The line between dark ambient and dungeon synth has always been blurry. Since Mortiis’ departure from Emperor and his stellar, first-era works in Født til å Herske and Ånden som Gjorde Opprør, many have traveled the same path. Amongst the newest additions to this merry group is Old Tower, the obscure project from the Netherlands. Since the mid-10s, Old Tower have explored the same realms, starting off through a magical, albeit dark, dungeon synth approach. Yet, their fantastical beginnings soon took a shadowy turn, naturally falling into the guise of dark ambient. This resulted in exquisite works of horrific magnificence, at times forceful and disruptive as with Plague Harvest, or drawn from the very nightmares of existence with The Old King of Witches. Yet, with Draconic Synthesis Old Tower aim to further unify the dungeon synth and the dark ambient worlds. The slow pace and obscure progression of the opener “Draconic Arcanum” dives into this amalgamation, on one end the defined dungeon synth-inspired scenery, on the other the specter that looms over this imaginative world. The percussive elements are loosely applied, diverging from the tribal sense that many dark ambient artists take. This loose backbone further morphs into moments of … Read more
You know those bands whose music you enjoy, but each record sort of sounds the same, just a little fresher? … Read more
The History of Metal and Horror is an extensive dip into a world where two defining genres of audio and … Read more
Most music fans were stunned when Joe Strummer passed away in 2002. I’d recently skipped out on a Mescaleros show, … Read more
Grischa Lichtenberger’s works are defined not only by their experimental foundation but also by relentless energy. Be it through glitch … Read more
Making their first appearance in 2007 with The Other Side of the Island, it felt like The Stargazer’s Assistant would just … Read more
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Premise: An album comprised of five tracks. -Five tracks, man? Pffft, how long could it be? -Like, you know... longer than that Locust joint. -No way? Which Locust joint? -Any of them, and yeah way. -Kayo Dot's on Robotic Empire. So, this album's a combination of spazzy drumbeats, everywhere guitar parts, and harsh vocals - that I love, of course - right? -Well, kind of. Dowsing Anemone With Copper Tongue's got all that, but it's really different. -What the hell are you talking about, "it's really different?" -Just listen to it, chieftain; it's all orchestral and shit. -Yo, man. I'm not into that slow-ass pussy music. -Chill! It's cool man. It's almost, like, dark and shit. You know, heavy in its own right? Dowsing Anemone With Copper Tongue, Toby Driver … Read more
I saw Spanish Love Songs before I ever dove into their catalog. And it was immediately clear they’re the type of band where fans really connect, singing along to every word, not just the choruses. In truth, the band doesn’t really use choruses much, but that’s not really the point here. Their sound is rooted in melodic and emotional midtempo … Read more
It is always difficult to balance between creativity and immediacy. For Jason Anthony Harris, and his project Public Speaking, this is a much-welcomed challenge. Indeed, Harris’ new work An Apple Lodged In My Back does not shy away from its pop sensibilities. As “Swollen Feet” comes in, the soulful and intimate approach usually produced by mainstream artists comes through. It is catchy … Read more
There can be many reasons to pick an album to review. Sometimes it is the description, sometimes it is a connection with another band and sometimes it is the artwork. Upon seeing this for the first time I thought: “This better be good, ‘cause artwork like this deserves something good!”. This thought got stronger and stronger after I discovered every … Read more
I’m not going to pretend I know any French, but I can tell you that the rhythm of the language is perfect for Les Lullies. Mauvaise Foi (“Bad Faith,” according to google), begins with the title track, a barn burning guitar rocker with big licks and a repetitive chorus in 4/4 time. It’s immediately familiar in that garage rock way, but sounds … Read more
Retrospective genre creation by both grizzled music critics and TikTokers has had many victims, from the constituents of Twee to Yatch Rock; however, the rebranding of 2005 garage rock and punk to indie sleaze has to be one of the more egregious. Half aesthetic movement and half musical umbrella for any 2000s band with smudged eyeliner (that hadn’t already been … Read more
Wax the boards, Everybody Lets Go Surfing, Surfing US-DECAY. On the crest of a sea of plastics, discarded textiles. Built to replace and ready to feed the ever-reaching loving chubby sweaty dirty fingernailed hands of many a landfill. Discard, Destroy and Forget and repurchase. Articles of Waste Forget Faith! Bondi spits shards of coloured sea glass upon canvas recreating, rebirthing, … Read more
Worriers, fronted by Lauren Denitzio, is an ongoing evolution. It’s earnest, personal and explorative, and the newest album Trust Your Gut continues that journey as Denitzio puts everything out there for their audience. The music is consistently emotional and relatable while being clearly rooted in personal experience. The magic of the entire Worriers catalog is how Denitzio manages to be both personal … Read more
Earlier this year I reviewed In The Midnight Hour, the second album of Perennial, and I liked it. In fact, I liked it enough to check out their debut album The Symmetry Of Autumn Leaves. A debut that was nice, but pales in comparison with their sophomore record. If you ask me it missed focus in the song-writing and lacked in the … Read more
There are many things the Midwest is known for, and Hot Mulligan is making damn sure emo music stays at the top of that list. Their new album, Why Would I Watch, can be categorized as Midwest emo, post-emo, pop-punk, or all the above—one thing that’s certain is it’s emotionally charged. If you’re skeptical of a band with a silly name … Read more
If you haven’t seen SPELLS live you’re missing out. It’s a high energy, one-of-a-kind experience -- probably even if you don’t dig the music. Fortunately, I’m into their hook-driven sound that I’ll loosely call pop-structured punk. It gets in your head quickly, but it exactly ain’t crisp and pretty. Sure, the lyrics are often a little light-hearted, but with deeper … Read more
There’s the references with friends, right? The inside jokes. The glib comments only your inner circle knows to find funny. A real rocks and dirt moment- sorry, that’s one of mine. There’s another level too. The inside jokes you have with yourself. Sometimes you’re the only one who sees the strange roadside billboard or hears the radio DJ mispronounce a … Read more
Tintinnabulation resounds through the astral planes pulsating waves of pleasure that wash over the mind's crevices. Electrical jolts of sensory disturbances alter perception guiding you through dark passageways toward doors with rays of light pouring through cracks and crevices for those brave enough to explore. Lawrie the high lord of shoe pondering kinship amongst psychedelic warlords has reinvented and suspired … Read more
Indianapolis based black/thrash four piece GraveRipper formed in 2019 and have previously released three EP's , one being a split. Seasons Dreaming Death is their first full length album release. GraveRipper have made sure they have well and truly smashed out a proper rager with Seasons Dreaming Death with ten tracks of masterful fusion of fast paced thrash interspersed with some classic metal and … Read more
Arms outstretched in the desperate hope of fulfilling dreams that had dissipated, longing for when life was simpler devoid of political persuasion, social media meanderings and opinionated pigs snorting in their own shit hiding behind the keyboard shooting out grammatical inaccuracies chock full of hateful smiling emojis. Festering open sores, drool pouring from the cocked head unbalanced and teetering onto … Read more
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