Inter Arma
Sky Burial
Relapse (2013)
If there is any definitive point to life, certainly it must involve leaving something behind that has a positive impact that is discernible well after you are gone. While most of us will ultimately fail to have that kind of effect, we all have the great privilege of being the affected. Inter Arma are a band that have obviously been affected by rock n’ roll. Sky Burial is prominently driven by elements of doom, sludge and black metal, but also affectionately embraces psychedelic and classic rock. This sixty-eight minute coalescence of influences accomplishes something that few albums can manage. It reminds me of how great it is to be one of the affected.With such an expansive arsenal, it would be easy to assume that the resulting sound would be disjointed and chaotic. Sky Burial is the absolute opposite. The album is an exercise in tempered aggression. Inter Arma handle each component like a newborn child, cautiously releasing it into their vast, caliginous dominion. They effortlessly blur so many lines that one could be inclined to classify their sound as prog-metal. But even that label seems too limiting and evokes a sense of deliberate experimentation that is just not present here. … Read more
Cnoc An Tursa
The Giants of Auld
Candlelight (2013)
I'll admit, I was intrigued by the idea of Scottish Pagan Metal. Even with the full understanding of Pagan Metal … Read more
Drivin' N Cryin'
Songs From The Psychedelic Time Clock
New! (2013)
The new release from Drivin’ N Cryin’ is the third EP of an anticipated four, each dedicated to a different … Read more
Ensemble Pearl
Self Titled
Drag City (2013)
There's soundtracks to the apocalypse and then there's soundtracks to everything afterward. Ensemble Pearl provides the latter. The din and … Read more
Ensemble Pearl
Self Titled
Drag City (2013)
It's genuinely hard for me to get excited about supergroups in general--they're almost never as good as the sum of … Read more
