Potatohead People "Big Luxury" (2015)

 

 Cut from the cloth of its era, here lies a Jazz Hop record with distinction. Big Luxury stands apart among a then blossoming scene. Although only catching it recently, an ear is turned for this favored niche. With uplifted spirit and endearing warmth, the duo behind these snappy beats conjure classic feel-good vibes reminiscent of Summer Time and other Hip Hop party hits. Its pacing and staying power arrives through the aid of soulful vocals and conscious Raps, complimenting these infectious grooves.

With a sensible touch, the assembly of percussion, samples and fine instrumentation simplifies in the presence of human voices. On the flip-side, these instrumentals lean into Jazz Fusion ideals with grooving lead melodies to dazzle and delight. Blue Charms echos charisma heard before with Plini, high praise no doubt. This layer of personality above the well executed beats is where the magic lies as a unique Jazz Hop adventure is forged through gorgeous instrument aesthetics crooning on the vibe.

There it is in a nutshell, a brief twenty eight minutes journeying through the traditions of rhyme and rhythm, gracefully detouring to an adjacent sound and doing it with class. Jazzy samples over drum arrangements has been saturated with time but this duo had something deeper to bring to the table. Further exploration is required!

Rating: 7/10

Godflesh "Purge" (2023)

 

Six years on from the remarkable inspirations of Post-Self, the Industrial duo return lacking a refresh in creativity. Purge echos their early 90s output. Harsh bounce oriented drum samples loop incessant. With a thud, thump and hammer, simple kick snare patterns drone in repetition. Over top, burly shouts ripple into the void and dissonant guitars toy with distressing chords wedged between chunks of dense meaty groove. Its forty four minutes explore these ideas rigidly, with little to break the norm.

This gives Purge a keen sense of self. A moody, downtrodden, alienated and grim tone to wallow within. Highly repetitious, barely shifting tempo or switching gears, each song grinds out its point. The later tracks delve into atmosphere with expansive reverb casting shadowy spells and offering respite from its aggressive counterparts. Its a subtle diversity yet never leaves this deeply troubled musical space.

Army Of Non raises an eyebrow for its inclusion of a classic Hip Hop sample "Check it out yall". Its nestled quietly in there, a throwback to Pure and Let The Rhythm Hit Em. Broadrick's affinity for Hip Hop never quite manifesting into something radical, remaining a warm peculiarity for fans like myself. This moment gave a glimmer of what might follow but as laid out its a consistently dark and dismal record retreading old ideas competently but leaving one with an appetite for revived freshness.

Rating: 6/10

Carbon Based Lifeforms "Seeker" (2023)

 

 Thirteen years on from Interloper, now a classic in my collection, I wanted to hear if Seeker retains the infectious charm this breed of spacey downtempo ambient offers. With many consecutive spins, the dazzling repetition of whirling melancholic melodies did not meld to an intensity felt once before. Perhaps the familiarity dulled its impact. Seeker is loaded with wondrous music to inspire awe and astonishment, its astral evoking leading many compositions on a similar trajectory. Humble beginnings gradually bloom into emotional swells contemplating our mysterious universe and the roll we take within in. Far from existential, these emotive arrangements arouse a glorious curiosity, sparking the imagination on a galactic perspective whilst also reflecting inwards, as such incomprehensible scales often stir introspection.

Its aesthetic design and arrangement of electronic instruments is a web of details and intricacies one can get lost in. Timely reverberations and lofty tonalities feed into the themes tapestry. Human voices weave in on rare occasions, often with breathy wordless interpretations and an occasional hint of lyrics. The driving forces are its emergent key melodies and swells of percussion that amass intensity as peaks are summited in a songs climactic pass. Much of this could be applied to previous records yet despite similarity and familiarity birthed from my many spins, Seeker didn't resonate on that deeper level. Its a high bar to reach for and shouldn't deter from the soothing spiritual moods the music stirs. Definitely one for the Temporal Focus playlist!

Rating: 7/10

Mega Drive "Arc Ascension" (2023)

With a brief chance to catch my attention, distinct dazzling synths with a certain glossy sparkle about them allured me in. Also present in other tracks, a few of its various VST tones come polished with ludicrous cleanliness. It increases a familiar sense of high octane production within the Synthwave niche. This approach steps up game again, refining aesthetic edges but in conclusion probably not offering anything new.

Typical themes and moods evoking the glow of neon lit cities, thrill seeking vehicle speeds and the underworld night life are stirred competently among dense compositing. Jostling among a dense web of busy synths, each track offers up a smothering plunge of pulsing sounds. I ended up falling to its cruising atmosphere as a ceaseless energy drives the music along, best felt on title track Arc Ascension.

It offers a few slower tempo cuts too, often home to big bass and thumping kicks as the mood turns to a darker leaning. Shadow Dancer stood out for its tropical synth selection and unusual percussive drive. A welcome change of pace but stirs little beyond its initial mood as these compositions tend to rotate and interchange its assembly of melodies, lacking progression or sense of destination beyond identity.

Rating: 6/10

Lil Uzi Vert "Pink Tape" (2023)

Dense, sporadic, unstructured and certainly zany, Lil Uzi Vert drops a lengthy lovable mess suffering its own madness. Pink Tape feels built for the streaming era, these ninety minutes, twenty six tracks, hint at playing the numbers game. Curation and focus set aside, a loose thematic grip lets this manic music meander in all sorts of directions. Uzi himself often plays second fiddle to instrumentals as his erratic performances flips from rhymes, to auto tune blurbs and feisty shouts. With a waving presence, vibeing and vocal aesthetics often seem central to his restless expressions.

The production leans into spacey Trap vibes, embracing its digital incarnation, thumb printing a synthetic style leaning heavily on auto tune. Suicide Doors embraces the dark side with mean distortion guitars complimenting its gristly atmosphere. Uzi can't stay on track however, it becomes evident quickly as inspirations jump between a handful of tones. Endless Fashion raises an eyebrow, borrowing the Blue melody to great effect, a smash hit in the late 90s by Italian DJ duo Effile 65.

A few of the following songs also seem to borrow elements from pop culture and music too with familiar sounds and lyrics cropping up. The wildness reaches new heights when suddenly a karaoke cover of Chop Suey! erupts. You can feel the passion for the Metal classic yet Uzi's style has such an odd resonance. I think my enjoyment mostly lies with the original. The following Werewolf is an absolute banger, a collaboration with Bring Me The Horizon. Its clear who handled the song writing, with the band and Oli dominating. Uzi offers just a handful of words to compliment the brief bass guitar sections that arise. A shy guest on his own record.

A similar affair unravels again with Babymetal at the records conclusion. The hints of Metal reflects my issue with the whole record, a lack of focus. It goes in many directions without settling on a key idea. It typically appeals to the emotive artistic expressions of Uzi, lacking conceived depth and meaning, instead simply reveling in the vibes. Thus its lengthy style levels it to the curation of a few favorite cuts I will return for. Without offering a key distinction the whole thing feels like a hot bloated dump of new studio material. Uzi is still one to keep a close eye on of course, when hitting a spark these songs do hit hard! Just not to often.

Rating: 5/10

A Perfect Circle "Mer De Noms" (2000)

 

Having let this one simmer for months now, Its clear that direct comparisons to Tool are somewhat of a disservice. Although a mellower draft of the Alternative slash Progressive Metal they conjured in the 90s, Keenan's A Perfect Circle has its own defining character, a textural feast of broody subconscious fixations boiling up to the surface. Many of these songs define themselves in the gradual intensities that fester from steely acoustic guitars and calmer passages. Keenan guides through the storms, illuminating an emotion connection as the clouds bring rain and thunder.

Its brilliantly orchestrated, a cascade of groaning guitars wail unyielding melodies that cry out like wounded voices. Occasionally a keen groove or sharp rhythm take hold through the power of the riff but more often does the music revel on its expansive lead guitars that howl emotional pains. In contrast, its soothing passages play adorned by sunset melodies and Ethereal reverberations. Its a beautiful relationship, a sombre melancholy stews beneath, lurching into the raw beast of visceral hurt that created it.

This manifests wonderfully in the albums best songs yet with the rest of the lineup following suit, most songs are not quite as grabbing outside the album experience. With a few brief moments the pallet opens up, like on Sleeping Beauty, an electronic tone dreamily chimes in towards its closing. It would of been nice to hear more of that expansion as the records pallet gets worn a little thin with the cyclical approach to each song. A more consistent record and fitting conclusion to this journey for now.

Rating: 6/10

Coprofago "Genesis 22" (2022)

 

With an apatite for this early breed of Djent adjacent Progressive Metal, my hopeful searches of a scene rummaged through before exposed last years release of Genesis 22. Although a remaster of the original Genesis, released twenty years prior, its been a pleasant surprise. I've covered Coprofago before, much of whats been said applies again to this earlier music, including welcome similarities with pioneers Meshuggah.

The modern aesthetic and marvelous production had me questioning my own memory. Familiarity was a shadowy affair, echos of extremities enjoyed decades ago yet audio so fresh. Restored from original recordings, the re-amping of instruments is its true marvel. In comparison to original recordings, these songs take on a new identity beyond its harsh origins. The original mix was a noise can, thin and raspy. Clicky drums, rumbling bass, thin vocals, all adorned by clunky guitar distortions.

The progressive fusion of Synth, Jazz and Death Metal under odd time signatures and meandering song structures was challenging enough. Hard to love yet made harder by its raw packaging. Its one of the most impressive restorations I've ever heard. It has quite frankly revitalized a sound once exhausted and made it interesting again.

The music of Genesis itself is a varied beast, such a wild ride of unorthodox riffs and tricky arrangements, its often hit or miss. Extremities tandem with opposites as screams and deafening chugs suddenly melt into warm colorful lounge energy. Favorites will get selected among duds, as sometimes the less favorable ideas get stacked. Chaos and La Idea De Borde are my picks. Much fun for a fan of this old band!

Rating: 6/10

Soulside Eclipse "Soulside Eclipse I" (2023)

 

 Its been well over a decade since this project was first envisioned and executed upon. Its arrival feels like some form of closure, a haunting memory of unfinished business now laid to rest. On the heals of deep emotional pains, a change of direction in ones life became evidently necessary. The decision to focus on music for a sense of purpose and accomplishment became the goal. No longer would my guitar doodling and ambling forays into songwriting be an idol pass time but become a soul focus. Music had always been the freedom, a lone place of solace that always made sense. This had always felt right among the suffocating confusion.

Although I wanted to branch into many musical styles and sounds, the main "chapters", marked by roman numerals, would be the key ambition. These songs are a materialization of my most engulfing experiences as a musician. The project found itself unsurprisingly akin to Symphonic Black Metal, my youthful obsession of the time. The boundaries of extreme music paired with the diverse possibilities of synth tones created such an interesting terrain to explore, even if much of my own music fell into the typical formats and structures of that scene.

And so for this commentary on my own creation, I wish to give you a track by track insight into what was behind each song, as well as some dates and tidbits. Most important of all, I've spent the last thirteen years periodically listening and playing along to these tracks in their MIDI format. That means sounds synthesized by my computers hardware. I've had to bridge the gap with my imagination, always fearing it might not translate as I heard it. Having worked with producer Enrico Tiberi to bring this creation to life, I can put that demon to rest. I do know however, I would have tortured myself over every little detail if this production had not been in the hands of a professional. Those MIDI demos will be released soon, I wanted to share that experience and let anyone who's curious hear this music as I have done for so long.

The Curse Of The Eclipse was conjured after the inception of this album. Its name signifies my relationship to auditory emotion. As some of the brightest, uplifting vibes the record offers, it kicks things off with its glistening acoustic guitars, bold basslines and light guitar solo. This song was written to serve the albums flow, as the music creeps from this sunny start into the darkest reaches with Black Hordes Rising. Born of guitar jams and time spent toying with acoustic strummed melodies, things came together swiftly for this number with the final phases being written at different intervals.

Anxious Obscurity was born from a low point, a personal pain which hit me hard. My resolution was to turn these difficult feelings into a song. So I went home, sought out sombre chords, reveled in melancholy and threw in some aggression for the anger betrayal brings. It was a fascinatingly focused affair, simply dwelling on the emotion and finding the melodies to express it. I also wrote lyrics alongside the instrumentation. Knowledge of such will illuminate the strange cadence of the synths on this song, they were originally intended to signify the words pacing and pitch, a mix of softly sung sorrows and angered screams over the distortion guitars.

Bury My Soul dates back as far as 2004. It was among a handful of rudimentary "first songs". This one however seemed to resonate with my friends who loved the lead piano melody. That initial riff, synth and piano setup was the whole show. As years went by I would periodically return to it with complimenting additions, figuring out its trajectory and destination over much time. Although it may seem basic among more accomplished pieces on the record, that initial melody has everything I ever wanted to capture. The simplicity is its charm in my opinion and this track along with the next one, best represent the innocence of those amateurish baby steps into song writing.

Emporic Rain, not a typo, dates back to 06. Its a rather ambitious set of scaling, menacing riffs that pummel away with a fiery spirit. Paired with rather strange synths and spots of unconventional drum patterns, at least for Metal. It all converges on a grand rocking riff, laced with pianos to see it out. That ending was written many moons later. Having received a touch of polish and fine tuning over the years, its clumsy amateurish stride is still present, and one I adore. With this track I always felt the passion and vision somehow pushes past my lacking skills of the day.

With a struggle for words, The Elemental Forge is perhaps the "outdone myself" moment. Written almost to completion in 07, its had the most enduring presence. Its origins feel almost mysterious now but I know I was inspired by Dimmu Borgir's Stormblast. Trying to emulate those simple, slower paced, higher register power chords, the song quickly derailed into its own beast, exploring wild extremes with blast beats erupting from a nebula of astral synths, transitioning into rocking power chord progressions and the groovy drum pedals that kick in underneath. Its magic is a strong, persuasive one that sways me to its mercy every time!

2009 now. Nestled somewhere among the peak of my drug abuse and self disregard, in the early hours of a substance fueled party I found a song emanating from within. What started as guitar doodling quickly funneled into a vivid vision, lavished with multiple synth tracks, pianos, guitar solos and more! Like a man possessed I commanded the computer in the room for many hours until the sun rose, writing all the instrumentation into Guitar Pro, the software I used to compose then, and still do to this day. I imagine a few touch ups came in among the following days but this rapturous plunge into darkly majestic wonder simply poured out of me in a single night. It seems it was a moment of Arcane Pandemonium! Perhaps... I made that up just now, the song name just simply sounded cool, in fact it was originally called Imperial Wizardry, a joke name. The later originally being called Diabolical as well. When first committing the music to a file name, I just throw down the first thing that comes to mind and decide on a proper name later on.

The record has steadily grown deep and dark, this next beat dares to venture further. Written in 08, Black Hordes Rising started as an exercise in extremity, a dare to be wild and cunning, pushing my writing to new heights. Deeply inspired by Emperor's Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk, studying its composition gave me all sorts of ideas and new takes on song writing. That clearly manifested here. I also got to throw in that guitar fret tapping lick as the song transitioned into a pummeling grind for its outro. That one had been in my arsenal for quite some time. The track also housed a ridiculous inhuman blast beat that had to be creatively substituted for this record, you will get to hear the original idea when the MIDI demos are released. The attached synth at the end is known as "conspiracy", a doddle from learning FL Studio that I found really captivating. It serves as a curious oddity to break the mood before our final track.

Written in 09, My memory of Ensl is strangely foggy. Or at least writing the guitar solo is. The name comes from a musical session where I was trying to emulate chemistry from an Enslaved song. In my futile attempts, I fumbled onto something totally different, a series of discordant riffs with a lovely warm uplift from the baseline. The song cruises through these riffs in a repetitious notion, reveling on the throbbing drums. The flushes of lead guitar, its eruption into a solo and looping outro gave the whole song such a beautiful character. Its place at the end is perfect, pivoting from the Symphonic Black Metal template into its own Shoegazing stride to see out the record with a climax echoing some of the vibes laid out at the records opening.

And there it is, a track by track breakdown of the record. Where do we go from here? I just don't know. What initially suspended this project became the very thing to finance it. All the other paths that could of been walked, who knows what musical creations it would of led me too. What I am certain of is the great weight that's been lifted. Strangely, It doesn't matter to me how far it reaches or if people love it as much as I do. There is a great peace in just knowing it is out there in the world for others to discover. Why I could never be content with keeping it too myself is a question I have no answer for. What is expression if no one else hears it? Perhaps that is the reason why.

Fever Ray "Radical Romantics" (2023)

 

Either searching for the timeless nightly spell of Fever Ray, or listening with open ears for a new avenue, bar a few flashes of light, Radical Romantics plays like a reassembly of proven ideals. Lacking a distinctive spark, the music resemble the past, lacking a fresh feverish persuasion. On one hand I adore the blueprint, Karin Dreijer's unique, slightly quirky but madly primal voice, a transient experience among its oddity arrangements. Zany melodies, mysterious synth aesthetics and disjointed percussion converge on their frictions, birthing an atmosphere only this artist lays claim too.

That once mezmorizing soothing ethereal charm seems absent. In the lulls and quells, an atmosphere lurches distant and peculiar. An out of focus form in abstract forms. Karin's voice is often the unifying element, gluing the instrumental strangeness together with direction and expression. With its elements often on the minimal side, those moments between a human voice often feel lacking, as if awaiting her presence.

Kandy catches my ear with its tropical steel drums intersecting the peculiar nature with a beachy sunny warmth. Its the following Even It Out that excels. A tense bass synth and thumping kick drum creates the drive for warbling synths and her agitated repetitions to swell above. The breezy "woo-hoo"s a wild contrasting tension relief. So gratifying. Sadly the rest of the record lacks a spice to elevate beyond the expectant. A really enjoyable album for this fan but I felt it missed a mark so within its grasp.

Rating: 6/10

Örnatorpet "Evigt Fr​ä​mmande, Evigt Fj​ä​rran" (2023)

  

A passing listen sparked limited curiosity. Another ruinous bout of mystic woes? Örnatorpet caught my ear in the past but this latest release doesn't quite distinguish itself. Wedged between an ensemble of broody eerie synths, mysterious murmurings, cryptic voices and rustling ambiguities toy, as soft touches of Berlin School emerge infrequently... a strong whiff of Old Sorcery influence is in the air perhaps.

Its a competent execution of ideals, atmospheres built through steadily layering simple melodies, instruments treated to carefully crafted sound design, imbuing scale and distance between more intimate imaginations. The chemistry slants from creepy shadows to fantastical weirdness as brighter compositions create curious settings.

Sadly, among its nine tracks, none were able to leap of the page. For all its interesting sound design and zany Dungeon Synth vibes, the whole project remained in the background, unable to command ones attention. Although mostly appealing and capable of conjuring the mystic moods I love, this latest effort was either too reminiscent of a genre I've explored extensively, or just rather average.

Rating: 5/10

Jessie Ware "That! Feels Good" (2023)

 

Following up on the stunning What's Your Pleasure, singer-songwriter Jessie Ware leans even harder into this craft of love. Going beyond a revivalist sentiment, her passionate presence and luminous instrumentals play like a force of infection pulling one into a personal fantasy from a bygone era. These songs ooze with class, as a slick production steeped in attitude. A return to the glory of 70s Disco, Funk and Pop, steeped with a little 90s Dance pianos, House grooves and Daft Punk sensibilities.

The opening stretch has a groovy rhythmic persuasion. A beautiful balance is stuck, inspired words swoon over mighty bold melodies, full of upbeat jovial spirit, striving forth with a dance-able confidence. The theme of empowerment in pursuit of pleasure and indulgence is executed with warmth and compassion. A very humanist oriented energy emanates, painting vivid images of fun social parties and the nightlife bliss.

Past its first five songs, a few tracks hit a subtle difference in stride. It seems 70s cheese and less favorable cliches of that era get a keen focus. Raunchy "wink wink" lyrics, chirpy melodies and quirky hooks paint an interesting picture of bygone trends, reviving them with a lot of energy. Initially, these crude strides turned me off but repetition has worked its charm. I'm still not sold but I can't deny its a brilliant exercise in taking dated ideas and putting on polish, while clearly having fun in the process.

Between those numbers, the music looses some of that opening vibrancy. Perhaps the endless upbeat march is a little much for me. I loved how the previous record moved into theatrical strides with emotive beats, leaning to the melancholy alongside adorning string sections. This effort felt strictly settled on its Disco dance floor orientation. The moody shift of Lightning lacks a spark on the way out to provide that variance. Overall, That! Feels Good has some absolutely brilliant, infectious music but it waivers when leaning harder into its mightily enthused ideas over and over again.

Rating: 7/10

Sleep Token "Take Me Back To Eden" (2023)

 

Currently catching a wave of attention within the Metal community, this anonymous collective known as Sleep Token have deployed their third effort, Take Me Back To Eden, like a stealth weapon to subvert fans of metallic abrasion into its soft and glossy gushings of watered down Ethereal Pop. Propped up by the remarkable voice of front-man "Vessel", his enigmatic voice stands in contrast to expectations. Learning routinely into his subtle vibrato tremble, this vulnerable voice emerges strong and self known, a firm assertion of individual expression, unafraid of ones own shadows.

This lengthy hour duration is held together by solely Vessel, the glue for a rather weak instrumental footing. His performance illuminates and engages, a delightful indulgence with a singer exploring their inner self through immense range and presentation that will delight over and over. Behind him a bland assemble of opposite ends of a spectrum. On its metallic side, the groaning slams of Djent guitar noise seem unable to escape the rhythmic shadow of Deftones and melodic oriented Fightstar.

That's actually a smaller component of the record. Instrumentation swings to its lighter side with most of this music. Soft airy synths routinely paint a warm Ethereal breeze for easy percussive beats and dreamy melodies to burgeon within its cloudy Pop design. On examination this is a rather dull and bland passing in comparison to similar Pop music of the day. Its grooves and tunes lack assertion and distinction, the ones that do, ie Are You Really Okay? have an uncanny resemblance of dejavu.

Some occasional interesting chemistries do blossom in this relationship between its two extremes, yet never do they appear entangled with any freshness. One is always an aesthetic compliment to the other, both are oriented in that textural direction. It becomes sterile with familiarity as its shallow blandness seems an extension of current Pop Metal temperaments. With little memorable on the instrumental front, Vessel gets in your mind like a true ear worm, propping its merits up. Despite having such a talent within the ranks, the hype seems oriented around exposure to ideas better explored elsewhere.

Rating: 5/10

Little Simz "No Thank You" (2022)

 

Album number five, No Thank You, is a moment for pause, a frank examination of where Little Simz currently finds herself. The brisk London accent, a 90s cadence occasionally instrumentally aligning in tone and temperament, this was a keen fit for my tastes. Its strength however, is Simz' lyrical journey. Often rhymed simple and plain, among other topics she mostly grapples with the record industry, attacking the subject from many angles, never running out of steam in the thorough process.

Wording tales of industry woes, systemic issues and ill intended individuals, an unsurprising yet deeply engaging narrative of her struggles emerges. As the theme resurfaces, each iteration serves a new purpose. Personal distress, advice for fellow musicians, how its impacted family relations. Even turning the question on herself, Simz' questions her own motives and wants as a performer allured by the industry.

Toning down the instrumental theatrics heard boldly on Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, grandiose string sections, warm ruptures of infectious Gospel, shades of Funk and Jazz. They come subtly woven into an apt chemistry for rhyme and beat to house the subject at hand. Gorilla stands out as a fun throwback to the early nineties groove of The Low End Theory. She pivots to breezy rhymes and playful swagger in cheeky yet firm style. Its a lighter, fun track among a lot of serious, expressive topics.

 With every spin I've been locked in and invested. Peaking with the pained Broken, its ending somewhat fumbles. Sideways' instrumental a tad too minimal and obnoxious, followed by an odd dreamy synth stint Who Even Cares. Seems like a couple of cuts that didn't fit were squeezed in. Also interesting, the album didn't chart well. It went under my radar for a while too, hence why I'm late to this one. Given the subject matter explored here, it seems Simz moved label for more creative freedom. This effort definitely reflects a change in attitude. Doing it for oneself, with nothing to prove.

 Rating: 8/10

Crag Forge "Hoardlegend" (2021)

One to slip straight into my "Dungeon Synth Focus" playlist, Hoardlegend revels in a deep rumbling mystery of epic stoic ambiguity. Lofty ambiences flood the foundations, a fog of unshakable presence murmuring from the depths below. From it arises distant smatterings of percussion, the thuds of doom drums echo upwards with a temporal sluggishness to rid it of any groove or tempo. Aligned with occasional strikes of cymbals and gongs, it outfits a rather simplistic set of ideas into a grandiose tension.

These eight chapters simmer in stature. Resting on a slow yet unmovable iceberg-like drift. Its as if one watches the space between heaven and hell from a empowered distance. Angels and demons at endless war among eternal clouds of the afterlife. Equally, ones imagination could venture on similar scales to a vast underground setting. Barbarian Mines clearly suggests a cavernous might of Dwarven proportions, its increased tempo and droning thuds certainly have a work-like rhythm about them.

The following Crystalline Flame ditches its low foreboding rumble for an airy shimmering excursion, a mysterious ascension devoid of destination, guided by an elongated flute melody and swelling synths. Its a rare moment of variety among steady temperament, fixated on a visualized settings, explored thoroughly in lengthy stays. Wonderful for conjuring a focused frame of mind with a Dungeon Synth tint.

On closer analysis, Hoardlegend is rather simplistic, lacking complexity with slow drawn out melodies, housed in chords that shift in a disconnected movement. Its brilliant at achieving an aesthetic experience, reveling in a Wagner-like militant tension, but one wont be taking away melodies from the experience. For all its mighty stature, no theater, event or progression is to be found. This is simply a collection of well built scenery sets for one to indulge in, if it happens to spark your imagination in the same way.

Rating: 6/10

In The Woods... "Diversum" (2022)

 

Reveling in glum and stormy scenery, drizzly guitars moan and slumberous singing swoons to be routinely assailed by gleams of heathen melody. Diversum is another glorious gallop through the rainy seasons of Scandinavian inspiration. Now three albums deep into Anders Kobro's unlikely resurrection of a historic yet niche Black Metal outfit, five years pass for In The Woods to return with a familiar tone and theme.

Exploring the relationship between shrill guitar distortions and dreary acoustic melodies, burly melodic singing and howling screams, careful grooves and flurries of blast beats, its craft is a familiar one. Ancient story telling and natural scenery, elicited through dynamics as plunges of aggression and abrasion sway in torment of its tuneful appeal, always sullen and bordering on the bleak. It allows for many a gratifying moment as relief from key persuasions that arise from gloomy tensions.

Occasionally they delve into the metallic fray, focusing on a grizzly groove or mean scream. Otherwise its best comes from the melancholic wallow as its uplift feels locked in a wet naturalist hardship. Overall Diversum has the lighter composition, yet an aching moody temperament. Kobro's tamed voice soaring is a beacon shining through fog yet in his stride, a uncanny Mastodon resemblance often emerges.

Despite a welcoming duration and competent execution, this one somehow shies from greatness as the dreariness drowns out the catchy music wedged between its dynamics. It doesn't fire on all cylinders. For all the welcome familiarity for a band I'm fond of, the spins started strong but waned as familiar footing fumbled to dig in deep. An enjoyable experience in bursts, but one that lacked legs to go the full distance.

Rating: 6/10