En Voice "Hall Of Dreams" (2006)

 

 

Now steered into niche destinations by the Spotify algorithm, I stubble across Hall Of Dreams, one of two record by a German composer who I could find little information about online. This disparity reminded me of cultural difference music scenes have. I'm certain there would be no shortage of information on a Metal band of equivalent size. Tangent aside, En Voice glimmers ambiences as Downtempo grooves flirt with gentler temperaments. Easy soundscapes drift dreamily, seeming like destinations of a modern, European stature. A harmonious clash of new an old rides the wave. Keen electronic tones and lively mid-tempo percussion rubs upside yawning strings and cultural voices. It livens a sense of travel and adventure as modern life tangos with heritage and histories, fading in an ever approaching sunset of the present rat race.

Offering a variety of flavors across its twelve tracks, a welcoming Pop appeal pallets its instruments and textures with little in the way of challenging. Each song breezes by with shuffling beats and electronics, nothing ever to bold, ambitious or out of step. These serve as warm digestible moods with the occasional flush of 90s British Electronica as potent yet simple piano melodies swoon in over sweeping synths and dawning strings. Clocking in on average at five minutes, most the songs go through simple structures, retracting and extending the rhythm section through lulls and swells with interchanging instruments. It sticks to a tone and sees it through with a lack of remark-ability beyond the character of the smooth vibrations it conjures. Good for a while but lacking a memorable depth.

 

Rating: 5/10

Dagoba "What Hell Is About" (2006)

After writing about this French Metal outfits latest release On The Run, I realized I had already checked in with them a few years back on Black Nova. I'd forgotten much of that record and this one too, until a couple of spins had the nostalgia jogged with memories rushing back in! This was one me and my friends enjoyed on rotation during the heyday of the Deathcore scene, which they were not part of. With ICS Vortex lending his voice on a song, I suspect the discovery was related to Dimmu Borgir.

The bands aesthetic is a sonic assault of elasticated exaggerated grooves, playing out on seven string guitars. With a rhythmic battering from the pedal clicking drums and the aggressive roaring shouts of Shawter, the band have an intense sound constantly erupting head banging riffs. The ace up the sleeve has to be the synths that frequently shift in and out of focus, often layering in simple chords or single notes to beef up the musics atmosphere with an astral coldness. The precise mechanical slugging of brutal rhythms in between help play up an Industrial Metal component too. This chemistry is ripe for the elusive Future Fusion Metal genre label that never stuck around.

These songs are well written, balancing out the aggression with an uplift and respite as melody and "cleaner" singing work there way into some tracks. It gives the record pacing as it can't rely solely on chugging stomps of low end guitar djenting and pinch harmonics for its forty four minutes duration. The production is very much of the time, clicky drums and dense guitar tones making progress in sounding clearer but still a ways to go compared to where we are now. Give it some volume and it will sound great. Revisiting What Hell Is About has been a blast! It is always nice to unearth forgotten records and get a dose of nostalgia in the process.

Rating: 7/10

Killing Joke "Hosannas From The Basement Of Hell" (2006)

 

With a new year comes a ritualistic return to the extensive discography of Killing Joke, a band I've been exploring since this earliest days of this music blog. These English Post-Punk emergents have had a massive influence on the shape of Industrial Rock and Metal to come, Ministry being a keen sample of their ideas propagating to new frontiers. Once finding myself burned out, its now quite a pleasure to return to their particular sound with a new set of songs periodically. This one might be a new favorite in the collection. Released in 2006, it reminds me of my Download Festival poster from that year. They headlined the third stage and given all the cracking shows I've seen over the years in the top spot of the smaller stage. I often wonder what the was like? Sadly I didn't investigate their music until many years later, that's when I noticed they played on that legendary year, my first and unforgettable outing at Donnington!

 Hosannas From The Basement Of Hell is possibly the bands most engulfing feet yet. Riding on a backbone of pounding repetition and dense aggression, the aesthetic crushing of its gristly guitar distortions, beefy percussive strikes and Coleman's aged throaty shouts, caries the music into a hypnotic dimension. With a cold mechanical drive these songs drone with an unshakable pace on lengthy escapades that chew through its crammed assembly of instruments. Often with gusto in its step, the drums pound simple grooves as the guitars roar with uncompromising attitude, chopping up tight chugs and aesthetic marvels of discordant noise and pedal effects. Jaz tends to draw his vocals out, giving a little relief to the unfaltering march each instrumental sets out on. Its a strange chemistry to have two aggressive forces, playing one as relief.

Its fortunate that one can zone out a little with this record. The songs do churn a handful of ideas over and over in the meat grinder. Its atmospheric. Killing Joke have brought a curated collusion of their finest ideas to revel in the moment. If you have got the time, its a pleasure to go through. Every song comes with its own little spice. Invocation stands out for a superb integration of menacing Classical symphonics vaguely reminiscent of Kashmir. Majestic has a riff that gives me chills. The tone and progression almost sounds like a sample from a T.S.O.L. song. Walking With Gods unearths an obnoxious angular guitar noise to ride alongside the massive bass guitar, somehow finding a melodic crescendo to peak the synthetic oddities that arise.

I could go on. The point being each song has a strong intention and musical idea the band hammer out with this intense drive festering in the palm of their hands. The production aids it greatly. 2006 was a time where the loudness wars and wall of sound production still hadn't settled. Records from this era vary in quality and I feel like this was a looser, jostled production that actually aided the final result. A little low fidelity can often suit an agressive direction. Ive read that album is considered a creative peak for the band. If the next two records are not up to scratch, that is fine. Im happy to have found this one. If forced to make a list, Id put it somewhere near the top.

Rating: 8/10

Shade Empire "Intoxicate O.S" (2006)

 

One step forward and two back, Shade Empire's sophomore effort seemingly faces issues both musical and aesthetic. The strange synth loudness production of Sinthetic highlighted a hidden strength but on this effort it is overwhelmed by grating metallic aggression made harsh by its ear grating production. Its opening track Slitwrist Ecstasy sets off alarm bells as the howling rattle of a loose snare overpowers everything around it. Creeks of spectral keys struggle to glimmer between the rumbling rattle of percussion and the snaky guitar tone that sucks up all space beneath it. The balance is poor, the ears do adjust with familiarity and repetition but the albums biggest strength has been cast to the shadows, a reverse of what came before it. The synths are now all to quiet to have the impact they deserve.

With vocalist Harju wrenching out his meaty shouts and counterpart snarling whispers in the front line, the aggressive context dominates as the drums barrage track after track. Its an unsurprising affair of riff arrangements and drum patterns that pale on their lonesome. In some moments where the pace cools off, one can hear the web of synths woven in too forge a powerful sense of atmosphere and direction for the music. The issue is production, they are simply mixed in poorly and the thick slab of unappealing guitar distortion washes its power away. Its truly disappointing as one can hear the intention but is simply unable to indulge. The only occasions they come to the forefront are with the big cheesy synth tones... everything is out of balance.

Every spin has been an endurance test, how quickly will that unending snare drum take to ware my interest out? Well prior to the albums close Ravine, an entirely synth led composition, gets to shine in the wake of a slowed drum groove and lack of guitars in its opening. Even still its a gem in the rough, one can hear the dirty buzzing baseline in its opening, a reminder of how ugly this aesthetic is. Through that the piano melody and soft synths forge a nightly mystique to show that talent is present, if not held mercy to the bad sound design. Intoxicate is a very forgettable record, one I wont wish to return to, however if handled differently in the studio, my opinion and enjoyment could of been entirely different.

Favorite Track: Ravine

Rating: 4/10

Xzibit "Full Circle" (2006)

 

It feels like its time to close the lid on this fun dive into the Xzibit's records. It seems notable that the West Coast rapper just doesn't have the production on his side. Similar to Weapons Of Mass Destruction, Full Circle feels defined by its unremarkable production. Mediocrity is tiring and X's rock steady flow and arsenal of rhymes doesn't carry the music far enough. Topically its not as sharp and socially oriented as before. The stance affirming braggadocio vibes don't really pop with these combinations of rhyme and beats. Flipping between quirky sampling and safe glossy beats the songs roll on in a drone without a hook or feature to carry it anywhere special at all.

Experimenting with a pitched down voice and slower flow X inhabits the mind of a corrupt cop to shift perspectives on Ram Part Division. Its a moment that stands out purely for being somewhat different in a sea of mediocrity. Although X dives into a few topics of importance through the runtime, they generally have little impact with both his word play and food for thought seeming dulled in the shadow of his former, sharper self. Struggling for words to further my thoughts, I'll end on the note that It feels so run of the mill, without thought direction or ambition to define what the record is as a whole. It has therefore become just a collection of not so interesting songs.

Rating: 3/10

Fellsilent "The Double A" (2006)

Forever immortalized in my memory, local Metal outfit Fellsilent represented an exciting time in the musical adventure, as me and my friends started visiting our local Metal bars and clubs. At our first outing these polyrhythmic Djent brutes stole my heart! It was at a time when Meshuggah where still yet to gain their status as extreme innovators and pioneers of a new sound. Finding a local act embracing this sound and executing it with utter class just felt like a match made in heaven. Never has a revisit to this glorious era ever failed me and my recent dive into Catch Thirtythree of the same time had me reveling in the demos and this four track EP again!

 The band have a instinct for big lurking riffs that slog out grooves with a mechanical coldness. Soft melodies seep in through gleaming acoustics, Post-Rock guitar ambience and subtle shifts in tone as a colorful notes align themselves alongside these beastly marches of stomping metallic bludgeoning. The balance in complexity is inviting, keeping polyrhythms locked in the 4/4 bar makes it easy to follow and all the more infectious! Every song has a keen cut of riffs to fit into typical song structures but always do they lead to some form of mammoth peak or breakdown in the final third.

All four songs are superb. Silence Is The Loudest Cry For Help a timeless lyrics that conveys an emotional current to its otherwise chromatic, relentless, battering aesthetic. The vocals add to this grey onslaught. Neema Askari has a distinctly flat and harsh approach, straining his chords with some personality. When they open into uplifting clean sections the relief is simply brilliant. Again its all put together with that final third of a song ascending to its peak and their is no exception.

This band is so ingrained into my being. They were like an illusive beast we never saw again for years as the shows just didn't seem to line up. I think we eventually got to see them again with Enter Shikari a couple more times before they split up in 2010. Its a shame but not all bands make it. Despite being utterly brilliant the stars didn't align and so its likely they will be buried by time and dust a little fast than most but if you love Djent, do yourself a favor and give this record a try! Its a gem!

Rating: 8/10

Fairyland "The Fall Of An Empire" (2006)

Blown away by their stunning debut, Of Wars in Osyhria, I thought my battle with Power Metal may be turning. It is not so, this sophomore record from the French band has unfortunately solidified the focal point that ruins this style for me time and time again, the singing. With a line up shuffle retaining two of the original band, Maxime Leclercq steps in for the lead vocal role. His pitch and tone rubs me the wrong way on to many an occasion. Stretching and reaching for notes he can't quite grasp leaves a strain. The style is often to forceful and once again the French accent has an uncanny knack to make to add a irritation to the pronunciation. I've always believed in looking for what you enjoy in music but found very little of that here, the singing tarnishes the fantastic instrumentation.

The music itself is a little less charming then last time around. I suspect the vocals may have made it harder to digest but there is an obvious shift in luminosity. The elements of fantasy and wonder still play out through the picturesque synths painting magical landscapes and heroes adventures .This time they are more balanced with the aggressive guitars and drums that clatter along with chomping double pedal rolls battering patterns constantly. Its lively, animated and ambitious but the production is a little thin and raspy in places, the music does however get across well its fantastical themes and fairy tale story telling. Pianos feature frequently and ambitious songwriting births a progressive journey to venture on but as clearly stated the vocals dispel any magic. Its frustrating but it is what it is. The next album has a plethora of vocalists so it will be interesting to see what happens there!

Favorite Track: The Story Remains

Rating: 4/10

Tool "10,000 Days" (2006)

The time has come to draw the Tool journey to a close, however this wont last long as a thirteen year gap between albums will end with another record later this year! With 10,000 Days I have have taken the most time as once again the words to describe this music often alludes me. It has however been the easiest record to get into with many hallmarks of their sound now etched in my mind. The one most distinctive is the cyclical rhythm guitar work that needles in timing oriented jabs of chords and palm muted chugging. On paper it could almost play like a Djent record akin to Meshuggah but Tool take a typically artsy approach with their plastic and narrow guitar tone. One can then relish more so in the winding patterns without the crushing intensity.

The guitars temperament lets dense atmospheres brood as its habitual chugging becomes a current to flow with. Although its polyrhythms and time signature play is clear in this department, much of the bass, drums and second guitar too play into this mentality with the more common constructs dabbling with subtle shifts and oddities. Its a firm backbone for a stage of expressive, emotive and freeing tangents to emerge from, not only does Keenan rise from this foundation but both the lead guitar and even bass get involved in brewing these swells of musical delight. Danny Carey too will dazzle with his ambidextrous playing. It feels like a light can be shun on him at any moment within the record and something interesting will be taking place at his kit.

The records pacing is something of contention. After a steady opening fifteen minutes of chug and churn riffing and swells of expression, the music shifts for the next seventeen with two slow burns. The title track itself builds to an brief out poor of energy that is short lived and after The Pot it feels like the record never gets locked into a groove. Lost Keys has its melancholy guitar lick laying down a sadness that is amplified immensely by this howling guitar feedback that conjures a feeling of grief and punishing loss. It moves into heartbeats and a conversation with a doctor that makes the song feel like a soul has been clutched from the jaws of death.

Rosetta Stoned brings back the foundational guitar work and theme established. Its another epic brew of swelling music that takes its time mounting through itself but after that eleven minutes the album tends to loose my captivation as ponderous and crawling paces of subtle and tender atmospheres don't quite grab me as much as they did when the record was fresh. Its a strange criticism because the dynamic nature of this band is whats so interesting but as it draws on the magic of their pacing feels lost as the momentum keeps sinking back into the quiet. Its hard to say what record is their best but this certainly feels worthy of being considered alongside Lateralus.

Favorite Tracks: Jambi, The Pot, Lost Keys, Rosetta Stoned

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

Keep Of Kalessin "Armada" (2006)

With an itch requiring scratching I recently picked out a few records by bands Ive yet to hear in a guide to Black Metal list that fortunately didn't focus on the classics I know inside out. It shone its light on overlooked and underrated albums from lesser known bands. Armada keenly caught my attention in comparison with Emperor's classic Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk. Interestingly enough Keep Of Kalessin, who Id never heard of before, were active in Norway during the scenes formation years but due wavering commitments of drummer Larsen, who was touring with Satyricon, it took him a decade to settle down and focus on the project as his main ambition, leading to a string of albums of which this was the first released.

Armada's sharp, angular tone of shrill ripping guitars and rigid hellbent drums blasting at dizzying intensity had me initially finding this one hard to get into. As with this genre more than any other, repetition is key! The old lesson of familiarity, letting the music blossom, however Vengeance Rising will always test my boundaries with its utterly ridiculous and inhuman blast beat that pushes tempos as hard as they can go. The record is full of breezing bursts of pace and eruptions of anger, bearing the hallmarks of blast beats, arriving in common, yet frequently impressive fashion. There is no arguing over Larsens talent, his rapid feet and dexterous arms make for a distinctive flavor.

With his wild rattling barrages of drums at the forefront of much of the music it takes on quite an aggressive attitude, the fast and thrashing guitar work charges at its side with plenty of all out tremolo shredding and technical chugging grooves plucked in between, plunging towards the listener with a racing pace. The antagonizing screams of Isaksen linger in constant menace as burly howls are unleashed with a shrill roughness that's rarely trying to win you over, however the breaks to ancient, cultural, Viking choral chants conjure a lot of atmosphere in comparison, its unfortunately infrequent.

The second track, Crown Of Kings, sets a bar the rest of the record doesn't keep up with. That song has whats missing, progression. Its chaotic opening riffs whirl away through fiery intensity that builds, builds and then importantly gives way. A few minutes in the drum drop to half time and an upbeat baseline ques in a moment to breath as the guitars gleam in a glittery riff. Its the shift in gears that made Emperor's aforementioned effort so fantastic and this record really feels like in needed those breaks, because without them its intensity is unrelenting and that can be burdening. I do think that was the artistic intent here and it is mostly fantastic but a lack of fluid respite in the music made it a little to strong for me.

Favorite Tracks: Crown Of The Kings, Winged Watcher, Deluge, Amada

Rating: 7/10

Outkast "Idlewild" (2006)

On this music blog we have covered all but the legendary Outkast's last album. 2015 was marked by my discovery of a group who had always been there in my youth, on MTV and in the sound tracks of games but I never made the connection. Going through their albums one by one introduced my two the journey of two very talented individuals who brought a wealth of brilliance to the Hip Hop game. I lost my steam after their double solo records and given the negative press on this album I let it pass by but this year I want to fill in some gaps and tie up loose ends with artists who's discographies are incomplete to my ears.

Idlewild is unsurprising with its direction given the duo have steadily broadened their horizons. Andre's role as a producer continues to push the boundaries of Hip Hop but this time the duo take a leap into a specific vision nestled in the roots of Swing, Jazz, Soul and Blues from the first half of the century, bringing in a fresh pallet of instruments alongside is drum machine. Its tang and flavor comes on so strong that for most of the record the Hip Hop aspect seems secondary as crisp, sharp tightly fit drum arrangements hold a tempo for the retro theme to shape the tone, however with heavy use of electronic synths it too is pulled in slightly alien directions at times. I'm exaggerating a little, the raps hold in firmly in territory but instrumentally its vibe is persuasively retroactive.

A sense of theme is obvious musically but lyrically and thematically there are hints of narrative that come in from different angles. Is Idlewild a film? A tale? Its a DVD being bootlegged according to one interlude track of which their are many on this twenty five track stretch. Its a scattered idea that Idlewild is more than just the setting for the duos emotional, self expressive raps as the lyrical themes occasionally sync up. Its a typical flurry of topical raps that offer food for thought, Andre on "Mighty O" stabbing into systemic racism and the war on drugs yet on "When I Look Into Your Eyes" we are whisked back generations to piano heavy Swing with a very contrasting tone. The consistency should be a minor indifference but seems important given the high bar Outkast have set for themselves.

With their ambition and innovations for Hip Hop firmly proven, the album plays like two geniuses falling into a routine. Despite its successful attempt to circumvent norms and stylistically define itself with a vivid, romanticized theme, the album falls short of feeling as necessary and urgent as they once did on Stankonia. They have little to prove and so the duo flex their skills again for a charming, indulgent, mature experience. With the best tools at their disposal the artistry is gleaming but the fire behind is dim. Its a fickle thing to explain but a great album falls short when expectations are so high. Idlewild is a stunning place, a gorgeous listen but one without that spark to drag you back.

Favorite Tracks: The Train, In Your Dreams, Greatest Show On Earth
Rating: 6/10

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

Eternal Lord "Split With Azriel" (2006)

Having written about Eternal Lord's self titled debut, I was reminded of their follow up split record with English Metalcore outfit "Azriel", released the same year. Foolishly I never gave it much of a listen at the time and for this blog we are going to focus on the two of four songs this band contributed to the record. Its a step up in production fidelity and a few things become apparent quickly. Vocalist Rickett sounds far deeper, lower, looser in delivery but with the same tonal distinctions. The group also incorporate symphonic sounds, piano and strings, into their second track, much in the vein of Symphonic Black Metal. Very reminiscent of what Abigail Williams would do in the years to come, however the metallic instruments remained rooted in their Metalcore origins.

"Destiny" is the first of two and wouldn't sound out of place on their debut. The productions fidelity removes the organic, sludgy feel they once had and showcases the technical prowess of the riffing. For this it shows its Metalcore side more and when the breakdown hits it sounds far more generic without the sludgy, looser production to give it charm. On the flip side the tighter sound gives the guitars more room to express themselves and the drums blitz away through a clicky ecstasy.

"The Harp And Hellfire" is the ambitious track. Its piano led symphonic intro and light use of strings work well with the momentous nature of the opening riffs. Surprisingly the sounds mix, however the dark symphony is at first paired with drawn out power chords and a tremolo riff accompanied by blast beats. Very akin to Black Metal but swiftly the song finds its break back to the Metalcore vein. Another reasonable breakdown is followed unexpectedly a guitar solo with light strings. The song then reaches a climax with a groove, repeating over and over, steadily fading out to let a matching symphony overtake and see off the record.

This transition is an interesting one as the band effortlessly incorporated a different sound without compromising their own. However on closer examination the shifts between styles are rigid and obvious, yet it feels completely organic in the moment. This may have been their calling but unfortunately this period was short lived with a big stylistic shift in their 2007 demo.

Favorite Song: The Harp And Hellfire

Rating: 4/10

Eternal Lord "Eternal Lord" (2006)

I've been looking forward to the day Id talk about this short five track EP since I first started this blog! Eternal Lord are a short lived English Deathcore band who dropped this self titled in the prime of the scenes uprising. Its a real gem, one that never gets old for me and unfortunately rapid line up changes and shifts in sound meant they would never revisit the unusual breed of metal they conjured up in the twenty minutes the record lasts. The band would release a split record with Azirel in a similar vein but their first full length left much to be desired and so led to the band splitting in 2009.

The record opens up with "Upon Thy Icy Waves" and its Deathcore style isn't immediately apparent. Sludgy, slightly dissonant guitars chug and churn under a rattling drum kit and in the chords a strange tinge of harmony protrudes. As the song progresses through a drum solo into its first phase the snarling throaty screams drop in with a covering range of texture, raspy and loose. Under them the guitars hammer out atypical Metalcore riffs, melodies spliced between muted open strings, yet despite the similar technique a distinct and unique sound is very apparent. It progresses through the motions and ends with some bright a colorful leads to climax the song.

 At many intervals in these songs the band tread into the breakdown territory with sometimes bold and obvious approaches, letting the steady china cymbal bridge the space between the occasionally chugged guitars and the beastly vocal growls. In other moments the band have the sensibility to hold back the obvious nature of the breakdown and simply remove a few elements from the currently played guitar riff and amplify the groove on the drum kit. Its fantastic, giving constant refreshment of head banging energy to the flow of these songs which never let up on intensity.

In an untypical fashion for the genre, the band sounds somewhat mystic and a little drawn to some of the grander epic themes found in majestic Black Metal. Its a very indirect subtlety but the guitars have a darker charm to them and vocalist Rickett through his slack and gruff delivery enhances a nature vibe with animistic and beastly vocals that sound like a fantasy creature of the night. The song titles would also indicate these themes may have been an intention, rather than something I've found for myself, however some tremolo riffs wouldn't sound out of place on a Black Metal record.

 Aesthetically the production is a touch raw and blunt within reason. The drums batter and clatter away with a cutting intensity in the mix, the pedals have a rather clicking presence. The cymbals have a rather stark and crashing existence in the mix. Along with the loud and "in the front" mixing of the vocals the bass gets a little lost behind the guitars with their own serpentine texture, often enhanced by the syncopation with the pedals. All five tracks are distinct and firing on all cylinders with no weak spots, maybe room for preference or favoritism. Its been around ten years and it still sounds fantastic. A very overlooked record that I think particular types of Metalheads would get a real kick from. I'm kicking myself though as I never got to see them perform live.

Favorite Songs: Fields And Failure, Deeds To The Throne

Rating: 8/10

Meshuggah "Nothing Remake" (2006)

Back in 2006 this release seemed like a bizarre choice for the pioneering Swedish metalers "Meshuggah". Coming of the back of there finest record to date, "Catch 33", the band took to the studio to re-record their 2002 effort "Nothing" which was at that time my least favorite record of theirs. As you can imagine I had little reason to listen to this one, but shuffling through some of their songs it made sense to pick them from the remake, since it sounds somewhat better technically. In doing so I found my way back to this record and realized how much the re-recording elevates the concept of the record with a reinvigorated aesthetic and slight adjustment of play styles and tempos.

In 2002 "Nothing" was a record that further pushed the extremities "Chaosphere" created with the harsh tonal construct and Djent guitars tones. In developing this sound Meshuggah flirted dangerously with the void and the lifeless element of their sound, to the point where some songs easily drifted into the snooze as barbaric rhythms hammered away without an inch of melody. This was a guitar tone assault of amplified intensities as elastic grooves bounced with the noisy poly rhythmic drum machine, vocalist Yens's monotone screams adding another layer of force. The records short coming where in its hazardous production of competing volumes, a rigid drum sound with repetitive symbol sounds and a lack of sound in the low-mid.

The re-recording irons out all the flaws of the original with a vastly better produced drum sound that feels more cohesive with the guitars with are a massive element of this records sound design. They sound gorgeous! Deep, dense and thick guitar distortion fills up much the audio space and further enforces the elastic nature of the grooves with the elasticity reigning through the clarity of distortion captured. With such a finely tuned sound these songs are given a better chance to reveal what they are about, a slight tempo change on "Nebulous" and the brilliant guitar tone fuel the elastic energy grooving through the eccentric guitar riffs.

But "Nothing Remake" is still the same record, a self realized experiment in groove and timings that hacks into the primal heart of rhythm and extrapolates an array of unique and special ideas unheard anywhere else before at the time. Although a touch more tolerable it still suffers the same void and sterile incarnation that makes its experience drab and to lifeless at times. You have to be in the right mood, because it wont deliver that mood to you. Its got banging grooves throughout and tons of incredible moments, but as a record there's a lot of monotone and bleak to wade through between the inspiring moments. It has some of their best and worst output all rolled into one relentless onslaught, and on a final note id like to mention "Straws Pulled At Random" is a stunning song that starts out in violent frenzy of blunt force elastic aggression, steadily evolving into a moment of beauty as minimal melodic inflections breath color into a song of black and white.

Favorite Songs: Rational Gaze, Straws Pulled At Random, Nebulous

Rating: 6/10

As Blood Runs Black "Allegiance" (2006)

As Blood Runs Black are an American Deathcore band who formed in the early years of the Deathcore scene and dropped this, their debut album, at the peak of the genres popularity in 2006. After giving this one a spin during a work out today, I felt compelled to talk about it. This is one of the better sounds to emerge from the scene that would become plagued with mimicking bands and a flood of mediocre music.

The groups sound leans much closer to Metalcore and Hardcore than its Death Metal counterpart, what is "Death" about it is rather sonicly visceral and full on than anything remotely Death Metal, this is often true of many Deathcore bands that have an abrasive sound only similar in tone and aggression, not often in mood or substance. The heavy side of their sound comes from the aesthetic and songwriting where these typical Metalcore style songs break away into slamming, pummeling breakdowns with simplistic grooves and machine-like drumming that rattles away with exceptional precision, and lots of use of triggers, the end of "My Fears have Become Phobias" being an example. These slams and breaks are accompanied by a solid vocal presence ranging from snarled screams to forceful guttural rawrs, and the occasional gang shout.

Although they will be more noticeably be defined by these characteristics, the group write decent Metalcore leads, with memorable riffs making use of melodics and pinch harmonics that ads up to create exciting and aggressive music. My problem with this album is its lack of substance, after the first three songs the group change the mood with a gentle instrumental "Pouting Reign", a song that lacks any real progression or musical ideas, and from this point onwards the Metal tracks never really live up to the promise of the first few, recycling the same ideas, or trying things that just don't do it for me. Decent record, great sound, but a lack of depth in the songwriting department.

Favorite Tracks: In Dying Days, My Fears Have Become Phobias, Hester Prynne

Rating: 5/10