Second edition with hand assembled booklet, otherwise the same as first edition.
Long-planned collection of exclusive American black metal featuring Cirrhus, Bilirubin, Furdidurke, Eunuch, Inhuman Humor, Kestrel, Kurgan, Taut, and Amofas. Unique and grandiose melodies, private atmospheres, and a variety of approaches to the underground black metal ideal. From rough rehearsal quality to relatively clean recordings, this collection of previously unreleased songs represents a powerful undercurrent in USBM over the past 13 years that was previously only exposed to a select few. Professionally made tapes and j-card with attached booklet featuring art and notes for each band.
'"Even Biology is Revolting Despite its Natural Appeal" was the opening phrase of a ranting 2005 manifesto accompanying a Furdidurke poster included with select copies of the Klaxon Records-affiliated "Fall to Your Knees Pissing" 'zine #5. This youthful, hissing text was a product of that time and today it both amuses and reminds us of why we began creating this music. The rant closes with the line, "Feral black metal psychosis, echoing sickened melody..." and this is still what we do with our music 13 years later, with some of the same primitive ideas in practice as well as evolved new ones.
We have never considered ourselves a "circle", "horde", or "cult", as many regional groups of bands have over the years. What began with Furdidurke and Taut was simply individuals who were humble in their self-grandiosity, not looking to make a quick identity for themselves, but to create unpolished and immediate black metal not unlike our influences and to strip ourselves down in order to honor the spirit of what we hoped to accomplish. We have never found a place among underground scenes or trends, then or now, and those we have associated with outside of our own bands simply crossed our path through a similar will, though on a different path. Even within our own bands the individual members are also on their own, though we share creative and philosophical visions that range from destructive and paralyzing, to empowering and intoxicating. There is an undeniable organism at play but like the title of the compilation would suggest, this is not something we embrace beyond its inevitability and even in the glory of proud collaboration there is a feeling of disgust and other similar double-binding effects.
We are all connected in mutual influence and there is an understanding that allows us to be as open or closed to one another's ideas as we naturally should be. The same can be said for all of the music on this collection, be it collaborative or independent. Like Odin, we don't simply play different parts in our personal lives, we wholly become each different one in order to execute as effectively -- or poorly -- as possible in every situation. This is true for work, friends, family, kindness, humor, as well as "black metal approved" coldness, hate, self-destruction, and misery. It should be no surprise that even our best interactions are tortured, our addictions are plenty, perversions amplified, and narrow-minded attitudes are championed alongside the open and good in our lives, and we can embrace any of it at will when the moment strikes. That's what our discipline allows us.
We have always rejected a certain type of orthodoxy and mimicry in black metal alongside forced "experimental" ideas that try too hard to "rebel" against black metal traditions, preferring a balance but not one that is measured beyond intuition. The greatest black metal has always come from those who push the boundaries naturally and mutate underneath while honoring the essence. We could call our music anything but there is a reason we still strive toward the black metal ideal.
The world has changed and we have changed since 2005 and not all that was important then is important now, but much of it is. "Even Biology is Revolting Despite its Natural Appeal." Biology is still revolting. Not to say there isn't beauty in the wretchedness of being a living being on a planet that quivers with the crawling movement of every other living being. Our music has been called "raw", but there is no denying the powerful and unique melodies we create. The "sickened melody". We don't deny the beauty and never have, but we must face the ugliness every day.
This collection of bands and songs has been planned for many years and this music has circulated among select individuals. It has been celebrated privately and is so familiar to us that we forget only a small glimpse of our work is represented in the world. This collection of raw and refined matter too is a small glimpse, as there always is and was more. Don't assume anything about us. Don't be more revolting as a biological being than you naturally are, and even then strive to be less of an object of disgust.'
- BC, 2018
Released by CW Productions (CW14)
