dark ambient

​In these dark, rainy autumn days, my musical preferences seem to shift from highly energetic upbeat music towards calm, soothing and gloomy sounds.  When spring starts, the metalhead inside awakes from his hibernation but for now I tend towards the calmer albums in my to review pile.  This album by French graphic designer and musician Dehn Sora (aka Treha Sektori) is definitely one of the sounds that will often be heard in our headquarters in the next few months.

This twenty-five minutes lasting epos is a dark ambient soundtrack for a book compiling works from Dehn Sora's exhibitions over the past few years.  Both are meant to be enjoyed simultaneously, watching the photographs while listening to the music.  Both have this strange, eerie atmosphere and thus fit perfectly together.  Yet, since I'm not an art reviewer, let's focus on the music because it can perfectly stand on its own.  Besides, it's quite hard to look at pictures while trying to write a review.

Anyway, what you can expect from this album is somehow exactly what you can expect from a label like Cyclic Law: high quality dark ambient with plenty of variation.  Names like Ulf Söderberg or Raison D'Etre often come to mind but on the same time it also fits in perfectly with music from modern day drone acts like CHVE or Thisquietarmy.  That being said, in a way you could regard this album as a bridge between the dark ambient scene at the beginning of this century and today's drone/ambient scene which seems to be rooted in sludge and doom metal.

'Yeah yeah, but is it any good?' you might asked, and for that I should really slap you in the face.  Of course it's good.  This is a brilliant piece of dark ambient, created by a highly creative and talented person.  Fans of the genre could blindly trust this to be a welcome addition to their already extensive collection.  Soundscapes, eerie voices and minimal but varied percussion create something out of this world, which is way too awesome to ignore.


Serge

ambient / jazz / post-rock

​What to think when a label mentions 'something different from our usual releases' in an email to submit a new album?  In this case, knowing Dunk!Records all too well, I didn't know what to think.  Chances that this would be a black or death metal release would be quite small, so maybe it was freejazz or another Triggerfinger-like atrocity.  In the end, 'Ascuns' doesn't seem to differ that much from other Dunk!Records releases, definitely not in quality.  I would even dare to call this post-rock, be it in a beautiful ambient setting.

Environments is a three-piece from Bucharest, Romania.  They call themselves an 'ambient unit' and tag themselves 'ambient / rhythm / noise' but there is so much more to this.  I can definitely hear elements from post-rock and jazz in this music, as if Tangerine Dream and The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble recorded an album together.  I know, that would be a damn awesome album and so is 'Ascuns'.  Believe me, this is something for the rainy autumn days, rolled up in a warm blanket.

Now I must admit, when I listened to opener 'Ascuns', I wasn't yet convinced of the true value of this album.  This track seems to be somewhat of a light-version of post-rock, not bad but not the same.  However, when 'Nativ' and later 'Crud' started playing, this album suddenly started crawling its way up towards my end-year list, alongside Radare.  Both songs have this gloomy atmosphere, created with minimal soundscapes and jazzy drums.  David Lynch would love this stuff, he truly would.

When the previous paragraphs made you think that this is an easy-listening album, please think again.  Environments like to challenge the listener and they like to experiment with sound, resulting in some strange, alienating songs like 'Frânt'.  Here I could finally see where the 'noise' tag came from.  It's a great song but also one that is more suited for the stage than for an album.  Don't get me wrong, if played loud enough it's still quite impressive music but I'm just working towards a paragraph about wanting to see this live.

My advice is simple, dark jazz fans must buy this, ambient fans have to check it out and post-rock fans might find a refreshing addition to their collection with this album.  I, obviously, hope that these guys will play Dunk! Festival this year (it would definitely make up for the fact that Radare are not coming).  Closing my eyes, I can already imagine the gig, loud, impressive, awe-inspiring and goosebumps-causing.  When they play 'Departe', I will probably crawl up on the floor and start crying.  Yes, that's a compliment.


Serge

death metal

Costa Rica in the house, and damn, it doesn't sound like something from such a beautiful country. This is fucking brutal! Bolt Thrower comes to mind instantly, musically speaking, deep catchy riffs and tight tight tight music and a clean production. I guess my best comparison music wise would be Bolt Thrower meets Edge of Sanity (early). two of my personal favorites.

It sounds like Dan Swano was involved somewhere (but he's not). Did I mention Costa Rica is where these dudes come from? Really a head scratcher as they clearly display European traits throughout (mostly UK and Sweden).  In fact, only half of the band is from Costa Rica (Master Butcher).  The other half (Rogga Johansson) lives in Sweden, which could explain the awesome combination.

With this MCD, I have another album that has one huge disappointment, that disappointment is the fact that it ends too soon.  Too bad it isn't a full length.  I could listen to these guys all day. Reading the bio it mentions bands I don't think they even remotely sound like, trust me it's Bolt Thrower meets early Edge Of Sanity in any comparisons, maybe a touch of Behemoth as well.




Paul

death metal / black metal

death metal / grindcore

Technical Slam is what you get here, plenty to sink your teeth into and plenty to keep you on your toes.  There's a lot of pig squealing going on, as well as guttural death yells from hell. This is nothing original or groundbreaking but there's plenty of talent and execution included throughout every track.

m I a fan? After one listen No, after two listen No, after the third listen YES. This album totally grows on you and you miss so much with just a few listens. There's lots of brutal slam going on with some slick ass riffs

"Milkstreet Mass Collision" is definitely the standout track for me.  I listened to that track a hundred times, interesting title as well!  Anyway these are some talented dudes so do check them out if your into technical slam.


​Paul

death metal

The year is 1993...

Ok no it's 2015 but it sure sounds like 1993.  1993 was a great year: Unleashed - Across The open Sea, Cannibal Corpse - Hammer smashed Face, Entombed - Wolverine Blues, Macabre - Sinister Slaughter, and fuck a shit load of classics but no Amorphis that year what a bummer...

Anyway I love this, it's like Unleashed crossed with Amorphis, crossed with a dark power.  This Finnish band (if you know me you know I live for Finnish death metal) is the shit! Dirty, brutal, and truly sincere death metal the way I like it.

They have a clear and purposed doom vibe to them. I truly feel like the world is coming to an end by the time "Funeral Odyssey" starts playing which is the sixth track on the album. This is probably my favorite track. It reminds me of early Amorphis, crossed with Unleashed and that my friends pumps me up!

After about the fourth listen through you realize how  good these guys actually are. The track listing was well planned from one piece into another ( I say this because so many bands suck at ordering their tracks - it does make a difference).

This year there has been a lot of releases going for the early 90's death metal that fail horribly, but these guys succeed and it's because they aren't just going for the early 1990's, this is what they do, this is who they are, this is what death metal and brutal doom metal is all about, It's damn interesting and it accidentally sounds like 1990's. In closing I tell you, no I command you to buy this, not just a download but a actual CD so you get the full experience in your hands.

Paul

death metal

STRONG RELEASE! Killer EP. French metal that sounds like it's from the depths of Sweden. They don't sound Swedish but they have the conviction of the Swedes!  Vocally reminds me of David Vincent in his prime deep vocal style. This is another band I never heard of until I got the email and I am totally into what they are doing!

This shit is brutal, from mid tempo to fast throughout the four tracks. There is no reason for anyone into to true death metal not to like this band, I'm ordering all their merch and praising the word to all, this band deserves the attention. Creative, convincing, and brutal. Find them, listen to them, and spread the word. Or be a dick and don't do anything.


Paul

death metal

This is the Greek version of Obituary, it seriously has that sound. Riffs, song structures and vocal style is very close, on the first track especially, and carries throughout the entire album. Not a bad thing, they don't sound like rip offs or anything of the sort and they do add their own flavor in there.

I am enjoying my third time through now and I have no complaints.  There's  plenty of other elements throughout.  I can hear some doom stuff like the opening riff in "Echos Of Desolation" which goes into an Asphyx type riffing (Think - The Rack).  The same could be said for the track "RIP".

"Intent To Kill" and "Visions Of Eternal Pain" are my favorite tracks although "Across the Fields Of Death" is probably the best track. As a fan of Obituary and Asphyx I am into what these guys are doing. I'd buy it and probably will track down an original copy for my collection and I will give it plenty of stereo time. 

Paul

death metal

Yet another convincing release pops up in my email, fucking sick! Every aspect of what I look for in a death metal band is present here. Some serious talent is relevant by everyone in the band. The songwriting is top notch death metal in the vein of early Morbid Angel, but better!

Yes, I said it better so fuck you if you don't agree.

And where are these guys from? Brazil! I may have a new favorite band from Brazil, Brazil may have just spewed forth the best band from there, yes better then Sepultura could ever be, huge statement and if you don't' agree, well fuck you again!

Unleashed, Mayhem, Samael, Morbid Angel, and Morgoth all come to mind at different points throughout this release. There are sixteen fucking tracks here of sick, sick, sick death metal! No cheese here, no filler here, no bullshit here, just truly awesome death metal. Give them a chance and check them out, it's worth every penny you can scrap up to purchase, true classic!

Paul

death metal

Last night a friend of mine came over.  He's a little bit older than I am.  In fact, he's from a time when music was divided into pop, rock, jazz and folk.  That was it.  There was no death metal, no black, speed, thrash or doom metal.  So I had to explain how all those genres came into existence and make him listen to some of them.  He still doesn't really understand all those genres and I don't think he will even become a metalhead but that's fine.  

So, that was a completely irrelevant introduction, except maybe for the fact that I mentioned death metal.  For that friend of mine, the album I'm reviewing now is a rock-album, an extreme one nonetheless, but definitely rock.  For the more experienced listener, we could easily call this melodic technical blackened death metal.  So metalheads all around, press play on the bandcamp-player above and get ready to start that living room mosh pit.

The Hudson Horror are a band from New York, which of course is an American city.  Founded in 2012, they have been working on this debut album like crazy.  It seems that the goal was to release a quality album, well-varied, well-produced and with stunning artwork.  After all, it's quite useless to release anything less than great since the competition is fierce in this genre.  Did they succeed?  Oh yeah, they did.

Taking death metal as a foundation, The Hudson Horror incorporated elements from a lot of different metal genre such as hardcore, heavy metal, thrash metal, black metal and a touch of doom.  So it's no wonder that I envision an entire metal-festival line-up when I listen to this piece of work.  From Arch Enemy over Iron Maiden to Cannibal Corpse and Death, they all pass by. Hell, even the intro from 'Number Of The Beast' is used in one of the songs.

Those influences alone make this a well-varied album, and the vocals help quite a bit.  Ranging from deep guttural growls to eerie screams or, in some passages, none at all, vocals are used excellently.  And there are even great surprises to be found.  The song 'Anathema' features a jazz solo with clean sounding guitar over fierce death metal riffs.  On other occasions, I sense some post-metal influences as well.

Now I must admit, at first I had my doubts.  Opener 'What The Moon Brings' is a decent song but not the smasher I expected it to be.  Yet, gradually the album growls, both in intensity and variation.  Tempos start alternating, the different elements come in and the whole becomes an impressive piece of work.  A few listen later, the opener too grows on me and now I can't stop banging my head.  So yes, check it out...


​Serge

doom metal

How about a gut-ripping slab of doom metal to end today's writing session with?  Let's dive into a thick cesspool of riffs and fuzz and twist and crawl like the happiest doom pig in history.  Because that's what good doom metal actually feels like, almost physical, a blanket of music to crawl into and cry out every last bit of misery inside of you.  It also seems to make me a little bit poetic.  I'm very sorry about that.

Moon Curse hails from Milwaukee, USA.  'Spirit Remains' is their second album, after a self titled debut a few years ago.  Little has changed in the music this trio comes up with but, like wine, quality takes time.  So what we get is indeed high quality amplifier-worshipping doom metal, a brilliant blend of Black Sabbath, Electric Wizard and Yob.  I'll tell you know what I usually say by the end of a review: I want to see this live.

The album opens with a monolithic doom track in 'Beneath The Waves', honoring the tradition of the genre with strong riffs, clean vocals and a sluggish tempo.  That recipe is repeated a few more time, reaching perfection in 'Lord Of Memories/Spirit Remains'.  The rest of the songs is just a massive and crushing, with here and there some psychedelic solos and hypnotic instrumental passages.

If you're a fan of doom metal, you should definitely check out this album.  It's a very heavy tribute to the mighty power of the riff, one that even resonates minutes after the album is over.  Like I said earlier, this is physical music, dark emotions you can feel if you set your mind to it.  Try it, you won't be disappointed.


​Serge

black metal

Symbol Of Domination

'Diabolical Finale Mortum' is the most recent effort by Zlatoust (Russia) based one-man act Ame3apak.  In short, this could be seen as a continuance of his regular work, meaning raw and primitive black metal.  Yet, what you can also sense is growing experience.  I already had the feeling when I was reviewing the previous album but this one definitely proves that Lord Dead, who is behind this act, is getting better and better at what he does.

When I think of one-man black metal acts I usually imagine raw, harsh sounding noise, made with guitars and drums while someone is screaming his guts out in a moist basement.  The sound of these albums usually is utter crap and painful to listen to.  But perhaps that's just the charm of the underground.  Here it's a little different.   Ame3apak makes songs, often even catchy extreme metal tunes.

Of course, there is still the eerie atmosphere, the blast-beats and the crushing riffs but the whole comes with a tremendous sense of variation and songwriting abilities.  The result is an excellent album where black metal meets flashes of power and thrash.  Furthermore, there are some brilliant guitar solos on this one, and that means a lot coming from someone who doesn't really like guitar solos.

Just listen to songs like 'Некромант'.  I don't know what it means but I don't care.  This is underground black metal at its best.  It's as simple as that.  So even more so than with the previous album I have to recommend checking this thing out.  This Russian act is definitely getting better and better and this album is definitely the most varied, catchy and immersive work I heard from him.  


​Serge

black metal

Satanath

Well, since it's 'black friday' today, a joyful holiday about greed and violence if I understand it correctly, let's blast a few black metal albums through my speakers.  We kick off with two albums by Russian black metal horde Ame3apak, beginning with their 2014 album 'Daemonolatreia'.  

Since 2012, at least according to what I can find on the internet, this band has been coming up with an album every single year.  For some, that might raise questions about originality and in a way those people could be right.  What this band does, is not really original but believe me, it's worth checking out.

'Daemonolatreia' is an excellent addition to any black metal collection.  Anyone who's into stuff by Darkthrone, Immortal, Marduk and so on, can blindly trust this act to deliver the goods.  Haunted screams, ferocious riffs and skull drilling are the key ingredients and they're brought with enough variation to maintain interesting.

Of course, this is as typical as black metal can get, of course there's Satanism involved, of course the atmosphere is bleak and terrifying, of course you should obviously get your hands on a copy of this if you're into this kind of music and of course you will love the shit out of it.  


​Serge

noise rock / sludge

Do you it will one day be possible to use soundwaves as a form of transportation?  You know, trains or streetcars with massive speakers on the bottom, driving on drones?  It's not very strange when you think about it.  Scientists have already balanced objects between speakers and put out fire with soundwaves.  It's true, look it up on Youtube if you don't believe me.  So, imagine one day we ride on soundtrains.  Guess who drives the damn thing?  Yes, Beesus (among others).

Beesus is an Italian band, formed in 2010.  After their first demo and some live gigs, the band went on a hiatus, only to come back with a serious vengeance.  This debut full-length is a massive piece of noise rock, with tentacles towards stoner rock, sludge metal.  Influences by the likes of Alice In Chains, The Jesus Lizard, Kyuss and Butthole Surfers, Beesus rages on in a fury of fuzz, noise and energy.  Yes, most of the album is quite slow, but still intense enough to snap the elastic in your underwear.

'The Rise Of Beesus' (both the song and the album, which is quite normal since the song opens the album, making it easy for me to not confuse my beloved readers with the question whether I'm reviewing the song or the album) opens with a drone and slowly turns into something you know will leave you with a severe headache.  Yet, it's one of those worth-it-headaches, an afterblow of something awesome you did last night.  From there one, Beesus drive their stoner-noise through your skull with sheer intensity.

Once in awhile, Beesu takes a step back to engage themselves in a bit of a psychedelic jamsession.  'Kusa' is one of those.  It's the kind of song that The Doors could have played when they were too stoned to notice the distortion being too heavy.  It's not too heavy for Beesus, that's for damn sure.  Much like The Melvins, Beesus stand for a massive wall-of-sound, with a thick, hazy atmosphere and harsh riffs.  'Zenza', for instance, will make every noise rocker party his socks off.

To conclude, this is one of those albums that will stun a lot of fuzz-fans and each of them knows that this music will be even better live.  In fact, the album is recorded live. This is the stuff for ecstatic live shows, loaded with all kinds of psychotropic substances.  So check it out if you like any of the bands listed in this review, and if you don't, check it out anyway.  


Serge

Post-rock legends Maybeshewill is saying goodbye to the stage (at least in this form).  Their already huge tour has now been expanded with some new dates.

​25.02.16 – ATHENS, Fuzz
26.02.16 – MOSCOW, Theatre
27.02.16 – ST. PETERSBURG, Club Zal
29.02.16 – KIEV, Atlas
11.03.16 – BRUSSELS, VK
12.03.16 – TILBURG, Extase
13.03.16 – UTRECHT, Ekko
14.03.16 – COLOGNE, Gebaude9
15.03.16 – HAMBURG, Molotow
16.03.16 – BERLIN, Cassiopeia
17.03.16 – WARSAW, Hydrozagadka
18.03.16 – WROCLAW, Alibi
20.03.16 – PRAGUE, NoD Theatre
21.03.16 – BUDAPEST, Durer Kert
22.03.16 – VIENNA, Chelsea
23.03.16 – SALZBERG, Rockhouse
24.03.16 – MILAN, Circolo Magnolia
25.03.16 – AARAU, Kiff
12.04.16 – GLASGOW, Stereo
13.04.16 – LEEDS, Brudenell
14.04.16 – LEICESTER, Y Theatre
15.04.16 – LONDON, Koko

black metal 

Earlier today I bought tickets to go see The Cure in 2016.  It's quite exciting since Robert Smith and co were one of the few bands left on my must-see list.  The other band is The Ramones by the way, unfortunately that will never happen.  When I was bragging on facebook about my newly bought concert tickets, a picture of Curezum appeared in my feed.  Suddenly I remembered that I received this single earlier, so I decided to check it out.

Curezum is an extreme metal tribute to The Cure, formed after some musicians discovered their fascination with the albums Pornography, Faith and other Cure classics.  Now, I know that may sound like a gimmick,  a little joke or even a bit of an insult but it surely is something to check out. After all, aren't The Cure among the masters of dark, gloomy and bleak music? Isn't black metal merely an extreme version of that particular sound?  Yes, it is so it fits damn well together.

What Curezum delivers on this single comes very close to both the original and to traditional black metal (but without the blast beats).  'One Hundred Years' is a very immersive song, one that will often find the way to my speakers in the near future. 'The Top' is scary as hell, an intensely eerie version of the original.  Yet, both songs make me damn curious about what's coming in the future.  

So in all, this is an excellent tribute to one of the most enigmatic new wave in bands in existence and, in my humble opinion, a worthy one.  There's a full-length coming and I definitely want to check that one out.  Oh, and of course Curezum should tour, like now...


​Serge

doom metal / gothic metal

​Here we go again, on a nostalgic journey through nineties era metal festivals, gothrocking our asses off with bands like Tiamat, Lake Of Tears, Moonspell, Paradise Lost and so on.  Sometimes, I actually miss going to those festivals.  Several things have kept me away from them since early in this century and the chances that I will return are small. However, I would definitely go to an Ixion gig if they play anywhere near where I live.  I'm sure it will be awesome.

Ixion started in 2004 as a one-man project by Julien Prat.  Over the years, other members joined and the first recordings were released.  Today, Ixion proudly present their second full-length, 'Enfant De La Nuit', which translates as 'Child Of The Night'.  And proud they should be.  This is simply a tremendous piece of gothic doom metal, a masterpiece of dark music, including beautiful ambient passages and crushing outbursts of distorted guitars and grunts.

In a way, I think it's ok to mention influences outside of the usual suspects mentioned in the first paragraph of this review.  After all, Ixion use plenty of electronics, which remind me a bit of acts like Massive Attack, ASP and Archive.  Furthermore, names like Dead Can Dance and Clint Mansell are never far away. In 'Discovery' I even hear a tiny bit of Jean-Michel Jarre or Klaus Schulze. That combination of doom metal and often hypnotic electronics is pretty awesome.  It certainly makes me hungry for live-performances.

The vocals are just are varied and well-placed as the music is.  Ranging from clean, chanting voices to haunted screams and deep growls, Ixion deliver them all.  Unlike some doom bands, the vocals here are never out of place and always seem to fit in perfectly with the pace and atmosphere of the music.  Grunts on funeral doom passages, angsty vocals on eerie parts, powerful chants when needed and screams when the whole turns into sludgy noise-doom.  

The album has been playing quite a few times in the past few days, which is a good sign of course.  Everytime I listen, I hear some new elements, new influences and layers of sound which seemed to be hidden before.  One of the things that suddenly came up, was post-rock.  There are plenty of elaborate passages with instrumental heavy rock, loaded with keyboards and atmosphere. Modern classical music was another one, suddenly popping up in the form of beautiful piano play.

I know I only mentioned one song in this review and it's not even my favorite one.  I don't have a favorite one I think.  I really prefer to listen to the entire record and start over when it's finished, just like I did with some masterpieces from Tiamat, Amorphis and The Gathering back in the day.  Take it from me, it is going to be hard to find a better album in this (sub)genre, at least this year. 'Enfant De La Nuit' is a brilliant piece of work, period.


Serge

metal, all of it...

​Strange album alert!!! 

Yet, regardless of that, this is something you should check out if you're a (post-) metal fan. These guys do amazing things without opening their mouths, except maybe to breathe and to say 'thank you' after they blasted one of their fierce instrumentals over a completely mesmerized audience. Yes, this is instrumental metal, a bit similar to some post-rock/metal/hardcore acts like The Ocean for instance, but there is way more to Second To Sun that just being the next post-band.

This Russian trio has been around since 2012, blending hardcore, black metal, post-rock and ethnic Finno-Ugric music, only to come out with something complex, bombastic and completely insane. So it shouldn't be a big surprise that there's a lot of different bands I think about when I listen to this.  Meshuggah, Sick Of It All, The Ocean, Pain, Dillinger Escape Plan, Immortal, Evergrey and even Aphex Twin.  Yes, that's it.  This is the Aphex Twin of metal.

So to be able to fully comprehend this album, you don't only have to be used to these all these genres but you have to get used to the fact that they follow each other in continuously and often abruptly changing songs.  The experimental nature of this music is so immense that I can't help but think that there's a background in free-jazz hidden deep within this act.  One second you'll be listening to an epic post-rock anthem, the next one you'll be immersed in an orgy of ferocious blast-beats and grinding guitars.

The weirdness and complexity also reminds me a bit of acts like Fantomas, be it in a clear metal setting.  But then again there are fantastic tunes on this album, like 'The Blood Libel', which is one of the most immersive instrumental anthems I've ever heard.  If my Aphex Twin reference still stands, this song is their 'Windowlicker'.  You should probably have guessed that this is my favorite song on this album, the only downside is (and that counts for most of the songs), it's too short.

It's followed by 'Narcat', which actually is a math-grind tune.  You can almost hear the guttural growls hidden behind massive walls of distortion.  Then, the song turns into...Oh whatever, this stuff is just way to stunning to understand what the hell is going on.  Check it out, buy it, recommend them for Dunk!Festival, Incubate or whatever high quality music discovery festival could cope with originality.  I need a cigarette, I feel as if I just had sex with nine highly experienced geishas...


Serge

heavy metal

​Besides massively and internationally appreciated bands (including AmenRa, Bliksem, Evil Invaders...), Belgium also has a number of underappreciated acts, which in some cases is understandable and in other cases is really a shame.  Sons Of Lioth is one of those bands who deserve world tours, big festivals and an impressive following.  I've seen these guys live and they fucking rock.  Pure heavy metal, influenced by the likes of Hammerfall, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Megadeth, brought with a lot of energy, great riffs and awesome vocals, what else could we want?

The band hails from Herenthout, a town in 'De Stille Kempen'.  'Stil' means 'Silent' but that's not really applicable to these guys.  Their music is meant to be played loud and to bang your head to. When Sons Of Lioth formed in 2005, they were mainly singing about epic battles, steel hammers and dragons but gradually the whole thing became more serious, probably because they suddenly realized how talented they actually were.  Now, after some demos and a a first ep, they return with 'Judge Hammer', a true tribute to heavy metal.

The ep opens with a strange intro which obviously turns into a fierce metal headbutt.  From there, the Sons never let go and blasts some more uppercuts trough our speakers.  'Mad Trucking' is a classic metal anthem, fast, brutal and intense, just the way we like it it.  'Ramses The Anonymous' sounds as if Manowar and Motley Crue teamed up to write the best metal song of all time (or at least one of the best). 'Grand Inquisitor' also digs into the glorious sound of the eighties.  Well, all of the songs do.

Now that the mythical themes have mostly disappeared, I think it's time to take these guys serious.  If you like anything between Skid Row and Overkill, you have absolutely no excuse to ignore Sons Of Lioth.  In my book, especially with a brilliant ep like this one, this quintet surpasses many Belgian metal bands, both in quality of songwriting and headbanging fun.  So, Bliksem, Evil Invaders, Channel Zero and Diablo Blvd, you guys have got some ferocious competition...


Serge

experimental / avant-garde / stoner

​Sometimes an album appears that is just too odd to be captured at first listen.  When the biography makes the whole thing even more complicated, some people might just move on.  Not me! I like complicated albums.  I like it when all kinds of seemingly incompatible influences are being blended into a certain style.  If anything, it gives the whole something unique, something unreachable.  So we're in for a tremendous challenge with this one.  Bring it on!

Queen Elephantine is a band from Providence, RI (USA), founded in 2006 in Hong Kong.  The band claims to be 'fluid in line-up', something that remembers me of the term 'loose-knit collective', which is used to describe Master Musicians Of Bukkake.  And indeed, the list of band members is pretty huge, which in its turn can explain why this album sounds so strange and widely varied as it does.  Although the focus here is on heavy psychedelics, there's all kind of stuff going on.

The band opens with 'Omen', a song that can best be described as a doom rock track, a pretty good one too if you ask me.  Follower 'The Sea Goat' then suddenly reminds me of the lovechild of Primus and The Melvins.  It's not pretty and it makes a lot of noise but you can definitely bang your head to it.  Other bands that come to mind are Einsturzende Neubauten, Godflesh, Sonic Youth, Earth, Swans, Nadja and even Pink Floyd.  Yes, this is an immensely varied album, a heavy and psychedelic one too.

'Gamma' then turns into something quite different, namely experimental drone ambient, once again reminding me of Master Musicians Of Bukkake. This trance-inducing piece drives mainly on repetitive and improvised use of instruments, which works pretty damn well here.  'Morning Tree' adds a meditative aspect to the music and in that aspect quickly becomes one of my favorites on this interesting album.  In fact, unsurprisingly, this is a collection of track recorded in the past eight years so there's bound to be some difference between them.

So yes, this is sound as ritual, often heavy (as in the doom loaded 'Search for the Deathless State'), sometimes soothing and calm (as in 'Shamanic Procession') and sometimes blues-like ('Horseman') but always with a firm focus on an organic and natural flow.  After a few listens I have to admit that I underestimated this piece of work at first but now I can definitely see the beautiful strangeness that Queen Elephantine really is.  Recommended stuff for experimental weirdos...


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