Perpetual Pennance

Compilation of rare, out of print, and previously unpublished work by this Tokyo band. Super raw metal, an equal mix of Hellhammer and Autopsy influences, that has a very deep connection to primitive punk. Is it possible for a record to be perfect? There is literally nothing I don’t like about this. Best guitar tone in recent memory, songs that are as simple as possible without being too simple, solos that are exactly pointless enough without being long and boring, extremely creative bass playing that never tries to take center stage, and rock-solid drumming. Oh, and the vocals are an enchanting mix of growls, howls, and a few higher-pitched Goblin screams, with liberal use of (totally unaffected) Tom G. Warrior “oof”’s. So so so so SO good! Literally infinity/10.

FCC clean - no comprehensible lyrics
RIYL - paganism, uncontrollable fires, being eaten alive by a terrifying monster and loving every second of it

Faves - everything, but especially 7, 5, 4, 11, 10, 1, 3

1 - Half-time burner with molten-sounding guitar riffing and some really nice bass playing
2 - More aggressive riff, nice key changes on chorus
3 - Slow lurching start, then gets even slower, super heavy
4 - starts with bass and drums, fills in with unison riffing, puts you in a trance
5 - faster and a little groovier, like Eyehategod or a SUPER heavy version of Queens of the Stoneage
6 - mid-tempo, repetitive riff with more movement than some of them, excellent higher-pitched screaming
7 - Sounds more like the first Autopsy lp, alternates between dull pummeling and a discordant, unsettling riff
8 - Slow, stumbling, clumsy, brutal, collapsing under its own weight
9 - This is what the demons listen to around their campfire while planning how to dispose of you. Total party song for a party you really don’t want to be at!
10 - Faster and shorter version of the same song as 7, I like this one better
11 - Completely blown out, terrible sounding, non-stop bashing with a deadly certainty, then has a sort of breakdown - sounds so good, you want to turn it up way past all the way
12 - Production is much cleaner on this track, still good but not as ripped out sounding
13 - Guitars sound kind of thin on this one, but it’s a great mid-tempo D-Beat banger
14 - live versions of 9 & 7/10 - raw and awesome
15 - liver version of 11, actually sounds cleaner and more professional? But gets really murked out in the middle (in a good way)
16 - three live songs, sounds like they were recorded in a cave