WOMB THE THE OBSESSED LUNAR HALL OF FAME HIGH ON FIRE WEATHERING PERFECT STORM
REFUSE/RESIST
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JULY 2024 // No. 237
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July 2024 [R 237] decibelmagazine.com
54 Harshing the Melo COVER STORY COVER AND CONTENTS PHOTOS BY SHIMON KARMEL
upfront 8
metal muthas Walk on home, girl
10 live review:
hell’s heroes vi A hell of a time in Houston
12 exclusive:
metal & beer fest: philly 2024 reviewed All the hazy details
18 low culture Live again 19 kill screen:
unleash the archers Welcome, one and all
20 witherfall Never forgive, never forget 22 john haughm A place both wonderful and strange 24 pentagram chile Heavy metal lifers 26 darkness everywhere Gothenburg calling
features
reviews
28 insect ark Finding her voice again
36 high on fire Let the good times roll
30 the troops of doom Antichrist soldiers are proclaimed
38 ulcerate Long live the code?
65 lead review The new album from Philadelphia doom lords Crypt Sermon is like a kiss from The Stygian Rose
32 hellbutcher Still old, still cold 34 ufomammut Like an everflowing stream
40 q&a: umbra vitae Vocalist Jake Bannon and friends know how to be super all on their own 44 the decibel
hall of fame The Obsessed become ambassadors for the American underground while remaining unknown in their homeland with sophomore release Lunar Womb
66 album reviews Records from bands that are definitely not comprised of Weezer-looking dudes!! , including BAT, the Hope Conspiracy and Sumac
😤
72 damage ink Something in the way he moves
Decibel (ISSN 1557-2137) is published monthly by Red Flag Media, Inc., P.O. Box 36818, Philadelphia, PA 19107. Annual subscription price is $34.95. Periodical postage, paid at Philadelphia, PA, and other mailing offices. Submission of manuscripts, illustrations and/or photographs must be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. The publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Postmaster send changes of address for Decibel to Red Flag Media, P.O. Box 36818, Philadelphia, PA 19107. © 2024 by Red Flag Media, Inc. All rights reserved. ISSN 1557-2137 | USPS 023142 Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.
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REFUSE/RESIST
July 2024 [T237] PUBLISHER
Alex Mulcahy
alex@redflagmedia.com
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Albert Mudrian
albert@decibelmagazine.com AD SALES
James Lewis
james@decibelmagazine.com DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND SALES
Stronger than hate (from l to r) Gehlke, Burns and Mudrian ask what size knuckle sandwich you’re looking for
Over time, a few of our Metal & Beer
Fests have been granted pithy internal designations by the staff due to some unanticipated situation that ultimately defined the weekend. The 2018 Philly Fest, which endured dreadful Sunday ticket sales, eventually became known as the “Fuck Easter Fest,” while our first West Coast dBMBF, held later that year in Los Angeles, was such a test of our collective will that it’s now referred to through gritted teeth simply as “L.A.” Now our most recent installment of suds and thuds (reviewed in depth on page 12) has already been dubbed “The Scott Burns Fest.” Mercifully, because it was such a wonderful experience. Both Scott and esteemed author David E. Gehlke spent a weekend in Philly, attending Metal & Beer Fest and devoting hours to singing copies of The Scott Burns Sessions: A Life in Death Metal 1987-1997. I’ve worked with David on three Decibel Books projects and met him at a previous Metal & Beer Fest, but this was my first in-person meeting with Scott after over two decades of correspondence. And I’m not sure I’ve ever met a more gracious and humble person in my life. I witnessed everyone from Glen Benton and Steve Asheim of fest headliners Deicide (who coincidentally performed a special set of material from three early-’90s albums that Scott helped fashion into death metal gold) to Chris Pervelis of Internal Bleeding (whom Scott met for the first time after mixing their debut album nearly 30 years ago) light up when they spoke with the living legend. That thrill extended to industry figures like Grammy-nominated metal engineer Arthur Rizk and former Roadrunner A&R man Mike Gitter, who saw Scott for the first time since he visited him at Morrisound while Scott and Obituary recorded The End Complete. The greatest exchanges, of course, came from the fans who attended the book signings. For hours, Scott and David listened to emotional stories from hundreds of people whose lives were forever changed by Beneath the Remains, Human, Cause of Death and so many more revelatory records captured by the former. There were a lot of smiles, and no shortage of tears. I know it was overwhelming at times for Scott, who, earlier in the day, genuinely wondered aloud if anyone was going to actually show up; yet he stayed with David after the show each night to accept dozens of hugs and pose for even more photos. I’m honored to call them—and so many of you who were at the Scott Burns Fest—friends. albert mudrian, Editor-in-Chief
ART DIRECTOR
Aaron Salsbury
aaron@decibelmagazine.com
Michael Wohlberg
michael@decibelmagazine.com CUSTOMER SERVICE
Patty Moran
COPY EDITOR
Andrew Bonazelli
BOOKCREEPER
Tim Mulcahy
patty@decibelmagazine.com
tim@redflagmedia.com CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS
Chuck BB, Ed Luce Mark Rudolph
Online DECIBEL WEB EDITOR
Albert Mudrian
DECIBEL WEB AD SALES
James Lewis
albert@decibelmagazine.com james@decibelmagazine.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Anthony Bartkewicz Emily Bellino Adrien Begrand J. Bennett Dean Brown Nathan Carson Liz Ciavarella-Brenner Chris Dick Sean Frasier Nick Green Raoul Hernandez Addison Herron-Wheeler Jonathan Horsley Neill Jameson Kim Kelly Sarah Kitteringham Daniel Lake Cosmo Lee Jamie Ludwig Shane Mehling Tim Mudd Justin M. Norton Dutch Pearce Forrest Pitts Greg Pratt Brad Sanders José Carlos Santos Joseph Schafer Kevin Stewart-Panko Eugene S. Robinson Adem Tepedelen Jeff Treppel J Andrew Zalucky CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
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Decibel subscriber service/change of address: 215.625.9850 x105 or contact@decibelmagazine.com To order by mail: Consult the subscription card To order by phone: 215.625.9850 x105 To order by fax: 1.215.625.9967 To order online: www.decibelmagazine.com VISA/MASTERCARD/DISCOVER accepted Subscribers: please alert us of any change of address 6-8 weeks before the date of your move. Decibel is not responsible or obligated to re-ship issues missed because of a move we were not informed of 6-8 weeks before the move took place. DECIBEL BACK ISSUES/MERCHANDISE
To order by phone: 1.215.625.9850 (10 a.m. – 5 p.m. EST) To order by fax: 1.215.625.9967 To order online: www.decibelmagazine.com Decibel (ISSN 1557-2137) is published monthly by Red Flag Media, Inc., P.O. Box 36818, Philadelphia, PA 19107. Annual subscription price is $34.95. Periodical postage, paid at Philadelphia, PA, and other mailing offices. Submission of manuscripts, illustrations and/or photographs must be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. The publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Postmaster send changes of address for Decibel to Red Flag Media, P.O. Box 36818, Philadelphia PA 19107. Copyright ©2024 by Red Flag Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. PRINTED IN USA
ISSN 1557-2137
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READER OF THE
MONTH You’ve been a Decibel subscriber since 2011. What’s kept you coming back? Surely, it can’t be Albert Mudrian’s winning personality!
Brendan Karnik Shoreview, MN
You are a resident of Shoreview, MN. Please tell us what is there besides Brendan Karnik.
I hear there are something like 9,999 lakes here. I’ve only lived here for two years, but I’ve definitely been impressed with the scenery. I feel like someone referred to Minnesota as the U.S. version of Norway, minus the fjords. I follow Austin Lunn from Panopticon on Instagram, and he directed me towards some badass parks and trails. Looking forward to seeing him play up in Grand Rapids at the end of May (in a brewery)! Definitely plenty of great beer options around the Twin Cities. Invictus and the now sadly defunct tap room of Dangerous Man have been my favorites. Luckily, Dangerous Man is being sold in most stores now. Was also fortunate to have visited Austin’s brewery, HammerHeart, when that was around. It was like a mini-Norway!
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Obviously, it was Neill Jameson’s winning personality! I’ve always appreciated the tongue-in-cheek nature of the magazine. It takes itself seriously without taking itself too seriously. Even though the internet gives us the most up-to-date information on bands, there’s just something about the physical product that can't be replaced, in my opinion. Probably why I shelled out for the expanded version of Black Metal: Evolution of the Cult through you guys. I have the original, but this expanded version is even better… and it came with a free patch! You’re a pretty big Woe fan, going as far to have the band’s logo tattooed on a large section of your leg. What is it that draws you to the band? Surely, it can’t be Lev Weinstein’s winning personality!
I think most people enjoy the bands Lev is in, despite his winning personality. Kidding, Lev! Woe, to me, blends the perfect balance between the raw intensity you expect from black metal and the most memorable, fucking earworm riffs
imaginable. I honestly don’t know how Chris [Grigg] keeps coming up with this shit. And it just keeps getting better. Legacies of Frailty perfectly embodies that balance. I can’t wait to hear these songs live. (Anywhere in the U.S., Chris! Please and thank you!). I’ve loved this band since the moment I heard them, and there was never a question/moment of doubt about getting that tattoo. Also, as a nerdy side note, being included in the liner notes in the thanks portion for the new album was a dream come true. Buy the album! This issue marks Gatecreeper’s second Decibel cover appearance (Decibel Tour covers notwithstanding). What young(ish) death metal artist do you think deserves a Decibel cover that hasn’t landed one yet?
Do Skeletal Remains count as young(ish)? It’s those damn memorable riffs that I just can’t get enough of. Plus, they NEVER stop touring! I don’t think they’ve been to the Twin Cities recently, but definitely won’t miss them when they come through. Not a death metal band, but there is an amazing new band out of Minnesota called Kaldeket. It contains two former members of the band False (that y’all did a flexi with—I can use “y’all” since I’m originally from Texas). It’s kind of black metal, but veers off in so many different directions. Check them out!
ChuckBB.com / Instagram: @chuckbb_art
NOW SLAYING Wonder what Decibel world HQ has been rocking for the past month? Well, here are the records that we spun most while ooh-wee-ooh, we look just like Buddy Holly.
Because not all of us were spawned in the darkest recesses of hell
This Month’s Mutha: Eunice “Bambi” MacRae Mutha of Pantera tour manager Meg MacRae
Tell us a little about yourself.
I grew up in Ohio in a large family with two brothers and four sisters, and studied to be a teacher at Miami of Ohio. After teaching for two years, I became disenchanted with it; when I saw an ad for Pan American airlines, I became a stewardess in 1956 and flew until I met my wonderful husband and married him in 1967. We had one daughter, Meg, in 1970, who became our pride and joy. Was it always clear that Meg would have a career in music?
Meg was always interested in music, but also acting, singing and writing, so it seems appropriate that she ended up working in some type of entertainment job. She would carry two of those little cassette carriers, the ones that held probably 30 cassettes in each, and took them everywhere we went. But she was highly creative and I always thought of her as an artist herself—mostly as a writer, so I was a bit surprised that she ended up working on the business side of things. Your daughter worked at Earache Records when the label was still relevant. Do you enjoy any of the bands that she likes?
It’s pretty noisy. I never really liked that type of music, as I come from the days of Glenn Miller; and we also listened to Count Basie, which is much different. But to work in music and with those bands was her decision, and we thought it was great that she found work that she loved.
In addition to being a tour manager for Type O Negative, Down and Pantera, Meg also worked with Bon Jovi and took you to see them play. What do you remember about that show?
Meg invited her father and I to see Bon Jovi in Charlotte, and what I remember is that it was such a massive production. Until we saw her in action at work, I don’t think any of us understood what her job entailed and the levels of responsibility that she undertook. Everything was so well-orchestrated, and she seemed to be at the center of all of the activity. It was rewarding for us to see her so successful. You recently turned 90. What should we be doing to enjoy that kind of longevity?
I feel very fortunate. I am planning to see my 100th arrive in the future. I think having a positive attitude on life is very necessary. Keeps you young and alert. What are some of Meg’s hidden talents?
She began to play drums when she was 17 and should have stuck with that because she loved it—again, quite noisy, though! Her father and I always encouraged her to follow her dreams and she was always very determined at whatever she was undertaking. She came home to Wilmington and worked [on] Dawson’s Creek—for several years, then moved out to Los Angeles around 2000 and had lots of work in the film world. I am not sure how she came back to music, but she was always excelling at whatever she was doing at the time. —ANDREW BONAZELLI
Albert Mudrian : e d i t o r i n c h i e f Julie Christmas, Ridiculous and Full of Blood 200 Stab Wounds, Manual Manic Procedures Darkest Hour, Undoing Ruin Autopsy, Mental Funeral Ulcerate, Cutting the Throat of God ---------------------------------Patty Moran : c u s t o m e r s e r v i c e Crypt Sermon, The Ruins of Fading Light Rudimentary Peni, Death Church Kim Gordon, The Collective Tiamat, Skeleton Skeletron Spacemen 3, Playing With Fire ---------------------------------James Lewis : a d s a l e s Gatecreeper, Dark Superstition Crypt Sermon, The Stygian Rose ACxDC, G.O.A.T. Inter Arma, New Heaven Full of Hell, Coagulated Bliss ---------------------------------Mike Wohlberg : a r t d i r e c t o r Unleash the Archers, Phantoma Daydream Plus, Clues Recalled From Memory Gatecreeper, Dark Superstition 200 Stab Wounds, Manual Manic Procedures The Red Chord, Fused Together in Revolving Doors ---------------------------------Aaron Salsbury : m a r k e t i n g a n d s a l e s Slug Gore, They Slime! They Ooze! They Kill! L.O.T.I.O.N, B.E.S.T. Of 2013-2024 Nuclear Tom, Terror Labyrinthian Crypt Sermon, The Stygian Rose The Hope Conspiracy, Tools of Oppression/Rule by Deception
GUEST SLAYER
---------------------------------Payson Power : to m b m o l d / day d r e a m p l u s
Marmalade Butcher, Onomatomani[a]kus Zombi, Direct Inject Scarab, Seeking Chaos and Revenge After Betrayal The Ironsides, Changing Light Perfume, Game
PHOTO BY
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SHIMON KARMEL