Howdy, friends. Welcome to another edition of Staff Infections, wherein we, the cultured and erudite Last Rites staff, share our recent listening habits with you, our equally cultured and erudite readership. Also, I sometimes complain about the weather or current events. Speaking of which: I thought after a pretty long and cold spring, it would take a little longer for me to start complaining about the heat, but we’re hitting over ninety degrees here with a regularity that is rather disturbing, considering it isn’t even officially summer yet. Living through a climate apocalypse was never on my bucket list, but it’s hard not to think there might be one coming. I’m old, but I have longevity in my family, so I can’t necessarily plan on checking out that soon. Maybe we’ll all get nuked first. That probably wouldn’t be so bad if you’re close to the blast. It’s something to hope for, anyway. I guess I could hope for peace and a more environmentally friendly future, but I don’t think I have that kind of hope in my anymore. I’ll leave that to the young folks. Anyway, let’s see what we’ve been listening to.
There was not a large convergence of listening habits this month, but we have a few common threads. First, our second-place finisher is the venerable and reliable Darkthrone with umpteenth full-length album, Prehistoric Metal. Our pal Jozzsh has an insightful review for you right here. Now for the albums of the month. You read that right, it’s a tie for first place. Our winners include Swedish progressive power metal trio Dimhav with it’s sophomore album Ondine, and Effluence with Anticholinergic Derangement. Resident power metal expert, Captain has you covered on Ondine right here, and Spencer relates his harrowing experience with Anticholinergic Derangement here.
For our group discussion this month, let us know in the comments, how do you feel about Darkthrone’s career? Do you pretend they broke up after Panzerfaust or are you able to appreciate the band’s later work? Black metal doesn’t mean much to me, but riffs do, and because throughout all its eras Darkthrone never really abandoned the riff, I can find something to appreciate on almost any Darkthrone album, but I generally listen to the band’s later work more than the classics.
Before we wrap up, be sure to listen to the staff-curated Spotify playlist below, and share your own playlist in the comments. Until next time, you all take care of yourselves.
Zach Duvall
Dimhav – Ondine
Deafkids – Cicatrizes Do Futuro
Darkthrone – Pre-Historic Metal
Cryptworm – Infectious Pathological Waste
The Dillinger Escape Plan – Calculating Infinity
Blut Aus Nord – Ethereal Horizons
Wolf Rambatz
Effluence – Anticholinergic Derangement
Nedgravd – Ascension
Cosey Mueller – Embodiment of Denial
JC Thomaz and the Missing Slippers – s/t
Fake Dust – Decrepitizing Din Of The Cerebral Psyopticon
Spencer Hotz
Swans – Filth
Hällas – Panorama
Effluence – Anticholinergic Derangement
Tomeka Reid – dance! skip! hop!
Gadget – Coerced
Melting Rot – Infatuation With Premeditation
Lone Watie
Dimhav – Ondine
Dangerous Thing – Dormant Spore
Carpe Diem – En Regardent Passer Le Temps
Edera – Mindquake
Fabio Do Nascimento – Villa
Moses Yoofee Trio – Chasing Lights
Captain
SLIFT – Fantasia
Buckethead – Bucketheadland
Buckethead – Colma
Praxis – Transmutation
Funkadelic – Maggot Brain
Ulysses Owens Jr. – Around the World with You
Danhammer Obstkrieg
35007 – Liquid
Effluence – Anticholinergic Derangement
Cable.Percussion – LP3
Degenerate Synapse – Battle for the Mind
Monster Magnet – Spine of God
Alan Braufman – Anthem for Peace
David Fonseca
Dimhav – Ondine
Drawn and Quartered – Hail Infernal Darkness
Kreator – Terrible Certainty
Deeds of Flesh – Path of the Weakening
Elder – Reflections of a Dying World
Hrob – Brána Chladu
Jeremy Morse
Exhumed – Necrocracy
Sinister – Diabolical Summoning
Darkthrone – Prehistoric Metal
Impaled – Death After Life
Chainsword – Chapter XII
Whitesnake – Live… In the Heart of the City
Andrew Edmunds
Focus – Focus 3
Fake Dust – Decrepitizing Din Of The Cerebral Psyopticon
White Lion – Pride
Soilent Green – Sewn Mouth Secrets
Dokken – Under Lock And Key
Hawkwind – Warrior On The Edge Of Time
Isaac Hams
Vince Staples – Cry Baby
OK Goodnight – stop/go
Edge Of Sanity – Crimson II
Blind Guardian – Battalions Of Fear
Fires In The Distance – Circadian Promise
Kaatayra – Caminhos de Agua
