Depeche Mode "Violator" (1990)

 

Hailed by some as a classic, I approached this record with persistence. A turning point came four or so spins in. Suddenly, the brash, jolting instruments began to blossom. Its snappy arrays of waveform synths revealing secrets. The bold, rigid deployment of its punchy melodies and calculated drum patterns birthing emotional resonance from the void they dance above. Violator's aesthetic philosophy leaves a sparse quiet behind the fast attack and decay of its electronic zaps and stiff sampled percussion.

In the drone of its repetition, what I failed to hear was the build up. Songs start minimal and simple, with all components laid bare. Dave Gahan brings in his steely tender voice to take hand and lead along the lyrical narrative with an engulfing persuasion. Under his spell the instrumental broods these emotive swells as the complexity increases. Leaving its simpler crafts in formation, the later arrives toy with organics as dense guitar wails, dawning string sections and abstract electronic.

As I understand it, Voilator was also their debut venture to include guitars. Sometimes performed but mostly sampled, the acoustic tones fit effortlessly to their demeanor. I sensed the commercially exploited Personal Jesus might become an irritation but alas, under repetition I came to appreciate its genius, and union of digital and analog.

The records character lingers mostly on relationships woes, a sadness that permeates loves struggles without conclusion. The tone teases, toying with a curious poise. A soft sadness, melancholy on the horizon, all whilst being dramatically catchy. Its a highly digestible set of Pop tunes, weaving in odd electronic sounds to its tapestry. As the rush increases, so do strange zaps and brash noises. Quite the delight.

Ultimately I can only conclude to agree with its acclaim. Despite lacking the depth time with records offers, my ever growing love of its persuasion is wondrous. In comparison to Black Celebration, Violator stands matured and cunning by a band forging their expressions with sharpened wit and intellect. The underlying emotional rawness heard through voice and instrument is as before. I'm unsure as to why I did not hear it on Music For The Masses? Its earned my attention for a revisit.

Rating: 9/10

Andrew Odd "Life" (2015)

Seeking more of the Random Thoughts magic, Life of five years prior has flickers of a neighboring charm. Its opener, the lengthy, tense Spark, and aimless dreamy closer track, Darkness, both brood on airy tensions of lofty synths, uneventful soundscapes mulling over their own individual moments. The three songs between venture out of cloudy ambiances with pleasantly subdued encroachments of melody. Drifted along by spacious Downtempo grooves, deep baselines hum with mono-tonal force to reinforce its persuasive percussion.

Unlike the cosmic vibes to follow, life rests gently with the beauty of earthly things to inspire its mellow moods. Always calming, the chemistry of instruments soothes through its effortless pace and welcoming tones. Airy synths house spurts of aimless electronic melody as its motions stew on the feeling of each track. Wonderfully crafted, they can probably fit a variety of feelings the listener might have. Its spell is fantastic for focus, a delight to enjoy when tasked for work. Its only flaw is a lack of depth with only two thirds of its thirty three minute stay being the sweet stuff.

Rating: 5/10

En Voice "Hall Of Dreams" (2006)

 

 

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

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

 

Rating: 5/10

Frank Klepacki & The Tiberian Sons "Lay To Waste" (2022)

 

Author of the Command & Conquer music, a keen nostalgic staple from my childhood to present day, Frank Klepacki brought renewed excitement to his classic soundtracks during the games 25th anniversary remastering. Best of all, he united with tribute band The Tiberian Sons, breathing new life into old songs. Hearing them go it alone on The Only Winning Moon was an unexpected pleasure! Have linked up again, these four original songs feel several steps removed from the origins of their collaboration.

Lay To Waste is a mismatch of fun, energetic ideas. Swaying from the meaty Industrial grit of C&Cs assailant glory to gleaming surges of joyous metallic melody, its glossy symphonies and chunky guitars fit aesthetically like a glove. A bold complimenting force, split in direction. The misnomer lies in mood. Mischievous aggressive riffs underwrite uplifting emotive theatrics most prone to fantasy driven VGM.

 Personally, I loved both aspects, yet together a sense of ambivalence prevailed. One can hear Frank's militant ideas blazing along but frequently they meander in tone from war and destruction to might and magic fantasies as strings and tunes take reins from the rhythmic brutality presented beforehand. Its a strange dichotomy that has eased with familiarity and repetitions yet still dominates the directorial feeling. The opening Gun Metal makes a half baked attempt at incorporating explosive sounds to the mix, then its main theme gets handed off through a string of these instrumental pivots.

Its been one of the stranger encounters on this musical journey. I'm left unable to pick a favorite track as every song sways between contrasts. Its the swaying that makes me seasick. Taking the analytic hat off for a moment, its a fun set of songs pounding with energy and vibrant noise. Plenty of twists and turns along the way! A tight curation of ideas not outstaying its welcome. It will be a matter of time to see how often I return to these tracks as I do love to with their previous material.

Rating: 5/10

Megan Thee Stallion "Traumazine" (2022)

 

Roped in by her catchy Thot Shit hook, Megan struck me as a subversively talented artist overcast by the provocative lane she resides in. Sometimes referred to as "stripper rap", the reversal of overt objectification in Hip Hop often leads to bigoted conversations. Brushing that noise aside, there is a lot to enjoy here on her sophomore effort Traumazine, my jumping in point and a strong introduction.

With a lengthy string of tight banging beats, the appeal is strong. Lean aesthetics and slick execution takes on a reflective roll as many of these songs reminisce on classic Hip Hop vibes and beats from years gone by. If you're a keen listener, you'll hear a lot of familiarity. My personal favorite is Not Nice. Stealthy baselines and ambiguous ethereal sounds between the firm percussion give me some serious 2001 vibes.

Fronting the instrumentals with power and confidence, a crisp flow and swift articulation makes for breezy listening when it comes to understanding the topicality. Megan brings fifty plus minutes of focused, narrative driven rhymes. Braggadocios status affirming and showboating aside, a significant substance emerges as legal battles, personal struggles and emotional distress brings depth to her talents.

Although mostly voiced through a fierce, fearless front, a few vulnerable moments let the guard down. These stories tie up many showy sentiments to a human aspect, putting feelings to the exaggerated persona. Its a story of struggle and hustle, often playing out through explicit lyrics. With Traumazine she weaves in the person behind this success game, balancing out the boisterous with meaning and direction.

Although fun, fresh and powerful, its superbly recycled Hip Hop vibes and somewhat saturated topicality have these fifty minutes feeling stretched on each spin. Although lacking obvious weak spots, curation may have aided. Her tone and cadence has its range, explored early on and maintaining pace throughout. The decent consistency holds much of its material on par and leaves one wondering which tracks will survive memory? Its been a fun record but I'm unsure that time will favor its lasting power.

Rating: 6/10

Timewave "Solar System" (2010)

 

This is Timewave, another intriguing project of Andrew Odd's and another realm that feels familiar. As a mash of Progressive House, Downtempo, Trance and 90s Dance, its energetic pulse and throbbing percussion cruises on by with an intensity for the dance floor. Despite the elevated sensations, it maintains a calming atmosphere as slowly sweeping stringed synths sooth these absorbing dips into nighttime club life, where Its astral component is loose, a keen suggestion that fits the character. If not drifting through the endless cosmos, a variety of ideas could provide its theming.

Dizzying arrays of sharp arpeggio electronics whirl in dynamic oscillation, layers of busying electronic aesthetics stacking into a smothering wall of sound. Its dense with foggy atmospheric synths buried behind its tapestry of noises, all cohesively moving in the same direction. Its freeing, often euphoric but the magic is always birthed with the percussion strikes. Deep bass grooves jive at dance-able tempos thrusting along an infectious freedom to move your body. Its the persuasive magic of club music brought to an atmospheric flavor, both rich, uplifting and powerfully magnetic.

For all appraisals aired, I could simply be reveling in a genre of music that often doesn't quite serve the introverted vibes I adore. Its 90 minute construct of ten lengthy tracks also doesn't fit the album experience. Solar System is more of a "tune in and drop out". All its song structures are built on simple cycles of phasing intensities. Slow build ups brood into percussive drives before calming the crowd to charge back in again. Not all its aesthetics and samples land equally, especially in the build ups but once arrival has transpired, it always feels right when the pounding drums swell.

You can just jump right in whenever you want that deep focus, which is another interesting juxtaposition about its energy. Despite rocking a throbbing pulse, its dense aesthetic and liveliness is strangely meditative, locking you into its groove both as foreground and background music. Although I am in the initial excitement stages, its clear I've found something fit for another niche of mine. Andrew Odd is one to watch!

Rating: 7/10

Karl Sanders "Saurian Apocalypse" (2022)

 

Extending his Saurian series into a trilogy, American musician Karl Sanders returns with a sinister chapter for his Egyptology inspired world crafting. Centered around exotic acoustic guitar tones and Middle-Eastern instruments, cultural soundscapes straddling the cinematic and performative arts are forged. The tang of dense strings persist, plucked with vigor, they center the experience, an expressive voice melding soft accents of western groove and melody into the foreign, eastern dialect.

Deep gong strikes, cries of pain, possessive chants and eerie audio disturbances paint a ritualistic world alongside riffs and tunes to guide us on this ancient journey. With the timbre of tribal percussion ever present, only An Altered Saurian Theta State strays with its use of a modern drum kit breaking the spell. Unlike its underwhelming inclusion, the wailing distortion guitar solo feature on Divergence, cries with despair and fear, a drama to further heighten the tensions. A far greater fit in my opinion.

Mask Of Immutable Self Delusion offers respite from the mostly mystic, shadowy mood with uplifting acoustics fondly reminiscent of Humanoid. That calm deludes us to whats in store as the final piece lines up a glum, rainy setting for intense theatrics. The apocalypse arrives, a destructive event leading to a hopeless recital of despair.

Its great voice acting to sum up the albums trajectory. The dark atmosphere, and narration reminded me of Decard Cain and my adventures in the Diablo universe. Karl has forged a very gratifying record here, vividly visual and inspiring. The vigorous guitar performances stave of its ambient potential but perhaps that is its strength, to be engaging whilst forging its mystic, lively and cultural soundscape.

Rating: 7/10

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

Damageplan "New Found Power" (2004)

 

"We are Damageplan and we have a plan for damage". A cheesy pun and awful introduction to this wrangle of young Metalheads who imidiatly turned up the nose. That's all I remember of my friendship groups stance on the Paul brother's then latest band. With the recent enjoyment of Reinventing The Steel, it occurred to me, the late, great Dimebag had more in the arsenal that I was yet to experience.

Uniting with vocalist Patrick Lachman and bassist Bob Zilla, the Paul brothers embraced a then rapidly fading Nu Metal approach to Metal. Although received to lukewarm receptions at the time, age has served it well. New Found Power embraces the cultural accent fondly and injects a smoky southern flair. Vinnie eases off the gas with percussive might focusing on syncopation with his brothers power chord grooves.

As repeated spins made their craft known, it became clear that much of the Pantera persona remains with Dimebag. However, he aptly slows his playing, a shift in tone and easing of pace re-texturing his style, a subtle disguise but the southern steel is still their. His shrill squeals, bouncy bends and slick slides are all among the architecture. Dynamically, he flexes between simplistic Nu Metal alike grooves and lunges of guitar manipulation, fleshing out a soft aesthetic madness to indulge with.

Patrick Lachman does a fine job upfront, a powerful voice, one perhaps singing from the shadows. The likes of Layne Staley, Jason Popson, even Anselmo on occasion and Corey Taylor who features on a track too. Essentially, he brings a fine sound for the times but lacks his own identity. Because of this, much of the record fits the mold without breaking form as its character nails the downtrodden tone of the time.

Damageplan play the sound well but on occasion they drift into another lane. Blink Of An Eye has an unmistakably Korn distinction to its mimsy lead guitar melody. Even though New Found Power lacks a strong distinction, its execution is excellent. Very interesting to hear Dimebag nail another scenes guitar sound so well. There are even dense moments that felt as if a DJ's adding a layer of noise to the mix. Its actually Dimebag wailing on his strings. Glad I checked it out, a fun record for rocking out!

Rating: 7/10

Soulfly "Totem" (2022)

 

 Four years back Ritual failed to make a lasting impression with me. Prior to its release Max had caught my ear again with Cavalera Conspiracy's Pyschosis, a powerhouse of a record. Tuning in once again, I find a lack of distinction for why this should be called Soulfly, in comparison to Max's other projects. Long gone are the bounce riffs and Nu Metal hallmarks that defined the name. All that's left now is the distinctive cultural sounds of its twelfth self-named instrumental track Soulfly XII.

Totem is in essence another fiery sprint of razor-wired metal dashing across the danger fields. Foaming at the mouth with rage, Max roars forever youthful. Intense, ceaseless drums chase along a dense wall of thrashing guitars that pound out beastly riffs. Its a riot of energized aggression. A veteran pulling out the old stunts with renewed vigor and an infectious spirit. Little is new, novel or even surprising but the execution is hounding, throbbing with attitude. A lot of fun when in the mood.

Like with Pyschosis, its the production that raises the bar. These riffs and atypical arrangements could be rather stale in a different environment but the dense, smothering tone simply engulfs all in its path. Max churns through the motions with Death and Thrash riffs leaning on chunky stomps of palm muting and chugging, occasionally drifting into a bouncy groove, although these are always short lived.

Rot In Pain and Ancestors have flashes in the pan textures, hailing Sepultura's Roots record. They are among a string of competent songs firing with firm intentions. Then Soulfly XII offers up its dreamy acoustic flavors and the tone is reset for Spirit Animal. Its the albums best song, soaring in with tribal entanglements and going out on a high as it unravels into a weary mess. Not Max's best output but consistent and fun to spin.

Rating: 7/10

Abstract Void "Wishdream" (2021)

 

 

Venturing further into the union of Synthwave and Black Metal, we find elevated production aesthetics that I'm not entirely sure aids the experience. My main gripe is with the vocals. On Back To Reality they served as an incessant groan, elongated barks of discernible noise. Not as intrusive, Wishdream's strides for clarity has the shouts and blemishes of ambitious drum programming break the illusion on occasion.

Otherwise Its a similar animated experience again with little to comment on in terms of progression and direction, its another seven tracks of nighttime adventure taking periodic plunges into the abyss. Glossy, luminous synths and flickering melodies eventually give way to metallic grooves. Dense distortion guitars are notably reserved, leaving much of the colorful charm with its energetic key arrangements.

 

Each song blazes along with similar arpeggio melodies and sharp synth oscillations. A few keyboard solos give some context to direction but rarely does the attempts to break the mold feel gratifying. Beyond the appeal of this union of opposing style, Abstract Void doesn't quite land on anything deeper with this next chapter, even though there is potential. Wishdream essentially serves as more of the same, fitting for the right mood but rarely breaking ones attention with its ambitions.

 

Rating: 6/10

Pantera "Reinventing The Steel" (2000)

With a so called Pantera union on the mind, my attention naturally wandered to the legendary Texans final output. Reinventing The Steel is the one record I'd never payed close attention too, despite knowing all its songs from parties and good times with friends. Among fans and critics alike it maintains a mixed reputation, one of the reasons I'd rarely give it a spin. If I recall the lore, its creation was born as Phil and the Paul brothers were drifting apart with Anselmo continuing to prioritize side projects.

 Its easy to see why a mixed reception came about, a soft sense of autopilot, or formulaic writing permeates its mood. These songs shuffle out all the Pantera tricks we love in just the way we know. Despite the lack of flash in the pan, a romp of fist pumping, head banging metallic bangers play out with spirit. Phil rocks a plethora of catchy lines and hooks to get stuck in your head and the whole thing plays cohesively through an arsenal of stomping groovy riffs and Dimebag's electrified signature solos.

In a departure from the trajectory The Great Southern Trendkill's offered, the group ease off the gas when it comes to extremity. Hellbound may kick off with dense guitar grinding, pummeling drum beats and the harshest of screams in its chorus but much of what follows leans on smart song writing, putting curated hooks and riffs front and center with Vinnie and Rex housing the wild spurts of catchy, groovy aggression.

Its a real riff fest, Dimebag clearly not slowing on ideas and inspiration as he chews through all iterations of axe grinding. This is however, the first time new ground isn't broken. No surprises are in store as all its components have a link back to prior songs and ideas. Vinnie Paul does stand out with a stiff, hard hitting presence. His unsubtle performances lacking variation in velocity, pounding away like a machine set to max.

This percussive style may also contributes to a somewhat sterile production. All the instruments miss an acoustic ambience. Lacking depth and reverb, a sense of environmental texture is absent. Despite this, the talent of all personal thrives. Although Reinventing The Steel may not have the youthful vitality or spark of urgency its predecessors had, the attitude is still present. This is a matured band, still capable of performing their stunts, something which may of tired had they routinely pumped records out after this but sadly, this would be their final works together.

Rating: 7/10

Tamaryn "Dreaming The Dark" (2019)

  

Embarking on a forth of four records, Tamaryn's linage becomes crystal clear. From her patchy embryonic origins, The Waves roots in Shoegazing noise steadily blossomed. Culminating with an arrival of infectious Synthpop suggestions on Cranekiss, Dreaming The Dark is a natural conclusion. Steered away from ethereal ambiguities and dense guitar textures, this record lands firmly on the catchy synth driven sound of 80s. As a retroactive sound, it embraces all the glories of modern production, carving ear worms with courageous singing and jiving keyboard melodies.

Angels Of Sweat roars out the gate with an empowered stride, setting a striking tone. Soaring vocals scale the octaves, animated with emotion as Tamaryn lends her words to wild hooky inflections. Hard hitting saw waves bustle and punchy percussive rhythms rock to form a united front, executing this fantastic song writing boldly.

As great records do, Dreaming The Dark explores temperament and mood narrowed to nightly vibes. The shadowy allure of melodies shimmering in cold resonance broods. Stiff drum patterns loop, charging vivid synth leads with a subtle curation of hazy steel guitars in the backdrop. Its a key chemistry, chaining Tamaryn's energetic, upbeat presence. Leading her through shrouded, dreamy drifts into darker spaces.

On occasional, this spell is broken. Victim Complex amps up bold synths, jiving hard on a vibe. Her singing explores a multitude of catchy deliveries, the chorus erupting with charisma. The Jealous Kind hits a similar cheery tone while offering a broody plunge between its bright lead melodies. Another song of note, possibly the records best, is Path To Love. Possessing a beautiful instrumental chemistry, a duet with a brief male counterpart gives it another riveting flavor that gels smoothly.

Dreaming The Dark reshapes the best attributes of 80s Synthpop into its glorious dreamy sway. Tamaryn swoons on a high, backed by a contrast of bright, cheerful infection and hazy Ethereal wonder. It hangs in a cunning balance. When locked in by grasp, the record feels reminiscent to the sways of classics like Black Celebration. Yet in its latter half, a couple songs loose pacing, finding a lull. Otherwise this would of been near flawless. One to come back to again in the years to come for sure!

Rating: 8/10

The Color 8 "First Friday" (2018)

  

The second of two picks by this intriguing band has also yielded a sour taste. Unlike Foot On The Gas, First Friday mixes up its raw Rap Metal riffing styles with jam sessions and Smooth Jazz tones. This is no sleek crossover between opposing temperaments but a clash of moods. Songs swing from fiery angered rap verses and gritty guitars to soft and supple melodies swooning in their own ambience.

We On and X gel its ends together awkwardly. Distorted yet bluesy guitars bustle and hustle but to what avail? The record drifts from one idea to the next, lacking focus or concept, with a breezy, mellow mediocrity in its sails. The finer aesthetics emerge in its Jam sessions when its instruments find a groovy cohesion, warm at first but lacking a depth after repetitions. This band had a spark in their best material online but I found none of that here. I think I'll close the door on this one for now.

Rating: 3/10

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