Bloodiest - Descent (2011)

Band: Bloodiest
Country: Chicago, Illinois
Style: Psychedelic/Sludge Metal
Label: Relapse Records

Within the last year or so I've grown to admire vocalist/sax player Bruce Lamont and his various bands and projects. Last year Yakuza was my favorite album and this year he's already dropped a great solo record, but this his debut with this band, first full-length for the band anyway, but that's beside the point. I've been looking forward to this album since I heard about it.
Unlike his main band, Bloodiest has a much different approach to the sludge metal genre. Having been compared to the likes of Neurosis, Swans, Isis, and Killing Joke, among others, in their press release statement leaves a pretty wide space that the band could have worked within on here. Sure, you'll get a more mid to slow tempo oriented record, but it's a lot more trippy and maybe not as heavy as a lot of other bands out there. Songs range from more heavy and groovy, Slave Rule, to more somber and meditative, Coh, but both maintain that psychedelic vibe to them.
I think that the production really lends itself to the overall vibe of the record, as the guitars and bass tend to be mixed into a single sort of groove in most of these tracks. The drums maintain an on-key, if you get what I mean here, style of playing, where it keeps the groove going but also breaks into a lot of cool fills as well. The keyboard playing seems to take a very different approach than the other hundred bands using them nowadays; they lie somewhere between remaining in the background and providing atmosphere and coming on top and melding with the guitars. Vocally, Lamont's performance differs from the two projects I mentioned above in that his vocals are definitely not as high in the mix and he makes use his unique croon more than anything else, hear Pastures.
Overall a great record, not that I ever doubted that it wouldn't be. Though really good, in my opinion, I could see a lot of people not being able to penetrate it because of the trippy sounding production and the almost monotonous guitar playing. However, I highly recommend checking this out if you want a cool, slightly off-kilter sludge record.
Overall Score: 8.5
Highlights: Pastures, Dead Inside

Dining In Tuscany - 1556 (2011)

Band: Dining In Tuscany
Country: Sydney, Australia
Style: Black Metal/Grindcore
Label: Eaten Alive

Here we are again, with another record of grinding black metal. Being their debut album, it has been talked about quite a bit on the internet, though what isn't these days, for its sound. I'm inclined to believe that these guys are doing something that at least sticks out a little bit from the pack, as this record contains only six songs.
There's certainly something going on in here, but I'm not sure what. It has the elements of the genres above and more, hints of melo-death, classical, and sludge all make an appearance on here, but there's just something that doesn't quite capture what I would have liked to have heard. Something that makes this record feel so bland and dull compared to other releases. Even though opener Lord Beethoven's Diamond Church of Worm is an epic nine minute affair that includes all of the genres above, I found that it didn't click with me at all.
I can't say that what's on here, stylistically isn't at least a band trying to be original, because a track like Paradin definitely stood out to me as one of the few moments that actually drew me in. I actually wish that this album did more for me, because there are some cool moments on here, Broyer Du Noir, but I just couldn't get into this. It's an intense record that has personality, but just not the right one for me to get along with.
Overall, while this is certainly an impressive debut, for some reason I just couldn't get into it. I certainly still urge people to check this out because it is worth hearing. Definitely look into this if you like, or would like to hear, a more melodic take on grindcore.
Overall Score: 5
Highlights: Paradin, Broyer Du Noir

D.A.S.A.P. - d.a.s.a.p. EP (2011)

Band: D.A.S.A.P.
Country: Caen, France
Style: Black/Sludge Metal
Label: Independent

Blackened sludge is a genre I do happen to have a fondness for, for some reason, I wish I knew. Going simply based off of the fact that the other doom/sludge acts that have released albums independently have been superior to many other records in other genres, why not try this one as well. Besides that and the little bit I had heard from this before hearing it, the cover art is pretty cool as well.
Unlike what I would have expected to hear, from a production standpoint anyway, this album has a cleaner, though I use that term still fairly loosely here, sound that doesn't give the album the necessary grit and grime that I usually like in my sludge records. Having said that, the black metal element of project definitely seems to have a more prominent role in the sound as well, opener Yet Decayed definitely shows that. This is an album that definitely has elements of sludge, but appears to have a much more black metal foundation, but then obviously builds upon it with other things as well.
Overall, this is a solid debut EP, there's a lot of promise on here. While I would personally up the sludge elements in here, the black metal portion of the sound is definitely top-notch for a new artist, and a solo one at that. If you're into more mid-tempo sort of black metal with a heavy atmosphere, definitely check this out.
Overall Score: 7
Highlights: At Last, The World Ends Here

Last Chance to Reason - Level 2 (2011)

Band: Last Chance to Reason
Country: Augusta, Maine
Style: Technical/Progressive Metal
Label: Prosthetic Records

Unlike a lot of music that I've found recently, Last Chance to Reason I found a little differently. While scoring Youtube for tips on recording vocals, I found a video that the lead vocalist had made on their bandpage. His recording tip turned me on to their page and then their Myspace page, where I became a fan.
Modern prog metal is a very interesting thing, what with the new djent genre popping up in the last few years and math metal becoming more and more popular, the genre has really gotten a boost. Last Chance to reason started out as one of those mathcore groups, think early Dillinger Escape Plan or Carbomb style, but have definitely evolved with this second album. What you'll find on here owes just as much to the two bands mentioned as well as groups like Between The Buried and Me, Cynic, and Meshuggah, so you'll get lots of stop-start grooves, a lot of quick technical sweeps and arpeggios, low guttural vocals mixed with Cynic-esque harmonies, and synthe solos.
Now, for the weird part, this album's concept is based on a video game that the band designed to accompany the album. It isn't hard to at least hear that influence coming through on here, just here tracks like Programmed For Battle or The Linear. Conceptually, it's not really my thing, but musically, this band certainly has it's own vibe, sure comparisons can be drawn to other bands, but these guys have moments of pure originality. The band also has an ear for when to go for a more melodic part, like the opener Upload Complete or when to go uber techy, like on Portal, there's a balance.
Overall, I really enjoyed this album and am looking forward to hearing more from them. I'm sure a lot of people won't be able to get down with either the clean vocals breaking up the technical side or the keyboards bringing in a more traditional prog sound coming in, but it all works in their favor for me. If you like technical or progressive metal, definitely check this album out, you won't be disappointed.
Overall Score: 8.5
Highlights: Temp Files, The Linear, Apotheosis

Dredg - Chuckles & Mr. Squeezy (2011)

Band: Dredg
Country: Los Gatos, California
Style: Art Pop/Rock
Label: Superball Music

I think if you're into arty rock/pop music, Dredg is pretty much an essential band. They're definitely a band I thought had some really cool and unique sounds going on within a more poppy style. This new album, already, has had quite a backlash from their fans due to it's much more modern sound.
Dredg are a band that often took elements of prog and psychedelic rock and mixed it with more alternative and arty sort of pop elements, that has been abandoned for the most part on here. What you can expect to find on here is a mix of experimental hip-hop and art pop, mainly due to the collaboration with producer Dan The Automator. It's a very danceable sound that is definitely different change of pace for the band, not to say that the band have abandoned all of their rock background, as tracks like Upon Returning definitely have a more rock oriented sound, but it's less of a "rock" record than their previous work. There's also a much more sensual vibe to this album, and lyrics in a track like The Tent, definitely help to provide a more "sexy" atmosphere.
In my opinion, this is much more of a vocal based album, which for some people is a turn off, especially when you hear the band's early material. Tracks like The Ornament definitely lends itself, being a ballad, to having a more vocal driven performance, but some tracks don't feel as flushed out as they could have been. Even a the more subtle singer-songwriter approach of Kalathat feels a bit unfinished when you compare it to the band's previous work. But when you compare those tracks just mentioned to the more electronic sounds of a song like Where I'll End Up, it's weird to say that that song stands out a lot more and proves to be a lot catchier.
Overall, it's not a terrible album at all, but it's definitely not their best work. The band have said that this is sort of a one-off sort of record, so we could hopefully see a return to more experimental rock sounds on the next record. If you like more experimental pop with a hip-hop sort of touch, check this out.
Overall Score: 7
Highlights: Another Tribe, Somebody Is Laughing, Sun Goes Down

Vintersorg - Jordpuls (2011)

Band: Vintersorg
Country: Skellefteå, Sweden
Style: Progressive/Folk Metal
Label: Napalm Records

Since my discovery of progressive metal, and it's various sub-genres, I'm found some of my favorite groups. Vintersorg is a project/band that I've been following for a while, as well as the mainman's various side bands. With both this new album and the one that preceded it, Vintersorg has returned to his roots in a more folk oriented metal sound.
If you haven't heard Vintersorg's past works, you'll be in for a real treat when, and if, you listen to this. This is not just folk metal by the dozens, Vintersorg combines traditional folk and folk metal with black metal, prog and traditional rock music, as well as a bit of avant-garde tendencies here and there as well. His sound evolved from the black/folk metal sound into finally reaching full-on avant-garde/progressive metal with albums like "The Focusing Blur." On his last album, 2007's "Solens Rötter," we saw a return to the black/folk sound, but not without abandoning some of the progressive elements he had been utilizing more and more up to that point, it also saw a return to traditional Swedish lyrics. This album definitely is a continuation from the last album sonically, but definitely has it's own vibe.
Like most folk metal should, in my opinion, this album makes use of very catchy melodies. Tracks like Klippor Och Skär and Vindögat definitely have some great hooks, both instrumentally and vocally. The use of mellotron, acoustic guitars, flutes, violins, and other instruments usually found within the folk genre, that make an appearance on here definitely give this a very authentic vibe, as in, it feels more like folk than party and beer metal, as the album closer, Eld Och Lågor, will show as it is a psychedelic folk sounding track with almost nothing to do with metal. Something that I've always loved about Vintersorg is his voice, or more precisely, his clean vocals, the way he layers them into a choir sound just sounds fantastic to me, hear a track like Stjärndyrkan. Like other albums he's released, this Vintersorg album has an air of classiness to it that definitely sets it above a lot of other black and folk metal, and pagan/viking as well, acts right now.
Overall, great album, definitely one that is a bit of a grower, and is not as immediate as the last album was, but still very good. There really hasn't been one album that's let me down from Vintersorg. If you like progressive, pagan/viking, folk, black metal, definitely check this out.
Overall Score: 8.5
Highlights: Klippor Och Skär, Skogen Sover, Palissader

Folge Dem Wind - Inhale The Sacred Poison (2011)

Band: Folge Dem Wind
Country: Montgeron, France
Style: Progressive Black Metal
Label: Code666

In my opinion Code666 is a label that, while I certainly am not familiar with all their bands, is a label that does produce a high level of quality in terms of their bands. This band I found just looking around the metal achieves and looking for new stuff and it caught my eye. The album cover also looked pretty cool as well.
There's a sense of progression going on in here, as elements of fellow, former, Code666 label mates, Negură Bunget, as well as groups like Enslaved and Opeth, all pop up on here, but probably not in the way you're thinking. Whether or not Folge Dem Wind is indebted to these groups is actually irrelevant, as the sound on here still has an air of originality in it. The reason I bring up Negură Bunget specifically however, is that I find that both bands share a sort of common natural vibe to their sound, but a less atmospheric and folk presence, though you'll hear quite a bit of both within Awakening In Unity. At times, I also hear some elements of stuff like Katatonia, but that's rarer and much less prominent.
If you want a brutal assault of black metal, this probably isn't where you should look, though tracks like Of Blood and Ether are definitely more on the traditional side of the fence compared to other tracks on here. There's a lot of more progressive riffing and song structures on here that definitely push away from traditionalism and kvlt, but do give the band a more unique sound. Vocals can be a bit odd here and there as well, a track like Behind The Grey Veil makes use of a very throaty sounding howl, while you'll also find depressive sounding shrieks, traditional black metal screaming, death metal grunting, and chanting.
Overall, I've been pleasantly surprised by what I ended up hearing on here, it's quite impressive and unique sounding. I definitely hope to hear more about and from this band in the future, as they deserve more attention. If you like progressive oriented black metal with some atmospheric elements, this is for you, no questions.
Overall Score: 8
Highlights: Inhale The Sacred Poison, Through The Eye of The Immortal, Of Primordial Whirlwind