Exulansis - Cyclical Sentient Struggle

Labels: Self-Released

Formats: Tape/Digital

Release Date: 11 Sep 2017

Tracklist:

1. Cyclical

2. Sentience

3. Struggle

Tonight belongs to Talent, Oregon (US) heavy band Exulansis. They describe themselves as a blackened crust sludge band and "Cyclical Sentient Struggle" is their latest release, coming a year after their 2016 demo. I first heard about the band when their guitarist/vocalist J wrote to me in December. I also came across their name whilst perusing the poster for 71grind Fest, which takes place in Colorado Springs in June. Seen as it's raining hard here and social media algorithms are doing their best to strangle the growth of my blog, I've been searching for something noisy to listen to , so Exulansis should fit the bill.

Exulansis open this record with Cyclical, which is slow and musical, sitting somewhere between neo-folk, doom and post-metal. The title of the record actually takes it’s name from the three songs on offer here, for which this one is the longest. It slowly builds in volume, with a clean chorus of both male and female vocals echoing around the instrumentation. I hear some similarities to the likes of CHRCH and Khemmis (at this point in the song), but that’s as far as I’m willing to go with comparisons for the sake of not pigeonholing Exulansis. The tempo picks up mid-way through the song and out the other side comes black metal with a decidedly original and DIY feel. This quartet clearly isn’t bound by any so-called genre conventions and very much does things their own way.

Sentience is next up and it’s punk-edged rhythms lend themselves well to the band’s black metal. It’s faster again, with blasts and a mix of both low-pitched growls and high-pitched shrieks. The vocals die down and leave a rich tapestry of instrumental music that takes over for a couple of minutes. There’s plenty of melody and a lot of earthiness flowing through it and even when the harshness of the vocals do return, they’re tempered by that melody. It’s another enjoyable song that shares a lot with the current crop of socially and environmentally-aware black metal bands. Closing song Struggle will tug at your emotional strings one-minute and then shatter your reality the next. The mix of both calming introspection and bleak cold extremity makes for something compelling. ‘Cyclical Sentient Struggle’ is a release worth more than it’s salt. Exulansis has done a great job here. I hope there’s more to come from them this year.

You can stream "Cyclical Sentient Struggle" and purchase a tape or digital download of it here:-

Exulansis - https://www.facebook.com/exulansis541/

Bloodshot Dawn - Reanimation

Labels: Hostile Media

Formats: CD/Digital

Release Date: 12 Jan 2018

Tracklist:

1. Seared Earth

2. Graviton Nightmare

3. Survival Evolved

4. Upon The Thrown Of Fear

5. Controlled Conscious

6. Soul Affliction

7. Shackled

8. Battle For The Omniverse

9. DNA Reacquisition

10. Reanimated

What better way to relax after a brain-smashing day at the coal face than by jamming some equally brain-smashing technical death metal. This is the latest full-length from Southern England's Bloodshot Dawn, which was released by UK label Hostile Media in mid-January. This is Bloodshot Dawn's third full-length and it's been three-and-a-half years in the making. They're really starting to gain proper momentum and after celebrating their 15th anniversary during their recent UK tour, they're due to tour Canada in April and Japan in the near future.

Bloodshot Dawn’s transition from a straight-up groove laden death metal band to the technical beast you hear before you has been impressive. On “Reanimation” they really nail it and it all begins with Seared Earth. Blistering drumming is met by thunderous bass, futuristic leads and harsh growls to produce a death metal album full of real quality. These first four or so minutes set the tone for something incredible. Their sound is full of modern touches, what with the subtle electronics that sit beneath the heaviness and the production that brings everything together on Graviton Nightmare, yet both the song and Bloodshot Dawn themselves sound very much rooted in the genre. 

What is surprising though is just how much straight-forward metal influences this record. Survival Evolved features some super catchy lead-work and it’s matched by the song-writing too. They include some thrash-like rhythms in Upon The Throne Of Fear and the duelling guitars take things one step further. The bass riffs that bolster Controlled Conscious are great and the further you get into “Reanimation”, the more you’ll find yourself grinning and headbanging with abandon. It’s just ridiculously listenable and for a death metal album, that’s not an easy task for a band to pull off. 

You might feel a slight sense of nostalgia when listening to the verses of Soul Affliction, because it definitely leans more towards the groovier end of the spectrum, albeit without losing all of BD’s progressive nous. There’s still no escaping the futuristic nature of Bloodshot Dawn on “Reanimation” and it’s more than obvious on Shackled. I don’t honestly think that you’ll find a better band than them playing technical death metal at the moment. Battle For The Omniverse has a tempo that’s unrelenting and it rages the hardest of any song on “Reanimation”. The bluesy/experimental solo that bridges the first and the second halves of this six-minute monster must be heard to be believed and the progression carries on through the rest of the song, which makes for a jaw-dropping few minutes. 

DNA Reacquisition is a great title for this penultimate instrumental, as that’s pretty much what it does to you. After getting this far you’re brain will have been reprogrammed to the ways of Bloodshot Dawn and there will be no turning back from here. It’s left to Reanimated to finish the job and it does so in glorious fashion. Damn this album is so good. The fact that we have this talent on our shores is incredible and I think that this year will be Bloodshot Dawn’s for the taking. 

You can stream "Reanimation" and buy it both digitally and on CD via Hostile Media below:-

Bloodshot Dawn - https://www.facebook.com/BloodshotDawn/

Hostile Media - https://www.facebook.com/hostilemedia/

Hundred Year Old Man - Rei 12"

Labels: Gizeh Records/Wolves And Vibrancy Records

Formats: Vinyl/Digital

Release Date: 26 Jan 2018

Tracklist:

1. Sun & Moon

2. A Year In The North Sea

3. Rei

The first foray onto vinyl for Leeds' ambient/heavy post-metal band Hundred Year Old Man is a glorious one. The above three songs were pressed onto sumptuous single-sided black wax, with the other side being etched, by UK label Gizeh Records and German counterparts Wolves And Vibrancy Records. HYOM are currently carving a path across Northern Europe with Row Of Ashes, taking in stops in France, Belgium, Germany and the Czech Republic in support of this release. 

We’re just over a month into the year and great music seems to be flying from all directions. Hundred Year Old Man are no exception to that and Sun & Moon is a swirling mass all of it’s own. Calming melodic ambience is joined by restrained drumming and guitar work, that backs up harsh vocals that are both towering and claustrophobic. Pushing boundaries seems to be in the DNA of many Leeds bands and HYOM truly encompass that here. A Year In The North Sea is a bizarre and sometimes jarring instrumental (mostly anyway) that builds in volume, though it’s a contrast to the song it follows as it’s length is kept to a minimum. 

Rei is filled with the band’s familiar ambient layers as it begins, before turning towards off-kilter territory. There’s a structure that seems to switch between eerie horror soundtrack-like passages and heavy sludge. It’s definitely unsettling but it provides you with a tangible feeling of just how experimental and unique HYOM are as a band. The engineering/production/mixing job of members Tom Wright and Owen Pegg is brought to life via the skilled mastering of Magnus Lindberg, which helps this record sound and feel very alive indeed. “Rei” has left me paralysed within these four walls. I don’t quite know what else to say about this except that it really needs to be heard, as me trying to describe it doesn’t do it justice.

You can stream "Rei" and purchase it digitally below:-

Hundred Year Old Man - https://www.facebook.com/hundredyearoldman/

Physical copies can be purchased from the links below:-

Gizeh Records - https://www.gizehstore.com

Wolves And Vibrancy Records - http://wolvesandvibrancyrecords.tictail.com/products

Gizeh Records - https://www.facebook.com/gizehrecords/
Wolves And Vibrancy Records - https://www.facebook.com/wolvesandvibrancyrecords/

Announcement: This Noise Is Ours Mini-Distro

I initially made this announcement via my January newsletter that went out last Wednesday, but as it's in its infancy not many of you will have seen it (there’s a great excuse for you to subscribe if ever there was one). I'm starting a mini-distro (emphasis on the word "mini" for now). 

I've been in discussions with a band already about bringing a very limited number of tapes and cd's over to kick things off and all is confirmed and I'm just waiting for the package to be shipped to me. The band that I'm distroing for is Malaysian post-hardcore/screamo band Cantilever (FFO: At The Drive-In, Sparta etc). I'm bringing over a very limited quantity of tapes (5) and cd’s (5) of their latest EP "The Fall:The Rise". You can read my review of that release here.

I will only be accepting UK orders while things take shape and ordering information will  be publicised on the blog once I've worked the finer details out. I have no grand expectations with this, other than to bring in the odd release to help promote bands but who knows what might happen.

Dokuga/Systemik Violence - Make Punk Raw Again Split 7"

Labels: Raw 'N' Roll Rex

Formats: Vinyl/Digital

Release Date: 15th Nov 2017

Tracklist:

1. Dokuga - Meio Morto

2. Dokuga - Refluxo Moral

3. Dokuga - Nothing Left To Feel

4. Systemik Violence - F For Fake

5. Systemik Violence - Dead Cop

6. Systemik Violence - Retarded Metalhead

The first edition of my new monthly newsletter went out on Wednesday evening. It featured some news that I haven't published anywhere else yet and I plan to release more news as things develop, so it'd be great to see more subscribers coming on board.  I also mentioned what was coming up review-wise (or at least part of what's coming) and it included this split 7" from two Portuguese raw crust punk bands. Released in November last year via Raw 'N' Roll Rex (also from Portugal), it features three songs from both Dokuga and Systemik Violence. Dokuga has been around since 2008 and has previously released a demo, another spit and a full-length, which was released in 2015. Systemik Violence themselves have released a 7", a split and a full-length, which came shortly after this split. I'm not too sure when they formed but it doesn't matter. Both bands play raw and intense crust-punk/dbeat with an emphasis on chaos and protest. 

There’s something about piercing feedback at the start of a record and it’s exactly what Dokuga starts with in split opener Meio Morto. What they follow with is driving, hardcore-fuelled crust punk with blistering intensity. Catchy as hell and musically tight. They actually blow away any notions of this being a lo-fi release thanks to volume and energy that they put into the music. Refluxo Moral is just a solid punk song with harsh vocals. No pretence or wizardry, just good old pure rock fury. Nothing Left To Feel is like old school youth crew and dbeat if both sub-genres got into a fight and ended up trying to outdo each other. 

Systemik Violence are not shy about their love of Japanese crust punk bands like GISM et al and F For Fake shows just how much they revere those bands. Their sound is raw and mayhemic, but with the same rock ’n’ roll vibes as Dokuga. Screeching solos, crashing cymbals and rabid vocals all around. Dead Cop is probably how Soulfully would sound if they ventured back into early Sepultura territory and just listened to Dead Kennedy’s. Their tongue-in-cheek closer Retarded Metalhead is probably the most metal song on their side of the split and it rounds things out in disgustingly great fashion. 

This split isn’t long and it doesn’t need to be, as both Dokuga and Systemik Violence go straight for the jugular and don’t miss. For a long time I thought that the only band Portugal was known for was Moonspell, but it seems I was wrong and their punk scene is well and truly thriving. This is great!

You can stream Dokuga's Meio Morto and Dead Cop by Systemik Violence below:-

It's also available to purchase above digitally and on 7". 

Dokuga - https://www.facebook.com/dokugapunx/

Systemik Violence - https://www.facebook.com/systemikviolence/

Raw 'N' Roll Rex - https://www.facebook.com/rawnrollrex/

2017 End-Of-Year-List: Mashi Mierul (Cantilever)

Just when you thought that of the end-of-year lists for 2017 had published! I found one sitting in my inbox that I hadn't published, which isn't like me when it comes to things like this. Anyway, I wrote a review a review of Cantilever's EP "The Fall: The Rise" last November and really liked it. Following the review, Mashi decided to submit his end-of-year list all the way from Malaysia. I hope you enjoy it..

1. Dead Heat - Access Denied/S.E.E.D

I listened to this nasty stuff a while ago recommended by my buddy. This is one of a tight hardcore-punk, worth to listen.

2. Incendiary - Thousand Mile Stare

This New York HC band remind me of early Refused. Also the vibe of Snapcase came to my mind. IDK, maybe it’s just me but this album really hook me up.

3. Mastodon - Emperor Of Sand

Well still they cannot surpass the "Crack The Skye" groundbreaker. But it's still a solid album. Good for new listener and oddly, I take this album as my reference for my songwriting in my band’s next release(Cantilever) and my band’s performing post hardcore. I can’t relate, but I really need this album to influence my song writing. Weird

4. Mastodon - Cold Dark Places EP

Released just a few months after EOS. Now I realised why Brent love Rush and blend it to this EP. It sounds so MAJESTIC. 

5. At The Drive-In - Diamante EP

In*ter a*li*a was OK, but their recent EP show that ATDI slowly hit their true road.

6. Dead Cross - Dead Cross

Slayer/Retox/the Locust supergroup. Do I need to tell more?

7. Converge - The Dusk In Us

Its like listening to Jane Doe till All We Love We Leave Behind. But in single release. Neat

8. Ex Deo - The Immortal Wars

This Melodic Death Metal from members of Kataklysm really hit me very well in this album.

9. Elder - Reflections of a Floating World

Its progressive, heavy and doom. Please check it out if you are a fan of Mastodon and alike.

10. Brand New - Science Fiction

"old Brand New" all over again.

Listen to "The Fall:The Rise" by Cantilever below:-

Thanks to Mashi for sending me this list and apologies for forgetting about it until now.

Cantilever - https://www.facebook.com/cantilevertheband/

Nekroholocaust - Hymns Of Ruthless Pestilence

Labels: Brutal Mind Productions

Formats: CD/Digital

Release Date: 13th Oct 2017

Tracklist:

1. Glorification Of Barbarity (Intro)

2. Self-Inflicted Genital Mutilation

3. Excruciating Savage Butchery

4. Hideous Atrocities

5. Seeds Of Nihilism (Instrumental)

6. Interlude

7. Pseudocommando

8. Hymns Of Ruthless Pestilence

9. Psychopathic Hallucinations Of Morbid Perversities

Nekroholocaust is the first band from The Philippines to appear on this blog. They're probably also the slammiest, deathiest band in the country (that I know of anyway). Their debut full-length "Hymns Of Ruthless Pestilence" was released via Indonesian slam/death label Brutal Mind Productions last October and it was the band themselves that got in touch with me. It just goes to show the power of Social Media when it's used right. The trio from Bacalod City has been spewing out gruesome blasts since 2004, releasing a demo, a single, a few splits and two live albums in the process. If you need any more persuading to read on, just feast your eyes on the cover art that adorns this beast.

“Hymns Of Ruthless Pestilence” begins with the intro Glorification Of Barbarity and the familiar sound of the “O Fortuna”. It’s a pity they didn’t re-imagine it in brutal death metal form (and it begs the questions as to whether they’re even bothered about copyright law!). They get down on dirty for real on Self-Inflicted Genital Mutilation, with filthy bass riffs, blasting toms and pig-squeals. The breakdowns are peppered with pinch-harmonics and they use sampled screams to further add to the horror. Talking of screams, there are some disturbing vocals on Excruciating Savage Butchery, as well as automatic gun fire. The riffs are tight though and occasionally they venture away from stomach churning brutality and into the safer waters of classic death metal. I can’t think of a better name for a song of this ilk than Hideous Atrocities, though it is both one of the grooviest and most off-kilter songs on the record. 

Seeds Of Nihilism is a really solid instrumental song that’s got plenty of hardcore riffs in it, while the Interlude that follows breaks up the momentum of the album. which is kind of sad really. More slams!!! Nekroholocaust get back on it with Pseudocommando and it’s bangtastic. The way the trio transitions mid-way through from fast to mid-tempo is great and they sound really tight. It’s all the on the right side of goregrind as well, which is a bit of a relief. The title-track sees the return of the tom that’s somewhat overpowering, as it drowns out the cymbals and the bass. That said, it’s still a fun listen. The absurdity of Psychopathic Hallucinations Of Morbid Perversities is more than matched by it’s title. It brings to an end an album that may be an acquired taste to some, but that’s also genuine and fun. The recording and production may take some getting used to, but it shows great promise and Nekroholocaust are great at writing catchy songs (believe it or not). Good work.

You can stream "Hymns Of Ruthless Pestilence" in full and buy on digital or on CD below:-

Nekroholocaust - https://www.facebook.com/nhbdm/

Brutal Mind Productions - https://www.facebook.com/brutalmindjakarta/

Perception - Monolith EP

Labels: Self-Released

Formats: Digital

Release Date: 09 March 2018

Tracklist:

1. Strive

2. Defy Dismay

3. Survive

4. Monolith

5. Closure

This is the second EP from Southern UK progressive metalcore band Perception. The quartet released formed in 2012 and released their debut EP "Collapse' is 2016 and Perception are due to release "Monolith" on March 9th 2018. They'll be heading out in support of the new EP, when they tour alongside fellow UK modern metal band Construct in May. You can read what I said about this EP's title-track here back in May of last year.

Perception is another in the growing crop of UK tech-metal bands. Their music blends together modern electronic music, death metal and hardcore. On EP opener Strive, there’s a hint of Swe-death  amongst all of the characteristic textures that make up modern UK progressive metal. It’s heavy with some great clean vocals, while the instrumentation takes the lead over the electronic elements. The melodic riffs on Defy Dismay are great while the way that Perception switches between them and more brutal riffs seems easy. They’re good at building atmosphere and then unleashing mammoth hooks as well. It is a polished effort so far. 

Survive contains a great mix of clean/harsh vocals and plenty of off-kilter guitar work. It’s fairly easy to compare Perception’s sound to that of more established bands but individually and on their own merit, they’re very strong indeed. I’ve written about this EP’s title-track before but once more won’t hurt. It follows a more technical lineage and it’s pretty surprising how much musicality Perception manages to fit into it. 

EP closer Closure is an apt song to end on and it’s a lot more ambient and atmospheric. Perception tones down their aggressive nature and uses strings and subtle guitar to back up the emotive screams. It does feel as though it’s going to explode but it doesn’t, instead the band settles into a mid-paced and cinematic stomp that’s more reflective. It’s a great way to finish and shows that the band can write songs that take from all different sub-genres of heavy music, while retaining their own identity. Fantastic stuff. Perception is definitely worth checking out when they officially release Monolith.

You can stream the EP's opening song "Strive" via Perception's Facebook page here - https://www.facebook.com/PerceptionUK/

Erai - S/T LP

Labels: Lifeisafunnything

Formats: LP/Digital

Release Date: 23rd Nov 2017

Tracklist:

1. Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants

2. And I Took My Time

3. Mirror

4. Karen

5. Memorial

6. Sanguine, Sinking In

This is another late release from last year that I'm catching up on. Erai is an emo/post-hardcore band from Berlin, Germany. I think this self-titled LP is their debut. I was released by fellow German label Lifeisafunnything in November just gone. They're lucky enough to be playing the 5th edition of We Built The World And Miss The Stars Fest in May alongside a load of great bands, including Birds In Row, Shizune and Cavalcades amongst (many) others. Erai was founded in May 2016.

Despite sharing it’s name with an Oasis album, Erai’s opener Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants is far more interesting than the Manchester Britpop band’s music (bold statement I know!). There are cleanly shouted vocals (that remind me a little of “Bright Flashes” era Snapcase), loud drums and riffs that match with both volume and melody. At times Erai venture into emoviolence-like territory but they never quite explode enough, which is fine. And I Took My Time begins in gentler fashion. Feedback punctuates the lone guitar melody before the full band kicks in with a mix of punk-like time-signatures and driving post-hardcore. The song is really straightforward in its make-up and even after the introspective spoken-word mid-section, there’s a simplicity that flows through it. Musically it’s really really good. What Erai moves onto next is very different. The seven+ minute Mirror is filled with unnerving feedback for the first ninety-seconds. It dies down as the drums and bass provide a minimal and repeated backdrop for what’s to come. The soaring clean vocals that sit atop of the instrumentation are both powerful and uplifting. In fact the whole song is like that. Cinematic but not pretentious with huge swathes of sound from all directions. 

The further you get into this LP, the more you realise that Erai are a golden band. One that pay homage to the sub-genres trailblazers and manages to recreate the feeling that those bands gave you. Karen is a perfect example of what can be done when you don’t try to reinvent the wheel, while also not aping your influences. I’ve not heard post-hardcore played this well for a very long time. They allow their urgency to spill out on Memorial, which has more of a garage-punk feel to it with plenty of raw emotion. The closing song on Erai’s self-titled record is another long player. Sanguine, Sinking In begins slowly and with a feeling of beautiful loneliness. One thing’s for sure, they know how to build and maintain suspense. They weave and layer textures like cymbals, subtle bass, jangly guitars and audible shouts before the song reaches a crescendo at seven-and-a-half minutes and gather momentum with more cinematic post-hardcore. It’s brilliant and it underlines just how strong this record is. Erai is another excellent German band, alongside Duct Hearts. You’ll feel so energised after listening to this.

You can "Erai" and buy it digitally and on vinyl below:-

Erai - https://www.facebook.com/eraibln/

You can also buy it from Lifeisafunnything here - http://lifeisafunnything.bigcartel.com

Lifeisafunnything - https://www.facebook.com/lifeisafunnything123/

Dym - Ray's Front Teeth EP

Labels: Barely Regal Records/strictly no capital letters/Time As A Color/Kingfisher Bluez

Formats: LP/Digital

Release Date: 8th Dec 2017

Tracklist:

1. Four/Bi-Gone

2. Tried As Far

3. Web Held, Over/Under

4. Evil I Be Done

5. Hermitage

6. Short, Caught, Right Out Of Feeling

Last August I was lucky enough to see (and meet) Duct Hearts for the first time in Leeds. They were touring alongside Thisismenotthinkingofyou and Dym. I learnt recently that Dym had released an EP and I was given the chance to review it. Dym is a post-hardcore (by way of all kinds of musical influences) trio from London, who began life in 2016. After an initial demo tape, this is their second official release (except for the tape they produced specifically for their tour with Duct Hearts/TIMNTOY). All three members are extremely creative an are active in countless other projects, which means they can bring plenty of outside influence into this band.

From their gig with Duct Hearts et al. I remember Dym having a sort of lo-fi live sound but on record their sound is a lot more than that. Opener Four/Bi-Gone contains some lovely guitar riffs that sound like emoviolence/screamo riffs being slowed down to sludge-like tempos (that sounds weird but I know what I mean). The drums are quite easygoing and the vocals sit in the middle, slightly detached, which is probably where I got the lo-fi impression from in the first place. It’s experimental emo/indie and it’s a cross between Crash Of Rhinos and Simmer. Dym’s energy is felt more during Tried As Far, where they put more screamo influences into their music, especially in the vocals and the dissonance of the guitars. Web Held, Over/Under is another experimental (and sometime arty) number. It’s pretty restrained and there’s a brooding sense of foreboding that’s not often present in the sub-genre. The latter half especially is more violent and jarring at times. 

Ambient textures make an appearance at the beginning of Evil I Be Done, which seems to nod towards Americana briefly. Aside from the almost whispered vocals towards the end, it’s an instrumental. Dym is pretty happy to play lengthier songs and Hermitage is the second one that reaches the six-minute or over mark. It’s beautiful though, staying true to their less-is-more approach to songwriting. Following Hermitage is the record’s closer, Short, Caught, Right Out Of Feeling. It’s intro riff seems to directly follow on from the main riffs towards the end of the penultimate song, which mean continuation is strong. Vocals-wise it’s the heaviest yet Dym doesn’t hold back on the melody. It’s a short piece and it ends abruptly, albeit with the final sounds of bass guitar(?)/ambience once again. “Ray’s Front Teeth” is a nice and relaxing record but with enough musical impact to make you take notice. I’d definitely file it next to the music of the bands I’ve mentioned above. 

You can stream "Ray's Front Teeth" and get it as a name-your-price-download from Dym's bandcamp page below:-

Dym - https://www.facebook.com/dymtheband/

Physical copies are available from the below labels:-

Barely Regal Records - http://barelyregalrecords.bigcartel.com

strictly no capital letters - http://sncl.collective-zine.co.uk

Time As A Color - http://timeasacolor.com/shop/product-category/time-as-a-color-releases/

Kingfisher Bluez - https://kingfisherbluez.bandcamp.com

Barely Regal Records - https://www.facebook.com/barelyregalrecords/

strictly no capital letters - https://www.facebook.com/strictlynocapitalletters/

Time As A Color - https://www.facebook.com/timeasacolor/

Kingfisher Bluez - https://www.facebook.com/kingfisherbluez/