Heaven In Her Arms - Paraselene

New album out from the Japanese guys Heaven In Her Arms, and it's pretty damn sweet.

It's like they started listening to some black metal, and doom metal too. Seriously.


Paraselene

I Can Show You How...

"Hey uh, I like death metal I guess... but uh, I don't really listen to very much of it. I've been trying to find some good albums but...

...I don't think I know how."

I can show you how.

Dismember - Like an Everflowing Stream

Demigod - Slumber of Sullen Eyes

Malevolent Creation - Retribution

Brutality - Screams of Anguish

No need to thank me man, no need.

The Decade.

As the decade drew to a close, music critics and publications went nuts making lists and quite frankly, I couldn't be bothered. To make a top 100, let alone a top 50... well it all seems like too much effort. However, Sputnik has been gathering submissions for the user's top of the decade list, so it forced me to collect my thoughts, and nut up.

Having said that, I only had enough nuts to do a Top 10. But what a Top 10 it is.......

10. Off Minor - The Heat Death of the Universe

9. Deerhunter - Microcastle

8. Immolation - Close to a World Below

7. Arcade Fire - Funeral

6. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago

5. Gospel - The Moon is a Dead World

4. Converge - Jane Doe

3. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven

2. Have a Nice Life - Deathconsciousness

1. Ulcerate - Everything is Fire

So there you have it. Funnily enough, these are all albums that I have posted before, but I was nice enough to include links for you yet again. I know, I'm too kind.

Sole and the Skyrider Band

Overlooked by many in 2009, (shamefully) including myself, Sole and the Skyrider Band released an excellent album: Plastique. Somewhat similar to Dark Time Sunshine in the more experimental production, though a fair bit darker in mood, Plastique has quite a dense narrative concept concerning corporate creed, capitalism and generally all of societies wrong-doings. For a hip hop album which is quite experimental, this is wonderfully executed.

Here it is, along with their self titled debut.


Plastique
Sole and the Skyrider Band

Holidays

Been on holidays for a little over a week and I really haven't done too much. Basically I have just been catching up on sleep and bumming around the house, playing some guitar as usual, but even that hasn't been as productive as it should have been.

Today though, I have taken the first steps to being productive over this 6 week break; writing a new review, and also starting fleshing out some new riff ideas.

Hopefully, I will get stuff done these holidays. I'll probably start posting more frequently too, as I will have a lot of time for new music now.


Try and contain your excitement.

Coffinworm

Another great band from Profound Lore.

Coffinworm are a five-piece outfit from Indiana, who channel all things filthy into playing some blackened-sludgy-doom-awesomeness. Huge crushing riffs, dense atmosphere, vocals that lacerate the ears... yeah it's all there.


Their latest release is When All Became None, and so far it is easily one of the best this year, but their demo also brings the filth.




When All Became None
Great Bringer Of Night

In Pieces

For some reason, I delayed checking out Connecticut band In Pieces for a long time. I initially read about their album Lions Write History and thought it sounded like something I would enjoy, but never got around to having a listen. Later down the track once I got into Have A Nice Life, I discovered that vocalist Dan Barett used to belong to this particular band. Yet still I delayed.

After all this time, finally I have listen. And, of course...

I wish I listened earlier.


Lions Write Hostory
Learning To Accept Silence

Dark Time Sunshine

Seattle's Onry Ozzborn and Chicago's Zavala make up this powerful duo known as Dark Time Sunshine, and god damn they are good.

Ozzborn has mounds of talent in his complex rhyme schemes and smooth flow, but his verses shine strongest with intelligence and a knack for story-telling. Zavala's production is like a mixed bag of hip-hop and electronica, and a mix of both old and new school traits. There are also some great vocal cameos for some soulful chorus'.

Vessel has a theatrical feeling at times, and is one of the few hip hop albums of late that truly works as whole.



Could be album of the year.



Vessel