Tag Archives: synths

ALBUM REVIEW: THE MON – Songs of Abandon

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In a way, every album has a story. In the case of Songs of Abandon (Supernatural Cat Records) though, the latest release from solo project THE MON, the story is a specific and unique one. Several years ago, Urlo (bass player and vocalist for doomy, heavy-rock unit Ufomammut) decided to try writing nine songs, each one in a day—just himself and an acoustic guitar. Fast forward to 2025 and Songs of Abandon comes as the first part of a two-album concept: Embrace The Abandon (to be followed by Songs of Embrace in the new year). The result is an intimate and eerie collection that favours subtlety over sonic extremes, while maintaining an understated power.

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ALBUM REVIEW: -ii- (two eyes) – Apostles of the Flesh

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-ii- (pronounced “two eyes”) hail from Nancy, France, and Apostles of the Flesh (Self-Released) is their second album. For this release they have ventured away from their previous electronic approach and into something more organic performed by a full band. Indeed, joining the core duo of Hélène Ruzic (vocals) and Benjamin Racine (guitars, basses, synths, percussions, kayamb, xaphoon, bouzouki, piano) are Maxime Keller (basses, synths, prepared piano) and David l’Huillier (drums, percussion).

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ALBUM REVIEW: Guck – Gucked Up

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Guck are a new band from Los Angeles, and their style is described as “loud, deranged, jazz-damaged noise rock.” Gucked Up (Three One G Records) is their debut record.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Arcadea – The Exodus of Gravity

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The Exodus of Gravity (Relapse Records) is the follow-up to Arcadea’s 2017 debut. Brann Dailor is still handling the drums and vocals, with Core Atoms returning to handle the bulk of the synth duties. At the same time, they are also joined by Mastodon‘s current touring keyboardist João Nogueira, adding to the layers of prog unfolding here. There is less of a synth wave feel this time around. His drumming is more aggressive. He piles on layers of vocal overdubs to try things he does not normally explore with his day job. The title track would feel more like current-day Mastodon if the synths were replaced by guitars. “Fuzzy Planet’ is the lead single and the best of the first three songs, as it takes things in a more new wave, Gary Numan direction, while applying some funky grooves. This sets the project apart as a more distinct entity. Continue reading →


ALBUM REVIEW: Youth Code – Yours, With Malice

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Youth Code reclaims its crown for being the torch carrier of the industrial revival with its new EP Yours, With Malice (Sumerian Records). The lead single “No Consequence” sets things off, with the duo sounding more refined and with a serrated edge to the vengeful hooks of Sara Taylor’s chanted declaration of “never pretending/ to be something she’s not,”. A powerful sentiment in today’s world, where artists are often as fabricated as the online personas people adopt. The challenge the band presents for themselves, by setting the bar so high from the get-go go is will they will be able to measure up? That is what the rest of the review will determine. Continue reading →


Neon Nightmare Shares Debut Single and Video “Lost Silver” – Signs with 20 Buck Spin

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Photo by: David Brendan Hall

20 Buck Spin has signed synthy Doom Goth artist Neon Nightmare! The artist has shared a chilling debut single or the project’s first single and music video for “Lost Silver!” Any inspiration gleaned from Peter Steele and Type O Negative is purely on purpose, and we are 100% here for it! Watch the video, directed by Emmanuella Zachariou now. 
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ALBUM REVIEW: Fu Manchu – The Return of Tomorrow

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Fu Manchu formed in 1985 as Hardcore-Punk outfit Virulence whose sole release  1988’s If This Isn’t A Dream… has been reissued by Southern Lord. After this came a name and musical style change reminiscent of Corrosion of Conformity who undertook a similar evolution themselves. Continue reading →


ALBUM REVIEW: Nestor – Teenage Rebel

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Do you yearn for the eighties? Do you wish the world and its music had never changed since the decade of miners’ strikes, shoulder pads, and synths? Well, the Nestor are the band for you, and they have just released their second album Teenage Rebel on Napalm Records. Formed in 1989 but going on hiatus and not releasing their debut Kids in a Ghost Town until 2021, Teenage Rebel mashes together Glam Metal, AOR, and everything eighties Rock had to offer into one cheesy-as-hell time capsule. 

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ALBUM REVIEW: Will Haven – VII

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Will Haven are a band who have diligently been plugging away since 1995, and with VII (MinusHead Records), the cult Californian’s have provided a brash, noisy slice of post-hardcore, which has a raw and relentlessly abrasive sound throughout.   

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ALBUM REVIEW: Big|Brave – Nature Morte

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Big|Brave, along with recent collaborators The Body (on Leaving None But Small Birds), Sunn O))) and Earth, are one of those bands whose music while fundamentally heavy and ‘Metal’ (for all intents and purposes) nonetheless expands far beyond the sometimes self-imposed conservative restrictions of the genre. Being a somewhat inactive member of a Metal group on Facebook, I am all too familiar with the more traditional brand of Metalhead for whom the genre stopped being ‘true’ after Iron Maiden‘s Somewhere In Time or Metallica‘s …And Justice For All. If you are of that ilk therefore, I have a sneaking suspicion that this album possibly won’t be for you. 

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