Jan Wouter Oostenrijk, Dios Trio, Lucky Cerruti, Léguman, Omnea, Schnack, Jonny Turner, Libera Scientia, and Estuarine

by Dæv Tremblay

Jan Wouter Oostenrijk – We Are Connected
[Listen to audio previews here.]
Dutch electric quartertone guitarist Jan Wouter Oostenrijk comes back with his fourth album, We Are Connected. This album is a bridge between Maghrebi jazz, rock music, and desert blues. It’s full of really interesting ideas, and the odd grooves – especially in 9/8 – are more than noteworthy; I can’t get the bass and drums line of “Hurriya” out of my head! Moreover, all songs are in different maqamat, which is really the centrepiece of the album.

Dios Trio – II
Dios Trio is an instrumental band … Read more

Unreal Overflows – Latent

by Dæv Tremblay

The Italian progressive technical death metal crew known as Unreal Overflows soon will release their third full-length, Latent. Often compared to Death, Cynic, Atheist, and other early tech-death entities, Unreal Overflows embed some jazz music theory knowledge into a melodic, technical, and progressive form of death metal that totally warrants the aforementioned comparisons. More up to date, they sound a lot like Contrarian, who recently released a very good retro-tech-death album with To Perceive Is to Suffer. Latent is definitely in that vein, too, somewhat paying homage to the pioneers of the genre while bringing something new to … Read more

Perfect Beings – Vier

by Dæv Tremblay



Coming out on the nineteenth, Perfect Beings‘ third album, Vier, excels at making new symphonic progressive rock. As soon as the four-part opening track “Guedra” starts, you know what you’re getting into. If the polyphonic vocal introduction didn’t sell it, maybe the next, odd-metred riff with accompanying woodwinds solo will. Still not convinced? Just let the polymetric backing track to the next solo sink in! My point is that the album is filled to the brim with fascinating moments, if you take the slightest moment to analyze them. Indeed, they are so well crafted that they aren’t jarring … Read more

Weekly Release Dump #5

by Dæv Tremblay

    Sunday, 31 December


Dove Lady – F (experimental pop/noise jazz)
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – Gumboot Soup (experimental rock)

    Monday, 1 January


Brojob – Talk Shit Get Kissed (deathcore)

Déraciné – Déraciné (grindcore/skramz)
Estuarine – Sic erat scriptum (blackened technical death metal)
Inquinamentum – 8342 (progressive black metal)
Process – Process (tap rock)
Vantana Row – Vagina (experimental pop/cybergrind)
Омега Клустер – ϴе Нижт (chiptune progressive metal)

    Tuesday, 2 January


Crown Magnetar – The Prophet of Disgust (technical deathcore)
Lauri Kadalipp Social Jazz – Feels Just Right (jazz)

    Friday, 5 January


Omnea – Omnea (progressive rock)
ŌOTØ (formerly … Read more

Camembert, Process, Karmacipher, Dove Lady, Troldhaugen, Suffering Hour, Vessel of Iniquity, Vantana Row, and Adhara

by Dæv Tremblay

Camembert – Negative Toe (progressive rock)
France’s Camembert recently released their latest opus, and it’s pretty darn good! Negative Toe is somewhere between the symphonic prog and Canterbury scenes. Thus, you won’t be surprised to learn that the album is about an hour of progressive rock music that is mostly symphonic and that uses quite uncommon song structures and atmospheric qualities. You can get the album via AltrOck Productions!

Process – Process
Someone on bandcamp refered to this band as “Floral with a bass player”, and, well, I can’t say I disagree, but it’s a woefully simplistic way of putting … Read more