Written by:	RaduP, musclassia, nikarg, Starvynth
Published:	November 07, 2020

Clandestine Cuts Volume 10, Issue #10
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 radu_patroiu@metalstorm.net to submit your music.)

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

Clandestine Cuts Vol. 10 #9
Clandestine Cuts Vol. 10 #8
Clandestine Cuts Vol. 10 #7

And now to the new music...

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Death metal seems to have endured quite a long time in the underground and bands of this genre are generating surprising amounts of underground hype. I may be looking in the wrong places, but I rarely see the same amount of hype for doom or power metal bands. Out of all the bands we covered here, the only ones I saw mentioned outside MS were the death metal ones (and Lamp Of Murmuur). Even though we missed their debut demo, Foul Formations, we join the hype train now, as Conjureth has all the makings of a hype beast: eye catching cover arts, an older death sound that is either doomy or thrashy (the latter in this case), a production that is polished but sounds raw, and, most importantly, riffs galore. If the OSDM wave is still not over despite not doing anything new it is because of bands like Conjureth who still stir up buzz.

by RaduP

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I was very sad to see Sleep enter another hiatus late last year; however, if there's one thing that the world is very unlikely to ever run short of, it's bands playing stoner doom, and Eye Of Doom lean further towards the droning, monolithic riff approach of Sleep than most newcomers, who typically draw more inspiration from the likes of Electric Wizard. This isn't an identikit clone of Sleep; the higher-pitched, echoing vocals depart from Al Cisneros' hypnotic sermons, whilst the group draw inspiration from other big names within the genre. However, the similarities between the latter stages of the title track and the rambunctious drive of Sleep's "Marijuanaut's Theme" are hard to overlook. Nevertheless, something can be generic and still rip, and this is nothing if not thoroughly enjoyable; with thick, doomy hooks in the riffs and enough sense for dynamics to add range and atmosphere to proceedings, particularly on the album's half-time interlude "The Waning", but also with the grandstand solo and acoustic guitars later on in "Scold's Bride". Nothing unique, but Curse Of The Pharaoh does what it does to a really high standard, and with an impressively professional-sounding production to boot.

by musclassia

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Inherits The Void is a one-man black metal project from Clermont Ferrand in France. [A] is the person behind the recording, mixing, mastering, artwork, the composition and performance of the music as well as the lyrics (with the exception of "Paysages Polaires" which features extracts from Poèmes Barbares by the French poet Charles Leconte de Lisle) of this debut EP. Mémoires is emotionally poignant atmospheric black metal based on melodic tremolo riffs and leads that are given enough time to sink in through repetition. Said repetition is not in any way annoying, since there is much inspiration as far as those melancholic melodies are concerned. There is a post-black/hardcore element present as well, mainly manifested on the more aggressive parts of the music as well as on the delivery of the vocals that are really low in the mix (on purpose?). Some may actually be put off by the fact that the vocals are barely heard, however I find that this choice makes them act more as another ambient-like instrument contributing to the overall wall of sound of this EP that, as a whole, serves as a soundtrack for a journey through winter landscapes.

by nikarg

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The worst part about this demo is that is really sounds and feels like a demo. The production is subpar, most songs feel more like ideas rather than fleshed out songs, and the quality is quite uneven in between songs as well. But Death In Crimson feels like something that will eventually get brewed into something more focused, and what it does present here is a blend of industrial and sludge metal that feels close to early Godflesh with touches of Neurosis and Acid Bath. The drums, soundscapes and bass are all programmed and it is felt, but the cold and mechanic combination can still be hard-hitting at times, especially in combination with the analogue vocals and guitars provided by the sole member.

by RaduP

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The demise of Mar De Grises was a real loss, particularly given the lack of major activity from most of its members after they disbanded. One of the more active has been guitarist Rodrigo Morris, who started up first Mourning Sun and now Montaña Sagrada, whose first offering to the world is The Living Green. Those coming into this expecting the next step after Streams Inwards are likely to be disappointed, however, as The Living Green is an entirely different kettle of fish to the doom of Mar De Grises. At its most basic, the sound here is rooted in death metal; however, it's a rather unorthodox version spin on it, with off-kilter riffs, unpredictable song progressions and the use of quite flamboyant keyboards as part of the background. "First Flame" is a really eye-opening introduction to Montaña Sagrada, constantly in a state of transition whilst managing to retain some sense of cohesion as it moves between about a dozen different riffs. The title track calms down both the speed and the frenetic switches in riffs, but still more than a hint of the unusual about it, with its irregular rhythms and dissonant chords. The peculiarities in Montaña Sagrada's sound will help them stand out from the crowd early on in their career, but when they venture towards more orthodox approaches, they pull them off nicely too, such as the rolling grooves in "Clearing". Coming from musicians with pedigree, The Living Green is a highly impressive first outing for Montaña Sagrada; although it doesn't represent the reincarnation of Mar De Grises, it suggests that Morris may be capable of creating something similarly impressive with this project.

by musclassia

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Knights, Barbarians, Neanderthals and Vikings - name any fabled and battle-scarred group of people in the history of mankind and there'll be at least one metal band to honour their archaic and martial legacy. But how come that no one has ever heard of the archetype of all warlords, great warriors and warmongers - the invincible Überserker? It's because the Überserker takes no prisoners; there are simply no witnesses left but the Überserker himself. And that's exactly how Überserker's self-titled demo sounds: straightforward, remorseless, no useless gimmicks and without mercy. Überserker is a skull crushing, armour-plated steamroller cutting a swathe of devastation across the battlefield and its crew of four, hailing from Knoxville, Tennesse, knows very well how to operate the beast that they've created. Viking choirs, threatening guitars riffs, driving drums, impelling basslines and a shouter who's blasphemic battle cries are baying for blood - sometimes, that's all you need to forge one of the best blackened thrash demos of the last couple of months and Überserker have only just begun to sharpen their weapons.

by Starvynth

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