Jason Rubenstein’s new album New Metal From Old Boxes, released just last month, is an awesome collection of instrumental progressive-rock songs. Jason describes it as “A return to his progressive-rock roots with a loud, heavy, energetic and modern suite of instrumentals that evoke King Crimson, ELP, NiN, and classical music.”

Energetic and Heavy is right! The distorted guitars and high pitched synths create a unique sound that takes multiple listens to fully appreciate. There are also some soft piano parts and lots of nice little grooves throughout the album.

A Burden of Secrets is one track that stands out to … Read more

As always, Fixions’ music succeeds in putting me in summer mode. Even during the coldest and sun-forgotten winters, a little bit of this retro electro-pop brings vitamin D to my body!

Invisible Walls is no different. Hell, just a glance at the album cover and you get your daily fruits intake. Like their previous works, the beats kick your heart and drives its rhythm, and, on top of it, lie numerous layers of different electronic instruments, each with its own distorted personality and set of effects that help it survive in this Tron-like aural world (albeit less dark).

The mostly … Read more

SHWTD + Subliminal Colors Double CD is a bundle comprising of Mendel’s latest EP Shaking Hands With The Devil and their debut full-length Subliminal Colors, and since we’ve covered neither of these, I’ll take the opportunity to talk about both at once!

Subliminal Colors put things straight for us listeners: Mendel is about neoclassical shred with some djent and metalcore influences. In short, they’re an instrumental version of The Human Abstract, Digital Veil-era. Their first album is huge! It’s one hour thirteen of unstoppable musical carnage, with a 25 minute epic piece to end it all! What a trip! While … Read more

Enter week 2! This time, Lee went on a totally different road than with last week’s “Kids Today And Their Loud Jazz Music”. I Totally Scored! Volume One was written to accompany theatrical representation of H.P. Lovecraft, and most of the downsides I have to say about this album might come from there. Let’s begin.

I Totally Scored! is a classical, avant-garde, experimental soundtrack to back up performers on stage. Due to its nature – it’s not a symphony, a concerto or an opera – the whole thing has a strong, surrounding atmosphere, but can feel a little underwhelming; I … Read more

It is from France that comes The Great Old Ones, with a black metal, dark sound with post elements which add to the atmosphere of the album, at times reminiscent of Australia’s Ulcerate, with their sheer dissonance.

Everything here is used to give maximum effect: the drums, the guitars, the vocals (either sung or spoken), all placed meticulously to enhance the experience and submerse you in the thick atmosphere of Tekeli-Li. With almost a complete hour of desperate guitar shrieks and screams, spotted with gregorian chants, spoken passages and instrumental ones, the album really feels like a whole and you … Read more