5 new reviews for 2012....
Peter Bjargo- The Architecture Of Melancholy-CD (Cyclic Law)
1st off if you don't know who Peter is you have not listened to modern Neoclassic, Ambient or Industrial music in the last 15-20 yrs as his projects Arcana and Sophia are some of the best presentations of Neoclassical Ambience and Martial Industrial ever respectively. Now with what seems to be his 1st solo album on the the always wonderfully done label Cyclic law Peter is showing more a Spaghetti Western meets Post Industrial soundscape of the world it reminds me a lot of David Galas Release on Vendlus Records several yrs back or something that Dead Can Dance or Lycia would have created in that genre or style. The eastern influence is very strong in what is happening here. Peter has brought back the Darkwave sound in vengeance. The Strings, Hushed acoustic guitars, slightly buried vocals and simple but bombastic percussion is just soul aching to say the least. Peter is taking you on an emotional journey in a way that older Arcana did but this takes it on such a more personal journey. This will be a classic for the 21st century no question..
http://cycliclaw.com/
So is the Tongue- A Child of Divorce-CD ( Nefarious Industries)
A new Project a new label to me so here we go... So is the tongue are from my home state on New Jersey as are one of those oddball avant rockers that if your not a fan of labels like Touch and Go, Merge, SST or Constellation/ Matador then you will just be in complete disgust of the band at 1st listen. They mix low fi, Post rock, Avant jazz, Noise rock and Post punk in to a way that the mainstream listeners head would just turn this off in the 1st 30-50 seconds and if your a fan of bands like Sonic Youth, Slint, Rodan, Rein Sanction or Sunny Day Real Estate then you are going to love every moment of this . So glad to hear more music like this as they add elements of Bands like Kayo Dot and Isis in the very loose guitar and jazz elements that are going on. Again we are talking about music that is going to make you think and change your idea's on how music can really be arranged and created. Come into this with an open mind and you will be richer in the end by far..
Aspectee- Jour cinq-CD (Black Drone)
A Dark and Drifting journey into the bleakness of ones inner self with very unsettling results. This was the kind of things I would listen to at night while reading Sci fi or Fantasy books by candlelight in the winters of Rhode Island when I lived there alone. It really sets the mood. Aspectee is more about the layers of sounds and how the come together to make your mental state change then being a force for the darkness. Ambient music like this is more for the Industrial or Occult fan as this is where it takes the listener. Remember the days of Robert Rich, Vidna Obmana, Lustmord, Yen Pox and Raison D etre and this is all you need to know. Fantastic to hear more well done and well presented Dark Ambient.
Black Skies- On the wings of time-CD ( Self Released)
Black Skies as a love affair of Swans, Prong and
Mastodon from what I hear there are some very strong punk elements
going on as well. To complete it all I hear the monster of Celtic
Frost entering into the picture as well. This is one of the most
powerful unsigned forces I'm hear in a while Punky Black Doom seems
to be a sound that is making its way into major popularity in the
underground in 21st century as this is so bombastic its wonderful. I
know I maybe insane but the stylings of bands like Mudhoney and Tad
are very strong in this unit as well. If Black Skies are unsigned by
choice and don't want to just be independent for the freedom it
creates them in the modern scene then this is a crime for the ages.
With proper promotion which them seem to have now the skies are the
limit. They clearly could be as big as Mastadon or Pantera..
http://blackskies.us/
Legions of Crows - Stab me - CD ( Funeral Rain)
What we have here is a fuzzed out organ filled black / doom band with experimental and some serious grandiose overtones. The spoken word passages are as impressive as the musical movements that flow through out. Legions of Crows was a strong kinship to bands like Agalloch, Dorenriech, Ihshan and DHG. The way the tracks are arranged it gives off a Gothic flavor but never over done. I've never heard of the label Funeral rain but with this introduction and the fantastic production values. This would very well be on Prophecy productions or Candlelight. The vocals are a mix of grim and clean with some very twisted effects. Legions of Crows are more impressive each time I listen and I think you will feel the same.
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