Category: Alternative

Split/Cross - Rise Of Discontent

hardcore / grindcore / crust

Pennsylvania trio Split/Cross is seriously pissed off. Formed by members of The Human Race Is Filth and Bittered, Split/Cross delivers eight ferocious tracks, ranging from blackened crust punk over sludge doom to grindcore and even the harsh industrial sound of Nailbomb (in opener 'Blindspot'). That level of variation is not only very welcome but also gives the EP the feel of a concept album. The concept here being "fuck politics, fuck religion, fuck society, fuck humanity", something like that. Fact remains, this eight track is a tremendous kick in the nutsack, aggressive and raging, thus recommended!

Wan - Gammal är äldst

black metal

More fearsome aggression, this time from Swedish black metal quartet Wan. Formed in 2009, Wan have one mission: hail Satan in the most vile, raw and old school way possible. This five track EP is exactly that. Without any form of compromise, Wan unleash their grinding sound, bases on ear piercing riffs and murderous drums. If you are one of those people who wander through record stores, feeling nostalgic about the nineties and its harsh, gritty and chaotic sound, you definitely need to check out this EP. No doubt, Satan will be extremely pleased with this offering.

BufferState - Anthropy

grunge / alternative metal / progressive rock

Hailing from the city of Ghent BufferState delivers a very decent mix of stoner rock, alternative rock and metal. Although this is a mix that has been done before, BufferState does manage to create something rather exciting, something you need to listen more than once to fully appreciate. Inspired by bands like Tool, Deftones, Opeth and Alice In Chains, this is one of those Belgian bands to keep an eye on. Perhaps not on this EP but one day they will write and record and huge hit in the alternative scene, I'm certain of that. So, get your hands on this rocker so you can later tell your friends that you were a fan from the very beginning.

Doomcult - Life Must End

doom

Dutch one man act Doomcult returns with a good old fashioned doom metal album. Inspired by everything between Trouble and Mournful Congregation, this act delivers an interesting take on the age old genre. In a way, you might compare most of these tracks to funeral doom, slow, melodic and dark. Yet, the vocals are rough, without really grunting, something near sludge doom and those in Cathedral, for example. The result is a satisfying piece of doom metal, highlighting in songs like 'Sulphur' and the cool rocker 'Ashes'. Don't expect anything earth-shattering but an excellently executed set of slow heaviness, which is certainly good enough for me.

Hey Life - Masquerade

alternative rock

Ever wondered what a good version of the Spin Doctors would sound like? Well, here are French funk rockers Hey Life and their surprisingly infectious debut EP, 'Masquerade'. Opening with the butt-shaker 'Likeholic', this five track is pure pleasure. Although this delves deep into the funk and groove rock of the nineties, there is a high Michael Jackson level in this music, combined with heavy rocking guitars. 'One More Dollar' is one of those tunes that can every festival goer on his feet and shouting 'hey, hey, hey' along with the music. Yeah man, this is pretty darn cool.

Geostygma - The Die Is Cast

death metal

Here is a lesson in dealing with an album I do not like. French death metal combo Geostygma delivers furious modern day death metal with deathcore elements, tempo switches and pig squeals. Those things are not my favorites. I simply don't like it. However, I do recognize influences from bands like Aborted or Dying Fetus and I do hear that everything on this four track EP is executed to perfection. Within its scene, this definitely is a band to keep an eye on. They know what they're doing and how to maintain a certain quality. The fact that it's not my cup of tea is not Geostygma's fault. Recommended? Sure, if you're into this stuff.

Two Trains Left - Sorry & Pathetic

punk rock

We're still in France but with something more catchy and listener friendly. Two Trains Left is a relatively new band in the French punk scene, delivering the lighter side of the genre. Think Blink 182, Sum 41, Paramore or Green Day and you're pretty close to what Two Trains Left sound like. Rapid pop punk with melodic grooves and heaps of energy, plus the possibility of having a few fan favorites, that's what you can expect. Besides, while many punk rock bands drown in onesidedness, these dudes manage to be quite diverse and varied. So, punk rockers, put this in your ears and shake that booty.

Liya - Listen

electronic

Blind Mice Productions

Right, enough with the guitars for now. Let's check what the electronic scene has to offer. Hailing from Israel, singer songwriter Liya comes up with a four track EP, titled 'Listen'. While opener 'Holding On' is a radio friendly EDM track, Liya mostly loves to wander in the regions of synthpop and darkwave. 'No Meaning' showcases that brilliantly and the enigmatic 'Always About You' is a possibly fan favorite. Trip hop act Monophona comes to mind here, which surely is a huge compliment. In all, this is highly enjoyable synthpop, suitable for fans of everything between Depeche Mode and Eurythmics.

I Ya Toyah - Code Blue

electronic / darkwave / EBM / Industrial

Another interesting piece of electronic music comes from I Ya Toyah and her in-your-face album 'Code Blue'. With hypnotic beats, harsh synths and gritty electronics, I Ya Toyah brings a somewhat listener friendly version of acts like Atari Teenage Riot or Ambassador 21 and I think Lords Of Acid fans might also enjoy these tunes. Elements of electronic dance music meets with old school industrial and drum & bass, all accompanied by strong vocals. This album contains ten tracks, all coming with a familiar electronic sound but also with some unusual twists and sounds. So yeah, this might be an interesting album to check out if you're into pungent electronics.

Wozniak - The Space Between The Trees

shoegaze

Hailing from the beautiful city of Edinburgh, Wozniak comes up with a captivating six track EP, loaded with elements from dreampop, psychedelic rock, postpunk, post rock and shoegaze. Yet, for an EP, this thing is quite long, thanks to the massive and mesmerizing track 'Deceiver'. In all, there is forty minutes of pure shoegaze bliss to be found here, from the gloomy opener 'Slacker' onward. So I guess this thing could count as an album and in that case, 'The Space Between The Trees' is a highly promising dreampop album, somewhere between Slowdive and The Jesus And Mary Chain. Shoegazers: you know what do.

Shipwreck Karpathos - Deviations

15/12/2018

shoegaze / alternative / electronic

Shipwreck Karpathos is one of those bands that you simply love, but you don’t know precisely why. The intrinsic and majestic poetry that seems inherent to their sound makes you float through the infinite ages of a cosmogony that is designed by their music using a highly versatile sensibility, easy to follow, but hard to passionately rationalize. And to define their splendidly peculiar style – especially this album – is no easy task, since they make use of a wide range of elements, that creates labyrinths of inextricable sensitivity on the translucent oceans of your conscience, never limiting themselves to established musical ideas, or easily predictable formulas.

Deviations is an interesting, effective and visionary work, since it is filled by remixes of other artists; so, what we have here, basically, is the creative nucleus of Shipwreck Karpathos, adorned on the exterior sonorous features of its composite musical layout by harmonies conceived by a versatile team of artists. The final result is, indeed, intriguing, unpredictable and ostensibly amazing.

The album has an abundant and splendid virtuosity, that reluctantly and subtlety reclaims in the diagram of its eloquent qualities the highlight of its rapturous and organic impulses: the third track – Bring Down The Sky (Metavari's Prelude Redesign) – is an intermittent, but poetic, serene, delusional and profoundly dense rhapsody, that effectively makes your sensibilities to drive high on the dispersive energy of its ambivalent, but pungent mordacity. You are simply submerged drastically into an abstract universe of sagaciously obliterated parameters, that doesn’t respond to ordinary sequences, nor feel the reality as a cohesive diagram of emotions.

Although by the middle of the album, the sound becomes more homogeneous, the primary qualities of the work are not affected. The perfect soundtrack for an endless dream that never seeks the arbitrary paradigm of a coherent layout, Deviations is an interesting experiment in sound, that definitely stands out for its audacious, stable and pure creativity. A formidable mosaic of effectively playful and transient musical dispositions, Deviations certainly deserves to be highlighted by its lucid originality, and sensationally graceful musical style.

Wagner

Brieviews 54

25/11/2018

Syrinx - There Is Distance Between Us

drone / ambient

Sombre Soniks

It feels so good to see English trio Syrinx return. Sombre Soniks releases their first album since 2011 and it's a gem. 'There Is A Distance Between Us' is one long sonic meditation, fifty nine minutes long. It opens with slowly meandering drones and soundscapes, quiet, at times impending. Calmly, a whole story develops, carried by mysterious sounds and eerie atmospheres. I guess it's safe to compare this album to artists like Troum, Vidna Obmana or Rapoon: gloomy ambient soundscapes best to be enjoyed with eyes closed and mind open. This certainly is a nice comeback.

Mule Skinner – Airstrike

death metal / grindcore

Formed in 1990, Mule Skinner is a death/grindcore band from New Orleans USA. Airstrike is their comeback album, twenty three years after their debut Abuse. Their heavy neck breaking underground grindcore works addictive. Time has passed but the sound of Mule Skinner is still crushing skulls and bones. Deep venomous vocals and high speed riffs blowing even your wall paper away. The bass tunes have a very important contribution in this recording. Airstrike is an album with evincive grindcore. Thirteen songs of blasting power. Highly recommended to fans of Terrorizer and the early Brutal Truth.

Stone Wired – Habitual Discomfort

death industrial / dark ambient

Exabyss Records

Stone Wired is a project of Mortum (Gyorgy Turoczy), released on his own Underground Death Ambient Label From Hungary, but active in the USA. The sinister deep industrial sounds work like a suffocation machine. Stone Wired explores the boundaries of dark ritual music. Harsh electronics are used to make the listener aware of the habitual discomforts of life. The artist has already released dozens of tapes and cdr’s. He creates sounds and noise with other aliases like Human Vault and Odour Sonour too. If you like dark and obscure underground electronics, Stone Wired will be your perfect guide.

I Am Waiting For You Last Summer - Together

post rock / ambient / electronic

Russian act I Am Waiting For You Last Summer is one of those bands who explore genre boundaries without limitations. Loved and respected by electronic, ambient, downtempo, post-rock and alternative pop communities, these Russians have played over 200 shows allover Europe, including Dunk! Now they come with a sweet and enjoyable three-track EP, 'Together'. The three songs are short but they will warm up your day and bring a smile to your face with their. It's Explosions meets Plaid or Mogwai meets Boards Of Canada but most of all it's gentle, soothing music that deserves a place in your collection.

Brad Couture - Strung - Vol. I

ambient / classical

Brad Couture delivers another beautiful breather in a rough and busy world. For that, he only needs a piano and a tiny bit of electronics. The two songs on 'Strung Vol.1' are short minimalistic piano pieces, 'Pleiades' and 'Radial', coming with a strong feeling of melancholy. It's easy to imagine vast wintry landscapes or scenes with broken-heart people while listening to this music. If you are a fan of cinematic ambient and slow piano melodies, you don't want to miss out on this one. Put these two tunes in your winter-playlist and the darkest of seasons will shine a little brighter this year.

Comatose Vigil A.K. - Evangelium Nihil

funeral doom

Non Serviam Records

Seven years after 'Fuimus, non Sumus...', funeral doom trio Comatose Vigil A.K. return with a new album. 'Evangelium Nihil' contains four tracks, four monolithic pieces of funeral doom metal, containing all the ingredients that make this genre so attractive. Slow, torpid music, driving on droning guitars, sluggish drums and deep growls. Fans of the band and fans of Esoteric, Evoken, Shape Of Despair and so on can easily trust Comatose Vigil A.K. to deliver the sonic burial they crave so much. This album is a walk in the darkest and deadliest labyrinths of the human soul, one which every funeral doomster will adore.

Dxvxdxd Sxlf - Of Wolves & Men

gothic rock / alternative / metal

Dxvxdxd Sxlf (read, Divided Self) is a French band with a lot of symbolism and a lot of influences, from literature about madness and insanity to dark rock bands like Moonspell, IAMX and Deftones. Their first effort is a four track (+ four unplugged versions) EP which is quite hard to comprehend. Opener Under The Gaze Of Christ' seems influenced by gothic metal and melodic black metal but suffers from rather unfitting vocals. These vocals perform better, more powerful on the groovy doom/post track 'Dreamer On Ecstasy' and the gothrocker 'The Path'. In all, this is an interesting EP, not a smasher but a nice introduction to a band that is still finding a solid sound.

Shelther - When Comes The Flee

drone / ambient / folk

Here we go again, a drone/ambient release by a member of one of Belgium's many (sludge) metal bands, something that almost always sounds interesting. Shelter is the solo project from Lethvm's drummer Antoine Matthys. With 'When Comes the Flee' he delivers a one-track EP, lasting over thirty minutes and bathing in atmosphere. Armed with a guitars and a bunch of effects, Shelher steps into the same forest where Ashtoreth, Stratosphere, Syndrome and CHVE wander. Opening with folkish guitar plucks, this track grows, evolves and narrates, beautifully honoring this tradition of Belgian drone ambient. Brilliant piece, highly recommended!

Temple Music - Εποχές Vol. II

dark ambient

Sombre Soniks

Alan Trench returns with two new pieces of sonic meditation, good for a total of over forty minutes of droning soundscapes and cosmic ambient. 'Summer Dominoes' is a lengthy sound exploration, evolving in an almost unstable manner. Minimalism certainly is the keyword here, even the term 'I-Dose' comes to mind. This is music to meditate to, thus perhaps my favorite of the two. Track two, 'Laughing In The Tower' is more complex, darker and also noisier. Here, haunting voices appear, along with vague melodies and eerie soundscapes. Yet, if you want your music to narrate strange adventures, you need this one.

Hey Life - Masquerade

alternative rock / funk rock

What would happen if Jamiroquai and Queens Of The Stone Age crawl into a studio? Well, French rockers Hey Life might come close to that. One part of the band is hooked on alternative rock while the others have the funk floating through their veins. The result is this uplifting five-track EP, loaded with energetic rock songs for the whole family to enjoy. It's not every day that Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pulp, Rage Against The Machine ànd Michael Jackson come to mind when I listen to an album. For some reason, these songs are infectious and sheer fun. Dancing is recommended, smiling is obligatory.

Rosalyn - Single Mother

indie / dreampop

Rosalyn was born right after the release of 'Heiligenstadt', The View Electrical’s sophomore album. Vocalist Frédéric Aellen wanted to create something more intimate and acoustic so he locked himself up with a guitar and a laptop. The result is a four-track EP, moving into the regions of dreampop, slow/sadcore and indie pop. In a way, the songs here are bittersweet pop songs, powerful enough to entertain people in front of a stage but intimate enough to guide emotions in a lonely bedroom. My favorite here is the piano version of 'Rusty' but I'm sure many people will adore these melodies.

I Hate Models - Spreading Plague

industrial / electronic

Perc Trax

Let's finish this set of Brieviews with something completely different. It might look like a death metal album but don't get I Hate Models wrong: this is nutkicking industrial hardcore techno, or something like that. I guess you can compare this to Horrorist meeting Combichrist making it perfect for acid rave-caves and gothic industrial parties alike. Hell, even rhythmic noise freaks can get their much needed shots of electronic aggression. The single comes with a remix and an extra track, 'Martial Order'. So put on your dancing boots and stomp the night away.

Serge (2 & 3 by Patsker)

Tangled Horns - Superglue for the Broken

7/11/2018

alternative rock / stoner rock / grunge

website

One might wonder, "what's in the Belgian waters?" Bands and releases are popping up by the minute here. A rock band in that corner, a noise act over there and a trip-hop act in another place, it never seems to end in this little country. To answer that question: I don't think it's in the water. It's what Belgians do with that water. We turn it into beer, another thing we have been doing for ages, and pretty damn good too. It's a magical chemical process, turning ingredients into something almost otherworldly. The same goes for our music industry, people come together and create magical chemistry.

Another one in the never-ending tsunami of Belgian releases is 'Superglue For The Broken' by Antwerp residents Tangled Horns. Influenced by rock music of all ages, from the psychedelics of the sixties & seventies to the raunchy grunge scene of the nineties, Tangled Horns invite the listener to a wicked ride of their rock 'n roll rollercoaster. In short: 'Superglue For The Broken' is a groovy-ridden powerhouse that can get any rock 'n roll heart beat a little faster.

Of course, these days you can't write and record a decent rock album without adding a heap of influences. The most obvious reference on this album is Alice In Chains, whose sound shines through in opener 'Shadow (A Personal Piece Of Darkness)' and in 'The Timeline Is A Noose'. Loaded with groove and power, these two tunes can easily get any rock party started, and metalheads will join in on the fun.

Other bands that come to mind include Soundgarden, Kyuss, Queens Of The Stone Age and The Foo Fighters. That surely makes one interesting list. But, even if it's all in good fun, Tangled Horns also show a well-thought out, mature sound. It's not a bunch of youngsters messing around in a rehearsal studio. It's five bearded dudes paying tribute to the one thing that kept them living their lives the way they do: alternative rock.

'In The Now' clearly shows that. Along with the aforementioned songs, this is my favorite here, a strong rock song that aims for a spot in the grunge-classics lists. On the noisy, gritty 'Beautiful Flaw', Faith No More even comes to mind, combined with either Led Zeppelin or Brant Bjork. Yes, I can easily imagine these tunes rolling over big, crowded meadows next summer. I can see people dancing on 'Destination Tipping Point', go nuts on 'Magnificent Maniac' or make sweet love on 'Icebound'.

So if you're looking for a groovy, versatile and immersive rock album, you should really give this one a change. Once again, a local band proves my point about this country's musical underground (read 'Belgium Rock City' - Dutch only). Naturally I will recommend this to every fan of decent rock music.

Serge

Slow Crush - Aurora

1/11/2018

alternative rock / post punk

Aurora is an album released in the end of September, by Belgium alternative rock band Slow Crush. Almost thirty-five minutes long, the record has eight tracks: Glow, Drift, Tremble, Shallow Breath, Aid and Abet, Collide, Beached and Aurora. Already in the first song, the fabulous, fantastic and thunderous Glow, the band struck precisely the epicenter of the most dense, infamous and great standards of melodious heaviness, with powerful guitar lines and absolutely furious drums, eager to completely destroy and dilacerate all the decadent patterns of normality. With a formidable level of sonorous audacity that highlight their authorial musical strength, Slow Crush is an exceptional band, that goes directly to the point, and knows how to make a great record, with a somewhat simple, but efficient musical formula.

Despite the fact that the band rapidly alternates to a more modest, quiet and sentimental tone, the sound of Slow Crush can generally be qualified as moderately aggressive and rude, but even then, delivers with candid and methodic proficiency its sincerely humane sonorous graciosity. The album delivers mostly splendid cantilenas, with more quiet, poetic and charismatic passages, where the extensive serenity of an emotional density hits the harmonies, favoring quite a balanced and versatile musical universe to the audience, that certainly will be surprised all the way through, as the album isn’t monotonous nor predictable. The subtle change in tone from the tracks at the beginning, that are more aggressive, contrasts brightly with the rest of the album, that is definitely more philosophic, dense, emotional and serene – though this mood interchanges occasionally –, and the unexpected element is one of the greatest triumphs of the group.

With a marvelous sonorous style, that definitely enchants by the fragrant tenacity of its beauty, the flavored and colorful harmonies that Slow Crush delivers in Aurora are generally quite slow, aggrandizing and simple, but in the end, the group showcases all the beauty, elegance and effervescent grace of its marvelous sonorous tonalities, that juxtaposes the sentimental placidity of its musical nature, with its more hostile – though filled with the emotional contrivances of a lyrical sensibility – perceptions of the world.

In the end, Aurora reveals itself to be a very good and majestic album. With a very personal, precise and characteristic style, the group has definitely conceived a very peculiar work of art, that deserves to become a reference in the alternative underground rock scene.

Wagner

Holy Fawn - Death Spells

1/11/2018

alternative rock / indie rock / experimental

Death Spells is an album released in mid-September, by American alternative/indie rock group Holy Fawn. One hour long, the record has ten tracks: Dark Stone, Arrows, Drag Me Into The Woods, Yawning, Seer, Two Waves, Take Me With You, Vespertine, Same Blood and Sleep Tongue. A formidable album with a very dense and melancholic tone, Death Spells is a musical study on deliberative melodious introspection, with no clear boundaries between genres, flirting sometimes – very discreetly though – with genres like metalcore, atmospheric black metal and indie rock, albeit their general musical compass is mostly engraved on an alternative rock sphere, radically indebted to post rock. Without any fear to experiment, the band delivers a secure, but volatile sound, that virtually exposes a very mature style. With an audacious, but sensible level of originality, that is deeply intertwined in their inherent musical abilities, Holy Fawn consecrates a very lucid and serious work on Death Spells, departing mostly from slow harmonies, that elaborates in the epicenter of its majestic beauty a solid grace between sorrowful serenades of philosophic serenity and aggressive thunderous downfalls of mordacious agony.

With latent, soundscapes that appeals to very sentimental harmonious propensities, the sound of the group is generally elegant and profound, though they mostly abuse on slow rhythmical devices. Nevertheless, it is possible to feel a very surreal, but dormant fury discreetly positioned at the core of each song, which vehemently adds to the genuine folklore they gracefully elaborate in the vast expansive diagram of their music.

In Death Spells, beauty is everywhere, and strikes with such a peaceful and serene charisma, that is impossible not to feel enchanted by the lucid, delicate and captivating musical tonalities they perfectly expose. Creativity here is transposed as the most excellent device for authentic artistry, and evaluates in an ever aggrandizing sonorous panorama the possibilities exposed by its ostensibly virtuous, but despondent harmonies. Even their hardest passages – some of them remembering metalcore act We Came As Romans – seems to disclosure a deep sense of tranquility, although also delivers, paradoxically, a disturbed hemisphere of afflictive, deceptive and lucid sense of reality.

Although the album is somewhat very long, their general musical anatomy remains cohesive, and their creative greatness is free of any sentimentality and generic passages. Holly Fawn easily flows between genres, in a fluid ocean of sonorous synergy, delivering a very appreciative and peculiar sound, that becomes quite characteristic, as one can hear the album entirely as only one long track, without any disruptive feeling of impatience or monotony. Emerging as the marvelous result of an energetic and meticulous musical confluence, Death Spells has ardently evolved from the sophisticated standards the group established themselves to follow.

Wagner

Brieviews 53

30/10/2018

Dizorder - Moon Phases

alternative / metal / metalcore

Although I'm not always content with the term "female fronted metal", I have to say that in this case the presence of Chloé defines the whole identity of Dizorder. While the men behind her deliver a solid modern day metal foundation, Chloé varies from melancholic to firm to brutal several times in a row. This EP contains four tracks, an intro and an outro. It showcases a wide of influences, from Evanescence and Flyleaf to Linkin Park, Deftones, Otep and today's metalcore scene. Furthermorre, there are some excellent tunes to be found, like 'Erinyes' or 'Pick'. Nice work and an excellent business card.

Greyhawk - Ride Out

heavy metal / power metal

Tsss, those Americans, rebooting something everybody in Europe laughs at, except Manowar fans but I don't think they have that much to laugh about anyway. Heading from Seattle, Greyhawk comes up with old school heavy metal, inspired by the greats and breathing the exact same air as Dio, Judas Priest, Blind Guardian, Helloween and so on. The result is this highly enjoyable and perfectly executed power metal EP, named 'Ride Out'. Fans of the old school will undoubtedly eat this up. So check it out, raise your horned fist and join the glory of heavy metal as it should be!

Gramma Vedetta - Proof of Concept

hard rock / stoner rock / alternative rock / grunge

We're not done having an old school party here. Next up is London based Gramma Vedetta and their infectious blend of blues, grunge, psychedelic rock and jam rock. Somehow these guys are stuck between the sixties and the nineties, which results in extravagant party tunes like 'Behind the Blinds', strange punky rockers like '.Taranto Train to Toronto Town' and instant grunge classics like 'She (Has A Plan)'. This EP is loaded with energy, fun and rock 'n roll. If this band can't get your party started, you are throwing the wrong party, that's for sure. So grab a beer and join me in the pit!

Godless - Swarm

thrash / death metal

Right, enough fun, time to torment our eardrums with some vile extremities courtesy of Indian death-thrash combo Godless. After an impending intro all hell breaks loose as we descent into a frenzy of riffs, blast-beats and ferocious screams. Influenced by everything between Kreator, Morbid Angel and Behemoth, Godless rages on with a murderous tempo and mind shattering intensity. This EP is short, but so is a chainsaw into the skull and that is a perfect comparison. Godless are not here to mess around, they are here to demolish, destroy and conquer.

O n s e t - Unstructured Dissemination

doom

Weird Truth

This debut EP by Onset, a collaborative effort of Mirai Kawashima from Sigh and synthwave artist Microchip Terror, is perhaps one of the most surprising doom metal releases this year. With elements from traditional doom, post rock, space rock and extreme metal, Onset delivers something both immersive and unsettling. The riff-heavy approach of funeral doom meets with the soul piercing experimentality of noise to create two epic pieces of dark and heavy music. This is definitely not an easy EP to listen to but it a unique and refreshing entity in the world of doom, which imply means it's awesome.

Ssanahtes - Ssanahtes

doom / sludge / post hardcore

French "not another post metal" act Ssanahtes comes up with a whole lot of noise, surprisingly close related to post metal. This self-titled album is an intense, brutal and abrasive piece of sludge doom and noise rock, coming at you in six psychotic tunes. The band claims to be influenced by bands like Neurosis, Meshuggah, Cult Of Luna and Kickback. You might as well add the deranged sounds of Japanese acts like Skullflower to that list as well. The result is an extremely unsettling album, one that will definitely get on your nerves. Whether that's a good thing or not is up to you to decide.

Frenzy Frenzy - Just Another

pop rock

Time for something on the lighter side of the rock music spectrum, which takes us to French trio Frenzy Frenzy. Their six track debut EP is loaded with sweet pop rock tunes, inspired by the pop music of Michael Jackson, INXS and Jamiroquai but also by rockers like Queens Of The Stone Age and The Black Crowes. The result is a fun album that will get many asses shaking, both on rock festivals and wedding receptions. I can't pick a favorite here but 'Into It All' is a potential chart hit. This is a fun EP, no doubt about that.

Charles In The Kitchen & Them Stones - Stones In The Kitchen

pop rock / alternative rock

Charles In The Kitchen

Them Stones

More joyous rock 'n roll from France, this time with a split singe by Charles In The Kitchen & Them Stones. Each band delivered one track beginning with the uptempo 'Arrogant Teenage Rag' by Charles In The Kitchen. This song somehow reminds me of the B52's, which is quite rare these days. Nonetheless, this is a neat tune and a definte dancefloor filler. The other side is for Them Stones, who showcase a more serious approach. Here the grunge scene comes to mind, heavy on riffs and methodical on the drums. Alice In Chains meets Weezer, something like that. In all, this is a enjoyable single, nothing more, nothing less.

Serge

Movement Of Static - Naegleria

19/10/2018

progressive rock / post rock / experimental / alternative

Naegleria is an album released on October 12, by Greek instrumental progressive/post rock band Movement Of Static. Almost forty seven minutes long, the record has ten tracks: Slowlly We Are..., 57 084 INICIAL' 76 16 56 79, The Passage, 77 56 01 51 AGGRADACIYA 05 51 55 97, Mountain Of Life, 6EQUJ5, 80 516 GANOMATIT 21 23 86 25, Diaspasis, 93-882-NAIMINA-74-14-35-74 and ...Fading From Our Existence. An exceedingly authentic, sensational and creative post rock act, whose organic sound deeply penetrates and collides with the omniscient harmonies of its virulent, but consistent splendor, the melodies on this album seems to deliberately fluctuate between a groundbreaking serenity and a solitary aggressiveness, that anticipates the energy of a ferocious, but rational agony, with a formidable level of vitality, that completely dilacerates all the reticent labyrinths of its enigmatic and profuse restlessness.

With a proficient elusiveness that concurs with the gentle, but somewhat abrasive spontaneity of its expansive sonorous nature, the music delivered in Naegleria is a virtuous and unexpected journey throughout the abysses of a diluted, but circumspect mordacity, that gradually reinvents in a liquid ocean of abstract sagacity the glorious elements of a dilated sentimental grace. At the innermost gravity of its surreal kingdoms of timeless rapture, some fabulous passages are almost meticulous studies on the flexible art of space, and its correlation within discreet undertones of placid tenacity and peripheral melodies of lugubrious elasticity; everything sidelined with ardent, but brightly philosophic guitar lines, that decipher in the nucleus of its impeccabilities a complex diagram of sensibilities, that aspire to be a wandering soul completely submerged in the vicinities of a long lost everlasting sadness.

With a poetic and melancholic nature, that doesn’t surpass its vibrant and transcendental qualities, I should point it out that the name of the group – Movement of Static – basically describes their style: the music will make you feel stagnated in some distant horizon of the universe, but at the same time, the relentless motion that keeps the mind moving makes the listener to be aware of the life around him, as well as the life inside him. The lucidity suggested by their organic, but marvelously pretentious style makes you collide towards a universe stagnated, but euphorically in constant movement. The pungent lucidity of consciousness redirects the entire existential grace of an infinite dimension of majestic dormancy, that anxiously surpasses the pain of reality, marvelously engraved in the arid territory of dreams that recognizes the fragile grace of life as its main fuel.

Although I wouldn’t qualify Naegleria as a masterful nor fantastic album, because some passages are – to a certain extent –, predictable and monotonous, the album gets very close of being classified as a masterpiece of the genre. With a natural fury, an organic atmosphere, a latent execration of ordinary musical parameters and a surreal level of originality, this album certainly deserves to be regarded as an exceptional work, abundant in systematic artistic virtuosity, and genuine musical development.

Wagner

Asbest - Driven

26/9/2018

alternative / noise rock

Don't you just love it when a band forgets all about trends, genres or popularity and just goes wild on their instruments? That's the magic of music: people with a wide variety of influences and favorites coming together in a rehearsal room and bark out something completely unexpected. At least, that's the feeling I get when I listen to 'Driven'. In the past the members of this Swiss trio might have been active in the worlds of shoegaze, punk, noise, grunge or hardcore but now they're Asbest, a raging steamroller that sounds like Melvins had babies with Bikini Kill. Ugly, abrasive and noisy babies that refuse to fit in anywhere.

I think it's safe to categorize Asbest in the noise rock scene, although they do borrow elements from a wide variety of genres. The Melvins immediately came up during opener 'Driven' but with pissed of female vocals. Something sure is wrong in the world of Asbest, something poisonous and deadly. 'Deceit' follows a similar path, that of creeping sludge doom, mixed with something Sonic Youth will definitely appreciate.

But then there is 'Means Of Reproduction', a sick and twisted tune that feels like slowly being eaten by an ant colony. I'm scared of this. Vocalist Robyn is yelling at me, "be productive', while I'm trying to be positive about the whole thing. Being creepy is not only for the dark ambient producers among us, that's for sure. Now, don't get me wrong, this is one powerful piece of music, loaded with anger and frustration. It's just that it might haunt your dreams for years to come.

Speaking about dark ambient, 'I Need A Spacesuit To Leave My Home' brings exactly that, at least for a short while in the opening. In a way, this track is exactly what you need after the aggressive bullying of 'Means Of Reproduction'. Here, elements from post rock appear, providing the listener with a little breather. You'll need that, for the rest of the album will continue to slowly pummel you into a bleeding pulp.

My personal favorite here is 'Pillar', oddly the tune that completely dives into the muddy soils of sludge doom and post hardcore. 'They Kill', the single you can already enjoy on their bandcamp page, might be a nice introduction to Asbest but it's not their best tune. If you like this one, the others will completely overwhelm you and if you don't like this one, the others will drill holes in your skull.

Oh well, it's pretty obvious that Driven' is not an easy digestible album. It is however a great example of non-genre bounded experimentation. The album is loaded with power, aggression and anger. It contains influences from everything between the Riot Grrrl scene to the post hardcore world, like PJ Harvey on meth, or something like that. Anyway, if you like sonic knives through your eardrums, this is definitely your thing.

Serge

Brieviews 52

6/9/2018

Sleep FUSE Subscription Series

Ashtoreth - Ciuthach

drone / ambient / folk

Ashtoreth joins the Sleep FUSE subscription series with an enigmatic one track EP, based on a Scottish folklore creature myth of the Ciuthach. This 23 minutes lasting track follows the same path as most of his releases, which is a good thing of course, especially if you love droning vocals, eerie soundscapes, field recordings and atmospheric ambient. As always, Ashtoreth invites the listener on a dark, somewhat haunting sonic journey, either through vast forests or you own imagination. That choice is yours. Recommended? Undoubtedly...

Zer0 れい - an overview

electronic / ambient/ synthwave

Afterglow 20XX

More experimental sounds from Belgium, this time with Zer0 れい . This music delves right into the eighties, inspired by old movie and video games soundtracks. The result is an unusual and somewhat eerie approach to so-called vaporwave; It's synth music, but coming at you in a gritty, raw and somewhat way. But what would you expect from a project from the same guy who gave us the harsh noise of Unholy Analog Noisemachine, Crucifix Eye and MxCx. This EP contains six songs, none of which being suited for radio stations. It's strange, but with minimalistic synth tunes like 'Pariah', this an become quite interesting.

Midihack

Released in June, 'Midihack' can please me a lot more than 'Afterglow 20XX'. The EP opens with 'Mods', a track that takes me right into either Mr Robot scenes or apocalyptic fun fairs. The EP shows a bit more, or more distinct, rhythms, making it a tad more digestible. However, don't expect some easy listening new age, this stuff is still rather dark, reminiscent of the gloomy, experimental side of eighties synthpop. For me, this is one of the most surprising releases of the year, with excellent synth tunes like 'Komatsu Subzero' and 'rax2'. So if you're hungry for something different, you might want to check this out.

Slipstream 20XX

The most recent effort by Zer0 れい begins with a sharp intro before the vaporwave kicks off again. Gradually, over the three releases i can hear this act evolving as the whole becomes more musical and varied. Here, some of the old noise exploits of the artist comes shining through, appearing in mostly harsh tracks like 'Anticipation' and 'Suspension'. But you can also fill the dark dancefloors with tracks from this album, including 'Broadcast' or 'Ossuary 20XX'. In all, this album is a lot tenser and heavier than 'Midihack' but still an excellent example of what musical experimentation can lead to.

Xasthur - Aestas Pretium MMXVIII

acoustic / folk

Legendary black metal act Xasthur is now an acoustic three-piece and I guess the black metal scene just has to deal with that. 'Aestas Pretium MMXVIII' contains five songs, all fully acoustic but still containing some of the aesthetics and technicalities of extreme metal. My favorite remains the opener 'Against Your Will'. I think old fans might have a problem with Scott Conner's clean vocals but then again, this is not black metal, this is "doomgrass", something between American folk music and the dark abyss that is extreme metal. My suggestion? Try it out, it just might be your thing now.

Black Market Heart - Who Put A Knife Through Your Heart?

post punk

Founded by Spencer Robinson (The Wolf Spiders, The Lords of Altamont), Black Market Heart delves deep into another dark side of the eighties, that of post punk and new wave. Their debut EP delivers three short tracks which might best be described as grinding version of Joy Division or a minimalstic version of Sisters Of Mercy. 'Can't Live On The Other Side' immediately got me hooked. 'Under the Ivy' brings Bain Wolfkind to mind, especially in the vocals. Finally, 'Silver' invites me to those dark dancefloors again. So, new wavers of all ages, there is still hope. Check out this gem!

The Lautreamonts - Who Are You Wearing

post punk

A more melodic yet experimental version of post punk comes from Brazilian act The Lautreamonts, and what a version it is. In opener 'The Adequacy Waltz' alone acts like Cinema Strange, Dead Can Dance and Dresden Dolls came to mind. 'Who We Were' is a fantastic track, nudging towards shoegaze and dreampop. Yet, there is more than that, I ever hear a tad of grunge in 'The Ones He Wore' and closer 'Black Sabbath' is exactly what you'd expect, a surprisingly enigmatic cover. I often found myself thinking "damn, this is good", not only from a personal standpoint but also as far is overall quality is concerned. This is high quality postpunk, destined to reach high peaks in that scene.

Ennui - End Of The Circle

funeral doom

Non-Serviam Records

Yes, a new funeral doom album. As a huge fan of everything slow and torpid, I can only be ecstatic about that. Hailing from Tbilisi, Georgia, Ennui keeps the funeral doom tradition in high regard, resulting in this crushing album. Three songs, seventy minutes of high quality music, quite similar to Esoteric, Shape Of Despair and Evoken. The atmospheric approach here is astounding, perhaps capable of gaining some fans in the post-post scene as well, if they appreciate growls and fierce black metal passages. But in the end, this is a perfect funeral doom album that will mostly and undoubtedly please the fans of the genre.

A Shoreline Dream - Waitout

shoegaze / dreampop

Shoegaze combi A Shoreline Dream continue their series of single with a new five-track, titled 'Waitout'. With a vast wall of jangling guitars and subdued vocals, this trio sets another step into their remarkable journey. If you are a fan of acts like Cocteau Twins, Slowdive and Ride, you might want to check out these dream-like anthems. The ballad 'Barnum' is probably my favorite track here while 'New York' will undoubtedly appeal to fans of danceable anthems. But eventually, I guess all of these tracks are certain highlights in the career of a band that honors that beautiful sound of shoegaze.

Rude Audio - Rude Redux

electronic / house / synth

Hailing from London, UK, Rude Audio delivers some neat dance tunes for late night clubbing and chilling. The tags on bandcamp mention the term "Balearic" but I'm not very familiar with that so I'll have to go with how this music makes me feel. Well, opener 'To The Sun' is a minimal house track which brings me to imaginary beach clubs. 'To The Half Moon' rings out the dub. 'Rumble On Arab St.' does something intriguing with eighties synths and sequences and 'Pipeline Dreaming' gently wobbles on. Eventually, the Rich Lane remix of 'To The Half Moon' reminds me of lengthy car drives in Grand Theft Auto or Miami Vice. Nice? You betcha!!!

Idle Hands - Don't Waste Your Time

hard rock

Well, since we're diving into eighties revivals, why not check out the heavy metal corners? Hailing from Portland, Oregon, Idle Hands honors the early sounds of bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. Yet, there is also a sense of goth rock present. 'By The Way Of Kingdom' brings bands like Killing Joke or Sisters Of Mercy to mind while ancient rockers like Boston or Toto aren't that far away either. That combination is interesting, to say the least. My personal favorite is 'Can You Hear The Rain', yet all track here are good old fashioned dark hard rock songs which all rockers should give a chance.

Lower Automation - Shoebox Companion

math rock / alternative rock / experimental / noise rock / punk

It's been a while since a band reminded me of Belgian's finest, Evil Superstars. Chicago based trio Lower Automation does something frenetic and deranged with punk, math rock and noise rock. Parts Dillinger Escape Plan, parts Sonic Youth and parts Jesus Lizard come at you with high velocity and with the sonic insanity of Melt Banana. This six track EP is as dynamic as a rhino stampede, even without twisting the distortion button on their amps. 'Tethered' might be the most radio friendly songs here but it's not radio friendly at all. So I guess you have been warned. If you like punky musical chaos, you need this.

Serge