ALBUM REVIEW: SODEN - LED BY FOXES...

SODEN
LED  BY FOXES...
Self-Released.
Sludge Metal, Post-Rock.
Listening Format: CD



Soden are an instrumental Metal trio based in Worcestershire, England. After putting out a couple of well received EPs over the last two years, the band have written, self produced and DIY released this debut full length CD, 'Led By Foxes...' Soden also continue to be a strong force playing live across the UK, and this album very much captures their live essence and sound.

One of the most obvious bands to compare Soden to would be US Post-Metal icons Pelican. Not only do Soden bring crushing Doom riffs, but their understanding of dynamics is fantastic. Across the whole of 'Led By Foxes...', Soden take you on a real journey, telling a story without any lyrics. Opener 'Sleep Paralysis' is not only a fantastic live number, but it is such a great mission statement for the band. The song is a real showcase of melodic, twiddly bass licks, that ebb and flow like tidal waves. So much fuzz and atmosphere is created that you begin to wonder how just three players can make such massive, textured sounds. In particular the use of different pedals creates noisy atmospheres, and the tribal influenced drumming gives such a lively sense of rhythm and groove. The technical abilities of the band really shine, with so many exciting fills and transitions. It's the lengthier tracks that win on this album, with the title track having even more irresistible grooves. Some of the shorter tracks like 'Beyond the Mountain' are awesome balls out riff machines, but it is epics like the teasing stop/start 'Oneireophrenia' and fuzz worship finale 'Trip to Pluto' that excite me the most.

Soden are a band that make the clean, softer sections count as much as the crushing riffs. The trio sound even better when they are crafting these lengthy journeys of sound that take the listener on a sonic trip of peaks and troughs, louds and quiets. The Worcestershire trio are storytellers of sound and this is a fantastically realised debut effort. Some of the tones expressed are beautiful and the drums snap hard. I'd love them to continue to go even further in the future and make their tracks even longer and more progressive! 8/10.

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.

DOUBLE LIVE REVIEW: MESHUGGAH + THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN - LIVE IN MANCHESTER

In a rare alignment of the planets, Manchester was treated to a back to back visit from the two masters and pioneers of Tech/Math Metal as we know it. On the 19th of January 2017, Meshuggah performed at the 02 Ritz, with The Dillinger Escape Plan performing the day after at Academy 2 on what is likely to be their last ever show here. It was fantastic to see many of the same faces attending both shows in this irresistible double bill.

THE HAUNTED

(02 Ritz)

Opening for Meshuggah were fellow Swedish legends The Haunted, a band with just as much collective experience if you take into account them being an offshoot of Melodic Death Metal pioneers At the Gates. The Haunted frontman Marco Aro even joked that they aren't so bad for a bunch of old men! On paper, The Haunted did everything right tonight: They showed a true passion for their craft on stage, with plenty of high energy, which got the circle pit swirling. However their setlist tonight felt far too much like Thrash by numbers... They played plenty of tracks from their "classic" 2000 album 'The Haunted Made Me Do It', including fan favourites 'Bury Your Dead', 'Hollow Ground' and 'Trespass'... Songs I used to happily bang my head to as a teenager!

Perhaps it was because of the anticipation of Meshuggah delivering supreme brain twitching tech mastery, but The Haunted felt more like a leave your brain at the door act tonight. The endless barrage of chugging riffs, and melodic grooves soon became monotonous, and rather than feeling a hit of nostalgia, their riffs just sounded dated and old hat. 6/10.

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PRIMITIVE WEAPONS

(Academy 2)

Kicking off the night at Academy 2 was New York Post Hardcore band Primitive Weapons, signed to Dillinger's own Party Smasher Inc. label. Primitive Weapons had a strong energy and presence on stage tonight, with their lead vocalist lamenting on the woes of having Trump as president. Their sound clearly had a Dillinger influence, but was much more relaxed and less jagged. Their sound also mixed in some Stoner Metal influenced tones, at times recalling the high energy stomp of Clutch on 'Ashes or Paradise'. Primitive Weapons didn't particularly come across as anything vitally original or new, but had enough solid riffs, screams and raw energy to provide an entertaining warm up slot, leaving with a stirring and noisy finale. 7/10.

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Ho99o9

(Academy 2)

Now here was a surprise and a half! Where do I even begin to describe Ho99o9 (pronounced "Horror" I assume)???! So this New Jersey trio consisted of a live drummer, a tattooed dreadlocked man wearing a dress and a balaclava (yes really!) triggering samples and electronics as well as doing vocals, and another tattooed dude on lead vocals. Ho99o9 were seriously unpredictable and hard to pin down. They could go from a slow, eerie, bass heavy Hip Hop track one moment, to lightning fast Bad Brains inspired Hardcore Punk the next! Their setup as well as their crazy attitude definitely showed a strong Death Grips influence, with the use of noisy samples, ominous synths and half-rapped half-shouting vocals. Their drummer also reminded me of Zach Hill, as he absolutely battered the kit with a mixture of slow Hip Hop influenced grooves, and ferocious blasting hardcore!

Ho99o9 very much delivered that insane, deranged live energy that Dillinger Escape Plan fans crave, but also felt incredibly fresh and surprising. They also managed to get a raging circle pit going, with their frontman often coming into the pit to cause chaos whilst hurling open boxes of cereal into the crowd (YES REALLY!) Ho99o9 will go far with their chaotic antics and I forsee that this band will soon be getting hyped up by more popular reviewing publications than myself! ;D 8/10.

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MESHUGGAH

(02 Ritz)

The Ritz was plunged into darkness as an ominous piercing rumble of noise gradually escalated. Five silhouetted figures took the stage with their many stringed guitars, as mad applause threatened to drown out the electronic noise. From the moment Meshuggah launched into 'Clockworks' the crowd ripped into a headbanging fury and I had chills down my spine. There are certainly other fine Tech Metal (or Djent) bands doing the rounds, but when Meshuggah are before your eyes, they leave all of their peers in the dust!

Meshuggah could be accused of being a little static on stage, but compared to the insane antics of The Dillinger Escape Plan, they bring an entirely different type of intensity. Whilst the members largely stay still during their performance, it's the sheer precision of their playing that manages to mesmerise the crowd. Every single note is not only pitch perfect in delivery but utterly mindblowing. People in the crowd struggle to headbang in time to their constantly shifting odd time signature grooves, but their music leaves more of a hypnotic, trance-like feel on the fans. Some of their eerie, disonant quiet breakdowns like in 'Lethargica' summoned awkwardly placed walls of death amongst the more blood hungry in the crowd, but this is a band that left me standing in awe (and perhaps a little bit of drool).

Meshuggah's setlist tonight favoured their last three studio albums, aside from jaw dropping renditions of 'Stengah', 'Perpetual Black Second' and their Thrashy finale of 'Future Breed Machine'. As someone who has been listening to Meshuggah for over ten years now, I was slightly disappointed not to hear as many of their golden era tunes (their more experimental works from 'Chaosphere' to 'Catch Thirty Three' being their peak period for me), but I still walked away with my mind blown and goosebumps. Meshuggah are not only the masters of their own craft, but pioneers of an entire Metal subgenre, and to witness them work their magic in the flesh was an unforgettable experience! One of the tightest live bands I will ever see! 9/10.

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THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN

(Academy 2)

Shortly before the release of their latest album 'Dissociation', The Dillinger Escape Plan announced that they would be disbanding, but thankfully not before rolling out one last world tour. Naturally the tickets for this show sold out very fast after the news broke, and rightly so as Dillinger are built on a reputation of being one of the most exciting live acts to ever grace a stage (as well as gracing the crowd as well!) This would be my fourth time in a row seeing the Matchcore pioneers play Manchester and a show I had been highly anticipating.

From the second Dillinger hit the stage, the crowd erupted into a whirpool of chaos. As the madness of new single 'Limerent Death' ensued, out of nowhere I found myself being flung about and smashing into strangers, as the harsh strobe lighting made it difficult to even tell which way the stage was! By the time they launched into one of their ultimate tunes 'Panasonic Youth', crowd surfers were already flying over my head. This is the sheer beauty of a Dillinger show because nothing can stop that huge ball of energy from igniting. The band themselves rush all over the stage, climb over amps and walls and dive into the pit, somehow still managing to play those mind-boggling staccato riffs and jagged rhythms. A complete stranger grabbed me and kissed me on the forehead, donning the biggest smile I've ever seen, because that is the sheer rush of feelings and energy that a Dillinger show manages to evoke. Even during the most raging circle pits, everybody is connected and looking out for each other.

Dillinger raged through what was basically a "best of" setlist, playing material from all the albums (sadly I've never got to hear 'Unretrofied' or much of 'Irony Is a Dead Scene' live). A huge highlight for the older fans was an absolutely brutal rendition of 'Sugar Coated Sour'. It wasn't just the insanely brutal songs that slayed tonight though, as some of their more accessible songs with clean vocals, such as 'Black Bubblegum' and 'Milk Lizard' were equally as magical. Fans in the crowd had their arms reaching for the sky singing along at the top of their lungs. It reminded me just how eclectic Dillinger's music is, not just aimed at ultimate carnage, but they had the ability to write catchy hits too!

Dillinger didn't bring it quite as hard as on previous occasions I've seen them, but they really are suited to playing smaller venues where they can truly cause havoc. But the setlist was fantastic, and they still stand as one of the greatest live acts you will ever witness, even 20 years on. Their thirst for chaos has never relinquished and attending a Dillinger show is a life affirming experience. 9/10.

In a sad end to Dillinger's final Manchester show, the encore had to be halted during a pivotal moment of 'Sunshine the Werewolf' as a fan reportedly fell ill to some kind of seizure or fit. The music was cut off instantly and all the lights came on, as Greg Puciato let the crowd know what was going on. The response from the band, the crowd and the Academy staff was exemplary. People in the pit cleared a space and there was a rapturous round of applause as the medical staff arrived. Eager fans waited silently for at least fifteen minutes in the hopes that Dillinger would be able to finish the show (probably playing their anthem '43% Burnt'), but unfortunately because the curfew had been exceeded, the rest of the show had to be abandoned. During these tense moments I heard nobody moan and barely anyone wanted to leave. Everybody in that room knew that nothing was more important than making sure the well being of the fallen fan was taken care of, and reports suggest that he was conscious by the time he made it to the ambulance. The band came out and apologised for not being able to finish the show, saying that they love the fans and it means the world to them. The night ended with a thunderous applause in what was a truly emotional send off...

...BUT WHO WAS THE BETTER BAND I HEAR YOU ASK!? Well there really wasn't a lot in this one as both headliners are pioneers of their craft, yet also quite different in their approach too. I enjoyed the overall Dillinger show more if you count in the support acts, but Meshuggah for me just had that slight extra touch of magic that left me in awe and I genuinely had chills for much of the show. Dillinger was also a hell of an experience, but I can honestly say it's not the best I have seen them (their Club Academy shows in 2010 and 2013 stuck in my heart even more than this one). I actually wasn't quite as hyped for Meshuggah beforehand, but they delivered something mindblowing, but it's splitting hairs really. Seeing two of my favourite bands back to back will go down as one of my finest moments as a gig addict! And whilst many fine Mathcore bands have emerged taking Dillinger's influence, the fact that they are going away is going to be hard to take!

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Meshuggah - January 19th 2017 @ 02 Ritz, Manchester.
The Dillinger Escape Plan - January 20th 2017 @ Manchester Academy 2.
Photography by F & M.

#326: KO_PLUNE - AUDITORY ATLAS

2016
Indie Rock, Alternative
Self-Released

Ko_Plune are an Indie Rock quartet from Southampton who have built up a diverse sound. "Auditory Atlas" is the debut self-released EP, containing 5 tracks. Right from the bat on opening track "Rare Error" I can hear a lot of elements to their sound. In particular the synergy between the guitar and bass player are very tight indeed. Ko_Plune weave dreamy clean guitar arpeggios over slightly jazz leaning drums. Their frontwoman Courtney Gray has a lovely vocal tone that completes a beautiful and ethereal vibe on what is my favourite track of the EP. The near 7 minute song is lead by vocals for the first half, but concludes with a wonderful instrumental jam where the guitars almost sing themselves. This track shows slight Progressive Rock inflections.

Second track "Panda" is a more uptempo rocker with more emphasis on groove and punchier vocals. This song could easily be a lead single or be played on the radio. Perhaps this track isn't as ambitious as the wonderful opener, but it serves well to give the EP better pacing. Certainly a lovely uptempo song. "Hydra" is another standout track for me that sees a return to the dreamier guitar interplay of the opening track, with vocals more atmospheric than outright rocky. Closer "Machiatto" sits somewhere between their sleepy clean guitar sounds and their more upbeat and choppy Rock tracks. For me the only track on the EP that didn't really work was middle track "Red" which goes into full on rock out territory with an Americana influenced guitar line, that has this slight off-key melody that doesn't quite sit right. I could see this track being a fun one at a live show, but I think I prefer Ko_Plune when they  are at more relaxed pace, allowing for them to explore more textural space.

For a debut EP this is a very solid start that is well produced and recorded. The vocals and guitar in particular sound great and I can see that Ko_Plune have their own personality shining through in their songs. "Rare Error" is a truly spectacular song, and I think the style of this song could easily be taken into further directions. It felt like the more uptempo songs were sacrificing their progressive side, but Ko_Plune have proven that they can flirt with different styles and make them gel. "Auditory Atlas" is a fine launching pad for a band still finding their niche, and I predict Ko_Plune will know which areas to expand upon for their next outing. 7/10.

#298: PECCATUM - STRANGLING FROM WITHIN

1999.
Symphonic Black Metal, Progressive Metal.

Candlelight Records.

Peccatum is an interesting curio that Emperor fans will be interested in. This side project by Emperor frontman Ihsahn and his wife Ihriel sounds very similar to Emperor on paper, Symphonic Black Metal with elements of Prog and Avant-Garde. But in reality, there are numerous differences in the sound and especially the writing approach.

This debut album was notably released the same year as Emperor's "IX Equilibrium" album. You can instantly hear that third track "The Change" has a very similar sound to Emperor! The dense tremolo riffs, blastbeats and use of keyboards and the chaotic arrangement could almost make this a long lost Emperor track and it is my favourite on the album. Of course not every track is so similar to Emperor. In fact "Speak of the Devil" is much slower and leans towards Progressive Metal territory. Ihsahn uses much more technical guitar playing on this album, such as pinch harmonics and shredding riffs and solos, and the song arrangements are much more erratic and complex.

"Strangling From Within" is also noticeable for its use of Neo Classical symphonic parts and Ihsahn shows his love for Classical music even more than in Emperor. If you have ever heard the soundtrack to Castlevania: Symphony of the Night it sounds very similar (especially the album intro). But if you haven't, there are basically a lot more parts on the album similar to Emperor's "The Oath" intro track to their "Anthems..." album.

As a whole it is a mixed big. There are some really awesome parts, with a strong gothic vibe, and there are parts that Emperor fans will love. But as a whole I found there are also some really cheesy parts. The use of 3 vocalists doesn't always feel justified, and some of the song arrangements are just too erratic and messy. But if you love Emperor and haven't heard Peccatum before, I would definitely check them out. 6/10.

#296 STEVEN WILSON - LIVE AT THE 02 APOLLO, MANCHESTER

Steven Wilson is a man who never sleeps. He has performed and produced music with many acts over the last few decades, including Porcupine Tree, No-Man, Blackfield, Storm Corrosion, Opeth and more! Even in his down time he might be visiting Tel Aviv or remixing a Jethro Tull re-issue, and yet somehow, the master of modern Prog Rock has still found the time to perform a 3 hour show to a sold out Manchester audience!

Steven performed with a different line-up to his previous European leg of the "Hand. Cannot. Erase." tour, featuring some new faces and some old. Most notable was Dave Kilminster, son of the late legend Lemmy. It was good to see Dave back on the horse only a month after his sad loss. And his guitar playing and charisma tonight was extraordinary to watch. The whole band was extremely talented. Insane drum fills, complex guitar solos and atmospheric mellotron and moog sounds were the order of the day.

The first part of the concert was dedicated exclusively to performing his latest (and in my opinion best) 4th solo album "Hand. Cannot. Erase." Since this was one of my favourite albums of 2015, I was super excited to get to hear it live in full. Not only was there a fantastic sound and light show, but the entire performance featured a film that tells the story of the whole album. It was almost like watching a live score for a film. The lady on the front of the cover starred in most of it, and there was even an animated sequence during standout "Routine", which Wilson jested was "the most miserable song ever written". Whilst I don't quite agree, this was a stunning highlight of the set. Unfortunately Ninet Tayeb's epic vocals weren't on hand tonight, but a well mixed in backing track did suffice. "3 Years Older" was another huge highlight, a track always evolving and taking new paths in true Prog style. The doomy "Home Invasion" had a riff reminiscent of Opeth's "The Grand Conjuration". Steven beamed with great confidence as a frontman, performing barefoot and occasionally directing the band with hand gestures.

The second half of the show focused not only on the man's extensive back catalogue, but also featured songs from yet another new album (or extended EP as he called it), "4 1/2", which was just released a week beforehand. This EP features new studio recordings of old songs that didn't quite fit on their respective albums. From this album he performed the majestic "Vermillioncore", as well as the album's big standout "Don't Hate Me". This "deleted scene" from the "Hand. Cannot. Erase." album would also feature Ninet on vocals, but Steven Wilson did a fine job singing the higher notes. All night his vocals were on fantastic form and rang with so much confidence.

Having spent over 20 years performing with his main band Porcupine Tree, it would be disappointing not to hear some of their classics songs, and fortunately nothing was disappointing here. Steven did a very lovely rendition of "Lazarus" which he dedicated to David Bowie. The piano playing on this song was absolutely gorgeous! A big surprise was a performance of "The Sound of Muzak" from the "In Absentia" album, with it's Tool-esque groove. The show climaxed with a tear inducing version of "The Raven That Refused to Sing", accompanied by an awesome animated film with a Tim Burton-esque atmosphere.

There was a very special atmosphere in the 02 Apollo tonight, and looking around me I saw such an eclectic array of fans, old and young, wearing all sorts of different bands on their shirts from genres far and wide. Steven Wilson really has something that almost everyone can enjoy, and he brings an incredible live show that works at all angles. The sound, the visuals, the musicianship, the banter and the confidence were all on par. Those 3 hours absolutely flew by and a lot of that time was taken up by some of the longest and most gracious applauses I've even seen at a concert. 10/10.

#295: ULVER - ATGCLVLSSCAP

2016.

Progressive Electronic, Ambient, Post Rock.

House of Mythology.

It's quite exciting being a long time Ulver fan. They change genre with each album they release, so it is fun trying to predict what they might do next. Personally I'm keeping my fingers crossed for an Ulver Reggae album! ATGCLVLSSCAP (which stands for each of the astrological signs of the zodiac) is somewhere between a new full length album and a live album. All of the material has been recorded from their 2014 tour, but it seems most of the material here I haven't heard before. Considering how eclectic Ulver are from album to album, you can guarantee that a live album would be extremely diverse within itself.

This is exactly the case. Though unlike most Ulver albums, this one is almost entirely instrumental. The overall arc of this album goes from slow, droning Post Rock, to Electronic with pulsing, tribal beats verging on IDM, then the second half of the album enters Ambient territory with nods to the Space synthesiser sounds of Tangerine Dream, before concluding with two excellent vocal tracks. "Nowhere" is an updated version of an old track "Nowhere/Catastrophe" from their incredible "Perdition City" album, with chiming, atmospheric Post Rock guitars added on. Ulver mastermind Kristoffer Rygg turns in a fantastic vocal performance here and it is a huge standout and sounds epic and mesmerizing. In fact this is one you could even sing along to! The album concludes with another great vocal track, which has a Gothic Depeche Mode kind of vibe.

With an album this diverse, it would be easy for it to be disjointed, but it flows extremely well and most of the time you forget it is a live recording. The album is quite slow and often minimalist, so it deserves to be heard in its entirety and will require your patience. If you are already well familiar with Ulver, then you will know this is usually the case anyway. Ulver aren't a band that grab you immediately, they are a band you have to take your time with and actually think about, as they slowly blossom petals of gold into your eardrums. Personally this has been my favourite Ulver release since "Shadows of the Sun". 8/10.