So Hideous – Laurestine Orchestral
Laurestine is one of these great albums that leave a mark on you, and that has the power to change your perspective on a whole musical genre. It has been lauded by many, even us, as one of the best albums of 2015, and deservedly so. The intertwining of orchestral and electric instruments in the context of extreme metal, post-black metal if you want to label it, was executed to near perfection, and both sides really complemented each other. On May 6th, So Hideous will release an orchestral version of the same album. I was understandably very excited about … Read more
Frost* – Falling Satellites
Their first album in 8 years (during which time the band disbanded and reformed), Falling Satellites is the much anticipated third album from Jem Godrey’s Frost*. Their critically acclaimed debut album Milliontown remains one of my favorite prog albums, and while I wasn’t as into the follow-up in 2008 Experiments In Mass Appeal (the mix on the first two tracks was strange, with the quiet sections being barely audible and the loud sections blowing out your speakers) I was excited to hear what was next for the band.
The intro to the album, ‘First Day’, is a soft ambient … Read more
Masiro – Technocologist Unknown
In 2013, experimental math rock then-duo Masiro impressed me a lot with their debut “EP”. It displayed the creativity of guitarist Chris Pethers and drummer Mike Bannard on four songs. The unconventional rhythms and dissonant choices of notes made for an interesting time. However, it felt a bit empty with the lack of a bass in the mix. Much to my surprise, the band released Technocologist Unkown, their debut album, on May first. It was completely unexpected for me, and I was also pleased to hear that a bassist had joined their ranks: Chris Hutchinson-Mogg. And what an addition!… Read more
OSR: May 5th, 2016
Cinco de Mayo Edition. Unfortunately, no Mexican bands will be featured in this edition of one-sentence reviews.
Echo Spiral エコースパイラル is an American atmospheric djent band that really plays in the same park as Plini, Sithu Aye and David Maxim Micic. Dark Mirror is a short and sweet EP, at just over 10 minutes of carefully selected material. They put their talent on display in technical melodic riffs that maintain that feel good vibe that this part of the genre is known for, but that doesn’t mean there can’t be blast beat, does it?