#vilkacis

A handful of favorites from what seemed like a particularly strong year for music. Rest in peace to Yuzo Iwata, who had the album of the year the second I heard it. I Dischi Del Barone was my label of the year; everything Matthias released could’ve gone on here. Most releases listed below are readily available via any links provided: support the artists, and let’s keep this thing rolling.

LP

Yuzo Iwata, Daylight Moon (Siltbreeze)

Mournful Congregation, The Incubus of Karma (20 Buck Spin)

Lolina, The Smoke (self-released)

The Body, I Have Fought Against It, But I Can’t Any Longer. (Thrill Jockey)

Woolen Men, Post (Dog’s Table)

Constant Mongrel, Living In Excellence (La Vida Es Un Mus/Anti Fade)

Mamitri Yulith Empress Yonagunisan, Yulith Lilith (Bruit Direct Disques)

Vilkacis / Turia split (Altare Productions)

Arv & Miljö, Svensk sommar i stilla frid (Omlott)

Six more:

Chris Corsano & Bill Orcutt, Brace Up! (Palilalia)

The Doozer, Figurines (Feeding Tube)

Geld, Perfect Texture (Iron Lung)

The Native Cats, John Sharp Toro (R.I.P. Society)

Patois Counselors, Proper Release (ever/never)

Mette Rasmussen & Tashi Dorji, s/t (Feeding Tube)

12″ / 7″ / cassette

Mosquitoes, Drip Water Hollow Out Stone 12″ (ever/never)

Alienation, Bitter Reality 7″ (Warthog Speak)

Fåglar I Bur, “Platt” b/w “Öppen Inbjudan” 7″ (I Dischi Del Barone)

Healer / DJ Eons, Dank Goblins split 7″ (Warthog Speak)

Honey Radar, Psychic Cruise 7″ (Chunklet)

JJ Ulius, “Tänder Ett Ljus” b/w “Era Jävla Manér” 7″ (Happiest Place)

Monokultur, s/t 7″ (I Dischi Del Barone)

The Native Cats, Spiro Scratch 7″ (Rough Skies)

Phrenelith, Ornamented Dead Eyes 7″ (Night Shroud)

Rapid Dye, Nurture or Destroy 7″ (Paradise Daily)

Mary Lattimore, Charlie’s Yard cassette (Petty Bunco)

Long Hots, Monday Night Raw cassette (self-released)

Wonderfuls, Voices Like Rain cassette (Round Bale)

Reissues? My research was scattered and lacking, but my top picks would be the Nightcrawlers’ Biophonic Boombox Recordings 2xLP, a much-needed reissue of Corrupted’s Se Hace Por Los Asesinos (buy that here or here), and Cut by Bill Direen/Bilders.

Above: Mizmor at Migration Fest 2018, Mr. Small’s Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA

Shows

Migration Fest at Mr. Small’s Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA: So many great sets, bolstered by the best company I could ask for and a multitude of trips to the nearby Grist House brewery. Mizmor, Mournful Congregation, Hell, Yellow Eyes and Fórn were my favorite performances of the weekend.

Primitive Man and Spectral Voice at the End, Nashville, TN

Bill Direen / Bilders at the Pilot Light, Knoxville, TN

VILKACIS / TURIA | VILKACIS / TURIA (full split)

Pure aural ecstasy on this recent split between Vilkacis and Turia. The description “BLACK METAL AS SPIRITUAL WAR” has heightened implications and expectations, but both bands deliver the goods, their expertise being a type of black metal largely practiced and perfected in the US over recent years. That is: furious, subtly melodic (without becoming treacle) and always extending towards blinding bright light. The draw for this hobgoblin is Vilkacis, who is one M. Rekevics. He’s done time in Fell Voices, Yellow Eyes and Vanum, and if you know those groups, you know what you’re in for here. This is bracing, deafening, cancel-all-your-plans music, as all black metal worth its salt should be. “In the Night’s Grip” is the best song here, and maybe the best song of the year. But the way Vilkacis slows the tempo for “Final March Into Flame,” stumbling into the best guitar line latter-day Yob never wrote by song’s end, makes one think this might be it for the project. Where do you go after 18 minutes of near-perfect euphoric ferocity? Thankfully there’s no dip in quality on the half from Turia, from the Netherlands, faithfully channeling the atmospheric void-wailing of Ash Borer across two tracks. “Tuchtroede” is the snarling ascent, “Spiegel der Eenvoudige Zielen” is the descent, providing an impossibly high level of quality and continuity rare among split records. Take these four tracks in one dose; explode into a thousand points of light.