Erang "The Kingdom Is Ours" (2024)

 

 Now over twenty albums deep, one might suspect familiarity to dominate first impressions. What awaits within, is quite a humbling surprise. Wonderment and novelty return as Erang unites the Dungeon Synth scene on a gallant stride to glory. The Kingdom Is Ours plays as a love letter to the shared passions among his peers. Its title reflects a unity tied into the realms of imagination led kingdom lore.

Pulling in both legends Mortiis, Depressive Silence, Jim Kirkwood and contemporaries into the fold, nine of its thirteen songs play in collaboration with a fondness, steady paced and endearing. Together, the spooky realms meander by in a stiff nostalgic peculiarity, a whimsical stroll through ancient fantasy melodies of shadow and wonder.

Acting alone, Erang's solo efforts feel expectant. Yet Heroes takes a bold stride upon a scenic frenzy of bellowing percussive strikes and gong strikes delivering warring drama. A grabbing moment, bi-polar to the luscious aquatic lullaby of Isles. Its beachy sound design and exotic steely lead synth deliver a melancholic warmth over these endearing and serine plucked acoustic guitars. Its a firm highlight of mine.

The collaborative peak is undoubtedly with Dame Silú de Mordomoire, who flips one of Erang's classically eerily bleak and emotionally morose indulgences on a dime. With her arrival... transformation, a beautifully graven gushing of sorrow unloads. Her deep operatic voice replaces the viola halfway in unleashing a brilliance held within.

Other notable indulgences include moments of scratchy low-fidelity embrace. One with Hedge Wizard, an unraveling of ghostly groans and fiendish shivering guitar leads. The other with Fief, on the albums title track. Its baroque, royal fantasy vibes so expectant yet mutated into a fierce Summoning alike Black Metal stint, lined with drums from the deep, howling screams and Tolken inspired spoken word segments.

This has felt like a special moment in Dungeon Synth, a scene which for me has become tired. As a spark of light in the dark, this union of artists birthed some much needed freshness. Mostly, it played like a love letter to craft and community, a revel in shared creative obscurity. Its been an intriguing moment to celebrate, also introducing me to a handful of new names to investigate!

Rating: 8/10

Hank Trill "Propane Pays The Bills" (2022)

 

 

Parody album? Absolutely! Swaying with chilled southern charm, the soft yet tightly wound voice of mild mannered cartoon character Hank Hill gets bastardized into a reckless drug peddling propane pimp. Flipping this 90s uptight conservative dad into a modern Trap rapper slinging braggadocios rhymes is a barrel of laughs on first exposure. In my case, bringing me to tears. As you might expect, the joke does wear off with time but its particular novelty kept me hooked for longer than expected.

 

The concept of gangster Hank saves this record, otherwise its slowed southern beats and swaggered rhymes would go passed over as mediocre, atypical of the scene. His stature lands so many otherwise weak and obvious plays. Behind the voice, a great impressionist, possibly aided by AI, seems keen on quantity over quality. With another twenty one albums proceeding this, the buck stops here for me but thanks to Spotify's shuffle, a fair hand full of tracks off other records emerge just as amusing.

Its nice to document this for myself and fans of King Of The Hill, I will definitely tune in on occasion for a laugh. Boomhower's indecipherable features are a firm highlight, as is his Rap God cover available on YouTube. My takeaway, however, is a missed opportunity to really refine and laser focus this joke into something unshakable. Instead, its been swiftly played out with a slew of low effort raps. Oh man god damn!

Rating: 6/10

Labyrinthus Stellarum "Vortex Of The Worlds" (2024)

  

Thematically esoteric with astral overtones, this stunning album art strips away any doubts to its lovecraftian cosmic horror influences. Shrill tremolo guitar leads, howling blast beats and elongated screams shrouded in reverb undoubtedly carry all the hallmarks of Atmospheric Black Metal. Tales Of The Void sounds unshakably familiar in design, yet excels with fresh excitement as a Post-Metal delivery of grand, scaling, epic melodies and an exotic symphonic component align for a very memorable listen.

Decent song writing underpins the experience, stellar melodies and a prevailing tunefulness solidifies its catchy ear worming nature. A cacophony of pummeling drums and void descending screams act as sways of intensity and tempo, the ebb and flow, stuttering between tense scenic breaks and descending cosmic eruptions. Together, among dense guitar noise, they guide the musics key component, synths.

Woven deep into the mix, their aesthetic offerings range from unusual and specular, to common and atypical for darkly space themed music. Sparks fly when delving into a mix of bell, woodwind and metallic toned virtual instruments. Foreign for this genre, an unusual fit mostly used to drive home immense cosmic melodies. The aforementioned atypical synths play the subtle role of reinforcing its atmospheric underpinnings.

Another well-earned merit goes to the heathen clean vocals that rise up underneath those howling dirty screams. Its another avenue for one to gorge upon these dazzling melodies they concoct. Initially a ghastly beast of extreme Black Metal, this prevailing tuneful charm becomes the key take-away, a keen triumph for a band in this lane.

 Its only blemish? What seems like programmed drums occasionally amplifies an repetitive drone in its rapid strikes, possibly intentional but definitely sounding stiff in patches. Tales Of The Void is a Stellar record, possibly my favorite Metal record this year? Well worth a spin for fans of extreme music with a crafty focus on melody.

Rating: 8/10

Eminem "Encore" (2004)

 

With rap retirement in mind, Encore represents a bow out from the spotlight before stepping away from the mic. Sadly, it seems the writing was already on the wall, Em returns sounding short on creativity at times, lacking his cutting edge wit, becoming a parody of himself in its patchiest moments. Perhaps this downturn in form has some relation to his decision to step away. With retrospection it would seem so.

No longer working with the Bass Brothers, a noteable shift in tone dominates Encore's beats. Sharp attacks and swift decays shape percussive hits into a minimal spacious frame. Striking on marching militant grooves, many tracks feel stylistically sluggish yet firmly driven. On its best cuts, a newish frontier for the times, yet dull when missing the mark. Split between himself and Dr.Dre, the seasoned pro is more consistent.

Big Weenie has got to be one of the best instrumentals, echoing 2001, yet Em rots the song with a goofy hook and immature lyrics. These would be my main critiques. Leaning on sung raps, sometimes hooks, at other times stretching out in verses, Em doesn't have a charming harmony to make it endearing. Equally, his lyrical substance suffers. Lacking sharpness, blunted delivery of familiar characters and topics spin up again through underwhelming rhymes, unable to bring freshness to his limelight.

The record starts strong, reasonable tracks lead to an unforgettable Like Toy Soldiers. That song always gives me goosebumps, a beautiful anthem built around a tragic story. A downturn follows as relevant topicality slides into a string of obnoxious numbers lacking some much needed intervention with the rapper. Ass Like That's crude accent seems pointlessly offensive. Having spent its capital upfront, only the heartfelt Mockingbird picks up a merit on a dragged out crawl to conclusion.

Back when this was released, I barely took notice having become obsessed with Dimmu Borgir and extreme metal. Lead single Just Loose It, was a total goof then and has aged poorly. Its a keen example of Em sliding in the wrong direction. Returning to Encore revealed some merits but clearly a sensational streak came to its end.

Rating: 5/10

Eminem "The Eminem Show" (2002)

 

At the peak of his popularity, somehow, the teenage me checked out with this record... Getting deeper into Metal and Hip-Hop, I remember being more interested in Metallica and N.W.A. than what was on MTV. The hype was palatable, Without Me was a sensation. I recall hearing it for the first time on a school holiday, kids cramming into a dorm room to hear a copy ripped from Napster. When returning home and purchasing the album, I felt disappointment, leaving it to gather dust after only a handful of spins. With The Death Of Slim Shady out, an appetite for nostalgia has been turning back to these juvenile records I missed out on, Encore and Curtain Call being the others.

White America kicks the show off with a fiery Eminem, possibly at his angriest ever? Spat with gritted teeth, a venomous anthem roars to life, stiring his teenage fans into rebellion aimed at conservative families in disarray over his influential force. The following Business is a track I remember fondly, pivoting from a moody grind to goofy upbeat fun with quirky rhymes painting the Em and Dre as Batman and Robin.

 Getting deeper in, the unfamiliar cuts, Square Dance, Soldier, When The Music Stops, Say What You Say, reveal a dark undercurrent. The records less distinguished songs lean on a savage Eminem upping the anti, finding a nasal tinted amplification of aggression, his cadence flowing vicious and unrelenting, like a Mike Tyson throwing a string of knock-out blows. Ferocious and cutting, Em's mastery of his controversies still finds ground to run on, engaging, witty and sharp yet familiar topicality by now.

Still working with the Bass Brothers, they and Dre rock these beats hard. Instruments are pushed to peaks, bold thudding percussion to rhythmically drive subtle moods and catchy melodies with clarity and space for Em and his guests to shine. Till I Collapse exemplifies this attitude, a sublime instrumental to propel a frenzied Eminem willing off, ascending on the high of his own rhymes. Its beyond impressive, an absolute gem to discover all these years later.

Housing many classics, The Eminem Show falls short of the timeless perfection that came before. Resting on the merits of its star power at times, weak concepts and recycled themes get tired in spots. Edging out at his prime, Em pushes himself hard, reaching new peaks but also a few missed targets along the way. Its a cracking listen. I wonder how attached I'd be, had it clicked in my youth. Age is mysterious like that.

Rating: 8/10

Eminem "The Death Of Slim Shady" (2024)

 

Reviving to supposedly retire his cynical alter ego Slim Shady, the aging rapper takes another stab at resurrecting the glory from his monumental output at the turn of the millennium. Exploring all approaches, Em arrives armed with fresh controversies to spark, simultaneously using Slim as a shield for his lyrical ills. On the sequel to his classic Dr.Dre collaboration Guilty Conscience, the two exchange blows, juvenile insults and even reflective thoughts in a game of passing the blame baton.

It highlights an underlying lack of cohesion. Well past the prime of his controversies, these multiple perspectives shed the record of feeling like the force of nature he once was. We are however treated to some of Em's best rhymes in decades. I'm suspicious of AI involvement. Slim Shady and Marshall Mather's era flows unravel with his youthful tone intact. Ominous at times, its like stepping into a time machine. The vicious track Antichrist unites voices from across his past on a wild ride of crude insults, snarky remarks and plenty of name calling. Impressive but also edgy.

Other highlights include Road Rage's beat switch to land his Juvenile rhyme in homage to a Southern classic. Houdini's fun, reviving his classic formula of recycling songs from the hook outwards. The South Park references and other echos feel a lot like fan service. Outrageous skit tracks, quirky backing voice snaps and uncouth spoken interludes to paint unhinged scenes. Enjoyable but the charm fades swiftly.

One track, Temporary, stands apart. Tender, endearing and vulnerable, Eminem expresses an estranged relationship with his daughter, who became somewhat of a character in the lore of his old records. Despite this sweet emotional out poor, Em's plain flow and underwhelming instrumental sours this brilliant moment, interwoven with humbling recordings between the two when Hailey was just a child. It feels like album closer Somebody Save Me tries to remedy this with a melancholic anthem.

The Death Of Slim Shady is a mixed bag that could of easily been worse. Mostly mediocre but plenty flickers of past brilliance emerge, his guests rise above Em's average bars to spice things up. Still ruminating on old topics, stirring the pot of controversy is simply past his moment in popular culture. Despite that, Em overcomes the lack of thematic relevancy with genuinely entertaining music, despite questionable lyrics at times, its a good listen with some new favorites to add to your lists.

Rating: 6/10

Knocked Loose "Laugh Tracks" (2016)

Entertained yet unimpressed by Pop Culture, this follow up debut album showcases a distinct shift in approach. Illuminating an unhinged magic to blossom fuller on You Won't Go Before You're Supposed To, the Beatdown oriented Hardcore outfit dazzle with tangents and derivatives leaning into the umbrella of Metal sub-genres. Occasionally overt but often subtle, to a seasoned Metalhead, guitar riffs shift gears with metallic thrashings between the onslaught of gritted Hardcore Punk aggression.

 

The band chew through struggling terrain, challenging music to endure. Addictive within its angered outburst, abrasive refrains, aesthetic dissonances drag one along with a touch of chaos. Wading through a swamp of discontent, each track eventually arrives with a gratifying stomp of mosh friendly groove. An awkward balance to achieve but Knocked Loose grasp it with a masterful strangulating grip.

Laugh Tracks plays in constant anticipation of whats to follow, barely lingering in any arrangement for more than four bars, its swiftly navigates non-linear writing promises a romp to follow. I think only Last Words opts out of a throw down as its final palm mute chug diverts expectations as the guitars take on an uglied Black Metal aesthetic. Its swiftly remedied as No Thanks lunges straight into the dance floor chops.

Without sensationalizing their own material, remaining grounded to the frustrated howls of Garris', Knocked Loose offer up a whole work worthy of listening front to back. I've found it hard to pick out a favorite song, This one plays complete, consistent and cunning as something vicious always lies in wait, all the way up to a sudden outburst of menacing, high society pompous laughter at its ending.

Rating: 8/10

Graywave "Dancing In The Dust" (2024)

 

Stepping forth from Rebirth, another six-track EP lands Graywave in their darkest territory yet. Dreary in tone, dismal and bleak, these melancholic songs explore downtrodden sorrows in a stormy, engulfing resonance. Recycling a now familiar formula, each song sways from eerie Shoegazing acoustic melodies into a swell of blissful noise. Euphoric in relief from woe, these eruptions remedy the graven, haunting tunes that proceeded. Both halves play infectious, a gripping concoction.

I've binged lead single Blur Into One beforehand, Its my favorite Graywave song. Jess' spellbinding performance sucks one in along its cathartic descent from dreamy origins. These other tracks fit snugly around it. Cycle's depressive demeanor marks a perilous plunge, a challenging ride as this shadowy beast finds its darkest corner. Dancing In The Dust amps the energy, deploying a rock steady beat to twist tristful tones into a surreal uplift. A derivative on their blueprint that plays luminous and bold.

That experimentation might be a way to move forward. This obvious formula has done wonders so far yet may eventually run its course. Stitched on to the end of Dark Spell plays a distorted, glitching beat. Its reminiscent of New Order's classic Blue Monday. Utterly inconsequential, yet could possibly hint at something afresh to come?

Either way, this works right now and the aesthetic is engrossing. Calmer spells deliver twisted melodies, beautifully intertwined with feedback and shimmering noises. Its heavy halves plunge with devilish bite. Bass rumbling, distortion guitars swelling and possibly some crafty synths amass into lunging sways of delightful yet burdensome bliss. Jess' sorrowed, sailing voice and damaged lyrics tie it all together.

Rating: 7/10

Rina Sawayama "Hold The Girl" (2022)

 

Following up on a smashing debut, Hold The Girl's antidote lays in repetition as first impressions come stiffly poisoned by uncanny familiarity. This is Pop music after all, its broad appeal conjures the best radio has to offer. Admittedly, it took time to flourish into the ear worm monster it has become. Trading in the eclectic ensemble of debut Sawayama, Rina commits to an intoxicated romp of glossy bangers pulling from across the spectrum of popular music's finer offerings. Showing her hand, an obviously play is made for high octane Dance-Pop that also ushers in mild echo's of 80s Synthpop and driving percussive energy of the 90s UK Electronic scene. Along the way were treated to crooning ballads, a touch of Country Pop, R&B and Soft Rock.

Uncanny in nature, lacking originality, yet sparkling with a touch of magic, its Rina who makes the record whole. Track after track delivers stunning performances, soaring vocals, emotions flowing in infectious cadences. An emotional weight grips her lyrics of struggle and expression, entangle in the moment. Your Age hits hard, an anthemic reflection on predatory abuse. A dark undercurrent manifests into a shudder of glitched vocals. It plays beautifully against ascending cries on the tracks chorus hook.

She is simply on fire, as are the instrumentals. Most songs play fleshed out with charisma and craft, leaning hard into the concept at hand. Occasionally flaring up with a Glam Rock guitar solo. Dense and powerful, subtly is not the intended direction. These tunes know themselves well. Some tracks however boarder "plagiarism". Americana inspired Send My Love To John feels all too familiar. Perhaps a victim of is stripped down acoustic simplicity, if I had a broader recall, I feel as if I'd put my finger on it. Quite a few songs do this, however Catch Me In The Air's guitars are blatantly derivative of The Smashing Pumpkins' 1979. Holy is another ghost of the 90s Electronic scene. That Ethereal piano melody over the thumping bass is uncanny.

Despite all this, the record is utterly brilliant. More the half the songs hit like classics and the trailing tracks ain't far behind. Hold The Girl plays with fire. Does it get burnt? Yes but I couldn't care. Perhaps had they been a little less overt with influences, such thoughts could have been avoided. Lastly, I'd like to end on the album's closer, To Be Alive. Such beautiful lyrics, blossoming out of the darkness of youth, warmth emanating from within, a platonic love song of life. Its emotional build, shoegazing blurs, dance pianos along with the lofty choral voices is simply blissful.

Rating: 9/10

$uicideboy$ "New World Depression" (2024)

 

Slick Southern Rap duo $uicideboy$ return afresh. Having built a cult fan base from the ground up, New World Depression marks another benchmark, their highest billboard charting to date! Impressive, but not reflective of the albums substance. Spending weeks with these cuts, Ive felt the sparkle fade gradually. Now accustom with their dreary tuneful sing-raps, slanted Southern cadences and difficult topicality, their routine of snappy beats and weighty rhymes fizzles into just that, a routine.

The closing stretch catches my ear. Covering U.N.L.V's classic Drag Em N Tha River makes for a memorable shift in tone. Stabbing string jabs and a jarring piano riff mixes up the mood. Its proceeded by the records darkest and best track. Us Vs Them ushers in criminal melodies mustering a tone for stealthy mischief as the pair rap devious carefree threats. The Thin Grey Line indulges in a similar mysteria, the beat conjuring conspiratorial vibes for the duo to exchange their sharpest flows.

Mostly dabbling with moody, glum instrumentals, brief moments of insightful lyricism fall between the cracks of boisterous showboating wordplay. Relatable messaging of struggles and drug abuse dull as a result. Previously their words soared. Its either familiarity or the routine I alluded too but New World Depression simply entertains before fading from consciousness. Competent record, but lacking a fresh spark.

Rating: 6/10

Ankor "Embers" (2024)

 

I take no pleasure in negativity. After a good go at this one, due to personal recommendation, I've found little positive to say. Hailing from Spain, Ankor have been at it for over twenty years! This latest iteration finds them splicing bouncy Djent leaning Metal with garish Trance synths with an unsurprising Pop tilt. Singer Jessie Williams occasionally offers up an indulgent softness but mostly soars with power that lacks soul, clean but all too reminiscent of others in the female fronted European Metal scene. Things get uncomfortable when dropping into cheesy spoken half raps. The lyrics are weak and mostly juvenile takes on mental struggle. The harsh screams from Julio Lopez mostly rub me the wrong way too. Not my cup of tea.

Behind the pairs front presence,instrumentals come varied. Not locking in on a distinct style, they flummox between brutal guitar chugs and symphonic surges. Shifts in tone rarely gratify and momentum is often dispelled by the vocal cadences put in front. It makes much of the music forgettable and generic in its stride. Trance Synths bluster loud and bold, crashing in around guitars with a lack of spiritual cohesion. The vibes clash, I imagine enjoyment of such chemistry would be rather niche.

If I can bestow any positivity, a few arrangements catch the ear. The soft vocals on Embers and fair portion of Stereo has engaging passages but they are always squashed between the unremarkable. The arrival of a dance-floor stomp upon its conclusion is a gratifying climax, this record however, was clearly not for me.

Rating: 2/10

Soley "HEX" (2024)

 

Its been a minute since we've heard from Soley. This short movie soundtrack lures us back into her creepy side. The opening theme conspires a soft whirl of 60s sci-fi horror synth with haunting layers eerie voices. It has just enough strangled percussion to muster a Victorian freak show theatrical charm. Powerful but brief. After a stint of tense dark ambience, Entering Of The Witches reignites this flame, a spaghetti western guitar spangle soured by mischievous choral voices floating through limbo. It to is halted by short duration not looking to flesh out the experience into a full song.

Desert is different, starting out a quirky oddity of childlike innocence, colliding with thee obscure. Soley's voice enters tame and gentle, getting lost as atmospheric ambiguities melt into the forefront with cursed shapeless intensities. As crescendo approaches, never arriving, she disappears, only for the cackle of crows to cry through the eerie ether. Her return brings harmony to this restlessness, a powerful resolve.

Nostalgia briefly dabbles in spooky de-tuned piano melodies but ambles back into the shadows swiftly. The nature of this format forces Soley into brief compositions, complimenting the cinema setting. Even with those limitations, flashes of brilliance still arise, a reminder she has much to offer. A craft still strong from chilling inspirations.

Rating: 4/10

Thrown "Extended Pain" (2022)

With Spotify turning me onto the modern Hardcore scene, these German slammers have caught my ear. A no nonsense, straight to the point, meat and bones approach has snappy songs swiftly erupting into frenzies of groovy anger. Roaring riffs, sporadic dissonance and infuriated shouts. These eleven minutes charge head first through spiraling manic intensities. Often, they lead into gratifying beatdowns.

Nothing new but where they excel is aesthetic production. Down tuned guitars froth and revel with a Djent tilted intensity. Dirty obnoxious bass rumbles beneath, adding a gritty texture. Syncopated drums with tight and snappy kicks reinforce the rhythmic drive, pushing much of the music forward on its fist throwing march.

A few cuts of brief atmosphere and layers of dystopian melody spice things up on occasion but their main charm is delivering on that enthralled rage that spews forth unrelenting. A promising debut, it will be interesting to see where they go from this solid introduction. With a string of singles out, looks like another record nearby.

Rating: 5/10

Knocked Loose "Pop Culture" (2014)

 

You Won't Go Before You're Supposed To has become a recent obsession of mine. Its been years since a band has pushed the envelope on the extremes of "heavy" music. Logically its time to do the deep dive, starting with bands first release, a five track EP.

 Entertaining but far from memorable, Pop Culture only has retroactive flickers of a genius yet to unravel. Playing like typical beat-down Hardcore, the group barrel through angered stampedes of syncopated rhythmic assault. All roads lead to Rome, each song finds climax through slam grooves fit for hardcore dancers swinging limbs.

With knowledge of whats to come, one can hear their subtle rejections of typical song structure flow. Taking apt opportunities, linear strings of dissonant riffs often divert from anticipated grooves. Lacking the gravitas to rip up the rule book, they sound off-kilter but yet to evolve into the unhinged beast frothing anger at the mouth.

Aesthetics and production suffer too, dulling their intensity, a amateurish affair typical of debut low budget records. The ending of All My Friends offers a whiff of textured atmospheric chaos to come but its brief. Most of the time, power chord guitars fall into cushioned palm muted distortions that lack teeth for a sharper bite.

Its lyrical themes mostly hinge on conflict with religion, unanswered questions stiring deep unrest. Garris' high pitched shriekish bark is still jarring but yet to encapsulate that livid frustration put forth later. Its clear he and his band mates have much maturing to do but their is no denying the foundations of whats to come were laid here. I'm seeking a tipping point in their evolution! However this didn't win me over.

Rating: 4/10

96 Bitter Beings "Return To Hellview" (2024)

This entry in the journal is less "review" and more of a footnote for myself and any of you reading who are fans of CKY. Former band-mate Deron Miller, also of Foreign Objects, split with the group in 2011, leading him to form 96 Bitter Beings. The project fels like a branch of the same tree, this release enforces that notion with authority.

 

Selecting some of the best tracks from An Ånswer Can Be Found, Infiltrate Destroy Rebuild and one off Volume 2, Deron stamps his mark on these classics, re-recording them in modern glory. The performances are tight, production bold and chunky, instruments don't shy from being heard. He and his band mates really do them justice.

Carrying the energy and charisma of its originals in stride, extra layers of synths can be heard on a few tracks. Occasionally sprucing up some passages with additional harmony, the added creatively is mainly reserved for the end of songs, fills or transitions that get a redesign. Its fun to spot the differences, they don't spoil a thing.

I can't help but feel I might gravitate to these re-recordings when in need of some CKY nostalgia. They are simply really well done and Deron's voice is key to that. His performance glues it all together and gives this project a seal of authenticity.

 

Rating: 7/10