Dying Sun "Transcendence"

Dying Sun are a atmospheric sludge metal band formed initially in 2008. They started as a duo, inspired by acts like Neurosis, Cult of Luna, Wolves in the Throne Room and The Angelic Process. "Transcendence" is their third release and latest full-length. With 8 tracks totaling 50 minutes, "Transcendence" represents the continuing evolution and distillation of the band's blend of atmospheric doom, melodic riffing and electronic ambience. 

As the first track, "Generating The Sphere" begins, I really wasn't prepared for what came next. It feels like we are suddenly thrown into a huge storm right in the middle of the ocean where the riffs are the colossal and heavy waves that crushes us. During the almost 10 minutes that this track lasts, we are constantly thrown from one side to the other due to the whole magnitude of power that surrounds us. I must point out that the clever use of electronic ambience really enhances the whole epic feel we get in this opening track, that is clearly one of the best here.

With "The Night Sky" the deluge continues, as the vocals almost spew their lungs out in the midst of this thick atmosphere. But not all is chaotic and brutal, there are still moments where the band offers us quiet times with "Dead", "The Weight Of Time" and the acoustic "We Don't Belong Here". 

Dying Sun's sound is heavy yet melodic. Their sludgier facet isn't dirty enough like most bands in the genre, instead it is quite polished so I guess it crosses the border to a more "post-metal" territory. The influence of Neurosis is very clear but also, the whole dramatic, cinematic atmosphere presented here reminds me a lot of the band Eyes of Fire. But in Dying Sun's sound there is also a big slice of doom metal, although it's not that dark, mournful type of doom. Here we get a more dramatic, melancholic style of doom. And yet in the middle of this, they still manage to deliver great atmospheric sections within' some of the songs like "Generating The Sphere", "Dead" and the beautiful closing track "Transcendence (Leaving)". 

"Transcendence" revealed to be a very eclectic album, all the tracks are different from each other but conceptually, they work very good as a whole. A very beautiful album that will offer you an amazing journey. Absolutely recommended. 

Dying Sun

Bands You Should Be Hearing PT.II

Hello. Today i bring a handful of new music that i've discovered recently. I'm not going to write a whole testament on each release, just a couple words. Sorry, but I'm not feeling very inspired today. Besides, you're all here for the music, right? So let's get to it.

First is Boreas, a black metal act from Kansas City. Boreas (who took their name from the Greek God of North Wind or Winter) play this low-fi, harsh, nihilistic style of black metal. Nothing ground-breaking to be honest but when it comes to their music, I just dig the whole sound on this Demo and the tracks are really good too. The Gods are pleased.

Boreas

Kato, a blackened sludge act that blend the furious side of hardcore with the monolithic heaviness of sludge metal, are indeed a band that every fan of the genre should put their ears upon. Introducing three tracks in this Demo, the amazing instrumental "Yet His Shadow Still Looms" and two furious songs "And All Of The Rats Gather" and "Dust Of Earth". The quality is really, really good here and i can see a great future for this band as long as they keep this pace. Good.

Kato

From Portugal, another great and promising young band, Mother Abyss. The band plays this very heavy, heavy post-sludge-metal that will please all the fans from bands like Cult of Luna, Generation Of Vipers, Isis or Mouth Of The Architect. I really didn't payed much attention to this but after a really decent listen, i was blown' away by its quality. Really, really good. You can stream two tracks (no free download) or if you're willing to get a copy, head over to their Facebook.

Mother Abyss

Next, Tutti I Colori Del Buio. A fresh new act from Italy, presenting their first Demo filled with four tracks of heavy hardcore à la APMD and Trap Them. If you dig the most vicious and rabid side of hardcore, then don't sleep on this one.

TICDB

Another great band and album i was introduced to some time ago, due to one of the members of the band itself, is Curse This Ocean. Now, the name may sound that there's some kind of post-hardcore, emocore, screamo band here... but let's not judge the heart through the face. If indeed you think this way, I can assure you, you're totally wrong. Curse This Ocean simply deliver some of the best new hardcore on the scene. I mean, i love this album. The tracks are awesome, catchy, memorable as they are heavy and filled with (dark) emotions . All layered with a superb production. "Lightbringer" is one of those albums that i like to visit at least, once a week. I can tell that there's a heavy influence of bands like (and you're gonna see what I mean when you hear it) Converge and Cursed for example here. Fuck.. I would dare say that i even enjoyed this album a lot more than the latest Converge (I know i'm gonna get crucified for just saying this). Only because Curse This Ocean's "Lightbringer" is fresh and as just as good and sure deserves a whole lot more ears and eyes upon them. Trust me. A very eclectic album, with very great and different moments. Truly one of my favorite albums of the genre for 2013. Check it out, you will love it and please, get this album here.

Lightbringer

That's all for now, i could get more bands but let's leave it for another day. Enjoy these releases, support & shit. Stay tuned. †

Galaxicon "Old Gods"

It's time for me to put some requests to date...

Galaxicon are a progressive post-metal sludge band from Memphis that consists of three guys, a wall of amps, and a desire to be something more than just "heavy." In their musical influences they quote well known names like Neurosis, YOB, Woe and Cursed. "Old Gods" is their debut album, i've stumbled across this band on one of my incursions through Bandcamp and to be honest, i really enjoyed what i heard. So when i got this email from one of the members of the band i really couldn't say "No". 

Blending a variety of styles into "Old Gods" (please notice the lovecraftian devotion there) is the formula for the success of this album. The main ingredient is definitely that sludgy post metal presented here on a very polished and pleasant record. But throw into that cauldron some hints of black metal, doom, punk and the result is something fresh here. Not another generic post-metal album for your ears.. they really appreciate that.

"Serpent Savior", the opening track, is the main appetizer for what we're about to witness. The sound here is very clear and polished like i said, due to the careful production of this record. Each instrument is quite noticeable and they really function very well as a whole, never outshining one another. Another thing i really enjoy on this record is the constant duality of voices, very much à la Battlefields. The voice can be guttural and brutal as it can be harsh and dry, pretty much the black metal way. "Rapture of the Deep" introduces itself as being a more mellow, dramatically heavy track while "Pyramid of the Sea" (to me it's one of the best tracks here) unleashes all of its fury into a more punk/hardcore vibe filled with really heavy sections and then you get tracks like "Snake Oil", "The Key, the Gate, the Light" and the closing "Innkeeper" that continue that legacy left from the other previous tracks.

With "Old Gods" Galaxicon presents us a very solid, well written, powerful album which is impossible to remain indifferent. An album that sounds better and better in every audition we take from it. Check out "Old Gods"  featured on the band's Bandcamp and take your own conclusions.

Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn

Mass Culture "Amoralism"

Mass Culture are a Post-metal/Down-tempo/Sludge / Experimental formed in 2011, is composed from four individuals, coming from Tripolis-Sparti-Athens, Greece.

Each member has had its own musical path and identity, but having common components and a wide appreciation for the music of bands such as Isis, Neurosis, Cult of Luna, they decided to start up a band somewhere along those lines. They started, however, experimenting and incorporating further elements into their music, varying from the post-hardcore outfits of Time to Burn and Buried Inside, to the doomy sound of Yob, with a Fall of Efrafa/ Downfall of Gaia dark neocrust feel, retaining the ambient/post-metal Omega Massif-like sound and, of course, many more.

I personally find Mass Culture's sound very close to a Coffin Dancer, VYGR, Tree of Sores or even Rituals. These four tracks on "Amoralism" are extremely addictive, i can't get tired of listening to this over and over. The sound is perfect, it has that echoing deepness attached to the Mass Culture's melody gives a dark and grim personality to the music, giving it epic proportions that develops into an absorbing environment that encloses us for almost half an hour. The band is giving this fantastic EP for free so listen to it, absorb it, spread it. Highly recommended.

listen | sludge for the masses

Burnsred "Burnsred" Review

Loosely fitting into the doom/sludge/post-metal genre, San Francisco's Burnsred play music which ebbs and flows through harmonic progressions, tempo changes, and dynamic shifts, while maintaining a presence both raw and unfettered. With this self titled album, Burnsred shows us that the sludge/doom scene can still surprise us. Mixing some classically inspired melodies, elaborate song structures, and caustic tone yield a brand of metal with the Sturm und Drang of Neurosis, the morose gloom of Asunder, the visceral sludginess of Burning Witch, and the tranquil melancholy of Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Burnsred have created their unique sound, showing left-field tendencies, incorporating outside influences and favoring nuanced musicianship over adherence to genre norms. The result is ornate in arrangement and composition, yet austere in thematic unity.

The first minute i started to hear this release, it instantly ingrained on me, with their heavy and melodic sludge/doom approach creating a very interesting sonic landscape, like we can hear on the opening track "Beartrap", that starts with some very distant piano notes that give the motto seconds before a giant wave of riffs splashes upon us. Although the tracks are long, they vary from 7 to 9 minutes long, it's impossible to fall into boredom, the band successfully alternates the rhythm and the course within the tracks which is something really remarkable since it's done in a very fluid yet spontaneous way.

A perfect example of that is the track "A Sentence", one of the best and most interesting tracks of this album. They could play a one hour track, making us losing track of time, as we're completely in this state of trance caused by their music. Yet another high moment of this release is the track "Standby", clearly one of my favorite tracks, showing us the astonishing ability and versatility of  the band, by combining the various styles and tempos within the track, captivating and keeping the listener always on a short leash. Burnsred is one of those successful cases where i get the feeling that they function very well as a whole, every single instrument is just there, with a perfect notion of time. The vocals are also one of the most interesting highlights in the music of Burnsred, it has a fairly rough and dry tone which i like a lot, very much à la Burning Witch and not so guttural and hollow like most generic bands within the genre.

The album closes with, to me is the perfect track to end this, "Mirror", terminating this brilliant record in an apotheosis and epic way. As doomy guitar and bass weave above pummeling drums and beneath a thin layer of rasped vocals, ambient noise, and keyboards, a sound roaring from the skerries of the San Francisco metal underground... burns red. Without shadow of doubt a very addictive album. Recommended!

Feel free to check out the band's website in order to keep yourself updated. Recommended for fans of Neurosis, Battlefields, Burning Witch, etc. Buy and support good music! It only costs a mere $5.

listen & buy

Tree Of Sores "A Cry Of Despair" EP

Hailing from Leeds, Tree Of Sores deal in epic, dark and ambient soundscapes moving from moments of sombre refelection to unrelenting nightmare, and "A Cry Of Despair" is their brand new EP. After a very well received first EP, released last year, i instantly became a fan of this Leeds triad. This time the main dish is something very different. Featuring one track only, "A Cry Of Despair" is an ambitious track that will delight every atmospheric sludge fan for almost half an hour. It begins with some inebriate notes that give rise to this heavy and dense atmospheric sludge avalanche, that along its 27 minutes, glides on some more melodic or even post rock atmospheres. "A Cry Of Despair" is indeed a delight and a beautiful sonic experience for our ears particularly to the fact that it sounds genuine and pure. If you seek honest music coming straight from the heart, then you found it. Limited to 250 copies, this CD comes in a clear sleeve with a 240mm x 240mm double-sided print that showcases the art of the amazing Black Uroborus, that you can visit here. It is also available as pay-what-you-want download through Bandcamp. If you wish to support the band by buying the EP in physical format,  then contact them here. Or buy it here. Highly Recommended.

listen & download

Kehlvin "The Orchard of Forking Paths"

4 years of silence and finally the light... or the darkness : progressive-hardcore Swiss act Kehlvin are back with a brand new album, "The Orchard of Forking Paths". With this new album we find Kehlvin giving birth to its most solid and devastating record so far. Taking distance with their previous love for long instrumental parts and reveling a major propensity to let distortion talk, the band explores a whole bunch of new directions through a more extreme riffing and a sense of melody unseen so far, all of this brilliantly displayed in savage songs. Still focused on high quality writing, Kehlvin knows how to develop intriguing melodies without losing any dynamic. Powerful but sensible, "The Orchard of Forking Paths" is nothing less than a mind blowing new step in the band carrier, taking sludgin’prog-hardcore to the next level of beauty and intensity. Buy it here. Follow the band here.

listen | mere noise

Dirge "Elysian Magnetic Fields"

Another review i was asked to do. This time for the French Atmospheric Sludge/Post Metal band, Dirge, and their latest effort, "Elysian Magnetic Fields". Born in Paris in 1994, Dirge is nothing less than the godfather of the European Neurotic Hardcore scene. I know Dirge since the very "boom" of the Post-Metal scene, sponsored by the great godfathers, Isis. From there on, many bands popped out like mushrooms from under every stone, but not all of them had the strength and creativity to grow stronger and make their way into the post metal/ambient sludge scene. I must confess I'm a little bit tired of this genre, but there are few things that still keep on amazing me, and this one, my friends, is one of them.

Being a veteran in the scene, Dirge knows exactly what he is doing and "Elysian Magnetic Fields" is no exception. He has made with "Elysian Magnetic Fields" his own "Panopticon". The man is a true architect of this craft. The album unfolds 8 carefully crafted and long (the shortest song has almost 6 minutes long) tracks all wrapped up in this clean and polished production. Although at some points the songs seem to want to burst that thin boundary between what's clean and tidy to what's heavy and dirty, it's like a controlled explosion where every detail of how is it going to blow, and when, is planned in detail. Every second of each song is planned just to work out perfectly. And they do. The riffs are slow and heavy, as expected, the voice knows his lessons from the Neurosis/Isis school and i must enhance that the use of those noise/industrial samplers, gives to the album that touch of genius. Really. Just listen to the third track "Cocoon", those string sounds... since i can remember i never heard something like that before, the heaviness of sludge with something so, so... fragile. It's this sort of details that make this album great, it's the core of it's greatness. Besides that, the sludge, post rock and industrial patches that form this tapestry that is "Elysian Magnetic Fields" is undoubtedly a must have for every fan of this genre. Some might say or think that this scene is dead right next to the graves where Isis and many other wannabe bands lie, but i can assure you that is alive and well, and Dirge carry it's banner high and proud, and they have all the reasons to do so. Recommended for fans of Neurosis, Isis, Cult Of Luna. You can get this here.

By request of the label i was asked not to share the link in order to respect their and the artists work. You can preview it here or in other place you might prefer... you know how to use Google right?

listen

Norska

Another great gem i discovered this year and I'm glad i did it, Norska are a sludge/post metal band from Oregon. Although they might be strangers to you, Norska are already leaving their mark all around the blogosphere with some great reviews. I mean, this self titled album is flawless, it's great, it's awesome.. i love every track of it. Although i got over that post metal phase, there are still some good bands out there that continue to surprise me.. Norska are in fact one of those bands, really, you won't get a hint of boredom in this album, the songs are just plain awesome. An outstanding work. These guys have been sharing stage with some great names you already know like Batillus, Kowloon Walled City, The Atlas Moth, etc.  I was saving this for the Best Of 2011 list but what the hell.. enjoy it. Highly Recommended.

bandcamp | they only come out at night

Trenches

This is the self titled EP from Irish band Trenches. Don't confuse them with the american post metal band that also shares the same name, these situations sometimes are tricky. Trenches are a 6 piece band from Galway, Ireland and play down-tempo/hardcore/sludge. This 5 track EP was released last year, they have recently done a split with Drainland.. and I believe they share one member with Bacchus, so keep an eye on this band. Thanks for Gabriel for sending this great EP, support the band by buying some good stuff here. 

listen | vicious sounds from the north

Meanwhile i almost feel obligated to share the U.S version of Trenches, the album has a few years, released thru Solid State Records it is quite a solid release, it features ex Haste The Day frontman, Jimmy Ryan, don't let this scare you though... Trenches has nothing to do with HTD, really. This was their debut "The Tide Will Swallow Us Whole". It is a wall of sound and is grand and imposing, yet it has flaws. I wish there was a bit more speed at times as well as more technicality. I like the vibe but it lacked appeal at times and I found myself bored in certain spots. However those moments were thankfully short. I think the album is impressive but since then, the beast remains in silence.. 

myspace | sink or swim

Unfold

After years of absence, Unfold is back with a gigantic new masterpiece named "Cosmogon".

Following his unique path of tortured dementia, the band delivers an ultimate 6 tracks of epic intensity, a burst of pure sludgy hardcore combined with perfect melodies and walls of massive aggression. If you are a fan of the genre I also strongly advise you to dive into their two first albums. "Pure" was already a fucking piece of art, rough, brutal, paroxysmal. But "Aeon/Aony" was the one which changed the game. Rich and heavy at a point that no one can even imagine. Unfold has reached the highest level of his art with this third full-length. Massive and hypnotic, this music does not forget to be melodic as well.

myspace | into the dark corners of the cosmos

Band Request Spree

Ok, so next i'll post band requests i received some time, and after hearing what these guys had to offer i decided to post here on FRVRCRSD. Let the Band Request Spree begin!

The first band is Off To Ruin. They are a two-piece Hardcore/Post-Metal band from Aylmer, Quebec. Off to Ruin was created 3 years ago when they barely knew how to play their instruments. From that day, they would jam every weekend, almost in religious fashion. The self-titled EP was finally recorded when the guitarist decided that he would move to Montreal. The EP was recorded to keep a memory of what they've accomplished as musicians and to remind them of the growth of their friendship thanks to music. Isn't that sweet? The EP has four moments entitled: "Hopeless", "Worthless", "Emptiness" and "Restless", the production is good and will leave every dark and dirty hardcore fan pleased. You can get listen to the songs on the bands Bandcamp, and if you enjoy it, download it thru the mediafire link (something about Bandcamp download limit & shit). 

bandcamp | threatening skies

Next one coming up is Old Wounds (curiously the same name of an album of one of my favorite bands, Young Widows). These guys aren't new on the scene, i know them since the release of their "Sleeper" Demo/EP, and now they bring "Terror Eyes" with a more mature sound. It reminds me a lot of Cursed although the sound/production, is more polished. But still is a good release. If interested, you can buy this here. Check them out below.

 bandcamp | terror wounds

Ok, last round...

Final band here is Armada from Milwaukee. These guys bring some really pissed and raw hardcore punk, they have released "Premonitions" early this year, and with it expect 6 of the most venomous hardcore around. Buy them some stuff here. 

bandcamp | throw the cards

Generation Of Vipers

Another great band that i love. Basically i've loved everything they've put out: "Grace", "Dead Circle" the songs in the "Peacecreature" 4 way split... fuckin' geniuses. And this new album "Howl and Filth" is no exception. I must say this has been an absolutely stellar year for new music and with the release of this album, it just got better.

If you're not familiar to this band imagine if Neurosis and Tombs had a bastard child locked away in an institution for the criminally insane, it would be Generation of Vipers. However, make no mistake. While their influences are laced throughout "Howl and Filth",  Generation of Vipers are not some boring clone band, they have been around some quite some years. What they now bring to the table is pure agony, and disgust. Just how I like it.

The album kicks off with the track: "Ritual". Heavy, straight to the point, like a fuckin' avalanche. "Silent Shroud" continues that seismic waves and some peace arrives with the interlude "All Of This Is Mine" but not for very long.. next track "Eternal" grabs us immediately by the throat, near the end, this album is only 6 track, here is a track who's song structure is familiar to us, "Slow Burn" sounds like the older Generation of Vipers material. And finally the end arrives at the sound of "The Misery Coil" this songs stinks Neurosis in its every pore. As heavy, like a wounded mammoth marching waiting to die.
I think this album is heavier than their previous efforts, fans of the band will not be disappointed at all.

Now, at least, head on over to the Generation of Vipers bandcamp page, and purchase "Howl and Filth" for a measly $8. Thank you, Generation of Viper, for absolutely blowing my mind with this release. I can’t wait to see, and hear what the future holds for this incredible band.

bandcamp | filthy howls

Light Bearer

Light Bearer is a six-piece band from the south east of England and features members from bands like Fall Of Efrafa, Dungeons and Momentum. "Beyond The Infinite, The Assembly Of God" is the 17th Moment Of Collapse Records release and the introducing of the four following Light Bearer albums. The concept itself borrows from The His Dark Materials trilogy by PhilipPullman,Paradise Lost by John Milton and The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri. The EP "Beyond The Infinite, The Assembly Of God" contains one song that carry the same name as the record itself. Compared with the songs of their first album entitled "Lapsus" this song is more heavy and oppressive. Between the running time the listener travels between speech samples, minimalistic interludes, walls of heavy sounds and an cathartic end that marks a perfect connection point to the album "Lapsus". The B-Side comes with an amazing silk screen picture which was designed as well as the cover artwork by band vocalist Alex. This release is limited to 500 copies. A must for those who are into Bands like Neurosis, Godspeed You Black Emperor and Mouth Of The Architect.

myspace | light the way

Preacher

Eis que me chegou há uns dias atrás um email bastante simpático e humilde de um dos membros desta banda. Preacher tocam um post-metal tal como descrevem: "We are a band from Tacoma WA and play melodic, stoner, sludgey metal type stuff. Kind of in the vein of VYGR, Irreversible, Isis, etc." Apesar de eu estar já um pouco saturado de bandas deste género, após a implosão dos Isis, começaram a chover bandas a tocar este estilo e com os reis falecidos entretanto a onda post metal acalmou um pouco.. mas esta Demo foi uma agradavél surpresa. O som é bastante limpo e polido mas com a sua dose q.b de peso. A estrutura das músicas está bastante boa, certos clips das músicas trazem-me à memória bandas como Cult Of Luna, Ganon, Hands ou até Atlas Moth... A banda foi astuta e souberam distribuir as faixas instrumentais ao longo do álbum, balançando momentos mais harmonioso com os mais pesados. Destaco especialmente a faixa que dá título à Demo, "Dead Man, Dead World" e a "Blackest Night" que a meu ver estão excelentes. No geral está bastante agradavél e espero ver esta banda crescer, se continuarem assim será que irá haver uns novos reis? Obrigado ao Grant por me ter contactado e enviado esta agradavél Demo. Boa sorte rapazes!

bandcamp | preach his words