Musician Spotlight
Musician Spotlight: Lunar Cult (Dungeon Synth)
Musician Spotlight, where musicians share their own project and write about key albums that influenced them. […]
Month: February 2021
2021
Album Review: Maudiir – “La Part Du Diable” 7.8/10 (Black/Thrash)
There are certain bands and albums that I hear, like this one, that remind me why I do this, remind me why I spend countless hours listening to and writing about music, even if some of what I hear is bad or disposable. I do it, in part, to discover hidden gems, like Maudiir, or Descensum from last week. I love finding new bands with little to no label support, cause it feels like I’ve just been let in on an awesome secret and given the responsibility to tell anyone who’ll listen. […]
2021
Album Review: Pipe Dreamer – “No Solace For The Soulless” 8/10 (Post Metal)
Alright! Time for some real underground post-metal shit. I forgot that music can have a rawer mix and still sound good. Pipe Dreamer has really played into the sound they have rather than trying to strive for something unrealistic. The result is something special blending charm with ruggedness. […]
2021
Album Review: The Scalar Process – “Coagulative Matter” 7/10 (Tech Death)
There’s so much room in this bad boy. Some albums you put on and demand entertainment every second from, and then albums like this one that you can just put on and expect it to fill the room. You won’t always be aware of everything going on, you’ll daze in and out of the majesty of it. It’s a slower-paced kind of tech death with a strong emphasis on atmospheric instrumentals, well, it’s still fast as hell but more spread out. […]
2021
Album Review: Scarred – “Scarred” 9/10 (Tech Metal)
I knew based on the psychedelic but modern album art this would be an interesting one, digging the aesthetic right off the bat with sounds akin to an old cassette being worn out and playing warped audio. Scarred brings extra noises to their tracks just to make them pop a little more, whether it’s an offbeat guitar tone or an offbeat guitar effect that blends into the atmosphere. They could have made the exact same progressive groove thrash that all the rest with a Gojira inspiration have done but they went with something more original. I’ll be listening to this one all year. […]
2021
Album Review: Cult Of Luna – “The Raging River” 8.5/10 (Post Metal)
Where most other post-metal legends have fallen or stopped short, Cult Of Luna remains to bring out new albums every couple of years. They managed to remain relevant well into the 2010s with their Julie Christmas collab on Mainer in 2016, then right before the new decade in 2019 they came out with A Dawn To Fear, truly showing no loss of progression and vigor. Now we get to kick off 2021 with a brand new release from the band, The Raging River, where they will yet again dance circles around most post-metal bands with a lengthy career. […]
2021
Album Review: Fractal Generator – “Macrocosmos” 7.5/10 (Tech Death)
I know that opening sample orb-like sound, for sure. It’s either from an Elder Scrolls game or STALKER game, or maybe I’m plain wrong but what is supposed to be THE fractal generator is definitely a sound I’m familiar with. Or maybe this band really does make music about software for fractal pattern processing. Whatever it’s about, one thing is certain, this is a very cinematic technical death metal album that stays on the heavier side of the genre while also offering some mind washing sounds. […]
Musician Spotlight
Musician Spotlight: Balázs ‘Söpi’ Söptei from Vanta
First entry in a new series where musicians from underground bands talk about the albums that influence them. Balázs ‘Söpi’ Söptei from Vanta discusses Caustic Casanova, Here Lies Man, Wojtek and Convulsif […]
2021
Album Review: Descensum – “Conjure Possessions” 8.3/10 (Tech Death)
So, we’re a month into 2021, and I hate to be negative, but it’s been a bit underwhelming thus far, as far as music goes. January is always slow for new releases, but I’m hearing a lot of stuff that’s just leaving me sort of lukewarm, not good or great, but also not bad enough to draw any kind of reaction out of me, and as a music critic, that’s really just the worst sort of record you can come across. So, last weekend, while sifting through a pile of records that weren’t really doing much for me one way or the other, I stumbled upon this gem! The artwork immediately caught my eye, but it being described to me as blackened/symphonic tech death caught my attention. […]