Category: Hardcore

An Evening With Knives - Serrated

post-metal / doom / alternative rock

"Dutch three-piece band jumps on post-metal bandwagon", that would be the most negative way to describe this album by An Evening With Knives. But that would also be a bit lazy. I mean, everything Tool and Amenra inspired is popular these days and thus many musicians give it a shot. In this case, the result is an interesting set of songs, slow, doomy, fuzzy, somewhat psychedelic and bloody intense. I'm sure that fans of the aforementioned bands will appreciate these guys, even though I think they yet have to reach their best possible sound. An interesting future might lay ahead for them.

Autger - God Kissing Carrion

dark jazz / ambient / experimental / trip hop

Russian one man act Autger returns with a new full-length, a personal story based on Dante's 'Inferno'. With a captivating mix of dark jazz, trip hop and what feels like ritual dark ambient, this album is something quite unique within the dark jazz world. The music here seems to come from a completely different dimension, even though that old "sax player under a bridge" atmosphere is still present. My advice? I urge everyone who is into strange, unusual and mostly electronic music to give this a shot. I bet you have never heard anything like this before. This definitely nudges the bizarre, and that's a good thing.

Lamirāl - This EP Has No Name And It's Alright

hardcore

Right, time for extremities, courtesy of Belgian hardcore combo Lamirāl. On this EP, they catapult six heavy rocking hardcore tunes to your face, stuffed with broken glass, needles, sulphuric acid and bile. The overall tempo is suffocating, the riffs feel like sounds from behind the gates of hell and if that vocalist stands in front of you, you have exactly six seconds left to live. So if you want your miserable life crushed by the sheer intensity of music, this EP is an absolute must have. This is about as intense as a concrete boot to the teeth...

Gray Dog - The Deal

acoustic blues

Now I need something to calm down and relax a bit. This five track EP by Belarus/Poland duo Gray Dog. Their music is a mix of blues and southern rock, brought to you in a minimal, acoustic setting. The result is an interesting late night bonfire soundtrack, best to be consumed with a cold beer. By the way, the fact that this is acoustic music doesn't mean that it lacks power. 'Why Did You Fuck Me And Leave?", for example is a damn heavy tune. Fans of everything between Muddy Waters, Johnny Cash and Pearl Jam can easily appreciate this. My favorite? 'The Pray Of Hangover'.

Paulie Jan - Yukio (A Brief Sonic Evocation)

dark ambient / noise

Composed as a tribute to Japanese writer Y. Mishima, 'Yukio (A Brief Sonic Evocation)' by French act Paulie Jan is a gloomy, haunting and often remorseless dark ambient release. These are deep sonic introspections, arranged by eerie soundscapes, deep but slow beats and a fearsome atmosphere. At first, I found it hard to get into this music but gradually the whole thing grew on me like only the best dark ambient anthems actually do. Now I can't get enough of these noisy skincrawlers. My favorite remains opener 'Kimitake' with title track 'Yukio' being a brilliant second. Recommended stuff!!!

Lachrymose - The Unseen

doom / occult metal

Hailing from Greece, Lachrymose delivers an occult driven version of female fronted melodic doom metal. With influences from bands like Moonspell, Paradise Lost and Avatarium, these Greeks dwell in a dark and almost operatic region of the doom metal scene. Besides, 'This Sickness' rocks like hell and is a definite fan favorite. In all, this might best be compared to a heavy metal version of Inkubus Sukkubus or a female fronted version of Lacrimosa perhaps. All I know is that this is pretty interesting, mainly because it isn't overwhelmed with bombastic symphonic elements. This is raw gothic doom!

Disowning - Battle of Neverness

death metal

Xenocorp

I don't often pick out death metal albums to review so when I do something special must be going on. On this EP by French combo Disowning I'm extremely impressed by the old school sound and the by the vocals. I hear elements from some of my favorite bands from back in the day, including Suffocation, Dying Fetus and Carcass, but mostly I hear those awesome growls over a punishing array of drums and riffs. Opener and title track 'Battle Of Neverness is a massive kick in the cojones and my personal favorite 'Inner Emptiness' doubles the torment. So, old school death metallers, I think you need this.

Gravecoven - Coughing Blood

black metal / doom / death metal

Gods Ov War

Some more vicious torment comes from Californian duo Gravecoven and their aptly titled EP 'Coughing Blood'. On this EP you will find four eerie and fearsome blackened death/doom metal tracks, mostly coming at high speeds and with a gruesome atmosphere. Personally, I would categorize this under black metal, especially the chaotic, occult driven version. I mean, with songs like 'Furious Fires' and 'The Ecstasy Of Hatred' leading the way, the path is one of total annihilation and utter destruction. So yeah, this is a massive, chaotic and punishing EP that deserves a place in every extreme collection.

Vandal Moon - Wild Insane

post punk / synth pop

Also hailing from California but residing in a whole different musical universe is synthpop duo Vandal Moon. If you love acts like The Human League, Modern English or the synth pop escapades by The Cure, you have to check out this album. Eighties synths, romantic themes and a new wave breathing guitar, everything you love about the gloomy eighties dancefloors is here. My personal favorite is 'Computer Love' but I'm sure that every old goth, new waver and synthpop adept can easily add this album to his collection. This truly is as close as it gets and comes highly recommended for blackdressers

Sense Fracture - In My Escape I look For A Weapon

breakcore / industrial

Haunter Records

Still completely electronic but from a copletely different level comes this little gem. Haunter Records co- founder, DJ, producer and writer Francesco Birsa Alessandri delivers a mindblowing EP in which "unpredictability" is a keyword. With harsh electronic beats, uncategorizable noises and eerie samples Sense Fracture creates a unique sonic universe, inspired by dark ambient, industrial, noise and breakcore. The five tracks on this 12" are relentless, harsh and abrasive. They remind me of something between Author & Punisher and Bong-Ra. Recommended? Only if you get stand musical insanity.

Richard James Simpson - Sweet Birds Of Youth

alternative rock / blues

... or dare we call them the bitter-sweet birds of youth? On his debut album, a compilation of older and more recent work, American guitarist and singer Richard James Simpson collaborates with friends (Joey Burns, Dustin Boyer and Theo Welch). He kicks the listener back in time to their wonder years, where one day you feel like an adult in a child's body and the other day things are vice versa. The variety in musical styles reflects this unsteady period; the majority of the songs has a stingy bluesrock feel but there's also a fantastic shoegaze track, some haunting dark ambient, some post-neofolk, experimentality in the

style of Tool and quite a bit of grunge - vocals that remind of Cobain included. So go buy this one if you appreciate something that refuses to fit into one box.

Nhung Nguyen – Oblivion

ambient / experimental

Pany Rosas Discos

And we finish this edition of brieviews with a one-track EP by experimentalist Nhung Nguyen. In this twelve minutes lasting track, Nhung Nguyen explores everything from ambient soundscapes and loops over field recordings and found objects to weird electronics and noise. Needless to say then perhaps, but this composition is a complex and mesmerizing sonic journey. Don't expect sweet and comforting ambient, much like the real world, this track is full of grittiness and strange elements. So, this comes highly recommended but only for seasoned ambient experimentalists.

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Rock'N'Brawl - Full Throttle Baby

5/4/2018

punk / hard rock

Well, they couldn't have made this any clearer, could they? With a band name like this and a highly promising title, these French guys appear to be prepared for a heavy rocking battle that will eventually end up in a dental hospital. Are they? We'll see.

Rock 'n' Brawl appeared on the French rock scene in 2013. That scene appears to be overloaded with hard rocking bands already but nobody seems to mind, especially not these guys. With a high energy mix of hardcore punk and hard rock they blast the competition off stage.

Looking at their facebook profile, I see that the band is influenced by Danko Jones, The Bronx and AC/DC. However, when I listen to some of the tracks here, I can't help but think that hardcore punk bands like Agnostic Front and Hatebreed also had their influence on Rock 'n' Brawl. 'Can't Stop The Fight' and 'Unbreakable' are fierce punk tracks that will undoubtedly cause crowd surfers and moshpits, with the inevitable broken teeth as a result.

However, sometimes the tempo goes down a bit, resulting in sweet hard rock tracks like 'Coughing To Death' and 'Loud Punch'. With 'Lack & Wounds' there is even a ballad on the album, be it a raunchy, gritty one. In fact, that's my favorite track here. It might sound weird but I really love this tune. Obviously it adds variation, but it also serves as a calm spot in a raging ocean of hardcore punk rock. So who to recommend it to? Hard core punk rockers, of course. They should really check out this thing.

Serge

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Brieviews 39

28/3/2018

These Brieviews have been written by Serge. If you like what you read here, be sure to check out his book, 'Cecilia's World'. It's about music, life and love.

Owl - Orion Fenix

doom / post metal

Zeitgeister

Owl, the solo project of Valborg frontman Christian Kolf, delivers an overwhelming piece of music. Post metal, ambient and doom meet and alternate in one massive track, clocking off at 22 minutes. The track was written and recorded in eighteen hours over three days, which definitely explains the organic flow of the whole thing. In a way, this track feels like a concept album, revolving around dark and haunting emotions. Calm ambient and modern classical passages make way for intense pieces of doom inspired metal and vice versa. For fans of decent narrative music, this is certainly a must-have, and that includes sludge metal aficionados.

Stonemule - Dystopian State

metal / hardcore

Polder Records

Speaking of sludge metal fans, they might as well throw their ears at these noise makers from Koksijde (Belgium). What Stonemule delivers is a massive blast of hardcore infused stoner metal, laced with grunge and doom and flirting with the extreme. How they do that? Well, first of all by a solid background of drums and bass, then by face melting riffing and finally by having three vocalists showing of their respective talents in singing, growling and screaming. The result is quite impressive, a blast of sheer energy. Eventually, they top it off with excellent musical skills by flashing some delicious solos. Nice work.

Ritual King - Earthrise

psychedelic rock / doom

When Planets Collide

Speaking of delicious guitar work, here is the new EP by English stoner rockers Ritual King. On 'Earthrise' they come up with three energetic songs. 'Ideology', 'Tides' and my personal favorite 'But Anyway' are uptempo psychedelic blues rock tunes that seem to come right from the early seventies. The jam-calibre is very high on these, making them all perfect candidates for live performances on sun lit (and probably smoke filled) music festivals. I wouldn't be surprised to see these guys appear on Desertfest, Up In Smokes and everything else stoner rock related in the near future.

Wykan - Solace

psychedelic / doom

A strange and bewildering piece of psychedelic doom metal, inspired by both old school doom and black metal, this debut by Canadian act Wykan is certainly something special. On one hand you get the classic riff worship, supported by methodical drums and clean vocals. Yet, on the other hand, there is that cold, eerie and vile atmosphere of extreme metal, enhanced by screams, growls and occult imagery. Needless to say perhaps but this EP is so varied that it almost sounds like a split-release. This is intriguing, to say the least and I am already extremely curious for what this act comes up with in the future.

Soft Science - Undone / I Don't Know Why I Love You

shoegaze / dream pop

Test Pattern Records

Hah, I doubted this single for exactly four seconds. I didn't know what to think about the jangling guitars at first, but then, when the rolling bass and the propelling drums came in, I became interested. Then the vocals of Katie Haley and I was sold. Now, Soft Science has a place in my shoegaze folder where it appears alongside acts like Belly, The Cranes and Slowdive. 'Undone' is my favorite here but 'I Don't Know Why I Love You' is in no way inferior. Both are energetic dreampop tunes, there is very little else to say about that. So get them, on April 6, if you're a shoegazer. Of not, check it out as well.

Maff - Melañiña

shoegaze

Then, where you're in a good shoegazing mood, you certainly have to give Chilean collective Maff a listen. I remember being rather impressed with their 2015 album. Now they return with a five track EP, blending shoegaze, dreampop, post rock and noise rock into another heap of delicious atmospheric rock tunes. In fact, opener 'Act 2' might soon prove to be one of my favorites in that genre. I love those howling, lingering guitars and that almost industrial beat. And then there are still four more awesome tunes to go. So yeps, shoegazers of all ages, you definitely need this one.

Nostalgist - Disaffection

post punk / new wave

Some more eighties inspired music comes from Seattle residents Nostalgist. Their music reflects the dark corners of that era, the one where The Cure, Killing Joke and Joy Division ruled. However, Nostalgist has also been listening to bands like Deftones and Alcest and they're not afraid to throw some distorted guitars into the mix. The result is a brilliant EP, containing six gloomy tracks which perfectly combine these two styles, or eras. Actually, I'm quite impressed by this effort. I didn't know this kind of awesomeness was still being made today. I'm sure that the old school goths will easily appreciate songs like 'Pendulums' and 'Present Tense'. Highly recommended !!!

Amusement Parks On Fire - All The New Ends

alternative rock / shoegaze

Saint Marie Records

English art rockers Amusement Parks On Fire return with a three-track EP which is as simple as it is brilliant. Opener 'All The New Ends' blends post rock with britpop as only the British can. 'Temporal Rinse' is a drone ambient creeper Godspeed! You Black Emperor wished they had recorded. Finally, 'Infernal Flame' picks you up and drags you to the dreampopping dancefloor where you will gaze at your shoes for what feels like hours and hours. To be honest, apart from the name I didn't really know these guys. Now I'm a fan. They only needed three songs to convince me, isn't that neat?

Grift - Vilsna Andars Boning

neofolk

Nordvis

Hailing from the lonesome woods of Scandinavia, Grift delivers two enigmatic neofolk songs. This Swedish poet/songwriter has been around since 2011 with several albums and a split-record with legendary act Drudkh.

On this two track, he comes up with two acoustic songs. I think fans of acts like Sol Invictus, Wardruna and Darkwood can easily appreciate these stripped down folk sounds. 'Bortom Berget' is my favorite on this two track, a solid neofolk track about nature and culture.

Giovanni Verga - Sylphic

experimental / ambient / noise

Unexplained Sounds

A more haunting and otherworldly musical view on solitude and loneliness comes from composer/experimentalist Giovanni Verga. With field recordings, no-input mixers and other kinds of sound manipulation, Verga created an alienating ambient adventure, on that delves deep into the avant garde. The line between music and incomprehensible noise is very thin. There are howling wolves, industrial soundscapes, vocal samples and mysterious drones but there are also tiny hints of melody. And obviously, there is this allover gloomy atmosphere which makes you imagine alien worlds and underground tales. Awesome

TRI:.OBYTE - STAR ⠃⠊⠗⠞⠓ KIC 8462852

ambient / noise / experimental

Speaking about sounds from alien worlds, this album certainly is an interesting one. With a mix of dark ambient, cosmic noise and tales about UFO sightings, this album takes you to new dimensions. I can easily see this music as the soundtrack for new episodes of the X-Files, or any other sci-fi series for that matter. Opener 'Some Kind Of Reflective' is haunting ambient gold and the rest of this record graciously follows it example, except maybe 'Visitation'. This one doesn't just take you to outer space, it places you right on the operation table in one of those abduction stories. This is a great release, certainly recommended.

Bloodkry - Dark Paradise

dark ambient / drone

Even more darkness comes from Finland, where Bloodkry reveals a new EP. 'Dark Paradise' contains four tracks, beginning with the hypnotic title track. I love the percussive elements in this one, it feels likes descending into an underground industrial complex. 'My Shelter' is a bit more friendly, melodic but also glitchy and unusual, like a post rock track that's falling asleep. 'Nowhere' is my favorite track here, a genuine dark ambient piece that brings many of the great names to mind. Closer 'Don't Forget Me' eventually comes up with repetitive industrial beats, along with hypnotic drones. Awesomeness.

Kloob - Remarkable Events

ambient / electronic

Dani Kloob has been making music for twenty years, from underground dance tunes to atmospheric ambient. With this album, he seems to investigate where ambient turns into dark ambient, balancing on the edge between the two. The result is an immersive ambient album, minimal but rich in both sound and atmosphere. 'Remarkable Events' is a perfect album to play late at night, warmly tucked in bed, reminiscing about your life. It will guide you into pleasant and adventurous dreams. I can't pick out a favorite track, because that's a hard thing to do with this kind of minimal music but rest assured, this is definitely worth your time.

Widow's Peak - Graceless

death metal

Right, time to blast some relentless death metal through my speakers. Here is Canadian horde Widow's Peak and their suffocating debut EP 'Graceless'. That title fits the load quite well. This thing is raunchy, filthy and gore, a blend of death metal, hard & grindcore, complete with deep growls, harsh screams and pig squeals. Fans of Aborted or Cattle Decapitation will undoubtedly get a hard-on from this stuff. I don't but I'm old, don't mind me. I know for sure that contemporary death metal, deathcore and metalcore fans will absolutely adore this. So, if you are one them, you'll have to check this out. Period!

Cult of Extinction - Black Nuclear Magick Attack

black metal

Sentient Ruin

We end this edition of Brieviews with one of the most menacing, unpredictable and chaotic releases I have heard in a while. German extremists Cult Of Extinction release a thunderous tape, loaded with a filthy and vulgar mix of death, black, grindcore and whatnot. Quite often driving on inhumanly fierce tempos, this four track aims for nothing less than your rotten soul itself. The result is a massive cesspool of noise, hammering and screams that will drain the last bit of hope for humanity out of your miserable life. I think I made myself clear. This comes highly recommended only to the most seasoned extreme metal heads out there.

Serge

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Oregon Trail - h/aven

19/3/2018

hardcore

Cold Smoke Recordings

As I'm working my way through the heap of albums to be reviewed I start realizing that this is just becoming too much. I can't keep up with all of this and I'm sure that I'm not the only music reviewer who feels this way. In today's music scene, there is such an overload in releases, some brilliant, others not so brilliant and here I am, sitting next to a pile of CDs wondering if it is all still worth the effort. I know that I won't like some of these albums, and to be brutally honest, this one is one of them. That is not the band's fault by the way. It's nobody's fault. It's just a difference in musical taste, but since we have no other active hardcore reviewers, here we go.

Oh, that sounded rather negative, didn't it? But don't worry. I'll find a group of people to recommended this album, regardless of my personal opinion about. Besides, I can appreciate the music by Oregon Trail. I'm just not fond of hardcore vocals, not even in today's sludge, post- and doom metal scene. Here, the vocals remind me of Sick Of It All, Agnostic Front and so on while the music takes on a different approach, that of post rock acts like God Is An Astronaut, for example.

That, I can certainly appreciate and the instrumental passages on this album are right on point. I also like the fact that most of the music here is mid- to up-tempo, which is a welcome change in a genre that usually takes it slow. By the time I'm writing this paragraph, I'm already through the first three songs of the album, all three are energetic and immersive post hardcore songs with the aggression of hardcore punk and the immersive nature of its adjective, "post". Yet, on 'Aven' the band suddenly comes up with clean vocals which immediately improves my opinion about them.

In a way, I certainly think that these Swiss are a talented and well-attuned band, showcasing an overwhelming sound. I'm sure that heaps of young (post- hardcore fans will absolutely worship this massive, coherent, varied and often brutal sound. For them, obviously, this is a highly recommended album. This will undoubtedly help troubled youngsters through some difficult times and for that I applaud Oregon Trail. I just won't be listening to this album very often but if you're a fan of intense and harsh music, you definitely should.

Serge

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Brieviews 33

4/1/2018

Happy new year, dear reader, and welcome (back) to Merchants Of Air. To kick off the year in style, we prepared another heap of Brieviews and once again we're exploring many corners of the musical universe, from the heavy jazz of Dead Neanderthals over the fun folk metal of Nordheim to the soothing downtempo electronics of Build Buildings. Enjoy the read and let us know in the comments if you found something interesting.

Planetariet - Planetariet

post rock

An infatuated, but deeply calm and resourceful cosmogony amazingly inserted in an overwhelming ocean of clarifying thoughts, S/T by Planetariet, is an amalgamation of underlying vicissitudes brilliantly crafted at the harmonious line of a delicate and sensible planet of sonorous isolation. With a gentle touch of eternity, this interesting and refreshing EP is an intensely reverberating enigma of homogeneous synchronicity, that seems to revolve around the soul of its own reflexive and protuberating sincerity. With a calmer sound that apprehensively feels the underlying eccentricity of its profound and

densely acquiescent serenity, majorly entangled in a human emotional diagram of omnipotent infinity, S/T is a simple, yet complete sonorous conflagration of a melodic universe, whose imponderability is virtually attached to the most restless deliberation of a wonderful and honest expressive moment in time.

Wagner

Dead Neanderthals - Organ Donor

heavy jazz / grindcore

Dutch heavy jazz duo Dead Neanderthals come up with a late Christmas present: a fifteen minutes long improvisation with sax, synths and drums, accompagnied by some delicious looking artwork (unless you're vegan, obviously). Expect brutal sax drones, gloomy soundscapes and René's repetitive, almost ritual drums. I know, those are Dead Neanderthals' usual ingredients but like many bands they're getting better and better at this. So if you're a fan of these two deviant jazzists, you have absolutely no excuse not to download this track. Tip; serve loud !!!

Brosandi - Music For An Unknown Galaxy

ambient / post rock

Canadian one-man project Brosandi comes up with a sweet EP, containing three gentle post-rock tunes (and an intro). The music here is not overly complex. Instead it feels like watching and listening to a guitarist on stage, armed with only a few effects and loop pedals. The result is something gentle, something perfectly suited for these cold winter evenings. The artist claims to be inspired by Sigur Ros, Explosions In The Sky and so on, and yes, those references certainly apply, be it in a minimal, introvert and intimate way. I wonder how this would sound with a full band but this already comes highly recommended.

Boltzmann Brain - Sentences

jazz / noise rock / experimental

This German band has so much fun recording and release their debut in October 2017 ('Sind Die Echt') that they immediately decided to record another EP. What to expect? Well, something between Red Snapper and Add N To (X) or Black Dice getting a go at jazz and rock music. Jazz, noise, rock, soundscapes and psychedelic music come together in a weird but exhilarating orgy of indefinable music, perhaps that is the best way to describe this thing. The second track 'Come Join My Religion' is simply awesome, reminds me of Haus Arafna a bit. Not many jazz rock bands can do that, you know?.

Knight ‎– High on Voodoo

heavy metal

Heavy metal is far from dead and this band from India once again proves that. With flashing guitars, methodical drums and potent vocals, these guys deliver a solid EP. Think Iron Maiden, think Manowar, think Judas Priest think Helloween and you come quite close to what Knight sounds like. Everything about this album sounds and feels vintage, as it if comes directly from the eighties. For old school metalheads, this certainly is a band to keep an eye on, especially since there is still room for improvement, room to grow as musicians and as a band. I curious to where this leads to.

False Flag - EP

crust / hardcore

Here is a pulverizing three-track EP from Indian extreme music horde False Flag. Although the lyrics seem to be philosophical in nature, the music here is a scathing blend of crust punk, hardcore and black metal. Yet, in all their ferocity, they also leave some place for melody and variation, which is a huge plus in this genre. Now, don't get me wrong, this music will still torment you to the point where you can't take it anymore but I'm 100% sure that every fan of extreme punk will adore this. I mean, if both Oathbreaker and Exploited come to mind in only three songs, we're dealing with something promising!

Scarlet Phantom - Singleness

progressive metal

Haiming from Saint Petersburg, Russia, Scarlet Phantom delivers some interesting metal instrumentals. Although the music is based on black and death metal, you can easily classify this as progressive metal. Personally, I'm quite fond of this, partially because of its instrumental approach. It's as if Meshuggah, Opeth and Dream Theater gather in a recording studio and everybody keeping their mouths shut. I like that and I will definitely recommend this album to all you metalheads out there. If you want something refreshing, varied and impressive, you'd want to check this out.

Akadama Bros - Sunshine

hip hop / j-rap

Adaadat

And now for something completely different. We don't often review hip hop albums here but this one is neat. Akadama Bros deliver some decent and well varied J-rap. "J" stands for Japanese, should you not know that. On this 12", you get some well varied tunes, each obviously driving on hip hop beats and raps. Yet, they also seem to throw in some different influences, ranging from classical music over dubstep to indie, dub, noise and post-rock. The result is something intriguing and quite often surprising, reminding me of anything between Manu Chao, Cypress Hill and Xzibit. Hip hop yes, but rather enjoyable.

Build Buildings - Glass EP

electronic

Audiobulb

website

New York electronic music producer Build Buildings returns with a massively enjoyable EP, containing four new and well varied tracks. Opener 'Hebei Victory' is a brilliant blend of Autechre and Miwon while follower 'Honey Locust' brings Plaid to mind. So yes, downtempo electronics with heaps of microsounds, clicks, soundscapes and poly-rhythms, exactly the way I like my electronic music. 'Glass' is an odd ambient tune which could have been on Aphex Twin's ambient collection. Finally, there's a song called 'Cecilia' which is my favorite here, a slow but immersive piece of old school electronic music. Awesome EP.

Vantablack Warship - Abrasive Pulmonic Speak

black metal / metal / death metal

Back to the extremes where we find a pulverising hybrid between black, thrash, death and hardcore. Vantablack Warship hails from Canada and deliver some in-your-face riffs, some methodically tormenting drums and a bunch of fierce screams. The endresult is an intense and overwhelming album. Fans of bands like Gallows and Everytime I Die can surely find some fingerlicking good tunes on this one, like the brutal headbanger 'Blood On The Mat' for example. With short but abrasive songs, Vantablack Warship are certainly making a name for themselves and soon metalheads from around the globe will be onboard.

Mist of Misery - Fields of Isolation

black metal

Black Lion Productions

Swedish atmospheric black metal act Mist Of Misery has been around for a while and have always delivered high quality music. On this EP that is no different. In fact, with eight songs and over half an hour long, this EP is a sonic blackened adventure on its own. Unfortunately, I don't think I have a lot to say about this EP. It's top level extreme, depressive, atmospheric and somewhat progressive black metal and it would fit perfectly between your Dimmu Borgir, ColdWorld, Summoning and so on. If you're a fan of Mist Of Misery, you should already have gotten this EP. If not, check it out.

Hundred Year Old Man - Rei

doom / post metal

A harsh and somewhat chaotic blend of doom, sludge and post-metal, coming at you with severe intensity, that is what English sextet Hundred Year Old Man delivers. If you are into bands like Isis, AmenRa, Cult Of Luna and so on, this EP would definitely not misstand in your ever growing collection. 'A Year In The North Sea' is probably my favorite here, a dark and noisy piece of music that serves as a breather between the two massive slabs of slow musical aggression. For the record, closer 'Rei' is a brilliant piece of sludge doom, and I don't say that very often. So yeah, this comes highly recommended.

Obscene - Sermon to the Snake

death metal / thrash metal

Indianapolis based quartet Obscene claims to have been influenced by all the greats in the metal scene, including Death, Morbid Angel, Edge Of Sanity and Asphyx and yes, I have to admit, I hear all of them in these four tracks. Not that Obscene does not have their own sound. With thick riffs and deranged vocals, these guys deliver some good old fashioned death metal, something I can only applaud. Songs like 'Shadow Burial' and 'Blood Moon Rats' can easily make you bang your head and scream along. So yeah, this is some sick and twisted stuff, suited only for the seasoned death metal fans and thus recommended.

Nordheim - RapThor

folk metal

Hailing from some ancient forest in Canada, Nordheim simply wants to play folk metal and have fun with it. And there is no better description for this EP. This is a fun folk metal album with titles like 'Boobs And Bacon' or 'I Wish You Were Beer'. I guess all you can do is join the party, grab a beer and scream along with these tunes, just like you do when you listen to bands like Ensiferum, Finntroll or Korpiklaani. Although, I have to say, Nordheim take their black metal influences quite far and quite ferocious too, raging at high speed. So yeah, perhaps you should drink a bit more while listening to this awesomeness.

Project Renegade - Cerebra

alternative metal

Female fronted alternative metal from Greece, and I must admit that the first band that came to mind was Lacuna Coil, even before I actually listened to the songs on this EP. Although that reference still stands, I'm very glad I discovered this band. The music is interesting, laced with some mild electronics and it comes with excellent vocals by frontwoman Marianna. Opener 'Pressure' surely has hit potential, especially in the alternative charts. 'Natural Born Killer' grooves and crawls and 'One Of The Crowd', my personal favorite, is an irresistible headshaker. Buy this, it's awesome.

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Brieviews 31

5/12/2017

Cryptae - Cryptae

death metal

Two guys from The Netherlands, one being the drummer for Dead Neanderthals, wanted to try their hand at death metal. So they got into a recording studio, made heaps of noise and barfed the result on bandcamp. That result is a think, chaotic and brain scattering array of riffs, drums and growls, with the sole intention of decapitating its listener. This is probably what the Dutch call "teringherrie". It's relentless, confusing, intense and harsh. Does that make it recommended? Well, only if you're a seasoned extreme metal fan. If you're not, you might want to stay away from this. It's just not safe...

Clckws - Counter Clockwise

punk / hardcore

Inverted Grim-Mill Recordings

Speaking of things not being safe, here is the debut EP by Zoersel residents Clckws. With fierce, rabid and foaming female fronted hardcore punk, this quartet might want to shake hands with acts like Oathbreaker soon. I mean, the music is as energetic as a Tesla coil and frontwoman Eva barks out her soul with sheer intensity. On this EP they throw eight songs in your face, each one being a severe attack on your sanity. The 17 seconds long 'Blow Up The Boiler Room' almost feels like a Napalm Death song and, like everything else here, this is another brilliant example of "Brutal Belgium". You've been warned.

Lump Hammer - Lump Hammer

sludge metal / noise rock

On the other side of the Channel, more specifically in Newcastle upon Tyne, we find another noise-dragging combi, named Lump Hammer. Think Godflesh on meth, think Napalm Death on LSD, think Conan in a basement instead of a recording studio. These tracks are slow, massive and brutally intense, like a steamroller with spikes driving over your private parts. Something like that, I don't know. All I know is that each second of this EP is a gigantic hammer-blow, driving on swampy guitars, harsh screaming and tormenting drums. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go murder something...

Pile of Priests - Tenebrous Labyrinth

death metal

Nope, we're not slowing down on the intensity on this edition of Brieviews, not yet. First, I'd like to crush your cheeks and eardrums with this magnificent set of progressive death metal songs by Pile Of Priest. Somehow it seems that this trio gets better with every release, and this time their evolution results in a highly interesting EP. With the speed of Krisiun, the progressive nature of Death and the melodic approach of Edge Of Sanity Pile Of Priests should be on their way to the top of the death metal industry. Besides, the EP contains three thrash metal covers, which are all delightful assaults on your neck muscles.

Horror God / Techne - Split

death metal

Lavadome

Horror God

Some more death metal, less progressive and more destructive than the previous one. For this compilation, Horror God and the retiring Techne delivered four blasting tracks each, mosty fast, accompagnied with deep, evil growls and a decent dose of technicality. Fans of bands like Immolation, Suffocation, Gorguts and Autopsy should definitely consider getting their hands on a copy of this split. The tracks by Horror God are simply murderous while Techne adds a dark, mysterious and downright haunting atmosphere to the whole thing. Nope, death metal adepts, there is no reason not to check out this album.

Diary Of My Misanthropy - Leviathan

post rock / post metal

After all that brutality, I need something to calm my nerves and strangely enough I found that with Czech trio Diary Of My Misanthropy. On this EP, the band comes up with a fantastic approach to post rock and post metal. Fantastic because it contains elements from doom and the icy cold atmosphere of depressive black metal. That, and the complex, almost jazz like drums, really make this EP a standout in today's post-whatever scene. Yep, I think this is one for the future but we can only know for sure when we see these guys perform. I sure I hope I'll be able to experience this live one day.

Noydem - A Time Will Come

alternative rock

Another great example of excellent modern day rock music comes from French band Noydem and their impressive EP 'A Time Will Come'. With immersive, catchy alternative rock songs, this guys once again proves how good that country can rock. A decent bunch of rock history comes to mind when I listen to songs like 'Welcome Home', 'Stay' or 'A Place To Live', including Velvet Revolver, Incubus, Foo Fighters and Audioslave. My favorite track is 'Bring Me Down', a potential smash hit but then again, all these songs have a certain hit potential, especially in the alternative music scene. So check it out, this definitely rocks!

Clint Maedgen - cmradio.tv #1

electronic / alternative / experimental / trip hop

Time for something completely different. Clint Maedgen is an American electronic music composer, singer songwriter and visual artist who comes up with weird but infectious pop tunes. One this album you can find eleven experimental and lo-fi trip hop songs. Sometimes Prince comes to mind, sometimes it's Archive-ish and again sometimes I'm reminded Tricky's weirdest moments. Oh, and Ween. Yet, it all comes in a whole different, somewhat silly setting, not necessarily suited for the biggest of festivals. Recommended? Sure, if you like the unusual and absurd regions of the musical universe, you need this

Ric Gordon - Standing Here

indie / alternative rock

Hailing from Kansas City, Ric Gordon delivers another EP is vintage acoustic rock songs with this new EP. It's a welcome deviation from all the heavily distorted guitars I have been through in the past few days. The songs on 'Standing Here' remind me a bit of acts like Lemonheads, R.E.M. and perhaps the Pixies. Indie rock, folk and Americana are the main influences but you can also find a touch of post punk and alternative rock. My favorite track here is 'Rise Above' but I'm sure every fan of good old fashioned acoustic pop rock can easily enjoy this whole EP.

Misto - Helios

post rock

In April I discovered the talented Italian one man post rock band. Now he returns with a beautiful full-length. In six tracks Misto easily manages to keep the listener interested. Opener 'Buried Under Remote Lands' is a brilliant post rock tune, reminding me of God Is An Astronaut while 'Polemic Guy Wants To Fight' seems to combine space rock with punk rock. This is just awesome, daring and inventive. Title track 'Helios' is an instant post rock classic and everything else is just breathtaking. Nah, for real, 'Helios' is simply a perfect and well varied post rock album, one I will be listening to a lot this winter.

Necrodancer - Void

black metal / "funeral grunge"

Lost Pilgrim

French/Belgian horde Necrodancer comes up with a filthy, rough and raunchy approach to evil music. The band claims they play "funeral grunge" and yeah, why not. There is indeed something grungy about this whole thing, like in Nirvana being buttfucked by Satan himself. But for the majority, this album is a punkish version of old school black metal, resulting is heabanging blasters like 'The Necrodancer' and 'The Turning'. So if you want your music pretty and clean, this album will do very nasty things to your sanity. However, if you are one of those filthy, rotten souls who like ass sounds nasty and vile, you need this.

Malefic Levitation - The Ancient Plague

black metal

Sentient Ruin

More putrid insanity comes from Fresno, California evildoers Malefic Levitation and their obliterating debut EP. After a short intro, the duo rages on with chaotic black metal with the melodic sense of a dead rat. For real, this is brutal stuff, often alternated with skull crushing doom metal passages. Yet, most of it drives on pounding blastbeats, insane guitars and haunting screams. As a black metal fan, what else could you possible want? Forget about atmospheric passages or inventive folk stuff, this music represent a set of axes thrown to your head at hitting the spot each and every time. Awesome.

Wren/Slabdragger - Mothers Of The Beef And The Magic Of Invention

sludge metal / doom / krautrock

Holy Roar

Slabdragger

Wren

This is so cool, Slabdragger and Wren releasing a split where the first turns Frank Zappa's 'Muffin Man' into a psychedelic sludge metal experience while the other krautrocks and post-metals the hell out of Captain Beefheart's 'Electricity'. Not only that, but they make it look like fun too, like they had a hell of a time recording these two tracks. So, obviously, you need to check this out. I think it is already my favorite split release this year.

Stefano De Ponti | Eleonora Pellegrini - Physis

ambient / experimental / noise

website

Sound sculptor Stefano De Ponti and vocalist/body performer Eleonora Pellegrini deliver a strange, ritualistic album, divided into two parts. With minimal drones, noises and soundscapes, plus Pellegrini's strong vocal performances, the duo delivers an alienating sound, inspired by the sounds of nature. The result is something that quickly grabs your attention. It's not very comparable to most ambient music but it fits right into the world of the avant-garde where people like Diamanda Galas and Nurse With Wound like to dwell. So yes, if you want your music a bit strange and unsettling, this is the one you want.

Serge

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Time For Energy - Gang Of Losers

4/12/2017

screamo / hardcore / metal

It is always hard to review an album I'm not quite fond of. Yeah, I know, This is a harsh opening for this article but it is the truth. I am not very fond of this album. I am not a fan of hardcore or screamo but I do recognize a well executed album when I hear one and this thing is damn well executed.

Time for energy is a "brutal rock" band from Nantes, France. They formed in 2008, which might explain the coherent and well attuned sound of 'Gang Of Losers'. Their music is a blast of noisy and intrusive rock and metal with harsh and intense screaming vocals. Yet, it comes with a decent dose of variation.

Time For Energy takes hardcore, post hardcore and screamo as a foundation for their varied and quite infectious sound. Yet, unlike most bands I hear in this genre, this is not another faceless copy of Oceans Ate Alaska, Thrice or any of the popular bands in the genre. No, this is a band of friends who know damn well what they want and how to conceive it. You can feel the chemistry coming from songs like 'Black Eye Blues', 'Prick' or 'Bring Out The Flags'.

Besides, 'Trucks' is a pretty neat piece of music. It's intense, melodic and just a bit out of the ordinary. I like that. Like I already mentioned, the whole thing is perfectly executed and in modern day standards, I truly believe that 'Gang Of Losers' is an absolute must-have for fans of the genre. As far as I'm concerned, Time For Energy might as well climb the bigger stages on metal festivals. I'm sure that they can set the whole thing ablaze.

Serge

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Brieviews 27

6/9/2017

Altarmang - Void

dark ambient

Cyclic Law

The debut album of a new dark ambient entity by Pär Boström (Kammarheit) and Kenneth Hansson is a great gloomy piece of work, consisting of four lengthy tracks. With tape loops and analog equipment, Altarmang recorded some excellent and immersive hypnotic soundscapes, perfectly suited for everyone who feels at home in today's drone and ambient scene. I can only recommend this album since it has everything an ambient aficionado could possibly want. My advice is to purchase the album, play it loud and allow yourself to be cleansed by this music. You won't be disappointed...

Skognatt - Ancient Wisdom

black metal

Atmospheric one man black metal project Skognatt returns with another two track EP, after 'The Landscapes Of Ice'. Once again, the artist focuses on mostly slow and depressive black metal, laced with keyboards and symphonic arrangements. There is even an acoustic "Spanish" guitar solo, which I can appreciate a lot. I like this EP, both songs are great, but perhaps it's time to turn this act into a performing one. This music is way too good to only be enjoyed in the living room. I'm sure that this will blast on stage and I hope I'll ever get to witness that. So yes, highly recommended EP for atmospheric black metal fans.

Meteors the Entire Night - Descend Towards the Earth

post hardcore

Based in Coventry and formed last year, Meteors The Entire night do something interesting with screamo, hardcore and post-rock. On this debut EP, they showcase four songs (and a short breather), each pretty much as brutal and intense as the previous one. Bands like Poison The Well, Envy and Oceans Ate Alaska come to mind but I think there is a bit more work to be done. Although this is a pretty decent debut, I miss the dynamics and energy of a live performance. Obviously, those aren't easy to put on tape, only a good producer can do that. Still, I see more and bigger gigs in these guys' future. Post-hardcore fans, keep an ear open.

Urs Wild - Drones

drone / dark ambient

Swiss dark ambient project Urs Wild returns with a new EP, simply named 'Drones'. Well, "EP" might not be the correct word as the whole thing clocks off at around an hour. In that time, you will be fed six minimal but immersive dark ambient tracks from a very high quality. For fans of the genre, this is a must-have, a solid and excellently executed barrage of drones and soundscapes. Personally, I love how simple Urs Wild made it all look and sound. Making dark ambient is not a complicated task, but making excellent dark ambient like this, demands talent and Urs Wild is talented, that's for sure.

Wyatt E. - Exile to Beyn Neharot

doom / post rock

Two years ago, Belgian doomers Wyatt E. pleasantly surprised me with their debut EP. Apparently, my review for that EP got them on that year's edition of Dunk! Festival. Now, the band is back with another two track EP and I'm excited from the very beginning. With elements from drone, ambient, doom and post rock, plus Eastern influences, Wyatt E. have created two more lengthy tracks, each one a sonic adventure on its own. Think Sunn O))), think Master Musicians Of Bukkake. Fact is, this is a massively talented band that deserves bigger stages. This is one of the best things in Belgium today.

Kemerov - FMKD

death metal / punk

Greek death groove combo Kemerov feels like the perfect wedding between Entombed and Turbonegro. With the energy of punk rock and the brutality of death metal, this band eleven irresistible party tunes. Uptempo, raging, intense and groovy, Lemmy would be proud of these guys. The songs are as complex as a stone brick to the face but also just as effective. My personal favorites are 'Plague Of Nations' and 'Slay Your Son' but I can easily recommend every old school death metal fan to get their hands on this gem. Death 'n roll pur sang, dangerous for the neck but definitely worth it.

Thera Roya - Masterful Universe

doom / sludge

Brooklyn based act Thera Roya take things to another level. With a blend of doom, sludge metal and noise, this EP is a solid assault on your sanity. In fact, I have rarely heard a better musical reference for insanity and madness than these two tracks present to me. They're haunting, intriguing and intense. And that's just the MP3's, which makes me wonder how a live performance by this chaotic herd feels like. I wouldn't be surprise if concert goers end up being driven of in white vans after the gig. Sick stuff, for real.

One Life All-In - The A7 Session

hardcore / metal

Wow, this feels like the nineties are coming back, but then again, what would you expect from a band with members from The Spudmonsters, Seekers of the Truth and Benighted. Dog Eat Dog, Sick Of It All and Anthrax come to mind when I hear to these six old school tunes. As heavy as melodic and as intense as immersive, this breed of hardcore punk can easily get the party started at festivals. Besides, there is an interesting metal edge to be found here, at first listen perhaps a bit too melodic for hardcore fans but very welcome indeed. See, some genres never die...

AVSA - Parallels

experimental / ambient / noise

Avsa - not to be confused with Asva, is an Italian experimental project by Anacleto Vitolo and Sergio Albano. The music on this strange album seemingly balances on the thin edge between ambient and noise. Soundscapes, drones, crackles and unidentifiable noises make up otherworldly tunes which are haunting and hypnotic at the same time. I don't think this music is a pleasant dinner companion but it's perfectly suited for gloomy meditations and dark seances. Obviously, I recommend this album to all fans of the strange, obscure and odd. This is an epic piece of work.

Mesmur - S

funeral doom

Hailing from North Carolina, Mesmur are well on their way to become one of my favorite doom metal bands. Of course, I'm a sucker for funeral doom which makes it easier for them, but there is also something else. Unlike their colleagues in Mar De Grises, Evoken and Esoteric, Mesmur laces their funeral doom with dissonant guitars and soundscapes, giving the whole thing an extra eerie touch. The four long tracks on this album are great, epic pieces of work, melodic, intense and accompagnied by a haunting growl. All funeral doom fans should get their hands on a copy of this album, honestly.

Valle Crucis - Valle Crucis

black metal

American black metal duo Valle Crucis sound so old school and raw that I initially thought that this was a Norwegian thing from the nineties, found in some old basement. Their breed of black metal obviously reaches back to the harsh, nihilistic and aggressive nature from that glorious era, which in a way makes this EP a glorious one too. Influenced by the pioneers, such as Gorgoroth, Marduk, God Dethroned and Dark Funeral, Valle Crucis uncontrollably blast their fierce and violent music through my speakers. For fans of those old days, this is a solid grasp of hope and nostalgia. Truly recommended stuff.

Goat War - Warwolf

speed metal / black metal

Speaking about old school, this one feels like it comes directly from the first wave of black metal, or at least a parody of that genre. With a mix of speed metal, power metal and black metal, Goat War delivers four chaotic songs about battle, glory and whatnot, complete with brutal vocals and thrash metal shrieks, but not in a good way. I don't think this EP is meant to be taken seriously. It's best to be enjoyed while also completely wasted on cheap alcohol. Sniffing glue might help too. But if you're into obscure and often laughable clichés, you absolutely can't go wrong with this EP.

Ditheist - Eternity of Nothingness

death metal / grindcore

Ok, one more old school sounding album before I go to something else. American band Ditheist does a pretty good job with this one. It's brutal as fuck and intense enough to rip out your eardrums but it also contains something experimental, something that makes this sound a bit different from their colleagues. At times, old Sepultura comes to mind, along with some other death metal originators. For death metal fans, this is definitely something worth checking out. Favorite songs: the title track 'Eternity Of Nothingness' is a blast and closer 'Crippling Vexation' is a murderer.

X-Coast – Transformations EP

techno / rave / house

soundcloud

What? I said that I was going to check out something different for a change so I almost automatically end up in the dance and techno scene. On the other hand, here we're also dealing with old school stuff. This EP seems to come directly from some mid nineties rave parties, flavored with some funky house music. This EP is the first in a new series called UNDERTHESEA. If the whole series is as old school inspired as these three track (plus remix), the dance scene might indeed become a lot more interesting to me. So check it out, maybe you'll find a new favorite dance tune.

Tripeo - Eighth Trip

techno

soundcloud

And finally, we'll go for an hypnotic, techno induced trip with Darko Esser's Tripeo project. These two tunes mark his first record since 2015 and somewhat sound like gloomy acid tunes from the earlier nineties with beats and electronic noises. Obviously, that makes them guaranteed dancefloor fillers at your upcoming raves. Personally, I'm a bit more fond of the second track, which is somewhat more relaxed. The opener is an obtrusive techno tune that will drag you to the dancefloor. Together, they make up for solid assshaking workout, something I can always recommend.

Serge

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Apes – Lightless

1/7/2017

hardcore / grindcore

When this album came in, I immediately downloaded it, which is quite odd because I don't consider myself a fan of hardcore. But something about it told me that I would probably enjoy this thing and guess what, I did, even though it took me a while before eventually loading it into my media player (I've been busy).

What I like about it? Well, for starters I love the sheer darkness that covers the whole thing. From gloomy noise passages to intense pieces of blackened grindcore, this thing is pitch black. Furthermore, it's violent and aggressive as fuck, but also well written and highly conceptual.

Somehow Apes have managed to combine grindcore, doom metal, noise and hardcore into this brutal cesspool. The whole thing is rather short but incredibly vicious, as if it's sole purpose is to drag you down to hell and unleash all its demons. Anyway, if you are one of those people who love to be brutally beaten down by music, this sonic assault obviously is your thing. You can bang your head, you can start a mosh pit, you can do whatever you like. In the -core genres, 'Lightless' certainly is one of the best I have ever heard!

Serge

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Ilydaen - Veil

1/7/2017

post hardcore / post rock