ALBUM REVIEW: Bossk, "Migration"

By: Richard Maw
 
Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 18/06/2021
Label: Deathwish Inc

 
“Migration” CD//CS//DD//LP track listing:
 
1). White Stork
2). Menhir (feat. Johannes Persson)
3). Iter
4). HTV-3 (feat. Josh Mckeown)
5). Kibo
6). Lira
7). Unberth
 
The Review:
 
Bossk hail from Ashford, Kent and are seemingly named after a Star Wars character? I have heard the band name, but not their music. I've been to Ashford once and didn't great vibe from the place, so on that basis it seems perfectly plausible that a great band could come from there. Well, Bossk are that band.
 
I suppose I could describe this as post-metal- but with some sludge elements, some ambience and a pretty abstract approach to the songs in general. Opener “White Stork” has a lot more in common with Massive Attack than it does with Metallica, that is for certain- so forget endless riffs and catchy hooks or other stylistic metal tropes. “Menhir” brings the metallic sounds and riffs with some twists and turns into groove and atmospheric territory to boot- but this is not recognisable as metal, per se.
 
On that basis, the first two tracks give an interesting idea as to how the album may proceed. It covers a lot of ground and for reference points, I must reference the only bands who I have really heard who are in roughly the same part of the Venn Diagram; Neurosis, Cult of Luna... The Ocean, perhaps? I'm out of my depth here, having spent the last few days listening to Blind Guardian (and not enjoying it much, I have to add)- but this unpredictable and challenging listen is just what I needed.
 
There are more ambient sounds scattered through the record (“Kibo”, for instance), more mountainous heaviness (“HTV-3”) and in the final two tracks, “Unberth” and “Lira” there are more expansive track lengths to allow the band to flex all aspects of their sound. They each sound like they could soundtrack a film set in a dystopian future.
 
As is always the case with albums of this breadth, I suspect he hidden depths will only be revealed by repeated listens.  This is not an accessible metal record – or even an accessible post metal one.  It combines the esoteric nature of a band like Om with the expanses that the aforementioned bands excel at.  It is engaging, ambitious and unpredictable – even confounding – and I would recommend fans of any of the aforementioned reference point bands to give it a try.
 
“Migration” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

REVIEW: MØL, "I/II"

By: Eeli Helin

Album Type: EP

Date Released: 07/06/19

Label: Holy Roar Recordings,

Deathwish Inc

”I/II” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Sundrowned

2. Airy

3. Makhachkala

4. Kathexis

5. Atacama

6. Rush

The Review:

Some great waves were put forth last year in the European shoegaze/post-metal scene, when the Danish quintet MØL released their debut album "Jord", through Holy Roar Records. Whenever a band like this comes along the way, a lot of people are eager to dive into their past, looking for any possible prior material. That seems to pay off on many occasions, since most bands today make their demos available through streaming sites, and usually release EP's or other smaller releases before tackling their first full-length. Same goes for MØL, who released their first two EP's in '14 and '15, first carrying the bands name and second being simply "II".  These EP's were then remastered and re-released as a compilation on June 7th through Holy Roar and Deathwish on vinyl, CD and digital formats.

Firstly, the bands style is extremely hard to put simply. The shoegaze/post-metal title in the first paragraph could also use the atmospheric black metal prefix, hence creating just another monster of a genre list for people too busy to actually listen to the music. That's also a tad problematic in today’s music scene; why everything has to be put to strict boxes, when people everywhere are encouraged to be and do what they want to do and not to care about external pressure and limitations? Well, this planet has a lot more work to do with that, so could we at least throw the genre cages to the garbage bin? Okay? Thank you.

Titled respectively as "I/II", the two EP's deserve to finally get a broader release. While you can argue all you want about the necessity of such thing because "digital this and digital that", the fact is that the music world is full of enthusiastic people that want the well-made, eye-pleasing physical copies of albums and that is perfectly fine. The key in having the tracks remastered is to boost up the atmosphere/clarity department and make the old work stand in line with the bands current one, and that's exactly what MØL has done with these EP's. It also has to be kept in mind that regardless of the additional polishing, the tracks themselves are still the old ones. So, the worst thing you should do is to expect any groundbreaking "wow" factors to appear anywhere, if you are already familiar with the old releases.

But the songs, they are good and have stood time better than most. The band also of course knows that, because they aren't exactly in a cash grab position that would "justify" digging up old demos and throwing them to their audience like scraps, which is something that bigger, bland and unimaginative acts tend do ever so often. Side A opens with "Sundrowned", the bands ignition. I personally wasn't aware of MØL before their full-lengths release, but it's easy to say in hindsight that their signature output was already present when they started out. The driving drum beat and painting distant guitars weave a beautiful web for you to coil. A lot of this bands essence has to do with creating mental landscapes through sound, and they excel in it. Similar patterns are vivid through the second track, "Airy". By similar, I mean by aesthetic. Both of these tracks you have to listen to multiple times until you get a grasp of what's happening, since they are overall as the second track suggests, very airy compositionally. The third song "Makhachkala" then again is where it's at. Starting with more black metal oriented feeling and blast beats until proceeding to clean passages, the track is the first longer one and goes to show how MØL thrives in a more ample setting, bouncing between the extremes.

Side B commences with "Kathexis", and early on it's clear that their songwriting somewhat matured between the creation of the second EP. The tracks still carry similar instrumentation, but all of them are more varied and structurally more interesting. Taking both releases into account, the following track "Atacama" shines the brightest. Taking a bit unexpected turns along its way, you'll also notice the aforementioned growth in their writing. The black metal-esque, high pitched howling vocals also have more raw emotion and feeling on this second half. You will get shivers from them, which only adds to the sense of completion you'll get from listening to this. The final track "Rush" doesn't offer any new angles to their output, but acts as a fitting closure for the release.

It's clear that these two releases are meant to be listened to as one entity, which is why this re-release is really fitting. Even if you heard "Jord" before these, you will still enjoy the tracks and won't get the "demo" feeling from them at any point. My only problem with "I/II" is the fact that it gets monotonous on times, which is something they managed to avoid better on their debut LP. Still, it's not a surprise that MØL caught Holy Roar's attention. Music like this doesn't come around that often, especially when speaking about the production side of things. Purists will whine and complain, but let them do that. In the end they're the ones missing out on everything.

”I/II” is available HERE

Band info: facebook || bandcamp

ALBUM REVIEW: Converge - "The Dusk In Us"

By: Ernesto Aguilar

Album Type: Full length

Date Released: 03/10/2017

Label: Epitaph Records |

Deathwish Inc.

Today, with random acts of violence, anger and pessimism dotting our timelines, maybe Converge just now seems like a soundtrack to our contemporary apocalypse

“The Dusk In Us” CD//DD//LP track listing

1. A Single Tear

2. Eye of the Quarrel

3. Under Duress

4. Arkhipov Calm

5. I Can Tell You About Pain

6. The Dusk in Us

7. Wildlife

8. Murk & Marrow

9. Trigger

10. Broken by Light

11. Cannibals

12. Thousands of Miles Between Us

13. Reptilian

The Review:

Rarely does a timeworn saying like 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' seem more apropos as it does with a band such as Converge. It has been five years since we last heard from the storied Boston quartet, together now for just south of 30 years. Their old releases feel like they only get better with time, but there is nothing quite like a new Converge album, and experiencing how its sound evolves from its past outings.

Converge has long been hailed as a heavy music innovator, with an impressive track record. Among its accomplishments are "Halo in a Haystack," their iconic 1994 debut, and "Jane Doe," the band's 2001 breakthrough release. Converge's last record, "All We Love We Leave Behind" in 2012, received madly positive reviews. Never do words like "brutal" and "beautiful" get brought up so often in conversations about a group that encompasses metal, hardcore and punk as abrasively as Converge. Yet, those words are earned through intricate songwriting, disarmingly gorgeous arrangement and consistently pioneering approaches in an ecosystem that sometimes struggles to produce truly singular music in such a content-rich age. Epitaph's announcement of a new Converge album and the subsequent preview of the divine song "I Can Tell You About Pain" were greeted by much excitement. The clear question is what might the layoff have done for the quartet, which had previously only done two- and three-year breaks between recordings. A lot can be said for a stretch that long. "The Dusk In Us" creates that conversation even before the first listen.

Converge's greatest gift, and why it has been so universally hailed, is their ability to pour so much emotion into its vociferous musicianship. With "A Single Tear," the initial song, it feels like Massachusetts' favorite sons were never really gone, as they pick up seemingly where they left off, while managing to tread new ground. Led by Kurt Ballou's ruthless guitar, Converge's kickoff is far more sonically complex as it unfolds. It is fast and heavy, while tense and melancholy. The track, you soon learn, is about that shared experience of finding our own self-worth, and the orchestration at once creates a mood of confusion while opening up to hope. It's Converge at a brilliant clip, and seems like a promising beginning.

Vocalist Jacob Bannon has always done a masterful job of sharing such a well of anguish as well as an almost uncomfortable vulnerability. Remember his blighted words on a song like "Jane Doe" ("I want out/Out of every awkward day/Out of every tongue tied loss/I want out/Out of the burdening night sweats/Out of the rising seas of blood")? Bannon's return continues his fearlessly frank tradition in the opening, and in "Eye of the Quarrel," a dredging of old hurt and self-doubt ("I still have to wonder who let dysfunction in/The little lies, distorted truths/Smeared the perspective and made me love you/Queen of the garbage, prince of the weeds/My legacy won't inherit disease"). This cut in particular also proves to be a defining moment for bassist Nate Newton and Ben Koller behind the drums. They are a dominant force as a rhythm section within this song, and, later, in "Arkhipov Calm" and "Murk & Marrow."

What is fascinating as a feature in "The Dusk In Us" is how Converge's songwriting and Bannon's performance are further inspired by a world in constant conflict. Longtime fans know Converge has taken cues from a rotting world before, such as in "Sparrow's Fall" from "All the Love We Leave Behind." Today, with random acts of violence, anger and pessimism dotting our timelines, maybe Converge just now seems like a soundtrack to our contemporary apocalypse. In "Under Duress," Bannon sings, "I will never kneel and kiss your ring/The sickness spreads under duress/Compassion bends under duress/Wouldn't need a gun if you didn't have one/Don't need you to serve or protect." The title track exudes an atmosphere of resistance and defiance, cautioning, "there are monsters among us." In "Cannibals," Bannon's lyrics feel most hopeless, reminding us that, if opportunism and parasitism are left unchecked, "we will not survive." Yet Converge cleverly avoid naming names or getting too topical. Instead, the band speaks to a more universal, perhaps even timeless, story: that of good and evil, oppression and freedom, self-destruction and redemption. Those are themes that are long a staple in metal and heavy music, and Converge draw them out for some of their most compelling work yet.

In the book "Catastrophism: The Apocalyptic Politics of Collapse and Rebirth," old friends Sasha Lilley, David McNally, Eddie Yuen and James Davis investigate the popular culture and political trends that forecast a world to be reborn from the ashes of the old. The 2012 read is relevant today, and might shape some of your understanding of tales that are brought up in "The Dusk In Us." Smashing to reveal beauty comes up in fits and spurts here. By the time the album ends with "Reptilian," a standout cut for certain, Converge begin a journey that may be further explored during our growing days of rage. "We must lose sight of the shore to know what courage means," Bannon howls. "We must lose sight of who we are to know what we can be."

Whether the world must fail to succeed remains to be seen. What is not in doubt is how missed a legendary band has been, and just how important their return truly is.

"The Dusk In Us" is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Oathbreaker - "Rheia"

By: Jay Hampshire

Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 30/09/2016

Label: Deathwish Inc

While it seems like each year there are those one or two records that gather attention or praise, then fade into obscurity once their impact wanes, “Rheia” is an album of such purpose and conviction that it is hard to see the impact it has had diminish any time soon. While this florid, high praise might seem sycophantic or overly subjective, trust in this: “Rheia” really is that good.

“Rheia” CD//DD//LP track listing: 

1. 10:56
2. Second Son of R.
3. Being Able to Feel Nothing
4. Stay Here / Accroche-Moi
5. Needles in Your Skin
6. Immortals
7. I’m Sorry, This Is
8. Where I Live
9. Where I Leave
10. Begeerte

The Review:

If you’ve even taken a cursory glance at a metal magazine, website or outlet since September, chances are you will have caught some of the furore surrounding Oathbreaker’s latest release, third studio album “Rheia”. Possibly one of the most lauded records of the last twelve months, by critics and fans alike, the Belgian blackened-hardcore crew have spawned a record that has grabbed metal’s collective consciousness by taloned feet, pricking up the ears of even the most dour and resistant to innovation.

It’s an album of subtlety and brute force, married together through heel-turn dynamic shifts and crafty song writing. Opener ’10:56’ eases us in with more of the former, with Caro Tanghe’s lilting, fragile vocals nestled among a quivering swell of rising feedback. ‘Second Son Of R.’ has no such airs and graces, immediately whipping you away on a torrent of frantic, tremolo picked riffs, blast beats and Tanghe’s envenomed shrieks. It’s a breathless, jarring shift that smooths out, dropping into gentle guitars and clean vocals, before the instrumentation spreads wide and tumbles once more into a dense, manic drive.

‘Being Able To Feel Nothing’ is rampant from the off, with the kind of thick, rushing black metal intro you’d expect from a Gorgoroth track, before the ethereal wail of the vocals enters and the song settles into a deep set groove. Things shift and change organically, winding down into sparse drums, breathy vocals and lush guitars. Tanghe’s delivery, soft and almost sweet, sits in stark contrast to the brutal serial-killer imagery of the lyrics. Cannily used negative space ushers in a slower, predatory section, dripping with malice. ‘Stay Here / Accroche-Moi’ gives off an intimate, almost live vibe, looping, mournful acoustic guitar and wearied yet stoic vocals. It changes very little over its runtime, but holds and commands attention throughout.

‘Needles In Your Skin’ unsettles with backmasked guitar before locking into a slow, sultry shuffle, restrained, groaning vocals adding an air of exhausted malice. It sharply builds into icy blasts of tremolo riffs and blastbeats, driving in hard like broken glass. ‘Immortals’ is a prime contender for ‘track of the album’, an easier pace and haunting, layered vocals adding a lot of breathing room, alternating between this mode and gasps of snare abusing drums, walls of riff and manic shrieks. It acts as a microcosm of the whole record, blooming with equal parts drama, melancholy and savagery, before a sparkling clean guitar loop adds hope towards the climax, like the last flittering contents of an opened Pandora ’s Box.

‘I’m Sorry, This Is’ tolls malevolently, rising synth tones and uneasy breathing adding threat to a sample of many voices that fades in, a spacious noise scape of entwining layers. It acts as an elongated intro to ‘Where I Live’, which rises from whining feedback and bursts into a soaring, grinding drive. Vocal motes echo, as if at the peripheral edges of your mind, and frantic cymbal work builds up into a whipping, rushing frenzy. A pacey, relentless, clattering aural assault that ends with smoky, ghostly synths and noise.

‘Where I Leave’ is born from jangling guitars and droning, fragile synths, punctuated by big statements of dour piano chords. Grunty bass undertows delicate upper harmonies, and deliberate drums evolve into an implacable slow groove. It’s moody, to say the least, towing wistful vocals and simple repetitions in its wake. Closer ‘Begeerte’ is disarming; initially comprised of haunting, wailing vocal layering, it is joined by sparse, breathy guitar plucking and crunching electro runs. As it began so the album ends, with a softened whimper, not a roaring shout.

It’s nigh impossible to fully encapsulate what Oathbreaker have conjured with “Rheia” in print. It is a shifting, dynamic piece, unconcerned with expectation or limitation. Think back to when you saw that band, or heard that album, that had an impact you simply could not fully process, an effect you couldn’t accurately describe with words. While it seems like each year there are those one or two records that gather attention or praise, then fade into obscurity once their impact wanes, “Rheia” is an album of such purpose and conviction that it is hard to see the impact it has had diminish any time soon. While this florid, high praise might seem sycophantic or overly subjective, trust in this: “Rheia” really is that good.

“Rheia” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

FFO: Deafheaven, Bosse-de-Nage, Alcest, The Secret

ALBUM REVIEW: Bossk - "Audio Noir"

By: Charlie Butler

Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 01/04/2016
Label: Deathwish Inc

The shimmering soundscapes of “The Reverie” gently ease the album into life. The track glides through waves of serene guitar atmospherics, before being crushed under a slab of molten distortion. Even though the classic quiet/loud dynamics of post-rock are employed here, Bossk manage to avoid the obvious, telegraphed crescendos by taking a more understated approach, conversely when they crank up, Bossk prove that they have honed their riffcraft to perfection. “Heliopause” is a relatively short burst of stoner aggravation while “Atomsmasher” fully delivers on the cataclysmic power of its name.  In summation, Audio Noir” is a triumph for Bossk that sees them comfortably deliver on their fans’ anticipation for a full-length.

“Audio Noir” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). The Reverie
2). Heliopause
3). Relancer
4). Kobe
5). Atom Smasher
6). Nadir
7). The Reverie II

The Review:

Expectation lies heavy on “Audio Noir”, the debut LP from Bossk. The Kent post-metallers have garnered a devoted following since their inception in 2005 but hard-touring and lengthy periods have inaction have kept them from crafting a full album until now.

Bossk’s early EPs were solid releases that showcased the band’s epic sonic ambition without quite capturing the thunderous onslaught of their live shows. “Audio Noir” adeptly captures the colossal weight of the band in full flow and features their strongest material to date.

In the past, Bossk were clearly in thrall to post-metal titans like Cult of Luna and Isis. “Audio Noir” finds them again drawing on familiar influences but now they have remoulded them to create their own distinctive sound.

The shimmering soundscapes of “The Reverie” gently ease the album into life. The track glides through waves of serene guitar atmospherics, before being crushed under a slab of molten distortion. Even though the classic quiet/loud dynamics of post-rock are employed here, Bossk manage to avoid the obvious, telegraphed crescendos by taking a more understated approach. Heavily-reverbed guitar lines, brushed drums and what sounds like an accordion fuse to create a subtle epic on the awesome “Relancer”. A strange but effective combination of Earth, Beirut and Mogwai it shows that Bossk don’t need to resort to cacophonous volume to yield impressive results.

When they do crank up, Bossk prove that they have honed their riffcraft to perfection. “Heliopause” is a relatively short burst of stoner aggravation while “Atomsmasher” fully delivers on the cataclysmic power of its name. The first half of the track delivers a barrage of riffage that Sleep would be proud of before falling away into a hazy nocturnal coda. “Kobe” is a more restrained beast but still packs a ferocious punch. The first half of the track echoes the effects-heavy psychedelia of Baroness’ “Yellow & Green” while the second half recalls the glorious complex sludge of early Baroness.

“Audio Noir” is a triumph for Bossk that sees them comfortably deliver on their fans’ anticipation for a full-length. The band seems to have found their voice and hopefully they won’t take so long to deliver their next release.

“Audio Noir” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

RIYL: ISIS || Cult of Luna || Mouth of the Architect || Callisto

Death Index - "Death Index" (Album Review)

By: Josh Lee

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 26/02/2016

Label: Deathwish Inc

Death Index” is short but sweet, a romp through some brilliantly presented punk music with an undeniable sophistication to it, culminating in a release both visceral and novel.

“Death Index” CD//DD//LP track listing:

01. Fast Money Kill
02. Dream Machine
03. The Meal
04. Fuori Controllo
05. FUP
06. Little 'N' Pretty
07. Lost Bodies
08. We've Got A Number
09. JFK
10. Patto Con Dio

The Review:

For many people, punk music in its very essence is messy, brutish and crude, though US punk band Death Index’s self-titled debut shows a comparatively different side to the rebellious sound. For what is essentially intended to be a hardcore punk album, “Death Index” is executed with a considerable amount of swagger and braggadocio; between a rumbling rhythm section and fierce guitars is an evidently post-punk influenced vocal delivery that gives this record a notably sophisticated edge. This album’s dynamic of using calm and almost understated vocals coupled with noisy and abrasive punk instrumentation is especially accentuated by the opener ‘Fast Money Kill’, in which front man Carson Cox asserts his command over the instrumentation, sitting atop the chaotic sounds beneath him.

For a record so noisy, each instrument sits at a comfortable distance from the next, helping the record’s clarity remain intact. If in some strange scenario Ian Curtis was introduced to the stylings of American hardcore punk, this is what the imagined result would be. More obvious post-punk influences also find their way into this album through songs like ‘Lost Bodies’, displaying dark, cold atmospheres reminiscent of Joy Division’s debut or the coldwave artists that followed it. The track features brittle, icy synthesizers and eerie echoed vocals in a brilliant meld of atmospheres.

At particular points in this album, it might seem like certain tracks could benefit from slightly longer run times. All other praises withstanding, some of the material on “Death Index” is over almost as soon as it starts; most notably ‘Dream Machine’ and ‘Little ‘n’ Pretty’ are abruptly cut short soon after the 2-minute mark where they simply fade out with little payoff. Granted, this being a punk record, those more invested in the genre may find this less of an issue. Despite this, however, the 7-minute closer ‘Patto Con Dio’ is Death Index’s sole foray into lengthier song structures and it goes over remarkably well; beginning with some heavy and uncompromising noise rock, the song transitions into a dark, atmospheric outro with screeching guitar feedback and whirring synthesizers. Like the song ‘Lost Bodies’ aforementioned in this review, this closer track is ominous and cold, again showcasing the darker side of Death Index’s apparently versatile repertoire. “Death Index” is short but sweet, a romp through some brilliantly presented punk music with an undeniable sophistication to it, culminating in a release both visceral and novel.

“Death Index” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

Cult Leader - 'Lightless Walk' (Album Review)

By: Charlie Butler

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 16/10/2015

Label: Deathwish Inc

Cult Leader have created a monster here, a perfect combination of brains and brutality. There’s enough going on to suggest that “Lightless Walk” is just the start of an intriguing journey to the outer limits of heavy music.

‘Lightless Walk’ CD//DD//LP track listing:

01. Great I Am
02. The Sorrower
03. Sympathetic
04. Suffer Louder
05. Broken Blades
06. A Good Life
07. Walking Wastelands
08. Gutter Gods
09. Hate Offering
10. How Deep It Runs
11. Lightless Walk

Cult Leader is:

Michael Mason | Guitar
Casey Hansen | Drums
Anthony Lucero | Vocals
Sam Richards | Bass

The Review:

Once the cavernous thud and gut churning chords heralding the arrival of opener “Great I Am” have drawn your attention, there’s no escaping the dark gravity of Cult Leader’s sonic barrage. ”Lightless Walk” is the debut full length from this Salt Lake City quartet who count three former members of the fearsome Gaza in their ranks. The naked aggression of their past work remains intact here but the band is now pushing their art further into uncharted territory with spellbinding results. Once this beast has been let loose into the world, interest in previous band associations will soon crumble to dust.

Cult Leader combine furious grind, crusty hardcore, punk grit and the widescreen atmospherics of black metal to devastating effect. The majority of the tracks here are a dizzying breakneck assault on the senses, sounding like a psychedelic Trap Them or Converge set in concrete and sunk to the bottom of the ocean. Tracks like “Walking Wasteland” and “Sympathetic” manage to cover more musical ground during their brief duration than most bands do in an album at no detriment to cohesion. The finale of the latter particularly showcases the powerhouse drumming of Casey Hansen, a key factor in the success of this record. While the guitar and bass lock into a punishing one chord groove, the drums become the lead instrument, weaving around the riff and slipping in and out of the beat in sublime fashion. They provide furious velocity when needed throughout the album but demonstrate exquisite control when the tempo drops.

“A Good Life” and “How Deep It Runs” show that Cult Leader can slow things down and apply restraint with no impact on quality or intensity. Both tracks have a hint of the spaced-out post metal of Cult of Luna and provide real depth to this album.

“Lightless Walk” concludes with the monumental title track. Whilst this is the quietest track here in terms of volume it is definitely the heaviest in terms of emotional damage. The band craft a bleak funeral march worthy of the titular final voyage into the beyond, with Anthony Lucero’s low half-sung, half spoken vocals providing the haunting details. Lucero’s ferocious harsh vocals are the perfect accompaniment to brutal chaos, but when he employs his clean baritone here and on “A Good Life” it leads to something unique. As the vocals fade away, the music becomes slower and sparser, evoking an air of weary resignation reminiscent of slowcore heroes Codeine. 

Cult Leader have created a monster here, a perfect combination of brains and brutality. There’s enough going on to suggest that “Lightless Walk” is just the start of an intriguing journey to the outer limits of heavy music.

‘Lightless Walk’ is available here

FFO: Converge, Gaza, Swans, Trap Them

Band info: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Cult Leader - 'Useless Animal' EP (Review)

 

Album Type: EP

Date Released: 16/6/2015

Label: Deathwish Inc

‘Useless Animal’ 7inch/DD track listing:

1). Useless Animal (01:15)

2). Gutter gods (01:33)

3). You Are Not My Blood (06:50)

Cult Leader is:

Sam Richards | BASS

Mike Mason | GUITAR

Casey Hansen | DRUMS

Anthony Lucero | VOCALS

Review:

When I can hear two bars of music and immediately know I will be playing a record again as soon as it’s done, I get pretty excited. I was pretty excited last year when I found out members of Gaza had continued on with Cult Leader and I was even more excited when I heard the debut ‘Nothing for Us Here’. Lots of the things I loved about Gaza with a fantastically tormented vocal performance by former Gaza bassist Anthony Lucero. So, needless to say (saying it anyways?) I was pretty excited to get the opportunity to review the newest EP ‘Useless Animal’.

No disappointments here! Opening with the title track, we are immediately welcomed to a recording you can feel. The first two tracks are what you would expect from former Gaza members. Shifting rhythmic intricacies accented by the ugliest noises guitar and bass can produce together. Its impossible not to be reminded of bands like Converge (go figure, they're on Deathwish), Botch, and Coalesce as you spend just under three minutes across ‘Useless Animals’ and ‘Gutter Gods’ trying to catch up from the last jarring shift before being hit with another one. The relentless assault is augmented by a raw production that is clear and focused, but bears a good amount of hair around the edges and sounds like it could have been tracked live.

The vocals on the first two tracks sound crushing with a raw edge that shows a spirit in the delivery and puts a soul into the chaos of the instrumentation.

Track three was an amazingly pleasant surprise. A dirge-y, raw cover of Mark Kozelek/Desertshore's track ‘You Are Not My Blood’ featuring Kim Pack and Sarah Pendleton of SubRosa adding strings and backing vocals to Lucero's raw, low-register presence. The track runs over seven minutes, going over twice as long as the first two tracks combined and it feels like a journey. Though the sounds are different and there isn't the in-your-face aggression, the track doesn't feel apart from the beginning of the EP.

This is honestly brutal and purposely chaotic music that both engages and alienates the listener in equal parts intentionally, for the listener's own benefit. Cult Leader, like Gaza (at least for me), doesn't seem to wallow in the darkness and invite us in like so many heavy bands do, but recognizes that we are all waiting here in the darkness and is asking us to scream outward from it with them.

Words by: Ian Smedbron

‘Useless Animal’ is available via Deathwish Inc here

For more information:

Like: https://www.facebook.com/CultLeaderMusic

Listen: https://cultleadermusic.bandcamp.com/album/nothing-for-us-here