TRACK PREMIERE: Stinking Lizaveta's Journey to the Underworld chapter I "Witches and Pigs"

For over 20 years, Stinking Lizaveta have released multiple critically acclaimed albums and shared the stage with national headlining bands such as Clutch, Corrosion of Conformity, Fugazi, Weedeater and more. They have held the reins as rock pioneers and have built a worldwide cult following for their legendary and unrelenting sound.  With help from Stephen Berrigan and Paul Webb, Stinking Lizaveta have created their most innovative release to date “Journey to the Underworld”

Translation Loss Records will release the album on February 17^th and features nine new songs, showcasing the bands dedication to their style of unrestrained instrumental fusion.  Combining doom, jazz, and punk, “Journey to the Underworld” takes listeners on a powerful journey through uncharted space and time to venture into new musical frontiers.   Featuring stunning artwork by David Gunn, “Journey to the Underworld” will be available on compact disc, limited edition coloured vinyl and digital. Pre-order available now through Translation Loss Records here and Guitarist Yanni Papadopoulos shares his insight into the recording of the new album below

“Journey To The Underworld” was recorded at   "Nosferatus' Lair" Studio down on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana.  We wanted to record in New Orleans because of the demonic musical energy one feels down there.  Steve Berrigan, who is Housecore's in house engineer, was on tour with Mountain of Wizard.  We have been friends with Paul Webb, of MOW, for 20 some years. I told Steve we wanted to do a New Orleans album.  He was familiar with our band since we had played Check Point Charlie's on Halloween for ten years straight, so he offered to record us.  We could't refuse, it was a vision come true!

In October 2015 we flew to NOLA.  Paul met us at the airport and drove us across the 30 mile causeway to the North Shore.  “Nosferatus Lair” is Phil Anselmo's studio, and we are indebted to him for sponsoring us.  We started recording that night and Paul Webb stayed with us for the next five days to help us realize our vision.  As I had hoped, the character of the land infused our music.  We could feel the coming of All Souls Day, not to mention Phil's house was filled with classic horror memorabilia.

When it came time to title the album it seemed appropriate to reference Odysseus'  journey to the underworld from Homer's Odyssey.  At the bottom of the Mississippi you get an underworld feel, like the spirits are all alive and ready to commune with you.  Maybe it's Voodoo, or just the deep musical culture.

You can stream the opening track from the album “Witches and Pigs” below

“Journey to the Underworld” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Witches and Pigs

2. Chorus of Shades

3. Sharp Stick in the Eye

4. Six Fangs

5. Blood, Milk and Honey

6. Journey to the Underworld

7. Love Song For Jusu

8. A Stranger's Welcome

9. Allegro

Band info: facebook

INSTRUMENTAL INTERPRETATIONS Part VII: Animals As Leaders – “The Madness of Many”

By: Phil Weller

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 11/11/2016

Label: Sumerian Records

Tosin Abasi and company find expressionism through mathematic complexity.

“The Madness of Many” CD//DD//LP track listing:

01. Arithmophobia
02. Ectogenesis
03. Cognitive Contortions
04. Inner Assassins
05. Private Visions Of The World
06. Backpfeifengesicht
07. Transcentience
08. The Glass Bridge
09. The Brain Dance
10. Aepirophobia

The Review:

Every generation plays host to its innovators and Animals As Leaders’ Tosin Abasi, through the imitable tones that usher forth from his 8 string guitar, represents a very fresh and modern approach to guitar playing. Using the extended range to flirt with slap techniques otherwise left to bassists and detailing his sonic canvas with everything from the heavy grunt of djent and progressive metal to swinging gypsy jazz, electronica and more, here is a musician who laughs at the idea of boundaries and limitations.

In many respects ‘The Madness of Many’, the band’s fourth album and second truly collaborative effort, is Abasi’s most accomplished too thanks to the diverse palette which is laid out before us. From the siren-led mathematic chaos of ‘Arithmophobia’ (meaning a fear of numbers) to the likes of ‘Inner Assassins’, which allows all his musical references and inspirations to tangle with one another inside one great big melting pot, it is a spectacularly engaging record.

The pinballing rhythms of ‘Private Visions of the World’ make way for some breath taking lead work before returning with a pinging vengeance. It sounds like a wondrous cross between John McLaughlin and Meshuggah. 

On the final two tracks, their diversity is further broadened when they drop the crunching steel electrics for nylon acoustics. ‘The Brain Dance’ and ‘Apeirophobia’ (a fear of eternity) shift the mood dramatically, giving the record a serene yet oddly frantic conclusion as the luscious flamenco at play soon dips and dives into time signature contorting, spasmodic djent phrasing. The band’s mantra of hybrid stylistic thinking is here epitomised as they seamlessly combine a traditional, almost ancient style of music with one of the most modern without you ever raising an eyebrow in confusion. Such is the quality of this cross-breeding, you just accept it for what it is, close your eyes and sink deeper and deeper into its transcendental depths.    

While its complexity may at times be overwhelming, there is a gorgeousness which prevails through a blazing trail of algorithms and acrobatics. It may sound like rocket science, but it has personality too.

“The Madness of Many” is available everywhere from 11/11/2016

Band info: facebook || official

Instrumental Interpretatons Part III: Instrumental (adj.) - A Series of Disagreements EP (Review)

By: Phil Weller

Album Type: EP

Date Released: 17/11/2015

Label: Art As Catharsis

This is finely concocted instrumental music. It paints a thousand pictures through the linguistic intricacies of their music, rendering the need for a singer futile.

“A Series of Disagreements” DD track listing:  

1). A Series of Disagreements

2). Fibonasty

3). The Nightmare of Adulthood

The Review:

Trying to follow the frantic, scattershot jazz meanderings of this Sydney trio is like chasing an excitable puppy around the park. A puppy that has just broken free from its lead and is relishing its new and empowering freedom; or alternatively it’s like trying to catch a fly with chopsticks. Either way, it’s bonkers.  

The three songs that make up ‘A Series of Disagreements’ are restless and delirious; they forage through a myriad of tempos, feels, atmospheres and guises in an instant. Structurally, something as ad hoc and disjointed as this should make for uncomfortable listening, yet there’s a gracefulness to their madness, a prevalent method to the way it never sits still or becomes either stagnated or predictable. 

Throughout the many plot twists, sub-plots, sub-sub-plots and schizophrenia tinted changes in direction which characterise the opening title track, they still manage to pierce a reoccurring theme into the composition. During serene calm, where the music floats atop soothing drum work and ethereal clean guitars, or during foot-to-the-floor metal revelry a la Mastodon, Tool and more, there is still a familiar melodic phrase lurking in there somewhere. At times its presence is subtle, it waits in the shadows. At others it is more abrasive and snaps at you like a Venus Fly Trap. But its omnipresence is what ties the song together and they do it so impeccably well. It adds a polish and a purpose to what is otherwise a song that is simply all over the place.

The title track sets the tone for the two tracks which follow, and this really is methodical madness at its finest. ‘Fibonasty’ is lighter, an airy groove breezing through its veins, while oddly but perfectly place seismic shifts see them temporarily shifting through the gears. It all lets guitarist Simon Dawes flaunt his wide ranging musical vocabulary with jazzy lead work which dances to his rhythm sections lively but not overblown foundation. It’s interspersed however, with some real guitar hero moments where he lets fly and produces some dextrous and scintillating solos.

Where ‘Fibonasty’ is light, however, ‘The Nightmare of Adulthood’ acts as the perfect counter weight. Aggressive, pounding and hammering through a selection box of time signature changes throughout, it’s as frantically off-kilter and garish as its title suggests. The jagged edges of the song and their smart use of textures create a sense of diversity keeps you on your toes and your interest piqued.

This is finely concocted instrumental music. It paints a thousand pictures through the linguistic intricacies of their music, rendering the need for a singer futile. Indeed, the heavy jazz leanings and their general resistance to conformation will make this EP hard to digest for some people, but for those who seek adventure and endangerment, something to drag you into its cosmic vitality and swallow you whole for a short while, then ‘A Series of Disagreements’ is begging for your attention.

“A Series of Disagreements” is available here

Band info: facebook

Kapil Seshasayee - "Brazen" (Single Review)

By: James Harris

Album Type: Single

Date Released: 27/10/2015

Label: Fu Inle Records

The Review

Glasgow genre-defier Kapil Seshasayee dropped the single “Brazen” on October 27th on Fu Inle Records, an intense shard of proggy post-rock in the form of a promo video that follows August's EP “Crimes.”

The music on this track meshes well with the video: well-produced, low-key, melodic, but dark and intense as well - a lot of clean lines in both video and song. Like an ambient take on math rock or a noise band come clean, Kapil's guitar flows effortlessly between thick textural pulses, noisy effects, and more diverse moves such as sweeps and tapping and the like, it’s  mellow but driving.

Influences seem to range from Mogwai to Big Black, Between the Buried and Me to Polvo. The use of the waterphone was a cool touch that added a great deal to the aura of the piece. The instrument is often used in film scores, like a bunch of 60s horror movies, Poltergeist, Let the Right One In and many others. The video is a sort of multi-angle performance video, dark and spare like the song itself. It is pretty straightforward, but with some interesting cuts and angles, reflecting the way the tune has a groove that is easy to nod along to while being technical and interesting enough to keep you off guard as to what comes next - building a tension that is never quite released. Many great clear shots of the guitar work, and the vocals are clear, strong, and melodic. It is a complex tune that should further add to his reputation in anticipation of an end of the year UK tour and forthcoming debut full-length. 

‘Brazen’ is available here

Band info: bandcamp

Tangled Thoughts of Leaving - 'Yield To Despair' (Album Review)

By: Richard Powley

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 17/04/2015

Label: Pelagic Records

Fans of instrumental music, soundtracks and post-metal will undoubtedly find much to love within ‘Yield to Despair’, but to describe it as simply another post-metal album would be to do the band a great disservice. Their fresh and nuanced take on the genre, including noir-jazz and noise amidst crushing walls of sound is something to truly behold.

‘Yield To Despair’ CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). The Albanian Sleepover  - Part one

2). The Albanian Sleepover – Part Two

3). Shaking Off Futility

4). Downbeat

5). Yield To Despair

Tangled Thoughts of Leaving is:

Ron Pollard | Piano, Synth
BeHn Stacy | Drums, Noise
Andrew McDonald | Guitar
Luke Pollard | Bass, Samples 

The Review:

Owing as much to ambient, jazz and noise music as they do to the slow-building and weighty sound of post metal, Tangled Thoughts of Leaving deliver atmosphere in spades throughout ‘Yield to Despair’.

As the first song reaches its mid-way point, you have been treated to a weighty and slow building exercise in tension, before the jazzy piano runs that have defined TTOL as something unique amongst the instrumental rock scene, take centre stage and lead the track to its thrilling conclusion.   It’s here that TTOL have made a vast improvement, the restraint used in the playing allows a much more crushing tone to envelop the piece, the piano no longer stealing from the overall sound but engaging with and elevating the drama of the song to a higher degree than before.

As “The Albanian Sleepover” reaches its second part, a more noir-ish feel takes over amidst a Dillinger-like yet entirely more stable flurry of percussion. As the song ebbs and flows, different lines and instruments come to the forefront before the song reduces itself to a simple noisescape. A lone piano line reminiscent of Bohren & der Club of Gore accompanies the various scraping sounds and noise-work, creating an intense and ominous atmosphere. From here the song becomes a crushing dirge bringing to mind the mountainous sound of Omega Massif as it approaches in its thrilling climax.

Employing differing tactics and skills to create a momentous atmosphere is where TTOL really shine. Not once does any facet of the music sound out of place, and while different instruments and players do undoubtedly take centre stage at various points throughout ‘Yield to Despair’, it is never for the sake of virtuosic arrogance and only serves the mood they are trying to elicit.   What feels like the albums centre-piece is ‘Downbeat’  where all of this becomes most complete, with a breath taking and emotionally taxing example of everything that Tangled Thoughts of Leaving do so well, delivered with absolute precision throughout its 18 minute runtime. It feels like the albums most complete “song” and also its most energetic piece, all the instruments blending together to paint a picture of pure destruction.   

Fans of instrumental music, soundtracks and post-metal will undoubtedly find much to love within ‘Yield to Despair’, but to describe it as simply another post-metal album would be to do the band a great disservice. Their fresh and nuanced take on the genre, including noir-jazz and noise amidst crushing walls of sound is something to truly behold.

‘Yield To Despair’ is available here

FFO: OMEGA MASSIF, BOHREN & DER CLUB OF GORE, JOHN ZORN, GUAPO, NEUROSIS.    

Band info: bandcamp | facebook | official

Live Review: King Crimson @ Lowry Theatre, Salford, 11th September 2015

By: Anthony Firmin

The Review

By 22:30 I was back home, tucked up in bed with a hot chocolate and with the cat at my side, so what went wrong?  Well, nothing…

When Robert Fripp announced back in September 2013 that King Crimson were to reform, after an enforced hiatus of 6 years, thousands of Prog heads worldwide became very, very excited.   Other than a few tantilising videos nothing more was really head from them until 2014 when they toured the USA playing a selection of old and new material.  Fast forward to September 2015 and a UK tour is underway including even more old material which has been “reconfigured” along with a slightly differing set list every evening – the archetypal King Crimson fan’s wet dream.

Ten of the 18 pieces played were from the 70’s with the 80’s completely ignored which was a shame because the drum/rhythm led work from that period would have slotted in nicely.  From the opening piece, Lark’s Tongue In Aspic, through to the set closer, Starless, we were treated to a journey through the past and a glimpse into the future.  That future being more jazz/dissonant oriented which received polite applause, the older audience reserving their energy for the older classics. 

The way the stage was set up was with the three drummers (Pat Masteletto, Bill Rieflin and Gavin Harrison) at the front and on a riser at the back were on sax/flute Mel Collins, bass/stick/cello Tony Levin, guitar/vocals Jakko Jakszyk and finally on guitar/frippertronics Robert Fripp.  This gives a feeling of unease, and the drum sound was unbalanced to an extent, presumably on purpose.

Fripp remained seated the whole show, hardly acknowledging that there was even an audience in attendance.  He was simply sat looking at his iPad and wearing headphones whilst playing guitar, in his own solitary Crimson world.  However, his playing although sometimes lost in the mix was sublime.  The rest of the band were all faultless, they are all seasoned world-class musicians after-all.   Jakszyk’s vocals were less than ideal with him having to copy Greg Lake and John Wetton; he tried, bless him, and his vocals were fine in their own way but he lacked the depth and power of those particularly on Easy Money and Epitaph.  The double retro encore of In The Court Of The Crimson King and 21^st Century Schizoid Man saw the audience at their most appreciative as the band were perfect but again vocally Jakszyk lacked Lakes passion and drive whilst delivering the classic lyrics “Cat’s foot, iron claw, neurosurgeons scream for more, at paranoia’s poison door, twenty-first century schizoid man” – they should have stabbed me through the heart, they merely patted me on the shoulder!

Overall an interesting experience that, if rumours on the internet are true, may never be repeated; we will wait and see.  Musically travelling from psychedelic rock anthems and classic Prog rock to jazz the only real bummer was when the house lights in the Lowry were on at 21:45 hence the early night.  At least the cat was happy to see me even if I was singing “Cat’s foot, iron claw…”!

           

Set list:

Larks’ Tongues In Aspic (Part I)

Pictures Of A City

Radical Action (To Unseat The Hold Of Monkey Mind)

Meltdown

Hell Hounds Of Krim

The ConstruKction Of Light

Level Five

Banshee Legs Bell Hassle

Easy Money

Epitaph

Interlude

The Letters

Sailor’s Tale

One More Red Nightmare

Starless

Devil Dogs Of Tessellation Row

Court Of The Crimson King

21st Century Schizoid Man



The Grand Astoria - 'The Mighty Few' (Album Review)

By: Charlie Butler

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 18/5/2015

Label: Self Released

This is a fine release from The Grand Astoria which demonstrates why they’ve built up a fervent cult following, now I’ve experienced their progressive madness I will be paying keen attention in future.

‘The Mighty Few’ CD//DD track listing

1). Curse of the Ninth

2). The Siege

The Grand Astoria is:

Kamille Sharapodinov | vocals, guitars, korg monotron
Danila Danilov | vocals, flute, tambourine, korg ms2000
Eugene Trukhin | bass
Denis Kirillov | rhodes piano, clavia nordstage, steinway & sons piano
Ravil Azizov | clarinet
Alexey Nikiforov | trumpet
Valery Dudik | saxophone
Kirill Serov | percussion
Alexander Filippov | drums 

The Review:

I can’t believe it has taken this long for me to cross paths with The Grand Astoria. “The Mighty Few” is the sixth full length by this Saint Petersburg band led by guitarist, vocalist and musical mastermind Kamille Sharapodinov and it makes quite an impact. “Band” is a bit of an understatement though as the two monstrous 20+ minute tracks on offer here are performed by nine musicians with suitably grandiose results.

First up is “Curse of the Ninth”, a sprawling 28 minute odyssey exploring the classical music superstition that a composer is fated to death before completing a tenth symphony. I’m not sure where The Grand Astoria is up to in terms of symphonies but this track alone displays enough restless energy and ideas to suggest they are invulnerable to this prophecy.  Opening with a subdued jazzy jam, the track erupts into slow, heavy riffage reminiscent of Mastodon at their most anthemic. Progress takes a number of unexpected twists and turns from here; folky acoustic passages, Queen-style acapella harmonies and most notably a groovy mid-point freak-out that brings to mind disco-prog weirdos Chrome Hoof. The jazzy motifs and powerful riffs weave in and out of these stylistic excursions, becoming stronger and more powerful as the song draws to its conclusion. Kamille’s ultra-melodic vocals make their presence felt at regular intervals to elevate the music to operatic levels of bombast. I’m not normally a fan of this vocal style and would generally prefer something grittier and harsher but they really work in the technicolour absurdity of The Grand Astoria’s music.

The second piece on offer here is “The Siege”. Opening with a keyboard laden prog gallop in the vein of ELP, this song covers a similarly mind boggling number of genres as “Curse of the Ninth” but has an overall darker feel. Following some bass solo-heavy funky jams, an ominous one-chord military riff rears its head. It builds in intensity through the song, weaving in and out of King Crimson bursts of dissonance, before blossoming into an unexpectedly uplifting final chorus complete with a blazing guitar solo and epic brass arrangement.

This is a fine release from The Grand Astoria which demonstrates why they’ve built up a fervent cult following, now I’ve experienced their progressive madness I will be paying keen attention in future.

‘The Mighty Few’ is available digitially here and order a CD here

Band info: Bandcamp | facebook

Atheist - ‘Unquestionable Presence’ Reissue (Album Review)

‘Overall, then, this record still stands as a landmark for tech-death, metal/jazz fusion and all progression in the genre of metal. It is a classic and absolutely essential…’

Album Type: Full-Length (Reissue)

Date Released: 27/07/2015

Label: Season of Mist

‘Unquestionable Presence’ CD//DVD// Reissue track listing:

01. Mother Man
02. Unquestionable Presence
03. Your Life's Retribution
04. Enthralled in Essence
05. An Incarnation's Dream
06. The Formative Years
07. Brains
08. And the Psychic Saw

Pre-production demo:9. Enthralled in Essence
10. The Formative Years
11. Unquestionable Presence
12. An Incarnation's Dream
13. Retribution (instrumental)
14. Brains (instrumental)

Demo 1990:15. Enthralled in Essence

Drums & bass tracks:16. Mother Man

Rhythm tracks:17. And the Psychic Saw

Atheist were on this recording:

Kelly Shaefer | guitars, vocals
Tony Choy | bass
Roger Patterson | music
Steve Flynn | drums
Rand Burkey | guitars

Review:

Atheist. Florida. 1991. These three facts should be very descriptive about the content held herein this lavish reissue... However, this is nothing like Morbid Angel, Cannibal Corpse, Deicide, Malevolent Creation, Obituary et al (not that those bands sound anything like each other anyway- they are only banded by sub genre). In fact, this album has more in common with the direction that Death would head in a year or two later, but is still not comparable. Perhaps Cynic would be a better comparison as this is technical death metal of the earliest and finest variety. The first couple of minutes really marks Atheist and this album out as different. These good ol' boys, way down south in redneck territory were pioneers, carving out a brain twisting path through the musical swamp.

There are a lot of fusion elements here- some of the playing is really jazzy- and yes, that is across the board; rhythm section and guitars. Sure, there are riffs aplenty (all change, all the time!), solos and the virtuoso bass performance but there is something about this record that is very much ahead of this time. If I didn't know that this record was nearly 25 years old I never would have guessed as the production is superb. Everything cuts superbly, which is no mean feat considering how much is going on. The drums are tight and punchy (no pro tools at this time and I assume a limited recording budget so these guys must really have the chops), the bass noodles expertly and the vocals are nowhere near as extreme as some other DM acts from this or any other period. I guess this is like a more cerebral or even jazz version of Death at their peak (which as very cerebral in iteself!).

It is very interesting to note that while technical means exactly that, progressive here does not mean “play aimlessly for ten minutes plus while everything goes nowhere”- all the songs are very short compared to modern standards; four minutes being a reasonable average. The likes of “Enthralled in Essence” are very weighty in places, but not all the time as there is plenty of use of dynamics and odd rhythms. The double bass drums are not continual and blasting is not a feature. Acoustic guitars feature here and there in intros (excellent) and there is a very palpable sense that the band were really trying to excel themselves on this sophomore effort; better playing, better production, better composition.

There are some very odd poly-rhythms here and there, lots of syncopation, and lots of changes. A track by track analysis is worthless here; suffice it to say that there is a lot of technical metal for your delectation. Bonus tracks are included which feature bassist Roger Patterson, who sadly died before the record proper was recorded. His bass lines survived and were re-created, so the album still stands as testimony to his incredible skills.

Overall, then, this record still stands as a landmark for tech-death, metal/jazz fusion and all progression in the genre of metal. It is a classic and absolutely essential, particularly if you ever stick on an Opeth album and think it sounds too much like AC/DC. As technical as it gets.

Words by: Richard Maw

‘Unquestionable Presence’ is available here

For more information:

Like: http://www.facebook.com/AtheistOfficial



Trottoir - erste (f​/​m​/​n) - (Album Review)

Album Type: Album

Date Released: 31^st Jan 2015

Label: CD – Self Released. Vinyl - Adansonia Records

erste (f​/​m​/​n) – Track Listing

1. - 1

2. - 2

3. - 3

4. - 4

5. - 5

Bio

A plumber, a jazzer and a singer are building a house. And three musicians with a drumset, a guitar and a bass are standing in self-forgotten manner in front of the house. On a Trottoir. And they're playing the self-invented Mannheimer Hartkraut, a mixture of Krautrock, Post Rock, Space Rock and their own artistic origin.

Members

Martin Feige (Guitar)

Daniel Schwarz (Drums)

Jonathan Sell (Bass)

Review:

Time for a change of scene for myself at Sludgelord. It's been a long time since I ventured into the world of Krautrock and now here I am making my first visit in a very long time for Trottoir. A Space Rock/Post Rock/Krautrock collective where the music has a slighty jazz organic feel.

Their debut album - erste (f/m/n) – is a purely instrumental rock affair with the band adding huge volumes of noise. There are traces of Stoner Rock running through out the album though it's the more jazz/space rock vibes that make this album such a thrilling ride. The tracks are individually titles from 1 to 5 so you don't have to worry about the meaning of the songs. Sit back and enjoy the ride at Trottoir have created some heavy pounding and exiting riffs for you to experience.

Four of the albums five tracks are epic songs running from 9 mins to almost 14 mins in length. So Trottoir love their progressive rock passages which gives their music a more intelligent feel as they slowly build the riffs with layers of noise, synths and a whole lot more space-rock goodness. Shades of Karma To Burn and Pelican can be heard as direct influences but also elements of the 60s/70s legendary German Krautrock scene. Which isn't too surprising as these space riffsters are from Germany.

It feels that Trottoir have made this album to be listened as one complete song and not broken down into 5 individual parts that the album actually is. If I have to pick out my fave songs or moments from the album it has to be songs 2, 3 and 5 as those are the loudest and most intense parts of the album. Trottoir even venture into progressive metal territory on song 3. It has a great collection of breakdown beats and noises with a healthy sideline in loud experimental rock.

The album runs for around 51 minutes or so and it will appeal to all fans of Instrumental Rock/Metal. If you dig Jazz, Space Rock, Post-Rock, Stoner Rock, Psych Rock, Krautrock then Trottoir's debut album is the one for you. It's an exciting and fresh take on all things instrumental rock. It's good to see a band such as Trottoir trying something different and playing to their musical strengths for the whole world to see. erste (f/m/n) is a thrilling album and one I recommend very highly indeed. Awesome stuff.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Daniel for the promo. erste (f/m/n)  will be available to buy on CD from the Trottoir's BandCamp Page and on Vinyl from Adansonia Records from January 31^st 2015.

For more information

Official

Facebook

BandCamp

Outlaw Wyvern - Sun Floats Along The Flat World - Review

Album Type:Album

Date Released: March 12^th 2014

Label: Self Released

Sun Floats Along The Flat World - track listing:

1.Vipera 09:07

2.Immercenary 11:52

3.Colossus (Part I) 09:04

4.Stars Shine Above Stone Heads 05:43

5.Colossus (Part II) 11:43

6.Sun Floats Along The Flat World 11:48

7.Vivipara 09:17

Bio:

Idea to create a band yet appeared in 2009, however official start of the band was only in 2011 summer. Band was founded by Helferlein. After that Sunloving had also joined the band.

Title "Outlaw Wyvern" means Wyvern itself as a guardian of all things in the universe, however the role of this being is far from one-sided. Wyvern has a status to keep the universe but in the mean time it's a part of each world. The Tree which Wyvern is bound to depicts the soil of the Universe. Roots of this Tree grow through invisible prism of surreality into each of the worlds. Mythical beings who inhabit these worlds have their right to live and free existence, right for struggle and communication.

Description of the first world from big set of a universe that holds Wyvern, will begin with the flat world in which there's a description of origin of new life – Colossus.

The Band Members

Sunloving (SOTSE) – bass, guitars, keyboards, music

Helferlein (Goatech, Thy Grave) – drums, lyrics, music

Primus (Loinen, Malicious Death, Tuska) – vocals, lyrics

Polina (Delorian Domain) – vocals, lyrics

Review:

Outlaw Wyvern's debut album – Sun Floats Along The World – is a complex Post-Metal/Post-Rock opus with elements of jazz that does something different to the usual post-metal mix.

It does take a while to get going as the first track – Vipera – is an ambient based Post-Rock track that builds up to a slow paced finish that my test some listener's patience. As there isn't much in the way of heavy riffs just slow-paced post-rock vibes blended together with delicate jazz based passages.

Second track – Immercenary – has a a lot more life to it. Flashes of progressive post-metal riffs collide with huge explosions of noise with Polina's delicate vocals doing a stunning job of embracing both the light and darkness that this album contains.

These two tracks will tell you what to expect for the rest of the album. Epic songs that mix jazz, post-rock, ambient and post-metal to dramatic effect with a great deal of experimentation going on. It's not an easy album to listen to which is one of the albums strengths as it dares to be something different compared to the usual post-metal albums currently out there.

The albums 66 minute run time packs a lot of ideas that may take a few listens to get the full picture as it's epic in scope and nature. The band have taken a lot of influences from Neurosis style of sound especially on the excellent two part epic track – Colossus Part 1 and Part 2.

Sun Floats Along The World is a complex and progressive nightmarish world come to life. I applaud the band for doing something different though it will put off some listeners as it may have too many ideas for the casual listener to comprehend with. But this is still an excellent album to check out if you have the patience and time to venture with the Outlaw Wyvern.

You can buy the album from BandCamp now.

Check The Band From Links Below

Facebook

BandCamp

Written by Steve Howe