I'm not usually a big proponent of drone/noise music delivered via the self-imposed limits of a 7", but since these two cuts both have a heavy rhythmic/cult vibe and go straight for intensity over distance, I think it works. Make that one cut actually, the flip is exactly that: a backwards version of the a-side "Ill grande architheft" redubbed "Tfehtihera ednarg lli" ala Napoleon XIV's classic "They're coming to take me away, ha-haaa!" single. Anyhow, much like Tremoro Tarantura's previous material, the music here is primarily constructed of mutant noise looping over steady pounding and devilish mutterings, bound together by uneasy chromatic melodies, but without the slow burn afforded by lengthier formats. It rips right through and then it's over, only to flip, rewind and start all over again. All designed to leave you wanting more, I suppose. I know I do. - Avi Roig
Lodge Doom are a Swedish act who play a sort of grandiose hybrid of heavy progressive rock and folk (Scandinavian and otherwise) that, while often quite ostentatious, largely succeeds due to an obvious and persistent concept and ambition. Bookended by a pair of atmospheric interludes, "Visions of Dunkelheit" covers a vast musical terrain that approaches both the mellower moments of Amorphis and the pagan folk of Hexvessel and beyond, yet always remains anchored by the excellent violin playing of main instrumentalist Thomas von Wachenfeldt and the band's overriding dark vision. Whereas the band's previous release "The Walpurgis Night EP" suffered from an inadequate recording that failed to match the band's large aspirations, there are no such issues here -- "Visions of Dunkelheit" sounds every bit as big as their ideas and so it succeeds in most every way. My only complaint however, and unfortunately not a small one, is that the vocals don't always measure up quite so well. Whether it's a matter of distinction or range, it's the one thing that keeps this good album from being a great one. - Avi Roig
This isn't really doing it for me like it should. I love my old-school Swedish death metal and I'm as much into the resurgence of the style as anyone but, let's face it, the genre is a hell of a lot more populated now than it ever was back in the day. With that in mind, bands really need to up their game in order to genuinely recreate the vibe once reserved for the genre gods of the late '80s and early '90s. There's something about the production on "Deceased to exist" that fails to hit the mark and, to these ears, it's the fact that there's no real punch behind the sound. Bands that sounded like this back in the day generally did so through lack of resources when recording a demo and, given the genre in which Maim reside, it's quite possible that they're deliberately recreating this dirty, relatively weak sonority in an attempt to sound grim and nekro. Musically, it's nothing to get excited about and, as much as I love the style, I can't see Maim getting too much airplay in Chez Norby. - John Norby
Apparently this album is quite the Big Deal in the synth/industrial world and it's not too hard to understand why -- Necro Facility's music is essentially catchy, angst-ridden emo/pop/mallpunk performed with keyboards as opposed to guitars. I don't mean that as a diss either; while it's not the sort of thing I'd ever seek out on my own, I know well-crafted pop when I hear it no matter what subgenre affectations it assumes and there's no denying that "Wintermute" has sure-fire mainstream crossover appeal. If you like My Chemical Romance or Nine Inch Nails, you'll probably like this a lot and hopefully it'll lead you deeper into the underground. Also, if you find yourself strangely drawn to those weird, seemingly out-of-place techno parts that crabcore bands sometimes employ, you might dig this too. Me, I think it sounds a lot like a shiny, polished version of Skinny Puppy's "The process" with Ogre's brilliant abstract lyricism and heavily processed vocals replaced by crowd-pleasing singalongs and a smattering of those good cop/bad cop dual vocalizations that make me sigh and feel old. Again, no disrespect intended -- I have no doubt that Necro Facility made exactly the record they wanted to make and their target audience will justifiably love them for it. There's nothing wrong with that at all. - Avi Roig
It's quite an enigmatic release, this debut from Finland's Hexvessel. It's enigmatic in that it's profoundly strange; in some places it's like the alternate soundtrack to "The Wicker Man", exuding an off-kilter folk presence that is somewhat unnerving, while in other places it's simply beautiful, as if this is the music of the fairies. Of course, given the name of both band and album, together with the ritualistic cover art and black metal-type song titles, it comes as quite a surprise that's there's no metal here whatsoever. Instead, "Dawnbearer" is just under an hour of psychedelic folk music that conjures up visions of lace-clad maidens dancing around a hayfield on a late summer's eve. That might sound a bit strange, but give this a spin and you'll know exactly what I mean. If occult '70s folk is your thing then this will quite possibly be your release of the decade. - John Norby
A new video from Fredrik, the first official clip from the band's new album "Flora" outside of the excellent full album stream. Details:
Inspired by early motion picture magicians like Stan Brakhage, Harry Smith, Isidore Isou and Viking Eggeling, it features an abstract take on Palm Shadowplay using "a vintage British overhead projector, an off-white canvas, scissors, paper, 8 hands and a fishtank full of flammable liquids". The colorations are natural and come from the way the lens refracts light at various distances, much like a prism. The effect has been "accentuated and slightly colour-corrected to fit the overall style".
Tremoro Tarantura
Lodge Doom
Maim
Necro Facility
Hexvessel