Atmospheric and ravishing, “Survived By None”, the twelve tracks debut release of the British Breaking The Day will grind you to the ground. With roots back to raw black metal, but with extreme and modern, sometimes quite experimental metal in their veins, BTD find their quite unique path to explore the darkest and contorted borders of nowadays metal/post-hardcore area of music. Brutal, but expressive, gloomy, but beautiful, “Survived By None” is an astonishing panorama of apocalypse, an end not of the race or the species, but of the man and his alienated soul. Shit, at least this is what I think so. Read more Breaking The Day – Survived By None (2011)
2011
Dot Three – Antithesis (2011)
For ₤1 (or more) you can have this 12 track release via Bandcamp. Or go there and just listen it, you will not be dissapointed. For the music, imagine a collision between Annihilator and Pantera. Joe Newham seems to be a pretty good guitar player, the songs are filled with excellent riff works and some interesting themes, but honestly, this sounds more than a pretty good demo, rather than an album. But definitively there’s potential in it, if Joe will find the proper band mates, and especially a powerful, charismatic lead singer, this project might become the real thing. “Superimposed” for instance is a quite interesting experiment and it’s not the only one. Still, despite a few very good themes, the strong riffs and complex, technical constructions, the good groove and atmosphere, still, somehow this work seems not completely finished. Read more Dot Three – Antithesis (2011)
The Amsterdams – Electromagnetica (2011)
I’ve got to admit it, globalization in some particular cases has its indisputable charm. You can’t take a piss at Melbourne without somebody notice it at Juneau and with a proper Facebook/Buttbook profile you might have you’re mandatory “fifteen seconds of shame”…
The Amsterdams are not some Dutch guys as you might believe, they are from Bucharest, Romania and playing a sort of very Brit indie pop/rock. Back in 2005 when the band was founded they sounds more like Kaiser Chiefs, meanwhile they lost along the way their punk after-taste rawness and scratchiness, their sound becomes more smoother, radio and consumer friendly. “Electromagnetica” is the band’s second album, released on 31 March 2011 and since 1st April is available also as free digital download at the band’s official web site. Read more The Amsterdams – Electromagnetica (2011)
Far Plain – Human Forbidden (2011)
Released a few days ago on NuGenesis Ltd., “Human Forbidden” the second full-length album by French band Far Plain merging together the charming grunge resonances of the 90s inspired by bands such as Alice In Chains and Stone Temple Pilots, so those who already buried the grunge now can take their shovels and dig this album out, they will have a nice surprise, grunge is still alive and kicking. Well, maybe not at Seattle, but Paris. 🙂
Beneath all the parallels, the 11 plus one bonus track of “Human Forbidden” are made of the best elements of 90s grunge, we’ve got cutting riffs, floating acoustic moments, raw garage rock and smooth classy orchestrations, strong, but melodious vocal arrangements. And even if some moments may sounds pretty familiar, this feels just nice to listen to. Read more Far Plain – Human Forbidden (2011)
Icon in Me – Head Break Solution (2011)
In the purest vein of Machine Head, merging thrash, groove metal and hardcore, this over-borders collaborative project involving musicians from Russia, Sweden and Denmark, will release on July 12 via the Chicago, Illinois-based label Goomba Music their second full-length album following their 2009 debut “Human Museum”. ex-Hostile Breed guitarist Dmitry Frans and bass player Konstantin, guitarist Artyom (ex- Reign The Absolute, БeZumnye Usilya) – from Moscow, Russia, Danish drummer Morten Løwe Sørensen (Amaranthe, Mercenary, The Arcane Order, Submission, Soilwork, Hatesphere, Scarve, Instant Carnage) and Swedish vocalist Tony Jelencovich (M.A.N, С-187, ex-Mnemic, Transport League) delivering 12 new, original, strong, killer tracks, already absolute classics of metal themes with cutting riffs, merciless vocals and pumping drums, with roots back to both Testament and Pantera, putting together all the good stuffs and elements which made the metal of the 90s so heavy and powerful. Read more Icon in Me – Head Break Solution (2011)
Thot – Obscured by the Wind (2011)
Thoth was considered one of the most important deities of the Egyptian pantheon. Thoth was often considered to be the heart which, according to the ancient Egyptians, is the seat of intelligence or the mind and tongue of the sun god Ra, as well as the means by which Ra’s will was translated into speech. He played many vital and prominent roles in Egyptian mythology, such as maintaining the universe, and being one of the two deities who stood on either side of Ra’s boat, the other being Ma’at, who was also his wife. In the later history of ancient Egypt, Thoth became heavily associated with the arbitration of godly disputes, the arts of magic, the system of writing, the development of science, and the judgment of the dead.
In the early 90s I’ve get interested in Tarot and by that I have been reading a lot about Egyptian mythology and several other books linked to this subjects, one of them being “The Book of Thoth : A Short Essay on the Tarot of the Egyptians”. That book describes the philosophy and the use of Aleister Crowley’s Thoth Tarot, a deck of Tarot cards designed by Crowley and co-designed and painted by Lady Frieda Harris. On the other hand, the “original” “Book of Thoth” is a book containing powerful magical spells that appears in an ancient Egyptian story from the Ptolemaic period which reflects the Egyptian belief that the gods’ knowledge is not meant for humans to know.
But for sure you must know about Thot – the band – is another nice discovery bring to my attention by Aurelien Dubois-Pham of Domino Media Agency. Gregoire Fray from Brussels, Belgium, guilty of unleashing this beast, created a quite exciting and unique mixture of electro-rock merging industrial, darkwave and indie/alternative rock elements. Read more Thot – Obscured by the Wind (2011)
Crossfaith – The Dream, The Space (2011)
Before I had listen to “The Dream, The Space” the second full-length album by Crossfaith, I saw on YouTube their video of “Omen” and it just blow my head off. I’m quite a devoted Prodigy fan and “Omen” is one of my favorite songs, but these guys released a killer cover.
On the other hand I have to admit, I’m sick, tired and bored of this “metalcore”, “alternative metal” trend, trillion of bands from all over the world playing the same patters, it becomes absolutely cliche this mixture of raw and clean vocals dialogue, this post-emo approach of classic metal with post-hardcore elements. Well, as always, there are a few exceptions, and these Japanese guys are one of them. Read more Crossfaith – The Dream, The Space (2011)
Slide On Venus – Put music to your troubles, EP (2010)
Formed in 2007, Slide On Venus* from Besançon, France merging power pop, indie, pop punk and high-energy rock elements in their groove oriented, electrifying music. Their third EP “Music To Put Your Troubles” released in November 2010 consist of five dynamic, pulsing, high-end and absolutely positive songs, beside their declared influences, reminds me a little bit also of OK Go, and not only because these French guys are singing in English, but their sound and music is quite American.
“California Saturday Ghost”, “Tongue and Blood”, or the smoother, softer “Aurora” are quite catchy songs, this positive vibe just feels alright. Read more Slide On Venus – Put music to your troubles, EP (2010)
48V – South II (2011)
In 1966, Neumann GmbH of Berlin, Germany, presented a new type of transistorized microphone to the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, NRK. Norwegian Radio had requested phantom-powered operation. Since NRK already had 48 volt available in their studios for their emergency lighting systems, this voltage was therefore used for powering the new microphones, KM 84 model, and is the origin of 48-V phantom power.
“South II” is the second full-length album by 48V from Hunan, Chengdu, China and it’s instrumental. A quite interesting blending of post-rock and electronic elements into a flowing, growing, sparkling music with a nice, electric groove and some catchy themes.
And considering they name, I might be wrong thinking of 48 volt while their MySpace URL is 48… vodka. 😀 Read more 48V – South II (2011)
BadBadNotGood – BBNG, EP (2011)
I actually thought their name is The Odd Trio, it seems I was wrong. And I admit it when I’m fucking up things. For God sake I’m not perfect. Yet. 👿 I’m willing to improve myself.
BadBadNotGood are back with another free EP, can grab it from their Bandcamp page or via Mediafire. Matt Tavares on piano, Alex Sowinski on drums and Chester Hansen on bass are three talented guys from Toronto and they plays smooth, but groovy modern jazz balancing between classic aromas and post-bop flavors. Experimental, still classy charming, smooth and exciting. Something absolutely nice to listening to. It’s quite an unique blending of traditional jazz and avant-garde experimentation, improvisations. Absolutely fresh and sparking. Read more BadBadNotGood – BBNG, EP (2011)
