Autumnwind - Endless Fear

Labels: Symbol Of Domination Productions/More Hate Productions

Formats: CD/Digital

Release Date: 20 May 2018

Tracklist:

1. The Panic Attack

2. The Hallucination

3. Lost And Alone

4. Forever Insomnia

5. Endless Fear

The weather conditions here are terrible today and I don't much feel like going out. Instead, I've decided to surround myself with music and try to be productive on here. For this first review I wanted to write about a project from a far-flung nation, that's going against the general populous in what is still a war-torn country. Autumnwind fit that bill perfectly, being an instrumental ambient/black metal band from Syria. This is Autumnwind's third album and it was released in May via Belarusian label Symbol Of Domination Productions and Russia co-conspirators More Hate Productions. 

It’s always interesting to hear music produced by individuals from countries like Syria, as often the hardship they face comes through in the music. On “Endless Fear” though, Autumnwind projects a feeling of hope and positivity though the use of ambient keys and uplifting black metal featuring subtle riffs and a drum machine. The Panic Attack opens the album in a calm way and is structured really well. The lack of vocals doesn’t affect it either. There’s a cosmic feel to The Hallucination and the melodies that comes through provide a glimpse into the Middle-Eastern roots of the band. It’s more heavily synth-led, which helps to add more atmosphere to it’s mid-paced tempo. Haunting is a word I’d use to describe this song and it sums up the emotions of those behind the band.

The lengthy compositions on “Endless Fear” are meant to be listened to with no distractions or stoppages and as such are oddly relaxing, with Lost And Alone being the longest piece on the album. The ambient instrumentation led by pan pipe effects make it quite hypnotic and the minimal use of dissonant guitars also helps. Forever Insomnia is filled with strings that add a slightly more jarring edge to Autumnwind’s sound, though that’s maybe just me being a bit unfair. The song itself is more urgent and of a slightly higher tempo, with more prominent guitar melodies. Ending with the beautifully calming title-track is a masterstroke as it’s quiet instrumentation washes over you with no threat of heaviness to break the mood. The ominous bell closes it out and leaves only silence. This album may not be extreme (musically) but it is when consider the band’s roots and the work that has been put in to release it. Excellent in it’s own way and worthy of further support.

You can stream "Endless Fear" below:

It's available to purchase digitally and on cd from Symbol Of Domination Productions above and you can can also purchase it from More Hate Productions here - http://www.morehate.com/release

Autumnwind - https://www.facebook.com/Autumnwind

Symbol Of Domination Productions - https://www.facebook.com/SymbolOfDominationProd/

Fauna Timbre - Altering Echoes EP

Labels: Red Orchard Records

Formats: CD/Digital

Release Date: 31 Oct 2018

Tracklist:

1. Heart Murmurs

2. Violent Waves

3. Turn The Sun

4. Umbra

5. Memory Leak

As another Friday evening rolls around it's time to start thinking about becoming more consistently productive (from a writing point of view anyway), which is why I'm committing to writing at least 3-4 times (and hopefully more) from now. I need to for my own sanity and for the love if it. Tonight I'm focusing on new Norwegian doom band Fauna Timbre. The band started in 2016 as a duo, but are due to release their debut EP at the end of this month, as a trio. 

Fauna Timbre’s take on doom rock is cleaner than most. The opening song Heart Murmurs is melodic and mournful, but it never becomes truly heavy. The vocals feature that ever so slight hint of autotune, while the instrumentation is sensitively delivered so it doesn’t take too much of limelight from them. The layered and progressive nature of Faun Timbre is really endearing as the slow march of Violent Waves takes over. They’ve been compared to the mighty Katatonia and I suppose that’s an adequate comparison given the clean nature of their sound. They are very good at what they do on here and they do add more crunching riffs to the song, but that level of name dropping only adds to the expectation. The abrupt end to Violent Waves is clearly inspired by the title itself. 

Turn The Sun is the most expansive song on “Altering Echoes” and it’s at this point that Fauna Timbre’s sound begins to truly click. They’re dreamy composition style really comes through and whisks you off to a completely different place with almost no effort. The melody is back with Umbra, which is a minimal number to begin with. It’s a flowing ballad but it features bass lines that could easily be mistaken for harsh vocals at times. EP closer Memory Leak is the psychedelic piece that Fauna Timbre’s been threatening to deliver throughout and while that may not be exactly the sound they’re going for here, it works thanks to some great guitar/bass effects. It’s also the longest song on “Altering Echoes” and at times it becomes ambient, avant-garde and subtly jazz-like. Less doom-like then and more alternative, but it works extremely well as a whole and shows that this trio aren’t afraid to experiment. There’s lots of promise within these five songs. 

You can stream Heart Murmurs below:-

Pre-order "Altering Echoes" digitally here - https://faunatimbre.bandcamp.com/

CD copies can be pre-ordered here - https://www.redorchardrecords.com/shop/fauna-timbre-altering-echoes/

Fauna Timbre - https://www.facebook.com/faunatimbre/

Red Orchard Records - https://www.facebook.com/redorchardrecords/

Brain Fragment - Fungus EP (Mikey Ortega)

Labels: Hellasaurus Records

Formats: CD/Digital/Tape (Coming Soon)

Release Date: 19 Sep 2018

Tracklist:

1. Trust

2. Too Late

3. On Your Own

4. Enough

It shouldn’t be surprise that hardcore punk and jazz are a great match. Both music genres were really big on the youth during the times. They’re both fast and chaotic. Their beats make your body want to move. And of course both music genres were looked down on by the status quo. When bands like The Dillinger Escape Plan and Candiria brought jazz influence to hardcore, it took extreme/underground music to a whole new level. It made every band want to push the limit. For a while, many bands doing the Jazz/Hardcore sound, pretty much tried to be DEP jr. But one band from the SGV/IE area some how gave Jazz/Hardcore a breath of fresh air and that is Brain Fragment. Originally, the band was a two-piece that consisted of Dave on bass and Luis on the skins. Their first album, LSD Is Good For You, was a juggernaut of a debut. Luis’ jazz/hardcore/grindcore drumming is like nothing else and Dave’s use of effects on his bass gave Brain Fragment their identity. Now when it came to stepping it up, what did they do? They got beautiful and talented Ash as their new lead singer. For a while, this new line-up has been kicking arse live, in the local SoCal scene and  they have gone on a West Coast tour with Rock N’ Roll Suicide. Finally the dudes and dudette of Brain Fragment have made time to hit the studio and record new music with Ash busting those pipes, to bring us Fungus.

If you’ve been to Brain Fragment’s live shows, you pretty much know what to expect. Now we can bring it home to piss off the neighbours or freak out that bus full of nuns, while cruising around. The first track, Trust just comes in charging out of the speakers. Dave goes full-throttle on the bass, as Luis comes in like a beast with his powerful blast beats and then we finally hear Ash come in with some jazzy vocals, with a mix of Soul/old-school R&B. Think early Aretha Franklin fronting Melt-Banana, but take it to supernova. Things get funky on Too Late. This is a track that makes you want to shake, rattle, and roll. It really has a great hook that just grabs you. On Your Own is a personal favourite and I always loved it when they play it live. It’s a song that brings me back to my high school days listening to 90’s punk. To me, this is a song that goes to show that Brain Fragment can evolve and write a killer tune.  It’s also one of Ash’s best vocal performance. If anything, Ash could be the female Mike Patton. Her range is like nothing I’ve ever heard before and to end “Fungus” is Enough.  Hearing this track makes me feel like I’m in a David Lynch film (like Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks).  Think of a beautiful nightmare. Things may look terrifying, but you don’t want to wake up. Dave’s bass sounds like a total acid trip. For some reason, you would think Luis has 10 arms and I think we can hear Ash do some guttural vocals, which you gotta give her some mad love for.

“Fungus” is definitely a huge step up. It’s really great to hear Brain Fragment progress and still keep their identity. With Ash on vocals, it really gives Dave and Luis time to focus more on their instruments and they really fuck’n own it. To me, this is what experimental music should be about.  It’s taking that risk. Not just play around with different genres, but fuck around with different sounds. Be messy. Be smooth.  Be chaotic. Be disciplined. Be ugly. Be beautiful. Be a fuck’n artist. Each member brought something to the table, which makes Brain Fragment a well-oiled machine.  Words can’t describe how much I love this band and with the “Fungus” ep, it made my heart grow twice it’s size. This ep is why I love music and why I’m a music fan, especially the experimental type. Luis shows that he’s well rounded. His drumming skills are out of this World. He can go from Buddy Rich to Mick Harris in just seconds. Dave's bass is what makes Brain Fragment come alive. The way he brings all these different styles and makes it cohesive is just remarkable and of course Ashley, who was that missing piece of the puzzle to take Brain Fragment to that new level. When I heard her vocals playing along with Dave and Luis, it just sounded astonishingly fucked up. In some ways, it kind of felt like hearing No Doubt or Paramore for the first time. Not that Ash sounds like Gwen Stefani or Hayley Williams (even though I feel like she will soon be in their level), but that she’s a vocalist that sounds like no one else and is totally in a league of her own. For sure, the “Fungus” ep is something that the music scene needs to challenge itself. To not make current music bland. If Brain Fragment keeps up the momentum, I say they’re two albums away from making that classic, which everyone will hold up in high regard. If you want to restore your faith in new music, then please pick up the “Fungus” ep. It will totally open up your mind to a whole different World, that you didn’t think was possible. Be weird. Be proud of it. Embrace it.

I rate this “Five Hitlers Punched In The Face”

You can stream and download "Fungus" below:-

Brain Fragment - https://www.facebook.com/BrainFragmentband/ / http://brainfragmentband.com/

Thanks to Mikey for writing this review. It's great to have him and his infectious love for music on board again. Go and check out Brain Fragment!

Ravage Ritual - XVIII

Labels: Unquiet Records/Powertrip Records

Formats/CD/Digital

Release Date: 08 Oct 2018

Tracklist:

1. Introduction

2. I

3. II

In August I posted on social media asking for people's recommendations on what I should review. I don't normally do this but I thought it would be a great way to increase the interaction with people who take the time to read my blog. Now, because I'm a slow ares, I'm only getting round to writing these reviews up now and I'm starting with the newest EP from Finnish heavy hardcore band Ravage Ritual. "XVIII" was only released officially yesterday and has been made available digitally and on cd from Unquiet Record and Powertrip Records (with a 7" due soon), as well as via the band themselves. 

Ravage Ritual is a Finnish band very much inspired by H8000 hardcore and the Holy Terror-sound. The Introduction proves this with heavy guitar and drumming that creates a mid-paced mosh-a-long. I is a straight-up continuation of the Introduction, filled with great riffs and guitar effects. When the full backline and vocals kick in it’s pure metallic mayhem. Ravage Ritual goes hard and are as life affirming as an angry hardcore band can get, especially given their penchant for early the metalcore sound.

That early-metalcore sound is even more obvious on II thanks to the awesome thrash tempos and screaming guitar-work. The double-bass will rip you a new one while the screams are delivered with true power and belligerence. This is savage yet rhythmic and as it closes out with a wall of jarring feedback and noise, you’ll still be headbanging uncontrollably. Just when you thought heavy music was being overrun by progression and slow riffs, along comes Ravage Ritual to prove otherwise. Hardcore for the win. 

You can stream and purchase "XVIII" on cd and mp3 formats below:-

Ravage Ritual - https://www.facebook.com/ravageritual/

Unquiet Records - https://www.facebook.com/UnquietRecords/

Powertrip Records - https://www.facebook.com/PowertripRecords/

Snag/Swallows Nest - Split Tape

Labels: Zegema Beach Records

Formats: Tape/Digital

Release Date: 23 Apr 2018

Tracklist:

1. Snag - Violence

2. Swallows Nest - Dark Hamz

3. Swallows Nest - Apathy As An Infinite Manifestation

Yay, I've got some more exciting US/NZ Skramz for you! This is the split tape between Milwaukee (USA's) Snag and Dunedin (NZ's) Swallows Next. It was release earlier this year by the ever faithful and reliable Zegema Beach Records. Snag has so far released a self-titled EP and a split with Social Caterpillar, while the only other release to come from Swallows Nest (as far as I can tell) has been their split with Crowning (also review on the blog).

This split only features one song from Snag but Violence is a joy to listen too. It’s a (pardon me) violent screamo song filled with jangly, off-kilter instrumentation and a mix of harsh screams and what I think are spoken-work samples (though they could be delivered by the band themselves). It’s stark and emotive, especially during the mid-section and that atmosphere carries on throughout the rest of the song. 

Swallows Nest follow on with two shorter songs; Dark Hamz is brooding and slightly bleak, but when the dual-vocals and orchestral guitar-work takes over that atmosphere is somewhat forgotten. There’s real urgency here as you’d expect. Apathy As An Infinite Manifestation starts how Dark Hamz finished and it’s immediacy is obvious, while the band’s delivery is pummelling. 

Three brief songs that give great accounts of both bands. You could do far worse than check out both Snag and Swallows Nest, starting here.

You can stream and purchase the split (both on tape and digitally) here:-

Snag - https://www.facebook.com/snagmke/

Swallows Nest - https://www.facebook.com/Swallows-Nest

Zegema Beach Records - https://www.facebook.com/zegemabeachrecords/

Technical Damage - The Introspect

Labels: Self-Released

Formats: Digital

Release Date: 15 Sep 2018

Tracklist:

1. I: Everything Is Forever

2. Reflections

3. Reshape

4. Crystal Angels

5. II: Awakenings

6. Eviscerate

7. The Introspect

The weeks are flying by faster than ever, which is fine with me as it means that I get to Friday night quicker and I get to curl up with my favourite beverage and some awesome music, which tonight is delivered by Canadian death metal band Technical Damage. The band formed towards the end of 2016 with the release of their debut EP " Damaged Nation" and they've only recently released their debut full-length "The Introspect". When a metal band sites influences such as Killswitch Engage, Misery Signals and Opeth, it's usually a good sign so lets see...

Modern metal albums wouldn’t be complete without the obligatory atmosphere-building intro song and it’s present here in I: Everything Is Forever. Reflections is the first sign of Technical Damage’s progressive death metal and it doesn’t initially contain the level of melody that their intro promised. What it does deliver though is low brutal vocals and instrumentation that flits between modern death and post-hardcore. It’s clearly slick but the volume of recording seems a little low on early listen. The guitar work and solo’s are great though! Their music can at times be considered Djent (oh how I hate that term) but as Reshape shows, they are so much more than that. Technical Damage fits a lot into their songs and musically they are incredibly tight. The mathy elements towards the end take things in another direction as well. 

Things get heavier on Crystal Angels, which is definitely a more straight-up death metal song, albeit with a few breakdown-like riffs here and there. There’s some passionately delivered clean vocals that sit well alongside the melodic guitar and make the heavier sections sound heavier still. They break up the album with a rousing instrumental piece called II: Awakenings, which is quite folk-sounding. It leads into penultimate song Eviscerate. The Spanish guitar is a welcome addition that seems to fit the album perfectly and gives Technical Damage a very different sound and feel. It gives way to yet another blast of off-kilter death metal that’s more progressive than technical. The quieter acoustic-led passages are more European than North American. 

With the title-track placed at the end of the album, Technical Damage has one more shot at atmospheric drama and the intro to the song manages to achieve that drama. They follow it with more rhythmically intelligent metal that’s surprisingly easy on the ear. The reggae in the mid-section does nothing to change that either. Overall, this album is very well played and Technical Damage are sound at what they do. This will definitely appeal to those with a modern metal disposition and that’s no bad thing.

You can stream and purchase "The Introspect" digitally below (and from all of the usual outlets):-

Technical Damage - https://www.facebook.com/technicaldamageofficial/

Monstrath - Demon Sold (Video Premiere)

Tonight I'm sharing the latest video from Brazilian technical death metal band Monstrath. It's been a while since I featured a video on here and I had intended to share it via my Youtube channel (which is very slowly becoming a thing) but I've decided to feature it here instead. The video is for the song Demon Sold, which appears on the band's debut album "The World  Serves To Evil", which will be released by Downfall Records on 19th October.

Montstrath began life in 2015 and with the release of their debut album fast approaching, they're looking to broaden their reputation overseas. Check them out if you enjoy this video and their take on death metal.

News on the release of Monstrath's debut album can be found via the links below:-

Monstrath - https://www.facebook.com/Monstrath/

Downfall Records - http://www.downfallrecords.com 

Downfall Records - https://www.facebook.com/downfallrecords666/

Coldawn - ...In The Dawn

Labels: Flowing Downward

Formats: CD/Digital

Release Date; 31 Jan 2018

Tracklist: 

1. Spectral Horizon

2. My Escape

3. The Essence

4. Only Moments

5. La Primavera No Llegara Esta Vez

6. ...In The Dawn

7. This: Over

8. My Destiny

Tonight's review features the first band whose music was released by Avantgarde Music sub-label Flowing Downward. The new imprint started releasing music in early 2018, with an ear for black metal with a difference. Coldawn (formerly Beyond The Dawn) began life in 2016 and crafted what would become "...In The Dawn", Coldawn feature guest musicians that previously formed part of Austere and Annorkoth respectively (as well as other bands), but that's not all...

I approach Coldawn’s music without any pre-conceived notions whatsoever and that pays off immediately, as Spectral Horizon greets with it’s acoustic guitar melodies that sound alive and welcoming. When My Escape takes over the speakers, it’s just as enjoyable with an atmospheric sound that move far beyond black metal. The instrumentation sits up top while the bleak vocals nestle beneath, giving the music and melody space to breath and envelope you. Further sensitive acoustic passages take you further into post-metal territories. The closest similarity I can find would be the music of Astronoid, but that’s not to say that Coldawn are mere followers. They are very much an entity filled with originality.

Another element of their sound in the keyboards and they come through during The Essence. It’s obvious that Coldawn find’s comfort at the ambient side of extreme metal, if you could even call it that here. It’s glorious, emotive and I have no idea why it’s taken me till now to discover it. The piano work that graces the The Essence is expertly played and leans more towards the baroque-era of classical music (if I’ve got my classical periods correct). Mid-way through, the full band breaks out of the shadows but the keys still remain ever-present. At times, it sounds like “…In The Dawn” could be a more commercial attempt at black metal but that would be an unfair assumption. If you think of the music created by Dark Tranquillity, Tiamat and Poisonblack in the past, then there’s a fair chance that Only Moments will appeal to you, as will the whole album. They are loose comparisons though, so apologies if you think I’m way off here. 

The band’s South American lineage shows itself on La Primavera No Llegara Esta Vez, with Spanish spoken-word samples and dreamy music. It’s incredible and creates a truly uplifting feeling when coupled with Coldawn’s heavier side. The breadth at which they vary their songs is obvious when the classical tones of the title-track begin. If the previous song sounded too modern for you then you’ll be at peace with this. More dramatic piano eases you into more foreboding surroundings with an ever increasing tempo and a reward at the end made up of their trademark take on black metal. It’s anthemic in all the right ways. 

There’s a sense of urgency to This: Over that’s not been present until now and clean female vocals that are siren-like against it’s backdrop. These dynamics all add up to the majestic noise that’s created ad expertly delivered. My Destiny seems to be the perfect song to end on as it allows one last euphoric glimpse into Coldawn’s world and it’s one that shines brightly. I cannot believe that I’ve gone so long without knowing about or listening to this album. If ever you want your perspective of heavy music changing, then this should be the album and indeed the band that does it. Coldawn is breathtaking. 

You can stream "...In The Dawn" below, where it's also available to buy on cd and digitally:-

Coldawn - https://www.facebook.com/Coldawnband/
Flowing Downward - https://www.facebook.com/flowingdownward/

Necroslurg - Kuolonkierre

Labels: Ramekuukkeli-Levyt

Formats: Tape/Digital

Release Date: 01 Jun 2018

Tracklist:

1. Vakaa Tila

2. Vieraat Aanet

3. Kuolonkierre

4. Musta

5, Tuho, Ei Tuomio

6. Ajojahti

7. Kauhun Pyorteissa

8. Ekranoplan

9. Metsanpeittoon

10. Hyvaksy Kohtalosi

I felt it was time to re-visit the wonderful tones of Finnish heavy music again and found this nestling in my review pile. It's been a little while since Tuukka (Ramekuukkeli-Levyt) sent me this tape, so apologies to go out to him for the delay in posting this write-up. Necroslurg is a "heavy punk metal" trio from Helsinki and "Kuolonkierre" is their second album.They've been plying their trade for about two years now and releases their first album "Haudantaka" just over twelve months before this one. They recently played Svart Festival in the Finnish capital alongside the might Foreseen.

Necroslurg’s music is delivered with true Scandinavian ferocity and the vocals are entirely in their mother-tongue. Vakaa Tila is an angry opener that flows between up-tempo punk and groove-laden rock.It’s all about the riffs on Kuolonkierre, as Vieraat Aanet proves. They are at home alongside the frenzied screams that’s for sure, while the drums keep a restrained yer accurate beat behind. The other cool thing about Necroslurg’s sound and approach is that they play fast and leave no room for pondering. Kuolonkierre is filled to the brim with punk attitude, though it also does a good line is stoner doom fury too. So far this trio is living up to Finland’s reputation for producing great experimental bands.

They’re band to their raucous best on Musta, which shoots from the hip with it’s noise rock blueprint and blink-and-you’ll-miss-it running time. Thankfully, they slow things down on the sludgy Tuho, Ei Tuomio, which proves again that they can switch the mood effortlessly. Channelling the cold darkness that envelopes the country during Winter, they produce probably the heaviest song on the album. The shoutiness continues unabated on Ajojahti, which feature plenty of awesome musicianship as well. The volume levels that this trio reach are pretty incredible. The latter half of the album retains the same level of variation as the first and Kauhun Pyorteissa is a stomping noise rock song with more crisp lead work.

Not sticking to one formula or blueprint gives them an edge and Ekranoplan is subtly stripped down and minimalist to begin with, though it’s still layered with the kind of riffs and percussive atmosphere that makes you think of Black Sabbath and the like. The loud pedal is pressed to the floor again during penultimate song Metsanpeittoon, as Necroslurg force you to pump your fist and bang you head in joyous unison. Album closer Hyvaksy Kohtalosi is gives you one last opportunity to raise glass to this Finnish powerhouse in the making. Necroslurg are great and this album is well worth checking out and getting on tape.

If you can stomach the ads n between songs, you can stream "Kuolonkierre" in full via Necroslurg's Soundcloud page below:-

Tapes can be purchased here - http://ramekuukkeli.nettisivu.org

Necroslurg - https://www.facebook.com/Necroslurg/

Ramekuukkeli-Levyt - https://www.facebook.com/Rämekuukkeli-levyt

Komusō - Komusō Tape

Labels: Zegema Beach Records/Damn Fine Tapes

Formats: Tape/Digital

Release Date: 23 Apr 2018 (Self-released)/17 Jun 2018 (Tape Release)

Tracklist:

1. 暗宿

2. 輪姦

3. 一斉蜂起

4. 約束

New Japanese screamo and before you ask, no I can't speak Japanese and I don't trust Google Translate, so you're going to have to figure the song-titles out for yourselves. This is the debut EP from Tokyo's Komusō and after self-releasing it themselves digitally earlier in the year, the lovely people at Zegema Beach Records and Damn Fine Tapes released it on tape. You can't get anymore DIY than this!

Even though I don’t feature as much Japanese music on the blog as I probably should, it’s still fascinating to me how a nation such as Japan can write and produce such interesting variants of the genres that grace this small part of the Interweb. 暗宿 reminds me of when I first heard both Blue Friend and Yumi. The spoken-word vocals that morph into powerful screams, backed up by the melodic guitars and thoughtful bass/percussion sums up the Asian style I think. It’s so uplifting. 輪姦 is dramatic and frantic all at the same time. It’s more akin to emo-violence with it’s faster and often off-kilter tempo. It’s short in length but there’s so much to take in all at the same time.

The drumming on 一斉蜂起 is magnificent and thanks to the production/mastering of the EP, it’s clear too. There’s a really nice flow to the music and indeed the release as a whole, with sensitive quieter sections that lead into and follow the more violent passages. Komusō manages to avoid the truly chaotic and instead peppers their music with restraint. EP closer 約束 is the complete opposite to that though with it’s urgency and emotive screams. Four songs are all you get and to be honest they’re all you’re gonna need to become hooked on Komusō. So good!

You can stream the entire EP and grab it as a name-your-price-download below:-

Komusō - https://www.facebook.com/komusotokyo/

Tape copies can be purchased from the labels below:-

Zegema Beach Records (North America) - http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/

Damn Fine Tapes (Europe) - http://damnfinetapes.tictail.com/

You can also pick copies up from the band if you happen to be in Japan.