ALBUM REVIEW: Jaye Jayle – After Alter


Jaye Jayle went from being Evan Patterson’s solo project that explored sounds outside of what he did in Young Widows and has now become a full-fledged band.Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Mogwai – The Bad Fire


 

Robert Smith once called these guys his favorite band and it is easy to hear why. Eleven albums into their career, Mogwai has a clear focus on their sonic journey on The Bad Fire (Rock Action Records). Vocals appear right from the first song, serving as a smooth texture that sits in the swirl of sound. Things get more into their older bran of majestic melancholy on the second song. It’s less pop-oriented than the opening track. If you came here wanting post-rock this is the song for you. “What Kind of a Mix is This” feels like it just spills out from the end of the lingering ebb of the previous song. It takes a minute for a guitar melody to establish the song’s footing.Continue reading


CONCERT REVIEW: Solstafir – Oranssi Pazuzu – Hamferð Live at Manchester Club Academy


“The Nordic Descent” tour must be carrying in its wake a touch of that famous Nordic climate as the UK is treated to its one light dusting of snow for the year. And of course as is tradition, once the first flakes touch ground all roads are rendered seemingly unusable which means our journey to the venue is inevitably delayed, throw in some minor confusion with passes on the door and we are unfortunately only able to catch the tail end of tonight’s opening act.Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Six Months of Sun – Creatures


Presenting the best of Stoner Metal that is guaranteed to make their listeners aghast, Geneva-based power trio Six Months of Sun are back with a third full-length entitled Creatures via Cold Smoke Records and Urgence Disk, which features atmospheric passages and a versatile succession of riffs that ranges from being heavy to sharp. Having embarked on a formidable journey of track record by opening for many big names such as Red Fang, Church of Misery, and Fu Manchu, they continue on offering a profound bestiary of Stoner riffs with hints of Prog undertones here and there. While they’re keeping their massive sounds intact, they are suitable for fans of instrumental stoner/sludge such as Pelican and Russian Circles. Being a longtime Pelican fan myself since high school years, I instantly vibed with this album right after first listen– with all its solid resonances and all that.Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Pillar Of Light – Caldera


This Detroit-based Sludge band Pillar Of Light moves into their brand of Metal like a storm cloud on their debut full-length Caldera (Transcending Obscurity Records) with a hypnotic manner of riffing that allows the songs to flow.  Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: ISLEPTONTHEMOON – Only The Stars Know Of My Misfortune


ISLEPTONTHEMOON is an anonymous solo project based in Atlanta, Georgia. Only The Stars Know Of My Misfortune (Bindrune Recordings) is their third full-length release.Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Dirty Shades – Stuck in Motion


Hailing from France the Dirty Shades upholds the country’s legacy of birthing powerful atmospheric rock. Their new album Stuck in Motion (Modulor Music) offers a post-Hardcore punch to the dynamics as their sound swirls around you. They step on the gas at a few points in the opening track “Cannon Fodder” to keep the dynamics varied. Lead singer Anouk Degrande is backed by shouted accents where she allows her voice to wander off the swells of the guitar. The bass line anchors the second track “Mine,” as the ambiance thickens to a palm-muted groove buried in the layers. They build the song up into a heavier punch not unlike how Tool once commanded dynamics during the nineties. Continue reading