Gliding Soul deliver a quite contorted and dynamic mixture of modern metal heaving roots back to death metal, but revealing nu and groove metal resonances and metalcore infusions as well. While singer Benoit Derat mainly sings as Maynard Keenan of Tool, sometimes he shift into Serj Tankian, but he’s also capable of some deadly or furious death metal howls. The band’s music it’s same colourful and intense. Technical, progressive death metal, brutal metalcore and twisted out nu metal with experimental edge are efficiently merged here. Brutal riffs and acoustic breakdowns, complex rhythms and aggressive grindings are smartly incorporated and build together. Think of a mixture of Tool, System of A Down with a twist of Korn and death metal.
Very intense, very efficient and creative. Although they definitively have some solid influences, the final output it’s expressive and efficient. Technically flawless, Gliding Soul it’s a name to keep in mind if you love experimental, but brutal, modern metal! Read more Gliding Soul – Travelling With Mr. Who, EP (2012)
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Zeromancer – Bye-Bye Borderline (2013)
“Auf Wiedersehen Boy”, the opening track of Zeromancer’s new album, sounds just like a “Mechanical Animals”/”The Golden Age of Grotesque” type of Marilyn Manson anthem. The following “Bye-Bye Borderline” sounds more like a wicked mixture of David Bowie and Muse with a twist of Linkin Park in the chorus.
Smooth electronic layers, solid rock riffs, goth and gloomy vibe, cyber pop flavored melodies and powerful vocal hooks are all vital parts of the Zeromancer’s arsenal.
From the third “Lcyd”, I can distinctly hear a powerful H.I.M. influence running through the vein of their songs merged with a subtle A-HA flavour. But Zeromancer pushed their sound in a fuhrer dark direction and added a more industrial/electronic taste to it. “Bye-Bye Borderline” it’s a strong and balanced mixture of industrial rock and goth vibe, of Northern gloom and charming melodies, of electric rock and electronic pop. Read more Zeromancer – Bye-Bye Borderline (2013)
Bad Religion – True North (2013)
Formed in Los Angeles in 1979, Bad Religion released its sixteenth studio album, kind of unbelievable actually, they some real survivors of a long gone and by many forgotten era. The age of true, honest, undiluted punk (rock). But some things are never change and it’s a good thing. Bad Religion sounds just like three decades ago, and “True North” it’s a very energetic, fresh, sing-a-long type of, genuine Bad Religion release. These melodies, rapid beats, simple and tasty riffs never can be mistaken for anyone, but Bad Religion.
“True North” is a celebration of everything we always love and appreciated about Bad Religion. This is probably their best album, but, fortunately, not their last! Read more Bad Religion – True North (2013)
Gallows – Gallows (2012)
Brutal, raw, merciless hardcore punk. Nothing fancy, nothing polite, nothing for the sake of the compromise, no sell-out. Singer Frank Carter left Gallows in July 2011 and former Alexisonfire guitarist/vocalist Wade MacNeil replaced Carter in August 2011. The result of this fresh blood infusion, the third Gallows’ album it’s a very nervous, very intense, aggressive and loud record. No fills, no breaks, no This “new” Gallows are picking up from where The Exploited left out, although this is less metal flavored and heavily hardcore fueled punk with a good sense of Brit indie rock infusion. “Outsider Art” it’s an excellent sing-a-long type of punk rock anthem with a brutal hardcore breakdown. Simple and brilliant. Memorable and brutal. And this spirit it’s running throughout the veins of all the 11 tracks of the new release and grinding you into the ground. Can run, but can’t hide, Gallows will get you! Read more Gallows – Gallows (2012)
Converge – All We Love We Leave Behind (2012)
Sick as f*ck, fast and loud, Converge, one of the most creative and explosive metal bands emerged from the underground in the last decade it’s back with their eighth and deadliest album. Playing an extremely innovative blend of hardcore punk and modern, death and groove fueled extreme metal, Converge not only opened the path for a new generation of furious metallers, but also inspired and influenced a brand new generation of bands and consistently contributed to define many of the elements of the metalcore genre.
Their previous album, the 2009’s “Axe to Fall” peaked at number 74 in the Billboard 200 and the expectations were pretty high regarding their new release.
“All We Love We Leave Behind” it’s a new milestone in the history of the metal. This is metal f*ckers! True, raw, unpolished, stainless metal. Not that kind of s*it that the media call it metal(core) nowadays and the industry sell it labeled as “the real thing” to the naive teenagers. Surprise!! No electronic layers, no bass drops, no borrowed, Skrillex type of contortions. Fortunately! Read more Converge – All We Love We Leave Behind (2012)
The Raygun Girls – The Raygun Girls (2013)
“The Time is Now” sounds like a furious Kiss track on steroids, and the New York based The Raygun Girls with their 5th studio are definitively willing to conquer the universe, or at least grinding their audience into the ground. Their music it’s a vivid mixture of hard rock, heavy metal, industrial, goth and punk rock, mainly reminding me of Danzig, while they compare their sound to bands such as Lacuna Coil, Rob Zombie, Killing Joke and Evanescence.
The brand new self-titled album it’s both an ode to the Apocalypse, and a call to Revolution, while the aliens are coming to take over our world.
With contribution from Peter Watkinson of death metal band Abomnium doing lead guitar on two songs, and some original photography work from Oliver Wasow, as well as lyrics from Paul F. Ferguson and Jacinda Espinosa, “The Raygun Girls” it’s the result of 10 years of songwriting, lyric writing, and road experience, and the 11 songs delivering the very essence of this band: powerful, raw, without compromises, loud rock & roll!! Read more The Raygun Girls – The Raygun Girls (2013)
Eels – Wonderful, Glorious (2013)
Honestly, I’m glad that the melancholy and platitudes fueled concept trilogy of “Hombre Lobo” (2009), “End Times” (2010) and “Tomorrow Morning” (2010) it’s closed and hopefully Mark Oliver Everett, better known as E. Other, moved over. Those country-blues flavored, mostly boring and tasteless, self-pity ballads, frankly, were a great disappointment. Sentiments? Well, I have sympathy for those stories of desire, loss, and redemption, but can not shed a tear. Got my own s*it to bear. And nobody shed a tear for me, not even giving a s*it.
I also can understand that there will be no more “Novocaine for the Soul” like, charming, energy full, indie rock anthems, but a little bit of life in some of the songs, here and there, still would be nice to hear.
And “Wonderful, Glorious” it’s at least a return to the sound and style of “Souljacker” (2001) and “Shootenanny!” (2003). We’ve got a couple of sensitive slow takes, a strange mixture of Cat Stevens with Tom Waits, but wearing the undeniable touch and taste of E. Other. On the other hand, we’ve got a few noisier, grungy, indie rock tracks as well. Some of them (“Open My Present” for instance) also reminding me of Tom Waits, eventually mixed with Tom Petty.
Good sign anyway is that the leading single it’s the heavily pounding “Peach Blossom” and not some of the depression bringer ballad. Read more Eels – Wonderful, Glorious (2013)
Voivod – Target Earth (2013)
While both fans and critics were skeptical regarding the future of Voivod considering that guitarist Piggy (Denis D’Amour) was Voivod, three years after releasing the supposed final album “Infini” and touring pretty heavily with new guitarist Chewy (Daniel Mongrain), Voivod is back and seems and sound healthier and stronger then ever. Blacky (Jean-Yves Thériault), their former bassist who left the band in 1991 after releasing “Angel Rat” returned as well in 2008, so, “Target Earth” actually have excellent chances to be another murderous Voivod release. And it is. With serious resonances back to “Killing Technology” (1987) and their definitive mile stone “Nothingface” (1989), regarding their lucky thirteen studio album, there’s nothing to complaining about. Actually, if I would not know that Piggy passed away back in 2005, I could swear he delivered secretly all those bone cutter, maniac riffs. Damn! Some of those riffs are quite familiar. This is one of the best Voivod albums since “The Outer Limits” (1993) and a glorious return to their Pink Floyd affected, complex and schizophrenic, thrash metal polluted experimental/progressive/avant-garde (insane) metal. Read more Voivod – Target Earth (2013)
Tomahawk – Oddfellows (2013)
While the long awaited new Faith No More album still seems to be a dream away, Mike Patton and Duane Denison resurrected Tomahawk out of the blue and “Oddfellows”, the project’s fourth studio album will be released worldwide in January 2013 on Patton’s record label Ipecac Recordings.
Beside Mike Patton (Mr. Bungle, Faith No More, Fantômas, Lovage, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Peeping Tom, etc), ex-The Jesus Lizard guitar player Duane Denison, and ex-Helmet drummer John Stanier (currently playing with Battles), Trevor Dunn (ex-Mr. Bungle, Fantômas, etc) player taking the place of Melvins/Cows bass player Kevin Rutmanis.
The 13 brand new songs of “Oddfellows” shows a mature, but still adventurous, willing to explore rock band twisting in and out the borderline between avant-garde and post rock. This is a fever-burned, tensioned, sometimes contorted, sometimes surprisingly chilled and settle down mixture of music. There’s a subtle, but smartly balanced struggle between abstract trips and vivid rock rides with just the right amount of odd and genuine rock energy. “Oddfellows” it’s less furious, less noisier and industrial fueled then their self titled debut in 2001, and the follow up “Mit Gas” in 2003 (the 2007’s “Anonymous” was a different story!!), but still powerful and tensioned throughout. This is 100% Tomahawk with some solid hooks back to Faith No More and a gloomy twist of Peeping Tom flavor. Read more Tomahawk – Oddfellows (2013)
Otep – Hydra (2013)
I love Otep and it was unpleasant to hear that their upcoming sixth studio album will be their final one as well. Listening “Hydra” it’s a strange feeling because it’s not only their supposed final album, but their weirdest one too. And it’s absolutely nothing wrong with being weird, but this is like a twisted little nightmare on a loop. And then again, there’s nothing wrong with twisted little nightmares. Just as Shamaya pointed out: this “music is universal and does not belong nor can it be contained in a nice, neat, little box.” Which is definitively good.
“Hydra” it’s an unusual mixture of mostly whispered spoken words and cinematic, gloomy and minimal, avant-garde music with here and there surfacing riffs and metal rooted passages and carousel like, dark, hip-hop flavored grooves. Quite different from their previous release, the intense “Atavist” which was released in 2011, and was one of the best releases of the year on my personal list. Read more Otep – Hydra (2013)
