#44

The Hare and The Moon – The Grey Malkin c41

I'm not particularly well versed in folk music and what's in my record collection is all stuff from this side of the Atlantic. So, I had a little trepidation about snagging a copy of The Grey Malkin, unsure as to how much I'd like contemporary British folk. It turns out that fear was completely unfounded; The Hare and The Moon is fucking incredible. Dark, doomy, and vaguely psychedelic, I'm loving everything about this album. The ghostly female vocals are the icing on the cake, creating a completely forlorn and haunting ambiance. This is one of those releases that no amount of my babbling will do it justice, you've got to hear it for yourself. Highly recommended.  

Haute Magie

i AM esper/Synkretismos Mutare – Astral Dream of Nature's Ashes cd-r

You get used to split albums having each artist's tracks grouped by themselves, so to hear them juxtaposed like they are on Astral Dream of Nature's Ashes shakes you up a bit. Add to this i AM esper is guitar driven drone, while Synkretismos Mutare crafts bass & beat heavy soundscapes and you've got the recipe for some interesting sonic interplay. Top notch drone from two impressive acts, presented in a way that keeps you on your toes...Why haven't you snagged a copy yet?

Bosque Produções

Obscurer – Shining Arbors cd-r

So, I can't really decide if I'm on board or not with Obscurer. A single track that is broken down into three movements, Shining Arbors is a strange beast. Wailing theremins, undulating electronics, distant guitars, and spectral vocalizations mingle together to create an album in a constant state of flux. Where Obscurer is going, who knows? You're just along for the ride. There's no way to just passively listen to this, as it demands your undivided attention. Like I said, I'm not sure about Shining Arbors, but if you like things a little more unusual, it'll be right up your alley.  

House of Alchemy

Occult Vomit – Anti-Human Devotion c90

Playing “black n' roll,” Occult Vomit is raw, blackened thrash style stuff, with the addition of southern fried, 70's rock guitar riffs and a lot of that buzzsaw bass sound. I'm honestly less than impressed with Anti-Human Devotion, but maybe I'm just not kvlt enough. It's not terrible or anything, but the album starts to drag and the songs begin to sound interchangeable with one another. It is what it is, and if you're a fanatic for thrash-y black metal, you'll dig it.   

Smell the Stench

Panopticon – Kentucky lp x2

Wait...Appalachian black metal? Yeap, thou it's not quite what you might be expecting. Kentucky is split pretty evenly between tracks of atmospheric black metal and bluegrass. So, if you were hoping for banjos and fiddles in your black metal, you're out of luck. About as folksy as the black metal stuff gets is the inclusion of some flute action. I actually found myself liking bluegrass songs the best, though the black metal tracks were highly enjoyable as well. Honestly, this isn't an album for everybody. In fact, I suspect many people will actively dislike it, but whatever, I can't get enough of it.

Handmade Birds Records

Twin Polygamists/Pacific Mausoleum – Split c8

This little split kicks off with a sidelong burner of mechanized drone and rhythmic pulsations from Twin Polygamists. It's dark and menacing with kind of a space-y feel, like the soundtrack to exploring a mysteriously abandoned spaceship adrift in the Kuiper belt. On the flip Pacific Mausoleum lets loose with a track of soft, rumbling electronics that suddenly morphs into low frequency squeals. Not bad, but it doesn't really stack up against the Twin Polygamists track.   

A Beard of Snails

#43

1%er – Tomorrow Will be Worse c32

A live recording consisting of a malfunctioning synthesizer, tape noise, and what I assume is someone dragging around heavy furniture (there are a lot of *thuds* and scraping noises), Tomorrow Will be Worse is a colossal yawn inducer. I get the feeling that 1%er consists of arty types who would just argue that I can't appreciate their creation and entirely missed the “metamorphosis of sound” on the album. Nah, I got it dudes; it started off with a bunch of blip sounds and ended with rumbling noises. Freakin' sonic wizards, right here...

Green Records and Tapes

Black Velvet Stereo – Destroy This Town cd-r

I can't tell you how long I've been waiting for Black Velvet Stereo to release a full length album. BVS has quickly risen to be one of my favorite groups and Destroy This Town does not disappoint. The dark, harsher drones of Iron Trees are not as prevalent here, with most of the tracks being crisp ambient waves that evolved out of Metal Rain Machine. It's incredible. There's a massive sci-fi vibe throughout the album, like it's the soundtrack to a Philip K. Dick novel. Unfortunately physical copies of this were limited to some ridiculously small number like 15 or 20, but luckily for you Black Velvet Stereo has made the album available digitally on it's bandcamp. This is a must have.

A Beard of Snails

Nyx – Obnubilato Incesto Semen cd-r

Damn, Obnubilato Incesto Semen is going to plow into you like a bulldozer. Playing fast, thrashy black metal, I'm digging what Nyx has to offer. Surprisingly, they incorporate the occasional melodic breakdown in a song or two, but it actually works really well, adding some complexity to their sound. The skilled level of musicianship and good production makes this feel like a professional label album rather then a demo release. Keep an eye out for these guys, I have a feeling they're gonna be making a name for themselves real fast.

Bosque Produções

Pizza Hi-Five/Powercup – Split 10'' 

Fuck yeeeees! First up is Pizza Hi-Five who rip through 12 tracks of blistering grindcore. I wont play the “reminded me a little Agathocles” card, but there's definitely some mincecore influence in there. I'm diggin everything about Pizza Hi-Five, right down to the song that has goofball hand clap solos. On the flip is Powercup, who is apparently all about power tools, home improvement, and contractors. Yea, like all 13 of their songs mention those topics. Their sound is a little more simplistic, straight forward style of grind, but it's just as fast and sick. You like grind? Then why haven't you snagged a copy of this already?

Hurts To Hear

#42

Afterlife/Dry Valleys – Split c39

Good vibes all around on this sweet little cassette. Afterlife kicks things off and fills up their side with a polyphonic synth burner. Cosmic pulsations drift over hypnotic drones to produce the most scintillating of soundscapes. On the B, Dry Valleys serves up three meditative electronic pieces. Very minimal and relaxing, it's the type of ambient where you lay back and drift away. Why don't you have a copy of this yet?

sacred phrases

Alaskan/Co-Pilot – Split 12"

Being a native Houstonian, I can authoritatively tell you the music scene here sucks. So, when I found out this  incredible  vinyl split was released by a local label and included a local band, I was shocked. Canada's Alaskan is up first with a massive track of progressive sludge with distant, growled vocals; the track has an intense foreboding ambiance. On the flip is Houston's Co-Pilot with a slab of masterfully crafted instrumental post-metal. Everything about this is fuckin rad, go get your hands on a copy.

The Treaty Oak Collective

Cogs and Sprockets – Town That Dreaded Sundown c9

I really haven't listened to much noisecore over the past few years. Somewhere along the line I just got tired of untalented “musicians” trying to be more offensive than Anal Cunt. So, when I popped Town That Dreaded Sundown into the cassette player, I was fucking blown away. It's loud, chaotic, & brutal stuff that's well played and lacking any of the bullshit. At 13 songs in just under 4 minutes, it pulverizes you and leaves you wanting more. If you're at all into noisecore, you need a copy of this.

Hurts To Hear

Nostalgia – A 512 devil music Vol. 2 cdr

Huh, this is a strange one here. The first two tracks are industrial metal, the sort of thing that was big back in the mid '90s. Sounds pretty ok, just not a style of music I'm really into. With each subsequent track, the industrial element fades and Nostalgia moves toward a more traditional black metal sound, but there's always an undertone present. Decent enough album here, but definitely not what I expected from a band labeled as dsbm.

Bosque Produções

#41

Black Velvet Stereo – Metal Rain Machine c40

As good as Black Velvet Stereo's earlier Iron Trees was, Metal Rain Machine is even better. The sound is more layered and nuanced then the earlier release; masterfully combining desolate ambient soundscapes, foreboding drones, and synthesizer pulsations into some stellar electronic music. This is essential listening material, right here.

sacred phrases

Imperial Topaz – Imperial c24

Imperial Topaz falls pretty far outside of my usual listening repertoire. Playing shimmering pop tunes, it was a gamble for me to snag a copy, but it ended up paying off. With delicate, airy female vocals, fuzzy guitars, and even an occasional sax, I'm loving everything Imperial has to offer. Not the thing everyone's gonna dig, but I certainly do. Pop this in the cassette player, sit back, and enjoy the summer.

Tranquility Tapes

Mt. Tjhris/Fallen Axe – Split c55

This split gets kicked off with seven tracks of quiet, psychedelic synth action from Mt. Tjhris. I'm digging what I hear, but the recording is nearly inaudible in a few places and suffers from some tape hiss in others. On the flip is Fallen Axe with a side long piece of guitar experimentation. Rad stuff. Even with the sound issue, I think Mt. Tjhris is my favorite of the two. Check this out if you wanna scope some sweet tunes from two solid electronic acts.

Jozik Records

Samantha Glass – Midnight Arrival c30

Somehow or another this slipped through the cracks and I'm only managing to review it now. Better late than never, especially considering how fuckin' amazing Midnight Arrivals is. Playing really dark, mysterious krautrock stuff, Samantha Glass is the soundtrack to the apathetic occult rituals of bored, teenage suburbanites. And it's awesome. Unfortunately, I believe the physical copies of this are gone, but you can buy the digital version, which will hold you over until the full length lp is out later this year.

Not Not Fun Records

#40

Bob Blaize · Jeph Jerman · Travis Johnson – Sky Bells c60

As you've probably already inferred from the title, bells play a central role here on Sky Bells. However, you can't just chalk this up as a percussion album. A collaboration between three improvisational musicians, this album is a melange of bells, drums, flutes, synthesizers, and field recordings that manage to coalesce into impressive sidelong jams. The A side is a real gem, starting off in a drifting, ethereal mood that gradually builds up into a massive sonic wave that washes over you. The flip is a little less cohesive, sounding like several separate songs loosely connected together, but it's still an enjoyable piece. Totally worth scoping out if you're into improvisational stuff or vaguely psychedelic, experimental music.

Avant Archive


Detainee – Vital Organs c23

Simply put, Detainee is a 16-bit electronic wrecking machine. I'd say Vital Organs could be the love child of a Sega Genesis and Kraftwerk, but that wouldn't be doing the album justice. Really rad stuff going on here with the slickest retro electronic vibe I've heard in a long while. Yea, you totally fuckin' need this.

Field Hymns


Devin Dart – Mint Spring Silver c40

Space age tomfoolery, that's what Mr. Dart is up to with Mint Spring Silver. These futuristic sounding, improvisational electronic jams are all about relaxing and having fun. Forget all the synth soundtracks to cosmic transcendental meditation, this is where it's at. Check it out, dudes...

Scissor Tail Editions


Dylan Ettinger – Lifetime of Romance cd

Woah, bit of a change in direction here from Ettinger's earlier Lion of Judah single and Pattern Recursion cassette. Not that this makes Lifetime of Romance bad, by any means; just that I wasn't expecting what the album had in store. Unlike earlier releases, the tracks here have a more traditional synthpop vibe going, with just a hint of dark, 80's industrial feel. But, there's still a lot of stuff that comes out of left field and catches you off guard, like the sax on the track 'Maude'. Like I said, not what I was expecting, but I'm totally digging it.

Not Not Fun Records


Epocha Tristesse/Lethal – Suicidal Dreams cd

I've been a fan of Epocha Tristesse since I heard their demo a while back and was psyched to finally get some new stuff by them. With an 18 minute long track of slow dsbm, they don't disappoint. The massive track is set up with interludes of field recordings of rain and storms, which adds nicely to the feeling of melancholy. Lethal round out the cd with two tracks of fast and raw depressive black metal. I'm especially liking Lethal's vocals, which sound like a maniac's shrieking. Definitely worth checking out Suicidal Dreams if you're into black metal.

Runestein Records


Steve Kenney – Dawn Window c20

A collection of two live tracks, this is some seriously dark and menacing drone. The A side is composed of electrical pulses which surge and recede. On the B things are a little more harsh and piercing. Rad stuff.

Imminent Frequencies

#39

Crabskull – Phlegm Rock #1 c90

I'm not 100% sure, but I think Phlegm Rock #1 is an earlier release than Jovian Black Opera. The sound is certainly different between the two. Here there's a much heavier emphasis on trip-hop and the tape feels more like an old dj mix tape than an album. The atmosphere is just as dark as Jovian Black Opera, but with a side of weirdness; lots of samples pertaining to cannibalism, illegal insect meat trade, and so on. Although this isn't really my scene, I found myself enjoying what Crabskull had to offer with Phlegm Rock #1.

Self released


Food Pyramid – Mango Surprise lp

Watch out, we've got a smörgåsbord of sound over here. Food Pyramid's got two full side's of wax and they're not about to let any of it go to waste with repetitive songs. Each tracks got it's own vibe ranging from kraut electronics to acid house to saxes & synths paired up. Mango Surprise is a really awesome release, with an experimental and playful nature. Not the thing for everyone, but if you're into this sort of music, it is a must have.

moon glyph


Invisible Circle/Hurricanes of Love – Split lp

I'm sooooooo digging this split. Invisible Circle kick things off with a few cosmic drone ragas filled with synths, beats, flutes, and chants. On the flip we get a handful of twangy, guitar fueled, psychedelic americana jams from Hurricanes of Love. All around rad stuff from both the groups. I think this is a tour only lp, so if you're on the west coast or in Canada, make sure to catch these guys live and snag a copy. Fuckin' awesome stuff here.

Self released


Mohawk Park – Ungeometric Circuit c30

Long, menacing drones mingle with shimmering electronics and distorted, repetitive percussion patterns, making Ungeometric Circuit an engrossing and mesmerizing listen. You want to trance out, but Mohawk Park's continually evolving sound just keeps pulling you back. You into electronic sounds? Then you're gonna be into this.

Scissor Tail Editions


Profanum Vulgaris/Wolfdoom – Split cd-r

Croatia's Profanum Vulgaris start this ep off with two tracks of depressive, melodic black metal. Both pieces are instrumentals and have the slightest doom undertone. The split gets wrapped up with a single track of raw, hateful black metal from Bosnia and Herzegovina's Wolfdoom. Solid ep from two kvlt black metal bands, so check it out.

Smell the Stench


Stardust – Des Letzten Novembers Trauersang c60

The dub job on this cassette is beyond fucked up. Mid song it switches between mono & stereo, the volume fluctuates, there's audio hiss, and so on. Normally this would merely annoy me, but it especially pisses me off here because A) I had to pay to have this shipped over from Deutschland and B) Stardust is fucking great DSBM & the dub quality ruins the tape. Yea, I know right, you wouldn't expect killer black metal from a band with a name like Stardust, but whatever. Anyhow, just 'cause the label fucked up on the album's production doesn't mean you should pass up Stardust; just check out cd version (which is hopefully better produced) of Des Letzten Novembers Trauersang instead.

Runestein Records

#38

Captain Three Leg/Cop Bar – split 3'' cd-r

Fuuuuuck yea. Captain Three Leg gets the split going with six tracks of grind infused with sludgy break downs and shouted, almost hardcore style vocals. There's a primitive, brutish vibe going on and I'm liking it. Cop Bar rounds out the split with six more tracks of abrasive, shredding grind. A tough call, but I think Cop Bar wins it by a hair. As if that wasn't all enough for you, the last track is all previous 12 tracks mixed together. Ridiculous. Now go get a copy.

Self released


Fains – s/t c30

A collection of 12 electronic compositions of bass, synth, and programmed percussion, I'm digging the laid back vibes Fains is serving up. It's easy for this style of music to get repetitive real fast, but elements of chiptune & glitch are laced through out the album and it manage to make each song stand apart from the others. Definitely worth checking out if you like laid-back, playful electronic stuff.

Scissor Tail Editions


Feberdröm – Att Födas I Dy För Att Gå Under I Lågor c40

Listening to Att Födas... causes me to have waves of vertigo. I don't know if you'd consider that to be a good thing or not, but I'm not too keen with it. Here's the thing, Feberdröm is a talented harsh drone unit that manages to blend strange psychedelic industrial drones and looped, militaristic percussion into a wall of sound, but I'm not a fan of harsh drone. It's good stuff, just not really my scene. If you're into power electronics and harsh drone, you'll prolly be going ape shit over this.

Järtecknet


Monde Céleste – Hazelscents cd-r

So, I can't really get into the whole blackgaze thing. You're playing post-black metal mixed with shoe gaze? No, that sounds fucking terrible. Being billed as such, I wasn't expecting much from Hazelscents, however I've found it to be fairly listenable. Monde Céleste isn't really a blackgaze band, but instead mixes elements of shoe gaze with noisy, distorted post-rock . It seems like that would be just as bad, but somehow it manages to come out quite nicely. This is an unusual album, suited for those into heterogeneous post-rock music.

Smell the Stench


Scab Smoker – s/t c90

I'm fucking loving this right here. A slab of grimy, lo-fi sludge, Scab Smoker will crush you. If you're a fan of the southern style sludge with rock and blues undertones, this isn't for you. These dudes are all about that heavy doom sound. Although you only get six songs, it feels more like a full length album than a demo or ep. Highly recommended.

Self released


Suburban Howl – Lady Hate c52

Sporting two side-long tracks of improvised psych, Lady Hate is Suburban Howl at their finest. Acoustic instrumental drones mingle with eastern sounding folk to create massive, churning funeral dirges. There's something a little dark and mysterious to the music here; it establishes quite a foreboding atmosphere. Oh yea, so recommended.

Full of Nothing


Warmouth – Bass cd-r

A collection of 21 short, bittersweet banjo melodies, I'm liking Bass more and more with each listen. Most of the tracks have a bit of a melancholy feel to them, but tracks like "corner store" and "papa bear's banjo diddy" are all sorts of upbeat, twangly, banjo pluckin' goodness. Rad little demo here, worth snagging if you're into bluegrass or folksy-pop stuff.

Self released