Dead Neanderthals / Sly & The Family Drone - Molar Wrench (2017)

Dead Neanderthals on one hand and Sly & The Family Drone on the other are two excellent bands of experimenting noisefreaks that likes collaborating with other musicians, so it's no big surprise to hear them doing this album, called Molar Wrench, together. And in my opinion what they created is good beyond expectations. The reunited two bands forms a double drums / sax duo complemented with a guy from S&TFD adding more noise (effects). You could expect something going in all directions but in the end they makes a quite focused and condensed chaos. For the best results (something that could reminds both Peter Brotzmann and Aluk Todolo). The association of the screaming and thundering free jazz sax with the somewhat krautrock rhythm part in the first track is a good exemple of this and an exciting start for the album. The middle of the albums goes slower, heavier and noisier, and the last tracks end the album on a more quiet and subtle note. If you're into free / noise music this is an album you absolutely have to listen too. Heavily recommended!

The Bandcamp page.

Unaussprechllichen Kulten - Keziah LIlih Medea (2017)

Another excellent album by Chilean Unaussprechllichen Kulten, their fourth one Keziah Lilith Medea is a masterpiece in US style old school death metal, reminding a bit Morbid Angel for the evil and bizarre atmosphere and the way the brutaliy helps building a strong epic and grandiose feel. On this one maybe what they perfected is the guitar leads and solos that are really fine while never at the expense of the heaviness and cohesion of the whole. I'll enjoy listening to this one many times, and I suppose anyone into US OSDM would do the same. 

The Bandcamp page.

Phobia - Lifeless God (2017)

26 years after its formation (and the return of Danny Walker on drums, Leon Del Muerte on bass, and Bruce Reeves on guitar), Phobia, from California doesn't show any sign of slowing down and the new album Lifeless God is as fast, heavy, relentless and angry as ever. Still in a grindpunk vein, with some mid tempo hardcore / crust but mostly blast-beats all over the place with a powerfull sound. but maybe there's a slight bit more diversity than on previous releases, with a wee bit of neocrust like melodies or punk soloing, with good results since it stays very brutal anyway and keep the nature of the band. I'd say it's a good Phobia album and a very intense slice of grindpunk.

The BC page.

Second Sun - Hopp​/​Förtvivlan (2015)

Very cool album, at the same time very classic and very special. On this first album called Hopp​/​Förtvivlan (don't ask me what does it means... but it does add to the magic), released two years ago (it's been two years I plan to review this one, go figure why it took me so long... pff) Second Sun, a swedish band with Tribulation drummer offer some classic heavy rock with touches of psychedelia. Very 70' inspired but not like all these retro-rock band. Because it's far better than most, and because it's not only classic but also very surprising, the singing in swedish plays a part in that, but there's also something else... maybe "just" great songwriting... great stuff anyway. Just try it and you won't regret.

The Bandcamp page.

Incantation - Profane Nexus (2017)

Incantation is one of the oldest death metal bands (starting in 1989), also one of the first to include slow paced death-doom parts. They are also one of the best, and with albums like Profane Nexus, their tenth one, this is not about to change. Old school death metal may have been long ago surpassed by modern death metal in terms of speed, heaviness and technical playing, but with such a mastery of the groove and atmosphere we found in Incantation's songwriting we are sure the old school will stay relevant for a while. Profane Nexus feature the best Incantation can do in excellent riffing and evoking a thick atmosphere of crawling evil, with a variety of rhythm, from blast-beats to mid-tempo to the slower funeral paced doom parts (like in the excellent and very funeral Incorporeal Despair for exemple). Profane Nexus is maybe even better than Dirges of Elysium (released in 2014, already a good album) and anyone into death metal will enjoy it.

The Bandcamp page.

ATILA - Body (2017)

Body is already ATILA's, sixth album, it's a very well crafted one, somewhere between dark ambient and minimal techno, with a sligh touch of dubstep. I'd say Body has less beats and bass than he previous album, V, it's more minimal / ambient. But it is no less dark and scary. Its subtle sinister mood would do very well for a ghost movie soundtrack. Good stuff again.

The Bandcamp page.

American - Violate and Control (2017)

Obviously associating black metal and industrial / noise music is a good idea, yet it's not that easy to do it properly. First American album, Coping With Loss, was a good album, but basically it was some good black metal with machine drum and two noise track. On their second album, Violate and Control, things get more interesting since in it the black metal and indus / noise mix sounds a lot more like a cohesive whole (although this time on some tracks we could say it's noise music with black metal bits...). They build a strong black and harsh atmosphere that explodes into some epic moments like in the excellent Amorous and Subdue in the middle of the album.

The Bandcamp page.