The Silverblack - Self-Titled (Remixed and Remastered) (2016)

This very short remastered and remixed version of the industrial goth rockers debut album feels more like an EP release than a debut. Even though there are ten songs featured here, it feels more like a smattering of ideas that was further realized on the group's next effort. There are obvious references to The Deathstars here, especially right in the vocal tone of album opener “Chimera.” Throughout the album we are introduced to a very dark vocal croon in the background, which would definitely have to be Disarmonia Mundi's Claudio Ravinale and could carry the weight of the record completely on it's own. Unfortunately, this is technically Neroargento's main band with him performing the leads, samples and the majority of the vocals, which are a bit more focused towards lighter and more fragile territory which doesn't work as well for me. For instance, there's a section in “Dandelion” where a clean vocal is used, which feels a bit closer to Manson and far from that deep tongued Bloody Kisses Pete Steele vibe that Ravinale is going for. Aside from that, you're going to find a very interesting mix of guitar and electronica here, which is often as bouncy as it is gothic. It often feels like both vocalists are struggling for supremacy here, as one fellow prefers a harsh approach to the clean approach of the other – you can only imagine how this comes off on the recording, sounding not unlike an utter mess. Less is more, and there is just too much going on as far as the record is concerned. The Silverblack need to find a way to separate vocal duties in this act, or someone needs to go. That's not to say that heartwrenching number “Someone like you” or the catchy “Once Again” (by which the harsh/clean approach is used effectively) are not worthy of merit, but there are definitely some slips and slides here. The most aggravating track on the record is called “B.B.N.C.” which quite literally feels ruined by it's gimmick of a cellphone scammer. I will say that if you're looking for a mix of goth rock and heavy industrial with an almost melodic death metal flair to the vocals, you can't really go wrong with this. It reminds me a little of early Blood Stain Child (are they even still a band?) and that's a good thing. I also need to mention that this disc sounds a bit different from The Grand Turmoil and comes across with more of a bite.

Remember that this version of the band's debut is different from the initial release and may come off better or worse than that version, depending on taste. Some of you might feel that the original mix was better, but I can't confirm or deny that, not having heard it. I will say that even though the record is pretty short, it does feel a bit longer than it does due to all of the different ideas utilized within each track. As the record literally overflows with differing structures, there exists a brand of substance that you just won't hear in similar bands. Perhaps this might even come across as a heavier version of industrial era Linkin Park, which is not a problem for me, because even if Neroargento is going for something like Chester Bennington with the cleans (who actually always wanted to emulate Ministry during their With Sympathy days – did you know?) the rest of the album features so much more bite than anything I've heard from the experimental alternative pop rockers in years. I'd definitely recommend this one over that style of music, even though I am admittedly a fan of some of their music as well and do not recognize boundaries when it comes to music. Perhaps one of my favorite tracks on the album would be it's closer “Blessed By A Curse” where we get a nice bit helping of frightening dark vocal tones, something that I feel could have been utilized better on the album as a whole. Even so, you're never going to hear anything like that on a Linkin Park album. Speaking of, the band just jumped the shark and is getting hammered by people for putting out a very lackluster track and this might be just what you need to cleanse your palette and get the fucking taste out of your mouth. As a secondary defense, I'll also state that NeroArgento's clean lines are not as whiny as Chester Bennington's often come off. We can be rather thankful for that. I was on the fence during the first listen of this recording, but sometimes it's the second listen that really allows the material to sink in. I would certainly recommend it to those looking for a good mix of many genres, set to a bouncy and brackish musical backbone.

(10 Tracks, 34:00)

7/10

Adoration Destroyed - Ritual Damage (2016)

Despite the unexpected and unfortunate passing of the band's bassist John Gilyeat shortly after, this latest album from this Texas based Industrial rock act is certainly worth checking out, especially for fans of acts like Celldweller, The Dreaming, Mortiis, Deathstars, Nine Inch Nails, The Cruxshadows or Marilyn Manson. Now the cover looks like something you might expect for an etheral/darkwave act like Dead Can Dance, Unto Ashes or Inkubus Sukubus, but this record is definitely not that kind of experience. Which was perfectly fine for me, it was an unexpected and surprisingly intriguing. The most interesting part about this album for me was how close frontman Eric Gustafson actually hits Marilyn Manson territory, even covering classic “Coma White” to near-perfection. I'm extremely anal-retentive regarding covers of this classic because of my connection to the lyrics, (I'd been pushed through the pharmaceutical system for many years as a child – so I know what “a pill to make you numb, a pill to make you dumb” and “a pill to make you anybody else” actually means. As a matter of fact, it was just a few months ago that my current doctor told me that what I had been going through was indeed a “pill doctor” trying to exploit me for the benefit of the system, and apparently it is common in the industry. I suffered numerous side effects from the drugs, far beyond what Manson discussed in the song of course.) and I've heard several so/so renditions having tracked down numerous covers of it myself.

Though other than making a tribute to what I believe is one of the best-eras of the long running shock rock act (Mechanical Animals is my favorite album from the band, after all), Adoration Destroyed manage to pump out several great numbers in their own right, like the Black Tape For A Blue Girl meets Depeche Mode with a touch of The Cure influence in “Voices Carry” the thumping “Never Mine” which takes us on a bit of space travel, and the unexpectedly harsh vocal backed electronic flair of “Nothing Left” which also features Cynical Existence on said abrasiveness. Normally the music here tends to vocally lean towards an emotionally depressive (but certainly not whiny) nature, but with the inclusion of Cynical Existence, it almost makes me think of early Grendel. I also need to mention “In Elegant Decay” and closer “Both Of Me” because they definitely capture the very best of what this genre has to offer, along with the kind of catchy choruses that will surely make Adoration Destroyed an act to remember. I find it odd that the band would choose to put one of their catchier numbers (worthy of being a single in it's own right) towards the very back of the album, but at least it allows the disc to go out with a bang, considering the tracks that follow are a short instrumental outro alongside some fair remix numbers by 16 Volt and Mr. Kitty, respectively. They come with the album at no extra cost, which is always a wise idea in my book. I never liked the idea of making a customer pay extra for a disc of remixes that may very well be hit or miss, as several (not naming names here – but you're aware of them) other industrial/electronic acts have done in the past.

Breaking the band down on an instrumental level, Adoration Destroyed utilize everything from slow electronic dirges to bouncy europop, but never with even so much of a tinge of happiness. The Cruxshadows are actually more light-hearted than anything you'll hear here, which just goes to show you the amount of emotional depravity you're walking into. There is very little rock influence, but Gilyeat's bass is still a rather notable part of the band and brings in the heavier sections when necessary. Eirik Ashe performs the live drums that you'll hear on some sections of the album as well, which again brings a sort of heavier rock tone to some of the cuts here. There's nothing on the record that emulates acts like NIN or Marilyn Manson at their heaviest, but Adoration Destroyed are not interested in that kind of sound so much as they are a more deep-spirited and fragile series of moments; which will definitely meld with listeners looking for something more genuine than furious bouts of hard rock. Adoration Destroyed were not in any way the kind of band I thought they were judging on the extremely pagan-influenced and occult cover. Nor do their lyrics seem to mention anything in those realms. These lyrics seem to come with a much more personal effect, which might relate more to those struggling with relationships or identity than those looking to summon something. Even so, it's a great listen and I hope you'll find something in it. I do feel again, that the album cover is a bit misleading for the music, but maybe those expecting a dark/etheral experience might find that they really dig the cold and bouncy electronic atmospheres found here anyway.

(13 Tracks, 52:00)

8/10

Dirk Serries - Microphonics XXVI - XXX: Resolution Heart (2016)

It's been a long time coming, but I'm finally reviewing what was essentially one of many releases from Belgian electronic/atmosphere artist, Dirk Serries. When this record released, around three or four others released with it and judging from the numbering here, this is part of a set. From a brief observation,  this is the final piece in that set and I recommend checking out the others first,  in order to get the full experience.  I can't comment on the other pieces as I don't recall ever hearing them, but I can of course give an observation of this piece and why it is a must for fans of atmospheric and electronic music. While the four tracks here mostly seem to be a bit foreboding in title (I Communicate Silence, Deprivation Of Heart) the album as a whole is quite uplifting. It sounds like the sort of amorphous winds that one might expect from another dimension, possibly an astral world of sorts. The album cover itself is quite droll though, making one feel like they might be in for a desolate, urban experience with two sullen looking concrete structures and a pale sky just above them.

Even so, I'm certainly not getting anything harsh or negative within “I Communicate Silence.” It rather feels like meditation music, marking the record a great piece to play when you're trying to wind down after a long day's activities. Perhaps said material would work on a night time drive through the countryside, in which moving the steering wheel itself becomes an almost minimal action as you're encapsulated by a blanket of stars and the subtle melodies by which such a travel almost feels non-mechanically aided. Resolution Heart is indeed the kind of music we play when we're looking to put behind all of the political chaos of recent times and focus on the significance of life, while we still have it. It is an album that makes you thankful that you are among those in the world who can hear pleasant and calming sounds on a daily basis.

Though merely made up of a slew of synths, most people will not turn such an experience away due to it's therapeutic nature. I most commonly review heavy metal albums, but if you do find this kind of record to be something to your taste and are a metal fan as well, then that to me is a plus. Some may not realize why I don't just review one sort of music, and that is because I'm a fan of quite literally everything. The atmosphere here is rather subdued amidst it's twinkles, but it feels like holding your head underneath a stream of clean, flowing water. If you enjoy this album, please check out the brother and sister albums that released alongside it. I'm sure that if you give it a chance, you'll find something in it.

(4 Tracks, 40:00)

8/10

1914/Minenwerfer - Ich Hatt Einen Kamaraden (2016)

This split between California's Minenwerfer and the Ukraine's 1914 is certainly something I wouldn't have expected. Two bands on completely opposite sides of the world making war themed metal, of course in 1914's case, their country has literally become a warzone. So I'd assume that 1914 have actual experience with such a subject by now that it isn't just the product of several WWI books and documentary films. Unfortunately. My thoughts on the war are not very pleasant, but I won't get into them here. In any case, we have two bands that are both worthy of promotion.

The first of course is California's Minenwerfer (Minethrower) and they do produce a style of black metal that I'd describe as raw, dissonant and slightly technical. Though the band mainly use droll tones, there are also some obscure riff compositions that create a sort of slightly progressive sense to the music. They also love to thrash, blast and generally cause a ruckus. It's twenty minutes of extremely dark chaos with some unexpected nods to rock n' roll shredding (Iron Cross) that sound very similar to other acts in the genre. It isn't until “Second Battle Of The Masurian Lakes” that things really start to pick-up for me and I'm suddenly aware of their talent. Considering that members of funeral doomers Lycus are here (Nick Liuzzi plays the guitar in both bands) and Liuzzi's penchance for shredding up a storm during some of these admittedly rather punchy numbers, you're definitely getting everything you could want from a black metal act. It doesn't get much more dark or depressing than this without going into howl territory, and I'm glad that the record never reached that level of stupidity.

The next act we have is of course 1914, who have given us a much different sort of performance this time around. Aside from and intro and an interesting electronic remix, there are only two songs here, “Karpathenschlacht” and “8 × 50 mm. Repetiergewehr M.95.” Yeah, that's a hell of a name for a song and it sounds much more like a loaded weapon – which it is, of course. Fortunately, this one is a good mix of doom, black metal and atmosphere. It tends to stick towards more melodic and somber tones, but this just goes to show the listener that 1914 are more than the basic black metal affair of blasts and tremolo riffs. These unexpected excursions are what will propell the band further into relevance, and by all means; they should be blowing up by now. This is essentially well-crafted work that a great deal of thought was put into, not to mention the soundclips sometimes used in order to create the atmosphere of war. As I said, the electronic remix for “Gas Mask” is interesting and not just something thrown in for filler. Though dubstep is certainly used a bit within the piece, I found it extremely interesting when chiptunes came into play and it began to sound like these gentlemen were soring a classic Nintendo title. I love chiptunes obviously, and the fact that these guys decided to give that a go here is something I found quite inviting,

All in all, both bands have recorded decent efforts on their respective sides and you can't go wrong with a disc like this. I definitely feel that the 1914 side is much stronger than the Minenwerfer, but I would not turn either side away due to just how intriguing they can be in their respective styles. Though the two acts are similar in sound, they are by and large different in style, which you'll notice quite early on. This EP might be hard to come by as far as a physical release is concerned, but you can always pick up a digital copy on Bandcamp.

(8 Tracks, 43:00)

7/10

Snogg - Qivitoq (2016)

A weird sort of mixture of black and death metal from Slovenia, this duo created not one, but two EP releases last year. To be honest, I don't know why they even bothered to split them up as there was enough music on both the earlier released Snogg EP and this one to release as a full-length album. Perhaps the rest of the music wasn't quite finished yet, but I do very much hate the idea of being nickel and dimed for another half an hour of music. In any case, the four tracks that we receive here are quite interesting.

The disc starts out with an odd sort of static and keyboards, later heading into familiar black metal landscapes and even progressing right into death metal mayhem. When we arrive at “Nun Attack” we find that we're getting more of a noise approach, not uncommon to the atmosphere albums that I also review here alongside the metal numbers. It's good to hear a good mix of both, and frankly rarely happens. I will say that it is a bit peculiar when we are getting essentially raw scowls mixed in with noise in a way that does not come off like other noise or industrial recordings, but those sectons eventually see a transference into familiar black metal landscapes as the listen continues. These gentlemen also like to take us up into space with their music, as occurs later via the keyboard and rhythm sections in “In Death, Erection!” (Don't think too much about that title, please.) The last track here sounds like the kind of metaphsyical occult rantings I'd remember from early Killing Joke, but it works well with the background music and brings out that authentic occult feel. Later the track turns into something a bit more black metal, which is undoubtedly raw, but nevertheless an exciting listen. I love the amount of progressive elements here, reminding me of some of the mid-era works from Enslaved (Isa and Ruun in particular) and will also add that these progressive bits are splotched throughout the album, so there's plenty of enjoyment for fans of that kind of work as well. I still have no idea what the shave buzzer and rooster crows towards the end of the record are supposed to symbolize, unless it's the band's idea of a joke (referencing a shaved rooster) but it's also here that I would have felt the band's namesake track (Snogg (28:00) could have fit rather nicely, rather than it having been put on a separate EP.

In any case, if you're looking for something very different, I have a feeling that Qivitoq and the earlier released EP will be right up your alley. Again, they should have been packaged as one single recording, but what can you do – right? I'll have to reiterate that the recording quality here can still be a little more raw than some of us would like, but it definitely fits the gritty nature of the genre. Worth checking out, if you're up for the experiment. Not your father's black metal album, that's for sure.

(4 Tracks, 28:00)

7/10

Steve Roach - Spiral Revelation (2016)

The first time I listened to this album, I was having horrible sinus pains. These happen quite often (especially with all the frequent weather changes) and of course I needed some music that wasn't quite as brackish in which to calm my mind and hopefully soothe the pain. Spiral Revelation did just that for me, and I actually played the disc twice in a row just because I literally couldn't risk listening to anything else at the time.

The disc is largely electronic, as most of his work has been as of late and it feels more active than the meditative atmospheres we are used to. “We Continue” begins the record almost with a crystalline cavern sort of feel, and I can almost hear the water rushing. Slight electronic clicks come into play later, which sees more movement in the waves courtesy of a number entitled “Unseen Hand.” As for “Finger On The Pulse”, it takes us directly into space. I'm often reminded of games, possibly something that might suit the setting inside of a spaceship. It feels very cybernetic, quite vibrant and truly active. “A Righteous Thing” sort of reminds me of Metroid, but many similar soundfonts do. That's not a bad thing, as anything that feels like it belongs in the atmosphere of an alien world is certainy worth a listen in my book.
This one truly feels otherworldly, almost like an obtuse experiment that sounds strangely beautiful. “Primary Phase” brings us right into what I feel befits an office building, yet in the year 3047. It sounds as if busy robots are hurriedly filing reports and sending out parcels throughout the galaxy. Without a doubt, it will have your synpases firing on all levels, which this album manages to do very well.

The record itself feels vastly futuristic, making me feel as if I've walked into what I'd consider a very productive and utopian future, where the population has now become more machine than man. Though this is not a bad thing either, it just feels like a sort of transhumanist evolution into what might be a more versatile form of life. The record concludes with it's title track, which is by far the most active of them all. It is nearly twenty minutes long and considered a perfect piece by which to obtain focus and accomplish a task. There's something hugely unique about this album, and that might be the patterns it speaks to in my brain. One's head can feel a bit odd while listening to it, which might have been the real reason I sought to listen to it more than once in a sitting, despite it's length.

In any case, I definitely feel that this is one of Steve Roach's very best albums and it's probably the most active and vibrant electronic atmosphere that I've heard in my life. It is the complete opposite of meditative, and seems primed to get you going. Definitely give it a listen during those times when you feel that you will be at your most productive, as it will certainly work in your favor. It certainly got me writing.

(4 Tracks, 40:00)

10/10

Khonsu - The Xun Protectorate (2016)

Earlier we reviewed the 2012 debut album from these Norwegian electronic experimental metallers entitled Anomalia, and now after several years, we finally have a follow-up in The Xun Protectorate. This album marks their second release and could very well be their last one, at least from what I observed while reading a recent interview with the band. If that is to be the case, this album sees the Nords with an impressive amount of attention to detail, vibrancy and downright variety. Regardless of the album's overall concept, there isn't a necessary structure that flows in between all of the songs here and it is a bit of a Baskin Robbins album. But you really can't go wrong with thirty-one metallic flavors instead of vanilla, and when I describe each of them to you, I think you'll have even more of an interest in this material.

The first track here is “A Jhator Ascension” which is also the first single released from the band. The track pounds with blazing drums and blaring black metal tremolos. In all instances, it is the essential “black metal” track on the disc and feels inspired by Emperor. After that, things dramatically shift to a sort of electronic/industrial metal in “The Observatory” which features the first of many clean vocal spots from Rune Folgero of Manes. It sounds almost like eighties industrial, and I would have never expected it here. But as I am a huge fan of that style, I welcome it. With the guitars and electronics combined here, it almost sounds a bit like the final satellite stage from Mega Man X4 in some areas. There is still some black metal to be had here, and even some death metal bits before an astonishing solo effort. After that unexpected moment comes yet another in the fearsome black/death of “Liberator.” This is what happens when Khonsu fuse with latter-era Behemoth and tack some Cannibal Corpse onto the end of that. It's also nearly ten minutes long, so you're getting more than just a pummel. S. Gronbech knows his way around entertaining melodies, which have so far been one of my personal favorite things about this album. The track is still going to pound your face off, but then it goes straight into Manes style territory complete with a barrage of trumpets that almost sound like a king is being welcomed in. As the track ends, it gets hugely theatrical, which you may not expect – but keep in mind that this one battles between pomp and pulverisation at the same fucking time. It's quite unprecedented. The death metal continues as well, with frontman T'ol showing his hefty pipes on what soon sounds like a mixture of old-school Swedish death, robot rumblings and even more of Gronbech's melodic and moon-faced riffs. That guy knows how to write one hell of a nighttime melody and proves it here. There's even another strong clean vocal performance from Folgero.

I know that Manes is dead (I have no earthly idea why) but it's good to hear Folgero still able to perform similar material today. Do you even remember Manes? Have you heard any of their albums? Even the disc where they experimented with more modern and alternative approaches (it has rapping, for instance) is worth checking out. I'm not going to mention it by name, as I kind of want you to do that research and start from their first record, working your way up as I did. It is also necessary to do that with the band I'm supposed to be reviewing here as well (No, I didn't forget about you, gentlemen.)

Getting back to the record, we get a nice mix of harsh and clean sections within “The Death Of The Awakened One” as well as a decent solo section in the middle. Gronbech doesn't use a solo on every cut, but he does utilize similar melody lines, which manage to bring a little bit of uniformity to the album. Perhaps it is not quite the chaotic mess I may have described in the beginning, but it is still chock full of variety nonetheless. “Visions Of Nehaya” throws the most extreme moments of black and death metal together for a little less than three minutes and offers a filthy sledgehammer to the face. There are no clean vocals to speak of here. “A Dream Of Earth” sounds like it was written in space and is wonderfully filtered in the vocal region to sound like a machine is singing the lines. This piece heads even deeper into electronic territory as a female vocalist (uncredited, but a wonderful perfomance!) comes into play and fades out leaving us with a very familiar sound effect around the 4:15 – 4:19 mark. Yes, that very much sounds like the noises that the metroids made in games like Super Metroid and AM2R which only gamer nerds like myself will probably notice. Let's just hope Nintendon't!

Without spoiling any more of the listen, it's safe to say that the work done here is nothing short of exemplary. If you're looking for something heavier than you might be getting with other electronic metal acts, you're definitely going to find it here. As a matter of fact, I need to mention that some of the solos and riff-melodies I've accredited to T'ol may actually have been performed by Keep Of Kalessin's Obsidian C. That's because he performed additional guitars throughout the entire record, along with Rune Folgero's many clean moments. Altogether, it sounds like a full band with a highly produced and undoubtedly professional level of production quality. I'm surprised that I didn't hear much about Khonsu in mainstream heavy metal news media, but seeing as they are too busy talking about bands that I listened to back in my teenage years, it makes perfect sense. I think it goes without saying that the late release of this album might have placed it well under the radar for many of you – and since it seems to be their last, you may want to pick up on it now. If you're a fan of acts like mid-era SepticFlesh, mid-era Satyricon and of course Manes, then you'll definitely want this one in your collection.

(10 Tracks, 58:00)

9/10

Nick Noro - Vietnamm (2016)

Nick Noro of Survival1 fare is back with a new solo EP project which was supposed to be released earlier this month. It's only about eleven minutes long, but shows that he's still got it. The very beginning of the record revolves around a man who was shot in the head (was this Nick Noro?) and apparently survived (as it is quite possible to do, depending on where you were shot – rare, but the human body can be a bit more resilient than you'd expect) as it then began to play with punk, a little bit of thrash and even some kicking guitar solos that I would not have expected. It actually feels a little more streamlined, if I can say that. Bits of electronics can be heard here and there, but they aren't a primary factor of the act so much as the guitars are. The vocal approach oddly consists of many duets, which can be hit or miss and sound often like spoken word. So say what you want about it, but this is definitely different.

Though at the same time, Vietnamm reminds me just why it is that I like Nick Noro's music in the first place. Even though I'm still upset at the $100 price tag for No Grief, this (still unreleased) EP release is quite fairly priced at just five bones. That's a fair deal, as you get several different and unique tracks here. “Daywalker” and the Kiling Joke inspired “Yugen” are definitely two of the best songs I've heard from the three-piece (also, there are some nice little “tings” in the latter which I felt added depth) which seems primed to conquer the world with their next one. While this record is a bit bizarre in some instances, it still mixes together metal, electronics and classic punk in a way that rounds out to a much more accessible experience. I'm quite surprised to see this released by Turkish label Merdumgiriz, but it's also coming out on his own label, NBRD.

The music here is definitely good, and it's worth giving a listen for sure. I actually think this work is a bit better than the Survival1 material of the past, and I'm not sure if he's going back to that project anytime soon as this one sounds so similar to it. But however Nick chooses to brand himself, it still comes off entertaining, unique and unlike several other artists out there, even those of a similar style. I recommend giving Vietnamm a chance, if and when it finally releases. There's always been something here as far as I'm concerned, and I am continuously curious to what the future holds for this act. No matter what they choose to call themselves.

*I recieved an email notice today stating that the record is now available for purchase. So check it out!

(6 Tracks, 10:39)

8/10

Army Of The Universe - 1999 & The Aftershow (2016)

Italian born (now based in LA) Army Of The Universe are back with their first record in three years, even though just by judging from the band's last album title The Hipster Sacrifice (2013), I'm going to have to go back and check that one out. Getting back to the recording, I find that it seems to be a mix of electronic dance music and rock, much in the vein of earlier Prodigy. Yet then again, there are some more gothic moments as well, like we'll hear on “Late Detroit Nights.” Yet then again, we'll hear some rather annoying dubstep influence in the background on “Down Till Dusk.” Thankfully, that's the only song on the record that really contains that kind of influence, or as least so much of it. I can do with a little dub, but too much is too much. There are thirteen tracks on this disc though, so one dubstep track isn't exactly going to kill it for me and the band offer enough of a varied mix of styles to keep me interested.

“1999” might come in like a roaring inferno, but most of these pieces seem to take a little bit more of a groovy and more dance-laden KMFDM nature, which definitely keeps the listener's attention as there's nearly something for everyone. When you pick up this disc, you're not getting the same song every time and it'll often sound like several different types of electronic acts. On “Another Escape” we get electronic Europop with nary a guitar riff in sight, which might turn off some fans, but that's okay. It's pretty catchy and shows that they can do more than electronic rock. “Digital Slag” comes in right with guitars however, certainly reminding me not only of KMFDM, but E1M1 from Doom. It doesn't stay that way however, as beats come in and the piece takes a more commercial vibe. That's fine though, as this is the kind of commercial electronic pop-rock I can stand. Also, those small clean sections (they have a watery feel to them) played by the keyboards almost have that spacey Super Metroid vibe which reminds me in part of the game's intro theme right after you start a new game (this is essentially the music that plays during the briefing section of the game and describes the events of the past two titles) which is something that might even surprise the band when they realize how close those keyboards sound to the piece. I'm not sure if this is intentional or not. We also have “The Aftershow” which has radio single written all over it. That chorus reverberates more than is entirely necessary, but I'd be a fool to tell you that I didn't enjoy it. Perhaps some of the verse material there is kind of filler, but they have to throw something in there to balance out the chorus.

“Snake Was Right” seems to be an anti-censorship cut, and in the age of PC culture, we could very well use it. Unfortunately, it's not really so much of a song as it is a long interlude with KMFDM inspired spoken word pieces. “Nobody 2.0” gives off that kind of electro-goth feel, which once again comes off a bit unexpected, as with anything else on the album. I can't say that I'm crazy about the disc's last track, “The Albert Hotel” but I can't say that I loved everything on the disc either. I will say that I found the majority of it easily digestible and for the most part, it's a solid act who've been at this for a long time. I can't really talk about their prior releases, so I don't know if this is departure from that kind of material or not, but I can say that I'm quite pleased with such a uniquely diverse electronic act. Metropolis has a great one on their hands, that's for sure. Check these guys out if you haven't.

(13 Tracks, 48:00)

8/10

Finsterforst - #Yolo (2016)

Finsterforst went from making one of the most interesting albums I've ever heard to, well... this. I'm scratching my head just as much as you are, I'm sure. But this is definitely the same band. I don't think we're in a time warp. In any case, there's definitely more of a folk vibe towards this one, possibly more like that of Tyr or Ensiferum, actually. The record sounds quite mighty at times, yet it can also have a bit of an Alestorm style kind of pirate vibe. What's more, is that there are two very interesting covers here, which you may not expect. There's also a cover here that I thought Tyr and Cruachan did much better, but I'm very particular on covers of classic folk songs, especially “The Wild Irish Rover” (here called “Wild Rover”) and very few covers really work for me. I'd love to hear them take on “Spancill Hill” though. Despite the record being a bit playful and full of ten thousand horns as well as happy world music, lyrically it's quite harsh. The music itself might appear a bit cheery, but the frontman seems to have just went right on with the ferocious snarls as if he was still performing experimental black/death. Now the first cover we have here that I'd like to talk about is Miley Cyrus's “Wrecking Ball” which I've heard covered online by various bands as it is (I'm a junkie for metal pop music covers) even though I'll say that Finsterforst really knocked it out of the park. It does carry on the electronic pop nature of the original, but with the combination of strong lead melodies and unexpectedly powerful symphonics. Yes, that sounds silly that I'm even suggesting such a thing, but if you haven't heard the original, you'll like it.

Now as for Michael Jackson's “Beat It” I actually love this song better than the original. Yes, but there's one thing. The band totally ruined it at the very beginning with some weird dub-electronic shit. I actually recommend fast-forwarding the piece a couple of seconds until you actually hear the first set of riffs, which begins the song. This is actually such a big deal to me that I'm going to carry the track over to a program I have and cut the whole beginning of it off. I've done this before with cuts that I add to my personal collection and if it makes me enjoy the song even more, than it's worth it. As for the cut, the clean vocals are awesome here. I didn't expect the horns, but that solo is actually better than Eddie Van Halen's. I wish it was a little longer. I told you guys, I'm a real stickler about metal pop covers, especially since “Beat it” got me into guitar based music around the age of five. I'll applaud their experimentation, but less is more here. We also have some rapping on the record in the form of “Der durch die Scheibeboxxxer” which is definitely not something I would have expected from this band. The rapping is in German, but will probably turn off fans of their previous works for sure. It almost seems like they went from a serious act to JBO territory. In any case, this short but sweet little experiment is going to come at fans like a punch in the nose and hopefully they'll recover after such a hefty blow. I can't say that I hated it, but it wasn't a terrible record either. Just a bit different than I would have ever expected from the act. Definitely listen to a few songs first if you're on the fence. I still have no idea what came over them to make this recording, but it's definitely strange.

(10 Tracks, 41:00)

7/10

Viranesir - Dad's Choking On My Vomit Of His Semen (2016)

Viranesir went from being an obscure act that pressed it's own albums to a band that everyone loves to hate. Who's everyone? Well, how about Facebook and Bandcamp? The band have been kicked off of Facebook (which isn't a big deal as bands make new pages all of the time) but they did get removed from Bandcamp, which is a first for me. I'm sure it happens, but not often. So why am I reviewing these guys? Because this is absurdity, it gets under people's skins and makes them uncomfortable. Checkout the Merdümgiriz website and you can see mastermind Emir Toğrul's writings for yourself, in all of their interesting glory. Keep in mind that Toğrul also has a couple of other bands, and they've all created a new album this year as well – Blliigghhtted, Funeral Of God and Red Bible Black (compilation, but still a new release) all have new material to check out, so if you like this odd release, perhaps you will like those discs as well. Now Viranesir has had a history of explicit album titles, even though debut Fountain Of Uncertainty wasn't all that bad. I never really expected the guy to go this far, but hell – it got them attention and that's the best you can hope for in this industry. Let's see, we have Kill Your Repulsive Child, Shoot On Mom's Corpse, Raping Lesbians For Freedom, Kaos Garden: Burn The Homeless, You Jewish Bastards, Children's Suicide Music ((Ritual of (Love) Is The Key)) and finally, this one. Now most of this shit cracks me up, because I can take a joke and understand black humor. Then you have the Blligghhtted release, Into The Cunt Of The Witch (which really isn't all that bad, to be honest) which carries the theme onto other albums. Though I hope he would kind of keep it to Viranesir, as they've named albums like this in the past. The most odd thing about this record though, is it's name. I don't understand it. I understand what it's supposed to mean, but as an editor I'm confused. Is the semen vomit? Because how does that work? If someone coughs up semen, we don't necessarily call that vomit, like something related to food, blood or bile. I've never even heard the term, “vomit semen” before. So it has me confused. A better title for this might be, Dad's Choking On My Semen While I'm Vomiting On His Dick. I know, I just made that ten times worse and I'm a horrible individual. But as a writer, you have to work with what's presented.

As for the album, it seems to consist of a great deal of oblong keyboard mannerisms which more or less serve as the musical background here. It is not a guitar-laden release, nor does it contain any black metal. Sure, Viranesir might have been black metal in the beginning, but with this one, he decided to go for something of an electronic acid trip with weird squeaky vocals. It almost sounds like he's making fun of American pop music and homoeroticism, in a way that probably “triggered” a lot of writers. Better yet, I'm sure some emailed him back at the Merdümgiriz address and wondered what in the hell they had just been sent. It is certainly abstract, somewhat bizarre. I want to feature this in a print magazine I work for, but because of all the crap regarding the Bandcamp/Social Media situation as well as the title, I wouldn't want to be blacklisted. That's just the way it goes sometimes, so just consider this review to be more or less my article on one of their weirdest records ever to grace my inbox this year. If I want to put this into perspective, and even attempt to give you a proper display of the disc by which you're curious about (or you wouldn't be reading this review) then I could just tell you that the whole thing is like an out of body experience. It feels like you're on heroin or something. I just can't really put this atmosphere into proper form without telling you that it's demented. This isn't the kind of music that you play when you're looking to feel happy, it is instead a sort of record where it feels like something very wrong is occurring. If you play this in the background of well, I mean – I really don't even want to describe the scene in which a track like closer “Bourgeois Beleaguered II” would appear, but I'm sure that you can find such situations that may very well be going on from various conspiracy pages by which to decorate such unpleasant music. I don't believe that this is a bad record, it's just exceedingly uncomfortable. It feels like Toğrul has gone more into realms of horror than black metal here, which is great as Blliigghhtted more or less captures the early black metal element of this band. There's nothing wrong with changing hats and adapting new personalities and I do wish Toğrul the best on this one. I really don't know what that means as a whole considering everything that has happened, but perhaps these decisions gave the project a bit of an image booster and he needed it. 

I honestly don't care for many of the high-pitched squeals as you might expect from my rather explicit thoughts on their usage in other records, but here it comes off as part of the atmosphere. Conceptually it's just a bunch of weird keyboard and drum compositions, with all sorts of vocal iterations that almost seem to parody DSBM. Yet strangely enough, it all works and brings with it the sort of atmosphere that feels much creepier than several of the horror-influenced soundscapes that I receive on a montly basis from various bands and labels. Considering there is no Bandcamp page for this recording, you should be able to find it on the Merdümgiriz site as well as the writings I mentioned earlier. I do have my own personal opinion on the entire Viranesir image, but I'll actually hold my tongue on this one, as I have an inkling of what is going on here and would rather keep that to myself. At any rate, bands like this who are out to upset the status quo and really distort the minds of common individuals are definite winners in my book. Maybe they'll call their next one Licking Out The Excrement From Christ's Asshole in order to continue on with this grotesque and uncomforting imagery. As for the record itself? It'll include accordions and xylophones. Why not?

(7 Tracks, 37:00)

8/10

Ricardo Remedio - Natureza Morta (2016)

Portuguese artist Ricardo Remedio has created a combination of techno-industrial and synth-based atmospheres here on what is his debut album, with a much different title than what the official Facebook description offered. Natureza Morta literally translates to "Dead Nature" and although the gist of the performance is quite dim, there are some rather lighthearted nodes as well. We begin with the deep, slightly urban feel of “Banquete” which has a small section entwined within it that reminds me a little of the music in Xavier's lab for the original X-Men Genesis/Mega Drive game. Yeah, my musical cues go back that deep, folks. So am I imagining X-Men characters walking through misty urban areas at night? Well, kind of. “Ossos” feels like a filmscore that has been largely smothered by dub fuzz. It definitely makes me think of a Cyberpunk noir and could be used in a film (or game) of that sort. “Garça” offers one light node of etherealism, as it gently glides outwards towards “Caça” (which I believe is the word for feces) even though this wave influenced track is certainly not something I would consider to be of that nature. What we've got is a mixing of metallic industrial with light winds of synth and slight thumps that bring a bit more of that urban vibe to the piece. They seem to almost choke the whispering synth, yet also create a feeling of horror that I wouldn't have expected, later on in the recording.
“Suor Noturno” seems to be a bit more colorful, as it mixes rusty industrial in rather nicely with what sounds like a colorful jungle-influenced sort of sound that almost reminds me of a timpani, except a timpani from the planet Venus or suchlike.

The last track I want to discuss on this album is “Vigília” which actually sounds like it has a tinge of metal flowing through it. There are some odd shouts, as well as what sounds like a dissonant and windy guitar being utilized. This is the only time a listener will hear a performance like this on the disc, which is a bit unfortunate, as it sounds like an unnecessary one-off. Regardless of this, you're getting a rather strong mix of industrial and electronic music that seems deeply invested in what I might consider a Deus Ex friendly world, albeit with touches of crystalline synth that help to buff out some of the rougher edges. There's nothing really natural here and the cover itself is even misleading. I feel that it would have been better if they had depicted a cyberpunk scene, perhaps architecture of futuristic buildings. The cover simply doesn't illustrate the music, but the music itself is strong enough that it doesn't need to be defined by the cover. Definitely give it a listen if you're into these sorts of electronic approaches. Natureza Morta is a rather strong one in the genre.

(8 Tracks, 50:00)

8/10

Neoheresy - Potop (2016)

You know, it really says something when one guy can make an album that sounds like an entire band and orchestra composed it. Now, to be fair – it doesn't sound quite as full as a performance of that nature might, but it is definitely still able to embody the same effects with little effort. I don't know where the male and female background vocals are coming from (as they aren't credited) but composer F is quite something. My leaflet here tells me that the performance has guitar nodes similar to Bathory and I'll certainly agree there, but it also states that quite a bit of folk is in use here and I like that as well. All of the lyrics are in native Polish, but this should not come as a detriment for open-minded listeners who just plain enjoy a nice atmopshere. It's not even so much about the vocal sections for me here, nor is it about the recording. Neoheresy have a raw and organic sound that really comes across rather well in what I might describe as a rather harsh, yet rather stereoscopic production that almost sounds like something of a metallic film score.

Obviously this isn't Neoheresy's first record, but it's quite a bit for an EP release and shows that this artist isn't going away anytime soon, for he has far too much to offer us in the future. If I might recall, the record before this one (Talionis) had a bit of an industrial flair, which you aren't getting with Potop. Once again, this just goes to show listeners that one man is capable of musical miracles, with thirty-six minutes of proof to back my claim. The disc often feels ritualistic, and probably is. It also has a tinge of black metal, which early listeners might recall being a major part of the act. Maybe there's just a touch of electronics here and there, but I'm certainly not going to hold it against F and wish him the best with these works. Can't turn down a solid blackened fok metal record with experimental touches. It's just not in me.

(8 Tracks, 36:00)

8/10

Dulvitund - Huldar Slóðir (2014)

A one man Icelandic ambient project, Dulvitund have submitted to me a very impressive EP release here in Huldar Slodir. It's a bit cold, yet quite electronic. I'd almost feel that this kind of music would work in an indie-platformer, particularly in a dark space station area. At least that is what I'm getting from opener “Minningar Um Þjáningar” which is a nice place to start. There's also a bit of what sounds like rustling of leaves, perhaps making me feel that this “base” area of which I imagine myself to be in, is near a forest or jungle. “Huldar Slóðir” feels like it might be found in a cave, on another planet somewhere. The composer here could do quite well for the world of gaming, which I've said before of other similar electronics composers, because simply I'd prefer much of the to the orchestral approaches we've been getting in a lot of games. At least here, the common chiptune reference is still there, which is what I feel is missing from a lot of AAA titles. But that is a rant for another time.

The sound here is definitely of an atmosphere, invoking the ambience that I spoke about in the very first sentence of this review. It is a very kind of “chill” album, but it doesn't quite spell “relaxation.” No, this is something that still feels a bit dark, grim – you might say. Wherever you've found yourself when you start to play this album, it is definitely not a happy place. Saying little more, (as the third cut is in much the same vein as the others) it's safe to say that the soundscapes intended by the cover art have come across very well on this recording. It looked like a black metal album cover, or possibly something of black/death. But that's not what we have here, even though the same sense of dread is roughly apparent.

The artist also released a full-length (Lìfsins Þungu Spor) which you can also find by easily accessing the artist's Bandcamp page. I just purchased a copy of that particular record for a NYOP, which is the best price that I think one can have for anything. Definitely check it out if you're into positively grim electronic atmospheres.

(3 Tracks, 30:00)

8/10

Kai Reznik - Scary Sleep Paralysis (2015)

French electronics composer Kai Reznik has released his first EP, even though technically this one came out in October of last year. I have no earthly idea as to why the artist's actual full-length, Unreleased (Feb '16) is priced at a thousand euros, but I don't think that's going to encourage anyone to buy it. So be thankful that this digital EP is fairly priced and worth listening to if you like the sort of ambience which might include chiptunes (Post) or even Europop friendly nodes amidst what can actually be quite foreboding (The Recognizer) depending on the mood. The disc also features guest work from Oll Korrect and Sasha Andrès. It's a rather solid electronic piece with loads of potential in it's rather unexpected sense of murkiness, but I feel that some of the high-pitched laser effects on “Monster5” can be a be a bit much for me. I think said cut would be better if they weren't quite so rampant in the mix. Sometimes less is more. There is a twenty minute cut called “Nails and Crosses” which seems to show the composition at it's best, but most of that is silence leaving us to more of those high-pitched theremin-like tones. I think I get the idea, but I'm not necessarily feeling it as much on the second listen. Check out the Bandcamp for yourself and give some of these cuts a listen if this seems like something you would be into. This would sound great in a game, but that's just me...

(5 Tracks, 38:00)

7/10

Beyond Enclosure - Dungeon Of Total Void (2016)

Portugal's Beyond Enclosure is an S&M themed industrial project molded by the hands of Samantha Diabolik, who handles commands, devices, electronics, metal and research with additional influence by The Analyst (ex-Sektor 304), who is also responsible for some of the record's electronic pieces. They're recommended for fans of IRM (which as you remember, made me feel uneasy) and Sewer Goddess (although I wouldn't consider this record to be even remotely close to what I've heard from them.)

I've listened to gobs of industrial material from Malignant Records over the past few years, but this one proves to be a little stranger than some of the material I've heard previously. Aside from the whirs and industrial scraping that we'd expect, there's a very odd vocal element here, which makes me think that I'm almost privy to some sort of conversation between two or more humanoid robots. “Autoerotik Punishment” seems to throw me directly into an atmopshere in which a pained robot seems to be reflecting upon it's life while standing on a soapbox at the same time. A shouting voice in the background seems to work in tandem with this fembot, which seems a bit more human. Not all of the tracks feature such a heavy vocal presence (which I actually seem to prefer a bit more) and allow a steady metallic landscape to permeate throughout, leaving more of a traditional power electronics feel to the music as a whole. The weirdness of the aformentioned is appreciated, but sometimes it is the more subtle approaches that work best. Though I do have a major complaint about the level of feedback featured at the end of “Electronic Submission” and I feel that it is something worth letting you know ahead of time.

As I 've said, I have listened to several records in this vein of all sorts of different electronic and industrial landscapes, with very little issues as far as what I would consider harmful or damaging to one's ears. I'm not exactly sure what these two were trying to do, but while I was listening to this and reading a digital comic, I soon noticed an ear-piercing amount of feedback that was very painful to listen to. This is no fault of the band, but it is definitely a track that I would recommend cutting off before the ending, because it quite simply can harm your ears a bit. This is a first for me, I've never experienced a record that was actually able to cause pain in my eardrums before, so I'll have to give it to Beyond Enclosure for this one. I should also mention that there are a few more painful sets of feedback in “Vortex Of Steel Into Flesh” but not nearly as bad as “Electrical Surrender.”

As we continue with “Basement Paraphilia”, the approach becomes more mechanical with Diabolik using her natural tone of voice, rather than the pained robot I heard earlier. There are still some sections where effects appear to bring in a sort of robotic quality, especially towards the end. It often feels like many of the vocal sections are spoken word pieces, which is also not uncommon for the genre. Industrial seems to have always been a vehicle for opinion, in which the electronic elements have always explored quite well. “Forceful Aquisition Of Faith” sees Diabolik's vocals horrendously warped and changed to sound like that of a terrifying robot overlord. There is very little to be said in lieu of atmopshere here, it is just a slight muffle of static, but it sets the tone for the rustling winds. S&M is supposed to have a strong sexual nature, but from the sounds of the vocal sections that I've witnessed on here, I don't think I would ask for pleasure from the monstrous tank-like robots by which I'm witnessing on the disc.

Dungeon Of Total Void feels like the kind of indie S&M horror film that should be made, where alien robots attempt to dominate and submit mankind to all of their fiendish pleasures before taking over the world completely. I'm thinking about something far worse than the Decepticons as well, imagine if Giger had the chance to design these things – it would have almost been like another Alien. It's not like something I've heard from Malignant Records before, in it's slightly minimalist yet foreboding structures. What the electronics don't exactly accomplish, the vocal end of the performance does – and that's where industrial fans will find favor with it.

Definitely give it a listen, preferably while in the throes of a good science-fiction tale (book or comic, it doesn't matter) as this record could really spruce up that reading session and provide a proper atmosphere, especially if you happen to have gotten hold of something which literally involves sadomasochistic robots out to destroy the human race. I'm not sure if a story like that has been written yet, but I wouldn't count out that kind of subject matter so soon.

(8 Tracks, 56:00)

8/10

Hidden Hierarchies - Self-Titled (2016)

Considered glitch/industrial/trip-hop soul, this odd five-track piece is recommended for fans of Chelsea Wolfe, Skinny Puppy (really?) Holly Herndon, Death Grips and Helen Money among others. I can probably throw Lycia into the mix if I wanted to, as well as Scream Machine, Dead Can Dance or Rhea's Obsession. Since there's only five cuts here, I'll talk a little bit about each of them. The first one we have is “Not Mine” which certainly does seem to liken to Ohgr soundfont, albeit with a female vocal approach provided by Jeye Daye. It's almost like a robotic anti-love song, which I find quite appealing. It has an electro-pop flair that I certainly find appealing. Then we have “I Remember” where I'm beginning to hear the trip-hop. Once again, we have the poppy, womanly vibe of Jeye Daye here, but Ethan Moseley's programming skills certainly capture the right vibe and mood, making me feel that this record was recorded in our not-so-distant future. “Liar” almost has a hip-hop vibe in the beats, and Jeye Daye even seems to rhyme in the fashion of rhyming. It's still a bit rough, and perhaps her vocals don't exactly meld with the electronic piece (it sounds like she's recorded them in another room, but that usually happens with computer mixing these days, it's very hard to get vocals recorded onto tracks to sound like they were recorded with the track.) Then we have “War Lock” which continues the trip-hop fare. Lastly, we have my favorite cut, entitled “Drone Thing” which brings on that whole Dead Can Dance sort of vibe that I feel these two really excel at. If there's one cut that really caught my attention, it's this one. Hidden Hierachies are certainly different, but I can't say that all of the tracks quite caught my attention. Still, if you're looking for trip-hop friendly electronic music with some trance-inducing drone on the end of it, you'll find something here.

(5 Tracks, 19:00)

7/10

Jute Gyte - Perdurance (2016)

Hailing from Missouri of all places, comes one of the most explorative metal projects I've ever heard. I'm not nearly as familiar with Adam Kalmbach's work as I should be – the guy has released what seems to be more than fifteen full-lengths of various lengths and quality since 2006. In the years spanning from 2011 – 2014, he must have had some sort of unexplainable epiphany as the bulk of this material had been released around that period of time. Coming into recent years however, the artist has only released a couple of recordings, this one of course; being the latest. He was nearly releasing records at a pace comparable to Merzbow when he first began, so as to why this influx of material faltered, I cannot explain. But I think that the product I have here certainly cements his ability to make some of the weirdest metallic soundscapes that I've ever heard in this genre. It's easy to call it avantgarde, and in some cases it is even electronic. As for the vocals, we might as well just tag them as black metal scowls, which fits well enough. Yet by listening to just a few of the derranged performances on this recording, I can tell that Kalmbach is certainly far from calm. The record sounds like something Arcturus might have made if they'd stuck closer to the black metal side of things while at the same time deciding to mix LSD with DMT and a little bit of ayahuasca through the nostrils. Additionally, it observes sounds that feel relatively close to that of something I might hear in a horror film, possibly to decorate a mental facility. Don't get me wrong, as there are guitar riffs to be found within this performance and the electronic drumming is very good (showing that bands don't actually need drummers in 2016 – well, sometimes) but unmistakable as electronic drumming. What do you expect? It's just one man in control of the whole process. It more than likely takes quite a bit of time to compose and master this material, especially since these pieces are not at all short (the shortest piece is just a few seconds over eight minutes) and will require a lot of dedication and patience. I will also add that Kalmbach's work here will not be for every listener, especially those “you're just throwing paint on the wall” kinds of people that don't like chocolate mixed in with their peanut butter.

In just a couple of years, the man has created more releases than I've seen fan games from a disgruntled Mega Man community, and that's quite a lot. He's obviously had a great deal of time to perfect his craft into what I'm experiencing here, which I can say with all honesty is one of those “you really haven't heard anything like this before” kind of acts and could possibly make a name for itself. Best of all, Kalmbach seems to balance the feel of scathing black metal rather well with a clean production value that allows all of the instruments to be readily audible (I'm having very little problem differentiating each piece) as well as the sound effects, which help to keep the listener on their toes, rather than being bored out of their minds. Can it be a little draning at times? Well, I'd say so for some listeners – it just depends on how much time and effort that you want to invest absorbing the material. There are a lot of doom metal inspired thumps and possibly even a few djent riffs here and there, but they don't turn me away from the listen as with other djent bands. Kalmbach knows how to combine several elements together in a way that feels unique, even though, and I truly stress this – some of it might just be a bit too “unique” for some altogether. That's nothing against his work mind you, I just think that some guitarists will listen to the opening of “Palimpsest” and soon wonder as to why the guy is playing the guitar badly on purpose. I know a guitarist in particular who has judged phenomenal acts like Sigh for playing the guitar “off-key” and can't take them seriously. It just depends on how devoted a person is to traditional composition and how anal retentive they are to guitar tone, as to whether or not this will drive them up a wall. Oh yes, this album is a guitar teacher's worst nightmare and they would most likely consider it “everything that one shouldn't do with the instrument” yet it works in the Salavdor Dali and Jackson Pollock manner, which will equal out to it's appeal. Art is relative, as Perdurance shows us. There's nothing like this record, which makes it worth a listen just because of that factor alone. This is experimentalism beyond much of what I've heard in the metal genre, (and even though you might not consider it a metal record, it definitely features all of the critical components of one – bells and whistles aside) so do prepare yourself before you take a journey right into the center of the fucking void. I do think that the record is good enough for a label to sign this artist (if that's what he desires) and I know for sure that there are a few labels looking for just this kind of bizarre experimentation to appeal to the gaggle of artistic minds out there, particularly in portions of California where they will chug this down their gullets like craft beer.

Definitely check out the artist's Bandcamp page, where you can purchase this and several more of his releases. You'll also find from the liner notes that much of the music here is very much an experiment with tune and tempo, and that the artist is an extremely skilled musician merely using this outfit as a way to produce some rather interesting procedurals in musical science. So whether or not you understand the methods behind the madness, just accept Perdurance as a “sake of science” kind of release as it offers an approach that very few people have heard. The artist has been getting some recognition as of late from Invisible Oranges and Metal Cucks (I mean, Sucks) so at least writers (of varying quality) have been giving him the attention that he and his work deserve. Even if you don't care for it, please respect the amount of time and effort required in making this kind of recording. Science doesn't always come out in the prettiest of manners, and this level of scientific black metal is most certainly not a gentle flower. Nor should it be.

(6 Tracks, 62:00)

9/10

Neolunar - Neolunar (2016)

Neolunar is yet another solo project from mastermind Tamás Kátai, the man behind Thy Catafalque (and by the looks of it, he has a lot of time on his hands as of late) as well as his namesake project (I reviewed the latest album, Slower Structures just a couple of posts down from this one if you're curious.) Like much of Kátai's work, Neolunar doesn't resemble anything from Thy Catafalque (no black metal bits) or the namesake (no visual novel friendly soundscapes.) Instead, we get something completely different, yet still worth our ears. Ironically, the performance here seems to flow more with my “robot” ears than my “metal” ones and equals out to something that I could only describe as a little bit John Carpenter, a little bit spatial and possibly even a bit Goth/darkwave with a dash of folk. Kátai has a surprisingly dark voice, which I'm almost comparing a little to Oscar Herrera of Black Tape For A Blue Girl. The material here seems to communicate a cyberpunk landscape with neon colors and electric lights and I'd highly recommend it to fans of the synthwave or retro-wave movement that is becoming increasingly popular for some unknown reason with many metalheads, as well as myself. There are even small bits of guitar influence on the record aside from the crystalline synths that the listener will experience, showing once again that Kátai is influenced by an immense amount of music and seems to reflect those influences quite well in this, as well as in his other respective projects. Keep in mind that acts like Pertubator and Gost are being thrown around quite a bit these days, and even John Carpenter himself has been known to perform in shows that mostly feature metal acts. Some odd metamorphosis is happening to the genre and I'm still not sure what it is.

As far as vocals are concerned, not all of them work for me. But that's the only real negative critique I have for a piece that is so instrumentally sound as this one. As we can expect, there isn't just one tone or variety of music, as the ferocious saxophone work of David-John Baptiste and Cat Purchase showcases. We also get a little bit of violin from Dimitris Papageorgiou, which decorates the album a little when it is utilized. I'd also say that there's definitely a mid-era Ulver influence in “A város/The City” as well as a bit of post-rock flair (think Killing Joke) in “Haar.” Though the interesting thing about Neolunar is in it's almost folk-like vocal composition, which is decidedly different from anything we might have expected from this kind of music. I'm actually getting slight vocal references to another Ulver album here, an early release by the name of Kveldssanger (1996) which as you also might expect, is a bit of an odd fit with the bubbly electronic compositions that make up this recording. As I said, it doesn't always work; but Neolunar is a such a strong project on it's own that vocal sections aren't even truly necessary, let alone worth complaint. As with much of Kátai's work as of late, Neolunar seems built upon atmopshere and that is what this record offers. It's not comparable to anything that I've heard from Thy Catafalque (some parts are just far more dance influenced than anything they'd release) nor the namesake (it's not nearly as quiet, and a little more jazzy) and stands on it's own as yet another solid project. The cover art for the disc is a little peculiar, (it features what appears to be a woman on a bus at the subway station, along with some mist) but when the record itself is described as “music for the city, the night, the sleep” then I think that this kind of obscure artwork really seems to capture that experience best. I'm going to bring up mid-era Ulver one more time here, as Neolunar almost feels like a spritual successor to Perdition City (2000) albeit with a bit of a different direction taken. It's not quite as dark as the former and even seems to capture what might be some of the brighter moments within the concrete jungle that we humans have collectively forged together to call a home. I suppose many ages from now (or perhaps a bit sooner, judging from current events) when the human race has extinguished the last of it's flame, another species from far out in the galaxy might be able to visualize the lights and stone boxes in which we lived, merely by the playing of this circular disc. I do believe that there will be several other circular discs that they'll discover as well as several other media items of varying importance, but at least it shows that we were quite an inventive lot. It's quite interesting to note that we were one of the few species (at least to our knowledge) to record our experiences in the form of circular discs, possibly preserving them for countless ages to come. Neolunar is one such experience that seems to capture the city in all of it's night-time essence.

(10 Tracks, 41:00)

8/10

Ionophore - Sinter Pools (2016)

A collaboration between the London and San Francisco Bay Area, Ionophore is a trio of neoclassical and electronic artists that I couldn't place completely within the realms of static-laden power electronics or dark industrial. Rather, the sound is quite contemplative and will put you in the right frame of mind, or any frame of mind that you feel is necessary for the task ahead. As a writer, I'd definitely consider this good writing music, especially for the scenes of a book that might be a little bit deep and atmospheric in themselves. Of the eight pieces, there are several moods in which we are to grasp. Some of them being quite ethereal, while others a bit ominous and even romantic. The title track itself actually feels very frightening, with sharp violins, saxophones, eerie vocalizations and an all-around oppressive atmosphere. It feels as if I'm walking into a dungeon area of sorts, where all manner of evil awaits me. The last few notes in the piece are equally ominous and make me feel a bit funny, albeit not in what one might consider a pleasant fashion. “Infantman” seems to continue the slightly twisted atmosphere, but it doesn't feel quite as overbearing and injects some calm female vocal lines to bring about a sort of fragile performance. It even starts to become a bit romantic, even though I somehow feel as if the voice here isn't quite human, or that this is a cold love song from the future where an android programmed with no emotions attempts to emulate feelings of love. I feel that it is the electronic nature of this piece that gives it a bit of a cyberpunk vibe, even though there's definitely a lot of classical here as well. It would make an awesome soundtrack for a film that I can see playing in my head. 

“Underground Man” is where the mood changes to a meditative one as I referenced earlier. “Unchecked” was a bit harsh (but still a fine atmosphere) and this piece feels like it slows things down just a little. I almost feel a little bit of Steve Roach creeping up here,which I certainly won't turn away. The last half of the album has an airy feel, which seems to just build right from “Underground Man” and continue all the way to the nearly angelic, but still quite morose “Checked.” There's nothing here that sounds completely serene and doesn't feel tainted by the industrious future world landscape, and I'm quite pleased with that. Even when it touches on ethereal and romantic territory, it is still very inhuman and feels like the sort of atmosphere you might find while making love to a machine. That being said, I love it. It very much feels like the soundtrack to what might be our possible future, making Ionophore something of musical prophets. I'm almost curious as to whether this would work in the background of some games, or during muted films. Could it build the same atmosphere in certain scenes that it would here inside my head? Whatever the case, if you're a fan of soundscapes and are looking for something not so harsh and abrasive, (like a lot of these are) you'll find something here in Ionophore. It's like making cold love to an inorganic being, which might just be the future.

(8 Tracks, 38:00)

9/10