RIP BCM / Antarctica - Beheaded By Voltron

As I'm sure you've no doubt observed, this blog is dead. I want to thank any of you who gave a shit and actually read my nonsensical ramblings during the past 5 odd years. My plan is to leave the blog up as an archive of sorts, to document a very specific and curious sub-genre of music. I will also continue to post under the moniker of Mathcore Index, which is quickly becoming more than a simple promotional fan page.

As a final (and somewhat self-aggrandizing) post, I decided to finally share my old band's full-length album, which is similar to the content I've been posting about for years. Thank you again. Enjoy.

Here you may also snag the reissue, featuring bass guitar tracks from the supremely talented Luke Kelly (aka Tom Noyd) of Zelophilia and Bohrium.

Oblivionized - Cry Yourself to Ash

Every once in a while, a band comes a long that really embodies the spirit of underground tech-grind. Right now, one of the best bands bringing back this mid 2000's tech-grind nostalgia for me is Oblivionized. Given their sound, the band could honestly have been on the legendary Debello roster, and Daughters, Pig Destroyer, and Discordance Axis are among their influences, so the result is a blend of mathcore and grindcore that is very pleasing. 

Oblivionized drops their debut full-length, "Life Is A Struggle, Give Up," this April via Secret Law Records. 

(Music video premiere courtesy of the homies @ No Clean Singing)

The Heads are Zeros - All the Men I Love Are Dead

Clocking in just short of 8 minutes, this EP is a whirlwind of tech and grind reminiscent of early Daughters and The Sawtooth Grin, with elements of hardcore similar to Converge. However, that description doesn't begin to cover it. This band has such a delightful and eclectic blend of influences, it's hard to tire of "All the Men I Love Are Dead," and you'll soon find it on repeat. Super tight percussion, razor sharp guitars, and the disturbing and visceral prose poetry of vocalist Olivia Henry make this a powerful debut.

Now Showing: Oblivionized - Live @ S.O.A.N.

This was too good not to share. UK grinders Oblivionized just released a split with Razoreater, coupled with some live HD footage, and Oblivionized's set is particularly ripping. Note the gnarly female guest vox around 8:49 and the audience hijinks throughout.

Galaga: The Movie - s/t

Yesterday this blog turned 3 years old. For my first post, I chose to share Galaga: The Movie, one of my favorite bands and good friends of mine. So years later, it seems more than appropriate to share their new album on it's day of release. 

Behold, 2 of the greatest fuck-ups who've ever lived. Their insane stage antics and violent freak-outs have frightened most every audience they've ever played for, and they're probably banned from every single venue in the Humboldt and Solano County areas. Their music, which sways from grind to surfish riffs and back to grind, also has a certain whimsy to it:

Surfing the rain soaked clouds / down to your house / to sit perched on a tree / waiting patiently

Galaga is currently looking to book dates for a US tour sometime this year.

Favorite tracks: Stumptown, Shit Wave.

Fake Asian Rolex - 74K34514NR013X

Digging through my list of "Submissions I Was too Lazy to Post," I found Fake Asian Rolex, a French grind'n'roll band I had somehow manged to ignore on all forms of social media. It's too bad, because the band is a lot of fun, they just have a name that sets off all spam red-flags.

Image Every Time I Die with high pitched vocals and 90's powerviolence influence.

Orphan Donor - Empty

If I hadn't of been so lazy/preoccupied in 2013, this would've probably made my Best of list. Sick techgrind featuring the drummer from Secret Cutter.

You can download all of Orphan Donor's tunes free via Bandcamp.

Favorite tracks: You Can Buy Perfect, Letting the Vampire Kill You.

The Divorcée - Heartfucker

Some more radness from the UK, noisecore act The Divorcée just dropped their debut EP. This should definitely please those of you who enjoy heaviness and frantic screaming a la Destroyer Destroyer or spazzy art-grind freakouts (...and I'm assuming that's probably all of you), so strap on your straitjacket and commence convulsing.

Vermin Womb - Permanence

Following the demise of Denver's Clinging to the Trees of a Forest Fire, deathgrind heavyweight Ethan McCarthy (also of Primitive Man), has formed another project, Vermin Womb. McCarthy's vocals are monstrous, and his guitar work is perfectly suited for the genre. The band lives up to the name, as their sound is truly filthy.

Secret Cutter

Secret Cutter just dropped their eponymous full-length, and it's a real banger. Their style fluctuates between obnoxiously heavy sludge groves and some brief grind passages, which makes sense, as the band features member(s) of mathcore/techgrind act, Orphan Donor (which is a great name btw). 

Favorite tracks: Mirror Mirror, Driftwood

The band's first EP also available for free via Bandcamp.

Seminary - Ash Prism

The latest Seminary makes my skin crawl in the best way possible, and sorta reminds me of what a nervous breakdown might sound like. It's just a single track clocking less than 6 minutes, but there is distinctive movements (if not separate songs entirely), and it remains gripping right until the end. This is pretty much the best one man grind project I've heard, and it's criminally under appreciated.

According to dude's Facebook another, and possibly final release is in the works:

"Part 3 of 4..."

Cult Leader - Skin Crawler

Holy hell, this was just too exciting not to share. I'm sure many of you recall Salt Lake City's Gaza calling it quits earlier this year. Well, 3/4 of the band (minus vocalist John Parkin) have reformed as Cult Leader, and have signed with Jacob Bannon's reputable Deathwish Inc. Stoked to see these dudes are still making music. 

Cult Leader's new EP, Nothing For Us Here, is scheduled to drop in April of next year.

Cara Neir - Portals to a Better, Dead World

I do love Cara Neir's curious blend of grind and crust and black metal and....screamo? Truly a fun listen that takes you on a journey through your favorite sub-genres. This release has some moments that reminded me a bit of Converge, as well as longer songs that seem to focus more on the hardcore and screamo aspects of their music. 

Edit: I'd also like to add this record includes cello and what sounds like organ on "Exalting the Shadow Proprietor."

Cara Neir - Sublimation Therapy

Sometime ago I endeavored to start contributing over @ Godless Noise, but ultimately couldn't find the time to do so, nor much time for this blog (I'm sure you're starting to see a pattern here). Almost a year later I finally got around to giving Cara Neir's Sublimation Therapy a listen, my first potential submission, and it's been steadily growing on me. The Texas 2 piece seamlessly blends the nastiest grind and black metal, though there's elements of many different genres, and the drumming is absolutely batshit insane. Super clean blasts (see "You Are Missed") while still maintaining that gritty and raw production.

The band has also been fairly prolific and has a substantial back catalogue, most of which can be obtained free or for a nominal price via Bandcamp.

Gas Up Yr Hearse - split EP

A submission I've been neglecting (much like this blog), and I'm sad I delayed, because this is screamy, grinding goodness. Gas Up Yr Hearse's new split EP with Coma Regalia should please those of you who love Daughters and The Locust, featuring some really gnarly female vox.

The rest of their discography can also be be acquired on their Bandcamp.

Seminary - Discography

A gem I somehow have overlooked. Seminary is currently sating my tech-grind needs. Kinda reminds me of legends Robinson and See You Next Tuesday.

Pig Destroyer - The Diplomat

'Cause it's awesome, dammit. Love the Kubrickesque imagery. 

"Book Burner" is definitely one of my favorite releases of 2012 so far, and I've got it on repeat.

Plague Widow / Oblivionized - Split 7" Teasers

Plague Widow have released a short teaser video featuring some new songs off their upcoming split with UK grind act, Oblivionized. No official release date has been slated, but both bands are clearly well in the midst of writing and recording, with Plague Widow again returning to Sacramento's own Mayhemeness Recording.

Pig Destroyer - Burning Palm

Pig Destroyer has just released a new song (complete with unfortunate lyric video) from their upcoming album, "Book Burner," which drops October 22nd.

Murder Construct - Results

Featuring Travis Ryan (Cattle Decapitation), Leon del Muerte (Exhumed, ex-Intronaut, ex-Impaled, ex-Phobia), Danny Walker (Intronaut, Exhumed, ex-Jesu), and Caleb Schneider (Bad Acid Trip). Obviously not a release to miss, given the all-star lineup and Ryan's infamous vocal styling.

The album is available now on Bandcamp.