Erang "A Season Of Bloom" (2022)

 

Third of Five, A Season Of Bloom was the first of this ninety minute saga to grace my ears. Initially I was unassuming of what was to come. Led by a gorgeous cultural acoustic guitar, I was swiftly reminded of Erang's previous use of this instrument. Where much of the music to follow has an oddball character, led by experimentation and unusual ideas, this felt far more conventional and thus unalike for other reasons. The following three songs continue in this vein for the most cohesive of all five.

Accompanied by curious instruments of luscious dreary timbre, the guitar blooms brightly with a spirit distant from both the Fantasy genre and cultural sounds, yet seemingly they would be its closest companions. Its as if Erang birthed an identity for his realms, expressed through folkish tales that drift between the real and imaginary. Its beautiful and warmth with a subtle sadness, heard deeply on The Day I've Lost My Dog. I do think the shorter, four track focus serves a moment like this one well. A whole hour in this lane may end up loosing some potency along the way.

Rating: 6/10

Erang "A Season Of Magic" (2022)

 

The second of five new Erang release. The french musicians five part collection of seasons finds its most curious moments here. Possibly the most subdued of all flavors, on paper it would seem closest to tradition. Somehow the foggy atmosphere keys, gleaming strings and waveform synths converge on a new mood. Its mysterious, drenched in a lonely nostalgia, an oddity of execution that is somehow without that distinct Erang footprint.

The Absolute End Of Everything Human hints of an abysmal tone. Its opening symphonic brooding and despairing voices create a "fallen from heaven" epic that gives way to limbo. Two of the remaining three tracks very much reside in a curious space, where the dark and light feel deceptive. The Calm Tower balances out with a Fantasy akin stride through the warmth of sunlight with an eerie underbelly always lurking yet when focused on its disjointed percussion dissipates all tension. Its ever so curious, as much of what unfolds on thees five are.

Rating: 5/10

Erang "A Season Of Sand" (2022)

 

As the first of five new Erang releases I will be covering, this quintuple format of themed four trackers amounts to ninety minutes of new music. Each "season" has its flavor and sand is my favorite. The opening Guardian Of The Names emerges from is eerie low fidelity Dungeon Synth intro with breaks of Persian percussion and exotic instruments that conjure visions of sand swept cultures and societies bustling with life to a backdrop of endless dunes. The music that follows has a unique fusion of quirky, disjointed fidelity distortions and a slow soothing melody drifting at dreamy tempos, alluring one into its vast nightly journey.

Oasis Mysterio lumbers into a peculiar Jazz Fusion jam, as a lead jiving colorful keyboard sporadically splurges its notations with a jazzy free form over the dulled minimalist synth backing behind it. Unique, as quite a few things in this project were. Sands Of Innocence peaks my interest however, its unusual chemistry of temporal tones, cloaked in mysterious voice suddenly bursts apart, teeming with life as a 90s dance beat jolts the second half of the song into life. Very memorable.

Rating: 6/10

Sequestered Keep "Sorcerous Steel" (2022)

 

 

Its been five years since The Vale Of Ruined Towers, a Dungeon Synth adjacent release that I remember fondly for its its lush medieval fantasy direction, one similar to Fief. Sorcerous Steel has little in the way of surprise, having now unearthed these fruits from the niche scenes of bandcamp. Without a lick of darkness, the record peruses through the pleasantries of natures charms. Its got melodies to fill the meadows of a warm summers day, set a few hundred years back of course. Splendor gushes forth as each song gently drifts along rivers of cleansed historical imagination.

The five years of its creation don't amount to anything remarkable. Its arsenal of virtual instruments, pan flutes, trumpets, plucked harps and tambourine led percussion are brought forth crisp and clear. They harness the sweetest, most welcoming of melodies. The record is a constant wash of jovial notation and serine warmth forged from a fictional nostalgia of Medieval days that sweeps hardships out of sight.

These songs consistently dance in their own moment. Gradual progressions and structures emerge but the very nature of these joyous, spirited melodies keeps one locked in the present moment. Conjuring similar tones of bright monarchistic wonder, the riches of the day, the albums own progression too is just a series of moments. Each song fades out in a similar state to where it started and thus the whole project feels like background music for a setting, perhaps in a video game. This might sound negative but sometimes its exactly what you want. This is music for the background, something too sooth you with its purposely romanticized nostalgia.

Rating: 5/10

Old Man's Child "In Defiance Of Existence" (2003)

Having now joined the ranks of longtime friends Dimmu Borgir, Galder returns to Old Man's Child with a masterstroke of composure. For all his bold and gallant melodies, the darkly power chord shredding and blushes of symphonic might. On this occasion, his ideas arrive united with a seamless cohesion as the enjoyable yet cheesy and simplistic pleasures fall wayside to musical ideas executed with vision and purpose.

From start to end In Defiance Of Existence drives its devious themes with intent that delivers many remarkable outbursts of color and energy between the foundations of extreme metallic intensity. Pivoting away from pure power chords, Galder unleashes his new found tremolo shredding heard on Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia. He also revives the Spanish acoustic guitar to great effect, complimenting the distortion guitars on occasion and gracing us with the stunning interlude In Quest Of Enigmatic Dreams.

So much of the albums pleasures derive from the simplicity of composition. Subtle background synths enrich fiery guitar riffs. Galder's screams are measured, deeper in tone, essentially subdued forms of the raspy howling serpent that came before. The distortion guitar texture is gorgeous, a thick and versatile tone that doesn't overpower. Best of all its drum aesthetics are on point. The snare snaps, the bass kicks pop. Sounding crisp and sharp, its fit for any blast beat or bouncy groove that is demanded.

There is a question to be asked, how much this fine production shapes Galder's music? To my ears, a shift is present in his writing style. He seeks out gratification through a songs trajectory, with frequent luminous, wondrous guitar solos and climactic riffs built up to with craft and care. The keys do drop in with big melodies on occasion but mostly they follow the growing momentum of a track. There is a variety of tones too, sometimes exchanging its roll as the lead instrument. With this approach the nine songs have a lot to offer without a single weak spot.

Its clearly Old Man's Child's finest hour, a nightly ride of fiery, fun and passionate Symphonic Black Metal. Its extreme yet appealing to the warmer sensibilities of melody and rhythm than its evil theatrics suggest, like much of the back catalog. With news of another album in the works, I hope the absence brings Galder the inspiration to reach these peaks again as this record is an affirmation of his musical brilliance.

 

Rating: 9/10

Killing Joke "Lord Of Chaos" (2022)

Its been seven years since the mighty Pylon. Now forty plus years deep into their career, Killing Joke deliver two new songs on a four track EP boosted by a couple of disposable remixes. Although enjoyable for a fan, there is little new hear to be heard. Title track Lord Of Chaos is the grittier of the two Its rumbling textural base guitar throws back to the aesthetics of their early days. Its a typical exchange of meaty groove and dystopian atmosphere they have done over and over at this point.

The second track Total also stems from their 80s output. This one is moodier, with its nightly unease tone drawing from eerie synths when the guitars drop out. When they come back in its with an almighty roaring momentum. Jaz's singing reminds me of their Night Time album. Point being, its good but all has been head before.

The Big Buzz remix brings 90s electronic club music vibes to the Pylon song. Its reasonable but the bass kick thud is rather incessant. Delete In Dub pushes a Drumstep beat through a loose fitting of sound experiments and disjointed noises. It amounts to very little with Jaz's occasional voice the only thing tying it to the band. Ultimately, these two add a little fluff to new music that lacks any originality.

Rating: 2/10

Stellardrone "Between The Rings" (2017)

 

I was somewhat surprised to see I had not written about Stellardrone before. Then again, all their music was released before I started this blog. The exception being this EP which had passed me by, so the opportunity to delve into this unique space was a welcome one. As a self described amateur composer, Edgaras has a distinct emotive sound, competently channeled into a stunning, inspiring experience.

 Its cosmos theme hinted at in title and album art sets a president that's hard not to absorb. Thinking of whats beyond the stars in the great mystery of the universe comes naturally, unless the suggestion aligns perception? These are slow brooding songs that ride the waves and crash into the beaches with big emotional surges once the momentum has built. A mix of soft adorning strings and synths breath in and out as swirling arpeggio melodies pluck away with a computer characteristic to them.

The percussive grooves are held back, lurking in the shadows and slowly fading in to focus, then complimenting the big surges of emotion that arises. Its fine instrumental ambient but on this occasion feels rather bold and ambitious as its humble beginnings become inescapable, the curious endless inspiration of space and time takes over.

Its probably the absence of Stellardrone in rotation that made these five tracks so potent. It was a welcome experience to get back into this sound again. Between them the variety isn't massive, the formula describe plays out with a few aesthetic and compositional differences but its mostly about the meditative mood that can be achieved with their music. And yes, it turns out I had written about this artist before! Seems I made a spelling mistake with the name "Stelladrone", what a derp!

Rating: 6/10

Old Man's Child "Revelation 666 - The Curse Of Damnation" (2000)

 

If Galder's previous effort Ill-Natured Spiritual Invasion in anyway informed the direction of Spiritual Black Dimensions, the inverse in beyond obvious with this next installment Revelation 666. Now working alongside Peter Tägtgren of Hypocrisy, who produced SBD, the albums aesthetic blueprint is practically a mirror image of Dimmu's lavish symphonic wonder released the year prior. In my youth I absolutely adored this one without considering its construct under any scrutiny. After all, the record is full of over-the-top extreme metal embellished by walls of glossy synths in pursuit of evil.

It is a massive step up from his previous records, which seem all a touch bare in the wake of this wall of sound. Galder's melodies and knack for groovy riffs gets wrapped up in the moment. Barely taking foot of the gas, its a sonic assault from start to end. With frequent plunges into manic blast beats, everything is amped up on their momentum. Its twists and turns onto synth leads and dazzling piano licks is a riot. Most notable are how much more animated the percussion is. If everything has been amplified, the biggest advance lies in the drums which deliver the blasts unlike before.

Overall, the album toys with vivid darkness, a cheesy sense of evil as instrumental arrangement push big and bold melodies off the back of pacey power chord shredding and chugging palm mute grooves. The melodies often interchange between lead guitar and keys with big stabbing synth punctuating with potent emphasis. Early on, some chord progressions and synth tones emulate SBD quite closely, however as the album grows Galder's identity dominates the direction over its appeasing aesthetic.

With that said, his constant barrages of melody, pivots into big riffs and general song writing approach has its formula, one which I enjoy. Lending a critical ear it could be said these ideas do manifest within a narrow scope. In comparison to Dimmu's SBD, there is a notable lack of variety and progression present. These songs churn through the riffs with little in the way of a bigger picture or sense of direction. The opening Phantoms Of Mortem Tales experiences a little of this with its big opening sequence and guitar solos either side of a tense interlude. More creativity could of served it well.

I must conclude that Revelation 666 is more of a personal pleasure than an objective recommendation. In my youth it was exactly what I was looking for. Me and my friends would binge it endlessly. Looking back now that magic is still there however its flaws are more obvious too. The best is yet to come but for me, this Old Man's Child album is a treasure, a part of that Symphonic Black Metal niche I just simply adore.

Rating: 8/10

Andromida "Timeless" (2020)

 

Despite many spins, its been difficult to feel out the character of this record. Similar characteristics with the plundering Djent riffs typical of Progressive Metal has its chops of binary chugging grooves falling into a lull as its rhythmic grind becomes dull. The frequent bouncing of notes between the guitars silences is a trick I'm not always enthusiastic about. The distortion tone encroaches on the Doom soundtrack styling fully explored on Hellscape, yet here it mostly feels like a knee jerk reaction, as if its melodic colors always need to exchange with some grizzly surge of aggression.

It would be all to easy to describe Timeless as a bridge between it and Voyager. Although apt, where I think Timeless finds a voice is in its union of soft synths, lush pianos and a lead guitar that sings and wails like an expressive voice would. With this being an instrumental project, the constant intensity lacks a submissive quality putting a big focus on those eruptions of dirty Djent jolting guitars. It often overpowers the slew of melody its blazing lead guitar offers. Behind it the lush, soothing wall of electronic instruments curates a warm and airy timbre that is frequently overwhelmed.

It is the moments of calm and respite that Timeless suddenly feels with purpose and expression. There isn't a lot of it about but when those meaty guitars reel back and one can take in the delicate soundscape behind it, the music feels much more meaningful. Best of all, there are a few passageways where a rapturous guitar solo wages in, tandem with the bright pianos. It feels mesmerizing. Sadly, the record as a whole goes in all guns blazing. This really overloads the senses as its over the top guitars strip out the nuance of the accompanying instruments.

Rating: 5/10

Cypress Hill "Back In Black" (2022)

 

Has it really been four years since Elephants On Acid? Having been underwhelmed by Cypress Hill's long awaited return, I found myself rightly cautious about its follow up. Back In Black lacks the input of DJ Muggs and it hurts the group. With Black Milk handling the production, a rather subdued atmosphere arises from steady and cautious percussive arrangements. Its accompanied by darkly urban sampling that rarely leaps of the page, always residing with a soft temperament where the danger is far away. The lean baselines bring some redemption with classy aesthetics, its far from a saving grace. The drum grooves sound weak and thinned out lacking, urgency or a sense of imposition. I think subtlety and craft were the aim here yet its slow tempos and lack of bombast leave the general tone a dull and lackluster one. 

Sadly, both B-Real and Sen Dog seem to be on autopilot. All their verses flow with the same cautious pace. Its rock steady yet rigid. The immediacy and enthusiasm of words are lost in the monotony. Even the better word plays and rhyme schemes lull into this complacency. The records lyrical themes signify a return to roots. Gritty and mean, the pair delve back into gangster oriented tales of urban life in the city. Perspectives are offered, stories and braggadocio as to be expected. B-Real and Sen Dog also reflect on their roll in legalization and a change in cannabis cultures reception in the social fabric. These could be landmark chapters given Cypress Hill's history but this points too falls blunted like much of the record impact.

Every song has the same structure with instrumentals on loop, just going through the motions. Where are the hooks and choruses? Not even a break or beat switch. Sure, each song a hook line in its chorus but it all flows with the same cadence and the verses before it. No song has a memorable spice and a couple attempt to recycle their own or other classic hooks. Black In Back's merits are lonely, just the experience of its two voices to carry a bulk of mediocrity to its conclusion without being offensive, off color or cringey. I have no reasons to return to these songs again. Cypress have announced the next record will be their last and that it will be with DJ Muggs. I hope they find a way to go out with a bang cause this was a soft whimper.

Rating: 3/10

Old Man's Child "Ill-Natured Spiritual Invasion" (1998)

 

If Galder is known for treading in the shadows of his comrades at Dimmu Borgir, then on this instance it occurs to me the influences may of exchanged direction. Still getting to grips with the modern Symphonic Black Metal aesthetic of Enthrone Darkness Triumphant, this third Ill-Natured Spiritual Invasion delves into fantastical, majestic synths spun in an "evil" tone. Its the spurious ruptures of swift, darkly piano melodies that has a distinct kinship to Spirtual Black Dimensions, my all time favorite album.

Predating it by a year, there are certainly ideas at play here that may have given inspiration. Either way, Ill-Natured Spiritual Invasion is a cohesive step on from The Pagan Prosperity. Galder fine tunes his approach to melody and groove for a thrashier beast, hell bent on a darker, sinister tones as his previous themes of Medieval might and magic give way to evil, darkness and Satan himself. Its deathly cheesy and all to be taken with a pinch of salt. His cries of "I worship the devil and I am the antichrist" on Demoniacal Possession are all to overt and silly for any actual musical weight.

Fortunately he is a talented composer and this refined approach to song writing pulls together his ideas well. With a meatier rhythm guitar dropping back to focus on power chord foundations, the lively lead guitar and bold Casio/Korg style keyboards get a balanced roll in shaping the albums melodic sound. Despite being dark in nature, his brazen melody style gives the whole experience a constant stream of color, as one tune bounces to the next with the occasional eruption of big moshable riffs.

For all its merits, the peaks and valleys are closer together. A fun experience, easy to engage with but lacking in exceptional tracks. Wedged in the middle, Fall Of Man and Captives Of Humanity have always been the highlight. The first is a competent stride by the synths into a dark dungeon atmosphere. The second brings a roar of sea bearing, swash buckling melody, brought on by a great opening instrumental symphonic section, Strongly reminiscent of Stormlord, who I am yet to write on.

 Ill-Natured Spiritual Invasion is decent but had the potential to be greater. Galder really progresses the cohesion on the production front as gives a unified sound a go however at thirty five minutes, short fo the times, it seems he may have been lacking in depth as its last two songs tend to whimper out on recycled ideas.

Rating: 6/10

Haunted Shores "Void" (2022)

 

Out of the dark, a welcome suprise! Misha Mansoor of Periphery and Mark Halcomb have returned, seven years on from their Viscera EP. Void is a technical feat, a high octane bombardment of tight, jolting music set to electrify. As an instrumental, Djent adjacent Progressive Metal project, its guitars and drums play in tandem, tightly woven with both being intensely involved in the musical direction. The pair chew through maddening chops of chugging brutality and feisty rhythmic abuse, only to erupt into emotive surges. The intensity subsides for enigmatic guitar leads to usher in hazy Post-Metal leads and expand the atmosphere from its heavy chains.

This relief aids the records successes, for otherwise it would be a masturbatory exercise in instrumental proficiency as much of the music gets lost in machinations of extreme dexterous performance. Laying out animated, finger bending riffs and inhuman drumming in many sections across the album, it can sound like a self indulged Technical Death Metal record. Fortunately some songs are also propped up by what I can only describe as VGM melody, something about its tunefulness feels distinctly fit for that world where a lead instrument talks with voice as its tune.

The chemistry is apt but balance skews into lonely into the extremity a little to often. Broken up with a couple of lofty atmospheric interludes it plays well into its conclusion Nocturnal Hours. Bringing in the dizzying saxophone playing of Jorgen Munkeby, it infuses a little jazzy madness, a blend of instruments that sounds exceeding good. It may have been nice to of heard more of this! The studio production and sharp aesthetic is pure class, bringing the percussion right to the focal point, Misha makes a feast of whats on offer. All in all Void is wondrous in scale and ambition but perhaps all too obvious in its path to the scenic riff oriented Metal the pair deliver together.

Rating: 7/10

Judas Priest "Defenders Of The Faith" (1984)

 

Understanding Judas Priest's legacy through the impact of their extensive discography can be a tricky one. Expressed through classics like Breaking The Law, Painkiller, Turbo Lover & You've Got Another Thing Coming, their brilliance is all to evident. As a point of entry, excuse the pun, British Steel may be a Magnus Opus that says it all but much is to be left unearthed in their now eighteen records. For all my youthful adoration I barely scratched the surface of what Priest had to offer. With Defenders Of The Faith I find Priest in their prime, with an unassuming stance.

Just about every song creeps up on you. The flash and flair of Tiptop & Downing waits in lurking. The edge and thrill of their sharp, metallic Hard Rock riffs and razor blade guitar solos is a treasure rewarded after the steady build of well paced song writing. Such does Halford follow suit, baking in fantastic chorus and hooks fit for a Heavy Metal fans identity deeper into the track. No song bursts out the gate with the bluster of rock and roar. Most sound subdued as they get going, yet all find their stride.

This is Defenders Of The Faith's charm. Its rampant cries of "Rock Hard, Rock Free", "All Fear The Sentinel" and "Some Heads Are Gonna Roll" are Metal anthems without seeming directly intended to be so. They bloom from stable foundations, giving the band an undeniable stature as they chew through sturdy riffs, tuneful licks, piercing falsettos and electrified lead guitars. As Turbo would pivot into the cheese of these tropes, Priest command them with an integrity and intent to endure on this one.

 Its eleven songs march at their own pace. Variety offers up shifts in tempo and tone with Love Bites and Heavy Duty offering up these burly dense guitars alongside the slow crash of reverb soaked snares. Priest have so much swagger and braggadocio in these moments. Their metallic musical beast lurches on with a grin. The latter pivots into the title track, carrying on the slow bass snare groove as Halford is accompanied by a choir of voices gleaming as together they cry the albums name in utter glory.

It honestly feels like a missed moment to build into an unfathomable rock out of epic proportions but alas the ninety seconds of wonder gives way to a harmonious outro. Foiling us with gentle harmonics and lush dreamy leads before shifting into one last blaze of Hard Rock Heavy Metal glory. For all the subtly remarked on, it has to be said Freewheel Burning kicks off with a real blaze of attitude. The opening riff very reminiscent of British Steel however quickly does the record move into a matured and progressed priest, one I never enjoyed in my youth. With two records wedged between this and that, I know exactly where to head next!

Rating: 8/10

Old Man's Child "The Pagan Prosperity" (1997)

 

The Pagan Prosperity signifies a departure from Born Of The Flickering that came before it. Although holding over darkly Medieval themes laced with magic and combat, the musical style shifts, as do its aesthetics. Clearly to of come under the influence of his friends at Dimmu Borgir, Galder aims to follow the emboldened direction of Enthrone Darkness Triumphant released earlier that same year. Lacking in ample production budget, armed with songs not quite akin to that intensity, his sophomore album is a haphazard progression that does yield some magic after its misgivings.

Over bloated with melody embellished by tacky synth tones, thees songs ride a rather thin production where its instruments stand bare and subsequently stark if too focus to closely on its harsh snare for example. This mostly comes around where keyboard sections are lacking. When dropping out, Galders grindy guitar riffs chug away ruthlessly with a dulled texture. Its all a bit hit and miss. Sometimes the synths come in to strong, other times they are absent. It seems to lack a little nuance and "glue".

At the midpoint, after a series of mediocre tracks, My Demonic Figures trades off another grinding riff against some beautiful, uplifting melody. Then suddenly past two minutes the song shifts gears into a riveting drive of groove flush with majestic synths. The song rides out its keen lead tune into a string of songs. Doommaker & My Kingdom Will Come rectify the mood. Flush with guitar solos, which are always fantastic throughout, and these big groovy synth "breakdowns", Galder hits a stride.

Despite the albums clunky nature, his song writing pulls together extremely well for these songs, making for some head bopping riffs. They are made fun and carefree by the garish but lively synths that infuse a cheesy taste of evil. His screams too embody this lack of seriousness. They howl away, often double tracked with reverbs and echos layering on his snaky, rasping throaty shouts. The Pagan Prosperity is not his best, somewhat of a learning curb. You can put it on, have fun but under scrutiny it has visible flaws.

Rating: 6/10

RZA "Saturday Afternoon Kung Fu Theater" (2022)

 

With an eternal itch known as Wu-Tang fever, I'll always have a curiosity for the individual members various projects. Although mastermind of the Wu-Tang philosophy, the prime days are long gone. This latest mini album has him grappling with his two personalities, Bobby Digital and the RZA. The concept is all laid out in its intro, with the next six tracks vaguely elaborating on the dynamics between the duo.

 Teaming up with DJ Scratch, the instrumentals conjure peculiar, glum and rainy moods. Leaning on old timey string sections and rolling out simple subdued percussive loops, the experience is underwhelming. Kung Fu action snippets lack the edge or accompanying bombast to impact. The simple repetitions bring little depth, leaving RZA to solely carry each song with his rhymes and lyrical concepts.

 RZA's flow and energy often feels out of step the instrumentals, his pace and keenness a step ahead of its temperament. Its not terrible but has one leaning on his lyrics for salvation. Baked with old cultural reference and witty word play, its the old rap game sounding tired as RZA's age can be heard in his voice's tone. A few good rhymes and narrative entertain, but mostly this drifts in one ear and out the other.

Rating: 3/10