Though Ville Valo has often been seen as the sole proprietor of love metal as a genre, primarily because very few can match his vampiric romanticism and poetry, Atlas arises as a formidable and remarkable successor. Infusing love metal with arcane echoes and bestial screams, they delivers a sensually brutal epic in their new record, Sunder (Odyssey Music). Continue reading
Named after 1998’s Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl (directed by Twin Peaks’ Joan Chen), San Jose, California trio Xiu Xiu have an astonishing fifteen full-length records to their name, of which Xiu Mutha Fuckin’ Xiu: Vol. 1 (Polyvinyl Records) is the latest. Continue reading
Austrian black metal wizards Ellende are back with Zerfall (AOP Records), this time even more atmospheric but with stunning guitar work and a haze of melancholy, embossing their waves of scathing picking. The wrathful vocals are more scornful this time around. Halfway through “Wahrheit,” a melodic swathe of clean guitar with Folk elements emerges. It works from the melodic themes established in the song. If you are already a fan, the first song makes it clear you are getting what you want from them.