Lunch - Let Us Have Madness Openly (2015)

Lunch is a new american band that managed to released last year a first album called Let Us Have Madness Openly that is a flawless exercise in postpunk, really good at conjuring Joy Division and The Cure. Really good at capturing that kind of atmosphere and sound, but not only at that because it's often more uptempo and rocking, evoking also bands like The Cramps or The Misfits. But more improtant than the influences is that it's a really good album, with each songs being very good and memorable. Recommended sutuff!

The Bandcamp page.

Intensive care - Pay pig (2016)

Intensive Care is a new band with guys who were in from Column of Heaven and The Endless Blockade. On this casette, Pay Pig, their first release it sounds a bit like a development of the noise element in Column of Heaven. There's some Power electronics (especially on the three short tracks / interludes), mixed with the most sinister sludge and some early Godflesh (especially the two longer tracks). And they already really master that thing. A great first release and a very promising new band. Recommened!

http://survivalist-deathcult.blogspot.fr/

Deathblow - The Other Side of Darkness (2015)

This cover art screams "old school metal!!" and that's indeed what the music is. Deathblow is a new trash metal band from salt lake city that are playing very classical but very cool and well done trash metal (in a Slayer / Kreator vein). They released an album that was good but a bit "demoish" but this EP called The Other Side of Darkness, released last year is absolutely sharp an efficient. With the Evil Invaders album last year (that was less classical trash with it's heavy / speed elements) this one is my favourite recent trash metal stuff. All I like in trash metal, the speed, the raw aggression, the straight forward "no bullshit" attitude, the memorable riffing and vocal lines, all is here, delivered with the conviction and energy needed. Traditionnal, but enjoyable anyway. If you're into trash metal no doubt you'll like it.

The Bandcamp page.

Kurushimi - st (2016)

Kurushimi is an australian band, like Art as Catharsis, the label releasing their first self-titled album. What they do is really special blending grindcore, free jazz and some dub elements (the use of reverb and some more ambient parts). That mix of course reminds John Zorn's Naked city and Painkiller and the fact that it's partly improvised, with musicians playing under the direction of conductors, is also probably Zorn influenced. But even if the influence is obvious they don't sound like a tribute band, there's a different songwriting approach and also there's two saxophone players (alto, tenor and baritone), bass guitar, guitar, and a bit of flute and turntable, and no screaming. It really makes an interesting and enjoyable listen.

The Bandcamp page.

Sissy Spacek - Disfathom (2016)

This new Sissy Spacek release, called Disfathom, can be seen as the following to their "Lead their exit" one two years ago (In the meantime they released two other albums, one more free jazz / noisecore as an ensemble of six musicians, and a more noise / power electronics one. good stuff as well, also extreme in a different way). This time Sara Taylor (Youth Code singer) is not holding the mic anymore and they plays as a duo, John Wiese drumming and Charlie Mumma playing bass, I don't know who's doing the vocals. It sounds more death-metal and less grind / hc than Sara Taylor I'd say but it aslo fits the music which is relentless noisegrind, eighteen songs in something like ten minutes. never slowing down. never. very fast and dense stuff. If you're not already convinced that most hardcore bands pretending they play very agressive music are just posers... And Disfathom is nearly "easy listening" compared to their two previous releases. If you liked Lead their exit you'll find Disfathom a really worthy successor. And if you don't kown already Sissy Spacek don't miss the occasion (you can also read the interview I did in 2014 with John Wiese). Their music is as extreme as it can be whitout following the traditionnal patterns of extreme metal (nor any other pattern exept their own).

The BC page.

Skullshitter - Transmission : Command (2015)

Transmission : Command, released last year and now on vinyl from Nerve altar is the first album of the Brooklynites Skullshitter (their drummer plays also in Trenchgrinder and Mutant Supremacy). This is excellent death/grind, disgusting, barbaric and reeking the old school (Repulsion, Autopsy comes to mind). Very old school but with a chaotic songwriting that is not traditionnal, often surprising and channeling perfectly the crazy spirit and loose agression of grind. They will please the grind freaks and the old school and raw death metal lovers as well. They also recently released a digital Ep. Great stuff!!

Their BC page.
 

Landskap - III (2016)

Landskap is among the best heavy rocking bands but few knows it. Their third album (called III for mysterious reasons) altough not my favourite one keep the quality at a very high level. Their doom / stoner / psych rock is different from the countless bands now playing this kind of music because it is a bit more progressive, the organ brings a Deep purple and The Doors something, and speaking of The Doors their great vocalist reminds more Jim Morrison than Ozzy Osbourne wich is also a very welcome change. Why is it not my favourite among their three albums? well, I feel their guitar sound is maybe a bit more modern now, getting closer to the sound of many stoner rock bands. And the best songs on the album are maybe a bit inferior to the best songs they had on their previous albums, maybe because the songwriting is a bit more traditionnal. But it's still very very good and a really enjoyable listen.

Their Bandcamp page.