In Memoriam. Steeve Hurdle (August/15/1971 - May/20/2012).

A homage to Steeve Hurdle on his second death anniversary.

Myriad images flash one's mind at the mere mention of Steeve Hurdle as we can recognise him easily when we know his style. With his passing, we have lost an excelsior musician perhaps as importantly, Gorguts have lost an innovator. Who died of surgical failure aged 41 in 2012. There might have been great architectures of grotesque aural art before and after Steeve but the only thing which always stands the test of time is art. He had managed to keep fans fascinated by his incandescent transcendental creativity for Gorguts for years. And his grandiose presence, in albums including, Inverted Decay (1992), Purulence/Amaymon split (1993), Obscura (1998), and Negativa (2006) have led to the boundaries of compartmentalization. Although Obscura overshadow Steeve's other works. 'Purulent' is by far, one of the most brilliant works by this exceptional guitarist-vocal.

What I really like about his music composing is that it’s always on several level. He had a big role in bringing the dissonance and complexity to song writing, For example, 'Sinking into Transparency' was a game changer for death metal. Love that song I mean, their entire side of that split was way ahead of its time just like Demilich. His works are eternal, it’s not stuck in a time as they are forever. It something that is made incarnate. Today May 20th 2014, Steeve Hurdel's second death anniversary.

Latest being drowned

In fictive degradation

Coming depression revolved

Around an Earth

Nostalgia excludes the whole

As spleen takes over me

Resound, the echoes of my threnodies

And then the fact of being

Has no longer meaning

The hymns of light

They'll sing once I'll be gone. 

He was 9 years old when his parents gave him his the first guitar.

He was born on 15th August 1971 at St. Vincent hospital in Sherbrooke, Canada. He took an early interest in Metal. He threw himself into music with compelling enthusiasm and worked constantly. He could express the potential depth through his bands. The vibrant mind of this luminary forever sought new avenues to satisfy his creative urges. He had written lyrics for Gorguts, to which he belonged to another level with his artistic vision and genius.

The Different people like Steeve Hurdle for different reasons, my affection for this departed soul comes from that fact. It was not about enjoying Steeve's guitar execution style or Luc's brutal vocals, the music of Gorguts in the nineties was like a mind-numbing atmosphere of the crypts of insanity and delirium and goes to an apocalyptic direction. Such intense musical intelligence, which isn't very easily available around. There have been bands that successfully warped the genre 'death metal' to a remarkable degree, creating originality through creativity and undiluted personal expression.

A track like 'Clouded' provides a good reference of what I am talking about. An unexplainable atmosphere comes whenever I attention to it. Timeless, that one word that keeps playing in my mind whenever I listen/think to 'Obscura' as it was technically impeccable. I love when Gorguts gets slow and dis-harmonic, the sound is akin to the pure agony one must feel from trying to reach a stage of enlightenment. A struggle, catharsis that never seems to resolve itself. A few words about the album itself. "Obscura" is almost like a religious experience to me. When I first heard 'Clouded', I was crushed and transcended. Magical, is an appropriate word. I was 9 or 10 years old when it was released but its songs refuse to fade out even today, when I am 24. The densely enraptures music was a true classic for sure. Cannot possibly imagine a better song than 'Nostalgia' or 'The Carnal Stage' on this immaculate album, or for that matter, a better album than 'Obscura'. 

More to the point, Obscura, as the name is an apt title for the collection of epiphanies present on this work of art. Scathing and pummelling and yet highly subtle. This was definitely one of the most eerie and abysmal sounding albums ever. Ne plus ultra. 

The cover art (he embodied the mediating figure on the cover) and lyrics also enhance the experience of the music on this album. That's how albums should be presented to an audience. Everything should be well conceived, with much thought put into every detail so that every component makes the album whole. Music, vocals, lyrics, artwork they all matter that's why I like concept albums even albums that aren't necessarily considered concept albums, sort of are like Obscura for example. There is a unifying theme throughout the entire record, nothing was random. It’s cinematic, in its delivery. Steeve gave some serious innovations for this massive third record of Gorguts. This album, which is Hurdle's peak. They felt special and unique, and discovering them was like uncovering some lost and forgotten treasure. Now it is a repository of memories. 

Another album that gave me a similar dark religious experience was DsO's Fas -Ite... The use of silence and minimalism in part makes me feel like I'm suspended high above in cathedral of horrors. The cover art is so absolutely fitting for that record, the depiction of Lucifer falling from god's graces, falling in endless darkness from which there is no bottom. Another album is 'The Destroyers of All' by Ulcerate and the track 'Omens' is one of my favourite modern pieces of metal/atmospheric music. The staggeringly gorgeous track is transcendental as fuck. Obscura/Fas - Ite.../The Destroyers of All stand up as the best in the last decade and a staple requirement for any true aficionado of grotesque aural art. Real music written by real people with unique  ideas, who could express them thoroughly but that's lacking these days methinks. I would like to state that Gorguts will always be the inspirational death metal band of all time and just can't believe it was two years ago today that we lost such an enormous visionary talent. Rest in peace Steeve Hurdle, still missed by so many.

After the first Negativa EP. Everybody was kinda happy

Canada, is a centre of intellectual and artistic ferment. Existing in two decades for a band is a big deal as Gorguts continue to work the best till date. The death of this extraordinary man was not the huge blow to the band methinks as this band's level of humility and respect for their art is vitalizing even today and that is distinct on colossal massiveness of 'Colored Sands'. There are countless extreme metal motherfuckers who have Steeve's aural ecstatic woven into their life. But people are usually forgotten after their favourite musicians die. It happens to the best of people, at the most they are perfunctorily remembered on their birth and death anniversaries.

He lived thousands of miles away, I have never met or spoken to him but the void of this departed man make a way to an incredible sense of loss. 2 years ago today since he left the world. Time marches on natheless memories stay. As I said before 'only thing which always stands the test of time is art'. I find that the people I don't personally know are the people I respect the most. He's the one person I regret never being able to have a conversation with. Let this day be a day of remembrance and reflection of his great music. He is a genius that the humankind has produced.

Inquisition: towards the vast vestibule of sovereignty.

Black metal has always been alchemy of sound, ideal, and aesthetic and human mind is such a fruitful place to plant the seeds of evil. Inquisition does it with their music. Their music is primitive with a very personal touch. A band, we can instantly recognize with their ultra-fast chord picking with pummeling drums and inhuman form of vocals or, slow, deep and dark riffs combined with sudden tempo changes to faster sections based around blast beats and high-speed riffing; at times adding melodic solos. The classic Inquisition sound involves the combination of old school thrash metal-influenced riffs with darker and more chaotic black metal, primarily involving fast, tremolo picked minor-key guitar riffs, thus creating the trademark Inquisition sound. Dagon is not just screaming out at top lung and he believes that identity is important to him so he figured what can he does that the majority are not doing. That’s quite hypnotic and a true cult. Bow to Inquisition faithfully. Bow to them splendidly. 

Dagon and Incubus are the followers of Heathen culture. The elements of nature grant them wisdom, domination, power and control. The evil seed 'Inquisition' blossomed in 1988 in Cali, Colombia, planted by Dagon. He was just 17 ​​when He created Inquisition. The band started as a thrash metal act, and in 1994 evolved into raw black metal. When you extensively listen to a bunch of artists so passionately for so many years, you might be Influenced by what they play. Needless to say did Inquisition's influences at that time were included Kreator and Sadus. Thus Inquisition's first record was 'Anxious Death' in 1990. Twenty minutes long EP included only three tracks of aggressive thrash metal.  It’s riffing and execution is comparable to that of an above mentioned bands. The second release was 'Forever Under'. It has eight tracks which run 38 minutes. The riffs are really there as much as they were on the Anxious Death. On this demo, songs were written between 1990 & 1992. Some tracks were not included in the first recording due to the lack of money for sufficient studio. Forever Under is neat and attractive. Two of my favorite tracks here included ‘Artist Of Illusions’ and 'Wasted Importance'. The songs on this record have definitely had some killer riffs going on. The song structures are catchy. Unconventional time signatures and impossibly unorthodox, drumming/guitarring styles are appreciated here. They were good in what they were doing. 

'Incense Of Rest' (1996).

Well, it's a good one but what I may be expecting little more, to be very honest with after couple of listens it does not give me what Forever Under offered but I must not compare. I know they were not the same band from first two releases so maybe I'm a bit more open to accept their change in direction on Incense of Rest. The thrashy vocals have changed into high-pitched black metal screams. They did eventually broke away from style and Inquisition moved into a darker arena. The instrumental track Meditation Before The Kill is stagnant and uninteresting. The title track is worth a listen as it's just typical black metal. But it's okay release (Whenever I found a particular uninteresting album, I kept hearing it till repeatedly to start liking it. Such is my addiction to music of evil and death). I think the writing process of every Inquisition releases (between 1988-1996) took a considerable amount of time.

Voyage of souls - Incense of rest. Voyage of souls - Mystic hymns cried.

The annihilation that rising from their burning chest. 'Into the Infernal Regions of the Ancient Cult' which the band's 1998 début. It still stands today as the Inquisition most impressive output, with ripping old school black and the echoing riffs, signature vocals. Inquisition has here over an hour of meticulously grim, wicked evocations. The vocals on 'Those of the Night' are invocative, spoken, They simply set a mood of serenity with a reptilian tone whereas 'The Initiation' is a simply beautiful hymn as its morbid entirely different, goes in the way of folk / black metal pattern of the riffing. They made effort to bring something new to the table. 'Summoned by Ancient Wizards Under a Black Moon' is a stand out track by its mind-blowing composition. I simply loved the structure of the song and these guys' have a profundity and a sharp sense of observation and fair for precision. They gathered in a magic circle singing ancient hymns in the name of Satan.

They used a bass player for three shows back in 1998. We can see him in the original "Into The Infernal Regions of The Ancient Cult" Cd photos, and since then never tried again having a third member, They really have always been a duo. Now they're tighter, faster and heavier. The elements they had before have been worked on and improved, and that's evolution. The début sounds war. Legion marching ... War drums beating ... Weapons striking ... Christian falling ... New world reigning ... Pagan victory ... This is a unique black metal release which has a very ritualistic feeling.

Inquisition reached a new level with 'Invoking the Majestic Throne of Satan'. It's more powerful and aggressive. They do everything in an engaging and interesting way. It's hard to believe a two-piece can sound so full and crushing. They have instruments of torture in the hands of sin. This album is a battle that will never have an end. It's utterly captivated me on first listen. They're very much Immortal-driven. Of course Immortal were inspirations for Dagon, but this duo having their own thing going on here. 'Rituals Of Human Sacrifice For Lord Baal' is pure brilliance. It's just that the compositions are based around guitar melody rather than just a rhythmic structure. It's a mix of several types of metal, everything ranging from heavy metal all the way down to black metal. It's quite obscure chant-like and demonic-like vocals. 'The Realm Of Shadows Shall Forever Reign' is ecstatic as the album was very rifftastic but some songs did only have two or three riffs for example, very simple straight forward songs, Dagon spends lots of time searching for the perfect riffs that will allow a song to be so basic yet fulfilling to the listener.

"In the name of Satan, Lucifer and all demons of the Infernal Cult...

We speak the words of truth that we have been given by your wisdom.

We sing the imperial hymn as our tribute to the pantheon of hell".

Magnificent Glorification of Lucifer was their third album. The band's distinctive sound has not changed. Easily it's refreshing to hear black metal intricacy played through a different plane of creation. Here's what happens when you have musicians with solid and true musical integrity, weaving a unique and far-removed sound with atmosphere and intrinsic personality, as well as eschewing the disparate musical competition plagues did ninety percent of technical metal these days. The songs on this album all containment of acclamation of different speeds, moods and breaks in style did gives each song a unique atmosphere.

Some albums surrender everything we've during a first listening. There's nothing left to discover when you listen them again. But on Nefarious Dismal Orations, there's not a boring moment. The more I listen to it, the more I notice some memorable riffs here and there. That's a credit to a band. Indeed. A strong band-like Inquisition is viable to create something worth listen. On this album a rawness did reaches out. Melancholy moan of mystic wind, melodies of sadness that sing the hymn. Creates Inquisition something undeniably strong hymns about Satan, but it's equally relaxed and soothing in many ways. It has become far more pristine besides the song has enough memorable arrangements did helped to define the masterpiece of them. The difference between "Nefarious Dismal orations" and the past albums is this particular one is tighter and faster, a very vicious album compared to the past ones being very dark or heavy. Why does this album have an end? Such an album would be inconceivable today because no one would listen to finding a tune, I may be wrong but thematically, Black metal is going through a creative and experimental phase these days.

Their concerts are something like obscure rituals rather than typical black metal gigs. Dagon says: "One guitar, one drum kit and vocals can really create a firestorm When you perform in a ritually induced mind, invoke the spirit of Satan and treat your instrument and sound with dignity and respect."

Desolate Funeral Chant a song which is very closes to me. Well, Ominous Doctrines of the Perpetual Mystical Macrocosm is outstanding and always an enjoyable listening experience. Dagon's leads the charge for some outstanding harmony arrangements. This album has grown into an absolute favourite of mine. It is heavy enough to satisfy black metal lunatics. They are in a new age of black metal where more and more people laugh at Satanism but Dagon is going more towards astrophysics on this album, and keeping things a little colder based on science. He's trying to find something new and interesting, but they got to keep Satan in music. The inspiration comes to him emotionally by reading a lot of information on cosmic research, he has to enormous passion for the cosmos. The complexity and mystique of our universe is the most incredible thing we as humans will ever be viable to witness in any lifetime, there is absolutely nothing equally did is amazing and complex. The cosmos and all of nature itself holds the secrets of mankind, creation and destruction, everything about it is so Satanic in essence, the "Black Metal" in essence. Nature in general is his great inspiration. Nature here on earth and nature up in the skies.

Their majesty shall rise again in 2013 as they're making music for next full-length album. They're extremely professional people and performing to their highest abilities while they maintained the spirit and essence of what makes this music what it is, never losing focus on that. I believe that they can contribute something great to black metal in 2013. 

"Symphony plays... music of the dead and darkness sings

Funeral chants... wicked lord of song and words of sorrow

Pagans dance... holding black torches as a symbol of death

Lonesome tomb... summons me to eternal realms"

Negative Plane: The word, a name uttered in the darkness.

Some of listeners search for something radically emergent and fresh in music, but it must be at least well-balanced. Those bands can’t be against experiments, especially when bands succeed and validate themselves as the things go with Ulcerate or Deathspell Omega. But according to practice, most of experimental representations we are having today in Death and Black metal don’t present any seriousness and durability. Nevertheless, each one runs his own path, said by Odem. The advent of synthesizers, electronic music and the use of computers, has enabled for some very interesting creation of sounds and has brought with it, beautiful sonic textures and layers of audible dimensions otherwise not possible to create…and in some cases, very ugly textures. This is true of every genre of music but it’s important to know that technology isn't the destination but the road to reaching good music. Since any besotted aficionados can take the technological advancement and start a band, sometimes it kills the true craft. Too many bands are doing everything perfectly on the click to the point where the entire album might as well be programmed but what really makes up a band? A band is made up of individuals with similar goals and a common vision, driven by a higher force towards creating true art.

Negative Plane, calling them simply black metal fails to describe how versatile they are. Negative Plane, a black metal entity from New York. Formed in 2002 in Florida as duo. When its comes to Negative Plane's music, its not simply black metal as the band gives serious importance to innovations as they risen from a sea of cacophony and darkness. Negative Plane consists Diego Garcia on Bass, Bestial Devotion on drums and Nameless Void on Guitar and vocals. They are not caged in bone, flesh and blood. They are the spirits of the void. They gather all as one as Negative Plane. Negative Plane is a band that possesses the capabilities to forge a path of their own making. Since the day they were spawned in Florida their aim was not purely to celebrate the ancient black metal cult but yes black metal is purely a celebration of Satan through music and the roles of black metal musicians are composing the most hateful odes to the Lord, not to be cool and become popular. Their philosophy stands for the chaos, eternal void, and death.

Impatiently waiting for their next release, hope they will release something in next year but these souls are busy with their other promising acts. Nameless Void (Ed Miller) plays in Occultation as guitarist and backing vocals. Occultation are occult doom metal band formed in 2010 and released debut album in last year through Profound Lore Records. I say that the band is similar to Negative Plane. Give a listen to - Three & Seven. Diego Garcia plays in Ominous Resurrection.  Its an unholy atmospheric black metal group with old school feeling with many influences raging from bands like Samael, Necromantia, Beherit among others. Released a self-titled demo two years ago besides re-released on Cd in February 2013 with a different cover and an additional instrumental intro track 'Precatio'. Ominous Resurrection is a slowly burning band that will get a good attention soon. O.R. Bestial Devotion also runs a black metal project called Funeral Presence. A piece band from New York. He released a self-titled demo in 2011 through The Ajna Offensive.

Negative Plane since 2006: a strikingly crafted album entitled ‘Et In Saecula Saeculorum’ was ecstatic and genuine, the album totally surprised me in many ways as it crawls in my mind and stays there. The album was something special and the band has a unique musical vision. The debut album might be the years of research and writing and hailed black metal aficionados those who experience it. There are rare moments when the album actually reminds you of that immensely enjoyable Mortuary Drape yore, though in the long listen it does not turn out to be a patch on those classic tunes. They do try to not sound exactly like anyone else but they definitely have been inspired by great acts such as Merciful Fate, Morbid Angel or Ved Buens Ende. They are absolutely brilliant and unique but people usually make comparisons with Mortuary Drape but I don't really give a thumb up to that. I’m sure some people can hear strong traces of these bands in their music, but they still don’t sound exactly like any one band. Can't really come up with one band that is similar to Negative Plane. They use their musical abilities to create the darkest sound and feeling possible, and it doesn't matter whether a riff is complex or simple. Nameless Void said to Imhotep that he's a huge fan of the early Nocturnus and could safely name that as an influence on his playing.

The band keeps you hooked on to the album right from the very start. The Chaos Before the Light is just brilliant. There are seven majestic tracks on this uncommon record which run nearly a hour long. Staring into Abyss, Advent of the Beast are exceptional. "Stare deep into the layers of the Abyss, feel the deathly chill as it stares back at you. It will reminds you German philosopher and classical scholar F. Nietzsche. Later you might be left wondering what is happening but as the album reaches in its ultimate chaos, you will be left mesmerized. Each track has its own moments, its own ideas. Each idea is so subtly and thoughtfully expressed. The overall experience listen this album actually raises weird thoughts in mind. They'd rather utilize a variety of tempos and turn the song into something new. I loved it. This album is such a masterpiece. Always an enjoyable listening experience.This proves that Negative Plane is another impeccable band which is trying to be exceptional in the genre with much élan.

Negative Plane grabbed my attention two years back when I was enlightened “Stained Glass Revelations”. With a debut release Negative Plane already built some sort of fame in the underground circles of black metal. The sophomore album Stained Glass Revelations could have been a precious little gem and does have a fucking quality to it and turned out to be an appealing record. They bestowed it upon us a unique impression unlike any other album. Their second long-anticipated full-length album was released on Invictus Production. It’s not completely different what they have portrayed in the past. Stained Glass Revelations was a natural musical progression from their first album and it took over three years to write. They have added bells and clean vocals in certain parts to enhance the atmosphere. It took a long time to get it recorded and get the artwork done for Stained Glass…

They would much rather has one great album every few years than release mediocre albums just for the sake of having something out every year. The lyrics for The One And The Many are tailored to match each riff, and would not work at all for The Number of the Word since the riffs don’t match and the feeling of that song is different and according to band that "there are a lot of black and death metal, where bands just add lyrics haphazardly to music that sounds nothing like what the words are saying". The otherworldly atmosphere, dark sounds and weave them into voids of riffs where an unmistakable combination of sophistication and primitive black metal character come together like nothing before. Complex, hypnotic, warped and surreal sound intricate, and ringing with the utter chaos of fulfilling cymbal abuse and rigid rhythms are just pure. Particularly Lamentations and Ashes transports me to an indescribable state. That's not something you expect from a typical black metal album, but Negative Plane aren't a typical black metal band. This duo is obviously extremely skilled in a technical sense as it’s not about showing off their technical skills. It’s about writing good songs that always will be remembered. Almost every song of Negative Plane is good. A treat to our senses.