Crobot : "Obsidian"

The opening track of their new album finds a more aggressive take on rock that has more in common with newer Mastodon, than the more anthemic arena rock of the previous album. I get this progression for the band as they have been booked on festival bills where other bands were certainly rocking harder than they were. On the second song, he goes up into his higher register as the band brooding on grunge-ridden grooves. I do like it better than the previous song, though it sounds like the way most hair metal went in the 90s which is still a vibe I can get down with. "Nothing" retains the album's momentum, as they put their foot to the gas to keep things high energy while still carrying melodic melody to soar on the choruses, a pretty safe formula to work from. 

The moodier atmosphere gliding through "From the Ground" reminds me of I Mother Earth, though the big soulful chorus, brings it back closer to the mainstream, enough of the trippy 90s-flavored weirdness is there to work. Not enough bands are doing this sort of thing so it seems a worthwhile direction for them to explore further. "Disappear" is where the album begins to take more of the middle road regarding the hard rockin pursued here. This includes the song "Metal", as they have already touched on more metal moments previously in the album, and in the interest of just writing good songs, I am not too invested in them having to be a metal band. I would rather hear them explore some of the lesser-traveled ground they touched on earlier. 

The intro to "The Flood" has a spoken part that reminds me of Spinal Tap's "Stonehenge", the song itself is a suitable blend of deliberate grunge-tinge stonerisms. The melody is catchy enough which is the crux of things for these guys. "Ancient Druid Crown" feels like they are going back to the well with the same groove they used on the previous song which is not as effective as the first time around but doesn't;t suck either. While some elements of "Head of the Beast" move in a more metallic, they have the sense to back off on the verses so the vocals have room to breathe. The chorus does not slap as hard as some songs. "White Rabbit" is not a Jefferson Airplane cover, but a grooving original song that might be one of the album's best. It has one of the album's coolest guitar solos that does not conform to shredding expectations. "Happiness" is a ballad that closes the album. It sounds like a sappy Chris Cornell solo cut. I will give this one a 9, I do not think it hits like the previous album which was more interesting but they are good at what they do. 

TR/ST : "Performance"

 

Now 14 years into the inception of this project, TR/ST is releasing its 5th full length on Dias Records. The second song grooves more than the first, which given the opaque nature of Alfron's vocal approach, it's crucial to hook you into the song. He has managed to become a staple in the rotation of most "goth" DJs who are open to playing music outside the tired Front 242 fixtures. Though I am not sure I would; consider this particular album goth. It moves under the hazy neon of 80s-infused synths. At times there is more in common with the Pet Shop Boys or Bronski Beat than the Sisters of Mercy.  To his credit songwriting is more finely tuned than some of the previous efforts which can be heard in the melodic nuance of "All at Once"

He falls back into some of his more murky musings on "The Shore", which might still work as the background throb for a dance floor, but it's more about capturing a sound than being a song you return to. Though not a deal breaker in this regard. There is a lighter ambiance to contrast with some of the similar moods delved into in "Boys of LA".  His vocals retain the same unique murmur that helps define his brand. Without this, it would place him more solidly alongside the Pet Shop Boys. This brings up an interesting point regarding how all things 80s New Wave get lumped in with goth, how many artists creep into goth music sets because they came out in the same era. So these sounds are thus embraced by younger artists, and woven into the fabric of what Tiktok goth thinks is acceptable. Screams of gatekeeping which amount to nothing more than spoiled brats wanting things to be however they want ensue and here we are with the goth scene in the state it is, but we will get to that next month. These just happen to be the thoughts this album inspires. 

"Clowned" is just lost in its own ambiance and does not really go anywhere, but "Dark Day" works well and benefits from an effective vocal hook. It's hard not to bob your head to it. The title track meanders around the same sonic themes this project has begun to recycle, which the direction the album was heading in is for all the songs to sound the same thanks to the limited dynamic range, forcing Alfrons to make the most of his beats and emerge from his reverbed mumbles to form more cohesive thoughts. He opts to dive deeper into the dense atmosphere and hide within sounds as the album closes on "Warp". So if you like what he does this album does not stray from that or bring any unexpected surprises into the production has polished those, so I will give this an 8.5.

the Jesus Lizard : "RACK"

Noise rock became the label that most would define these guys with, though when "Pure" came out in 1989, I remember thinking they played their instruments too well to be a punk band, thought this was a time when music was shifting and the "alternative" label meant something more than a marketing slogan. There is much more of a rock n roll feeling possessing this album. Yow's voice sits back in the mix on the first song, but when he takes the spotlight on "Armstice Day" it's evident he still has his voice. There is a cool tension lurking under the surface of the rock facade. 

\

More punk attitude seeps into "Grind". The guitar tones feel brighter and more organic, they are not playing with the same pent-up aggression they gave their 90s a subtle metallic edge.  "What If ?" is driven by a creeping introspection that serves as a fitting counterpoint to the rowdier "Lord Godiva". This finds Yow coming closest to his famous howl, as for the first four songs he has kept the mood pretty civil. "Alexis Feels Sick" is closer to what I want from these guys as it has an unhinged mood with an inner darkness smirking at you. 

Things got back more to a frantic syncopation, before tightening the reins into a groove for "Falling Down", which might not be as explosive as their earlier work, but is still effective. "Dunning Kruger" is much more rock n roll, it would have almost fit on rock radio in the mid-90s. The band themselves said this was some of their hookier songwriting, so this must have been one of the songs they were referring to. Not what you go into this album expecting if you are measuring them against the past but it works. "Moto(R)" bleeds from a similar vein as the previous song, a little happier than what I associate with these guys, and not as catchy as "Dunning Kruger" 

By the time we get to "Is That Your Hand?" they are beginning to bore me, but then I really like "Swan the Dog" as it has darker more melodic leanings and is a great example of how they can bring the sound we expect as fans and marry it to these more mature rock leanings the album goes into. These guys have been critical darlings for the bulk of their career, so you are going to read a lot of inflated praise of this album, I like the album but wish it was darker, and the more rock n roll direction takes some getting use to at times, so I will give it a 9, which is still better than the bulk of rock music coming out these days. 

Flotsam & Jetsam : "I Am the Weapon"

 

In their long career, the band has been consistent in cranking out quality thrash with epic power metal-like vocals, though Eric AK has managed to rein his yodels back with age. Not sure I approve of the version of "No Place For Dusgrace' where they re-recorded them out of existence, but that was then this is now. The opening track comes on pretty strong and finds the "Raise Your Fist and Yell" drummer Ken Mary bringing it fast and furiously. He might not be an original member but played on one of my favorite Alice Cooper albums so it's fine for me. "Primal' feels more like they are just working off the formula of what they do, and not bringing new ideas to the table, which might be what some fans want. 

Metal fans are funny in this way as they force a band to stick to what they have been doing and not veer too far from that or they have sold out.  If we ignore the Blaze Bailey albums Maiden has kept the best balance in this regard. The title track works pretty well. Though it thrashes in a pretty straightforward manner. Despite having forsaken his falsetto, Eric's voice sounds great. I get why he doesn't do it as it sounds very 80s. "the Head of the Snake" grooves in a manner that holds more in common with their more classic songs. A little groove goes a long way as "Beneath the Shadows" shuffles its way into being more of a rock song. 

"Gates of Hell" works off taunt riffing that recalls this era of classic metal, as it allows the vocals to carry a great deal of purpose. I am not sure they needed to step on the gas in the manner that does for "Cold Steel Lights". Though when the song breaks down into the more melodic section this one works well, but needs to last longer. "Kings of the Underworld" feels like its syncopation is rushed and the vocals take the brunt of this damage. Though the chorus works well enough."Running Through the Fire" benefits from very powerful drumming. It is a very aggressive song, but works well. "Black Wings" works really well and finds the band coming to a very well-balanced place. I will give this album a 9 as these guys fine continued to fine-tune what they do without being trapped in the sound of an era. 

pst449

Ellende : "Todbringerin"

It seems I have some catching up to do. The last time I heard these guys was back when they released their 2019 album, so few trips to the studio are under their bullet belts that I missed. This explains the growth in the more melodic direction of their sound, and the pristine nature of the production that is organic enough to capture the spirit of the genre without being so polished they lose the black metal feel like say Behemoth. These Austrians are doing their own thing in the best way possible without turning off fans of the genre, as the scope of sound has changed but even with the jazzy guitar interludes nobody is going to doubt these guys are a black metal band even when they skimp on the blast beats. 

Agalloch might be a fair sonic comparison. The snarl of the raspy vocals anchors them in metal as the music soars off into the autumn sky. The drumming is very nuanced. The guitars are very nicely layered with wonderful tones dialed in. The instruments have space rather than just a buzzing drone of tremolo-picked guitars. "Verehrung" is very intentional, and works off all the elements they set in place in the previous song, without wearing them out already. "Scherben Teil" is written as parts one and two. The first of these sets the stage with a steady strum of guitar and a gracefully tasteful guitar solo. This does coast off into the kind of ambient black metal that is the backbone of this album. It is decorated with some stellar guitar flourishes. The second part kind of drones of the atmosphere formed in the previous song. 

"Versprochen" is the first song that crosses all the way over from black metal into post-rock. It's a pretty majestic song, so hard to argue with the results and the great guitar playing that drives the point home. "Verachtung' is the counterpoint to this as it roars back with more metallic intent. Keeping its fury at a steady march. The last song splits the difference as starting off with more ambiance pervading the guitar melodies then the storm builds into the scathing vocals that hold more malice in the climax. This album is better than what I heard from this band previously, which says something since the last album I reviewed got a 9, so I will give this one a 9.5, it shows you what black metal could be capable of.

pst448

The Native Howl : "Sons of Destruction"

 These guys think of themselves as thrashgrass, as they play a more aggressive take on bluegrass, which is not that much different from what a band like the Dead South does. The drummer is more on it like a metal guy. Midway into the first song they do step on the distortion pedal to give the guitars metallic balls, which I was not expecting, but I am not a hundred percent sold on when they do that sort of thing yet. An acoustic rock band is also not a new thing, so perhaps kicking it in as they did on the first song is their secret weapon as it is more like Spinal Tap, they are willing to go up to 11. Lzzy Hale lends her voice to harmonies with them on "Mercy". The fact they slowed down and focused more on songwriting for this one plays in their favor. 

"B.O.G" works pretty well as they keep things at a reasonable pace and the vocals are the focal point of the songwriting. They are not shabby musicians either. The title track could have been on rock radio in the 90s. It is also not removed from Metallica's flirtation with country music post-Black Album. I mean I think of almost every Metallica album that is not the first five post-Black Album, as nothing else aside from their most recent album made much of an impact on me. Hale's counterpoint reminds me of the trade-off in 'The Battle of Evermore". 

Not sure if 'Waco" is about letting freedom ring with a shotgun blast, but it should be.  The vocals have a purpose that makes the song work. The more rushed thrashing of "No True Scotsman" is not as effective, despite the cool middle section to the song. The rule here is "cool riffs alone does not a good song make". However they deliver on "In Death' that does not lean as heavily into their metal, which the key seems to not overdo that dynamic. When they are more melodic the band is playing to their strengths. "Stockhom Syndrome" feels more like filler to me. They do kind of jam out more on this one but it does hook me in as well. 

"Wide is the River" falls more along the lines of conventional hard rock, which is better than the previous song, but not the album's most original moment, despite how it deconstructs into boue grass. Their cover of Johnny Cash's "God 's Gonna Cut You Down" sounds like James Hetfield jamming with Days of the New. I knew it would. The last song feels like Kenny Wayne Shepard, which is a vibe I have been picking up for a great deal of the album but was forced to put it in words just now. I will give this one a 9 as they pull it off well and some of these songs are catchy enough for me to enjoy.This drops September 27th on Sumerian Records.  

pst447

Brume : "Marten"

This album came out back in May, so I am glad I found it clicking around Bandcamp. I really liked this band's 2019 album. This time around things are darker and more organic with less of the atmosphere which previously reminded me of the Gathering.  Thanks to Jackie Gantz bringing her cello to the party there are sweeping post-rock dynamics expanding the sonic zip-code way past the normal Sabbath pandering of the genre.  They push this pretty far out of the scope of metal on "New Sadder You" but soaring vocal melodies make this stick and carry a great deal of emotional weight. This brings us to an album that is emotionally heavy more than it is heavy metal. The song takes a wide swathe of dynamic shifts. 

"Faux Savior" sounds like it could be about politics. Much like politics the song is depressing. The vocals are chanted in a choral manner. "Otto's Song" almost sounds like something Pink Floyd would have done. There is more of a post-rock shimmer than what Gilmour was doing, but I think Pink Floyd created post-rock before post-rock was a thing so there is that. "How Rude" is the first song that commits to going into a more metallic place, with snarled vocals and the intent to chug. Things stay weird on "Heed Me" which drones for bulk of the song, so it's not one of the album's most dynamic moments; 

They glide into the dusk on the last two songs which work well but have a similar intensity to Portishead, which is not a bad thing, it just might not be the direction you were expecting. The vocals are left to carry things, and they are equipped to do so, as the gentle weaves itself around the misty waters this floats over. The guitar tones are great. In some ways it also makes me think of the Cowboy Junkies. The end of the last song does find itself building toward a more dramatic mood that this album often reaches for. I will give this album a 9.5, as it's one of the darker more gripping moods I have heard from a post-rock leaning album this year. 

pst446

Swamp Coffin : "Drowning Glory"

It is interesting how the egregore of the region affects the sound of any given genre. This band from England approaches sludge with almost hard-core-like aggression as they stomp into the riffs, which is a great deal different from how the Southern-fired sludge of America, takes a more bong-broiled attitude towards it. Sludge is really what happens when punks try to play Doom. This theory is further nuanced when considering the differences between when it's tackled by crust punks vs hard-core kids who grew out of the scene. The hard-core leanings are more noticed when the pace picks up on this second song, which is sludge in guitar tone only. Even then there are a few riffs with more of a lumbering groove. 

There is a shadow of melody haunting the oppressive gloom of the title track. It has as much in common with Entombed's "Wolverine Blues" album as it does Neurosis. The more dynamic approach to songwriting here makes it one of the album's best songs so far. The guitar solo also leans it in a more metal direction. The vocals carry more inner turmoil than just straight-up anger in their throat-wrenching snarls. There is enough drive to the chug of "Hypocritical Mass" to show they mean business. On the other hand, the fuzzed-out squeal of guitars is more deliberate than not. 

"Chapter & Hearse" hits hard, before gaining more atmospheric depth with a sample the band simmers under.  "Terminally Cursed" carries more of hard-core's crushing sports. It delivers a great deal of blunt force trauma with the overt hammering to your ears.  They shift into a mega-heavy breakdown that is a very effective use of dropping into halftime on the drummer's part.  The coarse vocals find rhyme and reason on this album often locking into purposeful chants.  The last song finds the riff taking on more of a technical grind, not unlike what Weston Super Maim did on their most recent album.  The chant this time is about nobody fucking saving you, which I am on board for. I will give this album a 9, there has not been a ton of sludge coming my way these days so glad to have been sent this, it's numbered among the top sludge releases I have heard so far, though November is the doom month here where we also dig into sludge so who knows what it shall bring. 

pst445

THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER : "Servitude"

They have established a solid following over the years, but this band has yet to impress me. The past three albums by them that I have reviewed going back to 2013's "Everblack", so my expectations for this album are low. However, for the band, the pressure is on them to prove themselves to their fans as this is the first album since the passing of vocalist Trevor Strnad.  Brian Eschsbach switched from guitar to vocals. Fans might be surprised on the opening track that more deliberate melodic elements being worked in are an improvement. It is also evident that Strnad did not possess a unique voice that would not be imitated. Eschsbach puts his snarl where it needs to be to fill the gaps, but even when Trevor was holding the mic the vocals felt like an afterthought rather than a crucial part of the song.

There are plenty of guitar harmonies that capture a Dark Tranquility like Melodeath. This is ten albums into their career, so it only makes sense that the guitar execution in the studio was bound to improve. The rapid tempos they race with make the song feel rushed. Thematically this is about a post-apocalyptic world where people resorted to cannibalism. A concept I might appreciate if the vocals were delivered more articulately. So fans might be pleased that Eschbach spits out the lyrics with the same kind of frantic phrasing Strnad did, though it was likely listed as one of my complaints regarding these guys in the past. Another point of contention is that the pace they play makes all the songs sound the same. 

"Cursed Creator" shows a little improvement as the riffs are more deliberate, though the scowl of the vocals does not contribute a great deal. Aside from a few guitar melodies "Asserting Dominion" races by like the other songs. These guys sound less like Cradle of Filth now and more like Dark Tranquility. His voice is less prone to shrieking than Strnad's. The title track is marginally more intentional in its attack and focuses more on guitar harmonies as the drummer blasts away. "Mammoth's Hand" does not just throw out the more melodic elements that open the song to race off into a speed-fueled frenzy. This might make it one of the album's best songs, with the opening track the only one that stands shoulder to shoulder with its writing. If you are into guitar solos then they have you covered on this album.

"Transcosmic Blueprint" reverts back to speed, thus making it less interesting. The last song is another batch of shredded guitars that blast past in a hyper-thrashing blur. There is nothing new brought to the table sonically, as things have at this point fallen into a monochrome swathe of sounds. The ideas are being recycled which is a fitting summary for this album, despite it being actually an improvement musically for these guys and the vocals are a mute point regardless of who holds the mich. I will give this one a 7 which is a step forward for this band in terms of songwriting quality. It drops on September 27th on Metal Blade. 

pst444

The D.O.O.D. : "Dissonance"

I have seen this band's name around the Brass Mug, in Tampa, where these guys play frequently. This band thrashes in a manner not unlike Overkill to some extent. But you can hear a great deal of influences coming from other thrash bands of that era, Testament being at the top of the list. I was expecting more nu-metal in their sound, and while they experiment a little with an electronic atmosphere on "The Black of Hell". They have captured a reasonably well-produced sound that might sound good at high volumes, but their songwriting so far is not that catchy or memorable, which is a skill that separates bands from being that one local band that does all the right things to draw a crowd and a national act whose album you listen to for years.  

I think I heard the "Pentecostal" before sitting down to review, this album, but like I said about things not being memorable, well there you go. I can hear some similarities between these guys and Exhorder when their vocals sing in his more dramatic upper register. He retains a rasp to his tone and sounds better on some of the punchier growls. Though the song is dynamic and aggressive enough to work, with decent guitar work. The chords feel more like Machine Head or Slayer leading into "Parasite 6-4-2" The vocals are produced pretty well on this one. A more thrashing part pops out of nowhere which feels like an odd cut and paste. This would have sounded like next-level shit in the 90s, but now .. not so much, 

I appreciate their willingness to write more melodically on "2000 Miles" as it does not feel like they are writing with their singer's strengths in mind. So he sounds like he is straining in the studio."Chaos For the Fly" finds the vocals taking on more throaty aggression then reverting to him belting it out with a power metal vibrato. He does growl but it's done in more of a Chuck Billy manner. When he takes the rasp higher it's pretty weak, At times it feels like their songwriting is reduced to just throwing riffs out and seeing what sticks. Though the breakdown riff of this song is one of their strongest they are inconsistent in this regard versus a band like Maul, who has an endless supply of killer riffs. What separates the pros from the weekend warriors. 

The title track does not stand out from the other songs. In fact, it's more of the same thrashing. Maybe marginally more groove, though this margin makes it catchier.  The riffs remind me of some of the more recent Flotsam & Jetsam. It's not until midway into "The Well" that they muster up a riff that catches my ear and then the rule here is ... cool riffs alone does not a good song make, There is a little more melody that brings some cohesion and makes it more of a worthwhile listen outside of that riff. "Slayer of Gods' comes across like filler on a Gwar album.  They do not know that Chrvches already has a song called This and About This, though these guys are taking it from a different lyrical perspective. It's not much darker than their other songs and it should be. I do like these guys are playing melodic thrash , so I will give this album a 7.5 , If you like thrash you might dig it, but not the most original thing you are going to hear this week. 

pst443

The Lunar Effect : "Sounds of Green & Blue"

 

This band has succeded in sounding very British. By British we mean in the 70s, as they have that sound down. They split the difference between sounding like Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin. The first song owes more to Purple, with a slight twinge of Ian Gillan in his voice, though we do not hear him go up into his higher register then it is done in a more Robert Plant-like manner. They however get right about Zeppelin what Greta Von Fleet gets wrong. They actually bring balls to the proceedings and it sounds more like Zeppelin's second album than grandiose posturing. I guess no one is surprised that Greta Von Fleet is halfway to being trannies by now. 

"Colour My World' shows that they are not just being a tribute band, as you get to hear something that holds their personality. His upper register takes on a more Rob Halford feel, as it's given the contrast of hearing him sing lower leading into the song. There is also a great guitar solo on this song that adds to the song sonically. There is a slight undercurrent to grunge, but you never hear them trying to be Soundgarden, despite sharing similar dynamics at times. The guitar gets oddly dissonant like somebody fucked up on a track and they were like "Fuck it, that's a happy accident" The sloppiness is an interesting touch.  There is a more Deep Purple-like feel to "In Grey ", but I can also hear this as an ill-fated Blues-based attempt to write an Iron Maiden-like power ballad. Not that I would call these guys metal, though there are some heavier elements mixed in.

The piano line opening "Middle of the End" brings a more Jethro Tull-like dynamic into play. He takes his voice up into his upper register on the chorus and it feels like this is one of the main weapons in their arsenal. "Pulling Dreams" splits the difference between their Judas Priest side and Deep Purple. But Judas Priest I'd say the darker "Sad Wings of Destiny" era. Then they bring some of who they are into the Zeppelin side of the equation. The very fact he is drawing comparisons from some of the greatest singers is a positive testament to the band.  They return to a piano intro for "Fear Before the Fall" which helps distance them a little from their influences. 

The last song is also one of these barroom power ballads. They meander a little and rely on the louder dynamic to pull them out of their brooding morass. I will however give this album a 9, since they do try hard and my dude sings his ass off which gives them an edge over bands who use vocals as an after thought as this aspires to epic heights and is largely successful.This dropped on Svart Records, if you are a fan of vocal powered 70s rock then this is for you.  

pst442

Mardom : "Dead Soul Age"

The challenge for this Polish band is to separate themselves from the pack of other black metal bands who have done similar. They are using more double bass than blast beats so that plays to their favor. The riffs are not just a buzz, but you can hear actual notes being played, and the lyrics can be understood amid the tortured rasp that stays in an almost croaked mid-range. The vocals are about the most atypical element of black metal. You can hear a melancholic mood being conveyed, which most bands claim to have but I rarely feel it. As a depressed person, You can't fake your funk in this regard with me. 

The second song does not break any new ground, with the pattering of drums marginally more frantic. The guitar uses a similar morose chord structure and sounds like doom that is sped up. The vocals feel like they have less purpose than on the opening track. The tempo shifts, which helps the song rather than just droning a riff out as black metal is prone to. It sounds like he is scowling in his native tongue and at times it sounds like he is saying "Your church is lost" which would make sense in this context as well. By the time we get to 'Inverted Sun Darkness," the formula they use is intact and back to milking the riff for all the tears it's worth, which also begins to make things sound too uniform. 

"Buried in the Dust of Stars" begins to make it clear that this band would appeal to doom fans who never gave black metal much of a chance or people who like metal but not a barrage of blast beats. They rage a little more work in some rapid-fire drum blasts, but since that has not consumed the album thus far it works dynamically though when they speed up they sound more like everyone else. Some blast beats lead into "Unseen Dreams", then it evens out into a more deliberate throb. This tempo does work best for the band, but the sweeping chord progressions, lean in the direction of every other black metal band. To their credit, they have very little in common with Behemoth or any other of their countrymen. The title track closes the album and largely works within the color-by-numbers convention of the genre. I will give this one a 8.5, it's a solid slab of morose black metal that works well. It drops on Personal Records October 4th,

pst441

Greenleaf :'The Head & the Habit"

 

This might be the Swedish band's 9th album, but it is the first time I have given them a listen. The opening track works off a grooving almost prog boogie, like a more relaxed version of Clutch, though the singer reminds me of Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull.  He has a mellowed-out folkish croon. Comparisons in this regard could be made to Queens of the Stoneage. The drummer is excellent as he keeps the song in constant motion. There is a similar feel to the second song which moves at a similar tempo with the syncopation of the vocals being the largest thing that sets it apart. 

Though the singer is the strongest element of the band as he picks melodies that stand out, the band overall has one mode of rocking out that begins to take on a uniform feel by the time we get to 'Different Horses" and I begin to get eager for them to start switching things us a little more dynamically. They feel less like a stoner rock band and more just like 70s rock to me, "A Wolf In My Mind" opens with a little harder drive before they let the shadows simmer making it one of the album's strongest songs so far. "That Obsidian Grin" is bluesy, and sounds a little like the Doors. Though it feels more like an interlude. "The Sirens Sound" is back to the more upbeat rock sound which is more middle road, and less uncommon. They sound more like they are doing their own thing when exploring other sonic places than this. 

They are back in blues rock mode on "Oh Dandelion" which I think I prefer over the more Queens of the Stoneage-like moments as it's soulful, and in that sound, you can hear who they are a little better. Midway into the song the jam takes them into more interesting places. It gets darker and feels heavier, though they are still not a metal band. At over eight minutes "The Tricking Tree" has plenty of time to jam you out into somewhere more interesting. There is the Doors feel combined with more of a prog rock mood with the winding riffs. It ends up going off into a guitar solo, which works well enough. The last song is just under two and a half minutes so in comparison it feels more like an idea of a song that they were fucking around with. I will give this album an 8.5, they are good at what they do and have strong moments, but the songs do not hook me in, if you  are into their previous 7 albums then this one is going to work for you as well. 

pst440

Hell is Real : "Scared of the World "

 

There is more groove to this than I expected. The vocals are higher pitched like black metal. The tempos vary but the opening track is kept at a very steady pace.  You can still make out the lyrics as Eric Blum articulates his hateful message. They are capable of taking your head off from the power of their chug. The first song they pour on a hyper-thrashing speed is "One Way Out". Even in this song, they vary the tempo, but I prefer the first two songs. "Burnt By the Sun" is more uptempo. It sounds more like blackened hardcore. The guitar tone on this album is very mean. They balanced out the raw organic sound they had with enough gain to bring a great heavy tone. 

I like the anti-Christian theme that seems to be their brand it's done in a less fantasy manner than Slayer, and is still in your face. They thrash frantically for "Kill Yourself for God". Some of the riffs are beyond brutal in how they attack your ears. They are anti-a lot of things, one of them being people as heard on "Emotional Support Gun". It carries an impressed hardcore stomp. The syncopated hooks work well. "Christ Junkie" finds them charging at more of a manic punk tantrum.  "Flase Profit" almost heads in the direction of grindcore with its spastic nature.  Their cover of Nine Inch Nail's "Last" works really well. 

The guitar tone shifts to a clean acoustic for " Nothingness".  It is a more brooding song, with a very deliberate riff structure. But aside from that it is an instrumental, as the narrative is a sample running over it. "Image Addiction' falls into a more rapid thrash. They dig into more depth and atmosphere in the last song. Overall they care about brutality in the best ways possible, I will give it a 9. 

pst439

Mother of Graves : "The Periapt Of Absence

 This band's 2022 album reached the number 5 spot in our Top  10 Doom Albums for that year. So expectations are high. They continue to retain a balance of death metal grit with the mournful melodic nature of doom, perhaps this time around leaning more in the direction of doom. The second song finds them raging into a more death-metal feel. Piano parts are sprinkled about, and midway into the song, it finds more solid footing with the deliberate drumming that makes the vocalist's job easier. As far as the arrangement and production go things are more ambitious this time around, though it does tend to streamline their sound more neatly into what you expect from melodic death metal. 

This middle ground they reached does not do any favors for songs that do not use dramatic dynamic shifts, as heard on "The Scarlet Threnody" which coasts on a steady doom beat. "Apparition" is a step further in the doom direction with more melodic work. It's the best song so far, as when the pace picks up it retains a steady flow that has both drive and melody. The title track is effective as it finds enough hook and heaviness in the riffs to ground it as the harmonie parts haunt the verses. "As the Earth Fell Silent' is darker though there is more chaos to the weird trippy arrangement, which balances everything out as this song helps them escape for the more middle-of-the-road feel and embrace their darker identity. When the song builds it does so in a more sonic manner. 

They still care greatly about songwriting, which gives them a head up over most bands. There is some dynamic depth to "Upon Burdened Hands". The melodic guitar wanders in a way that is not as creative or catchy as the previous song, but it still works well enough. The last song carries a very purposeful creep to it's dreary pulse. It took a couple listens for it to grow on me. This album is great but I do not think it hits the same way as "Where the Shadows Adorn", perhaps this has more to do with the production, it's still really great so much so I will give it a 9. It drops October 18th on Profound Lore. 

pst438

Looking back in Anger at Linkin Park's "Hybrid Theory"

 Puzzled by the hype this band is now seeing, thanks to a reunion, I decided to lend a critical ear to this record and see what it was about outside of the singles.   People must forget these guys are more fabricated pop than metal  I have never sat down and listened to this album, but I have heard enough of it to know these guys felt more like a boy band with guitars than the rest of the nu-metal scene. They write hooky enough songs but so did NSYNC's producers. The dual vocalist thing seemed foolish after all Chino does what both of Linkin Park's vocalists do, so why not just have one better singer. But "Papercuts" works for me and of course "One Step Closer" is a classic of the era, but what about the rest of the album? Two good songs do not make anyone a great band. It's an album's worth of great songs that make you a great band. 

"Points of Authority" is more rapped, and has aggressive turntabling. The chorus is way too poppy to take seriously as a rock song. The rapping sounds very dated. But genres that live by technology die by it as well. The same could be said for. The big chorus is memorable as I remember I have heard it before but not that I want to hear it again. All the supposed angst feels very contrived. "Runaway" feels like they are just recycling the themes from the previous song. if this came out today we might think AI wrote the lyrics for them. They try to rip off Helmet on "By Myself" and the rapping gets worse each time it appears. It's hard to make it through this song it's so bad. 

"In the End" finds the piano riff cluing me in on the fact I have heard this one before, it is one of their better songs I suppose. "A Place For My Head" might be a better song with different vocals. "Forgotten" sounds like 311 for method-out frat boys. 311 is a better band that is for certain. The sad boi emoting on the last song falls flat thanks to the lame chorus. I will give this a 7.5, so at the high end of mediocrity.  Just over half the album is decent, with a few songs that are just listenable,  then some that are hard to make it through, not my kind of pop music. Certainly not worth the hype they get.  

pst437

DEATHRITE : "Flames Licking Fever"

 With a dark sonic brand of raw old-school metal, this German band rocks out with the crusty leather-clad grace of Venom. They care about songwriting, even though things stomp out with a punk recklessness, yet it is deliberate in its mid-paced march. The vocals are rasped in more of a shout. The title track is more deliberate in the rock n roll attitude that adds some swagger to the metallic attack of the guitars. They are pretty satisfying riff writers. The tension is maintained, but they use restraint to avoid just blasting off at a more rapid tempo. This takes me back to one of the darker intersections of thrash metal and punk from the 80s. In some of it' earliest incarnations this might have also been considered black metal at one time. 

They step on the gas a little for "Misanthropic Rish" which carries a little more of a punk feeling to it. The drummer is typically pretty tasteful for what they are doing and think when he lays the double bass down on this one it's effective. There is even a riff that reminds me a little of Motley Crue on this song. Think "Knock'em Dead", but then in the early days, Crue had more punk in their bloodstream. For a punk influenced band, the songs are longer than you might expect. " A Slave to a Poisoned Mind" is the most metal song so far. There is a marginally more creepy guitar melody to this one. "Bottomless Graves" comes closer to death n roll with a stark punk attitude. "Deadbeat" finds things moving in a more black metal direction, and these guys are often treading sinnilar dark waters a Watain, particularly in the throaty bark of the vocals .

"Gallows Trail" has a darker pulse as it marches down a dismal road. The album closes with "All Consuming Fire" which is another anthem of despondency. I think it also show cases this album's strengths which are the very tangible riffs, that proudly display song structure. Even when the pace picks up going into the first verse it's not at a blast beat. I will give this album a 9, it's  solid showing of what black metal can be. This album comes out on October 18th on Into Chaos Records. 

\

pst436

Silhouette : "Les Dires de l 'Ame"

 

This French band is back with their haunting darkness. The first song finds the languid wail of the female vocals yearning from the gray haze of ghostly guitar. The second song finds the black metal elements crashing in with female vocals serving as a counterpoint. When it comes to black metal they are not trying to numb you out with a bunch of blast beats, but work with the mood. The drummer is very solid when it comes to setting the stage for this. When they slow down and let the chords ring out with a creepy throb it's even more effective and gives the female vocals room to slither in. The guitars chug and churn under the melodic atmosphere in a manner that allows them to carve out their own unique niche in the genre. Which for black metal is impressive and much needed to keep the genre alive. 

The eponymous track reaches a middle ground between the melodic hypnosis and the anguish of the male vocals that keep their pained howling going into the night. They incorporate some of the more typical black metal sounds into the sonic melancholy that feels like an expression of depression turned inward. The cool thing is it's atmospheric black metal that has no aspirations to follow Deafheaven or try to be Summoning. Yeah, being from France you might expect Alest influence, but no elves are dancing around either. They effortlessly weave melodies around the swirl of shadows. The minor jey sung vocal lines add a brighter shade of gray but offer only more hopelessness. The guitar keeps tremolo-picked tension, without reverting to the typical buzz. 

The title track storms into more of a conventional black metal if the bar for what conventional black metal is hovers around Emperor. It's not just a blast fest; the sung vocals color the background. There is a more rapid-fire double bass to create an almost beat-beat feeling. The album is not devoid of last beats nor need to be, they are just not overly relied upon. "Litnae contre la Peur" is more deliberate in its pulse with the scowling male vocals dominant. "Dysthymie" works off female vocals with a different beauty and the beast dynamics building into the more bestial ones. The album ends with a softer female-sung outro piece. I will give this a 9,5, as once again they have excelled at doing their own thing while still being true to black metal yet not confined by it.

pst435

FANGE : "Perdition"

 Not sure how this album slipped under the radar considering how much I love this French band. The album opens with an equal dose of industrial crunch given its sludged-out weight. The vocals are harder than what your average industrial band coughs up. It's pretty crushing.  The second song works on a more droning crunch. At times reminding me of Angkor Wat's more industrial moments. There is a great deal of noisy ambiance churning around it. 

Things get delightfully darker on "Toute Hante Bue".  The vocals are spoken on the verses,  but sung on what I am going to assume is the chorus, with haunting textures drifting under the rusted metal sounds. It is one of the more melodic and dynamic songs I have heard from these guys. There is a pounding 2-minute song that is almost like an interlude, yet has enough dynamics to warrant being called a song. "La Haine" balances out the dense dark industrial thud with some futuristic ambiance. Synths bring a sonic balance to the song. 

In the past this was more of a metal band with industrial influence, now it's more like an industrial band with metal influence. The great thing is it's heavier sonically than it is heavy metal. The last song opens with female vocals in the background, as the machines simmer to life. There is less of a robot stomp and more of a brooding swirl of sound. It shows another side of the band, which works for me. There is a trippy murkiness to it. I will give this a 9.5, as it is the sound of a band not allowing themselves to be stagnant, I am amazed they can pump shit that is this good out this good every year. 

pst434

Miranda and the Beat : " Can't Take It"

 

Was a fan of their 2023 album, so looking forward to sinking my ears into this one. It carries a darker mood from the beginning, as their garage punk clashes with new-wave leanings. It is raw and less produced like a 1950s pop album. The second song "These Days" is less intense and more simmering. Miranda Zipse delivers an equally interesting vocal performance to the more brooding song. She displays her upper range slightly for dramatic effect. I like the streak contrast of the first two songs to establish the fact that she might take things in any direction she damn well pleases. 

"Earthquake Water" brings back the more frantic punk feel, perhaps even more desperate than the opening track, Her vocals have a purpose rather than the normal punk shouting. "Anxiety" finds the manic mood conveying the message well. "El Lobo Negro" takes things in a darker Spanish direction, though the chanted vocals sound somewhat gleeful. Then it gets stripped down to just Zipse and the strum of an acoustic guitar. If a depressed Amy Winehouse got lost in Mexico as similar song might have been written. "I Tried" works well to find an honest emotive place for her voice, while still shifting into more explosive rock."In My Life" works off a reverb-heavy surf rock style, that calls some of the 1950s pop. 

"New York Video" works more of a frantic punk pace, filled with 70's new wave vibes. In fact, this is where the album begins to take a turn in a more punk direction. "Manipulate Me" pulls from a similar era of punk. However, the vocals have more 80s aggression to them which bands like 45 Grave or the Plasmatics were about. Then it's back to 1950's 1950-styled pop on "Up in Smoke", it works but it feels like "The Secrets" is more inspired as it takes a nod toward the shadows. I will give this album a 9 it takes more chances and covers greater ground stylistic choices that typically pay off.  Solid punk rock n roll with a 50s flair. 

pst433

Maul : " In The Jaws Of Bereavement"

 

This album clicked for me right away as it packs a powerful punch, but there are guitar melodies that show they care about writing songs. North Dakota is not where I would expect this to come from but here we are. There is no short of head-banging grooves. It also makes a strong argument for having the bass prominent in the mix when it comes to death metal. The second song opens with a faster more technical thrashing riff, but they soon lock into the more deliberate attack that plays to their strengths. 

The vocals range from a gurgle to a more hard-core flavored spew. They also hit some breakdown-style riffs that show hard-core is certainly an influence. "Weaving Cerebral Horrors" starts with a good groove, but when they speed, it begins to sound like everything else. They return to the cool riff, which does lean in a more metal-core direction. I can hear Cannibal Corpse's influence in what they do, but they are not really paying tribute to the more expected forefathers of the genre like most bands do which is a relief. "Spontaneous Stigmata" runs off a powerful chug you can not resist headbanging to. The vocals are lower and more vicious. 

They relent and offer some creepy guitar to lead into "An Alluring Deciet' which is a little like one of Slayer's serial killer ballads. The growled vocals create more of their own sound with this. "Midwest Death" is a purposeful stomp. It's another head-banging essential. "Unbridled Delusions" rides a mid-tempo thrash riff for all its worth and manages to milk some more from it. There is more of a head-bobbing breakdown feel to "Stuck Stomped and Smeared". They gore grind into "With Each Voracious Lick:"  They maintain a relentless chug as the vocals go through a range of histrionics and growls. I will round this up to a 10 and see how it grows on me, I love how they cover such a wide range of death metal on this album.  It drops October 4th on 20 Buck Spin. 

pst432

trauma ray : "Chameleon"

 This Texas band has a 90's grunged out clanging to their guitar sound. The vocals float in the background with an androgynous croon, as the drummer kicks into their kick with the needed angst. They care about songwriting as dynamics work with the atmosphere, and while they certainly have this sound dialed in to capture the mood of the era, they still have something to say. Nothing is the closest shoe-gaze revival band that they share sonic space with. There is more energy and less depression here. The drummer at least listens to more punk than shoe-gaze. 

The vocals have more purpose on the title track, as his voice reaches up into a higher register. The overall attack has more balls to it, though not metal. They capture a noisy ambiance as they bang their instruments about, though careful not to damage their effects pedals, Feed back squeals without being abrasive. They do flirt with an almost Deftones-like heaviness going into "Bardo", there are hooky little guitar accents to help them out.  They are also skilled at balancing out when to rock out vs when to sit back in the ambiance. This also rivals early Smashing Pumpkins, as it's heavy but not metal. 

"Elegy" is a shoe-gaze ballad focusing on drifting in the drone. There are soft to louder shimmering dynamics, so it's not dialed in. "Drift" is more spaced out.  The first minute of the song lives up to the title. It sounds more like a riff they thought was a cool idea and never fleshed it out into an actual song. "Breath' finds the drums crashing back in to support the haze of guitar they are hiding the vocals within. The harder guitar kicking the chorus home wins me over. This song's dynamic range plays to the band's strengths. 

They merge from the more opaque murk for " Spectre" where the vocals haunt the shoegazing wall of guitar they are trying to hypnotize you with. But it's not a scary haunting more of a nostalgic one. The producer learner from the 90s also adds some modern tricks to how the vocals fit in the mix. "ISO" brings down a weightier grunge stomp. The hushed vocals add a brighter air to the atmosphere.  They sweep you away with the sound but remember they are writing a song. Breaking down into minimalist chord structures before building back up into the crash of distortion.  There is a similar sonic theme to the last song that feels like a continuation of the theme established in the previous song. The vocals are more fragile in the manner they ease in. I will give this album a 9.5, it excels at dynamics and gives Shoe Gaze the balls it deserves. Out on Dias Records. 

pst431

Mamaleek : "Vida Blue"

 

These guys are going further down the Tom Waits rabbit hole. The guitar is carried with a jazzier tone. There is a jammy abstract element that gets broken up by their heavier tendencies. As far as musicianship goes their game has really been stepped up. It's a weird collision of prog with punk. The groove slows down for "Vileness Slim". The bass steps up and holds it down. The drummer is also really on point now. Guitar-wise some of the zaniness in motion makes me think of Frank Zappa.  The only unnerving element is the coarse moan of the vocals. However, this does help them retain their identity. 

The title track finds their brand of weird digging deeper. Sadly it does not groove like the first two songs. There is a more dissonant element to it. There is a minimalist ambiance that pervades the middle of this song. The vocals take on a drunken scowl. The groove returns for "Ancient Souls.." They maintain their surly demeanor. Noise haunts the drone as the vocals chant along. Of course, a sonic oddity has to hi-jack the song but it still works pretty well. 

Black Pudding Served at the Horn of the Altar" has a very noir feel it, which is a stark contrast against the song's title which sounds like a Dungeons & Dragons module. This would also work on the soundtrack of a David Lynch Project. The vocals rant with desperation. "Hatful of Rain" oddly might be one of the more melodic songs, despite the growls that drip with effects the music works well as a counterpoint to this. It builds into what might be the album's most metallic moment. "Legion of Bottom Deck Dealers" wanders a bit before going into a darker metal middle section, and comes out of this in a more free-form jam. There is a more flowing jazz that emerges from this. The growled mutter of the vocals prowls around this. 

The instruments embrace melody on the last song as the vocals continue to mutter in a growled manner,this is a lighter more hopeful mood, with the howl of the vocals the only thing anchoring it to ugliness. I will give this album a 9.5, and see how it grows on me the metal elements have been reduced to a more marginalized frequency, as the jazz-influenced progressed leaning have taken over but it works really well. 

\ pst430

VØLUS : "Merciful the Dying Light"

 This album is the solitary work of Justin VØLUS . The first track makes it known the only blackened element to this is the fact he is a creative misanthropy, which is more common in black metal than death metal. For those who lament labels with genres. if the elements which the label embodied were not true then there would be no need for them. I think they have also become a marketing tool, evident here, as I am not hearing anything black metal about this. Death metal should be dark. Justin is more of a guitar player than a drummer as the guitar tone is paramount in the mix, it's a slow deliberate grind that could stand to have been refined in post-production though the raw presentation has its own charm.

This brings us to what makes heavy metal, guitars, and vocals tend to be the metal aspects. This leaves bass and drums to create heaviness, through the punch they back. The guitar can synch with these elements and add to the heaviness after all if this was done with an acoustic guitar it would not have the same heft even if you kept the same bass and drum tracks,. Black metal is hinted at more in the second song, though an underlying influence rather than the energy driving the songs. I like the atmosphere and dissonant touches that surface here. The bass and ambiance leading into the third song do darken the mood, which is an effective touch before speeding into some of the more technical elements of his songwriting  Despite this not being what you might call hooky or catchy songwriting, he does use some interesting sound and creates interesting moods.  

At times the vocals lack any intention and feel like they are just a placeholder to take up the space, "Blasphemies Infernal Strif being the most notorious culprit in this regard. They are sometimes at lower gurgles than at others. The title track has a better drum sound, as it battles the guitar in the mix. A more spewed vocal attack here reminds me more of Deicide. The lyrics are more articulated despite the more agonized performance. It might be the album's best vocal performance. Lyrically this album's theme is just the typical metal pseudo-Satanic gobbledygook, with no serious occult intent behind it.  The grime is laid on thicker for "Hissing Dissent". This is more deliberate in it' pacing as the slow pound hits harder here. Sonically not far from gore-grind. 

The album's strength lies in the dissonant atmosphere it creates to counterbalance the heavy chugs. After all,  anybody with a guitar and distortion pedal can make heavy chugs, it's what new can you bring to them that is the question. "Revengence of Blood"  opens in a manner closer to death doom, though very straightforward aside from the creeping ambiance hovering in the background. it gradually builds momentum which is better than just blasting in your face.  Some of the riffs shift in a way that makes me think of the almost industrial chug that Morbid Angel locks into. The vocals are pretty ridiculous on "Between Two Fires". back in the gore-grind gurgle. Midway he locks into a frantic blast beat which does nothing to help the song. I will give this album an 8, for taking a different direction. If you want eerie dissonant death metal that is very raw and gore grinding then this album is for you. 

Merciful the Dying Light by Vølus pst429

Crack Cloud : "Red Mile"

 The third album from this Canadian musical collective sounds like a hippy cult playing garage rock. I went into this album with the understanding that these guys were a punk band, so what unfolds here was a surprise. There is a little more of a punk attitude to the vocals on the second song, the chorus of voices on the opener sounds like a campfire song. Despite the attitude of the vocals on "The Medium" there is a happy vibe pervading, and they tone down the aggressive undercurrent of the first vocal, the song evolves into something that is more like stoned folk with a lazy female croon taking over. 

16 musicians in total are credited with the drummer Zack Choy being the main creative force here. He must have a great deal of charisma to lead this many in this project though that same charisma is not really translating into the songs. 'Blue Kite' sounds more like the Clash. There is a more angular Brit pop feel to "Lack of Lack" with a Beatles-like tone to the vocals. The Saxophone does help switch things up and distance them from their influences. This is the strongest song so far, it's also moodier and not as happy so that might factor into its appeal as well. 

"Epitaph" is an indie rock song that has the attitude of Iceage, as they complain about how stoned they are. They jam it out for a bit before picking up the tempo on "I Am" which feels a little less inspired than the previous song. This is where too many cooks in the kitchen plays against them as it feels less focused. The longer it goes on the sillier it feels. "the Ballad of Billy' is a drunken lament that sounds like it erupting from a smoky New Orleans bar. It drops down to a plodding bass line when the female vocals take over. There is more of an ambient ballad feel to the breezy "Lost on the Red Mile".  It floats along the slow dynamic build as they jam on the songin a Greatful Dead manner.  I will give this one a 9, it's better than I expected and a jammy ride for modern-day hipster stoners.

pst428

Nails : "Every Bridge Burning"

 

It's been 8 years since the last album from this California-based hard-core band. They are just as angry as they were on "You Will Never Be One of Us".  The grind-core influence on the band has them spitting out minute-and-a-half songs, and something finds their momentum causing them to run together. This means I am having to give repeat listens to pick this apart, so it's not one sonic battering ram hitting. Normally when I hear a band this extreme, the jaw-dropping heaviness leaves me stunned so I do not bother asking if they can write a song til my ears stop ringing from the opening track, but these guys are one of my favorite bands on the more extreme of the spectrum, so I know they are capable, my only concern is are they going to let this intensity run away with them? 

One noticeable thing is rather than relying on a breakdown-style riff they just ease off the gas enough for a big moshing chug, which works really well. "Give Me the Painkiller" has a little more rock n roll in its more Motorhead-like DNA. This reminds you that the vocals have a purpose here, though moodwise they share a feral nature like Converge. The production is very raw, and I imagine it is close to what this band sounds like live. "Lacking the Ability to Process Empathy" is killer all the way through with its more deliberate riffing, as the chug is powerful. 'Trapped' finds it easier to make a song in 38 seconds than I would have expected. Though it's not the album's best song it's the shortest.  "Made Up In Your Mind"  is a pretty solid piece of metallic hard-core. 

"Dehumanized" finds them continuing to pour on the speed. The drums blast with fury until they throw in another one of their hooky riffs. "I Can't Turn it Off' is another chugging beast that moves in a direction more aligned with hard-core. If you were accusing them of writing a more accessible song this would be it. After all, there is even a guitar solo. "No More Rivers to Cross" is not just the album's heaviest song it might be the year's heaviest song, with a deliberate pounding that is equally catchy and powerful. I am going to go ahead and round this one up to a 10, as some of the faster moments that create a frenzied wall of sound are balanced out by the intentional songwriting masterstrokes delivered here, and find this album as being with the wait and puts the band on the top of the heap, this time it's the hardcore heap rather than the extreme metal one. 

pst427