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Draconis - Overlords of the Greying Dawn

I play in a lot of online golf tournaments.  I just realized how nerdy that sounds, but hey, everyone else is freaking out over Starfield.  We're all nerds, aren't we?  Anyway, I bring it up to mention the fact that here lately, my rounds at some of the most tranquil courses on the globe have been soundtracked by this album.  There's nothing quite like hitting a booming drive into the fairway at say, Augusta, while listening to melodic black metal.  Draconis deal in breakneck, expeditious material that recalls their Swedish counterparts.  Overlords is their 1998 debut, a brushwood-burning set that could be favorably compared to Sacramentum or Lord Belial.  Somewhat stunningly, the band calls California home.

Favorite tracks?  Get acclimated to "Descending the Shadowed Passage to Nocturnal Realms" and "Unseen Reflections of Interdimensional Transfixions."  Badass songtitles, no?  Unfortunately, Draconis is no longer active, but they released music as recently as 2010.  Do you think the hooded figures on the cover are playing an intense game of Crossfire?

Spirit Adrift - Ghost at the Gallows

When this band crept onto the scene, they were casually convulsed into the modern doom category (Khemmis, Pallbearer, et al.).  I suppose that was appropriate if you listen to their first two albums, especially the expansive Curse of Conception.  Since then, they have cordoned off other influences, namely Bay Area thrash and traditional heavy metal.  Gallows puts all of their records into a blender and hits "shred."  I don't...I don't actually know how blenders work, but my point stands.  Somewhere.  This is a fine collection of harmonized leads, anthemic choruses, and of course, muscular riffs.  I'd say this is easily Spirit Adrift's best work since Conception, EP's included.  Plus, there's an owl on the cover.  The jury's out on whether or not it's playing a 90's board game.