DEW OF NOTHING - Outsider (2015)

Dark Green Dew's Rebirth

So, here we go with the newest, second album of Dew of Nothing, recorded after such a long break. Comparing to the old line-up, two players Rene and Martin are still on the stage, supported by Anzvz on vocals. This cd has been released by unfailing American Line in modest digipak form, again with interesting front-cover submerged in dark green, however not fairy-like as compared to the debut. The first impression is just ok, so let’s look deep inside the content of “Outsider”…

…and just forget about the times of the “Doubleueird” album. I know, both albums are divided by the expanse of years, yet I won’t be wrong claiming the new album is just… mature. But let me start from production matter, it is modern straight through, yet without any signs of horrible artificiality. My only slight complaint refers to bass lines, I’d like to hear them more clearly, remembering several crushing moments from the first strike. As for the music itself, Dew of Nothing is a different band now, and although they travel through melodic death metal dimension, their music got simplicity. The main musicians intention is to give direct, straight forward tunes, based on rampant and inexorable work of Martin’s artillery. But I’m far from claiming that “Outsider” is an endless, unreasoning portion of musical butchery. Mexicans act in full consciousness sticking climatic slowdowns among the storm of riffs. And these calmer fragments are perfect counterpoise to the killing shots, they aren’t any nonsensical invention or sham fillers, yet they are another thing to name the whole melodic. Yes, another, because the main component are rhythm guitar and semi-lead parts. Again comparing to the debut, Rene and Martin decided to drift toward Swedish territorial waters. Not being drowned in flames, but definitely more in Dark Tranquillity, Sacramentum or Cardinal Sin kind of melody. And those moments sound really, really good in every track. What is more, “Touched by Evilness” has some line that can be easily referred to the second album of Dissection. And if some names have been given, the entire atmosphere of “Outsider” is similar in very bizarre and hard to explain way to Vinterland’s “Welcome My Last Chapter”. You know, different times, different genres, but feelings and emotions pretty much the same… It’s really amazing as the band isn’t old-school kind of fashionable revival.

For sure two songs steps aside a bit, yet they don’t disturb the general impression luckily. In second song “Leave Him to the Rats” Mexicans serve a handful of broken rhythms and varied riffs, in turn the ending piece “Doomed by Omen Circus” is the slowest one in the family with surprising one-minute lasting… drum solo executed by Martin. I have been following for his talent and passion since the late nineties and believe me, another album with his participation and another thing to praise. And not only drums are Martin’s duty, he takes care about keyboards and excellent memorable guitar leads.   

   

After many meetings with the album, there is very hard to choose the leader. “Outsider” is just very equal and ‘each sound knows its place’ offer. As for the vocal parts, Anzvz is a good choice for the band, he is rather mid-range between growling and black shrieks and he did it really eventfully, being just a suitable for the rest.

A term ‘melodic death metal’ may raise doubts, it’s easy for the band to become banal and childish with their catchy face. Dew of Nothing is the next representative of the genre coming out from Mexico, and even there, the scene is quite overcrowded with such crews. Fortunately, “Outsider” is definitely of a better kind, not only from the Mexican land. It means: strong with ancient Swedish spirit melodic side mixed with uncompromising sonic violence made the modern way. And this mix really works here.    

90/100

-Tlacaxipehualiztli

(written in October, 2015)

DEW OF NOTHING - Doubleueird (1998)

Almost like a (Daily) Dew

This title belongs to the big group of tapes I got from Joel Morales through the countless trades in the past. It has arrived without my order, being just another thing from the land of Mexico. And at once it intrigued me: strange band’s name and album’s title (try to spell it after fifth beer…), almost fairy front cover that should be proper for any Narnia-like tale. The opening track can lead someone into error, it’s a good tune for atmospheric or gothic outfit, fortunately “Seven Caves” blows it out. And yes, the whole can be described as death metal with melodic fragments done by means of some acoustic parts of guitars or keyboards, appearing in almost every track. The base here is rather fast tempo (but no blasts), riffs are expressive, sometimes catchy and supported by crushing, almost leading, bass lines occasionally, but as compared to melodic death crews from Gothenburg, the Mexicans are simply more brutal and ruthless.

If the realization of sound is concerned, I’d like to write it completely prepensely, as the whole is very similar to… “Prehispanic Beg” executed by Xipe Totec, even the cartoon-like drums (although I’m not surprised because one guy Jose Luis Ledezma Fernandez is responsible for that…). But the name of Mexica eulogists refers to music itself as well. I would say, it is not a surprise again, take a look on the line-up, two members of Xipe (Martin Martinez and Pablo Hernandez) are involved in Dew of Nothing. Granted, those musical similarities are obstacle to give “Doubleueird” more than good mark. All right, just take a listen to “Proud of Damned” with the riffs reminding me “Tzompantli”, or lead guitar part from “Nightmare’s Lake” very much the same as from the second lead of the title “Prehispanic Beg”. Or “Art upon Perception of Time” except for an interesting intro and acoustics. However I cannot say that this album is a copy. As compared to “Prehispanic Beg”, it is not so crude and bestial, without excursions to the Nahuatl world, with different appoggiatura I have just mentioned above that lead the band into something different. And for sure one track “Intruder and Holy Hate” shows a bit diverse face with clear signs of its own identity. Well, “Doubleueird” isn’t a title I listen to every week, yet of course I have still in my mind this release. Not an exceptional for Mexican scene, but a decent slab of death.  

Released by a small label (tape by Toaj Records and cd by Sempiternal Productions), this title came to naught I guess. The scene was overcrowded, even in Mexico, by the bands performing such a genre. As the last breath, the band managed to record one more Ep and split up at last. The musical pause has been lasting 13 years and Dew of Nothing has been born again in 2014. With different line-up, with new label, with new great (I hope) ideas as the band brings another full-length this year. So, let’s see what “Outsider” is all about…

  

70/100

- Tlacaxipehualiztli

(written in October, 2015)

VAGINALLUFTWAFFE 6 (2014)

November 2014, 50/A4, hand-numbered, xeroxed, Polish, interviews: ANATOMIA, NECROIST, BOKLUK, DENOUNCEMENT PYRE, ENERGUMEN, INNSMOUTH, SARTEGOS, SADOMATOR, W.A.I.L., BLOODY VENGEANCE.

This is my first meeting with this zine, although its name has been known for several years to me. This title was reviewed oftentimes in the underground press, yet Vaginalluftwaffe hasn’t been at the top of the tree. At least I decided to give it a chance and ordered a copy. So, according to its name, mix of woman anatomy and engineering idea landed on my desk without any problem. And what about the first impression? This machine doesn’t look good: poor work on the cover made me think about my daughter making such a picture, however with some pink Shetland ponies… Ok, let’s dip into this zine and… yes, everything is just better. I am invited by nice hail goatfuckers! , then Pawel takes me to the… bygone times. Yes, all layout looks pretty old-school, with cut’n’paste method, not diving into visual chaos luckily. Unfortunately interviews haven’t been preceded by any words of editor, although Vaginalluftwaffe doesn’t deal with poor or shitty chat, what is more, it is always good to mention others who didn’t answer at all. And with those the best ones I would like to point out Innsmouth, Denouncement Pyre, Anatomia and Sartegos (pretty popular crew in UG press). From the other hand W.A.I.L. is saying about “United Aryan Evil” as one of the greatest masterpiece (?!) coming out of Poland. I have just felt from my chair laughingly! Generally speaking Pawel provided interesting questions, sometimes non-musical, yet it seems the whole is permeated by the Lovecraft immortal spirit. I liked it a lot! What else? Simple layout, modest look with some nice gore fairy stories, it makes me flowing quite smoothlythrough the pages. Some tiny misprint occurred, one is really interesting with conjunction “i” (in English ‘and’) that is capitalized often.

If the review section is concerned, I have been just bowed down with large quantity: 207 reviews of music and 54 (!) of press! It was a real treat to confront the whole text. Pawel didn’t minced maters and show immediate, straight-forward point of his view, like a machete in virgin jungle. Even many reviews explodes with a huge dose of enthusiasm, there are very critical shots as well. In addition I found few live reports (but here I would prefer to read in more ‘detailed account’ vein). The last thing, maybe in incomplete form, the Cotard delusion has been described. I realize Vaginalluftwaffe doesn’t pretend being a pathopsychology manual, yet it would be really cool to read about such cases on metal scene. Depressive black metal? Yeah, did I hit the mark? All right, to cut the thing short: good interesting read, in defiance of editor’s words about zines and bakery, he baked good garlic bread. Nourishing, salubrious and tastable. 

cold666@tlen.pl

 

8,2/10

-Tlacaxipehualiztli

(written in October, 2015)

 

NECROSCOPE 29 (2015)

September 2015, 140/A5, xeroxed, English, interviews: GLUTTONY, SATANIKA, WHIPSTRIKER, EXCIMER, CONCRETE, DECAPITATED CHRIST, NOCTURNAL WITCH, LECTERN, INFERNAL CURSE, KRATHERION, GRAVECRUSHER, OBSESSOR, DROWNED, PROFANITY ANGEL, OFFENCE.

Still I don’t know how is it possible to do all the things that Adam can spit into the underground area. You know, while buying this issue, I reconnoitered that I had missed number #28! And mind you, the underground has been tortured by #27 not so long ago. This guy hasn’t odd job, he is hard working in Polish medical service, in addition, in a free time (???) he decided to run NecroMortem Tormentor zine (number #3 is at hand)…

So, what can we find in another pages of mighty Necroscope? Of course any revolution cannot be expected, although this newest hot piece of press strikes with two (!) slabs: Empheris “Ye Olde Varsovia” and Kratherion “Death Kult Church Omega” for the first time, another novelty is using of grading scale of Adam’s reviews. And still I don’t know if it’s a good idea. Really, it’s like with Motörhead music, I don’t want any changes ha, ha… All right, once again Necroscope snaffled me many hours, with countless pages and reviews (this time 226 pieces: 211 of music and 15 of press) where the strongest review representatives are Brazilian and Chilean crews for sure. Setting on, “Pearls from the abyss” are still on the stage, here divided into two parts: the first one typical with many known / unknown bands (MX!), the second one that closes the whole is filled with bitter Adam words towards Winter. The good interview was expected, finally we got snowman puerility. Great that such doings are described by Adam. All right, let’s back to something better, and if the inties are concerned, two of them are definitely killing kind: Decapitated Christ and Offence. Both interesting and full informative. Then, bathed in exhalations of the Pharaohs, I read through Egyptian thrashing Exciter, maybe with broken English sometimes, but I have to check them out, coz Egyptian metal isn’t my daily bread. And what about the rest? They are just ok, nothing exceptional though. For sure it is impossible to find here any weak or fucked-up chats, there are several poor or laconic answers, one of them is missed in Concrete intie and I don’t know if it is intentional or just a mere coincidence. But I must admit this Adam’s question referred to Orthodoxy Church and Islamic influences in Bulgaria was very inquiring and interesting.

As always, Adam is fully-fledged, his questions touch not only musical topics, and believe me, it’s not an easy task to answer it sometimes. In introductory speech some words have been written about proof-reading. Well, isn’t done in fullness and Adam didn’t avoid many typos and demons of misprints unfortunately. It should be corrected, yet I realize it’s not an easy task for one person only. But, summing all the things up, you can do nothing but support this dedicated metalhead. And as of now I can’t wait the jubilee thirtieth attack. 

necroscope1@wp.pl

8,5/10

-Tlacaxipehualiztli

(written in October, 2015)