Some years ago, I was sitting in a bar, licking my drink, when something hit my ears: “Pray to God I think of a nice thing to say, But I don’t think I can so fuck you anyway…” I said, wow! Asked the bartender who are these guys, he actually didn’t knew, but searched on the playlist and told me: Archive. Fuck! So, I dig them out and I had one of the most wonderful surprises of that windy and rainy autumn, I had five albums to knock myself off. That song, “Fuck U” was from their “Noise” album released in 2004. Archive was formed by Darius Keeler and Danny Griffiths in 1994 from the ashes of the UK breakbeat act, Genaside II. Together with the female singer Roya Arab and the young rapper Rosko John, they released their first album “Londinium” on Island Records in 1996, a gloomy mix of dark Trip Hop and Electronica in a similar vein to Massive Attack, flavored with their the sounds of their roots of Breakbeat and Hardcore. Peter Gabriel was quoted as saying, “Londinium was one of my most favourite albums of the year.” In 1997 Roya Arab was replaced by Suzanne Wooder and two years later they released their second studio album, entitled “Take My Head”, a more Pop and melody oriented material with a smoother approach of Symphonic Trip-Hop. Read more Archive – With Us Until You’re Dead (2012)
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The Gathering – Disclosure (2012)
The first track I heard was “Paper Waves” and honestly it was not too convincing while it’s kind of dissolving in the air, but fortunately, the almost 8 minutes of “Meltdown” incorporates everything what makes Magic The Gathering and washes away the Pop-like, but almost tasteless, ultimately a filling felt of “Paper Waves”.
So, the Dutch Alternative Rock driven force, The Gathering are back with their tenth studio album, “Disclosure”, the follow up of the 2009’s “The West Pole” which also marked the debut of their new vocalist Silje Wergeland (previous front woman of Octavia Sperati). Meanwhile, we had a free download on their Bandcamp page, originally released on May 16th, 2011, and still available, “Heroes For Ghosts”, a more darker melange of (Progressive/Alernative) Rock roots and Trip-Hop flavored cinematic moments. And the whole album it’s a journey through smoothly colored, subtly layered and gently flowing soundscapes, The Gathering merging in their own style every musical genre and style their previously explored from explosive and symphonic taste-like Rock to Trip-Hop with blowing Jazz and Electronic flavor. Not even the sky is the limit, not for The Gathering anyway – anymore. And “Disclosure” is a very glossy, joyful journey. Read more The Gathering – Disclosure (2012)
Ostfront – Ave Maria (2012)
Operation Ostfront (German for “Eastern Front”) was the sortie into the Arctic Ocean by the German warship Scharnhorst during World War II. In May 1941, after the loss of the German battleship Bismarck, Adolf Hitler had forbidden any German capital ship from venturing into contested seas. By December 1943 the tide had turned against Germany. The Battle of the Atlantic had been lost, and supplies poured into the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union. In September 1943 the German battleship Tirpitz was disabled during the British Operation Source, leaving Scharnhorst and Prinz Eugen the only operational heavy ships in the Kriegsmarine. In November 1943 the Arctic Convoys restarted. On 19 December 1943 Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz submitted a request to Hitler to allow Scharnhorst to attack the next convoy sailing through the Barents Sea. On the 25 December 1943 Dönitz ordered Ostfront to commence. Admiral Fraser, alerted by Norwegian resistance information to the possibility of an interception by Scharnhorst, prepared a trap for the German warship.
On 25 December Scharnhorst sailed to intercept the British convoy, JW 55B, believing it to be sparsely protected. In the ensuing Battle of the North Cape Scharnhorst was separated from her escorting destroyers and was sunk. This is history.
Neue Deutsche Härte – “New German Hardness” it’s a term invented by the German music press in 1995 specially to describe/defined the music delivered by Rammstein on their debut album “Herzeleid”. Also known as German Electronic Metal or Dance Metal (tanzmetall), this new genre has its roots in the music of bands such as Laibach, Die Krupps and Oomph! and along Rammstein the genre is proudly represented by bands such as Eisbrecher, Megaherz, Megaherz, Tanzwut, Umbra et Imago, In Extremo, Omega Lithium, Stahlhammer, Fleischmann, etc.
Ost+Front will definitively delight all and each Rammstein fan. Read more Ostfront – Ave Maria (2012)
Uglyhead – The Garden (2012)
If there is a missing link between Joy Division and Ministry, that must be Uglyhead. But Uglyhead incorporates several other different reminiscences from Syd Barrett smell like Psychedelic Rock to The Sisters Of Mercy trademarked Dark mechanics and from Field Of the Nephilim perfumed mysticism to contorted Garage Rock noisiness. This isn’t a walk through on a Sunday noon through the sunny park, “The Garden” is more like a secret dark place wit 10 alleys (paths) or 10 growing trees, branching around, exploring the mysteries of this world and our hidden inner universe. Merging different sonar elements, genres and styles, Uglyhead revels its own genre and style, delivering an atmospheric, highly textured journey and painting-up a tale of transformation, consumption and devastation.
Uglyhead is an experimental Rock band originally from Seattle, Uglyhead now operates primarily out of San Francisco, and the project is headed by musician/producer Jake Alejo. Read more Uglyhead – The Garden (2012)
Step Between Shadows – Understanding Your Reflection, EP (2012)
Mandatory if you’re a Trent Reznor/Nine Inch Nails fan, eventually you’re into Gary Numan’s music and the latest soundtracks delivered by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Step Between Shadows are the very next artist to listen too and get your hands on his recently released debut EP available now on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, etc or download it for only $2 USD via Bandcamp. The EP was mastered by Tom Baker at Precision Mastering, Hollywood, CA (Nine Inch Nails, How To Destroy Angels, Marilyn Manson), so, it’s really sound huge!!
Matt John Ryan aka. Step Between Shadows is an artist from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and his debut EP consist of four solid tracks. This is a post-industrial journey into the world previously explored by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, first on the 2010’s score for David Fincher’s “The Social Network” which won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score and the Academy Award for Original Score; and on the score for Fincher’s adaptation of “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”, which also were announced as nominees for the 2012 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score. “Understanding Your Reflection” definitively deserves a movie and eventually some nominees for Best Original Score!! Read more Step Between Shadows – Understanding Your Reflection, EP (2012)
Ghosts – Judge (2012)
Two Dublin (Ireland) based producers, Paudie Bob and Kevin Gleeson, merging elements of Dark Ambient, Garage, 2 Step and Dubstep.
This is a nice trip into the dark side of electronic emotions and mechanical grooves, manipulated vocals, smartly layered synths and pulsing noises. Mysterious, still catchy and colorful, Ghosts find a nice path between Deep House, Techno, 2 Step, Garage, Dubstep, Dark Ambient and blend them all together into their own.
To date they have two independently released two EP’s, “Doxology” and “NIGHT”, and several official remixes for the likes of CLU, Simon Bird and Monto. Their new EP, “Judge”, was released on June 18th by the online digital label, Bad Panda Records.
And most of all, can get it for FREE legally/officially!! Read more Ghosts – Judge (2012)
Subsource – Generation Doom, EP (2012)
“Tales From the Doombox”, their 2010’s debut album was huge as a 10 tones punch right in the face. These guys from London just nailed the essence of wobbling noises filled Dubstep, the nerve and anger of Punk and the heaviness of Metal acts and merged everything into their own flavored music. Few artists can mash up different styles so smoothly and coherently as they did. Get Sex Pistols, Skrillex and Slipknot in the same room and make them bleed out the most intense possible s*it they can deliver, and then, eventually, you will come near to what Subsource sounds like. It’s dangerous and ferocious. Banger! This is the best result if someone ever trying to merge The Prodigy with Rage Against the Machine.
Liam Howlett of The Prodigy said: “These boy have a big, nasty sound. Dangerous to my ears” – and he definitively knows what he’s talking about.
Punkstep? Well, no label might match more appropriate!! Read more Subsource – Generation Doom, EP (2012)
Dub Pistols – Worshipping The Dollar (2012)
No sex, but dub!! Still, quite addictive and possible, contagious!
Formed and surfaced in London, in 1996, by ex-club promoter, producer, vocalist, DJ, Barry Ashworth, busted out declaring “There’s Gonna Be A Riot”. While their incendiary live show ensured a solid worldwide following through relentless touring, the records took their own path, moving swiftly on from initial Big Beat Whoopee into celebrations of two lifetimes of musical obsessions, the Reggae-Punk implications of the Dub Pistols moniker just the launch-pad. Merging melodious Pop with edge-cutting Dub and not loosing for a single second the biting tooth of Punk, Dub Pistols grown into a murderous entertaining machine bringing serious social issues to the dance floor. Read more Dub Pistols – Worshipping The Dollar (2012)
Alex Manfuso – Days, new single
Summer time needs summer hits!
Alex Manfuso is one of Italy’s most sought-after young DJs and after his last single “Glad I’m Free” hammered the download charts in early 2012, expectations are huge. With shows for 10k+ people coming up this summer, he is now dropping his sickest single yet: ‘Days’, in time for the summer parties.
This is a pumping, uplifting, catch and groovy track which gonna bring everybody to the dance floor! Read more Alex Manfuso – Days, new single
Laibach – Monumental Retro-Avant-Garde, Live at Tate Modern (2012)
On the 14th April 2012, Laibach presented a unique show at the prestigious Tate Modern Turbine Hall, with an overview of their history, from 1980 to the future, with music from their latest release, the “Iron Sky” soundtrack. This historical event has been recorded and is now available to order as a double CD Limited Edition or download released by Mute and Abbey Road Live Here Now.
Laibach is history. The Slovenian avant-garde music group was formed on June 1, 1980 in Trbovlje, Slovenia, at the time SFR Yugoslavia. They represents the music wing of the Neue Slowenische Kunst (NSK) art collective, of which they was founding members in 1984. The name “Laibach” is the German name for Slovenia’s capital city, Ljubljana.
The band’s first work was a multimedia project called “Rdeči revirji” (“Red District”), but the performance was banned even before its opening due to its “improper and irresponsible” usage of Malevich’s black crosses as symbols on the posters. The first live appearance and an exhibition entitled “Žrtve letalske nesreće” (“Victims of an Air Accindent”) the group had in January 1982 at the Ljubljana club FV, followed by some now legendary performances in Belgrade and Zagreb. At that point, the group’s musical style was characterized by the critics as “Industrial Rock”, and Read more Laibach – Monumental Retro-Avant-Garde, Live at Tate Modern (2012)
