kosmische musik / post-rock / krautrock

Last night, during a discussion with a fellow writer, I noticed that one of the hardest things in this job, is to categorize the music. Some people who know the Belgian trio Inwolves might disagree firmly on this post-rock tag I just gave them. But don't worry, I mean no harm and I can explain that. Today, slow, instrumental, immersive and cinematic music is often given that tag and with good reason too. Obviously, there is much more going on. I'll try to guide you through this mesmerizing album.

Inwolves is basically a project by drummer Karen Willems (Yuko, Zita Swoon Group, Cycle with Dirk Serries), aided by the synths and guitars of Jürgen de Blonde and Ward Dupan. Together, they take the kosmische music of acts like Tangerine Dream, Ash Ra Temple or Faust and give the whole a modern twist, and a whole lot of variation. The result is an adventurous and somewhat strange album that ranges from soft, gentle and modest to heavy, overwhelming and surprising. 

Yet, most of all, this album is dark and dynamic, much darker than their previous effort. Opener 'I Va Va Vimedoom' quickly takes the listener into what could have been an intro for a symphonic black metal record. Don't worry, this is not black metal, far from it but you can expect some industrial influences along the way. We'll get to those shortly. For now, let Inwolves lure you in slowly. The hypnotic 'Minimal' could also do that trick. This immersive piece of work is probably one of my personal favorites here.

Belgium has a good tradition of looking back and forward at the same time (at least musically). I don't think it's a surprise that this album often makes me think about another ever-evolving act, namely Kiss The Anus Of A Black Cat (yes, we're also brilliant with band names). Although quite different, both acts succeed in recreating a vintage and convincing sound with modern day equipment and influences. That is a talent, believe me, and certainly a talent that these people should explode further.

'Vladimir' even goes way beyond the realm of kosmische musik and krautrock and digs right into the psychedelic rock music of the seventies, completed by John Carpenter's horror sounds, haunting church organs and the stunning strangeness of Zappa. Did I already mention that this is quite a dark album? It even has some gothic metal arrangements here and there, even bringing acts like Tiamat to mind. 'Strange Waltz', another one of my favorites here, is a brilliant piece of music, one where you might truly feel the typical post-rock atmosphere.

I already compared Inwolves to another Belgian act and I'm going to do it again. I wouldn't be surprised if you made me listen to 'Intown' for the first time and told me that it's a Normann song. This track combines jazz with rock and, of course, the typical Inwolves synths and once again come out with something inspiring. It might also be the brightest and most joyful piece on this album; something 'Dirty Monks' clearly is not. Damn, this is a gloomy piece of industrial rock, fast, relentless and repetitive. And weird, man this is a weird tune.

This album should definitely be in your collection, otherwise you have absolutely no right to claim you know anything about the Belgian underground scene (unless you're a metal-only kind of person - but even then you should buy this). There's one more, brilliant, track to go through, but I'll leave that one to you. I'm just going to finish this review by mentioning that 'Involves' is a masterpiece, period, and I'm not just saying that because I'm such a nice guy, I'm saying that as a music lover who has been listening to all kinds of stuff for about forty years now.


Serge

classical

Self-made Ukrainian composer Egor Grushin posted a quote from Aristoteles on his facebook page, which translates as "Only music has the power to shape character. With music, you can teach yourself to develop the right feeling." Music has an immense power indeed over every human, regardless of their age or appearance. Maybe it communicates directly with our soul, or would it be because music is so good at evoking memories and moods? 

We hear Egor Grushin on piano through the album, sometimes accompanied by Roksolana Pakholkiv on cello, and Yaroslav Dzhus on bandura. I love the dynamics and warmth of the combination of these acoustic instruments, but the piano-only pieces to me are equally magical. There's a good balance on Dominicano because only in a few composition the other instruments are dominantly present.

After a listen or ten of this self-released 2014 album, it finally occurs to me that Egor Grushin transforms my mood constantly. The general atmosphere is melancholic and warm, but there's a whole rainbow of feelings to explore.  

Whenever I try to finish this review, track three, 'Vento Domani' takes my breath and words away, maybe because it reminds me of Chopin's 'Raindrop Prelude' so much. The atmosphere is equally sad, fragile yet hopeful. And then, 'Kalsemarsch' makes me forget all about this sadness and also throws me back in time. My memory doesn't succeed in fixing this link, but it was a rather obscure DIY neoclassical album that was all about The Lord Of The Rings and which had one track with the same rhythm and playfulness. So I'm mentally in a medieval fantasy world when I listen to this one, where the sun shines, we got some food in our bellies and the trolls are miles away so no one in our party pays attention to our badly healing wounds. 

Everywhere through the album there's tenderness, longing, love, grief, hope, celebration and more, often combined in each track. The emotional effect of this music is so intense that it's very hard to find words to describe it for a reviewing rookie like me. 

So if I managed to arouse your curiosity, don't hesitate to check Dominicano out. If you want more, you don't have to wait long because in June Grushin will release a new album. I think it's time for his life work to cross the Ukrainian borders so that the rest of the world can go check him out live. I'm pretty certain that you would remember the height of your gooseflesh forever...



Eline

electronic / experimental

It's always good to learn something while reading a review and today, we'll be learning quite a few things. For starters: Thaumaturgy (from the Greek words θαῦμα thaûma, meaning "miracle" or "marvel" and ἔργον érgon, meaning "work") is the capability of a magician or a saint to work magic or miracles. So a thaumaturgist is basically a miracle-worker and we do need quite a few in this world.

Thomas Pynchon is an American novelist, known for his for his dense and complex novels. One of his most noted novels is 'The Crying Of Lot 49'. On the album I'm trying to review, you can see the muted post horn he used as a symbol for an ancient, underground mail service known as "The Tristero" or "Trystero". You can find everything else you need to know on Wikipedia. It's far too complicated to explain the whole here.

The album is called 'Thomas Pynchon Tribute Band', something which already sounds a bit strange and perhaps even enigmatic. Yet, in a way I can see where that name comes from, as the tracks on this album seem simple slabs of electronic music at first but become complex and immersive adventures after a closer listen. It's not easy to describe what I'm hearing, but you know me, I'll give it a shot.

Opener 'Reflections Of A Former Self' is an early morning afterclub tune, borrowing elements from house music and ancient electronics and throwing them into a lazy dance tunes. At least it feels that way. I can easily imagine a small crowd, sluggishly moving along with the music until the drugs have worn off. In that aspect, 'Frah JSX' seems to follow a similar approach, hidden beats, glitchy electronics and a strange atmosphere.

'Impromptu Slug' delves deeper into the bizarre, everything-is-possible approach of lo-fi electronic music, reminding me of acts like Cryovolcano or even a very young Autechre. The songs also seem to go on and on, secretly adding new elements and allowing others to fade out and fade away. Yet, not one of the used elements wants to be the protagonist, which isn't a bad thing. It means that everything fits quite well together.

There are more strange electronic tunes waiting for you on this album, like the ancient Kraftwerk experiment resembling 'Magisch Denken #1' or the strange ambient tune 'Phantasmic Extension'. Basically, I think it's safe to say that this is one weird piece of electronic music, seemingly performed live. My recommendation? Well, check it out because you rarely encounter something like this on Merchants Of Air.


​Serge

blues / rock

Here it is, a new album on the day Jeff would have Turned 50! Jeff scored a massive success with The Jeff Healey Band's hit 'Angel Eyes'. Born in Canada, Jeff Developed an eye disease called Retinoblastoma at the age of one and from then on lost his sight. Yet that didn't stop him from achieving his goals: many blues rock albums, a Jazz/dixie band in which he played trumpet and a radio career. The Healey Estate decided to take the 1996/98 music from the 'Get Me Some' sessions, and give it a 2016 boost. Could this work? The Healey Estate is very keen on quality, so the production is spotless and clearly not done overnight. One of the greatest changes is a change of drummer, which really improves the album!

So the line up is a little changed, vocals and guitars (bass on one track) Jeff Healey, drums Tom Stephen (Moodswing/Please), Joseph "Joe" Rockman on bass and Dean Glover on drums. Upon arrival allot of questions came with this album, but after a few listens the album makes more sense. The opening Track 'Daze of Night' could be considered to be the hit, and was released as single (download only). With a steady cowbell and Jeff's amazing guitar sounds this song already puts you on the right track to know you're in for something good. 'Moodswing' shows clearly Healeys there love for Cream. The psychedelic influences are more than obvious prove of this influence/tribute. With Joe's incredible bass-skills he takes you from the low's to the highs.

'Baby Blue' Is the first ballad on the album, and to be honest the first weak link. This was obviously a safecard in the Healey tradition. It will get positive attention, but among the Healey fans I'm sure there will be some eyebrow's raised. 'I Misunderstood' is exactly what one expects and wants to hear from this album, a strong, yet simple lyric, a signature adult sound and Roger Costa's and Dean's great drumming's input!! 'Please' is a no-nonsense, straight in the face track, I'd say “if it's weekend, rock out!” 'Love In Her Eyes' is the first song that combines the 80's Healey band and the elements of the 'Get Me Some' album. So here's some hidden gold for the 'See The Light era fans!'

'Temptation' could have been 'It Could All Been Blown Away's follow up song from the 'See The Light Album' (1992): same vibe, only different story and different times. A surprise, because it's not an intentional copy either. Very swampy bluesy vibe, without distorted vocals. I think here you can once again relearn that you're not dealing with a basic musician. 'Kiss The Ground' is a song that glues you deeper in the album/story, as Healey always managed to make an album of songs that blend together, without concept per sé. 'All The Saints' is a song that translates itself well in 2016, questioning the holy father. It's a full acoustic song, with some minor percussion.

'Put The Shoe In The Other foot', when it's time to go funky and groovy! 'Under A Stone' opens with a jazz scale guitar, and builds itself up to the rock song of the album. This could have easily been one of Jeff's biggest hits! Nice little fact is, Jeff's Widow takes on the backing vocals on this one, a jazz-trained singer who released one album and than kept her vocals a secret. So a nice surprise to hear Miss Healey Enforce the band. 'It's The Last Time' is what the listener asks her/himself asks along with this beautiful ending song..

Conclusion, This 5th album by Jeff with the Healey Band Members and the new personnel.
It's an incredible surprise, because of the excellent production. The idea to let 1996 play in 2016 worked well. Don't expect a full Jeff Healey album as in 'The Jeff Healey Band' but do be prepared for an album that one didn't expect and is good and is here to stay! 
Happy Birthday Jeff!


VP.

ambient / dark jazz / drone

Ukrainian outfit The Orchestra Of Mirrored Reflections are no strangers to Merchants Of Air. We already reviewed them twice ('Frequency Jazz' and 'Far Drifters') and now they are featured for the third time, which is quite impressive if you realize that Merchants Of Air is not even two years old. This time, they've come up with a live album, one which makes me regret that I wasn't there to see it.

I can imagine the concert quite vividly. A bar , a stage with a few musicians, a number of chairs or maybe a few canapés, a cold beer in one hand, the other one free to move along with the music. A bit of smoke wouldn't hurt I guess, so we start the smoke machine and watch the vapor gently stroll over the stage and to the floor, seemingly moving at the same tempo the music does. The music swells, gets bleaker and gains that awesome gritty sound.

I take another sip from my beer while the band starts 'Odessa Noir (sax trip). I close my eyes. I might as well be a persona in a David Lynch movie, in a bar scene where tension is building. Driving on hypnotic percussion and an almost tangible bassline, the sax floats freely,whaling, enchanting, atmospheric. Outside, it is foggy, cold, a beautiful shoreline city in Autumn. Inside, the fuzz grows.

Flashes of stoner rock and drone doom appear when the band plays 'Storming Sea'. Eerie soundscapes fill the darkened venue, unknown noises float in and out. 'How To Dig Holes' brights up the room, gently, strange, experimental. I'm no longer sure whether I'm a David Lynch character or just someone who is going through a dark period but I do know that I'm loving every second of it.

Slowly I wake up from this dream, only to realize that I am not there, I never have been. But the experience feels so lively, so intense. I guess it's time for The Orchestra Of Mirrored Reflections to take this whole thing on the road for a long time, including of course one or a few passages in Belgium. This is musical magic, sorcery of the most beautiful kind. So dark jazz lovers, get your hands on this, and on their other releases. You won't regret it...


​Serge

funeral doom

Newton's First Law of Motion states that a body at rest will remain at rest unless an outside force acts on it, and a body in motion at a constant velocity will remain in motion in a straight line unless acted upon by an outside force. For me personally, that certainly counts for music. Once I'm listening to slow music, it's extremely hard to step over to fast, extreme metal or electronic dance music for that matter. In fact, at the moment I'm even going to slow down...

...and enter the dark, mysterious and arduous world of Funeral Moth, one of Japan's most leading doom metal bands. According to their facebook page, they play 'extremely bleak doom', which obviously translates as 'fucking brilliant funeral doom'. Inspired by bands like Mournful Congregation, Thergothon and Skepticism this quartet drags their grievous sound through my speakers and I absolutely love it.

Two songs on 'Transience', lasting about twenty-two and eighteen minutes, seem to combine the sluggish sound of Bohren Und The Club Of Gore with everything you like about funeral doom and the immersive nature of post-rock. That way, the album sounds a bit more varied and fresh then some others in this genre, which obviously is fantastic. Yeah, I like this quite a lot so I'd recommend it to any doomed soul out there. Don't miss out on this one...


​Serge

drone / post-metal / post-rock

Man, there so much that I have to do, not only around the house but there is also still a lot of work to be done for a new project. Yet, somehow, this album won't let me. It always seems to drags me back into its immersive soundscapes and torpid tempos. While the music sluggishly drags itself through my tireless speakers, I wonder what to write about it. Prepare for a strange but interesting trip with Sunwølf.

Sunwølf hail from Aberdeen, Scotland. They call themselves a drone metal band, and that is pretty much correct. Yet, there is way more going on, a whole spectrum of influences which gradually reveal themselves. Mono, Cult Of Luna, Isis, Nadja, Om, Master Musicians Of Bukkake... the list goes on and on and I haven't even mentioned the eerie, bleak and almost blackened ambient passages yet.

​Opener 'Gilded Heart' carefully presents where Sunwølf stands for: moody soundscapes, steadfast but slow drums and deep drones. It's here where Mono comes to mind, especially with these guitars. Yet, then the vocals appear and the whole thing seems to turn into a post-hardcore or post-metal craze, still slow and doomy but harsher and with a crushing intensity. 'A Rest Mid The Gloaming' is an early highlight, thriving on these awesome post-whatever elements.

On 'Quell' the tempo goes up, a bit, which obviously is a good thing regarding the level of variation, but when 'Haar' starts, goosebumps start to form. Apparently, these Scots found a way to combine Cult Of Luna with doom metal legends Winter. This mid-tempo track is stunning, harsh, intense and somewhat brutal. But don't worry, the droney and repetitive 'Sun Of My Soul' will let you rest for a little while, or smash you into a coma, that's another possibility.

But serious, this is a tremendous album, one which will be enjoyed by drone, post-rock, doom and stoner rock fans alike. I only needed three songs to be convinced but there are four more pearls on this full-length. 'Eve' is a gentle piece of work, soothing and calm. 'Brother' is a drone-doom masterpiece, 'Frontier' nudges towards experimentalism and even dark jazz and closer 'Winterworn' gently awakes you from this hypnotic trance. 

Recommended? Essential!


​Serge

ambient / drone / jazz

Roadburn is coming up in a few weeks and I'm sure many people are looking forward to that. I know that the good people from Consouling Sounds are, because they are about to release this gem upon the world to coincide with Yodok III's appearance on the mother of all fuzzfests. I wish I could go to Roadburn this years, but unfortunately, I can't. However, I'll comfort myself with the knowledge that I'll be seeing Yodok III at Dunk!Festival later this year.

Yodok III is the enthralling cooperation between Tomas Järmyr (Barchan, Zu), Kristoffer Lo (Trondheim Jazz Orchestra and others) and Belgium's own drone-guru Dirk Serries (Microphonics, Vidna Obmana, Fear Falls Burning). Their work has previously been released on Tonefloat's 'New Wave Of Jazz' series, which crossover jazz and experimental ambient. So yeah, these guys know a thing or two about exciting music.

'Legion Of Radiance' is a one track album, lasting almost seventy minutes. It combines the unique drumming of Järmyr with Lo's deep tuba sounds and Serries' recognizable soundscapes. The result is a gloomy and adventurous piece of music, which is best to be enjoyed with your eyes closed and your mind open. At first, the music is silent. In fact, it took me awhile before I realized that the album was already playing. 

But, like all good drone and ambient albums, gradually the music swells and gains momentum. It becomes darker, deeper and more intense, minute after minute. It gets heavier, experimental and jazz-like, certainly with those energetic drums. In the end, it because every drone fan's dream: a mature album which floats in a similar way than Smetana's 'Die Moldau'. Or maybe that's just me. Fact remains, this is a brilliant album which you should definitely buy.


​Serge

hard rock

Damn, it's not Tuesday, otherwise I could have used the massively popular 'Throwback Tuesday' tag on this album. Yet, since it's Wednesday, let's just call it 'Welcome Back Wednesday', shall we? This album goes way back into the seventies, or at least, that's how it sounds. Twin guitars, energetic drums and howling vocals, what else could you possibly want for a nice throw back in time. Look no further, Banquet are here to lead the way.

The band hails from San Francisco, which once was a hotbed of rock music. This album is Banquet's debut full-length, following a 7". It has become a highly interesting album, filled with old school hard rock, reminding me of everything between Rainbow, Led Zeppelin and even old Judas Priest.  In today's so-called "retro-rock" scene, perhaps you can compare Banquet to acts like Kadavar, Uncle Acid and company.

The album opens with the brilliant song 'Mastermind', which immediately drags the listener back to those golden years of hard rock music. From there, the quartet continues to explore this style to the fullest, not only being loyal to the vintage sound but also incorporating some modern-day touches. That results in awesome songs like 'Run To You' or the heavy rocker 'Touching The Grave', perhaps my favorite song on this album.

The energy coming from the speakers is pretty intense, even though the music isn't extreme, certainly not for this day and age.  Instead, there is a lot of groove and some highly immersive guitar solos. The album closes with the beautiful title track 'Jupiter Rose'. Remember when Guns 'n Roses were still relevant? Well, in that era, they could have written this song but luckily for us, Banquet perfectly nailed it...


​Serge

stoner rock

We continue today's writing session with a six-track ep by Viareggio, Italy based stoner rock trio Ramachandran. If you're in for a decent slab of fuzzed-out energy, this surely is something for you. This female fronted back goes pretty wild, blending old school hard rock with a touch of thrash metal (in opener 'Bandura') and loads of energy. The result is a raw version of some stoner rock acts like Jex Thoth or Jess And The Ancient Ones.

Now, about those names, don't take them to literally please. While those bands focus on making their music as complete, atmospheric and mysterious as possible, Ramachandran just want to rock and that is exactly what they do. Songs like 'Cotard' or the grungy and somewhat psychedelic 'Samo' are strong tracks which can get many parties started. I guess the bluesy 'Vilayanur' is my favorite here.

All the songs, and the bandname, share a similar theme, namely 'how does the brain work'. The lyrics reflect neuro-psychological experiments. It's an interesting concept, that's for sure, one of which I have quite a few books about here. Perhaps it might be a good idea to read some of those books while this album plays continuously. I might try that later but for now, I just feel like playing the ep again and start a stoner rock party in my living room. 


​Serge

black metal / avant garde / psych

The last music I heard on Monday was the psychedelic black metal of Oranssi Pazuzu. The first music I listened to on Tuesday was Pergalé, an odd musical phenomenon from Lithuania. In a way, that playing order felt quite natural since both bands seem to have a lot in common. Initially, both bands can be seen as black metal bands but both turn the genre into something refreshing, renewing and original.

Pergalé consists of a variety of members from Lithuanian bands. So perhaps that's why so many influences have been thrown into this album. In six tracks, this act blends black metal with gothic rock, jazz, psychedelic (or psychotic) rock and experimental avant-garde music. Hell, the album opens with a psychobilly track, 'A Boy's Night Out', which gradually turns into "blackabilly". When you hear it, you'll know what I mean.

'Estonian Lesbians' is a gritty gothic rock song, obviously a bit blackened at times. It reminds me of acts like the Vision Bleak, Moonspell or perhaps Trail Of Tears. This might be one of my favorites on this album. Or how about 'Durnius'? Imagine The Virgin Prunes experimenting with depressive black metal and jazz and you might get somewhere close to what this song sounds like. It sounds awesome by the way.

But it gets even weirder. 'Viskis II' could have been an Anathema song. with Lithuanian (I think) narrative lyrics over atmospheric and calm rock music. On 'Les Yeux Rouge' things go heavy again, back into the gothic rock of Moonspell, much to my delight actually. It also has a brilliant twist, but you'll have to find that out for yourself. I'm going to end this review by mentioning the awesome closing track, the blackened gothrocker 'Gabriel The Norwegian', the grand finale so to speak.

And by recommending this great album to anyone who likes his metal to be original, melodic and harsh. This album is definitely refreshing, shining new lights on the otherwise headstrong black metal scene. I'm not sure if a tour will follow, but I certainly hope so and I hope they will play in a venue near my place soon. 


​Serge

southern rock / stoner rock

Well, they aren't from Texas and there are no chainsaws at all on this album. Furthermore, I'm not really sure how anyone can love dust, so that sounds as but odd as well. It seems like everything here is just a lie. But once you've listened the album throughout, you just might believe everything that this French band promises. They sound as American as apple-pie and hiding nipples. Oh, and sometimes also a bit Mexican.

Let's just get ready for a wild and wicked ride with the System Of A Down of the stoner rock world. There, I said it, weird reference maybe but with good reason. This album is just as unpredictable and strange but it rocks just as hard as many SOAD releases. With great pleasure I'd like to present The Texas Chainsaw Dust Lovers, a quartet from Paris that blends Ennio Morricone with Queens Of The Stone age.

The album opens with the title track 'Me And The Devil', which immediately takes you on a hike through vast and seering hot deserts. Typical American western sounds, alternated with groovy and fuzzed-out blues rock seem to be the main elements and they're being poured together perfectly. Or how about 'Dark Stuff', a nineties grunge songs that could have been written by the Foo Fighters and Rocket From The Crypt if their would work together

Yes, there is a lot of energy on this album, a lot of uptempo rock music with influences from punk, grunge and surf rock. In that aspect, 'Summer Spleen' is brilliant song and one of the major highlights here. Imagine Reel Big Fish going stoner rock, wouldn't that be awesome? Or how about the grungy 'Doin No Harm', another grinding track which somehow even brings Misfits to mind, perhaps because of the vocals. 

Oh, that's true. There's also a touch of vintage doom metal in here. Can you imagine what Black Sabbath have would have sound like if Elvis took Ozzy's place (and added some harmonica)? Well, listen to 'The Sleepwalker' and you might now. Yeah, this album is that weird and bizarre but also highly immersive and absolutely recommended to any stoner rocker out there. Damn, what a bundle of joy this album is...


​Serge

shoegaze / post-punk / new wave / dark wave

A few weeks ago, I mentioned this album in my 'albums to look forward to in 2016' list (read). Today I have the pleasure of reviewing this brilliant piece of work. Yes, pleasure, and yes, brilliant. This album proves something that I have been claiming for years now: "The KVB is one of the most interesting and promising things in the dark music scene today".Let's go back in time for a while, before I guide you through this album.

The first time I encountered this duo, was in a bar during the Incubate Festival in Tilburg (NL). Back then I really liked their music, which reminded me of something between Sisters Of Mercy, Echo & the Bunnymen, The Jesus & Mary Chain and so on. I wasn't the only one by the way. On my right was a guy dancing almost ecstatically and yelling 'thank you' after each song. Usually it's the other way around but hey, music is freedom.

After their show, I asked Nicolas if he had any cd's. All they had was one copy but they forgot it in their hotel room. We agreed to meet up later and so we did. I still got the CD and it's still being played often here, currently not as much as 'Of Desire', but that has a good reason as you will read soon. When 'Always Then' came out, we met again, at Trix in Antwerp this time. It was a good show and a great album. Hell, I don't even remember who headlined that evening...

Anyway, on to some days ago when I received 'Of Desire', perhaps one of the most anticipated albums in this household. We quickly unwrapped it and fed the disc to our cd-player. What came out was exactly what I predicted in Tilburg some years ago, a very strong album with great songs. An album that proves how a band can grow and evolve into a mature sound while still being loyal to their influences.

So yes, Kat and Nicolas have truly grown into their role as convincing musicians, delivering a number of tracks that can easily stand next to most of the 'New Wave Club Classix' compilation. Opener 'White Walls' is an immediate club hit. It reminds me of the gloomy sound of bands like A Flock Of Seagulls or even The Cure. 'Night Games' repeats that atmosphere, be it deeper and even somewhat darker.

'Lower Depths' is actually the first true surprise for me. In a way, I reminds me of Public Relation's 'New Beat Mind', driving on slow electronics and a monotonous bass lines. Above these, the subdued vocals and slashing guitars create something quite epic, a first highlight indeed. 'Never Enough' is another one, and once again a genuine classic. Here, I'm reminded of Suicide, another one of those cult acts from the eighties, and so is the stunning shoegazer 'In Deep'.

If you were a new wave fan in the eighties, if you have ever enjoyed attending those parties where every single person was dressed black and dancing to gloomy, obscure music, if you sometimes feel nostalgic or in a dark romantic mood, you need this album. 'Of Desire' is not only The KVB's best, most mature and experienced work, it's one of the best albums in the amalgamation of dark music we like to call 'new wave' in the last decade or so. 


​Serge

dark ambient

Let's leave the extremities behind us for a while and focus on something a bit less intrusive. Don't get me wrong, we're still roaming in pitch black darkness but we're entering a realm of mystery and anguish. We start by a gentle stroll through a mystical forest, where the animals are still animals and not yet the subjects of our fears. That will come later, but allow me to introduce the project first.

Order Of The Black Dawn are Ruairi O'Baoighill (Ireland) and Michal Polgár (from the Slovakian dark ambient project Morvranh). Personally, I'm not acquainted with Morvranh but I do know Ruairi O'Baoighill from his album 'The Faceless One' (which I reviewed on the old version of our website, read). I really liked the album and I remember expecting a lot from him in the near future.

The album opens with 'Where The Darkest Thickets Grow', a track with animal noises and a diversity of soundscapes. That's what I was talking about in the first paragraph, when I mentioned a forest. Once deeper inside however, the animals become silent while eerie drones, minimal noise and ambient soundscapes take over.  'Temple' is a pretty harsh track, driving on a grinding drone, just the way I like it.

'The Altar' has a haunting ritualistic feel to it, which probably makes this the scariest piece on this already pretty dark album. My favorite track is closer 'Waters From The Moon', which I feel is the richest and fullest track on this album. Yet, overall, this really is an excellent piece of dark ambient, one which could open your imagination, certainly when enjoyed in absolute darkness and silence. Go ahead, try it. You'd be amazed about what your mind can bring up...


​Serge

black metal / death metal

Sometimes the world is a nice place with birds, flowers and butterflies bringing color and joy to everyone who is willing to watch them. Today is not, at least not yet. Perhaps later we will allow some pleasure in our lives but at the moment it's time to feed the festering carcasses of our self-esteem with writings about brutal metal albums like this one. It's time to indulge ourselves in the morbid and chaotic cesspool of musical filth this duo has created.

Because that's exactly what this ep is, foul, dismal, rancorous and ill-natured. Obviously, I mean that in the best possible way. From the very first tones of 'Barbaric Wrath' to the apotheosis in 'Violent God', Pyromancer drenches the listener in a bleak, primitive and raw version of eighties and nineties extreme metal. 'Conjuring The Flame', for example, is an awesome piece of musical filth, reminding me somehow of old Impaled Nazarene.

The ep is merely thirteen minutes long, but that's plenty of time for Pyromancer to blast their malignant, thrash metal induced sound upon their victims. Other bands that come to mind, include Mayhem, Beherit and very, very, very old Sepultura. So yeah, this is some serious old school shit which every fan of these extremities should have. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go break something...


​Serge

doom / psychedelic rock

Sometimes, a new album will be played quite a lot but for some reason the review doesn't seem to happen. In the past few weeks, I've been getting acquainted with this jewel, but I never really got to writing the review, until now, obviously. Like I said, it's a jewel, something to completely lose yourself in, something that only happens with the very best of albums. Here are a few of those albums:

-Pink Floyd: Dark Side Of The Moon & Wish You Were Here
-The Cure: Disintegration
-Tiamat: Wildhoney

There are more of course, very high quality music with a very immersive nature. The Doors, The Beatles, Bob Marley, Ashra, Zappa...  The list barely seems to end, and for some reason I really like to add High Priest Of Saturn to that list of impressive acts. Initially founded as a stoner doom band with the echo-drenched vocals of Merethe Heggeset, this quartet has now grown to an awesome psychedelic doom metal band, complete with hammond-organ.

And that's exactly why I like this album so much. You get traditional doom metal riffs, driving on a solid foundation of bass and drums. Above those, the organ creates a brilliant space rock effect and the vocals finish the job in style. Then, psychedelic guitar solos fill the room, much like I would imagine Hendrix jamming with Slowdive in Jefferson Airplane's recording studio. See it as a psychedelic Deep Purple if you like.

There are five stretched out songs on this album, each one being an hypnotic journey on its own. My personal favorite is 'The Warming Moon' but all of them are well-varied and show a great sense of songwriting. 'The Flood Of Waters' even takes me back to Black Sabbath's 'Planet Caravan' for a short while, until the heaviness returns. And that heaviness is a monolithic statement of vintage doom metal.

This albums actually proves a point and I'm going to test that tonight. Good psychedelic rock music did not die out at the end of the seventies and potential classics are still being written and recorded today. Believe me, 'Son Of Earth And Sky' is one of those albums. Only time will tell of course, but I can honestly imagine myself in twenty years, reviewing an album that was obviously inspired by this one.


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doom metal

Female fronted occult doom metal, for me that description rings a massive bell. Here in Belgium, a band named Bathsheba are slowly paving their way to the top of the doom metal scene and with good reason too. In my humble opinion, they are one of the best in that sector of the scene. But there is always competition and sometimes the competition is pretty ruthless. Enter Worship Of Keres from California, USA.

Worship Of Keres is a relatively new band but I do feel that there is some experience present, perhaps by playing in other bands. Formed and lead by Matthew Woods Wilhoit (guitars) and aided by Elise Tarens on vocals, they make a pretty good impression on this ep. In three songs, each named 'Book (1, 2, 3)', the delivered an interesting business card, one I hope will be followed by a full-length soon.

The ep opens with a raw, riff-loaded but somewhat melodic piece of doom metal, reminding me of something between Candlemass and The Gathering (in their 'Mandylion' era - but without the keyboards). Frankly, I don't need a lot more to be convinced of a band's abilities, strong riffs, pounding drums and decent vocals are pretty much all it takes and yes, Worship Of Keres delivers all of those elements.

What follows is more fuzz-out goodness, firmly rooted in the ancient tradition of the genre but often nudging towards bands like Judas Priest, Venom or Celtic Frost. 'Book 2' and 'Book 3' are a bit faster, but still high quality doom songs. In all, I think this really is a nice first attempt, one that just might be followed by a massive hit album in this genre. I'm curious and I'm probably also a fan now. 


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black metal

Only a few days ago, I was writing about the Dutch black metal scene and about how prolific some of the bands from The Netherlands have been over the years. Today, I can add another band to that already impressive list. It's a duo, their name is 'Folteraar', which translates as 'Torturer'. With that in mind, welcome to the sick, twisted, confusion and mesmerizing underground of the Dutch black metal scene. Prepare to be punished...

'Vertellingen Van Een Donkere Eeuw' is not just another black metal album. It's a sonic assault, grim, raw and harsh. It takes me back to a time when this genre was in its infancy. Lo-fi production, grinding guitars, morbid vocals and a fatal array of blast beats are the main elements, enhanced by a dark and bleak atmosphere. To hell with melody and orchestral arrangements, Folteraar can do their job perfectly without those.

That obviously doesn't mean that this album lacks power, on the very contrary. Some of the songs here, like 'Waan' for example, are immersive pieces of what we now call depressive black metal. Slow but still with a gnawing element that will not leave you in piece. Others, 'Mijn Verlossing' as a leading example, are terrifying pieces of blackened chaos, relentless in nature and absolutely overwhelming if played loud enough.

I know I only mentioned two songs, but I feel like both perfectly represent what Folteraar stands for. There is also little else to write about this album. If you are a fan of the darkest, most obscure and harshest black metal bands out there, you need to get your hands on a copy of this piece of work. If you're nostalgic for a time when black metal was all about fiercely exercising inner fears and desires, you absolutely need this.


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hard rock / blues

Well, all that modern stuff is all fine but sometimes I need a decent flash back in time and some good old fashioned rock 'n' roll. I don't think that's too much to ask for, especially not since there's still a lot of good vintage stuff being made. If you can't find them, you're not looking hard enough. Luckily for you, Merchants Of Air are here to guide you towards an excellent example of traditional rock music, courtesy of Chris Rolling.

Chris Rolling Squad is a trio around French guitar player and vocalist Chris Rolling. On this ep, he presents four self written songs and a psychobilly cover ('Janes Says Gogogo') from Swedish band Indian Red. Influenced by blues, power rock and punk rock, this trio takes us right back to the seventies, a very good era for the world of music, that's for sure. The whole sounds as if Rory Gallagher and Jimi Hendrix jam with Free and Motorhead.

'Help Me' and 'Vampire Blues' are full-on blues rockers, complete with elaborate guitar solos and a Chris' rough, raspy voice, which suits perfectly with the music. 'Whore' is a pretty heavy rocker, just like 'My Redemption'. For some reason Lenny Kravitz comes to mind on the opening track but you might just ignore that. If you're in for a few minutes of good ol fashioned blues rock, you have to get your hands on this ep, it's as simply as that.


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ambient / avant-garde / experimental

Here in Belgium, everybody knows the name Dirk Swartenbroekx, or at least one of his projects Buscemi or Radical Slave. Well, some years ago, Swartenbroekx created a little spin-off in the form of an ambient and soundscape project, mainly for art installations. Today, after a few ep's and singles, he gathered some seasoned musicians to make Azure Mortal a full blown band, including members of Nordmann, Fifty Foot Combo, Daan, Maya's Moving Castle...

In a way, it seems like Azure Mortal is the dark side of Swartenbroekx. Ambient, jazz, drones and soundscapes make up this album, but all in a gloomy, kind of eerie, manner. Yet, somehow I'm still reluctant to place this album between my dark ambient collection. There's much more to it, even though 'Waai' and 'Gene Krupa Goes Bananas' are great pieces of dark minimalism. Azure Mortal feels more like a band I would place between Dale Cooper and Bohren.

Other influences I can hear seem to come from Throbbing Gristle, Steve Reich, Nurse With Wound, Angelo Badalamenti, Nils Frahm and so on. So yes, there are a few layers of old industrial, mainly in some of the rhythms, as in the brilliant song 'Deadweight' and the poetic 'Nacht'. There's also a bit of classical music, as in the joyful piano piece, aptly named 'Piano Piece' and even some Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze.

While most dark ambient acts focus on creating deep drones and mystifying atmospheres, 'Duivels' seems to be a collection of songs, varying massively in sound and style. 'Raven' for example is a strange jazz piece, perfectly suited for a David Lynch soundtrack while 'Pro Create' drives on mild techno beats and repetitiveness, somehow bringing Chris and Cosey to mind. Odd but nonetheless very interesting.

In all, this is a highly surprising album, a well-varied one too. I never expected something like this from Dirk Swartenbroekx but I'm very happy this album reached me. I will recommend this to dark ambient fans, even though this goes a lot further and a lot deeper. So check it out and allow yourself to dwell in the wonderful and mysterious world of Azure Mortal. You'll be in for an inspiring journey...


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