Yob - Clearing the path to ascend ( 2014)

There's some beautifull humble majesty in Yob. their new album (out on Neurot-recordings and that's not by chance) Clearing the path to ascend rise to impressive depths and reach. Yob's doom raw mystical vibe is unique. the four songs are as heavy as any doom but it's post rock / psychedelic / progressive elements makes it more diverse than doom usually is. Mike Scheidt wide vocal range from melodic high pitch singing to near death metal growls also brings a lot to the identity of the band. Clearing the path to ascend sounds all encompassing and quietly powerfull, it reach your mind as much as it reach your guts and does it in a very special way, providing a great listening experience.

it's Neurot recordings page.

Peter pan speedrock - buckle up and shove it! (2014)

Peter pan speedrock are a dutch crew of rock'n'roll road warriors spreading fuel, sweat and speedrock around since 1997. their new album Buckle up and shove it! is their ninth one and another very good and solid dose of rock in the vein of Motörhead, Nashville pussy, Zeke and The stooges, and if you don't like that then i'm really sorry for you...
nothing very special but a very enjoyable and full of energy release form masters in their craft giving their best to rock you. 

their website.

Narcosatanicos - Narcosatanicos (2014)

Narcosatanicos is a new band from Denmark and they released their first self titled LP in spring. what they play is quite unique, having a noise rock (especially bass heavy) base but with a saxophone adding a twisted psychedelic flavour, the overall having also a kind of proto-punk (think Funhouse era Stooges) vibe. it's rocking, dark and trippy. mostly instumental but with some punk / post-punk vocals. the good suicide cover (ghost rider) fits well in the album.
they found a very potent combination of punk energy and psychedelia growing throughout the album and culminating in a memorable apocalyptic ending.

exiting and highly recommended!

The Bandcamp page.

Arrogant state - st (2014)

This is some swedish D-beat / crust / anarcho punk. Arrogant state is the best new band I recently heard playing this kind of stuff. their self titled five song digital release, that you can stream on Bandcamp, really does a good job in capturing the D-beat crust spirit, it's strident feel of anger and urgency. nothing more, nothing less, more than enough to satisfy anyone enjoying a good dose of raw punk d-beating done the way it should.

their BC page.

Electric wizard - Time to die (2014)

Electric wizard are a major doom metal institution, there are many bands sounding more influenced by them than by Black sabbath, and that's something. they are now releasing their eight full length album called Time to die. to be honest I was'nt really convinced by my first listen and still got mixed feelings about it. yes they backed from the more polished sound and songwriting they had on their previous albums and that's not a bad thing (those albums were good and were a good try though). Electic wizard is at its best dwelling in the filth. Time to die is raw, dirty, bleak and trippy in a noisy nightmarish way. and I love it. but the problem is that it often sounds more like rehearsal jams than actual songs. I'm not saying they should follow the "pop" or "rock" song format of course, but they could have injected more dynamic and progression in the songs. by force of mesmerising like repetition the impression fades a bit after some listen but still you often feels like listening to the same song for one hour. no songs really stands out as really memorable or bringing something new.
well, it makes a good soudtrack for lazy afternoons...
still another good album from the wizard, but very probably will never be among my favourite one.

www.electricfuckinwizard.com

Coffin birth - Necrotic liquefaction (2014)

Wow... this one is a very solid contender for best grind release of 2014. Coffin birth is a trio (voc, drums, guitar) from Brisbane and their new digital release (9 songs in around 8 minutes) called Necrotic liquefaction is really damn cool. it's deathgrind with a good groove, a bit of crossover trash attack, and a lot of dynamics in the songs, keeping the listener hooked from start to end. it has a powerfull and dirty enough sound. it's a faultless release that I'm listening to over and over again. very enjoyable stuff really..
highly recommended!

their BC page.

Conjuro nuclear - Conjuro nuclear (2014)

Conjuro nuclear is a spanish one man band and it's music could be described as a mix of new-wave, black metal and D-beat. it evokes Joy division (the sound and the basslines), Emperor's Nightside eclipse era (the synth parts, the black metal vocals and the obscure epic feel) and Discharge (remember "D-beat" is for "Discharge beat"). but the most striking is not the influences it's that this mix is quite original and that it's really well done and fresh sounding in Conjuro nuclear. this black metal / post-punk crossover reminds a bit Circle of Ourorborus but Conjuro nuclear is way more punk and direct so it's really a different thing. their new self titled cassette is their second full-lenght album and it's a really enjoyable and exiting one.

Conjuro nuclear bandcamp

Worse - st EP (2014)

Worse is a new band from San Fransisco, they just released  a self titled EP / Demo on Bandcamp and if you're into raw and angry hardcore I recommend you pay attention to it. they play some hard hitting metallic hardcore but without succumbing to the sirens of the "blackened" wave of hardcore. they really sound rooted in old school hardcore punk with mid tempo songs and simple and abrasive riffing. compared to old school hardcore their extra dose of agression does not consist in some Entombed worhsipping but is closer to powerviolence hardcore, with a raw sound, vocals that are very aggressive but staying in a punk hardcore vein, and a bit of blast beats in the last of the sixth songs of the demo.
as a grind addict I can't help feeling i'd like it even better if it went faster, but that really won't be a problem for people more into traditionnal hardcore punk, and anyway anyone enjoying their six minutes of hardcore violence will like it!

a very good start for Worse!

their Bandcamp