Monthly Recommendations: February 2016

by Dæv Tremblay

So, this is the ultimate reduction of what came out last month that came to our attention. We always try to listen to as many stuff as possible, but it’s practically impossible to listen to or review everything that comes out. That being said, here are the absolute best releases that came out in February, according to us!

monthlyrecommendationsfeb16

First of all is Love Sex Machine, the ridiculously heavy and pissed off sludge doom band, and their newest full-length, Asexual Anger. It continues where their self-titled album left us, but I miss the profanity of the song titles on… Read more

Axon-Neuron – Metamorphosis

by Dæv Tremblay

covermetamorphosisI was totally stunned, back in 2012, when Axon-Neuron released their previous album, Dreamstate. Their unique blend of jazz, classical and rock or metal music, the excellent vocal delivery, as well as the proficient use of a 9-string guitar, simply overwhelmed me, and I became an instant fan. Oh, and there was a string quartet in there, too. Three years and two thirds later and a bunch of personnel changes – Jeremey is the only member left from Dreamstate -, the band releases Metamorphosis, an almost two hour-long double album that takes all they’ve previously did and cranks … Read more

Divine Realm – Tectum Argenti

by Jeff Nixon

a0104658246_10Divine Realm’s Tectum Argenti is a nice mix of melodic prog and djent with some impressive musicianship. While not as heavy as similar bands like Between the Buried and Me or Animals as Leaders, Divine Realm’s debut album still packs quite a punch.

Fronted by Canadian multi-instrumentalist, Leo Diensthuber, Divine Realm which started out as just a one-man band, grew into a full band before this debut full length album, which came out this week on February 23rd.

The album consists of seven meaty tracks, all between 3 and 5 minutes a piece. Not a second seems wasted though, there … Read more

OSR: February 25th, 2016

by Dæv Tremblay
Jusska‘s EP, Tsuki, came out in January. It’s a good mix of heavy, groovy djent with clean and ambient vocals.
Pontus Grunve‘s new release, IV, is an interesting take on prog rock with jazzier aesthetics and borrows from post-rock as well. It’s a very well-made EP that will please most fans of the genre. Night Terrors is a very experimental jazz album. Armed only with an alto sax, a guitar, and a drumset (as well as a bunch of exotic instruments), the project puts world music, folk, as well as field recordings and more ambient stuff… Read more

Kurushimi – Kurushimi

by Deidre House

Kurushimi album artKurushimi is a new collective of sorts including members of Serious Beak, Instrumental, adj. (bands we have covered here on CTEBCM!), Fat Guy Wears Wolf Shirt, as well as a few other members. They just dropped their self-titled debut on Art as Catharsis, and I’m going to be up front with you: there is no point trying to attach genres to this (so naturally we’re going to try it!). Like all great music, it defies easy attempts at description and categorization.

The first question that came to me upon hearing of this project: What does Kurushimi mean, anyway? Knowing nothing … Read more