And so the re-revolution continues as yet another psych band sets their controls for the heart of...well, you know where. Only this time it is a little bit different and more rooted in the California sunrise acid of the late 60's rather than this newfangled “new psych” scene. Yes, Strangers Family Band could very well be a throwback to those heady days of Monterey Pop and Fillmore East.

Take ‘Cosmic Wine’ with its phased guitars and spaced out vocals. It's naggingly familiar as visions of the Lizard King tap at your brain. It's hardly a homage though as there is a lot going on here and it is all rather good. Strangely a mix of 90's psych appears now and again giving it a disconcerted feeling.

This is accentuated by the childish drug reference titles of ‘Elle S Dee’ and ‘Mary Jane’ which beg to be ripped from a sixth form stoner's notebook. Fortunately the former works out well and even threatens to go down the Grateful Dead route with it's off kilter jam section. This bodes well for an intriguing live band where the songs could be spread out from their origins.

There is a groove running through this album as ‘Mary Jane’ sways with the best of them and a lysergic thrill is added giving it a rather colourful aspect. Throw in ‘Moonberry Jell Jam’, which could possibly be the best drug ever if it existed, and you have a fairground ride of 60's psych reaching out to grab your mind. Its fun while it lasts and hopefully there will be more.

So not a bad album at all. A little disjointed but some very nice ideas running through it. Once The Strangers Family Band have thrown off some of the more Doorsian tropes and perhaps become a real commune then we could be in for a treat. A welcome addition to a stuffed psych box.

The Mountain. Interesting title, especially for me as I am an enthusiastic cyclist who every year during his holidays in the Alps tries to conquer as many mountains as possible (of course with ‘natural power’ on my bike). But that’s not the theme that London based prog-orchestra Haken had in mind when writing and recording their already 3rd album called The Mountain albeit…there a certainly elements in this story about ‘Life as a journey’ that apply to climbing to the top of the mountain on your bike as well. The Mountain is a very personal theme that can relate to anybody’s life experience. Listening to their top notch musicianship one would believe that these guys must have been together for ages but it took Haken just a short period of 4 years to have the absolute summit of the progressive rock- and metal world within reach.

Having released already 2 superb albums Aquarius (2010) and Visions (2011) and touring, playing with almost every top act in the genre, from Dream Theater to IQ and from Jon Oliva’s Pain to Hawkwind, the guys from London are now back with another stunning and breathtaking rollercoaster ride through countless musical styles and influences. In fact with a bit of fantasy you could explain The Mountain also as the pile of bands and influences Haken stapled together to form something shaped like a mountain and wherein Haken carved out a road to the top for themselves.

Progressive rock and metal are the solid base for this structure but as we get to know on their previous albums Haken likes to spice things up with jazzy, folky, avant-gardish (or weird) sounding interludes and that’s certainly the case on The Mountain. But the main, striking element on this 3rd album are the vocal harmonizations in the style of the sadly much overlooked Gentle Giant from the far seventies. The Shulman brother’s a cappella vocal parts will surely frown many young listeners. The bouncing, odd and quirky vocals are an effective tool of dramatizing the story told, something only Spock’s Beard occasionally did as well. And here it’s vocalist Ross Jennings who does the job completely by himself, hats off! I’m only wondering how they will bring these parts live.

Let’s have a closer look on the individual tracks then. ‘The Path’ starts the journey quietly with piano, strings and the soft vocals of Ross introducing the spiritual theme of The Mountain. This introspective introduction is a fine opener for the first big track ‘Atlas Stone’, a quirky piece that really starts off like an old IQ song. The guitar parts are very similar to Mike Holmes and even the vocals touches the distinct style of Peter Nicholls. But Haken quickly evolves this track taking bombastic choirs and even some funky elements into the whole, blending the different styles seamlessly.

‘Cockroach King’ is the first of 4 absolute epics on this album and it features for the first time explicitly the Gentle Giant influence: the brilliantly a cappella vocals. This is always a joy to listen to and Haken really pays tribute to this paradigmatic band. But there is much more to enjoy in this track in which the band members show-off their musicianship: progmetal riffs with a lot of twists, jazzy interludes, you name it. Complex time signatures? No problem. This challenging piece of music will for sure impress and disorientate many listeners.

‘In Memoriam’ is a relatively short song but despite the title it’s still quite heavy and has a great melodic hook. It reminds me of Spock’s Beard. The metal riffing, the GG vocals, it’s again perfectly embedded. ‘Because It’s Here’ brings back the lyrical theme of The Path: spirituality. Again a slow, atmospheric intro with impressive choir vocals by Ross. The second part of the song brings us a ballad in which some electronic produced sounds are used. Well done.

‘Falling Back To Earth’ is the longest piece on the album, the central part, clocking almost 12 minutes. In this musical whirlwind the number of influences is countless and it’s unbelievable how Haken manages to mix these together in one smooth, captivating piece of music. I found traces of Beardfish, The Mars Volta, King Crimson, The Flower Kings, Threshold, Dream Theater and Porcupine Tree. But just listen to it and you will discover more for sure. Awesome!

‘As Death Embraces’ is a deserved counter part with piano and emotional vocals, a beautiful contemplating song in which goosebumps are assured. It gives us room for another epic ‘Pareidolia’ (the psychological phenomenon of seeing ‘faces on the moon’ of hearing hidden messages when played backwards) another arduous but rewarding composition: technical proficiency meets intelligent song arrangements. Eastern influences shine through and as far as blending other bands/artist I would say this one has hints of Pain Of Salvation and Steven Wilson. ‘Somebody’ closes off the ‘Journey of Life’ and does this once more impressively. The band clearly slows down and concentrates on a atmospheric, almost ethereal mood in the vein of Anathema.

Haken keeps on growing and with their 3rd album The Mountain it is obvious that they are very near the solitary peak in their business. It was for sure a ‘hell of a ride’ to get where they are now but, to stay in the central theme, I hope that Haken has fully enjoyed this journey so far. For us listeners I hope that the guys will take a little detour before reaching the summit, because ‘what goes up must come down’.

Many years ago, a pretty famous author once borrowed a quote from a Scottish poet about how the best laid plans of people and rodents oft go to complete and utter shit to title his pretty famous book. Obviously, I’m loosely paraphrasing that quote, but “plans going to shit” seemed to be the theme of the night at Great Scott in Allston, MA on August 14, and we wound up better off because of it.

Great Scott was originally supposed to host Ancient VVisdom and The Saint James Society, with support from local doom quartet Second Grave. However, due to a family emergency, Ancient VVisdom had to drop off the tour partway through. Then, on the day of the show, The Saint James Society’s van broke down in Brooklyn, and they were unable to make the trek northeast.

Boston-based psychedelic doom trio Elder were originally supposed to be on hiatus, as vocalist/guitarist Nick DiSalvo will be spending the next year in Germany. Their originally-planned last performance was supposed to be at the Something Bloody festival in Providence, RI. However, they were offered the headlining spot after Ancient VVisdom’s cancellation, and their fans got one more chance to bid them farewell. Meanwhile, the members of Rozamov were each in the middle of otherwise uneventful evenings, when they were asked to fill in for The Saint James Society only hours before the show; as vocalist/guitarist Matt Iacovelli put it, “An hour ago I was sitting on the couch watching Jeopardy, and now I’m here.”

And the crazy thing is that the bill was improved by the chaos. I only recently checked out The Saint James Society as research for this review – I hadn’t even heard them going into the show – and I quite enjoy their brand of dirty-but-atmospheric psychedelic rock that reminds me of a darker Black Angels. However, Rozamov’s blend of riffy, high-intensity sludge metal is just as good – if not better – and arguably fits better on the bill anyway. Ancient VVisdom, meanwhile, have never impressed me, and had the tour proceeded as normal I would have skipped this show. While I wish the switch could have happened under less unfortunate circumstances, replacing them with Elder takes this bill from a skippable show to a high-priority one, especially with Elder’s impending hiatus.

The only negative about the gig was the location. I’m not referring to the venue; Great Scott, while small, has pretty good sound for the room and a decent selection of beer on tap, so they’re perfectly fine in my book. The venue, however, is located right on Commonwealth Avenue in Allston (right outside of Boston), meaning insane traffic and very little available parking. My cousin, his girlfriend, and I were driving in circles up and down Commonwealth Ave, occasionally finding an open space only for our hopes to shatter upon the discovery that it was reserved for residents only. We eventually found an open space in front of small liquor store a relatively short walk from the venue.

Rozamov I had seen once before at the Silk City Tap Room in Florence, MA, on a bill that also included Elder, and was rounded out by Vaporizer and Black Pyramid. The two things that stuck out the most for me from that first performance were the sound of bassist/vocalist Tom Corino’s Rickenbacker bass played through a Sunn head (borrowed from Elder bassist Jack Donovan), and the sound of guitarist Liz Walshak’s expensive-looking Les Paul played through a vintage Ampeg. Both sounds were fantastic, and Liz in particular could lay claim to having the most crushing guitar tone of the night. This time around, Liz used an SG, and Tom played through his own Orange head (albeit through an Ampeg 8x10 borrowed from Gein of Second Grave, rather than his own Emperor 2x15), but both still sounded fantastic. They played through the majority of their material, opening with ‘Empty Sky’ and ‘Of Gods and Flesh’ from their recently-released Of Gods and Flesh EP, continuing into ‘Cryostasis’ (which was dedicated to Nick DiSalvo) and ‘Woman of Fire/Red Giant’ from their self-titled EP, before closing with the other two songs from Of Gods and Flesh in ‘Shadow of the Vulture’ and ‘Famine.’

Rozamov

‘Of Gods and Flesh’ and ‘Cryostasis’ were the standout songs by virtue of being my favorite Rozamov songs, but their entire set of energetic sludgy goodness was on-point and vicious as fuck. In conversing with some of the members after the gig, they mentioned that they were dissatisfied with their performance at Silk City where I first encountered them, and while I disagree about the quality of that first performance, which I enjoyed very much, this one was certainly more intense; the sound was sharper, the vocals were angrier, and the performances tighter. Despite the extreme last-minute nature of their appearance, they showed up ready to destroy, and destroy they did.

(On a side note, I ran into Liz at a Kylesa/Blood Ceremony show at the Middle East a few weeks ago, and very rudely ordered her to bring Rozamov back to western Massachusetts. While I was very happy to see them perform again, they’re still not off the hook. If anything, the quality of their performance makes their return an even more urgent priority.)

Second Grave, who I’ve been meaning to write about for Ech(((o)))es and Dust for some time, contain some important people from the Massachusetts doom scene. Vocalist Krista Van Guilder was a founding member of Warhorse and performed on their earliest material, and if you’re familiar with Black Pyramid (whose newest album I reviewed) or The Scimitar (whose gig at Silk City with Titanis and Birch Hill Dam I reviewed), you’ll recognize the name of bassist Dave Gein. Their setlist was, to my best recollection, the same as the last time I saw them live (Ralph’s Diner in Worcester, with The Scimitar, Birch Hill Dam, Gozu, and Lo Pan), opening and closing with newer songs ‘Mourning Light’ and ‘Drink the Water’ respectively, with ‘Mountains of Madness,’ ‘Covet,’ and ‘Soul Extinction’ from their self-titled EP sandwiched in between.

Second Grave

Second Grave’s particular brand of doom metal is more traditional than the aggressive, stonery sounds of Black Pyramid or the slow, crushingly-massive sludge of Warhorse, with elements of Candlemass, St. Vitus, and Type O Negative poking through (and Black Sabbath, but they’re a doom band so you knew that already). It’s difficult to pick a favorite moment when the band’s set is only five songs long – especially when each of those five songs kick ass – but they did announce that vinyl release of new material including ‘Drink the Water’ (and presumably ‘Mourning Light’ as well) is forthcoming. Needless to say, I am very much looking forward to it, and I expect this band to make a pretty big splash in the near future.

And so we come to the headliner and guests of honor. Of all the incredible bands making music in the New England area, Elder stand above them all for the sole reason that there is no one else anywhere making music like them. The psychedelic, beautifully melodic stoner doom of Dead Roots Stirring and the Spires Burn/Release EP forms at the intersection of Sleep, Baroness, Colour Haze, and Red-era King Crimson. My first live encounter with them (at the afore-mentioned show with Black Pyramid, Vaporizer, and Rozamov) was fantastic, and this was even better, as the energy on stage and in the room was (for obvious reasons) ramped up well past eleven. Furthermore, their setlist was comprised of my favorite Elder songs (with the exception of one new one that I will address later), opening with ‘Dead Roots Stirring’ (my cousin’s favorite Elder song), continuing with ‘The End’ and the new song, and closing with ‘Release’ (MY favorite Elder song, at least for the time being) before the crowd demanded one more and got ‘Spires Burn’ out of it. Just about the only way to improve that set is to make it longer; on any given day I might argue for replacing ‘The End’ with ‘Gemini’ or ‘Riddle of Steel,’ but fuck it, it’s Elder and it’s all fantastic.

The new song, however, was possibly the best thing I heard all night. I approached Nick after the set and asked him for details, and found out that:

1. The song doesn’t have a title yet

2. The song isn’t even completely written (but they’re playing it anyway because it’s fun, and I don’t blame them)

3. The finished product will likely be in the 20-minute range and will probably be the centerpiece of their next album.

Elder

It’s the proggiest I’ve ever heard Elder get (I originally thought it was two different songs, until Jack corrected me), and was full of all of the elegant melodic goodness I’ve come to expect from the band. If the yet-to-be-written parts of the song turn out to be as awesome as the parts they performed here, then we’re looking at something mind-blowing. I’m a sucker for extra-long progressive pieces, and the prospect of Elder tackling such an effort (not that their normal output is short) is exhilarating.

The gods themselves could not have planned a better send-off for the band. While the events that brought us this bill were unlucky on one end and tragic on the other, the fans at Great Scott were treated to a memorable night full of killer performances, and the folks in Elder were able to end it (at least temporarily) on a high note. And, based on the new stuff they played, they have the potential to reach even higher upon their return.

Thank you, Elder, and good luck, Nick.

All photos courtesy of JJ Koczan at The Obelisk, who also reviewed this show. 

Taking time out from The Heads, singer and chief songwriter Simon Price has created some head music of his own with this new release from his side project Kandodo. This could very well be the sound of a boffin in his studio playing around with his new tunes as he takes us on a journey into his mind but truth is, there is a lot more to it than that.

Not that you would think that from listening to the tracks singularly but thank heavens for prog and psych in keeping the album dream alive. K20 needs to be listened loud, on headphones in one sitting to get the required effect and when it works it is utterly fantastic.

Starting with the slight ‘Slowah’, things get moving with second track ‘Grace And’ which creates a dreamy moodscape with disembodied voices talking of Elvis' Graceland. Whether this is some sort of weird Americana roadtrip or just some random pieces of nonsense, it helps develop an ambience which doesn't lift for the rest of the album.

Some of it doesn't work. The 13 minutes of ‘Kandy Rock Mountain’ which serves as the centrepiece of the album may enable a sort of drift in the mind but when you dissect it you realise that it is just one long drone. Not the stuff excitement is made of but it does serve a purpose in the long run as we are lifted out of our stupor to a full on transcendent finish with ‘Swim Into The Sun’.

It's a stimulated end to an album built on ambient noises and creates a sort of full circle to what has gone before. Head music which makes you leave your head if you like and forget about the world you are in. And isn't that what psych is all about, breaking down the boundaries of reality.

Most interesting is that while this may have been done before by the likes of The Orb, Price uses organic instruments as well as electronica to create something new yet still sort of retro. Part of the fun is trying to work out what is being played at certain points. The other part is losing your mind.

At the end of this album Will Schwartz sings about the thing he would like to do before he gets old. It's strange to hear him sing it as although the songs are very dreamy, there is a life spark here which lifts New Haircut to levels of sheer delight. Although very short, most songs clock in around the two and a half minute time, it is an absolute pleasure to spend some time with Will.

There is an undercurrent of Cosmic Americana here which the rest of the country aren't picking up on yet. Lo-fi yet not the scratchy though, this is the porch folk embodied in Springsteen's Nebraska but with a much happy ending. Look at Kurt Vile, Phosphorescent, Mark Mucahly and you can see a line being drawn.

Enough of them though and on to Will Schwartz.. ‘Strangers’ sets the scene with its sole acoustic and you can almost hear the porch swinging. A disarming voice which is both young and old at the same time ushers in tales of love, sailors and whatever else you can make out. Bring in the slide guitar and a dash of blues for ‘Action’ and we are ensconced in the Deep South where fireflies light up the sky. Poetic and thoughtful, but always with a cheery edge.

‘The Sea’ creates a warm, fuzzy feeling which you can only achieve on those late night/early morning moments but it's never dreary and it never gets boring considering it's simply one man and his guitar. Call it acid folk or whatever you want, it's simply great music.

This is one of those albums that catches you completely off guard and takes the wind out of you. By the end as you too are pondering what you would like to do before you get older, you find yourself yearning for more. And perhaps that is Schwartz greatest strength, knowing that he can keep you waiting for more. Please let there be more soon.

And so we have the latest solo offering from James LaBrie in the form of Impermanent Resonance. Again written with long-time writing partner Matt Guillory this album pretty much picks up where 2010’s Static Impulse left off. If you are expecting the kind of tunes that he is known for with his other band you’re going to be either disappointed or happy depending on your point of view. This is much more to the point, more direct and much, much heavier.

‘Agony’ is not so much an opening track as a rallying cry; a statement of intent. It’s slaps you in the face and yells at you to sit up straight when you are in its presence. Guitarist Marco Sfogli unleashes a riff so heavy and twisty that for a second you check to see that you have indeed pressed play on a LaBrie solo album. Where are the widdly 38 minute keyboard and guitar “duets”?!?!? Much like the rest of his solo work, LaBrie prefers a more direct and immediate approach to his solo tunes.

But fear not prog fans!!! All is not lost. There are still plenty of keyboards and time changes across this album to make even the most analytical beard stroker smile. Guillory and LaBrie know their prog rules and also know how to utilise the unbelievable skills of drummer Peter Wildoer, who even adds some vocals to this album in the form of some remarkable guttural screams. Although probably not at the same time. There is an immediacy to the whole of this album that might surprise some people and a melodic edge that shows there’s more than one strong to LaBrie’s bow.

If I may address something that divides a number of people (DT fans or not): LaBrie’s voice. Much has been said/written about his voice over the years. It’s a kind of musical Marmite really. In fact, in my much younger (and less musically experienced) years I was put off Dream Theater because of the vocals. On the last Dream Theater album, LaBrie showed considerably more restraint in his vocal range and delivery. There was less top end wailing and a much more fuller rounded mid-range vocal delivery. This continues here, James use much more of his lower and mid registers to impressive results. So if you’re put off by the operatic side of his work it’s not as present here. And this is in the music’s favour.

This album is peppered with riffs heavier than granite, moments of tenderness (‘Say You’re Still Mine’) and downright awesomeness (‘I Will Not Break’). There really is something here for both metal and prog fans alike. And with the new Dream Theater album arriving in September, this record will not only please fans but will show new fans that there is more to James LaBrie than people think.

I chose to review Surrogate’s Post-Heroic for a couple of reasons: One, my auntie went to Chico State University here in California (and she even graduated!), and two, I am from California (although that top half and this bottom half might as well be different planets, they are so different).

And actually, there is a 3rd reason: The submission for review to Echoes and Dust had a photograph of the band attached, and Daniel (bass, beverages and drums) referred to himself as ‘the bearded creep at the far right’ of the photo. Do you know how many times I have been called, or called myself, a bearded creep? Sympatico, man, totally sympatico.

Based on all the above factors, I hopped on over to Surrogate’s Bandcamp page and fired up ‘Post-Heroic’, the band’s 4th studio record according to their bio (which I found helpful more than once while writing this).

The bio explains that Surrogate is a slimmed-down quartet these days, and that each member of the band took turns on the drum kit. Since I’m not familiar with the band, and just started listening to them, like, yesterday, I want to know this: How many members were there before and what happened to them? No, I really don’t want to know, because from what I’ve heard so far, four is more than enough to make a pretty damn good Indie pop record. To have made the album from ‘pretty deep in the college ghetto [here in Chico]’, well, that’s bonus goodness!

First Impressions: There is an interesting density to the guitars, overlaying the synth (sounds like an old Casio from the 80s!). Vocally, it’s a good mix of a slightly nasally Beach Boys (especially on the eponymous second track) and Band of Horses, both gold stars for me. As with many good records, there is nothing groundbreaking here, but the arrangements are tight and the melodies are interesting.

One thing in the minus column is that in their bio, they mention Nada Surf as an influence, and I have a personal bias against their one song (‘Popular’) that ever got any airplay here in San Diego (on one of our many ‘alternative’ radio stations). Admittedly, this is thin and flimsy, but I have so be critical at some point, otherwise I just sound like a fanboy.

The only other thing that I can’t say I really love about ‘Post-Heroic’ is the sometimes-overpowering cymbals. At first, I thought it might be the recording or the fact that I was streaming the album while listening that made them so prominent in the sonic-sphere. Then, I figured it was my shitty work headphones (I mostly listen to music at work on shitty headphones), but alas, there is just a little too much cymbal for me a few times.

Surrogate are pretty versatile, running the gamut from the jaunty Nerd-Indie of ‘Blank Page’ and ‘Belongings’, to the ethereally dreamy (ala Miracle Legion or Death Cab) of ‘Accolades’. There’s even a slightly tougher, bluesy number called ‘Battleground, Washington’, which is one of my favourites thus far; This might be because it reminds me a bit of one of my perennial favourite bands, Dredg, in a couple of spots.

The jangly, twangy Americana of ‘Lovers’ sort of belies the lyrical content - sounds a lot to me like a story of the odyssey from new love to established love, to routine and all the good and bad and indifferent that comes with that. This track has some good, catchy guitar riffing on it, with an almost banjo feel to it.

The rest of the album’s tracks are equally good and interesting, with more of the same varied and diverse styles and influences, and there’s something for everyone on ‘Post-Heroic’ - Shoegaze, folk-pop, Hammond organ - and I am really happy that I stepped out of my Post-rock, Post-Punk, Post-prog preference bubble and picked this album to review. It’s a refreshing listen for the most part, and aside from stuff that I already mentioned, there is nothing on this record that I don’t consider pretty good. You can find it on Bandcamp, and even on that one music site that infamously pays shit to the artists, the one beginning with ‘s’ and ending with ‘otify’.

Step outside your own box, if you have one, and give Surrogate’s Post-Heroic a listen!

Wreck and Reference came together in 2011 and are a Californian two-piece who have armed themselves with drums and a sampler (of limited capabilities). Multi-instrumentalist Felix Skinner and drummer Ignat Frege have set out on No Content (C̶o̶n̶t̶e̶n̶t̶) to create two songs which are both fascinating and indisputably dissimilar to most other genres of music that you may have heard before. The fact there are confines to the instrumentation (no guitar or bass lines) means that the inventiveness of the band is showcased. Without question Wreck and Reference generate more discord in these couple of tracks than most groups can assemble in their entire existence. The closest comparison I could make was to Godflesh, with their nerve jarring, sinew tearing blast of concentrated pure energy, perhaps mingled with a touch of electronic terror as dispensed by bands such as Necro Deathmort. At times the tracks also nod towards Swans proclivity to corrosively plod away and the relentless drive of Neurosis.

This release is a follow-up to Black Cassette and their debut full-length No Youth and with No Content the band shows no great desire to evolve; but that’s not a criticism.

The churning melancholy that is ‘Absurdities and Echoes’, kicks off proceedings. This is full of low echoing pitches which drone and contrast against the iridescent melodic blasts of synth. ‘Abhorrence’, which clocks in at less than three minutes is next and has harsh and more pronounced vocals slowly building as the track proceeds.

In summary, in six minutes Wreck and Reference treat you to at least half a dozen different musical genres full of aural madness and deformed controlled anger. Get yourself over to their Bandcamp site and buy some of their material for whatever you feel is an acceptable amount of money. Also follow them on facebook while you’re at it.

Music soldiers, if you are looking for an album to blow your mind I’ve something for you. It comes from Sydney, Australia, and it’s called SEIMS. Don’t know it yet? Well, SEIMS is the debut album of Simeon Bartholomew and SEIMS is also the name of his solo alternative, experimental and math-rock music project. Before listening to this album I starting reading something about this, for me new, artist and his motto caught my attention: “If everything is the same, then everything is boring”. I therefore started thinking about that and I cannot disagree with him. This statement has a lot in it. Just think about it!

As you start listening to SEIMS the first thing you'll notice about this album is the continuous change in the rhythm section. There's no risk of feeling bored; you’ll be captured by the pursuing rhythm. Music is your personal experience and SEIMS can be just what you want. Each song will be shaped by your mood and your want. Just you, the music and your feelings. Let’s press play.

SEIMS is a collection of 14 gems for a journey lasting a bit more of 40 minutes, less than 1 hour but you are going to lose the time perception. The only problem I had was with the song titles! ‘TRNSMSSN’ opens up the album with an awesome guitar riff and the song itself gives you the idea of the album. There are so many changes in the rhythm that we can consider this song as the resume of the whole album sounds. Gorgeous stuff.

‘HHJJF’ is really mind blowing. It starts with a pursuing guitar riff that makes me think of driving across vast landscapes. This song moves and you can't help coming along for the ride. Around halfway through there’s a pause – have you ever experienced so tense a pause? – and I had the impression of something like a videogame ride. Amazing.

Passing through the hypnotic ‘CRYBBY’ we find a minute's rest with ‘’. In that minute your avatar is crossing a pound and you’ll both flow into the following track. ‘IIIAL’ is driven hard from the beginning by a feral bass line. In short order it gets a helping of memorable melodic sauce. Close to the end we get a ringing moment that really grabs you.

I love the intro of ‘UU’ with its pursuing rhythm that has an undeniable power, whilst ‘CARDIAC’ is heartbreaking and the unutterable ‘4444 444’ will bring you in fastest ride you’ve never experienced. It’s like being in a never ending loop. ‘DROPLET’ you’ll love at first listen. It starts slowly before ascending into the next level of atmosphere like an inverted rockslide. Light and darkness are really well mixed in this track, whereas a track like ‘OUTOUT’ really puts me in a great mood.

The remainder of the album is mostly engaging and, whenever it lulls, a heavy riff draws you back in.
‘IVDE’ has the honor to show off the race chequered flag. Your ride finishes here with the hypnotic effect of a guitar over the dreamlike collision of sounds.

“If everything is the same, then everything is boring”. Enjoy SEIMS’s music journey, it deserves your attention.

Monochromie is back! Just three months after the release of Enlighten Yourself While You Sleep, the French artist Wilson Trouvé surprises us again coloring his music with a new full-length album titled Colors In The Dark.
The music of Monochromie is tagged mainly as post-rock and ambient but I think that the tag experimental fits more his music for the way it combines minimalist piano, guitar strings and echoing notes.
I used to listen to Monochromie’s music as night music or when I'm working late. These are the moments when his sound expresses its power cause Monochromie’s music makes darkness feel alive and creates an emotional collage that’s absolutely stunning.
All Monochromie’s albums command your attention and Colors In The Dark is not different. It’s the confirmation of Wilson Trouvé’s music ability of capturing a specific atmosphere and also feeling internal.
Colors In The Dark is a collection of 11 tracks spread across 55 minutes of rare beauty, the perfect continuous of ‘Insomnia’, the closing song of the previous album Enlighten Yourself While You Sleep.
‘Brightness’ is the opener of the last Monochromie’s work and it’s really a ray of light: this song will bring the sunlight into your room and the insomnia will be just a memory, a far away memory.

'Brightness' is soft and gentle as the morning light aura and suspends the listener in the piano and guitar captivation.
The second track’s two minutes and a half starts us off nicely, with notes that resemble something almost angelic, resonating in a constant and unbroken rhythm. ‘Dust and Breath’ sounds like an incitement to breath the angel dust.
The piano work in ‘Ballade’ is breathtaking, and for the first time in the album, the melodies start growing stronger and taking a more prominent role over the tones. This song will leave you suspended, it’s like if something is going to happen, the rhythm is pursuing and intense. I’m in love with it!

‘Childhood’ is joyful, it makes me smile, it brings me to my childhood and to the park where I used to spend my afternoon running with my little friends. That’s why I found also a sort of melancholy inside this tune. The idea of the echoing voices of the children in the background of this track is awesome and the sound of the bell of the bicycles confirm the attention that Monochromie put into details. ‘Childhood’ is a work of art, a song you’ll love for its power to evoke a wide range of emotions. Exactly what happened to me!
The elegant piano mood piece ‘Love Song’ touched me. This is the only comment I can make about this song. It’s like something descending from the sky.
The quietly devastating beauty of ‘Whales’ will blow your mind, will let you swim from the abyss to the level of the sea and then floating following the natural flow of the waves.
Monochromie couldn’t find a better title for the song ‘Old times’. The echoing noise coming from the movie camera in the background gives to this song an old atmosphere. It brought me to a movie scene in a sunny day and the piano gives the rhythm to the actor movements.
The following ‘Lodz’ made me definitely happy to be here reviewing this album. Soft and powerful, this track transcends a mere listening experience by its emotional intensity and sheer beauty. It will make you feel something.
‘Constellations’, ‘Katedra’ and ‘Thorns of Roses’ conclude our journey through this beautiful album.
The last two minutes of ‘Constellation’ will leave you speechless, the unreal atmosphere of ‘Katedra’ will make you feel as though you are looking at the world from the tallest mountain, and the peace of mind of ‘Thorne and Rose’ is the best way to end an album that achieved something very grand.
Using few instruments, Monochromie has been able to maintains eclecticism between tracks, always looking for something new and going over the classic boundaries of ambient music.
At this point I have to admit that I didn't find my favorite song from this album and that I don’t think I’ve heard an album from Monochromie that didn't impress me. But I can say that Colors In the Dark is my favorite one.
Colors In the Dark will be released on August 17th trough Time Release Sound and will be available in two versions: a limited version, in an edition of 100 copies, and at the website in a beautiful digipak version, in an edition of 200 copies.
I do recommend Colors In the Dark to all music lovers.

On April 25, of this year an article on the Website Invisible Oranges declared that the Re-thrash movement (sub-genre if you will?) is dead and never really created a solid foothold in the overall metal movement. I am not sure if I completely agree with the overall conclusion of this article but thrash had definitely hit it’s weaker notes throughout the late 90’s into the mid 2000’s. Anthrax was writing music that moved more into the groove metal arena and even dipped into the grunge sound on a few songs throughout the 90’s. And do we really have to discuss what Metallica was producing in those days? Slayer also moved into a slower groovier style of thrash and Megadeth, well it was Megadeth.

A Band like Municipal Waste was trying to invigorate our need for that strong cross-over thrash sound and doing an admirable job at the time. Havok was reeking just that with their full on thrash sound and carrying the torch of the thrash movement as it were. My problem with the analysis of Mr. Joseph Schafer in the above mentioned article is not that he is wrong or right but didn’t wait for the remainder of 2013 before declaring this sub-genre D.O.A. (coincidentally a great Havok song).

There are currently quite a few thrash bands that have released music this year as well as last year that have re-invigorated the genre in this writer’s opinion. Among them Dust Bolt, Potential Threat SF, Birth AD, and many more that have graced our ears over the last couple of years. I will admit that there are probably more bad thrash bands than there are good but if you love the genre like I do it is not hard to find the really good ones with just a little time and effort.

ALKIRA, a thrash metal band out of Strathalbyn, South Australia (side note: A ton of great metal out of Australia this year right?) have released a four song EP, Red Devil, which showcases a fun and fiery brand of thrash metal that exudes the confidence of a promising thrash band. A band that has been together for 3 years and play like they grew up smack dab in the middle of the thrash invasion of the mid 80’s Southern California scene. I honestly try not to compare new bands I am reviewing to bands from the past but sometimes there really is no choice and ALKIRA has made not doing that difficult.

As I listened to each song on this EP I couldn’t help but notice the familiar sounds of the great thrash bands of my youth, not a carbon copy, more of an influence. In the opening song 'Red Devil' the band gives us a tongue-in-cheek monster of a song about their very own issues with imbibing on too much of their favorite alcoholic beverage. But the mood of it is in the vein of what Anthrax was extremely good at doing throughout their career and that is using this fast and powerful music to have fun and not take everything so seriously. With the terrific galloping beats and riffs the band showcases their abilities from the opening chord. The song 'Hell March' shows us the more serious side of the band but the opening bass riff is one of the finest I have heard in this genre for a while and the band doesn’t waste this energy. Moving into what Metallica did so well in their earlier albums ALKIRA stay with the solid foundation of thrash but allow themselves to explore the up and down rhythms of the song subject and structure. It is an in your face type of thrash song that had me replaying this one over and over again. 'The Nightmare' might as well have come off of an Exodus album as the signature riff of this song is as strong and brutal as anything that Exodus has done. It is a tribute to this band that having only been together for 3 years they have been able to so fluidly encapsulated the great sound of 80’s thrash so well. Finally the closing song 'Masks of the World' really shows off the technical side that this band is capable of. With a subject matter and technicality that would make Dave Mustaine proud, ALKIRA closes out this EP achieving the goal of making this reviewer want more from them, a lot more.

The Re-Thrash movement may be dead to some but not me. If bands like ALKIRA continue to make top-notched thrash like this Red Devil EP then we are in for a long and loving relationship with this band. ALKIRA has proven that in four songs you can showcase what kind of band you can be and your own personality while paying homage to the past. I just hope we don’t have to wait too long for a full length release from these guys.

Until Later, Peace!

After noticing very sporadic electronic online offerings from UK producer Shylock over the years and bearing witness to his audiovisual installation The Cave some weeks back, it was delightful to see that he has officially released a double A-side via Dalston-based WWMusic. In his usual experimental style, Shylock has made the sounds and music incredibly difficult to describe by virtue of the fact that every single sound that you hear in this double-single is made entirely of field recordings taken in Berlin. This makes his work hugely impressive, as the imagination and craftsmanship he uses to mould these rigid tones into fluid musical pieces is several cuts above the rest.

'Backstop' is the first of the two tracks, smoothly rolling you into a minimalist techno beat while the tune slowly fades in until you are hit with the slightly harder, but still muted, snare beats. In a sudden moment of clarity, a softly glowing melody reveals itself before more and more layers are added into the mix, building an ominous sound that sounds as industrial as it is ambient. Before you know it, the layers are stripped away and the song has faded away.

'Leaving' starts off much more abruptly, with high-pitched electronic melodies that then disperse, leaving spacious sounds and a mild ringing in the background. The beat then drops in, and the same melody continues with much more subdued tones in place. It is as head-noddingly addictive as it is one for a good old chinstroke. This tune is almost twice as long so leaves room for more changes and progression, which allows you to become more immersed in the beat.

In both of these tracks there is just so much going on when you dissect the layers. The sheer amount of time and energy that it must have taken to take recordings around Berlin, take them home, find ideas for music out of the mire of sounds and then take them apart and reassemble them differently with a whole lot of production and processing must have been phenomenal.

The talent is inherent in the results. Shylock has successfully forged a sound that appeals to fans of sound art, techno, ambient music and anyone who loves to hunch their shoulders, stare down and nod their head to great beats.

Who writes 19 minutes of music and calls it an album? Vasaeleth, that’s fucking who. All Uproarious Darkness is just what the title indicates, uproarious darkness, and all of it. Following up 2010’s Crypt Born & Tethered to Ruin, Vasaeleth might have had some pretty big expectations from fans. Whether or not they care what their fans think is entirely irrelevant, though, as this album is a fucking menacing example of death metal doom.

Frontman O.A. (guitars/bass/vocals) and Antinom (drums) kick in the opening title track in right away, literally. What follows after is simply evil and twisted. The drums sit right in the mix well, which is worth a mention because in a lot of OSDM there isn’t always a great mix. Not all, but a fair amount. The guitar sound is awesome, a crunch that is the driving point behind entirely undecipherable vocals. If you really want to know what O.A is saying, look for the lyrics.

‘Paradise Reconsecrated’ has a groove in the mid section that will grab you and make you want to put the song on repeat. A tempo that continuously slows until a pick slide and the beatdown continues. ‘Fathomless Wells of Ruin’ is a perfect follow up, and total headbanger. As I sit and write this, I have to stop myself from moving my body, it just gets my heart going. ‘Black Curse Upheld’ is a can of gas and a lit match to your shitty day at work. The longest song on the album, it still doesn’t overstay its welcome. The hooks may not show up right away, but after a few listens you’ll find yourself trying to vocalize certain guitar lines as you listen.

End of the album and the ugliest bastard of them all, ‘Throat of the Grey Watcher’, is a total ball-ripper. This is the kind of song you close an album with. What sounds like a claustrophobic mess at first, eventually works its way into your brain and the subtleties start to stand out. The interplay between O.A and Antinom is there, and much easier to hear when played rather loud. So good on Vasaeleth for damaging your eardrums, let’s hope another session comes around soon.

You should pick up Vasaeleth’s All Uproarious Darkness through the fine folks at Profound Lore Records, on August 20th. Any fan of sick, twisted, raw death metal will be left with a sick, sick smile on their face after one listen. Good thing the albums short, so you can just let it play over and over and over…

Support artist and musicians you enjoy, go out and BUY this album

HAIL!!!!!!

Belgian metallers Now, Voyager are back with a new EP, entitled Tell-tale Hearts, now having signed to UK label DSTRY EVRYTHNG. Following on from their debut Seas E.P, the four tracks here expertly encompass a number of genres and the band's ability to come up with great tunes remains firmly intact. Much like the approach of this band, I'm just going to jump straight right into the musical appraisal.

Opening track 'From The Brain' begins with huge pounding drums, perhaps a continuation of the debut's aquatic theme, a submarine sound pulses, the first of many twisted guitar riffs flicker in the background before the tempo abruptly changes and the furious vocals charge us headlong into a metallic mayhem. Now, Voyager specialise in colossal choruses and this one doesn't disappoint. 'Where We'll Start' has the same manic intensity, angular guitar riffage and technical dexterity of The Dillinger Escape Plan. Tempos that can only be described as mind-boggling shift and blaze a trail of fury as a hurricane of screamed vocals add to the rage. When the chorus appears briefly, it's a welcome enclave of sanctity a midst the fierce intensity.

The second half of the E.P allows the band to experiment and maybe even rest up a little after what's went before. 'The Long Lane' begins with an Arabian chant, the electronic undertow of the melodic verse gives way to a pounding massive chorus, one of many earworms that Now, Voyager unleash.

Saving the best to last, closing track 'To The Heart' really reaches for glory with the expansive sound and epic ending. Beginning with a slow intro, some neat electronic percussive elements, plucked guitar lines and a gorgeous twinkling xylophone, this is probably the closest Now, Voyager get to a ballad with the endearing verse melody. The instrumentation swells with added keyboard flourishes and the emerging throb of distorted guitar indicates the impending sound shift. Double kick drums begin to pummel and with a huge orchestral thunderous rumble the track becomes epic+1. The shrieking vocals and wall of sound guitars are similar to those heard on the new Deafheaven album. When the gang-style vocals come in, the track takes on an even higher level of greatness, it's just immense and hugely uplifting. Ending with a flurry of tribal drums, you know you've just heard something very special indeed.

When I reviewed the Seas EP earlier in the year, I advised that Now, Voyager could reach higher echelons of success. I'm still of that opinion, this collection, added to the debut, would make for an awesome album. The production is outstanding, the performance incredible and most importantly, these guys have a good ear for a melody. Good to see them sign up to a UK label, hopefully this will bring them wider exposure. I look forward to a full length album in the near future, it's going to be some debut.