Category Archives: Mini-Review

Convulsing – Grievous

by Dæv Tremblay

The Music

The Words

Australian solo project Convulsing has a nasty aura surrounding it. Starting with Errata and improving an already winning formula with “Engraved upon Bleached Bone”, their side of the split with Siberian Hell Sounds, Convulsing continues their skyward ascension with Grievous, their latest full-length endeavour.

Brendan Sloan’s instrumentals and vocals are irreproachable, twisting and turning the compositions this and that way, and providing a highly dissonant and complex framework that is in relentless evolution. That was the case on Errata, and it’s still the case on Grievous. Even the programming of the … Read more

Ryorchestra – DMK

by Dæv Tremblay

The Music

The Words

It’s already quite a year for Zeuhl and other types of avant-prog, with the due comeback of Japanese act 高円寺百景 (Kōenji Hyakkei) and their album ドリンビスカ (Dhorimviskha), French supergroup Piniol and their stellar album Bran coucou. Of note, there are also Moteur!, Protoplasma, and Orchestra of the Upper Atmosphere for good measure. This is quite a crowded year for such a niche genre, and Ryorchestra is yet another voice that tries to be heard. DMK is the Japanese band’s debut album, and it was released in June without any promotion whatsoever, and … Read more

Autumn Creatures – Funeral Garden

by Dæv Tremblay

The Music

The Words

Autumn Creatures is not a new name, exactly. They’ve been around since at least 2013, but it’s through Funeral Garden that I’ve discovered them. The band is made up of a core of five musicians, and they are joined on this release by a string quartet, which gives a whole new depth to the band’s music.

The band plays an essentially instrumental sort of post-metal with keyboards adding to the usual “metal band” sound. On top of that, the string quartet appears here and there for extended periods of time where atmosphere supersedes riffs. What’s more, … Read more

Zevious – Lowlands

by Dæv Tremblay

The Music

The Words

The Zevious trio has something to tell with its music. With members from Dysrhythmia, Sabbath Assembly, and more, their album Lowlands is a real treat combining post-metal with elements of progressive rock and jazz, all instrumental.

Mike Eber’s guitar parts are versatile and well furnished so that there’s always something interesting from that part of the spectrum when you go through the album. Backing him is the rhythm section of drums and bass, which are also very proficient, energetic, and non-standard. So much so that when more standard parts come into play, as in “Smear Campaign”, … Read more

Jackie Frank Russell III – I’m So Fucking Lonely

by Dæv Tremblay

The Music

The Words

Jackie Frank Russell III made some waves, last year, with Outward Calm, Inward Chaos, his debut album. The Illinois composer comes back with I’m So Fucking Lonely.

The album takes a side step from its predecessor in that it’s much more heavily influenced by electronic music than it appeared in the previous one. This statement is evident on the opening track, “Softly Asking for the Attention of Kings”, while songs like “This Bad Won’t Leave” retains much of its metallicity, with few of the new electronic music elements. One of the pleasant side effects … Read more