Written by:	Nefarious, nikarg, RaduP, Abattoir
Published:	November 12, 2018

Clandestine Cuts Volume 8, Issue #3
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. 8 #2
Clandestine Cuts Vol. 8 #1
Clandestine Cuts Vol. 7 #1

And now to the new music...

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Marrasmieli - Marrasmieli Listen at Bandcamp Marrasmieli is the self-titled debut EP from a talented trio of Finnish musicians that play a very engaging & melodic form of Pagan Black Metal. While not the most original music you will have heard, there is a real sense of authenticity & quality on display here that really help make Marrasmieli stand out among their peers. Featuring two tracks & clocking in at just under 20 minutes, this little EP shows a lot of potential as it whets the appetite & leaves you wanting more. by Nefarious

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Apognosis - Cult Of Human Sacrifices Listen at Bandcamp Here's some bias for you Metalstormers: when it comes to black metal, Greeks do it better. Apognosis (translation: despair, hopelessness) is another one-man band coming from this small south-east corner of Europe where the weather is always warm and sunny but the riffs are grim and cold. Atmosphere is a key component here and Cult of Human Sacrifices takes you on a dark, progressive journey through desolate lands of eternal plague. The tempo is ever-changing; driving and galloping riffs repeatedly hurt every inch of your body, before melodic and ritualistic tremolo picking leeches suck whatever life is left out of you. Apognosis describes his music as "esoteric psalms for the transcendent black hearts". And transcendent it is, all right. by nikarg

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Cryptic Hymn - The Vast Unknowing Listen to Bandcamp Cryptic Hymn are a four-piece from Louisville, KY featuring current and previous members of Anagnorisis and Voyage Of Slaves. They identify themselves as blackened death metal, which is only partly accurate because there is also a strong technical element in their music. Avoiding the often-encountered aimlessness of contemporary tech-death, Cryptic Hymn offer two very well-built and excellently executed compositions with double vocals, amazing lead guitar work and a very audible bass (yeah!). To make things even more intriguing, "False Awakening" features a solo by Malcolm Pugh (Inferi, A Loathing Requiem) and finishes with choral vocals courtesy of Mike Low (Inferi, Oubliette) and Emily Low (Oubliette). by nikarg

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Killer Victim - Terror State Listen at Bandcamp Do you remember the time back in the early 80s when hardcore releases were about 10 minutes long with songs barely scratching the 2 minutes mark? Formed by the vocalist of sludge band Mediocracy after their break-up, Killer Victim should scratch that itch you feel for short bursts of social rebellion. Even though some of the songs are in Romanian, more than half are in English and I'm sure the issues are universal enough that it could ignite sparks of rebellion regardless. The band chose the title to have a double meaning, Terror State could both be a state of terror or a terrorist state. Despite it being grounded in 80s hardcore, you'll find short bursts of black metal or sludge or metalcore or grindcore or crust punk, enough so that the 16 minutes of violence are musically interesting enough to do more than just vent anger and frustration, especially during the last track, the longest song on the album. by RaduP

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Plaguestorm - Eternal Throne Listen at Bandcamp You're tired of black metal that repeats the same riff over and over to create atmosphere? You'd rather have something with riffs and solos that give hints of Mercyful Fate and Bulldozer? Something like that but a bit more chaotic and kvlt? You came to the right place! Plaguestorm have been trying to get Eternal Throne out since 2015, when they recorded it after two kvlt demos, so if you think that it doesn't fit in a 2018 list, be my guest. But since Helter Skelter Productions only made it available now, we can enjoy the Swedish duo's 20 minutes of riffs and tortured vocals with black metal's famous recorded-with-a-potato production quality. by RaduP

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Void Rot - Consumed By Oblivion Listen at Bandcamp Void Rot, a Minneapolis-based death/doom bringers, provide a mesmerizing, crushing aural sensation with Consumed By Oblivion. Drenched with demolishing slowly-paced death metal rythm on one side and unmerciful shattering beats on the other. Spreading abrasive, raw guitar riffs create and give more darkened atmosphere to the overall sound. Consumed By Oblivion might offer "only" a bit less than 16 minute of music, but you can get a strong sense, that the band achieved a seriously high level of inspiring, massive, mind-wrecking death/doom sound. by Abattoir

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