Experimental

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    Locrian – Infinite Dissolution (2015)

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    Slowly establishing themselves as one of the most innovative experimental Metal bands in the USA, today we have Locrian and their latest opus “Infinite Dissolution”. Nicely evolving over the years, this Chicago-based outfit perfectly blends elements from Post-Metal, Black Metal, Drone, and Noise, creating a super think and powerful atmosphere unlike anything else we have ever heard.

    Opening with the oppressive wall of sound of “Arc of Extinction”, the band creates the perfect introduction to their music. Crushing riffing, bi-polar drums, and very harsh vocals to open the track craft a truly unique opening experience. The band’s music weaves back and forth between styles and on this opener they give us a great sampler of what is to come. Mellowing out with “Dark Shales”, we find the Post-Rock-ish guitar leads quite engaging and well fitting. If you appreciate the band’s ‘noise’ side of their sound, “KXL I” is sort of an interlude that will satisfy your cravings.

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    Naïve – Altra (2015)

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    Arriving from France, today we have a very interesting and different release titled “Altra” from a band called Naïve. Mixing Progressive Rock/Metal influences with some trip-hop, shoegaze, and tons of electronic elements, they manage to create a very unique and dramatic cinematic experience in this album. Being more of the commercial-friendly spectrum of things, this release is quite mellow and perfectly enjoyable on a rainy day.

    Opening with the playful “Elevate/Levitate”, we are instantly treated to a very well put together track that nicely navigates through multiple moods and different soundscapes. With every track featuring soaring vocals and powerful guitars, this French trio has developed a very unique and solid formula to deliver high-quality songs like “Yshbel” and the excellent “Mother Russia” to name a few.

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    Sigh – Graveward (2015)

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    We love it when bands push the limits of music and Sigh is a fine example of how to continue finding odd ways to further expand your sound in the most bizarre and exciting ways. With “Graveyard” the band continues down their path of madness and delivers one of the most exciting releases of 2015. Featuring a plethora of guest appearances and a central theme around Italian zombie flicks and Fabio Frizzi’s compositions, this is one of the must have releases of 2015.

    Leading with guest Kelly Simonz’s guitar leads on “Kaedit Nos Pestis” and the dramatic atmospheric/psychedelic elements of “Graveward”, the band sets a very atmospheric and chaotic mood right from the start. Mirai Kawashima and Dr. Mikannibal have an amazing chemistry and their insane vocal incursions are just one of many things that make Sigh quite unique. The madness reaches new level with the very cinematic “The Tombfiller” and its killer symphonic arrangements, brilliant guitar solos (courtesy of Kelly S again) and crazy effects.

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    A Forest of Stars – Beware the Sword You Cannot See (2015)

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    Delivering their most impressive offering to date, today we have A Forest of Stars (AFOS) and their fourth full-length release “Beware the Sword You Cannot See”. Further expanding their already very theatrical and unique sound, AFOS has crafted a very complex masterpiece filled with string instruments, solid percussions, and a very hearty foundation of Metal to pull everything together.

    Opening with the chaotic “Drawing Down the Rain”, has a very schizophrenic feeling that it only gets more bizarre as the release goes by… and we love it. The bands heavy riffing and pummeling drums lay the perfect foundation for the plethora of extra instruments and multiple vocal styles that this seven person outfit delivers. With a distinct feeling of getting lost in somebody’s dark mind, tracks like “Hive Mindless” and “Blaze of Hammers” continue punishing the listener with abstract sounds and very cinematic atmospheric elements.

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    Closed Room / Lunacy / La Ville Des Rêves – Triangular Cinema (2014)

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    After mesmerizing us with their debut release Closed Room back in 2012, today we have Closed Room back in this very unique split with two other Belorussian bands that feature at least one member of Close Room in each of their lineups. With three tracks per band, we get a very diverse set of influences and very unique songs from all bands. Thanks to the heavy emphasis on atmosphere, this release is one that you will not forget so easily.

    Opening the first part we have Closed Room and their suspenseful atmospheric/Trip Hop track “Surrender”. This song creates a very dense atmosphere that is nicely contrasted by Morena’s vocals and the ethereal keys. The best song in this release (and possibly the first few months of the year for us) is the uber catchy “Dancing in the Dark”. Featuring a very perky mood and highly addictive guitars notes and beats, this is one song that will never leave your head. Things get a bit heavier with their rendition of Angelo Badalamenti’s Laura Palmer Theme from Twin Peaks. The band made this track their own with eerie atmospherics and creepy vocals/samples.

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    Ashen Waves – Premonitions (2015)

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    With a very engaging sense of experimentation and lush Post-Metal/Prog influences, today we have Ashen Waves and their debut album “Premonitions”. Being from the USA, the band brings some of that European ingenuity into their music with a very diverse blend of musical genres cohesively put together to deliver 10 tracks of solid music.

    Opening with the Amorphis/Vintersorg influenced “Whispers”, we are treated to a very promising opener that perfectly blends multiple genres. We particularly enjoyed the upbeat keyboards and crafty mixture of clean and harsh vocals. The band’s next musical exploration is the surprising “Enmity” that delivers a healthy mix of Doom/Sludge riffs with dreamy Post-Metal/Proggy passages. While this style might sound odd, the band gracefully pulls it off.

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    Pryapisme – Futurologie (2015)

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    After blowing us away with their weird and extremely experimental “Hyperblast Supercollider”, France’s Pryapisme returns with an even more chaotic “Futurologie”. Pushing sonic boundaries even further, the band greatly builds up on their crazy video-game/experimental music and delivers a crazy EP with one songs divided into 11 parts for around 25 minutes of music, and the orchestral version of said track is included as well.

    The release kicks off with the very progressive and jazzy extravaganza of “Petit traité de futurologie sur l'Homo cretinus trampolinis (et son annexe sur les nageoires caudales)”. The first and second parts of this song feature a wide palette of video game music and some Japanese/Asian influenced orchestrations with a collection of odd tempo changes and jazzy Oboe. Things vary from Ska-like to pure head on madness through parts III to VII with some very fast paced sections (VI) and crazy catchy instrumental interludes (VII).

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    Lotus Thief – Rervm (2014)

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    As soon as we received this release with the association of featuring members of Botanist, we braced ourselves for the worst. In return, we actually are quite surprised and pleased on how Lotus Thief’s “Rervm” has turned out, featuring a truly unique and engaging sound that is very structured and free-flowing, unlike Botanist. Delivering six very solid tracks, this is probably at the top of our “Best surprises of 2014” list.

    The album kicks off with the heavy riffing of “Aeternvm” creating a very hypnotic passage that is later complemented with brilliant atmospheric elements and female vocals. The drumming still has that Botanist edge to it, but it is far less chaotic and fits the music perfectly. There are some trippy atmospheric sounds here and there that nicely complement the atmosphere of this track. Things pick up with “Miseras” and its Sludge/Alt-Rock vibe, showing a different side of the band while retaining its atmospheric uniqueness.

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    Manes – Be All End All (2014)

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    Usually, there are weird releases that completely push the envelope and then you have Manes weird. “Be All End All” delivers nine tracks that mash genres together and crates a truly bizarre, and yet awesome, experience. Having passed seven years since the band’s last full-length release, this album will surely please and puzzle all fans of Tor-Helge Skei (aka Cernunus) and his uniquely odd musical vision.

    Opening with the jazzy/trip-hopish “A Deathpact Most Imminent” clearly states that this is going to be one unique musical experience. Asgeir Hatlen’s vocals are one of the band’s signature elements and greatly enhance the experience with his unique pipes having influences of Kjetil Nordhus and Kristoffer Rygg. Experimentation is the main theme behind this release, and by the odd vocals mixed in with the mellow tempo and atmospheric jazziness of “A Safe Place In The Unsafe” you clearly notice how everything comes together in a very bizarre way.

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    Nucleus Torn – Street Lights Fail (2014)

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    Experimental/Avant-garde outfit Nucleus Torn returns in 2014 with their mesmerizing “Street Lights Fail”. Hailing from Switzerland, this outfit led by Fredu Schnyder delivers nearly 40 minutes of thought provoking music that pushes the boundaries of anything that could be defined. Mixing heavy distorted guitars with countless other instruments and a very mellow vibe, this is one album that you should listen to if you like bands like Lethe and Manes, you are in for a treat.

    Opening with the warm-up desolate piece “-“, we are introduced to a very bleak atmosphere with lush pianos and haunting female vocals. This track suddenly morphs into a jazzy/lounge piece that is quite intoxicating and engaging. As the song bleeds into “Worms”, the distorted guitars quickly set the mood a bit livelier and greatly enhance the jazzy atmosphere that is mixed in between. Anna Murphy’s and Maria D’Alessandro’s vocals are amazing in this release and they sound like the post-Kari years of The Third and the Mortal. This 19 minute piece is pure magic and features just the right amount of experimental and complexity to fully captivate its audience.

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