I recently had the pleasure of talking with LA-based musician James Brown III (no relation to the hardest-working man in showbiz) about his lengthy history as a black-metal artist. His first solo project, Lord Foul, became a cult classic, and he now churns out damaged sounds with a variety of acts, most notably as the guitarist for crusty trio Harassor.

Today's 12 O'Clock Track is "Silver Existence," the first cut from Ligeia, the latest album by Brown's new solo project, Moonknight.

What really makes the track is Brown's ear for ambience—the pummeling blastbeats and guttural howls are wrapped in a thick cloak of unsettling guitar distortion, creating an eerie black-metal atmosphere. You can check out some of Brown's other work via the Bandcamp page for his label, Rising Beast Recordings, and read my profile on him for LA Weekly.