It’s not strange kind of focus, but rather out of focus. Time and Energy delivering a strange mixture of Afro-beats, Blues/Country/Folk roots and Beck flavored Indie vibes with some Rufus Wainwright taste-like vivid whatever. “Loop Rock”? Eventually. But pretty hard to chew being not under influence and the taste is questionable. And well, I’m quite trained to listening anything, even considering the construction site next to my building a musical revolution. When the 7th track, “Sitting On a Scale” started almost as a classic The Beatles song, it was a release. Up till then, “Strange Kind of Focus” sounded like a mixtape on acid. The very next “O’Molly” have that raw wickedness of some early The White Stripes tracks, it’s that kind of perfect menage of Blues and Indie/Garage Rock – and it’s probably the best moment of the album. And the following “Think it Through” it’s not that bad too, or simply I get used with their layered and sometimes antagonist sound. The closing “Acid Jam” it’s build upon a Latino foundation, but just as its title suggest, it’s an Acid Jam, after a few pleasant seconds the whole thing get out of control and became quite dangerous.
This is an experiment and I do respect that. The result? Well, not really sure of. “Name your price” for the digital download it’s a fair approach and listen first at your own risk. I would start with track 7 or 8. Read more Time and Energy – Strange Kind of Focus (2012)
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Direwolves – Me From Myself, To Banish (2012)
In this age of communication and comfort, when public relation it’s more important then content and conformity killed creativity, art is an act of suicide. So, you must be crazy if you’re starting a band, if you start painting or writing poetry these days.
On the other hand, returning to the music now, any genre it’s commercial while appealing to a particular audience interested in that genre. Definitively Black Metal have less fans then Pop music, still, Black Metal generally speaking have a serious, conservator – almost orthodox, fan base you can always count on. Playing Black Metal and targeting that fan base might be considered quite commercial, isn’t it?
Direwoves. The dire wolf (Canis dirus) is an extinct carnivorous mammal of the genus Canis related to the smaller extant gray wolf. It was most common in North America and South America from the Irvingtonian stage to the Rancholabrean stage of the Pleistocene epoch, living 1.80 Ma—10,000 years ago, persisting for approximately 1.79 million years. At a first fast search, only on MySpace are two bands, one Blues/Country/Folk band from East Van, British Columbia, Canada called The Dire Wolves , then another, more relevant, a Black Metal/Metal/Progressive band called similarly Direwolves from Brooklyn, New York, US. And googleing “Direwoves” you will find a few more bands across the world.
Once again, if somebody it’s not so inspired to came up with an original band name, what do I can expect from their music? Read more Direwolves – Me From Myself, To Banish (2012)
Naive – Illuminatis (2012)
Might sound a cliche, but Naïve delivering a colourful sonic journey where powerful Metal riffs are merged with subtle sonic textures; contorted, dark and tensioned moments are combined with smoothly sparkling, melodious hooks and build-ups. It’s like a constant struggle of good and evil, light and shadow, noises and melodies. Trip Hop Metal? Eventually. Labels are unnecessary. But to have an idea, this is sound like an explosive mixture of Deftones and Prong with Massive Attack and Sneaker Pimps. Pounding IDM, hypnotic Trip Hop, dark Alternative Metal, and Industrial flavored noisiness are smartly colored with subtle texture, addictive grooves, mysterious electronic layers and at the bottom line they are all equal ingredients of the unique universe reveled by Naïve. “Illuminatis” it’s an addictive journey, it’s something Magic in there, feels a dream from which you don’t want to wake up. Read more Naive – Illuminatis (2012)
Laibach – An Introduction To… Reproduction Prohibited (2012)
Although my affection for Industrial music started in the beginning of the 90s with several American bands such as Nine Inch Nails, Ministry and Malhavoc, I can trace the roots of my affection and affiliation back to bands such as Einstürzende Neubauten and Laibach. Even further, in my humble opinion the whole Neue Deutsche Härte (“New German Hardness”) movement it’s build upon not a German, but on the edge cutter and envelop pusher work of a Slovenian avant-garde music group formed on June 1, 1980 in Trbovlje, Slovenia, at the time SFR Yugoslavia: Laibach (the German name for Slovenia’s capital city, Ljubljana).
After the breath taker “Monumental Retro-Avant-Garde, Live at Tate Modern”, Laibach now are back with another history lesson, a retrospective of the band’s history, the compilation released by Mute on September 3rd. Back then (July 21st) I wrote a quite exhaustive history of the band.
The rumors were that the band re-recorded these songs for the compilation, now that thing was not mentioned and the songs sound exactly as the original releases, so at most, they were re-mastered. Still, Laibach sounds massive and irresistible. Read more Laibach – An Introduction To… Reproduction Prohibited (2012)
The Locomotive Sound Corporation – We Surely End Somewhere (rough session, 2012)
As the title pointed out pretty clearly, this is a rough session of Summer 2012, five song recorded – as they say “with a donkey, an old man and a church as a neighborhood.” Available now on Noomiz and Bandcamp, The Locomotive Sound Corporation, one of my favorite bands and albums of 2011 are back with this tasty release, and even further, the “name your price” approach is very fan-friendly.
The Locomotive Sound Corporation is the French answer for the American “new Blues”, they are soul related to bands such as The White Stripes, PJ Harvey, 12 Rounds, The Dead Weather, PJ Harvey, The Raconteurs, Sonic Youth, and The Black Keys, have that raw power and healthy garage taste which brings new life in this mainstreamly-boring and burnt-out Indie/Alternative genre. This Parisian band proves once again, there are still spaces and sounds to explore, feelings to express in this area and this 5 new tracks are also a great promise for their largely expected new album. Read more The Locomotive Sound Corporation – We Surely End Somewhere (rough session, 2012)
SLIVER – Disobey Giants (2012)
The mainstream success of some new wave American Punk bands such as Green Day and The Offspring bring the genre back in focus and Punk, once again, eventually even further, became trendy. The downside of this global success was the loosing of the essence, the spirit, the edge of the Punk movement and from its rebellious vein it was twisted into soap box packed and bubble gum flavored “something” – anything, but not protestant, message carrying music. On the other hand, bands such as Propagandhi, Anti-Flag, and not at least SLIVER, proves that… PUNKS NOT DEAD!
SLIVER declared their solidarity and support with the global Occupy movement and the leading single and video, “Dead President$”, of their new album, “Disobey Giants”, consist of footage s taken from Grounded TV’s coverage of the Occupy Wall Street movement in NYC and Vancouver.
With more than 200 shows in 11 countries (France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Poland, Czech Republic, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, the United Kingdom), SLIVER is a rocking hardcore band from Belgium/France/Luxembourg. Formed in 1999, they recorded a bunch of demos, released 2 EPs, a split-single with French author Alain Damasion, and on 28 September 2012 released their second album, “Disobey Giants”. Read more SLIVER – Disobey Giants (2012)
Byzant At Sunset – No Reason To Remix This, EP (2012)
Although, officially this is considered only an EP, featuring two originals and 13 plus one bonus remixes of “No Reson”, a total of 16 tracks is still a considerable quantity of music to go through. But this is a FREE RELEASE, so, this is one more reason to get “No Reason”! – the official debut of Byzant At Sunset.
“No Reason” have a strong The Clash kind of vibe, but the sound it’s smoothly adjusted to the nowadays expectations, wobbling basses, ska fueled guitars and the tasty saxophone gives a genuine Byzant At Sunset taste to the song. This is a manifest, a statement against modern days consumerism: “No reason is a reason good enough” express both anger and disappointment.
“Wildfire” is more like an improvisation, an eruption, a race through the fire of inspiration and creation. Although Byzant At Sunset it’s exclusively an on-line, world wide collaboration creative collective, some of their members not sharing not the same room, but not even the same continent in their lives, “Wildfire” have the nerve, vibe and wilderness of a genuine rehearsal recording. It’s like someone light up a cigarette but that unleash an unstoppable… wildfire.
And then we have 14 remixes from 13 outstanding producers from the Indaba community: ALBM, @ssic@, Bluetrax, Brushvox, Carda, DaveDaG, JohnnySix, Manu, mSelv, Richard Walker, Richinmusic, The ?uestion Mark, and, last but not least, Ultraglow featuring with two tracks. Read more Byzant At Sunset – No Reason To Remix This, EP (2012)
Kiss – Monster (2012)
If I say this is the best Kiss album in decades, nobody will believe me, but folks, this is the naked, monstrous, true. And what it’s even more monstrous it’s the fact that Kiss are still more ferocious then 99.9% of the self proclaimed Metal-whatever, mainly “core”, bands nowadays. And dudes, we’re talking about a band active since 1973 and this is their 20th studio album so far. And honestly, their previous “Sonic Boom”, released 3 years ago, was also an absolutely fair and classy Kiss material, an ass-kicker mixture of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal. “Monster” sounds even better, sounds as a perfect mix between two of their classic albums, the 1976’s “Destroyer”, respectively the 1992’s “Revenge”.
Sebastian Bach’s – former Skid Row vocalist – reaction regarding one of the new Kiss songs, “The Devil Is Me”, saying “it kicks TOTAL ASS!!” it’s not surprising and not exaggerated. Kiss gonna kick your ass off, or eat your heart out if you’re a girl. 😀 Read more Kiss – Monster (2012)
Byzant At Sunset – Wildfire [Original Mix, B Side]
New track and upcoming remix EP (actually a hell of an LP!!) – coming up on 9th October 2012, featuring outstanding contributions from: ALBM, @ssic@, Bluetrax, Carda, DaveDaG, JohnnySix, Manu, mSelv, Richard Walker, The ?uestion Mark, and Ultraglow.
Read more Byzant At Sunset – Wildfire [Original Mix, B Side]
Enslaved – RIITIIR (2012)
The twelve studio album by Enslaved was declared both by most of the fans and critics “a classic” and a “masterpiece” even before some of them had the chance to listen it. It’s kind of comfortable and alarming simultaneously, on the other hand, yes, Enslaved is one of those bands you always can relay on, they are constantly there “to pushing the envelope” and “cutting the edge”, breaking down walls and wider the horizon. And yes, “RIITIIR” picking up from where they left off with “Axioma Ethica Odini” in 2010 and pushing things further. Some things are stay the same, this is Enslaved 100%, as well as they are still capable to generate new ideas and explore new possibilities, but staying in their own backyard, giving their fans the comfort of the modern Enslaved sounds and trademarks.
Between ferocious growls, deadly screams and cleanly sung choruses Grutle Kjellson find the perfect proportions and balance; Black and Death metal fueled riffs are switched to smooth acoustic moments; Enslaved seems to be still on a perpetual journey and not getting yet to destination and this make this journey exciting, fresh and surprising. Read more Enslaved – RIITIIR (2012)
