progressive / post metal

black metal / doom

electronic / coldwave

heavy metal versions of eighties hits

progressive / psychedelic rock

noise rock / industrial

noise rock / sludge

stoner rock / psychedelic rock

death metal

alternative rock

alternative rock / dream pop

indie rock / alternative

death metal

death metal

death metal / black metal

ambient

alternative rock / grunge / stoner rock

heavy metal

facebook

doom / drone / black metal

post rock / progressive rock

alternative rock

I have to admit that I was a bit misguided by this album's cover. Usually, these kind of covers appear on dark ambient, power electronics and noise albums, rarely on anything else. However, when I read the biography and listened to the music, something completely different appeared.

Let's start with the beginning. Ulster Page is a band from France. The members were born in 1992 and thus grew up with nineties rock and grunge. With these influences, they wrote and recorded an album that seems to take the awesome sound of that era into the future.

The album opens with a blast. 'In The Explosion' is a tremendous outburst of energy and a solid reference of what the quartet is capable of. I think this remains my favorite track throughout the entire album. 'Memory' and 'Straight In The Eye' are excellent alternative rock tracks with plenty of energy and dynamics.  'Right As Violence' is a strong rock ballad with a nostalgic eighties hard rock feel, but still, 'In The Explosion' definitely stands out. 

'All Or Nothing' seems to push the whole thing into a post-punk direction and even drags in a bluesy slide-guitar. I like that, it gives the album the necessary amount of variation and it's certainly able to surprise the listener. There are more great songs to be found on this album. All of them are well written rock songs, some uptempo, some slower. 'Eternal Candle' is another world class track, my second favorite here.

You can feel that there is talent in this band, not only in instrument handling but also in songwriting. With 'Memory', this quartet has released an excellent debut but perhaps time will tell that this was merely their debut. It's a very promising album, that's for sure but I think that these guys can and will come up with even more impressive music in the next few year. So yes, this comes highly recommend to all rockers out there.


​Serge

psychedelic / blues / rock

Released on August 25, Renegades is the most recent album by American blues rock group Porno Wolves, from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Almost forty seven minutes long, the album has ten tracks: In the Garden, Winter's Night, Riddles in the Dark, Bad Man, Renegades, Young Moon Rising, Swamp Stomp, Sierra Negra, The Road Goes Ever On and Gasoline. A very traditional blues rock album, certainly Renegades can be qualified as a very interesting work. With strong melodies, a relatively original approach to the genre and a peculiar sonorous style that draws an expressive and cohesive thin line between antagonistically rude, but seemingly precious rock’n’roll, and a more pop flavored, distinct and graceful rhythmic outlook – that reminded me acts as disparate as The Strokes, and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – Porno Wolves has a consistent, but versatile organic flow, emotional and sincere on the surface, but artistically dilapidated and profusely elemental, in the shapeless bottom of its deep vastness. 

With arranged and beautiful harmonies, that give rise to wonderfully captivating saxophone introspections, as well as splendorous and insurgent guitar solos, Porno Wolves really has made a curious, elegant and sophisticated album. With soul and meaning, their art is full of abrasive and delicate nuances, that exhibit passionate melodies, able to achieve the high standards they obviously imposed over them. With an obvious attention to technical detail, they also excel in the aspect of a clean and distinct sound, that masterfully perfected the marvelous definition of their music.    

Despite a great collection of overwhelming qualities, the album gets far from being qualified as a masterpiece. With a sound that sometimes sounds vague, with excessively similar and uniform passages, their creative capacities sometimes appears to be stagnant in a formulaic zone of musical process. 

Nevertheless, Renegades is definitely a good album, and Porno Wolves is a group that has originality. With potential, formidable writing skills, and a pungent musical style, they remember a little wild, decadent, melancholic, but brave midnight pubs and nightclub bands, that you don’t expect too much when you see them onstage, until they started to play. Then, you see things differently. 


Wagner

alternative rock / instrumental

El día de los fuegos is an album released on August 25 by Argentinian instrumental alternative rock group Ríoseco. Almost forty two minutes long, the album has seven tracks: Detrás del cauce, muere, Pestus eram vivus, La última ola, Todos mis manuscritos, Morens tua mors erro, ¿Por qué te dejaste asesinar escuchando cuentos de álamos nevados? and the title track, El día de los fuegos. A very interesting, sagacious and genuine journey through a more authorial, expressive and rustic style of alternative rock, El día de los fuegos is a very vibrating, eclectic, creative and colorful record, that synthesizes on the wider range of its curious and vivacious melodies the expansive ordeal of a sound that impressively celebrates the axiom of its concentrated synergy in the beauty of increasingly energetic harmonies, that extrapolates the cataclysm of its own organic flexibility in the vicinities of a larger and elongated musical vibration. With a precise set of rhythms that deflagrates the paroxysm of a postulated creativity that easily flirts with a well-devised chain of experimentalism, Ríoseco is a very meticulous band, that expands on the spontaneity of a marvelous art the consolidation of an elaborated technique, easy to verify by the high standards upon which they’ve created their music.   

An instrumental album that displays the verified nuances of a symmetry perfectly aligned to the dispersive atmosphere of their paradoxically highly concentrated sound – that sometimes seems to discreetly flirt with blues and psychedelic rock –, melodies are traced in a single conjuncture, upon which becomes easy to compress its elements in a synchronicity where time and space elevates the uncertainty of its own tempestuous musical sphere in a mostly chaotic anatomy, since everything adjusts to the ongoing harmony gradually and naturally, in a purely calculated effort, that seems to be simultaneously accidental, as well as thoroughly planned. 

With an impeccable technique, and a formidable style upon which they deliver their music, Ríoseco undoubtedly is one of the greatest Argentinian bands active in their home country’s underground scene today, and El día de los fuegos certainly is one of the best instrumental albums that I have heard recently. With an expressively graceful sonorous style, able to encompass a wider array of musical perceptions, their instrumental perspicacity is above any possible measurements. They know how to create a fascinating musical journey, since El día de los fuegos can certainly be classified as a majestic monument of colorful and surreal dream-like exploratory soundscapes of ambivalent rapture, that fill the mind of the listener with the inspiratory mosaic of an everlasting day of graceful happiness and satisfaction.

Although their sound can appear to be repetitive or redundant at times, this mainly occurs as a natural consequence of their characteristic style, which is too exceedingly vast, but, at the same time, concentrated and imperative. Nevertheless, El día de los fuegos is a terrific and wonderful album; I think no enthusiast of alternative rock should dare not listening to this amazing work of art.   


Wagner

ambient / experimental

ambient / electronic / downtempo

doom / sludge metal

ambient / classical

punk / antifolk

progressive metal

death metal / industrial

black metal

shoegaze / alternative rock / dark rock

facebook

ambient / downtempo

electronic / techno / experimental

Hypermedium

black metal

drone / ambient / minimal

noise

techno

post hardcore

progressive rock

Hidden Dimensions is the most recent album by Polish instrumental progressive rock artist Widek, released on August 19. Forty eight minutes long, the record has fourteen tracks: Deep & Shallow, Blue Moon, Comet, Gravity, Solstice, Phases, Satellite, Fourth Dimension, Halo, Light-Year, Double Star, Meridian, Euclidean and Sphere. With the formidable participation of guest artists – like Sithu Aye and Stephen Taranto –, Hidden Dimensions is a fantastic, hallucinating and vigorously energized album, where all the highly imperative skills and creative continuous expansions of the artist’s horizontal musical proposal converge to a platform of sensible beauty, amplified by the virtuous magnificence of marvelously written guitar lines, wonderfully crafted at the poetic alignments of an imperiously designed universe yet to be deciphered. At the vortex of an audacious apex of magnificently exposed sonorous rapture, Hidden Dimensions captivates the listener instantly, as the artist clearly challenges himself at the paradigm of a monumental harmonious confluence predisposed to collide to the planetary veracity of a precociously intense and vivacious musical cosmogony.

With the predominance of rapid harmonies, colorful melodies are wonderfully exposed in a majestic layer of sonorous omnipotence, where seemingly perfect guitar lines design an immaculate universe of powerful and organic completeness, at the height of gracefully rearranged, but unlimited creative boundaries. Despite the impeccably genuine and versatile technique of the artist, it’s the beauty of songs that clearly qualifies this album as a masterpiece. 

With melodies eviscerating an undeniable stream of strength that comprehends the source of all materially creative and honest equivalences, each and every track on Hidden Dimensions is a treasure to be discovered. Having a beauty and a precious significance of their own, they all complement one another in a greatly sincere and profound perspective, marvelously validating the energy of its original and creatively compelling artistry in a magnificent whole of absolute completeness. While highly energized and concentrated, each and every song easily disperse glorifying horizons of serene veracity, astutely submerged in an imponderable galaxy of introspective harmonies that salutes life as the greatest legacy of existence. I think that this is the exact feeling this amazing masterpiece sincerely transmits to its audience.

With the beautiful and cohesive commitment to an irrevocably strong and virtuous sense of artistry, Widek has overcome the axis of his own abilities, releasing a sensational guitar-based masterpiece that will open new horizons in the underground music scene. One of the best albums to be released this year, Hidden Dimensions cannot be hailed as anything, but a state of the art work. And I think the artist will have a great problem being better than himself, to surpass this wonderful degree of excellence in future albums. Or maybe not! Certainly – and effectively – we are all dying of anxiety to hear and check it out what would be his next release.              

      
Wagner

art rock/ progressive rock/ alternative pop 

To The Bone is the most recent album by famous English musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Steven Wilson – of Porcupine Tree notoriety, as well as a great profusion of another bands and musical projects – released on August 18 by Caroline Records. One hour long, the record has eleven tracks: To the Bone, Nowhere Now, Pariah, The Same Asylum as Before, Refuge, Permanating, Blank Tapes, People Who Eat Darkness, Song of I, Detonation and Song of Unborn. Despite its mainstream, radio-friendly nature, the album is relatively good. Not exceptional, nor wonderful, but, to a wider degree, pretty good, actually. To The Bone is a very eclectic, charming, versatile, cohesive and well-arranged album, with a categorical, but diffuse pop texture, wisely introduced to the subtle flavor of a discreet and occasional country rock ordeal. The melodies, albeit secure, are intelligently designed, and, although the record extensively stands in a very consistent and predictable comfort zone, the final result compensates. You will hardly be impressed. Nevertheless, for a more conventional piece, the record certainly outstands itself for its amazingly technical musical merits.   

Possibly, the greatest quality of the album is the versatility. With one track very different from one another – although they retain a consistent sonorous identity throughout the record – a melancholic, profoundly poetic and sentimental serenade like “Refugee”, with its sidelined and acerbic wild rock overtones, is vastly different from the more romantic and inspiring, albeit arid, title track “To The Bone”, which, by its turn, severely contrasts with the more ballad ridden, happily sophisti-pop “Permanating”. With each song undoubtedly showing a strong and solid sonorous identity, certainly the eclecticism of the album can be considered its strongest virtue. 

The entire album, in general, can be generously and rightly evaluated as amazingly beautiful. In any way Steven Wilson challenges himself in a more practical, technical or avant-garde direction. He evidently sought more traditional and conventional musical patterns on this album. Despite the formulaic structure, the final result can certainly be classified as satisfying. If you like the artist, or by any chance appreciates the genres he plays with, it’s definitely worthwhile checking it out.       

Of course, being a conventional mainstream album, you can’t expect anything extraordinary. If you maintain your expectations in a salutary level, though, To The Bone can be ostensibly appreciated. But of course, this is my evaluation, directed to a more sophisticated and underground audience, according to my own personal musical tastes. Among the inveterate fans and enthusiasts of Steven Wilson, there is a great chance that this album will be a tremendous success. Or maybe not. We will have to wait a little to see. 
      

Wagner

shoegaze

Now, that is a good question. Are we free? Do we really grasp the concept of freedom? Opinions might and will differ about that subject, so let's not engage in an endless discussion. Yet, if there is one aspect in life that breathes freedom, it's music. Music is both the most universal and the most personal thing on this very planet. You can't touch it but you can change it. You can't taste or smell it but it will be with you for your entire life. Music is free, but it too has to do exactly what the musicians tells it to do. Then again, there are a number of drone ambient musicians who let the music create itself. It's complicated.

Anyway, I'm currently listening to an album by American shoegazers Crash City Saints. I don't know the band. I have never heard them before but the name seems to ring a bell. A quick internet search teaches me that the band formed in 2002, released an album ('Glow In The Dark') in 2010. According to their facebook page, they like bands like Ringo Deathstarr, Scott Cortez, The Hex Bombs, The Big Pink, Japandroids and Meshuggah. Odd.

The album begins with a slow, lingering shoegaze tune in 'Ice Cream Headache' before suddenly blasting off with tempo and shoegazing goodness that often reeks of doom metal, as in 'Smile Lines'. Eventually, once I'm over my initial feeling of surprise, 'There Is No School Tomorrow' pulls me over. Jesus And Mary Chain comes to mind and if that happens, I'm dealing with something good, something I will definitely like.

In a way, the album describes the story of a teenager growing up in a dead-end small town in the early 90s and finding sort of a path to salvation by listening to bands like My Bloody Valentine, Smashing Pumpkins, Galaxie 500 and so on. Personally, I can relate to that. I too grew up in a small village and I too quickly seeked my salvation in music, although I listened to different bands. (blatant self promotion: because of that lifelong search, I wrote a book about music, 'Cecilia's World'.)

But let's get back to the songs on 'Are You Free?'. I can't find a single one I can't appreciate. 'Spirit Photography' is a brilliant shoegaze track while 'Act 2' brings out a noisy, experimental approach to alternative rock music. 'Dawn Of A Bring New Nothing' somehow reminds me of Slowdive or Cocteau Twins, so now might be a good idea to mention that Simon Raymonde contributed on this album.

'Annabella' is one of my absolute favorites. I love the electronic noise opening and the rest of the song is immersive as hell. Speaking about electronics, 'It's Not a Party Until Someone Breaks Your Heart' is a weird but danceable tune, seamlessly followed by the shoegazing disco tune 'The Hour Of The World', another one of my favorites here. Oh well, I guess you will by now know that I absolutely love this album and that I recommend it to all shoegazers out there.


​Serge

When I started these Brieviews series over a year ago, the initial idea is to empty my inbox by writing shorter reviews for EP's, reissues, singles and a few full length albums. Back then, I was talking about 900 unread emails. That amount has tripled since then and we're already at part 25. That's a lot of short reviews if you ask me. Anyway, here are some more Brieviews for your reading and listening enjoyment. 

dark ambient

heavy metal

black metal / thrash metal

post rock

drone / dark ambient

bandcamp

stoner rock / hard rock

gothic metal / symphonic metal

black metal

Larval Productions

post punk / gothic rock

grindcore

Serge

alternative rock / industrial

People who regularly visit this website might have already read our "Belgium - The capital of the (underground) music scene" series (if not, click here). In these series, I pretty much glorify Belgian music, the one thing in this country I'm extremely proud of.

Today, I can add one more band to the already massive list of countrymen-to-keep-an-eye-on. Their name is This Can Hurt. It's a duo, live aided by two more musicians. 'When Nothing Matters' is their debut full-length, one that might set the Belgian rock scene ablaze again.


The music is a blend of electronic soundscapes and alternative rock, perhaps best described as a mix between Massive Attack and Nine Inch Nails. At least, that's what the band claims. Personally, I'd like to add a few more bands to the mix, including Deftones, Radiohead, Placebo, Muse, Editors,... So yes, you can easily classify this as alternative rock, laced with electronics and a gritty atmosphere. 

The album opens with 'If You Go', a downtempo blend between blues, trip hop and grunge. This song immediately sets the tone for the entire album. There is a lot of emotion to be found, not only in this song but throughout the whole thing. 'Runaway' continues this immersive downtempo approach and quickly becomes one of my favorite tracks. 'Nothing Matters' seems to delve even deeper into the dark electronic eighties and thus another favorite for me.

But before you think it's all slow and downtempo, there are a few excellent rock songs to be found here. My favorite in that aspect is the uplifting post-punker 'Colder'. I absolutely love the drums on this one. they somehow remind me of Sisters Of Mercy, simply ramming away while the rest of the band takes care of melody and harmony. 'Mindblower' also reeks of the glorious eighties and adds a touch of noise to the whole thing.

'Bleed' is another intensely rocking highlight, driving on a contagious guitar riff. Finally, 'Codex' delivers some dark industrial electronic music, seemingly inspired by the EBM scene. So yes, this is quite a varied album, one that I recommend to all alternative rockers out there. This is another example of Belgium's talent, unique but familiar and always intriguing. I'd like to see this live one day, preferably very soon...


​Serge