Showing posts with label 2020. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2020. Show all posts

Wednesday 6 September 2023

Potatohead People "Mellow Fantasy" (2020)

Mellow Fantasy, a breezy affair of performative Jazz Hop. Slick in design and execution, the Jazz Fusion adjacent instrumental artistry of this dynamic duo indulges in soft affable tunefulness. One can "tune in and tune out", an effortless listen. A feathery glow blows in the winds of every track, a cushy soothing groove, infusing dauntless jives within an airy carefree stride, letting its plentiful good vibes flow forth.

Hidden Levels breaks its relaxed stride. Injecting a quirky baseline, its harder bass kick thump gets rocking with the arrival of infectious claps. Forrest Mortifee illuminates this track with a colorful timid tenderness in voice, swaying on the songs texture with a breathy performance reminiscent of Hiatus Kaiyote's Nal Palm. The theme returns twice with both Bunnie and Kendra Dias bringing 90s R&B voices to the fold.

This highlights the albums structure, alternating collaborations with rapers and singers between shorter instrumental cuts. This time, less emphasis is placed on lead instruments, serving more as a slice of cool atmosphere between its voiced chops. Although I missed this dexterous dazzle of melodic manifestation, the bigger picture is a consistent vibe, nailed exquisitely. All pieces present fit this pleasant puzzle.

Rating: 7/10

Wednesday 17 May 2023

Narrow Head "12th House Rock" (2020)

 

Wedged between two fine outings, their sophomore effort 12th House Rock fits awkwardly, an anomaly drifted off a fine trajectory. Narrow Head embark on another bash of Grunge revival, shedding the shades of Groove and Nu Metal that perhaps steered them to greatness. With groans and gristle they lean into the textural oddities adjacent to the 90s scene. Reveling in hazy guitar overdrive and other fuzzy distortion effects, both guitars and vocals get a variety of tweaks over a thirteen track course.

On review, this aesthetic dwell is an unsurprising focal point. With their vocal hooks and guitar riffs lacking a spark heard before and after, many songs fall flat on arrival. It leaves ones attention attuned to its many off kilter flaws. On a handful of songs this textural rebellion is its main character, leaving a bitter taste as much fails to resonate.

The potential success of a lacking originality simmers. This revivalist pursuit wears its influences like wounds on occasion, cutting bold and obvious, jarring when a lack of gravitas persists. Hard To Swallow thumps hard, reeking of Helmet syncopation yet Night Tryst sparkles bright, despite utilizing a blatant Smashing Pumpkins blueprint.

For all its nostalgic tint, when components don't quite click, whats left is an infuriating fumble of forms. Enjoyable but barely engrossing, the ideas sought after became more audible than the music itself. Narrow Head didn't sell me on this, thus falling short on many fronts. Not awful but I couldn't get pasts the rotating cast of 90s pitfalls.

Rating: 5/10

Tuesday 10 January 2023

Rune Realms "Caverns Of Gemfire" (2020)

 

Unlike the aching curiosity and gleams of majestic beauty Secrets Of The Deepwood possesses, Caverns Of Gemfire passes one by with a gently brooding and indifferent unease. Brought about by tensions in softly groaning bass synths, It too lacks a sense of being, intent or presence. The record plays, once again, like scenic explorations. Sites of calm and stillness visited, yet their wonders remain sequestered from contact.

My frame of mind could influence perspectives but I suspect it is not so. Unable to escape the disquiet bass murmurings of Caverns Of A Hidden World, Spire Of Crystal Spirits and Hidden Builders Of Gemstone & Crystal, their is a definite tension reflecting the empty solitude of lonely caves and caverns. Devoid of life and sheltering perilous conditions for such, these atmospheres carry a quiet impersonal hostility.

This darkness fluctuates back and forth with the presence of its plucked instruments. Gleaming harps, crystalized bells and subtle strings of warmth add shimmering spells of mystique to an otherwise cold and inhospitable terrain. One would not wish to be trapped within these spaces, yet through the expression of this crafty musician, another distinct sense of place is arrived upon. Seemingly simple in construct, the emotional magic mother nature provokes is achieved again in auditory form.

Rating: 6/10

Friday 30 September 2022

Mortiis "Spirit Of Rebellion" (2020)

Somewhat stiff, direct in execution, Mortiis' so called embrace of Dungeon Synth feels a step behind the ruinous, mystic wonders he helped inspired. Often sighted as a precursor to the movement, the Norwegian musician often remarked indifference to his obvious influences. This castley affair of medieval fantasy pumps might, magic and vitriolic spirit from its bold and cheesy synths. Alongside fractures of foggy, murky key tones, an aesthetic veneer glimmers in its own reflection. The unshaken instep march of looped melodies, perfectly aligned in MIDI notation, evaporates the humanity.

Its first half, A Dark Horizon, toys with the moody abandon. Gentle tempered spirits of estranged worbling VSTs venture on lonely meandering journeys, intermittently struck by thuds and drum strikes. Its lonely, occasionally frightful but mostly shy of striking a nerve. With a barer construct, its repetitions become a blemish of its pristine presentation. Simplistic looping melodies swiftly a gnawing gripe, sucking charm and magic other low fidelity production aesthetics of the genre would offer.

Visions Of An Ancient Future embarks on ambitious conquests. Deep gongs, perpetual echos of militant percussion and a stoic stature march forth with the might of glorious battle horns guiding its way. The shift from esoteric curiosity to kings and castles would make for an interesting record if both halves did not endure the lifelessness of such stiffly executed virtual instrument performances. In a nutshell, appealing ideas but a lack of immersion.

Rating: 4/10

Sunday 21 August 2022

Andrew Odd "Random Thoughts" (2020)

  

Spotify is sussing my tastes out and the spacey ambience I adore has been served up. Finnish cosmonaut Andrew Odd caught my ear a flavor of deep space I couldn't resist. Hints of Downtempo momentum burgeon from its lurching percussion, brooding awaiting release. Birthed out of deep pursuing bass pulses, long adorning synth strings and cloudy ambiences mull in the void. Minor textures become major melodies in its astral unraveling of otherworldly marvels. Steadily they build, sparse lifeless tunes bloating to wild animations as gusto is mustered to venture forth boldly.

Cosmic storms, celestial bodies and colliding nebula illuminate in the blink of an eye. One drifts by, radiating in observation, then continuing momentum off into distance shadows, unable to change course. These swells of magic best culminate with a drive of powerful percussive grooves. Mechanical and stiff, the repetition aids the moment with a lively presence far from its humble, dreamy origins. Only a feature reserved for three of the five tracks, its more ambient oriented cuts are a fine craft too.

Likely inspired by Carbon Based Lifeforms and others in this spacey realm, the execution outstrips its similarities. These experiences are so well crafted, visions to be inhabited for lovers of these vibes. Andrew straddles an interesting line where his forever expanding soundscapes will go from subtle temporal remedies to mesmerizing distractions yet somehow serve both the background and foreground of you're musical attention span. Riveting stuff, an immediate classic "go to" for my introspective moods.

Rating: 8/10

Monday 8 August 2022

Dreamstate Logic "Space Born" (2020)

 

This will be no regular record review. More so a marking for my future self. The purpose of this blog has always been to catalog the musical exploration, providing references to our adventures. Memory is a limited resource and although personally music evokes the sharpest of recalls, it is still a healthy practice that has helped me resurface many magics that haven't popped into the conscious experience.

Keying in the right combination of terms to suit my introspective mood, Cosmic Ambience yielded a stellar find. With a catalog of similar sounding ambient pieces, the idea of a "record review" felt wayside to the simple and familiar pleasures this artist offered. Similar in emotion to Carbon Based Lifeforms and with cosmic tones akin to Stellardone, an especially calming melody of dawning astral synths and lofty reverberations offered a deep wondrous peace in its soothing temporal chambers.

Its seven songs scales the starlight as a sense of drifting beyond time carries one on a gentle glide through the infinite. Dreamstate Logic differentiates itself with a calming temperament that does on occasion stride with gusto as lumbering percussion rumbles up momentum and the odd shining melody pushes itself into focus.

It may be that this artist has more to offer but with a plethora of albums released in 2020, one would suspect these are pallets of spacial ambiences, as opposed to distinct musical experiences. That impression could be a falsehood, so as I revisit this mood, I'll see what I unearth but for now this will be a permanent fixture on my relaxation and focus playlist.

Rating: 7/10

Monday 25 July 2022

Kyros "Celexa Dreams" (2020)

 

Kyros have delivered fresh magic, a new "song of obsession". The epic ResetRewind gave me pause to go deep with this band. Their bold, unabashed exterior and enthusiastic tone would of been easily glossed over. So with their third album effort, the spins of Celexa Dreams have been numerous. The result? A keen, warm sound carving space where I knew not it could go. With the explorative spirit of Progressive Rock, the punchy, hard hitting instrumentation inches into with metallic territory. The vibes arrive with unshakable echos of performative 80s Synthpop and a subtle sense of VGM influences, perhaps from the likes of a Nobuo Uematsu and his Black Mages.

Built with both lengthy ten minute plus epics and short songs too, the record oozes its instrumentation like a river gushing. As a constant flood of musicality throws big punches, dazzling melodies and harmony, we are never far from the fold. With slapping baselines and big gated reverb percussion every idea is rhythmically powered along by a theatrical momentum. The ever-present synths both sing melodies and gently chime into a glorious wall of sound. The treatment is bright, a constant punchlines permeating as its aesthetics sparkle with a powerful persuasion.

Its clear, crisp, precise and full of character. Unsurprisingly the song structures can reach far beyond convention and on that adventure many exciting arrangements and dynamics are summited. Best of all Shelby Warne frequents these peaks with fantastic vocals. Soaring high, some of the albums best leads are in tandem with dramatic surges of catchy human wordings. The whole affair is a delight, reaching beyond its own moods, Celexa Dreams often steers one into its realm. With every familiar listen I've been sucked in regardless of where I was at before!

Rating: 8/10

Friday 8 July 2022

Phoebe Bridgers "Punisher" (2020)

 

The Punisher lays bare a calming rot of depression, manifesting itself in aimless drifting atmospheres. With internal frictions, social worries and self deception explored, the record seems harmless in its meager meanderings. Instrumentals wade through the minimal and ambient with spells of swelling pushed on by the breathy motions of Phobe's voice. As a folksy Indie Rock singer, her plain voiced resonance and murmurous singing plays into this sleepy state. The music looses itself in pained vulnerabilities, deceptively feeble and soft yet oddly harrow and hopeless.

Is it the lack of gusto in her voice? She leans into a gentle tone to express hurts, such a contrast. To my ears, the album plays like a subtle oxymoron of sorts. Its timbre and temperament at odds with the difficulties its lyrics explored. Conceptually its a charm but in execution the music drifts by in limbo, unsure of itself, one foot in the morose and an other in dreamy illusions. Aesthetically gorgeous but emotionally confusing.

Punisher has been on my playlist for months now. The lack of hooks or keen melodies, not a crime of course, makes for a dreary experience of unsettled lingering. Its creeping moments of Americana bring about a grounded footing but these influences are brief at best. Otherwise I'm stuck with its lack of oomph. The perpetual meandering of the music comes across bleak, vague and restless. This may be more down to my preference in vocals as I rarely vibed with Phoebe's singing.

Rating: 5/10

Tuesday 21 June 2022

Kalandra "The Line" (2020)

 

This gem almost went amiss. Its subtleties slithered to a silence, a withdrawn instrumental softness letting this listener go by. Lacking gusto, bite or immediacy, only the striking resemblance to fellow Nordic queen Aurora held me in. If not another charmed, utterly gorgeous voice, the likeness would border plagiarism. Timbre, temperament, flow and inflections all swoon like a deja-vu. Its why I stuck around. With each listen I felt further from the words I initially wanted to share in this space.

The Line is a record of awe inducing landscapes, the resonance of which expressed aptly through its album art. Crimson skies lurch, whispering clouds part, the sunlight aches in to bless the primal earth beneath. We experience tits wonders as heathen inhabitants, devoid of technology and gods alike. Clearly a part of the growing Nordic Folk movement, Kalandra's strings pull on an endearing warmness. Unlike fellow contemporaries Wardruna and Heilung, they peer not into the northern darkness.

One could pen them as Soft Prog, gentle foragers of atmospheres with felicitous moments of Post Rock swelling and Etheral dreaminess. Tranquil, soothing and calm in nature, its rare flashes of hurried pacing, harmless brooding and climactic roars seem perfectly architectured, as if a force of nature. On its weathered journey outpacing the storm, occasions of rest incur with folkish tunes and tales. It all speaks to the ancestral human, married to mother earth, one that rumbles deep within us all.

And so with every passing listen, my initial foolishness, a deluded disappointment, fortunately grew distant. Somehow I was rustled by these "over indulged" instruments. Keen for vibrant melodies, a punchy baseline or tribal percussive groove, I was aloof to the atmospheric magic unfolding. Quiet is a strength, one that passed me by. The instrumental craft, a careful curation. Licks, grooves, riffs are subtly snug, every inch of aesthetic measured, fit together under a masterplan where nothing overpowers.

There are no particulars that leap of the page. Every song is a journey blossoming from a perpetual mellow flow. The record thus becomes river. Drop in, let its coolness wash over you and chill out. With at least a bakers dozen of spins under the belt now, it still grows on me. No doubts here, this could be honey that sticks for time to come.

Rating: 8/10

Sunday 29 May 2022

Kyros "Four Of Fear" (2020)

 

Home to a new "song of obsession" of mine, this four track EP has night not been quite as enigmatic as ResetRewind, a six minute epic that immediately caught my attention when cycling through Spotify's automated playlists. Kyros are a Progressive Rock/Metal/Synth outfit from London who's sound is a bit "all over the place" and wild, if not unified by its Progressive inspired framework delving mostly in synth tones.

ResetRewind itself is a flawed track, seemingly hinged on its one main music hook, a stellar synth melody dancing in its own gallop. Shelby Warne ascended the mood with a post-apocalyptic uplift, lyrics soaring on natures reclaiming of animal lives, as everyone dies. The song is an odd ball, wedging in a couple Skrillex era Dubstep breakdowns that just about work. It has a few other exercises between its chorus, a sinister vampyric melody in its closing frame is a niche touch. Nothing quite links directly with the main theme and despite its stitched together nature, the song rocks.

The other three songs don't find the same stride. Kyros's temperament is highly involved and dramatic. All ideas and melodies get played up, over performed and aesthetically over emphasized. Quite often this is fun as its backed by terrific, well written melodies. Ace's Middle not so much, its quirky personality shuffles and jitters all over the place with big theatrics that has no foundation. When slowing down for a broody atmosphere epic with Stop Motion. The concept holds back the over animated nature they usually express. Its class is one to revel in as guitar solos make waves.

 My overall impression is one of a band oozing in talent that;s lacking focus and direction. Their sound is a little overdone in multiple dimensions. The music always has a lot going on. What makes it tick is often the simple chemistry between its lead melodies and vocals. I could hear a record producer like Rick Ruben stepping in and stripping out the all the progressive fuss around the core of their songs. That's where the best of this short record is to be heard in my humble opinion.

Rating: 5/10

Tuesday 26 April 2022

Lena Raine "Minecraft: Nether Update (Original Game Soundtrack)" (2020)

 

With a recent dive into the Wild Update's new music, it occurred to me that the accompanying soundtrack format extended back to the Nether Update! Despite covering the new musical inclusion in game, this separated release alluded me. Now that the talent of Lena Raine is no secret to me, I wanted to return to her first inclusion in the games soundtrack through these three ambient pieces and the classic in-game Pigstep record disc that introduced her music to the Minecraft community.

Pigstep is a bop, no doubt! A boldfaced groove of mischievous synth-bass jive, curious yet cautious flutes adventuring nearby and a cheeky lead melody throwing caution to the wind. The music builds up to a gratifying swirl of sounds that can swiftly drop back to its starting stomp, all while a busy percussive drive builds up a textural density around it. Quite the departure from C418's stance, an attention grabbing introduction that fits the vibe of the nether's new Piglin inhabitants.

The three pieces of ambience built for Minecraft's most perilous dimension steer clear of the darkness and abandon one could so easily grasp for. With slight unease and tension in its airy ambiguous synths, all three anchor into moods that signifies danger and caution yet linger on what beauty is to be offered. Chrysopoeia rolls in with a thick fog for gracious piano notes to cut through. One can see the magnificent yet truly deadly landscapes, appreciating its magnitude within a humble presence.

Rubedo is my favorite. Mainly for starting with its main looping melody which arises as a lonely spirit, drifting in perpetuity. When the more commonly ambient backing synth groans into existence, it brings such a powerful and daunting sway that swells in a riveting moment of tension. Its a beautiful moment, stunningly crafted through a reverse of format where often the backing would linger as the melodies direct.

So Below takes a glassy, crystalized set of sounds on a cold and breezy voyage, somewhat unfitting to the scorching heat of the lava riddled nether. The ominous bass murmuring below broods and awaits its turn. When the shiver passes it expands its creep, ending the trio of tracks with the darkest of moments which fades aptly.

Lena has me excited for the future of this games music. Her craft is brilliant and brings true inspiration and vision to a format of music, Ambient, that can easily be jostled of its merits. Best of all the visions conjured suit the nauseating scale of the basalt deltas, unruly dangers of crimson forests and the eerie safety of a warped forest.

Rating: 7/10

Sunday 27 March 2022

Andromida "Timeless" (2020)

 

Despite many spins, its been difficult to feel out the character of this record. Similar characteristics with the plundering Djent riffs typical of Progressive Metal has its chops of binary chugging grooves falling into a lull as its rhythmic grind becomes dull. The frequent bouncing of notes between the guitars silences is a trick I'm not always enthusiastic about. The distortion tone encroaches on the Doom soundtrack styling fully explored on Hellscape, yet here it mostly feels like a knee jerk reaction, as if its melodic colors always need to exchange with some grizzly surge of aggression.

It would be all to easy to describe Timeless as a bridge between it and Voyager. Although apt, where I think Timeless finds a voice is in its union of soft synths, lush pianos and a lead guitar that sings and wails like an expressive voice would. With this being an instrumental project, the constant intensity lacks a submissive quality putting a big focus on those eruptions of dirty Djent jolting guitars. It often overpowers the slew of melody its blazing lead guitar offers. Behind it the lush, soothing wall of electronic instruments curates a warm and airy timbre that is frequently overwhelmed.

It is the moments of calm and respite that Timeless suddenly feels with purpose and expression. There isn't a lot of it about but when those meaty guitars reel back and one can take in the delicate soundscape behind it, the music feels much more meaningful. Best of all, there are a few passageways where a rapturous guitar solo wages in, tandem with the bright pianos. It feels mesmerizing. Sadly, the record as a whole goes in all guns blazing. This really overloads the senses as its over the top guitars strip out the nuance of the accompanying instruments.

Rating: 5/10

Tuesday 15 February 2022

Chaosbay "Asylum" (2020)

 

One of this years most exciting releases, Boxes, was my introduction to the German Progressive Metal outfit. Starting at a peak of evolution and working your way back can often taint the musical discovery. With Asylum, all I could initially hear was the distance from their now Periphery inspired, high octane foray of cutting edge melodic Metal. With a less punchy production, a lack of angular grooves and feisty aggression, I overlooked the emotional outpouring this record is. Sure, it has moments of might with chops of metallic onslaught and shouty screams but where Asylum shines is in scenic melody where the music transforms from powerful riff lead barrages to heart felt singing and moving lead guitar licks, which it has in a plentiful supply!

The heavy djent riffs, Metalcore breakdowns and jolting polyrhythmic grooves quickly subsided from focus as the lyrics started to raise up its streams of warmth and color. Passionate words of social-political consciousness took sway with stems of plain spoken ideals and morals expressed bluntly from a compassionate space. With each passing listen my attention shifted from the arsenal of competent bouncy riffs to the Pop Metal singing and acoustic led passageways that carve a path through the carnage. It all brings me back around to the albums cover. A calm of lush seas, present among the chaos of a fiery storm. The name too feels like a commentary on the feeling of being institutionalized by their perceived state of current society.

As a whole the dynamism isn't quite there. The frequent sways plunging into punchy metallic aggressiveness a little to typical for the times but in the melodic component it finds plenty of catchy endearing tunes, often amped up by timely guitar solos and warm singing. All in all its a really interesting record, one I feel like if I were forced to listen on a regular basis I'd probably end up loving as my enjoyment has only grown from the initial luke-warm reaction. Chaosbay clearly have something to offer the current trend in Metal and it seems as if they are on the cusp of a fantastic next step. There next full length effort will be one to keep an eye out for!

Rating: 7/10

Sunday 6 February 2022

Oneohtrix Point Never "Magic Oneohtrix Point Never" (2020)

 

Having played a hand in the production of Dawn FM, this curious hexagonal album cover lured me in for a listen. The one collaboration with The Weeknd himself serves as a bridge between the Synthwave stylings of that project and the artsy avant-guard electronic experimentation that adorns this record. Labelled as "Plunderphonics", the history of that musical term would suggest much of the strange distortions heard through the album are possibly sampled from well known songs. More likely it is in reference to the well known voices that frequently crop up in these esoteric sampling manipulations. It seems likely its many radio voices sampled mostly on the cross talk tracks may have been lent to Dawn FM's own thematic interludes.

Magic Oneohtrix Point Never is mostly a curious exercise in the depths of production techniques and studio manipulation. With heavy utility of effect plugins, the dynamics of sound are explored to illicit many emotional ambiguities. Like a quilt blowing in the whim of winds, its soundscapes morph and mold through the invisible hand of its all-seeing producer, an organic unraveling bleeding through many dimensions of waveform. Such is the nature of experimental design, that its meandering directions can drift on without direction, as it does in the second half of this record.

The first is where one can find some structured percussion and recurring melodies to fit into a more traditional mold. It gives the experimental and unusual synth sounds a context and format that is much more digestible and entertaining. Its aesthetics are given meaning through decent song writing. Its only a handful of songs though. Without that, every curious noise, esoteric texture and unidentifiable instrument ends up being a passing interest that after a handful of spins becomes dull. I can see how this record has been praised for the many remarkable sounds conjured but mostly lacking a form, it doesn't amount to much when aimlessly morphing through is bizarre soundscapes. A great listen but remains in the experimental lane that doesn't quite connect without normal conventions.

Rating: 5/10

Sunday 12 December 2021

Gelure "Into The Chesfern Wood" (2020)

Originally I passed over this debut album. The Candlelight Tomes was an interesting record, one with a promise of uniqueness that found me in my hearing recovery. Reaching out for usage permission on whim, Gelure has now become a regular rotation in my streaming diet of music. Into The Chesfern Wood has perhaps become the preferred of the two, its tone and mood more consistent with its charming meld of Dungeon Synth mood and Medieval Fantasy melodies feeling more whole together.

Its pallet of luscious plucked stringss and broody atmospheric synths has quite a dexterity only explored deeper in two of its tracks. With strikes of deep drums, Entrance To The Nekkethian Dwarves musters quite a force with its powering synths pushing towards abrasion. The track then pivots to an Electronic lead one might associate with Berlin School. A slightly Psychedelic moment to see out one of its more forceful songs. The following Tower Of The Wailing Moons sets sail softly with airy keys to cool the spirits. It eventually pivots to fear and wonder with nightly astral synths hinting at a forbidden darkness lurking nearby, a tone the album doesn't revisit.

From their its consistency returns with scenic castles and flushes natural beauty all wrapped in its typically nostalgic guise. The production is interesting, although likely to be all virtual instruments, the ambiguity that blurs edges has a slight sense of wobble in the pitch that could just be my imagination. A possible production technique that really aids the low-fidelity charm, as here it doesn't feel obvious yet the mood and atmosphere of the album embellishes the spirit of memories lost to time and decay.

Rating: 6/10

Wednesday 17 November 2021

Forest Shrine "Forest Shrine" (2020)

 

I don't recall ever hearing a record so suited to being labeled a Burzum inspiration. Right from the offset its distinct Casio keyboard tones resemble that lonely spell cast by classic Tomhet. The second song then does a remarkable job emulating the timeless gristly low-fi guitar tone that made Filosofem. The heart of this seven track record seems magnetized by the vision Varg had, with his searingly disparate and oddly spiritual music. Both with the chilling cold aggression of Black Metal and the yet to be named keyboard compositions now known as Dungeon Synth.

 Forest Shrine feels like a convergence of the two, dealing in a nostalgia of both theme and one mans creativity. Its all there in the tone choices and composition style but loses sight, or perhaps never aims to recreate that peculiar esoteric loneliness Burzum captured. Instead, through its melodies and sense of scale, finds the more castles and crypts side of Dungeon Synth with big scores of synth notations drummed into action by loosely military percussive marches of driving snare rhythms.

As I dissect the record for "review" it becomes clear to me I've gotten hung up on the first two track and the resemblance to Varg's works. The second is the only use of distortion guitar and beyond them the album blossoms into its own thing for the most part. The melodies and general direction gather quite the upbeat tone with its militant percussion giving off castle and king vibes. One can see the vast landscapes of forests leading to the hill on the castle. It fondly reminds me of Sequestered Keep with far less of the jovial medieval vibes. All in all its a great little record to enjoy, however being so impressed by the opening likeness, I would love to hear more of that!

Rating: 6/10

Saturday 30 October 2021

Offermose "Stilhedens Tårn" (2020)

 

The journey continues, as it always does, now I find myself floundering blindly into a new scene. So familiar, yet built on a different tonality. The engulfing spells of Dark Ambient and nostalgic mystique of Dungeon Synth, channeled through shivering soundscapes, find a convergence on classic synth sounds resurrected from decades gone by. Known as Berlin School, my introduction has come through a musical darkness which I adore. Arcanist was my first and now I'm unearthing more of these broody plunges into the shadowy realms. Hinged on electronic tones, keys and modern conventions that are more often seen as fun and entertaining synthetic instruments than ones to conjure the eerie and ambiguous as Offermose does here.

With all that said, Stilhedens Tårn and its six chapters use this electronic force sparingly, acting more as atmospheric conjurings that journey somberly and morph into satisfying, driving swells of emotion. The haunting whirl of winds, unsettling ambiences and rustling sounds of nature nestle a rich sound design for its synths to bring haunting drones and chilling melodies too. The whole affair feels organic and natural as its potentially pristine synths are dressed down with an aesthetic tarnishing to ground the music in an earthly feeling. It does come in degrees though, Sjælens Ruin finds itself morphed midway by tight synth arrangements, playing out woven around a steady and simple percussive groove of snare and bass kick.

Much of this record lingers on an ambiguous spot, lonely yet beautiful. Meditative and broody but never drifting to far to the bleak, its poise hints at something devious with discernible human voices creeping into the backdrop on occasion. It all unravels with Tvillingeflamme as the pains of a despairing voice are muffled under a sinister vampiric synth. The arrival of a demonic voice and sounds of strikes paints a torturous scene in the imagination as the flame of the song flickers out with a funeral macabre air to it. A stunning way to seal off a wandering set of mysterious musical spells.

Rating 7/10

Friday 20 August 2021

Body Count "Carnivore" (2020)

 

Somehow this one snuck under my radar in 2020. As an avid Body Count fan, I remember looking forward to its release after the charged, anthemic Bum-Rush single. So glad to have been reminded of its existence! Continuing on with a wonderful resurgence after drifting into obscurity, the group bring another tight, concise set of straight forward songs led by Ice-T's politically charged presence up front. One to follow their own rhythm and influences in the past, the opening title track showcases the band picking up on current trends with a barrage of dense, sludgy Djent riffs crushing in alongside a beastly howl that imminently grabs your attention.

Its not a recurring theme bar No Remorse. Variety, shifts in temperament and tempo have these eleven songs mixing much of the Body Count persona with fresh ideas and excellent collaborations. Another Level has Ice-T finding a keen singing voice for the hook, backed by the rough shouts of Jamey Jasta from Hatebreed. The legend Dave Lombardo pops up to drum on a track too and perhaps most unexpected, Amy Lee lends her voice in a wonderful chemistry with Ice, the two overlap so well.

That track, When I'm Gone, and a few others have very similar lyrical themes to those on Bloodlust. Sadly the recurrences tend to be reflections on societies problems still perpetuating. Reflecting on the loss of Nipsey Hussle is a saddening echo of losses expressed last album. It ties the records together as Ice keeps his anger laser focused on the problems of street life, American inequality and the persistence of racism.

Its a pretty typical affair but very well executed. Lots of heated modern metal with a street spin from Ice's wise words, often throttled with anger! With the excitement still fresh in the air, these songs sound like they may have more legs to last. The production is tight, the guitar solos lively as ever and its wrapped up with one hell of a bonus track! The classic 6 In The Mornin rerecorded with his band. Given how dated and sparse the original is thees days, its quite preferable in metallic form. A mean, solid record, if Body Count keep rolling these out, ill turn up to listen every time!

Rating: 7/10

Friday 18 June 2021

Wampyric Solitude "Darkness, Beloved And Eternal" (2020)

 

This shall be my last Wampyric Solitude record for now. Wedged between Carpathian Melancholy and Spectral Kingdom Of Nocturnal Sorcery, this one seems to be apart from a perceived downwards slump from its lonely yet enchanting origins. Working with shorter compositions again, its escapades resemble that of its inception, brief and strange encounters with a darkness of solitude, lacking any antagonism or fear of another entity. Its opening track deploys gorgeous stoic strings, yearning across the horizon. Scenic in scope and brooding with loneliness, its presence is rather grabbing. This might be the most Vampiric discovery so far.

The following track drifts back with the same strings into the background. Dense drums strike softly in reverberation giving a sense of sequestering. They rise in volume towards the end but ultimately this song feels like an intentional shadow of what came before. Any trajectory this might of entailed feels entirely swept away as the plucked strings of an over-driven guitar ushers in. Its cold and desolate melody repeats over and over, then reinforced by lively drumming and an eventual climax with psychedelic synths. Fantastic, but feels at odds with whats around it.

The next two tracks lean back into the soft rumblings of esoteric conjuring and perpetual solitude. Now bringing in the quiet percussive grooves again, the Noir Jazz vibes take hold and bestow an indulging mood for drizzle and sunless skies. Its use of dreary guitars and warm lumbering bass lines on the last song highlights some fantastic creativity. Its a mix of ideas achieving the same ends but the transition feels somewhat odd. The inclusion of two bonus instrumentals from the previous records was nice too. Those harsh and bleak howls seemed intrusive but hearing the songs without made it seem as if they belonged there all along.

Rating: 6/10

Monday 14 June 2021

Wampyric Solitude "Carpathian Melancholy" (2020)

 

Intrigued by the despairing loneliness found among the deeper carvings on Lost Ages of Darkness, I set my sights on finding another record. Operating under a variety of other monikers, this anonymous musician's other incarnations where all to brash and obvious for my taste. The hazardous machinations of militant percussion and Dungeon Synth failing to evoke the magic its intentions clearly strode for under an awkward and bumbling aesthetic. So I returned to the aptly named Wampyric Solitude to find a different approach to a familiar feeling with a melancholic title all to fitting.

Pivoting from the contained variety of shorter tracks, Carpathian Melancholy lurches into the lengthy as its five tracks, averaging ten minutes each, births its inspiration through long, yearning passageways of brooding unease and distant tension. Minimal in nature, its groaning synths steadily build atmospheres that are ripe in the background, meditative as they sink into the subconscious of a distracted mind. Its opening number, The Night And The Sorrow, can't help but carry a subtle uplift in cloudy gloom that fondly reminds me Brian Eno's An Ending (Ascent). Its starlit astral synth tone, cutting through the reclusive lingering doom.

Each track pivots and this This Sanguine Affliction steers us to the smoky Noir Jazz vibes again as its haunting hi hat plucks at ones sanity with its grounded tempo. The song musters a rise in its conclusion as the eeriness gathers gusto but mostly it is a slow, drawn out affair of mood setting. The title track is the one song to offset this template of slow, methodical brooding. Its sorrowful opening strings suddenly pivot past the mid point, erupting with a startling piano, passive drum beat and grave vocals. They wretch in pain, smothered in a predictable reverb, howling despairing lyrics. Eventually some hazy distortion guitar is ushered in. Its tone intriguing but the song is locked into its depressive state, paralyzed in repetition.

I don't feel too strongly about it. Maybe it comes shy of something grander but overall this stretching out of duration made the music serve mood and atmosphere more so than its own spectacle. The softness and subtlety I once praised feels lost in its lengthy nature but still this record has offered another flavor of background music, for focus on other tasks, that I may return to on occasion if inclined.

Rating: 5/10