Diablo Swing Orchestra - Pandora's Piñata

Pandora's Piñata has been one of the most difficult albums that I’ve ever had to review. On one hand, I could simply say, ‘You just have to sit down and listen.’ But, that doesn’t do this record any justice. There aren’t enough words to describe the album, but then again, sometimes less is better. Conundrum. Pandora's Piñata is a God damn conundrum. But in all the good ways.

Diablo Swing Orchestra is a band that, intentionally or unintentionally, challenges their listeners. Not in that over-your-head, too-smart-for-their-own-good kind of way that a lot of prog-rock bands will do, but more in that this Swedish outfit effortlessly incorporates sonic delights without it ever feeling forced. The listeners challenge is simply that we sit back and think, ‘How in God’s name did they think of doing that?’ or ‘Why on earth did they do that and how is it possible that it didn’t derail the entire song?’ 

Few bands can seamlessly fuse elements of swing jazz, Latin jazz, classical, heavy metal, noise, a little electronic, and house it all under big top carnival tent. Numerous, almost unrelated stylistic sounds into it and never sounds forced. Diablo Swing Orchestra can and do, and they keep the music heavily emotional, albeit with a little air of Tim Burton goth throughout. In short, Pandora's Piñata is brilliant. In long? How much time have you got? 

From the opening snap of the drums on “Voodoo Mon Amour” to the fading electro-techno drone of the album closer, “Justice For Saint Mary”, Diablo Swing Orchestra satisfy the listening (and dancing) audience with a thrill-a-minute joy ride of musical excesses. The lead track offers up a tremendous burst of trumpet led swing jazz followed up by thunderous and rhythmic heavy metal, and all sung with a juxtaposed female swing and male haunted gothic-ness. The entire track is littered with chaotic ear candy (huh . . . just got it. Pandora's Piñata. Break open the piñata and get all the candy you can consume), such as cello’s, a variety of brass, and drums that are brimming with character.

The band injects a ton of Latin rhythms and brass textures with “Guerilla Laments”, and simply gets this music fan shaking his ass. This song is an amazing groove laden beast, and made constantly compelling with the vocal harmonies. The breakdown near the three minute mark instantly teleports the listen to street party held in a Central American Zócalo, complete with colorful Spanish regalia, string hung lanterns, the smell of pollo, carnitas and carne asada permeating the early evening air. It’s a party we should all be at . . . passing a jug of tequila around the square as we dance our feet bloody!

Things turn suddenly dark and violent with “Kevlar Sweethearts” and things come to a head on “Exit Strategy Of A Wrecking Ball” (quite possibly one of the coolest song titles ever). The drums on the latter track are stunning! Hell . . . the pure dynamics on this track are enough to write a 400-page Manifesto! The tune opens with a maelstrom of heavy metal riffagery that creates images of breaking shit, and while this is all going on, the band manages to incorporate violins into the mix to make everything sound (if possible) even more menacing. Oh . . . they’re not done with mixing shit up . . . then the electronics and horns drop in the create a wondrous background for the vocal talents of Daniel Håkansson to shine. The song rolls all over the damn place, drifting to the serene then back to the utterly dark and violent. The turning point on this track is from the four minute mark on . . . full on serenity with this uneasy tension slowly building, and then Håkansson seems to lose his fuckin’ mind and everything explodes! Absolutely fantastic execution of build and release of tension in music . . . seriously, these guys should teach a class on the subject.

To show that the band isn’t all violence and hard rhythms all the time, they deliver “Aurora” and “Honey Trap Aftermath”. The former sounding like a soundtrack from a Disney Fantasy scene, the latter a smooth, white-boy funk track. The vocals emit that sex appeal, but with an underlying sinister quality. Once I hear the chorus, it’s stuck with me for the rest of the day . . . full on ear candy . . . and delicious! 

The album wraps up with two tracks that bring all of the chaos back to the forefront. “Of Kali Ma Calibre” is an epic journey led by the vocal performance of Annlouice Loegdlund that shifts from a marching beat to a thunderous metallic beat down. Of further note, the drumming on this track is furious and emotional and frenzied and, most of all, just a goddamn good listen! The album closer is a progressive gem . . . “Justice For Saint Mary” might be my favorite individual track on the album simply because of the its sprawling elegance, its diverse moods, and dynamic shifts. The performances of the all of the musicians involved is above stellar, no one overplaying their part and everyone working in unity towards the completion of a brilliant song. 

Pandora's Piñata is right up there at the top of my Album’s of the Year. No question. It’s an album that I can’t stop listening to (hence the delay in writing this review) and one that I don’t want to stop listening to. I listen to this album so much that I almost feel guilty that I’m not paying attention to some of the other fantastic releases in my collection. Hey . . . it’s not an album for everybody coz’ not everyone gets the operatic vocals and the horns mixed with heavy metal, or the tempo changes, or the weirdness that is Diablo Swing Orchestra. That’s fine. I can live with that, but y’all should at least take a moment to listen to the album, turn off any preconceived notion that music has to be kept in a box, and enjoy the bombast. 

That’s enough from me . . . I gotta’ go find an affordable copy of the vinyl edition. I have serious work to do!

Pope

http://www.diabloswing.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Diablo-Swing-Orchestra/61680950315

Wo Fat - The Black Code

Up until about a month ago, I had never heard Wo Fat. I was familiar with their name, and quite honestly, I was intimidated. I’ve already explained this to Kent Stump (guitars/vocals) of the band, so we’re all good there. I had some weird, preconceived notion that if I listened to Wo Fat, well . . . something violent would happen within my head, something unforeseen would damage my already damaged psyche and my personal End of Days would be right around the corner.

Actually, after having spent some time with the Wo Fatcatalog, I can’t dispute any of the above mentioned possibilities are out of the question.

Enough babble . . . on with The Black Code!

The latest Wo Fat release, as found on Small Stone Records, is a devastatingly heavy album. Where the previous album, Noche Del Chupacabra, was a heavy beast of a record, The Black Code up’s the game and redefines the word “heavy”. The production is a little crisper, and that adds a greater definition of the variety of tones that the band uses to convey their menace. The greater definition makes the cleaner portions of the music cleaner, therefore, when the heavy portions drop, it feels even more overwhelming than before. But none of the knob twiddling and sound engineering knowledge would mean shit if the music wasn’t up to par . . . and folks, The Black Code beyond par . . . it’s a hole-in-one, if you really want to follow a golf analogy!

The songs, while at times are marathon in length, they’re so well conceived and executed that they don’t feel like they’re as long as they are. The individual performances from the trio of musicians is top notch and, while the focus may be on the guitar heroics of Stump, the rhythm section of Tim Wilson (bass) and Mike Walter (drums) keeps this sludge-y, doom-y, Lords of All That Is Heavy sound moving in the right direction. Grok . . . to listen to the rhythm section alone is a lesson that every bassist and drummer should enroll in. This tandem kills it . . . every minute of every song . . . which allows Stump’s guitar work to soar to the heavens when he’s not following along the trail that’s being blazed ahead of him.

Opening the album with “The Lost Highway”, I was originally surprised that with the subtle injections of blues mixed in with groove. By no means was it a “bad” surprise, it just wasn’t what I was expecting and it was a welcome change from those preconceived notions that I had going into this record. The riffs follow aplenty and savagery of the rhythms make the body roll with the groove. Brutally heavy music, but done with class. It’s not heavy just for the sake of posturing and knuckle dragging Neanderthalic music fans . . . it’s heavy with a purpose and as a way of life. What could get lost if one’s not paying attention on this particular gem, is the bridge leading to the wah-ed out guitar solo. There’s a dynamic there, a building tension, and when that sucker breaks, it’s like dam busting open and getting caught up in the oncoming rush of water. Try to cling to the guitar solo for some buoyancy, but beware . . . the thundering crash of the rhythm section will try to break your grasp. Fucking great song!

The title track follows next, and for over ten minutes, you will be bombarded with a tune so finely crafted in the ways of the Heavy that it may go down as the blueprint for those who follow. The tone that Stump gets out of his rig is awesome, and I don’t mean the overused meaning of the word . . . you will truly find yourself sitting in front of your speakers with mouth agape and staring in wild wonder at how such a heft can come from an instrument . . . you will be in awe, ergo . . . his tone is awesome. Once the band kicks in and the trio is riffing in unison, damn, it’s an example of the fierceness that these guys can seemingly whip out without a thought. It feels natural and organic, nothing is forced, almost as if these guys are connected by the strain of DNA and they have become a living, breathing, riffing single entity. Again, the Wilson/Walter tandem hold a great groove in the mid-portion of the song while Stump goes absolutely nuts! Jesus . . . the sounds this guy gets from his guitar are insane! And, when the trio drop back into the main riff, the tempo goes up and it’s a stunning sensation . . .

Only five songs in length, but clocking in at over forty-five minutes, The Black Code is rife with sonic exploration and extended jams. Sit back and take the journey, man . . . and when you get to the album closer, “Sleep of the Black Lotus”, I’ll be here waiting to wax poetic about its brilliance. I’m thinking that this is my personal fave off the album, but I have a sneaking hunch that “The Shard of Leng” may be lurking in the shadows to usurp the closer from this temporary throne. “Black Lotus” is a gem of heavy rock . . . in fact, if you close your eyes and image hard enough, you can actually see someone chipping away at the edges of a piece of ore yanked unmercifully from the earth, and the gleaming radiance of the precious rock shining from the crud surrounding it. That’s how I hear this song . . . beauty and elegance wrapped in a shell of darkened, crusted matter.

Wo Fat may still be creeping around the underground, but don’t think that this creature of the depths won’t be pulling itself out of the muck to spend time in the sun. These guys are on the rise and The Black Code is the elevator that will lift them to a greater audience, a more receptive ear. It’s an album that just stuns with every listen, not just in song structure, but instrumental performances and sonic execution. With the year coming to a close, I suspect this album will be on my Year End Best Of List. I can’t see it not being there. The album was done so well that the music just can’t be ignored.

--Pope

http://wofat.net/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wo-Fat/127735577283067

Wolfshead - S/T

I was overjoyed when Racer posted a Bandcamp link to Wolfshead a few days back. Not that I was particularly waiting for the link or anything, it was just . . . well, when I hit the little play button and my world got turned upside down, I felt an exhilaration that doesn’t come around all that often. Thank you Racer for going to the effort of getting this link up!

So, Wolfshead is a two-piece stoneriffic, doom-y sludge metal band (Eh? How’s that for muddying up the categorical waters?) hailing from England. I guess one could say these cats are part of the resurgent new wave of heavy British rock that’s going on right now, and like a bunch of the bands in this particular scene, Wolfshead are creating music their way . . . starting with a basic sound rooted in heavy blues and then letting the music go where it needs to go. What I hear is a classic hard rock sound mixed with Monotheist-era Celtic Frost . . . an order of something really heavy with a side order of even more heavy!

“Warbringer” kicks this sampler off with a thrash-y groove laden riff and rocks along at a good pace. I’m digging the little guitar flourishes that they drop into the verse, almost giving the song a classic NWOBHM feel. The gang chants of “Hail! Hail!” makes me throw my fists in the air, making typing an absolute bear, but oh-so-much fun! The end section breakdown is crushing in heft and weight, brutally distorted and reminds me of some of the finer moments from Lair of the Minotaur.

The first play through of this recording had me mouth agape in awe when “Garden” pummeled me senseless. This is where the Monotheist Celtic Frost sound comes seeping out of the well water. Thunderous and overpowering, the guitars vibrate everything in the immediate area of my speakers to ash, and the vocals are about as ominous as they can get, channeling a bit of the Tom G. Warrior tormented angst. I love the subtle guitar licks these guys throw in every so often . . . always keeping things interesting, keeping the music moving forward, and not allowing things to get stale. Fucking killer song!

“Pissin’ Blood” (always a good time), is an upbeat thrashing garage rock burst of audio excitement! If your head isn’t bobbing up and down on this one, you’re damaged. It’s alright. It’s nothing personal. This track, probably more than any other on this sampler, is the most accessible in the sense of fitting in with any particular genre or scene. It’s short, to the point, non-stop rollicking fun, and while it doesn’t really venture outside of the retro sound, it does have little nuggets of intrigue mixed into the mix.

As if these guys were saving the best ‘til last, “Death Priest” is a punishing escapade through the surreal. This six minute epic excites me more than any other because it’s out there . . . it’s dynamic and experimental, but no less accessible than the rest of this rocking set of music. Within the first minute of the song, Wolfshead bring a number of different moods. Opening with a stonerfied and fuzzed out riff for a few measures, the boys then drop into a dirge-y Sabbathian palm muted riff that includes some sexy guitar licks. Then the music opens up again, longer sustained notes creating a break in the tension created by the palm muted and spartan verses. The vocals, while strained in places, crack in all the right places and make this song feel like a horrifying travel through the darkest recesses of the mind.

Word has it that Wolfshead are working on a full length album, to which I can only sit here in stunned silence with a stupid grin on my face. If their full length follows the footprint of this sampler, I’m gonna have a damn good time rocking from here to eternity! This sampler isn’t perfect, but then again, it doesn’t need to be. The energy is there, the structures are there, the musicianship and vision are there . . . Check it out, drop the guys a buck or two and download the tunes for yourselves. Or, sit in front of your computer and listen to the stream for the rest of your lives. Either way works for me. Just do it.

Pope

http://bandcamp.listentowolfshead.com/

Ripple Effect Unleashes 5 Year Anniversary Free Download Compilation

What started out five years ago as a forum for two music lovers to share their obsession with obscure/little-heard rock music, has grown and evolved into a Record Label, a top-rated Radio Show, and one of the world's premiere sites for discovering new and lost classic music: The Ripple Effect. To celebrate 5 years of collective Ripple Madness, Todd Severin (Racer X) and John Rancik (Pope JTE) are unleashing a massive download compilation album, featuring some of the best of the new wave of modern heavy rock bands. And it's all entirely free!

Best of all, the compilation features many brand new, previously unheard, unreleased tracks by some of the bands leading this charge of the Heavy. In addition, you'll find tracks from several albums buzzing across the websites and music blogs, and several new and waiting-to-be discovered bands.

To be released on July 22, through bandcamp, The Ripple Effect unveils, The Ripple Effect presents: Volume 1- Head Music. In it's depths you'll find such notable bands as Stubb, Ape Machine, Devil to Pay, Miss Lava, Voodoo Johnson, Borracho, and more. 23 tracks in all. All free. Some of the absolute best heavy rock the world has to offer.

To download your free copy, go to the Ripple Effect bandcamp page and get yours today!

And continue to check out The Ripple Effect each day for the latest music discoveries, and the Ripple Music record label for the latest releases from bands like Stone Axe, Mos Generator, Grifter, Trucker Diablo, Poobah, Fen, JPT Scare Band and more.

Here's the track listing:

• Devil to Pay "High Horse" - from the album Heavily Ever After
• White Light Cemetary "The Wieser" - previously unreleased
• Torso "One" - from the EP Inside
• Cody Foster Army "Built Up Knocked Down" - previously unreleased
• Stubb "Under a Spell" - previously unreleased
• Space Probe Taurus "Ridin' the Mud" - previously unreleased
• Concrete Sun "Silver Tear" - previously unreleased
• Hong Faux "Bad City Blues" - from The Crown that Wears the Head
• Hosoi Bros "Wine Witch" - from 7" single Wine Witch/Yellow Fever
• Ape Machine "Everybody Bleeds" - previously unreleased
• Deadweight "Cosmic Lunch" - previously unreleased
• SuperGiant "Rosey Posey" - from Pistol Star
• Voodoo Johnson "Swear it to the Sun" from ep Black Powder Mother Loader
• Banda de la Muerte "Espiritu en Paz" -from Pulso de una Mente Maldita
• Venomin James "Seven Years" - previously unreleased from upcoming album Unholy Mountain
• Miss Lava "Ride" - from upcoming album Red Supergiant
• Steak "Machine" - from ep Disastronaut
• The Heavy Company "Groove a Mile Wide" previously unreleased from upcoming album Midwest Electric
• Dark Earth "Dark Earth" - previously unreleased
• The Enders "Self Deluded" - New Previously unreleased from upcoming album "The Ruins of Ambition."
• Borracho "All in Play" - Live version, previously unreleased. Album version from Splitting Sky
• Arise Within "Black Pearl" - from album Volume 2
• Knall "Dark Amber" - previously unreleased

Earthen Grave - Earthen Grave

I’ll be the first to tell you that I have no idea who the band Trouble is. I’ve seen their name and logo floating around in conversation and press for something like twenty years, but for some reason, I never followed up to find out anything on these guys. And, as of this writing, I still haven’t. I have other things to follow up on at the moment, and one of those things is a new band called Earthen Grave, which was founded by ex-Trouble bassist, Ron Holzner. Ta-da! See what I did there? Tried to link to the past with the present.

Earthen Grave just released their first full length, self-titled album, and folks . . . this is some heavy stuff. Perhaps, not the heaviest music I’ve ever heard, but it’s done with a unique flair that I appreciate wholeheartedly. Doom, as a genre, can be boring and derivative, at least to me . . . and if you know me, you know I like my music to push boundaries, get experimental, and explore new ideas to further expand said genre. Earthen Grave do just that. They work in textural passages, classical instruments, quieter instruments, and additional voices to create a style of Doom that constantly perks the ears towards the new nuances.

Case in point, check out the second track on the album called “Life Carries On”. The songs crushes with a great guitar riff, first in the left speaker, then picked up in the right, then back to the left . . . heavy, right? Then, barely fifteen seconds in, the ears are treated to the piercing wail of a violin. Not something obnoxious, but keyed in with the other instruments and complimenting their sounds. This pleasant little surprise is provided by the virtuosic talents of Rachel Barton Pine. Perfect notes played at the perfect times, adding textures where needed, and providing mesmerizing solos that steal the spotlight. I love the way the violins mesh so well with the ever powerful guitar work of Jason Muxlow and Tony Spillman, almost as if they’re holding their own private conversation within the master work, but never completely overshadowing the song. Of special note, check out the violin/guitar/guitar solo(s) around the 3:45 mark . . . the brilliance in the rhythm section holding down that Middle Eastern tinged groove and then having the soloists coming in to add the layers of sexy spice and sultry flavor, all flying around the senses in chaotic fashion, but never out of control.

Then there’s “Dismal Times”. Doom-y and dirge-y, with its slow and somber opening passage, then building to a guitar fueled riff in classic palm muted fury . . . this song is a horned fist thrown in the air and an homage to all that is classic heavy metal. Again, the violins add great textures and a fresh voice to the menacing and oppressing musical tones. The solo that Barton Pine lays down midway through the song is chilling and morose, caked in a veil of cobwebs from a haunted castle passageway. Then, the eruption of the band coming back in and the upbeat, mosh inducing riffology! Killer stuff! Serve me music with dynamics like this all day, all night . . . I’ll eat it up!

“Beneath A Shovel Load” is another classic metal ditty that opens with soaring and diving guitar antics, a devastating droning rhythm, and some well timed distorted guitar chugs. String bending and mind altering, Earthen Grave deliver a scorcher of muscle flexing metal. This one is a full on headbanging groover that makes me want to dust of the old leather jacket or denim vest and sequester myself in a steaming room of like minded music freaks. I’m digging the guitars on this track, especially when one of the guitarists decides to sustain the notes while the other continues the multi-noted rhythmic groove. Subtle, but effective. Bitchin’ guitar solo on this track, as well. The violin solo towards the end of the tune is outstanding . . . full of energy, anger, excitement!

This album took some time to grow on me, but I’m finding myself going back to it more and more as time goes on. If Earthen Grave is the future of Doom, then the genre is in good hands. As I mentioned, I’m not the biggest of Doom fans, but when it’s performed and executed like this self-titled album, I could very easily be on the road to embracing the genre with greater tolerance. Every song has something fresh and unique thrown into the mix, whether it’s a female vocal harmony or a violin or an acoustic guitar,Earthen Grave are seemingly working towards separating their music from that of the masses. Heavy, yet with flashes of elegance. Menacing, but with touches of beauty. Yeah . . . I’m sold. Earthen Grave is a kick ass record!

Pope

http://www.earthengrave.com

Dead Sara - S/T

In the world of rock n' roll, there's a lot of crappy bands, a few good bands, and fewer great bands. However, every now and then there's those bands that come along where you listen to them and immediately go, "They've got it!" That phrase right there is hard to describe. It's something within the music, something genuine, something that just clicks. When I first heard Dead Sara's EP The Airport Sessions, I immediately said that very very phrase to myself - "They've got it!"

Now that Dead Sara has released their first self-titled full length album, it's been a breakout year for the band. They have just made a featured slot on the Warped Tour and will be touring with The Used across the USA. Last year, they opened for Bush, and they are riding high with their first single, "Weatherman," a hard rockin' song that's been gaining a lot of buzz for the band.

Fronted by the versatile vocals of Emily Armstrong, whose range can handle blues, soul, as well as unleash a gritty rock n' roll howl full of intensity. Besides Armstrong's amazing vocals, the electrifying band is also driven by Siouxsie Medley's guitar playing, a no non-sense style that blends melodic and heavy riffs into a perfect cocktail of hard rock.

Not to take away from the other members of the band. After all, a band is a cohesive unit. Either the chemistry is there or it's not. Bassist Chris Null and drummer Sean Friday also add to the electrifying dynamic of this band with their straight-forward style. Dead Sara is a tight band that knows how to write damn good songs, whether they're straight up rockers or heartfelt ballads. This album has intensity yet diversity as well. It's far from a boring one-dimensional album.

The albums opening song Whispers And Ashes eases you into the album. It's more of melodic song and has a hint of a U2 vibe. The song is extremely well-written, and a bit of a departure from the sound off their EP.

One of the stand out tracks on Dead Sara's new release is We Are What You Say,  an up-tempo song with a massive hook that's just undeniably - catchy. The song is no slouch, however. It rocks, and I think this song should've been the album's first single, as opposed to Weatherman.

Monumental Holiday is another fast-paced rocker that just has one of those great riffs that's reminiscent of the 90s grunge/punk sound. I can see this song on a soundtrack to an action film. The movie that comes to mind? This tune is perfect for another Crank flick.

Test My Patience is another great song that rocks good and proper, but the great thing about Dead Sara is the genuine emotions they capture in their songs. The three ballads - Dear Love, Face to Face, and Sorry For It All are extremely soul full. It's on these songs, you can really hear Emily Armstrongs amazing singing chops as well as lyrical writing talent.

Though Dear Love could very well be the album's hit song on the lighter side, Sorry For It All is by far the most heartfelt. Although I prefer their original version with just guitar and vocals, the new album's version is an interesting take on the song.

I've been waiting a long time for their album to come out. As I've said countless of times to people, Dead Sara is going to be a huge band in mainstream rock, and there's a reason for that. Don't believe me? Just take a listen. You can find Dead Sara on the Warped Tour and on the road with The Used!

--Boogs

Moonspell - Alpha Noir

I’m really surprised more people aren’t talking about this album. I don’t meaning raving and claiming it to be the second coming of Master of Puppets or whatever . . . just surprised that I’m not hearing Moonspell pop up in musical conversations more often. Okay then, allow me to turn the topic over to these doom-y, gloom-y, goth-y, super heavy (heavy with a cape) Portuguese rockers.

I have a couple of Moonspell records in my ever morphing collection of music, and though I like the bands past records, they never jump out as the albums that I feel compelled to propel me through the doldrums of every day. They’re good, they have their moments, they just don’t live up to what I guess I want them to be. That’s completely on me. I’m good with that. Those albums aren’t going anywhere, so in time, I may find the hidden brilliance in them as well. As I said, I like them, I just don’t currently love them.

Now, Alpha Noir finally hits every mark for what I ever perceived of this band (which means that the old school Moonspell-heads probably think it sucks . . . but they’re wrong). This album, released through Napalm Records, is all things heavy, and intricate, and nihilistic, and oppressive, and moody, and all the dark things that make me think that Moonspell is all about. Alpha Noir is a demonic groover that emits the faintest odor of brimstone as it spins on the player. A positively dark record that has me banging my head at my desk, behind the wheel, or pushing a shopping cart through the grocery store. Simply beastly.

Take your pick of songs . . . the lead track, “Axis Mundi”, for instance . . . it has a great and intense building intro that is a true harbinger of devastation to come. Huge tribal rhythms amidst a wash of feedback and thundering sound effects, and then a laser-like guitar riff that cuts through ¼ inch sheet metal like it was a sheet of velum. That’s the kind of stuff the fires me up! Follow this up a few seconds later with a one of the more powerful riffs on the album, all accompanied by a drummer who more than knows his way around a kit, and I’m in pure heaven. The tightness of that riff and the steadfast and straight forward drumming make the opening couple minutes of this song an exercise in power. Moonspell do a great job of mixing in a little ambient texture in the song, as well, by dropping in some subtle keyboard flourishes . . . and then there’s the middle/end break where the band completely drops out and we’re left listening to the creepy crooning voice of frontman and band mainstay, Fernando Ribeiro sing over a plaintively plinking piano passage. Fucking epic song that never gets old!

Check out the title track and its opening salvo of galloping guitar riffs, and then feel how you’re blown back a step or two when the band kicks in. What a wonderful treatment of mid tempo, palm muted riffing! Feel the song kick into overdrive as the double bass drums suddenly thunder their way onto the scene. And the textural washes of the keyboards and contrasting melodic guitar lines that weave throughout the chaotic flurries of sound. Just a well composed track that has enough changes and shifts to keep things constantly interesting and compelling. Searing guitar leads and Ribeiro’s trademark gothic croon sprinkle the last bits of seasoning that this song needs to make it a must listen!

“Opera Carne” is a blistering tune that features one of those melodic choruses that’s accompanied me in my early waking moments for the past week. It’s not one of those over the top melodies with a huge operatic choir or a big sing-along moment, but there’s something about the way Ribeiro growls the words “How our flesh burns . . . in mysterious ways” that it sticks in my head and I easily hum this ghastly tune. Musically speaking though, this one is brutally heavy! Great effects on the guitars opening the track and the production on the drums it superb . . . the drums sound like they’re set up in my office right next to me. Sharp, crisp, powerful!

Then onto my personal favorite on the album, “Love Is Blasphemy”. I can’t play this monster loud enough! It’s almost ridiculous how killer this song is . . . the opening musical intro with its rhythmic tom work and melodic guitar lines, creating a few moments of dark tension. Then Moonspell drop the fucking hammer. A guitar riff crafted by the hands of goblins in the darkest reaches of Mordor, cymbal crashes that invoke memories of Metallica at the moment when they were poised to rule the world, a guttural vocal utterance that spits venom in the faces of church leaders world-wide, and one of the most tastefully aggressive heavy metal songs one will hear for the rest of the year. Beautifully crafted, not up its own ass with too much progression, not too stripped down to be redundant . . . Moonspell get to the meat of the matter right off the bat and beat the listener senseless for just over four and half minutes.

The musicianship throughout Alpha Noir is top notch, but it’s not too show-y. Moonspell have chops, but thankfully, they don’t see the need to pummel us with technical glitz and just keep the music simple. This is, by far, the heaviest record I’ve heard all year and also the biggest surprise I’ve experienced. As I mentioned, I know some stuff about Moonspell, and I’ve just never been a monstrous fan. One of my first experiences with them was when I caught them live opening for Opeth a few years back, and they blew me away! The showmanship, the stage presence, the seemingly 7’ tall Fernando Ribeiro extending his arms and looking like some nightmarish vulture . . . it was enough to sear an impression in my mind’s eye for a lifetime and with Alpha Noir, the sound I always associated this live imagery with has been captured. Massively heavy music propelled by monstrous grooves full of heavily distorted guitars and insane drumming. Great record that I simply can’t listen to enough!

Pope

http://www.facebook.com/moonspellband

Hypno5e - Acid Mist Tomorrow

A couple of years ago, this little art-y metal band from France called Hypno5e came along with an album entitled Des Deux L’une Est L’autre, that in the most complex manner ever, floored me. This album devastated my reality and all that I thought I knew about heavy music. It was an intense listen that scrambled the brains with its complicated time signatures and dramatic musical shifts.  An epiphany, of sorts.

Please welcome in the band’s long-awaited follow up album, Acid Mist Tomorrow. In a word . . . holy . . . yeah, that’s pretty much me sitting with my headphones on, spinning this disc over and over and over again, and with every subsequent spinning thinking to myself, ‘ This can’t be possible.’ My reality has, once again, be turned inside out, flipped upside down, positive made negative, cats and dogs living together, dark into light . . .

The last album from Hypno5e was a bludgeoning, highly involved listen. Basically, I felt one had to think too much while listening to it and was often left exhausted afterwards. At times, it had a jarring effect from song to song. Not a bad thing, necessarily, just noting how it was an album that could intimidate. Acid Mist Tomorrow has a far better fluidity to it. The songs are much more seamless, even as the band goes from the mellowed out, acoustic and soft passages into the heavily distorted walls of cacophony. Everything is executed with, if it were even possible, greater precision, and then tempered with an even softer touch. A contrast of tones.

The open forty seconds or so of the first song (also the title track) is enough for anyone to know that this album has the makings of something far beyond what we’ve come to know and love from this band. A subtle clean toned guitar with a somewhat tranquil and distorted sound bite of nature hauntingly humming away in the background starts the song. The production of this short bit is perfect, captured in what sounds like mono . . . giving the sounds an old transistor radio vibe . . . before the heavily distorted guitar chugs away at a mighty riff,  and then, BAM! The song goes to stereo, hitting us with this incredible sonic weight . . . and yet, the band gets this great stuttering effect to play for a second as the song is just about to take off, and this little effect, tiny and almost insignificant to most, adds all of this juice and gusto to introduce this song. Without that effect, sure, the song would be fine, but with it . . . added intensity and breaking of tension that makes the listener more vested in what’s going on. The rest of the song roils and tumbles all over itself, highlighting the musicianship of the band and the performer’s insane abilities to start and stop in a fraction of a second. Hypno5e bludgeons with the hardest of them, but the trait that separates these guys from the masses of hyper-intense, metal-core, math-core, progressive neophytes is their ability to bring everything crashing down to the most mesmerizingly melodic and mellow passages. Absolutely beautiful and brilliant moments of tranquility and serenity before they kick the music back into high gear.

The album is essentially five songs in length, however, three of those songs are multi-part passages. One of those multi-part tracks that requires multiple listens for sheer brilliance alone is “Gehenne (I – III)”. Part I is an almost tribal, throbbing and mesmerizing tune with lyrics that sound as if they’re being sung in Spanish rather than France. I could be completely wrong about that . . . the Romantic languages have a tendency to throw me from time to time. Suddenly, as if from out of nowhere, Part II kicks in and we are beaten senseless with the blastbeat that time forgot, and these manic harmonics mixed into the ferocious guitar riffs . . . and then these bizarre string sweeps that raise the hairs on the back of the neck . . . and then, almost as suddenly as when all hell broke loose, the music winds down, the tempo slows a bit, the noise abates, and Hypno5e serenade us with their elegant voices, harmonized just so. Part III picks up there the chaotic frenzy of Part II left off, and almost immediately drops into a chilled out passage that almost sounds like its being led by a mandolin. The remainder of the song is a topsy-turvy affair and ends with us listeners sitting back in our chairs with an audible sigh.

Hypno5e push their music further and further with every release, hell . . . practically with every song. They’re progressive in so many different aspects . . . with their virtuosic abilities, then with their conscious effort to shelve an idea if they’ve already used it, then again with the sonic exploration of heavy and light music, then with their use of samples to further a story along . . . these guys are fucking genius! Smarter than all of us combined! Acid Mist Tomorrow is an early favorite for my Best of 2012 list. I can’t stop listening to the album, probably because they add so many new wrinkles to their style, most notably the mellow melodic portions. These elements tug on the heart strings and are packed with so much raw emotion that I can’t help but go back again and again. This one is a stunner!

Pope

http://www.facebook.com/Hypno5e

Voodoo Johnson - Black Powder Mother Loader

Not really sure why this EP didn’t hit our radar a little sooner, but nonetheless . . . better late than never.

So, here’s the background that I know on this outfit calling themselves Voodoo Johnson. They’re a five piece hailing from Birmingham (England, that is) and they seem to be getting quite a bit of publicity in their homeland. Now, to the meat. These guys flat out rock!

Incorporating elements of the early 90’s Seattle movement with a healthy dose of modern rock, placed in the midst of a heaping mound of classic 70’s-era rock, Black Powder Mother Loader is a relatively short burst of outstanding hard rock! Being that this record is a mere EP, I find myself listening over and over again . . . call it the track listing and arrangement, combined with the fact that the music is so damn good . . . once the record ends, I want to immediately listen to it all over again.

“Black Skies Mist” actually comes bursting out of the speakers with a dramatic heavy metal-esque riff, completely transcending any boundaries that I had preconceived. Throughout this five minute mini-epic, Voodoo Johnson expertly change tempos and tones, creating moments of air in the midst of some pretty heavy rockin’ passages. The melodies are infectious enough to have you humming along and the nuances are memorable affairs. And the guitar solo . . . damn! Full of class, Gilmour-esque sustained notes that drip with emotion. The song has great elements of modern rock sounds with just enough flavor from past generations to catch the ear, making me think that I’ve heard this somewhere before, or asking myself, ‘who the hell does this remind me of?’ There’s a little Candlebox in there, maybe a little Mother Tongue . . . whoever I’m hearing as an influence, it works.

On “The Garden”, the band makes a pretty dramatic stylistic shift compared to the first two songs on the EP. This song is a more stripped down, mellowed out tune with a big nod in the direction of Led Zeppelin and their classic “Going To California”. I love the way this song breaks up the hard rockin’ tone of the EP . . . the placement is perfect, giving the listener a brief respite from the more bludgeoning rockers. The singers voice has a compelling aspect to it . . . just enough sensitivity and vulnerability to get nostalgic and maybe feel a more somber emotion, yet masculine enough to make feel  cool while we think about our weaknesses.

Coming out of the low key tones of “The Garden”, Voodoo Johnson drop an Alice In Chains-flavored rocker as if sung by Three Doors Down. Great riff, heavy and menacing . . . and coupled with this singers voice, it just has a gritty vibe that makes me want to constantly turn up the volume, to blast out the neighbors, irritate the landlord, and cause general havoc throughout the neighborhood. The song also features some cool dynamic shifts with a nice breakdown in the middle, a striking melody at the chorus, and more of the aforementioned emotional guitar work.

Wrap this little gem up with “United Divided”, arguably my favorite track from the disc, and you have a good twenty minutes of steady hard rock with just enough variance to keep things interesting. Word has it that there are a couple full-length albums fluttering around out there from these guys, and let me tell you . . . I’ll be hunting those down. Black Powder Mother Loader is the kind of disc that I can have playing to fit a number of different moments throughout the day. The music is never so abrasive to offend, yet it’s never too mellow as to vanish from the greater consciousness. One could draw a modern day comparison with the Mighty Zeppelin, the masters of balancing dark and light, hard and soft. I’m sold . . . now gimme more!

Pope

http://www.voodoojohnson.tv/

Enslaved - Isa

I had a dream. Not quite what the good Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had in mind, I’m sure . . . but a dream nonetheless. This one, in particular, had me sitting in a wooden box positioned in the middle of a frozen lake. With nothing but a case of beer and my thoughts as my companions, I was alone in the middle of a frozen wasteland . . . alone. Then there was a knock at the door of my hut of solitude. Unnerving, to say the least, for who knew I was here . . . and how did anyone get out here? The door slowly opened and five long haired and imposing figures, draped in practically nothing, stood in the ice encrusted doorway and with one simple statement claimed, ‘It’s time.’

I awoke from my deep sleep and, rather than incur the wrath of these wraiths sent by Morpheus, I pushed play on my iPod (no sense incurring the wrath of the wife either . . . it was two o’clock in the morning) and, as if by the hands of fate, Enslaved’s Isa began its musical transcendence.

Released in 2004, Isa was the much anticipated follow up to one of my all-time favorite records, Below the Lights . . . an album that I once referred to as the musical equivalent of ice fishing, something not meant for everybody, but for those into such things, a short moment in time of sheer bliss. Blistering extreme metal that originated from a black metal core and wound up becoming one of the more intriguing progressive metallic sounds around, and Isa took that Below the Lights blueprint and propelled it through the stratosphere. To say that Isa was a grand leap in direction and sound for Enslaved would be a massive understatement. But, then again, there’s that unique back step that the band takes with their sound . . . incorporating a little of that 70’s prog-rock into their sound, as well. Isa is a fascinating amalgam of, then, current extreme metal mixed with the sounds of yesterday to create a sound all unto its own.

 This album starts off in sheer creepy fashion with the absolutely chilling “Intro: Green Reflection”. Put this song on while walking through a forest and you’ll be shitting ice cubes. If that doesn’t work, wait a few seconds because when “Lunar Force” drops in, the pulse rate will increase. Horrifying demonic vocal screeching complemented by a wall of guitars and wrecking ball of rhythms fill every crevice of space of sound, but this is where I first recognized that this wasn’t the black metal that I thought it was going to be. The guitars don’t have that piercing or grating quality that traditional black metal has. These guitars are cold and icy, but enveloping like an early morning frozen fog. The ambience that the music creates has a sinister organic vibe to it . . . almost like turning over a rock and seeing the creepy crawlies writhing over one another. Then the band takes a massive left turn and gets mighty progressive on us . . . instead of a wall of sound, Enslaved serve up a staccato guitar riff over an off time and complex rhythm. Listen close and absorb the brilliance of the musicianship as all of the players are meshed around each other with their performances, shifting from standard 4/4 to some wild double and triple time rhythms . . . and then feel it as the song begins to build with more and more tension . . . creeping along the forest floor, rummaging for sustenance, and then getting supremely psychedelic before exploding into the main theme again. This song gets better and better with every listen!

Follow that up with “Isa” and the musical journey through the heart of darkness continues. Heavy ass guitars and rhythms again pummel the listener, and the vocals of longtime vocal/bass stalwart, Grutle, assail us with so much venom and piss and bile that you can’t help but feel your skin crawl. But here’s the new wrinkle . . . Enslaved incorporate clean-ish vocal harmonies that further add a discordant chill to the music as they work in contrast to the hellish belch of Grutle. Hehe . . . the Hellish Belt of Grutle . . . my new band name. Keep trudging over the decaying leaves of the haunted forest and hear how the band drops in a little keyboard flourish to add another sinister element to the overall sound. Great use of instrumentation and composition to create a world of fantastic dimension!

For you fans of intricate patterns within music, “Ascension”, especially the first two minutes or so, will call for your love. And again, Enslaved inject clean vocals that add heft and weight to the already burdensome sounds of the band . . . not the type of weight that we dread trudging along with, but the kind of weight that actually feels welcome, gives us substance and the air of accomplishment. Sprawling and magnificent, this song is that song that takes us from wandering around the forest floor and puts us on the back of a soaring eagle, diving though the clouds, hugging the mountainous terrain as we ride the air currents that Mother Nature blows our way.

Something else to consider on Isa is that this is the first time that I really recognize the use of keyboards in the band’s sound. There were some on Below the Lights, but it seems that Enslaved made better use of them on Isa . . . or this album was better produced to better capture the keyboard sounds. I can only think that this is one of the reasons I find this album as compelling as I do. The added depth with the keyboard sounds mixed with the already established traditional metal sound creates a world of intrigue that always makes the music interesting, even if I’ve heard it a million times before.

The entire work of Isa is a fantastic voyage. “Bounded By Allegiance”, “Return To Yggdrasill”, and the near 12-minute epic, “Neogenesis” are further examples of the musical growth that Enslaved has shown over the course of their lengthy career. Where Below the Lights was a dark album with a constant flitting and flickering ray of light to guide us, Isa is a harsh and cold landscape that is showing a little color of Spring breaking through the winter frost. The musicianship throughout this album is top notch and always surprises. Extreme metal, indeed, but I love how the band starts to work in simple little elements of vocal harmony and haunting melody to greater effect. Still a band that won’t appeal to the masses or be everybody’s cup of tea, thankfully . . . sometimes, I don’t like to share . . . a little 70’s rock influence, a heavy dose of nuvo-prog, and a mean streak of extreme metal . . . Enslaved, a band that pays homage to their influences, but refuses to get pigeon-holed into one genre and continuously pushes the envelope on creative expression.

I’m going back to sleep now . . . hopefully I won’t have any more spectral visitors and can get some much needed rest!

Pope

www.enslaved.no

Les Discrets – Ariettes Oubliees . . .

 
I have no idea what to say about this album.

I think it’s brilliant. I think the soundscapes that Fursy Teyssier has created are wondrous and majestic. I think that the contributions of vocalist Audrey Hadorn are immaculate in their beauty. I think that the complexities of the musical movements are intriguing and dynamic. I think the tones are dark and foreboding. I think that Ariettes Oubliees . . . is a fantastic musical experience that begs for me to listen again and again, and at ever increasing volume. And, I think that I’m going a little mad trying to formulate a cohesive set of thoughts about this record!

The album opener is an instrumental track called “Linceul d'hiver” that is simply a beautiful, slow building mini epic. Teyssier does a great job of not rushing this song. It builds measure by measure, each measure adding a new musical element, filling all of the open space with sound, until we’re left with this densely intense wall of sound. Then, it vanishes and begins to fade away, only to drop immediately into “La Traversée” and then we, the listeners, are introduced to the dual vocal harmonies of Teyssier and Hadorn, each voice complimenting the other over a passage of strumming guitars, droning in a shoegazers fantastic voyage. Gloriously dynamic and epic, this song changes pace about three minutes in and gets a little darker, a little moodier, a little more distorted around the edges and heavier. Though the song ventures into some progressive territories, it always retains some beautiful melodies, both in the way of the haunting strains of the guitars notes and in the vocals. The song even flirts with a little heavy metal moment around the six minute mark as a well produced and captured guitar tone, distorted to the point it vibrates the teeth, but not so much that it rattles the head. The first ten-plus minutes of this album was enough for me to recognize that this was going to be a different experience than I had with the band’s first album, my beloved album of 2010, Septembre et Ses Dernières Pensées. A different experience, but maybe one that was more satisfying!

The beauty doesn’t end there. “Le Mouvement perpetual” is another 7 minute track that captures Teyssier and Hadorn feeding off each other in their elegant fashion. When I hear this song, I can almost picture the images from the album cover (vinyl edition . . . beautiful gatefold jacket . . . bonus poster . . . quality work) coming to life. Skeletal images dressed in their finest evening attire, elegantly dancing a discordant waltz across the parquet floors of a ballroom, draped in dark curtains, lit by the soft light of a meager amount of candles, and led by a dark and somewhat sinister band . . . the voices of Teyssier and Hadorn actually have a dancing quality to them, in the way they work together, breathe together . . . entwined in the rhythms of the music. Darkly romantic, almost gothic. What an amazingly emotional song!

The entire album does this . . . get’s the imagination flowing, tickling the emotions, and flooding the soul with music that moves. For over forty-two minutes, Les Discrets regale the listener this delicate sound that still has some heft to it. The pop-tinged “La nuit muette” features a huge vocal performance, layered voices that soar and never come back down. The acoustic guitar-based “Après l' Ombre”, also featured on the Prophecy Productions compilation album, Whom The Moon A Nightsong Sings, with all of its haunting tones and darkened chords, and tortured vocal melodies. “Les Regrets”, in all of its instrumental glory, with its ultra-somber, almost depressive air . . . Ariettes Oubliees is an amazing trip into the darkest recesses of the emotions and human psyche.

On the first listen, I was concerned that Ariettes Oubliees . . . wouldn’t match up or live up to my expectations based on my past experience with Septembre et Ses Dernières Pensées, and like all things new, it almost didn’t. But, I continued listening, working to separate my memories of the previous record from the sounds I was currently listening to, and I found an equally satisfying record. Top 10 Album of the Year? I can’t answer that, for the year is young and there are a lot of records coming out this year. But, I can say that I will probably be playing this disc, like I did the last one . . . in between every other release that comes out. Great work and highly recommended!

Pope

www.lesdiscrets.com
www.prophecyproductions.de

Waveriders - Here's what the Ripple has in store for you

Waveriders!  First of all, thank you all so much for popping in with us and checking out reviews on the "best music you're not listening to."  Our goal is for our writers to find music that truly excites them, then unleash themselves upon their keyboards to write missives and spread the word.

We've been growing like crazy recently, as we've crossed over 3,000,000 hits and our staff keeps on expanding so here's a preview of what each week has in store for you.  Of course, sometimes things change because of schedules, but basically, here's the rundown.

Sunday begins our week with Cicatriz laying down the hardcore punk and metal, grindcore, deathcore, and occasional variation followed by The Slapphappy Mortician digging into weird worlds of electronica and interesting pop.

Monday is Racer and the Pope writing about whatever catches their ears.  Look for a resurrection of the regular columns we used to do so frequently, like the Proto-metal Report, Musical Martyrs, On the Ripple Desk, and Single Life.  You never know what might catch Racer or Pope's ears for writing that week, but it will probably be full of ambient metal, stoner groove, retro-rock, post-punk, garage and punk.

Tuesday brings on the fuzz with Heddbuzz laying into the stoner groove, doom, and riff rock, followed by Ripple's very own graphic artist, Boogs, writing about what ever rocks his world.  But it will rock.

Wednesday is filled with the missives of Penfold and his regalia of tales as he explores the worlds of avant-metal, hip hop, and pop darkness.  Following which comes our own NW radio personality, Odin, who's all metal all the time. 

Thursday we get entertained by the punky, rocky, metallic, off-the-cuff world of Woody as he delves into his love of all things Motorhead, Stooges, Grand Funk and more.  And don't forget his occasional reading list suggestions, The Ripple Library, with books full of rich rock history.  Then, on days when we're lucky, England's Grifter, Ollie, lays down some heavy riff-rock love.

Friday is heavy, with Horn and his love of metal, sludge, doom and jazz followed by Ripple's newest scribe, Gorgeous Nightmare who delves into metal of all sorts from gothic, to sleaze, to power.

Saturday brings the varied and entertaining worlds of Mr Brownstone and Old School who's ears perk up with wonderously different sounds.  Expect lots of alternative pop, classic rock, blues, jazz and even a touch of bluegrass.  But really, we never know what's going to come next. 

On top of that, we'll still publish the odd bit of news, free compilation links, and interviews.  And the Blogtalkradio link updates every month with the latest podcast from the Ripple Radio Show.

And don't forget to pop over to our companion facebook page, where we'll publish every week (if not every day) links to free downloadable singles, albums, and compilations.

Yes, it's all here on the Ripple.

Syven – Aikaintaite

There are a number of ways people use to “get back to nature”. Some grab some camping gear and pitch a tent in the middle of a forest for a few days. Some strap on a back pack and hike amongst the indigenous flora and fauna. And some, well . . . some commune in the great outdoors by themselves or a very small group and strum the kantele and chant to the stars. The latter example may be a little on the extreme side of things or a overly simplistic explanation of what Syven are all about, but sometimes it’s best to dumb things down for the masses to make a subject more understandable. That’s not to say that the average Waverider needs anything simplified, but this writer kinda’ does. This is me with a shovel digging myself deeper. On to the record!

Syven’s Aikaintaite album is a grandiose, spectacular, epic journey into the backlands of one’s mind and all set to tribal thrum of primordial rhythms and chants. The music is anchored by the traditional Finnish string instrument called the kantele and supported by ambient waves of synths, thundering rhythms, the occasional electrical guitar, and all enhanced by a variety of vocalizations ranging from mournful wails, tribal chants, and guttural growls. Mix all of these wondrous sounds together and embrace a uniform sound as haunting as the wind howling through the trees of a forest and as serene as a crisp breeze across the surface of a mountain lake.

“Jaljet” is a mesmerizing, near twenty-minute journey into sonic exploration that mixes huge ambient swells complete with chirping birds and various sounds from woodland creatures, even a little trickling stream for good measure. The synths cast a drapery of weight over the entire landscape and the shamanistic vocals chants leave one feeling as if their witnessing the world come alive with the rising of the morning sun. The overall tone has a somber feel, but never depressive. More akin to realizing how inferior and mortal we are as a species in comparison to the grandness of Mother Nature. Around the four minute mark, the rhythms become a little heavier, the electric guitars a little louder, the guttural chants more ominous, and the plucking strings of the kantele more plaintive, ultimately, the music creates a vibe like the sound of the earth’s own heart pumping life into her subjects. Heady and intoxicating, the pulsating rhythms have a tribal intensity as if there’s a story within the tone of each drum beat. The dynamic breaks to this song keep it fresh and flowing, especially welcome is the serene sounds of the kantele between the crushing rhythms.

“Ne Jotka Selviavat Talvestamme” is another 18 minute-plus atmospheric sonic journey filled with dynamic breaks. Huge swells of vocals crooning and chants mixed with sheer walls of distorted guitars and the complex touches of the kantele. This stuff is truly amazing to get lost in. Like shifting desert sands, like windswept mountains, like the rolling ocean tides, like the cascading leaves of seasonal change, this music is in constant flux, yet rooted to the core themes, much like the sands and mountains and seas are rooted to the earth. Always challenging the listener to follow the musical path laid out in front of them, but simple enough to follow because the markers along said path are so clearly designated. It’s a beautiful song. A timeless song.

Aikaintaite is, in a word, gorgeous. The textures that Syven use to create the lush atmospheric passages is stuff of legend. Take patience in listening to this album, things don’t happen fast, but when that certain something hits you, it hiys you good and hard, and leaves a lasting impression. The album could easily fall into the New Age category because of its ambient and shamanistic chanting, and even the heavy guitar portions wouldn’t take away from that. The term bandied about these days is Neo-Folk and that seems to work as well as anything else. The album will appeal to you if you’re the type of person who likes ambient music, or if you like to get baked and walk through nature. In fact, next time I do a day hike or find myself in the mountains, I’ll probably spin this disc as I take a short breather. Then again, listening to nature’s own music is a soundtrack unto itself and I probably wouldn’t ruin that. Nonetheless, Aikaintaite is a brilliantly realized record and I’m thankful I took the time to listen to this one when it came across the promo wire.

Pope

http://koti.mbnet.fi/atolonen/syven/intro.html

Elemental Zazen - Nothing To Lose But Change

It’s a rare occurrence for me to get excited about a hip-hop record. Over the past few years (decades?), hip-hop has come across more about the glorification of excesses than anything of substance, of fresh ideas, of empowering messages. The days of old, when Chuck D would wax poetic about the injustices of the world and the inequalities of the young black man; even the sometimes fantastical glorification of the thug life from rappers like Ice-T, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, et al had substance because they were narrating warnings of the do’s and don’t’s of a depressed life and desolate options of life in the hood. And though, I’m sure, there have been masters of the rhyme game who have written and recorded material of substance since then, all I hear or see is someone yammering away about their lowered ride, their shiny-blingy rings, their downpour of cash, and though it all may be a metaphor for dreams of a better life and lifting oneself from the dregs of depravity, it never really digs into the root of the problem that these artists face.

How did they, the artist, get to this point? How did we, the people, get to this point? I don’t have one singular answer for the questions. I don’t think one exists. Sure. It would be easy to point the finger at racism, but that doesn’t explain how we, the people, go to this point. Greed? Too simplistic of an answer and, as heinous as it is, that doesn’t quite feel like the correct answer.

Where am I going with this? Well . . . I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, and I blame it on Elemental Zazen’s record, Nothing To Lose But Change. Released in 2011 through Gnawledge Records, it’s a hip-hop record that has done something that no hip-hop record has done for me in well over two decades . . . made me stop and think. Not simple, whimsical thoughts about saving the whales, but deep, life changing, life affirming ideas that now have me questioning a lot of what I’ve believed throughout my entire life. Powerful shit, man. Corporate greed, capitalism, class inequality and warfare, social perceptions and judgments, internal strength . . . Nothing To Lose But Change is a bubbling cauldron of percolating ideas that give the listener just enough meat to feed their appetite and leave them hungry for more information and knowledge.

“Bricks and Mortality” has a dense groove that is the musical moment from this album that made me fall back in my seat and take a deep breath. The music has an ominous tone and the lyrical content matches perfectly as the MC paints an image of the have-not’s fighting for every morsel of survival while the have’s simply fight amongst themselves to make themselves richer, and ultimately distance themselves even more from the have-not’s. This is an amazingly crafted tune that captures the desperation the working class faces day in and day out to simply put food in their mouths, their inevitable need for escape through drugs and alcohol, and never getting closer to that comfort level that we all desire.

“Kill ‘em With The Beat” is a bit of a change of pace . . . a little more upbeat sounding, though still with a dark undertone, yet dance-able. The lyrics have an ambiguity to them, but I’m getting a message of living with one’s beliefs, being open to change, and inner strength. The chorus has the deadliest catch of them all, instantly memorable and infectious, and the best line is early on, “hell is a hell of a place to hide”. The tune is a mover.

Every so often, a song comes along that makes me think, “Damn. If I had a theme song for when I enter a room . . . “, and in the case of Elemental Zazen, “Words That I Write” would be that one. The intro, the build up, and the sheer intensity of the vocal performance sends chills across my skin, gets me fired up and energized. The music makes a statement that can’t be ignored. Lyrically, the tune is a stream of conscious dose of poetic majesty. The dynamics of the music works in natural harmony with the vocal attack, and I can’t help but get excited and pissed off at the same time. It’s the kind of song that makes you look long and hard in the mirror, making you question what you’re here to accomplish, and how are you going to meet your life goals? Are you here to just take up space and breathe in, breathe out, contributing nothing to your society, or are you that game changer who was put on this earth to help your community, to bring a better life to those around you? Fuckin’ strong song and creeping up my All Time Favorite List.

I’m excited about this album. Flat out. It has power to it that I haven’t felt from this particular genre in a very long time and I don’t think I would be along in feeling that. It’s a universal message of power, or at least, taking the power back from those who currently hold it. Listen to the track called “Greed”, which is more of a narrative or sound bite from a college lecture about the harmful effects of capitalism. It’s the kind of message that will make you stop and re-think your stance on the subject, or investigate it more to become better educated on the matter. And really, that’s what I think I was looking for from a hip-hop record. Make me question my own beliefs. Make me re-think my positions on the topics that matter. It doesn’t mean I need to change my beliefs, but I’m being open to new views on them and being that I have the freedom of choice, I can then decide what my future holds. For now, though . . . my future holds another spin of Nothing To Lose But Change.

-- Pope

http://www.myspace.com/elementalzazen

http://www.facebook.com/elementalzazen

Opeth - Heritage

Polarizing. That’s the first word that comes to mind when I think back on my initial spinning of the new Opeth magnus opus, Heritage. Sure, the die-hards will love it because it’s Opeth, and Mike Akerfeldt could fart and they would feel that it was as if the angels of Heaven were singing enlightenment. Those other Opeth fans who expect every album to sound like the same guttural belches from the album before will loathe the very existence of it. Of course, they also loathed everything after My Arms, Your Hearse because of the clean vocal thing that started creeping its way into the gloom, and probably jumped ship a long time ago. Anyway . . .

Being the Opeth fan, the music fan, that I am, I naturally had to bust out and pick up the deluxe collectors box set of Heritage because . . . if a band is going to put that much effort into the packaging, the least I could do is pick up a copy and bask in the physical splendor of the whole thing. Y’know, embrace the nostalgic youth within and lie back on my floor, paging through the booklet that captures the band laboring away in the studio, letting my eyes dance across the lyrics, reading the liner notes to every song, immersing myself so deep into this thing that I can practically smell the dust and must and the electric tension of the studio as if I were actually there. All the while, the music is fluttering away in the background and becoming the soundtrack for this day and many more after.

When Racer asked me about the album, my first description of it was this: A mixture of Camel and Rainbow, as if being played by Miles Davis. Heritage is a prog-nauts wet dream, and the rock aspects, though farther and fewer between than past outings, still rock harder than most. But the element that caught most by surprise was the jazzy elements of it. Full on fusion-y jazz passages weaving their way through the razor sharp rock guitars and airy progressive movements, and that’s where I’ll say that this album is brilliant. By constantly evolving the sound to something that becomes completely unexpected, Opeth make themselves relevant for today, tomorrow, and well into the future, constantly redefining themselves to satisfy their muse, not the public perception.

Normally, at this point, I would break down my favorite songs from the album, point out the highlights, explain how they moved me, etc. But, in the case of Heritage, I could do that for about five thousand words and there’s really no point. In truth, there are times when it’s flat out difficult to tell if a new song is playing if you’re not watching the LP spinning along (and even that can be difficult because of the ebb and flow of the grooves). So, know this . . . every song has rocking elements with the exception of the title track and the album closer, “Marrow of the Earth”. Both songs are beautiful instrumentals that have great neo-classical and folks elements to them.

The rest of the album is made up of eight tracks (CD and normal LP version) that never exceed nine minutes, with most hovering around the five – six minute mark. And that may be the most fascinating aspect about the songwriting on this one. Heritage is made up of shorter songs, but possibly more complex songs than Opeth’s typical ten to thirteen minute epics. The mellow portions range from the psychedelic to ambient jazz to acoustic folk, the rockin’ portions are heavy in a 70’s metal kind of way . . . distorted guitars with a lot of fuzz, not that razor sharp crunch that we’ve grown accustomed to with the band past outings. The synthesizers throughout the album add a ton of weight that may have disappeared with the lack of guitar crunch, and I mean, these things are Jon Lord heavy. At times, it’s as if Mikael Akerfeldt went to his Deep Purple and Rainbow collections and channeled some of that energy into his writing of Heritage, particularly on the song “Slither”, which was lovingly dedicated to the late, great Ronnie James Dio.

I will say this, of the ten songs on the album, “Haxprocess” and “Folklore” are my personal favorites. They are grand and epic journeys that leave me intoxicated by the instrumental phrasing and the musical flourishes. They’re complex and grandiose tracks, but there’s a more organic, more primal element to these songs (as well as the aforementioned “Slither”) than appeals to me the most. I would have to say it’s the combination of the intricate and the primal passages that make these songs the most intriguing. Epic.

Then, of course, there’s also the two unreleased tracks that came with the collector’s edition box set. “Pyre” and “Face in the Snow” are outstanding, 70’s inspired rock tracks that are much more straight forward than the rest of the material on Heritage, but too good to not be included. I like the way they included them as a part of the package, but not necessarily as part of the album. Solid stuff.

Is this my favorite Opeth album? Far from it. Is it their most ambitious album? At this point, yes. Heritage is to Opeth as Bitches Brew was to Miles Davis. Ground breaking. Avant garde. Unorthodox. Genre bending. Redefining. And like Bitches Brew, it’s damn good. Excellent. Mind bogglingly amazing. Can I listen to it at any given point in the day? Unlikely. The concentration level would be too great. The music is far too complex to simply have in the background because it would beg for attention with every measure or tempo change. And if you were to try and concentrate on it throughout the day, you’d never get anything else done. Do I love it? In short, yes. The songwriting is amazing and the performances are exotic, captivating escapades in sonic exploration.  And, most of all, I can appreciate the artistic endeavor of an album like this. Musician will love it, music connoisseurs will love it, audiophiles will love . . . death metallers and your average rock fans will not. It’s not a metal record. It’s a rock record with a heavy dose of progressive, folk, classical, and jazz elements to it. It’s a mixture of Camel and Rainbow, as if played by Miles Davis. I stand by my initial assessment.

As part of the deluxe package, there’s a DVD documentary on the making of the album. When I’m done here . . . you’ll probably be able to find me in the Ripple Theater.

--Pope

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