Baz Underground Updates – VII

Another week rolls around and so it’s time for the latest installment of BAZ Underground Updates with our writers Julia Katrin and Tom Boatman. As always, there’s plenty going in the metal underground. Where are the best special offers? Who’s putting on live shows? What exciting new releases are coming? What fundraisers are making a difference? Well there’s no time to waste.

Let’s see what’s out there…

Label: War Productions

While lurking around on Facebook, keeping an eye out for any good offers and honorable mentions we came across a pointer that War Productions is offering a whooping 85% discount off of all 104 releases available on BandCamp. Featuring bands such as the black metal Zephyrus, Julia´s personal favorite funeral doom Chalice of Suffering, and not to mention BAZ´s very own Grievance, this is an opportunity one should not let pass by without taking full advantage.

Band: Omega Infinity

Omega Infinity is the new project of Xenoyr from Ne Obliviscaris and Tentakel P. from Todtgelichter. On March 27th this year they released their debut album “Solar Spectre” in spite of the pandemic and hardships, and now the pair plans to host a two-hour Gimme Radio special on May 25th at 12:00 P.M. PDT, 3:00 P.M. EDT and 9:00 P.M. CEST. From what we hear the band has put together a profound playlist as well as participating in a live Q&A with fans. All you have to do is sign up for free, and tune in here and don’t forget to check out their debut here!

Band: Steve von Till

Co-frontman of legendary sludge metal pioneers Neurosis, the unmistakable voice of Steve von Till returns on his new solo record, released on the 7th of August. An outlet for his more reflective side. Steve von Till solo records take me to a place like the opening of the Neurosis track “Burn”, lying in the snow, feeling life slipping away, with the weight of eternity rushing by. Entitled “No Wilderness Deep Enough” the new album is available to pre-order in a number of different versions and bundles, including with art prints and a book of poems and collected lyrics. Limited copies are selling fast, so don’t waste any time and go to the Neurot Recordings store here with both a North American and European option available.

Band: Sodomisery

Coming later this week (22nd of May) on Hamburg, Germany’s Testimony Records, the debut album by Stockholm, Sweden’s extreme metal warriors Sodomisery already looks like it could be a future classic in the making. Blending together old-school death and black metal, “The Great Demise” harks back to some classics of the genre, while still bringing something fresh. You can pre-order one of several limited vinyl editions from the label’s bandcamp page here as well as CD and digital versions. Don’t sleep on this one.

Band: Gaerea

Although “Limbo” isn’t due out until the 24th of July, this upcoming album by Portugal’s Gaerea clearly has a buzz around it with various limited vinyl and CD editions either sold out or running very low from the band’s bandcamp page. It’s not hard to understand why when you listen to the album’s preview track “Null” which is an absolutely gigantic slab of mournful, raging, cinematic black metal. Check the band out here and if you’re as blown away by them as me, you won’t want to delay in pre-ordering a copy of the forthcoming album. You can also go directly to the Seasons of Mist website if you want to order from their European distribution.

Band: Dearth

Forthcoming on the excellent Sentient Ruin Laboratories (well worth checking out if you want to investigate the outer limits of extreme music) is the debut album by Dearth “To Crown All Befoulment” a terrifying, swirling black/death metal cacophony. Pre-orders of the limited red vinyl are already sold out, but you can still order the regular vinyl, CD and digital here on the label’s bandcamp page. Check it out and then go listen to some of the other treasures on the label.

Band: Postvorta

Having already released the excellent “Porrima” this year (you can check out our review of that album here), Italy’s Postvorta have chosen to make a change in direction on this latest release “Siderael Pt. 1”, taking their music down a darkly ambient path. Wishing to create something as a direct reaction to the global pandemic, this new release is available now on name your price from the band’s bandcamp page here, with all proceeds going to the Red Cross. A very worthy recipient.

Nomad Fundraiser is something we have mentioned before, and it is safe to say that we have tremendous respect for Frank Fanelli who organized the fundraiser in order to support the touring crews that make the shows we love possible. As this is written, almost $40,000 have been raised and it looks like this project is nowhere near to being finished, with the original t-shirt fundraiser now expanding into a bigger operation. Having just had its two month anniversary, a new webstore has just opened up with two new t-shirts available and of course all proceeds will go directly into the fundraiser to further support crew members that have suffered just as much as artists. Make sure to check the donation webpage and snag your t-shirts today!

As if that wasn´t plenty, the fundraiser now has a number of partners and past partners, including touring photographer Holly Turner, pop-punk band Assuming We Survive and metal photographer Nathaniel Shannon with MetalSucks.net which are all doing their part in order to support the cause in different ways. Of course countless offers and merchandise are available from different directions and all you have to do is head over to the fundraiser´s web page and check out all the ways in which you can make a difference and make sure you are up to date on the live streams they offer as well as opportunities for bands to donate signed merchandise to be set up for auction with the profit going directly to supporting the touring crews in need to financial support.

What once made the biggest difference in our lives as fans; the shows, the artists and the crews that made it all possible, now needs us to make the same difference for them, and we here at BAZ cannot emphasize enough how important it is to continue to support, stream, share and donate what little we can in order to make it just a little bit easier for them in these tough times. And soon enough, we will see brighter days filled with good weather, live metal bands on stage, mosh pitting, headbanging, and all the things we take joy in. by Julia Katrin & Tom Boatman

**Please support the underground! It’s vital to the future of our genre.**
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