Category Archives: Mini-Review

Neck of the Woods, Kilter, Anomalia, Çub, Phonon, and Bolt Gun

by Dæv Tremblay

Neck of the Woods – The Annex of Ire (Pelagic)

The Annex of Ire is Vancouver-based progressive death metalcore unit Neck of the Woods‘s upcoming release. The album is a dark new chapter of their career, and it’s a captivating one. On this album, the band merges multiple influences and many genres into a cohesive approach unique to them. At times it’s straight out of a melodeath text book, and others it’s metalcore or progressive death that shines instead. It’s a very rewarding album to listen to from end to end.

Kilter – Axiom (Alter-Nativ)

Jazz and metal have … Read more

Floral, Giorgi Mikadze, Bushi, The Conjuration, Masaa, and Doctor Nerve

by Dæv Tremblay

Floral – Floral

Everybody’s favourite math rock band is back with yet another eponymous release! Floral, the long play, features just over thirty minutes of new material from California’s tap rock sensation. Fans of the band will rejoice to see that the formula has gone unchanged. Enter for emotions and tappy licks!

ႢႨႭႰႢႨ ႫႨႵႠႻႤ (Giorgi Mikadze) – ႵႠႰႧႳႪႨ ႫႨႩႰႳႿႤႫႨ (Kartuli mik’rujemi) / Georgian Microjamz (Rare Noise)

You read that right: Georgian Microjamz is exactly what you think it is! Giorgi Mikadze, the keyboard player in 2017’s album of the century, Mikrojazz!, is back with boundaries-breaking new music. … Read more

Ground Patrol, Amnutseba, Wonderbach, Listo listo listo, Lent, and Baraque à free

by Dæv Tremblay

Ground Patrol – Geophone (Art as Catharsis)

Australian progressive math rock band Ground Patrol are releasing Geophone, their third album, on March 6. I’ve already written about how great the band is, but on this new opus, they outdo themselves with their hypnotizing cyclical polyrhythmic patterns.

Amnutseba – Emanatism (Iron Bonehead)

I’ve discussed the bleak black metal of Amnutseba already, but, since they’re off to releasing their official debut album, Emanatism, let me reiterate. The enigmatic French band gathers influences from all over the place to put together some of the vilest, most repugnant metal out … Read more

Horse Lords, Starfruit, Psalm Zero, Abacaxi, Victory over the Sun, and Nero di Marte

by Dæv Tremblay

Horse Lords – The Common Task (Northern Spy)

Horse Lords are back! and they are stronger than ever! The band’s just intonation psychedelic rock is very cleverly written and played, with many interesting rhythmic-harmonic relationships used in songwriting and a lot of wild modulations keeping you on edge. It’s a brilliant and amazing record!

Starfruit – Wild West Combat

Starfruit is an avant-garde pop music band from Texas that includes a lot of cool people, including saxophonist Garrett Wingfield, who we already covered for his Octopod project. Wild West Combat is highly energetic and eclectic, it’s weird and frightening, … Read more

16-17, Tiny Planet, Spine Readers, Jeremy Rose, Ekmeles, and Sec

by Dæv Tremblay

16-17 – Phantom Limb (Trost)

Phantom Limb stems from an instrumental recording from 1995 of Naked City-esque noise jazz, to which was superposed a vocal recording in 2018! The result is something that’s at the same time straight out of the nineties and right at home in the twenties’ contemporary music scene. It’s noisy, it’s aggressive, it’s hectic, and it’s all the more beautiful for it!

Tiny Planet – Tiny Planet

Nothing kicks off the year quite like a Panzerballett-lite! While the compositions on the Seattle band’s self-titled debut aren’t near as intellectually strenuous as the jazz-metal legends’ … Read more