Nucleus Torn - Nihil

Encyclopaedia Metallum is a great metal resource, but it's a funny beast. "Metalcore" bands like Himsa and Premonitions of War aren't listed, but to my ears they're pretty much metal bands. However, Switzerland's Nucleus Torn makes the cut, even though the vast majority of its debut full-length, Nihil (Prophecy Productions, 2006), is un-metallic. I suppose "folk metal" is a legitimate classification, though there must be some point where the acoustic to electric ratio becomes un-metal.

Traveller's Rest
Glass Spirit

Taxonomy aside, Nihil is a monumental work. Nucleus Torn is basically a chamber ensemble that incorporates metal at times. Various bands (especially on The End Records) have explored this, but Nucleus Torn's hybrid is the most seamless and organic I've heard. Nihil doesn't have the "here's the avant-garde part, here's the metal part, now here's them mashed together" awkwardness typical with such fusions. Most of the album sticks with violin, cello, flute, piano, etc., swelling into distorted guitars only when necessary. Modern classical, Celtic, and various folk idioms enter the mix, but, again, they're woven in, not grafted on. The male/female singing is delightful, and the track sequencing is seamless. I don't care how "metal" this is. Nihil is simply good music, and metal had better learn from it before it implodes with insularity.

I can't champion this band enough. If you support one underground band this year - that is, not just download it off some torrent (which would be unlikely to have it anyway) - make this one it. This is the past, present, and future of music. I don't care what kind you call it.

Nihil is available from the band's lovely website.

Mumakil - Customized Warfare

When I heard that members of Knut and legendary Swiss tech-grinders Nostromo had formed a new band called Mumakil, I knew I had to hear them. And when their label, Overcome, posted clips on its site that scared the shit out of me every time I visited, I had to track them down. And track them down I did, with probably the most email the label has ever gotten about an upcoming release.

Well, I'm glad I pestered Overcome so much (though they might not feel likewise), as Customized Warfare is a simultaneous kick to the balls and punch to the face (pretty dexterous if you think about it). "Pleasant," you say in disgust, but we metalheads are a masochistic lot. This is raging, no-bullshit grindcore with little of the technicality that characterized Nostromo. 32 songs blaze by in 37 minutes, with no printed lyrics and only Roman numerals for titles.

Beards make for better metal

But this isn't all just "three yards and a cloud of dust" (that's American football, for all you Europeans). Songs go through half-time, double-time, two-step, thrash, and blastbeat grooves, with vocals ranging from high shrieks down to death growls and pig squeals. The smoothness of execution, variety of material, and quality of the recording suggest mid-career Nasum, which is great considering this band is just starting out. You might want to wear a cup (or other protective gear) before hearing these clips.

Mumakil - XX
Mumakil - XXX

As with Nostromo, this might be hard to find outside Europe. You can get this at Overcome - and if you don't feel like dealing with French, email the label directly.

Nostromo - Ecce Lex

Nostromo was a Swiss band that formed in the late '90s and called it quits around 2004. With its odd meters and polyrhythms, the group sounded like if Meshuggah played grindcore. It put out an EP and three full-lengths, including an all-acoustic (!) CD/DVD called Hysteron Proteron. Ecce Lex (on Overcome) came out in 2002 and was produced by Nasum's Mieszko Talarczyk (RIP).

In vocal approach and general ethic, Nostromo was at heart a grind band. But from its early days, the band had Meshuggah-esque complexity in it. This aspect grew over time, culminating in Ecce Lex. The arrangements in these clips are interesting, with great grooves that get steamrolled by blastbeats coming from nowhere. In "Sunset Motel," they don't drop until right before the end, an unexpected kick to the teeth. The drumming is sick, as it needs to be to pull off this kind of stuff.

Nostromo - Lab of Their Will
Nostromo - Sunset Motel

Ecce Lex might be hard to find if you don't live in Europe. Your best bet outside of Amazon UK/FR/DE is to order from the label. If you're not down with the français, email the label directly.