Cryptic Ruse, Banda Municipal de Barcelona, Ad Shave, Metro 3, Volcano, Mode Dodeca, Zia, Patrick Shiroishi & Arturo Ibarra, and Kinzie Steele

by Dæv Tremblay

Cryptic Ruse – Dual Spaces: Exercises & Diagrams

Cryptic Ruse‘s latest release is an impressive split with itself, dividing the album in twain down the middle, progressive metal during the former half and doom-drone during the latter. The album is very interesting, as always, by the multiple microtonal temperaments being used and the metal environment in which they’re played. With the recent addition of “Igliashon” Jones to The Mercury Tree, I fear that Cryptic Ruse will take a back seat, but we can still enjoy it while it’s there.

Banda Municipal de Barcelona, Salvador Brotons, and Spanish Brass

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Weekly Release Dump

by Dæv Tremblay

Saturday, 22 December

Déhà – Blackness in May [EP] (atmospheric doom metal)

Brussels, Belgium
On Musical Excrements

A Morbid Masquerade – A Morbid Masquerade [EP] (technical death metal)

New York, New York

Svadara – Орнамент (Ornament) (progressive metal, folk)

Kharkiv, Ukraine

Sunday, 23

Jazz Robots – Jazz Robots Write Down Their Dreams (jazz fusion, progressive jazz)

Chicago, Illinois

Panzerpappa – A Trip to France (progressive rock)

Oslo, Norway

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Weekly Release Dump

by Dæv Tremblay

Saturday, 15 December

Ad Shave – Ad complementum (jazz fusion)
Poland
On Soliton

Label page

Cryptic Ruse – Dual Spaces: Exercises & Diagrams (microtonal progressive metal, doom metal)
Portland, Oregon

Femur – Red Marks (grindcore)
Thunder Bay, Ontario

Laboratorium Pieśni – Rasti (neo-folk)
Gdańsk, Poland

Luna Vista – Among the Haze [Compilation] (math rock, post-rock)
Portland, Oregon

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Thrailkill – Everything That Is You

by Jeff Nixon

The Music

The Words

I reviewed LA-based instrumental prog band Mammoth‘s album Deviations back in 2016, giving it much praise. Well, now they’re back with new album Everything That Is You under a new band name: Thrailkill. Frontman Wes used his last name as the band’s new name, which I think, with a last name that badass, why wouldn’t you? Of course, the music is equally badass. Chock full of melodic arpeggi and heavy riffs, this album is sure to satisfy any prog fan, from the casual to hardcore.

Overall, the songs on this album are shorter … Read more

EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: Alex’s Hand – “This Is Sumthing You Can Never Clean”

by Dæv Tremblay

Progressive jazz-rock band Alex’s Hand already made the news on here—I reviewed their latest album, Katatak—so you already know what to expect from them. Today, I’m glad to present the band’s newest single, “This Is Sumthing You Can Never Clean”, off of their upcoming album, Hungarian Spa.

Quite short, at under three minutes, the song is nonetheless very interesting. If not for the vocal harmonies and bombastic introduction, stay for the complex drums and pop-jazz interlude. Midway between big band jazz and prog rock, this song undeniably sets the stage for the band’s next album.

Be sure … Read more