8 New Reviews

Antagoniste- The Myth of Mankind- CD/ Digital ( I Voidhanger)

This is a very interesting combination of Sludge Black Doom with a heavy dose of Prog and Avant metal going on . It's what you will clearly hear on the road to insanity from ones very mind. There are these odd nightmarish melodies that are drawing me to this album at at time there is even that Socal/ Nola Sludgy bluesy groove going on. Antagoniste is something you don't hear very often as it mixes the chaos, complexity, strong song writing and just the venom and aggression you hear from bands the adds what I would call the  Desert rock sound to it all. If your into bands like Cavity, Noothgrush, Code, DHG , Thorns, Voices  and some Kyuss for good measure your getting close to something close. I would close with that we do have some kind shoegazing ritual going on as well. I really impressed with most I've heard by this label but with " The Myth of Mankind " the next level has really been met.

http://www.i-voidhanger.com/

King Hitter- S/t- CD/ digital ( Candlelight USA)

So this is Karl  ( Vocalist) of COC fame on one of the best albums the band ever made " Blind " and with this is his guitarist of Leadfoot. What we have is a more middle of the road melodic version of COC . The riffs are catchy and tasty. The music is heavy but not over the top and the vocals are that bluesy hard rock style that work so well in this kind of style. King Hitter is nothing ground breaking and it should not be as we all know good heavy rock is just a needed musical identity and with this album its working on all levels.  This could be a huge rock radio album if done right and with a label like Candlelight they should have that push.

http://candlelightrecordsusa.com/

Dead Earth Politics- Men become gods- CD/ Digital ( Self  Released)

Welcome to Texas were metal is a love of the art and many of the bands mix similar ideals together to make there very own identities and with Dead earth politics you get a mix of Aggressive thrash, Power Metal and Prog Metal into something I want to say is  Iced Earth, Rhapsody and Watchtower all in one. There is a very Nevermore element going on here as well but you can hear the more NYC thrash elements through out this a well. The guitars are very technical. The vocals go into that Mercyful Fate and Melodic Death metal elements too. Dead Earth Politics are very different for a band that sounds like its been played before but maybe not this well. The Power is in how it all flows from so many different styles and stays so damn catchy in the ear of the listener. Love the deep heavy grooves that good thrash and power metal has. This is clearly a metal record and we really do need bands that just want to be metal from time to time..

http://deadearthpolitics.com/

Enablers- The Rightful Pivot- CD/ Digital ( Exile on Mainstream)

So I've been a fan of this band since I heard the album on Neurot recordings. This is a spoke word avant jazzy noise rock experimentation once more if you a fan of bands like Oxbox, Swans, Rollins Bands, Morphine, Mule and Sonic Youth etc then you will very clearly get what this is albums like this came from Amrep, 1/4 Stick and Matador.. I really just feel a kinship to the minimalism, reflection, darkness and hope all within a very avant backdrop. More people need to hear this band and see the beautiful of dysfunctional musical expression. This is what I call musician music as it takes a moment for the masses to understand it but give it a listen or two and this will be like a itch and will dig deep within and never let you go.  The Rightful Pivot has so much power ,passion and brilliance. It's really a must listen.

http://www.mainstreamrecords.de/

Forgotten Tomb-Hurt yourself and the ones you love- CD/ Digital ( Agonia)

We when a Black Doom/ Dark Metal release comes to my desk I take a special interest in it as this was the music I starting creating over 20 yrs ago with my own bands. Where Forgotten tomb take a edge and bit of creative licence from is they are not after to add Hardcore, Crust and Prog element into the hatred that is of this style. This is Futuristic in sound and style mix with the slow crawling and creepy blackened doom sound pumping like molasses in the veins of those that can hear it. This is very much a mix of bands like Carcass, Bethlehem, Shining, DHG and even mixing Ritualistic and Folk elements into all of this. What is the common ideal is that melody doesn't make music soft what it does is add a layer of confusion on to the album and interplay as a whole. We do have some spacial moments to that add the drift and shoegazing element that works so well in extreme music these days too.  They nod to bands like Unholy, Thergothon and Esoteric in they this is created as well. I love the very avant over tones of this album. Forgotten Tomb likes to add an industrial element to all of this as well. Its only May I understand but this is clearly one of the albums of the yr for me 5 months in. Mandatory listening..

http://agoniarecords.com/

Chaos Echoes-  Transient- CD/ Digital ( Nuclear War Now!)

Just starting off there is a very eastern post black metal vibe going on here I really need to see where it turns as that open drifting style is really coming in to play. This is an unsettling release just from the being to say the least. I do hear element of Death Doom going on here so the album makes me more excited as we move along. Ambient Ethereal Doom very much in that Disembowelment, Halo, Dusk and Dolorian vibe is what I'm getting as there is a lot of that Black metal feeling riding through out the release.  Transient is slow moving but very much suppose to be in this fashion. This is not an easy or safe listen this is much more for that metal and experimental music fan that wants to really dig into the music and learn and understand it.  I hear moments of bands like Author and Punisher and Gnaw here as well. I just dont want to to be shock at what you hear and this is something that will take most a while to even try and understand and this is the music that becomes most long termed loves for this reviewer. 

http://www.nwnprod.com/

Kommandant- The Architects of Extermination- CD/ Digital ( ATMF)

Industrial Black metal in all of its madness, crazy timing and off the wall creativity. This is one of the best representation of the style ever. I reminds me of the things I love about  Mayhem " Grand Declaration", MZ412, Thorns, Aborym, Royal Arch Blaspheme. This is a labor of pain, layers of unusual sounds. Chills, scares and full on anger to make a release that you will not hear on you normal travels. Bands like this come to you because you need them . They are symbiotic is every way . The ritual spoken here are from the few and if you are honored to get the change to experience it do not let this pass you buy. Welcome to the initiation of something much bigger in you world and intellectual growth.  Post Black metal with industrial just seems to work well at time and amazing at other with Kommandant you have the perfect balances being made on all places with this album. Just close you eyes and see what you hear as bands like this will very much surprise you on many levels..

http://www.atmf.net/

Steve von till- A life unto itself- CD/ Digital ( Neurot Recordings)

If you do not know who this artist is from Neurosis and running Neurot label then you have missed 20 + yrs of some stellar music and with Steve's new solo release we continue on that Folk. Pagan Bluesy acoustic realms. His soulful and raspy vocal plays so well into the delicate slide guitars, strings, simple percussion and Northern European story telling. Folk music is for those of us that what to remember and understand all the good and bad moments of the past, present and future days. Again simple music done well is something that can never be anything other then wonderment and expressional . You can really hear the Celtic over tones on this album and it's not by a passing fancy. Everything thing Mr Von till does has a very important meaning. So with "A life into itself" take the time to really dig in an listen. There are Americana and Old world country feeling pouring with out to. I would even say the Bluegrass elements have grown on this new album as well. Ok enough talking about it now just get the album and open you eyes to way music can heal and create rebirth...

http://neurotrecordings.com/