Khlyst
Chaos is My Name
Hydra Head (2006)
Khlyst, being comprised of James Plotkin (formerly of Khanate and involved in a multitude of other projects) and Runhild Gammelsaeter (formerly of Thorr's Hammer), could easily be expected to produce some of the most unsettling music out there. But Chaos is My Name is almost too avant-garde for its own good. Chaos is My Name has an ebb and flow to it: alternating between tracks of Gammelsaeter's demented shrieks accompanied by free-form, almost pain-inducing, guitar shredding and tracks of eerie ambient soundscapes. Not to discredit either member, but I think the album would be better if it left out the random bursts of guitar and focused on the ambient bits, which are, after all, some of the creepiest sounds that were committed to tape last year. Even though I like at least 90% of what Hydra Head releases, I'm still starting to get the impression that the head honchos have realized they can put out just about anything and people will eat it up just because of its association with Hydra Head. Again, I'm not saying this is a bad album. It has its own unique sound and it definitely accomplishes the task of sending shivers up the spine, which … Read more
Protagonist
Reasoning with Time
Stakeout (2007)
Reasoning with Time is the follow-up offering to Protagonist's debut effort, Hope and Rage, which was put out by Blackout! … Read more
iamthethorn
You are the Lamb
Goodfellow (2007)
Nevermind the seeming monopoly that John Pettibone has on vocals for metal and hardcore bands in the Seattle area. The … Read more
When We Fall
A Cry in Despair
Panic (2007)
Most of the materials I get in for review usually goes on at least one bus ride with me. It's … Read more
