post metal

Album Review: Playgrounded – “The Death of Death”

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playgrounded - the death of death

The hunt for impressive post-metal continues. With Pelagic once again delivering the goods, it seems I found an album to rival the unmatched energy of Hippotraktor’s Meridian. As a growing enjoyer of post-metal I am constantly looking to expand my knowledge of the genre through whatever I can get my hands on – and in the new album by Playgrounded I have struck gold. With their third album in tow, The Death of Death mixes the band’s prog influences into a warm blanket of post-metal and electronica that connects seamlessly and just makes sense on a first listen.

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The Path to Paradise Begins in Hell — Post-Metal

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The Path to Paradise Begins In Hell

Look who’s back for the last time!

As a farewell to this column, where I have prattled about my various love affairs with various genres, I have decided to save the genre I have grown to love for last. After all, I still need to continue to expand my musical education before I talk about more genres, so maybe, one day, I will resurrect this column once I have more stories to tell.

Who knows? Maybe down the line, my tastes will have changed enough so I can revisit some of these genres with a new perspective – and maybe talk about some of others that I have still haven’t warmed up in my years as a metal listener (looking at you, thrash).

Now, at the most current point of my story, I think it’s time to bring up a genre that I have noticed has gotten more traction over the years and has moved on from its rather humble beginnings. After all, this genre seems to have gotten under my skin and I want to talk about it at length.

It’s time we talk about Post-Metal.

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Album Review: So Hideous — “None but a Pure Heart Can Sing”

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It’s been a long almost six years since the last time So Hideous graced us with a new record.  The New York City based outfit blasted into critical favor with a style truly all their own on 2016’s Laurestine, and it seemed like there was no stopping the momentum they had built, but then…silence.  A lot happened personally in the meantime, but the good news is that the band is back and refocused on None but a Pure Heart Can Sing, an album that is thankfully not merely a rehashing of old ideas, but a complete refreshing of their sound.

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Second Circle: An Evening with Imperial Triumphant and Phanerozoic Live

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Second Circle

In Dante’s Inferno, the second circle begins the proper punishment of Hell, a place where “no thing gleams.” It is reserved for those overcome with Lust, where carnal appetites hold sway over reason. In Nine Circles, it’s where we do shorter reviews of new (ish) albums that share a common theme.

I miss live shows.  I have been to exactly one in the last two calendar years, and that is far, far below the quota I normally like to hit.  Granted, there are some very good reasons for not partaking in live shows even when they happen, but I’ve still got an itch that I need to scratch, and while I generally don’t gravitate towards live albums, this is the time when I find them hitting the nicest.  Two bands that I have never had the pleasure of seeing live are Imperial Triumphant and The Ocean, and when I saw that both of them have live albums coming out today (An Evening with Imperial Triumphant: Live at Slipper Room and Phanerozoic Live, respectively), I knew I had to take the opportunity to talk about them both.

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Receiving the Evcharist: Dawn Fades and The Gnar

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Receiving the Evcharist 2018

Receiving the Evcharist is our weekly feature where we pair choice albums with our favorite libations.  Drink from the cup of heresy. This week’s offering: Dawn Fades’ Ode and Brewery X’s The Gnar.

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