Terminus Episode 99.5 - Wormrot, Grenadier, Pneuma Hagion

What's this? Terminus rising from its gwave once again? Well, not exactly- TBMG's work commitments are going on a bit longer than anticipated so we're not coming back from break just yet. However, in the interest of maintaining positive SEO trends and social standing, TDMG and infamous Terminus intern Hyper Shaman have put together an episode to tide you all over. We'll be back to your regularly scheduled programming sooner rather than later, but for now- records.

First is the long-awaited return of Singapore grindcore stars Wormrot after a 6 year gap from Voices, the record that brought them to the forefront of the genre. This year's record, Hiss, clearly and deliberately moves in more experimental directions, laced with lashings of screamo and ambient, but attempts to also hew closely to Wormrot's tried-and-true d-beat and blast attack. This has already proven to be a divisive record amongst fans of the band, so how does it stack up to prior work, and is the move toward headier material one that makes sense for the band? We discuss.

Next up is a record already catching fire within the Terminus black circle- the debut of Grenadier, Arghoslent-worshiping melodic death metal from Newfoundland, Canada (of all locales.) Calling this mere Arghoslent worship is a bit reductive, though, as Grenadier proves themselves not only capable of replicating that band's distinct riffing style but also bringing their own idiosyncrasies to the plate. Certainly one for all the Terminators out there, and definitely on the short list for melodeath record of the year.

Finally, we lower our eyes in respect and fear of the return of Pneuma Hagion, whose 2020 debut made that year's Terminus aggregate album of the year list. 2022's Demiurge is in a large sense more of the same- mid-era Morbid Angel perverted and downtuned to tectonic levels- but a close listen shows subtle shifts in the project's sound. The trudge and blast arrangement of the band's style maintains primacy, but an injection of perverse d-beat energy and hypnotic riffing makes this very worthy of further consideration.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:04:28 - Wormrot - Hiss (Earache Records)

0:36:25 - Grenadier - Trumpets Blaze in Burning Glory (Drakkar Records)

1:15:27 - Pneuma Hagion - Demiurge (Meat 5000 Records)

01:48:52 - Outro - Grave Upheaval - “Untitled 4” fr. Untitled (Nuclear War Now, 2013)

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