3 New Reviews 9/30/2014

Fen- Carrion Skies- CD/ Digital ( Code666 )

Mystic, Ethereal and Ritualistic all in that Post Black metal style that bands are really starting to embrace again.  Agalloch, October Falls and Altar of Plagues reall stand out here. This force is from the UK and the Heathen/ Occult ways really shine through out the album. The mix of Grim Black , Acoustics, Doom elements and Post Rock really make this an adventurous ride to say the least . Fen has a very hypnotic approach to the music with that dirty and progressive layer that you would want from a band crossing so many genres and ideas. Code 666 is not about  simple music that you glance over they have always been a label for the more experienced underground metal / Experimental  music listener. Fen is beauty and nightmares all in the same song and with Carrion Skies we expand into even more the the experimental and avant frame of the musical realms.  This is there fourth full album and have been on the same label for while. You can hear the growth and progression of talent and freedom to be who they want to be.  It's really is a great time for underground music right now ..

http://code666.net/

Baptists- Bloodmines- CD/ Digital ( Southern Lord)

When you mix  Post Hardocore, Noise Rock and Crust mix into some kind of proggish brutality with a  core of amazing punk rock ethic. Fast, Dirty and Complex all same time and them it throws you for a total loop when it goes into that lumbering Noise Rock that Amrep bands of old were so worshiped for . Southern Lord has really taken over for labels like  Amrep, Revelation, Boner and  Alt Tenticles... These are the new  anthems the  DIY/ Hardcore movement needs and wants.. Baptists wave the banner high and let the circle pits continue !!!

http://southernlord.com/

 

Sanctuary- The Year the sun died- CD/ Digital ( Century Media)

If you were part of the 90's Technical thrash movement then Sanctuary was a band with there Debut " Refuge Denied" and the amazingly vocals assaults of Warrell Dane on Battle Angels.. This was full on Epic Thrash experience. Next up was the Prog/Tech Thrash movements of their 2nd album  " Into the Mirror Black" These two albums were on Major label and I feel lost to what was becoming the Grunge Movement taking the world by storm. We all know Nevermore where Warrell and Jim made complex Power/Prog Metal albums for last 15 plus years. Well Sanctuary is band and it takes off were Nevermore  started and  Sanctuary would have grown to with time. There something so dark and sinister about Sanctuary and with Nevermore it was not. Both are amazing in there own rights. With  The Year the sun died we get more a straight forward Thrash metal album elements of  Theatrics and Concept album almost in the way Streets and Gutter Ballet was done by Savatage.  I really do love that it holds that 90's Thrash production the more layered and Massive without going so polished.  It's an album you would want to hear in a large theater or arena and that has been missed for yrs. Sanctuary is back and it plays and references back to both earlier album as well.. and to close out the review it has those dueling guitar harmonies and that heavy rhythm that makes it all the more special .

http://centurymedia.com