When I got Beyond Mortal Dreams’ (BMD for short) promo, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Slapped my name on it and gave it a listen. A blind pick, no listens, just said ok. To my enjoyment and thank-fuck-this-album-doesn’t-suck-ness, BMD have made an awesome EP.

To sum up the detailed history of BMD real quick: Members left, visions and ideas weren’t the same, temporary hiatuses, lead man Doomsayer kept going and now we have this slab of fucking evil death metal in our hands. ‘Feast of Carrion’ is a quick-fire blast of urgency and fire falling from above. Blast beats and occasional galloping drums keep this song at high speed all the way through. And when the guitar solos come in, they mean business. Starting slow paced and dipping in the “shred” category, they are what a solo should be. ‘The Filth of Their God’ has a nice mid-pace tempo. Even though the drums blast a lot, there is still a locking groove to this song. The guitar riffs are a perfect fit with the drums, really locking in the song. ‘Dreaming Death’ is a death metal epic; starting slow and full of dredge then progressing into a solo that command the depths of hell to erupt. This track is mostly instrumental, and the vocals that are used only add to the evil, spell-binding feel. I can’t say enough how BMD utilize their guitar solos and tones. Closing out with a blasting rendition of Beherit’s ‘Beast of Damnation’ is never a bad way to close out.

My only gripe about this album is that the vocals aren’t mixed high enough. The vocals I do hear sound great, and I think they should be a little more predominating. Aside from that, this is a perfect EP for any fan of death metal. Their must be something in the water in Australia, the bands that have been showing up from there have produced amazing album after album. Maybe our lovely Editor of All Things Heavy, Sander van den D, would be willing to send me on an all expenses paid trip to investigate? I urge you to encourage him to make this happen.

This EP is now getting a 12” MLP vinyl treatment via Lavadome Productions. Specially mastered for vinyl, released on oxblood, one-sided 12” LP with pentagram etching on blank side; it will be available in May 2013. Limited to 350 copies and digitally available through any major digital vendor of your choice, there’s no reason not to check this out.

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HAIL!!!!!!!!!!!

Let’s not beat around the bush here; Lychgate’s self-titled debut album is evil... really evil. If one look at the album cover doesn’t already give you that impression, the first few minutes of music certainly will. For a band consisting of members from Esoteric, Lunar Aurora and Omega Centauri, among others, this kind of atmosphere was always expected; it’s the execution of it that is most impressive.

From the opening minute of 'The Inception' it is apparent that this is not going to be a comfortable journey, with the use of a church organ creating a particularly unsettling tone. 'Resentment' is a great track but consists of mostly mid-paced black/doom metal, and it’s not until 'Against the Paradoxical Guild' that the album truly comes to life.

The latter track features an awe-inspiring vocal performance from Greg Chandler, who utilises his terrifying high-pitched shrieks to full effect. The music is just so much more sinister when Chandler leaves his mark on it, but kudos to the rest of the group for enveloping his vocals in some truly magnificent soundscapes. This is black metal of the highest standard, further evidenced by 'In Self Ruin', where the pace really kicks up and the avant-garde and progressive elements come to the fore. These are all experienced musicians from very forward-thinking groups, and their willingness to experiment gives the album a really confident air to it. The blistering guitar solo that comes in about a minute into the song is an unexpected move, but is pretty much as good as it gets for the genre.

Also expect to hear everything from hypnotic chanting ('Intermezzo'), blastbeats ('Triumphalism'), and acoustic breaks ('Dust of a Gun Barrel') during Lychgate’s latter half, which rounds up the album perfectly. There are no weak tracks here, making the 38 minutes of music go by quickly, but memorably. In short, if you’re a fan of any of the bands involved, enjoy ‘artsy’ black metal of any kind, or like music that will make you want to hide beneath the bed covers, Lychgate is definitely for you.

Jamie Ward (ex member of Kyte and current member of the post-rock band Maybeshewill) and James Stafford (a member of the alternative rock band kids in cars) are the two men behind the Dark Dark Horse, an electronic project based in Leicester.

Jamie does the music and James is the voice, two ingredients for a great recipe that I strongly recommend you to taste. The only problem is the high risk of reliance on their music!

Ambient-Electro addicted will love Centuries, the debut album of Dark Dark Horse that has also a slight feel of down-tempo. But the main difference between Dark Dark Horse and other bands with the same music style is the absolutely beautiful voice of James Stafford.

Centuries is a wonderful experience throughout its 10 tracks that, all together, are an amazing listen. Each tune is the step of a journey in the time dimension. This kind of listening brings you to remember your past, to live intensely your present and to hope and dream for the future.  

The album starts with ‘Sharks’ that introduces us to the Dark Dark Horse musical world with its electronics and glitch, down-tempo vibe. The chorus itself seems welcoming the listeners to the journey across Centuries.

The keyboard riffs of the first track bring us to the following ‘Ethics’ that is a soft and relaxing tune.  Apart from the voice, what is superb in this song is the piano played by James Stafford accompanied by a repeated electronic beat that gets faster towards the end of the song hypnotizing the listener. In its simplicity this song captivates with its beauty.

‘In A Lifetime Before’ made me think about Mùm typical sound with the plus of the warm James’ voice that works like an additional instrument perfectly combined with the piano, the guitar and the electronic beats.

‘Spit Our Regret’ is one of my favorite tracks from this album and it’s a work of beauty and intelligence. It has a fast rhythm with a melodic voice and lengthy post-rock undertones. But the atmosphere is the most intriguing part of this song.

Our journey across Centuries goes on with 'Southwest of Orion' that is a sort of continuation of the previous track with the addition of a xylophone. The outcome is an alternative/indie sound  perfectly blended with a very well produced electronica.

The longest track of the album is ‘Mercury Nevada’ but even 8 minutes of this track are not enough. It starts slowly with an awesome piano but after a few it changes completely, like a song in a song. The piano leaves the scene to lo-fi vocals, drum beats and hand clapping that can be the perfect soundtrack to your best chill-out night. The rhythm gently declines towards the end and the sound becomes clear like the sky over northern landscapes making this song a very atmospheric and wholly immersive experience.

The final duo is the synthesis of the whole album: calm vocals, drum beats, warm piano and chilled electronic are all present with the vocals really taking center stage to celebrate the end of the journey or the arrival at the point where there’s no more difference between the past, the present and the future.

‘Two Gestures’ and ‘Centuries’, as the album title, are 7 minutes of freshness and originality that offer a lot with their wide variety and culminating with a brilliant final chorus.

Jamie Ward and James Stafford’s duo formula is winning thanks to the originality of their sound and to the character of the songs that, all together, are like a wondrous diamond with its beautiful, stunning sides.

Dark Dark Horse will release their debut album Centuries on Function Records next  May 27th and I hope to see them live as soon as possible. 

1. Ingredients: Dark Throne, Converge, a wolf, a chainsaw, some surgical thread, a bunch of plastic sheeting, guitars, bass, drums, and a microphone.

2. Place all “supplies” in the back of a rusted out Econoline touring van. Any van will do, as long as it is rusty.

3. Find a nice, quiet place to do some “work.” Maybe a secluded cabin in the woods or a nice warehouse.

4. Prep the area and start cutting, being especially careful not to lose any piece of said bands or wolf. This could change everything. Make a tidy pile in the corner of the room.

5. Though the pile looks intimidating, start selecting various bits and begin sewing. That surgical thread will come in very handy at this point.

6. Once all the parts are stitched together, the monstrous beast that has been assembled should look (and sound) somewhat like Belgium's Hessian. Their debut full-length, Manégarmr, is a masterwork of blackened-hardcore debaucheries.

Manégarmr, the word, is an anglicized name for a wolf, or "Moon-Hound," in Norse mythology. This gigantic beast tirelessly chases the moon across the night sky. Ultimately, the wolf catches and swallows the moon in order to bring on the morning light.

Manégarmr, the record, plays like the soundtrack to this nightly hunt. It is intense from start to finish. There are brief moments when the moon is allowed to catch its breath, then it is right back to the gruesome hunt. Angular guitars swoop in and seem to come from every direction. Speed and dexterity play a major role as well. Things move fast and the vocals are fierce (and reminiscent of Dwid from hardcore legionnaires Integrity). It is an angry record; about as aggressive as it gets. This is a good thing. Cathartic and almost perfect in its execution, Manégarmr will no doubt catch many peoples' attention in 2013; fans and critics alike. It is already marked as a best-of on many lists (this guy included).

It doesn't get much better than Hessian. This monstrous, blackened-hardcore/grind spewing beast of a wolf is on the prowl. The moon better watch its back.

Led by Nathan Baumann and filled with musicians from the likes of The Ocean, Coilguns, Shelving, Derrick and Rectangle, The Fawn could easily put out albums that lack musical merit but still get consumed due to their separate pedigrees. They could, but they sure don’t. Collegium is not a sum of its parts, no, but an album from a band with its own voice, its own identity.

The organ that opens (and flows through) ‘Arche’ is instantly spine-chilling yet warming to the soul. The acoustic guitars that make their way in ever so seamlessly are loud and clear, even though the volume is low and smooth. And as far as the vocals go, well, I’m in awe at what my ears are hearing. There may be a thousand albums out there with vocals just like this, BUT THEY ARE NOT THESE VOCALS. Sorry, I got a bit carried away there. This is just an album, it’s music, that although almost entirely acoustic, packs so much beauty and emotion. The cello and extra noises added on the tail end of ‘Two Traces’ compliments the entire previous minutes of vocals and strummed guitar in such a manor, well, I honestly can’t put it into words.

‘Queen of Rain’ is a call of beauty for the clouds to pour out their hearts and wash away any worries you may have in your mind. With its cello (I believe?) backing up guitars and drums that flow at a bit of an upper pace, I find this to be my favorite track on the album. As cheesy as it may sound, but as I’m writing this it’s raining and I couldn’t be or feel better. ‘Good Friends’ finds a nice bass drum being played and backing organ creeping in as the vocals of ”…if I ever come back home, know if I ever come back home, we’re still good friends". It’s painful and hopeful at the same time. ‘Summerbreeze’ is the kind of song you hear around a camp fire with a few friends or at 1 AM on open mic night at your local pub. You know, that time when that one guy plays that one song that everyone will be talking about even though only 6 (!) people were there cause all your mates had to be at work the next morning.

‘Dive’ is the final track here. And I honestly am not going to give too much about this track away. I’ll simply say that it is the only way this album could possibly end, and it left me with a few tears in my eyes. A heart-warming ending to an album that I was never meant to review, but feel lucky enough to have heard. That’s all you’ll get from me.

You can pick up The Fawn’s Collegium through Hummus Records. Don’t sleep on this one. While everyone is out there hopping on trends and what’s “hot”, you should be listening to this.

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Tumbleweed Dealer are in the stoner/dessert/sludge rock category according to their Bandcamp and Facebook pages. I'm no expert in any of the above so wouldn't be able to tell my sludge from my dessert from my stoner. My only real exposure to this ‘genre' of music would be Kyuss, Monster Magnet and possibly some Clutch all these bands I really like, so I was really looking forward to getting the cans on and slip sliding into the groove.

First off the Album Cover for Tumbleweed Dealer has a very 70's psychedelic feel and really does set the tone for the music that the duo from Montreal, Canada serve up for their debut. Getting into the music, it really does lean into the stoner/desert realm with song titles such as 'Opiates', 'How To Light A Joint With A Blowtorch', 'The Sacred Mushroom And The Cross', and 'Sons Of The Desert'. Stylistically the overall feel for the songs is definitely slow groove based riffs with a real feel for improvisation and jamming.  Think early Sabbath slowed down, real heavy riffs enough to shake the head, brain, in fact the whole street. Some of the songs on offer are epic ranging from the 5 minute 30 to the 9 minute mark and all with a hypnotic effect  layers of guitars all playing a slight variation on a theme. As good as the riffs are I think the tracks could use some vocals in the style of Neil Fallon which would really take everything up a notch. For me the best track on the album is 'The Sacred Mushroom And The Cross' which actually changes tempo during the song and really shakes things up. A few more tempo changes in the songs and Tumbleweed Dealer wouldn't just be a good album, it would be a great album.

So I'm still no clearer on how to define the genre that Tumbleweed Dealer would fall into but suffice to say that the guys deliver a powerful album loaded with great big slow heavy riffs all wrapped in a psychedelic jam packed goodness. So if you like any of the above bands or genres then you will definitely like these guys. The album is out now definitely one to check out.

It is way too tempting to douse this review in whisky, hang it up across a hemp washing line, and blast it with buckshot whilst gargling engine grease as my eyes roll back in my head.

But that's what Murder By Death do.

As the house rock music comes to a silence, as the lights go down, in the Dingwalls in Camden, London; I am feeling the full force of sinusitis kicking me in the head after a five day period of flu; cooped up in bed with tissues and Lemsip.

MBD kick off with ‘Kentucky Bourbon’, tranquil in its descent, making me think of homestead movies, sodden mud bricks, and grassland isolation. I don't like Whisky, but I am all too ready to romanticise it; feeling more like I am in a saloon, drinking and ranting whilst old Joe plays the ivories, I manage to get over my illness and soak up the atmosphere.

Throughout the first half of their set, MBD play songs from their album Good Morning, Magpie'before crossing over during the second half to songs from In Bocca al Lupo - 'Brother' was a highlight, Adam Turla's vocals crashing over the PA, and Sarah Balliet's cello creating some beautiful soundscapes.

Booze. Cowboys. The Old West. 'The Gunslinger' by Stephen King. Lost relatives, and the sadness that comes with them. I found myself ruminating on all of this, in unison with what was coming from the stage.

Something else about MBD; their vibe makes me think of theft. Every song will have an aspect that I will want to pilfer for my own creative needs; a drum fill, a chord, or a vocal melody. They make you feel as if all is ripe for the taking, and this seems to go hand in hand with the liquor, cigarettes, and dead zombie children theme (listen to 'Who Will Survive And What Will Be Left Of Them?' if you don't understand)

Musical swag that you're tempted to bury in the sand; but I can't help but introduce all of my friends to them. You HAVE to listen to this.

Surprising is their cover of INXS's 'Never Tear Us Apart', of which I have memories of bellowing away whilst lying in bed as a child. Their twist is certainly their own; print it off, throw it in a barrel, let it age for a decade, and you've got a single malt version of the original.

They finished off the night with 'The Day' from Magpie and asked the crowd to sing along. I was only disappointed that they didn't play anything from Like The Exorcist, But With More Breakdancing and if you've not heard of Murder By Death, I would suggest starting there.

Ahhh remember Invasion? A 3 piece London metal duo made up of one bloke, two chicks who played heavy jams that you could almost dance to. They reminded me of Big Business fronted by a soul singer and they kicked some absolute ass. The album The Master Alchemist rocked, they were a top notch live band and the only way was up for this stupendously unique outfit. Then one day they broke up, well I’m not sure if it was ever official but it seemed to just fizzle out. I never saw an official announcement but they just stopped playing gigs… gutted. However, a few months ago I was over the moon to hear magic was happening and the band were realigning in the forum of Vodun… Hurrah!! This meant Chan and Zel morphing Oya & Ogoun, teamed with some chap called Oli who takes his role in the band as GHEDE on guitar. What’s more is that they hit the studio early doors and recorded a 7 track EP entitled Eat Up the Sun, wonderful stuff!

You’ll all be happy to know all the magic that Invasion possessed still floats around in abundance within Vodun. The opening and title track ‘Eat Up the Sun’, introduces itself with a  trippy sample before launching into the main body of the song which picks up from where Invasion left off, stupidly sludgy guitar matched with quirky drums and deliciously dreamy vocals! This time they have a heavy voodoo influence and get dressed up in wicked costumes which carries over into their sound. There is another psychedelic dimension which makes it an exhilarating listening experience, almost like they have been hanging out with Swedish psychedelic rockers Goat. The exceptional level of song writing is still there, very catchy pop tunes with not one bad egg. The second track ‘Red Flag’ is a prime example of this catchy chorus, which gets stuck in your brain (for fucking weeks) and is probably the best song on the album. The new guitarist has slotted in wonderfully, heavy as hell but presented in such a different context and of course Oya’s vocals are simply stunning.

The EP is free on Bandcamp at the moment so to not check it out would make you very foolish indeed. This is such a unique band with truly excellent songs which will get you listening again and again. The final track ‘Zaka’ plays us out with a hypnotic jam and confirms Invasion’s metamorphosis into magical hard rocking force which will bring nothing but joy to your brain and smiles to your face.

There must be something in the water over there in Switzerland. First I got to sample to delights of an excellent prog band and now along comes more Swiss finery in the shape of Geneva’s This Misery Garden with their second album Cornerstone.

The album opens with the one-two punch of ‘Human – ET’ and ‘Holy Clutch’. A sequence that I would have reversed as I found ‘Holy Clutch’ to be the more natural opening track… hey ho. Vocalist Steve displays a set of pipes that have the silkiness of a crooning Eddie Vedder with the roughness of Chris Cornell. It’s good stuff already, there is some great guitar work going on in the chorus of ‘Holy Clutch’ with some excellently melodic vocals on top. No sign of a guitar solo yet.

‘Angry Child’ up next and I must admit to feeling a bit disappointed with this track. It seems to feature a number of clichés found in generic, nondescript rock (plinky echoey piano intro, whispered-breathy vocal breakdown, drums processed to sound like they’re coming out of tiny headphone speakers). It all seems a bit tried and tested to be honest. Which is why it’s good news that the next song (‘Mr X Was Right’) is a step up again in terms of quality control. The chorus has great breadth allowing Steve (you know, the vocalist) to stretch out and has some great drum work (from Stephan) throughout the song.

The rest of the album features much the same to be honest. There are some good rock tunes on here with soaring choruses and the occasional chug riff thrown in. The standout track for me is ‘Death Head Colours’. Why this is this track number 10 on the album I have no idea.  This should be in the first half of the album. Some fantastic riffs, a great vocal performance and an off kilter drum pattern. It’s a shame this is hidden so far into the album. Although maybe that is a reward for the patient listener….

This is a great accessible hard rock album. It has shades of Soundgarden, Life of Agony (circa Soul Searching Sun). It has many great moments but it doesn't excite me. Each song feels the same, as though they have stock parts in the band song writing bank and simply slot them into place. Let me be clear: this is a great radio rock album. The songs are solid, the production is top notch and the playing is superb. There is nothing wrong with this album. It's the kind of record you put on in the car when you're going for a drive or long journey. There is nothing here that you haven’t heard before; it's certainly not reinventing the wheel. But that is no bad thing. It’s just, for me, too generic.

Last year’s Blues Funeral saw Mark Lanegan produce what may very well been the best album of his career and finished high on critics end of year lists. He has decided to follow this with a collaboration with blues musician Duke Garwood. Unfortunately the result is one that seems more like a bit of a vanity project than a new album.

The gravelled voice mixes well with Garwoods guitar but there is a slight hint of selflessness about it. Instead of having any soul, the results are rather clinical and don't provide any meaning as to why these songs were written. There are moments which rise above the norm but not very often.

Highlights are a stunning ‘War Memorial’ which funereal imagery could easily have fitted on last year’s album and the slowburning ‘Mescalito’ which brings to mind Lanegan’s earlier work with Screaming Trees. Both are classic Lanegan that take you into a nether world of death and blues. The rest of the album just doesn't match.

‘Cold Molly’ is probably the nadir of the album. Completely out of place with its electronic beats and stuttering vocals, it is jarring and unmatched. Maybe on another album this would have worked but then the lyrics are simply a pastiche and you find yourself despairing of its worth.

This is made up by ‘Death Ride’ with its devil imagery but it's too little too late really for an album that could have been so much more. Having set the bar so high this is certainly not one of Lanegan’s best efforts and can be filed under disappointment.

We don’t need to go to Reykjavik to experience the atmosphere of Icelandic music since Alec Snook, aka Zoon van snooK, decided to bring us a piece of Iceland into our homes with his new album The Bridge Between Life & Death which is due May 21st.

The Barcelona-based artist composed his new album collecting field recordings recorded in Iceland in 2009 and the first thing you’ll realize is that this is not a conventional ‘found song’ album for the shift in sound and atmosphere you can find through the 11 tracks. In about 40 minutes each field recording, one after the other, is a picture of Iceland, from the valley of Landmannalaugar to the Vulcan of Askja, to the glacial Jökulsárlón but with music that doesn't sound like ice, but like warmth. Each song is composed differently from the other one resulting in a beautiful and well mixed photographic album.

The album intro is ‘From the Cradle / Leiktími’ that announce the starting point of the trip throughout Iceland with its captivating glockenspiel. It creates the atmosphere of the day before you leave. 

The following song ‘Snorri’s Saga’ is a miracle, like the waterfall of Seljalandsfoss. It conquered me immediately. It’s soft and warm and you find yourself delighting in the beauty of nature until, after two and a half minutes, it becomes darker and brings you into a deep and introspective mood. 

“That’s how the life can be here on this little strange island” are the final words of ‘Björn of the Mendips’ - where the lyrics is an Icelandic anecdote. Zoon van snooK put music to the words captured during his travel experience in Iceland. 

‘The Verge of Winter’ is the first song made public and should be familiar to the fans of Zoon van snooK’smusic by now. 3:47 minutes of joyful notes with gentle xylophones that reverberate vigorously accompanied by piano and strings. This sound brings me to the birds of the songs of Múm which Alec Snook maybe was inspired byduring his composing and I really love the title of this tune. It’s a joyful song associated to a season that is considered by the majority as a dark and gloomy season but full of memories of the past summer and of expectations for the forthcoming springtime. Alec lets the sun shine during the winter!

When you think you have reached the end of the album, ‘The Potter’s Garden’ featuring Amiina surprise you with a delicate twist of rhythms and sounds creating a wonderful audio environment.

I really love the rhythm of ‘Magret the Outlaw’ and its repeated beats. It’s a wonderful electronic exploration and one of those tunes that is strong enough to stand on its own feet. 

The following song ‘Lyre! Lyre!’ is a sweet ballad where Zoon van snooK mix traditional Icelandic music, electronic beats and the words of an Icelandic woman. All these elements are perfectly blended.  

“Tjörnin Side” represents another experiment of mixed sounds and instruments: viola, cello, guitars and glockenspiels are all combined into a nice groove that celebrates the beauty of Iceland and its inspiring power. 

The concluding ‘The Gaits’ featured by the guest performer Sin Fang is the longest track of the album and it’s quite melancholic. Is it due to the fact that the trip is going towards its end? Maybe yes or maybe it is due to the mood that northern landscapes often provoke. Because the sight of that beauty is too invasive and this tune together with all the other songs of The Bridge Between Life & Death celebrate it in the most beautiful way. 

All I want now is some time together with this album and a pair of earphones.

It’s not very often a compilation of re-mixed and re-mastered songs from an unreleased EP and an album, with two different ex-vocalists mind you, is all that good. Tormented to Oblivion features songs from the Sherwood Webber (ex-Skinless) lead (again, unreleased) EP Diametrically Opposed, and choice cuts from their album Between Hell and Oblivion, which features other ex-vocalist Stevie Boiser. I know what you’re thinking. Odd: yes. But good: absolutely.

(This album is being released on vinyl and digitally. The vinyl version contains selected tracks from Between Hell and Oblivion and all of the Tormented to Oblivion EP. The digital version contains all of Between Hell and Oblivion and Tormented to Oblivion. You are reading my review of the digital version.)

So having never heard the original version of this album, I really have no bias in this. What I hear from the opening track ‘Haunted’ is a nice chugging, brutal, heavy slab of death metal. Vocalist Stevie Boiser is really good. He has a very strong roar, but it has clarity. After a listen or two you can pick up on what he’s saying. Guitarist Nick Guenther plays a nice mid-pace set of riffs all throughout, and his solo is really crisp and doesn't overstay its welcome. ‘The Heretic’s Will’ is a quick fire track, deathgrind if you will. Drummer Andon Guenther plays some really nice fills throughout the song, and they accent the song well. I can tell bassist Phil Turner is there, he obviously is in the mix, but it’s hard to make out. The drums and guitars are up front quite a bit. ‘Abducted’ and ‘Cidium’ are both great tracks that bring a really heavy, and hefty, attack. The entire band actually sounds heavy. (This re-mix/master has done a good job of really bringing the heft to this album, if that is indeed what it was lacking.) Both of these songs bring a lot of mid-pace with the drums and guitars. The leads at the tail end of each are also really good. Both songs feel like they were actually “working” to get to the end of the song for a great finish. The final track from Between Hell and Oblivion is ‘A Viral Evolution’. Enemy Reign really sound complete on this song. Lots of guitar work placed over stop and start drums that then spring right into blasting session. The vocals, as I’ve said, fit perfectly and I really like them.

The last for songs on this compilation are the unreleased EP Tormented to Oblivion. I honestly have no idea what kept it from being released but I’m happy it’s finally out there. ‘Make Enemies’ starts out building to a friggin explosion. The bass is audible as well, something I appreciate and enjoy. Vocalist Webber sounds great with his half shout half growl. Drums and guitars sound fantastic. The sound on this EP portion feels a bit more “open”. There’s a very nice sound to it that isn’t suffocating, and that adds a greater dynamic. The other three songs rounding this out; ‘Tormented Masses’, ‘Diametrically Opposed’ and ‘The Truth Hurts Suffer’ all sound amazing, production-wise and musically. I’d have a hard time picking one of the four to be a favorite, as they all have amazing drums, guitars, bass, and vocals. They sound like awesome death metal songs. Period.

You can purchase Tormented to Oblivion on vinyl now through the bands official website. It will also be available digitally through your preferred digital music store. Support the bands you love and enjoy. Grab this album and go see a show!

Hail!!!!!

If you looked at the cover of Fat White Family’s Champagne Holocaust album you could be forgiven for thinking they were some insane grindcore band with like thirty three fans. It features like a weird cow pig thing holding a blood splattered meat cleaver and axe whilst his impressively sized penis hangs below which would be a perfect portrait for any shock grind band. However, upon listening to their debut album you realise Fat White Family are not a grindcore band, way off! In fact, after spinning their album countless times I’m not really sure what they are… rare nowadays!

There is a certain level of buzz sweeping around London about this band… people mentioning how skinny they are, how they survive by squatting around the East End and their disturbing video for ‘Cream of the Young’. The Fat White Family buzz strongly hints that they don’t just pretend to be weirdos… they are weirdos. Champagne Holocaust is only just going in to circulation, they are already being tagged with a ‘cult band’ label so does the listening experience justify the hype? That’s a big fat family yes!

The opening track ‘Auto Neutron’ kicks in like a lo-fi garage number, it makes you feel like you are getting intoxicated on many levels in the coolest club in town. The lyrics are dark, the singer is mumbling but you can hear him saying something about “burning your shit down”. It’s a gem of a track, a glorious mix between garage rocker Ty Segall and psychadelic rockers Goat.

We then move onto ‘Raining In Your Mouth’ which could easily be a completely different band… almost Butthole Surfers like before we launch into ‘Who Shot Lee Oswald’ a stripped down number on a banjo with repetitive yet insane lyrics and not a million miles from sound like Ween. That’s pretty much the story for the entire album, it’s a quirky little journey across many different musical styles... Stooges style punk, bluegrass, even indie (good indie)! It’s all packaged up beautifully and heavily armed with both charm and darkness making it a well-balanced delicacy. There’s numbers that will make you dance, make you think, make you trip and just put a big fat family sized family smile on your face (sorry I’ll stop doing that now).

I never listen to new bands and hope they were ‘the next big thing’ but I kind of feel this about these gents. Champagne Holocaust feels like the real deal and with the mainstream music scene is as crushingly boring as it’s ever been, there has been no better time for a genuinely nasty band (who at one point mention a 15 year old girl’s cunt) to come and give the mainstream a hard kick in its deserving arse!

Imagine you’re a band from France. You’ve been touring a lot and you’ve released a full length album and a split over the last couple of years and you’ve worked hard and saved up enough money to go to Brooklyn in the United States to record a new full length album at Translator Audio studios with Andrew Schneider (of Unsane, Keelhaul, Converge fame among others). You’ve made it to Brooklyn and everything’s going well, but then it turns into October 29th 2012 and Hurricane Sandy hits the East Coast of the US. Destroying many things, including Translator Audio studios and the entire studio and band’s backline, gear and everything.

This happened to French heavy noise rock band Sofy Major when they were recording their new album Idolize. For a while they wondered around the streets of New York not really knowing what to do. Luckily for the band (and for us), the Brooklyn indie music scene came to the rescue and the recording eventually took place with the help of Dave Curran (of Unsane, Pigs) and Andrew Schneider’s perseverance. The result is a top of the noise rock shelf album with a handful of very decent tracks and another handful of brilliant tracks.

As said, Sofy Major is a heavy noise rock band, but there are plenty of metal and hardcore influences in their sound, with tracks ‘Comment’, ‘Steven The Slow’ (which features Dave Curran lyrics and vocals), ‘Bbbbreak’, ‘Coffee Hammam’ and album closer ‘Power Of Their Voice’ (a great Portobello Bones cover; only included on the European release) being good examples. Other tracks such as ‘UMPKK Pt.2’, ‘Slow And Painful’, ‘Seb’ and album opener ‘Aucune Importance’ are of the more slower and nosier calibre.

Andrew Schneider did a fantastic job producing Idolize as it has a very natural and organic sound to it. The drums sound as if you’re just standing next the kit in the studio and the bass has this almost Albini-like sound to it, which makes comparisons with Shellac and The Jesus Lizard unavoidable, this not being a bad thing in my book, but more the contrary. It is a sound I love and that makes noise rock so attractive.

I am sure the events on that October 29th would have had a huge impact on the two Matthieus (one on drums and one on bass and vocals) and Sébastien on guitar, as this no doubt affects the songs written and recorded during the process. One thing is for sure though, Sofy Major has demonstrated a huge amount of willpower and with the help of the Brooklyn music scene they managed to create a great album full of heavy bass, distorted guitar riffs and organically sounding pounding drums. It takes the motto “Support Your Local Scene” to the next level.

Idolize will be released on May 31st through Solar Flare Records and if you like your music heavy, noisy and with plenty of riffing, I’d recommend you to buy this.

Much like the man they named themselves after, The Dillinger Escape Plan have been giving my musical radar the slip until now. I’ve saw their name in written press but for some reason have never actually considered paying them any further attention. The Echoes and Dust Metal Editor practically dared me to take up this review and I’m glad he did as new album One Of Us Is The Killer is one incredible chaotic, mesmerising thrill ride down extreme alley. Oh, forgot one other adjective there…it is BRUTAL.

My first encounter with the band was a video of them performing single ‘Prancer’ at some metal award ceremony. Quite a performance too, vocalist Greg Puciato stands astride a huge speaker stack before jumping off onto the stage, while hirsute bassist Liam Wilson sets about playing his bass like he’s trying to murder it. The song itself is a hurricane of complex riffs, twisted and mangled, it seems as it this band have never met and are each doing their own thing. But that seems to be how these guys work, repeated plays reveal that the fury that is being unleashed is, for the most part, an extremely technical performance and the manic thrashing of guitars and drums is all part of the equation that is math metal. After repeated plays, ‘Prancer’ becomes a sleek, driving sledgehammer of a song with one thing on its mind. To bury itself in your brain, it is bloody great.

The savagery continues with ‘When I Lost My Bet’ which sounds like the bet was to record the noisiest cacophony possible in the shortest possible time. Often the riffs and drums are so chopped up that it sounds like the CD has got dust on it and the laser’s skipping. ‘Magic That I Held You Prisoner’ and ‘The Threat Posed By Nuclear’ also edge that wee bit too much into untenable territory for these ears, no matter how many listens I give them, I ain’t getting it. (Sorry extreme metal fans, but I had to say it.)

When it’s good, it’s exceptionally good, the title track ‘One Of Us Is The Killer’ finds Greg sound so much like Mike Patton I thought it was a guest vocal turn. There’s a much needed downturn in tempo and the first semblance of melody as the eerie falsetto sung verse gives way to a snarled croon. Not one to ever take much note of lyrics, the chorus of “One of us must die, but the killer won’t survive” is a tremendous twist that adds a suspense element to the song, which is already on a knife edge.

‘Nothing’s Funny’ also brings the Faith No More influence to the fore, again, The Dillinger Escape Plan show that they have an ear for a tune amongst the violent malevolence of the music throughout. ‘Paranoia Shields’ also adequately provides the hum factor, as does ‘Understanding Decay’ although the latter is also one of the most frenetic tracks on the album. Penultimate track ‘Crossburner’ adds a little dubby atmospherics to the melting pot.

I’m fully aware that The Dillinger Escape Plan will have their fanbase, most of who will have grown up with the band and will be knowledgeable about them and more in tune with their sound, so to you I apologise if this review comes across a little cack handed. I accepted the challenge to write the review, my musical tastes only ever dip into waters this choppy, but it’s a credit to the band that they can engage the likes of me, draw us in and overcome us. I’m intrigued enough to seek out their back catalogue and hear more. There are many facets to The Dillinger Escape Plan sound, there’s a complexity to the songs that requires attention. Give them your attention and be rewarded.