black metal

To be perfectly honest, I haven't been following the black metal scene that much in the past few years. The genre simply isn't that fascinating to me anymore because I feel like I've heard it all in the nineties and early nillies. However, whenever The Netherlands throw something in my inbox, my old dark soul often skips a beat. I absolutely love the Dutch extreme music scenes. That adoration started in the late seventies with Golden Earring and Alquin, got stronger with Kong and slowly moved towards the extremes with bands like The Gathering, Unlord, Dead Neanderthals and Ggu:ll. So, geographically speaking, Asgrauw has an advantage. Let's see if they can live up to that.

Well, of course they bloody can. Asgrauw was formed in 2010 in Gelderland, focusing on raw black metal inspired by the extreme nineties and the punk scene. 'Ijsval' is their fourth album to date and it's a brutal attempt to shatter whatever sanity is still left in your mind. All the necessary ingredients are available: gruesome vocals, flesh tearing riffs and machinegun drums. It feels like being back in those grainy venues in 1996, smelling of beer, smoke and piss, being torn apart by a piercing wall of sound and moshing the night away. Oh, those were the days.

What makes 'Ijsval' so interesting is the perfect combination of brutal, punk-induced black metal as in 'Nevel', ruthless black metal as in 'Heilloos' and the somewhat more anthemic approach of the title track 'Ijsval'. Furthermore, the whole thing sounds so incredibly convincing that every self respecting black metal fan will appreciate this blaster. So, if you feel stuck in the nineties and if you are looking for more of that amazing old school stuff, Gelderland is the place to be. Get your hands on a copy of this album now.


​Serge

post rock / post metal

2020 is probably the most interesting year since the second world war. Not only do we have a deadly health-crisis to deal with, there are riots, Black Lives Matter protests and global warming, plus we all seem to be stuck with a bunch of people who lack the one body part pictured on the cover of the new Wayward Bound album. But enough about politicians, let's just jump to the one thing that actually makes this year worth staying alive for: music. Let's face it, these troubled times have caused an avalanche of new music, certainly from one-man projects who suddenly had a lot of time on their hands. Belgian post rock act Wayward Bound is one them.

'The Denihilist' is David's third album as Wayward Bound and it's a smasher. Opener 'In Niz Bogzarad' easily grabs the listener's attention with pulsating basses. The track gradually evolves into a classic Wayward Bound track, heavily inspired by post rock and post metal but also nudging towards the thrash metal scene with its heavy riffs and pounding drums. In no time you'll be either shaking your ass or banging your head. Not only that, fans of progressive rock might also enjoy this stuff. Title track 'The Denihilist' is one of those instant classics and instantly recognizable tracks where you say "Hey, this is Wayward Bound, awesome". And then there is the jolly and plucky 'The History Of Fish', which serves as an intermezzo and a smile in these dark days, or something like that.

I think it's no surprise when I say that 'One Step At A Time' is my personal favorite here. This massive post rock anthem was composed for the soundtrack of the book 'I Do Not Want This' and rightfully made the album. Personally, I think this is Wayward Bound at his very best, containing the most impressive ending this act has ever composed. 'Turn The Tide' is another favorite. It's one of those tunes you'd want to add to your playlist while driving the open road. The only downside is: we'll probably never going to be able to witness all this post-rock splendor live. I've said it before and I'll say it again, David needs a live band and an audience.

'Tear Down The Waltz' is not only the most brilliant song title on this album, it's also a mindbending piece of music, one that shows a one-man act slowly perfecting its trade. Once again: this might cause some headbanging activity and some butt-shakery. Hell, the apotheosis of this track might even cause a little moshpit in your living room. that's how exciting and exhilarating this album really is. 'Human Instrumentality' and 'Public Isolation Booth' were great post rock/metal albums but 'The Denihilist' easily tops those. It feels more serious, convincing and immersive. So yeah, post rock fans, get your money ready. You'll need this...


​Serge

sludge / doom / post metal

English noise-mongers Wren signed with the highly acclaimed label Gizeh Records for the third chapter in their seasonal lore exploration. The journey which started in 2017 now continues with six new tracks, six brute monsters, armed with doomed out riffs, fierce vocals and an impending atmosphere. 

Although it would be easy to just throw Wren into the sludge doom scene, these Londoners have a few neat surprises up their sleeves. Of course, the majority of the music on 'Groundswells' is a collection of sludgy post metal, perfectly suited for fans of everything between AmenRa and Isis, but listen closely and you'll be amazed.

The whole thing begins with 'Chromed'. No intro, no warning message, just a bombardment of gritty riffs, methodical drums and frightening screams. But then there is the noisy aspect of the whole thing. At one point into this track I found myself thinking "this could be what happens when Sonic Youth and Melvins cover Conan". 'Seek the Unkindred' follows that example and raises the level of intensity to near-death metal levels. After that, it's time for one of my favorite tracks here, the noise-rock induced 'Murmur', basking in dissonance, brutality and a hardcore in-your-face attitude. 

I mentioned the word "surprises" in the beginning of this review and on 'Subterranean Messiah' they show themselves in a glorious way. While most of the tracks are ferocious sludge doom tunes, this one drags the whole thing into the post metal scene. Gloomy guitars, ambient soundscapes and post-rock atmosphere deliver an absolute stunner of a track. Jo Quail and FVNERALS also appear here, which is a perfect explanation for this sudden change of direction. Nonetheless, this is a brilliant track and a breath of fresh air after the sonic violence earlier in the album.

The other tracks are up to you to discover. If you're a fan of any of the bands I mentioned in this review, or a fan of Wren, or merely a fan of being beaten to death by riffs, drums and screams, you should pre-order the hell out of this thing. 


​Serge

post rock

Post-Rock is often said to be thinking man’s genre and thus associated with structure, reflection and not very much spontaneity. Listen to Tortoise’s “TNT” or Godspeed You! Black Emperor’s “Luciferian Dreams” or even Radiohead’s “OK Computer”, and that might become clearer. Here the listener is faced with loads of multi-layered, strongly-constructed and in a way also pretty self-reflective records where apparently no tone is in its wrong place. If something spontaneous happens it is happening in a concert-situation where deviation from the original “script” might be even wished for. Or it is really small thing (like the pun in Mogwai’s Dial:Revenge sung by Super Furry Animals’s Welsh singer, who told them that Dial is Welsh for Revenge).

However, this cannot be said for the new Whale Fall record “It Will Become Itself” which is based on a 38-minute-jam-session with all the band members once in a while be attending in Los Angeles back in 2018. The quintet usually records all the things they come up with during such a session and thus it also happened with what then later on became the new record. A few months later, they un-chested this treasure from the box and remembered that they all had really liked that session. When listening to it they discovered that this was basically a new record in its first unpolished stages.

Then the five-piece went about polishing up as they say it and added a small piano prelude (which incidentally was another spontaneous outburst by one of their former contributors) and after a bit “It Will Become itself” became what it is now – Whale Fall’s fourth full-length, released by the band in collaboration with Sydney’s Art as Catharsis label. 

This record has all the makings of a regular jam-session record without the annoying jam-session character with lots of musicians too often trying to display their own skills and thus forgetting the song or band. Fortunately, Whale Fall is an assembly of highly-talented musicians playing various instruments (including several wind instruments) and after nearly a decade of playing together seem to have connected a lot. This becomes clear when you listen to the opus magnum of the record, “El Caracol”(English “the slug”). It is an 18 minute long track with an intricate use of the cornet and flugelhorn lending their soft, warm vibrations to a slowly progressing. A few weeks ago, Ramper also published another brilliant long track using winds in post-rock (“Nuestros mejores deseos”) and some very jazzy connotations – is there trend going on here?

One should also remark that there are some minor “mistakes” on the record (can one really talk about mistakes on a jam-session record?) like a bit too overpowered guitars or the drums not defined well-enough. Nevertheless, this is the charming thing about “It Will Become Itself” - the record established itself against all obstacles. A genesis unto itself, so to speak. Of course, this concurs with the later going back to the recording and realizing the foundations of a mesmerizing record. 

Now, this record will pop up on some lists at the end of the year and not even surprisingly so, because it is a good combination of what one likes about post-rock, the wall-of-sound, the constructing and looping, interesting instrumentation etc. But it is even more, it is a testament to the abilities of this band. If they are able to perform this on the go, then boy, many other bands will be jealous of it because their reflections will not lead them to such an elegant and powerful performance. 


Thorsten

drone / doom

bandcamp

Out of the blue comes the one-man band Kultus, who vomit the Covid-19 situations with burning distorted synth work. We had to dig deep to get some (interesting) information about this project. Baritone saxophonist Otto Kokke is Kultus. This Dutchman is a member of the free-jazz band The Dead Neanderthals, known for their shape-changing improvisations combined with noise and grindcore.

Kultus keeps it simple, three tracks filled with sonic drone outbursts with no melodies. Just raw croocked sound eruptions which have a metalized doom output. The rumbling drones come in random repetitive waves where nothing much happens. Is this boring stuff? No, the sinister drone structures show transcending pathways to darkened atmospheres without rhythm or beats. In fact Kultus sounds like Sunn o))) but with more fluctuations. Otto Kokke uses only synths to produce an almost endless loop of buzzing and growling noise. Knowing there won’t come much variation in this electronic tsunami we still paid attention to discover some glitches in its balance. Instead of finding deviation in the drone flow we were taken away in some kind of meditative trance.

Some may get a headache from listening to this digital album. Others like us had an intense healing of the eardrum. Sonic Pressure is an experiment with a positive result. Kultus produces depth-seeking sounds conceived with a nod to the worship of the amplifier. A fascinating world of electronic doom drones has been born. 

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Patsker

experimental

The Belgian artist Marleen Van Ende (also named Marluna Delfin)started to make video clips called The Snake Moans. She used existing music for her videos but got banned on social media for copyright infringement. So she created her own soundscapes using guitar, piano, Korg and all kinds of toys. Marleen Van Ende is nowadays based in Spain where she, besides her musical and visual activities, also makes artwork from litter.

The Hissing Link has mostly instrumental soundscapes with strange twists and psychedelic influences. The music comes in sonic waves of guitar and electronic sounds with hypnotizing rhythms and percussion.  Angels And The Shedevil, starts the album with a guitar sample from Kloot Per W and exceeds with a catchy baseline into Tarantino like movie sound track. Marleen Van Ende already collaborated with Kloot Per W under name The Claudio Serpentino. They released in 2015 a strange and cocky album with covers of the Beatles, The Wide Album.

Meanwhile, making music is now just as important as the images to the visual artist behind The Snake Moans. We feel the compositions have more to express then a gamut of sounds. The structures of the tracks are experimental but still recognizable enough to produce liquid day dreams with a slight darker and tense atmosphere. Floating voices and spoken word samples push the listener into the strange filmic surroundings of The Snake Moans. Moods switch from psychedelic, playful, experimental and eerie. The mysterious musical landscapes on this album have many forms and influences merging together into a fascinating piece of (art)work.

The Hissing Link comes only on (blue) vinyl. You have to take our word in an old fashioned way because there is at the current moment no streaming possibility to listen to this very good and interesting album. If you are in for some experimental escapism you can buy this vinyl blind. 

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Patsker

post punk

Everybody who witnessed a concert by Cologne Black-Metal-masters Ultha knows that this was more than an assembly of musicians who work for a common goal, or a common sound. It was a kind of vision of what music should be able to do – including helping its human sources get rid of some feelings. Music from the heart and for the heart – if you want to find out more about that check out “The Inextricable Wandering”. Now two of the Ultha -boys have founded a new band called Ropes of Night and the quintet has published their first EP in mid-May via Golden Antenna Records. This is not black metal but glorious post-punk and thus it follows Ralph’s love for that glorious early 80s sound that was driven and melancholic, dark and stellar at the same time. All of this can also be heard on this self-titled debut 7inch. “Halo Cage” is a bit like Joy Division bit with more grit and bit and really takes off into one’s ear canal never to leave it for quite some time. “Faith” is a bit noisier and has a kind of shoegazey feeling to it, which might be a bit like Jesus and Mary Chain. Charming is the voice of vocalist Tatjana who sounds like an 80s pop idol on the right side of the musical spectrum. Both tracks could be leftovers from any of the good ole days when music like this was steaming hot and before it was turned into the poppy mess called New Wave or New Romantics. If you only want blastbeats and screaming, then forget about Ropes of Night; but if you liked Ultha for the underlying emotional darkness – this is your new go-to-band. They have that certain something “more”.

post metal / black metal

For a long time now, lots of metal and post-metal bands have been proclaiming their love for the Deftones as they were the one band amongst the NuMetal-wave of the late 90s that had a more diverse sound. This influence can also be heard when listening to the self-titled debut by Endless Forms Most Gruesome from Finland. The duo consisting of Ghost Brigade’s Manne Ikonen and mastermind Juuso Raatikainen (Swallow the Sun) plays a harsh, blackened kind of post-metal that fits very well to this day and age as they are afraid to first run over the listener: Opening track “Black Hole” sounds more like Full of Hell collaborating with KK Null in all its direct, noisy attack. But after this quick clearing of space in the audience’s ears they spread their filthy, yet sometimes experimenting post-metal. And here the Deftones definitely come into play: EFMG are not as groovy as the usual NuMetal-clones but they rather make use of the Sacramentonians’ experiments with sending singular guitar lines through the songs. This way, the Deftones were able to incorporate a kind of soulfulness and lightness into their sound which EFMG also tries to establish. Or they use some gentle picking over a soft string arrangement in “Free Fall from Womb to Grave” just before they riff their way through the rest of the song and show Juuso’s roots in doom metal. A promising debut in all its low-tuned, upwards-thinking, lyrically-miserable glory. 

punk / death metal / black metal

Karloff from Oldenburg, Germany have listened to some Stooges and Blue Cheer, but also some classic old school death metal stuff or stuff like Bathory. The punk thing is the first thing that strikes, listen to “Fright Fever” for example. High speed octane stuff, very much like New Bomb Turks or Turbonegro with a drummer releasing his inner Animal – remember the Muppets? But that would indicate a certain non-committing to their own ideals which is definitely wrong because Karloff is not one of these Motley Crue wannabe-bands. The guys from Northern Germany take their music seriously and that is probably the biggest difference to guys like Hank Van Helvete, they are no novelty act. The blackened vocals show despair and often blend seem like a mix of classic early hardcore shouters and black metal singers, sometimes even being close to thrash metal.  The excellent riffing and precision make for a force to be reckoned with. 

shoegaze / doom

Lyon, France is known to be a tasteful town. With newcomers Hadewijch a new chapter seems to be added to the former culinary capital of the world. One that doesn’t known boundaries or limitations – at least, not many. It’s not that they seem to have no musical boundaries, because they do perform within the frame of doomy post-metal. But they seem to have a very open-minded mindset as they want to show the possibilities of musically transcending the bodily realms, just like a good herbal therapy. This can also be noticed when listening to their debut-EP which is one, single track – but 19 minutes long. In that time, you can hear a lot of doomy but also noisy shoegaze elements that will help you find some positive vibes for your life. You might hear some Neurosis or My Bloody Valentine, to give you an idea that might push the comparisons a bit too far. The trio is not yet on the level of the bands mentioned, but they are quite good and for a debut, this is promising quite a lot. It will be interesting to see with which noise they follow their herbal and musical theory; nevertheless, they give you one more reason to think highly of the tasty town Lyon.

Thorsten

black metal

Within the realms of guitar-based music, Black Metal seems to be the equivalent to Electronica when it comes to the frequency one-man projects. Everyone of the aficionados can probably name at least ten such “bands” from the top of their heads. 

Danish guitarist Ole Luk also has his own one-man-project called AFSKY for several years now and he is a perfect example for modern black metal. One might argue that he doesn’t bring anything new to a scene bound for redundancy. He doesn’t evolve the genre like other solo projects do (compare Lausanne’s Borgne or Gotha’s Mosaic). Using folksy acoustic guitars, blastbeats, crushing riffs, slowed down passages is definitely nothing unheard of before. And that shall be it for criticism because his new record “Ofte jeg drømmer mig død” (“Often I dreamt myself dead”) is simply beautiful and will surely end up on a lot of people’s lists for awesome records of 2020.

Here is why – the record has substance. Musically, this follow-up to 2018’s debut full-length “Sorg” (“Worry”) shows Luk at the top of his game. He is able to incorporate simple yet majestic, altruistic yet despaired acoustic or trimmed down passages into the whirlwinds of black metal he is unfolding. The opening track is a perfect example: Starting off with a sound passage that might either be the sound of the ocean waves slowly rushing up and down the beach or the wind in the field that is shown on the cover of the record. The painting is “Udslidt” and it was painted by H.A. Brendekilde in 1889 – the title meaning “worn out” is perfectly shown with the crying woman kneeling on the barren field and holding the head of a dead man (presumably her father). He died of exhaustion – one can easily see that in his face showing the strains of old age and hard work. You can hear all of that on this record – despair, exhaustion, death, sheer fear of the vastness and what shall come next. Ole was even invited to talk about the painting and play some tunes in the art museum where Brendekilde’s picture hangs to talk about the picture and play some tunes acoustically for his record release (click here, it’s all in Danish, though). 

Luk has assembled six songs all based on old Danish poems (one by famous fairytale writer H.C. Andersen – whose biography would also make for a wonderful black metal album) and sings them in his native tongue. Without knowing Danish, it becomes clear he isn’t singing about pink unicorns – take titles like “Angst” or “Bondeplage” (“Peasants Plague”). Life is not a fairy tale, especially if you live in the 19th century and are not an aristocrat – a hetero-normative oriented aristocrat that is (compare Andersen’s biography). Choosing Danish for his lyrics is not a way of hiding anything, it might be seen as a safe haven – where he must not fear for his life. Although, the title of the record hints at suicidal dreams anyway. There is a lot of introspection here and that is definitely a huge advantage of this record. You can listen to it and feel the despair slowly creeping into your own perception, but never taking over your own thinking. The latter might also be given because he doesn’t use English so most people simply do not understand anything but have to use empathy to understand rationally. 

All these elements, the incorporation of folk tales, of socio-critical lyrics, of wonderfully calm musical parts and an interest in history and one’s roots and mother tongue make this a perfect example of modern Nordic black metal where Myrkur and Venom meet. Ole Luk is a name to remember and AFSKY is a force you will not forget. A substantial force to get lost in. 


Thorsten

In June 2018 I wrote a series of Brieviews ("brief reviews") for Greek label Sound In Silence. This was one of the the first specials we did and several others have followed. Now, after a hiatus in  review writing, I noticed that the label has released six interesting releases available on their bandcamp page. So, this looks like the perfect opportunity to compose six new Brieviews to guide you through the magical world of Sound In Silence.

electronic / ambient / post rock

Released in November 2019, 'Phantom Lights' is a gentle and playful six track EP by Anglo-American act Memory Drawings. The band is the brainchild of Joel Hanson and features guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Richard Adams, violinist Sarah Kemp, pianist Gareth S Brown  and multi-instrumentalist Chris Cole.
The music moves between ambient, folk, classical music and post rock. It never gets heavy, intense or dark but always remains on a blissful, shimmering level. That's what makes this album such a pleasure to listen to. Tunes like 'Two Rooms' and 'The Final Curtain' can easily bring a smile to your face, even in these weird times.

I don't really know if I can draw references to other bands. Perhaps fans of Tortoise, Dakota Suite or Do May Say Think or Bark Psychosis. Fact remains, this is a nice album, destined to light up the gloomy days in your life.

ambient / electronic

Sound In Silence

Hailing from Paris, France, Astatine is the solo project of Stéphane Recrosio, known from the post rock / slowcore band Acetate Zero. On his first album for Sound In Silence, Astatine delivers no less than twenty tracks, varying from gloomy ambient pieces to gritty minimal rock songs. 

I think it's safe to say that this is not the easiest S.I.S. album to digest. With fuzzed out guitars, mumbles, distorted vocals and processed sounds, Astatine creates the atmosphere of many bedroom acts. There is a sense of loneliness here, laced with fear, anger and a constant urge to experiment.

Some of the songs are downright ugly, like grunge tunes without drums or bass, while others reveal the ramblings of a mad mind. In all, it's clear that this is not for everyone but fans of the experimental and avant garde will definitely enjoy these odd tunes.

ambient / electronic / post rock / downtempo

worriedaboutsatan is probably one of my favorite bands from the last decennium. I've seen them a few times at Dunk! festival where their magical sounds filled the forest and got hooked immediately. So, seeing this act appear on one of my favorite labels from the last decennium surely fills my ambient heart with joy.
Crystalline is worriedaboutsatan’s sixth full-length album and judging from the label's bandcamp page one of the most successful releases on Sound In Silence. To me this comes as no surprise. The act already has a loyal following, which is one reason. But, there is also the simple fact that 'Crystalline' is a brilliant album.

Once again combining elements from downtempo electronics, post rock and ambient, this album contains eight tracks. 'Open The Door' pretty much serves as an intro, luring the listener with sweet soundscapes. 'Steps Inside' places worriedaboutsatan right next to acts like Boards Of Canada, Plaid and Biosphere. This tune is a downtempo delight. 'Cali' is a beautiful guitar base ambient loop and 'Mirrors' perfectly combines these worlds. Oh well, let's just face it, this is a perfect worriedaboutsatan album, one I recommend to every self respecting slow music fan...

ambient / electronic / shoegaze

Vancouver based solo project Test Card is the brainchild of  Lee Nicholson. He returns for his third fill-length, his second on Sound In Silence. 'Music For The Towers' contains eight tracks and combines soothing ambient with gentle post rock. This is one of those albums to enjoy with your eyes closed. It's warm, calm and relaxing. What else could an ambient fan possibly desire?
Here the focus lies on hazy electronics, playful guitar loops and soft soundscapes, created with field recordings, synths and here and there some glitchy electronic noises. The result is something fans of Biosphere, Carbon Based Lifeforms and so on. Music for the soul...

ambient / electronic

This is already the seventh album by Ukrainian act Endless Melancholy, although it's his Sound In Silence debut. Fans of the project already know what to expect, namely exactly what the bandname promises. Soundscapes, synths and a gloomy atmosphere create an absolute beauty.
'A Perception Of Everything' contains nine tracks in which piano, field recordings and synths attempt to guide the listener on a journey through him/herself. Of these, 'Immersion' is probably my favorite but that's a tough decision to make. The whole album tells an interesting story, sometimes calm, sometimes experimental but always worth your attention.

ambient / electronic

I'm afraid that this edition of Brieviews specials is becoming an endless repetition of words like "soundscapes", "beautiful", "atmosphere", "drones", and so on. Like most other releases on this edition, this album by Manchester residing act Halftribe is a sweet and soothing ambient album, containing everything fans like about this genre. 
The album, another S.I.S. debut but already Halftribe's fifth, contains eleven tracks. Some of them remind me of acts like Stars Of The Lid while in others the sounds of Tim Hecker and Fennesz seem to have been an inspiration. Perfect music for a lazy and hazy Sunday afternoon, or any moment of any day for that matter.

Serge

electronic / experimental / jazz

Boring Machines

I guess I'm really into the somewhat stranger side of the musical spectrum today, which is a perfect opportunity to plug this odd little gem. As some of you will know, Boring Machines is known to release somewhat unusual records and this one is definitively no exception.
Divus is a duo from Rome, comprised of electronic musician and techno producer Luciano Lamanna and saxophone player Luca T. Mai, of world-renowned band ZU. In 2018 they released their debut, now followed by this vinyl in which they expand their experimental spectrum. The result is an awe-inspiring brood of electronics, free-jazz saxophones and grainy dance tunes.

It took me the whole four and a half minutes of opener 'C1' to get into the music Divus creates. There was ambient, but also saxophone sounds, so it had to be moving into the dark jazz direction, no? At one moment I thought, "Bohren und der Club of LSD". I'm still not sure if that is a compliment. 'C2' quickly made me forget about the confusion caused 'C1' and 'C3' completely blew my socks of. Remember Speedy J's 'A Shocking Hobby' album? Well, combine that with dark jazz saxophone sounds and you'll have Divus. Besides, 'C4' is a neat ambient jazz tune, much more minimal than its colleagues. 

Now, before you go thinking that this is another nice dark jazz album, remember the beats and breaks. From lazy dance inspired percussion to breakcore-vibes, Lamanna throws it all into the mix. It's not all easy digestible, or danceable, or understandable but it's unique and impressive. 'D2', for instance, is something from a dystopian movie soundtrack, driving on heavy beats and dreamy sax. This is my personal favorite. The trouble is, who to recommend this thing to? Jazz freaks? Not really. Dance fans? Oh no, certainly not. People who enjoy the weirder side of life and thus their music collection? Probably. Just check it out. You won't believe your ears...


Serge