Adramelech - Psychostasia

Awesome Finnish death metal band, with some comparisons to fellow countrymen Demilich, just not in the vocal department (yeah no burps here).

Basically it's the old school vibe, but with some more technicality. Of course, the riffs fucking rule because of this, and the songs themselves also rule because they aren't modern tech-death-wankers-who-don't-know-how-to-write-a-song kinda guys.

Great stuff.


Psychostasia

How To Dress Well - Love Remains

Well now, here's the surprise of the year.

How To Dress Well is the lo-fi bedroom recordings of Tom Krell, which dabbles in dreamy electronica and R'n'B. The gritty production and musical aesthetic is somewhat similar to Burial, if less beat driven, instead more focused on the vocals - vocals that wouldn't be out of place on a Bon Iver album.

Love Remains strains under it's lo-fi production, crackling and clipping as Krell's voice reaches it's peak, however the production never holds the music back. In fact, it's almost the opposite: the gritty recording quality does more than just confirm this as an authentic bedroom recording, it stresses the emotive peaks in what would otherwise be an overly dreamy soundscape.

If you need anymore convincing after the earlier comparisons, then.... well...


It's really good.


Love Remains

Albert Ayler - Spiritual Unity

Albert Ayler was a saxophonist who rose to prominence (or at least cult status) with this album, Spiritual Unity, in 1964.

He carried on with the ideas of both John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman, advancing and exploring different soloing concepts, where timbre played as much of a role as melody or rhythm. His primitive sound definitely helps with this, and he used the stiffest plastic reeds he could find, which add an abrasive quality at times.

An essential piece to the 60's avant garde puzzle.


Spiritual Unity

Alpinist - LICHTLÆRM

New album from German crusty hardcore practitioners Alpinist, and it's just as good as last year's Minus.Mensch.

Get it.


LICHTLÆRM

Arghoslent - Hornets of the Pogrom

WHITE POWER.


...just kidding.



But they're not.



Hornets of the Pogrom

Ash Borer + Fell Voices

Well here is two great black metal bands from the US, and considering they have released limited material each, and an awesome split together, I thought I might as well put it all in one mega post.

Both bands are very atmospheric, and feature drawn out songs with a slight post-rock edge - Fell Voices especially. Very dark, very bleak, very good.

Ash Borer - Demo

Fell Voices - Fell Voices

Ash Borer / Fell Voices - Split

Les Rallizes Dénudés - '77 Live

Japanese psychedelic noise band Les Rallizes Dénudés would be almost unknown to the world, were it not for the internet. Even after spending hours on end looking at music you may never come across them, but it seems once you notice them, their name, along with a fair amount of hyperbole, keeps on popping up. This is a band somehow suited to the blogging craze, just unfortunately years and years after their prime.

This recording is a double live album, with only one song under the 10 minute mark, though the length isn't really much of a big deal because the songs never meander too much. The songs are really quite simple, 60's pop type groves, but it's the guitars that just take everything to a completely different place. Mounds of feedback and delay, overbearingly loud at times, so much so that it drowns out the other instruments. Yes, it is quite noisy.

One of the most interesting albums I have listened to.


'77 Live

Panopticon

Panopticon is the one-man black metal project of Austin Lunn, based out of Kentucky.

Instrumentally, it tends to gravitate towards the more atmospheric side, especially on the self-titled release. On Collapse, there is more of a folk influence also, with many acoustic sections - slide guitar solos and all. All of this comes across as one unified sound and aesthetic though, as nothing sounds out of place or half-baked.

Lyrically and conceptually, politics and philosophy are at the forefront. From the man himself:

"I created this project because I was tired of consumer driven music, a-political and boring, stale Satanism and racist bullshit that plagues the black metal community. No hair cuts, no big record labels, no bigotry, no drum machines, no rulers, no masters." 




Some fantastic stuff.




Panopticon
It's Later Than You Think (split w/ Wheels Within Wheels)
Collapse

McCoy Tyner

McCoy Tyner is a pianist from Philadelphia, known mostly for his work with John Coltrane's quartet. With Coltrane, he played on the landmark albums Olé Coltrane, My Favourite Things, Ascension, and of course, A Love Supreme. His years after Coltrane had passed, have led him on a long solo career just as impressive as his work with the master, releasing a great number of post-bop albums, and taking a path somewhere between the avant garde and fusion stylings of jazz.

Possibly my favourite pianist.


The Real McCoy
Expansions
Extensions


Discography torrent


Sorry, it's really hard to find links for much of his work. The torrent has almost everything though, and enough seeders to provide decent speed. The three albums listed though are excellent.

Ignivomous

Coming straight out of Melbourne, Ignivomous play Incantation-worship death metal better than most, with their absolutely crushing sound.

Last year's full length Death Transmutation is chock full of bottom-end abusing riffs, and is certainly up there for 09's finest death metal. Their demo and EP also display similar ass-kicking qualities.


Death Transmutation
Eroded Void of Salvation
Path of Attrition

100

Joined a new blog: Looser Than Loose.

It's a pretty sweet blog, pretty similar musical content and variety as you find here.





And this is my 100th post.

Woo.

Django Reinhardt - The Best of Django Reinhardt

Django Reinhardt was a Belgian born gypsy jazz guitarist. He grew up in gypsy camps around paris, playing various stringed instruments in the usual gypsy fashion, until one night his caravan caught fire and he was badly burnt, rendering the third and fourth fingers on his left hand almost useless. So what did he decide to do? Discover jazz, and become one of the most influential guitarists of all time. Go figure.

Even though he could only use two fingers during solos (sometimes all four for chordal work), he still comes up with some of the most fantastic lines I have heard. He is truly a master, and this collection showcases some of his best work.


The Best of Django Reinhardt

Henryk Mikolaj Górecki - Symphony no. 3

I will admit, my grounding in classical music is... patchy, to say the least. Sure I've heard the greats, and know some of their "greatest" pieces, but considering the huge body of work that most of those composers have to their name, I have only sampled a fragment of the world of classical music. Anyways, even with my limited knowledge, I can recognize when something is special.

The special something in this case, is Polish composer Henryk Górecki's Symphony no. 3.

A single Soprano voice is set against a brooding, minimalist backdrop, creating one of the most emotive pieces I have ever heard. The dynamic range is quite spectacular, and when it reaches a climax, it really thunders.

Beautiful.


Symphony no. 3

Mind Eraser - Glacial Reign

Glacial Reign is the second LP from Boston based outfit Mind Eraser.

It stomps pretty hard, has a lot of downtempo passages, and heaps of energy throughout. They have gotten more experimental (well, as much as you would find with this genre) with each release, but this captures them at the top of their game.


Glacial Reign