WELCOME TO FRENCHIE'S REVIEWS

Welcome to Frenchie's Reviews! If you haven't already, please follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, where you can find all my old reviews too!

Frenchie's Reviews is a 100% independent and DIY reviewer that covers Live Events, Film, Music, Games, Books and more. I am based in Manchester, England and feedback and bookings are always welcome!

My Rating Scale:

10/10 = Love. Vital. An extension of my soul.
  9/10 = True Classic. It ticks all my boxes!
  8/10 = Essential. One I'll come back to.
  7/10 = Awesome, definitely worth checking out.
  6/10 = Good, but has noticeable flaws
  5/10 = Worth a go, has its moments.
  4/10 = Poor. For completionists only.
  3/10 = Awful. For curiousity only.
  2/10 = Atrocious! Avoid at all costs!
  1/10 = Futile. Painful. Induces mental anguish!
  0/10 = Has zero artistic merit and is probably offensive!

FRENCHIE'S REVIEWS NOW ON INSTAGRAM - ALBUM OF THE DAY PROJECT!

I am now on Instagram!

I am attempting to do an album of the day project, I will post an album cover along with a mini review and synopsis of one album per day. It could be completely random, present or past, an album I've listened to today or perhaps an old favourite I want to talk about, even I don't have anything planned. Please follow to find out, I love sharing my knowledge and passion for music!

THIS IS NOT A REVIEW OF BOB LOG III + THOMAS TRUAX

THIS IS NOT A REVIEW OF 

BOB LOG III + THOMAS TRUAX

Live at Night & Day Cafe, Manchester. Sunday 4th March 2018.

 

What does a person do when they are confronted with a man in a suit playing a drying machine drainage pipe... Followed by another man dressed in a golden onesie, wearing a racing helmet, playing steel guitar whilst floating in an inflatable boat across all of our heads!?!?!

For the last few years I've been an absolute gig addict with no genres off bounds. I've seen Test Dept. pouring oil to trigger a grandfather clock to play a drumbeat. I've seen Botanist make Black Metal using a harmonium and hammered dulcimer, whilst dressed up as trees! I've seen a man swallow a microphone and make beats by patting his belly! I thought I'd seen it all... Until this fateful evening!

This is NOT a review of Bob Log III & Thomas Truax, because nothing I can possibly write will accurately describe the music and the experience that I have witnessed...!!!

THOMAS TRUAX

Tonight's first one man band was New Yorker Thomas Truax, performing in an elegant suit. Bizarre curios adorned the stage beside him, including Mother Superior, his home made drum machine. This complex contraption was made from a bicycle wheel attached to miniature snares and kick drum. By adjusting the spokes he could set up different looped beats, triggered from a pedal at his feet.

Thomas Truax began his set fairly conventionally, opening with a vocal driven piece on his Hornicator, a lopped off gramophone speaker with a microphone inside. Using loop pedals he was able to layer cavernous, reverberated vocals and then sing over these bizarre loops. Truax then took the crazy levels down a notch, showcasing a steel guitar, performing a couple of Americana flavoured ballads. His energy and stage presence was roaring as he launched into the crowd with his guitar and told stories between songs that had the packed out crowd in fits of laughter.

The finale of his set got really bizarre, bringing out an instrument devised from a drying machine drainage pipe. He attached a cable to the pillar at the side of the stage, plucking it at different lengths to change the key, whilst blowing into said drainage pipe to create otherworldly sounds. His big finale saw Night & Day plunged into darkness as he performed 'Beehive Heart' ("Bob Log III asked me to play this one tonight, because he needed it to be in his head") with spinning, neon lit glasses.

Nothing I can say here can accurately describe the amount of strangeness and uniqueness that Thomas Truax created. He not only invented new instruments, but created sounds and vibes I'd never experienced in the flesh before. His confidence and charm was absolutely effervescent. Go see this man live, or at least listen to his music and watch some YouTube videos!!! 9/10.

BOB LOG III

Our second one man band of the night was Phoenix, Arizona born Bob Log the Third! Dressed in a golden onesie and a racing helmet with an old school telephone attached at the mouth, he sat on a stool, steel guitar in hand, a kick drum at one foot and a snare at the other! His mission for the evening was to create a ruckus, turning Night & Day into the best Sunday party atmosphere in Manchester this evening! 

Bob Log III is an absolute wild man, fingering and twanging his guitar with no mercy! The slightly ragged and distorted sound of his guitar occasionally dabbled into noisy and discordant territory, adding to the Bluegrass madness. His vocals also were distorted and obscured, most likely by his racing helmet, often unintelligible, yet adding a weirdness to the overall cacophony of bizarre sounds. Because he was twanging away on his guitar, and drumming with both feet at the same time, IN A RACING HELMET, his playing wasn't always on point, something losing his timing on the beats, but it just added more charm and honesty to his performance.

Bob Log III's biggest tour-de-force though was his magnificent stage presence. He really got the crowd involved, jumping into an inflatable boat and sailing across peoples heads as he twanged that guitar! He even filled a child's paddling pool and dog bowl fool of booze. He played with a sheer joy. "Wow Manchester, you're lucky, I've never played that song so good in my life!!!" If I could see the face behind the mask, I'm sure it would have had a huge grin on it. Night & Day became privy to one of the most fun and bizarre hoedowns of all time! Once again, this is an act and a performance that no matter how hard I try and describe, I can never clearly sum up unless you go and see him for yourself in the flesh, which I HIGHLY recommend you do! 9/10.

TALK ABOUT MUSIC: JAN/FEB 2018 NEW MUSIC ROUND UP

TALK ABOUT MUSIC

JAN/FEB 2018 NEW MUSIC ROUND UP!

I've been too busy to write any formal reviews here lately, so instead I've decided to give you very quick, spur of the moment ramblings about what new music releases of 2018 have taken my interest (or not) so far!

I still get a lot of friends and readers asking me for music recommendations and my thoughts, which I find really lovely and inspiring, so hopefully this will help guide your ears to some new sounds!

JANUARY 2018

SHAME
SONGS OF PRAISE
Dead Oceans
Alternative Rock, Post Punk.
Listening Format: CD

This is the debut album from a new British Alt Rock band. So immediately I assumed they would be part of the generic wave of “Indie Landfill” bands that keep cropping up, think of Amazons, Sundara Karma, Blossoms, that kinda bullshit. This album got a 5 star review in NME magazine, so I was pretty sure this would be awful... However I was pleasantly surprised. Shame are not quite one of these generic, run of the mill, churned out from a conveyor belt “Indie” Rock bands. Shame have a strong Post-Punk leaning and can belt out some pretty agro screams and angular riffs when they want to. The main problem with this album was they don't carry that energy for the entire ride. There is one track that just sounds like The Courteeners and there was one track that was a blatant rip off of Happy Monday's 'Kinky Afro'. But for the most part this was a decent listen, not anything great, but the band show some potential and there are a few good tunes here and there.

_______________

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE
MAN OF THE WOODS
RCA
Pop, R&B.
Listening Format: CD

So I'm that kinda guy who actually enjoys Justin Timberlake's albums. His debut album 'Justified' was a pretty solid Pop R&B album. The follow up had some innovative production for the time, but especially his previous album 'The 20/20 Experience', I thought was great, listened to it loads when it first came out and it holds up. Grand production, epic songwriting, plenty of Funk, groove, amazing vocal performances, and I feel like Timbaland, who became a bit out of favour at the time, proved he still had the chops on production.

It's safe to say that JT is one of the more consistent Pop artists out there who manages to appeal to audiences outside of that, and there was a lot of anticipation for this to be good. Sadly this album is just riddled with problems. The biggest one is that it sounds very dated, the production is really bland and not as adventurous as I would have hoped. I mean this thing has Dubstep breakdowns on it. Who in 2018 wants to hear Dubstep? Even Justin's vocals and lyrics here have fallen along the wayside, I'm just not feeling the same passion and versatility of previous projects. I remember I got about halfway through the album and I was thinking, “come on, there has to be a generic Trap beat coming up soon”, and then BAM, one of the most lazy and unmemorable Trap beats with a guest rapper just stumbled in from the ether, because of course, EVERY Pop/R&B album now HAS to have a Trap beat and a guest rapper. Even the album cover is lame, I mean it just doesn't suit the aesthetic of the music. It looks like an Iron & Wine album sleeve. People thought JT might venture into acoustic/country territory with this album, and considering how bland and unmemorable the R&B cuts are on here, I kind of wish he had done! The whole album just feels safe, bland, passionless, such a wasted opportunity for JT here.  

_______________

TRIBULATION
DOWN BELOW
Century Media
Gothic Metal.
Listening Format: CD

I don't know too much about Tribulation, but this is an interesting Swedish Heavy Metal release. This band have toured with fellow mysterious Swedes Ghost and in some ways they run in a similar style, but diminishing that grand theatrical, operatic style, and writing tunes a bit more gritty and down to earth. There is a strong Goth Rock vibe and even some slight touches of 80s Post Punk influence in the riffs, and some nods to classic Heavy Metal. The vocals are raspy and vampirish. I fairly enjoyed this album but I feel like the tunes and production were a little bit too set in stone. They've clearly established a sound, but rarely venture out of their comfort zone, so after a while it was kinda like, this is cool, but yeah I get it now, let's move on yeah.
_______________

MACHINE HEAD
CATHARSIS
Nuclear Blast
Groove Metal, Nu-Metal.
Listening Format: NOPE!

I don't really have a big quarrel with Machine Head. I think they are decent. 'Burn My Eyes', 'Through the Ashes of Empires', 'The Blackening'... All albums I've enjoyed listened to. The band put on a good live show, but I've never been super into them or had strong opinions.

'Catharsis' has reached legendary status based on the huge wave of negative reviews based towards it, with claims the band have gone back to the Nu-Metal well that plagued albums such as 'The Burning Red' and 'Supercharger'. I listened to all the promo singles from this album, in particular 'Bastards' was... Horrifying... Like I bet Machine Head's first ever demo recording sounded far more accomplished... Such barren production, lifeless guitar playing, cringe-worthy lyrics and a laughably bad vocal performance...

Anyhoo the twist ending of this new Machine Head album is that, I'm not going to listen to it or review it. This thing is 75 minutes long and based on the singles I've listened to... I don't wanna hear it! I just have better things to do with my time than to subject myself to 75 minutes of THIS! So I'm not going to listen to it or review it. Simples. Get fucked.
_______________

NILS FRAHM
ALL MELODY
Erased Tapes
Ambient, Minimalism, Electronic.
Listening Format: CD

Ambient and Electronic composer/producer Nils Frahm returns. This guy puts out a lot of releases, soundtracks and stuff. I kind of like the way he lives in his own little bubble. Erased Tapes Records have faith in him to just put out whatever he wants and do his own thing and I like that. I don't follow all of his works but I like to dive in and out. This is a pretty good effort, combining minimal Ambient with some more epic and lively modulated synthesizer parts. It's a very fragile album with plenty of really quiet, almost silent moments throughout, but yeah always keen to hear a good Ambient release, so worth exploring.
_______________

THE GO! TEAM
SEMICIRCLE
Memphis Industries
Indie Electronic, Alternative Hip Hop.
Listening Format: CD

The Go! Team are back and it made me think that this band have a really unique and unmistakable sound. The way they combine samples and live instruments is really special. Nobody else out there sounds like this band, and it made me think, why aren't they a bigger deal? Their debut album was a bit of a storm when it came out, it got heaps of critical praise, and tracks were used in adverts and films, but then the hype bubble burst. All of their follow up albums sound kind of the same in approach including this one, but they are always unmistakably THE GO! TEAM! This album isn't terribly exciting or different, but you know, It's the Go! Team! This band should have been a bigger deal and just aren't for some reason!
_______________

TY SEGALL & FREEDOM BAND
FREEDOM'S GOBLIN
Drag City
Glam Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Garage Rock.
Listening Format: CD

Ty Segall is always an interesting fellow to follow (hey that rolls of the tongue real nice) and he puts out a release like every year. His vocals and persona have had a lot of comparisons to T-Rex/Marc Bolan in the past and with this new album pushing further into a 70s Glam Rock inspired sound, it will only cement that comparison further.

This album has some pretty awesome moments, especially the vintage production sound. It sounds very, very nostalgic, like he listened to a bunch of Slade, T-Rex, The Sweet and 'Aladdin Sane' era Bowie. The cover version of Hot Chocolate's 'Every 1's a Winner' is fantastically charming. The main problem with this album is that it sounds like he recorded a bunch of tracks and just threw them together onto a CD. This thing is a very disjointed 75 minutes long, and it felt like Ty Segall had no plan or album flow in mind when he put this release together. It feels more like a third party compilation or Spotify playlist. Not his strongest release, but this dude is always pretty interesting!

_______________

THE SOFT MOON
CRIMINAL
Sacred Bones
Industrial Rock, Electronic.
Listening Format: CD

THIS GUY SOUNDS EXACTLY LIKE NINE INCH NAILS!!! I'm serious, it's like The Soft Moon just wants to imitate all the cliches of Trent Reznor's vocal styles, his angsty lyrics, even some of the NIN signatures. But it's just worse, and uninspired. It even sounds like new NIN, like it reminded me of 'Add Violence' or 'The Slip'. I just don't understand why someone would put so much effort and time into trying to sound this unoriginal, and yet not be in a tribute band... Baffling!
_______________

NIGHTMARES ON WAX
SHAPE THE FUTURE
Warp Records
Downtempo, Alternative Hip Hop.
Listening Format: CD

Nightmares On Wax is one of the longest serving acts on one of my all time favourite record labels Warp Records, but I just don't know about his recent material. It sounds like Nightmares On Wax just hasn't left the early 90s, and his sound lacks anything relevant or cutting edge today. When you're working in the realm of Hip Hop and Electronic music it can be hard not to keep up. As per usual, this NOW album is very, very chill and pleasant, but it just feels very out of place, dated and nothing about it really grabbed me or interested me. For an album called 'Shape the Future' it sure does sound very nostalgic.

_______________

GLASSJAW
MATERIAL CONTROL
Century Media
Post Hardcore, Alternative Metal.

Listening Format: Digital & CD

Technically this was released digitally first near the end of 2017, but the physical release came out in January and I'm a fan of physical music so I'm going to talk about it here. This is the first Glassjaw album since 2002, and in a complete antithesis to Brand New's mellow comeback record, Glassjaw have come out fighting with their most ferocious record yet. The production has a strong Deftones vibe to it, and the guitars are noisy and jarring. Daryl Palumbo's vocals are sounding really versatile and inspired here. The band sound really pissed off and it suits them well. The biggest problem with this record is that it feels more like a glorified EP. A lot of tracks rest in the 2/3 minute mark and feel too underwritten. There is certainly nothing remotely resembling the grand majesty of 'Ape Dos Mil' on here. I feel like just a bit more versatility and variety would have served this record a bit better. The title track in particular is just a bunch of nothingness. But the album as a whole is still very enjoyable, full of fiery performances and it's one of the better comeback records I've heard recently!
_______________

CORROSION OF CONFORMITY
NO CROSS NO CROWN
Nuclear Blast
Stoner Metal, Sludge Metal.

Listening Format: CD

So the big talking point about this album is that Pepper Keenan is back on guitar. Whilst 'No Cross No Crown' does absolutely NOTHING fresh or new, or even beyond the cliche, I still really, really enjoyed listening. It's more of a Stoner Metal record with quite a few Grungey riffs and even some nods to Soundgarden. There is even a freakin' Queen cover at the end and it sounds good! Even though the riffs are exactly what you would expect, I just feel like there is enough passion and fire in the performances to make this thing convincing. They still sound like genre pioneers and play like they mean it, and they're having a good time playing these songs. 

_______________

PORTAL
ION
Profound Lore
Blackened Death Metal, Technical Metal.
Listening Format: Digital

Portal do for Death Metal what Deathspell Omega do for Black Metal. They absolutely have their own spin on the genre, constructing impossibly complex and atmospheric tunes. Portal play with so much dissonance, weird time signatures and fiddly guitar work that it almost makes me feel sick just listening. The production is very raw and grimey too. It's a little bit like Gorguts but even more avant garde. It took me a few spins to really get into this record. I first listened on Spotify through my TV speakers and everything sounded really flat, but when I had a proper listen on my beefy headphones, the depth of the sound really came through a lot better. I like this record mostly for it's atmosphere, it's the kind of album you just sort of go with and lose yourself in. If you try and concentrate too hard, it kinda hurts your brain! I'm not the biggest Death Metal fan so I always appreciate it when bands try to really think outside of the box and approach the genre in a completely different way to the norm. Portal, I tip my hat to thee!

_______________ 

ALBUM OF THE MONTH!!!

PROFLIGATE
SOMEWHERE ELSE
Wharf Cat
Electronic, Industrial.
Listening Format: CD

Really, really enjoyed this album. Profligate conjures up these cold, minimalist environments of sound, as if he is playing inside a freezing cold old meat locker or warehouse. Though routed in Industrial tinged Electronica, there is a strong shoegazy vibe in the production. The vocals are very washed out and there are layers of blurry synths and percussion. The vibes are strong here, and Profligate successfully invites you into his own little world, achieving grand results through surprisingly sparse productions. Maybe it's like if Kevin Shields made an Industrial album, I dunno!
_______________

FEBRUARY 2018

DEMONOMANCY
POISONED ATONEMENT
Invictus
Blackened Death Metal
Listening Format: Digital

I had no expectations going into this and I still have trouble pronouncing the name. But this Italian Death Metal trio have made a pretty bangin' album full of dense production full of bottom end, with decent lashings of atmosphere and a blackened tone to their Death Metal riffs. The album has a bit of a concept of critiquing religion in the lyrics and track titles. Since I'm not a huge Death Metal fan I was pleasantly surprised!
_______________

FRANZ FERDINAND
ALWAYS ASCENDING
Domino
Alternative Rock, Post Punk.
Listening Format: CD

WHERE'S THE GUITARZ AT!?!

_______________

KEIJI HAINO & SUMAC
AMERICAN DOLLAR BILL - KEEP LOOKING SIDEWAYS, YOU'RE TOO HIDEOUS TO LOOK AT FACE ON
Thrill Jockey
Noise Rock, Free Improv.
Listening Format: Digital

I think SUMAC fans will really have their mind blown by this record, hopefully in a positive way, but some will be bewilder. This long, dense, chaotic album largely leaves the Sludge Metal realm that SUMAC usually inhabit, instead creating very lengthy dirges of freely improvised jamming of full on Noise Rock. Cult Avant Garde Noise composer Keiji Haino provides the vocals here, rambling free form like a Japanese Mark E Smith. Much of this album is incredibly dense, lively, ragged and loosely structured, like trying to disassemble a dizzying array of tangled wires for an hour. In it's strongest moments, the album has a very Twin Peaks-ish nightmarish feel, full of tension and darkness. I really, really dug it, but don't necessarily approach this thing as a SUMAC record.
_______________

CONJURER
MIRE
Holy Roar
Sludge Metal, Death Metal
Listening Format: Digital

Conjurer have really dazzled with their debut EP and their insanely visceral live shows. Full length debut 'Mire' manages to keep the wild performances but tighten up the song structures a little bit. Conjurer draw from many influences of Extreme Metal, whether it be Sludge, Doom, Death, Black, Grind, it all sort of weaves in and out of one sphere, constantly changing up in direction. With this album, Conjurer manage to take all these wild influences and make them more tangible, with a better sense of flow and direction. Conjurer are a band who sound absolutely massive, and will flatten you with their colossal brutality.

________________

ALBUM OF THE MONTH!!!
FEVER RAY
PLUNGE
Rabid / Mute
Art Pop, Electronic
Listening Format: CD

Okay technically the digital release came out in late 2017, but the CD and Vinyl have just been released now, and physical music takes the win for me! Swedish vocalist and Electronic musician Fever Ray is one half of The Knife, who sadly disbanded a couple of years back. I feel like 'Plunge' almost could have been a The Knife release. It definitely picks up where 'Shaking the Habitual' left off in terms of sonics. Those jarring, pounding beats are back and the wobbly, mangled synth sounds that made that record are here. But in this record's favour, things are a bit tighter and more restrained. I felt like The Knife's final album went too far off the deep end at points. 'Plunge' is a much tighter record that holds up really well with repeat listens. In particular the very strange and sexually charged lyrics become more prominent with repeat listens. Fever Ray's vocals are absolutely wild and majestic across this entire thing. There is definitely a bit of a Peaches vibe going on here. It's almost like her own take on a contemporary Pop R&B record, but so much weirder and more exciting. For those that might miss The Knife, rest assured Fever Ray is carrying on that flame and putting her own stamp on it too.

_______________

FRENCHIE'S TOP 50 RECORDS OF 2017

FRENCHIE'S TOP 50 RECORDS OF 2017

PART ONE: #50-21

PART TWO: TOP 20

It's that magical time once again. It's been a very solid year of music. I've listened to a lot of records but naturally there are always going to be some winners that pass me by so if there is something I may have overlooked please let me know! 

I'm going to include albums, EPs and collabs but not compilations or live releases. 

Please like, share and subscribe!

Do you agree with my picks?

Did you dislike any of these covers?

What were your favourite covers of 2017?

Let me know in the comments!

MORE FROM FRENCHIE'S REVIEWS:

YOUTUBE | FACEBOOK | RYM

THE 10 MOST DISAPPOINTING ALBUMS OF 2017

I AM DISAPPOINT 2017

Let me explain. This isn't quite a list of the 10 worst albums of 2017, because I don't actively go out and listen to albums I suspect I know will be terrible. For example the latest Chris Brown, Linkin Park and Nickelback albums, I already knew would be awful and if I haven't enjoyed the artists previous work, I'm not going to listen to them now.

To qualify for this list, I feel like the artists either have to have made some great works in the past, or there should be some kind of expectation that these albums wouldn't completely suck. So here are my 10 biggest disappointments of 2017.

Please like, share and subscribe!

Do you agree with my picks?

Did you dislike any of these covers?

What were your favourite covers of 2017?

Let me know in the comments!

MORE FROM FRENCHIE'S REVIEWS:

YOUTUBE | FACEBOOK | RYM

VIDEO LIST: THE 10 BEST ALBUM COVERS OF 2017

THE BEST ALBUM COVERS OF 2017

Please like, share and subscribe!

Do you agree with my picks?

Did you dislike any of these covers?

What were your favourite covers of 2017?

Let me know in the comments!

MORE FROM FRENCHIE'S REVIEWS:

YOUTUBE | FACEBOOK | RYM

VIDEO LIST: THE 10 WORST ALBUM COVERS OF 2017

THE WORST ALBUM COVERS OF 2017

Please like, share and subscribe!
Do you agree with my picks?
Maybe you liked some of these covers?
What was your worst album cover of 2017?
Let me know in the comments!
MORE FROM FRENCHIE'S REVIEWS:
YOUTUBE | FACEBOOK | RATEYOURMUSIC

ALBUM REVIEW: PRURIENT - RAINBOW MIRROR

PRURIENT
RAINBOW MIRROR
Profound Lore / Hospital Productions
Drone, Dark Ambient, Noise, Electronic.
Listening Format: Digital



Prurient is just one of the recording aliases of US Noise artist Dominick Fernow. Over the past 15 years the man has put out a labyrinthine discography touching upon Noise, Power Electronics, Death Industrial, Techno, Industrial and Dark Ambient. But the one thing they mostly have in common is that Fernow's music is nails hard, aggressive, in your face and loud. His live performances often culminate in walls of suffocating harsh noise, whilst he stumbles about the stage screaming his lungs out. Prurient's own discography can roughly be navigated in two different ways. There are the self-released noise tapes that crop up frequently through his own label Hospital Productions, often his rawest and shortest in length releases. Then there are his projects on other labels such as Profound Lore, Cold Spring and Hydra Head, which tend to have a slightly higher production value and artistic scope, usually following some sort of concept. His 2015 double album 'Frozen Niagara Falls' brought a lot of attention and critical praise to Prurient. At the time this was considered to be one of the most ambitious projects attempted within the Power Electronics realm, which tends to favour shorter length releases. Little did we know Fernow had even more ambitious ideas in mind...

'Rainbow Mirror' spans 4 CDs or 7 LPs or 3 hours and 20 minutes of new music. It's safe to say that alone would test the patience of even the most hardened music fans, let alone fans of extreme underground art. Before anyone had even heard a second of this album, fans and critics were already left bemused, with one publication even claiming the album was "too long" before even hearing any of the material. Perhaps Fernow is looking to axe the stereotype that Power Electronics is only suited to short, chaotic bursts. Or perhaps it is because the 3+ hour 'Rainbow Mirror' opus isn't really Power Electronics at all. The album is made of 15 tracks or movements averaging 10 minutes in length. The press release I got for this album described it as "Doom Electronics". I'm not sure whether this was conjured by the label, the press agent or Fernow himself, but it totally hit the nail on the head. All of the pieces here are long, minimalist, sparse, bleak and very melancholic driftworks built on slow tempo pulsing electronics, lonely synths, iced with brittle layers of noise gradually seeping in. The end results have much more in common with Drone or Ambient music than Noise or Power Electronics, and should be approached by the listener as such.

If we take just disc 1 alone, over the 4 tracks here, the first two movements are the most subtle, reminiscent of Dark Ambient musician Lustmord, with the icy, alien atmospheres that made up Autechre's 'Amber' album. 'Barefoot God' and 'Walking On Dehydrated Coral' are incredibly sparse and build ever so slowly, working into a very gradual crescendo with finales approaching something noisier and more intense. These pieces of music are built on a simple, haunting and sad repeated melody that hypnotises the listener as they loop and repeat. By the time Disc 1 reaches it's climax on massive highlight 'Chaos - Sex' we have certainly reached much noisier and abrasive textures like seasoned Prurient fans would want. Except, this time around Fernow isn't interested in shocking your body or mutilating your ears with harsh, visceral blasts of noise. Here Prurient uses noise to enhance the atmosphere and intensity of these long pieces of music. Even when 'Rainbow Mirror' reaches its loudest peaks, it always remains a very solemn and downbeat journey. It is also important to note that this entire disc is entirely instrumental. In fact I only remember hearing vocals on one track across the entire project, 'Naturecum', and even these vocals were more like whispers or murmurs as opposed to his violent screams of previous releases.

The biggest talking point to address though... Is it too long? Did this album need to be over 3 hours long? Sure it demands a lot of patience and you will need to set aside a lot of spare time if you want to tackle this in one sitting, but the run time is justified. I got an advance on this album and in the space of two weeks I was more than happy to listen to the entire opus twice through. I then went back and just listened to Disc 1 a further two times. The length is justified because this project is so rewarding. What Fernow has achieved perhaps more than ever is that he has put so much emotion and raw feeling into these pieces. The addition of slightly more melody and distinct chords is a welcome addition that does wonders to enhance the mood of his music. This is a very sad and ghostly album that even has a few hummable chord phrases tucked away within it. If you take out the running time, 'Rainbow Mirror' is one of his most restrained works to date. It doesn't have that "shock factor" to it. And yet in complete juxtaposition, it is an extreme and hard going work because it so challenging, so moving and so lengthy. Prurient is making extreme and boundary pushing music still, just his methods of doing so having completely changed.

'Rainbow Mirror' is a true opus that doesn't need to be rushed or listened to in one sitting. The way the 4 discs have been broken down is very suitable and each disc feels like it's own album, each with a logical beginning, middle and end. Fernow is a very prolific musician, always writing and recording music, a lot of which is built on improv, documenting a mood probably based on what he is feeling as a musician at the time. But even though he puts out a lot of recordings very frequently, the overall quality of the end result has not been hampered. 'Rainbow Mirror' speaks as one of the most personal and heartfelt journies Fernow has ever expressed. Not only is it his masterpiece, but it stands as a late-coming album of the year contender. 9/10.

ALBUM REVIEW: MARK KOZELEK - MARK KOZELEK WITH BEN BOYE & JIM WHITE

MARK KOZELEK
MARK KOZELEK WITH BEN BOYE & JIM WHITE
Caldo Verde / Rough Trade
Folk, Jazz Rock, Spoken Word, Slowcore.
Listening Format: CD



YOU'VE GOTTA BE FREAKIN' KIDDING ME!!!!!

If you happen to be one of the two people who regularly reads Frenchie's Reviews, you'll know that I've already written in depth thoughts on the previous THREE Mark Kozelek albums released in 2017 (here is the proof), and God dammit here comes another one! That's right, this is the 4th studio album that Mark Kozelek has released this year, and the second of which is a double album. So that is 6 CDs of new music in one year with a total running time of about 4.5 hours! HOLY SHIT!

So I'm gonna do something a little different this time around. Let's play the Mark Kozelek drinking game! Every time Mark talks about any of the following*, you take a shot**:

- Mark mentions Caroline.
- Mark mentions a dead relative or pet.
- Mark name checks a famous person he has met.
- Mark mentions a show he has been watching on HBO.
- Mark mentions his age.
- Mark mentions the date and/or time.

But if I have to be serious, even though I've already had to endure (and I mean ENDURE) 4 hours of Mark Kozelek rambling already this year, I surprisingly happened to enjoy this album more than any of his prior 2017 works. As you can imagine, because Mark is putting out vast quantities of music in such a short time span, his albums have become very messy, sporadic and repeated a lot of ideas, and in some ways that is still true here. The main difference comes from his collaborative partners, Ben Boye and Jim White (who played drums in The Dirty Three). These guys are seriously talented musicians. This double album leans to more of a Jazz Rock sound, whilst still taking in Folk elements that Mark Kozelek usually revels in. Mark really rises to the challenge of telling improvised stories, ramblings and spoken word over these long off-kilter jazzy dirges. It actually makes so much sense that I wonder why his prior works in this new Spoken Word (or Folk Rap as some have dubbed it) haven't gone for a more jazzy approach before now. The three performers bounce off each other really well. Yes Mark repeats topics he has already gone over before, but he also freshens the pot. Songs about his cat, Donald Trump bashings, the death of Chris Cornell, a recalling of a dream where he spoke to Elliott Smith's ghost, and even a song about the Ariana Grande Manchester Arena terrorist attack (which happened in my hometown).

If you haven't liked any of Mark Kozelek's many recent albums of Spoken Word, then this one isn't exactly going to win you over, but musically and lyrically it is easily the most captivating of his 2017 works, and one of the overall best things he has done since his masterpiece 'Benji'. 8/10

*I can't be fuckin' assed to count... The lyric sheet is like unfolding a road map!
** I do not actually endorse this drinking game, it will most likely kill you before disc 2 is finished!

ALBUM REVIEW: AMENRA - MASS VI

AMENRA
MASS VI
Neurot Recordings
Sludge Metal, Post-Metal.
Listening Format: Digital



I saw Belgian Sludge Metal masters Amenra live at Damnation Festival a couple of years ago and it still remains one of the most emotionally charged performances I've ever witnessed. Amenra tend to stand out from a lot of their genre peers by pouring absolutely everything into their music. Previous album 'Mass V' at the time of release was their greatest to date. It felt like the album they had always been building towards. Not only is their dynamic take on Sludge and Post Metal much more refreshing than many of their peers, but listening to that album and seeing it performed live actually DRAINED me. Their music is built on so much tension, agony and intensity that it feels like enduring the most rigorous therapy session. You want to lay down and have a nap after listening to this band.

It's safe to say that there was a huge amount of hype for 'Mass VI', falling five years since their previous full length. Between this time Amenra have still been fairly active as a band, releasing a live album as well as doing something a bit different by recording acoustic songs. Outside of this, vocalist Colin H Van Eeckhout released a solo record, plus him and other band members also made some fantastic releases with their Church of Ra offshoot bands Oathbreaker, Wiegedood and Absent In Body. The Belgian collective of bands seem to be looking to take over the Extreme Metal scene, with a string of highly acclaimed projects.

Running at just over 40 minutes in total, Amenra return with an album fairly reminiscent of their masterpiece 'Mass V'. The production is a little bit more polished. In particular CHVE's vocals have really improved. He implements less spoken word and more clean singing than ever before, with a hushed voice reminiscent of Kayo Dot's Toby Driver. Of course his high pitched screams and wails are just as aggressive and visceral as ever. Clearly CHVE has made more of a focus on improving his singing voice and the overall diversity of his vocals has reached an all time high. It works especially well on album highlight 'A Solitary Reign' where his vocals have been multi-tracked combining ferocious screams and haunting clean singing of the repeated mantra "There is a distance in your eyes".

But when it comes to the rest of the band, it actually feels like Amenra are playing things a little safe here. Amenra know what kind of chords, tempos and song dynamics work for them, and 6th time around it feels a little too familiar, like I've heard it all before. Even the most passionate Amenra fan can probably admit that the riffs in 'Children of the Eye' and 'Plus Pres de Toi' have basically been used before. The album's worst track 'Spijt' feels very much like Amenra on autopilot, like they started a song and forgot to finish it, so just threw in a 2 minute snippet and left it like that. It barely even works as an interlude to break up the album, it's just a real headscratcher. Album closer 'Diaken' also left me on a cold note. At the end of it's 11 minute duration it just kind of ends, without a satisfying conclusion. A little underwhelming considering 'Mass V' had one hell of an emotional climax.

And there lays the biggest problem with 'Mass VI'... I personally just don't feel an emotional connection with most of these songs. Even though all the right ingredients have gone into the oven, this just feels all too familiar. Even though CHVE is yelling from the bottom of his heart on this album, with another highly dynamic, tour-de-force vocal performance, I'm left feeling a cold void. 'Mass V' and parts of their previous albums hit me really hard. I'd be banging my head along, clenching my fist in their air and especially with 'Mass V', I often end up playing the album straight away again once it has finished. The best cut here is 'A Solitary Reign' which I feel lived up to what I was hoping for from this album. Even Amenra mix things up a bit with a folky guitar arpeggio leading the track, but ultimately it comes to the same conclusion as many Amenra songs. I guess maybe I've been spoilt by Oathbreaker's 2016 masterpiece 'Rheia' (also featuring guitarist Lennart Bossu). Even though I thought Oathbreaker's first two records were great, 'Rheia' was a massive step up, improving the band's sound in almost every aspect, delivering a much more ambitious release than anything they have done before. In a way I was adamant that 'Mass VI' would be an even bigger beast than anything the band had done before it. When actually it not only feels like the band are holding back a little, but struggling to say anything they haven't already expressed. The guitar riffs, the ebbs and flows, and the vocal phrasings are just far too reminiscent and predictable... And I'm just not FEELING that weight, that sorrow, that anguish...

Sure I did enjoy this record, I mean it's freakin' AMENRA! A band I think every fan of Extreme Metal or even Post Rock should have on their radar, but 'Mass VI' also feels like a bit of a missed opportunity too. Even Amenra on autopilot is still pretty darn good though, so hopefully it will work for you! 7/10.

ALBUM REVIEW: TAYLOR SWIFT - REPUTATION

TAYLOR SWIFT
REPUTATION
Big Machine Records
Synth Pop, R&B, Trap.
Listening Format: CD



I'm not even going to lie, Taylor Swift's '1989' is one of my favourite and most spinned albums of this decade. Certainly the best Pop album I've heard (or been made to tolerate). Even Ryan Adams covered the entire album, so I guess it really struck a chord with people even outside the target audience. But that said, I've never really enjoyed any of Taylor Swift's prior releases (although 'Red' certainly sewed the blueprints for '1989'). Still, I've actually looked forward to hearing how she could possibly follow it up. Numerous controversial news stories didn't really put me off as I'm more interested in her music than her. 

Well... I'm now convinced that '1989' was merely a one off gem. This is just flat out bad. I liked opening track and single '...Ready For It?' The bubblegum Pop chorus definitely recaptured those '1989' vibes, but other single 'Look What You Made Me Do' is just too annoying and throwaway for me. Have we really reached a point where artists need to blatantly rip off Right Said Fred in 2017 Pop music, I mean c'mon! 

Really when it comes to analysing 'Reputation' it's actually worth talking more about producer, songwriter and collaborator Max Martin rather than Taylor Swift herself. Not a lot has really changed in terms of Taylor's voice, lyrical style and performance, but it is Max Martin's songwriting and production that really falters this album. There was absolutely no doubt in my mind that 'Reputation' would be full of Trap beats, and they have been implemented in the most predictable, cliche and lazy way possible. They are just there for the sake of being there. What is an even worse offender is that this album is littered with wobbling Dubstep breakdowns... I mean seriously? This would have been old hat in 2012, let alone 2017. It just makes the album sound incredibly dated and creatively stagnated. There is far less of that dreamy vibe that made songs like 'Blank Space' and 'Clean' such winners, and the all out Pop bangers don't bang as hard because they are dripping with stock ideas and sounds.

I genuinely feel like Max Martin has given his best productions and ideas to Katy Perry's 'Witness' and Lana Del Rey's 'Lust For Life' this year, and Taylor Swift has been given the scraps. I listened to Katy Perry's 'Witness' album it is genuinely a good, catchy, well written Pop album with very similar blueprints to 'Reputation', just better realised. And yet 'Witness' has been a bit of a flop in terms of sales, popularity and critical praise. Lana Del Rey's 'Lust For Life' dabbled into Trap and R&B sounds, but actually carried it off rather well (especially for an artist who doesn't necessarily need to be singing over Trap beats). 'Reputation' is just a lowest common denominator Pop album that lacks any real spark or creative juice. It genuinely has tried to go for a slightly darker, edgier and more adult sound, but with so much unoriginality and predictability, it just falls flat on its face. Every track sounds like it was concocted by a marketing team. Ultimately it does very little to enhance the reputation of Taylor Swift or Max Martin. 4/10.

ALBUM REVIEW: BELL WITCH - MIRROR REAPER

BELL WITCH
MIRROR REAPER
Profound Lore Records
Funeral Doom Metal
Listening Format: CD



Before I begin... LOOK AT THAT ALBUM COVER!!! GOD DAMN THAT IS FREAKIN' EPIC!!! I WANT THAT ON MY BEDTIME QUILT!!! COME ON RED BUBBLE, QUILT ME UP!!!

Sorry... 'Mirror Reaper' is the 4th full length album (and boy is it full length alright) by Seattle, Washington formed duo Bell Witch. Funeral Doom Metal is a pretty niche and cult subgenre that even some hardcore Metal fans aren't really aware of, but it has produced some absolutely fantastic bands over the decades. To sum it up, it takes Doom Metal to it's most logical extreme before it becomes pure Drone. 50bpm super slow, glacial riffs, massively downtuned guitars with super low vocals, big running times and lots of atmospheric qualities. But I digress. Depending on which format you listen to 'Mirror Reaper', we essentially have an 83 minute long song. Your average Metallica fan will probably scream in sheer terror at the thought, but for those well versed in Funeral Doom Metal, you'll probably be thinking "Meh, is that all?"

The album is presented differently depending on which format you listen to. If you have the Digital version, it's a full 83 minute piece named "As Above So Below". The CD cuts the piece in half spread over 2 discs "As Above" and "So Below", whilst the vinyl edition has to cater to 3 side breaks, "As", "Above", "So, "Below". I went for the middle ground. As a fan of physical music I'd say this is a rare case where the Digital format reigns superior, but if you buy the vinyl edition you'll get that GOD DAMN BEAUTIFUL GATEFOLD ARTWORK!!! I WANT TO WRAP IT OVER MY NAKED BODY AS MY DREAMS TRANSPORT ME TO THE MIRROR WORLD!!! RED BUBBLE!!! TAKE ME TO MY SLUMBER!!!... Sorry... But even the presentation of this album is quite forward thinking. You will genuinely get a different listening experience from each version of the album you choose to hear it on. I like that.

What makes 'Mirror Reaper' even more ambitious is it's concept. Bell Witch drummer and vocalist Adrian Guerra tragically passed away last year at just 36 years old. Bell Witch decided to continue with new drummer and vocalist Jesse Shreibman, but wrote 'Mirror Reaper' as an epitaph to Guerra. I believe that Guerra was actually present in the early stages of making this album anyway, as some of his own vocal recordings have been implemented into the album. He appears on this album more than just in spirit, and that adds a beautiful and emotional context to the music and lyrics.

'Mirror Reaper' is a very challenging listen even for well versed Funeral Doom fans. The album is very slow, sparse and repetitive. Even though the song runs at 83 minutes, don't expect much in the way of progression or variety. It's so slow that it rarely reaches a potential to progress into something. The pacing of the album ranges from standing still to lumbering incredibly slowly through quick sand. The same riff cycle might be padded out for minutes. But fortunately, what makes this song so captivating is it's strong and haunting atmosphere. Technically this is a deceptively simple and sparse album. Just 6 string bass, drums, vocals and some very subtle bassy organ notes that essentially create a low pitched ambient hum. But it is this bareness that actually speaks volumes. The way Bell Witch are able to hold on certain notes creates this teasing tension. Every riff moves like a crashing wave against the jagged rocks, holding a mesmerising power. If you've listened to the likes of Esoteric or even previous Bell Witch releases, the first half of this song isn't worlds away from what you would expect from them, only the riffs sound more drawn out and spacious. This is actually their most melodic release, with stunning use of clean vocals that almost have this ritualistic ghostly choir feel to them, made indecipherable through all of the reverb. 

It is the second half (or second disc) that really tipping me over the edge. The last 35 minute chunk of this behemoth almost leaves the Metal realm entirely. Things slow down almost to a complete halt and there are long stretches with no percussion at all. Instead gorgeous melodic bass tapping escalates every so slightly into this incredibly moving and melodic cyclic mantra that reminded me quite a lot of Boris' 'Flood' album (also one giant song). I found myself approaching 'Mirror Reaper' more like an Ambient or possibly Post Rock album (think early Sigur Ros kinds of slow). It's not too often where I go into an Extreme Metal album and come away impressed even more by the non-Metal sections of the music!

If you've had no desire to hear or enjoy Funeral Doom Metal before, 'Mirror Reaper' isn't exactly going to win you over. It still has crushing, sometimes dissonant slabs of riffs and monstrous death growling vocals, and it certainly requires extreme patience to make it through this entire album. But those up for the challenge will leave this album not only humming the melodic arpeggios heard, but feeling like you have been on an epic journey. 'Mirror Reaper' is truly a spiritual piece of music that takes Funeral Doom to it's most literal point. This music actually feels like a funeral or an epitaph, for a dear lost soul. It is packed so fiercely with sadness, heartbreak and loss, and yet is supremely life affirming rather than opting for the feel of despair and hopelessness that Funeral Doom usually delivers. 'Mirror Reaper' is not only the best Funeral Doom Metal album since Esoteric's masterpiece double album 'The Maniacal Vale', but one of the most ambitious, forward thinking and genuinely moving pieces of music you will hear in 2017. 8/10.

Shout out to my man Collier at The Decibel Addict for passionately rambling to me about how much I should hear this album. He wasn't wrong!

ALBUM REVIEW: PRIMITIVE MAN - CAUSTIC

PRIMITIVE MAN
CAUSTIC
Relapse Records.
Sludge Metal.
Listening Format: CD



'Caustic' is the second full length record from Denver, Colorado based Sludge Metal trio Primitive Man... Boy is this some HEAVY shit right here! I've listened to a lot of heavy and extreme music in my time to the point where I'm rarely surprised by sadistically abrasive music any more, but 'Caustic' really set me back. Right from the first few seconds of 'My Will', I was hit with this ultra swampy, crushing and earth shattering sound that pricked up my ears. I guess in terms of composition it is very much Sludge Metal at heart, but the presentation, sound and production here is something unique. Primitive Man have really pushed the ridiculous levels. I don't know what kind of amps and pedals they have setup on this album but DAMN!!! This just might be the heaviest record I've EVER HEARD!!!

The entire record runs for 77 minutes and never once lets up. The actual riffs and compositions aren't quite breaking new ground, but they are certainly good, with plenty of scorching riffs. I actually find that the lengthier tracks like 'Commerce' and 'Disfigured' work to the bands strengths even better, creating a savage onslaught that escalates in intensity. In a way, the riffs and chord choices are fairly repetitive and simplified, but then you shouldn't expect anything less from a band called Primitive Man. Don't expect the dynamic nuances of Neurosis. Primitive Man's strength on this album is the horrible, suffocating atmosphere they have created. I find 'Caustic' is best experienced in its entirety, on CD, with no breaks. It is genuinely a challenge to even make it to the end of the record because it is so savage. Sure a record this slow, plodding and repetitive doesn't exactly need to be 77 minutes long, but in this context it totally works in their favour. Think of this record as a sadistic psychopath who has kidnapped you and tied you to a table. Each track acts like a different deadly weapon or tool in which to torture the victim with. Does a sadistic maniac want you to have an easy 40 minute ride, or do they want to brutalise and mutilate you as slowly and painfully as they can, for as long as possible?!

Listening to 'Caustic' is like slowly being beaten to death with a sledgehammer. Starting at the kneecaps, and then inviting a larger array of sharp objects searing into delicate places. Primitive Man deliver totally nihilistic, miserable, hate fueled noisy Sludge that will end up breaking you down mentally. The insane guttural, monstrous vocals sound demonic... This CAN'T have been made my humans!!! At times the sheer weight of the riffs gets so ridiculous that I couldn't help but laugh out loud at a couple of points, if only to cleanse my own sanity. But in terms of sound and atmosphere, 'Caustic' is a huge achievement. It really does go the extra mile and rises above a lot of other recent brutal Sludge records I've heard. 'Caustic' is not only the aural equivalent of a sadistic, exploitation Horror film, but I genuinely feel like this could be a landmark release in Extreme Metal. It's the kind of album where other bands, sound engineers and producers will listen to it and think "Shit son... We gotta up our game!" 8/10.

ALBUM REVIEW: GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR - LUCIFERIAN TOWERS

GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR
"LUCIFERIAN TOWERS"
Constellation Records
Post Rock, Drone, Noise Rock.
Listening Format: Vinyl



Godspeed You! Black Emperor feel like they should need no introduction, but I actually forget that when I stumbled upon this band more than ten years ago, I'd never heard them mentioned by anyone. No other artists or journalists were name checking this Canadian collective and they didn't have any radio airplay. It wasn't until the Danny Boyle film 28 Days Later came out that I first heard the name, but I didn't stumble across what a legacy this band hold until falling deep down the internet forum rabbit hole. Of course nowadays, they feel like a band that need no introduction at all. Pretty much anyone who listens to alternative music or reads Pitchfork will claim to love this band. They even got name checked by Seth Rogan in the film Pineapple Express. But if you STILL haven't heard of them by now, Godspeed You! Black Emperor hold a LOT of acclaim. I frequently hear them get labelled as "The best Post Rock band EVER!", "The best band of the last 20 years!" or even "THE BEST BAND EVER!!!" And who am I to argue!? Their 4 main releases in their original incarnation between 1995-2002, I consider to be some of the most mind-blowing, groundbreaking, forward thinking, bone-chilling, awe inspiring, [INSERT GRAND HYPERBOLE HERE] EVER!!! One of THE bands whose music will sing ruthlessly in my veins 'til the day I die. They went on a large hiatus after 2002's 'Yanqui UXO' album, but came back really strong. Not everyone has favoured their "reunion" albums quite as much, but I have thoroughly enjoyed them. So here we have their third "reunion" album, Godspeed You! Black Emperor Plays "Luciferian Towers"!

Well... Once again I am floored! Following in the wake of 2014's 'Asunder, Sweet, And Other Distress!' Godspeed are making some of their most concise albums, running just over 40 minutes and single LP length. Yet I feel like they are still managing to bring an apocalyptic tour-de-force with their grand instrumental Rock. Opening with the 7 minute 'Undoing a Luciferian Towers', this track plays like an overture. An ominous drone escalates in loudness and intensity as the ensemble of guitars, drums, violins and atmospherics gradually sink their teeth in one by one. It plays like an orchestra warming up their instruments at the start of the concert. Though the track concludes on an almighty cacophony... An eerie, joyous racket... GY!BE veterans might be tempted to call this "light" or perhaps even "tame" compared to the band that devastated our ears on 'Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven's 20 minute behemoths. Fortunately, once the band have warmed up they soon deliver something much more atypical of their style. In fact 'Bosses Hang' is without a doubt one of my all time favourite GY!BE compositions. Over 14 minutes and 3 distinct movements, the ensemble chill my bones to the core with thundering drawn out guitar chords, pounding timpani drums and sweeping violins. Because GY!BE implement so many Noise, Drone and Ambient sections into their compositions, I feel like their ear for supremely catchy melodies can often be understated. But 'Bosses Hang' delivers this absolutely beautiful and glorious leading melody that often weaves in and out of the 3 movements. The first act is pretty storming, building up rather hastily (by their standards), before winding down in the second movement to an almost Celtic influenced string section that sounds eerily similar to the mid section of The Who's 'Baba O'Riley'. Typically when the third movement of 'Bosses Hang' kicks up, it cuts you like a storm in heaven, reprising the epic main melody with guitars that are screaming towards the skies. Godspeed You! Black Emperor are well known for their ear shattering climaxes (often following long teasing build ups) and here we find one of their most effective uses of this trademark. Even though it may adhere to Post Rock standards, I feel like GY!BE have more than earned the right to be doing it still in 2017, I mean they really ARE the band that have always done it better than anyone else!

The third track 'Fam/Famine' is more on the restrained side like the opener, but still glorious. GY!BE manage to work in their more introspective and mellowed out moments arguably more effectively than the previous two album's Drone interlude tracks. This track once again hangs on an understated melody, washed with tremolo strings, and noisy production, retaining such a distinct earthy and natural sound. "Luciferian Towers" ends on another 14 minute composition, 'Anthem For No State', building slowly with gloomy guitar arpeggios and mournful strings, almost having this Morricone old west kind of feel. The way this track unfolds is much more gradual, reminiscent of old school GY!BE in a way. Once again it is the third and final movement that impresses most, launching into straight up Noise Rock territory, with these loud feedback driven guitars just hanging in the air as Sophie Trudeau's violin shrieks violently and the punishing drums shatter the ground beneath. This track certainly has the most "soundtracky" feel on this album, tying nicely with the album artwork that mimics a film script.

Admittedly Godspeed You! Black Emperor's post reunion albums aren't QUITE as good as their original incarnation's legacy, but I will say with an honest heart that all of the major Post Rock bands such as Mogwai, Explosions In the Sky, Sigur Ros and Mono had a 10 year gap where they could have caught up and tried to outdo their genre foes, but none of them stepped up to the plate (don't get me wrong, I actually like those bands). A new Godspeed album doesn't come along often enough, but they are still the absolute kings of Post Rock... When Godspeed release a new album, they manage to dwarf EVERY ONE OF THEIR PEERS into complete insignificance. That is how good this band are. "Luciferian Towers" is another stunning effort, and it stands out from some of their other albums by proving just how utterly fucking good they are at writing killer melodies. Not since the opening refrains of 2000's "Storm" have I found myself humming a Godspeed song on my walk home from work. Instead of going for something, dark, apocalyptic and menacing, "Luciferian Towers" plays like a victory march after an epic, bloody battle. It's one of their most joyous, majestic and dare I say it, feel good albums in their entire discography. Utterly essential listening. It is a new Godspeed album and YOU MUST HEAR IT!!! 8/10.