Written by:	Nefarious, BloodTears, Ilham, Abattoir, X-Ray Rod
Published:	July 24, 2015

Clandestine Cuts Volume 5, 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. 5 #2
Clandestine Cuts Vol. 5 #1
Clandestine Cuts Vol. 4 #5



And now to the new music...

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Neck Of The Woods - Neck Of The Woods Listen at Bandcamp From the Vancouver neck of the woods comes an interesting preposition. Fans of the "core" persuasion take notice because this will be right up your alley. Neck Of The Woods know how to deliver the technical kind of metalcore with groove and variation for good measure. You can expect infectious riffs, refined bass lines as well as creative guitar melodies throughout. Amidst all the notes acrobatics and onslaught, the foundation is metalcore with progressive leanings. It's all there for the taking. by BloodTears

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Venom Prison - Defy The Tyrant Listen at Bandcamp I wouldn't blame anyone for saying they're tired of contemporary death metal. But I would be pretty upset if they did so after listening to Venom Prison's first EP. Mixing just a droplet of old school with the hate and fury of hardcore, their version of death metal is the light at the end of the tunnel you've been expecting for so long. by Ilham

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Shrine Of The Serpent - Shrine Of The Serpent Listen at Bandcamp Sludgy death-doomster trio from Portland, Shrine Of The Serpent, offers a 30-minute self-titled debut EP. A spine-chilling atmosphere, flowing through the slowly-moving heavy strikes of drums and boundlessly abrasive guitars. Accompanied by sovereign harsh growls, this installment puts a bar surprisingly high, based on the high quality of the general sound and its production. If this is only the appetizer, than we can expect one hell of a slowly-digesting main course. by Abattoir

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Concatenatus - Meditation Through The Inner Vortex Listen at Bandcamp The guitar/drums duo that is the Chilean Concatenatus present us their first demo made of two lengthy tracks (and an ambient intro) of hypnotizing black metal with a hint of doom floating in the air. The style together with the versatile and agonizing vocals reminds me quite a lot of Urfaust, which is never a bad thing. The production is clear enough to let the melodies shine through without losing bite. If well mixed black and doom is your thing, then by all means keep an eye on these guys. by Mr. Doctor

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Criminology - Capitalist Destroyer Listen at Bandcamp Sometimes you just don't want anything intelligent, original or fancy, you just want brutal. Brutal gets you pumped, brutal gets you ready for that menial job, brutal makes it possible for you to bear the incessant shrieking of your neighbour's baby and your mother-in-law's nagging. Now replace every instance of the word "brutal" with Criminology. For fans of Suffocation, Decapitated, and the rest of the brutal death land of wonders. by Ilham

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Geist - Faith Healing Listen at Bandcamp We need more bands like Geist. Alternating between the uncontrollable madness of hardcore punk done the dirty way, and the most depressing, claustrophobia-inducing sludge-tinted tracks, Geist plays music that resembles our daily lives. No escape, once you press play, you're on for 15 minutes of cathartic hardcore. The best about it is that when you get to end of it, you're awarded with a sample from the dearly missed George Carlin. by Ilham

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