Colorado: Snow, mountains, strong tech industry, liberal pot laws. That's what I know about Colorado. Oh, and there is such a thing as Colorado style pizza. Essentially extra thick crust that you tear off and can dip in honey. Entre and desert all in one. It's also the home of Black Metal duo VILE AESTHETIC. They formed in 2018, dropped a demo in 2019, then things happened and COVID and on October 29, 2021, they released their debut full-length album, "To Bloom and Flourish from Utter Rot." Perfect title for a Death Metal offering but works too for Black Metal. The fact that the mix actually makes Christian Kee's bass playing not only audible but tangible, makes you think Death as well but the overall aesthetic (yep, that just happened) says Black Metal, so we're sticking with that. I should note that session drumming was by Evan Barton, and he does a fine job. Maybe room to expand to a trio?

Let's see. Independent release, six tracks, runtime of over 32 minutes. Awesome album cover by Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration depicts a goat (possibly of the mountain variety, you know, Colorado and all that) munching on bones in a field of rot and ruin the same way you might imagine a non-satanic goat would eat daisies in a field of sunshine and happiness. Fits the album content perfectly. Love it.

From the first second of the first track, "Impetuous Void," right on through to the last distorted strain of the final track, "Abstract Divine," this album completely abuses you . . . but in that awesome, non-offensive, non-triggering Metal way. Best things about this album: First, the unexpectedly full-spectrum mastering-especially for a Black Metal album. Second, it's unrelenting. No acoustic interludes or overwrought voice-over narratives, just viscous riffs and hellish vocals set to an aggressive tempo and surprisingly melodic compositions. I mean there is some discord, but it is harmoniously dissonant. Third, several tracks have breakout sections that you just want to play over and over again. For instance, there are parts of "To Bloom and Flourish," "Genocide & Conversion," and "Regressional Mass" that are so utterly devastating that you'll rethink your position on nuclear war and climate change. And also, do you think regressional mass has religious overtones or is it really about biology? Discuss.

"To Bloom and Flourish from Utter Rot" snuck up on me-as in, I didn't think I was going to like it as much as I did (or do, because it certainly holds up). There seems to have been very little splash when this album hit, and that's not just me making excuses for getting to it three months late. I hope this band gets a lot more attention. This is a fantastic debut.