Celebrated Drummer Dale Crover has been performing with the Melvins since 1984 when he replaced founding member Mike Dillard, since then he’s had stints with Nirvana and collaborated in projects such as Shrinebuilder, Men of Porn and Conan Neutron & the Secret Friends. Furthermore, he performs with Redd Kross, and has embarked on a solo career, first with the Hard-Rock flavoured Altamont and then the eclectic, experimental compositions under his own name. Continue reading
Tag Archives: Avant-Garde
ALBUM REVIEW: Uniform – American Standard
New York City’s Uniform’s new album American Standard (Dias Records ) finds vocalist Michael Bearden in a soul-baring exploration of his struggles with bulimia. The album serves as Bearden’s catharsis. The strangled snarl of his yelled vocals paints an accurate picture of the self-loathing that comes with this neurosis. This captures a raw emotional tension that lurks under the mood of the songs. This is delivered through their ability as songwriters, which is a somewhat different story. The album begins with a sprawling opening track. For twenty-one minutes you are hit with a pounding drone, at times this grooves at it drones. This is the first of the sonic dichotomies this album is full of, so if you do not appreciate clashing concepts, it might not be for you.
CONCERT REVIEW: Locrian – High Aura’d – A Monolithic Dome Live at The Alchemy
Locrian made three New England stops on their current tour making The Alchemy in Providence, RI the first up on the list with support from the Cleveland-based composer High Aura’d and A Monolithic Dome featuring members of Elizabeth Colour Wheel of Boston. I went into the show kind of blind since I had only been asked to review it maybe 48 hours previous and had no previous knowledge of either of the supporting bands.Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Respire – Hiraeth
In 2020, Canadian Post / Avantgarde Black Metal collective Respire, released their memorable third album Black Line. A record with a spin on the genre that stood out as the works of a band who were comfortable in pushing the boundaries of what was possible with the Black Metal sound. Hiraeth now follows, four years in the making and diving deeper into the use of experimentation, with grand orchestral arrangements creating a sound that owes as much inspiration to the likes of their fellow countrymen Godspeed You! Black Emperor, as it does classic Black Metal bands such as, well Emperor.Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Through Mists – Branches
Even after nearly half a dozen playthroughs, it’s still a challenge identifying a common thread in which to weave together the five tracks of Branches (Self-Released), the latest output from Through Mists’ mastermind James Aniston.Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Scarcity – The Promise Of Rain
Second album from Scarcity, the Brooklyn based avantgarde Black Metal collective, who have managed to create a sound like no other on a record that well and truly bends the mind. This is black metal, but not as we know it. True, the blackened-screams of vocalist Doug Moore (Pyrrhon / Seputus) are delivered with a typical dark venom, but they are perhaps the most conventional aspect of the sound Scarcity purvey.
ALBUM REVIEW: Pijn – From Low Beams Of Hope
Sincerity is difficult to fake – ask any politician in the build-up to an election – yet post-rock Manchester collective Pijn (pronounced “pine”) keep it real on their powerful, atmospheric, heartfelt new album, From Low Beams Of Hope (Floodlit Recordings).Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Squid Pisser – Dreams of Puke
It’s time to get messy, as Squid Pisser returns to shower listeners in a hot mess of aliens, extreme metal, and bodily fluids on latest record Dreams of Puke (SKiN GRAFT Records). Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Apocalyptica – Plays Metallica Vol 2.
Everybody loves covers! Especially covers of iconic songs by great bands. What is better than a single cover version of a classic track, but an entire album of them? What’s even better than that? Well, how about two albums of covers of a bunch of classics!
Yes, we’re talking about Apocalyptica, and we’re talking about Apocalyptica covering Metallica, which they did to great effect on their debut album twenty-five years ago! They have made a career of covering classics in Thrash Metal, introducing thrash fans to classical music on a new scale. while slowly creating their own repertoire of incredible original music, including a few hits along the way. What we often say about cover songs is that there are two approaches to take; a direct copy just redone beat for beat, or making those songs truly your own. Obviously and speaking of the classical metal masters of the Cello from Finland, we are talking reinterpretation. But they ratchet that up significantly on the sequel to their classic debut, Plays Metallica Vol 2., which is releasing via their own new imprint, Throwdown Entertainment.Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Insect Ark – Raw Blood Singing
On Raw Blood Singing (Debemur Morti Productions), Insect Ark returns with an otherworldly and compelling sci-fi landscape of noir, subtle menace and mystery. Continue reading