ALBUM REVIEW: SOLSTAFIR - BERDREYMINN

SOLSTAFIR
BERDREYMINN
Post Rock, Hard Rock, Progressive Rock.
Seasons of Mist.
Listening Format: CD & Digital.














Solstafir are an Icelandic Rock band who have been active for over 20 years but only put out their first full length in 2002. Originally conceived as a Black Metal band, Solstafir have always created very atmospheric and melancholic music. Over the course of six full length albums, their music has really changed up a lot and continued to evolve to the point where they can barely be labelled a Metal band these days. 'Berdreyminn' is their sixth full length release and it's not an easy album to pigeonhole (which I like), with elements of Post Rock, Hard Rock and Prog.

The album opens with a kind of Ennio Morricone Spaghetti Western inspired intro before (and I kid you not) launching into a main riff that sounds like classic Muse (honestly it really does)! Once this track gets going though, it becomes really interesting with a triumphant feel, stomping drums and these soaring yelling vocals. Second track 'Isafold' has this unashamed 70s Rock stomp that sounds like classic ZZ Top. This thing even has what sounds like a slap bass interlude and cheesy guitar licks. I have to say I'm loving this track, although the vocals are mixed a little too high and sometimes when Tyrggvason goes slightly off pitch it is a bit unpleasant on the ears. The album takes an even stronger leap forward with a song that has a completely different tone. 'Hula' is Solstafir coming out in their true form. It sounds dark, mysterious, brooding and epic as you would probably expect. There are some absolutely beautiful touches of strings and female backing vocals on this track, and the clean lead vocals are far more muted and lowered in the mix compared to the yelling vocals on the first two tracks. This is easily the strongest track on the album that could be described as a Post Rock or atmospheric Rock song, for lack of a better term.

As the album starts to venture into its second half things keep changing up from there. In fact 'Naros' has a very dynamic change just within the same song. It begins as slow and ghostly as 'Hula' before it, but around the half way mark suddenly bursts into a colourful array of Punky power chord lead guitars and brilliant sounding yelling vocals. Although I can't understand the lyrics (presumably in Icelandic), I can still hear so much passion in the vocals, so whatever he is shouting about, I can tell he really means it. Another strong album highlight, but mostly just the second half of this track.

As the album continues its journey, it seems to keep switching back and forth between simplistic and energetic Hard Rock, and melancholic and very dramatic songs. 'Dyrafjordur' near the end of the album piles on the strings and hammering piano arpeggios to create a song that could easily soundtrack a main character's last dying breath at the climax of a hard hitting drama. If you compare this track to the ZZ Top stomp of 'Isafold' earlier in the album, it is hard to believe these two songs can possibly coexist on the same record! I guess this is the album's biggest strength and biggest weakness at the same time. 'Berdreyminn' is a vastly eclectic album with a wide musical pallet. Sometimes it sounds simplistic and catchy as hell, sometimes it sounds very complex, layered and serious. Rarely is the album boring because Solstafir pull off all their ambitions well, with solid, heartfelt performances, and detailed, nostalgic production. But tonally this record is all over the place. I think if you do pretend it is a soundtrack, then it makes more sense. Soundtracks are allowed to be all over the place. Listening all the way through there are mostly very bold and engaging moments all over this record. But there are also some irksome parts too, whether it is a guitar lead or yelped vocal sounding a bit too cheesy and over the top, or a change in the album's mood and pacing being too drastic a shift. As a whole though, I'm really enjoying this record. It is certainly a unique and thoroughly engaging experience, and it doesn't really sound like anything else I've heard this year, which is very refreshing indeed. 7/10.

EP REVIEW: DEATH GRIPS - STEROIDS (CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN GABBER MEGAMIX)

DEATH GRIPS
STEROIDS (CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN GABBER MEGAMIX)
Experimental Hip Hop, Electronic, Digital Hardcore.
Self-Released.
Listening Format: Digital







For a band that came very close to splitting up a couple of years ago, it is fascinating that Death Grips' output since that point has been arguably even better than their earlier material (which is also a fine selection). The Sacramento experimental trio have delivered some kind of release each year, despite a tension in the air, as if the wheels could fly off at any minute and this band could crash and explode before our very eyes. So their frequent output is surely a good thing. Last year's full length album 'Bottomless Pit' is arguably their best album to date. As wild and mad as anything they have done previously, but it saw the trio pushing further forward in terms of structure, songwriting, performance and production. The addition of roaring guitars and blastbeat drums gave them even more ammunition and intensity to work with.

'Steroids' is a 22 minute long EP (or mixtape perhaps) that has dropped out of the blue and is free to listen to on digital platforms. Although the 22 minute "megamix" flows continuously with no breaks, it does sound like it is multiple tracks stitched together into one sphere. The title crudely references Gabber music, which by definition is Techno music played at speeds exceeding 200bpm. In terms of production and craft, Death Grips have kind of gone back to the roots of their early works like 'Ex Military' and 'No Love Deep Web' to deliver something much more crass, and messy. Suitably so, as 'Steroids' does not let up for one moment. It is full of blaring, pounding, relentlessly fast beats and drums assembled by Flatlander and Zach Hill, that just pulverise the listener from the very first second. MC Ride roars and bellows a load of F-bombs right off the bat. Death Grips don't know the meaning of the word subtlety and that is the way we like it.

In terms of production, 'Steroids' is extremely busy. Almost comically so. There are so many fractured rhythms, loud and abrasive samples and sound effects whiz by with very little rhyme or reason. Everything here is assembled to be ADHD levels of disorientating, maddening and ear rupturing, which stays true to actual Gabber music. But it strangely sounds absolutely glorious because of this, and that is because of the performance the band deliver here. Death Grips sound so gloriously urgent and passionate throughout, creating an absolute racket and just attacking the senses of the listener with no holds barred. The trio deliver some of their most playful, unrestrained and free-form material yet. Even though it sounds as mad as a badger, Death Grips are sounding at their most radical and expressive throughout this utter madness.

I am so glad that this EP only lasts 22 minutes, because my brain literally could not take an entire album's worth of this insanity. It is the audio equivalent of going to a blaring 4am drug adled techno rave in a warehouse in the middle of an industrial estate... With a sub-machine gun! Death Grips sound like an inflamed meteor that is ready to destroy anything and everything in its path. The trio continue to surprise, excite and ruin the minds of even the most dedicated of their fanbase. It feels like this band can do just about anything right now and it will sound fresh, exciting and mindblowing. 8/10.

ALBUM REVIEW: FOREST SWORDS - COMPASSION

FOREST SWORDS
COMPASSION
Electronic, Ambient, Dub.
Ninja Tune.
Listening Format: Vinyl














Forest Swords is the alias of Matthew Barnes, hailing from Liverpool, England. He has become one of the most critically respected Electronic producers of the decade ever since his first album 'Engravings' dropped in 2013. He has since composed a score for a ballet, and worked on music and sound design for the Assassin's Creed video game series. 'Compassion' is his second proper full length.

One of the most striking things about this record is that Forest Swords certainly knows how to arrange different sounds to create haunting and compelling atmospheres. 'Compassion' isn't quite as dark and melancholic as his debut album, and weaves in a lot of tribal and ethnic sounds. 'Panic' is a highlight with a middle-eastern groove running through it as distorted and chopped up vocal samples are painted wildly across the canvas. Many of the beats try to stray from his contemporaries adding in more varied percussive sounds. Standout track 'Raw Language' has a Dubby bass and a Trip Hop influenced beat reminiscent of Massive Attack's 'Inertia Creeps'. 'Compassion' creates sounds that are relatively abstract and very atmospheric throughout, feeling like it could easily be a score to a Dystopian Sci-Fi film set in a desert.

I've had 'Compassion' on heavy rotation for the last couple of weeks now, and whilst I really enjoy it when I'm actually listening to it, every time I come away from it I don't actually remember much of what I've heard. Forest Swords is an excellent producer, arranger and sound crafter, undeniably, but I feel like he is still lacking a distinctive voice. Even though I've heard this album ten times now, if I happened to switch on the radio and one of the album's tracks came on, I genuinely don't think I would clock that it was Forest Swords. 'Compassion' is just lacking in that extra wow factor and that hint of true originality. When the album is actually playing it is difficult to fault, but there isn't really a strong lasting impression once the ten tracks are over. The reason I have listened to it ten times is because I really wanted to try and get under its skin for the purposes of reviewing the album, and not because I was really compelled to go back and listen for sheer pleasure. Forest Swords is certainly heading in the right direction and could potentially strike gold in the future, but now that this review is written, I don't think I'll be desperate to put on this album again any time soon. 7/10.

ALBUM REVIEW: EMPLOYED TO SERVE - THE WARMTH OF A DYING SUN

EMPLOYED TO SERVE
THE WARMTH OF A DYING SUN
Mathcore, Post-Hardcore.
Holy Roar Records.
Listening Format: Vinyl










Employed to Serve return with their second full length LP, 'The Warmth of a Dying Sun'. The Woking quintet's 2015 debut album 'Greyer Than You Remember' was fantastic, showcasing a ragged and chaotic sound combining Post-Hardcore elements with full on Mathcore, showing influences from the likes of label mates Rolo Tomassi, as well as Dillinger Escape Plan and Botch. Since then the band have been touring and playing shows relentlessly, honing their craft and wowing audiences with their destructive, high energy live performances. This has lead to a fairly big anticipation for this sophomore record.

The most notable thing about this follow up record compared to their debut effort is that it isn't quite as wonky, or jarring, or as unpredictable. This is to say that it doesn't just hang on the Mathcore tropes of delivering highly visceral, fast music with odd song arrangements and riffs that jump around a lot. Some of those Mathcore elements are of course retained in their sound, but feel more controlled. 'The Warmth of a Dying Sun' is built on a greater sense of cohesion and linear songwriting than its predecessor. But before fans of the first record start to let out a big groan, let it be known that this does not at all mean that Employed to Serve are sacrificing anything or going soft on us!

From the moment opener 'Void Ambition' kicks in, it is evident than we are still very much in for a very visceral, aggressive and punishing listening experience. In fact this song is one of the more Mathcore oriented songs that weaves fast staccato tech guitar playing, with heavy as fuck dissonant breakdowns and vocalist Justine Jones awesome ear splitting screams. But as the record goes on we can hear influences of Deathcore, particularly in the way guitarist Sammy Urwin adds in his guttural backing vocals that compliment Justine's raw screams very well. Employed to Serve also unashamedly reference slight influences of Nu-Metal in some of the riffs here as well! Again, before you start to groan, hear me out! It is no secret that the band are huge fans of Slipknot (going as far as to sell their own brand of boiler suits on tour). Tracks like 'Good For Nothing' and 'Platform 89' (making an excellent pairing in the tracklist) will suddenly just burst out into these downtuned groovy riffs that would not feel out of place on an early Slipknot record. However because of the absolutely crisp and monstrous production on this album (a notable step up from the debut), these riffs sound absolutely massive and crushing! Stand out track and lead single 'I Spend My Days (Wishing Them Away)' is built around a riff that Deftones would have been proud to have composed at any point in their discography. The vocal production on this track in particular is as dynamic as Deftones too. Even the album sleeve featuring a sticker that reads "parental advisory, crushing content" feels like a nod to Nu-Metal nostalgia!

'The Warmth of a Dying Sun' is also a very dark album lyrically and emotionally. The title track is a huge standout, beginning with a recording of an ominous phonecall before unleashing an unholy barrage of jagged and unforgiving riffs and screams, proving that none of the intensity from the first record or their live performances has been lost here. The track even throws in some eerie clean vocals, making this one of the most ambitious songs the band have ever crafted. After nine relentless and brutal tracks, the album concludes with a lovely softer piece lead by Sammy's hushed vocals and clean guitars in the verses. Ending an album on a "ballad" (for lack of a better word) is perhaps a little bit cliche, but 'Apple Tree' feels as genuinely heartfelt and expressive as anything else on the record, reminding me of 'Artist In the Ambulance' era Thrice.

Employed to Serve have really come through and done exactly what they had to do to deliver a successful sophomore album. This concise 10 track album is not only a step up in terms of production, using a wider pallet of sounds and details, but by actually curbing some of the chaos in favour of implementing more linear moments, it has made the songwriting much more cohesive and memorable throughout. 'The Warmth of a Dying Sun' is intense, it's very heavy and it is brimming with passion and emotion. I'm hearing one of the most exciting Hardcore/Metal albums of 2017 so far. 8/10. 

ALBUM REVIEW: GAS - NARKOPOP

GAS
NARKOPOP
Ambient, Minimal Techno, Electronic.
Kompakt.
Listening Format: CD














Gas is the performing name of Wolfgang Voigt, producing his signature style of Ambient music. He is also the founder of Kompakt, one of the most well respected Electronic music labels and often considered a showcase of the "Berlin Minimal Techno" style. 'Narkopop' is the first release of brand new Gas studio material in 17 years now, and this comeback wasn't even really an anticipated thing, as it pretty much appeared relatively out of the blue earlier this year. The last Gas album 'Pop' came out in 2000 and the project went silent ever since. This isn't to say that Voigt himself has been silent, as he has continued to create music in different styles, including frequent releases under his own name and other pseudonyms. However Gas still remains his most popular and critically acclaimed body of work.

For those not familiar with Gas, his music very much takes many of the blueprints of Ambient music as pioneered by Brian Eno, but he puts his own signature spin on it. He often manipulates samples from orchestral works, particularly favouring dissonant and long drawn out chords, that he combines with synthesizers. The result is usually a slow moving, eerie and pulsating hum reminiscent of artists such as Angelo Badalamenti, the frequent David Lynch collaborator nicknamed the "master of the suspended chord". Gas often showcases a mixture of purely beatless Ambient washes, and tracks that feature a very minimal four-to-the-floor kickdrum often found in Minimal Techno. However this kickdrum is usually always drowned in reverb and pushed so far to the back of the mix that it sometimes passes through the awareness of the listener completely, like a ghost haunting the composition.

After 17 years away, Gas brings back those signatures in full force. The title 'Narkopop' suggests to me that this album has a direct connection to his previous album 'Pop'. Whilst 'Pop' could be considered a relatively sunnier and more uplifting album in the Gas discography, 'Narkopop' is very much the darker sister album. The album sleeves seem to correlate this, with 'Pop' having a bright, sunlit image of a tree branch, and 'Narkopop' in contrast looking like a walk through an eerie forest at night.

Essentially nothing has changed in Voigt's approach to making Gas music. We have another ten untitled pieces of music represented by numbers, using those trademark drawn out synths and sparse kickdrums. The pieces float between four and seventeen minutes, but the way they are sequenced makes it hard to pinpoint the exact moment where one track finishes and the next begins. It is very much an album experience that should be heard from start to finish. 'Narkopop' has a timeless feel to it because you can't really distinguish if this was recorded in 2017, 1997 or anywhere in between. This isn't to say that 'Narkopop' sounds exactly like his previous releases though, but it is very similar in concept, approach and performance.

What I love the most about 'Narkopop' is how genuinely dark, moody and melodramatic it sounds. The synths or samples are really dominant throughout this album. Whilst there are plenty of droning, drawn out sections that leave the listener feeling hypnotised, when the string and synth sounds do start to express themselves it sounds so doomy, almost angry even. Although Gas is German, I can't help but think of dark Scandinavian mystery dramas like The Killing, or perhaps the works of Lars Von Trier or Thomas Vinterberg when I hear this album. It has that stark, moonlit, winterry feel that I just adore. Everything sounds melancholic, isolated, and at times really chilling. Whilst it doesn't quite verge into Horror or Industrial territory, you could argue that this record verges on Dark Ambient at times. For an Ambient recording, I feel like 'Narkopop' expertly walks that difficult line where it keeps the details of composition and production relatively simple and sparse, yet manages to be completely enthralling and interesting the whole way through.

I feel like the only possible way a Gas fan could possibly be disappointed in this "comeback" record is in the fact that it doesn't do anything new. Even after 17 years, Gas sounds EXACTLY like Gas should. He hasn't changed his winning formula one bit. But that is a good thing too. Maybe fans would have still been disappointed had he gone out and changed things up too drastically. I think it is just a great treat for Gas fans to finally hear another record, that is really good and fits very comfortably among his already well established discography. In a time where Ambient music is still very much cutting edge, and where soundtracks new and old are being highly praised in the vinyl market, the return of Gas just feels very well fitting. 8/10.

ALBUM REVIEW: ARCA - ARCA

ARCA
ARCA
Electronic, Glitch, Art Pop.
XL Recordings.
Listening Format: Vinyl















Arca is the identity of Venezuelan Electronic musician and producer Alejandro Ghersi. He has risen to prominence rather quickly over the decade, transitioning from underground artist, to a high profile producer who has already collaborated with FKA Twigz and Bjork as well as releasing his own solo material. His first two records 'Xen' and 'Mutant' were very abstract and glitchy works favouring experimental and avant garde touches. Arca is also known for his very striking and somewhat disturbing visual imagery that accompanies not only his album artwork, but his public attire. He is often seen in videos and live performance dressed in androgynous attire, sometimes completely nude and wearing his trademark stilts. Arca has carefully thought out every aspect of his art, but will a move to a more conventional sound on a bigger label possibly dampen his craft?

If you've picked up a physical copy of this album then just opening the gatefold or CD case will confirm any fears that Arca may have softened up. The vinyl gatefold presents you with a close up of his bare ass, with something ominous and obscured emerging from the crack, leaving the mind to wonder... This image seems to be taken from his equally mind shattering music video for 'Reverie'. This self titled 3rd opus is by no means commercial or contemporary though. However, unlike his first two releases, it does include what feels like actual songs this time around!

Perhaps it comes from working with Bjork and FKA Twigz, but Arca successfully makes the transition from sound crafter and producer, to songwriter. 'Arca' includes for the first time, his own voice as he sings in Spanish language across a good chunk of the album. In fact the very first sound you hear on the record is his voice in the subtle and spectacular opener 'Piel', as dramatic and moody synths glide under his excellent and distinct voice. Fans of his earlier works shouldn't be worried, as the record soon transitions from dark, Lynchian voids into the glitchy and formless wonky electronic sounds he is known for. Single 'Desafio' comes close to sounding like a Pop song, but has enough menace in the air raid like sirens and stabbing synth sounds to keep it within realms of nightmares.

The fact this third full length is a self titled release starts to make sense because it feels like the point where an artist has truly found themselves. Arca successfully manages to merge well written vocal pieces into abstract and head scratching jagged soundscapes that go as deep as some of Aphex Twin and Autechre's more out there works. The way he manages to pull it altogether into a cohesive 43 minute journey is pretty magical. 'Arca' very rarely misses a beat and is a rewarding and wholesome listening experience that proves definitively that we have a new heavyweight contender in Electronic music and production on our hands. 8/10.

ALBUM REVIEW: KENDRICK LAMAR - DAMN.

KENDRICK LAMAR
DAMN.
Hip Hop, R&B, Trap.
Aftermath Entertainment/Top Dawg.
Listening Format: CD
















DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMN!!! It's a brand new album from Kendrick Lamar and it pretty much dropped out of the blue, first on digital format and then the CD followed a week or so after. Hip Hop used to revel in hyping up a big release through singles, radio play and underground mixtapes, but times have shifted and big artists such as KanYe West, Jay Z, Frank Ocean, Drake and Beyonce just seem to drop their new albums out of the blue these days! Not that I am complaining right now, as hype ravages through social media like fire.

So... Kendrick Lamar... Easily THE most critically acclaimed and popular Hip Hop artist of the current decade. He has this incredible ability to appeal to a wide audience. He has not only earned respect from underground Hip Hop heads, but is popular among more casual Pop and radio listeners, and even people who aren't fans of the genre have approved of his music. He has already dropped two albums in the last five years that are already considered masterpieces and modern classics, 'Good Kid, m.A.A.d. City' and 'To Pimp a Butterfly' respectively. Kendrick Lamar represents the very best in modern Hip Hop production, and delivers conscious, poignant and aggressive lyrics with a diverse flow of rapping styles making him a talented chameleon on the mic. These two modern masterpieces displayed a diverse cinematic production, with all the tracks being part of a story, like a film for the ears. Can he possibly strike gold for a third time, even with such pressure to follow up two incredible albums?!

The most important thing you will notice about 'DAMN.' that is blatantly obvious from the first listen is that it actually sounds almost nothing like his previous two albums. It doesn't quite go for that cinematic, storytelling aspect quite as hard as its predecessors. That doesn't mean that it isn't as deep or diverse, but it doesn't have that feel of being a unifying concept album this time around. The biggest change in sound is that the majority of tracks on 'DAMN.' very much exploit the current "Trap Rap" sound. For those not familiar with what a Trap beat sounds like, you might have to do a little digging on YouTube or Wikipedia, but this type of beat very much stands out from the traditional Boom Bap old school style Hip Hop beat. This isn't to say that Lamar has been a stranger to the Trap beat, as 'Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe' (taken from his 2012 opus) is a great example of that sound, with those massive drum fills in the chorus. But 'DAMN.' goes all out for those Trap beats. This is a bit of a double-edged sword because, yes it makes the album sound very current and modern, but in a few years time Trap might die out and be remembered as a fad. Will this album still hold the timeless quality that its predecessors have? I think it is less likely as even old school Hip Hoppers who have got on board with Lamar's music will find this 55 minute record a harder pill to swallow.

Whether you like Trap beats or not, it is hard to deny some of the absolute talent displayed on this album. When second track 'DNA.' kicks in, the listener is thrown into a swamp of thumping bass and hard hitting snare runs, as Kendrick Lamar absolutely tears into the microphone with a similar intensity to the way Nas kicks it on 'NY State of Mind' over 20 years prior. The following track 'YAH.' continues on a very high note, but flips the mood to a more downbeat and slower one, with a lovely dusty and atmospheric production. Songs in the latter half such as 'FEAR.' get closer to the old cinematic feel, and 'PRIDE.' is a highlight which actually does have more of an old school Hip Hop beat and vibe.

However, there are some total sore spots on this album. As good as Kendrick Lamar's album cuts usually are, he does have a tendency to crop on some rather Poppy tracks such as his collab with Taylor Swift and I think when he does this it isn't living up to the immense talents he has, perhaps making him look like a sell out. Lead single 'HUMBLE.' is just horrendous... The beat sounds like lowest common denominator Hip Hop... Remember Chuggo's hilarious (for all the wrong reasons) viral hit 'Come On Fucking Guy'?!... Yeah... As if the verses weren't awful enough, the chorus hook of "Holla, Holla, Bitch, Bitch" is just as excruciating as it sounds! 'LOYALTY.' is equally as crass, sounding like a dated mid-00s "hey we just discovered autotune for the first time!" Akon or Nelly kind of track. Why something like this has a place on a Kendrick Lamar album is beyond me. These tracks in particular stick out like sore thumbs in the tracklisting.

'DAMN.' is just a pretty good album with some great moments here and there. And whilst most people would kill to make an album with that description, because it is Kendrick Lamar it almost feels like a shortcoming for him to just put out an album that is "pretty good". His previous two albums really were near perfect. Every single track on them works, the production was cutting edge and Kendrick had something vital and urgent to express. In particular, previous album 'To Pimp a Butterfly' went beyond Hip Hop. It had some genuinely brilliant Jazz, Soul and Funk which is pretty much all gone on this album. "DAMN." feels like a one track minded affair and much smaller in comparison. I do admire that Kendrick Lamar has managed to reinvent his style in such a short time, and make a completely different sounding album in comparison. But 'DAMN.' sorely lacks that timeless quality that he is capable of. I still listen to his previous two albums frequently, and I listen to them from start to finish every time. But with 'DAMN.' it's already starting to wear off on me after just a month, to the point where I'd rather just stick on one of his other albums instead. 7/10.

LIVE REVIEW: MORASS OF MOLASSES + BATTALIONS, SIGIRIYA & GAUL

MORASS OF MOLASSES
BATTALIONS
SIGIRIYA
GAUL

Live at The Star & Garter Manchester. May 20th 2017. Presented by Up From Under.

GAUL

Opening a night of Stoner Rock was Manchester's own Gaul. I've seen this band already last year but they had a different vocalist, so it was interesting to hear them again with a shifted line-up. Current vocalist Chris Whitehouse stepped up to the plate with an exquisite gravelly tone in his voice and plenty of power and enthusiasm. His reverberated growls and wails were very reminiscent of Kyuss frontman John Garcia. At times though the reverb was a bit too strong and his voice occasionally disappeared into the ether. 

Unfortunately Gaul had a bit of a cock up on the second song and had to start it again. I feel like this knocked their confidence a bit during the performance, although they did get back into their stride towards the end of their set. The performance was entertaining enough, but musically it was quite by the numbers Stoner Rock, with the kind of riffs I've already heard performed similarly and bettered by many other bands that play Metal shows in Manchester. I feel like Gaul need to chuck in a few more surprises and find a unique sound in order to deliver something really memorable in the future. 6/10.

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SIGIRIYA

This was my first time seeing and hearing Sigiriya who have traveled from Swansea to play here tonight. Though they expressed a similar sound and style to openers Gaul, they took it up a level by playing with much more power, passion and urgency. Their self described "Mountain Rock" certainly livened up the crowd and the band were very tight and confident on stage. They tried out some new songs from a forthcoming release with plenty of gusto. Sigiriya ended their set with a song that is apparently adapted from Welsh folklore, but to me it sounds like a storming and stomping Stoner gem. Again, not a particularly unique or memorable set of songs, but certainly a strong performance. 7/10.

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BATTALIONS

Replacing Barbarian Hermit at the last minute was Battalions from Hull. Battalions stood out the most on tonight's bill. Whilst they did churn out some bluesy and groovy Stoner riffs like the other bands, their sound was much more diverse. Their wild frontman was fascinating to watch on stage, moving about with so much energy. He had a really extreme vocal style, belting out indecipherable shrieks reminiscent of Jacob Bannon from Converge. The way that Battalions mixed up their tempos made them really exciting and unpredictable on stage. They were able to transition slow, crushing riffs, head nodding grooves and even more unforgiving Hardcore riffs, all seamlessly. In particular, 'Shitstormtroopers' got a huge reaction from the crowd with a massive riff that kept slowing down, getting heavier and heavier each time. 8/10.

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MORASS OF MOLASSES

Tonight's headliners have just released their brand new album 'These Paths We Tread' a day beforehand so it was an exciting time to catch the trio live. MOM set the dark and moody Star & Garter stage alight with a colourful performance that oozed confidence and finesse. The trio pounded us with slow and swampy riffs that sounded huge. Self described as "Disco Doom", their songs were deceptively simple with nods to classic Stoner bands such as Sleep and Electric Wizard, but with a more cheerful and upbeat mood. Vocalist Bones' prominently clean wailing vocals were refreshing and were on pitch perfect form tonight.

For me, there was far too much yapping in between the songs, with crude stories between each song that all revolved around the male genitals, but it was cool that they got the crowd involved, and the punters certainly were enjoying themselves throughout. The banter did seem to eat into the set time quite a bit though! Regardless, MOM were very enjoyable to watch and that thick, fuzzy sound of theirs hit the sweet spot. In particular the opening track of their latest album 'My Leviathan' really enticed the crowd tonight. All the best to Morass of Molasses with their album release tour! 8/10.

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ALBUM REVIEW: CLARK - DEATH PEAK

CLARK
DEATH PEAK
Electronic, Ambient Techno.
Warp Records.
Listening Format: Vinyl (mostly) also CD and Digital.














When you think about Warp Records you instantly picture Aphex Twin, Autechre, Boards of Canada and Squarepusher... Boundary pushing Electronic musicians who not only defined Warp, but the entire genre in the 1990s. But once Warp moved into the 00s, some excellent new blood took the forward thinking label to the next level, including Bibio, Battles, Flying Lotus and of course, Christopher Stephen Clark.

Since the start of this century, Clark has been very prolific, releasing an album every two years at least, with many EPs and singles in between. Clark is blessed by not only being a distinctive and innovative composer and producer, but each of his albums are rather different in approach and concept, yet still have that unifying Clark feel and sound.

[SOLILOQUY!] Before I go any further I have a slight gripe that I have with Warp Records. I have been listening to 'Death Peak' on vinyl. Clark's previous record 'The Last Panthers' was about 46 minutes long and perfectly fit onto a single vinyl disc. 'Death Peak' runs at only 43 minutes long, yet has been stretched out over 4 sides of wax! Not only is this so unnecessary, breaking the flow of the album, but they didn't even have the courtesy to make it run at 45RPM for superior sound quality!!! Come on Warp... Why you gotta play me like that??!! [END SOLILOQUY]

Clark's ninth full length 'Death Peak' once again feels like it has a unifying concept running through it. The sounds and ideas try to tell a story without using words or lyrics. It certainly sounds nothing like his underrated previous album, 'The Last Panthers', which delved into Ambient music and live instrumentation, being a score for the BBC TV series of the same name (CHECK IT OUT!) 'Death Peak' is very much drawing back to a synthetic sound, with squelching synthesizers and wonky beats. Though Clark does implement (mostly) female vocals, adding an ethereal, indecipherable sound to many of these tracks. 'Catastrophe Anthem' even adds what sounds like a children's choir between the choppy synth leads. These use of vocals feel like a new tool that Clark is playing with and for the most part they are used in interesting ways and don't detract from the listening experience.

The main problem with 'Death Peak' is that whilst it is full of plenty of varying ideas, it suffers from a lack of interesting cohesion, structural development and most importantly, memorable melodies and hooks. The record really kicks into gear with, 'Butterfly Prowler', lead by this swirling, detuned synth loop that sounds like the listener is being spun around on a waltzer ride. Conceptually very interesting, but on repeat listens the lack of a decent melody in this track actually makes it become more annoying each time I spin this record (which has been about 15 times now on various formats). The two winning tracks for me come directly after. 'Peak Magnetic' is a rollercoaster of peaks and troughs, where the synths and hard beats actually compliment one another, riding in tandem. 'Hoova' is a straight up techno banger which builds into hard arpeggiated synths where the beats wrap around it.

Unfortunately the second half of the record enters less riveting territories. It feels like Clark is really trying to do something innovative, but if also feels like he is throwing paint at the canvas just to see what sticks. Even after many, many listens, very little other than 'Catastrophe Anthem' seems to be remotely memorable to me on this second half of the record (and I don't particularly dig this track). It just feels like an awkward mess with no clear direction. The album concludes on a ten minute long "side length" 'Un U.K.' which is literally ten minutes of nothingness... It feels like scraps of leftover ideas just stuck together with no rhyme or reason, eventually drifting off into a vague hum.

I've honestly enjoyed every single Clark album til now. Even his "Folktronica" effort 'Iradelphic' is an album of his I frequently come back to, despite critics and fans generally considering it his worst effort. Unfortunately for me, 'Death Peak' is the first major disappointment in Clark's wonderful discography. Even though some of his best signatures and trademarks are present, it feels like Clark is actually trying too hard this time around, desperately trying to grab the listener or say something bold, but actually saying very little at all. Ultimately 'Death Peak' is an album that screams in the face of the listener, but what it is trying to scream at me is totally garbled and indecipherable... 6/10.

ALBUM REVIEW: FULL OF HELL - TRUMPETING ECSTACY

FULL OF HELL
TRUMPETING ECSTASY
Grindcore/Deathgrind.
Profound Lore Records.
Listening Format: Digital.












Full of Hell are an American Grindcore band still in their early twenties.
It's very hard for a Grindcore band to do something fresh this far down the line, but this band manages to combine the fastest and slowest of extreme music genres. I first heard them live opening for The Body and they blew my mind. They would transition from tight and intense Grindcore and out of nowhere cut into piercing, agonisingly slow electronic drones, and then out of nowhere they'd kick back into furious grind again. Their live performance was not only insanely tight and full of chemistry, but they really left the audience on edge with this disturbing and overwhelming air of tension. I'd never really seen or heard anything like it, except possibly for Powerviolence band Man Is the Bastard.

Full of Hell proved with their debut album 'Roots of Earth Are Consuming My Home' that they could transfer that live intensity onto the records and since then they've pushed further into experimenting with noise and drone music, with a slew of full on Noise EPs and collaborations with Merzbow and The Body that often left the Grindcore realm completely. It's safe to say that there was a lot of hype for their next full length 'Trumpeting Ecstasy', and perhaps an expectation that they could push those experimental boundaries even more.

What we have here though, feels very much like a step backwards into what is mostly a pure Grindcore assault. The record is 23 minutes long and ten of those minutes are taken up by the last two of the eleven tracks. The first nine tracks are pretty much just a relentless barrage of lightning fast grind action, but if I am honest the intensity is rather lacking throughout, and there is very little to make them stand out amongst other run of the mill Grindcore releases.

The album has been recorded at GOD City and produced by Kurt Ballou of Converge. If you listened to the rather good Code Orange album 'Forever' released earlier this year, you'll recognise quite a few similarities in the production. The sound Full of Hell are going for here is much more guttural and full of low end. Most of the tracks also include low gargling vocals, very much borrowed from the Death Metal or Deathgrind playbook. Whilst this bowel crushing low end sound worked really well on the Code Orange album, for me it is actually detracting from Full of Hell's performance here. I think their previous offerings sounded much more vital and urgent. This could be a personal preference of mine, as I tend to prefer Grindcore to have a lot of high end. In particular some of my favourite Grind acts Discordance Axis, Gridlink, Wormrot, Pig Destroyer and Evisorax don't use a bassist and tend to go for a noisy, fast, discordant blur of sound. But even compared to previous Full of Hell records, this record does not make me wanna go apeshit, smash up my room and punch an old lady in the face...!!!

For me the best part of the record is those last two tracks. The title track has these eerie, clean female vocals and a slow, churning industrial beat, with layers of electronics and droning noise and it is wonderful, by far standing out from everything that came before it. Also when those crushing and raw as fuck vocals kick into full force, I start to feel that intensity that was sorely lacking on beforehand! The way the vocals switch between clean, dreamy female vocals into Godflesh style aggression is a touch of magic. Yet despite it being my favourite track, it sounds exactly like something that could have easily been on The Body's latest album 'No One Deserves Happiness', and that can't be a coincidence since the two bands released a collaborative album last year.

The album ends with another droning and noisy track that switches between furious Grindcore blasts and slow pounding Industrial, with even a few spots of eerie Dark Ambient over a six and a half minute run time. and it kind of makes me feel like finally! Why did they wait 'til right at the end of the record to give me that hit?

Full of Hell are a very exciting band to watch, but I'm honestly feeling a disconnect with this record. A real shame as I was pretty hyped for this one. I just can't dodge the feeling that the nine Grindcore or Deathgrind tracks that open this album just feel really phoned in. Even a guest vocal from Aaron Turner of Isis and Sumac fame on 'Crawling Back to God' doesn't really add much to the break the monotony. 

Full of Hell's move to a more Deathgrind oriented sound on this album actually feels like their Achilles heel. I feel like the band have lost their identity and their uniqueness a little bit and although I am usually a big fan of Kurt Ballou's production work, this affair sounds strangely OVERproduced to the point where all the urgency and fire that this band are capable of gets sucked out the window. But it isn't just the production that lets this album down, but just a sheer lack of experimentation. I feel like Full of Hell have played things a little safe, especially when they've proven that they can go the extra mile and create some really out of the box sounds that their peers in the genre just aren't doing. 'Trumpeting Ecstasy' not only feels like a slog to listen to, but a missed opportunity also. 5/10.

Let me know whether you agree or disagree, whether you enjoyed this album more than I did. And if you want to hear some of similar sounds done better, check out the latest Code Orange album 'Forever' released earlier this year.