Death Cults : " s/t"

Almost half way through the year and it doesn't seem like I have come across much punk this year. So I went on the search for it. When it comes to punk I do not like pop punk, but still want melody. The first song gives me that , It is not the most aggressive punk owing a great deal to 90s indie rock. I an hear touches on Fugazi on the second . The pace also picks up on this one. They back off again and continue to pay homage to Fugazi on "Normalized". The biggest way this is conveyed is in how the vocals are emoted. "Get Off My Lawn" is even more up[tempo which should fit most expectations for better or for worse when it comes to punk. 

By the time we get to "Burn to Shine" I am only half listening and have to go back and give it another chance as it begins to blast by me in the way most punk albums will. Even then they never really revert to just 1, 2, 3, go punk. They are more rock n roll than Fugazi, but I can not unhear the Fugazi influence once it strikes me. Some of the more rock n roll sound comes from the guitars play a more traditional role than they do with Fugazi. This is due to the fact that the emphasis is different with Fugazi , because their drummer and bass player are so fucking good. The drummer and bassist of this band are good , but not Fugazi good.

The last song is a little darker mood wise. The vocals shift to a more dead pan sung style that I like better. I will give this album a  7.5, so it's pretty good nto just something I would find myself listening to a great deal, because well I own all the Fugazi albums and do not feel this band adds enough to the equation to sweeten the deal. However , if you like 90s punk and want something with more of a rock edge then this album is certainly worth your time.

Dionysian : Representations of the Id

These guys from Malaysia are more progressive than I expected. They are cleanly sludge and not doom. They are dark at times. Down trodden moments but not a mood of pervading despair. The opening track is 13 minutes long and while that is something that I would not normally be into, these guys take you places and keep it interesting. The vocals are a dry raspy mid-range howl, like most sludge. They bring a great deal of dissonance to the table. Some times they use clean post-rock like guitar tones. On the second song they get a little darker as the song breaks down into more angular passages. There are angular passages that it sails into. Sung vocals show up eventually as well. Their drummer is pretty incredible , the bass is not as good at keeping up with him as it gets clunky when they speed up. It sits pretty forward in the mix.

The song titles are longer than the songs. The third song hits with a more deliberate stomp. The vocals are layered shouts. The abrasive nature of the distortion when they drop into a chug should be enough to solidify them as sludge. There are some indie rock sections where it flows from clean guitar tones. At 16 minutes the song is long for even the most adventurous . Seven minutes in they do lock into a pretty convincing chug. This one does not succeed where the opener did . It should have been cut into two songs, as there is not enough of a thematic element to hold it all together. In fact the pause at the nine minute mark indicates this should have been two songs. The second half has more of a indie rock strum.

Things break down to a more fragile atmosphere on  "Where the Statue Meets the Shore". The bass tone remains a little clunky though I did not notice this until my second pass through the album. The last song is more straight forward with the vocals turning their bellow into an almost sung This album takes a great deal of commitment to absorb, I had to listen to it over the course of several sittings. For that reason even though I like it , this is not something I would listen to on a daily basis.I will give it an 8.5 and reccomend it for fans of sludge's more progressive side.  

4.2

Crooked Ghost : " Colors Bleed"

This gem was in my in-box. It once again shows why I do this. Sure I might be harsh with music I do not like . That is because it is taking valuable time from me in which I could be finding music like this. It has a murky jangle of guitars. Somewhat low fi mix, finds the overdubs going in every direction, but the sonic nature of this chaos some how works and his vocals top it all off well. There is a very organic, just plugged into the amp with little effects jangle to the title track, There is something sad and dark to the sound here even before the melancholy vocals come in. Of course I am going to like this guys voice as it's a trembling baritone that is emotive and flirts with his falsetto. The lead single "Sinew in Red" has a tension to it. Not the same kind of tension that most post-punk bands use, but like a brewing dark cloud of emotion.

It sounds like they just mic'ed the room the way feed back squeals out. This gives it a more punk feel even with the more crooned and tender moments of "Golden Blue". Some of these layers of guitar create a almost heavy canopy of sonic. In many ways they remind me of Merchandise.  These are not songs in the typical verse chorus sense . So do not wait for a hook as they make up for this in the weight of the vibe they create. It also creates an early emo feel, think Mineral here.

They they drop things down for the last song "Bright White Noise" / This one coasts more on a drone. It takes more time to grow on me than the first three. It is not a dark or tense, though they do slowly add more layers. He sings in a lighter and higher voice on this one. I have no problem rounding this one up to a 10. I can just leave it on and let i t play which is one of the best compliments I can give an album as I have so much music waiting for my attention. This will be in my top indie rock albums of the year . It comes out September 20th.    

Pale Grey Lore : " Eschatology"

These guys play a heavy handed version of drug laced Camaro rock. The vocals offer more hopefully floating sense of melody.The tight syncopated feel of what they do has as much as in common with Helmet as they do Kyuss. There is more to their songs than just bong worship. There is a more straight forward feel to the second song.  "Before the Fall" finds more melodic turn in guitar playing creating the atmosphere to open their up more. "Regicide" find the tempo shift into more of a boogie. It did not grab me at first and felt like an extension of the previous song, when I go back and listen to it I can hear the difference in the vocal pattern.  There is an even more dynamic shift on "Waiting For the Dawn" which carries a more relaxed 60's like strum. The vocals are simple , but sung well for what they are doing.

"thr Rift' finds them locked back in more of a boogie. They have a heavier and denser sound on "Void Cursed". It hit's hard and is heavy, though carrying the weight of a bad like Blue Cheer with a low end fuzz, not sure around here we would define this as metal, perhaps proto metal with less retro aspirations might be a better description.  "Silent Command" does have a kind of creepy hippie 60 s vibe. This is a lot like Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats, in terms of mood and sonic space it takes up. It is darker , but not the most compelling song on the album. The more uptempo "Undermined" doesn't stick with me as much. There are some guitar harmonies that are interesting, but over all the song doesn't not grip me as strongly as those on the front end of the album.

The title track takes the album out on a higher note, with dark angular groove and a great deal of atmosphere haunting the song. The vocal melody is more of an atmospheric element as it serves as more of a layer to the sound rather than playing a driving part of the song itself.  I will give this album an 8.5. It might not maintain the same momentum it starts off with, but never really drops the ball, some of it is just more straight forward than what I am normally into. This album comes out Sept 6, if you are into psyche- stoner- rock it is worth a listen for sure.

Mix Tape Apocalypse

Not going to do a great deal of extra narrative on this , except for the fact I used to like making mix tapes in high school so this is a throw back to that. Here are some of my favorite dark and angry songs, some are darker than others and some are angrier than the dark ones, but I think they all have their own voice. 

Starkweather- "Shroud"


 


 Cult of Youth- "Dragon Rouge"


 

 In Solitude-"A Buried Sun"


 

Dax Riggs "Night is the Notion"


 

New Model Army- "White Light"


 

 Only Living Witness - "Strata"


 

Fear of God - "Diseased"

 


 Beastmilk- "Surf the Apocalypse"

 


 Swans - 'Killing For Company"


 

Nick Cave " Push the Sky Away" 

 

Halshug : "Drøm"

Halshug is keeping things punk as fuck. That doesn't mean this album has to sound bad. The guitars are dialed in. The vocal are the typical yelled still with a little bit of rasp to them. They are from the Black Flag school of punk. There is an ominous under current to the tension of the verses to the second song. These guys are pretty decent song writers when it comes to punk. There is some hook to the guitars. I am not sure why Denmark keeps nailing the punk but they must have a great scene there. "Fantasi" is more your average punk that rips by without me really taking much notice even after the second listen. They do get my attention again with the more deliberate riff to the song that follows. It has more of a stomp to it.

There is a weird noise interlude that I am not even going to count for the purpose of this review. After this they come back snarling , though it sounds more like your average punk until they throw in a saxophone, which in turn causes it to sound more like the Stooges' "Funhouse" album. "Ingen Kontrol" also falls into the same rut of being closer to your average punk, thus taking away the more original edge this album's thoughtful moments have. They are not going out on a limb like Iceage, but it is the little things like the spoken vocals layering the shouted ones that give enough of a twist to things to keep them from sounding like every one else. There is also atmospheric weirdness toward the end of the song. It expands their sonic scope, but I feel like this could have been worked in to an even greater extent.

They accomplish this blending of atmosphere and punk to a more effective end on the last song "Illusion". It is a more central focus to the song and not just window dressing tagged onto it. The actual main riff to the song sounds like it was used earlier in the album. I will give this album an 8 because even the small experiements they use are certainly more than what most punk bands do and the parts that were too straight forward for me , well that is why I do not listen to more punk as it can all sound the same, These guys do enough to make a difference. 
 

Pleasure Leftists : "the Gate"

This band began to make a name for themselves with their first album "the Woods of Heaven" . They are taking  a step forward on this album. What I like about it is that it might take elements from the time period of post-punk, namely the guitar sounds and drumming, but they are not setting out to be post-punk. It feels very organic and natural. She has a great deal of rock n roll soul to her voice, maybe even more than the quirkier approach of Siouxsie. They do have some of the post-punk tension on "Try the Door". Her vocals balance this out. They give a depth of feeling their more sardonically indifferent peers do not possess. Her alto has some grit to it as well as dynamics and power. So everything I look for in a singer. The guitars are not drenched in effects. I imagine this is just what they sound like live but louder.   

On "the Return" it is clear Hayley also has a good grasp of hooks. Ok, it looks like I am stuck on her voice and will continue extolling it's virtues throughout this review. If you are a regular reader, then you know I tell it like it is and can be blunt about the faults of albums that are not up to my standards. But album's like this are why I do this. I scour through hundreds of albums sitting in my in-box for a gem like this to make it all worth it. The only thing I do notice six songs in is these songs are at a similar upbeat tempo. the darkness in some of these song is more prominent than others. It is more moody than at the Cure or Christian Death level where it becomes heavy it is so dark. Sometimes it is right below the surface and you have to listen harder for it. "Dancing In the Dark" is more up beat like Gang of Four. The surf rock guitar is the bearer of shadows on this song.

The drumming on the title track is more punk than post. The guitars linger behind it . The vocal wander a little. They cut through much better on the last song. The guitar is a little brighter, but her vocals make up for that . It is marginally slower than the other songs. It's this song where I here some similarities to Gwen Stefani in her voice. I'll give this album a 9, it's one of the better post-punk releases and finds this band stepping out ahead of the pack.


 

Live Review : Iron Maiden @ Lakewood Amphitheater

Let me preface this review, by saying this concert was less about me seeing Maiden and more about the fact it was my 9 year old daughter's first concert.We heard the openers from the parking lot and line for the bathroom. They sounded like the air freshener of the toilet smelled The set list was known so there were no surprises except for the elaborate production value of the show. It was pretty much a greatest hits set. Even Bruce admitted they have no new album, meaning at least they were not going to play new stuff/ They opened with "Aces High" . It was apparent Bruce was not warmed up yet and he was still trying to get back into the groove of preforming as the phrashing was really off on the verses , it sounded like he was mumbling. If you are new to the blog then you should know since Maiden is one of my favorite bands and Burce is one of my favorite singers, I don't give them a fan boy pass on things , but hold them to a higher standard and listen to it with closer ears. Speaking of closer ears. Mine were not ringing  afterwards. Since it was in a shed, the sound carried instead of smacking you. "Where Eagles Dare" found the dust continued to be knocked off. The band was certainly on point. I made it a point to listen to the guitar solos in order to hear which of the three are my favorite and the winner was Adrian Smith.

Bruce was back in it by the time they got to "Back In the Village" which is one of my favorites from "Powerslave". My daughter was engrossed in the experience up until revelations. Which for a 9 year old in 2019 who spends a great deal of time with the over stimuli of video games and Youtube, is pretty decent, and better than some of the adults. The twist to the set was the worked in a couple Blaze Bailey songs. I has only partial familarity with them as I have only listened to those albums a couple of times when they came out and like to forget those years. I think they should go back and record them with Bruce singing , but that is just me. I think Bruce at 60 years old and post -throat cancer is still a better singer than Blaze in his prime. "Revelations" was one of the more impressive songs in the set. Bruce sounded great on it so that helped. His voice sounded best on the melodic part two and a half minutes in.

The stage looked really cool for "Number of the Beast" which London said was her favorite song. Though she just likes saying 666. They were not as good as when I saw them in a theater for the "Seventh Son " tour.  But they were better than when I saw  them in 2012. The production value was bigger and the set list was better. I had already seen them play the "7th Son" songs before so that was rehashing. I am glad I got to hear things like "Wicker Man" and "Revelations" which I had not heard them play live before. If you get a chance to see them when they roll through your town it is highly recommended , even if you are only a marginal fan, and truth  be it seemed the audience was half marginal fans who wanted to scratch Iron Maiden off their bucket list. I think no matter what shade of metal you are into if you are not wowed into the up most respect for these guys when you seen them live, then you really don't know shit about shit and I could careless what you think of music. 

Falls of Rauros :"Patterns in Mythology"

The fifth album from this Portland band finds the boundaries of the black metal label a little to confining. Five albums in can you blame them ? This is felt from the opening instrumental that could be one of Russian Circles more metallic moments, feels like more of an intro and less of a song to me. "Weapons of Refusal" carries more of a snarl. The sonic buzz of the tremolo picked guitar is well done, though not invoking the sense of darkness I want from black metal. I am not saying this is not black metal or false, but certainly comes at it from a lighter angle. There is an almost folk break at the six minute mark. Not a new trick for the band, but done in a more introspective manner. The guitar tones on this album are incredible . The over all production is very crisp. Perhaps if it had been dialed in a little rougher like say a Craft album, any questions of blackness would be mute

There is some great guitar playing going into the song "New Inertia".  We can say this is post whatever. It is a blend of melodic playing countered by the hateful vocals. These screams sit atop the song which still sweeps you away with it's majesty despite the band vomiting the obligatory blast beaten sections. If you miss when Deafheaven once played something closer to metal then this will appeal to you. They are not just going for a sound, but a well layered and dynamic approach to song writing.  "Renouvellement" is slower and more atmospheric with actual sung vocals surfacing midway into the song. It almost sounds  like it is an intro to a prog rock song.

There is a more casual rock feel going into "Last Empty Tradition' with guitar playing that will appeal to fans of shred guitar though this is more tasteful than a barrage of wanking arpeggios. The vocals are marginally lower growl. Still surrounded by dazzling guitar playing, though not heavy or the dark dissonance one might associate with black metal.It seems like they have grown away from the expected confines of the genre. There is a wonderful shift in mood midway into the song, though this does give way to a build up that has more aggression, thus fitting closer into being black metal. Though I do not feel anything that is particularity dark about these moments. `

Bass leads off the last song, that is more mid paced. This deliberate tempo offers more opportunity for layered guitar melodies.This is sacrificed in order to pick up the pace and go into the more typical American black metal sound. In the songs final minutes they bring it down to a mellower strum. Overall this is one of the better sounding albums in the blackened zip code I have heard this year . I will give it a 9.5. I think I gave you enough reasons why you might like this album, so no need to sum that up. Give it a spin.

Maiden Voyage : Iron Maiden's "No Prayer For the Dying"

The 1990 follow to Seventh son, finds the band firmly still locked into their classic sound. The first two songs it's business as usual. Things open up and get more melodic in a manner that strays from their tired and true sound on the title track. Most of the staples are their like the guitar harmonies , you can heart this is where they started playing around more with them. The choruses are strong and anthemic as the band swings for the fences.They had perhaps more drive and aggression than they did on Seventh Son. More melodic elements creep in on "Fates Warning" along with stellar guitar playing.When it kicks in the power the gallop off with is consistent with what they have been doing up until this point. There is a more brooding tension to "Assassin".

"Run Silent Run Deep" opens up with a darker moodier tone before they eventually build up into the chugged gallop you want from them. Bruce's voice sound good. Though he is not going above and beyond the call of duty.  There is part of this song that makes me think it could have been on "Powerslave". The come the two most rock n roll songs on the album. The first being "Hooks in You". A more sexual lyrical tone pervades this song. The chorus is extra hooky, no pun intended. "Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter". might be my favorite on this album. It is the most memorable.  "Mother Russia" is the more grandiose side of Maiden. Not really in the Mariner way, but more progressive and exotic in it's larger than life melodies.

It is pretty easy to give this album a 10. It has held up well over the years. I think it marks the end of an area. "Fear of the Dark" is good, but this one feels more tied to the continuity of the band in their glory days, where from a production stand point "Fear of the Dark" marks them turning a different corner. 

Lingua Ignota : "Caligula"

You might have heard Kristen Hayter on albums by the Body or Full of Hell. I can tell you right now I am going to be a hard sell on this because not only to I own albums by Jarboe, but I also own albums by Diamanda Galas. So freaking out and screaming is nothing new. The choral piece she opens with  works , though it makes me think if St Vincent formed a multi tracked choir the results might be similar. She gets into the darker Diamanda Galas side of what she does n the second song. The screaming freak out she has will appeal to fans of the body. But Diamanda Galas did it 25 years ago already.It gets noisy and doesn't even form a song. For all the musical training she has had, she some of the layers of vocals are not in key. This makes the harmonies feel awkward. 4 minutes into "Butcher of the World " we get actual music. When she focuses on making music rather than noise it's interesting. Though this is going to be one of those album's like the Body where the noise is obnoxious and I have to  stomach through it. Though her voice is no where near as annoying as the guy from the Body.

She has great song titles and ballsy lyrics, so I appreciate some of her ideas. Execution is another thing. The synths when they shown up are purposefully over driven from the mix. I think some of the dynamics could have been more effective if not run through the filter of noise. She is working with "noise artists" on this album so it's all intentional. In 1987 there was an artist who made a stir  New York art galleries with s a piece call the "Piss Christ" where the artist took a crucifix and submersed it in a jar of his piss. This is the musical equivalent of that. She can put some power behind her voice, and might really be able to use it, but it is squandered on these minimalist jaunts that are pissed on by noise. Thing do get darker for "If the Poison Won't Take You My dogs Will". I think when the screaming comes in on this song it is more effective. So I am not opposed to it. I just want it to be well done.

 There more of a dirge like feel to "Days of Tears and Mourning" the screamed chaos of the more black metal vocals work within reason here.  "Sorrow Sorrow Sorrow" is a piano piece that is rather sedate. "Spite Alone Holds Me Aloft" falls into the same self destructive pattern that other songs have in regards to the souring of dynamics in order to create noise."Fucking Death Dealer" is almost a baroque folk song. There is no noise, just a song, it works, imagine that. There is some noise at the edges of the discordant sorrowful "I am the Beast". Her vocal runs are a little Diamanda, but that is ok. When this songs builds up into heavier chaos it is done in a way that makes more sense. There are some good songs and good sounds on this album. It is not all obnoxiously jarring, but 40 percent of it is so I will give this album a 6. It comes out July 19th on Profound Lore.

Soundtrack to Today

Life happens. Music is my best therapy for when it does. It is the best way for me to process some feelings. While there is common theme here, nothing is one shade. So there are variations of genres here to display the shades of this feelings, the circle around forms of pop.Lyrically they all speak to me in different voices. Maybe I need this because I am bi-polar so I will swing from one end to the other processing those feelings. I they are all here to represent the various aspect of this.So here i my sound track for today. If you find yourself in a similar place then perhaps they will help you as well. 



Slothrust - "Walk Away"




 Chelsea Wolfe -"Mistake In Parting"

 

Ryan Adams - "All You Had to Do Was Stay"

 

 Marissa Nadler- "Blue Vapor"

 


Chrvrches-" Never Say Die"



 The Shins- "Turn On Me"


 


Twin Shadow -"Obvious People"





Chevelle - "I Get It "





Pale Waves -"Black Waves"

 

Maiden Voyage : Iron Maiden's"Brave New World"

Normally when I go back and review older albums to see how they stand up they fall under the "Looking Back In Anger " column, but since I am readying myself for this weekend's Iron Maiden concert I decided to review a perhaps more underrated album each day until the show. After a 7 year hiatus Bruce returned for their 12th album. It finds them with a gritter sound that is true to who they are while not relying on the sounds from the 80s. I think what works on this album are the same things that have made the band relevant still today.  The proggy side of the band is indulged more on the title track. It's great guitar work so I won't complain. It finds its gallop in time and represents Maiden well.  I like the bass line that opens up "Blood Brothers". The song starts off more prog than metal. Bruce's voice sounds great.  "The Mercenary" is back to a more metallic fare, though it is more on the mid paced side.Sounds like it could have been a b-side from "Piece of Mind".

The angular nature of the prog they go into on "Dream of Mirrors" feels a little awkward until they smooth things down by dropping down to more of a subdued pulse. It builds up into the gallop you want from them. Dickinson's voice does has a little wear and tear on it in the more aggressive accents to " the Fallen Angel". The song has enough metallic drive to carry you past this fact."The Nomad" is the first song that is without a doubt metal by anyone's standards. "Out of the Silent Planet" has a more melodic quality. I am also noticing more strummed guitar parts on this album.It works and it is what I want from Maiden though I am not sure if it is as compelling as the rest of the album.

The closing anthem "Thin Line Between Love & Hate" mixes a darker moody element into the more straight forward palm muted tension they commonly employ. When the song breaks down into the melodic section it gets really interesting.This one easily gets a 10, making it a little better than "Fear of the Dark" . I am glad I gave this one another listen as I had not paid much attention to it since back when it came out.

Northlane : "Alien"

This band from Australia plays a version of  metal core with electronic elements that are blended in a pretty interesting manner as they morph with the drum kit. The vocal are screamed for this song.The guitar  has traces of djenty Meshuggah worship in the tone and the way it thumps. The second has melodic sung vocals on the verse and then the screamed vocals join in for the build up. The electronic atmosphere is still haunting this song though not as prevalent. on the 3rd song there is a Linkin Park element that I am kinda tuning out and the novelty of what they do is beginning to wear thin. "Talking Heads" doesn't do much original until it comes to the chorus with the sung vocals, but this is not far from a great deal of the Myspace metal. "Freefall" has an interesting riff, before breaking down in the sung vocal and the bass player takes over.

I space out and check back in on "Eclipse". An album has to hold my attention for me to consider it good. This one has it's moments. "Rift" is a more ballad like electronic song . It does has some movement and the synths on this one actually are what gives it an edge, which is a twist on their normal formula. They are not afraid to experiment which is one of their better qualities. You can not say all the songs sound the same. It is however an example of how experimental doesn't always mean original.  I had to give "Paradigm" another listen. There are poppy elements that build into their more crunchy screaming metal. In ways these guys remind me of a heavier version of 30 Seconds to Mars. Much like that band, how good they are varies from song to song. "Vultures" find them getting heavy in a more djenty way. Heavy does not always mean better. I think when they get heavy they have a tendency to lose sight of their more unique qualities.

"Sleepless" works off of their more ballad like pop qualities with little bursts of their more aggressive side. I will give this album a 7. If you are already a fan of this band, then this kind of super slick and produced chunky pop metal is your thing. I think it might not be the thing for the bulk of the readers here who tend to lean more in the doom or black metal direction. But if you like mainstream metal it is certainly worth a listen as it is well done. What is being done well is just not the kind of music I am into.

Maiden Voyage : Iron Maiden's "Fear of the Dark"

Normally when I go back and review older albums to see how they stand up they fall under the "Looking Back In Anger " column, but since I am readying myself for this weekend's Iron Maiden concert, I decided to review a perhaps more underrated album each day until the show. This album took a while to grow on me. I am unsure, why I did not like this album when it came out in 1992. I think when it came to heavy music at that time I was more into Morbid Angel and Deicide. It was certainly on the cusp of when music was changing.  A few years back I went back to listen to this album and had more of an appreciation for it.   I like the lyrics to "Here to Eternity" , though not a fan of the gang vocals on the chorus. The make the song too happy. There is a bluesier guitar tone in places than we have heard on previous albums. "Afraid to Shoot St ranges " is a great song as it has a dynamic range and displays a moodier vocal from Dickinson. The production on this album takes some of the teeth from the guitar so I can understand why at the time of its release it was less impressive as a metal album in terms of heaviness when pitted against Morbid Angel or Pantera.

The more rock n roll tone of the guitar takes away some of the heft from the guitar on "Fear is the Key". The song itself reminds me a little of Dio. The mood is a little darker thanks to the riff going into the chorus than the previous songs, so that certainly works for me. "Childhood's End' opened the door for the style of prog rock that the band would incorporate more into future albums. It doesn't grab me as much as the previous songs. The power ballad "Wasting Love" has more power than ballad and up til this point ballads were rare for the band, so I like that is shows a different side of Bruce's voice. The do get marginally heavier on "Fugitive" which carries the spirit of a song like "the Prisoner" , so more in lie with classic Maiden.  They carry this torch into "Chains of Misery" though tempered with rock n roll. Once again, the gang vocals on the chorus are iffy for me. The riff on the verse reminds me of the Scorpions.

Though the riff to "the Apparition" doesn't really sound like something they would have down up to this point, as a song it still works for me. It does highlight how weird the mix on this album is. There is a great groove before the guitar solo though. "Judas My Guide" is a mid-paced rock with guitar work , that upholds the classic Maiden standard. "Weekend Warrior" has a riff that has an AC/DC feel. The song fortunately carries a greater range of dynamics than AC/DC. The lyrics are dumb and the phrasing feel awkward. The title track stands shoulder to shoulder with the best of their classic songs. It what you want from these guys. I will round this up to a 10 as the one song that doesn't work for me, might be a fast forward classic, but I will sometime give a listen if it comes on shuffle. I think the great songs like the title track compensate for it.  . 

Cerebral Rot : "Odious Descent into Decay"

I told my self if this album doesn't come with song writing from the get go I am not going to waste my time with this and move on. To me glee they pcik up where Disma left of. It 's dark and gritty. Guttural vocals that are literally in the gutter. It owes a great deal to old school death metal without ripping off Morbid Angel. It has more in common with Obituary. Though rougher around the edges and the vocals are lower and not as tormented as Tardy. They make some really weird production choices with a guitar part on the second song. While it has not descended into sounding like every one else I am thinking that they are going to need to start adding some other elements in order to prevent. The guitar stay dirty and dense, one thing you can say about this album is there is nothing blackened to be found, it stays true to it's roots.

The bass is a little buried in the mix. The drums are not too booming and over produced. It sound like they are playing in a mildewed basement. There is some weird vocal layering on " Reeking Septic Mass". The lyrics are pretty much a mute point. The vocals are gurgled so low, they are impossible to make out. What I do not want them to do is how they start off the Eponymous song. They slow it down into heavily accented parts and double bass. By the time we are at "Putrefaction" it is evident this is not going to be one of the most original death metal albums. I would say even less original than Disma. They are very good at what they do. What they do is often attempted, these guys just pulled it off better.  "Sardonic Repentance" slows things down to an almost doom pace, and while this year has burned me out on death doom they touch upon this in a very convincing manner.

The charm of what they do begins wearing off with the hammering of "Repulsive Infestation of Cadaver". They do slow back down for the verse showing they care about the songs to some extent .  The song after this one has more groove which helps to win me over. Heavy alone will not sell me on a band. Said groove is not maintained through out and there are some breaks for brutal blasts if that is your thing. The murky mood suits my ears better. The last song doesn't pick up the tempo too much for too long there are few blasty parts, but they slow into a riffs that are fast enough just to get a circle pit started.I will give this an 8.5. It falls into many of the pitfalls death metal tends to though I am more likely to listen to this album again than most of the death metal that crosses my in-box. Comes out August 16th on 20 Buck Spin.

Bleach Everything :" So We Gnaw"

 It is clear that despite the fuzzy blown out tone of this recording and the primitive hard core they rumble out from it that these guys know what they are doing. They should since they are comprised of guys from the likes of Darkest Hour, Mammoth Grinder and Iron Reagan. The sound of Iron Reagan being the more prominent  if you compared the influences of the their collective resumes.One you get about 4 songs in the punk side begins to make everything sound the same. Their is a more metallic d-beat sound until the more dumbed down leanings of punk take hold in "Soft Bigotry". They are more impressive earlier in the album. The first song almost has a sludge feel to it. There are some catchy riffs still laced with enough anger to keep them legit. 

The harshly yelled vocals keep the lyrics from really being in your face, but the song titles are enough to tell you they are political. I am glad I can't make them out. I tend to stray away from wanting politics mixed with my music even when it comes to punk where that is more of a thing. I remember when Trump first got elected , people consoled themselves with the fact that perhaps they might get some good punk out of it. There did not seem to be an increase until 3 years later. Since these same people who bitch on the internet about the world they only see from the filter of their Facebook feed, they are unlikely to actually vote. Even if the system was not already rigged  and it would do any good so for the next five years we are going to see even more widespread influx of punk.

You are asking the computer screen, so why are you talking politics now? There is not much mroe to say about what these guys are doing because if you heard one angry punk song you have heard them all. I do like the last song "Dumb and Dug In" because it offers more in the way of dynamics and the riffs have more of an edge to the,. We have been getting all in your face aggression for the duration so needed some sonic variations. I will give this album a 7.5, these guys are good at what they do . I wish what they do was more like the first and the last song. Still it is well done , since the genre itself does not lend it self to a ton of new thoughts.

Maiden Voyage : Iron Maiden's"Somewhere In Time"

Normally when I go back and review older albums to see how they stand up they fall under the "Looking Back In Anger " column, but since I am readying myself for this weekend's Iron Maiden concert I decided to review a perhaps more underrated album each day until the show, so here begins our Maiden voyage. I starting this with their 1986 album  'Somewhere in Time"  This album was very decisive when ti came out and many though it was a sell out because it had synths on it. Up to this point the band was a relentless touring machine and pumping albums out since "Number of the Beast", so I can understand why they wanted to progress as on the album before this one they ventured into a more proggy side with the mammoth "Rime of the Ancient Mariner". The opening title track, has the driving gallop and Bruce singing his balls off so not sure what else you could need from these guys. There is a more user friendly hook to "Wasted Years" which I can understand the concern about, but it is one of the band's best songs from a song writing perspective, despite not being one of the heavier offerings.

There is a more rock n roll feel to "Sea of Madness" . Nico's drumming on this is outstanding.All the elements you can want from this band are in play. I think Bruce's voice might even sound better , though he is not going for some of the outrageous notes he hits on "Powerslave". It's a smoother performance from him. Things get really melodic and interesting on the solo section. The first song that threatens to get to happy for me is "Heaven Can Wait" it's mainly in the refrain of the chorus and the sing - along part. I am not a fan of sing along parts. Lyrically obtuse, I have always liked "the Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner" . There is a more melancholy touch to it. This also carries  over into "Stranger In a Strange Land". "Deja-vu" also carries a darker and this time more sinister tone, until you get to the chorus.

In the 80's and eight and a half minute song was still pretty long. "Alexander the Great" is this album's long winding epic. It is yet another song that has a darker moodier current to it. It also has some great guitar playing.  This album was worn out by me when it came out, the songs still stand up and it is as much fun to listen to now as it was then so I will give it a 10.

Playlists & Rituals

Seemed a good time to make one of these. Now pretty much doing these as special occasions hit me. Music can capture moods and feelings adding intensity to moments. I have always needed it to inspire translating feelings into a physical form, Beats to work as a metronome. They align the heart rate. They increase blood blow. They pulse and quiver. I tend to listen to industrial to inspire violence of a carnal nature. Here are some thematic song that have a more dynamic quality, They show a greater range of physicality put into play. They touch on different colors. Rituals of birth and the breeding process. Making us more aware of the animal. In nature exposed with the rest of the world only catching glimpses. To the more theatrical pageantry music adorns with candle light. So suck in these sounds and appreciate them as much as they appreciate you. 


Die Antwoord - "Daddy"




 


Angel Spit - "Devilicious"


 


In This Moment - "Adrenalize "


 


Genitorturers - "One Who Feeds"



   

 Orgy -Fetisha


 


 New Years Day -"Gangsta" 




Kidney Thieves- "Spank"


 



 Marilyn Manson- "Para-noir"



 


KMFDM- "Ready to Blow"

Bestialord : " Black Mass Wedding"

I appreciate the creepy spookiness of the opening track that reminded me of the satanic black metal from the late 80s. It is the driving riff of the second song that demand more attention. At times they come across like a more metallic version of Acid Witch. Their riffs have a great deal of groove to them that gives things a more musical quality than what death metal would become. Perhaps this is because it pays more homage to a time when death metal first splintered off from thrash. Things like hooky vocal refrains are still in place. I would not call "This World My Tomb" doom, but is is more deliberate. The vocals are like a gravelly spoken chant more than an out right growl so the lyrics come out front an center. There is more power behind the chug of "Magnus Mater". The thrash tendencies are also stronger here.

"Dr Phibes" finds the lyrics getting a little silly. Was fine with all the fund and game satanic shit , but if there is not a great deal of conviction with the horror stuff then it needs to be darker than what is going on with this song. Sure there are cool riffs , but cool riffs alone do not a good song make. The album starts getting mired in less than inspired retreading of ground they have covered until they come back with "Writhe With Serpents" which plays on more of the darker thrash side. I am into how their sound expands on the closing "Now It Begins". The riff has more groove to it. It almost carries a "Black Album" like swing to it.

My only complaint has nothing to do wit the actual music. It is more about the press release which tried to lead me to believe it had something to do with Lovecraft it it's theme and that is not the case. Musically these guys surprised the hell out of me. If you are looking for some straight up old school metal, then these guys are more than worth your time. Particularly if you are like me and the version of that is dark and satanic. I will round this up to a 9.

False : "Portent"

The second full length from a band with black metal aspirations out of Minnesota. And area cold enough to capture the mood the music was meant for. This album has a great deal of hype behind it as their female singer gave the more politically correct hipsters something to get behind, despite black metal now being not as favored among hipsters , but more prominent in metal as a whole,. Is the hype warranted for surely this is going to be on a great deal of end of the year best of lists since it is an album that is supposed to be their if you are a thinking mans millennial metal connoisseur. This band falls into the same trap many other bands have of late. The album sounds good. All the sound are dialed in from a production stand point even to the point that on sound alone they certainly sound legit. The problem however being less emphasis on song writing despite the bulk of the albums consists of three songs all over the ten minute mark.

The second song might be darker than the first , but if I had not glanced up to look at the screen I would have assumed it was all the same song. So the dynamic range of what they do is not great. Lots of blast beat. The play chords that should carry and icy sound, but I am not feeling any darkness coming from the intent within these songs. Instead I hear the right notes being played with not a great deal of conviction of hatred behind them,Where they have improved on some level is the prominence of keyboards that help add shadows to the mood. "the Serpent Sting, the Smell of Goat' is a great song title. Letting up on the blasty beast and allowing the song to breath is their best idea yet.  It allows you to hear that the drummer is great. The bassist is also not slouch. The guitars play it rather safe though. There is a little more variance of emotion in her snarl here, but the vocal are the weak link of the album as she is a one trick pony.  This makes all the songs sound even more similar. Five minutes into this one and I can not imagine any justification for dragging it on another 11 minutes.Five minutes later things break up for a bit and it sounds like they are jamming over a more epic atmospheric section with more interesting guitar riffs.

If you are fine with settling with a 2019 take on the second wave of black metal that sounds good , but not much in the way of song writing then you might find this album growing on you. If you aske more from black metal and need to feel it invoke hatred and darkness these guys might sound like their name and prove to be poseurs.  I will give this album a 7.5. It doesn't suck and if you are already a fan then you will like this. If you are tired of the same old same old, then you might not be as impressed.

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Drab Majesty : "Modern Mirror"

The odd duo's 3rd album finds them continuing to mature. Their songs draw you in even further as they have expanded their sonic range while staying true to the foundation of their sound. There is a more Cure like mood, that is layered with futuristic synths that are also analog and retro at the same time. The more retro synth gain dominance along side the 80s new wave feel of " the Other Side". I think the urgency of the vocals is what works for me. Though it is not as impressive as the album's opener. The vocals stay moody, even when the music behind them is more upbeat and almost like Roxy Music. I prefer the darker sound of "Noise of the Void". This also touches on a more Cure like guitar sound. "Dolls In the Dark" hovers around the middle road between dark wave and new wave. Flirting with both but committing to neither.

Dynamics are the name of the game. They are the Holy Grail this project needs to tap into in order to sperate themselves from the other acts like this that hover between dark wave and new wave. I think it is the indie rock culture they comes from that keeps them from engulfing themselves in the melodrama of dark wave. There is a more shoe gaze feel to the guitar of "Long Division" and the singer from No Joy lends her voice to some vocal that layer the song.  That is not the end of the shoe gaze sounds to glaze this albums . The guitar on the last song invokes the same feeling. When the song kicks in it is however more uptempo and poppy. It works for what they do. I am not sure I would say it goes above and beyond and wows me in any way like the first song.

They have taken a step forward. I am not sure this breaks them through to a larger audience . I think they earned that from touring behind the last album, but it certainly puts them on the same tier as Cold Cave. I will give this album a 9. There are some spots where things begin to sound the same, but the groove and mood of the album keep it going.


 

Pigs Off Campus : " IdNr"

This German band has a lot going on. In the first song there is more of a moody feel and it is more post-punk than punk, though the vocals are yelled desperation and not anger. The male vocals are angrier. They never release the hard core and I think that makes the tension more powerful. There song is less unique on the second song when they are more punk. The guitar still maintains a cleaner sound and it's left of center from what you expect from your every day punk. The bass player and the guitar tone are the two strong points of their sound. The vocals are the weak spot as they are just yelled with varied levels on intensity. They begin to let the hard core slip out by the 3rd song. They sing in their native tongue . While it works for me, Americans can be weird about it like they are weird about sub titles , but refuse to speak anything but English.

Despite having some cool sounds to work with when things just stay punk it can sound like any other punk band that came out after 2010.  The moody instrumental works well, but I wish it was an actual song with vocals. Though the vocals on the song that follows this makes me reconsider that statement. When they slow down and think about what they are doing and get depressed over it the results are much better. I will say German is a weird language for punk. Dutch and French might work better, Just from the perspective of phrashing.

They hang onto the punk and take it a step further into hard core on the last song, but the bass line helps keep me in the game and the more metallic slant of the guitar that comes in. They have a good sound and take a pretty decent stab at song writing even though the vocals limit the range of dynamics they can achieve. I will give this an 8.5. If you like dark punk give this a try.

Phobia : " Generation Coward"

The California kings of Grind core are back with their 7th album. This time the theme seems to be the inter net culture of the Millennials. The album's title alone calls out a generation of  thin skinned man babies.  They are very metallic around the edges, though look into that blasting punk beat . Like most grind core bands the problem they face is not being able to allow their songs to go any where. You get quick bursts of what could have been a good song if it was over a minute.  "Internet Tough Guy" is certainly a timely topic. If you are pissed off reading the comments section you should play this song to get perspective.This song proves they do not have to stick to radio format, but a minute and forty five seconds is good. They do cram some cool stuff into a minute, but the rule around here is cool riffs alone do not a good song make.

The vocals are like old school death metal, giving these guys a great deal in common with Napalm Death. "PC Fascist Fuck Off" is to be louder and longer for the people in the back. Midway into the album it loses some of it's inspiration. Everything seems to sound the same. They regain my attention with "Miserable Awakening" . It has a grinding groove rather than just throwing everything at me a 100 mph. Then on "To Be Convinced" it is clear these guys are good at what they do , but it just sounds like any ultra aggressive punk influenced death metal. Which could be a description of most grind core.   

I think it's the crusty hint to the post-apocalyptic power of "Condemned to Hell" that sets them apart. They need this darker touch more often. I do think they are darker than most grindcore, so that is why I like them more than your average hard core. You can also hear how they influenced bands like Nails.I was going to  give this album a 9, but I will round it up to a 9.5 ,as it grows on me the more I listen to it. I like their attitude here and punk is all about the attitude.  For a genre that is more about aggression and the onslaught rather than song writing these guys use their 30 years of experience to own their sound. They succeed at what the set out to do and taught the younger bands a lesson. This album comes out August 9th on Willowtip records.

Wear Your Wounds : " Rust on the Gates of Heaven"

Jacob of Converge has established a more permanent line up that consists of members of The Red Chord, Cave-in,  Trap-Them and Hate Breed. But do not let that deceive you this has metallic elements in play but could only loosely be called a metal band. Ben Chisholm of Chelsea Wolfe fame, contributes as well. So does Gared  from PlanesMistakenforstars. His appearance I was most excited about though it is often relegated to the background since this is Jacobs show and it can be hard to tell their voice apart in places.  Jacob's singing voice has improved. Granted he has effects on it and is not projecting it. But he can hold a tune. Gared from Planes comes in behind him to bolster the melody. I like that this is darkly melodic. I comes with a  heavier build that is not metal, but works. It would most easily be filed under post-rock. "Paper Panther" is more straight forward sonic rock with the post rock atmosphere dialed down.

 There is am ore spoken tone to his voice on "Tomorrow's Sorrows" which winds it's way around to a heavy chugged riff. "Brittle Pillar" also has some heft to it. I like the fact he is using restraint since if this was a Converge album he would have already been screaming. It turns into a sludgey rumble. "Truth Is a Lonely Word " manged to be darker un expected ways that are not tangible and best heard. I can say this song has some great guitar playing. "Rainbow Fades" has some sounds that are already familiar to this project like soft whispered vocals and an almost ballad like intro. The guitar playing gets more Pink Floyd like when we are in the meat of the song. "Love In Peril " mood-wise feels like it could have come from "Crack the Skye".  The weak spots in his voice come through on "Lurking Shadows" thought it still works because he has made no illusion as to begin a great singer and exploits this fact in Converge"s earlier work. There cool touches of country in the guitars to this song.

If Pink Floyd's "Obscured By Clouds " had been the soundtrack to a movie about a serial killer the sound might have been like "Shrinking Violet". The  album ends as it began with a instrumental piano centered piece.  I will give this one an 9.5 . The guitar playing on this album is fucking great. It's not Converge, but it doesn't need to be.

the Appleseed Cast : " The Fleeting Light of Impermanence"

The opener has more of an odd math rock jangle than I remember the band having when I listened to them in the 90s. The mix is weird with the drums having a very raw sound like they were recorded in the practice space. On "Petition" you can hear where they influenced bands like Death Cab For Cutie.There is more of a flowing groove here. There are more electronic elements than I remember the band having this time around. "Time the Destroyer" is a great song that is darker . It blends atmosphere and melody while having a subtle drive. "Collision" falls in line with the sound they are known for , perhaps it rolls with more ambiance, but carries the same emotional current you would expect from them.

Some of the songs begin to share uniform patterns. It requires a second listen to tell them apart if you are not paying attention as the album loses it self in the flow. More more dominant synth line separates'the Journey " from the other songs. Though it sounds like it could be an extension of the previous song if they jammed it out. This album proves that these guys are certainly the most progressive band from this genre. The vocals are more sparse as the sonic sprawl takes over. The vocals are often mixed into the background or deep within the swathe of synths , but are laid bare in the middle of "Asking the FIre" . This is another of the album's more outstanding songs. It comes all the dynamics they have in play with emotional depth. That is what emo used to mean before it became about hair cuts.

Waiting two minutes for the song to happens on "Reaching the Forest" is a bit much. The actual song it self is kinda straight forward for these guys. The last song is more of what I want from them. The bass line drives a groove until it builds into a soaring climax. The vocals don't come in until half way into the song. I will round this up to a 9.5. The songs that did not grab me from the get go will grow on me. Their return did not disappoint me.

She Past Away : "Disko Anksiyete"

Right from the first song I can tell their 3rd album is more polished and has more of a new wave feel than dark wave. It is more overtly 80s retro like something from a Knight Rider episode than brooding from the cat cave. The vocals sit back in the mix. They are not a murky. Nor are they draped as thickly in reverb. In fact I would go as far to say this is almost too upbeat. It is certainly more in the zip code of Lust For Youth, though not as poppy as their most recent album.  The second song is darker and the vocals take on a more familiar goth like tone. This vibe is repeated on the third song, but more juxtaposed against the peppy dance beat. The guitar kinda blends into the mix so less post-punk tension and more new wave.

"La Maldad" is more driven by the bass line, though the guitar oddly sounds like it could be from a country song. Granted Sisters of Mercy set the standard by staying in the low bass croak. Many bands have followed in their foot steps. Andrew Eldritch's voice is more resonate. He can actually sing. Many of his imitators do not have the same talents as he and the result is what we are getting here.
They continue with the more upbeat mood on "Renksiz" . The vocals stay glum but every thing else skips ahead into the 80s. The songs are compactly written. Some carry more of a down trodden thump than others as the album progresses. I think how the guitars factor into the mix also is telling of how they retain their authentic sound. Eventually thanks to the vocals the songs begin to sound the same. Though this was avoided until the last few songs on this album. Some times the synths and guitars work past the vocals and make the song more unique, but this is harder than it should be for them. The atmosphere being less thick there is more of an ear put toward listening to the actual song.

Three albums in so the formula is settling into place and getting smoothed out. This is a mature step forward for these guys . With that said I doubt I will listen to this album again, as I have other stuff that dos the same thing. I will give this an 8 because it does sound good and if you are into these guys then you will enjoy this so it was a success on their part.

Illrya : "Carpathian Summit"

If you blended Deafheaven with Between the Buried and me the results would be similar to this band. Less post rock and more metallic than Deafheaven for sure. The guitars drone less and create more intricate patterns . The sung vocals are more Myspace metal. Emo without being whiny. If you think these guys are black metal, then you must not know anything about black metal. First and foremost they are not very dark. They are interesting in some of the groove they create. They car about their songs. More influenced by hard core than black metal for sure. Things get much more melodic going into "Autumn Fades Away" which is almost a ballad. Four minutes in and they come closer to black metal than they have thus far.

"Echo 2" confirms my hard core suspicions. Musically they are more adventurous than your average hard core band. There is touch of math rock in their progressive leanings. 'the Second Day of Spring" blew right past me. It has more of a post rock indie rock clean jangle. In the final minute the song does build up much like the one before it, so a formula is in place despite their more progressive side. "Swansong" remains interesting even with the Deafheavn vocals. The song after this decides why stop with a goof thing and sounds like "Swansong" did not end . That is until the blat beats , which are no more black metal than Deafheaven's most recent album, which is none. The title track is a 13 minute power ballad that is one of the album's most progressive songs. The screaming does come in midway through. The bass player really proves their chops on this one.

"the Final Bastion" is a more straight forward stab at what they do that leans more into the metal side. The last song finds them delving deeper into their emo side. The bass player provides a often jazzy bass line. When the harsh vocals come in they are lower and more death metal which is a welcome change. I will give this album an 8.5. It runs the gambit from post-metal, to emo to progressive , if you like Myspace era bands but also like Deafheaven then this is for you. It is not something I Would lidten to on a regular basis, but i can not deny how well done this is, so I will give it an 8.5
8.5

Advent Sorrow : " Kali Yuga Crown"

 I know I do not cover black metal as much as I used to. It is not because I like it any less. It is because it has all started to sound the same. I do hunt for something that is different. I want something that is darker and more melancholy. This band from Perth hits both of those marks and the album does not sound like it was recorded in a closet. It is not too blast beat heavy. The vocals are varied snarls, sort like what Shining used to do many moons ago. They are no content with doing just one thing. There is more of a black n roll feel to the second song. But it is more Lifelover than Darkthrone. The buzz of "Spearhead"s' guitar kinda blends in with everything. They are more deliberate than most black metal bands but this doesn't grab me as much as the first two songs despite the sung vocals that eventually come in.

Even when I begin to not pays as close of attention as I did at first I am still present enough to hear some interesting layers of guitar are being used. The vocals are just crazy howls at this point. The sung vocals tend to come in toward the end of the songs. So they are beginning to settle into a formula. "Pestilence Shall Come"  reminds me more of Urfaust. I check back in more attentively due to the more menacing darkness summoned on "Caesar" . It has a more sinister pulse. "Wells of Poison Water " has a much needed dynamic shift as it opens with clean guitar. The more metallic aspect of it blends in with what they have been doing the bulk of the album. The guitar gain a great deal of heft when in a powerful chug. " Majesty Enthroned" is more feral. The vocals have pretty much lashed out the entire album. Here the rest of the band joins in. The problem being it  causes them to sound like everyone else. It does slow down midway into the song, but it's brief and too little too late. 

They return to their sweet spot on "With Conviction" finds them closer to their sweet spot , but not as much as the last song. The harsh vocals eventually become an annoyance as they use such similar patterns. The lower vocals are much more welcome when they arrive here. The guitars lock into a nice drone here.I will round this album to an 8. It gets off to a great start and gets bogged down in adhering to some of the tired black metal tropes. However this does work well when they are more expeimental and flirt with a more depressive sound.

Oceanwake : " Lights Flashing In Mute Scenery '

It is hard to avoid some variation of death doom when looking for doom, sometimes I am forced to take what I can get. This one does have enough melancholy moments of melody to make them stand out. The Finnish are not known for doom, so this is not straight up doom. There are elements aside from death metal here. Some touches of post-rock and flourishes of almost neo folk. They are skilled musicians . Their is a progressive jammy part in the second song "Occult". The vocals are a mix of growls layered with singing. The sung vocals are not always their strength. A closer listen tells me this is do trying to sing in English causes their accents to clash with the way the lyrics are being phrased. The growls vocals are closer to Entombed. "Season of the Rain" is darker and more bleakly brooding. This darker more wandering side of the band is clearly their strength. It sometimes brings them closer to sludge , but sonically is pleasing to my ears.

Despite their best efforts there does seem to be more of a formula falling into place midway into the album. The verses open with form and vocals then they go off into a atmospheric jam, before converging back into the song with more power to bring the heavy. Granted this works for them, My fear is that it begin to make all the songs run together for me. When what you do has the kind of flow the song " Currents" has who care is you stray from the doom mood into more sludge feeling crunch. Here is heavier riff has hook to it and pulls you in.

The last song hits many of the same notes the previous songs did. It makes solid use of melody and takes you a moody trip through sludge  tinged riffs and a depressive pondering.  I  will give this album a 9. I am unsure if I will hunt it down to load into the Ipod but I have enjoyed the time spent with it and it is well done. The production serves it well, for the ambitious scope of what they are doing these guys hit all the marks. If you are looking for progressive minded sludge with doom mods this is for you.