I probably need to explain that title, don’t I? No worries! First, Machine Music is an insanely great metal blog run by Ron Ben-Tovim, a fellow Israeli and one of the most serious and thoughtful music journalists out there. You can, and should, read it here (it has plenty of English content!) It has always featured bands from Heavy Blog relevant spheres, with an emphasis on the dark, the experimental, and the bold. Milim Kashot, which translates to “harsh words” from Hebrew, is the blog’s compilation, seeing the release of its second volume just about two weeks ago. And boy is it packed with goodness!
Alongside released and familiar music from scene heavy-weights like Spectral Lore and Fawn Limbs, it also features lots of unreleased music from as diverse a group of bands as An Isolated Mind, ESOCTRILIHUM, Decoherence and Locust Leaves. That’s the first really impressive thing about this compilation; it contains new music from some of the most hotly anticipated and eagerly awaited for projects out there, on the forefront of progressive and experimental metal.
But it would be a mistake to overlook some of the lesser known names on this release, like Aravim and their band debut, delivering a furious slab of aggressive heavy metal that reminded me of Hammers of Misfortune or the mind-bending antics of Bríi. Their track, the newly released “Esperança é um Pai que Abandona”, is one of the high points of the compilation, delivering a seventeen minute long slab of ferocious, experimental black metal.
Bottom line, the second volume of Milim Kashot further solidifies Machine Music as an overlooked gem of thoughtful curation that has been operating globally for years now. I highly recommend not only grabbing this compilation but also following the blog itself. As the compilation will show you, it’s an excellent source for exciting, challenging, and boundary pushing music.