Tag Archives: avant-garde metal

Carvakas, Cleric, Fred Pallem, and Hedvig Mollestad

by Dæv Tremblay

Carvakas – Casus


So, it’s my first time hearing about this Chilean band, but I must say I’m not disappointed. At first listen, Casus might sound a big rough around the edges, but upon further listening, it starts to be part of Carvakas’s sound and charm. Indeed, Casus sounds like a true old school progressive technical death metal album, and all of these rough edges I mentioned before help to maintain this illusion. I had a great time listening to this album!

Cleric – John Zorn’s Bagatelles, Volume 12 (Tzadik)

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Oh, Cleric. Cleric are unambiguously awesome. Between 2010’s … Read more

Sababa 5, Aaron Myers-Brooks, Valve, and Mr. Fastfinger

by Dæv Tremblay

Sababa 5 – Sababa 5


Sababa 5—סבבה 5 in their native Hebrew language, basically meaning “The Cool 5″—is a neo-psychedelia band from Israel with a heavy dose of Middle-Eastern music influence laced in their funky grooves. Their self-titled album is instrumental, and while it would have been cool to have some vocals to match their style, there is no time where I thought that it lacked them. The melodies and grooves provide ample entertainment on their own, and that comes with the benefit of instrumental music: it’s easier to play it as background music to whatever else you’re doing. So… Read more

EXCLUSIVE SONG PREMIERE: Reg Bloor – “(You’ll Feel) a Little Pinch” and Review of Sensory Irritation Chamber

by Dæv Tremblay

The Music

The Words

Reg Bloor is an experimental metal guitarist from New York City, and Sensory Irritation Chamber is her sophomore release. Reg’s style is immediately recognizable by the solo presence of electric guitar with multiple harmonizing effects and distorsions. Sensory Irritation Chamber is a forty-minute album of layered guitars that act as a wall of noise that falls on and buries the listener brave enough to face it.

The compositions on this album are truly interesting, however. There is not a moment where I’d rather not be listening to the music here. With frequent metric modulations, extended and … Read more

Hardcore Anal Hydrogen – Hypercut

by Dæv Tremblay

The Music

The Words

The Monégasque duo known as Hardcore Anal Hydrogen just released their fourth album, under the Hypercut title. I wasn’t enthralled by any of their previous output, but I might have to reconsider, given that this one tickles my fancy! The HAH duo delivers more than forty minutes of experimental death metal that lies somewhere between the breakcore of Igorrr (which I still can’t stand) and the cybergrind of Psudoku (which I adore!) Hypercut is filled with inhuman shredding (both figuratively and literally), glitch aesthetics, genre-hopping sections, and distorted, high-pitched harsh vocals. You know, I don’t really … Read more

Merkabah – Million Miles

by Dæv Tremblay

Moloch was a defining album for me. As one of the first, and, above all, best, albums truly bridging the gap between jazz and metal into a strange form of palatable yet challenging avant-garde jazz record. The Polish quintet is now back with their third release: Million Miles. Their newest takes up where Moloch left off – kicking and screaming –, and offers us an experience that’s almost as searing as its predecessor. However, instead of pure abrasive power, Million Miles is more delicate, tasteful, and mature than its older sibling. They obviously still share the same genes, but … Read more