Kate Tempest "Let Them Eat Chaos" (2016)

Kate Tempest's debut record "Everybody Down" was a refreshing take on Hip Hop music, a blend of Rap, Spoken Word and poetry readings with character arcs that develop across the record as we follow a group of young adults and their struggles in day to day life. "Let Them Eat Chaos" is the follow up which repeats a similar formula, both lyrically and with a similar set of instrumentals, fortunately its for the better. With a refined approach Kate's overarching story shines brighter than before having a little more potency for social awareness and commentary, providing observations and food for thought which culminates with an "epiphany" on the records final track "Tunnel Vision" as the characters struggles related and transcend into global issues with world events and humanities direction facing crisis.

Revolving around seven separated characters from a block of flats, Kate investigates their lives and mindsets which have fallen into the common traps our urbanized society creates for individuals. In between observations Kate jumps into first person, giving us a direct train of thought from some of the characters shes follows. In sync with the instrumentals, Kate's tales drift between quirky, dystopian commentary and deeply moody, serious vibes as she introduces characters and their inner workings through monologue and dialog. It stirs an ever changing landscape as the album continually shifts gears as we drift from one person to the next. Kate creates a rather unbiased portrait of her imaginary characters, however the earnest in her tone creates quite the sympathetic air for her troubled people.

The instrumentals are very similar , "Grubby" even reuses some identical synth sounds. Despite similarity these beats are better built for purpose. Following Kate's direction they often have build up and a better sense of theme rather than jumping straight into the core loop. With this evolution the albums vision is strengthened and Its melodies and sounds within the instrumentals are easier to digest. I appreciated the odd ball nature of the previous effort but "Let Them Eat Chaos" tones down the oddities for a more thematic progression alongside Kate's moving tale following her seven souls. Listening back to her debut Its clear a big step forward.

Favorite Tracks: Ketamine For Breakfest, Pictures On A Screen, Tunnel Vision

Rating: 8/10

Mobb Deep "The Infamous" (1995)

"To all the killers and a hundred dollar billars"! A Classic line from a classic song on a classic record. In 95 the Queensbridge duo Mobb Deep, consisting of Havok and Prodigy, hammered the nail in the coffin on their sophomore record which time has taught us is a fine moment in the history of Hip Hop. Following up on their patchy debut two years earlier the duo took full control over production with a helping hand from Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest. Coming with an inspired set of rhymes their dark and shadowy beats illuminated the pairs lyrics to a level of unrivaled harmony.

Both Havok and Prodigy have clean, concise flows. Likeable, easy to follow and plenty of mind for clever rhymes within conventional flows. Their tones differ and compliment one another as they pass the mic back and forth throughout the tracks. They are both brilliant story tellers, coming with very direct trains of thought as they walk us through the rough and rugged environment they call home. "Temperature's Rising" caught my attention for not only being a story of criminal events but a direct message to a friend locked up, with instructions on what to do. Very real and very direct the two make a point of letting you know they talk the walk they walk unlike the majority of rappers who reflect their environment and the people they know.

When not direct the duo can paint graphic pictures of ghetto life with their vivid word play and violent lyricism which dives into all sorts of drug abuse, crime, conflict and the imminent threat of death. Its an unapologetic picture painted sublimely with words that flow effortlessly. A chemistry oozing with pace and coherence to follow the main tales told through the sixteen songs which span sixty sixty minutes without a second of filler. Quiet the achievement!

Pairing with the lyrical direction, the beats are hauntingly dark, conjuring scenes of streetlamp lit nights in dangerous areas as banging drums lead chilling, eerie samples of guitars and pianos over the deep lurking baselines. Urban, harrowing and unforgiving they set a paranoid stage for their luminous flows to strike. The snare kick grooves are superb, using programed kits a selection of sharp, crisp punching drums that snap, making for banging grooves as they attack fast with minimal decay, even soaked in short reverb they create such a density without the instruments lingering. The result is infectious and repetitious without weakness, as the same sampled drums snap over and over the wild energy of the rappers keeps it feeling fresh through the entirety of the song. For most of the beats they don't go beyond the basic loop, with the occasional dropping of a drum line or sample as the lyrics reach an ample moment. The records best track "Right Back At You", with a momentary exception, is the same six second beat looped for the entire track and with the sublime verses of the duo and their guests its exceptionally banging.

Speaking of guests there's, Nas, Q-Tip featuring as well as Ghostface Killah & Raekwon of the Wu-Tang Clan. This is a 90s wet dream as New York's finest team up to kill it. All the elements lined up for this record and I couldn't list how many cracking lines have never left my mind, one sticks out though "Your crews featherweight, my gunshots will make you levitate"... Goosebumps! I seem to be drawn to picking out old favorites and revisiting this one really filled me with joy, such an incredible record and brilliant insight into a frightening and entirely different world.

Favorite Songs: Eye For A Eye, Temperatures Rising, Up North Trip, Right Back At You, Drink Away The Pain, Shook Ones Part II, Part Over

Rating: 10/10

Lord Lovidicus "Trolldom" (2010)

The cold autumn nights of November are setting in and I find myself under moody skies of shadows, drawn to my favorite records of a darker nature. "Trolldom" is thee quintessential record of Dungeon Synth, a music scene that around seven years ago seemed to spark renewed interest after gathering dust from its early origins linked to Scandinavian Black Metal. Ive waited some time to talk about this one, as time has taught me its the particular type of record you save for the perfect mood, for then its minimalist, amateurish exterior transforms into magic. The forth of fifteen Lord Lovidicus records, "Trolldom" is the pinnacle of the early era when the sound was purist and tracks were performed on a cheap synthesizer keyboard, captured through a microphone and pasted together in an amateurish spirit that forged much of the albums charm.

Its simple and effective recording technique gave it two key aspects that appeal greatly to the ancient, eerie nostalgic sound associated with Dungeon Synth. Aesthetically the low-fidelity charm is achieved instantly, the imperfections and blurriness of the instruments play perfectly into its antique theme, forging an atmosphere of the forgotten, the mysterious unknowable past. The imperfect performances reinforce this, mistimed drums and key strokes left in create a sense of decay, lost to the half life of time, as if these are the remaining glimmers of a world and time lost forever to the cosmos.

This alone couldn't make the record what it is, its low fidelity faces up against a subtle sense of minimalism as many of the songs phase between two to three synth lines with short, simple melodies which play to grander themes. The power of these tunes playing to its vision lets one re-imagine the songs with a lavish folly of instrumentation sounding equally as impressive. In this inspiration Lovidicus taped into the heart of the shrouded, ambiguous imagination for worlds of might and magic lost. Its an idea, a spirit that only captivates a few minds but for those to whom it makes sense too, a world of fantasy awaits behind these odd, strange and wonderful collection of songs.

Most of the songs have a fairly linear progression, moving through each set of melodies and moving to a conclusion. Most of the tracks tend to have a climactic moment where the song stops in its tracks and breaks to a wash of sweeping synths that amplify the mysterious tone of these songs. The instruments mostly comprise of a deep base synth, some emulated string section and a lead instrument like a bell, harp or somewhere between. Alongside them the ever present thud of a tom drum keeps pace with an unappealing tone. Once again its simplistic and stark nature plays into the mystery and in some moments the beats get a little more complex with snares and hi hats. Mostly though its rigid, sharp and some of the cymbal sounds are rather harsh given there is a single sample being played repetitively. If he has one trick up his sleeve its the use of stereo sweeping which doesn't contrast the records tone.

The only vocal element is the occasional samples from what I believe are pre-Jackson LOTR movies. Many of his records have strong ties to that world of fantasy but it is not the focus here. Track names like "Sorcery" and "Merlin's Tower" make no secret of its wizards and magic theme which spark the imagination for other worlds where nature is imbued with unexplained powers that can be manipulated by those who can will it. For me I see moss swept castles surrounded by fog, like on the cover, hidden chambers, secret passageways held under moonlight and secret knowledge hidden behind lock and key in a world gone by. Undoubtedly his strongest record in a discography that offers such a wealth of variety now.

Favorite Tracks: Sorcery, Crystal Caverns, In The Chamber Of Lord Lovidicus, Merlin's Tower

Rating: 9/10

Vince Staples "Summertime '06" (2015)

One of the best verses on Schoolboy Q's underwhelming "Blank Face LP" was the young Vince Staples who drops in mid verse, taking the mic from Q and sparkling with a slick flow of steady rhymes that build ceaselessly on top of one another without a moment for respite. The name caught my ear but it wasn't until a small viral craze took hold around Vince that I got caught in the hype. Unsurprisingly a video of a woman crying over the lyrical content "Hoes need abortions" only served as a platform of promotion for the rapper who I immediately dug, remembering him from the Schoolboy record. "Summertime '06" is Vince's debut record and a reference to the time he started rapping at the age of thirteen nine years earlier. Its technically a double record but with two sides at thirty minutes it plays side to side like a single experience.

As it often goes in Hip Hop music their are two sides in contention. Lets start with the beats, these are mostly dense atmospheric bangers, numbers that pair deep moody, at times, ambiguous layers of samples with crunching drums. With a lack of distinct focal melody much of the magic comes from how they character and fill the space between the drums and bass. The baselines on tracks like "Dopeman" are dominating, sounding menacingly sublime on a sub-woofer that can give volume to such low frequencies. Above them the drums rattle and shuffle away with a variety of pallets that often draw to a percussive, sometimes Latino, edge over traditional kick snare grooves. Together they lean towards the dark-side and flirt with low-fidelity and minimalism on tracks like "Surf". Its a refreshing set of instrumentals that set the stage for Vince to set himself aside from the crowd.

Staple's flow is a chemistry of contrasts, his voice monotone and off key, it gives an odd rigidity to an otherwise liquid flow that oozes from word to word in effortless waves of lines that feel like they have no start or end. Vince just keeps going and going with rarely a pause to catch his breath. Lyrically he's all about story and substance, there's barely a braggadocios or flamboyant moment of ego, he just knuckles down and sticks to the point, painting the picture of his life in a wild world. "Summertime" is a pleasant break to something different where Vince puts on a humble singing voice for a slower, dreamy song.

Watching interviews with him, its clear hes a bright and well articulated young man. A fair amount of that comes through in the music between some of the darker tales. There's no cheap tricks at work, in the beats or the rhymes. It strikes me as a real work of substance and vision with no filler that ill continue to enjoy for much time to come. A must hear for Hip Hop fans who want something progressive and fresh.

Favorite Tracks: Norf Norf, Loca, Dopeman, Jump Off The Roof, Summertime, 3230, Surf, Might Be Wrong

Rating: 7/10

Mayhem "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas" (1994)

Its one of Norwegian Black Metal's most iconic records from the heart of the music scene which had exploded in the revelations of the arson and murder that surrounded key members of the "black circle". Mayhem's founder and lead guitarist Euronymous had pioneered much of the scenes ideas and principles, running a record store and forming the band back in 84 it was a long journey to this record but the bands name is steeped in its inspiration. "Mayhem" is taken from a Venom song, the band who coined the term "Black Metal". It was Euronymous and his cronies who took the evil and satanic imagery from cheese to reality as their actions mirrored the depths of darkness the music would reach. With the suicide of original vocalist "Dead" in 91, "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas" was the subject of many setbacks and delays. Further so when Euronymous was murdered by bassist at the time, Varg Vikerness of Burzum, who's basslines remain on the record, despite drummer Hellhammer stating they were re-recorded as requested by the guitarists parents. It was finally released after the band had officially disbanded in the wake of Euronymous's departure.

Controversies aside the record has remained as a staple in the genres history more so for the quality of the music which undoubtedly is a brilliant execution of a vision so cold, bleak and anti-life it will make you shiver in the wake of its eternal darkness. The records production is merit to amplifying the chemistry the instruments share, dense tonal freezing guitars shred over lurking basslines while Hellhammer's restless drumming gripes blast beats and ceaseless fills sounding like cascading mountings collapsing in a cavernous reverb. His pedals thud and snare rattles in a muted setting fit for the grunt work and the toms, crash cymbals for fills burst open with deep dense reverbs that almost feel like an additional instrument. His tireless pace and constant shuffling of the beats gives every song a rich expansiveness, as if opening another dimension for the music. He's a supremely talented drummer and in this moment his contribution elevates the art to places difficult to measure.

The guitar work is given a helping hand from Hellhammer's constant expanse as Euronymous toys with the dark, grim and bleak. Much of his guitar work could of been a little dull against bland drumming as the droning, colorless tone of the guitar amplifies the darkness in a minimalist nature. They stare into the abyss, with unforgiving tunes to conjure the gravest of images. The iconic "Freezing Moon" shreds the open strings of a guitar between a power chord with the same notes Metallica's "Nothing Else Matters" is played with. The distortion style gives in a chilling vibe fitting of the songs name. Strangely enough the guitars tone has always reminded me of "Ride The Lightning". Maybe it too was recorded through marshal amps. Either way Euronymous vision for the guitar has shaped much of Black Metal to follow and steered into the darkness with a tasteful sense of Metal that makes for many a moshable, head banger riff between its unforgiving moments. His individual riffs are strong but perhaps the best charm comes from their linear arrangement that sees many of the songs continually progressing without much conventional structure.

At the forefront singer Attila Csihar's puts on an operatic marvel of disgust, a tormented performance which will polarize many listeners. For me it clicked from day one, Attila does not sing with convention but twists his voice like a performance art piece. He growls and groans, strains and slurs as the words are drawn from a rhythm into sprawls of forceful feeling spouting from his mouth, performed with gristle and glare. Between its ongoing exploration of vocal range Attila find moment's for convention and occasionally he hits the goosebumps with the sounds of twisted souls escaping torment through his voice. Its stunning in its moments but isn't always a commandeer for your attention. The lyrics, written by Dead who would of performed them in a very different style, are buried deep in nihilism, misanthropy and a view of life drowned in pessimism. Taken too seriously you might find yourself in a rather bleak state of mind.

The record plays through its eight tracks with each providing a spark of magic. The stunning "Life Eternal" walks us through a rather warm bass and guitar melody into a timeless stereo guitar solo that barely cuts through the mix before plunging us into complete darkness with the albums killer mosh riff. "From The Dark Past" has an inspired moment where the second key riff is dissected by abstract guitar noises, the way it holds over the mood for its second play is stunning. "Cursed In Eternity" gives me shivers every time it suddenly bursts into a pummeling blast beat and ferocious guitar riff at its ending. Then there's "Burried By Time And Dust" with its ceaseless blast beat which hammers down through almost the entire song. Lastly "Freezing Moon" has its unnerving lyrics leading into a form of breakdown that hammers a slow a simple two chord riff to eternity. Hellhammer's lively intro to the riff breaks sublimely for Attila to come in over the song.

Time has served this record well. Over twenty years on it sounds fantastic as ever, setting a benchmark that few other record have peaked where imitations have arisen. Although the sound of Black Metal has progressed forwards, records like this were so visionary you can still attribute a lot to them. Although released in 94 when the scene was expanding given the exposure, its music dates back a few years marking it alongside the most significant releases of that era that bridged the gap between its primitive take on evil. For me personally its a deep nostalgic dive into a cold, unforgiving place that is rather exhilarating to visit. A record that demands to be listened to year after year. On a final note, a piece of trivia for you. Varg and Euronymous actually had plans to blow up the same church featured on the album cover the day of the albums original planned release, instead it seems they got into a fatal fight.

 Rating: 10/10

Birocratic "Replaced" (2016)

Following up on the disappointing "Julien Solomita" we have are second Birocratic release of the year and one that marks a distinct move into new territory with the pitch shifting, chopped and re-arranged vocal snippets becoming a thing of the past. With "Replaced" Biro indulges us in summery calming instrumentals echoing touches of Jazz, Soul and feel good music fleshed out with layers of detail for a dense colorful experience. Maybe for the first time the five tracks don't feel like they are here to accommodate rapped rhymes but command our attention as instrumental beats that are gorgeous in their lonesome.

The five fit well together, a summery laid back theme courses through each of the songs which have chilled tempos, while perusing a strong rhythmic presence. Steady kick and snare grooves take a spacious path with many snaps and claps percussive noises lining their path forward. Bass lines swell and strut around them, on "Don't Leave" it goes on the prowl climbing the fret board with style and jamming within its own space. Above the rich backbone lush summery synthesizers shimmer and dazzle with cosmic sounds radiating the space they fill around the lead instruments.

These are no simple constructs but fleshed out ideas dense with chemistry and notation. Each of the songs have a way of breathing in and out, finding the right moments to spark into life as rich layers of music converge. Between these blissful culminations the music can tone itself down, unwind a little and build towards the next passageway where several layers of percussive sounds can be heard firing under the growing layers of synthesizer all charming with their own melodic harmonies, forming a single moment.

The chemistry is astounding, the production lavish and swooning. The distancing from sample led production has landed Biro in a truly creative spot where his vision for these songs is coming together like a treat through a more orchestrated union of instruments, with details like rain, and birds chirping gently lining the tracks. There's little to fault on this record, maybe my only criticism is length. A string of short EPs and halfway records leaves one yearning for a full length record to treasure and if ever its part of Biro's plans to get a proper record released there may have been no better timing than this. These instrumentals are simply killing it with the vibes!

Favorite Tracks: Don't Leave, Slipout, Layback

Rating: 7/10

Alcest "Kodama" (2016)

French Shoegazing band Alcest have made waves in the past from their unique fusion with Black Metal, taking their hazy guitars to bleaker tones and pairing them with shrill screams between harmonious singing. On this record they distance themselves a little from the darker side of their sound and dive further into the introspective sounds of Post-Metal. Like a band that know their craft well, Alcest churn out another handful of enigmatic tracks illuminated by a keen sense of colorful melancholy melodies that weave in and out of their hazy, thick guitars that continually shift the musics pace with varying intensities.

Its a similar affair to 2012's "Les Voyages De L'Âme". With less screaming and darkness the band swim through similar waters which made it less remarkable for me. These songs are gorgeous, full of transitions between smothering guitars and acoustic interludes that fluidly explore the juxtaposition in their sound and to much merit can so swiftly move between gentle melodies to harrowing screams and dense guitar chord shredding with no rigidity. "Je Suis D'allieurs" sounds almost parallel "Nous Sommes L'emeraude" in its opening stages, something that most of this record does, echo moments from a previous record.

Its a strange criticism of a band you enjoy when they do the same thing, personally I think progression is important for musicians, hearing the same thing over and over rarely works. "Untouched" and "Notre Sang Et Nos Pensées" steer further towards spacious Post-Metal sounds, which give some freshness to the record. The records shortest "Oynx" hums a bleak and hurtful atmosphere of sorrow through heavily narrowed guitar distortions and bass guitar bleeding into one another for a peak into a grave moment of existence. These breaks from the norm where exciting in an otherwise predictable, yet truly serene listening experience.

Favorite Tracks: Kodama, Onyx

Rating: 6/10

Meshuggah "The Violent Sleep Of Reason" (2016)

When Meshuggah makes music its time to pay attention, the Swedish Metal band are distinguished as the creators of the Djent guitar sound and single handedly expanding the horizon of extreme music with their elasticated polyrhythmic guitar playing and punishing guitar style. They have been a massive influence on a new generation of bands and with each record they seem to continue on a successful path. As genius as they are, Ive never considered them to much of an "album experience" band but the sort ill cherry pick songs from their catalog. 2008s "Obzen" was the last I fully enjoyed but even that beast took years to make sense of which can often be the case with their abrasive music.

With "The Violent Sleep Of Reason" the band have once again deconstructed their sound and reassembled it into a new craft that's hard to love and as always, pushing the intensity wherever it can. To make generalizations it feels as if the elasticity and momentum they once focused around has been contracted into smaller grooves as each song pummels through shorter mechanical riffs looping into abstraction. Its mostly not very charming, rigid and continually vicious but with repetition comes reward and as you become accustom to its nature the songs creak open. In this tone the aggression works but breaking to lengthy elasticated grooves like on "By The Ton" seem somewhat displaced and further elongated.

Putting my faith in the band, I can say these songs have only grown on me from a point of initial disappointment. It just has me wondering if these musical geniuses have misfired into the mundane or reached another plateau that's hard to comprehend. One things for sure Jens's vocals have become rather tiresome, his monotone, forceful screams where once fresh and exciting but they have stagnated over time. They sound as sharp and ripe as ever but its become entirely predictable and feels mostly like a distraction from the guitar and drum work. The guitars don't particularly reach a new heavy with the Djent tone but do take things a step further on the lead guitar front by abstracting inclusions of spontaneous guitar solo's and backing the rhythm with a little color in places. Some of the solo's are a little more conventional for the band and feel like a throwback to the 90s.

With many listens I certainly haven't unlocked its secrets but I am done with it for now, this has been a piece of work but as I write these words I'm confident It will grow on me with time. On a final note the band opted for a live performance recording and its very noticeable but hardly restricting of what the music can accomplish. If anything the rawness of it all can be appreciated as a factor contributing to the overall intensity. Its another whirlwind of spiraling aggression that has once again provided an intense challenge for listeners.

Favorite Tracks: Monstrocity, Ivory Tower, Nonstrum

Rating: 6/10

Darkthrone "Arctic Thunder" (2016)

Still going strong on their twenty five year career, Darkthrone duo Fenriz and Nocturno Culto churn out their sixteenth record to date. Its been a long time since the unholy trinity and the bands sound has not stagnated, always changing it up while retaining their core. In recent years they steered away from Black Metal and towards more traditional Heavy Metal sounds with a touch of Punk attitude in the mix. Its been a while since I last tuned in and so its lineage is fuzzy to me, as a whole it is typically Darkthrone in its construct but the tone has a blacker font than I expected.

The bands approach is static from start to end, very singular and riff driven songs, the distortion guitars set the path and drums follow it. The chemistry of the two holds up well for it to maintain a modest level of interest, even as the guitars drag through riff after riff the percussion spices it up and reinforces its tone. The third aspect are the vocals, shrill raspy and jagged they cut through the atmosphere continually as choppy echoes feedback into the distance, dropping in with a standard dose of lyrics where it suits to do so.

There's little surprises or anything out of the ordinary, just a solid set of guitar riffs jammed out across forty minutes. At times they drift into atmospheric chord shredding and in others focus on groove and slower thrash styles that are reminiscent of many older Metal bands, personally it was those moments that felt underwhelming. The thicker, blacker tracks where the chord shredding was prominent had such more noise the songs felt more rounded. Without them, the music is a little bleak, thin and tiresome in repetition. Certainly not something awful but it feels as if the riffs offer little more than whats been heard before. I can only think of one memorable moment where "Deep Lake Tresspass" culminates with a breakdown and short guitar lead or solo. Apart from that it was mostly forgettable.

Favorite Songs: Burial Bliss, Deep Lake Tresspass

Rating: 4/10

Lord Lovidicus "Book Of Lore Volume II - A Vespera Ad Lucem" (2016)

Following up on 2015's "Book Of Lore Volume I" we have the second installment which has been instantaneously more enjoyable than its predecessor. For reasons difficult to expression, Volume II feels more grounded, rooted and settled in its own ideas. The two are undoubtedly similar but the first record themes felt attached to some Lovidicus's Dungeon Synth roots. "A Vespera Ad Lucem" has a more organic, almsot tropical vibe with gentle bongo like percussion and leisurely tempos letting the atmospheres swell gently under the warm shimmering sun. In its slower pace and medial engagement has the cold and dark nature of the music drifting towards obscurity. The percussion steers to the sounds of a hotter climate and shifts in music are accommodated with the controlled crash of a gong cymbal, its ever so slightly Arabic, maybe Oriental in its subtleties. Human voice synths oozes in and out of focus while harem guitars pluck away gorgeously noninvasive melodies.

It would make for perfect video game music, the sort you could see yourself grinding the sewers and deserts of Diablo's act II too. Its vivid yet never overpowering and its easy pace makes for effortless listening. The record itself is rather uneventful, the shifts in melody, the passageways of music so gracefully move from one to the next you may not even notice it, if not for "Ad Maiorem Iovis Gloriam"s organ solo providing a break in tone at the middle of the record. Its a rich craft of simplistic and subtlety executed in unremarkable fashion that's of the moment. When your listening your away with it but there are no melodies or tricks to get stuck in your head. Lovidicus steps into new territory seemingly without changing his craft and the result is lush song of the shades in retreat from the baking sun of desert oasis's.

Rating: 7/10

Korn "The Serenity Of Suffering" (2016)

To understand the significance of this record one must be accustomed with Korn's fall from grace, an unfortunately abysmal output since the departure of iconic guitarist Head in 2005. His return eight years later brought about a fair release with 2013's "The Paradigm Shift" but this record marks what many may of thought not possible, a genuine return to form that rests between the monstrous wall of sound aesthetic of "Untouchables" and the rawer attitude of "Taker A look In The Mirror". If Korn had been pumping this sound out for the last ten years this record really wouldn't of made any waves with me because in reality its that far gone. Their major contributions to music happened around the turn of the millennium and the Nu Metal sound isn't whats pushing boundaries anymore. With such an absence of quality its a real treat to get back a band who's polarizing identity makes most people either love or hate what they are about.

There's nothing ground breaking here, Korn are busting out the simple verse chorus song structures, dropped chord riffs and Jon Davis is still singing about his teenage angst pains. The real surprise is in how well it all comes together. JD is simply infectious with his passion and harmonious singing, the lyrics may be the usual rhetoric of emotional pain and self loathing but he elevates every moment with a performance reminiscent of his youthful days, spanning many of the tones hes done before in new and imaginative ways as well as pushing his demonic screams to new depths. In its simplicity I found myself quickly picking up the words, singing along, something I do very rarely with new music. The only disappointment on the vocal front was a feature from Corey Taylor of Slipknot. Ive always found collaborations in Metal to bit a little lackluster.

Behind him a sonic assault vehicle of slamming, grooving brutality emanates between the three guitarists. Bassist Fieldy's slapped guitar rattle isn't as prominent but the low growl of his base can be heard throughout with a powerful density considering the competition from the down tuned seven strings. Head's riffs are illuminated by the records sublime production, giving them a ground shaking wake when he pummels out the icon Korn grooves. Monkey's high pitched, shrill guitar noises and melodies, which are a staple mark of their sound, find themselves a little downplayed. Rarely the lead they are often complimentary to the rhythm guitar with short bursts of chords in between or playing a more atmospheric role. The balance serves the records tone but it would of been nice to hear something a little more driven by those oddball melodies the duo conjure, in its counterpart each song has its break out which re-writes the "heavy" that Korn can go too. With them Ray Luzier does a terrific job hammering down on a thunderous kit and shows a great understanding in the heavy moments however it the lighter breaks there is a distinct lack of variety one might of expected from former drummer David Silevria.

The record is solid from start to end, there isn't a weak a link in the track listing and across them all Korn delivery almost everything you'd love to hear. Its refreshing and exciting to hear them find what has been absent all this time. The records production deserves much merit for its successes. The wall of sound and highly compressed guitars make a dense, sonic experience that's simply gorgeous. In particular songs a light layer of synth drops into the heavy moments too, a very nice touch. At this point the record is still new to me and with each listen I love each song more, unable to pick a favorite, I hope it holds up as its certainly a contended for one of my favorite records this year. The future seems bright now for Korn, if they can keep what worked here going and innovate their sound anything is possible!

Rating: 8/10

Opeth "Sorceress" (2016)

Thinking back over Opeth's lengthy discography the tipping of the scales started with 2008's "Watershed", the last album to include Death Metal vocals and aggressive guitar craft as the band progressed more towards their Progressive Rock roots. Since then their form has been shaky and the movement to a lighter sound hasn't been accompanied by the same greatness once associated with them. That's not to say they have been putting out bad records but having given "Heritage" and "Pale Communion" plenty of time they both have yielded no songs of memorability. This time around Opeth's distinct musical style Akerfeldt's particular voice find a spark that illuminates a couple of tracks that are hard hard to shake off.

A couple of memorable tracks doesn't save it from moments of mediocrity and as the band creep backwards with a slightly more metallic tone, they only encapsulate the energy it can bring in a couple of moments, the denser tone is otherwise is a noisy presence for underwhelming riffs, or is it the other way around? Underwhelming distortion for the gravity of guitar work. In many acoustic moments there is a lack of punch and potency in melody that leads many songs into needless lulls. In counterpart when the guitars are more prominent and Akerfeldt is in his own, the gentle moments can be swooning with soft organ humming under light chord strumming and calming drumming.

For a fan my biggest issue is perhaps the familiarity with the Opeth vibe which has somewhat stagnated from a point just after the turn of the millennium. When wavering between captivating moments and musical lulls what sparks are found feel all to familiar and so the ineffective "heavier" tone feels underwhelming in comparison to whats been achieved before. "Chrysalis" for example could easily of been gritted up with stronger distortion and some bellowing death growls to sound like a song from "Still Life". Instead its hard hitting organs bring the attitude and drag it to lively lead climax which drops out into a colorful, soothing acoustic lead out which again feels underwhelming with a lack of omph from the acoustic guitar tone.

Its a strange record, feeling very close to being smart and brilliant yet its punctuation and aesthetic leaves it hanging precariously between a formula that worked so well for them before and a venture into new territory which yields so little inventiveness. Fortunately there is enough substance for the record to be enjoyed and enjoyable it certainly is, perhaps just a little bitter sweet with a constant feeling that this step back in lineage shouldn't of been a half step. One thing I don't miss is Akerfeldt's death growls. As beastly and demonically gorgeous as they are his whispering vocals and infectious melodies continue to swoon and make highlight of the music.

Favorite Tracks: Sorceress, The Wilde Flowers, Will O The Wisp, Sorceress 2, The Seventh Sojourn

Rating: 6/10

Devin Townsend "Transcendence" (2016)

It seems to be a recurring sentiment that an albums first impressions are misleading and once again I found myself disappointed for an album by an artist I have the greatest of respect for, Devin Townsend, musical genius and all round nice guy. Whatever Devin does I will always been in anticipation of, this his seventeenth record? Is no exception, Its hard to keep track of his unrivaled output. It wasn't until I thought I was done that the magic started to emanate and make sense, rather unusual for an artist I know so well. "Transcendence" is as expected another masterclass of the glorious metallic wall of sound, primed with rich glossy synthesizers, lush distortion guitars and Devin's stunning voice merging into an engulfing magnetized musical force.

Another expected marvel of production value perhaps shadowed the music initially, its far more subdued, of the moment and lengthier in its demeanor than usual. "Epicloud" had fifty minutes over thirteen tracks of pop like Metal smashers where as here we have ten tracks spanning sixty five minutes. The lengthy nature of the songs have the absence of more conventional song structures which can be felt where the instruments hold back from rocking into the forefront with a grooving riff or empowering melody. Instead we have a maturer union of instruments that have equal measures of involvement throughout the record. Even when Devin is singing you'll often hear independent synthesizers, baselines and guitar riffs working in tandem, forming a lush wall of musical power. Its most differentiating moments are the guitar solos, inspiring and moving, the mostly reveal there strength and inspiration with each listen never tiring.

The slow journey into this record has made me see the "cheap thrills" side of Devin's music, perhaps as a hangover from the bombastic, nauseating thrill rides of Strapping Young Lad, Devin's always had a touch of humor in the power of the riff and momentous absurdity of over emphasis. "Transcendence" has next to none of this and in a much maturer frame of mind Devin has crafted some stunning songs which hold over the glorious feeling of epic stature through the records rich, dense aesthetic and the steady craft of layered instrumentation.

Opening with the re-recorded "Truth" from his second solo record "Infinity" the album doesn't start for me until "Stormbending", an atmospheric thunder of dexterous guitar riffs and triumphant climaxing. "Truth" is a brilliant song and a few re-records have made there way onto recent records but as an opener it feels odd being so familiar with it. To be fair, as great as it sounds the original still does the song justice. In an attempted not to babble on for too long, its a very matured and seasoned record, dense and layered with plenty to digest. Every aspect of its production and recording is an eargasmic treat, the music just took me a little longer but I can't see myself putting this one down anytime soon, it will grow even more on me I'm sure of it!

Favorite Songs: Stormbending, Higher, Transcendence, Offer Your Light

Rating: 8/10

Ghost "Popestar" (2016)

Swedish Metal act Ghost should need no introduction but the reality is they are a new, fresh and growing band who have revitalized an old metallic style with a devilish undertone beneath their lush aesthetic. "Popestar" is a five track EP, its name a play on pop-star and the anti-pope image of front man Papa Emiritus. Riding of the back of a Grammy for "Circle" its a good tie over to there next album which could potentially be a big one as they continually expand their reach across the Metal audience. Consisting of one b-side and four covers it may sound like a scraping of content but actually its a fantastic little mini record.

I can't remember when I last enjoyed a collection of covers as much as this, the gorgeous aesthetic of the record paves the path of possibility for harmonica solos, spacial ethereal synths and some of the bands most melodic and "light" songs to date. At most times the Metal element feels far removed and we are left with colorful, bright music, free for melody and harmony to reign supreme through acoustics and Papa Emeritus's glorious voice.

"Square Hammer" Is a typical Ghost track of devil worship between grooving Hard Rock riffs and the oozing thick smoke of the purple organ, It could of fit right into the Meloria record. The covers equally depart from the tone of Ghost and in this moment showcase the versatility of their sound, the final three tracks have an infectious singalong spirit coming from a different musical center. The lyrics have a very pro christian tone and I think the choice to keep them the same rather than swapping names for Beelzebub let the music shroud it in a subversive tone of evil. On "Bible" its even further removed without a heavy guitar chord and thick evil organs slugging away to heavy the tone like on "Missionary Man". It retains the uplifting biblical tone and with one strike of rumbling guitar in the chorus, hides just enough darkness to satisfy.

Its a fantastic mini record, four great songs and one I'm not as fond of. Its another welcome dose of Ghost but makes me excited for the versatility of their sound, I hope the exercise of cover records like this is to test the waters with fans and find more regions to which they can evolve their sound. I'm once again very keen for more from the excellent band, one of Metal's best this decade.

Favorite Songs: Square Hammer, I Believe, Missionary Man, Bible

Rating: 6/10

Erang "Anti Future" (2016)

With a distinctly different album art and futurist themed title, Erang has stepped bravely into new territory as the fantasy driven Dungeon Synth sound takes on a dystopian Sci-Fi angle, attempting to bridge into new territory. Its an effortless transition where the musical sensibilities re-arrange themselves for a shiny pallet of glossy echoing synth leads, chunky robotic baselines and dense atmospheric moogs. Its a vision similar to an 80s future fiction movie soundtrack where technology is paired with smoke, litter and crime. Shady aliens, dark alleyways home to mutants and black market tech riddles the distant cities and planets through Erang's "eerie" or creepy quality which remains firmly intact, painting this futuristic world in mythic stature.

Within its clean and glossy production balanced with measures of timely reverb lies another collection of visual, vivid melodies that carve eternal times and places into the mind. One that stands out is "Time Vision", diving into a dark and harrowing space with spacious execution of sweeping synth and an unsettling melody, echos of misfortune from the fading piano, haunting the listener with its sorrow. The record only steers into this darker phase on its way out and the majority of tracks have a playful touch with the safety of distance from the oddities we encounter in the anti future.

Erang has never been one for progressive music and despite a sharp, memorable record these songs do what many of his do, meander in the moment, dance around a select group of melodies that compliment each other in short expanses. On records like "Our Dreams Are Made Of Dragons" It works brilliantly, beautiful snapshots peering into the beyond but here the tone and atmospheres set in the opening songs makes me feels as if something is just starting, we are about to embark on an adventure. Before you know it the moment passes and the next song musters up a whirl of potential that feels underutilized.

Its a strange dissatisfaction to want more from something you enjoy and something out of your control. There are moments in the record where the blood gets pumping as crisp drum kicks and snares pound a mechanical rhythm with echos of an Industrial sound. It comes to fruition on "2082" where the marching pace is accompanied by a robotic chugging of crisp distortion guitar to much satisfaction. Its a short lived song though, another that visits a singular moment. I love this record for its aesthetic and theme, the melodies are gorgeous as ever but somewhere in there it feels like the stage was set for something grander.

Favorite Songs: The Highway Goes Ever On, Another Zone, The Drunken Maniac, Floating Children, Video Sunset, Time Vision, 2082

Rating: 7/10