Aaron Turner & Daniel Menche
Nox
Sige (2017)
Aaron Turner and Daniel Menche, two prominent figures of experimental music, meet again after the Mamiffer collaboration with Menche back in 2015. Both have been active recently, with Turner participating in the Thalassa project releasing Bonds of Prosperity with William Fowler Collins, while Menche released his long, immersive Sleeper record earlier this year. With NOX the duo presents a 31-minute long-form collaboration. Anyone familiar with the two artists should have … Read more
Acephalix
Decreation
20 Buck Spin (2017)
Setting out with a retro vision of death metal glory alongside a punk sensitivity, Acephalix erupted into the scene with their debut album Aporia. Primitive and relentless, the band appeared to have instantly captured the essence of the genre with their debut record, something that was apparent even more on their sophomore album, Deathless Master. Punk influences begun to subside and the … Read more
AFI
AFI (The Blood Album)
Concord Music Group (2017)
Album number ten for the ever-evolving Californian four piece, whose shift in sound from skate punk to hardcore to "goth punk" to pop-influenced radio rock to... whatever 2009's Crash Love was... is well documented. And now here we are, after the gritty, aggressive Burials: a self-titled album also known as "The Blood Album".At first listen it's not too dissimilar from … Read more
AFI
AFI (The Blood Album)
Concord Music Group (2017)
AFI's trajectory over the last twenty and more years has been one that emulates growth and experimentation and the quartet that once sang about not being allowed a mohawk is now one that that sings about much darker, twisted subjects (although in more obvious terms than they once did). Still led by the effervescent Davey Havok, AFI are a band … Read more
All Them Witches
Sleeping Through The War
New West (2017)
All Them Witches is a rock band with a psychedelic blues tinge that reflects their southern-but-also-hip hometown of Nashville, Tennessee. Although All Them Witches can really deal in those druggy, heavy-hitting riffs that make you want to knock back a six pack in the desert, they also have a real musicianship that’s too often lacking in the dime-a-dozen bands that … Read more
Amenra
VI
Neurot Recordings (2017)
I thought it a safe bet to listen to any album off Neurot Recordings with care and patience, and expect something great. Amenra is no fragile exception. Their essence taps a well of meaning seemingly endless on all levels of analysis, as much as it taps a particular sound thrust forward first by Black Sabbath, and most recently by Neurosis. Amenra didn’t … Read more
Ann Beretta
Old Scars, New Blood
Say-10 (2017)
There’s a lot of analysis when listening to Old Scars, New Blood. When singer Rob Huddleston sings, “Nothing ever changes/ Nothing ever stays the same” in “Fairweather,” it seems to epitomize the experience of this record, a re-recording of 13 songs by the recently born again Ann Beretta.I can’t decide if this album is a great idea, modernizing a reformed band, … Read more
Arcadea
Arcadea
Relapse (2017)
Remember that movie from the 80's where that little rocker kid got sucked into the video game and found himself on that desert planet, where he had to throw jewels into a volcano while battling flying lions that had lasers shooting out of their eyes?No?That's probably because that movie was never made. But if it had been, Arcadea would be … Read more
At the Drive-In
In•ter a•li•a
Rise (2017)
Interminable slack-ass Omar Rodriguez-Lopez only released 12 solo albums this year on Ipecac Records. So to alleviate the presumed guilt, he’s gotten the old band back together again. That band is At the Drive-In and as far as “reunion” albums go, In•ter a•li•a is a monster. While not quite a complete reunion, in a presto-change-o move, guitarist Jim Ward has been … Read more
Baronen & Satan
Why Does The Blood Never Stick To Your Teeth/Satan Is A Lady
Dirty Water Records (2017)
Every now and then I find it entertaining to randomly pick something out of the promo-bin without overthinking what to review. Sometimes this way I discover brilliant stuff, sometimes I question my choices. Baronen & Satan’s short and snappy promo chatter sounds promising enough. This quartet is from Gothenburg, Sweden. There’s more than enough quality music coming from Sweden. That … Read more
Bearcubs
Underwaterfall EP
All Points (2017)
25-year-old English producer and DJ Jack Ritchie, aka Bearcubs, first attracted the attention of the BBC's new music arm, BBC Introducing, after uploading some of his tracks to their website. This piqued the interest of the BBC Introducing team, and saw Ritchie's experimental electronica get praise from the likes of Annie Mac and Huw Stephens. This was followed by the … Read more
Bell Witch
Mirror Reaper
Profound Lore (2017)
Beginning the dissection of a record is often the most difficult thing to do when it comes to writing a review. Knowing how to start, to draw in your reader and keep them interested is tough; you know what you want to say, how the record makes you feel and you may even have an insight into the intentions of … Read more
BIG|BRAVE
Ardor
Southern Lord (2017)
I love music that expands as it moves as if it is pushing glaciers, building worlds, or splitting atoms. Music that is not meant for Sunday drives, lullabies, or backyard barbeques. Music that is meant to be listened too fully, as a whole, not in 2 minute pop biscuits, albeit I love that type of music as well. However, that … Read more
Biosphere
The Petrified Forest
Biophon (2017)
How do you keep the creative juices flowing that allow for composition or creation of any kind of artistic work, and where do you find the drive to continue to push your own voice out amongst the screaming throngs? For some that drive comes from within and others from without, but when you are staring down the barrel of a … Read more
Black Anvil
As Was
Relapse (2017)
Black Metal as a musical genre is not known for it's subtlety. The pendulum will usually swing between low-fi heavily distorted guitar and blast-beats or overwrought, overproduced operatic epics. But Black Anvil is a band of a different color. Hailing from NYC, they've managed to make a more accessible Black Metal sound without sacrificing any of the chief tenets that define … Read more
Black Swift
See Me Human
Independent (2017)
It’s time for me to admit I enjoy reading promo blurbs. Every promo either talks about a revelation in an existing genre or about a band discovering a new genre altogether. Which makes sense; the label or band is trying to sell something and telling you you’re about to listen to something bland or utterly boring is not the world’s … Read more
Blessed
II (LP)
Coin Toss Records (2017)
It’s only been four months since I was struggling to determine what Blessed was doing on their first EP. I have come back to that record often. After four months it intrigues me as much as it did when I first heard it. Truth be told: I don’t have many records that can keep my attention that long. You can … Read more
Boris
Dear
Sargent House (2017)
I like the idea of certain types of metal paralleling the thought patterns of jazz. Whether it is the twitchy renderings of a Meshuggah beat, the sprinkle of jazz-like tendencies of an Intronaut record, or the experimental coo-coo of Fantomas. The immediacy, expansive sound, and improvisation can certainly draw comparison to a Miles Davis or John Coltrane offering. Those two … Read more
