Kafka

It has been a while since I've composed anything on this blog.  I have little defense for it other than the spark that usually initiates written word has been occupied elsewhere and I haven't found the energy needed to fully articulate my thoughts over the last few weeks.  First things first:
- Thank you to everyone who came to the show on Saturday in San Antonio.  You all were so supportive and made it quite a night to remember.  Thanks to our brothers (and lone sister) in Plutonian Shore, Birth A.D., Emperial Massacre, and Vesperian Sorrow for playing excellent sets, and to our friends in Hexlust (as well as my bandmate in Humut Tabal - Njord) who showed up to watch, among others.  The next Morgengrau show is March 24th at Headhunter's in Austin with War Master.  This will be a particularly notable gig because Humut Tabal will also be playing right across the street at Beerland. 

-In related news, Humut Tabal has been confirmed for the third annual Gathering of Bestial Vengeance festival in Dallas on November 17th.  We will be sharing the stage with many excellent bands, including one of my biggest influences - Divine Eve - so I await this date with great anticipation.  Other dates are being discussed, and they will be posted about as they draw closer.

- Although I placed a moratorium on Argeiphontes, a new project is taking form.  More details will be revealed as I see fit.  If I could offer any hints, I will say that compositionally, this new project is quite similar to Argeiphontes in terms of musical style (which makes sense seeing as how I am writing all of the material), although the energy and inspiration for it is completely different - for the best, mind you.  I am still seeking the right name for this project, and I am in talks with a few compatriots about collaboration.  Since I don't especially care about distributing any recordings for this project through a label (or distributing it at all outside of a few friends and allies), I am not sure why I am even writing about it.  Perhaps it is serving as a catharsis.  In any case, all will become clear eventually...

That is all for now.

M. C. D.

A proper entry will be posted soon, but I will say that Friday and Saturday were absolutely excellent.  Humut Tabal was unable to perform on Friday at Headhunter's, but I went to support my friends in Vex, The Black Moriah, and Feral Rex (who graciously agreed to fill in for us - we are in your debt) and the end result was arguably the best local show I have ever seen at Headhunter's.  I'll describe the night's events in greater detail later.

Saturday was also great, seeing old friends and new fans and a highly appreciative crowd.  A genuine darkness was present during both my appearance during Plutonian Shore's set as well as the entirety of Humut Tabal's performance, and chaos and magic(k) were definitely at work.  Again, more details will be posted soon.

Until another entry is posted, video of "Denizens ov Eternal Night" (the opener of the set), courtesy of Valgud, has can be viewed below.

Manifest.

Create.

Destroy.

Devotee

"Not even in slumber will you find a savior
Your sole sanctuary enveloped in flames"

- Lyrics for an undisclosed project.

I have written and re-written this introduction about ten times, but nothing seems fitting.  It seems almost impossible to capture exactly what was experienced on December 10th, 2011 in mere words.  For those in attendance, this was the glorious day that I witnessed Antaeus at the Rites of Darkness festival in San Antonio, Texas.  To use a more simple terminology, it was arguably the best performance I had witnessed all year.

This statement does not come lightly, that it does not.  In 2011 I witnessed Exhorder, Hirax, D.R.I. (twice), Rigor Mortis (several times), Absu (twice), Immortal, Mayhem, among many, many others, and all were amazing shows.  Hell, I even saw Humut Tabal before I joined the band, and even as a three-piece their intensity blew me away.  But of all the bands I saw, I can honestly that no one else brought out the specific energy that Antaeus did.

The set was a perfect reminder of what black metal should be : evil, full of hatred, and completely devoid of positivity.  No hope : No peace.  Nihil Khaos : CYFAWS.  A whirlwind of razor blades.  This was despair and hopelessness incarnate, albeit presented in a completely different than numerous self-pitying DSBM bands.  This was pure violence directed at everyone and everything, and as MkM vomited forth blasphemies while convulsing in the manner of a man possessed, I found myself ascending to the state of consciousness that usually is reserved for when I am clad in paint, leather, and spikes.  "Prokingu" was unlocked during that performance, which I can honestly has not happened during any other black metal performance I have ever witnessed. 

I really can find no words that could do the performance justice.  I can try, of course, but it's almost as if only the written equivalent of speaking in tongues could capture my psyche as "Inner War" and "Blood Libels" crashed through the venue with the force of an oncoming train.  The setlist was perfect, and to be honest, the rest of the festival was a major anticlimax, although I should say that Cruciamentum's performance was excellent.

Truth be told, I'm not sure if anything will ever match that performance.  It was truly the best black metal show I have ever seen, and best of all, it was genuine.  This was no theatrical presentation, intent on mindless entertainment; nor was it an ironic co-opting of black metal ideology for condescending and pretentious hipster amusement; but rather a true representation of every single thing that makes black metal glorious.  I was in a daze for several hours after the show ended, having felt a sense of affirmation wash over me : being a part of this music was my life's mission, and if I ever abandon it, may I be forever damned.

Composition

I have just returned from an absolutely visceral Morgengrau rehearsal and am relaxing to the dissonant hymns of Deathspell Omega's "Si Monvmentvm..." album.  Why does any of this matter?  To be honest, I am not certain if it does, although it seems apropos to place my thoughts here for now.  Today's rehearsal saw new and old material displayed with a passion that is relieving to see after dealing with the mundane aspects of the majority of the day.  No matter what changes in my personal life, metal will always be there.  It is my life, it is my soul.  To be honest, at this point in my existence, I do not think I could play any other form of music and be truly fulfilled.  Naturally, there are other forms of music I enjoy, but I have no desire to give my creative energy to anything other than this beloved form named heavy metal.

That having been said, I am going to sit down and write a song tonight.  I have not composed a piece from scratch in quite some time, and I am uncertain as to what it will sound like.  But my soul will be in the piece, that is for certain. 

After all, I have an excellent muse.

I think we take our muses for granted sometimes.  But having deprived of such creative energy for so long, I welcome it.  I will say, it will not be an Argeiphontes song.  I want nothing to do with the energies that surrounded the creation of that project anymore, as much as certain people would want to hear what I've written.  Maybe in a few years I will revisit the songs as a retrospective, but for now, consider the project done.  That having been said, I don't even know if any of you will hear the song I write tonight, so I'm not sure why I'm tantalizing anybody by talking about it.

But at least I have a spark again.

Highland Tyrant Attack

Not to continue spewing forth post vomit, but there are many things worth mentioning in the scene since the first Unconventional Aspects was finished.  Below is a list of recommended shows in the Central Texas area (and occasionally elsewhere).  As much as I'd like to attend every one, I realistically will not be able to.  Nonethesless, publicizing these dates is in my comrade's best interests.  My own band's dates are listed in bold as well.  Don't miss out if you happen to be in the area!

February 10th - The Black Moriah/Vex at Headhunter's in San Antonio (HT had to cancel this show)
February 11th - A Day In The Valley of Death at Smiley's in Harlingen
February 12th - The Black Moriah at the Korova in San Antonio
February 17th - Diminished/Disfigured at Beerland in Austin
February 22nd - Plutonian Shore in San Antonio
February 23rd - Phobia/Pillcrusher at the Korova in San Antonio
February 25th - Phobia/VBT at Zero's in Corpus Christi
February 25th - Morgengrau/Vesperian Sorrow at Zombies in San Antonio
March 1st - Eternal Decay/Scattered Remains at Headhunter's in Austin
March 6th - D.R.I. at the White Rabbit in San Antonio
March 16th - Hexlust/Witchaven in The Ten Eleven in San Antonio
March 16th - Teratism/Adumus at Bond's 007 in San Antonio
March 17th - Bahimiron/Adumus at the White Swan in Houston
March 23rd - Ingurgitate/Flesh Hoarder at the Triple Crown in San Marcos
March 24th - Vex/Feral Rex/Humut Tabal at Beerland in Austin
March 26th - Onslaught/Hod at the Korova in San Antonio
April 13th - Rottenness/VBT/Morgengrau at the Dirty Dog in Austin
April 29th - Watain/Behemoth at the White Rabbit in San Antonio
May 31st - June 4th (?) - Chaos in Tejas with Winter/Ghoul in Austin
June 30th - Martyrdoom Festival in Brooklyn, New York

Again, I'm sure I've forgotten someone, just let me know if you feel I've neglected you (although if you whine too extensively about it I may reject your submission out of spite).

...Of Celtic Fire, We Are Born

In the same manner that "no man is an island", it stands to say that no band is without allies.  Below is a list of comrades of mine that deserve notice.  Included is their approximate genre and location.  This is not meant to be a comprehensive list, mind you, and I have undoubtedly forgotten several acts due to simple human error.  Forgive me, and I will re-add them when pressed.

Plutonian Shore
Black Metal
TX

Hexlust
Thrash Metal
TX

Birth A.D.
Crossover Thrash
TX

Spectral Manifest
Black/Death Metal
TX

Perversum
Death Metal
TX

Of Forsaken Divinity
Black Metal
TX

Immolith
Black Metal
NJ

The Black Moriah
Black/Thrash Metal
TX

Extremely Rotten
Death Metal
FL

Hod
Black/Death Metal
TX

Scattered Remains
Death Metal
TX

Vex
Progressive Metal
TX

VBT
Grindcore
TX

Grieved
Black Metal
TX

Tetrafusion
Progressive Metal
LA

Cormorant
Progressive Metal
CA

Flesh Hoarder
Death Metal
TX

Xapharon
Black Metal
TX

Venomous Supremacy
Black/Death Metal
TX

Mhinotahn
Black Metal
TX

Cronophage
Black Metal
TX

Church ov Melkarth
Black Metal/Ambient
TX

Burial Shroud
Death Metal
TX

Feral Rex
Progressive/Death Metal
TX

Trench Wrench
Death Metal
TX

Vesperian Sorrow
Symphonic Metal
TX

Emperial Massacre
Death Metal
TX

Disfigured
Death Metal
TX

PiLLCRUSHER
Doom Metal
TX

...and last, but not least, without whom I would not exist as I do now...

Averse Sefira
Black Metal
TX

Additional support goes to The Dread Lair, Reveal The Metal, Equilibria Radio, and Z.D.  May our horns never lower.

Hymns to the Scourge of Heaven

As previously mentioned, band-related press will go here.

Humut Tabal:

Review - Runnerjma

Interview - The Jvstin Whitney Show

Interview - Reveal The Metal

Feature - Reveal The Metal: Band of the Month

Feature - Dark Legions Archive Blog

Live Review - Filth Covered Visions

Feature - Filth Covered Visions

Feature - Filth Covered Visions (video shoot update)

Interview - Filth CoveredVisions (zine forthcoming)

Feature - Black Metal Austin

Feature - Austin Metal Music Examiner

The actual video for "Ode to Misanthropy - This I Swear!" can be viewed here.

Morgengrau:

Interview - Battle Helm

If there's anyone I missed out on, please let me know and I will add it to the list.  Contact me if you want to set up an interview or review one of our releases.