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Wömit Angel – Impaling Force Of Satan

3/4/2017

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black metal / crust punk
Ketzer Records
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Impaling Force of Satan is the third and most recent album by Finnish black metal group Womit Angel, released in March 18. With twelve tracks – Armageddon Wolfpack, Ceremonial Coffin-Ceremonial Death, Forgotten Name of Evil, Goat Hellfire, I Kill Everything I Fuck, Impaling Force of Satan, Mr. Barbie, Nun Raping Rock n Roll, Planetary Destruction, Possessed Misery, Raping the Holy Part II and Rat Mouth Saviour – this record reveals a black metal fully compromised and effervescently mixed with punk rock, crust punk and hardcore elements, being the main characteristics of the songs an overwhelming rapidness and intense concision. Basically, Impaling Force of Satan can be best described as punk rock with black metal themes and vocals. 

The overall sound and the style of Womit Angel on this album is competent, coherent and very good. Despite the modest, even common ground premise, and the simple outlines of the songs, Impaling Force of Satan is an interesting and cohesive album. The general proposal of the record is continuously strong, but preeminently subtle, and the structure of the music can be described as formidably relevant. 

Womit Angel is not the first band to introduce punk rock elements in black metal. For several years, in their last albums, Norwegian legendary black metal act Darkthrone has improved their notoriety by doing this improbable, but effective mixture as well. Nonetheless, the style of Womit Angel reveals a creative and genuine approach, that makes this record in particular to be considered fantastically uplifting and very surprising as well. 

Impaling Force of Satan reveals itself to be a formidable album. Although too simple in certain aspects, with some songs being exceedingly short – the sixth track, the eponymous Impaling Force of Satan, lasts only thirty seconds –, this record will be an extraordinary surprise for enthusiasts of this particular genre blending. Although the album cannot be considered an incredible masterpiece, it’s fairly competent, efficient, full of qualities, and quite good on its overall musical terms and proposals. You will certainly not be disappointed. Impaling Force of Satan is a great and outstanding blackened punk rock album, that effectively realizes in a style close to perfection a mixture that apparently can be easy to do, but in practice, only a few can undertake with such an amazing level of striking ability. 
  

Wagner


 
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Brieviews 22

31/3/2017

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Lynhood - Septembre

ambient / experimental / shoegaze
Atypeek
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Lynhood is the solo project for French bassist Chloé Della Valle, founder of the Grenoble label. Lynhood is also a very interesting take on ambient, drones, noise pop and shoegaze. Armed with a bass guitar, her dreamy voice and a loop station, Lynhood creates textured pop songs with a gritty edge. That now results in this four track ep which at times is extremely melancholic. While opener 'Tree' is a gentle tune, 'White Emperor' is a tremendous tearjerker, gloomy and deeply introvert. In all, this ep is not an easy pill to swallow but certainly one worth the effort. It's simply another interesting take on drones and ambient. Try it out...

Duality - Archeology

metalcore / metal
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French metal act Duality come up with a complex but immersive take on progressive metal and metalcore, a genre I'm not always a big fan of. However, the three songs on this ep are laced with oriental influences, unusual vocal lines and tantalizing electronics, which make this thing a lot better than I expected. The songs are quite slow but still contain heaps of energy and grinding riffs. My personal favorite on this ep is 'Osiris', an intense piece of work that will often surprise the listener. I suggest you check it out, musical surprises are always a good thing as they open your mind for new things.

Never Train - Dnar

hard rock
Inverse Records
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They call it "street rock", but I think the term "hard rock" will fit the band very well. I mean, uptempo rockers with a dirty edge and plenty of power, both in the riffs and in the vocals, that spells hard rock in my book. Never Train, a band from Finland, does nothing really new but they did record three highly convincing pieces of good old fashioned rock 'n roll. There is a little bit of Skid Row in here, a dash of Ramones and even a touch of Guns 'n Roses. So this just can't go wrong. Opener 'First We Live' is my favorite. 'Hope In Youth' is a rocking dance floor filler and closer 'Dnar' is simply an uplifting piece of old school hard rock. You might need this...

Dominique Charpentier - L'attente

classical / ambient
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The email that contained this ep, also contained the words "It's a piano solo album", which is probably the truest thing I have ever read. On this ep, there is a piano and ten massively experienced fingers who gently help the instrument reveal its dreams. The five short pieces on this ep are soothing and minimal classical pieces that can lighten up every day. I don't care what genre you usually listen to, dear reader, but I strongly urge you to purchase this album. Music like this should be in everybody's collection. Everybody needs moments like these, moments to meditate and look into their own soul. This album can help you with that...

Vautour - Vautour

drum & bass / industrial metal
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With the energy of a metal album, French electronic act Vautour comes up with six massively energetic pieces of industrial music. Fans of Chase & Status or Pendulum will undoubtedly embrace this thing. There are references towards hardcore techno, dubstep, drum & bass and breakbeats but also towards rock and metal, be it a highly electronic form If you ever see a moshpit forming during a drum & bass gig, it will probably be while Vautour is playing live. In all, this debut is an interesting piece of work, one which will definitely get your dancing boots on. I can see good things happening for this act in the future.

Moonlight Prophecy - Eternal Oblivion 

progressive / thrash metal
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Philadelphia's Moonlight Prophecy is a Progressive, Thrash and Neoclassical Metal project from multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Lawrence Wallace, and that is pretty much all you need to know before getting your hands on this stunning ep. Mostly instrumental, this three-track is loaded with shredding riffs, epic guitar solos and a massive drum sound, all coming with a gloomy atmosphere. People have said that this compares to Nevermore meets Testament and I'm not going to disagree with that. Fans of epic, technical and immersive metal can easily trust this project to deliver the goods. So yep, recommended as hell, this one...

Era 9 - Warrior

nu metal
Soundcloud
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This single by Montreal based rock band Era 9 is a very nice appetizer for their upcoming album (planned to be released in May). This song seemingly blends influences from Linkin Park, Paramore, Lacuna Coil and even Skrillex and throws them into one immersive piece of music. The result is a possible hard rock charts hit, a song that would do perfectly well as a Wrestlemania tune, for example. So yes, it's worth to check this out. I'm already curious for the upcoming full-length and if you're into anything that smells like nu metal, you should too...

Electric Floor - Fader

synthpop / new wave
Vipchoyo Sound Factory 
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With elements from indie rock, new wave and synth pop, this trio politely invites you to the dancefloor, especially if you are a fan of Echo & The Bunnymen, Psychedelic Furs, The Cure, Human League and so on. These five tracks seem to come directly from the eighties but will just as well please fans of modern day indie rock. Opener 'Bluedive' and the gloomy 'Borderland' are my favorites on this five track but all the songs are worth your attention. So yes, for a nostalgia trip, this is definitely a highly recommended ep and to be frank, I'd rather go see these guys on stage than Depeche Mode.

Headless Horseman - 47009

techno / industrial
47
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Speaking about invitations to the dancefloor, this one is something for the discotheques and dance festivals around the globe. Headless Horseman delivered a four track ep, loaded with beats and eerie soundscapes. Yet, instead of the regular 4/4 beats, this act gives the whole thing an industrial touch, reminding me of acts like Imminent, Sonar, Morgenstern or Synapscape. The opener, 'Widow's Peak' is my favorite here, along with the Scorn-like dark dub track 'The Day She Vanished'. So yeppers, for a techno record, this is a bloody good one, one that will find the way to my playlists quite often from now on.

Lonely The Brave - Diamond Days

alternative rock
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British band Lonely The Brave delivered a nice four track ep, named 'Diamond Days'. On this ep, the band comes up with small rock anthems, seemingly influenced by alternative rock, indie and post rock. Opener and title track 'Diamond Days' is a possible fan favorite, an intelligent rock anthem that would fit perfectly well in today's alternative rock community. 'Two Heads' is a bit heavier and 'Collider' is another awesome anthem. The ep closes with a nice version of 'The Rat', originally recorded by The Walkmen. In all, this ep might not be earth shattering but it's definitely a nice addition to your collection.

Misto - Infinite Mirrors

post rock
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This debut ep by Italian one-man post rock act Misto has been released last year but it only reached us a short while ago. Usually, when that happens, the release ends up in the pile of albums-we-don't-have-time-for but this time I'd like to make an exception. Why? Well, this is a very nice six-track ep, containing some gentle post rock tunes. This certainly is one of those ep that would perfectly fit in your massive post-rock playlists, there where Explosions, Godspeed, Mogwai, Caspian and Astronaut also roam. So go ahead, download these tunes help me in hoping that Misto will form a band and tour soon...

Grave Plague - The Infected Crypts

death metal
Give Praise Records
Redefining Darkness Records
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On to the extremes then, courtesy of American death metal horde Grave Plague. Their sole goal is to resurrect the old school version of death metal and on this two-track ep they do exactly that. With a sound that reminds me of something between Dismember and At The Gates, this quintet blasts two ferocious slabs of vintage death metal through my speakers at a very high paste. The whole thing is quite short but powerful enough to demolish a small suburb. So if you're into grinding riffs, sick grunts and pulverising tempos, this one should have a spot in your collection. Period.

HaatE - Crystal : Farewell

dark ambient / black metal
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Italian black ambient act HaatE returns with a mesmerizing and hypnotic ep, one that has everything it needs to be a solid reference to this dark and mysterious genre. Although mostly rooted in dark ambient, there are elements from black metal and the whole post-black/rock scene. The end result is a sonic journey that never disappoints, never gets stale and continuously contains this cold, eerie and haunting atmosphere. I can only recommend this thing to all you dark souls out there. For people like you, this music is comforting and calm while it's dark and scary for others. Great work, a must-have.

Kolfskop - Cambozola Superster

experimental rock
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The weirdest ep in this edition of Brieviews comes from Belgian trio Kolfskop. These guys from Ghent once had an idea about how music should sound, threw that overboard and started experimenting, influenced by Zappa, Waits, Beefheart and Primus. Now, they come up with this strange ep, one that has the words "avant-garde" written all over it. Nonetheless, this thing comes highly recommended because it's something you just don't hear very often anymore. Oh, and it's all in Dutch, but don't let that stop you. After all, plenty of Belgians are musical geniuses as well as completely mad.

Eli van Pike - Herzschlag

gothic / industrial metal
Darksign Music
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A German-American cooperation, deeply rooted in the dark industrial metal scene, that has got to be interesting. And it is, certainly for fans of bands like ASP, Oomph, Wolfsheim and so on. This single contains the gothic rock song 'Herzschlag' and a bunch of EBM/industrial/future pop remixes. Personally, I would have preferred one or two other songs on this single, just to add a touch of variation, but nonetheless, this is an interesting example of today's gothic scene. So I guess the choice is yours, and I strongly suggest checking this single out. If you like it, why not get the whole album?

Fork / Göttemia - Indre Enfold

punk
Kraftpest
Fork
Göttemia 
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And we end this edition of Brieviews with two bands from the Norwegian punk underground, bands that have been playing live and touring for years and became quite good friends. Fork comes up with two energetic punk songs, nudging towards alternative and noise rock but still raunchy enough to please hardcore punks. Göttemia adds three aggressive punk tunes to the mix, perfectly capable of getting that mosh pit started. Both acts seem to do exactly what they want, which obviously is in perfect punk tradition. So, punk of all ages, check this out. You'll love it.
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Bokassa – Divide & Conquer

7/3/2017

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punk / stoner rock
All Good Clean Records
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Divide & Conquer is the debut full length by Norwegian crossover stoner punk act Bokassa, to be released via All Good Clean Records on March 25th. A little more than half an hour, the record has nine tracks: Intro, Last Night, Walker, Crocsodile Dundee, Genocidal, Five Finger, Here Goes Nothing, Retaliation and Stoner Anthem. A choleric album with a predominantly direct and furious punk rock essence, Bokassa works splendidly well the infusion of primitive and technical stoner rock elements into their music, unraveling a singular style that came as a result of a very audacious, ambitious and marvelously realized crossover, that crafted a vehemently genuine, surprising and strong hybrid genre, peculiarly brilliant, unexpected and astoundingly creative, like something you have never heard in your whole life before. 

Although their sound could be described as essentially crude, raw and hostile, there is an intense energy and an infuriating vibrating rhythm, splendidly adorned by excellent and thoroughly dilapidated melodies, sidelined by aggressive and stubborn guitar lines, that dictates the aggressiveness in one hand, but on the other, never leaves an intelligent sonorous intricacy behind. 

Divide & Conquer is fundamentally an amalgamated synergy of an aggressive sonorous explosion, ready to announce the end of the world. With vigor, objectivity and seriousness, Bokassa displays a formidable musical intensity, that elaborates, dilates and expands a more refined and exploratory, but nonetheless brutal and grotesque, new form of wild rock. With simple, but amazingly furious and highly energetic guitar lines, Divide & Conquer is an aggressive, corrosive and effectively consistent album, loyal to the most honorable traditions of punk rock, but never renouncing to the delirious traces that has solidified the graceful tonalities of their musical peculiarities. It becomes very clear that they worked hard – and very successfully – to develop an abrasive and formidable degree of authentic expression. And they have achieved this goal quite high, I would say. 

My two favorite tracks on this album, without a doubt, is the fourth and nine – Crocsodile Dundee and Stoner Anthem, respectively – which seems to be, at least in what concerns my personal musical tastes, the cherries on the top of the cake. Formidable songs, that explores and exposes the incredible versatility and the lucid abilities of a band that has an exceedingly bright future ahead of them, Divide & Conquer, after all, certainly has everything to be considered a fundamental masterpiece of the crossover musical phenomenon.   
    

​Wagner
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Brieviews 19

26/1/2017

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Alex Cordo - Origami

progressive metal
Amazon
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This one is a guitarist's dream, the musical equivalent of a karate student looking at his sensei. Alex Cordo is a classically trained guitar player who brings his skills into the world of progressive rock and metal. The songs on this album are instrumental metal anthems, narrated by technically perfect guitar play. Fans of flashing guitars, heavy rocking music and technical skills will probably adore the hell out of this album. If you're into Vai, Malmsteen or Satriani, you will undoubtedly appreciate this compositions and you'll definitely find a spot in your already massive collection to add this. So go ahead, check it out and enjoy the awesome landscapes of Alex Cordo...

December Hung Himself - Perseidi

dark ambient
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Speaking about landscapes, this Italian duo surely knows a thing or two about atmospheric and cinematic music. Formed by the guitarists from Thank U For Smoking, Drought & Charun, December Hung Himself take their post-rock and black metal experiences into the world of dark ambient and drones.The result is a must-have for fans of Atrium Carceri, Inade, Kammarheit and so on. If you're into minimal dark ambient, there's no doubt that this album deserves a spot in your collection. Here and there you can find a hint of melody, guitars and gloomy electronics. To conclude I have to say, the trippy closer '​Beta Persei' is pure genius

Last Builders of Empire - Hades

post rock
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American quartet Last Builders Of Empire also seem to know their way around post-rock and with this ep they show exactly how versatile this genre can be. Opener 'Descent of Perithous' is a classic post rock anthem, something between This Will Destroy You, Mono and Wang Wen. 'Clinostat' reminds me of the heavy and drone-infused regions of the scene, with bands like A Swarm Of The Sun. 'State Of Grace' brims with symphonic arrangements and then there are two more awesome tunes to be discovered. You guessed it, this ep definitely is worth the effort, and an excellent sonic journey into the Ancient Greek underworld.

Tuath - Things I Don't Know

shoegaze / psychedelic
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Irish noisemakers Tuath come up with a dark and gritty four-track ep, breathing a vintage shoegaze atmosphere but also incorporating elements from ambient, noise rock and even a hint of sludge doom. The title track is a strange episode with soundscapes and a long vocal sample, but definitely one I can often listen to. The other tracks rock quite heavy, here and there even getting a psychedelic and occult edge, like The Jesus And Mary Chain meets Hawkwind perhaps. If you know Tuath, you know that these guys aren't easy to categorize but that's exactly their strength. So, my advice, check it out, you'll be surprised.

Cyclocosmia - Immure

symphonic doom
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Progressive, symphonic, female fronted doom from London, created by producer James Scott, vocalist Aliki Katriou and guest musicians from all over the world. The result is an interesting album, blending the symphonic approach of gothic metal with the heavy riffing of vintage death doom and progressive technicality. So don't expect Nightwish or After Forever but expect a blend between Draconian, Ayreon, Dream Theatre and more modern metal acts. Even though it's not easy to correctly categorize this ep, I would certainly recommend adding it to your collection of unique and stubborn metal releases. I does deserve a spot there.

Hummingbird Of Death / Beartrap - Split

grindcore
Here And Now Records
Give Praise Records
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Grindcore, grindcore, grindcore, guttural, grindcore, short, attack, grindcore, punk, thrash, grindcore, growl, scream, grindcore.

I think that's pretty much all a grindcore fan needs to know about this fierce split between Hummingbird Of Death & Beartrap. It's a single, containing a bunch of extremely short and extremely aggressive hardcore punk influenced pieces of grindcore.

Oh, did I already mention grindcore?

​Grindcore 

Feller Buncher - 203040

alternative / metal
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A feller buncher is a type of harvester used in logging, something I jokingly called an "industrial treehugger". That aside, Feller Buncher is also a metal band from Paris. they have just released this heavy ep, highly influenced by sludge metal and the ever awesome power of the riff. Yet, the music reminds me more of bands like Danzig and Channel Zero, which I guess isn't that bad to be compared with. Although the tempo isn't always fierce, there is plenty of energy coming from these five tracks. Metal Fans should doubt no longer and start banging their heads to this massive machine...

Desiderii Marginis - Songs Over Ruins

dark ambient
Cyclic Law
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When this email came in, I was pleasantly surprised, but mostly because I thought it was a brand new Desiderii Marginis album. However, this is a reissue but nonetheless an interesting one. Back in 1997 and released by Cold Meat Industry, 'Songs Over Ruins' became a landmark dark ambient album, one that influences acts and labels all over the world. Now, the good people at Cyclic Law decided to reissue this masterpiece so more fans can get their hands on a copy of this. All I can add, is "go ahead and buy this thing", this is the stuff that gave birth to an entire scene...

Pintandwefall - Red and Blue Baby 

indie rock / pop rock
Svart Records
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On the somewhat joyful side of the musical universe we find this pop rocking girl band and their damn catchy tunes. With elements from indie rock, grunge and punk, Pintandwefall present a lo-fi version of acts like The Breeders or Throwing Muses. Opener 'Come To Rest' is my absolute favorite on this album, a song that easily gets stuck in your head. 'Seasimularo' is another fav, somehow bringing the sixties back. In all, this simply is a very enjoyable album that undoubtedly goes right into my day-to-day playlist. I'm sure I'll be smiling every single time one of these songs roll through my speakers.

Ric Gordon - Just Can't Get Enough

punk rock
Russian Winter Records
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While moving, punk rocker Ric Gordon discovered a box with fifty copies of his 1979 debut ep. So he decided to reissue them and make them available on CD and digital formats as well. In that case, I guess this is officially the oldest release ever to be reviewed on Merchants Of Air. Do I recommend it? Obviously I do, this is old fashioned rock 'n roll that is actually old enough to be old fashioned. There is a sense of timelessness in these songs. If you like acts like Ramones, Misfits and Status Quo, I suggest you check this thing out. Vintage just got a lot vintager... 

Gentle Savage - Introduction

rock / blues
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"Let the good times roll", they sing in opener 'Bring Back Rock`n`Roll' and I can't help but agree. Let me introduce Finnish blues rockers Gentle Savage and their first tribute to rock 'n roll. In three songs, one catchy, one rather psychedelic and one pretty damn southern, these guys delivered an awesome debut, something for fans of everything between Hendrix, CCR and Black Crowes. Obviously, this gem calls for a full-length in the near future, followed by a tour. So, I guess it's clear, Gentle Savage are here to bring the soul back to rock 'n roll and judging from this ep, they're doing the right thing...

Funeral Mourning - Descent MMXV

funeral doom / black metal
Nihilistische KlangKunst (cd)
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Right, enough joy and happiness. Time to drag our depressed souls through endless floods of despair and misery, courtesy of Australian act Funeral Mourning. That might sound as a little joke, but I'm damn serious about this album. This is an atmospheric funeral doom blast, one which easily fits the gaps between your Esoteric, Evoken and Shape Of Despair albums. In two lengthy tracks, this act definitely convinces. If you want the assaults on your sanity to be slow, intense and punishing, you need this album. Hell, it's stuff like this that made me become obsessed with this whole genre to begin with...

Adam Probert - The Battle For Tomorrow

noise / drone / spoken word
Sonic Entrails
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Noise music and activism often go hand in hand, and that is exactly the case with this album by spoken word punk poet and dignity in care campaigner Adam Probert. The music here can be compared to acts like Con-Dom, Atrax Morgue, Brighter Death Now and Propergol, although Probert's tracks are not as harsh and punishing as the others. Yet, the whole remains in the drones and minimal noise regions and contains a heap of spoken words and samples. My suggestion, download the album, play it loud, listen to the words and think about them, even if you're not into noise, just listen and think!!!

Steelballs - Steelballs

heavy metal
Witches Brew
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We've been travelling through time a lot in this edition of Brieviews. Right now, we're in the eighties, where bands like Helloween, Manowar and Grave Digger were the heroes of metal. Formed in 2013, Steelballs is a band from Argentina who honor that era of heavy metal. So how do they do it? Not bad, my friend, not bad at all. Raging heavy metal, flashing solos, high pitched vocals... it's all here and it comes to you like a freight train. The ep contains four fine tunes which will easily remind you of the bands I previously mentioned. To some it might sound outdated but to others this is timeless metal, period.

Teleport - Ascendance 

death metal / black metal
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A band that answers the question "bands we like" with "insane ones" immediately demands respect. With that alone, this Slovenian band gained my interest, but also with the term "cosmic metal". Apparently, that means, "a complex and progressive blend of black and death metal which aims to pulverise your very soul into a massive black hole of musical extremism". So yes, blast this thing through your speakers and prepare to bang your head into an endless vacuum. Fans of extreme metal can easily trust this ep to bash them into a bloody pulp because take it from me, these guys can play.

Serge
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Brieviews 17

17/12/2016

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Ummagma + A.R.Kane - Winter Tale 

dream pop
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Ummagma
A.R. Kane
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The one thing I dislike about Christmas, is the music. From those appaling bells to the 'Frohe Weihnachten' by The Wiener Sängerknaben, it's all horrible. Luckily, this year, there's a decent alternative, a little cooperative single by shoegaze / dream pop acts Ummagma and A.R. Kane. 'Winter Tale' is a gentle, dreamy and quite minimal song, guaranteed to get you into the wintery atmosphere. If you're into stuff like Cocteau Twins, 'Winter Tale' could easily guide you through the darkest days of winter. I also really dig the two remixes, taking on an ambient approach. Nice work...

Verein Freude - Schnappschuss

jazz / krautrock / post rock
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Somewhere between the immersive atmosphere of post rock and the psychedelic approach of krautrock we find the inspiring music of Verein Freude, a German band. On their facebook page, this quartet mentions Miles Davis, Avishai Cohen and several other jazz-musicians, and with good reason too. The music on this ep is a perfect combination of jazz and post rock, well, the mild, subdued version of post rock that is. The end result is a nice relaxed piece of music, perfectly suited for the quiet winter evenings and the lounge bars at the summer beaches alike. Check it out, this is a pleasurable listen.

dy - Flip Side

electronic / idm
ampbitifgo
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On to the electronic scene then, where we meet a project named Dy and his weird, gloomy electronics. In a way, I think it's safe to place this ep between your Aphex Twin and Autechre albums. Dark, haunting soundscapes and broken rhythms make up most of this release, brilliantly highlighting in 'Flipped Out'. Although, I have the say, that eerie opener, 'Cheap Seats' is a great piece of electronic (dark) ambient as well, reminding me even of Deutsch Nepal's percussion rich works. In all, this is a splendid effort, containing five original and immersive pieces of electronic sound art, definitely good enough for my daily playlist.

Architectural - Cubismo

techno
Triple Vision
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Time to put on your dancing shoes and join me in the discotheque. Spanish producer Architectural comes up with an ep containing four dance tracks, seemingly inspired by the early industrial techno scene of Detroit where strange soundscapes and noises meet repetitive beats and minimal percussion. For me, the ep highlights in the second track ('Cubismo 8.2 (Lost in Buenos Aires)), probably because of those awesome ambient soundscapes. Yet, I just might recommend this one to everyone who isn't afraid of some electronic dance music once in awhile, especially those who nudge towards industrial.

Guruzsmás - Üst A Gríz Felett​

rock / experimental
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Back to the world of rock music, more specifically the experimental corners of that industry. Guruzsmás is a band from Hungary, four guys playing some complex, confusing and fascinating music. It's just as alternative as it's psychedelic and reeks just as much of jazz than it reminds me of Frank Zappa. There are flashes of surf rock, post rock, math rock, noise rock and so on. Hell, there is a didgeridoo and it's mainly instrumental, apart from some troath-singing. Yes, this is a weird album, but nonetheless one that deserves your attention if you want something else, something unique. This is something unique!!!

Crimson Tusk - Crimson Tusk

stoner / doom
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Driven by the sheer power of the riff, Oxford quartet Crimson Tusk come up with a heavy but groovy four track ep. On this, they deliver a solid blend of sludge metal, stoner rock and heavy blues, obviously resulting in delicious fuzzed out rock songs in the vein of Dopethrone, Bongzilla, Weedeater and so on. My favorite track is 'Stray Dog', a guaranteed party started, but I guess that could easily be said about all four of these tunes. Even more so, throughout the album, the party seems to intensify. 'Rollin' made me start a little head-banging session. What a fine stoner doom tune that is. Stoner doomers, you have got to buy this one!!!

Cities of Mars - Celestial Mistress

psychedelic doom
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Swedish doom masters Cities Of Mars take us on an interplanetary mission. With heavy riffing, psychedelic passages and firm, intense vocals, this trio comes knocking on the doors of Yob, Conan, Mastodon and The Obsessed. The three tracks on this ep are simply epic doom metal anthems, with title track 'Celestial Mistress' being an eleven minutes lasting highlight, both on this ep and in the whole doom metal scene. Fans of the above mentioned bands can easily trust Cities Of Mars to deliver the goods so it'll be no surprising that this galactic gem comes highly recommended.

Ur - Hail Death

black metal / doom / thrash
Arachnophobia Records
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Another shocking piece of extremism comes from Polish horde Ur. They present a six track ep with a grim blend of thrash, doom and black metal. The result is a damn varied piece of work with some fierce headbanging potential. Bands that come to mind include Voivod, Venom, Sodom, Absu, Marduk and so on. Yet, it does feel like a coherent effort. 'The Tongue Of Fire' is probably my favorite song on this one but that's a difficult choice to make. Whom I'd recommend it to? Well, obviously  all those old school black & thrash metal fans out there. This is the real shit!

Dark Messiah - Dark Messiah

thrash metal
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Hailing from Canada, Dark Messiah blends metal, metal and metal into metal. The band was formed in the summer of 2015 and already come up with their debut ep. In a way you can actually hear that. Although the five songs here are decent metal tunes, they're not yet close to the heroes that influenced Dark Messiah (you know, Metallica, Megadeth, Pantera...). But who knows, give time, effort and a professional producer, the future might shine bright for these Canadians. If so, in a few years, many fans will start looking for this debut, so you might as well just buy it now...

Stillborn Slave - 7 Ways To Die

metalcore
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Formed in 2009, French melodic hardcore combo Stillborn Slave have a lot more experience under their belts than the band above, and you can actually hear that. In seven songs, with a total of twenty-eight minutes, these guys blast some brutal metalcore, deathcore or whatever core through your speakers. The absolute highlight is 'End Of Everything', a song that sounds destructive enough to deserve such a title. This definitely is something for the younger generation of metalheads. However, I'm sure seasoned metal fans can easily appreciate the high level of musicality on this one.

Expo Seventy - America Here & Now Sessions 

drone / ambient / psychedelic
Essence Music
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After all that metallic violence, it's time for something completely different. For that, this massive jam session definitely is a highly recommended piece of work. Like we're used to from Justin Wright, this album is an hypnotic trip through cosmic music and psychedelic rock, something between acts like Om, Earth and Barn Owl, along with the jam bands from the sixties and seventies . This time, two drummers have been added to the mix, giving the whole something jazzy and psychedelic. The end result is a mesmerizing album that will definitely accompany my late-nite writing sessions from now on.

Tellma - Swansong

folk / rock
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Tellma is a French duo, dedicated to playing elegant rock music and that's exactly what you get on this ep. The acoustic guitar is the central instrument on which a number of calm, emotional pop rock songs are written. The songs are not complex, not overly distorted, not rocking your socks off but they are certainly a pleasure to listen to. The music reminds me a bit of Radiohead, David Bowie and Jeff Buckley. The title track remains my favorite, followed by the tearjerking version of Queen's  'The Show Must Go On'.

Deathblow - Demolition Deployment

thrash metal
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While preparing their upcoming full-length, Salt Lake City thrashers Deathblow throw this short but brutal assault in our faces. The ep contains two songs and a cover version of Motorhead's 'Mean Machine'.  Obviously, this is stuff to bang your head to. Think Overkill, Kreator, Testament, any of your eighties thrash favorites and you'll be very close to what Deathblow delivers. It's fast, varied and relentless, exactly what this kind of music is supposed to be. So thrashers of the world, what are you waiting for? Get your hands on this ep or are you not a true thrasher? I mean, it's only a dollar...

Deep Fryer - Deep Fryer

punk / hardcore
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Songs about hangovers, groundhogs and whatnot, recorded in a basement by a band constisting of members of other Fredericton, New Brunswick based bands, a band with the seering hot name Deep Fryer. I'm not sure if this is all too serious, but that doesn't really matter. What matters is the fact that these are four fierce, aggressive and fast hardcore punk songs that will even make your chamber plants start a moshpit in your living room. My personal favorite? The band's name. I know, I'm not really a hardcore fan but if you are, you have to download the shit out of this. Besides, it's free so you have no excuse not to.

Parallel Colors - Inoculation

post rock / psychedelic / progressive
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Also free, and certainly worth the effort is the very first single by American progressive rockers Parallel Colors. Inspired by everything between Tool, Caspian and Russian Circles, these guys come up with an immersive, technical and varied eight minutes lasting track. If this really is the harbinger of things to come, like a full-length, Parallel Colors might become one of thé discoveries of 2017. I certianly hope that they will send me the album when ready and come over to Belgium and the rest of Europe for some magnificent gigs. This truly is promising stuff...
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Exploding Head Syndrome – World Crashes Down

9/12/2016

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punk / hardcore
Wormholedeath
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According to Wikipedia Exploding Head Syndrome or EHS can be described as “a condition in which a person hears loud imagined noises…These noises have a sudden onset, are typically brief in duration, and are often jarring for the sufferer.“ Apart from the imagined noises this album respects this definition.  These ten tracks are a great Christmas gift to piss off your or someone else’s parents.

Exploding Head Syndrome is a Norwegian band hardcore (angry) punk band that came into existence in 2010. Two thirty-year-old childhood friends had an idea and a couple of months later a band was created. Their first album was a self-titled EP in 2011 followed by a first full length album called ‘Disciples of Reason’ in 2013, which received good reviews.  NRK Pyro, Norway’s leading hard-rock music show, even declared them as “one of the most exciting new Norwegian bands.” The members of the band have also known their fair share of grief after the death of bassist Bjørnar. This however didn’t keep them from writing new material and thus creating the new album ‘World Crashes Down’

As I have said before their music can be described as hardcore (angry) punk. Immediately after the short intro it becomes clear that EHS gets away with this description. The first song, ‘Wasting Away’, although a bit more poppy than the other tracks, gives you a very good idea of what the album is about. A voice expressing a great sense of anger, lyrics that are both to the point and catchy combined with spine shivering guitar riffs bring about a large amount of energy. Together with the in-your-face attitude that comes with them the band has created an album that I can listen and dance to all day long. 

Sometimes a hardcore or punk album can be quite monotonous. With ‘World crashes down’ this is not the case and this thanks to the sequence of the songs. It’s like the entire album is a season of a TV show and every song is an episode with its own story. The pilot, being of course the first track, introduces you the different characters, being the vocals, guitars, drums…, and after watching/listening to the season finale, the last track, you can’t wait for the next season to air. 

My final conclusion: A band to binge watch. But: “Just because you can doesn’t mean you should!” (Track 04 The Fine Line Between Hardcore and Hipster)



​Michiel
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Brieviews part 16

20/11/2016

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

Mök - Kamikaze Slug

black metal / crust punk
Spotify
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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 
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Brieviews part 10

26/8/2016

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Dopethrone - 1312

sludge
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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 
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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
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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
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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
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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...


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Brieviews Part 8

3/8/2016

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Nightmen - Fifteen Minutes Of Pain

punk rock / garage rock
Lovely Records
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I admit, I was completely wrong about this album. To be honest, I was expecting some lame ancient Iron Maiden rip-off, probably from looking at the cover and band logo. However, what I got was something completely different, something that made me turn up the volume immediately. Swedish rockers Nightmen come up with an infectious blend of garage rock and punk, reminding me of a mix of Ramones, Sex Pistols, Blondie and The Cars. This is a tremendous throw-back in time and an absolute must-have for fans of sweet but raunchy rock 'n roll. I promise you'll be quickly singing along with songs like 'I Only Want You', 'Go Go' and 'Tonight Is The Night'. Awesome stuff...


Hologram Teen - Marsangst

electro
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Since we're dealing with strange music, let's introduce this electronic dance single by Morgane Lhote (ex-Stereolab), A.K.A. Hologram Teen. Yes, strange, because even though the whole thing reminds me a lot of a blend of French house music and acts like Add N To X or even Kraftwerk, there is a great deal of joyful experimentalism in here. It also reminds me a bit of the acid house and new beat scene in the late eighties and early nineties, two scenes that I secretly loved back then. I still love them today and I quite like this single too. So check it out, get your rave-pants on and prepare for a little party with Hologram Teen. It'll be fun, I promise you.


øjeRum - Væv 

ambient / experimental / neoclassical
Eilean Records
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øjeRum is Copenhagen based musician and collage artist Paw Grabowski. Since 2014, he released several albums but this is his first one on Eilean Records. The compositions on this album somewhat reach the avant-garde scene, but are still gentle, calm and quite immersive pieces of minimal music. With this minimal and often repetitive approach, these tracks are very interesting to explore. They show different sides each time, sometimes reaching out to classical music, sometimes almost medieval folk and sometimes calm and soothing ambient. So yeah, like most of Eilean's releases, this is a highly recommended piece of work, one I will be listening to quite often from now on.


Florian von Ameln - Rvvr 

avant garde / experimental / ambient / noise
Eilean Records
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Another odd and quite varied album from Eilean Records, this time by German sound artist Florian von Ameln. And this album should be seen exactly like that: sound art. Some of the track on 'Rvvr' could barely be described as music. I mean, 'The Last Before Settlement' partially consists of bleeps, bird sounds and minimal drones until the real musicality fades in. Yet, that doesn't make this album any less interesting. It remains an adventurous journey, loaded with weird noises, strange electronic and acoustic passages and a mystical atmosphere. The more you listen to 'Rvvr', the more a map of an otherworldly, imaginary universe opens. Truly recommended material...


Feral Light - A Sound of Moving Shields 

black metal / crust
Sentient Ruin Laboratories
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It looks like these will the most varied brieviews yet, from punk over experimental ambient to electronic music and now a fierce slab of blackened crust punk, courtesy of Minneapolis, US residents Feral Light. Yet, it isn't just brutal and aggressive crust you get here. These guys are obviously inspired by the ancient Scandinavian hordes, judging from the awesome riffs. Yet, they also bring in the layered sound from today's post-black metal scene, turning these little pieces of extremity into hypnotic metal songs. As far as crust is concerned, these guys are well on their way to become my favorites in the genre. Try it out, you'll be pleasantly surprised, if you survive the trip...


Viranesir - Dad's Choking On My Vomit Of His Semen

avant-garde / experimental 
Merdumgiriz
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Controversial, weird, angsty, insane. Those are words you can use to describe this strange album by Turkish experimental act Viranesir. The former extreme metal act has been banned from facebook and bandcamp for their often questionable content. This time, they deliver a firm kick in the nutsack of the metal industry by combining technical death metal drums with spooky synths and a massive avant-garde attitude. That way, this album reminds me more of acts like Virgin Prunes, Sex Gang Children or Alien Sex Fiend. It feels like this album was meant as a pop-induced middle finger to one industry, but unintentionally it has become an interesting piece of dark cult album. Yep, that's talent, no matter how controversial it is...


InAllSenses - Checkmate

death metal / thrash metal
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Headbanging time again, right now with Italian quartet InAllSenses. This ep has been released awhile ago but for some reason it escaped my attention. If you're a fan of strong but melodic metal, this should not escape yours. This is a great crossover between old school thrash metal and the melodic death thrash of the Swedish scene. A little In Flames, a little Testament, a dash of Arch Enemy and a hint of Fear Factory, but all perfectly fitting in with today's metal scene. I'm absolutely sure that songs like 'The Anthem Of Revolution' will cause massive moshpits wherever these guys play this stuff live, moshpits where young and old extreme metalheads will have the time of their lives...


Virulent Gestation - Snuff Hysteria

grindcore 
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Well, here's another album that is completely void of musicality, not because it consists of a bunch of field recordings and noises but merely because this is raunchy porngrind, goregrind or whatever you like to call this stuff. Hyperspeed drums, thick riffs, screams, squeals and other torturous noises will continuously blast through your speakers until your sanity is sick of it and leaves that deranged body of yours. Don't worry, you don't need your sanity to enjoy this album. All you need is a bunch of good friends, a mouthgag and plenty of sick bondage equipment and you're ready to go. Have fun being tortured by this shit. And yes, in this case that's probably a compliment...


The Unknown - In Search Of The Unknown

doom / folk / ambient
Club Inferno
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One long track, about forty minutes, divided into four pieces of gloomy, highly atmospheric music, blending elements from doom metal, folk, classical and dark ambient ànd featuring an appearance by Thomas Helm (Empyrium), that's what this strange gem delivers. Created by Iranian one man act The Unknown (Aria Moghaddam) and aided by Kevin Pribulsky from US band In Search Of, this album is a brilliant piece of work. There aren't even so many doom metal elements present. The majority of the music is orchestral and symphonic ambient and quite immersive if you ask me. It fits perfectly in today's post-metal/rock scene too with its elaborate soundscapes and hypnotic riffs . Beautiful stuff...


Samavayo - Dakota

stoner rock / psychedelic rock
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This album by Berlin, Germany stoner rockers Samavayo is their first one as a trio. There used to be more members but apparently, three is enough to make a blast of an album. 'Dakota' is a groove and fuzz-loaded riff-beast which will undoubtedly get your wasted ass shaking. Yet, these aren't simple in-your-face stoner rock tunes. These are quite complex pieces of work where psychedelic rock meets alternative rock, grunge even. They show a great deal of musical craftsmanship and songwriting abilities.The more you listen to the album, the more layers of fuzzy bliss you will discover and the more you will like it. I have no favorite songs, as I simply like to play this thing loud and ride along with the grooves. Awesome...


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Brieviews part 4

19/7/2016

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Grieving - Demonstrations

indie / punk
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Hailing from Cambridge, UK, indie punks Grieving throw a few energetic pieces of lo-fi rock music in our faces.And quite frankly, sometimes that is all we need. Their influences include Guided By Voices, Fugazi, Television, The Lemonheads, Bob Mould and Wolf Brigade, which could explain the varied sound of their songs. Sometimes they're emotional, coming close to indie pop while on other occasions they blast out of my speakers with a severe punk attitude. My favorites on this ep are 'Ownership' and 'Warmest Jets' but I also really dig the noisy and somewhat creepy 'Little Armoured'. In all, this stuff will certainly reach the many festival goers wherever Grieving do their stuff...


Howling Giant - Black Hole Space Wizard Part 1

stoner rock
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Fuzz yeah, this is the shit. Well, it is if you're into bands like Mastodon, Baroness and Red Fang. Hailing from Nashville, Tennessee, USA, Howling Giant comes up with some infectious stoner rock, nudging towards psychedelic rock and doom.  The trio seemingly consists of nerds who combine their love for comics, space travel and downtuned, fuzzed-out guitars. Personally, I am more than ok with that, certainly if they keep on blasting out their massive sound in stunning songs like 'Mothership' or  'Exodus-Earth' and even in noise faceslaps like 'Dirtmouth'. My favorite is the doom track 'Clouds Of Smoke' but I have to recommend this stuff to any psychedelic stoner doomer out there.


Moloch / Gurthang - Split

doom / black metal
Give Praise Records
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Give Praise Records seems to have a flair for interesting split 7" releases. This time, the label invited Ukrainian horde Moloch and Polish blackened doomers Gurthang. Moloch got the opportunity to open the split with an atmospheric intro and a massive track where funeral doom meets sludge metal. I really dig this song, but as far as I'm concerned, it could last for about twelve minutes instead of (barely) three. More haunting doom metal comes from Gurthang, who deliver another piece of crushing metal, not as raw and primitive as their colleagues but still damn immersive. The keyboards give the whole that awesome nineties sound. Yep, I'm a fan...


Celestial Grave - Burial Ground Trance 

black metal
Iron Bonehead
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Iron Bonehead is another one of those labels who somehow always succeed in coming up with strange and obscure gems to please the filthiest of ears. This harsh, chaotic yet melancholic tape by Finnish black metal duo Celestial Grave is a perfect example of that. The three songs on this ep are not loaded with blast-beats (except for closer 'Burial Ground Trance' but still contain the necessary elements to make this a fierce competitor in the raunchy underworld of the blackened scene. The music is primitive but at the same time shows a great deal of musicianship and songwriting skill. The whole is not so much a performance, more like a dark ceremony or a nocturnal ritual, driving on vintage riffing and powerful drums. For collectors of obscure blackened gems, this certainly is a must-have. For others, well, I guess a lot of fans of extreme stuff will like this. So check it out and allow yourself to dwell in the thick sound of Celestial Grave


Intempestus, Antares, Necrohell & Vent - Black Metal Warfare   

black metal 
Into Dungeons Records
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More obscure blackened filth, this time as a tribute to the 7" releases by German label Sombre Records. On this 7" we get some harsh, raw and primitive black metal, courtesy of four bands from the German underground. Intempestus opens with a grinding, punk induced song that will rip your head wide open. Antares comes with 'Revelations', a lo-fi piece of work that sounds as grim and haunting as this genre should be, and a well varied one too. Necrohell delves right into the old 'World Domination' compilation with their thick, grinding sound and relentless punk induced riffing. At the end, Vent comes up with a delightful piece of doomed and blackened audio-filth, my favorite one on this already impressive split.


Boak - II

Hardcore Punk / Powerviolence / Grindcore
SuperFi Records
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'Boak' is Scottish slang meaning vomit or feelings of excessive nausea. That should already explain a thing or two about this ep. With four songs, in all not even seven minutes long, these Scottish canaille throws old school hardcore, grindcore and powerviolence in one massive heap of musical extremity. Yet, the whole thing is quite catchy if you're into this stuff, certainly because it's also loaded with weird samples. These songs can easily cause moshpits, walls-of-death and crowdsurfers wherever Boak decided to plan their next assault. My favorite is the last track, 'Pamplona' but the whole thing is so destructive that 95% of humanity will never be able to withstand the other tracks, HAH.

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Flood - Strangers With Memories

21/4/2016

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punk rock
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Some genres never seem to change, and I'm not really sure if that's a bad thing or not. In a way, nothing really renewing seems to come from the punk rock scene. Yet, on the other hand, it's almost always uplifting music. Concerts usually are fun, CD's often make you smile. Besides, on every summer festival there is one of those joyous punk rock bands and they almost always succeed in entertaining the audience.

I think the Nancy, France residents Flood are no different.  On this second ep, after 'Calm Before The Storm' in 2014, these guys come up with energetic punk rock in the vein of bands like Blink 182, Green Day and Sum 41. It's not very original but it sure is quality. There are some great tunes to be found here too, highlighting in the highly dynamic opener 'Don't Blink' and follower 'Hometown'.

'Who Are We Now' seems a bit heavier, perhaps including some thrash metal influences but with the same great vocal lines and melody. 'Sappy' makes you want to bang your head a little, before it turns into a pop punk tune that would perfectly fit on an Adam Sandler movie soundtrack. The album closes with 'This Night', another heavy tune, more of the same perhaps but well done.

So if you're looking for something renewing, you might want to keep looking, but then again, you might want to stop looking for it in the punk rock scene. What Flood brings is nothing new but it's damn fun. Hell, I've been shaking my ass when I listened to the album yesterday, twice. And believe me, my ass only shakes when the music is good. In fact, I hope these guys become the new big thing in the scene. They deserve it...

Serge
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Electric Beans - Sans Modération

15/3/2016

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rock / punk
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Well, this is an odd album. Presented as "modern punk", this French quartet comes up with a live recording, following their debut which was released in 2014. On this live presentation, they played five songs from the debut, five new tracks for the upcoming album and a new track, written exclusively for this live registration. Yet, the whole raises some questions and made me look at my speakers in disbelief a few times.

Perhaps that's mostly because I know punk rock, and certainly the modern style, as a grainy, dirty and fast music style. If you mention "punk", I think about The Exploited, Ramones, Sex Pistols, The Kids. But if you mention "modern punk", I think NOFX, Sick Of It All, Bad Religion, Millencolin... You get the idea. Well, as far as I'm concerned, Electric Beans can drop the "modern" part and go right to back to writing these vintage punk rock songs.

And that's actually a good thing. Throughout the album, I'm constantly reminded of bands like The Kids, The Wolfbanes,The Scabs or The Paranoiacs perhaps. Yes, Belgian rock bands who brought a sense of musicianship and decent songwriting to the world of punk. While the music still has that raunchy, socio-critical edge, there are some damn good songs on this album. 'What The Hell' for example, or the heaviest song "Comptine Punk", which actually is the most punk rock song here.

What Electric Beans mostly remind me of, are the summer festivals. One hot afternoon, cold beer in the hand, band playing on stage, promo-girls handing out stuff you absolutely don't need and the smell of fatty hamburgers in the air. It's one of my favorite things of all time, and quite frankly, I usually love these moments more than I like the headliners. As far as I'm concerned, Electric Beans can play a lot of festivals this year. I'm sure they will make a lot of people happy.


​Serge


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Hot Coffin - Hot Coffin 

12/3/2016

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noise rock / punk
Triple Eye Industries
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Time for an energetic slab of no-nonsense rock 'n roll, don't you think? I certainly do, since I'm already getting a little drunk. It's two in the afternoon but I don't mind. I'm thinking about starting a mosh pit in my living room, build a skate ramp in my kitchen and put a massive set of speakers in my bedroom. I'm alone, I can't skate and I will probably be evicted by my landlord for making too much noise but who cares, right?

Anyway, here's Hot Coffin, a band from Milwaukee, US. I know very little about this band, mainly because while writing this, I got myself another beer and I'm getting more drunk by the paragraph. I'm also way too energized by this awesome blend of noise rock and punk rock to focus on reading anything about the history of the band. Members have had some experiences in several bands before.

​The album opens with 'Whistle, Hawk, & Spit' and immediately I'm dragged in a vision about summer festivals and the raw intensity from noise rock and punk bands, even though this is probably the most post-hardcore related song on this album, it still is one of my favorites (I'm not really into post-hardcore, but don't tell anyone). From then on, we're on a massive wave of riffs, drums and rough vocals.

I can hear influences from Melvins, from Neurosis, from Bad Religion, from Sonic youth and even from Therapy?. But most of all, I can hear a bunch of rockers having the time of their lives. The album highlights a number of times, including the great songwriting 'Salt Away' and the mosher 'Hammer Throw'. But I also really dig the chaotic 'A Lesson In Sleep' and the closing track. I'm not going to mention the title of that last want. It would sound weird. Look it up and you'll know why I won't say ' I like...'

So yeah, buy this album, have a few beers, turn up the volume and let yourself go. After all, it's Saturday, the only day where you don't have to slave to society, family or other yapping 'obligations'. Have fun, get wasted and rock on...


​Serge



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Hordes Of Apocalypse  - By Sword, By Pick, By Axe, Bye Bye

24/2/2016

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punk / metal
Black Lion Productions
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Sometimes I have no idea what genres to put on top of a review.  Usually, that's quite easy, mainly because the band or label tells us.  However, in some cases nobody tells us exactly what it is, so I take a look at the band's facebook page for more information.  In this case, even that is pretty impossible because these guys mention Punk, D-beat, Crust, Hardcore, Thrash Metal, Death Metal, Black Metal, Speed Metal, Progressive Metal and Gothic Metal.  

So let's play the elimination game.

There is very little gothic metal to be found here, certainly not in the overdressed female fronted scene, so let's kick that genre out.  Punk, D-beat, crust and hardcore are quite similar and since they're all here, we can just combine them into the tag 'punk'.  Fast guitars, uptempo drums and an in-your-face attitude, that's what we get on these five tracks, reminding me of some old school punk bands and acts like Motorhead.

On to metal then, judging from the vocals, we're dealing with a death metal singer, or someone close to that.  Some of the riffs say thrash metal and the overall tempo says speed metal, leaving us with progressive metal and black metal to be detected.  I can't find them, except maybe for the blackened element in a very, very, very old school approach. So, out with progressive too since this is far away from acts like Dream Theater and company.

Right, what do we have left?

Well, we got four fierce songs, borrowing elements from thrash metal and hardcore punk, raging on in sheer intensity and influenced by horror movies.  In fact, some horror movie samples are present on this album too. There is also an Ennio Morricone like outro, which obviously is somewhat calmer than the four nutkickers we heard before.  Recommended? Well, if you like your music to be fast, vile and dirty, you should get your hands on this piece of work, that's for damn sure.


​Serge
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Traffic Death - Terror On The Freeway

21/2/2016

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punk / grindcore
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These guys are from the home state of, I believe, Slipknot but let's not get anymore comparison to them then that. These guys are angry, dirty, ugly, insane, and twisted as fuck. The music reminds me of a long time ago when I first heard O.L.D. (Old Lady Drivers), it has that chaotic catchiness going on.

They are more punk than metal but still metal as fuck in parts. They are a breath of fresh (well dirty) air in a clogged up music scene of "the same ol same ol"...The last track "Hit & Run" starts out groovy and continues the trend like they are a spacerock weed burning stoner rock band with the sick as vocals to boot!

Traffic Death - They are more fun than dying of mercury poisoning!


​Paul
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Jimm - In[can]decence

17/2/2016

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rock / punk
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Awhile ago, I mentioned the singing habits of French vocalists.  I knew if before, but since I founded this webzine, I became increasingly aware that these guys like to put in as much vocals as possible.  It has always fascinated me, but it has also irritated me on numerous occasions. Somehow, it often feels as a form of disrespect towards the musicians who do their best to make their music as interesting as possible.  Luckily, on some occasions the French prove me wrong.

Jimm is a one-man act from Paris, claiming to make 'electric metal'.  While researching this album (I lost the accompanying biography), I found a rant from a metalhead who absolutely despised the fact that Jimm used that term.  In a way, I can understand him but was it necessary to tear this album down as much as that guy did? Absolutely not, this is a fun album, loaded with energetic punk and alternative rock.

True, this is not a very original album.  You get ten rock songs with French vocals, some flashy solos and a decent dose of energy.  It also begins with the least good song (I'm not using the word 'worst' because it still isn't bad).  'Jamais De Trêve' reminds me a bit of acts like Calibre, especially in the vocals.  But from then on, we're on a nice journey through the heavier side of alternative rock music.

Most of the songs, and especially 'Jour De Gloire' or 'Je Cherche A M'Endormir' remind me of anything between Green Day and Foo Fighters, often enhanced with some influences from stoner rock and old school hard rock. The combination works quite well and I can easily imagine this act playing on one of the upcoming summer festivals.  I can also imagine several heads being turned into their direction and some rockers starting to dance.

There are more good songs on this album.  Halfway through 'Ton Souffre-Douleur' I see no reason to criticize this piece of work.  Yes, maybe it isn't metal.  Yes, maybe it is something for young adolescents.  But does it matter?  No, it doesn't.  In all, 'In[can]decence' is an excellent rock album, one that pleasantly surprised me on many occasions.  I wasn't expecting this groovy and immersive rock at first but after a few good listens, I might become one of those dancing rockers at that summer festival...


​Serge
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Slap Betty - Nothing Out Of Nothing

11/2/2016

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punk / rock
Inverse Records
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Will today finally be the day on which I finish this damn review?  It's my third effort to write something about this since it arrived in my inbox.  The first time, my washing broke down, leaving my kitchen in a massive pool of water and soap.  The second time, my phone broke down, ruining some of my savings.  I wonder what goes wrong this time, but I can promise you, I'm finally going to finish this bloody review.

Perhaps it's not surprising that Finnish punk rockers Slap Betty cause all these trouble.  After all, they're known for cutting the electricity at festivals, getting into a car accident while on their way to take a picture with Santa and often reporting their guitar player to be missing.  Their previous album visited the Finnish charts and I think this one is going to do that too. If you're in for catchy punk rock and a good slab of bad luck, this is something for you.

The album opens with 'World We Leave Behind', a solid and raw punk rock song, written for the former prime minister and current minister of finances Alexander Stubb.  Yet, not all the songs are political inspired.  Most of them are simply strong rock songs, reminding me of everything between Ramones, Paranoiacs, Green Day and whatever punk rock band you can imagine.  Is that good? Fuck yeah it is.

Slap Betty doesn't care about trends, electronics, genres, nifty details or technical feats.  They just want to rock and that's exactly what they do.  Songs like 'List Of Things That I Hate', '27', 'Piece Of Me' and 'Time To Get Wasted' are strong songs, perfectly capable of setting an audience on fire, probably literally.  On 'High Class Hooker' it suddenly becomes clear that there's a bit of glam rock influences present too, reminding me of Motley Crue or Poison.

Anyway, this certainly is an excellent soundtrack for those who like to live on the edge and take risks.  I mean, this is perfect car cruising music but it might get you in an accident.  This is perfect live music but might cause the building to collapse on you. Is it worth the risk? Well, sure, why not, it's way better to get murdered by a solid rock album than by whatever games our politicians decide to play on us, right? So buy it, I dare you...


​Serge

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For Sore Eyes - Nexus

20/1/2016

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punk rock
Sliptrick Records

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Usually, I forward punk rock albums to my colleague Wouter who's specialized in this genre.  He doesn't live near me so we don't meet up that much.  Coincidentally, I saw him last Sunday at a football game but somehow I completely forgot to give him this album. On second thought, that might not be a bad thing, since I quite like this band.  They got a good sound, plenty of energy and some more influences besides the usual punk rock scene.

For Sore Eyes is a band from Brescia, Italy, formed in 2006.  Since then, they have been perfecting their trade, seen a few line-up changes and apparently writing some damn good songs.  Main influences seem to be some of the regular punk bands like Blink 182, Sum 41, Green Day or Alkaline Trio.  Yet, at times I'm also reminded of completely different acts, including Maybeshewill or Sleepmakeswaves.

Yeppers, this music is a great blend of punk and slabs post rock and I quite like that.  It's dynamic, powerful, melodic and immersive.  There are some great harmonies here, often enhanced by keyboards or piano, because why the hell not?  Those instruments add a lot of radio-friendliness to the whole.  Yet, even more interesting might be the fact that there are some awesome rock songs here, including opener 'Light In The Dark', 'A Better Life' and title track 'Nexus'.

Last Sunday, Wouter and I were talking about punk rock bands and about their inability to write decent ballads.  Yes, there are some good ballads by punk bands but admit it, they're quite rare.  Now, I have to say that For Sore Eyes managed to throw a very good one on this album.  'Aurora' is an awe-inspiring track, varied, dynamic and pretty damn heavy at times. 

But there's even more.  On 'Burn (Crashing Down)' I have a slight Iron Maiden feeling.  'A Call Out Of Nowhere' is an interesting space ambient track, even reminding me of Tangerine Dream.  Now, that was quite unexpected, no?  I'm not sure if that was intended but it certainly shows a highly versatile site of these youngsters. 'Dust' is a mix of punk rock and trip hop, another pretty nice surprise to be honest. Finally, 'Under The Sun' is just plain acoustic rock fun.

By now you should get a decent idea about the versatility of this group of youngsters.  On this debut, they play all their trumps and with success too.  This is a well-played, well-written and highly varied punk rock album which certainly has the ability to get them on big festival stages around Europe.  Expect to see a lot more coming from these Italians in the near future...


Serge
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Like Pigs On Embers - Silent

9/1/2016

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Crust / Power violence / punk
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Damn, who new France could spit out such a great crusty as shit band like this? Meaty, angry, catchy, sick, dirty, and grimy! God damn it this shit is dope! I agree with the band, you get a taste of Weekend Nachos, Trap Them, All Pigs Must Die, and then some more violence!

Best description I could give is 80's angry punk modernized with some grindcore and death metal (musically that is, no death metal vocals here so don't get the wrong impression of what I am saying), they just have a few riffs here and there that are death metallish like but not much, just enough!

Every track is awesome, average song length is about a minute but they do have a very very long track, clocking in at 3 minutes 23 seconds Ha! The release is free on their bandcamp page so no reason to get it, however don't be a chump bitch and pay something for it so they can continue to produce more awesomeness. 


Paul
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Death Of Youth - Death Of Youth

19/12/2015

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punk / noise rock
Narshardaa

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Some bands fall victim to the overwhelming amount of releases we still have to go through.  As I mentioned in my column about this past year (read), some albums have been delayed and others might never be reviewed because we simply can't handle all of them.  Then again, some albums suddenly seem to pop-up from somewhere in the huge pile and draw my attention.  This is one of them.

Death Of Youth is a band from Germany, founded in 2013.  Their main influence seems to be hardcore punk, and that have been what made me weary of it at first.  Yet, as you can see, I underhandedly added the term 'noise-rock' to the genres above.  There's a good reason for that too, otherwise I wouldn't do that.  Opener '55116' really is much more of a noise rock anthem than a punk song.

For starters, there's the tempo.  Death Of Youth seems to prefer a mid tempo approach, at least on most occasions.  That doesn't affect the aggression and crushing spirit of the whole by the way.  The raw, pissed-off vocals certainly have that in-your-face punk attitude but I can see this song being played by Melvins just as much as by Agnostic Front.  There's just as much Godflesh, Winter or Tool as there is Hüsker Dü or Gorilla Biscuits, to name a few.

Even when the tempo goes up, there's still is experimental, noisy approach, resulting in eerie feedback noises here and there.  And then there's also 'Eine jugend, die es nicht wert ist, erzählt zu werden', a song the combines sludge, shoegaze and blacked doom, or something like that.  This is a massive song.  If this still is hardcore punk, it's probably one of my all-time favorite hardcore punk songs, that's for sure.

This album is one of the reasons why I still refuse to like or dislike certain genres.  I don't consider myself a hardcore fan but I'm absolutely sure that there are hardcore bands that I will like.  Same with noise rock.  To be quite honest, I have no idea how to classify Death Of Youth ('Die Nacht Von Lissabon' could have been a Burzum song for crying out loud) but I certainly like what they came up with.  So check it out dammit!


Serge
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