jeudi 27 janvier 2022

John Zorn - New Masada Quartet (2021)

After many albums by a brilliant first Masada quartet (Joey Baron on drums Greg Cohen on bass, Dave Douglas on trumpet and John Zorn on sax), Electric Masada, many albums with bands picked by Zorn to play the Masada songbooks, John Zorn returns again to Masada with  a New Masada Quartet, in which he's still playing sax but this time with Julian Lage on guitars, Kenny Wollesen on drums and Jorge Roeder on bass, playing eight songs from the Masada songbook. I wouldn't say it's better than the first Masada quartet, but it's different and definitely excellent as well, and it's exiting and great to listen again to Masada as a quartet with Zorn playing his sax and not just directing. Absolutely recommended!

The Tzadik page.

 

lundi 24 janvier 2022

Ophidian I - Desolate (2021)

Desolate is the second album from Icelandic tech death metal band Ophidian I. And it's one of the best technical death metal album released in 2021. The focus is clearly on the speed and melodies, sometimes it's a bit like heavy/speed played faster and with blast beats and growled vocals. The album is excellent overall, but a few songs really stands out as especially memorable and catchy, the first one being a true masterpiece for that.


The Bandcamp page.

 

 

samedi 22 janvier 2022

Full of Hell - Garden of Burning Apparitions (2021)

Garden of Burning Apparitions is maybe the most straigtforward and brutal and also most rocking album from Full of Hell. Their blackened hardcore is at its rawer and to the point delivery (with a less black metal and more chaotic noise hardcore feel this time, or less metal more punk), with some diversity and contrast provided by harsh noise, saxophone and noise rock elements. When more extreme and direct is also more catchy. Full of Hell is still one of the more extreme and best hardcore band around.

The BC page.