Hey, everyone –
It’s a sad day for theDecibelfamily, as one of our own has suffered a tragic loss. Many readers will recall our interview withKrieg frontman andDecibelcontributor Neill Jameson, in which he detailed his wife Nikki’s long battle with cancer, his daughter’s autism diagnosis, and a tidal wave of disasters with his house and financial situation. The interview, along with Neill’s updates via Substack and social media, present a harrowing picture of a family persevering against terrible odds. Any reader with a conscience couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by the compounding catastrophes, outraged at the sheer injustice of the situation, or amazed by the strength, grace, and determination that both Neill and Nikki displayed through it all.
On Wednesday, July 29, one part of that chapter came to a close, as Nikki Sansoni passed away peacefully. She was 45. Please read Neill’s wonderful tribute to her and how music was such an important part of her life. There are no words that can express the enormity of grief he must feel, along with the vertigo that comes from no longer being someone’s primary caretaker. It’s a cruel trick for life to play by taking a weight off your shoulders while also leaving a giant void in your soul. I hope Neill knows that all of us are with him, and that although he bears a burden all his own, he doesn’t have to carry it on his own.
The one time I saw Neill and Nikki together was at Maryland Deathfest back in 2017. I’d gotten to know Neill a few years earlier and it was great to have a chance to have some beers with the two of them outside of Ram’s Head. I distinctly remember Nikki jumping with excitement over getting to see October Tide and just being full of happy, bubbly and positive energy — which of course made for an amusing contrast to Neill, characteristically morose, sarcastic and cynical as always. But of course, this contrast made for a natural chemistry that was immediately evident, as was their affection for each other. I remember feeling happy for them, as there was a very clear sense that “This is a really good thing.”
Having followed the story closely in the years since, I’m very grateful to have this memory.
Those moved by the story should go to the GoFundMe page to help with final expenses and to give Neill and his daughter, Vale, a chance to move forward with peace.
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As Bright As The Stars – Celestial Ascension
Gonna be honest here and admit I was mainly drawn to this album because the cover depicts an angel petting a cat. This alone would make it a winner in my book, but I also think the music is worth a listen. At this point, more than 10 years afterSunbather and the endless fights over the validity of blackgaze and post-black metal, we’re all better off judging individual efforts on their own merits. And to that point,As Bright As The Stars is a project fully committed to making emotive, thought-provoking, thunderous music very much in line with post-black metal acts like Alcest,Lantlôs and post-rock outfits likeCaspian andGod Is An Astronaut. According to H., the man behind the project,Celestial Ascension explores “themes of spirituality and transcendence.” Indeed, those words perfectly describe the ideas that come to mind when listening to a song like “Void of Light,” a track that captures both a sense of power and overcoming and the great question of “What does it all mean?”
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Ceremonial Worship – Between Sleep and Death
High-quality Greek black metal from the always top-tier label Eternal Death. The band is firmly rooted in classic Hellenic black metal, but specifically calls out lesser-known bands likeKawirandNocternity as influences on this record. Being a huge fan of Nocternity myself (especiallyEn OriaandOnyx), I can definitely hearCeremonial Worship invoke the same spirit of mysterious darkness onBetween Sleep and Death. That said, the band is far from a simple retread of past black metal glory, carving their own path through a blend of melody, chaos and aggression that makes this album one of the year’s essential black metal listens.
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Gast – Förbannelser
Dark, energetic black metal violence from Sweden. Highly recommended listening for fans of melodic blackened death metal, but who like the emphasis to be heavier on the death metal side. The atmosphere certainly has a black metal coldness, but the riffs are “OUGH!” all the way.
Stream:Apple Music
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Hexorcist – Crucificial Imprecations
Is crucificial a word? I guess it is now! I’m willing to grant a lot of grammatical license to any band that channels earlyMorbid Angel so perfectly but can still keep the tunes sounding fresh. Will be music to the ears of anyone who likes Angelcorpse,Profanatica andNunslaughteras well.
Stream:Apple Music
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Nothingness – Godslaughter
And now for something a little different, but no less brutal. In a world of interchangeable neo-OSDM also-rans, it’s always refreshing to hear a band that knows how to chop things up the right way — and understands that death metal is more than just a bunch of e-string riffs cobbled together over the same drum patterns over and over again. This is great stuff.
