WOLVSERPENT and (a) STORY OF RATS Live in Chicago; June 12, 2011

Alright, it took way too long to get this post done, but I can explain...I swear! It took me far too long to figure out how to upload videos longer than 15 minutes to Youtube, but today it finally clicked so I was able to 1) upload both the (a) Story of Rats and House of Low Culture videos and 2) finally write this post. Sorry! I shouldn't be apologizing this often.

This show was sandwiched right in my first "Oh my god what the hell am I doing" weekends of press; right between Utech Records Music Fest on the 11th and the Mamiffer/House of Low Culture/RM74/Locrian show in Chicago on the 13th. It was this massive weekend, during my 10th month (TEN MONTHS? HOLY CRAP!) running The Inarguable where I really decided this whole press thing was something I could see myself doing for a long time. Running on beer, low sleep, and pretty awesome food from this place called The Tavern on the corner of Milwaukee and North Avenue (seriously, check this place out), I wasn't actually sure if I would make it through this gig. But there was one thing keeping me awake.

I needed to hang out with Wolvserpent.

Wolvserpent and I have a happy history. Those of you who have been with the blog since at least last October will remember my interview with Wolvserpent and their album Blood Seed's subsequent placement on my Top 10 of 2010. I couldn't miss these two. No way. So I found some extra adrenaline in my system and went for it.

The show was held at a small bar called Pancho's just off of the California and Milwaukee intersection. Having never actually been there, I wasn't really sure what to expect, but I must say it was nice. A bit on the small side, but the owner, Pancho, had a great sense of humor and he kept the place pretty dang clean, which is much more than I could ever ask of a small Chicago bar. Also, anyone willing to host a Wolvserpent show is cool in my book, right? Right.

Wolvserpent's touring mate, the low-key (a) Story of Rats, with whom they had recorded in the past, was a project with which I wasn't too familiar outside of some Facebook posts here or there. Having never heard anything, I was, to say the least, intrigued as to what might happen. After spending the entire previous day with noise and drone folks, my mind was already extraordinarily expanded and willing to take anything else in.

View the full post for video and live reviews for both bands.

Kyle Bobby Dunn - "Ways of Meaning" (2011) [Desire Path Recordings]

So it's pretty obvious that I like pretty, shimmering music. Harmonious, ephemeral whispers of sound that dance about your ears and envelop your psyche. Yes, these beautiful sounds normally take up most of my listening time, punctuated of course by what you see me review here. Maybe I use these artists, like The Dead Texan, Stars of the Lid, William Basinski, and now young composer Kyle Bobby Dunn as a means of cleansing my eardrums (and perhaps calming my ever-cranky soul).

Dunn's most recent release, the short (in comparison to his other releases) Ways of Meaning is a look into his fragile temperament. Comprised of delicate guitars and organ, Ways of Meaning builds in "intensity" much like the few fluffy clouds on an otherwise clear day; not foreboding, but more of a comfort or an expectation. Like the clouds, perhaps you might "see" shapes or animals within the dreamlike sounds or feel the complacency of laying in the grass, looking up at the sky; such complacency you'll find whilst listening to Basinski's "The Disintegration Loops," Stars of the Lid's "The Tired Sounds..." or even Arvo Part's "Alina." Through distinct, chiming minimalism, Dunn has created something beautiful that will probably act as a soundtrack to afternoon naps or those times where I just sit and watch my fan go round and round.

Of course, this album, while retaining the comfort of a million pillows, Dunn's sense of humor shines in some of the song titles. The first time I read the titles "Dropping Sandwiches (in Chester Lake)" and "Movement for the Completely Fucked" I couldn't help but crack a grin. Don't lie, you did, too.

Kyle Bobby Dunn's Ways of Meaning is unarguably a beautiful album that is deserving of praise, but I can't help but notice how unoriginal it is. Yeah, drone is a genre with little wiggle room, but in the end I still find myself listening to this like I would a Stars of the Lid or a Dead Texans album. Of course, I do love both of those projects and welcome anything else that might expand on or at least mimic that sort of sound. So, yeah, I do like this album. It's sincere, even without being the most original release I've heard, but that's okay. Good job, Kyle.

-Jon

Life in the Dark - "Hushed Bloom" (2011) [Sunyata Recordings]

Life in the Dark. Those of you who follow my posts might recognize this band name, the solo project of Z. Zsigo of Maths and Livimorket, from the honorable mentions addendum of my top releases of 2010. Since the late-summer release of the The Sunya is Rising album, Life in the Dark has released another demo, The Limbs in Gloom (which was released as part of a 2CD on Music Ruins Lives), and took part in a 5-way split with Gholas, among other bands. While still retaining its ethereal, pensive, synth-driven core sound, Life in the Dark has seemingly abandoned the heavier, doom metal-like sound for something more distant and thoughtful; more fitting for Zsigo's self-described "slowcore influenced drone."

To say it blatantly, Hushed Bloom, Life in the Dark's most recent output, is about death. Not some violent, explosive death, but something more quiet and passing, like a candle that slowly, but surely, burns out. These two lengthy tracks (each crossing the 15-minute mark), titled "Hushed Bloom" and "Comadeth," feature a much more low-key, highly minimalist side of Life in the Dark that, while hinted at in the past, has fully realized itself on this release. Solely featuring lush, distorted synthesizers, maybe reminiscent of Scott Cortez's guitar work with Lovesliescrushing, a drum machine, and Zsigo's own voice, Hushed Bloom is an adventure into the disembodied feeling of dying, like, as stated in the title of the second track, one might feel when in a coma. It is warm, there is no pain, only the distant feeling of leaving. As our friend Harold from Hammer Smashed Sound so wisely put it, "this is a sublime, ethereal, and enchanting way to die."


This wonderful cassette is limited to only 25 copies and, while I can't afford a copy (SADFACE), all you fine folks should send Z. Zsigo your money via the Sunyata Records webstore.


-Jon

MAMIFFER Interview and Live Video; June 13, 2011

After seeing them perform at Utech Records Music Festival, we (E., Stefan, John and myself) followed Mamiffer back to Chicago, where they performed both as Mamiffer and House of Low Culture with Locrian and RM74.

Interview with Faith Coloccia and Aaron Turner of Mamiffer


Video by E. and John S.
Photography by Stefan Raduta
Post-production (audio/video) by EEE Media and Design 


Mamiffer performing live at The Hideout; June 13, 2011


Video by Jon Rosenthal


-Jon and E.

Sleep, Harvey Milk and Premonition 13 live at The Wiltern

When I found out that Sleep would be playing a headlining show in Los Angeles, I was pretty damn excited. I had missed their performance in FYF due to school, and dismayed, thought I would never see them again, but that turned out to be wrong. So, on Sunday night I got to witness openers Premonition 13 (one of Scott Wino's exceptionally awesome projects) and sludgey noise rock luminaries Harvey Milk, and then nearly 2 whole hours of Sleep. So, here are some of the shots from the show, and the full set is located here:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.140470569361162.35767.117431668331719

Harvey Milk

Premonition 13

-Chase

Scar Symmetry - The Unseen Empire

Scar Symmetry seems to be pushing out albums every other year and maybe that is a good thing but it can also be a bad thing. The band released a preview of the album by releasing the song Illuminoid Dream Sequence a month before the albums release and I was pretty happy with what I heard in the song. Progressive Death Metal with killer melodies and fantastic song structures ! I thought it was going to be a ground breaking album like Holographic Universe was for them but well it was not like at all. I was a fan of Dark Matter Dimensions and I think there could have been more time spent on creativity on that album it very much did have its own style and sound to it then the last 3 albums much like this new album The Unseen Empire but more or less. The opening track to The Unseen Empire is The Anomaly I was kind of like huh ? Upon hearing this song for the first time because with each Scar Symmetry album it seems like they have always had great ideas for opening the album of there albums but this one is like a mix of hard rock and just Metal with some death metal vocals in it here and there. It took me a few listens to that song to like it..

About half of the album just seems like not much time was really put into thought and trying to getting all of the ideas out clear enough more like generic ideas really. The album is about topics on the N.W.O. (New World Order) not the wresting N.W.O. But the Conspiracy Theory as much of their albums are which I see and have found evidence to believe that it is true. This album deals with the Global Elite on what they do to humanity, how they do horrible things to humanity, use fear to control the population, and so forth. I fear as though these guys are running out of ideas for songs and well they have put out a new album every other year so.. The main clean singer Lars his vocal melodies are not has pitchshifted and power metal to fuck on this album as well and Roberth his death grunts are just brutal as ever. But as I have said this album is really just some hard rock with Metal and death grunts thrown into it I did like the first 7 tracks but the last 2 I do not like as much. So give it a shot for your self give it a listen. I really hope the next effort is much better. 

-Bjørn 

Interview with Heinali and Matt Finney

In a world of stagnant post-rock and metal bands, everyone either ends up sounding like ISIS or Explosions in the Sky. It's a total bummer and a real pain, but it really helps the original and unique bands shine. International duo Heinali and Matt Finney, hailing from Kyiv, Ukraine and Millsbrook, Alabama, respectively, combine Heinali's immensely well-composed "doomgaze" with Matt Finney's miserable, at times morbidly humorous spoken word passages. I should probably review their next album, "Ain't No Night," sometime soon.




Since you both live on other sides of the world, how did you two meet? What made you decide to collaborate?

Heinali: While I was sleeping, in my dream, David Lynch suddenly appeared. He appeared and stood there silently, inside my dream. I felt like I knew he should say something important to me, but he was silent. Then I felt like I should raise my left arm. So I rised my left arm and suddenly David Lynch spoke, although his lips weren't moving. "Good day today" he said. "I'm looking in the mirror, but you should look for Yennif Ttam". "Ok. Yennif Ttam? But that just makes no sense, David Lynch", I replied. He said "I know" and I woke up. I was lying on a bench in a park next to a bottle of some kind of cheap whiskey. The only thing that was running in my head was this strange "Yennif Ttam", so I decided to write it down. I always carry a pen with me, but this time I couldn't find any paper so I wrote it down on my left arm. What does it mean? What David Lynch was doing inside my dream? I went home and thoroughly thought about all of this, but couldn't come up with an answer. It went to the point how they usually do in 80s b-class movies when protagonist is haunted by video-overlay hallucinations. I went to the bathroom and washed my face with cold water. And, as I was looking in the mirror, suddenly I could read the mirror reflection of this strange words that I wrote down on my hand. It was "Matt Finney". I should look for Matt Finney. And the rest you know. 


Most collaborations are normally one-off projects that go their separate ways, was "Heinali & Matt Finney" originally a one-off project or did you have larger plans set out from the beginning?

Heinali: Yes it was a spontaneous one-off thing. If I'm not mistaken, it was after the "Lemonade", since this collaboration brought a whole new field to explore, which was new to us, and, I guess, generally new, we've decided to call Heinali and Matt Finney a separate project. 


How does songwriting work for you two? Do you, Matt, write your prose first and Heinali composes based upon the tone of the prose, or is it vice-versa? Considering your prolific output, how long does it take for you two to put a song together?

Heinali: Yes, it's this way exactly. Matt writes, then I compose based on what he writes. The amount of time to make a song varies a lot. It could be anywhere between a couple of days and a couple of months. It depends.


After self-releasing "Conjoined" late last year, we've seen it re-released on Paradigms recordings, as well has the forthcoming album "Ain't No Night" on the same label and yet ANOTHER album to-be-released on Handmade Birds. Has the outside influence of a label affected the way you both approach your music? How does it feel to have gone from the DiY aesthetic to having material released on labels?

Heinali: I guess not many things are changed. Of course if we were to produce electronic/idm release we couldn't release it on experimental metal label, so in some aspects, yes, it frames the view. But since our attention now lies in this "heavy" music field anyway, it makes no difference. The good thing about labels is to know that your music, which you're working on right now, will be shown to the world. It's a bright contrast to that awful state when you understand that after working on music for days and weeks and months, pouring yourself out completely, going crazy of loneliness and of feeling all that, you could just throw your record in a trash can in the end, because if you have no marketing skills and resources all the people who would listen to the record are your friends and a couple of strangers.

Matt: If anything I think it makes us work harder to make something amazing for the label to put out. The only thing I worry about is no one buying it after the label invests so much money into it but that's just me.


This one's more for Matt - Your writing style is unique, bleak, and miserable. Who are some of your literary influences? Are you reading anything right now?

Matt: They're kinda limited since I don't read anywhere near as much as I used to. I hate that but there's not a lot to choose from at the public library here and I like to have a book I can hold in my hands. Raymond Carver is the biggest one. Another that's come along in the past few years is Cormac McCarthy (big surprise, right?). I'm currently diving into Neil Gaiman's Sandman series. I just started The Doll's House last night and I'm about half way in. It's really fucking with my mind.


For Heinali - Compositionally I can hear echoes of 80s industrial, post-punk, post-rock, and modern classical in both your solo material and collaboration with Matt - what/who influences your composing style? How does a Heinali song come into existence?

Heinali: Oh too many things, too many names. I'm a passionate music lover. To narrow it down I would point out some names which influenced Heinali and Matt Finney "Conjoined" and "Ain't No Night" sound in particular. Such as The Angelic Process, Nadja, My Bloody Valentine, Dalek, Nine Inch Nails, Godspeed You Black Emperor!, Merzbow, Coil, Joy Division.


This year has been pretty hefty for releases - what are some 2011 favorites from the Heinali & Matt Finney camp? Anything you are both excited to hear later this year?

Heinali: I'm a bit lost now amongst the 16th century madrigals, so I'm not paying much attention to what is happening in the music right now. Unfortunately. I hope one day I'll go through all the 2011 prominent releases. The ones that made their path through anyway are Tim Hecker's "Ravedeath 1972". I shouldn't even mention this one, everybody is talking about it. And they should, wonderful, absolutely wonderful and intelligent work. The second one is "A Static Place" by Stephan Mathieu, a deep, almost sacred work of sound art. 

Matt: My favorite release this year would have to The Inside Room by 40 Watt Sun. I'm not even sure I can give this album the praise it deserves. It just about knocked a whole through my chest and I haven't been able to stop playing it. Some others that I'm in love with would be Tunnel Blanket by This Will Destroy You, Veins and Night Glitters by Slow Head, Dynamite Steps by The Twilight Singers, Act of Shimmering by Jannick Schou. Our friends Sleepmakeswaves have an album coming out in July and it's gonna knock everyone's heads off. Definitely look out for that one. I'm also excited about Elsie from The Horrible Crowes.

With distance being a variable, what is the probability of a Heinali & Matt Finney live show? If you were to perform, how would you envision the show overall?

Heinali: Unfortunately, the probability is very low. Not only because of the distance, this is is much more like a financial problem. I'd love our live show to kick ass and have some ideas to make it so, but again, it depends on so many things. Right now it's difficult to tell anything about it. 

Matt: The probability is low right now but it's gonna happen. Mark my words. Either that or I'll relocate over there. I got nothing going for me here and Slavic women are gorgeous. I don't need that many more reasons.

Anything exciting or new you would like to share...or maybe some closing words?

Matt: We're working on our album On Mercy's Shore for Handmade Birds. We have some really exciting ideas for it and we can't wait to get it out there. Ain't No Night comes out in August from Paradigms so prepare for the takeover with that. There's gonna be a short film collaboration we're doing with our director buddy Freddie Lloyd and we have some projects stretching into 2012. Super busy but that's how we like it.






Keep your eyes out for "Ain't No Night"'s official release on Paradigms Recordings this August.


-Jon

Interview with John Gossard of Dispirit

Nearly anyone who has a reasonable depth of knowledge in regards to black metal and doom metal has surely heard of Weakling, Asunder, and The Gault and probably by now, Dispirit as well. Of course, the link behind these three wonderful creations is John Gossard. I was lucky enough to see (and photograph) Dispirit at Scion Rock Fest, and was originally going to interview John there, but due to time constraints, it was delayed. Anyways, go ahead and take a look at everything John has to say, very interesting stuff.

First of all, thank you for the opportunity to talk to us. How are you doing? And what was your experience at the Scion Rock Fest like?

The experience was great and very strange. I was very hesitant to play this thing because I am not a fan of either corporate sponsorship, nor many of the bands they have had on previous events, but the Adam who put this thing together was really persistent in asking us to do it. Additionally, a few friends who's bands have performed there in the past I asked about the experience, and was told that the folks running the fest treat the bands extremely well at every level, and the company footing the bill is barely noticibale in any of the venues where the shows happen.  The whole concept of corporate sponsorship of this event had bothered me and still does, but in the end, having them cover costs for transportation, hotels ( best hotel I have ever stayed in), providing all the gear we requested, as well as getting to see some good bands like Immolation,  Morbid Angel, Necrite, Dark Castle, and Cough made it a great time. The only negative thing that really stood out was that we couldn't play with our regular guitarist who was out of the country, but our friend Sean did an excellent job covering for him. It was the first time I have played this sort of a festival, and partially agreed to do it just for the experience.  We were all pleased with the sound, lighting. fog that they provided us. In fact most of the time we play local underground clubs we don't get 1/3 the attention to detail. 

Oaks of Bethel - "The Ghosts That We Are" (2011) [EEE Recordings]

Since late 2009 Oaks of Bethel has released nine hours of music. That...that's a lot of material. Take into account that the average metal album length teeters on the brink of an hour. By that logic, one album a year yields one hour of music a year. "But Jon," you proclaim, "this is a review, not a math and logic lesson!" Well 1) fuck off, I can write whatever I damn well please and 2) think about how much music this one project has put out. Over the span of a year and a half, Oaks of Bethel has released what a normal band releases over the span of most of a decade. With such a large base of material over a short period of time, something's got to be up. Also remember that Oaks of Bethel is a side project of the already prolific Njiqahdda, who have already released a metric ton of music alone this year. Upon realizing all of this, one has to ponder, someone who releases this much music is either full of it and are memorable based on some sort of fluke, or they are absolute prodigal geniuses, able to release multiple volumes of music at a time, covering vast musical ground (or something like that). After listening to this album (in conjunction, of course, with the rest of their releases), I must go with the latter. After hearing The Path Of Liberation From Birth And Death, Parallaxis, this monstrous double album, and whatever else this mysterious duo has release, you can't really argue that point.

Oaks of Bethel's seventh full-length album, the double-disc titan The Ghosts That We Were, is definitely a lot to take in. Two hours is a long time to spend doing one specific thing in general, let alone listen to an album, and yet Oaks of Bethel's subtle, droning, lo-fi, textural black metal hymns call for longer releases and attention spans. To listen to this distant, washed-out album in multiple sittings would be blasphemy; every part fits like a piece of a larger puzzle, building up to the final, near-47-minute-long track "Anthelion," a mostly drone/doom track. Now, when I say "washed-out," I don't mean you won't be able to make anything out from the haze, rather the contrary. While the guitars sound like you're hearing the band rehearse down the hallway and the percussion more like someone hitting super-muted drums equally as far away, everything retains at least some clarity. The distance within the recording almost makes me think as if Oaks of Bethel was striving to create a drone/doom metal atmosphere by way of mid-paced black metal, which, I might add, worked. The trance-inducing monotony of each track, brought about by lengthy periods of repeated guitar progressions with slight variation thrown in here or there, mirrors what I might feel when listening to, say, Oren Ambarchi's In The Pendulum's Embrace or Earth's Earth 2. This is not an every day listen; it's a commitment.

The Ghosts That We Are is definitely a time-consumer, but I'd go so far as to say it's something you should definitely give a solid listen by the end of the year. Yeah, yeah, it's long, I addressed that, but what else are you going to do on a Wednesday night? Don't lie to me, you're reading my reviews; you have nothing better to do, right? So, grab $20 and order this monstrous release here so EEE Recordings can release even more awesome material.

-Jon

Pleasure Leftists- "Pleasure Leftists" (2011) [Fan Death]

My problem with finding new music generally comes from the fact that there are so many bands, and so many of those bands want to sound like other bands.  So for many of us who are constantly seeking a musical fix we often find ourselves quite frustrated at the fact that we are never quite satisfied with what we have come across.  This is especially true with genres that are often symbolized by an elite group of artists that are seen by people as figureheads of the style, so much to our dismay rarely does anything sound “fresh.”  However, it is incredibly relieving to find a group who can fit so perfectly into a genre as straightforward as post-punk and still manage to give off a completely evolved sound.  Thus is the case with Pleasure Leftists self titled debut EP, and you really have to applaud them for not ripping off any aspects of Joy Division, which in my experience is very hard to do.

 There’s a very thin line between post-punk and various other genres that are usually thrown into the mix when trying to categorize bands that somehow trick you into wanting to do a seizure inspired dance to generally anticlimactic songs, but this is definitely straight post-punk. The best way to describe the overall sound of the group through a comparison would be Bauhaus meets Punctured Tough Guy, but this comparison in no way should take away from their own original touch.  The vocals are in the higher range that constantly shift from a slurred moan to spastic squeaks and seems to blend in as just another instrument. It must be said that no member of the group took the easy way out in writing their part and there are many small details in the overall composition of the songs that no instrument can be singled out as the “lead.”

No song on this EP stands out more than the others, and that just means that each song is solid in all aspects, making its entire seventeen minutes a straightforward and entertaining listen. The highlight song on the EP would probably be the second track “Morning in a Room” mostly due to the fact that writing an anticlimactic yet exciting song seems like a pretty hard thing to do.

Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that if you take a post-punk riff out of context it could possibly be from an Iron Maiden song?

-Julian 

Servile Sect - "TRVTH" (2011) [Handmade Birds Records]

Evolution is a natural part of art; it is not something to be forced or approached, rather an organic progression. Aesthetics, sound, look, and meaning will change over time, seeing as no sane man is a static being, creating a moving line over which the product moves. Ever shifting, the art that survives is a slight chameleon of sorts, being able to change just enough to remain true to its core, yet different enough from its previous incarnation to hold the interest of the artist, its original fanbase, and a new crowd so that it may be appreciated further. When I first heard Servile Sect's Stratospheric Passenger back in 2007, I immediately understood that this cross-country experimental black metal duo, comprised of Luke Krnkr (Sadness Saturn, ITHI) and Nhate Clmnt (Golden Raven, Ash Borer), was already extremely advanced, making artistic evolution a sensitive and intricate process. With a cassette, Eternal Mind, released on Senseless Empire last year and Realms of the Queen, released earlier this year on Thurston Moore's Ecstatic Peace label, we see Servile Sect demonstrating a tasteful descent into the avant-garde, producing challenging, thoughtful releases as often as they can.

When Texas label Handmade Birds Records announced the future, now today, release of a new Servile Sect album, I was ecstatic, and, upon receiving the wonderfully packaged pink/green splatter LP (check out the layout here), I was absolutely in awe at the fantastic album laid at my feet. Split stylistically into two different sides, Servile Sect offers their two sonic profiles, two entirely different entities, on a single, incredible LP.

Side A is unlike anything I've ever heard before. Strange, droning, at times shimmering experimental music comprised of field recordings, disembodied voices, bitcrushed drum machines, and many other textures of which I can't even pinpoint. Side A is the eerie calm before the storm; you are lulled into a trance but have that gut feeling that something isn't really...right. Something is going to happen, maybe bad, good, you are unsure, but it will be beautiful and of that you are certain. Your body is drifting through space. Are you dead? The thought does not really matter, you are too busy marveling at the heavens that surround you. Suddenly you feel the sensation of being pulled towards something. Overcome by paralyzing fear, you see it; the black hole. Imminent doom. You fall into it.

Side B showcases Servile Sect's more black metal, but still experimental, side. Running the gamut from intense, blasting black metal to introspective, progressive rock-inspired guitar jams (around 12 minutes in), to kraut-rocky psych jams, this much more "accessible" counterpart to the first side is Servile Sect crowning themselves as the kings of experimental black metal. You've fallen through the black hole and found yourself in a new world of color; crystalline prisms that project images onto the sky (is it called "the sky" here?). At first you are horrified - where are you, anyway? But you succumb to the overwhelming beauty that surrounds you and you drift for all eternity.

You don't need a manifesto or some crazy "Earth First" affiliations to make your band memorable, you need exceptional music and, because they're just that lucky, Servile Sect produces exceptional music in spades. TRVTH, through it's unique takes on a tired genre, has proven itself to be one of the most impressive listens, not just in black metal, I've had this year. Be sure to grab this super limited LP at musician and entrepreneur R. Loren's Handmade Birds Records and, if you dig artist Kevin Gan Yuen's artwork as much as I do, stop on by the ViralOptic website and check out his other fantastic works.

-Jon

Forest of the Soul - "Restless In Flight" (2011) [Bindrune Recordings]

From my first listen of Nechochwen's "Algonkian Mythos" back in 2008, Aaron Carey has always been one of my favorite guitarists. This did not change upon hearing his collaborations with American black metal band Harvist, his older band October Rust, or his second, more metallic Nechochwen album "Azimuths to the Otherworld." Carey's deep, contemplative folk guitar compositions demonstrate an intense understanding of not only his Appalachian surroundings, but also classical guitar styles, Sufi (Whirling Dervishes) classical music, and what I can only assume to be Native American music. As a complete fanatic of darker, American-styled folk music, I completely ate up Carey's style, so when I heard that he was releasing a new album with bandmate Andrew Della Cagna titled Restless in Flight, I was, needless to say, excited. When I noticed that this was Forest of the Soul's third release together, I realized I might have been behind the times a bit...

Upon listening to Forest of the Soul, I must say I was surprised. Though this is a folk album, it was definitely something different. Immediately I detect a Jar of Flies-era Alice in Chains influence, both vocally (the droning vocal harmonies remind me so much of Layne and Jerry; it's almost uncanny) and in execution, as Aaron and Andrew utilize a full drum kit, making for more of a rock sort of atmosphere. I know a bunch of you are going to read this and think "Grunge? Well that's overdone and lame," and, sure, grunge is one of those things the little hip kids latch onto due to its "vintage" qualities. I, for one, welcome this grunge influence in the metal and folk community; it's a different range of emotion than what is already explored and, I mean, it's not like there are a bajillion bands doing it (because they're too busy gazing at their shoes or something).

Of course, Restless in Flight isn't just a folky grunge album like one would hear on a Days of the New album. No, there are also some amazingly beautiful instrumental guitar duets that remind me of the Candy Rat Records roster. For those of you who haven't heard of Candy Rat Records, think of sort of happy, bittersweet, "back home"-y kind of sounding guitar works. Again, something that is fairly popular in its own circles, but something you don't hear on an album quite like this. Carey's technical but tasteful guitar work is reminiscent of guitarists like, say, Don Ross or Michael Hedges; thick, open harmonies and interesting textures that sound as if he's playing at least 3 guitars, yet it is just one man creating such picturesque music. I am certainly glad to see more artists adopting this otherwise unknown style as an influence for composition.

Yet another face of Restless in Flight is the progressive, more Damnation-era Opeth influence, dealing with more complex structures and chord progression-heavy songwriting rather than the standard folky 3-chord vamp to which people have become so accustomed. Though the whole "Opethcore" genre is overdone, not many bands have tried to recreate or appropriate their softer, more mellow side, which often goes unappreciated for being "boring." This addition is surprisingly a nice touch and works well combined with the other two outside sources of influence.

So what do these three influences, combined with Carey's pre-set Appalachian folk style, give us? A decent album, I guess. I mean, I do like it, seeing as both Carey and Della Cagna are brilliant musicians, but I can't say that I enjoy it as much as Carey's previous endeavors. I know, I know, I sound like some old fuddy-duddy saying, "I remember, back in the day...", but I can't really say that I enjoyed this album as much as Algonkian Mythos or Azimuths to the Otherworld. Sometimes, like in "Desert Rose," the album gets a little too melodramatic for my taste, or at others, like in "Evenfall," the vocal melodies might come a little too close to an Opeth melody (sorry, guys - I know it was unintentional). Again, don't get me wrong; I do enjoy the album and find myself hearing little snippets of each song in my head here and there, but it didn't truly live up to my lofty expectations for Aaron Carey. The best aspect to this album, at least in my opinion, is the presenting of genres that might otherwise go unknown to FotS's fanbase; I've noticed that a lot of people refer to this as "unclassifiable" music, when in reality they just haven't really stepped out of their safety zone just yet, rather waiting for a familiar musician to show it to them. Hopefully this album will be what is necessary to bust an ignorant metalhead's comfort bubble and show them some cool music, which I can definitely appreciate.

-Jon

Mount Moriah - "Mount Moriah" (2011) [Holidays for Quince]

I'm going to let you all in on a little secret of mine: I love country music. Well, not country, but a small sub-genre called "alt-country," short for "alternative country." Hank Williams III, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, and The Avett Brothers; if you take away the accent and songs about losing your truck, your dog or your beer, I'm totally down. No Keith Urban or Brad Paisley for this guy. So, needless to say, I absolutely love love love North Carolina band Mount Moriah's first full-length, out now on Holidays for Quince records.

Being raised on my mom's obsession with Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" LP, I can't help but get all nostalgic when listening to Jenks Miller's (yes, Jenks Miller from Horseback...cool, right?) Lindsey Buckingham-esque guitar work sprinkled all over this album. Memories of long car rides to Nebraska (there were many of those), Texas, North Carolina, Ohio; back when things were simpler. No school worries during the summer, no money worries; I was just a kid on a road trip with his family. Albums like this always hit me right where I need it and it is absolutely perfect.

But enough about me, the music itself is absolutely gorgeous. Singer Heather McEntire's strong, resolute voice exudes emotion, whether fierce (like in "Lament") or fragile and full of longing (like in the beautiful ballad "Old Gowns"). Nothing seems out of place or forced with McEntire's emotional execution or her simple, catchy melodies that you might find yourself humming here or there. As a guitarist I immediately noticed the superb interplay between the lap steel, electric and acoustic guitars. Like McEntire's vocal melodies, simplicity is key. There is no excess, as if everyone got together and mapped out the perfect location for each note and each melody so that no one can take away from each other. No part goes unchecked, and that's what makes it beautiful; you get to take everything in at once.

So, to all you nay-sayers out there who say "Yeah man, I listen to everything but country"...maybe you should check yourselves on this one. Mount Moriah's effective, wonderful alt-country has actually outshined anything I've heard from the Bonnie 'Prince' Billy camp these past few years (and, coming from me, that's huge). Give it a chance, I mean, nobody loses when you stream the album for free from their BandCamp, right?

That all being said, "Social Wedding Rings" and "Lament" are two of the best songs I've heard this year. Brilliant, memorable music.

-Jon

Fistula - "Loser" (2011) [PATAC Records]

Ohio is a pretty disgusting place, at least according to their music scene. Remember that extremely dirty blackened doom band VIT I reviewed back in October? Ohio. Unlistenably raw black metal band Drekavac? Ohio. Dofka (hehe)? Ohio. My point is, when you hear Fistula's (what a disgustingly awesome name) horrendously heavy and distorted sludge, "Cleveland" should immediately come to mind.

Bands like Fistula always get me going, because not only are they heavy as sin, but they're not afraid to have fun and be a little "tongue in cheek." The bowel-wrenchingly low-end first track "Picking Up Chicks" doesn't necessarily sound like you're picking up some fine piece of ass at a club, rather some blown out, cellulite-covered white trash motorcycle mama who happens to have your name, and plenty of others, tattooed on her ass. It is horrendous. It is foul. It's goddamn awesome. Not to mention that, though while this album crawls at a snail's pace for most of its 28 minutes, it explodes into bombastic, sloppy grind in quick, sharp bursts like, say, the second track "I'm Glad Nate's Not In A.C." or about 3/4 of the way through "Picking Up Chicks." Most sludge bands normally forego the whole "let's have a fast part...just because" mentality out of fear that oh gosh, what if our fan base can't handle the speed? Fuck that, Fistula obviously doesn't care about what their fan base expects, and that is awesome. Too many bands preoccupy themselves with what the fans want and not what they want, which is why Fistula's music, albeit offensive and humorous, is honest, fun music.

My one problem with this release concerns the guitars. Yes, the bass is absolutely fucking monstrous; the first time I listened to this I actually thought a neighbor was blasting dubstep and the sheer low-end was making my desk rumble, BUT the guitars don't really match this. Imagine what this would sound like if Fistula added an extra tablespoon of bass to the guitars...pretty damn heavy, right? If only, if only. I still really enjoy this, but every once in a while I'll catch the guitars and sigh, wondering what it could have been.

Oh yeah, "I'm Glad Nate's Not In A.C." reminds me: RIP Seth Putnam. Truly a fitting eulogy.

Be sure to 1) stream this EP over at BrooklynVegan and pick this bad boy up on vinyl at PATAC Records this September.

Doom on!

-Jon

Peste Noire - "L'Ordure à l'état Pur" (2011) [La Mesnie Herlequin]

Oh, French black metal scene, how I love you so. Bringing about some of the greatest black metal bands around, such as Deathspell Omega, Blut aus Nord, Antaeus and of course Peste Noire (and many, many more). One of the greatest things about this black metal scene is that there is such a staggering amount of variety and exploration, and none present that moreso than Peste Noire.

From a quick glance at the tracklist, one can note that there are only five tracks on the album, clocking in at a total of just over one hour, and with the shortest track being over eight minutes. For Peste Noire, that’s something very different. L'Ordure à l'état Pur starts with Casse, Pèches, Fractures et Traditions and one soon notices that there is a fairly more crisp production than in previous records, and one which proves to suit the music very well. The song jumps around a lot, as does the album as a whole, but not in a rushed or speedy manner; in fact, it all blends very well together. From the wolves howling at the beginning of the song, to brass instruments and folk-like interludes blending along to Famine’s shrieks, and even brief operatic vocals, as well as much more; Casse is a great introduction to the album.

With the beginning of the second track, things start to change. Just moments after the guitars begin, we hear… electronic beats? I personally don’t find the beats in this song enjoyable, they just don’t mix well, and bring down what would otherwise be another good track. This changes, however, with the third track, a 20 minute epic entitled J’avais rêvé du Nord. Following sound samples of guns being cocked and a shot fired, the song delves into a sinister and very appropriate beat along with equally dark guitar riff, later developing to acoustic interludes with Audrey’s beautiful vocals, and of course a variety of grimy and not so grimy Peste Noire riffs.  The rest of the album continues a similar fashion (sans anymore electronic beats) with long, drawn out songs that manage to keep the listeners interest without a problem.

Some fans of Peste Noire might not be happy about the cleaner production, or about the electronic beats, and so on, but of course, Famine doesn’t care, and neither should you. My initial impression of L’Ordure was weird. It’s different, but a good different, and one worth exploring through a good few listens. This is an album that needs to be digested well in order to fully appreciate it.

Listen to the first track Casse, Pèches, Fractures et Traditions and order it as well, straight from Famine’s label La Mesnie Herlequin at: http://mesnieamerique.com/


-Chase

Utech Records Music Festival - A Retrospective (Part II)

JAMES PLOTKIN & JON MUELLER:

James Plotkin & John Mueller

As a doom metal fanatic, of course I've heard of James Plotkin, whose discography and studio work could fill bookshelves, but before this show I found myself unfamiliar with Milwaukee local Jon Mueller, who takes care of drums and electronics in the video. With Plotkin's ever-changing discography, ranging from drone/doom metal to avant-garde noise rock to ambiance, I was completely unsure as to what this set would be. A mix of harsh, glitching noise, guitar drones, rumbling bass and pounding (albeit awkwardly timed) drums shook the entire venue. Of course, I'm not very into this sort of noise, but I was impressed at the sheer volume Plotkin and Mueller had attained, and I could feel the noise within my ears. Have you ever felt sound in your ear? It's rather surreal.

View the full post for more video, pictures, and live reviews.

Utech Records Music Festival - A Retrospective (Part I)

The Cactus Club

June 11th has come and gone and, I have to say, URMF has proven to be one of my most memorable concert experiences yet. Not only did I get to finally meet old friends and establish new friendships, but I also learned a lot about my job as "the press guy"; who knew taking clear photos and steady video would be this difficult? As the first festival of which I had to cover, I needed to make sure that I covered every nuance and base that I could, which resulted in hours of film and an entirely filled camera. The fest took place in the quaint and quite established (posters on the wall boasted past concerts from the likes of The White Stripes, The Promise Ring, and more) Cactus Club, whose intimate atmosphere more than suited the more experimental and "heady" music found throughout the festival.

View the full post for pictures, video, and live reviews for each band.

Weekend Nachos "Worthless" (2011) [Relapse Records]

Weekend Nachos; a band I have heard about for quite sometime and a band name I absolutely despise. Probably part of the reason I have not listened to them until recently. As always, never judge a book by its cover, or a band by its name. Raging powerviolence/grind with an odd flair for mixing in doom/sludge. A unique combination? Definitely. Now that WN is on Relapse, its only a matter of time before they are far more popular than they currently are.

The powerviolence sections are fast, furious and unrelenting. The doomier sections are slow, crushing and heavy as can possibly be. Barked screams and lunch lady-styled vocals are abound. The production is thick, dirty and HEAVY. Kudos for WN for down-tuning as much as they do, it makes their riffing all the more heavy. Worthless is not pretty or looking to win the world over, it is here to smash and devastate.

Nothing here will convince non-pv/grind fans to switch teams, but for those who appreciate the style, you will have your head blown off. Rage!


-E.

Vastum - "Carnal Law" (2011) [20 Buck Spin]

It makes me very happy to see new bands coming around and playing real death metal these days. Death metal that is nasty, raw and above all, EVIL. While I am not one to enjoy 'throwback' or 'retro' acts, it is welcoming to have people interested in performing sounds closely resembling the glory days of death. I have been fortunate enough in my residency at ye ol' Inarguable to recieve quite a few slabs of incredibly awesome death metal over the past year or so. Vastum is yet another album of old-school death, played by younger folk, that has made me an extremely happy listener.

Vastum's sound is somewhere in between the bludgeoning attack of Bolt Thrower, early Entombed and Autopsy. Crushing and dismal, all things death resound in the newest release from Vastum, Carnal Law. Fuzzy and brutal guitar riffing, a hoarsely dry death grunt, plodding drums and a thick, yet dirty production make the songs stand out and heads bang. Most of the material is mid-paced to slow style death, concentrating on ominous, creeping atmosphere, instead of rapid-fire head cuttery.

There are moments on this album that almost make me feel as though I am witnessing the end of existence; no hope, just pure death and torment for all alive. In essence, the way that death metal is supposed to be. No moments of relief or hope, just the complete end of all. Vastum is your gateway to death, embrace it.


-E.

Autopsy - "Macabre Eternal" (2011) [Peaceville Records]

I have been patiently awaiting the release of this album since the last EP Autopsy had put out (hoping for a new record at the time), even more so when I caught wind of a new full-length. New Autopsy full-length? OH HELL YES. One of the most ardent practitioners of old-school and filthy metal of death is back with an absolute vengeance. Macabre Eternal is a lesson in REAL death metal, made by some of the most well-known founding fathers of the genre. There is no sparkling production, pointless shred-wankery or contrived slam/breakdown riffing; this is absolute terror from the olde guard.

Hammering drums, hand-banging riffage, scathing bass and tortured vokills are all you need and all you will get from Macabre Eternal. This is classic Autopsy in every way, fear not any bizarre experimentation, this album was cut straight from the late 80s/early 90s death metal cloth. The closest thing to experimentation on this album is the semi-acoustic break on the epic 'Bridge of Bones'. This is not happy, loving acoustic work; this is more straight-up audio terror. The acoustic section is far more haunting than uplifting, there is no alleviation from the cavernous dungeon of death. The vocals are something to note as well, while not a drastic change, there is a bit more of a screamed/smeared roar than a direct grunt. All the while, the somewhat new vocal style fits the songwriting perfectly. Another major note is the grandiose epic known only as "Sadistic Gratification". There is a very dark, almost doom-y vibe to most of the song; complete with dirty, yet oddly mournful guitar riffing. Plodding in an almost funeral march type of way, the spoken word vocals compliment the sorrowful vibe of the song, without question.

The album's production is very clear with plenty of breathing room for the instruments and is thankfully not compressed to complete death. Just enough dirt and grime on the production to remind the new kiddies that death metal is not meant to be pretty, in any way, shape of form.

All in all, a masterful return to form for the immortal Autopsy. Flawlessly executed metal of death, made to bury new-school idiots, poseurs and fly-by-night hipsters in a twelve-foot grave with nothing but concrete above the coffin. True death metal in every sense of the word. Do NOT miss this album, especially if you are one of the few who think death metal (real death metal that is) is dead. Prepare to be proven wrong and flayed alive by Macabre Eternal. 


-E.

Legiones - "Legiones EP" (2011) [Duplicate Records]

Legiones is a relatively new band from Norway, playing a bit more of a contemporary version of black metal.

This EP consists of two tracks with extremely dark riffing, very sick-sounding vocals and relentless drumming.

It is to be noted that the production is a little bit strange on this album. It seems almost as if the drums were recorded much more extensively and professionally than the guitars. The mixing is a bit strange, as one can tell there is a very low equalization or compression, so different guitar parts will sound higher than others. It's not a 'raw' album in comparison to its peers, but one can tell what is going on here.

Nevertheless, these tracks host riffs that show no knowledge of positive energy or light, and are full of abyssic, dark consistency. As can be expected, I don't hear much bass, if any at all. The drumming is extremely talented, yet my personal bias will say that this drumming style would work better in a death metal band, given the washing china cymbals, etc.

Overall, this album shows promise, as the band shows excellent teamwork in showcasing what they are about as a unit. However, I feel as if it could benefit from different production. And a little less China cymbals... just a little.

You can find this at the Duplicate Records webpage:

http://www.duplicate-records.com/main.htm 

-Elan

'Short Changed' Triple-Album Review

Anyone who knows me knows how picky I am. Especially when it comes to punk.

However, a package came for me today and its contents more than satiated my punk cravings. After years of dealing with bands trying to take an approach toward hardcore punk and having it end up almost being silly 'almost-metalcore', I am finally glad to find something heavy, bold, and aware of its roots. And thair album art is AWESOME, featuring creative pirate themes.

So, I figured I'd do a favor or two, and review all three releases.

The first release I spun, the self-titled CD, includes a cover art of a decaying ghost pirate holding a skateboard and a pizza. Oh my lord, yes. This album appears courtesy of Rodent Popsicle Records.

What we have here is a nearly twenty-minute-long barrage of aggressive, relentless, energetic, well-executed, and HEAVY hardcore punk. Guitars so loud they nearly drown out the drums, but with a good mixing, and vocals that make me want to just take a breath every two seconds and be relieved I'm not attempting them. With occasional humor, including snippets of members commenting on the recording of the songs being difficult as it's recording, and a very interesting take of effects in the closing track, this band doesn't just sit there and record on an 8-track and call it DIY. They take their approach seriously. 

There are thirteen tracks of blisteringly fast hardcore that will wear you out about as much as watching a skate video and holding your knees. With guest vocals galore and much diversity (for a crusty hardcore album), this is an absolute gem in a sea of other fish that are inferior. Short Changed are beginning to prove to me that they are the bigger fish that eat the crap out of all the other small fish in this music scene. This album was mastered by Dave from Neurosis.

The first vinyl EP I gave a listen to was entitled 'Burn Down Wagon Town', on Pirate Punx Records and Goat Town Recreation, and the album art featured a girl with a pirate hat sitting on a giant grasshopper-tank-motorcycle hybrid, and donning a big freaking gun:

Chock full of liner notes and photocopied show flyers in the insert, this green-and-grey splattered vinyl features a production where the drums are higher in the mix, yet the guitars still drive the heavy riffing throughout. These songs are catchy as hell, and one of them even has a Yoda soundclip. I'm not exactly sure, but I think the music on this release is even FASTER than on that self-titled album. It has an abrasiveness that ensures that the vinyl format is completely fitting. Oh, and one of their lyrics was stolen out of a kid's notebook back in high school. Hilarious.

Were it not for another album awaiting my listen after this, I would have felt forlorn at how quickly it went by.

Up next is a more DIY, raw approach in the form of a vinyl split with a band called  D.B.G.C., whom I have never heard of, but nevertheless delivered a very fitting attack on their side of the split. Very fast, creative, and with many variations in riffing styles, D.B.G.C. offers a raw, but energetic take that would make people go absolutely nuts in a live setting. These gentlemen must be kings at house shows.

And, as now expected, Short Changed crafts their catchy and intense punk with more of a mix that emphasizes the vocals. This material on this album in particular sounds the most old-school out of the three. The material is very fun, but all the same, is very sobering. It includes more gang vocals and diversity in tempo. 

Oh man, it's over? Time to play it again.

Altogether, Short Changed is a band that gets straight to the point... no beating around the bush and making pseudo-intellectual socio-political lyrics. Just telling us exactly how they feel about life around them in a way that is refreshingly unique, and remarkably well-executed.

Since the release of the self-titled album, they have changed vocalists and now have a female singer, and are currently writing toward their material for the follow-up album, also to be released on Rodent Popsicle Records, and, given their relentless style, they expect to have even more material for upcoming splits or EPs.

Definitely a band to follow, as they seem to have been only getting better with age, not slowing down one bit, and have eight tours under their belt (one of which covered most US states).

Chronologically, 'Burn Down Wagon Town' was their first album, with the split trailing it, and their self-titled album was their most recent offering.

Check them out at www.shortchanged510.blogspot.com ! 

Many thanks for guitarist Shipwrex for sending us these excellent albums, and I can ensure that they will be constantly spun for quite some time.

-Elan

Dark Castle - "Surrender To All Life Beyond Form" (2011) [Profound Lore Records]

St. Augustine-based duo Dark Castle has already shown that they can make high quality psychedelic tinged doom metal tunes without a problem.  2009’s “Spirited Migration” was an excellent debut for this bassless band that showcased their sense of songwriting and showed how easy it was for them to get the reverb going at a ridiculous number of wobbles per minute.  Their second LP “Surrender To All Life Beyond Form” follows this game plan at the core, staying true to the old axiom “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”  However, the end result of their sophomoric effort isn’t quite as successful, even as it continues to be simultaneously catchy and listenable.  Why might this be?

It’s important to note the overall motif of the album, which involves making the listener feel as sad, gloomy and helpless as possible.  Is this effective?  We have the title track, which succeeds with its creepy evocation of a midnight train ride on a journey to nowhere before the chilling vocals and sausage stringed riffs barge in.  Then there’s passable yet uninspiring like “Stare Into Absence,” which sounds like a tune anyone familiar with Dark Castle could have generated.  And then there’s interludes like “Create An Impluse,” which comes off as a clone of the title track from “Spirited Migration” yet tries to make follow the aforementioned motif with…thunderstorms in the background.  Ambient noise does not automatically induce despair.  Yet hope for the album is fully present in “Seeing Through Time,” which is as close as this album gets to dripping acid over virgin ears.  Then just when it seems like the best is yet to come, the album makes a wrong turn.

The interlude “Spirit Ritual” continues the by now predictable “We’re going to creep the fuck out of you and make you smell our weed” vibe, and though it proves an acceptable if unremarkable track, it doesn’t fit around the other tracks surrounding it at all.  On the contrary, it proves jarring for the wrong reasons and breaks the portcullis of fear the band cultivated during the previous five tracks.  “To Hide Is To Die” follows and though it’s one of my personal favorite tracks off this, it bring up images of  grimy Super Nintendo games from the early 90s, where blood and gore was limited to red pixel sprinkles emerging at acute angles (Thanks, Mortal Kombat).  This too didn’t seem to fit the previously established mood either.  The last two tracks “I Hear Wind” and “Learning To Unlearn”….well, the former has a catchy guitar hook and decent sound overall, but the latter has uncomfortably nigh molesting keys and riffage weighting in at five hundred pounds that sound awesome on paper, but isn’t executed as well as one would hope.

Had this album been more coherent with a smoother flow and less sounds generated at the roll of a 20-sided die, then this might well have ended up even better than their excellent debut.  Alas, “Surrender To All Life Beyond Form” instead sits in a peculiar purgatory.  It’s not terrible at all, and it’s still a worthy addition to the Dark Castle discography. But despite this fact, I couldn’t help but sense all the potential this album had, and how it could have – and should have – been so much more.  Then again, maybe this was the point of the album in the first place.  I sure hope that’s not the case, but nonetheless, this is worth at least a spin or two.

The album can be bought directly from respectable establishment Profound Lore here.  

-Shane D