In the 90s sludge was more crazed and less composed than the sludge of today. It owed more to crust and punk, than it does today, and this band remembers that. There are certainly metallic moments when every thing converges upon a riff to crush you. I like the darker sonic that include the use of samples. The vocals take a little bit to get use to as they are very raw, with barely any effects on them just crazed man screaming into a mic. Krysta Curry from Landmine Marathon also share vocal duties while helping out with synths, samples, and percussion. Though her vocal presence is not really felt til the second song that has a more oddly orchestrated feel that embraces the weird in a more grandiose fashion that reminds me more of Sleepytime Gorilla Museum.
They clash to create a pounding angular attack with "Challenging Ego / Challenging Pride" what I like about this song is it does not sound like anyone. There are familiar elements like the scathing trade off of vocals and the syncopated riff the song builds toward. Sure there is a fair amount of influence from "Souls at Zero" era Neurosis, but they are pretty much just doing their own thing, taking risks and not playing it safe. It pays off. "In My Pocket" takes a solid metal groove and throws it against grim samples so it drowns in a Negativeland like collage they explode out of with a hard core anger.
They close the album out with the almost 14 minute "Suckle" . Granted the first three minutes of this could have been scaled back as they are making noise. It takes another minute after that to ramp up into the heaviness of the song, which I am fine with and think the song should have started with the on ramp, but it is not a deal breaker. There is a teeth gnashing that infects every instrument they assault you with here. The tribal drums the song ends with might be the album's most Neurosis like moment. But Neurosis has ceased to be so some one has got to scratch that itch. I will give this album a 9.5, they take familar things and make it their on in a beautifully dark and unsettling fashion.
Bringing together musicians from Scotland , Germany and Spain, this trio kicks up an impressive melancholic brand of driving rock that borders on metal. The second song "Dream Hive' has more of a post punk jangle, that explodes out on the chorus. This keen sense of dynamics is what I listen for in music from all genres. The stark alto of Amaya is expressive. While she is not a Siouxsie clone, you can hear traces of that influence. She proves to be a powerful singer capable of belting it out as needed. This album two songs in is proving to be a happy surprise, so I am hoping they can keep up this momentum. By momentum I do not mean pace as I am fine with things dropping into a gloomier mood for "Galleries". I typically prefer reflective music with varying grooves. This song creates more of a smoldering post-rock power ballad feel. Not as ghostly as Chelsea Wolfe, but looking in that direction.
They find a more expansive twist on the previous ballad formula with "To the Fields". Very well written flowing song. Gives her the room to show what she can do. Then they get heavier on 'To the Gallows' that finds a dramatic shift in Amaya's vocal approach a great deal of forward placement in her tone, that creates a more nasal jazzy bleating. It works with the tempo and intensity of the song. I appreciate singers that give the songs more character this way, and wear different masks to tell the story. "Bloom" is more like conventional indie rock with a slight 90s grunge heft to the chorus. The guitars are strummed rather than chugged or attacked.
The harder elements are shed as the focus of their songwriting shifts after "Bloom". The focus is placed on indie rather than rock, as the guitar shift into a more folk like place with "Back to Back" . This still works for me as it allows her space to sing. The song does build into a louder dynamic, more akin to say Meg Myers. "Limbs" is more sullen and holds more in common with Emma Ruth Rundle, in it's doom folk moodiness. Perhaps not as hooky as some of Rundle's work, but full of emotion. The last song indulges in more atmosphere, as it hovers like a dream rather than building into something solid. I will give this album a 9.5, as it excels in bringing moody songwriting into the focus with a blend of downtrodden melodies yearning for hope.
After their 2017 album, this band from Finland added singer Riikka Hatakka. This is the first alum I have reviewed since she joined the band. What it has done is added a dimension to their sound I call the "beauty & the beast" dynamic. Most popularized by Nightwish, but bands like Theater of Tragedy and Luna Coil have been utilizing this co-ed approach for some time. It does allow for but a wider dynamic range, and opens the fan base to women, who might not find appeal in just the harsher metal vocals. On the other hand, it also draws parallels to the other bands who do this sort of thing. The first song finds them layering the vocals in a more creative way than their peers. An approach they also employ on "the Construct". But the catch then band seems to fall into is the good cop/ bad cop paradigm. A call and response that uses sugar and spice. This formula feels very 90s to me at this point.
"the Song of Spring" is the first point where this formula feels like it has been re-heated too many times as tropes like piano parts recall too many bands to even list. To Riikka's credit she manages to make her verses interesting enough. When we get to the soaring chorus it is cashing in on metal clichés, but not a total deal breaker yet, but they need to show me a willingness to explore beyond this trope as the album progresses. On "the Fire at First Dawn" it finds the band staying at too safe of a middle ground, and not taking enough risks, which is what metal should be about. I get to more goth-tinged romantic notions of their sound smooth some of this out, but the metal part need to hit harder.
They are marginally successful at his on "the Nightfall" but is it not what I consider heavy, even with the death metal vocals. Some of this just boils down to the crisp production which might make for a great prog album, but metal needs to be rawer and dense. The bass does come out better when this album is listened to through head phones that capture the full dynamic range. 'Stolen Fire" showcases the attention to detail the mix was given and the nuance captured in the vocals. There is a similar sonic dynamic employed on "the Journey" but the female vocals are this time given more of a spotlight.
"the Fireside" has more of a driving rock feel, though melody is still very European. The male vocals have really improved. The growling is his dominant manner of expression, with spoken word utterances being prominent, but on a song like this you can hear where he can really sing now. There is a similar vibe with the more melodic but less compelling "the Resolute" that closes the album. This is one of the band's most mature and polished efforts, despite not being all that heavy, there is a need for bands that have a middle ground between rock and what metal has become so I will give this album a 9.
At a casual glance this blog might exist for me to review metal and "goth" albums, with darker indie rock thrown in. But I am a fan of all music that is either dark or at the very least carries a thread of melancholy. Some pop music is included in that, and this is not the first album by Lana I have reviewed. I think she has more than enough melancholy to fall neatly within my tastes. This album finds her ditching the spoken word of "Chemtrails" and her last album seemed to be more of the same ole same ole from her, as she languished on the seaside of California. To some extent that is who she is, but she needed to switch it up a bit. This album does that with gospel undertones.
The first two songs might not be her catchiest work, but they are well done and sit nicely in her wheelhouse. "Sweet" meanders a little more in the stagnant introspection, she feels more inspired on "A&W". Lyrically more biting as it chronicles the experience of an American whore. She sings in the predictably breathy style but bobs and weaves with her phrasing. I like the more electronic shift in production that occurs midway into the song. It goes in an almost hip-hop direction. "Candy Necklace" defaults back into her more standard balladry, though a sultry loneliness is reflected in the distant reverb heavy mix. Stripped down to piano as the focal point creating the backdrop for her reflective alto to drift upon. This album is haunted by several interludes that are like surreal jams.
"Kintsugi' is more of the same put in the microwave for the fourth time. "Fingertips" works of a torch song jazz vocal wandering, with Phil Spector's second hand strings swelling up behind her. "Paris, Texas" has enough nuance to do what the otherwise recycled moments heard previously do but with more conviction. It is still pretty fragile in it's ambiance. "Grandfather, Please..." drifts idly around , not grasping my attention. It takes the more solid melodies of "Let the Light in" to re-engage me. The song features Father John Misty joining her. "Margret" keeps the moment of solid writing. It features Bleachers which grounds it a bit. It feels like her time with Taylor Swift influenced the melodies . This also carries over into 'Fishtail" with more of a modern hip hop nod in the production.
The hip-hop elements continue with "Peppers" . The refrain of "Hands on your knees Angelina Jolie" is pretty ridiculous, but fun with the silly Tik Tok vibes it invokes. The last song "Taco Truck" calls back to "Venice Bitch". While it's a cool moment it is not the album's most focused song. Overall this album is rainy-day fun, I will give it a 9.
So far this year has not found a high influx of death doom. It is a sub-genre that when done right is powerfully heavy and recent years found some outstanding albums that bore the label. This band from Chile sets the stage for darkness to descend, but the test will be how good they are as songwriters. There is a slight woozy element to their sound. The vocals also sit a little high in the mix. I do like their use of synths to create the mood. The vocal phrasing is not using them for more than a obligatory growl, despite the lyrics being discernable. Hopefully this is something that gets smoothed out, but I am not holding my breath.
The second song finds the riffs grinding together in something that is heavy yet wrestles with the ebb and flow of atmosphere. As far as arrangements go it feels like the transitions could be more organic. They do prove themselves capable of working everything into reasonably well paced death metal with a sullen coat of gloom by the third song. There is a more classic death metal grit to "Disintegration". The synths work well once more to add the needed ambiance. They are the only element that is bringing something new to the table as I heard this sort of thing before. It only takes two minutes into the song for me to come to that conclusion. Some darker melodies do emerge midway into the song, but not really enough to inspire me to want to give it more spins. I listen to so much new metal over the course of a week, it takes a great deal to stand out from the ten other death metal bands sitting in my in-box.
Do they really need a twelve and a half minute song is what I ask myself going into "Disguise the Odious Spirits" . It takes two and a half minutes for the song to kick in , but I do prefer this more melodic direction. Yes , it carries more of a doom feel, but it is more effective. Could they streamline things down into a more efficient song? Sure. The last actual song carries a more compelling throb. This finds them reaching a middle ground, to create a slow build that proves they prove they have nothing to prove by blasting into savagery. I will give this album a 9, as it grew on me and proves dark melodies go further than Neanderthal pounding any day.
The French electro-pop project finds itself stripped down to primary songwriter Anthony Gonzalez who worked on a large part of this album with live keyboardist Joe Berry. He also brought many of the live musicians he works with to aid in the sessions, which resulted in what is a somewhat difficult album to review, in the manner it washes by you like one wave of sound. The opening track serves more as an intro than a song that stands on its own. As the album progresses things get more song-focused, from grooving instrumental, to almost poppy, but too surreal for radio play. Oddly enough the more instrumental "Oceans Niagara' was the lead single.
"Us and the Rest" makes for a pretty fair case that this guy at the very least is smoking a decent amount of weed. "Earth to Sea" is the first song that grooves enough to really make someone wade onto the dance floor. An almost Abba-like haze is cast over this cyber-disco. His androgynously detached vocal coast around the synths. "Radio, Far, Gone" is like if Pink Floyd wrote "Wish You Were Here" for Euro pop radio in 2023. David Gilmore went to hit his weed pen when it was time to record the solo that never made it on the album. Sometimes the atmosphere is laid on so thick the song drifts by like a cloud, resulting in a few listens to digest. While it sounds cool I am not sure if a song like "Deceiver" is best served as an instrumental for the first five minutes.
The layered choral vocals on the title track feel like you are waking up from a dream before the funky bass comes in to counter balance the pan flutes. It's pretty much dance music for elves so the title is fitting. The atmosphere swallows the song whole before it is allowed to finish it's though. While cocaine was fuel for disco in the 70's , the modern take is for weed smokers. It drifts with detached indifference, until the chorus soars. Female vocals emerge here. The thickly layered clouds of sound, make the choruses less urgent. Not a deal breaker, but nothing really punches on this album. I would have also preferred more guitar in the mix.
"Sunny Boy" finds the more organic elements in a distant lethargy as they try to come into focus. This takes a minute and a half to happen, when it does things get much more upbeat. Female vocals help out when it comes to making the chorus bigger. "Kool Nuit" finds Kaela taking over the mic, for a multilayered drone that finds it's groove. The album closes with "Dismemberment Bureau". It is another subdued drift of ambiance with machine elves singing in the distance. This song is steeped in a deeper lethargy painted in pastels. I will give this album a 9, as it's an easy listen and pleasing to the ears, I would have to be waking up or really stoned to listen to it, but it works for what they set out to do.
7 years have passed since the release of "Spirit" . Album number 15 finds the duo of Gahan and Wilder more inspired than they have been since "Ultra". Andy Fletcher's death gave the writing process more depth and meaning. Adversity it what it takes for the creative fires to burn the brightest since "Ultra' marked the departure of Alan Wilder and Gahan hitting a bottom with his substance issues. The opening track is dark and brooding with an almost industrial pulse to the droning bass line. At 60 Dave's voice sounds refreshed. I had begun to worry about him after the flaccid cover of "Nothing Else Matters" he contributed to the "Black Album" tribute. Here his croon is just as rich as it has always been. "Wagging Tongue" finds them back with the kind of emotive electronica that they have been known for since the earliest days of their career.
"Ghosts Again" was one of the first singles from the album, but I waited to hear it in the context of the whole album. The pulse of its groove works for me, and it proves a suitable sonic playground for Gahan to sing over, so when the beat really kicks in it is icing on the cake. I do not ask for much when it comes from these guys, I do not want them too happy. I want Dave's voice to sound good and from there, I am pretty flexible about what happens. I would prefer some guitar, but good songs will compensate. The sounds are more akin to "Violator" if I had to pick one of their albums to compare the song to. I got the guitar I wanted on "Don't Say You Love Me" . They are both steamy and sullen here, which is the perfect combination for my taste buds.
I like the way "My Favorite Stranger' moves, would say it is unlikely to make its way in DJ's playlists for 'goth" nights, but deserves to. Gore takes over the mic for "Soul With Me" and finds that his voice has held us just as well as Dave's. "Caroline's Monkey" is the first song that might have to grow on me. At first, it felt like filler, but I warmed up to it. "Before We Drown" encapsulates what they do well, so as a song it works for me. From it's title I hoped "People Are Good' would not be them winking back at "People Are People". Instead it's a fine dance song, about his darkening perspective on humanity. There is more reflecting yearning on "Always You". Lyrically today's bleak world is the backdrop, which works well, as continues to hold to the album's thematic arc.
The groove stays strong with the bass line of "Never Let Me Go" set against the more rock-oriented single-note guitar line. It has been some time since we have heard them writing this strongly. Gahan adds more of a rock edge to his voice as well to make its emotional impact hold more weight. They close with the ballad "Speak to Me". Which is consistent with what they normally do. When I listened to this song with headphones, I got a better picture of the mix and the interesting sounds allowed to swirl in it. I will give this album a 10, as it picks up where they left off on "Ultra" and makes for a logical new chapter. If this is the album they choose to end things with I would not blame them as this would be a high note to end it on.
This trio from Italy plays a grooving retro style of stoner rock that is not unlike the bong inspired boogies of Atomic Bitch Wax. Queens of the Stoneage is another band that is bound to come up in the discussion of their sonic zip code. The can be best heard in that way the drums are beat the hell out of and how the angular , but melodic guitar riffs slither around those drums. The second song works of a shift in the production, the vocals fall back behind everything, and a more garage feel occurs. I prefer the groove of the opening track but this works as well. The song has more of a jammy feel as the guitar solo wanders off. "Sadism and Gallows' further proves they have studied at Josh Homme's school of riff. The vocals have a more unhinged feel, rather than the smoother croon Homme employs which helps them stand apart more.
"White Line" meanders around more. Yes it is doomier, but it lacks the grooves of the previous song, giving it less to hook me in with. When it does pick things up from it's lumber, to launch into more of a boogie the vocals do not feel as motivated. Alain Johannes from the 90s band Eleven, lends a guitar solo to "Kinky Katy" . Alain was also a member of Queens of the Stonage for a bit. This song has a more tense creep which works for me. The guest appearances from former members of Queens of the Stoneage keep coming as Nick Oliveri lends his voice to "He's My Friend". His screaming adds another dimension that allows the band to show their punk side. By punk think MC5 or the Stooges.
"Cowbell From Hell" is another bong water bathed boogie. The vocals could use a little more purpose. The song is simple but works for what it is. "Black Star Flashing" offers perhaps the album's widest dynamic range, and a darker mood. I will give this album a 9 , despite being marginally derivitive, they capture solid grooves and bring a party to the songs, in a raw and rowdy that has a deviant atmosphere . It is being released on Electric Valley Records.
I really enjoyed this Italian band's 2017 album, now they are proving to be just as hard to pin down. Musically there is a great deal in common with black metal, but the crooned vocals throw that comparison off to some extent. The growled vocals feel more death metal. The tremolo flow of guitar could also come from something pagan metal like Tyr, so a great deal is going on with some interesting melancholy passages to add to the dynamics. If you only the parts that ICS Vortex sings on with Dimmu , then this should be up your alley. If My Dying Bride has power metal aspirations despite their singer being a baritone there might be similar results.
Then there is the more driving hard rock of "Darkness Won't Take Me" that just meets the weight requirements for what is considered metal around here. It is also a very well written song, so I prefer that more than adherence to a particular genre. Doom is an influence on this band, but I would not call them a doom band. "Nothing Left to Burn" is melodic, but trudges down a non-committal path. The pace picks up with "Old Scars" the growled vocals also make a return. There is some catchy writing that makes "A Nature in Disguise" worth listening to. Even with the band's dynamic range there is a formula in place that finds the songs beginning to run together a tad by the time I get to "My Darkest Years" which reminds of bands like Sentenced who playing gothly melodic death metal in the 90s. You can also add Hypocrisy to that list at times.
"Fading as One" finds it's melody coasting along as the sounds that have graced our ears earlier in the album are recycled. The last song also gets heavier but is pretty middle of the road in terms of what is expected from this sort of thing. I like the first bonus track " Underwater Oddity" but not including it for the purpose of this review, as the band seems to have intended the album to be presented in the first 11 tracks. I will round it down to an 8.5, so not as solid as their first album, but still true to what they do, and it takes me back to a better time for metal. If you want some catchy melodic death metal, that places the emphasis on melody this is for you.
Andy Cairns from Therapy? was around when industrial music hit big. He knows it was punks trying to play electronic music. Sure they have taken influence from that era, but this is sludged out rock with punk attitude. Not far removed from Therapy?'s heavier moments, these guys hit you with fuzzed out guitars and sullen vocals. Sometimes yelled more than others. It opens with more of that big punk energy. There is a raw dissonance roughing up the riffs. 'Reality Crash" has the Led Zeppelin like swagger that Uncle Al often aspired to. There is something sonically hedonistic about it that still works here.
"Rot" is more of a sludged out dirge, with a dystopian Pink Floyd like feel. The album is getting darker with each song, which is something I can appreciate. "Total Protonic Reversal" is more of an experimental groove than a song that you find yourself going back for repeat listens. "Bring Home the Motherlode" has a more hypnotic groove even in the face of the noise it collides with. It is very sonically dense, and takes you on a droning journey. "Hellbent on Happiness" is more metallic. The sung vocals offset some of the aggression while the lower more whispered one give it a more death metal feel.
"the Dead Drop' is more brooding , but a chorus does manage to soar from it's murk. Having already heard Helmet's cover of Bjork's classic "Army of Me" I am not as impressed with this version and think they could have taken better notes in what worked with that one like the vocals being more present. Overall this album is a great deal of fun and I like it. I will give this a 9. Fans of Therapy? will enjoy this as well as fans of the days when industrial bands were actually bands. This comes out May 26th on Svart Records, I highly recommend it.
To the credit of this Finnish band, they place value on songwriting. However other mysteries surround them like why does this band need five singers. Their lead singer has a plaintive baritone that works well enough. They are playing a fairly straight forward version of goth flavored rock. Not unlike Devils Blood with male vocals are if Paradise Lost was more of a stoner rock band. The vocals are more layered on the chorus, but I am not sure if all five singers are involved in this. Things get a little darker when it comes to the mood of the second song. The vocals are fairly dramatic in the way they are phrased, but not much heavier musically than say Blue Oyster Cult with a flair for westerns.
"Alexandria" moves with a brisker groove, but the vocals sit oddly on it. The songwriting also appears to follow a simple formula. They are decent musicians. The drummer might be the star here. They guitar is nuanced yet able to rip a solo when called for. It is not until "Melinoe" that vocals are switched up with alto that sounds like it could have been peeled away from classic rock radio. The band does play a little more aggressively, but this could stand to be darker, given it's supposed occult interests. There is more hook to the song "the Singer" , but it still plays it safe in the middle of the road. It is like if Neil Diamond made a Halloween album for the Muppet Show
They had the needed exotic undertones to what feels like the best song so far with "Nyktophoros". The snake like slink, helps convey something left of the dial from vanilla radio rock. This is leaned into again with "Mother of Phantoms" that feels like Weird Al jamming with Dead Can Dance. When they throw this dynamic out the window and opt for the more middle of the road rock sound this is not as interesting. There are some folk elements that work with the rocking climax that are effective. Over all the album plays it too safe for my tastes , but they write good songs so I will give this a 7.5.
This trio's sound has continued to evolve, as it does not place them somewhere between the shoe gazing side of post-hardcore and sludge. The latter is felt in the ominous punches that muscle through the more surreal tension being built. On "the Alchemist" you can hear how this album benefits from more fine-tuned production that allows for experimentation to pay off with the electronic sound dialed into the drums. The mix helps place each instrument where it needs it be to make the most of it's sound. This is even more noticeable when the dynamics shift with the more atmospheric verses of "Sunset Burial". There is the loud to soft alt-rock dynamic of the 90s coloring the sound, but it's very effective.
The comparison to bands like Failure becomes more pronounced on "Algorithmic" . Fuzzed-out guitars provide the needed heft to balance out the introspective melodies. "False Gods" has a little more of a straight-up rock feel to it. Though beefy sonics of the guitars give a heftier edge. The sax that wails out into the song is a nice touch., that compliments the guitars. I dig the odd-time groove that moves "Repeat the Silence". The vocals coast over it smoothly. Ballad in the Mirror" works off the stomp of guitars, as the vocals are a softer texture to provide calm in this storm. I can hear how fans of the Deftones might also appreciate these guys.
There is a thicker woozy shoe gaze ambiance hanging over "Crawling Toward the Light" . The ring of its melody falls somewhere between the Cure and My Bloody Valentine, before things explode with a more yelled vocal. The title track that closes the album, is an odd choice it is an almost Elliot Smith-like ballad that is fragile until the other instruments converge up on it in the final minutes. It is the only moment on the album that did not grab me upon first listen, but I will still round this album up to a 10 as it gets better with each listen, and the shadows of its mood seep into your head.
The band's 14th album finds them making a stab at retaking the Finnish air waves. The first song feels a little more inspired with the groove to the guitars than "Drive' which reverts to a style more like what they did on their previous album that reminded me of spooky Iggy Pop. Despite these guys falling into my musical niche of bringing together both goth and metal, I have never really been that into them. I have checked out every album they have released since this blog started, but none of them clicked with me in a way that became part of my daily listening. Their singer's voice as always struck me as being the weak link as he lacks the power of a Peter Steele or Billy Idol.
As songwriters things click more with "Gotta Rock" which leans more into a new wave feel. I appreciate the side step into country music . His voice sounds better here, Still not belting it out, but what he does works for the song. The guitar is pretty impressive. "California" is kind of tone deaf in that the romanticizing of the state has not been a thing since the 90s. The party vibe is dead there and no one is doing coke they are all smoking weed. "Call Me Snake" sounds more like Fields of the Nephilim which I appreciate , and it combines the more driving guitars with vocal that take better command of the song. So far it's my favorite song on the album. Despite backing off on the rocking "Dying in the Night" works better and captures the 80s vibe in a more authentic manner.
When these guys write fillers the struggle to dial it in is tangible. However a second listen to "Something Real" warmed it up a little for me. Is it like ordering Sisters of Mercy from Wish? Yes. At least the chorus is not pandering for airplay. The guitars convey more of a Cult influence, which works , but the overall upbeat nature of the mood is not my thing. The last song is what you expect from these guys, over all a more polished and focused effort I will give it an 8, which feels more than generous , but I think they accomplished what they set out to do, though there is a big if in regards to this fitting on the current climate of radio play in Finland ,as I think despite how much we want to think of Scandinavia being a sacred ground of metal, the vapid nature of Tik Tok culture has penetrated their market as well.
Keep in mind before pressing play that this album has been four years in the making. It became his passion project after being on the show" the Masked Singer". He wanted to prove that he could actually sing and was not just hiding behind "auto-tune" . Not that auto-tune is the first tool the record industry has used to hide singers weakness, it just became the easiest to use. These songs are supposed to show that he is capable of doing more than the type of music expected from him. The album starts off with his take on Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come" . Should he have sung it in a lower key? Sure , he is straining for sure, but it also gives his voice some character in order to pay proper tribute to Cooke's version. It is one of the better songs on this album, though closer to his wheel house than the bulk.
He only leaves the auto-tune behind for the first song as it is back for his attempt of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin". He does not try to match Steve Perry and defaults to runs going down the scale, and safely away from any of the songs higher notes. The main problem that becomes noticeable here, is the backing track sounds like something you would here at a bad karaoke bar in the suburbs. The patter of the drum machine is pathetic, the guitars are largely replaced by midi sounding synths. Remember this is an album 4 years in the making. Never in those four years did he stop to think it would be a better quality product if he hired session musicians to sit in. His net worth is 12 million, he could afford it. But no he was ok with just selling his fans inferior product.
I think the best song on the album is his cover of Dr Hook and the Medicine Show's "Spending the Night Together". It works for his voice and the ghetto rigged instrumentation compliments the cheesy 1978 production value of the original yacht rock classic. There is a pretty pointless instrumental thrown in here. Then comes he rendition of Sam Smith's "Stay With Me". Vocally it works, there are lots of layers of harmonies to bolster him. The only draw back is the piss poor production in terms of the feeble backing track. His cover of Chris Stapleton's "Tennessee Whiskey" highlight's the problem with this album . If the purpose is to prove you can do other kinds of music, then do country when you cover a country song. Instead he goes gospel with it. Using vocal layering where Chris just belted it out from his diaphragm. T-Pain belts it out too just not in the same place Chris does , so he does not have to measure up to the better singer. He begins veering from the original more liberally by the end of the song.
His cover of Frank Sinatra's "That's Life" sounds like if Cee-lo Green had covered it. It once again goes more gospel lacking the swing and swagger of the original. The drums sound like a metronome. He does similar with "War Pigs' that closes out the album. When he needs big drums the most, is where he fails the worst. He could have just sampled drum loops, or isolated tracks, as there are tons of drummers on Youtube, who would have cost little more than a Starbucks order, but no we just the worst programming of drums I have heard by a professional artist. He uses layers of organs to cover up that this is a guitar driven song. No Geezer Butler or really any bass, and heavily effected vocals, that hide his voice as much as auto-tune, I imagine this is similar to how Lenny Kravitz might sing the song. I will give this album a 6.5, it is not all total garbage, as when he is closer to his wheel house it works, there are three strong songs that make up for a great deal of it , but he fails to prove his point, maybe just sticking to what he does best might prove more effective.
This progressive rock band from Bavaria decided to make an album about dark things like serial killers and the other wise seedy underbelly of human deviance. Sounds great lets check it out. Ok so I have never heard these guys before. Based on what I am hearing it is unlikely they changed their sound much to match up with the topic ,as they play a very flowing Pink Floyd like meandering, in fact they are not as dark as Pink Floyd, since there are no "Animals" moments much less the dystopian chill of "the Wall" . It is very pleasant and well done. But if it's about serial killers it is from the lens of the Life Time channel, there is nothing dark about this, even lyrically. Well, words are words so it all about delivery and how you are conveying those sentiments.
The sun comes out even brighter for " A Cold Spring Day...". The carefree strum of guitars offsets, the bleak lyrics. The upbeat chorus is the nail in the coffin for capturing any manner of creepy mood. A good rule of thumb for tackling these topics would be , how would this music work in a horror movie. Even when Pink Floyd did this kind of thing they used more tension. Fans stepping up to defend this judgement , might argue well this is not your kind of music. I love Pink Floyd and I am fond of Porcupine Tree, though the same reasons I do not listen to Porcupine Tree are the same reasons I do not see this album getting more spins. They improve in capturing the mood with "Life in a Cage" . It is the album's best song so far.
"King of the World' progresses into a more melancholy minor, key that feels more introspective than an exploration of evil, but this song veers from the motif and finds the band falling in line with most progressive rock. To their credit for the song to be over twelve minutes it flows well. There is a more jammy fuzzed out tone to the last song. Even with lyrics "ready for the kiss of death/ when you come to take my breath" it sounds hopeful and uplifting, like I am easing down a lazy river. Thematically the alb um might miss the mark, but musically they are a great laid back prog band that puts songwriting and melody first which I can appreciate. I will give this album an 8.5, if you are into prog that is more long the lines of Porcupine Tree check this out.
This band is one of the bigger names in grind core. This gives me higher expectations for them. I understand they are working within the confines of the genre , but the album starts off with some rather uniform burst of anger. In fact first two songs might as well have been the same song. It is not until the head banging groove of "Sharing" that I find something that makes my ears perk up. True to the genre they keep things typically under two minutes. This formula does not allow for much in the way of dynamics or songwriting, which is normally my complaint, though given that I like bands like Wormrot and Portrayal of Guilt, short songs is no excuse.
Lyrically they rage against the machine, which in Finland seems like they are doing it out of punk expectations. I am able to tell when it changes from song to song. That gives them more credit than the bulk of bands doing this kind of thing. "Newsflash" feels like watered down Napalm Death, but with less interesting riffs. The death metal elements in "Digital Bliss" stands out amongst the blur of the rushed punk fueled riffing. Some of these explosions of sound are more urgent than others. It is not until things get more deliberate on "Denialist' that I hear any interest in songwriting. But even then they do not manage to maintain it more the song's meager minute and forty five seconds and speed it up so it sounds like all the other songs here. I am not even what the purpose of writing a song under 30 seconds is. However "Fight Back' does feel longer than it's minute and four seconds.
When they blast at you in hyper speed, there is very little point and it feels like noise. This makes a song like "Patriots" just feel like a death metal temper tantrum. There are a few riffs here and there that seem cool, leaving them to feel wasted in the songs they are used in. The rule here is cool riffs alone does not a good song make, and it is felt hard on this album. At almost two minutes long "Empowered" is an opus for these guys. but it is not their best use of time. One cool riff crops up but only for a second. The last two songs sound almost the same. I will give this a 5, as they captured the sound they are looking for and if you are into the sound then you might care less about the songs, otherwise well I think I made my thoughts clear, they are short songs so you are not tortured for long.
I was looking forward to this one as all of their albums u[p to this point have been highly enjoyable and a fun adventure hearing how their sound continues to evolve. The opening intro piece starts things off with a darker ambiance that is closer to goth than what we have heard from this band in some time. This darker vibe carries over into the first actual song "Magic Powers". There is still a little of the 60s feel that ran through the previous album, but there is less flower power sentiment. There is also a catchier groove to the song that might work more at goth night than for go-go dancing. The title track does step back toward the 60's girl group pop feel. There is a more soulful wandering to "Sunday" which feels more like ballad. Her vocals are belted out with more power and passion than we have heard from her in the past. Though musically it sways in more conventional simplicity.
"What are the Odds" highlights the fact that their is a rawer production to this album. I like the lyrics that speculate how we are living in a simulated world. There is almost more of a punk edge to this song. When it comes to darker trippy sounds they conjure just what I want from them on "Journey to Dog Star". It slithers with a more minor key feel. The layered vocals on the chorus are not what I expected to rouse the listener from the hypnosis the verses induce. It works , but takes some repeat listens to get used to. They firmly adhere to creating astounding layers of sounds, but still serving the songs with them. They combine the 60s pop ballad feel with their more psychedelic pondering on "Say it Too" , which creates something closer to Siouxsie and the Banshees than you might expect.
The pace picking up into a coasting groove with "Watch the Sky". This album sounds best when listened to with head phones. The bass becomes more present in the mix and the hovering vocals find their place in the middle of this. They stand shoulder to shoulder with any rock band in how these arrangements are layered . The vocals take the spotlight with the psychedelic pop of "When I'm Free". It is a little more upbeat than what I prefer from them, but it might just take a little getting use to. It feels like there is more of a Doors influence this time around. There is a haunted melancholy underneath the sugar coated melody of "All That is Not of Me". This brings it back toward a more goth adjacent zip code. There is also more nuanced guitar playing which is really cool.
They close the album with "It's All Really Kind of Amazing" which is not as dark as the previous song. There is a more jammy meandering to it, like if Grace Slick was fronted the Great Dead and Phil Spector stepped in to produce. Though it does not adhere to his wall of sound but is allowed to carry a looser live sound. I will round this up to a 10, as I suspect it will continue to grow on me with more listens. Fans of the band will find this goes in the most logical direction given the band's trajectory but is a far cry from selling out, which works for me.
The bulk of death core / metal core sounds the same to me. In some ways it feels like the 2nd coming of Nu-metal. It tends to rely on break downs too much, thus why I do not review a ton of it here, but there are some bands who have made enough of a name for themselves in the genre that I am willing to check them out and hear what the hype is about. Chelsea Grin is one of those bands. Last year they released "Suffer in Hell" this time around the suffering has spread into heaven. This death core band is at their best when sounding less death metal that their peers and staring deeper into the darkness. This darkness is best conveyed with the experimentations with electronic sounds.
Does it take hints from bands like Code Orange in this regard? Yes to some extent. It also reminds me of a less grooving Drop Dead Gorgeous. Two songs in the heaviness is enough for me, but it's at the this point where that novelty wears off and I need to pay more attention to the finer points of songwriting. The verses prove more grooving that the explosive chorus. For every song like "Soul Slave" where they blast by on sheer heaviness alone there is a song that is more solidly written than you might expect. "The Mind of God' hooks you in just enough to prove they do care about writing songs and not just pumping out mean spirted riffs. They continue down a darker and more malicious road with "Yhrom the Giant". The vocals serve more purpose, and held navigate the stormy drone.
They do manage to create enough of a groove on "Sing to the Grave' to keep my interest. However when we get to the last song , aside from the bits of ambience at the edges of the distorted walls slamming into , there is not a great deal of variation to separate it from the previous song. The vocals have begun to get tedious. The guitar solos are above decent, but the song should not just be bookends for shredding. The dark grooves go along way to counter balance this to the point of me being able to give this album an 8.5, so I get why kids like these guys. If you are a fan they are doing what you want them to do, perhaps not as catchy as the best death metal has to offer, but they are writing songs and not just obsessed with having the most brutal guitar tone.
This death metal band features the current drummer for Morbid Angel and Incantation, Charles Koryn. At 29 he is an all around session guy. He has the chops to sit on the throne for death metal with jazz leanings. The bass player has played in Mournful Congregation, though the music being thrashed out here has little to do with doom. Throw in the guitarist for Worm, and you have an idea of the direction you are heading in. The jazz elements could be more frequent. They are pretty much a death metal band with jazzy solos. The drums get loose and lose the stiffness that often haunts death metal. However for as creative as most reviews and press releases might try to color their sound it is pretty much just death metal with a more technical streak. The precision here is perhaps a side effect of the jazz influence.
They rubbery bass flourishes at the start of "Entropic Reflections Continuum" give jazz more of a wink. They do grind things into more of a groove, which helps to separate this song from the kind of hyper aggression that dominates their sound. Plenty of homage is paid to the roots of old school death metal. If the mix was not so layered and dense they would sound like they came from the 90s in many places. The low growled vocals , do their job, to an almost obligatory level as this is what is expected from death metal. I can hear where guitar players might listen to this album with orgasmic glee when it comes to the solos. However they do not benefit the songs as much. A lot is throw at you in the jumbled chaos of the arrangements.
I am not listening for how complex things are or the notes crammed into guitar solos. I listen for songs. Do they hook me in? What is this band doing that sets themselves apart for the pack? This is not answered on "At the Periphery of Human Realms" . It is just an instrumental that is more of an interlude as it really goes no where. The last song finds them revisiting themes already established earlier in the album, the part I found the most interesting where they few measures of spoken vocals run through a ton of effects. Three minutes into this eleven minute closer I am wondering where they hell they are going to go in order to summon another 8 minutes of song. Am I going to be forced to endure four more minutes of guitar solos? Will there be any melody or groove? It is pretty much more of the same, they are good at what they do and the wheel is not being reinvented here I will give this one a 7.5, no bad songs, just dense collections of riffs that hold their solos. However way heavier than most of the so called technical death metal. Dropping on 20 Buck Spin
These guys were one of the few post-80s power metal bands I liked . Then they lost singer Roy Khan and things changed. Granted it's been 12 years, you would think I would have moved on. Well the band is certainly trying to recreate that sound, so why should I? One of major components that was lost in the release after Khan left, was the grit and attitude that placed them in a heavier sonic zip code. In some ways they feel like tribute band to themselves. The first song is a watered down return to what they once did. They begin to put a little muscle on by the time we get to "Eventide", then they remember they are a metal band with "One More Flag in the Ground" . They are joined by Mekong Delta drummer Alec Landeburg, who certainly get's the job done with some double bass to spare.
They devolve back into the overly symphonic grandiosity that saps the heaviness from them on "Opus of the Night" . Five songs in is never too soon for the ballads. It sounds like it should be from a Disney cartoon. The melodies are less catchy. There is a slight folk element to it. Not really sure what would inspire a band to write a song like this. Who thought this was going to be a great idea? The line fit for a queen certainly rings true here. The violin solo is the best moment. "Bloodmoon" has a more interesting groove at first, though at this point any groove works. The guitars need to come up in mix for sure. It sounds like they are trying to tone them down, as if they are apologetic for being a metal band at one time. The chorus is way too happy and kills it for me. They put more into "My Pantheon" show not all of their melodramatic power ballads have to go limp.
"Nightsky" has parts and melodies than work, but when we get to the chorus , it turns into an anime theme song. The synths continue to over power any metallic elements on "the Looking Glass" . More balls in the bass and drums would also help. They are writing on cruise control , but it works better here. Tommy is a decent singer, who does a good Roy Khan imitation at times. They throw more solos at you on this one, which is more effective as it brings more fire to the song. Melissa Bonny of Ad Infinitum joins them for "New Babylon". It's is very them, but nothing new is brought to the table here or really any of the album. They punch in a bunch of melodramatic dramatic power ballads I might feel different about if they were darker. The new drummer kicks it into gear for this one. The last track is just an outro, that sounds like video game music. I will give this album a 7.5, which might be better than some bands are capable of but disappointing when you know what these guys are capable of.
"Aesthetica" would go down as one of my top 50 black metal albums, and I also enjoyed "Ark Work" . Hendrix has now taken experiment a step further, though still incorporating some of the screaming and gnashing of teeth acquired from the project's black metal past. The opening track is more of an intro to the glorious chaos that unfolds on "Djennaration" which is almost eight and a half minutes to summarize what this project is about sonically. If you have been a fan of this band, then you will enjoy this song, no matter the pretense that might surround this album as a whole. Song I will at least say is progressive black metal, with the intensity making up for the fact this is not really that dark. Darkness has never been this project's thing , as they are more about the gnostic shimmer.
This is an ambitious undertaking at 15 songs some of which are over 14 minutes long. There is more metallic ear lashing than I hoped for going into this album, as "Caela" takes the catharsis of the previous song and focuses it's attack. After this is an ambient choral piece that is more of an interlude than a song. "Haelegen" has a more ominous undertone aside from sounding like it is colliding with Sigur Rios. The scathing howls are the more dominant vocal, though there are some sing song vocal chants that surface which are less Bone Thugs N Harmony in their intentions on this album. " Before I knew the Truth" feels more like what you expect from this band, even though this is not dialed in, it does thrash around what is conventional in terms of the angular glitched out sonics they deal in .
The further you delve into the album the more time the ambient passages begin to take up. "Ananon" is the next foray into what they actually do as a band. It is a bright blur of blast beats and jerking riffs. The 14 minute title track kicks off with aggressive riffing that carries more of a crunch than what you think of with these guys. The screaming carries the same feral energy it has in the path, where you doubt actual lyrics are being uttered at all. When they decide to give things more of a punch it proves to be powerful thanks to former Kayo Dot drummer Leo Didkovsky. The song takes a shift in the final minutes that is an odd shift in dynamics , but it does bring the more jammy feel of the song together to form more of a purpose.
Then it's back to more orchestral ambiance. Once again these feel like interludes until we get to "Antigone II". Odd time signatures abound in this sprawling 14 minute opus. Even more progressive in the angular acrobatics they embark upon, I hold to my belief that these guys are a band fans of progressive metal are sleeping on, even with the Brooklyn hipster trappings surrounding the actual music. Even with the atonal syncopations things get really heavy. Their trademark sound that chimes more than chugs is still intact and sets them apart; They closing piece sounds like something Danny Elfman might have done for a David Lynch movie. I will give this a 9, despite being bogged down by overly ambitious interludes there is an impressive progressive black metal album buried in it all, not their best, but a logical next step in the evolution of what they do.
Here is the problem with the diversity push that spread into music, when a woman comes along making music worth listening to and thoughtful perspectives on her feminine experience are brought to the table, if it does not fit neatly into a marketing box then it falls under the radar. I can not believe there is no more buzz about this album, yet a bunch of garbage gets pushed down our throats regularly.In many ways, this could have come from the 90s. There is a grungy grit to the guitars. Sometimes their music has the blistering blitz of PJ Harvey's early days if coupled with beefier metallic bombast. Not punk enough to get filed in the noise rock category that is growing hot again.
Donna Diane's voice is husky, emotive, and carries a powerful howl. However, I can see where the marketing team of a label's PR company might be stumped in regards to how to market it. There is a metal influence, but despite it being rowdier than indie it's not metal. Gunge feels the closest as this could have been the album Cortney Love released if she had not been trying to cash in on the Kurt connection. "Hallway" carries enough of a punch to appeal to metal fans, but so did Alice in Chains. You get the cathartic feel of how she is purging her shadow self through her voice. The first hint of her poetic inspirations is not heard until "Suicidal on Christmas" then it falls in an odd place between spoken word and singing.
The explosive" Seven Winds of Sekhmet" comes closest to being a rock anthem. The melancholy melody of "Lopsided" works best, as if goes to a darker sonic place. In the early 2000's there was a band called Forget Cassettes, that occupied a similar zip code, so this fills that void for me, though is less angular and quirky. "Butchering" finds these guys continuing to dig deeper into their own niche. Perhaps the melodies could be hookier, but there is charm in her belted bellow. "Petting" expands and contracts off the tension of the guitar in a more rock manner, The lyrical theme of the album is recovering from PTSD, which is best conveyed in her shifting attitudes of her place in the world on "Reining" that takes a darker more reflective look. It is not an album of victim worship, but finds her taking a hard look at belief systems no longer serving her.
The last song confirms my theory regarding PJ Harvey being one of her dominant influences. It also happens to be one of the album most well written songs, so it is not like she is settling for being a PJ Harvey tribute. I will give this album a 9.5, as it excels at capturing very honest moods , and occupies a place I have not done this well since the 90s. This might be the best album that slips under your radar this year if you do not check it out.
In my mind black metal exists outside of the sex , drugs and rock n roll paradigm. I have talked to black metal musicians about doing mushrooms, but even then it never seems like a party genre. I know Abbath went to rehab, and drinking is common place, it doesn't seems like where four guys are getting together and smoking some weed to write tunes like most metal. So far a band to lead with the fact their music is inspired by being in an altered state, it shifts my expectations. I am not expecting Pink Floyd here, but certainly listening to where this changed what they do. They are also a French band so bound to be more artsy anyways.
The opening track is chanted and drones more like an intro than a song. The first actual song is pretty solid in it's shimmer. Not way out in left field from what black metal normally is. It's melodic in it's own way and not overly reliant on the conventions of the genre to enforce it's throb. The third song ,and they are titled as such, is weirder and I can hear where drugs might have changed the way thing are being done with keyboards given more of a spotlight in place. The first blast beats I paid attention to crop up here. I say it like that as they could have slipped some past me earlier and I might not have noticed. Urfaust is one band I can draw comparisons to. The vocals are in a similar sung chant in place, though these guys are not too high to growl.
As the album progresses it is clear they like to do things in a deliberate manner and prefer the chanted vocals over just screaming. The arrangements are not elaborate, they ride they mood out. They also have captured a dark enough feel to things to make this work. The fourth song kind of drones on, it also earns comparisons to Urfaust. It is a pleasing sound , but in terms of songwriting, not as expansive. The last song share a similar vibe, as well as vocal interplay. It moves that they more deliberate sway common in shoegazing black metal. More black metal bands need to do drugs, I will round it down to a 9 as there emerges a uniformity to their sound, but what they have woven here is impressive in terms of caring about songs and establishing a dynamic mood.
Maybe there is a DJ out in Seattle who is not afraid of music with instruments. They are likely bumping this album at their goth night while , those of us on the east coast might just have to endure the same old Front 242 songs. Solomon sets the bar high for himself on the opening song, which has a really strong vocal melody. He at times sounds like Iggy Pop. The production could be a little dialed in , but the rough and raw mix presented works in the same wacky way it worked for bands like Psychic TV. It takes three songs before my ear goes to the crude sound of the drum machine. But considering how these sort of projects are paying homage to a certain time period the lo-fi production works with the goal.
I like the more metallic riff that leads into "Snake Key". This creates a perhaps unintentional death rock feel. There is a serpentine swagger to the song that works well, while embracing the weird grunge vibes. Things got weird like this going into the 90s so I support it. Along with the odd bounce of the verses. "My Riddle Finger" has interesting lyrics to accompany it's menagerie of odd sounds. The album ends with a more reflective brooding . "Too Far to See" finds trippy elements , taking this in a more spacey direction than anything you might think of as goth, leaving bands like Legendary Pink Dots or Psychic TV as the only drugged out weirdos who are sharing this side of the sonic spectrum with him.
I am leaving this album with a good feeling about his work here. I would like to hear this songs re-recorded with a producer at the helm giving them the scope of sound they are asking for, but in this incarnation as presented here, it still works, I just hear what these songs could be. At times I hear this louder than others. The mix is funny, in terms of where the vocals sits. I think his voice is interesting and I would like to hear these vocals inflections sit on the music with more nuanced resonance. But with that said he is a great song writer who is making dark adjacent music in a manner that is original so I applaud him for it and give this album a 9.
Here is a band that resurrects a sound from the 90s. Not the sounds that comes to mind when you think of a band from Sweden. Closer to punk than say Sonic Youth, whose weird post-punk riffage might have inspired these guys, it is just delivered with more energy. The vocals are more prominent and delivered with punk gusto. The drummer might be the most into punk, as he is really driving the songs hard. The vocals are declared in a bold spoken manner, that is not yelling, but struggling to be actually sung. A different take the more indifferent croon that characterized the original wave of these bands.
I think the formula works better on the first song than the second. They did capture the warm organic ring of the guitars from that era, the challenge is now do they care more about this sound or the songs? The third song does not answer this question. It works off the same elements delivered on the first two songs. The lyrics are clearly spit out. I think a little more atmosphere and introspective mood, is needed for it to connect with me in a meaningful manner. The more pleasant upbeat punk melodies of 'Agony" have more hook to them and answer the question with a yes, that they can in fact write songs. "Phantasm" has a little more of a punk feel to it.
They proves themselves capable of digging up a more melodic amble for "Eyes in the Sky". The vocals are almost more sung. The album needs more of this to break things up. "Hiding in a Hole" is another return to punk, which is not their strongest side. I think if they leaned more in the direction of the early indie rock sounds things might be more interesting than just bashing put more punk music."Epochcalypse" head in a little more angular and unique direction. "Perfect Storm" is catchier proving they are capable of embracing punk influence and writing good songs. There is more of darker post-punk feel to the last song that proves to be a worthy number to end the album with. I will give this album an 8, it is cool for what it is, though they could dial the punk down a bit. But if you are punk the punk side from this era of 90s you will dig this for sure.
This album is going to light the kind of fire for hard core/ thrash cross over as Spirit World's album, did last year. These guys are less thrash and more Hard core than Spirit World. They are also decent songwriters when it comes to how they wield the power of hyper aggression. The break downs crush your skull in. At times the sheer heaviness creates a uniformity, that is most likely caused by the barking of the vocals, this causes me to need a few listens to each song, in order to find what sets it apart from the previous sonic slab that was slammed into my ears. The brisk tempos of the mammoth riff battering rams collide with one another.
The grooves captured by their more deliberate stomps are more impressive to me. This is what makes "Paradigm Piercer' more impressive to my ears. There are also some darker more melodic moments to this , which also give it more of a Slayer feel. Here is where they come closest to Spirit World. They prove themselves capable of writing some head bang worth songs here, so they bar is going to be raised. "Knife in the Dirt" leans a little more in an angrier Ringworm direction, but still finds enough groove to work. There drummer is impressive, in a genre where you need a monster on the kit to just be average, so he pulls it off in a big way. Thanks to the relentless nature of what they do things begin to run together by the time we get to "Stare into the Sun". Hammering chugs that don't stop are cool and all but some nuance is needed at this juncture.
"Cobalt' is not really defined by any elements our ears have not already been attacked with. Some parts are more punchy in their syncopated chug. "Steel Hand God" blasts off in a manner that does not define it's role outside of what we have already heard. It is more punk in it's hard core attack. "Obsidian' feels like more streamlined writing that works well rather than adding more feral snarl to the proceedings. I begin to hear the needed sonic nuance coming from the guitars on the last song. I will give this a 9 since for what it is it is well done, and sounds great, could there be more dynamics, yes, but it is not a deal breaker.Being released on Close Casket Activities.
Why do some relationships works, when in the dating phase you are stuck on one idea of what someone is and you are either adding to or taking away from that altar in your head to them. This is not much different that the relationship between artist and fans. Bands often hook you in with one release that touches you and then from there every thing is measured against it. With these guys it's "Dead God I Hate Myself" but always solidified them as a band I was really into. Since that time, there have been albums that touch on what I love about them, yet who they are is degrading into noisy experimentation rather than emotionally drive songs of bi polar depravity. This album finds Angela and Jamie splitting the album in half when it comes to vocal duties. It opens with crashing industrial noise. Not really a song, but sounds being used to create art. The colors they use are dark enough to b e pleasing to my ears, but do not go anywhere.
Dave Kendrik from Sparks and Devo fame has joined the band. Kendrick is normally a drummer, so I am not sure what he is really doing as there are more moments of noise than music that requires a beat. When we get to the "Little Richard" song I am not sure what is going on. I have a feeling that for a great deal of this album the instruments were turned on before being tossed down the stairs as a boom mic captured it all. In their minds they are making industrial music and modern classical music. I am not sure who they are using as a point of reference for either/ Lyrically they claim to follow themes like a mother selling her child into prostitution, but the narrative is about as opaque as "Eraserhead "The jazz elements that begin to creep in work the better than anything else in play on this album.
Not sure if "Border Factory' is a song or not, but it does make sense that they think this is classical as it is more atmospheric and less noise focused than the first half of the album. This became a very hard album to review, as it became more about sounds and less about songs. That is often the barometer I use to gauge quality. With that said this album is being rounded up to a 6, because of the dark mood it captures. If it was not for that I might be prone to think it was garbage.
This band from Ireland is plenty heavy. They lash out with a feral snarl and wall of distortion . The rough around the edges feel to their lumber plants them solidly as a sludge band. It is one of those experiences where the sheer weight of their sound stuns you and , then after the first song you are left asking if they can write songs. That is if you are the type of listener who wants more than just a sound from the bands they are into. The question of can they write as song, takes a minute to warm up to into order to answer it in the most accurarte manner ,as the first two songs run together, thanks to the monochrome screams that are just a static human layer to the collision of sound that your ears are being battered by here.
At times there is even a bit of boogie and if feels like they are putting in the effort from their perspective to write songs. It is not until "Noise Pollution" that they really earn my attention. The song before it, just hammers on with a dense fuzzed out sound, but nothing that really grabs me aside from just being heavy. There are more dynamics to "Noise Pollution", it feels like a song rather than scathing riffs your ears are in masochistic relationship with. There is even a guitar solo or two, which adds another dimension of musicality to things. "Dim of Wit" has purpose to it, though might not touch upon anything that sets these guys apart from other bands doing similar.
The untitled song, starts off with more of a post-rock meander. It is one of the albums more unique moments. It is largely instrumental with only a few spews of vocal exclamation. The stoner doom tendencies of this band are kept on the back burner , but this is one of the few moments when the jammy nature of what they do exerts enough blues to be noted. I will round this down to an 8, while they have a sound I enjoy, there is a uniformity that could stand to be broken up with more atmosphere as when they do bring in the more nuanced touches they shine. This is being released on Cursed Monk Records April 20th
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