ALBUM REVIEW: Foehammer, "Second Sight"

By: Mark Ambrose

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released:06/04/2018

Label: Australopithecus Records

Like the mythos of Tolkien himself, “Second Sight” is a vast, apocalyptic, intimidating slab of genius and practically invites obsessives and neophytes alike to bask in the overwhelming worlds within.

“Second Sight” DD//LP track listing

1. Black Numenorean

2. Recurring Grave

3. Axis Mundi

4. The Seer

      

The Review:

Since the 1960s rebirth of “The Lord of the Rings” as the go-to fantasy epic of counterculture, the utopian, religious, horrific, and even whimsical elements of J.R.R. Tolkien’s opus have been peppered into practically every subgenre of pop and rock music.  Whether the weird folk pop single “The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins” (Leonard Nimoy’s only musical hit), the numerous references in Led Zeppelin’s catalog, the derivative fantasy prog epics of power metal, countless band names, or the Uruk-hai obsessions of black metallers, there’s something about the Tolkien’s “Legendarium” that invites musical adaptation, inspiration, and exploration.  On the flipside, it’s also inspired a lot of eye-rolling crap – insipid name checks, tedious inside jokes, or, most insidiously, the racially coded misreading of particularly deficient black metal types.  Mostly, musicians who take on Tolkien shrink in comparison to the monolithic power; Foehammer is not one of these casualties of hubris.  The doom metal power trio is one of the only modern units formidable enough to wrestle with the Nazgul and emerge victorious.

“Black Numenorean” is the only explicit “Tolkien namecheck” song on Foehammer’s debut full length, “Second Sight”, but the entirety of the record is viscerally, elementally brutal, like a reverberating pyroclastic blast from Mount Doom.  Tolkien’s “Black Numenoreans” are the original corrupted men, turned against the powers of good to support their own sinister ambitions, and Foehammer’s auditory rendering is the perfect metaphor of corruption and martial obsession.  Stomping, rolling blasts of guitar fuzz, slowly aching bass riffs, and crashing percussion are the perfect soul-demolishing soundtrack for nihilistic evil.  I could imagine Sauron himself bellowing in sinister triumph through Jay Cardinell’s trademark death growls.

“Recurring Grave” may not be distinctly Tolkeinesque, but it continues the strain of trudging orc sludge, winding up to agonizing, palm muted buildups.  Joe Cox’s guitar tone is spot on – a gradual build of feedback and subtly bluesy riffs that you’ll find yourself humming for days afterward.  The ethereal fingerpicking intro of “Axis Mundi” may have you thinking you’ve stumbled into Rivendell, but Foehammer quickly descends back into total darkness.  The rhythmic one two punch of Cardinell’s bass and Vang’s titanic drum hits is pure filthy doom joy, while Cox gets to ramp up his playing for a full on shredding solo.

The closing sixteen-minute epic, “The Seer”, is a perfect apotheosis of “Second Sight”’sexpansive tone, doom riffing, and occasional guitar freakouts; Cardinell’s growl is truly menacing, Vang’s drums pummel and then retreat, and the fuzz is unrelenting.  Jay’s bass, allowed a minute to churn alone, has the perfect mix of crackle and clarity.  The nearly instrumental second half is a transcendent final dirge that will break your neck from glacial but memorable hooks and riffs, before a final screeching fadeout that will beg you to fire up this LP all over again.  Like the mythos of Tolkien himself, “Second Sight” is a vast, apocalyptic, intimidating slab of genius and practically invites obsessives and neophytes alike to bask in the overwhelming worlds within.

“Second Sight” is available here

Band info: bandcamp|| facebook

Arsis - Starve For The Devil (2010)

Technical Melodic Death Metal From U.S.A. (Virginia Beach, Virginia) 

2010 | February 9th |Nuclear Blast Records 

76,8 MB mp3@VBR243kbps

01. Forced To Rock ( 2:56)

02. A March For The Sick ( 4:23)

03. From Soulless To Shattered (Art In Dying) ( 4:27)

04. Beyond Forlorn ( 4:01)

05. The Ten Of Swords ( 3:44)

06. Closer To Cold ( 5:08)

07. Sick Perfection ( 3:55)

08. Half Past Corpse OClock ( 4:12)

09. Escape Artist ( 4:22)

10. Sable Rising ( 3:36)

Total playing time: 40:44

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James Malone - Guitar, Vocals

Mike Van Dyne - Drums

Nick Cordle - Guitar

Nathaniel Carter - Bass

Formed in 2000 by a violinist and a double bassist, Virginia-based death and thrash metal outfit Arsis -- a musical term that relates to the original concept of "arsis and thesis," meaning up and down beats, to be more exact -- got their start in Boston by Berklee College of Music students and friends James Malone (the violinist) and Michael Van Dyne, arguably more as a time filler rather than a serious project.With Van Dyne taking up drumming duties (he'd spent time studying drum performance) and Malone handling all the other duties of the group, Arsis recorded their first demo in 2001, and a follow-up in 2002. After playing a handful of live shows and getting some exposure for their well-received demos, Arsis became a full-time -- not to mention serious -- project, signing their first record deal -- with Willowtip Records -- in 2004. Their debut for the indie label, A Celebration of Guilt, won them high honors in the metal music press, even earning comparisons to genre legends At the Gates -- specifically their final album, Slaughter of the Soul. Arsis also began their first bout of touring in support of their work at this point, filling out their live ranks with session musicians -- a setup that would continue for a number of years. In 2005, Arsis released the EP A Diamond for Disease, which not only won them even more critical praise, but whose title track was requisitioned by a ballet company in New York, the Ballet Deviare. 

Arsis began recordings on their next full-length in 2006. The album, United in Regret, was a more technical affair, produced by Daath guitarist Eyal Levi, and would help secure the band a deal with Nuclear Blast. Although the band had now reached new heights in the national metal scene, including shared stages and tours with such names as Enslaved, Goatwhore, and Cephalic Carnage, drummer -- and founder, it must be noted -- Michael Van Dyne decided to call it a day. Although down to just one official member, Arsis were ready to push forward. Composer, vocalist, and guitarist James Malone quickly rebounded, putting together a more standard-format full-time band, taking on drummer Darren Cesca, guitarist Ryan Knight, and United in Regret sessions bassist Noah Martin. (For a brief time, due to Malone losing his voice, Mike Parks took on vocal duties for Arsis. By 2007, Malone was back on the mike, and the band had decided to part ways amicably with Parks.) Arsis returned to the fore with their 2008 full-length, We Are the Nightmare, which followed in the footsteps of their previously recorded work, earning them critical praise and helping to shore up higher numbers in their nationwide fan base. A tour with legendary thrash pioneers Exodus was planned for January of that year. ~ Chris Tru