Written by:	nikarg, RaduP, musclassia, Starvynth
Published:	09.10.2022

Clandestine Cuts Volume 12, Issue #9
The Metal Storm Demo/EP Spotlight



Is independent, unsigned, and underground metal what you seek? Weary traveller of the metal world, rest here a while. Clandestine Cuts are the best demos and EPs from these bands, the heart and soul of metal music. These musicians are slaves to their passions, and their blood keeps the metal machine alive and turning. Support them with a simple listen, and discover the future.

Metal Storm users: you can vote in the poll below to choose your favourite demo/EP of the issue. The winners each year are nominated in our annual Metal Storm Awards so exercise your rights: this is the one category chosen completely by YOU the readers. Make sure your favourite independent metal is recognized each year!

(Think your band has what it takes to be featured in the Cuts? Email demos@metalstorm.net to submit your music.)

In case you're new at this, go back and enjoy our last few issues:

Clandestine Cuts Vol. 12 #8
Clandestine Cuts Vol. 12 #7
Clandestine Cuts Vol. 12 #6

And now to the new music...

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According to the band’s social media, Æternia emerged from the ashes of two groups that had been part of the intimate Siegerland heavy metal scene, Dead Sun Halo and Daughters’ Desire. The latter’s Daniele Gelsomino (vocals) and David Ponwitz (guitar) decided to depart from the hard rock / ‘80s-inspired metal they had embraced prior, in order to focus on a purer style of heavy metal. Actually, the last two tracks of The Quest EP are also part of Daughter’s Desire's (very recommended) self-titled debut that came out in June. The other two tracks, aside from the RPG-like intro and an oriental-sounding interlude, are leaning more towards heavy/power metal, and they pack much energy, sweet melodies, as well as an anthemic style of songwriting. Lunar Shadow’s Sven Hamacher is also a member of the band, playing bass, which makes Æternia a must-listen band for fans of the German traditional metal sound.

by nikarg

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This is not former Clandestine Cut of the Year winner The Ashen Tree; this is the debut EP of Slovenian one-man project Ashes Of Nothing, and there’s a tree on the cover. Based on those parallels, perhaps omens are good for A Thousand Serpents Holding Poison, providing the post-metal fans in our community turn up at the polls, because this is very much a genre piece. Project helmsman Emil Lončarević has spent over a decade working up to this point since forming Ashes Of Nothing, and those years of experience can be heard in the refined production and compositional adeptness found on this EP, which dives into murky grimness (just check out the rumbling depths of the beginning of “Placid”), but also embraces emotionality and levity elsewhere (just check out “The Depth”). Where Ashes Of Nothing goes next, and how long it takes Lončarević to get there, remains to be seen, but A Thousand Serpents Holding Poison is a commendable testament to his efforts thus far.

by musclassia

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The ‘Telesterion’ served as an initiation hall and sanctuary in Eleusis, one of the primary centres of the Eleusinian Mysteries. The band Telesterion is quite a mysterious one, since I was unable to find any information about them, apart from their Bandcamp page. The music on the EP An Ear Of Grain In Silence Reaped brings to mind the latest album of Wolvennest, or this year’s The Nest debut. It is hazy and foreboding, swimming in ritualistic ambience, oriental rhythms, choir-like vocals, and dramatic drums. It feels at the same time subdued and triumphant, dense and ethereal, and has a brooding and grandiose progression. Diving into post-metal, doom, stoner, and shoegaze, Telesterion’s debut EP makes for an unconventional listen, with a vast musical scope and a primitive appeal. The band’s second offering, House Of Lillies, also just came out, and it is highly recommended but, between the two, this one has the edge.

by nikarg

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There is something in thrash metal's righteous anger that it inherits from hardcore punk that makes it especially fitting for handling socio-political topics. From the threat of nuclear war to the corruption of politics, and now the loss of reproductive rights, all have been in thrash's disdain list. Reproductive rights have also been the topic of the project's debut EP, which we covered here, but things have gotten way worse since, giving the need for Fetus Factory to not only fulfil musical purpose with two tracks of pummeling thrash aggression, but to also donate 100% of proceeds to the National Network of Abortion funds. As far as the former is concerned, Alicia Cordisco's involvement with Judicator and Project: Roenwolfe already had some thrash leanings in the power metal, but it is here that they're given the proper room to show, and with a full-length in the works, there's plenty in terms of potential for Transgressive.

by RaduP

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It was just the other edition that I covered a shred album, though this time around it's made by a musician I'm at least somewhat familiar with, as Sakda Srikoetkhruen is a member of Fleshvessel, having played fretless bass on the band's debut EP, Bile Of Man Reborn. As anticipation for that band's upcoming work is very high for me, Sakda's solo project is venturing in a pretty familiar alley. Focusing more on guitar this time around, a pretty specific hand-built double neck made by luthier Pornpot Pongsiwasathit, Cosmic Raceway does channel a lot of Joe Satriani, while also featuring some performances by Derek Sherinian (Sons Of Apollo, ex-Dream Theater), Brian Tichy (The Dead Daisies), and Tony Franklin (Blue Murder). The production is expectedly a bit rough around the edges, but the joyous sound and performance skill involved more than makes up for it, creating something pretty short and sweet.

by RaduP

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Does the name "Wretched World" somehow ring a bell? No?? Well, it's the closing track of Converge's 2009 album Axe To Fall. This song has quite an interesting genesis, because it is a remnant of the planned but never released collaboration Verge-In between Converge and Cave In. Funnily enough, it wasn't Converge who completely reworked and actually recorded this song, but the cybergrinders of Genghis Tron with alternately Brad Fickeisen (ex-Trap Them, ex-The Red Chord) and John-Robert Conners (Cave In) behind the drumkit. Needless to say, the Australians of Wretched World could hardly have chosen a moniker that unites more renowned greats of the hard/metal/grind/math-core scene and that also sounds good. However, close ties to the hardcore scene make up only one half of the band's main influences, as the Sydney gentlemen offer pretty much the kind of post black metal you'd expect from the term "blackened hardcore" on their first EP: a punky, fast and furious in-yer-face blend of Déluge and Dödsrit with a pinch of Regarde Les Hommes Tomber. The session drummer Chas Levi, who is a constant in the Australian hardcore scene, deserves a special mention as he manages to combine the aggression of hardcore with the pace of black metal and to garnish everything with a good portion of groove and an infectious delight in performing.

by Starvynth

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