drone / industrial / dark ambient

Several years ago, I watched an Author & Punisher concert at that year's Incubate festival. Although it was not a metal act, loads of metalheads were headbanging to A&P's music.  For me, it was that first time that a bridge between electronic music and doom metal was built.  Needless to say that I was highly impressed by what I heard.  Since then, I've been digging into the world of drones and beats and apparently that dig comes to a massive highlight here.

Refectori is an industrial act from Barcelona, Spain.  According to the facebook page, this act was formed in 1913, which would probably make this the oldest electronic music act in the world.  It could also mean that whoever made that page made a little mistake or joke.  Nonetheless, what I hear on this ep is quite impressive, reminding me of a very dark Autechre maybe, or Fis, or Scorn or Raime.  Those are some nice names to be compared with, and Refectori ever goes a lot deeper and gloomier than them..

Opener 'Corba Praxitel·liana' and follower 'Panteix Agònic' are massive pieces of work where drones and deep electronic percussion create haunted sonic landscapes.  When played loud, these drones almost physically touch you, making the whole an overwhelming experience for body and mind.  'Caça de l'Home' and 'Mà' follow that approach, be it a bit friendlier and nudging towards the ritual dark ambient scene.  In that aspect I'm often reminded of Karjalan Sissit or Deutsch Nepal for example.

For those who wonder, a refectory is a dining room in a monastery.  The word comes from the Latin word 'Refectorium', which means 'a place one goes to be restored'.  I can easily see the connection with this bandname and the music.  Stuff like this is created during music making rituals where the artist tries to exorcise his demons and revive himself through deep, droning frequencies.  Why I know? Simple, I do it myself.  

While we close with the screaming 'Natura Morta', I have to decide that this is an awe-inspiring album and a certain highlight in whatever genre this is.  This is already going into my (everchanging) best of 1916 list (haha).  Check it out, play it loud, in the end you won't be needing all those lungs and other intestines on the path to dark enlightenment.  


​Serge

neo-classical / ambient

Trying to find the right words for my third review on Merchants Of Air has been a hard pill to swallow. I've given the third album of Bersarin Quartett a listen or four and a few weeks to let it settle. Today is rainy and grey and I took a hot bath in which I decided to give myself a kick in the proverbial butt: "why don't you just give it a try?". 

Bersarin Quartett, as you might already know, isn't a quartet but consists of one musical genius: Thomas Bücker. I've deeply enjoyed his second album, 'II', during moments of anguish and/or sadness. 'II' has this exceptional atmosphere - dark, soothing and oh so warm - which also can be found in Radare's 'Im Argen'. The third album in this personal soul-balming top-3, which I also could put on endless repeat, is Dale Cooper Quartet and the Dictaphones' masterpiece 'Metamanoir'. So When Serge told me there was a new Bersarin Quartett album and asked me to review it, I got pretty excited.

Some of the tracks, like opener 'Verflossen ist das Gold der Tage' or 'Sanft verblassen die Geschichten' bring back the feelings described above and thus easily throw themselves forward as potential personal favourite tracks. On 'III', in general, Bücker seems to take a step away from this world of sounds in favour of more, yet mostly cautious, electronics and percussion. Sometimes these even sound kind of industrial, like in the track 'Schwarzer Regen fällt'. The combination of these electronics with analog sounding strings and piano reminds me of the post-neoclassical works by composers like Sebastian Plano or the magical album 'Di Indomito Incanto' by Carlo De Filippo which Serge reviewed yesterday.

"Modern-day", that's the word I was looking for to describe the difference between Bersarin Quartett's 'II' and 'III'. For me, tracks like 'Staub und Sterne' or 'Welche Welt' just have a little too much breaks - they might quite literally have broken my expectations about the album - which in general doesn't have to be a bad thing. In the unmentioned tracks Bücker finds a perfect balance between the "old" and the "new" style which I keep distinguishing, so 'III' could be interpreted as an update for 'II' if you like music to sound more electronic than before.

My favourite track since the first listen has remained 'Die Nächte sind erfüllt von Maskenfesten'. It approaches that darkjazzy atmosphere again, builds up to a refreshing tempo while the relatively subtle electronics help dragging me to that point where there's nothing left to do but hitting the volume button, sitting back, closing my eyes and detecting that blissful smile on my face which only the best music can evoke. 


Eline

noise rock / sludge

Let's start this review with a little cinematic history before we crawl into the sonic filth which comes out of my speakers right now.  'Teorema' is an Italian movie from 1968, one with an interesting synopsis: A strange visitor in a wealthy family. He seduces the maid, the son, the mother, the daughter and finally the father before leaving a few days after. After he's gone, none of them can continue living as they did.

Teorema is also an Mexican duo, formed in 2013.  Seemingly they have quite a similar goal as the strange visitor in that movie.  With this crushing album, they confuse, awe and mesmerize the unsuspecting audience. These guys take the whole to a completely new level.  Violence, aggression and noise are the main ingredients for this little gem.

The band claims to be influenced by bands like Eyehategod, Melvins, Godflesh, Neurosis and Corrupted but it feels more like their main influence is modern society with its hatred, religion, corruption and other malignant aspects that piss us off.  No wonder that there is a massive nihilistic wall of noise filling the air, way too brutal for a lesser experienced music fan.  Let's go over the list of genres that these guys have blended.

First of all, there is sludge metal with its thick, downtuned and fierce riffs.  Some of the riffs and the majority of the vocals remind me of death metal while the overall sound comes very close to extreme noise rock.  Often the blast beats show a blackened element but you can find just as much drones and harsh ambient sounds in there.  Finally, there is a touch of folk music with clean(ish) guitars and a massive hardcore punk attitude.  

Yet, whatever these guys throw into their music, they will always assault you with their harsh, raw and gnawing sound.  Play this loud enough and I'm certain that at least one of your lungs will collapse, if not your entire self-image and everything you feel is good and just in our society.  Songs like 'Karma', 'Spiritual Madness' or 'Times Of Sin' are simply brutal pieces of work, regardless of genre boundaries.

So do I recommend it?  Hell yeah I do.  Perhaps I shouldn't recommend it to every fan of heavy and punishing music out there, since I know for a fact that some people simply can't handle this level of sonic violence.  Yet, let's recommend it anyway and let natural selection do the rest. There are too many people anyway.  By the way, there's always the stunning 'Fuegos fatuos', which reminds me of Sepultura's 'Kaiowas'.  Love it.


​Serge

rock / alternative / metal

I have to come clean before I write my feelings about this album.  At first, only from looking at the album cover, I was a bit weary about it.  It reminded me of a Belgian pop singer who excels in mediocrity, like many of our popular singers by the way.  I'm not going to say who, because that might trigger a useless discussion about taste and quality and perhaps her label is going to 'Sue' us for that (that was a hint, and I'm not going to say more)

For that reason alone, Bellusira's 'The Healing' got lost of the massive pile of albums to be reviewed.  However, quality always shines through.  So today, this piece of work suddenly popped-up and gained my interest.  Now, I'm listening to this with a big smile on my face.  There is still hope for the female fronted metal scene.  Fans of everything between Lacuna Coil, Halestorm and Flyleaf should start paying attention now.

Originally, Bellusira was formed in Australia but relocated to Los Angeles to further expand their career.  Their 2013 debut 'Connection' gained a lot of attention, something they wish to secure and confirm with this follower.  I haven't heard their debut but judging from what I hear on 'The Healing', these guys and girl are well on their way to rock stardom.  This is very modern sounding alternative rock, enhanced with the strong and varied vocals of Crystal Ignite.

Crystal's voice can handle a lot of different approaches, including gentle clean singing which reminds me of people like Anouk or even Alanis Morissette, but just as effortlessly she can put a lot of power and anger behind her voice, coming close to frontwomen like Skin (Skunk Anansie) or Otep Shamaya (Otep).  Whatever she decides to do with her voice, it seems to fit in perfectly with whatever the guys behind her do.

The music seems to balance on the line between rock and metal, often reminding me of bands like Deftones, Static-X or Korn. As expected, that results in dynamic and energetic rock songs, highlighting in strong rockers 'Dance With Me', 'How Far' and 'Redemption Queen' and nice ballads like 'Sister', 'Pieces' and closer 'The Healing'.  I also really dig the electronics in some of these songs, including the brilliant 'Sever'.

Suddenly, there is also this notion that some of these songs could be perfect for WWE themes.  I've always regarded the wrestling world as a decent source for modern rock music.  I wouldn't be surprised if a song like 'How Far' accompanies some new superstar to the ring.  However, most of all, I see this band easily take over the big stages on the upcoming summer festivals. They do have the talent, the songwriting skills and a charismatic frontwoman.


​Serge

post-rock / progressive rock

Somewhere between post-rock and progressive rock lies an area which hasn't been explored to the fullest yet.  Both genres have a few similar elements, mainly in the atmospheric department, but they are also very different from each other.  For starters, post-rock usually doesn't do vocals while progressive metal houses some of the greatest singers in rock history.  Bands who reside in that region, often come up with something very interesting.

A Light Within is a rockband from Kansas, USA, carefully balancing on the edge between both genres.  Beisdes that, they incorporate some elements from doom metal and from alternative rock, a bit like Genesis meets Explosions In The Sky meets Jesu meets Live.  Very roughly, you could say that this is post-rock music with progressive and alternative rock vocals, but that doesn't really honor the songs well enough.

The songs on this ep are usually pretty slow and consist of droning bass, soundscaping guitars and dynamic drums.  Once in a while, the guitars come up with thick, almost monolithic doom riffs, which results in pretty immersive pieces of work. The whole is often enhanced with electronics and effects, but mostly by these strong, clean vocals.  These vocals seemingly come from a distance, or from deep within the soul of this band.

A Light Within is all about atmosphere and if that requires a piano, a piano will be present.  Yet, mostly, they simply drench the listener in a shoegazing wall of sound, while the vocalist unleashes his deepest emotions.  In the end, that might simply be compared to a rather heavy Pink Floyd or an immersive version of Porcupine Tree.  So fans of progressive goodness, this certainly is something for you.  


​Serge

doom

Well, I have heard a lot of doom metal acts in my days and I'm positive that I know quite a bit about the genre, but suddenly I'm dealing with one of the most difficult to review.  Not that this is a bad album, on the contrary. If you are a fan of funeral doom, you will really dig this.  Yet, unlike most doom albums, this one is a bit hard to listen to, solely because of the production quality.  It gives the whole a harsh, gritty sound, reminding me of some old school black metal bands.

Bosque is a one-man project from Portugal, live aided by a drummer.  The act has been around for quite some time now, but stubbornly holds on to the vintage, analog style of recording, hence the overall production quality.  I don't think any computers or other electronics were used and I'm torn between two opinions about that aspect.  On one hand, it sounds extremely genuine and personal.  On the other hand, with a professional production this album could have been a blast.

The music on this album is pretty awesome, that's for sure.  Three long tracks of despair, hopelessness, emptiness and nihilism appear on this album, each of them being a strong example of the funeral doom genre. Driving on slow, but methodical drums, the songs are intense riff-worshiping journeys, here and there accompanied by clean vocals.  Those vocals sound equally melancholic and eerie as the vintage doom riffs.  

They make me wish I was there when they recorded it.  I feel like the whole thing was played live by member DM and the session drummer and recorded on tape, a bit like a live performance which I really wanted to see. If you like obscurity and the occasional slab of slow, bleak music, this certainly is something you need in your collection ànd you should try to witness this live one day.  But still, a thicker production might have turned this into a doomed highlight.



​Serge

neo-classical

What a miserable day it is today.  Rain is pouring down, wind is blowing and it's way too cold to step a foot outside.  However, it is a perfect day to stay inside with your loved one, light a candle or a fireplace, dim the lights, cook a delicious meal, add some champagne and make it an unforgettable saturday.  Now if I may, you will be needing some romantic music for these activities, and yes, I do have a suggestion.

Carlo De Filippo is one half of Italian dark folk duo Oniric.  With this solo release, he nudges towards romanticism and classical music.  Yet, these aren't just cute little piano and strings tunes, these are well-written pieces of modern classical music, aided by influences from downtempo electronics and even post-rock.  The result is a sweet album, gently and soothing, something for the romantic souls out there.

I'm often reminded of people like Sebastian Plano or Olafur Arnalds when I listen to songs like title track 'Di Indomito Incanto' or 'Talune Nostalgie'.  These drive on playful piano and atmospheric strings while some percussion adds a sense of tempo.  Often the percussion sounds quite electronic and on other occasions it sounds pretty analog.  The latter seems to turn 'Del Perduto Eco' into a bit of a post-rock anthem, which is very nice indeed.

On the other hand, 'Struggenza in Re Minore' feels very medieval and folkish.  It reminds me of the music on some of those fairies and elves festivals which former goths love to attend.  At times, perhaps the whole sounds a bit lovi dovi, something I'm not always a big fan of.  However, it makes this album perfect as a soundtrack for your Valentine's day activities.  Besides, 'Velo d'Oblio' is a great piece of work, rhythmic and uplifting.

In all, no this isn't something for the dark souls out there.  This music is something for people who still value emotions like love and romance.  We all need more love in our lives, not only for our significant other but also for the entire world surrounding us.  Music like this can certainly help, so yes, I will recommend checking this out. 



​Serge

​rock / alternative

Why isn't this one of the biggest bands in the international alternative rock scene yet?  Why did it take ten years before this act reached me?  Why does quality have to struggle so hard while generic rubbish effortlessly fills the charts?  I guess that's one of the reasons why I like the underground music scene so much, because those artists genuinely believe in their music and follow their own path.

The Veer Union once was a one-man project by Vancouver, BC (Canada) resident Crispin Earl. He started his journey in 2001, back then as 'Everything After'.  Gradually however, the whole became a bit more serious and several members were added to the band.  They changed their name to The Veer Union and suddenly got the attention of Motley Crue's Tommy Lee.  He recorded two songs 'Watch You Lose' & 'Make Believe' for his solo album 'Tommyland'.

Some people might know their song 'Seasons', which was the theme song for WWE's 2009 Backlash event.  In fact, the music on this album is all perfect wrestling-theme material and sounds very familiar to me in that aspect.  However, it hasn't all been sunshine and happiness for Crispin, who suffered from depression over the years.  With this album, Crispin celebrates the tenth birthday of his debut, reviving five pre-Veer Union tracks and adding for brand new songs.

As a regular WWE watcher, I immediately recognized the euphoric and theatrical atmosphere on opener 'Defying Gravity' and the song 'Heart Attack'.  They immediately reminded me of the huge arena bands with a massive sound and a very modern sound. Even more so, I'm overwhelmed by the level of songwriting and the emotional approach to the vocals.  Besides, I dig the strong sound of the guitars.

Musically, you might compare this to a modern day alternative rock version of metal.  If that is too complicated, perhaps I should throw in some bands, but I know very little bands in this particular genre.  There is a bit of Muse, some Linkin Park, a touch of Foo Fighters, a hint of Radiohead, a whiff of Deftones and a tad of Incubus.  I'm not sure if that is an extremely accurate description but if you're into those bands, you'll definitely love The Veer Union.

While 'Defying Gravity' remains my absolute favorite track on this album, I have to mention some other brilliant pieces of work.  The uplifting rockers 'Watch You Lose' and 'I don't care' can make any festival crowd go nuts and the great ballad 'I Said' has some serious hit potential.  I also really dig the electronics in the awesome song 'Make Believe'.  Oh well, let's just face it, I really like this album.  It's one of the best modern arena rock things available right now.


​Serge

black metal

'Freeride black metal', a term I hadn't heard of before.  I knew about freejazz and I know that the black metal scene is tremendously varied but I never really expected this 'freeride' approach to be an existing thing.  Nonetheless, after listening to this strange piece of work a few times, I glad that this ep reached me.  This is a very odd entity in the blackened scene, but certainly something you should check out if you like a bit a grim variation once in a whole.

​Snøgg started as a one-man band in 2013 when Slovenian artist Matej Voglar decided to try something new.  The goal was to establish a brand new band but by the end, Snøgg ended up becoming a duo.  A few live shows followed, sometimes as a solo act by Matey, who goes by the pseudonym Ulv.  Now, their self titled ep is unleashed upon the world and it makes me hungry for live performances.

What sets Snøgg apart from other black metal bands isn't just the massive use of keyboards and electronics, neither is is only the chaotic approach of the extreme passages.  It also isn't the track duration.  'Snøgg' is one twenty six minutes lasting piece.  No, what sets Snøgg apart is the brilliant combination of all these elements, along of course with the traditional black metal instrumentation and atmosphere.

In these twenty six minutes you can hear influences from dark ambient, black metal, melodic and progressive metal and even jazz, the latter mainly in the immensely varied song structure.  This results in a highly interesting journey, sometimes calm and soothing and sometimes seemingly ripping open the gates of hell.  This is 'kosmische black metal', something people like Tangerine Dream would have made if they would have hooked up with Darkthrone, or something like that. 

Don't think about it, just check it out...


​Serge

dark ambient

Years ago, when I took my first steps into the wonderful world of dark ambient, Norse acts Immundus was one of the first I encountered on social networks.  Since then, both our projects often appeared on the same compilations, most notably of course the ones released by Sombre Soniks.  I also reviewed his previous album, 'Insomnia' (read on our old website).  So when this one reached my inbox, I couldn't wait to check it out.

Although deeply rooted into the dark ambient scene, Bruno Duarte prefers the term 'ghost and horror music'. In my opinion, he is quite correct about this.  This music is perfectly suited for horror movies.  It's impending, dark and creepy but it also has a sense of melody and a certain storytelling capacity.  In a way, you can see the majority of the tracks on this album as musical short stories.

So while the album opens with a great dark ambient track in 'Nightcrawler', most other pieces have neo-classical feel, highlighting in the spooky title track 'You Will Never Get Out Of Here Alive'.  This song sounds joyful, driving on uplifting piano but it also has something frightful which gets under your skin and silently whispers about all the malignant things it's going to do you.  The straénge, cold sound of the piano certainly helps create this eerie atmosphere.

Immundus truly masters the art of gloomy music.  Unlike many dark ambient acts, he doesn't solely focus on deep soundscapes which seem to last forever.  Instead, he comes up with instrumental songs of anguish and fear.  It's almost like walking through a haunted abandoned asylum while creepy music emerges from empty rooms.  You certainly get that feeling when you listen to songs like 'Drained For Blood At The Altar' or 'A Spirit´s Serenade'.

In all, this simply is another excellent Immundus album, continuing his distinct path in the world of dark ambient and neoclassical music.  My advice?  Well, wait until 12 February and then download the hell out of this little gem.  Just don't come knocking on my door when your poltergeists and other unfriendly creatures are being lured into your house with this stuff.  After all, spirits like good music too...


​Serge

doom / sludge / post-metal

By now, everybody should know about the existence of Treha Sektori, the dark ambient project of multi-talent Dehn Sora.  The fact that his name turns up again in this work, shows what kind of artist he really is, always busy, always looking for new ways to express his seemingly never ending creativity.  This time, he hooks up with film maker William Lacalmontie, known for his collaborations with Godflesh and AmenRa.  Both were joined by The Great Divide drummer Julien Taubregeas and bassist  Angeline Seguelas.

With that line-up in mind, it's no wonder that Consouling Sounds immediately jumped on the trail to release this debut ep.  This certainly is Consouling music, being harsh, intense and immersive post-metal and sludge.  The whole immediately reminds me of acts like AmenRa, Cult Of Luna or Eyehategod, with a hint of Godflesh and some dissonant black metal influences here and there.  With plenty of power Ovtrenoir push themselves towards the very top of the post-metal scene.

Why? Well, because this album is simply awesome, and that means a lot coming from someone who is extremely picky in which sludge metal he likes and which he doesn't.  The songs here are monolithic, raw and deeply intense while the vocals are simply some of the best I have ever heard in this genre.  There is plenty of emotion and despair in these vocals but they never seem to go over the top, unlike some of their colleagues.

'Fires' and 'Consume' are my favorite tracks here but all of the tracks on this ep are epic pieces of work.  They don't seem to be very complex but drive on monolithic riffs and pummeling drums.  They also incorporate an hypnotic sense of repetitiveness, obviously resulting in something highly immersive.  I think it's safe to say that this is a massive highlight in this year's scene and it certainly comes highly recommended to all post-metal, sludge and doom fans out there.


​Serge 

doom

Well, this is probably one of the oddest appearances I've ever seen in the doom metal scene.  An ep, blatantly named after Entombed with classic doom metal, combined with what seems like noise rock and ethereal music, sung by two clean, melodic voices. Is it a joke? It is serious? I don't know but I do know that Entombed had a decent sense of humor too, so why shouldn't other metal bands have, right?

Senescence has been around since 1998, stubbornly following their own path.  A multitude of albums followed until the band went on a hiatus in 2002.  Thirteen years later, they suddenly returned with the album ' In Doom There Is No Law', now followed by this 'Endoomed' ep.  In three songs, this German band have managed to confuse and delight me with their odd style.  I still don't know what the hell this exactly is, but I do like it.

The songs are strongly rooted in vintage doom metal, but incorporates influences from death metal, noise (rock) and ambient.  I hear flashes from My Dying Bride, The Melvins, Sonic Youth, The Doors, Arvo Part, Darkthrone, Anathema and so on.  All of these elements have been thrown into a massive mix of riffs, drums and these odd clean vocals, resulting in something hypnotic and mesmerizing.

Perhaps this ep might take some getting used to but I can almost promise you that you will be headbanging to those awesome riffs on 'And The Vultures Collapse Into Sound'.  I know I did, which isn't easy when suffering from a fever and some sort of laryngitis.  Yeah, I know, I'm a die-hard reviewer.  Favorite track: 'Wisdom Be Pray'.  Check it out if you're a doom metal fan.  At least you'll be buying something highly original and well worth your attention.


​Serge

alternative rock / grunge

Aah, the nineties, aah, the festivals.  Sometimes I really miss that era.  I remember watching bands like Babes In Toyland, The Breeders or L7 at some of those festivals and I always like it, even though I was a full-on metalhead in those days.  In fact, I mostly liked the female grunge bands more than their male colleagues, until Hole came along.  I couldn't stand Courtney Love and I always found her band a mere rip-off of Babes In Toyland.

Vivienne The Witch is a trio from Italy, made out of three young women who want to revive the awesome sound of female rock in the nineties.  Personally, I can only applaud that mission, certainly when the music is this good.  Besides, the album is mastered by Lorenzo Stecconi (Lento, Ufomammut, Zu), so there's no doubting about the overall sound and quality.  Man, I wish it was summer already.

The album opens with the friendly but grainy 'Strange Day', a classic grunge track that would have been an instant hit back in the days.  It's not too complicated and the chorus is quite easy to sing along with, making it a possible audience favorite.  'A Sparkling Explosion' is even more friendly at times, reminding me a bit of that dreadful 'Two Princes' song by Spin Doctors.  Luckily, this Italian trio does something good with it.

'Bad Dog' is one of my favorite tracks here.  On this one, the girls show their true talent and come up with an excellent piece of songwriting and vintage grunge music.  It also seems to open the door towards psychedelic rock influences, something that successfully returns in the mighty song 'Reason Why I Laugh And Cry' and the gloomy ballad 'One Step To The River'.  All songs prove that these girls have been listening to the entire history of rock music.

If you're a grunge fan, nostalgic for those sun-drenched festivals with warm beers, cold fries, wet grass and muddy feed, you have to check out this little gem.  This certainly feels as if you just got out of your tent after two hours of sleep, grab that first lukewarm coffee and drag yourself towards the stage, the only place where something really interesting is happening.  Damn, I wish these were the nineties again...


​Serge

melodic metal / dark metal 

1914, Europe embarks on a massive war, which later would be widely known as world war one. Thousands upon thousands of young French men prepare to battle the German army.  One of them is Marcellin Trouvé, a young school teacher.  During the war, he tells his story in a diary, a story of absolute horror and despair.  Now, this diary is blended into a great melodic metal album, one with a frightening realistic atmosphere.

FT-17 is French extreme metal band, or project.  They wanted to revive the story of this young Marcellin and his horrifying experiences in this war.  They do that with an intense and sometimes emotional metal album, seemingly borrowing elements from thrash and black metal.  The result has become something extremely interesting and well-varied, something that deserves a place on every metal shelve where bands like Evergrey, Soilwork and Children Of Bodom are present.

The album opens with the narrative intro 'C'est La Guerre'.  Marcellin learns that he has to go fight the Germans and introduces himself as the protagonist of this diary.  After that, the songs 'La fleur au fusil' and 'Les moissons sanglantes' blast on with sheer intensity.  These are quite complex pieces of melodic death/black metal, guaranteed to make you bang your head.  Admit it, that is a way better faith that that of Marcellin, or anyone who has to go to war.

Of course, the lyrics are in French, but that isn't always noticeable since most of them are fierce, almost blackened screams.  I know some people don't like this language in metal, but here it certainly adds a lot of credibility and atmosphere.  You can almost feel Marcellin's hopelessness when he stands on the battleground, surrounded by fallen companions and utter destruction.  You can almost hear the explosions and screaming people in the background.

What I also like on this album, is the presence of the piano.  It adds a strong classical element to this music, way more convincible than acts like Therion have ever pulled off.  But don't get me wrong, this still is a ferocious piece of metal, complete with the terrifying sounds of war.  It's just that the piano seems to fit in perfectly here, building a bridge between the horrors of war and the calm, haunting silence on a battlefield afterwards.

L'armée des taupes is probably my favorite track, perhaps because of the clean vocals or because of the dark, almost goth-metal atmosphere.  It also adds some more variation to the already quite diverse album.  So yes, this comes highly recommended, not only because this subject is very rarely present in the metal scene but also because this simply is an awesome metal album.  


​Serge

noise rock

Some people seem to have one choice in live, either they start a band or they get locked up for severe mental issues.  Obviously, some do start that band, passing on their insanity to a whole new generation of weirdos.  You might wonder if that's a good idea, but why shouldn't they.  Our entire society is a boneheaded maniac with malignant intentions.  Sometimes it does indeed look more appealing to put locked away in a mental institute.  At least it's safe there, and drugs are completely free.

Shaving The Werewolf is not only a pretty dangerous hobby, it's also a band from Oslo, Norway. Rooted in the hardcore scene, these guys create a highly intense and chaotic form of noise-rock with wicked riffs and a murderous tempo.  Opener 'Death of the Dying Corpses of Death' immediately blasts out with this brutal approach, after a short electronic intro that is.  With the intensity and brutality of death metal, sludge/hardcore vocals and chaotic song structures, these guys clearly set themselves apart from the traditional hardcore scene.

While up until now you might indeed expect pulverising noise-rock, 'Do Mind If I Don't' does something extremely weird and experimental.  I'm not going to tell you how exactly because I think it's important for your mental wellbeing to figure that out for yourself.   I will say that it's the perfect intro for the crushing closer 'The Pissing Link', a song that will probably rip off your testicles if it could.  Along with 'Earth Song', this is my favorite track on this pretty damn intense ep.  So yes, you have to check this out, but secretly.  Otherwise the men in white coats will come and take you away.



​Serge

doom / sludge

The space between your teeth, a carnivorous black hole swallowing more than you can imagine.  From air to food and, in some cases, bodily fluids, a lot of stuff has to face this opening.  It's also something you see a lot at metal concerts.  In those cases, it usually is a huge space.  Finally, listening to this album will make that space bigger and  bigger.  You will stare at your speakers in absolute amazement with your mouth wide open, delightfully tormented by what these guys throw at you.

Keeper are a band from California, USA.  Judging from what I hear on this two-track ep, they might be responsible for some earthquakes in that area.  This is definitely one of the heaviest piece of doom and sludge metal I've ever heard.  Besides, with these vocals and the brutal, repetitive nature of the music, you might even say that this is blackened sludge doom.  It's fierce, it's hypnotic and it's bloody destructive.  It's utter despair and repentance, poured into two monolithic tracks.

Both tracks, 'The King' and 'The Fool', drive on a slow tempo, methodically hypnotizing the listener.   Thick riffs create a massive wall-of-sound on which the vocalist screams his damn lungs out.  I'm reminded of bands like Yob or Conan but Keeper certainly found an own style. With this, they certainly can compete with the Eyehategods or AmenRas of this world.  I wouldn't be surprised if I see these guys destroy venues i the near future, hopefully one anywhere near where I live.  I have to experience this live...



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black metal

​Straight away I can tell you that this is one of those cases of: ‘I really have to start checking out their earlier works’. Tasmania’s Atra Vetosus have released this EP as an interlude between their full lenght (also on IFP) and their upcoming album. And it does a splendid job of showcasing the talent of this Aussie band. It’s a single song of 22 minutes long, but it grabs you straightaway and manages to be immersive enough to keep your attention through the whole running time.

Just like a lot of IFP releases there’s a really cool ‘90s black metal vibe throughout the song. Especially ‘90s Austrian black metal. You can hear shades of early Abigor and Summoning (especially in the mid-song part) which is always a good thing. But Atra Vetous aren’t just blatant copycats. Instead they take those ideas and add their own distinct version of black metal. It’s classic and modern at the same time. The vocals for instance are leaning towards the more ‘hardcore’ side of metal vocals. Sometimes it slightly feels as if Silenius of Abigor were to front a hardcore band. Which is good, by the way.

If I’d have to give it a name, musically the EP can be described as atmospheric melodic black metal. Technically well-played, clear, all instruments well-defined, immersive, great production.... It’s just bang-on all the time. There are some nice keyboard lines that add hugely to the atmosphere, without being too much in your face all the time. A bit like Emperor and Abigor used to have on their earlier work. Also to be commended is the great use of guitar solos and the twin guitar leads.

As a final comment, I would like to mention Atra Vetosus’ talent to build up a song. ‘Ius Vitae Necisque’ is built up with a proper intro and ending, and the aforementioned Summoning-like middle part. The classic black metal lover in me likes when bands are focusing on delivering a well-made, well-structured song instead of throwing every idea they have on a huge pile and hope something comes out of it.

A seriously great EP that manages to make me both curious about their earlier work AND their upcoming work. Well done.

 

Bjorn

black metal

Into Dungeons

I quite like it when black metal bands or one-man projects conceal their mortal appearance.  It gives the whole a mystical and obscure.  It also makes the search for information a lot more challenging.  All we could find about Midnight Callings, is that it's a band from Germany and the fact that 'Pilgrims Of The Black Hole' Is their second full-length.  So we're dealing with something grim and obscure, and with something damn good too.

The album contains four long tracks, with title track 'Pilgrims Of The Black Hole' as absolute highlight.  This stuff is brilliant in its simplicity, highly repetitive in sound and intensely eerie in atmosphere.  It reminds me of some of the most obscure items I could ever lay my hands on in the nineties, when black metal was about the most evil thing in the universe.  The song drives on a constant hammering of drums and incorporate some fierce screams.

'Bleak' is exactly what the title predicts, a terrifying piece of metallic nihilism and quite a stunning piece of depressive black metal.  In 'Dust' the blast beats return, making it perfect headbanging material.  Again, the repetitive beatings of the drums, along with the classic blackened riffing, results in a massive black metal ritual.  By the end, Midnight Callings come up with a great rework of Mysticum's 'Where The Raven Rests'.

If you're an old school black metal fan, you should check out this album for real.  This is one of those obscure gems that belong in every grim and frostbitten collection.  I'm not sure if this band ever tours, but if they would, they could gain a massive audience and put them in a constant state of blackened trance.  I surely want to see this.


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drone / experimental

Admit it, our current society isn't doing so well. We are on a destructive path, filled with hate and negativity.  Economically, we aren't doing any better.  As a result, music, and art as a whole, is gradually being taken out of schools because they can no longer afford them.  If things don't change, we will soon be facing catastrophic consequences of our behaviour and become fossils ourselves.  

Codas is Mario Quintero, an experimental artist from Brooklyn, New York.  He strongly believes that music and art are essential parts of our lives, something which I can only agree on.  With this ep, he wants to support music education in low income schools.  All the proceeds will be donated through www.donorschoose.org .  This certainly is a noble cause, and it's not even the only reason why you should buy this ep.

The second reason is simple: this is a damn good ep, loaded with gritty electronics, harsh guitars and elaborate soundscapes.  It's a cold, gloomy and gnawing three-track with quite an apocalyptic atmosphere.  It reminds me of something between Scorn, Godflesh, Nadja, Kong, James Welburn and Jesu.  That means, industrial, instrumental, droning, repetitive and hypnotic, a perfect combination if you ask me.

So yes, you have to check this out if you like heavy experimental music.  My personal favorite track is closer 'Eleven', which simply is an epic piece of whatever it is.  My advice: play it loud and let yourself go.  


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ambient

We wrap up today's writing session with a man who has often been present in our evening playlists.  As some readers might know, I like to close my day with some nice, relaxing ambient music.  In the past few days I have been playing this album a lot because it simply is the best music to listen to when a person is ill.  Yes, I've been suffering from a flu and/or laryngitis last weekend.  I still don't feel so good but mr. Bolton made it all bearable.

Every month, Eilean Records release one of these ambient gems and it's always a pleasure to listen to them.  English composer Wil Bolton delivered the February edition, which has become a warm, organic piece of music, gently floating through the room.  With keyboards and guitars, Bolton creates elaborate soundscapes, perhaps a bit similar to what people like Dirk Serries, Field Rotation or Pete Namlook have done over the years.

At times, as in the great title track 'February Dawn', the drones might be a bit harsher than the usual easy-to-listen-to ambient tunes from people like Brian Eno or Harold Budd have created but never in an obtrusive way. The whole remains on a listener-friendly level, a perfect companion for those late night relaxation sessions.  The slow, lingering soundscapes fill the air with a warm sound.

It's hard to pick a favorite track out of these ten but if you make me, I'll probably go with the gloomy and melodic 'Weatherboard' or perhaps closer 'Honeywood'.  Both add a touch of melody to the music, be it in a very minimal way.  However, as with most of the Eilean releases, I prefer listening to this album in its entirety and I recommend you do the same.  If you are a fan of ambient sounds, you surely want to have this beauty in your collection.


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