A studio and touring musician with Nine Inch Nails since the mid '90s and part of the whole Chinese Democracy saga for Guns 'n' Roses, guitarist Robin Finck has clearly learned a few tricks from NiN mastermind Trent Reznor over the years. Capable of working in almost any field he became involved in, Reznor went beyond his NiN recordings to craft the dark soundscapes for the 1996 video game Quake, and eventually made a successful transition into being an Oscar-winning film composer following 2008's ambient music juggernaut Ghosts I-IV. Finck seems to have taken notice of how all this was done – his soundtrack for the survival horror video game NOCT (made in collaboration with Portuguese artist Wordclock and released in 2015) fits nicely alongside Reznor's intricate, texturally-fascinating brand of dark ambient. The majority of the NOCT Soundtrack's ten tracks are relatively lengthy - par for the course on an ambient album – and feature groaning, almost cello-like bass tones and barely distinguishable, throbbing rhythmic pulses. Opener “EROS” slowly but surely builds into a menacing hum complimented by tranquil electronic tones which join together into loud, almost hopeful chord structures. A sense of tempo is implied by background noise that … Read more
Though there are plenty of composers who've made a name for themselves by crafting the soundtracks to horror films, Italian … Read more
More than five years after the first wave of so-called witch house artists popped up, caused a commotion in the … Read more
This is a cool tape sent in by Mr. Food Fortunata, the fine gentleman behind the always enjoyable and reliable … Read more
Named after one of the most dense places in the history of the planet, Kowloon Walled City have been undergoing … Read more
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Embers is a grouping of people from Oakland California and while most of what their area is known for is being dangerous hip hop tends to be the best known export of the city. Meanwhile in the shadows Embers have built something that may be more reminiscent of their hometown. A four piece that, at least on recordings, includes more than a few auxiliary instruments including viola and piano. While, at one time, the inclusion of these instruments would seem strange it now seem incredibly normal in black metal to include these things to help create atmosphere. Unfortunately this too can be taken too far (I'm looking at you Dimmu Borgir). The band play with atmosphere throughout their work not relying on the classical instruments but rather on the drone … Read more
After dropping their debut album Ratworld earlier this year, Leeds-based Menace Beach have wasted no time in producing an energetic but decidedly more focused follow-up. The five songs on the Super Transporterreum EP exist most obviously in the grunge spectrum, imagining what a less depressive and moody Nirvana would have sounded like. What immediately struck me about the EP was … Read more
Krallice was a band that was working like a Swiss clock watch. They were very punctual with their releases, putting out album after album, with just about one year gaps between each release. That was the case at least until and including the release of Years Past Matter. That was also the first time that the band did not release … Read more
Peace in Our Time is an album that seemed like it was never going to be released. Good Riddance's breakup in 2007 appeared to be final. Younger listeners such as myself, who discovered the band around this time, had to come to terms with never hearing new music from the band nor having the opportunity to see them perform live. … Read more
Known in his lifetime (1685-1750) primarily as an organist, German-born Johann Sebastian Bach has, in the course of the last three centuries, achieved a status as one of the finest composers to have ever lived. The mathematical precision of Bach’s work is one of its most recognized characteristics, but also an element that provoked a love it or hate it … Read more
I’ve reviewed a lot of records now from Lauren Denitzio’s bands. First, The Measure [SA], and then Cruel Optimist, her current band’s first release. Over those records the sound hasn’t changed so much as it’s grown. The songs are now fuller and deeper. With Worriers specifically, though still in a relatively small sample size, the songs also seem less chorus … Read more
Over the past two decades, Phil Elverum has established himself as one of the most consistently outstanding artists working in the indie rock spectrum, yet I could almost be convinced that he purposely tries to slip under the radar at every opportunity. 2001’s The Glow Pt. 2, recorded under the guise of The Microphones, positioned the singer and multi-instrumentalist as … Read more
Deafheaven’s Sunbather was the antithesis of a sophomore slump. The album produced armies of lovers and haters, who debated whether or not the album was “metal” enough to deserve all the media attention proclaiming it as one of the greatest current metal albums. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll ever forget waiting in line to see Deafheaven and hearing the couple … Read more
Looking back at Sunbather, Deafheaven's sophomore release, it is very easy to understand how that album was able to become the point of dispute within the black metal realm. The debut album of Deafheaven, Roads To Judah, was easier to come to terms with. Its blend of black metal and post-rock, as well as the shoegaze tendencies were still at … Read more
Though the album might attract some of the same listeners that gravitate towards otherworldly new age music, Summer Homes’s 2015 album Nocturnes actually has a more earthy and less corny sound to it. Written and performed by Massachusetts-based musician Daniel Radin, this album seeks to reimagine the early life of the artist as ambient music works and seems entirely earnest … Read more
Twenty years ago today, Saturday September 26, 2015, the reincarnation of Chris Barnes’ death metal crusade known as Six Feet Under released their debut full length, Haunted. When social media informed me of this fact this morning, I had a moment of reflection relating to the journey of Barnes and his, often unappreciated, creations of two of the most premier … Read more
This is some metalpunx ouf of New Jersey. Superfast and snotty as all hell. Like some spikey-haired snot punk singing for a grind band or something. There’s sweet breakdowns too, which lend it a hardcore vibe. Maybe I’m way off-base, but that’s what I’m feeling. Not always my favorite thing, but I find this rather endearing. Guitars are sick. Especially … Read more
"worker bees can leaveeven drones can fly awaythe queen is their slave"- Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club When people talk about music (assuming people actually do still talk about music), they'll typically begin by discussing the style or genre they like. If the other person then hasn't begun silently searching for Buzzfeed lists and the conversation continues, it can go in … Read more
It is quite difficult to follow a project as active as Theologian. The career of the dark industrial unit has spawned a large number of releases, with albums such as The Chasms of My Heart and Finding Comfort In Overwhelming Negativity standing out. Main man of Theologian, Lee M. Bartow (a.k.a Theologian Prime) works with David Castillo and Daniel Suffering, … Read more
Bird is the Bangers record I wanted in 2013. Crazy Fucking Dreams is a good record, it was just a little less direct than I wanted from the band, being a little more on the introspective and drawn out (in punk terms) side of things than an aggressive and, er, banging approach. It was good, but Bird is better.It gets … Read more
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