Spotlights : "Love and Decay"

The question I am asking myself upon the 2nd listen of this album is what are these guys doing that Nothing or My Bloody Valentine don't already do. There is a more post rock like atmosphere to the opening track. The drummer has some chops and this is well recorded. Sometimes the guitar has more of an indie rock feel. Sure Nothing also does this , but there is less of a 90s feel to it. I like the groove and the effects on the vocals of "the Particle Noise". The vocals are typical shoe gaze breathy male that tends to fall . The bass tone is pretty burly which gives the bulk of the heft to their sound. There is a little more of an alt rock feel to the guitar of "Far From Falling".  While their sound is dialed in, they are also not shabby in the song writing department and keep things pretty dynamic.

"Until the Bleeding Stops" finds them more firmly in Nothing's zip code. When the guitar solo comes it is clear the are more polished in that department. But guitar solos are not really Nothing's thing. There is more of a grunge feel to "Xerox". Think the Catherine Wheel here, but with more detached and spacey vocals. It's a pretty straight forward song.  There is a little more of a lazy glaze to the haze of sound running through "Age of Decay" which buckles down and has a heavy chug which might be the album's most metal moment. They continue to get more aggressive on "Mountains Are Forever" . The vocal even get more forceful. They are shouted with anger. 

The album ends with it's most sprawling song. It combines so interesting elements with a electronic beat against clean guitar. Midway into the song it smooths out into a powerful groove. I will give this album a 9. It wades through the influence of the genre past and present to find itself. The nailed the sound and made them songs.

the Howling Void : "Bleak and Everlasting"

This one man band from Texas is back with more funeral doom. I foresee two problems here. The first being a typical one with heavy bands no matter the genre. They get the heavy sound , that might impress for a minute, but if you have discerning ear then after the first song you find yourself asking "but can you write a song? The second problem is in having all the expected trapping of a sub-genre artists can forget the most important ingredient is themselves."    there is a slight sonic expansion to "the Lonely Road  to Nothingness" though the guitar melody is very similar to that of the previous song, It might be the synths that switch it up the most. If anything the atmosphere to it has a brighter shoe gaze quality to it.

"All the World is a Grave" is an awesome song title for a doom song. Bells are added at the beginning , which helps break it up, but dynamically things do not change a great deal and this could be a continuation of the previous song if it had taken a darker turn.  The album ends with the 11 minute "Silence at the End of Time" , For a song to be long , which by the standards of this sub-genre it's not as long as some, but there is nothing that really justifies this as the melody seems to have come from the previous song. It does ebb down into synth that have a choral sound , but then the same bell tone is used. So it is very redundant.  I mean I went down stairs put some laundry up, went back to my room, nothing changed. Go back down stairs to throw away trash, come back up still the same thing

I will round this down to a 6.5, sure a great deal of funeral doom doesn't come out , but are you able to really listen to the same drone over and over. I think the guitar melodies put it over droning bands like Sunno. Some of the fault lies inthe fact the drums are barely there every thing lies on the guitar. The bass tone could carry more thunder, because it's not very heavy. This is closer to shoe gaze than doom at times.

Helms Alee : "Noctiluca"

These guys have a muscular sound that is not metal but a form of grungy noise rock with more in common with the Melvins, than any metal or even post rock band. The vocals benefit from better production than I recall hearing on their previous albums. While botht the male and female vocals can trade off with similar aggression , she is the better singer of the two . On "Play Dead" we get a taste of the hooks her voice is capable of conveying. The bass and drums lock in to create so maple grooves. There is angular atmosphere to "Be Rad Tomorrow" .  This is the first time you here some of the post rock that once colored the more muscular sludge leanings.

There hints of a Neurosis style vibe on "Lay Waste Child " . I do like that it leans in a darker direction. While it's more melodic things begin to get weird once the album gets to "Legal Guardian".  Songs like "Spider Jar' might start off with more of a grunge things going going on, but that is not where they end . Instead veering off into a weirder direction. "Pleasure Torture" has an interesting blend of sounds. The harmonies of the female voices is pretty alluring before the dynamics shift. They do have heavy moments that are heavy sonically rather than heavy metal as there is very little that comes from that kind of overtly aggressive energy. The male vocals do convey a more burly energy that comes closer to that.

They dip into a more psychedelic sound with relaxed vocals for "Pandemic".  The album might end with the best song "Word Problems". It takes a dark moody tone and marries to powerful Zeppelin throb that groove / The use of female vocals on the verse and male vocals on a more commanding chorus works well, The vocals carry an intensity almost like Ministry , though musically these guys are far more organic. I will round this one up to a 9.5, as usual Sargent House once again delivers something interesting.

Abrahma : "In Time For the Last Rays of Light"

There was a time when it seemed like the French were beginning to dominate black metal. Now they are gaining ground when it comes to doom. These guys are very close to the sonic zip code of  Hangman's Chair. The vocals are emotive against a dreary back drop. The difference is there is more of a blues influence creeping around the corner of the opener. One the second song the vocals take on a more death rock croon. They switch things up as the song progresses building into a brief flurry of blast beats. The death rock vibe continues into the next song. A lumbering sludge like riff stomps into the song. Some times the songs drag a little when they wallow in the shadow of their own despondence. Normally this is the feeling I want, but it requires a certain level of pacing .

The temp picks up some for "Last Epistle" . The vocal's have more hook to them. This might be the album's song. It has a solid slow. The heavier chugs come in to accent the tension. They do not have a set formula . but  "Wander in Sedation" revisits some of the themes we have heard earlier in the album. They dig deeper into darker creepiness with "Eclipse of the Sane" . The chorus to this song is pretty strong and gives it the edge to make it more compelling. The album closes with "There Bears the Fruit of Deceit" . The vocals are even stronger on this song. A more metallic riff comes in and gives it more of a  doom groove.  This builds into one of the album's heavier moments with throaty yelled vocals and more of sludge like sound, This flows back and forth from a more melodic part.

I like all of the elements employed here, though the sparse blast beats do not seem that necessary when they do crop up. It will take another listen for the lyrics to sink in .I know this album is supposed to be about mental illness which is a topic I can relate to. I will round this up to a 9.5 as it might not be perfect in terms of the songs pacing, but they do use some of many favorite elements to create this and write songs rather than just play with these sounds. 

Silver Snakes : "Death and the Moon"

Not industrial , but influenced by it in the same way rock bands like Stabbing Westward and God Lives Underwater were in the 90s. There are electronic beats, but that doesn't mean they are industrial as Radiohead has those at times . There is at times a Nine Inch Nails sense of angst.  The chorus of "Wool" helps give a hooky sense of dynamics and prove they can write a fucking song when they feel like it. Some times the get too noisy for their own good and the over drive over powers what might have been a decent song if different production choices had been made.

Some times the Nine Inch nails influence is thicker than others.  I like the groove to "Black Fire'. The singer has room to open up and sing with more soul. Sure there are familiar elements, but it is worked in with what feels is more natural to them and a glimpse into who they really are once their influences are not so blatantly worn on their sleeves. There is a more urgent brooding to " Dissolve". It creates a more interesting layer to the melodic drone they hit you with.  By the time we get to "Lavender" I am listening for the moments that do not sound like Nine Inch Nails, as I have already lived through Filter and the parade of those kinds of bands from the 90s. So the female vocals and the more chilled out vibe are welcome. When the more grunge tinged guitar cranks up there has been more of a dynamic spread to make it appreciated.

"Gone is Gone" goes from the introspective brooding to loud rock guitars in a way that recalls the good cop bad cop , loud to soft dynamics employed by the alt rock of 90s acts. I will round this one down to an 8.5 as it leans so heavily on the Nine Inch Nails influence. If I heard more of who they are I might have gotten more invested in this album. It sounds good and they have decent songs, if you are into industrial rock acts with more emphasis on the rock side, you might dig these guys.

Encoffination : " We Proclaim Your Death, O' Lord "

The first song on this band's fourth album drips more than it moves. The vocals are buried in the murky mix. You sense there is a growl somewhere. Extreme metal be it fast or slow can be so oppressive that it comes across impressive. This wears off after the first song and then they are faced with the question. But can you write a song. This year the trend seems to be band's that have a good sound , but it never follows through into good songs. Why is this so important ? Good sounds come and go , good songs stand the test of time. The second song has more atmosphere than the first which is more of a menacing throb. The vocal continue to be a shadow. More of a low end frequency that is almost there.

I was two and a half minutes into "the Keys of Hell and Death" before it sped up into more of a death metal section and I realized the album had moved onto another song. I love funeral doom. This is on the more death doom outskirts of the genre. I think the big difference is the lack of guitar melodies creating a requiem . Here is the desperation of being buried alive as the distortion suffocates you. Four minutes into "Robe and Crown" before the vocals surface in a more prominent fashion to suggest this is in fact a new song. It speeds up into a tremolo picked section for a brief black moment, but otherwise rides the same pulse.  The longest song is still around the 8 minute mark, though at many points it all seems like one long song.

The buzz of guitar has a moderately more intense tremble at times. It generally relies on hanging over the feedback of the dense fuzz being summoned. There is a little more blackness haunting the edges of  the last song. I can appreciate the dark and despondent mood, thought mood is never something in and of it self that keeps me listening. I will give this album a 6.5, if you are more into density and intensity and less about songs then this will be more back ground music for you.

Am I Dead Yet : " s/t"

This was not what I expected going into this album. It is dark, it however is dark in the same way the Doors can be dark or Nick Cave and Leonard Cohen. It makes sense that some of the guys have worked on soundtracks to movies as I can hear these songs popping up on a Tarantino movie as it has a very 60s feel to it . I like the steamy sizzle the first song struts with, but the question is can they keep my interest for the rest of the album in a similar fashion. There is more of a Neil Diamond vibe to "Solid Gone' . One of this album's strength is the flamenco guitar that is sprinkled about it. In fact it is more dominant than any typically rock guitar sound.

There more western mood of what they do trades places with the more 60s folk thing on "Joe Meek Shall Inherit the Earth. "Ghosted " is really well written, but ti feels like I am taking a stroll through a park in a New York, which is the same way Neil Diamond makes me feel. "  There is almost more of a dark  country feel to the rambling brooding of "People Are Dangerous". The chorus has more of a croon to it. "Wasted[' sounds like their main inspiration is  to get drunk and listen to "Girl You'll Be Woman Soon". This is a much more drunken take on the Neil Diamond thing they have going. The electronic elements they add to " Futuristic Paranoia" help to give enough of a twist to what they are doing to freshen it up.

"Master of Diguise" switches things up yet again though this time there is a weird element like it is from a David Gilmore solo album. With "Fake Flowers" there  is a more U2 like thing going , if perhaps they have Nick Cave guest on a song. I do not like this sound as much because it is not as dark. It ends with more shadows returning for "Thanks For Sharing". The slight Pink Floyd influence could be mistaken for the Doors if you did not listen close enough, by Pink Floyd I am referring to "the Final Cut". I will give this album an 8.5, sometimes it has an identity crisis , but the overall feel it cool.

Diamond Head : "The Coffin Train"

It is hard for me to wrap my head around a Diamond Head album without Sean Harris singing on it. His voice is what is so distinctive to the band that I felt set them apart. Sure they were the proto thrash band that inspired Metallica, but his voice held something very unique that sold those songs, which could have otherwise been warmed over Judas Priest. Tatler  has been parading around as the sole member of this band since 94. There is a foot in both worlds here. It sounds like who they were and makes a decent stab at feeling current . Sometimes this singer reminds me more of Chris Cornell in his upper range. He sounds more like Harris on "the Messenger". The title track is even more melodic . It sometimes sounds like grunge meets power metal. The vocals are at the forefront of the mix so it's hard not to compare them to the glory days . There are no "Am I Evils" on this album , but there are moments when they try to recapture that.

The verses of "Shades of Black ' is effective, but the Soundgarden thing persists. Its a rock and a hard place, because these guys did invented some of  metal riffs we hear recycled by countless bands with a song like 'the Sleeper' you sometimes feel like you have heard it before. Though these songs are generally well put together and catchy. The first mis-step that doesn't feel as inspired is on "Death By Design". They are a little more back onto their sound with "Serrated Love", but the song's groove is a little odd for these guys. The more staccato "the Phoenix' finds the vocals having to do most of the heavy lifting. I think if they sat back into the guitar a little more this would really allow us to hear how these riffs stack up in the big picture of what they are doing here.

Obviously even though the singer does a decent job and gives it a more modern sound than if they tried to recreate "Behold the Beginning " they are such a central part to this band's sound. This is a sticking point, because, there is nothing as ground breaking here as when these guys were in their prime. This proves timing is every thing. Still the album sounds really good and the song work for what they are. I will give this album an 8. 

6.9

Nocturnus AD : "Paradox"

Drummer Mike Browning was one of the founding members of Morbid Angel. Is he as good as Pete? No, but he is pretty solid and he sings and, growls on top of playing. "the Key" was one of the best albums of the early days of death metal. There is not the same level of feral chaos. Calling this a mature  performance might be premature. He is a more refined songwriter. Which a veteran player should be.  The opener is pretty solid and hearkens back to the classic death metal sound. Keyboards helped set these guys apart and are still a big part of their sound, though there is less of a sci-fi tone to them. On the second song, he lets up on his growl and it gives the song more of a thrash feel til they speed up. In some parts, he even sounds like Tom Warrior.

Sometimes their sound takes on a more angular feel. "Procession of the Equinoxes" is more focused on its aggression to the point that it establishes some solid head-banging grooves. The vocals are not this album's strong point. I think if they had more menace it might make certain passages feel less awkward. The guitars and drums are capable of doing the heavy lifting, and the phrasing of the vocals would help smooth it out song-wise."Return of the Lost Key" tries to pick up where the first album left off. Some of the more intricate noodling guitar parts are not as powerful as the more direct approach. The vocals do take on more of a snarl on this one which is an improvement.

Several moments remind me of a death metal version of Coroner. "Apotheosis" is one of them.  I think some of the more progressive grooves work best on this song. "Aeon of the Ancient Ones " takes on a darker and more traditional side of death metal. Chaos only breaks out around the guitar solos. With an old-school ethic to songwriting, they are very compact and pack most songs in at under seven minutes. So not much time is wasted on the atmosphere. The guitars are technically sound, but also pretty mean when they want to be. I'll round this album up to a 9 and see how it grows on me. It is being released on Profound Lore.

Black Mountain : "Destroyer"

The opener is pretty much standard stoner rock fare. It is not util the second song that things get interesting as there is a robotic pitch-shifted harmonizing effect on the vocals that gives them a robotic sound that contrasts the more organic 70s rock of the instrumentation.  Granted an entire album with that effect would be tedious, but it works for this song. When the normal vocals come in it provides a more dynamic contrast even before the acoustic break down. There still strong psychedelic undertones to "Closer to the Edge". The retro synth sounds work well. This bleed into the next song "High Rise" which makes it feel like a transition in a longer song. The approach to the vocals feels more Psychic Tv. It is not as good as the previous song , but still pretty much finds this tapping into it's own sound.

"Pretty Little Lazies" combines elements of the Rolling Stones with Blue Oyster Cult and Hawkwind. Maybe there is a dash of T-rex in as well. Though this feels like it is coming from indie rock musicians rather than stoner rockers. There are hard moments , but it doesn't really cross over into metal. If you think it does that is because you are a pussy. That is not to say it is totally devoid of any and all Sabbath influence as some exists on "Boogie Lover" , but this is tempered with more psychedelics. "Licensed to Drive" reminds me of Alice  Cooper set against a Judas Priest riff/
. Rather than having Halford range the more often dead pan vocals are layered with a woman's who can sing. There is a Brian Eno era Bowie feel to the last song. This is even winked at as their is a reference to the man who fell to earth.

I will round this one up to a 9 . It barrows from elements of music that I like so the fact their influences are sometimes worn on their sleeves is ok with me. This album sounds great. But unlike my complaint this year that there are many albums where they have a good sound , but not good songs. This is not the case here and shows what a good balance of this should be. This album comes out at the end of May.
 

New Years Day : "Unbreakable"

As far as more main stream nu-metal bands go I have typically liked what this band does. Ash Costello's vocals seem to get better with every album. Slick arena sounding production helps the overall sound, but it is the hook in the chorus that really sells it. Can they bring it like this for the entire album? Well they go a more melodic and somewhat pop route on "MissUnderstood". The guitar kicks in with a similar crunch that In This Moment uses . Sometimes the melodic pop elements work better than others. "Skeletons" just doesn't have the same quality of hooks the previous songs have. The title has more of a groove which is the other key weapon in their arsenal. The only problem is the chorus has too much of a major key thing going on.  However I do really like the more overt pop of "Shut Up" .

"Done With You" is where the album begins to take on more of a radio rock formula. This is broken up a little by a catchier vocal on "Break My Body" . "Sorry Not Sorry" has more hook to it. It is somewhere between pop and nu-metal. While goth is a term that gets tossed around ith this band it seems to really only apply to their image. I would sultry is a better description of their sound than dark. Though  I guess dark is relative and to mainstream markets this is darker than Taylor Swift or Katy Perry.  They get a little darker on "My Monsters" , but it's not much different than the bulk of the album. There is a more spooky under current to the melody layered in "Nocturnal". It is like a Halloween version of Britney Spear's "Toxic" .

I think the strong songs are pretty fucking catchy and the grooves do tend to stick with you. To most who read this blog this is going to feel more like pop than metal, but genre be damned they are good at what they do. This album has the kind of huge sound that band's doing this sort of thing should have. I think there is more texture than many of this band's peers. I will give this one a 9 and see how it sits with me.

LEATHÜRBITCH : "Into the Night"

Say a mix of trash and hair metal and I first think "Cowboys From Hell". This Portland band digs back earlier in the 80s owing more to Diamond Head. The singer can fire off Halford like falsetto, though the mid range he uses in the verses are not as refined. Like many bands I have heard lately, they have worked to achieve as sound , but the song writing is kind of crude, though the average band back in the day was fairly straight forward leaving bands like Flotsam and Jetsam to be the exception.  By the time we get to "Sleep City" the novelty wears thinner. Since I was around for this kind of thing when it first came out , it reminds me of my musical tastes as a child that did lean more in the direction of Grim Reaper and Motley Crue. I think what doesn't connect with me is while I likea good metal yodel what they do is just not dark enough/

There a few phrases where I can hear his non head register holding some potential , but over all it seems like a place holder for a yodel to come. Unlike say King Diamond , these notes are just popped off with up him staying up there for any length of time. "I"m Insane"  is a cover of the Ratt song, though I don't it credited. Steven Pearcy has more grit to his voice. I do think it speaks to my point about sound vs song writing as my favorite song on this album was written by someone else. I know it's a vulgar concept, but I listen to the lyrics and put stock in them so this certainly dampens  "the Search" , as those lyrics are terrible.

 The last song is very middle of the road, lacking any sense of danger or aggression. So it's blah, not the worst, but doesn't grab my ear do think I would have liked these guys more when I was 12, but kinda been there done that and got the albums that do this better. If you are a 12 year old who has never heard this before then it works. I'll give this album a 7, a 6 without the Ratt cover.

Spirit Adrift : "Divided By Darkness"

When these guys first came out there was almost more of a doom vibe to what they do. That was shed on the previous album and they are not looking back. This mutes all comparisons to Pallbearer.The vocals are smoother this time around and the guitars are more over the top. It is like if Ghost was committed to played metal. Not only metal, but the new wave of British heavy metal, which hasn't been new since the 80s. I like the title track more than the opener as it has more balls to it yet they manage to keep melody afloat. It's all about these guys finding the right balance of where do they want to take things. "Born into Fire" is also melodic , but perhaps so much so that it loses it'a balls.
There is some great guitar playing on "Angel & Abyss" thought the vocals seem a little unsure of themselves until the songs kicks in.

The bulk of the album is uptempo thanks to the fact lhere gallop is dialed in all the way from 1985. The guitar harmonies are also very keyed into the time period they are trying to achieve. "Tortured
 By Time" is less impressed as there is less to really set themselves apart from the pack . "Hear Her" is marginally darker. It has hints of the guitar , but the vocals don't stray from   what we've already established that begins to feel like the guy is a one trick pony. There is a cool melodic break down with a clean guitar tone on "Living Light" , but aside from that it is not a huge shift from the other songs.

The most tasteful and possibly Iommi inspired guitar solo, if we are talking about Dio era, is on the last song. Then it goes into a more stoned strum that has more in common with Pink Floyd. Keyboards come to the fore front as well.It might be one of the album's best songs.  While I personally will not get a ton of repeat listens out of this if any, this is very well done so I will give it an 8.5. This album comes out may 10th on 20 Buck Spin.

6.8

Ringworm : "Death Becomes My Voice"

I really liked their 2011 album "Scars" , but every album I have heard from them since has yet to measure up. The title track that opens the album, starts off more metallic then when the vocals come in things get more of a hardcore punk feel. The vocals can be a bit of a one trick pony. They are mid rang e shout that is sometimes accented with a growl. What I need more from these guys are the kinds of riffs like the ones that end "Carnivores".  When they slow down and play things more deliberately it clicks into place better than being rushed. The spoken parts set against the yelled vocals feel like something Pantera would do. The drummer certainly works overtime on this album, When he goes into that really stiff snare pattern that is too punk for me it bugs me a bit.

They find more groove on "Dead To Me". When the bass rumbles in behind the riff it makes me think of S.O.D... that is a good thing. When they are in thrashing mode it is the Slayer like moments that are more notable. Much like death metal just trying to run off anger and aggression only goes so far in terms of dynamics. This is what eventually makes things seem stale by the time i get to "Dying By Design" there is just not enough groove to hook me in .  Even when they slow down for "Seperate Realities" the vocals begin to wear on me.

"Let it Burn" is more thrash than it is hardcore. The chorus has more of the shouted hardcore vocal .  The riff to "Final Division" is pretty fucking mean, but does that mean it can carry the whole song? Well it comes pretty close and the vocals at least work with it to some extent. I will round this down to an 8 and say two things about this album, first off it is a great deal better than most of their post 2011 work. Secondly I do like hardcore , but the vocals are turn off for me, though I can't think of many people who would sat they listen to it for the vocals. This won't get repeat listens from me , but if you are into straight forward thrashing hardcore then this is worth your time. This comes out May 3rd on Relapse Records.

Jess By the Lake : "Under the Red Light Shine"

When the album opens with the title track. the sultry tinge of blues feels more like she has found herself in her voice than what I heard from her with the Ancient Ones. She I say there is a lot of Heart in what they are doing here I mean Ane Wilson. "Freezing Burn" has some cool synths in it but is less focused than the opener.  On a song like "the Wait" it is hard to imagine that she toured with King Diamond, as this song is in the same zip code as Amy Winehouse. I don't think this more Billie Holiday gone 60s rock direction plays to her strengths as much as the first two songs. "Halo" is more dynamic and moodier, which I think works better for her . This also feels like it is closer to who she really is.

There is more of a groovy rock n roll feel to "Nightmare" that is not far removed from what she used to do. The use of piano and some of the accents remind me a little of Guns n Roses. I would say where this album doesn't connect with me fully is the fact it's not all that dark. It does get a little darker on "Legacy Crown". I can also appreciate the 70s prog leanings, but her old band was also all about that life. This is probably the  album's best song as it creeps and slithers. They stay in rock n roll mode with the more staccato riff to " My Hands". The song it self makes me think of Fiona Apple. There is more of a psychedelic feel to "Interstellar" .The vocals kind of counterbalance the songs more surreal aspects and ground it.

I like this album better than the bulk of the stuff I have heard from her old band. This album is more original in it's retro flare even with the influences that are occasionally worn on her sleeve. I personally won't give this many repeat listens , but it is not dark enough to fall in line with what I typically listen to. I will give the album a 8. If you are into the retro rock thing served up with an ample side of pop then this is for you.  It comes out June 7th on Svart Records.

Black Metal For Fans of Power Metal

Told a friend of mine into power metal that I would make him a playlist of black metal for people into power metal. Not because I think everyone should listen to the same music as I do, but I think black metal gets a bad rap when it comes to preconceived notions of  the musicianship some of the bands posses. Even I don't like the bands that are raw and have more in common with punk. It might seem like the only thing the two genre's have in common. Truth be told I think it would be harder to make a  playlist of power metal for fans of black metal, since metal is like drugs you a tolerance for it then  one your threshold for heavy goes up it is hard to work your way back . For me power metal sounds too  happy. There is a genre that bridges the two...folk metal. Folk metal can have power metal qualities as well as black metal ones. Someof these bands might be more of a gateway drug to actual cvlt as fvck black metal, though regular readers here know that I am not a fan of solely using blast beats for the sake of using them. I already own Darkthrone's albums so I want bands that are their own entities. So most of these bands have some sort of epic quality that captures the Dungeons & Dragons like nature of power metal.

Dimmu Borgir- "the Serpentine Offering"


 



Vintersong - Universums Dunkala Alfabet

 

Primordial - "Coffin Ships"


 

 Emperor - "Curse You All Men"

 

Carach Angren- 'Charles Francis Coghlan" 


 

 Arcturus - "Alone"

 

Immortal - "Blashyrkh

 

 Rotting Christ - "AEALO"




 

Stormlord -"Mare Nostrum"


 

 Enslaved - "Ground"


 

Krypts : "Cadaver Circulation"

The funny thing about death metal, is even when hitting all the right marks of the genre, it doesn't take long for it to all sound the same. The challenge this band from Finland has is to not fall into this trap. I obviously like death metal since I come up with 10 albums every year that I think deserve to be in my annual 10 death metal albums of a the year list. There are many subsets of music that do not get their own lists. Bands like Morbid Angel, Carcass, Deicide, Incantation and Obituary have all put out albums that stand shoulder to shoulder with the classics of all time. Like black metal there are certain things we expect from death metal. Low growled vocals. This band does that . They are not distinct, but they are done well enough to meet the sonic requirements of the genre.  Double bass is another. It is not a steady stream, which works in this band's favor.  It gives "Reek of Loss' more of a gallop in place. When they do bubble up it's not in a blur of foot thunder.

They are not the most blazing fast death metal band. That is fine with me. They are also not so slow they get called death doom. They are deliberate. They have angular creepy riffs that bleed darkness.  They do get closer to the death doom thing on "Echoes Emanate Forms". They use weird
 atmosphere in the back ground of this song that sounds like tormented ghosts going to hell. The pace does eventually pick up more. It's a steady flow through caverns rather than a speedy blitz. The drums are really far back in the mix. The guitar melodies that crop up often might for their place in this dense mix. I am not sure when they do speed up that doing so is their strongest sound. By the time we get to "Vanishing" the songs begin to sound the same. So to their credit they made it longer than most death metal bands in this regard.

If you told me this album was recorded in a candle lit cave, I would believe you. I do not think they sound spooky enough to be occult death metal. The lyrics don't have any occult elements that I can make out. There are enough dissonant guitar melodies to keep my attention, despite the lack of  drums blowing my mind. The vocals take on more of a croak on the last song. I will give this album an 8. It's pretty solid. I am not sure if it is solid enough to make the top ten list at the end of the year, but perhaps my expectations of death metal to come are too high.This comes out on Dark Decent May 31st.

Live Review Amenra, Voivod, YOB @ Masquerade

I rarely get out for shows these days. Back when I started this blog I went to one a month Since then my depression has gotten worse and I would rather stay at home than be around people. This could also be called getting older, but it feels like more of my mental illness, as when I hear about the show I think "Oh, I would like to see that" But the closer it gets the more I talk myself out of it. The last show I went to was Rob Zombie in August. I had the intentions of going to a couple more with my girlfriend , but life happened and those shows did not. So it was a big deal for me to get out of the house to see Voivod, who is one of my favorite bands. I have  seen them twice before, so that could have been more fuel for me not to go , but I made it out even it it was a last minute thing on my part.

Amenra  started off their set with atmosphere, but when they kicked in they hit so hard you felt it with your body as much as your ears. Ok maybe they were not as loud as Swans , but it was powerful and they really poured themselves into the performance, you could feel the energy on many levels . As much as I love Voivod if I am being honest with you and myself they were the best band, in terms of having a striking visual performance and being sonically over powering. Granted what Voivod does is very different and they were the odd band out on the bill. The boys from Belgium had a screen behind them and projected black and white nature scenes that really added to the atmosphere.

The first time I saw Voivod in the late 80s they had more of a visual spectacle as well. With a smoky stage and eerie lighting and Snake in a gas mask. This time around the main weapon in their arsenal was a wealth of songs. 36 years worth. I also saw them touring for "Target Earth" so was aware how the new stuff blended with their more classic songs, but this time around it was more seamless. The two things they really had going for them aside from 36 years of experience under the two founding members belts, was the set list and the drumming. Away is one of the most under rated metal drummers. His double bass is on point and he does everything so effortlessly.  As far as the set list goes it was like they  were taking requests for me as they played every song I would have yelled out... "Into My Hyper Cube" , "Ravenous Medicine", "Psychic Vacuum" and the biggest surprise was "the Prow" from the "Angel Rat" album.

Yob was headlining. I am sure this is due to being the band with currently the most records sales, as Voivod, was the most established. If Voivod was going to headline then Yob could be wedged between the two, but Amenra is a hard band to follow. Granted the have more in common with Yob stylistically as both bands have the huge monolithic riffs to trample your ears with. A friend of mine said that he feels Yob is like Cathedral on a fraction of the drugs and with a siren singing. I can hear that, but after Voivod they seem more simplistic. The work at more of a pulsing throb than a proggy space journey. Overall it was an interesting look at metal past and present.

Periphery : "Hail Stan"

The djent of yesterday is the cock rock of today. Sure there is a side of screaming to go along with it, but don't let it fool you. one of the guys from this band recently said that he no longer listens to current metal. i  can hear that . I can also hear how fans of Devin Townsend would be into this. There is some impressive guitar playing on this album for sure. The vocals are like a less soulful version of Justin Timberlake, n terms how poppy things get. I Think this band's key selling point is the off time chugging they do. It's like Meshuggah lite. Some times these form a more compelling groove. After the guitar parts I would say the drums are the next best thing about their sound. There is a more aggressive sound to "Blood Eagle". They get almost more metal core on  ' Chvrch Brvner" .  The guitar is not very dense, which is where this fails to back a punch and really come across as heavy. These kinds of bands tend to run through rack mounted effects units that thin out the tone. The song ends with a dub step remix...ugh.

On "Garden in the Bones" the vocals are kinda emo and wimpy. The guitars are kinda interesting
even if the chorus builds up like Myspace metal. I do like the kinda of progressive break down mid way into the song. This album feels more like Between the Buried and Me than djent. "It's Only Smiles" sounds like a riff that would be on a Devin Townsend. There is no defending the terrible pop punk vocals that come in verse. This could be the sound of selling out. This is a well written pop song, I guess the question is do you want these guys to be a pop band. In 2019 a little screaming doesn't keep anything from being pop.  The riff that can be called djent surfaces on " Follow Your Ghost". The the vocals are screamed and growled and they are trying to make you lose the taste of the sugary fluff from the previous song. Neither sound being all that original.

I like the groove that opens "Crush" but the song reminds me of Linkin Park. The vocals are on the pop punk side, but not as drenched in sugar. "Sentient Glow" starts off heavy but devolves into radio garbage. "Satellites' gets even worse. They try to shift gears mdway through and pretty much prove the point I made about this being a genre that is the cock rock of 2019. I will round this album down to a 7. It got off to decent start and then with each song this album pretty much went down hill. Don't fool yourself it's more pop than not.

Vous Autres : "Champ Du Sang"

This French duo delves into a very interesting realm of blackness. The riffs lumbering like apocalyptic monoliths. It also seems like one of those albums where the opening song is so fucking heavy it is not until the second song that you are able to beg the question..."But can you write a fucking song?" They do prove themselves capable of deviating from pulverizing you to incorporate dynamics with atmosphere. The second song indulges in this even further which gives me hope for the album as a whole. The vocals remain very scathing. The guitar sounds gets creepy when it is not dense and metallic. While this is referred to as blackened sludge, it feels more to me like a down tuned and gritty take on depressive black metal. The melodic tendencies of the 3rd song create a mood to help solidify me thinking of them as a depressive black metal band.

They do begin to get angrier. This doesn't make them monochromatic. They can balance their anger with the vision of the hellish maze of musical torment the songs yearn to invoke.Where other bands might make the same amount of atmosphere feel shoegaze, these guys keep it creepy. Though there are some moments that do border being a darker take on post-rock due to the spacious minimalist arrangement. When the harsh vocals come in they always seem to get heavy, but aside from that I don't think these guys have a formula they default to. There as some weighty moments of guitar that have more of a doomy pound. This album really has incredible guitar sounds so they can play any brand of metal and sound vastly darker than their peers.

The guitar tones alone can not carry a record, so it is the beautiful sense of balance in their song writing that makes up the rest of the difference. The tremolo picked guitar and the menacing crashes of double bass certainly maintain the sense of sonic heaviness. I will give this album a 9. It's really well done and  for what it is pretty original sounding. Glad to hear France is back in the game when it comes to black metal.

Dead to a Dying World : "Elegy"

Wow things have changed. The first song sounds more like Nick Cave than the band I remember. I love Nick Cave so I am not complaining. There is a more familiar metallic kick to " the Seer's Embrace". There is a higher vocal that is kinda black metal in it's malice , but overall the song is more sludge. Sonically it is occupying a similar space as the last Amen Ra album. The use of clean vocals is well done and not a good cop/ bad cop trade off. The use of strings also adds texture. I can hear where people might be quick to call it post-rock. This album also features guest performances by two former Swans members, Jarboe and Thor Harris, who appear on "Vernal Equinox" . So how can they go wrong ? The album is really dialed in when it comes to the sense of dynamics.

They blacken their sludge on "Empty Hands, Hollow Hymns". The first three minutes are very focused on the metallic intensity, before they become more expansive in the sounds they bring to the table at the other 8 minutes unfolds. This is less experimental in the range of atmosphere employed. Thus it falls in line with more traditional sludge. Midway there is a break down where it drops to strings and guitar, but there are many sludge bands that are no strangers to post-rock leanings. There is a more Agalloch like drone to the neo folk of "Hewn From Falling Water".

They close with the longest song which is the 14 and a half minutes of "Of Moss and Stone" Jarboe lends her voice to this one as well. When it comes to the more metal display of power, they don't go anywhere they have not already been though the double bass is more relentless in the heavier moment  in the first half of the song. A minute and a half of chaotic noise could have been trimmed off the end of the song. Otherwise it builds into the most black metal moment of the album.  I will give this album a 9 and see how it grows on me. It is more hypnotic than it is heavy so take that in mind going into this. It is being released on Profound Lore. 

 

Crowhurst : " III"

The opening song, sticks closer to a more traditional form of black metal, without relying solely on blast beats. Its on Self Portrait with Halo and Snake  that things get interesting for it starts of with a more post-punk feel. Low baritone vocals carry a haunting melody. The guitar has a more indie rock angle to it. The song does swell into harsh vocals , but everything is very smooth. These vocals continue on into the song after this. The guitars have more of a narcotic sonic feel to them here. Almost shoe-gaze in the hazy nature they drone with their melodies. A formula begins to develop as this song also builds into a harsher vocals. It flows very naturally. While many bands have tried to pair shoe gaze with black metal , not many get the right balance like these guys do.

Nachymystium might be a good reference point for the direction of this new darker sonic space the band is embarking upon. The guitars are really doing some interesting things which requires the drummer using the restraint to give them the space to do so. I can see where at this point in time if you showed up for a black metal album you might be disappointed or confused. Given my musical tastes however I am blissed out by this shift. Things grow more ominous on " la faim". The vocals take on more of a Danzig feel.By Danzig , I am referring more to Samhain. It is as heavy as it is sonic , which is always a sweet spot for me. It sounds great , but from a song writing perspective works off the one drone.

"Ghost Tropic " takes elements of the despondent sounds a band like Swans employs and sets it against a rawly emoted anguish. I am not sure I would call this black metal, but it comes closest to being depressive black metal. I have mentioned Nachtmystium before in conjunction to the kind of dismal sonic space they are moving into on this album, and that comparison is even more warranted on the song "Five Characters in Search of an Exit". The build a storm of dense noise and anger here. The vocals have a mean snarl to them.  The song collapse midway into it and becomes electronic noise that goes into an almost industrial pound despite being so disjointed. I will round this up to a 9.5 , as it shows a great deal of growth, even it that growth came at the price of growing away from black metal.

Moontooth : "Crux"

So I found these guys in the comments section of a post Revolver Magazine made asking who was going to be the break out band of 2019. I listened to a few of these bands and that review is here...


https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/04/breaking-out-vs-breaking-bad-class-of.html

This is the band's second album and it opens with  a faster more metallic take than what I heard the band do previous , which was the more ballad like title track from this album. It sounds like a pumped up version of Sliversun Pickups. Not really blown away by it. I can also hear less proggy stabs in the direction of Coheed and Cambria on "Omega". I think the more uptempo stuff fails to let shine the previous ear for melody that made me want check out an entire album in the first place. In this song when they do slow down it's an improvement. It is not until "Through Ash" that I hear any of that. The guitar playing is skilled and well produced. "Through Ash" is a vast improvement as it feels like they are not trying so hard and it flows in a more original direction. When they do build it up there is a greater sense of dynamics.

I think the problem with their more upbeat stuff is it all begins to sound the same. "Thorns" sounds like half the songs I have already heard on this album. Perhaps a more well done. Some of the more rock moments where they let up on the gas work well, and perhaps it's the drummer's fault as he tends to only have 3 variations of fast beats. "Motionless in Sky" .  In the more restrained progressive they are like a hard rock version of Dave Matthews. When they can create a blend of melodies and grooves like they do on "Thumb Spike" , why are they not doing this on a more regular basis as it is obvious this it where there strength lies . "Awe at All Angles" shows they can play at faster speeds and not have it sound like all the other songs. The title track does get metal at the end employing harsher vocals. The last song is kinda lukewarm, better than some of the fast shit though. I will give this album an 8.5, fun listen, nothing profound or ground breaking in any way.

Breaking Out Vs Breaking Bad : the Class of 2019

On Revolver Magazine's Facebook page they asked "Who Will Be 2019's Break Out Band" . So I picked ten bands whose names keep popping up. Granted this is Revolver so I went into it knowing it was going to be more mainstream than what I normally listen to. In fact there are a few bands that are rock n roll and not metal. Also what the fuck, how is nu-metal making a comeback, half these bands have a foot in nu-metal if not packing up and going to a Juggalo gathering. Here we go...


12 ft ninja 

Song I checked out - "One Hand Killing"

These guys are nu-metal,at first  the vocals remind me of Methods of Mayhem before they totally try to rip off Mike Patton.  They bring it a little more into 2019 with djent like syncopation. They are good at what they do, if you miss Incubus these guys are for you.

Alien Weaponry 

Song I checked out - "Kai Tangata"

The guitars kick in like Slipknot, but then things sound like Sepultura going more nu-metal than they did on "Roots". The clean vocals are kinda typical. Nothing special here.

Jinjer 

Song I checked out - "Pieces"

They are like a marginally more proggy version of  In This Moment . Their singer could use bigger tits. The guitar is better than the two previous bands.

Knocked Loose 

Song I checked out -"Mistakes Like Fractures"

Fuck the vocals are terrible. Other wise they are pretty generic metal core

Badflower 

Song I checked out - "Ghost"

Well this is the poppiest so far. But it is also most well written song so far. This is not metal even when it builds on the chorus. It is like Myspace never went away.

Moontooth

Song I checked out - "Crux"

This is not metal, but the guitar playing sounds good. This is like a pop country power ballad. The singer is pretty decent. These guys are neck and neck with the previous band. The singer sounds like he is from the Voice, as every thing is phrased with pop radio precision.

Psykotribe 

Song I checked out - "Take Control"

The riff is the most metal so far. I think it's a chick singers, she has a thrash metal. Not a great voice , but it works with what they are doing. Nothing that original.

Fever 333

Song I checked out - "Burn It "

Another nu-metal band, shit what is up with all these Hot Topic babies. These guys want to be Rage Against the Machine, but need a better bass player and drummer. The chorus sucks as it sounds like Linkin Park, who was the worst of the nu-metal bands.

Tetrarch 

Song I checked out - "Freak"

These guys are not bad, but there is a faint hint of Linkin Park that I am not sure about, as I hated that band so anything that reminds me of them is suspect, but these guys at least captured some of the darker parts of nu-metal that worked.

Liliac 

Song I checked out- "Enter Sandman"

Not sure why they were mentioned by multiple people as they are a cover band. To break out I think you have to write your own songs. Best case scenario they are a rock Hanson. Perhaps when she finishes growing up the drummer might be hot, not sure if that is enough to push them over the edge, since they are in Los Angles where that is a dime a dozen.

My verdict is it's a toss up between Moontooth and Badflower, though I would give Moontooth the edge as they are a little further removed  from the Myspace years.

Tamaryn : " Dreaming the Dark"

After clicking through and endless stream of albums from bands with good sounds but not good songs, it was a welcome relief to find an album that is focused on songs. I really liked her 2015 album "Crane Kiss" so that is the bar that is being held for her newest. It doesn't have the dense shoe gaze fog to it and is more stream lined like 80s new wave pop. Her voice is more lilted in more of an Annie Lennox direction. The production mimics the era being recaptured as things are purposefully more lo-fi and analog sounding. This is most profoundly felt in the beats. "Terrified" has a stronger melody and more nuanced vocal performance than the opener. I can hear and influence from both Tears for Fears and Roxy Music in the instrumentation.

There is a marginally darker sound on "Path To Love" as she sings in a lower alto. The guitar sounds on this album began to take on a little more of a Cure like quality in the effects that they are run through. This is more pronounced as the album gradually grows even darker on "Fits of Rage" . The vocals are smoother, yet get angrier on the chorus . This is interestingly counter balanced by the way she throws her voice around.  I know I am only four songs into this , but it seems like this is going to be the album's best song.  The album continues in more of a 4AD direction on "Paranoia IV" .  The vocal to this song is the first hint of Siouxsie have detected, which would have been an easy default mode. Things shift to more of an upbeat Depeche Mode vibe with "Victim Complex". The chorus to this song is pretty solid.

The dreamy "You're Adored" . Finds the vocals taking a more ethereal sound, and not in the more dominant place in the mix that they were on the pop songs. This is given a hard turn to the opposite direction for "the Jealous Kind".  It's almost a few bpms to happy for me. Things return to a more shadowy place on the title track that closes the album. While it is a little anti climactic, it's a decent song. Over all I will give this album a 9, I need to give a few listens with head phones to really sink into it.

Priests : " the Seduction of Kansas"

While it got a  great deal of  critical acclaim I never really gave  "Nothing Feels Natural " much of a listen. Because despite what I do here, I don't invest much in the record reviews of others, because, I am more concerned with how album is going to compare to the kinda of stuff I normally like. I did go back and check "Nothing Feels Natural " out after listening to this album, and it is safe to say this one doesn't come close to comparing. In fact the first song has more of a new wave Blondie like vibe to it. The guitars when they are audible are not as cool as the tones captured on the first album.   

The title track is more angular in it's groove. The production is a little weird . Most new wave from the 80s had a deep reverb to the mix, where this mix is very dry with the vocals up front. The bass begins to fill some of the gaps on "YouTube Sartre" while the guitar goes off into weirdness. So far the production on this album is very inconsistent. My first impression is the bass needs more balls to it. As it is it keeps the groove from being as slinky as it should be. On a song like "I'm Clean" the song writing compensates for this.  They begin to run out of gas on "Ice Cream" . At times they get more upbeat, but I would never call this band punk by any stretch of the term. I am glad they do get marginally more aggressive on "Good Time Charlie" .

In terms of song writing they are hit or miss for every good song there is something like "68 Screen" that seems like an idea of a song that was never fully fleshed out. They do manage a pretty decent guitar tone for " Not Perceived" , this allows for the song to be a little moodier. This song also offers more in terms of dynamics. The guitar becomes more discordant. Lyrically I think this is also the most interesting song so far. They get closer to the zip code of punk on "Control Freak" .  That however does not mean it's one of the album's best songs, as it's not as inspired as most. They continue in the same direction , but with less of an edge on "Carol".

Truth be told I would say this is new wave influence indie rock rather than post- punk, because this album is not dark nor is it driven by tension, which are the two most important qualities of how I would define post-punk in how it stands apart from rock music or punk. There is more of a Sonic Youth feel to "Texas Instruments" .The lyrics to this song are the most overtly political, but are balanced out by the music so I don't feel like I am being preached at. I will round this down to a 7.5 there are a few strong song, and then the rest is not a bad listen just not the most consistent. Compared to the first album she has improved as a singer, but the songs are not as good.