Not Mathematics is the debut EP from Bristol four-piece Casimir, who on their Facebook page uniquely describe their sound as, “music for giants”. Whether or not this is just a successful attempt at debuting their talent for wit as well as musicians, or an effort at avoiding the sometimes painstaking cliché of having to pigeon-hole themselves into a genre I don’t know - but I do feel this 5-track EP does cater for man and giant alike.

Opening track ‘Balancing Act’ begins with slightly unsettling, ringing, reverby, guitar loops which then blows up into big anthemic vocals, attacking drum beats that are supportive of the statement lead singer Mark Juggins … is trying to get across as he takes on an in your face war like cry of, “No I can’t be done, I’ve only just begun.” Not a song for the defeatist.

‘Lucid’ follows, with an electro/ spacey intro, with softer and almost sparkling guitars,  classic British Indie Rock wailing versus’ (the English version of Idlewild) springs to mind that then  heats up for a clattery, super screamy, chorus.

But without a doubt ‘Like Whistles’ is the strongest and most refreshing of the EP. The use of guitar in the first 6 seconds of the intro are reminiscent of lostprophets ‘last train home’ and continues with a similar haunting, imploring sadness but is more experimental rock than post hardcore with the most epic of instrumentals mid-song.

What else can I say from a band whose bio reads, “Post-olympics jaw dropping heart wrenchers.”. They’re here, they’re queer (in the older sense, pre-insult) they’re Casimir!

There is a comfort in knowing that sometimes change isn’t always good. Sometimes the status quo can allow one to be comfortable with what they know and one does not have to challenge themselves with trying to keep up with what is new. It is a comfort, like when you go to your closet and pull out your favorite, worn-in, barley hanging on by a thread band t-shirt. You just know that it is perfect and there is no good reason to change it. Recently there has been a surplus of bands reuniting to either celebrate an anniversary of an album that they had released decades ago or to create new music as is the case with the new incarnation of Black Sabbath. Although in the case of Black Sabbath it is not really a true reunion is it? But I digress, Sacred Oath, the American power metal / speed metal band from Connecticut has assembled it’s original line up and recorded and are ready to release their sixth full length studio album Fallen on May 28th.

As I stated above change isn’t always good and Sacred Oath have not really change anything in their delivery of music since their inception and that is no different with the new album Fallen and I for one am grateful for that! Sacred Oath stay true to their American power metal meets speed metal roots and have created an album worthy of the Sacred Oath catalogue. Fallen is a Master's course in how to take a chance, reuniting the original lineup, (whose break-up was anything but amicable ) and still stay true to the sound and strengths that have identified the band for the past 25 years. From the opening song 'King of Your World' through the final beats of the title track, Sacred Oath take you for a powerful yet scary ride of the challenges and nightmares of the human psyche. This is a dark album that is orchestrated solidly and aggressively. With the power of the music behind it and the incredible vocals of Rob Thorne the listener becomes so immerged in the songs that you almost start to identify with the monsters within and those in the world around us, there is a feeling of pure evil that emanates from this album that is palpable and that is a credit to Sacred Oath’s songwriting and musicianship. Songs like 'Misery Loves Company', 'Death Knell' and 'Lurking Fear' take the listener on a dark, dark ride through the darkest side of humanity and Sacred Oath perform this with an appreciation for what they are playing that one can’t help but listen over and over again.

Change is good, a band should grow but if you do what Sacred Oath does so well, and especially on Fallen then change may not be for the better. I have been a fan of this band for a long time and I was worried that they would not be able to beat their self-titled album or the equally fantastic Darkness Visible but they have certainly done so on this album. This isn’t an album for the faint of heart or those who are looking for a sunny power metal album; this is a dark journey. A haunted house ride of the mind delivered through music, a vision of evil with a soundtrack that challenges you to willingly come back for more.

Until Later, Peace!

Let’s pretend that Nachtmystium, Hate Meditation founder Blake Judd’s other band, never happened. Let wipe the slate clean, no assumptions, no preconceived notions, unbiased in full. Hate Meditation’s Scars is black metal in its blast beat, haunting guitars, venomous vocal, synth laced glory. Wait…synths?

Don’t worry too much about the synths, they’re only there to add an atmosphere to terrorize you and make you lock the door at night. After chant echoed opener ‘Prelude to Apocalypse (Intro)' has you prepped and ready for some psychedelia, ‘The Deceiver and The Believer’ slaps you across the face with a blackened crooked cross. Blake delivers a necro-infused vocal roar, along with his ever distorted guitar tone that pays tribute to the early 90s era black metal scene. Drummer Sam Shroyer breaks free from the usual blasting in spots on tracks like ‘The Genocide’ and ‘End Times”, allowing the music to open up a little bit more, making room for a wider range of despair and disgust.

Wrest (Leviathan, Twilight) handles bass on this album, and fuck me running I can hear it! I’ll take it. Not a whole lot more need be said. It’s played solid and sounds great (especially so on ‘The Genocide March’ and ‘Impure Rage 4. End Times’).  Job Bos’ synths on the album, they’re good and add to the atmosphere. All the elements of this album come together for an all out onslaught of depression and suffering and rage on the title track and ‘Shadow World (Outro)’. The tempos are up and down through these songs, and the music becomes more drastic and slit-wrist inducing by the moment. Good stuff right here.

Wave aside the pedigree of the musicians involved in this album, and you are still left with one hell of an experience. No need to buy it out of loyalty to certain people playing on it (if that’s your thing, then fine), it’s just worthy due to the icy grip it will put on your soul. Be sure to grab this album now through Indie Recordings.

HAIL!!!!!!

Listen To My Nerves Hum is a body of music so intimate and hushed that you can almost hear the microphones breathing.

Composer, electronic music producer, DJ, photographer and filmmaker. Benjamin Finger uses several ways to express his sense of art. Listen To My Nerves Hum is the new album from the Oslo-based artist after the debut album Woods of Broccoli released in 2009 by the label How Is Annie Records. I carefully listened to his music several times and what impressed me most about his style is the way he is capable of layering sounds. Listen To My Nerves Hum is approximately a 35 minutes album including 11 tracks that at first listening seem one song only but, even if they are so similar, like if one is the expansion of the previous one, each song has its own character thanks to the details that the Norwegian musician never neglects. He creates small, noticeable details in otherwise large, fairly monolithic compositions and this wonderful attention to details is often missing with artists of a similar nature.

The new album is characterized by melancholic piano music built around the repetition of chords and phrases.

With his new album Benjamin Finger does something unique. He creates an entire album of simplistic, beautiful, sad piano pieces. Soothing pauses. Beautiful interludes. I could define it as a mood album.

The opening three songs are perfect. The first chord of ‘Birthslides’ begins and you suddenly feel somewhat reflective and intense. It’s a slow start to a slow album and this is not a bad thing! Some echoing vocals emerge giving an original touch to this kind of music and that vocals remind me of the vocals by one of my favorite bands, A Silver Mt. Zion. There are continuous ups and downs in the tone that gives movement to the song. This track is 5 minutes and 6 seconds of sheer beauty

Following the opening track, ‘Consonance Of Fear’ is one of the most beautiful tracks of the album. It starts with a fast piano and I don’t know which could be your reaction but it put me in a restless state maybe due to the absolutely beautiful hushed feminine vocals that seems to reply or react to the piano. It’s really a moving song.

The following ‘Bogatynia In Mother’ is like the day after the night where the night is the previous song. The lovely birds and their happy singing create a joyful and hopeful mood that is opposite to the melancholic piano.

‘Das Paris des Second Empire’ is a wonderful track and there is no better song on the album. This sound brings you in a bar in the first morning of a rainy day and whilst you are drinking your coffee with soft lights you can hear the news from a radio. It’s so intimate and simple. It can make you happy or sad. I really love it. The only shame is that it’s the shortest track of the album.

In ‘Road to Salema’ the mood is not lost. In fact, there is absolutely no better way to proceed ‘Das Paris des Second Empire’. The piano dominates this melancholic song that is perfect with the view of the rain falling on the window. The soft feminine vocals towards the end give an ethereal dimension to the song. It seems that you are not alive and that the scene of you in the bar is only in your mind like a memory of what have been.

‘Sevilla on Tape’ is an example of an excellent field recording. Benjamin recorded the voices coming from a street in Sevilla including also the sound of a klaxon with a fast piano in the background. The track changes completely in its middle: the voice of a singer dominates the scene. It’s a craving, moving and incredibly beautiful singing. The song finishes with the hand clapping of the people that appreciated the musical show. We cannot forget that Benjamin Finger is also a photographer and a picture is not only a piece of paper with an image impressed on it. He wrote his picture of Sevilla through its sound and therefore created a multi-sensorial experience to the observant listeners. It’s really a work of art!

Towards the end Benjamin Finger goes back to the first tune with ‘Returning To Birthslides’. Repetition is the right word to describe this song, emphasizing the nervous tension as the piano flees across the music. This song is the right music for a nocturnal meditation and a solitary contemplation. It’s intense, somewhere melancholic, somewhere else frightening. It’s a matter of interpretation because this song is your personal experience with yourself.

‘Ode To Blissa’ is the concluding song of Listen To My Nerves Hum and it’s the further experiment of Benjamin Finger. It starts with a joyful piano announcing a celebration day but soon the mood and the rhythm change. From the street comes the sound of the drums of an orchestra and all the people is celebrating. It’s like having two levels: one occupied by the street with the sounds of the drum rolls and the echo of the people voice, and the other one, at superior level; the piano with its detailed sound.  It’s another picture, it’s something more than just a simple song.

With Listen To My Nerves Hum Benjamin Finger achieves something very grand. It maintains eclecticism between tracks and every one of them has something unique.

Listen To My Nerves Hum will be available in a vinyl edition through Time Released Sound label from the 15th of June in a run of 300 copies and I hope to get my own copy.

Finland is, in my very humble opinion, better than every other country at making death metal. Whether it’s the twisted, alien riffs of Demilich and Adramelech or the dirty, dark doominess of Rippikoulu and Convulse, the Finns like their death metal ugly and they succeed at making it so. And death metal is at its best when it is ugly.

When I was introduced to Lantern’s 2011 EP Subterranean Effulgence, I was told, despite their Finnish origin, to expect neither twisted, alien riffs nor dirty, dark doominess. Rather, it was a blackened, vicious, ritualistic mass of Satanic evil – it did happen to be dirty and dark, but not doomy. However, in typical Finnish fashion, it was ugly, making it death metal done right in my book. (It is arguable whether Lantern are more death metal or black metal, but we’ll leave that issue aside).

Below is the first full-length from the filthy Finnish occult black/death outfit, and it is a monster. Full of horrifying riffs and shrieking guitar leads, Below is a crawling black mass of impure, soul-sucking malevolence. It is cold, grotesque, and depraved, and I would have it no other way. If you want an idea of what that sounds like, just look at the cover art.

Lantern is the two-man assault of vocalist Necrophilos and guitarist/bassist/drummer Cruciatus. Cruciatus is the mastermind behind the project and it is his performances on the album that make Below such a fantastic example of black/death metal. That is certainly not a slight against Necrophilos; his throaty, harsh, almost hollow growl works perfectly with Lantern’s atmosphere. But death metal is, has, and always will be about riffs, and Below has plenty of those.

The lead guitar is stellar as well. The howling, banshee-like melodies in ‘Revenant’ and ‘Manifesting Shambolic Aura’ are truly terrifying, which is rare to hear even from some of the most legendary of extreme metal bands. It adds much to the evil, ritualistic atmosphere of the album.

And really, that atmosphere is what makes the album stand out. Below may be riffy, but it captures the black metal sense of cold, terrible evil perfectly – not the generic “frozen northern tundra” cold, but a cavernous, massive, almost Lovecraftian unsettling cold. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the monolithic album closer ‘From the Ruins,’ but the entire albums feels this way and it is absolutely glorious. Most of my favorite death metal albums have atmosphere – the extraterrestrial feel of Nespithe, the gritty sludginess of World Without God, the massive, dissonant insanity of Close to a World Below, etc. – and Below does itself a lot of favors by not forgetting that aspect of extreme metal.

Lantern capture what is best about the Finnish death metal scene and morph it, twist it, and desecrate it into their own form. Death metal should be evil and uncompromising, and Below is unapologetically both.

In Norse mythology, Slidr is a river in Hel, the land of the dead. Glaciers pour into it from the freezing well of Hvergelmir, and swords turn beneath its waters. Well, when Gast (bass, guitars, vocals) started Slidhr, he may have added an “h” in the word, but he stayed true to the legends. On debut full-length Deluge he and fellow drummer B. Einarsson dip into the river of Hel(l) and embrace the freezing waters full of swords. This album is a cry and hell and the afterlife. And I’m loving every minute of it.

The theme through out is a cold, stark blast in the face of twisted guitars, tremolo picking, blast beat drums, and painful, tortured lyrics. But one this Slidhr do now and then, and do well I may add, is pull the reigns back and use quiet parts as a piece in the arsenal. While I have no lyrics sheet, the words I can make out on ‘Wielding Daggers’ aren’t very damn happy, hating a good chuck of the world from what I can make out. On ‘Hex’ you’ll find ups and downs of slow chugged guitars being surrounded in an unholy sermon followed by a howling atmospheric sound that can only be describes as the siren before the end. ‘Symbols Obscuring’ has a mid section of subdued guitars, simple drum beats, and hazy fog rolling. On the bookends of it though, are onslaughts of the demon leaving and then coming back for his prey. You are fucked.

‘Unseen’ is a track that is most straightforward in its delivery. That’s not to say is a basic boring track. Quite the contrary; the song is just a mid-pace tumble drum affair. The guitars are hectic and loaded with heresy, but the real high light are the vocals. Agonizing, for fucks sake and it is glorious. The sheer demonic sounds that Gast can emit are in line with many other black metal bands, but they’re still impressive. I tip my hat to any man that can put himself behind a microphone and bare the insides of his hatred onto tape, and do it with such malice. Closing track ‘Rays Like Blades’ is a final gallop to the edge of the lost souls trying to escape the fiery below, and Gast is behind the podium canonizing the black mass. When the speech is over and the barrage of Slidhr has said their piece, you’re left with slight chills from what you’ve just heard, and a sick feeling that you want to hear it again.

If you’re a black metal fan and would like something that isn’t over-polished like a lot of stuff that’s out there, there should be no question about picking this album up. Deluge will be available on May 24th in the UK and on the 28th in the US through Debemur Morti Productions.

Support those spreading the good word and keeping metal alive.

HAIL!!!!

2012 was a gloomy year orchestrated by an omen of senseless hysteria that ended in somewhat of an anticlimax. Provoked by an ancient calendar that, like all things, ran out - humanity demonstrated its finest moment of stupidity since December 1999 when, according to the clever people, we'd be thrown into chaos and life as we know it would collapse thanks to the mythical Millennium Bug. Nothing changes really!

You're probably wonder at this point what I'm jabbering on about so I'll cut the shit: Amongst the year of certain doom Dexter Tortoriello (better known as the excellent Dawn Golden & Rosy Cross) and his partner Megan Messina collaborated on a concept album under the name Houses to be released May 27th of this year, 2013 (we made it!!!). A Quiet Darkness tells the delicate tale of a husband and wife separated amidst nuclear abomination, as they attempt to reunite one last time before their demise.

Unfolding with the stunning 'Beginnings' the narration picks straight up, flaring in orange light as houses crumble to the ground and birds fall from the sky. A stark difference from Tortoriello's previous work is immediately clear in the form of atypical instrumentation, vocal delivery and the very welcome presence of band-mate/partner Messina.

'The Beauty Surrounds' follows neatly in the same vein as the album's introduction but with a more Múm-esque arrangement. The track also introduces more prominent vocal hooks, a vital element to preventing sombreness from appearing simply dull, and it'd done very well in the chorus as Tortoriello sobs "oh my god I'm wasting away”.

A moment of particular strength is 'Peasants', which strangely seems to be the centrepiece of the album, though a little earlier in the running order than one would think. Carrying a steady engaging rhythm and melody, the song is easily the most appealing for someone who wants to dive right into an album with no strings attached; as a piece of music it is serene yet demanding, intimate yet huge and all in all just fucking brilliant. Lyrically, when regarding the concept of the record it seems that in this moment our protagonists have met their end before they could ever reach a final embrace: "I've been digging up the bones/and your body is a dirty ant hill on the lawn/and I swear to God/You are my iron light/And I am your dark tonight".

Following on from 'Peasants' (give a song or two) the record starts to become a little repetitive and seems that the narrative of the album is not necessarily a straight line. Perhaps it's that until the moment when 'Peasants' is unleashed we seem to be following a series of events, if only because the wife in the story isn't dead until we're told so… so where can the narrative go from there? With reference to some form of afterlife we do continue, but again, this is no War of The Worlds or The Wall which isn't necessarily a bad thing but rather just a confusing one when attempting to take in some form of continuity as a conscious listener.

It seems that, in fact, rather than a concept album A Quiet Darkness is a concept collection of eleven songs all pretty much about the exact same thing in different musical settings (which could be interpreted as the different houses, but still discards traditional narration). It is vital to now mention that all the songs are definitely GOOD and that the album remains interesting to a point, but after some truly impressive material clustered together at the beginning it seems that it might have been more worthwhile to spread out the gems rather than let the candle fizzle out, so to speak.

A Quiet Darkness is a record perfectly portraying beauty in the face of death. The record is musically stunning and boasts some truly fantastic instrumental pieces that are as visually inspiring as the songs, such as 'The Bloom' a gorgeous string-based composition. Individually there are moments of true awe spattered here and there, the album's title track is a deep thoughtful piece and 'Smoke Signals' carries the ethereal beauty often found in M83's earlier work.

However, to tackle a concept record is an extremely difficult feat due to the vast amount of requirements an artist has to fulfil to pull it off. Having never experienced a nuclear disaster myself I'm not able to say for certain, but the explosive environment and turn of events would surely be more dynamic than what we're given here? Unless the husband & wife were sadly killed immediately in the first blast? It could be that the entire story is following ghosts? Lyrically, we see a recurring theme which works very well but clashes heavily with itself due to the placement of certain songs.

Do you want your story to make sense, or do you want you music to progress in a nice dynamic? This record takes the approach of the latter and sacrifices the storyline for the sake of the casual/musical listener rather than the kid sitting cross-legged with the lyrics. Again, this is not a terrible thing by any means, unless you're pushing the conceptual themes as hard as this album is.

A Quiet Darkness is a truly pleasant listen for those who enjoy the likes of Efterklang or Múm; soft, thoughtful, deep music carrying an underlying message that you do or do not have to tune in to. Whether or not you choose to follow the story of these two characters is up to you, but if you don't it certainly won't be the end of the world [forgive the pun].

It could be said that A Sweet Niche have blasted onto the London scene from out of nowhere with their mind-blowing new album Eye Music II. But in another way, this album has been a very long time in the making and is a product of years of work, evolution of taste and the ever-increasing skill that comes with being a dedicated musician.

A Sweet Niche originally formed fourteen years ago. They had a different name and played music more influenced by Radiohead, Gomez and The Beatles. Over the years that followed, they continued to absorb and channel new influences that twisted and reshaped their sound into the totally different entity that it is today, as demonstrated by their genre-rich album.

Eye Music II opens with the title track, firing off a discordant barrage of sax, guitar and drums, all flexing their muscles independently of each other, yet still with some semblance of coordination, before settling into manic unison. The song shifts again into intense bursts of funk, then insane rock explosions, before calmly relaxing into a mellow ambient chill. This is not just unique to this track; every song on this album is jam-packed with changes in genre, timing, dynamics and pace.

The quirkily playful opening to 'Fork Crime' soon descends into a fantastic rolling sax line that calls back to nu jazz legends Led Bib, but then a momentarily heavy guitar riff keeps darting in and out again to bring another level to the sounds mischievously assaulting our eardrums.

I won't go on to describe every change that occurs in each song; they are far too frequent. What you can glean from this review is that A Sweet Niche cram as many diverse sounds, styles, peaks, troughs, riffs and ambience into each track as they can, while still retaining an overall sound and meaning to each track that makes it stand out from all the rest.

They have soaked up a huge range of influences from a variety of genres. 'Gaol Bird' calls back to the danceable berserk sounds of Acoustic Ladyland's Skinny Grin phase, 'Bananagirl' manages to create a surf rock vibe that emerges from the chaos, while '24 Note Waltz' is a brilliantly anticipatory tune that remains mellow all the way throughout until it all comes cascading down in a riot of riffs, before gently simmering down again (thoroughly appropriate video for it by the way, look it up). The choppy start-stop rhythm of the final tune 'COS WE CAN' manages to keep your attention throughout as it build and builds until all hell breaks loose. It is a strong ending to a strong album, so much so that I was prompted to play it all over again after my first listen.

The sheer suddenness of each handbrake turn between the riffs that they offer up is pure math rock, yet the precision with which they execute each turn, the immediate shift in dynamic intensity, the coordination between each musician and the discipline that they display is reminiscent of avant jazz rock outfits such as Zu and Zs. Here are musicians who seem to be well-educated in their craft, but have grown up listening to the untrained legends of rock.

Eye Music II is a furious mixture of hopeful and trepidatious melodies, mellow jazz sections and frantic rock riffs. There are many, many ingredients poured into this album, all of which are shaken up and blended in completely different ways for each tune. Every song is almost bipolar in its construction, yet A Sweet Niche's vision is transmitted with sparkling clarity. A must-own album, no matter what type of music you think you're into.

If anyone were to try and tell you this was a metal record you make sure you call them a Gol’ dang liar!! Across Tundras is a hard rock band, a cream of the crop one at that. This is country blues thrown at Black Sabbath then kicked over to good ‘ol Hank Williams territory. Sprinkle on a little southern goodness, and serve warm with a glass of ice tea: Across Tundras. That’s how I always liked my rock n’ roll anyways.

You won’t find a weak moment on Electric Relics. No sir.  You find the crooned vocals of Tanner Olson howling at the moon at times, but the guy can carry a note as well. And no matter what, he doesn’t drop a single note. Not from the half spoken/half sung ‘Pining for the Gravel Roads’ all the way to the deep “Southern Sabbath” tune, ‘Unfortunate Son’. You can practically see the boy jamming on his guitar while he sings and his boys keep it rolling with him, sweat just dripping as he’s playing his all.

Speaking of his boys, bassist/multi-instrumentalist Mikey Allred and drummer man Casey Perry know a thing or two about a thing or two. Rock solid is the only way I can describe them. You listen to the bass lines on ‘Den of Poison Snakes’ or the organ on instrumental track ‘Kin of the First Flame’ and tell me Mr. Allred isn’t talented. His bass playing on ‘Driftless Caravan’ is entirely in sync, yet on its own from that or Perry on drums. I can’t personally imagine Perry needs a big drum kit either. His drums just sound big, yet not overpowering on the aforementioned opener ‘Pining…’ and his minimal playing on ‘Seasick Serenade’ left me with a smile on my face. Very light, if used at all, but still there.

The last three tracks on the album are honestly what sold me on this album. ‘Castaway’ and its dirt-road-traveling tone, ‘Solar Ark’ and its swanky lines full of organ, mellotron and an amazing sounding slide guitar (provided by Jeoy Allred) ...both just awesome songs. Closer ‘Unfortunate Son’ seals the deal though. You take every track before it, an put a piece of it in a pot, boil it, put it in the oven for 45 minutes at 425◦F, and serve that shit hot with a glass of ice tea!!!

You can grab Across Tundras’ Electric Relics on their Bandcamp or Bigcartel store through their very own D.I.Y. label, Electric Relics. Sometimes you just want to feel good and enjoy some hard rock, soft metal, whatever the fuck... Just check this one out if you’re a fan of music period. I tip my hat to the boys, they’ve made a damn fine album.

Support artists and musicians you enjoy.

(insert harmonica sounds here)

From deepest, darkest um…. Swindon comes Iron Hearse! Bugger me. Who’d have thought the city that gave us Billie Piper, Gilbert O’Sullivan and Jahmene Douglas could also offer us some wonderfully heavy, doom laden METULZZZZ as this trio can. How they are not one of the 7 Wonders of Swindon I’ll never know…..

This is a brilliant album. I’m going to say that right up front. It’s fun, it’s groovy and it’s fun. Did I say that already? It’s like when your Nan bakes you a cake and you think it’s going to be one of those boring fruit cake but instead it turns out to be a humungous chocolate cake. With extra chocolate.

Some of the standout moments for me…. ‘Wolf Clergy’ has an amazing chorus riff and great cowbell action (yeah I said it…). ‘A Slow & Heavy Ride’ features a riff post-solo that stomps all over your face yet leaves you happy that it did so!! ‘Hydra's Children’ features (again) a riff that Iommi could only dream of. In fact, there are 3 riffs in the ONE song that could easily have formed the basis for separate songs.

‘Black Sermon’ is the album’s standout track with its sludgey grooves and riffs. At one point singer Grant claims "I've already dug your grave" and then cracks open a riff that sounds like it’s come from 6 feet under the earth that hurtles the song to its conclusion. Final track ‘The Ultimate Atomic Man’ contains a bass breakdown riff that has a note that sounds out of place but then the guitars enter and suddenly this riff becomes a queasy delight! Like eating some Battenberg on a roundabout! And what's this?  Little bit a faster riffing to finish it all off. Brilliant.

This is a joyous album. With a wall of guitars fuzzing away, a bass rumbling underneath and laid back drums pinning it all together. This is music to bang your head to with a big fat smile of your face. I read a comment somewhere in the wide world on the interwebz complaining about the sound of this record. That it was muddy and amateurish. Rubbish. Mega crunch guitars tones (a lá ‘The Black Album’ by Metallica) would sound wrong here. There is an organic feel to this album, that these 3 guys got into a room and played and seated this record out and somebody happened to press record. It’s totally in keeping with the vibe of the music. Although my only minor complaint is that the sound of the drums need beefing up a bit.  The album is available on the band’s Bandcamp page for the stupidly great price of £2.50. Do yourself a favour and get in the Hearse. I’ve called shotgun by the way…..

Deafheaven have had their authenticity called into question pretty much since signing to Deathwish Inc.  Mostly by fanatic kvlt types due to their black metal elements. For those of us however that love extreme music, rather than wear it as a badge of honour Deafheaven are a dream come true.

For some reason the concept of authenticity kept swirling round my head when reviewing Sunbather. I thought back to  the NME questioning Ritchie Edward's (of Manic Street Preachers) punk ethics. Resulting in Ritchie cutting "4 REAL" into his arm with a razor blade, and soon before he disappeared off the face of the planet. Deafheaven however don't need to go to that extreme. It's cut into the grooves of this record and easily displayed for all who hear it.

Kerry McCoy and George Clarke have poured their soul into their second full length Sunbather. From Clarke's impassioned tortured screams to McCoy's heartfelt and raw guitar. It's an album of incredible growth and one that should see them gain wider recognition. Lyrically, themes range from longing, self analysis, loss and guilt. Musically it surpasses Roads to Judah, while retaining the ferocity and awe inspiring moments of the debut. In fact it broadens both facets in stunning and often jaw dropping fashion. Much has and will be said off their mixture of black metal, shoegaze and post-rock elements. Fact is while relevant, Sunbather is a remarkable piece of music, regardless of genre.

Music for me is as much about feel as sound and Deafheaven put you through the emotional wringer on their second full length. With a much richer and fuller sound, at times the dynamics are overpowering. The addition of Dan Tracy on drums is a master-stroke, as he provides a more intricate and dominating presence to the rhythm. At times propelling everything forward and equally holding it down on the quieter moments with authority.

Deafheaven haven't strayed too far from the formula used on Roads to Judah. Instead they've expanded on it and damn well almost perfected it. Opener 'Dream House' is a break-neck gallop of power until the closing section of Edge influenced guitar and Clarke passionately yelling "I want to dream". It sticks in the head for days and is both uplifting and despairing in equal doses.

Elsewhere 'Irresistible', 'Please Remember' and 'Windows' are shorter tracks woven into the longer ones. They range from instrumental delicate and beautiful acoustic passages and warped guitar melody incorporating samples of street hustling. These tracks themselves are highlights individually. The title track is  familiar and equally impressive as 'Dream House' and again would be stand out on any  album. However the last two long tracks 'Vertigo' and 'The Pecan Tree' are another level completely.

'Vertigo' is appropriately titled as the opening section matches the description I get from someone who suffers from it. A swirling riff echoing the dizziness and nausea, leads into a full out metal solo before the assault of pummeling rhythm takes over. At near 15 minutes the track twists and turns and features too many jaw dropping moments to list. Throughout Sunbather the dedication Kerry McCoy puts into his guitar sound is apparent and its only a matter of time before he gets more recognition for it as well as their writing as a group.

'The Pecan Tree' closes Sunbather, again over ten minutes it starts with apocalyptic rage before transcending in sounds and styles. Bringing elements of so much music together in their own unique way. It's an emotional charged track of monumental scale. Drums roll out like thunder, everything drops out as McCoy plucks melodies from the ether. Is this real?, you question before gentle piano led melodies transport you off again. All this and so much more before the track fades out. Honestly it's one of the best things you will hear.

In truth words can't do what's on offer justice fully. An album of incredible depth and quality. Much will be said of Deafheaven and this album in years to come.  Just make sure you actually listen to 'Sunbather' before  deciding where you stand. Available to pre-order now through Deathwish Inc including immediate download.

Enter the Church of Misery and take a seat. Close your eyes and let Thy Kingdom Scum fuel your psyche. The introduction song to the album, ‘B.T.K. (Dennis Rader)’ creates an image within the mind of lying on the hood of fire red ‘66 Mustang parked in the middle of a scorching desert in the peak of summer. As it plays on, the mood of the album is felt immediately. A whole body experience takes over, like remembering the feelings evoked on a good trip. Did I say trip? I meant roadddddddd trip. The sound waves of the album crash just as the cymbals do, making the hair on the neck stand up, injecting the noise in the blood.

A certain leafy green herb might enhance the way this album “hits”, so to speak. As ‘Lambs to the Slaughter (Ian Brady/Myra Hindley)’ takes off, the desert imagery continues. Now cruising on the highway somewhere between Arizona and Nevada, reminiscent of a scene from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. With guitars so groovy and bass so heavy, it’s hard not to feel the music coursing through the body with heat and intensity. The album gets better and better as each track is played, like a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book for the conscious mind.

The serial killer themes that are consistent throughout Church of Misery’s discography also add something to the mood, tone, and sound of the band. Each song covers a different serial killer and a different case. As the music floods the ears, the lyrical themes almost create a slideshow of murder, necrophilia, torture, and chaos initiated by those convicted. Almost as if this album (and their others) could be a soundtrack for the live news reports of the guilty being apprehended, capturing a touchstone of insanity.

During ‘Cranley Gardens (Dennis Andrew Nilsen) the audio clips mixed with the groovy sound of the bass almost take you back to the late 70’s, early 80’s (to the time when the murders took place). You can see investigators working on the case in a police station full of smoke, light shining through dirty windows. You can see Nilsen himself, sitting in a jail cell guilty yet unremorseful. As the howl of Hideki Fukasawa’s vocals tells his story, you can hear the cries of his victims almost like echoes against prison walls. You can see Nilsen replaying the murders like a movie in his mind, re-flushing the remains of those he killed down the lavatory all over again.

Perfect for fans of Black Sabbath, Sleep, Boris, Trouble, and Saint Vitus, Thy Kingdom Scum is an all-consuming album. This is definitely one that you want to crank up the volume for. Not for the faint of heart, each song is sure to evoke something inside. It’ll wake you up. Now if you don’t mind…I think I’ll take this album to the road and let it swallow me up. Who knows? The ghost of Peter Kurten might come and sit shotgun while his song ‘Dusseldorf Monster’ plays along.

BONUS: This album includes a Quartermass cover of 'One Blind Mice'. It’s done absolutely flawlessly.

I first came across the Age of Taurus as a doom metal project of vocalist/guitarist Toby Wright back in 2010 after they released a demo called In the Days of the Taurean Empire. They actually formed a year earlier and whilst the demo was clearly a work in progress it sparked enough interest to immediately single them out as a band I needed to keep track of. Since then the group has been hard at work crafting their first album: Desperate Souls of Tortured Times.

The first thing that strikes you about this album is the excellent cover art. Further research reveals that it’s actually a piece of art called An Avalanche in the Alps by Phillip James De Loutherbourg which the band have cunningly found and appropriated. Apparently in this piece of art:

“Loutherbourg, who specialised in such landscapes, adds human drama to the avalanche’s awesome progress via the terrified people soon to be overwhelmed by nature’s power.”

 However, in this case it’s the listener will be overwhelmed by the sheer heaviness of the sounds.

As for the record itself, the production values between this and their previous demo are almost beyond comparison. Desperate Souls of Tortured Times was produced by Jaime Gomez Arellano who has worked with the likes of Angel Witch, Hexvessel and Ghost. This collaboration has resulted in a tight, exceptionally well-constructed sound which is a treat to listen to. The group clearly worships at the altar of legends such as Candlemass, Penance, Mercy, Saxon, Brocas Helm, Dark Quarterer and Black Sabbath but they also pay tribute to NWOBHM’s golden years; so what you end-up with a mixture of doom, bass-driven seventies hard rock and unremitting twin guitar assaults.

The seven songs on offer here stretch for a total of 42 minutes which is an ideal length for a debut LP. Not so long as to be self-indulgent or full of filler material and not too short to be classified as an EP. While each of the songs can be listened to in isolation they seem to be parts of a bigger whole.

The warped dark harmonies of ‘A Rush Of Power’ start proceedings introducing enormous riffs interspersed with Riddell’s intense vocals, while the rhythm section does an exceptional job at supporting the song structure. ‘Sinking City’ is next and this contains incredibly dense and round guitar work which assaults your ears in a similar way to being repeatedly clobbered with a colossal mallet. Time and again the vocals help to develop a baleful tone while lead guitar solos are thrown around with skilful abandon. ‘Always in the Eye’ and ‘Walk with Me, My Queen’ follow in quick succession both being pounding, kick ass Doom n’ Roll numbers. If you like large, rock-solid tunes which have a timeless, classic sound then these songs will definitely quench your head banging thirst. Next up is the impressive title track ‘Desperate Souls Of Tortured Times’ which pays homage to the downright nasty Sabbath-esque school of thrash, followed by ‘Embrace the Stone’. The ominous playing on this latter track is complemented with hammering drums and melodic vocals which produce an atmosphere that sticks in your head. And finally, ‘The Bull and the Bear’ dishes out a chunk of song-writing excellence which is enhanced by the amazingly tight and solid playing, not to mention the terrific production.

So in summary, don’t expect anything new or innovative as the band have gone for an enduring, classic sound which, if you’re a fan of doom metal, will make Desperate Souls of Tortured Times one of your top ten albums of the year.

One of the stranger sayings in music journalism is that an artist is a musician’s musician. Quite what this is can be argued until the crows come home but maybe, just maybe, Steve Gunn belongs to this creed.

Possibly more known as guitarist in Kurt Vile's band, Steve Gunn has had a bit of an underground career as a solo artist. A supremely gifted guitarist, he spans blues, psych and folk to create heady soundscapes which stick in your head and take you on a journey. This is head music of a higher order and demands headphones to appreciate the true talent at work.

‘Water Wheel’ with its chiming riff is a good place to start, a monotonous riff which builds into drawled vocals and blues guitar interchanges. Imagine the more folkier songs of Led Zeppelin and add a dollop of drone. It is both stunning and psychedelic whilst keeping you grounded by the sheer musicianship of it all.

The songs on this album take their time to seep into your consciousness but the reward is one that will stay with you for a long time. Steve has a knack of making you forget you are listening to muso music and instead creates landscapes for you paint pictures on. Each song may sound the same but the beauty is in the detail as you are carried on a psychedelic blues ride that hasn't been heard since the heady days of Grateful Dead.

In a year where there have been some fantastic unsung albums, it is more than likely that Steve Gunn will get overlooked. This will be a massive shame but for those of us who have succumbed to his charms, we are going to be that much richer. Music like this demands reward for the listener and if you give in to it, you will receive. Astounding and mesmerising in equal dollops, take the journey to a psychedelic delta blues of Steve Gunn's world.

Born in 2010 Diablo Strange is a trio from Moncton, Canada playing a mix of heavy stoner rock and blues. Influenced by the obvious culprits, Clutch, Queens of the Stone Age, Zeppelin, etc…Diablo Strange is set to release their first full length LP Sordid Tales on May 24th. The most obvious thing I found while listening to this album is that these guys are really good musicians and are able to create solid riffs, melodies and solos that flow effortlessly throughout the 11 songs that are part of this album. They move the music from a fast melodic hard rock sound in songs like 'Brown Paper Bag' and 'Sinister' and hit their stonier side in 'Evolution' and 'Borrowed Time'. They are solid with what they put down and Matt Cormier’s gruff vocals enhance the sound that they are producing throughout the album.

However, one of the strongest parts of this album is that they have some really great and catchy songs on this but I am not sure that there is a song on here that is memorable enough to make me want to go back and listen to this album over and over again.  As an example, for me to be able to even write this review I had to listen to this album multiple times because very little of it stood out to me. Where Diablo Strange really hits the mark is on the songs 'Evolution' where the melody and backing vocals by guitarist Marty Surette add so much depth that seems to be missing from many of the other songs on the album. Additionally, when Matt Cormier losses his gruff tone in the song 'Greed' it is a testament to how talented and multifaceted this band can be with their music. The problem is that they do not show that throughout the whole album, which is a shame because the potential is there. One other major issue I have with this album is I think they could have shortened it just a little bit. I think 9 songs instead of 11 would have allowed them to focus on the stronger songs of the album and maybe leave out what becomes filler, like the song 'Babylon' that ends the album.

Look, this genre of music that Diablo Strange has decided to join may be one of the hardest to breakthrough in the metal/hard rock world. There are just too many really good bands that have shown that they have the superior stuff and it takes a great record to be able to keep up with these giants. Diablo Strange has produced a competent and catchy album with plenty of bad ass riffs and hooks that will make you take notice of them. The problem for this album is there are not enough of these catchy moments to make the album memorable. I think Diablo Strange has the ability to do great things; and I honestly hope they figure it out because from what I have heard so far from them I think they might have what it takes to run with some of the big dogs.

Until Later, Peace!