Mabuta, Exlimitir, Bruce Lamont, Terrestre, Antoine Fafard, Æthĕrĭa Conscĭentĭa, Gimnàs Trinku Trinku, Nostril Caverns, and Jean Jean
Mabuta – Welcome to This World
This South African quartet… Wait no it says five piece band… But wait, there are six names credited. WHICH IS IT, THEN?
That conundrum aside, Mabuta is a world fusion jazz band from Cape Town, and this is their debut album. It does an excellent job of bringing you some tasty fusion licks along with some traditional African music embedded in it. Welcome to This World is a fantastic debut!
Exlimitir – It Weighed Itself in Silver
This is some top-tier death metal with technical leanings in the vein of Demilich, Diskord, Thoren, and … Read more
Eryn Non Dae. – Abandon of the Self
The Music
The Words
French quintet Eryn Non Dae. are back with a massive slab of math-minded sludge. Abandon of the Self follows a six-year absence after 2012’s Meliora, and finds the band settling into a more reserved, contemplative approach. Whereas previous material spent more time punishing the listener with breakneck tempos and eardrum-battering percussive rhythms, the new album is characterized by expansive introductions, simplified riffs, and moody drumming. There are peaks that almost rival the intensity of their prior catalogue, but they certainly wander through the valleys a lot more along the way.
Opening triad of tracks “Astral”, … Read more
Monthly Recommendations: February 2018
Chaos Echœs – Mouvement
One of the most interesting features is how weighty the music is. I didn’t choose the term “heavy”, because it’s not heavy in the traditionally metal meaning of the word. There is next to no blast beat, guitar chugging, or deep growls, but, despite this, the album feels much more tangible and real, hence “weighty”. “Through Kaleidoscopic Haze of Unexpected Extents” is a stellar example of this.
In summary, Mouvement is an atypical black metal album crafted with thought and care, which makes it easily one of the best experiments in the genre.
Eave
… Read moreOmar – *3
The Music
The Words
I’ve been anticipating a new release from French avant-garde jazz crew Omar for quite some time, since their previous album, *2 was released in January of 2015, and now, without so much a warning, the tourangeau quartet releases *3. After a quick album cover change – the original featuring another take on the “lobster phone” of their first, self-titled release – and a new bandcamp page – password forgotten, I presume? – Omar the Third is there for the world to see. Now, does it live up to the impossible expectations that countless listens of … Read more