kariti - Dheghom

Haunting and ethereal, kariti have left me in awe as I discovered them for the first time this Sunday morning. Their new album Dheghom is the same sort of otherworldly and magical creation that defines the work of artists like Hexvessel or Steve Von Till. With lush piano heavy arrangements and an elegant sense of sonic poetry, kariti are the sort of act to entrance you and pull you into exotic new pastures. This is art music done right, dedicated to capturing the imagination and allowing you to experience deeper, and sadder emotions.

There is something incredibly entrancing about the vocal performances on this record. I was surprised to see Nico listed as a key influence on the work, but as I dig in it makes more sense. There is an understanding here of celebrating femininity but also of the magic of the earth, or at least something that feels older than our world of iPhones and doomscrolling. If you close your eyes and let yourself sink int o this record it's easy to be transported to another time, and to see these gorgeous sonic landscapes unfold in front of you. Dheghom is an immaculate headphone listen, a record that you put on and let sweep you away as you gaze into the fire. 

kariti have found inspiring ways to direct their sound and guide listeners into the abyss of emotion. Dheghom is a record that those who are searching for elegant and transcendent music will find solace in. These are songs that ebb and flow, never driving forward but instead encouraging listeners to rest and find solace in the sounds that they represent. With the vocals accompanied largely by keyboards and synths, it's not hard to find yourself feeling a sense of calm as you navigate the sonic highways of Dheghom. This is a beautiful record and one that will bring you comfort. 

Pre-order the album! 

https://kariti.bandcamp.com/album/dheghom

Psalm Zero - Sparta

This is a nifty one. Psalm Zero are one of those magical New York projects that seem to revel in the sheer 'New York-ness' of it all. While the band may not explicitly talk about the city, their unique blend of influences and clear artistic vision is the sort of thing only the Big Apple can craft. The fact that this band is fronted by Charlie Looker and backed up by two members of Kayo Dot should give you a sense of what is included within this record. It's a unique exploration of the soul, very personal, and very replayable.

Sparta is an art metal record through and through. It has dark pop elements, industrial touches and guitar riffs focused on doom. It makes for a compelling record that showcases the breadth of Charlie Looker's work as an artist. There is a depth to the songwriting that makes for compelling stuff. Interestingly enough though, the band here is focused much more on the prettier aspects of their music, much more than many of their previous releases. The lush production really allows the band to shine and makes for something you can sink your teeth into and get lost in. Sparta is a fascinating listen because of all this and more.

Psalm Zero really understand the emotional power that dark heavy music can have. As lush synths splay out across the listeners ear and stately song structures wend their way into your heart, Psalm Zero repeatedly prove that they are a one of a kind force dedicated to capturing the hearts of the gathered masses. There is a lot to dig into here and Sparta almost certainly demands multiple listens, but if you give it the time, it will pay off and leave the listener in a gentle sort of awe. Not overwhelming, but simply poetic, this is a fascinating listen.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/psalmzeronyc/

Atriarch - An Unending Pathway

Atriarch have for a few years now been carving out their own niche in the West Coast heavy music scene. Nicely fitting in next to bands like Usnea, and Worm Ouroborus  these guys fuse a variety of genres to get the kind of music that leads to people beating their chests until their hearts tumble out. Their heavy riffs and unholy screams come together to create an enlightened listening experience that speaks to the soul of the listener, perhaps that is the true goal of An Unending Pathway unveiling the very humanity and simple beauty of this band.

The tracks on An Unending Pathway are special because they seem to shift and sway from genre to genre with complete ease. The mix of cleans and growls feels natural, they reflect a sort of pure and introspective aspect of the sound. Their are a lot of layers at play here too, and oftentimes things you might not catch on first listen. These songs go beyond what I think a lot of Atriarchs peers are trying to do with similar concepts, why? Well the answer is complicated. At the core of it though, Atriarch seem to just have better songwriting chops, at no moment listening to this record do you feel like the song just needs to up and end. Things have a powerful forward momentum here and will keep you engaged for many a spin.

As I gear up for a trip to Texas and a motley assortment of adventures to come, this is the kind of record that I want to take with me, holding my hand as I prepare my body to delve into a strange new world. The long and short of it is that Atriarch understand exactly what they want to do and how to do it. An Unending Pathway is ridiculously entertaining because it constantly throws curveballs in the form of tempo and genre changes and there's no telling where this chaotic beast of an album will go. Go forth, conquer, and enjoy, An Unending Pathway may very well give you a path to enlightenment.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/AtriarchOfficial

Liv Kristine - Vervain

Earlier this year I fell head over heels in love with Kari Rueslatten's magnificent Time To Tell I think now I have finally found a record that is not only on par with that masterwork but also brings in a metal side. Liv Kristine's new effort Vervain is a record that captures the imagination with soaring aria's, top notch songwriting, and a mix of male and female vocals that is wonderfully memorable. Vervain is the sort of record that you know will be special from the first song. This is artsy heavy metal at its finest and I don't want to stop listening to it!

I think the mix of delicate female vocals and powerful guitar parts is perfectly executed here. Whereas normally this sort of thing feels forced and contrived, Kristine manages to pull it off perfectly within the confines of her work. Songs like the eponymous track Vervain are driving without sounding pretentious making her record rather fun to listen too. The ooh ooh's and aah aah's that accent a lot of the songs also come across very nicely, adding to the majesty of the soudnscape and keeping things intricate and exciting. At the end of the day Liv Kristine has a simply beautiful voice and that's what keeps me coming back time and time again

Make no mistake Vervain is a masterpiece, and the fact that I normally despise female fronted symphonic metal and yet adore this record is evidence as to how tight Liv Kristine is. These are songs that wash over you and enhance the spirit. Kristine understands what we want out of symphonic metal and she deliver it with a profound skill that I think few of her peers could even dream of matching. Let these songs consume you, here is a woman who has done something incredibly special and along with her band are worthy of much honor and praise.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/LivKristineOfficial

Hull, Inter Arma, Elder, and Windhand in Paris

Doomed Gatherings has what can only be called the most impressive doom metal bill to grace Paris ever. Yes, ever. No other set of doom acts so heavy, so poignant, so darn beautiful, have come to this city in the space of one weekend. (Why, for a lot of these bands, it's there first time in Paris!) This first day seemed to have the best line up of all, stacked with doom metal titans whose music will ring out long after they are gone. I showed up to the venue a little early to get some interviews in and see my friends in Windhand, before long, it was time for the show!

Hull were the first band up, and while I didn't know anything about them they were extremely interesting to watch. I especially liked the way they mixed two vocalists, it gave them a unique vibe that made for an exceptional show. On top of that, these guys seem to be pretty talented in structuring their songs, contrasting fast and slow like old hands. Their is a primal power here too, it gave Hull a certain authenticity, even if outside it was still bright. These guys are definitely interesting to check out, but their set was far too short, they only got through about three songs. The last one though, oh my god, THAT was heavy, it demonstrated that Hull may be the face of a new wave of doom bands.

Up next was Inter Arma, one of the bands who I had most wanted to see going into this festival and by god did they blow me away. They play with such an incredible and fiery passion it is impossible to overestimate them. There is a primeval beauty to their music, a sound that could move entire mountains. This is the sort of thing that really gets to the heart of what metal is supposed to be. With hair flying and disembodied screeches soaring over the metal masses, we were taken in by one of the loudest bands on the planet. These guys get the magic of doom metal and they know how to bring it to the fore, loud, triumphant and covered in blood. I simply can NOT wait to see Inter Arma again live.

Elder were the third band to play live. Beforehand, hanging out with them, I had been struck by their cheery, happy-go-lucky New England attitude, I was interested to see if they would deliver onstage as well as they did on the record. Suffice to say, this is another one of those doom metal bands who are simply transcendent. The thing that most impressed me with these guys was the quality of their new material, it is a clear development on the older Elder stuff, but it also has a unique vibe of its own. Best of all, it was just as tight as the older material. These guys seem to be held together by sheer groove and it allows them to conquer, masters of all that lays before them.

And now it was time for Windhand, dear Lord, Windhand. This is the band who are going to take over the world with sheer volume. This is the band who go beyond doom and create something more, sound that maybe even can't be properly categorized as mere music. Windhand is the voice of the soul, it gets to you in a way that is simply indescribable, a triumph of loud guitars, heavy drums and ethereal vocals. Dorothea is a doom metal priestess, looking down upon her congregation of followers, all of whom would do anything for this band, this beautiful band. As they came out and pulled off a stellar encore, I realized that Windhand could very well be, along with Pallbearer, the defining doom act of our generation.

What more is there to say? Windhand simply crushed my bones to dust, far better than the last time I saw them and triumphing over every other band I have seen this year. That being said, the other groups really impressed me. I will be digging in and looking for more stuff from Hull before I crash tonight. And after the punishing set from Inter Arma I will be sure to give Sky Burial a few more spins this week. As for Elder, well, given the state of their new material, I feel pretty confident in saying that the new record will be glorious. If you're in the area, come on down to Doomed Gatherings day 2 and 3, this is the greatest doom festival of the year, and you HAVE to join the fun!

Find the bands on Facebook or Bandcamp!

Hull: https://www.facebook.com/HULLsounds

Inter Arma: https://www.facebook.com/INTERARMA

Elder: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Elder/238458929529339?sk=app_2405167945

Windhand: https://www.facebook.com/WindhandVA

Amber/Locktender Split

Two incredible artsy hardcore bands, one mind bending split, what could possibly go wrong? This new seven inch from two masters of the genre showcases the best of a pair of groups I could see going far. On the one hand you have Amber, a German band with a true dedication to all that is extreme, yet with a much more intelligent and developed atmosphere. On the other, you have Locktender who have very quickly risen up to be my favorite hardcore band of the last few years, with their upcoming record Rodin being about the famous artist of the same name.

So what really sets this split apart? Well it isn't the name, that's for sure, seriously, what is it with bands naming their split releases "Split", couldn't you try just a little? Ranting aside, the thing that engages me about this is that both of the bands have a very distinct flavor. Ambers music is wholly unique, but so is Locktenders. The similarity lies in the general goal of both bands, to show that hardcore is the true  successor to famous composers of yore. The raw energy found in both is also impressive and shows that even if these bands are going for something a bit more 'out there' they haven't lost touch with their roots, this just adds to the magic of the music.

If you want the kind of split that people will talk about twenty years from now, then buy this as soon as you can. Amber and Locktender are both groups with careers on high flying trajectories, hosting unique sounds on a hardcore basis. This is more than just music, both of these groups make statements, exposing their very beings to the listener. While it may be tough going for some fans, I certainly feel that as I write, on my fifth time through the record, I have not wasted any time. There is a lot to dig here and I'm excited to hear how both groups develop in the future!

Find the bands on Facebook!

Amber: https://www.facebook.com/hereisamber

Locktender: https://www.facebook.com/locktenderband?ref=ts&fref=ts

Locktender-Rodin

Locktender are the kind of artsy and beautiful hardcore band that might alienate many listeners, but I tell you my brethren, Locktender are this centuries answer to Debussy. What you have to understand with Locktender is that each of their releases is centered around a different artist or author. This ends up impacting the taste and feel of the entire record, from the lyrics, to the music, and beyond. Their newest one, Rodin is an impressive testament to one of the greatest artists to ever come from France. These Ohio natives are crafting something new and exciting, hinting at a bright future ahead.

Rodin immediately launches with the seventeen minute long think piece, The Burghers of Calais. Perfectly putting the atmosphere of a painting into music, they capture the spirit of Rodins art in four progressive, multi part epics. In many ways, the longer track remind me of the Mussorgsky classic Pictures at an Exhibition. Even the records shorter tracks like, The Thinker which is under four minutes long, features a variety of different parts, flavors and moods. Locktender are this generations classical artists. While they might put off many with their brainy sound, they will surely stand the test of time. Locktender have gone above and beyond what hardcore, post hardcore, or really any sort of extreme music is capable of and created something all encompassing and spiritually significant.

Rodin is not a record to be taken lightly, not something that you can just spin once and then put away, their is an incredible depth to the music here, even in the most simple bare bone arrangements. Not a lot of bands are as mind bendingly unique as this one, and few have such a clear and distinct artistic direction. Locktender are breaking all the rules and coming out stronger because of it. What will happen next, no one can tell, but if the band continues to develop and evolve in this way I think that they could very soon rise to the top of the hardcore scene!

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/locktenderband