Ramleh - Hyper Vigilance (2025)

Hyper Vigilance, the new Ramleh album keeps the psychedelic noise rock formula of the two previous albums, but is also enriching it with new elements and more diversity overall. The main new thing is the use in several songs of acoustic guitars, bringing a somewhat neofolk feel at times, with also more vocals, and on the other hand there are some harsher industrial/noise moments, making it maybe the most interesting of recent Ramleh albums. In any case, it's another awesome addition to their fantastic discography. One of my favourite album for this first half of the year. Totally recommended!

 

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LWSTNDRDS - Songs of Atrocity (2024)

I had noticed and enjoyed their previous releases, so when this excellent album from Polish band LWSTNDRDS has been released by Nerve Altar (if you read me regularly you know this is the best dealer of grind related music we have since a few years) it wasn't a surprise but a confirmation. Songs of Atrocity is a fine piece of powerviolence/grind/blackened hardcore/sludge (yes, following the recent trend of mixing the different styles of hardcore /metal, and why not? Here it is definitely producing a great result) blending nicely bursts of violence and twisted grooves. Good stuff!

 

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Merzbow - Hatonal (2025)

I don't review harsh noise very often, not because I don't like it, but because it's difficult to write about it. Trying to describe it seems a bit pointless. Noise is something you have to feel... What to say about this one? Merzbow aka Masami Akita is among the pioneers and great masters of noise, maybe even people not into it have seen or heard his name mentioned, maybe listened to one of his collaborative albums with rock/metal artists. On Hatonal he's doing his stuff, noise with just enough variations to keep you listening and enjoying it. Might be a patience test for most people, a pleasure for some, and in any case, an interesting listening experience.

 

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Vacuous - In His Blood (2025)

After a promising first album in 2022, Vacuous (from London, UK) is confirming with their second album and Relapse debut, In His Blood, that they are among the best new bands in the old school death metal scene, with a sound evoking Incantation, Autopsy and Immolation. I'm pleased to see that Relapse records are still sometimes releasing stuff as out of fashion and underground as old school death metal, but it's not so surprising, Vacuous quality is obvious, and it's fully deserved.

 

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Botanist - VII - Beast of Arpocalyx (2024)

I think the use of a lot of clean vocals on the previous Botanist album was a convincing success, but if you regretted it you'll be pleased to read that it nearly disappeared on the latest one VII - Beast of Arpocalyx, only aggressive screamed vocals remaining (except for a few clean backing vocals). This and maybe a bit more blast beats make the overall mood of Beast of Arpocalyx darker and more aggro, even if the hammered dulcimer parts are still mostly melodic (if you don't know Botanist yet, it's a one-man band with a drummer, and it's only drumming and hammered dulcimer and vocals, no guitars). The album has been released last year, but was recorded back in 2016, so it's literary a return but a rawer past of Botanist (and probably not indicating which direction he'll be taking next). Probably also explains why two albums in 2024. Anyway what doesn't change with Botanist be it 2016 or 2024 is the high musicianship level and songwriting skill, and obviously uniqueness, so it's another worthy additions to its awesome discography. 

 

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YOUFF - Heydays (2023)

I saw YOUFF play at Les Passagers du Zinc, a café-concert where I live, and it confirmed the good impression I had from listening to their latest album Heydays. YOUFF, from Belgium, is an excellent band! Their music is a noise rock that is especially noisy, but not without groove, a special kind of groove. They sound somewhere between a less technical Pneu and a more frenetic and harsher The Ex. Plus crazy and weird vocals. Recommended !

 

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