Skogen are a relatively new black metal band, that come from Sweden, and have been active since 2009, and are certainly one of the more interesting bands that I have heard in the black metal scene. Despite the fact they're relatively new, they know how to make a highly enjoyable atmospheric black metal album.

I have to confess that they're not a band I had heard of until relatively recently, and already have four albums under their belts, which have received decent reviews and have generally received praise. On the basis of how good this album is, this is something that I will definitely rectify soon and to catch up on their back catalogue. The style that they aim for is a sweeping atmospheric style of black metal, rather than choosing to be a relentless blast, which can get fatiguing for some people that aren't massive fans of that style. For example, the intro track 'Vargher' starts off with acoustic guitar and ethereal floaty synths, before kicking off with the title track of 'I Döden'. This track has a style reminiscent of mid period Enslaved, with a mix of black metal vocals and clean singing in Swedish. It is worth noting that their entire works are in Swedish, but this is not a problem, as many bands of the scene have sung in their native tongue anyway and if translated into English would probably lose much of their emotion and power (excluding the track 'Sleep', which is sung in English).

The band makes subtle use of keyboards to great effect, which is a good thing as a few black metal bands can be quite off putting for some and they have the mix just right to convey a correct level of icy atmosphere. To demonstrate a point, I'm a fan of Summoning and Caladan Brood and think they make stunning albums (in fact, Old Mornings Dawn was one of my albums of the year), but a follower of mine dismissed them as being “one parpy keyboard too far”. Not so with Skogen, which is demonstrated in the stand out track 'Solavore' - a beautifully composed slower number that soars, and ebbs with acoustic guitars and a well measured usage of synths underpinning the track effectively. In quite a few places, you could be forgiven for thinking the album had been inspired from Ulver's Bergtatt.

'Livets Ruin' is a moody acoustic number that is a halfway point of the album, that sets the mood effectively for the following track 'Griftenatt'; that starts with a fast pace, but then develops into a more progressive pace as noted in previous tracks and punctuated with lead guitar riffs. A particular point worthy of note with this album is that it has a very set structure, that you couldn't simply stick on random play; each track has a logical pattern of integration that would be like randomly looking through a book and skipping key chapters. As a result, this aims to keep the listener compelled and to be drawn into the music, which to me is definitely not a bad thing.

The album closes with the final two tracks of 'Svartskogen' and 'Sleep'. 'Svartskogen' is composed of a cyclical riff pattern that makes it a very notable track that reminds me of the much missed Windir, while 'Sleep' is the longest track that is just over the 13 minute mark. Even though this track is more slower paced compared to previous tracks, it is made more compelling by the use of a 'throat singing' style, clean vocals, and towards the end punctuated by a polyrhythmic drumming section before continuing pace and ending in a piano section to draw an end to the journey.

To conclude, I Döden is a very interesting and solid black metal album that will appeal to fans of Fen, Enslaved, Moonsorrow, Wodensthrone and Windir. In fact, if you're a person that isn't impressed by the latter day works of Enslaved and believe that they have become too mainstream, then this is an album certainly worth checking out.

When two fine musicians like David Bryant (founding member of Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Set Fire to Flames) and Kevin Doria (founding member of Growing and sole noise terrorist of Total Life), meet and decide to write music together, the expectations are understandably high. Listening to Shortwave Nights, the debut record of this talented collaboration, you'll be fully satisfied because the outcome is definitely brilliant.

David and Kevin met in 2004 and they have been writing music together since 2008 under the name of Hiss Tracts. Their début album will be released in May through the always consistent label Constellation Records and it features materials they worked on during the years 2009-2013.

The duo released a preview of the album about one month ago through the single 'Halo Getters' and its stunning video that gives a deeper dimension to the composition. The video, realized by the talented Karl Lemieaux, is the the music of Hiss Tracts put in images: the rolling reel, the overlaid images and the gurgling bass tones are like the music itself composed by a multitude of overlapping sounds that move all together changing shapes like a big cloud the sky. i watched that video so many times its enchanting effect is undeniable. Hiss Tracts is all about wide-open spaces here and it's very easy to get hypnotized by a single note.

Shortwave Nights is composed by ten movements that kicks off with the title track that's a matter of pure elegance. It combines combines post-rock and drone in a magistral way even though defining the music genre of this record is a bit hard. Somewhere is post rock, sometimes ambient, other times is drone. For sure it's original and demonstrates the talent of the two musicians to push the boundaries of post rock and drone music to create something uniquely beautiful.

'Half-speed Addict Starts With Broken Wollensak' kicks off with the vibrating and repetitive sound sound of a bell that is hypnotic, till the last seconds when the song dissolves like fog when the sun is up.

Hiss Tracts's music, wordless but undeniably powerful, transmits anxiety and beautiful feelings at the same time. It depends on the note you focus on because it's like if Dorian and David use different layers of sounds to create a complex yet original structure. 'Drake Motel /9 Gold Cadillacs' is a short spoken movement that reminds me the style of GY!BE or Thee Silver Mt. Zion Orchestra.  Here there's a man who talks about his father and just after about an old prophecy. Honestly, it didn't conquer me  but I like its way to break the album mood.  The journey through Shortwave Nights proceed on the same path of the previous songs with dark and sometimes dramatic atmospheres full of tension.

The beginning of 'Test Recording At Trembling City' is an example of what i'm saying. The first time I listened to it I imagined my self in a room playing with chargeable toy machines and after a bunch of seconds I was driving one of those cars on a steep road in a complete darkness. Those of you that remember the movie Mulholland Drive know exactly what I mean and maybe agree with me.

Each track has its own intensity. The increments of speed, volume, tone, and the addition of small details and instrumentation are almost imperceptible at times. But other times they are marked and breathtaking.
Light comes with the closing 'Beijing Bullhorn/Dopplered Light' and it's like if the duo never leave you into that darkness but instead crawls out of it towards a new, still-grey light.

The music that Hiss Tracts deliver is that kind of music that can't fade into the background because it asks something of you, it requires interaction. Of all the things it builds, it builds a bridge to the listener.

Wow, thisis some of the coolest music I’ve listened to in a long time !

Imagine a dark, smoky bar underground. The air filled with a disturbing vibe that is not easy to catch though. On the small stage a band is playing some stripped down garage surf music, some people are dancing like weird maniacs. Hell, this is for sure no place for ‘average’ people!

A perfect place for cineasts like Tarentino or even David Lynch to get some inspiration for their new surreal mystery ‘noir’ movie.

Well, the illustrious Belgian combo with the fitting name Dario Mars & The Guillotines have created such an atmosphere on their début album Black Soul.

An intriguing amalgam of 50’s-60’s surf music, rockabilly, 60’s psychedelicrock and 70’s garage rock, but the cherry on top of this all is the cinematic approach. That approach isn’t that strange since multi- instrumentalist, composer and leader/founder of this troupe Renaud Mayeur has gathered quite some experience in writing film scores. He even picked up a Golden Palm for Bouli Lanner’s roadmovie ‘El Dorado’and a Margritte Award in 2013 for his work on the score to Francois Pirot’s‘Mobile Home’.

Besides that this prolific and talented musician was involved in many musical projects since the 90’s. Think of La Muerte,the infamous garage rock band from Brusselsor the rock ‘n roll outfit HULK and even his short stint for top Belgian act Triggerfinger. Somewhere in the last recent years Renaud changed his surroundings, leaving Brussels for a smaller village where he could focus on his new adventure, writing film music.

The ‘rock’nroll feeling’ however never left him, so a year ago he teamed up with Polish multi-instrumentalist David Kostman to re-arrange a bunch of songs he penned and recorded earlier in his new home studio. Together with female vocalist Bineta Saware and Vincenzo Capizzi they came up now as Dario Mars & The Guillotines and this fine debut-album Black Soul.

12 relatively short tracks that meander from catchy and danceable tunes (‘Death is Dead’, ‘The Day I Died’, ‘Somebody Else Inside’) to slow and dragging bluesy torments of the soul (‘The Jailer’ and above all the title track ‘Black Soul’).

Interesting is also the short instrumental ‘Ombra e Polvere’ that has a folky vibe from a spaghetti western movie. You can easily picture our hero riding on a horse through the desert planes! And what about the Lenny Kravitz pastiche ‘Soul Sucker’ with a funky bass line, spacy keys and the beautiful soulful voice of Bineta shining through. And did I mentioned Golden Earring’s ‘’Radar Love’ driving riff in ‘Banned From Ever’? or the weird sounds on ‘Forks On The Bird Cage’ creating a fitting instrumental soundtrack theme for a strange French tv series?

In the end I can only say, this excellent album is especially recommended for the open minded music lovers that are eager to step into the unique and eclectic realm of this unpolished band with a sinister side under their skin.

What strikes you first about this album from heavy psych travellers Holy Mountain is the pure vintage sound that seems to emanate from the speakers. The next thing is that Ancient Astronauts seems to be severely lacking in anything resembling a song. What you get instead is a sort of extended jam feeling, which sounds like some long lost Blue Cheer/Sabbath album.

With that in mind, and being fully prepared to explore this strange new world, you suddenly realise that there are numerous treats in store for you here. From the off, the swirling and chaotic 'LV-42666' casts you into some whirlwind of blues psych where structure is thrown to the wind and random riffs knock into each other. It's disconcerting and confusing but eventually works well.

This is par for course over this album and you never quite know what to expect next. Holy Mountain are more about creating a feeling (along with a hell of a racket) as songs like 'Luftwizard', the foreboding title track and the rollicking 'Gift Giver' explode out of the speakers and into your soul.

The musicianship is immaculate on this album and you can tell Holy Mountain have done their homework into all the classic heavy psych bands of the past. It could so easily have gone so very wrong and just turned into yet another turgid retread of the past but with stunning aplomb they manage to give it a strangely contemporary feel. It's as if they took the basics and turned it completely into their own.

It's an album to sink into and enjoy over a period of time. Each listen throws up new nuances which you never noticed before. Its basic approach is mixed in with space rock tropes and doom sequences which give added depth and an invigorating feel to it. In fact, it's difficult to sit still to this album and you find yourself sucked into Holy Mountain's cavernous sound. Holy Mountain must be a hell of a prospect live too as the songs on here seem perfect for such an arena.

As the maelstrom of American black metal bands only seems to grow, amongst the fray sits Black Anvil, a malicious force from the filthy streets of New York City. In the four years since their last album, Black Anvil have been tearing their way across the US and nearly every country across the globe. On their new record, Hail Death, the band very firmly places their stake in USBM and black metal at large. While it seems that the old and new European gods of black metal are resting on the merits of yesteryear, Black Anvil are progressing through the means of America’s own history.

For a black metal record to sound more like concrete and Wall Street than the dark, sprawling forests of Norway may be blasphemy to some, Black Anvil own up to their geography and history. The band makes note of heavy influence on the record from Metallica’s Master of Puppets and KISS’ Destroyer. And Hail Death is one fucking behemoth of a record, clocking in at just over seventy minutes. Not a single moment is wasted: every second is filled with terrifying, filthy metal.

The album opens with ‘Still Reborn’, a pace setting track that leaves nothing to the imagination. Not only does it foreshadow the many things to come throughout the record, it also sets the stage for a narrative that runs throughout the album. Reading between and within the lines, Hail Death appears to be a celebration of rebirth in the welcoming arms of Satan, and the embrace of individual and societal death as a means to an end.

The record communicates this in only the way that black metal can. The influence of classic black metal is present in the muddy guitars and live-sounding production. The throaty screams and gang vocals throughout the album are well-suited for the overall vibe, while thick, heavy drums force the horde onwards. On the middle track ‘Until The End’, all of Black Anvil’s alchemy twist together into a chugging, malicious progression with the hate-filled chant, “Total fucking war!”

The album’s final track- the massive ‘Next Level Black’- is the headiest blend of all things Black Anvil. It doubles as a Satanic rites of initiation and the apex of the album. There are elements present from previous touring mates Watain: charging progressions expertly interspersed with epic, fist-raising passages of sludgy guitars. The track closes with a deep and heavy nod to black metal’s doom brethren. When I say heavy, I mean it. The song is pure evil, and a fitting conclusion to Hail Death.

While 2013 harbored some incredible releases for American black metal, among them the likes of Lake of Blood and Fell Voices, 2014 has already set a breakneck pace for USBM. Black Anvil continue the turbulent pace of American black metal with Hail Death, a massive record with more than a lot to offer. It is an arresting, hate-filled misanthropic taste of New York City and the American dialogue of black metal.

"Hey honey, can you pass the salt? *Thanks* ... What did you think of that last vocal take for 'Wet Death?' Too harsh?" I can only imagine the conversations that occur between Jim (guitar/vocals) and Rachel (drums) Valosik, the married duo behind Forest of Tygers' staggering, take notice debut EP Bruises. Like marriages, bands are built on chemistry, and it is clear after a few spins of Bruises that Jim and Rachel have it in spades. The couple create a crushing, vitriolic, blackened metal assault with enough melodic experimentation to keep things vibrant and intriguing throughout the four song EP.

The EP kicks off with the title-track 'Bruises'. You'll notice immediately Forest of Tygers' music is delivered with a jarring urgency. First Jim's guttural vocal delivery hits hard with elongated words that drop with an agonizing tension like a warrior's battle-cry. Rachel's propulsive drumming then combines with a fury of dynamic and edgy guitar riffs to create an immensely powerful sound that would hush Godzilla. There are heavy, ominous riffs one moment then captivating melodies the next. Nothing gets stale with the Tygers. The aural soundscape is constantly changing with a new hardcore hammering. The musicianship is solid and you'll check the liner notes again and again in disbelief pondering how the hell two people can create such an imposing racket.

Next 'As Flakes Of Ash' sets the atmosphere to pitch black with some stunningly ominous ambiance. A distant discordant tolling bell blends with a sample from 'Bad Lieutenant' "I'm Sorry... I did so many bad things..." with vehement impact. The track launches into an aggressive blast of drums and blackened guitar. Like 'Bruises' the guitar sounds in 'As Flakes of Ash' offer plenty of compelling riffage. Forest Of Tygers don't dwell within a single riff, the creative tones jump all over offering an enticing fist full of melodies, noise and potent aggression. Heavy metal indeed! Jim says "Happy, as flakes of ash", but it feels more the like the unhappy remains of something destroyed.

'Tigerstripe' starts with a curious sample that sounds like it was taken from an old sci-fi film. The sample robotically counts numbers that appear to be in no order, it's rather unsettling. Once the music kicks in the numbers fade away and the aural punishment resumes. A bold, brash, beefy riff looms over Rachel's snappy beat. The snare clearly taking beaten and getting bruised. There is a brief interlude mid-track that the duo explode out of with fresh melodies and a frenzied cadence. The song ends with satisfying energy as the words "Faith? Where are you?" echo, leaving the question to ponder. Forest Of Tygers clearly make an effort to infuse innovation and experimentation into their music. The energy from Jim's vocal bombast is certainly coercive and impassioned. That said, a few reprieves from that constant monstrous intensity with some subtly different vocal tones may enhance the more experimental passages of music.

The album ends with the incredible track 'Wet Death'. This is how to blend melody and intensity! The pedal is down to the floor, the guitar is set to eleven and the Tygers still find ways to create really alluring segues within the din. The words cry out "Slide into wet death. Life is wasted on the id." Life is wasted if you don't check out this debut EP!

What an impressive and cogent debut by Forest Of Tygers. Bruises is a powerful, gripping, melodic, heavy, harsh and inventive aural drubbing that will leave begging for more, despite the bruising. "Thank you sir! May I have another?". The EP is a ferocious slab of ruthless blackened metal that brilliantly fuses a storm of molten rage with itchy experimental melody. A very highly recommended listen and it is name your price at Bandcamp. I eagerly await the destruction of the universe when the Valosiks release a full length album.

Originality, it’s what has been missing in a lot of the hard/heavy music releases that have come out this year, especially in the realms of the stoner/desert rock scene that seems to be growing exponentially recently. It seems that every band that comes out in this genre of music is doing their best to recreate what bands like Kyuss, Orang Goblin, Mastodon, and Clutch developed and try as they might to put their own spin on things. Some are successful and most are not. In my opinion, this might be one of the harder genres to create your own identity in because of how well the bands before you mastered this sound. It is one thing to be a death or black metal band where gaining the attention and fans and critical acclaim comes from following a set template and rules for creating the music, it is another to follow in the footsteps of bands that have created something original and have put their mark on it so firmly that when you hear a specific tone, distortion or compression you know exactly what band you are listening to and trying to create your own identity is very difficult task. So the difficulty becomes differentiating your band from the rest and still staying true to the heart of the genre.

HORNSS' debut album No Blood, No Sympathy is a very good example of how to do something original as a stoner/desert rock band and still stay true to the heart of the genre. Adding bits and pieces of punk, thrash and even a dash of Deep Purple ('War Gods of the Deep'), HORNSS has created a really entertaining and high energy debut album. Two things that stand out immediately on this album are that for the most part all of the songs on this album stand on their own (with the small exception of the opening track 'The Red Death', which could have come from any Orange Goblin album), and that this band packs a fun, energetic, completely enjoyable album into an amazing 12 songs in 28 minutes. With the average song being about 3 minutes long the musicianship of guitarist/vocalist Mike Moracha, bassist/vocalist Nick Nava and drummer Bil Bowman is spot on for what they are putting out on this record.

There is a dirty, almost epic feel to 'Haunter of the Dark' that is a credit to the obvious synergy that this band exudes. But this feeling goes throughout the album and the ease in which HORNSS is able to seamlessly transition from the distorted but smooth sounds of stoner/desert rock to the more speed demanding thrash and punk hybrid is a joy to experience. Finally someone is trying something new in this genre of rock/metal and not relying on being a competent Kyuss tribute band.

'Vine Priest' at a little over 2 minutes long and the final song on the album is the perfect ending to the fine performances on this album. The combination of the finest stoner/desert crunch and the attitude and exclamations of punk allow this song to instantly hook the listener. The catchy grooves and rhythm allow the band to open up and allow the music to flow to the listener and be both mellow with just the slightest tinge of aggression to keep that adrenalin pumping through your body. 'Perfect Rose' starts off as a doomy, Black Sabbath inspired riff that works effortlessly into grit and spit faster tempo groove that grabs on and does not let go. Now, even though I am talking a lot about the aggressive influences found throughout these songs there is still plenty of the mellower stoner/desert feel on this album as well. Songs like 'Ejaculation of Serpents' and 'Maker of the Moons' showcase how a really good band in this genre can do it and do it well.

HORNSS has released a stoner/desert album that is original without moving too far out of the genre. With the simple and obvious addition of a thrash/punk attitude this album far out performs a lot of albums that have come out of this genre over the past few years. HORNSS' solid musicianship and attention to song structure allow them to create epic songs in the shortest time. An achievement to Moracha, Nava, and Bowman and a fantastic gift to those of us who get to hear No Blood, No Sympathy.

Here’s the thing, I’ve been sat on this album for some time now. Don’t get me wrong, it’s solid, it’s really well written and arranged, it even typifies Post Rock for a lot of people. But that’s just it, it’s complexity warrants spending some time with to appreciate what is going on from Finnish band, Slowrun.

Prologue contains 6 tracks, all instrumental and all have a specific different kind of melancholic beauty to them. And in understanding the beauty of it, I felt like I had to let it breathe and flow before making judgment. It’s a gradual album that grows with more listens that’s for sure, and to me that is the best kind of album out there, were you can find something new on every fresh listen. Slowrun have managed to build up some really comforting atmospherics through the drive of the guitars on Prologue which helped me to re-direct my feelings in a positive way. When an album can evoke something different and special from your feelings, you know you’re onto a winner.

Maybe so far, I’ve painted the picture of a pretty album. That’s not all that Prologue has to offer. It’s bold and at times throws up a few little surprises. Like the exquisite Piano melody in ‘Glow In Isolation’ to the wonderful climax in the 10 minute song ‘Void’ which remains interesting and through-out.

On the face of things, we all have those albums that we like to just click play and we can get straight into. Slowrun have purposely created something deep, meaningful and special within the core of this album, which means that concept doesn’t apply to this. Nevertheless, take nothing away from the fact that it’s a brilliant album with contrasting textures, elements and atmosphere’s that combined with some stunning rock melodies creates a real winner.

There is much praise to be showered on bands that push the envelope and challenge tradition in music. The world will always need and reward innovators who are not happy to simply retread the musicians before them. That is an argument for constant innovation that originates largely in the part of the brain that values and analyzes the intellectual content of things, but there is another route a band can take to light up a completely different set of neurons. Generally when it comes to the genres of garage rock and 70s-worshipping stoner rock, if a band steps up and recreates a sound with energy and reverence the result is total pleasure that targets the part of the brain most of us refer to as “the gut.” This is Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell’s main occupation with Check ‘em BeforeYou Wreck ‘em, and they hit the pleasure center hard and fast.

Those familiar with the band’s debut, Don’t Hear It... Fear It!, their label Rise Above, or any of their past tour mates which notably include Graveyard and Witchcraft, should probably have an idea what to expect. This is motor-revving, denim-rocking, bong-smoke hard rock. Thick, syrupy riffs and chunky bass that punches through the mix, hard-driving drums, and melodic vocals with the right amount of grit and snottiness. You will already feel familiar with these songs before hearing them, but that is not to say the band is boring by retreading well-trodden ground. These guys had Tony McPhee of The Groundhogs fame on their debut album, which is about the most airtight credit a band in this field can build; The Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell tackles their material with a gonzo flair that not only channels the sweet and mean blues riffing that McPhee made famous but even nods toward the fury of early Motörhead at times. Ultimately, by the time you’re halfway through the album, you’re not thinking about who they sound like. You’re lost in the rock and roll if you have half a soul and hopefully grabbing a beer to go along with it.

There is something else that sets the band apart from aforementioned contemporaries such as Graveyard and Witchcraft. While many bands in this style tend toward the bleak, nuclear paranoia of Black Sabbath, Check ‘em Before You Wreck ‘em comes from a much snarkier place. With super-charged anthems such as the number one candidate for song-title-of-the-year '2 Tonne Fuckboot', the band is clearly more concerned with having a good time even if the party carries over through the end of the world. It’s a good alternative to many of the more self-serious bands playing this music because at the end of the day, there is something inherently about rocking biker leathers in this day and age. Is it still badass? Yes, but only if you wear it with a smirk. The band, therefore, hits on the sort of tone Ween perfected in the 90s. The band creates a madcap prankster vibe throughout the album, but just because they have fun does not make them a “joke band”. The band is clearly also dead-serious, and they would have to be to accommodate the tight arrangements of tracks like 'Happiness Begins' that are remarkably sophisticated even while bludgeoning like a caveman’s club.

And that’s what makes this such a satisfying record. It is possible to engage this band on a level of pure hedonistic joy, and it sounds great in a car especially, but there is also such a high level of craftsmanship that it continues to satisfy the trend of giving new life to the classics. If you do your homework and study your vinyl, when you show up to the studio to tear it apart with a unique brand of energy -- no one is going to care about who you’re “ripping off”, because all neurons will be on full charge wherever pure pleasure originates in your anatomy.

As many metal fans are aware over the past 4 to 5 years, thrash metal has returned back with a vengeance. This has caused divided opinion; even I was somewhat sceptical when I first heard the likes of Municipal Waste, SSS, and Gama Bomb etc. At first, I thought “Oh hear we go again, money for old rope” and all that. However, being the open minded sort of guy that I am I try to keep my fingers on the pulse, otherwise you could find yourself in a 'musical timewarp'. The more I listened, the more I liked and was drawn into it head first – and I'm glad that it did.

Aggravator, hailing from San Antonio in Texas, are one of a large swarm of bands that have joined the armies of the 'neo thrash renaissance' that is doing the rounds. The band comprises of a four piece with Mike Cortes (drums), Derek Jones (guitar and vocals), Tristian Hernandez (bass), and Jesse Lopez (guitars). The band have previously released the Age of Combat album and Born in Uniform demo – to critical acclaim amongst underground circles – and are certainly worth tracking down in their own right and checking out. The material shows that they're a very strong force with their composition and song writing, and have a fresh and immediately catchy sound – with a sense of rawness and brutality that brings to mind bands such as Sadus, Sacred Reich and Nuclear Assault that has slight death metal overtones reminding me of Sodom, Kreator and Death.

One thing that is a significant improvement over the earlier material is the recording quality. Their previous works had a bright and treble high mastering, which despite sounding clear probably sounded a bit thin in places which may have lost some impact. However, with this new release, Populace Destructor, that has improved significantly. The sound is much richer, the bass drums have a more dramatic kick and the bass guitar playing has a glorious groove that underpins everything very nicely indeed. The album is pretty much an unrelenting thrash attack from start to finish. 'Aestus Mortis' starts with a slow bass solo as an intro, which then builds into 'Born In Uniform'; a full speed thrash attack that has a riff style reminiscent of early Slayer and Megadeth – especially with the shredding and lead solos. The vocal style is more of a death metal flavoured bark, with adds to the raw grittiness of the tracks, reminding me of vintage Sodom – especially noted in the track 'Isolated Despair'; a tune filled with cyclical guitar patterns that is irresistibly catchy.

So far, I have heard quite a few of these 'neo thrash' bands and many of them are strong at their musical game and are highly enjoyable. However, this latest release is filled with ridiculously catchy tunes, perfect solos, and excellent bass guitar and drum work that I can't stop listening to. Each one of the tracks is sufficiently strong, and I honestly can't find a single duff track on it. In fact, when I first acquired this for review and was checking it out on my travels, I played the album twice over as I found it to be that good. The album has a sense of rawness and passion, that is comparable to the classics like Nuclear Assault's Game Over, and other classics of the genre.

Until I hear anything better, this could probably be the best 'neo thrash' album of the year – I can confidently say that it's that good. Buy this, or be a tone deaf root vegetable.

I listen to a lot of ambient music. This isn't a boast but a personal observation ... a considerable amount of my personal identity is wrapped up in the word 'ambient'. My eldest daughter calls the music I love 'elf dance music' and speaks of my obsession in these terms. My eldest is 14 and she is a big fan of Coldplay. With their involvement with Brian Eno, I know its only a matter of time before she get's her inner Legolas on ... I can wait.

I volunteered to review Summa's latest self-release - Roads - because I was intrigued by the simplicity of his bio. He described himself as an 'Alternative/Ambient musician based in Brighton" ... and I wanted to know more. He had pricked my curiosity because ambient, like metal, has more sub-genres than the world has countries and Alternative/Ambient seemed so nondescript. I also wanted to hear how Brighton would shape his music. To be honest, I was just curious.

I wasn't disappointed. Roads  is an aural delight and neither alternative nor ambient, certainly not in the forms I have come to know.

The three tracks are heavily influenced by ambient music: the use of long, sweeping chords played on floaty synths and the wall-of-sound aesthetic are used heavily in ambient music, as they are in other genres.

But there is more to this music than simply ambient. The three tracks are wide, vivid, vibrant musical expressions. They are rich in sound, texture and percussion; the use of ethereal vocal samples and backbeats really set this release apart.

It is in the vibrancy and 'aliveness' of the sound that I hear Brighton, a place I have yet to visit but, through my friend Roy, (who is running the Doodlefest at the ONCA this weekend) I have heard great things.

The first track - 'Diapason' - is all about swirling synths at the start before the haunting vocals appear and the track builds with piano and percussion to create the most wonderful wall-of-sound. It is a rich, vibrant cacophony of sound that stirs the heart.

The next track - 'Muscle Memory' - is the shortest of the three tracks on the EP but still packs a wallop. It opens with an atmospheric field recording and some deliciously broad synths before sounds are manipulated to form another wonderful wall-of-sound.

We then shift effortlessly to the third and final track - 'Sirens' - which is an amazing track that begins with a sample of a busy street and the most delightful of female vocalists singing in a middle-eastern still before broadening out with synths and percussion.

Regardless of definition (Summa's sound is more electronica than strictly ambient) Roads by Summa is sweet headphone music for the heart ... it also sounds great on the ol' hifi rather loudly.

I would highly recommend this EP folks with a thing for upbeat walls of electronic sound. What Summa distils into 19 minutes is more than some artists can convey in an hour.

According to the band, Sergeant Thunderhoof started life as an excuse for friends to get together to jam some “tasty licks”. Fortunately for you and the rest of the world with ears and musical taste this group of friends decided that this jam project was worth forming into a band. You may thank whatever deity you believe in for this because on Zigurat, The Hoof (as I shall from now on call them) have laid down 5 tracks of sublime groove and grit.

The release opens with the glorious foot-stomper of track ‘Devil Whore’. Its main riff feature a winding riff that slips into your ear, burrows into your brain and refuses to vacate. Squatter’s rights so it says. It also features a great example of note choice when the riff descends down to a note that is lower than a skateboarder’s belt, rattling your fillings and shaking your bowels it only serves to sound heavier when the band venture up the higher notes. ‘Pity For The Son’ opens with a dreamy melody that shimmers like sequins, washing over you until a full stop drum fill and the band kicking things up 87 gears.

‘Om Asato Ma Sadgamaya’ cackles its way into existence with a vibe that reminds me of the better moments on the Down II album. It’s chock full of groove and some wonderful vocals (something that is not limited to this song mind you....). There’s an effect laid over the vocals at the end of the track that in the wrong hands would drive you to violence but here it works, its juddering nature fitting perfectly over the riffage beneath. ‘Lunar Worship’ starts off all mean and meaty, riffing back and forth but with an deft display of dynamics, the last 6 minutes of the song follow a much more laid back vibe. EP closer ‘After Burner’ combines all the elements that have preceded it from stunning vocals to laid back grooves to intensity and riffs. Lovely stuff.

I could be lazy and throw out names like Black Sabbath, Kyuss, Monster Magnet and so on to try help get across the sound of this band and whilst that would be on the money, The Hoof are so much more than stoner/doom rock. They blend a wonderful space-y vibe into tracks that surprise and delight.  The aforementioned ending for ‘Lunar Worship’ for example has much more in common with 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond'/'Set The Controls for the Heart of the Sun' than it does with 'One Inch Man'. The vocals on this album are also worthy of high praise. Where the band could have gone either all-Ozzy or all-Pete Steele they’ve gone more melodic with vocal lines that you can sing along to; that work perfectly with the bowel-crunching riffs that lay beneath it. Thankfully the band have also realised that they need to keep things interesting and so instead of playing the same riff at the same temp over and over again there are enough twists and turns in each song to kept you tapping your foot and wondering what’s coming next.

This is an unbelievably excellent debut release. One that you will never tire of and just to make it that little bit sweeter you can download the entire thing for FREE at the band’s Bandcamp page. You can’t say fairer than that really. So even if you don’t like it – it cost you nothing. Although I’m pretty confident that you, like me, will love this EP.

Catacome is what happens when “Post-Rock meets Fado”.

They are a quartet from Portugal coming from the post-rock, instrumental and post-metal area but they also show signs of progressive rock in a number of places.

The band born in 2007 by the hand of Pedro Sobast when he self-released the EP Memoirs, and thanks to the interest of many fans that desired to see the songs live! He set up a band with some friends with the shared love for music. In 2010 the band released their first full-length album entitled Kinetic, and they have never stopped writing music.

Pedro, Gil, Filipe and Pedro just released Quidam, their 3rd record that was recorded at Caos Armado and mixed/mastered by Roland Wiegner (Long Distance Calling, Omega Massif) at Die Tonmeisterei, Oldenburg, Germany.

Listening to the 6-song album and its 36 minutes running time, you'll notice that the songs have complex structures and dynamics that are typical loud-quite-loud, which in the case of Quidam never become tedious or repetitive.

The 6 songs on show here offer some truly haunting post-rock/post-metal riffs. The album isn’t 100% post rock or 100% post-metal. What Catacombe offer is a fine balancing act of the two. Quidam  gets loud at times but the Portuguese band don't lose the occasion to show their softer post-rock side.

Quidam starts off with ‘Zenith’, with its rich modulated arpeggiated guitars transcend into spiraling riffs. 'Zenith' is really a standout track that set the album mood.

Soft post rock is the protagonist of 'Ninho de Vespas' that is the longest track of the the record. Eight minutes of this song led me wondering what happens in the middle of the night on the streets of Portugal. Listening to this track again and again, you'll agree with me that this could be the soundtrack to a night drive along the Ocean coast or across the region of Alentejo. It has in it a perfect mix of strong and soft rock with some very effective chord sequences and a rather snazzy interlude that are really notable.

The complex exchanges and guitar interplay, rooted by a tight yet fluid rhythm section is a characteristic of the whole album whether in the quieter tunes as 'Lolita' or in the heavier as 'Shroud'.

'Mental Confusion' kicks off with a simple grooving bass line and the track moves and builds to a crescendo of a whirlwind of sublime thunderous drums and riffs. I also like the song title.

Quidam ends with 'Nadir' and it's a great way to close the journey through the Portuguese landscapes painted by the quartet of Catacombe. A characteristic of this song, and of the whole album too, is the sheer elegance of the atmospheric post-rock sound that makes Quidam a great and enjoyable album.

Quidam is available in Transparent Blue / Clear "Flamed" Orange Vinyl LP 12".

Landskap is a quintet hailing from the UK and their debut release, I, is with the Iron Bonehead label. As a sound they ted toward the doom side of things with a hint of late 60’s and 70’s rock influenced riffs. They manage to capture some early Sabbath as well, but if one plays in the style of doom, that's almost impossible not to do. This is not a bad thing to incorporate elements of the masters, it's when you try to duplicate the masters where things go off the rails rather fast.

As of late I have been immersed in some serious female fronted bands like Uzala, Mount Salem and The Wounded Kings being drawn in by how well the slow deliberate delivery of vocals adds such a unique layer to the sound. I say this because Jake Harding’s vocals are delivered in a similar fashion, rather unique for a male vocalist these days, but it adds a haunting layer to I, and it just plain works. Harding’s vocals are the perfect accent to this music. The slow haunting notes amid, the slow fury of psychedelic riffs and tones makes for an amazing collection of four tracks that is I.

‘A Nameless Fool’ is a glorious doom track done in the old school 60’s and 70’s vibe, there is a little fuzz but clarity and tonality are the name of this game. The guitar solos, not on the low end but typical for the period they are inspired by, showing again that fuzz is not necessarily needed to accentuate this style of music. It transports me for one, back to my early days of discovering metal. ‘My Cabin in the Woods’ is a wonderful little instrumental track bringing back the effects pedals used in times gone past. Slow deliberate and peaceful are the best words I can find for this, other than this could have well be three minutes out of any post-rock or post-metal album. Showing that properly played instruments with the right effects can transport one not only back in time, but to a cabin in the woods in your minds eye.

‘Fallen So Far’ picks right back up, giving the listener more of the riffs and beat that we are craving now. What strikes me about Landskap is that the riffs don't have to be as dirty and nasty as bands like Indian and Coltsblood to have profound impact on the listener. Even a more catchy style can affect and move the listener. ‘Fallen So Far’ is just this track, it's a glorious testament to what can be achieved with great songwriting and musical ability. It for me captures the essence of the band, great doom style music, but written and delivered in a style of the forefathers of music. The album closes on ‘To Harvest the Storm’ another track accentuating the music in that this is eleven minutes that would fit perfectly into any post-rock/post-metal playlist. It is probably a bit heavy for post-rock but it certainly has all the elements of that style. Wonderfully written and near perfectly executed, it is the perfect atmospheric closer to Landskap’s debut.

All in all I gives us a sampling of some quality doom style music with some heavy influences of the 60’s and 70’s. Whether you prefer Trouble, Mount Salem, Candlemass, or The Wounded Kings, Landskap have managed to capture the heart and soul of many of these bands and deliver top quality music in the process. This is one that demands to be heard, go seek out Landskap, it got something for everyone and it's just done so damn good. Well done lads, well done!

I is also available as name your price download through Bandcamp.

I really couldn’t wait to listen to this album. I am a fan of Agalloch's later releases and this release was highly anticipated. When I got the opportunity to listen to this album I was really excited. Agalloch has always put together great tracks that are more then just songs, but a journey into a mystic hedonistic dimension.

It has been a long time waiting for this release, Agalloch hasn't released a full record for four years. I'm glad they took their time, The Serpent & The Sphere is epic. All tracks are past the three minute mark, some going as far as 12 minutes, all well produced and keep the listener's attention to subtle notes and echoing soundscapes.

'The Birth and Death of the Pillars of Creation' is the intro track, it opens up the album to a somber feel. A feeling much more is about to ascend on the listener, it's a great opening to the album. Its mixture of melancholy guitars, a mix of acoustic and electric, with the slow melodical drumming is surreal. Four minutes into the track a reverberated harsh vocal comes in, still not taking away from the somber emotion, but adding to it deeply.

The rest of the tracks keep with the cadence, folkish acoustic guitars and echoing ambiance, which rips into dooming black metal darkness.

The track 'Celestial Effigy' encompasses all which is great on the album; a extraordinary weave of acoustic and electric guitar work, drumming which turns from frantic blast beats into a slow precise rhythmic meter, screaming vocals with the a background of monk like chants, lyrical themes of a dark astral mysticism.

The Serpent & The Sphere is an overall great album. The direction of taking old Agalloch influences -folkish hedonism- while still exploring the avant-garde and new themes -celestial mysticism, and more ambient atmosphere with classical guitar interludes- is what I appreciate the most. A lot of bands stick to what works, which leads to a musical complacency, some try new things to no avail and alienate their fans. The Serpent & The Sphere is both, but without any negative outcome. Meshing a new and old sound into an exciting format, one that both works and still keeps the basics of what Agalloch is known for.

This album is so well produced, well executed, and just overall mesmerizing. Again, while it has been some time that Agalloch has released an album, it was well worth the wait. The Serpent & The Sphere is a masterpiece and masterpieces come through a lot of hard work and patience. I'm glad that Agalloch exhibits both those traits. I can't wait for this album to be released into a physical format, this is a definite album you need to have for your collection.