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Presenting up to date news, reviews & interviews for riff addicts around the world.
This is 'Liberation through Amplification.'
Like a cross pollination or the sharing or interchange of knowledge, ideas, for mutual
enrichment Minarchist were formed. The brain child of songwriter/guitarist/clean
vocalist Connor McNamee, the band also features bassist/producer Nick
Shaw (Black Crown
Initiate) and harsh vocalist Jerry Martin (Alustrium), two bands
of impeccable statue and pedigree, this new genetic constitution who hail from
from Philadelphia, PA, play a style of modern prog metal that also brings in
influences spanning the genre such as Behemoth, Periphery, Opeth, MeshuggahandGojira. The album is enriched even further still
with guest guitar solos from Andy Thomas (Black Crown Initiate) and local musician
Ethan McKenna. Having covered both bands over recent years, it was a no brainer
when the band approaches us to host the album for your listening pleasure.
Featuring artwork designed by the talented Alex
Hofmann (Fallujah,
Cypher Visual),
get ready to subject yourselves to a flawless virtuosic prog metal apocalypse, Minarchist's debut album “In
Absence” is an incredible achievement by
anyone’s standard and you can check it out in full below and is available to
buy tomorrow here
“In Absence” track listing
1. In Absence of Air
2. Our Rose Garden
3. Threat of a Terrible Storm
4. Burn Down the Sky
5. Abandon
6. The Ecstasy of Dreams
7. In Absence of Fear
Welcome
to The Sludgelord’s ‘Sour 16’. Each month, you the
reader are unwittingly compiling a list of the top 16 records of the month,
covering all genres of metal, but predominately the best the doom, sludge,
stoner-psychedelic genres have to offer.
Is it chart? Not really. To put it simply, the ‘Sour 16’
are the records you guys have been most interested in over the last month and checking
out on this page.
So
here is the The Sludgelord’s ‘Sour 16’for July 2015, the 16
records you’re most looking forward too or are currently checking out. Check
em out, spread the word and perhaps revisit some records you may have
overlooked.
The
results are compiled based on page views alone and calibrated into
the list below. So without further ado, this is the ‘Sour 16’. So
until next month, roll up, kick back, chug a beer and Hail the riff! All review
links, are held under the artwork. (Total views at the time of publication highlighted in orange)
16) = The Nepalese Temple Ball –
‘Arbor’ (245)
‘How this band is not a household name is beyond my comprehension,
but this album should go some way to making sure that happens.’
‘Ominously named, and equally ominous with their execution,
Plaguewielder has no real give to their sound, the first track, ‘Existence is
Our Exile’, simply shreds against the walls of your mind, with the torturous
vocals raking like the nails of the dead against the inside of your skull.’
‘Overall a very strong album that holds strong throughout; immense
riffs and licks, explosive drumming, engaging vocals and solid bass playing- it
doesn’t get much better.’
‘The tone of the record is undeniably loud and heavy, but
incorporates an atmosphere which is vibrant, full of energy and represents a
band with a very bright future indeed’.
‘Blending spiky guitar lines reminiscent of These Arms Are Snakes,
plenty of weird Cave In style effects, angular post-hardcore aggression and
no-nonsense stoner riffing, Abrams have created a compelling and addictive
listen here.’
‘From the opening riff of the album you can pretty much tell
‘Absolution’ is great. Laying somewhere between Pallbearer and perhaps a
downtempo Ghost, Khemmis' first full-length is one of the best albums you will
hear this year, Period!!’
4). Weeed – ‘Our Guru Brings us
the Black Master Sabbath’ (343)
‘Be it in the album’s closing track or all the tracks preceding,
Weeed has made a potential classic stoner rock album that draws from familiar
elements of the genre and has enough experimentation to give them a sound of
their own.’
'Earth' will sit nicely in any collection and would add some melodic
relief in between the usual tipple of sludge, doom, death metal and black
metal. Brilliant.’
This list features reviews by Heather Blewett,
Chris Tedor, Chris Bull, Victor Van Ommen, Philip Weller, Brian Mclean, Kat
Hilton, Charlie Butler, Steve Howe, Hunter Young, Richard Maw &James Harris
Listening
to "A Tunnel to Eden" I get the feeling that this might be the album
that "makes" this band
Album
Type: Full-Length
Date
Released: 24/7/2014
Label:
Self Release
‘A
Tunnel to Eden’ track listing:
1. A Tunnel To Eden
2. The Atheist Phenomenon
3. In His Own Image
4. Wander
5. Slackjaw
6. Procreate, Eviscerate
7. My Possessor
8. Lucid Intervals
9. The Illusion of Choice I
10. The Illusion of Choice II
11. The Illusion of Choice III
Alustrium
is:
Jerry Martin | Vocals
Chris Kelly | Guitar, vocals
Mike DeMaria | Guitar
Kevin Penny | Bass
Chaz Squillace | Drum
Review:
My relationship with death metal has been a little odd over the years.
There's something innately primal about listening to it. The harsh
sound and brutal changes shroud an often awe-inspiring level of musicianship,
but some bands in the genre can leave a listener suffering from what I
like to call "ear-fatigue" where it becomes difficult and samey
sounding to listen to after a half hour or so of non-stop pummelling.
That being said, this doesn't apply whatsoever to Alustrium's newest release
"A Tunnel to Eden" which covers a huge amount of sonic
ground while dabbling its toes in the pools of progressivism.
This is a death metal album in the vein of the actual band Death, fearless
and groundbreaking. The musicianship here is absolutely peerless with
everything from Scandinavian lead work to even some blues licks thrown in
the solos. The drumming is also singularly impressive
throughout its length, avoiding genre pitfalls with a deep groove.
From a production standpoint the album is rather dry, as most albums with
fast tempo riffing are, and the production reminds me a lot of the
aforementioned band Death or perhaps Tombs release "Savage Gold"
from last year.
To give an example of the cools song writing on display here, track 5
"Slackjaw" moves into some Gojira-esque territory with fast tempo
palm muted melodic riffs with some cool and different rhythm changes, sometimes
mid-riff. The solo on "Slackjaw" moves over an almost 80s
thrash riff and the solo closes into a definitely Scandinavian dual lead
section. The intro riff to track seven "My Possessor" has
an almost 90's video game bouncing melody and resolves into a very different
complimentary riff. What sounds like a touch of synth creeps into the
background for the epic sounding chorus. "My
Possessor" is a great example of brilliance in riff writing as each
section fits perfectly but is radically different in feel giving the song
a huge amount of movement through it's length. The surprising
instrumental break in the rough center of the song moves into
some post-rock then develops into some Russian Circles territory
atmosphere. As "A Tunnel to Eden" moves through it's track
length it becomes gradually more and more progressive.
The closing three tracks are essentially one huge song in three different
chapters. Clearly the centrepiece of the album, these three tracks
compromise a touch over thirty of the album's seventy-five minutes of length
and cover just as vast a sonic territory as the early tracks if not more.
These tracks are where the musicianship really comes out in the slick
machinelike riff changes and the blistering leads.
Throughout its length you can tell "A Tunnel to Eden" has got to be
pretty epic live. These guys appear to be based out of Philly and seem to
have mostly toured the Northeast from what I can tell pawing through their
facebook page. If they make it in your area make sure to check them out,
these songs have great energy on record and I'm sure live it’s even
better. Listening to "A Tunnel to Eden" I get the feeling that
this might be the album that "makes" this band, so no joke try to
catch them now so you can brag to you're friends how you saw them in a tiny club
and they were awesome.
