Victim of your dreams

A second article, Victim of your dreams: A review of negativity and melancology in black metal theory and the arts of Xasthur, has been published in the Journal of Metal Music Studies, volume 2 issue 2. The abstract and a link to the journal page for the article are copied below.

The inherent criticisms presented by black metal and black metal theory demonstrate that the fallacies of ontology rest upon the illusion of coherent organization. This blackness consumes the human perspective and reveals a nothingness that penetrates all interpretations and purpose. In melancology, this epistemic darkness of black metal is directed upon the false human foundations of identity and orientation, negating the principles from which notions of value and agency originate. Black metal is then a misanthropic art that demonstrates the futility of moral ideologies. The present discussion examines these criticisms and explores the themes of pessimism, melancology, and misanthropy in examples derived from the black metal music of Xasthur.

http://www.intellectbooks.co.uk/journals/view-Article,id=21979/

Minblod: Stigmata sans Schemata

Minblod album "Stigmata sans Schemata" is now available from the official website. The content of this release is presented as developed in the fall of 2012. There are no current plans to release this album in any format other than the free download.

Music

1. The indifference of nature

2. Chaos reigns I: The hammer

3. Chaos reigns II: The adversary

4. The nature of suffering

Text

Suffering is the definitive experience of subjectivity. Functional representations enable one to compare the present state to other potential forms of existence. As experience accumulates, the subject becomes increasingly aware of the fatality of continuity, and suffering occurs as one realizes that nature is not consistent with subjective valuations.

Nature is indifferent to such suffering. It is without intrinsic value. All forms are merely instrumental to the continuity of existence, and this progression is independent of any subjective judgment. Any criticism of its character is without absolute validity or an authentic foundation.

Nature is a truth that is only imperfectly realized by the subject. Because experience occurs through relativity, all representations are merely summations of phenomenal mechanisms. The authentic character is metaphysical. It is known only indirectly through a limited set of relational physics.

The subject inevitably compares present representations to alternative states. Some ideal states may be realized through the activity of the subject. However, because perceptual representations are not equivalent to existence, and because subjective values are often distinct from natural ends, other ideals are impossible in practice.

Suffering occurs with the accumulation of unsatisfied desires. The marginal increase of suffering resulting from each disappointment is proportional to the subjective value assigned to the relevant ideal. A shift in values or circumstances may alter the degree of suffering, but this essential condition is perpetually associated with the phenomenal limitations of subjectivity.

Suffering is only alleviated in death. In abjection, subjectivity collapses to reunite with the natural state. The cessation of artificial representations negates the possibility of idealism. Perceptions of intrinsic value are revealed as distortions of existence. This value is not an authentic property of nature but only preference defined in relation to erroneous interpretations.

The subject exists in a state of chaos. Existence may consist of some natural order, but the epistemic limitations of relativity prevent its revelation in the dimensions of consciousness. A fear of the unknown motivates humanity to construct artificial systems of organization that attempt to make sense of existence.

Nature is not bound by such principles. Nature continuously invalidates theoretical notions by demonstrating inconsistencies. Suffering is the symptom of this continuous failure. It can only be alleviated through the abandonment of epistemic pursuits.

Depressive Metal: Cultural Expression and Social Organization

I recently had the opportunity to aid in the translation of Depressive Metal: Cultural Expression and Social Organization by Egle Jurciute-Baleviciene. More information can be found at the following link, and a descriptive paragraph is below.

Depressive metal musicians and fans are a new and culturally specific community that is both musically and ideologically exclusive. The present book attempts to reveal this phenomenon, and it proceeds with an analysis of the features of the global depressive metal subculture intended to identify the cultural elements and social relations that may enable a conceptualization of its character. It discusses the perspectives, artistic creations, and cultural constructions of this subculture with an emic anthropological orientation, and it also attempts to describe the sub-cultural expression and the informal social organization of depressive metal musicians and fans within the context of globalization and in relation to the broader metal music culture as well as the more general contemporary society.

https://www.morebooks.de/store/gb/book/depressive-metal:-cultural-expression-and-social-organisation/isbn/978-3-659-70728-5

Dark Epistemology

An article written by McWilliams, "Dark epistemology: An assessment of philosophical trends in the black metal music of Mayhem," has been published in the journal of Metal Music Studies 1(1). The issue is currently available as a free pdf at the following address.

http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/intellect/mms

The abstract is below.

This article attempts to characterize a negative form of postmodernism as expressed in examples of black metal. Black metal is discussed in reference to a collection of examples from the music and comments of individuals of the Norwegian black metal band Mayhem. Through an integration of ideas advanced in postmodern philosophy and theory, this article attempts to describe a realization of epistemological darkness that is demonstrated within black metal, and this discussion concludes by considering the limitations of essentialism in relation to the art and its themes.

Occult Black Metal Zine Review

Minblod are a band from South Carolina that plays a mixture of depressive black and doom metal and this is a review of their 2013 album "Apparition And Aberration" which was released as a joint effort between Humid Records and Depressive Illusions.

Drums range from slow to mid paced playing with no fast drumming or blast beats being present on t his recording, while the bass playing has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffing that are coming out of the guitars, as for the synths when they are utilized they bring a very atmospheric and dark ambient sound to the recording.

Rhythm guitars range from slow to mid paced riffs that combine depressive black metal with doom to create a sound of their own and there are no guitar solos or leads present on this recording.

Vocals are all high pitched and grim sounding depressive black metal screams, while there is not much in the way of lyrics, as for the production it has a very dark, raw and primitive sound to it with some of the songs being long and epic in length.

In my opinion Minblood are a very great sounding hybrid of depressive black metal and doom and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out this band. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Dark Mysteries" and "Heuristic Construct". RECOMMENDED BUY.

Taken from: occultblackmetalzine.blogspot.com

Humid Records

Distorted Cognitions' composition "Eternity Opens as in Ancient Time" appears of the Humid Records compilation Volume One.
This compilation consists of over three hours of various doom metal acts.
Humid Records website
Compilation on Amazon

Synthesis

Synthesis now available.
Links for free download and CD purchase available at official website: http://distortedcognitions.webs.com/

Algorithm
Featuring E. Newman
Recorded in the fall of 2011.
Algorithm is the effective method of calculation.
01 Vorben
02 Fatal Essence
03 Identity in Execution
04 Orcusorgian

Synthesis
Recorded in the winter of 2011.
Synthesis is the resolution of particular reality and universal ideality.
05 Resonance Potential
06 Hegelian Dialectic
07 Relative Imperative
08 Transcendental Ratio
09 Transcendental Derivative
10 Persistent Becoming
11 Mass Action

Reduction

Free Download:
http://www.mediafire.com/file/g2341y8q08i7x41/DistortedCognitionsReduction.zip

Purchase: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/distortedcognitions4

"Reduction"
Recorded in the winter of 2010.
Reduction is a phenomenal application of the scientific method.
01 Sterics
02 Substrate Manifest
03 Empiricist Criterion
04 Wave Function
05 Entropy from Information
"Virus"
Featuring E. Newman
Recorded during various sessions spanning from 2007 through 2010.
Virus is an existential expression of the system.
06 Truth and Utility
07 Mechanism of Gaia
08 Tautomeric Shift
09 Commence Caliginous Confinement
10 Eternity Opens as in Ancient Time