Anunnaki, Flash Back, and Whorrify
Anunnaki
Martyrs of Alexandria // NoiseAgonyMayhem
An album of textural black metal noisescapes wrapped around a loose concept relating to a martyred 4th century Hellenic philosopher/mathematician/mystic, Martyrs of Alexandria by Nanaimo based duo Anunnaki might seem intellectually dense, unapproachable even, but the cryptic concept belies a fairly straightforward albeit sonically rich record filled with plodding, pre-cambrian metal grooves and towering walls of white noise. Definitely not the kind of album to listen to on a weak stereo system, the gut-churning bass alone seems primed to decimate cheap speakers, and the titanic and cataclysmic finale track “Cries of Hypatia” really begs to be listened to at ear-splitting volumes.
Composed of drummer Arlen Thompson (Wolf Parade) and bassist Dave Read (Moths and Locusts), Anunnaki have made densely conceptual gnostic doom psych their stock in trade since 2016’s Exploitations of the Chiromancer. This newest release is perhaps their heaviest to date, a driving, grimey leviathan that spreads it’s bulk over three epic-tracks, rising to a feverish, doom laden crescendo depicting the brutal murder of the feminist icon Hypatia at the hands of an Alexandrian mob. Sounding like a meeting of minds between Acid Mothers Temple and Lemmy-era Hawkwind (with a healthy dose of Norwegian metal to boot), this definitely ain’t your hippy granddad’s psych, and I dare say that fans of the Tame Impala variety of neo-psych rock might wet their pants when confronted with the cyclopean slabs of crushing doom that accompany the trippier parts of this release. Not for the faint-of-heart, but definitely a rewarding experience for fans of the more experimental aspects of stoner/sludge music, and a great excuse to take a Wikipedia deep-dive down the rabbit hole of neoplatonic thought in the early Christian church.
- Shaun Lee
Flash Back
Wide Awake // Homie Shit Magazine
Nu-metal Regina, Sask. band, Flash Back, released their debut full-length album on October 1st. Titling the 8-track release Wide Awake, they’re making sure you don’t sleep on this one. Every member is talented and brings something to the table, making them a killer band (with killer style as well). I’m not super knowledgeable on nu-metal, but I can tell you that I love this release and think it was really well done. Wide Awake is definitely something work checking out.
Prior to the album, they released their single “Crack in the Mirror” along with a video I probably watch at least once a day. This one is my favourite track for a few different reasons, one definitely being the music video. It has a lot of diversity in terms of sound, which I really appreciate as a fresh nu-metal listener. The diversity magnetizes the energy in the song as well as the band, which makes them infectious for sure. It’s almost hectic in a way that reflects the lyrics “I don’t need my body anymore … I’m leaving my mental state.” The track feels as if it’s constantly pushing and pulling tension around, and it works really well.
The video for “Crack in the Mirror” absolutely needs some attention in this review. If you’re new to this band, or even musicians from Regina, Saskatchewan, check out this video. It does an awesome job showcasing their energetic creativity, which I find reflects their community really well. The video starts off with them hanging out as a band, playing music and video games. One by one the musicians are turned into vampires and become maybe the coolest people in our province. As someone who lives in Saskatchewan (originally from Regina), it’s really inspiring to see everyone who was involved in the making of the video, from recognizing the original vampires biting the musicians, to knowing the hair dresser who made their heads look super sick ass. Like I said earlier, this video is a true reflection of the community the band comes from.
Other tracks to take a listen to include album opener “Flashing Back” and “the_wild_side.zip”, which bleeds out from the opening track. These two set the album up in an imaginative way and do a great job building up the intensity for the remaining six tracks. While you’re at it, take a listen to “Evil Within”, which follows “the_wild_side.zip”, and hear the diversity in sound this band has. Again, I don’t really know nu-metal, but I have no doubt these tracks are making waves in the Saskatchewan nu-metal scene.
I have yet to see Flash Back perform live, but will make sure I catch them at my first opportunity. I imagine their shows are intense in the best way and bring in forever fans to this sweet Regina band. I’m excited to see what this group does next and expect that it blow me away again.
-Holly-Anne Gilroy
Whorrify
Whorrify // Self Released
Calgary seems to be a breeding ground for new and exciting bands in the heavy music space, and Whorrify is the freshest spawn to emerge from its depths. This new band is for the old school grindcore lovers, while also appeasing death metal heads and hardcore punk kids with their sonic assault. If that sounds like it’s up your alley, you are going to love Whorrify's new self titled EP! The lineup for the EP has Russ Gauthier annihilating the drums, Joel Peterson shredding on guitar and playing bass in the studio, and on vocals is the charismatic frontman , Nate Trash, who you might know from “Trash Talk” and “Trash On The Street”. Although Joel played bass for the recording, Whorrify recently announced the addition of Scott Nadeau as their new bass player.
This EP is brutally heavy, and the lyrics fit the same description, filled with themes of hopelessness and depravity, but also there are glimpses of inspiration to be found within the songs. The EP is a little over fifteen minutes long between six songs, but that’s all it needs to kick your ass with blast beats, fight riffs, and a wide range of (w)horrific shrieks and growls! There isn’t even a millisecond of dullness on this release, just pure aggression and adrenaline!
The EP throws the first punch with “Hate This” immediately hitting you with pissed off lyrics of a world in despair, delivered with an undoubtedly impressive range of screams, as a mighty wall of noise crashes down on its victim! The next track, “Ordinance Delivery Vector”, has a great soundbite that caught me off guard on the first listen, with a happy voice saying “here’s a nice piece of shit!”. Directly after I was hit with mind melting blast beats and monstrous growls and barks, ending off with a wicked fast two step riff you can fight your friends to. “Devour the Indolent” begins with a build up drum beat, and inevitably transforms into madness in true Whorrify fashion. The psycho murderer lyrics are delivered with frantic, sinister vocals from the mouth of a madman. Next is my personal favourite song on the EP, “Open Grave”. If you’ve ever been stabbed in the back by someone you once called a friend, this song should resonate with you. On top of that, this song will make you feel like you just ate an entire tub of pre-workout with its blistering drums, slamming riffs, and beastly howls! Moving forward to the next song, which shares a name with the band and EP it is featured on. This track also has lyrical themes of hatred and solving problems with violence, and also featured my favourite breakdown riff near the end! Last but certainly not least is “Negative Response”. The vocal pattern on this track is considerably slower than the rest of the EP, giving a blackened vibe to the track when paired with those razor sharp riffs!
Now that Whorrify have a bass player added to the lineup, they will be itching to get out there and bring their blood curdling tunes to their hungry fans. Make sure to follow them on their accounts so you don’t miss them when they attack your city!
- Justin Olson
