Anagnorisis - Peripeteia (2016)

Kentucky black/death metallers Anagnorisis have just recently released their third outing, which sees them still quite strong after the release of their last record, Beyond All Light. That disc actually scored a 91% (of two reviews) which would see it as a tough hill to climb. Like similar black metal records of the modern era, there are definitely post metal moments here, but also elements of more depressing doom acts like Swallow The Sun for example. It's decidedly a pained listen, which would probably come off a little bit better without the voice clips in opener “Disgust and Remorse.” I get what they were trying to do, but sometimes it's better to let the music speak for itself, without the clips. Or at least put them at the beginning/end of a song. I'd hope that a live performance of that piece wouldn't include the clips as I'd be pretty pissed at that point. Thankfully, the second part of the song merely observes atmosphere in the middle as it focuses more on the raw and unhinged black metal that this band seem to be quite proficient at. The sound is overly grim, a bit hopeless and feels just as I might expect a record of this nature to come off. It's quite sorrowful, like mixing a nineties black metal release with funeral doom and throwing in some acoustic bits, atmospheres and various soundclips to tell an equally depressing story. But seeing as these guys live in Kentucky, I'm sure there's not much to be excited about. It's the same here, really.

When we get into “5306 Morningside” I start to get a little bit more upset however, because these guys thought it would be a great idea to allow the vocalist to perform vocals while the soundclips were playing in the middle of the song. At that moment, I have to cringe just a little. Is the frontman not able to convey his feelings within the music well enough that you must pattern over that with sound clips? Are you a metal act or an industrial one? This is getting a little bit incessant. Soundclips can be very useful in softer portions of songs. Most bands use them to open and close pieces. Sometimes they are utilized during a soundscape to built the mood. But never are they useful right in the middle of a song, unless the form of music is electronic and these soundclips act as an instrument. Thankfully, the clips start to fade just as the song really gets in gear and only the first couple of vocal lines on the track are muddied by these effects.

“Night Skies Over Nothingness” actually allows us to hear the band clip-free and with a real sense of bite. There are some thick grooves in areas that work well with the harsh vocal performance and ghostly keyboard antics. A definite winner for me. The title cut features more clips in the beginning, but this isn't a problem as it really continues to show the band's strength, as well as their excellent keyboard playing. The death metal influence in the band also manages to shine through here, making for a surprisingly punchier sound than the first couple of tracks have offered, showing that these guys have the ability to get angry in addition to heavy moping. There's nothing wrong with a morose sound and style, I know that quite well – but it's good to see a bit of unbridled rage and seventies keyboard prog theatrics as well. It's also great to hear some real guitar shredding on “Metamorphosis” which seems to show that these gentlemen are actually a hell of a lot better than you might expect them to be. There's a section of the cut where drum blasts intertwine with a real bout of shredding and that has to be my favorite moment on the whole album. I don't think I've ever heard a solo that intricate playing at the same time as a kit that was completely on fire, at least from the sound of things. Usually, you're going to have a hard time being able to discern any bit of guitar while the drums are pounding as loudly and with such ferocity in the mix as they were here. But I have a feeling that these guys know what they're doing as far set-ups go, which is why I was able to hear that solo section pretty well in the mix.

Peripeteia is a realtively strong black metal album in my opinion, and it's probably a bit of a change from the prior. I don't know, I haven't heard it. But I feel that maybe some of the soundclips and things might have been a bit much for them this time around and might detract listeners a little bit. I'm not sure if they were trying to tell a story or not, but it's definitely a less is more situation as far as that is concerned. They do play live, so I would assume that's the best way to hear this one.

(8 Tracks, 53:00)

8/10

Devotion - Words and Crystals (2016)

I decided to cover this, because the only English review I could find of it was negative and there has to be a reason that I would have it in my promise pool if it was worth checking out. The reviewer in particular said that he didn't really care for the Deftones style approach that this band dish out, but I on the other hand do like that sort of thing, so I think it's only fair that these guys get a review from someone out there who actually gives a damn about their sound.

First off, Devotion come from Italy and they've played a few shows with the Deftones as well as The Dillinger Escape Plan, two bands that actually match their sound perfectly. They're also on the soundtrack to All Points Bulletin which is some game that EA put out and apparently didn't do very well. That being said, these guys are quite talented if you're into the whole alt/rock and post metal style, and I think you'll find that the frontman has a pleasant voice and a high vocal range at times. He also tends to have a bit of a ferocity within his lines, which can lend very well to some of these pieces. Devotion have a very aquatic sound, despite the occasional tidal waves that occasionally launch waves of Nu-Metal angst, reminding me even a little bit of Filter. No, not Title Of Record Filter either. Those guys have had their share of heavy cuts, just like “P. Hamilton” manages to showcase here. Devotion have not forsaken the Nu-Metal genre, which of course is a thumbs up for me, regardless of the fact that some people don't care for it.

As far as the Deftones influence, I'm going to put this one at a mix of Adrenaline, Around The Fur and Diamond Eyes. Yes, I remember Adrenaline and it was definitely heavy – the right kind of Nu-Metal heavy. Yet what Devotion manage to achieve with such a sound, is waves of atmosphere which always allow the music to breathe. It can be a sledgehammer or a sandwich, depending on the song and mood conveyed within. Perhaps some of the harsher approaches can grain on one's nerves (simply depends on the listener) but I find that for the most part, there is enough variety here within all of the different styles that they attempt to make for a pretty solid listen. I'd definitely give it that much, as you may find that you like it.

(10 Tracks, 39:00)

7/10

Sea Of Bones/Ramlord - Split (2016)

We have two similar, yet different acts here, the first one being Connecticut's sludge/drone/doomers Sea Of Bones and the other New Hampshire's crust-punk/black metallers Ramlord, which sounds more like Neurosis in their early era, just with more of a blackened tinge. I say that both acts seem similar because regardless of genres, they both seem to be going for the same style of sludge and doom influence on this EP.

Sea Of Bones haven't had a great deal of records, certainly not as many as Ramlord; but they do have the potential to go quite far if they continue to do exactly what I'm hearing here. They consider their band to be “a dissonant wall of sound” and would compare themselves to Neurosis and Buried At Sea, which I would say is most comparable among the others here listed. It sounds exactly like that, feeling like a literal fucking wave of monolithic thunder, replete with hoary roars and what feels like a great fog. When I listen to the record, I feel like I'm in the middle of a storm and about to be demolished by a tidal wave of grease, slime and sludge. There is a bit of a calm after the storm however, which allows the piece to breathe well.

Ramlord definitely pump doom into their performance and I'm getting a sort of blackened punk feel, right from the vocals especially. There's even a bit of death grunt to be had, fronting a performance that feels just as foggy as the other. Ramlord aren't big on sludge, but there's definitely a pounding sense of doom here and that's going to be what matters as a whole. The track does feature a big kick as it continues, observing a much different atmosphere than what we got with Sea Of Bones. You can really hear the punk roaring in along with a big tempo change that completely wipes over the doom and almost carries as sense of grindcore with it. Then the doom comes back in, albeit with a sort of celebratory node. It feels like they're having a little bit of a party towards the end of this song, and that's fine.

Closing out this observation, I think both bands prove their worth rather well on an EP that should please fans of both varities of metal. It's not quite doom, sludge, punk, post, drone or black metal, but there are enough elements of each inside of this grimy snack mix to suit your tastes.

(2 Tracks, 20:45)

8/10

Fister/Teeth - Split (2016)

This split brings Missouri and California together in the name of doom, death and sludge metal. Sounds promising to me just in that regard. It's not a very long split (roughly about thirteen minutes) but these things usually aren't. 

The first act we have is Missouri based doom/death/stoner and sludge metallers, Fister. They come on strong with some extremely pungent nodes, proving the strength of Kenny Snarzyck's bass work as well as Marcus Newstead's (this guy used to play in The Lion's Daughter) extremely melodic, slightly depressive and all around powerful lead work. Opener “We All Die Tonight” actually features one hell of a solo stuffed right into the middle of it. When I say one hell of a solo, I literally mean one hell of a fucking solo, folks. That's the kind of thing that made me take notice. Only problem is that there's about a few seconds after that with what I think is just filler with no real point, unless it was lyrically called. Even so, (and this is nearly a damn first for me) it kind of kills the impact of Newstead's solo work, which should have ended the piece.

California's Teeth are a completely different animal. There's still the doom and death metal elements, but it feels like they wanted to beef these extremities with the magic of post metal. Justin Moore and Erol Ulug (Apparently that's his real name. Perhaps they have a literal cave troll in their band?) both makeup the guitar and vocal end, which seems to meld together to form this inhuman and rather gruff semblance. There's a little bit of crystalline psychosis to these pieces as well, making the approach sound sometimes pretty, but most often insane. To be dreadfully honest, the soundscape is rather creepy and unnerving for an act of this nature, which I find amazing as the hairs prick up on the back of my neck. Two songs and less than seven minutes is more than enough to tell me that there's something very freaky about the music that these guys play. They're the definite winner of the split for me, regardless of the fact that both bands do a great job. This is what I'd consider a great split, just kind of wish these things were a bit longer.

(3 Tracks, 13:00)

8/10

Perihelion - Hold (2016)

Hungarian post-metallers Perihelion never cease to amaze me, which can certainly be said with their beautiful new EP release. Although it's rather short, there's still enough here to fill the void between their next release and I can honestly say that fans will not be upset with this one. If you don't know much about Perihelion, they can be compared to Thy Catafalque, Alcest, Vintersorg, Solefald and even Borknagar. The only difference here is that the black metal sections of each would be removed, as well as the scowls. Perihelion give us more a mix of powerful lines and melodies, where choruses aren't even as necessary as the verses themselves. Anyone can write a hooky chorus, but how many times can you catch someone's attention with mere set of verses? Frontman Gyula Vasvari challenges that with three strong and entirely memorable songs that wouldn't have changed my score one bit if they'd been added to Zeng. There's nothing here that sees the band faltering, and if nothing else, they're sounding even better. I still can't tell you what these lyrics are about, but it's all so wonderfully ethereal that it doesn't even come as a concern. To think that three men can be capable of such a powerfully emotionally performance is nothing short of amazing. There's nothing threateningly heavy or even dark to be found on this one, even though I do sense some deep emotional pain within the vocals here. In other words, it's a performance that you can feel and that's just not something I can say for a lot of bands. There's just no one out there like Perihelion. Interestingly, they covered “Sycamore Trees” from Twin Peaks (still kicking myself for not having watched that yet) in English, which I believe is a band first. The fact that Vasvari can sing in English I don't feel is a real issue, because it's quite obvious that the performance itself is what's memorable, and if the Hungarian dialect sees these verses and choral lines much stronger, than I'm all for it. I learned long ago that music doesn't have to be understandable in order to enjoy it, which is what these gentlemen perform here again. It's a little short, but I'd be shooting myself in the foot if I didn't highly recommend it. Like many of these short records, I'd rather have waited to hear these put on a full-length but certainly won't complain with the performance laden within. This is probably the third time I've heard this record, and every time it has been just as captivating. Very few acts are able to move me like Perihelion, so make sure that you pick it up if you're looking for a real dose of raw passion.

(4 Tracks, 14:00)

9/10

Flourishing - Intersubjectivity (2012)

Let us crawl into the infernal depths of the fetid abyss, where we find the rugged and dehumanized sound that makes US trio Flourishing the kind of weird entity that they are. It's awfully funny that these guys would call themselves Flourishing, as there's nothing about this sound that even feels like it should flourish in the way that one might plant a field of flowers of something. There's nothing but a bed of dead roses here, albeit some very well crafted roses with a very rustic sort of feel. Perhaps they're the kind that double as spy cameras or something of that nature. When the harsh vocal approach isn't being utilized, these guys actually treat us to a bit of what I might actually term to be “progressive” instrumentation. I love the approach to the drumming here especially, as it sounds far from the blasts I'm used to and feels more subdued in the sense to build up an atmosphere. This whole EP seems much longer than it is, sheerly due to this more calculated nature of performing music. Flourishing don't sound like they're trying to blast your ears out, and instead make me think of a rather devious form of metallic calculus. The compositions here sound like mathematical equations when they're not wholeheartedly morbid and most certainly misanthropic. I'm not really sure what you would consider these guys in terms of a genre tag, but there's obviously some elements of post-metal to be found within this very terrifying mixture that actually takes enough time out for guitar solos, and what I can consider to be a moment of pure, twisted awesomeness within it's closing note. I really don't want to spoil too much of this one, it's a real treat and a bit of a trick as well... the kind that has you on the floor bleeding, while you're pondering your place within the span of existence. Whatever it is that Flourishing are trying to achieve with this EP, it definitely caught me by surprise and I'd certainly recommend it to all those who are looking for something a little unconventional when it comes to extreme metal and even atmosphere in general. I'd like to hope that this one wasn't just some unfortunate fluke and that we're just starting to ascend a rather rickety, yet elaborate staircase into some kind of tortured grandeur.

EDIT: Unfortunately, it is. Enjoy it while it lasts, as these guys have been split up since the release of this record. It doesn’t seem like either of these three gentlemen are in any other projects. A real loss.

(3 Tracks, 20:00)

9/10

Entropia - Ufonaut (2016)

Of the several acts with the name Entropia out there, (I found about seven on Metal Archives) this Polish five-piece creates a style of music that is considered “black/sludge/post” even though I'd certainly throw in experimental and electronic. With the exception of guitarist Kuba Colta, these guys have been together since the very beginnings back in 2007. Most interestingly about the band is their use of both a keyboardist (Damian Dudek) as well as a sampler (Michal Dziedzic) that makes for a pretty interesting mix of progressive sludge riffs and slightly spacial electronic elements. Sometimes the bass (Marek Cenkar) and strong drumming (Patryk Budzowski) can completely drown out the electronic elements, but that's to be expected with a sound as thick as the one I'm witnessing here. Entropia utilize vocals (Cenkar and Dziedzic) but they're often not necessary as this is the kind of record that is so textually superior that it doesn't even need working verses or a chorus. Ufonaut is an experiment in the very sense of the word, it is an atmosphere and it draws you in fairly quickly from it's out of the box and rather bizarre approach to something that I can't even call black metal. Other than Budzowski's occasional use of blast beats, there's very little here that I can even consider to be black metal – at all. I mean, if you're hearing black metal in some areas, that's fine; but I feel that with this release the act have become something far more than just black metal. There are very few acts that I just want to sit down and enjoy on a musical level like these gentlemen have delivered, and even if some of the leads and electronic bits have a rough time peering out from the thick sludge of it all, I still want to open my ears up to what I can discern as a rather potent and memorable sound. Why no one else really gave a damn about this one, I'll never know. I guess there were other things going on in January, like best of lists and whatnot.

That being said, anyone who purchases this record is in for a trip. It might sound cruel that I could literally care less about the vocal or lyrical element of this album, but I just consider Cenkar's screams to be part of the music and they don't have any bearing on the rest of the performance. Even when these guys utilize djent riffs I don't feel that I mind, because they're actually using the riffs in a style that focuses on more than just those damn riffs. Again, I feel that these guys have a few mixing issues but it could very well be my laptop speakers and you might be able to discern other things on your first listen. Ufonaut is definitely the kind of listen that I'd want to experience more than once, and at forty-three minutes you're not really devoting an awful lot of your time to it. Just don't go expecting anything familiar in terms of classic black metal and you'll be alright. I did hear some tremolos here and there and felt some nihilism in the vocals, but I wouldn't compare this to anyone else out there in the black metal scene. With some exceptions, I still stand behind my earlier observations and feel that it is very hard to consider an act like Entropia to be black metal unless they're trying very hard for that style. It's a shame that this one had to wait for so long, but I mean to cover as many of the older releases that stood out as I can. It's quite obvious that Entropia did and I'm really not in a hurry for them to release another one. They don't really have anything else that they need to prove after this sophomore and I think you'll agree that the material here on Ufonaut is good enough. Entropia are a good band and this a good album. That's a pretty simplistic description, but the album itself is most certainly not. Please give it a listen and experience it for yourself. I really hope that this one isn't too hard to find, considering that there are so many bands with similar monikers. Perhaps these Polish mad scientists will one day become the definitive version of that moniker, as this record definitely feels promising enough for them to do so.

(7 Tracks, 43:00)

8/10

Khroma - Stasis (2016)

When I first heard this one from Finnish industrial metallers Khroma, I really wasn't all that interested in it. “Brace Yourself” was just a bunch of djent and harsh vocals with some shoegazy melodies thrown in. The same could have also been said for “A Simple Lie” with some exceptions. But as I listened, I noticed these guys slowly working themselves out of the “djent band” corner by changing their approach a bit more with each song. When I got to “Wrong” I wasn't even hearing quite as many djent grooves and when I was, they didn't sound quite so damn formulaic. There were even sections here where the atmosphere becomes a major listening point and even clean vocals came into play (which work to remind me a little of Sybreed's latter work. Unfortunately, this is the only time that we really hear clean vocals on the album.) Now I do realize that some people might have a problem with the rapping apparent on “The Push” but honestly, I'd prefer anything but standard djent. The band definitely have a modern sound, but they've also got a bite. “Hydra” changed things up a little as well, almost trading djent riffs completely for electronic atmospheres. If we can get more of that, and less of these djent riffs on the next record, I feel that I could really embrace these guys. I don't actually have that big of a problem with djent, it's just that many bands who consider themselves to be electronic, futurist or robotic seem to think that they have to use djent riffs in order to sound that way, and that is simply NOT TRUE. It has never been true, and never will be true. “Acid On Skin” also changes things on that level, showing great evolution from the band in this realm. Again, even if you don't like the overall vocal delivery and find a little bit too rambunctious for your tastes, you definitely have to admire the fact that these guys are at least trying to be an electronic act and not just another djent act. There are obvious core influences and it feels like less of a metal performance overall, but I can't say that I hate what's going on here and would actually recommend it – but only to the right listener. I see no need to take you through the entire disc as it all carries a similar feel, though I will reiterate that I do think that what I've heard here is in fact promising. Perhaps the vocals feel a little bit like a cross between Nu-Metal and post metal, but I think it's just good enough to get it's point across. I really hope that in the future these guys will do just a little more on the guitar than just the djent stuff though, because they have the potential to do so much more and stand out there as an electronic band who don't feel the need to have to force these nuanced djent riffs in order to sound electronic. We don't need more Meshuggah's, we need more innovators in this style of music. I really hope that Khroma can work their way out of this box, because they're nearly three-fourths of the way out as it is.

(9 Tracks, 37:00)

7/10

Tombs - All Empires Fall (2016)

New Yorkers Tombs have returned with an unexpected EP release that looks like it has an evil Christmas wreath on the front of it. After an equally unexpectedly rocking intro, “Obsidian” begins with a mixture of thrash and black metal that comes off a bit more rough-edged than what the band have done as of late. People that remember the old Tombs might be a bit thankful for this kind of track, which rolls into the foreboding atmosphere of “Last Days Of Sunlight” as something closer to the band's current style comes in. Perhaps one might even say that the feeling ascertained from this one is that of meditation. It begins with a rather creepy notion, but becomes something a bit more hypnotic, like I'd expect from Neurosis. “Deceiver” continues that slower atmosphere for a minute, but it then switches to something that sounds just a little more black and groove, perhaps even some sludge – which is fine with me. There's a backing growl in addition to the frontman's scowl here, which gives the band another element. I'd really have loved to see them genre-break altogether and throw the backing growls to the front, giving us a dose of groove-death on a black metal album. I will say that the chorus is extremely overused to the point of fucking ridiculousness, and it seems like maybe they could have written a couple more lyrics? When I go into an album, I always write more than what I need, just in case. I'd rather just get rid of some lyrics than have to write more for a piece. I mean come on guys, that's damn near phoning it in. You really can't come up with something other than “Dark deceiver! The mirror!” for fucking three minutes? Keep in mind, this is also the longest song on the album, which means that we get more than enough choral reverberations. The last track is entitled “V” and gives us a bit of a Goth gone black metal feel that I can certainly accept. Problem is, it seems that maybe the frontman is a little nervous about this approach. His scowls come off rather menacing, but when he does the Goth croons, they seem a bit muffled in the mix. It seems like he's not so sure how well this approach is going to come off, so he purposely stifles it. There's a very heavy section near the end, where the record ends. The disc pretty much calls it quits after that. In the end, Tombs have given us a rather interesting, albeit confused blend of music from a band that might be wearing a bit thin. These guys should probably take off for a few years before getting to work on a new record, because I think they've been at it for a bit too long and rust is starting to appear.

(5 Tracks, 23:00)

7/10

Sarvas - The Throne (2016)

In actuality, there are five people in this Finnish sludge/groove act, but it only sounds like there are about three or four. That's not always a good thing, but it does make for a pretty solid listen here. You're definitely getting a kind of post-metal and doom mixture, which some tend to categorize as sludge for some reason, but The Throne is not all it seems to be on the outside. Deep within the recording we'll find a more Finnish take on the performance, which includes a bit of folky acoustic guitar. There are still some electronic soundscapes to be had (at least from the intro to opener “Revelation Apparition”) as we might hear from similar acts, but these Finns haven't forgotten where they came from, nor do they overload us with so much doom that it becomes tantamount to staring at a large rock. Tatu Hutri (lead) and Tommi Blum (rhythm) actually help to offset most of the pounding riffs that Jonne Kekki (bass) brings to the table, and it keeps the listen interesting. Samuel Lindroos (vocals) is a pretty one-dimensional frontman though, which is where I think some improvement can be had. Clearly there's a lot of technicality as well as some extreme metal injections being implemented into this thick and sludgy mess, but a gritty roar seems to be all of the vocal capability that Lindroos possesses and that can make things a bit dull. Even so, he does put a lot of passion into those notes, which definitely pack more of a punch when combined with the attention to detail from Hutri and Blum that I mentioned earlier. I think the EP will still come off pretty entertaining and rather damn fierce anyway, especially for fans of the genre like myself. While Sarvas aren't the best sludge act in the world, they're extremely far from being the worst, and I'd definitely recommend The Throne to anyone looking for something more from their sludge. It's safe to say that this is a step in the right direction and it gives the genre some well needed ingenuity.

(3 Tracks, 28:00)

7/10

Sea - Self-Titled EP (2015)

If you've ever wondered what Chino Moreno might sound like in a doomy, sludgy post metal act, then this demo recording from Sea might be just up your alley. Despite it being a demo, it's actually quite audible and I can discern all the riffs quite well. It's certainly warm and fuzzy though, which is what we should expect from a band of this nature, demo or not. There's a harsh, bear-like growl used during the thunderous parts of the record, much as we might expect and if it had been something like that completely, I'd have probably thrown these guys over shoulder. But the thing is, there's such a cool and glassy texture to the Chino Moreno influence clean vocal style here that it all balances out. These guys also don't mind throwing in a couple of those old fashioned blues solos too, as well as some interesting instrumental atmospheres. It's not full of heavy drones, and instead feels like a post metal disc with hints of jazz and blues. With “Moros” though, you have a more aquatic nature, which might be why the band is called Sea. It ebbs and flows as it begins with some very angelic vocals and heads towards heavier territory which might have even had a slight tinge of black metal influence (as in, if you blink, you'll miss it.) I'm saying that I half-heard a tremolo riff here. I also heard some computer sounds towards the end of the piece. (Was I supposed to hear that?) In any case, what I've heard here has enough in the vein of clean vocal harmonies to really make some waves. It still has a lot of thunder, but could make it big in a commercial standpoint, especially that high note towards the end of “Chronos” where said singer is channeling his Freddie Mercury. It's a pretty interesting little effort in the end and I'd like to hear where this one goes in the future. Sea is really shaping up to be a memorable band.

(3 Tracks, 20:00)

7/10

Ellipse - A Nos Traitres (2016)

France's Ellipse are a metalcore act with hints of djent that I wouldn't be reviewing if I hadn't been commissioned to. They definitely aren't my sort of thing and all that damn hollering and yelling on the record just hurts my ears, to be honest. But I will say that there are some intriguing nodes in terms of structure, and the record definitely contains as much of a familiar post metal sound as it does one of screamy metalcore. The record actually contains several instrumental interludes to which an air of slightly depressing atmosphere is entered. A couple notable leads are uttered, with some forays into melodic death metal which definitely spices things up a little – but for more than a few people, the unchanging screams of the frontman will literally kill this listening experience for them. He grunts a little and there's a section with humongous breakdowns along with a very amateur attempt at a growl, but you can tell that these guys are still just getting started and have a lot of work ahead of them. It's obvious that they're plugging into the common modernisms of the age, but you can hear signs of purpose here and I think that could translate to something not so processed on the next record. Ellipse are showing me glimpses that they can indeed do more with this style than ten thousand other similar acts, but they'll need to step it up a little more before they can get the attention of this old head. I will say that they're definitely geared to the current generation of metal listeners and they'll find something in this record that I won't. I feel that all the senseless screaming works to give me a headache and my sinuses are already wreaking havoc on me tonight. Thank goodness for the solo sections, as they give me a break from all that erratic screaming. Can't say I'd recommend it, but Ellipse does musically a better job than a lot of signed acts I've heard performing this same style of music.

(11 Tracks, 36:00)

6/10