Túcan – Towers

by Dæv Tremblay

This band was brought to my attention by someone posting it on our facebook page, describing it as “highly experimental flamenco”. I was immediately in love. Also I’d like to reiterate the fact that we do take submissions, so send us anything and everything you love and we’ll skim the best. Do you think I create new avant bands out of thin air? Nah, it’s all about connections.

So… Tower is Túcan‘s second full-length album, and their fourth release if we don’t count the singles that ended up on this album. Straight away, the band is a “big band” … Read more

Slugdge – Dim & Slimeridden Kingdoms

by Dæv Tremblay

From their name and song titles, you might have dismissed Slugdge as yet another band who tries to be funny. But although you would be partially right, there’s much more to them than that.

With a style of humour reminiscent of Vampire Squid, relying on puns and plays on words, like “Lettuce Prey”, which is found on their previous album “Gastronomicon”. The mollusc-worshipping blackened progressive death/sludge band is now at their third full-length album in as many years, and have truly refined their overall sound. The riffs are tighter and even more enthralling than before: I just feel the … Read more

Déluge – Æther

by Dæv Tremblay

France doesn’t cease to bombard us with incredibly good metal. The newest on the list is Déluge and their debut album Æther.

Musically, it’s a sort of atmospheric post black metal with tidal blast beats and a barrage of distortion. Not that these attributes are uncommon in the genre, but they’re prominent and well-executed here. The axis of Déluge seems to be on the ebb and flow of dissonance in their chordal progressions, like the waves. It’s a really good approach that makes for an always moving portrait that is only rarely immobile, and even then it serves some … Read more

II II II working on a new album!

by Dæv Tremblay

II II II, the experimental, jazz-mathcore band who brought us A Conundrum on My Coffee Table hit us, this week, with a so-called “Maaasssive 222 album preview”.

What can we expect? Judging by this instrumental, unfinished preview: more of the same, but enhanced, great music!

It seems that publishing that album preview has revived the creative fibre in the band, and that this album now “has to get finished”, according to a facebook comment from II II II themselves. So, when? I don’t know, but if? Certainly so! I’m pretty excited on this, and so should you!… Read more

Hadean – On Fading

by Dæv Tremblay

This week’s been a great one for post-[insert genre] music: I finally got into deafheaven’s Sunbather album and it’s awesome, the new Second to Sun releases are getting more post-black kinda stuff, the new album Laurestine from So Hideous is gorgeous, and in the weeks prior, there has been even more cool post stuff! That brings me to Hadean, which released their second effort, On Fading, last week. And it’s a real kick in the brains!

Firstly, there is saxophone (and other wind instruments) and piano that are not used timidly and accompany marvellously the barrage of distortion, … Read more