Written by:	Nefarious, RaduP, nikarg, Abattoir, BloodTears
Published:	October 06, 2018

Clandestine Cuts Volume 8, Issue #2
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 #1
Clandestine Cuts Vol. 7 #1
Clandestine Cuts Vol. 6 #5

And now to the new music...

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Eriphion - Hossana Listen at Bandcamp Hossana is the debut EP of black metal one-man band Eriphion. Hailing from Greece, Eriphion's music is dark and grim with raw-sounding guitars, but it often becomes melodic and atmospheric with keyboards and violin passages. You will find blastbeating onslaught, sinister melodies, heavy chugging and hypnotic/addictive repetition rooted in second-wave black metal and influenced by bands such as Drudkh and Mgła. Eriphion also released on August 15th its debut full-length, entitled Δοξολογία, which you should definitely check out if you enjoy this EP. by nikarg

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Dionysiaque - Dionysiaque Listen at Bandcamp Dionysiaque define themselves as "unorthodox doom from France". The riffs, although brilliantly crafted and executed, have nothing particularly unorthodox or genre-bending about them; in fact they are very much on the safe and classic side. What is indeed unorthodox and sets the band apart from the rest of the pack is the vocalist who is screaming and warbling and shrieking in a unique way. His performance must be a "love it or hate it" affair for most people; I personally adore his vocals as I adore this demo. And the cover of Tractor's "All Ends Up" rules. by nikarg

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Nornes - V A N I T Y Listen to Bandcamp The French quartet portraits its first offeriing, V A N I T Y, in a vein of traditional/death-driven doom. A bleak melodic-tuned, yet solid strong guitar riffs, which comprises the major piece of the atmospheric-emotional vibe to this release. It intertwines very well with the low-sounding, one-paced-tempo drums, which gives a compact background fundamentals to the general sound. Operating with a combination of clean vocals and fair portion of growls, executed impressively very good for my taste. This EP is nicely structured and produced, however the songs do not differ much one from the other in its core. A positively presented debut with a raw potential for the future. by Abattoir

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Strauss - Falena Listen at Bandcamp Enjoy doom metal but tired of both the fuzzy and the pristine production it often has? Want something that feels more raw and unpolished but not in a deterring way? Strauss deliver some sludgy noisy desert rock that sounds different in its rawness. It's not brutal or crushing as you'd be tempted to think of a raw sludgy album, but don't be fooled into thinking it's not relentless. The drums especially sound different, but avoiding the pitfalls of St. Anger. Couple that with the grooves and the punkish vocals, and you've got yourself an engaging little EP. Already at their third EP, Falena EP sees Strauss creating quite a unique sound without resorting to any avant-garde experimentation, only on sound design and progressive songwriting. by RaduP

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Aeviterne - Sireless Listen at Bandcamp Remember Flourishing? The technical death metal band à la Ulcerate and Gorguts that disappeared after only one full length and two EPs? Sireless is only ten minutes long, but it's two songs of dissonant and eclectic technical death metal. Though much less inspired by atmospheric sludge as its preceding band, Aeviterne is still technical death metal that relies less on stuffing in as many odd time signatures and riff and more on creating an oppressive atmosphere and an almost industrial feel caused by the repetitiveness of the drums. Don't be fooled by it though, the music is technical, just in a more subtle way. by RaduP

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Phoenix Nebula - The Awakening Listen at Bandcamp The Awakening is the debut release from Italian band Phoenix Nebula. They offer us a progressive metal feast of epic proportions, with subdued female vocals, piercing growls, symphonic elements, guitar/keyboard dueling solos and quiet atmospheres all merged in a perfect marriage. The riffs are magnetic and engaging. In the tradition of Edenbridge and Vanden Plas, the music ebbs and flows, and you find unexpected details in every single song. Phoenix Nebula is definitely one of the new bands to watch out for. by BloodTears

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