Torn Relics - Abolish the Dogma (2020)

Torn Relics is a duo making industrial music, Romek Boyer is doing the beats while Aimee Mullen is playing violin and Bodhan and also sometimes singing. Abolish the Dogma, their second album, is nicely sophisticated and mixing elements from various styles, industrial techno, dub techno, dark ambient and even doom metal. They are good at creating dark and mysterious atmospheres.

The Bandcamp page.

Fange - Pudeur (2020)

Pudeur is the first Fange album that I really find interesting, so far I felt their "blackened sludge Entombedcore" was ok but a bit generic. But on Pudeur they replaced the drummer by a drum machine and the industrial element it brings really adds a dimension to their sound, making it even more inhuman and bleak while keeping their dirty and heavy side. Recommended! (as well as the 4 tracks, called Poigne, they just did and which continue in the same direction)

The Bandcamp page.

The Comet Is Coming - The Afterlife (EP 2019)

The Comet Is Coming is a London based trio with saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings (also in Sons of Kemet, Shabaka and the Ancestors, etc.), keyboardist Dan Leavers, and drummer Max Hallett. The Afterlife is an EP and a kind of sequel to their previous album Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery (both released by the famous free jazz record label Impulse!). Their music is a shining mix of lyrical and melodic spiritual jazz, psychedelia and krautrock. There are some vocals on the excellent starting track with the featuring of Joshua Idehen, but otherwise it's completely instrumental. The band managed to recycle old elements into something sounding different and fresh and it's a very enjoyable listen that should please anyone into free/psychedelic music.

Their website

Cognizant - Cognizant (2020)

Eight year and a half after its beginning, this is the 1 001th post on this blog. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy doing it.

Ok, le'ts go back to reviewing...

Another innovative release from Nerve Altar. Cognizant is a technical death/grind (or maybe "math grind") band with Bryan Fajardo on the drums. Their first, self-titled album is more about crafting a weird, dissonant and futuristic atmosphere than about relentless blast beatings. The result is interesting and really well done. Quality stuff.

The BC page.

5RVLN5 - The Black Mark (2020)

The Black Mark is 5RVLN5 first release, five tracks of finely crafted industrial metal that reminds NIN and Author & Punisher. Should satisfy anyone into this kind of music. I enjoy it.

 The BC page

King Gorm - King Gorm (2020)

King Gorm was a Danish king, but this King Gorm is a Californian band. On this outstanding first album they sound half 70' style progressive rock and half early heavy metal, imagine a mix of Yes, Deep Purple, Iron Maiden, and Ghost. Keyboards melodies? Check. Epicness? Check. A bit cheesy? Well, yes, check, but here it's more a plus than a problem. A very nicely crafted and addictive album, I really enjoy it.
Oh, and I can't resist posting the picture of the band, I usually don't do that, but they are so triumphantly magnificent on this picture...

The Bandcamp page.

Disturbance Project - Gritas Mientras Puedas (2014)

I should have paid more attention to Gritas Mientras Puedas, the album from Spanish grinders Disturbance Project, when it came out in 2014. Did not review it then because I hesitated if it was OK or good, then moved on to other stuff. Which was silly because actually it's very good : straightforward, raw and brutal grind of the best quality, it has everything you'd want from a traditional grind album. Good stuff. When is the new album guys?

The BC page.