Operant - Harnessed To Flesh

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Berlin based duo Operant delivers an EP that immediately made me twist the volume knob to blast-levels. It opens with an impending piece of electronic dark ambient before entering the realm of rhythmic noise in 'Be A Boy'. Side A ends with a pounding harsh ambient piece, 'Chancellory'. Side B invites you to the heavy and dark dancefloor, blending noise with techno, resulting in the infectious 'The Sacrifice Of Meaning Power' and the chaotic frenzy of closer 'Dead Realities VII'. Fans of everything between Contagious Orgasm and Imminent can easily appreciate this. (S.)

Wild Mighty Freaks - Guns 'n Cookies

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French weirdos Wild Mighty Freaks come up with a fusion between hip hop and metal. Personally, I would just throw this in the nu-metal genre, as I do with all rap metal. I don't mean that as a bad thing, on the contrary. This is a highly infectious EP, well executed and with plenty of groovy riffs. Furthermore, I bloody love the ragga-induced 'Freaks' and the dark and angry 'Empty Skies' is one of the best hip hop tracks I've heard in the past nine years or so. Nah, for real, this shit is surprisingly good. I wouldn't mind of Wild Mighty Freak become the next big thing in the nu-scene. (S.)

Bongthrower - Demo

Now available for your wicked stoner parties: Bongthrower, another band that has weed fanatics' favorite tablewear in the bandname. Much like Bongzilla and Bongripper Bongthrower delve in the world of stoner doom and sludge metal. These Germans deliver thick doom riffs, crusty vocals and sheer power, combined with a low, sluggish tempo. This surely is something for fans of bands like Conan, Dopethrone, Yob and so on. My personal favorite here is 'Bongthrower', which also shows a bit of the psychedelic side of this band, but rest assured, if you love stoner doom, you will absolutely love these guys. (S.)

Ecloss - Diluvienne

Diluvienne, released on January 26 by French atmospheric black metal project Ecloss, is a magnificent, surreal and thoroughly terrific EP, that has on the quintessential structure of its omniscient sensibility the vehemently overlooking serenity upon which its melodies rejuvenate so ostensibly the peaceful eternity that dwells around the flexible frontiers of its everlasting and magnanimous eloquence, that seems to revolve around a sleeping conscience, that fully comprehends the mortifying exasperations of human transience. With beautiful and exceedingly poetic melodies, that virtually has all the necessary predispositions to expand the sonorous

Valiant - A Timeworn Oath

An amazingly fantastic EP, that understands and penetrates deeply into the realm of atmospheric black metal, A Timeworn Oath is a thoroughly poetic, charming, serene and philosophic state of the art work, with pervasively dense and beautiful melancholic ballads, where an eternal winter sorrow dilapidates into the heart of the listener the despondent rumors of prominently defying silent whispers, that revolves around an increasingly tense, but peaceful interior darkness. With five tracks – As Echoes of Dreams, Distant Lands, Oath to Destiny, Forlorn Shadow and In the Midst of Worlds –,

Tides of Emptiness - Tides of Emptiness

A greatly devised work, Tides of Emptiness, an EP released by the eponymous American project from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on January 31, is a formidably marvelous exemplar of a sound that preserves tradition, expanding its formula to a groundbreaking level of subtly genuine aggression, but without renouncing to a modest degree of delusional atmospheric tension. A little more than thirty six minutes long, the album has three very extensive tracks: Her Body in Ashes, the homonymous Tides of Emptiness and Finality of Existence. With rough guitar lines and a conspicuous brutality that dilapidate each and every furious stigma of its hostile harmonious

Vindorn - Perdition

A fabulous record released by German black metal act Vindorn, Perdition has seven tracks: Masquerade, Ansiktet, Panie Diable, Rozhodnutí osudu? Trest, Eros hemlighet, Vanmakt and Vládcové. With a sonorous fury and a convulsive energy perfectly able to suppress all the nefarious vicissitudes of the general melodic limitations usually heard in the genre, the dark and rude authenticity of the artist showcases a creative domain that not only enables him to perfectly devise a very singular style, but also infuse its own sagacious elements of aggressive dissonance within the introspective sensibility of the music.

Obscure - Zero Dawn

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Finnish stoner metal quintet Obscure deliver a riff-loaded debut EP with three groovy and heavy songs. They seem to blend metal with stoner rock, which rarely is a bad combination. Opener 'Zero Dawn' is a hard hitter, reminding me of something between Channel Zero and Mastodon. 'Low Low Down' takes on a more vintage hard rock oriented approach. Closer 'River' seems to combine the two. Not a bad debut but one that shows a few challenges for this band. For me, there are a bit too much vocals which sometimes overrule the great hard rock riffs. Like some say, "less is more". Less vocals leaves more

Ossian Smith - Sleepless Town

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Ossian Smith is a young Finnish singer-songwriter  and guitarist, influenced by everything between David Bowie and Soundgarden. He and his band deliver a five track EP with highly enjoyable rock tunes. In fact, the whole thing just puts a smile on my face as a big part of my youth seems to flow by. Bands that come to mind include The Scabs, Lemonheads, R.E.M... My favorite track is 'Jimmy Roux' and my least favorite is 'Rainmaker', but even that one is a pleasure to listen to. Just good old fashioned rock 'n roll with loads of energy and a very bright future if you ask me.  (S.)

Servants Of The Apocalyptic Goat Rave - Queen Of Darkness

I have to let my sister-in-law listen to this. She is a hardcore techno fan. You know, Neophyte, Angerfist, Drokz... that kind of stuff. Her six years old son is slowly becoming interested in what they call 'Yeng-yeng music' after hearing Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' on the radio. A few weeks ago I played Therapy? for him and he loved it. Next step is black metal, just for fun. Then, they can both listen to this bizarre and turbulent release from Servants Of The Apocalyptic Goat Rave, a project by ​Jason Köhnen & Jurgen Desmet with vocals by Baseck. Hardcore techno and breakcore mixed with chaotic black metal,

Babalith - Gramatique du Ciel

Portuguese Ritualist ambient act Babalith returns to Sombre Soniks with a dark, droning album which is loaded with voices. The result is a strange and somewhat alienating epos that speaks to you in many different tongues. Fact is, sound gave birth to communication, even way before languages have been developed. That is probably why this amalgamation of vocal efforts is so fascinating. It takes you on a odd trip through history, through the occult and through your own DNA. This comes highly recommended for fans of Diamanda Galas and dark ambient aficionados alike. Check it out, it's something unique... (S.)

Dark Archive - Cultivate Our Blood in Aeon

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Dark Archive is a satanic black metal band from Finland, founded in 2016. The duo wanted to bring something fresh into the scene but their path was rough and full of setbacks. However, stubbornly the original members continued their blackened journey which leads to this jawdropping piece of work. I don't know if it is really fresh and renewing but the music here is massively varied and highly impressive. In fact, bands that have come to mind while listening to this include Immortal, Cradle Of Filth, Emperor, Dimmu Borgir, Mörk Gryning and Limbonic Art. And with that, I do actually mean all the best parts

Limbs - Body Without

Euhm, wait. Is Limbs four bands combined? These guys, hailing from Manila, Philippines, throws a wicked piece of work on the bamboozled market. Their music certainly don't fit one box. It's shoegaze, it's screamo, it's post punk, it's math rock and it's black metal, and that is just the first song. The only constant seems to be the energy blasting out of these complex and intense songs. 'Fever Fawns' is my personal favorite on this album but I'm sure fans of outrageous music can easily enjoy everything Limbs create. Besides, the EP is free for download, so there is absolutely no reason not to check it out. You'll be pleasantly surprise, I promise you. (S.)

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

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

Dead Neanderthals - Organ Donor

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

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

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 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

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

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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

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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

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 

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

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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

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

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

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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

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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.

Order Serge's debut novel 'Cecilia's World' now.

Pie Are Squared - Co​(​a​)​sts

This EP by Italian based, Egyptian born multi-instrumentalist Mohammed Ashraf is entirely composed with the Make Noise 0-Coast synthesizer. I'm not really familiar with the technical specifications, but judging from the sounds produced, it must be a wet dream for synth fans. Pie Are Squared delivers five minimal and dreamy ambient tracks that remind me of some of the electronics pioneers of the sixties. The overall sound seems somewhat cold and gloomy, especially in 'Three And A Half'. If you're a synth based ambient fanatic, this EP will surely fit in your collection, right next to old Kraftwerk and Eno.

Interface Type Seven - Devices

Another beautiful piece of electronic ambient comes from Las Vegas based Interface Type Seven. Here too, minimalistic soundscapes and gloomy drones create gentle and dreamy tracks. In most of these rather short tunes , a sense of rhythm can be found, adding a lot to the immersive nature of the whole thing. Somehow, a very minimalistic version of Boards Of Canada comes to mind, along with Aphex Twin's pure ambient works and - of course - Biosphere. So, obviously, even though I don't have much to add to this review, this album comes extremely recommended for ambient fans.

30.000 Monkies - Starrrrrrrrring

Belgian noise makers 30.000 Monkies have been called the bastard sons of Sleep, Melvins and Lightning Bolt. Yet, most of all, this is just an intensely noisy combo with an odd sense of humor. The four tracks here are titled 'Orlando Doom', 'Keanu Riffs', 'Sharon Drone' and 'Tom Wanxxx'. So I guess I can compare this EP to watching these actors crawling through rivers of mud and faeces in a post apocalyptic world, only to end up on a vile orgy of grinding guitars, pounding drums and sheer brutality. Nope, going to the movies will never be the same from now on. Weird, noisy fucking Belgians... Buy this.

Horse Head - Terminal

A while ago, the mayor of Antwerp found a horse head on his driveway. I can imagine his mother's reaction. She must have sounded somewhat like this brutal quartet from Arizona. In four tracks, Horse Head pounds and pummels you into a bloody mash and you will absolutely enjoy the abuse. That is, if you're into harsh, intense and murderous sludge doom. Otherwise, I wouldn't recommend it. Thick, Conan/Yob like riffs form the foundation on which the vocalist can throw his lungs into an unexpecting audience. Musically, this is nothing new or original, but is executed to perfection. So yeah. Buy it.

Arkhon Infaustus - Passing The Nekromanteion​

French extreme metal duo Arkhon Infaustus returns with a pummeling and disturbing EP. Of course, them being in this business for twenty years, you can expect nothing less than harsh and intense old school blackened perfection. Chaotic at first, the four songs on this EP gradually showcase the band's talent and thier excellent flair for the avant garde approach. Still, within all this chaos and turmoil, Arkhon Infaustus manages to come up with great melodic passages. In fact, it took me four minutes to really get into this EP but now, after listening carefully, I consider this a highlight in today's blackened scene.

Brørby / Clausen - Mannen Faller

A harsh and relentless ambient album, quite often crossing the line between dark ambient and noise. 'Mannen Faller' by Norwegian artists Anders Brørby and Rune Clausen is probably one of the most surprising and stunning releases I have heard in awhile. It contains sounds of nature, like the lovely sounds of birds, but also the harsh, intense reality of it, represented by haunting noises and overwhelming soundscapes. It's like Biosphere and Haus Arafna suddenly decided to do something together. Perhaps the term 'brutalist ambient' really fits here, but in any way, this is a highly recommended work.

LaColpa - Mea Maxima Culpa

Well, since we decided to dig into the darker sides of the musical spectrum, we might as well plunge right into the void of the occult and the obscure. There we find Italian band LaColpa and their 'Mea Maxima Culpa' EP. These three long tracks are massive anthems of despair and hopelessness, blending dark ambient, sludge doom and black metal. They come with gigantic walls of sound, fearsome screams and soul piercing riffs. This is extreme music at its blackest, no doubt about that. If you're into acts like Rorcal or Celeste, LaColpa comes intensely recommended. This is a brilliant piece of aural darkness.

Nervcast - Locked And Loaded

Hailing from Toronto, Canada, Nervcast might be one of the most convincing old school thrash metal bands in today's era. This EP contains four tracks, which are clearly inspired by the first efforts of bands like Metallica and Megadeth. In fact, 'Chemical Solution' might as well be a track from the 'Ride the Lightning' album. 'Fallen Angels' is slower, nudging towards arena rock while 'Moonstruck' has an Iron Maiden meets Nevermore feel. Closer 'Locked and Loaded' turns back to Metallica for inspiration and brilliantly assaults your neck muscles. These tracks are great, old school and bloody catchy, thus highly recommended.

Terra IncΩgnita - Sign with Blood

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Greek heavy metal combo Terra IncΩgnita want to drag old school metal into the present day, and I must say, they're doing quite well too. These four tracks are firmly rooted in the epicness of bands like Manowar or Gravedigger but there is a tendency to experiment with progressive and atmospheric metal. The result is pretty damn good headbanging material that is also perfectly suited for fans of technical dissipation. With some crushing guitars and very strong choruses, these Greeks might be on their way to the bigger festival podia allover Europe. Rock on!!!

House Of Broken Promises - Twisted

Heavy Psych Sounds have been releasing plenty of electrifying releases in the past few years and it doesn't look like this tendency will end soon. Take this seven track EP for example, which contains two covers (Black Sabbath and Billy Squire) plus live tracks and outtakes. The whole thing is good for thirty minutes of old school rock 'n roll bliss and to party like it's 1969. With potent songs and heaps of energy, this record is definitely a welcome addition to your ever expanding hard/psychedelic/stoner rock collection. So check it out and get that rock 'n roll party started. You know you want to...

Rites of Daath - Hexing Graves

Polish newcomers Rites Of Daath come up with quite a fascinating mini album. The first few minutes are slow, haunting and gnawing pieces of doom inspired death metal but then suddenly, all hell breaks loose. The tempo goes up - severely - and elements from melodic Scandinavian death metal start blasting through the thick, downtune wall of sound. From then on, Rites Of Daath seem to maintain a firm grasp on the listener with a short but well varied effort. Death metal fans, rejoice, this might as well become one of your new favorites. This is brutal, harsh, relentless and vile, exactly the things you like.

Prostitution - Egyptian Blue

I know, from looking at the cover, you might expect a psychedelic rock album. I mean, this one looks like it fits perfectly between your grandfather's Pink Floyd, Yes and Camel albums. However, this three track EP kicks of with fierce and intense black metal, driving on pummeling drums and gut piercing riffs. Little later, Brooklyn based horde Prostitution deliver some progressive elements but the growls and screams never make place for something calm. Obviously, that is not a bad thing, on the very contrary. I think Prostitution are on their way to find their own sound in a genre that is seemingly limitless. Excellent stuff.

Andy K Leland - Happy Daze

Right, after all that violence, I need something to ease my nerves. That is where the playful ballads of Andy K Leland come in. On 'Happy Daze' you can find six short tunes that could have been either shoegaze or rock songs if there was a whole band, but since Leland is doing this on his own, the songs seem stripped down to campfire capacity. Yet, even in their minimal approach, this are quite catchy and immersive pieces of music which might as well put a large smile on your face. Opener 'The Kingdom' is probably my favorite but I enjoy every second of this EP. Recommended for fans of Luka Bloom and colleagues...

Ummagma - LCD

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Dreampop combo Ummagma return with a new EP and it contains some big names. Robin Guthrie (Cocteau Twins) and Dean Garcia (Curve) offered their remixing talents, and then you pretty much know what to expect. The song 'LCD' is a delightful and somewhat experimental mid tempo trip hop tune. While the original is highly enjoyable, I prefer the long dreamy remix by Garcia, who also remixed 'Back To Do' in a similar - brilliant - manner. So is the Guthrie remix for 'Lama': immersive, dreamy and almost otherworldly. Yeps, this EP is definitely worth the effort

The Kahless Clone - Our Never-Ending Loneliness 

Hailing from Chicago, The Kahless Clone plays instrumental rock, inspired by Mogwai, This Patch Of Sky and so on. But wait, there is more. If you know that this band features Novembers Doom guitarist Vito Marchese, you can also expect plenty of dark, melodic metal influences. And the combination between the two makes this EP a brilliant one. Immersive melodies, gloomy rock passages and emotional post-whatever landscapes create something breathtaking. These are excellent narrative pieces of music, enhanced by stunning keyboard and electronics. Or: this is psychedelic progressive post dark metal at its very best...

Encyrcle - Burning Child

Danish horde Encyrcle delves deep into the history of thrash metal with their latest effort 'Burning Child'. This EP contains two brand new songs, a short instrumental and a cover version of 'Strange Days' (The Doors). Opener 'Delight Of Evil' seems to be exactly what the title predicts, since metal is the most evil of genres and this is a delightful piece technical skills and songwriting. Title track 'Burning Child' brings back the epic glory of heavy metal. Manowar, Celtic Frost and Venom come to mind, which I guess are not bad references. Recommended only for stubborn metalheads...

Caesaria - Come On & Dance

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And now for something completely different. French quartet Caesaria intivte you to the dancefloor with two uplifting and playful tunes. 'Take It Out On Me' is a modern day disco tune, mixed with sweet and innocent indie rock. The other track 'Come On & Dance' does things a bit slower and contains a rap passage. Personally, I like both tracks, even though this isn't necessarily the stuff I usually listen to. If you want your pop music to be a little rough on the edges but danceable and friendly, Caesaria certainly is a band to keep an eye on, and two ears, obviously, and put your dancing shoes on.

Mint Narcosis - Obtrusive Tunes For Obtrusive People

Once in awhile, Belgian ambient engineer Misantronics turns into his EDM alter ego Mint Narcosis and unleashes a bunch of quirky dance tunes. For this six track EP, Mint Narcosis was seemingly inspired by The Prodigy's breakbeats ('Prodigo') but also by industrial electornics ('Klotekloten') and drum & bass ('Wodan', 'Fear and Loathing' & 'Laika'). Of course, the Misantronics touch is never far away so there are some (dark) ambient passages to be found here as well, be it in a rhythmic, danceable way. In all, this is a fun album from an artist that stubbornly does whatever he likes to.

Vvon Dogma I - Communion

What would happen if you lock Daft Punk, Meshuggah, Apoptygma Berzerk and Scorn into a rehearsal studio? Well, I have no idea but this fascinating EP by Vvon Dogma I might give you an idea. To say that this EP is quite varied would be a tremendous understatement. Elements from industrial (techno ànd metal), progressive rock, trap, funk, house, djent and metal pummel you down until have no idea where you are or what musical age you're living in. Of course, there is ChaotH at his 9-string bass, but that is just one aspect of the unique and eventful sound of this band. Or in one word: Wow !

Kult Mogil - Portentaque

Almost two years ago, I reviewed an album by Polish horde Kult Mogil. Now, they return with another disturbing and chaotic piece of extreme metal. This three track ep mercilessly blends death metal, black metal, pagan metal and grindcore into one huge, vile and dissonant piece of noise. These guys have clearly found their own niche within the world of extreme music and they're not going to stop releasing their strange and unique sound any time soon. Not that they have to, this EP proves that extremes can still be unique, self-willed and bloody intense. Recommended? Only if you are experienced!

I'm telling you, this hobby is seriously running out of hand. Not long now before they start delivering the albums by truck. There's so much coming in, so many amazing pieces of music and here I am, being human and thus bound to details like "time", "sleep" and "writing my books" (like "Cecilia's World --->). I'm not complaining, not at all. I just feel bad for all those great bands and artists who I simply can't recommend anymore.My solution is to write more brieviews, make it short and firm. So here are twenty short reviews. I hope you find something you like in there. I know I have...

NevBorn - Daidalos 

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Swiss progressive/post metal band NevBorn comes up with a one-track EP, lasting eighteen minutes, inspired by the death of Icarus. In that time, they blasts elements from post rock, progressive metal, hardcore, nineties Scandinavian metal, arena rock and ambient through your speakers in a pretty epic manner. I know, all those elements combined might sound somewhat confusing, but somehow these guys have managed to create a coherent and narrative modern day opera (without the opera vocals, obviously). This is heavy songwriting at a very high level, that's for sure.

Funeral Mourning - Left Seething Yet Unspoken & Veneration of Broken Worlds

Another one-track EP comes from Australian act Funeral Mourning and this one is dark, impending and intense. The massive track contains heaps of funeral doom inspired awesomeness, thriving on a sluggish tempo and deep growls. I love this, but I love nearly all funeral doom acts. Evoken, Shape Of Despair, Esoteric... You name it and you'll find their influences on this fantastic EP. Even more so, the lingering guitar solos give the whole thing a stunning psychedelic effect. So, obviously, I will recommend this EP to all funeral doom fans out there. This is a perfect example of how brilliant this genre can be.

Grace Meer - Your King

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Fans of acts like Austra and Zola Jesus should start paying attention to Grace Meer. On this EP, she delivers four epic songs with overwhelming symphonic and cinematic elements. 'Vortex' might be the exception on that recipe by coming up with an 'Army Of Me' (Björk) like rhythm but those cinematic elements are always present and always breathtaking. 'Heal' and closer 'Your King' are my absolute favorites on this EP but I'm very sure that all these songs will often appear on my day-to-day playlist. Grace Meer is dragging darkwave into the modern day electronic music scene, which is a good thing..

Moonlight Desires - Just The Hits: 1981-1985

Armed by guitars, drums, bass and a strong affinity with the heavy and power metal scene, Moonlight Desires reworked a bunch of eighties songs. Songs by Duran Duran, Rod Stewart, Simply Red, Level 42, Frankie Goes to Hollywood.and others are being "metallized", which quite often results in pleasant surprises. I mean, you can bang your head to 'Holding Back The Years' now, who would have thought. In all, this is a fun album, well executed and stubborn but respectful to the originals. I can only applaud that and advise you to check this album out.

Khohd - Mea Culpa

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Hailing from Liège, Belgium and formed in 2011, Khohd deliver their own take on psychedelic and progressive rock. Seemingly influenced by bands like Russian Circles, Tool and Hawkwind, the three songs on this EP are immersive rock anthems, often nudging towards the metal scene. And even then they can come up with some surprising riffs and electronics. Let me put it this way, I'm already responsible for getting one Walloon band on Dunk! Festival (Wyatt. E). So let's try that again. I'm sure that these guys will play an interesting gig if they're booked. Definitely recommended stuff...

Balcanes - Decrépita / Decadencia

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Spanish bulldozer Balcanes return with a two track 7" single. In the past, they pleasantly surprised me with their in-your-face blend of noise rock, industrial and hardcore and now they seem to take their sound to the next level. The two songs drive on a repetitive, almost Godflesh like tempo, intense Melvins guitars and The Jesus and Mary Chain noise and feedback. This stuff is harsh and makes me repeat my previously uttered wish for a European tour. This will blast the roof of many underground venues on this continent, I'm 100% sure of that.

Big ‡ Brave - Ardor

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When I listened to this Montreal based three-piece for the first time, my initial thoughts were "putting Babes In Toyland in today's sludge metal scene". In a way, I like to stick to that thought since we're dealing with sluggish noise rock tunes and grungy female vocals. Fact remains, Big ‡ Brave make a lot of noise, including guitar feedback, thundering drums and excellent vocals. My favorite track is 'Lull', which seems to be a bit calmer and more gentle than the other two, who mostly resemble steamrollers. In all, this is a brilliant album with forty minutes of overwhelming noise rock which comes highly recommended.

Brant Bjork - Europe '16

Brant Bjork drops his first live album and it's an acid trip from the get-go. These twelve tracks were recording during his 2016 tour and simply contain everything Brant Bjork is known for. Expect sneering riffs, hypnotic guitar solos and a drugged out Woodstock atmosphere. For fans, this obviously is an absolute must have. Besides, these are excellent recordings, perfectly representing the live atmosphere of this seasoned and talented band. So nope, there is actually no reason not to purchase this album if you're a fan of Brant Bjork, period.

Purtenance - Paradox of Existence

Finnish death metal horde Purtenance has been around since 1989, so it's probably no surprise that this EP contains four skull crushing old school death metal tunes. Accompanied by deep growls, the intense riffs and thunderous drums beat the listener into a bleeding pulp, just like bands like Hypocrisy, Morbid Angel, Avulsed, Immolation and so on have been doing over the years. For fans of traditional death metal, this EP is an absolute must-have. 'Vicious Seeds Of Mortality' is my personal favorite here, but I'm damn positive that each and every one of these tracks will cause a whiplash here and there.

Killing Volts - Why Should I Say Yes

Hailing from Switzerland, power rock combo The Killing Volts ask an interesting question on "Why Should I Say Yes". Well, these four songs might be a good reason to say "yes". to this band. With electrifying rock 'n roll songs and the powerful vocals of Tania, The Killing Volt certainly convince. If you're into Bikini Kill, PJ Harvey, Babes In Toyland, The Breeders and The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, these rockers are something right up your alley. The cover version of 'Tainted Love' is very enjoyable and the others can easily rock your socks off. So yeah, better check this out before answering the question.

Tulipomania - On the Outside / Don't Be So Sure - Seahawks Remix

Gloomy pop rock songs, balancing on the edge between alternative rock and dream pop, that is what Philadelphia's Tulipomania delivers. The music feels like a blend of Radiohead, Tindersticks and Talk Talk. It's fragile, but potent enough to maintain the listener's attention. 'Don't Be So Sure' comes off their 2016 album 'This Gilded Age' and received an hypnotic downtempo remix by Seahawks. This single is definitely worth checking out and makes me curious about upcoming projects.

Sketchquiet - Novos Sketches

Brazilian one man act Sketchquiet returns with seven brand new tunes. Armed with an acoustic guitar and electronics and influenced by post rock, alternative rock, drone folk and indie rock, this act comes up with minimal but enjoyable songs that somehow remind me of acts like Manu Chao meets Ween. The immersive 'Sobrou Alma' is my favorite on this EP but I can add that all songs carry this introvert, somewhat gloomy atmosphere. In a way, this is a quite unique piece of work, perhaps one you will either love or dislike, but I urge you to check it out anyway.

Zephyra - The Darkest Black

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Swedish melodic death metal band Zephyra return with a new single, a so-called bridge between their previous album 'As the World Collapses' and their next one. This song, 'The Darkest Black' is an excellent piece of death metal, laced with a few symphonic elements. To me it sounds like something between Dark Tranquility, Children Of Bodom and Arch Enemy. Fans can easily trust these Swedes to deliver the goods. If this single serves as the appetizer for the upcoming album, the melodic death metal future looks a bit brighter again.

Nekrohowl - Epitome of Morbid

After a long - and great - intro, this death metal horde from Dhaka, Bangladesh drags us right down into the old school of death metal. The songs are brutal, mostly fast paced and drive of fierce riffs. Obviously, grunts and growls appear when needed. Ancient Sepultura comes to mind, along with Obituary and Bolt Thrower. What strikes me the most, is the often slapping sound of the bass. It's a cool way to play it and it doesn't sound like it does not belong in these songs. Nope, if you ask me, Nekrohowl know a thing or two about creating decent old school death metal and we should treasure that. Great job.

Tombstalker - Chaotic Devotion 

The last two death metal tracks for today come from American evildoers Tombstalker. and their latest 7" single 'Chaotic Deviation'. They couldn't have chosen a more suitable title for this thing. With their pummeling, chaotic blend of death and black metal, Tombstalker drag us along on an extreme - but well executed - trip through hell. Somehow, Dismember comes to mind but these Americans seem to go a bit deeper, a bit heavier on the harsh and abrasive sound. I like that and I definitely like these two pieces of extreme music. Be sure to check it out if you want to beaten to death by music.

Existente - Theta Series EPv1 

After all that death metal, it's time for something to set my mind at ease. That something is this soothing EP by American composer David Wesley under his Existente moniker. While Wesley's output usually consists of dub and techno, Existente delivers peaceful drones and dreamy ambient sound-scapes. The five tracks are based on the principles of sacred geometry, which might explain the repetitive and immersive nature of the whole thing. Fans of Biosphere and Brian Eno will undoubtedly appreciate this music, and so will I for the foreseeable future. This is an excellent ambient EP, period.

Indeed - Sinecure

Hailing from Budapest, Hungary, Indeed comes up with a great mix of rock styles. They seem influenced by everything between The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Tool and Nirvana and they translate those influences in a bunch of excellent rock songs. Besides, these guys are skilled musicians with decent songwriting abilities and a flair for variation. I can absolutely recommend this album to all fans of nineties rock music. It's nothing earth shattering, nothing renewing but simply a well attuned and talented band having fun writing and performing thier songs. That's what's rock 'n roll is all about, no?

Exsom - Roundtrip

Swiss five piece Exsom pay homage to the golden age of heavy metal with this new EP. The band has been around since 2011 and seem inspired by bands like Helloween, Edguy and Iced Earth. With excellent guitars, plenty of tempo changes and flashing solos, Exsom certainly convinces, even though sometimes the music gets a bit too complex for me, but that's a personal matter. It's clear that these guys can handle their instruments very well. The vocalist has enough power to convince and the whole thing is immersive, certainly for seasoned metalheads. So yups, one to check out, that's for sure.

Euphrasia/Woeful Silence - Split MC

Two one-man projects have teamed up to create a haunting split EP. One is an atmospheric black metal act while the other nudges more towards the drone and doom metal scene. Yet, in a way, certainly by atmosphere, these two acts seem to complement each other. On his side of the tape Euphrasia blends drones and soundscapes with eerie black metal, highlighting in the fierce  and chaotic 'Flächenbrand'. Side B. is for the depressive and haunting version of Woeful Silence with two gnawing and intense pieces of blackened music. This is a nice split, one I certainly recommend.

Audiolepsia - Muses

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Oh wow, how could I have missed this? This album by Spanish post rock act Audiolepsia is simply amazing. I'm almost sorry for adding them to "brieviews" instead of writing a longer review. With seven exquisite post rock anthems, reminding me of God Is An Astronaut, PG Lost and This Will Destroy You, these Barcelonians have certainly convinced me. The tracks are well built, well varied and immersive enough to take the listener on a long journey. I can imagine these guys playing these songs on Dunk! Festival and easily becoming a highlight. For post rock fans, this comes as recommended as breathing.