REVIEW: Born A Ghost, "“Stairway To An Empty Room” [EP]

By: Richard Maw
 
Album Type: EP
Date Released: 02/01/2023
Label: Independent

 
“Stairway To An Empty Room” DD track listing:
 
1). 43
2). Halls of Disrepair
3). Stairway To An Empty Room
4). When The Last Light Fades
 
The Review:
 
Twenty minutes of death doom with some post metal thrown in. That’s what you get here. But you also get more; there are synths (I assume?) and droning guitars. These guys are out of Tacoma, Washington and sound very bleak indeed. Their bio lists Cult of Luna and Neurosis as reference points, but I can certainly here some early Paradise Lost in here too- at least in terms of the bleakness and the kind of slow dm vibe.
 
This is, it almost goes without saying, very heavy stuff. Opener “43” is dynamic and dark- impossibly so, at times. “Halls of Disrepair” is just as weighty. The band have captured a pretty cool sound- a fair amount of dynamic twists and turns and layering of guitars. The experimental soundscape vibe is certainly Neurosis-esque and most welcome.
 
This EP rounds out with the title track and “As The Last Light Fades”. Again, both are in keeping with the blueprint established in the first half. This EP is weighty, full of despair and very, very good. If you like any of the bands mentioned here, definitely check this out.
 
“Stairway To An Empty Room” is available HERE 

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Hexis, "Aeternum"

By: Richard Maw
 
Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 26/08/2022
Label: Debemur Morti Productions

 
“Aeternum” CD//SS//DD//LP track listing:
 
1. Letum
2. Divinitas
3. Exhaurire
4. Interitus
5. Tacet
6. Accipis
7. Nunquam
8. Vulnera
9. Captivus
10. Memento
11. Amissus
12. Aeternum
 
The Review:
 
Copenhagen’s Hexis have clocked up over 800 gigs over their lifespan thus far- so hard touring seems to be part of their DNA. The rest of their DNA seems to be blackened hardcore- mixing the aggression of Agnostic Front with the sweeping wall of noise of, well, any number of Scandi-BM acts.
 
These Danes bring aggression and speed across the first two tracks and when “Letum” and “Divinitas” have given way, the dissonant and sinister tones of “Exhaurire” showcase another aspect of the band’s sound. Truthfully, it is the faster and sharper material that I gravitate towards here and there is no shortage of it; most songs clock in between one and a half and four minutes with only a handful extending this run time.
 
This is an album which sounds good- it’s clear and noisy/filthy at the same time. The post metal aspects of the band’s sound can be heard on tracks like “Vulnera”, while elsewhere the band bring weight as well as speed.
 
If you like the idea of blackened hardcore mixed with sludge and post metal elements, then this band is exactly the kind of band you might see on one of the stages at Damnation Festival that would rip the place apart. There is nothing wrong with this album at all and it is as fine an example of the melding of genres as I can think of. Vicious.
 
“Aeternum” is available HERE 

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Kollapse, "Sult"

 By: Peter Morsellino
 
Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 25/06/2021
Label: Fysisk Format | Dingleberry Records |
 Maniyax Records | Virkelighedsfjern

 

“Sult” DD//LP track listing:

1. Drift (05:18)
2. Knæler (06:00)
3. Drukner (07:41)
4. Byrd (05:24)
5. Libido (05:27)
6. Der Hvor Jeg Tænker Er Der Altid Mørkt (11:32)

The Review:

Kollapse’s “Sult” album is heavy as shit.  There is a lot more to it than that, but there it is.  If you enjoy heavy ass music, you’re going to want to check this out.  If you don’t like heavy music, well, let's chat about why you should listen to Kollapse anyway. 

This Danish trio comes together to create an enormous sound that is difficult to imagine coming from such a small troupe.  The sound is frankly massive.  It is layered, yet organic and has enough depth to warrant repeated listens to peel back each piece and examine a new facet of the sonic assault. 

While heavy grooves abound throughout “Sult”’s runtime, it is the highly emotive and thoughtful softer pieces that are speckled across the album that really create something special.  Songs like “Drukner” speak to a higher plain of music that welcomes the listener into its arms and engulfs them in the thick atmosphere of angst. 

“Sult” crafts an air of emotion and mystery around itself that can be difficult to decipher upon first listen.  This by no means should discourage listeners from giving it a shot.  The album sounds wonderful and provides more than enough material that the listener will want to return to, but repeated listens will allow for a better understanding and more appreciative listening experience.  This is one that the mind can really dwell on.  Give it a listen for sure.

“Sult” is available HERE

Band info: Facebook || Bandcamp || Instagram

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: Cult of Luna, "The Raging River" [EP]

By: Josh McIntyre

 

Album Type: EP

Date Released: 05/02/2021

Label: Red Crk Recordings

 

“The Raging River” CD//DD//LP track listing:

 

1). Three Bridges

2). What I Leave Behind

3). Inside of a Dream (feat. Mark Lanegan)

4). I Remember

5). Wave After Wave

 

The Review:

 

While listening to Cult of Luna’s “Salvation”, one of my favorite albums of all time, I had the sudden realization that the classic post-metal gem is nearly 17 years old now. I’ve closely followed this band evolve throughout the years into true veterans and masters at creating emotionally invigorating heavy metal. Sure my all time favorite LP might be old now but these Swedes are still quite active and continuously release critically acclaimed material. I feel that “The Raging River”, released more than two decades since the unit’s founding, is the apex of this feat.

 

I have to poke a bit of fun at calling “The Raging River” an EP even though it is 38 minutes in length but I suppose when you’re used to making 70+ minute monsters anything that can fit on a single 12” record would feel short. Each Cult of Luna release is truly its own journey; “The Raging River” is no exception. Songs tend to dirge and sway as they build up (or down), hypnotizing the listener in a way that feels like drifting on a river. While the current can shift between calming and tense it still flows nonetheless. It all feels connected.

               

There is nothing really ‘surprising’ here but that is far from a fault. We’ve come to expect Cult of Luna’s usage of ambience shifting into chunky guitars, the occasional and rather beautiful melody lines coming from either a guitar or keys, and the throaty growls that further remind us of the humanity behind the art. CoL has a method and they use it to near perfection. This is especially aided by what is some of the best production of any release of theirs. Purely from a sound quality perspective this EP sounds like an engineer’s dream. Every instrument, every piece of the music is crystal clear even when the band is at its most explosive. It is so much more invoking when the placement and purpose of every layer is apparent. It makes it so much more comforting to sit in the mist and explore its components, whether it’s the catchy groove of “Wave After Wave” that feels quite Can-ish or the uplifting soundscapes that come at the last section of “Three Bridges”. My one complaint is the middle track, “Inside of a Dream”, which features Mark Lanegan (of Screaming Trees fame). I can’t help but feel like a song that doesn’t evolve much musically, remaining a soft meander throughout, misses a chance to create a fully fleshed out post-metal piece with his distinctive baritone. In full honesty I was hoping for something more akin to his features on Earth’s “Primitive and Deadly” album with Mark’s full voice over roaring guitars. Instead it feels more like he was stuck on a functional interlude. However, one must not let that small loss distract from the other four brilliant tracks that absolutely stand up to the rest of the band’s discography.

 

“The Raging River” is the latest testament to the greatness of Cult of Luna. We’re over two decades into their career but whatever fire they have that is inspiring them is far from burning out. If anything we are lucky to be here to take part.

 

“The Raging River” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

VIDEO PREMIERE: Lares, "Catacomb Eyes"

Berlin- based, psych blackened doom metal unit, LARES, is set to release their sophomore album on June 26th with Argonauta Records. The four-piece collective, who formed in 2015, combines the elements of post-metal, psych doom, ambient prog-rock and black metal, while adding a unique flavour to their heavily crushing sound. After LARES' critically acclaimed, 2017- debut, followed by an extensive live schedule, the band has been hard at work on their second album titled “Towards Nothingness”. The album has been once again recorded by Jan Oberg (EarthShip/Grin) at the Hidden Planet Studio in Berlin and was mastered by Audiosiege in Portland, OR.  Today were excited to debut the video for the track “Catacomb Eyes”, which you can check out below.  Preorders for the album are being take HERE

Band info: facebook || bandcamp

ALBUM PREMIERE: Unburnt, "Procession"

At the border of several worlds, today’s SLUDGELORD debutant’s Unburnt, play unconventional music, that has the perfect of balance of emotion and brutality. Coming across like a cross-pollination or hybrid of sounds that borrow richly from heavyweights like Neurosis, Unfold or The Ocean, their compositions feel completely organic, the lyrics are poetic metaphors inspired by an intimate experience and taken through the filter of esotericism. 

You can now stream Unburnt’s new album “Procession” below.  Order being taken HERE 

Unburnt · Procession

ALBUM PREMIERE: Holden, "Ursa Minor"

Today’s SLUDGELORD debutants Holden are uncompromising in their vision, be-holden to absolutely no-one, and with their debut album “Ursa Minor”,  they take the atmospheric touch of ISIS, pollinate it with the prog freneticism of “Blood Mountain”-era Mastodon, and finally mix it in melting pot with the bludgeoning heaviness of Conan and High on Fire. The result of which is an enthralling diamond of a listen and you can get your first taste with the premiere of album in full below

TRACK PREMIERE: LA based Keverra deliver heavy as balls new single "Albion"

KEVERRA are a Los Angeles-based trio that formed in 2018, whose sound, while based in metal, takes strong influence from punk, post-punk, and noise rock. Their line-up includes current/ex-members of Southern California dirgers -(16)- and Goatsnake.

The trio recorded their self-titled debut album with Chicago-based producer/engineer Sanford Parker (Mirrors for Psychic Warfare, Buried at Sea.) A master at capturing bands at their most visceral and raw form, this album is no exception! Shockingly aggressive, heavy as balls, and vicious to the core, KEVERRA are about to tear the world a new one and today you check out a brand track
“Albion” below.

In regard to the single the band states, "The title 'Albion' was inspired by the Kenneth Patchen book, 'The Journal of Albion Moonlight'. The song 'Albion' is about a mind at war within a society at war." Preorders are being taken HERE

Band info: facebook || bandcamp

ALBUM REVIEW: Homecoming, "LP01"

By: Peter Morsellino 

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 01/12/2019

Label: Independent

“LP01” CD//DD track listing:

1). Planeswalker

2). Rivers of Crystal

3). Interlude

4). Return

5). Five

The Review:

I'm not one to stand up and shout against the oppression of genre based music in metal. Genres serve their purpose, allowing us to neatly organize and place artists we'll want to listen to together tidily. Sometimes it's nice for things to fit well into a box. Still though, there is something to be said for those few artists that truly cannot be labeled. A band so diverse in its offerings that it simply cannot fit neatly into any of those boxes. Homecoming place themselves firmly into this category.

With tonal notes falling in every far corner of the musical spectrum,”LP-01” is certain to have something for everyone.  These three folks come together in what can only be described as perfect harmony.  Mixing elements of Stoner Rock and Technical Death Metal from members previous projects, Homecoming is an interesting little experiment in the collision of musical worlds. 

Guitars reach from tripped out acid riffs to full on metal mayhem with sneaky hints of jazzy melodies and chicken picked twang strewn throughout for good measure. Drums are masterfully crafted throughout these five tracks, fluidly shifting from destructive blast beats to swinging grooves.  A highlight of the album for sure, this is one of the most talented and eclectic drummers I've heard in a very long time.  A very musical bass sits comfortably in the mix, admirably holding down the low end and providing a very solid ground for the rest of the band to stand on.

Opening track “Planeswalker” offers up some beautiful diversity,  serving as the perfect thesis for what is to come.  With rocking riffs and soaring vocal melodies, this one is sure to satisfy any desert rocker while providing without pigeon holding itself into any one category.  Harder hitting while still well rounded is “Rivers of Crystal”, really showcasing the eclectic grooves in the drum work.  An instrumental interlude comes next, offering what I will only describe as the single greatest track in the long and inconsistent history if songs named “Interlude”. “Return” leans a bit heavier into desert rock, though with a band this diverse that is an admittedly trivial classification. Putting the vocal range on display, “Return” let's every member really spread out, to wonderful effect. The album closes out with the perfect conclusion in “Five”. An all-out jam with heavy riffs, Pink Floyd style leads and a sound that plays hopscotch with genre boundaries.

The debut album from this French trio offers up a taste of what I'm sure will be an amazing career. With such a wide array of sonic variations presented on “LP-01”, I honestly cannot imagine what will come next from Homecoming, but I sure can't wait to find out.

“LP01” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

VIDEO PREMIERE: Redwood Hill debut mesmerising new track "Polar"

For all Redwood Hill fans out there, the new decade heralds the long-awaited announcement of a brand new album.   Entitled “Ender” the Danish post metal / hardcore ensemble's new album includes all the band’s trademarks.  With a sound firmly rooted in the post-metal genre, they sound heavily influenced in the vocal and mood department by black metal. It's a great atmospheric mix, conveying feelings of despair, isolation and depression but not without leaving the listener with a glimpse of hope in the midst of the sombre musical and lyrical landscape.

You can check out the track “Polar” below taken from the album as well as a personal message on track from the band.  As the band states, the track is massive, harrowing and beautiful.  Judge for yourself 

Polar entirely encompasses what we try to achieve as a band. All the elements are there: A fragile guitar intro abruptly shattered by a demolishing and brutal wall of sound leading into the chorus. A droning passage featuring a melodic and harrowing instrumental composition which transitions into the final chorus and snarling outro. Polar is the second song written for Ender, with a first rough draft realized in late 2014, early 2015. It is not the most complicated and involved track on Ender but It’s very Redwood Hill; Massive, harrowing and beautiful.

Band info: facebook || bandcamp

ALBUM REVIEW: Lethvm, "Acedia"

By: Peter Morsellino

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 10/10/2019

Label: Dunk! Records

“Acedia” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Fatigue

2). Ananke

3). Grey

4). Podavlennost

5). Oratio

6). Schisme

7). Acedia

The Review:

I think that many times, in the world of heavy music, anger and aggression take center stage. The power and force behind our beloved genre is taken for machismo and bravado. We are a misunderstood bunch, us metal fans. But we know the truth. We can hear between those notes and get to the raw emotion that this music is trying to convey. What's more, when done right, we can feel that emotion.

Lethvm's sound on “Acedia” is complex. There is a lot going on, to say the absolute least. Upon first listen, I knew that I liked it, but it took many more to feel that I truly got it. A wide array of clashing genres are at play here, ranging from grinding sludge to haunting ambience, with a folk influence poking its head in at times in harsh contrast to an overarching post hardcore. It's a complicated mix, but one that is very worth the listener's time to sort through and decipher.

The guitar sound on this album is crisp and driving, cutting through the mix like a well sharpened blade. The low end is hard yet elegant, never overstepping its bounds, never becoming overbearing. The drums are skull crushing, the piano and synthesizers are dreamy, but the standout sound you are about to hear is the vocals.

While at times settling into the commonplace bark and growl of hardcore and death metal, the main sound showcased on this album is the anguished wail that floats atop the better part of the album. I won't lie; these vocals won't be for everyone. But I think they provide something more than a guttural shout can, emotionally. These are primal. The cries of the damned. They don't sound cool and no one is trying to make them. These are real. Every time the voice cracks and breaks, it can be felt deep within the soul. A recently defunct Edmonton Screamo outfit called I Hate Sex utilized this same technique to great effect. Maybe my previous acclimation to them primed me for Lethvm, maybe I have acquired the necessary taste. But please, dear reader, do not let this difficulty turn you away. Take the time to listen. In time their purpose will become clear, and you will love it.

With their fourth album, “Acedia”, this Belgian four piece takes us on an emotional journey. This music does not convey anguish, but embodies it fully. Every labored scream pull firmly on the listener's heartstrings, creating a shared experience that cannot be overvalued in an increasingly impersonal world. This band does not tell you. They show you, and show you well.

“Acedia” is available HERE

Band info: Bandcamp || Facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Canopy, "Humanity Loss"

By: Peter Morsellino 

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 31/01/2020

Label: Independent

“Humanity Loss” DD track listing:

1). Intrusion

2). Hostile Architecture I

3). Hostile Architecture II

4). Exigent Weight

5). No Cure

6). Adrenochrome

The Review: 

The fourth release by Atlanta's Canopy is coming, and if you're not ready for it, it will destroy you.  This thing is crushing, not just in its brutal riffing, but in its dense, foreboding atmosphere.  This is a visceral, unforgiving listening experience.  Prepare yourself for “Humanity Loss”. 

The album begins perfectly with “Intrusion”, an ambient collage of dark undulating tones and melancholic guitars that descend into swirls of chaotic feedback and panicked screams. I'm not usually a huge fan of this type of introductory track, but here it serves an absolutely necessary purpose. It's a warning, a disclaimer. Shit is about to get real, and it doesn't take long for it to begin. 

“Intrusion” feeds directly into “Hostile Architecture l & ll”, creating a suite of devastating emotional destruction. The atmospheres don't quit, keeping you wrapped in a nightmare world that you fear you may never awaken, while the band alternates between trying to break skulls and lull you to sleep. It is as beautiful as it is ugly, as hopeless as it is powerful. These three songs will fill you with such a wondrous dread, it may in fact creep into your outside world. 

Canopy doesn't lighten up its grip on you at any point of this album.  “Exigent Weight” is a hypnotizing blur with some fight riffs that will tear you apart.  “No Cure” brings you down to your absolute emotional core, with a depressive tone that strips away all hope. 

The album closes out with the dark epic “Adrenochrome”.  Pained vocals tear through a dreamscape of crushing riffs and pounding drums. The melodic guitars on this track are a particular standout, calling back to the melancholy picking of the introduction.  The atmosphere is black as night. It is a goddamn masterpiece. 

I take back what I said earlier in this review. You cannot prepare yourself for the onslaught that is “Humanity Loss”. This album will destroy you, and I doubt there is anything you can do about it.  It will lay atop you like a hag, boring deep into your soul with its crushing weight.  And if you're anything like me, you will love every single second of it.

“Humanity Loss” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Dead Cosmonauts, "We Sent Fragile Creatures to the Heavens But Not All of Them Perished"

By: Peter Morsellino 

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released:21/01/2020

Label: Independent

“We Sent Fragile Creatures to the Heavens But Not All of Them Perished” DD track listing:

1). We sent fragile creatures to the heavens but not all of them perished.

2). "Is it not worthy of tears​,​" he said, "that, when the number of worlds is infinite, we have not yet become lords of a single one​?​"

3). I looked and I looked but I didn’t see God.

The Review:

It would be hard to describe this album in any simple terms. A mass of writhing, undulating sound sits before you that changes fluidly and often. The best way would be to describe what the album strives to accomplish. Dead Cosmonauts use this new release to test boundaries. To break down walls. To challenge ideas. This album is idiosyncratic.  This is album is an exercise in dissonant beauty. This is perfection.

"We Sent Fragile Creatures to the Heavens But Not All of Them Perished" is only three songs, of comparatively short length for the Post Metal genre. But Dead Cosmonauts uses their time wisely. No riff stretches beyond comfort, no section overstaying its welcome. The expertly crafted songs flow with the grace of the wind. It is a very natural sounding album. 

The album opens with a very progressive, jazz like collage of dissonance.  The melodies are complex, the beats technical. There is a lot going on, and at times this one can be a bit overwhelming.  Overall though, in a section of metal often maligned for its elitism, it is very easy to keep up with after listening a time or two. 

The second track is where the walls really begin to come down. This is Post Metal for everyone. Gone is the better than thou higher educated barrier keeping the common man out. This is a sludgy romp that maintains its technicality without an ounce of pretentiousness.

The closing number (I'm not using track names for obvious reasons) is a beautifully crafted piece full of emotion. Every instrument shines in its own way, with sections seemingly crafted to highlight each one before they all come together into a fist pumping crescendo. 

Gone are the days of Post Metal being the Intelligent Dance Music of the rock world. Dead Cosmonauts brings together a product that can be consumed with ease, without sacrificing the fundamental high concept of the genre. This is not one to miss. 

“We Sent Fragile Creatures to the Heavens But Not All of Them Perished” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook