Shores Of Null - Quiescence

Shores of Null - Quiescence 03/13/14 Candlelight Records

Thus far I like this record. Reminds me vocally of Alice In Chains with a twist of modern doom.

The record definitely has a doom vibe, but is evoking very familiar pastures.

Quiescence could fit anywhere in the Swedish style, or American style, it is that mutable.

The power that comes out of this album is melodic progression. There isn't a lot of blatant speed going forth, nor the obnoxious bravado, there seems to be a very calculated intent with this record.

This is my seventh unknown artist from Candlelight, and I'm pleasantly happy to continue to support this label. I await new frontiers of sound Shores of Null will bestow on me in the future, thanks for reading.

B.

The Great Old Ones - Tekeli-Li

The Great Old Ones - Tekeli-Li  (r)04/16/2014
Les Acteurs de L’Ombre Productions

This is a record I wasn't quite ready or prepared to check out. It straddles upon what I've heard before, but I've to come around to it in a different aspect. Letting it play in the background and letting it settle.

Sure, there are songs I am definitely on the fence about it, yes the atmospheric pieces work, but most of the compositions work behind all the crunch and pulverizing scraping of the guitars and full on blast beat work. Jangly is how best to describe the guitars here.

Vocally its a miss for me because of the raspy screeches. I would have liked to have heard more variation. Though there are spoken pieces intermittent through Tekeli-Li, otherwise the music works in a ethereal vibe.

It is thick but also comfortable. There aren't a lot of areas to ply forth as this sound is common, yet the thing that I've come back to is the layering of texture, and emotive presence. Yet I worry about how much black metal has fallen into these trappings. I will admit this is fresh, but still hangs onto what is perceived. Perception can help or hinder, depends on mood.

I am glad there still is this abrasive aspect out there, but I kind of think that some fresh perspective can cure what ails. Great things ahead or more of the same, time will tell with this band.

Tekeli-Li isn't a bad record, but I am glad to know of The Great Old Ones, another France band that I seem to be drawing towards as of late. Thanks for reading.

B.

Portal - Vexxovoid

Portal - Vexovoid - (r) 2/19/2013

Portal - Vexovoid (Bandcamp)

This was a very strange experience for me. Portal is a band I have no knowledge about. Vexovoid is a record that pummels every sense in expectation, and perceived direction of familiarity.

What is known or understood about compaction of texture and composition is completely redirected into a mashed listening experience.

I have never heard something this dense that it takes a few listens to uncover bits and pieces of the work.

I am acutely aware of the direction extreme music needs to go, and while I do agree with the notion of challenging outside perceptions Portal pretty much covers this in large doses. Some may not agree, yet there is something very different in approach, and execution to what I've experienced here.

If there is one gripe I have it is this: the songs do blur into each other, there are intermittent variations of notes that string together with a kind of thematic overture, but there is a few areas that I think challenge the perception of design and execution. A lot this record is mangled, twisted, and heavy on distortion, which is expected from the listener to carve out their own understanding.

If I were to pick a single instrument to follow it would be the guitar because of the tonality shifts, and the near pulsation that weaves the songs into peaks and valleys.

Interesting listen if nothing else. Thanks for reading.

B.

Seth - The Howling Spirit

Seth - The Howling Spirit  (r)06/11/2013

I have no prior knowledge of Seth, so this provides me a fresh perspective to gauge forth. I've not been really versed about this French band, in only this year.

Via bandcamp specifically, I checked out The Howling Spirit. It is an album with a mixture of calm, elation, sorrow, melancholy, trouble, unsureness, while bristling forth a dark edge of personal sanity.

Underlying in the theme is a deep fragmentation of humanities faith, wherein supports this philosophical debate about the soul.

In my interpretation I feel this is a record providing a couple singular points and/or pieces into this construction.

Thematically there is a wide crevices, giving a variances of cascading pits of darkness woven with around the music. The thing I enjoy the most about The Howling Spirit is the melody. Sure there are the usual trappings of Black Metal, but this isn't the reason why this record exists, there is something very deep, aware, and presented for the listener to uncover. Thanks for reading.

B.

Sepultura - The Mediator Between The Head And Hands Must Be The Heart

Sepultura – The Mediator Between Head And Hands Must Be The Heart - (r) 10/29/2013

Loosely based on Fritz Lang’s 1927 German film called Metropolis i.e. working class versus the city planners, or in today’s current terminology the 1% versus the 99%.

The overall vibe feels darker, meaner, and the undertones are very much on the surface level with regards to humanities accent into a more divided screed of rich and poor classes.

This record took a few listens as I was definitely thrown off by the production helmed by Ross Robinson who did their Roots record in 1996. Going in a different direction with regards to tonality, groove, and focusing more on a primal and analog sound this record really punches you in the face if you've not heard this band in a while.

Vocally Derrick Green pushes himself harder and that really stands out. Guitarist Andreas Kisser is a beast into and among himself, whereas bassist Paulo Jr. is given great care to be recognized, while drummer new comer Eloy Casagrande does a fine job keeping pace.

I've had some time to digest most of the record, and what I think is that it is fine record, but I am uneasy about it's future, and maybe this record is the culmination of current events in regards to broken systems, whether it be political, business, and societal; yet I pull forth references from the Nation record, because of it's crux of a kind of uniformity with regards to seeking out individualized truth, growing from knowledge, and being accountable to a personal ethos.

What is happening now is very much a divisive and toxic arena, even with reference of Metropolis as the backdrop, the main construction really hits home the idea of personal freedom, but there is this terrible cost to that freedom, and it is choice. Some very hard lessons are learned when aligning with various factions, because lets face it, life is a series of alliances based on a kind of trust that can be manipulated for selfish reasons, or given credence to bonding that cannot be broken. Thanks for reading.

 B.

Oranssi Pazuzu - Valonielu - Review

Oranssi Pazuzu - Valonielu - (r)10/15/2013

Oranssi Pazuzu - Valonielu (Bandcamp)

Experimental in a dissonant way. Building mostly around a singular note, and then swelling into a large crescendo, with cascading waves upon waves of repeater effects, and quirky keyboard textures.

It is this outside the box approach that gives Oranssi Pazuzu a very different complexion to music style or what is expected with textural compositions.

There are monster riffs encased around what are supposed to be grandiose soundscapes, but this is re-arranged to take the listener into a journey of stark contrast of sound. This record to me is a painting consisting of mental vortexes of thought, dripping into various levels of sonic overload. Valonielu is structurally sound in foundation, but there are various hints of fusion, and melody.

My head space definitely gets this because its complex enough to poke at what my expectations are. I am very grateful for stumbling upon this. I am eager to hear the first two records from this Finnish band. Thanks for reading.

B.

Gwar - Battle Maximus - Review

GWAR - Battle Maximus - (r)09/17/2013 

I know how I feel about GWAR at this stage. I love this band. I make no apologizes for it. This is a band that has evolved from my first introduction with Scumdogs Of The Universe (1990) in 1993 to Bloody Pit Of Horror(2010) and everything else in between.

I was gutted as a fan in 2011 when the band lost their main guitarist Cory Smoot. I was worried what the band's next steps were going to be. They've alleviated any concern I had and regrouped, energized, intently focused, and Battle Maximus is the result.

Battle Maximus is a heavy tribute to Cory Smoot. Though I am still gutted by his untimely death, he is the rejuvenation GWAR needed to stay relevant with the metalcore, and post-metal crowds during the 2000's decade.

Many of the songs have a different vibe and flair. It is a capable record trying out pastures of prior GWAR lore, which is a good thing. Fusing more of a folkish theme, the record nods and winks to a guitarists guitar touch (if that makes sense). What was left with Flattus Maximus (Cory Smoot) has evolved very pronouncedly with new member Pustulus Maximus (Brent Purgason).

The record really bites with the knowledge of mortality, where underneath the all the scales, and patterns is a record coming to terms with this arena. There is no retread, this record pushes GWAR in a very deliberate way, kick ass, and don't worry about the aftermath.

It is a fantastic testament for a band which has stayed as current to the times without sacrificing their core objective: be as ruthless, over the top, eager, staying constantly hungry, and entertain for the sake of entertaining.

They will always be a hallmark of that mid 80's punk to cross-over appeal for me. I've been along for the ride closing in on nearly two decades. What keeps it fresh is the balls to wall, take no prisoners attitude employed by frontman Dave Brockie's alter ego Oderus Urungus. Thanks for reading.

B.

Satyricon - Satyricon - Review

Satyricon - Satyricon - (r) 09/17/2013

This will be my third entry into Satyricon's recent work as I found them via online around 2005 via iTunes radio. The song was Black Lava, which griped my attention something fierce. Next up was a song called The Scorn Torrent (Rebel Extravaganza) which was a completely different side that I was unaware of.

Though I was introduced by the first single: Fuel For Hatred (a very cheesy song) somewhat indirectly, didn't resonate as well. Coming back to Black Lava I actually liked because of the shifts and duration.


The capacity of Satyricon either straddles my interest, or ruffles me somewhat. I've had a distinct issue with the over the top blatant prose and attitude employed by them specifically. Their records have a different spin to what is expected of the black metal mantra.

Yet Satyricon are often encased in a confrontational and evasive rockstar attitude. Since Volcano onward each record doesn't balance so much what I liked about the next area of sound. I settled into a lot of ambient, and atmospheric pieces of black metal.

Satyricon are the top of the heap, recognized by their stature, and (depending on who you ask) popularity. They elicit their own novel script of fast, and mean forceful tone. Occasionally the band will touch on scopes of drawn out passages with song structure. Nothing is without its purpose though, but sometimes they can be extremely self reliant, or inclusive into their own narrative and whim.

There has to be a kind of process that artists can take apart with what has come before, and reinvent or re-energize what makes a band who they are. The last few releases in my estimation are pop constructs in each and every precept of the word. They cashed in while there was a kind of interest before things started to putter out.

In the last couple of years, black metal has had this elitist bullshit problem. I've seen and heard all the missives about whether a band is more black metal or not. Whether black metal is being true to its core mission statement, or being a complete sell-out.

I find this to be as asinine and complete without point because art is subjective in a most loose term possible. I as a listener can pick out whether the band is being genuine, or just phoning it in as it were. In no way shape or form have they but with Satyricon I wonder if it is time to rethink this.

Having heard much of the record, this will definitely put a large strain on diehard fans of the band. For me I'm juggling with how different this is. There is power, and the recognition of the band is still in the 'sound' yet what I have heard will take some getting used to.

Like Morbid Angel's Illud Divinum Insanus (2011) record, Satyricon is going to create a lot of friction, and that is okay because as of late black metal needs a major kick in the ass to get out of it's comfort zone. Maybe it will work, maybe it won't. Thanks for reading.

B.

Deathspell Omega - Drought

Deathspell Omega Drought EP - (r) 06/22/2012

I am unsure of what is happening at the surface level. The nice mellow beginning morphs into something much darker, sinister, and deeper than I was prepared for. It is an interesting spectacular frame that is part listening to bones being fillet, with a twinge of melody sprinkled about.

Drought isn't meant to be comfortable. It does not serve anything more than to grate upon prior expectations. It will make the listener pay for not being aware of it's own cognition. Thematically the poetry pushes into uncomfortable reflection. I find it to be great work which is expressed in the tome, and craft.

I find this band off the beat, in many ways they elicit a demanding power that rustles forceful philosophic undertones. Just as the EP begins, so it ends. Drought invokes my time in gauging it's intention. I'm stretching myself out there, and I'm glad because this EP has grown on me. Thanks for reading.

B.

Carcass - Surgical Steel - Review

Carcass - Surgical Steel
(r) 09/17/2013


Carcass are a band whom need no real introduction. Either you know of them or your stuck somewhere in the newest generation of metalcore/post-metal scene. Thankfully I am a little more knowledgeable to what the band has done.

What does Surgical Steel offer? It's modern day Carcass without any new avenues of exploration. What you get is more vicious grindcore metal. The only drawback I have with this record is that you could place it side by side with older records and you can listen for similarities of theme, composition, and riffage.

I suppose having this version is better than no version of Carcass. The issue I have with the new record is the long 17 year gap. They don't even have all original members. That is okay because of the players aren't in the same head space in regards to aggressive music.

I do enjoy their signature sound, and that the record has very good meat to it. Yet, Surgical Steel won't retain much of repeated listens for me. But for the average fan who's been chomping at the bit to hear new stuff, this is more for you. Thanks for reading.

B.

The Leviathan - In Darkness It Crawls - Review

The Leviathan - In Darkness It Crawls
(r) 08/22/2013

The Leviathan - Into Darkness...(Bandcamp)

Something new, yet something familiar. Hailing from Manchester England or UK for most of the state side people, The Leviathan feel familiar but glint a very directly different palate. The band evokes dark wave/black/metal style I like, but also emote something a bit off center from standard fair currently playing.


In Darkness It Crawls has very good production value, the musicians are capable, and applicable to their craft. This record compliments winks to Novembers Doom, Solitude Aeturnus, Watain, Immortal, some Death, and Lacrimas Profrundere. These are great bands to be in thought and reference, yet The Leviathan push the metal flag and I'm glad to have found them by happenstance.

I may sound like I'm inching closer to seeing what the new breed of metal is about, and this seems to alleviate my concerns. In Darkness It Crawls is released independently free from major record labels, seek them out via The Leviathan Bandcamp Site, support the work. Thanks for reading

B.

Last Chance To Reason - Level 3 - Review

Last Chance To Reason - Level 3
(r) 08/06/2013

Last Chance To Reason - Level 3 (Bandcamp)

I got the chance to see Last Chance To Reason in 2011 during the Obscura tour, and what I was immediately struck by is how compact, and concentrated their power is.

The dimension and variation vocalist Mike Lessard employs. He has this intensely focused energy which gives a positive variation to a new breed of upcoming 'metal'.

The players around Mike showcase a style that sets themselves apart from a genre that is still trying to invoke a new direction as it were. I was really impressed just by what I saw, and heard and immediately set out to check out their work.

I find this band interesting, and I like where they are going. The first release harnessed a metalcore texture, whereas the Level 2 pushed them outside of that sameness field and really captured a curiosity not really seen in sometime.

Based in large part around video game code, Level 2 meanders a little bit, but pulls together after repeated listens. The only quibble I may have is the record feels very short, and maybe its because I've got an eclectic point of view to the 'journey' of sorts.

Level 3 takes a much more directed approach and branches outward to give me the listener something to chew on. I'm not even really sure this record fits in the 'djent' style as there are a lot of little elements going on. Yet, this is a record that has to be listened to in a very direct and non-confrontational aspect.

I feel as though the machine code has now become self aware, and yearns to branch and breakout of the confines of just being game code as it were. The layers upon layers of subtext can be looked at in the current state of our society and world. Using the premise of man's often deluded sense of will or purpose, and realizing its time to wake up from a long sleep.

No matter, I will continue to marvel at this release. I cannot wait to see these guys again. They put on a great show, check them out, you will be disappointed if you miss them. Thanks for reading.

B.