Author & Punisher : "Nocturnal Birding"

The first track of Author & Punisher's new album finds Tristan Shore's voice bare of the effects that normally color it. Midway into the song, things kick in with a more organic version of the heaviness we expect from this project. This is the first album that finds guitarist Doug Sabolick joining as a bandmate, which contributes to the more rock feel to things. Every song has a bird theme. There is a more overt industrial crunch to the amazing stomp of " Mute Swan." His vocals are more prominent throughout, rather than just a layer of his sonic torture machines. Megan from Couch Slut, lends her voice to the ruckus erupting, with more detailed layers of melody luring you in during this. .it might be the best industrial song I have heard this year. 

"Black Storm Petrel" carries the big Godflesh-style crunch this project has toyed with before. This song also features the vocalist from Fange.  I prefer the groove to " Titmouse," which is one of the first songs from Tristan that I recall being riff-oriented, so I think the addition of guitar offers a big step forward, even if it moves them marginally closer to the conventions of industrial rock. I thinnk the genre itself allows and fosters experimentation that creates almost an anything goes attitude. This song and the previous song have been the noisiest so far, with this texture being most effective here.  

"Titmice" finds the balance between the metallic chug and a collage of apocalyptic atmosphere. I had to go back and give another listen to find where this song ends and "Rook" begins, as the songs run together. This song has a more focused stomp, the point it bleeds together in a swathe of ambiance. that flows from a section that develops into actual singing. I had to listen to "Rook" a few times for it to click. It has a doomier pound, not unlike "Filth Pig" era Ministry. On the 3rd listen, it clicked. 

The last song, "Thrush," carries the biggest sound that finds the crunch of the guitars coupling well with Shore's machine to create the most effective cinematic punch possible when the song reaches its peak.I will give this song a 10 as he continues to evolve and perfect what he does in a very powerful way here.  This drops on October 3rd on Relapse Records. 

Thanks for reading, give a listen to the song below, and  please "like" and share on social media to give music a voice 

https://www.facebook.com/abysmalhymns

Check out our Podcast here ... https://www.youtube.com/@abysmalhymns666

pst458

Death is June- Heriot : "Profound Mortality"

 

Here is a band that has flown under the radar with minimal hype. The first track is an intro with a dark blend of ambiance and industrial. The second song blasts back in a grind core intensity, but if we are going to be honest most grind core bands are either heavy punk bands or quick death metal songs. The break things out with ghostly passages where female vocals are creeping around. Then it goes into straight up death metal blasting before becoming more spastic. A darker more death metal version of Code Orange could also be a fair assessment. While I like the first actual song the more single-minded blasting of "Carmine" is more noise and less impressive. 

Just hanging on the bass line does not make it industrial. The abrasiveness of what they do is more worthwhile when the switch it up like that though. There is a more industrial feel to "Mutagen" which hits that dark melodic feel I like, it however does not feel like it is a fully fleshed out idea. I am sure they are into Godflesh, but they do not sound like Godflesh and really it was when I saw they were from England that the Godflesh connection kicked in. Though speaking of British bands they are most likely more into Napalm Death.  The more straight forward death metal attack of "Enter the Flesh' sounds like a post-apocalyptic Entombed. 

"Abattoir" is more noise based in its drone and feels more like an interlude than an actual song, as it never develops into anything. The last actual song is more focused. The vocals kind of go off into a Diamanda Galas direction before the growling comes in. This band has a lot of potential I think using some restraint and allowing the songs to mature is what is needed to really tap into that.  Experimentation sometimes gets the best of them when the answer might be just to go with the song rather than the sound. But even then it is interesting enough for me to give this an 8.If you are into noise ridden industrial death metal then this is your jam.