BLACK METAL MONDAY: BLACK METAL BATHROOM READING

What's more cult than reading a black metal-packed fanzine by candlelight while blasting a copy of the accompanying 12" of rehearsal-room deathrash from Norwegian legends Morbid? Why, taking an evil dump at the same time!

Yes, it's black metal bathroom reading time, with the latest (and according to the zine's introduction, possibly final) issue of Slayer Magazine, one of the longest-running publications to claw its way out of the bowels of the metal underground. Slayer XX is an incredible read, put together by Metalion, a long-time Norwegian metal maniac. First published in 1986, it's most famous for its early 90s issues, which documented the spectacular emergence of his country's groundbreaking black metal movement.

Issues of Slayer have become increasingly sporadic, released basically whenever Metalion feels like it rather than on a set schedule (issue 19 was published in 2004!), but issue XX makes up for the long wait by being more of a book than a fanzine. It's hardbound, with glossy, thick pages and professional print quality. However, despite the stunning presentation (including some awesome graphic design from Watain frontman Erik Danielsson) the writing style is totally in the style of a fanzine, with the editor interjecting his opinion and of course his unique sense of humor into each feature. The layout for many features is in the old-school cut and paste style -- you can even see razor marks on the pages.

This down and dirty approach befits the bands featured -- you will find no slick mainstream garbage here. There are interviews and articles about Watain, Destroyer 666, Pagan Altar, Sadus, Nifelheim, Funeral Mist, Whiplash, Sunn O))), Grotesque, Kreator and many more, including remembrances of dead black/death metal pioneers Quorthon of Bathory and Jon Nodtveidt of Dissection. The quality of the interviews is generally top-notch, with the bands really taking the questions seriously, something that you don't really find in some zines. Since Metalion is a die-hard death/black metal fanatic with roots stretching back to the very beginnings of the extreme metal movement, he garners a lot more respect for his subjects than some snot-nosed kid making fly-by-night zine in his bedroom. To top it all off, a 12" record of unreleased Morbid material from the mid-80s is included with each copy, Morbid of course being the first band of legendary black metal suicide Dead of Mayhem.

All in all, Slayer XX will keep your eyes glued to its pages while your ass is glued to the toilet seat for many, many BMs to come. Two plungers up!!!

(Apparently this is sold out from the publisher but poke around in distros in the coming weeks and you will probably will be able to find it -- 2,000 were printed so they should be around)

BLACK METAL MONDAY: FURZE "Reaper Subconscious Guide"

It’s no secret that black metal as a genre is full of stale predictability. Rife with formulaic bands willing to comfortably tread paths blazed decades ago, it’s easy to become bored and write black metal off as a dying art. Norwegian one-man BM entity Furze, lead by the enigmatic Woe J. Reaper, is certainly not one of the acts to regurgitate the tremelo-riffing, blasting, boombox-recorded tropes many bands cling to like a blood-stained security blanket. “Reaper Subconscious Guide,” Furze’s fourth full-length album, is a welcome rarity – a black metal record with personality.

A self-proclaimed “birthday card” to 1970s Black Sabbath, “RSG” is as much a twisted and strange doom metal album as it is a black metal one. With slow tempos and nary a blast beat to be found, chunky, bluesy riffs and sneered clean vocals, other Scandinavian Sabbath-heads like Reverend Bizarre come to mind, but this still sounds like nothing else out there. Sure, like many metal bands – black or otherwise – Reaper wears his influences on his sleeve – Bathory, Darkthrone, Celtic Frost/Hellhammer, and of course Sabbath – but as in previous Furze albums a distinct sense of “playfulness” is detectable. That’s right, a playful black/doom album. Still this ain’t no party album, it’s just certainly not as grim and humorless as 99% of BM (newer Darkthrone making up the other 1% of that equation!).

Strange instruments crop up – you’ll hear plenty of glockenspiel, acoustic guitar and gong on this platter – whispered, chanting falsettos spring from the mix, and you really never know where the song will turn. Eschewing the two-riff-per-song minimalist approach, Reaper writes tunes with plenty of meat on their bones, and the songs actually sound different, each with its own atmosphere, from rocking to drugged-out, to eerie to almost bouncy. Admittedly, the instrumental tones occasionally sound strange and almost weak, but I tend to think this is intentional, an attempt to make the album more intimate – a real glimpse into the frazzled brain of Woe J. Reaper.

Some have leveled accusations of “joke band” at Furze, perhaps because Reaper’s bizarre, stream of consciousness liner notes and the sometimes off-the-wall aspects of the music itself could be misconstrued as attempts to satirize black metal or as ironic posturing. Such close-mindedness is not to be taken seriously. “Reaper Subconscious Guide” is a genuine piece of work, crafted with care and dedication to metal from a fellow who is probably just really fucking weird. Highly recommended!