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Respire – Black Line

7/12/2020

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crust / punk
Church Road Records
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That first moment. The sound. The perfect pause. The deep look at the cover. First love.
There are some crackling noises, the fire whose deep red lines you might see on the cover. Then, after seven seconds, the first four seconds of cello; that structure of pause and cello and then the next part expands on that structure. By then, all objectivity is thrown overboard and the author of these lines is uncontrollably in love with “Black Line”, Respire’s third full-length. 

And then the intro “Blight” is over and “Tempest” is exactly that – a raging storm of hellish proportions. A bill showing where we are headed with us as a society and with this place: “we watch the world go up in flames / an uncaring race” - a motif that is repeated in the next track “Cicatrice”: “we’re all disease – destroy, destroyer”. Respire cannot hide their views on politics, society and social issues with “love as our only possible way out” as a clear idea and ideology. That shows in the structure of the band – an open collective which is open to unite people from different musical backgrounds and with different instruments. Those resemble crust-bands like Morrow or Anopheli who also feature a classical string instrument in their line-up. But Respire’s assembly of non-rock instruments doesn’t stop there – no it looks more like that of fellow-Canadians Godspeed You! Black Emperor with its Glockenspiel, vibraphone and with guest spots by trumpets and saxophones. 

All of that is also reflected in their attitude towards wide, opening moments that enable band and audience to catch breath. Take “Tempest” as an example: The song rages for a bit more than 70 seconds and then stops abruptly (we will come back to that later) and then only the horns and a but guitar picking can be heard for a moment before the drums set in again and the strings come to the front. It is the proverbial calm in the middle of the storm. The audience cannot forget that this is just a moment of calm (before “Cicatrice” rolls over us) because the dual singing parts, seemingly not just delivered by two voices but many more, remind us of that clearly. 

Apart from drummer Travis all band members add their voices to a multi-headed beast that sings in different intonations, different levels of volume, different spaces within the soundscape (some way back, some at the very front). The band knows each other’s strengths and are able to highlight all of it. They do so in amicable fashion, their timing is so precise it’s scary. The way the band is able to stop mid-riff and mid-beat is mesmerizing. It becomes clear that the band is so well in-tune with each other that their songs do not sound constructed at all, even though they surely are, because they must be as so many things are happening, it’s almost like a call-and-response opera. Of course this is a reflection of their hardcore roots and their approach to music and the fact that they shared the stage, the studio and the rehearsal room hundreds by now. 

It is hard to find parallels to other artists because they are open-minded to the max and that in a very positive way. They are as much Pijn as they are Demersal, as much Anopheli as they are Fall of Efrafa. They are punkers and post-rockers. They are crusty and celestial. In many ways pretty unique and thus highly enjoyable. 

Furthermore, one should notice the way they try to construct a kind of tension between records as “Black Line” features the final song “Catacombs Part II” which functions as a sequel to their last full-length “Denouement” which featured “Catacombs” in which the narrator is talking to someone (presumably his partner) about his oncoming “end” and the fact that he never wanted anyone to suffer from his addiction, he never wanted anyone to feel consequences from it. “Catacombs Part II” now shows the other side of the relationship with the addict’s partner saying that he can’t live without the deceased but that he has to and will: “all the light shines on for you / all the light shines on with you / all we hold like dust fades fast / (but love shines on in us)” - it will be hard and seemingly impossible but the love in himself will not go out for the deceased. 

Love. Again. Well, there is nothing but love here for the Canadian collective. And if you listen to the opening “Black Line” you might fall in love as well. Very quickly. Love at first tune. 


Thorsten

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Drain – California Cursed

16/5/2020

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punk / hardcore
Revelation Records
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Hardcore will never die. And no, this is not another version of a Mogwai-analogy. Hardcore will never die. No compromises no ambiguities in that sentence. There will always be pissed off young men angry at the world. Most of them will never make it to a recording studio, most of those who do will not get a record contract, for there are simply too many of them. And from those with a contract an even smaller handful will be able to land one with Revelation Records, maybe the most prestigious hardcore punk label ever. Drain from Santa Cruz, CA, are one of the latter ones, with their debut full-length released a few weeks ago with the infamous Revelation-R-star on it. 

And, by the Gods of fast riffs, psyched-up screaming and good short songs, they deserve it. Everything about this record screams in your face “Listen to me! Listen to my worries! Listen to my anger!” They talk about the fake society and how it drowns out the will to go on, how corrupt the system is and how life in California pulls them down. Interesting is definitely the title track with its “California Dreaming”-quotes at the beginning which are then completely reversed showing how hard life in Cali is when you work a lot in order to barely get by and when you feel as if you don’t belong there in some way.

Music-wise we are talking about a band that knows about the importance of speed – many songs tick in below the 150 seconds-mark and only one is longer than three minutes. Thus the ten songs are over in 23 minutes – even shorter than some famous punk records (for example Bad Religion’s “Suffer”. The breakdowns are really nice also because they never drift off into Metalcore-spheres. The frontman is also very convincing in his despair and anger. But Drain also give you more than just speed and negativity. The short interlude “Hollister Daydreamer” is really a good moment to breathe deeply before attacking the last four songs. Or the outro to the record which is a kind of surf-beat-homage and gives you a deeply sarcastic aftertaste. Combine this with the cover of the album, which looks a bit like a negative to Green Day’s have-fun-record “Dookie” and you get a band that is really much more than your average hardcore band. 

Taking in all of this you should remember that as long as bands like Drain release records on labels like Revelation the world is not as bad as it may seem. 


Thorsten

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Brieviews 70

8/3/2020

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Keelrider – Sun / Too Far Gone

grunge / stoner rock
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Iceland’s scene is very likely one of the strongest worldwide as we are talking about a country with roughly 360,000 inhabitants and yet we all know so many bands from Iceland pushing the brim for modern music further and further. Keelrider is another one of those, although they most likely will not see as much attention as Sigur Ros, Björk or the whole Icelandic black metal scene because they are Stoner Grungers with a twist. In 2018 they published their debut album “North” and last year they published two singles from their upcoming album “Second Wind”. While “Too Far Gone” is in parts a very nice melange of Alice in Chains-vocals and Soundgarden-stoner riffs, “Sun” is much more interesting because the band some a little more variety when it comes to time signatures and giving the guitar lines more space to breathe. If you are into stoner rock and grunge, this band is something right for you! 


Calendula – De Brevitatis

post metal
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Post-Metal from Italy. Most foreigners automatically associate it with Postvorta but some, a little deeper in and a little longer might remember the name Calendula, the sextet from Parma, which released an EP (2011) and a full-length (2012) a while ago. After some changes concerning line-up and musical direction, they released a 25-minute-song in November which definitely doesn’t fit to the title “De Brevitate Vitae” - it’s not brevis (brief) at all. It is quite a monster with a lot of dynamic changes and oscillates between dynamic driving drums and some really clever, counteracting guitar-work following the long intro, which sometimes hints at a bit of Tool. The vocals are pretty good, they also use some samples to give it a more differentiated sonic outline. Something that can be criticized is the sound as the partially trashy Lo-Fi sound doesn’t really fit a record as ambitious as this one, although on the other side it fits to the proclaimed role models  – 90s post-rock bands such as Slint (noticeable in the very effective guitar motif after the first real break). If the guys follow this path, we might have two Italian associations with the term Post-Metal.


A Heart Beats – Dazes the Mind

electronic 
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Svart Records is one of the finest labels when it comes to hard, harsh music, most people know about that. Most people do not know that they also have an electronic sub-label – Svartronix which again is very open-minded. A few weeks ago they released the debut song by A Heart Beats “Dazes the Mind” which is pop music that fits perfectly in any 80s mix of songs by some tropical house producer. This songs purvey a kind of Caribbean calypso feeling but their sex-appeal derives to a large extent from the intriguing vocals of Paile who once was a member of Beastmilk. His delivery is very nice and especially the chorus is so funky that one automatically feels his feet moving, but the line also has some depth “It dazes the mind / and numbs the tongue”. The beats produced by Tuuki are layered with some space basslines in the sense of some more synth-driven Daft Punk and the beat itself is shuffling a bit, so that the sunny, opening sounds give the song a holiday feeling without the stupidity. A promising debut song, let’s hope A Heart Beats and Svartronix has some more servings.


Intaglio – The Memory of Death

doom / death metal
Solitude Productions
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Russian death doom act Intaglio released a demo version of a new track at the end of last year and in some way, the beauty lies in the rhythm. Many voices will now scream that the rhythm is nothing particular new to the genre, as the slow, dragging rhythm of the song is really quite normal, but the way that the strings connect to it, support it in certain passages, yeah, even form it from time to time, that is really breathtaking – the Gothic attitude it brings to the song turns it into a remarkable one. The lyrics, speaking about the overwhelming character of a memory of death which overshadows everything else, are delivered in regular death metal style. Another standout feature is the use of the use of an upright bass that is tuned so well, that you can hear each tap and each ring.
In some way, three pretty singular metal genres are amalgamated into one pretty dense net of emotions that will leave no open ear without imprinting a memory of itself on the listener. If this is a first sign of a new album then one might keep Intaglio in mind.


American Nightmare – Life Support

punk
Deathwish
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Everything about this 7” screams “Old school! Old school!”, the cover (seemingly a reverse from the classic Minor Threat discography cover that also was adopted by Rancid several years ago), the cover b-side, the black-white style, the sound, everything! But first things first: The revived band released a good album in 2018 and last December followed with this 7” out on Heartworm Press. The title track is a new shotgun blast somewhere between Zeke, MC5, The Clash, Turbonegro and Black Flag (although one must say, that only the vocals sometimes hint at Rollins) – definitely a good track. The b-side is a well-made cover of “Left for Dead” by The Lemonheads another one of these late 80s punk bands that turned more and more to indie-rock. The cover is good and shows a different side to American Nightmare. However, there is one thing that is lacking in this release and that is the teenage angst that made AN famous. The despair, the sadness, the melancholy – not there. On the other hand, that might drive the listener to despair and achieves the same effect.


Tuatha – The Lore of Place 

avant garde / folk
Dog Tunnel Records
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There are genres that seemingly are so heavily steeped in tradition and customs that it is hard to imagine to hear a new sound in them. Take Irish Folk for example; most of us at first might associate it with pub nights somewhere between the Dubliners and Christy Moore (at best) or Michael Flatley and Enya (at worst). But to combine the traditional folk instruments bodhran, flute, violin, and guitar with a wall of sound, lots of spoken word (not cheerfully and rhythmically, but rather intimidating and fierceful) is something rarely heard before. Tuatha is a fierce project that will leave some of us open-mouthed. Formed in early 2019 and already a rising star on the scene, the septet uses old Irish tales from the Middle Ages and Gaelic Dindsenchas (short poems describing certain places) to deepen their already impressive style. In parts, their unrelentless approach reminds one of the approach Archive and SubRosa took in totally different musical landscapes. This here is unique, bewitching and typical Irish yet also totally un-Irish. Folks, give Tuatha a listen!


Mosara – Demo 2019

sludge / doom
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A quartet from Phoenix, Arizona with a very grainy, heavy sound, Mosara released their debut demo last November. It shall be a prelude to a record which is in the making and should see the light of day before the end of the year; of course the demo should also draw interest from labels and I think it might: The musical soundscape is strongly influenced by a lot of proto-metal like Sabbath, Blue Cheer, but also by classic doom bands like Electric Wizard or Cough – that means, you get what you expect, low-tuned, richly-distorted, grainy, a bit lofi-ish doom sounds with a tinge of sludge influences (most audible on the second track “Clay and Iron”). Sometimes the howls and growls could be a bit fiercer and less despaired because, sometimes, Tony Gallegos (ex-Twingiant) is a bit too clear. Nevertheless the sound is great, as if someone mated Fu Manchu with Sabbath and their offspring was left in the desert with a guitar as the only means of communication. The riffs are dragging, the bass is dominant, the drums are supportive – all good in the Arizona desert. 


Ploughshare – Tellurian Insurgency

death metal / black metal / doom / noise / grindcore
Brilliant Emperor Records
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Noise bastard? Yeah. Death metal? Sometimes. Grindcore? For sure. Doomy Gloom? You bet. All of that and more is “Tellurian Insurgency” by Ploughshare. With their third release in as many years (after 2017’s “Literature of Piss” and 2018’s acclaimed “In Offal, Salvation”) the quartet from Australia’s capital Canberra once again proves that the bar is always too low for them. Excellent musicians with a highly complex understanding of how music works they show that extreme metal must also rely on atmosphere that sometimes exists between the chords and blastbeasts. A great deal of the attraction of this band is the vocals, which never sound cheesy but quite on point. This EP also features a remix of their standout song, the title track of “In Offal, Salvation”, which shows that it is even possible to give this dark nightmare of a song an even more desperate twist. One thing that becomes clear throughout the record is how important good drumming is for such a kind of music as it must set the tone for everyone. If the guys can keep up their productivity we should await a new heir to the extreme metal throne in 2020.


Lament Cityscape – The New Wet

industrial
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Describing this Oakland, CA, quartet is not that easy and not that difficult at the same time. Their sound relies heavily on synths, samples but also on guitar, bass and drums. They cross constantly between electronic noise (aka industrial) and post-punk’ish avantgarde sounds. Initiated in 2013 and having independently released already a bunch of records, Lament Cityscape set out to publish three EPs in 2020, each following some red thread and yet also standing out on its own. Something that they share with some of the pioneers of this kind of sonic assault (Godflesh, Killing Joke, Author & Punisher) are the harsh sounds that sometimes remind one of buoys warning the oncoming ships of the nearby rocks and sandbanks which here are symbolized by the rough drum attacks. In parts, this is a good record for those who like Godflesh’s Streetcleaner a bit less polished and a bit more straightforward. Partially, one is left behind by a lack of surprise, but fans of industrial noises and harsh synth-driven drums will really like this.


Blood Spore – Fungal Warfare Upon All Life

black metal
Blood Harvest
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At first, the band’s name might sound like a nice pun on 80s karate flic “Bloodsport” (with the amazing multiple Academy Award winning actor Jean-Claude van Shakespeare) but when listening to this new face on renown Swedish Meta label Blood Harvest it becomes clear that the idea of a fungi which sits parasitically on its host and feeds of it before finally killing it works perfectly within the black metal community. It also works nicely because the record to it is really good and leaves one’s ears with an immediate wish to press replay because of its clever changes in mood, dynamics and tempi. The record (especially the second track “Cede to the Saprophyte”) is like a nice blend of groove metal and black metal with the emphasis, of course, on the latter. Thematically, the record presents the idea of the fungal mass on this planet slowly but certainly taking over and destroying all other organisms, a new take on the apocalyptic visions presented by bands like Botanist or Arx Atrata. For a band that only came together in 2018, this is really somewhat impressive. 


​Thorsten

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Earth Moves – Human Intricacy

20/1/2020

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hardcore / sludge
Through Love Rec.
Truthseeker
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How you feel about an album or artist usually involves how you feel about the genre that they play in. Doom metal, jazz, pop etc. you know what you like so you tend to stick within the confines of a certain genre that you like. Some bands blend the edges between genres, other like Earth Moves, the  London based group we are talking about today, tear down the walls of genre with will full abandon and create something which, whilst schizophrenic in it's approach to genre, is an exhilarating experience which makes you think about music in new ways.

Superficially I guess you could call this album a post-hardcore one, even a punk one, but that is doing it a massive disservice and doesn't really tell you the whole story. Indeed whilst post-hardcore is a frame to hang some of these songs on, most of them don't even cover this base at all and instead veer off into other territories entirely.

 Opener 'Falling Away From the Ground' is a great example of what they are attempting. It starts with a strummed guitar part until lead singer Jordan Hills impassioned wails come in imploring you to take his hand for the journey ahead. The guitar picks up pace and before you know it, the song is a crescendo of noise. Second song 'Into the Either' sounds similar but explodes with punk energy half way through and even dips it's toes into black metal territory for a ferocious onslaught toward the end of the song. The rest of the album twists and turns between moments of savage noise making and gentle almost ambient sections which should sound jarring (and in a lesser bands hand certainly would do) but each passage has been thought about and placed there for a reason, not jammed together haphazardly for the sake of it. 

If you are interested in heavy music at all then please do yourself a favor and listen to this album, at the very least, it will introduce you to other genres you may not ordinarily listen to, sometimes within the same song!  


Simon

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Brieviews 49

31/7/2018

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Naut - Raise The Lights​

post punk / new wave / goth rock
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Heading from Bristol, Naut decided to ignore all current trends and to look back to the dark eighties. Now, this five-piece comes with a baffling debut EP, containing five pitch black goth rock tunes. Influences from bands like Sisters Of Mercy and Killing Joke run rampant and come with the overwhelming energy of post punk acts like The Jesus and Mary Chain. Song like opener 'Disintegration' and 'I'm Here' are destined to fill dark dancefloors everywhere. My personal favorite here is closer 'XVI'. It makes me curious and hungry for more, but for now I'm sure that this EP will be an excellent addition to every post punk / goth rock collection. 


Kurokuma - Dope Rider

doom / sludge
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Sheffield doom mongers Kurokuma return with a two track EP, based on the Dope Rider strip from High Times in the 70s. The artwork comes from Paul Kirchner, the creator of the strip. The music is another slab of severe psychotic sludge doom, five and eight minutes long. Part 1 also showcases something industrial, reflected by repetitive, almost methodical drums. Part 2 simply continues to slow but brutal pummeling. Fans of bands like Conan, Dopethrone and Yob can easily trust Kurokuma to deliver the monolithic riffs and fierce vocals they crave so much. So if you want your sludge metal as destructive as a wrecking ball, this EP should do.


An Evening With Knives - Fade Out

post-metal / doom / alternative rock
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Several months after the release of 'Serrated', Dutch heavy rockers An Evening With Knives unleash three songs that did not make the album because of the limited space on the vinyl. Yet, these songs were to important for the band to be ignored. Opener and title track 'Fade Out' deals with the death of Marco’s father due to Alzheimer disease. It's a long, heavy and cathartic lamentation, showcasing the darkest side of this band. The other two songs follow that example, be it a bit shorter. They all walk a similar path as the songs on 'Serrated', and thus would also fit perfectly into every sludge, doom and grunge collection. These guys are growing steadily, that's for sure.


Soho Rezanejad - World Breathes People

electronic / ambient / experimental
Silicone Records
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An alienating two track EP that will leave you confused and entangled, that is what Soho Rezanejad delivers. Subtle electronics, minimalist drones, gloomy soundscapes and her vocals come together in two lengthy modern day folk songs. I can't help but think about a mix between Zola Jesus and Diamanda Galas, be it a bit less creepy than the latter. Yet, there is emotion, there is fear, mourning, wonder and hope in these two tracks. There is a mystifying atmosphere, one that borrows elements from dark ambient. Yet, above all perhaps, this is a unique piece of work, reminding me of an act like Dark Ensemble. Recommended only for eternally wandering souls.


The Man Within - The Man Within

post rock / post metal / stoner / sludge
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In today's post rock scene, new bands pop up like mushrooms. Würzburg residents The Man Within are one of those newcomers. Mostly, that first effort comes with a low production and a careful introduction in what the band really is capable of. Yet, here that results in a full-blown post metal album with seven outstanding tracks. Most of them, including 'Mount Santo', my favorite 'Institution' (that rolling bass is hot!!!) and the massive 'Limitless' can easily entertain audiences far and wide. Although firmly rooted in the post-scene, elements from sludge metal, psychedelic rock and stoner rock are never far away. A great introduction, now let's hope they can confirm this in the near future.


EITR - Hädanfärden

dark ambient
Nordvis
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The new brainchild of Nachtzeit, the man behind ambient dark metal project Lustre, comes up with an interesting dark ambient album. Although playful at time, this album takes us back to the mysterious  and dark age of the Norse gods. Early in 'Drömmarna' acts like Mortiis (on Cold Meat Industry) and Wongraven come to mind. Synths, soundscapes and dreamy melodies guide the listening on a musical tour of medieval Europe, so it seems, highlighting in 'Löftet' and 'Tårarn'. Strangely, the title track 'Hädanfärden' has an X-Files OST feeling about it, which isn't bad, on the contrary. Fans of old school medieval dark ambient can easily appreciate this album.


Breakfast At Midnight - Breakfast At Midnight

alternative rock / hard rock / grunge
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Belgian hard rock duo Breakfast At Midnight proves that two is enough to create heaps of noise. On this debut EP they blast seven tracks through our speakers, beginning with the heavy rocking 'Kidi Coke'. From then on, the rock doesn't seem to stop. Inspired by anything between Tool, Queens Of The Stone Age and Stone Temple Pilots, these two feed an everlasting fire. Most tracks drive on sheer energy but in 'What I'm To Say' and in '1813', the band delves deeply into the Pearl Jam version of grunge rock. Here, the vocals are excellent and clean while the other tunes contain heaps of aggressive screams. Not that I mind, this is pure rock 'n roll: raw, rough and heavy.


Goat Sperm - Voice in the Womb

black metal / death metal
Inferna Profundus
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Grab onto something now because Ukrainian trio Goatsperm is about to unload a hellish, chaotic and vulgar EP, loaded with orthodox black/death metal. 'Voice In The Womb' contains three tracks, each one being a pummeling piece of extreme metal, as dark as Satan's butthole but with an ambient breather here and there. Somehow, this trio manages to combine atmospheric passages with sheer metallic terror, something that might indeed make a lot of banging heads turn their way in the near future.  Besides, 'Into The Deep Waters Of Catacombs' is one of the fiercest black metal tunes I've heard this year. If you're a self-respecting extremist, you need this.


Teksti-TV 666 - Aidattu Tulevaisuus 

krautrock / shoegaze / punk
Svart Records
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What would have happened if Ramones used My Bloody Valentine's guitar effects? What would a punk rock cover album of Neu! songs sound like? Well, Finnish six piece Teksti-TV 666 might have a decent answer for you. 'Aidattu Tulevaisuus' delivers six high-octane krautrock tunes with the raw energy of punk and the immersive nature of shoegaze. I admit, it is something different from the usual slabs of rock 'n roll that appear here but 'Turbo-Mondeo' and 'Aidattu tulevaisuus' can easily get your behind shaking. My favorite here is the somewhat slower 'Rauhankone', which might be described as a down-to-earth space rock track. Recommended? Hell yeah!


Vitor Joaquim - Impermanence

ambient / electronic / experimental
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Hailing from Porto, Vitor Joaquim is a sound sculptor and visual artist, active around the strange borders between soothing ambient and otherworldly noise. This new album, 'Impermanence' contains seven tracks, revolving around repetitive soundscapes, almost subconscious loops and immersive musical textures. Here and there vocals samples have been added to increase the narrative nature of the music. That, along with the minimal soundscapes, makes the title track my favorite here but I'm sure that every fan of decent ambient music can appreciate these sounds. Obviously, this comes highly recommended.


Han - Tuning the Invisible

ambient / drone / experimental / noise
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An even more noisy and experimental variation on ambient sounds comes from Han, a project by Vitor Joaquim and Emidio Buchinho. This album revolves around live improvisation and real time processing, which results in something severely unusual and highly experimental. Yet, behind the gritty freestyle on the guitar, beautiful ambient loops lurk. These seven tracks are weird, immersive in one way, yet restrained and peculiar. Somehow this album feels like the early days of drone experimentation, when artists were exploring the other possibilities of their instruments. In all, this is an interesting release to dive into, but only for experienced avant gardists...

Serge
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Rock'N'Brawl - Full Throttle Baby

5/4/2018

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

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

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

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


Serge

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Brieviews 35

20/1/2018

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The Vale - Autumn in the Valley

doom / rock
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In the early days of Merchants Of Air I reviewed an album by Finnish band Ovenizer. Now they return with a new name and a new EP but the recipe seems to remain rather similar. Once again, this trio comes up with melodic yet heavy rock music, blending influences from doom, psychedelic rock, stoner rock, alternative rock and post-metal. The result is an EP with five highly enjoyable rock songs, highlighting in 'Dead Features', a fast punky rock tune that Lemmy would have liked. 'Ghost Ship' is another favorite of mine, a pummeling heavy rock tune. In all, this is an excellent EP which makes me curious for more.

Empress - Reminiscence

sludge / doom 
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This Canadian sludge metal monster was born after two of its members attended an Elder show. Inspired by the massive wall of sound and the psychedelic madness the two enlisted a third member and crawled into the rehearsal studio. Now, they are almost ready to unleash their firstborn, named 'Reminiscence'. What to expect? Well, five brutal and intense pieces of sludge doom in the vein of bands like Dopethrone, Yob, Elder and so on. In 'Immer', my personal favorite here, you can also find some blackened influences. Great EP, definitely a must have for sludge doomers. 
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Heligoland - Coriallo

shoegaze / dreampop
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Produced and mixed by Cocteau Twins' Robin Guthrie, this EP by Heligoland promises over twenty minutes of pure dreampop bliss. These five songs are beautiful, inspired by acts like Slowdive, Cocteau Twins and Portishead. Ambient soundscapes and post rock guitars deliver an emotional sound on which the fragile voice of Karen Vogt thrives. It's hard to pick out a favorite here but the uptempo 'Orion' and the breathtaking 'Three' will undoubtedly appear in my day-to-day playlist regularly from now on. If you're a fan of dreampop, this EP is an absolute must-have, no doubt about that.

Duran Duran - Girls on Film - 1979 Demo

new wave
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Here is a surprise, four previously unreleased demo tracks by legendary band Duran Duran. These songs were recorded in UB40's studio back in 1979. That's right, before Simon Le Bon joined the band. On vocals you will hear Andy Wickett. The sound is very reminiscent of that early eighties UK new wave sound. Of course, the demo version of the smash hit 'Girls On Film' really stands out on this EP but I suggest you take a good listen to tracks like opener 'See Me, Repeat Me' (which later became 'Rio') and 'Reincarnation'. You have never heard these tunes like this before. I urge all Duran Duran fans to check this out.
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Luke Fox - Sugarloaf 

pop / rock
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Australian singer-songwriter Luke Fox delivers five sweet, warm and enjoyable pop rock tracks, seemingly inspired by indie rock and country. Yet, this is not a one-man act armed with guitar and voice. For this EP Sox got a little help from his friends. Together, they turned these tunes into full blown soft pop ballads. Perhaps for most Merchants Of Air readers, this EP is a bit too nice and gentle but I would recommend checking it out anyway. This is warm music, perfectly suited for starlit nights on warm beaches. Favorite tune: 'Fly In The Champagne', a joyful tune that somehow reminds me of Ween. Not bad!

My Deathbed - My Deathbed

black metal
bandcamp
Another one-man project but residing on a completely different edge of the musical spectrum, My Deathbed comes up with a primitive, intense and haunting depressive black metal album. In four tracks My Deathbed guides the listener along feelings of solitude, abandonment and fear. Opener and title track 'My Deathbed' is a 25 minutes lasting anthem of despair, coming with howling vocals and a cold, bleak but rather slow black metal sound. 'Nails Deep In Wounds' is my favorite here. A harsh, relentless and chaotic piece of black metal. My advice? It might definitely be worth to check this out.
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Versus The Ghost - We Don't Belong Here 

post rock
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In May of last year, Wagner reviewed the debut album by English post rock band Versus The Ghost (read). Now they return with a brand new single, a sixteen minutes lasting post rock anthem named 'We Don't Belong Here'. Well, I just want to say that Versus The Ghost definitely belong here, here in the ever expanding and mesmerizing world of post rock. This track is a beauty, one that certainly promises great things for the future of this young band. In sixteen minutes, these guys manage to showcase the full spectrum of their view on post rock, from ambient passages to immersive instrumentalism. Must-have!!!

(D)juret - Sök Din Sekt 

punk / crust
Cramada
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What would happen if bands like Tyr or Heidevolk jump on the punk train? Well, the answer might be something like this Swedish quartet. Somehow (D)juret have managed to combine punk rock with folk metal while still showcasing some crust punk and blackened hardcore. On this three-track EP they blast some weird but brutal, some unusual but fierce punk into your eardrums and you will have absolutely no other option than to love the shit out of it. Just when I thought punk music lost all its originality, this band comes into my life. Oh well, buy this and shut up.
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Concrete Eden - Left

nu metal
NRT Records
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Hailing from Graz, Austria, Concrete Eden aims to be a big part of the nu metal revival and I must say, they do a pretty good job at it too. With a blend of metal, hardcore and rap they manage to come up with a convincing sound. Bands that come to mind include Limp Bizkit, Clawfinger, Korn and at times even Fear Factory. Plus, there are some pounding anthems to be found here, including the brilliant 'Communication Fails'. Nu metal fans will definitely love this stuff. Some of the riffs might sound familiar but I guess that is just a genre-thing. In all, I think this is a splendid release and a welcome addition to your nu-collection.

Aidan Baker & Gareth Davis - Invisible Cities

drone / jazz
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Time to calm down after all that heavy stuff and what better way to do that than with the minimal guitar drones of mister Aidan Baker. For this release he collaborated with Gareth Davis who plays the bass clarinet. The result is an awe-inspiring marriage between drone ambient and dark jazz, thus probably one of my favorite releases in 2018. The album contains four long tracks, each one a gloomy and immersive piece of "jazz noir".  Think Dale Cooper, think Bohren, think Radare, but most of all, know that this is a brilliant collaboration between two immensely skilled and experienced artists. 
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Serge
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Brieviews 30

11/11/2017

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Hi there

This is already the 30th edition of Brieviews, the review series where we throw an array of short reviews in your faces. I started these in an effort to promote more bands in a shorter amount of time, because time is something none of us have enough of. 
That being said, we're still struggling to check out all the stuff that comes in, let alone being able to publish reviews for everything. So, I'd like to use this opening paragraph to do another call for writers. If you'd like to your our awesome team, click here. 

Ihä - Esperanza

drone / ambient
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Hailing from Chile, and founded in 2011, Ihä delivers three long, gentle and minimal ambient drone pieces. Minimalism certainly is a keyword here, as the music only shows minute variations. While some might find such a thing boring, ambient aficionados will definitely appreciate these lingering soundscapes. In that aspect, the track 'Un salto dichoso hacia la eternidad' might be a surprise. Here we have a melodic and highly immersive piece of ambient music. Stratosphere comes to mind but also Eno, Fripp and so on. In all, this certainly is a nice addition to your ever growing ambient collection, no doubt about that.

Parsons Rocket Project - Parsons Rocket Project

shoegaze / ambient rock
bandcamp
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Atlanta-based Parsons Rocket Project worked on their debut EP for two years, and the result is stunning. They launch you into space and take you to planets Noise Rock, New Wave, Shoegaze, Psychedelic, Dream Pop and Post-Rock. Short as the tracks may be, they blend these genres in a wonderful way. The vocals add to the dreamy atmosphere of the whole. I'm reminded mostly of Slowdive, Archive and 65daysofstatic and I'm looking forward to hearing more from these guys and girl. 

(review by Eline)
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The Mayhem Lecture Series - Structures And Behaviors EPv1

ambient / experimental
bandcamp
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More ambient music some from a different perspective. The Mayhem Lecture Series is a project by Dave Wesley, a dub techno and ambient producer. On this EP, he comes up with crackling, rhythmic but beatless music, field recordings and several spoken word samples. The result is something between Autechre and Cordell Klier or Squarepusher and Biosphere. While opener 'Intrepid' is still my favorite, the whole EP can easily satisfy my weird-ambient-needs, and believe me, I have a lot of those. So if you like a stroll into the strange and odd, this is your chance and it comes highly recommended.

Jupiter Zeus - Eyes on the Prize

hard rock / heavy metal
bandcamp
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Australian quartet Jupiter Zeus come up with a bunch of groovy heavy metal songs, inspired by the good old days of doom and hard rock. I sense some influences from bands like Black Sabbath, Iced Earth and Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, plus a shitload of other metal bands. Yet, Jupiter Zeus easily managed to create their own sound, which give this EP a coherent sound. It's a rather doomish sound, even if the tempo goes up, and it quite often does. For real, this things is pleasantly entertaining and solid enough to become a strong mid carter on festival bills. Check it out, bang your head, go nuts!
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Haema - Insurrection

industrial metal / alternative metal
Sliptrick
Amazon
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Hailing from Northamptonshire, UK, Haema does something interesting with industrial and alternative metal. Influenced by acts like Fear Factory and American Head Charge, this band can easily entertain fans from everything between Limp Bizkit and Machine Head. Yet, using similar vocals, Haema can also add a bit of variation to the metalcore scene. One way or another, these guys seem to constantly cross the lines between nu-metal, industrial metal and everything core-related. The result is a fascinating piece of work, one that grooves your arse and rocks your sock off. Yeah, you'll be naked after two songs...

H2SO4 - British Bangla Testament

thrash metal
Transcending Obscurity
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The chemistry nerds amongst will have immediately found out where the name from this Bangladeshi band stands for: sulphuric acid. Perhaps in a way, their music is that too, as it is harsh, corrosive and biting. In fact, what we are dealing with here is a fierce blast of old school thrash metal, influenced by the lords of thrash, including Slayer, Testament, Kreator, Exodus and so on. The result is an ep that will scratch your eyes out and do something Cannibal Corpse cover-ish to your festering body. You have been warned. For brutal metallic beatdowns, look no further. 
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Asylum 8 - Repressed

death metal
Spotify
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If you are one of those people who think melodic death metal and techno synths do not mix, you might want to check out this debut by Finnish sextet Asylum 8. One of the members is a synth wizard while the others stay loyal to the Scandinavian melodic death metal scene. That cooperation results in something fresh, something incredibly enjoyable. You can brutally band your head or just dance your butt off to this music. Bands that come to mind include Pain and Waltari, who have also done interesting things with the combination between these two arch enemies. No, for real, this is a great album, certainly an original one.

Jinthra - Transitæon

dark ambient
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One half of one of my favorite contemporary dark ambient acts Druhá Smrt comes up with a solo effort, and it's already one for the ages. With gloomy and introvert soundscapes, eerie whispers and angsty percussion, Jinthra immediately showcases his skills and talent. This is a ritual ambient performance at a very high ànd a deeply personal level. There are four tracks to be found here, and it's hard to pick a favorite. Opener 'Oath Of The Edge' is brilliant and the others seem to build on that, sometimes tending towards the noise scene. Fans of everything between Raison D'Etre and MZ412 really should check this out.
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Insanity Cult / Isolert - Towards the Great Dissolution

black metal
bandcamp
facebook Isolert
facebook Insanity Cult
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Back to the extreme corners of the metal scene where we find this harsh and relentless split by Isolert and Insanity Cult. Each band delivered two gnawing tracks with Insanity Cult showcasing some of the most intense blackened vocals I've heard in awhile. Isolert follows a similar path of old school black metal. Here, the vocals seem less prominent and screeching. Yet, that does not affect the intensity of the whole thing. In fact, 'Dreams Of Emptiness' is my favorite track on this split, a fierce true black metal blaster that will haunt your dreams. In all, this is an excellent split to add to your obscure collection.

Akoustik Timbre Frekuency - Thee Essence Of Existence

dark ambient
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For his seventeenth (!) release, dark ambient ritualist Akoustik Timbre Frekuency delivered one massive drone piece, created with singing bowls, gongs, bells and synthesised sounds. I could say that this is a great album, and I wouldn't even be lying about it, but it's more than that. This release invites you to calm down, to step away from the hectic and performance-oriented society for a while. Sit down, comfortably. Close your eyes and just listen. Ignore all other stimuli. Meditate. Focus on your breathing. This is one of those albums that can help you relax and set your mind at ease. Believe me, it works.
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The Reed Effect - A Strange Curiosity

stoner rock / grunge
website
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It's nice to see how the psychedelic stoner rock scene openly invites the world of grunge to join its ranks. Take this EP by Ontario, Canada rockers The Reed Effect for example. In six tracks they remind me of everything between Stone Temple Pilots, Kyuss, Soundgarden and Colour Haze, just to name a few. Obviously, the groove is big in this one as the thick riffs flow out of my speakers like a massive pile of green, smokey mud. I like it that way, and I'm quite sure that an entire Desert-scene is waiting for some pounding rock tunes like 'Down In Here' and 'No Way Outta Here'. Neat stuff...

Fotocrime - Always Night

post punk / dark wave
Golden Antenna
Amazon
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And suddenly my living room reeks of the dark eighties, where creatures dressed in black danced to Sisters Of Mercy, Bauhaus, Killing Joke and many others. R. Pattern  (ex-Coliseum) clearly shares the dark visions of that era. With his new band, Fotocrime, he digs deep into the world of gothic rock, EBM and darkwave. The result is a remarkable EP with a bunch of dark dancefloor fillers. Some rock, some bring out the beats and synths, but all of them are massively convincing examples of their respective genres. My favorite is 'Always Hell', a brilliant goth rock tune. Now, this is a retro-trend I would like to see a lot more of in the near future...
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Disco-Nected - Vision Division

metal
website
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Hailing from Paris, France, this power trio comes up with five damned infectious metal songs. This is sheer energy, dressed in groovy basslines, ripping riffing and pounding drums. That, ànd these guys know a thing or two about the melodic aspect in the metal scene. Opener 'Here To Stay' is an absolute blast. My favorite track is 'Unity', an uptempo rocker that somehow reminds me of acts like Therapy? or Foo Fighters. Other bands that come to mind include Channel Zero, Incubus and Biffy Clyro. I don't think that is a bad set of names to be compared with. So yeah, this surely is one for a good headbanging session.

Morphine Social Club - Monolithic Gospel 

stoner rock / psychedelic rock
bandcamp
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On to Greece where we find a band named Morphine Social Club. They call their music "monolithic rock 'n' roll" and I'm perfectly fine with that. On this EP they deliver four groovy tracks with heaps of psychedelic riffs and solos. Opener 'Your Sun Is So Toxic' is a highly danceable track, one where even krautrock is welcome. 'Chaos Lover' nudges towards the punk scene and comes with a nice array of noise. I also love the industrial touch of the drums on this one. 'Swansong' seems to go a bit more post-punk/shoegaze on our asses and the closer 'Starship Of Perception' is a fuzzed-out psych tune. Wow, I'd say.
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Jenn Vix - Unlocked

alternative rock / post punk
bandcamp
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And back to the eighties and the gloomy sound of that era's pop music. Jenn Vix has worked with members from The Cure, Psychedelic Furs, De Veldt, with the guitarist for Bowie and with Dirk Ivens. On this EP she showcases her experience with five highly enjoyable pop songs. There is a bit of post punk, some synth pop and the touch of the alternative rock by Garbage. There is a nice sense of minimalism here too. None of these songs are too complex or over-dramatized. They're just nice tunes to listen to. In all, this is another excellent invitation to the dark dancefloors, one which I will obviously recommend.

Pylon Reenactment Society - Part Time Punks Session

punk / alternative rock
Chunklet
Amazon
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Athens, Georgia based alternative rockers Pylon Reenactment Society crawled out of the ashes of Pylon in 2014. With the raw power of early punk and the in-your-face vocals of Vanessa Briscoe Hay, the band is on an interesting and infectious course. It's like a harsher version of B52's. There are Blondie references, Bikini Kill comes to mind. Yet, most of all, I think this is a band that clearly enjoys making music together. They seem to have fun and they easily manage to pass that fun to their audience. Undoubtedly, they have the right attitude, the right sound and the right playfulness to entertain you. Check it out.
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Dreamgrave - Monuments

progressive metal
bandcamp
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This EP by Hungarian progressive rock act Dreamgrave is one from a stunningly high level. Opener 'Drop The Curtain' is an epic piece of work which fans of Within Temptation or Nightwish will certainly appreciate. From there, things take on a more progressive approach, more progressive than metal actually. 'Monuments' is a complex and bombastic piece of music that will shock and awe you multiple times. These people know how to play, that's for sure. Closer 'The Passing Faith in Others' is my favorite, a huge whirlpool of musical ingenuity. If you like your music complex, technical, narrative and masterfully played, you need this EP.

Mortum - Eheieh Chaos

black metal
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Time to throw a vile and putrid slab of primitive black metal through the speakers. For such an occasion, American du Mortum seems to be a perfect candidate. Lo-fi production, the aggression of a rhino stampede and the ice cold atmosphere of old school black metal, those are the elements. Plus, somehow Mortum managed to push a sense of melody into the whole thing, not too much. With seven fierce tracks, Mortum delivers an excellent album which quite often goes to hyperspeed but also contains highly immersive mid tempo passages. If you want old school, this one comes highly recommended.
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Pink Mass - Necrosexual

2/10/2017

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punk / grindcore / crust
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First, a little background on the band name. A "Pink Mass" is a Satanic ritual performed after death that turns the deceased's heterosexual spirit into a homosexual one. It's an actual thing and has been performed, for example, on the grave of Westboro Baptist church (of the anti-gay picketings at funerals and tragedies in the US) founder Fred Phelps' mother. Who, according to the ritual is now lesbian in the afterlife. Now, as a devout atheist, I have no beliefs in the supernatural or spiritual or religious but as a firm believer in blasphemy I think this is hysterically funny. Especially because I am 666% pro-LGBTQ rights. 

It's pretty safe to assume then that in a genre filled with über-manly theatrics, interests and poses, Pink Mass is one of the, if not THE most forward thinking bands with their brand of pro-gay crust grind. Needless to say, I love this to bits. They released an album last year called 'Slvt Kvlt' which I am definitely going to check  out, but first this one: the wonderfully named 'Necrosexual'. With an album title like that it's pretty obvious that this is pure sexual debauchery transformed into sound. Blasphemy, sodomy, necrophilia, BDSM, you name it, it's all fair game (or should I say 'bear' game *badum tss*) for Pink Mass. 

What all this aural debauchery amounts to is dirty, disgusting crusty grindcore. Filthy, raw, full of dirty riffs, d-beats, guttural growls, high pitched screams, blast beats, some old-school deathmetal, some hardcore punk, some blackmetal. It's a wonderful mix for everybody who likes their metal disgusting, decidedly unsophisticated and naaaaaasty. That's not to say there isn't some really great musicianship behind it, because there is, especially in the sparse guitarsolos and the basslines. And for something this dirty, the production sounds unexpectedly clear. Nasty it may be, but all the individual parts of nastiness can be heard clearly. It's not just a muddled mess. Bonuspoints all around!

A wonderful release for everyone who craves for something nasty. Just not with all the clichéd nasty grindcore tropes. Even more bonuspoints for the final track 'FOAD NSBM' because, you know, fuck national socialism! Do yourself a favor and check them out. And if you're up to it, look them up on YouTube as well.. 


Bjorn 

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Ester Poly - Pique Dame

30/9/2017

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psychedelic rock / experimental / electronic
Ikarus Records
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In 1890 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky premiered his opera 'The Queen Of Spades', with Nikolay and Medeya Figner, who sang the roles of Herman and Liza. In French speaking countries, the opera is known as 'Pique Dame'. For the record,  'Pique Dame' is also an operetta in two acts by Franz von Suppé, premiered in 1864.
In October, another  'Pique Dame' will be revealed upon the world. This time, it had very little to do with opera, operetta or classical music as a whole. This time, it's an album by two women from Swiss, one on e-bass and one on drums. But now it gets complicated.

THe album opens with a song called 'Slutwalk' which is mainly based on bass and percussion. Is it rock music? Is is punk? I don't know. All I know is that I'm suddenly thinking about acts like Chicks On Speed and The Breeders. 'Slutwalk' is actually a pretty energetic piece of basement punk rock and I like it. But, like I said, it gets complicated from now on. 'Be Loud' comes up with sludge and doom metal riffs, just not as heavy and pulverising. Instead, this turns out to become something rather psychedelic.

'72 Vierges' suddenly drags us into the world of electronics, where bands like Suicide and Crash Course To Science come to mind. Yeah, weird, isn't it? But again, I like. There is something highly infectious about this act, infectious and unique. Then, there is 'Forgotten Responsibility' which flirts with soundscapes and dark ambient. What? Yeah, I know. We're only four songs into this album and I'm already checking out if it is not a compilation. Turns out it's not, it's just incredibly versatile.

Right, what else do we have? 'Big Bang' is a piece of space rock inspired jam rock. Nice. 'La Vie En Rose' suddenly turns into a highly danceable piece of music. Neat! 'Dienstag' is another jam piece and title track 'Pique Dame' goes from eerie avant garde towards post punk. 'The Rise Of The Witches' is almost horror doom and by the end we get an industrial/future pop remix of 'Slutwalk'.  Varied enough for you? Oh well, this is simply a surprising and immersive album which indeed comes highly recommended.


​Serge

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