tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88538692053846320022024-03-05T06:45:22.418-08:00Amplifier AltarIt is here that we worship the holy shrine of rock...One pissed off Canadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483730694976496235noreply@blogger.comBlogger137125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8853869205384632002.post-23147285038445475602020-01-01T17:58:00.003-08:002020-01-12T16:56:06.563-08:00The Amplifier Altar's Top Albums of 2019This was kind of a weird year for me, in that I didn't have one clear favourite record, or even or a few favourites. I did hear a lot of records that I liked so I made a list, but take these rankings with a grain of salt. Because putting them in order seemed needlessly arbitrary, I debated not doing numerical rankings at all, but that's no fun. For now, this is the order I settled on.<br />
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So, here's the wordage...<br />
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50.<b> L'épée</b> - <i>Diabolique</i><br />
Droning psych jams with plenty of jangly <b>Brian Jonestown Massacre</b> hooks and fuzzed-out <b>Black Angels</b> grooves.<br />
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49. <b>Martyrdöd</b> - <i>Hexhammaren</i><br />
Veteran Swedish hardcore blasters deliver another bulldozing collection of riff-drunk hardcore.<br />
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48.<b> The Ivory Elephant</b> - <i>Stoneface</i><br />
Mellow, colourful space rock/psych jams with enough heft to keep the listener from drifting off into the ether.<br />
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47. <b>Lochness</b> - <i>Black Smokers</i><br />
Quebec sludge band bests <b>Monolord</b> at their own cosmic doom game this year, delivering a set of massive, galaxy-flattening riffs.<br />
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46. <b>Oozing Wound</b> - <i>High Anxiety</i><br />
This noisy thrash unit has always been able to whip up a terrifying high-speed frenzy, but when they slow down on side 2 for the grinding, doomy dirges "Birth Of A Flat-Earther" is where their newfound mastery of dynamics really shines.<br />
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45. <b>Diocletian</b> - <i>Amongst The Flames Of A Burning God</i><br />
New Zealand war/black/death metal band lays down their most punishing and yet spacious record yet. More breathing room gives the songs more impact, and while still shatteringly fast and uncompromisingly brutal, this increased restraint means there's now more room than ever for the chatoic Kerry- King-style solos that rip across every break in the madness.<br />
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44. <b>Thee Oh Sees</b> - <i>Face Stabber</i><br />
Yet another in a series of endless permutations for John Dwyer's restless rock and roll id. This time out they adopt elements of skronky ITCOTKC-era <b>King Crimson</b> and driving motorik rhythms, to go along with the blasts of fuzz guitar fury.<br />
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43. <b>Nocturnus AD</b> - <i>Paradox</i><br />
The original lineup of the legendary <b>Nocturnus</b> return as <b>Nocturnus AD</b> to reprise their role as high priests of outer-space technical death metal, as perfected on their classic 1990 debut record <i>The Key</i>. Their return coincides with the rise of a number of younger bands embracing their influence, and it's good to see the masters are still capable of showing their students how it's done.<br />
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42. <b>Pounder</b> - <i>Uncivilized</i><br />
Blistering speed metal with a tough-streetwise approach indebted to the likes of <b>Overkill</b> and <b>Agent Steel</b> that avoids the cheesiness that sometimes afflicts similar bands in this style. Strong songwriting makes for anthemic, memorable tunes like "Red Hot Leather" and "Fuck Off And Die" that BEG for raised horns and shouting along.<br />
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41. <b>Hemptress</b> - <i>Alchemy</i><br />
Kamloops-based stoner metal crew delivers resin-scraping boogie-sludge riffs. Rock and roll.<br />
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40. <b>Black Mountain</b> - <i>Destroyer</i><br />
A new look for the legendary Vancouver heavy prog/psych band led by <b>Stephen McBean</b>. New lineup, and new production style as well. This time out there is a definite '80s <b>Ozzy</b> vibe on some tracks, which melds surprisingly well with their usually drugged-out '70s style rock. "High Rise" is absolutely phenomenal.<br />
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39. <b>Earth</b> - <i>Full Upon Her Burning Lips</i><br />
More a refinement than a revelation for this long-running unit, but <b>Dylan Carlson</b>'s spacious, hypnotic guitarscapes are as majestic and evocative as ever.<br />
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38. <b>Crypt Witch</b> - <i>Bad Trip Exorcism</i><br />
Creeping occult-laced proto-doom that draw from vintage <b>Pentagram</b>, <b>Witchfinder General</b> and <b>Electric Wizard</b>. The riffs and vintage horror-movie atmosphere make for an engaging if reverent listen.<br />
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37. <b>Flying Luttenbachers</b> - <i>Shattered Dimension</i><br />
Skronky, chaotic brutal prog/noise rock unit shares more than just a song title with <b>King Crimson</b>, but these jams are even more unhinged and aggressive than the middle section of "21st Century Schizoid" man. Great performances and creative use of space make for an exhilarating and dynamic listening experience.<br />
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36. <b>King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard</b> - <i>Infest The Rat's Nest</i><br />
Yeah, they're genre tourists, which metal fans are supposed to hate, but <b>King Gizz</b> do such a good job on this record, I can overlook it. "Planet B" captures bulldozing <b>Motörhead </b>and <b>Venom</b>-inspired speed sludge, "Organ Farmer" replicates the demented, hellish leads of <b>Kerry King</b> and <b>Jeff Hanneman</b>, and "Superbug" does an admirable job emulating the lumbering stupor of <b>Sleep</b> and <b>Black Sabbath</b>. Artifice has never been so much fun.<br />
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35. <b>Noisem</b> - <i>Cease To Exist</i><br />
Blinding ultra-thrash flecked with elements of grindcore and death metal. A new pared-down lineup is leaner and meaner than ever.<br />
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34. <b>Atlantean Kodex </b>- <i>The Course Of Empire</i><br />
Bavarian epic power metal masters deliver their greatest and grandest statement yet. Sweeping, widescreen epics deliver glorious, transcendent heavy metal thrills and leave the listener primed to ride into battle.<br />
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33. <b>Ossuarium</b> - <i>Living Tomb</i><br />
It was easy to miss some of the awesome death metal releases that came out this year amid the crowd, but Portland unit <b>Ossuarium</b> stay true to the old school on their debut. Dungeon-crawling atmosphere, raw but powerful production, and nothing too fast or complicated, this record kicks ass from start to finish.<br />
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32. <b>Witchers Creed</b> - <i>Awakened From The Tomb</i><br />
High-quality 70's riff-rock with occult touches. Atmosphere, playing and song-writing are all superb, with wailing vocals providing several highlights.<br />
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31. <b>Waingro</b> - <i>III</i><br />
New Westminster boys deliver their best record yet, a charging morass of crusty hardcore and feedback-spiked sludge metal.<br />
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30. <b>Sunn O)))</b> - <i>Life Metal</i>/<i>Pyroclasts</i><br />
Mirror images of the drone doom stalwarts' current itineration. <i>Life Metal</i> is the sprawling, incandescent, psychedelic opus, while <i>Pyroclasts</i> is its frosty opposite, a dark, compact nightmare that evokes howling winds and stinging ice storms. Amazing that after over two decades they are able to explore new tonal colours within their limited conceptual framework.<br />
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29. <b>Gatecreeper</b> - <i>Deserted</i><br />
<b>Gatecreeper</b> tear death metal into bloody chunks and fuse it with the cadaver of crusty Swedish hardcore. Similar to <b>Cerebral Rot</b>'s ghoulish hymns to decay and <b>Vastum</b>'s filth prison of aural gore, but more compact and direct than either, <b>Gatecreeper</b> retain a strong melodic sense buried beneath the dirt. Anthems like "Deserted", "Boiled Over" and "Anxiety" are some of the best actual songs on any metal release this year. Little wonder guitarist<b> Nate Garrett</b> also helms heroic metal masters <b>Spirit Adrift</b>... dude has so many great songs coming out of him he needs to have two bands.<br />
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28. <b>Drab Majesty</b> - <i>Modern Mirror</i><br />
LA's <b>Drab Majesty</b> do pulsing, danceable goth rock swathed in dreampop haze and muscular shoegaze-inflected guitar. With plenty of <b>Joy Division</b>, <b>Depeche Mode</b> and <b>The Cure</b> in their musical DNA, this stuff should be equally immersive to lovelorn teenagers and moody middle-aged record nerds. This is makeout music for graveyards.<br />
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27. <b>Devil Master </b>- <i>Satan Spits On The Children Of Light</i><br />
Now that's a fucking title. <b>Devil Master</b> do anthemic blackened thrash with a few dramatic touches which make for a fun and memorable listen. The triumphant twin leads of the bloody coda to "Her Thirsty Whip" make it my personal favourite track.<br />
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26. <b>Smoulder</b> - <i>Times Of Obscene Evil And Wild Daring</i><br />
Toronto's <b>Smoulder</b> blend a high-fantasy epic heavy metal sound with occult-laced proto doom, and top it with soaring banshee wails from vocalist <b>Sarah Ann</b>. The <b>Michael Moorcock</b>-inspired "Ilian Of Garathorm" provides a pretty spectacular example of the band's penchant for triumphant sword metal anthems and righteous riffage.<br />
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25. <b>Vastum</b> - <i>Orificial Purge</i><br />
San Fran death metal crew delivers another album of crushing midtempo grooves, sometimes downshifting into tar pits of doomy sludge. Featuring erotically-charged lyrics and horrifically bleak atmosphere, <b>Vastum</b> are never about showing off their instrumental prowess. Instead, they exist only suffocate the listener with the relentless power of their kickass riffs.<br />
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24. <b>Wormwitch</b> - <i>The Heaven That Dwells Within</i><br />
Local black metal unit delivers rushing black metal with a dash of heroic heavy metal guitar soloing. It's rare to find musicianship and riffs of that quality in black metal without sacrificing the ferocity that is inherent to the genre.<br />
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23. <b>Lizzo</b> - <i>'Cuz I Love You</i><br />
I don't listen to a ton of pop or hip-hop or R&B but <b>Lizzo</b> made such a splash this year I thought I should give this record a listen and was blown away. She's got buckets of personality and a voice the size of the sky. She's equally at home doing confessional soul, club bangers, infectious self-empowerment anthems and sultry R&B. This record is a total party.<br />
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22. <b>Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard</b> - <i>Yn Ol I Annwyn</i><br />
Crushing cosmic doom with dreamy vocals shimmering through the haze. These Welsh heshers can grind a riff into dust as well as anyone this side of <b>Electric Wizard</b>, but there are moments of poignant beauty to be found within the clouds of weed smoke.<br />
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21. <b>Slough Feg</b> - <i>New Organon</i><br />
This long-running classic heavy metal unit has kept churning out bombastic, lighter-lifting anthems since the mid-'90s, and once again they deliver a strong record packed with hooks, blistering guitar work and philosophical musings. This one contains a few interesting psychedelic flourishes, demonstrating that it is possible for a veteran band to stay true to itself while still keeping things fresh.<br />
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20. <b>Darkthrone</b> - <i>Old Star</i><br />
The days of the frigid and razor-thin production of the grim Peaceville trilogy are over a quarter-century in the past now, but even though they no longer adhere to the TRVE NORVVEGIAN BLACK METAL aesthetic they initially helped popularize, these Norwegian legends have been keeping the torch of underground metal alive over the last couple decades. Their more recent albums have seen them work an extremely satisfying blend of raw, primitive death and first wave black metal, muddy thrash, galloping NWOBHM riffs, doomy howls and plenty of <b>Celtic Frost</b>-worship. <i>Old Star</i> is another in a long line of sold records by lifers who have been doing it long enough to enjoy themselves.<br />
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19. <b>Tomb Mold</b> - <i>Planetary Clairvoyance</i><br />
Another example of a run of highly accomplished and ambitious sci-fi death metal releases that have appeared over recent years. This one may not quite be the same filthy morass as their first few releases, but their compositional complexity and technical proficiency has been taken to a new level.<br />
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18. <b>Cosmic Putrefaction</b> - <i>At The Threshold Of The Greatest Chasm</i><br />
This otherworldly Italian Cthulu-death metal outfit came out of nowhere with an cosmic nightmare of a record. Isolating individual tracks doesn't really work, the whole thing ebbs and flows with the purpose and assuredness of a fully-formed whole.<br />
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17. <b>Csejthe</b> - <i>L'horreur De Cachtice</i><br />
Metal Quebecois Noir.<br />
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16. <b>Gygax</b> - <i>High Fantasy</i><br />
Much like <b>Sheer Mag</b>, <b>Gygax</b> bend the knee to the masters of melodic hard rock, <b>Thin Lizzy</b>. However, <b>Gygax</b> inhales more <b>Maiden</b> than <b>Priest</b>, and their concerns primarily revolve around hanging out in the basement rolling 20-sided dice. "Mirror Image" is a total ripper.<br />
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15. <b>Xoth</b> -<i> Interdimensional Invocations</i><br />
Technoid sci-fi thrash/death metal mixes widescreen <b>Voivod</b>-worship with Lovecraftian terror in an unstoppable flurry of guitar wizardry.<br />
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14. <b>Cerebral Rot </b>-<i> Odious Descent Into Decay</i><br />
Filthy, putrid old school death metal rich in atmosphere. This thing is a total riff box, with awesomely dense and crusty production. What a time to be dead.<br />
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13. <b>Stef Chura</b> - <i>Midnight</i><br />
The irresistible garage punk blast "Scream" was what initially hooked me to this record, but it's a bit of a red herring. What kept me coming back was the gloriously ragged '90s vibe about it, as if <b>Chura</b> put <b>Pavement</b>, <b>Dinosaur Jr.</b> <b>Sleater-Kinney</b>, <b>Nirvana</b> and <b>Sonic Youth</b> in a blender, then shot that aesthetic through a distinctly 21st century slacker lyrical lens.<br />
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12. <b>Magic Circle</b> - <i>Departed Souls</i><br />
<b>Magic Circle</b>'s first album in 4 years dials down the straight-up '80s heavy metal vibe of their excellent first two records in favor of a distinctly '70s leaning hard rock sound. It's a more organic feel, but <b>Magic Circle</b> don't lose any of their power by slowing down a bit. Instead, it allows their excellent song-writing skills to shine though. A modern classic rock record, and a damn good one at that.<br />
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11. <b>Ty Segall & Freedom Band </b>- <i>Deforming Lobes Live</i><br />
Ferocious, molten fuzz and chaotic rock and roll abandon has been a calling card of <b>Ty Segall</b>'s from the very beginning, so is it any wonder that their live album is even gnarlier and more unhinged? Plus, they do an incendiary cover of the <b>Groundhogs</b>' "Cherry Red," one of the greatest rock songs ever written, and it RULES.<br />
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10. <b>Sunwatchers</b> - <i>Illegal Moves</i><br />
People talked a lot about the weird cover with the Kool Aid guy on it, but I didn't think it was nearly as bad as some people thought. In any event, this record speaks for itself. Dusty blues, sunbaked psych jams, palls of feedback, dirty saxophone bursts and corrosive electric wah-fuzz destruction all find a way to meld into a delicious free-rock gumbo.<br />
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9. <b>Spirit Adrift</b> - <i>Divided By Darkness</i><br />
Blistering LP number three from this classic heavy metal/epic doom unit. Like a smouldering pot pourri of molten heavy metal, chugging thrash riffs bubble up against epic melodic solos, and lighter-lifting wails sit side by side with thunderous stoner crunch. Plus, the songs are all memorable and fun, made for lifting goblets and horns. If you like any type of heavy music, there's something here for you.<br />
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8. <b>Saint Vitus</b> - <i>The Grey Album</i><br />
These doom metal legends' new self-titled record carries the same name as their 1984 debut, so henceforth we're just gonna have to go with a whole <i>Black Album</i>/<i>Grey Album</i> thing. In any event, original singer Scott Reagers returns to the <b>Vitus</b> fold for the first time in a quarter century, and his terrifying <b>Ozzy</b>-esque banshee wail has deepened and wizened, matching the tone of these hymns to a dying world. Of course, Dave Chandler is front and centre throughout, and his slow and low-ridin' riffs and wah-drenched leads sound better than ever. Don't call it a comeback.<br />
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7. <b>Blood Incantation </b>- <i>Hidden History Of The Human Race</i><br />
One of the most anticipated death metal releases of the year did not disappoint. Four dynamic, complex, surprising and well-thought out compositions that balance brutality with space and textures not normally found in this type of music.<br />
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6. <b>Enforced</b> - <i>At The Walls</i><br />
Meaty, slamming thrash with hardcore vocals, very much in the same vein as <b>Power Trip</b>. Riffs for days.<br />
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5. <b>Haunt</b> - <i>If Icarus Could Fly</i><br />
I discovered <b>Haunt</b>'s 2018 album <i>Burst Into Flame</i> too late for it to make my list last year, but if I head, their highly melodic take on classic speed metal would have been HIGH on my list. The followup (and its accompanying EP <i>Mosaic Vision</i>) doesn't quite scale the same heights, but it's still an addictive, non-stop party of a record. Sticking point for some people are the vocals, but I happen to like the way the gruff, streetwise approach add an aggressive Paul Di'anno touch to the clean but awesomely intense guitar work. Some of the best soloing you'll ever hear is all over this record.<br />
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4. <b>Riot City</b> - <i>Burn The Night</i><br />
Ripping speed metal with hooks to burn. There's a TON of <b>Judas Priest</b>'s <i>Painkiller</i> in these guys' DNA, and for me that catapults them right to the forefront of this "New Wave Of True Heavy Metal" moment we've been witnessing with young bands the last few years. This record makes me want to drive fast late at night and break laws.<br />
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3. <b>Venom Prison</b> - <i>Samsara</i><br />
Destroying the patriarchy with finely crafted and unbelievably intense death metal. Razor-sharp riffage, devastating drumming and vocals caked in anguish and fury. In a year where death metal saw more than its fair share of landmark albums, <b>Venom Prison</b> flipped the script on the usual horror and violence-obsessed outlook of the genre and made something truly unique and fresh.<br />
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2. <b>The Comet Is Coming</b> - <i>Trust In The Life Force Of The Deep Mystery</i><br />
An incandescent vortex of ultra-modern psychedelic funk, electric jazz, driving space-rock, pulsating dronescapes and abstract electronic music. At times both apocalyptic and life-affirming, this record surprised me at every turn and consistently revealed new nuances with every listen. Honourable mention for <b>TCiC</b>'s other album this year, <i>The Afterlife</i>.<br />
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1. <b>Sheer Mag</b> - <i>A Distant Call</i><br />
Hugely melodic <b>Thin Lizzy</b> and <b>Judas Priest</b>-worshipping hard rock with a plethora of "singable" guitar solos and surprisingly tender lyrics bellowed by a scrappy frontwoman with a HUGE voice. Infinitely replayable, highlights like "Steel Sharpens Steel" and "Hardly to Blame" are tough enough to melt the heart of even hardened headbangers, and every song is an irresistible gem. I've been aware of them for a few years but their raw, early EP's didn't make much of an impression at first. I must have had mud in my ears because upon re-listening I have to conclude that this band was great from the start, they're just getting the full colour, high gloss treatment now. This record hit the streets in late summer and it hasn't been far from my ears since.One pissed off Canadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483730694976496235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8853869205384632002.post-66940005252195934702019-01-01T23:09:00.000-08:002019-01-06T23:46:30.136-08:00The Amplifier Altar's Top Albums of 2018Alright, 2018 may have sucked for a lot of people in a lot of ways but as usual there was plenty of awesome music to go around. Even by my leaden standards this list is heavy on the metal but I assure you I liked and listened to all sorts of stuff. It just so happened that these were the ones that hit the hardest and got played the most. Draw your own conclusions, I guess.<br />
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10. <b>Tomb Mold</b> - <i>Manor Of Infinite Forms</i><br />
I have this thing with death metal where I like it to sound like the band and their gear have literally been buried alive and like have maggots and worms crawling through their amps. Everything needs to be caked in dirt and decaying matter to imbue the music with a proper grave-like essence. This album absolutely NAILS that sound. Lightning fast double kicks and triumphant guitar heroism are great fun (and the new <b>Hate Eternal</b> record has those in spades) but what really gets me going are those death metal albums the sound evil as hell and not overly elaborate. I like a band that actually sounds like it's dragging me down into hell, just totally crushing and doomy. Great death metal bands like that evoke an atmosphere. I'm talking classics like<b> Obituary, Entombed, Asphyx, Grave</b> and <b>Autopsy</b>. <b>Tomb Mold</b> feel like they belong to that earlier era from right around 1991 or so, before things turned into an arms race for faster and more brutal and the genre rules got too codified. Much like <b>Vastum</b>, another great death metal band of recent vintage that eschews excessive speed or technicality, <b>Tomb Mold</b> are refreshingly raw and dirty. Most of their songs are built upon simple, meaty and evil as hell sludge riffs. And what RIFFS! This thing is a total groove monster. And never at any point do they lose their musical sensibility. The songs are well-constructed and memorable and the production is downright monstrous. Plus, there isn't an ounce of filler on this album. These guys are the real deal.<br />
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9. <b>Voivod </b>- <i>The Wake</i><br />
Even though these guys are absolute legends, I can't say I expected <i>The Wake</i> to be <b>Voivod</b>'s best album since the early '90s. I enjoyed their last record, 2013's <i>Target Earth</i> (their first without any contributions from original guitarist Dennis "Piggy" D'Amour, who died of cancer in 2005), but it seemed like the tragic loss of a visionary like D'Amour had robbed the band of some of their signiture ambition and audacity. What a difference 5 years has made. The ambition and high concept sci-fi grandeur which defined hyper-prog neruo-thrash masterpieces like <i>Killing Technology, Dimension Hatröss </i>and <i>Nothingface</i> is back in full force, and has resulted in an album that is every bit as dense and complex as those classics. Now the band has well and truly gelled with D'Amour's replacement, guitarist Daniel "Chewy" Mongrain. <i>The Wake</i> is also bassist Dominique "Rocky" Laroche's recording debut with the band, and the two members aquit themselves here admirably alongside original members Michael "Away" Langevin (drums) and Denis "Snake" Belanger (vocals). <i>The Wake</i> is a post-apocalyptic tour-de-force of powerful yet angular riffage, complex and jarring ryhthmic breaks, razor-sharp musicianship and the abstract cyberpunk lyricism that has always set <b>Voivod </b>apart from their contemporaries. The affect is similar to solving quadratic equations on your skull with a jackhammer, but despite its seemingly unforgiving nature the album is actually very melodic at times and easy to enjoy even if you don't take it too seriously (Give <b>Portal</b>'s new <i>ION</i> a listen if you wanna hear how truly demented math-metal can get). The level of detail in these songs are especially rewarding for the careful listener though, and repeated listens reveals layer after layer of nuance and clarity. It's a surprising and ultimately very satisying new chapter to the career of a band that has never lost the ability to challenge preconceptions and excite open-minded metalheads.<br />
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8.<b> Judas Priest</b> - <i>Firepower</i><br />
I want to be straight-up about this, I did think the hype surrounding <i>Firepower </i>was somewhat overblown, in part because I reject the narrative that <b>Priest</b>'s albums since Rob Halford rejoined on vocals have been anything less than superb (<i>Nostradamus</i> has plenty of filler but give the title track a listen and tell me that one isn't one of <b>Priest</b>'s finest moments). I still say their best post-reunion album is 2005's fairly incredible <i>Angel of Retribution</i>, and because the other records since then have all been very enjoyable, I don't think of <i>Firepower</i> so much as a "return to form." That said, taken on its own merits, this is one hell of a ride. As someone wiser than I has said, <i>Firepower</i> is the album that they should have made instead of <i>Turbo</i>. That means it's HEAVY METAL, no subgenres required. This is classic <b>Priest </b>in full mid-'80s motorcycles and leather mode, riding on the wind with all guns blazing. Pretty much every song on here is an anthem, from the barnstorming opening quartet of "Firepower", "Lightning Strike" "Evil Never Dies" and "Never The Heroes" to the majestic closer "Sea Of Red". A couple of tracks on the back half probably could have probably been dropped to shorten the run time a bit and of course the retired K.K. Downing's solos are very much missed, but I can't think of many other performers who have released an album this spectacular almost 50 years into their career.<br />
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7. <b>Skeletonwitch </b>- <i>Devouring Radiant Light</i><br />
<i>Devouring Radiant Light</i> is <b>Skeletonwitch</b>'s first new album in 5 years and signals creative rebirth for the band following an extended hiatus caused by the acrimonious departure of their previous singer. Whether it's new vocalist Adam Clemans' more dynamic presence on the mic which has given the band the confidence to reimagine their sound, or simply just time away from the grind of the road which has allowed the members to refocus, <i>Devouring Radiant Light</i> is arguably their strongest album yet. Whereas previous records contained a ferocious blend of classic heavy metal songcraft sped up with thrashing aggression and darkened with just a touch of black metal frost and grimness, <b>Skeletonwitch </b>has now inverted that ratio, leaving the band's sound a frozen, savage wasteland of blackened thrash which still contains an uplifting dose of melodic lead guitar worship. Moreover, the band allow themselves to stretch out to a degree that they never have before, extending their previously compact 3-minute ragers into massive howling blizzards that in some cases run more than twice as long. The changes indicate <b>Skeletonwitch </b>is far more dynamic, ambitious and artistically serious than anyone may have previously thought, and the drastic change in their creative arc bodes well for a band that was in danger of confining itself in a creative straight jacket following 2013's focused but overly-slick <i>Serpent's Unleashed</i>.<br />
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6. Vüil - <i>Hell</i><br />
Whatever happened to '80s speed metal? Clocking in at just 17 minutes and change, Scottish 3-piece <b>Vüil</b> do their level best to bring back the over-the-top excitement of amped-up NWOBHM obsessives on this storming debut EP. Prime, anthemic songwriting and tight playing come together in one gloriously exhilarating thrill ride guaranteed to make heads bang and horns go up. Would-be anthems like "Empress Of The Void", "Hellracer" and "Storm Of The Witches" tell you all you need to know about where these sword and sorcery geeks are at. If that sounds like your thing, you need to get with these guys now. Here's hoping a debut full-length is in the works for 2019.<br />
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5. <b>Rebel Wizard</b> - <i>Voluptuous Worship Of Rapture And Response</i><br />
Much like <b>Skeletonwitch</b>, <b>Rebel Wizard</b> found their way on to this list with an exciting blend of feral black metal and old school heroic axe-worship. Unlike their Ohio peers, who have traded in their bullet belts for corpse paint, <b>Rebel Wizard</b> mainman Bob Nekrosov favors a much more lo-fi aesthetic, having come to the sound via the opposite route: starting out as a dungeon-crawling one man black metal project that was widescreen in scope. Nekrosov describes this sound as "negative metal" but that tag belies how tremendously fun the record is. With its triumphant stadium-sized melodies sounding like they were recorded in a basement, the album manages the neat trick of feeling both epic and intensely personal at the same time. With <b>Rebel Wizard</b>'s unique blend of influences, they've staked their claim as the leaders of a new type of metal which seems sure to attract fans and imitators. Get on this and its equally great companion EP <i>Great Addictions To Blindingly Dark Worldly Life</i> now to hear the real thing.<br />
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4. <b>Clutch </b>- <i>The Book Of Bad Decisions</i><br />
The thing about <b>Clutch</b> is that even though all their albums have at least two or three songs which are arguably among their greatest, they've generally also contained a certain amount of filler. For that reason, it's hard to settle on one definitive <b>Clutch</b> album. That being said, the opening sequence of tracks on <i>The Book Of Bad Decisions </i>is one of the most blistering sets of music the band has ever laid to tape. "Gimme The Keys" is a stampeding bit of hard rock myth-making, which then downshifts into the awesome heavy riff crusher "Spirit Of '76", followed by the fantastic title rack. "How To Shake Hands" could be seen as uncharacteristically topical given the current American political climate, but the humor and absurdity with which Neil Fallon's lyrics address the song's premise keeps things from being too heavy-handed. The badass horn-spiked funk riffs of sci-fi fuzz bomb "In Walks Barbarella" are irresistible, in fact it's probably on a short list of the band's best songs ever. After such an incredible start, the momentum of the record lags somewhat in the middle, but the back half of the record still features several highlights like "Emily Dickinson" and "Hot Bottom Feeder", the former a love letter to the reclusive 19th century American poet, and the latter a recipe for Maryland crab cakes. This mix of highbrow and lowbrow culture has always been a hallmark of Fallon's lyrics, and here his down-home American mythologizing, literary allusions, barroom humor and comic book obsessions only further expand a universe that is home to one of the most unqiue minds in rock. Meanwhile the band continues to hammer out the kind of powerful and vital heavy rock and roll that supposedly isn't being made anymore (Ha!), not to mention winning new converts every time they step onstage. Now almost three decades into a career that shows no sign of losing momentum, it seems like <b>Clutch </b>just keeps getting better and better.<br />
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3. <b>High on Fire</b> - <i>Electric Messiah</i><br />
There is a comfortable reliability to <b>High on Fire</b>'s output. Very much like their spiritual forefathers in <b>Motörhead, High on Fire</b> continue to produce an earth-shaking caveman roar year after year, steadily releasing albums that are never less than awesome, and then hitting the road to pillage concert stages the world over. As usual, little changes with <b>HoF</b>'s burly and agile <b>Celtic Frost</b>-inspired war metal, all topped by Matt Pike's increasingly apt Lemmy-esque bellows. <i>Electric Messiah</i> was indeed named for the late rock and roll god, and once again the songs deliver the goods. More of the same sure, but when a band is this good at what they do, they can be forgiven for staying the course. Of course, this was a busy year for Matt, as the number one entry on my list this year attests to. <br />
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2. <b>Earthless </b>-<i> Black Heaven</i><br />
Hey, do you like guitar solos? <b>Earthless</b>' Isiah Mitchell does, and he's gonna shred his way into the setting sun whether you like it or not. A lot of people were put off by news that <i>Black Heaven</i> was going to feature Mitchell doing vocals full time in addition to his guitar work, but they needn't have worried. First of all, singing isn't totally unheard of for Mitchell (the boys did a seriously awesome cover of the <b>Groundhogs </b>'Cherry Red' as a bonus track for the CD version of their 2007 album "<i>Rhythms From A Cosmic Sky</i>"), and second of all the singing takes up very little of <i>Black Heaven</i>'s runtime anyways. Mitchell may not be Klaus Meine, but at the very least, his reedy Zakk Wylde-like tenor doesn't detract from the band's sound at all, and they know that people really just wanna hear those off-the rails heavy psych jams anyways. More importantly, the adoption of vocals forced the band to reign in some of their less-disciplined tendencies. The result is an album that contains more concise jams that hit harder and burn brighter than just about anything they've previously managed on record. And that isn't to say they don't still set a course for the outer realms of the solar system when it's time to blast off, they just have better idea of how to get there now. So while the ultimate <b>Earthless</b> experience is still seeing them melt faces live onstage, I'm comfortable saying they've reached a new high-water mark on record with <i>Black Heaven</i>.<br />
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1.<b>Sleep </b>- <i>The Sciences</i><br />
The new <b>Sleep </b>album was so far and away my favourite album this year that I almost didn't bother writing out the rest of the list. Right down to the backstory, it's almost too perfect. A legendary band that was sorely underappreciated in its own time reunites for some triumphant (and lucrative) live appearances, but then spends the next several years only hinting at working on a new studio album. Then without any pre-release hype at all, the band drops a brand new full-length LP on 4-fucking-20. These guys are as synonymous with THC as <b>Cypress Hill</b> and they go and pull a stunt like that? It's beautiful.<br />
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The thing is, no one would care if the album wasn't so damn good. Bands just don't go 2 decades without releasing any new music and then drop something that so perfectly captures that signature sound and yet also expands on it in new and exciting ways. But that's what <b>Sleep </b>did. The album works territory that really no one else has thought to explore over the last couple decades, save maybe <b>Sleep </b>bassist/vocalist Al Cisneros himself with his other band <b>Om</b>. It's part sativa-smoking teenager who has a <i>Master of Reality</i> 8-track stuck in his car stereo, and part genuine prophet wandering through the desert, preaching his own heretical hasish-infused gospel and gathering converts on his way to the holy land. <br />
<br />
The beauty of <i>The Sciences</i> is that it takes all of what was amazing about classic records like <i>Dopesmoker </i>and <i>Sleep's Holy Mountain</i> and adds new and exciting dimensions to the sound. <i>The Sciences</i> is indeed indebted to their now ubiquitous heavy but meditative stoner-doom <b>Sabbath</b> riffage, but the influence of the three members' respective time spent in bands like <b>High on Fire</b>, <b>Om</b> and <b>Neurosis </b>have allowed different colours to seep into the band's previously monochrome pallet. In particular, Matt Pike's guitar takes on a far more abrasive and atonal character in his solos. Also apparent is that with an extra couple decade's experience, <b>Sleep </b>can now wed their hypnotic horizon-gazing approach to some shorter, punchier songs, while still allowing plenty of room for instrumental interplay. The result is an album with a beefy runtime that never seems to lose momentum, even when half the songs top the 10-minute mark. Moreover, the production here is absolutely massive and brings the songs to life in a way that <b>Sleep</b>'s earlier song-based albums never benefited from. Al's vocals are more present than ever before, not to mention the fact that his lyrics are as evocative and genuinely fascinating as they've ever been. And those song titles! "Giza Butler"! "Marijuanaut's Theme"! "The Botanist"! I can't get over how on-brand everything about this record is, and yet it still vastly exceeded my already-tremendous expectations. Absolutely my favourite album of the year, and indeed a worthy addition to the catalog of a band whose place in the history of heavy music was already unassailable.<br />
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Honourable Mentions<br />
<b>Alice in Chains</b><i> - Rainier Fog</i>, <b>At the Gates</b><i> - To Drink From The Night Itself</i>, <b>The Band Whose Name Is A Symbol</b><i> - Droneverdose, </i><b>Baptists</b> <i>- Beacon Of Faith, </i><b>Black Viper</b><i> - Hellions Of Fire, </i><b>Blackwater Holylight</b><i> - s/t, </i><b>|Bob Dylan</b><i> - More Blood, More Tracks, </i><b>The Body</b><i> - I Have Fought Against It, But I Can't Any Longer, </i><b>C Average</b><i> - III, </i><b>Candle</b> <i>- The Keeper's Curse, </i><b>Castle</b> <i>- Deal Thy Fate, </i><b>Cirith Ungol </b><i>- Witch's Game, </i><b>The Cloud Nothings</b><i> - Last Building Burning, </i><b>Conan</b> <i>- Existential Void Guardian, </i><b>Corrosion Of Conformity</b><i> - No Cross, No Crown, </i><b>The Crown</b><i> - Cobra Speed Venom, </i><b>Dead Meadow</b><i> - The Nothing They Need, </i><b>Deafheaven</b> <i>- Ordinary Corrupt Human Love, </i><b>Dispirit</b> <i>- Enantiodromian Birth, </i><b>Dödsrit</b> <i>- Spirit Crusher, </i><b>Dopethrone</b> <i>- Transcanadian Anger, </i><b>Earthless</b> <i>- From The West, </i><b>Erosion</b> <i>- Maximum Suffering, </i><b>First Aid Kit</b><i> - Ruins, </i><b>Forming the Void</b><i> - Rift, </i><b>Frozen Crown</b><i> - The Fallen King, </i><b>Fu Manchu</b><i> - Clone Of The Universe, </i><b>FUZZLORD</b><i> - s/t, </i><b>Gatekeeper</b><i> - East Of The Sun, </i><b>Gozu</b> <i>- Equilibrium, </i><b>Hasteroid</b> <i>- s/t, </i><b>Hate Eternal</b><i> - Upon Desolate Sands, </i><b>Haunt</b> <i>- Burst Into Flame, </i><b>Hessian</b> <i>- Mercenary Retrograde, </i><b>High Priestess </b><i>- s/t, </i><b>High Reeper</b><i> - s/t, </i><b>Horrendous</b> <i>- Idol, </i><b>Immortal</b> <i>- Northern Chaos Gods, </i><b>Jon Hopkins</b><i> - Singularity, </i><b>Kurt Vile</b><i> - Bottle It In, </i><b>La Chinga</b><i> - Beyond The Sky, </i><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b>Mammoth Grinder</b><i> - Cosmic Crypt, </i></span><b>Manacle</b> <i>- No Fear To Persevere, </i><b>Marijannah</b> <i>- 'Till Maijannah, </i><b>The Men</b><i> - Drift, </i><b>Merlin</b> <i>- The Wizard, </i><b>Mien</b> <i>- s/t, </i><b>Monster Magnet</b><i> - Mindfucker, </i><b>Mos Generator</b><i> - Shadowlands, </i><b>Mournful Congregation</b><i> - The Incubus Of Karma, </i><b>Neckbeard Deathcamp</b><i> - White Nationalism Is For Basement Dwelling Losers, </i><b>Neil Young</b><i> - Live At The ROXY, </i><b>Pig Destroyer</b><i> - Head Cage, </i><b>Portal</b> <i>- ION, </i><b>Pounder</b> <i>- Faster Than Fire, </i><b>Power Trip</b><i> - Opening Fire: 2008-2014, </i><b>The Skull</b><i> - The Endless Road Turns Dark, </i><b>Sleep</b> <i>- Leagues Beneath, </i><b>Slugdge </b><i>- Esoteric Malacology, </i><b>Spaceslug</b> <i>- Eye The Tide, </i><b>Spectral Wound</b><i> - Infernal Decadenc, </i><b>Striker</b> <i>- Play To Win, </i><b>SUMAC</b> <i>- Love In Shadow, </i><b>Sundrifter</b> <i>- Visitations, </i><b>Thee Oh Sees</b><i> - Smote Reverser, </i><b>Thom Yorke </b><i>- Suspiria, </i><b>Thou</b> <i>- Magus, </i><b>Thron</b> <i>- Abysmal, </i><b>Throneless</b> <i>- Cycles, </i><b>Tribulation</b> <i>- Down Below, </i><b>Ty Segall</b><i> - Freedom's Goblin, </i><b>Ty Segall & White Fence</b><i> - Joy, </i><b>Unknown Mortal Orchestra </b><i>- IC-01 Hanoi, </i><b>Visigoth</b> <i>- Conqueror's Oath, </i><b>Wasted Theory</b><i> - Warlords Of The New Electric, </i><b>Watchers</b> <i>- Black Abyss, </i><b>Weedpecker</b> <i>- III, </i><b>Witch Mountain</b><i> - Witch Mountain, </i><b>Yawning Man</b><i> - The Revolt Against Tired Noises, </i><b>YOB</b><i> - Our Raw Heart</i>One pissed off Canadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483730694976496235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8853869205384632002.post-30537029271349137092016-12-31T23:59:00.002-08:002017-01-01T12:04:25.252-08:00The Amplifier Altar's Top 10 Abums of 2016Okay, I half-assed it this year. Unlike in years past, I didn't come up with a list of 50 albums I loved, and a long-ass write-up/review on each one. The truth is, I probably didn't even listen to 50 new albums this year. Usually, the number of records I hear would be in the hundreds, about one every day or two, and sometimes a whole bunch all at once. And the ones I really liked I'd try to listen to a few times each. I'm pretty systematic about it. This year, I dunno... life got in the way I guess. Even some of the albums I really liked I only listened to once or twice. <br />
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Anyways, without futher ado, here's the records that did keep me coming back time and time again this year.<br />
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1. <b>Radiohead </b>- <i>A Moon Shaped Pool</i><br />
2. <b>Eternal Champion</b> - <i>The Armor Of Ire</i><br />
3. <b>Darkthrone </b>- <i>Arctic Thunder</i><br />
4. <b>Heron Oblivion</b> - <i>Heron Oblivion</i><br />
5. <b>Sumerlands </b>- <i>Sumerlands</i><br />
6. <b>Vektor </b>- <i>Terminal Redux</i><br />
7. <b>Horse Lords</b> - <i>Interventions</i><br />
8. <b>Black Mountain</b> - <i>IV</i><br />
9. <b>Nap </b>- <i>Villa</i><br />
10. <b>Neurosis </b>- <i>Fires Within Fires</i><br />
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Honourable Mentions<br />
<b>40 Watt Sun</b> - <i>Wider Than The Sky</i>, <b>A Tribe Called Quest - </b><i>We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service, </i><b>Abbath </b>- <i>Abbath</i>, <b>Anthrax </b>- <i>For All Kings</i>, <b>Black Tusk - </b><i>Pillars Of Ash, </i><b>Black Wizard - </b><i>New Waste</i><b>, Blood Ceremony</b> - <i>Lords Of Misrule</i>, <b>Blood Incantation</b> - <i>Starspawn</i>, <b>The Body - </b><i>No One Deserves Happiness</i><b>, Causa Sui</b> - <i>Return To Sky</i>, <b>Cobalt </b>- <i>Slow Forever</i>, <b>Crowbar - </b><i>The Serpent Only Lies</i>, <b>David Bowie - </b><i>Blackstar</i><b>, Dinosaur Jr.</b> - <i>Give A Glimpse Of What Yer Not</i>, <b>Elephant Tree</b> - <i>Elephant Tree</i>, <b>Gatecreeper </b>- <i>Sonoran Deprevation</i>, <b>Geezer </b>- <i>Geezer</i>, <b>Goat</b> - <i>Requiem</i>, <b>Gojira </b>- <i>Magma</i>, <b>Gorguts </b>- <i>Pleiades' Dust</i>, <b>Graves At Sea</b> - <i>The Curse That Is</i>, <b>Harrow </b>- <i>Fallow Fields</i>, <b>High Spirits</b> - <i>Motivator</i>, <b>Inter Arma</b> - <i>Paradise Gallows</i>, <b>King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard</b> - <i>Nonagon Infinity</i>, <b>Krallice </b>- <i>Hyperion</i>, <b>Kvelertak - </b><i>Nattesferd</i><b>, Megadeth </b>- <i>Dystopia</i>, <b>Oozing Wound</b> - <i>Whatever Forever</i>, <b>Opeth </b>- <i>Sorceress</i>, <b>Oranssi Pazuzu</b> - <i>Varahtelija</i>, <b>Pallbearer </b>- <i>Fear & Fury</i>, <b>Purling Hiss</b> - <i>High Bias</i>, <b>Russian Circles</b> - <i>Guidance</i>, <b>Sheer Mag</b> - <i>III</i>, <b>Thee Oh Sees</b> - <i>A Weird Exits</i>, <b>Thee Oh Sees</b> - <i>An Odd Entrances</i>, <b>Sumac - </b><i>What One Becomes</i><b>, Tim Hecker</b> - <i>Love Streams</i>, <b>Tombs </b>- <i>All Empires Fall</i>, <b>Tyvek</b> - <i>Origin Of What</i>, <b>Void Omnium - </b><i>Dying Light</i>, <b>Witchcoven </b>- <i>Witchcoven</i>, <b>Wo Fat </b>- <i>Midnight Cometh</i>, <b>Wode </b>- <i>Wode</i>, <b>Wreck & Reference</b> - <i>Indifferent Rivers Romance End</i>, <b>Wretch </b>- <i>Wretch</i>, <b>The Zolas</b> - <i>Swooner</i>One pissed off Canadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483730694976496235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8853869205384632002.post-49629806747103742562016-01-01T22:22:00.002-08:002016-01-02T14:05:25.661-08:00The Amplifier Altar's Top 50 Albums of 2015Lemmy died on December 28th, 2015. That means 2015 was a shitty year for music, and in fact every year from now on will be worse than any of the years in which he was still on this Earth and playing music. That's just a fact that we are all going to have to accept.<br />
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Despite that really shitty ending to the year though, I actually did hear some stuff I really enjoyed in 2015.<br />
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First, the Honourable Mentions, AKA records I liked that I didn't feel like writing about.<br />
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<b>Amorphis - </b><i>Under The Red Cloud</i><br />
<b>Black Fast - </b><i>Terms Of Surrender</i><br />
<b>Brothers Of The Sonic Cloth - </b><i>Brothers Of The Sonic Cloth</i><br />
<b>Built To Spill - </b><i>Untethered Moon</i><br />
<b>California X - </b><i>Nights In The Dark</i><br />
<b>Chelsea Wolfe - </b><i>Abyss</i><br />
<b>Clutch - </b><i>Psychic Warfare</i><br />
<b>Crypt Sermon - </b><i>Out Of The Garden</i><br />
<b>Dead Ghosts - </b><i>Love And Death And All The Rest</i><br />
<b>Dead To A Dying World - </b><i>Litany</i><br />
<b>Dragged Into Sunlight & Gnaw The Tongues - </b><i>NV</i><br />
<b>Enforcer - </b><i>From Beyond</i><br />
<b>FUZZ - </b><i>II</i><br />
<b>Fuck the Facts - </b><i>Desire Will Rot</i><br />
<b>Godspeed You! Black Emperor - </b><i>Asunder, Sweet And Other Distress</i><br />
<b>Harrow - </b><i>Fallow Fields</i><br />
<b>Horrendous - </b><i>Anareta</i><br />
<b>HSY - </b><i>Bask</i><br />
<b>Kadavar - </b><i>Berlin</i><br />
<b>KEN Mode - </b><i>Success</i><br />
<b>Khemmis - </b><i>Absolution</i><br />
<b>Killing Joke - </b><i>Pylon</i><br />
<b>Kult Of The Wizard</b><i> - The White Wizard</i><br />
<b>Lamb Of God - </b><i>Strum Und Drang</i><br />
<b>Liturgy - </b><i>The Ark Work</i><br />
<b>Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard - </b><i>Noeth Ac Anoeth</i><br />
<b>Mastery - </b><i>Valis</i><br />
<b>Melechesh - </b><i>Enki</i><br />
<b>Mondo Drag - </b><i>Mondo Drag</i><br />
<b>Misþyrming</b> - <i>Söngvar Elds Og Oreiou</i><br />
<b>Nap Eyes - </b><i>Whine Of The Mystic</i><br />
<b>Napalm Death - </b><i>Apex Predator</i><br />
<b>Paradise Lost - </b><i>The Plague Within</i><br />
<b>Parquet Courts - </b><i>Monsastic Living</i><br />
<b>Pinkish Black - </b><i>Bottom Of The Morning</i><br />
<b>Ranger - </b><i>Where Evil Dwells</i><br />
<b>Revenge - </b><i>Triumph Genocide Antichrist</i><br />
<b>Sannhet - </b><i>Revisionist </i><br />
<b>Six Organs Of Admittance - </b><i>Hexadic (Part 2)</i><br />
<b>Sleater-Kinney - </b><i>No Cities To Love</i><br />
<b>Space Bong - </b><i>Deadwood To Worms</i><br />
<b>Sumac - </b><i>The Deal</i><br />
<b>Torche - </b><i>Restarter</i><br />
<b>Thee Oh Sees</b><i> - Mutilator Defeated At Last</i><br />
<b>Ty Segall</b><i> - Ty Rex</i><br />
<b>Ufomammut - </b><i>Ecate</i><br />
<b>Unknown Mortal Orchestra - </b><i>Multi-Love</i><br />
<b>Vattnet Viskar - </b><i>Settler</i><br />
<b>Vile Creature</b><i> - A Steady Descent Into The Soil</i><br />
<b>With The Dead - </b><i>With The Dead</i><br />
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And now, the list.<br />
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50. <b>A Place To Bury Stangers</b> - <i>Transfixiation</i><br />
These guys fill a very specific niche for me. Every album of dour, nihilistic, high-decible noise rock comes alongside a stoned-to-the-bone side helping of indifferent <b>Jesus & Mary Chain</b> vocals. The piercing feedback, pulsing bass, tinnitus-inducing drums and cloud of distortion static this band steadfastly refuses to alter always sound great at shatteringly loud volumes. I can almost see how cool and indifferent they look on stage when I hear this stuff. I liked this one just as much as every other album they've put out. And I still think it's cool that they make their own effects pedals.<br />
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49. <b>King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard</b> - <i>Paper Mache Dream Balloon</i><br />
This Aussie psychedelic garage rock 7-piece is very much in the mold of uber-prolific units like <b>Ty Segall</b> and <b>Thee Oh Sees</b>, only if those bands got off on more <b>Donovan </b>and <b>Jethro Tull</b>. I first became a fan of them after hearing their raucous <i>12-Bar Bruise</i> album. This time out they take a weirder, more psychedelic approach than some of their more fiery, full-throttle material. Flutes and saxophones, trippy harmonies and acoustic guitars playfully blend together as the band explores an altogether softer sound. I can't say it's my favourite from them, but this sunny and whimsical pop-prog approach appeals to me when I'm in the right mood. I think they're an excellent band, and they probably have three more completely different albums on the go at this point.<br />
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48. <b>Sulfur Aeon</b> - <i>Gateway To The Anti-Sphere</i><br />
The problem I have with brutal death metal is that because of its reliance on extremity, it can easily become tiresome. The best bands in the style can whip up a horrendous onslaught while adding some interesting flourishes to make the brutality more powerful and effective. <b>Sulfur Aeon</b> have surpassed themselves on their newest, adding enough textural variation and dynamic shifts in mood to break up the record, not to mention a cool spacey semi-concept that takes the band well outside standard extreme metal songwriting material. The band's whole sound benefits from such adventurousness... the riffs are that much more vicious, the the drumming more flattening, and the solos even more barbaric. The closest comparison I could make would be <b>Nile </b>or perhaps<b> Morbid Angel</b>, other bands that weren't afraid to subtly blend brutality with other influences.<br />
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47. <b>Primitive Man</b> - <i>Home Is Where The Hatred Is</i><br />
I was a huge fan of this sludge-grind outfit's previous record, <i>Scorn</i>. So I was very pleased to hear on their new record that they've become even more doomy and lead-footed this time around. With <b>Indian </b>no longer a working band, <b>Primitive Man</b> sound like they're vying for the crown of heaviest band on the planet. <i>Home Is Where The Hatred Is</i> brings a metric ton of crawlingly slow, filthy, blasted-out death dirges, and generally lowering the band's quotient of hardcore-inspired sprints. It's a transition that works for them, especially when combined with their deep, distorted and hideous vocals.<br />
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46. <b>Tame Impala</b> - <i>Currents</i><br />
<i>Currents </i>sees <b>Tame Impala</b> incorporating more electronic currents into their omniverous neo-psych than ever before. Gone is the <b>Dungen </b>fixation that so strongly informed their earlier work, as their music becomes less guitar-focused. To be honest, I prefer that earlier stuff, but I can't fault the band for charting a new course that's entirely their own. And as long as bands get this much attention for making psychedelic music, I suppose I just have to cheer them on.<br />
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45. <b>Panopticon </b>- <i>Autumn Eternal</i><br />
These guys first found their way on to my radar with 2012's <i>Kentucky</i>, a jarring but very interesting hybrid of bluegrass, ambient and black metal which was far more interesting when it wasn't trying to pummel anyone. Since then, they've more seamlessly blended some of their influences into a blackened post-metal monolith which has done away with the banjo heard on <i>Kentucky </i>(which I DID enjoy a lot), and simultaneously made the heavy parts more engaging. <b>Panopticon </b>has shown a lot of growth from the gritty rurality of <i>Kentucky </i>to the more nuanced and naturalistic approach on last year's <i>Roads to the North</i>. <i>Autumn Eternal</i> continues this path, and I would argue even improves upon it. This is heavy music, but it has an emotional, solitary quality that's contemplative rather than raging. There are layers of uplifting, and sometimes harmonized guitar laid over top of galloping rhythms, blast beats, spacious synth washes and meticulously constructed post metal epics. It's potentially the band's most interesting and engaging record yet.<br />
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44. <b>Black Cilice</b> - <i>Mysteries</i><br />
Ultra raw and fierce black metal recorded in a wind tunnel. This stuff straddles the border between harsh noise and extremely low-fi basement black metal. Kvlt.<br />
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43. <b>Le Berger</b> - <i>Music for Guitar and Patience</i><br />
A record that delivers exactly what its title promises - Lush beds of delicate finger-picked guitar, filtered through a bunch of echo and loopers to create some endless, totally enveloping drones. Feel your perception of time melt away as you get lost in these relaxing, ambient soundcapes.<br />
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42. <b>Black Breath</b> - <i>Slaves Beyond Death</i><br />
<b>Black Breath</b>'s "Sentenced To Life" was one of my favourite albums of 2012. With its meaty <b>Entombed</b>-derived guitar sound, and ferocious thrashy approach, the record came off as something like <i>Hell Awaits</i>-era <b>Slayer </b>with a Swedish death metal fixation. It was a distillation of all their accomplishments up until that point. But because the record was so intensely focused, the band ran the risk of running themselves down a stylistic cul-de-sac if they were to try replicating it. Luckily they've found a way to enhance their sound without sacrificing any of their bulldozing aggression. Incorporating a strong <b>Testament</b> vibe, <b>Black Breath</b> has added slower, moodier passages to its bag of tricks, making for a more varied and dynamic listen. The result is their most accomplished work yet.<br />
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41. <b>Eternal Tapestry</b> - <i>Wild Strawberries</i><br />
Most of these guys' records are filled with expansive but still well-thought-out and edited psych rock jams. Someone must have spiked their water or something when they got together to record their new double album, because this is the most out-there they have ever sounded. Sprawling guitar workouts dissipate into ambient soundscapes and back, swelling the running time to nearly 90 minutes. They were never a band that seemed particularly hemmed in on any of their previous records, given that collective improvisation is the name of the game with these guys, but this is still unprecedented even for them. Certainly not everything works. There are sections that could be easily have been trimmed. That being said, ambition counts for a lot in my world, and I'm happy to listen to a band this good leave their comfort zone and set the controls for the heart of the sun rather than remain on cruise control all the time.<br />
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40. <b>Bosse-de-Nage</b> - <i>All Fours</i><br />
A was very impressed by their previous album <i>III</i>, and was happy to find that <i>All Fours</i> built on the band's predilections for consuming texturally interesting black metal. Rather than focusing on full-speed blasting, <b>Bosse-de-Nage</b> trade in slashing, roiling riffs and repeatedly building from dense thickets of continuous re-direction into glorious crescendos. Clean guitar tones and wailing vocals that are by turns pained and triumphant are also used throughout to great effect. Exciting, interesting black metal that isn't afraid to take some detours along the way.<br />
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39. <b>Vastum </b>- <i>Hole Below</i><br />
These guys do old school death metal right: dirty, crusty, and raw. Rather than try to out-tech anyone, and without sounding like copyists, <b>Vastum </b>stay true to the <b>Obituary</b>, <b>Suffocation</b>, <b>Autopsy </b>and <b>Asphyx </b>school of death metal, where they write actual riffs and let their songs breathe a bit. That being said, this is probably their speediest, most-well produced album to date, but that shouldn't worry longtime fans. It sticks pretty close to the playbook, even though there are a few arcade, clean guitar interludes a-la <b>Morbid Angel</b> or <b>Nile </b>to make things just a bit more dynamic. Unlike some death metal which sounds like it could be made by a set of machines, <b>Vastum </b>is a living, breathing band, albeit one that's been buried alive and has maggots crawling through their amplifiers.<br />
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38. <b>Leviathan </b>- <i>Scar Sighted</i><br />
In the grand tradition of asshole black metal doofuses everywhere, Jef Whitehead is a shitty person. He was convicted of battery against his ex-girlfriend in 2011 (and was initially charged with something like 33 other criminal offences for the incident, though most of the charges were later dropped) and the interviews I've read don't exactly make me feel any particular sympathy for his side of the story. But that doesn't mean he's not capable of making fantastic records. After he got 2011's unfortunate and ugly (not in like, a good way) temper tantrum <i>True Traitor, True Whore</i> out of his system, he got back down to the business of crafting powerful, psychedelic and vicious black metal, complete with hopeless, wretched vocals and an overwhelming atmosphere of complete ruin. This is probably his best-sounding record to date as well, with ultra-heavy riffing, respectably beefy bass (always lacking in black metal), punishing double-kick drumming, and guitar leads that sound like murder. Like I would with <b>Burzum</b>, I like this music, but I illegally downloaded my copy for free.<br />
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37. <b>Skepticism </b>- <i>Ordeal</i><br />
This Finnish funeral doom institution's first record of new material since 2008 is a live album containing mostly new material. Recorded earlier this year, the material sounds as bleak and hopeless as you would expect it to, but the real draw is the lovely spacious recording which captures these tones beautifully. Shades of <b>Sunn O)))</b>'s <i>Domkirke </i>can be heard throughout.<br />
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36. <b>Wand</b> - <i>Golem</i><br />
Wand sounds like <i>Ty Segal</i>'s glammed up cousin, or parhaps what <i>Ziggy Stardust</i> would sound like had <b>Bowie </b>been a garage rocker from San Francisco. It's a slower, more riff-based rather than rave-up approach, and the results make for a catchy and fun record that demands repeat listens.<br />
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35.<b> Jenny Hval</b> - <i>Apocalpyse, Girl</i><br />
Experimental artist <b>Jenny Hval</b> makes utterly bizarre electronic soundscapes topped with spellbinding vocals. I wasn't familiar with her work before hearing this album, and admittedly was puzzled by it at first. But the weirdness of these songs, combined with the compelling electro-acoustic textures eventually won me over. For a rockist like me, It's kind of difficult for me to describe this sort of music, and I don't want to embarrass myself by even attempting to dissect the gender politics that obviously play a prominent role here. I like to think I know an interesting album when I hear it though, and this one warrants repeated listening. Let's move on.<br />
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34. <b>Noisem </b>- <i>Blossoming Decay</i><br />
Hellish thrash that's heavy on the whammy-bar abuse and just enough crustiness to appeal to the punks. It sprinkles a little bit of grindcore's obliterating speed into the chugging thrash breaks, but is also heavy on demented, shredding solos. They've also bulked up a bit, as <i>Blossoming Decay</i> boats a beefier, heavier production than their debut.<br />
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33. <b>Baroness</b> - <i>Purple</i><br />
<b>Baroness</b>’s first record since the devastating tour bus crash in 2012 that threatened to end the career of one of rock’s most promising bands is a raging comeback. With two members ultimately electing to leave the band in the aftermath of the accident, and guitarist/vocalist John Baizley having to undergo a long and painful recovery process to mend his broken leg and shattered arm, <b>Baroness</b>’ return was far from certain. The time off seems to have energized them. Unlike 2012's sprawling and ambitions <i>Green and Yellow</i> double album, <i>Purple </i>is a lean and aggressive effort more in line with the band’s earlier sludge metal leanings, albeit coloured with the more psychedelic layering of their later work. It combines all their strengths in a compact package along with memorable songwriting, and reaffirms <b>Baroness</b>’ status as one of the world’s premiere rock bands.<br />
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32. <b>Moon Duo</b> - <i>Shadow Of The Sun</i><br />
<b>Moon Duo</b>'s formula is pretty set in stone at this point. The band seems like they could recombine their fuzzy, textural guitars, droning organ lines, pulsing bass and motorik drumming in endless permutations and still come out sounding like <b>Moon Duo</b>. I'm fine with that though. This is patient but propulsive music, perfect for watching horizons, as skies and landscapes melt into rearview mirrors and memories.<br />
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31.<b> Destruction Unit</b> - <i>Negative Feedback Resistor</i><br />
This very loud garage psych unit often reminds me of <b>Comets on Fire</b>, creating chaotic, noisy rock and roll spiked with feedback and aggressive use of echoplex. I really enjoyed their last record <i>Deep Trips</i> a lot and also saw them live in between the release of that record and this one. They definitely rule on stage, but their recorded output is equally muscular and impressive. The recording on this album is meatier than it's been in the past, making the album a heavier and more dynamic affair than others in their catalog.<br />
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30. <b>Deafheaven</b> - <i>New Bermuda</i><br />
I've gotten really tired of the shoegazey post-black metal that is <b>Deafheaven</b>'s stock in trade over the past few years. It's not that I don't enjoy the advanced sense of dynamics or My Bloody Valentine-influenced atmospherics that <b>Deafheaven </b>bring to the table, it's just that a million USBM bands have been doing it for a long time. So it's a credit to this most polarizing of bands that they are able to so handily outdo the competition at that style once again on <i>New Bermuda</i>. I didn't expect to like this record as much as I did, but I was impressed with how the heavy parts seemed to be heavier than ever before. There are some legitimately impressive black metal sprints here. There are other avenues being explored here as well. Much like <i>Sunbather</i>, <i>New Bermuda</i> is an expansive, immersive record that is easy to get lost in, and has impressive emotional depth. There's even a few kick ass guitar solos! I had to laugh at my first listen, some parts sound like they could have been lifted from a <b>Smashing Pumpkins</b> album, and I don't mind that at all.<br />
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29. <b>Sunn O)))</b> - <i>Kannon</i><br />
The long-awaited followup to 2009's mighty <i>Monoliths & Dimensions</i> initially seemed a little light in comparison, but after so long a wait there is no way the burden of expectation wasn't going to outweigh the merits of the new record when it finally arrived. Taken on it's own terms, <i>Kannon </i>is a fine encapsulation of <b>Sunn O)))</b>'s seismic power, a back-to-basics project which reaffirms their core metaphor after a number of years spent collaborating with other artists. By their standards, it's far from adventurous, but there is a certain comfort in hearing the drone metal masters laying down some devastating no-motion riffs guaranteed to weaken the foundations of nearby buildings. There are also a few towering, feedback-spiked leads which serve as thrilling counterpoints to <i>Kannon</i>'s endless bass frequencies. Longtime collaborator Attilla is also back to perform on this record, and his vocal styles come off strong here, thanks to some new and interesting chanting approaches being tried alongside his tried and true black metal croak. The sound of this record is overwhelmingly heavy and loud, as one would expect. It may be their best-sounding record to date. So although it isn't a dramatic step forward for a band which has traditionally been on the cutting edge of art and metal, it is powerful and highly enjoyable album from a band which perhaps needed to reassert its identity.<br />
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28. <b>Deerhunter</b> - <i>Fading Frontier</i><br />
Every album <b>Deerhunter </b>puts out always has one song on it that I absolutely love... until the last one. The stripped down, greaser garage feel of <i>Monomania </i>didn't set my world on fire, and nothing grabbed me the way previous standout tracks like "Heatherwood" or "Nothing Ever Happened" or "Desire Lines" had. I'm happy to say that <b>Deerhunter</b>'s new single "Snakeskin" is an addictively catchy, uptempo dance funk wonder that is every bit as replayable as those old favourites, and also displays a completely new side of the band. The rest of the album doesn't rise to that level, instead slinking back into the oblique, autumnal and highly-layered experimental neo-psych the band forged on records like <i>Microcastle</i>. In other words, it's a solid <b>Deerhunter</b> record, and they do throw enough curveballs to keep things interesting.<br />
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27. <b>Ian William Craig</b> - <i>Cradle for the Wanting</i><br />
I've been a fan of <b>Ian William Craig</b>'s work since friends introduced me to a couple of his tapes a few years back. He has a talent for creating meditative, ambient sound loops that are still engaging. The best drone music can be used as both an immersive, active-listening experience and as background noise. <b>Craig</b>'s newest is a collection of expansive, decaying tones stretching into infinity. It's tremendously beautiful at times but also has moments of spellbinding darkness as well.<br />
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26. <b>Ecstatic Vision </b>- <i>Sonic Praise</i><br />
These guys have a real talent for compressing their space rock jams into (relatively) compact spaces. This makes for the rare space rock album in which the jams are concise but still mind-expanding. The combination makes this a memorable and just straight-up fun album. File under <b>Hawkwind </b>acolytes like <b>White Hills</b>, <b>Litmus</b> and <b>Eternal Tapestry</b>, these guys are one of the best space rock bands in the world right now.<br />
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25. <b>The Body</b> & <b>Thou </b>- <i>You Who I Have Always Hated</i><br />
I was very excited early in the year when I heard sludgecore veterans <b>Thou </b>and avant-doom masters, the <b>Body</b>. both of whom were responsible for records that made my top 5 list last year, were going to be releasing a collaboration (Although they had already recorded a joint EP together in 2013). And as much as I enjoyed this when it came out, somehow I forgot about it, and it wasn't until preparing this list that I re-visited it. It's a fantastic doom metal album, no doubt, with both of these. heavyweights bringing a serious amount of clout to the proceedings, and a good deal of noise to bookend the mammoth riffs. It's one of the most crushingly heavy albums I heard all year, and as an actual album, it hangs together really well. It could easily be the work of one band. But I couldn't help but think that maybe the <b>Body</b>'s involvement especially might lead to something a little bit weirder... for both these bands, impossibly heavy, feedback-saturated doom metal is only part of the story, and I wouldn't have minded them bringing a little more of their twinned creative energies to bear on this, and take a few more risks.<br />
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24. <b>Kylesa </b>- <i>Exhausting Fire</i><br />
<b>Kylesa</b>’s 2010 <i>Spiral Shadow</i> album was my favourite album of that year, a kaleidoscopic masterpiece that blended their sludgy, hi-fi hardcore intensity with their increasingly ambitious use of studio effects and layering to create a widescreen neo-psychedelic heavy rock album of the first order. Perhaps it was due to over-familiarity, but by the time <i>Ultraviolet </i>came out in 2013 and tried to use a lot of the same tricks, I felt like down by it. It was still a good record, but<br />
somehow the intensity seemed to have dissipated, and overall it wasn’t as explosive as their earlier records. I think they’ve bettered themselves significantly on Exhausting Fire, another punishing collection of songs that feature some creative guitar playing from Laura Pleasents and Phillip Cope and a powerful, ultra-modern production job. Their recent work features a brickwalled sheen similar to that of Toronto’s <b>Fucked Up</b>, which may displease some longtime fans calling for a return to<br />
the raw sludge of <i>To Walk A Middle Course</i>. There’s also a higher concentration of vocals from Pleasents than ever before on a <b>Kylesa </b>album, a development that I’d say is most welcome.<br />
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23. <b>Obsequiae </b>- <i>Aria Of Vernal Tombs</i><br />
The number one Dungeons and Dragons album of the year. Black metal combined with medieval interludes to create a record that's mysterious, ceremonial, and timeless. Like a <b>King Diamond</b>-less, post-black metal <b>Mercyful Fate</b> obsessed with found sound and acoustic guitar, or perhaps a blackened <b>Nile </b>that was more interested in the the supernatural beliefs of Gothic Germany than ancient Egypt, these hymns sound like they could have been soundtracking a black mass, or else merely the day to day struggles of a pagan village a thousand years ago.<br />
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22. <b>Acid King</b> - <i>Middle Of Nowhere, Centre Of Everywhere</i><br />
<b>Acid King</b>'s last album, <i>III </i>came out in 2005, but you wouldn't know it listening to this. Their spaced-out biker rock is still just as crushing as I remember, but I always forget how slow these guys play. It's like watching an avalanche in slow motion. Lori's lumbering, molasses-thick leads and instantly recognizable vocals are just as appealing as ever.<br />
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21. <b>Krallice </b>- <i>Ygg Huur</i><br />
I absolute love every second of music this band has ever released. <i>Ygg Hurr</i> is their 5th full length album, and if it's possible, it's their most dense and decimating work to date. A so-called "calculator metal" supergroup, the band members' resumes speak for themselves, with the 4 players having put in time in noted tech/math/noise/avant-garde projects <b>Orthrelm</b>, <b>Dysrhymthmia</b>, and <b>Behold... The Arctopus</b>. Although their music has always been rooted in black metal, <b>Krallice</b>'s precision and abstract nature set them apart... truly there is no other band in the world making music like this. The skill and single-minded drive of each member to submit to the unique band voice is unmatched. Listen to how burly and yet how nimble that rhythm section is while the two guitarists are simply astonishing. The interplay between the 4 is simply incredible. This is their shortest album to date by some distance, but that doesn't mean they've softened their approach at all. Their astonishing technicality and unstoppable brutality are still intact, and as overwhelming as ever. It doesn't quite top their best album, 2012's <i>Years Past Matter</i>, but it's certainly a worthy addition to the catalog of one of the most gifted and bewildering bands making music today.<br />
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20. <b>False </b>- <i>Untitled</i><br />
This is black metal that's high on hellish intensity and frigid atmosphere. This Minneapolis band makes a racket that features grim, raspy vocals, relentless blast beats and chaotic twin tremolo guitar figures all rushing hedlong into oblivion. The occasional synth bed adds texture and depth, giving the proceedings the feeling of something triumphant, like storm, inexorably decimating anything in its path.<br />
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19. <b>Motörhead </b>- <i>Bad Magic</i><br />
Lemmy died 4 days ago. I'm still at a loss for words, but I want to note that the sad news didn't change my ranking of this album. It was a strong <b>Motörhead </b>album in a very long string of strong <b>Motörhead </b>albums. From the raging opener "Victory or Die" (surely one of the best songs the band recorded in the past 25 years) to the faithful <b>Rolling Stones</b> cover that closes it, <i>Bad Magic</i> does what every record before it did... rock and roll, and take no prisoners. "Till The End" is one of the best slow songs they've ever done, too, a defiant last stand that makes for a fitting epitaph.<br />
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18. <b>Titus Andronicus</b> - <i>The Most Lamentable Tragedy</i><br />
I didn't love <b>Titus Andronicus</b>' last album. It felt a bit too restrained after their triumphant sophomore album <i>The Monitor</i>. Sweaty, booze-soaked, and wildly ambitious in scope, <i>The Most Lamentable Tragedy</i> is everything that it's disappointing predecessor was not. The band here rocks as hard as they ever have, equal parts working-class bar rock and bile-spewing punk. You'll hear nods to the ghosts of <b>Springsteen</b>, <b>Thin Lizzy</b>, <b>Husker Du</b>, and the <b>Sex Pistols</b>, but it all fits into the band's unique vision. Anthemic singalongs abound and the odd string section or incandescent guitar solo add variety and colour. Deserperation pours off of these songs, and at over 90 minutes in length, the record never overstays its welcome. A tremendous record from one of the best rock bands in the world today.<br />
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17. <b>Goatsnake </b>- <i>Black Age Blues</i><br />
Greg Anderson's Southern-fried boogie-doom powerhouse returns after a very long lay-off. From the fade-in of the first track, which echoes the end of their last album, 2001's magnificent <i>Flower Of Disease</i>, it's apparent that <b>Goatsnake </b>is back to do what they always did. And truly it feels like they never left, with the band dropping ultra-heavy, swaggering, slow-burn riffin' stoner rock like they never left. If you EVER hear someone say modern bands "just don't RAWK anymore..." You're welcome to let them know about these guys. It's been a year of comebacks for Greg, who has spent most of hist time the last half-decade running the incomparable Southern Lord record label and collaborating with other artists. 2015 saw him first re-form <b>Goatsnake </b>for this beauty of an album, and also team with long-time partner in crime Steve O'Malley to release the first full length, non-collaborative <b>Sunn O)))</b> record in 6 years.<br />
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16. <b>Leila Abdul-Rauf </b>- <i>Insomnia</i><br />
Drone artist <b>Leila Abdul-Rauf</b> makes bleak, haunting soundscapes that feature layered guitar, synth, wordless vocalizations, horns, keys and a whole lot of echo. Dark, rich, and strikingly beautiful, it's some of the loneliest music you'll ever hear, and despite going by the name of <i>Insomnia, </i>the album<i> </i>works best when played in the dark.<br />
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15. <b>Windhand </b>- <i>Grief's Eternal Flower</i><br />
2013's <i>Soma </i>was one of the best doom albums of that year, a sprawling, massive ode to the lumbering topor of <b>Electric Wizard</b> and <b>Warning</b>, but one in which the vocals of Dorthia Cottrell were sometimes buried in the murk. This time out, the sonic balance has been inverted, with the vocals way out in front alongside some beautifully assured guitar leads. It's certainly more accessible, and frankly it's up to you which one you think is superior (and their debut aint too shabby either), but it's clear that <b>Windhand </b>have cemented themselves as one of the biggest names in doom.<br />
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14. <b>Elder </b>- <i>Lore</i><br />
Once a gang of <b>Sleep</b>-worshiping resin-scrapers, <b>Elder </b>seems to have ingested quite a bit of <b>Mastodon </b>since we heard from them last, not to mention a bevy of '70s space and prog influences. Not that they've retired their copies of <i>Master Of Reality</i> or <i>Sleep's Holy Mountain</i>, just that this Boston crew has shown (GASP!) real artistic growth! They've obviously sharpened as players in the last few years, and also expanded their ambitions as well. I'll always love the simple charm of their early material, but I think I have to acknowledge that this is their best album yet.<br />
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13. <b>Iron Maiden</b> - <i>Book Of Souls</i><br />
Up the Irons! It wouldn't be fair to compare this record to <i>Number Of The Beast</i><b> </b>or <i>Killers</i>. Of course it isn't going to be that good. But as <b>Maiden </b>have gracefully grown older and adopted a less vital but more studied approach, they've never failed to keep me entertained (I like to pretend the Blaze years never happened). So a triple vinyl record might seem overly ambitious... how could a band celebrating its 40th year as a working unit release that much music without having at least some filler on it? Well, <i>Book Of Souls</i> is not a flawless album. But I could really give a crap. I love this band, no one does what they do as well as they do, and the high points more than make up for it. This one has as many sections that get me fired up as any of their other recent albums, all of which I adore. It's simply more of what I love from these guys. Every listen reveals new discoveries. And I am sure to keep on coming back to it for years to come.<br />
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12. <b>Monolord</b> - <i>V<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18.2px;">ænir</span></i></div>
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These Swedish cosmic doom purveyors have one-upped their impressive debut with this gloriously spacey and galaxy-flattening platter. Nothing here is as immediate as "Empress Rising," but that doesn't trouble me one bit. The songs are more distinct this time out, and their grasp of dynamics is sharper. Everything sounds bigger and brawnier. This is what I imagine gravity death in a black hole sounds like.</div>
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11. <b>Vhöl</b> - <i>Deeper Than Sky</i></div>
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One of the most interesting metal bands going, and wholly unclassifiable. <b>Vhöl</b> is a supergroup composed of members of <b>YOB</b>, <b>Ludicra </b>and <b>Hammers Of Misfortune.</b> <i>Deeper Than Sky</i> is their second record, and it might even eclipse their exceptional 2013 debut. This unit is one of the only groups in metal that can approach <b>Krallice </b>in terms of laser-precise musical ability, but they make use of a wider pallet that incorporates prog rock complexity, punk rock rants, psychedelic production touches, piano interludes, thrashy sprints, doomy sludge riffs, spacey ambiance, glorious classic heavy metal twin guitarmonies, and blackened misanthropy. Similar in restless spirit to prime <b>Voivod</b>, <b>Vhöl </b>like to get as out there as they possibly can while jackhammering quadratic equations on your forehead.</div>
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10. <b>Father John Misty</b> - <i>I Love You, Honeybear</i></div>
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A friend of mine tried to turn me on to <b>Father John</b> a few years back and it didn't make much of an impression. But I gave this a listen because I know a lot of people really like it. And I'm glad I did. I'm not a lyrics guy by any means, but these songs are funny, clever, thoughtful and touching. They tugged at my heartstrings in a way that I'm embarrassed to admit. Aw, fuck it, it's a soft-psych singer-songwriteer record with interesting arrangements and great lyrics that made me feel feelings about stuff. I really liked it. Can I write about something with screams in it now please?</div>
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9. <b>Locrian </b>- <i>Infinite Dissolution</i></div>
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The most interesting currents in extreme music right now are seeing metal merge with noise music. <b>Locrian </b>has spent their career churning out a raft of impressive mutations on the form of black metal, incorporating dissonant electronics and white noise into their fearsome din. <i>Infinite Dissolution</i> may be their most accomplished hybrid yet, incorporating ambient soundscapes and harsh, distorted tones that dissect the black metal playbook and reassemble the components in new and creative ways. Much like doom metal deconstructionists <b>The Body</b>, <b>Locrian</b> is building on the work of their influences, and pointing the way toward the future.</div>
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8. <b>Prurient </b>- <i>Frozen Niagara Falls</i></div>
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Absolutely decimating harsh noise walls that somehow also manage to be highly listenable.<i> Frozen Niagara Falls</i> is a true album, a finely crafted listening experience that blends ferocity, fearless experimentation, haywire electronics, textural meditations and a strong sense of musicality. Gorgeous piano and analog synth interludes do battle with shattered, inhuman vocals, punishing industrial-strength drum machines, piercing feedback towers, and blown-out sheets of static and distortion to construct a unique and strangely inviting musical world. The title is an appropriate image, as these explorations of pure sound sometimes feel like entering a world where time stops altogether, and otherwise nebulous landscapes and natural phenomena can be observed and experienced in stasis. It's a glorious crowning achievement for Prurient aka Dominick Fenrow, who has spent the better part of 20 years unleashing a torrent of harsh noise releases. It's also widened his profile and that of noise music in general in 2015 to a degree very few of his ilk will ever reach, given the difficult nature of this kind of music. But it's a masterpiece, and one that isn't difficult to appreciate even if you're not really into <b>Merzbow</b>. Let's put it this way... if you only listened to one noise musician in 2015, it was probably <b>Prurient</b>, and with good reason.</div>
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7. <b>Bell Witch</b> - <i>Four Phantoms</i></div>
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Seattle funeral doom duo that includes the bass player from <b>Samothrace</b>, another band that's no stranger to my year-end lists. A brighter, more accomplished refinement of their relentlessly gloomy debut, this record adds a few shades of colour to their mournful hymns to hopelessness. Don't get me wrong, it's still plenty of endless marching towards the horizon, head bowed in acknowledgement of the futility of the act. This time out though, there are a few more sonic details which make for a more engaging listen. All in all, it's a step forward for a band that knows exactly what they want to do, and has proven already that they know how to do it.</div>
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6.<b> Kamasi Washington</b> - <i>The Epic</i></div>
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I'm reluctant to declare this the masterpiece that many people have, simply because I am no jazz expert, and what I do listen to was all generally recorded before 1980. But <i>The Epic</i> is a very impressive overview of the history of jazz, as performed by a master student of the form. Here, big band and swing, cool and bop, free jazz and fusion all intermingle, weaving together the decades into a sprawling tapestry. At 3 hours, it's a daunting listen for the uninitiated, but it's really not at all difficult to enjoy. It's safe to say that if you're not a fan of jazz, then this probably won't appeal to you. But it's not a bad place to start if you're interested in a survey course. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
5. <b>High On Fire</b> - <i>Luminiferous</i></div>
<div>
Yeah, yeah, Matt Pike is a nutcase. Who the hell cares? This record, like every single <b>HOF</b> LP before it, is a rampaging beast. With <b>Motörhead </b>sadly no longer able to continue as an active musical entity, let Matt Pike's coronation as rock n' roll's greatest standard-bearer begin. <b>High On Fire</b> is now officially the world's most consistent heavy metal band. Pike's arching riffage and Des's punishing assault and battery approach to the drums combine to form towering cathedrals of sound. I'm </div>
<div>
always impressed with how they seem to be able to grow and top themselves with every release, without changing their game plan too much at all. The answer lies simply in the skill of the musicians, and their ability to gel as a unit and play with aggression, passion and vitality. I love the early records, but ever since 2007's <i>Death Is This Communion</i>, it's become clear that Jeff Matz is the man born to thump the bass in this formidable and battle-ready unit. I fully expect them to continue cranking out records of this quality for years to come.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
4. <b>Tribulation </b>- <i>The Children Of The Night</i></div>
<div>
These melodic death stalwarts have made a classic heavy metal album with a blackened edge. Screeched, harsh vocals and thrashy sprints are juxtaposed with highly melodic guitar leads that will slash themselves into your brain and stay there for days. There's a real occult rock-inspired '70s feel to these songs, like <b>Pentagram </b>or Hammer horror films. They feel ageless, and lived in, tying together the decades in a way that will appeal to bell-bottomed hard rockers, leather-clad longhairs, <b>Emtombed </b>fans, and and open-minded corpse paint fiends.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
3. <b>Mgla </b>- <i>Exercises In Futility</i></div>
<div>
Holy hell, does this record ever kick ass. These Hungarians found their way on to my radar a few months ago when they spewed out one of the most vicious black metal albums of the year. I'm ready to hear more. Even with most of the tracks running into the 7 or 8 minute range, there isn't an ounce of flab on this record, with the band drawing on seemingly bottomless wells of fury and headlong intensity throughout. And as misanthropic as the subject matter initially seems, <b>Mgla </b>whip up such an exhilarating hurricane of furious sound and pure excitement l that it's hard not to get swept along. Hating the world has never been so much fun.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
2. <b>Magic Circle</b> - <i>Journey Blind</i></div>
<div>
I've heard these guys called a doom band, but if this batch of punk lifers deserves to be lumped in with any group of bands, it's those Gothic, <b>Sabbath</b>-worshiping old timers, the likes of <b>Witchfinder General</b>, <b>Pagan Altar</b> and <b>Pentagram.</b> These energetic, exciting riffs are worlds away from the sludgy and mournful palls of what I think characterizes doom metal as we use the term today. It's really more of a party record than anything, ratcheting up the speed and making for what is the most flat-out fun metal album of the year. Throw this on in between <b>Maiden</b>'s <i>Killers </i>and a <b>Grim Reaper</b> record and you'll be crushing beer cans on your forehead and throwing up the horns in no time.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
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1. <b>Six Organs Of Admittance</b> - <i>Hexadic</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ben Chasny's deep and rewarding body of work certainly
includes slash and burn electric destruction guitar psych-outs (his 6-string
work with Santa Cruz planet-scorchers <b>Comets On Fire</b> comes to mind), but I
think most people would expect more of his acoustically inclined work when
approaching a new <b>Six Organs</b> record. He has generally weaved currents of psych,
noise, drone and rock into his trippy acoustic ragas over the years, but the
core of Chasny's work his always been his spell-binding technique, most
commonly displayed on the acoustic. But his first of two releases in 2015 is
downright unsettling. Built from a unique guitar mode of his own devising,
<i>Hexadic </i>was Chasny's attempt to approach his playing from a completely
different set of musical rules. The result is the darkest, murkiest album of Chasny's career. It's also one of the best; noisy, distended
and distorted notes hang in the air and piercing and tearing at the fabric of
space. It shatters any formula that you may have identified <b>Six Organs</b> with.
<i>Part II</i>, which came out later in the year, is the acoustic yang to <i>Part I</i>'s
explosive yin, where waterfalls of beautifully plucked notes cascade over one
another in offsetting and unexpected ways. Fine stuff, but you don't need to
know me very well to guess which one I'd prefer. It captivated me on first
listen several months ago, and continues to entrance me still. I'm pleased and also
surprised that an artist that I had become so familiar with and enjoyed for so
long is still capable of shocking me, and for that reason, I enjoyed listening
to this record more than any other that I heard in 2015.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
One pissed off Canadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483730694976496235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8853869205384632002.post-54109279817384745962015-03-02T00:45:00.001-08:002015-03-02T00:45:12.171-08:00Requiem<a href="http://www.cvltnation.com/r-i-h-rest-in-heavy-indian-is-over/"><strong>Indian</strong> is no more.</a><br /><br />This is a big loss for lovers of heavy, abrasive music. For over a decade these sludge fiends refined their singular sound, from the bloody <strong>High On Fire</strong>, <strong>Cavity</strong> and <strong>Eyehategod</strong> worship of their debut album <em>The Unquiet Sky,</em> into the sweeping mass destruction of their 2011 opus <em>Guiltless. </em>More recently, <strong>Indian</strong>'s crusty, blasted-out doom has incorporated elements of noise music, which, combined with their generally horrific vocals, screaming feedback palls, and merciless heaviness was at the absolute forefront of today's extreme music scene. <br /><br />Although I'm at a loss as to what the reasons for the breakup are, the arc of their career has apparently taken them to a precipice. It would be hard to imagine how anything could possibly be more forceful and terrifying than last year's <em>From All Purity, </em>a record that I wrote about<em> </em>in this here blog when it was released. It's with great disappointment that I learned it was to be their swan song. Where the individual members decide to go from here remains to be seen.<br />
<br />A tip of the cap to a fine band that will be sorely missed. Hail!One pissed off Canadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483730694976496235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8853869205384632002.post-15509657492125090692015-01-24T00:42:00.003-08:002015-01-24T00:42:54.648-08:00ReflectionRob Flynn from <strong>Machine Head</strong> (and <strong>Vio-Lence</strong>, for those of you old enough to remember) is an intelligent man with interesting opinions about things. A few days ago he posted a blog article touching on the film Selma, and worked it into a thinkpiece about the state of race in America in 2015, among other things.<br /><br />Have a read. Don't worry, I'll wait.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.metalsucks.net/2015/01/21/machine-heads-robb-flynn-speaks-selma-racism-phil-labonte/">http://www.metalsucks.net/2015/01/21/machine-heads-robb-flynn-speaks-selma-racism-phil-labonte/</a><br /><br />This makes me like Flynn that much more. Metal can be a tricky place for politics. A wide swath of it is pure escapism, and there is a real conservative streak running through some aspects of the heavy metal community. Now, I don't wanna get all Carducci on you and make everything you listen to about politics. Sometimes music is just music, and that's a big part of why its able to unite people. I'm a progressive, and if you're not, that's fine. We can argue about issues and still both like <strong>Slayer</strong>. But this stuff is worth talking about, and kudos to Flynn for sticking his neck out.<br /><br />For any kind of public figure, having an opinion about something controversial is a no-win situation. You can't keep everyone happy. So it takes integrity to talk about issues like this, and hard work to maintain credibility. Fact is, we have a lot of problems in this world. And metal has always been a voice for the disaffected and the disadvantaged. I'm glad to see some people aren't afraid to use that voice.One pissed off Canadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483730694976496235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8853869205384632002.post-32877084257799925812015-01-01T23:46:00.003-08:002015-01-02T14:53:10.036-08:00The Amplifier Altar's Top 50 Albums of 2014I think putting out your list of the best records before the end of the year is bullshit. You can't possibly have heard everything you need to hear. There's just too much good stuff, whatever you happen to be into. Here are a few honourable mentions:<br />
<br />
Agalloch - The Serpent & The Sphere<br />
At The Gates - At War With Reality<br />
Black Lips - Underneath The Rainbow<br />
Bo Ningen - III<br />
Boris - Noise<br />
Caribou - Our Love<br />
Chromeo - White Women<br />
Cloud Nothings - Here And Nowhere Else<br />
Coffinworm - IV.I.VIII<br />
Corrosion Of Conformity - IX<br />
Fucked Up - Glass Boys<br />
Grouper - Ruins<br />
Hookworms - Hum<br />
Iced Earth - Plagues Of Babylon<br />
Jack White - Lazaretto<br />
Judas Priest - Redeemer Of Souls<br />
Mark McGuire - Along The Way<br />
Morgan Delt - Morgan Delt<br />
Mutilation Rites - Harbinger<br />
The Mounties - Thrash Rock Legacy<br />
Parquet Courts - Constant Nausea<br />
Protomartyr - Under Color Of Official Right<br />
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Sólstafir - Ótta</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sunn O))) & Ulver - Terrestrials</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thom Yorke - Tomorrow's Modern Boxes</div>
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<br /></div>
Now, time to lay some descriptives on ya.<br />
<br />
<b>50. Ringworm - <i>Hammer Of The Witch</i></b><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Punishing d-beat hardcore from moshpit beatdown veterans. It's all huge <b>Disfear</b> guitars that absolutely flatten and driven by a superowered drummer. The
production was cleaner than I would have liked, but there's no question these
guys know how to lay it down, and the vocals are vicious and filled with vitriol. Plus it's got a kickass cover and a shamanic heavy metal cover to die for.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>49. Run The Jewels - <i>Run The Jewels 2</i></b><br />
<br />
I don't really keep up with what's going on in hip hop these days, but I know what I like when I hear it. A friend showed me <b>Run the Jewels</b>' first record a little while back and I was all up in it. <b>El-P</b> <b>Killer Mike</b>'s second release as <b>Run The Jewels</b> may even be better. With impossibly dextrous flow and uncompromising content, these guys give the form a kick in the ass. The real draw for me though is the beats. Some of the bass tones here are so heavy they'll sand off your dome.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>48. Dust Bolt - <i>Awake The Riot</i></b><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It seems not a year goes by that I don't read about the
death of the thrash revival... What the people who say these things don't seem
to understand is that thrash is an evergreen musical style. There's always some
longhairs or gutter punks in a garage somewhere willing to pay repeated tribute
to the masters. That being said, there isn't a ton of truly inspiring stuff out
there, even though some of the masters themselves are still going. Greybeards
like <b>Exodus </b>and <b>Overkill </b>released decent but overlong and underwhelming records
this year, and aside from <b>Tankard</b>'s highly enjoyable <b>R.I.B.</b>, not much classic,
faithful-to-the-80s speed metal was blowing my hair back. And then I find out
about a band like <b>Dust Bolt</b> that blows that whole idea to hell. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Opener
"Living Hell" ripped my face off, and from there the band proceeded
to kick my ass with hyperspeed E string chugging, intense shredding solos,
relentless drumming, 7 killer riffs a song, and a razor-sharp production job
that provides serious thump without ever sounding too slick. The vocals
alternate between an 80's hardcore bark and soaring metal screams that would do
Tom Araya proud. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Awake the Riot</i> does suffer one major deficiency -- clocking in
at 12 tracks that last just under an hour, it does tend to drag after a while.
Word to young thrashers -- <b>Metallica</b> managed to make <i>Ride the Lightning</i> less
than 48 minutes long, and <b>Slayer</b>'s <i>Reign in Blood</i> is like half a freakin' hour.
Your shit probably isn't as good as that, so edit judiciously.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>47. Trap Them - <i>Blissfucker</i></b><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This furious d-beat hardcore unit followed up its
breakthrough record <i>Darker Handcraft</i> with another punishing platter
of misanthropic violence. With a beefier, buzz saw guitar sound that owes a
huge debt to the first two <b>Entombed </b>records (what doesn't, these days?) as well
as a more spacious approach to songwriting, <i>Blissfucker </i>is a more dynamic and varied
listen than its predecessor, while still retaining a hundred percent of the
aggression and moshpit beatdownability.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>46. Vanhelgd - <i>Relics of Sulphur Salvation</i></b><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Swedish 4-piece <b>Vanhelgd </b>have returned with a punishing
collection of blackened riffs and crusty vocals that sound positively caked in
filth. With a relentless drum attack and huge riffs criss-crossing all over one
another, <i>Relics of Sulphur Salvation</i> is a winning combination of intricate song
construction and chunky, riff-based attack. It's reminiscent of the sound
<b>Entombed </b>forged on their first couple records, but with a with a modern production
job that boasts a big, meaty guitar sound. Things can get a little heady at
times, as most of these songs fall in the 5 to 6 minute range, but very little
here is wasted. At 8 tracks and 41 minutes in length, <i>Relics</i> is a lean, focused
and powerful statement from one of the best metal bands Europe has to offer.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>45. Soen - <i>Tellurian</i></b><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It's impossible not to talk about prog-rock super group <b>Soen
</b>without mentioning the fact that they sound like <b>Tool</b>. I mean, they really,
REALLY sound a lot like <b>Tool</b>. Much like that LA institution, <b>Soen </b>favours odd
time signatures and complex, groove-oriented song structures, while Vocalist
Joel Ekelöfsounds more than a little like Maynard James Keenan, not to mention
<b>Opeth</b>'s Mikael Åkerfeldt. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Former <b>Opeth </b>and <b>Amon Amarth</b> Drummer Martin Lopez is
an absolute dynamo on the kit here, pounding out syncopated cross-rhythms and
hammering double bass runs with aplomb. It's not an easy sound to ape, and few
have even bothered to try. I found their debut, <i>Cognitive</i>, to be an enjoyable,
if derivative listen, but something about it seemed a little bloodless. The
chops are there, no question, but Soen just couldn't nail the primal intensity
that is the <b>Tool </b>trademark. <i>Tellurian</i> is a something of step up in that
department... Although they sound much like what this band has done before,
they sustain a level of intensity that <i>Cognitive </i>lacked.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tracks like
"Pluton" and "Void" are twisting, multipart suites that mix
up relentless pummeling with trippy, atmospheric sessions and a keen melodic
sense. So if you like <b>Tool </b>or <b>A Perfect Circle</b>, there's no reason you won't
enjoy this. And since it's been almost 9 years since the last <b>Tool </b>album, I think
I can deal with a lack of originality.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>44. Floor - <i>Oblation</i></b><br />
<br />
So I guess it's just best to get this out of the
way: <b>Floor</b>'s first album in a dozen years sounds a lot like a new <b>Torche </b>album.
Well, yes, but that's okay. Guitarist/vocalist Steve Brooks formed <b>Torche </b>after <b>Floor </b>went on hiatus in the early aughts, and since then he's done pretty well for himself. He advanced his vision to great heights with <b>Torche</b>'s <i>Meanderthal </i>album, and
ever since he's always been compared to the <b>Foo Fighters</b> while actually sounding more
like the <b>Melvins </b>in their less obnoxious moments. Like <b>Baroness </b>and <b>Kylesa</b>, <b>Floor </b>have figured out a way to
meld modern recording techniques and pop-savvy songwriting ability to a
comfortably heavy sensibility.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>43. Tankard - <i>R.I.B.</i></b><br />
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<br /></div>
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Beer-soaked thrash veterans who have never quite been able to earn the profile of their countrymen <b>Kreator</b>, <b>Sodom </b>and <b>Destruction</b>. Which is a shame, because the sense of humor these guys bring to their lovably retrograde 80s style speed metal makes for some memorable songs and a thoroughly enjoyable listen. It's no different from what they've always done, but the likes of "War Cry," "No One Hit Wonder" and the title track have some great riffs and fantastic shout along vocals. Great to see these guys steadfastly refusing to grow up.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>42. Monolord - <i>Empress Rising</i></b><br />
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<br /></div>
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Channeling the galaxy-crushing force of <b>Electric Wizard</b> and
<b>Ufomammut</b>, <b>Monolord </b>are a Swedish power trio that play heavy cosmic doom. This
is their first record. The 12-minute title track with its mantra-like
repetition of the two-note bong-blasted hook is the gateway drug here. After
that it's more of the same, but I 'aint complaining. <b>Monolord </b>aren't
reinventing wheel, but they've got riffs to burn. I'd like to see some growth
and a little bit more personality on the number 2, but until then this will do
just fine.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>41. Flying Lotus - <i>You're Dead</i></b><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Like most of the music by <b>Flying Lotus</b>, <i>You're
Dead</i> is all over the place. These songs at times feature skronking horn
blasts and <b>Thundercat</b>'s nimble bass runs matched to schizophrenic beats and
heavily manipulated vocal samples. It's difficult to tell where one song begins
and another one ends, or to even call them songs at all. The whole things
sounds as if it's been tossed in a blender. It's a sound collage, where jazz,
hip hop and electronic music collide to form confounding permutations. This
adventurous spirit is strongly influenced by the free jazz pioneered by his
uncle and spiritual godfather <b>John Coltrane</b>. <i>You're Dead</i> is
probably the most aggressive record <b>Flying Lotus</b> has made, and it features a
whole whack of guests, from <b>Kendrick Lamar</b> to <b>Snoop Dogg</b>.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>40. Serpentine Path - <i>Emanations</i></b><br />
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<br />
This doom supergroup has bettered itself on its second
record with the addition of former <b>Winter </b>guitarist Stephen Flam. His layered
playing adds a degree of texture and intricacy that their previous record
lacked. Former <b>Electric Wizard</b> and <b>Ramsses </b>member Tim Bagshaw still brings the
riffs, but this time around the songwriting is sharper and more dynamic, making
full use of the talents of its two axemen as they weave together palls of
feedback and distortion-swollen leads. And of course, with 3 members of <b>Unearthly
Trance</b> holding down the rhythm section and vocals, you know from the outset
that this record is going to be a heavy one. Dig the syrupy, slow motion solos
on "Systemic Extinction."</div>
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>39. The Liars - <i>Mess</i></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
The Liars' labyrinthine discography just gets weirder and
darker with each record they put out. Their most recent album adds the
4-on-the-floor pulse that has been mostly missing since they debuted with <i>They Threw Us All In A Trench And Built A Monument On Top</i> in 2001.
Despite that, this is not party music. <b>The Liars</b>' use of layered and ominous
vocals and acute sense of space make it sound more like a bloody séance in some
demented dance club. With its death-disco strut, stuttering organ stabs and
gorgeous synth washes, "Pro Anti Anti" is my favourite track, but
there is plenty to like here for <b>Liars </b>fans.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>38. Parquet Courts - <i>Sunbathing Animals</i></b><br />
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<br />
The line "Turn on the white noise of the AM band, and
the last classic rock band's last solid record creeps in, " on
"Instant Disassembly" to me sums up this band's entire career.
They're a band that's heavily influenced by classic rock but not beholden to
it, with lyrics that are clever but have emotional depth. The line might as
well refer to the <b>Stones</b>, since it carries with it the weariness of the Stones'
best work... it might as well be a lurching barroom ballad off <b>Goats Head Soup</b>.
<i>Sunbathing Animal</i> is one of two solid records the band put out in 2014 along
with the also very good <i>Constant Nausea</i>, but this is the more substantial of the two. Rock 'n'
roll can be better than most of what we get in 2014. <b>Parquet Courts</b> are showing
us how.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>37. Woods of Desolation - <i>As The Stars</i></b><br />
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<br />
I've found myself growing bored with the avalanche of
post/black metal imitators that have inundated the scene over the past decade,
but Australian band <b>Woods Of Desolation</b> have proved that there's still plenty
of interesting BM bands out there. Opener "Like Falling Leaves" rips
into a furious raw, blackened sprint complete with tortured depressive vocals
right off the bat, but <b>Woods of Desolation</b> are far more dynamic than that
initial feint might have you believe. The band reaches much greater heights on
the likes of "And If All The Stars Faded Away" and "Ad
Infinitum," which marry triumphant climaxes to gorgeous, psychedelic
textures. At times the record invites comparisons to Ukrainian black metal bogeymen
<b>Drudkh</b>, which makes sense because former <b>Drudkh </b>drummer Vlad appears to lend a
hand or two on the record. And at less than 35 minutes in length, it's far more
economical than many of <b>Woods of Desolation</b>'s peers could manage. Too often
records in this style are burdened with excessive run times, when ultimately,
it's those few transcendent moments which define the listening experience.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>36. Aphex Twin - <i>Syro</i></b><br />
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<br />
Richard D James is back with his first new album under the
<b>Aphex Twin</b> banner in over a decade. If you're at all into weird electronic
music, you're probably already familiar with his work, and its enormous
influence. <b>Syro</b>'s surprise quick-release seemed designed to negate any hype
buildup that would cause a backlash, but it hardly seems necessary. He's
clearly absorbed all the advances that have been made in bass music since the
early '00s, and yet he's still delivered a satisfying record that bears James'
distinctive hallmark. It's almost as enjoyable as any of his classic mid-90s
releases. Somehow, even after all these years, <b>Aphex Twin</b> still seems ahead of
the game.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>35. Godflesh - <i>World Lit Only By Fire</i></b><br />
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<br />
As much as I've always been a fan of Justin Broadrick's work
with <b>Jesu</b>, I found their last few records to be somewhat bloodless... That's
why when Broadrick announced he'd be bringing his long-dormant <b>Godflesh </b>project
out of mothballs, I was very excited. Marking their return with a well-received
EP earlier this year, <b>Godflesh </b>made a triumphant comeback record with <i>World Lit
Only By Fire</i>, a record that brings crushing deliverance for all who crave
mechanical heaviosity of the highest order. The album hearkens back to their
late '80s, early '90s heyday with their trademark industrial blast furnace
stomp pretty much unchanged. Welcome back.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>34. Andy Stott - <i>Faith In Strangers</i></b><br />
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<b><br /></b>
<b>Stott</b>'s incredible 2012 record <i>Luxury Problems</i> was an enveloping soup of hazy, narcoleptic textures and darkly threatening
beats. His second full length retains some of that darkness, but is overall a
more patient, mature record. The track "Violence" is one of the most
incredible pieces of music I heard all year, with its foreboding dread and
disembodied vocals being broken down and reassembled with masterful precision.
Elsewhere, highlights like "No Surrender" and Damage" abound.
<b>Stott </b>has established himself as a truly formidable composer and producer in a
very short amount of time, and <i>Faith in Strangers</i> is not only testament to his
skill and vision, but also a tremendous indication of his potential. Essential
dark electronic music.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>33. Baptists - <i>Bloodmines</i></b><br />
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<br />
Dave Grohl said Nick from Baptists is the best drummer in
the world, so who am I to disagree? The second full length from the best band
in Vancouver is just as punishing as the first. These guys do hardcore right...
fast, dirty and heavy. At times they even downshift into a sludgy <b>Eyehategod
</b>riff that's caked in dirt and spews shards of feedback over a barking madman
who sounds like he's being buried alive. And they're even more intense live.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>32. Swans - <i>To Be Kind</i></b><br />
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<br />
I'll say this about Michael Gira... the dude never stops
working. After <b>Swans</b>' masterful 2012 record <i>The Seer</i> earned critical acclaim from
everyone under the sun, he turns around and puts out another cavernous, 2 hour
plus opus. These hypnotic grooves with their intricate arrangements and their
writhing, swaying menace are worlds away from the primitive noise of early
<b>Swans</b>, while still retaining the same malevolent aura. Keep in mind, this is a
guy entering his fourth decade as a recording artist. Really at this point
there's no one left to impress... it sounds like <b>Swans </b>are just doing whatever
they want.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>31. Thee Oh Sees - <i>Drop</i></b><br />
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<br />
Another super solid garage rock record from one of the most
consistent songwriters in the game, John Dwyer. Consolidating the fuzztone and
wah-pedal worshipping rock and roll of last year's awesome <i>Floating Coffin</i>
album, Dwyer has once again penned a solid group of catchy, memorable rock
songs like "Penetrating Eye" and "Savage Victory" to form
another very good <b>Thee Oh Sees</b> record in a long line of 'em. </div>
<br />
<br />
<b>30. Conan - <i>Blood Eagle</i></b><br />
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<b><br /></b>
<b>Conan</b>'s second album opens with a lone guitar caked in
unabashedly hessian distortion, tolling out a sluggish riff before the
inevitable shit-hammer drops. And then that's pretty much all you get for the
next 44 minutes. But that tone... Generations of stoners have abused their
amps, pulled their hair out over their pedal boards and wrung their guitar
necks looking to create a sound like this. <b>Conan </b>are a doom metal band and they
like to play slow and heavy. They're not particularly theatrical or hateful or
psychedelic and they don't have the chops to play rings around some other
bands... It's all pretty simple, but those crumbling walls of craggy guitar are
absolutely irresistible. Some moments, like the galloping war-metal opening of
"Foehammer" and the dinosaur-trapped-in-a-tar-pit slow down of
"Horns for Teeth" are so awesome that they tap into some part of my
reptile brain and defy every impulse other than to nod my head in agreement.
Yes... YES... YES, THIS ROCKS. No... NO... NO! DON'T STOP ROCKING!!!</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>29. Satan's Wrath - <i>Eons of Satan's Reign</i></b><br />
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<br />
Let's just get this out of the way. When you name your band
<b>Satan's Wrath</b>, and your new record has a title like THAT, people are going to
think things about you without hearing a note of your music. Still, nothing
could have prepared me for the utter kickassedness of the opening track
"Only Satan Is Lord." </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
These Greek thrashers play furious
ultra-satanic thrash that is just straight up FUN. Alongside fellow blackened
thrash revivalists <b>Nekromantheon</b>, these guys are working with a <b>Venom</b>-inspired
palette that draws directly from that magical period when early black metal and
death metal were just starting to separate from the more progressive, upwardly
mobile tendencies of more straight ahead thrash. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The production is a little
muddy, but still powerful and very appropriate for the feel of the album, and
the vocals sound like the kind of thing you'd have heard at a <b>Sodom </b>or <b>Kreator
</b>show in 1985. Nothing else on the record is as catchy as that first track, but
it's an intense, sonic blitzkrieg throughout that old school metal heads will
eat up. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
*Note, I'm usually pretty strict about my release dates. If a record
didn't come out in 2014, it doesn't make the list for that year. Nonetheless, I
later noticed that <i>Eons of Satan's Reign</i> came out on November 12th, 2013. I
didn't hear it until this year though, and anyways, I already wrote the entry,
so whatever.* </div>
<br />
<br />
<b>28. Wo Fat - <i>The Conjuring</i></b><br />
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<br />
Look, I don't know what it is about <b>Wo Fat</b>, but for some
reason I love every record these guys put out. On their fifth full-length they
change absolutely nothing about their approach, meaning the whole record is
nothing but heavy riffin', jammin' <b>Kyuss</b>-inspired super heavy stoner rock. It
also happens to be the best record these guys have put out since 2009's
genre-defining <i>Psychedelonaut</i>... Next time someone tells you that no one is
making any good rock 'n' roll records any more... send them in <b>Wo Fat</b>'s
direction.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>27. The Men - <i>Tomorrow's Hits</i></b><br />
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<i><br /></i>
<i>New Moon</i> was my favourite album of 2013, so it's perhaps to
be expected that their new record would be a step down. This time it's a little
slicker, and a little bit tighter than the classic sprawl of that dusty
masterpiece, although it's not short on intensity. If their last LP was their
"<b>Crazy Horse</b> record," I'd say the new one is more influenced by the
economical but ragged power pop of the <b>Replacements</b>. The cover even reminds me of <b>Big
Star</b>. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They've still got a pile of great songs here, and there is still plenty
of room for some great, off-the-rails rocking on tracks like "The Dark
Waltz," "Another Night" and "Going Down." At a trim 8
tracks and clocking in at less than 37 minutes in length, there isn't an ounce
of fat on this record. Classic rock fans would eat this up if they heard it.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>26. Lord Mantis - <i>Death Mask</i></b><br />
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<br />
I told a friend a few months back that 2014 was "The
year of hideous sludge." I might have been overestimating the appeal of
that kind of thing to your average music listener, but with <b>Thou</b>, <b>Indian</b> and <b>Coffinworm </b>all releasing good stuff, not to mention <b>Eyehategod </b>returning from
the dead with a very strong record, it was a good year for slow, hateful music.
It's a good bet though that nothing is as misanthropic, disgusting or tortured
than this repulsive little piece of filth. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
From the disturbing cover art to
song titles like "Negative Birth" and "You Will Gag for the
Fix," this is not a pleasant listen. Opening track "Body Choke"
is the highlight here, as it rides a bonecrushing groove topped with raspy,
tortured vocals and squealing feedback shards for almost 9 minutes before
collapsing on itself. And if that sounds like something you might enjoy
listening to, <b>Lord Mantis</b> just might be your cup of bile.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>25. Machine Head - <i>Bloodstone & Diamonds</i></b><br />
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<br />
Rob Flynn's long running thrash/groove metal project continues to impress. Although their mid-period releases were (somewhat unfairly) maligned by fans, the band righted the ship with a tremendous return to form on <i>Through The Ashes of Empires</i> in 2004. Since then they have never faltered -- <i>Bloodstone & Diamonds</i> is the band's fourth excellent album in a row since that rebirth. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Although not as immediate as their last record, 2011's <i>Unto The Locust</i>, it's a more ambitious and musically complex affair. You could fairly describe <i>Bloodstones & Diamonds</i> as <b>Machine Head</b>'s prog album. Throughout they make use of violins, choirs, and vocal samples to spice up their still ferocious metallic attack. it's also quite long, which can make it a bit difficult to digest in a single sitting. Still, tracks like "Now We Die," "Beneath the Silt" and the utterly crushing "Sail Into The Black" are as good as anything they've ever done, proof positive that <b>Machine Head</b> is a long way from running out of gas yet.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>24. Teitanblood - <i>Death</i></b><br />
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<br />
This Spanish band's second album is as pummeling and arduous
a listen as I encountered this past year. At nearly 70 minutes in length, much
of it filled with absolutely insane riffing and equally punishing double bass
drumming, Death is sure to test the patience of even the most hardened
listener. But this is no one-dimensional bash-fest. As brutal as <b>Teitanblood
</b>are capable of being, they know how to build tension and and open up their
arrangements with different textures and intriguing instrumentation. In that
respect, they're similar to the likes of <b>Nile </b>and <b>Morbid Ange</b>l, two genre
heavyweights who are capable of keeping things more interesting and dynamic
than your average death metal band. Check the awesome 12 and a half minute tour
de force "Sleeping Throats of the Antichrist" for proof.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>23. The Pack AD - <i>Do Not Engage</i></b><br />
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<br />
Vancouver's <b>The Pack A.D.</b> is one of the best rock bands going
these days, and this is their finest record yet. All throughout, Becky Black
lays down vintage <b>Stooges </b>Ur-riffs and tops 'em with a banshee wail that
pierces the heavens while Maya Miller commits assault and battery on the kit. The
evident enthusiasm with which <b>The Pack </b>play is simply oozing from these
grooves. Everything is high energy and raw, even though this is the best
production job they've ever had. The likes of "Airborne,"
"Battering Ram" and "The Water" contain some of their best
pop hooks ever, yet <i>Do Not Engage</i> is also harder and freakier than they've ever
gotten before. There's a real psychedelic edge here too, meaning the album
doubles as both a biker rock burner and a nocturnal headphone record. If you
don't know 'em yet, get on the bandwagon.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>22. Lumerians - <i>Transmissions From Telos Vol. III</i></b><br />
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<br />
The San Francisco astral travelers’ newest album opens with
a fuzzy bassline, followed by groovy drumming and wavy guitars weaving simple
patterns into a trance-inducing groove. In other words, it sounds like <b>Lumerians</b>. With the help of some spaced out free rock keyboard and guitar
soundscapes, plenty of effects and boundless patience, these hypnotists may
have crafted their most mesmerizing platter yet. I don't know any of the song
titles, because I'm still lying in the middle of the floor covered in beads and
wondering where my favourite rug went. That thing really tied the room
together.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>21. Pallbearer - <i>Foundations of Burden</i></b><br />
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<br />
Glancing around at other peoples' year end lists has led me
to believe that maybe I'm not as high on this record as a lot of people are. I
prefer their debut -- it had a rawer, more lived-in sound that appealed to me
more, plus nothing on here struck me as instantly gratifying as <i>Sorrow and
Extinction'</i>s "The Foreigner." But that's nitpicking really, there is
no question that <b>Pallbearer </b>are a special band. They've kind of found
themselves in a similar position to what <b>Deafheaven </b>was in last year... They're
a band that plays a type of music that is typically only heard by a niche
audience (in this case, traditional doom metal) and they're getting a lot of
attention from outside of that sphere. Time will tell what they decide to do
next, but for now, <i>Foundations of Burden</i> is a sweeping, transcendent opus that
looks to make a lot of new fans for this impressive group.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>20. Pilgrim - <i>II: Void Worship</i></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
These doom traditionalists have outdone their debut on this
crushing sophomore release. It opens with a tasty 2 minute medieval guitar
intro, followed by a thunderous full band trudge that sets the mood before the
Wizard makes his entrance... It's impossible for me not to love the wonderfully
D&D feel of the opening lyric, ritualistically intoned in a cavernous
bellow: "In the master's chamber/I was turned to stone." Despite the
kickass midtempo lurch of "The Paladin", for the most part this is a
record that requires patience. Tempos here vary somewhat, but make no mistake,
this is classic, lumbering doom metal with a fantastical bent and theatrical
vocals that owe a debt to <b>Candlemass</b>. "Void Worship" and "Away
From Here" are relentless dirges that suffocate with pure weight, topped
with a guitar tone most bands would sell their bass player for.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>19. First Aid Kit<i> - Stay Gold</i></b><br />
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<b><br /></b>
<b>First Aid Kit</b> are a Swedish indie folk duo comprised of two
sisters who brush their ghostly harmonies across crystalline acoustic and pedal
steel guitar backdrops that invoke lonely roads and wide open spaces. <i>Stay
Gold</i> is their fourth record, and it's by far their most accomplished and
enveloping. Although they have hardly altered their approach since releasing
their earliest music, they have refined it to great effect. Something about
these songs seems blurry and nostalgic, like squinting through the sun at a
half-remembered dream. And at their best, they have some fantastic hooks.
"My Silver Lining" stole my heart the moment I heard it.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>18. Indian - <i>From All Purity</i></b><br />
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<br />
Coming off a breakout album in 2011's <i>Guiltless</i>, <b>Indian
</b>sought to sound even more extreme by embracing noise music. This makes for the
most abrasive record yet from these Chicago doom/sludge miscreants. Like
everything <b>Indian </b>do, "From All Purity" is an absolutely devastating
listen, flattening buildings with its mass and density, and burning faces with
its corrosive vocals. But the new chaotic noise that is frenetically smashed
together with the rest of the band adds a new layer of intensity. The new frontier in extreme music is the blurring of edges between noise and metal, and <b>Indian </b>are on the cutting edge.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>17. Panopticon - <i>Roads to the North</i></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b>
<b>Panopticon</b>'s second album is a more cohesive blend of the black
metal/bluegrass hybrid they've been forging for a few years now. Much like
their full length debut <i>Kentucky</i>, and a split release with like-minded British
Columbians <b>Skagos</b>, <i>Roads to the North</i> contains plenty of twisting,
blackened sprints while injecting a gritty dose of rurality accompanied by
militant pro-labour sloganeering. This is similar to what the excellent grindcore band
<b>Liberteer </b>did on 2012's brilliant <i>Better To Die On Your Feet Than Live On Your
Knees</i> album. Unlike on the intermittently awesome <i>Kentucky, </i>there are fewer seems showing this time, and the blend
doesn't seem forced. At times in the past the blastbeats and banjos approach
seemed contrived. Instead <i>Roads to the North</i> is a raging and transcendent black
metal ice storm infused with the earthy, authentic spirit of classic Americana.
Like <b>Deafheaven </b>would sound like if they got into <b>The Band</b> instead of <b>My
Bloody Valentine</b>.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>16. Blut Aus Nord - <i>Memoria Vetusta III: Saturnian Poetry</i></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
This French one-man black metal band has released some of
the most daring and adventurous heavy music of the past several years at a time
when black metal, and in particular, shiny, shoegaze-inflected, post-black
metal was over-saturating the marketplace. Without resorting to the primitive
retrenchment of so many kvlt reactionaries, <b>Blut Aus Nord</b>'s <i>777 </i>trilogy was an
adventurous cross-pollination of electronic textures, triumphant
experimentalism, frigid blasting, powerful guitarchetecture and clean
production. Following that artistic peak, <b>Blue Aus Nord</b> has returned now to an
earlier sound, completing a seperate trilogy that returns to a more
traditional black metal approach that embraces the epic grandeur of the likes
of <b>Emperor </b>and <b>Enslaved</b>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was the right time to do so, as the organic feel of
the record stands in stark contrast with the high tech approach of the <i>777
</i>records, and calling to mind chilling visions of snow-capped vistas and howling
winter winds. Another left turn for one of the most consistently interesting
metal musicians in the world, <i>Saturnian Poetry</i> balances beauty with brutality
in a way that's downright inspiring.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>15. Ty Segall - <i>Manipulator</i></b><br />
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<br />
Something about this seems like <b>Ty Segall</b>'s tour de force
record. Partially this is because most <b>Ty Segall</b> records are economical,
cramming about a dozen or so good, short songs into about 35 minutes.
<i>Manipulator</i> on the other hand is a sprawling, massive opus that lasts nearly an
hour. Also worth noting is the fact that in the past, most of his records mined
one specific sound. <i>Manipulator</i> is different, displaying all of his
different personas, from sad eyed crooner, to flower child, to leather-jacketed
hoodlum, to studio bound obsessive to guitar hero rock star. It's probably not
my favourite <b>Ty Segall</b> album (That would still be 2010's <i>Melted</i>), but it's an
excellent introduction to the man and his work.</div>
<br />
<br />
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<b>14. Behemoth - <i>The Satanist</i></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
This long-running Polish blackened death metal band released
one of the strongest albums of their career with <i>The Satanist</i>. At this point
these guys are really just a vanguard heavy metal band with blackened roots,
but the grandeur of opener "Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel" and the
finely crafted solos of "Messe Noire" are as mighty as any <b>Iron
Maiden</b> or <b>Judas Priest</b> epic. Because so much of its appeal rests in instrumental proficiency, heavy metal has always been a genre that allows its practitioners to grow old gracefully. On <i>The Satanist</i>, <b>Behemoth </b>have embraced their role as elder
statesman, and it suits them. And it was much better than the new <b>Vader </b>album.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>13. Tombs - <i>Savage Gold</i></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
New York's Tombs made one of the best metal albums of the
past decade with 2011's <i>Path Of Totality</i> (unfortunately for them,
<b>Korn </b>released a dubstep album of the same name just a year later). It was a charred mix of blackened and extreme metal, sludge and thrash, fortified with steely resolve and a crustiness that belied the band members' hardcore backgrounds. So <i>Savage Gold</i>
is <b>Tombs</b>' attempt to top it by being bigger and better. While I can't say I
love it as much as I do <i>Path Of Totality</i>, this is still an absolute beast of an
album. Even when they play fast (and they can absolutely rip), everything is
impossibly dense and heavy. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The guitar tone here is frigid and bulked up to an
absurd degree... <i>Savage Gold</i> is definitely cleaner than their early
records. At times they bring to mind a black metal <b>Bison</b>, but with a more serious
and intense focus... there is none of that BC crew's good-natured dudeness
about <b>Tombs</b>. They're much colder than that. And quite a few of their
compositions, like "Thanatos" and "Edge Of Darkness" are
very impressive. <i>Savage Gold </i>is the work of a band that
senses it's at the peak of its powers and wants to create a monument to its
awesomeness. And I don't begrudge them that. But they could probably do well to
scale back a bit next time.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>12. Slough Feg - <i>Digital Resistance</i></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
This is full-on, classic, lighter lifting heavy metal delivered in a
heroic rasp by main man Mike Scalzi. Of course, he also accompanies himself on
lead guitar, and is equally adept at meaty, chugging riffs and searing, wailing leads.
Something about the way <b>Slough Feg</b> songs are constructed seems appealingly skeletal to me. For starters, everything sounds analog, fitting for an album which is
ostensibly about fear of technology. They're not overwhelmingly loud (at least,
not compared to some other metal bands) or brutal or technical. But the songs
are so infectious, and the band just sounds like some guys in a room bashing
out the most epic tales of sorcery and battle. It's infectious, uplifting and
exciting heavy metal that presses all the buttons of classic <b>Maiden </b>while still
retaining a raw, streetwise feel that is miles removed from some of the
cheesier power metal stuff.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>11. Primordial - <i>Where Greater Men Have Fallen</i></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
These Irish stalwarts have been crafting powerful, anthemic
heavy metal while retaining a blackened, extreme edge since the late 80s. Their
8th album is perhaps their greatest work yet. Thrilling and ambitious, this
behemoth clocks in at just under an hour, but feels grand in scope and
execution. The title track may be my absolute metal anthem of the year. Here's
to a triumphant salvo of first rate heavy metal from a band that refuses to
rest on its laurels.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>10. Electric Wizard - <i>Time to Die</i></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
As much as I love this record, I don't find that <i>Time to Die</i>
is any better or worse than either of the Wizard's last two albums, 2010's
<i>Black Masses</i> and 2007's <i>Witchcult Today</i>. Still, it seems from all the
attention these UK Doom legends have gotten from the media this year that I'm
just going to have to jump on the bandwagon and sing the praises of <i>Time to
Die</i>. After all, I've been flying the flag for these guys since I was in high
school, and to me they'll always be the heaviest band in the universe. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The return
of classic-era drummer Mark Greening for his first time in the studio with the
band since 2002's Let Us Prey is a big help. As much as the Wizard has always
been Jus Oborn's beast, Greening's assault and battery drum performance
provides a useful counterweight to the godly heavy riffs of Oborn and Liz
Buckingham. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But really, it's always been about the spacey cosmic edged mixed
with the sleazy biker-friendly B horror movie witchcraft that the Wizard have
always imparted to their sound, and in that sense, Time To Die is another
top-shelf release from a band that has long since established its place in the
pantheon of heaviness. This is music for bad people.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>9. Eyehategod - <i>Eyehategod</i></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
After 14 years of nothing from <b>Eyehategod</b>, this is a record
I just kind of assumed would never get made. After all, you're not talking
about the most stable people in the world. But these legendary New Orleans
sludgecore merchants have been through more sickness and disaster than most of
us would ever care to experience, and it's clearly informed these songs with a
whole new spirit of bile.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Informed by obscurity, poverty, corruption and drug
abuse, and all of it percolating amid the shattered backdrop of post-Katrina
Louisiana, this is raw, hateful music. The guitar sound is as sickening as
ever, as gutshot riffs spill out over messy feedback, stretching and distending
time. Mike Williams' anguished screech hasn't lost any of its malevolence, and
the sound is probably heavier than anything they've ever had, if not as raw.
This is easily their best record since <i>Dopesick</i>. It's good to have them back.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>8. Tinariwen - <i>Emmaar</i></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
These desert guitar gurus spool off endless glassy guitar
jams spiced up with chanting and hand percussion. It's a heady mix, and
Tinariwen know how to build a meditative groove that's perfect for trance-outs.
But if you listen closely, you'll find there's actually a keen melodic sense at
work here, enough so that even if you can't understand what any of the
vocalizations means, you'll find yourself humming along anyways.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>7. Goat - <i>Commune</i></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Swedish world-psych collective <b>Goat </b>return with their second
album, the aptly named <i>Commune</i>. Much like their debut, <i>Commune </i>is a pot pourri
of all things trippy and mind expanding. Furious wah-guitars, fuzzed out bass,
handclaps, unintelligible vocal chanting, weird samples, hand percussion and
horns are all layered on top of each other to form mantra-like grooves that are
utterly trance-inducing. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The key here is the family like nature of the group.
No one instrument or voice dominates the music. Instead, all sound is made in
service to the group ideal, forming a cohesive whole that's more than the sum
of its parts. It's the sound of a hashish caravan taking off across the desert for
parts unknown. No one knows if they will reach their destination, but they'll
take the journey together.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>6. Black Anvil - <i>Hail Death</i></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I first came across <b>Black Anvil </b>by way of their excellent
2010 album, <i>Triumvirate</i>. I dug its mix of blackened thrash, raspy vocals and
classic heavy metal hooks. I'm pleased that after a 4 year wait, they returned
with an album that ups the ante, taking an already huge sound and pulling at
the edges, making it more exciting and dynamic. Dueling guitar leads and
relentless galloping rhythms abound, but <b>Black Anvil</b> also take the time to
incorporate clean tones, psychedelic tail outs and sludgy riffs. There are some
truly epic, lighter lifting moments to be found on <i>Hail Death</i>, the kind of
bombast that never fails to get me to throw up the horns and headbang along.</div>
<br />
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<b>5. Thou - <i>Heathen</i></b></div>
<br />
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Of course, 2014 saw its fair share of ultra-heavy sludge.
But there's something triumphant and grandiose about this record
which elevates it to heights I just don't think doom or sludge metal has
reached before. Oh sure there have been bands like <b>Torche </b>and <b>Baroness </b>who can
take a punky base with filthy guitars and downshift into tar pits of
feedback-drenched riffs and then add hooks and clean singing and a healthy dose
of songwriting ability. But damn, I don't think anyone has ever written
COMPOSITIONS like these. I mean, the guitarcheticture here is worthy of an <b>Iron
Maiden</b> or a <b>Metallica</b> in their prime, but guided by the feel of unskilled
labourers like <b>Black Sabbath</b> and <b>Eyehategod</b>. And those vocals... absolutely
hideous in layrnx-shredding tone, but with undeniable force and command. </div>
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<br /></div>
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The
supreme grandeur of <i>Heathen </i>makes its presence felt immediately, as opener "Free
Will" starts with a pall of noise and a somber guitar figure before the
full band makes its entrance. Soon <b>Thou </b>launches into a mighty riff that plods
inexorably along at a ponderous pace. These sorts of destructive marches appear
frequently on <i>Heathen</i>, and each time the effect is suitably stirring. Thou have
certainly studied up on their <b>Grief</b>, <b>Eyehategod </b>and <b>Iron Monkey</b> records. But
"Grissecon," the best track off their previous album <i>Summit </i>gave only
a taste of the heights Thou might climb. Growing more patient, confident and
ambitious with every step, <b>Thou </b>added something uplifting, something vast to
the music on <i>Heathen</i>. The result is nothing short of a masterpiece.</div>
<br />
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<b>4. YOB - <i>Clearing the Path to Ascend</i></b></div>
<br />
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Eugene Oregon's finest return with another album of
shimmering, transcendent doom. Few bands can so consistently top themselves,
and a very good argument can be made that each of their albums has been better
than the last (Though I'll always have a place in my heart for 2003's
<i>Catharsis</i>). Mike Scheidt still sounds like Dave Mustaine trapped in a wind
tunnel, but <b>YOB</b>'s mighty riffs inhabit a holy place very few bands have
reached. On just 4 tracks spanning over an hour, <b>YOB </b>take us on a journey
that's perilous, gripping, and spiritually uplifting. Begin your pilgrimage.</div>
<br />
<br />
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<b>3. Earth - <i>Primitive and Deadly</i></b></div>
<br />
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For a band that has gone through as many permutations as
<b>Earth </b>has to affect such a stunning transformation at this late date is truly
astonishing. Having done away with the dusty, cinematic soundscapes that first
appeared on <i>Hex</i> and carried on until the <i>Angels of Darkness</i> double release they completed in
2012, Dylan Carlson has found a way to combine the distinct phases of <b>Earth</b>'s
musical personality into something new. </div>
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<br /></div>
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The picturesque beauty of their later
era and the amplifier-crumbling power of their early recordings are both here,
along with a raft of collaborators who add their own elements to the mix.
"Torn By The Fox Of The Crescent Moon" sounds like <b>Slayer</b> at 16 RPM,
while "From The Zodiacal Light" adds baking vocals to great effect.
In a way, <b>Earth</b>'s music has mirrored their career arc... massive, deliberate,
and inexorable. They may not move fast, but they're always going forward.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>2. The War on Drugs - <i>Lost In the Dream</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<br />
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It's no secret that a lot of people love this record. And
why not? The follow-up to <b>The War on Drugs</b>' excellent 2011 record <i>Slave Ambient</i>
was more dynamic and expansive, complete with woozy slide guitar, shimmering
reverb, sunburnt textures and sleepy, dreamlike
vocals. <i>Lost in the Dream</i> practically screams "summer record", and its languid beauty soundtracked some of the best moments of 2014 for me.
From boating on the Shuswap for a buddy's bachelor party, to road tripping
through the Okanagan desert with my girlfriend and many nights sharing a
beer with good friends, no record this year has as many happy
memories attached to it as Lost In The Dream. Moreover, I saw them perform a number of tracks
from the album this past May at the Austin Psych Fest while sitting under a tree with some buddies, which basically amounted to paradise.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>1. The Body - <i>I Shall Die Here</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
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I didn't really have a hard time deciding what album was my
favourite of 2014. Although killer records by <b>Thou</b>, <b>Earth</b>, <b>The War on Drugs</b> and
others all got heavy rotation around the Amplifier Altar this year, nothing matched the brutal intensity, the fearless experimentation, and the bold
conviction of <i>I Shall Die Here</i>. It's one of the only truly extreme albums I've
heard in a long time, and one of the most unsettling. </div>
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<i>I Shall Die Here</i>'s seamless
deconstruction of metal, electronic, experimental, musique concrete, glitch,
field recordings, avant-garde and drone music is unlike anything I've ever
heard. You can spot the influences, sure, and <b>The</b> <b>Body</b>'s own work in the past
has certainly hinted at their genre-blending potential. But this is a record
that is utterly unprecedented in the annals of music. Seriously, nothing is
like it. It's crushingly heavy, but at the same time it's been sliced up to the
point where it's hardly recognizable as anything approaching metal. It uses
plenty of sub bass tones which could reductively be seen as influenced by
dubstep, but if the name of the album wasn't a clue, <i>I Shall Die Here</i> is far
too bleak and foreboding to be anything resembling dance music. </div>
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This isn't a difficult record though. As strange as it may sound, the use of groove and rhythm here
is so subtly addictive, you may not even notice until you're nodding along with
a particularly insistent beat that you realize you've been hooked. Much of the
credit needs to go to Bobby Krlic aka <b>Haxan Cloak</b>, who deserves equal
billing for the way he was able to harness the identity of an already unique
but somewhat difficult band, and turn them into a powerhouse in his role as
producer. It's difficult to make groundbreaking music that no one has heard
anything like before, and harder still to make it enjoyable for the casual fan.
<b>The Body</b> have certainly accomplished this, delivering their darkest, most
addictive record yet. <i>I Shall Die Here</i> is an instant classic, a record which
creates and inhabits its own world, a piece of art that will challenge your
ideas about music, art, technology and emotion.</div>
One pissed off Canadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483730694976496235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8853869205384632002.post-32352107311888530852014-04-16T00:29:00.000-07:002015-01-02T00:31:12.607-08:00RitualSwedish psych-collective <b>Goat </b>brought their <i>Live Ballroom Ritual</i> set to the crumbling Rickshaw Theatre last night, right in the heart of Vancouver's friendly Downtown Eastside.<b> Goat</b>'s <i>World Music</i> album has probably gotten as many spins on the altar as anything since it came out in late 2012, (although I didn't hear it until a few months later, and it didn't make my list of top favs from that year, natch. It woulda been way up the list.) so needless to say I'd been looking forward to this show for some time. Not only that, but I have a good number of friends of different tastes and walks of life who were also curious to see the group in the flesh, so wide and varied is its appeal. It promised to be the social event of the season.<br />
<br />
I'm pleased to report that the show exceeded my expectations, although things got off to a less than promising start. My ticket clearly said the show was to start at 9:30, but when I arrived, I was told by friends that opening band <b>Three Wolf Moon</b> had already played. Clearly something was fucked up, which is a real shame as I'd been looking forward to seeing these locals live for the first time. The mellow, yet forceful classic rock jams of last year's self titled LP made an impression on me, though I always felt their golden, analog sound needed some work in the songwriting department to become more dynamic and memorable. It's a pleasant listen though, and I'm disappointed I didn't get a chance to see them with another year of seasoning under their belts. I'm told by reliable sources they put on a good set, although they were better opening for <b>Dead Meadow</b> at the Electric Owl a couple weeks back.<br />
<br />
<b>Holy Wave</b> hit the stage next with a solid set of modern psych rock. The crowd seemed reasonably into it, as did many of my friends, but I wasn't as enthusiastic. Although they hit all the pleasure centers that I enjoy with this type of music, the influences stood out too starkly for the band to create its own identity. It was a bit of <b>Spacemen 3</b> and <b>Brian Jonestown Massacre</b>, some <b>Moon Duo</b> and <b>Wooden Shjips</b>, and a lot of <b>Black Angels </b>and <b>Dandy Warhols</b>. The band were tight, with multiple good vocalists and some powerful grooves that got the place moving. Unfortunately while their set was at times quite intense and engaging, it was also uneven. At times songs dragged and got tiresome, a common problem for young bands honing their voice and songwriting chops. I have no doubt that given some more time, <b>Holy Wave</b> will continue to improve as they refine their approach, and I'd say they showed the talent and promise to become quite good someday.<br />
<br />
At last, <b>Goat </b>hit the stage, immediately capturing attention with a stunning visual package. The seven-piece included a drummer, precussionist, bass player and two guitarists, all of whom were decked out head to toe in all manner of exotic African and Middle Eastern regalia. The band was fronted by a pair of dashiki-clad women who gyrated and screamed in time with one another, all while shaking and banging an assortment of precussion instruments and shakers. Together they conjured up a sonic stew that incorporated decades of musical history into a sound that's both comfortingly familiar and yet boldly fresh. From Fela Kuti to Funkadelic, from Can to Cream, all manner of mind-expanding music from the last 50 years was smeared together on <strong>Goat</strong>'s canvas.<br />
<br />
Stripped of the blaring saxaphones that brought a chaotic free jazz edge and a little <i>Exile on Mainstreet-</i>era sleaze to their sound, the band was instead heavier and more guitar dominated than on record. The band's primal stomp was elemental in its ferocity. From my vantage point on the top balcony I was able to witness the whole spectacle unfold, and the band's instrumental performances were all top notch. As loose as the music seems, this is a band that is completely attuned to the individual voices of its members, a collective that due to the massive empathy of the players is truly more than the sum of its parts.<br />
<br />
The setlist was dominated by material from their fantastic <em>World Music</em> album which was performed in its entirety, albeit in a different running order. There were also some songs I didn't recognize... It would not be surprising to me if Goat had much more material than just what has been laid to tape. And of course, these songs were blown up and stretched out live... this is music that is in constant movement... pulsing, grooving, and undulating. It was electric and alive. And the incredible purpose with which the music was played was evident... it truly was a ritual, and we neophytes were privileged to take part. Ten thumbs up.One pissed off Canadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483730694976496235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8853869205384632002.post-32999671176236339712014-03-06T19:16:00.002-08:002014-03-06T19:16:22.441-08:00Indian - From All Purity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6x_X9cDAHmhcYeklAqbEAHM9_nHb9X_IGqQQeqvK1SlNYhwFRvGGRWOq_Dz0BZLHR04kGU13EpJhRzoa17c1bVIZ8CBTFN1wh7PSuXB-ZfF4g2AE7IwQOGgO_TqIE4CoDDGVk_Zvrfweo/s1600/Indian+-+From+All+Purity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6x_X9cDAHmhcYeklAqbEAHM9_nHb9X_IGqQQeqvK1SlNYhwFRvGGRWOq_Dz0BZLHR04kGU13EpJhRzoa17c1bVIZ8CBTFN1wh7PSuXB-ZfF4g2AE7IwQOGgO_TqIE4CoDDGVk_Zvrfweo/s1600/Indian+-+From+All+Purity.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p>Artist: Indian<br />Album: From All Purity<br />Label: Relapse<br />Year: 2014</o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Indian</span></span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">’s 2011 album <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Guiltless</i> was one of the heaviest records I’d ever heard, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">From All Purity</i> is just as crusty and
ferocious as its predecessor. With a blast radius that’s roughly comparable to
the payload of a B-2 bomber, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">From All
Purity</i> is as devastating and misanthropic a collection of music as you will
ever hear. The Chicago doom metal/sludgecore unit has steadily refined its
approach over the last decade with a series of mercilessly heavy releases that expanded
their fanbase and earned them growing critical acclaim. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Guiltless</i> was a breakthrough for them, and the band has spent the
time off since its release preparing a devastating followup. For all the
accolades their previous album earned, I’m of the mind that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">From All Purity</i> is even better, a
further distillation of their repulsive essence.<br />
<br />
This is an unforgivably harsh and abrasive record. It features horrific vocals
and unbelievably heavy guitars caked in sheets of distorted noise which add an
extra layer of demented insanity to the proceedings. Everything about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">From All Purity</i> is crusty, blown out,
and horrifying. These songs don’t let up for an instant in their hellish
intensity. When played at a suitably damaging volume, these strangled,
agonizing screams and massive walls of guitars scour all traces of thought from
your mind. It’s not something you’ll find yourself humming to yourself, and
nothing about it is at all catchy. Instead this is an album meant to be
experienced, and given the chance it will punish your eardrums and scrub all
trace of sanity from your mind.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Rape,” as
the title might suggest, is a suitably distressing opener. Its fitful pounding
and unbearably heavy distortion are punctuated with excruciating screams and
stabs feedback -- it’s like crawling through broken glass. “The Impetus Bleeds”
is equally painful, downshifting further into a yawning chasm of blackness. One
track is almost purely noise, veering into <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Yellow
Swans</b> territory. It’s called “Clarify,” and it’s really just a 5 minute
interlude made up of sheets of raw distortion and agonizing feedback. Sequenced
between the pounding sludge trudges that make up most of the album, it acts as
a sort of palette cleanser, scouring the listener’s mind in preparation for the
next megaton riff detonation. The hammer drops with the finale, and my personal
favourite, “Disambiguation.” It’s almost 8 minutes of mournful, resplendent
doom, at once more spacious and majestic than everything that had come before,
while retaining the malevolent immediacy that is this record’s trademark. Even
when the band seems about to ride the riffs into oblivion, a jarring blast of
doublekicks and tremolo picking blasts through the centre of the mix, adding a
further dimension to the extremity of the band. It’s a fitting conclusion, and
one that suggests new possibilities for the band. Just think… with the final
two tracks, they’ve shown the ability to be noisier and more powerful than they
ever have before.<br />
<br />
People have compared <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Indian</b> to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Eyehategod</b>, and while the comparisons
are warranted, there are very little in the way of that New Orleans crew’s
sporadic hardcore-inflected sprints here. Even when they play a little bit
faster, the standard “rat-ta-tat” polka beat used by rudimentary hardcore
drummers isn’t to be found. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Indian</b> has always taken cues from the
bottom-heavy tom-pummeling of early <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">High
on Fire</b>. There is also more than a little of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Khanate</b>’s hateful malice on display here, from the shrieking feedback,
to the gnarled, wretched delivery of the vocals to the swollen, galactic bass
tones. The drums are gigantic, relentlessly marching into oblivion,
relentlessly crushing everything in their path. Indian has learned to strike
their own balance between space and cacophony, giving the music room to breathe
even when the listener is given none. What started to change first with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Guiltless</i> and is now on full display
here is Indian’s patience. They don’t try to overplay anything, instead standing
back and letting these massive songs swallow the listener whole. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
The key differences between this record and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Indian</b>’s early material are improved recording quality and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Indian</b>’s improved understanding of how
to make their songs more immersive and continuously devastating. Previous
records bludgeoned, but this one simply lays waste. Some doom metal can sound
distant and cavernous. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">From All Purity</i>
is enormous to be sure, but it’s immediate. It makes your speakers sound like
they’re bleeding. When the singer strains his larynx screaming unintelligibly
at you, you can almost feel the heat of his breath on your face. And there are
subtleties here that only become apparent with repeated listens – how the riffs
are deliberately constructed, the depth of the sound, the way the cacophony is layered
to maximize the claustrophobic terror of the music. Far from a bunch of
malcontents bashing out tuneless noise, there is a real understanding of the
form and physicality of the music at work here, and their expertise is enough
to provoke a shudder in even the most hardened listeners.</span></span></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">From All Purity</span></span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> is notable in that it doesn’t adhere
to the “more is more” philosophy of most doom metal, where albums routinely top
the one hour mark and songs tend to linger for interminable amounts of time. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Indian</b>’s sense of economy comes from
their hardcore leanings… most of these songs are 6 to 8 minutes long and
agonizingly slow, but they make their point without lingering long enough to
get tuned out. It makes for a more powerful listen, an addictive revenge
fantasy that channels the hatefulness that exists within all of us. But its
clarity of intension is somehow cleansing. We NEED records that help us deal
with that negativity. Put on the record when you are having a shitty day, and
in less than 40 minutes you won’t even remember why you were so upset. Your
memory will be scrubbed clean. <br />
<br />
This is not for everyone, obviously. Even some metalheads will find the lack of
intelligible hooks, or the generally straightforward and blunt untechnicality
of the playing to be unsatisfying. But the ugly, tormented ordeal that is
listening to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">From All Purity</i> will
find its share of fans, particularly those who don’t care about singing along
and just want to hear the most nightmarish noise imaginable. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Indian</b> have trumped themselves with
this record. It’s also one of the best things I’ve heard this year.</span></span></div>
One pissed off Canadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483730694976496235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8853869205384632002.post-15634554805905645532014-02-24T14:28:00.000-08:002014-02-24T14:30:44.047-08:00Esoteric - Paragon Of Dissonance<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHpg_Vcp1UJ1QBOzhuT75LnpPzICzvkMLmgoisgFJWCZn9okcPshaUwh1nAFGv38eWG0meK02AwJ8fkSZX8eKihS0PIfEHXpklVfuqpAPc2N5y7ogpndB7MsNE-3HDSGY16JczN7oCMR45/s1600/Esoteric.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHpg_Vcp1UJ1QBOzhuT75LnpPzICzvkMLmgoisgFJWCZn9okcPshaUwh1nAFGv38eWG0meK02AwJ8fkSZX8eKihS0PIfEHXpklVfuqpAPc2N5y7ogpndB7MsNE-3HDSGY16JczN7oCMR45/s1600/Esoteric.png" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Artist:
Esoteric<br />
Album: Paragon Of Dissonance <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Label:
Season Of Mist<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Year
2011<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Esoteric</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
are not an easy band to get into. Their music is extremely oppressive doom
metal that is </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">disgustingly
heavy, at times gorgeously cinematic, and always epic in scope. Every three or
four years they release another colossal hour and a half long album with like 7
songs on it that proceed to suffocate the life force of the listener in their own
cranky and miserable way. Led by guitarist/vocalist Greg Chandler and multi-instrumentalist
Gordon Bicknell, they hail from the lung-blackening air of Birmingham, England.
They use gigantic, deliberate drums and roaring walls of extremely downtuned
and distorted guitar and bass, all topped by tormented vocals wrung through a
battery of spacey effects. At times they’ve incorporated psychedelic interludes,
progressive ambition, ambient drift, extensive use of keys and raw noise much
like their American peers <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Neurosis</b>.
But while those guys started out playing hardcore punk and imbue their
compositions with an elemental ferocity which is only made possible by an agile
rhythm section ramping up the tempos, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Esoteric</b>
never seem to rise beyond a crawl. Every moment, every bar of their music is
massive, deliberate, and inexorable.<br />
<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Paragon of Dissonance</i> (fantastic
title, by the way) was my first real experience with the band. I’ve been
peripherally aware of them and what they were about for years, but didn’t get
around to giving them a proper listen until a friend started talking them up to
me a few months ago. When listening to a new album by a band that has long
since-secured its legacy, one will often find themselves comparing it to
previous triumphs. The question then becomes, “Does it measure up?” But when I’m
new to a band, I like knowing what they’re up to now. And I can say this… <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Paragon of Dissonance</i> is a fine
introduction to a band whose every move is planet-sized. It’s a double album,
like most of their records, and incorporates all the sounds and scope that fans
of the band have come to expect. The tracks are long, with many twisting, suite-like
arrangements that morph and transform and crush with relentless purpose. The
intensity of the band is thrilling, and their ability to fold different layers and
textures into the immense towers of sludge and overdriven fuzz that make up
most of their sound means their records can sustain interest. What’s more,
their patience allows them room for them to explore and try different ideas. It
doesn’t always work, and sometimes you can find yourself getting numbed by the
immensity of it all. But when given a close, active listen all of these tracks
have incredible power as well as fascinating stylistic detours.<br />
<br />
The album opens with the jagged, staggering riffs of “Abandonment” as spirals
of feedback peel off and pounding double bass rolls devastate the landscape. Tortured,
throaty vocals erupt bile and hatred over the proceedings. It’s all harshness, abrasive
noise, impossible sonic decimation and hopelessness. But Esoteric can be
tuneful too. Soon the song drops into a grandly epic doom trudge that recalls <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Paradise Lost, </b>or<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> Candlemass </b>with Mike Williams from<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> Eyehategod </b>fronting the band. At 13 minutes it makes for an intimidating
order, but if you take a gander at the run times for these songs, it’s pretty
much par for the course; 5 of the 7 tracks top 10 minutes. Sometimes it seems
as though the band is simply marching into infinity, though when the payoffs
emerge, they’re generally pretty astonishing. As the band builds to a mighty
finale, the toms are hammered relentlessly before the drummer launches into
another grinding double bass assault and a triumphant figure emerges from the
tangled morass of guitars and noise.<br />
<br />
It becomes clear pretty quickly that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Esoteric</b>
are not a band who plays slow and heavy because that’s all they can handle. These
guys can really play. Many of these tracks have complicated polyrhythms, and
tempos shift on a dime. It’s tight, complex, and adventurous music. Although
they are used sparingly, the guitar solos here are very accomplished, showing a
musical, neo-classical sensibility. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Esoteric</b>
are a masterfully controlled group who are not afraid to grind an idea into
dust. Such an approach for skilled players takes tremendous patience and
discipline.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
album’s centerpiece is the 15 minute behemoth “Disconsolate” which encompasses
everything <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Esoteric</b> do well. The
track opens with glacial synths that sketch ghostly figures across the night
sky. Phashed guitars begin to mesh with the echoing synth waves. The affect is
akin to seeing one’s breath on a winter’s day. The band members enter one at a
time at a measured pace. A few minutes in, a lovely piano-led space interlude
floats by, before it is swallowed by the monolithic riffage that one would
expect. They begin building to the main theme of the song, cruising on a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Neurosis</b>-style cosmic doom passage that
while not exactly uplifiting, is also not depressive. Somewhere along the way
though, the bottom drops out, and suddenly we’re being suffocated in misery. This
switch up is accomplished with masterful feel for timing and impressive
subtlety. It’s surprising, and it’s powerful. About halfway through, it lurches
into a blackened, thrashy kind of gallop, before settling back into a spacy,
ambient drift. It’s a feint though. A few moments later, a million of the
heaviest guitars in the universe flatten the listener with galaxy-crushing
force. You might see the switch-up coming a mile away, but it’s thrilling
nonetheless. And that’s what makes <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Esoteric</b>
great – the ability to recombine familiar ingredients in ways that still have
the power to excite. A doom riff soon oozes out of the mire, as the drums begin
their relentless march, and despondent, torturous vocals wallow in the quagmire
of distortion. When the whole thing collapses into a wandering, searching psychedelic
bridge, it’s only a breather, albeit one that finds time to show off some
gorgeous lead tones. Soon the band ramps up the tempo, pummeling with grinding double
bass rolls and slabs of thick, brutal guitars and heavily swollen bass. Ultimately,
the track climaxes with a fleet-fingered classic metal tapestry worthy of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Iron Maiden</b>, topped by a thrilling,
heroic guitar solo.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This
thing tops out at an hour and thirty-four minutes, and it’s not exactly
something you can listen to on your way to work. There is nothing particularly
pleasant or hummable about these songs. Every song sounds like the end of the
world, with the band summoning all of their skill to evoke utter annihilation. It’s
a daunting listen, and one than can be outright exhausting at times. But there
is a place for music like this, even if it ‘aint houseparties. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Paragon of Dissonance</i> evokes certain
moods of despair and hatred that we feel in our everyday lives. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because sometimes, life is just a terrible
disappointment, and you wish everyone who was on your case was just fucking
dead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
One pissed off Canadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483730694976496235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8853869205384632002.post-13401268049390921922014-02-17T19:16:00.001-08:002014-02-17T19:16:42.809-08:00RundownThe initial life cycle of metal and rock from genesis to the distillation of their various subgenres was more or less complete by the mid '90s. With high tech recording techniques, fully developed distribution systems, worldwide fan bases and codified musical parameters, extreme metal had smashed barriers and exceeded expectations, but now the music risked obsolescence. Nothing could sensibly be more brutal or heavy than the metallic extremities reached in the wake of modern black, death, and doom metal. By the time death machines like <strong>Morbid Angel </strong>and <strong>Cannibal</strong> <strong>Corpse</strong> had become semi-popular bands on major labels and the media circus surrounding the teen terrorists in <strong>Emperor</strong> and <strong>Mayhem</strong> subsided, things were as fast and technical and brutal and evil as metal could possibly be. Meanwhile the worlds of sludgy doom and metal-inflected hardcore were looking beyond mere velocity (or lack of it) as a barometer for their artistry. The world of heavy music began to see these disparate strains re-connect with the lineage of <strong>Sabbath</strong> (with an assist from the glut of decidedly non-metal grunge and heavy alternative bands now saturating the modern rock scene) and even start to incorporate industrial, psychedelic, drone, space, classical, garage rock, experimental, electronic, post rock and noise elements into the music. <br />
<br />
The new frontier became making songs interesting and listenable and musical while still retaining the core of malevolent otherworldliness and primal aggression and power that made this stuff so darned cool in the first place. Also, the void that had existed for hard rock in the 1980s was now being filled by grunge and stoner rock bands that absorbed punk and psychedelic traditions and married them to metal musicianship. Combine this with the mainstream media virtually ignoring real metal altogether from about 1992 to 2004 (<strong>Pantera</strong> notwithstanding) and what you have is the makings of a complete organic regeneration of the heavy music underground. Young bands wanting to make a lot of noise suddenly had much wider palette to work with.<br />
<br />
By the time I was old enough to know, the story for heavy metal was over. <strong>Iron Maiden</strong> and <strong>Metallica</strong> and blah blah blah. Modern rock meant <strong>Soundgarden</strong> and <strong>Alice In Chains</strong>. I loved those bands, but it was a thing of the past. It wasn't the shit that was going down now. Nu metal was the stuff I had access too, that and the lingering remnants of the alternative explosion a decade previously. The new hip rock coming out of the underground was in the rave-up style of the <strong>White Stripes</strong>. I liked that stuff, but I also played bass. I needed the heaviness that garage rock didn't bring, and I quickly grew disenchanted with the overly slick and calculated "Fuck you!" and hip hop posturing of the likes of Limp Bizkit that was on TV. This is the environment that I came to heavy music in as a teenager in the early '00s. I had no older siblings and few friends who were in to music the way I was, so I figured most of this stuff out on my own. I listened to our local radio stations and learned some there, but most of my education came from books, and eventually, the internet.<br />
<br />
Only once I could download music was I really able to grasp on to the fact that there were awesome bands making music right now. And I had access to them. Sure, some of the knowledge was second hand, but just knowing that these bands were going concerns was enough to make me feel like I was for once part of the zeitgeist, not wishing I was in Seattle in 1992 or San Francisco in 1985, or Detroit in 1968. So here is a list of some of my favorite records during the time I was learning about just what kind of music I liked. Sure, in some cases I didn't find out about these records until years after they were released. But they hadn't been canonized. No one was telling me they were classics. I just decided for myself.<br />
<br />
<strong>Neurosis</strong> - <em>Through Silver In Blood</em> (1996)<br />
Neurosis were pretty entrenched as icons of the metal underground went by the time I got into them. I did try a few times to get into them, but it didn't quite click. Still, I didn't know anybody who actually listened to them, so the first time I heard this on my headphones late at night while walking through a misty moonlit field, the sheer universe-collapsing force of "Purify" was a revelation. I couldn't believe anything could be that heavy. It introduced me to post-metal, in which the elemental force of the riffs could be married to dynamic arrangements and psychedelic layering in a way that still seems fresh to me today. A thousand imitators have come and gone, but no one has done it better than the originators.<br />
<br />
<strong>Boris</strong> - <em>Amplifier Worship </em>(1998)<br />
These guys had to be insane I figured. A crazy Japanese metal band named after a <strong>Melvins</strong> song who released a new album like every month in a totally different style? Ridiculous. <em>Feedbacker</em>, <em>Floods</em>, <em>Rainbow</em>, <em>Pink</em>, <em>Absolutego, </em><em>Heavy Rocks, Dronevil</em> and <em>Akuma No Uta</em> all have their charms, but this one has always been my favourite. (And, incidentally, the namesake for this here blog.) Godly heavy walls of guitar, droning palls of feedback and an agile rhythm section that could downshift from meaty thrash to an ocean of fuzz and noise, incomprehensible vocals and titles to die for. ("Vomitself"?) I've worshiped at their altar ever since.<br />
<br />
<strong>Electric Wizard</strong> - <em>Dopethrone</em> (2000)<br />
At first, this band was just a rumor to me. Stories of a bong-blasted trio of basement dwellers in deepest, darkest Dorset singing hymns of burning witches and black masses at midnight captured my imagination. The internet was a different place then, and I had a hard time discerning much about them, other than that these were bad people up to no good. Finally I came across a few of their records. And while my personal favourites are still <em>Supercoven</em> and <em>Come My Fanatics</em>, this is the LP that all others will be measured against. It's not as spacey or as raw, but it's definitely the heaviest thing they ever did. Or anyone else for that matter. To me, they're still the heaviest band in the universe. <em>Dopethrone</em> is an obelisk, a monument, a giant heavy thing. It's irreducible, ireeductable and irreplaceable. Fuck off. The wizard canes harder.<br />
<br />
<strong>High On Fire</strong> - <em>The Art Of Self Defense</em> (2000)<br />
I was already way into <strong>Sleep</strong> when I heard that Matt Pike had a new band that was more overtly metal influenced. Needless to say it wasn't long before I was in love with this and their second record, <em>Surrounded By Thieves</em>. Behemoths like "Baghdad," "Blood From Zion" and especially "10,000 Years" took the lumbering sludge of <strong>Sleep</strong>, ramped up the tempo and turned in that band's stoned majesty for sheer bloodlust. George Rice's bass tone on "Fireface" could liquefy solid tissue. While I believe they eventually bettered themselves as a band as Pike's vocals improved and they found their sound by rotating through different bassists and producers, sometimes I still think this is my favorite from them.<br />
<br />
<strong>Tool</strong> - <em>Lateralus</em> (2001)<br />
When Schism hit the airwaves at my local rock station, I didn't know what to think. Who are these guys with their 6 and a half minute songs and weird claymation videos? The singer from <strong>A Perfect Circle</strong>? I like those guys! And this is his other band? They played a show in Vancouver in about November of 2001, and I toyed with the idea of going to see them. I didn't, but I bought the record about 3 weeks later, and I've regretted missing out ever since. <em>Lateralus</em> is a desert island top 5 record for me. After all these years I can still get lost in it, the hidden meanings and mathematical allusions and coded messages of it continue to fascinate me, while the brooding instrumental attack of the band is still as powerful to me as anything.<br />
<br />
<strong>Sunn O)))</strong> - <em>Flight Of The Behemoth</em> (2002)<br />
I first read about these guys in a magazine which had a picture of them with their hooded robes. I knew they did kind of an update on the first couple <strong>Earth</strong> records, none of which I knew too well. I didn't know at the time that they were the same guys in <strong>Burning Witch,</strong> <strong>Khanate </strong>and <strong>Goatsnake</strong>, other impossibly heavy bands I was getting into at the time. So I basically bought this on a whim. And it immediately fell flat for me. I dug the heaviness, but it was too monolithic, too boring. And the <strong>Merzbow</strong> tracks wierded me out. I liked the idea of the band far more than their actual music, and soon filed the disc away to be forgotten about. It wasn't until several years later did I revisit it and finally -got- what this was about. And to be honest, it's not their best album. But the day it finally clicked for me was when I decided to give it another try on maximum volume and realized that the last song is actually a slowed down version of <strong>Metallica's</strong> "For Whom The Bell Tolls" and that this is the very essence of pure sound, slowed down, stretched out and distended. It's the moment that huge riff drops, but continued on into infinity. And I still have a hard time with <strong>Merzbow's</strong> out of tune piano pounding.<br />
<br />
<strong>Comets On Fire</strong> - <em>Blue Cathedral</em> (2004)<br />
This was the first really cool record that I got into without any outside hype at all. I at least knew who most of these bands were before I heard their music. But Comets was a total impulse buy. I read a single review and dropped the cash. And it was like nothing I'd ever heard. They took parts of the Blue Cheer/Hawkwind/Iron Butterfly type acid rock I'd been digging for a long time by then, slathered it in all kinds of noise and feedback, and kicked out the jams in a way that sounded unlike anything I'd ever heard. It was new, and it was some of the most exciting music I'd ever heard. And it was all mine.<br />
<br />
<strong>Isis</strong> - <em>Panopticon</em> (2004)<br />
I listened to a little of <em>Oceanic</em> when it came out, but I didn't love it... I felt like <strong>Isis</strong> were mostly <strong>Neurosis</strong> clones, and I wasn't all that interested in them either. It wasn't until I finally did see Tool live with Isis opening that I truly got it. The circling drift of "So Did We" and "Backlit" captivated me while the walls of guitar washed over me. For whatever reason, it was the experience of seeing them onstage that unlocked <strong>Isis</strong> for me... and suddenly the albums made sense. I can't really explain why, but I do know that I still come back to this record time and time again despite having grown weary of the avalanche of post metal copycats that saturated metal in the late '00s.<br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>Mastodon</strong> - <em>Leviathan</em> (2004)<br /><strong>Mastodon</strong> were a whole new thing for me. They were a metal band, but they rearranged the pieces of <strong>Voivod</strong> and <strong>Metallica</strong> records and brought in all kinds of other influences that completely turned my understanding of music on it's head. Not to mention, I actually read Moby Dick because of this album. And you know what, the beginning and the end are great, but the middle is really just an 1850s whaling manual.<br />
<br />
<strong>Black Mountain</strong> - <em>Black Mountain</em> (2005)<br />
These guys are from Vancouver and are still responsible for some of the best live shows I've ever seen. But we before that, I remember reading an article about them in which they were compared to "glue-sniffing shredders of yesteryear like "Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd." That still seems on the money. I just remember those endless sustained synthesizer washes exploding into a lurching triple time riff march on "Don't Run Our Hearts Around" followed by the kraut-riffing of "Druganaut" blowing my mind. It was like hearing classic rock for the first time.<br />
<br />
<strong>Dead Meadow</strong> - <em>Feathers</em> (2005)<br />
Dead Meadow took shoegaze and stoner rock and spliced them together to create something that to me will always evoke hazy summer afternoons. I was already into stoner rock, but when I heard these guys for the first time, it seemed different. They were ethereal and pretty, but still had heavy riffs and gorgeously fuzzed out wah-guitar leads. When most of the shoegaze type stuff I'd heard seemed overly precious, these guys were heavy. They were rocking out. And it had the transportive, meditative feel I loved about psychedelic music. I love all their records, but this one stands the tallest.One pissed off Canadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483730694976496235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8853869205384632002.post-28688282143442744012014-01-01T23:41:00.002-08:002014-01-02T20:31:39.837-08:00The Top 50 Albums of 2013<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Usually I write a big long overview of the year that was here, but these things are plenty long as it is. Besides, if you're not interested enough to find your own stuff that you like by now, you're beyond saving.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>50. Monster Magnet</strong></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Last Patrol</i><br />
Monster Magnet’s always struggled to live up to their early career space rock
mastery. For a while they didn’t seem to mind, trending inexorably from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Powertrip</i> onward into an overproduced
cock-rock behemoth. Records like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">God
Says No</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mastermind</i> have
excellent moments, with a few vintage <strong>Monster Magnet</strong> atom-smashers and the odd
interesting twist on their classic heavy rock toolkit, but it’s hard not to
miss the lo-fi, blacklight-lit basement feel of their early 90s work. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Last Patrol</i> seeks to change that. “I
Live Behind The Clouds” starts off with minimal, quiet picking that ultimately
explodes into a gorgeously fuzzed out lead line. It’s a startling choice to
open the album, far from the slick arena rock that dominates this band’s recent
records. Dave Wyndorf ups the ante on the second track, a 9 minute workout
that’s more monolithic than anything the band has done in a decade. Throughout,
you get periods of spacious drift and wooshing synthesizers, and the sound is
much muddier and darker than the ultra compressed radio-ready sheen the last few records had. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Monster Magnet</b> aren’t gonna surprise
people anymore. But they’re still making decent records which should appeal to fans, and this is as good as anything they've done in the past ten or fifteen years.</span><br /><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">49. Jex Thoth</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
– <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Blood Moon Rise<o:p></o:p></i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I
absolutely worship <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Jex Thoth</b>’s self
titled 2008 debut. The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Master of Reality</i>
trudge and gothic cemetery ambience of that record hooked me in a way that only
early <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Witchcraft</b> and possibly <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Graveyard</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Blood Ceremony</b> have done in recent years. I’m pleased to say that
while <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Blood Moon Rise</i> isn’t the
candle-lit fertility ceremony that first record was, it is an excellent
slab of doomy occult rock in a world quickly becoming overpopulated with
also-rans. Everything I liked about that record is here. Bewitching female
vocals, classic 70s riffs, B-movie horror film vibes, grooving psychedelic
interludes, ripping guitar playing and a thundering rhythm section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My only complaint is that it isn’t nearly as
raw as their self-titled LP, which was a big part of the charm. But I suppose
that’s always the way. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">48. Summoning</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
- <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Old Mornings Dawn<o:p></o:p></i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">This is gonna be the
soundtrack to my next Dungeons and Dragons campaign. Longtime black metal
loremasters <strong>Summoning</strong> have been releasing records based on Tolkien’s Middle
Earth since the mid ‘90s. This was my introduction to them, a grandiose mix of
somber chanting, marching drum machines, sheets of dense, distorted guitars and epic war horns.
The Viking metal of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bathory</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Enslaved</b> are obvious touchstones, but
somehow this record feels less inclined to loot and pillage and more likely to
pose heroically over sweeping vistas in a mythical world before time. It rarely goes faster than mid-tempo, and there aren't any blast beats. If only
Peter Jackson would smarten up already and hire these guys to soundtrack the
next Hobbit movie.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">47. Darkthrone</span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
- </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Underground Resistance<br />
</i>So I didn’t know this, but apparently <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Darkthrone</b>
has reinvented themselves in the past decade. I’ve always been a fan of their
seminal early<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>records, particularly <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Blaze In The Northern Sky</i>, which were
at the forefront of the second wave black metal movement in early 90s Norway.
Thing is though, while their peers were burning churches and spending time in
jail for murder, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Darkthrone</b> decided
to take their music seriously, churning out about a dozen albums or so and
generally accepting their transformation from teen terrorists to career
musicians. And what’s more, while some of their peers clung to a doctrine that
rejected earlier and more populist strains of metal and punk, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Darkthrone</b> went back to all the
hardcore and classic heavy metal that they loved as kids. The result? In 2013, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Darkthrone</b> is a vanguard classic heavy
metal band, incorporating their grim early sounds into a more musical albeit
conventional framework not too far removed from <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Judas Priest</b> or <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Iron Maiden</b>.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span> And this is an excellent example of that
transition, with twisting and interesting compositions that feature uplifting
peaks, gut-wrenching lows and accomplished musicianship. I did not see that
coming.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">46. Destruction Unit</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
– <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Deep Trip<o:p></o:p></i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Deep Trip</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
is a record aptly named. Similar to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Comets
on Fire</b> or the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Psychic Paramount</b>,
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Destruction Unit</b> play noisy, heavy
garage psych. There are no cool drifting interludes to speak of here, just full-throttle rocking out slathered in feedback, distortion, and all manner of
sound-warping effects pedals. It’s spacey, but fuzzed out and aggressive,
exactly the way I like my rock. With an opening track called “The World On
Drugs,” you pretty much know what you’re gonna get right away. Just be prepared
to have your plastic brain melted like an army man in a microwave.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">45. Mouth Of The Architect</span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
– </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dawning<br />
</i>This vast collection of well-written and superbly performed post metal
epics is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Mouth Of The Architect</b>’s
first record in five years, and it’s probably the finest album of their career.
From impossibly dense <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Neurosis</b>-style
catharsis to absolutely gorgeous shimmering guitar interludes and fabulous use
of silence, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dawning</i> is a dynamic,
gloriously textured and multilayered masterpiece. Stunning, triumphant guitar
melodies duel with guttural, bellowed gang vocals to form a sound that’s
psychedelic, crushing, and beautiful. The blueprint for this kind of stuff was
laid out at least a decade and a half ago, but there is still valuable music
being made in the style by bands with skill, creativity and ambition.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>44. The Flaming Lips</strong></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> – </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Terror<br />
</i>I dig where the <strong>Flaming Lips</strong> have gone the last few years. As much as
everyone thinks <em>Soft Bulletin</em> is an indie pop masterpiece, I rarely listen
to it. I always preferred the weirder and funnier <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots</i>, or for that matter, noisy stuff like their early
classic “Jesus Shootin’ Heroin.” That’s why I absolutely adored 2009’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Embryonic</i>, a twisted, dark and experimental
double record without any “hits” and whose best song was a riff monster called
“Worm Mountain.” The ghosts of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Saucer
Full Of Secrets</i> or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ummagumma</i>
were palpable, as this iconic and tremendously popular band used their
status to make the most overtly weird and experimental record of their career a
good 25 years after they started. Here, they've gotten even darker, drawing out druggy krautrock grooves and exploratory jams. One of the writers at pitchfork called it "unforgivably bleak," but I'm cool with more of this.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>43. Vista Chino</strong></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> – </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Peace<br />
</i>The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Kyuss</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Lives!</b> reunion didn’t take long to get squashed by Josh Homme’s
lawyers. (Fair enough, Scott Reeder too… I love him but come on, don’t be a
dick, be a dude.) The result was that Brandt Bjork, Jon Garcia, Nick Oliveri and
former <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Arsenal</b> guitarist Bruno
Fevery formed this groovy desert rock project. And maybe the name change in the
end is appropriate, since this is a much mellower and more psychedelic album
than anything <strong>Kyuss</strong> ever did. Sure, with this kind of firepower in a band, you’re
gonna find some blasting rockers and cruising riffs, but on the whole the
record is a much more chill, laid-back slow burner. There’s plenty of gorgeous
shimmering clean tones here, and Fevery sounds right at home, playing in his
own unique style. Hewing far closer to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Yawning
Man</b> than <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Black Sabbath</b>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Peace</i> is a perfect album for a sunny day
with friends or a long drive with the windows down. A lot of people don’t dig
Jon Garcia’s voice, but I think he totally nails the vibe here, and honestly
stays out of the way enough when the band gets cooking that it shouldn’t even
matter. Plus, it kicks the shit out of that new <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Queens</b> record. Let’s be honest here. Josh Homme is a dick, and he
hasn’t made a good record since 2005 and hasn’t made a great one in a decade.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">42. Cathedral</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
– <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Last Spire</i><br />
One of my favourite bands ever is ending their career on a high note. Having
retired from live performance the previous year, all that remained was to make
this understandably named record. Everything you want to hear from <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Cathedral</b> is here. Gaz Jennings lays
down some of his heaviest riffs to date and calls down the Iommi-like thunder
and lightning. Lee Dorrian brings a healthy dose of the macabre... although
very little about this record is tongue-in-cheek. It probably shares the most
musical DNA with 2001’s superb <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Endtyme</i>,
and is nowhere near as overtly proggy as the last few albums. It’s a little
under an hour long, and says everything it needs to say and no more. It’s a
graceful end to a fantastic 25 year career.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">41. Atlantean Kodex</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
- <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The White Goddess<o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I
didn’t really give this record a chance until it started popping up on so many
year-end best of lists. For whatever reason, I just assumed it to be another
sword and sorcery power metal tome in the style of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Wintersun</b> or <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Epica</b>… not
there is anything wrong with that, just that I haven’t been craving those
sounds as much the last couple years. Turns out I was wrong… <em>The White Goddess</em>
is much darker and heavier than that, while still showing off the veneer of
something grand. These German metallurgists take the grandiosity and
compositional complexity of classic heavy metal as a template while shooting
for something a little bit darker and heavier. There is of course, plenty of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Helloween</b> in this band’s speed metal
DNA, but you can also think of classic metal like <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Exciter</b> with <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Iron Maiden</b>’s
pretentions, or <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Metallica</b>’s version
of that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Mercyful Fate</b> medley. They
don’t exactly muddy themselves in the gutters of hardcore punk and extreme
metal, but if you like your heavy metal rousing and anthemic but you can’t deal
with harpsichord solos, you should give this a listen. Also, I’ve seen a lot of
people singing the praises of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">In
Solitude</b>’s “Sister” on year-end lists. I like that band, but that record
didn’t really stick with me. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Atlantean
Kodex</b> have with a similar sound, but I think they did it much better.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>40. Pond</strong></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hobo Rocket</i> <br />
There is no doubt that the guys who made <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hobo
Rocket</i> had a good time doing it. Afterall, their main gig is for psych pop
iconoclasts <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Tame Impala</b>. And
although there are obvious similarities, (both make multicoloured psych
records that make extensive use of the recording studio to manipulate their performances) <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pond</b> are much more laid back. Where <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Tame Impala</b>’s records are meticulously assembled and tasteful, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pond’s</b> albums have a goofy “let’s try
this!” charm to them that seems more immediate and laid back. And as much as I
enjoyed last year’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Beard, Wives, Denim, </i>I
have to say that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hobo Rocket</i> is a
step up for <strong>Pond</strong>. It’s a little bit harder and freakier, with the band intent on rocking
out and filtering their concussive jams through an excessive array of guitar
store gadgetry. But it also sports a sense of humor that most bands lack. Sure,
not everything here works, but on the high points, like on “Whatever Happened
to the Million Head Collide?” and “Aloneaflameaflower” (The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Flaming Lips</b> want their song titles
back.) the band has a bong-blasted, fuzz-fried good time while working in
plenty of mellow grooves amid the crunchy dollar-store riffs. In other works, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hobo Rocket</i> is a sunny, fun record for that
goes well with blacklights and headphones, but its best for drinking beers in a
park with friends.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>39.</strong> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Morne</span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
– </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shadows<br />
</i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Morne</b> are a Boston doom metal
band known for sprinkling bits of ambient noise, ghostly vocals, weeping
strings and uptempo thrash into their trudging torpor. This time out however,
they’ve cut back on the frills to collapse their sound back to its essence. The
result is a 5 track album that’s just a shade under 50 minutes in length, a
lumbering, suffocating riff monster that swallows up the listener in a sticky
pit of blackness. This is traditional doom metal, similar to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pallbearer</b>’s fantastic <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sorrow and Extinction</i> from last year. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Morne</b> draw from the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Candlemass</b> school of classic doom,
meaning it’s arching, epic, and powerful, and not really abrasive at all.
Instead it’s a highly enjoyable doom record for those who love their low
frequencies.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong></strong></span></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>38.</strong> <strong>Savages</strong></span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> – </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Silence Yourself<br />
</i>Without getting into the politics and the manifestos and the hype
surrounding this furious blast of monochromatic post-punk, let me just get
right to the point. This is a very good record, packed front-to-back with great
songs. Aggressively picked basslines, spare, driving precussion, guitars that
stab like knives and braying female vocals combine to make a sound that owes a
lot to the early 80s UK underground. But pissed off tracks like “Shut Up,”
“City’s Full” and “Strife” are as catchy and exhilarating as they are noisy,
and that’s reason enough to like them in my book.</span></span></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">37. Carcass</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
– <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Surgical Steel</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I didn’t expect to like this record as much as
I did. But as soon as the opening <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Thin
Lizzy-</b>style twin melodic leads exploded into a full tilt thrasher, these
long defunct veterans grabbed my attention back like I was 16 hearing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Heartwork</i> for the first time. I was
never among the legions of fans who slagged the gothernberg take on alternative
rock that was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Swansong</i>, and I’ve
always enjoyed the updating of classic heavy metal stylings that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Arch Enemy</b> has made their career on.
Still, it was quite exhilarating to hear the old band raging with a level of
brutality and technicality not seen since the early '90s. Make no mistake, this
is just like a mid-period <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Carcass</b>
record, complete with jaw-dropping lead guitar work and no attempt made to
compromise their sound for the sake of mass acceptance. The sound is a little
cleaner and sharper, but it really just enhances their attack. A very welcome
return from a band I had no idea I missed so much.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>36.</strong> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Vhöl</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
- <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Vhöl</i><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This
unforgiving blast of decimating, state-of-the-art metal is the work
of a supergroup formed by members of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ludicra</b>,
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">YOB</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Hammers of Misfortune. </b>Very similar in approach to their east coast
counterparts <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Krallice</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Vhöl</b> mix ultra-proficient technicality
with remorseless brutality in a way that doesn’t fit comfortably into either a
black metal or death metal box. What’s more though, despite the restlessness of
these compositions, they are a little bit more concise than <strong>Krallice</strong>, with the
odd snatch of melody appearing here and there. I’ve always been a fan of <strong>YOB</strong>’s
Mike Scheidt, and hearing his voice divorced from the trudging morass of those
doom metal titans and placed in a more hyperactive context is truly a
revelation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know if the project
was intended to be a one-off, but if it is, they truly hit the mark.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></b></span><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">35. Skagos</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
– Anarchic<br />
This mysterious black metal band is best known for a split release they did
with Kentucky contemporaries <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Panopticon</b>
in 2010. Apparently they're from Vancouver Island, but I've never seen any mention of them locally. I was familiar with them through their excellent 2009 record <em>Ast, </em>a record that defined them as part of the Cascadian black metal movement by
melding shoegazey atmospherics to frigid blastbeats similar to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Wolves in the Throne Room</b>. In fact, I
was able to find out very little about them period. In any event, this
sprawling, multiheaded beast of a record impressed me immensely. There are no
song titles, just three 18-24 minute tracks, each divided into multiple
chapters. The intent is obvious… <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Anarchic</i>
is an album meant to be swallowed whole. That would be an intimidating
proposition if the record weren’t so immediately enjoyable. But these sprawling
compositions are immensely rewarding, with long post-metal builds leading to
huge payoffs of furious blackened thrash, and some absolutely gorgeous tones.
Somehow <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Skagos</b> seem warmer and more
authentic than your average post-black metal band, and the organic approach
works for them. I’m just hoping they come out to play around town soon.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">34. FIDLAR - </span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">FIDLAR</span></i></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I
have a feeling that acronym starts with some variation on the word “Fuck.”<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>FIDLAR do rambunctious and heavily
inebriated garage rock. From the first track to the last it’s non stop loud
guitars and odes to getting wasted. I can’t not love a song that has “I drink
cheap beer! So what? Fuck you!” as it’s chorus.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">33. FUZZ</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
– <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">FUZZ</i><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ty
Segall formed a power trio to play drums with and the result is a fuzzed out,
high-energy rock and roll band. Shocking.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>32.</strong> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Clutch</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
– <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Earth Rocker<o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In
over 20 years of trying,<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> Clutch </b>have
never made a perfect album. There’s always something holding them back from
releasing that defining record. I’d pick 1995’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Clutch</i>, or 2004’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Blast
Tyrant</i> if forced to nametheir best, but really you always know what to expect… a
handful of absolute no-nonsense kickass rock n roll classics, an oddball
experiement or two, and then a whole lot of generic but generally pretty ballsy
riffs. Neil Fallon will make you laugh a bunch of times and maybe even blow
your mind once or twice, and Tim Sult will tear a whole in the universe with
his guitar a whole bunch. Every few years they do something to shake up their
sound a little bit, but more or less they’ve always remained a straight ahead
American hard rock band. And while <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Earth
Rocker</i> is no different in this regard, it does seem to be invigorated by
the band’s prospect of rocking out after a five year wait since the last <strong>Clutch</strong>
record. Make no mistake, <strong>Clutch</strong> came to ROCK, and they do it with the kind of
single-minded determination they haven’t shown since the aptly titled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pure Rock Fury</i>. “Crucial Velocity” is
the best track here, sporting a relentless drive, vicious chorus, and
mindbending guitar solo by Sult all into a perfect four minute rock song. At
just over 44 minutes, its leaner and packs more of a punch than anything
they’ve released in years. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></b></span><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">31. Castevet</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
– <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Obsian</i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mounds of Ash</i> was one of the best
metal albums of 2010, although I just became aware of these guys about a year
ago. Similar to the kind of ground <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Vhöl </b>explored
this year, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Castevet</b> play with
constantly shifting rhythms and tempos to keep the listener continually off balance.
The harsh vocals and heavy use of tremolo picking mark this as black metal, but
that’s too limiting a term for what they do here. And while there is no doubt
these Brooklyn firebands are a punishing collective, they also take the time to
add subtle harmonic-drenched washes and a definite sense of melody. The
excellent production is clear and extremely listenable without seeming at all
too slick. It’s continuously restless and aggressive music that still manages
to create space through effective sonic layering, allowing the details to shine
through. There are endless details here which reward close listening on
headphones, but the whole thing is so powerful that it works equally well as a
soundtrack to violent video games or a night of raising hell. There is no
post-anything to be found here, no comparisons to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Deafheaven</b> or anything that could be expected to cross over.
Instead it’s a complex, aggressive modern metal album that doesn’t fit easily
into one particular style.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">30. Tim Hecker – </span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Virgins</span></i></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Canadian
<strong>Tim Hecker</strong> has been consistently<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>releasing<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>quality ambient drone records for over
a decade to ever-increasing critical acclaim. On <em>Virgins</em>, he continues to
expand his sonic palette, recording a group of live musicians in a room
together and essentially cutting up these sounds and letting them decay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The effect on the source material is spacious and natural, as this music is as much
about the live performance as <strong>Hecker</strong>’s post-performance sound manipulation.
This makes for an immediacy that many of his records lack. <strong>Hecker</strong>’s music has
always retained an organic quality that has kept it largely out of step with prevailing
trends in electronic music. Although personally I preferred his last album,
2011’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ravedeath 1972</i>, <strong>Hecker</strong>’s
newest opus is sure to please fans and win converts.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></b></span><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">29. The Growlers – </span></b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Gilded Pleasures<br />
</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">These
guys have really grown on me in the past year. In early 2013 they released
their excellent <em>Hung at Heart </em>album,
and then in the autumn, this record appeared. I prefer it over the first,
mainly because I found a few of the songs to be more immediate. But their
surf-soaked roots rock and interesting word play has a way of sinking itself
into your brain. Whether its an odd turn of phrase, or a sentiment that strikes
a chord, There always seems to be some new detail to examine. And it’s
pretty awesome that the best song on the album is called “Pretend I’m Gay.”<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">28. Iceage</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
– <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You’re Nothing</i><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Iceage</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
is a band that’s aptly named. Everything about them seems chilly,
claustrophobic and unforgiving. This album’s opening track “Ecstacy” is two and a
half minutes of pure terror, ripping through a noise punk rager for the first
half, and then dropping to a catastrophic half-time rumble punctuated by a
relentless kickdrum and a tortured wail of “PRESSURE, PRESSURE, OH GOD NO!!!!”
before a piercing feedback solo swallows the vocals. It’s the kind of song
careers are built on, and although nothing else on the record can touch it, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You’re Nothing</i> is still a solid listen
all the way though. At 28 minutes, it’s a lean, powerful blast of noisy art punk
that owes a lot to the likes of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Joy
Division’s </b>existential dread and the malicious growl of the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Jesus Lizard</b>, as well as the more
recent <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">A Place To Bury Strangers</b>.
Plus it sounds amazing too, with a suffocating production job that hits hard
and draws you in. I bet we’ll hear plenty more about these guys in the coming
year.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">27. Woe</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
– <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Withdrawal<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This
is a flesh-ripping beast of a black metal record without a trace of fat on it.
Unlike so many black metal bands these days, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Withdrawal</i> does not comfortably fall into either the opulent
experimentalist or the raw, traditionalist camps. These songs are lean, vicious
and hungry even at 6 or 7 minutes in length. They’re full of relentless
instrumental twists and turns, but <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Woe</b>
don’t forget to incorporate subtle little touches to keep things interesting
and toy with dynamics a bit. The production is sharp, powerful and in your
face, but not slick or glossy. Unlike some of the 2013’s other top metal
records, like those by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Deafheaven, Inter
Arma</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Oranssi Pazuzu</b>, this
will not appeal at all to non-metal heads. And that’s kinda the way I like it…
afterall, this record isn’t for them.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">26. Jon Hopkins</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
– <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Immunity<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I
was not familiar with Jon Hopkins before a friend played his newest album for
me, but I immediately adored it. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Immunity</i>
is a pot-pourri of all the things about weird electronic music I like.
Skittering glitch, 90s style IDM, death-disco dance beats, ambient drift,
ominous sub bass and textured synthesizer washes all come together to form an
engaging, interesting listen. Works equally well as futuristic party soundtrack
that’ll make you look really cool, or as a solitary headphone listen to
soundtrack a long walk home after dark.</span></span><br />
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">25. Boards Of Canada</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
– <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tomorrow’s Harvest<o:p></o:p></i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s
like this, see. If you like <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Boards Of
Canada</b>, you’ll think this album is a fantastic expression of their genius
for texture and mood. And if you don’t, it’ll seem like paint drying. It’s
pretty much exactly what you’d expect from these guys, but they do manage to
build tension and vary their tonal colours quite a bit throughout. it sounds
amazing and it’s a satisfying listen from beginning to end. If you ask me, it’s
better than <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Geogaddi</i> but not as good
as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Music Has The Right To Children</i>,
and about on par with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Campfire
Headphase</i>. The first track opens with what sounds like my first computer
starting up.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">24. Church Of Misery</span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
– <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Thy Kingdom Scum</i><br />
This Japanese stoner doom quartet returns with an album that barely messes with
their winning formula, and that’s totally fine with me. Lineup turnover has
caused their activity to be sporadic at times over their going on two-decade
career, but the constant has been their ass-kicking take on very heavy <strong>Black
Sabbath</strong>-inspired psychedelic hard rock. This isn’t some mournful dirgefest or
another addition to the phalanx of occult rock bands coming out of the woodwork
– <strong>Church Of Misery</strong> are here to rock out. Once again they name a bunch of their
songs after serial killers and the riffs pack a mean gut punch. One of the best
heavy rock albums of the year from a bunch of vets who are sticking with what
works.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">23. Earthless</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
– <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">From The Ages</i><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The
first <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Earthless </b>studio record since
2007’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rythms From A Cosmic Sky</i> is
also their most sprawling and dynamic ever. Granted, when talking about this
band, “dynamic” is a bit of a relative term – if you didn’t come looking to
hear endless face-melting guitar solos, you might as well just check out now.
Still, the guys play with a few gentler textures and bits of floating ambience
throughout. It’s also a little bit more layered and overtly psychedelic than
earlier records. Still, by now you know what you’re getting with these guys. It
also features a studio version of the title track, which had previously
appeared on their <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Live at Roadburn</i>
album. That alone is worth the price of admission.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>22. Unknown Mortal
Orchestra</strong></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> – </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Unknown Mortal Orchestra II<br />
</i>Jagjaguwar’s <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Unknown Mortal
Orchestra </b>do an eclectic take on prog-laced psychedelic pop. Off-kilter
harmonies and odd time signatures abound as all manner of psychedelic effects
bedeck this immersive headphone record. The odd fuzz guitar is balanced with
delicate acoustics as the band works with a wide palette of sonic colours. These enjoyably catchy
yet weird songs are chock full of unsettling and amusing lyrics, and I rarely
pay much attention to lyrics. Not many overtly psychedelic records this year
really caught my ear, but this was definitely one of them.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">21. Primitive Man</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
- <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Scorn</i><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The
debut album by this crusty Colorado sludgecore unit opens with an almost 12
minute long<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>blasted-out hatefest as
malevolent as anything in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Eyehategod’s</b>
discography. But while those misanthropes were content to wallow in pools of
feedback and agony, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Primitive Man</b>
are far more hyperactive. Just as a doomy riff seems prepared to collapse on
itself, the band explodes into raw, full speed blasting that rivals some
grindcore bands for paint-peeling harshness. This is a example of modern
metal, with no “post” or “black” prefixes attatched to it.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>20. Haxan Cloak</strong></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> - <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Excavation</i><br />
The swinging noose on the cover of this album pretty much says it all –
<em>Excavation</em> is a very dark electronic record. Its bleak soundscapes and ominous
pulses seem to imply creeping dread at every turn. There is plenty of deep, deep
synthetic sub bass going on here, but it’s about as far removed from
Stadium-filling IDM and candy-coated bro-step as you can get. This isn’t a
comedown after the party… it’s the soundtrack for the shut-in who never went. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">19. Howling Wind</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
– <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Vortex<o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Opening
and closing with a pair of palette-clearing dark ambient numbers, the meat of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Vortex</i> is relentless, icy black metal,
done huge and punishing. Sharp playing, bottomless energy, fierce compositional
complexity and a healthy dose of evil atmosphere add up to a powerful statement
from a band that’s shown an impressive ability to reinvigorate a tired formula.
You won’t find any post-anything crescendos or meandering psychedelic
interludes here. Instead, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Vortex</i> gets
in, makes its point with a vicious beatdown, and then fades into the night. It
might leave your head spinning, but you’ll have no doubt that SOMETHING just
ran you over in the winter night.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>18.</strong>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Nails</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
- <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Abandon All Life<o:p></o:p></i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">It took longer for me
to write this review than it will take these sludgy west coast
hardcore stalwarts to kick your ass.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>17.</strong> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Kadavar</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
- <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Abra Kadavar<o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">When
people say that there aren’t any rock bands anymore, what they really mean is
that they aren’t listening to bands like <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Kadavar</b>.
And while it may be true that radio programmers won’t touch them and they’ll probably
never fill a stadium, you can’t tell me these guys don’t know how to rock like
its 1971. Longhaired and loud, bell-bottomed and bold, this German power trio
plays the kind of “real rock and roll” that supposedly died out decades ago.
Well, that’s a fucking lie, it is. ‘Cuz when these guys lay down the thunder,
complete with swinging, strutting drums, fuzzy slabs of pig iron bass, overdriven
tube amp guitar riffs, melodic, wailing wah-heavy leads and strained, doped-up
rock god vocals, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>all topped off with a
vintage analog production and gotta-be-recorded-live immediacy, well kids, you
just gotta fess up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Abra Kadavar</i> bests their self-titled debut by tightening up the
songwriting and working more than a few ratty earworms into the riffs, and the
effect is as pleasing as it is pummeling. Even though it’s longer than their
first record, the better and more concise compositions here make for a more
engaging listen. “Black Snake” does that thing where the vocals follow the
guitar that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Hendrix</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Led Zep</b> loved to do, but with a more
raw, dungeon-dwelling <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sir Lord Baltimore-</b>on-a-bad-trip-vibe to it. “Rythm for Endless Minds” rides floating, psychedelic
effects over a stone groove, and “The Man I Shot” tops it off with <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bloodrock</b>-worthy morbidity and 7
minutes of off the rails jamming you just KNOW would have gotten them banned
from the radio back in the day. These guys ‘aint trying to wield the hammer of
the gods, they just want to hang out with the bong in the basement. And the
ultra-catchy stop-start riffs of “Doomsday Machine” are simply the best thing
this band has ever done. Rock and roll never left. You just need to look for it.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>16. Batillus</strong></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> - </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Concrete Sustain<br />
</i>I was a big fan of this Boston doom metal group’s first record, 2011’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Furnace</i>. It’s crushing riffs and
suffocating density made it one of the year’s heaviest offerings. I’m happy to
report that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Concrete Sustain </i>one-ups
that excellent debut by improving the band’s sound in terms of musicality and
expanding their use of industrial textures without sacrificing an iota of
heaviness – these guys are as harsh and unforgiving a band as you will hear.
The mechanical pulse of the album lends it a rigid, martial quality that's lacking in the more droning or mournful approaches favored by most doom metal
bands these days. And although the vocals are heavily distorted, there is still
somehow room for tunefulness amid the throat-shredding terror. From the opening
track’s mantra of “SUSTAIN AND DOMINATE” to the almost nine-minute closer
“Thorns”, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Batillus</b> have created one
of the most abrasive yet musically satisfying metal albums of the year. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>15.</strong> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Purling Hiss</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
– <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Water on Mars</i><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Water on Mars’</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> opening track “Lolita” is the best <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Nirvana</b> song the band never wrote.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> Purling Hiss</b> mainman Mike Polizze has
Kurt’s trademark laconic drawl and strained bleating down, not to mention the
fuzz guitar is a dead ringer for a prime <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Incesticide</i> cut. Saint Kurt’s ghost
is there in the self-pitying refrain of “Hey man… I’m feelin’ cold and lonely!”
as amps overheat and crash cymbals get punished. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Purling Hiss</b> then pull an abrupt left turn on “Mercury Retrograde,”
a slacker anthem complete with fuzzed out and melodic leads that J Mascis would
be proud of. It’s all very fun stuff, particularly if you happen to be the
right age to have grown up with late 80s or early 90s alternative music, but is
the record more than a sum of its influences? Well, yes and no. You’ve probably
heard these songs, or variations of them before. But Polizze has a way with
words and he knows how to hammer home the hook. “Rat Race” name checks the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Stooges </b>“Real Cool Time” but discards
the nihilism of that band for an altogether catchier sound, while “The
Harrowing Wind” lays down some dynamite “Whoo-ooo’s” in the verses that’ll get
stuck in your head for days. Not only that, but <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Water on Mars</i> finally boasts a production job that enhances the
songs rather than detracts from them… a serious stumbling point on their
earlier lo-fi records for me. Polizze’s decision to record the album as a power
trio rather than just as a one-man project is also a plus, as these songs rock
harder and deliver more heft than anything they’ve managed previously. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Water on Mars</i> is the kind of rock album
that has been made many times before, but <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Purling
Hiss</b> re-arrange the pieces to produce a compelling and memorable record.</span></span><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">14. ASG – </span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Blood Drive</span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ASG</b> are a modern psychedelic heavy
rock band that nods to metal, classic, stoner and southern rock, and the
heavier end of 90s alternative. With a great singer and hooks to spare, it’s
not too hard to imagine some of these songs getting played on the radio. Jason
Shi has the kind of soaring voice that gets metal horns and lighters in the
air, while the band has a strong command of dynamics and songcraft. This record
is a real “front to backer,” with one solid and memorable tune after another.
The first time I listened to the record I found myself noting the title of
every track as I went, because each song sounded so good on its own. Similar to
recent records by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Baroness</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Kylesa</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Torche</b>, the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sword</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Red Fang</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ASG</b> are another excellent rock band that could be very popular if
the right media outlets embraced it.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">13. Inter Arma</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
– <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sky Burial</i><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This
Richmond, Virginia unit has truly outdone itself with this imposing monument of
an album. Much like <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Deafheaven’s</b>
successful incorporation of shoegaze and extreme metal influences, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Inter Arma’s</b> gorgeous multicoloured
take on sludgy post rock is a forward-thinking hybrid of heavy metal,
mind-expanding psychedelia and rural Americana. These are epic, ambitious
compositions, five of which are between 9 and 14 minutes in length. But the
ingredients are mixed in such a way as to maximize impact and emotional heft.
Far from another exercise in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Isis</b>-worshipping
post rock, <em>Sky Burial</em> is a record which breaks new ground for metal, while still
making such advances accessible to a wide swath of music fans. That excites my
very much.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>12.</strong> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>Blood Ceremony</strong></span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> - <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Eldritch Dark</i><br />
Every October I get into this phase where I become obsessed with occult rock.
Maybe it has something to do with Halloween, the darkening days, or maybe it’s
just the fact that everything around me seems to be dying. Somehow, the
spookiness of ceremonial proto-doom heavy rock like <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pentagram, Pagan Altar, Witchfinder General</b> (and ya know… <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Black Sabbath</b>) seems to suit the mood
of the season. And while those torch bearers kept the flame alive for many
years, it seems that these days occult rock bands are crawling out of the
woodwork. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ghost BC</b> got far more
attention for their major label debut than that disappointing record deserved,
but the fact is, this stuff isn’t too hard to get into. Far better are these
Canadian heavy prog freaks, who mix plenty of Hammond organ and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Jethro Tull</b>-style lead flute in with
their heavy rock workouts. Singer Alia O’Brien possesses a bewitching voice
ideally suited for songs about pagan ceremonies and drudic rituals. The band
meanwhile play a nifty blend of psychedlia, dark proto metal and gothic prog.
This is their third album, and it’s roughly on par with the first two, which is
to say, excellent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You might hear about
plenty of occult rock bands in the next year or so. This is one of the best.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>11.</strong> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>Forest Swords</strong></span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> – </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Engravings<br />
</i>I was a tremendous fan of <strong>Forest Swords’</strong> 2011 album, <em>Dagger Paths</em>. It’s mix
of ambient, dub and electronic influences made for an ultra-chill full-immersion listen. Well I’m happy to report that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Engravings</i> is a trip that delves even
deeper into their singular headspace.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">
Forest Swords</b> know how to let dark vibes bleed into their music while
keeping things groovy. I listened to it once after a night of heavy drinking
when I had to get up early and go to work and I’m pretty sure it saved my life.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">10. Kvelertak</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
- <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Meir</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Meir</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> is the second album from this Norwegian 6-piece
group, and it basically follows the same blueprint as the first. Cram all
flavours of metal, hardcore and classic hard rock into one diamond-hard sound
that mixes accessibility and brutality. This time out however, the songs are
better, and the production is bigger. The guitarmonies are that
much catchier, the builds even more triumphant. This is crust punk with
stadium sized ambitions, and though none of the lyrics are sung in English at
all, one can almost imagine an arena full of non-Norwegians screaming along.
For you see, <strong>Kvelertak</strong> have mastered the lexicon of rock and roll, one of the
only universal languages we have. And in doing so, they’ve managed to put
together one of the catchiest and heaviest punk metal hybrids ever heard,
and this record’s potential to appeal to fans of any type of loud guitar music is
enormous.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">9. Oranssi Pazuzu</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
– </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Valonielu<br />
</i>These Finnish black metal experimentalists have really outdone themselves
this time. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Valonielu</i> blends black
metal holocaust with <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">King Crimson</b>’s
sense of study, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pink Floyd</b>’s synth
arsenal, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Queensrÿche</b>’s bombast, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Tool’s</b> fondness for elemental grooves,
and weirdness on par with the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Flaming
Lips</b>. For all the attention <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Deafheaven</b>’s
gotten for their bold and expansive <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sunbather</i>,
these guys deserve just as much credit for their ambition. Afterall, one
might find extreme metal and dusty 70s prog and space rock to be strange bedfellows. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Valonielu </i>makes it work in a way that
makes me wonder why it took this long for someone to figure it out.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">8. Thee Oh Sees – </span></b></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Floating Coffin<br />
</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">With
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Thee Oh Sees</b> having announced their
hiatus just a few weeks ago, I might finally be able to catch up on all their
records. I’ve heard and enjoyed most of them, but I’m sure a couple must have
slipped between the cracks. John Dwyer and co have recorded music at such a torrid
pace for the past 7 years or so, they certainly deserve a break. But if
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Floating Coffin</i> is to be the last <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Thee Oh Sees</b> record for a while, it’s yet another career peak for them. Kaleidoscopic and fuzzy in the
tradition of all the best garage rock, this is neither as weird or rocking
or raw as some of their more extreme records. It's also not the studio-crafted opus <em>Castlemania</em> was. But for sheer quality, and
incorporating all of the aspects of the band’s sound that make them so
interesting and fun, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Floating Coffin</i>
is clearly on the same level as their very best records, and I’m not sure it’s
not the best. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>7. Hookworms</strong></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pearl Mystic</i><br />
As much as I love psychedelic music, I haven’t come across too much of it that’s
really blown me away in the last couple of years. It seems that most bands
trying to affect the out-of-body experience have either gone the psych-pop
route of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Tame Impala</b> or gone down
the bong-blasted genre service path traveled by the likes of the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Samsara Blues Experiment</b>. But though this stuff has generally been competent and enjoyable, none of it is particularly mind-expanding. The real masters of auditory
transfiguration have gone deeper and deeper into drone, ambient and noise music
in recent years. And that's great, but I still need the rock! It sustains me! Bands that try to
strike that balance between the physical and the mental aren't really exciting
to me the way <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Dead Meadow</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Black Mountain</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Comets on Fire</b> were all those years ago. But the UK's <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Hookworms</b> really impressed me with this excellent debut record. Far
from mere sunshine addicts, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Hookworms</b>
have created a dark, powerful album in the truest sense, well sequenced and dynamic. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pearl
Mystic</i> delivers the kind of sky-melting amplifier worship that I crave,
without seeming like the work of a bunch of hack revivalists. Periods of
ambient drift connect the heavens-scraping jams for a seamless trip through the
centre of your mind. The record ebbs and flows with a perfect balance of
listenability and atmosphere. When the waves of fuzz and reverb do crest, their
jams truly bring the thunder, while delicate and downright gorgeous passages
demonstrate their grasp of tonal colour and subtlety. It’s not the best record of the year, but
there were times this year I thought it could be. </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--></span></b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">6. Deafheaven</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sunbather</i><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
People keep asking me about this band. <strong>Deafheaven</strong>’s 2011 debut album <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Roads to Judah</i> was a vicious melding of black metal and post metal
that took the grimness of the kvlt and the full colour textural washes of a
legion of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Isis</b> imitators to create
something unique. While nodding to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Wolves
In The Throne Room</b> at times, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Deafheaven</b>
go farther afield to work with a sound that’s brighter but just as brutal. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sunbather</i> is the followup, supersized and
widescreen. This is a lush, gorgeous opus that blends strains of shoegaze,
indie rock, noise, ambient and drone music with its metal DNA. With multiple songs
exceeding the ten minute mark, one might think this is a difficult
record. But in fact it’s exceedingly listenable, making use of a broad range of sounds
and musical techniques, and it’s all pulled off with the nuance of a band in
absolute command of every aspect of their sound. As solid as their first record
was, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sunbather</i> is an absolute
revelation, one that’s catapulted them to the very forefront of today’s best
metal bands. Actually, they’re just one of the best bands you’ll hear anywhere,
period.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>5.</strong> <strong>Black Boned Angel</strong> - </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The End<br />
</i><strong>Black Boned Angel</strong> have made a career out of recording endlessly distorted
drone doom soundscapes that seem to go on forever. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The End</i> is a culmination, at
once larger and louder than anything they’ve done before. Walls of guitar noise
wash over you as guttural vocals neck-shackled to pillars of distortion roar in
agony and drum machine patterns march inexorably into the distance, undulating in volume and presence. At no time does the record attempt to
speed up or rock out…there is very little forward movement. Instead the
towering monoliths of distortion crush and suffocate the listener, offering
only texture and volume. It’s huge in scope and huger in sound, and impossibly
monolithic. Truly a grand achievement in sonic devastation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>4.</strong> <strong>Baptists</strong> - <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bushcraft</i><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Baptists have been one of the best bands in
Vancouver now for a couple years. Relentlessly aggressive and blisteringly fast, they
channel all the bottomless vitriol and instensity of the best d-beat hardcore
into a sludgy, crushing metal-influenced sound that’s tailor made for smashing
stuff too. The record is just a shade over 27 minutes long, meaning it hardly
qualifies as a full length. Still, the economy of the record works for it.
These songs get in your face, pummel you, and then leave you in a ditch. I mean come on... the drumming on this album is ridiculous. The vocals sound like the singer chews glass. The guitars are just devastatingly heavy. It's a freaking ripper. And if
that’s not enough for ya, consider this little couplet from the title track, “I
WANNA PRACTICE BUSHCRAFT! AND LEAVE THIS SHIT BEHIND! I WANNA PRACTICE
BUSHCRAFT! AND LEAVE THIS FUCKING SHIT!” Amen brother.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>3.</strong> <strong>Powertrip</strong> - <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Manifest Decimation</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> I’ve read a
number of articles and heard more than a few metal fans write off the mid-00s
thrash revival as old hat. Someone must have forgot to tell the guys in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Powertrip</b> that, because this is the
most intense and exciting metal record I’ve heard all year. There is nothing,
absolutely fucking NOTHING about this record which hasn’t been done somewhere
else. But the blunt ferocity, advanced songcraft and razor sharp musicianship
that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Powertrip</b> manages on this
record revitalizes a tired formula to create an addictive blend of thrash,
death metal and crossover hardcore. With nods to the full-speed aggression of
prime <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Slayer</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Kreator</b> alongside the meaty galloping
riffs of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sodom</b>, it’s a record that
wears its influences on its sleeve, updating them without slavish imitation,
and incorporating deft touches of other styles without being gimmicky. It’s
similar to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Black Breath</b>’s
incredible <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sentenced To Life</i>, though the production is darker and muddier and the band’s approach
less overtly hardcore-influenced. At just under 35 minutes in length, <em>Manifest Decimation</em> makes its point in a hurry and doesn’t overstay its welcome. A fantastic
debut from a band with the skill, energy and chops to give a familiar sound a
much needed boot to the ass and make it fun again.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong>2.</strong> <strong>Kurt Vile </strong>- </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Wakin’ On A Pretty Daze</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This is a laid back wander down an open highway.
In the past, <strong>Vile</strong>'s material had taken on a rambling feel that felt directionless
at times. And’ while it’s neither as raw or rocking as his early records, nor
is it as intimate as <em>Smoke Ring For My
Halo, </em>this is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Kurt Vile</b>’s best
album to date<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">. </i>Its sprawling jams
shamble through a dusty, sunny haze. Cloaked in shimmering
reverb, Vile’s voice and guitar are difficult to make out at first. But this is
the clearest expression yet of Vile’s gifts as a songwriter. Although the edges
are blurred, warm, engaging melodies are generously sprinkled throughout,
interconnected with plenty of laguid, grooving guitar jams. Most of these songs
seem to sharpen in focus the more you listen to them. Take the nine-minute
opening track “Wakin on a Pretty Day.” Vile’s chiming, ringing guitar lines
soar and reverberate in a beautifully assured manner, as he intones his barley
intelligible vocal parts… in Vile’s case, the old “It’s not what he’s singing,
it’s how it sounds” cliché is very much in effect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is as patient a guitar player as you’ll
ever hear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Shame Chamber” meanwhile is
probably his catchiest song to date, all while paired with self-loathing lyrics
about isolation. I listened to this record so much and in such a wide variety
of situations that I feel like I’ve internalized it, and yet I can barely
recall any of the song titles. Although it’s well over an hour long, it’s a
very easy record to get absorbed into. The whole thing ebbs and flows,
drawing the listener in, and hooking them almost before they realize it. I got
more… “Who is this, anyway?” questions from people after putting this on than
any other record this year. And somehow, even in the dark days of December as I
write this, it makes me feel like the sun is shining on me.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong>1.</strong> <strong>The Men -</strong> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">New Moon<o:p></o:p></span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In the past 3 years, this Brooklyn 5-piece
has climbed to the top of the heap by continually refining and focusing their
aims, to devastating effect. Their <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ramones</b>-referencing
debut <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Leave Home</i> was a
jumble of everything from <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Melvins</b>-style
sludge to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Rolling Stones</b>-esque roots
rock. It was the kind of record young bands make all the
time, but of exceptional quality. They were kids, new to the game
of playing and listening to music for a living, completely in love with
rock n’ roll of all types, and they wanted to sound like all of it. Last year’s
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Open Your Heart</i> refined their sound,
dropping some of the more abrasive aspects and generally moving away from the
punk tag this band is often saddled with a far more organic and musical classic
rock sound. Though still stylistically scattershot, it was a big improvement,
and in fact landed at #21 on this list last year. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">New Moon</span></i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> is a
further refinement of these trends, a record that reveals a massive <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Neil Young And Crazy Horse</b> jones that
was only hinted at on the earlier platters.It’s downright shocking to hear them
open with the barroom piano shuffle of “Open the Door,” a song that wouldn’t
sound out of place on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">After the Goldrush</i>.
Following that up is the epic full tilt rocker “Half Angel, Half Light,” a
track that kicks in the door like a shotgun blast and doesn’t let up.
Desperate, longing and powerful, it’s a glorious life-affirming burst of rock n
roll, and perhaps my favourite song I heard all year. And it’s a love song. <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s worth noting again that their
first record came out in 2011. They’ve covered an enormous amount of ground in
an exceptionally short time. This time out, the emotional baggage dealt is
heavier and more adult, but there is an irrepressibly fun quality to the band
too. And these songs rock, but they do it in a shit-kicking kind of way that
recalls ‘70s AM radio gold as much as it does CBGB’s. The vocals are ragged and
worn but deliciously full of character and charm. These songs are perfect for shouting
along to, preferably while drinking a beer or whisky late at night with
friends. The guitars are dirtied up with distortion but not soaked in it, and
the rhythm section is sturdy and powerful. The songs have great hooks but still
work tremendously well as a directionaless, raging racket, as all great rock n'
roll must. And when the exhilarating 8 minute guitar and feedback workout of
“Supermoon” that closes the album descends into winding strands of noise and
amp buzz, and eventually echoes into nothing, you’re left with a deep feeling
of satisfaction. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">New Moon</i> is a
fantastic rock and roll record, and the best evidence around that rock music is
still a vital and exciting force in today’s world.</span></span></div>
One pissed off Canadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483730694976496235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8853869205384632002.post-46963130574581387162013-12-31T20:09:00.002-08:002014-01-01T09:21:41.290-08:00The Top Albums of 2013: Honourable Mention<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I liked these albums quite a bit. Just not enough to write about them.<br /><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Alice In Chains</b> – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here</i><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Altar Of Plagues</span></span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> - <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Teethed Glory And Injury</i><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Anciients</b> – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hearts Of Oak</i><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Autopsy</b> – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Headless Ritual<o:p></o:p></i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Agrimonia</span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – Rites of Separation<o:p></o:p></span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Black Angels</span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – Indigo Meadow</span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Black Sabbath</b> – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">13</i><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Black Wizard – </b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Young Wisdom</i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></span><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Body – </span></span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Christs, Redeemers<br />
</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Boris - </span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Präparat</span></i></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
California X – </span></span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">California X</span></span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
Colin Stetson - </span></span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">New History Warfare Vol 3: To See
More Light</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Crystal Stilts – </span></span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Nature Noir<br />
</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Dead Meadow</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Marble Womb</i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Ensemble Pearl – </span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Ensemble Pearl<o:p></o:p></span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Four Tet – </span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Beautiful Rewind</span></i></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
Fuck Buttons – </span></span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Slow Focus</span></span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
Gorguts – </span></span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Coloured Sands<o:p></o:p></span></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Gnaw</span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – Horrible Chamber</span></i></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
Hallow Moon – </span></span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Hallow Moon<br />
</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Immolation –</span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Kingdom Of Conspiracy</span></i></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
Inquisition - </span></span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Obscure Verses For The Multiverse</span></span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
KEN Mode - </span></span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Entrench</span></span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
Kylesa – </span></span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Ultraviolet<br />
</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Locrian</span></b></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – Return To Annhilation<br />
</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Lycus</span></b></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – Tempest<br />
</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Melvins</span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – Everybody Loves Sausages</span></i></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
Moths & Locusts </span></span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">– Mission Collapse In The Twin Sun
Megaverse</span></span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
Mount Kimbie - </span></span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Cold Spring Fault Less Youth</span></span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
My Bloody Valentine – </span></span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">M.B.V.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Nine Inch Nails – </span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Hesitation Marks</span></i></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – </span></span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Push The Sky Away</span></span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
Noisem – </span></span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Agony Defined</span></span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
Pelican</span></span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – Forever Becoming<br />
</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Portal</span></b></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – Vexavoid<br />
</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Russian Circles - </span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Memorial</span></i></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
Skeletonwitch</span></span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> – Serpents Unleashed<o:p></o:p></span></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Shining</span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – One One One<o:p></o:p></span></i></span><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">SubRosa</span></span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><em> – More Constant Than Gods</em><strong>Three Wolf Moon</strong><em> - Three Wolf Moon<br />
</em></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Toxic Holocaust – </span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Chemistry Of
Consciousness</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ty Segall</span></span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – Sleeper<br />
</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Vastum</span></b></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – Patricidal Lust<br />
</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Ulcerate</span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> - Vermis<o:p></o:p></span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats – </span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Mind Control</span></i></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
Vattnet Viskar</span></span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – Sky Swallower<br />
</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Windhand </span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">- Soma<o:p></o:p></span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Watain – </span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Wild Hunt</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Wolf People</span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> - Fain<o:p></o:p></span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">µ-Ziq</span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – Chewed Corners</span></i></span>One pissed off Canadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483730694976496235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8853869205384632002.post-656705451018008402013-12-11T11:46:00.001-08:002013-12-11T11:46:16.003-08:00Friedhof - Friedhof<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUV4T29wffyPB9i8YjBCjOYv-ykpJFKdmZKwYFRYu-mREsPx-yw3ekvpEPllNa_5QeRYrLX30xkwJ9riIAx5MswN-KWq31sF6VoJUm4BeWVd5CPXc4nnUE70Qjl4nS_YdoWb7L9WGCJ-al/s1600/Fiedhof.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUV4T29wffyPB9i8YjBCjOYv-ykpJFKdmZKwYFRYu-mREsPx-yw3ekvpEPllNa_5QeRYrLX30xkwJ9riIAx5MswN-KWq31sF6VoJUm4BeWVd5CPXc4nnUE70Qjl4nS_YdoWb7L9WGCJ-al/s1600/Fiedhof.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /><br />Band: Friedhoff<br />Album: Friedhoff<br />Label: Sound-Star Ton<br />Year: 1971<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This obscure German power trio released one album of raw axe-worship
in 1971, then promptly faded into legend. Named after the German word for “graveyard,”
these guys grind out a gloomy but high energy take on hard rock and proto-metal,
complete with hot and highly indulgent lead guitar playing, and no attempt whatsoever
at anything resembling a song for the radio. They didn’t even bother hiring a
singer!<br />
<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In much of my research on the band, I’ve
seen them referred to as a krautrock band, mostly due to the fact that they are
German, from the early ‘70s, and very few people have actually heard the
record. This is false. Don’t track this record down expecting to hear anything
resembling the endless grooves of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Can</b>,
the lysergic free rock of<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> Amon Düül II</b>,
the mantra-like jams of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ash Ra Tempel</b>
or the synthetic dreamscapes of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Tangerine
Dream</b>. This is a hard rock record, pure and simple, and these guys want
nothing more than to melt your face.<br />
<br />
Side 1 consists of just two songs, the first of which opens slowly, stoking the
flames of a psychedelic jam and building into what is eventually a pretty
rockin’ crescendo. Appropriately titled “Orgasmus,” it takes a while to get
going, but once that jaw-dropping lead guitar starts to let loose it really
cooks. It also takes over 11 minutes to run its course, which should tell you
what these guys think of the notion of restraint. Not to be outdone, the second
cut “Nothing at All” is even longer, though it generally follows the same
formula. A little over three minutes in, the rhythm section drops away, leaving
the guitarist to go absolutely mental over complete silence, covering every
harmonic corner of his guitar neck and digging into his fretboard as if his
life depended on it. It’s an astonishing guitar performance, and if you like heavily
distorted wah-inflected leads complete with relentless pick attack, screaming
bends and feedbacking amplifier abuse, this might be one of the most exciting
things you’ve ever heard. And that’s not even halfway through the song! Soon it’s
the drummer’s turn, as he whips out a couple minutes of arrhythmic drum solo
that was an occupational hazard to most rock fans of this era. Eventually the
full band kicks back in and pummels the message home for another off the rails
jam to close out the track.<br />
<br />
Side 2 has a few more bite-sized tracks, and a couple like “Undertaker’s Joy”
flirt with some pretty catchy lead lines. It’s really just more of the same. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Friedhof</b> basically do one thing, but
they do it with conviction and a ton of energy, and the playing is pretty
accomplished throughout. Although the record is extremely rocking, it’s got
none of the strung-out brutality of some of the doomier bands of this era like <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sabbath</b> or <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pentagram, </b>and at the same time not a whiff of blues purity or
progressive ambition sullies their pure single-minded determination to rock out.
If you want to hear some absolutely ferocious lead guitar playing that sounds
like it was recorded in a dungeon, you’ll dig this. If you’re wondering when
the vocals are gonna kick in, best to just give it a pass.</span></div>
One pissed off Canadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483730694976496235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8853869205384632002.post-11834781697275539852013-07-15T09:47:00.003-07:002013-07-15T09:47:51.570-07:00CapitalThis is a very interesting article by Damon Krukowski from<strong> Galaxie 500</strong> that explores how online music streaming sites like Spotify operate, and what specifically they do for new artists. <strong>Nigel Godrich</strong> and <strong>Thom Yorke</strong> made waves this week when they pulled their new <strong>Atoms for Peace</strong> album and Yorke's <em>Eraser </em>record from Spotify.<br /><br /><a href="http://pitchfork.com/features/articles/8993-the-cloud/">http://pitchfork.com/features/articles/8993-the-cloud/</a><br />
<br />
Spotify has released a statement in response to Thom and Nigel's stand that I won't bother linking. Suffice it to say that it doesn't really say anything at all, just bland generalizations and non-specific points about Spotify's so called commitment to investing in new talent. No hard numbers or examples are given. It sounds to me like a lot of the same bullshit that the music industry has been proffering since the internet was invented.One pissed off Canadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483730694976496235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8853869205384632002.post-12942967064723578292013-06-18T18:41:00.000-07:002013-06-18T18:41:08.113-07:00No Horses - No HorsesBand: No Horses<br />Album: No Horses<br />Label: Self Released<br />Year: 2008<br />
<br />
One of my all-time favourite local bands is this dearly departed Vancouver by way of Prince George roots rock unit. They released this lone album and raised and appropriate amount of hell in dive bars around BC and beyond during their heyday, before drifting off, as so many good bands do, to disband and get real jobs and raise families. But what they left behind is a reverent vivisection of <b>Crazy Horse</b>'s unhinged and sloppy roots rock replete with wailing solo's, nicotine and whiskey-tinged gang vocals and tales of drunken debauchery. What's more, the were by all accounts a force to be reckoned with onstage, although sadly I never caught them when they were active.<br /><br />"Grab Yer Coat" kicks in the door like a double-barelled shotgun blast, opening the album with a furious barrage of bent guitar notes and crashing drums set to lyrics about waking up hungover after a night of drinking alone. This is dark, depressing stuff, a worm's eye view of the rock n' roll lifestyle from veterans who have been doing it so long it's long since lost it's fun and hardened into a habit. Tracks like "Tombstone Eyes" and "Winter Park" weave tales of drugged out losers and hard working grinders down on their luck together with jangly country-rock guitars and a tough as nails rhythm section. You can almost smell the acrid smoke and stale booze sweat of the bars where this stuff was honed. "Shakedown" even offers a glimpse into the hard reality of making a living playing music, with it's images of a road-weary band tearing apart an empty venue on a Monday night, and it's refrain of, "Don't let 'em shake you down, don't let 'em fuck you on your guarantee!"<br /><br />The <b>Neil Young</b> influence looms large here, as it does over the work of similarly rustic flannel-bedecked Vancouver rockers like <b>Ladyhawk</b>, <b>Featherwolf</b> and <b>Red Cedar</b>, but like these other bands, <b>No Horses</b> add enough personality to their work to avoid mere mimicry. The band 's tales of life on the road center the band geographically and name check bars and gigs and people, lending the songs a sense of authenticity. These feel like real stories about real people and places. What's more, the burnt out and wasted vibe here recalls a sort of alternate reality <b>Rolling Stones</b> circa 1972 if the <b>Stones</b> were just another band grinding it out on the circuit instead of English lords holed up in a mansion in the French countryside.<br /><br />The album's centerpiece is a character portrait of a vagrant alcoholic in Prince George that may or may not be based on an actual person. "The Great Tabor Mountain Fire of 1961" opens with a plaintive acoustic figure before lurching to life with a wobbly, whammy-heavy guitar solo. As the song builds over 6 minutes, the vocals become gradually become more frenzied as the tale reaches it's climax. It's spine tingling, chilly stuff, and the band matches the tone of the story by rocking the hell out as the backing vocals burn a vicious hook into your head. Balls out rock n 'roll doesn't get much better than this.<br /><br /><b>No Horses</b> toured up and down the west coast for over a decade, but this record is all that remains of their career, as the band members have all gone on to other things. But their self-titled record is a hell of a legacy, a harrowing portrait of rock on the wrong side of the tracks and a testament to the power of some dudes, some beer, a drum kit, a bass and a couple of guitars. Don't let anyone tell you they don't make great rock anymore. They're just not looking hard enough.One pissed off Canadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483730694976496235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8853869205384632002.post-19473573318238453702013-03-25T15:31:00.000-07:002013-03-25T16:38:57.919-07:00UpdateThe aftershocks of the bus crash <b>Baroness </b>suffered in August are continuing. Apparently the band will continue on with a new rhythm section after bassist Matt Maggioni and drummer Allen Blickle departed amicably as a result of the fallout from the crash. The deets are <a href="http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2013/03/matt-maggioni-and-allen-blickle-not-rejoining-baro.html">here.</a> <br />
<br />
How this will affect their sound remains to be seen. They just capped a run of three straight amazing albums with a double album, last year's brilliant <i>Yellow & Green</i>. If they didn't release another note of music ever again, they'd still be a significant figure, but either way, how they rebound from this will have a profound impact on their legacy.One pissed off Canadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483730694976496235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8853869205384632002.post-21743588935676672642013-03-15T02:29:00.000-07:002013-03-15T02:41:16.146-07:00Duality<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the tradition of Plato, and
because I'm basically really lazy, here is a dialogue for you. It's a
conversation about music and things that I had with a friend.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>Me</strong> - I don't get upset over pop
music like some people do. There's no point. It'll always be there, whether
it's LMFAO or BSB or whatever.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>Friend</strong> - Yeah. I actually like
listening to stuff like that sometimes. Its nice to let my mind shut off and
bounce.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>Me</strong> - Pop has it's place. It's
functional music. I love some stupid trashy music.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>Friend</strong> - But in my mind, really good
fucking music is like poetry, it evokes something.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>Me</strong> - I realized the other day that I
can enjoy music on two levels. One being the level most normal people do. And
that's the level that lets me enjoy virtually anything, so long as other people
are there too. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I would never listen to some of the
music that people I enjoy hanging out with like. But when I'm with them, I can
have a lot of fun, whether it's pop or country or rap or whatever.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>Friend</strong> - Hmm interesting.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>Me</strong> - The second is the work I do as
a scholar. And this is serious business. It's work and I treat it as such. I
mean, I enjoy it, but I think about it intensely. And I write. Sometimes. Not
as much as I should.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>Friend</strong> - I can see how that would
work.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>Me</strong> - Anyways, I just became aware of
the disconnect. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Like for instance. This girl I like
and I have in part bonded over "classic rock." Except we have
different definitions of what that means. What she really wants is to hear
songs her parents liked when she was young. And that could be anything from
folk to soul to rock to disco, so long as it was recorded before 1980. Stuff
she can sing along to in the car. And I have rigorous aesthetic definitions of
such things that I adhere to in my writing and thinking about rock music and what
that means. But I don't do that when we're hanging out because then I would be
an ass. So instead we sing along to "Let's Get it On" by Marvin Gaye
in the car at 2am.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>Friend</strong> - Cute.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>Me</strong> - Fuck yeah, it's adorable. Point
is... I've been able (and I'm just realizing this now) to seperate my own very
serious thoughts about music with what's actually playing, and basically enjoy
music on a human level with people. I used to listen to a lot of really
terrible rap at the spag, because that's what everyone liked. And I was able to
have fun with it. And I hang out with a lot of serious music nerds who can be
total assholes and have no sense of humor about music, and are frankly pretty
nasty for no reason about stupid shit.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>Friend</strong> - Do you think they are
actually really that angry, or do they feel like its their "duty" as
these cerebral indie fucks to get angry?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>Me</strong> - Well probably, but here's an
example. So many people give Nickelback shit. And it's like, whatever, if they
weren't doing it, someone else would.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>Friend</strong> - Yeah, thats why music is so
amazing. Its personal. And interesting. And diverse. A</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">nd fun. A</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">nd weird. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But it's important as fuck. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Like I love car rides with my female
friends and we turn up Drake or Rihanna and laugh and dance... </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">but If I was constantly surrounded
by that I would die. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I need someone who if they aren't
interested in my tastes, at least be open and receptive to it.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>Me</strong> - Totally. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Look, I LOVE metal. But a lot of
people will not listen to it. And that doesn't bother me. It's not like I think
some Slayer track is going to make them change their mind.<o:p></o:p></span></o:p></span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>Friend</strong> - Haha, thank you.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>Me</strong> - It's just that we spend so much
time bludgeoning each other with our musical tastes, like they are clubs. And
that's so stupid. For what? So we can be embarassed about liking things? We
should be sharing. Most music is a shared experience. Or it should be anyways.
It's made when people come together in performance or collaboration, and it's
best enjoyed as such.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>Friend</strong> - Come together, collaborate
and listen...yep<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>Me</strong> - It's always better to be with
friends (or even strangers) who are united in their appreciation for a piece of
music.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>Friend</strong> - It's all right there.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 2.8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>Me</strong> - Yup, Vanilla Ice had it right all along.</span></div>
</span><br />One pissed off Canadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483730694976496235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8853869205384632002.post-78277872563552682592013-02-05T15:32:00.001-08:002013-02-05T15:32:04.777-08:00Sodom - Tapping The Vein<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNLonVtPLa5WS2rfmrgS11x-v3lbeMWyszjiv2P3jxpxUKaSs_PVmaGg-A8h7KNvN3BxYqo6FVu00B9eSP7NuCkoz2jEnwq5zd5tpuYK2F2aChiBzTdQEEt9WUMemo68BY-MTsuxPqtoya/s1600/Sodom+-+Tapping+The+Vein.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNLonVtPLa5WS2rfmrgS11x-v3lbeMWyszjiv2P3jxpxUKaSs_PVmaGg-A8h7KNvN3BxYqo6FVu00B9eSP7NuCkoz2jEnwq5zd5tpuYK2F2aChiBzTdQEEt9WUMemo68BY-MTsuxPqtoya/s1600/Sodom+-+Tapping+The+Vein.jpg" /></a></div>
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<div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-5458048931584209640" itemprop="description articleBody">
Band: Sodom<br />Album: Tapping The Vein<br />Label: Steamhammer<br />Year: 1992</div>
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While I was undergoing my education as a novice headbanger in the history of heavy metal, Germany's <strong>Sodom</strong> was always included alongside <strong>Kreator</strong> and <strong>Destruction</strong> as the leading bands in Germany's glorious thrash renaissance of the mid 1980s. Much rawer then their counterparts, <strong>Sodom's</strong> early work showed off a dungeon-fi recording quality and a heavier <strong>Venom</strong> influence than their more technically advanced contemporaries, and they are now considered one of the seminal bands of the early European black metal influence.<br /><br />They underwent a transformation into a ferociusly blunt speed metal power trio, ending up on the more devastating end of the thrash spectrum and having a hand in the creation of modern death metal. Their most important albums, <em>Obsessed By Cruelty</em>, <em>Persecution Mania</em> and <em>Agent Orange</em> chronicled this transformation from 1986 to 1989. Having basically done all that was required of them, the classic lineup of the band then fell apart, leaving bassist and vocalist Tom Angelripper (pretty sure it says that on his birth certificate) to cobble together one itineration of the band after another to continue marauding around the continent to this day. And as far as I knew until recently that was the end of the story.<br /><br />But to completely write off the reaminder of <strong>Sodom's</strong> discography would be a grave mistake for any metalhead who knows exactly what they want to hear, and doesn't particularly care if it is groundbreaking or innovative or even relevant. Like <strong>Motörhead</strong> before them, <strong>Sodom</strong> has just kept on going, long after anyone except diehards was paying attention. And they are even less popular, but all the same keep out cranking out album after album of furious, technically competent death thrash. Yes, there have been more than a few duds that fail to rise above mediocrity, but there have been several good to great albums in the band's post-heyday such as 1995's <em>Masquerade In Blood</em> and 2001's <em>M-16</em>. Even their most recent album, 2010's <em>In War And Pieces</em> was a potent lead injection that illustrated why this band has kept on plugging. But the best of these is Tapping The Vein, an ultraheavy distillation of everything the band has ever done well married to a dense, ultraheavy production job and a furious batch of songs.<br /><br />This is the band's most overtly death metal influenced recording, with downtuned riffs and machinegun doublekicks coming to the fore of the band's songwriting. Angleripper's growls are typically lower and more gutteral than on the 80s records, and the superior production brings to life the dead on performances of the three musicians. Coming off a tour with an in-their-prime <strong>Sepultura</strong>, it's no wonder a little of that influence rubbed off on <strong>Sodom</strong>, then in the midst of an identity crisis as many of the arena-thrash metal bands were being swept away by grunge and heavy alternative rock bands from above and more extreme underground metal bands below. The opening one-two punch of "Body Parts" and "Skinned Alive" make it clear that these veterans had no intention of retiring quietly though. Not quite as brutal as what <strong>Deicide</strong> or <strong>Morbid Angel</strong> were up to at the time, but several megtons heavier than radio-bound <strong>Metallica</strong> and <strong>Megadeth</strong> were at the time, songs like "Deadline," "Tapping The Vein" and "Bullet In The Head" rely on ultraheavy chugging riffs instead of fleet-fingered acrobatics or tacky choruses to make their point, and damned if they don't do it too.<br /><br />So yeah, it doesn't quite live up to the band's classics, and sure, there are more extreme recordings out there. But if you're a fan of classic thrash, and don't mind when things get a little heavier and the production a little bit cleaner, you could do a lot worse than this album. Definately worth a few spins.</div>
One pissed off Canadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483730694976496235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8853869205384632002.post-39418454693815034102013-01-24T08:25:00.002-08:002013-01-24T08:25:17.085-08:00ExcursionSeattle's Showbox near Pike Place was the scene of my first great show of 2013 on January 5th. A smoking quadruple bill topped off by the most influential metal band of the past quarter century. Since we were on the road for this one, I've recounted the details of the trip there and back, because that's always half the fun.<br /><br />After a snafu involving stubhub charging me more than double the ticket prices, (it was recitfied in the end, and I paid normal price. I gladly would have paid 70 bucks for a show of this calibur if the tickets actually cost that much, but not if other people were buying them for 35.) my friend and I departed for the 3 hour drive to Seattle in the mid afternoon. To the strains of <strong>Neurosis's</strong> excellent 2007 album <em>Given To The Rising</em>, we hit the border as darkness was falling, and spent 45 minutes dealing with the needlessly rude and utterly humorless American border guards. Our own scruffy appearances notwithstanding, the useless secondary inspection turned up nothing of note, so we were free to go. Good thing we're coming into your country to spend money and inflate your sagging economy boys.<br /><br />A Taco Time stop along the way was soundtracked by the new <strong>Converge</strong> record. Did you know they have spaced-aged pop dispensers with like 60 flavors and digital touchscreens in the states now? I thought that was freaking awesome.<br />
<br />
We stopped at the liquor store outside a casino along I-5 so my passenger could mix a JD and coke for the road (as driver, I stuck to cherry coke. In the States, booze is so much cheaper I'd probably be drunk all the time if I lved here.) and enjoyed <strong>Featherwolf</strong>'s <em>Live at the Vogue </em>and <strong>No Horses'</strong> self titled record as we crested the final hill into Seattle. It's quite a beautiful city as you drive up to it, a jewel nestled next to the water and plenty of green hills surrounding it. An hour to kill before showtime was hardly a problem even in the rain -- we parked the car in Seattle's entertainment district, grabbed a couple of huge American beer cans and headed for shelter from the downpour. Underneath a bridge on the ass end of town, my buddy and I discussed with growing anticipation what awaited us down the street.<br /><br /><strong>Stoneburner</strong> was already playing when we entered. I had passed up a chance to see them open for <strong>Sleep</strong> at Neumo's during the summer, and I'm glad I caught part of their set this time. The showbox is much larger than I expected it to be, but with good sightlines. We watched the almost completely full show from various vanatge points, and got a good view and fine sound from everywhere. Aside from one of the security guards hassling me in the washroom for taking too long in a stall (those things can be used for things besides snorting coke, guy! What the fuck do you think I was doing?) I'd say the venue was fantastic. <strong>Stoneburner</strong>'s heavy sludge reminded me of the <strong>Melvins</strong> more than anyone else, their slow trudges, deliberate riffs and massive drum fills impressing me more than I had expected. A solid opening act that the next bands built upon.<br /><br />We watched <strong>Black Breath's</strong> set from the beer garden. I was a little disappointed with their rendition of "Feast Of The Damned," their set opener and my favourite song from the new album. Whether it was nerves or simply a case of finding the range, by 2 songs in they had the Showbox MOVING, their sludgy yet speedy hardcore resembling nothing if not prime <strong>Slayer</strong> circa 1985. The old timer at the bar in front of us seemed to agree, sagely nodding his head in amusement. The difference is that ultra thick buzzsaw guitar sound that Swedish death metal bands like <strong>Entombed</strong>, <strong>At the Gates</strong>, <strong>Edge of Sanity</strong> and <strong>Grave</strong> popularized during the '90s. That monstrously thick tone was on glorious display on this night, although live it was not quite as suffocatingly dense as on record. Bashing out a set of tunes which was comprised heavily of stuff from their excellent new album <em>Scentenced To Death, </em>the 5-piece harnessed barely-controlled dual leads, shatteringly fast thrash beats, dub-tuned ultra distorted bass and gut wrenching growls into a relentless tornado of sound. Closing with their album <em>Heavy Breathing</em>'s first track, "Spit On The Cross," they capped their set in suitably vicious (and decidedly anti-Christian!) style.<br />
<br />
We headed down to the floor for <strong>Tragedy's</strong> set. My friend and I had only recently discovered the d-beat happy crew, who had released a modern hardcore classic in 2003 with <em>Vengeance</em>, and just returned from a 6 year hiatus last year with <em>Darker Days Ahead</em>, a slower, heavier record than any of their previous work. The set was a mix of new and old, althought probably heavier on the slow stuff than I would have liked. Understandable given who they were opening for. The quartet showed their stuff admirably though, getting a rumbling circle pit going, and showing off their crusty gang vocals with plenty of heroic monitor stands and epic claw of the gods posing from the frontline. They were tight and heavy, though perhaps less energetic than <strong>Black Breath</strong> had been.<br />
<br />
And then <strong>Neurosis</strong> hit the stage. Ahhhhh yes... <strong>Neurosis</strong>. What to even say? Their longtime visual accompaniest departed the band last year, meaning it fell to the 5 musicians onstage to hold the audience's attention. This was not a problem as the whethered crew morphed back and forth between apocalyptic doom, full tilt thrashing, misanthropic sludge, pensive, folky breakdowns, throat shredding primal howls and electronic soundscapes. It was music in constant, inexorable motion, relentlessly laying waste like some slow moving but unstoppable tropical storm front. The band played for over 2 hours, drawing material from throughout it's career, and weaving them all together amid a tapestry of wandering electronics that served as respites from the ultra heavy guitars and exqually powerful growls from Scott Kelley and Steve Von Till. A particular highlight was At The "Well" the best track from their new album, <em>Honor Found In Decay. </em>The deep, manly bellows of the 4 vocalists in the band made the song's brutal climax and spine-tingling experience.<br /><br />It was nearly 2am by the time my friend and I stumbled onto the street, myself with a brand new vinyl copy of <em>Enemy Of The Sun</em> clutched in my hands. We managed to avoid the bar stars that congregated around the district we were in and made our way out of town exhausted and numbed by the overwhealming force of what we had just witnessed. <strong>Emeralds's</strong> soothing synth drones on their massive <em>Allegory of Allergies</em> double record provided the necessary cleansing of our distorted decibal detectors as we hit Jack in the Box to fuel up for the ride home. Our encounter with Canadian customs took all of 15 seconds, and we arrived home shortly before 5am. A fantastic night, and one that I won't soon forget.<br />
One pissed off Canadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483730694976496235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8853869205384632002.post-40599038985155245452013-01-06T21:51:00.000-08:002013-01-06T21:53:18.202-08:00The Top 50 Albums Of 2012 #10-1<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Car Bomb</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> - <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">w^w^^w^w</i><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Holy
hell this album is brutal. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Car Bomb</b>
play <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Meshuggah</b>-style calculator
metal with grinding syncopated downtuned riffs criss-crossing every which way.
Vocals are encrusted in filth for the most part, but every so often a snatch of
clean melodic singing shines through, though it is usually heavily distorted.
Clean vocals can be a make or break proposition with many people, but their
used sparingly, and a little goes a very long way here. These bits of
tunefulness make the heavy sections all the more jarring and discordant, and
believe me, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">w^w^^w^w<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>(how the hell do you even say that?) is
99% sonic holocaust. What’s more, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Car
Bomb</b> have a much more bluntly aggressive, hardcore inspired lurch which <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Meshuggah’s</b> precise mechanistc pounding
lacks. There are very few bands out there that sound like <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Car Bomb</b> right now. I think that’s gonna change soon.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Converge</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> - <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">All We Love We Leave Behind<o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Although
they’ve been relentlessly re-defining hardcore for the better part of two
decades now, it took me a very long time to come around on <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Converge</b>. I was aware of their work and their reputation, but I
found their spastic mathy tendencies too chaotic to sit through. I even saw
them a few years back, and although I was impressed by their chops and
intensity, I still couldn’t get into them. Well, my opinion started to change
with their last album, 2009’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Axe to Fall</i>,
a record that finally offered the kind of sludgy riffs and suffocating
atmosphere I like to complement their highly technical breakdowns. This time
out the sound is even bigger and the songs are more memorable, balancing on a
razor’s edge of overwhelming aggression and supremely controlled fury. It is
quite clearly the most accessible record of their career, but this is no radio
bid. “Aimless Arrow” kicks off with the kind of wicked shredding and choppy
drumming that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Mastodon</b> made its name
on, and elsewhere “Sadness Comes Home” has a death grip riff worthy of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Neurosis</b>. Perhaps the best song here is
the title track, with opens with a subduded bass intro before exploding into
more superb explosions of sound and contains the album’s most anthemic moments.
The sound here is huge, loud and heavy, thanks to the production work of
guitarist and metal’s 2012 MVP Kurt Ballou. Fresh off recording some of this
year’s other great records like the new ones from <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Torche</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Gaza</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Black Breath</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">High On Fire</b>, it seems like everything he touches turns to gold. It
has been a year of triumphs for the man, and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Converge</b> just seem to get better and better.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">8. Pallbearer</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sorrow & Extinction<o:p></o:p></i></span></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Must
be something in the zeitgeist of 2012 which has made mid-tempo undesirable to
most bands. It seemed to me like most of the best heavy music this year was
being made by hyperactive hardcore units and snail-paced doom metal outfits. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pallbearer</b> fall in the latter category,
and the mournful funeral trudge they display on this record is one of the most
addictive and emotionally satisfying sounds you’ll hear all year. Anyone can
tune their guitars low and play 16 beats per minute, but it takes a special
band to take the standard doom template and wring a maximum amount of feeling
and depth out of it. Pallbearer shame every one dimensional doom trudge act out
there with the very first song on this remarkable full length. “Foreigner”
opens the album with a plaintive semi-classical acoustic guitar figure, drawing
the listener in and tantalizing with possibility before the apocalyptic
mega-riffs drop. And make no mistake, those huge guitars are there, and all
over the album. No song is less than 8 minutes long, but they never seem to
feel long because they are so well structured and relatable. There are
beautiful shimmering passages alternated with molasses-like head nodding
groove. Right down to the band’s very name, the whole thing seems tailor-made
for funeral bells. There are shades of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Forests
Of Equilibrium</i> –era <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Cathedral</b>
here as the band makes frequent use of doubling heavily sustained harmony
guitar leads over the depressive doom riffs. But the lonely high pitched and heavily
reverbed vocals here create an atmosphere of very human sorrow. You don’t need
to know what the songs are about to get sucked into this whirpool of sadness.
When <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pallbearer</b> reach for
transcendence, as on “The Legend” or “An Offering Of Grief,” the effect is
truly breathtaking. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pallbearer</b> have
crafted one of the finest doom metal albums in a very long time.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Black Breath
– </span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Sentenced To Life<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Black
Breath’s</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">
debut <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Heavy Breathing</i> straddled the
line crossover thrash and very heavy sludge metal. It was an enjoyable record,
but something about it didn’t quite grab me. This time out they’ve shifted
gears into a full on hardcore sprint, and with that slight tweak to their sound
they immediately grabbed my attention and didn’t let up the whole time. Nearly
every song on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sentenced To Life</i>
barrels ahead at a breakneck pace and features relentless drumming, serrated
bellowing and as thick and heavy a buzzsaw guitar sound as you can imagine.
These guys have clearly brushed up on their <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Entombed</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Disfear</b>
records, but it’s the quality of the songs and the intensity of these
performances that make <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sentenced To Life</i>
such a satisfying listen. This isn’t just some background noise for speed
junkies. Each song contains memorable shout along choruses from a singer who
sounds like he’s been guzzling razors and gasoline for about 20 years. Take one
listen to “Feast Of The Damned” and try not to turn whatever room you are in
into a slam pit. It sounds like fucking <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Slayer</b>.
There are elements of classic heavy metal inserted sparingly amid the relentless
onslaught, such as the gorgeous leads that emerge seemingly out of nowehere on
“Obey.” Not to mention the fact that the sound of the record is fucking huge. I
dare you to call yourself a fan of punk or hardcore or any kind of metal and
not love this album.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
6<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Purity Ring</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shrines<o:p></o:p></i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Many
of my favourite records are simply worlds unto themselves. Shrines is kind of
like that, a self-contained wonderland where only ghostly synths, skittering
drum machines and spectral vocals with only the vaguest hint of a human voice
peeking through. I’m not really sure what these songs are about, but whatever
is being said sure is creepy. What I do know is that Purity Ring makes some
chilling electronic music with just the vaguest bits of pop sunshine shimmering
through the snow. Everything here is hazy, sparse and lonely. Yet somehow there
are moments of tender intimacy curled up amidst the darkness. I’ve probably
listened to this album as much as anything else I’ve heard this year, yet I
can’t quite pin down why it resonates with me so deeply. It’s soundtracked some
pretty memorable moments in the past year, both good and bad ones, and I’d be
hard pressed to cal the record either happy or sad. Depending on my mood, it’s
been unsettling, lonely, romantic and joyful. It simply is, a strange world
that you can visit whenever you need to look at ours through a different lens.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Blut Aus
Nord</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cosmopoly</i><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The
third installment of this french bedroom black metal project’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">777</i> trilogy of albums that began with
last year’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sect(s) [scene]</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Desanctication</i> is also the best of
the three. Although avant garde and electronic elements have been creeping into
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Blut Aus Nord’s</b> music for a long
time now, here they are melded more seamlessly than ever before with the band’s
ripping metallic fury.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Opener
“Epitome XIV” (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cosmopoly</i> continues
the track naming scheme of the last 2 records) serves as a palette cleanser,
leading off the record with several minutes of absolutely gorgeous textural
guitar noise before the extremely synthetic sounding drums begin to march the
track inexorably toward the horizon. Bolstered by a crystalline production job,
the heavily reverbed and highly melodic guitar leads spiral ever upward,
reaching for transcendence. Meanwhile the rhythm guitars are mixed low to match
frequency profiles with the underlying synth beds to add colour and fullness.
This is a record made for headphones, and the devil is most definitely in the
details. It’s absolutely beautiful, and will shatter any notions that this is
just another wannabe <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Darkthrone</b>
retread.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The
creepy death disco of the second track shows a definite industrial influence,
complete with creepy synths and Vindsval’s robotic French monologue. Soon
enough it explodes into a full on assault, but before long the intensity
recedes and fades into a mournful slowburning hymn to the gas giants, before
ending on a pregnant dropped beat and fading to black. The division between
assault and airiness is a line that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Blut
Aus Nord</b> have straddled many times throughout their career, but here
they’ve perfected it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">There
are enough moments of sheer beauty here to even convert non metal fans. The
gothic tone of the album may unsettle some, but the romantic atmospheric drift
of “Epitome XVI” could easily appeal to fans who have never heard a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Slayer</b> record, much less a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Mayhem</b> one. The crescendos in these 6
to 11 minute long tracks remind me of a number of post rock bands in how they
evolve from quiet beauty to triumphant destruction. But what <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Blut Aus Nord</b> is not anywhere close to
the likes of what the legions of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Neurosis</b>
and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Isis</b> clones have been peddling
for the last few fears. The preoccupation with texture is clearly shoegaze
inspired, but the mechanical precussion pulls the locus of the band’s sound
away from guitar-centric genres altogether, birthing a cybernetic hybrid of red
blooded aggression, human warmth, and mechanical precision.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Krallice </span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">– <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Years Past Matter<o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Jaw-dropping
feets of technicality married into impossibly brutal arrangements that run for
marathon lengths is nothing new for <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Krallice</b>.
The thing that makes <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Years Past Matter</i>
the best album this extreme metal super group has ever made is the newly
mastered sense of space and tunefulness that they bring to the table this time
out. The album opens with some ominous and ghostly synth ambience before erupting
into a jackhammer burst beat that’s straight out of the USBM playbook. But the
kicker comes just a few second later, as the beat dissolves into a vast
soundscape of epic swelling harmonics before exploding back into a frenzied atonal
black metal assault as the drums grind out quadratic equations on your skull.
It’s pretty clear here that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Krallice</b>
don’t just want to kick your ass, they want to END YOUR FUCKING WORLD.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Music
as complex and devastating as <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Krallice’s</b>
risks exhausting the listener without space to breather. Throughout the album
are limpid pools of shimmering beauty, which exist like an oasis in the endless
wasteland of the album’s scorched landscape. Elsewhere there are dark, droney
soundscapes which build tension and dread in the listener before <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Krallice</b> undertake yet another
obliterating assault. What’s more, some of the band’s best ever riffs can be
found all over this record, such as the off-kilter stomper that opens the
album’s sixteen minute finale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Superbly
well crafted and paced, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Years Past Matter</i>
is a clinic in how to make music that is musically complex and totally
decimating without alienating the listener.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Cloud
Nothings</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">
– <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Attack On Memory<o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In
the past the Cloud Nothings specialized in short, punchy pop punk tunes. While
enjoyable, something about those early records struck me as a little bit
lightweight, maybe even immature. The harrowing Attack on Memory is another
matter entirely. Urgent, forceful, and emotionally devastating, the depth of
this record was only hinted at on earlier recordings.</span><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The
album opens with a dark slate clearing track entitled No Future/No Past. For
four and a half minutes, the song vamps on a simple piano figure, building in
tension and intensity before climaxing in a volley of explosive guitar release
and primal howls from mainman Dylan Baldi. Cathartic and gripping, the track is
a complete turnaround from the sort of fare that has previously dominated the
band’s work. No question about it, this is a statement. It also might be the
best song the band has ever written.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Clearly
this is an ambitious work from a band eager to grow as musicians. The almost 9
minute long “Wasted Days,” demonstrates the band’s far more accomplished
musical approach. In particular, it shows off the band’s viciously powerful
rhythm section, which sustains an awesome level of intensity throughout the
track without losing momentum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
isn’t an ounce of filler on this record. “Stay Useless” is a catchy anthem to
the joys of being lazy, but still plays with themes of alienation and regret. The
album closes with the devastating one-two punch of “Our Plans” and “Cut You.”
Baldi pours all his rage, hurt, insecurity, bitterness and jealousy into these
two tracks, and the affect is captivating.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">This
record is heavily influenced by a number of 90’s post hardcore bands like
Jawbox, Dismemberment Plan, Fugazi, Sunny Day Real Estate, Jawbreaker, and even
Nirvana. But the quality of the songwriting, and the great performances of the
musicians make this record is as good as anything those bands put out. It’s a
definite classic, and a must listen for anyone who likes their rock music to
have emotional heft as well as physical power.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Japandroids </span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">– <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Celebration Rock<o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">It
would be all too simple to point to the Hüsker Dü guitar sound or the anthemic
hooks of this record as the reason for its appeal. The Vancouver guitar and
drums duo was already known for their spastic high fuzz-low fidelity take on
drunken, anthemic rock n’ roll. Their debut earned rave reviews for its sweet
but rickety hooks and catapulted them to the top of the indie blogosphere
sweepstakes. This time out they seem fully aware of their chance to make the
big time, and gave <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Celebration Rock</i> a
more crystalline production. With bigger sound, Japandroids’ exuberance is
given room to breathe, and the result is some of the most life-affirming music
you’ll ever hear.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">This wouldn’t have worked so well had they not
packed their sophomore album with a full complement of irresistible tunes. The
album contains no wasted space whatsoever, with 8 perfect songs that clock in
at just a shade over 35 minutes. What really grabbed me about these songs was
how they managed to capture equal measures of elation and melancholy felt by
old friends growing older together. “Nights Of Wine & Roses,” “Adrenaline
Nightshift” and “Younger Us” celebrate the full throttle credo of living in the
moment that young rockers espouse with the knowing wisdom of guys who have
grown up. The music is as exuberant as the title suggests, but there is a
weary, ragged quality to the music. It sounds lived in, like the band are
comfortable with this music, and with themselves. The record is joyously
immediate and raw while still expanding their sloppy distortion-drenched racket
that they made built their rep on but expanding it into a triumphant call to
arms. There is no room for regret or doubt, just the full intensity and sheer
joy of living in the moment. When you listen to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Celebration Rock</i>, nothing sounds more epic than a drunken night of
hilarity your best friends. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Japandroids</b>
have managed to make lo-fi sound stadium sized. </span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<strong>1. Baroness</strong> – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Yellow & Green<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<strong>Baroness’s</strong> last two albums established them firmly among the first tier of
today’s hard rock bands. Although in their early days they churned out swampy
sludge in the realm of <strong>Bongzilla</strong> or <strong>Down</strong>, their ambition and flair for
songwriting led them to incorporate elements of their homeland’s more
traditional musics into their ever-percolating brew. Meanwhile they've incorporated more of the psychedelic touches that they and also Kylesa have recently adopted make for a heady brew of the best elements in guitar-based music.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The colour theme is appropriate, as they have
continually broadened their palette with each successive release. These days
they are one of the only acts you could properly call a modern classic rock
band, as popular with adventurous metalheads as in the know indie rockers. At
this point, it’s silly to even think of them as a metal band, and really they
were always too rootsy and naturalistic for something that rigid anyways. They
simply are one of the best bands on the planet period.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Yellow &
Green</span></i><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">
is a culmination of this evolution, seamlessly melding the Appalachian folk
melodies and country twang that they had previously toyed around with to the
sledgehammer riff assaults that are their bread and butter. From the very first
moment you hear those gorgeous opening notes of “Yellow Theme” give way to the
steamroller that is “Take My Bones Away,” it sounds undeniably like a classic. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unsurprisingly, the riffs are awesome and just
about each song has an explosive earworm of a hook. They’ve really developed a
knack for the triumphant harmony-laden chorus, as the record is packed with the
kind of shoutalongs that will get fists pumping, bodies flying and chests
heaving in moshpits the world over. And the whole thing sounds just plain huge.
Granted, not everything works, and some people won’t be sold on some of the
more adventurous tracks (that disco drumbeat in Cocainium might not be for
everyone). But the point is, this is a band at the peak of it’s powers, and
they are determined to stretch out to the limits of their abilities,
challenging expectations and striving to shatter conceptions of what a heavy
band can sound like.<br /><br />I feel like this is the best album of the year because we need <strong>Baroness. </strong>There should be a big, super successful stadium filling band that actually kicks ass and isn't afraid to push the limits of their sound. It's that world conquering ambition, taking the risk of falling flat on their faces, that makes <strong>Baroness</strong> so special. These guys are doing spiritually for rock now what Led Zeppelin was doing 40 years ago. And I know a lot of old fans might be disappointed in how commerical the mix is, how low the guitars are compared to the vocals, and the lack of rough edges in the recording. I get that, and I understand why it's not for everyone. It's not always for me either. But they've been pushing this way for quite a while now, and you have to hand it to them for having the balls to write a record that really does sound like it could conquer the world. And that's why there was nothing I liked better this year.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Currently
the band is recoving from some very serious injuries sustained in a tour bus
accident just a couple months after the album was released. Here’s hoping they
get back to it soon. We need more like them.</span></div>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
One pissed off Canadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483730694976496235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8853869205384632002.post-82741713551705358182013-01-04T19:16:00.003-08:002013-01-04T19:18:19.510-08:00The Top 50 Albums of 2012 #20-11<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">20. </span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Witch
Mountain</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">
– <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cauldron Of The Wild</i><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><strong>Witch
Mountain</strong> emerged from a long hiatus with last year’s well-received <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">South Of Salem.</i> This year they decided
to get all productive on us, releasing another record to capitalize on the
momentum built by their reformation. Siren Uta Plotkin's powerful pipes take
centre stage here, but equally impressive is the rhythm section’s controlled feel
for the song, be it a doom trudge, a death grip riff, or behemoth groove.
Guitarist Rob Wrong meanwhile gets to stretch out and lay down some tasty
fuzzed out leads all over this bad boy. Throughout the playing is sharp, the
songwriting is compelling, and Plotkin’s bewitching vocals are immediately
recognizable and instantly unforgettable. It all adds up to the most addictive
and replayable stoner rock record of the year. At a time when straightforward
hard rock seems to have slumped into complacency, <strong>Witch Mountain</strong> has proven
that there’s still some life left in the old beast yet.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">19.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Hundred Waters</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hundred Waters<o:p></o:p></i></span></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><strong>Hundred
Waters</strong> make beautiful and dreamy electronic music that incorporates alien hooks
and a feel for texture into an easily digestible package. I found the gentle,
percolating synths and ethereal vocals on this album to be absolutely
irresitable. Although its ghostly qualities are similar to other futuristic pop
acts like <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Grimes</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Purity Ring</b>, <strong>Hundred Waters</strong> are never
as dark or as willfully weird as either of those two artists. They are also not as interested in grabbing you with a hook, instead being content to let explore sounds and textures, closer to drone music than the kind of future pop those artists are hinting at. The mood
here is calm and tranquil, the perfect backdrop for relaxation and a fine
launchpad for the imagination.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">18. </span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Gojira</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> - <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">L'Enfant Sauvage</i><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Gojira’s
technical precision and capacity for outright brutality are above reproach.
Since the late 90s, these French environmentalists have been decimating
eardrums and championing green initiatives. On this, their fifth full-length,
they add even more variety to their vocabulary, such as the dead-on staccato
riffing of the title track to the mind-expanding tones of “The Wild Healer.”
Upon your first exposure to the band, you might be a little overwhelmed by the
all out ferocity and deathly precision of their sonic assault, but subsequent
listens show this to be <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Gojira’s</b>
most dynamic record to date.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">17. </span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Andy Stott </span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">– <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Luxury Problems</i> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Andy Stott’s</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> newest
album did something for me I thought was impossible… it made me enjoy the kind
of pulsating four on the flour dance beats that electronic dance music is built
upon. Let’s get this straight. I don’t dance, and I don’t like the kind of
utilitarian, insistent drivel that drives people to gyrate in dimly lit rooms
on MDMA. I HATE that shit.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Well,
somehow <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Luxury Problems</i> takes that
one element and weaves a whole tapestry of textures and sounds around it. This
has been done before, notably by artists like <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Cariboo</b> and the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Knife</b>,
but <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Stott’s</b> work is even less geared
to the dance floor, or car commercials. It’s drab and unsettling, music that
sounds closer to a dystopian cyber punk future than any hedonistic utopia. Each
track unfolds slowly, gradually adding and subtracting elements while using
repetition to create a hypnotic effect. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Stott’s</b>
brand of dark house music utilizes a similar aesthetic to a lot of the weird
electronic stuff I do like; it’s music made for listening to, and it can be
unsettling at times. Nobody’s having a good time here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">16.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Liberteer</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> - <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Better To Die On Your
Feet Than Live On Your Knees<o:p></o:p></i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">By working folk instruments and real working
class grit into their grindcore, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Liberteer</b>
have managed to take a familiar template and twist it into something epic. No
two ways about it, this record is a call to arms, a battle cry for the
downtrodden to take up the mantle of class warfare and attack with relentless
blast beats and guttural screams of defiance. Not since <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Napalm Death</b> christened the genre with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Scum</i> has a grindcore record sounded so revelatory, so fresh, and
above all so NECESSARY as this . Class war has never meant so much.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">15. Grimes</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> - <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Visions</i> <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Sometimes
an album is just so good but I don’t really have anything to say about it that hasn't been said better already somehwere else.
“Genesis” might have been my favourite song of the year, even if it does sound
a lot like the intro to <strong>Rush’s</strong> “Subdivisons.”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">14.</span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Godspeed
You! Black Emperor</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> - <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'Allelujah! Don't Bend!
Ascend!<o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Although
I knew that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">GY!BE</b> had never
officially broken up, I never seriously expected them to release another album.
Then they did. And it’s good. It’s SO good. The best thing about the record is
that it truly does sound like the work of a band playing together in a room.
The guitars have real edge to them, the strings line the sound with a desperate
urgency, and the crescendos thunder with the kind of power this band is
legendary for. The quiet passages are equally as intense and unsettling, and
never fail to captivate. Their last album, 2002’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Yanqui U.X.O</i>. sounded meticulously crafted, but it lacked energy, a
staid re-enactment of a formula that had worked before. Somehow the spark that
lit their earlier triumphs was absent. I think <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Godspeed</b> recognized this, and decided to hang up their spurs until
they felt good and ready to pick up where they left off. This time out it feels
like their speaking because they have something very important for us to hear.
The world now is very different from what it was like in 2002, but we need to
listen now more than ever.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">13. High On
Fire</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">De Vermis Mysteriis</i></span><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Would
you believe it’s the heaviest <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">High on
Fire</b> album yet? After their razor sharp and airtight 2010 album <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Snakes for the Devine</i>, you might be
forgiven for worrying that the Oakland power trio had gotten away from its
roots somewhat. Well, Matt Pike and company must have felt so too, since <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">De Vermis Mysteriis</i> is a sprawling,
earthy tribute to the power of the riff. Produced by Kurt Balou (who else?) ,
everything on this album is absolutely gargantuan. What’s more, Pike sounds
more comfortable with his legacy as a member of <strong>Sleep</strong> than ever before. On the
7 minute <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Madness Of The Architect</i>, he
conjures up a riff as ferocious as anything his old band ever
summoned. On “Samsara” he allows himself to stretch out, playing a
slow-burn guitar solo and exploring tones and colours he hasn’t used since
journeying to the riff-filled land. The earth shaking rumble Jeff Matz on the
bass, Des Kensel’s primal pummel, and of course Pike’s savage guitar playing
combine to summon a sound as powerful as it is primal. With elemental fury
these songs bludgeon with a force rarely seen from anyone else. What’s more, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">De Vermis Mysteriis </i>features some of
Matt Pike’s best singing to date – check his bellows in the utterly massive
“King Of Days.” Unfortunately Matt Pike checked himself into rehab during the
summer, but I am happy to report that as of 3 weeks ago he was in fine form
playing with <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Goatwhore</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ancients</b> at Venue in Vancouver.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">12.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Samothrace</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Reverence To Stone<o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The
only reason this wasn’t the best doom album of the year was that the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pallbearer</b> record was so good. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Samothrace</b> more or less matched that
record with a gorgeous statement of their own. But at just 34 minutes and only two
(sidelong) songs, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Reverence To Stone</i>
seems a little slight in comparison to the more expansive <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sorrow & Extinction</i>. But, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Samothrace</b>
understand patience and how to leave an audience wanting more as well as
anyone, as it’s been a full five years since their equally masterful debut
album <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Life’s Trade</i>. That they most
certainly do on <em>Reverence to Stone</em>, which boasts miles of beautiful guitar
terrain as well as a shamanic title to die for. The tones here are magnificent,
and <strong>Samothrace</strong> bring an astute sense of texture and space which allow them to
judiciously work beautiful post rock atmospherics with some jaw-dropping
shredding guitar leads. Like <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pallbearer</b>,
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Samothrace</b> too work from a solid
emotional core, imbuing their work with real feeling as well as sonic heft. I
might have wished for a little more material, but it’s far better than larding
up a record with unnecessary filler. Let’s just hope they don’t wait so long
before gracing us with another record. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">11.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Flying Lotus</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Until The Quiet Comes<o:p></o:p></i></span></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Cosmogramma</span></i><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> was a game
changer, no question about it. It was impossibly dense, pulling sounds and
musical techniques from all over the last century of music. Where else could <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Flying Lotus</b> go? He must have
recognized that he was staring into the void of the future, because <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Until The Quiet Comes</i> sounds like <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Flying Lotus</b> meditating on the wisdom
he’s acquired at time’s edge. It’s as welcoming and comforting as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cosmogramma</i> was harsh and
confrontational. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">It’s
usually difficult to isolate individual tracks on a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Flying Lotus</b> album, as his albums tend to resemble a mosaic, but
there are several standouts here. “Heave(n)“ “me Yesterday//Corded” have the
kind of mellow drift to them that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Tycho</b>
used so successfully on his <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dive</i>
record last year. “Electric Candyman” has a wobbly sort of strut that’s easy to
like even before you know <strong>Thom Yorke</strong> popped in to make an appearance. “The
Sultan’s Request” even seems like a tongue in cheek stab at the kind of heavy
bass music that’s taken over the dominant perception of electronic music the
last view years. Its regal stomp isn’t nearly as aggressive as the dubstep that
currently shakes subwoofers. The point is, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Flying
Lotus</b> is a master of his craft, and if <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Until
The Quiet Comes</i> isn’t as revelatory or groundbreaking as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cosmogramma</i>, that’s only because the
rest of the world needed to catch up. It might actually be a little bit more
fun to listen to anyways.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</span><br />One pissed off Canadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483730694976496235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8853869205384632002.post-59646841728626973282013-01-03T20:21:00.000-08:002013-01-03T20:21:04.906-08:00The Top 50 Albums of 2012 #30-21
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">30.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Gaza</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">No Absolutes In Human
Suffering<o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Gaza</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> mash up
blast-beat obsessed grindcore, sludgy death metal and filthy crust punk into a
rigid extreme metal alloy that is as rigid as it is ferocious. This 44 minute
monster slams the listener against a wall and steals his lunch money. There are
some extremely heavy riffs here and plenty of hyperactive breakdowns amid the pummeling, but <strong>Gaza</strong> never let things
get too complicated. Everything goes towards establishing a malicious,
hate-filled atmosphere with a minimum of technical frills or filler. The result
is the work of a band who don’t fuck around. With Kurt Ballou manning the boards
(who else?!) you know the production here is dead on, thick, heavy and totally
in your face. They might not fit easily into one particular category or
subgenre, but it’s pretty clear that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Gaza</b>
has crafted one of the finest metal albums of the year.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">29.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Glowsun</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Eternal Season<o:p></o:p></i></span></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Veterna
French power trio<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> Glowsun</b> were one
of the few stoner rock bands who to me seemed to rise beyond mere homage to
their influences this year, although it’s hard to pinpoint one thing that makes
them stand out from a raft of retro-rock revivalists. Heavy on the grooving
jams and only a few vocals peppered in here and there, this is an extremely
well recorded, fuzzed out take on psychedelic hard rock with plenty of highly
melodic and wah-drenched lead guitar work. Used as background music it can get
your head nodding, but those lead breaks will get stuck in your brain for days,
while uber-fuzzed bass and caveman drums hammer the riffs home with authority. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Glowsun</b> know how to build a mountain of
sound slowly, adding the kind of layers and nuances that reward close listening
and enough spacey effects to send you to the moon. A highly enjoyable rock
album from a band that deserves to see it’s star rise in 2013.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">28.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Candlemass</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Psalms For The Dead<o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">It’s
surprising to me that in a year that saw so many bands mining the epic funeral
bell doom metal that <strong>Candlemass</strong> helped birth, more people aren’t talking about
what a great record this is. What’s more, it is supposedly the Swedish
institution’s final album, at least according the guys in the band. If they are
running out of steam, they sure don’t sound like it, as “Prophecy” immediately
blows the doors of their hinges with one of the finest up-tempo sludge rockers
the band has ever put to tape. Elsewhere things settle into a classic <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Candlemass</b> death trudge as songs like the
title track and the truly awesome “Waterwitch” bring crushing but awesomely
memorable riffs that stick in your head for days. “The Killing Of The Sun” even
opens with a bone-simple drum beat that sounds like total “Iron Man” played in
double time before smacking the listener upside the head with a shatteringly heavy
riff. The band is of course in top form, and Robert Lowe, one of many vocalists
to front the band over the years, gives a top-notch performance. His powerful
vocals and excellent phrasing help engrave these songs in your brain, unlike the
work of snail-paced crushers like <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Anhedonist</b>
or <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Corrupted</b> who are content to
mearly suffocate with atmosphere for half an hour at a time. Unfortunately he
left the band immediately after the album was completed, and although they have
announced that they will continue to play live for the time being, this will be
their final studio album. If they really are finished, then <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Psalms For The Dead</i> is a fine capstone
to a legendary career.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">27.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Nekromantheon</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rise, Vulcan Sceptor<o:p></o:p></i></span></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">You
could be forgiven for thinking this album actually came out in 1984. These guys
lay down some vicious blackened thrash that recalls the earliest days of
extreme metal. <strong>Nekromantheon’s</strong> music falls squarely into that sweet spot where
primitive heavy metal, nascent, speed-obsessed thrash, and raw black and death
metal meet. The album kicks the door down with the raging “Cast Down To The
Void,” which sports a hyperspeed groove and raspy vocals that <strong>Kreator</strong> would be
proud to claim as their own. The rest of the album is no less intense, getting
its point across in just over half an hour and featuring 8 face-ripping, neck
snapping assaults on the eardrums. It’s much darker and rawer than most thrash
offerings you’ll hear these days, and if you’re anything like me, that means it
should be your cup of blood.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">26.</span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The Brian
Jonestown Massacre</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> - <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Aufheben</i><o:p></o:p></span></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">As
far as I know, Anton Newcombe has been holed up somewhere in Iceland for the
past few years, gotten clean and possibly married, and immersed himself in all
kinds of world music. I haven’t looked any of this up, since online rumors
about the man can get pretty murky. What I do know is that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Aufheben</i> is the best <strong>BJM</strong> record in at least a decade. Anton’s role
here is less as a player or singer than as a sort of arranger and musical
shaman similar to <strong>Miles Davis’s</strong> role on his gigantic mid-70s acid funk double
LPs. He’s taking elements of different musical styles and running them together
in interesting ways, such as the motorik groove, elegant synths and arresting middle
eastern instrumentation that open the record. There are a few classic jangly
psych pop classics here as you would expect on any <strong>BJM</strong> album, with “Gaz
Hilarant” getting my nod as the most immediately likable song on the record.
This is probably out of necessity given the nature of working with Anton, but
his increasing experimentation with synthetic precussion has opened up new
avenues for his songwriting while still retaining the classic <strong>BJM</strong> sound, as on
“Walking Up To Hand Grenades.” What’s more, his willingness to keep his own
voice and role somewhat in the background, particularly on the first half of
the record, allows <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Aufheben</i> to come
off as more of a collaborative effort than some of his most recent albums. It’s
this feeling that the record is the work of a full band that makes the album
that much more inviting. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">25. </span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Horseback – </span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Half Blood</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><strong>Horseback’s</strong>
unique take on black metal based experimentation is one of the more interesting
threads running through music in 2012. Building on the sounds of their
excellent 2009 record <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Invisible Mountain, Half Blood</i> is a
curious mashup of tortured vocals, dark, groovy bass vamps, powerful drumming,
and psychedelic jamming. I’ve seen people refer to this band as being some sort
of vaguely metallic version of an atmospheric roots rock band akin to <strong>Earth </strong>on their recent albums,
but the droney psychedelic elements present here are less spacious and rustic
sounding. There are some hypnotic bass lines and fuzzed out guitar that skirt
much closer to a jamming stoner rock band or even some trippy krautrock from the '70s than any Norwegian Kvltist. At times
it reminds me of the never-ending synth and bass jams on side 2 of the first
<strong>Black Mountain</strong> record, particularly during the “Hallucigenia” trilogy that
closes the album. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Half Blood</i> is a
genuinely new layer of resin in the burning bowl of rock, and should appeal to
fans of any number of musical styles.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">24.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Torche </span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">–
Harmonicraft<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">It’s
been five years since <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Torche</b>
released its last album, the excellent <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Meanderthal</i>,
but it seems like time hasn’t changed their approach very much. Their blend of
bright riffage, ultra-economical songwriting, punchy production, crusty sludge
and radio-ready hooks is still an interesting hybrid. No one really makes these
kinds of heavy alternative rock records anymore, and it’s a damn shame. These
guys are too heavy to ever seriously make a dent on the airwaves, but
metalheads and rockers who can appreciate a good pop song will devour <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Harmonicraft</i>, and maybe a few
adventurous indie kids, grunge fans from the ‘90s or classic rockers will find
something to like amid earworms like “Letting Go” or “Reverse Inverted.” “Walk
It Off” should have been a hit and it’s better than anything Dave Grohl has
written since that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Probot</b> record,
but you know it’ll never happen.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">23.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Meshuggah </span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">– <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Koloss<o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Once
again <strong>Meshuggah</strong> have unleashed an ultra-heavy, technically superb collection of
skull-grinding downtuned riff syncopation. At this point it’s not particularly
surprising to hear anything that <strong>Meshuggah</strong> does; they always sound like
themselves regardless. What is interesting to note is that since their last
album dropped in 2008, a number of bands have popped up proudly wearing
<strong>Meshuggah’s</strong> influence on their collective sleeves. A sound that was once
exclusively theirs has now been copied by a raft of disciples wielding 8 string
guitars and 7/13 time signatures. What’s impressive is how excellent <em>Koloss</em> is.
There is still no one out there who can pull off this style any better than <strong>Meshuggah</strong>.
They might finally be getting their due as one of the most significant bands in
the history of the heavy music, but it doesn’t look like they’ll be running out
of gas any time soon.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">22. </span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Xibalba</span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> - Hasta La Muerte</span></i><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Xibalba</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> remind me
of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Nile</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Morbid Angel</b> in that they have a way of making very heavy music
that retains a sense of mysticism and tribal primitivism. This music sounds
ceremonial, as appropriate for rituals to honour the dead as to make moshpits
full of the living collide with one another. But unlike those technically
advanced high priests, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Xibalba</b> comes
from a hardcore background rather than a metal one, meaning their music is more
straightforward and less complex. Perhaps a better comparison would be to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sepultura</b>, who also managed to
streamline and simplify their sound to accentuate the bottom end and maximize
the gut-punch impact of the riffs. The focus here is on slamming physicality
rather than fleet-fingered fretwork and mathematical drumming, complimented by
vocals so filthy and dirt encrusted, they sound like they’re emanating from the
centre of the earth.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">21.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The Men</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Open Your Heart<o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><strong>The
Men</strong> followed up their very good 2011 record “Leave Home” with a great one. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Open Your Heart </i>takes about the last 45
years of guitar rock and compresses it into 45 minutes of raw, raccous rock ‘n
roll. You’ve probably heard people say that there are no good rock bands
anymore… people have been saying that for as long as there’s been rock. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Open Your Heart</i> is for those people. It
has all the minimal production and cranky guitars a rock fiend could ever want.
As if the title of that first record weren’t enough, the opening track on this
one kicks in the door like prime <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ramones</b>,
while “Animal” rides a big chorus all the way down your spine. “Country Song” is
a languid, Quaalude-doped junkie blues complete with ragged slide guitars, and “Candy”
is even a straight rip of the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Rolling
Stones’</b> “Dead Flowers.” Let your dad take a l</span><span style="font-family: Cambria;">isten.</span>One pissed off Canadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483730694976496235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8853869205384632002.post-88405433249974392782013-01-02T19:28:00.000-08:002013-01-15T00:31:18.318-08:00The Top 50 Albums of 2012 #40-31<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">40.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Anaal Nathrakh </span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">– <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Vanitas<o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I
listen to a lot of metal. Black metal, death metal, grindcore, whatever. I like
things that are heavy and brutal. But the thing is, your eardrums get calloused
over time. You can only listen to so many bands that are trying to be the
heaviest, sickest, most brutal motherfuckers in the world before you start to
kind of think you’ve already heard all of the final frontiers of extremity. So when
I first heard “The Blood-Dimmed Tide,” the first song on <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Anaal Nathrakh’s</b> new album <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Vanitas</i>,
I was taken completely by surprise. Actually, it ripped my fucking head off.
This record is so insanely over the top aggressive, so technically pristine,
it’s blastbeats so ferociously fast and its vocal howls so dementedly tortured
that it’s hard to comprehend anything else amid this onslaught. What gives <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Vanitas</i> its extra degree of ferocity is
the production, particularly the layer of corrosive noise that accompanies the
inhuman bellows that pass as lyrics, as on the throat-rending roar on “Forging Towards The
Sunset.” What’s more, there are actual songs here, with clean Nordic bellows
offering a glimpse of tunefulness through the cacophony. The effect is not
unlike finding your way through a blizzard by following the ringing voice of
your Viking companion. Just be careful he doesn’t shank you for your plunder
though.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">39. </span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Black Moth
Super Rainbow</span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> – Cobra
Juicy</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">These guys have made a career out of mangling traditional sonic
conventions and sound structures into a sticky paste, and grabbing whole fistfuls
of noise to throw at a blank canvas. Hyperactively jumping from one sound to
another, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Black Moth Super Rainbow</b>
take what should be a clinical, academic approach to making music, add a good
dose of nonsensical humor and plenty of warm analog synths and invite the
listener into a colourful funhouse of chaotic electronic music. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cobra Juicy</i> is a fine example of their
style, injecting a serious penchant for groove and alien dance hooks, funking
up those fuzzy bass lines and throwing their heavily processed vocal nonsense
on top. The result is a headphone record for listening to with friends, experimental music that
you can dance to. It sounds difficult but it’s really not. The pop-friendly
sensibility at work makes unfamiliar sounds easy to grasp. Pore over it
exhaustively or simply relax and soak it in gradually. Many people will get
different things out of this music, but no matter what you are into, you should
have no trouble enjoying it.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">38.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Earth</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> - <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Angels Of Darkness,
Demons Of Light (Part II)<o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Dylan
Carlson has continually mined the same sound for a decade now, a desolate take
on sparse, wide-open guitar themes that march toward the horizon at a snail’s
pace. Last year’s triumphant <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Angels Of
Darkness, Demons Of Light (Part I) </i>might have been the finest example of
his dedication to that sound yet, and although that record’s sequel doesn’t
quite grab me the way the first one did, it may only be because I’ve started to
take for granted what a new <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Earth</b>
record will sound like in 2012. This isn’t to say that there is nothing new
here, just that the tweaks are very subtle. Opener “Sigil of Brass” is a
three-minute palette cleanser that forgoes the steady pacing that the drums
usually provide, and sets Dylan free to wander on his own for a time before the
rest of the band joins him. It is probably the bleakest and most ear-catching
moment on the record, and a truly interesting variant on what could be a very
narrow sound in the hands of a lesser group of musicians. Elsewhere the nuances
of Carlson’s interplay with the band makes for a captivating listen, but one
need not overanalyze this record to enjoy it. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Earth</b> know how to establish a certain mood, and there’s no one else
on Earth who does it better.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">37.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Secrets Of The Moon – </span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Seven Bells<o:p></o:p></span></i></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">It’s telling that the legendary Thomas
Gabriel Fischer served as producer for Teutonic warriors <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Secrets Of The Moon’s</b> newest album. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Seven Bells</i> retains much of the adventurous spirit and obsession
with power that Fischer’s <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Celtic Frost</b>
embodied on their epochal late ‘80s work. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secrets
Of The Moon</i> might not be as muscular or brutish as <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Frost</b> were, but they embrace a more streamlined approach that incorporates
traditional black metal dynamics blown up to stadium size and filled out with
Fischer’s full, rich guitar sounds and cavernous drums. A key here is the
bottom end, which is so often neglected in this style of music. <em>Sevens Bells</em> melds
melodic guitar leads with aggressive thrashing, enjoyable midtempo riffing and doomy
funeral marches, all topped off with harsh but catchy vocals. This is not a record
for black metal purists, but anyone who has only a passing familiarity with black metal and
wants to hear a fine example of what went down in 2012 would do well to
check this one out.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">36. </span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Drudkh – </span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Eternal Turn Of The Wheel</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">For roughly a decade now shadowy Ukranian black metal naturalists <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Drudkh</b> have been churning out
consistently excellent albums that seem to straddle both the raw and evil work
of traditional black metal while subtly tweaking the formula in interesting and
creative ways. For a musical style that is often rife with backbiting and
vitriolic accusations of selling out, it’s truly rare to see a band that so consistently
puts out a high volume of material without ever repeating themselves or opening
themselves up to criticism from the Kvlt. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Drudkh’s</b>
reputation as paragons of the black metal vanguard is above reproach, and they’ve
pretty much released at least one album per year since their formation. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Eternal Turn Of The Wheel </i>revises their
familiar template somewhat by alternating aggressive thrashing with some more
laid back but still dense slower parts that are rich in distorted harmonics. A
full, authoritative bass sound rounds out a very powerful mix. Often synths and
clean guitars poke through the claustrophobic murk, adding colour and accents
while howling winds and nature sounds add atmosphere. It’s these little touches
that make <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Eternal Turn Of The Wheel </i>a
far more satisfying listen than most of the black metal that get released these
days. Running just a hair over 36 minutes, the album makes its point quickly
and delivers exciting multipart songs that twist and turn but never meander. By
rejecting the primitive bashing of luddites who think black metal should never
evolve, Drudkh continue to strike a fine balance, and deservedly keep their
place among the upper echelons of the black metal pantheon.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">35. </span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">St. Vitus</span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> – Lillie: F-65</span></i><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The
reunion of Scott “Wino” Weinrich with doom metal pioneers <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Saint Vitus</b> kind of snuck up on me. Things like this are usually
rumored about before they ever come to fruition, but the band released its
first album with their longtime singer on vocals since 1990 with very little
fanfare. I had heard something about a few shows here and there with the
classic lineup sporadically until the death of original drummer <span style="color: black;">Armando Acosta</span>, but thought his passing would be the
end of it. The thought of the band actually recording never crossed my mind.
Perhaps that was a wise move, as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lillie:
F-65</i> literally sounds like nothing ever changed for these guys. It has
everything a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">St. Vitus</b> album should
have. Acosta’s replacement, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Blood Of The
Sun</b> drummer Henry <span style="color: black;">Vasquez, does a fine job laying
down that classic <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Vitus</b> sludge
trudge alongside </span>Mark Adams’ timeless troglodyte plod and Dave
Chandler’s heavily distorted fuzz squall. Over top of it all is the
unforgettable voice of Scott Weinrich, warning mankind of the pitfalls of its
own desires. Take one listen to “The Bleeding Ground” and tell me you aren’t
glad to have these guys back together again.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">34.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The Ty Segall</span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Band </span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">–
Slaughterhouse<o:p></o:p></span></i></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Someone’s
gotta tell <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ty Segall</b> to lay off the
amphetamines a bit. The guy is cranking out more songs and albums than his fans
know what to do with. After winning recognition with the messy yet catchy
garage rock of records like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lemons</i>
and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Melted, </i>he inverted the songcraft
to scuzz ratio on the oddly subdued <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Goodbye
Bread,</i> winning further accolades in the process. Not being a fan of the
cleaned up and now much poppier retro-pop of that record, I was delighted to
see him in 2012 release first a raw garage psych collaboration with White Fence,
then a month later whip out<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">
Slaughterhouse</i> as the Ty Segall Band. This is a return to the kind of
cranky rock n’ roll the guy made his name on, this time with a fuller, heavier
sound on it than his early stuff. Everything here is fuzzed, out, freaky, and
in the red. It’s as if he traded in his <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Electric
Prunes</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Dead Moon</b> 45s for
some bad acid and a couple <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Stooges</b>
and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">MC5</b> LPs. Slaughterhouse is
bigger, noisier, and sludgier than anything he’s yet put to tape, and for this
reason it’s my favourite of his releases this year. And he’s not event done
yet, his third album of 2012, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Twins</i>,
is an amalgamation of all the musical personalities he’s shown thus far. With a
discography that now numbers 7 full length albums in 5 years along with a
multitude of singles, EP’s, collaborations and non-album releases, he might
want to think about slowing down to stave off the inevitable burnout that
always accompanies such a torrid pace. Thankfully, no signs of that are audible
yet.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">33. </span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Bison</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lovelessness</i><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Leadoff track “An Old Friend” opens with a flourish of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Thin Lizzy</b> leads, before lurching into
a shambling gait. Suddenly it launches into full tilt thrashing, racing onward
with intensity levels jacked. The track closes with a quadrilateral dual guitar
fadeout. It’s clear early on that this is definitely going to be the band’s
most rock-inspired work yet. “Anxiety Puke/Lovelessness” kicks off as a
straight ahead rager, but an early song collapse and then magnificent buildup
about a minute and a half in builds to a mammoth riff jam. These songs are more
varied in their approach than previous outings. “Last and First Things” has a
furious middle section that will get the blood pumping, then downshifts into a cavernous
resin-caked half time jam. There is some flailing about going on at times, and
not everything works well. They sometimes forget the keys to what made their
sludgy thrash appealing in the first place. This isn’t to say the record is a
curve ball for Bison, as there is still more than enough of the band’s trademark
chug and grind to satisfy fans. There are signs of the band trying new things,
but <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lovelessness</i> has the hallmarks of
a transitional record. It neither reaches the heights of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dark Ages</i> or is as consistent throughout as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Quiet Earth</i>. At its best, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lovelessness</i>
is an interesting display of creativity from a band deciding where to go next.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> <o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">32. </span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Municipal
Waste – </span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The Fatal
Feast</span></i><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Municipal
Waste</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">
tweaked their crossover party thrash formula somewhat on 2009’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Massive Aggressive</i>, a stone-faced,
lightning fast rumination on nuclear disasters and media literacy that traded
in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Suicidal Tendencies</b>’ sense of
humor for <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Megadeth</b>’s astute
political concerns. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although solid, the
record seemed to lack the energy that made their early record so enjoyable. I’m
happy to report that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Fatal Feast</i>
is a return to the gross out humor and B-Movie shlock that makes these guys to
fun to listen to. This time out there is a bit of a sci-fi twist to some of the
material, akin to something like zombies in space. It’s not all fun in games,
as some tracks still deal with real world problems, but it seems like the band
has been able to work its adult concerns with the real world into its eternally
goofy teenager aesthetic. The title track details the horrors of flesh eating
disease, while “Covered In Sick/The Barfer” is a classic anthem to the joys of
irresponsible drinking. About their ability to thrash there has never been any
doubt, as these 17 tracks fly by like a whirligig of powerhouse drumming, serrated
riffing and irresistible shoutalong choruses. It sound like they’re figured out
a way to grow up and still have fun, and it bodes well for a band that
originally seemed like it would only last as long as it’s first EP.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
<strong>31. Trash Talk</strong> - <em>119</em></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Trash Talk</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> is a
hardcore band signed to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Odd Future’s</b>
record label. With <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">119</i> clocking in at 14 songs in under 22 minutes, they set the song to minutes ratio as high as
anyone since about the first <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">D.R.I.</b>
album. Aside from a couple of guest appearances from luminaries like <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Tyler, the Creator</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Hodgy Beats</b> as hype men on the sludgy
“Blossom and Burn,” there is nothing here to suggest the band is attempting to
crossover to anything though. This is angry, aggressive, ferocious punk rock
that benefits from a viciously heavy and thick production job that allows their
occasionally doomy tendencies to shine through during the brief snippets when
they allow the bottom end to resonate a fraction of a second longer. The vocals
come courtesy of a calloused shouter who sounds like he’s got lymph nodes on
his vocal cords. The whole package adds up to a lean, mean, punishing beatdown
of a record that is as truly punk rock in the traditional sense as anything
else out there. So if none of that excuses them being distributed by Sony to
the fickle guttersnipes who love to throw ambitious and skilled bands under the
bus, just think how awesome it could be if the teenagers were listening to this
instead of Down With Webster.</span>One pissed off Canadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483730694976496235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8853869205384632002.post-55894101662438689152013-01-01T18:41:00.001-08:002013-01-01T18:41:39.829-08:00The Top 50 Albums Of 2012 #50-41<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">50.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Dying Fetus – </span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Reign
Supreme<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Dying Fetus</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> is an
institution in the goregrind scene, marrying technically dead-on performances
with laughably putrid lyrics, undeciferable pitch-shifted vocals and a
singleminded focus on absolute sonic decimation. Depending on your immediate
reaction to the band’ s name, this might sound absolutely awesome or tasteless
and horrific. If you do actually give the album a chance, you likely won’t need
to listen beyond the senselessly fast doublekicks and ridiculously downtuned
doom breakdowns of 2 minute long opener “Invert the Idols” before deciding if
the record is for you. Should you proceed further, you will be rewarded with
one of the most devastating sonic experiences one could sensibly conceive of. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Reign Supreme</i> is the work of a veteran
band (it’s their 7<sup>th</sup> album) comfortable with its sound and with the
recording studio; it’s clearly been painstakingly assembled using the finest of
studio enhancements.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes this sort
of thing can get tedious for the well-seasoned extreme metal listener, so what
makes the album stand out is the actual songs that are here. “Subject To A
Beating” and “From Womb To Waste” contain myriad twists and turns amid their
byzantine song structures, but they also feature memorable riffs and licks, and
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Dying Fetus</b> know how to make you
wait before dropping those tasty giblets in for maximum impact.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">49.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Unsane</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wreck<o:p></o:p></i></span></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">For
some reason I’ve listened to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wreck</i>
only sporadically since it’s release early this year. But every time I put it
on, the thing knocks me flat. It could be because I’m still a relative newcomer
to these guys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not for lack of
memorable songwriting – that riff in “No Chance” is an absolute steamroller. Throughout
they grind and stomp like the kind of band the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Jesus Lizard</b> would have been if Paige Hamilton from <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Helmet</b> was the guitarist. This is
noisy, loud, bloody rock n roll played as a weapon of blunt force trauma. But
it’s not all pummel. “Stuck” might be the best song on the album, a slow-burner
that builds sporadically with some tasty slide guitar before exploding into the
hammer to the temple parts. I’ll definitely be spending some more time with
their catalog in the future. People talked a lot about how good the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Metz</b> record was this year (and it was,
it barely missed cracking my top 50), but I’m not sure how many people were
aware that these guys have been mining pretty much the same territory since
‘89.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">48.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Moonless</span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> – Calling
All Demons<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">For
some reason, Sweden seems to be the home for quality stoner rock these days. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Moonless</b> is axiomatic of the kind of
bands we’re seeing out of them. While they don’t do anything radically
different from thousands of other psychedelic-tinged hard rock bands who have
been around since the 70’s, they get by on the strength of their great riffs,
solid songwriting, compelling instrumental interplay, and a ballsy vocalist who
drinks razors and gasoline. I didn’t hear a ton of bands in this style that
rose any higher than mediocrity this year, but I’m happy to say that these guys
sound truly inspired. As long as bands like <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Moonless</b> are around, good old fashioned rock n’ roll will be just
fine.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">47. </span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Neurosis</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Honour Found In Decay</i><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Nothing
particularly unexpected here. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Neurosis</b>
has crafted a new post metal opus, burrowing deeper into a sound that they
basically invented but has been virtually done to death in recent years.
However, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Neurosis</b> are still the
kings of the genre, and they prove it here with a record that cements their
reputation as iconoclasts of the modern metal scene, even while the title
knowingly winks at charges of obsolescence. “We All Rage in Blood” opens the
record with the kinds of majestic builds and galactic heaviness that listeners
have come to expect. The 10-minute “At the Well” brings the epic, with doom
riffs suffocating the life out of you in between bouts of pensive psychedelic
exploration. The sprawling journeys <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>that
dominate the album for the most part replicate a familiar template; Moody,
brooding interludes building to glacial riff crescendos and Scott Kelley’s
wizened bellow over top. Hey, this sound is as much theirs as anyone’s, so if
that’s what they wanna stick to, good for them. They spent the first 20 years
of their career forging a band new heavy metal archetype, so I think they can
be forgiven for a little legacy consolidation. They still do this kind of thing
better than anyone else.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">46.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Napalm Death – </span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Utilitarian<o:p></o:p></span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Since
inventing grindcore as the world’s fastest band in the mid to late 80s<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">, Napalm Death</b> have been grinding out
ferocious, professional death metal records as a matter of course. These have
varied in quality but never strayed too far from template. What sets the great
ones (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fear, Emptiness, Despair</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Enemy Of The Music Business</i> come to
mind) apart from the merely good ones are that intangible feeling you get when
a song or riff hits your ears… you can just tell when they are really on fire,
and when they are just punching the clock. That’s why opener “Circumspect” is
such a thriller. From the slow, ominous beginning to the cavernous riffs that
follow, the song immediately sets the tone for a fine LP from a band that still
does sonic death and destruction as well as anyone. Exploding into a full on
hyperspeed assault complete with stop-on-a-dime calisthenics, “Errors in the
Signals” follows up this great opening by playing to the band’s strengths while
subtly adding those little nuances that sets a good metal album apart. This
isn’t just one-dimensional bashing. Actual dynamics you say? Why yes actually.
Technically sound yet still human sounding performances? The record has the
beefiness and presence of four dudes jamming in a room combined with the
economy of sound that comes from a highly practiced veteran unit. And there are
a pile of memorable songs here. “Protection Racket,” “Fall On Their Swords” and
“A Gag Reflex” are all fantastic. A band that has been around as long as these
guys can be intimidating for the neophyte who doesn’t know where to start, and
runs the risk of seeming redundant<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to
the old fan who thinks they’ve heard it all before. If you truly do care about
extreme music, you’d be doing yourself a disservice to let this one get by you
without a listen.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><strong>
</strong></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><strong>45.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></strong></span></span></i><strong>The Acacia Strain</strong> – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Death
Is The Only Mortal<o:p></o:p></i></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">This
is one serious skull-scraper of a record. I’ve seen <strong>the Acacia Strain</strong> referred to as a “deathcore” or “death and roll”
band, but since this record was my first encounter with the band I took them as
a straight up death metal unit. Their ultra low riffs and liberal use of
punishing double bass drumming and growled lyrics that resemble the play by
play of a slasher movie certainly led me to that initial reaction, but <strong>The Acacia Strain </strong>have more than just
that going on<strong>.</strong> Rather than simply
barrel ahead into an impenetrable morass like so many brutal death outfits,
album opener “Doomblade” cuts from it’s unsettling intro into a rigid
ultra-heavy lurch, showcasing the band’s technical proficiency, and their
predilection towards sheer gut punch impact. Elsewhere “Braindeath” sports a
guitar solo with enough dive bombs and pinch harmonics to make Dimebag sit up
and smile. I’ve heard their brand of extremely downtuned, syncopated guitar
riffs called “djent,” an onomatopoeic reference to the sound of this music.
It’s the <strong>Meshuggah</strong> sound. And make
no mistake, the influence of that band is all over this record, but combined
with enough brutally violent and mysoginistic imagery to make most <strong>Cannibal Corpse </strong>fans happy. Lots of
bands have started copying that style in recent years, but <strong>The Acacia Strain</strong> is
one of the few who are putting their own unique stamp on it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">44.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Aluk Todolo</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Occult Rock<o:p></o:p></i></span></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">A
vast, multiheaded suite of icy Nordic riffs, feedback sprawls, relentless blast
beat onslaughts and psychedelic interludes and contemplative drones. At nearly
90 minutes in length, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Occult Rock</i> is
an intimidating beast, but one that is meant to be swallowed whole. The entire
album undulates and evolves through a number of different chapters, tweaking
and playing with the standard black metal palette in interesting ways
throughout. It starts with the kind of suffocating blizzard of chaotic drums
and barely controlled guitars that you might expect from prime-era <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Darkthrone</b>, but it doesn’t take long
for these guys to go off script. Utilizing the variable level intensity of what
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Liturgy’s</b> Hunter Hunt-Hendrix refers
to as the burst beat, they soon pull the sound back from full throttle pounding
while retaining much the same tempo. The sound eases into a more relaxed and
spacious tempo while exploring the tones and emotional moods possible on this
wider canvas. Although undeniable heavy and brutal parts show up, much of the
album retains a psychedelic feel for texture and repetition that should appeal
to many non-metalheads. Influences as diverse as jazz, krautrock and drone
music can be seen rearing their heads up out of the murk. Throughout its
considerable runtime, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Occult Rock</i> is
a journey that never fails to hold the listener’s interest. Not everyone will
be prepared to take the pilgrimage, but those that do will be richly rewarded. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">43.</span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Serpentine
Path – </span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Serpentine Path</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Featuring former <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Electric
Wizard</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ramesses</b> member Tim
Bagshaw on guitar along with all 3 members from now defunct Long Island doom
institution <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Unearthly Trance</b>, these
doom metal lifers know exactly what sound they are going for, and the nail it
on their first record as <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Serpentine Path</b>.
Opener “Arrows” kicks things off with the kind of horror movie evil priest type
intro you’ve heard on a thousand metal albums, then crushes the life out of you
with a thick, oozing guitar tone that bashes out of the speakers with
considerable alacrity for a band in this weight class. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Serpentine Path </b>adhere steadfastly to the doom rulebook, but these
musicians are as sharp as they come and the quality of the performances are top
notch. Unlike a number of extreme doom bands that have flooded the scene in the
past few years, the DNA here isn’t too far mutated from the hard rock origins
of the genre. These songs move and gain power and momentum, rather than sag and
drag the way the music of so many of their peers does. A fine record from a
band of veterans keeping the flame burning strong.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">42.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The Secret</span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> – Agnus Dei<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Converge</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> guitarist
Kurt Ballou seemed to be associated with every other awesome record that came
out this year. On <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Angus Dei</i>, the
fourth album from superheavy Italian d-beat hardcore unit <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Secret</b>, his viciously loud and crushing production work meshes
well with the band’s ultra-aggressive attack. The vocals here are so covered
with grime and filth they might as well have been recorded in a grave. They
also know how to slow the tempo to a torturous crawl and suffocate you with
that ultra-dense buzzsaw guitar tone, as on “Heretic Temple.” Recalling vintage
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Tragedy</b> as well as <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Entombed</b> and any number of European
metal bands you’d like to name, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The
Secret</b> have tapped into a vein of heavily Swedish-influenced hardcore
that’s been bubbling under the radar for some time, only to emerge only
recently as the most vital strain of modern heavy music.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">41. </span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Clinic</span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Free Reign</i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Clinic </span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">has been a
consistently solid band for over a decade now, churning out album after album
of slightly off kilter psychedelic indie rock. But on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Free Reign</i>, it sounds like they might be smoking something a little
darker than their usual stash. This record is a full on drone rocking drug
trip, mashing up motorik rythms, skittering electronics, free jazz harmonics,
dub bass, fuzzed out guitars and ethereal vocals into a dark, undulating bag of
gloom. Showing a heavy influence from Austin’s <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Black Angels</b>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Free Reign</i>
is going to soundtrack countless blacklit basement gatherings in the years to
come. It also happens to be Clinic’s best record in about a decade.</span><br />
</span>One pissed off Canadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483730694976496235noreply@blogger.com0