Tangerine Stoned - Tangerine Stoned (2013)

Band: Tangerine Stoned
Country: Rimini, Italy
Style: Psychedelic/Stoner Rock
Label: Moonlight

Good psychedelic rock can be a real blast to listen to, unfortunately that's hard to come by. Progressive and psychedelic rock, I find to be, enjoyable regardless, but when it's done well it really is something of a marvel. For some reason I was sent this record and was surprised to find it was indeed a fun listen.
For all the praise that is heaped upon a group like The Doors, I've never been the biggest fan, not that I dislike them, but they're not my favorite group, and pretty much as soon as I started listening to this record that was the band that popped into my head. I asked a few people who were more into The Doors what they thought of this band, they all said I was crazy to think that and just wound up telling me that this group didn't really sound a whole lot like The Doors - so, shows what I know in that regard. But the reason I even thought of that comparison in the first place was the hazy sound that the record sounds like it was recorded in. This genuinely has that retro sounding production (perhaps it's a bit cleaner) but these guys definitely were striving for that sort of 60s and early 70s vibe and tone for this record, and if nothing else, they succeeded.
Musically, this is pretty much what you can expect after seeing the cover art and reading that it's a psyche rock record. The guitar parts stick to the blues for the better part of the album, occasional delving into some more folky territory as well, hear the closing jam L'urlo Della Strega. The rhythm section are dynamic and full of life, with both the bass and drums coming across more realistic and life-like than almost any other record I've heard this year. It really sounds like these two were just so in tune with each other that they just crafted some serious grooves the back up these songs. Then there's the whole mellotron, organ, and synth on the album - of which I have no problems. I love the sound of a good mellotron and organ and they're used throughout this record, recalling a bit more of a Deep Purple-ish vibe at certain times. The vocals were what got me on the whole The Doors tangent above as the vocalist in this band has that same sort of swagger to his voice and I could just imagine him dancing while the rest of the band are jamming away, hear Blues In Door for some solid harmonica playing from him as well. There's just this air of confidence and swagger on here that I think puts this band above many of their peers because it feels less like a band trying to be retro and more like a band who are retro. There is no trying.
Now, there's no denying that the album closer, the aforementioned L'urlo Della Strega, is obviously going to be the track on here that is likely to draw the most attention simply because of its length. While the majority of tracks on here that preceded it tended to be around the four minute mark, this one clocks in at over eleven. Obviously, at this blog, a piece like this one is not unwelcome, but aside from just being longer than the other tracks, it is also quite different sonically as well. As I mentioned above, the guitar playing does take on a slightly more folky tone on this track that isn't really heard on previous ones. This is the track that also comes across the most as more of a jam than an actual song. You don't get those hooky blues licks, powerful rhythms, or rocking organ tones, or even vocals for the majority of the track (though they are there), but more of a psychedelic jam. Each player sort of bouncing off of each other with various other instruments coming in and out throughout the piece as well.
I wound up enjoying this more than I thought I would when I first got it, though I'm still not sure why this was sent to me in the first place, I'm glad I got the opportunity to hear it. This is psyche rock that's definitely calling back the retro sound without sounding too fake or contrived, as many other groups do. So if you're interested in psychedelia and blues rock I'd definitely tell you to try and find a copy of this album.
Overall Score: 8
Highlights: Nave Da Bar, L'urlo Della Strega

Truthseeker - Weightless At Dawn EP (2013)

Band: Truthseeker
Country: Boston, Massachusetts
Style: Post-Black Metal
Label: Hypnotic Dirge

Since starting this blog I have heard enough "post-black metal" for a lifetime. I've heard good bands and I've heard bad bands, or projects, all of which I've attempted to come into with an open mind - with varying results. So when I got a copy of this new EP from a project I had never heard of that was labeled as "post-black metal" whenever I looked it up, I was a bit uninterested at first.
I honestly was not looking forward to finally playing this album and hearing what it would offer up. I've heard plenty of groups do this sort of black metal mixed with post-rock and hearing another one that was instrumental just didn't particularly interest me. It wasn't until I finally just gave in and realized that I had to cover this that I found myself not only being surprised by what I heard but also found myself enjoying it. The five tracks on this album are certainly post-black metal, post-rock influence black metal (or the other way around) but there was something different. Several things actually, the first thing that caught my ear was the production though. Unlike many of these instrumental projects, this was nowhere near as lo-fi as I expected. While it's far from being polished, it's well produced for sure. But after that it was all the songwriting, which really punched me in the gut. Seeing that the band site the likes of Katatonia, Thin Lizzy, Anathema, Pink Floyd, and Rush (among others) comes as no surprise after listening to this EP. Unlike many bands who simply do the quiet to loud dynamic (which is perfectly fine with me when done well) there's a middle ground on here that is explored. There's distortion but it isn't blistering, the music isn't blasting away in your ears. What's on here is much more melodic, much more precise sounding, in some instances, more progressive, than many, many other groups I've heard labeled in this sub-genre. A track like Through The Waves is not something I expected to hear from any band in this sub-genre. The hard rock influence comes through clearer on this closer than I would say on any of the other four tracks, while also still being very rooted in black metal and/or post-rock. If I did have to fault this EP though, I would say that the drums, at times, do sound a bit too fake for my liking, but even then I think they do what's required and don't stick out as much as many other drum machine using bands/projects.
Now, I'm not going to go and say that this is the best thing out there right now from this genre, I won't make that bold a statement even if it is true, but this is as fine a release from this sub-genre as I have heard in a long time. There's real talent here and that's something I didn't expect to say when I first decided to listen to and review this EP. But I seriously recommend checking this out if you're a fan of melodic, somewhat progressive leaning black metal or post-rock.
Overall Score: 8
Highlights: Permafrost, Through The Waves

ZUD - The Good, The Bad, and The Damned (2013)

Band: ZUD
Country: Portland, Maine
Style: Psychedelic Rock/Black Metal
Label: Independent

Being the debut full-length of this band, I obviously had never heard of ZUD before receiving the promo for it a few months back. The mixture of classic rock'n'roll and black metal is one that, I think, has been gaining traction in recent years, but it's still one that's fresh enough to where I'm interested in hearing what each band brings to the table. Lucky for me ZUD is far more than they might appear to be on the package.
There's something invigorating about the rock'n'roll aesthetic that I think is missing in many modern genres. From extreme metal all the way to modern radio rock and pop music, and to a certain extent even punk and hardcore music, there's a sense of joy and fun that is just lacking. Often in my reviews for the latter genres I mention how the records that I happen to enjoy the most are the ones where I can feel the passion and intensity coming from the band performing on the recording but when I listen to those early rock'n'roll recordings, those early psychedelic rock albums, there's a sense of genuinity(?) that is lacking from even those hardcore and punk records I enjoy. It just feels so unfettered and honest, in a sense, because of when it was released the rough edges are completely in tact and don't feel added on for effect. Like I said above, there are plenty of groups doing the fusion of black metal with rock'n'roll right now, but this is one of the first bands who I feel actually capture that sense of the band just having a good time playing these songs without taking away that rough edge.
Having said all that, don't come into this thinking that it's more psychedelic rock than black metal, because this is predominantly a black metal band and record. There'a huge dose of classic and psychedelic rock thrown in here for sure, but the pounding double-bass drum work, the wretched vocals, and the tremolo picked guitars are all from the black metal handbook. I actually think this is one of the better fusions of these two genres I've heard to be honest. Because the band don't separate the two styles into different songs, although I would be interested in hearing them tackle each genre on its own, it doesn't feel as forced as some other groups I've heard fuse genres together. The band also don't appear to take issue with borrowing some solid riffing patterns from classic metal records as well, bringing perhaps the most catchy addition to the record in the form of the closer, Dendrite Fumes. It's just so cohesive it's almost strange to think that this is this band's first full-length record because they pull off the combination of these genres (which very easily could have come across sounding hoaky and lame) in such a natural and authentic fashion.
Overall I really enjoyed this album. It's a fun and very entertaining ride into the unknown landscape and the band have crafted a soundtrack that is just as unique as one might expect. Definitely check this out if you get the chance and you're a fan of more interesting and fun sounding black metal. It's not super kvlt, but it's so much better than that.
Overall Score: 8
Highlights: Skull Shaped Hell, Dendrite Fumes

Neuma - Totentanz (2013)

Band: Neuma
Country: Taranto, Italy
Style: Stoner Rock/Post-Metal
Label: Independent

This was a strange little record for me because when I first received the message to cover it I was informed it was one sort of style by the band themselves. As you can probably assume it turned out to be quite different from that style that they would describe it to be. Actually, it was quite a bit more interesting than I think the band made it appear to be.

In all honesty, this is closer to stoner and blues rock (or metal...) than the average post-metal record or band is. While there are certainly some clues that tune you into the fact that this band probably does take just as much influence from the likes of Neurosis and Isis, it's much closer to instrumental stoner rock than either of those bands ever were. It has to be acknowledged that both of those genres, blues rock and stoner rock, aren't genres that I'm particularly fond of. Not that there's anything wrong with them of course, but they don't really do much for me - and yet this record is surprisingly badass. The idea of instrumental blues based music is something I find myself turned off to simply by mentioning it. It makes me think of a bunch of old guys jamming out to their favorite Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and The Doors records (among others) with more distortion; but the six songs on here are actually really, really good. Despite being instrumental, they're never dull, uninspired, or even lackluster - it's heavy, dynamic, and at times pretty damn introspective as well and the latter two were things I would have never expected to say in reference to a band of this sort. Plus it's a really fun record to listen to because it just sounds like these guys like what they're playing. Sure, some of the riffs are typical but that doesn't mean you can't inject life into them if they're played with a sense of fun and vibrancy.

I guess the aspect in which I found myself most surprised with this album was simply in terms of how varied in terms of its dynamics were. There are plenty of ups and downs in the music from more traditional clean sections which do recall more of that post-metal influence, but also acoustic sections as heard on Podatus, a track which also made use of a surprisingly post-hardcore-ish kind of riff in its latter half. But really, this entire album was filled with surprises and exciting ideas that kept me on the edge of my seat. Perhaps it's this variety and stylistic experimentation that made me enjoy this more than I expected. Frankly, it isn't even until the last track, Liquescenza, that you get a full-on post-metal track the way you'd expect it to be. I don't think I need to stress how important all of these things are, strong riffs, progressive songwriting, stylistic variety, and a strong genre foundation - these are all aspects that I believe should be contained within a great record. Granted, every record may factor them in it's own order and prioritize them, but I believe all the best records (in metal and rock based music anyway) are the ones that embrace these aspects. Neuma do this almost too well on here. As far as I know, this is their first record and yet they wound up making a record that far surpasses many of their peers and hundreds of other bands in other "heavy" genres.

So yeah, in the end I was not only surprised by this album but I was really excited by it. This surpassed my expectations by far and it wound up becoming one of the biggest surprises of the year for me (sleeper hit of the year - maybe?). I can only hope that those of you who do check this album out find it as great as I do.
Overall Score: 9
Highlights: Bivirga, Liquescenza

Astronoid - Stargazer EP (2013)

Band: Astronoid
Country: Groveland, Massachusetts
Style: Post-Black Metal
Label: Independent

I first discovered the band Astronoid last year with their debut EP and really fell in love with their aesthetic. They were using a style that was becoming more and more dull and uninteresting with every new band that jumped onto it's bandwagon and did something I didn't expect. So when I first heard of the new EP they were working on several months back, I was very interested to hear what they were going to do.
What I loved about the November EP from this group was that it didn't conform to the standard of what's become "post-black metal." While there was plenty of reverb on it, never once did the band fall into the realms of post-rock, shoegaze, or post-punk stylings like other bands associated with that term. Instead they took a much more intense and straightforward sound that one would associate with typical black metal bands, though at times there are nods to the likes of Krallice or Liturgy tonally, with brighter chords and synths dominating their sound over darker and more dissonant ones. Then there was the whole thing about using only clean vocals. All of this has been transferred from that release onto this new one as well. If that was it I'd still be a happy camper because I like what the band is doing but they've broadened their scope by adding a slightly more progressive edge to the two new songs on here (and two interludes). Probably the most notable shift for me on here was that the band actually started using riffs and weren't just sticking with the tremolo picked style, just listen to a track like Lightspeed. Not only do I think this shows that more thought was put into songwriting and making songs memorable, but I think that the band took an active part in making their sound more unique. They're making songs that are accessible but it doesn't sound compromised.
Honestly, I would have liked more actual songs as opposed to two new tracks and two interludes, but for what this is I really enjoyed it. I think the band expanding their sound only made me like them more and now I'm quite anxious to hear what they do for an entire full-length. If you're a fan of interesting black metal bands, maybe more on the progressive side, definitely check this band out - you will not regret it.
Overall Score: 7.5
Highlights: The Stargazer, Lightspeed

The Severely Departed - Two (2013)

Band: The Severely Departed
Country: Medina, New York
Style: Post-Rock/Indie Rock
Label: Independent

Compared to last year, I really haven't covered anywhere near as much post-rock (among albums in general) so I was actually somewhat taken aback when I was sent a post-rock record. There just hasn't been as stellar amount of releases from the genre this year that have made me take notice. Having never even heard of this project before I wanted to give it a shot and see if what they were doing would make the cut.

I'm not going to beat around the bush here, post-rock is a genre that you can more or less rely on to do its thing. Stylistically, if a band doesn't have vocals, they more or less sound pretty similar to one another; and it really isn't any different here. The clean guitars, moody atmospheres, big climaxes, no vocals - it's all there as one probably expects coming into this. I don't mean that to slag off the band but these are the facts. These are all ideas both you and I have heard from the genre before and this isn't a band who seem all that bent on trying to break the rules and stand out. Having said that, to say that this is a completely unoriginal and faceless record would be taking things a bit far in my opinion. These two guys definitely do have a sense of what they're doing and while they aren't making huge strides out of the genre in question, they are definitely bringing in some things that I thought were pretty interesting. On the first song alone, Beneath The Years, there were certain things that, while they really don't change the picture of the song as a whole, made sure that it stuck out and caught my attention. The use of a piano melody throughout the track got me from the get-go but it was the somewhat industrial (ok, maybe I should just say synth led) outro and the energetic drum solo near the middle of the track that really showed me that these two guys were doing something a bit more than the average group or bedroom project.

The drums in particular on this record really grabbed me. While I would in no way say this is a metal group, there are some moments on this record where it comes across as at least drawing from the genre. In tracks like Into The Open and Relapse we see what appears to be elements of hard rock (or at least melodic rock) in the ladder and black metal in the former, so it is a pretty eclectic take on the genre. But like all good bands that I've heard, there's a distinction between soft tracks building to an epic climax and soft songs that maintain that side while perhaps exploring that softer territory further. The likes of A Parting Glance certainly has it's hard rocking climax but it's definitely the most ambient piece on here. Take note that these aren't huge deviations but more slight ones that do a bit more than what is required of the average band. If I had a gripe, beyond just the standard stylistic ones I voiced above, it would just be that some of the transitions on here are performed somewhat sloppily. The closer in particular is probably the "heaviest", and I am using that term lightly, track on here and there are shifts in it from one riff or idea to the next that I think really could have been handled better. You can hear it in the execution where it flubs up and it did seriously hurt how I felt towards that song.

All together this is a nice, little album that I think was a bit of a surprise to me seeing how I didn't expect it to drift too far from the typical ideas in the genre. There are for sure some improvements that can be made to make the next release a better one, but this is a decent full-length. If you're a fan of post-rock music or happen to like soft rock with a bit more of an edge this is a record worth taking the time to look into.
Overall Score: 7
Highlights: Moving On, A Parting Glance

Cloudkicker - Subsume (2013)

Band: Cloudkicker
Country: Columbus, Ohio
Style: Progressive/Post-Metal
Label: Independent

I've been a fan of the project known as Cloudkicker ever since an acquaintance back in high school first showed me the album The Discovery. However after the release of the fantastic Beacons album, I felt like the project has gone downhill quite a bit with last year's Fade being a particular low point in my opinion. I was hoping that this would be a return to form after that downhill streak recently since I first heard about it.
Even if the cover doesn't exactly scream, "This is a heavy album," based on the long song titles and the fact that there were only four tracks on here I had assumed that this album might be a return of sorts to Ben Sharp's heavier roots. Obviously when I say that I'm referring to his roots in the Meshuggah world. Fade definitely had it's heaviness, but none of the strength in songwriting that was demonstrated on the early albums; and I have to say that this album definitely brought a smile to my face once that first riff kicked in half-way through opener The Warmth of The Daytime Seemed Like A Dream Now. Pretty much as soon as that riff kicked in I was in with this album. In my mind I already made the call that this was, and is, Sharp's best record since Beacons. With that being said though, I don't think his detours into more mellow and textured territories has gone to waste, I would say that his experiments in post-rock, acoustic, and shoegaze music has definitely impacted the backdrop of most of what's on here. The slower sections, not so much sludgy or doomy though, used on here definitely owe a debt to what he was doing on his last full-length. I'm pretty sure that it's common knowledge that although there are four tracks on here, they all connect together as a unifying piece of music.
I think that my main gripe with this album was something of a first for me as I listened through this album, and that was the production. Now don't get me wrong, the guitar tone is great and I love the thick and pumping bass sound as well, but it's the drums. While it's always been obvious that, being a one-man band, that the drums were programmed in this project, I think this is the first time the drum tone (more specifically the kick drum tone) ever annoyed me. It just felt flat and uncharacteristically dull sounding, even for being a machine, I felt that it just didn't mesh together as consistently as the drums and guitars have on previous outings. The hi-hat also was a bit annoying as well simply because it was so loud in the mix. Granted, it was only in certain spots that I felt it didn't fit with everything else, so even though I wasn't crazy about the kick sound, it didn't actually damage my enjoyment of the album too much. But the only reason I think that I have a problem with these drum sounds is because one of them just feels dull compared to how vibrant and, at times, uplifting the guitar parts are, the other one is just too loud in the mix in my opinion but I already said that.
As I said above, I think this is a great piece of work that is definitely the best thing Sharp has released in a few years. It returns to the sound that I first discovered him with while almost reinventing it for himself by including some of those more dreamy elements. Definitely worth checking out if you're a fan of progressive music.
Overall Score: 8
Highlights: A Weather Front Was Stalled Out In The Pacific - Like A Lonely Person, Lost In Thought, Oblivious of Time., You Could Laugh Forever But Never End Up Happy.