8 New Reviews ... See I did not fail you my readers <<>>><<<>>><<>>>

Oryx/ Languish- Split LP ( Battleground )

Oryx is clear out one in your face pissed off Noise mongers that live with in the Sludgy/ Crusty Doom punk world if your a fan in 10 seconds your going to love the slow fuzzed out down tuned tones , Torn throat vocals and walls of feedback . Are you into label releases like Pessimister, 20 Buck Spin, Prank and Relapse then my friends you have on hell of a 1st half of a split album with Oryx. Languish while in a similar mindset is very very different sound . They clearly love the sludge side of it all but there is a much more Hardcore/Grind over tone to their presentation. They like the speed of the riff and guttural vocals much more folks. Languish reminds me of bands like Dropdead and 16 with elements of Melvins, Disrupt and Early Napalm Death . There is such a full on Punk Noise Hatred going on with them. At the end both bands from from a Crust/Sludge side of music with very different outlooks at the end. This Split just Kicks ass. Battleground has gotten two fantastic bands on one face ripping release and I look forward to full lengths from both.

http://www.battlegroundrnr.com/

Skuggsja-A Piece of Mind & Mirror- CD/ Digital ( Season of Mist)

So what would you think you would hear if Enslaved and Wardruna members joined forces to create an album. Well with Skuggsja you have just gotten that such releases. The words Pagan, Folk, Primitive, Heathen and Ritualistic are all coming to mind. The use of many acoustic items and Goat horns should talk where you are going to head into its almost Apocalyptic Folk and  Pagan Orchestral then metal. There are clearly metal moments from the two in this band but it reminds more of what bands like Arcana, Puissance mixed with Folk and Pagan Metal elements. The strings and choir like vocals choruses with the spoke word are just so very stunning. This is an album that will challenge many but listening to Skuggsja is such a reward in it's self I would truly recommend to take the challenge . The Metallic movements through out the album just mix so well with the other side of the band. The very much has a Therion or Ava Inferi vibe going on through too. There are so many twists and turns with Skuggsja. You really need to just dig in and take it to the next level. As I hear bands like Arcturus, Mayhen and Kovenant in this as well. Really impressive to say the least.

http://season-of-mist.com/

Graves at sea- The Curse that is - CD/ Digital ( Relapse)

Terms can be thrown around for weeks on what one band sounds like or what style they create as it really is what one hears out the music presented to them. Terms like Crushing, Powerful, Massive, Intense and Nightmarish are all that have nothing to do with style it's just want I hear when listening to new Graves at sea. If we want you talk styles I hear Doom, Prog, Black metal, Crust and even Viking metal overtone but the some as a whole lets just call this Post Doom as it has elements of so much that the vocals go from crust to black to death back to who the hell knows.  I want to mention two bands as they seem to have most in common with Graves at sea. Buzzoven and Melvins ( this bands seems to influence so many Doomy bands). The passion and fury in this band is 2nd to none and the massive sounds are all around this album. If you want an album that will follow through out and make you want to listen to it over and over again then look no further then Graves at sea. Damn this album is so heavy and groove filled but never going into that trippy fashion. Now I hear a lot of a Carcass influence in this band. Every listen is going to bring more and new ideas to the listener. 

http://relapse.com/

Krigsgrav- Waves of Degradation- CD/ Digital ( Bindrune)

You just now know when you hear a Bindrune release and that is a very good thing to this review. There is always an ancient heathen feeling that comes across you the tone are just very private and special to the listener. They can also go across vast music spectrum's with Krigsgrav the sounds are of a Slower Black /Death element with many Folk elements through out the album at times there is every a Post/Prog wave as the clean vocals come across as something almost in that Post Black metal range of Borknagar which Krigsgrav has much in common with esp the last few Borknagar albums.  I just love the acoustic passages and more subdued tones as they work so well when the band switches into full on in your face moments. Again I going to go back to this there are few labels that really make special releases I look forward to Svart, ATMF, Nordvis, Ajna and Profound Lore .... Bindrune is really in that company as of late.

http://bindrunerecordings.com/

Zealotry- The Last Witness- CD/ Digital ( Lavadome )

There are just times when a band is what they are and with Zealotry they love Prog Metal , Death metal and so want to be Pestilence, Atheist and Cynic it's almost criminally wonderful . They do mix in one other element into the music that makes Zealotry a band of their own destiny and that would be the at eastern / oriental style that bands like Nile and Orphaned land and even Salem to lesser extent have done to make it a bit different in the structures of the riffs and drumming.  The last thing I think would be the very futurist way the sounds are produced . What I mean it's very open sound and a bit free formed where most Death metal is compressed to hell and becomes muddy at times . You will never say that with this Zealotry album. Breathtaking and Talented beyond their years yet that you can say. I really feel we are seeing another golden age of steller death metal music.. So glad to be a part of it .

http://www.lavadome.org/

Obsidian Kingdom- A year with no summer- CD/ Digital ( Season of Mist)

Ok so here another band that just did a one two punch and dropped me to the floor. Wow I don't know were to begin as it has some of the elements of bands I love to my dying days. Manes, Klmt1912, Caanan, Anathema, Ulver, Katatonia and Antimatter. There mix of Post Rock, Electronica, Theatrical Rock, Goth, Triphop, Noise and Metallic overtone. Obsidian Kingdom is really giving me chills to listen to. This album is a soundtrack to my mind. I has all the elements of music I want to be a peace with myself. Where the hell did you come from and why did I have to wait 43 yrs to get it???? I really don't know what else to say other then every emotion and feeling I have very had good or bad is in the music of Obsidian Kingdom and I do not believe there is a better album out there so far in 2016. You are the future of music to me and I can not wait for you to surpass this album with the next..

http://season-of-mist.com/ 

Crisix-From Blue to Black- CD/ Digital ( Listenable)

Just went you think you have heard everything in thrash metal . Well here comes Crisix to fuck that all to pieces. As this is very much a Thrash metal band and a damn good one at that. They want to warp and twist the sound a bit by adding in Prog metal, Industrial  and Futurist tech death metal elements into as well as a nod to bands like DRI and Exciter lets throw in a heavy skate punk touch to it all.  Crisix clearly love Death Angel, Kreator, DRI and Mordred as you can hear that ripping through the speaker but there are moments of Skatenings and Galactic Cowboys going on here too. This could have been Metal Blade band in the late 90's with all the madness of music identities going on around this band but as I said at the heart of it all Crisix is just a kick ass thrash band and there can never be to many of those.

http://listenable.net/

Zun- Burial Sunrise- CD/ Digital ( Small Stone)

Zun is something that some really going to have issues with as it lives in a time were indie rock,Shoegazer, metal, space rock and Post music really started to meld and was hard to say a band was any one style the 90's  Zun is really a mix of bands like  A Perfect Circle, Soundgarden, Rein Sanction, Afghan whigs, Temple of the Dog, Dead can dance, Lycia, Slow Dive and Tori Amos . Whether that sends you away screaming or running to it that is up to you. I find the mix intoxicating and a breathe of fresh air in a world where everything in the mainstream is rap, raves and a commercial for the next big thing. Good music lays in the underground and those that are suppose to find it do and a groundswell creates. 100,000 music lovers for decades loving your music is so much more rewards then one 30 second flash in the pan. Zun you are making music 20 yrs from now people will still be talking about ..

http://www.smallstone.com/