Mortiis "Spirit Of Rebellion" (2020)

Somewhat stiff, direct in execution, Mortiis' so called embrace of Dungeon Synth feels a step behind the ruinous, mystic wonders he helped inspired. Often sighted as a precursor to the movement, the Norwegian musician often remarked indifference to his obvious influences. This castley affair of medieval fantasy pumps might, magic and vitriolic spirit from its bold and cheesy synths. Alongside fractures of foggy, murky key tones, an aesthetic veneer glimmers in its own reflection. The unshaken instep march of looped melodies, perfectly aligned in MIDI notation, evaporates the humanity.

Its first half, A Dark Horizon, toys with the moody abandon. Gentle tempered spirits of estranged worbling VSTs venture on lonely meandering journeys, intermittently struck by thuds and drum strikes. Its lonely, occasionally frightful but mostly shy of striking a nerve. With a barer construct, its repetitions become a blemish of its pristine presentation. Simplistic looping melodies swiftly a gnawing gripe, sucking charm and magic other low fidelity production aesthetics of the genre would offer.

Visions Of An Ancient Future embarks on ambitious conquests. Deep gongs, perpetual echos of militant percussion and a stoic stature march forth with the might of glorious battle horns guiding its way. The shift from esoteric curiosity to kings and castles would make for an interesting record if both halves did not endure the lifelessness of such stiffly executed virtual instrument performances. In a nutshell, appealing ideas but a lack of immersion.

Rating: 4/10

Kyros "Vox Humana" (2017)

 

Suffering the meaty bloat of a double disk, lengthy escapade, Vox Humana reaches far. Seeking heavens, with spirit and inspiration guiding, this juggernaut weighs upon itself. As a progressive beast, lunging from epic to epic, its diverse aspirations forge wild strings of temperaments and intensities. Reliving the classic tropes of Progressive Rock, flirting with performative theater, a dynamic metallic energy and even shivers of crude Dubstep wobbles on path, a cluster bomb of ideas explode upon the listener.

Individually, lofty, grandiose themes excels, triumphant roars and gratifying peaks are navigated among an arsenal of instruments keen to show their harmony. Collectively, a broad meandering is endured with no ending in sight. Lacking an arc, a sense of overall direction, its climaxes, dramatic twists and turns, roll of the treadmill linked, a free formation running against its own current. At least that has been my experience.

Despite a sense of disorientation stumbling through the hurdles of its musical might, Vox Humana is littered with gratifying sways into exalted emotive swoons. So often do its musky, gentle lulls erupt, illuminated by surging musical powers. The persuasion of momentous riffs, engulfing dancing melodies and all to often, Shelby Warne's voice, assailing all, Kyros land their adventurous ships ashore upon treasured beaches.

On examination, a culprit emerges, its linking elements. Intensity down-turns, drives into obscurity and the general breeziness between storms lacks charm felt elsewhere. Its where meandering looses attention and the swells of excellence are lost in its over ambitious nature. But the ambition is clear, leading to regular contagions of brilliance.

To my mind, Vox Humana sounds out of ears to its audience, a group of musicians exacting their will, uncompromising in their vision. As an observer, indulges into odd and experimental directions frequently break its flow. Clearly excellence is abundant, with many a satisfying moment along the way. Its peaks show this to be true but the journey? A rocky one in terms of holding over interest and attention.

Rating: 7/10

Type O Negative "Bloody Kisses" (1993)

 

Casting a shadow over their debut effort, Type O Negative return to encapsulate the early 90s alternative vibes under their eclectic Gothic identity. With this lengthy sophomore the band reach a new apex in intervals. Wedged between crude satirical humor, noise driven experimental soundscapes, Doom Metal worship and bursts of Hardcore aggression lies superbulous song writing where melody, rhyme and reason reign supreme. An excellence is to be discovered on its lengthier affairs.

Christian Woman, Black No1 and Bloody Kisses are driven by theme and theatrics, a beautiful sense of expression playing out with a craft on all fronts. Bold horror synths chime with a heavy hand alongside dramatic pianos. Catchy melodies and rocking riffs align succinct with fantastic anthemic vocal hooks, "Loving you is like loving the dead". So to do gleaming guitar solos errupt with a 90s tinge, checking all my nostalgia boxes. The song structures are immense, ambitious and bold, carrying a gripping gravitas on these lengthy journeys. With pivots and sways encompassing drastic shifts, the transformations are remarkable in expressing these Gothic epics.

Sadly, the rest of the record doesn't live up to the strengths of these songs. It can be expected from the brief experimental interludes that paint bizarre horrors. They exist at odds with the more conventional offerings. With a strong whiff of Black Sabbath and Hardcore, Kill All The White People and We Hate Everyone steers too far from the mesmerizing Gothic allure. Where it exists on other songs is among a slew of shifting, radical ideas that don't gel with the thematic intensity seen on its best numbers.

Kudos however, taking a step back from the blender of ideas presented as Bloody Kisses, its clear the band are unabashed in pursuit of what interests them. The vast array of aesthetic influences displayed withdraws the record from a sleek and streamlined experience, revolving on its catchy elements. The foundations of such a thing are in sight, yet the direction seems more intent on where curiosity leads them.

Rating: 7/10

Yeat "Lyfë" (2022)

 

Riding a wave of hype, this up and coming youngster Yeat builds on top a direction the likes of Playboi Cardi, Future and Lil Uzi Vert have established before him. The latter Uzi features on this EPs opening track Flawlëss, the two melding as such bt Cloud Rap standards. Vibeing with subtle psychedelia and mellowed out aesthetics, these beats pair clicky, tinged percussion with zany synths and flat bass rumbles.

Going heavy on the auto-tune, Yeat's voice electrifies tonally, blurring synthetic boundaries. Its a stylistic evolution, words play second fiddle to the feels of cadence and delivery as his flow melds melodically with backing instrumentals. Trendy slang and slurred annunciation lead way, bending vowels and consonants to the whims of self expression. This groovy, easy, laid back gelling is a pleasure to observe.

Sadly, the attention on his unique presence equally highlights seemingly knee deep lyrics. Sleazy slang, cheap nauseous rhyme schemes and a heavy reliance on braggadocio paints a shallow portrayal of the moment. There is only so many claims to success and flipping stacks one can endure. A lack of variety and substance leaves one with little to take away in terms of food for thought. Obviously its not the point.

Despite this, the moods are hypnotic. Songs play like low key bangers. Letting his voice spiral off like an instrument, the beats resonate in their unusually synthetic take on the current direction of Hip Hop. Simple loops with short melodies sink into the contagious aesthetic with ease. The bass stomps find apt moments to drill thumping repetitions, a niche touche. Producer BNYX seems to consistently have hands on the better tracks. In general, they seemingly "glow" more than his contemporaries.

The further utilization of vocals in this auto-tune chemistry is somewhat reminiscent of how Kanye West once brought the harmony of voices forward. This time, the script is flipped. Zany, odd and alien, yet mellow, chilled and groovy, the style being evolved here has something to offer. Lyfë however falls a little short as a record. Its final songs drag, recycling ideas which are wild and exciting in its opening stretch.

Rating: 5/10

Chaosbay "2222" (2022)

 

Built on top of the 2 Billion EP, 2222 expands horizons without a renewed distinction. A few recycled riffs and lyrical themes present deja-vu moments, drilling the theme down ones throat. Otherwise, its a fair effort maintaining its demeanor. Still playing out the Periphery formula, its glossy, crisp production and juxtaposition between jolted aggression and gleaming melodic gets to play out opposites on occasion. A couple bright poppy tracks get a lone run, as do the regular stomps of polyrythmic Djent brutality. The later emphasized by some ridiculous bass noise rumbling in tight spots.

A handful of guest voices spice things up along the way but with the bands dynamic so firmly established, I found myself simply content on many a spin, lacking that craving to climb back in. Boxes resembled a viral infection upon contact. 2222 has not had that impact. Flowing song structures and the sparkling dynamics of electronic manipulation didn't lick like before. Its odd, an attentive rundown reveals nothing but quality and craft, with plenty of stunning singing yet somehow the gravitas was lacking. Its more likely to be a reflection of my mood, more so than the record itself.

Rating: 6/10

Revocation "Netherheaven" (2022)

 

 Four years on from The Outer Ones, Davidson returns with another matured refinement of fleshy metallic complexities, toying darkly atmosphere against angular aggression. The opening Diabolical Majesty embeds a soft warmth in tone and groove, grim melody flickers through flushes of entangled guitar menace as a beastly portrait is painted. Putting its greatest effort first leaves a bitter taste as the following songs suffer its shadow. Delving deeper into a tapestry of dexterous guitar work, attempts to pry apart Metal convention and piece it back together fall flat.

This terrorizing meld of Death, Prog and Thrash flounders as its supposed arcane architecture hits the treadmill of repetitious unpredictability. Twists and turns run amuck, losing sight of what makes a song stick. The endless labyrinth of riff work dispels its own madness. The brutal glumness of grinds dispels its sporadic flourishes of magic in the form of Davidson's incredible solos and occasional acoustics.

Netherheaven arrives on the heels of my despairing disappointment at Metal's continued stagnation. Despite once being my darlings for Metal's future, the years have rolled by with the band burrowing deeper into the road they've carved for themselves and I've frankly become bored with a lack of freshness. The endless wind of sinister riffs, throaty howls "technical" percussion becomes a dispassionate blur, completely unable to peak my interest on this outing. At least its opener had a spark!

Rating: 4/10

Lorna Shore "...And I Return To Nothingness" (2021)

 

In the coming weeks there will be entries here moaning my pains about the dull, repetitive state of modern Metal. Coincidentally, I decided to finally check out one band garnering a lot of attention within the scene. Lorna Shore have had viral success with their abhorrent demonic breakdown ending To The Hellfire. Bloated by filth, absurd screams and obnoxiously rapid blast beats, the monstrous conclusion was simply an obvious increase of Deathcore extremities that came before it to my ears.

My reluctance to dive deeper has not been without warrant. The breakdowns are the least appealing presence presiding within this EP. Each song finds a couple of breaks to murder tempo, unleash beastly gutturals and assault with nihilistic percussive blasts that sounds like precision machine gun fire. Its execution is exquisite with octane aesthetic however the trendy technique is just flash in the pan for this "Deathcore veteran". When new and novel, its a riveting blast but any meaning seems knee deep.

Fortunately, everything else to my taste. Shades of Blackened Death Metal collide with evil symphonic theatrics in the vein of Orchestral Black Metal, once pioneered by Dimmu Borgir. While I'm name dropping, this record felt like an aggressive succession to Shade Empire's brilliant Arcane Omega. Foul winds blown over fantastical landscapes flirting between devilish darkness and Tolkien like fantasy realms.

The production is sublime, letting a lot of densities dance as its instruments throttle alongside luscious symphonies. The tandem is extreme, hanging in a balance other bands might butcher. Yet they navigate the fantastical landscapes with an aggressive flight that's exhilarating in its stride. Melodies are sweet and adventurous, balancing out extremity and developing theme. Its terrific chemistry backed by great songwriting. I'm left rather excited for their next album, set to drop in a month and a day!

Rating: 5/10

Andrew Odd "Discoveries" (2015)

 

Seeking out more cosmic Pysbient by Andrew Odd, his earlier Discoveries ventures close. Downtempo beats are stripped out, pacing set in rarity by rumbles of deep bass and jolting sequenced synths. My favorite track is the one exception. Unknown Phenomenon builds steadily, the reverb soaked snare and complimenting thump of the bass kick amp up intentions. It lingers on this trajectory for some time before unleashing a gratifying closing astral melody. This is the craft I was seeking.

The rest of the records dealing in shades of spacey ambience brought about by combinations of dense electronic strings, murmuring bass noise and lofty, airy synths. These songs most circle their own tensions, drifting from resolution and lingering in the peculiar spaces as ambiguous textures and halfway tunes assert themselves.

The most remarkable of which is Leaving, the opening track. Its perpetual sense of abstract existence is bestowed by a cloudy organ synth tone. It holds an odd tension of possibility beyond what we know. Presiding through its entirety, encounters with grandiose string sections feel significant and momentous, as if observing first contact from a distance. Its distinct and special, the rest of the record offering more temporal solitude but never quite escaping to the extraordinary. A fair set of ambiences.

Rating: 6/10

Depeche Mode "Violator" (1990)

 

Hailed by some as a classic, I approached this record with persistence. A turning point came four or so spins in. Suddenly, the brash, jolting instruments began to blossom. Its snappy arrays of waveform synths revealing secrets. The bold, rigid deployment of its punchy melodies and calculated drum patterns birthing emotional resonance from the void they dance above. Violator's aesthetic philosophy leaves a sparse quiet behind the fast attack and decay of its electronic zaps and stiff sampled percussion.

In the drone of its repetition, what I failed to hear was the build up. Songs start minimal and simple, with all components laid bare. Dave Gahan brings in his steely tender voice to take hand and lead along the lyrical narrative with an engulfing persuasion. Under his spell the instrumental broods these emotive swells as the complexity increases. Leaving its simpler crafts in formation, the later arrives toy with organics as dense guitar wails, dawning string sections and abstract electronic.

As I understand it, Voilator was also their debut venture to include guitars. Sometimes performed but mostly sampled, the acoustic tones fit effortlessly to their demeanor. I sensed the commercially exploited Personal Jesus might become an irritation but alas, under repetition I came to appreciate its genius, and union of digital and analog.

The records character lingers mostly on relationships woes, a sadness that permeates loves struggles without conclusion. The tone teases, toying with a curious poise. A soft sadness, melancholy on the horizon, all whilst being dramatically catchy. Its a highly digestible set of Pop tunes, weaving in odd electronic sounds to its tapestry. As the rush increases, so do strange zaps and brash noises. Quite the delight.

Ultimately I can only conclude to agree with its acclaim. Despite lacking the depth time with records offers, my ever growing love of its persuasion is wondrous. In comparison to Black Celebration, Violator stands matured and cunning by a band forging their expressions with sharpened wit and intellect. The underlying emotional rawness heard through voice and instrument is as before. I'm unsure as to why I did not hear it on Music For The Masses? Its earned my attention for a revisit.

Rating: 9/10

Andrew Odd "Life" (2015)

Seeking more of the Random Thoughts magic, Life of five years prior has flickers of a neighboring charm. Its opener, the lengthy, tense Spark, and aimless dreamy closer track, Darkness, both brood on airy tensions of lofty synths, uneventful soundscapes mulling over their own individual moments. The three songs between venture out of cloudy ambiances with pleasantly subdued encroachments of melody. Drifted along by spacious Downtempo grooves, deep baselines hum with mono-tonal force to reinforce its persuasive percussion.

Unlike the cosmic vibes to follow, life rests gently with the beauty of earthly things to inspire its mellow moods. Always calming, the chemistry of instruments soothes through its effortless pace and welcoming tones. Airy synths house spurts of aimless electronic melody as its motions stew on the feeling of each track. Wonderfully crafted, they can probably fit a variety of feelings the listener might have. Its spell is fantastic for focus, a delight to enjoy when tasked for work. Its only flaw is a lack of depth with only two thirds of its thirty three minute stay being the sweet stuff.

Rating: 5/10

En Voice "Hall Of Dreams" (2006)

 

 

Now steered into niche destinations by the Spotify algorithm, I stubble across Hall Of Dreams, one of two record by a German composer who I could find little information about online. This disparity reminded me of cultural difference music scenes have. I'm certain there would be no shortage of information on a Metal band of equivalent size. Tangent aside, En Voice glimmers ambiences as Downtempo grooves flirt with gentler temperaments. Easy soundscapes drift dreamily, seeming like destinations of a modern, European stature. A harmonious clash of new an old rides the wave. Keen electronic tones and lively mid-tempo percussion rubs upside yawning strings and cultural voices. It livens a sense of travel and adventure as modern life tangos with heritage and histories, fading in an ever approaching sunset of the present rat race.

Offering a variety of flavors across its twelve tracks, a welcoming Pop appeal pallets its instruments and textures with little in the way of challenging. Each song breezes by with shuffling beats and electronics, nothing ever to bold, ambitious or out of step. These serve as warm digestible moods with the occasional flush of 90s British Electronica as potent yet simple piano melodies swoon in over sweeping synths and dawning strings. Clocking in on average at five minutes, most the songs go through simple structures, retracting and extending the rhythm section through lulls and swells with interchanging instruments. It sticks to a tone and sees it through with a lack of remark-ability beyond the character of the smooth vibrations it conjures. Good for a while but lacking a memorable depth.

 

Rating: 5/10

Frank Klepacki & The Tiberian Sons "Lay To Waste" (2022)

 

Author of the Command & Conquer music, a keen nostalgic staple from my childhood to present day, Frank Klepacki brought renewed excitement to his classic soundtracks during the games 25th anniversary remastering. Best of all, he united with tribute band The Tiberian Sons, breathing new life into old songs. Hearing them go it alone on The Only Winning Moon was an unexpected pleasure! Have linked up again, these four original songs feel several steps removed from the origins of their collaboration.

Lay To Waste is a mismatch of fun, energetic ideas. Swaying from the meaty Industrial grit of C&Cs assailant glory to gleaming surges of joyous metallic melody, its glossy symphonies and chunky guitars fit aesthetically like a glove. A bold complimenting force, split in direction. The misnomer lies in mood. Mischievous aggressive riffs underwrite uplifting emotive theatrics most prone to fantasy driven VGM.

 Personally, I loved both aspects, yet together a sense of ambivalence prevailed. One can hear Frank's militant ideas blazing along but frequently they meander in tone from war and destruction to might and magic fantasies as strings and tunes take reins from the rhythmic brutality presented beforehand. Its a strange dichotomy that has eased with familiarity and repetitions yet still dominates the directorial feeling. The opening Gun Metal makes a half baked attempt at incorporating explosive sounds to the mix, then its main theme gets handed off through a string of these instrumental pivots.

Its been one of the stranger encounters on this musical journey. I'm left unable to pick a favorite track as every song sways between contrasts. Its the swaying that makes me seasick. Taking the analytic hat off for a moment, its a fun set of songs pounding with energy and vibrant noise. Plenty of twists and turns along the way! A tight curation of ideas not outstaying its welcome. It will be a matter of time to see how often I return to these tracks as I do love to with their previous material.

Rating: 5/10

Megan Thee Stallion "Traumazine" (2022)

 

Roped in by her catchy Thot Shit hook, Megan struck me as a subversively talented artist overcast by the provocative lane she resides in. Sometimes referred to as "stripper rap", the reversal of overt objectification in Hip Hop often leads to bigoted conversations. Brushing that noise aside, there is a lot to enjoy here on her sophomore effort Traumazine, my jumping in point and a strong introduction.

With a lengthy string of tight banging beats, the appeal is strong. Lean aesthetics and slick execution takes on a reflective roll as many of these songs reminisce on classic Hip Hop vibes and beats from years gone by. If you're a keen listener, you'll hear a lot of familiarity. My personal favorite is Not Nice. Stealthy baselines and ambiguous ethereal sounds between the firm percussion give me some serious 2001 vibes.

Fronting the instrumentals with power and confidence, a crisp flow and swift articulation makes for breezy listening when it comes to understanding the topicality. Megan brings fifty plus minutes of focused, narrative driven rhymes. Braggadocios status affirming and showboating aside, a significant substance emerges as legal battles, personal struggles and emotional distress brings depth to her talents.

Although mostly voiced through a fierce, fearless front, a few vulnerable moments let the guard down. These stories tie up many showy sentiments to a human aspect, putting feelings to the exaggerated persona. Its a story of struggle and hustle, often playing out through explicit lyrics. With Traumazine she weaves in the person behind this success game, balancing out the boisterous with meaning and direction.

Although fun, fresh and powerful, its superbly recycled Hip Hop vibes and somewhat saturated topicality have these fifty minutes feeling stretched on each spin. Although lacking obvious weak spots, curation may have aided. Her tone and cadence has its range, explored early on and maintaining pace throughout. The decent consistency holds much of its material on par and leaves one wondering which tracks will survive memory? Its been a fun record but I'm unsure that time will favor its lasting power.

Rating: 6/10