Archagthus - Cold Universe (EP 2017)

Actually this post isn't really about this specific release from Archagthus (but all their more recent stuff is splits, and also it's a good one in any case), I saw them play the other day and wanted to say how awesome they are. They played at Les Passagers du zinc in Besançon (France) with Tension, Fake Dust and local band Apoptose, and it was truly a memorable gig, all bands delivering a great show (I'll post about the others later, they also deserve it). Archagatus is an experienced old-school grind /mincore band, and are excelling at being at the same time totally wild but also groovy and catchy. Why we don't hear people sing Archagathus songs in the bus, in shopping malls or restaurants is beyond me. Why? Any idea? In any case, you got it, I really enjoy Archagathus and recommend you try it. 

 

The BC page. 

 

Godhunter - Codex Narco (2017)

Codex Narco is now six years old, and I suppose Godhunter are now inactive, but tht's a pity, because it's an excellent album and in a highly standardised doom scene Godhunter managed to sound different. There's a sludge element in Codex Narco, but overall it's on the more melodic side of doom, while keeping it dark, reminding a bit Alice in Chains. With great singing and memerable songs. There's aeven a surprisong Tegan & Sara cover. Good stuff.

The BC page.

 

 

Ooezpus - Your Limit (2017)

You guys really should test Your Limit, latest release from Oozepus, a band with members from death/doom Coffins and the industrial Linekraft. Is it so surprising that they play some evil and sludgy Godflesh worship. Nope. Is it surprising that they do it so well? Nope (if you don't know Coffins and Linekraft, well, check them!). On a similar note, is it surprising that it has been released by Malignant Records? Nope. My only complain is that it's only fouur tracks, an album would be welcome!

The BC page.

 

Richard Pinhas - Reverse (2017)

Reverse, is an album released in 2017 by French avant-garde guitarist and composer Richard Pinhas (known for his music with the band Heldon, but not only). Playing on the albumis an impressive crew of talented musicians : guitars  by Pinhas and Oren Ambarchi, drums by Arthur Narcy, bass by Florian Tatar, Masami Akita (yes the one doing Merzbow) plays analog synths, Duncan Nilson-Pinhas digital synths, and William Winant percussions. The result is a mix of prog/space/kraut rock, drone, and electronics. Droning guitars, free drumming, synth soundscapes, forming weird and futuristic trippy atmospheres. Awesome album, really recommended!

The BC page.

 

 

Ho99o9 - United States of Horror (2017)

After a good mixtape in 2015 Dead Bodies in the Lake, in which Ho99o9 were already adding rock/metal elements (drumming, guitars) to their trap, they released their still only album United States of Horror in 2017, an industrial punk trap mutant that is in my opinion one of the few good "trap metal" album. Ugly and wild, and I like it!

K2 / Yasuhito Fujinami - Split cassette (2017)

Good split cassette released by two Japanese noise artists in 2017. Three tracks from Yasuhito Fujinami on the first side, the whole spectrum of noise going from ambient to harsh, rich and subtle, really good. On the other side is K2 (noise veteran Kimihide Kusafuka) with a long track more on the harsh side of noise, not the monolithic and dull kind, it has enough twists and turns and variations to keep your attention and build an interesting listening experience.

The BC page.

 

Pekko Käppi & K:H:H:L - Matilda (2017)

Pekko Käppi is a jouhikko player (a jouhikko is a Finnish string instrument) and an ethnomusicologist, and joined with his band K:H:H:L he produces a music hard to describe, that's why, despite liking it instantly (the opening track is really awesome with its screaming riff à la Hendrix, somewhat), it took me four years to review their second album Matilda. They play some psychedelic folk rock rooted in Finnish traditional music (and sung in Finnish) but with also hard rock elements and even bits of funk. Very "exotic" and also enjoyable. Interesting and cool stuff. Not surprisingly it  (like their more recent album from 2019) is released by the excellent Svart records, specialized in all kinds of weird Finnish music.

The Bandcamp page.

Fret - Over Depht (2017)

 

Fret is one of Mick Harris's projects. He took part in the invention of blast beats and grindcore behind the drum kit with Napalm Death, then moved over to industrial/bass/electronic music (and kept on drumming sometimes with John Zorn's Painkiller) for which he also had been pioneer with Scorn, Quoit and Fret, we could say he was doing dubstep long before the name existed (and better!). Over Depht, released in 2017 is the latest Fret album but there's two more recent EP's both good as well. Fret is going with a 130 bpm speed but with beats that are more complex and irregular than techno usually is. We could say Fret is halfway between the slower Scorn and the more drum & bass Quoit. Anyway it is pure Mick Harris, with a dark and heavy industrial sound and smart beats.

The BC page.

 

Biblical - The City That Always Sleeps (2017)

Biblical is a band from Toronto and The City That Always Sleeps is their second album, released in 2017. Their Bandcamp says they "magically reconciles Motorhead swagger with Bad Seeds dread". But actually most of the time they're closer to Hawkwind than to Motorhead for there is also a strong psychedelic element in their heavy rock. Anyway they really found a personal sound with this interesting and well crafted mix of various styles. Recommended stuff.

The Bandcamp page.

Fiend - Endless Demise - split (2017)

Excellent split (released by the really good grind label Psychocontrol records in 2017) between two excellent bands from the LA grind scene. 3 tracks each, 6 tracks in 5 min. both bands Fiend and Endless Demise are pure grind, going for the guts. This is a treat for anyone into grind. highly recommended.

The BC page

Basement Torture Killings - There's Something About Beryl (2017)

Basement Torture Killings is a death/grind band from the UK, sounding closer to Carcass than to Napalm Death, with lyrics about serial killers. Their third album is the first with their new singer Beryl and is called... There's something About Beryl. Their songs have a catchy and nasty groove. Cool stuff.

The Bandcamp page.

Babe Roots - ST (2017)

We're slowing down and get smooth with this one. Babe Roots self titled album is some excellent dub techno with invited vocalists, closer to digital dub than to techno, with also a trip-hop feel. If you'd like a dub album lighter (not on the dark/industrial side of dub) than the new Scorn or Zonal this one's really a good pick.

https://controltower.fr/fr/linear-movement/1396-babe-roots.html

Fleshpress - Hulluuden Muuri (2017)

Fleshpress is a weird beast, and what you'll hear on their seventh album Hulluuden Muuri, released two years ago, is a dirty hybrid of psychedelic doom, noise and black metal/ old school death metal. The singing in Finnish (for the first time) adds to the weirdness. But just forget classifying their unique sound and enjoy their bleak trip. Strong stuff.

The Bandcamp page.

DREAD - In Dub (2017)

This album called In Dub is actually the second "dub" release from Lustmord, but it's been released (in 2017) under the name of DREAD, maybe because it's goes further into dub territory than the first one (also good, but more industrial and closer to the usual Lustmord sound, a bit like Lusmord with some dub beats). I don't listen to a lot of dark ambient because I often find the lack of a rhythmic backbone frustrating, and Lustmord usual work is no exception for me, but with the addition of beats, and I really like the dub beats so it's even cooler, then it is solved and the result is great. In Dub has the slow motion dark feel that you would expect from Lustmord but it's also really a dub album, not just dub beats over industrial/dark ambient music, there's some (dark) melodic themes, a bit of vocals, a bit of guitars, and the omnipresent bass heavy sound. Whether you like Lustmord doesn't matters, what we have here is a great dark dub album.

The Bandcamp page.

Sacramence - Cremations (2017)

Sacramence is a duo from the US that evolved from black metal in their first releases to industrial music nowadays, Cremations is their second album, released in 2017, and it's an excellent mix of rythmic noise/industrial techno and synthwave, with a different dosage of nosie or synth in each tracks, some tracks more melodic or quiet, some tracks harsher, but it's good whatever direction they take. Good stuff!

The Bandcamp page.

Bowel Fuck - Fragments (2017)

Bowel Fuck is a Czech band and, contrary to what theirname might suggest, it is not porno/gore grind but grindpunk, in a way reminding Nasum. Fragments is their second album and it's a really good one. Not a lot of originality but a really good songwriting, straight to the point, with good riffs and a clear and powerfull production. I really like it.

The BC page.

Human Humus - The Obligatory Struggle (2017)

Human Humus is a grind band from Slovakia (why do eastern/central Europe produced so many great grind band since the nineties? do they learn grindcore at school?) and The Obligatory Struggle is their latest album (released in 2017). Simple old school grind done right, just how I like it, with good riffing, good drumming, good old school vocals, good songs. All that makes an enjoyable grind album.

 The BC page.

The Cosmic Dead - Psych is Dead (2017)

The Cosmic Dead is a Scottish band and a grand purveyor of quality psych rock. Their latest album Psych is Dead is quite different than the previous one Rainbowhead, it's slower, darker and noisier, which can't really be wrong isn't it? (altough I have to say Rainbowhead was a really album as well). Psychis is Dead is three long tracks with long quiet trippy parts alternating with heavy and noisy parts, The Cosmic Dead showing they're also good at being harsh and aggressive if they want to. Good stuff.

The BC page.

Chiens / Dead Instrument / Whoresnation split (2017)

This is a split between three bands I like, Chiens and Whoresnation from France, and Dead Instrument from Denmark, and I'm not disapointed by the results, each bands proposing tracks of the quality we could hope. Chiens and Whoresnation are more on the old school grind punk side of grind whereas Dead Instrument have a more modern sound and are more relentlessly fast. One thing worth noticing on this split release is that it's not one band then another then the third but the tracks are in mixed order and there's never two tracks of the same band in a row, and I'd say it works well. It's a really good split split with really good bands and I really recommend it. It's released by I Feel Good records, Amertume, Bones Brigade, and Everyday Hate.

The BC page.

Gas Chamber / D.O.C - split7'' (2017)

This excellent split released last year is sadly the last release from Gas Chamber which doesn't exist anymore. They were one of the most original and brilliant hardcore bands and we could say that in a way they did to powerviolence what Refused did to hardcore. These four short songs are another testimony of that (those basslines are awesome!)

Disciples of Christ (who I hope are still active!) is another excellent band, more brutal and grindpunk, they are more traditionnal but they are really good at what they do and their four songs on this split are also really good.

Highly recommended split!

The BC page.