Category: Rock

Ihä - Estructuras De Aire, Colonias De Soplo

ambient / drone

bandcamp

Chilean drone/ambient band Ihä return with a beautiful new four track album. Much like their previous release, 'Esperanza', this one focuses on minimal but atmospheric soundscapes. The result is a soothing yet immersive piece of work, something fans of everything between Brian Eno and Barn Owl can certainly appreciate. Furthermore, people with a hectic life, people who just want to ease down and relax for a moment, should also give this stuff a chance. Play it loud enough, not too loud, close your eyes and let this talented act guide you through the wonderful world of Ihä.

Spankraght - Spankraght EP

industrial / metal / drum & bass

Antwerp is a crowded city. One day a metalhead and a drum & bass producer slammed into each other in one of our many record stores. Their respective Channel Zero and Netsky vinyl albums smashed into pieces and fell to the floor. Instead of fighting each other, they bought some gear and locked themselves in a rehearsal studio. Now they released a nice piece of crossover with a pounding five track EP. Heavy guitars meet electronic beats and synths in a whirlpool of musical energy. It's Pendulum meets Combichrist meets ... let's say Rammstein, or Metallica. Most of all, it's bloody awesome, although I have no idea how to both dance and bang my head at the same time...

August Rosenbaum - Rasa

classical

Tambourhinoceros

Back in November 2017 August Rosenbaum released 'Vista'. Now, as a little extra, he offers a six track EP, containing the stripped down foundations of that album, plus one brand new track, 'Milo'. What can I say about this EP? It's a man playing a piano, nothing more, nothing less. That alone makes this one of the most beautiful things to listening to, especially if that man is a talented and experienced composer. So, if you're into calm, soothing and blissful smile evoking piano music, this EP is an absolutely must have, nothing more, nothing less.

Show Aniki - The Deep Blue Sessions

metal

The EP by French hard rockers Show Aniki compiles four singles. Throughout the years, the band has suffered several line-up changes but that didn't seem to harm the energy. Influenced by everything between Metallica, Anthrax, Disturbed and Alice In Chains these guys deliver four solid and groovy rock tracks. This is perfect stuff for a hot summer afternoon on some big ass rock festival where the older generation of headbangers will often point at the stage and tell the youngsters how metal should be done. So yeah, this is edgy metal with a heavy yet melodic approach. Great stuff.

The Human Race Is Filth - Liberate

grindcore / crust

Right, that was nice metal and all but for true mental torment you'd have to turn toward this cute and friendly American duo. Thrif delivers their second set of chaotic grindcore pummeling, once again with the intensity of an atomic blast. Fans of bands like Dismember and Napalm Death will undoubtedly get a hardon from this stuff (I don't need photographic proof of that!!!). In eight tracks, mostly short blast of ferocious crust/grind, Thrif effortlessly destroys everything in their path, including your sanity, but who needs sanity when you can have grindcore, right?

Misantronics vs Mint Narcosis - EPI

ambient / techno

Misantronics

Mint Narcosis

Ambient and dance beats mix quite well together. Just look at acts like early Biosphere or Psychic Warriors Of Gaia. In that aspect, it's almost weird that ambient act Misantronics and his EDM alter ego Mint Narcosis only now release a cooperative EP. On 'EPI' you can find four tracks, three of them delving deep into the world of ambient techno and one coming up with some breaks. 'Dragon' and 'Kepler' showcase the calm but danceable side of this EP while 'Kuba' is an hypnotic, trance inducing dance track. 'Unwasted Years' is the odd one here, a gloomy IDM track with haunting soundscapes. Certainly to be continued.

The Room in the Wood - Magical Thinking

new wave / alternative rock

Somewhere between the gloomy sound of new wave and the uplifting energy of alternative rock, we find Liverpool residents The Room In The Wood. Think acoustic music with a strong, distinct voice. In the title track the band shows an infectious blend between Leonard Cohen, Wall Of Voodoo and The Lemonheads. Yeps, that's possible. Johnny Cash fans will undoubtedly appreciate 'Baba Yaga' while The Doors lovers will pick out 'Dragonfly' as their favorite. My personal favorite is the opener. It's a track that makes me curious about their other work. I'll check that soon, but for now, this is good enough.

Twilight - Trident Death Rattle

black metal

To be released on May 1st, this three track EP by legendary American black metal band Twilight, is perhaps one of the most epic blackened releases from that continent. These tracks, which feature Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore, are harsh, intense and chaotic songs. They showcase a massive sense of derangement and isolation. In fact, Opener 'This Road South' is currently one of my favorite black metal tracks. 'Weathered Flames' is a suffocating spiral of blackened nihilism and closer 'No Consequence' will haunt your dreams for decades to come. These are nightmares translated to music and I like that.

Corpsehammer - Perversión

black metal

Morbid Skull

Speaking about musical nightmares, allow me to plug this ugly little filth monger from Swedish extremists Corpsehammer. This EP is the third part in their EP trilogy, released by Morbid Skull. If you are a fan of old school black metal, and I mean old school in the form of ancient 'World Domination' compilations, this undoubtedly is your thing. In three tracks, plus an outro, Corpsehammer delivers a rancid, hardcore punk influenced approach to extreme metal, often at ferocious speeds. There's nothing pretty about this EP, on the exact contrary. This is the musical equivalent of crawling to mud and faeces, mixed with needles. Awesomeness...

Grim - Requiem

classical / post rock / jazz

Equally awesome but in a completely different way comes this new EP by Belgian trio Grim. This band from Leuven turns classical music into post rock anthems with a gloomy jazz feel. This release is based on Frédéric Chopin, more specifically his Préludes and Marche Funèbre. the result is a cinematic and somewhat intimate sounding blend of post rock and dark jazz, something I'm pleasantly surprised by. I can imagine enjoying this in a small and intimate live setting, like a living room or a salon. However, it would also fit perfectly on a festival like Dunk!. Anyhow, this is pretty cool and certainly recommended.

Mhönos - LXXXVII

drone doom

This album by French ritual drone doom act Mhönos is a massive and epic undertaking. In a way, this is pure catharsis, driving on monolithic riffs, deranged vocals and a crushing atmosphere. What I like most about this, is that the band allow the music to take all the time it needs to grow and evolve. Although slow, I can certainly sense a punk attitude here, mostly in the vocal performance. That reminds me of acts like Winter and coincidentally also Phantom Winter. Yet, the music also reminds me of noise acts like MZ412 and Brighter Death Now. So yeah, this is a brilliant piece of work and it comes highly recommended.

Zero Theorem - Ataraxis

hard rock / metal

Some people are waiting for the new Tool album, others hope Disturbed will release their new record soon and still others are still going heavy on the latest Five Finger Death Punch or Papa Roach. All those people should turn their ears towards Los Angeles based metal band Zero Theorem. This six track EP easily draws comparisons with the aforementioned bands. All these songs are infectious modern day metal songs, with exactly the right doses of aggression, melody, riffing and electronics. It's been a while since I have been excited about anything nu-metal related but this EP definitely does the trick.

Vampillia - Happiness Brought By Endless Sorrow

black metal / noise

Temple Of Torturous

Legendary Japanese "brutal orchestra" Vampilia returns with a four track ep that will undoubtedly blast you into mental oblivion. With a furiously raging blend of black metal, grindcore, drone, post rock and noise, this ten piece smashes all competition. Obviously, that shouldn't be a surprise since this act has been on every extreme experimentalists favorites list for years. Although short, these tracks represent massive anthems and come laced with guitars, drums, violins, piano, screams, grunts and whatnot. This is absolute madness, in the best sense of the word.

The Orchestra Of Mirrored Reflections - Narrow Escape

dark jazz

And to conclude, let me introduce you to one of my favorite dark jazz bands and their latest single. I have been following this orchestra for quite some time now and I'm always pleasantly surprised by their output. This time they deliver a long track that might as well become one of my favorites in the while genre. It's an eight minutes lasting and lingering piece of dark jazz with delayed bass, lazy drums and a free floating saxophone solo. In other words, this is perfect for a Sunday evening with wine and cigarettes, courtesy of The Orchestra Of Mirrored Reflections.

Serge

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Brieviews 40

5/4/2018

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Objector - Social Intolerance

thrash metal

We kick off this edition of Brieviews with some ruthless Belgian thrash metal, courtesy of Objector. With this eight track EP, these guys pay homage to the glory days of the genre, and mostly to bands like Slayer, Kreator, Exodus and Destruction. After a brief intro, 'Life Denied' starts the merciless pummeling at an excruciating tempo and it doesn't stop until 'Vengeance (Will Be Mine)' fades away. For fans of old school thrash, this EP definitely is a must-have, you can't get closer to that overwhelming sound without blatantly copying your heroes. Objector is a welcome, fresh and raging name in the thrash scene, no doubt about that.

Chief Roberts - The Hopeless

stoner metal / sludge

This Belgian riffing-tsunami is not over yet because here is Antwerp combo Chief Roberts and their face punching EP 'The Hopeless'. On this EP, the band showcases a punishing mix of hardcore, sludge metal and stoner rock, coming at you with the intensity of a raging horde of rhinos. And if that's not enough, they also throw in some extreme influences to completely beat you down. I would recommend this EP to all sludge fans out there but I'm not it will be safe for them to listen to it. I mean, this is one of the most aggressive and violent sludge releases I have heard in a while. Bloody awesome one too.

RRRags - RRRags

psychedelic rock / stoner / blues

Ron Van Herpen, Rob Zim and Rob Martin had themselves a little jamsession in September 2017. They had so much fun playing together that decided to form a brand new band and RRRags was born. This power trio comes up with good old fashioned stoner blues, laced with psychedelic rock and a joyous jam-atmosphere. Fans of everything between Hawkwind and Grand Funk Railroad will undoubtedly love this six tracks. You can hardly go more old-school than blues crackers like 'Rag Machine' or psych-rockers like 'On With The Journey'. This is definitely something to look out for, especially live performances.

Hellstorm Of Flaming Nothingness - Sattva

drone / ambient

Time for a resting point with the first full-length of Belgian minimal drone engineer Hellstorm Of Flaming Nothingness. With Sattva, HOFN processed a rough year into seven deep droning meditations. As usual, the approach is minimal and dark, giving the whole thing an extremely introvert atmosphere. Yet, it also sounds otherworldly and comes with a sense of angst and hopelessness. So no, this is not a pleasurable album to listen to but it is a emotional one, one to listen to while you reflect on your life choices, your past actions and your future opportunities. There is light at the end of the tunnel but the tunnel is dark and insecure.

Forte Ruin - Rebuilding the Machinery

death metal / symphonic metal

Right, back to severe headbanging, this time with the return of Finnish melodic death metal sextet Forte Ruin. Their new EP shows a band that has evolved and grown since their 2015 effort, much to my delight. The influences from Dimmu Borgir, Children Of Bodom and Fear Factory are still there but now Forte Ruin has found their niche in the fierce but melodic corners of the metal scene. The result is a violent five track album, loaded with cutting edge riffing, atmospheric synths, intense screams and melodic clean vocals. This EP is a whirlwind of modern day metal, one every fan of the genre should check out.

Postcode - Dandelion Radio Session II

alternative rock

To celebrate their tenth birthday, Isle Of Man residents Postcode revised some of their older songs and turn them into a sweet live registration. On this five track EP you can find nice alternative rock tunes, inspired by acts like The Pixies, The Breeders and PJ Harvey. This definitely will bring a smile to the faces of nineties rockers. You can feel the joy of playing these songs live. My personal is the lingering 'Hope Makes the Stars Shine Brighter' but I'm quite positive that all of these tunes regularly appear in my alternative rock list from now on. I suggest you do the same and check out this highly enjoyable band.

Hypnodial - Aether Alcoves

ambient

Hailing from Palma De Mallorca, Hypnodial seems to be influence by everything ambient and downtempo related, from Brian Eno over The Orb to the harshness of Cold Meat Industry. Those influences reflect of this album too, even though the whole thing comes in a minimal and gloomy approach. With twelve tracks, ranging from gentle ambient tunes to downtempo electronics, this album is well varied and thus an excellent companion for daily listening. My favorite is the dubby ambient tune 'Old Café' but I'm damn sure that every ambient aficionado will easily appreciate this stuff.

Dead Neanderthals - Life

drone / noise / ambient

It looks like an eighties punk inspired thrash metal album but it comes from Dutch heavy jazz combo Dead Neanderthals and it sounds like a massive drone experiment. These guys never cease to amaze us. This time, the Dutch primitives decided to leave the drums and the sax at home. So what are left with? A thirty six minutes lasting psychedelic drone track, hypnotic, immersive and as minimal as Maggie De Block's sexlife. So yeah, it's a surprising Dead Neanderthals release but definitely one to add to your ever expanding drone-scape collection. I'm already curious about what they'll come up with next. Hip hop?

Hiemis - Nachtstücke

dark ambient

GH Records

If you're into deep, dark drones and eerie soundscapes, this album by Hiemis is right up your alley. The music has plenty of similarities with your favorite dark ambient acts, such as Raison D'Etre, Desiderii Marginis, In Slaughter Natives, Lustmord and Inade, to name a few. These are gloomy instrumental tales of ghosts, demons, dreams, visions and nightmares, both minimal and overwhelming at times. 'Die Jesuiterkirche in G' is my personal favorite but every fan of old Cold Meat Industry releases will undoubtedly appreciate these nocturnal soundscapes, no doubt about that. So check it out if you're one of those eternal dark souls...

Setaoc Mass - Solid Void

techno

SK Eleven

Every once in a while an electronic dance music release appears on our pages, and that solely means that I like it. I surely like this one, driving on heavy, hypnotic and repetitive beats and percussion while array of industrial inspired sounds continuously slap you in the face. Of course this is stuff for the nighttime dance floors, where artists like Marco Bailey love to roam but I'm sure that tracks like 'Light Falls' and 'Eurhythmic' will often blast through my speakers from now on. If you are not weary of some old school techno beats, you might as well check this one out, play it loud and get that party started. Why wouldn't you?

Meka Nism - The War Inside

symphonic metal / death metal

What would happen when you lock Arch Enemy and Lacuna Coil in the same room and force them to record an album? Well, you'd probably get something like Florida residents Meka Nism. Supported by skilled musicians, Ms. Meka delivers an impressive array of clean vocals, grunts and screams, sometimes melodic sometimes simply smashing your face against the wall. Behind her, the musicians deliver a solid truckload of modern day death metal riffs and licks, topping everything off with methodical drums. Stuff like this can easily set the big stages at metal festivals on fire, and maybe also blow the roof off your living room.

Severin - Safe Following Distance

electronic / experimental / breakcore

Petrol 80

This odd and unusual electronic dance music album will be revealed on April 20 but I can already tell you that it will be worthwhile. Somehow, Severin manages to throw heaps of dance tunes into the blender and come out with something exciting and unique. In a way, this stuff can build a bridge between house, techno, breakbeats and breakcore. This results in four in-your-face experimental electronic tracks which you can either try to dance to or go insane by. I guess the choice is yours. I mean, even Autechre doesn't often go this wild and bizarre. So obviously, this little thing comes highly recommended.

Serge

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Brieviews 39

28/3/2018

These Brieviews have been written by Serge. If you like what you read here, be sure to check out his book, 'Cecilia's World'. It's about music, life and love.

Owl - Orion Fenix

doom / post metal

Zeitgeister

Owl, the solo project of Valborg frontman Christian Kolf, delivers an overwhelming piece of music. Post metal, ambient and doom meet and alternate in one massive track, clocking off at 22 minutes. The track was written and recorded in eighteen hours over three days, which definitely explains the organic flow of the whole thing. In a way, this track feels like a concept album, revolving around dark and haunting emotions. Calm ambient and modern classical passages make way for intense pieces of doom inspired metal and vice versa. For fans of decent narrative music, this is certainly a must-have, and that includes sludge metal aficionados.

Stonemule - Dystopian State

metal / hardcore

Polder Records

Speaking of sludge metal fans, they might as well throw their ears at these noise makers from Koksijde (Belgium). What Stonemule delivers is a massive blast of hardcore infused stoner metal, laced with grunge and doom and flirting with the extreme. How they do that? Well, first of all by a solid background of drums and bass, then by face melting riffing and finally by having three vocalists showing of their respective talents in singing, growling and screaming. The result is quite impressive, a blast of sheer energy. Eventually, they top it off with excellent musical skills by flashing some delicious solos. Nice work.

Ritual King - Earthrise

psychedelic rock / doom

When Planets Collide

Speaking of delicious guitar work, here is the new EP by English stoner rockers Ritual King. On 'Earthrise' they come up with three energetic songs. 'Ideology', 'Tides' and my personal favorite 'But Anyway' are uptempo psychedelic blues rock tunes that seem to come right from the early seventies. The jam-calibre is very high on these, making them all perfect candidates for live performances on sun lit (and probably smoke filled) music festivals. I wouldn't be surprised to see these guys appear on Desertfest, Up In Smokes and everything else stoner rock related in the near future.

Wykan - Solace

psychedelic / doom

A strange and bewildering piece of psychedelic doom metal, inspired by both old school doom and black metal, this debut by Canadian act Wykan is certainly something special. On one hand you get the classic riff worship, supported by methodical drums and clean vocals. Yet, on the other hand, there is that cold, eerie and vile atmosphere of extreme metal, enhanced by screams, growls and occult imagery. Needless to say perhaps but this EP is so varied that it almost sounds like a split-release. This is intriguing, to say the least and I am already extremely curious for what this act comes up with in the future.

Soft Science - Undone / I Don't Know Why I Love You

shoegaze / dream pop

Test Pattern Records

Hah, I doubted this single for exactly four seconds. I didn't know what to think about the jangling guitars at first, but then, when the rolling bass and the propelling drums came in, I became interested. Then the vocals of Katie Haley and I was sold. Now, Soft Science has a place in my shoegaze folder where it appears alongside acts like Belly, The Cranes and Slowdive. 'Undone' is my favorite here but 'I Don't Know Why I Love You' is in no way inferior. Both are energetic dreampop tunes, there is very little else to say about that. So get them, on April 6, if you're a shoegazer. Of not, check it out as well.

Maff - Melañiña

shoegaze

Then, where you're in a good shoegazing mood, you certainly have to give Chilean collective Maff a listen. I remember being rather impressed with their 2015 album. Now they return with a five track EP, blending shoegaze, dreampop, post rock and noise rock into another heap of delicious atmospheric rock tunes. In fact, opener 'Act 2' might soon prove to be one of my favorites in that genre. I love those howling, lingering guitars and that almost industrial beat. And then there are still four more awesome tunes to go. So yeps, shoegazers of all ages, you definitely need this one.

Nostalgist - Disaffection

post punk / new wave

Some more eighties inspired music comes from Seattle residents Nostalgist. Their music reflects the dark corners of that era, the one where The Cure, Killing Joke and Joy Division ruled. However, Nostalgist has also been listening to bands like Deftones and Alcest and they're not afraid to throw some distorted guitars into the mix. The result is a brilliant EP, containing six gloomy tracks which perfectly combine these two styles, or eras. Actually, I'm quite impressed by this effort. I didn't know this kind of awesomeness was still being made today. I'm sure that the old school goths will easily appreciate songs like 'Pendulums' and 'Present Tense'. Highly recommended !!!

Amusement Parks On Fire - All The New Ends

alternative rock / shoegaze

Saint Marie Records

English art rockers Amusement Parks On Fire return with a three-track EP which is as simple as it is brilliant. Opener 'All The New Ends' blends post rock with britpop as only the British can. 'Temporal Rinse' is a drone ambient creeper Godspeed! You Black Emperor wished they had recorded. Finally, 'Infernal Flame' picks you up and drags you to the dreampopping dancefloor where you will gaze at your shoes for what feels like hours and hours. To be honest, apart from the name I didn't really know these guys. Now I'm a fan. They only needed three songs to convince me, isn't that neat?

Grift - Vilsna Andars Boning

neofolk

Nordvis

Hailing from the lonesome woods of Scandinavia, Grift delivers two enigmatic neofolk songs. This Swedish poet/songwriter has been around since 2011 with several albums and a split-record with legendary act Drudkh.

On this two track, he comes up with two acoustic songs. I think fans of acts like Sol Invictus, Wardruna and Darkwood can easily appreciate these stripped down folk sounds. 'Bortom Berget' is my favorite on this two track, a solid neofolk track about nature and culture.

Giovanni Verga - Sylphic

experimental / ambient / noise

Unexplained Sounds

A more haunting and otherworldly musical view on solitude and loneliness comes from composer/experimentalist Giovanni Verga. With field recordings, no-input mixers and other kinds of sound manipulation, Verga created an alienating ambient adventure, on that delves deep into the avant garde. The line between music and incomprehensible noise is very thin. There are howling wolves, industrial soundscapes, vocal samples and mysterious drones but there are also tiny hints of melody. And obviously, there is this allover gloomy atmosphere which makes you imagine alien worlds and underground tales. Awesome

TRI:.OBYTE - STAR ⠃⠊⠗⠞⠓ KIC 8462852

ambient / noise / experimental

Speaking about sounds from alien worlds, this album certainly is an interesting one. With a mix of dark ambient, cosmic noise and tales about UFO sightings, this album takes you to new dimensions. I can easily see this music as the soundtrack for new episodes of the X-Files, or any other sci-fi series for that matter. Opener 'Some Kind Of Reflective' is haunting ambient gold and the rest of this record graciously follows it example, except maybe 'Visitation'. This one doesn't just take you to outer space, it places you right on the operation table in one of those abduction stories. This is a great release, certainly recommended.

Bloodkry - Dark Paradise

dark ambient / drone

Even more darkness comes from Finland, where Bloodkry reveals a new EP. 'Dark Paradise' contains four tracks, beginning with the hypnotic title track. I love the percussive elements in this one, it feels likes descending into an underground industrial complex. 'My Shelter' is a bit more friendly, melodic but also glitchy and unusual, like a post rock track that's falling asleep. 'Nowhere' is my favorite track here, a genuine dark ambient piece that brings many of the great names to mind. Closer 'Don't Forget Me' eventually comes up with repetitive industrial beats, along with hypnotic drones. Awesomeness.

Kloob - Remarkable Events

ambient / electronic

Dani Kloob has been making music for twenty years, from underground dance tunes to atmospheric ambient. With this album, he seems to investigate where ambient turns into dark ambient, balancing on the edge between the two. The result is an immersive ambient album, minimal but rich in both sound and atmosphere. 'Remarkable Events' is a perfect album to play late at night, warmly tucked in bed, reminiscing about your life. It will guide you into pleasant and adventurous dreams. I can't pick out a favorite track, because that's a hard thing to do with this kind of minimal music but rest assured, this is definitely worth your time.

Widow's Peak - Graceless

death metal

Right, time to blast some relentless death metal through my speakers. Here is Canadian horde Widow's Peak and their suffocating debut EP 'Graceless'. That title fits the load quite well. This thing is raunchy, filthy and gore, a blend of death metal, hard & grindcore, complete with deep growls, harsh screams and pig squeals. Fans of Aborted or Cattle Decapitation will undoubtedly get a hard-on from this stuff. I don't but I'm old, don't mind me. I know for sure that contemporary death metal, deathcore and metalcore fans will absolutely adore this. So, if you are one them, you'll have to check this out. Period!

Cult of Extinction - Black Nuclear Magick Attack

black metal

Sentient Ruin

We end this edition of Brieviews with one of the most menacing, unpredictable and chaotic releases I have heard in a while. German extremists Cult Of Extinction release a thunderous tape, loaded with a filthy and vulgar mix of death, black, grindcore and whatnot. Quite often driving on inhumanly fierce tempos, this four track aims for nothing less than your rotten soul itself. The result is a massive cesspool of noise, hammering and screams that will drain the last bit of hope for humanity out of your miserable life. I think I made myself clear. This comes highly recommended only to the most seasoned extreme metal heads out there.

Serge

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Roamer - What The Hell

27/3/2018

indie / alternative rock

Czar Of Revelations

Some labels send us really surprising stuff. This one for example completely stunned me. I think I was expecting something in the line of stoner rock or perhaps doom metal but I got something way different. You should have seen the look on my face when I heard the "boom boom boom boom" kicks in the beginning of opener 'Open My Pants'.

So no, Roamer is definitely not a stoner rock band but they are pretty much everything else. From disco to post-rock, indie pop and alternative rock, these guys can seemingly do it all. So buckle up for a weird but interesting experience.

Roamer is the band of the Swiss singer and composer Samuel Blatter. Not only has he been a vocalist in several bands, he also composed and produced theatre and dance performances. With Roamer, he seems to explore his entire musical background, which results in surprising songs about surprising themes. Opener 'Open My Pants' contains the lyrics "you're going down on me" a few times, so yes, we're far away from normal everyday pop music. On the other hand, lyrically speaking this resembles most modern hip hop, hah.

That being said, this might actually be the indie pop equivalent of Kayo Dot. Much like Toby Driver Samuel Blatter loves to experiment, add unusual elements, strange hooks and surprising edges. Blatter does not take it to the extreme but he does manage to create unique songs. Even the gloomy ballad 'Bye Bye Baby' sounds unusual enough to not appear on your everyday radio station. Then again, this doesn't belong on your radio station. It belongs on your record player.

Bands that come to mind when I listen to these tunes include everything from the Beatles over Frank Zappa to dEUS, Ween, Muse, Archive and Sonic Youth. 'There's No Me' is a perfect wedding between the joyful pop of the Beatles and the noise of Sonic Youth. 'Touchscreen' might be the most "normal" indie pop song here, a mid tempo tune that touches the blues. Oh well, I guess it's clear by now that this is a damn unique effort. It's something I'd like to recommend to all fans of the unusual and obscure. It's really something else...

Serge

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Brieviews 38

14/3/2018

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

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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Maudlin - Sassuma Arnaa

21/2/2018

psychedelic rock / post hardcore / grunge

Consouling Sounds

I'll let you in on a little secret. Sometimes I like to start writing a review before I actually listen to the album. Just for fun. In those cases, I write some nonsense about the weather, about how almost every car on the handicapped parking space is a BMW or about my lazy cat. I can also write that first paragraph about the band name or about the cover art, or simply about my own history with that particular band. In this particular case, that history is rather long and vague. I think I first heard the name Maudlin back in 2006 or 2007. After that, I regularly saw them featured on a festival flyer. Yet, I can't say I have ever been a fan.

Why not? Well, I have absolutely no idea. My best guess is the fact that I have never been a (post) hardcore fan. That, and I have been away from the heavy music scene for about ten years before I started this website. In the days Maudlin stepped on festival stages far and wide, I was engaged in the dark ambient and noise scene. Until today, I didn't know any song by these guys. Now, that is all changing and after giving this album a first spin I'm stuck between a feeling of regret and one of pleasant surprise.

Maudlin is a Belgian band, formed in 2005. In those thirteen years, they released only three albums, this one being the second full length on Consouling Sounds. This one comes five years after 'A Sign Of Time' and much like its predecessors it is a concept album. This time, the focus is on the sea. The band hails from Ostend, a city at the Belgian coast so the band members are very familiar with the North Sea.

The music on this album is quite different from what I expected. After all, I expected post hardcore but I was treated to something psychedelic and immersive. 'Endless Expanse' is a perfect opener for this album, something between Tool, Soundgarden and Isis. To me, that was surprising, especially when the vocals came in. Most of them seem to be clean, well performed efforts instead of brutal screams. To me, that is a massive plus.

Then it hit me. Of course, Maudlin has matured, something you can easily hear in the brilliant 'Erase'. Along with the opener, this one is probably my favorite. In fact, all of these tracks are strong, potent pieces of raw psychedelic rock music. Over the past thirteen years or so, the members have gotten extremely well attuned to one another, became better musicians, experienced the ups and downs of the underground music industry.

Blending psychedelic rock with doom metal and grunge is an absolute win-win situation and Maudlin simply nailed it. Other bands that come to mind include Master Musicians Of Bukkake, Om, Porcupine Tree, Alice In Chains and Black Sabbath. I don't think those are bad names to be compared with. Yet, probably more important than that, Maudlin managed to create their own niche within a vast and massively influenced music scene, so it seems.

So yeah, from a bit hesitant to glorifying. I guess that I either underestimated these guys in the past or they have just created their own magnum opus. Fact is, this is going right into my day-to-day playlist in which all of the aforementioned bands are already present. I'm sure I will enjoy tracks like 'The Stowaway' or 'Above The Vast Clouds' quite a few times from now on. I can only recommend this album, which is actually yet another statement about how much talent our country harbors.

Serge

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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 36

8/2/2018

Operant - Harnessed To Flesh

industrial

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

Wild Mighty Freaks - Guns 'n Cookies

nu metal / hip hop / metal

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

Bongthrower - Demo

stoner doom / sludge metal

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

Ecloss - Diluvienne

black metal

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

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

Valiant - A Timeworn Oath

black metal

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

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

Tides of Emptiness - Tides of Emptiness

black metal

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

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

Vindorn - Perdition

black metal

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

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

Obscure - Zero Dawn

metal / stoner rock

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

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

Ossian Smith - Sleepless Town

rock

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

Servants Of The Apocalyptic Goat Rave - Queen Of Darkness

black metal / hardcore techno / industrial

Svartlava

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

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

Babalith - Gramatique du Ciel

experimental / ambient

Sombre Soniks

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

Dark Archive - Cultivate Our Blood in Aeon

black metal

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

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

Limbs - Body Without

shoegaze / post punk / noise rock / black metal

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

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Room Me - Anaon

30/1/2018

alternative rock

After two ambient albums, it's time for some distorted guitars again. For these, we go to France, where we meet Room Me, the alter ego of Anne-Sophie Remy. Remy has been active in the French rock scene for quite some time, as vocalist, bassist and violinist.

Under the moniker Room Me she recorded two EP's and on February 8 the full-length 'Anaon' will be unleashed. It's an emotional and strong alternative rock album. It's unpolished, raw and gritty, as if PJ Harvey and Chelsea Wolfe got together for an evening of composing and jamming.

The album opens with a rather harsh but slow track titled 'The Encounter'. The song immediately sets the tone. Room Me seems highly influenced by the aforementioned women and chooses that same uneasy and dark path. I like it that way and halfway through the first track I'm becoming a fan. To be honest, I'm always kinda uncertain about French music, mainly because of their accent when they're singing in English. Luckily, that is not an issue here, making it a lot easier to appreciate and enjoy the music.

'Happy Ending' raises the tempo a bit, something very few tracks on this album do. In fact, I can easily describe this mix between grunge, alternative rock and vintage hard rock as 'doom rock', not only because of the tempo but also because of the atmosphere. 'Memories' is another one of those defining tunes and would do very well in a live setting. There is something immersive about this song, a certain sing-along feeling.

'My Death' comes up with the violins, a bit like Therapy's version of 'Diane' but way more convincing and definitely better. This is a spooky song, one which to a certain extend brings Diamanda Galas to mind, without the exuberant vocal dissipations, obviously. It's followed by my favorite on this album, 'Death Smiles And Dances Are Gone'. This one is a lingering blues track, perhaps also inspired by post rock.

So, I have to admit, I had my doubts about this album at first. Being compared to PJ Harvey and Chelsea Wolfe are big shoes to fill but Room Me pulled it off. These are angsty doom rock tracks that every fan of the aforementioned women should add to their collection.

Serge

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Brieviews 35

20/1/2018

The Vale - Autumn in the Valley

doom / rock

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

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.

Heligoland - Coriallo

shoegaze / dreampop

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

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.

Luke Fox - Sugarloaf

pop / rock

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

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.

Versus The Ghost - We Don't Belong Here

post rock

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

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.

Concrete Eden - Left

nu metal

NRT Records

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