Horns Of Steel

Formed in 2006, Providence, Rhode Island's Howl have burst onto the scene with a blend of doom metal and stoner-fuzz that has been described as "something unique, violent, and ugly." After signing with Relapse Records in 2009, Howl re-released their three song, self-titled EP, which they had originally recorded and distributed themselves in 2008. After generating a small amount of buzz and garnering favorable reviews from Decibel magazine, Howl entered the studio with engineer Keith Souza in January 2010 to record their debut full length, Full Of Hell. Released on May 11, 2010, Full Of Hell finds the band taking their sound in a more percussive direction, mixing elements of slow doom metal, black metal atmospheres, and blues based harmonies. Described by guitarist and lead vocalist Vincent Hausman as "more extreme than the EP," Full Of Hell sounds less like the debut of a young band trying to find their sound, and more like the work of seasoned metal veterans.

Download: Howl - S/T EP (2008)

Download: Howl - Full Of Hell (2010)

Eat The Witch

Although they are a fairly young band, Black Breath have built a cult following for themselves over the course of the last three years. Formed in 2007 by former members of bands like Shook Ones, Go It Alone, and Blue Monday (among others), the band began as "a crossover band with a joking spirit", writing songs with titles like, "Party Idea". In 2008, they recorded and released a four song, 12" EP titled Razor To Oblivion. With riffs reminiscent of first wave thrash, black, and death metal bands like Celtic Frost and Hellhammer, as well as an unmistakably hardcore punk undertone,  Razor To Oblivion proved to be a step in a much more serious direction. Raw, intense, and in your face, the EP created an immense amount of buzz for the band. After touring the US with Trap Them and Victims in support of Razor To Oblivion, Black Breath signed with Southern Lord Records in late 2009, and entered the studio with Kurt Ballou (Converge, Trap Them, Disfear) to record their debut full length, Heavy Breathing. Holed up in Ballou's God City Studios in Salem, Massachusetts, the band began to take their sound in an even heavier, darker direction. Released in 2010, Heavy Breathing retains the hardcore and punk elements of Razor To Oblivion, but the album's opening track "Black Sin (Spit On the Cross)" also proves the band's commitment to their Swedish death metal influence. Other songs on Heavy Breathing, such as "Children Of the Horn", showcase Black Breath's uncanny ability to create memorable songs with hooks and riffs that remain stuck in your head hours after you've finished assaulting your eardrums with their music.

Download: Black Breath - Razor To Oblivion (2008)

Download: Black Breath - Heavy Breathing (2010)

Disciples Of An Expanding Sun

Female fronted, two-piece, sludge metal duo Jucifer got their start in 1993 when lead guitarist and vocalist Amber Valentine and her then - boyfriend, now - husband and drummer Edgar Livengood began writing together. The duo, according to Valentine, coined their name from a statement heard during the OJ Simpson murder trials: "If he's guilty, then he's the devil and The Juice is Lucifer." Admittedly "nomadic in nature", Valentine and Livengood travel in an RV and prefer to tour constantly. Known for the extreme volume at which they play, Jucifer have become notorious for the "intensity" of their live shows. Since their formation, the duo have released a total of nine albums and EP's, often drawing comparisons to bands like Portishead, Black Sabbath, and Melvins.  Now a part of the Relapse Records family, Jucifer have recently released their latest effort, Throned In Blood. Paying tribute to doom metal classics with tracks like "Contempt", "Work Will Make Us Free," and the title track, the album also features elements of sludge with songs like "Hiroshima" and even battle metal with "Spoils To The Conqueror". The closing track, "Armageddon", offers the album's only moment of tranquility, as it is more of a Celtic folk tune than anything else. All in all, Throned In Blood is a well constructed and unique album, and a great addition to any Jucifer fan's library.

Download: Jucifer - Throned In Blood (2010)

Electric Flower

Formed in 1982, Montesano, Washington's Melvins have established themselves as innovators of genres such as grunge, sludge, and doom. Within their dark, slow, oppressively heavy sound, one can discern influence from bands like Flipper, Black Sabbath, and "My War"-era Black Flag, but pegging them into any one genre would prove to be an exercise in futility. The band's bizarre sense of humor, idiosyncratic approach, and constant experimentation have made any kind of neat categorization difficult. Never finding, and most likely never seeking, any kind of great mainstream success, Melvins have continued to tour and release albums at a steady rate. This year marks the release of the band's TWENTIETH studio album, The Bride Screamed Murder. While the album is most certainly a departure from their earlier work, it is a must have for any Melvins fan. After all, isn't progression what Melvins are all about? Standout tracks include "I'll Finish You Off", "The Water Glass", and "Evil New War God".

Download: Melvins - The Bride Screamed Murder (2010)

Invocation Of The Eternally Coiling Serpent

 I'm not going to sit here and type a big, long, boring paragraph about how influential and amazing Integrity are. I've never been a fan of hyperbole, so I'll just let their notoriety speak for itself. Founded in 1988, this Cleveland based hardcore powerhouse has been around long enough to witness the genre they helped spawn (metalcore) become a watered-down parody of itself, complete with petty depressed teenagers and adults that take themselves too seriously. In an attempt to steer the genre back in the right direction, Integrity have given us The Blackest Curse.  The album starts off strong with "The Process Of Illumination", and the songs seemingly get heavier as they go with tracks like "Through The Shadows Of Forever", and the blazingly fast "Simulacra". Things get a little more experimental just after the halfway point, as three of the later tracks favor vocalist Dwid Hellion's side project Roses Never Fade. Some of these songs may take more than a few listens to warm up to, but I think that overall, The Blackest Curse is a decent album, and definitely a must-have for anyone who is a long time fan. I've also posted a link to Holy Terror,  a website where the band themselves have posted a large chunk of their discography for free download,  I suppose in an effort to take back control of their art. Good for them, and good for you...

Download: Integrity - The Blackest Curse (2010)

Free Album Downloads: Classic Albums, Splits, EP's, Etc.

A Passing Thought To The Contrary

Formed in late 2005 by bassist Matt Woods, guitarist Adam Wentworth, and drummer Alex Garcia - Rivera, Boston's Bloodhorse have carved a niche for themselves among fans of bands such as Sleep, Candlemass, and Kyuss. After one self-released EP and two years of playing shows, the band signed with Philadelphia based label Translation Loss Records to release their self - titled EP in 2007. Standout tracks include "Son Of Man", "I'm Burned", and "The Goat". In May 2009, the band released their first full-length,  Horizoner, also on Translation Loss Records. The sounds of Horizoner continue to reverberate from the speakers with a power that is not easily matched, and (in my humble opinion) Horizoner remains one of the best and most underrated albums of 2009. Standout tracks include "The Old Man", "In Horror", and "A Passing Thought To The Contrary."

Download: Bloodhorse - EP (2007)

Download: Bloodhorse - Horizoner (2009)

Come With Me And Walk The Longest Mile

First and foremost... Welcome. I figured I would use my first post to say hello and give you a general idea of what this blog is all about. Then I realized that I have no fucking clue what this blog is all about, and I decided I would just ramble for a minute or two and hope something better came to mind. It didn't. So there you have it. I just wasted part of your day, and you can never get it back. How does that make you feel? Does it make you want to cry? I hope not, 'cause there's no crying in Rule Discordia. Seriously though, I'm sorry I didn't have something better to offer today. I promise I'll be entertaining tomorrow... maybe. In the meantime, here's a copy of my favorite Clutch album to help ease your suffering:

Download: Clutch - Blast Tyrant (2004)