Tombs "All Empires Fall" (2016)

New York based experimental Metal outfit Tombs are back in 2016 with a short twenty-three minute EP. Impressed by their last fall length I picked this one up and at first failed to recognize the band I had heard before. What was interesting about "Savage Gold" was a seemingly normal Metal approach yielding an uncanny nuance that defied understanding on inspection. It had its way of feeling different and after many listens to "All Empires Fall" I think we are hearing the subtleties being ripped apart in different directions. The opening track throws together an atypical Thrash Metal groove that I could swear I've heard many times before. Its then overlapped with a dark Post-Metal guitar lead, tremolo picking itself through an epic reverb. In then comes crashing into a spacious synth laden slow down, building up the anticipation of the first full track.

"Obsidian" is that song, and it dispels the atmosphere with its hard and gritty Black Metal grind, pummeling through shifting, alternating blasts and evil riffage. The vocals crash in with a harsh penetrating tone that feels shrill and piercing, as if peaking the volume. Its not particularly enjoyable but the ears adjust as the song draws on. In this song the band slice in thrashier grooving riffs that highlight the aforementioned directions, where subtlety once guided the chemistry there is now a noticeable shift, however its not a negative aspect of the song, more of an observation in change.

"Deciever" is considerably more along the lines of what I expected with Thrash grooves slowed down into a temperate environment, lighter growls and accenting lead guitars craft a big mood in a steady setting, gradually elevating with increasing lead guitar focus. "V" finds a balance between the two styles and progresses its way through a rather epic passage of riffs.

I didn't feel much cohesion on this record, the last two songs made more sense together than the others however my favorite track was the non Metal track "Last Days Of Sunlight" for its brooding atmosphere and sense of impending dread. A great listen with good songs but it didn't flow well or amount to something grander than the sum of its parts.

Favorite Songs: Last Days Of Sunlight, Deceiver

Rating: 4/10

Emperor "As The Shadows Rise" (1994)

For the longest time Emperor have been one of my favorite bands and given my recent revisits to "In The Nightside Eclipse" and "Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk", two sublime records, I thought it would be nice to go through their discography again and familiarize myself with some of the obscurer releases like this three track EP. I always thought this record was a bootleg released by "Nocturnal Art" half a year after their debut but recent investigation indicates the recordings are legitimate, from the same studio session in 1992 as their self titled EP released in 1993.

Before the band incorporated symphonic elements they were raw and primitive with power chord led progression and stark, monstrous echoing vocals. It lacked craft but made up for it with a fierce dark aggression that could warrant merit in extreme music given the time. This recording session captures the band in the midst of their transition between two styles. Only on "Lord Of The Storms" do the vocals go for "over the top" theatrics with beastly pitch dropped screams accompanying the normal scream high up in the mix, would of been much better if not mixed so loud, they do however sound menacing and demonic. The regular scream style shows the tone and texture that would be commonplace on their debut, however their is an element of the shrill scream that can be a little ear piercing in its execution.

Mostly on "The Ancient Queen" do we hear the synth lines tone back the rawness with the dingy, fuzzy distortion guitars softening into the wall of sound. The song develops a lot of atmosphere with guitar riffs that steer away from being purely chord driven and with a bright and gothic organ the song propels itself forward with steady blast beats. "Witches Sabbath" goes for a similar atmosphere but feels thin in places with single note guitar leads dropping dark and sparse melodies in without a rhythm guitar. It too makes some great breaks and shifts utilizing changes in synth tone, something we would see a lot of on "Nightside".

Its an interesting listen for a die hard fan, however its a leftover. The best tracks got onto the self titled EP but hearing Emperor in such a transitional state is a curiosity satisfied. It also made me appreciate just how much the production style of their debut did for the music. Many similar traits are present here musically however the subtleties of craft and presentation production can offer is priceless.

Favorite Song: The Ancient Queen

Rating: 4/10

Somnus "Somnus" (2016)

Crow, the one man band behind Lord Lovidicus and Jotun, comes at us in 2016 with a new project known as "Sommus". It arrives with an alluring album cover that wouldn't of hinted at an electronic project to me but with his darker leanings intact it very much suits and represents what is a chilled out, mix of electronica and ambience packaged with an ethereal glow about it. At 52 minutes the self titled record makes a warm and welcome stay setting a mood and tone without attempting any grand theatrics. There is little astonishing or remarkable taking place but rather a temperate, downtempo record that defines its uniqueness and easy atmosphere quickly, taking us on a ride through a selection of layered melodies and harmonious synthesizers.

Two big distinctions are made immediately. Firstly the lightly whirling synthesizers, hazy and soft like thick air accommodate the deeper regions of range, glowing like a warm fog of color sweeping into the song. With pitch shifts they utilize the notes transition as a composition element, sometimes to give the chord changes a flair and equally its used as the focal point of a melodies direction, more often than not in time with the musics flow and on rare occasions drawn out over a bar or two.

Secondly the fruity loops standard drum kit samples are so recognizable they may be a touch off putting at first, however using whatever is available Crow has engineered them to a point where it makes no difference. The beats are sturdy and carry the songs well with plenty of variety and breaks to keep it fresh. There is the occasional fast stuttering hi hat reminiscent of Trap and some great downtempo beats here and there but mostly its the foggy synths and leads that define this sound.

The records production is a little harsh at times with the more aggressive synths crowding out the other instruments on occasion. The hit hats and claps cut through however there is a charm to this that works with the sleepy synths which breath, expanding and contracting with the sub kicks and pitch shifts. Sommus is a solid debut however the nature of its ambience and introduction of a new flavor lets it get away with a few weaker tracks and thinner compositions. Its best moments are where the layers and melodies stack up and work together, in opposition of the minimal tracks that operate with less. In those better moments the project is more reminiscent of Jotun and could of possibly been released as the 8th record, however this sound is a big shift and deserves its own name.

Favorite Tracks: Halycon Dreams III, Moon Forest

Rating: 7/10

Eternal Lord "Demo" (2007)

This two track demo is the turning point for the Deathcore five-piece band, Eternal Lord, who released a stunning debut EP, both unique in character and crushingly heavy, its been a gem to me for years. I decided to follow up on the rest of their discography which consists of this demo and an album which was so disappointing on first listen I never gave it a chance. With Rickett out in favor of Edward Butcher on vocals the band make a big stylistic shift for the worse. Butcher's vocals aren't half bad or even the problem, the group seemed to have shifted away from their once distinct breed of Deathcore to a generic, unexciting and atypical sound for the scene which is simply tiring and dated.

This two track demo is studio quality however its a total chug fest of palm muted open string riffs and generic breakdowns which pass through one ear and out the other. There is practically nothing more for me to say, its not terrible, or unlistenable but if you were to write the key characteristics of Deathcore on paper you would get this demo. There is no charm, unique flavor or twist in sight, its bog standered and boring. Perhaps their is an echo of their style in the occasional metal core riff and drumming break but they are smothered by the generic flood of mediocrity.

Rating: 2/10

Neptune Towers "Transmissions From Empire Algol" (1995)

The second of two ambient records by Norwegian Darkthrone musician Fenriz has little of the ambiguous charm "Caravans To Empire Algol" did. Its another oddity of transforming sounds with little direction or immersion to offer. In its merit there is an aquatic quality about the first songs choice of sounds, sometimes resembling whales, however it amounts to very little in the grand scheme of things. The first tract slogs its way through a collection of friendlier sounds with less drone and fuzz than its predecessor, a chilling organ pops up in the middle and other electronic leads take over following it. Although unnerving, mysterious and illusive in their own way they never get to add up to anything grander with what mood the instrument sets simply drifting out into next shift in the song, dispelling what little magic it conjoured.

The second track bares an uncanny resemblance to Kraftwerk and possibly "Endless Endless" with similar electronic tones and even the melodies sounding distinctly similar if not reminiscent of their approach to composition. It could also be a case of the equipment used having default sounds but I have uncovered no information on how it was composed. Again it drifts through a set of sounds however the aimlessly dispel the vibe when they transition with little correlation. The first record had more ambiguity and mystic going for itself with its dense drones and occasional whiff of a tune in the baseline. "Transmissions..." is more accessible but in that the lack of direction, purpose or composure is further exposed, resulting in a rather forgettable experience if not mildly enjoyable in the mood for ambience.

Rating: 2/10

Buckethead "Claymation Courtyard" (2014)

American guitarist Buckethead is both a legend for his phenomenal guitar playing and an obscurity in the world of music. Raised in a chicken coup, Brain Caroll AKA Buckethead has created an air of mystery around himself, always appearing masked with an upside down KFC bucket on his head labeled "Funeral". The mysterious demeanor is second to his ability and unique flair with an electronic guitar. Although metallic and distortion heavy his style is experimental and avant-garde. The last time I properly listened to a record of his was ten years ago, 2006's "Crime Slunk Scene" which was around the early days of his accelerated record releases. Buckethead has released over 250 albums in around 25 years. In the 00s he started pumping out three to four a year and in the 10s he is releasing extraordinary amounts with over 100 in 2015. As you might suspect these albums are more like jams that have been polished up but even so with Buckethead's extraordinary ability a jam is a gem.

Speaking of gems "Disintegration Mirrors" is this albums moment of genius. It was also how I found the record! Tweeted by John Romero, one of the creators of doom, I found myself gobsmacked at the wonderful guitar solo this track dived right into. Then ten minutes or so later I released I'm still captivated. The other songs on the record sound decent alongside it but don't have quite the same spark. If you are familiar with Bucketheads style this is a pretty standard amalgamation of warm, mid tempo distortion riffage and colorful effect heavy guitar leads in non linear arrangements. The drums are programmed by top end VSTs and possibly the bass guitar too. Its solid, workable, nothing to marvel and can get a little rigid if you focus too close on the drumming. I'm left entertained but at the rate he pumps these records out at I find myself far more curious about the creation process behind them.

Favorite Track: Disintegration Mirrors

Rating: 5/10

Deftones "Gore" (2016)

The Deftones are an American five piece band from Sacramento who have survived the test of time, once at the origin of the Nu Metal scene the band have steadily refined and evolved their sound over the years and have successfully built a large following of adoring fans, of which I am one. Whats special about them is that they have held onto what made them unique from the beginning, now spanning twenty one years and eight albums, not including a record shelved due to the tragic four year coma and death of bassist Chi Cheng. Deftones would primarily be described as an Alternative Metal band but their indulgent guitar distortions coupled with Chino Moreno's dreamy voice will have you hearing tinges of Post-Metal, Shoegazing and even Dream Pop in its colorful moments.

Their last record "Koi No Yokan" is my personal favorite and set high expectations for "Gore". My initial impression where that Deftones had reached out to a eerier, slightly psychedelic vibe however these ambiguities faded with familiarity. What the band have achieved is what they have always done, entrance us with the power of the low and heavy, rock us with the groove and smother it in tinges of hazy melodic color. This time Carpenter takes his experimentation into artful territories with riffs that push into all sorts of genre definitions. It comes together so effortlessly for the listener, at many moments dissecting the ensemble just furthers the appreciation for the bands vision.

 The records production is a marvel of its own, toying with heavy grooves, dense guitar tones, deep six string baselines and on the flip side Chino's soft voice, light reverb acoustics and tingly electronic keys it manages to find power and clarity without any modern over compression nonsense. For this the drums may find themselves a little buried but its all in the balance. There is a lot of varying guitar effects and Chino has a lot of production on his voice, from artful echoing to narrowing ranges around his screams the band utilize the power of a records production to further their vision.

With all the praise I have to give the band their was no breath taking moments for me, nothing that jumped out at me, initially I was hearing echos of old Deftones songs like "Minerva" and "Royal" however the eight string guitar is now just part of the bands arsenal. With each and every listen their was nothing I could complain about. For me "Gore" is a very solid and consistent record that doesn't need anything but itself to me indulge in. It plays through without a dull moment and is continually powerful without any theatrics or over emphasis. A closer listen to Chino's lyrics will reveal its a darker, sombre record but one not over bearing, its executed tastefully to suit any mood your in.

Favorite Songs: Acid Hologram, Doomed User, Gore, Rubicon

Rating: 7/10

Dusty Springfield "Dusty In Memphis" (1969)

Another from the upper rankings of NME's 500 greatest albums of all time list is "Dusty In Memphis" which has graced my ears practically everyday since I first gave it a spin. English singer Springfield has been labeled as Blue-Eyed Soul, a needlessly racial term in my opinion. From what I can gather her career never quite panned out the way one would hope, with critical and commercial success alluding her. However this gem has aged well and despite making little impact at the time has been regarded as her best work and one of the greatest records of all time. Twenty or so listens later I'm inclined to agree, this is a beautiful record, a real peach.

 There's an emanating warmth and love that comes from Dusty's vocie, soft and elegant she graces us with her kind soul, her words honest, vulnerable and a timeless tribute to the human experience. Even though she has a soft, breathy voice she can muster up so much strength and power when the dramatic moments come. Its spell bounding how lost you can be in her voice as she goes between the highs and lows, as if they are all one eternal movement. Her tone, range and delivery is just sublime.

The accompanying instrumentals play a pivotal role in making this record so remarkable. From what I've read Dusty was a perfectionist and drove her musicians mad trying to perfect every sound. The songs find her wave length and bring a temperate setting to life for her voice to shine, but it is the strings that illuminate. A couple of tracks feel a step behind where they are not utilized and when the strings shine they do so like a second voice, swooning with Dusty and complimenting her emotional narrative. There are many moments that steadily grow, then she and the strings light up and it hits like a heartbreak. The instrumentals are gorgeous, detailed with soft sounds that whisper and chime gently from quite corners. Paying attention one can hear a depth that adds up to a simple direction.

Like any good record there is variety in mood which includes fantastic Gospel group vocals on "Don't Forget About Me Now", an upbeat and empowering track and "Son Of A Preacher Man" the albums most recognizable song, which I have to mention was sampled by Cypress Hill on "Hits From The Bong". There's a lot of love and heartbreak in the theme of these songs and they no issues establishing themselves, feeling unique and individual alongside one another.

A beautiful, timeless voice, sublime instrumentation and my only complaint would be a lack of vision beyond the single format. Each of these tracks play with the three minute mark and many of them simply fade out. Its something I'm rarely keen on but in this instance it always left more yearning for more as the moments leading up to the climax are repeated leading to the fade out. Maybe that's its genius, each song leaves you watering at the mouth for that moment in the middle. At thirty four minutes its short and sweet, I'll often just listen to it twice in a row. So very humbled by this record, its truly a work of beauty and I adore it unlike any other record.

Favorite Tracks: I Don't Want To Hear It Anymore, Don't Forget About Me Now, In The Land Of Make Believe, No Easy Way Down, I Can't Make It Alone

Rating: 10/10

Echo And The Bunnymen "Heaven Up Here" (1981)

Checking out records on NME's great 500 albums list "Heaven Up Here" caught my attention for its Post-Punk label, an era that's been capturing my attention recently. The group formed in Liverpool during the late 70s and have had a string of successful, well received records of which this is their sophomore, considered their best work by many. Not a band place to start and immediately Ian McCulloch's vocal style caught my attention, reminding me of The Smiths and The Doors, maybe a little Joy Division too.

He would serve as the focal point of the magic this record exudes. Delivered with a immediate power and swift force his voice graciously glides with the gulf of its vibrato opening up a vulnerable state. And boy does it gulf, the wobble is real and swollen with emotion. Its no opera or theater piece, Ian sings with a soothing tone but as the songs build there are moments where he lets it go and every heart felt note chokes me up, the oscillation in tandem with its meaning. A remarkable singing style nearing perfection, if such a thing exists.

Behind him carefully orchestrated atmospheres play off his direction, building and descending at his command using simple constructs of repetitive sections with plenty of variety and change to illuminate entire songs. The drums punch and crash their way through with a rigid sense of groove, sharp and fast in rhythm with plenty of roomy toms in the spacier moments. Alongside them the bass plays a welcome upfront roll, often taking the roll of "the riff" to lead the way forward with warm and structured lines that rock back and forth. The guitars shimmer and waver in the air with light chord strumming and wide reverbs to build a spacious atmospheres on top of the rhythmic core.

As a whole the eleven tracks add up to quite the experience, rich with ideas and never finding itself in a dull moment however the climatic nature of "A Promise" with its warm melodic tone and heart wrenching performance finds the rest of the songs chasing behind this mark. Its the sort of record that lets the time breeze by with its effortless ask of the listener. Ian's voice certainly steals the show but it may not be the same with a different set of instrumentals, the group have quite the chemistry and artistic unity with their music.

Favorite Tracks: With A Hip, A Promise, All I Want

Rating: 8/10

Azriel "Split With Eternal Lord" (2006)

Having covered the Eternal Lord tracks in this split release, I thought it would be a good idea to check out the Azriel tracks too. What a treacherous idea that would turn out to be. Scottish five piece band "Azriel" play with fractured melodic leads and Deathcore breakdowns spliced into their formulaic Metalcore style. It comes with an overtone of Screamo given the vocal style and gang shouts. I remember not being keen on it ten years ago and now as more diverse listener I thought this might change but alas I had to endure this one a few more times.

Lets be fair, this isn't terrible but some distinct characteristics rub me the wrong way and being dead bored of Deathcore the insentient open chord, palm muted break downs were dull and tiring. Between them slow leads would add a tinge of color and some interesting riffs would crop up with decent chemistry between the chords and leads but these would be quickly dispelled by needless "heavy" moments in favor of song progression. The production however is pretty solid for a low key release.

Above it all the groups vocalist slays me. His delivery is throaty, thin and lacks any oomph or power. Its whiny and "cringey" for lack of a less judgemental word. If not irritated by his presence the group shouts just make matters worse, loose and without out force they seem in complete contrast to the lyrics. "Nothing can stop us now", "Its only a matter of time before your true form is revealed", "Go get your guns". A lot of the lyrics revolve around struggle and self power yet the unity with style is absent to my ears. Not my cup of tea.

Rating: 1/10

BABYMETAL "Metal Resistance" (2016)

Right now Babymetal are enjoying a wave of hype as they tour America, gaining the attention of somewhat mainstream audiences. The trio of idol girls and their backing metallic band have been at it for six years now, when they were as young as just twelve years old. When their debut album dropped in 2014 I was initially dismissive of the group, seeing them as a product, a pop act. Leading up to this release the single "The One" captivated by attention with its exciting guitar leads and soaring spirit which felt like a continual climax of epic. Even its its calmer moments a gorgeous piano and gittery synth play off each other with charm. Like a slap in the face it made me realize that behind the idol recruitment was a genuine band with inspired musical ideas.

So "Metal Resistance" has been an exciting listen. A combination of heavily over produced modern Metal and warm heated J-Pop hooks made for what has been a refreshing and welcome twist on heavy music. Being an outsider to J-Pop I couldn't comment much on its influence to their sound but the Japanese voices of the trio and conventional sensibility in delivery works in equilibrium with an aggressive underflow of aggressive guitars drenched in trance like synthesizers. Like any fusion of this type you can expect the guitars to drop to power chords in vocal led moments and although they do this, the band keep up a furious intensity with brutal, relentless drumming. Musically speaking they go through the motions with Groove Metal riffs, guitar solos and electronic instruments including lurking synthesizers in most tracks and on "Awdama Fever", a song about bubblegum, a visceral, glitchy, breakcore rhythm section uses the classic amen loop sample which much energy.

The music is crammed into the sound waves and frequencies with a very modern, overproduced squeaky clean and alarmingly assaulting mix. The compression is real. The kicks and snares are very sharp and sudden yet quite masterfully mixed alongside the other instruments. The guitars are super loud and even the girl's vocals loose their softness with competing compression. Its a very frontal and loud sound however it works 100%. Nothing but credit to the production, it takes the sterile and clean to its limits and packs a lot of character into the sound, which is often what it removes in my experience with this production style. Even after back to back listens you think it might tire you ear drums, but no!

Their were two other things I particularly enjoyed. Su-metal's voice sounds fantastic in both Japanese and English but the pronunciation of English words and the foreign emphasis is charming. The guitar leads and solos in their melodic phases gave me fond memories of Nobuo Uematsu's approach. With all this praise I must say much of my excitement emanates from "The One" which I simply cannot get enough of. Its not all fantastic, a few songs are a little mediocre in comparison but all do there own thing and make for a bright, colorful and refreshing record.

Favorite Songs: Karate, Awdama Fever, Sis Anger, Tales Of The Destinies, The One

Rating: 7/10