Evil Invaders III

Despite planning on making the trip across the wastelands of this country to attend Evil Invaders III, I didn't quite manage to work it out, with uni and work etc. Which is pretty shitty considering the line-up of (but not limited to) Ignivomous, Innsmouth, Portal, Grave Upheaval, Black Jesus, Impetuous Ritual and the legendary dISEMBOWELMENT ressurected under the name d.USK. The gig is essentially the culmination of Australian underground death metal.

While I didn't make the trip, fellow slayer Eddie went up to Sydney from Melbourne to catch the show, and was nice enough to write about his time there. Read it here.

Bad Braids - Arrow and Orb

While you're all still delving into Wreck and Reference's EP, here's another Music Ruins Lives record that will undoubtedly interest you. Bad Braids' EP Arrow and Orb is a collection of six intimate and enticing folk songs, making up a captivating twenty minutes of introspection.

Arrow and Orb is a simple record, eschewing complexity in the wake of honest emotion and placid contemplation. Even through its simplicity, it still took me a while to properly digest Megan Biscieglia's music. While it's clearly charismatic, the mixture of pop sensibilities and somber folk on the record is almost hypnotic, leaving the critic in me somewhere far away from Biscieglia's voice.

Folk music is about personality, and it's about emotion. Arrow and Orb demonstrates both of these plainly, which ultimately becomes its affecting quality. It sounds just as much like everything else as it does nothing else, an unwavering sign that this project does not need to cater to unestablished and whimsicial folk tenets to write a good song - Bad Braids is simply heartfelt folk, meant to be felt from your heart.

You can download the EP from Bad Braids' bandcamp page for a price you choose.

Wreck and Reference - Black Cassette

And so here I was thinking that I wouldn't ever find any new takes on doom metal worth hearing, until Wreck and Reference sent me a copy of their EP, Black Cassette. From the outset, this band's music retains elements of traditional doom, but it warps and distorts them into something totally unique. Coming out of California, the band describes themselves as a 'lo-fi electronic doom band', one that plays doom with no guitars. While this could be off-putting for some, all it does is simply set Wreck and Reference apart, putting them in a category that is completely their own.

Other than the drums and vocals, all the music on Black Cassette is electronically created using synthesizers and various samples. The end result is a composition that is structurally a 'doom' record, but one which loosens the genre's boundaries and leads expeditions into experimental territory. The claustrophobic nature of doom is here, but it is further accentuated by a noise-esque fuzz over the composition. Moments where the music bursts to life are shadowed by a deep rumble that is unnerving in the best possible way. Do not be mistaken, however, in thinking that this is as ‘lo-fi’ as the band claim – while there is a DIY feel to this record, it is immaculately produced and simply sounds great.

The pace of the EP is pretty much perfect. There are no lengthy songs here, and though the whole thing goes for a little over 23 minutes, I don't even notice the time when I listen to it. Compositionally, Wreck and Reference have nailed it. Each song is as engaging as the last, and while they keep to a similar core approach in each one, there are differences that set them apart and keep them fresh. Strange melodies, such as the one at the end of 'Evening Redness' or on 'Surrendering' are captivating and emotionally charged, a current that runs throughout the entire EP.

If I had to pick one thing about Wreck and Reference which makes me refer it (loosely) to traditional doom, other than the lethargic tempos, it would be the vocal work. While it's not a reference due to similarity, I'll simply drop the name Warning to get people interested. The vocals on Black Cassette are very unique and ordinary at the same time, something that Pat Walker is arguably known for. On Black Cassette, one thing that characterises all the vocal work is the acerbic tone in which it’s delivered, one which ranges from almost Placebo-like emission to Walker inspired wails (the vocal performance on 'In Chains, Awakening' a perfect example). If anything, they make Black Cassette all the more inviting.

What I love most about this record is the fuzz. And sometimes the lack of. The 'riffs' are made of walls of distortion, which swell and dip frequently, and the occasional moment where the absence of the fuzz is emphasised juxtaposes wonderfully with the rest of the composition. The quiet first half of 'Surrendering' as opposed to its abrasive and almost despondent climax is one such example, a formula that the band repeats in a variety of ways throughout Black Cassette.

At first I put little effort into this EP, but all it took was one concentrated listen for me to realise how good it is. Wreck and Reference is a young band, forming only a couple of years ago, and I'm while I'm unsure of any earlier releases, Black Cassette is reason enough to become a fan. They're a mesh of Warning and The Die is Cast-era Menace Ruine, with a lot of unique twists and touches - something which, in my opinion, simply has to be heard. This comes with the highest recommendation I can possibly give.

The EP can be streamed at Wreck and Reference's bandcamp page, from which you can download it for free. There is also the option to buy the physical copy, so if you do like it, please support them so they can keep putting out such great music.

Moonbeams - The Daisy Chain

All great shoegaze/dream pop boils down to an exercise in utter time distortion. This debut record from San Francisco indie outfit Moonbeams is no exception. Their particular brand of slow-motion pop with its psychedelic guitar and swirling percussion is an atmospheric delight. The lazy vocals have a rich, warm resonance that pours over each track just like honey. All of this culminates into an introspective sonic storm, the ebb and flow of which lulls this listener into a state of timelessness.

So what sets the Moonbeams apart? The right amount of fuzz on the needle. The lo-fi aspect isn't forced for the sake of it but genuine and natural. Despite the fact they're up there floating around in the clouds, you can't accuse them of being aimless. A good sense of balance and direction prevents this record from drifting too far and losing sight of the listener. The track order works, the titular song which comes four tracks in is a stand-out for me, as is 'Ultraviolet' around the middle and the final track 'Eternal Life' drives it home nicely. I have no major criticism of The Daisy Chain and I'm not going to burst this bubble with trivial nitpicking. It makes you reminisce for the likes of The Jesus and Mary Chain without drawing unfavorable comparisons.

The Daisy Chain will be released by Hop Skip Jump Records on the 17th of June.

stream the album here
download the album here

Balcony View - Balcony View

What happens when a trickster binges on ambient, drone and folk music and is then given a guitar and an instrument mic ? - Balcony View, that's who. Some of you may remember Trickster, a contributor on this fine blog in its formative stage, but unfortunately this fine specimen had to leave us, and actually became a real person, going to college and not really posting on the internet. Balcony view is proof that he's still Trickster deep down inside.

To quote the musician himself, 'everything's done using guitar and vox, recorded through an instrument mic i hooked up to my laptop, no synthesized shit'. This is pure ambient music, closely following the footsteps of one of S4D's favourites, Aidan Baker. Gentle ebb and flow on tracks like 'Skyscraper' are positioned alongside folky songs such as 'Cold Wind'. As Aidan Baker would put it, this is 'drone-folk' of the Scalpel variety.

The two long songs, 'Skyscraper' and 'The Coming Storm (And Its Aftermath)' are simply epic, with a wall of ambience enveloping the listener. What I love most about this as an ambient album is that it often strays from the generic ambient template. Listening to 'The Coming Storm...', one cannot miss the very bluesy guitar solo towards the end. It's something completely unexpected but sounds fucking great.

Ambient music is easy to make but it's difficult to make properly. Balcony View is easy to listen to and revels in its simplicity, but one can tell that thought and care has gone into its composition and arrangement. Trickster never leaves anything up to chance. Highly recommended.

download

Host - Demo 2011

No matter what style of music it may be, UK scenes have always eluded me. I know little about them other than 'big' bands and random underground groups that gain recognition due to being signed to a reputable label or just becoming 'known' on the blogosphere. But like any scene, I'm sure there are a 'host' of good bands being overwhelmed by a horde of shitty ones, but fortunately for me (and subsequently you) the band Host belong to the former.

From Leeds, this group play a form of dark and sludgy hardcore - the band themselves call it 'downbeat'. I'm not sure whether that's a British thing or if I've just not caught onto the term, but I don't really know what it is. Regardless, it sort of makes sense.

The three tracks on this demo clock in at a total of about 8 minutes, and it's ideal for constant replays. Faster-tempos morph in and out of crushing riffs with some really vicious and bitter vocals. I was told along with the submission that this is for fans of Cursed, Trap Them and Magrudergrind, but I'd also add Hatred Surge, Iron Lung and maybe even Dystopia to that list. There are probably lots of bands that sound a lot like this, but that doesn't mean anything to me because this demo is as visceral as it needs to be, and has me hooked.

If you've already figured out what this sounds like, you should be able to guess if you'll dig it or not. It's an amalgamation of two of my favourite genres, and it's done really well. Any fans of sludge or hardcore should check their demo out. I'm already waiting for new material.

host - demo 2011

Lycus - Demo 2011

Lycus were a completely random discovery, though I'm pretty glad I found them. The band formed a few years ago and after some gigs and a demo, disbanded in 09. So what do? Obviously move to San Francisco. Once relocating, Lycus was back to life, and now they've put out another demo, aptly titled Demo 2011, and it kicks a lot of arse.

In tagging this post I almost included 'funeral doom', but eventually decided against it. Lycus play death/doom, quite structured and heavy akin to certain European acts along the lines of Ataraxie or Ophis. Elements of melody exist, but not so much as to call them melodic death/doom.

The demo has three reasonably lengthy tracks and each of them are really captivating. There is zero meandering here, which is a sure sign of good doom. Another notable feature of the band is the vocals - the most guttural of gutturals, they weigh heavily on the atmosphere.

As a demo, this release is fantastic. It gets me wet even thinking about what Lycus' next record will be like. You can stream the demo from their bandcamp page, as well as download in your choice of FLAC or 320k mp3. I'm not entirely sure if there are physical copies available, but if you want to find out, you can email these delightful chaps at lycusdoom@gmail.com

Lycus bandcamp

Pharaoh - Pharaoh

Three piece sludge band Pharaoh from New Jersey, USA have kindly sent their self titled 7" in to S4D, and what a 7" it is. Two 5-something minute tracks make up this record, each of them toying around with sluggish tempos, bludgeoning riffs and vicious vocals. What I like most about Pharoah however is that while they retain their label of 'sludge' in every way, they bring an extra element of ferocity - not all of the sections of these two songs are simple down-tuned punishment.

At times the band will venture into almost crust-like territory with a slight hardcore edge. As anyone into sludge will know, there is a great deal of cross-over between the two, and this generally works out really fucking well. You know what this sounds a bit like? Dystopia. A little more sludge-based with slightly deeper vocals, but this is something along those lines. Anyone with a hard-on for Dystopia, or for similar bands like Sea of Deprivation, or pissed off crust bands like His Hero is Gone, or for the dirty fuzz of shit-kickers like Grief or Accept Death, then you will like this. In other words, if you've got a good taste in music, then Pharaoh is for you.

This 7" is available for purchase from A389 Records. Feel free to download it here. The band have stated that there is another record in the works for later in the year, so watch out for it.

Leucosis - Pulling Down The Sky

Well being no stranger to the current black metal greats that are sprouting up anywhere you can name in the United States I can pretty much say that the USBM scene is dominating at this very moment and you don't even know. Whether it be the cult phenomenon BTC (Black Twlight Circle) or all your favourites in the Cascadian Black Metal scene, or all your limited cassette demos you collect; it's for certain the US is on top. After all this you can only laugh at any subhuman brave enough to call out the current USBM scene. True Norweigan Black Metal.. more like True Californian Black Metal.

Leucosis hails from the sunny lands of Santa Cruz, CA; also sharing this place one of my current favourites Fell Voices and being told the two were very much similar right then and there I am sold. They both share an overwhelming amount of atmosphere and give such a relenting crush after every single riff has been inflicted upon you. The band being described as 'ambient black metal' may be a little unsuitable for me because when I think of ambient black metal I immediately think of bands like Xasthur, Leviathan, maybe some Darkspace. This is how i seperate my good from bad so Leucosis you can stay out of that category.

Immediately right after the 'Opening' has passed you are visously pulled into the massive title track. Distancing shrieks and howls are heard beneath crushing riffs that almost seem to fly from every direction. This formula continues throughout the album and at times get very overwhelming. Right after the crushing assault of 'Approaching Lucidity' you are quickly given a short breather into 'Intermission' then whirled into the calm soothing intro of 'Invention of the Monsters' but to soon find out you are back to where you started. 'Hymn to the Forest of Pixels' provides another breather for the listener as it prepares you the mammoth 'Incarceral Form'.

Being an hour something long album may be a big deal to you, but the way all the tracks are done and the little intro's and outro's provided everything perfectly works out. I found myself just in a trance half the time by their powerful blend of atmosphere and doom. It's one of the more impressive black metal albums i have heard this year being up there Ash Borer's latest output. It's another band you can gladly add to your list of current greats in the USBM scene.

download here

$5 at http://www.myspace.com/leucosis
or by contacting leucosis.band@gmail.com

Post-Punk/New Wave Bullshit

You won't find any Pornography or Unknown Pleasures here. These are just some of the lesser known (but great nonetheless) albums of the eighties post-punk, new wave scene.

The Sound - Jeopardy (1980)



Forever on the cusp of notoriety, The Sound never achieved the fame of such contemporaries as The Cure, Wire etc - a fact that never ceases to perplex fans. I pin it down to their somber follow-up 'From the Lion's Mouth' which to some is considered genius but to me came off as just another mellow Joy Division derivative. However this charged, anxious and edgy debut is worth seeking out. Elegant and charming in it's simplicity.

And Also the Trees - Virus Meadow (1986)



Deeper, darker with a tendency towards the more dramatic, in other words it teeters on the edge of the gothic realm. Chock full of angst, Simon Jones tends to recite his lyrics like poems rather than sing them. If you like your post-punk a little theatrical and with a side of anguish this is the one for you.

Young Marble Giants - Colossal Youth (1980)



And now for something completely different. Delightfully minimalist post-punk with gorgeous female vocals. This album, the only the band ever released, is a true gem. Do yourself a favour and get this one even if post-punk isn't exactly close to your heart. Sounds like The xx eighties style.

More Post-punk/New wave bullshit on SlaysforDays:

The Chameleons - What Does Anything Mean? Basically
Television - Marquee Moon
The Cure - Disintegration

Mammon - Demiurge

'I am a false prophet, God is a superstition'

I've sat on Mammon's Demiurge for a while now. It's not because the demo is bad, in fact, it's quite the contrary - the three songs on this Canberra based band's first demo are all very excellent and have simply needed a little contemplation to properly write about. There is an immediate depth to Demiurge's composition, and as I will shortly explain, the demo's concept runs just as deep.

It's hard to pinpoint Mammon's style of music. If I were to make a very broad categorisation, I'd say post-metal. However, this does not sound anything like what post-metal commonly sounds like, e.g. Neurosis, Isis, Cult of Luna, Rosetta, whatever. There is a greater emphasis on sludge here, but I refrain from simply calling it sludge because there are progressive elements beneath the rawness. The beginning of 'II', for example, is black metal through and through, but it does not sound out of place at all - Mammon blend in the fusion of styles articulately, and so deviations from their usual sound fit in with the overall feel of the record. This also goes for the slight hardcore-y feel of the demo too - 'III' sounds very much like any European emotional hardcore group, with an almost post-rock inspired screamo template, or you could even describe it as having a little neo-crust influence, with its dark and numbing mood.

While the music itself is well-written and executed flawlessly, a great deal of thought has gone behind its concept - this concept of course encapsulates the demo, but it's also a pivotal part of the band itself, so future releases will possibly be further extensions of this concept. This concept, put simply, is opposition to religion. In the words of the band, 'as a band we believe that revealed religion (and, to a large extent, all religion) represents the ultimate personifcation of fascism, that it is exploitative, deceptive and inherently a force for evil, due to its advocacy of the master-slave relationship (the essence of abjection) and its promulgation of immoral and ultimately harmful teachings'. They strongly encourage and advocate naturalism as a framework for morality, which is something that I can definitely relate to, as I'm sure most of S4D's readers can too. This concept follows through the band's music and lyrics, and also extends to their artwork, which you can see above.

The artwork was done by Jacob Rolfe, a Melbourne based artist who is familiar with members of Mammon. His depiction of a snake intertwined with a burning church sits very resolutely alongside the demo's concept - 'the lyrics on Demiurge express revealed religion as the 'Demiurge' [in other worse, the creator], personified as a snake (a creature typically chosen to represent evil), and argue against the intrusion of this immoral institution into our lives'. You can visit Rolfe's website here.

Not only as an integration of creativity and concept, but simply as a rocking piece of music, Mammon simply succeeds. It's obvious that the band have an enormous amount of talent, and as good as Demiurge is, I feel that a lot of this talent is still untapped. This release is highly recommended, and any subsequent releases from Mammon will be undoubtedly excellent. Although providing the demo as an mp3 release for all of you to download, Mammon have also said that they would be willing to send a free copy of their CD to you, provided the shipping isn't ridiculous. If you're situated in Australia, get onto this. Otherwise, feel free to simply download the rip. Mammon have really impressed me, so this comes with as much of the S4D stamp of approval that I can give. Apparently the band is currently working on an EP which is due for recording in the next couple of months. Keep an eye out.

download Demiurge here

contact Mammon at this address for a CD or simply to tell them how great they are - mammonband@hotmail.com

God Harvest - Demo 2011

Last month a band previously unknown to me released their first demo and have already, to whatever extent you wish to fathom, affected my life. Listening to it over twenty times does that to a person. I’m yet to own my own copy of the tape, but you can be sure that I’ve played the shit out these mp3s.

The demo goes for a little over ten minutes and its six songs are packed full of unrelenting grind with touches of both powerviolence and metallic hardcore. It’s a perfect mix, and God Harvest execute it flawlessly. While there’s a lot to say about this demo, ranging from the engaging songs, fantastic vocals and killer riffage, what I liked most about it was the overall sound. This demo sounds real, and when I mean real I mean it sounds authentic, organic, and not fucking shit, which is exactly what grind should sound like.

Because the tape is really short, it’s okay to play it 6 times in a row – what makes me so positive towards it is the fact that you actually can play it six times in a row without being bored, not an unimpressive feat. Download this and give it a listen – if you like grind or hardcore, it will be right up your alley. Then go buy a fucking tape.

download
buy

Tempest - Passages

Canadian Tempest released this LP late last year but have recently made it available on their bandcamp page, as well as distributing the link to various blogs such as this one. The group plays a menacing and moody form of crust, sort of like Downfall of Gaia or Fall of Efrafa if they were a little darker and didn't have any of the gay post-whatever influence. I can't believe I hadn't heard about this release or even the band until now - as a debut LP this is fucking fantastic.

Having already released a 7" previously, which is also available on their bandcamp, the band didn't take long to put out their first full length. Seeing as there's just over a year between each release, there isn't much difference in the sound. However, Tempest are able to show off their compositional skills far more effectively on the full length than they are on the two track 7" - it's obvious they know how to put together a record.

Passages takes the listener through bitter and emotional crust, a trip that encompasses despondency, vitriolic rage and some really great sound samples. It's not a long record - in fact it's probably the perfect length, coming in at just over 24 minutes. The 7 tracks are of reasonable length but every single one is attention grabbing, not to mention the 7 minute epic self titled track that closes the album.

I don't really have anything bad to say about this. Every moment of it is excellent, it certainly doesn't overstay its welcome and it has a great deal of replay value. Perhaps some may think it's a little on the short side, but fuck you. This is still a punk record and its abruptness makes it all the more enjoyable. For those of you (like me) who seem to have completely overlooked this great LP, hopefully now you can rectify your unfortunate circumstance. Highly fucking recommended.

Passages

Frank's Metal Misadventures: Moss, Converge and Mitochondrion

In an effort to fit in better here at S4D I decided to venture deep into the black heart of all things metal. So I asked my beloved Rasputin (who has tried and failed many times to unleash my inner metalhead) to give me a definitive and varied collection of the best and most popular. It was his idea for me to make a record of my thoughts and thus we have the first installment of Frank's Metal Misadventures.

Mitochondrion - Parasignosis

This was the first death metal album I've ever listened to whilst not under duress. I was able to survive through it's entirely due in no small part to the not-so-ridiculous growling vocals that usually shrivel my musical vagina faster than Thom Yorke's face. Instrumentally-wise it's a lot of RARARAR with a bit of twang-twang-twang and some slower, pretty bits somewhere in the middle. I can imagine it's the kind of album that Dr.Phil puts on after a long day on set and then proceeds to ritualistically beat his wife. The ending is almost as eerie and off-kilter as her plastic-surgery laden face. In other words, it's pretty swell. My favourite of the three.

Did I mention the band name reminds me of grade nine biology class? An organelle that uses glucose and fatty acids to make energy? That's so satan.

Converge - Jane Doe

I was actually enjoying this for the first forty seconds until I heard that unmistakable, irritating tink-tink-tink sound like a pot being hit with a metal spoon. Ignoring that pet-hate I listened to what I thought was a woman 'singer' screaming for close to nine minutes only to find by the fourth track she was in fact a dude. The vocals remind me of my kid sister during one of her boyfriend-induced-rages where she incomprehensibly screams herself hoarse. Ah, young love. My favourite track for obvious reasons was "Phoenix In Flight" which was immediately followed by my thoroughly least favourite "Phoenix In Flames" (I suppose the juxtaposition is meant to be clever and witty or something). On that note I was kind of surprised by the lack of pretentious bullshit track names - they're really quite tame, possibly even lame. To me this album paints the picture of the kind of news story you hear about some crack-whore 'Jane Doe' who eventually tires of the constant beatings and shortchanging dealt out by her pimp, she wigs out and goes medieval all over all his arse with a rotary dial telephone. She takes one last hit from the pipe before burning the joint down with them both inside. Overall listening to this album wasn't what I'd call an enjoyable experience, though I doubt it's meant to be - I give it two crackpipes out of five (mostly for the cover artwork).

Moss - Sub Templum

I wasn't sure what to expect from a band called Moss. I was told it was 'sludge' metal which to me means it should sound equivalent to that foul, gooey substance that lines the inside of old drainpipes. And honestly if that's what they're going for then the first track nailed it. I could imagine this on the soundtrack of some film school freak's atmospheric avant-garde piece entitled "The Anti-Clockwise Rotation: Life Down The Drain" complete with long, tedious tracking shots of plumbing. From there it just proceeds to get weirder. A kind of constant jack-hammer sound overlaid with the occasional crash-bang or anguished scream. Once I [very quickly] got over the general creepiness of the thing it was just plain torturous, I too wanted to scream in apparent agony. Which lead me to believe anyone who would voluntarily listen to this for an extended period of time must be some kind of twisted masochist or simply put: a moron. Rasputin said this one 'crushes posers' implying only the brave and elite will endure this rubbish - not dissimilar to the cruel tests that fraternity pledges suffer. If this is the case I've still got a long way to go before I can call myself a sister in the House of S4D.

the grim goods MMX

as Berkay discussed before, it is virtually impossible for there to be a bad year in music. this year is most definitely included in that sentiment. if you can't find anything you like, you're just not taking the time to look. this is my top 20, but there are also 40 honorable mentions to reflect that there were indeed many wonderful albums released this year. some of these should probably even be in the top twenty. regardless, every album listed here is top notch and shouldn't go unnoticed. there are actually quite a few i haven't listened to yet like The National, Deerhunter, the new Arizmenda, and the other Yrsel album that could very well be somewhere on this list soon. im not going to write about my picks, but intsead will try and give you a link(s) of some sort so you can listen to them and maybe buy their stuff if you want. this is what i have to date, the last day of 2010.

Top 20
1 Pyramids - Wvndrkmmer
2 Mitochondrion - Parasignosis
3 Aesahaettr - Aesahaettr
4 Encoffination - Ritual Ascension Beyond Flesh
5 Eibon - Entering Darkness
6 Ash Borer / Fell Voices - Split
7 Adversarial - All Idols Fall Before the Hammer (link is different mix. if you can't get over the snare, you'll dig this version.)
8 Deathspell Omega - Paracletus
9 Thou - Summit
10 Emuul - Crawling Across the Rafters
11 Torture Corpse - Stop the Mind
12 Grails - Black Tar Prophecies vol 4
13 Vasaeleth - Crypt Born and Tethered to Ruin
14 Coffinworm - When All Became None
15 Gnaw Their Tongues - L'arrivee de la Terne Mort Triomphante
16 Batillus / Hallowed Butchery - Split
17 Daughters - Daughters
18 The Austrasian Goat - Stains of Resignation
19 Horseback - Forbidden Planet
20 Sailors With Wax Wings - Sailors With Wax Wings

Honorable Mention (Random)
Grave Ritual - Euphoric Hymns From the Altar of Death
Ensorcelor - Urarctica Begins
Menace Ruine - Union of Irreconcilables
Menace Ruine - Sigil Sessions
Enslaved by Owls / Bad Life - Split
Chiodos - Illuminaudio
Celeste - Morte(s) Nee(s)
The Secret - Solve et Coagula
Annthennath - States of Liberating Departure
Encircling Sea - Ecru
The Body - All the Waters of the Earth Turn to Blood
Evoken / Beneath the Frozen Soil - Split
Inter Arma - Sundown
Weapon - From the Devil's Tomb
Diocletian - War of All Against All
Black Swan - Black Swan (In 8 Movements)
Dispirit - Rehearsal at Oboroten
Prosanctus Inferi - Pandemonic Ululations of Vesperic Palpitation
Father Befouled - Morbid Destitution of Covenant
Forteresse - Par Hauts Bois et Vastes Plaines
Innumerable Forms - Dark Worship
Swollowed - Swollowed
Immolation - Majesty and Decay
Begrime Exemious - Impending Funeral of Man
StarGazer - A Great Work of Ages
The Wakedead Gathering - Tenements of Ephemera
Mortuss Auris & Black Hand - Sleep
Mortuss Auris & Black Hand - Freiheit ist immer Freiheit der Andersdenkenden
Emuul - ...On the Origins of Motion
Emuul - Further Stations
Aderlating - Dying of the Light
Aderlating - Dood
Detritivore - Pakt
Barn Owl - Ancestral Star
Yrsel - Requiem for the Three Kharites
Bad Life / Pink Playground - Split
Burial Invocation - Rituals of the Grotesque
Life in the Dark - The Sunya is Rising
Torch Runner - Locust Swarm
Twilight - Monument to End Time

jingle's 2 thousand 10

The last few years have been good to me, mostly. I’ve found stability and peace and the only thing that I bitch about nowadays is my university and the weather. Though, each year there’s this one bad incident that has to stand out like a giant fucking sore thumb. Much like the past few years, most of this year has been good (sort of) but that one bad incident? Well, I think I’ve lost 90% of my music.

Every form of death, black and doom metal, not to mention a bunch of indie, post-rock and other bullshit, all gone. Yeah so, almost 8 years of collecting material from various genres, all down the fucking pooper because my portable hard disk decided to die on me a few days ago and now I’m left with whatever I had on my laptop and PC (which isn’t much). Oh and today I just found out that my iPod got into the washing machine accidentally and now that’s gone too. But enough with all this negativity, time for us to look at 15 fantastic albums that I had the privilege of listening to this year.

15. Gnaw Their Tongues - L'arrivée de la terne mort triomphante

A ritualistic, apocalyptic and hallucinogenic wall of ambient noise with some shrieks thrown in, creating a horrific atmosphere perfect for late night listening with the lights off. Definitely, one of the most interesting things I’ve heard this year.

14. Witchrist – Beheaded Ouroboros

The Australian death metal scene has been thriving and it seems like some of that awesome kangaroo juice has spilled over to their kiwi neighbors. To confirm this statement we have two highly promising releases from Witchrist and Diocletian this year. Diocletian barely missed the cut for my top 15 but these guys get in because of the sheer amount of non-stop crush that they display over the 40 minute duration of the album.

13. Swans – My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to The Sky

A humble return to the music scene for these guys featuring a more straightforward and accessible approach but even so it’s still difficult to properly pin down their sound so I’m not going to waste my time writing nonsense but I am going to say that this is massive and beautiful (and no, not like some cock you fucking pervs).

12. Ufomammut – Eve

These stoner/doom big boys returned this year with another slab of marijuana music featuring a high dose of spacey psychedelia and some borrowed elements from Neurosis’ post-metal domain. Listening to this when you’re inebriated or baked makes you feel like you’re floating in a bubble that’s on its way to mars or some shit idk get high and find out for yourself fool.

11. Encoffination – Ritual Ascension Beyond Flesh

Like Witchrist, I love this because of the filthy sound, crushing doom/death riffs and the overall intensity that makes me wonder why this didn’t blast a hole through my fucking face.

10. Shearwater – The Golden Archipelago

The soothing, serene and beautiful nature present on this folk/indie release makes it my relaxation album for 2010. After you run around a putrid little wasteland like Dhaka for the entire day, coming home and listening to this washes away all the filth.

9. Orator – Dominion of Avyaktam

The one shining light in the poor little metal scene we have here in this country. This splendid Ep features some of the best bass work I’ve heard all year, a bunch of the beastliest riffs ever to come out of Asia and an overall sound that’s just the perfect sort of filthy that you expect from most death metal, all in all making this a supreme death/thrash release that shouldn’t go unnoticed by anyone this year.

8. Enslaved – Axioma Ethica Odini

Probably not something for the usual S4D crowd because this has prog melodies, clean vocals, catchy riffs and other such material that would make most seasoned black metal elitists cringe but these guys were one of the first black metal bands I actually liked and after all these years they’re still releasing original and interesting material so they get a spot on here, big woop.

7. Adversarial – All Idols Fall Before the Hammer

TING TING TING TING is all you’ll hear on the first few listens but as you get used to the overbearing snare, you get to slowly uncover the bucket loads of glorious riffing and then this all you want to listen to for the next day or two.

6. Winterwolf – Cycle of the Werewolf

This band features members of Deathchain and of course, the almighty Demilich so going into this you’d expect some great riffs and that’s what you’ll get. As a bonus you also get to hear some of those classic Demilich burp vocals. So it’s like dun dun BURP BURP dunnunun.

5. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs

I’m with Frank on this one, initially this felt lazy and boring but as I warmed up to it I realized that though it’s not as good as the superb Funeral it’s still a good deal better than Neon Bible.

4. Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest

I started to listen to both this and Microcastle around the same time and I still don’t know which one I like better but the shoe-gazey, relaxing pastures of this album make it the ideal stoner album for 2010.

3. Immolation – Majesty and Decay

This for me is the finest death metal release from this year and it’s also the best thing I’ve heard from these guys since Close to a World Below.

2. Deathspell Omega – Paracletus

No other metal album from this year touches the sheer ingenuity and malevolence of this release. It’s the most accessible album in the trilogy but it’s also the perfect amalgamation of the ideas that were featured on their past releases making it an absolute mind-fuck of a black metal whirlwind to listen to.

1. The National – High Violet

Better than Boxer and on par with Alligator, I adore this album because of a simple enough reason: I’ve listened to it more than any other album this year and it has yet to wear out on me. It’s because of this immense replay value that it remains the crown on top of my 2010 list.

Well then, it’s been a great year for music for sure, too bad my dumb luck had to scar my 2010 but there’s no use crying over split chocolate milk so I’m going to drown myself in a pool of alcohol come New Year’s Eve and look at 2011 with renewed hungover hope that maybe I’ll be able to recover most of what I’ve lost by the end of twenty 11. Oh and a Happy fucking New Year to all!

You can view my 2010 list in it's entirety here.

you can also check out my 2010 Death metal list here.

“You were seeking strength, justice, splendor! You were seeking love!

Here is the pit, here is your pit! Its name is SILENCE…”

Is Indie Dead?

It is a question that tantalizes both fans, who perhaps secretly fear that it is, and haters, who possibly suspect that the answer is no. Let us explore this notion with this year's best offerings according to me.

10. The Moondoggies - Tidelands



Alternative-folk outfit from Seattle who first caught my attention with their bizarre name. I felt compelled to find out what kind of sound a moondoggie makes, turns out it's rather pleasant. Glad I found this little-known gem.

THE MOONDOGGIES - It's a Shame, It's a Pity by Triad Publicity

9. Surfer Blood - Astro Coast



I think people like to bicker about this album more than they like to listen to it. Which is a shame. It's a totally inoffensive little throwback to nineties surf-rock with vocals that are reminiscent of eighties new-wave and I like it. Floating Vibes is far and away the best track.

Surfer Blood - Floating Vibes by HighVoltageMusic

8. The Love Language - Libraries



Dreamy indie pop record. Makes me happy.

Heart To Tell - The Love Language by musicismyhappiness

7. Lost In The Trees - All Alone In An Empty House



It was love at first listen with this 'folk orchestra'. I can't quite put my finger on it but there's something a little different about this lot. Freak power.

Lost In The Trees - Walk Around the Lake by Lost In The Trees

6. Broken Bells - Self-Titled



Danger Mouse and that dude from The Shins got together and gave birth to this delightful piece of music. I shall take this indie-pop baby and raise it as my own. Since this is only their first-born I expect great things yet to come.

Vaporize by Broken Bells (MySpace Transmissions) by thalgyur


5. The Tallest Man On Earth - The Wild Hunt



Take into account I'm a Bob Dylan freak. Now take into account I haven't been particularly fond of Kristian Matsson's previous offerings, you could say I treated them with nothing but hostility and contempt for no good reason. I wanted to hate this album. God-damn impossible.

The Tallest Man On Earth - King of Spain by MusicForBears

4. Local Natives - Gorilla Manor



Technically released in late 2009, so I'm holding it back a grade. This means I've managed to relentlessly dig it ALL year therefore it must be something special. It's my bottom bitch. Do you know what I'm saying?

Airplanes by Local Natives by infectiousmusicuk

3. The Black Keys - Brothers



You already know what I think of this album. It's a slightly new direction. Some say too polished. And while I begrudgingly cling to the past like an infant incessantly suckling the teat of Rubber Factory I dare say this really could be their best so far.

The Black Keys - Howlin' For You by MMMusic

2. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs



I'll be the first to admit when I got my grubby little mits on Suburbs I huffed and I puffed about how disappointed I was. Bad fanship. Time to eat some humble pie. This album is fast becoming my favourite from Aracde Fire and despite taking home the silver, I believe in the years to come it will be my definitive album of 2010 for deeply-nostalgic, highly-personal reasons. Gross.

Sprawl II - Arcade Fire by Tot Somerset

1. The Morning Benders - Big Echo



The winner because I listen to it so often and so loud that it will probably leave me with substantial hearing disabilities but by god I'll say - it was worth it.

The Morning Benders - Excuses by yvz

Conclusion: Indie is not dead, but God certainly is.

Note: I purposely left The National's 'High Violet' off the list because everyone at RYM relentlessly continued to jizz all over it and quite frankly who knows what hideous diseases those people have...

happy new year.

count's two thousand ten

you want it you got it.

2010 jams straight out of my tape deck and wreckord player. no walkmans allowed 8->).

Before i give you a tl;dr blurb of my year let me point out that there was a few shits i wasin't able to listen to because i am poor and sometimes i rely on rips and by sometimes i mean alot of the time. Easily these few I havent heard could easily take the number one spot, but instead greedy faggotheads are spinning album of the year material laughing while admiring their hundreds of dollars in their paypal accounts.

But if i were in their position i wouldn't rip it either and tell everyone to 'just buy it, it's only $ __'. Other than that the year two thousand ten was filled with some good shit and had some serious bump in the car via ipod. Ive gotten increasingly more obese and lazier since last year so that is why i am not going to take the time out of busy schedule to explain the album and why ive ranked it there. Its actually a little more based on what ive listened the most rather than what was best.

1. Ash Borer/Fell Voices - Split2. Axeman - Arrive
3. BizarreSSMania - What's Your Pleasure, Sir
4. Earl Sweatshirt - Earl
5. Koufar - The Purity of Cedars6. SQRM - Rodeo
7. Bizarre Uproar - Lily The Flesh
8. Drunkdriver - Drunkdriver
9. Sump - Taken Dead
10. Total Abuse - Mutt11. S.T.A.B. Electronics - Born For Righteous Abuse12. Coma Detox - Concussed & Asphyxiated13. The Men - Immaculada
14. Thou - Summit15. Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest
16. Broken Water - Whet
17. Pogrom - Liberal Cunt
18. Sexdrome - Grown Younger
19. Darkthrone - Circle the Wagons
20. Neon Blud - B Girls

?? Vordr - V?? Wince - Wince

There you have it, a rough top twenty of my 2010. Filled with atmosphere, drum hiss, tv fuzz, whooshing sounds, lyrics about rape, drummers who've raped, crescendos, politics, male/female vocal duos, crust punk attitude, srs mosh, big foreheads, ex emos getting into power electronics, wierdo thrash riffs, nine minute build ups, king diamond yells, heavily bent guitar strings, overuse of the word 'fuck' and 'fucking', blast beats, twenty six minute sample loops, piano underlaying, strong sexual themes, and limited quantities. That pretty much sums it all up.

Last but not least if you are a huge enough faggot to look at my complete 2010 list on rym then you can see it here. It's filled with other obscure stuff that didin't make the cut because it was either too limited or too well known to be on my list. combust and inhale cannibis daily.

Rasputin's 2010

2010 marked a change in the way I approached music. Two years ago I was making an effort to keep on top of every single genre there was and I felt like I was missing out if I didn’t listen to everything that came out. There was less of that last year, mainly because I couldn’t be bothered investing so much time into what essentially resulted in a single list at the end of the year that some people read and then quickly forgot. This year was different because I still listened to quite a few new releases but I mainly listened to new releases from bands I already liked, or new stuff in a couple of specific sub-genres that I listen to more of these days. It was of course far more enjoyable.

I stated in the blurb for my 09 list that anyone who ever thinks a single year is ‘bad’ in terms of releases is probably retarded. There are records being released every year which are great, and of course some years may have a higher quantity of really great albums, but generally if you haven’t found a good album in a particular year, you are most certainly not looking hard enough.

However, 2010 was in fact a year where nothing remarkably ‘essential’ was released. Some bands further perfected their style, while newcomers released fantastic albums in abundant styles. Indie rock had some ups and downs – The Gaslight Anthem failed to impress with the follow-up to their ’59 Sound record, but the slack was picked up by what is on par with Deerhunter’s best record thus far, Halcyon Digest. Titus Andronicus apparently released the best indie rock record of the year, but my single casual spin of that has yet to make any revelations. One of the more anticipated albums out this year was Arcade Fire’s third record, The Suburbs. Initially I found the record to be underwhelming but soon enough I began to realise its potency. It’s as good, if not more, as Neon Bible (neither touch Funeral at all though). The Magnetic Fields, one of my favourite bands, released their 9th record – it was a hit and miss record, but still had all the usual (therefore good) MagFields characteristics.

Death metal was of course on top again this year. The death metal underground is still seething with a constant stream of new bands playing old styles, but contrary to what some may think, this is fantastic. Vasaeleth, Begrime Exemious and Adversarial were very impressive with each of their debut LPs, while Immolation saw a return to form with their 8th record Majesty and Decay. There was a plethora of other releases among those, such as demos from Burial Invocation and Innumerable Forms, not to mention new material from Incantation and Imprecation. The best of the bunch you can view below.

Regardless, 2010 was of course a great year musically, and some really great albums were released. There were most definitely many I didn’t listen to, or even hear about, but I think it’s beyond me now to even try and keep up that level of consistency. The list below is in a rough order, but don’t take the ordering too seriously. I’ve made it in such a way so that everything on it is worth your time.


1. Vasaeleth – Crypt Born and Tethered to Ruin

Ordering my top 5 albums was rather difficult because I like them all almost equally, but Crypt Born... comes out on top. Vasaeleth burst out of nowhere with this debut release, reviving everything that Incantation did right in the early 90s. This record is filthy, fuzzy and utterly dank, and thus deserving of the top spot.

Review

2. Encoffination - Ritual Ascension Beyond Flesh

I discovered this band through the underground label that distributed the tape pressing, Ritval Death Offerings. I admit it was a bit of a blind buy because the hype behind it had yet to materialise, but it was definitely a good decision. The level of improvement from their first EP is considerable, a level of consistency they’ve maintained on their most recent EP Seventh Temple of Laodicean Scripture. I’m confident the full length and EP they have scheduled for release in 2011 will not disappoint.

Review

3. Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest

My summer record. I still like Microcastle more but that has had over two years to grow friendly. Halcyon marks a change in Deerhunter’s style, moving on from the wacky psychadelia of earlier releases to a much more lush and relaxed sound.

4. Begrime Exemious - Impending Funeral of Man

Thrashy and very satan. Begrime Exemious improved upon their already stand out demos to release a well rounded slab of black/death.

Review

5. Adversarial - All Idols Fall Before the Hammer

The ‘controversial’ death metal release of the year. While it’s received many favourable reviews, it has also been harshly criticised for its production values and ‘that snare’. Regardless, All Idols... is a dense and resolute death metal record – it brings new light onto the Canadian black/death scene and certainly is setting Adversarial up for great things.

Review

6. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

Great things were expected of Arcade Fire in 2010 and it’s safe to say these expectations were met. The album took a little time to click in but now months after its release I’m still listening to it regularly. ‘Suburban War’ is pretty much the best thing ever.

7. Immolation - Majesty and Decay

After a drop in form, Immolation are again living up to their reputation as hardened death metal veterans with the release of their 8th record. Unlike the previous two albums which were stale and uninteresting, the American group managed to write some killer riffs which make Majesty and Decay very listenable.

Review

8. Ash Borer/Fell Voices – Split

Count’s number one. This could possibly have been higher for me but after hearing it once I didn’t touch it again until recently and so I haven’t had a chance to completely absorb it yet. Regardless it’s good enough to make the top ten easily, and is my top black metal record of the year (though if I had properly listened to the new Panopticon compilation, this may have been different).

9. The Men – Immaculuda

I didn’t really listen to much punk this year, in fact this is the only album that has made the list and is perhaps one of only several punk albums I bothered to hear (which were probably average grind records). The Men play a noisy and feedback-ridden style of punk that shifts from a hardcore aesthetic to a dreamy, almost shoegaze-esque atmosphere with the change of a song. A captivating record.

10. Eibon - Entering Darkness

A huge improvement on their s/t EP, Entering Darkness showcases a band finding what they do best and doing it really fucking well.

Review

11. Burial Invocation - Rituals of the Grotesque

Other than a few brutal death bands, Turkey ‘s death metal scene is rather sparse and lacking in anything remotely worthwhile – this was true until Burial Invocation released their debut EP, Rituals of the Grotesque. It’s perhaps the only Turkish band who is buying into the old school resurgence, but for a lone act they’re certainly doing very well. Recalling the likes of Incantation but in a more contemporary form, similar to Dead Congregation, Burial Invocation wreck out four tracks of punishing and solid death metal on this EP. Well worth a listen and a good indicator of a band on the rise.

Review

12. The Magnetic Fields – Realism

Stephin Merritt releases his ninth record under his Magnetic Fields moniker, and while it is certainly no 69 Love Songs, Realism still channels Merritt’s wistful pop parody to a great effect.

Review

13. Ocean of Zero - The Wake

Out of Queensland Australia, Ocean of Zero is a group of young stoners or surfies or whatever playing crushing old school death metal. It’s obscure as shit but so good at the same time. Only a hundred copies of this cassette were pressed and if you happen to want your own (provided there are any left) contact their label Bloody Oath Records at this address – bloodynoize@yahoo.com

14. The Dead - Ritual Executions

Originally released in 2009, this album was remastered this year after the band signed with Diabolical Conquest Records. As can be read in the review below, the band sounds like Church of Misery playing death metal. The remaster is also tastefully done.

Review

15. Father Befouled - Morbid Destitution of Covenant

I think I like the idea of Father Befouled more than their music, or at least I did before they released Morbid Destitution of Covenant. Their debut LP was all right but suffered from sloppiness and was uninteresting in some parts. Luckily, the band found their feet with Morbid Destitution... and have released a very good, if derivative, death metal album.

16. Cardiac Arrest - Haven for the Insane

This is my first experience with Cardiac Arrest and I have to say, this band is relentless. It has enough filth to rival Autopsy, but plays it at twice the speed and with three times the brutality.

Review

17. Swallowed – Swallowed

Their last demo was a decent stab at copying Autopsy (which is okay to do I guess), but Swallowed just came out of the blue with this s/t demo and blew shit apart. This is slow and crushing death/doom that takes elements from early Finnish bands and plays them even slower. Well worth any death metal fan’s time.

18. Innumerable Forms - Dark Worship

Another death metal demo, and this one could definitely be higher but it’s here so deal with it. Fuzzy production that could be better but doesn’t really make a difference because this crushing and full of riffs. If you like any Finnish death metal of the early 90s (or just death metal in general), this is a must.

19. Diocletian - War of All Against All

New Zealand’s Diocletian released their Decimator EP a couple of years ago which I really enjoyed, but their debut LP Doom Cult was a step back and I subsequently let the band go (other than spinning the shit out my Decimator vinyl). Fortunately, Diocletian have improved on the mediocrity of Doom Cult with their follow up LP, War of All Against All – the pseudo-brutality of the first LP has been replaced with a sound and style that actually sounds evil and satan, which is a plus in my book.

20. Prosanctus Inferi - Pandemonic Ululations of Vesperic Palpitation

I won’t go into how much I love this band, but their demo Sacreligious Desecration in Excelsis is a non-stop rollercoaster ride in getting your arse kicked, so when I found out that a full length was in the works, I developed a boner. Unfortunately, Pandemonic Ululations... was somewhat disappointing. It could have been so much more, but just didn’t have that somfin somfin that the demo had. Still, it’s good enough to make it into my best of year list, and is still a worthy listen.

Honourable Mentions:

Coffinworm - When All Became None
The Wakedead Gathering - Tenements of Ephemera
Aesahaettr - Aesahaettr
Doombringer - Abhorrent Dreams of the End
Defeated Sanity - Chapters of Repugnance
Aidan Baker - Lifeform/Liminoid
Incantation - Scapegoat
Imprecation - The Sigil of Lucifer
Furdidurke - Furdidurke
Ophis - Withered Shades