Aluk Todolo - Voix (2016)

Voix (to be released early in 2016)  is Aluk Todolo comeback after their extrardinary double album "Occult rock" in 2012. Is it as good? I'd say it's not but it's still good enough to live up to the expectations I think. And be one of the most interesting and best rock album in 2016. The instrumental trio intoduced no new elements in Voix but we could say they are already unique so no need to change a lot a formula that is giving excellent results. Their music is still based on an excellent rythmic section (drums & bass) with some krautrock repetitive patterns and weirdness, free rock, noise rock heaviness and edge, and a taste of black metal speed and cold execution. The lead element is done by the guitar with noisy and darkly psychedelic flavours. These six tracks that forms Voix are a nice addition to the discography of one of the best french band. Very highly recommended!


The Bandcamp page.

Cloud rat / Drugs of faith - Split EP (2015)

Excellent hardcore split EP from Selfmadegod records. First we have Cloud rat, currently one of the best hardcore band, displaying the wide range of their music in three songs, from pure agression to noisier moments and a touch of melody, with a songwriting ability that makes sure it does not sound like any other hardcore band. Then Drugs of faith, another really good band, gives us to listen to two tracks sounding somewhere between hardcore and some dark and aggressive noise rock. Really good split for people that ask more from hardcore.

The BC page.

Yuri Gagarin - At the center of all infinity (2015)

Yeah you guessed it this is space rock. Space rock with a heavy rock / stoner flavour. But the focus is on the trip more than on the heaviness. Yuri Gagarin is a swedish instrumental quintet and At the center of all infinity is their second album (their first, self-titled, one  was already really good). Cool guitar work, a good driving rythm section, a bit of synth and effects. And they take you far away... and you will like it... and will ask for more. Really cool stuff, if you're into heavy psychedelia  and space rock there is absolutely no reason you wouldn't enjoy it.

The Bandcamp page.

Church of the dead - Forever dead vol.5 (EP 2015)

Forever dead is the fifth volume of their series of Eps (each time three or four songs, this time 3 songs for 10 minutes of music) from Church of the dead and it's always a pleasure to hear them again. The finnish quatuor never fail to deliver some quality old school death metal, keeping it simple but always managing to write good "catchy" songs, with a good groove, mostly mid tempos with a bit of D-beat, good vocal lines, and memorable death metal riffing.

their website

Young widows - Easy pain (2014)

Easy pain is Young widows fourth album, released last year (2014) I should have reviewed it earlier, but well, it's really good and it deserves a review, even a late one... This is noise rock, raw and angular, but with addictive venomous melodies, with a post-punk feel with haunting vocals (on the side of Gun club, Nick Cave or even David Eugen Edwards). Could be an excellent soundtrack american road trip movie, sometimes warm sometimes desolate, filled with anxiety and bitterness, but shining with a majestic intensity. Great album!

The Bandcamp page.

Grind pieces & related : the 2015 selection

Like every year I offer you a list of my favourite grind released (and related music) of the year. So here we go again. You'll find old established band (Napalm death!) as well as new bands ( like the demo from Meth Leppard).
Click on the name to go to the review. There's interviews as well (click on "the itnerview").

Captain cleanoff - Rising terror

Napalm death - Apex predator

Antigama - The insolent

Beaten to death - Unplugged

Unrest - Grindcore                     The interview

The kill - Kill them... all

Cloud rat - Qliphoth

Organ dealer - Visceral infection

Cut to fit - Black mouth

Kuroi Jukai - st

Coffin birth - Cult of the technocrat EP

Triac / Sacridose split

Theories - Regression

Gets worse - White horse EP

God harvest - Insulated                The interview

Meth leppard - Demo

Scab - Sounds from the sewer 

2015 : my end year selection

Ok, let's go for the traditionnal end year lists. The specific grindcore and related stuff list will follow later in the month. Releases are given in no specific order.


Doom / Sludge / noise :

Nibiru - Padmalotus                       the review

Rectal hygienics - Ultimate purity     the review

Saturnalia temple  - To the other    the review

Ramleh - Circular time   the review

ODRA  - Sexnarkoman                    the review

Primitive man - Home is where the hatred is (EP)    the review

Nightslug - Loathe                  the review

The Body - The tears of job    the review

The Body & Krieg - The Body & Krieg  the review

Corrections house -  Know how to carry a whip   the review

King giant - Black ocean waves   the review 

Destruction unit - Negative feedback resistance     the review

Wolf eyes - I am a problem ; mind in pieces    the review
 



Trash  / death :

Abyss - Heretical anatomy                   the review

Evil invaders - Pulses of pleasure        the review

Sepulcher  - Mausoleum tapestry        the review

Vorum - Current mouth (EP)     the review

Deiphago - Into the eye of Satan   the review

Revenge - Behold.Total.Rejection   the review



progressive / psychedelic rock / fusion jazz and related stuff :

Sammal - Myrskyvaroitus        the review       the interview

Seremonia - Kristalliarkki        the review      The interview

Wild throne - Harvest of darkness       the review

Oiseaux tempête - Ütopyia    the review

Anekdoten - Until all the ghosts are gone     the review

Sommer - On waking and dreaming       the review      the interview

Sigurdur Rognvaldsson's dark forest - Kisima     the review

Kamasi Washington - The Epic   the review   

Haraam - When the sacred months have passed (2015)

Haraam (it means forbidden, the contrary of halal) is a band (or solo project I don't know...) from Denmark, they (?) released three records (or tapes?) last year and two this year. When the sacred month have passed is the first one released this year. It is really good industrial techno / noise ambient with industrial / techno beats, electronic noise, and a bit of oriental melodies. Their next release The triumph of truth is good as well but without the noise element and I prefer this one.

The Bandcamp page.

Sepulcher - Mausoleum Tapestry (2015)

Sepulcher is a new Norwegian band, and their first release is a tape called Mausoleum Tapestry. They play really cool raw and old school metal in a proto-death / thrash vein. There is a big influence from Slayer (it's most aggressive and "evil" era, Hell awaits / Reign in blood) but it evokes also the early days of death metal when it was thrash metal turning extreme, more dirty and morbid. And when it slows down a bit and gets less maniacal and more melodic the atmosphere reminds old school Swedish death metal. Overall they're doing a better job than most bands sharing these influences and Mausoleum tapestry is a really enjoyable listen if you're into this kind of metal. Perfect for a drunken party with fellow metal freaks. Recommended!

The label page for the tape.

Sigurður Rögnvaldsson's Dark Forest - Kisima (2015)

It was a bit by chance that I listened to this album. I'm really glad I did it because it will stay as one of my favourite album of the year. Sigurður Rögnvaldsson's Dark Forest is a band formed by the Icelandic but now Helsinki based (and I noticed a finnish feel in the melodies) guitarist Sigurður Rögnvaldsson with finnish musicians (drums, bass and alto sax). Kisima is their first album and is a brilliant release. Let me cite the guitarist website : "Dark Forest invites the listeners to a journey through a dark and mystical forest, full of mutated creatures and their strange yet captivating stories in Kisima". Yes, listening to the album evokes a weird atmosphere with somewhat "magical" qualities. The music is rooted in jazz rock / progressive rock reminding a bit the 70' pioneers( King Crimson for exemple) but with a more modern energy and rougher edge, with a rythm section that often would not sound out of place in a math rock / noise rock band. The sax playing is at times more atmospheric and at times dives into wilder free jazz howlings. Great melodies and atmosphere with a powerfull rocking pulse. A great album.

The bandcamp page.