Sometimes it’s all about refinement. You take a thing, you make something of it and the people take a look and say, “yeah, that’s it!” But you know it’s not, and if you can just whittle a little more away from the body you know you’ll see it. You try again, and some folks look and say “Eh, that’s not what I thought it was going to be.” Still others come by and exclaim “yeah, that’s IT!” But you know there’s more to pare away. Astronoid have been at this sonic whittling session since 2012, and on their third full length Radiant Bloom the quartet have further sliced away more of the abrasive, metallic bits. What is left is still recognizable as Astronoid (it really couldn’t be anything else), but honed to a point where I think the band can sit back and marvel at the sonic sculpture they’ve exposed, even if it’s only until a further turn unearths another form the band wishes to explore.
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Album Review: Mur — “Cut The Rivers Vein”
Heavy doom riffs, wailing clean vocals, menacing growls, sludge textures, black metal interludes, and dark acoustic folk guitar—what more could a girl want? Mur has delivered all of these eclectic elements into the six-track album Cut The Rivers Vein and I am here for it. Even more impressive than this combination and the music itself is the fact that it was all created by one individual. Cam Sather is the mastermind behind Mur and his latest release is a creative cumulation of heavy Romantic-era themes, quiet folk passages, hypnotic soundscapes, and head-banging metal dramatics.
Continue readingAlbum Review: Low Flying Hawks — “Fuyu”
Masters of shoegaze, Low Flying Hawks, have returned with their third full-length release and final part of their musical trilogy centering on the ancient Greek myth of Sisyphos, King of Corinth. The story is of the trickster king who cheated death twice and was then punished by the gods to spend eternity pushing a massive rock up a hill. Every time he neared the top, the rock slipped and rolled back down for him to start the grueling process over again. This conclusion album titled Fuyu means “winter” in Japanese and centers on the ups and downs and struggle of life. It is an emotive and beautiful album that stands perfectly on its own while also acting as the last piece of the puzzle in the band’s five-year long project.
Continue readingRainbows in the Dark: A Sea of Dead Trees — “Garmonbozia”
THAT GUM YOU LIKE IS GOING TO COME BACK IN STYLE. I guess by “that gum,” I mean the Glasgow based shoegaze project A Sea of Dead Trees, and by “back in style,” I mean “release a new album called Garmonbozia.” In case you haven’t figured it out by now, a lot of this album, and this review subsequently, are going to be loosely themed around the David Lynch masterpiece Twin Peaks, but that’s certainly far from the only surprise awaiting those who dive into Garmonbozia, nor is the whole album a tongue-in-cheek media reference. There is a lot of honest emotional depth waiting deep beyond those beautiful metaphorical Douglas firs.
Continue readingReceiving the Evcharist: Lantlôs and Paso Dragon
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: Lantlôs’ Wildhund and Paso Dragon Cabernet Sauvignon
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