Ogmasun - Into the Void

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

Bunkr - Schluss

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

Gloson - Mara

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

Geezer - Spiral Fires

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

Lecu - Scented Sonar

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

Aleksei Nikitin - Vesna

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

Druhá Smrt - Incarnatium

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

Chelidon Frame - NowHere Nowhere NoWhere

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

Talipes Valgus - Sly

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

Haunt - If Icarus Could Fly

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

Suffering Hour - Dwell

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

Russ Young - Pala

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

Sons of Morpheus - The Wooden House Session

Swiss psychedelic blues rock trio Sons Of Morpheus deliver a scorching hot slab of desert rock with this six track EP. Opener 'Doomed Cowboy' is a gritty piece of music, heavy on the jams and gloomy in nature. From then on, the trio takes you on a jam fueled trip where CCR meets Karma To Burn. 'Loner' is a solid rocker and 'Nowhere To Go' is a smashing piece of modern day, old fashioned grunge music. By the end, the so-called "Never Ending Version'" of 'Slave' aims to get you into a blues loaded state of trance. So if you're into raunchy jam driven blues rock, this is a must-have.

The Wøøøh - Music For Weddings And Funerals

I don't know what kind of weddings and funerals the members of free jazz quartet The Wøøøh usually go to, but I do know that my family would run and never return with this kind of stuff. Not that it's bad, on the contrary. My family just isn't into intense jazz music. I'd never invite them to a Yodok III gig, for example, which is probably the closest reference I can mention. The first of the two tracks on this album is a lengthy anthem, opening with drones and vague melodies before bursting out in a frenzy of free jazz fueled chaos. The second varies on a similar theme. Both are baffling, that's fore sure.

Clouds Taste Satanic - Evil Eye

American instrumental stoner doom combo Clouds Taste Satanic have never disappointed and they seem loyal to that tradition. Their new album, 'Evil Eye' contains two twenty minutes lasting anthems, the title track and 'Pagan Worship'. With titles like that, I think it's obvious what to expect: occult driven doom metal, loaded with psychedelic solos and gut wrenching riffs. Fans of acts like Earth, Bongzilla and Pelican will certainly appreciate these lengthy narrative tunes. I know I do. Like I said, these guys never disappoint. 'Evil Eye' is simply the next step in the elaborate sonic world they create, and a brilliant one as well.

Experiment#508 - Light Is Lunacy

A strange and often uneasy album, 'Light Is Lunacy' balances on the edge between experimental ambient and industrial noise. The atmosphere is dark. The music is loaded with eerie soundscapes and impending drones. Yet, the tracks on this album are surprisingly varied. There is the occult driven opener 'Summoning The Madness' or the minimal 'Gnostic Prayer'. There is percussion and ear drum testing drones. 'Firestorm' is harsh and unforgiving while closer 'Obelisk' feels like being locked up in a nuclear facility, waiting for the inevitable. In all, this is a remarkable set of haunting noises.

Itai - Awake / Asleep

Gary Numan meets Author & Punisher, that was my first thought when I listened to the six tracks on this abstract electronic techno album. Well, techno might not be the correct term. I think I prefer the phrase "harsh synth pop" for most of these tunes, including 'The Greatest' the impending 'Asleep'. Don't expect repetitive beats and lame vocals but instead prepare for mechanic soulsearching and a massively futuristic sound. My personal favorite here is the friendly 'Adream', a neat downtempo tune. But, as usual, I recommend checking out the entire EP. This is an interesting approach to modern day electronic music.

Folian - Ache Pillars 

Hailing from Portland and inspired by everything between Nine Inch Nails and Neurosis, one man project Folian comes up with a doom-loaded take on shoegaze. This four track EP can be seen as a successful crossover between Jesu and Slowdive with its sluggish tempos, its subdued but emotional vocals and its walls of guitars. 'Ghost In The Flesh' is a stunning piece of music. Closer 'Where All This Dust Comes From' is my favorite, a long and slowly developing drone-gazer, reminiscent of acts like Nadja. In all, this is an interesting EP, one which every droner out there should check out.

Phillip Wilkerson – Sublime Silence

This American artist has already released an immense amount of work since he started composing ambient space music. Phillip Wilkerson had several collaborations with other ambient artists like Litmus0001, Silvie Walder, Mystified and the very underrated French ambient artist Lucette Bourdin (1954-2011). Phillip Wilkerson is together with Jourdan Laik the duo behind the deep listening project Time Being. The spacey soundscapes of Sublime Silence make you feel like driftwood floating without any hesitation into an ocean of relaxation and peace. With soft guidance the music takes the listener towards the borders of immense

Sílení – Long Forgotten Bowers

If you are curious and longing for a dark ambient trip like you never had before, Sílení could be the treasure you’ve been looking for. This release on Raffaele Pazzalla’s (a.k.a. SONOLOGYST) Eight Tower Records label contains nine outstanding pieces of ambient and dark ambient soundscapes. The project Sílení is in fact the alias of the Portuguese musician Valter Abreu, some may recognize his name from his progressive black metal project Necromanther. The strange, capricious creations on this digital release are spellbinding soundscapes which evoke mysterious paths of unknown and hidden awareness.

Empty Chalice – Mother Destruction

‘The preparation of Mother Destruction was attended by a person who ‘no longer exists’and which is not mentioned in any passage…’  are very strange introducing words that accompany, this Italian dark ambient release in the press folder. The brain behind Empty Chalice is Antoninne A. The weird atmosphere of this recording spreads death, doom and melancholic darkness. The tracks are build up with grim soundscapes mixed with noisy samples, industrial vibrations and ritual ambiance.  Antoninne A. had some guests featuring on the album.  Ashtoreth (Peter Verwimp), Rare Form and Kurgan Hors were able to lift

NIMH – Beyond The Crying Era

The Winter-Light label has a special gift and sharp nose for talented electronic artists, devising unusual and out of the box sound architecture.  Nimh is an avant-garde, deep ambient, industrial electronic project formed by the multi-instrumentalist and sound designer Giuseppe Verticchio. His distorted  drones mixed with dark ambient blasted unexpectedly and without mercy through our headphones. The enormous sound waves made us gasp for air and left us speechless after the first track.  Beyond The Crying Era is a selection of dark ambient and experimental tracks recorded

Anantakara – Momentum Lapses

Anantakara, is a Belgium based project from Philippe Wauman. His meditative music is more than just ambient. He prefers to call himself a sound calligrapher who engenders a blend of ambient, electronica, neoclassical and ethnic jazz. Philippe Wauman is also member of the Belgian ambient trio Aerodyn. The music has a calming effect without entering the path of flatness. The combinations of jazzy tunes and different approaches in adding diverse electronic sounds make this album an interesting piece of work. Slow repeating rhythms deliver a tension, high enough to grasp the listener into

Syrinx - There Is Distance Between Us

It feels so good to see English trio Syrinx return. Sombre Soniks releases their first album since 2011 and it's a gem. 'There Is A Distance Between Us' is one long sonic meditation, fifty nine minutes long. It opens with slowly meandering drones and soundscapes, quiet, at times impending. Calmly, a whole story develops, carried by mysterious sounds and eerie atmospheres. I guess it's safe to compare this album to artists like Troum, Vidna Obmana or Rapoon: gloomy ambient soundscapes best to be enjoyed with eyes closed and mind open. This certainly is a nice comeback.

Mule Skinner – Airstrike 

Formed in 1990, Mule Skinner is a death/grindcore band from New Orleans USA.  Airstrike is their comeback album, twenty three years after their debut Abuse. Their heavy neck breaking underground grindcore works addictive. Time has passed but the sound of Mule Skinner is still crushing skulls and bones. Deep venomous vocals and high speed riffs blowing even your wall paper away. The bass tunes have a very important contribution in this recording. Airstrike is an album with evincive grindcore. Thirteen songs of blasting power. Highly recommended to fans of Terrorizer and the early Brutal Truth.

Stone Wired – Habitual Discomfort

Stone Wired is a project of Mortum (Gyorgy Turoczy), released on his own Underground Death Ambient Label From Hungary, but active in the USA. The sinister deep industrial sounds work like a suffocation machine. Stone Wired explores the boundaries of dark ritual music. Harsh electronics are used to make the listener aware of the habitual discomforts of life. The artist has already released dozens of tapes and cdr’s. He creates sounds and noise with other aliases like Human Vault and Odour Sonour too. If you like dark and obscure underground electronics, Stone Wired will be your perfect guide.

I Am Waiting For You Last Summer - Together

Russian act I Am Waiting For You Last Summer is one of those bands who explore genre boundaries without limitations. Loved and respected by electronic, ambient, downtempo, post-rock and alternative pop communities, these Russians have played over 200 shows allover Europe, including Dunk! Now they come with a sweet and enjoyable three-track EP, 'Together'. The three songs are short but they will warm up your day and bring a smile to your face with their. It's Explosions meets Plaid or Mogwai meets Boards Of Canada but most of all it's gentle, soothing music that deserves a place in your collection.

Brad Couture - Strung - Vol. I

Brad Couture delivers another beautiful breather in a rough and busy world. For that, he only needs a piano and a tiny bit of electronics. The two songs on 'Strung Vol.1' are short minimalistic piano pieces, 'Pleiades' and 'Radial', coming with a strong feeling of melancholy. It's easy to imagine vast wintry landscapes or scenes with broken-heart people while listening to this music. If you are a fan of cinematic ambient and slow piano melodies, you don't want to miss out on this one. Put these two tunes in your winter-playlist and the darkest of seasons will shine a little brighter this year.

Comatose Vigil A.K. - Evangelium Nihil

Seven years after 'Fuimus, non Sumus...', funeral doom trio Comatose Vigil A.K. return with a new album. 'Evangelium Nihil' contains four tracks, four monolithic pieces of funeral doom metal, containing all the ingredients that make this genre so attractive. Slow, torpid music, driving on droning guitars, sluggish drums and deep growls. Fans of the band and fans of Esoteric, Evoken, Shape Of Despair and so on can easily trust Comatose Vigil A.K. to deliver the sonic burial they crave so much. This album is a walk in the darkest and deadliest labyrinths of the human soul, one which every funeral doomster will adore.

Dxvxdxd Sxlf - Of Wolves & Men

Dxvxdxd Sxlf (read, Divided Self) is a French band with a lot of symbolism and a lot of influences, from literature about madness and insanity to dark rock bands like Moonspell, IAMX and Deftones. Their first effort is a four track (+ four unplugged versions) EP which is quite hard to comprehend. Opener Under The Gaze Of Christ' seems influenced by gothic metal and melodic black metal but suffers from rather unfitting vocals. These vocals perform better, more powerful on the groovy doom/post track 'Dreamer On Ecstasy' and the gothrocker 'The Path'. In all, this is an interesting EP, not a smasher but a nice introduction to a band that is still finding a solid sound.

Shelther - When Comes The Flee

Here we go again, a drone/ambient release by a member of one of Belgium's many (sludge) metal bands, something that almost always sounds interesting. Shelter is the solo project from Lethvm's drummer Antoine Matthys. With 'When Comes the Flee' he delivers a one-track EP, lasting over thirty minutes and bathing in atmosphere. Armed with a guitars and a bunch of effects, Shelher steps into the same forest where Ashtoreth, Stratosphere, Syndrome and CHVE wander. Opening with folkish guitar plucks, this track grows, evolves and narrates, beautifully honoring this tradition of Belgian drone ambient. Brilliant piece, highly recommended!

Temple Music - Εποχές Vol. II

Alan Trench returns with two new pieces of sonic meditation, good for a total of over forty minutes of droning soundscapes and cosmic ambient. 'Summer Dominoes' is a lengthy sound exploration, evolving in an almost unstable manner. Minimalism certainly is the keyword here, even the term 'I-Dose' comes to mind. This is music to meditate to, thus perhaps my favorite of the two. Track two, 'Laughing In The Tower' is more complex, darker and also noisier. Here, haunting voices appear, along with vague melodies and eerie soundscapes. Yet, if you want your music to narrate strange adventures, you need this one.

Hey Life - Masquerade

What would happen if Jamiroquai and Queens Of The Stone Age crawl into a studio? Well, French rockers Hey Life might come close to that. One part of the band is hooked on alternative rock while the others have the funk floating through their veins. The result is this uplifting five-track EP, loaded with energetic rock songs for the whole family to enjoy. It's not every day that Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pulp, Rage Against The Machine ànd Michael Jackson come to mind when I listen to an album. For some reason, these songs are infectious and sheer fun. Dancing is recommended, smiling is obligatory.

Rosalyn - Single Mother

Rosalyn was born right after the release of  'Heiligenstadt', The View Electrical’s sophomore album. Vocalist Frédéric Aellen wanted to create something more intimate and acoustic so he locked himself up with a guitar and a laptop. The result is a four-track EP, moving into the regions of dreampop, slow/sadcore and indie pop. In a way, the songs here are bittersweet pop songs, powerful enough to entertain people in front of a stage but intimate enough to guide emotions in a lonely bedroom. My favorite here is the piano version of 'Rusty' but I'm sure many people will adore these melodies.

I Hate Models - Spreading Plague 

Let's finish this set of Brieviews with something completely different. It might look like a death metal album but don't get I Hate Models wrong: this is nutkicking industrial hardcore techno, or something like that. I guess you can compare this to Horrorist meeting Combichrist making it perfect for acid rave-caves and gothic industrial parties alike. Hell, even rhythmic noise freaks can get their much needed shots of electronic aggression. The single comes with a remix and an extra track, 'Martial Order'. So put on your dancing boots and stomp the night away.

October - Dark Hymns 

Collapse Project - Crossing Lights

Extremity - Coffin Birth

Khemmis - Desolation 

Lossy - Gated Soul

Moloch Letalis - Krwawy Sztorm

McClane - The Cavern of Noise

Blutvial - Mysteries of Earth

Cosmic Autumn - Cosmic Autumn

Stone Age Mammoth - Earthborn

ColdWorld - Nostalgia 

Phet - Return

White Hills & Der Blutharsch And The Infinite Church Of The Leading Hand - Desire

Here is an interesting cooperation to kick off this edition of Brieviews. Two interesting psychedelic music acts got together for a jam session and created this immersive summer meditation, a five track trip towards the gloomy site of the psychedelic sixties. I like the level of variation that this cooperation has generated. There is blues, shoegaze and - naturally - a big dose of psychedelic krautrock, all combined into songs that make every post-goth and neo-hippy happy. My favorite is 'Desire' but I'm sure that all of these tunes will end up in my day-to-day playlist. I suggest you do the same.

Der Blutharsch And The Infinite Church Of The Leading Hand & Derniere Volonté

Or how about this collaboration. Once upon a time, these two acts were genre-colleagues but gradually their sounds moved away from one-another. However, together they have recently released something pleasantly surprising. On this EP, they come up with four lo-fi songs, once again borrowing elements from krautrock, shoegaze and vintage electronica. This stuff immediately brought a big smile to my face, not because it's joyous music but because I am listening to pure and authentic jamming fun. '​L`Arc En Ciel' even flirts with synthpop, absolute brilliance. Recommended? Utterly!

Pink Cocoon - Alienation

We're not done psyching-out yet, we're just gonna add some doom blues to the mix, courtesy of Canadian trio Pink Cocoon. On the cover you can see a man worshiping an amp and that should tell you everything you need to know about this demo. The EP contains six songs, all hypnotic examples of heavy psychedelic music, complete with mind altering guitar solos, feedback, groovy riffs and trance inducing drum work. Pink Cocoon will get you levitating on massively immersive doom blues, there is absolutely no doubt about that. Fuck, I love this. This is going on repeat for a while and I'll do the rest later...

JK Flesh – Wasplike

There's no denying that Justin K Broadrick has had a massive influence on the world of music. Napalm Death, Godflesh, Jesu... They're classics in their respective genres. And then there was also Techno Animal and JK Flesh, Broadrick's dancefloor invitations. Well, with this 'Wasplike' EP, he no longer invites you, he drags you by the neck and lets the distorted beats punish you to extacy. This four track EP is a wild techno adventure, fueled with noise and drones but mostly pumping harsh and abrasive, especially in 'Mindprison'. So you have been warned, this thing will get you shaking your lazy ass...

Moloch - The Other Side

Do you ever wonder what the next retro craze will be? We've had stoner rock revivals, psychedelic revivals, even new beat seems to be coming back. But as far as I'm concerned the next big craze is eighties horror soundtracks like this EP from Polish electronic act Moloch. Imagine the Knight Rider theme taking a dark turn and you'll get close to what this act delivers. Personally, I can 't get enough of this. If you are a sucker for eighties synths or old school EBM, you will absolutely adore this, I promise you. I also urge you to check out 'The Vatican Cellars', which brings you more of the same awesomeness. I'm a fan now...

Burning House - Tracer​

This EP by British shoegazers Burning House is either an application for or a tribute to the legendary 4AD label. Just look at that cover and tell me it doesn't remind you of Dead Can Dance or Cocteau Twins? Musically, this brings everything that you used to love about shoegaze and dreampop into today's alternative rock scene. In four fantastic and intense tracks, this trio delivers pure reverb galore, complete with the high-octane drums and introvert vocals. The Jesus and Mary Chain often comes to mind and so does A Place To Bury Strangers. So yeah, this comes highly recommended...

Eye of the Destroyer - Violent By Design

To be released in the beginning of June, this two-track single by New Jersey death metal act Eye Of The Destroyer is the follow up to their full-length 'Starved and Hanging', released earlier this year. What I like about this EP is that it's not about speed. The two tracks here are slow. However, what they lack in tempo, they definitely make up in brutality. Although short, only three minutes long each, these monstrosities will undoubtedly get you headbanging and making weird hand gestures towards the sky. My personal favorite is the title track but rest assured, both these tunes will fuck you up hard...

Alexandre Navarro - Imaginations

An interesting and original EP by French guitarist/soundscapist Alexandre Navarro, 'Imagination' brings me some much welcome chill-out tunes. I think this guy has been listening to Plaid and Boards Of Canada a lot, something I can only applaud, obviously. On these five tracks, I hear something similar; downtempo electronic music, calm and soothing but not too goody-goody. The level of variation is perfect, aided of course by a range of sounds and instruments. This really is nice stuff, stuff that makes me curious about future musical escapades by mister Navarro...

Valyria - Into the Dying of Time

Back to the heavies, this time with Canadian power death metalers Valyria and their latest EP. What to expect? Well, imagine the blend of everything in the history of melodic death metal since Children Of Bodom, Evergrey and Nevermore. The EP opens with an intro which leads way for a massive array of flashing guitars, pounding drums and a combination of power metal vocals and death growls. I guess it's needless to say that the bombast and energy blasts from the speakers and that the whole thing is a mesmerizing whirlpool of extreme metal galore. If you like your metal bombasic as fuck, you need this...

Anthony - Get Over U

On a somewhat calmer side of the musical spectrum we find Anthony, of Ceremony fame, and his four track EP 'Get Over U'. This might be one of the poppiest, cheesiest and most bittersweet things I have ever reviewed for this website. The songs here are lo-fi indie tunes about love and heartache, inspired by acoustic rock and post-punk. Somehow the Lemonheads and Blind Melon come to mind but also flashes of Pixies, Beatles and the entire jangling-guitar scene in England. Closer 'I Hope I Never See You Face' is my personal favorite here, and certainly a message towards some people...

Eyes on the Machine - Eyes on the Machine

Et voila, another Belgian band enters the already immense stoner rock scene. Eyes On the Machine is a band from Aalter, inspired by the likes of Tool, Mastodon and "Mike Patton's Crazy Bands". The stuff on this EP sure is crazy. It's also quite unpredictable but for the most part, this rocks the fuzz out of your underpants. With groovy riffs, a drummer that possibly wants to strangle you and a vocalist who swallowed a hydrogen bomb, Eyes On The Machine make stoner blues metal sexy again. There will be a lot of ass shaking and headbanging going on in Belgium this summer and I can' be happier about it...

Alberto Nemo - 6x0

The name Alberto Nemo might ring a bell to Venetian Snares fans for whom he delivers vocal performances. With this record, the opera singer delves deep into the world of dark, esoteric ambient. Drones, soundscapes, a gothic atmosphere and the distinct operatic vocals create an estranging sound, somewhere between the gloomy experimentality of Coil and the ethereal orchestration of Elend. This EP contains six tracks, meant to be played backwards. You can hear that in the strange sound of the music but, if you're one of those dark, haunted souls, you can just as easily enjoy this album the normal way.

Käki - Junk Loops 3

To some people, rubbish isn't always rubbish. To some people, scrap yards are instrument stores. This release by Käki (aka Junkyard Shaman) is the registration of a live performance, using junk, loops, soundscapes, samples and drones. The result is a brilliant mix between Master Musicians Of Bukkake, Einsturzende Neubauten and Raison D'Etre. In three long , repetitive and captivating tracks, Käki effortlessly takes the listener on an hypnotic trip. This is a perfect journey for a post apocalyptic movie about earth during a nuclear winter. Recommended? You bet. This is fantastic stuff.

Alien Tantric Method - Intraverse

Canadian dark ambient act Alien Tantric Method delivers a gloomy, cinematic and outer space inspired album, loaded with eerie soundscapes and cosmic noises. Immediately, IIVII comes to mind. Both acts seem to have a similar, highly electronic approach and both acts love adding repetitive percussion to their dark ambient sounds. Obviously, the result is something massively immersive. Here, that results in genre highlights like 'Awake' and the stomping 'Vortex' which drags both noise and EBM into the mix. Take it from me, this is one highly exciting release.

Rodney Cromwell - Rodney's English Disco

Right, time to put on our dancing shoes and step into our time machine for a sweet trip to the electronic eighties. Rodney Cromwell comes up with a melancholic EP, fronted by the synthpop cracker 'Comrades'. However, there is more to be found here. 'Barbed Wire' borrows influences from shoegaze and new wave. The joyful 'Technocrats' reminds me of German act And One while closer 'Dreamland' seems to revisit The Cure's synth years. In all, this is pleasant EP that totally reeks of the eighties. I don't mind and I know heaps of others don't mind either. So check it out, you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Siete Catorce - Agnosia

Mexicali producer Siete Catorce delivers an experimental and unique approach to electronic dance music. Far away from trends, Catorce plays with quirky percussion, intrinsic soundscapes and futuristic atmosphere. On this EP that results in four wayward but energetic dance tunes, something between Autechre and Speedy J's 'A Shocking Hobby' album. This is no everyday techno music, on the exact contrary. This is the result of a years long exploration with beats, sounds and glitches. My personal favorite here is 'Susurro', a possible smash hit in a highly developed alien world. Neat!

Superalma Project - Dystopian Children

Inspired by Dystopian literature (1984, Brave New World, Hunger Games), this project by Igor Almeida delivers an angsty and dark soundtrack, loaded with haunting soundscapes, eerie noises and impending percussion. At times acts like Deutsch Nepal, Coil or De Fabriek come to mind, which obviously places this release right into the avant garde ambient scene. The album closes with a track named 'Isn't Life Disappointing?' which clearly sets the tone for the whole thing. No, this is not a joyous piece of work, not at all, but it is a damn intriguing and captivating one, that's for sure. So check it out now.

Teahouse Radio - Her Quiet Garden

Teahouse Radio is a brand new project by Pär Boström of Kammarheit and Cities Last Broadcast fame. With this project, Boström seems to explore the brighter side of ambient music, although the album still is gloomy and melancholic. The set-up is minimal, the drones and soundscapes are mild and the overall atmosphere is dreamy, as decent ambient music is intended to be. The album contains eleven tracks, each one and excellent and beautiful piece of work. This is definitely something for fans over everything between Brian Eno and Biosphere, which I guess says a lot about the overall quality.

Adeptus Mechanicus - No More Heartbeat

Hailing from The Netherlands, Adeptus Mechanicus treats the listener to frightfully droning dark ambient tunes. According to the bandcamp page, the music is inspired by Yen Pox and Stratvm Terror, which might explain the industrial soundscapes and haunting atmosphere. The artist is also active in the world of hard-, dark- and speedcore and that too is audible in the intense nature of these three tracks. In fact, 'Mechanical Bringer Of Death' seems to embrace the harshness of those genres (without the beats) to create a monumental industrial noise track. I'm damn sure that all fans of dark, harsh ambient will absolutely adore this stuff. I know I do.

Hezaliel - Paradise Lost

We're crossing the border again to witness yet another brilliant dark ambient performance by one of our fellow countrymen. Belgian act Hezaliel seems to continue the dark, impending flow of some of the previously reviewed albums here. This album contains eight deeply droning piece of dark ambient music, all with an enigmatic and mystifying atmosphere. The monolithic 'They Darkened The Land Of The Nile' is my personal favorite but each of this tracks will end up in my ever expanding dark ambient playlist. I suggest you check it out and get your hands on this thing. It rarely gets better than this...

Visions & Phurpa - Monad

Celebrating its 100th release, Cyclic Law presents an exclusive collaboration between label head Frederic Arbour’s long standing project Visions and Russia’s enigmatic ritual formation, Phurpa, lead by Alexey Tegin. The result of this collaboration is a stunning and enigmatic dark ambient album in four chapters, showcasing the best possible combination of both seasoned acts. Fans can actually expect the usual elements: drones, soundscapes and haunted voices. Yet, that "usual" comes at a very high quality and an almost suffocating atmosphere. For fans of dark ambient, this is a definite must-have.

AnD - AnD003

Manchester residents AnD are here to invite you to the dancefloor and then pound you into a pulp with their raw, heavy and chaotic analog techno tunes. This stuff is intense but pretty much irresistible for every fan of hard electronic dance music. Borrowing elements from Detroit techno, retro rave and industrial, this EP opens with the dazzling track 'Manchester'. 'Analogical' follows and quickly becomes my favorite here, one that reminds me of the boiler room at Pukkelpop. 'Prophecy' nudges more towards trance while closer 'Transit' is mostly noise with beats. Enjoyable? Fuck yasss!!!

Rebekah - My Heart Bleeds Black

More stomping techno, this time from Birmingham-born Berlin-based artist Rebekah. On this EP, or better, on this Double-EP, Rebekah delivers no less than nine dark and grinding techno tunes, driving on repetitive beats and enhanced by gloomy noise-scapes. The result is a massive assault on your dancing muscles, a neverending frenzy of dark, almost industrial techno. It's damn hard to pick a favorite track here and at some points I'm not sure that I can enjoy this music for a long time but I have to say that tracks like 'Halo Effect' and 'Empirical Cycle' are definite dancefloor killers.

Ihä - Estructuras De Aire, Colonias De Soplo

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

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

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

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

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 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

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

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

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

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

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 

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

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

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.

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Objector - Social Intolerance

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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​

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.

Grantezuma - Grantezuma 

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!!!

Ferla - 13122017

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!!

Maff - Melañiña

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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 

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

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

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...