$uicideboy$ "Long Term Effects Of Suffering" (2021)

 

Following up on Sing Me A Lullaby, My Sweet Temptation, this prior sophomore record has solidified my warmth for this duo. Where the last album swayed in quality, Long Term Effects Of Suffering hits focused! A dreary, creepy crawly mood permeates as slick aesthetics provide the groove and enjoyment. Glued together by themes of personal pains, the sullen, bleak, rain soaked atmosphere sits front and center.

A few tracks offer a slight respite. 5 Grand At 8 To 1, New Profile Pic & Forget It drift into warmer tones with tonal echos of Jazz Hop emerging under its trendy Trap percussion. Then there is Bleach, leaning face first into the flames, embracing the burn, a gritty banger to say the least. Whats left explores a broody melancholy, reminiscent of Emo Rap when wearisome acoustic guitars and glum pianos emerge.

Consistently across its lean thirty minute duration do the percussive arrangements delight. Noticeably apparent on this outing, its snare kick grooves are elongated. Occasionally lethargic and sparse as shuffling hi-hats offer erratic pitch shifting patterns in the space between. Done right here, it challenges the usual 4/4 loop of Hip Hop beats. The cohesion with instrumentals is fantastic despite a strong contrast.

Stars of the show, Ruby Da Cherry and Scrim, offer brutal honesty with their personal struggles laid bare. Its a topicality expected, however consistency really elevated the message. Shared experiences offer relief, forge connection and its hard for their openness not to endear. Last time the stints of braggadocio broke up the flow. This time they forged a fine album that you want to play from front to back each time.

Rating: 7/10

Periphery "Periphery V Djent Is Not A Genre" (2023)

  

 As a band past the peak of their creative edge, the use of this albums title to make a statement was a curious one. I have no idea where in this string of songs it was supposed to manifest. Only the Pop ballad Silhouette and ending Ethereal ambiences of Thanks Nobuo made a distinct departure from their atypical sound. This remark on Djent feels hollow, the music offers up little to counteract the notion as Periphery spin their prominent style again. After all, genre names are an attempt to objectify subjective experiences of difference across a spectrum of auditory distinctions. Djent may have initially been in reference to Meshuggah's extreme guitar tone, yet it has clearly become a catchall for a scene that has since blossomed around them.

So what does this fifth chapter offer? A healthy helping Periphery melting the steel again! With harsh rhythmic assaults, extreme guitar abuse and a duality personified by Spencer Sotelo scowling screams and ascending clean vocals, the band do what they do. This alone explains why I took so much time with this record. After weeks of repetitions, I couldn't unearth what was new and fresh. Many of these songs could slip into previous records. My favorite moment of intrigue was Wildfire's dissonant guitar solo, simple for being a clone of Fredrik Thordendal's rapid alien tapping style.

Its a rarity to hear done right but suffers its unoriginality within the bigger picture. In many intervals do the band detour from metallic thrashings into softer temperaments. With lavish helpings of sweet and subtle orchestral elements woven into their dense wall of sound, they offer up an aesthetic wonder but the songs seem to fall short on new and interesting directions. One could feel that waning on IV, with Blood Eagle being the lone rumble traversing new grounds. Here on V the lack of ascent felt real. Left unsure of favorite songs, despite enjoying the offerings with each spin, Its as if the band has run out of fresh ideas.

Rating: 6/10

Rune Realms "In The Wild North" (2016)

So far this journey has been propelled by sequential surprises, as scene setting triumphs in constructing naturalist and fantasy ambiences. In The Wild North is the first instance where much of the music drifts from its scenic powers into drab spells of soft instrumentation lacking a thematic potency its album title suggests. Its opening two tracks weave strong melodies into its web of chilled, shimmering instruments. Between lulls upon snow blanketed fields do surges of valiant adventure arise. Dancing melodies move with gusto among the castly brooding synths below.

An excitement short lived, the following songs meander into a string of uneventful quiets, resting on its icy tone. The pace is sullen and lingering, not quite luminous to paint the vividness felt among these soft temperaments before. Individually the aesthetic chemistries are pleasing to the ear. Collectively they amount not much as direction feels lost among these frosty enchantments. Around the mid point, one song, Discovery Of The Ice Chasms, does turn the ear. A shivery mortal danger lurks in the shape of its unforgiving terrain, suggested only briefly in its one minute duration.

Another short piece, Emerging From The Caverns gains a similar distinction with the sudden shimmer of animated melodies. The song names suggest directions I didn't quite follow. However these pivoting moments made intentions obvious. Perhaps I've been spoiled by other works, or maybe this one could grow on me with time. Either way, its pleasant stay didn't hit me quite the same as the other incarnations.

Rating: 5/10

Dreamstate Logic "Starbound" (2023)

Since discovering Dreamstate Logic last year, the spacey music has become a staple in my streams. These cool, cold, cosmic breezes of astral ambience are pleasurable tone setters when focus is required. Starbound is the first new material beyond twelve or so other lengthy release. I wanted to give these seventy five minutes more attention but have since discovered its mostly business as usual. Not that business is bad...

The records instrumental pallet is somewhat indistinguishable from prior creations. This artist seems very much settled on stick to what works. Stellar drones and shimmering dreamy synths lay its atmospheric foundations. When pace musters, sequenced melodies and gentle arpeggios brood steadily among dense galactic reverberations. As momentum gains, its Downtempo inspired percussive lines take charge with punches, thuds, combined for satisfying kick snare grooves.

Most notable on Approaching Aldebaran, do drums and its general mood, slip into the enclave of Synthwave. The buzzsaw's make themselves known among sparse synthetic tom drum strikes. Its a subtle shift but about the only song that showed signs of somewhere new to stride. I did pick up a couple new favorites on the journey, to scratch the itch. Otherwise a fine set of instrumentals fit to serve its purpose.

Rating: 6/10

Enslaved "Heimdal" (2023)

Although finding myself not particularly in the mood for Metal as of late, Enslaved's track record of recent years had me curious at the least. No longer the same cult Black Metal band born among the Norwegian chaos of the 90s, they have continued to offer intrigue and magic as matured musicians. The once teenage founding friends Kjellson and Bjørnson are still going strong, now on their sixteenth full length!

Heimdal offers up a curios contrast of harsh excursions that drift, pivot and meander into uplifting spells, often spearheaded by its symphonic instruments, clean vocals and brighter compositions. Once accustom with its dances, the bleak distortion tones and gruff throaty howls that accompany bite less with knowledge of their destination.

Congelia possesses my favorite enchantment, marching forth, relentlessly. Stiff, ugly, grim riffs dance against hypnotic palm muted chugging. A harsh drive that is suddenly flipped, simply entrancing upon the arrival of gleaming keys. Its spacey melody echos with subtle psychedelic ping pong fade, transforming the song from its bestial grind.

The following Forest Dweller takes a different approach, starting with the lull of its soft atmospheric folk. Conjuring visions of a harder life, in endless wilderness, among ancient spiritualists. Suddenly, the music whips up into a frenzy of hasty roaring aggression, plundering us into a whirl of riffs, reminiscing classic Black Metal ideals.

As the album grows, more of its Progressive and melodic approaches get pinned against their extreme unruly origins, a dance across the fire, flirting with the prospect of getting burn. The variety is gratifying. A fascinating fluid chemistry among obvious contrasts. The Eternal Sea is another keen example. In one moment its sea bearing temperament of adventure, uplifting and glory, propelled by heathen singing ascends. In the next, its as if the world has been set ablaze by demonic forces of old. Heimdal is a worthy listen, these seasoned musicians continue to provide luminous music, managing to say a lot among sounds tired in the hands of others.

Rating: 7/10

Redzed "Bohemian Psycho" (2019)

 

Hailing from the Slavic regions of Europe, this young Czech's distinct accent embeds sharp flavors on top his nasal pitch. Loaded with obscenities and violence, his rapid fire shout raps drop sharp and vicious, making quite the impression. As one in a roster of many Trap Metal artists in rotation on Spotify, his maniacal flow caught my ear.

Tight, snappy and obnoxious in presence, the harsh delivery and brutal tone lured me in for more. Sadly, it seems Redzed is somewhat of a one trick pony here, emulating the same cadence for most of the record. In intervals, the pace softens with songs leaning into half sung hooks, looking for a catchy knack that seems out of reach. His pitch and range unable to muster charismatic charm previously bestowed among his venom spitting, ferocious raps.

So to do the instrumentals stiffen. Its somewhat typical Horrorcore theming leans heavily on hard bass kicks, jittery Trap hi-hats and harsh snares strikes. The groves are competent yet narrow in scope as each song circles the previous one. So to did the comprehensible lyrical content seem slim. A race to the bottom! Violent, foul, over the top braggadocio laced with cuss words and graphic obscenities.

Bohemian Psycho was fun for a minute but lacked a reason to stick around once its merits were proven. The closing Bleed For Me / Drumin' Hard had a touch more excitement. The inclusion of distortion guitars and what sounded like a drum jam session had some personality not heard elsewhere on the record. Ultimately Redzed's wild energy on the mic has a punch but lacks a depth to flesh out this record.

Rating: 3/10

BABYMETAL "The Other One" (2023)

 

A lack of anticipation for this newest BABYMETAL record seems obvious in retrospect as its singles and promotional songs mustered little excitement in the build up. Having binged the record somewhat, I've been struck by how underwhelming the music is in comparison to prior records. Where are the banging riffs, cheeky chants and surprises along the way? The Other One seems subdued in approach, toning down extremities and eccentricities, curbing the wild in favor of easily digestible song writing.

Much of the heavy lifting is handed to Su-Metal, who struggles to find hooks and cadences to forge the unforgettable songs heard in the past. She sits front and center with a tame sequence of bland singing that feels so monotone in creative terms.

Perhaps Mirror Mirror comes close to capturing that old magic, a willingness to embrace the wild instrumentally can be heard but referencing the old "mirror mirror on the wall" fable leads nowhere. Elsewhere on the record eclectic directions can be heard but never does a melody, hook or groove converge on something memorable.

Time Wave explores a soft take on Club and Trance aesthetics, Metalizm toys with hard percussion underneath eastern and oriental melodics, Monochrome traverses all too familiar Pop Metal trends with oh-woo chorus chants and a warm guitar melody.

Despite having much of the original band behind the music intact, The Other One feels like a shadow of former glory, a withdrawal to safe territory where ambition is traded for safety. Its an aesthetically treat, a gorgeous mix of Metal, Electronics and J-Pop singing. The songs may be pleasant and welcoming yet their bite is absent. Every song here feels like the one you might of skipped on previous records, to get to those fan favorite tracks like Gimme Chocolate, Karate and The One.

Rating: 5/10

Yagya "Faded Photographs" (2023)

 

I recall commenting previously that Yagya's music, a unique blend of dreamy Ethereal Downtempo ambience, had run its course with me. Still in adoration of the peaceful persuasion this composer casts, this newest installment commanded a curious listen. The soft sway of deeply subdued dub percussion meets a timeless array of cloudy synths again for another sleepy affair in the heavens. Business as usual, the sweetest of routines that leaves me with little to say I haven't already in previous posts.

Where Faded Photographs caught my ear was with its vocal collaborations. A real sense of intended chemistry emerged as these delicate, softly sung voices chimed in as if a new element of the Yagya sound. Its been done before but in a few instances, these unions with Bandreas, Benoit Pioulard and my favorite Saint Sinner, turned out a treat! The subtle saxophone expressions from Óskar Guðjónsson another delight.

With a rather constrained temperament and consistent approach to the composition of these eleven songs, the novelty wears off swiftly but a soothing charm does persist. The Serpent stands head and shoulders apart as the records best song. Grappling with foggy unease and eerie stresses, the chorus moves through gratifying shifts as tensions resolve and elevate with beautiful chord progressions. It commanded me to write this post! The record however did become a rather typical affair for a sound thoroughly explored already. I do still enjoy on occasion though, this was one of them.

Rating: 6/10

Various Artists "Loud Rocks" (2000)

 

Here's one for my youth! Loud Rocks is a Hip Hop & Metal crossover record I'm somewhat flabbergasted to have not discovered years back. Release around the peak of aggression in the millennium music scene, dictated largely by MTV, it features popular Nu Metal bands and Rap artists collaborating in varying shades of success and failure. I'd actually heard a few of these from the Napster mp3 trading days, for example Wu-Tang Clan linking up with System Of A Down and Tom Morello to perform their songs in a metallic context. How I'd not learned of the record is beyond me.

The brief 90s Rap and Nu Metal collision was a strange affair yet the holly grail of my youth... If done right, a rare occurrence. I think the crown might belong to Cypress Hill with the second, metallic, half of Skull & Bones. Most other crossovers are novel and occasionally decent but Loud Rocks mostly seems conceived to serve a niche through remixing Rap tracks, often giving the stems to an artist to re-arrange and work in metallic elements. I think Wu-Tang are the only exception, however the remix of one of their finest tracks, For Heaven's Sake, is handed over to Black Sabbath for a strange mix of two sounds that clash awkwardly with sudden eruptions of dense distortion guitars and Ozzy singing that simply cannot resolve to the mood of its rap verses.

Xzibit seems to have the most success. Something about his tone and cadence mixes well with guitars. His songs too have a meaner demeanor allowing the original samples to blend. Far from fantastic yet hearing Sevendust and Endo scream out his chorus hooks had a little gratification. Hardcore legends Sick Of It All bring an interesting touch to the Mobb Deep sound, however its sense of rhythm often looses the lyrical cadence. Everlast reworking Shook Ones Part II might be the albums one solid track, however it plays more like a moodier incarnation than anything metallic.

With the Rap Metal era being so disliked, this record will sound like trash to most. My observations on its various chemistries were simply a vent on my curiosities. I wanted this long forgotten musical movement to work out so bad, however the reality is very little of it did. Discovering another piece of the picture will always be a delight for me, even if the fruits of collaboration were far and few between. In the case of Loud Rocks, it mostly feels forced to serve an audience. A fun listen but I'll move on swiftly.

Rating: 4/10

Narrow Head "Moments Of Clarity" (2023)

 

Herein lies another nostalgia bend, or so I thought on first glance. Hailing from Dallas, these Texan's reach thirty years back for inspiration and aesthetics. The unmistakable influence of Deftones dominates as they plunder the Grunge, Alternative Metal and Shoegazing scenes of past to re-imagine the period. Moments Of Clairty was initially easy to dismiss for its lack of originality. A few obvious gems held it over for more spins, then with each try I found it harder to put down. Underneath its rosy tinted veneer lies some fundamentally decent songwriting that kept me engaged.

The records architecture revolves on effective riffs. Steeped in Shoegaze distortion, unraveled with a little Nu Metal syncopation, its sharp grooves hit with rhythm and endear with fuzzy tinges of color creeping out of its warm distortions. Overhead sings Jacob Duarte, who glues the music with tender vocals. On first impressions they seem a little timid, reaching without power. With familiarity, they become a focal charm. What melody he squeezes out goes a long way to make the songs memorable.

He aids a quiet loud dynamic, offering a comfy withdrawal from the harder aggressions brooding on guitars. Their songs play out in degrees, learning into acoustics, fuzzy guitar textures and bouncy groove riffs. Many a page comes pulled from the Deftones playbook. Less often Smashing Pumpkins with lead guitars and singing. Despite the obvious idiosyncrasies, it endures! However track eight, The World, cannot hide its My Bloody Valentine origins. Too obvious yet a good song.

Originality felt reserved until its closing moment. A touch of Industrial drive creeps in as a very 90s drum machine loop sets pace for Soft To Touch. The fuzzed out droning guitar that swirls around it, along with Duarte's vulnerable singing has all three components feeling vastly alien. Somehow it crafts a memorable song with the unique atmosphere. Flesh & Solitude has a little Industrial edge too, its whipping snare sample locks in a stiff marching drive. It however, yields to obvious influences again.

Moments Of Clairty is fantastic nostalgic ride for a fan of these ideas and this era. Its songs are solid and lasting. A little more uniqueness could of pushed it over the edge, finding freshness among old ideals. As it stands, practically no musical moment doesn't echo something heard on other records before. Its nearly a distasteful affair. Fortunately these influences are wielded skillfully, satisfaction its destination.

Rating: 7/10

Rune Realms "The Stormcoast" (2016)

 

I find myself in awe again. Next on our Rune Realms journey I picked The Stormcoast. Adorned with a teal stone runic border and painted landscape of mountainous crevasse shorelines, my curiosity for a sea fairing adventure was both peaked and eventually satisfied. Led mostly by long aches of unmovable stoic string sections, accompanied by the soft, distant commands of horns, a mystic sense for exploration of the unknown is birthed. Unsurprisingly its themes echoed The Fate Of Atlantis, produced later but perhaps the soundtrack itself served as an inspiration.

With its theme suggested, the music herein fit the bill. Ones imagination will wonder through natural beauties, unscathed by man. Fantastical terrain, treacherous to traverse, yet gazed upon at a distance, from rivers, streams and coastal regions. Here lies no sea sickness, no sense of endless waters and torrential storms but a curious exploration of foreign lands inhabited by illusive natives who watch unseen.

Much of the record traverses the quiet and cautious. Meager in stature yet gratifying upon inspection, its miniature excursions are delightful, however can pass one by if distracted. Between its many soothing, calmer spells erupts the main theme of exploration and glory! These crescendos of strings, with the sounds of waves crashing and harp or flute melodies, converge to create grandiose magnetic spectacles. They command ones attention with their intense brooding and rock steady pace.

The Stormcoast is another remarkable chapter, found early on. It seems the what I would of hoped to be an evolution of the later records is actually here early on, the ability to lead the music into more nuanced spectacles. The melodies and progressions here work wonderfully with the aesthetics for some nostalgic sea baring that doesn't lean heavily on any tropes. Its really tasteful and so well crafted. Bravo!

Rating: 8/10

A Perfect Circle "Thirteenth Step" (2003)

 

Now a fully fledged Tool convert, it seemed logical I'd enjoy more of Maynard's voice, having grown so fond of his unique persona. A Perfect Circle was formed in union with guitarist Billy Howerdel, while Tool where in their prime and working on Lateralus. Mistakenly I though this was the bands debut, however Thirteenth Step is actually their sophomore which also features James Iha, formerly of The Smashing Pumpkins.

Parallels to Maynard's mainstay are all to easy to state. As a similar ensemble of Alternative Metal, its the later that recoils in the wake of acoustic guitar leads. Wailing and whirling in reverbs, its melodies brood on brown tones and cold shimmering aesthetics. A Gothic echo lingers as touches of Shoegaze noise and Ethereal atmosphere creates a distant emotive cry, often feeling sorrowful without empathy.

The music lingers on its textural flavors. Organic, progressive unravelings of nurtured tensions brew, occasionally sprouting into aggressive spurts. These lively floruishings, Its best moments, are what makes the record so disappointing. After drudging through overcast windy affairs of acoustic drabness, the excitement only seems to emerge upon the arrival of distortion guitars. These moments are etched in the Tool blueprint.

To name the few, Weak And Powerless, The Outside and Pet. All brilliant songs, yet do little to define A Perfect Circle. Everything else that does was simply to dull and aimless. Reasonable to have on in the background but after many listens I simply couldn't find anything deep to latch onto. I may give this journey up already.

Rating: 5/10

Yeat "AftërLyfe" (2023)

 

Following up on last years Lyfë, Yeat returns to hold down a lengthy record on his own. Onboarding two alter egos, the twenty two tracks have only one guest artist. An unlikely cause of my disappointment, yet seemingly fed into the repetitive nausea I experienced. These hypnotic beats, alien and psychedelic by design, persist on a single idea. With no beat switches, little in the way of structure, they make themselves known swiftly. Shuffling Trap hi hats bustle away alongside brief melodies on loop.

Over top, Yeat brings in sleazy slurred flows, breezing off the reverb, toying with plenty of dreamy auto tune vocal manipulations, leaning deep on the slang and sluggish cadence. Of the lyrics I could decipher, little value was unearthed, lots of nonsensical boisterous bars and wealth braggadocio that lacked hooks and repeated itself a lot.

Although this formula yielded some groovy hypnotic beats I return to on occasion last outing, this followup was abysmal, little of the beats landed and the vocals became rather grating as the hour of music dragged on. A note of merit is the closing track Mysëlf. Far from great but at least an attempt to introduce a change of tone with dreary acoustic guitars, piano and soft strings. Overall, a big disappointment.

Rating: 3/10

$uicideboy$ "Sing Me A Lullaby, My Sweet Temptation" (2022)

 Hailing from New Orleans, this independent Rap duo made quite the impression. Muddying between Horrorcore and Cloud Rap, their dark leaning beats and heavy subject matter had its familiarity while introducing new ideas to digest. Its mostly the flows of Scrim and Ruby da Cherry who consistently captivate. Their distinctive navel voices and tight rapid flows hit rhythmically with snappy timing. Endeared by creativity, the shuffling of pace and pitch keeps things exciting. Best of all, the pair have an ear for melody, transitioning into catchy sing raps frequently that nail the mood of a song.

Instrumentally, the variety is decent, delving into different Southern styles with echos of Memphis Rap and the sluggish distortions of Chopped And Screwed. The sampling pull on the esoteric and obscure with odd sounds twisted into solid Rap beats. The darkest moments pull on brooding pianos and melancholic strings, the likes more suited to depressing Classical. Great to hear such an eclectic source of sounds. Of course, its loaded with darkly samples and snippets to beef up the grizzly atmosphere.

The subject matter wades through its share of typically misogynistic boisterousness. Between the showboating emerges a handful of tracks with difficult subject matter, addressing emotional ills, mental health struggles, drug abuse and urban trauma. The expressions are endearing, honest and laid bare, tackling the difficulties of life from personal darkness. Although a fantastic introduction, Sing Me A Lullaby, My Sweet Temptation has waned on repetitions but I've found a few songs to return too.

Rating: 6/10

Rune Realms "Seeking The Lost Castle" (2015)

As master of environmental ambience and subtle suggestion, I next ventured to Rune Realms' early works, to see how insinuations of castle era adventures would manifest. The distinction remains pervasive, a craft imbuing the resonant charm of aesthetics. Ancient plucked instruments, gleaming strings of awe and the foggy lurch of Dungeon Synth keys, all coalesce on spirits of lost majesty among mother natures beauty.

Its opener, Seeking The Lost Castle, dials up intensity and tempo as aching strings and mighty empirical synths cast light on the dawn of kings, queens and castles. Cinematic yet soft, a reoccurring brilliance of multi focal range for ambience and theater guides it well. Ancient Walls Of Stone plunges into foggy ambience at the other end of the spectrum. Between these, a range of varity keeps the music moving.

Its focus's shift too, the pleasantries of fairy-tale adventuring emerge through woodwind and plucked instruments. It arrives with a warm playfulness, protected by the innocence of youth, oblivious to the horrors of warfare that often accompany such places. Equally, distant calls of military and might can be heard when horns and fanfare arrive. Calling through soft murmuring reverberations, they seem like echos.

Occasionally, like on Forgotten Grandeur, tension and foreboding can take hold. Its a rarer occurrence that never veers into darkness and horror. Essentially, casting a rich spell of the era and adventures within from a safe and wondrous space. With its main thematic melody serving as both entrance and departure, the record has a keen phantasmagorical presence, as if conjuring a portal back to a lost moment of time.

Rating: 8/10