Run The Jewels "Run The Jewels 2" (2014)

Run The Jewls is a project consisting of Hip Hop rappers Killer Mike & EL-P. The two got together in 2013 and released the first self titled album. After a great reception the two have come back quickly this year with the second album which is also receiving a lot of praise. I picked this album up on the premise of some dark, violent and aggressive Hip Hop. It certainly delivered on this front.

Killer Mike & EL-P are unforgiving on this album, delivering an onslaught of offensive lyrics and violent imagery in a ruthless fashion. Theres little socially conscious or thought provocative content here. The two bang our insult after insult as these songs explore paranoid, misogynist and anti-authority themes. Both rapper's, who I am new too on this record, have fantastic flows. They are creative, engaging and clearly spoken, which is enjoyable but for me the lyrical content lacked a point at times, with much of the offensive material feeling unnecessary or without cause. Despite this the rhyming was creative and at times a little cheesy with lines like "I'm so high your a hobbit" or "You can walk backwards through a field of dicks", however its a humorous flavor cheese.

Instrumentally this album is sharp, production is on form, the beats are grooving and charactered by dark and gritty sampling which can be estranged in places, creating dark and paranoid vibes to accompany the violent overtone of this record. Theres a dynamic relationship between the kits and samples as sturdy, constructed beats give narrative and structure to unusual sounds. On the track "Close Your Eyes" a vocal sample is manipulated to forge a jiving and unusal beat, it also features Zach De La Roach of RATM who delivers an unremarkable verse. I enjoyed this record a lot, the beats were refreshing, however for me the lyrical substance falls short of making it special.

Favorite Tracks: Oh My, All My Life, All Due Respect, Angel Duster

Rating: 7/10

Revocation "Deathless" (2014)

Revocation are a four piece (once three) Thrash Metal band from Boston USA. I had the pleasure of being one of their first international listeners. After building a small presence in the local Boston scene, Revocation unleashed their debut full length "Empire Of The Obscene" onto the Blogspots which I caught immediately. The album cover grabbed my attention, the name "Revocation" and its logo gave me a vibe, that this was a special Metal band, one that would stand apart from others. You can't judge a book by its cover, but I was right, I fell in love with this band immediately, disillusioned by the trending Deathcore scene they were everything I wanted to hear at the time, I've since supported them by attending shows, buying merch and CDs etc. I've watched them grow slowly, almost too slow, each album earning critical acclaim, yet not pushing them into the Metal Elite where they belong.

David Davidson's style is unique and refreshing. As the main songwriter, lead guitar and vocal presence he is the force behind this band. His style is energetic, passionate and creative, giving Revocation an edge to come up with new ideas within the confines of a well explored Metal genre. On their first three albums there was a constant onslaught of creativity that felt fresh and exciting. Riff after riff would deliver new ideas and techniques that stood this band apart. On their self titled and more so "Deathless" Revocation have become more defined by their previous efforts and sound like a well matured band thats sticking to their guns. This is fine, but for me it took the edge of the album, too much familiarity left me wanting more from a band I always expect to surprise me, however what I found was a very enjoyable record.

For a modern and cleanly produced album "Deathless" sounds gorgeous. The record has character and the guitar tones are powerful, yet soft and textured. The drums are captured and mixed well considering the frenetic nature of Phil's technical blasting, which on this record did feel a little tame and less spontaneous than previous records. Behind the sound is substance, the songwriting is class, more focused on the overall themes and progression than the more sporadic style of past, giving this album a solid feel with songs that are structured and mature. The overall theme is a little darker and slower with Revocation trading in many of the faster chaotic moments for progression and brooding moods. Its another great chapter in Revocation's discography, and an interesting one. I'm not sure if they moved one step closer, or away from achieving their Magnum Opus, a peak in their potential that hasn't been reached yet.

Favorite Tracks: A Debt Owed To The Grave, Madness Opus, Scorched Earth Policy, Witch Trails.

Rating: 5/10 

Devin Townsend Project "Sky Blue" (2014)

Canadian musician and producer Devin Townsend, once of Strapping Young Lad, has been in the game for over 20 years, during that time he has developed a cult following and favorable reputation for his unique style of Metal music thats been supported by his die hard fan base which I am proud to be part of. In recent years Devin has hit a musical niche after rediscovering his talent in a drug-free environment. Under the moniker "Devin Townsend Project" he scheduled 4 albums of material which he has continued onwards with. This is the sixth album, and is released as one half of Z², the other half being the second Ziltoid album.

Sky Blue is a lush sounding record, Devin's influential "wall of sound" production is warm and rounded here, the instruments have room to breath yet sound loud and powerful together. The drums are punchy, crisp and mixed to perfection, the guitars have a fantastic, distorted yet soft tone that gels so well with the synthetic keys. Their chemistry is key, giving Sky Blue its gorgeous and immersible overtone. The synths are diverse in there subtlety, sometimes letting the guitars take focus, and often oozing awe inspiring ethereal noise through the mix, filling in the gaps, acting as the glue for a beautiful lush sound. Devin & Anneke's voices are epic, powerful and soaring, ringing out some glorious and captivating leads, which are captured perfectly on these tracks. Devin knows exactly what he's doing when it comes to production and gives this album a gorgeous sound thats unfortunately not met by substance.

This album kicks off with Rejoice, a bouncy, colorful metalic track with pop sensibility and bold symphonic stabs that sets an upbeat tone for this album, its followed by some tracks that shift the focus to the more drawn out, epic synth driven sound that focus on melody and awe. There's a couple more energetic, metalic songs and some great poppy choruses and hooks that will get in your head, then comes Rain City, a lengthy track shifts the mood and looses the upbeat energy, from this point the last few tracks draw out a dull end to Sky Blue, a great sounding album which has some fantastic songs, but falls short of something special.

Favorite Tracks: A New Reign, Warrior, Sky Blue

Rating: 6/10

Depeche Mode "Black Celebration" (1986)

It feels a little strange to talk about music you know is hugely influential, yet know so little about. Over the years I've heard nothing but good things about Depeche Mode, their influence and legacy. Finally I have got around to giving them a listen. It took me a while to fully grasp this album and adjust to their sound, which is strange considering how clean and approachable they are. My memory of the first listen feels almost alien to how it sounds now, maybe this is the power of familiarity.

Depeche Mode compose powerful, intelligent music with a strong emotional narrative and direction thats guided by energetic, bold arrangements of synth notation and quirky noises layering these songs with detail. This absorbing sound is beautifully composed giving bright, colorful melodic leads room to shine and chime with Martin Gore's loving voice and swooning lyrics. The combination is powerful, creating a lasting impression as the two dance around each other and drive home moments you can't get out of your head.

Their genius is subtle, there is a brilliance to these compositions, the group build up suspense and narrative with detailed instrumentals that are ever so slightly contrasting to Gore's powerful soothing voice. Then at the perfect moment they shift the gears to let the melodic lead unfold and meld with the vocals to create those goosebump moments that last. Fantastic sounding album that has grown on me tremendously with each listen, now i understand what the fuss is about.

Favorite Songs: Fly On The Windscreen, A Question Of Time, Stripped, Here Is The House

Rating: 9/10

Techno Animal "Ghosts" (1991)

As an avid music fan, I consider music to be an experience, one that can go to many noisy extremes. Techno Animal is a project that many may turn their noses up, you might say its "noise" or not music, but to do so would miss the point. Music is sound that purposely provokes an emotional response, and that response is not always warm or positive. Music like this explores the dark side of life, through depraved torturous sounds and noises fit for the darkest of scenarios. It takes a certain mindset to embrace this exploration, and the enjoyment one can get from it is unusual and fascinating. On my map of dark and experimental music, this seems like a potentially progressive record given the pre-internet times, however its over a decade since Throbbing Gristle, an extremely important English group born out of the Punk movement who could be considered an early origin for Industiral music, and inspiring darker depraved styles. Techno Animal is a project composed of Justin Broadrick of Godflesh and Kevin Martin and "Ghosts" is their first release which notably is on Virgin Records who at the time may have been taking chances signing experimental and unconventional artists.

Ghosts is a hit and miss record for me, for this we are going to go through the track one by one. The album opens with "Burn", an ugly abrasive song with a snarling scream accompanied by a punchy drum kit and strange hits that builds an atmosphere I felt the drums were cutting through and spoiling what it had to offer. With "Walk Then Crawl" what sounds like a Godflesh outtake on an odd time signature is repeated over and over, as eerie, ghostly haunting screams and moans building up in a twisted progression that leads to an unusual climax. "White Dog" is another noisy exploration with another industrial kit punching through the songs atmosphere, for me the drum kits were too comfortable and familiar for the twisted experience the sampling bring. "Freak Fucker" is a gem, What sounds like a quote from a Nazi rally is repeated over and over. Distorted and twisted as horrid, slimy, scissoring sounds snake around in the background, it feels rather poetic, as if the twisted noise is the dark underbelly of Nazism. "The Dream Forger" is a pleasant break from the devilish onslaught, an unidentifiable wind like instrument hums a gentle, yet unsettling melody that eerily drifts into a warm haze of sound. "Tough Cop / Soft Cop" Gets dark and heavy, this time i left the drums nailed it. An uncompromising rhythm guides you through a wall of hateful screams and screeching saxophones and distant voices that feels like you're being dragged to hell, a grabbing listen. "God VS Flesh" brings 23 minutes of gentle spooky ambiance, building a immersible soundscape that is chilling and dangerous. It progress with craft, never feeling safe, but always moving towards a dramatic conclusion towards the end. "Spineless" is my favorite track, layers of distant screams, groans and whispers build a distressing intensity that broods menacingly, theres an occasional heart beat dropped into the track, creating an air of human fear, ending this one with a lasting impression.

Overall an immersible, unsettling listening experience that explores dark and depraved places. Only spoiled by a couple of tracks where the drums just ruined it for me, this is a great record for anyone looking to be confronted by what they don't want to hear.

 Favorite Tracks: Freak Fucker, The Dream Forger, God Vs Flesh, Spineless

Rating: 7/10

Alcest "Les Voyages De L'Âme" (2012)

"Les Voyages De L'Âme" is Alcests third album, a French band who bring Shoegazing, Black Metal & Post-Metal together to create dreamy, sombre music with captivating melodic leads and rich atmospheres that sing to the soul. Despite some moody tones this is feel good music, upbeat and expressive in a positive way. This record finds the band striking great balance between the harsh and gentle elements of their sound as the 8 songs carry you on a self absorbed journey through their immersible music.

Their sound is epic, soaring, both gentle and strong. The tremolo riffing brings pace and progression as these songs that race forward in such a calm manor. This is reflected in the contrast between the hazy distorted rhythm guitars and gorgeous melodic clean guitar. The reverb from these instruments melds together creating glorious atmospheres that are lifted up by the presence of some distant but beautiful and sombre vocal leads, creating awe inspiring moments, for example the climax of "Beings Of Light".

These songs are crafted with care, the progressions and structures are strong, from start to end there isn't a dull moment and each of the songs bring a different flavor to this colorful sound. From track to track there are different degrees of which sound the song leans to, with some drawing closer to the darker Black Metal, and others the cleaner, melodic side, but all sounding true to the artistic vision. With a beautiful immersible sound Alcest have delivered an expressive work of high quality that never feels dull, and always captivates the emotions of the listener.

Favorite Tracks: Autre Temps, Nous Sommes L'emeraude, Beings Of Light, Summer's Glory

Rating: 7/10

The Cool Kids "The Bake Sale" (2008)

The Cool Kids are a Hip Hop duo who both rap and produce all of the music. Hailing from Chicago, the duo gained some acclaim and recognition for their debut mixtape "Totally Flossed Out" and this EP which they dropped in 2008. After hearing good things about the pair, I decided to check this EP out which starts with an attentive track that sets the tone for the listener with a touch of class. The beat is constructed of vocal samples pronouncing the instruments name that have been pitch shifted and stretched to emulate the tone of said instrument. It gives the record its premise and a touch of humor that lets you know there is not much to be taken too seriously.

The two create a sound that is heavily influenced by the golden era of Hip Hop, recreating it with a modern twist that gives them a fresh and unique sound. Production wise the beats are crisp and audible, emulating the style and grove of those classic beats with a nice set of modern kits that give it some flavor and character as opposed to strait recreation. Across the 10 tracks they unload all the tricks, revisiting many different styles reminiscent of the era, including the classic big sound hits.

Vocally I didn't find the pair too exciting, they both have good tone and flows but a lack of energy and enthusiasm leaves the laid back style a little lackluster for my taste. Theres a few good lines here and there but most of the lyrical content failed to engage me, the raps are rarely serious or deep, and that lack of substance left me feeling like something was missing, however thats really not what this music is about, and in the right mood their fun and oldskool style can be enjoyable. The approach and execution of this retro themed EP was decent and served a fun listening experience but fell short of giving me something to return too.

Favorite Songs: 88, Basement Party

Rating: 3/10

The Smashing Pumpkins "Siamese Dream" (1993)

"Who wants, honey? As long as theres some money!" The Smashing Pumpkins sophomore album starts of with a bang! Cherub Rock is possibly their greatest song, it really encapsulates some of the groups best qualities. Siamese Dream starts where their debut "Gish" left off, this album saw the group break into the mainstream with the album penetrating several top 10s around the globe, it has since gone 4 times platinum in the USA, and deservingly so, this record is an experience. Building on Gish, the group fine tune their sound and deliver a gorgeous record rich with moving instrumentals, emotional lyrics and a resounding consistency that engages me as these 13 songs travel through many passages of their unique sound. 

The sound of this record is absorbing, the guitar tone is dense and inviting, with a warm buzz about it thats engaging and exciting as the pair bang out countless alluring riffs and fiery leads. The clean tones are somber, calm, with a lot of colour and personality about them. The drumming on this record is solid but isn't as adventurous as on the previous record, theres not many moments where they make a big impact on the song. The bass is steady, warm and colorful, giving their sound depth and consistency. The cohesion of the instruments is great, this is a sturdy sounding record that brings out the best of them. On the track "Disarm" the inclusion of strings works effortlessly to narrate another classic song 

The guitars and Corgan's voice give this album its character, the bass and drums guide them along their course, as broad, inventive riffs spark emotions that Corgan explores with his voice and words. Utilizing their unique guitar tone, this album cruises through many riffing styles and moments inter spliced with some grabbing emotional calmer moments where clean guitars gleam. Corgan's introspective presences is moving and deep, bringing his honesty and bearing all with an emotional performance delivered with some memorable creativity on occasions. This is a fine album, one with much mood and character and a depth of songs that come with just a hint of nostalgia. Classic!

Favorite Songs: All?

Rating: 9/10

Marilyn Manson "Mechanical Animals" (1998)

Having highly enjoyed Manson's breakthrough album "Antichrist Superstar" I was initially skeptical about their other releases which fell far behind the commercial success of Antichrist. I was quickly reminded that sales are no indication of the content as this album quickly grabbed my attention and took me on a ride, before i knew it i was hooked. My preconceptions were shattered and what initially struck me about this album has become very clear after several spins.

On this record the band as a whole move in a much more focused and expressive direction with Manson stepping up his game vocally, his presence is stronger and lyrically his poetry hits home hard with some deep messages and ideas. A couple of moments stuck in my mind, on the track "Coma White" he expresses a sorrowful message about self destructive personalities through an unforgeable chorus "A pill to make you numb, a pill to make you dumb...." its a dark realization delivered in a sing along format that ends the album on a emotional deep. On the track "Mechanical Animals" Manson chimes in beautifully with the soaring guitar riff in a heart in mouth moment. Across these songs his artistic expression is deep and meaningful, delivered with more sensibility.

Instrumentally the band are right behind him, moving the direction away from the metallic Industrial sound, more towards an Alternative Metal / Rock sound with the Industrial element paining intricate sounds and details along side the core instruments. At times the songwriting is pure class, forging charactered songs that compliment Manson well. For example "The Dope Show" has a brooding base line that builds a shady atmosphere with some unusual synthetic sounds, painting a vivid picture in the listeners mind. Theres a lot to talk about as many of these songs have great creativity in the instrumentals. Production wise everything sounds fantastic, in general i was blown away by this album and looking forward to Holy Wood.

Favorite Songs: The Dope Show, Mechanical Animals, Disassociative, User Friendly, Coma White

Rating: 7/10

Jotun "Learning To Live" (2014)

As if coincidence had a meaning, on the day i decided to review one of my favorite albums "Jotun" the next day Crow dropped a new release! After 18 months of silence Jotun is back with "Learn To Live" which pickups up where "Night" left off. The forth record "Surreal" brought a change to Jotun's sound, retaining the detailed notation and melodic values of the project, and moving in a Trance like direction with sawtooth synth leads and heavily oscillation becoming the focus, which is common place in Trance, House etc... electronic music.

On "Learning To Live" we are bombarded by a loud and abrasive sound as massive walls of textural synthetic leads drip over each other and paint vivid and energetic songs that are driven by a powerful, crushing drum kick and snappy snare. As always lively and free flowing melodic leads build the character of these songs. One of the first details i noticed on this record was the change in the drum kit. Much louder and more involved, this new kit really compliments the Trance direction, building a much welcomed danceable intensity underneath the surface. At time they even become a highlight in these songs. Across the album there is much variety and some great repetitive leads in moments which are not too far from feeling like hooks.

The downside to this great record is the mixing, although the songs benefit from the loud and intense nature of the instruments, they are also drowning one another as they compete for volume, for example the end of "Futile" there is a moment where two leads cross over in what would be a climactic moment of the song, but one overpowers the other in a muddy wave of noise. Another chaotic moment occurs in "The Chase" where the bass kick picks up speed and sound erratic underneath a smothering lead. Despite the negatives, its listen-able record and the musical content is solid, the main highlight for me was hearing Crow find some more trance oriented riffs to fuse with his style as the direction he has taken is maturing. Looking forward to more!

Favorite Songs: Gazing At The Sky, Introspection, Futile

Rating: 6/10