Underdark release O Come Forth Annihilation tomorrow, 6 November, through Church Road Records.
Seven songs, opening on Annihilation Overture and closing on Children of Men, and the track list is the most direct statement of intent on any record out this week. The Hit Piece, Hollow Platitudes, Foucault Wept, Non Linear Warfare: this is a band that writes about information and who controls it, in a genre that usually writes about forests.
Death of a Toolmaker came out first and sits third.
Church Road have been assembling exactly this kind of roster for several years, British bands who came through hardcore and ended up making black metal without going anywhere near its costume, and this record is the clearest example of the house style.
Metal Archives lists the release format as a twelve inch, which for a label of this size is a statement about where the money went. Seven songs on one disc also means the sides are short enough to be played loud without the cut losing bass, which matters more for this music than it sounds.