Category: Noise Rock

Ogmasun - Into the Void

post rock / post metal

With 'Into The Void', Swiss progressive post metal combo Ogmasun delivers a dark, broody and intense trip. Two tracks, forty minutes, this album one hell of a journey. Perhaps it is not as easy digestible as most post-rock related albums but it's certainly worth the effort. Gloomy ambient tunes alternate with heavy, guitar based pieces of music in which the bass pushes the whole thing forward. Then there are the vocal samples which fit perfectly over the music and elements of indie rock, math rock and progressive rock. The result is something highly narrative, something every fan of elaborate anthems will appreciate.

Bunkr - Schluss

noise rock / jazz / experimental

What starts as a pretty normal post rock album quickly develops into something mind boggling as Swiss band Bunkr opens a box of influences from noise rock to jazz, mathcore and even progressive metal. On 'Schluss' the band comes up with five tracks, mixing dissonance with immersive hooks and sheer intensity. The result is a baffling piece of work, not easy to comprehend but definitely something fans of the unusual will enjoy. Title track 'Schluss' is my personal favorite here, or perhaps the somewhat sludgy 'Truand'. Most fans will prefer the lengthy 'Vautour', but all five of these tracks will overwhelm you, no doubt about that.

Gloson - Mara

doom / sludge

Roaming somewhere between funeral doom and sludge metal, Swiss act Gloson delivered a gut piercing two-track EP. To tell you the truth, I was a bit surprised when I heard it for the first time. Instead of the hazy, stoner version of doom, which I expected, Gloson immediately comes up with massive riffs, pummeling drums and fierce death growls. Needless to say, perhaps, but I was quickly impressed with opener 'Usurper'. 'Equinox' easily walks the same rough and brutal path. Heavy, intense, yet melodic and immersive, this EP is an absolute must-have for the seasoned doom fan, no doubt about that.

Geezer - Spiral Fires

psychedelic / doom / stoner rock

Kozmik Artifactz

Can't get enough of heavy riffing and doomed journeys? Well then, put this in your pipe and smoke it. American trio Geezer throw a massive EP into the mix with 'Spiral Fires'. Opening with a psychedelic space tune, this EP quickly takes us off this planet and into the vast darkness of our galaxy. Then, when the riffs, the bass and the drums appear, Geezer guides you on sonic waves of Sabbathian riffing, something like that. And all of that continues in the other three tracks. As far as psychedelic doom metal is concerned, you rarely get anything more interesting than this. So obviously this comes highly recommended

Lecu - Scented Sonar

ambient

Left Tapes

The facebook page mentions: "Ambient kinda guy // ambient kinda music" and that pretty much covers the load for this three-track EP. Inspired by Frahm, Eno and Aphex Twin, Lecu comes up with three enigmatic ambient tunes, a bit experimental at times but certainly worthy of a spot in your elaborate ambient playlist. My favorite here is 'Blue Desert', which combines gloomy soundscapes with playful elements, which somehow represents a soft summer rain. I think ambient fans will know what to do with this beauty. Check it out and allow Lecu to take you on a beautiful underwater journey...

Aleksei Nikitin - Vesna

house / techno / electronic

Lobster Records

Russian producer Aleksei Nikitin comes up with a pretty exciting 12" which will get many EDM fans on their feet. Opener 'Gruv' immediately sets the tone: repetitive beats, rough sampling and minimal melodies. Yet, my favorite here is the dark dancefloor filler 'Blaze Away' which takes me back to the days of Zen Paradox, Shaolin Wooden Men and so on. Title track 'Vesna' even delves into the dark underground of gothic industrial electro and heavy synthpop. That's three different styles of house music, all on one EP, more than enough to appear on these pages. So check this out and shake your ass. You know you want to...

Druhá Smrt - Incarnatium

dark ambient

Sombre Soniks

I don't think Druhá Smrt need an introduction on these pages. Over the past few years, this Czech duo have become one of my absolute favorites in the dark ambient scene. Their new effort, 'Incarnatium' merely cements that spot. With four tracks, this EP is another brilliant statement for Druhá Smrt. Dark, brooding and immersive as hell, this EP can easily stand next to your favorites by Raison D'Etre, Lustmord or Atrium Carceri, just to name a few. This is a somber album, mystifying and dreary, like only the most seasoned dark ambient acts can produce. Believe me, Druhá Smrt is a force to be reckoned with in this scene. You need this!

Chelidon Frame - NowHere Nowhere NoWhere

ambient / experimental

Sounds Against Humanity

From the bandcamp page: "This music is an attempt to tame all the new sounds you meet when moving to a new house". Composed out of processed field recordings, this album is an outstanding piece of minimal ambient. With nine track, Chelidon Frame attempts to narrate a story, something deeply personal. Now, I can't really say I feel the story on this album but I do enjoy the music. These are unusual and unrecognizable sounds, dressed in layers of soothing ambient, fitting perfectly with the sounds that surround you, like church bells, passing cars or the neighbor's music. In all, this is a highly enjoyable album, one that will pleasantly surprise you.

Talipes Valgus - Sly

electronic / downtempo

With six tracks, Russian electronic act Talipes Valgus comes up with a slow, pulsating and brooding EP where trip hop receives a modern day make-over. According to the biography, the software used for this music is Ableton and in a way you can hear that. The deep bass lines and the typical Ableton sounds are present, but that doesn't mean that this thing is stale and unoriginal. In fact, 'Ravine River' plays with orchestral samples to create something rather overwhelming. Besides, Talipes Valgus doesn't shun the experiment, resulting in a few odd but mesmerizing pieces of music.

Haunt - If Icarus Could Fly

heavy metal

Shadow Kingdom Records

Helter Skelter Productions

And just like that we're catapulted back into the glory days of heavy metal. Haunt digs deep into the world of NWOBHM and comes out with a flashing eight track EP. Each of these tracks could have been written by one of your favorite old school heavy metal bands but hey, they forgot so here is Haunt to make you raise your horned fist and yell along with these infectious tunes. Opener 'Run & Hide' is probably one of the most electrifying metal tunes released this year and most of the others will make your rock dick grow hard, I promise. So yeah, heavy fucking metal. If you like that, you will love the hell out of this EP.

Suffering Hour - Dwell

black metal / death metal

And to plummet in utter darkness, here is 'Dwell' by American horde Suffering Hour, an eighteen minutes lasting anthem of black and death metal torment, destined to erode your sanity. This track is a massive slap in the face of those who have strict guidelines to enjoy their death metal. This is intense, ferocious and suffocating but it also comes with a very high level of atmospheric songwriting. Suffering Hour certainly is a unique entity in the world of death metal, adding plenty of variation to a genre that thrives of violence and brutality. So yeah, this is one for the extremists among us, one you'll cherish or suffer.

Russ Young - Pala

ambient

Audiobulb

I often end my sets of Brieviews with a soothing ambient release. I have a good reason for that. Writing these short reviews can get intense, especially if I write them in one go, which means several hours of listening and writing. This time I picked a wonderful ambient EP by Russ Young. Four tracks, one as blissful and as restful as the next. Opener 'Polaris' is a beautiful piece of music, driving on minimal melodies and flowing soundscapes. 'Cavern' feels somewhat darker but is just as immersive. In all, 'Pala' is one of those releases that you just want to dive into, which is exactly what I would recommend. Press play, close your eyes and escape from the wicked world we live in...

Serge

Brieviews 61

30/4/2019

In Silence - One For All

metal

"One for all, all for one, we will stand strong", that's an excellent statement from Swedish melodic metal band In Silence. Their music fits perfectly into the so-called Götheborg scene, even though they reside in Karlstad. Bands like In Flames, Arch Enemy and Soilwork often pop up in my head while I listen to these delicious riffs. Frontwoman Erika ''Rejka'' Jonsson does an excellent job and the men behind her are quite talented as well. Plus, In Silence dare to experiment with electronics, which gives the whole thing something extra. It's as if the nineties have never ended...

Hope Erodes - Rainwalker

metal / death metal

After a few line-up changes, Belgian horde Hope Erodes returns with a dark, aggressive and brutal EP. 'Rainwalker' contains four tracks, each one a fierce slab hardcore infused of death metal. Yet, there is a lot more to be found than gut wrenching riffs and soul destroying drums. At least one of the guitarists is an Iron Maiden fan, which results in brilliant guitar play and the new vocalist, Sam, is a monster with the vocal range of Satan himself. This is the stuff that will undoubtedly demolish stages and venues all over this puny little country. So, if you want music to beat you down into a bleeding pulp, you need this one.

Lacrimae - Entropia

progressive rock / experimental

Hailing from Athens, Greece, Lacrimae delivers highly enjoyable progressive rock with a light avant-garde feel. The EP opens with a beautiful piano intro before 'Necromancer' blasts off. Influenced by bands like Porcupine Tree and Riverside, this act delivers potent pieces of rock music, plus vocalist Annette delivers some interesting vocal lines. My favorite track here is 'Inhale / Exhale', in which Annette seems to experiment with the strangeness of Diamanda Galas for a little while. This is a fun EP to listen to. Progressive and immersive but not too complex. I like it like that.

Kavod - Wheel Of Time

psychedelic rock / doom

Doom metal as a ritual, that is what Italian trio Kavod is all about. Influenced by acts like My Sleeping Karma, Tool, Ufomammut and Om, Kavond comes up with three pieces of musical exorcism. Of these three, 'Absolution' is my personal favorite, a gritty, slow and repetitive piece of psychedelic doom, which might have lasted longer. It makes me wonder about live performances, because, with a good soundman and a minimal but effective light show, this might turn into something utterly overwhelming. Let's see what the future has in stock for Kavod, might something really interesting...

Harbour of Souls - Doomsayer

hard rock

Big Bad Wolf Records

The stunning cover art for this EP alone is worth getting your hands on a copy of this five track EP, and if you're a fan of seventies hard rock and NWOBHM, you might want to start drooling now. Dutch rockers Harbour Of Souls got stuck in the era of old Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Thin Lizzy and so on, which results in flashing guitar solos, heavy metal thunder and everything else that made this style of music one of the most popular things on earth. 'Queen On Her Throne' is an instant classic and the others tracks, too, will get you shake your ass and bang your heads. So yeah, hard rockers, you better check this out.

Voldt - Voken

progressive metal

Hyperurl

German three piece Voldt does something odd and unusual with progressive metal. Their sound is unique, laced with elements from black metal, industrial and epic, progressive heavy metal, as if Queensryche and The Kovenant had decided to start a jam. On this EP, the band delivers six tracks, with opener 'To Forge Ahead' immediately confusing the listener. Then again, once you're used to the unusual sound of Voldt, you might start to realize that 'A Tractate Of Doom' is a stunning, genre defining piece of music. In any case, this is different, this is pretty damn awesome. Just give it time to grow on you, alright?

Mount Soma - Origins

psychedelic rock / doom

Hailing from Dublin, Ireland, Mount Soma launches sludge metal into space. Driving on muddy riffs and psychedelic guitars, this quartet steps into the footsteps of bands like Yob, Black Tundra, Slomatics and so on. 'Origins' is a three-track EP where heavy riffing and chilled out psychedelica seamlessly meet. Opener 'Nebula' is simply outstanding, a trance inducing doom metal track, immersive as fuck. The short tweener 'Origin' is a nice song which functions as a bridge between the two mesmerizing anthems. 'Lazarus' comes very close psych doom perfection. Baffling stuff.

NŪR - Light Emerges

sludge metal / doom

Formed from the ashes of several bands in the Israeli underground, this pummeling quartet comes up with an earth shattering blend of post metal, doom and sludge metal. The three tracks on this EP, 'Trader', 'Water' and 'Wise', are equally destructive, overwhelming and terrifying pieces of music, destined to slowly tear apart your very soul. Sluggish riffs, battering drums and hardcore infused vocals create a cathartic whole, something which fans of bands like Amenra, Neuroris and Cult Of Luna. So, if you want music to resemble a steamroller, this surely is your thing.

Blodskam - Là-Bas

black metal

Suicide Records

Swedish duo Blodskam seem to travel between the madhouse and the graveyard. Their music is rough, primitive and psychotic black metal with lyrical themes of insanity, hallucinations and fear.The whole takes me back to the nineties, when vile and putrid releases by Scandinavian underground bands started flooding the market. Yet, even today, 'Là-Bas' is a consciousness shattering piece of work, where the main theme of psychosis is perfectly illustrated in every aspect of the music. Fierce riffs, pummeling drums and haunted screams. This simply is an obscure gem, no doubt about that.

Kooba Tercu - Kharrüb

alternative rock / psychedelic / noise rock

And we end this heavy, intense and raging version of Brieviews with something... well, heavy, intense and raging. Greek act Kooba Tercu is what would happen if Einstürzende Neubauten meet up with Melvins or The Jesus Lizard. The music on this album is downright bizarre and quite undefinable but that makes it incredibly interesting to undergo. Yes, undergo. You don't just listen to Kooba Tercu. You'll allow yourself to get emerged into their strange, noisy and rattling sound. You will love it, too, I can almost guarantee that. Unless you hate it with all your guts. Those are the only two options you have here.

Serge

NYOS - Now.

23/3/2019

post rock / alternative rock / noise rock / math rock

Now. is an album released on February 22, by Finnish alternative/ noise rock duo NYOS. A thirty-nine minutes instrumental album, the record has eight tracks: 1) Urgence; 2) High Five; 3) L.W.P.; 4) Zebracazebra; 5) Tiglio; 6) Mutante; 7) Death Star; 8) Aveiro; an interesting and abrasive – exceptionally authorial album –, Now. is an intriguing and sculpting experience on the alternative and noise rock subgenres, with a very peculiar sound, whose math rock melodies definitely increase their amazingly skilled and dry sonorous potential.

With an audacity that insinuates itself at the epicenter of a singular diagram that envisions no limitations to its creative horizons, Now. definitely proves itself to be a very consistent, elegant and serious album. With a precisely defined style, its virtuous and imperative musical direction displays an artistic security that underlines an impressive and dominant degree of professionalism. NYOS is a marvelously sophisticated musical act, that understands perfectly the veracity of its meritorious grandiosity, and knows how to execute with graceful efficiency and majestic sensibility its delightful and inherently genuine perception of sound artistry.

Since the album is relatively concise, its main musical statement also reclaims a modest and revolutionary degree of objectivity. Nevertheless, its genuine qualities and wonderful originality certainly makes this album a glorious musical achievement, whose sound navigates over the intensity of its own celebratory, restless and somewhat impulsive harmonies, though everything here mostly seems precisely calculated, premeditated and carefully sculpted. The song Mutante definitely has proved to be my favorite. Its volatile, nervous and highly concentrated density displays a cohesive degree of neoclassical elaboration, whose salutary and pragmatic devices overlaps its own vortex of utilitarian harmonious dissolution.

Although the album has some minor moments of tedious passages, in a general evaluation, Now. is an excellent work of art, that has no faults or deficiencies whatsoever. Displaying a brilliant work merging several musical genres – and showcasing a sensational domain of math rock, upon which several harmonies were conceived – NYOS delivers to its audience a splendid and exceedingly sophisticated work, whose art and synergy are consecrated by its virtuous, incomparable and latent talent, filled with marvelous and innovative authenticity.

Wagner

Pijn - Loss

1/11/2018

rock’n’roll / hard rock/ noise rock / experimental

Loss is an album released on October 26 by British hard rock act Pijn. Sixty-six minutes long, the record has eight tracks: Denial, Detach, Distress, Blanch, Blush, Unspoken, Squalor and Squander. With a very flexible degree of artistry, the musicality of Pijn goes to both extremes: it can be furiously aggressive and dangerously brutal, as well as expressively calm, melodic and majestically virtuous. This is already noticeable in the first two songs: Denial is a virulent anthem of hazardous and protuberant aggression, while Detach is a serene and soft serenade of introspective melancholy. The album in general has a proverbial density that speaks for itself, although it is very accessible on the sensibility of its methodic and direct easiness, as well as playful and modest on its scale of ambitions.

While the album seems redundant at first – at least in the longer songs –, the musicality of the group, though appears to be simple, is profoundly rooted in a coherent style, that explores systematically the fugacious elements of the melodies, while delivering a deliberately generous and cosmic flamboyant eccentricity to the more dispersive virtues of its placid tonalities, formally engraved in a graceful nostalgia, that easily comes out of sound. Trying to recover lost time in the primordial vicinities of a life that is no longer there, the occasionally almost minimalist style of Pijn is a free deliverance of joy. In the course of this fascinating musical journey, it becomes more than that: a vivid celebration of life, that personally undertakes a realm of sincere melancholy to rescue the genuine golden elements of rock’n’roll, with the firm resolution to compose in a singular piece of paradise the purity, the liberty and the glory that became lost in the sands of time, though they are never restricted to this genre in particular. Their creativity is limitless and boundless. So much so, that in the process of delivering the sound, they develop their own eccentric, playful and peculiar style.

While the heaviness of the guitar lines is the element that mostly stands out, the adherence of precise notes extending its anesthetic poignant devices in the occasional reverberations of latent melodies never divides the sensibilities of its dramatic soul. They patiently, but anxiously highlight the proverbial qualities of the album: as Loss evolves, the salutary epicenter of the music becomes more philosophic, serene, diluted and dense, although the music itself becomes lighter, digressive and effectively dispersive.

Occasionally, you will hear awesome screaming vocals, in slow passages delivering the color of agony and despair, in the style of post-hardcore and straight edge; although the album is mostly instrumental. Given its extensive length, the record is somewhat subjected to a certain redundancy; but the sound in general is very sober, somber and delightful, able to satisfy anyone who is expecting the unexpected, with a very clean dose of melancholy, anger, hostility, despondency, acceptance, conformity and exhilaration. Not in this particular order, of course. But be positive that you certainly are going to deeply enjoy Loss.

Wagner

Asbest - Driven

26/9/2018

alternative / noise rock

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

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

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

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

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

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

Serge

Brieviews 52

6/9/2018

Sleep FUSE Subscription Series

Ashtoreth - Ciuthach

drone / ambient / folk

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

Zer0 れい - an overview

electronic / ambient/ synthwave

Afterglow 20XX

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

Midihack

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

Slipstream 20XX

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

Xasthur - Aestas Pretium MMXVIII

acoustic / folk

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

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

post punk

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

The Lautreamonts - Who Are You Wearing

post punk

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

Ennui - End Of The Circle

funeral doom

Non-Serviam Records

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

A Shoreline Dream - Waitout

shoegaze / dreampop

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

Rude Audio - Rude Redux

electronic / house / synth

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

Idle Hands - Don't Waste Your Time

hard rock

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

Lower Automation - Shoebox Companion

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

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

Serge

Bodies On Everest - A National Day Of Mourning

18/7/2018

drone / sludge / doom / noise

Third I Rex

Outside of your musical comfort zone there is so much awe inspiring music to be found. When you leave the easy-listening surface behind you, you can discover sounds unheard and unimagined. Few people seem to realize that but then again, few people are open to new musical experiences.

Those people usually say "that is just noise" and they're absolutely right. It's delightful noise, piercing your consciousness and ripping your self esteem apart. I do think some people need to be forced to listen to a decent dose of noise music and I got just the album for that.

UK based trio Bodies On Everest does some good noise. Initially coined a sludge/doom act, these guys go way further than that. The album contains six tracks with opener 'unreleaseddeathvideo.flac' being a massive noise tune, nudging towards the Harsh Noise Wall scene. With eerie samples and gritty soundscapes, this track sets the tone for unholy and blatantly dissonant things to come.

'Tally Of Sevens' then comes up with the elements that usually result in sludge metal: intense riffs, pounding drums and screams. However, this is not sludge metal, this is repetitive noise rock that will slowly gnaw on your feeling of wellbeing. There is a tremendous lo-fi atmosphere, resulting in something very uneasy-listening. By now, not even halfway through the album it becomes clear that this is definitely not something for the average (doom) metal fan.

The band members themselves call their sound "dungeon wave" and yeah, if you imagine the cries and supplications of countless of forlorn prisoners in ancient dungeon, that term is quite correct. Besides, the eerie 'Gold Fangs In Enemy Territory' contains elements from the genre I refer to as "dungeon synth". This is haunting music, barely melodic and with an overwhelming feeling of despair and solitude.

I have absolutely no band to compare this stuff with, apart from the many underground noise acts that often intrude my facebook profile. I mean, this is more Prurient than Sunn O))), more Genocidal Organ than Swans. 'Shotgun Or Sidearm' for instance has absolutely nothing to do with metal anymore. Not that this is a bad thing, on the contrary. It's interesting to hear this slab of sheer noise aggression.

'Suspicious Canoe' brings back the basic elements and even raises the tempo but do not expect anything less destructive as the previous tracks. I think I can describe this best as something that resembles and old basement tape from Winter. Suffocating noise punk, so to speak. It just adds to the uncompromising nature of this whole album. This thing must be bad for your health, undoubtedly, but then again, what isn't these days. So check it out, you might find some new favorite noises in here.

Serge

Brieviews 36

8/2/2018

Operant - Harnessed To Flesh

industrial

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

nu metal / hip hop / metal

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

stoner doom / sludge metal

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

black metal

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

elements of its sagacious and vividly spontaneous sensitivity all over its universe of demanding intonations, Diluvienne presents to its audience a mature, whimsical, cohesive sentimentally realistic and marvelously artistic atmospheric BM work. With wonderful harmonies that can lead you to an imaginary world encircled by the shadows of a permanent desolation, Diluvienne is the perfectly envisioned sonorous conflagration for this sinister, but exceedingly pleasant journey, made entirely on elegant and sophisticated melodies, that exposes on the peripheral parameters of its principles all the hidden beauty of a mystery inserted at the most fantastic abysses of the human conscience. (W.)

Valiant - A Timeworn Oath

black metal

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 –,

this EP is a fantastic, lucid and poetic sonorous everlasting declamation to the universe, with all the sincere odes of ordination and vividly sagacious harmonies, that makes this work so ostensibly brilliant. With greatly devised, ascendant and almost medieval melodies, Valiant has created a lugubrious, but marvelous masterpiece, with this half an hour long EP. Definitely, a majestic and fundamental work, that will enchant the genre’s audience. (W.)

Tides of Emptiness - Tides of Emptiness

black metal

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

sentences, the sound of Tides of Emptiness is deeply consistent and thoroughly reverberating. Rearranging in more crude patterns the sinister excellence of the genre, the group exposes at the sonorous horizon of its lancinating artistic patterns a cataclysmic sobriety, upon which every ghost that lives by the shadows of its harmonies should die, or accept the volatile integrity of its fate, at the request of a rhythm that disperses fatality in each and every one of its notes. (W.)

Vindorn - Perdition

black metal

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.

While honoring tradition with a fabulous ordeal of acrimonious excellency and wisely restrained rhythmical barriers, Vindorn deflagrates at the epicenter of the harmonious convergences of his expressive splendor the uplifting urgencies of melodies amazingly conceived at the height of a true black metal insurgency. (W.)

Obscure - Zero Dawn

metal / stoner rock

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

place for air in your lungs and thus generates more power. Other than that, I don't think I have a lot of advice for these guys. They have been going to setbacks and delays releasing this EP but they pulled through. Now all they need to do is rehearse, write, rehearse, play live and rehearse again. They have the talent, it just needs to bloom. (S.)

Ossian Smith - Sleepless Town

rock

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

black metal / hardcore techno / industrial

Svartlava

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,

that is the recipe for this unique output. Of course, that techno escapade by Morbid Angel often comes to mind but here it's brilliantly executed. In that, perhaps it's not even such a bad idea to compare this to Zeal and Ardor. Both acts successfully managed to put two seemingly incompatible genres together. So yeah, this is unique and undoubtedly comes highly recommended, not only to my sister-in-law but to all extremists with an open mind. (S.)

Babalith - Gramatique du Ciel

experimental / ambient

Sombre Soniks

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

black metal

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

from these respective artists. I stopped following all these bands quite a while ago but Dark Archive makes me hungry for blood again. Opener 'Cultivate Our Blood In Aeon' and 'Godfear Eradication' are brilliant pieces of late nineties inspired black metal. 'Unohda ei ikinä' is pure and utter chaos, dressed in immersive extreme music. I'll leave the other two up to you, but I'd definitely recommend this thing. (S.)

Limbs - Body Without

shoegaze / post punk / noise rock / black metal

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.)

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.

Dead Neanderthals - Womb Of God

1/12/2017

jazz / noise / drone

Heavy jazz fans, rejoice, because Dutch combo Dead Neanderthals return with another in-your-face release. Ever since I saw these guys at Incubate some years ago, I've been a huge fan. Why? Well, probably mostly because I like all things original, inventive and entertaining. Dead Neanderthals came at exactly the right moment too. I've been a drone and doom fan since medieval times or so and in the year before that edition of Incubate I became interested in dark jazz. Then, suddenly, there were these noise makers, destroying the stage with their pounding, repetitive and hammering sound, like Sunn O))) meets Miles Davis during an LSD trip.

Otto Kokke (sax), René Aquarius (drums) and Colin Webster (sax) deliver two lengthy tracks which seem to turn back towards the harsh and abrasive sound of their live performances. Unlike their previous experiment 'The Depths', a slow album recorded in a massive tunnel, 'Womb Of God' comes with severe blasts of energy, intense saxophone sounds and unwearying drums. Part of it is still jazz, part of it is still related to death metal and grindcore but I also sense a massive krautrock element here.

Of course, 'Womb Of God' is not for the faint at heart as the album just keeps on going, keeps on raging these intense slabs of noise through the speakers. Personally, I don't really mind, on the very contrary and I'm damn sure that I'm not the only one who is quite fond of Dead Neanderthals. The fact that the white vinyl version of this record is already sold out on the release date confirms that theory. Anyway, anyhow, if you have ever loved Dead Neanderthals, this is the record you need. It's their most immersive and intense work so far.

Serge