Everything Is Terrible – Intensely Distressed and on the Verge of Mental Collapse

The debut from Copenhagen progressive metalcore outfit Everything Is Terrible is terribly good. The aptly-titled Intensely Distressed and on the Verge of Mental Collapse showcases a slow, heavy kind of metalcore, almost to the point of deathcore, well-infused with djent sonorities. The guitars sound thick and powerful, thanks to a precise mix and a present bass guitar. On this intense full-length, the band goes from straight-out djent, to the mellower atmodjent style somewhat reminiscent of Tesseract or Uneven Structure, and that’s a recurring theme here – atmosphere –, for as hard or tranquil as they decide to go, all … Read more

Silent Whale Becomes a° Dream – Requiem

Silent Whale Becomes a Dream, along with a° random degree sign (°) as part of their style, is an anonymous French post-rock group – they just released their sophomore album, Requiem, and it’s a true statement of modern post-rock. Symphonic, methodical, mournful, deep, poignant, and heartfelt, this new full-length hosts four new tracks showing restraint and abandon. The newly-become quintet summons lush, echoing atmospheres, which they mollycoddle and raise gently, slowly, with care and patience, until they become their own, full-fledged being: not a human, not a song… but a living thing nonetheless. The symphonic elements, new to … Read more

EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: Patrick Shiroishi – “The Screams of a Father’s Tears”

Japanese-American saxophonist Patrick Shiroishi, whom we’ve come to spect and respect for his involvement with some of the best and craziest music acts out there – like Upsilon Acrux, Corima, Sewing Circle, and Nakata, to name a few –, is going to release new music under a his solo moniker with the album Tulean Dispatch. The project deals with the Tule Lake internment camp, where his Japanese grandparents were placed during World War II. The album not only reflects on these past events but draws parallels to what is happening today in the world and the USA. It’s a … Read more

Kamancello – Kamancello

Improvisation is the cauldron in which most great music is born, but for most musical acts it is just the beginning of the composing process. Some artists, though, are secure enough in their creative talents to make improvisation an integral component of their sound. The right musicians and framework can produce magic with this approach, and that’s precisely what a pair of internationally renowned string players have done on the self-titled debut album of Kamancello. If you like improvisation, chamber music, and portmanteaux, this is the album for you.

Kamancello juxtaposes the dynamic cello performance of Raphael Weinroth-Browne, whose … Read more