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Clandestine Cut Of The Year
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Of The Land is one of those black metal releases brimming with energy and aggression, but also one that fills your head with riff orgies and a heavy atmosphere. These Americans are more than comfortable with what they do and the message is delivered with precision and expertise. The highly technical musicianship does a perfect job battling with vocalist Karl Chamberlain, who bears a slight resemblance to fellow countryman Mick Barr (of Krallice fame). If you want bits of progression and melody in your folk-themed black metal, look no further than Autolatry.
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Defecto have some punchy material in this 6 track EP. Think along the lines of a fusion between more modern thrash efforts from big names such as Testament and the edgy symphonic/progressive sound of Symphony X's latest releases and you're not too far from what these guys are aiming for. While sometimes straying into the derivative it does deliver high quality material with pristine production that is very accessible and gives you instant satisfaction. With excellent replay value this is a nice showcase of a very talented band on the rise.
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This English quintet brilliantly mixes the melodies of black metal with the atmosphere of post-metal, traversing quite an expansive gap between the two seamlessly while incorporating progressive song structures that bridge quite an array of emotions together. The over-the-top dynamic musicianship is complemented by a combination of alt-rock-styled clean vocals and raspy growls. This is 20 minutes of fascinating metal with an extreme edge uniting angelic melodies and a dreamy atmosphere, as enchanting or burdensome as you make it.
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So, Immensity. Here we a have a double-track promo The Lonely Aquarelle, coming directly from Greece. This stuff represents mainly atmospheric doom, combined with some subordinated elements of the progressive movement. Expect an equally balanced combination of well-executed growls together with sorrowful clean vocals. Generally a very enjoyable and promising product from this band.
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We're getting spoiled rotten with the Clandestine Cuts when it comes to strong and in-your-face acts. Morality Crisis is a band that takes influences from all that has the ability to sonically punch you in the throat: from grindcore to punk, hardcore to post-metal and of course the main crunchy and filthy sludge sound we all love. Do we really have to say more? Well, excuuuuse us princess for being too busy blasting this mean little beast. We feel like we should say more but the impressive drumming, rocking, and heavy-as-yo-momma riffs along with very varied and savage vocals just left me speechless, leaving nothing but headbanging behind - and the same will happen to you!
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Morito Ergo Sum - Moonchild
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After having released their first demo (featured in Clandestine Cuts #7) in 2010, Swedes Morito Ergo Sum are back with a new demo, called Moonchild. The demo which is recorded, mixed, and mastered by Mike Wead showcases a band which has clearly grown over the period of time between the two releases. Once again they offer My Dying Bride-influenced melodic death doom, but a class better than their 2010 demo and with more of their own sound. Besides three of their own tracks, Moonchild also features a daring cover of King Crimson's "Moonchild" which the band manages to make their. Morito Ergo Sum are certainly a band to keep an eye on for they will be going places. Anyone who loves well-produced melodic death doom in the vein of My Dying Bride should clearly get hold of this fine demo.
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Schematics For Gravity - Schematics For Gravity
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Have you been out of touch with the current post-metal scene because the x-factor isn't there and most things aren't memorable anymore? Well, there are a couple of recent exceptions and Schematics For Gravity from Sweden is one of them. If you are familiar with post-metal, you've heard similar music before but not always with this tightness, authenticity and emotion. We really can't put enough emphasis on the emotional factor. While passages like the intros of the first and third track are beautifully inspiring, once the distortion settles in, the band displays a strong sense of desperation with crushing riffs, relentless drums but mostly this is due to the vocals. The band did well in not using clean vocals at all because the harsh and hardcore-like screams are so expressive and even abrasive in their performance, complementing the music so well there isn't another way it could have been done. Really promising!
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For a visual image of Spelljammer's music, think about a coming wave, which will occasionally hit the rocks producing a big splashing effect. Even so, in between the huge swell, you will also find calmer ocean states. This stoner/doom band is the perfect mixture of opposite states: quiet chaos and noisy peacefulness. There are also psychedelic elements, especially in the solos and voice and a very blatant rock and roll flavour. The three songs in this EP are all long but far from dull because the band finds just the right balance between slow, heavy, and refined without being overwhelming. There is this constant droning sound which continuously builds up the atmosphere in these songs, also adding a disconcerting feel to them. These Swedes know where they are going and what buttons to push.
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*inhale* Hey man, did you ever wonder, like, what Baroness would sound like, like as a death metal band? *cough* Neither did we man... until now. *incoherent* psychedelic man, like stoner riffing, totally badass deathgrind brutal breakdown riffing man, real groovy thrashtastic riffing dude. *inhale* All kinds of like... good riffing. *incoherent* insane man, like stellar, varied drums man. *coughing* And toke-till-you-choke vox man! *incoherent* hazy atmosphere dude, mid-paced sludge... *cough* stonerific stuff dude. *inhale* Some death, grind, thrash... It's like Pink Floyd, you know? *cough* So they sells a couple-a grams to like, Blut Aus Nord man, and they smoke it with all those like, sludge bands from the Americas man! Man, it's like... Dirk Diggler blazing in the recording studio... like *incoherent*... No Life 'Til Leather man. Peace out man - *cough* - I'm starvin', ya know?
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Yama is really yummy. Despite having a bit of "dirt" in their sound. Whether you were lured by the ever-so-fascinating cover art or the enticing title, this band really deserves your attention. Seaquake is a pleasurable mixture between psychedelic rock and stoner with bluesy moves. The Led Zeppelin influence is very blatant and so is their groove. The most striking thing about this EP, however, is the power of the riff. The heavy riff. One after another, over and over again you are hit with this blast of energy that makes your body move involuntarily.
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