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The Necks

Unfold
Ideologic Organ (2017)

There is always this feeling of being amid a quiet storm when one experiences an album by The Necks. The experimental jazz band from Australia has proven record after record how their long form compositions can invoke serenity and chaos at the same time. This free flowing quality by which the trio can unravel its music, highlights an eccentric craftsmanship, … Read more

TenHornedBeast

Death Has No Companion
Cold Spring (2017)

A master of dark ambient, Christopher Walton became first known through his time as one-half of Endvra. The duo released a series of excellent albums, with The Great God Pan standing out, infusing neo-classical perspectives and tribal rhythms into their dark ambient core. Since the end of Endvra, Walton has focused on his solo project TenHornedBeast, which takes a dystopian … Read more

The Dopamines

Tales of Interest
Rad Girlfriend Records (2017)

It’s been a while since Ohio’s The Dopamines released a new record –2012 by the looks of things, and I honestly missed that one, so my most recent reference is 2010’s Expect the Worst. I know they’ve become parents or grown up or something along those lines, leading to more time between records. Does that also bleed into their music … Read more

The Sword

Greetings From...
Razor & Tie (2017)

The Sword produce a very special kind of metal. It’s the kind of metal that hits hard as fuck, but with tremendous songwriting that brings with it the sludge from the underbelly of a Texas oil field. The Sword seem to toe that sweet spot between mindnumbing, scraping, smack with an open palm, head shot guitar and sweet 70s rock … Read more

Wear Your Wounds

WYW
Deathwish Inc. (2017)

Is the world filled with melancholy and sadness that gives way to brief moments of euphoric happiness or joy that carries people from peak to peak, or is that just those of us not blessed with “cheer-y” dispositions nor the ability to feign an air of contentedness or ease? Some people drown themselves in mood altering substances in the hopes … Read more

STNNNG

Veterans of Pleasure
Modern Radio (2017)

STNNNG have slowed down their output but it doesn’t seem that age is catching up to them. If anything, their anger seems more pronounced than ever. Pronounced “The Stunning,” the band plays aggressive and confrontational rock that punches, kicks and occasionally claws at the listener, with guitar barbs, drum-fronted jabs and bass-driven tumbling. It’s chaotically and meandering, yet artfully crafted … Read more

Teleplasmite

Frequency Is The New Ecstasy
House of Mythology (2017)

Another excellent release coming through the House of Mythology label, Teleplasmite is the brainchild of an unholy alliance between Mark O. Pillington, musician known from his work in Urthona and author publishing interesting countercultural and cryptic literature through Strange Attractor, and Michael J. York, expert in wind instruments and member/collaborator of the Guapo, Cyclobe, The Stargazer's Assistant and of course, … Read more

Frenzal Rhomb

Hi-Vis High-Tea
Fat Wreck Chords (2017)

It would be easy for the uninitiated to dismiss Frenzal Rhomb and throw them into the bucket of playful pop-punk epigones from Australia. While their sound does incorporate the key ingredients of what makes the likes of The Offspring, Bad Religion, NOFX and Blink 182 appealing and palatable, all of which they have toured with, it is the mélange of … Read more

Dimmu Borgir

Forces of The Northern Night
Nuclear Blast (2017)

There’s no denying that Dimmu Borgir come from a solid black metal background but what these Norwegian’s have done in the (nearly) twenty five years that they’ve been active is turn their version of black metal into a massive spectacle, one that involves orchestras and a full scale choir. Not many black metal acts could get away with such grand … Read more

Spelling Reform

No One’s Ever Changed
Black RD Records (2016)

This was a tough nut to crack. Wow! Why, you ask? Well, this is way out of my comfort zone. It’s as simple as that. Every now and then I enjoy that. It made me discover some great music. Writing about it is a bit more difficult as my frame of reference is a bit limited. So, let’s see what … Read more

Slowdive

Slowdive
Dead Oceans (2017)

Why do bands or musical partners decide to reconvene to see if the magic can still be conjured? There a slew of bands that have reunited for various reasons (cash grabs, nostalgia trips, etc) over the last five to ten years that range from exciting to shaking one’s head as to why reunions take place, and then, every once in … Read more

Great Cynics

Posi
Specialist Subject Records (2017)

Calling their fourth record Posi is an interesting statement about Great Cynic’s vibe across the 11-song, half-hour record. From lyrics about being the clouds and listening to the birds to others that proclaim “what makes you special,” this is posi-punk, music that’s uplifting in an overtly cynical music scene. Hell, see the band’s name for reference.It’s not to say it’s … Read more

Ian William Craig

Slow Vessels
Fat Cat (2017)

The classically trained Ian William Craig released in 2016 one of the best experimental works of the year in Centres. Applying ample processing to his vocals, in effect enhancing the performance, he created an adventurous record without tempering with the underlying emotion. Today he returns with Slow Vessels, a long EP, which extends the concepts of Centres in a very … Read more

Flobots

No Enemies
Independent (2017)

pro·testnounˈprōˌtest/A complaint, objection, or display of unwillingness usually to an idea or a course of action.It's been 5 long years since Flobots released their 2012 effort Circle in the Square. Normally that wouldn't be such a long stretch of time, but given all that's happened within that time frame, it seems like eons since Brer Rabbit, Jonny 5 and Kenny … Read more

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