Merchants Of Air
  • Home
  • Reviews
    • Albums
    • Concerts
  • Premieres
  • Interviews
  • Giveaways
  • Playlists
  • Shop
    • Merchants Of Air releases
  • About us
    • About Us
    • Writers Wanted
    • Logos and banner
    • Advertise
    • Mailinglist

Three Way Plane - Your Kingdom, My Life

5/7/2017

Comments

 
alternative rock / noise rock
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
I think this is the first time I have to write a review again. I wrote this one a few months ago, in May to be exact, but apart from the title and the embedded bandcamp link, the whole thing somehow disappeared. That has never happened before. But it's ok, 'Your Kingdom, My Life' by Greek alternative rock band Three Way Plane is a stunning album.
Why? Well, because initially, Three Way Plane is a post hardcore band but over the years, they have evolved into something more interesting, adding elements from grunge, noise rock and alternative rock to their sound. Furthermore, they have never been afraid of experimenting, which is always good.

Opener 'Inner Warfare' is my favorite track in this album, a dissonant, pounding piece of noise rock that somehow sounds like a world class alternative rock song. It takes the weirdness of their previous effort and turns it into rock greatness. About that previous effort, I had this to say: "If these Greeks can manage to put as much variation and weirdness into forty minutes as in six, they're well on their way to become something that will surprise and disturb audiences everywhere."

So did they? Hell yeah, they did. Another prime example of Three Way Plane's genius is the highly immersive 'A Waltz For Unity & Love', which incidentally was the single I reviewed earlier. Today, I absolute adore this bluesy stoner noise grunge tune. I think it's was an excellent idea to put this on the full length. It shows perfectly what this band stands for: excellent music, regardless of genre restrictions. I for one can only applaud that. In fact, I have been applauding these guys so hard that they ended up in my book. 

Then, there is the punky 'Get Off Your Hands', a song that will get a large part of the audience off their feet, or banging their head. Just to show you a bit of the level of variation this album contains. You know, maybe it's a personal thing, but when I look at the alternative rock scene, bands like Foo Fighters, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Therapy? have been the defining ones, but somehow, Three Way Plane is a defining one too. I really hope the future of alternative rock music sounds somewhat like this.

You want post psychedelic kraut funk? Listen to 'Xepiasakos Theme'. You love that old Faith No More weirdness? Try closer 'Psychic Changes'. You want post metal? You got it. Fact is, Three Way Plane are so diverse and divergent that it's impossible to categorize them properly. All I know is that is a highly recommended album, one that surprise and stun you on many occasions. Check it out, and then check it out again because it might need to grow on you for a while but it's definitely worth it.


​Serge

Comments

MNHM - Of Empires Past

5/5/2017

Comments

 
euhm...
Consouling Sounds
Amazon
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Picture
check out our shirts
Here we go again, wandering in uncategorizable musical areas and wondering what the hell I am going to write about this album . Unsurprisingly, this album has been written and recorded by a Dutch band. I really wonder what's in the water over in The Netherlands. Many of their bands come up with original and exhilarating stuff, impossible to put a finger on. This is no exception, but it does have an awesome Dutch sound to it.

At least, the two first songs do. Titled 'A Show Of Might' and 'Equals Of Gods', these songs remind me of the music of their fellow countrymen Kong. With instrumental, progressive and immersive rock music, these two songs alone make the album worthwhile and the whole album is only beginning. After the massively energetic 'Equals Of Gods', the album starts blooming, as if those first two songs formed the stem and the sheer beauty is only now coming up.

I think the easiest way to describe this album is naming it "experimental post rock". Post rock is indeed a huge part of MNHM's music but they're not weary of incorporating other stuff, like the saxophone of Dead Neanderthals' Otto Kokke. With that, and with several passages, the free jazz elements appear, be it in a noisy kind of way. Yes, noise, because there is a lot of that to be found here too, along with its nasty brothers noise rock, math rock and sludge metal.

So maybe this will help: MNHM is what would happen if you lock Dead Neanderthals, Kong, Melvins, Swans, And So I Watched You From Afar, Yodok III and Frank Zappa into a rehearsal studio and force them to record an album. I know, that sounds like a list of people capable of putting an epic piece of work on the market and that is exactly what this album is, epic. Just listen to the action movie soundtrack worthy 'How Things End' or the doomy 'Rule Of Law'.

Oh well, The Dutch, what a strange kind of creative masterminds. You never really know what you're going to get (and I'll leave out the box of chocolate references, because Belgian chocolate is always better), but that is a good thing. My advice is simple, check it out, open your mind and allow this masterpiece to shock and awe you. You'll be in for several surprises and you will be astounded, I promise you.


​Serge
Comments

Owun - 2.5

21/4/2017

Comments

 
alternative / post rock / experimental / shoegaze
bandcamp
Amazon
facebook
Picture
Picture
check out our store
Here come the French again and once again, they come up with one of the most surprising albums of the year. I'll try to guide you through but it's not going to be easy since there is so much going on. Most of that is quite out of the ordinary too, but I guess we're slowly getting used to that. After all, I've seen a lot of strange and fascinating things coming from our country's neighbour and I must say, they truly are an experimental bunch of people.

Let's start with the beginning. For me, Owun is new. I have never heard of them before. Yet, the band exists since 1992 and released a first demo three years later. Back then, they blended noise rock, hardcore and new wave. Their second effort was an eighties inspired album and later on they incorporated elements from ambient, drone and electro. For a while, the band disappeared, only to resurface again in 2007.

Now, they released another album, simply named '2.5'. This one contains pretty much all of the above, and more. From noise over post rock to noise rock and psychedelic shoegaze, flavored with drones and electronics, Owun has it all, which obviously makes this extremely hard to categorize. Yet, if there is one comparison, it might be Primus meets Melvins as at least one of the band members if a big Les Claypool fan.

Then again, there is also some post rock present here, showcasing immersive instrumental rock songs and hypnotic soundscapes. Yet, the whole thing is usually a lot faster than typical post rock. Still, I wouldn't mind this band showing up on Dunk! festival or so. They will be a bit different from most of the other bands but I'm sure that they will put up an impressive show. I don't know. I guess I'm just becoming of a fan of this band.

So, to conclude, who to recommend this album to? I think answering that question is quite easy. I'd like to recommend it to all noise and post rockers out there, especially the ones that like to deviate from the norm once in a while. '2.5' is a very adventurous album, one that you won't easily forget.


​Serge
Comments

MoE - Examination Of The Eye Of A Horse

10/3/2017

Comments

 
noise rock / alternative
Conrad Sounds
Amazon
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Picture
check out our shirts
I have a weird relationship with noise rock, more so than any other genre. Usually, when I read the genre in the biography, I can quickly decide if I am going to like the album or not. Post rock is ok, metalcore is not, for example. However, with noise rock things are a bit more complicated than that. There are plenty of bands that I like but there are just as many bands than I don't like. Then, there are even albums containing songs I love and songs I'm not so sure about.

On this particular album, there is one song I don't necessarily want to listen to again but there are five others that earn a spot in my all-time favorite noise rock playlist. That one song is the hardcore punk induced 'Paris'. The others are highlighted by the slow but intense, harsh and dynamic slab of insanity that 'Wild Horses' is. Although, I have to say that opener 'Realm Of Refuge' immediately made me a fan of this band.

The band is a trio from Norway by the way. They have been around for quite some time now and just returned from a two years lasting world tour. The album is produced by Jørgen Træen (Jaga Jazzist/Sondre Lerche/Susanne Sundfør/Golden Serenades/Noxagt) and featuring guest contributions from Japanese noise legend Pain Jerk and Norwegian percussionist Ane Marthe Sørlien Holen.

When I listen to this album, acts like Melvins, Boredoms, Godflesh, Sonic Youth and Melt Banana come to mind. Although the music rarely gets as extreme as Melt Banana, MoE certainly love slab you in the face with massive noise riffs, high energy drums and seemingly incoherent vocals. Here and there I can also hear flashes of Skullflower, obviously mainly in some of the noise outbursts on 'Doll's Eye' or closer 'Letters of Pliny'.

In all, this simply is an excellent noise rock album, one that deserves a spot in your collection if you like any of the bands I mentioned in this review. With elements from sludge metal, grunge and hardcore, these Norwegians can also appeal to fans of other styles. So my advice is simple, check out the album and allow MoE to demolish your sanity. You know you want to...


​Serge
Comments

The You and What Army Faction - Rite

6/3/2017

Comments

 
alternative / post punk / noise rock
bandcamp
Amazon
facebook
Picture
Picture
check out our weird items
Some people say that the current state of a country can be measured by the music it produces. That makes sense to me. Over the years, I have been listening to dark and aggressive albums by bands from countries that aren't doing that well in the political, social and financial regions. One of those countries is Greece, homeland of The You and What Army Faction. Their new album 'Rite' is a gloomy piece of art, reflecting political-economic tensions of contemporary Athens.

Opener 'Body Horror' immediately shows what this four-piece stands for: a gritty and dark blend of post-punk and noise rock. The whole album is filled with mean songs that balance on the edge between alternative rock and experimental music.  It also shows a nice contradiction between the lingering guitars and energetic drums. This awesome contradiction often appears on this album and I like it. It provides the overall gloomy atmosphere with a sense of urgency. 

Although basically described as a post punk band, the song 'Fraternity' is a pounding piece of music, a bit like Morphine on LSD, especially with that saxophone. That song follows my favorite one 'I See You Stalking Me', one where Sonic Young shakes hands with The Jesus and Mary Chain. Other bands I often think of while listening to these songs include Dead Moon, Melvins, Zu, Swans and Fugazi.

'Rite' is loaded with howling, complex and harsh but immersive songs that will slap you in the face, kick you in the nutsack and drag you over musical cobblestones. It will confuse you, maybe even hurt you. But it will all be worth it. This album is a testament of despair, much more so than most post-punk/noise rock album. Of course I will recommend this to all noise rock fans out there, this just might become your soundtrack for 2017.


​Serge
Comments

Arrakis - Electricon 

21/2/2017

Comments

 
stoner rock / noise rock / psychedelic
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Picture
check out our shirts
Is that a light bulb shoved up someone's private parts? Did Greek stoner rockers Arrakis invent a way to "enlighten" a newborn or are they just a bunch of sadists? Maybe it's just photoshop and did nobody get hurt during the design process, I certainly hope so. But let's not divagate about the cover art, because the first track on this album will probably hurt you enough already, and with that I'm talking about your neck muscles.

Take Karma To Burn, Monkey 3 and My Sleeping Karma, throw them into a blender with Melvins and Buzzov•en and out comes opener 'Plexus', one of the heaviest and  most energetic pieces of psychedelic stoner rock you can imagine. The rest of the album seems to tone down a little but but Arrakis never lose their trance-inducing dynamics. 'Electricon', the track, will have you on a trip through space in no time.

Although there are only five tracks, all instrumental by the way, this album carries plenty of fingerlicking riffs, hypnotic jams and high-octane drums. 'Loot' is a massive sludge-induced piece of music, designed to pierce your eardrums, so be warned. I'll leave the other two tracks up to you, dear reader. You'll be amamzed at the amount of energy coming from this Greek trio. Stoner rock to bang your head to in space, what else could you want?


​Serge


Comments

Brieviews 18

14/1/2017

Comments

 
Picture
Hurray, the first edition of Brieviews of 2017 is here and once again it's a damn varied one. From shoegaze to grindcore and from techno to djent, it's all in here. I'm sure that there is something you like in here. Enjoy...
Picture
check out our shirt designs

Blushing - Tether

shoegaze / dreampop
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Two husbands and wives making music together, that's always a better idea than go on a joint bicycle trip while wearing similar fluorescent bike-wear, not? Well, it certainly proved to be an excellent time spending idea for these four Americans, making blissful dreampop and shoegaze. In these four tracks, they easily please fans of Slowdive and Cocteau Twins while also coming with with some gritty grunge sounds. Opener 'Tether' is a damn catchy tune, one that might easily get stuck in your head. The other songs are perfect shoegazing tunes, once again highlighting in 'Mess'. This truly is a recommended ep.

88 Mile Trip - Blame Canada

stoner rock
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Another neat idea comes from Canadian stoner rockers 88 Mile Trip. During a beer drinking and record spinning session, they discovered some awesome songs from their home country and decided to cover the ones they like the most. That results in groovy stoner rock versions of songs by Bachman Turner Overdrive, Red Rider, Doug and The Slugs, Neil Young and Stampeders. Yet, the band manages not only to cover the songs but to make them their own, eventually resulting in a surprisingly coherent sounding ep. Although, as good as the ep is, I can't help but continuously singing South Park's 'Blame Canada'. Perhaps a cover idea for the future? 

The Empire Line - Syndicat de la Couture

electronic / ambient
Avian
Picture
Scandinavian multi-disciplinary artists Jonas Rönnberg & Christian Stadsgaard come up with some haunting electronic ambient like only experienced techno producers can do. Opening with the creepy 'Fragrance Arpege', this ep is as atmospheric as it is varied. 'Cafe Anglais' drives on electronic percussion and unidentified noises while 'Jewelry Armoire' is post-apocalyptic soundtrack material with eerie soundscapes. Closer 'Syndicat de la Couture' eventually brings out the analog beats and techno influences, but in a good way, a trancy and somewhat hypnotic way. Nice little gem, certainly recommended.

Movement Of Static - Novelty Seekers

post rock
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
We also have something nice for fans of post rock, namely the Greek band Movement Of Static who have released their quite promising debut ep. Although, ep, the whole thing last over half an hour, which gives us plenty of time to get acquainted with these beautiful tunes. In four songs, Movement Of Static provides the listener with an excellent blend of post rock and ambient with some heavier passages and loads of atmosphere. Opener 'Telomeres' is a brilliant piece of work, dark, creepy and immersive, like Godspeed meets Deftones.  If you like well-varied post rock music, you just can't go wrong with this ep.

Cowards - Still

black metal / hardcore
bandcamp
Amazon
facebook
Picture
Somewhere in the extreme spectrum of the musical universe, we find French horde Cowards and their brand new ep 'Still'. With a blend of black metal, hardcore and sludge, this act plans a vicious assault on your sanity. The music is gritty, noisy and more in-your-face than you can imagine. Pulverising riffs, blasting drums and a vocalist who seemingly feels like he doesn't need his lungs, this thing is out for nothing less than utter destruction. However, they do have a sense of humor, brilliantly covering The Horrorist's 'One Night In NYC', which actually is one of the coolest covers I've ever heard. Anyway, if you want music to murder you, this ep might be worth a shot

Dead Neanderthals - Dolphin

heavy jazz / noise rock
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Dutch heavy jazz combo Dead Neanderthals are seemingly doing everything in their power to make something unique. As a gift to their fans, they uploaded this eleven minutes lasting epos of sax, drums, chaos, intensity and insanity. It's stuff like this that connects the jazz scene with the grindcore and noise rock scenes and I have no idea what most jazz fans will think about this. That aside, I would recommend checking it out, preferably at a ridiculously loud volume and start throwing things against the walls. It therapeutic, I promise, you'll feel a lot better when it's all over. Rare jongens, die Nederlanders...

The Stone Cox - Blackboard

alternative rock
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Hell yeah, time to rock 'n roll  and for that French combo The Stone Cox are the perfect companions. On this ep, they come up with three high energy rock tracks, influenced by everything between Led Zeppelin and Foo Fighters. The first two are heavy and groovy rockers that can get every party started. Closer 'Not Going Home (Hard Red Sun)' somewhat reminds me of a band like The Scabs and shows a more musically gifted side of this band. Anyhow, rockers of all ages can easily appreciate this ep and I hope that soon this will be followed by a full-length. 

Death Metal Pope - Harvest

doom metal
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Imagine that, a death metal pope, growling his yearly "urbi et orbi" from a black and red painted Vatican. Would be funny. However, this Death Metal Pope has nothing to do with Christianity and just barely with death metal. This is a doom metal band which often comes very close to Black Sabbath and on other occasions blasts some guttural grunts and some psychedelic passages in your face. Although I still had my doubts in title track 'Harvest', 'From The Dust Returned' convinced me that this is an awesome ep, one that is certainly worth your attention if you're into old school doom. A must-have for doom fans, that's for sure.

Ben Blutzukker - Analog Blood

heavy metal
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
German one man electro band Blutzukker becomes German one man metal band Ben Blutzukker and comes up with something surprising. As you can see on the cover, one of the influences is Guns 'n Roses but the whole thing sounds more like an Abbath side project, exploring the massive history of heavy metal. The four songs on this ep are quite gritty metal songs, reminding me of acts like Venom or Motorhead. Not bad for songs that were initially electro/industrial tunes. My favorite is 'Red' but I'd certainly recommend every open minded metalhead to check this out and compare the songs to the originals.

A Cunning Man - Practical Applications Of Theurgy

power metal / heavy metal
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Another one man project, and one with a quite unusual twist. A Cunning Man describes his act as "One man metal project with a strong Scottish accent", something I can't deny. Of course, the Scottish accent makes the whole thing sound somewhat weird and drags it into the world of pagan metal. Yet, the music feels like a mesmerizing amalgamation of metal styles, from the power metal of bands like Hammerfall over black and death metal to modern day arena rock. The ep contains three songs which certainly deserve your attention, especially if you want something familiar yet unique. 

Beneath A Godless Sky - ​Beneath A Godless Sky

hardcore / progressive
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
French djent-act Beneath A Godless Sky comes with a debut that will pierce you in more ways that you could possibly imagine. Now, personally, I'm not a connoisseur of the whole djent scene, which to me makes this whole ep sound like something between Meshuggah, Periphery and Tesseract. I guess that's not a band list of bands to be compared with. I do know that the songs on this thing are loaded with energy, intensity and brutality. Besides, some passages here are damn immersive and most riffs are well-worth of an intense headbanging session. In its entirety, I know that this is nothing for me but for fans of progressive hardcore and djent, it is definitely a must-have.

Elusion - Desert Of Enticement

symphonic meal / gothic meal
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
This debut by Belgian band Elusion does not sound like a debut, far from it. If you told me that this was a new effort by After Forever or Epica, I might have believed you. The three songs on this ep are high quality symphonic metal songs, played by seasoned musicians and sung by a talented  woman. What's more, these songs rock, making them perfect headbanging material. Personally, I didn't really follow this particular genre anymore but I'm damn sure that these three tunes, especially the folky closer 'Facade' will appear in my day-to-day playlist quite often from now on. They should appear in yours too if you're into this genre.

Rumah - A View To The Sea

techno
Wolfskuil
facebook
Picture
At festivals, I often wander into the dance hall, even though I do not consider myself a techno fan. However, I usually enjoyed these sonic adventures for a while, which is exactly why I sometimes decide to review a techno ep This one comes from English producer Rumah and contains four high energy dance tunes, mainly inspired by the Detroit scene of the nineties. The first act that came to mind to compare this ep with, was Joey Beltram and you can add people like Jeff Mills or Dave Clarke to that list as well. So yes, this is a recommended release if you're in for some decent, old school dance music.

American Anymen + Lise - Oui

alternative / singer-songwriter
bandcamp
facebook American Anymen
facebook Lise
Picture
From the United States comes a nice cooperation between anti-folk act American Anymen and singer-songwriter/keyboardist Lise. In four songs, both acts seem to explore the possibilities of this get together. Opener 'Nobody Made Me Smile Like You Did' is an excellent ballad while 'Less Complex' and 'Does Anybody Still Think Of Me' are uplifting rock songs, driving on acoustic guitars. Closer 'H' is another ballad, but probably my favorite track on this album. I wouldn't really know who to compare this ep with, Beck maybe? But then again, nice pop songs like these don't need comparison, they just need to be listened to.

The Vomiting Dinosaurs - Exoplanets

death metal / thrash metal
Grimoire Records
Amazon
facebook
Picture
And we end this edition of Brieviews with a short but destructive assault by American thrash-death horde The Vomiting Dinosaurs. In mere  fifteen minutes this trio blasts nine songs of gore and brutality over their listeners and I'm sure those listeners will enjoy the abuse.  Most of the songs drive on fierce hardcore punk tempos and issue an array of guttural growls and screams. If this stuff doesn't get your grindcore party started, you are not having a grindcore party, that's for damn fucking bloody sure. A favorite? Nope, this whole thing is only fifteen minutes long, which makes the entire thing well suited for a session of audible SM.

Serge
Comments

Brieviews part 16

20/11/2016

Comments

 
Picture
Picture
We have t-shirts. We know you have some too, but they're not the same.

Mök - Kamikaze Slug

black metal / crust punk
Spotify
facebook
Picture
Sometimes strange thoughts appear in my mind. This time the sentence: "blackened crust punk played by people who can actually play their instruments" popped-up halfway through the second song. With chainsaw-guitars, eerie vocals, grunts and brutally dynamic drums these guys actually created a stunning piece of work. Darkthrone or Mayhem come to mind but also extreme hardcore punk of bands like Amebix. The well-played and quite varied combination of both styles make this a raunchy and filthy delight to listen to, perfectly suited to squatted building parties and grungy underground venues. Recommended stuff...

Malacoda - Ritual Aeterna 

symphonic metal
facebook
Picture
Hailing from Canada, symphonic metal horde Malacoda comes up with a dark, horror inspired ep. These sixs track are loaded with immersive tempos, excellent guitar play and plenty of keyboard sounds. The end result reminds me of something between Dimmu Borgir, Nightfall, Moonspell and Kamelot, which obviously means that this music is epic as hell. My favorite track is 'I Got A Letter' but there's a lot of gothic goodness to be found on this thing. Fans of dark melodic metal surely can't go wrong with this. There's plenty of variation, tonnes of atmosphere and enough energy to keep you rocking...

Venkman - ​Thunder Thief // Some Rainbows

funk / alternative
soundcloud
facebook
Picture
Right, time to explore something completely different for a while, which takes us all the way to this English act and their uplifting funk. I reviewed their work before (read) so I was curious about these two songs. With good reason too. This is stuff for world music festivals and sunlit family events. 'Thunder Thief' has a warm and dynamic sound, possibly inspired by traditional African music. The second song, 'Some Rainbows' is my favorite of the two. It brings a touch of indie rock, a dash of ska and loads of soul together to create something you just have to dance to. This goes right into may day-to-day playlist.

Rodney Cromwell - Fax Message Breakup

synthpop / electronic
bandcamp
Amazon
facebook
Picture
Time to put on our dancing boots and enjoy some gloomy dancefloor fillers. This ep apparently was inspired by the infamous break-up between Phil Collins and his second wife but don't let that confuse you. The title track is a Depeche Mode meets OMD meets Pet Shop Boys track which will definitely cause some ass-shaking. I also really dig the Cure inspired guitar line in this one. The remixes range from strange disco to even stranger techno tunes but are nonetheless quite joyful tunes to light up your Sunday blues. The vocals say "I can't do this anymore", but I personally hope he'll do this more often...

Dead High Wire - Satellite State Brain Drain

post punk / alternative / indie
Kinky Star
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Earlier this year, I had the pleasure to introduce these guys on our website (read) and now they return with a brand new ep. This new release contains four tracks and showcases the evolution of the band. Opener 'The Germans' for example reminds me of acts like Cabaret Voltaire. while 'Defectors'  is a damn immersive rocker. 'The Grey Zone' and 'Chains'  punk things up a bit but still remain loyal to the whole post punk and indie atmosphere. I specifically like the first two tracks. Somehow they feel like they have the power to attract a lot of new fans. But rest assured, this whole ep is a prime example of energy being put to good use. Awesome ep.

Flayed - XI Million

hard rock
Kaotoxin
Amazon
facebook
Picture
Hell yeah, my favorite French rockers return with a new ep, one that once again blasts with energy and adrenaline. What you get on this ep is exactly what you would expect from a band like Flayed: heavy blues-infused rock 'n roll with rough vocals and that always awesome Hammond organ. If you're into everything between Deep Purple, AC/DC and Black Crowes, you should get your hands on this gem. The opener and title track 'XI Million' remains my favorite but I'm sure that these five fine tunes will blast through my speakers a lot from now on. Oh, and there's a smashing version of CCR's 'Fortunate Son' on this one too. 

Maira - Maira

black metal / shoegaze
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
I never really understood the whole "blackgaze" thing. Ok, the bands blend shoegaze with black metal but the genre still sounds like black metal to me, perhaps a bit more psychedelic but still. That is, until these guys from Austria showed up in my inbox. On their debut ep, they actually manage to shatter my doubt about this genre. While these two songs are still infused with a decent dose of black metal, Maira comes up with clean vocals and, well, actual shoegaze and post rock. The result is somewhat surprising but nonetheless highly interesting. I will keep an eye our for these guys, and I suggest you do the very same thing.

Killer 4 - Killer 4

grunge / alternative rock / punk
Amazon
facebook
Picture
Those Italians sure know how to rock, and Killer 4 are here to prove exactly that. With their sleazy blend of grunge and stoner rock, dressed in a filthy punk attitude, these guys want to rock your socks off. For me, this really is a nice throwback into the nineties where the guitars were distorted, the vocals were raspy and the drums blasted the whole thing forward with a lot of energy. There are five songs on this ep, all guaranteeing a wicked and wild rock 'n roll party. You take care of the booze and the girls and Killer 4 will take care of the raunchy soundtrack for your nineties themed ​debauchery.

Nick Noro - Vietnamm

rock 
bandcamp
Picture
The frontman for American metal/hardcore band Survival comes up with an interesting piece of rock music. Although the music doesn't seem to be very complicated, it's not easy to place this in a certain category. I hear flashes of English punk rock, some influences from bands like Sisters Of Mercy, Killing Joke, or The Damned. There are samples and electronics, but most of all, there is sheer energy and some damn immersive pieces of kick-ass rock music. The whole comes with a tremendous in-your-face attitude which makes this ep quite irresistible for fans of pure  and uncompromised rock music. 

Birthday Kicks/Screaming Dead Balloons - Tonight at Vault Relics

post punk / alternative rock
Vault Relics
Birthday Kicks
Screaming Dead Balloons
Picture
Speaking about in-your-face rock music, here's a nice 7" for your listening pleasure. Side A features Greek fuzz-rockers and their immersive version of 'She Talks To Rainbows' (originally a Ramones song). Of course, in this case the original will always remain better but this sure is one damn good version. Side B brings the gloomy post punk from fellow countrymen Screaming Dead Balloons. This is my favorite of the two, combining lingering guitars with noise rock and a hint of psychedelic rock. So yeah, I'd say "check it out", it's a nice addition to your already impressive collection.

Chanvre - Valkyrie Mecanique

alternative rock / noise rock
Amazon
facebook
Picture
By now, we at Merchants Of Air know France as a country with headstrong musicians doing their thing, regardless of trends or genres. Take this trio for example. They're armed with guitars, bass, drums and a bunch of effect pedals so you might expect quite anything. Yet, even then your expectation might be wrong. Once you press play, you'll be engulfed in a whirlpool of noise rock, post punk, psychedelic rock, sludge, math rock and sheer weirdness, all accompagnied by French vocals. The result is a strange but nonetheless enjoyable ep that just might get you dancing or banging your head. The choice is yours...

Dark Clarity -  Dark Clarity

hard rock / heavy metal
facebook
Picture
Dark Clarity is a melodic rock band from Finland. Although they formed back in 2008, several line-up changes slowed down the growth of the band, only now resulting in a first release. Judging from the songs here, those setbacks didn't stop them from becoming a heavy rocking band with an eye for epic heavy metal. My favorite song here is the uptempo 'False God' which even reminds me a bit of Helloween. Other bands that come to mind, include Manowar, Iron Maiden, Gravedigger and Saxon. Not a bad set of names to be compared with. I hope their line-up now remains solid so they can start conquering the metal scene...

Anal Trump - That Makes Me Smart

grindcore
bandcamp
Picture
With Travis Ryan of Cattle Decapitation on vocals, San Diego grindcore outfit Anal Trump comes up with a short and vicious assault. The longest song on this album is eighteen seconds long and I had to listen four times while writing this thing. So yes, this is sick, gore grindcore in perfect Anal Cunt / Napalm Death tradition. It comes with a lot of shit that someone named Donald Trump has been spewing out, like 'I'd Date My Daughter', 'Build That Wall' and 'Breastfeeding Is Gay'. So if you miss Seth Putnam, hate Donald Trump, think music should be torturous and have no problem with the fact that downloading this release will last longer than actually playing it, you need this.


Morbid Panzer - Only The Total Death

black metal / thrash metal
Into Dungeons
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Since we're dwelling in the putrid extremes of the metal scene, here's a brutal piece of blackened thrash metal for to add to vulgar little pleasures. German horde Morbid Panzer comes up with two songs that will tear your ears off your head. Grinding guitars, pounding drums and screams from the deepest pits of hell will surround you and you will bang your head uncontrollably. The ep reminds me of those old black metal albums from acts like Mayhem, Impaled Nazarene or Darkthrone. So fans of everything other people might find disgusting, get your hands on this brutal gem. You know you want to.

Cancer - Terminal

black metal
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Right, let's go even deeper into the sound of utter despair and haunting imagery. Our infernal search for the sickest, grimmest and downright terrifying music now brings us to Australian horde Cancer. The band consists of members of Deadspace and Inquinamentum, so I reckon there has been a lot of experience in these musical regions. Musically, this five-track ep is one of the creepiest depressive black metal releases I've heard in awhile. Fierce, primitive and crushing black metal, accompagnied by frightful howls will definitely reappear in your nightmares. This is only suited for seasoned black metal adepts, that's for sure.

Harmonic Generator - Skull

punk / alternative rock
Amazon
facebook
Picture
Hurray, here is part 3 of Harmonic Generator's 'Heart, Flesh, Skull & Bones' tetralogy. Once again, these Frenchmen throw a bunch of high-energy punk rock songs in our faces. They borrow elements from old school hard rock, noise rock and every other guitar-based energy producing genre and turn the whole thing into a rock 'n roll party you can't resist. Opener 'Dreams & Tears' is my favorite on this ep but I suggest every fan of alternative rock music to check this out. And while you're at it, get your hands on the others as well and join me in waiting for the final act in this rock-opera.

Shroud Eater/Dead Hand - Split

doom / sludge
Southern Druid Records
Shroud Eater
Dead Hand
Picture
We end this edition of Brieviews with a crushing steamroller in the form of a 7" by two bands from the American stoner doom scene. Shroud Eater kicks off with an immersive piece of music, driving on monolithic riffs and strong vocals. Fans of acts like Yob, Elder and Conan will be absolutely thrilled with this track. Dead Hand drags the whole thing deeper into the noisy sludge scene but their track is equally immersive and enjoyable, if you're into eardrum-ripping guitars. This track also contains a beautiful psychedelic passages, which only adds to the overall quality of this release. Doomers, you know what to do!!!


​Serge
Comments

Lilium Sova - Lost Between Mounts and Dales / Set Adrift in the Flood of People

2/11/2016

Comments

 
post metal / noise rock / experimental
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Picture
check out our shirt designs
Aah, Swiss instrumental adventurers Lilium Sova return, once again to leave me speechless. I reviewed their previous album, 'Epic Morning' for the former version of our website (read) and I remember using the world "labyrinthine" to describe this music. Well, if anything, I can easily use this word again since this once again is a mesmerizing and somewhat confusing piece of music, completely shattering all genre regulations.

The album opens with an eerie drone, which basically serves as a gateway into the complex and deranged music Lilium Sova produces. A cello appears, right before the track 'Pakeneminen' blasts off in perfect post-hardcore meets mathcore and noise rock tradition, if such a thing exists. I can hear influences from acts like Godflesh, Zu and Converge but just as much hints of free jazz and the heavy jazz of acts like Dead Neanderthals.

'Scandens' seems to attenuate the intensity for a while, nudging a bit more towards the jazz kind of things. Yet, it slowly evolves into an immersive piece of post-whatever. That being said, the first six tracks of the album, the 'Lost Between Mounts And Dales' part, drives on rolling bass, methodical drums and the wonderful sound of the cello. In that aspect, I can only throw in Apocalyptica as a reference because you know, it's metal with cello, but heavier.

'Ustabil' is a gloomy harsh ambient piece, providing a little breather before the short but destructive 'Lavina' starts smashing your skull. The latter only needs 43 seconds to do exactly that. It's followed by my favorite track 'Ofkæling'. Yep, I'm beginning to dig this whole jazz/post-rock thing, especially when it evolves into an awesome, lingering composition. Like classical music on steroids.

​Then there are four more tracks, the so-called 'Set Adrift In The Flood Of People' side of the record. This side too blasts some intense experimental music through your eardrums, rarely giving you a chance to recuperate. That's the strength of a band like Lilium Sova. Although they come out as very experimental, they easily manage to keep the listener in their grasp, keeping the whole thing interesting. This simply is a marvellous piece of heavy, intense and experimental music, regardless of genres. Great job!!!


​Serge
Comments

Mindsedge - Shades

25/10/2016

Comments

 
post rock / noise rock
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Picture
Check out our shop
Once in awhile, someone asks me, "why did you start this webzine and do all that work". Well, apart from the fact that I love both writing and music, this "job" has a few other advantages. One of those is being able to shove some exceptional bands and albums under people's noses. Like the one I'm trying to review here. It's only been a few hours since I received a message from Polish instrumental ensemble Mindsedge and now my plan is to write a review good enough to get these guys on several festivals in Europe next summer.

Why? Well, I love post rock, a lot of people do. However, the scene seems to overload with quite similar atmospheric pieces of music. Most of them are ok to awesome but once in awhile a fan can do with something a little different, and that's where bands like Mindedge come in. At least, on this album they do. Yes, I'm finally going to write something about the album, rejoice. Fact is, this is a breath of fresh air, well, it is for me.

The album opens with the quite noisy song 'Tesla', which seems to immediately kick off with the noise rock influences. This isn't just post rock, this is a jam session by a bunch of friends having fun in the rehearsal room. 'Unmeisen' eventually comes up with the vintage soundscapes and the gentle build-up, placing Mindsedge back in the world of post rock. Yet, there's a decent sense of minimalism which reminds me of another band I like a lot, Alice In The Cities. Although Mindsedge is a lot heavier at times, there's still this nice feeling of "we don't have to overcomplexify the whole thing, let's just have fun".

​No, I don't think 'overcomplexify' is a word either.

The album continues in this joyful manner, here and there showing influences from stoner rock, more noise rock and even hints of jazz. Bands that come to mind include Monkey3, A Place To Bury Strangers, Sonic Youth, Deftones, Russian Circles, Rosetta, even Pink Floyd and Primus. So yeah, there's a lot more going on here, and there will be even more as well. Somehow, throughout the album, the songs seem to gain more momentum, a more immersive nature. 'Snowstorm' already shows a bit of that side of Mindesdge but it is 'Pathways' that forms the absolute highlight of the album.

'Pathways' starts gently, borrows the build op from traditional post rock and suddenly turns into a blast that will undoubtedly blow the roof off of some venues. That being said, I know I'm writing about post rock a lot in this review, but you might include post metal as well since it's basically the same these days. 'Vipassana' is another awesome track and so is closer 'Shades'. Oh well, you guessed it, this whole album is an inspiring piece of work, something a little different but just as enjoyable as all those huge bands you listen to, if not more. I like different, and I definitely like this.


Serge


​(right, now let's start hoping this review will effectively get these guys on some festivals....)

Comments

Brieviews part 15

23/10/2016

Comments

 
Picture
Picture

Atlas - Death & Fear

stoner rock / doom
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Somewhere between the grungy sound of Alice In Chains and the vintage doom of Black Sabbath lies the epic stoner doom of Swedish quartet Atlas. From the first fuzz-induced riffs of 'Wermland' to the closing drones of title track 'Death & Fear', this is one infectious piece of music. I really dig the slow to mid tempo songs and the awesome clean vocals. Yet, I also like the weird, uptempo stoner rocker 'Covered In Gold', a song that easily can get a party started. 'A Waltz' shows some psychedelic blues influences as well. Yep, this thing is pretty damn varied for an album that lasts for a bit over thirty minutes. For stoner rockers, this definitely is a must-have.


Hellgoat - Eden In Flames

black metal
Boris Records
Pale Horse Recordings
facebook
Picture
Hailing from Atlanta, USA, this dark, Satanic act has been roaming the blackened woods since 2004. Over the years, they recorded a handful of ep's, demos and full-lengths, now followed by this 7". On this single, you can find two pieces of harsh, vulgar and blasphemous black metal, seemingly quite loyal to the old Scandinavian hordes. It sounds pretty much like a decent basement recording, which obviously adds a lot to the vintage grim atmosphere of the whole thing. This definitely is something for collectors of the obscure gems in the world of black metal.

Afmagt - Den Sidste Kamp Taber Du Alene

hardcore / punk
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Afmagt (which translates as 'powerlessness') is a hardcore punk band from Sweden and Denmark, formed in the beginning of this year. This debut ep contains five songs, each of them being a fierce, brutal and rather short slab of poignant guitars, pissed-off vocals and skull ramming drums. Here and there you can hear influences from crust and even sludge metal but rest assured, this is a short but vicious attack on whatever this society is turning out to become. You might not have guessed it from looking at the cover art, but this thing is out to murder you. You have been warned.

Big Guns - Six Shooter

death metal
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Big Guns is a hobby project from members of Russian acts Conflict and Frozen Ocean/Goatpsalm. With this project, the duo delves deep into the turbid underground of the death scene. Thick riffs, guttural vocals and nutsack ripping drums blast from all over the place, continuously bashing on your skull. Yet, Big Guns manage to add a great sense of groove, turning the whole thing into some sort of death 'n roll steamroller which is simply irresistible for fans of raunchy extreme metal. It's not complex, there are no technical delights or unexpected progressive hooks to be found here, just straightforward skullbashing, just the way we like it... 

Haan - Sing Praises

sludge / noise rock
Kaos Kontrol
facebook
Picture
I'm not sure if these Brooklyn, New York residents know that their bandname is actually the Dutch word for 'Cock' (the bird), but that doesn't really matter. What does matter is the brutal beatdown that these noiserockers deliver. In a way, the songs on this ep remind me of the result of a one-night stand between Dopethrone and Unsane. You know, one of those one-night stands that are worth to be repeated regularly. My personal favorite here is 'War Dance', but I'd like to suggest all noiserockers and sludge-adepts to get their hands on this thing. This ep is simply epic, a stunning piece of intense music. Buy it, now.

Dorre/Bethmoora - Split

doom / sludge / noise
Dorre website
facebook Dorre
facebook Bethmoora
Picture
Belgian band Dorre somewhat accidentally formed and evolved over the past few years, eventually resulting in a stunning gig at this year's edition of Desertfest (read). Soon, they will release this piece of work upon the world, a split album with Danish doomers Bethmoora. Dorre kicks off with two post-rock, doom and noise-rock inspired pieces of music which are quite intriguing and pretty damn immersive. For these alone, this album is worth getting your hands on, and the huge track by Bethmoora is an equally pleasurable listening experience. They turn up with a long sludge doom track with thick riffs and eerie vocals. I assure you, you don't want to miss out on this thing.

MortSubite - Deimos

death metal / deathcore
Bigcartel
facebook
Picture
Another act that surely will haunt you until the end of times, is Spanish extreme act MortSubite. Their album 'Deimos' is a murderous piece of work, blending old school death metal a la At The Gates with modern outbursts of both death metal and hardcore. Here and there, blackened elements appear, while on other occasions it simply cuts holes in your eardrums. There are seven tracks on this album, each showing as much technical abilities as crushing pieces of grinding death metal. It never lets you rest, never provides a breather and never lets you lick your wounds. This album is a killer, nothing more, nothing less...

Teras - Pandora

extreme metal
Sideburn Records
Consouling Sounds
facebook
Picture
And Belgium does it again, this time effortlessly combining pretty much all forms of extreme metal into one massive orgy of distorted guitars, hammering drums and twisted riffs, supporting a bunch of growls and screams. Teras is a metal band, that's for damn sure. I'm not sure who exactly influenced these guys but I'm damn sure that there are some thrash, death, black and grindcore albums in their collective collections. Sometimes, the songs remind me of old school thrash anthems while on other occasions I'm being dragged down into a thick puddle of grindcore filth. If you're in for a good metallic beatdown, you need this in your life. 

H-One - Cyne II

metal
Amazon
facebook
Picture
Inspired by the likes of Gojira, Lamb Of God, Manimal and other bands, French act H-One comes up with an interesting album, containing a few amazing songs. H-One has found a way to combine death metal with modern metal sounds, making them sound somewhat like an extreme nu-metal act. However, rest assured, this is no nu-metal but technically skilled music with great songwriting and a constant impending atmosphere. At times, I'm reminded of bands like Voivod or Malevolent Creation, which I think are quite decent bands to be compared with. I feel like we'll be hearing from these guys again in the near future.


Fire Down Below - Viper Vixen Goddess Saint

stoner rock
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Today on Merchants Of Air, next year at Desertfest, I sure hope that prediction comes true. Fire Down Below are a bunch of vintage fuzz rockers from the city of Ghent who have just delivered a first effort. After a brief solo, we're immediately being dragged into a searing hot journey, highlighting in brilliant songs like 'Roadburner' and 'Dashboard Jesus'. This is classic stoner rock and it's damn bloody delicious too. So if you're into thick, fuzzed-out riffs, forceful vocals and a good slab of stoner rock, you surely need this album in your collection, placed right in between your favorites from Queens Of The Stone Age, Kyuss and Fu Manchu.

Glowin Shadow - Ghosts, Fools & Fakes (Deluxe Edition)

alternative rock / metal
Amazon
Picture
This is something weird, but nonetheless quite interesting, certainly if you eventually discover that there's so much going on, from alternative rock over nu-metal and metalcore to reggae and even classical arrangements. Yet, the mainstay of the music on this album, is immersive modern rock music, perfectly suited for huge arenas all over the world. Think Linkin Park, think Pierce The Veil, think Escape The Faith... Think epic rock music with a progressive touch and a decent flair for experimentation. And even then, these Freshmen will still be able to surprise you once in awhile. 

Endalok - Englaryk 

black metal
Signal Rex
Hellthrasher
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
And we end this edition of Brieviews with a dark, terrifying and experimental black metal ep from Iceland's newcomers Endalok. 'Englaryk' contains four equally disturbing and atmospheric black metal songs, which seem devoid of melody or musical boundaries. This has nothing to do with old or new school, pre- or post, as this is mostly a dark ritual, performed in a recording studio. The thin line between musicality and sheer noise is often crossed, adding a lot to the intensity of the whole thing. In all, this ep is another one of those obscure gems, crawling from the deepest regions of the human psyche. Recommended stuff...
Comments

Brieviews part 14

11/10/2016

Comments

 
Picture
Picture
T-shirts, fresh t-shirts

Narthraal - Chainsaw Killing Spree

death metal
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
We kick off this edition of Brieviews with two brutal old school death metal songs, courtesy of Icelandic horde Narthraal. This digital single is the forerunner for the upcoming full-length, which is scheduled to be released somewhere in 2017. An important aspect of their sound, is the use of the Boss HM-2 pedal which creates a filthy, raunchy sound. Furthermore, the main influences for this act are the old school bands we all love so much, including Grave, Dismember, Unleashed and Carcass. I don't think you need any more convincing. Go ahead, download the album, and prepare to fiercely bang your head. You know you want to...


Dead End Path - Hypnotic Truth

death metal / metalcore
facebook
Picture
Somewhere between the realms of death metal and metalcore roams the Belgian quintet Dead End Path. They handed out this three-track ep at the latest edition of Rocktoberfest, where the played an all-consuming set in front of a handful of people. Well, my friends, you can see this little review as a nudge to get your attention on these guys because they're damn good. Melodic yet brutal death metal which quite often reminds me of something between At The Gates, All Shall Perish and Unearth. In three tracks, these guys show a tremendous technical ability, along with the skills to write and perform decent songs, all of course as brutal and crushing as it can get. Harsh stuff!!!


Balcanes - Carne Nueva

noise rock / hardcore
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Something a little different, but in no way less in-your-face, is this ep from Spanish noisemakers Balcanes. What starts out with an impending piece of drone and noise, quickly turns into a hardcore punk infused frenzy in 'Combustible'. 'Masada' drags the ep deeper down into the world of sludge, driving on inelaborate but damn infectious riffs and monotonous drumming. That being said, no, there is not a lot of variation to be found but Balcanes definitely makes up for that by creating an intense wall-of-sound and beating you into a pulp with it. If you're a fan of sludgy noise rock, like Melvins or Harvey Milk, you should check out this little gem. Oh, and Balcanes need to tour Europe, like now!


Daddy Was Wrong - Daddy Was Wrong

alternative rock / hard rock / grunge
vi.be
facebook
Picture
Back in Belgium, a country that still teems with people who hold rock music close to their heart. That certainly counts for hard rocking squad Daddy Was Wrong. In five songs, and about fourteen minutes, they showcase some of the first songs they have written together. Although they have a firm hard rock sound, I do sense some influences from grunge and alternative rock, but of course, they mainly add to the level of variation. My favorite track is the groovy 'Immortal', probably the most headbanging-worthy track on this ep. Anyway, if you're ready for a decent portion of good old fashioned hard rock, you should give these guys a shot. Rock on!!!!


Barrow Wight - Kings in Saurons Service

heavy metal
Heavy Chains Records
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Once upon a time, this Canadian act start out as a Venom cover band. Yet, gradually they grew into what they are today, a headstrong heavy metal act with lyrical inspiration from Tolkien and musical inspiration by bands like Venom, Amebix, Manowar and several others. What you can expect on this album is pure, uncut heavy metal in the veins of their predecessors but with a raunchy, somewhat experimental edge. To me, is sounds like some of the very old school black metal albums, when the genre hadn't discovered blast beats and corpse paint yet. For you, this might be a good way to start checking out today's heavy metal scene. There is some great stuff to be found, including this one.


Dusk - Eko

industrial / dark psy
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
When band photos show the man behind this projects with respectively a KMFDM  and a Godflesh t-shirt, you know you might be in for something interesting. That certainly is the case with this ep. Dwelling in the realms of industrial metal and dark dubstep, these four songs pretty much sound like modern day electronic remixes of songs by Fear Factor or Ministry, created by Infected Mushroom in a darkstep mood. For an electronic album, it's damn heavy, coming close to the stuff Amduscia, Xotox, Ambassador21 or Noisuf-X have been blasting out over the years. My favorite track here is 'Dragged By The Shadows' which or more suited for headbanging than dancing. Check it out, this is pretty awesome


Bhutan - Vexations

drone / ambient / post-rock
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
The album from Argentinian band Bhutan was submitted by a fan. According to his email, Bhutan was the support act for Nadja in Argentina and are considered a household name in the drone-scene of their country. Well, dear fan and band members,  as far as I'm concerned, this trio should find an international record deal and a world tour to show of their beautiful blend of drone, ambient and post-rock. I mean, when an album reminds me of acts like Klaus Schulze, Pink Floyd, Aidan Baker ànd Godspeed, You Black Emperor, something fascinating is going on. This is a damn varied piece of sonic art, one that will undoubtedly be a stunning experience live.


Queen Elephantine - Kala

drone / doom / psychedelic
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
What does a psychedelic doom act with an ever-changing line-up of no less than fourteen musicians sound like? Well, apparently like a jamsession between Master Musicians Of Bukkake, Earth and Jimi Hendrix.  The word "jamsession" is important here because that's pretty much how this whole album feels. There is a number of drones and soundscapes, some strange vocals, minimal drums and a load of psychedelic guitar solos to be found on this album, all seemingly improvised on the spot. The result is an set of immersive vintage seventies psychedelics, which are at best when played at a loud volume.


Monophona - Folsom Prison Blues

trip-hop
Kapitän Platte
facebook
Picture
Now this is something nice. Luxembourg resident trip-hop act Monophona come up with a little pleaser to soften the wait between their brilliant 'Back To Black' album and the new one. On this 7", the band covers respectively Johnny Cash and Morrissey, both in Monophona's beautiful blend of gentle electronics and Claudine's fragile vocals. My favorite here is 'Folsom Prison Blues', which is an excellent cover version, bringing the song into this era. 'Every Day Is Like Sunday' takes on a different approach, a heavier, one showing some dark drum & bass electronics and a funky breakbeat rhythm. But, you know, like I said, this is a pleaser, and I'm here waiting for the next full-length.


Xaon - Face of Balaam

dark metal / death metal
website
facebook
Picture
Back to the heavier side of the musical spectrum, this time with Swiss combo Xaon and their debut ep 'Face Of Balaam'. At first glimpse, it might be easy to place these guys into the melodic death metal scene of the nineties, reminding of bands like Soilwork, In Flames to Children Of Bodom. However, listen deeper  and you'll find some more influences. From Type O Negative to My Dying Bride. Deeper still, and there is a flash of metalcore hidden beneath the violent, crushing guitars, which drags the entire melodic death metal scene into the current era. It certainly is a varied piece of work, this ep, and it shows a band that can easily pull through to the top of today's extreme scene.


Fliptop Box - Catch 22

hard rock / alternative
facebook
Picture
Greek rockers Fliptop Box are masters in balancing on the edge between rock and metal. In that aspect, they remind me a lot of bands like The Foo Fighters. Their heavy rock is influenced by acts like Therapy?, Danzig, Volbeat and Alice In Chains and that's exactly where you could place this album. With awesome songs like 'Blast', 'Class Of Underdogs' and the highly immersive and quite Deftones-inspired 'Desert', these people are paving their way to today's alternative rock scene. As a rock fan, I think you should definitely check this one out, and as a metal fan I suggest you do the same. This thing rocks and, from the sound of it, it pretty much guarantees a party when played live. 


Gespenst - Forfald

black metal
Duplicate Records
facebook
Picture
And we're back into the realm of all consuming darkness and dark misery. The album by Danish horde Gespenst is a tensive, harsh and fiercely immersive piece of work. It draws elements from black metal, funeral doom and dark ambient and blends them together into a massive whirlpool of sonic violence. The four lengthy tracks will undoubtely maintain their grasp on fans of today's post-black metal scene. In other words, this album is an epic piece of atmospheric extremes, one that you should definitely own if you like to be hypnotized by eerie guitars and haunting screams. I hope these guys come over to Belgium soon because I definitely want to see this live.


Oddhums - The Inception

stoner / doom
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Hailing from Jaén, Spain, this trio comes with an excellent blend of stoner rock and doom, a delightful must-have for the fuzz-freaks out there. Firm drums accompany vintage stoner doom riffs, while here and there an immersive post-rock passage appears. That's all good and fine and nice and stuff but what I really like on this album are the vocals. They remind me a lot more of acts like Jesus and the Mary Chain or Slowdive. You know, the shoegaze way. Sometimes, there are some Conan or Yob chants, which also fit quite well. The combination of those epic riffs and these distant vocals make this ep a stand-out for me. I hope these dudes will tour Europe soon. Recommended? Definitely!


Rest - Rest

crust / hardcore / black metal
Third I Rex
facebook
Picture
Why the hell is this band named 'Rest'? I can easily imagine people seeing this in the window of a record store and buying it because they expect something calm and relaxing. Then they come home and play the record, only to be completely wrecked by the intense blend of black metal, crust and hardcore. 'Rest', as if they want to say, "you can, you need and you will have some rest after this spiked steamroller grinds your eardrums and leaves you behind traumatized".  Italians have a weird sense of humor I guess. Now, I have to say that this is one fierce motherfucker with four brutal tracks and one epic piece of music, the closing track 'V'. If you like crust, hardcore and black metal to be relentless, intense and harsh, you need this.


Hymnambulae - Orgelhuset

dark ambient
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Welcome to the Organ House. You may enter after you have become silent. Feel free to have a look in each room, but try not to make any noise. You don't want to interrupt what you're about to witness. Oh, and beware of the god... 
Kammarheit and Cities Last Broadcast's Pär Boström joined forces with his sister Åsa, not only to create Hypnagoga Press (their publishing house and record label) but also to share Orgelhuset with the world. This is a dark ambient album of extreme quality, like we're used to from Pär (read). The right soundtrack to your inner travels. 
One can hear the cathedral of aerophones, the organ, blow in every room of Orgelhuset. In some rooms there are people hypnotically chanting, in other places the flute or the piano is present - never obtrusive but always in harmony with the rest of the sounds. Wherever you go, there's subtle sound effects intertwined with the drones, creating ever varying soundscapes. For fans of Raison d'Être, Subheim, In Slaughter Natives.

Comments

Brieviews - part 12

17/9/2016

Comments

 
Picture
Oh yeah, another set of brieviews on Merchants Of Air, another chance to discover some new gems in the gigantic pool of releases. Today, we're once again going to ignore genre restrictions and provide you with some seriously divergent pieces of music. Enjoy...

Reptilians From Andromeda - Sonic Rabbit Hole

alternative rock / post-punk
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
A little bit of Ramones, some Sonic Youth, a flash of Teenage Jesus And The Jerks and a touch of Slowdive, that might get you an idea of what Turkish garage rock act Reptilians From Andromeda have released upon the world. The ep opens with some rough, mid-tempo tracks but suddenly dives into noise-rock insanity with the eerie 'We Are Who We Are', which sounds like Hole on some weird drug. Right after, they pour a synth-poppy shoegaze thing in our ears. Weird, very weird, but damn immersive and definitely ready to make their entree into the world of noise-rock and garage rock, and entree through the grand gate if you ask me. Interesting stuff...


Postman - There

noise rock / experimental / post punk
Epileptic Media
Picture
An experimental rock act that reminds me of bands like Cabaret Voltaire and Crash Course In Science, that is odd. I think the last one that managed to do that, was Black Dice. Anyway, Postman seems to draw influences from everything between Ween, Joy Division, Sonic Youth and the aforementioned bands to come up with some surprising songs. The set-up seems to be minimal, synth, drums, guitars but what they do with those instruments, is far from limited and often results in decent gloomy pop songs. 'Escape Velocity' is one of my favorite tracks but I strongly suggest to check out the album if you're a fan of strange, out-of-the-box releases. Hell, there's even a hint of dub and reggae here, or even Iggy Pop, or post-rock... Great stuff!


Chelsey and the Noise - Losing Landscapes

electronic / electro-rock
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Somewhere in California, this duo is barking out a strange blend of glitchy electronics and rock music which kinda reminds of something between Lydia Lunch, Archive and Autechre. The songs on this ep are quite danceable pieces of music, but come with a gloomy new wave atmosphere. Their main influences seem to be Glitch Mob, Sleigh Bells and Purity Ring but, to be quite honest, I like this little ep a lot more than those acts, especially the somewhat industrial 'Edge Of Infinity'. There is a certain gritty feeling about this one, an impending atmosphere. It reminds me a bit of some Tricky songs but, again, way better. 'Parish' is a brilliant piece of joyful glitch electronics, something you definitely should check out...


Aanod - Yesterday Comes Tomorrow

metal / metalcore
facebook
Picture
French extremists Aanod move somewhere between metalcore and the melodic death metal of the Götheborg scene. Yet, somehow they combine it with a modern sound, plenty of variation, electronics and epic ambient textures. The result is a massive and pounding ep, loaded with energy and sheer violence. The music feels suited for the tiniest of venues and the biggest of metal festivals alike, which isn't easy to accomplish I think. For the record, metalcore isn't really my thing, but I can surely respect the level of songwriting and the technical skills of these guys. So, all you metalcore kids, check this one out, it might as well become one of your favorite bands.


Moanaa - Passage

post metal / doom
Arachnophobia
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Hailing from Poland, Moanaa have released a debut in 2014, now followed by a blast. With elements from post-rock, doom, sludge metal and psychedelic rock, they create a highly immersive sonic adventure. In some strange way, these songs remind me of a heavy and more intense version of some Cure songs, played by a mishmash of bands, including A Place To Bury Strangers and Cult Of Luna. The overall atmosphere is intense, dark and downright crushing at times. The vocals usually are clean, except from a few growling outbursts, something I can truly appreciate. In all 'Passage' is a tremendous album, perfectly suited for any post-metal fan out there. Check it out, you need this.


Mumrunner - Gentle Slopes

shoegaze / alternative 
Wolves and Vibrancy
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Alternative rock and post-punk, interlaced with joyous dreampop, that's what you get on this ep by Finnish quartet Mumrunner. The four tracks on this album remind me a lot of acts like Cocteau Twins, Slowdive and even The Cure. 'Shawshank' is my favorite song on this ep, an uptempo earworm that gets stuck in your head, an ability most of the songs actually have, even the punky shoegazer 'Cascais'.  This truly is stuff for the dark and murky dance floors all over the world, which obviously comes highly recommended. I hope I get the chance to see this quartet soon. I'm sure they will guarantee an immersive live performance, causing entire venues to dance the night away...


Dätcha Mandala - Anâhata

psychedelic / blues / folk
facebook
Picture
Oh man, I absolutely love this newfound interest in seventies music. Take this French trio Dätcha Mandala and their latest ep for example, a brilliant piece of psychedelic blues rock which could have come directly from the studios where people like Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix and the Beatles recorded their stuff. 'Misery' is a gloomy blues ballad (with a beautiful guitar solo) while 'Mojoy' is a pretty heavy rocker, somehow reminding me of Black Crowes. Both songs are excellent examples of how this newfound interest should sound: vintage, convincing and perfectly executed. I hope this single will be followed by a full-length and a tour soon. 


Colosso - Obnoxious 

death metal
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Portuguese horde Colosso have released a behemoth, a pungent blend of death metal and industrial, loaded with soundscapes and sheer ferocity. The result might indeed be one of the most impressive death metal albums in 2016. Somehow it reminds me of a mix between Carcass and Limbonic Art, crushing the boundaries of one genre and smashing right into another one. This album is a ranging assault of blast beats, haunting screams and vicious, often droning riffs and pure noise created with the sole intention of demolishing anything in its path. I admit, you have to be used to some level of crushing death metal before you can handle this, but once inside, the beast never lets go.


Shlømo — Vanished Breath

electronic / techno
Wolfskuil LTD
facebook
Picture
Dance music right after death metal, because why the fork not? Besides, this isn't ordinary, stale and unimagined techno. In fact, there's only one true techno tune on this ep (and its remix), 'Obsession'. True, it's not my favorite but it might get some people dancing. Opener 'Vanished Breath' is more like an eerie ambient tune while a great track 'The Ritual' is a breakbeat inspired vintage electro act. Speaking of vintage electro, 'M.U.M.' seems to come directly from the seventies when people like Klaus Schulze and Kraftwerk were pioneering in experimenting with electronic music. So yeah, this fits perfectly on this edition of brieviews. 


Marta De Pascalis – Anzar

electronic / ambient / experimental
The Tapeworm
Touch Shop
Picture
Speaking of acts like Kraftwerk, Schulze and Tangerine Dream, here are two pieces of circular synth and tape-loop music, courtesy of Italian artist Marta De Pascalis. Both are long tracks, seemingly based around a central theme but constantly moving and changing. Title track 'Anzar' really takes me back to those early electronics pioneers, often coming up with some folkish melodies along with the cold synth sequences. 'Emerso' sounds a bit darker, somewhat nudging towards the ambient scene. In all, I like this one a tad better than the opener, probably because of its lingering soundscapes. In all, this certainly is an interesting release, which comes highly recommended to anyone who loves those old, almost psychedelic electronics. But be quick, there are only 100 copies of this tape...


Jonas Van den Bossche & Benne Dousselaere - The Multiverse Ennui Can't Last Forever

experimental / ambient / noise
Silken Tofu
Picture
Another strange two-track album comes from Belgian label Silken Tofu, who released this one-session recording of Jonas Van den Bossche & Benne Dousselaere. These two tracks are elaborate audio-adventures with drones,  noise, soundscapes, synths, guitar and minimal percussion. On hand hand, the music reminds me of acts like De Fabriek, Machinefabriek; Maurizio Bianchi and Tim Hecker, while there's also a hint toward ancient electronics and gloomy eighties electro. It constantly changes, mostly driving on one or a few drones. In fact, the only thing that remains a constant on this album, is the quality. This thing definitely comes highly recommended.


Illum Adora - Son of Dawn

black metal
bigcartel
facebook
Picture
From "meh", over "hm, interesting" to "fuck yeah" in mere thirty seconds, that's not an easy task to accomplish but this German trio somehow managed to do exactly that. I wasn't fond if the opening of this ep, but gradually it grew on me and halfway through 'Eyes of the Scythe Wielder', I was heabanging along with their chaotic and primitive approach to black metal. Nothing fancy, no over produced feel good shit, just sheer violence and intense blasphemy. This ep sounds like it comes directly from an underground bunker in the early nineties when the blackened scene was just beginning to make headlines everywhere. If you like your black metal true, bleak and vulgar, this is your album of the week.


Comments

Brieviews part 10

26/8/2016

Comments

 
Picture

Dopethrone - 1312

sludge
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
A free three-track ep from Canadian sludge deities Dopethrone, which, by the way, is completely free to download if you wish. So why write a review about it? After all, every Dopethrone fan should know about this ep already, and most of them should already have it in their digital collection, no? Well, like I said, "should". I know that there are some lazy stoners out there that haven't checked out the crushing 'Shot Down', the grinding 'Drifter' (my favorite) and the pulverizing closer 'Skag Reek' yet. Maybe because it's monday morning and they still need to get the weekend out of their systems. Good new, this ep can help you with that by knocking you out cold...


Astrophobos - Enthroned In Flesh 

black metal
Triumvirate Records
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
The Scandinavian countries have always been the place to be for decent black metal and Swedish trio Astrophobos are here to prove that. Since their inception in 2009, they've released an ep and a full-length, now followed by this triumphant four-track. These songs resemble some of the all time greats, including Satyricon, Dissection, Immortal and so on and comes with an excellent production, solid enough to blast the wax out of your ears. My favorite track is the epic 'The Cadaver Monarch', a massive piece of (mainly) slow, grinding black metal in the vein of some of the best Dimmu Borgir songs. This ep certainly is a must-have for ever self-respecting black metal adept, that's for sure... 


Morrow - Covenant Of Teeth 

crust / post-metal / sludge
Halo Of Flies
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
In a faraway future, when our civilization is left in unrecognizable ruins, a number of new people will form tribes and start all this madness all over again. London, UK based supergroup Morrow created the soundtrack for this post-apocalyptic world, and what a massive beast that album has become. Crust, post-metal and sludge with violins and cellos accompanying the more traditional instrumentation, intense, heavy and  often straight-in-your-face music that is quite hard to categorize. The band is huge, featuring a massive number of guest vocalists and narrators speaking or screaming in different languages. This certainly is a strange but highly immersive experience.


Black Tar Prophet / Iron Gavel - Split

sludge / noise rock
Broken Limbs
facebook Black Tar Prophet
facebook Iron Gavel
Picture
Ready to be hypnotized by repetitive, almost ritual, sludge doom? Well, than the first part of this burdensome split is something for you. Black Tar Prophet for Nashville, TN, specializes in thick, harsh sludge with samples instead of vocals and the result is mesmerizing and immersive. It could very well be the soundtrack for a David Lynch movie about Dante's 'La Divina Commedia', or something. Iron Gavel basically follows a similar pattern with harsh guitar riffs and pummeling drums but seem to throw a thick sauce of noise rock over the whole thing. In any case, this split comes highly recommend to anyone who wants to scare the shit out of people...


Hostis - Hostis

death metal
Miner Records
facebook
Picture
Headbanging time! Drop whatever you're doing, play this one loud and bang the day away. This band from Montenegro, featuring members from Abhoth, comes up with bloody delicious thrash induced death metal. Slayer meets Obituary and Testaments meets Dismember, which obviously means fingerlicking riffs, a fierce tempo and deep guttural growls. However, it might be interesting to notice that these guys never let brutality get in the way of musicality, which is a massive plus in my book. The level of variation is high, the mid-tempo parts are immersive as hell and 'Demigods' is a world class death metal track. This album certainly is a highlight in 2016's death metal scene.


Impure Consecration - Succumb to Impurity Fire

death metal
Blood Harvest
facebook
Picture
This strictly limited 7" (250 copies) is meant to be an appetizer for the upcoming debut of American trio Impure Consecration. I'm not sure when the full-length will be released but if you're a fan of old school death metal, you might start preparing to feast on the corpses of your enemies. The two songs on this single are primitive, harsh and unforgiving pieces of death metal, quite similar to some of the oldest works by Morbid Angel, Sepultura or Vital Remains.'Apparitions of a Malevolent Spirit' for example, completely reeks of the early eighties when extreme metal started to take form with its growling voice, it's chaotic riffing and it's nutsack piercing drums. Try it, it's good for you....


Supremative - Servitude Of The Impurity

black metal / death metal
Blood Harvest 
facebook
Picture
I have no idea where Blood Harvest keeps finding these ancient school bands. I wouldn't be surprised if there is a time portal to the early eighties in their office. Take this Supremative ep for example, an intro with gregorian chants, followed by chaotic and psychotic noise, moshing on the thin line between black and death metal. The tempo is murderous, but so seem to be the intentions of this whole thing. This Spanish act blasts and grinds its way through your eardrums, right into wherever your soul is situated. I'd recommend this thing to all the old schoolers out there. Maybe to the new death metal kids too, hoping this music will devour and destroy them completely...


Osmium Guillotine vs. The Tickturds - Osmium Guillotine vs. The Tickturds

punk / metal
bandcamp Osmium Guillotine
facebook Osmium Guillotine
bandcamp The Tickturds
facebook The Tickturds
Picture
One is a metal band, the other a collective of punks. Both play heavy music, preferably loud. Both have recorded one brand new song and a cover of the other band. But the whole thing kicks off with a song they wrote and recorded together. That song, called 'Imitators' is an intense piece of punk-metal, guaranteed to start a moshpit or at least a decent headbanging session. The whole thing feels a little Exploited-like, you know, thrash metal meets punk. Other bands that often come to mind include Overkill, Anthrax and The Unseen. This really is a fun crossover ep by two of Essex' loudest bands, exceptionally suited for those who long for the good old days of both genres...


Buildings/Volunteer - Split

noise rock
Triple Eye Industries
facebook Buildings
facebook Volunteer
Picture
Dissonant music doesn't always have to be metal. Take this impressive six-track split for example. Opening with a brilliant piece of noise-rock in 'Something Better', American trio Buildings comes up with one of the best things in the genre I've heard this year. The other two tracks are just as much dissonant delight, bringing everything from Unsane over Godflesh to The Jesus Lizard to mind. Fellow countrymen Volunteer add a few hints of sludge to the whole noise-rock sound, perfectly completing this already stunning split. This is something for fans of Vandal X, Today Is The Day and Neurosis, maybe, probably. I don't know. This is noise-rock perfection...


Royce - Embrace Yourself

metalcore / metal
website
facebook
Picture
Although metalcore usually isn't my thing, I do feel some sympathy for these youngsters from "De Kempen", a geographic region in Belgium, claimed to be "silent". Well, nothing is silent on this debut ep, on the very contrary. With their mix of fast hardcore, melodic metalcore and metallic extremes these guys are preparing for the bigger stages. This is pure aggression, dressed in something that seems to be influenced by everything between Alexisonfire, Parkway Drive, Trivium and Gojira. There are some brilliant passages, plenty of variation and sheer power, everything a good metalcore band needs. So yes, this is highly promising. We'll hear a lot more from these guys in the near future...


Comments

Brieviews Part 7

29/7/2016

Comments

 
Picture

Dakhma - ​Passageways to Daena

black metal
Godz Ov War
facebook
Picture
Black metal has always had a flair for the occult, the evil and the malicious, but few bands manage to place those elements into their sound better than Swiss cult Dakhma. Their blend of death and black metal seems to come directly from another world, darker, grimmer and loaded with spite. This album is no different, as they plunge the listener in an eerie atmosphere and throw a massive amount of screams, growls and chants over the already haunting music. This certainly is a must-have for fans of the most obscure and twisted extreme metal, like pretty much everything Dakhma produces. If they go more extreme, they cross the boundaries between metal and harsh noise. Awesome...


Noyades - Noyades

psychedelic noise rock
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Claiming to be influenced by Kadavar and Keiji Haino while opening this ep with something that reminds me of Ministry, it is quite a surprise but nonetheless a nice one. French trio Noyades blends psychedelic rock with noise rock without uttering a single word. The result sounds like a lovechild between Dillinger Escape Plan and Sonic Youth after a night of smoking weed and tripping on LSD. The amount of energy coming from these three tunes is impressive, even though the songs are quite complex pieces of work, especially the massive closer 'Reflects'. 'Bear Rider' might be my favorite, a brutal fuzzed-out kick in your sperm-factory. You'll love it... 


Wired Anxiety - The Delirium of Negation

death metal
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Brutal death metal with elements from grindcore and slam, coming from Bombay, India. There have been a lot of great extreme metal albums coming from that region of the world and this ep definitely is one of the best to date. The songs are loaded with thick riffs, rolling drums, a vast array of growls and even some pig-squeals. Yet, the whole is pretty damn varied, often changing tempos and coming up with massively immersive passages. My favorite track is opener 'Focus 22'. Heavily Sedated' probably is the most complex one and the other two are (also) perfectly capable of causing moshpits wherever this music blasts through the speakers.


Assailant / Ubiquitous Realities - Bringers of Delusion

thrash metal / death metal
Symbol Of Domination
Assailant
Ubiquitous Realities
Picture
Two bands from Costa Rica, each with their own specific sound, that should guarantee an interesting split album, no? Well, it certainly is a surprising one. Assailant kicks this thing off, seemingly in speedy thrash metal but then a number of progressive metal elements suddenly appear, turning the whole thing into an awesome metallic adventure, loaded with intense riffs, harsh vocals, flashing solos, breaks and hooks. Ubiquitous Realities seem to take the progressive elements and twist them into some brutal but technical death metal songs. Here the vocals turn to deep growls, perfectly fitting the already pummeling sound of the guitars and the almost constant hammering of the drums. Lovely.


||| - Lines & Lands

ambient black metal
bandcamp
Picture
||| is a side-project for Italian black metal act Chiral. In stead of combining black metal with folk, this album delves deeper into the world of bleak, cold and harsh music. Fierce blackened passages alternate with eerie soundscapes, acoustic elements and at times even noise. Strangely, in all its bleakness, this album somewhat reminds me of the post-black scene, highly atmospheric but still clay-cold and depressive. It took me a few listens to fully appreciate this album, but each time I heard it,  it grew, it became more and more immersive and epic. Check it out, play it loud and see the sun fade away, taking every color you can imagine with it until there's nothing left but a grey mass of lifeless debris...


Comments

Crowd Of Chairs / Maze - Save Yourself

8/7/2016

Comments

 
noise rock / post punk
Consouling Sounds
Crowd Of Chairs
Maze
Picture
Picture
Here's another slab of gutripping Belgian noise for your aural delight. Two young bands from Ghent, pretty much the musical capital of Belgium by now, have been thrown on a split album with no other intent than utter destruction of your sanity. I guess that's what you get for living in this strange little country. I mean, we know our noise rock, Vandal X, Evil Superstars, Perverted, Hypochristmutreefuzz, Blægger,... the list goes on and on.

We kick off with Crowd Of Chairs, a band with members from Youff and Deer. Their contribution to this split, is a three-track assault of punkish riffing, hyperkinetic drums, screaming and loads of hypnotic guitar sound. Opening with the frenzy 'Hieronymus', these guys rage on with their strange and nervous music, even in the calmest passages. Closer 'Mind Control' is a massive beast, an anthem of every noise they can get out of their instruments. The other song? Well, that's up to you to discover. It'll be worth it, I promise.

Some people hate Maze. They say it's thrash, shit or crap. I know, people aren't very friendly when they talk about music they don't really understand. But what's there to understand about this band? Pretty much nothing, except maybe for the fact that their deranged post-punk is damn infectious and loaded with stuff you'll never expect. They threw three songs on this split, opening with the repetitive and eerie 'Experience' and causing a punk induced moshpit of noise into the others. 'Other Convictions' is somewhat Ministry meets The Jesus Lizard, or maybe not.

As a fan of Belgian underground experimental noise post-punk rock, or whatever you call this stuff, I can definitely recommend this to all you noise-rockers out there. If you're a fan of anything between Sonic Youth, Melvins and Fantomas, this certainly is your thing. If you're not, you have just wasted your time reading this review. You could have spent that time to listen to the split, tell the internets how "fucking awful" this is and go back to listening to fucking Adèle. Belgian noise rules, let's just agree on that...


Serge


Comments

Hegy - 80 Miles Out & 6 Feet Under

18/6/2016

Comments

 
post-rock / post-metal / noise rock
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Picture
THE METAL DECK, a moshpit of cardgames, created by Analoch Games & Merchants Of Air. Buy now: http://www.analochgames.com/
Aah, the sounds of the voiceless, almost always a pleasure to listen to. Yes, I love instrumental music, and in that aspect I rarely even care what kind of music it is. Be it rock, metal, dark jazz, industrial or even some subgenres of electronic dance music, as long as they keep their yap shut, I'm appeased. In fact, I'd love this human society a lot more if everyone would just quit chattering and whining. 

But I'm divagating, sorry about that. On to the review...

Hegy (which translates as 'mountain' in their native tongue) is a trio from Hungary formed in April of 2015. They too seem to like instrumental music and they too don't seem to care about what kind of music it is. Blending elements from post-rock, noise-rock, sludge, stoner and noise rock, they now come up with an interesting debut. '80 Miles Out & 6 Feet Under' is a wicked trip, sometimes weird and dissonant, sometimes psychedelic and immersive.

Strangely enough, there isn't a massive array of bands coming to mind when I listen to songs like opener 'It's Alive! It's Alive!' or the energetic 'Would You Hold Still, Please Sir?'. Monkey3 perhaps, or A Place To Bury Strangers. Maybe a touch of Lightning Bolt and a taste of The Melvins. Explosions In The Sky meets The Ocean meets Colour Haze? I don't really know. All I know is that this is scintillating music.

'Black Glacier' made me decide to recommend this trio for the famous Belgian Dunk! festival. I think Hegy would fit in perfectly with the eccentric mix of post-rock related bands. They would certainly stand out, be just that bit different to make a genuine impact. The massive, seventeen minutes lasting title track will make a lot of audience members reach a state of trance, me included. So yeah, check this thing out, it's dazzling...


​Serge


Comments

Spook - Blurred Head And Scrambled Eggs

13/6/2016

Comments

 
experimental / noise / noise rock
Atypeek Music
Amazon
bandcamp
Picture
Picture
find vintage concertposters on http://concertposters.be/
Improv is fun, that's for damn sure. A few years ago, I played in an improv-noise duo, having a great time exploring the boundaries of our instruments or just blast out some severe noise to rip the listener's head to pieces. Of course, it doesn't always have to be heavily distorted guitar drones to remain interesting. Sometimes the beauty of improv simply lies in the unexpected touches of musicality, which is the case on this strange album.

Spook is a trio from Lausanne, Switzerland, armed with violin, electronics and drums. They're quite new to the scene, and I don't even know which scene I'm talking about. Is it the noise-scene? Is it the jazz-scene? Yes, jazz, probably because of the whole experimental approach which reminds me a lot of many free-jazz acts I've seen and heard. I feel like these are indeed trained musicians with a wide background.

In eight instrumentals, Spook come up with an unpredictable and highly surprising sound, somewhere between the electronic chaos of Black Dice and the bizarre art of Fantomas. But I also recognize influences from other acts, some gritty shoegaze and noise rock bands like Sonic Youth or The Melvins. The opener, and title track, immediately shows what this acts stands for: absolute weirdness, confusing but addictive.

During the entire album I caught myself thinking 'what the hell is this and why is it so immersive?'. With every passage I getting more and more excited about what will follow. What follows is pretty much always a surprise, whether it's harsh noise, experimental ambient or straightforward rock music with the experimental approach of Zappa. Even after a few listens, this album keeps on surprising me, which obviously is a massive plus.

Sometimes it's minimal, kind and gentle, like in 'Shall We Go?' but most of the time, this album is dynamic and intense like in the great track 'Grand Parade In Bottens Part 3'. 'Godzilla' even comes close to doom or post-rock, be it in a weird and unpredictable way, like Merzbow would make it perhaps. The only certainty is the fact that this album will often make you look at your speakers, with a "what???" look on your face.


​Serge


Comments

Ça - 378

1/6/2016

Comments

 
noise rock / experimental
Atypeek
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Picture
THE METAL DECK, the heaviest games of cards you'll ever play. Order now: http://www.analochgames.com/
If there is anything that Frank Zappa taught us, is how awesome utter nonsense can be. There are plenty of bands out there that have been influenced by his strange and highly experimental music, which obviously is a good thing. I mean, even in real life there's not much that makes sense anymore, and music can perfectly reflect that feeling. That takes me to this little ep by French all-goat power trio, Ça.

"All goat?" you rightfully ask. Yes, Ça is an all-goat power trio that is collectively over three stories tall. They're trained in taekwondo, ninja and Pokemon martial arts. They live in a meadow in Lyon, France, where they also make music. That music is a little bit strange, a lovechild of Primus and Black Dice, going through some rough puberty issues and rebelling against the goat-lifestyle by blasting out brutal pieces of thrash induced sludge noise.

I guess we've all been through something similar in our days, and I guess we'll have to get used to the fact that weird stuff like this will often abuse the inside of our speakers. Those speakers are indeed used to jazz, they're used to post-rock, they're used to noise and they're used to sheer intensity but they will have to get used to all of that pressed into three insane, medium sized songs and one brilliant dub remix. 

So yeah, euhm, buy this, it's insanely genius chaos.


Serge
Comments

F.A.T. - Animal

26/4/2016

Comments

 
noise rock / ambient / rock / post-rock
bandcamp
facebook
Picture
Picture
Support Merchants Of Air, check out our shop
What would Primus sound like when they would decide to be a post-rock band? I'm quite sure nobody ever asked that question but it is quite an interesting one. Imagine Les Claypool's bass, accompanied by energetic drums and strange guitar sounds. Would you like it? Well, now you have the chance to check out something that comes very close to that. It's blasting through my speakers right now and it's as weird as it is satisfying.

F.A.T. is actually the rhythm section of Eliogabal, a band that I'm not really familiar with. This album is part three of their F.A.T. trilogy, the first ones experimenting with either post-rock or electronics. Now, they take on a different approach again, one that resembles bands like Zu and even some of Mike Patton's bizarre outlets. In four tracks, this French act takes the listener through a labyrinth of noise, drums and ambient.

It's a strange journey, loaded with unexpected hooks and surprises, perfectly suited to receive the 'experimental' and even the 'avant-garde' tag. Hell, I think even jazz-fans could find their dada* in here. This album is fluxus-art for your ears where everything is permitted and nothing is too weird to put into the music. Oh, and it's pretty damn heavy sometimes too. Recommended only if you're ready for this trippy adventure.


Serge

*To find ones dada: Flemish expression meaning 'find what suits you'.
Comments
<<Previous
    subscribe to our newsletter

    Genres

    All
    Acoustic
    Alternative
    Ambient
    Avant Garde
    Avant-garde
    Black Metal
    Blues
    Children
    Classical
    Country
    Crust
    Dark Ambient
    Dark Jazz
    Darkwave
    Death Metal
    Doom
    Dream Pop
    Drone
    Drum & Bass
    Dub
    Dubstep
    EBM
    Electro
    Electronic
    Ethereal
    Experimental
    Folk
    Folk Metal
    Funk
    Gothic
    Grindcore
    Grunge
    Hardcore
    Hard Rock
    Heavy Metal
    Hip Hop
    Hip-hop
    Idm
    Indie
    Industrial
    Instrumental
    Jazz
    Krautrock
    Martial
    Math Rock
    Metal
    Metalcore
    Neo Classical
    Neo-classical
    Neo Folk
    Neo-folk
    Noise
    Noise Rock
    Noise-rock
    Nu Metal
    Nu-metal
    Opera
    Pop
    Post Metal
    Post Punk
    Post Rock
    Progressive
    Psychedelic
    Psytrance
    Punk
    Reggae
    Rock
    Score
    Shoegaze
    Singer/songwriter
    Sludge
    Soul
    Southern Rock
    Speed Metal
    Stoner
    Symphonic Metal
    Synthpop
    Techno
    Thrash
    Triphop
    Trip-hop
    World

    Archives

    July 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015

Find us on

facebook
google+
twitter
tumblr
​
minds

About Us

Contact
FAQ
Logos and banners
© COPYRIGHT 2015. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.