFI haunts us all. Break out the mead, boys: it's time for another hangout with our favorite Canadians. 0:00:00 - Interview 1:43:15 - Cromlech - "Turambar (Master of Doom/By Doom Mastered) fr. Ascent of Kings (Hessian Firm, 2023) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

The boys are back in town with a long and girthy 2020-style episode centered around 4 black metal releases from the deep underground. First up is a patron submission in Guerrero Nómada, a modern one-man black metal project which adds touches of emo and classic heavy metal into its stomping heathenism. Next is a new entry from Holland's Zwotte Kring collective in The Color of Rain, where our Dutch friends take a stab at bringing the black metal (and metalcore) back to post-black metal. Side B: the return of Kampfeswut who further iterates on their grinding style of explosive black/folk/power/melodeath/anything as long as it's FAST. And finally, we send you out with Forest Thrall, a promising outlaw rock upstart who breaks the psychedelic primitivity of Blazebirth Hall into even more molecular fragments. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:08:21 - Guerrero Nómada - Cuatro Partes del Mundo (Independent) 0:49:20 - The Color of Rain - Oceans Above (Void Wanderer Productions) 1:21:15 - Interlude - For the Fallen Dreams - “Brothers in Arms” fr. Changes (Rise Records, 2008) 1:24:14 - Kampfeswut - Die Rückkehr des Barden (Acid Vicious) 2:00:00 - Forest Thrall - Amidst Pines (Death Prayer Records) 2:49:47 - Outro - Skuggeheim - “Å Gå I Gl​ø​ymsle” fr. Ekko frå fortid - Fase fem av fem (Terratur Possessions, 2023) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

After a week of epic, thrashing black/death Americana, we bring you a week of epic, thrashing brutal death. First up, we finally get a new release from The Death Metal Guy's favorite Colombians, Internal Suffering. Where a lot of modern BDM exists in a virtually self-contained sonic universe, nestled between tech-death and slam, Internal Suffering proudly trace their heritage to Morbid Angel. This influence is especially clear on Rituals, where they strip down their song structures to let the riffs shine through. Second, we ponder the metamorphosis of Long Island's Afterbirth, pioneers of brutal death now venturing into more proggy, cinematic territory. This could be terrible, but it isn't, and it may well be a masterpiece. In But Not Of is an uncommonly well-rounded record that speaks to every facet of teenage alienation, but from the vantage point of older, wiser men.   0:00:00 - Intro 0:03:45 - Internal Suffering - Rituals (New Standard Elite) 0:45:25 - Interlude - Carnivore Diprosopus - “Creation of a Sadistic Empire” fr. Condemned by the Alliance (Sevared Records, 2013) 0:49:39 - Afterbirth - In But Not Of (Willowtip Records) 1:48:53 - Outro - Lykathea Aflame - “To Give” fr. Elvenefris (Obscene Productions, 2000) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

On today's installation of Terminus, two different sorts of returns: Arghoslent, back from the grave, and Strix Askesis, back on the show. Arghoslent are back from 15 years of slumber with a new record of... deathened heavy metal(?) while Strix Askesis refine their sound and explore new territories between black metal and hard rock. Does Arghoslent's unique sound stand the test of time, standing shoulder to shoulder with their previous work? And can Strix Askesis square the circle of Blazebirth Hall and the heaviest of 90s hard rock? (Spoilers: no and yes respectively.) 0:00:00 - Intro 0:04:02 - Arghoslent - Resuscitation of the Revanchists (Weltenfeind) 1:00:06 - Interlude - Abominant - “Left to Rot” fr. Onward to Annihilation (Deathgasm Records, 2013) 1:03:31 - Strix Askesis - Becoming Thunder (Independent) 2:05:25 - Outro - Furia - “Opętaniec” fr. Novel (Pagan Records, 2014) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

TBMG is out sick this week, so while the cat is away, the... cat-owner will play? On this solo venture, The Death Metal Guy gives a quick rundown of some of his favorite power electronics albums, with an ear for the links between this style of music and extreme metal. Take the stuff you love from Terminus and make it even noisier, more inaccessible, and thematically repugnant- what's not to love? 0:00:00 - Intro 0:15:09 - Hunting Lodge - Will (S/M Operations, 1983) 0:27:40 - Whitehouse - Bird Seed (Susan Lawly, 2003) 0:44:52 - Navicon Torture Technologies - Pure-Skin (NCC, 2006) 0:58:38 - Deathpile - G.R. (Hospital Productions, 2003) 1:11:57 - Outro - Humiliate - Belle of the Ball (Independent, 2017) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

On today's two-banger, both your intrepid hosts get to play show and tell with the latest releases from bands they love deeply. Side one: TBMG presents the newest record by Primordial, which shows the band investigating the murky territory between hard rock, heavy and black metal, Celtic folk, and all points in between, in a record as dense as it is long. TDMG brings on the new album by Profanatica, which goes CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG. All is right with the world. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:09:54 - Primordial - How it Ends (Metal Blade Records) 1:07:34 - Interlude - Primordial - “The Heretic's Age,” fr. Storm before Calm (Hammerheart, 2002) 1:13:51 - Profanatica - Crux Simplex (Season of Mist) 1:54:54 - Outro - Havohej - “I Arose, Part 2” fr. Dethrone the Son of God (Candlelight Records, 1993) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

Terminus is back with its first interview in a long while- and who better to bring the series back than Ron Vento, mastermind behind Imperial Crystalline Entombment and Aurora Borealis. I.C.E. recently released their 20 year-delayed followup to 2004's debut with Ancient Glacial Resurgence, an uncompromising but remarkably entertaining record which breathes new life into a nearly forgotten style of USBM. Join Ron and TDMG as they explore the new I.C.E. record, the history of the band, his work in Aurora Borealis, the changing landscape of black metal, and whether I.C.E. ACTUALLY sounds like Immortal. 0:00:00 - Interview Part 1 0:20:12 - Imperial Crystalline Entombment - "Of Blizzards and Banshees" fr. Ancient Glacial Resurgence (Debemur Morti, 2023) 0:24:27 - Interview Part 2 0:44:19 - Aurora Borealis - "The House of Nimrod" fr. Prophecy is the Mold in Which History is Poured (Hammerheart Records, 2022) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

It's been a little while, but for good reason: we're back with a HUGE, sprawling 4 record show with some old favorites and perhaps some new ones for all ye Terminators. Today, we're split roughly in half between black metal and grind. Side one: Gridlink returns from their long absence with an exquisite record of technical and melodic grind, while fiendish upstarts Trichomoniasis horrify with a bloated slab of grinding gorenoise. Side two: returning veterans Sielunvihollinen presents a new record of confounding but exciting black/heavy metal while Ynkleudherhenavogyon enters the arena with brackish but subtle storming pagan black metal. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:01:09 - Gridlink - Coronet Juniper (Willowtip Records) 0:41:07 - Sielunvihollinen - Helvetinkone (Hammer of Hate) 1:19:08 - Interlude - Ashbury - “The Warning” fr. Endless Skies (Ashbury Music, 1983) 1:23:05 - Trichomoniasis - Makeshift Crematoria (New Standard Elite) 2:00:48 - Ynkleudherhenavogyon - Honan Bleydh II (BC - Inverse Solar Reqvriem / tape - Analög Ragnarök / LP - Urtod Void / CD - Dark Adversary) 2:44:29 - Outro - Forest - “The Flames and The Ash before Horizons Opened Wide,” fr. Forest (Independent, 1996) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

As the long hot summer drags onward, Terminus is back with a concise but detailed two-banger that features two surprise returns: forgotten USBM almost-legends I.C.E. in one corner, and returning Quebecois deathgrind legends Cryptopsy in the other. I.C.E. brings back a nearly forgotten style of 00s norsecore 20 years on from their debut; Cryptopsy attempts to project their churning, technical manner of death/grind/metalcore to a wider audience 10 years past their last record. Two bands enter, but only one can survive such a long absence. Who will emerge victorious? Listen and find out. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:01:01 - Imperial Crystalline Entombment - Ancient Glacial Resurgence (Debemur Morti) 0:47:01 - Interlude - Arkhon Infaustus - “M33 Constellation,” fr. Perdition Insanabilis (Osmose, 2004) 0:52:48 - Cryptopsy - As Gomorrah Burns (Nuclear Blast) 1:34:03 - Cryptopsy - “The Golden Square Mile” fr. Cryptopsy (Independent, 2012) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com

No shit we're reviewing these! 0:00:00 - Intro 0:03:03 - Grave Pilgrim - The Bigotry of Purpose (Death Prayer Records) 1:18:48 - Interlude - FIN - “Outlaws” fr. Arrows of a Dying Age (Folter Records, 2017) 1:22:29 - Der Tod und die Landsknechte - Wir fürchten weder Tod noch Teufel (Blasphemous Terror Records) 2:10:33 - Outro - Equilibrium - “Der Sturm” fr. Turis Fratyr (Black Attakk Records, 2005) Terminus links:q Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com  

WE HAVE ARRIVED. Terminus is back from a lingering summer break with even more white-knuckle, pulse-pounding aktion as TDMG and TBMG once again plumb the depths of the underground, emerging with hands full of cursed jewels from the mines below. This time, it's a 2020 episode: weird records straight from the collective bowels of the metal scene, but all of them profoundly excellent in their own rights. And what would the return from break be without TDMG presenting more unlistenable brutal death? This time, it's courtesy of Nithing, whose debut full length scars the ear drums with channel-switching noise rock riffs and an attacking, undulating drum performance. Our first full review hails the return of Paimon Gate, whose 2022 demo was highly lauded by both hosts. The full length followup is no sophomore slump, instead elevating Paimon Gate's already ferocious and rigorous presentation with further structural complexity and new, distinct riffing styles. TDMG really schizes out on this one, drawing comparisons to the eastern mysticism of the silent horror film era while announcing that The Riff Was Sick repeatedly. His enthusiasm, though, is not misplaced- Paimon Gate's opening salvo is a triumph within its beloved style of primitive US black/death. The other side of the coin is abruptly flipped by TBMG, who presents Bretwaldas of Heathen Doom, a distinctly English band whose wide-reaching but naturalistic blend of doom, crust, black metal, and hard rock has the power to win over just about anyone. Bretwaldas play with the countours of time in genre, abutting 70s psych rock with Gravelandian warmongering with none of the sense of frivolity that such a description suggests. Without restraint but similarly without compromise, Bretwaldas weave together the seemingly disparate into a resolute and stoic whole. 0:00:00 - Intro/Nithing - Agonal Hymns (New Standard Elite) 0:25:30 - Paimon Gate - Butcher to The Devil's Court (Nuclear War Now) 1:05:29 - Interlude - Bestial Raids - “Ceremonial Bloodshed” fr. Prime Evil Damnation (Nuclear War Now!, 2011) 1:09:35 - Bretwaldas of Heathen Doom - Summoning the Gatekeepers (Old Man's Mettle) 1:55:34 - The Gates of Slumber - “Castle of The Devil” fr. The Wretch (Rise Above Records, 2011) Terminus links: Terminus on Youtube Terminus on Patreon Terminus on Instagram Terminus on Facebook thetrueterminus@gmail.com