dark folk / dark ambient

Several months ago I had the chance to review 'Arsenal' by French folk noir singer/songwriter Kentin Jivek (read).  Now he returns with a surprising album. Surprising because of the professional approach to this usually quite bedroom-sounding genre.  Surprising also because of certain elements that remind me of totally unexpected bands.  Yes, this might be one of the most professional and mature sounding folk noir albums I've ever heard, and possibly also the most approachable one.

Dressed down, you can see the songs on this album as dark ambient soundscapes and drones on which a number of folk songs are being sung.  At first, it takes some getting used to the distinct voice of Kentin but gradually it starts growing and references start coming above.  These references aren't the least. Andrew King and Current 93 come first, soon after followed by Anathema and Pink Floyd.  At one point in opener 'Last Light', I feel a similar atmosphere as I felt while listening 'The Wall' by Pink Floyd, that growing insanity, remember?

Besides drones and soundscapes, there seems to be some place for experimental electronics as well, but only if they can enhance the strange atmosphere of the music. Another important instrument is the acoustic guitar, hence possibly the folk-edge.  It's hard not to get immersed in this strange atmosphere, which feels a bit like sitting around an open fire during a camping trip in a haunted forest.

By the end of my previous review for Kentin Jivek, I mentioned that his 'Arsenal' album could use some more instrumentals to be complete.  Kentin didn't do that but still managed to come up with something that exceeds the previous album.  There are some awe-inspiring pearls on this album, highlighting in 'The Forbidden Truth' and the dark and eerie 'Qop'.  So if I recommended the previous album, I certainly recommend this one.  This act is getting better and better...


Serge

death metal

When I was looking up this project, I found an IMDB page for a seemingly unpopular movie.  Apart from the cast and crew, there was absolute no information to be found.  It made me wonder about the underground-capacity of the movie industry.  I wondered if there is such a thing, a grey area where film makers keep on dwelling, hoping that one day someone discovers them.  The music industry has many of those underground scenes.  The death metal scene for example, and that's exactly where we are going with this.

Harsh, unpolished, raw and brutal death metal, that's what we get from this Greek duo.  The band was founded in 2012 by John Dafopoulos (Pigskinner) and became a duo when Kostas Analytis (Abyssus) joined in 2015.  Now, they throw an ep in our faces, one that should get the band some attention before they unleash their debut full-length.  If that album is half as varied and crushing as this ep, they're on their way to some future end-year lists.

Carnal Garden take their death metal to a very old school level and delivers four quite different songs, each seemingly with its own identity.  Opener 'Through Darkness And Dust' blasts on in old school style, reminding me of bands like Entombed or Bolt Thrower.  'World Infected' comes up with something between Obituary and Biohazard while 'The Smell Of Sulphur' takes on a bit of an industrial approach, somehow reminding me of Voivod and Ministry.

Closer 'From The Catacombs' combines the other ones and adds a bit of Napalm Death to the whole, because why the fuck not.  This ep totally reeks of the nineties scene, which was a delightful cesspool of aggression, gore and brutality.  Carnal Garden definitely succeeded in bringing back memories of me discovering this kind of music and that alone is worth checking out this piece of work.  So go ahead, check it out and headbang this year away...


Serge

doom metal

Although I don't often use popular terms like 'throwback Thursday', this would be a perfect occasion for such a tag.  At this very moment I'm being drenched in a melancholic atmosphere, bringing back some beautiful moments of festivals in the nineties.  The line-up mentions bands like Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride and Anathema, and for that I think I'm in heaven.  Gothic doom metal has been one of my favorite genres for years and I definitely approve of this one.

A Dream Of Poe is originally a Portuguese project but moved to Scotland.  A few months ago, they released their second album, a very ambitious one too.  The purpose was to recreate the magic of the classics by the previously mentioned bands.  The fact the Solitude Productions picked them up, certainly proves that A Dream Of Poe succeeded in that goal.  The five songs on 'Infinity Emerged' are massive pieces of gothic doom, truly reminiscent of that awesome nineties era.

From the very first note of opener 'Egregore', My Dying Bride and Anathema come to mind. The big problem with such a sound is the risk of sounding like a copycat, but the distinct clean vocals give this band their own edge and certainly their own piece of the gothic doom cake. The main difference between A Dream Of Poe and their predecessors is the mixing and sound of these vocals.  Moved more to the foreground and with an intense melancholic feel, perhaps a tiny bit too poppy.  The voice might take some getting used to but that never harms the overall quality.

In fact, by the end of 'Lethargus', I'm already singing 'show me something new', not because I heard all of this before but because it's one of the lyrics.  Funny thing is, this is nothing new but they can definitely show me more of this.  They do, in the massive song 'The Isle Of Cinder'.  This is a black and purple steamroller of a song, taking on a bit of a theatrical approach, a bit cabarettesque perhaps but so damn immersive.

A Dream Of Poe certainly has potential, that's for sure.  'Infinity Emerged' is a great album, which deserves a place on any shelf where the earlier mentioned bands are present.  However, I still think that they can do better.  I've heard a lot of bands who try to recreate the magic of the classics and this one comes very, very close.  Yet, I feel that this band can do even better, they have the ability not to recreate a classic but to create a completely new one.  Keep an eye on these guys, they truly deserve your attention.


Serge

folk noir / rock

I don't know why but I've always preferred the darker versions of certain musical genres.  I like metal but I like dark metal more, same with electronic music, same with jazz and same with whatever Krasseville is exactly.  I really dig this album but I'm going to have a tough time describing what I hear.  It's time to take a look in the gloomy underground of the French rock industry and see what kind of strange creatures are hiding there.

Krassville is a French band, rooted in black metal.  If that sentence made you decide to buy this album, you might be in for a surprise.  This is as far away from black metal as it can possible get.  Well, actually, it's not.  There's no screams, no distorted blackened riffs and no blast beats but there's a bleak, eerie and haunting atmosphere.  These are chansons noir, perfectly suited for those strange black and white movie soundtracks.

After an intro, a bit of a prelude to a funeral mass, the band comes up with the gloomy rocker 'Nihil Time Funeral Process'.  The song reminds me of something between Nick Cave, Dale Cooper Quartet and Bain Wolfkind.  'De Sangre Y Mugre' continues that clean, acoustic but dark approach and adds a hint of rockabilly music, much to my delight to be honest.  'Love Suck And Hurts' does something different, by reminding me of dark folk acts like Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio.

If you're into soundtrack music and in particular Ennio Morricone, you will absolutely love most of the songs on this album, like the beautiful 'Tête Creuse'.  Personally, I think this one is my favorite too but I'm still not very sure.  I'm pleasantly surprised by the entire album and I recommend giving it a shot. 


Serge

black metal

Bands from Finland and The Netherlands working together on a highly anticipated split album.  That's what the biography promised, and I can see why.  Two of today's most interesting pagan black metal acts working together in stead of coming up with an ep each is always a good idea.  Besides, The Netherlands have produced some awesome pagan metal bands, the most popular being Heidevolk I think.

Heervader opens the split with a traditional folk inspired black metal song, 'Berserkgangr'. In the opening passage of 'Bloedbroeder Van De Aarde', the band shows a different side.  Here we get some pagan poetry with minimal percussion, right before the song blasts off in a similar way as  the opener.  Raw blackened riffs, a mix of screams and heroic chants (all in Dutch, which is pretty cool since I speak that language) and some keyboards create a perfect atmosphere for these guys to dwell in.  Closer 'Voorwaarts' is my favorite track, a splendid piece of symphonic black metal.

The Fins from Ancestors Blood continue the blackened assault, but tend to take on a bleaker and more depressive approach.  Of course, the basic ingredients are present: immersive riffs, pounding drums, atmospheric keyboards and eerie screams.  Yet, the result is a bit different.  I really dig the long instrumental passages and I also really dig the hidden insanity in the vocals.  'Deceiver For Power And Glory' is a brilliant track which will haunt your dreams.  'Ritual Of The Sacred Dance' is even better, the highlight of this split.  The other two are awesome too by the way.

In all, I can understand why this split has been so highly anticipated.  These are great examples of a genre that still rages on like it has been doing the nineties.  Perhaps they should take this split on the road and tour together.  I4m quite sure those will be some amazing nights, if you can cope with the absolute darkness...


Serge

black metal / dark ambient

Now here's a strange little item for your experimental black metal collection.  For starters, on bandcamp it's titled 'Music Cassette'.  Second, it seems to be drenched in obscurity.  I can't find anything about this band. 

I'm not even sure it is a band. It might also be a one-man project.  Third, it's completely instrumental, not a single word is spoken or sung.  All I know is that Danwstar is German and that their tape is pretty damn good.

This tape contains one long track, lasting a bit over twenty minutes.  However, I can hear different tracks, or at least different passages.  Some of them are strong melodic black metal anthems, accompanied by some minor keyboards and others, more or less the closing part, are dark ambient soundscapes.

This tape certainly made me curious about Dawnstar, because there seems to be some talented musicians behind this act.  They know a little something about old school black metal, that's for sure.  My advice: check it out, this is one of those deep underground and obscure things that you won't find easily.  Besides, even with a minor production, it still sounds pretty interesting.

Serge

symphonic black metal

I really like these throwback albums which remind me of the old days.  Only a few years after I started discovering the wonderful world of metal, I got dragged into the blackened extremes.  I remember being stunned by albums from Cradle Of Filth, Ninnghizhidda and Old Man's Child.  I could listen to those awesome blend of ferocious metal and bombastic symphonic elements for hours.  Apparently, that genre never faded away.

Sekoria is a German band, founded in 2010.  Since then, they have been perfecting their trade, now resulting in their second album 'Im Reich Der Schatten'.  If you are into symphonic and epic black metal, this might be your next favorite because personally, I would place this quartet somewhere between Emperor and Old Man's Child.  What I hear on this album has all the classic ingredients to make this an excellent piece of work.

After the usual intro, which by the way is pretty damn nice, Sekoria blast away with fierce riffs, blast beats and haunting screams.  Above that, a number of keyboards take care of atmosphere and sheer epicness.  From then on, we're on an intense journey through a dark and fearsome world, driven on pure blackened power.  It lasts for a bit over an hour and never loses its grip, which is quite an accomplishment in this genre these days.

The album does feel like a concept-album and it's hard to pick out favorite track.  However, there are some fantastic riffs in 'Die Nachtigall' and 'Vendetta'.  Often I feel that these guys are influenced by both black metal and thrash metal but, unlike the originators of the symphonic black metal style, here those influences seem to take on a modern edge, a bit like Machine Head perhaps.

In all, of course, this is a great symphonic black metal album that definitely deserves a place in your collection.  The whole is well-written and varied enough to remain interesting.  It shows a well-attuned band that has the capabilities to go places, preferably some big stages in the near future...


Serge

symphonic black metal

Wait, why haven't I heard from this band before? It must be the hardest working band in the blackened industry.  These Ukrainians have been around since 2005 and this one is already their seventh album. Ok, the first one since 2012, that's true but still, seven album is quite a lot for a band.  One might start asking questions about the quality of the whole.  I know noise acts who come up with seven albums in a few months but they all sound the same.

Anyway, on to the album because no, you don't need to worry about the quality.  This is excellent black metal with loads of symphonic and atmospheric elements, usually quite a lot slower than most black metal album, hence perhaps the signing with BadMoonMan, a sublabel of doom metal label Solitude Productions.  I can clearly see why, not only the tempo but also the atmosphere come very close to doom metal.

Yet, don't get me wrong, Raventale definitely know how to come up with intense and fierce music.  After the dark intro 'Intra-mantra' we're slowly dragged into this mysterious music that these guys have created.  'Destroying The Seeds Of Karma' ritually opens the gates and a while later 'Kali's Hunger' blasts away as a classic atmospheric black metal song, one of the best tracks on this impressive album.

If I have to compare Raventale to other bands, I guess Drudkh, Khors and Kampfar would come close.  However, in a way there's also a bit of Emperor and Cradle Of Filth present, the latter mainly in some of the massive symphonic elements which often appear.  Finally, I sense a hint of the black 'n' roll wave where bands like Khold roam.  The combination of all of those influences is certainty impressive and nonetheless intense.

In a way, 'Red Laugh's Walking' reminds me of a blend of old and new Tiamat, but again with blackened vocals.  This melodic mid-tempo song is actually pretty damn awesome and probably my personal favorite.  The only tiny bit of disappointment here is the fade-out at the end, it doesn't improve the song.  Maybe it would have been better to end abruptly and let the murderous track 'I Am The Black Tara' finish the job.

The conceptual inspiration for this album is a fascination with Indian and Tibetan spiritualism and the dark goddess, Kali.  This gives the album an extra mysterious edge, which fits perfectly with the music.  My recommendation is obvious: check it out.  There's a big chance that you will like either raw black metal (those riffs!!!) or atmospheric extremes (awesome keyboards).  This, my friends, is a very strong album...


Serge

progressive rock / post-metal

I live in Belgium, a country with very, very, very little to be proud of.  Our politicians are corrupt, our own army invades our major cities, the weather is either too warm, too cold or too rainy, our popular music culture is guided by children's music and not a single soul can decently drive a car.  Luckily there is one thing we can and should be proud of: our alternative music scene.  We spawned some of the most influential bands in the world, dEUS, AmenRa, Front242... Be proud of that!!!

And be proud of Atmospheres as well because they have just delivered one of the best pieces of progressive rock inspired music our country has ever heard.  These youngsters have been walking on this path since late 2012.  Some years later the released their promising debut and now they come with an awe-inspiring follow-up in 'Departure'.  If this doesn't takes these guys to the big European festivals, I will lose my faith in the music industry.

The most important aspects of Atmosphere's music seem to be dynamics, atmosphere and quality.  Influenced by progressive rock, post-rock/metal and ambient, they have come up with a number of blissful anthems, reminding me of something between Anathema, Oceansize, Porcupine Tree, Slowdive, Tool and Explosions In The Sky.  I could add more bands but that wouldn't do this album much good since this quartet clearly found their own niche.

The majority of the tracks on 'Departure' are elaborate anthems with strong dynamic drums, hypnotic keyboards and a stunning wall-of-sound, created by the guitars.  When appropriate, vocals are added and they fit perfectly with the immersive music, adding a high-level touch of emotion to the whole.  On the other hand, these guys definitely know how to make beautiful, soothing music too and alternate that with massive sonic outbursts.

What makes this album so special, is the high level of production and professionalism.  Apart from the strong songwriting, these elements give the whole an international sound, a bit like some of those huge arena rock bands you see these days.  And that's exactly the place where this music should be present in 2016, big venues, huge festivals and sometimes an intimate set in, let's say, my living room.  Watch out for these guys, they're coming...


Serge

black metal

Another album that has been hiding in my inbox for awhile, simply because there's only twenty-four hours in a day and seven days in a week.  Like I said before, it has become impossible to check out everything these days.  Anyway, let's not complain about the pressure and let's enjoy another brutal blast of old school black metal, courtesy of Ukrainian horde Moloch.  

The band claim that they are a black metal and dark ambient band which, judging from the intro and outro, could be true.  Both are indeed very dark and fearsome soundscapes which are perfectly suited to open and close this otherwise fierce and brutal album.  I always like these passages and I no longer see them as mere intros or fillers. These are an important part of an album, if done right.

What follows is raw, harsh, bleak and eerie black metal, reminding me of acts like Burzum, Darkthrone and many other old school black metal bands.  Here and there I think I can hear some keyboards but at this volume I'm not sure if they are there or just in my head.  The album really takes me back to the days where the genre had a certain psychotic insanity.  Here, that madness is represented by the fearsome vocals.

Besides, there are some awesome tracks here.  'Spiritueller Selbstmord', for example, is a (mainly) slow but stunningly crushing piece of work which could be a classic in its genre.  It's followed by the intense thrasher 'Negativität', another massive blast of extreme metal with a thick wall-of-sound attitude.  The energy coming from that song is incredible.  I guess this one is my favorite.

So yes, I do urge you to check out this gem if you're a black metal fan, regardless of which era.  This is as vintage as it gets these days.  This is old school black metal from a very high level and with a very solid nineties feel.  But most of all, of course, this is sick!!!


Serge

black metal

We stay in the scene of one-man black metal bands for a while.  This time we're going to Iceland where self-taught multi-instrumentalist Sigurboði Grétarsson roams.  He's also a member of folk band Hrafnagaldur.  Solo however, he seems to love adding some fierce blackened elements to his music, mainly influenced by the likes of Ensiferum, Dimmu Borgir, Emperor and Moonsorrow.  Yes, this is pagan black metal, very strong pagan black metal even.

The most impressive aspect of this whole thing is actually the fact that he played every single thing on this album himself, something you might not believe when you listen to the album at first.  It's even more stunning when you realize that the songs were written on an acoustic guitar and a cheap Casio keyboard because the artist couldn't afford more expensive equipment.  Work on this album lasted seven or eight years.

Yes, he's that much of a perfectionist.  There's little acoustic guitars left and if he still uses the Casio keyboard, there must have been a brilliant technician/producer in the studio.  It all makes me wonder how those first demos must have sounded.  The end result however is almost indistinguishable from the influences, both in musical quality as in songwriting an overall production.  If you told me that this was the Moonsorrow side-project, I would have believed you.

The concept album narrates a tragic love story about a man and a woman who die during Ragnarok and see their souls get separated from one another.  Musically, that story translates into a brilliant blend of symphonic passages, strong piano and fierce blasts of dark metal.  Especially the latter are aggressive and brutally intense.  You can almost feel the pain and suffering which the protagonist feels while searching for his loved one.

The story doesn't have a happy ending, as the protagonist eventually goes to Hel, the goddess of death, and asks her to freeze his heart so he can no longer feel the pain.  Somehow it reminds of of a Shakespeare story in a Nordic setting.  Yet, dear listener, for you this review does have a happy ending because this is one damn good album, versatile, intense, bombastic and symphonic. Everything you like about that particular genre is here.

I only hope he doesn't work on the follow-up for another eight years...


Serge

black metal

For many people, black metal isn't just a musical genre.  It's a way of life, an expression of their inner-self and a way to cope with the strange and terrifying reality that our society really is.  It's an art form with its distinct character and aspect.  Of course, there's even more people who don't understand why these artists' works are so dark, threatening and ireful.  Yet, to be honest, I'd trust most black metal artists over any banker or lawyer anytime.

Onirik is a one-man project by Gonius Rex.  He became fascinated by the genre after hearing a Darkthrone song on the radio in 1993.  Shortly after, he started his first band, Mors Liberatrix.  In 1998 he turned away from the scene, but, as many black metal fans come to realize at one point in their lives,  metal never truly leaves you.  It becomes a part of you.  In 2002, Gonius Rex started this project.

According to the biography, the first albums were always written and recorded very fast, a bit similar to noise-producers maybe.  Onirik didn't rehearse, didn't work too long on a song.  In fact, writing and recording the music often lasted less than a week.  Yet, the project seemed to grow and people were asking for more, even a live performance, which Gonius Rex hated.  Now, Onirik is primarily a studio project, dedicated to bringing out some massive tunes.

The songs I hear on this album, sound far from improvised and recorded quickly.  These are complex and mature pieces of black metal.  Yes, there's is such a thing as mature black metal, if you don't believe that, you can sod-off.  Darkthrone still seems to be a major influence but Onirik seeks further than that.  Other names that come to mind are Immortal (mainly in the blackened vocals) and Rotting Christ.

There's plenty of variation on this album, both in vocals (blackened screams and choir chants) and tempo (from slow, atmospheric passages to intense blast-beats driven outbursts).  The riffs are some of the greatest I've ever heard in this genre, certainly some of the most immersive ones.  Some of them take on the complexity of psychedelic rock, but of course completely drenched in this eerie sound which black metal is mainly known for.

All of these elements and years of experience have resulted in a surprising album, versatile, haunting and brutal.  My favorite tracks are 'Ascension and Descend' and the bizarre 'Disputant by Enlightenment'.  I can only recommend checking it out if you're a fan of raw, intense but melodic and complex black metal. This certainly is a stunning album, perhaps one of the best solo-efforts I've heard in a while.


Serge

progressive rock

When vocals are in a different language than English, a band seems to get a certain folk-sound, even when the rest of the music is far away from actual folk.  Certainly Scandinavian languages seem to have that typical character, which of course turns the whole into something unique.  Of course, Finland has known a widespread tradition of progressive rock music, another genre that refuses to fade away and burn out. 

When Malady was founded in 2010, the band members wanted to make one album before the age of fifty.  Judging from this one, I certainly hope it will not be the only one.  I admit, I had to get used to the whole but all of a sudden I envisioned myself playing with that old pick-up player and one of my father's records.  Yes, this totally reeks of the seventies, of psychedelic rock with both an experimental and a folk-rock edge.

In fact, most of the music on this album consists of instrumental passages with psychedelic guitar solos.  On other occasions, acoustic guitars and flutes enhance the traditional elements and once in a while there even seem to be some post rock influences.  Bands I'm often reminded of include King Crimson, Anathema, Porcupine Tree, Alquin, Dream Theater and even Pink Floyd.  I know, it's an impressive set of names to be compared with.

And then of course, there are those brilliant outbursts of hammond-driven psychedelics, taking me way back into a time when I wasn't even born.  They certainly make me wonder why I haven't been listening to this album earlier.  I hope this band takes this show on the road.  I can already imagine the joyful sounds floating through the air while trippy projections fill the walls of the venue.  Those should be awesome evenings...


Serge

death metal

Sometimes when we're writing about a death metal album, we claim that it reminds us of old school bands, those from back in the days.  Every once in a while however, a band comes up that was actually formed in that era.  Some of those bands evolve into different directions while others seem to perfect the trade.  Into Darkness belongs to the second category., old school death metal, reeking of the vintage sound.

The band have been around since 1995 and hails from Heidelberg, Germany.  Over the years, the band has faced numerous issues, including a postponed debut full-length which was recorded in 2003 and released nine years later.  However, since blood is thicker than water and death metal is a survivor, Into Darkness still stands strong in the European underground.  They also got better at what they do.

The album opens with a great intro, right before all hell breaks loose in 'Left Behind'.  From then on, the music rages on in blind fury and sheer speed.  Bands like Death, Obituary, Sinister and Immolation often come to mind.  Yet, this isn't a mere copy of those bands but simply a highly versatile and massive album.  Songs like 'Manifesto' and 'Human Benediction' could be classic, certainly the latter.

This is also one of those albums a trained metalhead can easily get into.  It's impressive how familiar and recognizable these riffs sound and how easy they got stuck in your head.  Even the fierce, blackened passages are mesmerizing and simply perfect for a decent headbanging session.  Furthermore, there is a certain level of complexity, not too much but exactly right to remain interesting, something which isn't always easy.

So, death metal fans all around, get ready to plunge into the thick, dark cesspool of  filthy  thrash riffs, skull hammering drums and growling voices that these Germans have prepared.  I promise you, you won't be disappointed.  I am quite positive that these guys can come up with a decent live performance as well, so I guess it's time that they finally get the success they deserve.


Serge

electronic / experimental

Several years ago, I was fascinated by the Fluxus art movement.  Basically, Fluxus artists are a bunch of creative generalists who see art everywhere and who will use anything to make their art.  Back in the days, I went to an exhibition and saw the strangest things like an apple with nails or a man who lived in a shop window for a month.  The world is a strange place and some artists are even stranger.

That idea is perfectly suited for the music industry, even though you might not expect it.  I can hear music in everything, in birds, in building works, in rivers and in busy streets.  My mind can add beats, percussion and melody, sometimes even vocals.  I'd love to live in a house filled with musical instruments and field recording equipment, preferably somewhere far away, hidden in a forest somewhere.

But it looks like someone beat me to that. Ane Østergaard, an electronic music composer from Denmark has already done something like that and I'm listening to the result right now.  We, that's my wife and I, listened last night too and we were both amazed by what we heard.  There were a lot of 'perhapses'.  Perhaps it was something like Black Dice, or perhaps it was influenced by Biosphere.  Perhaps Kraftwerk or Kode9 were in Ane's music collection.

According to the biography, she really did put a huge number of instruments in a house, including piano, guitar and zither but also non-instruments such as a hearing-aid, shoelaces and kitchen equipment.  There was also a computer for the electronic aspect (the beats) and to record birds and other field recordings.  All those sounds were processed into something that blatantly defies music genres.

On this record there's ambient, there's dubstep, there's breakbeat, there's IDM, there's cosmic music, there's old school techno and there's even a hint of jazz.  I probably forgot a few genres by the way.  Just like Ane refuses to stay in one genre, she refuses to stay in one era.  Klaus Schulze like soundscapes are being mixed by present day deep droning dubstep basses and early 2000's electroclash rhythms. 

Yet, as cold and electronic as all of the above might sound, the music still has a warm and organic atmosphere.  It feels free as if it was allowed to do whatever it wanted to, or as if the instruments and non-instruments were given their own breath of life.  That certainly makes this album stand out in the usually cold electronic scene of today.  So check out this brilliant piece of work.  You will definitely be amazed.


Serge

doom metal / black metal

I almost removed this album from my download folder just now, just like I do with all the albums I finished reviewing.  I honestly thought I already wrote this review and I was quite surprised when I couldn't find it on Merchants Of Air.  The cover art has been in my facebook feed for days and I even remember most of the music from previous listening sessions.  Yet, there hasn't been a review for some strange reason.  I'll make up for that now.

Batushka is a band from Poland, one with unknown members so it seems.  There is some mystery surrounding this band, which of course makes the whole thing a bit more enigmatic.  Musically, this is quite an original blend of black and doom metal with eerie screams and clean chants, baritone I guess (I'm not a real classical vocals connoisseur to be honest).  Furthermore, there's a lot of place for haunting atmospheres and fierce slabs of blackened aggression.

The overall sound is quite complex, both in songwriting and song structure and it's varied enough to remain interesting.  I can honestly see why this album appeared in my feed so often, it's something fresh and highly surprising, even in all its intensity.  This is one of those bands who can easily please stubborn old school black metal fans and modern day post-black metal faddists, both in sheer brutality and in musical abilities.

It's very hard to compare this to other bands.  Of course, I can throw some black metal bands like Darkthrone or Altar Of Plagues around and I can add some Sunn O))) if you like but I don't think those will help the album any further.  This simply is Batushka, a band with their own, be it blackened, sound and their own set of musical elements.  Of course, you can bang yourself into a tremendous whiplash with this one, and you damn well should.

I certainly will recommend checking it out if you're a fan of decent bleak and haunting music because that's exactly what this is: eight songs of pure sonic spiritualism, brought with an almost fatal sense of extremism and often an overwhelming wall-of-sound.  It certainly is a fresh breath of air in an ever changing genre, that's for sure...


Serge

doom / progressive

Wait, what is this now? That question often appears when I'm listening to a new release by a band I've never heard about but this time it has a huge questionmark at the end.  Very rarely I encounter a blend of progressive metal, doom metal and jazz while the (in this case female) vocals add a decent slab of sludge and death metal into the mix.  Very rarely I'm this confused about a release.  Yet, as often happens, I'm beginning to like this strange combination.

Wisteria is a band from Vancouver, Canada, founded in 2014.  According to the biography, the band has been influenced by everything between Rush, Pallbearer and Mastodon.  Personally, I can add a few more bands like Electric Wizard; Janis Joplin, Jess and the Ancient Ones to even Jef Neve and the chaotic jazznoise of Zu.  The combination of all these influences results in something complex, surprising and quite heavy.

In three songs, Wisteria present a decent overview of their abilities.  Yet, I wonder where it all will lead to.  It might be too complex and chaotic for psychedelic rock and doom fans, it might be too heavy for jazz faddists and it might be too bizarre for rock and metalcore fans.  However, as I mentioned in an earlier review, there's a niche of music fans who love crossovers, even seemingly impossible ones.  Those are the hard core of the music industry and that's where Wisteria can and will find a good bunch of followers.


Serge

avant-garde / experimental

For alternative music fans, 2015 has been a year of shocking events.  There was the jihadist shooting in the Bataclan in France, which might be one of the most widespread news items this year, but there has also been a drama in Romania, where sixty fans died in a horrible arson in the Colectiv club in Bucharest.  This album is for them.  In fact, the profits from this album will go directly to the further healthcare of the victims.

I'm usually quite weary of the terms 'avant-garde' and 'experimental'.  They are way too vague to attract my interest and, to be quite honest, sometimes those tags will make the album get lost in the huge pile of albums to be reviewed.  However, in this case, there was something else that made me curious about this piece of work, namely the presence of people like David Tibet (Current 93), Rune “Blasphemer” Eriksen  (ex-Mayhem), Attila Csihar (Mayhem) and Mirai Kawashima  (from Sigh).

Now, that's an impressive set of artists to work with.  Of course, Costin Chioreanu isn't just anybody.  He might be one of the most influential musicians/visual artists in Romania and he certainly knows a little something about music, most particular the metal industry.  Yet, this album isn't really a metal album.  It's a drone/dark ambient/post-rock album, engulfed in darkness but with some bright flashes of hope and comfort.

There are deep drone tracks on this album, but there are some brilliant modern classical passages and the elaborate, epic atmosphere of bands like Mono and Sunn O))).  Yet, it isn't merely an overwhelming blast of bombastic drones.  There is melody, there are elements of apocalyptic folk music and there are violins and piano.  This is simply a brilliant amalgamation of all the previously mentioned elements, resulting in an awe-inspiring album.

So, my advice?  Well, obviously you should check this out if you're a fan of any of the people I mentioned in this review.  I feel as this really is a successful cooperation between some of the most talented and experienced artists in the dark underground of the music industry.  'The Quest For A Morning Star' contains seven gloomy anthems, each of them well-varied and immersive enough to remain interesting.  Highly recommended...


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dark jazz / experimental

Some months ago, I got acquainted with the dark jazz outfit The Orchestra Of Mirrored Reflections (read review).  I really liked the album, which shouldn't be a surprise since I'm a sucker for dark jazz.  I love those laid back drums, the deep bass and the dreamy saxophone and I'm always curious about everything else those bands put in their music.  So I didn't want to wait too long to check out and review this new album.

Yet, I was quite surprised when I started listening to opener 'Heat'.  Instead of dark jazz, I was suddenly reminded of acts like Barn Owl and even Master Musicians Of Bukkake.  A repetitive tune and psychedelic guitar solos weren't really what I expected.  For the record, as big as my surprise was, eventually the track grew one me and after a few listens I'm beginning to understand why this is the intro.

Follower 'All That Jazz, That Makes Her Spin' is a classic dark jazz tune, floating freely through the air, slow and gloomy.  Again, there is this repetitive nature, mainly provided by the drums and bass.  Besides the usual dark jazz references like Bohren, Dale Cooper and such, there's quite a bit of Red Snapper here too.  Even Funky Porcini sometimes appears in my mind while listening to this album, which is great by the way.

Somehow The Orchestra Of Mirrored Reflections found a way to combine typical dark jazz with psychedelic folk music.  It gives the genre something extra, a new direction perhaps.  They also know perfectly how to obtain the much loved eerie atmosphere, highlighting in the brilliant track 'Wet Forest, Sirens, Night'.  This is the stuff that should help the viewer get sucker even deeper into the upcoming sequel of Twin Peaks.  David Lynch should definitely check these guys out.

And so should you if you're a dark ambient fan.  Bohren might be the slowest, Radare might be the heaviest and Dale Cooper might be the most experimental but The Orchestra Of Mirrored Reflections certainly seems to be the most adventurous. This band take their craft very serious and will stop at nothing to come up with diverse and immersive dark music.  If they need electronics, they will add it.  If they need piano, it's there.

On the other hand, they also know how to convince in the most minimal tracks on this album, like in 'Le Noir Primavera', which is probably one of my favorite tunes on this already excellent album.  There's more great songs on 'Far Drifters' but you'll have to check out those for yourself.  All I'm going to say to end this review, is this: the intro still is my least favorite and I even like that one now.  The rest of this album is simply magnificent and if you're a dark jazz aficionado, you really should buy this.


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dream pop / ambient pop

Today's electronic scene, especially the radio-friendly version, is filled with cold, soulless copies of the bands that had a huge hit a few weeks earlier.  Sometimes those copycats make it to the big festivals and receive mixed reactions. Luckily, sometimes one of those acts add some decent songwriting, storytelling and real talent into the electronic mix. Judging from the calm, soothing sounds I'm listening to right now, Dream Koala is one of the latter.

This three-track e.p. is quite a nice piece of work, not that different from most of today's electronic scene but seemingly rooted in a richer history than the usual autotune artists.  While others drive on dubstep tempos and deep basslines, Dream Koala adds a sense of new wave, something between Kraftwerk and Eurythmics, to the earlier mentioned elements.  That combination makes this ep warm and very listenable.

My favorite track is opener 'Dimension Sleeper', which strangely is the most friendly one as well.  'Synthetic' is a bit darker and closer 'Threnody To Earth' even comes up with a little bit of soft rock.  All of course, firmly enhanced by electronics and the gentle voice of this French-Brazilian singer/songwriter.  If you're into deep basslines and slow tempos, check it out.  Perhaps you will like it as much as I do now...


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