Friday, 15 December 2017

Ignis Gehenna - Baleful Scarlet Star


Tracklist:

1. Serpent Oracle
2. Baleful Scarlet Star
3. Edict Of Blood
4. Melas Oneiroi
5. Litany Unto Thanateros
6. Anamnesis

I was thinking about diving into the growing pile (figuratively speaking) of early-2018 releases that are amassing but I felt guilty about the records from this year that I still hadn't fully listened to yet. This album from Australian black metal band Ignis Gehenna caught my attention a while ago, due to it's artwork. The mysterious entity released "Baleful Scarlet Star" on cd via Seance Records in January and it was released on ltd tape via Sahluqtu Archives in July. I appreciate that I'm a bit late in writing this review and I apologise for that. Music is timeless and so life should be.

Trepidation is often felt when pressing play on an album such as this, but that feeling is banished as soon as the warm, orchestral sound of opening song Serpent Oracle envelopes you. It’s not orchestral in the obvious sense, but the guitars and drums offer a soundscape that is close in both layers and textures. The recording and production/mastering jobs have given it a really full sound and the vocals sit perfectly in the centre of it all. It makes you realise that there’s more to black metal than just raw lo-fi hatred. Ignis Gehenna’s sprawling songs are more than just rehashes of a genre exploding. The title-track’s percussive battery reigns down on your ears, while the riffs provide sinister melody to back up the rasping screams. The fact that this body of music is both stark and relaxing is testament to the creative mind (or minds) behind Ignis Gehenna. 

 Edict Of Blood is the first of two songs that pass the ten-minute mark and it’s a joy to behold as it winds it’s way through a barrage of everything that make black metal great. It’s catchy in places yet obscure enough to make norms grimace. The subtle folk melodies are great as well. There’s a real sense of urgency about Melas Oneiroi, with a tempo that leaves nothing standing in it’s wake. The metallic majesty on Litany Unto Thanateros is impossible to ignore. It was that sound that I described as orchestral at the beginning of this review and it’s brilliant. Litany… is the second song that stretches beyond ten minutes, but don’t worry if you have a predisposition for short spans of attention, because it’ll keep you hooked throughout due to IG’s musical variation and song-writing skill. 

 Closing song Anamnesis takes a leaf out of Oranssi Pazuzu’s book of dissonant black metal during it’s intro. The rest of the song retains IG’s own brand of enigmatic noise, but this time it’s wholly instrumental and it serve them well. It rounds out a spectacular album that deserves wider praise and indeed audiences. Why stay with the tried and tested when you can explore the more obscure corners of the genre and come across Ignis Gehenna. I know what I’d rather do. 

You can stream and purchase "Baleful Scarlet Star" digitally, on cd and tape below:-




You can also buy physical copies from the labels below:-


Posted by at No comments:

Thursday, 14 December 2017

2017 End-Of-The-Year List - Albums & Gigs by Brandon Kellum (American Standards)



I mentioned on social media recently that I hadn't finished with my American Standards related pieces and here's two in one. Brandon kindly sent me his top-20 records of 2017 and not only that, but he wrote about the top-10 gigs that American Standards has played this year along with a tour-flyer collage, which I couldn't resist posting up here.

Top-20 Records of 2017

1. Converge - The Dusk In Us



2. Employee To Serve - The Warmth Of A Dying Sun



3. At The Drive In - In • ter a • li • a



4. Zao -  Pyrrhic Victory



5. Dangers - The Bend In The Break (technically from 2016)



6. Dead Kiwis - Karate Karnage



7. SeeYouSpaceCowboy - Fashion Statements Of The Socially Aware



8. '68 - Two Parts Viper



9. Code Orange - Forever



10. Heck - BGs & Rarities Vol. 1



11. Left Behind - Blessed by the Burn



12. MouthBreather - Pig



13. Bungler - The Nature Of Being New

14. Cons - Slowhealer
15. Common War - Possess Yourself



16. Stray from the Path - Only Death is Real
17. The Arson Choir - Trophy Nation




18. Lifelink - Love Lost
19. The Black Dahlia Murder - Nightbringers
20. Eighteen Visions - XVIII
Top-10 Gigs of 2017
Zao w/ Columbian Necktie, Seizures & Flying Scorpion at The Nile Theater [Mesa, AZ]
Zao has always been one of my favorite bands and one that I would include whenever asked about dream show line ups. I never really thought that we’d get the chance to share the stage with them though seeing as they hadn’t played our area in over a decade. When I saw they announced a tour, I tweeted them from the band page saying that we should have a few beers and wreck some stages together. Who would of thought just a few months later it would actual happen.

Stick To Your Guns w/ Eighteen Visions, Stone & Modern Color at The Nile Theater [Mesa, AZ]
We’ve played a few shows with Stick To Your Guns in the past and they always bring a fun a crowd. This one happened to be on our bassist’s birthday as a joke he said in the group chat that he wanted to do the show as his bday party. Just days before the show we got asked to jump on it. 

The Number Twelve Looks Like You w/ Stolas, Fero Lux & Lifelink at The Rebel Lounge [Phoenix, AZ]
Our drummer is a huge fan of The Number 12 Looks Like You and we had all just recently got into Fero Lux. It was really cool to do this show in such an intimate venue.

He Is Legend w/ Islander, To Speak Of Wolves, Bad Seed Rising & As Thick As Thieves at Club Red [Mesa, AZ]
He Is Legend is another band that we’ve played a handful of shows with in the past and we’ve always loved them since the I Am Hollywood album. It was also cool to have Islander on the show since we had just recently played a show with them and Atreyu.

Arsonists Get All The Girls w/ I Set My Friends On Fire, Kingdom Of Giants, West Cliffs, Avenda & Reflectionless at Pub Rock [Scottsdale, AZ]
This was another blast from the past. AGATG was doing a 10 year anniversary of their album The Game Of Life which my old band The Hostage Situation had actually toured with them on when it first came out. The nostalgia mixed with the fact that our good buddies from Steaksauce Mustache were filling in as touring members for Arsonists made this night one to remember.

Hundred Suns w/ Cons & Paranova at Pub Rock [Scottsdale, AZ]
Hundred Suns is a “super group” made up of members from some of our favorite bands like Norma Jean, Every Time I Die and Dead And Divine. It was awesome to do their first Arizona show and be able to share it with our good friends in Cons.

Death By Stereo w/ Common War, Hard Pipe Hitters & Zom Sawyer (Punk Rock Bowling) at The Beauty Bar [Las Vegas, NV]
This show was a last minute addition to The Anti-Melody Tour. We had played in Reno the night before and planned on making the 12 hour drive back home. While on the road we found out that our friends in Death By Stereo were doing a 15 anniversary for their album Into The Valley Of Death. On top of that, it was at a cool outdoor venue on the old Vegas strip during Punk Rock Bowling. We were beyond stoked to get the invite to join.

Scewtape Album Release w/ Dreamcast, King Kaleb & SASP at Seventh Circle Music Collective [Denver, CO]
This is up there as one of the most fun crowds that we’ve ever played for. It was at 7th Circle Music Venue in Denver which we’ve done a few shows at before. The combo of 2 locals releasing albums and another using it as their tour kick off made it a really high energy environment. We also got some great footage of the night that we turned into a fan sourced music video for our song “Danger Music #9”.

Holiday Drive w/ Makarah & Commoner at Bubba Spins Flop House [Kansas City, Missouri]
Possibly the most unexpected show of the year. Going into it we knew Bubba Spins was a DIY spot but we didn’t know that it was actually a house in the middle of a nice neighbourhood. That being said, we crammed maybe 80 people into this place, sweated a few gallons and loved every minute of it. We can’t wait to go back.

Anti-Melody Album Release Show w/ Eclipses For Eyes, Amor, Havana & Teammate Markus at The Rebel Lounge [Phoenix, AZ]

It’d be weird if we didn’t include our album release show, right? This was a really special night that we actually got to share with Eclipses For Eyes who were also releasing their album “Polaris”. Even better, we booked it as a mix genre show at one of our favorite venues in the valley. It really felt like there was a little something for everyone.


Thanks once again to Brandon and American Standards for being so awesome and taking the time to contribute and allow me to publish not one but three articles. Keep up to date with their plans for 2018 and check out/purchase their latest record "Anti-Melody" below:-


Posted by at No comments:

Monday, 11 December 2017

Core Of iO - Part II: Europa EP


Tracklist:

1. Stuck
2. Hit The River Hard
3. Lenuta

In recent years the United Kingdom has done pretty well in the tech-metal stakes. From fore-bearers like Sikth and Exit Ten to the hordes of bands and fans that flock to UK Tech-Fest each year, we're not doing bad at it. South Coast quartet Core Of iO are a new name to me, but are another band to add to the list of those pushing UK metal in more technical directions. They released their first EP "With Gravity As My Hostess" in 2014 and since then they've been moving through a concept-like run of EPs that started with "Part IV: Callisto" and now arrives at "Part II: Europa". This three song EP has only recently been self-released both digitally and on cd by the band, who have recently featured at Mammothfest and on Kerrang Radio. 

Core Of iO are very much cut from a modern cloth. EP opener Stuck is a mix of clean/harsh vocals, melodic riffs and solid production work that comes courtesy of Paul Winstanley of Brighton Electric, the band's own Gareth Sidwell and Alan Douches of West West Side Music. It’s a mix of alternative, progressive and technical metal with hooks. Their sound has a lot in common with the like of Tool and the aforementioned Sikth on Hit The River Hard, with it’s groove and catchy structure. I like the fact that Core Of iO remain themselves on this EP, instead of taking too much from those who’ve come before them. They’re not breaking new ground but are super accomplished musically and the live experience they’ve gained has certainly helped them write a great (if not short) set of songs here. 

EP closer Lenuta is the long-player of the bunch and nearly ten-minutes and it’s also the closest song they have to a ballad, at least to start with. It’s got a subtle grunge-feel to it, especially in the vocals and even when it builds in volume it retains it’s impact. It’s only when sitting and actually taking this song that you realise how good this band is. The extended instrumental section that rounds out Lenuta is brilliant and really shows what Core Of iO can do. As a full band they’re great but this writer does like the instrumental side to them (maybe a bit more). If you like what you hear, go and check out their earlier releases and badger them for a full-length.

You can stream "Part II: Europa" and buy it digitally and on ltd cd below:-



Posted by at No comments:

Saturday, 9 December 2017

Come Back From The Dead - Caro Data Vermibus


Tracklist:-

1. Vomits Of A Demonic Infestation
2. Caro Data Vermibus
3. Endless Bloodshed
4. Carnivorous Craving From Beyond

There's something about red covers that stand out, like this one from the new EP by Spanish death metallers Come Back From The Dead. "Caro Data Vermibus" was released on cd in September via Transcending Obscurity Records following a June vinyl release via Mono Canibal Records and Abstract Emotions. It features four putrid tracks and follows the band's two previous release; their 2013 demo and their 2014 full-length "The Coffin Earth's Entrails". La muerte es el único camino!

Come Back From The Dead pray at the alter of the old-school. EP opener Vomits Of A Demonic Infestation is raw with the vocals high in the mix. The driving guitars and rhythm section are left to slug it out behind them yet the screeching leads and melodic guitar work can be heard throughout, while the bass lays a deep furrow. The title-track is a gloriously mid-paced crusher with one hell of a dank atmosphere. At times doom-laden and sludgy, Come Back From The Dead don’t mind ripping people’s faces and ears off slowly! 

Endless Bloodshed starts with a ripping solo before launching into the type of song that the title suggests it will be. Blood-curdling and scuzzy. It is hard to get over the volume of the vocals sometimes but they do make the record fiercer. In closing song Carnivorous Craving From Beyond, Come Back From The Dead has written something that truly accurately demonstrates their sound. It’s a lurching doom/death song with added funky bass-lines in the background and festering lead guitar. It seems like they’ve really hit their stride with this one so it’s a pity that it’s the last song on the record. 

Needless to say, this is a killer EP from a band that are surely gonna drag Spanish death metal screaming into 2018 and beyond. The genre may have it’s roots embedded in Scandinavian folklore but other countries and bands are claiming their spot on it’s timeline. Come Back From The Dead deserves a place for sure. 

You can stream and purchase a download or vinyl copy below:-




You can also buy vinyl and cd copies from the releasing labels below:-

Transcending Obscurity Records - https://tometal.com/store/

Abstract Emotions - http://abstractemotions.com/
Posted by at No comments:

Friday, 8 December 2017

Piri Reis/They Sleep We Live - Split


Tracklist:

1. Piri Reis - Lend Me Your Life, Mine Is Kaput
2. Piri Reis - Meranduk Ke Laut, Merekah Ke Danau
3. They Sleep We Live - Fire Walk With Me

I'm a bit of a celebratory mood this evening and thought I'd spend it checking this little release from Malaysia's Piri Reis & Germany's They Sleep We Live (RIP). It was released in September as a one-sided 7" and features three quick-fire emoviolence/screamo songs. Piri Reis has been making fast & loud emoviolence know for about two years (or maybe more). They've released a demo and splits with both Coma Regalia and Child Meadow. They Sleep We Live started in 2014 and called it a day in February of this year and their last ever song appears here. They previously released a split with Vi Som Alskade Varandra Sa Mycket and a one-sided 12" EP. The split was made possible by no less than eight DIY record labels, whom I'll post links to below the review. 

Piri Reis start off with the ridiculously short Lend Me Your Life, Mine Is Kaput. It goes from screeching feedback, to atmospheric riffs, to utter chaos in the space of about thirty seconds. The screams are high-pitched and the percussion flails, while the guitars try and retain some melody amongst it all. Meranduk Ke Laut, Merekah Ke Danau is a lesson in how to fit a silly amount of music into no time at all. At barely a minute-and-a-half, Piri Reis changes mood, pace and allows their music to swirl around in masterful fashion. 

They Sleep We Live’s parting song Fire Walk With Me is equally as violent as the two numbers from Piri Reis, to begin with. They’re slightly more restrained tempo wise yet they exhibit the same level of raw emotion. They make use of melody more obviously, especially from what sounds like an organ (I think). The rest of the instrumentation is more atmospheric, while the vocals flit between all-out screams and old-school spoken word. 

Both bands are excellent at what they do. Piri Reis with their rapid violence and They Sleep We Live with their more sensitive screamo. Musically a lot of fun and while short, it will leave an impression. 

Stream and purchase the full split via Zegema Beach Records below:-



Piri Reis doesn't yet have their songs streaming on their own bandcamp page, but you can stream and purchase They Sleep We Live's track directly from them here too - https://theysleepwelive2014.bandcamp.com/album/fire-walk-with-me


You can also stream and purchase the split from the other participating labels below:-



Posted by at 1 comment:

Wednesday, 6 December 2017

Counterpoint - If Not Now, When? EP


Tracklist:

1. Leave It All Behind
2. Honestly
3. Between You And Me
4. DownDownDown
5. One Sided Conversations

I'm starting a little earlier than planned with this, but I promised you I'd start putting up some early reviews of 2018 releases so here we are. This is the new EP from Manchester's Counterpoint, who cite the likes of While She Sleeps, Letlive and Papa Roach as bands they admire, contributing to their own take on alt-rock. To prove they're not lying about loving a bit of nu-metal, they recently supported Crazytown on their Manchester date. This is the band's second EP, following their debut "Borrow Your Past, Steal Your Future". "If Not Now, When" is due to be self-released officially on 9th February.

Counterpoint is paving the way for what modern UK melodic hardcore/alt-rock will sound like in 2018. Leave It All Behind is a signal of their intent with driving guitars, big percussion and harsh/clean vocals that sit high in the mix. Lead single Honestly plays on their influences but thankfully eschews the nu-metal trappings. It’s melodic and catchy, without being cheesy and with plenty of sing-along moments. It’s a grower that will keep on burying itself in your head with that chorus! 

They swing back in a hardcore direction on Between You And Me, as the verse is raucous. Once again the chorus dispels any notions of the band exploding into a heavier sound altogether, as their intelligent song-writing takes over. DownDownDown is for those of you who still with Papa Roach were touring “The Paramour Sessions”. Behind the vocals there’s instrumentation that’s both energetic and sensitive. There’s a nod to modern pop-punk in there as well, though it’s minimal. 

Closing song One Sided Conversations epitomises what Counterpoint is aiming for in 2018. Their music will catch the ears of many modern rock/punk/metal fans and will no doubt see them gain more recognition and help them become an established band within the UK’s bulging alternative music scene.

You can stream the single Honestly via Youtube below:-


Keep an eye on Counterpoint's bandcamp and Facebook pages below for more news regarding the CD/Digital releases as they're published:-

Posted by at No comments:

Monday, 4 December 2017

Cool Jerks - Patriots EP


Tracklist:

1. Patriots
2. Minimum Wage
3. New Opiate
4. Affable Fascism

New punk music (from a fairly new Leeds punk band). Cool Jerks are about to release a new EP called "Patriots" on tape via Ukrainian label Tapetalks. It follows their 2016 demo. I've been racking what's left of my rather frazzled brain to try and remember if I've ever seen Cool Jerks live before, as I seem to think they played in Harrogate once (though I might be getting them mixed up with someone else!). Anyway, they definitely did tour in the Ukraine earlier this year, so have already built up a cult following. 

Cool Jerks play noisy, shouty but musical punk. The title-track kicks off the EP with the theme of working on the breadline, tapping into the years of discontent we’ve faced since the financial crisis. They’re unmistakably British on Minimum Wage, which is unsurprisingly about working on minimum wage. It’s simple but really effective and the nod to the snotty punk of the 80s is noticeable. 

Short and sharp are perfect adjectives for Cool Jerks. New Opiate is performed with tonnes of urgency, which comes through in the drumming especially. Garage and no-wave spring to mind on Affable Fascism, with some ace guitar work and a raw edge. This EP is a throwback but one that pays no lip-service to the boot strap/skinhead mob. Britain has always been regarded as the home of punk (and heavy metal). Long may it continue with Cool Jerks.

You can stream the EP's title-track below



Keep an eye out on the Cool Jerks bandcamp page, as the full EP should be live any day now.


Tapes will also be available via Tapetalks soon - https://tapetalks.bandcamp.com/merch
Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)