Review: Ethan McKenna – Embracing Uncertainty


Don’t let yourself be fooled by its simple appearance and instrumentation, because Embracing Uncertainty is certainly the best acoustic music album I’ve heard in a long while!

Dressing the simple acoustic guitar with fancy playing techniques, like percussive playing, tapping, and probably slapping and popping too, Ethan McKenna is able to keep my mind interested through the listen. Moreover, the song structures are hardly conventional (with maybe a few exceptions), and often make use of uncommon time signatures. A good example of that is the second half of the first song, Dark Night of the Read more

News: Finally, Coma Cluster Void give us a teaser!

It’s quite short and lightweight, but it sets the tone for the “Avant-Garde Death/Math Metal” record. Coma Cluster Void have been lurking on forums and facebook groups for a while now, and I’m really excited to hear what they’re really up to. This trailer doesn’t satisfy my hunger, but at least it puts me in the mood.

The album will be released in 2015.… Read more

Review: 五人一首 (Gonin-Isshu) – 内視鏡世界 (Naishikyo-Sekai)

You know Japan? You remember Japanese metal? (Example 1; Example 2) 五人一首 are not so different.

I would label them as progressive metal, however not a trope-following progressive metal band, more like a progressist metal band that other would more likely categorize as experimental or avant-garde, and they wouldn’t be wrong either. Female-fronted progressist metal bands are quite a gem nowadays, the singers often have to share that spot with secondary vocalists to do the harsh part of the singing, but it’s not the case here, Anoji sings both melodic and harsh … Read more

News: Peculate releases 3-part single!


It’s with a totally immature giggle (French people will understand, although it’s definitely no laughing matter), that I have the honour to report that Peculate released their first single from their upcoming album, and it’s a 3-part epic entitled Bouazizi!

Advertised as very different from their “standard” material, I have to say they didn’t lie! Peculate‘s traditional hectic spazz-djent is now out of the door to give way to what are usually only “influences”. The track, and hence the rest of the album, is much more jazz-based, and sounds much more instrumental-oriented. This might change, … Read more