Written by:	Nefarious, nikarg, RaduP
Published:	05.02.2019

Clandestine Cuts Volume 9, Issue #1
The Metal Storm Demo/EP Spotlight



Is independent, unsigned, and underground metal what you seek? Weary traveller of the metal world, rest here a while. Clandestine Cuts are the best demos and EPs from these bands, the heart and soul of metal music. These musicians are slaves to their passions, and their blood keeps the metal machine alive and turning. Support them with a simple listen, and discover the future.

Metal Storm users: you can vote in the poll below to choose your favourite demo/EP of the issue. The winners each year are nominated in our annual Metal Storm Awards so exercise your rights: this is the one category chosen completely by YOU the readers. Make sure your favourite independent metal is recognized each year!

(Think your band has what it takes to be featured in the Cuts? Email demos@metalstorm.net to submit your music.)

In case you're new at this, go back and enjoy our last few issues:

Clandestine Cuts Vol. 8 #5
Clandestine Cuts Vol. 8 #4
Clandestine Cuts Vol. 8 #3

And now to the new music...

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The Wolf Garden - The Yawning Abyss Listen at Bandcamp Do you like atmospheric black metal that doesn't come across as soft, cheesy and artificial? The duo of TH (ex-Season's End) and PB offers some beautifully weaved tales of haunting music that will keep you good company during the cold winter nights. The Wolf Garden's black metal successfully blends sombre and melodic passages with harsh and caustic sections, inspired by the natural beauty of rural England and the band's ties to Old Norse culture. The keyboards enhance the bleak atmosphere without sounding like '80s Casio dungeon synths, the drums are full and energetic, the riffing is varied in mood and style and the chilling shrieks and harrowing screams foretell the Earth's dire fate. Gaze long enough into The Yawning Abyss and it will most surely swallow you whole. by nikarg

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Annexation - Jackhammer Treatment Listen at Bandcamp Annexation were founded in 2015 in Berlin and Jackhammer Treatment is their second EP. These German annihilators are clearly inspired by the violence, aggression and speed of 1980s thrash and, as expected from their place of origin, they've listened to a lot of Destruction, Kreator and Sodom during their school years. The holy trinity of teutonic thrash is represented here by the raspy vocals, the infectious riffs and the frantic drumming and this EP is a massive improvement to 2017's Reptile World Order in both sound and songwriting quality. If you wanna bang your head, check this one out. by nikarg

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Skullord - In Death Listen to Bandcamp Skullord is a traditional heavy/doom duo from Brazil that released their debut EP on January 1st and if this is an indication of what the new year is going to bring, I am eagerly waiting for some top-notch doom stuff in 2019. The sounds of the organ, the rain and the church bells in the intro "The Death's Bell Tones" leave no doubt; influenced by familiar titans such as Black Sabbath, Pentagram and Saint Vitus, as well as Italian doom lords Paul Chain, Tony Tears and Abysmal Grief, the music penetrates your brain with heavy riffage and at the same time hypnotizes you with its slow, trudging pace. The atmosphere is dense and the sound is organic and completely 1970s throwback so that you have the feeling that you're in a capsule travelling back in time when doom metal was sincere in its lyricism and pure in its simplicity. by nikarg

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Dregspitters - The River Won't Stop Listen at Bandcamp Dregspitters is a thrash metal/crossover hardcore band from the Canary Islands formed in 2017 with members of the local scene and The River Won't Stop is their debut EP. But it's not a river; it is a fucking raging torrent of adrenaline and energy that just destroys everything in its path. Five tracks that make for a total runtime of less than 10 minutes and deliver an anger-filled, balls-out assault ready to incite a circle pit at any second of its duration. Vocalist Breogán Seoane shouts himself hoarse over the pummelling drums and the thrashing guitars and invites you to get up, throw yourself around and sing along with him about this "bitter and bloody disaster / transformed into a mad beast / uncontrollable and thirsty to destroy." by nikarg

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Kiss×Sis - He Who Is Destined To Lie In A Coffin Will Fall Into It Listen at Bandcamp Yeah, I know, correct term for this genre is "emoviolence", but for some reason emo is still seen as somewhat derogatory. But it's despair and anger in such a short concentrated dose that I see no issue just claiming it's sludgecore or powerviolence. He Who Is Destined to Lie In A Coffin Will Fall Into It is incredibly intense and fierce, with vocals you'd hear in the most poignant of DSBM, but instead you hear it over chaotically frenzied riffs. In just over 10 minutes, Kiss×Sis deliver Russian anguish at it's worst, and that's a compliment. There's no room left to breathe, this isn't an album with some sort of flow, this is just unadulterated misery. by RaduP

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Charnel Altar - Demo Listen at Bandcamp Calling it death metal would be just too easy, because Charnel Altar's demo is such an ugly piece of filth that takes dirt from related genres such as black metal and doom metal as well to create an abominable atmosphere of foulness and dolor. Slightly short of 30 minutes, this really barely feels like a demo, due to its rawness and ugliness not being actual downsides to the music as it is in most cases. Charnel Altar could keep the exact same production for their debut LP and I would have no complains about it. Slightly lacking in some dynamism in songwriting, they do however have the entire sound of torment figured out, they just gotta figure out how to make it interesting past the demo stage. by RaduP

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Hastio - Hastio Listen at Bandcamp Black and death metal, especially the one originating from South America has always been quite filthy and evil. So it's in a way quite refreshing to hear black metal that's so close to its punk and hardcore roots. From the very brief runtime to the very simple structure and intense structure, this is still recognizably black metal but in such a succinct fashion that you often feel compelled to jump headfirst into a mosh pit. Thankfully simple enough to be engaging, but also not too simple to be boring with plenty of interesting sections in its short runtime, Hastio's self-titled EP does pack enough of a punch in its 15 minutes that I'm certain there's not too big of a step towards their debut full length. by RaduP

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