Категория: Progressive

Mixtaped Monk - Northern Eye

post rock

Indian multi-instrumentalist Mixtaped Monk returns with a beautiful, melancholic and immersive EP, dedicated to a dear friend of his who is battling cancer. On this EP you will find four tracks, each one balancing on the edges between downtempo electronics, experimental ambient and post rock. As usual, with this talented young man, that results in nice, friendly but somewhat stubborn music that has the power to both get stuck in your head and serve as background music for a nice get together with friends. Obviously, I can only applaud these efforts, especially when they sound this professional and unique. Definitely recommended.

Onhou - Onhou

doom / sludge / psychedelic

We stay in the downtempo regions but move towards the extremes with Dutch horde Onhou and their self titled two-track EP. On this one, you will find two ten minutes lasting tracks, both being outstanding pieces of psychedelic drone doom. The whole thing sounds a bit like Conan or Yob on LSD, and I quite like that. The music is harsh, dark, aggressive and as immersive as quicksand. It's also slow, very, very slow, yet hints of melody and tonnes of atmosphere keep the the tracks interesting, not only for a good listen by for several listens in a row. This is a dark entity with a bright future.

My Secret Safe - Storytelling

metalcore

Hailing from France, My Secret Safe delivers solid metalcore, compleet with the djenting riffes and the brutal vocals. On the other hand, you might also see this as nu-metal on steroids. Either how, this EP features an awesome intro and five harsh and brutal metalcore tracks. Now, I'm not really a metalcore fan but I can definitely appreciate the melodic passages in songs like 'Disruptive' and 'The Cure'. For fans of the genre, this is a high quality must have, one that also proves that the use of electronics in metal is no longer frowned upon. So, extreme youngsters, this is a must-have.

Alaska Gold Rush - And The Sky Dives Again

folk / alternative rock

Formed around a guitar, a voice and a set of drums, Belgian duo Alaska Gold Rush are about to release an intriguing EP. They seem to be influenced by American folk music but also deliver a great dose of alternative rock. That results in acoustic rock songs that bring acts like Lemonheads, Buffalo Tom and The Posies to mind. The EP contains six tracks, each one a gem in its own term. Although the songs can be surprisingly heavy, they are also warm and emotional. So yeah, this might something interesting to discover.

Things That Aren't There - Slow Down

post rock / shoegaze

Spotify

Surfing on the waves of post rock, shoegaze and downtempo electronics, we find English duo Things That Aren't There. They could have chosen a better name because I couldn't find a bandcamp, soundcloud or facebook link to add to this brieview. However, I did find three amazing pieces of music in which slow, atmospheric music comes to life in a breathtaking way. Opener 'Slow Down' mostly takes on the electronic approach but 'Neon Cross' is a brilliant piece of post rock, one Mogwai wished they had written. This stuff really is great, perfect enough to send you over to Spotify and check it out...

Circus worlD - The Deceiver

alternative rock

For five good old fashioned alternative rock songs, we turn our attention to Circus WorlD and their brand new EP. Opening with the infectious song 'High', this EP brings us right back to the nineties and its raw but melodic garage rock sounds. What I like most about these songs is the dark rock edge that they seem to showcase. In one aspect, because of the guitars and drums, this brings me back to the alternative rock scene of the nineties but the vocals bring those awesome dark rock and new wave bands to mind. The opener is my favorite track, closely followed by the awesome 'Kill Their Sons'. Nice stuff, surely recommended.

The Divided Line - Paramnesia

progressive rock

This EP by Canadian progressive rock album The Divided Line suddenly went from "not bad" to "wow", halfway through opener 'Breathe'. I was a bit sceptical at first but then the mix of Tool, Deftones, Incubus and Russian Circles fully opened. Now I can't seem to get enough of this sound which somehow brings the progressive underground to the level of arena rock. In six songs, these Canadians clearly show their skills and talents as a modern day melodic rock band. They also never seem to lose their cool, never take things to the extreme and never tone down on quality. So if you're into progrock, you need this.

Adonai Atrophia - Metahistory

dark ambient

An immersive piece of dark, mystic ambient, courtesy of Bulgarian one man act Adonai Atrophia. While opener 'The Infinite She' gently lures you in, 'Al Awwal' brings out the haunting darkness and uneasy atmosphere that make dark ambient such a mesmerizing genre. From there the album easily maintains its grasp on the listener while guiding them along eerie soundscapes and fearsome percussion. The album contains eight tracks, with the harsh and intense 'Malah Ga-Mavet' being my favorite. Dark ambient aficionados can easily trust this release to deliver the angsty goods, I'm absolutely sure about that.

Barrel Blood - Midwinter live improvisation

experimental / avant garde / classical

Armed with violin, cello, their voices and an array of electronics, American quartet Barrel Blood brings strange but soothing experimental music. This EP contains three tracks, all improvised and recorded live. In all, you'll have over half an hour of musical experimentation that sounds both unusual and intriguing. There are hints of classical music, ambient, folk and avant garde but the whole still maintains a coherent and certainly narrative atmosphere. Fans of Godspeed You Black Emperor, Dark Ensemble or Kuro will definitely appreciate this music and I think even jazz fans will like it. Neat stuff!

Black Strike - 132

stoner rock / alternative / metal

Belgian alternative metalheads Black Strike have been listening to a wide array of heavy duty bands. Throughout this short but explosive three-track EP, all kinds of acts come to mind, including Alice In Chains, Channel Zero, Soundgarden, Kylesa , Monster Magnet and even Rage Against The Machine. Opener 'Rat' clearly draws the stoner rock card while 'Tiger' delivers some awesome rap metal. Closer 'Hunt' goes full grunge rock on our asses. So yeah, this is a surprisingly varied EP from a band I'd certainly like to hear more from in the near future.

Funeris - Baleful Astral Elements

funeral doom

Argentinian one man project Funeris delivers solid and sluggish funeral doom, seemingly inspired by the neverending vastness of the cosmos. On this album, he brings five lengthy tracks, plus one intro, with a deep, dark and massive sound, complete with deep growls. Fans of acts like Evoken, Until Death Overtakes Me and Shape Of Despair can easily trust Funeris to come up with the torpid and tormenting music they love so much. Personally, I love how the drums take this music to almost industrial levels, especially in my favorite track 'Through The Vast Cosmic Plains'. Funeral doom must-have!!!

Without Dreams - Funeral In The Infinity Of Cosmos

funeral doom / ambient

Don't go away yet because I found another funeral doom gem on that exact same bandcamp page. Without Dreams is a project that goes heavy on the ambient sounds but also comes up with the beloved distorted and droning guitars and the deep, guttural grunts. Here the tracks are even longer, all over twenty minutes, but they never seem to go stale. On the contrary, Without Dreams adds heaps of melody, piano and keyboard to the typical doom sound and I can only applaud that. So you'll have all of that and the usual depressive atmosphere. This really is funeral doom delight.

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Phendrana - Sanctum: Sic Transit Gloria Mundi

10/3/2018

black metal / progressive

Sometimes when an album comes in, I'm immediately charmed by the whole project. That happens mostly when the whole package has been taken good care of and because the accompanying letter is do damn friendly. That was definitely the case with this album. It brought a smile to my face while I was walking up the stairs to my apartment.

The artwork is excellent, the biography was nice and the intentions are interesting. Phendrana "tried to contribute with something new and innovative in the black metal scene". Admit it, that sounds exciting, no? Did he succeed?

Well, before answering that question, we have to take a few things into consideration. First of all, it's not easy to bring something innovative into the already massively varied black metal scene. Many innovative black metal acts have a sound that is already far beyond the genre boundaries. Second, this album was recorded between October 2016 and November 2017. It took the artist over a year but being a one-man project, that is the normal course of events. However, somewhere in that year the artist celebrated his seventeenth birthday. That is very young, considering the fact that there are guitars, drums, bass, keyboards and vocals. Most seventeen year olds are glued to their Playstation or Tinder nowadays. This dude decided to become a creative generalist and try to make an impact on the metal scene.

For that I'll take my hat of.

However, I think Phandrana should take a bold step and leave the black metal world behind him. If this really is one person playing all these instruments, if one person can easily remind me of everything between dark ambient, progressive metal, doom, gothic rock and whatever you want to categorize Pink Floyd as, this person is way too talented to be a black metal musician. I do not mean that in a bad way, on the contrary. Most people won't take black metal seriously and this talent should be taken seriously. He doesn't even have to change that much. Leave the screams behind and he'll enter the realm of progressive metal, like Opeth, like Dream Theater. Mixed with the gothic feel of Tiamat, Moonspell and Epica.

So, that leaves me with one question. Who to recommend this album to if not to black metal fans? Well, let's just say that every fan of progressive rock and metal must surely check this out. Fans of the nineties Götheborg scene will find heaps of sweet riffs. Nostalgic gothic metal fans will love the female vocals by Vera (Caelestis) and the strong rock feel of the whole thing. Post and sludge metal fans will certainly appreciate the cathartic vocals and so on. This is simply excellent progressive metal, one that proves that there is still plenty of talent out there and that modern music doesn't necessarily have to suck.

Well done, very well done.

Serge

p.s. All of the above aside, closer 'Gjenganger' is my new favorite black metal song...

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Brieviews 37

20/2/2018

Grantezuma - Grantezuma

alternative rock

soundcloud

A rock band, definitely! All the songs of this EP are great compositions as individual pieces. This work were produced by Sebastian Carsin in a very professional way, only reinforcing that Grantezuma works very hard to achieve his goals and doesn't do this in a sloppy way - a praiseworthy attitude in this ephemeral world. Definitely the big hit of this EP is ‘Doce Negro Abril’ (Black Sweet April, in English). If I were the musical producer (in an artistic way), I would have put this song as the first track, with no doubt! Grantezuma deserves recognition, so keep working hard!!! One of the life's secrets (at least in my humble opinion) is: Always be patient and persistent!!!

Glauber

Ferla - 13122017

drone / experimental

Abjection Productions

What do you do if you have a composition that is impossible to play because it requires a lot of expensive electric guitar pedals and all the guitar players that you know don’t have money? Ferla decided to get this music concept and just play it at a festival called ‘Jazz No Hope’, in Porto Alegre city (BR-RS). The music is amazing (despite the poor recording)... Its concept is very simple but very powerful: An overlap of loops with slightly changes at the tremolo bar and the tone potentiometer. So if you like that old-school low-fi bootleg cassettes, this album was made for you!!! If not... that’s ok, because this artist have other interesting works recorded in studio!!

Glauber

Maff - Melañiña

alternative rock / shoegaze

Hailing from Chile, Maff delivers some good old fashioned shoegaze, mixed with alternative rock. So yes, this EP drags you right into the nineties but at the same time it sounds incredibly relevant today. Parts Jesus and Mary Chain, part Sonic Youth, part Dinosaur Jr and part Explosions In The Sky, Maff brings highly enjoyable ethereal rock tunes to your speakers, highlighting in the single 'Hawaii'. That one certainly is one for the dark dancefloors, and so is 'Deserts Are Rainbows', be it in the early morning hours. My suggestion? Check it out. What Maff does is nothing new but it's so damn satisfying...

Sophia Marshall - Lin-dah

folk rock / americana

Former HaveNots vocalist Sophia Marshall spent several of her school years in the same building as three members of Kasabian. Now she releases a tribute EP containing three songs from the world famous act. Funny thing is, I am not familiar with Kasabian's music so for me, these are all brand new songs. And I like them, although I'm not sure I will equally like the originals. I'll probably check them out soon. I like Marshall's often fragile voice and the gentle, country-inspired guitars. I'm quite sure that 'Goodbye Kiss' and 'Fire' will often appear in my day-to-day playlist, especially on these chilly winter evenings. Nice work.

We Are Cursed - We Are Cursed

metal / post hardcore

French eardrum violators We Are Curses deliver four pounding and pummeling tracks, balancing between metal, sludge doom and post hardcore. The band consists of members of Synopsys, Godisdead, Jack Dope And Noise so these are experienced musicians. Therefore it will be no surprise when I say that this EP is a thunderous blast. Fans of anything between Conan, Amenra, Yob and Neurosis might want to check this out. It might not yet be the mesmerizing quality delivered by those acts but We Are Cursed are certainly getting somewhere with this. This is a very promising debut EP.

Taller Than The Trees - Hubris

post metal

Since I mentioned Amenra I might as well throw yet another ridiculously talented post metal band from Belgium. The oh so quiet town of Westerlo now has its own noisemakers, named Taller Than The Trees. On this EP they deliver four crushing tracks plius three pieces of ambient noise by W.D. Spectrehead which serve as breathers. The endresult is an immersive twenty minutes lasting epos of sludge doom, post metal and post rock that hopefully will get a decent amount of heads turned into their direction. Sludgers, doomers and headbangers will easily enjoy this album, I'm sure of that.

Black Neon District - Standing Waves

progressive metal

Rising from the ashes of French progressive death metal act Outcast comes Black Neon District, formed by three of its members. They left the "death" part of their music behind them, resulting in clean vocals and a more convincing overall sound. Fans of bands like Dream Theater, Pain Of Salvation and perhaps even Opeth, Evergrey and Meshuggah will easily appreciate the skills and talents that Black Neon District showcases. For me personally, this is a bit too progressive, but that is personal taste. I cannot deny that these guys are skilled and attuned and that there is little to stop them from breaking through in the world of progressive rock soon.

Ficture - Filled Spaces

downtempo / electronic

Audiobulb

This is a coincidence. I was looking for something new to add to my "downtempo" folder, something to accompany acts like Bonobo, Autechre, Miwon and Boards Of Canada. Now this EP falls on my plate and I immediately loved it. It fits right in there, especially the bass loaded opener 'Portable'. All five tracks on the EP are intriguing. They're gloomy yet playful and filled to capacity with interesting sounds, hooks and angles. It's albums like these that put a smile on my face. Today's electronic scene is loaded with generic rubbish but EP's like this one show that there is still hope and that there are still great talents to be discovered.

Depths Of Kronos - From The Void

death metal

Back to the headbanging regions of the musical spectrum where we find Dutch destroyers Depths Of Kronos. These guys from the lovely city of Tilburg come up with some infectious melodic death metal. With heaps of tempo changes, brutal growls and tormenting riffs, this bands places themselves in the footsteps of bands like At The Gates, In Flames and Soilwork. To be honest, this is not really my cup of tea, but - also to be honest - I recognize a talented death metal act when I hear them. This certainly is a talented band, one with plenty of variation and with all the necessary elements to make death metal great.

Affasia - Adrift in Remorse

doom metal / dark metal / death metal

Transcending Records

Speaking over diverse metal, here is American death doom band Affasia and their mindbending debut EP 'Adrift In Remorse'. On this EP they seem to show what it would sound like if November's Doom entered the recording studio with Anathema, Slowdive and Evoken, or something like that. Elements of classical music, darkwave, gothic rock and shoegaze fuse with lingering doom death metal and the result is massively intriguing. These four tracks, highlighting in 'Dissolute' show a fresh and interesting direction for the slow and heavy scenes. I wonder how the future of Affasia sounds like...

Revenger - The New Mythology Vol. 1

thrash / death metal

Ok, one more slab of ruthless aggression before I jump into something calm and soothing again. Here is the new, second, EP by Canadian thrashers Revenger. This five track EP is a harsh, powerful and fierce work with skulls ripping riffs, flashing solos and bitter, arduous vocals. It constantly balances on the edge between thrash and death metal. So no, this is definitely not for the faint at heart. On the contrary. I think you'd have to be a seasoned extremophile to be able to enjoy this, but if you are, you will undoubtedly end up with severe whiplash, multiple bruises and a hammering headache. Fuck yeah!!!

Hemka - 707 Collision

techno

Balans Records

From death metal to techno without hesitation, only on Merchants Of Air. Anyway, it's dancefloor time with French producer Hemka and her '707 Collision' EP. The EP contains two tracks and two remixes of the title track. What to expect? Well, repetitive beats, Detroit techno inspired melodies and a raving atmosphere, nothing more, nothing less. I guess this is just one of those releases to play loud and throw yourself onto the dancefloor. My personal favorite here is 'Nocturnal Rounds', probably because I like all things nocturnal. Oh well, let's just dance our asses off. It can be cleansing sometimes...

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Brieviews 34

9/1/2018

Vhorthax - Nether Darkness

death metal / black metal

Iron Bonehead

An interesting black metal EP, full of sinister and crudely afflictive melodies, in the best style of the genre’s old school, Nether Darkness has powerful and distinctive guitar lines, that ostensibly create an atmosphere of doom and demise. With rapid and crudely hostile, almost agonizing melodies, Vhorthax gets really close to what is known as blackened death metal, although they maintain their style more aligned with traditional BM. With pragmatic virtues that showcases a group in the complete command of its technical skills, the harmonies of this EP displays a world of good old fashioned black metal, with aggressive guitar lines, and a permanently lugubrious atmosphere. With six tracks – Altar I - The Mass, The Levitating Tomb, Stabat Mater, Thy Foul Graal, Crushing The Vessels Of Trinity and Altar II - The Descent of the Martyr –, Nether Darkness is a formidable EP, that has a tremendous amount of dark fury, delivered at the perfect intensity to reach the highest peaks of the black art.

Solip - Without

post rock / shoegaze / doom

An energetic, skillful and wonderfully captivating EP, full of great scale harmonies, Without, by Solip, an American group from Oakland, California, is a pretty reflexive, poetic and sensible work of art, ostensibly built on the axis of a profoundly philosophic and quiet serenity. With four tracks – Adaptation, Held In Place, The Burning Car and No Gomorrah – perfectly tied together by a formidable sense of unity, the purity of their sound is proportional to its intensity. With the logical propensity to wander above the dense fibers of their own fragile melodies, that seems to gravitate delicately over the everlasting rainbows of invisible, but palpable

delightful universes of sensitive compassion, the music of Solip seems to be the sonorous configuration of a reasonable moment of beauty, doomed to be ephemerons at the pretentious highlight of its infinite vastness.

Electric Hobo - Valkoinen Ratsu

drone / noise / experimental

This side project from Finnish act Junkyard Shaman delivers three psychedelic drone trips loaded with feedback, noise and shrieking vocals. The result is a one-man version of sludge doom bands, something between the haunting musicality of Amenra and the guitar noise insanity of Skullflower. Don't expect any tempos, percussion or soothing chamber music. This is harsh, intense and exorcising music that only those who understand this genre can appreciate. Yet, for them, this EP surely is a highly recommended gem. Best to be played loud, that's for sure.

Democide - Omen

electronic / psychedelic

Under the motto "experiments with techno", Democide ended last year with a two song + two remixes EP. Opener 'Lethe' is a gloomy, immersive and atmospheric track, thriving on breakbeats and soundscapes. 'Vanguard' follows that example and seems to add a touch of psytrance. The remixes are just as interesting, especially the last on, for 'Lethe'. This is a formidable dark electronics tune, one that can easily fill the dark dance floors. So my advice: check this out. If you like your beats broken and dark, this stuff is an absolute must-have.

Gurt - Skullossus

sludge / doom

The UK sludge metal scene seems alive and kicking and this Gurt-vehicle is a perfect example of that. With monstrous riffs, thundering drums and howling sludge vocals, Gurt rage like madmen. While most sludge metal bands cause some hooded head-nodding, these guys guarantee moshpits, crowdsurfing and beer throwing. Yep, this is party-sludge, the "grindcore of the doom scene". Fans of everything between Dopethrone, Slabdragger and Iron Witch can easily trust Gurt to deliver the filth, the noise and the overwhelming sound they crave so much. Party on !!!

Neraterrae - The Nhart Demo[n]s

dark ambient / noise / drone

This album by Neraterrae contains remixes and reworks of his early work under the Nhart moniker. In nine rather short tracks, the artist seems to balance on the edges between dark ambient, noise, death industrial and drone. Personally, I think I would and will place it in my noise-folder, where acts like Gruntsplatter and Deathpile roam. With shrieking sounds, vague rhythms and eerie soundscapes, this album is probably not suited for everyone but seasoned noise-adepts live for stuff like this. I am damn sure that most of those people will absolutely adore this album. So yeah, this comes highly recommended, if you dare...

Day Before Us - Nihil Interit

dark ambient

Rage In Eden

This album got lost in my mailbox for a long time but I'd still like to push it a bit. I've reviewed his work in the past and I have always loved what I heard. Not surprising since I'm a dark ambient fan. Yes, this is dark ambient, laced with neoclassical music and a cinematic atmosphere. The production quality is excellent. The music is well varied, giving each track its own identity and the whole thing a conceptual feel. There are beautiful vocals and strange, eerie soundscapes. I think fans of acts like Penitent, Raison D'Etre and Dark Sanctuary will easily appreciate this album. So to them, this comes highly recommended.

The Veldt - Thanks to the Moth and Areanna Rose

shoegaze / dream pop

Shoegaze / dreampop pioneers The Veldt deliver a solid EP with five new tracks and two remixes. As per usual, you can expect overwhelming guitars, dreamy vocals and an overall sound to lose yourself into. Furthermore, as atmosphere is concerned, everything about this EP seems to come directly from the soul. It's deeply emotional music that will make every fan of acts like Slowdive and Cocteau Twins burst out in joyous tears. The Veldt have been doing this for decades now and they still find room to improve and surprise. So naturally, this is a must have for all shoegazers.

Novaria - EP1

progressive rock / metal

Heading from Amersfoort, The Netherlands, Novaria delivers four quite strong songs. Initially, this was a one-time studio project but apparently Novaria is being turned into a full band. Personally, I think that is a great evolution. These tracks deserve a stage and an audience. Fans of bands like Katatonia, Anathema and Paradise Lost will undoubtedly appreciate songs like opener 'Into Nothingness' while Evergrey fans will adore the brilliant 'Blindsight'. I'll leave the other two songs up to you but I promise, if you're into atmospheric and progressive metal, you'll probably want this one.

Centripetal Force - Eidetic

thrash metal / progressive

Xtreem Music

A very peculiar blend of thrash metal and progressive hard rock that you need to focus on multiple times to truly let it sink in. These three songs by Italian band Centripetal Force bring some unusual acts to mind, including Mekong Delta, Thought Industry and Sleepytime Gorilla Museum. With surprising hooks, melodic vocals, tempo chances and bizarre twists, this EP will either blow your mind or go mad. My advice? I don't know. Think for yourself for once, these guys do that and they've come up with one of the most mind boggling metal releases I've heard in a while. Weird but awesome...

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Xenosis - Devour and Birth

8/1/2018

death metal

Devour and Birth is an album by American progressive death metal group Xenosis, from New Haven, Connecticut, to be released on January 19. An interesting album, with a strong technical procedure, but with an unbelievable aggressive vibe either, there is no doubt that this record aggregates several interesting elements to the genre. With guttural vocals that resembles the more traditional virtues of death metal, Devour and Birth has a formidable conjuncture of characteristics and qualities impossible to ignore. Creating a hostile environment, splendid on the vibrating skills of its vociferating guitar lines, this album has a ferocious component, that is perfectly equalized with the distinctive tenure of its significantly explosive, but intensely calculated rhythms.

With some peculiarities that reflects the strength of a higher dome of vehemently combined harmonies, Devour and Birth has its share of splendorous audacities, like the second track – Army of Darkness – that brings on the wingspan of its fantastic and hallucinating sphere of fabulous eviscerating and epically creative sound, the vibrating and gloriously delirious symphony of a sensational guitar solo, that extracts the perfunctory rhythmic dissonance of its proverbial idiosyncrasies with the abundant strength of a marvelous and infinite dedication obsessed for outrageous and genuine creativity. Such an audacious and profoundly innovative style looks for a legacy that has everything to set a storm over the extraordinary principles of a genre that starts to contemplate new horizons with this work.

Of course Xenosis is not an ordinary death metal band. With a style that is perceptively and ostensibly consolidated throughout the album, the potential the group has for innovation is strikingly virtuous, and collects in the anatomically perfect space of aggrandizing and dense technical harmonies the intricate variants of an objective that has on the surface of its superior qualities the systematic exhortation of a work that disperses vigor, intensity, dilacerating energy and the groundbreaking certainty of its impeccable capabilities.

With sincere, but deeply effusive harmonies, Devour and Birth undoubtedly is an album worthwhile listening. With a strong sense of singularity, but at the same time exceedingly respectful to the genre it represents, Xenosis gives to its audience a great injunction of formidable potentialities, that creates and solidifies into the genre a new form of life, and inserts into the sphere of its principles a new horizon of possibilities. With each and every track profoundly elaborated at the wisest reality of a marvelous inclination to a majestically authorial sound, Xenosis has perfectly delivered a major work of powerful artistic ambition, that will be easily highlighted among the genre enthusiasts.

Wagner

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Brieviews 33

4/1/2018

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

Planetariet - Planetariet

post rock

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

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

Wagner

Dead Neanderthals - Organ Donor

heavy jazz / grindcore

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

Brosandi - Music For An Unknown Galaxy

ambient / post rock

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

Boltzmann Brain - Sentences

jazz / noise rock / experimental

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

Knight ‎– High on Voodoo

heavy metal

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

False Flag - EP

crust / hardcore

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

Scarlet Phantom - Singleness

progressive metal

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

Akadama Bros - Sunshine

hip hop / j-rap

Adaadat

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

Build Buildings - Glass EP

electronic

Audiobulb

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

Vantablack Warship - Abrasive Pulmonic Speak

black metal / metal / death metal

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

Mist of Misery - Fields of Isolation

black metal

Black Lion Productions

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

Hundred Year Old Man - Rei

doom / post metal

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

Obscene - Sermon to the Snake

death metal / thrash metal

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

Nordheim - RapThor

folk metal

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

Project Renegade - Cerebra

alternative metal

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

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Hällas - Excerpts From a Future Past

17/10/2017

progressive / folk rock

Excerpts From a Future Past is an album released on October 13 by Swedish progressive rock group Hällas, through The Sign Records. With a charming and colorful sound, that has a grandiosity of its own, the style of the group is greatly reminiscent of seventies traditional folk rock, as well as a little Jethro Tull and America in their glory days, with an unquestionable countryside appeal of sorts. Sidelined by a myriad of peculiar characteristics that reinvents the genre in an intrinsically calmer dimension of sensible, but inquisitive melodies, Excerpts From a Future Past is a vivaciously captivating, precious and lucid conflagration of incisive, flammable and diluted – but explicitly emotional – harmonies, that conquers the impulsive exhilarations of the heart at the height of an instant, captured at the persistent elevation of beautifully sensitive musical expectations.

With delicate melodies, sensible and radiant intonations, flirtatious eternities of everlasting youthful happiness, and an imperially digressive ecstasy of harmonies dissolved at an ecstatic afternoon of melancholy, Excerpts From a Future Past is a delightful album, with beautiful and thoroughly poetic passages. With a singular style, technically and emotionally developed in a fantastically captivating level, Hällas really has sought to create and anticipate a new form of musical splendor with their infinite horizon of magnificently vivacious sonorous radiances.

In unpredictable and vivid harmonies, greatly driven by marvelous and quasi-impressionistic guitar lines, Hällas masterly exhibits their abilities in what concerns the creation and dissipation of the fundamental axis of their wonderfully intricate, but at the same time sincerely simple, musical style. The final result, this graciously sensible album, speaks for itself.

A very pleasant surprise, Excerpts From a Future Past has revealed itself to be, track after track, a genuinely terrific and aggrandizing state of the art work. Thrilled by a formidable and sentimentally uplifting level of authenticity, this record certainly has potential to acquire cult status, and to be an iconic reference for the genres of folk and progressive rock in the years to come.

Wagner

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Kauan - Kaiho

17/10/2017

ambient/ alternative/ progressive rock

Kaiho is the most recent release by Ukrainian alternative act Kauan. Almost fifty one minutes long, the record is characterized primarily by resurgent and expositive melodies, that are mostly calm and omniscient – almost translucent – at the height of its homogeneous base. Best described as an expansive extension of an infinite serenity condensed in a horizon of light, Kaiho has eight tracks: Lapsenmuisto, Kasvot, Siiville Nousu, Poissa, Lahja, Nainen, Sateen Huuhtoma and Kaiho. The style of the group can be defined as inextricably quiet and peaceful, philosophic and soft in nature, like the vivacious remembrance of a timeless grace forgotten by an ancient and thoroughly arid past, that may never return. The melodies are quite consistent, vibrant and profoundly elemental, concentrated over a layer of captivating and unambiguously hidden sincerity.

Like an emerging and infinite ocean of sound that expands itself over elusive mountains of melancholic rivers, strained by an harmonious confinement that reverberates through the sentimental quality of the rhythm the strength of a constantly imperative human wave, Kaiho is an intriguing album, that has on the wings of its everlasting serenity the powerful conflagration of a cohesive calmness that surpasses the entire universe of the soul. With the spirit of a persistent and marvelous creativity, a masterful conjuncture of completeness can be felt all the way throughout the record.

With a dense, but colorful human intensity, all the songs on this album levitates over the harmful collisions of a flagellated existence, revealing a world of valuable tender and pleasant transitions, that are calmly dispersed by the delicate notes of discreet, but majestic melodies.

Being as serene and powerful as an album can be, Kauan has done a fantastic work on Kaiho. Soft and imperiously calm, but categorically ascendant at the same time, Kaiho is a record full of melodies diluted by the crystals of time, where planets of water and sand dissolves at the human eye, converting the whole universe into a molecule of fragrant life and love. A splendid work, that gets very close to perfection, this album is highly recommended for each and every enthusiast of a singular and profoundly elemental style of soft ambient melodic rock.

Wagner

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Brieviews 29

11/10/2017

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

Pie Are Squared - Co(a)sts

ambient / electronic

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

ambient / electronic

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

sludge / noise rock

Wolves And Vibrancy

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

doom / sludge

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

black metal / death metal

Les Acteurs de L'Ombre

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

ambient / experimental / noise

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

doom / black metal

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

thrash metal

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

heavy metal

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

hard rock

Heavy Psych Sounds

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

death metal

Godz Ov War

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

black metal

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

folk / lo-fi

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

shoegaze / dreampop

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

post metal / progressive metal

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

thrash metal / heavy metal

Unspeakable Axe

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

electronic / indie

Soundcloud

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

electronic / industrial / drum & bass

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

metal / djent / industrial

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

death metal / black metal

Pagan Records

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!

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Fabulae Dramatis - Solar Times's Fable

25/9/2017

progressive / symphonic / avant garde metal