#Genre: Southern/Groove Metal

[k-i-l-l-e-r-b-e-e-6-9]

𝔅𝔩𝔞𝔠𝔨 𝔏𝔞𝔟𝔢𝔩 𝔖𝔬𝔠𝔦𝔢𝔱𝔶 - 𝔅𝔩𝔞𝔠𝔨 𝔓𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔩

[rabbitechoes]

definitely a less eventful week than the last, but still some interesting songs dropped. one of these songs is one of my favorites of the year!!!

to see last week's post, click here!!! also feel free to follow me on rate your music and twitter <3

"SIN MIEDO" - JPEGMAFIA

◇ released: July 15, 2024 ◇ genres: experimental hip hop, hardcore hip hop, rap rock

For the last JPEGMAFIA single, I wrote a long-winded diatribe about how irritated I was with his ongoing antics - I don't feel like doing that for "SIN MIEDO" too. I'm not absolutely in love with this track, but there are some good ideas here. For one, the beat is unreal. He sits comfortably in the upper echelon of experimental hip hop producers. I'm not crazy about Peggy's lyricism on these new singles though, it just feels way too generic for him. Like he's playing into his hallmarks rather than pushing himself further. Anyway, I do like this song! It seems like there's a new album of his on the way so maybe these songs will hit harder in the grand scheme of things, but for now they're just decent.

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"HOODLUMZ" - Denzel Curry feat. PlayThatBoiZay & A$AP Rocky

◇ released: July 16, 2024 ◇ featured on King of the Mischievous South Vol. 2 ◇ genres: trap, southern hip hop

Denzel Curry's new album drops this week and this single "HOODLUMZ" dropped a few days prior. This is another solid cut. Curry seems to be getting back in touch with his roots on this project and he sounds reinvigorated. Not that he ever "fell off" per say, but he just sounds so energized here. PlayThatBoiZay and A$AP Rocky also offer good verses here. Looking forward to listening to and reviewing the full album!

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"I Am Dog Now" - Chat Pile

◇ released: July 16, 2024 ◇ featured on Cool World (not yet released) ◇ genres: noise rock, sludge metal

After bursting onto the scene with their 2022 album God's Country, The Flenser's Chat Pile are gearing up for the follow-up. "I Am Dog Now" is the lead single for their new album Cool World releasing this October. The pieces from the last album are all hear, but everything sounds more claustrophobic. There were moments on God's Country you could seek shelter from, but "I Am Dog Now" offers no such respite. It cranks up the intensity a lot, it's really cool. I'm curious to hear if that's the case for the rest of the album. This is a good single and I'm really looking forward to this new record.

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"Satellite Business 2.0" - Sampha feat. Little Simz

🥇 BEST SONG OF THE MONTH

◇ released: July 16, 2024 ◇ genres: alternative r&b, UK hip hop, neo-soul

Oh, boy. Sampha's masterful sophomore album Lahai was one of my favorite albums from last year and it's only grown on me ever since. Hearing he was going to be releasing this new version of the 1-and-a-half minute "Satellite Business" with Little Simz got me incredibly excited. This is as great as I thought it would be, perhaps even greater. Two of the brightest artists of today firing on all cylinders together. For starters, the production here is immaculate, it sounds otherworldly. Sampha's verses have this funky-ness to them, they just have a strong groove. This isn't one of the Sampha songs you sink into and relax to, this is a banger. The verse from Simz is incredible too, further proof that she's one of the most unique rappers currently active. This is amazing. Please go out of your way to listen to "Satellite Business 2.0." One of the best songs you will hear all year, trust me.

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"In the Night" - Childish Gambino feat. Jorja Smith & Amaaerae

◇ released: July 16, 2024 ◇ featured on Bando Stone & the New World ◇ genres: alternative r&b, alté

The second single for the final Childish Gambino album that drops this week is drastically different than the previous. "In the Night" goes in a more R&B and alté direction which is pleasant, but it never reaches a second gear. Jorja Smith and Amaaerae give the song some extra depth though. I'm curious to hear how many different directions the album goes in and if it'll come together in a coherent way - I'm also curious about the accompanying film itself for that matter. These two tastes we've gotten from Bando Stone & the New World are cool, but nothing extraordinary. By the time this post comes out, I will have probably already formed an opinion on the actual album itself so ... I guess we will see!!!

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"Brush Pile" - Diary

◇ released: July 16, 2024 ◇ featured on Speedboat (not yet released) ◇ genre: indie rock

I came upon this single randomly, I had never heard of Diary before, but "Brush Pile" rocks. Just a confident, sort of throwback indie rock cut that harkens back to the lackadaisical vibe of early 90s Sonic Youth - just significantly less noise rock. Their influences are evident and, while this song is very good, I'm hoping the band can carve out their own sound beyond that. Regardless, Diary seem to have all the right tools and I'll definitely be sure to give their upcoming EP Speedboat a listen.

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"Detective Alice" - Alice Longyu Gao

◇ released: July 17, 2024 ◇ genres: trip hop, pop rap

I was first introduced to Alice Longyu Gao through her abrasive Let's Hope Heteros Fail, Learn, and Retire EP from last year. It was certainly a unique project, but I never found myself revisiting it too much. "Detective Alice" has her popping up on my radar once again and this is fun! Gao sings about using Instagram as a dating app and spying on people's exes. It's tongue in cheek, I do wish it had a bit more substance though.

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"that's what time does" - Oso Oso

◇ released: July 18, 2024 ◇ featured on Life Till Bones (not yet released) ◇ genre: indie rock

New York indie rockers Oso Oso are back with a new album dropping in a few weeks which I was totally unaware of. In high school, I really liked Basking in the Glow for like the span of two weeks or so. It was just what I needed for that time! I just lost track of them since then, but this new single "that's what time does" is a solid track. Their music sounds brighter than I remember, there's a shimmer to it. I'll definitely be sure to check out Life Till Bones, I'll try not to lose track of you next time!

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"Lets Get On Dey Ass" - Lil Yachty

◇ released: July 19, 2024 ◇ genre: trap

Lukewarm off of a middling collab album with James Blake last month, Lil Yachty has returned to old stomping grounds with a trap song - a genre he has talked condescendingly towards ever since his psychedelic rock record Let's Start Here. from early last year. The single's cover art harkens back to some vague 90s rap aesthetics, but the song is nothing like that. This is just Yachty doing trap again, it just kinda rolls along leaving no lasting impression. Made even worse by his aforementioned dismissal of the genre he made a name for himself in. Total snoozer, but I guess it isn't offensively bad.

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"15 MINUTES" - Madison Beer

◇ released: July 19, 2024 ◇ genres: dance pop, slap house

My interactions with Madison Beer's music have been brief outside of checking out her album Life Support back in 2021. I was pretty unimpressed by that album, but "15 MINUTES" kind of impressed me. Mainly due to its transfixing production. It puts in a trance almost. Beer's presence is understated, but not bad. Definitely wish she could've brought a bit more, but this is a solid track. Not enough to get me stoked for a future Madison Beer project, but she's on the right track.

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"into place" - Midrift

◇ released: July 19, 2024 ◇ genre: shoegaze

Midrift is a band of teenagers from California making some pretty decent shoegaze tunes. They've been at this for a couple years, and while I haven't ventured through their other work, it definitely sounds like they've grown confident in this sound. If you're in the mood for some no-frills shoegaze, give "into place" a quick listen. The future seems bright for them - which seems ironic because shoegaze is a bit of a dour genre, but still.

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"Work It Out" - Joe Jonas

◇ released: July 19, 2024 ◇ featured on Music For People Who Believe In Love (not yet released) ◇ genre: pop rock, new wave

Joe Jonas is embarking on his second big solo run with this unremarkable, sanitized brand of pop rock. It's not bad, it just isn't particularly exciting either. I mean ... it's Joe Jonas - I wasn't expecting this to be great. After hearing "Cake By The Ocean" and that one big Jonas Brothers hit from a few years ago literally everywhere, I was expecting something way worse so maybe it's good that this is just bland rather than irritating!

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"Alexander" | "Guitar Song" - Rex Orange County

◇ released: July 19, 2024 ◇ featured on The Alexander Technique (not yet released) ◇ genre: bedroom pop, indie pop

Besides being taken to courts on six counts of sexual assault - in which he was seemingly found innocent - Rex Orange County has had a relatively uneventful last couple of years. I remember around the big Flower Boy boom of the late 2010s it seemed like he was the next big thing. Hell, I used to love his music to death - but then I grew up. Every project I've heard of his since has lead me to one conclusion; I've grown up, but he hasn't. That remains true on these two new singles, the leads to his upcoming album The Alexander Technique. Mopey bedroom pop that's overly earnest and exhausting to my ears now. I don't know, I think I'm just past this. I do think there are some cool parts in the arrangement for "Guitar Song," like the instrumental break for example, but it's not enough to make it super compelling. Can't say I'm too excited about this new record.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ thanks for reading :3

psssst. i made a discord server called COSMIACORD ... if u wanna join and have fun, talk about music, play fortnite, or whatever here's the invite :3 https://discord.gg/rsHMenTU

[x--daughters-of-darkness--x]

The 50 Best Rock + Metal Albums of 2022 (by Loudwire)

Venom Prison, 'Erebos'

Release Date: Feb. 4

Venom Prison are a cocktail of extremity and on Erebos they begin to border on progressive, navigating some really surprising stylistic turns on an album where taking the listener on a journey doesn’t feel like hyperbolic schlock self-hype.

Rather than cramming a a handful of different styles into each track, the U.K. group gives each song here a remarkably strong identity, shifting from adrenalized straightforward death metal to industrial-tinged passages, melodic tremolo picking, bone-snapping grooves, ethereal clean singing and dreamy clean-toned sections.

Erebos is without a doubt Venom Prison’s finest moment yet.

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Dorothy, 'Gifts From the Holy Ghost'

Release Date: April 22

Dorothy’s debut album Rockisdead was badass, fuzzy garage rock from front to back and its follow-up 28 Days in the Valley was a laid-back desert rock trip, but her third and most recent record Gifts From the Holy Ghost is by far her most absolute solid release yet. Her vocals sound as powerful as ever and are crystal clear thanks to the superior production — which still allows the instrumentation to sound authentic and stripped-back.

Dorothy recruited some outside musicians to lend their talents to the album, including former Five Finger Death Punch guitarist Jason Hook, Breaking Benjamin’s Keith Wallen and Trevor Lukather, resulting in a guitar-driven, gut-punching body of work all around. It’s full of swampy riffs for the southern rock fans, high intensity for the alternative fans and, of course, a tearjerker of a ballad for those looking for something a bit more tender. If you haven’t listened to this album yet, get to it.

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Halestorm, 'Back From the Dead'

Release Date: May 6

It’s not a Halestorm album if it doesn’t start off with an absolute powerhouse of a scream from Lzzy Hale, and that’s exactly how their latest sonic journey Back From the Dead begins.

If 2018’s Vicious was the band’s time to experiment with different sounds and take a break from the ordinary, this record is their triumphant return to the mighty sound they’re known and loved for. As usual, the rockers celebrate their beloved genre on songs such as “The Steeple,” and Hale passionately sings about being a unique breed of woman that has a mischievous streak and won’t shut up just because society wants her to (“Wicked Ways,” “Strange Girl” and “Bombshell”).

What sets this album apart from the rest of Halestorm’s discography is that, like most other albums that have come out in the last two years, it was affected by the pandemic — but so much so that Hale actually underwent an existential crisis about whether she even wanted to create rock ’n’ roll anymore.

Of course, her love for the music prevailed, and thanks to that rediscovery, we have a new set of songs from a band that’s been recharged and refreshed.

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Arch Enemy, 'Deceivers'

Release Date: Aug. 12

In the world of metal, Arch Enemy is the gift that keeps on giving. Deceivers is mega hit after mega hit, boasting the full power of an Alissa White-Gluz-fronted Arch Enemy. The guitar work is rip-roaring, the arrangements are built for maximum impact, and White-Gluz’s clean vocals on “Handshake With Hell” are flawlessly executed.

No wonder Deceivers became Arch Enemy’s highest charting album in their home country of Sweden, along with hitting No. 1 in Finland and Switzerland. Angela Gossow’s shoes were once believed to be impossible to fill, but after three incredible albums with Alissa White-Gluz, it’s the former Agonist singer who now seems irreplaceable, and Deceiversmay be her finest work with the band yet.

[whatsonmedia]

7 Unforgettable Music Festivals: Thrilling Events This Week!

Get ready for an unforgettable music festival experience! From Beardfest 2024 to the Eden Sessions and OFFSÓNAR, these festivals offer a diverse range of genres and incredible performances. Join us for a weekend of music and memories with talented artists from various genres. Don't miss out on this extraordinary lineup of festivals that will leave you wanting more! Beardfest 2024 Beardfest 2024 is a three-day celebration of creative energy that aims to inspire the artist within everyone. Taking place in Hammonton, New Jersey from June 13th to June 16th, 2024, this music festival offers attendees the chance to unwind in the beautiful Pinelands Preserve while enjoying a diverse range of music genres. Participants can collaborate on large-scale murals, practice yoga, engage in collaborative music activities, and attend community workshops. Artist Lineup The festival boasts an impressive lineup of artists, including 5AM Trio, ABA Diop Trio, Banshee Tree, Beardspace, Ben Arsenal & Friends, Blendmode, Crickets and Cicadas, Edenspore, Fat Mezz, Gloss, and Heavy Meadow. For more information about the festival, including ticket details and updates on the lineup, please visit the official Beardfest website. Eden Sessions 2024 The Eden Sessions 2024 is a series of live music concerts held at the Eden Project in Bodelva, UK. Scheduled from June 13th to June 16th, 2024, this event showcases world-class artists in a stunning setting. Artist Lineup The lineup for the Eden Sessions 2024 includes Paolo Nutini, JLS, Fatboy Slim, Crowded House, and more. These artists represent a variety of musical styles and are sure to deliver unforgettable performances. The Eden Sessions is an all-ages event, and it is recommended to check the official website for any additional restrictions or guidelines. For ticket information and availability, please visit the official Eden Project website or reputable ticketing platforms. OFFSÓNAR 2024 OFFSÓNAR 2024 is a multi-day party series held in Barcelona, Spain from June 13th to June 16th, 2024. This event takes place at the picturesque Poble Espanyol venue and features a diverse lineup of electronic music artists. Artist Lineup The 2024 artist lineup includes Adriatique, Brunch Electronik, Solid Grooves, Fuse, Keinemusik, and Elrow x OFFSÓNAR. These acts promise to deliver an exceptional experience for electronic music enthusiasts. For more information about OFFSÓNAR 2024, including ticket options and event details, please visit the official website Father's Day Bluegrass Festival 2024 The Father's Day Bluegrass Festival is a premier music event celebrating traditional and contemporary Bluegrass and Old Time music. Held in Grass Valley, California from June 13th to June 16th, 2024, this festival features three stages with over 30 bands, late-night concerts, square-dancing, and round-the-clock jamming in a beautiful pine forest. Artist Lineup The 2024 artist lineup includes Alison Brown, Caltucky, Country Gongbang, Danny Paisley & Southern Grass, Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen, Lonesome River Band, and One Button Suit. For more information about the festival, including ticket availability and updates, please visit the official website. Tailgate N' Tallboys Illinois 2024 Tailgate N' Tallboys Illinois 2024 is a country music festival taking place in Bloomington, Illinois from June 13th to June 16th, 2024. Held at the Bloomington Interstate Center, this festival offers a lineup of popular country music artists. Artist Lineup The 2024 artist lineup includes Austin Snell, Bailey Zimmerman, Ben Chapman, Chase Rice, Clayton Shay, Cody Johnson, Colin Stough, Dipper, DJ Cliffy D, Elle King, and Eric Church. For more information about Tailgate N' Tallboys Illinois 2024, including ticket options, please visit the official website. Download Music Festival 2024 The Download Festival 2024 is the largest rock and metal festival in the UK, held at Donington Park from June 14th to June 16th, 2024. This raucous event showcases legendary genre acts and attracts passionate metal fans. Artist Lineup The 2024 artist lineup includes Billy Talent, Bowling for Soup, Hoobastank, Imminence, Queens of the Stone Age, Royal Blood, The Offspring, and While She Sleeps. For more information about the festival and ticket details, please visit the official website. Frequently Asked Questions - Q: What can I expect at Beardfest? A: Beardfest offers a three-day celebration of creative energy where attendees can enjoy a wide range of music genres, collaborate on large-scale murals, practice yoga, participate in collaborative music activities, and attend community workshops. - Q: Who is performing at Beardfest 2024? A: The 2024 lineup includes artists such as 5AM Trio, ABA Diop Trio, Banshee Tree, Beardspace, Ben Arsenal & Friends, Blendmode, Crickets and Cicadas, Edenspore, Fat Mezz, Gloss, and Heavy Meadow. - Q: Who are some of the artists performing at the Eden Sessions 2024? A: The lineup includes Paolo Nutini, JLS, Fatboy Slim, Crowded House, and more. Please visit the official website for the complete lineup. - Q: What kind of music can I expect at OFFSÓNAR 2024? A: OFFSÓNAR features a diverse lineup of electronic music artists, including Adriatique, Brunch Electronik, Solid Grooves, Fuse, Keinemusik, and Elrow x OFFSÓNAR. - Q: What can I expect at the Father's Day Bluegrass Festival 2024? A: The festival offers three stages with over 30 bands, late-night concerts, square-dancing, and round-the-clock jamming in a beautiful pine forest. For more updates on events and festival visit WhatsOn Read the full article

[savage-kult-of-gorthaur]

NO STRAIGHT MALE WOULD LEAVE THE RECORD STORE WITHOUT THIS IN THEIR PILE -- I SURE AS FUCK DIDN'T.

PIC(S) INFO: Spotlight on the "In the Groove" compilation, a music CD collection featuring mostly U.S. bands of the stoner rock/ stoner metal sub-genre. It was released exclusively on CD by The Music Cartel label in 1999 (as TMC14 CD) and is now out of print.

Anyway, found this comp in the NEBULA section at Amoeba Music some years back, and it remains one of the luckiest finds in my collection. Thick, heavy, groovy, and rockin' sounds all around, a must-have for real heads, desert/stoner rock fiends, and/or HEAVY music aficionados in general. Now, for this review:

REVIEW: "The CD blasts off with Swedish band ROACHPOWDER (they're like a super heavy MONSTER MAGNET) doing "Toxic River." NEBULA -- "Full Throttle" smokes. LEADFOOT -- "Gonna Creep Up On You," is a killer THIN LIZZY cover. Singer sounds a lot like Phil Lynott. ROADSAW -- "Blackout Driver" is solid. sHEAVY has the Ozzy DOOM thing, with "Face In The Mirror." Cleveland, Ohio band RED GIANT, rocks hard with "Quantum Pounder." ACID KING -- "Not Fragile," is a killer cover of the BACHMAN TURNER classic. SIXTY WATT SHAMAN has the southern hard thing going on (similar to DOWN) with "Whiskey Neck." TERRA FIRMA -- has that thick guitar sound on "In Orbit." ALTAMONT gets down and dirty on Peter Green's "Rattlesnake Shake." A few duds on disc, but 10 out of 14 winners ain't bad. I got this new in 1999. If you are into stoner rock -- get this. Rock On!"

-- "EASTRICH2020" (heavy rock enthusiast/reviewer)

Sources: www.discogs.com/release/1787431-Various-In-The-Groove & RYM (Rate Your Music).

[soysaucevictim]

That there @thefreaklovesmusic is my music blog, for newer people.

Just felt like copying the genres info.

Personal Favorites:

big beat

breakcore

dark cabaret

death metal *

electro swing

funk

funk metal

funk rock

glitch hop

horrorcore *

industrial *

industrial metal *

industrial rock *

nerdcore

psychobilly

psytrance

shock rock

steampunk

tango

trip hop

turntablism

General:

alternative metal

alternative rock

anime

cover

disney

drum and bass

edm

electronic

folk

heavy metal

hip hop

hour mix

house

indie pop

indie rock

mashup

metal

musical

new wave

ost

pop

rap

rock

trance

vgm

Other:

a capella

acid crunk

alternative country

baroque pop

bellydance

bluegrass

blues

blues rock

breakbeat

chap hop

chiptune

classical

crunk rock

downtempo

dubstep

experimental

experimental metal

folk metal

folk rock

french house

glam rock

groove metal *

glam rock

grunge

halloween

hard rock

horror

horrorpunk

indonesian rock

jam band

mainstream hardcore

new wave

noise pop

nu metal *

post hardcore *

progressive house

prog rock

psychedelic rock

punk rock

rap metal

reggae

rnb

rockabilly

rock and roll

ska

southern rock

symphonic metal

thrash metal

trance metal

vocaloid

world

*Discretion advised.

[johnerigo-blog]

SIGNS PREYER (Stoner Metal - Italy) - Release official music video for "MY SOLITUDE" #SignsPreyer

SIGNS PREYER (Stoner Metal – Italy) – Release official music video for “MY SOLITUDE” #SignsPreyer

SIGNS PREYER (Stoner Metal – Italy) – Release official music video for “MY SOLITUDE” #SignsPreyer   Artist: Signs Preyer Release title: III Label: Self-Released Release Date: 12-11-2022 Format: Digital Genre: Metal, Stoner, Heavy Metal, Groove Metal, Southern Country: Italy Signs Preyer’s “III”, was born after Eric (second guitarist) left the band after 10 years of activity. The Signs Preyer…

[thisaintascenereviews]

He Is Legend - Endless Hallway North Carolina band He Is Legend is one of the most underrated post-hardcore / metalcore bands in the genre, and I don’t know why no one knows who they are. They came to prominence in the early 00s with their debut album, 2004′s I Am Hollywood, and they had some success with their first two albums, but they changed their sound a bit in the mid-00s before taking a bit of a break and coming back in 2014 with Heavy Fruit. That was my introduction to them, where I was able to get an advanced copy of the album through Tragic Hero Records, even though I knew who they were, at least sort of, anyway. Heavy Fruit was a really cool mix of sludge, groove, and metalcore, but with traces of hard-rock, southern-rock, and post-hardcore, too. I’ve been keeping up with them since then, and I really loved 2019′s White Bat, so I was really looking forward to their latest album, Endless Hallway. Released this past week, I’ve been spending a ton of time with it, and I’ve been excited about it ever since they surprisingly announced it a couple of months ago. White Bat was a great continuation of what I’ve been hearing from them since 2014, but it had some more energy in it. They injected a punk-like energy into the record, and it was a rager. It would have probably catapulted them to more fame if it weren’t for this thing called the COVID-19 pandemic that started a few months after the album’s release. The pandemic really screwed up a lot for bands, but I’m glad they’re back with a new album, because it absolutely rips. Now I do have some issues with it, but I love it a lot more than I have problems with it. There are a lot of things I enjoy about this album, but the things I dislike are a little too hard to ignore. I’ll talk about that stuff later, because I really want to express that this album is great, and He Is Legend is worth listening to, or that Endless Hallway isn’t an album you want to miss. For starters, let’s talk about their sound, and it’s pretty similar to White Bat, but there’s even more energy and punk-like fervor on this record. The album immediately opens up with “The Prowler,” and it just sets the stage for the whole album. Songs like “Lifeless Lemonade,” “Honey From The Hive,” “Return To The Garden,” “Sour,” and “Animals” are utterly fantastic, combining the best parts of the band together. Some tracks have more of a punk energy, whereas some emulate hard-rock sounds, but other tracks have a bit of a metalcore bite to them, at least on top of their sludgy and groove metal backbone that they’re known for. The southern grooves are very prevalent on this album, too, as this album has some tasty riffs on it. Vocalist Schuyler Croom’s voice has aged like fine wine, and instead of having this gruff and rough as sandpaper voice, he has this nice middle ground where it’s on the rougher edge of the spectrum, but he has a good sense of melody, too. There are a lot of catchy hooks on this thing, and a lot of the songs I mentioned are very catchy, so they’ll get stuck in your head if you’re not careful. The hooks are seamlessly combined with the heavier parts of the songs, and a lot of the songs on here ebb and flow throughout each other. It might start off as a sludge metal track, but you’ll hear some metalcore, post-hardcore, groove metal, and hard-rock elsewhere on the track, sometimes at the same time. These guys have a very unique sound, and it’s only gotten better with time. That leads me to my biggest problem with Endless Hallway, and that’s its sound, even though I just praised it to hell and back. I love it, but this album has the issue of having one sound and sticking with it, so the whole album is variations on that one sound; their sound is unique, but there are only so many times I can hear similar sludge riffs and southern rock riffs that build into a punky hook, or feature a metalcore breakdown in the bridge. It all just runs together after awhile, which is a shame, because their sound is great. It’s unique, but it’s kind of one note, so to speak. The album is also way too long, clocking in at 48 minutes. It’s a doozy, and by the end, I’m sort of tapped out. The closing track is great, but I’m done with it by that point, where it all sort of runs together. I’d still recommend it, but if the album were shorter, it would be way higher on my yearend list. It’s still a great mix of sludge, groove, southern rock, metalcore, and post-hardcore, but they have a formula and every song utilizes it. It just runs together after awhile, despite how good it is, and how much I enjoy it. These guys are one of the most interesting bands in the metalcore / post-hardcore circle, so if anything, it’s worth a listen, because these guys deserve to be more noticed. It’s so shocking how they’re still so underrated, but this album is killer, despite its lengthy runtime and how the songs all run together. It doesn’t matter much when the album is this good.

[doomedandstoned]

A Rendezvous with Moscow Doomers Train To Elsewhere

~By Sound Animal~

Photographs by Makhmud Podzhigay

This is a momentous occasion for people around the world who appreciate Stoner Doom Metal and its hybrid forms. The Russian Train to Elsewhere has been solid all along. Then, on May 21, 2021, they played live at Peak Sound Endless Misery Doom Fest, revealing their new lineup to the public. And it’s absolutely astonishing.

On June 9th they released the audio as a bootleg. Lead guitarist Maria K. "Gerard" integral to the band all along, now debuts the recording of her vocals, which intertwine with the lead vocalist, Anna Utopian, who also plays keyboards and stepped in to replace the previous vocalist. On drums we have M'aiq the Liar, Olga on the rhythm guitar that keeps me going and going with this band, and on bass, Anton "Vargtimmen" Bryukov. Their previous singer, Denis Generalov, is no longer with the band. We’ll miss him and always appreciate his massive contribution to the previous demo and album. I’m glad to see that in the wake of his moving onward, the band didn’t falter. In fact, this new era of Train to Elsewhere is electrifying.

Live at Peak Sound (Official Bootleg) by Train to Elsewhere

Their sound is hypnotic and contemplatively atmospheric. The excellent drums are pared down to the essentials, as the best Doom drums are. The slow lullaby groove takes us into the imaginative liminal world of Nod as if we’re on a sleeper car bumping over the metal tracks, hypnagogic images combining the forest landscape outside the window with the mind inside. They play everything at a slow, minimalistic, heavy pace, never giving into the egotistical show of shredding to demonstrate just how fast they can play meaningless notes. No, conversely, every note matters.

Anna Utopian’s expressive vocals are consistently strong and delicious, beautifully doing justice to the intense lyrics while she creates Eastern atmospherics on the keyboards. Rarely does any Metal band have so much female representation within it. All the women in this band come across as authentic, being purely themselves as much as the men are, which can be a challenging project, considering the objectified roles they are so regularly expected to play on stage in that particular genre. There are no distracting displays here.

This ability to be genuine is not surprising with this low-key band, though, as they are not about surface level of life. Instead, the music provokes profound speculations and nuanced states of consciousness. It was Anton’s articulate brilliance in interviews that first locked me into their work.

When Maria sings, I stop moving completely. Until she’s done. Only utter stillness will allow the cilia in my ears to vibrate with the kind of desperate attention they require when encountering my favorite female vocalist. I wasn’t expecting that. No one told me. But I’m telling you, Stoner Doom fans. You must listen to this band that has something to say, and you must prepare yourself for Maria’s one of a kind voice. Words don’t do it justice. It’s the low beneath low. Her throat allows everything through, not just part of the frequency of life. All of it. The inflections indicate so much nobility in the depths of life that surely no one could take living for granted again.

First, I’d like to ask about that slow groove that’s consistent through the songs. I’m curious how the different band members feel that movement within their bodies. As a loop circulating through the body, a sway side-to-side (like bumping over train tracks underneath), a sleepwalking headbang, a standing spiral? Perhaps the way they feel the groove move through their bodies changes song to song.

Maria: We’ve never rehearsed our on-stage choreography or something like that. It comes naturally from our perception of the music. I can say, I like the heavy, powerful low-tune sound of traditional Doom. I like the sound of our guitars, amplified and enhanced with stage gear, going through bodies of musicians and audience. I think the sound should fill all the possible space it can, changing it in its special way.

Anton: For our band it’s very individual, some of us stay more or less still, others move to the music, whichever is more comfortable. It’s an interesting question because movement to music and dance is a very early part of human culture in a way it’s ritualistic. Although we never rehearsed stage movement it’s interesting to see the connection with the audience in that light. It’s great when some people dance to our music and move to it.

Anna: Generally, when I’m playing on stage or rehearsing at the studio, I feel some kind of special energy coming through my body. Especially when I sing. I begin to feel very inspired and optimistic about everything around me. I don’t really rehearse my on-stage choreography; I just have some clear ideas about what I have to do on some of our songs. So most of the time I just improvise my on-stage movements. Also I enjoy having that special connection with the audience, it’s an unforgettable experience, especially, when you’re playing on stage and see the people dancing to your songs and even starting to sing any of your songs that you’re playing. That’s when the magic happens for me.

Olga: I felt this only after I became part of the band – the feeling of the unified space with a group of people. When I listen to our music I can almost see how our melodies combine with each other, winding and supporting each other. Seems like their directions and weight are not less material than stage equipment. And our bodies move with the space movement. In this context I like “The Path” most of all – it resonated with me first and still makes me sway to its rhythm emerging in my subconscious in everyday life. I like both versions of it – with Denis and with Anna on vocals, which feel very different.

I love that about the unified space and the melodies themselves playing a tangible role within it. And the rhythm arising from the subconscious. And Anna feels energy coming through her – I feel a tangible effect from that! What scales are you most fond of? Is that part of the particular Folk element of your Doom that creates that tonality? Are there any folk melodies that influence any of the songs? In what ways does your location influence you?

Maria: I’m fond of northern folk, especially Finno-Ugric music, also I try to look at our music from different dimensions, adding Eastern tonality (Arabic, Turkish, Jewish music), as well as blues riffs, chromatic and classical minor scales, influences from Southern and Eastern European folk tradition… Our “Nortern Summer” is a reminiscence to native Karelian folk tunes, and “Mothir” is our adaptation of Icelandic folk song.

Anton: The idea of our project was to express through the language of Traditional Doom some of our folk influences. Yet we are not a folk band in a traditional sense of the word; we try to incorporate those melodies a bit more delicately, but they are very important.

As for the location it has a great influence on us from the vast forests to the existential gloomy culture and literature, we are shaped by this as musicians. As for Finnish folk it is an important part of our culture which sometimes flies under the radar when people are talking about Russia. For instance, Russian poets of the XIXth century with their gloomy and even Gnostic outlook on existence are a big influence for the Russian language texts of our first album.

Anna: I feel inspired by nature. I like spending some time in the forest. In terms of music, I usually prefer songs in minor scales; I like songs that sound not so depressing, but emotional. For example, I like adding some French coldwave sound to our music, as well as some blues rock.

Olga: Here I agree with Anton. The country’s history defined the distinct visual component of our surroundings, inspired by the folklore ideas and concepts we faced from early childhood, it nurtured in our minds the tendency to reflect and the idea of complicated intricacy of life, even its wholeness in imperfection. Maria shapes those images in multilayered sincerity, bringing the ideas into reality.

Samhain by Train to Elsewhere

What is the composition and arranging like for these songs? Do they ever arise from improv jams? Is it mostly one person’s vision per tune? Do the words or riffs tend to come first? Are you most interested in getting across specific meaning through the lyrics or in something else, like creating a subtle mood that goes beyond words?

Maria: Most music comes from improvisations and jams. Sometimes it happens that I bring raw material – several riffs and text – and we try to combine them into a song and repeat it till it seems ready. Also, we have some texts and some jam records that could fit together – so, why not make a song out of them. The needed mood appears when the song is almost ready and we try to play it slower or heavier or faster, add keyboards and guitar solo elements – that comes out of practice.

Anton: My personal contribution is mostly the bass parts in terms of composition, that’s all I do. But sometimes I can advise the band to play slower and heavier, as well as bring in some references from the underground doom scene. Also, I write some of the English-language lyrics like our title track from the debut album Samhain, which has been influenced by folk horror films like The Wickerman (1973) and British classical poetry.

Olga: Most of all I value the moment when the composition is almost finished, when the main direction is defined, but the result can be changed in unexpected ways with new fragments. Then the experiments begin, making us closer to realization of the plot, and I like the way each of us adds his sound to the final feel of the composition and atmosphere.

I like that you call it a plot. Stories really do arise from the subtle nuances within the music itself, whether there are lyrics or not. What emotional process would you hope listeners go through with these paganism-referencing songs? Is there something subconscious about the ancient primal archetypes that can serve people even if they don’t think about those mythologies in their ordinary lives?

Maria: Every song has its own references, atmosphere and path to lead the listener through. Of course, when the full song structure appears in your head, it’s a powerful inspirational impulse.

Anton: I would like to add that myths are powerful archetypes in our subconscious. We like to work with that because the modern world is not concerned with authentic myth and we want to help the listeners experience them. Of course, the interpretation of the myth is psychologically different for every individual but there are important patterns.

For example, facing death and mortality has been approached differently in different cultures. And aesthetically the pagan myth is very poetic and it fascinates me. The main themes of the lyrics are the recognition of one's mortality and different aspects of death -- on "The Path," mystical dark field of pre-Christian pagan tradition in "Samhain" and "Mothir," Gnosticism in "Ashes," omens and symbolism in "Silent Guard," romanticism in "Where you live," and pagan beauty of nature in "Northern Summer." The title track "Samhain" was inspired by a cult folk horror film The Wicker Man (1973) while also referencing the original pagan roots of Halloween -- Samhain.

Olga: The concept of mythology and paganism is the great mirror for the human soul, referring to times, when there were fewer concrete facts and the whole world consisted of trembling windings of human fears and desires.

“Trembling winding of human fears and desires.” I love that. Back before we could fact check everything in a search engine, reality was more amorphous, full of outrageous possibilities, eccentric cutting-edge experiments. Would you like to tell us about Sigil of Time? Is there a mentally different approach to folk music in that one? Some of you are able to participate in that band. Does it feel like a new compartment of the self opening up, like a new realm of a room that you can inhabit? How is that room decorated differently than the room in which Train to Elsewhere sleeps and dreams?

Maria: First material was recorded about ten years ago as my solo project, then we collaborated with Anton for a rather long time – but never released it till spring 2020. In this project I can release my vision that cannot be expressed with a heavy band. Usually, I create meditative multi-instrumentalist soundscapes in a much more intuitive way; most of them are instrumentals or vocals that don't carry any lyrics. Often the recordings wait for some time to be reviewed and even corrected a bit before releasing. Anton records a bass line and manages different synthetic and noise parts. To talk about the room: it’s for chamber music and solitary thoughts.

Anton: Sigil of Time was mostly our experiments with post-industrial dark ambient and dark folk music as well as some field recordings. We didn’t plan to release it to the public but our label Kryrart Records encouraged us to share our music with the world. It’s more of an abstract stream of consciousness inspired by dreams and visions but some lyrics and melodies which ended up in Train to Elsewhere were first composed for Sigil of Time so the two are interconnected.

What were the mechanical methods you used to get the post-industrial effects? That’s intriguing: I’d be curious to hear about any specific dream or vision that inspired a song.

Maria: Sigil of Time is mostly based on acoustic instruments (especially guitars), as we could mention earlier. We use it for recording guitar pedals and post-production with different kinds of distortion and delay, octavers and reversed echoes, also adding such things as different samples, raw analog synthesizer sound… In different periods of time Sigil had a tendency to explore various sources, while anthologies unite tracks from earlier times.

Usually, a song starts from the feeling of total clarity, when the idea of lyrics meets the image of musical sketch, giving a whole plan of what to do. It changes several times while recording, usually each part is improvisation, keeping only several repeating moments. Mixing inserts its corrections, and when the song is almost ready, I leave it for several days, returning to it later with minimal changes.

Anton: As for Train to Elsewhere we use techniques common for recording traditional doom metal. Maybe one thing that sets us apart is that we use the sounds of the amps and their built-in distortion power rather than custom distortion pedals for pedal boards. We want to capture a primal raw sound of early rock and metal. About dreams – before writing the lyrics to Samhain I saw a dream in which I was in a vast endless autumn forest as far as I could see. The forest seemed very old, even ancient; later the dream inspired me to write the lyrics to Samhain.

We would like to thank you for these wonderful interesting questions, it was great answering them. We’re very glad and honored you enjoyed our music so much.

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[aforrestofstuff]

Okay! I have a burning question for you, my dude. Music is my life, and I wanna know what kind of music the OPM casts listen to. Thanks, my guy!

I had a feeling this would be inevitable lol. I don’t really know a whole lot about music or genres or anything like that so I’m just gonna give you a rundown of each character individually and some song recs along with that just to smooth things out a little. Thanks for your ask, by the way! ❤️ Now my playlists will be put to good use.

A Brief Rundown of the Major OPM Characters’ Music Tastes:

Blast: hc that he doesn’t even have ears since he never fucking LISTENS

Terrible Tornado: Stuff that makes her feel powerful. Loud vocals and good instrumentals. Also, she’s a little angsty since she’s saltier than the gotdamn Pacific almost all of the time. (Recs: Florence and the Machine - How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, Susanne Sundfør - Delirious, Florence and the Machine - What Kind of Man, Kali Uchis - Dead to Me, Let’s Eat Grandma - Falling Into Me)

Fubuki: some of that real classy shit. Slow songs that are nice to just have a cup of tea with. Nothing too meaty or fast-paced, she enjoys taking a moment to breathe every once and a while since life gets pretty hectic when you’re managing a gang of some 30 hooligans. (Recs: Wes - Midnight Low, any song from Lana Del Rey’s entire discography lol, Florence and the Machine - Grace, The Marìas - I Don’t Know You, Yellow House - Ain’t Gonna Call, Feng Suave - Toking, Dozing)

Silverfang: Stuff from his time. I hc that he was a bit of a party animal back in his prime so he’s gotta have those grooves. Disco to the extremo. Also, another hc: Garou absolutely hates his music. He would play it during training and Garou would contemplate homicide. (Recs: Frankie Valli - Grease, The Edgar Winter Group - Free Ride, KC and the Sunshine Band - I’m Your Boogie Man, Matthew Wilder - Break My Stride, The Main Ingredient - Everybody Plays the Fool, Andrea True Connection - More, More, More)

Bomb: save as Silverfang, although I hc that Bomb was a little more of a nerd growing up. Still, he never missed out on a good party. (Additional Recs: KC and the Sunshine Band - Get Down Tonight, The Trammps - Disco Inferno, Tierra - Together, Cornelius Bros and Sister Rose - Too Late to Turn Back Now)

Atomic Samurai: Old shit. Shit older than Silverfang. He’s really not that old, but his soul is fucking ancient and he’s got that classic “grrr music these days sucks” kind of shithead attitude. (Recs: Jim Croce - Time in a Bottle, Dion - Runaround Sue, The Carpenters - The End of the World, The Band - The Weight)

Child Emperor: Upbeat synth. Stuff to listen to while he’s working on his machines and whatnot. Probably has meaty beats to keep him in tune with what he’s doing, like working around a clock. Probably some groovy citypop in there too. (Recs: Taeko Ohnuki - 4:00 AM, Junko Ohashi - Telephone Number, Tatsuro Yamashita - Magic Ways, Hiroyuki Sawano - NEXUS, Superfly - Kakusei, Mariya Takeuchi - Plastic Love)

Metal Knight: Intrumentals that Disney villains listen to. Deep, dark shit that makes you feel sad. He probably feeds off of negative emotion. What a toolbag. (Recs: Lucas King - Sociopath, Abel Korzeniowski- Table for Two, Max Richter - Never Goodbye, Max Richter - She Remembers, Evelyn Stein - Quiet Resource, Mac Quayle - Adagio in G Minor)

King: video game soundtracks, obviously. Might be some electro funk in there too, as a treat. (Recs: Metal Gear Solid 3 OST - Snake Eater, Mick Gordon - Rip and Tear, Xenoblade Chronicles OST - Main Theme, Persona 5 OST - Last Surprise, Daft Punk - Verdis Quo, Toby Fox - Hopes and Dreams, Disasterpeace - Prologue, iamthekidyouknowwhatimean - Run, Darren Korb - Old Friends)

Zombieman: Dad Music. Old rock that makes you wanna rail some lines of white thunder and dance on top of a car. He’d be reluctant to try out new stuff but does so nevertheless. Just a little bit of weird alternative here and there. (Recs: Poison - Unskinny Bop, Mötley Crüe - Dr. Feelgood, Black Sabbath - War Pigs, Def Leppard - Animal, CRX - Walls, MGMT - Little Dark Age, Pink Floyd - Money, Queens of the Stone Age - Villains of Circumstance)

Drive Knight: Dark synth, obviously. Need I say more? (Recs: El Tigr3 - She Swallowed Burning Coals, Trevor Something - Enjoy the Silence, Greg Drombrowski - Devour, GUNSHIP - Woken Furies, GUNSHIP - Thrasher, Carpenter Brut - Invasion A.D., Kavinsky - Nightcall)

Pig God: this guy probably just listens to ASMR of people eating food lol.

Superalloy Darkshine: Upbeat stuff that’s good for exercise; loving those new jams along with some of the old. He’s got a pretty groovy style. (Diane Ross - Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, Saint Motel - Puzzle Pieces, CRUISR - All Over, Barry White - Never, Never Gonna Give Ya Up, Sade - Kiss of Life)

Watchdog Man: 10 hour loop of wolves howling on a summer night.

Flashy Flash: classical. Some nice instrumentals to listen to while training. Stuff that preferably doesn’t have any or very little lyrics so it’s not too busy on his ears while he’s fantasizing about killing someone. (Recs: Vaughn Williams - The Lark Ascending, Debussy - Rêverie, Grieg - Peace of the Woods, André Laplante - Une Barque sur L’Ocean)

Metal Bat: Modern alternative. A little bit harder than say, Mumen and Kama, but not as hard as Zombieman or Death Gatling. He’s that middle ground where he’s still got some real bangers, but Zenko can listen as well. He’ll play this stuff loudly as he’s doing chores and working out, no headphones ever. It gets pretty annoying. (Recs: Foals - Exits, The Blue Stones - Black Holes, Solid Ground, CRX - Broken Bones, Jungle - Happy Man, The Strokes - Reptilia, We Are Trees - Girlfriend)

Genos: synth. But not just any synth, some heavy, fast-paced synth that’s just like him: speedy, relentless, and powerful. He listens to shit that’ll make you wanna get up and start killing Terminators. Probably. There’s some other synths in the mix too because we love a three-dimensional king. (Recs: Carpenter Brut - Division Ruine, The Protomen - I Still Believe, Carpenter Brut - Leather Teeth, Gunship - Tech Noir, TWRP - Phantom Racer, Le Castle Vania - Red Circle)

Tanktop Master: Dad music but the type of dad music that makes you think your dad was a sappy nerd back in the day. Long tracks that are good for workouts. (Tears for Fears - Woman in Chains, Pink Floyd - Us and Them, Duran Duran - Ordinary World, Billy Idol - Eyes without a Face, A Flock of Seagulls - I Ran, The Alan Parsons Project - Eye in the Sky, Tears for Fears - Sowing the Seeds of Love)

Puri-Puri Prisoner: Pop. Dance music. He doesn’t really get to listen to a lot of music in prison, so he holds on to whatever he can and savors every second of it. (Coldplay - Talk, Bruno Mars - Runaway Baby, Lady Gaga - Bad Romance, Flo Milli - Beef Flomix, Doja Cat - Say So)

Mumen Rider: Hes a lighthearted, soft boy. Likes some fluffy indie tunes. It helps to motivate him when working out or doing hero stuff. He might need to cry every once in a while though, so there’s some sad songs in the mix too. (Recs: Varsity - The Dogs Only Listen to Him, The The - This is the Day, Amarante - Don’t Look Back, Alvvays - Saved by a Waif, The Monkees - As We Go Along, Acid Ghost - Hide my Face, Mogwai - Take Me Somewhere Nice)

Sonic: same as Flash. He’s a little more hip with the times however, so he’s got some more groovy, electronic instrumentals to listen to in addition to some elegant stuff and isn’t opposed to having a little bit of lyrics sprinkled in there as well. In fact, he’s not opposed to uppity pop either. He thinks dancing is frivolous but he secretly does it when he thinks nobody is looking. (Additional Recs: Odesza - Bloom, Pretty Lights - One Day They’ll Know [Odesza Remix], BØRNS - Electric Love, Hembree - Culture, The Cinematic Orchestra - Arrival of the Birds)

Garou: same as Metal Bat. Bang let him have a little MP3 player during his time at the dojo and has since collected a few songs on there. They’re very near and dear to his heart since it’s one of the few good things that came from his absolute disaster of a childhood. (Additional Recs: Foals - Inhaler, CRX - Slow Down, Deep Sea Arcade - Close to Me, Gorillaz - Empire Ants, The Fratellis - Chelsea Dagger, Glass Animals - Take A Slice)

Death Gatling: Shit your old Vietnam-vet grandpa would blast on the back of his F150. He gives me self-righteous asshole vibes, if I’m honest. Like, don’t get me wrong, I like Death Gatling, but he seems like the type of trailer park-dwelling sewer rat to carry a revolver into a Walmart for “self defense” and that’s probably the type of music he listens to, too. (Recs: Megadeth - Trust, Megadeth - Angry Again, Creedence Clearwater Revival - Fortunate Son, Glen Campbell - Southern Nights, Mötley Crüe - Kickstart My Heart, Quiet Riot - Cum on Feel the Noize)

One-Shotter: I hard hc that he had an emo phase he never quite grew out of. He doesn’t quite listen to emo anymore but he’s still into that alternative shit. Homeboy also likes some slow tunes every once and a while because he’s an emotional dude who’s not afraid of a good cry. (Recs: Anything from Blink-182, Arctic Monkeys - Do I Wanna Know?, MGMT - When You Die, Mazzy Star - Fade Into You, Cigarettes After Sex - Dreaming of You, Yon Ort - Other Matter)

Lightning Max: Same as Genos but without the terminator-killing. Fast-paced stuff because he’s a fast lightning dude. A little more upbeat because he’s not as much as an edgelord as Genos, however. (Additional Recs: Carpenter Brut - Hang’em All, The Flaming Lips - Do You Realize, Worn Tin - Sensitivity, B.E.R. - The Night Begins to Shine, Martin Hall - Different Kind of Love)

Stinger: he’s all about that FUNK! Stuff that gets him moving! Stuff that makes him wanna dance! (Recs: Daft Punk - Doin’ it Right, TWRP - Body Image, Wild Cherry - Play that Funky Music, Chemise - She Can’t Love You, Saga - Wind Him Up, Saga - On the Loose, TWRP - All Night Forever)

Okamaitachi: they give me electro vibes! New, modern shit that’s good to dance to or to just sit down and have a listen! Also, some shit that’ll probably play in a coming-of-age teen movie or something. They don’t really vibe with heavy music and that’s alright, babey! Keeping it light and bouncy. (Recs: Tei Shi - Bassically, Varsity - Must Be Nice, Class Actress - Weekend, CHVRCHES - Richard Pryor, Alvvays - Marry Me, Archie, Sobs - Telltale Signs, Goth Babe - Sometimes, ALASKALASKA - Meateater)

Iaian: Nice, low tunes that are good for meditation and to be used for background noise during training sessions. He never really sits down to listen to music, it’s always in the background of something else he’s doing so he prefers to have some soft beats that don’t really interfere with his senses. Tunes so quiet, he sometimes uses them as lullabies; especially since the trauma of losing his arm has since made it hard to sleep. (Recs: Boy Scouts - Saddest Boy, Susanne Sundfør - Mantra, Vashiti Bunyan - If I Were the Same but Different, Starman Jr. - Blue Fairy, Patrick Watson - Je te Laisserai des Mots, Sibylle Baier - I Lost Something in the Hills)

Bushidrill: same as Atomic Samurai just without the shitty attitude. He’s happy to listen to some newer stuff, he just doesn’t like it and that’s okay, baby! Probably some classy shit your wise old grandpa would listen to. (Recs: Dean Martin - Volare, Dion - The Wanderer, Peppino Gagliardi - Che Vuole Questra Musica Stasera, anything from Luis Miguel lol, Franco Micalizzi - Sadness Theme)

Amai Mask: probably just listens to his own music like a putz. If not, he’s listening to the sound equivalent of glittering diamonds. He’s probably got this shit playing at the end of a long day while he’s chilling in a hot bath or something. (Recs: Fergie - Glamorous, Rita Ora - Hot Right Now, Lana Del Rey - Freak, Lana Del Rey - Art Deco, Tame Impala - Feels Like We Only Go Backwards)

Saitama: He doesn’t listen to music much anymore, sadly. He did, however, have a killer motivational mix to get him through his vigorous training prior to becoming a hero. (Recs: Paul Engemann - Push it to the Limit, Journey - Don’t Stop Believin’, College & Electric Youth - A Real Hero, Joe Esposito - You’re the Best Around, Survivor - Eye of the Tiger, The Bee Gees - Nights on Broadway)

Here’s the playlist with all of these songs in order (mostly):

It’s on YouTube because I’m allergic to Spotify. I’ve got a doctor’s note. Also, all of my other playlists are on my little profile thingy so if you want to listen to my pile then go right ahead.

Thanks for your ask, my dude! ❤️ this took up ALL of my energy lol but it was fun.

[k-i-l-l-e-r-b-e-e-6-9]

𝔅𝔩𝔞𝔠𝔨 𝔏𝔞𝔟𝔢𝔩 𝔖𝔬𝔠𝔦𝔢𝔱𝔶 - 𝔅𝔯𝔦𝔡𝔤𝔢 𝔗𝔬 ℭ𝔯𝔬𝔰𝔰

[wknc881]

Band of the Week: Pantera

Ahhh yes, Pantera, the band that opened the door for many bands that we listen to today. When Pantera first hit the scene, there was nobody like them. No band had the riffs and grooves like Pantera did. Now, when listening to bands, you can hear the influence that Dimebag Darrell (RIP) had on their music. He invented a whole new way to play and it would seem that his mind continuously thought of killer, crushing riffs. Phil brought a hardcore edge and sense of vocal rage to these riffs. Darrell’s brother, Vinnie, played some of the cleanest drums I have ever heard, writing most songs with his brother. And Rex masterfully thumped with anything and everything that developed. If I had to name one single thing that made Pantera special it would be the fact that this is a band where everyone was equally talented so no one outshined the other. Each seemed larger than life.

Pantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas that formed in 1981. Their best known lineup is Vinnie Paul (drummer) (RIP), “Dimebag” Darrell Paul (guitarist) (RIP), Rex Brown (bass), and Phil Anselmo (vocalist). They are credited for being part of the second wave of thrash metal. But they became much more than a thrash metal band, they offered metal the fury and force that propelled it into the powerhouse genre that it became. Pantera gets the credit for forming a metal formula which would inspire hundreds of bands to follow.

Before becoming the heavy hitters that we know and love now, they started as a glam metal band and released three albums in the mid 1980s with founding member Terry Glaze as vocalist. When looking for a new and heavier sound, Pantera replaced Glaze with Anselmo in late 1986. They went on hiatus in 2001 and were disband by the Abbott brothers in 2003. The brothers went on to form Damageplan, while Anselmo continued several side projects. On December 8, 2004, Dimebag Darrell was shot and killed on stage by a fan. Vinnie Paul went on to form Hellyeah after his brother’s death. Vinnie Paul died of heart failure in 2018.  

Pantera has 5 full-length albums: Cowboys from Hell (1990), Vulgar Display of Power (1992), Far Beyond Driven (1994), The Great Southern Trendkill (1996), and Reinventing the Steel (2000).

Favorite songs: This Love, 5 Minutes Alone, Walk, Cemetery Gates, and Cowboys from Hell.

What are your favorite Pantera songs? Did you have a chance to see them live?

Stay Metal,

THE SAW

[nuclearblastuk]

NOLA thrash metal legends EXHORDER have released a neck-snapping new thrash anthem today, dubbed 'Hallowed Sound.' The song is featured on the band's first new album in 27 years, 'Mourn The Southern Skies,' that's due out September 20th from Nuclear Blast Records. Watch the lyric video for 'Hallowed Sound' here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abPtDOU07o4

      Commenting on the new track, guitarist Vinnie LaBella says, "'Hallowed Sound' is one that keeps in the tradition of 'The Law' era with some new twists and turns. Mid-tempo/slow, heavy grooves with a mean yet soulful Kyle Thomas singing about our beloved NOLA music history, and future!"        Pre-order Mourn The Southern Skies now: nuclearblast.com/exhorder-mtss  Pre-order the album digitally to receive 'My Time' instantly (only via Amazon and iTunes!) or pre-save it via Spotify, Apple Music & Deezer: nblast.de/EXHORDERmtssPreSave  Listen to 'My Time' in the NB New Releases Playlists:  nblast.de/SpotifyNewReleases | /nblast.de/AppleMusicNewReleases            ICYMI:      “My Time” Music Video: https://youtu.be/yUdzQ3pxaiM      Track Trailer - What’s Behind “My Time”: https://youtu.be/s-UuJEURLPk      Album Trailer #1 - The Sound of EXHORDER: https://youtu.be/I9L0l5j81BQ      Album Trailer #2 - A New Age: https://youtu.be/-X1GnlXsBnc                  EXHORDER live:            'Mourn The European Skies' - EU/UK Tour 2019      04.10. D Essen - Turock      05.10. D Lichtenfels - Way Of Darkness Festival      07.10. UK London - The Underworld Camden      08.10. UK Manchester - Rebellion      09.10. UK Glasgow - Slay      10.10. IRL Dublin - Voodoo Lounge            BUY TICKETS HERE

The New Orleans natives made their long-awaited return last year with a string of reunion shows and festival appearances, and now are launching a full-on comeback with the impending release of 'Mourn The Southern Skies.' Recorded by Duane Simoneaux at OCD Recording and working with producer Jens Bogren (AMON AMARTH, OPETH, SEPULTURA) at Fascination Street Studios in Sweden for mixing and mastering, EXHORDER is armed with more fury and vigor than bands half their age, concocting an intoxicating amalgam of old school thrashers and groovers blended with a modern, mature approach. From the opening of the first track of 'Mourn The Southern Skies,' listeners are reminded immediately just what EXHORDER is exactly through the spitting rage 'My Time' forces upon their ears. It is evident that the anger remains prevalent, with perhaps a different point of view that younger men could not possibly have understood on earlier albums. Sasha Horn's energy and punk influence fire the engines, with Jason VieBrooks locking down the foundation tightly. Vinnie La Bella once again has proven himself "The Godfather" of thrash riffs, which cut through like a high-speed drill bit thanks to the stellar production. A lead guitar face-off in the solo not only exhibits Vinnie's sometimes under-appreciated skills as a shredder but also showcases newcomer Marzi Montazeri ("The High Priest Of Distortion"). If anyone ever doubted EXHORDER's skill set regarding guitar soloing, those days are gone forever! And finally, as if riding a runaway garbage truck with fireworks exploding off of its rooftop, Kyle Thomas invokes venom and energy with familiar passion. All in all, the truth is apparent – EXHORDER mean business once again!  

EXHORDER's founding guitarist Vinnie La Bella says of their resurgence, "You can plot and scheme for years, even decades (as is in our case). You can work hard, keep grinding, bang the square peg in the round hole until it looks somewhat presentable. But sometimes you just need to let time tell you, it's time. EXHORDER has its own soul. And it pokes me in the ribs ever so often as if to remind me, 'Hey asshole, we ain't done yet!' Kyle and myself had a dream as teenagers. And as cliche as it may seem, we never woke up from it. EXHORDER has always crept in and out of our lives. So no magic bullet or formula here. It was only a simple matter of time before the right guys, the right songs, the right manager/label would finally come to the party. It's been damn near 35 years since we first uttered the name, EXHORDER. 27 years since our last record, and a whole lot of breaking up and making up in between. So why is this time different? Why start again at 50 years of age instead of retiring? Simple... because it's finally TIME!" EXHORDER's enduring legacy began in the mid-80's when they defined the sound of Louisiana thrash and groove metal. Their initial formation was short lived, lasting nearly a decade with two critically acclaimed, classic albums, but their impact on the metal genre can be felt through a generation of bands that followed.EXHORDER dissolved in the mid-90's but briefling reunited in 2011. Now, the band has returned to reclaim their throne of NOLA metal with their awaited new album and an all-star line-up that includes Kyle Thomas(founding vocalist; TROUBLE, HEAVY AS TEXAS), Vinnie La Bella (founding guitarist), Marzi Montazeri(guitarist; ex-SUPERJOINT RITUAL, ex-PHIL ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, HEAVY AS TEXAS), Jason VieBrooks (bassist since 2011; HEATHEN, GRIP INC.) and Sasha Horn (drummer; FORBIDDEN).

--- More info: exhorder.com facebook.com/exhordernola nuclearblast.de/exhorder

[dustedmagazine]

Dust Volume Five, Number 8

Graham Dunning and his mechanical techno rig

Our occasional survey of records we might have missed continues with a late July edition of Dust. This time around, our hot and hazy listening spanned localities and genres from Norwegian folk to Black Dirt jam to Swedish dream pop to Ohio noise-electronics, Kashmiri war metal and well beyond, with the usual stop-over in Chicago for free-improv jazz. Writers included Bill Meyer, Justin Cober-Lake, Ian Mathers, Jennifer Kelly, Jonathan Shaw, Andrew Forell and Nate Knaebel. Stay cool.

Erlend Apneseth Trio with Frode Haltli — Salika, Molika CD (Hubro)

Salika, Molika by Erlend Apneseth Trio

This project unites two musicians who have set themselves the task of reconciling contemporary means with Norwegian folk music materials in the 21st century. Erlend Apneseth plays Hardanger fiddle, a violin variant with sympathetic strings that give it a striking resonance; his trio includes a drummer with a feel for Norway’s pre-rock popular dance grooves and an acoustic guitarist who doubles on sampler and other electronics. Frode Haltli is an accordionist who has shuttled between the worlds of folk and free improvisation. Their collaboration scrambles lucid memory, which is represented by archival field recordings of folk songs and dances, with a mildly feverish dream of a trip through ambient textures that somehow detours every now and then through beats that’d earn you an extra beer if you played them in a Nordic country dance hall. The field recordings exert a gravity that counteracts the lightness of the spacy passages, and Haltli tucks his virtuoso command of the squeezebox into hiding spots, ripe for discovery.

Bill Meyer

 Hans Chew & Garcia Peoples — NATCH 10: Hans Chew & Garcia Peoples (Black Dirt Studio)

NATCH 10 - Hans Chew & Garcia Peoples by Hans Chew & Garcia Peoples

After a few years off, Jason Meagher's Black Dirt Studio has resumed its NATCH series of releases, with volume nine (ignoring the prefatory release) coming from Wednesday Knudsen and Willie Lane in June, and the latest pairing Hans Chew and Garcia Peoples. The series offers artists the freedom to collaborate however they please to create freely available releases. Chew and Garcia Peoples make for an ideal match on paper, and the actual pairing pays off.  

Garcia Peoples started their cosmic psych just last year, with two albums out in short order. Pianist Chew has been putting in his time for longer, taking his roots-of-rock and Southern rock sound into increasingly spacey places, turning more and more toward a jam sensibility without sacrificing his songwriting. His Open Sea started taking hints from Traffic, so it's no surprise that this release includes a Dave Mason cover, “Shouldn't Have Took More Than You Gave.” Chew fits effortlessly into Garcia Peoples' jams for a couple tracks, and they meet him in his bluesy-ness for “No Time.” In the middle we have the acidic meditation of “All Boredoms Entertained,” the hinge between the two more rocking segments. The partnership works best when everybody takes off, and the 10-minute opener “Hourglass” burns as hot on record as it would at a festival.

Justin Cober-Lake

 Death & Vanilla — Are You a Dreamer? (Fire)

Are You A Dreamer? By Death & Vanilla

On their third album, this trio from Malmö, Sweden show a devotion to making the most gossamer strain of dream pop without ever losing sight of a knack for peppily compelling song structures. Two of those four earlier albums may have been live soundtracks for movies, but none of these eight deceptively sharply-written songs fade into the background for a second. Singer Marleen Nilsson may be swathed in gauzy atmospherics throughout, but whether on the swooning opener “A Flaw in the Iris,” the foreboding thrum of “Mercier” or the orchestral surges of “Nothing Is Real,” she effortlessly commands center stage here. The music deserves the obvious comparisons to Stereolab and early Broadcast, but Death & Vanilla manage to put their own spin on the influences they share with those earlier acts, and the result is a good reminder that there more than enough room on that territory for multiple bands.

Ian Mathers

 Graham Dunning — Tentation LP (White Denim)

Walk Tentation down on the turntable without foreknowledge of who made it or how it was made, and you’re likely to think that you’re hearing a bit of in sync but off-kilter techno. It sounds like some lost Kompakt release got shaken up and dubbed out with a bag half full of Lego pieces. But the truth is stranger than that. Graham Dunning plays a real time mechanical techno with a homemade, eternally changeable set-up that can simultaneously play a stack of records whilst affording him the means to fuck with individual sounds. True to his techno ambitions, this stuff bumps in ways the kids won’t question. But his willingness to get hung up on a sound and play with it, and then play with it a bit more, mark him as an experimenter with a feline sense of play. “Do I put a bit more reverb on this bit of echo,” one can imagine him musing, “or do I just knock it under this bump in the rug?”

Bill Meyer

  Erin Durant — Islands (Keeled Scales)

Islands by Erin Durant

Erin Durant has a lovely, old-fashioned country voice, flute-y with vibrato at the top-end, rich with emotive sustenance in the mid and lower ranges. It’s the kind of voice that careers are built on, yet Ms. Durant, born in New Orleans now living in Brooklyn, refuses to take the easy road of relying on in-born talents. She brings into complication, depth and contradiction into her songs with a sharp, modern writer’s pen and an idiosyncratic cast of supporting musicians. Her crew on Islands is headed by TV on the Radio’s Kyp Malone and includes percussion-centric composer Otto Hauser, the boundary pushing pedal steel artist Jon Catfish DeLorme, at least once on harmonica, the eccentric folk singer Kath Bloom, and a large ensemble of brass and reeds. So when on opener “Rising Sun,” she playfully dabs at the Animals’ blues-rock chestnut (verses begin with the phrase “There is a house in New Orleans”), it’s within a precise lattice of country guitar, of multi-tonal percussion, of flickering bits of flute and woozy surges of trombone and trumpet. It lighter and more delicately structured than the song it references, yet built out elaborately with complex layers of instruments. The title cut, likewise, lifts off in airy weightlessness from the gospel chords of piano, as tied to tradition as it needs to be for resonance, yet fundamentally self-determined. There is nothing lovelier than Durant’s massed, multi-voiced choruses here, but the prettiness isn’t everything, far from it.

Jennifer Kelly

 Four Letter Words — Pinch Point (Amalgam Music)

Pinch Point by Four Letter Words

The Chicago-based trio Four Letter Words comes full circle on its second album. Pianist Matt Piet, tenor saxophonist Jake Wark and drummer Bill Harris first convened to play a night of trios at the venue Constellation, but then pursued an investigation of written material before returning to spontaneous music making for this nicely packaged, short run disc. You can get a lot out of this music by focusing on Harris’ inventiveness and humility, or Wark’s angular impetuousness or Piet’s astonishing capacity to pick the best ideas of a half century of jazz practice and put them in just the right places. But you might get more from listening to how the trio collectively imagines musical environments, realizes them, and then pushes off to the next idea at just the right moment to leave you wishing they’d stayed a little longer.

Bill Meyer

  Jake Xerxes Fussell — Out of Sight (Paradise of Bachelors)

Guitarist Jake Xerxes Fussell has a knack for curating old music, but his first two albums were more than simple collections of reworked folk music. His sharp playing and intelligent production (give William Tyler some credit here) have turned old tunes into something a little more vibrant. For Out of Sight, he adds a proper band to his presentation, and the presence of Nathan Bowles on drums is worth noting, even if that sympatico artist largely keeps in the background. In expanding his lineup, Fussell also expands his sound; he no longer just mines particular folk traditions, but instead he inserts himself into a larger Americana conversation. 

The move, intentionally or not, puts more of Fussell himself into the album, to its benefit. If anything held back his previous releases, it was this sense at the edges of the sound that Fussell had tied his own hands, his traditionalism tending toward that curator impulse. The songs on Out of Sight come from a variety of places (though if you plotted most of them on a Seeger-Lomax axis, it would make sense), but they're put into Fussell's current vision. “Three Ravens” builds a broad frame for a singular meditation, the sort of moment his work has hinted at without maintaining. Fussell sounds like he's deep in tradition, but committed to pushing it forward in his own way know, and it's a wonderful step for a gifted artist.

Justin Cober-Lake

 Halshug — Drøm (Southern Lord)

Drøm by Halshug

“Kæmper Imod,” the first track on Halshug’s new LP Drøm, could easily fit onto the second side of Black Flag’s The First Four Years, which chronicles the singles and EPs the Flag released during Dez Cadena’s tenure as front man. The Danish hardcore band hits all the necessary notes, channeling Greg Ginn’s ugly guitar tone and the vicious, overdriven quality of Southern Cali hardcore, c. 1981. The song might be a love letter, but the first side of Drøm doesn’t move far beyond the established sounds of a style now nearly 40 years old. On second side of the record, Halshug does some more varied stuff. “Tænk På Dig Selv” shifts in and out of competing rhythms and makes a winning ruckus. Most interesting are the industrial racket of “02.47” and the extended instrumental “Illusion,” which moves from hard rocking groove, to thunderously exuberant crusty riffing, to arcing drone, and then back again. It’s a hugely fun, sonically engaging song, which makes you wish Halshug would ditch the Hermosa Beach vibe that dominates much of the record.          

Jonathan Shaw

 DJ HARAM — Grace (Hyperdub)

Grace by dj haram

Philly based producer DJ Haram (Zubeyda Muzeyyen) builds the tracks on her Hyperdub debut Grace on darbuka rhythms in homage to her Middle Eastern roots. The album also reflects her involvement in the experimental scene as a DJ and half of noise/rap duo 700 Bliss (with Moor Mother). Over the delicate percussion she layers flutes, big slabs of synth, heavier beats and disruptive stabs of noise. “Candle Light (700 Bliss Remix)” introduces vocals with an impressionistic poetic rap over a purely percussive backing. There is an urgency here driven by the restless, relentless rhythms which makes Grace is a disquieting and claustrophic listening experience. Fans of Muslimgauze and Badawi will find much to admire. DJ Haram uses a limited palette to full and focused effect building atmosphere and impressively drawing a line between middle eastern and western electronic music.

Andrew Forell

 Tim Hecker — Anoyo (Kranky)

Anoyo by Tim Hecker

Tim Hecker may make music that envelops the listener with beatless, thickly textured sound, but don’t call it ambient. For while ambient music holds at least the possibility that you can get lost in its drift, Hecker likes to short-circuit comfort. Soft sounds turn grainy, plush clouds disappear and if you catch him in concert you’ll feel the music as much as you hear it because it’s that loud. Anoyo is a companion to last year’s Kanoyo, and like its predecessor originated with some collaborative sessions between Hecker and an ensemble of gagaku (Japanese traditional ceremonial) musicians. He mixes their sounds up with warped and reversed strings and squelchy synthetic bass, and shapes the resulting amalgam into aural vignettes that are less extravagantly mobile than the tracks on Kanoyo but equally dislocating as national traditions and diverse equipment collections swirl and meet on uncommon ground.

Bill Meyer

 Kapala — Termination Apex (Dunkelheit Produktionen)

Termination Apex by KAPALA

By its very nature, war metal is retrograde stuff. The fact that the bands most strongly associated with the subgenre (Proclamation and — yes, seriously — Bestial Warlust) hailed from nations that haven’t experienced much by way of war-related trauma for decades doesn’t help. Does it make a difference that Kapala live and record in Kolkata, and that India and Pakistan have effectively been at war in Kashmir since Partition, and have been in a U.N.-mediated ceasefire (sort of) since 1965? And that both nations are nuclear powers? And that India is led by a fiery Hindu nationalist? And that the cover art for Termination Apex features a stylized mushroom cloud? Yikes. Aesthetically, war metal has its appeal. It features simplistic riffing, technical primitivism and hammering percussion, all taken to sonic extremes. But its romanticization of industrially scaled destruction and nihilism is repugnant and culturally corrosive. Kapala will attract some attention just through exoticism — metal from India? Sure, I’ll check it out. But a reactionary artwork is a reactionary artwork, wherever it comes from.

Jonathan Shaw

 Khaki Blazer—Optikk (Hausu Mountain)

Optikk by Khaki Blazer

“Mothafucker ain’t nobody playing grooves in 13. You can’t get paid for playing grooves in 13. Ain’t nobody gonna shake their booty. That’s why you’re fucking broke,” observes an uncredited voice in the spikily difficult “4/4,” a typically intricate rhythmic concoction of electronic squeaks, blurts and rattles for this Kent, Ohio-based outfit. Pat Modugno who heads up Khaki Blazer, as well as Mothcock and Fairchild Tapes, constructs giddy, multilayered rhythms. In “Conga Line” sampled, altered voices do battle with rackety bursts of drumming and urgent, antic whistle of a melody. The parts work every which way, throwing elbows, stepping on toes, in furious conflict that somehow resolves itself into slinky rhythm. Whether in four, in six, in seven or in thirteen, Khaki Blazer cuts never take the easy way, but they are grooves all the same.

Jennifer Kelly

 Lambchop — This (Is What I Wanted to Tell You) (City Slang/Merge)

Fourteen albums in and Nashville’s increasingly sui generis Lambchop, led as always by Kurt Wagner, is doing something that feels unusual, at least for them. 2016’s digitally-enhanced FLOTUS was a sprawling statement of a record, and given the restlessness that led to the processing Lambchop used there it wouldn’t be a surprise if their new record went off in a totally new direction. Instead the focused, somewhat more straightforward This (Is What I Wanted to Tell You) could almost be a hefty postscript to FLOTUS. It doesn’t boast anything with the majesty of the two ten-plus minute tracks on the previous album, but all the songs here sound even more comfortable in their own hybrid skins, and as always Wagner is in fine lyrical form. It remains to be seen if this constitutes as Lambchop settling down, but if so it’s in a richer and more bracing way than most bands half their age can manage.  

Ian Mathers  

 Régis Renouard Larivière — Contrée (Recollection GRM)

Régis Renouard Larrivière was born in 1959. But if Discogs is a reliable reporter, despite having been involved in music as a student, instructor, and composer of musique concrete, this is only his second album. Presumably his works are intended more for the multi-speaker listening environments available to the Groupe de Recherches Musicales; certainly it’s not hard to imagine this LP’s three pieces caroming from speaker to speaker, elevating the listener into a mind-altered state induced more by unfamiliarity than sensate distortion. The way they leap off the vinyl of this 45-rpm LP is a trip in itself. No substance, prescribed or otherwise scored, will get you where this stuff takes you. Even when a sound seems familiar — there’s some identifiable drumming amidst the synthetic twitter and boom — it behaves in ways that are unconcerned with the laws of music. Despite its unnatural sound content, Larivière’s music moves more like some force of nature. “Esquive,” for example, evokes leaves in an updraft, circling and dispersing. Like those leaves, each sound has tactile identity that invites you to deal with his compositions at the atomic as well as meteorological level. Strap in, enjoy the ride.

Bill Meyer

  Gabriele Mitelli / Rob Mazurek — Star Splitter (Clean Feed)

The recurrent astronomical imagery in Rob Mazurek's music makes this much clear; his horizons are farther off than most. A restless multi-media artist (his work includes sound and light installations, painting, and composed and improvised music performed with various brass and electronic instruments in the company of musicians from at least three continents), he nonetheless has certain modes that he revisits. In Gabriele Mitelli, he has found an astute companion to follow him into the realm of ritual. In 2018, the two men stepped into the Mediterranean and blew their horns in the direction of the African refugees trying to cross the sea in untrustworthy vessels. No one showed up while they played, but the energy they projected took wind and you can still get a taste of it on Youtube. On Star Splitter, which was recorded on dry land in Florence, they add electronics, voices, and unidentified objects to their brass (Mitelli: cornet, soprano sax, alto flugelhorn; Mazurek: piccolo trumpet) to stir up four sonic maelstroms in celebration of planets from our solar system. Direct our ears in their direction and see how far your own horizons recede.

Bill Meyer

  Tony Molina—Songs from San Mateo County (Smoking Room/650 Records)

Songs From San Mateo County by Tony Molina

Tony Molina is a master of concision. No sooner have his songs stated their killer riff or indelible melody than they’re over, and damned if you wouldn’t like to hear them again. His blistery guitar and way with tunefulness evokes Teenaged Fanclub, and here, on a collection of unreleased and unfinished material from 2009 to 2015, it becomes clear that he doesn’t have to work that hard to hit that sweet spot. The odds and sods are as fetching as anything on his last three albums. Sure he plays fast and loose with some baroque guitar licks on “Intro” and “Been Here Before,” and maybe that’s a little bit off center for power pop genre. But he weaves them in, at least in “Been Here Before” in a way that reinforces the doomed romantic vibe. He rocks a little harder than usual, too, on cuts like “Hard to Know,” with a sidewinding guitar break worthy of Brian May in his prime, but as usual, any hint of rock star excess is limited: the cut is less than a minute long. “Separate Ways” layers sublime dream pop hooks over an incendiary racket, like J. Mascis stepped in to a Raspberries session. The whole collection is so catchy and so satisfying that you have to wonder what else Molina has languishing in his hard drive. Let the songs out, man. We can always use more of these.

Jennifer Kelly

 Mark Morgan — Department of Heraldry (Open Mouth)

The rise and fall of the guitar in popular and critical esteem relates directly to the fact that a lot of people play the thing, and a lot of them sound like lesser imitations of someone doing something that you never wanted to hear done with the thing. If this is your problem with the guitar, Mark Morgan is not part of your problem. The former member of Sightings makes a case for the instrument as a vehicle for creative sound manipulation that cannot be refuted by lazy reference to the dozens of records in your collection, or memory, or once-clicked, never closed browser pages. This music sounds like it is being chewed and digested during the passage from his amplifier to your eardrum. Molars indent twangs, incisors gnash chunks of fuzz, and acids strip off the crusty coating and lay bare the jagged bones of sounds that you really, really shouldn’t be swallowing, but that you really need to hear.

Bill Meyer

Private Anarchy — Central Planning (Round Bale)

Central Planning by Private Anarchy

Titular intimations of both anarchy and planning suggest internal tension that is born out by the music on this album, which is the inaugural vinyl release by hitherto cassette-oriented Round Bale Recordings. Private Anarchy has a bit of an identity crisis; shall one emulate the petulant, gotta get this off my chest delivery of David Thomas c. 1979 or the twangy stride that the Fall hit around the same time? Since the combo is really one man who is acquainted enough with the 21st century to put a laptop computer on the LP’s cover, Clay Kolbinger has taken the time to figure out how to do both at once. The admittedly derivative sounds are well executed, with enough apprehension to suggest that he is similarly motivated by a discomfort that cannot be assuaged.

Bill Meyer

  Rodent Kontrol — Live (Fuzzy Warbles Casettes)

Rodent Kontrol Live (FW13) by Fuzzy Warbles Cassettes

Delivering post-Meatmen teenage punk knuckleheadedness at its explosively deranged best, the short-lived Ann Arbor high-school band Rodent Kontrol played this impromptu live set on the University of Michigan's WCBN in 1987 following a performance by the Laughing Hyenas. The latter were one of the toughest acts to follow, but Rodent Kontrol's calamitous, search-and-destroy assault is so gleefully unhinged, and full of the kind of ill-defined yet apoplectic animosity that can only be mustered by the young and the reckless, they truly give Brannon and co. a run for their money. While Live is on the one hand an amusing artifact, it is on the other a true gem of a release in our current era of archival overabundance. Make no mistake, this is rough, sloppy, perhaps offensive stuff, and Rodent Kontrol didn't break any new ground musically or aesthetically. But the nearly sublime agitation exuded by these guys here is truly something to behold, creating a genuinely unnerving sense that something very bad about is about to happen, and when it does it will feel absolutely good. If that's not the point of this kind of thing, I don't know what is. In addition to the 1987 live performance, this cassette release (also available as a download) adds a 2012 reunion show featuring a slightly tighter, slightly more "mature" version of the band, but certainly no less nihilistic. 

Nate Knaebel

 Sail into Night — Distill (self released)

In the three years since this Dubai-based Pakistani duo’s very promising debut, it feels like if anything they’ve pared down their already elementally satisfying, nocturnal variety of post-punk slowcore to its simple, direct, powerful essence. Zara Mahmood’s harmonium, Nabil Qizilbash’s guitar, a drum machine and their vocals continue to be enough to generate surprisingly heavy music; although you’d be hard pressed to fit the music stylistically anywhere in the heavy metal realm, emotionally and tonally it exists somewhere between the “stonegaze” of a band like True Widow and the stark grandeur of early Low. From the chiming “Lighthouse” to the closing grind of “Apart,” Distill packs a lot of dark energy into a compact 30-minute run time.  

Ian Mathers

  The Schramms—Omnidirectional (Bar/None)

You might know Dave Schramm as an original member of Yo La Tengo or for his guitar work for a whole slew of artists ranging from The Replacements to Freedy Johnston. You might even remember a string of clever, understated country-pop albums from the early 1990s through the turn of this century under the nom de guerre The Schramms — though it’s been a long time. But this seventh Schramms album, the first since 2000, will take you right back to all that’s wonderful about Dave Schramm: quiet intelligence, unshowy but impressive skills, an alchemical way of slipping abrasive rock sounds into soft pop melodies, quality over flash, but still a bit of flash. Take, for instance, the way that “Faith is a Dusty Word” opens up from a rambling piano ballad into swoon-y Pet Sounds-worthy vocal counterpoints, or how contemplative “New England” blossoms from wispy indie pop into a bitter sweet rock anthem, a la American Music Club. Schramm plays with long-time drummer Ron Metz (their partnership dates back to the 1970s Ohio cult band The Human Switchboard) and bassist Al Greller, an original Schramm, so it’s all very burned in, with the easy, unstruggled-for precision of people know what will happen next. Subdued, well-thought-out guitar pop is definitely not the flavor of the month these days, but who cares about fashion when it’s this good?

Jennifer Kelly

 Slow Summits — Languid Belles (Hundreds and Thousands Records)

Slow Summits come jangling out of Linköping, Sweden like the keychain on a building supervisor’s belt. Their debut EP Languid Belles presents four tracks of perfectly rendered, chiming and literate indie pop. The foursome of Anders Nyberg (vocals, rhythm guitar), Karl Sunnermalm (lead guitar, harmonica, keyboards, glockenspiel), Mattias Holmqvist Larsson(bass, keyboards, percussion) and Fredrik Svensson (Drums) enlists Amelia Fletcher (Tender Trap, Talulah Gosh, Heavenly) on backing vocals on two tracks. If these guys worship at the altar of Postcard-era Scotland their songs pay more than just homage to Orange Juice, The Pastels and international contemporaries The Go-Betweens, Beat Happening and Felt. Sunny melodies and kindly sarcastic lyrics driven by a tight and swinging rhythm section hit every serotonin and dopamine center of the musical brain. Slow Summits are the latest Scandinavian band to keep on your radar; Languid Belles is irresistible and will leave you “simply thrilled honey”  

Andrew Forell   

 The Way Ahead — Bells, Ghosts and other Saints (Clean Feed)

Peel back one layer of the Scandinavian jazz scene and you’ll find another layer. If you’ve spent much time paying attention to Cortex, Friends & Neighbors or Paal Nilssen-Love’s Large Unit, you’ll recognize most of the members of this horn-heavy, piano-free octet. André Rolighten (tenor saxophone, clarinet) and Tollef Østvang (drums) write the tunes, and as you’d surmise from a band that finds three ways to pay homage to Albert Ayler in the album name, those tunes owe a lot to his ecstatic/anguished sentimentality. But they aren’t locked into Ayler’s modes; there are also passages that have a distinctly European brass band feel, and some brusque, almost boppish moments. The band might seem ironically named if you take the title literally; this music is rooted in the 1960s, a time before most of the band’s members were born But if you recognize that name comes from an Archie Shepp session with a similar line-up, their sincerity comes into focus. These guys are just trying to blow some life into music much like the stuff that first made them want to play the kind of jazz they’re playing, and they’ve got the wind power to do it.

Bill Meyer

[hard-rock-music]

Incognito Theory - Discography (3 CD) - 2017 - 2022, MP3

Incognito Theory – Discography (3 CD) – 2017 – 2022, MP3

Genre: Hard Rock, Southern Groove Metal Country of the performer (band): Kearny, New Jersey, USA Year of publication: 2017 – 2022 (more…)

[k-i-l-l-e-r-b-e-e-6-9]

𝔅𝔩𝔞𝔠𝔨 𝔏𝔞𝔟𝔢𝔩 𝔖𝔬𝔠𝔦𝔢𝔱𝔶 - 𝔉𝔦𝔫𝔞𝔩 𝔖𝔬𝔩𝔲𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫