Thy Art is Murder : "Godlike"

 I reviewed this band's 2015 album "Holy War" and gave it a 6, so not not that impressive with not only the band but the metal core genre they rode in on. Things have improved for a number of reasons here. Though I must caution myself against being too optimistic , since a common problem extreme metal has it while possessing the ability to stun you with their heaviness as it slaps you across the ears on the initial listen, it leaves you asking, ok but can these guys write a song. There is some hint they can on the first song, but perhaps it is just the ability to write break down riff after break down riff. What is better this time around is the guitar sound is less processed and has some heft that convinces me they mean what they are playing and not fucking around. 

"Blood Throne' makes it evident they are writing more compact punchy songs, and not fucking around with solos or mathy riff tricks. They are writing hooks for the chorus despite limiting things to a more deathly version of a hard core scream. The have an impressive chug on "Join Me in Armageddon" . Their press release refers to them as blackened death metal, which must have been written by someone who has never listened to blackened death metal. There is nothing black metal about what they do. The stompy half time feel they converge upon owes more to hard core, thus the metal core label sticks pretty well to what they do. Each song begins to feel not as inspired as the one before it. 

"Keres" digs into the more powerful gut churning low end of the guitars before they speed things up for no good reason that actually might contribute to the song. It's not until the hard core gang vocals come in that it finds the song in working order. Blast beats seem like they are trying to hard and not playing to their strengths and they certainly do not make this black metal, which is based more off a mood. This album is darker and angrier than "Holy War", so that plays into things going better for them. The first real shift in guitar tones occurs on "Everything Unwanted" though the speed things up and lose the progress they were making. Once that happens all the break downs in the world can not save them. The album cover fits their sound well, as nothing calls for a pentagram , but there it is, and the skeleton is well drawn, but pretty an over done trope when it comes to metal. Things that apply to their music as well. 

"Lesson in Pain" starts like you might expect any band of this nature to. The machine gun chug works well and sounds good, it might convince you live until they speed things up into a rushed mess.  The syncopation works well, I could just do without the sped up portions .The metal core trope of staggering the punches to create a more djent like sound, goes down here when was over almost 5 years ago. The title track lumbers into a more Morbid Angel inspired riffs that finds them in a machine like groove  The syncopated break down , might works as a groove, but they have already gone to every well this song is made of too many times. The hyper aggressive drummer might impress high school. kids by over playing but more discerning ear might notice he is the band's problem. Midway into the song his over playing is already boring me. 

The vocals keep things at a dry growl for most of the album, though there are death metal lows tossed into things at time, as he is capable of a higher black metal tone as well, though that voice alone does not make them black metal. "Anathema" finds me trying to endure the album rather than enjoy it ,as it stomp around and speeds things up in equal measure. They are capable musicians , perhaps not as finely tuned when it comes to writing songs. "Bermuda' closes the album with a little more ambiance, as least more than what they have already hit you with on this album. The begin to take a more deliberate approach to the song, making this one of the better moments on this album if they do not show restraint and speed things up it will throw this effort into the trash can. The more deliberate pound works well. This helped to tip the balance for me, and I will give this album an 8, so it is the sound of the band reclaiming themselves.  

Soft Kill : Metta World Peace"

Things start with a thicker atmosphere, showing how this project is continuing to progress from being a post-punk band to a hazier vision of new wave that goes off into experimental excursions. By the second track they being to slowly make their way onto the dance floor. The elements that brought this music to life in the 80s are in play here. There is more of a Psychedelic Furs feel to the way the songs moves,. namely the breathy vocals gliding over the guitars. Things are not as dark and emotional, They way the guitar chords ring out reinforce my previous Furs comparison, along with the hushed urgency of the vocals. If you are going for this kind of nostalgic worship this is the way to do it. 

There is more of a witch house feel for "Past Life 2". The 808 like cadence of the drum programming makes it a club slapper for sure, though it is bathed in much greater ambiance than your typical booty shaker.  Evil Pimp drops some verses for "Paranoid" , it pretty much works, though the instrumentation under the rapping is too interestingly layer for something less than a sung melody so it feels like opportunities might be wasted here. Lyrically he is not doing anything all that interesting aside from the trap self deprecation. All problem and no solution. .

"Molly" finds the vocals taking on a more dramatic affectation to give things a more obvious wink to the Cure.  "Veil of the Pain" finds a moody Brit Pop take on dream pop leaning new wave, which is the mix of genres that that sentence turned it into. 'Fuck Boy" in a synth pop ditty that returns to the more Cure like tendencies. The drive of this song works better than the previous such tribute. This album wears it's influences on it's sleeves, but I like the direction it is headed and it helps since I am a fan of the bands this pays homage to . I will give this album an 8.5 for that reason.

Crystal Coffin : "the Curse of Immortality"

 It seems I am getting caught up black metal to come. This one is a looming Halloween release from this Canadian band. The play a very deliberate and sonically scathing brand of black metal, that carries a commanding prescience that is stripped away of some of the Northern European trappings of the genre. The formula of the opening track seem to be varying from blast beats to a more galloping swell. The vocals are a mid range rasp.  "the Undead' finds things in a more straight forward direction, which works better than the title track. Not that there is anything wrong with the title track it just did not hit me as effectively as the second song. Though I did hit my Delta 8 pen before returning to the album to it might vibe better now. There are more guitar melodies introduced over the flood of double bass that builds the song.

There is a more of a classic metal attack to the riff that starts off "the Vortex of Earth and Death". The vocals sometime drop down into a lower growl . When we refer to these guys as black metal there are clearly more styles meeting in their melting pot, "Final Breaths" has a Behemoth like chug giving it more weight. Though when they default to the more blasty sections of the song it feels obligatory. The synths mixed under the guitars prove effective. Sung vocals even come in as things continue to gain speed. "Cyrogenesis" is a descent into the kind of blasted blackness you might expect from any black metal band influenced by Immortal. There is a cool more triumphant riff that cuts through, but the rule here is cool riffs alone does not a good song make. 

"Rise" finds things grinding at not as frantic a pace, and proving more effective when it comes to creating a more menacing mood, with an edge of creepiness to it. This works better than the song after it that fades into the back ground as the blast beats just become a blur of white noise. The album ends with 'the Closing of the Crystal Coffin" which is a proggy affair with the synths bringing strings up in the mix. For an instrumental it's alright .I will give this album an 8 , it sounds great , but is not all that original. 

Throat : "We Must Leave You"

 

This experimental band from Finland is taking a darker more post-punk turn with their new album. The band claims this is their break up album with the world. Which is a common theme I am hearing in many of the albums I have reviewed recently. Primordial, Fange, the Armed, Protomartyr and Dying Fetus all their share this theme on their new albums. What stand out about these guys is the dark and foreboding mood that hangs over their otherwise melodic musings. The dead pan baritone of the vocals serves as the narration for this. When the pace picks up it's more punk in it's intentions. 

The sonic pound leading into "the Transaction" drops down into something that files in line with other bands in the post-punk revival like Bellicose Minds or Alaric. The bass line creeps the groove along, while things retain a more muscular punk quality than bands who go in a more Joy Division direction. The lower vocal refrains taking a more overt goth approach. I like the bass line that drives "Trespassing" but if I am going to be honest, the song fall more closely in line with what other bands trying to emulate this sound are doing and bear less of the band's unique finger print.." Hearsay of Heresy" is more like something King Dude might do if going in a more rock direction. It mainly works off a stagnant tension. 

The album regains it's momentum with "Tiny Golden Murder". It is when the band uses contrasts sound like the reverbed guitar on this song with the more shouted vocals that things come together in a celebration of opposites. There is a Killing Joke like vibe to it that I appreciate. It soars off into a brighter space which is fine as the album overall has been plenty dark so this shimmer is a justified color. The album ends with a turn toward as more hypnotic shoe gazing atmosphere that comes closer to the Cure in ambiance.  I will give this album an 9, as it darkly grooves in a manner I prefer, though the songs do not draw you in with the same kind of graceful songwriting that a band like Grave Pleasures possess to give them the edge on these guys.  

Shining : "s/t"

My favorite depressive black metal band is back for album 11. In the past the Swedish band strayed into a more rock direction , but this album finds them stepping back into their old ways. Niklas remains the only original member, it's basically his creative vehicle anyway. Peter Huss almost counts as an original member since he has been around since "Halmstad". They are joined by Nic Barker from Cradle of Filth to band this one out. He is not the only Cradle of Filth alumni in the fold this time as guitarist Charles Hedger also played with the Fithys as well as Mayhem. Former Necrophobic bassist A. Impaler is taking care of the low end here. The opening track is a more blackened  attack on your spirit that gets grim without resorting to a steady diet of blast beats. This is one of the reasons I love these guys is they have a very distinct sound and it is intact on this album. 

Niklas' voice is where it needs to be, equally angry, as he utter Celtic Frost like grunts , and sometimes even sings. By the second song things are becoming increasing melodic. Huss knocks out a very bluesy rock god guitar solo that sets his foot firmly on the monitor. "Allt For Dodden" is very commanding in the march of the guitars. It ebbs down into more nuanced melodic passages for Kvarforth to emote in . The riffs shift like restless water under the pain exclamations of the vocals. "Fidelis Ad Mortem" finds my favorite metal guitarist Andy La Rocque lending his magical fingers. It is one of the album's more melodic moments with layered vocals sung in a resonant baritone. La Rocque's guitar solo might be the best playing of this sort I have heard on an album this year. 

The album's most epic moment is in stark contrast juxtaposed by an interlude of piano doodling that follows it. The album close with a ten minute ripper. The first riff has a Slayer like buzz of aggression driving it. This is used to create a droning tension for almost three minutes before the drums kick in. Perhaps excessive, you can not say the are content to churn out color by numbers black metal. Things transition into a more flowing melodic verse which swells back up to serve as a fitting summary for the direction this album goes, as it as both one of the heaviest and most melodic. I will give it a 10 , if you are fan of the band it's not "the Eerie Cold" but looks forward while retaining who they are. 

TesseracT : "War of Being"

Most of the big bands that once occupied the djent scene, shed that passing fad and if they were worthwhile evolved into progressive metal bands. Since we have never given this band a shot, it seems testing our theory of where djent bands migrate to should be put to the test. The first track certainly points in that direction. The guitars might have that lingering chug that once characterized the genre, but the vocals soar when sung. It's growls that bring it back to where they came from. My theory regarding djent is that it is the nu-metal of the millennium, but never had the lasting impact, in fact last month Coal Chamber proved they actually aged better than those bands. Perhaps the fact this band is from the UK helps tone down some of the more generic elements that came from djent. 

The drum triggered grooves, point to a sound that is very produced, but it works against them less than other bands doing similar. When we get to "Echoes" it does not feel very heavy, in fact I would be more likely to think of them as progressive rock than progressive metal. The vocals are pretty soulful, almost to the point of having a pop or r&b feel. The groove to "the Grey" is pretty impressive and it almost convinces us. But the rule here is cool riffs alone does not a good song make, so early impressions have to be tempered by the direction the song takes. In the first minute and a half their are more twists and turns than what some bands have on their entire album. What this song makes pretty obvious is their bass player is a fucking champ. What works with this song is all their cool math tricks are balances out with memorable melodic moments that make you want to hear it out. 

I am noticing how at times these guys remind me of Issues. That is better than reminding me of Dream Theater. "Legion " finds them thumping to a similar pulse that you expect more from the prog side of what they do. The more dynamically pounding moments are not that heavy, but for what they are going for I guess they do not have to be. "Tender" pretty much sticks to the ballad formula. I think the fact this is done in a manner that is not very dark makes me adverse to it.  Even when they add the power part of the power ballad formula, it does not feel that heavy. 

The title track is a massive 11 minute journey, they do a lot in a minute so imagine eleven of them. They hammer their math with more force, which is also more akin to djent, but it works for what is going down here. The way this track progresses it's almost like have 11 songs crammed into one. They do not return to many of the same themes. The draw back to this is when they do catch lightning in their bottle it's not returned to so you can fully enjoy it. There are not many 11 minute songs that are going to inspire me to invest that time into them for another listen, and this one might be impressive in terms of musical ability expressed, but nothing hooks me to it beyond that initial wonderment, in fact eight minutes in it begins to feel a little tedious. I find myself having to take breaks and return to it. I mentioned Dream Theater previously and while I am not having to eat my words, they do go off into a brighter soaring section that reminds me of Dream Theater more than I would like it to. 

After that song it's easy to get through five minutes of "Sirens" even if it is a bit of a ballad. Their singer is like the other musicians technically sound, but perhaps too much so . He is great at softer more pop tones, but sometimes could use more personality in them. The bass player comes to rescue things with his stellar line to "Burden". This helps the singer have a better playing field to navigate. Granted things sour a bit on the chorus , but the rest of their playing balances things out. This song balances the two different directions this album wants to go in well. The last song is anthemic in the most generic manner possible but executed by skilled musicians, at the end of the day it proves not matter how good you are if you write flower fluff, it is going to be flowery fluff. I will give this album an 8, it's really well executed and occasional well written, though nothing catches me as being memorable aside from a couple song, so the execution and production is what helped it score that high. 

Fange : "Privation"

 Somehow this French sludge band we are fans here dropped this banger back in March and it slipped under our radar. They still connect the dots to hard core, but now have a more industrial influence creeping in. The vocals are still driven by a mean roar. This album find them getting even darker, so they opening track has us excited. It should be said that they come to this sonic intersection without hopping on the Code Orange band wagon. Sometimes the more crushing aspects of the riffing put them in a similar stylistic zip code, but they get there in a very organic fashion, making me suspect they know who they are while doing this. They are actually heavier than Code Orange typically gets with a more metallic intent on the second song.

 Would not say this is catchy songwriting , but it's extremely heavy while having enough melodic elements to keep me hooked in. Taunt industrial syncopation possesses "Les Crocs Limes" .  Many a band should be taking notes from these guys when it comes to be heavy as fuck while still maintaining a dynamic ebb and flow. The album does not get stuck on one sound for every song, shifting where they melody goes, at times adding in almost 80s elements in a manner not unlike what some of the synth wave bands are doing without being synth wave. Cindy Sanchez lends her voice to a track, as does the singer from Hangman's Chair. If any one ever tries to convince you that Rammstein is heavy , you need to play this album for them. The song Cedric from Hangman's sings on starts off in a deliberate death metal direction, though they shift over into a similar gloomy feel to set the stage for him to sing over. 

This might go down as one of the heaviest releases of the year, and it does not fit neatly into any one sub-genre, but the aggression is more death metal than sludge in place, though sludge often owes more to industrial as a great many sludge bands have taken inspiration from "Filth Pig" . There are some head banging grooves mixed in among the oppressive darkness this album deals in. The album closes with the angriest song that attacks you with an acidic distortion before finding it's syncopated groove. Sure comparisons can be made to Godflesh, but their is more emotion in the catharsis, they are still more men than machines. The blunt force they wield on this album never hits you the same way twice.  This delivers what I want from heavy music I will give this album a 10.  

Hot Milk : "A Call to the Void"

 This is the debut full-length from the British pop act  that had a ton of momentum already built from the release of the singles leading up to this album. The opening track "Horror Show" is more interesting than "Bloodstream" that follows it. I would say while they are more rock than Chvrches with the aggressive punchy nature of what they do, they are not better musicians than Chvrches as they tend to lean into pretty simple Tik Tok pop punk. With songs like "Party on My Death" blending a few different styles the Paramore style of pop influenced by punk seems to be the core of who they are. 

"Alice Cooper's Pool House" finds them pulling out Alice's name in this song that claims they died in Alice Cooper's pool house, when they know very little about him, since Alice has been sober since before either one of these kids were born, so he does not have Hollywood parties, nor does he even live in LA, so they just needed a rock star name that worked with the cadence of the lyrics. Though they did get Alice Cooper to do a skit at the end of the song. "Zoned Out" is a little less interesting as it feels like they are just locking into more of a formula. "Over Your Dead Boy" is more effectively written and has hooks that are worth listening to. The vocals are more screamed in the climax, and there are some dramatic orchestral punches, that add meat to the song. 

"Migraine" finds it more Juggaloo laced hip hop tendencies , at least doing what Linkin Park did in a more catchy manner. I think the fact they are being honest with their pop aspirations here us what sells me on it. "Breathing Underwater" owes more to the pop side of their sonic equation. The anthemic chorus would make for a great CW soundtrack. I can hear a more distinct Panic at the Disco influence on the way the vocal melodies are approached here. "Amphetamine" reminds me of a less organic version of Issues, despite how the band swings for the fences on the chorus. I think more feeling and thought was invested in the vocals on the verses where, the chorus works more of formula, but it balances out.

 "Forget Me Not" works more of the electronic pop side of what they do and in turn sounds like they rolled off the assembly line of the corporate music machine. It is for this reason I will give their album an 8.5. Meaning they are still great at what they do even if it includes them stepping stylistically into sounds that are akin to homogenized  pop. The reason they are scoring so high is because they did this effectively and show they can hang with those kinds of artists, to which can be credited with making impressive hooks. 

Kvelertak : "Endling"

 Norway's most rocking punks are back. It's the same line-up that busted out "Splid' . The opening track finds them starting things off in a more jammy metallic direction. Though at almost eight minutes there is plenty of places for them to take the song, which ranges from an almost Blue Oyster Cult feel to very driven metal chugs. The vocals do not play a huge role in this song, but it still proves to be impressive. "Fedrekvlt" is more compact and punk in its snarled intentions. "Likvoke' keeps things at a pumped up pace while expanding beyond the confines of punk. 

They return to the rowdy confines of punk, with an AC/DC slant to it on "Motsols". Ivar seems most comfortable here, though he sounds more like the original singer in his more rough-throated approach on this album. There are a ton of influences that are shaken up and released like feral cats from a burlap sack. Country twang collide with black metal pounding, and moody post-punk brooding in equal measure on some songs. The title track finds the vocal colors shift to less larynx torturing, though not quite sung. "Skoggangr" is more anthemic, but something does not flow as well as the first half of the album to me. Not a bad song, just doesn't catch me the same. 

This album might be their best when it comes to production value. There are sonically more bells n whistles and they are all very well layered in the mix. This might not be used to its full potential on a straight-up punk song like "Paranoia 297" but the album typically benefits from it. 'Svart September" is pretty straightforward after the more melodic guitar intro that fakes you into thinking it might be a ballad.  The last song sfind them heading into a moodier more melodic sonic territory, while sometimes flirting with Metallica-like riffing. The vocals interplay well against these more deliberate riffs. It still retains the core of who the band is while branching out into sung vocals in places.  The fact they are a punk band that makes almost eight-minute songs interesting is very telling about who they are as a band. I will give this album a 9.5, they do what they do without recycling ideas, and not selling out, and the band continues to evolve in all the best ways. This album comes out September 9th. 

Patriarchy : "Forcefully Rearranged"

 

This is a re-mix album which I do not normally fuck with, but I caught this project working with Odonis Odonis on their newest EP so I figured I would give them a chance. They are working with some pretty interesting artists on this as the opening track is remixed by Soft Moon. It is not as steamy as the remix of "No Touch Torture" by Baby Magick , but it works well. Contrary to poor journalism accounts of this project there is nothing metal about it, I would not even call it industrial. It's sex drenched dark wave that leans more onto the EBM side of things. Front Woman Actually Huizenga, coos her way through sex-doll, which is more self-objectifying and not as subversive as they credit themselves with being. Though see that she came to fame as a scene kid in Los Angeles would you expect her to think anything else of herself even if it is all a marketing ploy. 

Houses of Heaven lends a hand on "the Man For You" , that follows a similar formula of breathy vocals mixed into the dirty club beats. Ample synths dress things up with a lust for the 80s. While they are not industrial in and of themselves, when you allow Rhys Fulber of Frontline Assembly to re-mix you, then things are going to head in that direction. Though it is more atmospheric that what you might expect to happen. Not far removed from what Zanias does sonically, the remix of "Suffer" makes sense enough. It works better than the previous song as it is more melodically focused. "State of Undress" feels like an extension of the previous song. Not sure that it's a positive sign regarding the creative range if  two different songs get remixed by two different artists and it all still begins to sound the same.

There is more drive to "Lockjaw" which has the arpeggiated synth sound propelling it.  There is an almost Nine Inch Nails like beat to "Don't Fuck  the Drummer " thanks to Pixel Grip. This sounds cools, but as a song just kinda of drones on . The same could be said of  Mvtant's remix of  "Unself". The second remix of "Good Boy" by Choke Chain is a little darker , but does not let the song breathe as much as the first. The Odonis Odonis tracks bumps pretty well. This is the second remix of the song on this album and the more noise tinged version they bring works a little better. It is certainly better than the Street Fever remix of "The Man For You" which reduces it to another club track. It's not surprise that Kontravoid would bring a more industrial touch for their take on "Suffer" is one of this album's better moments 

The third and thankfully finale remix of "No Touch Torture" is by Spike Hellis and while it is another dance mix, better than the previous one. It at least gives a better feel to the song. The Marquis remix of "Good Boy" is more chaotic than what Choke Chain did with the song. The beat is abrasive and harder, which works in a different way. I will give this album a 9, I like where they are going , I think two remixes of "No Touch Torture" would have sufficed. If you like things on the electronic side, then this is worth a spin.

Primordial : "How it Ends"

 It's been five years since the Irish pagan metallers released "Exile Amongst the Ruins". Their newest album finds them in the same saddle galloping toward an even grimmer horizon. In fact the end of the world is the theme of their newest effort, which should be no surprise given the title. The album starts off in the mega epic vein you might associate with this band. With Nemtheanga's vocals soaring while still full of commanding grit. I think of these guys as blackened power-metal, which the title track supports. Things get more mean spirited sneer to the aggressive undercurrent of "Ploughs to Rust, Swords to Dust". There is also a doomy melancholy that haunts some passages showing they are not tied down to the blackened power metal formula. 

The strum of guitar leading into "We Shall Not Serve" is one of the band's trademarks. His vocals touch on A.A 's lower register. The guitars race under with a cadence that reminds me of early Iron Maiden. The drummer it really breaking a sweat on this album, as he goes the extra mile. "Pilgrimage to the World's End " has a grungy doom throb to it. It builds off this singular theme to an almost hypnotic effect, which works well for this song, but when the same formula is applied to "Nothing New Under the Sun" that follows it , things feel like they went to the well one too many times with this formula. "Call to Cernunnos" has more of a folk metal swing to it, that helps break the mood up. It is done in a call and response manner, that feels more epic. 

Things take a darker turn on the more brooding "All Against All". Nemtheanga goes into more of a growl at times on this one. There are songs with a more aggressive tempo, but this feels like the most black metal song of the album so far. At almost nine minutes it is also the album's longest song. The songs end finds it droning off into throat singing, as the guitars give an ominous pulse. I like the groove it builds back up into making this one of the album's more impressive compositions. They lurch back into a more blues flavored doom shuffle for  "Death Holy Death". It is one of the most soulful vocal performances I have heard from him.

The return to the more old school Maiden like gallop to finish off the album. Granted it's rougher around the edges this time. It goes off into a more jammy section, which sounds like it would transition well live. I think this album holds up against their other work and is better than "Exile Amongst the Ruins " which earned a 9, so I will give this album a 9.5, and see how it grows on me . If you are looking for folk/ pagan metal that leans into the metal side with a classic bombast then give this album a listen. 

Live Review : Alice Cooper & Rob Zombie present the Freaks on Parade Tour @ the Mid-Credit Amphitheater

 After the lackluster performance Filter gave at Welcome to Rockville 3 months ago,  I was not surprised to here things had not improved as they busted through the tail end of their set as we tromping across the sprawling parking lot. They left the stage as we stepped into the venue, so it only a matter of  getting to our seats before Ministry took the stage before sunset. They were the loudest band of the night, and given the nature of what they do rightfully so. Their set was relentless with only song titles spat out by 64 year old Uncle Al, who voice got the job done, though with really only cyborg barking required the bar was not very high when it came to his vocal demands.

 Al was joined onstage by to former members of Prong guitarist Monte Pittman and Keyboardist John Bechdel, along with Paul D'Amour, the former bass player of Tool. The set list was generally pretty predictable with the staples that have made the seminal industrial act's aggressive sound so commanding on stage over the years, and the proved to be equally effective, though the smoke machines while the sun was still shining down, to did help the band visually, as the production aside from video screens on either side of the stage adding some visual texture. The sets strongest songs includes the pounding opener "Thieves", along with "Stigmata" , "Burning Inside" , 'NWO" and "Revenge" which was the only song that needed an introduction as it's from the band's first album "With Sympathy" when they had more of a Depeche Mode like New Wave sound, those elements were still in place, but guitars gave them more heft and Al's vocals were delivered with the leathered lungs his hard living has gifted him with. They close with "Goddamn White Trash" the first single off their upcoming album, which got a mixed response given the fact they were in Florida, there was muttering after the set that Al was being mean. Perhaps he was but mean sounds good on him. 

Alice took the stage , after a screen declaring he had been banned in Florida lowered. He opened with a brief version of "Lock Me Up" from "Raise Your Fist and Yell" and transitioned into "No More Mr Nice Guy".  It was largely a streamlined stage show weighing heavily on greatest hits. His band has become a taunt machine with the fleet fingers of Nita Strauss, killing it with explosive solos. The only surprise is he did bring out the snake for "Snake Bite" from "Hey Stoopid" . He played three songs from "Hey Stoopid" and only drew from "Billion Dollar Babies" more with four songs, though one of those being the jam version of "I Love the Dead" which plays after Cooper's execution scene. Cooper's voice was strong and he actually sounded better vocally than when I saw him at Ruth Eckerd Hall. He is always great live even when not relying on some of the more theatrical elements., which felt like who ever put the tour together, I am guessing the answer is Rob Zombie's management. Zombie's career would not exist without Cooper and we are about to get into Rob's set soon enough, but both musically and vocally Cooper's camp had them outclassed at every turn. 

Cooper said very little aside from introducing his band, and really the only wink in the direction of the recent media controversy around him was in the closing lyrics to "Elected" where he states "everybody has got problems/ and personally I don't care" which sums up why he is bullet proof from being cancelled by journalists trying to lure him into conversations that have nothing to do with his music, he states his opinion and leaves it at that, no further defense needed, as he is no stranger to controversy, yet he is capable of having an audience of 14,000 still eating out of his hand. Being also worth 50 million, helps with his apathy, as at75  and still being able to rock a huge crowd is really a victory lap. If you are a fan , I assume you have already seen him live, though he is history lesson in how to rock for any generation. 

Rob Zombie's show has moved into more of a Vegas level multi-media spectacle as when I saw him in 2019 with Marilyn Manson. Eventually his set worked it's way into White Zombie songs, but while there is a uniform feel to his radio friendly brand of industrial rock, there is a big hooky anthemic feel that works well live as it's high energy. His solo work has begun to stand the test of time with songs like "Superbeast" and "Living Dead Girl" proving to be a fun time. Half the show was accompanied by the coinciding music videos to the songs playing along on towers of video screens that littered the stage. Amid all of this the most musical substance came from former Marilyn Manson drummer Ginger Fish, who kept the songs moving even when he was grooving to electronic tracks and samples. Zombie's impressive stage presence that found him dancing around the stage at 58 years old was a feat, given the Florida heat and bright lights. His voice was not that great, but much like Ministry the bar was low when it came to vocal performance. It might be best described by the conversation I overheard to older people having as I left, the woman said to her husband "So he is like a rock n roll rap" and I can see how she reached that conclusion. Zombie might have put on the best spectacle of the night, Alice Cooper's band was armed with more musical talent. This was my third time catching Zombie, and not sure I need to catch him again. 

Odonis Odonis : "ICON"

 

The Canadian duo's newest effort is a collaborative EP with some pretty note-worthy artists. The first track is a cathartic grooving brand of post-punk that finds them working with A Place to Bury Strangers. This of course finds A Place to Bury Strangers bring noise-coated bursts of guitars to the proceedings. The song has a back alley slither that works well. "Beast" is an attempt to weave what they do with the electronic weirdness of Thomas Fec from Black Moth Super Rainbow, who also performs under the moniker TOBACCO. This brings an abrasive form of industrial together where the vocals are screamed more often than not. 

Vancouver-based singer Terror Bird lends their voice to the more dark wave-flavored "Brilliant Things" . The weird thing with this is the song was also recorded by Terror Bird and Subterranean Lovers, though that version is more almost Brit-pop in the manner the arrangement unfolds. This darker version works better.  There is more of a post-punk to the more organic mix-up with the Actors on the song "No One Left". The guitar jangle is not unlike what we have already heard from this sub-genre before, but it still works well this time around. 

"Passing Us By" paints a darker picture than what I would have expected to have come from getting SUUNS involved. It drones very starkly with more of a cold wave feel. The last song features the Los Angles goth hipster project Patriarchy. It is pretty steamy but also simmers in the same shade of neon that you expect outside of the angsty chorus.  It seems that a 9 is the highest score I can justify doing something really well and engaging me with the songs, but not to the point of me being hit with the urge to own this upon first listening. So that is the score I am giving it.   

Drab Majesty : "An Object in Motion"

The new EP from the neo-goth oddity known as Drab Majesty opens with an ethereal ballad. Rachel Goswell from Slowdive lends her voice. It is less of a duet and more of another level of atmosphere to build off of. There is a Robert Smith like introspection to the song's mood for sure. Not sure that an instrumental comprised of just finger picked guitar is the best use of an already compressed format. Even on a full length it would feel like an interlude that is just filling up time. Anyone who plays guitar could do similar just fooling around to warm up their fingers. 

The mood of the previous song is carried over into "Yield to Force". The intro drones on for . While this does create a mood I am not sure it warrants being dragged on for son long as it gets boring after the first five minutes. Then the rest of the time you find yourself staring at the time tick down ,as you wonder when something is actually going to to happen. Drone is not what you show up for when you go into an album by this project , though it is what they are serving up this time around. If you are a major fan of the band and hoping this is going to be something that will hold you over until they release another proper album, I can imagine this will bring mixed emotions. 

"the Skin and the Glove" was probably more along the lines of what you were expecting. The vocals coast long this dream pop ditty with the lower baritone vocals mixed in the background as a counterpoint for the swirl of airy sound . The two real songs on this EP  work really well and deliver what you want form this project but from another angle. However if  this had been released in the days where you were buying physical product, it would have been a disappointment. I will give this a 7.5 as the song that are here work, they just waster your time with bloated ambiance for the rest of the album. 

The Armed : "Perfect Saviors"

The fifth album from this collective finds things moving in a more indie rock and less confrontational direction. I know this album has a ton of various people that guest on each track, but we are just going to focus on the songs and how good they are.  "FKA World" finds more punkish drive propelling the song beyond the typical slacker jangle that would otherwise be accompanying the lazy croon of the vocals. "Clone" finds the jangle of guitar accelerating in intensity as screamed vocals create a swathe of white noise underneath the chorus. "Modern Vanity" has more of a St. Vincent feel before screamed vocals come in over the groove. While there are some cool guitar sounds here, it does not feel the entirety of the song flows as well as the previous song. 

The vocal hook to "Everything's Glitter" is effective and captures the feeling conjured by the lyrics well. The guitars are not as spastic in their tense racing around the vocals, but work well. "Burned Mind" has  an 9-s electronic underpinning to it. The vocals contribute less, with lyrics that get buried when things build into what amounts to the chorus. Musically it sounds like an unreleased Garbage b-side. This album is really well produced , as the use of effects on the vocals to "Sport of Form" work well. The noise applied to the dynamics is refined. They sound like a punk band covering Depeche Mode on "Patient Mind". Another song that benefits from more attention to detail in post-production.  

"Vatican Under Construction" is a little more plodding and less compelling in terms of groove and melody than the previous songs. The drums and bass are punchier underneath everything, but the undercurrent is one of the few moments that the normally keen mix misses. "Liar 2" makes up for this with a very sleek futuristic feel, to the pop tinged alt rock that dances out. It might be one of the album's strongest songs in terms of hooks. "In Heaven" is a ballad that this album doesn't really need. The album closes with the more atmosphere jazz meanders of "Public Grieving" which sounds cool but just kind of floats off. I will give this album an 8.5, which puts it behind "Unpop" that got ranked a 9. The reason for this being the aggression underlying "Unpop" made it more focused, than where this album wanders to. With that said this album is better in terms of production and the melodic nature of the vocals , so in some ways it depends on what you want from these guys.

10.9

Cannibal Corpse : "Chaos Horrific"

 Having churned out now 16 albums in their 35 years of existence, Cannibal Corpse is not as extreme in 2023 as they were in 1990 when "Eaten Back to Life" was released. What compensates for that is more experience in the songwriting department, keeping this band at the top of the heap.  George Corpsegrinder Fisher has been on board for 27 year and while the transition from Barnes to Corpsegrinder was a point of contention with for sometimes, I think the years have  proven Fisher's voice has held up much better.  16 albums in you know what you are getting. Sure this is Erik Rutan's second album with the band and three songs in you can tell things are gelling better with him than they did on "Violence Unimagined" . The more melodic elements of his playing are fusing better with what Rob Barrett does. 

The tension of the dense riffs hammering you is done with a refined heaviness that finds the band at peak performance on "Blood Blind".  They are not compromising heaviness, yet keep the songs purposeful and engaging. The burden here lays on the shoulders of the guitarists who rise to the occasion. The vocals are really well produced which helps, as Fisher has a strong growl, the nature of guttural utterances mean his voice only allows for so much in terms of melody and acts more as a percussive instrument. Lyrically Barnes seemed more willing to plunge into the gruesome, and perhaps age has mellowed their outlook, to keeping things at more of a cartoonish horror movie level rather than the snuff smut Barnes belched forth. "Vengeful Invasion" finds the gore alive and well, though not as graphic as they once were. 

The title track is the first song where the tempo finds everything dulling into the blur of hyper-aggression to the point of creating a uniformity of sound. Things stay on this rapid fire blitz of blood soaked riffing for "Fracture and Refracture" that seemed to be about a psychopathic surgeon. By "Pitchfork Impalement" the relentless buzz of chugging began to create a wall of sound my ears were growing numb to. Dynamics are not what they do, it's the machine like churn of guitars that twists the blade into your skull from different angles so things to not sound like the same old same old, which at times takes a second listen to hear. Corpsegrinder's vocals while effective are good for one thing, so unless he is taking a different approach to where he places them over the guitars his low end grunt can be a bit predictable. They redeem themselves with pretty cool riffage over the course of the album.

The last song "Drain You Empty" starts off more deliberate , which is a nice change, then they speed up into the expected blasting snare pattern. They do slow down by the end of the song, giving this more tempo changes than the bulk of the album. This might not be their best album but it is better than their last, so I will give this one a 9 and see how it grows on me. It's a tough year for death metal as there have been so many solid albums that do a little more than this one, but these guys have done some fine tuning to a classic sound that proves their is still some life left in death.  

 

Looking Back in Anger at Marilyn Manson's "Anti-christ Superstar"

 When "Anti-Christ Superstar" came out I wanted it to be more like "Portrait of an American Family " and less like Nine Inch Nails, so it's time I went back and gave it another listen to see how it's held up over the years. The opener "Irresponsible Hate Anthem" has a punk like energy to it that recalls "Portrait of an American Family" more than the songs that follow that find things moving in an industrial direction thanks to Dave Oglive and Trent Reznor who producer this album. "Beautiful People" is Manson's calling card  and the most popular song that is not a cover. It is pretty catchy. "Dried Up, Tied and Dead to the World" has a more industrial sense of movement as more of the rock sensibilities are shed until you get to the hook of the chorus. 

"Tourniquet" is more rock n roll than I remember. The drum sound is excellent , as with head phones it sounds like they are playing in your living , as they carry a more organic feel than other tones on the album. Vocally is finds Manson actually singing . Musically things were more collaborative as "Little Horn" was written by Twiggy and Trent. It's a more driving and almost punk in it's aggression. "Cyrptochid" is more interesting . Lyrically it's one of the best songs on the albums, though the precursor to nu-metal to come with it's brand of child like angst. The weird melodic section in the middle is one of my favorite moments on the album. "Deformography" is another Twiggy and Reznor, that has more of a creepiness to it, while still grooving. 

"Wormboy" has more rock-n-roll to it. Certainly one of the more David Bowie influenced songs. "Mister Superstar" is more rock than industrial though those elements lurk in the production, that finds this album has held up really well over the years and does not sound dated.  Though it is funny how your ears changed with the years and when this came out I felt it was purposefully abrasive compared to "Portrait of an American Family", there is a more brooding pound to "Angel With the Scabbed Wings", but by today's standards it feels more like rock n roll.  The more industrials sounds take things in a darker direction for "Kinderfeld". 

The title track has a decent groove, but I would not it is the album's strongest song. The gratuitous layers of vocals creates cluttered chaos rather than hooky vocals that make the bulk of the album more compelling.  "1996" is another song with a more punk drive to it, but I do not find it as compelling as what has already occurred earlier in this album. "Minute of Decay" is effective at creating the creepy mood it aspires to. Then there are moments like "the Reflecting God" which might carry an impressive stomp but pretty much feels like color by numbers Marilyn Manson, even more the time it came out.

"Man That You Fear" is lyrically more compelling than sonically, though it does gain some spidery legs to crawl on as the song builds, though it also dips into chaos. Overall this album is better than I remembered and held up pretty well, though not perfectly I will give this a 9.5. 

 

Shade Empire : "Sunholy"

 

What impresses me the most about the opening track off Shape Empire's new album is how it covers a wide range of dynamics in five minutes, without taking you on a Mr Bungle like circus.  Mr. Bungle is one of my favorite bands, but not what I want when it comes to symphonic black metal. The singer's first album with the band finds him making a mark. The melodic vocals are more like Kamelot flavored power metal than what you would expect. It might make you question the black metal side of what they do, but the harsher growls are never too far behind. Henry is the only vocalist listed which makes it impressive that he handles all the vocal colors with ease.

 The second song is more straight forward, but they find a pretty interesting groove for "this Coffin is an Island", it feels more like a progressive metal band than black metal, but a good song is a good song, and not against them evolving away from black metal. By the time I make it to the title track , my expectations are more realistic, and I haver come to terms that this album is like if Kamelot used harsh vocals more often than the occasional guest spot per album and quit writing power ballads. I like how the clean vocals lean into "Torn Asunder" which bears more of a metal core stomp. "Maroon" finds the pace picking up in a more blackened direction, since blast beats alone do not make something black metal, though they make a pretty decent stab at it here. A minute into the song and ebbs into more of the hyper melodic power metal feel. Genres aside as songs go it works really well. 

"All Consuming Flame" feels like Opeth until they go into more of an electronic jam and the saxophone comes back in. Things roar back with more blackness going into "Profane Radiance" , but they are not going hit you with just a feral explosion. There is going to be hints of jazz woven into this tempest of sound. "Rite of Passage" compensates for the fact the previous song did not lapse into any melodic bouts of melodrama and instead save it for this ballad. I will give this album a 9, and see how it sits on me, as they defy formulas with the dynamic balance of vocals which might push the limits of what I want from black metal , to not being black metal at all, but it is all very well executed which earns this score. This album drops September 15th on Candlelight Records.  

Dethklok : "Dethalbum IV"

 

The funniest thing about Metalocalypse is the premise they exist in  a reality where a knock off of Cannibal Corpse is the biggest band ever. The band that brings Dethklok  to life has Gene Hoglan on the drums, so they sound legit. The show's creator is also the musical mastermind of the band, but 48 year old Brendon Small might not have shown up to the studio as inspired as he did with past releases.  This project has largely run off the gimmick of the show, yet previous releases were  solid death metal with catchy songs.  These guys are not being given a pass due to the fact they are making music for a cartoon, if you released an album it needs to hold up against what other artists in your genre are doing.   For an album that has been ten years in the making the songwriting this time around things feel a little more dialed in and too sonically uniform. Does this touch the new Obituary or Frozen Soul? No by a long shot. There are few guitar melodies that help the songs stand out , but it's pretty color by numbers. 

Cool riffs are mustered up here and there, but the rule  is cool riffs alone do not make a good song. There are bands like Horrendous and Cattle Decapitation  doing death metal better and without the aid of a cartoon. "Bloodbath" provides much of the melodic death metal guitar work that is going to wow people too young or versed in the genre to know any better. It lacks the hooks from the vocals to make this interesting and seems like an obligatory soundtrack. By the time we get to "I am the Beast' this album is already boring the hell out of me. I listen to at least a hundred new death metal albums a year and for as long as these guys have been doing this the fact they are not doing more to stand out from the pack, even for the sake of the characters on the show, tells me they are just punching the clock here. Sure it is well produced and well executed but that should be the bare minimum when it comes to expectations of a professional band. 

"Horse of Fire" might be the first song that I like on this album. It's melodically interesting and everything has a purpose in the song. "DEADFACE" finds them trying to enter into the album's redemptive arc with another song that holds up when weighed against the current state of death metal and being relevant beyond a show. "Satellite Bleeding" also proves it's worth and a great deal falls on how deliberate the vocal delivery is. 'SOS' tries to go for a bigger more epic sound, but it does not hook me in as much as the previous song. The last song which is the third version of "Murmaider" is more deliberate and works well for what they are doing. I will give this album an 8, midway things pick up and the bulk of the worthwhile songs are not until the second half. There is to their credit no questions that they are capable players and this is well crafted album, even it it feels geared to pick up a check that ten years late. . 

Alice Cooper : "Road"

The 29th album from this legend finds the Coop keeping it real and recording this one live in the studio with his touring band. Done with  minimal overdubs , Alice sounds great and the opening track  "I'm Alice" makes it clear at 75, his voice remains where he needs it to be. The songs wink heavily at his classic sound from the 70s , sometimes almost recycling the riffs.  By the time things strut over to "All     Over the World" finds it lyrically self indulgent as we are three songs deep with lyrics all bragging about how great his band is live.  If this was done by anyone else it would not work as well. 

The first song that touches on metal is "Dead Don't Dance". Though the overall direction of the album musically I prefer over the more garage rock feel off his past couple albums. "Go Away" has more of a roadhouse rock n roll feel. His voice feels pretty youthful on this one. It doesn't vibe as with me as the first few songs, though Nita Strauss lets a pretty mean solo rip on it. There is a more grunge tinged groove to "White Line Frankenstein".  Though I guess the persona of Alice gives more credence to singing about being a helluva one night stand at 75. 'Big Boots" is on the sillier side of things, but it doesn't suck . It might be better than 'Rules of the Road".  There is a heavier drive to "the Big Goodbye". Which lyrically could be off of "Trash". 

The high point of the album is the recording of "Road Rats" from "Lace and Whiskey" which takes a great song and makes it better. I think he needs to go back and re-record more songs like this , a whole album of songs that perhaps did not get a fair shake, particularly from albums like "Lace and Whiskey" that slipped unfairly into obscurity.. On the flipside , Alice has some great ballads already, I am not sure "Baby Please Don't Go" was really needed, it is the first song that feels like his voice is struggling.  He redeems himself on "100 More Miles" which sounded liked it could have been on "Dada" as it carries his dark-side in the creepy undertones.  He also offers a pretty fantastic cover of the Who's "Magic Bus" and I will die on the hill of Alice is a better singer than Roger Daltrey. I will give this one a 9, as lyrics are normally his  strong suit and  feel dialed into a concept  that does not hold up as well against his other albums. At the end of the day Alice is a legend who still holds up better than most  from his era. 

The Moth : "Frost"

 The new album from this German trio is an interesting blend of fuzzed-out dark sounds. The vocals are layered, and the guitars drive things in a sludge direction. This is their first album for Exile on Mainstream and is a good snapshot of who this band is. There is a punk simplicity, but a rich layering of vocal melodies thanks to the voice of Cecile Ash. She manages to be equally commanding and despondent. The drummer keeps busy at pounding the point home. On a song like "Bruised' the music is heavier than expected yet still allows the vocals the space for their hypnotic chants.

These guys might self identify as doom band , but ''Cathedral" is the first song where I can hear this genre creeping into what they do. Funny enough the riffs remind me of the band Cathedral, which I wonder if is intentional. For a trio they churn out a pretty big sound. "Hundreds" has more of an ambling grunge feel to it. The more grime tinged distortion of  the title track, is one of the album's heavier moments. It also finds the vocals of guitarist Freden coming up in the mix to take a more prominent role. The song also drones a little more. Ash's vocals serve as a fitting counter point that is true to the mood. 

The phrashing of the vocals on "In the City" reminds me of Motorhead. They drone with more drive on "Dust". Freden's vocals come to the forefront again on "Silent" which closes the album with a creepier mood that what they have delivered thus far. The guitars drone more than the vocal with this one . While the songs do tend to drone a bit the mood compensates, I will give this one a 9.5, and see how it grows on me, but this band is a breath of fresh air when it comes to heavy music as they are not jumping on any band wagons. This album drops September 22nd. 

Orbit Culture : "Descent"

 Normally what I dislike about the bulk of newer death metal is the production. It's big , but over produced in manner that has compressed all the heaviness out of the guitar sound. In doing so the feeling that should be channeled through the instruments with the most malicious of intentions, gets lost if it was even threre to begin with. This does not seem to be the same with the new album from Sweden's Orbit Culture. Perhaps their northern European heritage plays into this. There is a great deal of majestic command to this band's sound. "Sorrower" at first finds a more overt pounding taking over , then midway into the song they begin to explore melody.

 "From the Inside" starts with delay drenched clean guitars that echo throughout the song when the grooving crunch of guitars kicks in. I think this is one of the more effective displays of dynamics. When the syncopated growled vocals come in things pretty much conform to the metal rule book. The sung hook to the chorus is more predictable. They switch grooves around so it does not just hammer you. "Vultures of North" finds them in a more Static X  like vibe. Not the first time industrial influence is heard on this album.  These guys tend to go for a big anthemic feel, but it often sounds like a heavy metal pep rally. This kind of stomp can be heard on "Alienated". The sung vocals fit , but perhaps too much so as you see them coming from a mile away. I can see this going over well at mainstream metal festivals like Welcome to Rockville. 

"Aisle of Fire" is a little more brooding, which works better for me as the Metal Pep Rally is not dark enough for me. However the sung vocals on this one bring a Metallica feel to the table, which is expanded upon as this album progresses. It sounds good and is hooky, but just does not feel emotionally heavy to me. It does remind me of in the 90s when bands like Sentenced and Hypocrisy began making music for a more middle of the road metal crowd. They do muster up some head bang worthy riffs, but the rule here is cool riffs alone does not a good song make. 'Undercity" combines the more industrial feel with the Metallica influence which is interesting despite hitting like "Sad But True".

The title track has more of a nu-metal hammering to it. The power ballad that closes the album works much better. It takes the band further from the scope of what is death metal, but I have a feeling that is the journey they are on. I will give this album a 9, as it is well done, and finds them step out of the confines of genre limitations, it is big and loud but does not strike me as heavy , but rather an arena rock take on metal , if you like big epic metal with hooks...think In Flames more radio friendly moments, then you might dig these guys.  

Protomartyr : ' Formal Growth In The Desert"

Protomartyr are expanding the definition of what post-punk can be. This time around there is more of a western feel, that reminds me more of Nick Cave, when it comes to the baritone croon of the vocals, rather than anything more based in punk. The guitars sound great. The reverb rings out into the desert night, which might explain the album title. They go from this very organic , almost rustic feel to something that owes more to the 80s on "For Tomorrow". The vocals are punchier here. The bass is surprisingly mixed further back than normal. This might tone down the expectations in regards to what they are normally doing sonically. Is there more common ground with bands like Idles? Yes. Is this intentional ? I do not know. 

Things move in a darker direction for "Elimination Dances". The mood is very pleasing to my ears,  You can hear the growth in how they express themselves, and a great deal of credit goes toward the vocals. Seeing how they are from Detroit and not the grime ridden streets of London, I begin to suspect my previous theory about things beginning to sound more like the Idles brand of punk when we get to "Fun in Hi Skool".  Things take a different turn into another shade of  weird with "Lets  Tip the Creator" which also has some of the best lyrics so far . "Graft vs Host' finds them moving back toward the more Nick Cave sound, but amid some moodier more angular accompaniment. "3800 Tigers' does not feel as coherent. But it is not the only song that finds the odd mood of the band wandering around in confusion. When the lyrics ask 'Can you hate yourself and still deserve love" I feel it speaks to the creative choices of some songs. 

"Fulfillment Center' drones on the same theme , but it works for what it is. "We Know the Rats" is a longer song, but does not feel like it is as complete of a finished concept as the previous song which is shorter. The repetition of the vocal refrains works well though. Similar could be said of the sonically different yet, awkward arrangement to "the Author". Where the vocals are sometimes the strength of the song here they struggle a bit.  "Rain Garden" finds things getting a little darker to close the album out. There is a stormy tension the song that works well.  At almost five minutes there is plenty of time for them to jam around on it, and make things more of a journey. This sound might also have the album's best guitar tone.  I will give this album a 9, it's a solid addition to their legacy despite the lean towards other sounds.  

James and the Cold Gun : "s/t"

 This band from South Wales might be named after a Kate Bush song, but they are banging out the brand of rock n roll that has more in common with Queens of the Stoneage. They fall back into a more angular syncopation on "Something to Say" , though they hold onto the momentum established with a punk fervor. "All the Wrong Places" does not work as well as "Bittersweet" as they do not allow more than the same level of dynamics and try to keep things going off the raw power of their energy alone.  When they lean into the moody nuance things have a wider range of sonic color to draw from. The album is really well produced, there is a huge drum sound, while the guitars are a little garage rock at times, as they clang out as if just plugged in at the rehearsal studio. It's on "Bittersweet" where effects are added to give more depth. 

"Headlights" carries a more angular post-punk tension, that gives way to a more aggressive attack. They are once again racing at a more party punk pace. The vocals help to keep things structured and purposeful .Not poppy but not a reckless explosion either. They do have moments of wilder abandon on "My Silhouette". The bass line holds everything together here. If this is punk the emphasis is on the rock side of the equation. Things shift the most drastically with the strum of acoustic guitar going into "Grey Through the Same Lens". There is more blues inflected guitar crying in the background. "Saccharine" is another in your face rubber burning number that comes close to being punk. More punk than most of the pop bands who pretend they are punk.

"Alone Again" is another foot on the gas chord jangler. It draws a great deal of influence from Queens of the Stoneage, right down to the quick toss in an odd falsetto note from the vocals. Not that Queens has this kind of get up and go now. "Cheating on the Sun" slows down a bit, but is pretty deliberate with the drive of guitar. It is however enough of a melodic twist to sell me on it. They no not throw themselves back into the punk pacing for the last song. Instead they give the vocals room to breathe and let the guitar build the tension. This album has a great energy and many moments where the band steps away from the momentum they have built to show you who they are. They care about songwriting and have written some damn catchy ones that straight-up rock the fuck out so I will give this album a 9.5 and see how it grows on me. 

Blut Aus Nord : "Disharmonium - Nahab"

 

The French masters of sonic chaos have summoned forth their 15th album. The lurking unknowns at this point are becoming relied upon. It would have been more surprising for them to come out with a more thrash or doom oriented album than what unfolds here. There is chanting washing up against the dissonance of the second song that lends itself a few moments of music reprieve before the begin punishing you with the creepy cobweb of hellish sounds. Even with the guitars dripping against your ears as if they are melting each time the strings are attacked, the throb settles in and is less disturbing without the function of form to counterbalance it. In laymen's terms , I get the art of what they do , but need songs that show me they are taking this cosmic horror show somewhere. 

The interludes on this album contribute little so will focus on the songs. "the Crowning Horror" is more metallic in the way it lashes out and sounds like a cult from an A24 film is at work here. I have a great deal of respect for the free jazz qualities that veer them away from being just another black metal band. I feel there is an element of balance to what they do that if not kept in check , things get lost in the murk. The drums are impressive as they keep carrying everything forward no matter how crazy it gets. With out their drive everything would have fallen apart two songs ago. "the Black Vortex" creates a dizzying swirl of guitar that required multiple listens to full wrap your head around what is going on. 

"Nameless Rites" crawls from the previous song with a similar throb to it. If not for the atmospheric guitar melody that manages to hold things together it might have bled into the odd uniformity that can still be found among the chaos.  Things delve even further in this direction for "the Ultimate Void of Chaos" . This also carries out into the last song and finds them becoming swallowed up by the droning of the pandemonium that enfolds, which makes for interesting sound , but not compelling songs. For that reason I will round this down to an 8, sure there are cool things going on in terms of the mesmerizing sounds employed but the obtuse altar it raises does not make for catchy songs. After all how progressive or transgressive can it be if we are beginning find the same feel captured repeatedly ?