EXCLUSIVE TRACK PREMIERE:
Doom Shrugs – “A Five-Letter Word for Happiness”
The Music
The Words
Neo-Zealander experimental math rock project Doom Shrugs assaults us with their first song, “A Five-Letter Word for Happiness”, off of their upcoming album The Clairolfactant and the Flatulent Ghost.
The opening track of the album exemplifies rather perfectly what the project is about. With its dissonances, rhythmic caprices, and overall eccentric character you can already appreciate the unique fragrance of the group. One of the most striking features of this song might be its near constant chord staccato, which is so prevalent it’s almost uncomfortable—in the … Read more
Imperial Triumphant – Vile Luxury
The Music
The Words
New York’s avant-garde death worshippers Imperial Triumphant recently released their much anticipated album Vile Luxury, the follow-up to 2015’s stellar Abyssal Gods. On this new record, the mysterious trio is joined by a brass quartet and a vocal quartet to craft a sonic aura more daunting and regal than ever. When the trumpets swell and the choir wails, it is the carnal embodiment of the name “Imperial Triumphant”; like the malignant annunciation of a vile king.
While the previous iterations of the band’s vision sounded more like homages to Portal and Deathspell Omega, Vile … Read more
Advanced Mathematics 202:
Decimal Music
The French Revolution brought humanity many things, among which are the values of liberty, equality, and secularism. However, in their hot-blooded revolt, they also brought the widespread use of the decimal system, taking the place of the old-fashioned Carolingian system, which resembled somewhat the Imperial system of today’s USA. They even thought of bringing up decimal time, and a decimal calendar, where the twelve months of the year each had three “weeks” of ten days. At the moment of writing these lines, we are Octidi the 28th of Messidor (Monday, July 16th, 2018). Each of these days would … Read more
高円寺百景 – ドリンビスカ
The Music
The Words
It’s been thirteen years since the Tōkyō-based avant-prog ensemble released Angherr shisspa, which was widely praised as the culmination of progressive rock. In the current year, 高円寺百景 (Kōenji Hyakkei) started a crowdfunding campaign for the release of their fifth album, ドリンビスカ (Dorimbisuka), mostly seen written as Dhorimviskha, and they not only met, but surpassed their goal! As such, the complete album was released on July 11 via bandcamp, and physical orders are being completed as of now.
The music on this new spawn of madness is in line with what we know Kōenji … Read more