Oathbreaker "Rheia" (2016)

Quite the fuss has been brewing around this record, receiving much acclaim and selling out consecutive live shows, Oathbreaker have broken ground with "Rheia", the Belgian bands third studio full length to date. Initially I didn't hear what the fuss was about but it was singer Caro Tanghe and her absorbing, personal performance that sucked me into the record and it is she who is very much so the conductor in this orchestra of distressing darkness that mingles between a burgeoning heavy frenzy of metallic guitars and the flickering of light that emanates in the moments of macabre calmness that is forever swaying back and forth.

 Instrumentally its a common Post-Metal affair, tinged with a human blackness and swooning between its more acoustic eccentric tones and moments of dizzying aggression where blast beats pummel loosely. A constant feeling of momentum and scale is perpetuated, climaxed in the heavier outbreaks and given depth and atmosphere where it all slows down. A few moments of conventional riffing intersect what is mostly a tremolo of shimmering chord progressions steadily expanding through relatively lengthy songs, mostly around seven or more minutes.

It is with Tanghe that this record comes together, her performance gives a very emotional, human context that delves into the depths of loneliness and depression. It is not just through the words of her twisted, manic screams that this comes across, but in the performance that sways as she erupts from her vulnerability into a wretched beast of spite. The back and forth is obvious, sometimes sudden but always with anticipation and build up that has genuine brilliance despite seeming a little simplistic on paper.

Without her performance I think many aspects of these songs would fail to create quite the emotional response, however the instrumentals are pretty fantastic in there own right. It is Tanghe who elevates and illuminates the record to the next step. Her screams twisted and haunting, her clean vocals sensitive, shy and defenseless. The moments in which the two cross over are magic, quite theatrical yet grounded in a gritty honesty, it alone makes the record for me.

Favorite Tracks: Being Able To Feel Nothing, Needles In Your Skin, Immortals, Begeerte

Rating: 8/10

Old Corpse Road "Of Campfires And Evening Mists" (2016)

If ever Ive heard a band that captures the spirit of early Cradle Of Filth it is Old Corpse Road, who I discovered during Bloodstock festival back in 2014. Hailing from northern England, they invigorate that early extreme gothic sound once erroneously coined "British Black Metal" when Cradle were still wearing corpse paint and drawing links with the Norwegian scene. It is a rather formulaic similarity where shrill, piercing screams accompany guttural growls and burly spoken word over the extreme metallic music, aggressive, visual and drenched in symphonic keyboards. As the title suggests its a romanticized vision of British folklore and natural beauty expressed through the the typical tropes of such a sound, however the band execute it all with a touch of class a richer approach to the less Metal oriented moments.

With four ten minute plus epics the eight track record is quite a meal, clocking in at sixty four minutes it rarely lets up with a dull moment to pass. The songs are equally expansive and across the record a lot of variety is to be found, sometimes the guitars lead with groove and aggression, in other moments they let up for the synths to build atmosphere and furthermore drop out entirely for many symphonic or acoustic passageways enriching the musics scope. With all of the members pitching in on the vocal front a barrage of styles become possible as the ever progressing instrumentals are narrated by many voices. For all the variety on hand, these songs have structure and direction, they cohesively unfold, often from driving guitar riffs and gnarly blast beats into expansive atmospheres and soaring moments that certainly deliver.

All of the songs are dense and well fleshed out with a lot going on at once for your ears to pick through. The production is reasonable, the instruments have nice tones, the synths are stark and loud and at time it feels a little muddy with so much going on but it holds together well for the music to shine and shine it does. Each song has its own merit and one of my favorite aspects are the folklore and mythological themes that resonate superbly alongside the gothic vibes. Solid record that I can't falter, excellent for the right, specific mood, best enjoyed in the winds of cold English nights.

Favorite Track: Herne Of Windsor Forest

Rating: 7/10

Navie D "Hyper Light In The Key Of D" (2016)

Often eliminating the percussion section and stripping back the layers of composition, Canadian producer Navie D chooses a striking change of pace for his full length debut. The ambiguous, alien sentiment of his striking synth driven style finds itself stricken from the mold of Hip Hop beats into an ambient, atmospheric piece resonating in mood and tone. In this change of pace a lot more convention is found in the often small set of instruments that grace us with intuitive minimalism.

 With a low density of sound, singular noises glance past one another over the rumble of distant buzz saws, fostering an atmosphere spacious, distant and ambiguous by design. With token instruments and a keen ear for volume, reverb and all things to further the desolation, a rather stark and lifeless feeling emerges from the small set of synths that hold these songs together. With no crescendos, progressive builds or moments of climax we very much step into the abyss for a brief glimpse at the beyond as lingering glimmers of melody forge the moment with a handful of notes.

In a fair few moments the album musters up a whirl of rhythmic energy where a buzzing rattle inspires the mechanical, percussive march of electronic dissonance on "The Hanged Man". A subdued pace has the striking of anvils and clanking of ratchets keep tempo with an industrial menace on "The Emperor". Half of the tracks here find mechanical tempos, devoid of groove and intent on atmosphere. They bounce back and forth between the minimal tracks which bare little resemblance to melody and tune.

It ends up being a somewhat impressive record that could pass you by if you fail to give it your attention. Already flirting with the void its alien synths, unsettling noises and eerie vibe may become background noise if your focus is consumed. Its lack of event or immediacy may leave you with little impact or memorability but in a way it feels as if the place we visit is intended to be forgotten. A change of pace that isn't fresh or original but well executed. My favorite moment is the end, "Credits" which for a brief moment leaves us with a whiff of melody and fading sentiment.

Favorite Tracks: Home, The Hierophant, Credits

Rating: 6/10

Echo And The Bunnymen "Ocean Rain" (1984)

The stirs of emotion flatten as an orchestral expansion does little to spice up what feels like a blander collection of songs in comparison the lively dazzle of "Heaven Up Here" and the crowded sensations of "Porcupine". Their next release "Ocean Rain", is English Post-Punk band Echo And The Bunnymen's fourth album recorded in Paris with the inclusion of an orchestra who are sometimes pushed out of the limelight, under utilized and when brought to the forefront sound like a commodity of the moment, with exception to the opening two tracks that make sombre use of the string sections.

Ive read its their best, so I found myself hyped and excited but now rather underwhelmed and disappointed with a record that does not seem to click for me. The energy of the guitars rattle disappears into the backdrop as the various elements in the composition seem to merge in the records foggy production. With focus and attention one can pick apart the instruments and hear a variety of fruitful melodies emerging from the orchestra. Without such dedication it becomes an unspectacular blur that drifts through the motions and finds many of the songs succumbing to the sound of themselves.

A lack of distinction holds some of these songs back but between its better moments a fair few choruses and ideas lack the fire they had in their music before. "Thorn Of Crowns" descends into an unfiltered stitching of ideas as singer McCulloch stutters and groans his way around a disenchanting guitar tone. This moment and a couple of others soured a record that just didn't seem to find consistency. The inclusion of an orchestra seemed to work fantastically in some moments, lining the tracks with complimenting melodies. In others like "The Yo Yo Man" the guitars and bass drop out for the strings to take over but they punch in with a striking difference of tone. Too often the instruments get muddied the range of sound, a bland and uncharacteristic production lets this record down where it already comes across like a hit and miss of ideas where songs failed to make a lasting impression.

Favorite Tracks: Crystal Days, The Killing Moon

Rating: 5/10

Danny Brown "Atrocity Exhibition" (2016)

With an experimental, psychedelic approach to instrumentals, a subtle subduing of the drums immediacy, the tone is set for a more artistic endeavor which is frequently peaked by the borderline eccentric performance of Detroit rapper Danny Brown. With a smart head for the old ways of lyrical creativity and imaginative word play his pitched, nasal delivery creates quite the excitement and uniqueness maybe only comparable to B-Real of Cypress Hill who features on the slow track "Get Hi". "Atrocity Exhibition" is Danny's fourth full length, mustering a fair amount of acclaim for his courage to step into strange and adventurous territory. Unfamiliar with his back catalog, this certainly sounds like a breath of fresh air to my ears. The rules are spun on the side as beats and rhymes unite though a different filter of perspective.

After many concurrent listens Ive grown very fond of these instrumentals, they craft there vibe and atmosphere through assembled oddities that find cohesion in moments of overlapping as wild, eerie, eccentric, dark and rampant samples rub up against one another, often appreciating the friction that emerges from the chaos many colliding sounds bring. Percussion and rhythm avoids the tropes of trendy programming or bombastic loops, instead each track samples, or programs, a different flavor that appreciates the craft of the song. The pace keeping often feels minimal and sparse as many subtler sounds litter the backdrop with percussive oddities. In the moments where the drums do come forth and elevate the track they are not what you'd expect from a traditional perspective and that uniqueness goes the distance.

Chemistry is key, impressive as the instrumentals are, Danny is a mark ahead as his intelligent raps seemingly burst from his lungs in the midst of his contagious flow, its as if every word counts. The emotion is anxious, immediate and paranoid, he walks us through his thoughts and life experience with a wildcard persona. Nothing feels for granted as he works what we might called "hooks" into the middle of his lines with all sorts of variety in the flow and dexterous word play that has you hanging on each word. Its an engrossing style with little to criticize, initially he seemed a little raw but as my ears adjusted and I became accustom to his tone more and more of the magic was revealed.

Danny's got rhymes by the boat load but a few tickled me plenty. On the uncompromising oddball track "Lost", Danny proclaims "I'm like Kubrick with two bricks", to latter follow it with "I'm like Speilberg with ill words", loving the imagination here. He also drops mid verse into raps and lines from Slick Rick and Outkast, the second feeling especially relevant in today's world. I felt like there was more to it, but couldn't put my finger on the meaning of their inclusion to his own raps.

"Atrocity Exhibition" is a fantastic and ambitious record that really makes its mark and carves a niche for Danny to rule. Its not without its flaws though, as each track aims to experiment and be unique, a few fall behind in comparison to its better moments. At forty six minutes its track listing feels a touch stretched with a couple of weak tracks in the start and end but it doesn't ruin the experience, just a matter of preference with a few songs. Otherwise its been one of the most impressive and fresh record Ive heard in some time and I can't help but feel it will continue to offer more as time goes by.

Favorite Songs: Tell Me What I Don't Know, Really Doe, Lost, Ain't It Funny, Golddust, White Lines, From The Ground, Hell For It

Rating: 7/10

Haunted Shores "Viscera" (2015)

Starting out with an atypical MMORPG soundtrack style introduction, a misleading cue is set for the coming onslaught of harsh, tonal metallic abuse in thunderous Djent style. Haunted Shores is "side project" of producer, multi-instrumentalist Misha Mansoor AKA "Bulb" of Periphery. I first found the band through their sublime, unforgettable Djent-ification of RPG game Final Fantasy VII's "Prelude Bombfare" soundtrack. Now having caught wind of this debut mini-record I quickly flocked to get my hands, or ears, on it. "Viscera" is a short and sweet journey through overly produced, aesthetically forceful and technically electric music.

Between its crushing Djent grooves and slamming drums a story, setting and mood is told through expressive, colorful guitar solos and dynamic leads which interchange the heavy movements with its visual narrative. Much imagination seeps through these breaks that weave moments alongside a sonic assault where the guitars amp up or the drums roll heavy on the pedals and sometimes both together. The result is a progressive journey that embraces is two sides, leading us on a fruitful adventure.

The production is an interesting point to contest, an initial adaptation is required to embrace an over loud aesthetic where the guitars feel crowded alongside a hammering snare and base tone that feels like it bursts to its peaks with every given strike of a drum, quite possibly the sign of a drum machine. As one settles with the tone it certainly has a charm, as the music engulfs with instrumental intensity. This style sounds especially nice in the acoustic led moments where a lot of the hidden synth layers emerge from being buried by the smothering guitars.

The mid tracks create a real sense of cohesion, however the aforementioned intro track and the following two minute heavy fest "The Spire" steers from the path. It ends with another frontal riff assault "Blast Inc." featuring a stunning solo from Norwegian Saxophonist Jorgen Munkeby who leads the way into some of the records crunchiest riffs with his subtle cues in the background. A bonus track with Devin Townsend concludes, Devin laying vocals down for the third song "Norway Jose". Its a perfect union for an instrumental album that sounded as if it could do without, no surprise a talent such as Devin could elevate it further.

Favorite Tracks: Harrison Fjord, Vectors

Rating: 6/10

Nine Inch Nails "Not The Actual Events" (2016)

 Nine Inch Nails, stylized NIN, are one of Industrial Metal's most successful and influential bands if not thee most next to Rammstein. Trent Reznor, the man behind the band, has been hailed a musical genius by many and over the years Ive made several attempts to get into NIN. I can hear his identity within the music however Its never clicked for me, I like the music but I don't get that emotional elevation. From my understanding of their early records this new EP is very much a fitting part of the bands discography and sound, this time with an ambient and atmospheric edge for the five songs included.

It may just be fitting that my lack of connection with Reznor leaves me with not many words to say about this record. Its temperate, mid tempo and easy on the mind with a couple of scouring moments where the guitars bristle up and Trent takes to screaming. The atmospheres are born of intricacies, subtle, unobtrusive instruments working around one another. Its powerful moments are downplayed and experiments with noise and reverb remove a lack of definition for a calming cohesion.

Each of the tracks have distinct and interesting ideas that come together well. The closer plays around with a big burgeoning distortion that smothers itself over the synths and slow heart beat of an industrial, mechanical drum machine. The underlying music is solid and for the most part revolves are repetition of simpler ideas. Its brilliance is in the production that carefully manages the emergence of many distortions, noises and oddities that arise between the intentional melodies and instruments. Its an impressive listen, took a little time to grown into but the familiarity exposes the inner workings of an interesting record and I find myself positioned closer to Reznor's appraised brilliance.

Favorite Tracks: She's Gone Away, Burning Bright

Rating: 6/10

Oranssi Pazuzu "Värähtelijä" (2016)

The evolution of sound is a fascinating thing. Time broadens the horizon of imagination and the scope of progression. Like the secrets of the universe, every new understanding yields more questions and so with every new style, genre and niche comes the possibility for a growing wealth ideas to cross paths. Finish band "Oranssi Pazuzu" are no new originality but a genius union of ideas fused with an artistic vision that blows the lid of expectations. Its a fond reminder to keep perusing and investing in the continual unfolding of music, in search of those moments where goosebumps blister the skin and time stands still in wonder of the power music holds over the mind.

Its seventeen minute saga "Vasemman Käden Hierarkia" is one of those sublime moments and one must relish in its fever. Eerie and dissonant guitars haunt a menacing, prowling baseline on the hunt, crashing into a harsh storm of abrasive psychedelia, its shrill distortion washed in the ecstasy of trippy shimmering infractions in the guitars tone. It regathers and intensifies with the warning call of an alien siren, before ushering in a moment of relief as gleaming vocals push back the unrelenting dark for a moment of respite before the two entertain one another in a back and forth.

The atmosphere thickens and broadens as if the embers of this clash are fizzling out, the chilling cold looms around as the maddening chime of strings refuse to fade out. It broods, swirls and manifests into a bleak, wintry return as the voice of the guitar takes on an inhuman form of malicious desire. As the voice returns one can hear the bellowing of a beast rumbling from the depths, it sends shivers down my spine. This bellowing transforms into an effeminate call of distress and as the song reaches its climatic plummet into the bowls of hell the voice erupts into a siren of eternal torment. A completely riveting and sonic experience, vivid and surreal.

Although a singular moment of artistic excellence takes the crown, the record is an expansive selection of ideas that delve deeply into its twisted blend of Post-Metal, Black Metal and Psychedelia. The Post reflects its noise driven narrative of unraveling dense layers of sound. The Black paints the mood charcoal black with a chromatic, unrelenting aesthetic for a chilling, haunting tone. The Psychedelia twists a familiar theme into new territory with its harrowing sense of mental dementia inflicted through psychotropic electronic sounds that align with the metallic tone as if the two were never apart.

The groups music often resides within an unsettled feeling of suspense where its as if something is brewing, often it is simply that feeling of unease that is the magic. No rocking riffs, catchy melodies or grooving beats, "Värähtelijä" is an experience of scenic music painting the blackest imagery with its perpetual presence of ambiguity and torment. The detail in its design is stunning and their is little to flaw bar a slightly less engaging closer track which evolves into a tribal dance beat, actually quite the interesting track but is maybe a pinch of the mark. Its almost a pointless comment to make of such an accomplished record where every song aims to reach into mysterious places and does so with an unrivaled demeanor.

Favorite Track: Vasemman Käden Hierarkia

Rating: 9/10

New Gaia "New Gaia" (2016)

If you're familiar with the genre then this records album art, rooted in nostalgic gaming aesthetics, would let you know its a Vapourwave release, the worlds first international music genre built on the anonymity of online culture. "New Gaia" made its way onto a 2016 top list and peaked my interest. For what Vaporwave has revealed itself to offer, Id say this is a pretty fair representation of its strongest points. The self titled record is a typically aesthetic journey through chopped and churned sampling, reassembled in a duality between the future and nostalgia.

It opens up with a striking sample reminiscent of the pianos in Moby's "Porcelain", although I could never pin point the exact moment its lifted. There are a few other recognizable snippets throughout but its not the focal point. Moby's pianos, paired with the sounds of birds chirping and an endless depth of looping reverb, sets the tone a soothing journey through an oddly crowded aesthetic where instruments collide and peak much to the enjoyment of the listener. Its often awkward drum tones and burried sweeping phases are subtle nuances reinforcing the dreamy, sometime ethereal soundscapes. The record doesn't have many remarkable moments but keeps a consistent tone through its short songs totaling just under twenty minutes. Its construct is fascinating, with many manipulations and technical arrangements to imagine what technique is behind the oddities of sound. Between the more obvious constructs emerge many fluid and crafty transitions which aid a seemingly static sound into an organic evolution where a sampled lead instrument often diverts our focus as the setting around it shifts and transforms.

Its mood and atmosphere, slightly alien, strangely homely, captures the senescence of this musical format far better than others Ive heard since "Macintosh Plus". The short and abrupt nature of the songs left me with a personal feeling that more could come of these soundscapes, thought they are involving and each one creates a prominent sense of something unworldly to imagine into. I think for this sound to really strike a nerve it needs its expansive ideas more track time to evolve, however whats being created is fascinating and most welcome to my ears.

Favorite Tracks: Strange New Feel, No Looking Back

Rating: 5/10

Young Guns "Echoes" (2016)

"Echoes" Is the bands forth record and my second listening to them. Following 2015's "Ones And Zeros" the band hastily moved to the studio to crank out another eleven tracks of their gleaming, poppy breed of Alternative Rock, edged with the occasional moment of Metal. Their sound is appealing in many senses, Its a simple format, catchy and energetic with an inviting tone but that rooted pop structure gives it a lack of depth. These songs are pleasant but their fruits dry up quickly in a routine of verse chorus and a cliched style of lyricism.

 A few moments of dynamic riffage and a couple of infectious hooks breath a little life into an otherwise mediocre record. The constant dazzling tone of the octane guitar and singer Wood's easy voice masks the momentary feel of these songs. Glorious in one moment and gone the next its an aesthetic experience that fails to yield anything lasting. It might be a harsh criticism but really its a personal preference, their style doesn't resonate deeply with me.

The currently trending "woha woha" backing vocals drive me a little mad but its the song "Paradise" that takes the biscuit. For me, the lyrics feel hollow and attempting to be far greater than any meaning they provide. Whatever "Somethings wrong is paradise" may be about, it comes across as a self absorbed tragedy, the ballad approach with Wood singing his best over the soft piano just feels so formulaic as if they were gunning for something musically the lyrics couldn't match up to.

I do actually like this band, they have a great live show and I'm fond of their aesthetic but the pop side of their music pulls them in the wrong direction at many turns. Last record they pulled up some really strong songs with fantastic hooks but it just hasn't worked out the same way this time around. A quite disappointing record but certainly not a turn off, Its enjoyable in its moment.

Favorite Track: Echoes

Rating: 4/10