tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87930624646160443212024-03-19T04:32:25.153-07:00Abysmal Hymnsdarker shades of metal, hymns of goth and post-punk ...all for the worship of darkness Wilciferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12731474932764035414noreply@blogger.comBlogger4854125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793062464616044321.post-43929339448286491442024-03-18T17:22:00.000-07:002024-03-18T17:22:59.610-07:00Missiles :"Weaponize Tomorrow" <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilP_PZ9xOPD9XB5jLKeC_LxA3Imt9FN_XYgV6T3IWzOEOpSUTmfsYGct2d12J3onAgDtAt_aAdmCZW1vO-lxUPtGwDARFfRESrixa9dhOECBjCwKN5U7Lbugt5WAQYcP3fMkLhDtY7iai3ZwAStpO9cMIqlrGj8snkKFL4oNIMb4H9f4YHBp2oxIaRLfo/s3000/166109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilP_PZ9xOPD9XB5jLKeC_LxA3Imt9FN_XYgV6T3IWzOEOpSUTmfsYGct2d12J3onAgDtAt_aAdmCZW1vO-lxUPtGwDARFfRESrixa9dhOECBjCwKN5U7Lbugt5WAQYcP3fMkLhDtY7iai3ZwAStpO9cMIqlrGj8snkKFL4oNIMb4H9f4YHBp2oxIaRLfo/w400-h400/166109.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>This band from Sweden plays an alluring blend of post-punk that is dark enough to appeal to the goth side of the genre while not relinquishing the punk drive. There are even reverbed-out surf rock guitar tones to the first song. The bass takes a more dominant thump to groove the dystopian "Living in a Nuclear Town". The cold-war pulp mood of Beastmilk's thematic lyrics holds common ground with this band. A keyboardist who is a working part of the band gives them a new wave edge that helps set them apart from most of the other post-punk revival bands. </p><p>The baritone croon of their vocalist carries an anxious quiver to it that keeps him from being another Ian Curtis impersonator. The guitar creates a spacious tension, allowing his melodies to work unhindered or feel rushed. When they back off and go further into the brooding darkness that possesses "End of the Line" there is more of a Cold Cave feel, but this does not play to their strength as a band as well. It's not a bad song as it captures the intended mood well, they just take a step too far in the dark wave direction which is not their forte, as more guitar songs work better for them. This is illustrated in " Circular Madness" which finds a better balance of sonic at play. It allows them to head in a darker direction while still keeping guitars at the forefront. </p><p>"Leeches" takes on an upbeat "Lust for Life" skip in its step. The bass has a place to shine here, and the vocals take more of a back seat in the mix. Things do slow in places to allow for a dynamic ebb and flow. There is a harrowing creepiness that takes over "Radio Dark". This finds the darkness creating a heavier sonic mood. Three minutes in they begin to jam things about with a more intense rock feel. This winds around to a more syncopated post-punk hop. Overall this is a great album from a new band that brings something new to the familiar genre tropes and basks them in a Cold War paranoia. I will give this album a 9.5, pretty close to perfect, and highly recommended to fans of post-punk. It is being released May 10th on Svart Records. </p><p><br /></p><p>
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XcfYoaMRSH4?si=qZZGROwpizHWiMJF" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>Wilciferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12731474932764035414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793062464616044321.post-70941412532725623382024-03-16T17:18:00.000-07:002024-03-16T17:22:44.919-07:00Gouge Away : "Deep Sage" <p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvH-SPfnBu4SRBKMGpVEBQqf2mj9-hyMAns3MWFO6ZqRYWVwthMMEAYCRu-rf7iplC1ngN-tBodssgf4sD9jzRFKOwceUf3-eq6h7XInGUJZAuffLDMhDu5avT1hHlsBBxkMrl0Wb4VUwoWBOqc6qJa34dDqPdt0pTk9-jsrjo54Q04xb5Nf6iyJvpIXY/s3000/cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvH-SPfnBu4SRBKMGpVEBQqf2mj9-hyMAns3MWFO6ZqRYWVwthMMEAYCRu-rf7iplC1ngN-tBodssgf4sD9jzRFKOwceUf3-eq6h7XInGUJZAuffLDMhDu5avT1hHlsBBxkMrl0Wb4VUwoWBOqc6qJa34dDqPdt0pTk9-jsrjo54Q04xb5Nf6iyJvpIXY/w400-h400/cover.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> Been six years since the Flordia punk band released their last album. They return with the kind of angular dissonant hardcore-tinged rock you expect from them with Christina Michelle crying out with the same level of abrasive edge she had last time around. The album gains more nuance with each song, and it is more of a sonic tapestry than the raw outpouring of emotion they initially hit you with. She screams less and sings more on "Idealized" as it finds its jagged groove quite smoothly. </p><p>By the time the album gets to the title track, the guitar is relaxed into more of an indie rock jangle. They are not settling for casually musing without tension building. This goes down in a manner that is not until what Fugazi used to do. She clearly holds hardcore in her veins and is still prone to screaming her aggression out as needed. There are more sonic colors on this album vocally and in the more experimental guitar tones captured. The Fugazi comparison can also be drawn concerning the drum groove of "A Welcome Change" To contrast the introspection of the previous song, there is a hooky syncopation to "Overwatering" where she declares she takes the sweetness from the inside. </p><p>They do not abandon their punk side easily as they lash out with three more aggressive songs the first being the more up-tempo attack of " No Release". Things are given enough room to breathe by breaking down to a bass rumble on "The Sharpening" where lyrically she seems to be having a hard time sorting through interpersonal relationships. "Spaced Out' is the first song where they feel like they are content with settling for being within the safe confines of punk music. </p><p>The dynamic range of "Newtau" is pretty stunning, the way the explosive shift takes place makes it one of the album's strongest songs. 'Dallas" might get called out for being shoe-gaze, but it really just sounds like a love letter to some of the catchy but not radio-dominating moments of 90s alternative rock, which I am fine with. I will round this album up to a 10 and see how it grows, on me this was worth the wait, as they have matured into more than a hard-core band,. Out on Death Wish Records. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
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pst127Wilciferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12731474932764035414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793062464616044321.post-52625503339891267872024-03-16T15:46:00.000-07:002024-03-16T17:22:16.695-07:00GUHTS : "Regeneration" <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jYm6fOKNq36BlVWieX3Y5LFKuRkNQQCQV3PLjQm7ZrLZ-mpBEbVJzlICUz0wAFJkp15oUAHDTm1pi_ogmch4TrbIEjv9PNSLgf9Ts9qvJCx8psnrap7mUXFa9EHeerLAbUWI8Mj_pMisAwqzCPPFWCOpVqffNPq4gpuo6QaiNZES7OuD0CQgp_dKF1U/s1200/a3406377299_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jYm6fOKNq36BlVWieX3Y5LFKuRkNQQCQV3PLjQm7ZrLZ-mpBEbVJzlICUz0wAFJkp15oUAHDTm1pi_ogmch4TrbIEjv9PNSLgf9Ts9qvJCx8psnrap7mUXFa9EHeerLAbUWI8Mj_pMisAwqzCPPFWCOpVqffNPq4gpuo6QaiNZES7OuD0CQgp_dKF1U/s320/a3406377299_10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>This album from the Brooklyn-based doom band slipped under my radar when it came out back in January. It opens with a bleak throb that their vocalist Amber Gardner drifts over with a lighter less metallic delivery that quivers with a desperation more common in punk. Things get progressively darker as the downtrodden haze of the second song washes over you. "the Mirror" allows her to sing out from the swirling density of sound that pressed her voice to the back of the mix on the previous song. The drone of the song makes the dynamic climax of the song less dramatic.</p><p>Things get marginally more metallic for "Handless Maiden" as the vocals carry more of an angst-ridden call to mirror the anguish of the myth the lyrics use as a metaphor. "Eyes Open" is more organic in its deliberate darkness, and hits with a more 90s grunge punch. Gardner's vocals histrionics, create more intensity and the ebb of the song works perfectly against it. These guys get referred to as post-metal, but I do not hear it until "Generate". Her voice is draped in fewer effects, and she really allowed her voice to be bared in an honest manner that works well for the song. The arrangement works with a more sailing sonic sensation than the dark drones that have driven the album up to this point. She builds the intensity of her delivery alongside the band's climax.</p><p>The album closes with a ten-minute melancholy throb that is "The Wounded Healer". It works off of as hypnotic a throb as any song on this album, perhaps even more focused on the wave that slowly hits you and takes you out to sea to drown in it. I enjoy the feeling it paints my ears with but it is a display of being more focused on a sound than writing a song. It still works, but would not be my suggestion for an example of this band's songwriting skills. For that reason I will round this down to a 9.5, meaning it's not perfect but pretty damn close, they are onto something and it is one of the more original expressions of doom I have heard in a minute. </p><p><br /></p>
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Wilciferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12731474932764035414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793062464616044321.post-76108872772003315932024-03-16T06:42:00.000-07:002024-03-16T17:21:59.143-07:00The Black Crowes : "Happiness Bastards" <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRGvrKxA27GxmcQUvL_UXAJKAes_TWaoTZgo2mtz4-gzzMPyriWJ6jQ5FVZabe6LuoSDD_ZweBCSQfTaRgdpj57R6DGXLbB8f0f1BRF2uHS8e_mQ1hvbSymMWeVi5k7mDJmd1cLddksIjiWmtrwGn8pU6exT6C__vMPFJNzQWHv73QJ9EWaqK6h51uuEQ/s1500/cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRGvrKxA27GxmcQUvL_UXAJKAes_TWaoTZgo2mtz4-gzzMPyriWJ6jQ5FVZabe6LuoSDD_ZweBCSQfTaRgdpj57R6DGXLbB8f0f1BRF2uHS8e_mQ1hvbSymMWeVi5k7mDJmd1cLddksIjiWmtrwGn8pU6exT6C__vMPFJNzQWHv73QJ9EWaqK6h51uuEQ/w400-h400/cover.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Their 1994 album "Amorica" was the last album I bought by this band. I appreciated the turn they took away from being a Led Zeppelin / Rolling Stones hybrid. In the next 30 years, it is not surprising that cannabis advocate Chris Robinson's voice might not retain the same piercing tenor quality. Smoking anything will do that to you. He is still plenty soulful which has really given the spotlight on "Cross Your Fingers", The band which is really the Robinson Brothers, and bassist Sven, still possess a great deal of authentic rock swagger. </p><p>What was last with age is the firey explosive energy that made them shake their money-makers, to begin with. The opening track is upbeat, but not as hard rockin' as they once were. The guitars are produced in such a way that on "Rats and Clowns" it feels like they are certainly trying to turn the clock back to the early 90s. "Wanting and Waiting" proves that they still can groove in a meaningful manner. The first Southern rock ballad comes by way of "Wilted Rose". Lainey Wilson lends her voice to the song without taking the spotlight from Chris. They use an impressive dynamic build to jam this song out which is the sort of thing that became the band's forte. </p><p>"Dirty Cold Sun" is the kind of boogie you expect from the band. Takes fewer chances than some of their previous work and stick to the blues-drenched formulate they have been working off for decades. The second half of the album sticks much closer to the barroom take on gospel this rocked out a little more on "Flesh Wound" which also benefits from the flourishes of the piano. They get back to a more riff-driven strut for the more effective "Follow the Moon" which might be the band's best song. They close the album with the Bob Dylan-like ballad "Kindred Heart". I will give this album an 8.5, not on the level of their more classic work, but they are still able to do what they do in a way that still is relevant in 2024. </p><p><br /></p>
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Wilciferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12731474932764035414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793062464616044321.post-57150282869480702024-03-15T21:07:00.000-07:002024-03-16T17:21:46.712-07:00the Dandy Warhols : "Rockmaker" <p> </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeA_nzqN0lbPpwF3hctBUK2wdgLvPsNewJQGnGioahTz94UXXAGCggen2mCmPjx7h98wrOw2Lo9V4ZgNpx1DAQ4v7mNzedXHHRytEJC-spFrAlL8UsjYwjljb4R5Ky5VH5yP5hQjaDB8ZSF2C6gCrbvhL-eGhin_B4EmBximOPxLYCNCwgBtZuRhxj-rY/s1400/cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeA_nzqN0lbPpwF3hctBUK2wdgLvPsNewJQGnGioahTz94UXXAGCggen2mCmPjx7h98wrOw2Lo9V4ZgNpx1DAQ4v7mNzedXHHRytEJC-spFrAlL8UsjYwjljb4R5Ky5VH5yP5hQjaDB8ZSF2C6gCrbvhL-eGhin_B4EmBximOPxLYCNCwgBtZuRhxj-rY/w400-h400/cover.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Oddly this is the first time I have reviewed the Dandy Warhols here. They have released three albums since this blog has been in existence, and they were under my radar or the stars did not align for whatever reason. This is on the weird left of Ween, as they stylistically do not take such drastic turns, and in many ways are creating pop music for those who ingest a ton of LSD. This album proves to be written in the same weird vein, but it flows pretty well, and even with the surreal sonic oddity this band can become they are effective songwriters. With song titles like "Danzig With Myself' they are even better at naming said songs. </p><p>There are 90s slacker vibes to "Teutonic Wine". It's almost like Beck if he was more depressed and less obsessed with Prince. 'The Summer of Hate' colors neatly in the lines of what you might expect from 90s rock music if the grunge influence was extracted from it. "I'd Like to Help You With Your Problem" inhales and finds them drifting into a more psychedelic saunter. Slash does add guitar here, and the band goes in a more experimental direction as they blend great guitar tones with subtle electronics. This proves to be very effective and is one of the album's strongest songs. They do similar but from a different angle with a more dissociated mood for "The Cross". While I like that it's darker, I do not feel it flows as well as the previous song. </p><p>To be called "the Root of All Evil" things are in an upbeat mood. There is almost a disco feel to the funky skip in the song's step. They continue down a lo-fi electronic path as the album progresses, which takes the album down a different path of weirdness. The bass line to "<span> Love Thyself" finds the garage rock party veering off into a more absurd rock parody. On one hand, it is hard to take this sort of thing seriously, but perhaps that is the point.</span></p><p><span>"Real People" is almost Frank Zappa-like in its narrative. They are playing a much more self-deprecating role than what Zappa did lyrically. The album closes with the more dramatic , but creepy "I Will Never Stop Loving You". The low breathy vocals add a more stalker quality to the lyrics. I will give this album a 9, and see how it grows on me. If you are a fan of this band you already know what you are getting into. </span></p><p><br /></p>
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pst124Wilciferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12731474932764035414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793062464616044321.post-4761791453186667912024-03-15T20:41:00.000-07:002024-03-16T17:21:34.030-07:00NEST : " Endeavors" <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhikHUlXrU6JT0RurSZuY3SK87Z7jc2FULYZ9ptQihg9f7tbQNikc4MjCLyJJWCtJoPaEslDIemdNdWfufaPdn9ogkBJm21xEbtWvkumvD8O0K9T6U_2QmM0rI7xc4s4bik61OBpxUdecrk8bipFk5n93IpLtQnZS66iiveodxYvsppV2jm7U281pG7JZs/s1200/a0690684015_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhikHUlXrU6JT0RurSZuY3SK87Z7jc2FULYZ9ptQihg9f7tbQNikc4MjCLyJJWCtJoPaEslDIemdNdWfufaPdn9ogkBJm21xEbtWvkumvD8O0K9T6U_2QmM0rI7xc4s4bik61OBpxUdecrk8bipFk5n93IpLtQnZS66iiveodxYvsppV2jm7U281pG7JZs/w400-h400/a0690684015_10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The fourth album for the St Louis-based project helmed by John Jarvis from Agrophobic Nosebless and Scour. I was two songs in when I figured out this was a one-man band. Since he is in Scour, relating records on House Core only makes sense. The drums could stand to have a more organic sound. At times this creates an almost Godflesh-like ambiance, which is heavily factored into the mood of "Burn Clean" which has some shoe-gazing tendencies, while the vocal still scowl with a breath deal of malice over the proceedings. </p><p>This music's inorganic qualities can be its strength and weakness, as I am not as sold on what might be a grindcore vibe on "Ripe". It sounds more like an actual drum kit might be played for "Fickle" which gives the punk-minded attack of the song more validity. Though if these are still programmed drums I am fine with them as long as I can't tell they are not real drums. The guitar sound is less dense than what we have heard on albums of his former projects, though he was playing bass on those. Things linger a little more on the mood when it comes to "Concept". I appreciate the sonic space it is trying to capture, but the execution is a little wanting. </p><p>"What's the Issue" starts off with a feral snarl and then goes off into its own thing. The drums on the last song sound more programmed as they lack the bass kicking you in the chest. At times there are fills that make me think this could be real drums., so the very fact confusion is being bred in this regard speaks to the ability to blur these lines. I will give this album a 7.5, it's not what I hoped it would be but it does occupy its own unique space and I appreciate what they are going for. </p><p><br /></p>
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pst123Wilciferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12731474932764035414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793062464616044321.post-75455074707171610552024-03-15T04:48:00.000-07:002024-03-15T04:49:39.960-07:00Zombi : "Direct Inject" <p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJxyX1DdYAKY3INVsc-eVw7kESXVgfvRXUp67voaOaVktSo44rfcYpulUqtm6XQ0cG8ze0s7JYK21Zel9PpVIpDafJny0MZVEBZItjcxakQVifKPdpBtIhGVm2SpeCKrBRIInvRvQMFfeDRq5Gb_-WtCdZyfCapwC6DMDLgIqsACQkFDKeurkJwftjbk4/s1200/a0118041493_10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJxyX1DdYAKY3INVsc-eVw7kESXVgfvRXUp67voaOaVktSo44rfcYpulUqtm6XQ0cG8ze0s7JYK21Zel9PpVIpDafJny0MZVEBZItjcxakQVifKPdpBtIhGVm2SpeCKrBRIInvRvQMFfeDRq5Gb_-WtCdZyfCapwC6DMDLgIqsACQkFDKeurkJwftjbk4/w400-h400/a0118041493_10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The Kraut Rockers 7th album finds them drifting into a more prog direction. The synths to the title track that opens the album sounds like they might bust into "Tom Sawyer" at any moment. "So Mote it Be" finds the drums laying down the groove to keep things moving in a manner that never allows the electronic ambiance to the drone. The instrumental nature of what they do sometimes creates a uniformity of mood, so the songs run together unless I am paying attention to the computer screen. The only thing that helps to break this up is the moments where they are more intentional rather than allowing themselves to sail off in their own ambiance. </p><p>This album needs more moments where they do things like bring a sax in to help break the sonic colors up and not rely on synths as much. When they default into a more kraut rock mode and just let analog synth pads ring out, things are not as interesting, no matter how hard the drummer tries to compensate for it. They are good about layering sounds in a cinematic manner and would be great at composing soundtracks, so I am not sure why that is not more of a thing for these guys. There are things like bass lines that need to stand out to break the dynamics up. They are effective at doing this with "Post Atomic Horror" which gives off a vibe that reminds me of King Crimson's "Red" album. Though the syncopation leans in a more Zeppelin vibe. </p><p>They fall back on a wave of synths with "Insurmountable Odds" It takes them time to get ramped up into this six-minute song. They linger on the synths a bit too long. Then it is once again up to the drummer to break this arrangement up. The cosmic ambiance is effective at creating a mood, but as an instrumental it needs a little more to really keep my attention. It feels like the drummer is this album's star player, who really digs in to make these songs work. The last track is really just more of an outro, as the song does not gain more momentum. I will give this album an 8.5, it's good at what it does, what it does as an instrumental album, is just that rather than hooking me in, but they captured an excellent atmosphere here for what this is. Being released on Relapse Records. </p><p><br /></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zLHKzKDiGmA?si=sd0skXjch6duxKGX" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div>pst122</div>Wilciferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12731474932764035414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793062464616044321.post-46876330127339528442024-03-14T14:46:00.000-07:002024-03-15T04:49:23.854-07:00O Zorn ! : "Vermillion Haze" <p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNt96nkHANotkMWQHID2ztROGIpzxrrFveR-urI3zFP3JF8sWry6rOIIbP8mh4Ce-ov3vfa4Hieayx-IPJJ2HCrSUDZ7cwj2UwymQUJVl2WZWx-SIfish3mA5QXEqgOHWWtkMjKnahm6wq0guneOSU0EtaMF4dp8lM087z610_ycrqRPMkooEsAR93MEk/s1500/cover%20O%20Zorn%20-%20Vermillion%20Haze.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNt96nkHANotkMWQHID2ztROGIpzxrrFveR-urI3zFP3JF8sWry6rOIIbP8mh4Ce-ov3vfa4Hieayx-IPJJ2HCrSUDZ7cwj2UwymQUJVl2WZWx-SIfish3mA5QXEqgOHWWtkMjKnahm6wq0guneOSU0EtaMF4dp8lM087z610_ycrqRPMkooEsAR93MEk/w400-h400/cover%20O%20Zorn%20-%20Vermillion%20Haze.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> In the 90s as metal bands scrambled to find where they belonged in the turning tide of alternative rock, there were some beautiful mistakes made, and bands were allowed to experiment with darker forms and more emotionally vulnerable corners of angst. This band sounds like they could have crawled from that period. This is the time when Kyuss and Monster Magnet emerged, both of whom are not far removed from the Sonic zip code from which these guys rock. There is an expansive drone to the riffs that carry a hypnotic pulse as the baritone croon muses amid the grunge-tinged passages. </p><p>Where bands who would later try to jump on the more anthemic radio ruling side of grunge, would try too hard and sell themselves out with the way they wrote overt choruses, these guys just cut themselves and allow the songs to bleed from it. It is heavy with mood rather than hammering at you. The more rockin' riff to "Never Saw it Coming" rides the line between Alice in Chains and Godsmack but with none of the beer-drinking bravado. This album is really well produced as it feels like they just plugged into their amps and played despite the overdubs haunting the tracks. "I See Through You" is the first song where things are not as hooky vocally and come from more of a pained bellow. The wall of sound even pounds on your ears in a manner that grows on you. </p><p>"New Suffer" finds the vocals having more purpose in their impassioned pleas. They are labeled stoner rock and sludge, while there is melancholy lumber, these feel more like dense grunge. 'I Got Mine" wanders a bit in introspection. It is still a powerful dynamic song. They are great at creating an atmosphere in the midst of rocking out. They do this more powerfully on "Cloud None". It broods in more shades than just flannel. The more Alice in Chains-like vocal intervals. The song moves, but not grooves instead flowing on the surreal current of riffs they love churning out. It builds in intensity with subtle grace. The twist ending is breaking down into a tribal pulse of drums. I will give this album a 9.5, it was not what I expected and exceeded any hopes I had for it, I can see it growing on me in the best ways possible, if you like grunge, but not the kind for jocks then this will be up your alley. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/symK4I8c0lM?si=ZO-GFf0HQpqWspQN" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>pst121</div>Wilciferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12731474932764035414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793062464616044321.post-91257584888207911982024-03-14T14:17:00.000-07:002024-03-14T14:19:44.273-07:00Atrophy : "Asylum" <p> </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHn3Ao0C5zqYa2TSZHXqV9FlZZWH2KKVfrv40a35hyphenhyphenS6LfmqVBZ-iYKof5oMOFO67QrzBqFcCC5Nwz21skRHxFNNpwsVJzTyGTTOcXQXVOaiOPZIdFzdp_EWaRkBIj4bz-CJMYCExOC90RVJC4EEbMPe7vgjWteBvhEFlXhL08ZJUFXZ_Jz3PcmR8hRfc/s1400/Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHn3Ao0C5zqYa2TSZHXqV9FlZZWH2KKVfrv40a35hyphenhyphenS6LfmqVBZ-iYKof5oMOFO67QrzBqFcCC5Nwz21skRHxFNNpwsVJzTyGTTOcXQXVOaiOPZIdFzdp_EWaRkBIj4bz-CJMYCExOC90RVJC4EEbMPe7vgjWteBvhEFlXhL08ZJUFXZ_Jz3PcmR8hRfc/w400-h400/Cover.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The band's 1988 album "Socialized Hate" is an underrated thrash classic. I went back to give it another listen before reviewing their first album in 34 years. At 59 years of age, Brian Zimmerman is the only original member. His voice has held up pretty well, and carries the familiar narrative of their earlier work, though it seems he has spent some time thinking about what he did on those albums, as the phrasing is more nuanced. The band Zimmerman gathered seemed to be session players on the fringes of the business, but they stepped up to this opportunity and proved themselves as capable as any thrash band. </p><p>"Seeds of Sorrow" carries plenty of grit and highlights how a band like Power Trip drew plenty of influence from the more underground thrash bands. Their riffing has plenty of crunch hooks to it and enough groove to band your head to, never giving into the temptation of laying on the speed to make it feel rushed. They allow things to breathe with melodic passages to provide needed dynamic shifts. It is not until "Bleeding Out" that they race into a more break speed, which is balanced out by an impressive groove. If they had rocked out like this in 1988 they would now be thought of in the same light as Testament. </p><p>Even songs like "American Dream" which might otherwise feel like filler, in comparison to some of this album's bolder moments, still rocks out better than most of the metal I have heard this year. There is actual singing going into "Close My Eyes". The verse riff to this song is a fucking ripper. They continue to bring like this on "the Apostle". The vocals do not carry the same purpose we heard from them in the last song, though the narrative is pretty clear. I will give this album a 9.5 and see how it grows on me, it is not perfect but perhaps better than what they did in the 80s.If you love thrash this album is a must. </p><p><br /></p>
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pst120Wilciferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12731474932764035414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793062464616044321.post-19090190388265254632024-03-14T11:57:00.000-07:002024-03-14T14:18:52.219-07:00VLTIMAS : "Epic" <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnINqiuCbJIXzW-zwHZWPUUiSTRxwa2q2N8PdMVusrS6W3bTzfkNyg_KUB838UQHLtkJZohrpmFrjUij1sF_WPFpsoDw_9a2tQsj2iWzp00tqKK-7n3kWcF5Af2YsiLtXRUmViRnzNGbLFhbK4B6J2ITvY9mYjL292IFRqgtFASd_asPxeasIm_UTaDiU/s1200/Vltimas-Epic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnINqiuCbJIXzW-zwHZWPUUiSTRxwa2q2N8PdMVusrS6W3bTzfkNyg_KUB838UQHLtkJZohrpmFrjUij1sF_WPFpsoDw_9a2tQsj2iWzp00tqKK-7n3kWcF5Af2YsiLtXRUmViRnzNGbLFhbK4B6J2ITvY9mYjL292IFRqgtFASd_asPxeasIm_UTaDiU/w400-h400/Vltimas-Epic.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>A super group of sorts that finds David Vincent fronting a band with the guitarist from Mayhem and the drummer from Crptopsy. Vincent's voice sounds pretty great, he has made some stylistic shifts so it is not just his trademark growl. Sometimes he now bellows with vibrato. It comes across more like singing than growling. When they pick up the speed on "Misere" that works as well without the more deliberate groove. There is an even more rapid-fire attack after this song, that has more of a Morbid Angel feel. His lyrics are articulated well. </p><p>"Mephisto Manifesto" is an example of what it sounds like when this project is playing to their strengths. There is a slight hint of "Where the Slime Live" which makes sense as they should take influence from Vincent's work in Morbid Angel. It is more mid-paced so the song is allowed to groove in a way that the vocals flow with ease over. "Scorcher" is faster, but works in an almost Judas Priest-like manner. It also shows the strengths of the producers as they dialed everything in just right, despite the guitar behind less forward in the mix. </p><p>"Invictus" works more often than it does not. "Nature's Fangs" offers a more death metal-like hammering. It is also allowed to ring out with melodic dissonance, as Vincent offers some of his death metal growls proving he can still do them he is just choosing this different vocal expression. The last song is the first one that strikes me as having a black metal vibe. I will give this album an 8.5, it finds a balance between their styles and makes it work. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>7</p>
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pst119Wilciferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12731474932764035414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793062464616044321.post-71707785272113788682024-03-14T10:42:00.000-07:002024-03-14T14:18:35.941-07:00The Cassandra Complex : "Death & Sex" <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTv7s9-rLyYhpwKe034xRK5YLlq2oDqy6L5etZbrc4n6Ki1ZcXh5kf8_PEia9B9gxbEzZvdvbaq1SdpfKFcqAW25CKtQLyaYJxy6nQP1RMKo9FH2nBUxHQn7RnH-BHwWjRIPMa1kV4x8au9SXI1pC948lYwxbbGWWJxx7XpQCAJdnPko_w7DRSmQqzIc/s1200/a3824333787_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTv7s9-rLyYhpwKe034xRK5YLlq2oDqy6L5etZbrc4n6Ki1ZcXh5kf8_PEia9B9gxbEzZvdvbaq1SdpfKFcqAW25CKtQLyaYJxy6nQP1RMKo9FH2nBUxHQn7RnH-BHwWjRIPMa1kV4x8au9SXI1pC948lYwxbbGWWJxx7XpQCAJdnPko_w7DRSmQqzIc/w400-h400/a3824333787_10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>This band formed in 1980 making them one of the pioneers of the early goth/ industrial scene. Much like goth music in general that holds a certain nostalgia for the sacred sound of the past, this band re-recorded their 1993 album "Death and Sex". They have brought along former Rollins Band guitarist Chris Haskett and Mera Roberts the cellist for Black Tape For a Blue Girl and Faith and Muse to add to what they originally did. Rodney Orpheus never wowed me as a singer back in the day, so I never gave these guys much time then. Now I can hear he does create some hooks here and there that I appreciate, as he has more of an Ian Curtis cadence to his voice at best. </p><p>I like the more dissonant guitar parts that sound like they are courtesy of Haskett which adds a great deal to the overall mood of these songs. "Kneel to the Boss" leans more toward the punk side of post-punk. "Give Me What I Need" has a simple groove that works really well, and plays to what Orpheus can do with his voice. "Come Out' drones on a similar sonic zip code as the previous song, but works well enough. Lyrically this album is sort of bland, which plays against them as I expect more from the lyrics when it comes to goth music as that is normally one of its strengths. His vocals do not work as well on "Statisfy Me". In fact, midway into the song, I get pretty bored with it. </p><p>We have heard some of the strengths of this project. Instead, the last song sums up more of their weakness and makes me suspect that Orpheus might have a hearing issue or be tone deaf, as the vocals are too pitchy on this song to be from a band that releases albums on a record label and plays festivals. I will give this album a 7.5, it's not terrible and works more often than it doesn't but the problems are more galring than what I prefer top listen to. </p><p><br /></p>
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pst118Wilciferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12731474932764035414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793062464616044321.post-25725906478090022412024-03-13T15:43:00.000-07:002024-03-13T15:46:27.754-07:00Coffins : "Sinister Oath" <p> </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwab-TLWfUkJ3S6vMNtwjI1USkieYzODWvZt9OzmMetfcHSbms9gH6XPoy-aqGZiBit5YP5wWPBVGsSZ69ObltgvmM-2hLx1uZmFjRng8iNh8jpyHUSUus3wyKPsnfRxw2wWIqWEdw9iXCbj7_9zVOl18at7H_LSXHkvWBVodNpu4EfKAdlYIiegX08uY/s1200/a0538125300_10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwab-TLWfUkJ3S6vMNtwjI1USkieYzODWvZt9OzmMetfcHSbms9gH6XPoy-aqGZiBit5YP5wWPBVGsSZ69ObltgvmM-2hLx1uZmFjRng8iNh8jpyHUSUus3wyKPsnfRxw2wWIqWEdw9iXCbj7_9zVOl18at7H_LSXHkvWBVodNpu4EfKAdlYIiegX08uY/w400-h400/a0538125300_10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>This is the Japanese death metal band's 6th album. I really liked their last full length though, the one that preceded it did not do too much for me. First off, just being from Japan might seem like a novelty when it comes to the genre, but I do not care where you are from I expect every death metal band to bring it as hard as Morbid Angel or Incantation. The way they hit China going into the doomier moments is rawer than your average American death metal band. The album's title track allows this darker side of the band to come through. The album opens with a brief instrumental leaving 'Spontaneous Rot" as the song that has to make the impression on me, and its deliberate grinding groove does that. However, three songs in, and guttural grime seems to be the main color this album is painted with. </p><p>There are two kinds of death metal bands. Once that go for big slick production and then those that just plug in a rough it about like their Combat Records idols. The Motothead-like thrashing of "Chains" opens shows the band's punk influence, letting you know what category these guys fall in. The interesting effects on the vocals in this song, prove they are not against experimenting they just do not want it to take their edge from them/. This is what puts these guys into the second class of death metal bands. They do change things up to give a melodic drone to the riff that guides "Everlasting Spiral". In the song's final two minutes, they build note worthy momentum. That same momentum seems like it spilled over into "Things Infestation" as I did not realize it had transitioned into a new song. This speaks to the uniformity of sound. It is not until midway into the song that the riff comes to get the job done. Being released on Relapse Records March 29th. </p><p>"Headless Monarch' starts off as a solid headbanger, then it falls prey to the most common misstep taken by many a death metal band and they speed up. They speed up in a manner that makes the song feel rushed in this section. The last song at first seems like it has promise, but hammers you all the filthy chugs you expect from death metal. This is really a matter of perspective as there are some fans who are going to love this face, they do not want the unexpected but want the same safe sounds. These guys execute these sounds effectively, but it feels like they could have taken more chances as songwriters. Yes, even when things break down to the bass line. I will give this album an 8.5, very solid and what their fans want, they should not be disappointed, but when it comes to the replay value for me personally I think they played it a little too safe. </p><p>
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</p><p><br /></p><p>pst117</p>Wilciferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12731474932764035414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793062464616044321.post-45043539079958093452024-03-13T14:29:00.000-07:002024-03-13T15:46:09.087-07:00Stretch Arm Strong : " the Revealing" <p> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidRnEbGBJdhPQ7sdDTmewM6fs-Ws3ezuInB4GTiYBir8UrEhOaBP7bjf5uvtkEoVEkmhvqCy2CNoc-IAOmkE1fb8woVpjoWkmtR1C3mnBKkc7z7VvfAjtfh3Hmuin4mHxHWhT_FjC7iC6jB0Oo-p5MYGhuGzc9wnPcqa1PCbGX-EeAsnYY4NMrrBDNOmo/s3000/335127.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidRnEbGBJdhPQ7sdDTmewM6fs-Ws3ezuInB4GTiYBir8UrEhOaBP7bjf5uvtkEoVEkmhvqCy2CNoc-IAOmkE1fb8woVpjoWkmtR1C3mnBKkc7z7VvfAjtfh3Hmuin4mHxHWhT_FjC7iC6jB0Oo-p5MYGhuGzc9wnPcqa1PCbGX-EeAsnYY4NMrrBDNOmo/w400-h400/335127.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>When it came to late 90s hardcore bands I was into these guys would be in my top ten. However, since their heyday, I lost track of the various comebacks. The years have been relatively kind to these guys. They have plenty of energy, as they race into their very punk-leaning vision of hardcore. The sung vocals are a little lower as expected with age. It works really well on "Illuminating" which is more than likely the album's strongest. Though they do use some pretty impressive melodies on "Still Believe".</p><p>The more breakdown-like riffs are not as angry, but the melodic moments are pretty much still there. The album does open with the more in-your-face "The Mirror" which is on the more punk side and less metallic than what I remember from them, but still a reasonable facsimile. The songs get to the point, but have their trademark ebb and flow as they were always one of the more dynamic hard-core bands, who have always excelled at creative arrangements. One thing I appreciate about this reunion is it's pretty much all the original 90s members, so the chemistry is still there. The more racing punk moments do not pop off to my ears like when I was younger, and sound rushed at times. </p><p>"Take a Stand" is just over a minute, and is more of an old-school punk than I ever remember the band doing in the first place. The title track that closes the album is a fair representation of who the band was and how capable they are of still being that band. It makes me want to go back and dig into their older albums again. This is all I can really ask of them so I will give this album a 9 and see how it grows on me. </p><p><br /></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1_HfF17-xT4?si=HZE7lHLIlptx3Zc0" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>pst116</div>Wilciferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12731474932764035414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793062464616044321.post-24958570198449847012024-03-11T16:03:00.000-07:002024-03-13T15:45:53.510-07:00Uranium Club- "Infants Under the Bulb" <p> </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil6JB2YR5_tYr3wq1eC1KmRxrNnbBkCFmvh8fTAYRJgdaqHN17LFNiF7XrlxqUbx7pAfESA83zScgdj5DxChyphenhyphen9WePupg7mpsI8VFtZjHVMk-R6ipcBbIIzkPs0S5EJp8FnPVDMRaTfctS1A9CY9SKY1eIaM9hS5P3FNPMLKpHMobio4K13_9-ya8_Vm6k/s1200/a3279221309_10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil6JB2YR5_tYr3wq1eC1KmRxrNnbBkCFmvh8fTAYRJgdaqHN17LFNiF7XrlxqUbx7pAfESA83zScgdj5DxChyphenhyphen9WePupg7mpsI8VFtZjHVMk-R6ipcBbIIzkPs0S5EJp8FnPVDMRaTfctS1A9CY9SKY1eIaM9hS5P3FNPMLKpHMobio4K13_9-ya8_Vm6k/w400-h400/a3279221309_10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Why do I invest my time in searching the inner web in a never-ending hunt for new music that is going to hit the right spot? Because I know at some point in time I am going to stumble across an album that provides the kind of therapeutic release I need. Until that time I am going to have to sift through lots of mediocre albums, and some truly terrible ones that feel like more of a waste of time than they are worth. Then there are oddities like this band that I found while looking for new hard-core music and they are nothing like hard-core at all, In fact, they are more like if King Missle was a jam band. There is a tension to the upbeat humor infused in these songs, but the jangle of the guitar is not my thing, though the main deal breaker is the spoken vocals.</p><p>Right from the first song I knew if the vocals did not change there was no way I was going to manage to drag myself through an album where it sounded like I was being lectured by some nerd. Now three songs deep into the album I am not hearing that happening, but the third song is an instrumental jam. There are skilled musicians in this band, and I am open to other styles of music that deviate from what I normally listen to though this is pushing those boundaries. Five tracks in and the vocals do change to something more sung, as the guitars go into a more indie rock strum. </p><p>"2-600-Lullaby" is more garage-flavored jangling indie rock, with some adequate guitar runs in it. The vocals are once again spoken, which gives the song a bland feeling. They take things in a more punk direction where the vocal delivery is more shouted for "Abandoned by the Narrator' which goes from punk to a spazzy garage version of math rock. It is the album's best song so far. "the Ascent" has the spoken version of the vocals again but this time they are phrased in a more fabulous manner that makes me think the vocalist is gay. This is an improvement over the previous spoken vocals. If you are going to do this sort of thing make sure a queen is doing it as it will have more dynamic flare. The vocals are revolved b between the band's members so some are more capable on the mic than others. Perhaps the vocal duties should be handled in a less democratic manner. </p><p>"Big Guitar Jackoff in the Sky" is rather flaccid and more of a jam. Having covered more metal than any other genre, the expectations of much higher when it comes to the kind of shredding you assume would be dominating a big guitar jack-off in the sky. I will give this album a 7.5, as musically this is pretty decent for what it is, and has some original ideas that suffer from the overall poor vocal execution. </p><p><br /></p>
<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1545080189/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://staticshockrecords.bandcamp.com/album/infants-under-the-bulb">Infants Under The Bulb by Uranium Club</a></iframe><div><br /></div><div>pst115</div>Wilciferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12731474932764035414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793062464616044321.post-55615405725007612662024-03-09T10:51:00.000-08:002024-03-09T10:51:57.109-08:00TYR : "Battle Ballads" <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJKzeyNHoGumawMQ8hMod-v7QecKafbKCxKprkuKy1ngKIef02pbovJm2wQD51dG98xsc5Pb0yNI8F2gZssXhJCPEuSZcKsMgWT5LqU_R2Ps1H3be6oHGAbB4Cp78__QzVSEvlvbbM-3ln0ZnZGUt6bGQXuH3loSZ9_nJPCMFz4l59ku2nZeQ1ROoAd-k/s650/Tr1708452809953820.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="650" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJKzeyNHoGumawMQ8hMod-v7QecKafbKCxKprkuKy1ngKIef02pbovJm2wQD51dG98xsc5Pb0yNI8F2gZssXhJCPEuSZcKsMgWT5LqU_R2Ps1H3be6oHGAbB4Cp78__QzVSEvlvbbM-3ln0ZnZGUt6bGQXuH3loSZ9_nJPCMFz4l59ku2nZeQ1ROoAd-k/w400-h400/Tr1708452809953820.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The 9th album from the Faroe biking-themed Faroe Islands-based band. Given their heritage, they are more qualified to do this sort of thing. Even more so than Amon Amarth. They are still cranking it out at an epic scale, My initial impression is that the album is more finetuned in the studio and not as heavy. By the second song, I can feel my disappointment mounting as it does not retain the same girt of their earlier work but finds them frolicking about with the other power metal bands that are doing this sort of LARP metal. When it comes to guitar solos they are rooted more closely to traditional metal, but the big choral vocal refrains are certainly more power metal-like. </p><p>"Dragons Never Die" is a better song title than a song, as things do not get any darker or more aggressive for it. "Row" is too happy for the subject matter, as I do not think any Viking felt rowing was fun. I used to refer to these guys as one of the bands who were the exception to the rule when it came to this sort of thing, so it is sad they have been reduced to becoming another drinking song band. The synths on this album do not help things either. The band tried to say that the context in which the title was referring was not the kind of power ballads we associate with 80s metal, but used as storytelling. This was just trying to give a spin to the fact that there are actual ballads on this album. They have more in common with Nordic folk than Whitesnake but are ballads all the same. </p><p>Even if we took away the cheerful tone I detest, the songs are not holding up against their classics like "Hold the Heathen Hammer High". Heri Joensen's voice sounds fine, perhaps he is singing a little higher to match the more progressive tone of the album, there is certainly booming grit to his voice. The first darker notes do not come until seven songs in for 'Hangman". His voice starts off with more grit but as layers of vocals join in it begins to sound like the other songs. A similar could almost be said for "Axes" as the title track comes the closest to sounding like the band they used to be. The fast tempos only make the guitar sound thinner. The last song is more deliberate which helps a little. I will still round this down to a 7.5, as they are now just rowing alongside their peers and lack the qualities that set them apart earlier in their careers. Looks like Metal Blade Records might be to blame when they drop this album on April 12th. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
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<div><br /></div><div>pst114</div>Wilciferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12731474932764035414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793062464616044321.post-51205899748798960712024-03-09T10:06:00.000-08:002024-03-09T10:51:39.553-08:00Funeral Leech : "the Illusion of Time" <p> </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIvaYs9M90Vx0gZ5i8G5Ploy3FIqfquj90fD4afhztjAHUkDOGmfK-RlL8mjSe3yC3vm8a-LwgcZiNyd_4hNmvVJiuhONKUViOZIONLBptPOC3IKjQlK5SbcOKTbmqJTYc54hELjPVmqFiY8wZ7IJQjTDV2HHIbM7FXCNdw9V5MQTblVoLbTxjneELTf8/s1200/a4227616239_10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIvaYs9M90Vx0gZ5i8G5Ploy3FIqfquj90fD4afhztjAHUkDOGmfK-RlL8mjSe3yC3vm8a-LwgcZiNyd_4hNmvVJiuhONKUViOZIONLBptPOC3IKjQlK5SbcOKTbmqJTYc54hELjPVmqFiY8wZ7IJQjTDV2HHIbM7FXCNdw9V5MQTblVoLbTxjneELTf8/w400-h400/a4227616239_10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>"the Illusion of Time is a huge improvement over this band's first album, which I reviewed here. The main area of improvement is they have managed to add ample amounts of atmosphere without foregoing any of the heaviness. They continue deeper into doom on the second song. The low guttural vocals begin to give thins a more uniform sound, so listening for what they are going to do to compensate for this fact. They bring things up into more of a gallop and it proves to be an effective choice. </p><p>There is a touch more death metal-like aggression to "Penance". It took a second pass through the album before this song really clicked for me, and I paid attention to some of the more nuanced melodies hidden within it. The more mournful doom sections really sing their sorrows well. "Chronofixion" is as finely tuned in the intricacies of its atmosphere and just rolls in like a tank to demolish with all the grace one might think of death metal possessing under normal circumstances. </p><p>They give into heavy going into the last song which is more doom-oriented, though focuses on primarily the more crushing aspects of the genre. Most of the ambiance here is used as an outro at the end, where it could have been more effective as a counterpoint to the weight trudge of the guitars. At the beginning of this review, I stated that this album was a huge improvement over their first. That is true, on the band's first album I gave a 7, and on this one, I am giving an 8. There is still room to grow, but this is a more balanced presentation that shows what they are capable of It is being released on April 5th on Carbonized Records. ></p><p><br /></p>
<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=653713736/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://carbonizedrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-illusion-of-time">The Illusion of Time by Funeral Leech</a></iframe><p></p><div>pst113</div>Wilciferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12731474932764035414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793062464616044321.post-60986346720743536992024-03-09T04:41:00.000-08:002024-03-09T04:41:53.857-08:00Skeletal Remains : "Fragments of the Ageless" <p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCW4FCXVdu_8KVLq_thOv99LT7WUUgNTTbf3mAYqpCvmagouGcd1ZZYkyo-RU3jWxPS-RM7ozd-1xkwxrTur1UFcIBebJQpsQqrT6bjMc11DbSiWh4JItzlWvCE7pNxsTq0hk9omNnol29CXyuBy-Jh5ndboKh7qWnmc9M8bcO4F1Hk9enB3-Wjk6Nt6U/s3000/915011.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCW4FCXVdu_8KVLq_thOv99LT7WUUgNTTbf3mAYqpCvmagouGcd1ZZYkyo-RU3jWxPS-RM7ozd-1xkwxrTur1UFcIBebJQpsQqrT6bjMc11DbSiWh4JItzlWvCE7pNxsTq0hk9omNnol29CXyuBy-Jh5ndboKh7qWnmc9M8bcO4F1Hk9enB3-Wjk6Nt6U/w400-h400/915011.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> Adding their new bassist was the creative invigoration the band needed. The launch into a fairly straight-ahead version of death metal, but with more groove this time. The lower guttural vocals are pretty stereotypical death metal. But fall in the right places, to compensate for the lack of melody. Extreme vocals always feel like they are more of a percussive element. They are both brutal and technical enough, but still care about having their songs take you on a journey. At times it reminds me of post-Vincent Morbid Angel. The riffs feel like they are hammered out by a machine. The DNA of classic 90s death metal is what inspired these guys as more Deicide-like anger empowers "Cybernetic Harvest". The vocals are not growled with the same purpose here. </p><p>'To Conqueor the Devout" finds them pouring on the speed, and losing some of the finer points of songwriting they were perfecting in the first two songs, in favor of a rapid-fire pounding. A swift flow of double bass keeps "Forever in Sufference' moving. Not the Album's most original moment, but it works well enough. It does work better for me than just thrashing ahead at warp speed like they do on "Verminous Embodiment". It blasts past you and employs most of the death metal tricks you have heard before.</p><p>"Void of Despair" finds them still locked in the rapid-fire attack that is creating a uniformity to this album. There are few melodic touches, but most of those are save for the guitar solos. "Unmerciful" has more form and function thanks to taunt and efficient guitar playing that makes the main riff something you can sink your teeth into. The last song "Evocation" is meant to showcase their playing. I mean to play death metal there is an expected level of prowess, it's as good as an instrumental from these guys should be.. I will give this album an 8, as it's not as dynamic as it should have been. </p><p>7</p>
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pst112Wilciferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12731474932764035414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793062464616044321.post-91120490162256094062024-03-08T10:51:00.000-08:002024-03-08T21:38:23.601-08:00Iron Monkey : "Spleen And Goad'"<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzuhAVzTpwNdORWTDBoj8QszGZNKtKFDOpo-lXjC8rsbeGpeI21jAZ2cSdf1bp_pfXzmtpBtnbuN-cT5gOzITkAXrpwIKRvhm9FrA_F92pkDcUUi_nMZa_w1kY97xj25bNww2lkWbeE4pkOCUgLgBwegObR7sm0sLirDa19s7m9Bbc-XpuvxG9KA49KK8/s440/IronMonkey1707411694404101.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzuhAVzTpwNdORWTDBoj8QszGZNKtKFDOpo-lXjC8rsbeGpeI21jAZ2cSdf1bp_pfXzmtpBtnbuN-cT5gOzITkAXrpwIKRvhm9FrA_F92pkDcUUi_nMZa_w1kY97xj25bNww2lkWbeE4pkOCUgLgBwegObR7sm0sLirDa19s7m9Bbc-XpuvxG9KA49KK8/w400-h400/IronMonkey1707411694404101.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>I am going to hold off on initial judgments and wait until the second song to hear if things change. Now well into "Concrete Shock" it seems my first thoughts were correct all along so I guess I might as well share them with you. This might be the worst vocal performance I have heard on a metal album this year. In some ways, it works with the stomp of this neanderthal minded sludge they are bulldozing you with. It sounds as if a band asked a retarded teenager to scream into a microphone. It is truly difficult to get through each song, if the vocals were further back in the mix it might be more tolerable. The riffs are big and heavy, but nothing new for sludge metal. <div><br /></div><div>Things get off to a rumble more often than not with a less spastic delivery for the growls to "CSP". The redundancy of their songwriting is staggering even for this genre. The fuzzed-out bass line intro appears more than once. They lock onto drones then have demented howls rant over them seems to be the most common formula employed. The guitar solos are just noise, the drummer and bassist being the only legitimate players in this band. I assumed "Rat Flag" was going to sound more like Black Flag, but this is not the case, though the tempo does pick up to a marginally more punk pace. It does slow down into the kind of pounding that is more typical for these guys. </div><div><br /></div><div>By "Lead Transfusion" I have come to the conclusion that these guys want to be like Eyehategod but without any of the songwriting smarts. Sure they are heavy, but that is pretty much all that is going on here. "Exelexed" is the biggest dynamic shift they speed up when they would have been better off slowing down, but at least the song will go by faster as this album has become something I am enduring rather than enjoying. There is more of an angular twist to the riff of "The Gurges". I will round this down to a 3. 5, as there was very little I found redeeming about it. Sadly Relapse Records is relating this. <br /><div><br /><div><br /></div><div>4</div></div></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DjrlH36EHAI?si=rEyZ1vs0OdW2ddfE" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>pst111</div>Wilciferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12731474932764035414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793062464616044321.post-40246301616476783832024-03-08T10:09:00.000-08:002024-03-08T21:38:01.497-08:00GHØSTKID : "Hollywood Suicide" <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3GH59k6Ma_U1VSAuD9BjCodeS4ipFDWoUr5qqsE9AnrXZSVTL12QlB_D60q56FqZRa7NvpY2wtU1mDSbaKbrRTGm4OKhOuQ86q0ZtK1jRU-8bA7BG1UPq7zMyz_QZ35g6AC4luYmucelacgxPQkLNlWjvbWxWuaW0zxy6j6a3dR6kdkrMiez_cMVhpm4/s3000/780207.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3GH59k6Ma_U1VSAuD9BjCodeS4ipFDWoUr5qqsE9AnrXZSVTL12QlB_D60q56FqZRa7NvpY2wtU1mDSbaKbrRTGm4OKhOuQ86q0ZtK1jRU-8bA7BG1UPq7zMyz_QZ35g6AC4luYmucelacgxPQkLNlWjvbWxWuaW0zxy6j6a3dR6kdkrMiez_cMVhpm4/w400-h400/780207.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>This German project's album opens with a great deal of bombast. Sebastian Biesler, screams out his vocals in a very groove-minded manner. There are hooks, and the energy is kept pumping with the explosive nature of their brand of this high-energy scene-core that is almost like a more aggressive version of Linkin Park. "S3X" is like an emotional nu-metal power ballad. The vocals are hookier than those on the opening track. They are back into nu-metal for "FSU" which stands for fuck shit up. It is an anthemic urging to do so while painting the town in melodrama. Lyrically it makes me wonder if this is supposed to be a concept album why does this so quote the Joker? </p><p>A great deal of credit goes to this album's producer who really dialed everything in. Almost to a fault as is conforms to the musical climate rather than breaks new ground. Also, I think there would be more legitimacy in an album about the trials of the party scene in Berlin, than the hazards of trying to make it in Hollywood, since they did not grow up in Hollywood, or live in that scene. Don't think their work visa lasted long enough for that. But hey that is me just nitpicking things like reality. Reality is that pesky thing they are singing about escaping on "Valerie", which is another strong pop song, making them another band who feels more honest making dark pop music than trying to get hard. </p><p>"Black Cloud" took multiple listens before I paid attention. It is argued that projects like this evolved from Marilyn Manson in the blend of angst-ridden sleaze glam and post-industrial nu-metal. However, Manson was so legit in what he did that he is currently dealing with the fallout from that lifestyle while kids like this raging from their gender-fluid safe spaces in a manner that does not have Manson's real-life edge, he made androgynous more confrontational. The hush tense whisper that is less rapped than what Ghostmane does returns as a vocal color when the pop vocals prove more effective. Their screaming continues, but there is nothing that makes me believe it, leaving me waiting for more pop since that is what I can take most seriously. </p><p>"Taken By Flames" is a pretty straightforward thrasher that reminds me a little of Testament. The "title track" is really just the intro to "Stolen Hope" . "Blood" goes harder than the other songs, despite the radio hook chorus. If this is your first time reading this blog and you do not know anything about the other bands I cover here, you might think a song like this is heavy. I am not convinced, I am convinced by a band like Benighted or Nails. "Murder' took a couple listens before I paid attention to it. "Helena Drive" is an example of a band that is capable of doing what works best, leaving the two previous songs, as an example of a band who is not self-aware enough to realize this direction is not who they are. I will give this album a 7.5, as I just summed up the struggle this act deals with. Out March 22nd on Century Media Records. An oddly more mainstream-minded release for the label. </p><p><span> .</span><br /></p><p><span></span></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/F-Ti-JJuJ74?si=VfKqM4BlhM52Y_Kx" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>pst110</div>Wilciferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12731474932764035414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793062464616044321.post-13055292600009201832024-03-08T08:16:00.000-08:002024-03-08T21:37:44.784-08:00Exhorder : " Defectum Omnium" <div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5hfA3bMZn4I1a3-f5ae9mey70P1soeYIF29G9rQ1G2OfXGJ_MSKjhPM-ieIZYneKmXKHg4qTHlJ2aBV29zzcl2mErhqejIaI-nwxb2FPHLuf8NLdjqqgfwlFswvs_k1E3lX3UirFEkIEmawHvHQvr6wcs-RufwfqiivMDf8wkr0N9KQS6MgD6eqSwkBw/s1400/cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5hfA3bMZn4I1a3-f5ae9mey70P1soeYIF29G9rQ1G2OfXGJ_MSKjhPM-ieIZYneKmXKHg4qTHlJ2aBV29zzcl2mErhqejIaI-nwxb2FPHLuf8NLdjqqgfwlFswvs_k1E3lX3UirFEkIEmawHvHQvr6wcs-RufwfqiivMDf8wkr0N9KQS6MgD6eqSwkBw/w400-h400/cover.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>The follow-up to the 2019 "Mourn the Southern Skies" album. Singer Kyle Thomas is the sole original member of the band now. He is joined by Cannibal Corpse guitarist Pat O"Brien and former Grip Inc. bassist. There is a denser and dirty thrashing going down with this album, that benefits from modern production value to darken things some. Iare spat out and goes straight for the throat in such a rapid-fire fashion, the vocals are spat at in an angry manner that feels like they are trying to keep up. Granted the bar for thrash these days is rather low, and they are still able to churn out enough catchy riffs to stand out, however, the rule around here is cool riffs do not a good song make. They ride this fine line when the album opens. <div><br /></div><div>"Under the Gaslight" comes closer to making the most of its grooves. The riffs punch in the right ways. There is more of a punk attack to "Forever and Beyond Despair". The drumming gets pretty frantic. It shifts through Slayer life drum patterns. The darker and more melodic direction begins to come to life with "The Tale of Unsound Minds" /Kyles's vocals are more soulful on this one which helps. They give more of a thrashing on "Divide and Conqueror". "Year of the Goat" has a more powerful drive. The hammering aggression is conveyed. Taken By Flames" is a pretty straightforward thrasher that reminds me a little of Testament. The "title track" is really just the intro to "Stolen Hope". They slow down to allow Kyle to sing more soulfully, which plays off their strengths as a band. The blues drench swamp sludge is a good sound for them. It is pretty effective when he goes up into his higher register as it's done in a manner that doesn't sound like an 80s hair band but retains grit. </div><div><br /></div><div>When they tap into giving their thrash tendencies more groove it works best. The deeper into the album you listen the more these moments crop up. When they speed up into more punk-inflected thrash, they are not playing to their strengths as songwriters. They continue to keep their foot to the gas on "Desensitized" . The album's lyrics are a social commentary that is a pretty fair reflection of the world today. "Your Six' closes the album with a return to the more swampy side of the band which plays to their benefit. I will give this album an 8.5, as I do not feel it is as strong as "Mourn the Southern Skies" , but Kyles's vocals sound great, and this shows how vital they are in today's metal climate, and it captures the mood of the day well. <br /><div><br /></div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6tlYIhF14qk?si=STgmSaWEARcla4IZ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div></div><div>pst109</div>Wilciferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12731474932764035414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793062464616044321.post-74565607906025979612024-03-07T20:08:00.000-08:002024-03-07T20:22:57.048-08:00Judas Priest : "Invincible Shield" <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKuH-TH4-yKOUf8VbMD5oTmZxBS1L6fSE6l0SErxsi07vzsN0zSrNhxjxRdgu_C4OdP2kguM40kMOTqbN276MsUJTzakeIx1_aUy5Ii0OKVSSVgXAFhNzsqjl0ZgQyBoSWCjm7_l1bz3tmRpOhrr_KBkcDkMk-dh8JdCJA6oYk02_9E1I2RIntJFv_Sfw/s1417/Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1417" data-original-width="1417" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKuH-TH4-yKOUf8VbMD5oTmZxBS1L6fSE6l0SErxsi07vzsN0zSrNhxjxRdgu_C4OdP2kguM40kMOTqbN276MsUJTzakeIx1_aUy5Ii0OKVSSVgXAFhNzsqjl0ZgQyBoSWCjm7_l1bz3tmRpOhrr_KBkcDkMk-dh8JdCJA6oYk02_9E1I2RIntJFv_Sfw/w400-h400/Cover.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Going into this album, we need to make a few things clear. First, this is Judas Priest, they are supposed to be considered one of the greatest metal bands of all time. They are thought of as equals to Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden. Thus this album will be weighed with those expectations in place. Secondly, they are largely the original members since KK Downing is the only missing piece and Scott Travis played on "Painkiller" one of their best albums so that counts. Third Halford is 72. Which makes it even more impressive that he hits the notes he does on the second song of this album. I do not know how much love he is getting in the studio in this regard, as I saw him 13 years ago and he struggled with some of the higher notes live. There are also clearly way more effects on his voice on this album. </p><p>The opening track works and has more fire than I expected these guys to carry 18 albums into their career. The title track touches more on the 'Free Wheel Burning" rock n roll side of what they do, with just enough attack to make this metal. They have to ride the line between having their classic sound but not recycling what they have already done and it is a delicate balance here. They play it a little safe and stick to what is tried and true. I prefer what they did on "Nostradamus" as it found them taking more risks, but this is fun enough. If you like shredding guitar solos there is no shortage of those on this album. </p><p>"Devil in Disguise" is the first song that clicks with me and feels like the Judas Priest I want to hear. It has a groove and the melody works well with it. In contrast "Gates of Hell" feels like they asked AI to write a Judas Priest song and it created something that is what a computer would expect Judas Priest to sound like. "Crown of Thorns" is familiar enough, but has some more melodic moments that feel more heartfelt. They get heavier and thrash it out a little on "As God is My Witness" Rob sounds convincing on this one. "Trial By Fire " was one of the lead singles from the album, and now listening to it in the context of the album it is one of the stronger songs. </p><p>They can still rip out some killer riffs as evident on the one that opens up 'Escape From Reality". The way the verses give the vocals room to breathe creates a great dynamic feel to ramp up with the chorus. I like the way the vocals are doubled up on the chorus as well. The use of effects on Rob's voice in this song is very effective. 'Sons of Thunder' is another that could have been created by an AI if fed every decent Judas Priest album, though it is on the more aggressive side, but not "Painkiller" aggressive. The more deliberate chug to "Giants in the Sky" works better, though it is not the first moment on this album when I am reminded of solo Ozzy. </p><p>They do recycle some riffs as "Fight of Your Life" has a few riffs that could have been from "Better By You Better Than Me". Scott's drumming saves the song. I had to give "Vicious Circle" a second listen. Rob's vocals are worthwhile but the riffs feel like generic metal. Things end with a more interesting melodic tone with "The Lodger" . I will round this one down to an 8.5, as it plays it a little too safe, and finds them recycling too many ideas from other songs, but Rob sounds great, and the band still has a fire. </p><p><br /></p>
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pst108
Wilciferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12731474932764035414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793062464616044321.post-74336191535975034682024-03-06T12:50:00.000-08:002024-03-07T20:11:25.698-08:00Slimelord : "Chytridiomycosis Relinquished" <p> </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8dm2d89pEO_CQJxgwpN-QW2_28uVKy-4jKVbVvOJQY6M556qVbWciMYr8YDX-ow2Kqu3nMLcTe9QNGXf08CgQnwWHxEIuRdXhfgpei1HjGh74C6fJnIBoDnps5RMpWVGr2DwSe1bZqrb3ZcenemfGUTjZwx1ohZ3I3s3gQ6T_xgK1PlvWGKvFFTtrEXA/s1200/a2422072240_10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8dm2d89pEO_CQJxgwpN-QW2_28uVKy-4jKVbVvOJQY6M556qVbWciMYr8YDX-ow2Kqu3nMLcTe9QNGXf08CgQnwWHxEIuRdXhfgpei1HjGh74C6fJnIBoDnps5RMpWVGr2DwSe1bZqrb3ZcenemfGUTjZwx1ohZ3I3s3gQ6T_xgK1PlvWGKvFFTtrEXA/w400-h400/a2422072240_10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>This British band plays a very interesting blend of death metal, It is dark and murky which works the best for me. There are some technical aspects though they never forsake the dripping ooze of sound they pour out with the kind of nameless gibbering form as a creature in a Lovecraft story. A great deal of bands now throw around the term psychedelic. Just because you smoke weed at band practice does not mean you are psychedelic. These guys earn such a title as the music hand contorts in a surreal manner that might sound pleasing when drugs are in your system. There is also a hammering oppression that is important in death metal. </p><p>"Splayed Mudscape" finds things beginning to sink in the bog of their own making, as the double bass rolls over and other angular mess of riffs. They do find more groove as the song progresses. There is a higher raspy snarl that enters the fray, as the vocals up to this point have been a sick low gurgle. The vocals shift to create more of a mood which is more than most death metal bands these days do. I like how they build the momentum on the fourth song. Things are still pretty angular, and the double bass is relentless, but arranged in a way where things have space to flow. At times this reminds me of Meshuggah, though they are not pounded with the same groove-minded pulse. </p><p>This more dynamic manner of the atmosphere is taken further on "the Hissing Moor". It however veers off in a more chaotic direction. .The straightforward instrumental that closes the album is a little bit of a surprise as I was expecting something weird. I will give this grim Gorey acid trip of an album an 8.5, it is a great deal of fun even if it is a murky din of metal chaos, I think that is what they were going for so not your average death metal band in that regard. </p>
<iframe style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1206563068/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" seamless><a href="https://listen.20buckspin.com/album/chytridiomycosis-relinquished">Chytridiomycosis Relinquished by Slimelord</a></iframe>
pst107Wilciferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12731474932764035414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793062464616044321.post-27938418381683935782024-03-06T12:39:00.000-08:002024-03-07T20:09:42.617-08:00Ohpen Ahrms : Lying Beside You" <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5UFV1VoArRWzPOlbFF6KqkVh2zY7mA9orTL_X58gu9jTaZ5dKSDpowHnSwY06-lwshXaHEVOGkwer20ar1UY8ulr2NJ8r1UnUc4AxSya2qjWuEK0Wp69I1J3US8PDaR0kcWzwW1wLQ7qOqryJwLd97dTtmStuTJnW8y0nUyk12LXVNDs08HazRCA_Q8o/s1200/a1613381517_10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5UFV1VoArRWzPOlbFF6KqkVh2zY7mA9orTL_X58gu9jTaZ5dKSDpowHnSwY06-lwshXaHEVOGkwer20ar1UY8ulr2NJ8r1UnUc4AxSya2qjWuEK0Wp69I1J3US8PDaR0kcWzwW1wLQ7qOqryJwLd97dTtmStuTJnW8y0nUyk12LXVNDs08HazRCA_Q8o/s320/a1613381517_10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>This Chicago band sits more on the progressive rock side of the fence than their shoegaze beginnings might lead you to expect. "Lying Beside" finds the guitar carrying a more punk-influenced indie jangle. The vocals ride the riff rather than trying to form hooks on their own. It reminds me of if Ghost tried to play like Devo. Saxophones join into the taunt syncopation of "Make Me a Ghost". The drumming is more impressive than the somewhat heavier "Spun in the Dark", but these got a lot going on almost to the detriment of their songwriting. </p><p>It's going into "Don't Look For Me There" that I needed the shift. Everything had been grandiose with layers of overdubs. It was a big sound for sure, and while they bust back into it on this song's chorus, they also gave the vocals room to find a more contemplative mood in the verse leading up to this. It's all about dynamic ebb and flow. I am not sold on the multi-tracked vocals that just kind of drift, and the overall sound is not as dark as what I normally listen to. To their credit, they are doing prog rock in a different way than just long winding songs that are an excuse to squeeze guitar solos in. The actual guitar solos are far and few between. There is a heavier side to this band but the production is downplaying this fact. </p><p>"Drawing Fire" has a little more stoner rock swagger. The vocal harmonies feel more grunge-like. I had to listen to "Night Vision" three times before it kept my attention. It has a harder rock edge to it. By the last song, it's apparent this kind of melodramatic, overproduced prog rock is not my thing, in that it's not as dark or aggressive as I like my music which means I have to come from the place of how is this constructed and written. It could use a few more hooks, as no matter how grandiose you want to get there needs to be something to bring you back to the song. Aside from that key element, they are talented just not my thing I will give this album an 8. If you are into bright bombastic prog rock then it might be yours. </p><p><br /></p><p><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2770033338/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://ohpenahrms.bandcamp.com/album/lying-beside-you">Lying Beside You by Ohpen Ahrms</a></iframe></p><p>pst106</p>Wilciferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12731474932764035414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793062464616044321.post-72241947409284131672024-03-05T19:19:00.000-08:002024-03-07T20:09:21.503-08:00Shadow Limb : "Reclaim" <p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiTyZguqpM1p-IdGA6-EyMQmwGTTMqrQ1K2BhjKwejhh_1-8mBfUHpTgJ9m7PdRFk7-7EAFRTYBiWR2mp5TeloP3EsFBmOkC2aOf9agmv7mGqvxUT1Gjbv0ImDD2fVyUnSPdnVb2183AGA7EdWV_t2fGDMZRuxFgQqxfpFFbemEWYNF9GV5A4hu30GiYk/s1200/a1359843412_10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiTyZguqpM1p-IdGA6-EyMQmwGTTMqrQ1K2BhjKwejhh_1-8mBfUHpTgJ9m7PdRFk7-7EAFRTYBiWR2mp5TeloP3EsFBmOkC2aOf9agmv7mGqvxUT1Gjbv0ImDD2fVyUnSPdnVb2183AGA7EdWV_t2fGDMZRuxFgQqxfpFFbemEWYNF9GV5A4hu30GiYk/w400-h400/a1359843412_10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> This California-based band remembers a time when sludge used to groove. They even use sung vocals at times to break things up from the husky bark that is more commonplace in the genre. There is an almost progressive spirit to their songwriting. It is certainly something to bob your head to. "Snake Mountain" finds them chugging into the more mammoth stomp that is shaded with the darker underpinnings of doom. The guitars carry most of the melodic weight until the sung vocals return. They are in more of a croon. I also think the Snake Mountain being referred to in this song is the one from Masters of the Universe as I distinctly heard him say "Eternia will bleed". He-Metal. </p><p>"Destitute" carries a more hypnotic free-flowing arrangement. The riffs wander in an almost Tool-like fashion. It builds up in the way you expect it to and then does heavy in a similar fashion. But even then it still works. The syncopation to "The Maneuver" is a little more interesting. Their bass player is getting it done. The drummer also knows where to be, despite not being the Danny Carey-type player this music would normally require. The build on this song is one of the album's better payoffs. I like the jammy feel these songs wander into.</p><p>"Riddle of Steel" has more of a stoner doom feel. There is some boogie in its step. It works for what it is even if that does not require the same level of twists and turns found in the other songs. "Burn Scar' feels like a groovier continuation of the previous song. As you get into the meat of the song it packs more of a punch. There is more anger in this song than in the heavier moments earlier in the album. They jam out the ending to this one more fervently than the rest of the album. "Soon" closes the album and features some of the best-sung vocals from these guys, as things flow with a more shoegazing post-rock quality, I like where these guys are not, is it the most original thing I have heard this year? No, but they are good at what they do. I will give this album a 9. </p><p><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=820896285/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://shadowlimb.bandcamp.com/album/reclaim-3">Reclaim by Shadow Limb</a></iframe></p><p>pst105</p>Wilciferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12731474932764035414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8793062464616044321.post-13720776834515843782024-03-05T15:46:00.000-08:002024-03-05T15:50:17.195-08:00the Wraith : "Ghost March" <p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjb8_n5z2FhWpUCOkSCSghDToppMAq9BR45iIoB6oU-8q9pkfyc1W8Pgrd58OQkKlrjfNclvyGsWM6oiqkpRb3L8skfgR5qqKGw_NlsCGOlrJyP2ECaTZhyphenhyphenqAKdOo0QiO429YJNMW0Sn0l30eBgjJLuZOE6kGjPQbknEJrvzzZ52YYeBN9cNSmTiJnsdI/s1482/140593.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1482" data-original-width="1475" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjb8_n5z2FhWpUCOkSCSghDToppMAq9BR45iIoB6oU-8q9pkfyc1W8Pgrd58OQkKlrjfNclvyGsWM6oiqkpRb3L8skfgR5qqKGw_NlsCGOlrJyP2ECaTZhyphenhyphenqAKdOo0QiO429YJNMW0Sn0l30eBgjJLuZOE6kGjPQbknEJrvzzZ52YYeBN9cNSmTiJnsdI/w398-h400/140593.jpg" width="398" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p> Two songs into this album and my first thoughts are these guys do the cock rocking goth metal better than Unto Others but are not quite on In Solitude's level. They also share more common ground with AFI than Unto Others. Their new front man Harley Mace, is actually the strongest element of their sound as he can belt it out with conviction. I am not sure however that I would call these guys death rock. Deathrock, as a dirtier sound. This lives in a zip code closer to Micheal Graves-era Misfits than it does 45 Grave or Christian Death. It is very high energy. Almost to a fault as they are racing through the graveyard when more dynamics might make it sound creepier, but at the current pace it feels more triumphant. </p><p>"Afterlife" does give the vocals more room to breathe. They even let things break down some, but the overall tone of the album finds things uniformly uptempo. Mace's baritone is the most interesting thing when it cuts through to take center stage. Not as Sunset Strip as 69 Eyes, the in-your-face nature of the album is more akin to the "Black Sails in the Sunset". They offer more nuance on "Last Light" making it one of the album's strongest songs. One thing I like about Mace is he employs varied vocal colors sometimes taking on more of a snarl, at other times dropping into an even lower register that is more Peter Steele-like. "End of Time" displays this really well. </p><p>Their formula begins to lose a little of its gas on "Seize the Night". It is just more of the same, though they do this one thing really well. "Sea of Trees" closes the album with a darker tone, and a shift into a more brooding mood that sheds the punk straight-ahead charge and languishes in the dusk, which is what this album needs more of. I can hear this song being played on a goth night. I will give this album a 9, it's really good if you miss the more punk days of AFI, but without Davey Havok's higher pitch shriek. This album drops April 19th on Seeing Red Records. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=598185489/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://thewraithpunk.bandcamp.com/album/ghost-march">Ghost March by The Wraith</a></iframe></p><p>pst104</p>Wilciferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12731474932764035414noreply@blogger.com0