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Emma Ruth Rundle

On Dark Horses
Sargent House (2018)

Where 2016's Marked for Death battled with Emma Ruth Rundle’s mortality and medical history, and allowed the artist to work through feelings of hopelessness and pain, On Dark Horses tries to take control of the shadows found in life. Instead of succumbing to the darkness, Rundle is now finding a path out of despair and using her music to piece … Read more

William Fowler Collins

Field Music
Sige (2018)

William Fowler Collins is a very interesting experimental music producer from New Mexico, who specializes in creating abstract and majestic dronalities. Through the years he has released some excellent solo records, including Perdition Hill Radio and the amazing Tenebroso, and he has also appeared in collaborations with Aaron Turner (in their shared project Thalassa), Raven Chacon (in Mesa Ritual), avantgarde … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Gaz Coombes

World’s Strongest Man
Caroline (2018)

It’s ironic that an album entitled World’s Strongest Man should show Gaz Coombes at his most vulnerable, but that’s precisely the point. Subverting expectations as both an artist and a man is a theme that runs throughout. It should then come as no surprise to hear that the album is said to be partly inspired by Frank Ocean’s Blonde - … Read more

Thom Yorke

Suspiria (Music for the Luca Guadagnino film)
XL Recordings (2018)

Taking a page from bandmate Jonny Greenwood’s songbook, Radiohead’s Thom Yorke has thrown himself into the breach of film scoring and it really takes only 1 minute and 47 seconds - or roughly the length of opening track “A Storm That Took Everything” to wonder why it ever took this long to begin with?For the uninitiated, Suspiria is an iconic … Read more

Natterers

Head In Threathening Attitude
Boss Tuneage Records (2018)

Sometimes I like my punk straightforward. Give me some power chords, play them high speed, high energy for one to three minutes and I’m a happy man. Sometimes I like my punk a bit different. One thing I enjoy is a guitarist who dares to play something different. Just to give an example, one thing I dig is more surfy … Read more

Reunions

Aching Waits
La Escalera Records / Def Cow Records (2018)

You know how once you get an idea in your head, you can’t shake it no matter what else comes up? That’s happened to me in reviewing Aching Waits, an EP released at the start of the year by San Francisco’s Reunions.This 4-song 12” EP has nice variation across the board, yet I keep coming back to Hot Water Music, … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Starcrawler

Starcrawler
Rough Trade (2018)

Starcrawler vocalist Arrow De Wilde is one of the most arresting vocalists I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing in the last 20 years. When watching Starcrawler play live, it’s really a roll of the dice as to whether the front row will be appalled or attacked. Or both. And it’s that kind of unpredictability that makes Starcrawler unique in today’s … Read more

Night Birds

Roll Credits
Fat Wreck Chords (2018)

Roll Credits is an 8-song “mini-album” homage to the classics. Night Birds--the now veteran band of 10 years--says it was made thinking of short-play classics like Negative Approach’s Tied Down and Minor Threat’s Out of Step. Short, fast, loud.It’s a good starting point for their approach, but first, more about the release. In addition to being a 12” EP, Fat … Read more

A Perfect Circle

Eat the Elephant
BMG (2018)

Regardless of which band Maynard James Keenan is recording, promoting or touring with - he is usually the one unfairly maligned for holding up the proceedings, but make no mistake...A Perfect Circle is the brainchild of guitarist Billy Howerdel. And until he was ready to record again (in this case, 14 years after the band’s previous effort, Emotive) - it … Read more

Street Sects

The Kicking Mule
Flenser (2018)

This deviant punk/industrial hybrid sprout onto the scene in 2014 with their EP Gentrification I: The Morning After the Night We Raped Death, introducing their aggressive, noisy and extravagant sound. However, it was their debut record End Position that saw them produce a succinct and complete offering presenting their full vision. Street Sects arrived with an intense and furious perspective, … Read more

Dödsrit

Spirit Crusher
Prosthetic (2018)

2017 saw the release of Dödsrits' self titled debut album. I was impressed by the quality that I discovered on that album. Had I found it earlier it would have made my yearlist, no doubt. It is also an album with staying value. I still come back to it on a regular basis. I could not be happier to hear … Read more

Behemoth

I Loved You at Your Darkest
Nuclear Blast (2018)

The fanfare that surrounded 2014s The Satanist was not an unwarranted reaction and for Behemoth it marked a significant turning point. Hailed as a modern classic almost immediately and allowing the Polish band to reach the upper echelons of the extreme metal scene with huge tours both in Europe and America, headlining festival appearances where they played the record in … Read more

Fórn

Rites of Despair
Gilead Media (2018)

Boston’s Fórn have been making slow, emotional music that rips your heart to pieces since 2012 and in that time the band have progressed into an entity that can make a simple guitar phrase induce introspection on a massive scale. “Manifestations of the Divine Root,” the first track after album intro “涂地,” places gorgeously fluid guitar lines alongside Chris P’s … Read more

Maniac

Dead Dance Club
Dirt Cult (2018)

Across the board Maniac reminds me of several bands. The vocal timbre of lead vocalist Zache Davis recalls Mark Ryan (Marked Men) and so does the rhythm section, though it’s not nearly as hyper. Justin Maurer, who also picks up the mic at times, has a darker tinge to his songs. The tempo is fast, I guess you’d say in … Read more

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