Aksumite’s been around for a couple of years at this point, bringing lo-fi black metal punk (as Aksumite puts it, “blood cult metal punk”) to a devoted underground following that’s snatched up the band’s limited-edition tapes like they’re going out of style (which they most certainly aren’t, btw). Those fans knew something that a lot of people didn’t: Aksumite is totally unique — and one of the best hardcore punk/metal bands operating. The band’s named after and sings about a northeast African empire from the first millennium AD — a first for sure — and plays 3:30-or-under stripped-down stompers that go from chaotic to anthemic on a dime. Damian Master (also of A Pregnant Light) fronts the trio, riffing-out, hard, while releasing blood-curdling bellows. Aksumite’s sound is organic — raw to the bone — and the three-piece rips and lurches as one. There’s an interesting aesthetic here, one that’s as big on punk pedigree as it is ancient crusading African warlord, if you can imagine that. A few months ago, Aksumite made their live debut at St. Vitus, Brooklyn’s metal venue of record, when they played the Invisible Oranges official CMJ showcase. They leveled the place. They brought this tape, Return, a collection of Aksumite’s previously released sold-out demos. This one disappeared just as quickly as any other Aksumite release, but there’s always Bandcamp. –Wyatt [LISTEN]