Intercostal - S/T (Album Review)

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 01/12/2013

Label: GBS Prod

‘Intercostal’ CD/DD/LP track listing:

1). Hellfire Helix (03:05)

2). Sea’s Calling (03:07)

3). Barrels (03:22)

4). Tools of War (02:40)

5). Wrath (02:42)

6). Lay Down Arms (02:56)

7). Tons of Humans (03:10)

8). Hammered (02:09)

9). The End of Knowledge (03:47)

10). Blood Runs Cold (02:58)

11). Sagawa (03:24)

12). Aftermath (04:11)

Bio:

INTERCOSTAL is a 4 piece massive down-tuned progressive stoner band from Geneva.

The Band:

Batist | guitar

Tavern | guitar

Fred | bass

Mario | drums

Review:

If you have been watching the NOLA documentary series that is currently running on Noisey and has been for the last couple of weeks, you would have been reminded about the vast array of kick ass metal that has emerged from that part of the world over the past twenty or so years. Well for fans of all things NOLA, Intercostal (despite hailing from the bayou formally known as Geneva Switzerland) will take you on a walking tour of all the best of southern metal

Ranging from the progressive stoner vibes of Torche, to riffs reminiscent of ‘Remission’ era Mastodon to the Southern Carolina groove of ‘Deliverance’ era Corrosion of Conformity, throw in the occasional sludge of Crowbar with a lot of pot and you’ve got Intercostal.  The bands self titled album manages to contain all these varied influences whilst at points balance many of the flavours of the NOLA scene at the same time.

The mostly instrumental album is packed with twists and turns, it ploughs through its succession of groovy riffs and are backed up by a high quality rhythm section, held together mostly by an insanely dirty rumbling bass sound that bellows throughout the record alongside the thundering drum beats.

It may not being doing something completely innovative or even bothering to think about possibly having a go at reinventing the wheel. But Intercostal’s self titled album is a solid release which would fit well into any stoner or sludge fans record collection. This is surely an album that will appease its intended fans without question with its Southern NOLA influences, mixed with a blend of stoner rock, making the bands output boom whilst sounding as massive as Andre The Giant on stilts.

Words by: Dan O’Brien

You can pick up a copy here

For more information:

https://www.facebook.com/intercostal

Syreregn - Skabt Værk Består (Album Review)

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 01/10/2014

Label: Bilocation / Kozmik-Artifactz

‘Skabt Værk Består’ LP track listing:

A1). Skabt Vaerk Bestaar (7:20) 

A2). Hypnokongen (5:19)

A3). Going under (6:48)

B1). Marana tha (12:28)

B2). Psychedelic baby (5:42)

B3). Skabt Vaerk Bestaar Reprise (2:36)

Bio:

Syreregn is a psychedelic blues rock band from Denmark, existing since 2006. The band went through several line-up changes and delivered some great outputs in the past. With Skabt Vaerk Bestaar they offer a new musical experience, presenting heavy psychedelic masterpieces with huge influences of heroes from the late 60ies like Cream, Pink Floyd or Hendrix Experience.

Skabt Vaerk Bestaar is their heaviest output so far and should find its place in every serious psychedelic-rock collection! Hopefully they will tour through europe soon and deliver their goods live! 

Review:

Skabt Værk Består (which apparently means Created Work Consists in Danish, blame online translators if wrong) is the new album from Danish psychedelic blues band Syreregn (which apparent is Danish for Acid Rain, again blame the translator).

Regardless of names and my poor ability to speak or translate Danish correctly, Skabt Værk Består is if nothing a fine blues album. The riffs, tempos and melodies all call back to the time of acid, Eric Clapton and of course, the Hammond organ which makes its presence well and truly felt on this release within in the first three minutes or so.  The guitar is tuned almost precisely to the tone of that of Cream and couldn’t be more welcome alongside the randomly placed but lovely “You Maniacs!!!!” clips from the original Planet of the Apes.

This is certainly an album that isn’t afraid to experiment, with a sitar and eastern flavour to the albums fourth track “Marana Tha”. Whilst the second track “Hypnokongen” is a tribute again to Cream, with the vocalist wailing out his best Jack Bruce vocals, in Danish though of course.

The album slips directly into the world of the psychedelic with lots of electronic bleeps and strange noises that whilst being rather trippy could easily be found at home on an early Pink Floyd album like “The Piper at the Gates of Dawn”.  This is topped with the obligatory bit of 60s/70s indulgence, with more than one time there being an unneeded bass solo and a little bit of Hendrix guitar pyrotechnics on the odd occasion.

For all its momentarily indulgences and detours, Skabt Værk Består is certainly a fine inclusion to any blues rock or even fan of the 60s rock scene. Despite knowing absolutely nothing about Syreregn on the way into this review I think I’ll check out their back catalogue.  I’ve been reliably informed that this album is a bit heavier than the bands standard output and if that’s the case, that maybe needs to be taken into account for established fans of the band who approach this album. 

Words by: Dan O’Brien

You can pick up a copy on vinyl here

VINYL FACTZ

- 100x marbled (EXCLUSIVE MAILORDER edition) 

- 200x solid white

- 100x black

- all high-quality heavy 180g vinyl 

- pressed in Germany

- matt laquered 300gsm gatefold cover 

- handnumbered 

For more information:

https://da-dk.facebook.com/Syreregn

Live Review: Brother Earth / Mower / Cernunnos / Space Witch @ The Bay Horse, Manchester, UK. 2/10/2014

In a murky basement in the Northern Quarter of Manchester city centre, a plethora of brutality is about to unfold. The atmosphere is palpable and there are as many beards and black T shirts in the room as you would expect to watch a band called Space Witch.

Manchester’s own Brother Earth kick off proceedings in splendid fashion, you would never guess this was the bands first gig in the city and only their third overall. Their blend of down tuned doom mixed with psychedelic guitar parts is greeted fondly by the fairly large crowd gathered. Brother Earth also know when to bring the groove as well, and deliver with filthy riffs peppered throughout the doomy onslaught.

Next on is Wigan’s Mower, who are also making their Manchester debut this evening. Despite not releasing a thing, the band are met with an overly positive reaction from the room, many already knowing the words to the trio’s songs. Sounding like the bastard child of The Melvins and Sleep, their half hour set flies by, a blitz of riffs and pummelling drums. The front man Jay is probably the nicest and most scouse man you will ever meet, but you wouldn’t know that when he’s on stage, as he turns into a demented and usually shirtless preacher of bile and aggression.

Cernunnos in truth struggle to follow, their brand of sludge is unnervingly heavy at points and their cumbersome riffs struggle to hit the right mark, in truth it maybe that for this bill they were maybe a little too grim for the crowd.

Rounding the night off in spectacular fashion were the evenings headliners Space Witch, whose brand of instrumental electronic doom creates a sonic wall that entraps all who listen. The use of the electronics laden with riffs, create a trippy as hell vibe that is almost impossible to not space out to.  Played at a biblically loud volume, the 40 minute set merges into one mass of crushing sound that stuns all in its path.

Words by: Dan O’Brien

Choice Cuts: Tool - Ænima (1996)

Years Active: 1990–present

Records to Date: 4

Genre: Prog, metal

Label: Tool Dissectional,

Volcano, Zoo

The Band:

• Danny Carey | drums, percussion, samples
• Justin Chancellor | bass
• Adam Jones | guitars
• Maynard James Keenan | vocals

Additional musicians

• Marko Fox | vocals on "Die Eier von Satan"
• Eban Schletter | organ on "Intermission"
• Chris Pitman  | additional synthesizer on "Third Eye

Review:

As a body of work, ‘Lateralus’ is always hailed as progressive metal band Tool’s shining moment. The record is constantly praised for its ambient flowing soundscapes and its unmatched flow which transports the listener like a lost dreamer through a wave of mad, weird and in some cases cerebral moments which weave together seamlessly.  However, the album which I think captures the band at their most awe inspiring is their preceding work ‘Ænima’

The album is everything that makes the band so great in one 77 minute burst. Containing some of the bands best work self contained, with the likes of the crushing ‘Hooker With A Penis’, the soaring ‘Stinkfist’ and the Scientology bashing title track in which front man Maynard James Keenan delivers one of his most powerful and rapid vocal performances of his career. But ‘Ænima’ was also the point where the band began their expansion into the progressive metal behemoths that they soon became, with the likes of ‘Pushit’ being a hint at were the band were preparing to head musically and the majestic closing track ‘Third Eye’ which features excerpts from the late great Bill Hicks.

Even though the album contains more expansive work than their previous album ‘Undertow’, the riffs from that album certainly made the journey over to Ænima. The likes of ‘Jimmy’ contains some of the filthiest, crushing and most punishing riffs that guitarist Adam Jones has ever written and in turn stopped the album becoming too stale.  Bringing the record back to crowd in between the bizarre sound effect laded interludes, featuring such things as a crying baby and an angry voicemail message.

Overall, “Ænima” to me is everything that my favourite band is capable of in one place. Sure ‘Undertow’ arguably has better songs and ‘Lateralus’ and ‘10,000 days’ have more to offer from a musically stand point, but it is “Ænima” that put the band on the map and show cased everything the band could do and how well they could do it.

Words by: Dan O’ Brien

Album Details

Ænima is the second full-length studio album by Tool. It was released in vinyl format on September 17, 1996 and in compact disc format on October 1, 1996 through Zoo Entertainment. The album was produced by David Bottrill.  The album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart upon its initial release, and was certified triple platinum by the RIAA on March 4, 2003.

‘Ænima’ track listing:

1). Stinkfist (05:11)

2). Eulogy (08:28)

3). H. (06:07)

4). Useful Idiot (00:38)

5). Forty-Six & 2 (06:04)

6). Message to Harry Manback (01:53)

7). Hooker with a Penis (04:33)

8). Intermission (00:56)

9). Jimmy (05:24)

10). Die Eier (02:17)

11). Pushit (09:55)

12). Cesaro (01:26)

13). Ænema (06:39)

14). (-) ions (04:00)

15). Third Eye (13:47)

For more information:

http://toolband.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ToolMusic