And so, Dream Theater vocalist James LaBrie releases a digital EP, I Will Not Break, on 06 January 2014 in Europe and on 14 January 2014 in North America through Inside Out Music. This is a follow-up to his album, Impermanent Resonance, which was generally well received.

Right up front I’ll say that I found this to be a baffling and somewhat frustrating record as effectively it is more of a collection of previously released tracks either in their original formats or alternate versions. If you’re a fan of LaBrie then you’ll likely already have the vast majority of these songs in one form or another. 'I Will Not Break' is from Impermanent Resonance, 'Unraveling' and 'Why' were previously only available via the physical digipak as bonus tracks or on the Japanese version of the album Static Impulse. 'Coming Home' is an alternative mix to a familiar song and 'Jekyll Or Hyde' and 'Just Watch Me' are demo versions. The last three songs on the EP are remixes: DJs Mutrix and NeonGenesis create dubstep / electronica renditions of Static Impulse songs:  'I Tried (Jason Miller Remix)', 'Over The Edge (Mutrix Remix)' and 'Euphoric (NeonGenesis Remix)'.

For me, the EP lacked cohesiveness: no sooner had your ears become tuned to the heavy songs then a demo appeared closely followed by some meandering electronica. At its best this EP uses elements of melodic death metal with progressive flourishes: Trivium-like screams complement the clean vocals supported by keyboards and a tight rhythm section. I was personally blown away by the opening song, 'I Will Not Break' which fades in, has an infuriatingly catchy chorus and sounds spookily like Metallica’s 'Battery'. If this had been the general style of all of the tracks, and if the majority of the songs were unreleased, then this EP would have been excellent. However, what you end up with is a real mixed bag. If I were a fan then I’d be disappointed but as someone who’d not heard any of his previous material outside of Dream Theater then it was an entertaining but somewhat baffling listen. For me, there needs to be more focus on channeling the energy of metal as opposed to digressions into dubstep territory.

At the end of the EP I was left musing just what the objective was behind this release? Familiar tracks, remixes, demos and alternate mixes previously not available digitally. Hmm, I’m not sure. For sure, I Will Not Break …. into my wallet to purchase this but if you’re a more open-minded prog fan then perhaps you’d disagree and feel it worthy of your cash?

It happens sometimes that, listening to an album, you are brought away to another world, to a dimension where space and time are merely words and when you come back to earth you fill regenerate. During that time nothing around you seems to matter. Well, only great albums have this power and Resolven, the new LP of North Atlantic Drift, definitely belongs to that category.

I’m still enjoying and recommending Monuments to anyone that has a passion for ambient soundscapes that North Atlantic Drift is back with a new dreaming album.

North Atlantic Drift is an experimental, ambient & electronic duo composed by Mike Abercrombie and Brad Deschamps from Toronto, Canada. They have been producing music since the summer of 2011 and, if the debut Canvas (2012) caught our attention, Monuments (2013) totally confirmed the artistry of this interesting duo. Resolven, the third stage of the Canadian duo’s musical journey, represents a step ahead and inevitably put North Atlantic Drift among the best ambient/post rock bands.

Resolven is a blend of post rock and ambient music – but it sits more on the ambient side of post rock music - with electronic hints that give it intensity and an original touch. The music of Mike and Brad generally consists of sounds produced using various instruments and the main ones used in this album are synth, guitar and the glockenspiel played throughout the whole album.

In a running time of about 45 minutes, Resolven brings the listener in a dream land where floating in the sound clouds is so easy and so damn beautiful. The album’s eight tracks are made of dense and complex textural ambient pieces and haunting sounds that are all mixed together and slowly rotate in front of the listener like an elegant dancer.

‘More or Less’ is the opening track and it starts with a lovely rain sound and a synth that creates a sort of tension about what is going to happen and it takes a while before dissolving in a gentle melody that allows to glimpse a ray of sunshine. Rain comes back and it’s a fabulous overture.

The album ends exactly as it starts with the field recording of a thunderstorm and between ‘More or Less’ and the closing song ‘Elegy’ the album must be experienced as a unique song. Each track of Resolven is a piece of a bigger composition; each song flows into the following one where it evolves and softly changes the tone. There’s movement, there’s space and there’re the right pauses.

‘Obsidian Flows’ is one of the milestone of Resolven. I particularly like the echoing glockenspiel sound that makes the song more intense. This song is the best soundtrack to our space, virtual and imaginary worlds. The following ‘It Looks Like You're Here For the End of the World’ is the natural prosecution of ‘Obsidian Flows’ and after a soft pause it shines like the the brightest sunrise. The guitar is notable.

I truly enjoyed this album and I've to admit that I'm stuck on ‘Lost in the Sprawl 1’.  ‘Lost in the Sprawl 1’ is love at first listening and it becomes an addiction when the glockenspiel joins the melody and the track rises us as the summer sun. Passing through ‘Badlands’, the suspenseful mind trip continues with ‘Lost in the Sprawl 2’ and the warm and comforting synths are pure magic. Together ‘Lost in The Sprawl’ act 1 and 2 are a truly exemplary moment.

‘Elegy’ announces that it’s time to come back to earth and the thunderstorms is there to welcome you back.

Resolven is an excellent listening experience and Marc and Brad are brilliant at getting things just so. If you’re in any way a fan of ambient-post rock music, don’t let this album pass you by.

For people who have ventured around the smaller London venues in search of loud and energetic gigs would most likely have heard of Death Pedals before. For people who are not familiar with this 4-piece, they are from Dalston in north-east London and they play loud, chaotic and highly energetic punk rock and roll.  After a couple of smaller and split releases they have now released their first full-length album The Carvery, which is also my first introduction to this band.

Reading a bit about the band’s influences I got very excited when I noticed illustrious names such as Rocket From The Crypt, Drive Like Jehu, Hot Snakes, Nation of Ulysses and Refused mentioned, bands which have never disappointed me with their lively mix of post-hardcore and punk and have been quite important in shaping my musical taste. So, this opens two possibilities, either this release basically can’t go wrong or it is going to be a disappointment. I am happy to say it is the former as The Carvery is a top class album that just wants me to dance and mosh around my living room spilling pints of warm lager while I'm at it.

From the opening seconds of ‘Invincible’ to the last seconds of ‘Sharks Vs Jets’, The Carvery is just full on go!, go! go!, not giving you a second to catch your breath. The tempos are fast, the riffs are huge, the vocals are slightly distorted and raw, and combining it all together creates huge energy levels.

Compared to the renowned mentions as their influences Death Pedals sound a lot faster and more punk rock, but there are definitely plenty of (post-)hardcore elements in their sound. Technically speaking this is a full-length release, but the 9 songs are so full on energetic and dynamic that they fly past so fast that the album is finished before you know it and you make yourself press play again. The Carvery is fast, it is raw, it is highly energetic and most importantly, it is a lot of fun. This is a great release to end the year with! Get this on your last minute Christmas list and make sure you’ll catch them live if you can. I know I will.

I accidentally land on The Lover when, surfing the net, I was looking for the latest releases of the year. What caught my attention was the album cover and it didn’t take me too long before realising that beyond that captivating cover there is a really great album. The woman that is burning for love at the center of the album cover represents the message of Septa, the four-piece alternative rock band from Odessa, Ukraine, that is in line with what is written on their Bandcamp page: "Love each other....”. Intriguing message, exactly like the album. Eugene Tymchyk, Alexander Kostuchenko, Alexey Sulima and Alexander Bezusov define themselves as an alternative rock band since they constantly push the boundaries experimenting new sounds, influenced by other genres, such as post-hardcore, noise rock and trip hop. The Lover is their full-length debut album and I simply love it.

I'm on my fourth listen of this five-track release and there's no doubt that these guys surprised me. I recognise influences or similarities with the style of bands like 30 Seconds to Mars and Deftones and the alternation between clean and soft rock guitar riffs with more aggressive metal and hardcore elements is brilliant. In a running time of approximately 35 minutes Septa will let you make a sonic experience where variety is a key word for both the several music styles implemented and the different ways the vocals are sung as well.

The opening '12th' is the appetiser and gives you the overall idea of the album. It's mainly a post-rock/post-metal track and the quick interplay between the two styles set the start to the album dynamics. The whispered vocals at the beginning are amazing. The following 'Enter The Butterflies' is one of the milestones of the album that is quite immediately going to conquer you. And at this point I understood why Septa defines itself as an alternative rock band. 'Enter The Butterflies' is a great sounding track where everything is well balanced and the rhythm change at about the third minute is brilliant. I drove at night singing this song and you cannot imagine how much I loved it. 'Discouraged One' is where 'Enter The Butterflies' continues and evolves from prog rock into a huge wall of sounds made of grind and hardcore punk music. Isn't it unexpected?

Then we hit one of my favourite tracks from The Lover, 'Her Body Still Sings', a song title that intrigued me before listening to it and when I pressed play, well, it was instant love. This track expresses the ability of Septa of producing great post-rock music. The clean guitars create a moody atmosphere and the diverse blend of sounds makes this track captivating, involving and so sexy. It ends with vocals that repeat continuously “As we dance at the moonlight”. 'Her Body Still Sings' is the best dance you can have. The Lover ends with 'Widower' and 'Eulogy (Epilogue)'. I particularly like 'Widower' and even where the influence of Deftones is more evident, Septa has been able to craft it in a unique way.

It's quite evident that I like this album and those of you that are in love with aggressive forms of alternative rock and metal, will be surprised in front of a variety of sounds so well mixed. This album is for music lovers and for those that have to ability to go beyond the classic rules. The Lover is really a superb alternative album.

Highly recommended.

The very essence of the underground “scene” – if you like calling it that- is putting out splits with various other artists across the globe. There is much debate to who should be crowned the “split kings”, especially amongst the older generation of grindcore and hardcore bands. For me personally, I think Agatochles have claimed this mantle and it really is no contest.

This debacle aside, I definitely think that the mantle of split king will go to another band in the not too distant future. This brings me to the 7” split between Suffering Mind and Six Brew Bantha.

Suffering Mind is well on its way to becoming one of the best, if not the best grindcore band in Eastern Europe. The polish grindcore outfit have produced some of the finest splits this year with bands such Death Church and Water Torture so far this calendar year. They post an impressive list of splits with bands like Mass Grave, Phobia and The Afternoon Gentleman. Being hailed as the new Assück by some, it does look like the future is bright for the polish grindocre outfit. Their side of the split does not let their credentials down either. It’s fast, filthy and will grind your mind into smoldering ash and toxic dust. It’s Suffering Mind that should be enough for anyone, really.

On the other side of this split you find yourself staring down the barrel of a collection of grinding powerviolence from Victoria, B.C. , Canada. Dedicated to a very D.I.Y. ethos accompanied by relentless touring they’ve made waves in the underground over recent years. Doing a split with the likes of Suffering Mind attributes to this and so much more. The Canadian hatred brigade pulverizes with a perpetual noise barrage of anti-sound. The snare sound is absolutely fucking fantastic. The tracks are short, fast and chaos ridden from the get-go. The sheer intensity of the music is absolutely astonishing and together with that hint of powerviolence makes for a very well rounded split.

This just goes in that collection of “must own” splits for any noise fan out there. I would definitely try and get hold of this split! Fucking killer!

Land of the Grim is the fourth releases by Galician metal band Skydancer and in case you wandering (I know you are) Galicia is an autonomous community in North West Spain and homeland to the main driving force of Skydancer, Dany Soengas, who uses the history of this region for his lyrical inspiration in both English and Galician.

Also despite having the appearance of a 'one man band' a credit were it's due to the other band members who all put in a stirling shift.

Musical inspiration on the other hand is pure Scandinavia by channelling the 'epic' melodic death metal styling of Amon Amarth, Insomnium and Mors Principum Est to striking affect so much so that fans of the genre will lap this up while the song-writing is strong enough to attract new fans on its own merit.

Opening track 'Swamp Tombs' is an interesting way to show intent as after starting softly and gradually building in atmosphere it never properly "unleashes the fury" in the way you'd expect or hope as it has short bursts of thrash metal riffing and death metal growls in between a lot more melodic moments.

Track two 'Ancares' and three 'Anecestral Lands' are were the melo death properly kicks into gear full of emotive guitar passages and rumbling death metal grooves , now I admit to not having picked up any obvious lyrics through the growled vocals but the guitar work throughout these two tracks is enough to convey emotion and dramatisation by itself.

Something strange happens after the brief interlude of 'L'even' as the production style suddenly shifts so much on 'The Ferryman'  and 'O Peso do Tempo' that they sound like a completely different band as the guitars and vocals are sharper and more aggressive with less melodic guitar lines in a thrash metal vein.

The are both great songs but it's such an odd counter change to throw into the mix (as mentioned before I haven’t picked up on the lyrics due to having a digital copy so this could well be a really key element to the concept!) especially as  final track proper 'The Galacian Exile' progresses/reverts back to the original sound of the opening tracks.  

I say “proper” as there is the short atmospheric outro of 'Lembranza' to leave us with.

If you are over the age of 27, you remember the time when buying clothes from the thrift store was cool. You remember when your favorite band only played in basements, VA halls, and of course that weird obscure venue that also served as a punk flop house. Flyers were made at the local photo copier store, or in your high school art department.

I remember those times. I remember when bands used to only put out vinyl or tapes and you can only get these releases from the show merch table, or through a distro of the “zine” your friends put out. Those were times when you REALLY needed to be a fan of the music, or have cool friends that would make you mix tapes of these bands. It was a time when music was intimate. When members of the band were the guy you went to school with, or skated with, or worked at your local pizza place. Simpler, intimate times.

Mothman brings back those memories for me. Their sound is one of the early nineties post punk/hardcore/emotional/screamo scene. Mixing smart poetic lyrics, complex guitar riffs, and breakdowns that really bring forth emotion, memories, and rage; raw hardcore.

I was a big fan of the emotional hardcore scene, a real guilty pleasure of mine. I really like this album, like I said it brought back so many memories of my youth. The opening song 'I Shot An Arrow' really punches, the lyrics, an obscure manic sonnet to an abusive relationship. It continues into following tracks, hitting you straight in the gut and mind. Proboscis is the girl you had a crush on and crushed your heart. The people that told you “You would never be good enough”, the album is a living emotion. Emotion full of disparity, but has the hope to overcome. This album is passion.

Proboscis is an album that most will not enjoy, as the post punk era time, I think has long faded out with thrift store t-shirts and thick rimmed black glasses. BUT, this album is for people who still want the feeling. The passion of a band that puts all their hearts into an album and it shows. This album is a must for anyone who is still holding on to the time when you didn’t need to be a big rock star, have a gimmick, wear makeup, or have a cool light show. You just needed to have a love of what you do and no matter where you played; an audience of four or 4000. You went up on that stage and poured your heart, blood, and sweat all into the music.

Lowtalker is the new EP released on 13th January 2014 on 12” and download by Leeds based “super-group” Menace Beach. Led by twin vocalists Ryan Needham and Liza Webster the band employ the local talents of a revolving cast of local luminaries which includes MJ of Hookworms on lead guitar, Nestor Matthews of Sky Larkin on drums, Robert Lee of Pulled Apart By Horses on guitar/ bass, Matt Spalding on bass and, from time to time, Paul Draper ex-Mansun legend on guitar and backup vocals.

Recently signed to Memphis Industries, Lowtalker was recorded, produced and mixed by Hookworms’ MJ at his Suburban Home studios in Leeds over the course of four days. The EP follows two quick fire releases on French imprint Desire Records and the acclaimed Too Pure Singles Club.

Ryan says of the new EP:

“If, lyrically, the first load of songs we did were a document of losing it again, being ill, moving cities, and all that comes with that, then I guess the songs on Lowtalker are about the aftermath of that; getting better, making friends and trying to reconnect mentally and spiritually. I feel like there’s a lot of positivity on there”.

There’s certainly a lot going on with the music, bags of ideas and it's all rather jumbled and disjointed but really quite cool in a way. Reminiscent of bands such as the Pixies and Tame Impala the vibe is very fuzzed out. However, the guitar pop on offer is catchy and it hooks you in pretty quickly.

Check out the first track of pure psych-pop: 'Where I Come From', which is available to stream now.

The whole Cybergoth/EBM/Bleep/Aggrotech thing (for the sake of argument, we shall call it Cybergoth) is one of the more recent forms of music that I've got into over the past few years. This type of music usually catches the ears of Metalheads due to the aggressive nature of the music, combined with heavy keyboards, synths and samples with distorted mangled guitars; a typical 'gateway' into this world is usually Combichrist, Wumpscut, Psyclon Nine – via the path of Nine Inch Nails, Ministry and Skinny Puppy to quickly develop a sweet tooth for this acquired form of highly attractive noise. Some people disagree with it being Goth per se (especially Trad Goths), but that's a case of splitting crimped hair isn't it?

Psyclon Nine had disappeared for a good while, but have decided to return with their latest album that is [Order Of The Shadow: Act 1]. So, what has changed since 2009?

Well, it appears Psyclon Nine are steering to more of a guitar filled direction and to my ears are trying to be 'all things to all men'. Initially, they started off as more of a synth and samples based band that had its feet firmly entrenched in the Cybergoth camp – which was something that I preferred as they were quite an ear catching band, with infectiously catchy tunes that bored through your skull like some rampant form of Gigeresque mutated alien blowfly larvae.

However, they appear to be still hell bent on going as far away from this as possible, and proceeding to sound like the product of what would occur if Ministry, Fear Factory and Skinny Puppy jumped into bed for a weekend long orgy while the neighbours banged on the walls in annoyance and called 'The Feds'. The track 'Afferte Mihi Mortem' demonstrates this perfectly, with a sound so feral that it would make Slipknot mass urinate themselves in fear and sound like One Direction.

Occasionally, the tracks from this album have the occasional glimmer of their original sound – as heard with 'Use Once And Destroy' that has a prominent keyboard riff but combined with a pleasing Ministry style chuggorama, which in a live setting will no doubt get the crowds leaping around like PVC clad and glow stick wielding salmon trying to mosh their way upstream. 'Remains Of Eden: II' continues on in a similar path, but with a more controlled manner and concentrating on a slow then loud dynamic while exploding into a wall of distortion. There's a small musical interlude with 'But, With A Whimper' and then it carries on with 'Order Of The Shadow [The Heretic Awakened]' that has a pleasingly acerbic sonic attack. 'Take My Attack' continues this further but adds an anthemic guitar riff for good measure. A surprise ending comes with the moody number that is 'The Saint And The Valentine', with an acoustic guitar underpinning that catches the listener out with a sudden wall of noise and piercing vocals.

The thing is, would I go out and buy this myself? Yes, I certainly would as it is by no means a bad album. However, I feel that it's perhaps not one of the best ones that they've made. Basically, if you're a fan of Psyclon Nine from day one and loved their solely keyboard and synth driven works then you won't be so keen. If you are a new fan that is not familiar with their early work and have a love of Ministry, Skinny Puppy, and Nine Inch Nails and want to try something similar – then you will no doubt love it. The perfect 'halfway house album' that is straight down the middle of being on both sides of either camp would definitely be Crwn Thy Frnicatr in my opinion. No doubt, some of the purists will call them 'sell outs' with their new sonic direction but I wouldn’t personally go that far.

I Shalt Become has become sort of infamous and famous in many circles of the black metal genre. They are a band that either you love or hate. Since Mainman S. Holliman formed I Shalt Become, it has been a project that dives deep into the avant-garde of symphonic black metal. I Shalt Become's records are always dark, atmospheric, at times dizzying with noise and ambiance. Some of their first albums were more along the droning progressions of a slow painful hate filled suicide. Now their music has evolved into the marching tune of a hellish ghostly army.

Louisiana Voodoo is styled in that realm, the background music to mayhem. The first track 'Lust' opens with a detuned piano and an encircling hells chorus of strings and human chants. The track is like a crazed Tim Burton movie soundtrack. The description would be like if Danny Elfman went insane on some kind of psychedelics or saw the face of Cthulhu (R'lyeh Wgah'nagl Fhtagn!!). It then opens up to a world of sound, continuing to stray on the demoniac, dark, and depressive.

While I like my black metal more raw, some would appreciate the necro-soundscape that Louisiana Voodoo composes. The album travels from the symphonic, which I Shalt Become is known for, to avant-garde obscure drums, native percussions, detuned and reverberated guitars, vocals coming from the depths of hell, dark keyboard ambience leading to mournful silences. Then continues on with the profound death march until the last track 'The Rats In The Walls' winds to a ghostly voiced silence. I Shalt Become really packs all the kvlt they can into this album.

The first time I listened to this album it was hard to comprehend, but I gave it another shot. More and more it grew on me. Like I said, it's a love or hate with I Shalt Become. The album, I think, is something you have to just appreciate over time. Imagine it not as something you just to casually listen to, bang your head, and call upon the “elder gods”. Really sit and meditate on the tracks. Maybe whilst reading your favorite occult tome, drinking the darkest of stouts, while you watch the world collapse upon itself in chaos. Then you will get the tone that I Shalt Become is going for. I Shalt Become is the bard that beholds the tragedy and Louisiana Vooodoo the blackened woven artwork against this dark apocalyptic scene.

Over the last few years, Sly and the Family Drone have built up a reputation for unconventional and radically participatory live performances: drums and cymbals handed out all over the place, audience members becoming parts of the crashing and lurching many-headed monster of relentless percussion noise. Here, on new recording Unnecessary Woe, the band make their first attempt to translate this deconstructive ethos into a ‘proper’ album.

First track ‘Handed Cack’ is five minutes of introductory hissing tapes and ominous clattering, reminiscent of some of Skull Defekts’ more abstract meanderings. It’s as if the lights have been switched off at the studio and everyone has gone home, and the discarded leftover small noises are tentatively emerging from the crevices to reclaim centre stage in the dark. The creeping scratches and hums start out like animal moans, become squeaking wheels, then morph into things stranger and less recognisable, the tiny details and infinitely varied grey tones stretched, investigated and transformed.

From these disparate echoes and rattlings, a reverberating, thudding beat hatches into the extended ‘Grey Meat,’ the most focused and insistent track of the three. The muffled but insistent rhythm collects around itself various discarded factory parts and bits of metal collected from the side of the North Circular, and sets off for an unknown destination amongst the darker corners of industrial estates and bleak urban parks.

The last track, ‘A Man That Could Look No Way But Downwards, With a Muck-Rake in His Hand’ is as drawn out as its title, seeming less focused than the other two pieces, and for the first period lacking the mysterious compulsive rhythms that make ‘Grey Meat’ such an interesting repeat listen. It can certainly be worth exploring areas of unmetered noises without an easy beat to latch onto, and done well this could fit with the slightly uneasy atmosphere that the Family Drone offer. But here the muttering and scratching stretches out for more than ten minutes without the mind-bending eruptions and dissolution of stable co-ordinates in, for example, Aufgehoben’s uses of some very similar noises.

At last, though, some collective muffled shouting rouses the mechanical beast, and another shapeshifting, many-faceted rhythm appears to propel us ten more minutes to the end of the record. The best parts here, as in the second track, are the places which show the band’s beguiling ability to create rhythms which are almost militantly industrial, but at the same time manage to swirl and mutate seamlessly into other shifting beats, destabilising the harsh metronomic tendencies with a playful but dark collective intelligence.

Overall the recording is more industrial-sounding than I expected, but like the best beat-driven industrial music, the listener is kept at an ambiguous and unnerving distance, suggesting strangeness and imminent catastrophe even in apparently comfortable metronomes and recognisable sounds. There are even slight hints of trancelike dance beats evoked, but as if uncertainly picked up at a distance, through traffic noise and late night drizzle. The tricky challenge of drawing a line between the band’s spontaneous live shows and a “first album” means that not all of this attempt is successful. However, this album is, like the striking artwork, a demented scrawl on some posh wallpaper, deeper and more arresting than it seems at first glance.

Formed in 2009 by Ryan Olson (Polica, Gayngs), Iaac Gale, Stef Alexander (P.O.S.), and Ben Ivascu (Poliça), “Marijuana Deathsquads is a gang first, and a band second”. A damn fine statement, and, having never heard them before, this is what led my curiosity into this unknown territory. I’m so glad that I did, for the rewards increase with every listen. “And nobody is ever really in or out of the gang. You might be a member of Marijuana Deathsquads.” Really? Count me in!

The main vocals feature effects of what I imagine the lovechild of Fever Ray & Atari Teenage Riot would sound like, and it’s a fine accompaniment to this crazy speed-altering joyride. ‘Ewok Sadness’ is a fine example of this, and opens the album with a slow burning dark ambience, before we get a taster of Policia’s duo-drumming tribal beats that turn into a ferocious free for all. Imagine the sound of 100ft waves falling down onto multiple computers crashing at once, and you have the first four minutes right there.

The album also features some guest vocal contributions: ‘Sunglasses and Bail Money’ (courtesy of Polica frontwoman Channy Leaneagh) and ‘Stacks’ (Justin Vernon of Bon Iver) sit either side of ‘Dissolves’ – and all three tracks bleed into one another without you even noticing, as could the whole album from start to finish.

These guests may feature elsewhere, and closing track ‘Vibrant Beasts’ could very well feature Har Mar Superstar, as he is credited on the album (and it is by far the sexiest track). But, my ears may be fooled due to the vocal effects used throughout, and this just makes me want to listen even more to try and find out where else they could be.

Extra layers of sounds seem to appear after every listen too, as if they were never there before – and this happens with every listen. Sonic peaks and troughs, schizophrenic tempos and some bizarre effects are melded effortlessly together into just over half an hour of one of the best albums I’ve heard in a while.

Depending on the tempo of the track, it’s like wandering/running around in a maze made of mirrors that constantly turn on you – you’re totally lost, but you keep on going to see where you end up next. Each time you come to a dead end, a bungee pulls you back, and the walls change again. It’s the breathtaking feeling of an adrenaline rush combined with electro-organic soundscapes warning you of an approaching apocalypse. You’re all invited to the soundtrack of the last party on earth.

In a year of fantastic metal music it is only natural that a really good thrash album would be left out of the end of the year fray but Trainwreck Architect have released what to me is one of the most accessible thrash albums of the year as well as one of the most reminiscent to the true origins of thrash. Traits of the Sick is as solid a thrash album as has been released this year and it has a groove to it that should not be ignored. Mastered by the great Jeff Waters (Annihilator) this album has all the markings of old-school thrash/groove metal reminiscent of Jeff’s band Annihilator as well as nods to Death Angel, Suicidal Tendencies and a touch of Thundersteel era Riot.

The album opens with an instrumental intro 'Comatose Era' that gives you a small glimpse into what to expect on this album but when the true opener 'The Culprit' kicks in with the speed and ferocity not seen since Annihilator's own album Never Neverland a listener really begins to understand the talent of this band. Songs focused on humanities inability to ever be satisfied guide this band through chugging guitar blasts and breaks that even the most stubborn thrash-head will enjoy. The songwriting leads the music and vice versa throughout this album. There is a non-stop, racing toward the end of the world feeling to these songs and the ability of Trainwreck Architect to make it so chaotic while still keeping it inside the rails is admirable.

Simon Ouellet’s vocals shine on this album; he has a power and control in his voice that conveys the emotion that is indicative of every song on the album. A very strong and complete mix on the album allows Mr. Ouellet’s voice to be front and center without overpowering the music. Obviously Jeff Waters knows what he is doing but the album production is eerily similar to what Anthrax was producing in the early to mid ‘80s and that is a really good thing.

It actually took me a while to write this review because I really wanted to get into this album before I tried to relay what was coming out of my speakers. I think this album has to grow on a dedicated thrash fan as I don’t think you listen to it and automatically go “WOW!”, I think the discerning thrash fan has to give this album a chance to grow. If you are willing to give this under-the-radar album a chance I think you will find that this is an album with intricacies and layers that are not usual for a thrash album.

I believe that if given the right amount of listening this could possibly fall into the category of favorite thrash album of 2013 for most thrash fans. But there is definitely something to this album that takes it a minute to sink in, but again, once it does it will be a regular part of your thrash rotation.

SUBZAR is a band from Cambridge, UK that started making music many years ago as a side project between two friends and at some point not long ago took on a life of its own and evolved into the quartet we know now. Then, they started creating new music and released the I Am Not Yet Here EP in 2012. Now, after a year of perfecting their compositional methods they present PICO, their new EP.

Subzar's music is entirely acoustic and instrumental, fusing influences that fluctuate between Jazz, Post-Rock  and Classical. Two guitars are accompanied by violin and cello, instruments that compensate the lack of drums by creating beautiful and calm pseudo-classical atmospheres. And even when the music is enough to understand what they want to comunicate, Subzar uses some sampled voices to guide us through their albums.

Pico is a highly conceptual work that conveys the migratory journey of a flock of birds in a complex and fascinating 21-minute effort. This EP has been divided into four movements, each one chronicles different parts of the journey that is full of triumphs and travails for the birds.

Pico also offers a view from the perspective of those who are always looking for new lands to explore, those who feel the urge to make their own journey through life asking themselves: Shall we seek shelter in the comforts of our nest, or will we spread our wings to places far beyond?

We start the journey with 'Tethered No More, From Shackled To Soar', piece that set the perfect start to this experience, we can feel the excitement that create the idea of an upcoming departure but also how the character feels insecure and worried about the future. The melancholy is an important feeling in this part and is provided by the cello's rawness. In second position we have 'In Ritual's Suspense' segment that is clearly related with the take off, he feels happy to be able to leave that place even when important things may have happened they don't tie him there, he is really ready to fly again.

'Toward New Horizons Yonder, Though, Clouds May Tear Asunder' is in the third position and reflects the magnificent satisfaction that Pico feels while flying, he is free and nothing can stop him now, or thats what he thought until he sees a storm coming his way, in that moment he suffers, he becomes unstable and may think that it would have been better to stay where he was but there is no going back, he has to face his destiny, hoping for the best. 'In Languid Drift Aloft a Looking-Glass Sea' is the final movement, Pico survived and is getting closer to his destiny, he understands now that everything he left behind and all the suffering were necessary to be able to enjoy this new place that will be his home (for now).

I enjoy a lot this music because its composition and execution are fantastic, also the message is clear and really easy to understand. I see in Subzar one of the most innovative projects of the UK and I'm sure that Pico will help them get the attention of a big amount of people.

Pico was recorded at Sunn Hof Studio in Pfarrwerfen, Austria by producer Luca Sammuri and will be available on December 16th as a digital download and as a limited edition CD wich includes a four-panel cardboard packaging with a 12-page booklet.

There's no denying that the UK post-rock scene is in rude health these days. It's in good enough health that bands have had to raise their game considerably if they want to be noticed. The Cheery Wave From Stranded Youngsters series has done a lot to highlight the emerging names in a sprawling genre, collected under an umbrella term - and if you slept on the latest volume, it's over here - but it's usually not until a band gets around to recording their first album that they start to figure themselves out. There are so many routes you can go down with music like this, after all, and Surrey's Degree of Arc have returned to the fray after taking a while to piece together their debut offering.

Coming almost a full 18 months after the Circles EP, Halls In Hospitals finds the quartet settling on a cinematic style that results in a remarkably full-sounding record. Crackling radio samples and electronic rhythms form the foundations of the opening track, 'Great Distances', which gets things going at a steady pace, favouring the classic post-rock song structure over a busy, idea-filled piece - it draws to a close with a powerful flourish, making excellent use of its 7-minute running time before its closing ambience provides the perfect transition into the more meditative style of 'The Space Between'. With the album's opening pair of songs, Degree of Arc cover a lot of ground - and then, suddenly, they switch gears, increase the tempo and deliver something seriously impressive.

'Forward' is a dynamic track that's driven by rolling snare drum patterns and an inexorable momentum, ebbing and flowing wonderfully through its 6 minutes and displaying a more immediate side of the band's music; while it remains heavy on atmosphere and an undeniable sense of presence - both things that be keenly felt when everything kicks in around 4:45 - it could pass for a pop song on an album like this, and its immediacy makes it an early highlight. All 7 tracks are worthy of note, however, making use of sharp contrast - 'Forward' is set against the minor-key sombreness of 'Death of a Cosmonaut', a track that finds itself caught between fragility and brooding heaviness - and a knack for diversity. 'Wake' is a moment of reflection amidst overwhelming intensity, and the only chance the listener gets to catch their breath before things start up again.

The album ends on a high note with the majestic 'A Day After It Started', a track that suggests that there's much more to come from a band who have only begun tapping into their talents. It's reminiscent of more recent work from Codes in the Clouds (side note: there's a band I haven't heard from in a long while), and points to Degree of Arc enjoying a long and productive career. Halls In Hospitals may seem short on paper, but there's plenty of replay value in it, not to mention a whole lot of potential. This band haven't even been together 2 full years yet - expect more from them.