Rock

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    Ides of Gemini – Women (2017)

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    As one of the most anticipated releases of 2017, today we have Ides of Gemini and their latest opus “Women”. Between releases the band changed their lineup a bit, freeing up Sera Timms to focus on vocals while adding Scott Batiste and Adam Murray. With this new configuration the band unleashes upon us ten solid tracks that further develop their already quite unique and intoxicating sound. If you like music that is both Doomy and mysterious, you are in for a treat with this one.

    The album instantly pulls you to its magic with the opener “Mother Kiev”. In this piece we have J. Bennett delivering his signature riffs under the enchanting vocals or Sera Timms. While not overly flash or technically complex, the band’s atmosphere is very dense and efficient. As the band rolls through “The Rose” and “The Dancer” we get to appreciate their fuzzy Psychedelic elements which make the band’s sound even more diverse and intoxicating.

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    Project Nightscape – To Sin against our Mercies (2016)

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    As one of the most unique and diverse releases we received in the last few months, today we have Project Nightscape and their 13-track opus “To Sin against our Mercies”. In a similar fashion than Ayreon and Beto Vazquez Infinity, this album is a concept release and features a very wide variety of musicians allowing for very diverse styles to be played. Mostly varying between Progressive Rock/Metal, this release has very memorable tracks that are quite catchy and expertly crafted.

    With the lyrical/story concept crafted by David W. Edwards and the guitar work crafted by other than Tony Gaglio, this release opens with the hard rocking “(Living in) Sacred Time” and the Heavy Metal anthem “Only Reason”. Continuing the album’s story after an interlude, we have proggy Rush-like “Now Silence!” and the ballad-esque “Inmortuorum Memorias”. As you could tell, the music varies from track to track but the songs are very well aligned to match the album’s lyrical progression.

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    Sabbath Assembly - Rites of Passage (2017)

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    Continuing their evolution from their earlier concept and musical direction, today we have Sabbath Assembly and their very unique “Rites of Passage” full-length release. Fully settling into their Doomy Psychedelic style, the band forges a very engaging sound that clearly identifies them from the rest and delivers over 44 minutes of intoxicating music.

    Opening with the fuzzy bass guitar line of “Shadows of Revenge”, the band instantly immerses the listener into their own unique world. Led by Jamie Myers on vocals, this album sets a very lively tone with a upbeat tempo and solid guitar riffs. Showcasing their versatility, “Angels Trumpets” takes a bit of a different approach, creating a very delirious piece with multiple overlaid vocals and a very disturbing and eerie chaotic vibe.

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    Tusmörke – Hinsides (2017)

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    Hailing from Norway, today we have the return of Tusmörke and their whacky retro mixture of Psychedelic Rock with Progressive elements. With a hearty 60’s/70’s vibe, this release has a very warm and fuzzy sound that is brilliantly complemented by folky rhythms and very fitting vocal arrangements. Slowly refining their sound over the years, the band is still as original and crazy as when we first got introduced to them back in 2012 with their “Underjordisk Tusmørke” release.

    Opening with the festive “Hjemsokte Hjem”, the band sets the mood with funky percussions, energetic flutes, very melodic vocal arrangements, and dreamy atmospherics. Moving into more proggy and psychedelic territories, “Rykende Ruin” is a song that slowly progresses with very catchy synths and flutes leading the way. We particularly love how the band layers multiple elements to deliver a very retro and yet unique sound that is unlike any other band these days.

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    Evenline – In Tenebris (2017)

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    Delivering 10 tracks of radio friendly Alternative Rock/Metal, today we have France’s Evenline and their latest full-length release “In Tenebris”. With a mixture of influences from Alter Bridge, Papa Roach, and similar outfits, this release showcases a band perfecting their craft through highly engaging and entertaining songs. If you are a fan of the more listener-friendly heavy music, this release will certainly go well in your collection.

    Opening with the soaring vocal melodies of “All Against Me” and the catchy riffs of “Straitjacket”, the band does an excellent job in delivering memorable songs that are equally catchy and engaging. Band’s vocalist Arnaud Gueziec as the perfect sound for such a band, and his talents propel songs like “Silene Capensis” and “Echoes of Silence”, both of which also show his heavier side with harsher screams mixed in between.

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    Luciferian Light Orchestra - Black (2016)

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    Arriving today from musical genius Christofer Johnsson of Therion, we have his psychedelic side project Luciferian Light Orchestra and their latest EP titled “Black”. Using the stuff he thinks is too retro for Therion, Christopher and company deliver four excellent songs that while sounding familiar, they still have a very distinctive and creepy vibe to then. If you are a fan of any of Therion’s albums, you will certainly find this release very interesting.

    Opening with the intense “Evil Masquerade”, the vocal arrangements sound eerily familiar with a perfect blend of female and male vocals. The music however, has a very distinctive 70’s vibe to it with warm fuzzy guitar tones and a psychedelic vibe. As the album continues with “Where the Lilies Grow”, we get shivers as we hear the magical female vocals perfectly paired with a creepy vibe, similar to older works of Sabbath Assembly.

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    Dendrites – Dendrites (2016)

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    Hailing from Greece, today we have Hard Rockers Dendrites and their self-titled debut release. Adding some elements of Groove Metal into the mix, this Greek outfit delivers ten superbly catchy tracks that will resonate in your head for days to come.

    Opening with the momentum builder “The Wheel”, we are instantly very surprised on how ‘American’ does the band sound. The band’s vocalist and guitarist Thanasis Tiblalexis as a very distinctive voice which reminds us of Shady Blue of Chrome Division and Markus Hammer of The New Black. The band continues to totally rock with pretty solid tracks like “Breath”, “How Many Times”, and our personal favorite “Peace of Mind”.

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    Moke’s – Moke’s (2015)

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    Hailing from France, today we have Stoner Rock debutants Moke’s and their debut EP. Deliver five catchy and crunchy tracks, this EP showcases the attitude and musical skills behind this promising Parisian band. Greatly appealing to fans of fuzzy riff-driven Rock/Metal, this band craft very engaging songs that keep the energy rolling for the duration of the release.

    Opening with the warm and fuzzy rhythmical riffs of “Antics”, the band quickly showcases their fearless leader (and vocalist) Agnès Bernon. Her voice is a bit raspy and fits perfectly with the vibe created by the guitars and playful drums. Things continue to get more engaging with the brilliant guitar work of “Swamp”, featuring very intense leads and a certain Southern twang to this track.

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    Lacrimas Profundere – Hope is Here (2016)

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    Slowly evolving into their current highly melancholic form, today we have Lacrimas Profundere and their 11th full-length release “Hope is Here”. As one of the marquee names of the Gothic Metal/Rock genre, this German band continues to improve with each release. The band does a great job in crafting twelve very bleak and gloomy pieces which are some of the most inspired songs the band has released in several years.

    Opening with the mellow “The Worship of counting down”, the band is charismatically led by Rob Vitacca’s signature vocals and Oliver Nikolas Schmid’s guitar leads. This album instantly feels very dark and cold, drawing comparisons to the latest releases of bands ranging from Katatonia to To/Die/For. Keeping things interesting, the band always mixes up gloomy passages with hard rocking sections, allowing for tracks like “Hope is Here” and “Aramis” to keep things fresh and interesting.

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    Freitod - Der unsichtbare Begleiter (2016)

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    Featuring a unique mix of Depressive Black Metal with Alternative Rock, Germany’s Freitod third full-length release “Der unsichtbare Begleiter” is quite a unique one. Clocking in at 44 minutes, this album has a very dreamy and melancholic vibe to it, making it one of the freshest sounding albums we have heard in quite a while.

    Opening with the powerful riffing of “Unter schwarzen Wolken”, you can instantly hear that he tempo is a bit different of what you would expect. The harsh vocals and guitar work reminds us a bit of Harakiri for the Sky. The clean vocals are what really make this release magical as they transmit a sense of helplessness that only bands like Katatonia manage to achieve. Perfectly weaving back and forth from semi-aggressive Black Metal passages to more passive Rock-ish soundscapes, tracks like “Die falsche Krankheit” and “Der unsichtbare Begleiter” make this album truly magical.

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