Penelope Trappes : "Penelope Three"

 

After a teasing dark ambient intro the first real song is "Nervous" the lead single from this album. She is in the same sonic zip code as Fever Ray, though maybe mixed with Hillary Woods. Production wise there is more in common with electronic music than what she is actually using to write this song. It is minimal but well placed. Her hushed voice flutters over everything like a fall chill in the air.  "Forest" is more haunting but also more minimal. The percussion is like a dying heart beat fading into the void. Thematically she is trying to invoke the mood of the underworld for this album which is the third chapter in her musical trilogy focusing on her struggles.  "Fur and Feather| works off a couple chords she lets hang and a droning vocal that would not sound out of place on a David Lynch soundtrack. I appreciate what she is going for even if I feel the song itself is not as dynamic as what I normally ask for in music. 

I think as a song "Red Yellow" has enough of a sultry hint of blues to it for a subtle slinky groove to form while still holding true to her very atmospheric vision. This song is very sensual. "Halfway Point" is so atmospheric it is almost not there. Reverb makes it almost hard to tell what instrument is playing in the back ground. Some how these four and a half minutes manage to drift past. This is more about the sound than the song. There is just enough song to keep me invested. She taps more into the song side of what she does on "Blood Moon" . This is more of what I want from her. There is more movement rather than stagnation. I am not asking her to conform to a mainstream sound , in fact this works perfect for me, so just more of this.  "Lucky Eleven" brings in more ambiance than the previous song , but still manages to hold itself together as a song.

"Northern Light" is a more of an atmospheric interlude than a song. It does employ a violin, but works more off of waves of sound than melodies. The last song is a song , but leans more onto the floating atmospherics not unlike Julee Cruise. I will give this album an 8. I think she does an excellent job when she commits to writing a song, it just seems like there is a balance that could be reached when weighing the artistic vision of the thickly atmospheric pieces versus something I will want to listen to over and over again on my iPod. T his album comes out May 28th on Houndstooth.   

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Sugar Wounds : 'Calico Dreams"

 These guys start of weird and wonderful then when they kick things up into more of your standard screamo madness begin to shed the wonderment created by the opener. When they break things down into bite sized minute long sound explosions they prove to be not as capable with this as some one like Portrayal of Guilt , who makes the most of any time they give themselves to work with. This results in a song like "Combat Wombat" being more noise than not. When they race along the more methed out screamo thing they also lose any sense of dynamics they offered in the first song. 

They give themselves more time with the almost six minute "Semi-burnt Sugar" , this is much more listenable , not as good as the first song where the novelty of their sound won me over but better than the other songs as the guitar is allowed to offer some form of melodic embellishment. I get what the spastic freak out of grindcore is about , I like few bands who do it , much better than what happens on the song "I Quit" . It makes me wish they had quit with this one and used the studio time more wisely with this minute,. "Kneading Neatly..." offers a little more thought, with a cool riff midway in, though the rule around here is cool riffs alone does not a good song make

I feel they cared a little more about the songwriting on the last song. Normally I say when you put the sound before the song writing it suffers. I think this is a young band that is working on ironing both sides of the equation out, though the tinny guitar sound could be more about the production and mix of the album. The guitars could use a more organic tone for sure, when everything thing is compressed down denser into the heavier sections it does not have the kick a band like Nails does. I like where they take the last song and think, with more love given to songwriting and in the studio these guys are off to a good start and could be onto something.   The more Deafheaven shimmer toward the end of the last song is a glimpse of what the future could hold for these guys . I will give these guys a 7.5 , if bands like Infant Island or any other of the artists I have name dropped here are your thing then these guys are worth checking out. 

Tomahawk : "Tonic Immobility"

 

If you have had a hard time keeping up with Mike Patton's side projects, then this one is the closest to Faith No More, though darker , heavier  and with a rougher edge since he has the guitarist from the Jesus Lizard on board and Helmet's drummer. You can not say this is a super group as all of his projects that are not Mr. Bungle or Faith No More are collaborations with his little corner of the music industry. This album is marked with an increased tension reminding me more of their first two albums. Patton's lower throaty whisper is one of the more reoccurring voices that pops up in his ever shifting arsenal. The explosive dynamic the first few songs works off owes more to the Jesus Lizard. I prefer the riff to the second song. Lyrically it is a collection of ugly metaphors which is another staple of Patton's work. Though with a song like "Scavengers & Predators" is was watching animals in the back yards that caused  pondering the state of society. The band said they avoided politics on this album. 

The slower simmer of "Doomsday Fatigue" gives Patton a little more room to flex his pipes. At the end of the day any project he is in the focus becomes his voice. This songs breaks from the formula by not going to the expected explosion.  Trevor Dunn's tone propels "Business Casual". Compared to what he does in Mr. Bungle, he gets to lay back and ride a groove. While politics are not their thing , they do take great glee in the barbed social commentary hidden under the surface. Patton sort of raps out the lyrics here. "Tattoo Zero" continues to make an inside joke of the world around them. No one is safe, most certainly not any flavor of hipster.  The sinewy metal tinged riff it winds up into is impressive . "Fatback" continues the trend of slithering grooves. They vary in levels of creepiness sometimes boiling over into a more steamy haze with "Howlie" which sheds some of the more metallic sensibilities until they build it up.

There is a more melodic come down with " Sidewinder" . It is some what of a power ballad and perhaps the most Faith No More like song. Patton takes cracks at trust fund kids in the lyrics turning the sugar sweetness into something with venom. There is almost a reggae vibe to "Recoil" , it is more up-tempo than the previous song , but not as finely tuned as "Dog Eat Dog" which is more Faith No More like.  I will give this one a 9.5, I like it more than most of the more recent effort's of Patton's. It is better than the last Faith No More album, though not the others that followed '" the Real Thing " but think how high of a bar that is.;   

Xiu Xiu : " OH NO"

 

After 20 years of creating dark music that falls some where between indie rock and post punk, they continue to fuel their legacy wit ha unique album of duets . The first of these is with Sharon Von Etten. These are obviously artists that are in the same zip code as Xiu Xiu's brand of  weird. The first song shows how seamlessly they can blend . One half of Drab Majesty comes aboard for "I Cannot Resist", It is out of the range of  what you might expect from Deb Demure. There is a more ballad like tone than what I might want from this pairing, This is sometimes the price paid for some of Xiu Xiu's experimentation. "The Grifters" is more organic which is fitting considering the fact Haley Fohr is joining him for this one., The vocals have an oddly operatic quality to them.  Next up they are joined by Greg from Deerhoof.  It sounds like this song was recorded in a cave by gnomes. There is no shortage of their trademark weirdness. 

The title track finds their weirdness pushing the boundaries of  atmosphere and noise. It almost becomes more about sound than song.  I no longer do the drugs needed to hear it the way it should be heard.  The reconnect with writing songs when Angus from Liars shows up for "Rumpus Room" . It has a groove and everything.. This is the best song so far. They keep the song streak going with " Fuzz Gong Fight" which is creepy but still moving and dynamic. Violinist Owen Pallet sings  on " I Dream Of Someone Else Entirely" .  He is not an opera singer but comes at singing from a more trained perspective.  Chelsea Wolfe helps them tackle a cover of the Cure's " One Hundred Years" which is one of my favorite Cure songs.  It might be darker than the original . 

Electronic artist Fabrizio Polumbo makes noise with them on "A Classic Screw" . Johnathan from Shearwater reins them in a little for "It Bothers Me All the Time" . Twin Shadow helps to bring some sanity to "Saint Dymphna" . "Knock Out" is more of a song, though Alice Bag does not do a great deal to contribute. Liz Harris forces them to focus more on "Bottle of Rum" . There are some strong songs on here, when they decide to write them. The emotive and original nature of what they do makes up for a lot , so I will give this album an 8.5. Not there best but better than most.   

Lana Del Rey : "Chemtrails Over the Country Club"

 

She breaks out of her formula vocally right from the onset . When My wife asked me to let her know how it is the first thing I told her was it sounds more like Tori Amos than what she normally does. She is singing in a higher register, in whisper she lets crack. The mood makes me think she has been paying attention to Taylor Swift's quarantine output. By the title track we are back to a more familiar sound from here. It is piano based and ballad like.  Things get into more of a dreamy groove on "Tulsa Jesus Freak" that has more of the attitude you love her for though dialed back through a filter of Xanax. I told my wife I think Lana is on an IV drip of Xanax as that is the mood this album has so far. She has not been in the adoration of the press but does not care enough to get cancelled so I am sure she is high as hell and more power to her for it. 

All of her normal magic should work on " Let Me Love You Like a Woman" , but I think it is that cloud of Xanax that is keeping it from connecting like the first three songs , but it might have to grow on me. Her albums tend to do that. "Wild at Heart" finds her teetering on dialing it in. The arrangement so so minimal there is not much to really give the song a back bone to latch onto until at the chorus. The lyrics to improve on this one though. There is more of a detached melancholy to " Dark But Just a Game". The beat to this song, helps give a dynamic shift to the album.  She does have a way of letting melodies wander then reeling them back in. If lets them drift out of her reach on "Not All Who Wander Are Lost". When they do use guitar to bring it back together, it is slight wandering too much though not lost.  

"Yosemite" is another delicate flower of a song. I imagine the writing process for this album was her saying , "Ok, roll the tape I am high and it's raining outside, I will just come up with some shit". There are songs liek this that are pleasing to my ears, and good back ground music but not her knocking it out of the park like she did on her last album. "Breaking  Up Slowly" is more country thanks to singer Niki Lane who lends her voice to this one. '\Dance Til We Die" is not a song to dance to, unless you are ready for a nap. If this was Marissa Nadler I might be more stoked about the lethargy that weighs on the bulk of this album. The song does pick up in the last minute, but we need more of that. For the last song she is joined by Zell Day and Weyes Blood. It is yet another overly languid piano ballad.  I will give this album a 9, which makes it a great album unless you are comparing it "Norman Fucking Rockwell" then it is not as impressive. If you are a fan there is enough of what she does to keep you from content and bitching any more than what I am doing here. 

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Angkor Wat : "Worst Enemy"

 

 

The most under rated thrash band of the late 80s.  Alumni of this band went on to form Skrewe as well as play with both  Ministry and Nine Inch Nails. Their 1990 album "Corpus Christi" was light years ahead of it's time , though both of their albums have held up over the years. They have remained marginally active since 1990, with a few small tours here and there. When I stumbled across this album this morning I was a a wonderful surprise. They have picked up where they left off as the first song rips into you have with razor sharp riffing. It is more straight forward than "Corpus Christi" so owes more to their first album "When Obscurity Becomes the Norm" 

There has always been a touch of hard core punk and this continue to make it's presence know here  the lose this edge. They have always been dense and heavy, but always make song writing a priority. Things have not changed on this front. The only hint of metal from the 80s comes on the solo section in " Barrage". It works well as a melodic texture. There is a more sung than caustically shouted vocal on the title track. I like how they have have stayed true to their original sound and kept the vocals behind a filter of distortion. They hit like overdriven shards of glass. They are not like the vocals of many extreme metal bands today where they are spewed out as just another obligatory sonic texture. They have a function here giving the songs a more accessible tone  despite these guys being all up in your face all the time.

The close the album with " Knock Out" which throws in some of their jerk you by the neck shifts in riffing. They have stuck to their guns and not thought to conform to any of the current musical trends because they do not have to. They were already ahead of the game, today's bands just caught up to them.   My only complaint is this is a five song EP , so after all the years that have passed I would have liked more, perhaps this will inspire them to release a full length , though with the current state of the music industry my logical mind knows why they did this. This gets a ten and I am not sure how any thrash band will be able to come close to the bar they have raised here.   

Jess and the Ancient Ones : "Vertigo"

 

The album finds them opening in a heavier direction. Though the mix is weird and does not make the most of the more distorted guitar tones. I do appreciate that it is darker. While they have typically been a more retro 'occult rock| type sound, there is slight Sixousie tinge to the vocals. However on the second the owe a little more to the Pretenders , with the keyboards anchoring them back in the more 60's style sound. This song grew on me more than the opener. There is a Munsters like bounce to "Talking Board" that is about the Ouija Board from the Exorcist. While I like the lyrical idea I feel like the music is not dark enough to clearly convey the subject matter. Though as a whole this album is a darker step for them. 

The brisker pace to "Love Zombi" works well. They allow for some dynamic ebb and flow to create some tension to explode out of of. It is my favorite song thus far on the album. Her voice also displays more power on this track as she belts it out with more command. Her flexes her pipes big times as she throws her voice around.  They keep the pace up with "Summer Tripping Man" . The guitar gets almost punk as it fights in the mix against the organ. This would be a fun live song. Lyrically it is kinda dumb. The more deliberate tone to " Born to Kill" works better for me. The drums are moving , put the song itself does not feel like it is racing along. The the albums momentum begins to catch up with them . The frantic pace they rock with tends to negate the places where vocal hooks would go as she belts over it in order to keep up the intensity. They eventually give her a little more breathing room to sing, but this one has it's foot on the gas not unlike the previous song.  

The last song proves that when they slow down and simmer some it is more effective for what they are best at. I do appreciate them letting the rock rip out with more vigor than I recall hearing from them before. That is not to say they never step on the gas on the last song, it is just that the song is a 11 minute proggy jam out so there is lots of room for lots of things to go down .  I will give this one an 8.5 , it is their strongest to date even when they get carried away with their lust to rock .,  

White Void : "Anti"

A band where another review inspired me to check it out so paying it forward. These guys used to be more of a metal band than they are now, though if we are talking about perhaps late 70s metal then this would still count. They are about as heavy as Deep Purple. The melodic vocals work well. There is also something darker than your standard retro retro metal, almost reminds me of Beastmilk. Which is a huge compliment as they were one of my favorite bands. With "There is No Freedom but the End" there is a cool tension to the verses . The chorus at first seems too happy for me, but it grows on me and when compared to the rest of the album is far from the happiest moment. ..

The happiness is kept at bay for another song with the more brooding throb of "Where You Go You'll Bring Nothing", though the chorus once again is brighter than what I typically prefer. It reminds me of perhaps some of the more folk influenced moments of Borknagar in terms of melody. *The Shovel and the Cross" has a bounce it it\s rock infused. The lyrics are darker than the music which I can appreciate. Metal is in this band's DNA despite the fact they ride the border of rock and metal. The way the riffs sit are often more metal in execution than intent. Sometimes they remind me of what a post-punk version of Uriah Heap might sound like. When the double bass kicks in they are heading in a more metallic direction. 

Things get more melodic on "This Apocalypse is For You" . The more tempo the song is the less the vocals feel like they are holding as much purpose. This is the first song that feels a little more like filler. There is a more proggy frolic going into "All Chains Rust. All Men Die" . The verse darkens and then the chorus brightens . This is a dynamic , though I am not sure about how happy it is for me. In casual listening typing this up it is fine , but not sure this is something I will listen to when I am out and about. This song kind of loses me mid way into it. It is certainly more happy than what I think should come out of Norway, though I can hear where band like Shining or Leporus might have common ground. I prefer when they dip into the darker riffs of "the Fucking Violence of Love" which is still much happier than the title might suggest. Two minutes in things brighten a little but I can still deal with it.  

The thankfully close the album in a more aggressive manner. The keyboard tone shifts. They still have the progressive rock tone to their sound. The riffs might be the most hooky and more along the lines of Yes meets Muse.  I will give this album a 9, due to the happiness that sometimes makes me less invested. They are great players and songwriters with a ton of potential they just need to get depressed or addicted to drugs. 

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the Mobile Homes : " Trigger"

 

If you stick with what you do best regardless of trends the cycle will spin around again and you will not be a band wagon jumper , because you put the fucking wheels on the bitch. Such is the case with this band out of Sweden. They have been around since 1984. Sure they opened up for Nitzer Ebb and Laibach, back in the day, but they are still falling some where between the Pet Shop Boys and New Order. Not the worse sound to choose from. It does not sound like they are trying to capture a cool retro sound, because they are the cool retro sound, they are in fact trying to use more relevant sounds. They kind of split the difference. What plays in their favor is they come from an era where song writing mattered. 

There are also Gary Numan vibes. They are not as dark as Gary Numan. They are gray and lonely, perhaps a little depressed , but not dark. Sometimes it takes me getting half way into the song for it to click. The stark baritone vocals are pretty simplistic and I am surprised they did not bore me three songs into it.  Things get a little darker on " Graveyard" . It makes me think of what it would be like if Gary Numan covered sweet dreams. The vocals have a more melodic flow and the song itself works better than the first three. They get more dancey with " the Sorrow Stays For Good" . It is pleasant, all the moving parts work, nothing ground breaking. I prefer the synths to "Mirror" which have a little more edge to them. They move in a happier direction with "Once Upon A Time I Was".  The vocals are smooth, but their sound is becoming more uniform. In many ways this reminds me of Covenant. 

At times they invoke a more 90s era Depeche Mode. This brings a little more melancholy to things. When the lyrics take a turn to things like alcoholism it is an improvement. On songs like "Obscurity" they add another layer of atmosphere to their sound. The title track that closes the album is largely an instrumental. It is a good idea that never fully formed into a song. I will give this album a 9, I think these guys are the best new wave band that you never heard , fans of New Order and Depeche Mode take note.

Eyehategod : a History of Nomadic Behavior"

 If you need proof of sludge's punk roots and you never hear Neurosis' "Pain of Mind" album then here is another band to support that theory. In fact, this album is more punk flavored than their earlier work. The vocals are spit out in a more coherent fashion rather than anguished screams. It's a snarling narrative. The production on this album is warmer and more organic. It is almost too clean. "The Outer Banks" is more metal, than the opening track. The riffs are much more angular. There is some Sabbath influence still in place but in equal doses as Black Flag. Not that this has not always been the case, there is just something about this clean production that makes it more obvious. "Fake What's Yours" has more groove to it. You would think Mike would be angrier than he is, but getting older mellows you out a little. These guys have no shortage of riffs as they fall out from one to the next. Not conforming to a verse / chorus formula. 

"Three Black Eyes" is more explosive. There are doomier touches to this one , but anger is more of their currency, even when it is slightly dialed back. They do tap into their more feral side on "Current Situation" . This album is beginning to remind me of a less groove-oriented version of Rollin's " End of Silence" album.  It is apparent these guys are better musicians than they were when they put out " Take as Needed For Pain"   The album begins to take on a more uniform sound, even though it might be different than their previous material. There is more of a rumbling palm muted metal groove to "the Day Felt Wrong" which might be my favorite song thus far. The variations that do arise are things like the more blues based tones to "the Trial of Johnny Cancer". Though Mike's ranting begins to run together a little.

Sometimes this Sabbath if fronted by as less testosterone power Rollins thing works well " Circle of Nerves" is a case in point for this. And while "Everything, Every Day" reminds me the most of their older work, the ranting gets old and the song it self feels like it is running out of gas. I will give this album an 8.5, it was fun and worth the listens I gave it. if you are a fan you are going to fall onto the side of the fence where they can do no wrong or not like this as it does not feel like the old stuff. If you can listen to it for what it is you might be better off.   

Appalooza : "the Holy of Holies"

 

Grunge is not dead . This band offers a modern and sometime heavier take. The first song is not far removed from Godsmack in that regard. These guys are very dynamic and have a darker slant to their sound that is what sparked my interest. They hit hit that cool 90s post grunge rock that bands like Life OF Agony spring boarded from / Not as dynamic or intense as the opener, but a catchier song with hooky melodies that works even better . They go a more middle of the road approach with the more radio rock formula of "Reincarnation". It is still a solid song , just not as original in the over all grunge nature of their sound.

 I prefer the more exotic sonic nuances they groove on with "Nazareth". It is also much more Alice in Chains, just more gritty vocals. The pounding drums of "Conquest" are more Sound Garden , though the song has a tightly coiled staccato groove to it .It might be the album's most metal moment so far. The go into more exotic chord progression with "Azazael and crunch into a more Godsmack like groove for the verse. No one is going to call them the most original  band. While their influences are worn on there sleeves it never feels like the barrowing to heavily. To be titled "Distress" it certainly is the most upbeat and happy song on the album. Kinda puts them in more Stone Temple Pilots territory. It is well written , even if it is too happy for my tastes. I can see where the guitar solo section would be fun to jam out live.  

There is a darker , heavier , more heroin depressive vibe to "Thousand Years After" . The driving drone might sound good when you are high , but they have catchier songs. There is a weird circus like part in the song's third act that is different than any place they have gone thus far. The album closes with |Canis Majoris" is a grinding power ballad of sorts. It kind of drags and feeling like the drugs are kicking in and causing them to run out of steam. Even with that said, the front end of the album is strong enough to make up for when this formula wears thin by the end , so I will give this one a 9. I have enjoyed all the listens I have had thus far. 

 

Genghis Tron : "Dream Weapon"

 Genghis Tron is back after a decade. It is not the original line up as they now have Sumac's drummer behind the kit and a new singer. Synths are more organic this time. While there has always been a progressive element to what they do this is more Tangerine Dream in terms of retro ambiance. They get more aggressive on "Dream Weapon" . I am not sure though it is aggressive enough to be called metal. The drumming is impressive. For progressive rock it is kind of on the more straight ahead side and feels complex but not experiment. Of the first four songs , two of them are sprawling synth pieces and two are actual songs. 

The mood drops down to more sedate going into "Alone in the Heart of the Light". This is almost too happy for me. There is more introspection than brooding. The drumming on this album is pretty great all the way around , even when they are not rocking out. This song works off more of a floating drone. If you are smoking weed then I can hear where this might work really well for you. This future space stoner vibe continues on " Ritual Circle| . At this point in the album is is more than likely that you have gotten too high and have forgotten these guys were a metal band. Dynamically mid way into the song it builds where the drums get more intense. I am not sure I would call it metal, but is is more dynamic. The punches are metal influenced in their intent for sure. '" Single Black Point' starts off pretty cool it reminds me of a newer King Crimson song, then kinda floats off into the clouds of synths . 

The drums have more of a rock feel on "God Mother" that closes the album. It is about as metal as Porcupine Tree. They eventually sonically pound harder than your average prog band  Which is an effective dynamic. I will give this album an 8.5, I enjoyed what I heard of it , not dark enough for my personal tastes , but I can appreciate what is going down here as the album sounds great. It really depends on what you want from this band in terms of if it will live up to your expectations of what their come back should be like .

Witherfall : "Curse of Autumn"

 In the 80s I preferred the thrash bands like Flotsam and Jetsam, who had the soaring metal yodel vocals , so these guys work for me where a great deal of other power metal flavored bands do not. It helps that these guys are also darker and more aggressive. It does not always have to be full speed metal ahead for me as I think when they use melody to give themselves more breathing mood on a song like "As I Lie Awake". The only problem is the chorus to this song falls into that happy side of power metal I am not a fan of. I am hoping this album works out more like their last and they largely avoid the common pitfalls of power metal rather than give in a conform to them. 

"Another Face" is like Queensryche with more balls, which could also be Sanctuary, who I saw their singer filling in for Warrel Dane so that makes sense. They have all the proggy elements in place but offer up enough crunch in the guitars to make it work. They find a good balance of pageantry and balls on "Tempest" . If the leaned further in the power metal direction this would not have worked for me. The title track is more of an interlude than an actual song. They kick into a heavier side of progressive with the song that is after this as the album begins to find it's stride. They kick into a more mean spirited thrashing for " the Other Side of Fear".  "the River" is a power ballad. As power ballads go this one works . They resist the urge to over do it with them like Dream Theater. 

"And They All Blew Away" is a sprawling 15 minute epic. It shows their strength with both dynamics and arrangements. The melodic vocals are some of the album's best. I normally do not like long winding songs like this one and while it is not going to be something I casually listen to a great deal, I can say it succeeded in not boring me, which is more than can be said for most songs of this length. They seize many opportunities to flex their chops with flashy solos and embellishments. It is expected for this sort of thing, so the fact they did not forget they were crafting a song while doing it says a lot to me. This album has many strengths though it is not as dark or as aggressive as their previous album and finds them conforming slightly to the genre's expectations so I am going to give an 8.5, so it is still head and shoulders over their peers.      

Skold : "Die Irae"

I wa

I was surprised how mean and metal the guitars were going into the opening track of this album. There is more of a Marilyn Manson or Orgy vibe on "Unspoken". Considering he has played with both Manson and KMFDM this makes sense. "the End is Near" falls more in line with more typical industrial , but is not as gripping as the first two songs. There begins to be less guitar and more electronic elements by the time we get to this song. This trend continues with "Terrified" , though it is moving in a more experimental direction. The vocals are well produced , but the melodies wander a bit . It is easy to here where Street Sects was influenced by this project.  

A more synth wave style of sound emerges on " Love is a Disease". I like when the song finds it's slinking groove . There is a smoother drive than what you might expect of industrial music that is not Nine Inch Nails, who is the most commercial project of the genre. They are back to a more metallic sound on "This is the Way" .  The works better than the more disjointed experiments of "Silicone Dreams". The guitar plays a more minor role there. The darker groove to " As Above so Below" works well , the song overall has a much more Orgy like sound. But Orgy has not sounded like they used to in decades so if you have been missing that sound this will be a welcome return to it. 

They continue down the darker alleys of groove on "Kill Yourself". Anything in this sonic zip code is going to work for me as long as they are leaning into the groove like they are here. The song has a much more epic scope to it's dynamics . The metal guitars return to book end the more 90s goth musings that close out the album with "Goodbye" this feels more like something Filter would have done. On a whole this album works with me , some of the more experimental turns that are not groove oriented might not play to Skold's strengths , but grew on me so I will give this one a 9. 

Plaguewielder : " Covenant Death"

 

These guys have expanded their sonic range and now find themselves in a place no unlike Tombs. This is a good thing as this is the most mature and polished song writing I have heard from them yet. It is both more melodic and darker. They do not shy from throwing themselves into the blasty mc nasty sections at times, which is fine , they are a black metal band. I only have issues with this when a band is a one trick pony. It never feels like they are taking the easy way out. There is a more straight forward thrash like assault on "At Night They Roam". The vocals are more shouted and less rasped. They have mastered the art of letting chillingly creepy chords  ring out .  

His bellow comes closer to singing on "A Death That Knows No End".  More propelled by double bass than blast beat, the guitar as more room to work it's magic. More of a uniformity begins to emerge in their sound by the time we get 4 songs in to "One With the Shadow" . It is an epic throb they pulse off of , but not the most dynamic moment of the album. Oddly the title track is just an ambient interlude. They roar back with a more traditional blasting for "CRGP".  They slow down after a minute of this into a darker more dissonant passage where the vocals shift to a lower goblin like croak. I like the fact lyrically they seem to be invoking and worshipping the annihilation of mankind, that is a theme I can get behind. They charge into "Black Mysticism" with more of a traditional metal fury. 

They kind of sing on the last song which is a moodier continuation of sounds they have already been battering you with, these are perhaps marginally more deliberate.  Yes the album at times has a uniform sound, but even then it is more dynamic in the scope of the sound and it remains clear these guys give a solid shot at song writing so I will give this one a 9. 

the Melvins : "Working With God"

   

  But do they find out ? is the question raised by the opening track "I Fuck Around " which is a parody of the Beach Boys " I Get Around".  They get back to being serious with the beefy "Negative No No" which finds the band doing just what you would expect them to do with out being stale in the process. Buzz's voice sounds pretty good. The the chug to "Bouncing Rick" proves things are getting even more serious. The vocals are smoother and the guitar heavier equates to everything I want from this band. There is a great bluesy swagger to " Caddy Daddy" .  This is not my first time with this album, so I know things are going to get silly in places. When it is done like it was in the opener I am fine with it and when they are keeping things serious they continue to kick all kinds of ass. 

The first interlude that is "Brian the Horse Face Goon" is one of those silly moments. The actual song has some what silly vocals and a pretty cool riff. Things get heavier for "Boy Mike" . It might be the album's most in your face song. The vocals sit back against the blitz of guitar. 'Fuck You' does not pull off as well what they did with the opener and is kinda childish. The riff to "the Great Good Place" makes up for them just fucking around on that one. The guitars all sound killer as hell on this album. If Kiss played doom and were joking around not trying to make another "God of Thunder" then you get a pretty good picture of what they are doing with "Hot Fish" .

The album closes with another rocker on "Hund", The riffs kinda reminds me of Judas Priest. Buzz is no Rob Halford, this works in his favor as it keeps the song grounded.  I really like this album a lot , it is going on the iPod alot, so I am going to give it a 9.5, it is a return to a more metallic sound for them which I am a fan of . 

Moonspell : " Hermitage"

 Once upon a time this band from Portugal used to be at the forefront of the goth metal movement. This album finds them no longer trying to be Type O Negative . The vocals have improved over the years. I have seen these guys a few times live over the years when they were opening for a band that I actually wanted to see and the vocals used to be a sticking point. Their singer knows himself better and continues to improve.    They are not as heavy as they used to be, but they have not lost all traces of aggression. It feels more progressive than goth or doom, though it is on the darker side of prog rock. The riff to "Common Prayers" is pretty metal. The guitar at the beginning of "All or Nothing' is kinda of wimpy then they go in a more blues based direction with it and it works. The vocals over the more strummed chord progression is less effective. The breathy vocals are very melodramatic, which takes away from some of the darkness. The clean production as does this to some extent. 

They make more of an effort to get heavier on title track. What they do works better as the song progresses . The vocals could more oomph to them, but they are better than they used to be so I can not complain that much. But I am not going to say that what they are doing here really seems like the same kind of metal that bands put out in 2021. Things get to a more Queensryche proggy place with "Entitlement" . How ever the jammy edge to the song makes it worthwhile. This is the best their singer has sounded so far on this album. There is some great guitar playing on this album. Midway into the album I can hear how the year of Quarantine culture was the inspiration for this album. "Solitarian" is a jam that fall out of the previous song.

Despite the more aggressive singing "Hermit Saints" feels more like a rock song than a metal song.  On "Apophthegmata" they works in some electronic elements though end up in one of the album's more metal moments.   This also makes it one of the album's best songs. On "Without Rule" they pass up the chance to end the album on a heavy note. I mean as far as prog metal goes they come up with some stuff Opeth fans might like. Overall this album is what they set out to do. I might have wanted something heavier , but what they have done is impressive regardless and I will give this album a 9. 

Wardruna : "Kvitravn"

 

Ghaal has been long gone from this project and they have carried on with their Viking music . With a folk album so entrenched in ancient tribalism it would be easy to get lost in the ritualistic  nature of the sounds and not be aware of the songs. That is not the case here. They have taken a page from Dead Can Dance in this regard. There is a sense of movement that creates a primal groove and layers added to create dynamics. This is the band's first album on a major label, Columbia Records. This is no way has caused them to try to make music more accessible to western audiences . I think the first two songs amore solid than "Skugge" which is Swedish for shadow. "Gra" is more minimal in it's instrumentation. The songs begin to focus more on the atmosphere as the album progresses. "Gra" does embrace a wider scope of dynamics it builds into than the previous song  

"fylgjutal" or accompanying number, is very melodic and flowing, with half the volume and even less of the anger this band manages to come across just as chilling as any black metal band. There is a bleakness to the sound of this album that is wonderful . Alot of neo folk comes across like the are trying too hard for Renn Fest. This feel very real and very natural. They touch upon a more folk melody with "Munin". I mean yes this would be great music to play Dungeons and Dragons to, but it is not fun and games in and of it's self.  "Kvit Hjort" or white deer, takes a minute to build , but is worth while when it gets there. "viseveiding" might not have the same impact but is still solid for what it is. 

"Ni" finds them bringing some different sounds to the table, but it is a slower song with less movement to draw you in. The last song finds them back in a place that certainly is giving me everything I could ask from this project. If you are a fan already then this is what you are going to want. I do not see this album opening up many new doors for them , but is a solid testament to what they do and I will give it a 9.5 They make Norway proud. 

9.6

Sunnata : "Burning in Heaven, Melting on Earth"

Here is an interesting band from Poland that I so happened across, and now I am wondering why they were not already on my radar. They open the album with a dreaming Screaming Trees like approach that builds into a more sludge driven form of metal. Things are more hypnotic and trippier though less metal in their build up with "God Emperor of Dune". I can excuse the less heavy part given that it is a song about one of the Dune books. This album is more like grunge than doom or any flavor of metal so far. It sounds like it has metal influence. This might be the band's 4th album but the first time I have really paid attention to them so perhaps they were more metal before this and it is a progression. I am glad this is where I came aboard. 

There is a an odd almost post punk groove to " a Million Lives" handles it's heaviness more like Killing Joke, which I am certainly not made about. Midway into the song it takes an even more exotic turn blending middle eastern elements. Lots of bands claim to be psychedelic , these guys make it happen. They come up with a darker tinge to the groove of "Black Serpent". The vocals are more haunting as the riff simmer. Then throatier more Neurosis like vocals chime in. This album is really well produced. There a few moments when I think maybe the guitar could be beefier than again I am not really blaring this one so volume could change that . Things shift in this song to almost shoe gazing/

These guys get how to make droning work. They never drone without a destination. TheyThey always have their dynamics tweaked just right. "Volva" finds them getting heavier sonically, and putting more balls in the vocals with out going totally coarse. If you wondered what it might sound like if Wovenhand jammed with Pink Floyd "Way Out" takes a good stab at it. This album is incredible, it's going into regular rotation for sure. If you like trippy hazy hypnotic stoner sludge then this is for you. 

Sullen : " Nodus Tollens – Act 1: Oblivion

I would say prog metal is not really my thing , but that would be a lie. This band just takes from corners of the genre that I am not the most fond of bands like Between the Buried and Me and Devin Townsend. Cynic is however where I am most versed in this kind of thing and Iron Maiden who is one of my all time favorite bands kind of wrote the book on prog metal. Cynic is the best point of reference here. Death metal is one of the primary ingredients. The clean sung vocals are multitracked and work on odd harmonies. They are not the catchiest element. There are guitar solos , but this is not a total wank fest. 

It's not until t he actual third song , not counting the interludes on this where we hear the side of the band that is darker and more flowingly melodic that works best for my ears  The melodies are catchier here.

"Memento" gets heavier and has more death metal vocals with a more aggressive stomp. The riffing on this song is more likely to bob your head. The sung vocals seem to just really be into adding to the odd time feel more than a melody to hook you in . These vocals do find a more Incubus like place on the mellower "Human". 

The last song latches onto a more middle of the road metal approach. This is not uncommon in this genre . In fact if you are into prog metal then this album might be a little on the heavier side for you. Though in the big picture it of what metal is in 2021 it is not. That is why I am giving this album an 8. Yes the guys are good musicians and I am sure they translated what was in their head to album, but I think in many ways they played it too safe and fell between the cracks . If this was even heavier then it would have stood out more rather than filling gaps tthat are already occupied.