BAZ Underground Updates XXXIV
4 min read
With a vaccine hopefully just around the corner, it feels as if soon enough all of us will be free and our writers Julia Katrin and Tom Boatman can end this article series and instead focus on actually going to live shows to see the bands and buy the merchandise. For now though, it appears as if we will have to endure for a bit longer, and while we do so the duo is back to give you an update on this week’s activities and fabulousness.
So, let’s see what’s out there…
Band: Apocalyptica
As for the past two weeks, Tuska Utopia continues to stream the bands that otherwise would have played at the Finnish Tuska Open Air Metal Festival and up now for episode three are the torch bearers of cello metal of Apocalyptica, set to perform at the ruins of the medieval Church of St. Michael. Set to premiere this coming Friday, the 27th of November, you can secure your ticket now which will also provide you with the viewing rights for 48 hours after the premiere, as well as a promotion code that entitles the ticket holder to a discount on Utopia Collection items you can find here.
Band: WVRM
When you want to get the juices flowing with some misanthropic nastiness “Colony Collapse”, released back in April, is a great choice. Mixing sludge, death metal, grindcore and noise, there won’t be no gentle holding of hands here. With the original vinyl pressings almost all sold out, the band has just released a second pressing, limited to 150 copies. Head over to bandcamp where you can pick up this, or a digital copy. It ain’t pretty, but it sure is effective.
Band: Khemmis
Sometimes an album cover tells you exactly how an album should sound and in the case of “Absolution”, the 2015 debut album by Denver’s Khemmis, you can bet that indeed gigantic stone slabs of metal riffing are going to rain down on you. Label 20 Buck Spin have just released a new vinyl pressing which you can get your paws on here. Below you can feast on a sample of melodic doom metal glory.
Band: Dödsrit
This week appears to be the week of re-pressings. This time it’s to Sweden we go for the d-beat black metal of Dödsrit and their aptly titled “Spirit Crusher”. First released in 2018, and with 3 vinyl pressings already sold out, it’s now time for a fourth! It will take only a few moments listening to this release to be quite sure that winter has indeed arrived and it’s now inside your home too. Pick up a copy here and listen to a sample below.
Band: Ilsa
Washington DC’s Ilsa have been crushing skulls with pounding heads with their heavy death/ doom concoctions since their 2009 debut “The Maggots are Hungry”. Now the band is back with their latest album “Preyer” and with the album’s theme being the case of a satanic killer from the US who received the death penalty, you can be sure that the lyrics will fit the harrowing musical backdrop. Go over to bandcamp where you can pick up a spicy vinyl copy (amongst other formats) and bludgeon your ears with a sample below.
Lastly, as we like to do every now and then, is to gently remind you of The Nomads. The charity fundraiser, created by Frank Fanelli and Tatiana Danielle, have worked hard for months on end now to give back to the touring crew members in the music industry who have suffered loss of work due to the pandemic. These people are the ones who have made shows available to us, and they deserve our support in these times. Currently, For the Nomads fundraiser is on round 4 of its silent auction, and we encourage you to head over here to learn about the auction, see the amazing artists who have donated items, as well as you can find all the information you need to make a simple donation.
With not only a vaccine hopefully around the corner, we also have December almost rolling around. Hard to believe that before we know it, we will be halfway through winter and summer will be back with all the delicious shows and concerts we could ever want. Just be patient for now and enjoy what is available out there from the safety of your home.
By Julia Katrin and Tom Boatman
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