If say to you ‘rock with orchestral instrumentation’, you’re going to get the completely wrong idea about Zlang Zlut. Yes, they make heavy use of violins and cellos, but they really make use of them, and the result is pretty heavy. Maybe more for the open-minded connoisseur of old school, progressive rock, this is a finely crafted release which displays both an intelligent understanding of riff-worship and an enthusiasm and vibrancy in the classical music realm. Continue reading
Fun Fact 1: even though the band name is horrible tongue twister it is actually the legitimate name of a celebrated 17th century English naval officer.
Fun Fact 2: They are a band being horribly miss-sold.
As darlings of the cooler than though Rise Above records and with a press release screaming that they reference “the golden age of British heavy rock whose dog shit stained road was paved by the likes of Budgie, Sabbath, early Motorhead, Quo, Lizzy,” to provide “another slice of no-nonsense re-gressive proto-rock ‘n’metal” Continue reading
Another UK death metal release… on top of some absolutely blinding albums from Desecration, Amputated, Basement Torture Killings, Cancerous Womb, Ancient Ascendant and Dripback, Monumentomb have dropped their 1st release, the 6 track ‘Ritual Exhumation’ EP and fuck me is it good! Continue reading
Oxford Rockers Desert Storm are a band that should have already been in my life WAY before I finally picked up on them, but after a experiencing a stunning live performance recently when in tow with Leeds finest Bongcauldron it’s about time to get properly acquainted.
So they have two releases proper, the most recent being 2013’s “Horizontal Life” Delving back further in 2010 they released “Forked Tongues”. Continue reading
Hailing from Belgium, Oathbreaker are much like Deathwish label mates Deafheavan in that they take black metals signature elements and infuse it with another style of music to create something extraordinary.
In this case Hardcore (not the happy kind) adding weight and intensity to the black metal riffage drawing very minor parallels with Kvelertak. Continue reading
By the time you read this you will have no doubt seen this record feature in practically every “Best Of 2013” album list doing the rounds.
And with good reason it turns out. Continue reading
Even with a genre as narrow as Progressive Death Metal, bands taking a step back and releasing an altogether more sedate collection of tracks is by no means unique. For example Opeth very successfully chanced their arm with “Damnation” and more recently Spires laid their souls bare with the incredible “Lucid Abstractions” EP, but this takes a different path still. Stripping back the electrics, distortion, extremity of vocal and drum, the aforementioned examples released works of beauty. Talanas did not… Continue reading
The much anticipated new Alcest release nestled in my post box and I knew immediately that the day was indeed a good day. Neige and Winterhalter have returned with another beautifully written album with a slight move back to the feel and sounds of the wonderful debut full length ‘Souvenirs d’Un Autre Monde’. The few harsh vocals evident on the previous release ‘Les Voyages De L’Ame’ have given way to a completely clean delivery and with a voice like Neige’s, why on earth not? Continue reading
Edinburgh’s Cancerous Womb have created a bit of a buzz on the underground UK death metal scene over the last few years. They’ve gigged extensively across the UK and Europe and some of my buddies in other death metal bands have raved about them to me but up ‘till now I’ve yet to have the pleasure of hearing them.
When I got the album through I have to admit that due to the band’s name I was expecting some pig squealing bullshit ‘brootal tech death’ bollocks to come blasting out of my speakers… Fuck me, was I in for a surprise! Continue reading
In 2010 a very special EP was released by a gentle man called Tim Shaw under the moniker Fyrdsman (the name given to the local men who fought alongside the trained warriors in Anglo Saxon England during the ‘dark’ ages). So good was this release (available again here) the pressure to hear more from this melodic black metal musician was tangible. Whilst most of the songs were pretty much written, a combination of funds or lack of and a re-location has made those smitten by the EP endure a long wait for the album to see the light of day. Continue reading