Can't Swim "This Too Won't Pass" (2018)

Last years Fail You Again was a peach! Now Can't Swim are swiftly back at it for round two with their sophomore record. They hit the ground running and kept going. Now there is a real contest between the two records because once again we have another solid set of songs you'll struggle to figure out your favorites from. This Too Won't Pass clearly steps in a brighter, pop direction with more tuneful singing and a generally lighter tone that can be heard in frequent acoustic guitar breaks and Emo, Pop Punk and Indie Rock strains in their sounds. It doesn't derive far from the blueprint at all and once again they challenge my conceptions of Genre's I'm less comfortable with as they pull off musical tropes with a touch of genuine class.

The record is wholly defined by its lyrical themes of breakups, heartaches and relationships. Chris LoPorto has a fantastic ability to channel his stories and musings into a catchy hook that resonates with the core of the song. It can be poetic, intelligent and blunt but more often a mix of all three. There is a fantastic chemistry at work, his words flow through the musical changes in temperament, always inline with the instrumental energy. Tracks like Amnesia 666 executes this with a stunning symmetry. Much like the instrumentals he exhausts a wonderful range of intensities with clean to screams consistently molding a unique persona for each track. The backup shouts and throaty yells of his band mates are not quite on his level. Bordering cringy at times but just about finding themselves on the right side of the line.

Much like their front man, his fellow musicians bring about a fantastic variety of intensity, color and charisma to flourish these themes into vivid visions with a ranged approach from the distortion guitars. They flex a whole range of chords, picking and strumming styles with varying degrees of overdrive that set distinct moods and compliment his words. The songs may have repetitive, simpler structures in places but the chemistry is so strong that each return of a riff or section feels as fresh as the play through before. The drummer also plays a key roll in fusing this all together with lively animated playing of grooves that flesh into the tom drums and livens up many of the chunky bass guitar grooves heard deeper in the mix.

For a record outside my comfort zone its quality really speaks volumes that the music transcends styles and themes I don't particularly vibe with. There are many objective moments where I heard something I wouldn't normally dig but these guys pull it off with true artistic intent and emotional meaning. Perhaps its just the open mind fighting old preconceptions. Either way I think it might be worth investigating more bands in this realm because if there are others as good as these guys I'm sold!

Favorite Tracks: My Queen, Hell In A Handbasket, Malicious 444, Amnesia 666, Winter Of Cicada

Rating: 8/10

Ho99o9 "Cyber Cop" (2018)

Horror, stylized Ho99o9, are one of the most exciting acts Ive heard in recent years, their fusion of hardcore Hip Hop, Industrial and Punk with an anarchistic flavor is exhilarating! This new soundcloud EP flew right under my radar, which is a shame because its probably their best work yet! They struck me as having potential but in this moment its really manifesting. Their recent collaboration with The Prodigy seems to of rubbed off well on the duo as the production style here has more composure and occasional Big Beat vibes. The opening track even has a tune you could lift into a Prodigy song. Its also another short and sweet seven songs amassing eighteen minutes. A curated approach to music that is serving many artists well in my books.

A clear theme and identity for the record is established through its fascinating online release including digital artwork. Cyber Cop revolves around digital paranoia in this connected ages and stylizes its songs as unauthorized viruses. It lets the electronic aspect of their sound flourish with flavorful synths and digital noise playing into the computing heart of the theme. Just about every song has talking points. The second track has a hard siren and glittery beat you might link to Death Grips, however its the vocals that almost sound like MC Ride himself chanting Internet Thuggin' in a low voice. Its a maddening orgy of noise which much of the record indulges in. Mega City Nine samples Slipknot's Only One and Tattered & Torn, fusing their darkly demented melodies with vicious street raps. Its a treat for a metalhead who loves crossover however its the Punk and Industrial influences that dominate the narrative here.

Punk Police brings the unapologetic attitude to the forefront as the two yell into peaked mics shooting back at their critics. Its a short track with dirty synths and gritty drums, total Punk aesthetic! Delete My Browser History slows down the tempo and brings in some gorgeous 90s Industrial synth baselines also heard on the opening track. Its focus on atmosphere heightens when twirling, snappy synths jive in, leading to an explosion of distortion guitars that culminates exquisitely. It ends with Leader Of Pain, an absolute banger to play at high volume! The singing is phenomenal. They fully embrace a over the top echo reverberation and deliver unhinged maniacal chanting over slamming guitar riffs. It only plays its sweet spot twice and the second time it suddenly cuts off short, always leaving me yearning for more of the madness.  

Ive only talked in specifics so far. This record conjures it own realm of anarchistic digital madness that's spurred on by an aggressive release of youthful energy and rebellion. Its immediate and fiery, an adrenaline shot to the mind as it takes on an aesthetic assault fit to diverge down different paths which it does! Not a moment repeated itself and the seven tracks forge a unique distinction within the experience. Thrashing guitars, expansive electronics and a relentless vocal presence unite with explosive chemistry. This is undoubtedly their best to date and my current addiction!

Least Favorite Track: Forest Fires

Rating: 8/10

The Prodigy "No Tourists" (2018)

Many years on from their hay day, English Big Beat legends The Prodigy bring back their sound again for another round of 90s electronica mashed with booming drums beats on No Tourists, their seventh full length. The project was initially intended to be an EP but the quality of the music led them to a full length release that is noticeably shorter than The Day Is My Enemy. If it is curation or a short and sweet principle, this newest chapter definitely carries a more vibrant energy as it breezes by with a lively energy, charisma and focus on the big pounding drums that you'd expect of them.

The approach to sampling, electronics, melody and vocals all have a strong 90s feel, hailing back to their best era. Its not on par but their knack for jittery synths and the cramming together of intricate sounds to form a whole feels fluid and vibrant. Massive kicks and snares snap and pop throughout and the arsenal of accompanying sounds makes for a fury of body moving energy. Interestingly a collaboration with duo Ho99o9 stands out as an excellent moment where the two acts find a common ground to accommodate one another and produce the records most infectious song!

Beyond that one moment not much breaks expectations or deviates from form. Vocally the group focus more on the hooks and have their snippets on loops for the choruses. A lot of synth setups, tone, delivery and vocal samples hail back to their early days. If you know them well you will hear the links. This is The Prodigy delivering what fans want and if in the right mood it makes for a heck of a listen. Its far from original, a few spicy arrangements are in store but this is a full speed ahead, wild ride!

Favorite Tracks: No Tourists, Fight Fire With Fire, Champions Of London, Resonate
Rating: 7/10

Arks "Twins / Interface" (2018)

I was searching for the new Tesseract album but happily stumbled onto a record label based in the UK, distributing Drum N Bass music and just the sort I like! There is little to known of Arks but this two track release delves into the atmospheric side of the genre, dabbling with ambiguous spacial, glitched and industrial noises between the hard mechanical jive of the fast tempo beats. It comes together with an astral vibe fit for the mysterious night sky and all the wonder the stars may evoke, however it leans into the cold and heartless reality of the vast voids between sytems.

 Both songs are structured similarly. A hard backbone of tight crunching drum loops pop and snap on repetition as they set a cruising pace for an assortment of sampling to flavor the scene. Between the two a stiff baseline rumbles and both songs go through phases of build up, then dropping out the drums in the mid section to bring it back with the same set of accompanying samples. It ultimately feels rather linear and one dimensional with a lack of flair or oomph on its return to the main structure.

Its atmosphere building samples are devoid of melody. Shimmering noises flicker in and out of existence in a web of intricate sounds with an industrial edge, the likes of glass smashing and mechanical clicks and clanks, sparks and zaps paint the picture of foreign technologies. The main sounds are warping, morphing synths that rattle like a voice and on occasions sound similar to Dubstep wobbles. Its a decent pallet and approach for the vision it encompasses but with just two songs the repetition is a little nauseous. Great music, would prefer to enjoy it in a longer session of tracks.

Rating: 4/10

At The Gates "Slaughter Of The Soul" (1995)

Another musical journey comes to an end! It has been well worth the time and Ive come to understand why this band are so revered. They sit like a jewel in the heart of Melodic Death Metal, though it has to be said, The Red In The Sky Is Ours and With Fear I Kiss The Burning Darkness are praised more so their third and this. It is these two that possess the classic sound many bands have re-spun to their own flavor, a far brighter, palatable sound, easy to enjoy with gleams of melody between aggressive aesthetics. Slaughter Of The Soul is essentially the same sound as Terminal Spirit Disease, however it is an actual album lasting over the thirty minute mark.

With a string of fast and keen songs lingering around the three minute mark the music sprints its way through a deluge of riffs on a slick, crunchy, tearing guitar tone fit for chugging rapid rhythms and splicing infectious melody into the fold. Simple song structures and a keen ear for dynamism between groove and melodic surges let the music sway between the two worlds. It has to be said a lot of the riffing styles steer away from the brutality of Death Metal and sound more along the lines of Proto-Metalcore. I'm guessing these guys has an influence on that scene too given the similarities in riffing techniques heard on this record and before.

The aesthetic is pleasing, it comes together with a touch of gloss yet on closer inspection their is some grit in the guitar tone. Singer Lindberg's screams are the same crass, raspy howls as before yet something about how they are mixed in let his barks chime in, more so than tear through. This makes them quite likeable. The drums sound fantastic and snappy on a great sounding production that has held up over the two decades since. Obviously the music itself is king and At The Gates nail their style here. They also show off a little dexterity with a folk-ish acoustic guitar interlude, Into The Dead Sky, and a symphonic outro track lined with a drum beat. It shows off the genuine talent behind the music. Fantastic record!

Favorite Tracks: Slaughter Of The Soul, Suicide Nation, Unto Others

Rating: 8/10

Old Tower "...From The Dark Outlands" (2015)

With this dingy eleven minute release we wrap up our deep dive into the realms of Old Tower. In conclusion I luckily started from the sweet spot with The Rise Of The Scepter. All that came before has been lacking in artistic maturity but showing promise as obvious experiments in Dungeon Synth ideals forecast a potential charm. Dark Outlands, being the predecessor, has more elements falling into place as its foggy synths pair up with pounding castle drums in the beginning. The oomph is sucked out of them in this low fidelity setting yet the Dutch artist will go on to master this approach within later records. This is the true first inkling of whats to come.

These four sings, stitched together, meander through simple constructs of dusty, ancient synth tones attempting to tap into those spooky, esoteric and nostalgic vibes and to be fair, it gets their in some stretches. Its linear, often led by singular melodies but it musters far more atmosphere. This is definitely the better of the "demos", even its deep and shadowy brooding voices pack more of a punch as they rumble ambiguously in the backdrop. It gets to a slow start though as crows squawking and owl hooting in the rain make for a haphazard transition. Its mostly unremarkable but a good tone setter for lonely nights in the cold of night, lit by candles in stone corridors.

Rating: 4/10

Marissa Nadler "For My Crimes" (2018)

Bleak, dreary, full of sorrow, this latest record from American singer, songwriter Marissa Nadler drags us through the dwelling of her melancholy. Disguised by a beautiful, timeless voice and soft, sombre acoustics the details of her torment and pain escape in this frightfully dark journey through personal and emotional struggles. Its calm, ethereal demeanor lures one in as strummed acoustic chords sing their harmony underneath her bare, vulnerable words. Mournful strings occasionally creep in as the songs grow, twisting tone and mood as they chime in with shadowing conclusions for her illustrious stasis of beautiful despair.

Its her lyrics that twist the knife. The instrumentals and her voice are poised in that precarious position, devoid of jollity, caught between beauty and sorrow, suspended in a timeless space of reflection turned to light. As one listens closer to her words moan a great sorrow as pain emerges, heartbreak, separation and distance ache sorely. Journeying deeper into its final tracks, the words take on darker tones as fractions of paranoia and an abusive relationship rears its ugly head through the poetry. It may be a far to literal interpretation on my part. Music as art can often be a ventilation that takes a different form on exit but her open and vulnerable singing within this ethereal state of reflection sends shivers down the spine. "You're only harmless when you sleep".

Its a moody, introspective record and that's what I like. I take great solace in these calming, shadowy records and as an artist she strikes me as the sort to channel this single part of herself. It culminates to a vivid and alluring state of hyper reality when opening up to the poetry of her words. I'm fondly reminded of Mazzy Star and Chelsea Wolfe listening to this newest release and also remember her music having a far more "happy" vibe. Its why I had not gotten into her records that deep before but this turn of pace since I last heard her just happens to be my cup of tea.

Favorite Tracks: For My Crimes, You're Only Harmless When You Sleep, Said Goodbye To That Car

Rating: 7/10

Paris "The Devil Made Me Do It" (1990)

Thanks to a fantastic documentary series on Netflix I got to learn about regional scenes that rarely make it to the forefront of Hip Hop discussion. Learning about the the bay area of San Fransisco, militant rapper Paris caught my ear with his uncanny resemblance to rap god Rakim. Given the year of its release, this makes perfect sense. Despite a lack of originality in tone and flow he makes his distinction with fiery, statement driven, political and pro-Islam rap. Its to the tune of Public Enemy and Lakim Shabazz, who's Pure Righteousness is sampled in the opening Scarface Groove song. The name dropping is relevant, Paris wears his influences on his sleeve as an amalgamation of key artists of this era. This extends to the production too, the beats present a firm flavor of Bomb Squad meets Eric B, with James Brown samples too. The sound essentially fits in a year behind contemporaries however this may be my prior knowledge not allowing Paris to slip into the correct spot in history. Then again, this is a really overlooked and forgotten record. Its only had a handful of re-pressings and is difficult to get a physical copy of.

Historical pickings aside, this is a strong record. He may have that firm and steady flow defined by Rakim but he executes it with attitude and flair for stringing coherent and tricky rhymes schemes others would stumble over. Its creative too, taking on a variety of flows and experimenting with reverb and rhymes split over multiple takes. It gives the record interesting creative tangents between the tried and tested formula. Lyrically its very socially conscious and pro-black political, taking on police brutality and systemic racism with an unapologetic militant approach. Short story telling interludes like Warning and The Hate That Hate Made flavor the songs with rich backstory as a couple of tracks step of the gas with braggadocio and other subject matter. Its the black nationalism that grabs the attention and if you agree with his perspectives or not, hes certainly a talent getting his view across.

A younger me would of lapped this up back in my 90s Hip Hop binge days. Now the style is so explored in my mind its hard for the beats to make much of an impact. One can't help but notice these gorgeous synth baselines though, the sort you might hear in Industrial music. That and DJ Mad Mike's love of scratching and sampling creates jarring instrumentals that pair beats and sources rigidly. The result aesthetic is it own and a clear vision for variety is forged as many cuts and variations make it onto the album, keeping its flow exciting alongside the shifting themes of Paris. The title track gets a shout for being a killer tune. A prime example of the records strengths in full cohesion. The beat is dark, gritty and bombastic, Its synth sampling takes on vibes not often heard in Hip Hop. This record isn't trying to charm you with smooth slick Jazz sounds, bar Mellow Madness, or overt grooves. It creates a crowded atmosphere built on punchy, snapy sounds that amount to sometinhg it can call its own, even if the building blocks are in plain sight.

Favorite Tracks: Scarface Groove, Brutal, On The Prowl, The Devil Made Me Do It, Mellow Madness

Rating: 7/10

Strapping Young Lad "The New Black" (2006)

Its been a real pleasure to dive back into the SYL discography. Its been over a decade since I last binged through their records and now we arrive at the final chapter. Despite having a vivid memory of getting this album and listening to it on a work break, not much of the music has stuck in my mind bar a few songs. In a similar way to their Self Titled release, The New Black doesn't come close to the apex of City. Its essentially a Devin Townsend record shaken up with many spices of aggression and occasional comedic measures. Arriving straight of the back of Alien I suspect this record had much to do with filling contract obligations as Devin decided to disband the group in co-ordination with its release and their final tour as a band.

The record gets off to a roaring start with fast paced tracks. You Suck sets a tone for comedy that makes many returns as the premise of the song revolves around saying a band "fucking sucks". Typical Devin humor! The New Black has a slightly withdrawn approach, a fun yet aggressive template with plenty of stomping guitar grooves and frantic, intricate drumming that can go full pelt on the listener or focus on the musicality. The records crisp production strips back the wall of sound feel even though its a fairly bolstered sound, a collection of overwhelming collisions of noise where everything is dialed up get through but despite this, the record just feels lighter and that is probably due to its meandering second half where the moods expand.

In the first we have Wrong Side, a very domineering tack with its heavy synth presence and with Dev's soaring clean vocals it launches itself into Ziltoid territory which he was working on at the time. With Far Beyond Metal we have a studio version of an old live song from No Sleep To Bedtime. Its an anthem, fit for headbanging and giggles! After that the side of Devin we hear more in the solo material comes to light. Almost Again being a keen example, it sounds like Holgen had to really ramp up the drumming patterns to make it feel at home. One can hear the disproportion in balance as Dev's glorious singing pulls it in another direction. When he does erupts with roaring screams Holgen gets frenetic trying to match the increase in intensity, its quite impressive to hear him keep up.

Compared to the rest of their discography this feels like a clear ending point as Dev's other musical directions strongly influence the lengthy thirteen tracks. Its also a great example of how inspiration can be channeled through different aesthetics and approaches as many moments are interchangeable to differing intensities from the all guns blazing mentality SYL usually have. The big point to make is the obvious directional shifts don't detract from quality and give the album a depth in variety others don't. It also has a fair few unleashing of the signature mania where the music gets so loud you can hear the frequencies drown each other out in the wake of massive sub drops. Its a fine note to sign off an amazing journey on.

Favorite Tracks: Antiproduct, Wrong Side, Far Beyond Metal, Fucker, Almost Again, The New Black

Rating: 7/10

Turnstile "Step 2 Rhythm" (2013)

 Kicking off with a flavorful shimmer of western guitar tint over big theatrical chords, Step 2 Rhythm gets moving with a lick fit for a 90s tv theme song, just energeized. It switches back and forth between this uplift and the grit of guitar throw downs as the Hardcore riffs shred their power chord grooves. Its the first sign of an eclectic direction for the band and in brief instances it rises again through exotic Metal guitar leads and the outro. Otherwise thats about it. Despite this direction potentially manifesting into what I adore about Turnstile, this short twenty minute EP doesn't quite have the energetic charm of is successor Pressure To Succeed within the Hardcore department, which it primarily plays in tune to.

The opening stir of emotions is to early in its infancy to become anything other than a notable derivative at work. This is a straightforward record for the most part. The band go hard on guitar led grooves of power chord chugging set to slam on the floor as the drums crash in with appropriate half times and the vocals cry out with fiery aggression. Its fairly atypical and the reality is these feel like the b-sides to a better volume of work. Canned Heat bangs when the slam kicks in with a big group shout. Bar that one moment much of the songs felt reasonable but far from the magic Ive heard so far on other albums. It leaves me with little to say other than its been a fun listen but not to much to take away in comparison.

Rating: 5/10

In The Woods... "Cease The Day" (2018)

It was a huge surprise to learn of an In The Woods... reunion two years back. After sixteen years on ice, three of the original band mates reunited to create Pure, a close contender for My Top Albums Of 2016. I was pleased to see them write a follow up so quickly but disappointed to learn the Botteri brothers both quit the band, leaving just the drummer left. How much influence Anders Kobro has over the music may be irrelevant. This in no departure of style and a record I have enjoyed my time with. Cease The Day scales up its progressive scope, builds scenic pagan atmospheres and makes hints to its themes with an Elk stranded among the city lights.

Once again Fogarty's voice serves as the human spirit to soar above with a heathen heritage calling. Its an authentic performance, honest and striving, retaining his imperfections and charming with his strengths. He is central to the musics direction, chiming in with many of its peaks and the general flow. Its more occasional that other instruments become the central focus. Cloud Seeder lays down some narrow groove guitar licks before unleashing a ear worm melody with effects soaked lead guitar that wails in different keys. The songs chord progressions remind me fondly of Baroness.

The eight tracks are mostly lengthy epics that don't outstay their welcome and unfold with steady captivation. I'm astonished as to how often subtle tone shifts are within their expansive pallet, even some that call upon their past. Somehow between Psychedelic overtones and brooding atmospheres can they splice in Black Metal guitar riffs with a chirpy, jolting distortion aesthetic that hails back to their debut record. The same can be said of the synths using similar choral and choir chords which arise in an instant to enrich the scene at hand.

On casual listening one will be sucked in to these vivid soundscapes and journeys. Yet on closer exception you may notice the organic experience is comprised of rather jarring and bold shifts in both tone and style as the eclectic links at work here jostle in variation along with its instruments. Strike Up With Dawn opens on a rotation of power chord rock guitar before flicking a switch and hurtling into a shrill tremolo shredding of darkness as gloomy synths arise. In another flick they drop and we move into an estranged, lone groove guitar lick reinforced by horned instruments.

This is just one example of what occurs frequently throughout, many yearnings of influence and musical approaches mashed into one form that feels very natural and pleasing. For all my enjoyment I never felt any big peaks, crescendos or exceptional moments. Perhaps Transcending Yesterday comes close with its monstrous opening riffs and howling screams but my attention is often diverted to the mix of a live audiences cheers into the song, ending with a chant of the bands name. I'm just not sure what exactly I'm supposed to make of it. Really solid album, hard to pick favorites, its great as one long big song.

 

Rating: 7/10

Old Tower "The Door" (2015)

Still with another record between them, this release marks a link to the slow and burly, meditative The Rise Of The Scepter, a first of true quality from the Netherlands artist Old Tower. However this third album, The Door, lacks the grandiose, vision or magic yet to come. It is however a lesson in atmosphere and ambience as we step away from clunky compositions of dusty synths yearning towards ancient vibes. Its a rather uneventful affair as ambiguous, soft synths gently moan, drifting in and out of focus over the occasional deep murmuring of bass. No melody is formed, just an ever shifting pallet of smokey, shimmering synths like fairy lights dancing in the fog with no rhythm or pattern to direct their expression.

It works as background music, setting a pleasing tone with its calming presence but no real vision comes to mind. It is simply fluffy noise to fill the space of mind and allow one to concentrate on other tasks. That is when I enjoyed this record the most. Its soft murmuring simply aided focus yet thinking and writing about it objectively I release it is rather weak when in focus. Towards the end the aesthetics shift into a shadowy gear as big, groaning reverberations play out like calls from the dark. With this it musters more interest but the overall project is bland and yet a sign of a change in approach that will ultimately lead to great music as Old Tower evolves.

Rating: 3/10

The Smashing Pumpkins "Shiny And Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun" (2018)

Long since their glory days of Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie, my excitement for a new Pumpkins project has been mixed with worry. The possibility of a resemblance to Billy's solo album Ogilala and an over bloated, insignificant album title overshadows the return of James Iha. I doubt he has little to do with the writing of the music but he performs on the wax and I was hopeful his presence would have an influence. The record makes its distinction as a band far from there hay day while rather fondly resurrecting the semantics of their glory years. Its opening two tracks sound like a time warp to the nineties as Corgan unites his emotional, melodic Alt Rock guitar flexing with his niche style of sung hook to captivate in the choruses.

Like a looking glass peering into the past, the rosy tint of nostalgia lays out a path that each song walks with familiarity to their back catalog. I don't think a single track felt new or unique but rather clever re-hashes of old ideas and occasionally slipping off the edge of tolerance with cries of "she stabs the anti clock" and Travels "its where I belong" sounding somewhat hollow. It is otherwise a cracking record with beautiful, glossy and scenic music composed of humble instruments playing to one anothers strengths. The voice of Corgan sits snugly in the middle singing his heart led lullabies and its forms with keen melody and a bit of guitar grit driving songs forward in various phases.

For all it does well something doesn't stick with this record. Its got a gorgeous production, everything sounding alive and of its moment, the string sections and keys add a serine warmth when they rise but despite all this Its strongest moments feel shades from former classics and its more "original" songs sound flat in comparison. Its been a tough one to put into words and Ive found what songs ill be returning to here again so I'll leave it alone on that ambiguous note.

Rating: 6/10
Favorite Tracks: Knights Of Malta, Silvery Sometimes, With Sympathy

Anaal Nathrakh "A New Kind Of Horror" (2018)

I first heard of this band through the ripples of the UK Metal scene as a contender for the Scandinavian Black Metal outfits who blossomed the genre, while us islanders had little to offer. Ive never paid close attention since their early records but felt an itch to see what they are up to. They have evolved, as has the times and with some truly extreme ideas. Its a Black Metal record at its core, dressed up in disgust and depravity as the Birmingham duo push their musical vision downwards with harsh menacing aesthetics to raise the stakes in this conjuring of decadent, violent filth.

Its a tried and true Black Metal record with flavors of the American scene but it grabs attention for the vile extremities that first confront the listener in a cacophony of blast beats and grinding guitars accompanied sinister string sections and other various assaults of dissonance. As it builds its presence I can't help but notice how distinct the vocal style is. It plays this way throughout the record, roaring screams, blunt and raw yet somehow decipherable. They constantly peak the volume for effect and quite often spiral out of control into literal primal screams of anger and hatred. It can grow a little tiresome given the unrelenting viscous force the music exhausts.

As the record gains momentum the aesthetic experiments play like torture. Maniacal sounds and shrill possessed singing akin to Mercyful Fate soar with ferocity. When we arrive at Forward! the sounds of Glitch, Dubstep and Djent collide in an obnoxious pummeling of groove aligned to the firing of machine gun fire and shotgun blasts. Its a riot and from that point everything feels a fraction behind this peak of insanity. The record then brings in some symphony and melody to soften the blow as some drilling tremolo picking leads, power chord arrangements and chugging Djent grooves take spotlight as the aesthetic overdrive becomes far more expectant.

A New Kind Of Horror is a real race of the cliff. Vile and malicious it pushes hard at the hardened listeners with its overwhelming flood of evil noise out to punish everyone in its way. It lacks moments of respite and without truly captivating melodies or riffs it circles its own waters, each song failing to reach some sort of peak or rise to wedge in the mind but that is preference and overall I think its a fair effort. Reminds me of Cavalera Conspiracy in ways as there are ideas here that also push things forward in an obvious way. Its a dense record, lots on offer, great if it clicks with you.

Rating: 6/10

Strapping Young Lad "SYL" (2003)

Needing an outlet to vent his post-911 emotions and anger, the Canadian musician reunited the band after a four year hiatus. The resulting SYL, effectively self titled, is the most notably akin to Devin Townend's solo records. Its heavy on the electronics in a layered sense as many guitar riffs are backed by beams of bright synth erupting through the wall of sound. With a lack of Industrial grit and maniacal energy, bar an explosive dose on Rape Song, it occasionally looses the unique Strapping vibe as some guitar sections feel interchangeable with other extreme bands. That's not put the record down, its solid from start to end and a delightful exercise in heavy heavy's sake. The problem is its extremities are not up to par with the likes of City and Alien.

It does however rattle off a timeless classic with Aftermath, a song that strips back groove to its simplest form and hammers it out in repeating cycles of amplified intensity. Its pounding, tribal, primitive and when breaking away from its obnoxious guitar chugging, goes full throttle on blast beats and wall of sound ecstasy. The following Devour is another riot of feverish excess that boasts its own obnoxious one note "breakdown" riff in its mid section. It starts out steady, misleading us as with its temperament before being unleashed. A lot of the record doesn't quite reach thees fiery peaks but it is certainty a wild ride and full of foaming anger.

Across its duration Dev explores a pallet of ideas, ranging from big, dense walls of chorals both blinding and uplifting. His vocals often come of a bit raspy as his delivery shifts. When the guitar is most naked is when the record feels a little to regular for this band and there are a couple of riffs that perk my ears, sounding akin to some techniques and riffing styles heard years later in the Deathcore scene. Its probably just a resemblance Ive picked up on but it makes me wonder about SYLs impact on future musicians as this was their first "commercial success" breaking into billboard record sales charts... only barely. With so much to say about their classic records this one lives in the shadows a little, not managing to match up all of the time.

Rating: 7/10

Favorite Tracks: Dire, Aftermath, Devour, Force Fed

Tyler The Creator "Music Inspired By Illumination & Dr. Seuss' The Grinch" (2018)

Lets cut to the chase, this musical project is fantastic! Coming off the back of last years critically acclaimed Scum Fuck Flower Boy, a similar instrumental pallet is put to use on this Christmas EP that lasts only ten minutes. Every second however is lean and slender, a genuine Xmas record that balances the festive theme with its classy persona wonderfully. Quite often it is just the suggestion alone that makes you notice the season. It seems Tyler was genuinely inspired to make music for the new Grinch movie, of which two additional songs appear on its soundtrack.

With bright shiny synthesizers, punchy warm baselines and stuttering goofy Hip Hop percussion, Tyler composes cheerful music without forcing the mood or overtly wording a holiday theme. Instead he lets his guest vocalists Ryan Beatty and Santigold set the tone with endearing Pop & R&B vibes before dropping in with gentle wholesome raps about returning home to a loved one and pouring hot chocolate with cinnamon on top. Santigold lays down the hooks and Ryan soars with ascending notes reminiscent of Micheal Jackson when hes adding in a backdrop layer of vocals.

The tone is sublime and on closer inspection festive pianos, wintry bells and cascading strings deploy some more expectant holiday melodies but all tuned in with one another. There is a smooth, joyous cohesion, the chemistry and quality of the compositions outpaces any of the drag that comes from seasonal cheers and lets this project occupy a classy, soothing spaces that's indulgent, relaxing and really wholesome. I'm truly impressed, would love for more. Ten minutes is not enough!

Rating: 7/10

Old Tower "The Book Of Ages" (2015)

 Now we arrive at the roots, a debut release for Dutch wizard Old Tower. Fourteen minutes of creaky, fumbling Dungeon Synth. Amateur and hazardous in nature, its futile attempts to conjure atmosphere and mystique fall flat on the back of inexperience and lack of vision. Its a typical entry level record similar to many who have stepped into the genre with the likes of Mortiis and Burzum on the mind. With spurious shifts between often singular, low fidelity synth tones the music drifts from one to the next with little beyond its imitations to grasp at. Its cuts to deep foreboding voices, far to ambiguous for comprehension signal a narrative that alludes me.

It does in one or two moments match a key tone to its spooky aesthetic for moments of intrigue. Its attempt to cast a soundscape of medieval battle with the sounds of burning fires and swords clashing reminded me of my own folly into similar ideas with the end of Eternal Myst from my Forgotten Conquest album. It puts to mind my own personal experience adventuring into Dungeon Synth and how my own passion may not be conveyed in amateurish enthusiasm. As harsh as Ive been there is no doubt passion was put into this project and its second half does shape up better but overall its forgettable and I'm glad I didn't start here as great things were to come.

Rating: 2/10

Strapping Young Lad "No Sleep Till Bedtime" (1998)

I thought I might pass this record by as I often do with live albums but seeing the the additional two tracks left over from Heavy As A Really Thing, I figured why not? Pretty swiftly was I reminded of how brilliant live recordings can be. It kicks off on a sweet note as Devin sings us into the madness with a choral arrangement to lead into the opening two from City. Its as vibrant and vivid as the studio records. The guitars, drums, bass and vocals have an exuberant energy, making a ferocious racket! Their performance is swell and behind them a dense layer of synths and industrial aesthetics seem firmly intact, probably the same tracks lifted from the studio. Its hard to imagine that level of nuance and required cohesion working in the live setting.

Our god Devin Townsend's singing is phenomenal. Now a lone voice without production magic at his aid, his fierce screams, leaping roars, soaring cries and immaculate clean singing feels both immediate and necessary as the performance drags you into the heart of the emotional experience he draws from. As the show progresses Devin never tires and between songs when talking to the crowd his comedic nature and ridicule of the spectacle shows fondly with humorous lines and jokes for the crowd. Its most so on Far Beyond Metal, a track from The New Black I forgot used to be a live only track. It is the least Lad sounding of all but clearly more suited for them than his solo material and a vessel for his cheese.

After a riveting seven songs it ends with that song as the tape runs out. A fade out without talk of goodbyes and audience cheers is a bummer but it would been more of a shame to of ruled out the release of this excellent live set. To fill the void Japan and Centipede revere their heads as songs clearly a peg lower on the frenetic, chaotic scale that Dev rammed to the max with the first SYL record. Both are sprawling atmospheric types that subvert their bombastic riffs and sustain a sense of heightened atmosphere. Centipede is the chunkier of the two with a bigger guitar presence and moments of elevated intensity but they both suffer from poor quality as static and peak clipping plagues the crowded moments. Its not too much of a bother, so overall its a really great listen for any SYL fan! Shame the live show was cut short.

Rating: 7/10

Vince Staples "FM!" (2018)

Ive been keenly awaiting the next Vince Staples project. As a rapper he is a fair talent but on the instrumental front he is rocking a fresh sound that draws in some strong House and Dance music influences to Hip Hop. This newest record FM! has some interludes and snippets of a radio show that gloss a theme on top of stellar songs. At a mere twenty two minutes most the tracks are short and given the repetitive nature of lopped instrumentals this swift record whizzes by. It always ends too soon, leaving you wanting another immediate spin as its infectious beats linger in the mind.

At the surface, the beats took most my attention. Vince puts engaging hooks over the top and his rhymes are tight, often delivered with a slightly slurred swagger. It gives his flows a liquidity as his sentences ooze and the words sway to form an shapely cadence. His inflections are slightly nasal and the nature of his flow lets his lyrics gel with these keen beats. When he exaggerates the words they often morph into memorable hooks. Relay's "scanner and hammer" as "skinner and himmer" just works despite being skewed. Its all chemistry but digging deeper into his words theirs a lot of vivid lyricism skimmed down to a point. At times it can be a dark ride along.

These instrumentals by Kenny Beats pop! Tight snaps, claps and snares bounce and groove off sub bass kicks doubling as low end melodies, shifting through multiple pitches. Between them textured hi hats rattle in fast shuffles, spaced generously on stereo. The space often occupied by samples are a treat of quirky, synthetic spaced out melodies, often minimal, taking advantage of minimalism and the textures available. Its got the grit of the streets, yet can drift to the estranged and exotic. Of course these moods find their way to banging hooks too as Vince cries out to each of the sides "who bout that life" as the calls drift to death and darkness swiftly.

I adore this project. Its all about quality over quantity however its glossed over radio theme feels a distance to the meat of Vince's lyrics. Its interlude tracks are inconsequential and mediocre at best. They fluff up an extra couple of minutes and the Earl Sweatshirt hype track is an underwhelming twenty seconds. With Kanye, Pusha T and quite a few other artists releasing short projects this year it seems like a positive trend. I'm really glad Vince took this approach and the final track is a peach with Kehlani Parrish bringing powerful effeminate singing to the fold. Great record!

Favorite Tracks: Relay, Run The Bands, No Bleedin, Tweakin

Rating: 7/10

Turnstile "Pressure To Succeed" (2011)

My praise and adoration for this band is growing fast. Listening backwards from the heights of Space & Time I expected a decline but the reality is their evolution as a somewhat eclectic band started in a strong place. Without their expanded pallet of styles we land on the origin point of pure energetic Hardcore aggression fondly reminiscent of Biohazard and Dog Eat Dog. This is their debut release, a short EP of six songs spanning fifteen minutes. Its all killer no filler, the formula is straight forward and to the point. Stomping rhythm guitars patrol, slamming drums reinforce the dynamic shifts between fast and mid tempos to give the beat downs a grooving edge. Brendan Yates stands out front with higher pitched yells and shouts to rile up the adrenaline as his words often queue in the shifts from one temperament to the next.

With very little beyond the scope of expectation it boils down to the quality of guitar riffs that lead the way and boy do they have the eminence to thrown down hard. The whole music can't be about punch line riffs and break downs. Their verse and build up riffs, all the bits in between, keeping the energy flowing with a disposition for excellence. Sometimes it seeps out with some prominent baselines and discordant guitar sections too. Best of all two songs embolden the tone with a very particular flavor of guitar lead I can't quite pin down, it reminds me fondly of Swedish Metal and stands out over the rest of the music, adding a new moody dimension of expression. That and the utterly riveting slam sections for the dance floor are buzzing on this record. Pressure To Succeed makes a feast out of its short duration. Great debut!

Favorite Track: New Rules, Pressure To Succeed
Rating: 7/10

Fief "IV" (2018)

A joyous smile swept across my face upon receiving news of this forth chapter by Medieval Fantasy musician Fief. Despite being a predictable set of instrumental songs, the knowledge of new music to command the imagination and transform ones surroundings was precisely what I was in the mood for. Seven songs, twenty eight minutes and illustrious harp-like instruments dancing in display, this newest installment leaves me with little to say I haven't already.

Once again we have uplifting melodies played on a variety of gleaming string instruments. Several layers of these form acute and splendid music that frolics through an innocence lost to time. Always keen of spirit and festive, Fief brings about visions of enchanted gardens, natural beauty and adventure without consequence. The wholesome melodies conjure our romanticism towards the best of kingdoms and landscapes lost to the perils of time.

Clearly composed with VSTs and a dose of soft reverbs, the crisp production lets the color of the instruments fill the spaces. A simple and pleasing construct for melodies one could imagine being played for kings and queens of forgotten monarchs. It is as keenly focused on one vision as its predecessors. No surprises. However the closing tracks guitars, playing in tandem, sparks a strong emotional reaction, perhaps it is a tad more exceptional than the rest.

Favorite Track: The Waiting Hearth

Rating: 6/10

Old Tower "Keepers Of The Ancient Flame" (2015)

Mistakenly I thought this was Old Tower's first release that I had selected to enjoy next. I learn now this is actually the second. It has the expectant inklings of an early form, music yet to mature to its distinction and baring the more common tropes of the genre. As one eighteen minute track uniting five individual songs it has some charm however its production is yet to allure to those deep and foggy reverberations that bring about meditative states. Its final song does make use of the organ we often hear this paired with but at this stage the music usually focuses around a single, isolated instrument, forming dull and lonesome atmospheres of degradation and decay.

In its opening tracks a forlorn world is envisioned. Sounds of ambiguous destitute create eerie rumblings as winds of secluded whispering voices dance around a solitary instrument. The atmosphere is decrepit and ruined, only echos remain of the horrors once held. The arrival of bright synths turn the tone away from ambiguity only to be interrupted by the growing presence of bothersome rumblings and a crashing strike of lightning unleashes a spooky horn like voice, murmuring, communicating from the depths under the soft pattering of rain. 

From that point we don't return, the punchy, colorful synths glisten us through a simplistic fantasy realm of gleaming horns echoing softly into themselves. Its cloudy and scenic but quite the departure from the gloom and mystique before it. After that the organ signs the record off on a lull after some owl hoots and creepy sound design but its doesn't flow. For a listener a handful of different ideas are put together with not much cohesion however they are all of similar realms which the song names hint at. Its a fair record and I did enjoy my listening.

Rating: 4/10

Sleepy Sun "Fever" (2010)

Californian Rock band Sleepy Sun's sophomore record is a musical experience I hold in high regards. Its peaks echo shivers of the greats, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and King Crimson vibes produce goosebumps however this is no nostalgia act. Fusing elements of Rock music's broader spectrum, Stoner and Psychedelic Rock vibes dominate the focus with touches of Progressive and Post-Rock coloring an ever organic unraveling of vision through inspiration. Composed of nine tracks its one of those records that commands to be lived in full. Traversing its peaks and valleys, electrified eruptions of ecstatic guitar leads engulf acute atmospheres that then descend and dissipate into sombre strolls of folksy acoustic yearnings and surfing psychedelic ambience. Suspense yearns in the shadows it casts.

 Opening with sun soaked melodies to relax the soul, rousing flares of fiery guitar noise break up the harmonica jams and earnest singing, to lead us into tribal jungle jams and choral chants. Its a naturalistic flow that Rigamarro holds over with a soft and dusky bongo led acoustic piece for the eruptions to begin again on Wild Machines. Led on by whistling tunes, unleashed swells of overdrive tonal guitars sludge out a short lived groove that eventually blossoms into a unrestrained force of inspiration as it scales up to a climax. The dynamic is riveting and Ooh Boy and Acid Love tie us down through a shift in tone as we absorb in the anticipation.

With Desert God the record tugs on the heart strings, its careful build through distant rumblings under its timeless melody at front and center let vocalist Rachel Fannan allures us with a soft, serine singing that will soon soar into a roaring of soulful voicing to rumble your belly. Its wholly captivating but far from over. With a flickering percussive rhythm of stick slapping and exotic psychedelic chord reverberations, Open Eyes sways between its entrancing grooves and falling to the soft and comforting breaks, teasing what to come. Eventually it swells up into a dramatic rise, taking both components, elevating and uniting them towards an epic hieght.

Freedom Line brings about some attitude, a sassy baseline purrs with its punchy, binary presence. The withdrawal of guitars gives drummer Brian Tice focus to vibrate a rigid groove that builds its complexity in fractions. We then come to the monumental Sandstorm Woman, a ten minute saga to see the record out with an indulgent high as we descend deep into kaleidoscopic psychedelia. Its colorful construct feels full circle as the return of the harmonica sounds. Its mid tempo pace is challenged by a roaring guitar lead that wails itself into existence. As quick as it came it disappears back into the wash of luminous radiance that is a band in unison.

The song goes on to scale further heights, a remarkable flow of inspired brilliance. This album is gorgeous, its aesthetic has texture, tone and flavor. It captures the spirit of old recordings and feels electric, as if the band were in the room with you. The drum kit sounds especially lived in, the use of effects and reverberations allows the record to ebb and surge. Their performance has a self aware, electric dynamism that the musicians seem to relish within. I can't think of anything bad to say about it other than some tracks are more preferable to others but everything fires on all cylinders and there is much packed in these forty two minuets that you won't be able to forget.

Favorite Tracks: Marina, Desert God, Open Eyes, Sandstorm Woman

Rating: 9.5/10

At The Gates "Terminal Spirit Disease" (1994)

This is the record I have been expecting to hear. Swedish band At The Gates, labeled as Melodic Death Metal, had yet to reach the iconic sound pioneered by Carcass with their Heartwork album of the previous year. Taking a bold step towards a slicker, cleaner sound the band also shape up their compositions into simpler forms. While they do retain some dissonance and unusual approaches to riffing, the music comes together through simple song structures and a focus on the melodies rising from the aggressive construct of battering drums, darkly distortion guitars and fierce screams.

The move forward is fantastic, however to call this an album is a bit of a stretch. Packaged along side three additional live songs, we only have six Metal songs and one fantastic acoustic guitar interlude with And The World Returned. Its the only track to include signature stringed instruments and the seven songs only make up twenty two minutes, however short and sweet is preferable when the bar is set this high.

The record is especially enjoyable from a retroactive perspective. All the tropes and expectant riffing styles of Melodic Death hit from different angles with a unique tone. The band are still transitioning and with that comes the tremolo shredding strings across two guitars exchanging dissonance and harmony in a bright setting. The typical tune chugging, string jumping riffs get interchanged in between and with colorful, energetic drumming all the components gel as abridged sections form with variety.

All components gel sweetly and the guitar leads occasionally burst into life with memorable solos. Its all really good stuff. Perhaps only singer Lindberg is fractionally tiring with his beastly howls and throaty cries becoming drab as they rarely change. I tend to zone him out when listening, its the music below his roars that is great and even riveting on its best songs with riffs the leap out. I can understand on lot more about their place in Scandinavian Metal's history from this record and am very much excited for Slaughter Of The Soul, their last record before splitting up.

Favorite Tracks: Terminal Spirit Disease, Forever Blind, The Fevered Circle

Rating: 7/10

Dead Can Dance "Dionysus" (2018)

Blessed we are to have another Dead Can Dance project on our hands. After a six year absence the duo return with a mid length, sweet and exotic piece of music. Its around seven songs split into two sixteen and nineteen minute tracks. Through the journey of this blog I have been digging into their catalog and unearthing several gems, Aion being the first. They compose and perform meditative, spiritual music inspired by historical, cultural and worldly sounds. Time has not been a hindrance, this release is fondly inspired and fit to sit among the best of their wonderful discography.

The first act is luscious, exotic and wild. A modern production doesn't particularly give the duo anything they couldn't achieve already but its crisp and silky aesthetic has the percussion popping. Earthly choral singing over viola strings sounds dazzling too. It has a warm climate feel that plays out with powerful melodies conjuring deep earthly moods, reinforced by vocal cries of emotion from under the building layers of exotic instrumentation. Its a very primitive and rooted experience, a scenic interlude of rain, howling and chirping of wildlife grounds the link between these songs as its final piece goes into a primitive trance. One can envision star splattered night skies, camp fires, ritualistic dancing and singing around the glowing flickers of flames.

The second act feels colder and humanistic, the pace and tone turn to a nightly setting and Perry brings mysterious language to his singing. Brooding cultural voices and dazzling melodies stir up a climatic build up on the following song. Its another engrossing atmosphere and then The Forest really throws things back in time with a warm, upfront and gently bouncing baseline giving the track a Post-Punk feel, going back to their roots as a band. The singing is gorgeous, enriched by worldly travel. Its the albums peak as the following song slowly winds things down quietly as the record drifts back into the shadows from which it came. Its a brilliant record that does the best of what these two are known for with exquisite execution. The inspiration is ripe and with that a wonderful thirty plus minutes of riveting music has been birthed.

Rating: 8/10

Old Tower "Ruination" (2017)

In the age of ever changing release formats we have Ruination, The New Darn Cometh, simply a lone nine minute track of meditative Dungeon Synth, the defining style of Dutch musician Old Tower. Its another gloomy and atmospheric piece of brooding, darkly synth that could be placed right alongside The Rise Of The Scepter, released earlier that year. Its pallet and range of events are limited in scope but its sense power to conjure rural visions of dark, foreboding medieval times are on form.

Horns and trumpets of isolated glory sound of the song as a familiar vale of deep foggy synths mystifies its leading melodies, one can see a stoic castle being consumed by heavenly clouds sweeping in over cold and unforgiving moors of a harder time for man. Its crawling pace steadily brews its way towards a break of soft choral choirs that allure in gong strikes and a sense of epic that drifts gently out of focus without a peak. At its end a murmurous melody of lonely mischief winds out the last minutes of the song on a whimper. As a reasonable song packaged within a short project, the music yearns to be part of something bigger but is lonesome. Old Tower has a spell bounding and wondrous sound that I wish to indulge in for far longer.

Rating: 2/10

The Underachievers "After The Rain" (2018)

I was dead excited to see this in my inbox. Rap duo AK & Issa Gold are two bright sparks among a young generation of rappers. Their dark and esoteric Cellar Door - Terminus Ut Exordium was a distinct introduction to the duo however opening half of Evermore - The Art Of Duality has become a favorite a frequent back to. Its lyrics of overcoming struggle and rising up hit me hard. We get a little of that youthful wisdom on the opening Downpoor as the pair exchange themes of changing the world with positive metal attitudes in the face of a materialistic world that can consume a person.

After The Rain has been an enjoyable, reasonable listen where the instrumentals define most talking points. Lyrics circle the waters, recycling familiar topics with a lack of hard hitting lines as the vocals are mostly linear expressions with less wordplay than I would of liked. The production sounds expensive, a step up that might be sideways. It elevates their sound to a crisp, glossy tone that's a tad over polished, squeaky clean samples and drums come close to peaking in a vivid construct.

Its all mostly warm, bright and sunny sounds. A lot of colorful, jazzy and soulful instrumentation with a crisp punchy audacity. A plethora of guest singers gives many songs agreeable choruses with powerful, harmonious singing that steers in a pop appeal direction. Nightmares & Dreams, plus a couple others too, push it a little to far with the broad allure. When either of the two are not on the mic, it can be an unrecognizable sound with guests flexing their prowess with some beautiful singing.

Its a hard record to be dismissive of, The Underachievers pack a lot of powerful, potent empowering lyrics in the run time for a warm, uplifting listen. The instrumentals aim high, a very crisp production with some fantastic Jazz Hop beats. All the pieces are in place but something in the chemistry is just missing something. Perhaps it lacks some urgency or struggle about it. Everything is just to neat and nice, so its hard for any truly memorable songs to emerge. It lives in the shadow of their former works.

Favorite Tracks: Downpour, Let It Rain

Rating: 5/10

Strapping Young Lad "City" (1997)

With their first step a machination of musical extremity was haphazardly birthed and with the next it was mastered. Strapping Young Lad's and Devin's debut album Heavy As A Really Heavy Thing was an embryonic folly, glowing in the light of retrospection and with this next stride Devin Townsend recruits old time band mates Jed Simon and Byron Stroud alongside Metal veteran, beastly drummer and essential component of the SYL chaos, Gene Hoglan. Their first effort as a cohesive unit was defined as "the heaviest record of all time". Despite many bands attempts to further extremify Metal aesthetics, none have brought with it the pure ecstasy of a truly emphatic emotional experience. In my opinion, the heaviest album claim still holds up to this day.

Opening with Velvet Kevorkian and All Hail The New Flesh, City quickly establishes its grandiose sense of self exaggeration and drastic emotional need. With the wobbling of dense electronic noises between Dev screams of intent, the thick wall of sound aesthetic makes itself known before the song kicks in with an absolutely punishing flurry of sound that Dev emerges from with a triumphant roar. Gleams of colorful light burst and tidal grooves erupt from guitars, crushing riffs through punishing distortions. The song elevates these aspects with Devin soaring his stunning voice high above as the music peaks into the heavens before collapsing from above into more over the top sonic guitar grooves. Its all stunning but the pure emotion in the voice of our Canadian genius is something never to be forgotten.

"Well gentlemen, a great amount of money has been invested into this project and we can't allow it fail". We have heard soaring melodic beauty dancing through duality with the primitive powers of groove and with Oh My Fucking God we descend into the madness of the latter. Dev takes all the extreme ideas of Death, Thrash Metal and Grindcore and throws them in the trash can, unleashing his trump card. Led by spurts of maniacal, schizophrenic screaming over hyperactive fretwork we are swiftly led to the mid track mania of over bloated industrial noise dispensing itself into every crevasse of space as all the instruments ramp up into a tornado of utter madness. Through the insanity Dev's nutty, deranged "la la lala" singing just peaks the madness with a cherry on top of this frothing cake of non-directional fury.

The madness isn't over yet! Detox returns to the opening formula of vocally led melodic soaring as Dev cries for his wishes of sleep. Bouncing back and forth with jugular grooves the song hides a trick up its sleeve as when you think it can't get any better he unleashes a rip roaring, pop sensible power chord riff that peaks another sense of emotional purity emanating through the vocal chords. Its a gracious moment. Home Nucleonics sounds like a race of a cliff. More berserk guitar riffs rival up against the unrelenting feet of the beast Hoglan. The song fires through its arsenal of neck snapping riffs like a drill, whilst smothered itself willingly in industrial dissonance.

With its finest of extremities unleashed, the rest of the runtime gets to mature in various directions. AAA dials back the over the top nature, teasing it with its build up of suspense, letting the band show the building blocks of their sound. Great riffs, stunning screams, still with a dense web of electronic noise and powerful drumming, it draws that line it the sand to prove both the music and aesthetic at play is brilliance. Underneath The Waves has a more traditional metallic tone at first but Dev once again fires up the sparks with his neurotic, demented singing that swiftly ramps up the musical energy to the SYL elevation. The synths get more involved in the wall of sound here, a fitting tone to passionate screams from a tiring soul.

Room 429 is the track to make a separation from all heard before. A theatrical approach is taken by the group to create a circus of distant dread that lets some less exhausting ideas flourish. It does sound like the perfect stage for Dev to unleash his humor but fortunately he steers from any cheese. City closes with Spirituality, a slow morphing of atmosphere that sounds like a Post-Metal approach to the wielding density of this Industrial soundscape. Slow chugging stomps of guitars march through apocalyptic soundscapes of warfare as electronic synths let off like missile strikes. A couple of minutes in the song attempts to turn pace with vocals and sludgy grooves. It slowly builds, unable to unleash as the steady march confines it to being a sign off song. Its a really fantastic note to end a remarkable record on.

My passion and enthusiasm for this record is obvious. I only hope a reader could find this connection too. Of the best of the best, City has held up over the years as an unending source of adrenaline release and deep emotional resonance. Its such a dense sounding record that its masterful manipulation of sound waves has me forever engaged with that textural space between all the obvious. There is so much going on it can sound fresh with every listen. Devin Townsend is an utter genius and even under the guise of over the top Metal extremity can he make it truly meaningful. All that's left to be said is Strapping Young Lad rocks my hairy anus!

Rating: 10/10

Logic "Young Sinatra" (2011)

I'm glad Ive worked through Logic's discography in reverse. This third mix tape, Young Sinatra, would have had a hard time luring me in without knowing whats to come. This is that point where a notable dip in quality occurs, or better stated, an artist in their infancy yet to fully blossom. Its a bloated seventy two minutes where Logic's reoccurring themes seem to regurgitate themselves several times within this one project itself. Ive heard so much of the Maryland rappers self assertion and tireless ambition that its getting a little tiring at this point, mind the pun.

Its an enjoyable project but the production is on the mediocre side. The beats tend to set an easy going tone within simple constructs of repetitive drum loops and warm sampling leaning to summery, jazzy vibes most the time. There is an undeniable 90s influence firmly in its stride and Logic too shows his influences lyrically. A lot of his future rhymes dazzle and impress on their own but unfortunately the best words heard on this project are mostly straight rewording of Nas and other classic lines of that era. To young fans they must sound killer but to an old Hip Hop head they don't get past. It leaves much of his lyricism firmly capable of getting a point across but the word play and attempts to be clever are often hit or miss.

Young Sinatra has a handful of tracks like "Are You Ready" that give of strong pop appeal vibes with overtly simplistic hooks and repetitive beats. There is also a sample picked up by Kendrick Lamar on Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe that can be heard on Addiction. Like the Young Sinatra: Undeniable mix tape, he has cuts rapping over classic East Coast beats from Craig Mack to Jay-Z and Nas to Mobb Deep. This time around he doesn't gives very little to the originals. As stated at the beginning this is an obvious drop in quality which of course is actually a step up on the next project. I enjoyed it when in the mood but this project doesn't leave much to be taken away.

Rating: 5/10