#but the Doom Eternal soundtrack is my most played album

[an-aussie-button-masher]

Jams, Bops & Bangers, Vol. 2 - Five More of the Best Gaming Soundtracks

   Music: it’s much more important to video games than you might realise. A good soundtrack can make the difference between a memorable game and a forgettable one. It can define individual scenes, or even entire sagas. It’s invariably one aspect that any games’ fanbase can unite in their approval of, despite how divisive the rest of the game can be. It’s just as fluid and adaptable as gaming itself - from peaceful ambient piano to headbanging death metal, every genre has a place.   It’s such a major part of gaming, with so many excellent examples, I’ve had to make a second article for it! I’ve already discussed a few of my personal favourite video game soundtracks in a previous article you can find here, but here’s even more standout soundtracks that deserve honourable mention - enjoy!

Minecraft Composers: Daniel “C418” Rosenfield, Lena Raine, Aaron Cherof    How could I talk about video game music without mentioning one of the modern-day classics? Minecraft features one of the most recognisable, award-winning soundtracks in the gaming industry. Quiet and subdued, the music adds a sense of peace and even loneliness to the games’ ambience as the player explores this vast, beautiful blocky world, usually alone. Beginning with C418’s original tracks that mainly feature piano and synth, later updates added new tracks composed by Lena Raine and Aaron Cherof, bringing in other orchestral instruments without overpowering the melancholy vibe. Nothing can beat the feeling of cresting the top of a massive snow-capped peak to watch the sunrise as one of the classics like Sweden gently swells in the background.   The tone of the music starts to change in certain areas, whether you’re in the open rolling plains, braving the hellish and dramatic Nether dimension or carefully navigating the paranoia-inducing Deep Dark. While the music kicks in at seemingly random intervals, sometimes with a gap of hours between tracks, it almost seems to know exactly when to play a song that feels strangely perfect for the current mood of your Minecraft adventure.   Personal favourite track: Infinite Amethyst (Lena Raine)

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Music team: Richard Jacques, Steve Szczepkowski, Yohann Boudreault    Where would the Guardians of the Galaxy be without their sick 80’s anthems? Marvel’s resident spacefaring anti-hero crew received their own game adaptation back in 2021, and with it, an entire fictional band dubbed Star-Lord (the source of Peter Quill’s outlaw name in this adaptation) was created just to provide an album of original rocking songs that sound like they were ripped right out of the 80’s. To complete the idea that this is an actual band in-universe, you can even read through a little album booklet at the start of the game, detailing the lyrics and background of the band!   Alongside the original tracks provided by Star-Lord, of course the game boasts a staggering collection of actual 80’s songs, from Take On Me (a-ha) to (Don’t Fear) The Reaper (Blue Öyster Cult). There’s an early scene where the guardians escape a collapsing ship graveyard while I Ran (A Flock of Seagulls) plays, and that’s where I knew I’d love this game. You can even Rickroll the final boss! You wouldn’t get that from any other game. From start to finish, this game’s soundtrack is never gonna let you down.    Personal favourite track: Watch Me Shine (Star-Lord)

DOOM Composer: Mick Gordon    No game franchise has ever been as metal as DOOM, and the modern entries have the music to match. In DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal, Mick Gordon has constructed a thrashing death metal soundtrack with techno backing that gets your blood pumping as fast as your shotgun. As Eternal brings an even more dramatic flair to 2016’s style with more in-depth storytelling and scope, the music becomes suitably higher-intensity with an even wider variety of instruments and themes - all connected by the ever-present metal guitar riffs and buzzing synthesisers.   Always going the extra mile, Mick even used chainsaw samples in the soundtrack, as well as vocals provided by actual death metal groups. Playing as Doomguy racing through bloodstained laboratories and shattered cities as he rips and tears through the vicious armies of Hell, all while Gordon’s soundtrack screams in your ears, creates a feeling of raw, unstoppable power that no game could possibly match.   Personal favourite track: BFG Division

Crab Champions Creator: Eoin “Noisestorm” O’Broin    Yes, that Noisestorm, creator of Crab Rave. A highly recognisable and talented artist really did make an entire game as a response to probably his most infamous and memeable song, and of course the game’s soundtrack is going to knock it out of the park. The roguelike features a full complement of tropical synth-y beats to accompany the path of crustacean annihilation you’ll be wreaking across various islands - try not to get so distracted bopping along to the music that you get swarmed by enemies!   All the different biomes have unique sets of music that all fit the feel of the islands you traverse; from sandy beaches and windswept deserts to frozen glaciers and fiery volcanoes. The boss battles at the end of each biome are accompanied by thumping dubstep, while the peaceful shops scattered about are a good spot to jam along to the more upbeat rhythms; you’ll definitely be tapping your toes as the music sticks in your mind well after you’ve stopped playing!   Personal favourite track: Funky Beat

Splatoon Composers: Toru Minegishi, Shiho Fujii, Ryo Nagamatsu    Okay, including an entire series here might be cheating, but music is such a core part of the Splatoon universe that it’d be impossible to just focus on a single game. The series composers have somehow managed to create an entire extensive genre of soundtrack that does not sound like it was made by humans, yet still consistently sounds great. All three games feature songs that can sound downright bizarre, but also incredibly catchy and enjoyable at the same time, ranging from goofy upbeat techno to dramatic battle tunes in the story campaigns with rocking jams that blare during the online PvP modes.   All the games’ music is made by fictional in-universe music groups, all with their own lore, some of which have ended up being so popular that they eventually starred in the actual games as NPCs. Throughout the full series, the power of music and singing is a core theme, with idol groups hosting the news and competitions in the lobby and even fighting alongside the player in the story modes. You’ll be accompanied by hypnotic tunes for everything you do in Splatoon, and they’re impossible not to dance along to!   Personal favourite track: Buoyant Boogie

   So, which of these soundtracks is your favourite? Are there any other video game soundtracks you really like that I haven’t covered here or in my previous article? Feel free to let me know! Feedback, reblogs and likes are all much appreciated!   Thanks for reading!

An Aussie Button-Masher

[glumvillain]

GlumReviews #5

Stepping further into the darkness we find our journey landing us on July 18th, 1980. The release of Joy Division’s second and final studio album.  Those not familiar with the band history should be aware that this album was released 2 months after singer Ian Curtis’ death. 

By this time in music history the world had witnessed the folly of mankind as societies collapsed and transformed due to economic or social woes.  This is some of the first popular music that was perhaps the most honest as it could be, it didn’t lie to you, there was no promises of a better tomorrow, your future prospects will be dried up by the time you’re old enough to manifest them.

Curtis’ lyrics pull no punches about the dour and hopeless experiences of the human condition.  The music itself is a sparse backdrop to his narration. Definitely not an album you come strolling into looking for a good time.  Although I read previous reviews saying it was danceable music so what the %^&* do I know.

1. Atrocity Exhibition

The album opens with a tribal-like drum lead, beginning a relentless journey through the tortured mind of Ian Curtis. Random sounds and textures fade in and out, building to add a layer of menace to the overall tone. The lyrics, stark and crushing. “All the dead wood from the jungles and cities on fire/ Can’t replace or relate can’t release or repair.”

2. Isolation

A synth heavy turn-around from the intro song, something a little more cozy, but in contrast of the upbeat sounding song, Curtis goes on to sing “I’m doing the best that I can/ I’m ashamed of the things I’ve been put through, I’m ashamed of the person I am”.  The theme of--yes Isolation is heavily present throughout the album as it feels this entire album was recorded in the vacuum of space.  Sterile and cold.  Almost empty.  As mentioned before Curtis pulls no punches with his lyrical content but the rest of the bands playing feels like an exercise in taming that overwhelming emotion that Ian constantly struggles to keep in.

3.  Passover

As a pretty empathetic person it’s difficult to read his lyrics at times because they are just so brutally raw and negative.  Most people don’t talk this way for fear of alienating people, but the way he sings it, how it’s sung. You just feel the exhaustion of a world beating down on you. The music is simple, but it serves a perfect device for him to convey his message of “This is the crisis I knew had to come/ Destroying the balance I kept”.

4.  Colony

In reading some interviews from Joy Division, when asked to explain the lyrics to his songs, Ian says that it was simply up to anyone’s interpretations what his lyrics meant.  And I can really respect that, because for one it makes it easy for me sound like I may actually know what I’m talking about here.  But really it allows the listener to make something personal to their own experiences, I’d offer mine up but this album is dreary enough.  It really feels as if Ian is just in a completely different band from the rest of his bandmates as some of these compositions don’t really match up with the vocal moods. 

5. Means to an End

Now with the previous song in mind, this is where I feel they all align in ideology or mood.  As previous bands I reviewed, Joy Division seem to have a distinct style that made them stand out from a crowd of hundreds of bands in the same position as them. This is that sound and it embodies everything perfectly. Vamping lyrics, a hopeful hopelessness in the sound but it’s all just the soundtrack to the deteriorating condition of someone whose experienced too much loss to really muster up the energy to keep fighting. 

6. Heart and Soul

“Existence, well what does it matter?/ I exist on the best terms I can”.  And this album is just full of these strikingly dark and beautiful lyrics. The song itself, which was brewed with a punk backbone, but lacking the power of rage, it’s chill mood music and again such simple arrangements carrying Ian’s haunting singing.  A steady groove of vamping lyrics and regretful self-loathing. 

7.  Twenty Four Hours

Another staple sound for goth bands of this era is the chorused bass sound heavily present here and I love it. One of their more energetic songs for Ian to brood over. According to interviews with Joy Division, Curtis’ bandmates wish they would have noticed the signs pointing to his untimely demise sooner.  Furthermore also saying they’d never really paid attention to the lyrics.  Because I mean.....it doesn’t take a scholar to read between the lines of the massive monoliths Ian Curtis was constructing to doom and gloom. And I got all this from wiki so if you wanna read up more about it I suggest starting there and digging through their sources provided.  Invoking a gloomy Jim Morrison, this song is a pretty standard experience with Joy Division by this point in the album but the stylistic changes are welcome to break up any monotony you may be feeling.

8. The Eternal

A very somber song encased in synth pads and dark gothic piano.  Painting the picture of a funeral, of going through the motions of death and loss.  These are probably some of the saddest, depressing songs I’ve ever heard in a row.  Not being said to take away from the album.  If you ever wanted to hear what a normal person sounds like, I think Ian Curtis is that voice, just a young man lost in a gigantic world, suffered from epilepsy and battling depression amid a dissolving marriage. Being hoisted on-stage where he would be victim to his seizures.  Even in wanting to shout his pain to the world, he was made to suffer.

9.  Decades

The album closes with a realization of sound.  A beautiful piece of music as they abandon almost all instruments in favor of cold, lifeless synthesizers.  and they play with Ian’s voice so beautifully in this moment.  Alot of these songs play as if they’re being sung by someone dying on the side of the road.  Watching a world pass them by, counting up all the regrets and eventually having to let go. 

This was not an easy album to review as it took multiple listens to really get it to sink in, perhaps I’m not at the darkest moments of my life, but I empathize deeply with Ian’s thoughts and emotions.  Through the research and listening of this album I do feel a bit of sadness for him, and thankful that such a record exists of such a HUMAN take on the world and music. I find it really hard to rate because of how relentlessly depressing it is at times, does that take away or add to the experience? I guess every listener will react differently and perhaps if you’re one of those people who needs sad music to get through difficult times, this could serve as an important piece of music to you.

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

I decided that the depressingly real aspect of it only adds to the experience.  While not exciting in terms of a party or dance record, it really does serve as an important document to mental health and the struggles of depression. I’d be hard pressed to say I’d revisit this album again. But I’m glad to have discovered it and really gave it a chance to grow on me. 

[thesunlounge]

Reviews 367: The Visitor

A couple of years ago, Ai released II, which for me is one of the very best albums of space rock, psychedelia, and kosmische ever conceived…a sort of epic paean to all that is great about the tripped out planetarium sonics of both the early 70s and the early 90s. The album was put out by Hauch Records, an experimentally-minded label operating in the German underground that explores much else besides cosmic rock, including minimal drone, ambient, and dub amongst a range of other moods and styles. The label has a longstanding relationship with Ai, having also released the band’s self-titled LP in 2015. But even before that–back in 2011–Hauch released a record called Imitation of Nature from Ai’s keyboard shaman and synthesizer sorcerer Frank Bauer, who on his own explores imaginative worlds of modular magic as The Visitor. Earlier in 2020 and after an extended period of silence, Bauer and The Visitor returned with Installationen, a new LP+digital release on Hauch featuring music that accompanied an art exhibition in 2019, and that sees Bauer rigging his modular setup to play itself, which to paraphrase the liner notes, creates structures based on dualisms between repetition and evolution, and between composition and spontaneous generation. I’ll also mention here that for those who want more of these mystical modular incantations, Installationen was immediately preceded by a an EP called Instrumentals that contains four further pieces from the same sessions.

The Visitor - Installationen (Hauch, 2020) “Installation I” opens with twinkling bell tones drifting in a fog, while android idiophones vibrate through a cold cosmic wind. Liquid oscillations evoke UFO landings as they periodically swoosh upon the mix, and also serve to provide the track with the barest semblance of structure. Industrial scrapes transform into fractal shards as they travel radially outwards, and airy pulses of bass signal mysterious pauses. Distorted feedback fades into mist and snaps of synthetic air land amidst cascading layers of growing and overblowing ambiance…all as chemtrails soar through a cloudy winter sky. Machines purr and coo while gong mallets strike massive metal pipes, creating waves of subsonic wonderment. Ghostly vocalizations intermingle with animalistic growls while organic clouds of bass hum emerge then disperse. Computers flicker and pulse as they execute strange algorithms which cause glitching tracers that repeate at hyperspeed, and the music alternately evokes for me the work of Experimental Audio Research, and Natural Snow Buildings at their most cold and abstract. Then, as everything starts fading, the track airs out, with temple tones sitting beneath a hopeful wash of synthesis. 

In “Installation II,” a randomized robot orchestra tunes to the dawn, as machine strings and modular horns swirl into a mysterious miasma. Shadowy tones and glowing strands of starlight intermingle as buzzing blankets of interstellar warmth meet glacial walls of shimmer and shine, with sinister bass synthetics evoking the shadowspells of Igor Wakhevitch. Billowing banks of laser light, silent screams of feedbacking static, and fluid flashes of molten crystal flow together before giving way to moments of sickly tonal meditation, as bass buzz and midrange hum move through chromatic slides and disturbing harmonic abstractions. Hovering clouds of reverb and delay shade in the empty spaces with spectral hues and obscuring layers of interstellar dust, pillowy pads drift over one another in a deep lullaby dance, and blinding rainbows are birthed from decaying plumes of smoke while elsewhere, thousands of viols scream and scratch into a wall of drone mesmerism. Sorrowful whale songs distort beyond comprehension as they diffuse through star oceans and slow motion oscillations are born of resonances and misaligned vibrato until the track devolves into a primitive loop, which is chopped even further by a locked groove.

In “Installation III,” percussive sequences and modular electronics evoke tropical jungle hand drum ceremonials and minimalist mallet cascades as a shaman casts spells of fourth world magic overhead. Swaths of static blow in like a psychedelic breeze, satellite broadcasts flow around muted computations, and cracks in the ground spew vapors of all possible color. Bassline shadowforms add a further sense of groove…these barely there thuds and pulses repurposed for a forest fusion jam out…while blips and pings create virtual tapestries of insect chatter and birdsong. Millions of modular marimbas are chopped and looped in real time, creating a mesmeric collage of futurist exotica, while elsewhere, swirling shimmers, mirage sonics, and sonar pings smear into cooling haze. It’s as if a hyperspeed conga line is working its way through an island rainforest paradise, wherein metalloid liquids drip from palm fronds into boiling pools of alien fluid, creating strange reverberations that diffuse in every direction.

The vinyl trip ends with “Installation IV” and a calming bath of buzz accented by twinkles and brass synthesis. Reversing wisps dance in the air, bell tones are stretched into infinitely tall vertical structures, and hypnotizing sparkles pan through wavering whooshes and subdued thumps. It’s a study in using constant motion to achieve sonic stasis, with every single element sparkling, swishing, and vibrating, yet somehow causing time to stand still. Healing tones of feedback grow in intensity before dispersing into glimmering bodies of glass, and the modular synths again evoke idiophones–this time mbiras playing some faintly heard paean to the shining sun. Piercing globules of light move backwards and forwards in temporal displacement and a serene storm of synthesis emerges…like an automaton orchestra activated by a slow and stately sunrise. Ascending phaser streaks and drunken bass synths execute a randomized dream dance while all around, clustered gemstones refract solar light into an infinite web of chiming magnificence. And just as the A-side terminates with a locked groove, so does the B-side, with washed out loops cycling peacefully and eternally.

The trip continues into the digital realm with three further tracks, the first of which is “Installation V.” Smoldering drones and feedbacking flute tones move through atonal harmonizations, while a slowly growing pulse of fevered ambiance enters the scene. Melody is mostly abandoned in favor of texture and resonance, as a malarial fog of silvery synthesis and smoke-shrouded distortion generates flashes of white light and voids of deep darkness. The vibe progressively turns more hopeful as the harmonizing layers ease their oppressive dissonance amidst the calming dances of sci-fi pixie dusk. And from here, the track begins to resemble a mystic sound ceremony, with modulars mimicking gongs, bowed cymbals, and Tibetan bowls while sea crystal pan-pipes are effected into radar bleeps…the whole thing like the Theatre of Eternal Music or Pelt transformed into a machine meditation. As for “Installation VI,” plink plonking and madcap Berlin schools sequences fire, with cut-off manipulations moving the sounds between starlight sparkles, percussive pops, and broken morse code transmissions. The sense of motion and energy is completely arresting in comparison to the preceding track’s sonorous serenity, especially as tick tocking twinkles of multi-colored diamond rotate in maddening patterns. Mysterious vocal tones hover in the background…like chopped and looped mermaid choirs…their gothic ocean arias pulsing at lightspeed and calling to mind Klaus Schulze’s earliest epics, as well as Popol Vuh’s soundtrack work. Indeed, the track almost resembles a Herzog-ian river trek at times, only as if proceeding in hypersonic stop motion, and with minimal melodic development interrupting the interlocking sequential stardance. 

The final piece is “Installation VII,” which begins with howling winds and phase-shifting cymbal splashes. Subsuming drones of darkness sit beneath zipping lasers and rushes of white noise, while percussive electronics ping-pong back and forth…their tones evoking hand drums and rainforest mallet instruments. Subsonic slides give a lazed shape to the groove–as well as a feeling of portending doom–and liquid gurgles join hydraulic machines and their vented puffs of compressed air. Sprays of crystalline vapor are as harsh as they are transfixing, and resonant fog banks quiver while obscuring all sight as gaseous blasts of light spread towards some infinitely distant horizon. At times glowing clouds of tonal mesmerism enter…these golden washes of hovering feedback and oceanic vibration that intermingle with sonar synths and wobbling walls of mutating drone mysterium...and again, the modulars evoke the meditative tones of gongs and temple idiophones. Granular blasts of galactic sound arc across the spectrum, ghostly melodies emerge at times while giving off an oscillatory glow, and towards the end, shimmering clouds of sound flow in, churn in place, then mysteriously disappear.

(images from my person copy with download code purposefully erased)

[theroundtrip]

THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2018

77. Polish Doom. Just those two words should be enough to consider it good. Intense and everlasting. 

Moon Wedding by Shine

76. Demonauta are synonym of quality, sweet warm fuzz and great vocal harmonies.

Temaukel, the spirit before time by DEMONAUTA

75. Groovy and fuzzy rock, with stoner, psych and punk mixed all together. 

Licancabur by Red Sun Atacama

74. Fantastic blend of doomy retro rock with folk and psychedelic. Tunes for fans of Jess and The Ancient Ones, Blood Ceremony, etc.

Blues for a Dying Planet by Spiral Skies

73. Covers of zamrock artists, MC5 and Hawkwind done in an ecstatic way.

ECSTATIC VISION - Under The Influence by HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS Records

72. Fully instrumental Stoner Doom, atmospheric and enjoyable.

Deus Ex Machina by Cloud

71. Another great heavy rock band emerging from Peru, carrying with them excellent riffs and even better solos.

Cosmos by Rito Verdugo

70. Heavy blues rock with superb jam moments, mad solos in here.

THE GRAND ACID by THE GRAND ACID

69. Cosmic boogie rock! Amazing debut record.

Activation Immediate by Freebase Hyperspace

68. Ethereal Doom Metal coming from the masters who started it all.

Eternal Return by Windhand

67. I've seen somewhere the term "doomgaze" applied to Easy Death...it seems to fit.

Welcome by Easy Death

66. Amazing 70's inspired rock coming from Spain. From the same vein of Prisma Circus

Resurrect the Dead by Electric Monolith

65. The only artist out there mixing psychedelic, drone, ambient, space, synthwave and krautrock this good.

ego therapy by Surya Kris Peters

64. A fresh breeze of bluesy rock, with enough groove to make you move.

Love Jail by Dommengang

63. Eastern scales and heavy psych rock merge so well together

Electric Dream Demon (LP) by GNOB

62. Heavy blues doom with one foot in the 70's era and another in the modern times.

Hazemaze by HAZEMAZE

61. Extraordinary heavy psych rock n roll coming from one of the best Israeli bands. I've probably heard the title track 100 times.

Red Eyes Blues by Heavy Stone

60. Hazy doom, hazy riffs, catchy tunes, superb album.

Calm Black Water by REZN

59. Heavy metal delight. Maybe the most interesting band emerging within the Heavy Metal/NWOBHM scene in these last years.

Burst Into Flame by Haunt

58. Heavy blues rock masters! On the prowl since 2008, always releasing killer albums.

Death's-Head Hawkmoth by Lonely Kamel

57. Amazing stoner doom with saxophone? Count me in.

The Wizard by Merlin

56. Psychedelic, blues , krautrock and stoner make a hell of a blend. One of the best debut full-lengths this year gave us.

Krautrocker by Zen Bison

55. Fantastic released of doom heavy rock, filled with enormous riffs and sludgyesc vocals, kinda unique

54. The quality of the doom metal in here is incredible, carrying echoing vocals, obscure riffs and majestic solos.

Tomb Of Doom by Tar Pit

53. Well, Satan's Satyrs really don't sound like anything else happening right now. They managed to create their own sound, based on all their previous influences

The Lucky Ones by Satan's Satyrs

52. Psychedelic doom metal, with great garage rock touches. Another outstanding record.

Mindtripper by Magmakammer

51. Hypnotic psychedelic krautrock coming from the land who gave it name.

We Are Not in California by Black Voodoo Train

50. Fuzzy Heavy Rock with galloping Heavy Psych, addicting grooves and fully Spanish lyrics.

Ritual en Carcosa by Kamadeva

49. Wicked Doom Metal, perfect for fans of Electric Wizard and similar stuff...

Kult Of The Wytch Goat by wytchgoat

48. The Californian fuzz masters can't be stopped. The classic of fuzzy stoner rock, with the magnum opus "Il Mostro Atomico".

Clone Of The Universe by Fu Manchu

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47. Retro hard rock sang in Swedish, with that illustrious Swedish quality.

Oblivious - När Isarna Sjunger by Gaphals

46. A monstrous bong arrives with monstrous riffs. 420 Doom!

Light the Dankness by Belzebong

45. The best garage punk rock record of the year. Dear Satan, I write you..

Bison Voodoo by The Graveyard Groupies

44. Psychedelic hard rock with sax jams and Hendrix'ean vocals you can't forget

Get In The Van by BearSloth

43. Superb heavy rock with Laura Dolan singular vocals

Helltown by Electric Citizen

42. Fantastic fem fronted heavy psychedelic hard rock!

Paradise & Nadir by Willow Child

41. Exceptional organ-driven doomy heavy rock with two kinds of vocals.

Act One by Alms

40. Most good motorcycles run on gasoline. This is a bad motorcycle, it runs on blood.

✠ I Tread On Your Grave ✠ by The Death Wheelers

39. Filthy and nasty sludge doom. Super heavy. Extra points for the cool song names

TONS - Filthy Flowers of Doom by HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS Records

38. Amazing progressive rock band, heavy without a guitar, only bass, drums and a hell of an organ.

Tube Alloys by Blå Lotus

   37. We knew how good Crypt Trip were with their previous releases but this is their breakthrough album. First rate heavy rock

Rootstock by Crypt Trip

36. Heavy blues influenced doom with amazing vocals, their best one yet

Holy Grove II by Holy Grove

35. Freaky and creepy space psychedelic punk! My mind of garage punk rock

Night Fight by Flying Hair

34. Occult doom metal, tending towards the epic side. Absolutely amazing

Midnight Mirror by Tempelheks

33. Immense doom metal soaked in horror and synth sounds, always fuzzy and haunting

The Golden Dwarf by Satori Junk

32. Extraordinary debut album, featuring fascinatingly blends psychedelic rock with blues and stoner rock, carefully driven by a krautrock atmosphere and some  drone inputs.

Hormonizer by Sex Blender

31 . Astrodome reached a new composition level with this record, drawing influences from heavy psych, jazz or stoner, creating a fully instrumental trip of soundscapes.

II by Astrodome

30. Crushing doom with seriously groovy heavy riffs, doomy atmosphere and mighty vocals.

Wicked Worlds by Birnam Wood

29. Dada garage rock n roll, with plenty of psychedelia and weird noises to keep you satiated.

Lotka-Volterra by Hoodooed

28. Excellent 70's organ driven hard rock extravaganza, superb playing in here

"Blood's thicker than love" by BLOOD OF THE SUN

27. Heavy rock/metal with NWOBHM and lots of classic rock hints, a perfect mix.

Set Fire To The Sky by Hypnos

26. Majestic church organ hard rock, with grunge and punk influences. Great debut work!

Cake! by Ozymandias

25. Classic rock with lots of NWOBHM influences, killer twin guitar harmonies and brilliant compositions.

II: Sojourn by Wytch Hazel

24. Unbelievably great desert rock coming from the godfathers themselves. Mind bending tunes

YAWNING MAN - The Revolt Against Tired Noises by HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS Records

23. The masters of the fuzzy afrobeat, groovy and catchy.

You Will Know Nothing by Here Lies Man

22. The acid Punk Rock, the sonic psychedelic destruction. Grab a chair and feel the gain.

More Hearing by OGOD (Over-Gain Optimal Death)

21. Magnificent blend of heavy blues and heavy rock, with a beautiful organ presence and western touches.

Seven Storms by Mountain Dust

20. Psychedelic stoner doom, fully instrumental and loaded with fuzzy psychedelia

Solar Hawk by Saturno Grooves

19. Skate heavy psych rock coming from San Diego's marvelous world

Smolyk by Petyr

18. Riffs after riffs..crazy good Speed Rock, punk, thrash, whatever, just bang your head

Hashteroid by Hashteroid

17. JIRM did really a number with this one, combining the force of heavy rock  and the mind bending power of psychedelic in a singular way

Surge Ex Monumentis by JIRM

16. Inventive heavy psych rock that seeks new ways of putting different sounds together, a stunning debut

Halcyon Daze by River Cult

15. Proto doom, hard rock, doomy rock, whatever you want to call it. Amazing unique sound that follows the steps of the doom origins.

Dunbarrow II by Dunbarrow

14. Dark psychedelic heavy metal with a wide range of excellent influences, including prog and black metal, couldn't be better

Torchlight by New Light Choir

13. 70's influenced heavy rock, with lots of psychedelic vibes going on and a huge godzilla devotion.

Blast by Sons of Geezora

12. Exceptional rock album, with psychedelic, experimental and doom touches. It would work great as a movie soundtrack

Hymns by Jack Harlon &The Dead Crows

11. Doom metal meets dark jazz. Absolutely amazing record from start to finish.

Feast for Water by Messa

10. Instrumental heavy psychedelic rock coming from Puerto Rico veterans. Let yourself loose in these jams

Gran Muro de Coma by La Iglesia Atomica

9. Fans of speedrock, you got another fast train coming right at you muito 

Cheated Death by Against the Grain

8. Heavy rock inspired by the 70's golden era, with amazing guitar work and awesome organ sounds.

Path of Virtue by Vvlva

7. Tropical heavy psychedelic rock, fully instrumental with prominent bass grooves, playful guitar and a constant joy throughout the record.

Psilocibina by Psilocibina

6. The doom album of the year.

Slave To The Grave by Alastor

5. Excellent heavy rock, you will not hear anything like this.

Hard Wish by PUSHY

4. Dreamy heavy psychedelic rock coming from one of the best Spanish bands emerging in the last years.

Moon by Holy Mushroom

3. Heavy metal with hints of progressive, thrash and doom, what a blend. Their best record yet.

Livin' Oblivion by BLACK WIZARD

2. Rock n Roll never sound so heavy! Loud and fast, metal and punk, killer with no fillers.

Under The Influence by Anguish

1. The slutch metal returns! No more words are needed. 

TRANSCANADIAN ANGER by DOPETHRONE

[6505-blog1]

The Greatest Rock/Metal Albums of the 21st Century.

21st century marks the most diverse decade for rock and metal continuation. Absorbing, if not radiated by the long progenitors from Led Zeppelin who cranked up their amps and Black Sabbath that turn it out murky and sinister grim, to the dazzling theatrical persona of KISS and Motley Crue, to the new level heavy metal confronter of Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, to the head crusher of Motorhead and Metallica, to the destructo maniac of Slayer and Kreator, to the prog menu offerer of King Crimson and Tool, and finally aligned to have some peculiar layers and brooding tendency of Korn. We have come a long way. Yet our engine keeps raging.

I have cumulated the finest, the most influential, and the most prominent albums released in the new millenium by the descendents that took their predecessors to a whole different level, sustain the genre, and move myriads of people to mosh.

In a particular order:

10. Avenged Sevenfold - City of Evil (Warner Bros, 2005).

Rolling Stones magazine has named the sonically-punk with the flames of Iron Maiden, City of Evil on the last number of their 100 Greatest Album of All Time list. That should be a fair consideration since the extravagants like Beast and the Harlot, Bat Country, and Seize the Day altogether with the rest of the setlist ultimately transced the whole level and the destiny of the band as a leading force of eliticians in not so distant future. The 11 tracks have also successfully resurrected the triumph of classic guitar virtuosso portrait demonstrated on 80's as the talisman, Synyster Gates embarked over tons of appealing riffages and dueling solos which was buried after Nirvana and grunge breaktrough on the early 90's. Veteran and Ozzy Osbourne/Black Label Society guitarist, Zakk Wylde acknowledged him as a "Torchbearer" for arguably giving a birth and cultivating the guitar culture to the next generation.

9. Behemoth - The Satanist (Nuclear Blast, 2014).

The tenth album of Polish most profound extreme metal giant after Adam "Nergal"s battle with leukemia. Unlike the speed and precision exhibited over prior releases, the coagulated dense and horified cultish doom are found intensely throughout the setlist as to explicit the heretic messages. The result is astonishing and stronger than ever. More to add, The Satanist is pure, cathartic, flawlessly emotional, carefully-savage, and conquering by its complexity of repertoire within vivid and cinematical gradation as multi-dimensional tracks Messe Noire, In the Absence ov Light, Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer, and the leadoff Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel ravage in none but diabolical fervor. This album expansive flair has comprehensively unfolded the darkest caverns and creates the new standard of underground craftmanship.

8. Bring Me the Horizon - Sempiternal (RCA/Epitaph, 2013).

I wouldn't believe that i need to make Sempiternal in the cut. Who would have guessed? But i will beat every negation towards it. It is the album that eventually transforms Bring Me the Horizon from bunch of hipsters to one of the most important unit in the 21st century modern rock landscape. A year and a half after the release, Oliver Sykes and co. took over the world attention of rocking Wembley Arena, the same monumental venue where Queen — one of the biggest rock band in the history — was there doing the same story. It was approximately 12.000 attendees which made Sykes stated: "So this is our biggest show ever". The soaring Can You Feel My Heart, the furious The House of Wolves, the euphoric Shadow Moses, and the melodic of Sleepwalking are undeniably the new testament of rock music.

7. Lamb of God - Ashes of the Wake (Epic, 2004).

Count how many metal bands on the planet started after invented Laid to Rest or Now You've Got Something to Die For! It was countless. Lamb of God has became the crowned icon of "New Wave American Heavy Metal" and one of the most distinctive band in the scene. Their ferocious riffs, blistering drum works, lyrical contents, sound, even how to sing like Randy Blythe are largely imitated and seem to be the ideal menifesto of modern metal anatomy with obviously Ashes of the Wake as the highest pedestal. It contains tremendous chaos of 11 front-to-back blazing tracks immensely portrayed after Mark Morton - Willie Adler's virtuosity and of course, Chris Adler's voraciousity. Implying both abundance and how well they grasp the roots that will less likely be outnumbered.

6. Mastodon - Leviathan (Relapse, 2004).

We are now talking (and unravelling) the true genius minds of Atlanta-based extraordinary quartet. The newborn Metallica, Mastodon — the group that always exceed anyone's expectation — has seamlessly ranged their pinaccle from sludge to prog to avant-garde to even folk with staggering exponents of highly sophisticated masterpiece. With any fruition that comes in, the sheer Leviathan is believed as the opener tap. Written after Herman Merville's 1851 novel entitled "Moby Dick", the 46-minutes concept album is nothing but endless breathtaking experience of capturing bizarre Ode to the sea soundtrack. Blood and Thunder, I Am Ahab, and Aqua Dementia are torrent of forceful yet fascinating guttural power chords with Brann Dailor's tracherous drum tempo reflecting the theme while Iron Tusk sets sail upon muscular stoner riff and Naked Burn for menacing-tactical intro and flaunted visceral jarring chorus are hulking the imagery of the beast. Until the epic Hearts Alive with a glimpse of Metallica's The Call of Ktulu patiently reigns and all the greatness rendered.

5. Evanescence - Fallen (Wind-up, 2003).

The album that made Evanescence — a small town band from Arkansas — a megastar in the blink of an eye. It was the second semester of 2003 where the breakthrough hit single, Bring Me to Life played million times on the radio around the globe (and MTV as well) picturing the female face lead singer and her gleaming voice, Amy Lee who started the band with the co-founder guitarist, Ben Moody (though the relationship didn't survive and separation happened in the midst of suporting Fallen tour). The fame that nowhere expected begun when the terrific duo met on a camp and cliche of having the same musical taste brought them to finally sign the major label Wind-up and dominated the world stages in a brief. Fallen with the added values of enchanting piano, symphonical strings livery, and haunting soundscape that most nu-metal groups didn't have at that time effortlessly stood-out and arised in comparison to even Linkin Park. Other songs served like the down-tuned goth Going Under and the everlasting ballad My Immortal are only legitimating their popularity.

4. Ghost - Prequelle (Loma Vista, 2018).

In our nearly five decades of heavy music, such names as Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, Van Halen with their fantastic works and spirits have became a catalyst that will be remembered greatly in the faraway future for causing an enourmous impact to our community. Those that have bloomed and paved the way many artists to follow. And if there is a chance for this millenium bands to extend the list, Ghost will be the first to step up the grace.

This year, their most recent release Prequelle has been nominated for The Best Rock Album and its single Rats for Best Rock Song of 61st Grammy. An award that should be familiar since they have been winning it two times with Infestissumam (2013) — their second major label album — as The Best Hard Rock/Metal Album and Cirice — the single taken from previous album Meliora (2015) — as Best Metal Performance. A peak of a decade existence for one superior man behind the wheel, Tobias Forge. Appear himself as a satanic pope, Papa Emeritus I, II, III, Zero, and now with the newest fully renowned ascencion clergy Cardinal Copia has completely shaped the band's identity. But the latest Prequelle has more than to be attained to an award. Forge's admiration to film makes no surprise if any substance on the record is prone to get visualized and draw medieval realms so alive and real. He could blend joyous disco with scattered shock rock backbone for Dance Macabre, provide brilliant exotic pop-esque instrumental opus for Miasma, and close all the novelty and intellegiousness by a soothing grand finale of Life Eternal. That is the last strike.

3. Greenday - American Idiot (Reprise, 2004).

With the overwhelmed mainstream-breaking punk rock hit single American Idiot, it was an album (a concept album, for specific) everyone knew which handfully restored a big disappointment both sales and critical of their previous release. Taking the power back after four years gap with anti-Bush vitriol narration over long and merged tracks was everything we could expect from an ambition. Performing sarkastic American-post 9/11 political singable outcry and dragging down to emotionally-related suburban decline on Holiday/Boulevard of Broken Dreams, followed by californian sunset accoustic staccato and straighforward revv Give Me Novacaine/She's A Rebel, a love story of Whatsername where a street punk main actor St. Jimmy fell and how it all ended on Homecoming.

The grandiose worths 16 millions selling CD is the anthem of this generation where a generation ago pridefully have The Clash with the classic London Calling.

2. Slipknot - Iowa (Roadrunner, 2001).

The most brutal and confrontational album of 21st century nothing to this day can bear. That is the deal. A remorseless turmoil just from the first second of welcoming to the house of pain intro, (515) to the last 15 minutes epilogue of magnificent unrelenting drama title track, Iowa. Please recognize the insolent hate mantra "Here we go again motherfuckers" as Corey Taylor opens up and rips off anything with hammer to the face misanthropic followed track, People = Shit that seems a vulgar warning to extend the torture of their 1999 debut phenomenal self titled album. But things got tenfold. They were all damaged animals, making it excuriatingly worst instead, and wanted any living to hear them. That they fuck what trend you live up on bludgeoning bestial Heretic Anthem, that they are adamant bastards you can't bleach their darkness out on atmospherical assault New Abortion, that killing is their primal instinct on grinding jaw-breaker scorn Disasterpieces, that they are fucking obsolete machines on the scorching psychosis Everything Ends. There lies Neurosis-ian dressed Gently and never eschew Grammy nominated singles, Left Behind and My Plague.

All the violent rampage should be addressed to Ross Robinson (producer) for being able to wrap up the devastating times the band encountered in the studio and that was how its ruthless resonated the world where many people are pissed-off to everything. An absolute impossible album to be re-recorded due to its hell of organic material. Yet apart of any malevolence, Iowa is sadly, a gift to liberate your heart and soul.

Honourable mentions:

System of a Down - Toxicity (American/Columbia, 2001).

Converge - Jane Doe (Equal Vision, 2001).

My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade (Reprise, 2006).

1. Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory (Warner Bros, 2000).

The world seriously gives us no chance to break. After Lemmy, Bowie, now we have lost the most beautiful voice that represents our generation.

May rest in peace and honour, Chester Bennington.

We miss you everyday, and we do care if someone whose time runs out is you.

The album that took nu-metal to a whole different level forever and highly contributed to shape the sound that outbursted the 21st century. For two decades, Linkin Park has became the most iconic group on the planet. Breeding the bands like Bring Me the Horizon, Asking Alexandria, and Bullet For My Valentine (with their recent 2018 album, Gravity).

Hybrid Theory (which was the actual name of the band before settling to Linkin Park) is the sublime fusion of heavy metal, alternative rock, hip-hop, pop, and electronica desired only to make a lifetime change. It is truly no derivative. Yet recalling back, it was multiple rejections of label after label before it took off with Don Gillmore (previously worked with Eve 6, Lit, Pearl Jam) to produce the album and pushed the band excessively. It was the part that would not have regretted where all they saw afterwards and going on was all miracle. 28 millions copy sold should be a very serious sensastion everyone must have a seat to talk about. A rock n roll revival after Guns N' Roses's Appetite For Destruction (1987) so to speak. With angst to fuel, Hybrid Theory yielded the catchy single opener One Step Closer, the drug abuse easer Crawling, the unhinged paranoia Papercut, and the most well-known last single sung by anyone In the End. Not to mention its cohesive supplementaries A Place For My Head, Runaway, and My December that blur the foursome due to their equivalent prowess. Admit it, Linkin Park and Hybrid Theory are the gateway to rock and heavy metal empire.

[droneseco]

Audeze LCD-1 Wired Headphones Review: Audiophile Grade Headphones For the Regular Listener

Audeze LCD-1

9.50 / 10

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Audeze planar magnetic headphones come with a serious reputation for quality in build quality and soundstage. The LCD-1 headphones are from the Audeze LCD Reference range and are designed not only for audiophiles and sound engineers but anyone who loves listening to their favorite tracks with the best possible quality.

Specifications

Brand: Audeze

Bluetooth: No

Noise Cancellation: No

Pros

Outstanding soundstage

Relatively lightweight

Good build quality

Comfortable for long periods

Cons

On the expensive side of things

Buy This Product

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Audeze is known for its premium audio hardware. It is a name associated with excellent, beautifully crafted soundstages, brilliant headphone design, and the delivery of an audio experience that keeps you coming back for more.

The Audeze LCD-1 wired headphones, then, have a lot to live up to versus the recent successes of the Audeze Mobius and Audeze Penrose gaming headset. So, how do the Audeze LCD-1 wired headphones stack up against the competition and, indeed, the Audeze name itself?

Read on for our hands-on review of the Audeze LCD-1 headphones.

Audeze LCD-1: What's In the Box?

Before we get into the box, a note about the box itself. While unpacking and unwrapping the LCD-1 box itself, you get a real sense of class, the Audeze box carrying a nice weight and almost urging you to get in and find out what's inside.

When you get there, you'll find:

Audeze LCD-1 wired headphones

Carry case

5mm jack to dual 3.5mm jack cable

25mm jack adapter

Fluffy headphone divider

Official Audeze LCD-1 Certificate of Authenticity

There are probably two things on there that have caught your eye.

Yes, the Audeze LCD-1 headphones do come with a fluffy headphone divider. It's to stop the earpads rubbing when you fold them down and put them in the carry case. It seems a little excessive, but it's a nice touch regardless.

The second thing is the Audeze Certificate of Authenticity. Before shipping to you, the LCD-1 headphones are rigorously tested to make sure they hit Audeze's very high audio standards. Furthermore, the testing and authentication process helps to "burn-in" the headphones before they're sent to you.

Audeze LCD-1 Specifications

You know what's in the box. Now, what's powering the audio side of things?

Style: Over-ear, open-back

Color: Black

Drivers: 90mm Planar Magnetic

Magnetic structure: Fluxor magnet array

Magnet type: Neodymium N50

Frequency response: 10-50,000Hz

Diaphragm: Ultra-thin Uniforce

Connectivity: Wired

Connectors:5mm, 6.35mm (1/4-inch)

Weight: 250g (8.82oz)

The headline specs to take from here are the driver size, at 90mm, and the frequency response, 10-50,000Hz. The frequency response is extensive and should allow the Audeze LCD-1 wired headphones to perform with exceptional audio accuracy.

Audeze LCD-1 Design

The Audeze LCD-1 are foldable wired headphones. When you first open the secure carry case and reveal the LCD-1 headphones, you might be surprised at their slight and relatively lightweight frame.

Planar magnetic headphones usually weigh more than the alternatives, containing larger, heavier magnets to ensure the headphone diaphragm moves uniformly. The added weight is often the trade-off between the oft sensational sound delivered by planar magnetic headphones versus a more traditional dynamic driver setup.

Weighing 250g, the Audeze LCD-1 weighs less than some of their direct competitors, sometimes by more than 100g. Of course, you want to know how that translates to actual comfort, and I'm happy to report that the LCD-1 headphones are perfect for prolonged listening sessions.

Helping with the comfort levels is the adjustable headband with memory foam cushioning, along with the memory foam earpads covered with genuine lambskin leather.

The Audeze LCD-1 uses an over-ear, open-back design. Open-back headphones can leak audio to the surrounding area, but LCD-1 doesn't suffer from this issue. On the other hand, open-back headphones can deliver a less congested, better-rounded sound that doesn't suffer from the feeling of isolation associated with closed-back headphones—but more on the Audeze LCD-1 soundstage in a moment.

The 90mm drivers and their ultra-thin Uniforce diaphragms further contribute to the reduction in weight. Audeze is very proud of its manufacturing process, too. Rather than using a one-size-fits-all process, each driver goes through a unique process that matches the voice-coil to the magnetic fields in each LCD-1 headset. The precision of manufacturing allows the diaphragm to move uniformly, in turn delivering a better overall sound.

Audeze uses 'a genetic algorithm-based heuristic optimization technique together with magnetic simulations to optimize trace widths to achieve Uniforce

As the LCD-1 headphones fold down into a carry case, you can remove the wires from the headphones. You can insert the headphone cables in either earcup without worrying about whether you got the right one as the LCD-1 cable detects the left and right signal automatically, which is actually pretty cool.

A Note on Handling Planar Magnetic Headphones

Planar magnetic headphones are, in general, more susceptible to having air trapped behind the ultra-thin diaphragm. Audeze recommends that you take care when putting your planar magnetic headphones on, giving them a moment to adjust to the difference in air pressure after creating a seal around your ears

As per Audeze customer support:

We recommend exercising certain cautions when handling planar magnetic headphones: trapped air can create high pressure and sudden pressure changes could damage the diaphragms, and this is not covered by warranty. When you put the headphones on or take them off, it's not a good idea to press them hard and fast against the head, so we recommend slow and steady movement to allow the air pressure to stabilize.

How Do the Audeze LCD-1 Sound?

On to the main feature: how do the Audeze LCD-1 wired headphones sound?

Planar magnetic headphones come with a reputation for the sublime, and the Audeze LCD-1 headphones certainly fit the bill. The LCD-1 comes with a well-crafted soundstage that should suit regular consumers and audio engineers alike, meaning you can plug them in and enjoy the standard sound. Still, the headphones respond extremely well to additional EQ settings, too.

One thing to note about the LCD-1 is how alive everything sounds when you slip them on. I tested the LCD-1 headphones using a direct connection to my PC, then through a small desktop DAC, and with my Galaxy S8 smartphone. The clarity and crispness across all three options are exceptional. You won't find any track that the LCD-1 doesn't deliver with precision, bringing your favorite artists and albums to life once more.

In that, you actively want to find more music of different genres to test the LCD-1 headphones with. I'm a huge electronic music fan, and the LCD-1's soundstage brings every thumping bassline to the fore, picking out every chirping, twisting beat, or pushing the sound of a euphoric Balearic wave crashing over you.

Classical music sounds exceptional, all tight notes and quick transitions, while the LCD-1 headphones handle the fast, high-pitched transitions of ska and jazz with ease. You feel like every note is being played specifically for you, with precision, and it makes every listening experience an exciting and refreshing examination of music, old and new.

In short, it's not often that you put on a pair of headphones like these. The Audeze LCD-1 may be one of the best audio experiences you could hope for without spending thousands, allowing you to experience what is often referred to as "audiophile-grade" listening without blowing your monthly budget several times over.

Is the Audeze LCD-1 Good for Gaming?

While the LCD-1 headphones are definitely designed for music lovers, we live in an age where gaming audio is just as important. Audeze doesn't pitch the LCD-1 headphones for gaming, which is understandable as they're very much an exceptional audio tool, suitable for sound engineers, and so on.

With that said, you won't regret taking the LCD-1 into any game environment. The headphones' exceptionally crafted soundstage doesn't just stop when you fire up your favorite game, that's for sure.

Jumping into Doom 2016, and the frantic gameplay strikes you, but also Mick Gordon's exquisitely mixed soundtrack that brings the entire game together into the visceral experience we know and love. Although Gordon didn't feature on Doom Eternal (for one reason or another), it sounds just as good, making it clear why Eternal won many audio design awards in 2020.

Racing games were a particular treat, too. Although you won't notice much subtly in sound design in most racing games, having a set of headphones that bring more of the world to the fore is brilliant, especially in titles like Dirt 2.0, where sound immersion can heighten your senses, pushing your driving abilities to another level.

The Audeze LCD-1 Are Outstanding, and You Should Buy Them

The LCD-1 headphones come from Audeze's LCD Reference headphone range. They're built for audio engineers and sound professionals to deliver the best, most accurate representation of music—any genre, any style.

Which they do, many times over. The Audeze LCD-1 is easily one of the best headphones you can put your hands and ears on if you want to experience truly premium audio at a very reasonable price.

However, some may find that very same experience unsettling in terms of the soundstage. When you buy headphones built for working out at the gym or to make games sound amazing, the manufacturer often builds for a certain audio profile. Those familiar profiles, usually slightly bass-heavy or with some extra mid/top, deliver extra punch for the user and bring the experience home.

The Audeze LCD-1 is very much in the area of a relatively flat EQ, designed to allow mixing in any direction. The consequence is a potentially confusing experience for consumers not accustomed to this, expecting an in-built bass boost or otherwise. That doesn't damage the LCD-1 listening experience. Far from it, it gives you far greater control over the music you love.

On that, let's talk price. The Audeze LCD-1 wired headphones retail for $400. Now, you might look at that price and balk. There's no denying it's a pretty penny and more than most would consider spending on a set of headphones.

Given the substantial audio range, lightweight and comfortable design, and vast soundstage, the Audeze LCD-1 wired headphones are nailed on for me.

Audeze LCD-1 Wired Headphones Review: Audiophile Grade Headphones For the Regular Listener published first on http://droneseco.tumblr.com/

[blacksabbath08-blog]

Prequelle

So, before I start with the review, I want to give a small disclaimer of sorts. As you can probably tell by the name, Ghost is a pretty weird band. Obviously not everyone is into heavy metal, and that’s fine. However, if you do decide to give the band a try, I suggest you don’t pay too much mind to the lyrics. As it is with most metal bands, they don’t mean anything bad by them, it is just a subject that is fitting (i guess) for the type of music they make. So, with that said, on with the review.  I think the new album is AMAZING, and I have heard it about five times since it came out on Friday. First things first, the album opener was pretty creepy, as expected from this band. It is not really my favorite of their album openers, but it fits perfectly with the next song. Which brings us to the second song, Rats. I think this song is epic with a great riff and a catchy chorus. This was the first single off the album and may be one of my favorite songs by this band. Next is the song is titled Faith, which is ironic since the lyrics are about the complete opposite. Again, the main riff is great, very bluesy and somber and the chorus is both creepy and catchy in true Ghost fashion. The next song is a mellow rock ballad.... about hatred.

This album, like all of this band’s music is filled with contrasts between the melodic instruments and voice and the dark lyrics. This and their theatrical live performances with costumes really set this band apart from the others. The next song, Miasma is an instrumental, but it honestly really tells a story of adventure and euphoria without the need for any lyrics. Also it has an epic saxophone solo, which I never though I would hear in a rock song. The next song, Dance Macabre is interesting for several reasons, one being that it sounds like it was made in the 80’s. That’s pretty cool because I honestly like 80’s music and its cool that it continues the whole black plague/ 1800’s theme with a soundtrack that sounds like the 80’s. The next song, Pro Memoria, is another nice ballad with one of my favorite lines from the album, “ Don’t forget about dying. Don’t forget about your friend death.” Such a nice topic to write a ballad about. The next song is another catchy song about with one of my favorite solos off the album. As always, the synths add another layer of depth to their music that you don’t usually hear in rock music.The next song is called Helvetesfönster, which translates to fire cloud in English. For those of you that don’t know, the band is Swedish even though their songs are in English. This song is actually recorded with an orchestra and many instruments other than those the band plays. The last song may be one of my favorites. It is titled Life Eternal, and it is about mortality and questioning whether anything lasts forever. I think its a nice break from all the doom and gloom and a great way to end an amazing album.

Thank you for reading! In case this is my last blog, Have a great summer!

[stormyrecords-blog]

new arrivals 8-25-17

stormy records13306 michigan avedearborn, mi 48126 313-581-9322 hi everybody!!we survived the eclipse and now a big hurricane is coming. whether having a blast with the moon and stars, or needing something to calm your nerves in a big storm - we have great new music for you all this week. we also finally made it to the proper release date of that MOGWAI promo 45 that costs $2 and gets you a coupon for $2 off the new lp when it comes out in sept. please ask for one at the counter. thank you!! in on friday aug 25th QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE Villains double lp $26.99regular version or limited edition indie store only Boneface cover edition. either is a 2 lp set, 3 sides of music and an etching. as a bonus - each copy sold comes with a poster and sticker. cd also available - $13.99 Grosskopf, Harold: Synthesist LP $24.99Repressed; LP version. "Harald Grosskopf was in his early twenties when LSD 'blew [his] reality away,' as he recalls. Born in Hildesheim in 1949, he had previously drummed in fairly conventional rock bands, most recently for Wallenstein. Their label-boss Rolf-Ulrich Kaiser was fond of facilitating jam sessions for musicians on his Ohr und Pilz label, often supplying his 'cosmic couriers' with LSD (unbeknown to them, on occasion). In one such session, the drug inspired something of an epiphany in Grosskopf: 'There I was playing the drums when, in the midst of my euphoria, I realized that I had been imitating other drummers. Suddenly a voice spoke to me: stop trying to sound like Billy Cobham or Ginger Baker. From that moment on I felt liberated, free to drum without having to shine in a particular role.' Having discovered his own musical identity, Harald Grosskopf understood that a standard rock combo was not the ideal conduit through which to express it. Grosskopf: 'I was completely in thrall to electronic music and the total freedom that it offered. This was the music I wanted to create. I knew it would be a success, the energy levels were so high.' Grosskopf consequently left Wallenstein. 'I fell into a hole at first, wondering what I was going to do. So I sold my prized drum kit and used the money to buy a guitar, amp and echo device.' A few days later, the doorbell rang. It was Manuel Göttsching, on his way back to Berlin from a tour of France. They knew each other from Berlin's electronic scene and recording sessions for the likes of Ash Ra Tempel. Göttsching invited Grosskopf to sign up for his new project Ashra and the rest is history: Ashra (Grosskopf, Gottsching, Lutz Ulbrich alias Luul) released a series of successful albums in the years that followed. It was not until the summer of 1979, however, that he finally felt ready to release a solo album. Synthesist comprises eight instrumentals, recorded largely by Grosskopf on his own. His melodies, carried along by synthesizers and drums, were reminiscent of works by Berlin electronic friends such as Klaus Schulze and Tangerine Dream, as well as those 'cosmic' sessions of the early 1970s -- yet each melody retains a unique timbre. Synthesist is thus regarded as a classic by electronic music enthusiasts all over the world, evoking a thrilling musical era of the past with equal capacity to excite today." --Christoph Dallach LOWE, ROBERT AIKI AUBREYLevitation Praxis Pt 4 LP  $24.99Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe's incredible experiments with Harry Bertoia's sound sculptures are here documented on this beautiful new edition for Demdike Stare's DDS imprint, coinciding with his appearance on Semtember 2017's issue of The Wire magazine. Lowe is something of a polymath; having started out as part of math rock outfit 90 Day Men and doom metal trio Om, he progressed to forge his own solo work (often under the Lichens moniker), as well as a whole slew of collaborations, including work with Johann Johannsson on scoring both Arrival (2016) and Sicario (2015), an acclaimed album with Ariel Kalma for RVNG Intl's FRKWYS series, plus active involvement in site-specific video art and sound installations. His most recent work under his own name has seen him release diverse music for Type, Latency, More Than Human, and, of course, DDS who have, with this album, presented what might just be the most beautiful Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe artefact thus far. In 2016, Lowe was commissioned by New York's museum of Arts and Design to contribute to a Harry Bertoia exhibition, which he undertook alongside video director Johann Rashid. He was asked to create sound recordings with Sonambient sculptures; metal rods and gongs that produce highly distinct, resonant sounds when struck, brushed, or touched. Beginning in 1968, Bertoia set up an eighteenth-century stone barn on his property in Barto, Pennsylvania, to house these sculptures and from which he would go on to record works for his highly collectable Sonambient label, as recently documented on Important Records' breathtaking box set (IMPREC 419CD, 2016) and reissue series. Lowe was given full access to the barn, beautifully filmed footage of which can be found on YouTube. Lowe's work with these sculptures is quite unlike anything you might have heard from those original Bertoia recordings. Instead of serendipitous improvisation, Lowe weaves his way through the sculptures on a path that was mapped out in advance, imbuing them with a more "composed" and arranged feel. As well as that familiar and distinct sound palette, he subtly manipulates and feeds in vocal layers that take proceedings into ever more ethereal and haunting dimensions. Mastered and cut by Matt Colton. VA: Avant Garde Is Happenin CD $15.99Full title: Avant Garde Is Happening Because Collaborations Are Happening As Long As The Desire To Interact Fuels Our Hearts We Will Find Swarms That Build Moments And Space To Shelter The Worlds That We Are. Released to coincide with the re-emergence of the festival at Schiphorst, Germany to celebrate "three days of utopia". The Avantgarde Festival is the legendary gathering of experimental music and performing arts brought to life by Jean-Hervé Péron (faUSt), Carina Varain, and friends. The festival was reborn in with the help of Jeanne-Marie Varain, who grew up with the Avantgarde Festival and curated its program in 2014, and Ines and Julia (MuD, Logotorium, Krarque Jamarić) who scouted several actions at the festival in 2013 and 2014, and decided to team up and figure out a new format that supports collaboration and at the same time is able to sustain itself. The CD features exclusive material from the likes of Nurse With Wound, faUSt, Qluster, Asmus Tietchens. Also features: V!V!V!, Haricot Massacre, Giardini, Ronny Wærnes, VED, Octopus Ride, EXO//ENDO, Dieter Bornzero Bornschlegel, Psykisk Tor-Tur, Blood Oath, Friederike Jäger, and Ernsthafte Angele-Genheiten. Packaged in a heavy board, mini-LP sleeve, complete with an inner sleeve. NURSE WITH WOUNDThe Swinging Reflective II 2CD  $24.99Follow up to 1999's The Swinging Reflective album. It features an array of Steven Stapleton's favorite releases that are either his own remixes of other artists, collaborations, or have been co-written with individuals who have worked extensively with Nurse With Wound. All tracks are remastered and some have been slightly or comprehensively remixed. Features: Colin Potter, Faust, Freida Abtan, Graham Bowers, David Kenny, Band Of Pain, Andrew Liles, Christoph Heemann, Aranos, Sunn O))), Lynn Jackson, Sand, Larson/Fritz Müller, and Blind Cave Salamander. Packaged in a heavy board, gloss laminated six-panel digipak. NILSEN, BJMassif Trophies LP  $22.99BJNilsen is a composer and sound artist based in Amsterdam. His work primarily focuses on the sounds of nature and how they affect humans. Recent work has explored the urban acoustic realm and industrial geography in the Arctic region of Norway and Russia. His original scores and soundtracks have been featured in theater, dance performances, and film. Celebrating 27 years as a recording artist, Massif Trophies is his first solo release for Editions Mego. In 2015, he set off on a month-long hiking trip in Gran Paradiso to explore the acoustic environments in the alpine landscape. Drawn to the monotonous and physical effort that mountains and high altitudes contribute, this became one of the main inspirations for Massif Trophies, reflecting upon the perception of the landscape during several hours of physical difficulty, let alone rapid weather changes, horizontal thunderstorms, and rock avalanches. Massif Trophies is also about the scope of details and perception of the path and the myth of the mountain as the accursed or sacred place. The five pieces contain narratives based on experiences and recordings from the trip. All source material recorded in Gran Paradiso, July 2015; Engineered at Odd Phasing and Echoes, Amsterdam NL; Photography by BJNilsen. Includes download card. Side Eyes: So Sick LP $19.99LP version. "So Sick, the debut album on In The Red Records by Southern California punk quartet the Side Eyes, raises interesting questions about nature versus nurture -- the eternal scientific debate about whether a human being's personality is predetermined by genetics or whether it's actually shaped by the environment one grows up in. Their lead singer, Astrid McDonald, is a fascinating test case. The 22-year-old Angeleno is the real-wild-child daughter of Go-Go's guitarist-songwriter Charlotte Caffey and Redd Kross singer-guitarist Jeff McDonald. How much has McDonald's notoriously fiery onstage presence been influenced by basic heredity and how much was her personality inspired by being raised by two legendary punk-pop icons? Similarly, how did growing up together as brothers in New Jersey affect the hard-driving musical attack of 22-year-old guitarist Kevin Devine and 20-year-old bassist Chris Devine? Much of rock history has been fueled by the unique familial dynamics and sibling rivalries of brothers in bands, from the Everly Brothers and the Kinks' Ray and Dave Davies to Redd Kross' Jeff and Steven McDonald. When the two Devines' aggressive approach is combined with 23-year-old San Diego native Nick Arnold's remorselessly throttling drumming, the Side Eyes end up as a powerfully controlled punk rock machine that blows past the sonic barriers of their past inspirations." AGGROVATORS, THEAggrovating The Rhythm At Channel One LP  $18.99LP version. The Aggrovators were one of Jamaica's finest session bands put together by the hit-maker from Jamaica, Bunny Striker Lee. The group would produce some of the hardest rhythms cut at the legendary Channel 1 studio. These tracks would provide the backbone to songs that were usually voiced over at King Tubby's own studio. These cuts here represent a selection of some of those fine rhythms selected together for the first time. The Aggrovators were a group of reggae musicians that usually featured Carlton "Santa" Davis on drums playing alongside Robbie Shakespeare on bass with other musicians added like Earl "Chinna" Smith on guitar and Tommy McCook, Vin Gordon, and Lennox Brown added for horn arrangements, with keyboard and organ duties normally left to Ansel Collins and Bernard "Touter" Harvey. Jamaican Recordings have compiled some great tracks recorded by this fantastic group of musicians and focused on those cut on Channel 1 studios to give you a feel of what those times were like. Dubs of songs from Johnny Clarke, Delroy Wilson, Paragons, Ossie Scott, Roy Shirley, and Pat Kelly. Ugly Things #45 MAG $10.99"On the cover: Q65, The Outsiders and the Dutch Beat Revolution, the stories of two legendary, rebellious bands from the Netherlands in the 1960s. Part 2 of The Uniques -- blue-eyed garage and soul from America's South. Plus The Left Banke, Texas '60s icons Neal Ford & The Fanatics, occult rocker Geof Crozier, German freakbeat from The Toxic, and demented San Fernando Valley punk rockers Puke, Spit & Guts. There are revealing interviews with Richard Strange of The Doctors Of Madness, and original Rolling Stones and Yardbirds manager Giorgio Gomelsky, and, in his own words, Victor 'Moulty' Moulton tells the poignant story of how he lost his hand yet fought on to become the drummer of successful Cape Cod band The Barbarians. We also take a peek at the personal acetate archive of John Entwistle and reveal the story of a New Jersey girl garage group that met and inspired The Stooges. Plus our acclaimed reissue and book review sections, fully-loaded and bursting with insights and information. cool local detroit happenings!! Blue Bird Stage Homecoming Celebration Saturday, August 26th, 2pm-4pmAn afternoon of storytelling, video installation, poetry, and music.  FREE - Detroit Public Library, 3rd Floor, 5201 Woodward, Detroit, MI 48202 DETROITSOUND4: Detroit Sound DesignSaturday, September 9th, 8am-6pmA single day conference including panels, presentations, workshops, and an exclusive performance on the Blue Bird Stage. cost is $15 per person    tickets can be purchased through a link on the detroit sound conservancy websitedetroitsound.orgevent taking place at the  CCS Taubman Center, 460 W. Baltimore, Detroit, MI 48202 EL CLUB UPCOMING SHOWS  (most shows all ages - ticket will say all ages or not)remember - tickets are cash only. this saves us all the service charges!! win a copy of the new ACTRESS lp - enter to win a copy of the new actress lp when you buy tickets for the upcoming show at the el club!! your name will be entered for each ticket you buy - the winner could be you!! aug 25th actress with elysia crampton, snakepiss, john fm, and joey2lanes. sponsored by WCBN laetitia sadier source ensemble wed aug 30th $12the spits, screaming females  sat sept 30th $15touche amore fri oct 6th $25 MARBLE BAR (all shows 18 and over) tops fri sept 22nd $10cold specks wed nov 29th $10 Upcoming events at Trinosophes 8/26: Kenneth Green's Relativity 9/4: Nakatani Gong Orchestra9/9: Keir Nueringer9/16: Swell, Gjerstadt, Strom, Nilssen-Love9/19: Hans-Joachim ROEDELIUS! with Hydro Park and Dave Shettler9/22: New Music Detroit's Strange and Beautiful Music opening night with m usic by  Khemia Ensemble,  Juxtatonal: Jocelyn Zelasko and Bryan Hayslett,  YAK,  Joel Peterson (with Lisa Raschiatore clarinet, James Greer viola, Abby Alwin cello),  NewMusicDetroit (featuring  cellist Una O’Riordan) and  Rebecca Goldberg Related 9/23: Trinosophes present Ryan Jewell Duo at night two of Strange and Beautiful Music at The Max M Fisher Music Center . 10/10: Circuits Des Yeux10/26: Joel Peterson original score to silent classic   Der Golem  at Toledo Museum of Art  

[artgoon]

an interview with Cleric

Cleric is a Dallas based band that focuses on a Swedish Death Metal basis of ideas and takes you on a nightmarish trip to a cosmic hell lurking in the darkest depths of human imagination. The riffs are pretty badass too. I spoke with guitarist Chris Richardson the night before their show opening in Dallas at Club Dada for Eternal Champion, Sumerlands, & Venomous Maximus’ three date Tejas excursion. Brian: So I guess to get things started, who am I speaking with? Chris Richardson. I'm one of the guitarists for the band.

And you did vocals in the original incarnation of Cleric also right? I did, yes.

Was there any specific reason when you guys regrouped that you aimed for a different singer? Zac's a great fit. The main reason was that I didn't feel that I was able to physically do it anymore. Plus, I'd seen Zac doing vocals in Tyrannosorceress with John Schiller and Zach Jobin and felt he'd be a better fit for the band than what I was able to offer. It, in turn, freed me up to worry about writing riffs, working out leads, and wrecking neck with head banging.

I guess having 3 members of a previous band really helped have a cohesive vibe as well. Gratum Inferno is a very well put together debut. Do you consider the 2011 reboot of the band the actual beginning or were those first years a big part of the formative process? It was definitely part of the formative process. We bounced from being a straight up doom 3 piece to adding a second guitarist in Andrew Hawkins and moving into the old school death metal realm. I don't think we're out of that process yet, I feel that we're still developing our sound with each song we write and will probably try to do so until we say "enough" and ride off into the sunset.

I definitely pick up on a little doom influence so I see that. Almost everything I've read about you guys makes reference to the Sunlight Studios influence, which is made obvious by tracks with titles like "Left Hand Wrath," but I'm curious as to what other bands influence you guys aesthetically and sonically. I sense a lot of similarities with what labels like Profound Lore are doing. Deep attention to artwork and presentation and lyrics that go beyond your early 90s death metal gore. Oh man! Here's the fun part... So, the huge influence is, of course, the Swedish Death Metal sound brought about by Sunlight Studios. Morbid Angel and the Florida death metal scene are also influential. The Martin Van Drunen bands (Asphyx, Pestilence, Hail Of Bullets) are also up there in influence. A lot of the stuff that's currently being released by labels like Profound Lore and Dark Descent are current influences as well. But, yeah, Entombed, Grave, Unleashed, Bloodbath, Edge Of Sanity are heavy personal influences for me when I start to approach song writing these days.

What I love is that it's not re-hashed...it feels very modern and unique but with a nod to all the legends.  The guitar sound on the album almost gives it a crust-punk quality but then the Unleashed and more black metal-like tendencies take it to a whole different level. For a band that's relatively new, you guys have really created a signature sound that I think older death metal fans have been longing for. We do like to walk across in the crust punk realm from time to time. It adds variety and, at times, can up the intensity of a song. 

You mentioned song writing these days, you guys are in the midst of recording album no. 2 right? We are in the midst of recording a new album at this time and our current set is compromised of new material at the time. So when you catch us live these days it's all new material, maybe we'll occasionally throw in one song from Gratum Inferno just for the fun of it.

With bands like Venomous Maximus, Power Trip, Expander, & Eternal Champion, it seems like Texas is returning to a pretty damn good metal scene like the 80s and early 90s. Lots of bands really reaching out to the true metal heads' desires in music. Yeah, not to mention that Mammoth Grinder is entering the studio soon. Tyrannosorceress is about to release their album this year. We also have Baring Teeth and the grindcore bands Cognizant and Kaliya in Dallas that just rip your face off. We're seeing a good run of form in Texas right now for Metal in all sub-genres.

Oh yeah, can't wait for that Mammoth Grinder. Chris Ulsh is a beast. I had no idea Tyranasorceress was working on new music as well. T-Sorceress should have that album out this spring. It's done and ready to press, I believe. 

You’re actually a member of Kaliya also, if I'm not mistaken?  I am one of Kaliya's rotating bass player, yes. Hahaha, I wanted a change of pace from guitar and they were willing to work with my schedule and bring me on board. Good guys to work with.

I gather you guys are pretty close with Crawl and even did a clash set with them back when Full Of Hell & The Body came through. What was that like? That's a pretty unusual set-up 

We actually toured with Crawl in 2015 through the Midwest. Mike's sound is probably one of the most abrasive and nihilist things I've ever experienced. Just rattles your bones live.

That’s another thing I loved about Gratum Inferno. The interludes are so unsettling and surreal. Can't recall many death metal albums that have a reoccurring cohesive element throughout like that. Oh, yeah, the samples... well, I'm not a big fan of dead space in a live setting. I feel it kills the mood for the live performance. So I whipped up samples to play in between songs during our set early on. When we went in to record Gratum we decided to drop them into the album to keep the soundscape as similar to the live setting as possible. It just so happens that it also made the album sound even more unsettling.

It definitely does leave an unsettling feel. Even from that synthy, eerie, crackling intro....you don't know what you're in for. Between the samples and the cover art, I get a very Lovecraftian feel from the album experience.

Man, that's an honor to hear that it's a Lovecraftian experience.

I was hoping you guys were fans. Obviously the Satanic overtones are there but I get the very cosmic, darkness of the abyss vibe from it all as well. So you guys definitely stay busy, haha. Lots of things to look forward to. I don't think we had any ambitions to create any major theme with that album. It really just unfolded the way that it did. 

And speaking of the cover art, dear God. What a masterpiece. Hahaha, yeah, Jason Barnett did us a solid with that artwork. It's an exceptional piece of work.

So will the new album be through Tofu Carnage? And do you see 2017 to be the year of the new album's release? Sounds like everyone stays pretty busy. We're not sure yet. We're keeping it open for offers far and wide right now. Realistically, we'll see the new album sometime in 2018. We're still in the stages of tracking right now and we're not wanting to rush it too much. I would love to get it out to the public this year, but it probably wont happen.

I guess while Cleric may seem relatively new you guys have your hands in the scene for a while now leaving a mark with members who were in bands including Steel Bearing Hand, Baring Teeth, and Man Is Mostly Water. I would say we have. I guess you could say that that has also influenced us as musicians and our song writing as well throughout the years too.

Alright, a few more questions and I'll let you get back to it man Outside of the previously stated musical influences, are there any film or literary influences you guys look to? Film influences? Man, that's a tough one. I guess horror movies mainly, throw in some John Carpenter and Alejandro Jodorowsky for good fun. For sample/ interlude influence I've pull from soundtracks for movies like Blade Runner, Alien, Tron, Beyond The Black Rainbow in the past. Literary influences I couldn't give you a point of reference. I know Zac is delving into reading about the occult and satanism, but I'm not certain of the literature he's reading these days. I can't speak for the other guys in the band, unfortunately. I'm on a history kick these days and I'm just focusing on World War I literary works at the moment, so that's not influencing much in regards to the band in that aspect.

And for a final question. Bit of a cliche, but I like to throw it in. Top 5 albums. Any genre. Ok, I'll just stick with the Death Metal genre. I'd need more than 5 to list additional genres, haha. So here we go:  1) Entombed: Left Hand Path  2) Grave: You'll Never See  3) Carcass: Heartwork  4) Unleashed: Where No Life Dwells  5) Bloodbath: Resurrection Through Carnage

Awesome choices man. Definitely shows the roots of Cleric. Well thanks for the time I appreciate the talk! Awesome. Thanks, man. We appreciate it as well.

Oh yeah, i meant to ask. Is this the first Cleric interview? I didn't come across anything else online. Haha, yeah. I think it is officially the first interview for the band. 

Hell yeah man. Glad we could pop the interview cherry! Listen to Cleric’s soul shaking album at https://clericdeath.bandcamp.com/