Alamaailman Vasarat - Valta (2012)

Finnish band Alamaailman Vasarat (ten points if you can pronounce it) have been writing and recording mind blowing instrumental albums for 12 years and their new instalment Valta is nothing from that. First off i didn't even know there saw such an instrument called a sub contrabass Tubax until i heard these guys. Let alone the idea of played dual cellos with distortion. I find a lot a finnish music has a certain feel which can be very strange indeed but Alamaailman Vasarat has crafted a sound of contemporary folk rock which is strong in texture and narrative. They are highly melodic band who have pushed the boundaries with folk music and Valta stands strong with the rest of their albums which i also recommend.  

Valta (MP3)

Valta (FLAC)

Tracklist:

1. Riistomaasiiraja

2. Henkipatto

3. Hajakas

4. Norsuvaljkko

5. Haudankantaja

6. Luu Messingilla

7. Vaara Kaarme

8. Uurnilla

9. Hirmuhallinto

Eye - Center Of The Sun (2012)

I've only come across these guys in the past few day but their debute album Center Of The Sun has been on repeat ever since. Opening and title track Center Of The Sun is like a time machine back to the old days of Pink Floyd or Deep Purple. Dirty Hammond organ and fuzz guitar set the tone to this groove based journey with lyrics about galactic travel within and out. EYE are nothing new but are doing absolute justice. Check out EYE's live studio recoding below and keep an eye on the awesome skills of their keyboardist. 

Center Of The Sun

Tracklist:

1. Center Of The Sun

2. Usurpers

3. Restorers

4. Rik Rite

Dark Dark Dark - Who Needs Who (2012)

DDD's latest release has had a very different approach since their 2010 release Go Wild. The line up has slightly changed but core members still stand. I found the songs a little more stripped back and delivered as a live performance then a studio recording. I had the chance of seeing them perform this album earlier in the year and hearing this album pretty much exactly as i did that night which i find a little bit of a disappointment. I still really enjoy the flow and songwriting of Who Needs Who but wish it had more of the dubbing and vocal harmonies they have become so popular for and not having the piano being the basses for every song but three. A little let down but hey what ya gonna do, I still love these guys.

Who Need Who

Tracklist: 

1. Who Needs Who

2. Tell Me

3. Last Time I saw Joe

4. Patsy Cline

5. Without You

6. How It Went Down

7. It's A Secret

8. Hear Me

9. Meet In The Dark

10. The Great Mistake

Dysrhythmia - Test of Submission (2012)

Edgy math rock metal gods Dysrhythmia have done it again with their newest release Test of Submission. Even after the first couple of tracks I've noticed their writing has become even more intense but with smoother transitions between sections rather then their last release Psychic Maps. Sweeping atmospheric melodic guitar melodies wash over a ridiculously tight drum and bass odd time signature blast beat base and Sonically this band has stepped more into their own and come leaps and bounds since this line ups first album Barriers and Passengers. Tasty taste. 

Test Of Submission

Tracklist:

1. In Secrecy

2. Test Of Submission

3. The Line Always Snaps

4. Running Towards The End

5. In The Spirit Of Catastrophe

6. The Madness Of Three

7. Like Chameleons

8. In Consequence

Kayo Dot - Gamma Knife (2012)

Its Been a few years since I've had a good listen to Kayo Dot, so to my surprise I was very happy to have found they released brand spanking earlier this year called Gamma Knife. Lead by Toby Driver, Kayo Dot's albums have gone through many transitions, But I find this album relates more to there early recordings, maybe with a little more shine then the grittiness of Drowsing Anemone With A Copper Tongue in 2006. Abstract, avant garde, Jazzcore is what makes up Kayo Dot, with stems of Grindcore and Black Metal. Its Bitterly twisted but at the same time its opening and closing tracks sound more like a composition by Jeff Buckley.  Play this one at full volume to get the full experience. 

Gamma Knife

Tracklist:

1. Lethe

2. Rite of Goetic Evocation

3. Mirror Water, Lighting Night

4. Ocellated God

5. Gamma Knife

Chelsea Wolfe - Ἀποκάλυψις (2011)

Amazingly dark and brooding recording from NYC artist Chelsea Wolfe. Thick with reverb and folk doom undertones such as Earth, Chelsea Wolfe even has similar characteristics as PJ Harvey or Portishead at times. I wasn't to much of a fan of her first recording The Grime and The Glow but she has come a long way and developed much more of her own sound and leaning away from cliche gothic witch pagan folk music. 

Ἀποκάλυψις

Tracklist:

1. Primal / Carnal

2. Mer

3. Tracks (Tall Bodies)

4. Demons

5. Movie Screen

6. The Wasteland

7. Moses

8. Friedrichshain

9. Pale On Pale

10. To The Forest, Towards The Sea

Max Crumbs - Pieces & Portions Vol 2 (2010)

Melbourne artist Max Kohane (Pivixki, Agents Of Abhorrence) released this free recording a couple of years back which is a total step in the opposite direction for this more commonly known extreme abstract grind drummer. His beats are creative, earthy and textural. Lending inspiration from Prefused 73, Boards of Canada, and DJ Shadow. I find the vocal elements on this recording a little bit distracting but over all his compositions and production is a pleasure to listen to. You can also find Pieces & Portions Vol 1 on his bandcamp.

     

Pieces & Portions vol 2

Tracklist:

1. Speaker Milk

2. Pigeons Kissing

3. Crouching Otter Stance

4. Smiling In Surgery

5. Chest Peak

6. Apple Worm Salad

7. Altered States Of Beast

8. Yellow Acid Stains (featuring Nisa Venorosa)

9. Inkhorn

Black Sleep Of Kali / Union Of Sleep Split (2012)

Hailing from Denver, Colorado this progressive metal/Doom group have supplied me with some solid music especially from their full length Our Slow Decay. but recently they released this split with German band Union Of Sleep. I haven't heard to much of Union of Sleep but judging but the samples of the net im convinced UOS will become a regular listen for me over the next while. Fans of early Baroness/Mastodon will probably really enjoy seeing that so many bands are heading down the road of signing to major labels and suck arse all over the shop. These songs are true and gritty the way it should be. with bone crushing grooves and guttural delivery.  Im pretty sure I'll put my order in for the LP as soon as my next pay check goes in.

 

BLOK

Tracklist:

1. Cosmonaut

2. Eyes of Winter

3. The Witch

4. Call Of The Void

Old Man Gloom - No (2012)

After 8 years. OMG has finally released new album entitled NO. And holy shit! opening track sounds like it couldn't be from anyone else. lo-fi ambient static and electronics which leads into the more common bone crushing post sludgecore sound these guys are legends for. You can hear the trade off between Aaron Turner (ISIS) and Caleb Scofield (Cave In) who seem to come across as the main writers of the collaboration which also includes Nate Newton (converge). With NO clocking in at 59mins its a fairly epic listen that doesn't let off for some time, but I am a little disappointed that towards the end of this recording it does start to run a little thin and recycled. Not the best OMG release but definitely has its moments.  

NO

Tracklist:

1. Grand Inversion

2. Common Species

3. Regain/Rejoin

4. To Carry the Flame

5. The Forking Path

6. Shadowed Hand

7. Rats

8. Crescent

9. Shuddering Earth

Secret Chiefs 3 - Traditionalists, The Western Exile 7" (2012)

Long after Secret Chiefs 3's last full length album, its good to see them releasing 7" rarities and collectables. On this one you will find on the B side Trey Spruance and Mike Patton working together once again to create a superb version of Le Chanson De Jackey. backed by the chiefs Traditionalists to create a swinging western story of epic proportions.  Side A is another version of The Western Exil which was on their Book of Horizons. You can also find their Saptarshi / Radar 7" here 

Traditionalists

Tracklist:

1. The Western Exile

2. Le Chanson De Jackey