Any ‘old timers’ and/or veterans of the metal appreciation society amongst us will surely remember a time before the internet. An era when discovering new audio came by word of mouth, tape trading (ah – the memories), magazine recommendation or the blind purchase of an album. Each complete with their own issues. Obviously, peoples tastes are different so ones poison may well be another’s bile. In the same instance a magazines writer will write based on his/hers own personal preferences. Another way of stumbling across fresh audio came by way of compilations, oftentimes issued by the musical labels themselves sometimes dispersed at live events. These offered a fantastic insight into diverse styles and a wide variety of acts one might not have heard before, Earaches Grindcrusher compilation immediately stands from memory. Other collections boasted numerous acts supported by a plethora of labels. Much like other publications the Canadian magazine Brave Words and Bloody Knuckles (RIP) did an applaudable job of compiling music from the wide expanse of the metal universe on a somewhat regular basis. Alas with the utilization of the world wide web and all the wonderful, often dangerously addictive, elements it has to offer label compilations have fallen to the wayside to become a thing of the past. The Artisan Era meanwhile, have decided it high time to resurrect the beast in order to proudly display the menagerie of styles their stable offers.

Without further ado I present –

A Loathing Requiem – Withered on the Vine

Equipoise – Sigil Insidious

Dark Matter Secret – Emergence of Time

Virulent Depravity – Your Demise

Order of Diptera – Light and Rot

GraveSlayer – Hyper Alloy

Oubliette – Solitude

Inanimate Existence – Blood of the Beggar

Enfold Darkness – Banishment

Inferi – Onslaught of the Covenant

Technical, whirling dervish, on-point brutality starts this collection off on a great footing, fans of Necrophagist rejoice for A Loathing Requiem will surely be able to fill the gaping void left by their departure. Equipoise add symphonic elements to their brand of intricate tech death to keep the interest level in this compilation high and if theres even a modicum of justice an insurmountable volume of web traffic changing direction to veer toward the ordering section of The Artisan Era website.

Boasting the longest track time (found here) A Dark Matter Secret somehow manage to hold the interest throughout with a style that incorporates progressive, technical and melodic mastery, exquisite and, get this…totally devoid of any vocals. Fans of Blotted Science and the like may well find themselves in a state of bliss.

Around the mid way point GraveSlayer add diversity into the mix in bringing to the collective mix dark synth elements. Admittedly not exactly what one might expect to hear on an extreme metal compilation but it strangely works very well opening up avenues to other musical worlds largely devoid of guitars.

Oubliette offer symphonic, progressive and atmospheric tones to their melodic brand of black/death resulting in a track that’s altogether enjoyable especially pallettable for fans of Behemoth, Dimmu Borgir and Dissection.

Inanimate Existence drape atmosphere amidst progressive tech death to pull this assortment back into technical depths an arena Enfold Darkness embellish upon with the remarkable track Banishment.

Inferi put the proverbial ‘cork in the bottle’ of this outstanding release with Onslaught of the Covenant. Honestly if you fail to move to this track you might want to seek professional advice.

Final thoughts? How’s this… support a flegdling label, don a sweet looking shirt and drown your senses in this awesome collection.

Bravo!

Keep an ear peeled to the ground as if my prediction comes to fruition then The Artisan Era may well be leading the charge for exemplary technicality and stellar musicianship in the arena of extreme metal in the very near future.

Your slave to audio extreme, indecent, obscure, and dripping in what the mainstream deems largely ignorable.

-Cult