With all of the experimentation and tomfoolery going on in the black metal scene right now—messing with peoples’ heads and getting purists’ undies in a bunch—it’s nice to know that even though the genre has begun to open up, its roots aren’t being totally forgotten. Except for maybe a display of garish corpse paint, some bands, like USBM newcomers Anicon for example, are keen to keep their particular brand of darkness feeling a bit more classic.

Featuring members of Krallice and Trenchgrinder, Anicon already have an impressive résumé in their pocket before you even get a chance to hear their new demo, MMXIII. On its final track, “Through Portals Shed,” the band unleashes a welcome fury of blistering guitar riffs, hellish vocals, and Lev Weinstein’s typically frenetic blast-beat drum work. This is cold, hardened music with no soul, fit only for summoning a maelstrom. And the best part is that it’s going to suck you down with it whether you like it or not.

MMXIII is available now via Anicon’s Bandcamp page.