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Clandestine Cuts Vol. 12 Issue #8 - Awesome New Demos and EPs


Written by: nikarg, X-Ray Rod, musclassia, Starvynth
Published: 05.09.2022


Clandestine Cuts Volume 12, Issue #8
The Metal Storm Demo/EP Spotlight

Brand New Independent Metal Lives Here.
Welcome to the Clandestine Cuts!


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 #7
Clandestine Cuts Vol. 12 #6
Clandestine Cuts Vol. 12 #5

And now to the new music...






Allt - The Seed Of Self-Destruction (Sweden)
[Progressive Metalcore]


Nowadays, ambient/symphonic arrangements are very popular within the -core genres like metalcore, deathcore and djent. Thankfully, this particular sound hasn’t become saturated enough to the point where you can’t find great new bands anymore. Allt is one of them. Hailing from Sweden and with a trajectory of less than 2 years, it is impressive how well-rounded and professional they sound. The Seed Of Self-Destruction is their second EP and they already show signs of maturity among their peers. The ambient/symphonic elements are nicely integrated in this brand of moody metalcore. There is this doomy, dark cloak of ambience that reminds me of Vildhjarta. Allt is primarily metalcore though, with the djent touches being only noticeable during the crushing breakdowns which complement the catchy guitar leads and keyboard melodies in the back. The emotional choruses are enhanced by the moving synths, achieving a truly cinematographic style (particularly true if you watch the visuals made for this album). Allt’s music is mysterious, ominous, catchy, emotive and all-around very interesting for anyone curious to hear what these genres can achieve.

by X-Ray Rod






The Cimmerian - Thrice Majestic (USA)
[Sludge Metal]


Thrice Majestic was brought to the Clandestine Cuts writers’ attention by Starvynth with a 3-word description: High On Fire. Well, I listened to it, and would you believe it, he was bang on the money; this album sounds so much like High On Fire, it’s impossible to overlook the comparison. I mean, just listen to even the guitar tone of the very first chord opening this record on “Howls Of Lust And Fury” and tell me you don’t envisage Matt Pike holding the guitar. So, zero marks for originality for The Cimmerian (who even have the gall to be a power trio from California), but originality isn’t everything, and this EP is a lot of fun, whether charging into battle on “Howls Of Lust And Fury” and “Neckbreaker Of The Mountain” or stomping along on “Silver And Gold”.

by musclassia






Gob Ribbons - Imparted I: The Age Of Comparison (Switzerland)
[Progressive Metal | Post-Rock]


Basically a polar opposite in temperament to The Cimmerian, the other EP I cover this month, Imparted I: The Age Of Comparison is a patient, tender slow-burner, right from the off with mellow yet subtly heavy opening epic “Age Of Comparison”. For lack of a better comparison that I can remember right now, I get slight Marillion vibes from the evocative vocals, while some of the lush guitar leads and solos are reminiscent of early Riverside; beneath this, churning guitars and bright synths flesh out the mix. Riverside is probably the most obvious ‘for fans of’ comparison I can think of for Gob Ribbons, but anyone who likes music that lurks on the dark-yet-warm border between prog rock and prog metal (think bands like Antimatter and Porcupine Tree) should make sure to check this one out. There’s a healthy variety on this 3-song EP, with the dainty piano and melancholy of “Impart The Impartible” countered by the dark Anno Domini High Definition-era aggression of “Erratic”.

by musclassia






Split Image - Torrent Of Illusion (USA)
[Crossover Thrash Metal | Hardcore]


Torrent Of Illusion is California’s Split Image debut EP, following the single “Facades”, which was released in December 2020, and which is also featured here. This is a crossover thrash release, with the hardcore element very much emphasized. It’s full of energy, raw power, and appetite for moshing, but not so much of the Municipal Waste kind (that is, the party invitation kind), because Split Image’s lyrics deal with themes of mental health, loss, grief, and more serious matters than you'd expect. The instrumentals though are as hard-hitting as they come, and Split Image will be appreciated by those who enjoy their thrash served with doses of punk, crust, and hardcore. Fans of Power Trip, Enforced, and Dead Heat should check this out.

by nikarg






Loam - Loam (USA)
[Progressive Black Metal]


This is the first time I come across a band which is said to focus their lyrics on Magic: The Gathering. That’s pretty cool, indeed. It would be cooler for someone else, though, as I’ve never played the game. Couldn’t even find the lyrics anyway. Setbacks aside, the coolest thing is the music. Loam is a riff-tastic black metal duo that manages to balance their sound with both primitive and intricate elements. The immediate, almost alarming nature of the galloping riffs is what caught my attention. There is a rawness akin to Darkthrone’s A Blaze In The Northern Sky but with the more technical, death metal approach found on Soulside Journey. But out of nowhere come these melodies mixed within the riffs that have this off-kilter approach to them. One could think of acts like At The Gates' early period, or even Morbus Chron's Sweven. But the fact is that Loam are too hard to categorize. The constant tempo changes make this a very eventful journey, where every section has its purpose. It’s very rare to find black metal bands this technical while avoiding the trap of overly dissonant wankery. Loam shows big promise, big time!

by X-Ray Rod






Dispar - Hopeless (Brazil)
[Atmospheric Black Metal | Post-Metal]


Well, I guess this is a classic case of "I came for the artwork, and stayed for the music". Thomas Benjamin Kennington (1856-1916) may not have been a particularly well-known painter of his time, but looking at his paintings such as the above "Waifs" or "The pinch of poverty", "Homeless", "Orphans", and "Widowed and fatherless", you can really only wonder why his works were not chosen as album covers much earlier, because the way Kennington was able to depict the harsh reality of life of the poor at the turn of the century to trigger emotions like sympathy and compassion in the viewer, perfectly suits this kind of music. Dispar is a new one-man band from Parobé, Brazil and band founder Matheus Vidor has, just like Thomas Kennington, a brilliant knack for evoking strong emotions through his art. From the first uplifting notes of the project's first demo you feel wrapped in a warm cloak that for a moment keeps all the bad and evil of this cold world away from you, while the vocals, mixed into the background yet haunting and evocative, provoke the exact opposite. For it is the absent-minded, empty gaze of the orphan girl on the cover that reflects the core of the musical message - and that is pure hopelessness in the face of a threatening and uncertain future.

by Starvynth






Poll

What's your favourite new release of this issue?

Login or register to vote. Results are hidden




Comments

Comments: 23   Visited by: 88 users
05.09.2022 - 11:04
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Weird cuts this time, man who wears blue jeans .... I think its best this time.
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Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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05.09.2022 - 12:56
Starvynth
i c deaf people
Written by Bad English on 05.09.2022 at 11:04

Weird cuts this time, man who wears blue jeans .... I think its best this time.

The only weird thing is that you've casted your vote only a few minutes after this article was published.
Have you listened to any of it at all or can you judge every single release after a quick glance at the cover artwork?
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signatures = SPAM
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05.09.2022 - 13:38
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Written by Starvynth on 05.09.2022 at 12:56

Written by Bad English on 05.09.2022 at 11:04

Weird cuts this time, man who wears blue jeans .... I think its best this time.

The only weird thing is that you've casted your vote only a few minutes after this article was published.
Have you listened to any of it at all or can you judge every single release after a quick glance at the cover artwork?
yes I listened those today in a morning
----
Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
Loading...
05.09.2022 - 16:45
nikarg

Written by Bad English on 05.09.2022 at 13:38

yes I listened those today in a morning

That's not possible. The article was posted at 11:41 and your comment was made at 12:04. This gives you just enough time to listen to that great Gob Ribbons EP only, and... nothing else. Unless you listened just 2 minutes of each one or something like that. Anyway, Split Image, which you voted for, is very good, but so are the others. I wish you could have given them all a chance before voting.
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05.09.2022 - 17:24
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Gob Ribbons small sniff of sound made me say no.
I dont like Metalcore. Cymrrisn was Okey fuzzy rusty.
Loam was good, but somehow vocals and music can be better master.
Split Image was like suicide tendencies mix whit punk and angry fast agresive energy. So I did listen those all besides last EP I already lustened yesterday when cleaned my pc room.
----
Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
Loading...
05.09.2022 - 17:53
musclassia

To be fair, if the vote was based on the amount of denim portrayed on the front cover, I think we can all agree that split image would indeed be the winner
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05.09.2022 - 18:03
AndyMetalFreak
A Nice Guy
I haven't had chance to fully listen to these yet, but if I was going for album cover only it would have to be Dispar - Hopeless, that painting is unreal! One of the most realistic I've seen recently.
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05.09.2022 - 18:15
nikarg

Written by AndyMetalFreak on 05.09.2022 at 18:03

I haven't had chance to fully listen to these yet, but if I was going for album cover only it would have to be Dispar - Hopeless, that painting is unreal! One of the most realistic I've seen recently.

Yeah, I also wanted to mention that. Superb cover art (painting) and the music is good too.
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05.09.2022 - 20:35
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Written by musclassia on 05.09.2022 at 17:53

To be fair, if the vote was based on the amount of denim portrayed on the front cover, I think we can all agree that split image would indeed be the winner

NO it was not, music matter. I always listen album before comment, fix best if list and so on. Same goes for msa, that's why I always vote later.
----
Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
Loading...
05.09.2022 - 20:36
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
My fav artwork is Loam
----
Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
Loading...
05.09.2022 - 20:45
musclassia

As far as the music is concerned, I'm happy Rod gave that Allt EP some exposure, I'd been on the verge of writing it up for a few months now. Gob Ribbons, though, what a quality little release that is
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05.09.2022 - 21:38
Roman Doez
Hallucigenia
After nearly 4 years of using this website, I have finally, for the first time, listened to every release in a Clandestine Cut. The clear winner here is Gob Ribbons, though Loam was very enjoyable as well.
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06.09.2022 - 12:51
silenius

As a huge fan of Antimatter, Gob Ribbons take the cake. Evoked the same feelings i get from Antimatter, fucking fantastic
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06.09.2022 - 16:36
Metren
Dreadrealm
I sat down with my morning porridge and listened to all of these in one sitting. It was a fine way to start this day indeed, apart from the porridge which was as dry as Kryatjurr Of Desert Ahd...

Allt - The Seed Of Self-Destruction

The atmosphere, drenched by synths/keys in delightful melancholy, is immediately captivating. Nothing to complain about in any department. The performances are tight and the production is absolutely flawless. This isn’t what I typically listen to, but I’d have no fear in recommending it to all fans of metalcore and I might re-visit it myself. Also, the visual for Severance is epic AF; I’ve found my new desktop background.

The Cimmerian - Thrice Majestic

I love a good drum pattern change in the middle of a track, so I was on board before “Howls Of Lust And Fury” finished. The way the vocalist’s semi-melodic raspy vocals contribute to the rhythm of the songs is just one of the reasons I found “Silver And Gold” perfect for mid-tempo headbanging. My only complaint: Emerald Scripture isn’t as good as the rest of the EP. It feels like filler to my ears. Neckbreaker Of The Mountain makes up for it though, with its variety in riffs and great vocals and lyrics. The hammer-on pull-off riff just before the tempo change is brilliant. Overall, a most enjoyable listen.

Gob Ribbons - Imparted I: The Age Of Comparison

This one felt a bit on the raw side. I liked the emotion in the vocals and a lot of the melodic ideas, but the instruments and the vocals didn’t gel very well for me. The ending of “The Age Of Comparison” where the lyrics “Welcome, welcome” had a radio-like EQ on them worked better for the overall soundscape than vocals with normal EQ, which says a lot. “Impart The Impartible” was the highlight for me. I liked how it started out mellow and kept building and becoming heavier. It is also the best produced track on the EP. In “Erratic”, the bass and guitar occasionally sound like the movie-recording of “Heaven On Their Minds” from Jesus Christ Superstar. That’s not a good thing, considering how old that film is and how terrible the sound mixing in it was. Not a bad EP, but probably the weakest of this bunch. Apparently I am in the minority on this. I don’t mind that at all, but I am genuinely surprised others here like Gob Ribbons so much. What are you all hearing that I am not?

Split Image - Torrent Of Illusion

I admire bands that write catchy songs with riffs crafted almost entirely of power chords. It sounds easy on paper, but it takes skill and inspiration to not sound repetitive or thoughtless. I loved this EP. The solo bass-riffs, the guitar solos, those ugly-but-ugly-in-a-beautiful-way vocals and constant tempo-changes, it all just works (not in a Todd Howard way, but actually works). The clean, slightly ambient guitar in the opening of “Room With A View” was interesting and worked soooo well with that bass melody. One of the finest openings to a song I’ve heard in a while. Catchy as hell EP overall and the clear winning Clandestine Cut for me this time.

Loam - Loam

The hard-left and hard-right panned guitars playing different melodies most of the time, but having little to no reverb on them creates a feeling of endlessness and claustrophobia at the same time. It is certainly a rather unique soundscape and when both guitars come together for the heavier, chuggier riffs, it makes it extra satisfying. Maybe it’s just the fact that I haven’t listened to Negură Bunget in forever, but somehow I got OM flashbacks during some of the major-sounding tremolo-picked riffs. Love the riffs in the middle of “Into The Wilds” too. Like a lot of the guitar work on this EP, those riffs dance flawlessly on the borders of randomness and what-the-hell-are-they-playing territory without ever crossing that border and it is quite brilliant. A close second behind Split Image for the winner in my ears.

Dispar - Hopeless

This isn’t really my kind of metal. There’s nothing wrong with it, it’s just not for me. I can tell that this is quality stuff and the individual behind Dispar probably achieved what they wished to accomplish. I guess “soundscape before riffs” type of music just isn’t for me, with a few exceptions here and there. The positives are the way the music indeed reflects the cover art’s emotions and how the songs didn’t feel too long.

Thanks for the article, all!
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My one-man project's Bandcamp with free downloads: https://dreadrealm.bandcamp.com/
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06.09.2022 - 22:39
Starvynth
i c deaf people
It's been a while since I've been excited by a metalcore album and I usually steer well clear of any music associated with the term "djent". All the more surprising that I liked Allt's EP the most.

Cheers to musclassia for covering The Cimmerian and Gob Ribbons (both are pretty great), but my vote goes to Sweden this time.
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signatures = SPAM
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07.09.2022 - 02:59
afterbirthbec

Can’t wait to check out this round of Clandestine Cuts - looks like another really interesting mix! (I think ‘most denim on a metal album cover’ would be a fun MS list!!)
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07.09.2022 - 22:40
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Written by Starvynth on 06.09.2022 at 22:39

It's been a while since I've been excited by a metalcore album and I usually steer well clear of any music associated with the term "djent". All the more surprising that I liked Allt's EP the most.

You are as surprised as I am! I didn't expect myself to like it that much (let alone that you would like it too!). I do have a taste for some djent projects like Uneven Structure and Vildhjarta. Both of them have a solid blanket of ambient/atmospheric progressions on top of their music though. Allt does the same so I think that's why I ended up enjoying them as well.

There's going to be a metal concert in my town in mid November. Helsingborg is not exactly a metaltown and almot every time I've heard of a metal concert in my town it ends up being regurgitated late 2000s metalcore with good cop/ bad cop vocals all over again. This concert seems to be more of the same except for the inclusion of Allt. I might show up just to see them.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass
Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.
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07.09.2022 - 22:49
musclassia

Written by Starvynth on 06.09.2022 at 22:39

It's been a while since I've been excited by a metalcore album and I usually steer well clear of any music associated with the term "djent". All the more surprising that I liked Allt's EP the most.

Cheers to musclassia for covering The Cimmerian and Gob Ribbons (both are pretty great), but my vote goes to Sweden this time.


I'm absolutely fine with that, I wrote up those two but Allt was the only one of the trio that I can take credit for finding
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08.09.2022 - 08:33
AndyMetalFreak
A Nice Guy
Thanks once again for sharing these quality new underground acts, which many of us won't otherwise come across

I thought Allt was ok, despite Metalcore not being my usual genre style. The Cimmerian is some pretty solid sludge, quite impressive I thought.

Gob Ribbons surprised me the most, that's very impressive, they remind me of a more melodic Anathema at times.

Split Image was decent, very energetic and some strong punk vibes, it didn't blow me away but I certainly enjoyed it.

Loam was a little harder for me to get into after listening to it immediately after Split Image, but after a few spins it really began to sink in, there's some great song structures and it's overall very impressive.

Dispar was what I was most intrigued about listening to, and it did not disappoint, the atmosphere is captivating, there is a real sense of deep sorrow and at the same time a sense of hope, plenty of mixed emotions, very much within the realms of Eldamar, Elderwind and ColdWorld.

A tough decision this time on what to vote for I found positives from each of the cuts, so I guess in the end it all comes down to my personal preference. I have nothing agsindt the other cuts but Gob Ribbons just takes it for me in the end, but a close second and third goes to Dispar and Loan.
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08.09.2022 - 18:05
GobRibbons

Hi Guys, Gob Ribbons here

Thank you folks for listening to our work and so many inputs and opinions on our songs!
We read them carefully and appreciate also that you point out what you didn't like as well.
In the next month we will release the second part of this "Imparted" Concept Album.
If you liked the first part, be sure to follow us to stay informed about this next release!

Cheers,
GOB
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08.09.2022 - 19:23
AndyMetalFreak
A Nice Guy
Written by GobRibbons on 08.09.2022 at 18:05

Hi Guys, Gob Ribbons here

Thank you folks for listening to our work and so many inputs and opinions on our songs!
We read them carefully and appreciate also that you point out what you didn't like as well.
In the next month we will release the second part of this "Imparted" Concept Album.
If you liked the first part, be sure to follow us to stay informed about this next release!

Cheers,
GOB

Great work guys! Your EP was my pick of the bunch I thoroughly enjoyed it (no offence to the rest I thought they were all good). I'm now looking forward to hearing more from you in the future
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09.09.2022 - 19:13
Nejde
CommunityManager
Great picks this month. Only one that didn't resonate with me was Loam. After several playthroughs I found it impossible to choose between Allt, Gob Ribbons and Dispar so I actually rolled a dice and let it decide and Dispar it was Definitely gonna keep an eye out for future releases from this trio.
Nicely done
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Bow to the King Hercules!
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10.10.2022 - 18:12
nikarg

Gob Ribbons have just put out an A.I.-generated music video for a new song, called "Galina". It's taken from their upcoming EP, Imparted II: The Delian Diver, out October 17th.

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