"Tracks 1-5 are heavier, more tech-death influencedMedia/Samples
Track 6 is clean, dark, and progressive
Track 7 is a standard progressive metal piece
Tracks 8-11 were written for my former band, all with a focus on a strong melody, besides track 11, which is fast-paced and heavily influenced by Dream Theater
Tracks 12-15 are progressive metal pieces, with track 12 having a cleaner sound and groove than the other 3." Read the full review by at
This masterpiece comes with a red hot passion like glowing magma and emotionality as stormy as the wild Northern Atlantic. Aðalbjörn Tryggvason's gritty vocals grind the soul like an Icelandic gravel field and still carry the dark melancholy of a Nordic winter night. One moment the strings soar like raging flames, the next they spiral with hypnotic force to the capturing pounding of drum and bass. Although there is a tendency of the first part "Andvari" to tend towards the psychedelic, while the second half "Gola" reveals a more rocking outlook, both belong together and never fail to amaze, astonish and surprise.
The modern twist melodic death metalbands integrate into their music nowadays lies in an influence from the hardcore corner. That implies the new aspect of emotionally heavy music, which is a positive development. Emotion provides otherwise flat art with a colourful skin and also interesting lyrical concepts. Musicians that made music into their main profession are more likely to implement deep thought and emotion into their discography which will eventually be their life’s work. Musically the emotion finds expression through solid bass lines and beatdowns that will spread quakes from under your speakers. Those quakes are not deathcore-inspired as they are not the random open note slaps that have made you vomit up your meals more than enough, but rather the polyrhythmic delights that one could expect from the hands of modern bands like Uneven Structure. Not to mention that for every outbreak of heaviness the band compensates with a melodically pleasing riff. The vocals are alternatively sung and screamed, which is a rather common style amongst modern death metalbands (In Flames is a famous practioner of this style and has been so since the later albums, probably starting around the ‘Come Clarity’-age).Read the full review by at lordsofmetal.nl
Beyond The Black Star kicks things off, being a rocker with a swinging groove plus acid Psych and Hawkwind Space Ritual effects. Spaceship Earth rocks hard in Hawkwind circa Electric Teepee space and has a punchy Alan Davey styled bass that makes my head want to BANG. About halfway through this 9 minute track the music transitions to an easier paced melodic rocking section with one slowly soloing and one strumming guitar, before launching into a stoned yet still spaced out Hard Rock blast that leads to the finale. Lots happening on this tune. Cosmic Burial is also in the 9 minute range and is a blend of cosmic Black Sabbath Stoner Space Rock and trippy deep space dreamy excursions with a narrative sense that a story is being told. The narrative development continues on the 15 minute An Ode to Indifferent Universe, which evolves through heavy Space-Prog and cosmic Hard Rock constructions. This track reminded me a lot of early Darxtar. Nothing sits still for long as the Destructors continually shift gears and the track is loaded with non-flashy yet cool and interesting dual guitar work. Finally, Ikuinen Alku has a high powered Hawk rocking vibe similar to Spaceship Earth. Deep Destructors switch to their native Finnish for this one (lyrics on the rest of the album are in English). Overall a damn good set of potent Space Rock. (Jerry Kranitz at aural-innovations.com)
While there are many influences, the music is original and distinct as purely Strikken . Progressive Metalcore and hard rock meet with complete harmony to deliver the best album they could create and still be true to themselves. 12 new songs from these hard rocking boys with all the passion from their music driven hearts will hit you like lightning! More intense, more clear, more Strikken, According to Purpose delivers a powerful message with energy and charisma to strike you with its power.
Notable and renowned musicians from the Argentine Rock scene have come together in the shape of this Instrumental Fusion Power Trio, whose potency comes from their solid Rock base, sparks of Improvisational jamming and the soaring freedom of Jazz. Enigma, their 2nd album, has been assembled with compositions that are even stronger and more substantial than those which appeared on their very first CD outing.Media/Samples
(viajeroinmovil.com)
Building on the momentum generated by their previous releases for MoonJune Records, Moraine draws from the more exotic facets of the avant garde and fusion equations.Moments of "early-Crimsonesque" intensity are often balanced out by a more Eastern approach to melody, arrangement and ensemble delivery; the music is delightfully fresh and unpredictable throughout. Brilliant compositions decorated by powerful themes, sudden shifts, sensitive group dynamics and fiery solo excursions dominate this session, as Moraine reveals a more psychodelic vibe, while remaining collectively and steadfastly plugged into the magic of the moment at hand. Lovers of the best offerings from the RIO, classic fusion, prog rock, avant garde, progressive jazz, free jazz and Eastern music genres will all find plenty to sink their teeth into here -- but that only starts to penetrate the surface of this delectable amalgamation
Comprised of former members of acclaimed progressive rock acts Mars Hollow, Shaun Guerin, Ten Jinn, and Genesis tribute Gabble Ratchet, Heliopolis compose intricately detailed long-form songs based on memorable melodies, 4-part vocal harmonies, outstanding musicianship and thought-provoking lyrical subject matter, delivered by five musician friends who share a commitment to passion, sincerity, and integrity.
What sets Voyag3r apart from its peers is that the band’s focus lies within the confines of soundtrack music from the ‘70s and ‘80s. And within that context, the music created by Voyag3r is influenced heavily by sci-fi, horror and action movies of that time. The key element of the band’s music lies with the use of synthesizers, which set up that classic, if not eerie, signature sounds from your favorite ‘70s and ‘80s cult movies.Read the full review by John Kindred at hardrockhaven.net
Liberated from all forms of traditionalism and genre formatting, this atypical and obscure quartet consisting of a large type of accordion (known as "bandoneón"), cello, bass guitar, and drums, fuses elements of Contemporary Chamber Music, Avant Tango, Progressive Rock, Jazz, R.I.O. and much more into a fab cocktail. (viajeroinmovil.com)
The band continues their tradition of not repeating themselves but in a much better, more accessible way than they have in the past. The melodies and riffs from each song are instantly identifiable as that particular song, the new elements incorporated into the music fit extremely well and it seems like the record was written with each separate song in mind. As in it doesn't sound like any particular song revolves around one singular instrument or riff, but has everything beautifully play off each other. Where Heritage and Watershed may have been a little unfocused at time or lost in their own adventure of a new song, this record knows exactly what it's doing and nails it through and through. I'll even go as far as saying this record conveys the widest range of emotions I think I've ever heard Opeth convey, and with unbelievable grace and style. Absolutely none of the writing is heavy-handed in trying to get a point across.
Read the full review by Greg Kennelty at metalinjection.net
The styles and feels are exactly twin brother to the album "Mr. Malusardi". Structure are kind of progressive, very dynamics and tons of shreds. The styles from standard minor progressive feel in the first track all the way ended with latin beat in "Samba C". Here a quick styles and comments on all tracks:Read the full description by at metalharem.blogspot.com
On the band’s fourth album “Fair Youth”, UK’s Maybeshewill create instrumental post-rock that proudly defies genre-conventions and ultimately provides an amazing, dense, diverse and melodic sound.
EndName is a Moscow quartet which operates with such genres as post-metal and doom. At the heart of creativity process lie devastating guitar riffs, rough song structures, pure feelings and emotions. Instrumental canvas is filled with agression and lyrics at the same time. Demetra is the 4th official issue from this instrumental act. Earlier discovered “math-doom” formula is still working but this time diluted with a wide portion of psychedelic mist, deep tribal deviations and shamanism. Demetra is a logical sequel of the previous full-length CD “Anthropomachy” and contains some earlier non-issued tunes and also new creations.Media/Samples
Consisting of four songs, 'Aiwass' is the first and throughout its eleven minutes serves as a swirling, dense, psychedelic introduction to the album. Almost impenetrable in parts, it creates a vortex of sound which builds...and builds...and builds. Typically psych and space rock, the clarity of the musicianship is excellent and keeps things interesting.Read the full review by Martyn Coppack at echoesanddust.com
'Tortuga' takes things down a pace and is the only song here with vocals on it. It's probably the most accessible too and the submerged lyrics help drive the song to its conclusion. It's a slight psych masterpiece which can sit along bands such as Lucid Dream and The Oscillation for it's take on a sub-Spiritualized level.
Brilliant as this is, nothing quite prepares you for the cover of Alice Coltrane's 'Journey Into Satchidananda' which out grows its jazz roots and take on a full on space rock experience. Firmly rooted in the bass and drum section which at times threatens to turn tribal, it's yet another dense piece and turns the original on it's head. It's a weird situation where free form jazz gets grounded in basic instrumentation but sounds even more out there.
Borrowing elements of Space-rock and Psychedelia the duo have crafted a rather beguiling set of tunes.
There are seven compositions here, just under and hours’ worth of mostly instrumental music that manages to create some rather interesting moments. The two list influences ranging from Pink Floyd to Ozric Tentacles by way of Tangerine Dream. Mash all that together and you get the idea. The disc starts off with a couple of shorter tracks in the three or four minute range, track one “Transit through the Alamak System” [3:31] showing the Ozric influence with it’s steady , almost danceable rhythms, before flying headlong into the longest track, “Summers in Andromeda” [23:00] where the early Pink Floyd spacey-ness sets the tone in the opening three-minutes. The music of The Star Diaries is for the most part soothing and almost restful, even when they pick up the tempo the music flows smoothly from one musical idea to the next. A quick look at the instruments used and you might have a good idea of the general tone. What I liked about their music is that it can be both really electronic and really acoustic. It’s a blend of both musical pallets that makes this music so organic and listenable. It’s never overly sterile, if you know what I mean. There’s a strong sense of “the human touch” running through these pieces.
(Jerry Lucky)
The bulk of Canto Secondo was recorded with all three members in the same room at the same time, and it shows in tracks like the instrumental “Alain”, with its lopsided prog ambulation propped up by Watt’s melted-rubber low-end, and “Mountain Top”, a circular, gently jangled meditation that has the feel of a post-punk koan.Read the full review by Jason Heller at pitchfork.com
“Sailor Blues” is Canto Secondo’s longest track, and at a trim five-minutes-plus, it demonstrates just how concentrated and concise the trio’s internal language has become. From Pilia’s knotty yet fluid guitar lines to Watt’s punching, dancing bass, the song descends into an ethereal wash of soft-focus distortion and playfully unresolved bends of melody. The touchstones become more sharply defined on “Us in Their Land”; in a start-stop fit of squealing virtuosity that anxiously mashes My War-era Black Flag into Starless and Bible Black-era King Crimson, the song hastily builds a scaffolding, clambers up it, then pulls it out from under its feet. Pilia’s whispery, heavily accented poetry not only clicks, it evokes a strange kind of dreamy menace, working strictly on a level of phonetic atmosphere.
Following last years determined studio double LP, Euporie Tide, Causa Sui returns to improv with a third round of mindbending jams feat. Ron Schneiderman!
The savage, kaleidoscopic improvisations of the quintet's previous two volumes instantly gained reverence among fans of free flowing krautrock and detuned stoner rock, and this brand new addition, recorded in the late summer of 2013, fullfills the group's potential entirely. The krautrock grooves, the low-end heavyness and the sprawling furor is still very much present - but this set is also permeated by a rare free jazz-sensibility, at times recalling American masters of improvisation such as John Coltrane and Don Cherry in spirit.
Ferociously experimental, yet absolutely welcoming and corporal. One eye looking back to the golden age of improvised music, the other looking straight ahead, into the future. ”Incipiency Suite”, which takes up the entire B-side of this record, stands as the high pinnacle of what this group is capable of with the inclusion of Ron Schneiderman: an afternoon of spontaniously recorded parts, cut-and-pasted into an abundant whole by studio wiz Jonas Munk, creating a unique interplay between in-the-moment improvisation and creative studio editing.
From the very first notes of “Derelict”, Tower’s opening track, Falcon Arrow waste no time establishing a groove. Bass guitar, looped, fuzzed, tweaked, stacked, and modified every which way, on top of a solid drum beat have you bobbing your head along with it in a matter of seconds. You’ll find yourself doing this a lot on this record, especially on tracks like “Mokele Mbembe” and “Dah-Mavaya”. Falcon Arrow aren’t afraid to venture into even poppier, El Ten Eleven-esqu, frays either, as heard on “Cyclostar”, “Regnar Regnar”, and segments of the sprawling “Aldebaran Serpent”.Read the full review at postinthename.svbtle.com
On the other side of the spectrum, Falcon Arrow are equally capable of making expansive, melancholic, and contemplative tracks, such as “Landing Party”, “Revenant”, and “Big Rig”. Tracks like “Cantina Empire” and “Dune Patrol” demonstrate the two-piece’s ability to blend all of the previous elements together, adding a depth to this record which sets it apart from too many bands that typically only paint with one brush at a time.