It’s not so surprising that 2014’s Shortwave Nights, the debut album from Canadian duo Hiss Tracts, sounds similar not only to Godspeed You! Black Emperor music of the late ‘90s but also the two Set Fire to Flames albums: band member David Bryant collaborated on both those aforementioned groups while fellow Tracts member Kevin Doria made a name for himself as a member of drone projects Growing and Total Life. Though both players are known as guitarists in their respective groups, Hiss Tracts doesn’t so much make music as unleash collages of sound. Certainly, there are musical elements to this debut album, but there’s perhaps more a focus on ambient and found sound, leading the album to be a more rigorous listening experience than some may be accustomed to.Possessing a dark energy derived from the continual background drone and use of odd and enigmatic dialogue samples, Shortwave Nights starts off with an ominous title track featuring echoed guitar springing forth from a gurgling background of rumbling low tones. The sense of uneasiness is palpable in this creaky opener, which may as well an alternate interpretation of any numbers of tracks from F#A#∞-era Godspeed since it gradually escalates in intensity before … Read more
Bate Kush, the second short release from a side-project of drone and ambient musician Foie Gras known as Bad Kisser, … Read more
When it comes to minimalistic ambient and dark jazz it does not get much better than these. Two great acts … Read more
When I hear the phrase “indie rock,” I think of about 4-5 things: Pavement, The Pixies, maybe Weezer, glasses, skinny … Read more
Reunited bands have a tendency to disappoint. Maybe their hearts aren’t in it the second time around, maybe they’ve changed … Read more
Gloriously imperfect and scratchy, the P-Sides Demo by Denver, Colorado’s Strawberry Runners starts off with “Slip In.” Initially sounding like … Read more
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If the droning sounds were not an indication, then certainly the overall sonic motif is definitely all Aidan Baker, at least his solo piece on this split record with his partner Leah Buckeroff; and while Baker is certainly known for his moody reverb drenched droning that offers sweet sounds and hidden melodies, “Heavy Breathing” actually contains quite a bit of sonic miasma that makes for a challenging listening experience. Heavy on the percussion, particularly his use of cymbals, Aidan Baker lends a cacophonous quality to his contribution that virtually hides the usually pleasant and hypnotic drones to the point of almost completely drowning those more pleasant sounds out of his patiently crafted aural atmosphere.Leah Buckeroff on the other hand provides that or rather allows that hypnotic quality (that Baker seems … Read more
Classically trained musician and collaborator of Hidden Orchestra, Poppy Ackroyd, follows the neoclassical path that started off with her debut album, Escapement. In her first full-length Ackroyd was bringing piano and violin on the spotlight and creating tremendous atmospheric music with her melodic ideas. Her collaboration with visual artist Lumen, who created bespoke films for her live performances, led to … Read more
Made up of one half of Sweden’s Masshysteri (vocalist Robert Hurula and drummer Erik Viklund), Cross play dark and grimy music that seems indebted to the almost primal, noisy garage rock of the ‘60s and ‘70s. The group’s loud, sinister, and chaotic 7” debut Pyre makes up for what it lacks in quantity with an overload of shrieky guitar, loud, … Read more
Oruga’s sludged out sound is deep, dirty and disgusting and the French quintet move through massive pits of despair to crawl through the filth and head towards the inevitable end of debut full length Blackened Souls. Their sound has slowly been evolving since the release of a well-received demo in 2010 and with orthodox or post-black metal being more the … Read more
In many ways The Rebel Spell’s Last Run is a depressing album. The cover art depicts a feeble, aging anthropoid trying desperately to hold back an immense industrial wave. It’s clear that he won’t be able to stand his ground for long. The album title itself can be interpreted as an ominous prediction for the fate of our civilization. And … Read more
With their sophomore album, Sky Burial, Inter Arma released one of the best metal albums of the past year. Their style of playing brought to mind the earlier days of Mastodon and Baroness, but Inter Arma was not merely borrowing ideas from the two great acts. The vibe that Sky Burial had was much darker and bleaker than any of … Read more
I can’t figure out just who The Rational Anthem remind me of, but it’s poppy on the clean and crisp side, with a lot of backing harmonies and a fun sound that counters what is generally a lost at sea mindset. In other words, it’s Midwest-influenced pop-punk that would fit great on a comp with bands like Dear Landlord, The … Read more
Following a handful of shorter releases, San Francisco three-piece The Bilinda Butchers (named after the guitarist/vocalist from My Bloody Valentine and made up of Michal Palmer and Adam Honingford who alternate on vocals, bass, guitar and synth, as well as drummer Ryan Wansley) released their full length debut in mid 2014 and in doing so, followed through on the potential … Read more
Now that was intense! Having listened to the new Baptists full-length multiple times I still cannot get enough of it. The crust of Baptists is rapid and exciting, filled with violence and oppressed anger. The band from Canada is releasing their second album, Bloodmines, just one year after their debut album, Bushcraft, was out. And since everything seemed to be … Read more
In a career lasting some two and a half decades at this point, Earth has gained near-legendary status and plenty of critical acclaim for making expansive drone masterpieces. Over the years though, the band has mellowed out a bit: by the time The Bees Made Honey in the Lion’s Skull came along in 2008, the group had incorporated melodic elements … Read more
Having piqued the interest of Jack White while handing out demos at a Dead Weather show in Detroit, Olivia Jean was quickly initiated into the Third Man Records family. She became the frontwoman of garage rockers The Black Belles, and has backed an assortment of Third Man Records signings, such as Karen Elson and Wanda Jackson. Now, armed with her … Read more
“This is how losers feel // I am a loser // and you’re here to remind me” ...so begins Cool Choices, recorded by Jenn Ghetto, founding member of the outstanding and sorely missed Carissa’s Wierd, under the name of “S.” Ghetto has made a career of producing some of the most heart-wrenching, emotionally-devastating, and downright sad tunes imaginable, and this … Read more
THIS IS A FAKE REVIEW!! Old Man Gloom sent out a fake version of the album to the reviewers in order to avoid the actual albums (yeah that’s right! Albums!) from leaking before the release date. So what can I say? The Gloom and The Ape got me. Still, in order to showcase the degree of my ignorance I am … Read more
Nai Harvest released this four song EP earlier on this year and I've been meaning to listen to it for a while now and man I wish I hadn't waited. It is a powerful record with soaring guitar work and vocals to match compliments of Ben Thompson who is ably backed up on drums by Lew Currie. The band's roots … Read more
Black metal is cool now right? Not to complain. I enjoy the genre, generally speaking, and the statement isn't a cut on Black Anvil as a band. It does seem like there are millions of BM bands coming out of the woodwork at this point. The skill or adherence to the genre are always up in the air. Black Anvil, … Read more
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