AGORAPHOBIC NOSEBLEED
Arc It’s been seven years since Agoraphobic Nosebleed unleashed their last full-length album, Agorapocalypse, so a new release from the legendary grindcore act has been highly anticipated, to say the least. They’ve switched things up with their newest offering, a three-song sludge/ doom EP dubbed Arc, and the results are pleasantly surprising. Who would have thought a band known for some of the most intense and extremely visceral grind could be this crushing? Arc is the first in a four-EP series that will represent the influences of each band member, respectively; this release clearly highlights the tastes of vocalist Kat Katz, whose previous work in doom band Salome was nothing short of stunning. “Not a Daughter” starts the 25-minute-long EP with some typical feedback, but instead of fast, violent chaos, it leads into dense, sludge-soaked riffs and Katz’s abrasive howl. “Deathbed” is an exceptionally dark and heavy doomstyle dirge, filled with Scott Hull’s murky guitar work that transitions midway through to epic, stoner rock territory. “Gnaw” finishes the EP with monolithic, earth-shattering grooves that dissolve and build back up, each time heavier than the last, throughout the 12-minute track. While some fans might have reservations about this side of Agoraphobic Nosebleed, what they’ve done on Arc is outstanding. Embrace it. (Relapse, relapse.com) DENISE FALZON Chthe’ilist pound, groove, thrash and conjure up dissonant, technical hymns from the murky lagoons of a fourth dimension on their new LP, Le Dernier Crépuscule. Unquestionably indebted to such old-school greats like Demilich and Adramelech, the record shoots the listener through a wormhole, wherein one is stretched, flattened and torn asunder by tentaculoid riffs and rhythms. The musicianship is top-notch; tone and style combine to build an ominous atmosphere, where the licks groove, blast-beats thunder and solos rip, all while retaining a good sense of structure and balance throughout each composition. The bass here warrants a special mention: It’s never content to simply hide behind the rest of the technical onslaught, rivalling the guitar work with equal precision and meticulousness, pulling you into its mercurial orbit. With seven songs clocking in at nearly 53 minutes, there’s plenty of space here