On the re-issued Hollywood, Circle’s mission to ‘keep the music primitive’ takes on a co-conspirator in the form of Bruce Duff, vocalist from 80s L.A. misfits Jesters of Destiny. Together they brew up a pleasingly perplexing concoction of hypnotic krautrock, metal moves and spaced -out explorations.

Confusingly, the band have leased the name Circle to a group of death metal musicians, during which time they have been operating as Falcon (ex-Circle), making ‘adult-oriented rock’, Jussi Lehtisalo, Circle talisman has said and when they re-appropriate their original name later in the year, they will be touring as Circle (ex-Falcon).  Incarnation is the first release by the non-Circular leased-the-name-Circle Circle. Just in case you weren’t baffled enough before you even listen to the damn thing, this reissue from 2008 is released under the Circle (original Circle) banner.

Happily, the music is equally as confounding, taking in krautrock/country fusions, dreamy thumps of space-rock and plenty 80s-infused metallic chuggorama. Are Circle wishing to bring to life a fantasy where Can and Amon Duul II rather than Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones ruled 80s L.A. record collections? Some unholy combination of hair metal and space-rock perhaps? Circle render genre-splicing irrelevant however, having released more albums under their various guises than many fully-formed sub-genres (40+ as Circle, and more under Pharaoh Overlord) and having coined their very own, of which they are possibly the sole member.

As ‘Sacrifice’ testifies, Circle’s self-proclaimed New Wave of Finnish Heavy Metal tag was no ironic jest – this is Maiden-worship of true devotees. Such influences are scattered throughout Circle’s discography of course, but perhaps never quite as purely distilled into one song before, with a fine core riff and Bruce hollering ominously, “Everything we know is in collapse, your darkness belches forth, alas.”  Duffy’s vocals on the album can, however, occasionally be grating. On second track, ‘Mercy and Tuesday’, some uninspired lyrics - “Got to work, need to play, jack into the might. What he chose, strike a pose, feel like shit tonight” - delivered in a somewhat insipid fashion distract from the bouncy synth-led groove that initially drives the song. His contributions elsewhere are more entertaining: on 'Taking Back', Bruce whispers his demented life-coach-turned-stalker babble – “I find your behaviour is solemn and queer… I’m sorry to hear that you’re feeling the fear” – over some of the best passages of music here, switching up between thrashy stabs of guitar and sublime piano-led cosmic action.

Almost like a Finnish Fall, Circle integrate a staggering breadth of musical ideas into their template and still retain a consistently identifiable core. Though perhaps not the best introduction to Circleworld (try Sunrise or Katapult), Hollywood delights more than it frustrates, and highlights yet another aspect of Circle’s unique experimental rock vision. Like some Neolithic rocketeers bent on propelling themselves into interstellar overdrive, Circle combine the primal and the exploratory like no other.

Just chilling on a roadtrip. That's one way I would describe the feeling of San Francisco's psych-rockers Wooden Shjips' fourth album Back To Land. It's as if they've arrived down to earth after a long trip into space. During their first impressive singles and EPs, which were later compiled into Vol. 1 (2008) and Vol. 2 (2010), there was often a distinct atmospheric feeling. Think heavily layered psychedelic space rock with echoed vocals and groovy guitar solos sounding like coming from outer space, transmitted through the clouds and down to us here at earth. It's the kind of music you want to play on your biggest speakers and really tune up the volume for.

On Back To Land the epicness is gone, but has been replaced by a more accessible woodstock-psych vibe set by the opener 'Back To Land'. The band is performing in a less airy, noisy, raw and badass way compared to in their earliest material, but they're still staying true to their psychedelia and sometimes it even gets quite intense like during the highlight of the album 'Ghouls'. But in general everything is done with a more laidback approach. Vocalist Ripley Johnson neither sings nor talks, it's something inbetween. Like earlier there's often a distinct echo effect added to his voice which is so typical for Wooden Shjips' psychedelia.

What I'm getting tired of throughout the album is the repetitive drumming and organ tones, like in 'Other Stars', which is not leading anywhere. That's why I keep thinking of this album as a summer roadtrip. The experience of the trip is always pleasant in the beginning. You probably get the picture: You'll roll down the window, close your eyes, take a deep breath and enjoy the experience of heading somewhere new and far away. There's plenty of time to gaze out on the roads and the landscapes, and while that can be pleasant for a long while, nothing remarkable or surprising will really happen. Sooner or later you'd like to stop somewhere and explore a new place. Too bad Wooden Shjips never seems to get out of the car during Back To Land. It's a pleasant ride, but a ride is pretty much all it is.

I miss the noise. I miss the raw approach. I miss the kind of epic songs which makes me want to play this too loud to my neighbours liking. Next time, I hope Wooden Shjips will have finished their roadtrip and arrived at their destination to let all of their held-back-energy out. Meanwhile I recommend you to start from the beginning with their compilation Vol. 1 (2008), including epic songs like 'Shrinking Moon For You' and 'Clouds Over Earthquake', which is definitely a goldmine you should dig into.

Sometimes, I feel like all of my death metal reviews here on Ech(((o)))es and Dust sound exactly the same. The same words pop up every time – “raw”, “dirty”, “filthy”, “evil”, the list goes on. Occasionally I’ll hit up a thesaurus and replace “filthy” with “foul”, or “evil” with “malevolent”, but those are just cosmetic alterations; the overall meaning isn’t changing even if the words do.

Ultimately, it just comes down to the kind of death metal I listen to. And I listen to raw, dirty, filthy, evil, foul, malevolent death metal. There’s a reason why Lantern, Crypt Lurker, and Obliteration all made my Record of the Year list for 2013, and it pertains to those six words (they apply to Bölzer as well, but Bölzer has a bunch of other weird stuff going for them as well). And that’s not counting the bands that missed the list and still hit all those points (Vorum, Krypts, Ruin Lust, etc.).

Now it’s 2014, we’re getting even more of this raw, dirty, filthy, evil, foul, malevolent death metal, and I’m more than completely okay with it. First up is Corpsessed’s debut full-length album Abysmal Thresholds. If you know the kind of death metal Dark Descent Records likes to release, then you know what you’re getting. The only question is whether Corpsessed execute it well, and happily, they do.

Corpsessed split the difference between their countrymen in Lantern and Rippikoulu. The grimy doominess of the latter’s traditional Finnish death metal is all over Abysmal Thresholds, but the blackened, sinister melodicism of the former is layered on top, adding a grossly horrific atmosphere to the whole thing. The end result is certainly familiar – especially if you follow Dark Descent and similar labels closely – but very satisfying nonetheless, assuming you’re not a wimp.

There aren’t many surprises on Abysmal Thresholds, which causes the album to run together initially. Repeat listens reveal some subtleties – like the synth work that shows up in ‘Of Desolation’ and ‘Trepanation’ – but the mood and feel of the album stays largely constant throughout. That might be considered a drawback, but I find it difficult to complain when an album is this evil all the way through. What I do consider a mild drawback is the pace, which doesn’t alter much either; the plodding, doomy tempo permeates even the faster moments of the album. Yes, that does contribute to the overall darkness of the album, but even Convulse could inject some energy into the final product. Abysmal Thresholds could stand to have a few more violent moments.

However, it doesn’t impede the album very much. If you want raw, dirty, filthy, evil, foul, malevolent death metal, then you should find little to complain about in Abysmal Thresholds. I might be overusing those words, but if I’m using them, then the band is doing something right, and Corpsessed do plenty of things right.

After a bunch of years struggling with line-up changes and musical disagreements, Italy’s Steel City serve up their debut album Now It’s Time which has caused me some consternation when it finally came time to write this review.

There is clearly excellent musicianship going on throughout this album. The band certainly can play. ‘Faster’ is chock full of great rhythmic riffs that will cause your head to bang. Album opener ‘Now It’s Time’ has a muscularity about it that other metal bands can only dream of. Some superb drumming marries with super-tight guitar playing to create a great Machine Head-esque track. The melodic vocals on the chorus offer some respite from the pummelling and aggression.

But..... there’s always a but.....

The two tracks mentioned aside, this album all seems to blend into one for me. There’s nothing that grabs me, that punches my heart and says “LISTEN TO ME!!!”. I hate to use the word ‘generic’.... it’s not that, as I’ve stated, the playing is excellent. The are fantastic mosh pit rhythms sprinkled all over this album. ‘Under Your Face’ is a rocking track that opens well but is ruined by the use of a god-awful sounding crash cymbal (think the snare of St Anger but in cymbal form). It’s things like this that make this album problematic for me. Steel City would have been better served cutting down the number of songs on their debut release by at least half and focus on making those the most awesome metal songs they could have. By stretching things out to 10 tracks it becomes a bit of a meandering album to listen to. Having been in a band myself back in the 90s, I know that you want to put everything you write on your first release. But that can often lead to quantity over quality. It certainly did for my band and I think it does so here too. And as for the artwork.... well the album title looks like something knocked up using WordArt.... I’ll leave it there I think.

Look, this band has the potential to do great things. They know how to write a groove, they can pack a punch but it all just seems so generic and standard. But a lack of focus has robbed this album of any excitement and life. It’s shame, the seeds are there but what’s currently flowering is disappointing. Perhaps their next album will be a step up.

Now I will openly admit to picking up this release because of the awesome band name.

Lady luck was smiling at me that day as it turns out that Sna-Fu Grand Désordre Orchestre are rather bloody good!

Knives & Bells is the third album form these noisy Frenchmen who ply their trade in full throttle punk rock ’n’ roll very much in the style of The Bronx with a large helping of Every Time I Die’s swagger and Refused’s inventive rhythms for good measure.

‘Furious & Fast’ dives in head first with a spikey melodic RIFF leading into driving power chords and clean vocals, that’s proper infectious with a very danceable groove and is followed up by the equally superb ‘You Don’t Like This Song’ with its super bouncy RIFF, shouted gang vocals and a brilliant chorus (that includes a highly effect dramatic pause).

That’s no way intended to suggest that the quality drops off as the following 10 tracks blitz though in a blaze of RIFFS and surging energy. That’s All I Got’ has sublime a moment where the song fades out to the sound of chiming bell… only to kick straight back into the main RIFF. Several times they move into full on blues rock ‘n’ roll territory such as 'I’ll Give You Money’ and ‘Serial Deaths Lane’ the latter having  a killer RIFF.

‘I Hate Berlin’ the vocalist channels his best impression of Brock Lindow of 36 Crazyfists (the music doesn’t as it's more pop-punk) while ‘Catrina’ slows the pace down to a deliberate grunge plod and even steals the bass line from Queen ‘Another One Bites The Dust’ in the intro.

A top class punk rock thrill ride that’s played with vigor and invention so not get bogged down by their obvious revered influences.

On Mantar’s debut LP Death By Burning, the band invites the listener to an apocalyptic wasteland of heavy riffage. The album only has one rule: bang your head or die. Mantar were birthed in only 2013, but they exhibit the proficiency and range of genres of a much, much older band. For all their heaviness and fury, Mantar is composed of only two members. Hanno provides the shredding guitar and primary vocals, while Erinc bashes away on drums and provides supporting vocals.

Half Turkish and half German, Mantar hail from Northern Germany. Their sound defies the need for a label, but it could be best described as black metal distilled Motörhead with a penchant for doom and sludge metal. More than anything, Mantar sounds like nothing but themselves.

The album opens with 'Spit', a lengthy and varied Mad Max anthem that builds into a fist pumping conclusion as Mantar howls, “Burn the witches, one by one!” This rallying cry sets the stage for the lyrical themes throughout the rest of the album. Hanno’s verses are marked by apocalyptic destructiveness and relishing the expiration of mankind. His vocals perfectly match the guitars and drums, making for an album that sounds like the soundtrack to a collapsing building.

Mantar rev up their engine on 'Astral Kannibal' and kick the guitar progressions into high gear. The song is the most rock and roll the band gets on Death By Burning, and is a fitting transition into the next section of the album. 'Into the Golden Abyss' enters with a floor tom pounding intro that leads into a sludgy midsection, with Hanno howling over the discord. The song is an eyebrow raiser that throws all pretenses of Mantar out the window. 'Into The Golden Abyss' makes it clear that the band doesn’t exist to fit into a mold- they are here to pommel this listener with every once of aggression they can conjure, regardless of genre.

The next three songs constitute a narrative in three parts- 'The Berserker’s Path' utilizes spoken word to set up a story about a destructive force hell-bound on ruination. 'The Huntsmen' and 'The Stoning' are hard hitting romps that seamlessly blend elements of black metal, hardcore and sludge. The trio serve as a transition to the final part of the album, which includes two incredibly heavy songs that perfectly cap off Death by Burning.

'White Nights' is followed by 'March of the Crows', both sludge infused tracks that feel like a march towards hell’s gate. 'March of The Crows', at nearly eight minutes long, is reminiscent of Sleep’s heaviest offerings.

At the hands of the incredibly well equipped Mantar, the infusion of black metal, sludge, hardcore and doom seems effortless. Death By Burning manages to stretch nearly 45 minutes, but the constant variation in style and heaviness make the album an incredibly enjoyable listen. Although Mantar aren’t necessarily rewriting the book on the genres they employ, Death By Burning is an endlessly heavy album that bodes nothing but good things for the duo’s future.

If you have even modicum of interest in all things prog, you'll probably already know all about Transatlantic. So you can skip this next bit if you like. For the uninitiated, Transatlantic formed (initially as a side project) way back in 1999 when Roine Stolt, Pete Trewavas, Neal Morse and Mike Portnoy joined forces. With their shared love of progressive music and, most importantly, The Beatles, it was always destined to result in music that was dense, epic and insanely singable. Since then (including a 7 year hiatus) the band, and yes they are a band and not a side project or a super group, have released just 4 studio albums. But as I always say to my wife it's not the quantity it's the quality (her response is unprintable I'm afraid). Each album packs in more music on one disc than most bands achieve over a 20 year career. And with Kaleidoscope, Transatlantic have yet again proved themselves to be prog titans without equal. Right, that’s the history lesson over you OG Transatlantic fans can join the rest of us now.

So in the pantheon of Transatlantic albums how does this stack up against the older ones. Structurally it follows SMPT:e and Bridge Across Forever more than The Whirlwind as it is bookend by lengthy epics. What this album reinforces is just how much of a band this is. Much has been discussed on prog forums (fora?!) about the amount of Neal Morse input on the material, something certainly more prevalent on the first 2 albums but there has been a shift, starting on The Whirlwind album, towards a sound that is most definitely the sum of its parts now.

Opener 'Into The Blue' certainly lives up to its name as it feels like you've been dropped into an ocean (laboured metaphor ends here) as strings weave and bob a suitably grand entrance for the band stomps into view. Transatlantic know how to write a grandiose introduction make no mistake! Over the course of 35+ minutes we shift from mesmerising melodic sections that soothe and caress to a wonderful section featuring Trewavas, Portnoy and Stolt that sounds like it could fall of a cliff at any time, so precariously balanced is the playing. It's almost woozy as things build towards the first appearance on a Transatlantic studio record by touring guitarist/keyboardist/singer/SIYS head banger Daniel Gildenlow (Pain of Salvation). His voice so pure and clear it’s like a lighthouse in the dark.

Lead single from the album, 'Shine' caused much discussion over at Mike Portnoy's forum. It seemed to split fans into either loving it or feeling slightly concerned by it for various reasons. I'll be honest; when I first heard it I was not particularly impressed. But I tempered my reservations with the idea of waiting to hear it in the context of the album. And I'm glad I did. This is a fantastic song. The George Harrison vibe fully in play with the use of a sitar throughout bolstered by the harmonies and a fantastic vocal performance from Neal Morse and Roine Stolt elevates this song from good to great.

So how could you follow this sweet soul-ed track? A hard task for sure, but 'Black As The Sky' swaggers into view bursting with keyboards and mellotron and all manner of ‘In The Cage’-isms and swagger. Featuring more lead vocals from Stolt, this is a belter of a tune and by Transatlantic standards a short punchy track too. Only this band could make the ominous line "A game for the few / they tell who will live / and who will die" sound as cheery as it does on this tune. The ‘In The Cage’ comparison earlier is based entirely on the utterly brilliant last half of this song. Trewavas and Portnoy again uniting in a passage that swings and grooves and leads into a phalanx of keyboards and organs, snarling and stabbing their way through the music. It’s so 70’s prog you can practically smell the incense (this is a good thing in case you had any doubts).

'Beyond The Sun' seriously challenges 'Bridge Across Forever' as the best and most emotive ballad that Morse has written for a Transatlantic album. I'm a sucker for mixing strings and vocals, so got sucked in right from the start. Morse's vocal delivery is impassioned and frayed with emotion. Never afraid to put his heart into his voice, Neal really delivers on this song. It's goose bumps/hairs on the back of the neck stuff when his melody line goes into his upper register. Couple this with the lyrical theme of meeting again after death.....  it's well and truly hooked my heart.

And so to the other epic on the album the majestic (and unintentional Metallica referencing, I’m sure) title track ‘Kaleidoscope’. At 31 minutes this is the longest track on the album yet manages to make it feel like at least half that.  There is a wonderfully tense build-up around 9 minutes that makes you think the band are about to unleash the heaviest riff you’ve ever heard but in true prog fashion they go the complete opposite way and Stolt’s unique vocals wash in over a strummed guitar and then heads towards a funk riff. It’s brilliant. I must give a special mention to the instrumental section that starts at around 17 minutes in. It’s cinematic in its scope and so emotive with Stolt’s tasteful playing and string accompaniment. Magnificent.

When I saw Transatlantic in Manchester on the Whirlwind tour I was blown away by just how much Roine Stolt is key to their sound, something that isn't always readily apparent on the records. He really is the star of this album and of this track specifically. His guitar swoops and soars, adding texture and colour without being intrusive only to then change to a buzz saw-y jagged form riffing its way through the song with funk and groove not normally associated with prog. Just like every single song on this album (and across all their other albums too) the vocal harmonies are stunning and beautiful, their Beatles influence at it’s most prominent in these moments.

The choice of album title couldn’t be more apt for this album. A kaleidoscope is a cylinder with mirrors containing loose, coloured objects such as beads or pebbles and bits of glass. As the viewer looks into one end, light entering the other creates a colourful pattern, due to the reflection off of the mirrors (thanks Wikipedia!). I couldn’t think of a better description of this band myself. Each member has a musical background that differs from each other yet when they write together, when they reflect off each other, something wonderful happens. It’s a sound that is instantly recognisable as their own. It’s proof positive that this is a true band (like I asserted about a bazillion paragraphs ago). This music could only be made by these four people.

So is the album any good? Of course it is you fool! How does it stack up against their previous works? Well what’s your favourite album of theirs? Ok, it’s as good if not better than that. No, really it is.

This is quintessential and essential progressive music.
This is a band of musical giants.
This is the sound of friendship and of desire to do something different, to do something exciting. This is the record you need to hear.

This is Transatlantic.

And I love it.

The Midwest has become a seething hotbed for awesome hardcore, giving us Expire and now another big hitter in modern hardcore in Bent Life. Hailing from Lincoln, Nebraska, the five piece hardcore juggernaut delivers some of the meanest hardcore around in the vein of Agnostic Front. It also has that thrashier side of hardcore one gets from most of the New York Hardcore acts, such as Sick of It All.  I came across Bent Life for the first time via iTunes radio, funny enough and it was just super aggressive and in your face.

Their first self-titled EP released in 2012 blew me away; especially the track titled 'Dog Days', which had everything you’d want from a hardcore track and truly got me pumped to crush some skulls in a pit somewhere. Fast forward to the here and now and it’s time for a full-length LP titled Full Skull via Fist in the Air Records along with 6131 Records, which will be out on the 27th of January. This LP has everything you’d expect from Bent Life, if you were familiar with their previous work.

It’s all about sick bass rhythms and thrashier guitars that will make you completely lose your shit. The vocal work gives it that aggression that’s all up in your face. Take all of this and tie it together with some awesome drumming and the end product is something you can practice your slam dancing to in the bedroom. The tracks have some killer breakdowns before kicking it back into gear.

Full Skull is a monster of a release, which will blow you away from the word go. It truly is a spectacular release and the atmosphere and energy generated from this record due to the sheer malice and grim rhythm is phenomenal. This release can definitely be chalked up amongst the likes of the new Backtrack release. So for those of you, who aren’t familiar with Bent Life, do yourself a favour and get Full Skull LP!

cEvin Key (Skinny Puppy), Ken 'hiwatt' Marshall and Traz Damji have collaborated under the moniker Scaremeister to release a 31 track album entitled 31 Spirits. *gasp* 31 tracks? Yes. 31 Spirits is clearly not a typical release. All the tracks clock in under three minutes, the majority of which are under two minutes. The purpose of the release was 'to compose a 'volume' of film trailer cues for horror movies'. What you get is close to 50 minutes of dark, spooky ambient music, often with industrial undertones that oozes with sinister tonal intentions and foreboding undercurrents of sound.

Many of the tracks sound like they could have evolved into full length Skinny Puppy tracks with the deep twisted percussion and unsettling instrumentation. As I listened I often wondered when OhGr's phantom vocals would appear. The massive catalogue of 31 tracks allows for a lot of different sounds and experimentation with both loud and soft tonal palettes. Among the collection, a few tracks did stand out. 'She's Possessed' features a twisted sounded harpsichord-like instrument which makes its way through a maze of percussive bombs and noisy ambiance. Many of these short tracks are very evocative and I can see how well they could be used in dramatic sections of horror movies and thrillers. "Look out! Behind you! Behind you!" *screaming* 'Take Shelter' builds slowly, plodding along unravelling a cleverly crafted musical tension. 'Hellion' has a Sci-Fi monster meets crushing industrial beat vibe in another impressive track.

After a few listens to 31 Spirits I was a little disappointed that all the tracks are so short! Many of the tracks develop these lush, meaty atmospheres that could easily have been explored and expanded. It is a little bit of a let down when they hit a magical musical time wall then end abruptly. I appreciate these are 'scores' and not 'songs' but I want more of a good thing! 'State of Neurosis' is a good example of this. The track sets its tone early with eerie piano, ominous low wailing and a slow static-laden beat. The beat develops into a catchy pulse which is joined by a deep melody... awesome, loving it - then the track just... ends.

When the biggest complaint of a release is wanting more then the musicians have certainly done their part well. The intention of this release was to showcase Scaremeister's collection of 31 'mini-scores'. I felt Scaremeister did this quite admirably. You can imagine the scenes where this music would fit: dark moon lit nights, crooked dank forests, haunted houses, menacing asylums or people screaming as they run from an axe wielding music editor. Beyond the obvious use in movies, 31 Spirits worked well as vibrant dark ambient music. The tracks consistently blend ethereal synth, clanking percussion and shadowy atmospheres in a gripping, theatrical experience. 31 Spirits is an impressive collection of material sure to invigorate the dark side of your soul.

What’s that coming over the hill? It’s the Shetland Islands’ “noisiest band”, according to the record company promoting the debut EP from Brundlehorse.

The description might be loaded with unfortunate echoes of the opening scene from classic spoof rockumentary, Spinal Tap, when the director describes the legendary rockers as “one of England’s loudest bands”.

But no matter. Post-hardcore kids of mainland Britain, brace yourselves. Brundlehorse are gathering their weapons from their immediate power-base on the archipelago at the top of Scotland, and are planning an assault on your ear drums with a bevy of powerful riffs and angsty, two-part vocals, à la The Automatic.

Brundlehorse’s first release contains enough glimpses of potential to suggest they could yet build an army of followers. The five-track EP, Direction Is For Losers, bears enough crisp guitar riffs and nervous tension to provide the perfect soundtrack to an all-night hyper-ventilating session for emo fans.

The uptight, two-chord simplicity of 'Erase' generates plenty of momentum in the middle of the EP to hold the listener’s interest. 'Halfway Backwards' continues in the same vein, lurching from the Ian Curtis school of deadpan vocals to loud/soft emo variations.

A slower tempo arrives with the final track, a laid-back instrumental bearing the same title as the EP. This nine-minute effort shows Brundlehorse to be heirs to the same post-rock estate as fellow Scots Mogwai: taking a simple, climbing scale as its core, building the musical layers with two electrical guitarists complementing each other, the band throws itself into a raucous assault on the senses.

The simplicity of Brundlehorse’s approach is sometimes their weakness, however. For example, the EP begins to drag its heels with the one-dimensional 'The Shoe Fits'. Some inventive vocal harmonies are on display but it’s not enough to save the track from the purgatory of repetitive riffing.

Definitely worth a listen, but overall Direction Is For Losers fails to unleash the ear-splitting, sonic punch that might be needed to inspire a truly riotous hardcore mosh pit. Instead, Brundlehorse are more likely to attract a polite gathering of hipsters and post-punk fans at the front of the stage.

This, in itself, is no bad thing.

Imagine to find yourself in a uninhabited medieval castle in the middle of nowhere at night time when each noise is amplified by the surrounding's silence. Which music you think is appropriated to this scene? I imagine that Quentin Tarantino is used to think about this kind of situations, but what if you are the film director? Well, those of you that already had the occasion to listen to Pain Is On Our Side Now from the Italian experimental band Father Murphy have the answer in their pocket.

It's been a while now that I follow this band and what remains constant is their ability to surprise me. Father Murphy are a powerful and eccentric Italian trio composed by Rev. Father Murphy (vocals, guitar), Chiara Lee (vocals, keyboards, percussions) and Vittorio Demarin (drums, viola, vocals) from Venice, Northern Italy, and actually considered one of the most mysterious and enigmatic musical entities of the Italian music scene. Their discography comprehends four albums, a split with Xiu Xiu, some EPs and now they're back again with a new EP, Pain Is On Our Side Now, that will be released on January 27th through the label Aagoo Records. Pain Is On Our Side Now is supported by a cast of artists comprising of, among others, Ezra Buchla, who sings on ‘They Will All Fail You’, as well as Italian occult Psych master Gianni Giublena Rosacroce who provides clarinet on ‘Let The Wrong Rise With You’.

Everything about this EP is interesting, starting from the title itself to the fact that it was registered in a Medieval castle at Itri, a town in the center of Italy. Pain Is On Our Side Now will be released as two single-sided 10"s, "each containing two movements and intended to be played simultaneously - or maybe not."

There’s no doubt that this EP is extremely severe: tortured vocals, draining drones and frightful wails resonate from everywhere. Everything is so extreme that when the bell sound arrive it seems it’s there to announce the end of everything. The music is minimalist in essence and there something formidable in the whole composition – in the end we need a huge imagination to create something like that!

In less than 15 minutes, the four movements are conceived to be played in couple: 1+3 and 2+4. The first coupling is a sort of intro to the torture that is the on the stage at the second track-duo that reveals new dynamics with shouted vocals and impressive laments. The alternation between boy and girl vocals and the infantile laments is so powerful and gives to the whole EP a darker vein.

Listening to Pain Is On Our Side Now, as well as the previous works of Father Murphy, you’ll understand why they are considered a significant part of the new “Italian Occult Psychedelia”. As we can read on their bandcamp page Father Murphy “is the sound of the Catholic sense of Guilt. A downward spiral aiming at the bottom of the hollow, and then digging even deeper”. For sure the style of Father Murphy is unique and the latest EP confirms its underground essence and mystique. Post-punk and gothic sounds are perfectly blended and when you add to this mix medieval elements and echoing terrifying vocals, the outcome is a mysterious music with a strong ritualistic character.

Father Murphy knows perfectly the meaning of the work “experimenting” and he never loses the occasion to boost the envelope to create a unique composition.

The New Mendicants is a new project between Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub) and Joe Pernice (Pernice Brothers) who just happened to end up as neighbours in Canada. It's something you couldn't really make up but let's be thankful for it did happen as this is something more than just another side project.

Into The Lime is, in short, one glorious fuzzball of glee and joy wrapped up in a faint 60's glow. Leaning towards the Byrds during their peerless Notorious Byrd Brothers phase, this is sunny psych that'll have you smiling through the dull winter months and beyond. Indeed, these songs are made for dancing around in a onesie at any summer festival.

The glorious 'Abandonment of Sarasota' kicks the album off and it's worth noting that songs like this used to get to number one in the charts. No chance of that now but who really cares, let them have their crap and leave the good stuff for us. Why not throw in a Christmas song too..pure Fanclub action.

'Cruel Annette' delivers harmonies to die for and bring to mind those halcyon days of Crosby, Stills and Nash, only for it to break down into the most delightful harmonica break whilst 'Follow You Down' delves deeper. This is completed by 'Shouting Match' which is the closest to the Fanclub sound but still with enough Pernice to make it stand out.

The absolute highlight on an album full of them is 'High On The Skyline' which is a prime example of classic songwriting and has a complete, timeless feel about it. Verging on the epic and orchestral, it is a stunning addition to a second half of an album which takes it's time over the joy of the first half. More mellow, this is then interrupted by the most interesting song, 'Lifelike Hair', which bounds along on a Krautrock beat and sounds nothing like what has gone before.

It works though, and that is the magic of this album. Everything slots into place and delivers in all the right places. You want joy? Check. You want introspection? Check. You want a fine batch of songs? Check. Buy this album and make your world a better place.

Miserable Failure is back with a 4 minute EP to properly sandblast your eardrums. Taking cues from Agoraphobic Nosebleed and Magrudergrind, this 4 piece grind outfit from a stinkhole in France screams its way through 4 minutes of nails-on-chalkboard fury with their new EP Hope. The riffs are fast and heavy, and the machine gun drumming made me think Miserable Failure used a drum machine. Apparently not, as the drum duties are held down by Elvis Jagger Abdul Jabbar. The speeds by which he crushes his kit are truly mind blowing.

Hope is the follow up to a three way split release that Miserable Failure did with F Stands for Fuck You and Infected Society that was dropped on us last in August 2013. Miserable Failure is still a young band, but they bring such brutality with their grindcore that it takes your breath away. The 4 song EP actually clocks in at just less than 4 minutes from beginning to end. Each track is roughly one minute of blistering, pounding grindcore. This stuff is insane.

Miserable Failure has released an excellent EP in Hope. Kaotoxin Records has made Hope available for the low, low price of free right here. You would be missing out if you don’t go download it immediately. The price will go up to something more than free, but still cheap, on May 6th of this year. Kaotoxin is also going to be releasing the EP on CD and cassette on a very limited basis. Those will be available from the band sometime in the future, but they haven’t made it clear when exactly that will be. I don’t really care how you decide to get your hands on this new EP from Miserable Failure. Just do it.

The body has been there for a while, years even.  By now only bones remain, and even those  are no longer intact. The moss of the forest floor has begun to reclaim the organic matter that used to be a human being. Mushrooms leech minerals from the soil and thrive, eerily innocuous among the remains of someone whose story is lost now. Maybe those who loved them had to give up long ago, faintly wondering in the back of their mind if their questions would ever be answered or their grief resolved. This image, used as an album cover, perfectly encapsulates both the dread and the disquieting calm that permeates throughout Aokigahara Jukai, the newest album by Thrall.

Using the word “calm” might be misleading, and in this sense it does not refer to the music itself. Most of Thrall’s vision is executed here with a tempered, bludgeoning sound. Much has been written about Thrall’s ability to fluidly weave several different influences and sub-genres together to create their music, and it is true that the arrangement and craftsmanship of these songs is impressive in wrangling everything from the crunch and churn of thrash to sweep-picking black metal flourishes. More impressive, though, is that these touchstones of different genres are used to blur lines and create something seamless and wholly-formed. Rather than the jerking back and forth effect on which other genre experimentalists often rely, Thrall presents a unique listening experience that somehow feels both suffocating and invigorating in how solidly it stands. So what calmness lies at the center of this music that is vicious, even hungry as it locks into a death-obsessed groove?

While many picture a kinetic and hyper-futuristic Tokyo when thinking of Japan, there are also many rural areas. Forests shrouded in mist, mountaintops which stand peaceful and alone, another Japan that seems far away in place and time from the usual mental image of the neon-lit intersections of its more populated cities. The album Aokigahara Jukai is named after one of these forests. “The Sea of Trees”, as it translates, sits at the foot of Mount Fuji. Aerial photography gives a sense of peace, maybe even granting a sort of spiritual aura, and from a distance the grim truth behind this forest is hidden. Aokigahara Jukai has become better known as the most common site for suicides in Japan over the years. It is still largely a mystery as to why people choose this location, but there is no dispute that in certain years over one hundred bodies have been found. The problem is so great that signs are posted, silently negotiating with people to reconsider their actions. Yet someone walking through this forest is likely to stumble upon someone tucked away in the brush or to see a body hanging from one of the thousands of trees. People who decided to hide themselves away in order to take a tragic, irreversible step into the void. The forest remains still, but it is not a peaceful stillness. The density of the trees is also known to create an otherworldly quiet throughout. This is the terrifying calm that drove the members of Thrall to write these songs, and it is a rare instance in which the subject matter discussed is inseparable from the end result. Each chord, each pound of the drum becomes a confident and unwavering step toward something from which most of us try to hide but that the band refuses to ignore.

It would seem like this is a bleak journey to take with Thrall, and at times the weight of the material - not to mention the ferociousness of the music itself - is draining. What earns Thrall great respect and credibility is that they do not engage this material lightly. Thrall explores death, isolation, misanthropy, and other themes in a way that demonstrates a steady and artful hand. Thrall creates an almost meditation on these subjects with complexity and sensitivity that many bands ignore completely. These songs are not meant to shock or disgust, nor are they pretentious in their exploration of deep philosophical problems.  When listening to 'Longing for Death', it is easy to paint Thrall as an “against the world” nihilistic black metal band with lyrics that seem to advocate suicide such as “I crave/ the silence of the grave/ as this miserable fucking world/ tears itself apart”. But while Thrall begins by inhabiting the mindset of someone who has chosen self-termination, this is merely the starting point in a journey that ends somewhere much more elevated and affirming. In album closer, 'Slaves', Thrall creates a powerful refrain out of the lyric “To live in fear is to be a slave”.  This is the defining message at the core of the album, and it is perhaps surprisingly a very positive statement of self-empowerment. Thrall’s strongest track on the album is also the song most entwined with the world of the living, and it does not sound like this is a coincidence.

Ultimately it is important to discuss death, and to do so not out of mere fascination and certainly not as a means to glorify decisions which lead to tragic consequences. It is important because when we discuss death we are really discussing how we live. Death is unavoidable, and while we have some control in how we meet it, it is largely out of our hands. What we do have control of is how we live each moment leading toward the end, whenever that may be. So please, always choose to live, and do so in a way that brings you peace. In spite of its grim context, Thrall has chosen to create something brimming with energy and life. Challenge yourself to do the same.