Ape Machine is a four piece stoner-rock / heavy-psych band that recently released their new album Mangled By The Machine on May 14th. The band, if you are unfamiliar, is named after the nickname of the  old-school magnetic reel to reel recorders of music’s past and the band has firmly planted themselves in that same past. This is a band that has all of the sound and symmetry of the 70’s; the fuzzy, old-school tube amplification of bands like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath as well as a familiarity of the newer generation of “retro” rockers in the likes of The Sword and Gypsyhawk. Ape Machine brings an “antique” sound to a solid concept and creates an album that is sprawling as much as it is current.

Ape Machine has created a concept album that is billed as one constant song with 10 separate parts. A unique and challenging venture? You bet! Did they pull it off? Without a doubt! Mangled By The Machine is a fantastic high speed adventure through a concept of protest and revelation and it keeps the listener gripped at all times. The music is never so self-indulgent that it takes away from the flow of the story. On the contrary, Ape Machine had the opportunity to go into full jam band mode and take the songs and story on a long break that would have derailed the story telling but instead through restraint and excellent forethought kept the music in step with the story from start to finish. I would like to give you my favorite song on the album but they did such a fine job at keeping the cohesiveness of the story that there isn't one in particular that stands out over another. The album has to be listened to from start to finish which can be a problem for short attention span listeners looking for that “one” single.

In the running time of about 40 minutes Ape Machine takes you on a journey with well thought out songs and a concept that is relatable. With the proper use of the Hammond Organ and the fantastic musicianship this album is perfect for those of us who really miss the brilliance that once was the heavy music of the late 60’s early 70’s. As I was listening to this album all I could think about was playing this album while watching the movie Escape From New York on mute, using Mangled By The Machine as the dialogue and soundtrack of the movie, it just seems to fit in a bizarre way. You could also use Blade Runner or Logan’s Run in my opinion, as the concept that Ape Machine crafted is solid and the music is engaging and memorable.

When I saw this album and promo information on the list of albums to review I had to claim it as I am a sucker for the concept album and the thought that this album is one continuous song in ten parts intrigued me. I wonder if a band could pull this off and make a listenable album I would want to hear again and again. It is an interesting choice by a band but in the case of Ape Machine and Mangled By The Machine they have achieved a solid concept album that probably deserves more attention than it will actually get and that’s too bad. For me however it will absolutely be a part of my Album of the Year List and you all need to give it a shot as I think you will love it like I do!

Until Later, Peace!

Death metal from Canada….AGAIN!!! I don’t know if our editor assumes I can relate to these Canadian bands because I’m from the frozen tundra of Wisconsin or what. But I guess he’s been right so far. Being in an area where it’s dark all winter and cold enough to freeze water while in mid-air, what the hell else are you going to do besides stay inside and practice your instruments. And that type of practice is evident on Chernobyl Survivor.

Blinded By Faith (Blinded from here on out) are great players, and songwriters. Not afraid to throw in a solo that stops and resumes in ‘Alone’. The vocals are absolutely throat ruining, and occasional clean-ish vocals come in on the chorus. But fear not, this isn't something they settle in, it's used in good taste when called for. The drums might as well be played by someone with three feet and four arms. The cymbal accents in choruses are all over this album, but stand out the best to me on ‘So Speak The Voice Of Law’ and the title track.

This album has its occasional slow moments, but they’re short and placed at the beginning of songs to prep you. Hope you brought extra shorts, this is gunna hurt! There are plenty of clever and quick guitar parts laced throughout, and there are even some “tweedly dee” parts that I don’t normally like but they’re done in taste and, as I always appreciate, do not detour from the songwriting or flow. I know I've not said too much about the vocals and that because they are top notch throughout. But the band as a whole is best displayed on ‘Drastic Medicine’. Listen to that track, and if you like it go ahead and buy the damn album because the rest is of the same frozen tundra Canadian quality. Death metal with some flare, but death metal not as amusement.

Any modern death metal fan would be right to check this album out. Perfect for jamming in the car, a house party or even at a bonfire in the dead of winter. You can pick Chernobyl Survivors up through Galy Records right now.

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HAIL!!!!!!

In a musical era full of so-called progressive metal acts, it has become increasingly difficult for groups to stand apart from the crowd and create something truly unique. The ‘Opeth formula’ is no longer enough (besides the fact that no one has ever managed to do it better than Opeth themselves) and it takes a great deal of innovation and creativity to find the real key to success in the genre.

To get right to the point, it is Noire’s failure to realise this that makes their debut, Dark Reverence, such a disappointment. This is an album that can best be described as uninspired, lacking originality and just plain boring. If that sounds harsh it probably is, but it’s simply too difficult to look past the generic, overused aspects of their sound. Dark Reverence lacks the atmosphere of black metal, the adventurousness of prog, and the hooks of melodic death metal, resulting in a sound that can easily be described using the aforementioned genres but, in fact, possesses of none of them. Sure, there are some cool riffs here (see: the title track) and this is not music that is inherently bad, it just plays everything way too safe and offers nothing in the way of advancing the genre.

In terms of what’s good, it’s clear that these guys know how to play and there is little stopping them with regards to their technical abilities. Sure, the vocals are a little below average and the drumming definitely needs some work, but overall the instrumentation is solid. As mentioned previously, the riffs are decent and the general ideas at play show that Noire undoubtedly have the potential to create something great in future. However, it is the acoustic guitars and piano (when they are finally introduced) that are the real saviours of Dark Reverence and it is a pity that they are so scarcely used throughout the first seven tracks. The last couple of songs prove to be the album highlights due to their strong use of both of these elements and it would be nice to see Noire be a little bolder with them in subsequent releases.

A real issue for the band is their persistent use of mid-tempo playing that genuinely hampers their progressive tendencies. With very little use of faster, more chaotic moments or quieter, slower parts, Noire come across as sounding very repetitive when they’re really not. All the songs sound the same and, with no atmosphere to back them up, the boredom soon kicks in. It should also be noted at this point that the production on this album is pretty awful, and not in the way black metal production should be, but this is an independent release so it’s excusable. It does, however, detract from the experience and it certainly doesn't accommodate attentive listening, which is what this band should be aiming for.

In conclusion, Dark Reverence is a sub-par release that really could have been much better, and Noire will need to improve drastically if they ever hope to release something in the same league as one of their influences. More prominent use of acoustic elements and variation in tempo will go a long way to helping them achieve their goal, along with a focus on the finer details of atmosphere and progression, and this could turn out to be the earliest stages of a truly great album-in-the-making.

So another band from the North of Ireland, Seneron are a rock quartet who hail from Derry and have released their second four track EP Order Restored. I have to admit to not having heard of the band or their music before but given the great music that comes from up that neck of the woods I was looking forward to hear what was on offer from these guys.

According to the press release Seneron will be touring the UK and Ireland and have had some US airplay so they seem to be plenty busy. The four tracks on the EP are 'Please Me', 'Stand Your Ground', 'Dead Stare' and 'Just A Kid' and the overall feel of these tracks is heavy power based rock music in the same vein as Foo Fighters.  The music itself is well played and the EP is well produced and I’m sure that it will be enjoyed by a lot of people, however for me the guys just seem to play things a little too safe. All the tracks as stated above are of the same type with little variation in style and even some of the guitar solo’s mimic the main song riffs and none of the material strays too far from this formula. A little more diversity especially in an EP to show a wider range from the band would have been good to hear.

One quote from the press release states “Frontman John Shields, has a voice that is a cross between Scott Weiland and Joe Cocker”. This is a huge statement and, in my opinion isn't really the case as I actually think that the vocals are the weakest element in the band and detract from the music as it is actually way too prominent in the mix and takes away some of the drive and power from the music.

So how to sum up Order Restored form Seneron? Well the music is not too bad and I can see them gathering a good following regardless of my opinion on the vocals. The band would also need maybe some more variety in the music or try for a more unique sound especially knowing how hard it is too get noticed in the local music scene and given the amount of great bands already in it and try to push the boundaries and not play it so safe.

Chelsea Wolfe has already made quite an impression in her career to date. Her ability to combine old fashioned folk songwriting with elements of drone and psychedelia may not be as remarkably original as some will have you believe but the mixture is potent to say the least. With a band of four in tow, this date marks Wolfe’s first performance in Leeds and the main room of The Cockpit is fairly full to welcome her to West Yorkshire. The message, it seems, has spread.

Before the main attraction arrives on stage however there is the small matter of local droners Sunwølf to contend with. A live trio, complete with lo-fi visuals that unfortunately either run out or stop working halfway through the set, Sunwølf offer up a powerful wall of sound on record but live ramp that up to a whole other level. There’s enough low end on offer here to make the whole venue shake but sadly the volume is not quite at the desired level, perhaps because of another gig taking place upstairs. Still, the band should have earned some more followers with this musically captivating set.

Chelsea Wolfe initially emerges flanked by a violinist and a keyboard player, brandishing an acoustic guitar, and a voice that could halt any passer-by in their tracks. Despite the fact that the crowd are obviously expecting something louder the first few tracks are rapturously received and if anything it’s slightly disappointing when the violin and acoustic guitar departs to be replaced by two electric guitars and drums. Soon enough though the second half of the set proves equally arresting, despite the occasional moment when the aforementioned upstairs gig is audible at inappropriate moments.

Wolfe’s live band are far from showy, that much is true, but the added texture given to her songs by their involvement is what makes this an unforgettable performance. At times the reverberations of her voice and some simple finger-picking is enough to send the audience into hypnotic rapture but it is the dissonant, slightly krautrockian ending to the main set takes things to another level. Indeed, the power achieved by both sound incarnations, quiet and loud, is almost Swans-like in its graceful ferocity. Unmissable. 

Every year at this time, the post-Soviet countries dive into what are known as the May holidays – this is a string of holidays that date back to the Soviet era and have just ‘stuck’ since then, so strongly that the country practically comes to a standstill for the first 9 days of May (this year it happened for 12 days because it coincided with a weekend and Orthodox Easter). As for Ummagma – since we are a husband-wife team, everything ‘family’ related also affects our music – the stuff we go through, the stuff we write about, what inspires us (and doesn’t inspire us), the time we are in and out of the studio, budgetary considerations – basically everything.

We so happen to live in Ukraine, if you didn’t already know that, so May Days were interesting for us – I could have called this entry a ‘diary’, but the day-to-day play-through might seem a bit of a bore, so I’ll just jot some random things down pertaining to the band that occurred in the lead-up to and during the May Days. 

Firstly, we’re pretty happy that our songs have been doing well in terms of chartering new territory chart-wise. For a band based in Ukraine, this seems all the more impressive. Last month we held our #2 spot in New York City’s Indie Darkroom (WNYZ), where we’ve maintained a presence since July 2012. We also came in at #10 in April’s Scottish New Music Chart (where we’ve ranked with various songs steadily since August 2012), so we’re thrilled about that too.

Well, when I say that the whole country draws to a standstill – this really only pertains to business activity, since many people actually become hyperactive compared to the rest of the year. That especially goes for drinking, their gardens and living it up. For us, it was a great time to host various musicians to come jam with us. We recorded some material and laid out some ideas for potential collaborations. We’ll keep  you posted as to new developments for Ummagma.

The word supergroup is enough to send shivers down anyone's spine. The bloated egotistical meanderings of a bunch of musicians who think they are the bees knees. Surely this couldn't be true of an Alt-Country supergroup containing members of Dead Confederates and Deer Tick though could it? Well, actually, no it isn't. What they have produced is a no frills party album which plays to the strengths of their skills and then some. This album is a riot from start to finish.

Kicking off with the rollicking country blues of ‘Hightail’, it is obvious that fun is on the agenda here. Imagine Drive By Truckers letting their hair down and you are halfway there. Harmonising vocals give way to roadhouse guitars and beer and women are the order of the day. The touchstones of roadhouse rock are being played to the extremes.

Beer songs play a big part on this album which may be an influence of Deer Tick who were asking everyone to go to the bar on their last album. It's not done in a cheesy way though and you find yourself wanting to spend time in the company of these musicians. They sound like they are having the time you will never have. Right down to the admission on the song ‘Hungover and Horny’. We've all been there.

Interestingly there is a big horn influence on this album with stabs floating in and out on ‘Country Honk’ and an almost ska feel to ‘Call Girl Blues’. The former song also ends with a stomping squall of blues which gives way to a heady mix of psychedelia. There is no stopping these songs and they will go anywhere they damn well like.

Perversely the album finishes with a Christmas song but by then you think why the hell not. Having been taken on a honky tonk drive through the alternative roadhouses of America a song like this is totally apt. If you like alt-country and have a sense of humour then try this album for size. It's a complete blast!

London 4-piece The Boxer Rebellion decided to take a ‘significant step in a different direction’ for their new album Promises and the results are highly rewarding. This collection of 11 tracks is indeed the ‘hi-fi soaring piece of work that truly delivers on the band’s epic, signature sound’, as proudly announced in the press release. An upcoming mega support slot with The Rolling Stones will hopefully be an excellent launch pad for them, with a view to becoming one of the country’s arena filling acts.

Perhaps this proclamation sits at odds with Echoes and Dust’s usual roster of reviews, it sits at odds with me as I don’t tend to go in for the big promotion of arena fillers, in the vein of Coldplay, The Killers and their ilk, but the fact is, the songs on this album are just tremendously good. Soaring. Epic. Stadium sized chorus after stadium sized chorus, brilliantly sung by vocalist, Nathan Nicholson. The man is blessed with one of those great voices, capable of a thrillingly high falsetto and a soaring croon that kisses mountain tops.

Having given them the big build up, the reality of the situation is that The Boxer Rebellion will probably go the same way as countless other great bands with outstanding vocalists, capable of writing the most beguiling melodies and songs. Think Puressence, Geneva, Guillemots, The Czars. All garnering critical acclaim, back catalogues long since deleted from stock, no reprints required. Shameful.

I have one of The Boxer Rebellion’s earlier albums buried deep somewhere in the archives, memory recalls it wasn’t a bad listen so I was keen to renew my acquaintance with them again after all these years. Our opening tune and lead-off single ‘Diamonds’ is perhaps a little low-key as the initial tune. (Then again, it’s a nice way to build up to what lies ahead). Understated and reserved, it has an intriguing melody and instrumentation.

The track listing on Promises is hard to work out, when they follow up a track like ‘Diamonds’ with another less obvious tune like ‘Fragile’ you begin to wonder if The Boxer Rebellion want the attention at all. If you’re undecided at this stage though, it’s the uplifting rush of the chorus in ‘Always’ that will have the hairs on the back of your neck standing. It’s great songs like this, ‘Low’ and ‘Keep Moving’ that ought to see The Boxer Rebellion get to fill out arenas. If they were released by Coldplay, they’d be sure-fire number one hits.

A trilogy of ballads, in the vein of early Guillemots, is neatly placed towards the end of the album. The final track of the three, ‘Dream’ has a stunning finale where strings swell and rise up, reaching for the epic button and hitting it with a firm wallop. Then it’s down to the title track ‘Promises’ and its brilliant chorus to drive home the message that this band know their way around a tune and singer Nathan knows how to sing it.

The album’s not without its chin stroke inducing moments though. The cloying chirpy keyboard sound that runs throughout ‘Take Me Back’ ruins what would otherwise be a good song. ‘New York’ has a faux Riverdance sound that is a tad cringe worthy to these ears. A minor complaint though in what is otherwise a thoroughly entertaining collection of actual songs. There are so many bands who manage to get their career path to a lofty trajectory, only to decide that farting about with studio trickery and experimentation is the way forward. In the process, neglecting to write anything remotely memorable.

The Boxer Rebellion have created something special with ‘Promises’. Whether or not they can see this through in terms of sales will probably be down to that stroke of luck that often evades those more deserving. It might take a deal with the devil (advertisement, film tie-in?) or maybe that upcoming Stones show to help them on their way. A lot of time and effort has obviously been poured into the making of this album. Would be great to see it get heard by the wider audience it richly deserves.

The French have been known for their jazz and classical contributions in the past and have lately been rolling out some great rock and metal with the likes of Gojira and Abrahma. I've seen them come out with awesome post-hardcore in the past, namely in the guise of Sna-Fu Grandes Désordre Orchestre, who have been paving the way for high-octane raw might on French stages since 2005. That said, despite an onslaught of contenders, there seems to have been a fallow period on the French hardcore platform of truly standout bands. Until now. Until Good Morning Bleeding City's Complete Omnivore.

As soon as the muted bassline rolls in, you know you're in for a treat. Even though it lays the groundwork for a pacey punk riff to kick in, you still manage to be surprised when the whole band explodes into a raw post-hardcore hook. Catchy, yes, but definitely no punches pulled. As it simmers down again the vocals remain as harsh and strong as ever, before it all descends into furious mathcophany. Despite the fact that the adrenaline stays surging throughout, GMBC manage to frequently flip the switch on the mood and master a huge range of dynamics, while still bouncing off the walls as they make their way down a jagged tunnel built from bricks of hardcore, punk and math rock. All of this takes place in the first minute of opening track 'Baldwin's Case' and it sets the tone for the entire album.

While GMBC clearly possess the skills to produce an onslaught of technical mathcore, their biggest strength is that they know how to leave each tune some breathing space, no matter how short the song is, and they do it well. Very few post-hardcore bands manage to execute the perfect balance between catchy coarse baselines, busy harsh noise and minimal punchy riffs, but the way these guys manage to create space in the middle of all their chaos is comparable only to Rolo Tomassi, just without the synths.

Sure, there's plenty of great bluesy and punky riffs that kick off a song, like 'Platini Beach', but it soon blows into something more. Huge rolling riffs with a calculated edge, like those in 'Ras Ras Rasputin' are completely mindbending.

As with all of the greatest bands, they key isn't in the overall sound, but in the detail. Tiny little quirks of timing, little tonal changes, sudden dynamic shifts, the frantic vocal harmonies (watch out for the mental screaming harmonies in 'Platini Beach', they only last a few seconds but are off the chart).

'Moto Salad' begins with a queasy discordant riff that Spencer Seim and Zach Hill themselves would be proud of and GMBC ride it hard.

With all the proficiency of technical metal, the fun of punk and the rough-edged raw aesthetic of post hardcore, this group of Frenchies surely deserve to take on the wider world of math punk soon.

Less than one year ago ‘Requiem for a love’ signaled an important milestone in the scene of Mexican post-rock.  This is just one of the songs that gave life to the epic album Maze Of Memories that fans of post-rock love and will love still for a long time.

I’m talking about A Shelter In The Desert, a five-pieces post rock band from Mexico City that in 2009 started experimenting with sounds in a new and different way for that country and Maze Of Memories is their debut EP released in August 2012. Starting from May 2013 we can all enjoy this album in a physical edition in CD format released by Oxide Tones, a label that doesn’t stop pampering post rock, electronic and ambient music lovers. The gift is a bonus track that I’m sure will blew your mind.

The opening ‘Dreams’ is that bonus track. This song has sure-handed melodies like missiles stuck onto emotional buttons. It represents approximately 8 minutes of floating to the heavens through hurricanes of delay and distortion. We couldn’t ask for a more appreciated gift!

‘It’s Raining’ starts minimally enough to bring us to experience the magic of Mayan temples. After some plaintive guitar the scene is dominated by the Mexican landscapes accompanied by   a wonderful orchestra that burst on the scene suddenly, occupying a big place in our heart.   . 10 minutes of guitars, bass and drums that really engulfs you.

‘Frustration, Rage, Freedom’ has a cinematic starting; whilst the whole album is mainly permeated by a dramatic tone this song is joyful and melancholic in the same time. But post rock music is a personal experience so that each of us will find something different in these guitar-driven melodies. I really love the pause at about the half of the song: it’s a short pause to our heart beating cause after a bunch of seconds new delays and reverbs, that gives an atmospheric sound, change the song that gently declines to come back again following the sequence of after building up tension, release it in a crescendo, then do it again. This is a typical structure we find in most post-rock songs and if you are into post rock you’ll probably recognize the influence of Mono of Japan on the Mexican band.

‘Requiem For a Love’ sits as this EP’s centerpiece. It’s a wonderful combination of combustive guitars and shimmering strings. We’re sailing over a tumultuous sea, over repeated passages where drums, guitar and bass drop-out and the classical instruments take over in a continuous cycle.

Last but not least is the longest song of the EP. We are on ‘The Other Side Of The Road’ looking at the Mexican orchestra delivering a beautiful final chapter to their tour de force. The repeated rise/lie-down formula melody runs its course and blossoms into a two-minutes long finale that instills peace in the listener hearts. We are enjoying the sun going down behind the Mayan pyramids fulfilled with a divine sense of triumph.

Maze Of Memories is an album full emotions and energy, gloom and melancholy, but it is not even devoid of dreamy atmospheres. The execution is great and the cleverness of A Shelter In The Desert band shines in each arpeggio. The journey throughout the six tracks of the EP is really an experience, one that any post-rock fan should enjoy.

Alicante, Spain-based space rock group Pyramidal’s first album Dawn in Space was an hour-long tower of an album. And that’s only if you exclude the bonus material; the original edition featured seven tracks plus a cover of Neu!’s ‘Isi’ as a hidden track, but the vinyl edition (which was later uploaded to Bandcamp) features two added 10-minute-plus tracks (as well as un-hiding the ‘Isi’ cover). That pulls the album to a staggering 1 hour 24 minutes.

This is not unusual at all for bands in the psychedelic/progressive rock spectrum; when your genre is partially based on writing long, sprawling pieces of music, it is only to be expected that your albums will be long and sprawling as well. Album length can sometimes be a good barometer of where a band intends to go artistically; do they expand their musical reach to new levels, or do they cut out the excess and go for a more straightforward approach? Both can work beautifully.

And this makes Pyramidal’s new album, the fantastic Frozen Galaxies, an interesting creature. It is considerably shorter than Dawn in Space at 46 minutes long – but half of that is taken up by the final, 23-minute long title track. Clearly the band has not given up length, and in fact, Pyramidal actually seem to have expanded their sound into a few new areas, despite fitting it all into a shorter runtime.

Where Dawn in Space was all about massive, spacey atmosphere, Frozen Galaxies focuses more on memorable musical hooks while retaining their trademark spaciness. Dawn in Space was an album to get lost in, one that felt like drifting around the outer reaches of the universe in a trance; Frozen Galaxies, meanwhile, is a focused intergalactic journey demanding your undivided attention.

If the above description makes it sound like Pyramidal have changed their sound significantly, it shouldn’t. The core of the band’s sound remains the same, but they have added a considerable classic prog influence to their psychedelic palette, with compound time signatures, dissonant melodies, and complex song structures added onto their spacey jams.  The band channels bits of King Crimson and Camel throughout ‘Altar of Delusion World’ and ‘Beyond the Lost Orbs’ in particular. ‘Sons of Light’ is a bit more straightforward, except for the 11/4 section at the end.

And then there’s the massive 23-minute title track. ‘Frozen Galaxies’ begins with the same prog influences we’ve heard on the rest of the album, but towards the middle begins to focus more on the drawn-out jams that defined Dawn in Space (it might be ironic that the title track from the new album bears the closest resemblance to the old album, but I digress). The bass-driven ending section is one of the best things Pyramidal have ever written and the song in general closes out the album fantastically.

Frozen Galaxies is a phenomenal follow-up to a fantastic debut album. It is a good sign when a band shows willingness to evolve and expand their sound and is able to get results out of doing so, and Pyramidal’s refusal to rest on their laurels should make them rising stars in the psychedelic rock scene.

Album number two for Luxembourg natives Scarred, Gaia / Medea shows the band pushing their sound to a more mature and original sound. While previous efforts had a bit of a Gojira tinge to them, this album takes what they have learned over the years an expanded it, further eschewing those obvious influences. And while there may still be bit and pieces in there, they are fewer and farther between. Hell, even Gojira even changed how they sounded with their most recent album, so someone’s bound to put their toes in that pool.

I’ll be honest, opening track ‘Gaia’ has its Gojiraism. The break in noise leaving only guitars for a few seconds and then sliding into a very strong lock-step pummel. But it’s the parts that don’t sound like the aforementioned band that I see a lot of promise in. Instead of needing time to shift gears/build up momentum, Scarred take initiative and play it straight, and have more groove while doing it. Further on in ‘The Great Pan(dem)ic’ they psych you out with a nice airy guitar intro (a good one at that) leaving you to think they may be going all balled-like on us. But no fear, it gives way to a modern thrash attack with their twist on it. The song has a rather constant pummel complimented by fast paced guitars and an AUDIBLE BASS!!!! It sits right behind the guitars but as long as you pay attention you’ll hear it.

‘Psychogenesis’ steps on the brakes a bit here and there, overall creating a breathless feeling with the vocals sounding a bit coarse and ready to go. There’s some Meshuggah chugging hidden in there, but never too indulgent, practicing guitar bends well. ‘Idiosyncrasy’ sounds like a song Gojira should have used on their last album, only they didn’t write it, Scarred did. And I thank them. ‘Empire of Dirt’ is another barn-burner full of nice leads, leads that I didn’t really like the first time I heard. But after a listen or two the tone of them grew on me, and I felt they were a nice contrast over the top of the rest of the music. Twelve minute journey ‘ Medea’ ends the album on a back and forth tear of smooth or quiet passages and all out machinegun fire. The quiet break towards the end settles the pace and builds up for one last punch to the throat. And said punch is a chugging beast, one that echoes off fucking mountains and rumbles the floorboards. If Scarred can close the album with a song like this I only look forward to what time and maturity will bring on the next album.

I know there are two band names mentioned above that are hit or miss with a lot of fans of the modern death metal genre. One band made a clunker most recently, the other has been pointed at and blamed for a genre that I myself don’t even like. My fellow writer and friend, Myron Schmidt of This Is Not A Scene, and I have had a few talks about this album, and  have come to the consensus that Scarred may have moments of these two both mixed in but see it as not a rip-off or imitation. They have enough originality and good ideas mixed in there that we believe they’ll completely grow and progress in time.

You can get Scarred’s Gaia / Medea right now, worldwide through Klonosphere Records. You can also stream it over at our friends This Is Not A Scene.

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HAIL!!

Survival is the new project of the much discussed Hunter Hunt-Hendrix. The controversial Liturgy frontman, has reunited with sone former band members to release this self-titled album. Liturgy saw derision from CVLT fanatics at their alledged hipster approach to black metal. Myself I dont really follow opinion I usually judge on what I hear on recordings, Liturgy for me didn't warrant either the praise or overreaction from purists. I just thought there was better out there.

So when I heard of Survival I was mostly curious as to what it sounded like.  Well it's not for the CVLT crowd anyway and will only justify their cries of hipster (to themselves). Survival is a totally different sound combining stoner like riffage with hazy pysch vocals. It works well and there is no denying some of the quality. However for me it's a case again of not totally buying it. It's a very enjoyable album but that spark to pull me right in is missing somewhat.

There are highlights for sure. Opener 'Tragedy of the Mind' contains some glorious riffs and dreamy vocals. 'Freedom 1' and 'Second Freedom' merge in a flurry of tribal rhythm and spiralling riffs. 'Triumph of the Good' as well impresses with pomp and power.

All too often though the ideas and formula seems repetitive and recycled. I find it hard to recall any of these highlights after listening and nothing really stays with me or pulls me back in. I expect Survival to be reviewed well however and should prove popular with many. Just check it out for yourself rather than allowing pre-conceptions of who is involved get in the way. I'm just sorry Hunter Hunt-Hendrix couldn't convince me a bit more the hype is justified.

To define “extreme” metal is a task no one has truly mastered. I myself will never even try. It’s just….extreme. Pushing things to the limit, no matter what those “things” may be. Blast beats, samples, guitars, drumming, etc. I guess I just tried to explain it, didn’t I? Shit. Well, The Monolith Deathcult (TMDC for short) is all about pushing things past the limit. Everything past the limit, even with some tongue-in-cheek humor. And on Tetragrammaton they know no boundaries.

Ten minutes of ‘Gods Among Insects’, which opens with a line from the blockbuster movie “Independence Day” (1996, 20th Century Fox Film Corporation), is one hell of a way to start things out. While some bands take a modest, subtle approach, TMDC don’t know either of those words. It’s a solid 10 minutes of epic orchestrations, blasting, death metal vocals, blasting, swirling guitars and feedback. Yet, the whole thing flows well. TMDC seem to know what they’re doing. The pull the reigns back just a bit to keep the ride going. Then they rip your damn head off with one hand and continue playing their instruments with the other.

On tracks like ‘Human Wave Attack’ and ‘Todesnacht von Stammheim’ the band continue their intent to shock, but manage to maintain the flow. ‘Human Wave Attack’ in particular mixes saxophone swirling so well, you’d think John Zorn had been paid to scream through some brass. ‘Todesnacht von Stammheim’ uses a great mixture of electronic elements but when the guitar solo come in at around the five minute mark, it's all strings and steel. Closing track  ‘Aslimu!!! All Slain Those Who Bring Down Our Highly Respected Symbols To The Lower Status Of The Barren Earth’ (not kidding) pulls back a bit on the shock and awe, and instead just focuses on just being a nonstop tank of fucking death metal. All gimmicks aside, TMDC prove to be a set of Dutchmen who have one mission: Take it to the extreme.

If you’re a fan of unrelenting music, pedal to the floor death metal smothered in sheer insanity, then check out Tetragrammaton. You can find it through Season of Mist records on May 10th in Europe, and May 14th in the US. And don’t forget to listen all the way through the album closer, these guys like to have fun, that’s all I can say.

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HAIL!!!

When talking about genre crossing in music there has surely never been a discussion about folk death metal with some 70's prog rock thrown in. Well now you have it with what may be the most original and bonkers album you will ever hear.

Artaius hail from Italy and pin their badge to the progressive rock movement of the 1970's that what so popular there. Not that any of the bands then would sound like this. Artaius take Celtic folk, mix in some black or death metal vocals and riffs and layer it all with the fiddly keyboard solo's so beloved of early Genesis or ELP. Oh...and add in some Irish whistles for the hell of it.

All this sound like a recipe for disaster, and there are moments where you will literally piss your pants laughing, but it is done which such aplomb you almost wonder if this is a practical joke. You find yourself sucked into their world and enjoying every barmy minute of it.

It all starts so normal, a nice Celtic inflected melody gives way to lovely female vocals. This then suddenly turns on its head with what can only be described as a strangled hyena yelling out the title of the song 'Make The Iguana'. Even better are the lyrics which I will let you discover for yourselves.

Musically it is stunningly adept as keyboards weave in and out of the riffing guitars interspersed with moments of delicate melody. 'Over the Hedge' sounds like ELP gone wrong but manages to hold itself together with its terrace anthem death metal vocal (yes, you heard right) while flutes bring 'Horizon' to life and bring to mind Jethro Tull.

Artaius obviously believe in what they do, there may even be a concept behind this album. Tempos change and random sequences of music develop the story, whatever that may be, giving a satisfying whole. It is maybe worth remembering that all the best prog from the 70's was ridiculously over the top and Artaius have joined that super club. Only difference here is that it is also so much fun.