Stomb/The Grey/2015 CD Review

  Stomb  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  an  instrumental  form  of  progressive  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2015  album  "The  Grey".

  Clean  playing  which  is  also  used  on  and  off  throughout  the  recording  and  avant  garde  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  melodic  post  rock  elements  and  a  few  seconds  later  the  music  gets  a  lot  more  heavier and  goes  for  more  of  a  modern  take  on  progressive  metal  as  well  as  adding  in  solos  and  leads  that  utilize  a  great  amount  of  melody,  talent  and  skill.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  instrumental  while  spoken  word  parts  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  a  good  portion  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  at  times  they  music  brings  in  a  very  tribal  and  shamanistic  feeling  while  also  remaining  true  to  a  heavy  style  of  prog  metal  and  some  of  the  tracks  also  bring  in  small  amounts  of  ambient  and  electronic  music  elements  and  some  of  the  heavier  parts  also  bring  in  a  modern  style of  djent  at  times.

  Stomb  plays  an  instrumental  style  of  progressive  metal  that  is  in  the  more  modern  style  of  this  genre  and  also  adds  in  a  touch  of  the  more  extreme  side  of  metal  while  also  bringing  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  along  with  some  experimental  and  ambient  elements  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  and  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Stomb  are  a  very  great  sounding  instrumental,  progressive  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Rise  From  Nothing"  "The  Crossing"  "The  New  Coming"  and  "Genome  Decline".  8  out  of  10.

Chiefs/Tomorrow's Over/Roosevelt Row Records/2015 CD Review

  Chiefs  are  a  band  from  Arizona  that  plays  stoner  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Tomorrow's  Over"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Roosevelt  Row  Records.

  A  very  melodic,  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  bringing  in  elements  of  metal  and  stoner  rock  along  with  some  clean  singing  vocals  that  have  a  very  retro  and  70's  proto  metal  feeling  to  them  which  they  also  mix  in  with  a  more  modern  musical  style  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  slow  to  mid  paced  musical  direction.

  While  the  music  is  mostly  rooted  in  a  stoner  rock  style  you  can  hear  the  heaviness  of  doom  metal  being  added  into  the  music  at  times  along  with  some  90's  rock  influences  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  a  small  amount  of  melodic  guitar leads  that  also  bring  in  a  desert  rock  feeling  to  the  recording  when  they  are  utilized  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  couple  of  long  and  epic  in  length  tracks a re  added  onto  the  recording.

  Chiefs  plays  a  melodic  style  of  stoner  rock  that  is  very  retro  yet  modern  sounding  at  the  same  and  also  brings  in  elements  of  doom  metal  in  the  heavier  side  of  their  musical  style,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  metaphysical  and  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Chiefs  are  a  very  great  sounding  stoner  rock  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Like  A  Match"  "Tesla"  "1999"  and  "Tomorrow's  Over".  8  out  of  10.

The Wolf Council/Self Titled/Static Tension Recordings/2015 CD Review

  The  Wolf  Council  are  a  band  from  Minnesota  that  plays  a  mixture  of  doom  metal  and  stoner  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2015  album  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Static  Tension  Recordings.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  stoner  rock  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  good  amount  of  melody  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  vocals  they  use  are  all  clean  singing  and  they  have  a  70's  proto  metal  feeling  to  them  at  times  while  mixing  it  in  with  a  heavy  and  modern  style  of  doom  metal.

  At  times  the  music  brings  in  elements  of  melodic  post  hardcore  and  some  of  the  tracks  also  bring  in  elements  of  traditional  metal  along  with  some  traces  of  90's  style  grunge  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  guitar  leads  which  are  also  overpowered  by  the  heavy  guitar  riffing  and  there  is  never  a  soft  or  weak  moment  to  be  heard  anywhere  on  this  recording.

  The  Wolf  Council  plays  a  style  of  stoner  rock  that  is  very  melodic  and  retro  sounding  while  also  bringing  in  the  heaviness  of  doom  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sound s very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  The  Wolf  Council  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  stoner  rock  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Send  Help  For  the  Rest"  "All  That  Was  Yours"  "Just One  Push"  and  "No  Reason".  8  out  of  10.     

Organon/Biche/Poutrage Records/2015 Split Album Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  France's  Organon  and  Biche  which  was  released  by  Poutrage  Records  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Organon  a  band  that  plays  a  mixture  of  post  hardcore  and  sludge  metal.

  Middle  Eastern  style  chants  start  off  their  side  of  the  split  along  with  some  clean  playing  and  there  song  is  also  20  minutes  in  length  and  after a  few  minutes  heavier  guitars  make  their  way  into  the  track  and  once  spoken  word  samples  are  added  into  the  song  the  music  starts  bringing  in  more  elements  of  hardcore  and  sludge  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  while  also  having  a  good  amount  of  melody  and  a  small  amount  of  synths  along  with  some  avant  garde  elements,  guitar  leads  and  clean  playing  in  some  sections,  towards  the  end  of  the  song  aggressive  vocals  make  their  presence  known  and  the  production  also  sounds  very  powerful.

  In  my  opinion  Organon  are  a  very  great  sounding  experimental  mixture  of  post  hardcore  and  sludge  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.

  Next  up  is  Biche  a  band  that  plays  a  mixture  of  doom  metal,  sludge,  hardcore  and  noise.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  off  with  some  clean  playing  which  also  makes  its  return  in  certain  sections  of  the  song  before  going  into  more  of  a  darker  and  heavier  direction  along  with  some  aggressive  sludge  style  screams  and  you  can  hear  a  decent  amount  of  melody  throughout  the  track  which  is  also  almost  20  minutes  in  length  along  with  a  heavy  bass  guitar  sound  and  the  music  also  sticks  to  a  slower  direction  and  the  production  sounds  very  powerful  while  the  lyrics  are  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  Biche  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  doom  metal,  sludge,  hardcore  and  noise  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.

  In  conclusion  i  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  I  would  recommend  to  all  fans  of  post  metal,  doom,  sludge  and  hardcore.  8  out  of  10.        

Discourse/Sanity Decays/Closed Casket Archives/2015 CD Review

  Discourse  are  a  band  from  South  Carolina  that  plays  a  very  aggressive  form  of  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Sanity  Decays"  which  will  be  released  on  January  27th  by  Closed  Casket  Archives.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  style  of  hardcore  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  aggressive  screams  and  you  can  also  hear  a  small  amount  of  melody  and  spoken  word  parts  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  most  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  slow  to  mid  paced  direction  while  also  mixing in  the  heaviness  of  extreme  metal.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  there  is  not  a  single  guitar  solos  or  lead  to  be  heard  anywhere  on  the  album  and  as  the  recording  progresses  the  raw  energy  of  punk  rock  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  there  is  never  a  soft  and  weak  moment  present  on  any  of  the  songs.

  Discourse  plays  a  style  of  hardcore  that  is  very  aggressive,  heavy  and  old  school  sounding  while  still  having  a  modern  feeling,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark and  hateful  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Discourse  are  a  very  great  sounding  hardcore  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Cure"  "Maintained  By  Force"  "Another  Wave"  and  "Early  Grave".  8  out  of  10.  

Spook The Horses Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?

At the moment we are preparing for the release of our second record 'Rainmaker', rehearsing for shows and shaping our plans for the future. It's all pretty intense.

2.Recently you have recorded a new album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have done in the past?

The music on 'Rainmaker' is a lot sparser, a lot more riff-driven than on our first album 'Brighter'. We stripped back the effects and the density of the guitars, experimented a lot with different instruments and percussion. I think the end result is a record that hangs together a lot better, even with the range of different material that's on it.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?

We all had a hand in the lyric writing process this time around. We explored a few themes that contributed to the imagery and overall feel of the album. Dreams, both comforting and terrifying, and the images that linger after them. The vision of a dry, desolate earth. Personal memories.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Spook the Horses'?

We wanted a name that evoked a reaction, but didn't denote anything too specific, and looked good in print. After a few candidates "Spook the Horses" is what we landed on.

5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?

We played a few shows opening for KYLESA last year, which was a hell of a time. Whenever we play in our home town Wellington after an extended period is always a lot of fun, and really humbling.

In our live shows we always try to create an atmosphere, an environment that encompasses our audience, no matter how big or small they are. We want to pull you into our world for the entire set. When it ends, it should be like an exhale of breath you didn't know you were holding in.

6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?

We will be touring cities in New Zealand around the release of the album early this year, with our eyes set on an Australian tour later on. In the future we plan to play in Europe, Asia, and eventually the US, all going well.

7.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?

Not at the moment. We put out feelers for labels to release 'Rainmaker' on, but ultimately decided to release it on our own label, allowing us a bit more freedom.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of atmospheric metal and post hardcore?

We've had a lot of incredibly positive feedback online from our first album and the singles from 'Rainmaker', coming from all over the world. It was a real surprise for for a band at the ass-end of the world to be getting fans from the Czech Republic, Scandinavia, Indonesia, the US, all over. It's exciting, bizarre, encouraging.

9.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

We're constantly trying to put ourselves in different situations and locations to create in, trying to stay outside of our comfort zone. We're switching around instruments between members a lot. I have a feeling that whatever we do after 'Rainmaker' is going to be very different to anything that came before for us.

10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

There's an enormous breadth of tastes within the band, ranging from prog rock, alternative hip hop, 60s pop, black metal, synth porn, etc. Big influences on this most recent record were albums that evoke a very specific tone and setting and keep you there for the duration, such as Earth's 'The Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull' and Cult of Luna's 'Somewhere Along the Highway'.

Currently on heavy rotation for me: pg.lost, Death Grips, Moderat, The Blood Brothers, Bolzer, Code Orange, Dödsvarg, A Winged Victory for the Sullen, Kollwitz and Lorde.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

I work at a video games company as a quality assurance tester. Games are almost as big a part of my life as music.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

It's very, very fucking exciting for us to be on the cusp of so many things this year. Our second album, playing overseas, as well as some other projects we have under construction. We can't wait to share 'Rainmaker' with the world. I hope everyone enjoys and is terrified by it.

Crowned In Earth/Metempsychosis/Sonic Mermaid Records/2015 CD Review

  Crowned  In  Earth  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  a  mixture  of  progressive  rock  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Metampsychosis"  which  will  be  released  on  January  19th  by  Sonic  Mermaid  Records.

  A  very  melodic  and  psychedelic  sounding  70's  style  rock  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  guitar  leads  and  progressive  style  keyboards  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  an  experimental  vibe  at  times  and  when  vocals  are  added  into  the  music  they  stick  to  a  clean  singing  direction  while  the  acoustic  guitar  parts  also  bring  in  elements  of  folk  rock.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  while  the  music  is  heavily  rooted  in  the  70's  some  of  their  musical  influences  and  the  production  gives  the  album  more  of  an  updated  feeling  along  with  some  traces  of  post  rock  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  doom  metal  elements  of  the  earlier  material  are  rarely  heard  on  this  recording  with  the  musical  style  going  for  more  of  a  progressive  rock  direction  and  one of  the  tracks  also  bring s in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  and  there  are  also  some  riffs  that  bring  in  a  proto  metal  feleing  at  times.  

  Crowned  In  Earth  stay  away  from  the  doom  metal  element s of  earlier  releases  and  focuses  more  on  a  progressive  style  of  space  rock  on  this  recording  while  still  having  a  touch  of  proto  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  metaphysical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Crowned  In  Earth  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive,  space  rock  band  with  elements  of  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "But  An  Echo"  "Symmetry  Of  night"  and  "Travelling  Road".  8  out  of  10.