Dimmu Borgir "For All Tid" (1995)

Released ten months on from Inn I Evighetens Morke, my Norwegian darlings Dimmu Borgir debut with a peculiar mix of ideas on their full length album. tIn my youth For All Tid charmed me with all its dingy oddities. Many years later, that magic is still present but more so does the amateurish performances and dire production fidelity. It once seemed less like an intentional mystique but now, more like a band with growing pains who managed to land a record deal as Symphonic Black Metal emerges alongside the explosion of attention the scene received over its controversies of the time.

That's not to dismiss the music, Its littered with symphonic magic between some glaring flaws. In my youth I never dissected its offering, just enjoying the odd glum atmosphere and flushes of esoteric melody loosely held together with spurts of aggression. Now I hear a more mixed bag of ideas. Less of a cohesive vision as Dimmu would execute masterfully with every following album from Stormblast and on.

Perhaps it is the opening Det Nye Riket that emphasizes some disparity. Its Korg keyboard driven intro akin to the now established Dungeon Synth. Mostly comprising of power chord and tremelo riffing with varying degrees of symphonic involvement, a couple songs stand apart for feeling off pace with the more common mood. Over Bleknede Blaaner Til Dommedag deploys awful clean vocals. Out of tune, stretched and folkish, me and my friends would always chuckle whenever it burst out. A minute or so later Silenoz howls a ghastly scream out of nowhere. Its loud presence in the mix makes it all seem so haphazard. Even at its worst the songs still have charm.

The two minute Stein is an oddity of snarling darkness countermanded by a fantasy flute melody. Its a glaring reminder that much of the extremity of the band seems more quirky than dark and evil. The following and exceptional Glittertind instrumental, housed by another garish scream erupting loudly out of nowhere, is an upbeat thrust of melody. Its warm mood and fond guitar melodies so opposing to the blast beats that drive it along. Again the band have such a peculiar vision of darkness. Perhaps all that has developed over the years in extreme music since has softened its edges.

The final four songs are class. Homing in on a gloomy chills and a rain drenched atmosphere, the composure of power chord riffs, acoustic strummed chords and eerie synths meet on the back of great songwriting as its structures feel directional and gratifying. I can't help but feel some Doom Metal vibes along the way, perhaps its synth tones reminiscent of The Gathering's classic Always...

This revisiting was heard through its original recording. In my youth I had the Nuclear Blast remaster, a service performed just two years later. Oh boy does that make a huge difference! Everything has more punch and grit, the volume disparities less prominent the harsh vocals have their energy inline with the renewed intensity of the guitars. Had I not thought to listen to the very original No Colors release, these thoughts may have been very different. These songs are invigorated by its remastering and it really serves as the better way to experience the songs. Low fidelity doesn't always work in your favor! For anyone else curious, listening to both is an adventure but I'll leave my heavily bias praise based on the legs the remaster gives it to go. Without it, I'd of knocked this "rating" down a peg or two.

Rating: 8/10

Dimmu Borgir "Inn I Evighetens Morke" (1994)

 

I couldn't count the years since I've gone back to the roots of my eternally adored Dimmu Borgir. Before they became a powerhouse of modern Metal drenched in devilish symphony, the Norwegians had a murky start. You could never have predicted their trajectory from this humble origin but their sophomore effort Stormblast would shine bright before the modernization of Enthrone Darkness Triumphant occurred. Inn I Evighetens Morke is a short, three track EP that kicked things off. I can't do much to defend it other than express my deep attachment to its gloomy nature, which sparked my curious adolescent mind as I discovered the world of Black Metal.

The first song is the unique experience. For a band joining a scene of new found extremities, its opening number broods on a slow tempo. A morbid piano sequence kicks things off. Distortion guitars become a distant haze under the the warm bleeding baseline. Esoteric synths arises, glum acoustic chords cry as they are plucked. The song swiftly lulls into a depressive tone of death and suffering. All achieved without blast beats, screams and other tropes, its an interesting conjuring that rides a little charm of the amateurish production as the instruments muddy together.

Its second half ups the metallic intensity. Shagrath's barely competent drumming barrages one with plenty of tom rolls in shuffling beats. Any attempt at a blast beat get drowned out as the production fails but also masks the shoddy performance. Silenoz howls harsh, higher pitched screams upfront while churning through lively power chord riffs. The eerie synths struggle to punctuate and the whole song lacks the majesty to leave anything remarkable in mind other than its mystic, quirky nature.

The final Raabjorn Speiler Draugheimens Skodde shows class, a curious arrangement of synths and power chords with direction and structure that bring it to a "break down" conclusion. Shagraths drumming is miles better, a tighter performance with more interesting grooves. Again without blast beats the band linger in the Black Metal realm through its symphonic spin off and the harshness of Silenoz's vocals. Otherwise it comes offs as dark and dingy oddity. Of course this song stood the test of time, being re-recorded a couple of times for future records. It is blemished in this incarnation which was a very amateurish start but a fun one for a die hard fan.

Rating: 5/10

Andromida "Voyager" (2018)

By name and title alone one can figure out theme and inspiration, its album cover a further confirmation of cosmic awe and wonder. Hitting play for its fifty minute voyage, one is lured in through a subtle layer of atmospheric synths as glossy pianos and a punchy drum machine ramp up the energy for rhythmic djent guitars to slam in with slabs of momentum. Swiftly do the hall marks of a one man, Progressive Metal project emerge. The lack of any vocal presence, the perfectly sequenced drum patterns and excessively proficient guitar skills. Initially a little shy out the gate, New Worlds fully immerses us in its guitar acrobatics and metallic aggression. Swirls of rapid fret-board tapping and polyrhythmic low note chugs kick into full gear.

Not a record to maintain intensity consistently, the songs navigate an arsenal of rhythmic assault riffs diving into the deep end of djent's obnoxious nature. It does so through many lulls and shifts that pivot from drives of ambitious Metal chops to the soft glowing ambience of its backdrop. Often compromised of serine strings, subtle synths, glitchy electronic noises and an ever present luscious piano melody, it straddles the two opposites with a middle ground led by big guitar chord strumming that unites its elements. It can fluctuate in a moments notices, jumping from the calm persuasive into flurries of powerful guitar led activity with all in between.

Its the lack of a vocal presence making this unironically feel a little less human, more observational, which its fitting to its space theme. The cosmos is a place that often seems still and majestic, yet its reality is a violet concoction of elemental forces. Initially this disparity in consistency felt empty, yet grew to be the records charm as the guitar became its voice and the shifts in density more welcoming with each listen. The whole experience now play like a soundtrack, I can focus on some other task as the magic churns away mighty conjuring in the background with its swells.

Andromida's brilliance is earned through repetition as its cold mechanical inclination, led by the drum machine, steadily gives way to craftily forged songs that hold one in its vision. I'm reminded of the genius Gru, with his timely djent riffs and swirls of luminous melody derived from tapping sequences. Its approach to atmosphere through the current trend of electronic stylings similar to that of Shade Empire. Although similarities with both, the constant twinkle of piano notes and airy symphonic backdrop gives it a real character of its own fir for the universe.

Rating: 7/10

Korn "Requiem" (2022)

 

Approaching thirty years since their formation, the Bakersfield band and Nu Metal pioneers Korn are far beyond the heyday of chart topping platinum records and MTV domination. Navigating a patchy period without guitarist Head, the recent resurgence of form, peaking with The Serenity Of Suffering, has been fun but ultimately struggles to have the impact of their early albums. With The Nothing I wasn't initially excited but then pleasantly surprised. It seems the same thing has happened again as Korn navigate a more toned down, slightly atmospheric take on their iconic sound. This time its without bassist Fieldy who has taken a creative hiatus from the group.

His lack of participation is noteable, that distinct low rumble and rattle of his string slapping technique, usually a hallmark, is missing. Its oddly fitting to where the music leans into mood, tone and aesthetic less on the bombastic side, which his crunchy baselines always helped reinforce. On Requim, Korn seem to of nostalgically reached into the past and plucked the subtler tones and accents of their style. Its reinvigorating them with songs that sway through through swells of distorted guitar melodies and dense resonance as the overall mood and texture becomes its persuasion.

Sure, each song has its meaty riffs and simple, syncopated Nu Metal riffs but they are rarely pushed to the forefront and often flexed back and forth with bustles of overdrive playing out further up the fret board. Ray Luzier suits this style so well as the kick snare grooves take less focus and he contributes to the tone with lots of cymbal grooves and timely drum fills. The theme of subtlety continues on with frontman Jonathan Davis ,who so atypically himself. Somehow he finds a performative presence that gels with his band mates as well as they ever have before.

Lyrically, it hinges on the expected themes of mental health, self loathing and metaphorical demons hes reiterates again with plain language. His vocabulary seems softly expanding this outing but its mostly what you'd expect. Its the performance that grabs me, he straddles a sweet melodic spot in his range and gives a lot of his sung chorus a humming melody to it. His screams and shouts don't dazzle quite the same and hearing some classic scatting again is a crowd pleaser for sure but nothing new.

I step away from Requiem now, after many spins, with a sense that this one will never be dull to pick up and enjoy again. At a shorter thirty two minutes its curation and focus serves it well. I wonder where it would stand if my apatite for Korn were as it was in my youth, if it may rank among the best. With the band still churning a new record out every couple of years, its hard for that impact to be properly felt. With time I'll see how this one feels again at some point in the future.

Rating: 7/10

Zeal And Ardor "Zeal And Ardor" (2022)

 

If Metal has stagnated in recent years, then Zeal & Ardor would be at the forefront of bands exploring new avenues for the genre. This self titled sophomore effort rides the wave of their profound chemistry, an unlikely marriage of anti-christian Black Metal theatrics and the historical struggles of an African American experience housed within its dark relationship with slavery. Clearly mastering both the inspirations and aesthetics Manuel Gagneux has carved for his band, this latest forty four minute effort feels strongly leveraged on a new idea. Frequenting the record are sharp, hard hitting, precise breakdown riffs that levy its personality with thrusts of mean anger as angular guitars jolt fast and choppy riffs, executed with a cold mechanical precision.

The gamble pays off wonderfully as a rather atypical metallic approach exchanges with bluesy Blackgaze and folksy Gospel music with a grim grounding. Its brutal rhythmic force and precision timings play up the fun of obnoxious Metal yet never truly escape the weighty emotions of the burdensome soulful experiences that precede them. If anything they seem to give them a sense of conclusion as a lot of slower paced and gloomy atmospheres are given a fist of fury to punch the listener with.

Its what initially grabbed my attention and with subsequent listens the music between began to open up. A lot of similar ideas and compositions are heard again as on Stranger Fruit and Devil Is Fine. Usually the most interesting chemistries emerge when the light straddles the heavy and the two exchange. Early on in the record I also felt as if I were hearing far more electronic vst experiments. Springy unsettled sounds chiming in on breakdowns and big riffs. Götterdämmerung strikes me as the albums best track, a brilliant exchange of devilish melody, chuggy guitars and chain gang blues. This self titled record is a fine execution of their now established sound but its left me with one of those "time will tell" feelings as to the impression it may leave.

Rating: 8/10

Judas Priest "Ram It Down" (1988)

To compliment yesterdays The Ultimate Sin, a dive into classic Heavy Metal, I thought I'd pick out another personal favorite. Again it comes with a streak of irony. After receiving backlash from fans with the experimental Turbo, Judas Priest decided to give them exactly what they wanted, a run of the mill metallic showdown. Ram It Down is a bastion of fist pumping, head banging Metal anthems navigating a lack of depth as its peaks and valleys do come with some contrast when the album wains in its mid section. When throttling forth with vitality and enthusiasm, it rocks with an infectious spirit. When tempos slow and atmosphere leads, the grooves get somewhat stiff.

Ram It Down's aesthetic rides its rigid and hard hitting backbone as the group chose to deploy an aged drum machine to handle percussion on this outing. The drum sequencing has both charm and limitations as a lot of arrangements are limited to big bass snare groves, which pound away wonderfully. The finesse of drum fills and more intense beats are drastically limited and it shows as any organic dexterity is a rarity. Massive tom drums chime in with large feedback reverbs, a big feature of the 80s sound. I am quite keen on how its utilized, it suits Priest well!

Around the drums hinge bright and brimming overdrive guitars. Loud bold and ambitious, the duo bring a lot of audible clarity to the tight rhythmic chops of classic palm mute chugging and power chord shredding. Behind them the bass guitar pounds away with strength, pulsing hard with power and punch in the rhythm section. Upfront, Rob Halford is a gem as always, gleaming with his ear piercing falsetto, having his finger on the pulse for turning these fine instrumentals into arena Metal anthems.

The music roars out the gate with a string of its best songs. The themes and concepts simply a self realization of their rock star personas as a band. I'm A Rocker and Heavy Metal hit hard on anthemic, sing along feelings fit to steal a live show. Come And Get It speeds on in a similar tone with a cheeky, raunchy spirit metaphorically adjacent to the music. In its best moment the music rips hard. The cover of Johnny B Goode another goosebumps track to flip a Rock n Roll classic into a Heavy Metal riot.

In my mind this could of been a finest hour among others for Priest but sadly the album stalls going into Blood Red Skies and never quite recovers. That's not to say its a bad song but the pivot to focus on atmosphere driven by its repetitive drums and subtle bass synths doesn't match the faster paced material. Monsters Of Rock best showcases this as the group try to flip the anthemic narrative into a lunging beast of slow moving weight. Its a half to Ram It Down's concept that doesn't quite land but for what they get right I simply adore this record. It gets the adrenaline going fast!

Rating: 8/10

Ozzy Osbourne "The Ultimate Sin" (1986)

 

When it comes to legends of Heavy Metal, can there be anyone more legendary than Ozzy? I'm more familiar with his days in Black Sabbath, having never gone to deep into his solo career. Ironically the one album that did it for me is his least favorite, The Ultimate Sin. Upon release it became a commercial peak for the singer, charting well in the states where he flourished as a lone name. Siting reasons of artistic repetition and staleness, again ironically may also signal the very thing I adore about it most.

 To my mind, the album captures the essence of big theatrical arena filling Heavy Metal the 80s. The big hair, garish outfits stage antics and oldschool lighting rigs fill my imagination. Perhaps I've watched too many classic Ozzy concerts on youtube for my own good. I adore how the record hinges on Osbournes distinct voice, he gives the music a sincere emotional edge over its hard hitting, guitar rocking riot of big power chord riffs and lighting guitar solos, all so nostalgically typical of the times.

Jack E Lee is a phenomenal talent, a prolific guitarist, not just technically with his flashy showmanship and dazzling fretwork but with song structures that respond to Ozzy's direction. Swiftly does the music transition out of head banging mode into emotional surges, with key shifts and deliciously plucked acoustic guitars chords. Its fits so snugly together, a band in unison. Soussan and Castillo are equally competent in the rhythm section, providing a powerful footing for Ozzy and Lee to shine.

This "autopilot" Ozzy describes is probably why track after track is so well written. Rather than look for a new artistic direction they churn out the hits as they know how to make them and boy do they make them well. A few songs get a little cheesy with cliched rock and roll lyrics but a lot of the themes are far more moving and meaningful, including the anti-war song Killer Of Giants, one of my favorites on the record. Its lush opening guitars are simply wonderful. Dark, sleek, steely and covered in reverb.

When it comes to critique, the nostalgic lens tends to distort my perception as I adore the dated production and tropes of the 80s Heavy Metal. That's why I tune in, when wanting to capture the spirit and feeling of that era. This one has it in droves! Writing now reminds me of my Dio exploration. I really have no excuse not to throw a few Ozzy albums into rotation like I never did in the past. I just stuck with this one!

Rating: 8/10

Olivia Rodrigo "Sour" (2021)

 

Being of a different generation, I only became aware of Olivia Rodrigo when the storm of ignorance descended upon Sour and its similarities to music of decades past. Is she reinventing the Punk Pop wheel? Or pinching from Paramore on Good 4 U? Crashing the record open with Brutal and its nod to Elvis Costello, I can see why the accusations flew her way. A lot of people don't understand that everything is a remix, we stand on the shoulders of giants and there is little true "originality" to be found. We're products of our surrounding environments, influence flows through one to the next. All music has its place in the tree of evolving lineage, branches spread, flowers blossom and bloom, looking all so similar yet with their own quirks.

I'm happy the has controversy lured me in. Olivia has a powerful, independent voice, a swaying mix of committal and vulnerability, with a loose grip in timely moments. This generation is growing up on auto-tuned vocals and its physically effecting how young people now sing. I'm more partial to the old ways and no vocal coach but her pitch and temperament seems to straddle the two. Strong notes cruise into crashes of softness and expression so wrapped up in the emotions her words paint bright.

Lyrically, a passing glance could simply dismiss these topics of high school love, heartbreaks and teenage toils as typical and naive yet despite the surface, something about how she picks apart her feelings seems so raw and direct. Its clear shes been through an awful break up, laying out both the bad and ugly alongside her righteous reactions, circling back to different aspects of the experience on multiple tracks. Her words weave brief insights in their bluntness, creating a remarkable impression what could seem like an atypical song. Of course her singing spearheads it all with these surges of vulnerability as she opens up an extraordinary range and delivery.

The introspection seems almost unintentional, as if she stumbles onto the pulse without reflective intent. Later in the record, Jealousy Jealousy highlights the thought and craft in her lyrics, narrating the difficult navigations of a generation growing up with social media exacerbating the thief of joy, comparison. The lightly shouted conclusion has a fantastic flow to it, kicking up a breezy gusto and riding it out. Creativity flows effortlessly it seems and her singing style is front and center of it all.

Her partnership with Dan Nigro, writing and production, seems like a perfect fit. Song structures are apt with piano chord melodies a frequent source of warmth. Much of the music comes with a lofty ambience, a sense of scale as songs drift dreamily with swells of lush and gentle sound amounting. All the instruments are orchestrated to grow and croon softly with power and persuasion. Giving it a keen ear one can hear layers of quiet instruments at work, led by minimalist percussion that's timely with a pallet beyond the basics. Its a fine footing for inspirations that much of the record holds in these loose, fluid and shapeless moments, only be suddenly snapped into place by an occasional upbeat Pop song like the successful hit Good 4 U.

I struggle to find the right words, the resonance between voice and instrumental is just fascinating yet so simple. Sour has a wonderful and curious chemistry, an individual set in the center who's got a seemingly typical, yet deeply rousing self expression to offer. Its much gentler than its big tracks suggest and the personal story embedded is moving. Its a shame people get all riled up by similarities. There is much to miss out on here! One I spotted myself was 1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back. It has a vibe keenly reminding me of Regina Spektor! Anyway, Sour is a fantastic album, can't wait to see where she goes from here!

Rating: 8/10

Napalm Death "Resentment is Always Seismic" (2022)

As the uncompromising titans of extreme music, now spanning five decades of music, news of a Napalm Death will always have me excitable. One can rely on them for quality, their fervor and tenacity an enduring quality continuing to yield fantastic releases to this day. Somewhat alike Apex Predator, I came off this thirty minute EP a fraction lukewarm. If its a maelstrom of ferocious aggression or uneasy atmospheres of burden and disgust, Napalm deliver swiftly. Navigating around a couple of cover tracks the following songs don't quite deliver the edge of its opening numbers.

Kicking off with Narcissus we steadily drift, steamrolling without breaks, a runaway train accelerating steadily and perpetuating the madness of its dizzying speeds. Riotous power chord riff machinations and pummeling blast beats flex of the groovy interchanges, culminating in a stomping conclusion. The pace evaporates immediately as Resentment Always Simmers takes a brooding stroll into the darkness with its stripped down percussion and tremolo guitar lick churning away at the dissatisfaction.

The following original songs lurk in the shadows of the ideas explored here. The choppy assault of Harris's frenetic power chord splaying, Barney's "osculating larynx" and the powerhouse rhythm section never quite scale these peaks again. People Pie is an interesting cover, mostly its lyrical proposition of animals eating humans provides food for thought in a disturbing atmosphere led by massive rumbling basslines of might and gristly texture. Don't Need It stands out for its blitz Thrash Metal guitar chops, wild unruly Slayer akin guitar solo and screechy vocals.

The closing title track too, a Burial Dirge of haunting vocals, unwelcome synths and heavy gloom makes its mark too. The key take away for me was how the covers stood out as the other songs circled similar ideas to that of the opening. With a lot of albums circling the thirty minute mark these days I can see why this is actually labeled an EP, perhaps in the bands mind not reaching the threshold of quality reserved for full lengths. Either way, its always fantastic to tune in with Napalm and hear what they are up to! Resentment is Always Seismic offers up interesting ideas worth your attention.

Rating: 6/10

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

Pop Will Eat Itself "Dos Dedos Mis Amigos" (1994)

This has been a wonderful "of the era" journey, now arriving at its final destination. Although it makes sense, I didn't expect them to land on an Industrial Rock tangent. Reshaping the 90s genre blending style, Pop Will Eat Itself build their eclectic on the backbone of rumbling baselines, cold distortion guitars and a mechanical percussive might. With a colorful infusion of electronic tones it otherwise sticks close to an Industrial blueprint. All except Familus Horribilus, a soap box statement shouted through megaphone raps with the Beastie Boys scent. They take aim at the royal family with political commentaries on the families affairs of the time, naming names and airing grievances at heritage and tax burdens. The instrumental is a fun surge of jive and warmth among a cold, metallic tinged record of subtle rhythmic forces.

Across its eleven tracks the music comes in various shades of intensity and experimentation with some detour into more sample oriented percussive tracks with break loops and the like. Everything's Cool has an obvious riff inspiration from Ministry's classic Thieves. Most remarkable is the opening Ich Bin Ein Auslander. Predating Rammstein by a year, its deployment of the German language and a stomping Kashmir alike riff seems like some bizarre foreshadowing of the Neue Deutsche Härte sound. Surely its just an odd coincidence right?

Either way Dos Dedos Mis Amigos is a decent record if your into the Industrial Rock sound. Nothing exception though, a couple of better songs with a few mediocre cuts too. Its undoubtedly the most consistent in tone, funneled through a production that struggles in patches with its layering of sounds. Which is notably less dense this time around, relying more on the drive of its mechanical rhythms and sharp distortion guitars. I'm aware the band reunited for another record but I'll put a pin in that for now.

Rating: 6/10

Arsis "A Diamond For Disease" (2005)

 

Here we have a phenomenal three track record, a thirteen minute title track epic accompanied by two other shorter and decent songs. I'm also shocked to learn this EP followed their debut release the year prior. Rather impressive for a band in there infancy, this song is a marvel that holds up well a decade and a half later. Notably the production also stands strong, it bold snappy aesthetic holding together a cacophony of dexterous drumming, littered with technical fills, choppy pedal rhythms and blast beats. Alongside, the guitars have brimming tones of dense aggression constantly in tandem with roaring lead guitars injecting their slew of blazing rapturous melodies.

Taking a page out of the Carcass playbook, Arsis bring forth a ferocious yet classic Melodic Death Metal sound, infused with a Technical edge led by the snarling serpent screams of James Malone who does not shy away from the inspirations of Jeff Walker. The song writing and execution is pure class, overshadowing any murmurs of imitation as Arsis step into the genre boldly with an arsenal of ideas and refreshing passion.

A Diamond For Disease is a wild ride of high octane action! Its title track assaulting on many fronts as it navigates several passages of busy instrumentation creating moments of uplift and madness as its endless fire of lead guitar licks bounces from bright melody to dizzying swirls of diminished notation. Behind it chug away fast paced stomps of grooves and complimenting power chords. The breakout of luminous classic Heavy Metal riffs reminiscent of Ozzy Osbourne's The Ultimate Sin era, a keen moment I adored. Its a moment of refreshment between some seriously layered chops of brutality. It can be a task to keep up with how much is going on instrumentally.

This is of course a good thing. The musicianship is marvelous both for technicality and inspiration. The following song lets up on the density, going for more groove and melody at an easier pace to follow. The third follows on getting a little harder on the drums. Both are decent tracks but that thirteen minute epic is one to remember!

Rating: 7/10

Lords Of Acid "Lust" (1991)

 

Deep into an obscure spotify playlist, I Sit On Acid immediately caught my attention with its sexually provocative intro leading into a obnoxious romp of darkly astral synths and hypnotic driving rhythms. I'd read up on the Belgium group Lords Of Acid many moons ago. Back then, they never sparked my interest but with my current pursuit of new sounds, this aggressive Electro-Industrial adjacent take on House and Dance known as New Beat has been a fascinating experience, if not a crass one.

The crude sexual themes and controversy it probably stirred at the time are little more than a smirking gloss on the music to give it another feisty edge. The instrumentals already do the heavy lifting here. What I've discovered is powerful and dense. Hard hitting saw waves and buzzing synths sound far more intense and aggressive than anything I've heard for this era before. Bold obnoxious keys are crammed in layers, squeezed between the relentless punching percussion with its classic Dance hi-hats. This is classic club and rave music for drugs and much more no doubt.

These harsh aesthetics make for a mini cacophony of attitude with decadent melodies and mean bass lines being rotated into focus. Nestled in are samples and fantastic yet cliche early 90s singing from Jade 4U. If you've spent any time with this era you'll hear too many tones and samples to count. There is obviously some keyboards, sample packs and software of the time that were heavily used and done to great effect!

 At sixty minutes it can test ones own tolerance, the jagged nature of the music feels incessant if not your primary cup of tea. I'm mostly blown away by how dark and dirty this music is for the year of its release. Its another missing piece in the musical puzzle. Of the praises I preach, I mostly talk to a handful of songs like I Sit On Acid that nail the vibes. Other songs struggle to land on such enthralling soundscapes, the track Hey Ho! being an oddity as it fails to incorporate Disney's seven dwarfs thematically. Overall Lust has got mediocrity with a few sparkly gems poking out between.

As for its crude nature it mostly feels harmless and fun, tongue in cheek for fun yet the self evident theme on closing track "I Must Increase My Bust" is contentious when it comes to self image and the damaging effects of comparison with others. Apart from that one blemish, this record has been a grooving blast! Such a niche discovery.

Rating: 6/10

Dark Sky "Othona" (2017)

 

My resistance to the algorithm was foolish! Once again I've been served up a fantastic electronic artist delving into the Ambient, Ethereal, Downtempo vibes that I just adore! Othona is a soothing record of deceptive simplicity and meditation, a series of soft synth resonances exploring unraveling energies. Gently gathering its gusto, these surges of groove and melody flourish out of the soothing states, morphing into animated flashes of color, sometimes in passive friction with its slight dissonance.

These tones and aesthetics achieved through configuration of saw waves and synth osculations, seem to always carry a slight unease. Its as if something is always marginally out of tune yet also fostered by the other instruments, at a distance. The vision and inspiration at play is clear and thus births a sweet magic from this careful curation of the subtle dissonance. Its brilliantly handled, steered to a warm place.

Othona's array of buzzing synths aren't the soul focus! Across this record, the pace holding percussion often morphs into classic House and Dance beats with deep pumping bass and tight shuffling grooves. Its always a gentle process, as much of the music incrementally grows through the motions, so do the percussive lines. It allows these songs to be in a consistent state of evolution, moving us from calming serine meditative soundscapes into easy crooning Downtempo drives of flow.

I'm impressed at how this record comes together. Song after song holds my attention with a soothing nature. I could drawn attention to some similarities in style with other artists but I really think Dark Sky holds their own for the most part. Just one song, Angels, could hold a candle to Brian Eno's legendary An Ending (Ascent), as quite the comparable vibes emanate. This one is worth checking out if you're even mildly curious from my words. The mood it educes is worth it alone. Great Stuff!

Rating: 7/10

Pop Will Eat Itself "The Looks Or The Lifestyle" (1993)

 

I think I've developed a mildly amusing "love hate relationship" with Pop Will Eat Itself! I'm undoubtedly leaning on the love side however their "of the era" occasionally sours. It often depends on the mood. This Is The Day struck the perfect stride of nostalgia, a wild crossover that nailed early Hip Hop and the shape of Metal at the time. Since then, they have not stuck in one place stylistically. Its been hit and miss, The Looks Or The Lifestyle seems like a response to the emergence of Grunge as an update in band chemistry has prominent distortion guitars on almost every track of the album.

Continuing on with the 90s Dance and Electronic scene sounds, the group find a more consistent fusion with grungy guitars, lively percussive breaks and an injection of electronic instruments reflecting the era. Its bold and unabashedly 90s, often a little cringe in its early shout raps, the British accents sung strong. The record rolls out with a strong string of tracks, pumping drums charge forth, a wall of samples and synths thrive between dynamic guitars and powerful baselines. It leads into their most popular charting song, known as Get The Girl! Kill The Baddies!

Performed by stabbing melodic drum synths hits, its main melody is a turn off in an otherwise decent track. I think its theme that births it success, essentially riffing on tropes from the perspectives of a movie character. The album starts to diversify after. Guitar tones get shaken up. The sampling and synths reach into new territory, arriving at Urban Futuristic. Its a hard hitting mash up of early Drum n Bass, Thrash Metal and bizarre cheesy synth tones. What it lacks for in classic it makes up for in ambition!

Its this string of gutsy tracks, fun experimentation and bold crossovers that get the thumbs up from me. After them, the final four cuts stagnate in quality, drifting into the tired and dated. It feels intentional that the best material is front loaded. Left a little soured, they exaggerate the cheese its great songwriting diverted early on. With just one record left before their split in 1996, it will be a sound place to conclude the journey having been fed to full on this reflective nostalgia exploration.

Rating: 6/10