Raphael Weinroth-Browne - Worlds Within

This is an interesting one and far from the normal metal sphere that defines this blog - Raphael Weinroth-Browne has released a stunning cello offering, Worlds Within, a forty minute composition broken up into ten individual movements. It's a record that relies solely on the cello, using all sorts of amps, pedals and effects to craft something multicolored and beautiful. What's the connection to metal you might ask? Well, Weinroth-Browne happens to be the cellist in the critically vaunted Musk Ox, meaning this more than grabbed my attention.

This record is mesmerizing and masterful, 40 minutes of pure sonic poetry exploring the limits of the human psyche. This is a sorrowful listen and one decorated with all sorts of soundscapey colors. In many ways this feels more like a movie soundtrack than anything else. Their are deep emotions evoked here and the multilayered cello compositions are fascinating, the sort of things that you are going to sink your teeth into and find yourself enamored with for years to come. Worlds Within is a masterful offering that routinely shows just how talent Raphael Weinroth-Browne is and ups the ante for albums of its kind.

It's hard for any fan of dark music not to be completely enamored with what Worlds Within represents. After all it's sort of the perfect reflection upon what this type of music can embody. It's a record that doesn't overstay its welcome and which has clear forward motion. For me at least this is certainly going to become a favorite to accompany late night reading. I get the impression though that this could be the start of so much more, a poetic hint at worlds of sound to be unveiled the deeper we delve.

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

The Night Watch - An Embarrassment Of Riches

Now this is a stunner. It's been three years since the last The Night Watch full length and it's hard not to be excited about what the band bring to the table. their brand of (mostly) instrumental progressive rock with gorgeous production and intricate song structures is mesmerizing. The band master  variety of sonic colors and An Embarrassment Of Riches is so replete with sparkling musical ideas that it is essentially... an embarrassment of riches. The Night Watch fascinate here and every track feels like a powerful exploration of the soul.

I think where The Night Watch really shine on this record is their unique ability to blend ideas and sonic concepts into powerful overarching tone poems. There is a clear overall sense of 'vibe' that defines what The Night Watch is about. An Embarrassment Of Riches only builds on that. The prog leaning moments are tempered with lush instrumentation. One special highlight is the track Telling Brow And Tongue Root which takes brilliant violin work and contrasts it with a borderline math-y guitar part. These unexpected ties and unique explorations are what makes this album so compelling in the first place.

In some ways The Night Watch are like an instrumental Agalloch, but they do a hell of a lot more than just ape the Cascadian masters, especially on this album. As is, An Embarrassment Of Riches eagerly darts between musical concepts to create something poetic. It's easy to get lost, and when that initial cry of 'Land Ho!' rings out in the opening track you realize that you have been swept away to a mystical land. There is a lot to sink your teeth into with The Night Watch and the more time you spend the more you will fall in love.

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

Earth - Full Upon Her Burning Lips

I've been reading a lot of Cormac McCarthy lately. Which means I've been listening to a lot of Earth. Earth seem to perfectly reflect McCarthy's transcendent and sorrowful landscapes. They both have a certain sparse misery to them. you find yourself lost in these soundworlds that seem to have no end. you dig into the bands weird minimalism and as with McCarthy you start to see your own humanity staring back at you. Suffice it to say I have been in love with Earth since I was a teenager and this latest offering is only the next step for a truly great band.

Full Upon Her Burning Lips never ceases to fascinate because of the sheer power in the sound unveiled here. Dylan Carson still has the magic touch, more than thirty years into his career. This is music you can get completely lost in. Though yes you are bathed in undulating waves of volume, Earth bring so much more to the table. The simple melodicism found throughout Full Upon Her Burning Lips is a testimony to a band who seem to constantly push for the next level. This is a strange and ethereal record, one that is very much in character for Earth but could be alienating to a first time listener.

This is another triumphant sonic journey for Earth. In many ways it feels like a progression on Dylan Carson's stunning western themed solo record. A band who seem to continually drive to new heights it's hard not to want to dive in and keep swimming. One of Earth's more stripped down releases to date, this is a record that lets you really enjoy the sonic space it exists in. Full Upon Her Burning Lips is a delightful taste into the mind of a genius. It's full of potent twists and turns and forward momentum you can't help but to love.

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

Karma To Burn - Mountain Czar

Karma To Burn are one of those bands that I've heard about all the time but never really had a chance to check out - I don't know why but I just never really invested myself in them. Now that I've taken a listen to their new EP, the five track Mountain Czar though I know that I need more of this band in my life, and stat. Kicking off the record with the wonderfully meaty riffage of Sixty-Two and then breaking into dazzling solos and pummeling grooves it's hard for any love of rock and roll to not find in themselves a deep appreciation for Karma To Burn

The thing is with Mountain Czar something feels incredibly natural - as if this is what was meant to happen when you get a group of young men into a room and give them guitars, amps and drums. The organic magic of Mountain Czar is what keeps me coming back time and time again, digging into epic constructions and top notch guitar solos that are pretty much perfectly constructed - finding just the right balance between improvisational mastery and compositional brilliance. That being said, Mountain Czar isn't all about jamming, there is also a certain gravitas to the riffs, a sort of epic and sacred rite being carried out before your very ears.

Fusing dark and light, chaos and order, Mountain Czar is an album that takes some getting used to, even if it is awesome through and through. The sole track featuring a vocalist, Uccidendo Un Sogno is absolutely killer too and I think helps us to see how great these are guys simply as composers. Karma To Burn have invoked something truly special on Mountain Czar something that is smart but not challenging, music that could pass as radio rock but pushes boundaries and gives us access to new sounds that we might never otherwise have known. Simply put - Mountain Czar proves in five tracks what most bands never do, that Karma To Burn are rock and roll masters.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/Karma-To-Burn-118432638215095/

Thy Catafalque - Sgurr

Thy Catafalque are an interesting band, they always have been and they always will be - that's not what makes their latest offering, Sgurr so special though. What makes it special is the unique way that it presents the artistry of Tamas Katai the genius behind the music. The immaculate blend of folks ideas with classical elements as well as - of course - heavy metal is stunning and leaves you spinning the record again and again. Thy Catafalque truly get what they want to do, and how to execute it, leaving the listener wholly satisfied and often in awe.

While the strings are probably a highlight of the record there is so much more to it than that. The way that musical genres and even entire movements are blended together seamlessly showing off influences from across the centuries, is truly inspiring. The drum work in particular never fails to blow my mind. These guys push forth with intricate compositions that leave you scratching your head - simply because they are so goddamn good. When you immerse yourself in a record that has a sense of sublime poetry like Sgurr does it's hard not to be enamored with it. Lyrical and endlessly fascinating Sgurr sees the band pushing limits harder than ever and leaving you in awe of what these guys can do.

The point being - Sgurr is incredibly intelligent, but not really a dense listen - a nearly impossible balance to strike, but one that makes this record incredibly addictive. There's a lot to unpack here but you could probably play it to your mother. See - Thy Catafalque are making meaningful additions to the Western canon and I think that the more they descend into compositional brilliance the more people from outside the metal world are going to have to pay attention. There is no other band in the world like these dudes and if you're not ready for your paradigms to be shifted and your mind blown then you might as well not listen in the first place.

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

Night - "Satellites"

Where I live the weather has become more comfortable and when I'm out with my dog at night I look up at the stars and hear a soundtrack that complements my mood.  Recently I was introduced to a band that has captured the soundtrack of my life from the worst to the best days perfectly.  A sound that just makes me think and has an almost therapeutic feel.  "Satellites" is a debut album from a band called Night that completely alters your mind set after just one song.

Instrumental bands always have a tough time conveying their message because, of course, there are no vocals to tell you what to think or feel.  Night has a great way of having you interpret their songs for yourself and it makes it more personal to your life and what you're currently going through.  Wether you lost someone close to you or just made a new life long connection, these songs will empower you to rethink about your life and wonder why you listen to the radio rather than embarking on a new adventure with sounds like "Satellites."  The echoic and spacey feel from the guitar is almost like mind surfing until the distortion picks up and reminds you that there is more to this music than chords and rhythmic bass lines.  The drums in this album are very driving towards how the song is perceived due to the different techniques and genres coming from behind those sticks.

"Satellites" is a reminder of how much music can inspire the thoughts of people when they just listen and enjoy the ride.  Like a painting, this music is free to interpretation and allows for something as  simple as a long drive to become more than just a destination but a pilgrimage into ones self.  This soundtrack of the human soul is alluring and inspiring to say the least.  Give "Satellites" by Night a chance to give you that gift.

Find them on Faceboook!!
www.facebook.com/night717

Metalfier, Exmortus, and Marty Friedman

Another night another show in the perpetual hustle and bustle that is Manhattan, a world of struggle, a world of triumph and a world of tribulation... damn I'm feeling poetic on this particularly sleepy Friday afternoon. The point is I saw three bands last night, all of whom unleashed guitar heroics and made a silly old punter like me feel free at last despite the daily toil that might bring us down. What I'm saying is that nights of shred are part of what makes heavy metal so much fun and so darn worthwhile.

First up was Metalfier, who, despite sounding exactly like you'd expect a band call Metalfier to sound where quite a bit of fun. Fronted by a possibly insane Polish dude these guys are propelled by the high octane guitar heroics of Jeff Monge. Toss in some fun thrash metal songwriting and suddenly you have yourself a tasty opener for a metal legend. The point being, these guys are still refining their sound, but that's part of what makes them fun. Thrash metal is here for us to have a good time and get drunk with our buddies - so really, you have to ask, what more could you ask for from a rapidly rising local act?

Up next were my most hotly anticipated band of the soiree, legends-in-the-making Exmortus. These shred happy death masters have a great time unleashing the live rituals of their high powered sound. Over the top and proud of it Exmortus are the kind of band who really allow you to get your rocks off in a live setting. The fact of the matter is that these dudes are among the best up and coming bands in the country. Hell - forget that, with their upcoming record it seems to me at least that Exmortus are thrash warriors for a new generation who will keep pushing their music over the top and driving it beyond all expectations - this is what heavy metal is supposed to be about, and Exmortus fucking get it.

Finally it was time for Marty Friedman to unleash his shreddy goodness upon the crowd. With an incredibly talented backing band partially from Japan and partially from the States the man played work from across his entire solo catalog. With a nice mix of ballads and more straightforward thrashers it was stunning to see him unleash his mastery live. The thing is, while Friedman is the focal point, the dudes and dudette he plays with are insanely talented. It's incredible to witness the stage presence and raw energy he has been able to cultivate - making him perhaps the most potent and inspiring live instrumental act in the twenty first century.

At the end of the night I went off to an all night diner with an old friend and couldn't help but be charmed at the eternal power of what we had just witnessed. Marty Friedman is a living god, a man who truly understands what it means to play heavy metal and carry it forth for a new geenration. This is the kind of bleak salvation that we need if we want to have the strength to carry on for another day. And so we let our hair fly and the horns soar and go out and enjoy the darkness, because high speed guitar antics are what give us strength.

Find the bands on Facebook!

Metalfier: https://www.facebook.com/METALFIER?fref=ts

Exmortus: https://www.facebook.com/exmortusofficial

Marty Friedman: https://www.facebook.com/martyfriedman.official?fref=ts

Bangladeafy - The Briefcase

I first encountered Bangladeafy a few weeks ago when I ended up seeing them live at a tiny warehouse show in the Kenzofish neighborhood of Philly. With a wholly unique sonic approach oriented around tapping this drum and bass two piece has a sound unlike almost anyone I have ever heard and have put together music that is incredibly powerful, inspiring, and strangely catchy. With 

The Briefcase Bangladeafy open up a bold new frontier for metal that could quite realistically push the whole genre forward.

Bangladeafy never cease to amaze me simply because... holy shit have you heard their music? The hyper melodic approach of the bands frontman Jon Ehlers is stunning. Toss in syncopated rhythms in all sorts of weird time signatures and you have yourself a band who rival Meshuggah in terms of braininess. Their fusion of thrash and world music is... unreal. The occasional vocals provide a wonderful sense of atmosphere to the music despite sounding at times a bit out of place. Overall though - the stellar production and sense of fun that you find on tracks like Show Me The Gold helps prove to me that Bangladeafy not only have a unique concept, but they enjoy delivering it.

The fact of the matter is that The Briefcase is prog metal for a new generation of fan. It pushes the genre forward and gives guidance in an increasingly confused world. Bangladeafy understand the very visceral power that these sounds can have and the deeper you delve into their completely unique soundscapes with insane bass playing and mind boggling drummer the more you realize just how fucking good these guys are. Bangladeafy are wholly unique and are set for great things - prepare your body.

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/Bangladeafy?fref=ts

Glowsun - Beyond The Wall Of Time

Glowsun are a blissfully organic instrumental stoner rock band whose fuzzed out tones and stunning melodies leave you gasping for air. Their new record, Beyond The Wall Of Time is the kind of ever shifting and oftentimes mind melting instrumental stuff that forces you to reconsider what this kind of music can be. A sort of more accessible version of Year Of No Light, Glowsun have rapidly been able to establish an easily digestible sound that remains intellectually stimulating and prone to entrancing the listener.

This is the kind of record that you need to leave on repeat to really get in too. The way its seemingly cyclical nature works its way into your soul is stunning. You feel the songs ebb and flow, grow and waste away as with every passing moment you find yourself deeper in a beautifully crafted soundworld. There is a sense of cosmic liberation coming out of Beyond The Wall Of Time as if in their stoned reveries Glowsun have been turned on to a deeper reality, one that transcends words and can only be expressed through loud guitars, thudding basses and crushing drums. What I'm trying to say is that Glowsun are the sound of an alternate dimension being unveiled before your eyes.

Glowsun have managed to diffuse a variety of sounds and invoke the kind of inspirational mess that requires a madman or a true fan to pick apart. Beyond The Wall Of Time transcends so much of what we view as traditional music and gives us a chance to realize that even within the fairly narrow confines of stoner rock there is still a lot to be said. Coming straight out of left field with some exciting and endlessly fascinating music I'm very excited to check these guys out (And hopefully interview them!) at Hellfest.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/Glowsunmusic?fref=ts

Tempel - The Moon Lit Our Path

If memory serves I first wrote about Tempel all the way back in the summer of 2012 when I was a bored 16 year old at my grandparents house. How things have changed... and yet the sublime music of Tempel seems to remain the same, well, if anything it's only gotten better. Tempel, already iconoclastic and exciting to begin with have only become moreso with their latest release, the melodic and inspiring The Moon Lit Our Path, a five song instrumental black metal epic that will capture your imagination.

What Tempel do is craft unqiue soundscapes using blazing guitars and fierce drum patterns that come together ina sense of sublime ecstasy. You can't deny the overarching might that these songs have, they come from a soundworld that is wholly their own and reflect upon the greater sense of humanity that black metal is so often alienated from. There is something incredibly beautiful with what Tempel do, the way their music takes you on a journey, from the monolithic Carvings In The Door to the strangely triumphant, and very inspiring closing track, the twelve minute epic Dawn Breaks Over The Ruins.

What I'm trying to say is that The Moon Lit Our Path may very well be the instrumental record of the year. It's epic in scale and immaculate in its conception. Tempel are crafting music that feels ancient, it speaks to an older truth and it's almost shamanic at times. Incredibly meditative and refreshing Tempel are breaking boundaries that most people don't even know are there. One of the most exciting bands to be coming out of the the Arizona scene. Refreshingly direct and providing a bold new direction for metal Tempel might just change the face of the genre.

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/Tempelofficialband?fref=ts

My Sleeping Karma - Moksha

Remember back in like, 2012 or so when instrumental heavy music was all the rage? Whatever happened to those bands? I hope at least some of them have started listening to My Sleeping Karma a band who fuse Eastern mysticism with progressive rock to create something utterly incredible. There is an otherworldly might in the sounds of My Sleeping Karma that have rapidly won them a place in my heart. Iconoclastic and unafraid to craft their own path Moksha sees stellar compositions coming into capture the listeners imagination and guide them into a magical soundworld.

The think that I think makes Moksha so interesting is the sense of forward momentum that these songs have. It's really hard to deny the impetus that these compositions have, their teleological approach is entrancing to say the least. Interestingly, the band choose to put interludes between every set of tracks. Upon first listen this seemed a little bit extraneous, yet as I got a deeper understanding of the record I realized that these interludes actually provide the listener a much needed break from the understated intensity of the main tracks. In some ways it actually reminds me of Swans, until the interludes kick in you don't realize the spiritual heaviness of what you're listening too and it makes the record that much more powerful.

It's easy to find yourself lost in Moksha, in fact I think that's kind of the point. A band who leave you scraping your jaw off the floor Moksha shows that My Sleeping Karma have truly found themselves. There is something meditative about this record, it opens up the third eye and forces you to consider strange new realities that I'm not sure I'm always ready to face. My Sleeping Karma are a truly exciting musical force who defy genre definitions in order to craft something that goes straight into the soul.

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/MySleepingKarma

Russian Circles w/Helms Alee in Paris(@La Maroquinerie, 10/04/2015)

For fans of noise rock and post-metal alike, April 10th certainly was a date to look forward to and an evening to remember. Marking their 5th Parisian date since the start of their career, Chicago-based Post-metal/Post-rock trio Russian Circles returned to the city of love, to a sold-out venue filled with fans eager to see the band perform after 2 years of absence.

  

Co-headlining this current tour and warming things up for the evening were Helms Alee, a Seattle based band whose surprisingly fresh formula of noise rock and sludge have earned them quite a bit of praise and recognition. Being that this tour marked their first European tour since their formation back in 2007, this was the night where the trio would need to prove their worth as a live act.

Bearing that in mind, Helms Alee visibly took to the stage with every intention of making their mark on French soil. Drawing influence from noise rock, sludge, shoegaze, post-hardcore... Helms Alee have gathered elements from the four corners of rock music into a truly unique sound of their own, which was on full display over the course of their dynamic 45 minute set.

Every member of the trio shared vocal duties, with guitarist Ben Verellen handling the howling, yelled vocal department, while the bassist and the drummer provided clean vocals, adding some splendid vocal harmonization to the table. The guitar switched back and forth between echoing lead licks and fat, noisy, buzzing guitar riffs nicely complemented by the thick bass sound, pulsating to the relentless battering of the massive drum sound.

Female drummer Hozoji Margullis' performance was simply stunning, adding an extra dose of liveliness to the songs through her powerful and energetic performance.

I did however have one small gripe with one aspect this otherwise great set: I did find the mix for the yelled vocals to be a little dry in the context of the overall sound, making them stick out a little bit from the rest (Maybe a bit of reverb would have smoothened it out?).

In short: As with every band daring enough to think outside of the box, I can't guarantee you'll be falling in love with the sound of Helms Alee. What I can say however, is that you most likely won't be walking away from them feeling indifferent. For this reason, I can only urge you all the more to give this band a listen. With that being said: I, for one, fucking loved it!

Then came the time for Russian Circles to follow things up with their long-awaited headlining set. Lucky for me, the setlist for tonight consisted of a fairly wide mix of songs from their entire discography, which allowed newer fans to discover the bands' back catalog while pleasing the old-school fans.

For anyone who, like me, were catching one of their shows for the first time, it did not take more than the first couple of songs to understand why the audience of the jam-packed, sold-out venue had been waiting for the bands' return with such eagerness. As the first few notes resonated across the four corners of the venue, the entire audience was swept away, to be taken far, far away to drift across the dark yet beautiful, massive sonicscapes that is the sound of Russian Circles.
The bands' sound was simply colossal, with a massive bass tone supporting the low end section, a top notch heavy, punchy drum mix, and a ballsy yet crystal clear guitar tone. As I mentioned in my previous article, the band has been known for their massive sound, though I did not really get the real picture until I got to stand there, bathing in the comforting sonic vibrations blasting my way.
Through their ambient soundscapes and earthshattering sludge riffs, the bands' sound painted gorgeous, detailed landscapes in my mind, morphing and evolving as the songs and the set progressed. Mike Sullivans' guitar painted the sonic landscapes through his meticulously executed loops and layerings, whereas bassist Brian cook added an immersive sense of depth to the picture and drummer Dave Turncrantz's groovy, dynamic performance provided a living pulse, breathing life into each sonic canvas. With each and every song, a mere spark of imagination would suffice to let you be sucked into the canvas and begin astral projecting across these vistas of darkness and unfathomable beauty.

As tonight’s' show came to a close, our astral bodies gently settled back into our physical bodies, leaving our minds starstruck before what we had just experienced. I left the venue in a relaxed, contemplative mood that night, making use of the subway ride home to settle back into reality. A splendid evening had just ended and I was left with these beautiful images to hold on to until Helms Alee and Russian Circles decide to come back. I urge you to check both of these bands out if you haven't already. For anyone who missed Russian Circles on this current tour, you're not going to want to miss their set at Hellfest this coming summer, trust me.

Robin

Thank you to Vince from Kongfuzi booking for making this review possible.

Be sure to check out and subscribe to Kongfuzi booking for updates on their upcoming shows http://kongfuzi-booking.org/wordpress/programme/
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/pages/KONGFUZI-BOOKING/100155577922

Helms Alee

Official bandcamp
https://helmsalee.bandcamp.com/
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/HelmsAlee
Official Tumblr
http://helmsaleemusic.tumblr.com/

Russian Circles
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/russiancirclesmusic
Bandcamp
https://russiancircles.bandcamp.com/
Official Website
http://russiancirclesband.com/

Helms Alee Setlist:
1. Pleasure Center
2. Tumescence
3. Grandfather Claws
4. Pinniped
5. Ripper No Lube
6. Dodge The Lightning
7. Fetus. Carcass.
8. Pretty As Pie
9. Borrowed Wind
10. Paraphrase

Russian Circles Setlist:
1. Deficit
2. Carpe
3. 309
4.Harper Lewis
5.Geneva
6. 1777
7. Station
8. Mlàdek
9. Death Rides a Horse

Encore:
10. Youngblood

Swarm

We have gotten to the point where a band who uses touches of djent makes me nostalgic. That being said, don't think that Swarm is a mere djent band. Sure they have taken elements of the genre to accentuate their sound and keep things exciting but one can not also deny the impact that video game music has on the bands approach. Swarm have created something powerful, occasionally anthemic, and perpetually jaw dropping, instrumental architecture for a modern age. The touches of blast beats are nicely accented by mighty melodic lines that come soaring out of your speakers with a ferocious touch. The thing is, most instrumental projects come across as masturbatory and over the top, yet Swarm have pulled together something that is worth man a listen and never boring. As I continue to uncover the layers of guitar tracks and top notch production I start to realize that this duo is turned on to something great and have the potential to be the next Cloudkicker. My only hope is that they start playing live soon!

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/swarmofthe

Karma To Burn/Sons Of Alpha Centauri

A seven inch that features two killer instrumental stoner metal bands, this split between Karma To Burn and Sons Of Alpha Centauri is powerful, and at times almost meditative. Evoking old school magic there is something inspiring here, bands who take tried and true formulas and craft them into something a lot darker and more poignant, yet also strangely mesmerizing. The beauty in this split, from both bands, comes not from the technicality of the music but the wonderfully unique ways the songs are structured.

As you dig into this record it's easy to see that Sons Of Alpha Centauri could very well be the next Karma To Burn. While Karma To Burn have had their powerful stoner rock sound locked into a groove for years now, no one (With the possible exception of French rockers Abysse) has been able to create something similar until now. Sons Of Alpha Centauri have a sound that is almost progressive in nature. The way these guys craft their tracks to inspire the listener and guide them on a sort of quasi-spiritual journey is actually really cool and more than proves the raw potential that this band has.

At the end of the day, this is the kind of split that can guide you off to sleep and into a strange new beautiful world. The thing with records like this is that you can spin them again and again, 7 inches are like potato chips, they're strangely addictive, the kind of thing you can just get really into and then 15 spins later realize you just spent the last two hours listening to this record. So go out, give it a spin, and revel in the simplistic majesty that has for so long defined both of these acts and made them truly great.

Find the bands on Facebook! 

Karma To Burn: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Karma-To-Burn/118432638215095

Sons Of Alpha Centauri: https://www.facebook.com/sonsofalphacentauri

Broughton's Rules - Anechoic Horizon

For something to be 'Anechoic' means for it to be free of echo, for a note to be played without resonating back. So the idea of having an Anechoic Horizon might seem interesting, this idea that there are no echoes coming back, ever. It creates a sense of melancholy that I feel is very much reflected in the riffs of Broughton's Rules, if they can even be called riffs. This post rock group is creating something wonderfully sad, and morose, touching on the human condition in a way that few of their peers can, and they're doing it all without vocals.

I think that what makes Anechoic Horizon so gosh darned interesting is the magic of the soundscapes the band creates. They hardly conform to normal ideas of what music is, or what music should be. Instead they kind of pulse, slowly rising into something greater and more terrible, wholly enjoyable melancholic despair for the masses. Despite the minor key melodies and slow tempos that dominate Anechoic Horizon this record will hardly put you to sleep. Instead it lulls you into a dream like state where you are forced to sit and desperately anticipate the next move. Three or four spins into this record and I'm still finding strange new elements that I had never even anticipated hearing.

Delving into Anechoic Horizon is a truly wonderful musical journey, there are so many exciting twists and turns to explore. As this record develops you find yourself in a strange new world, and the first thing you want to do is to delve into all of it. Broughton's Rules have all sorts of ideas that are touching on revolutionary. This is only the bands first record, but there is tons of unbridled potential and their sound is clearly defined. As the magic of this band is allowed to prosper I can foresee only good things happening for this band.

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

Mono - Rays of Darkness

When I first discovered Mono a couple of weeks ago I was absolutely blown away by the first record in their latest double offering. Now I finally have the time to sit down and digest Rays of Darkness the brilliant sequel to The Last Dawn. As with The Last Dawn this instrumental long form music has captured my heart and taken me away to strange new worlds. With epic orchestrations and truly unique songwriting, Mono are creating something spectacular, of a sort that none of their peers could ever dream to touch on.

I think the bands ability to transition from the delicate to the earth shattering is a big part of why I love them so much. Sure there are gentle melodies and occasional acoustic parts here, but there are also epic and violent droning passages that seem intent on tearing the listener apart. Yet they somehow all manage to give off a similar vibe and make sure that listening to Rays of Darkness is a truly unique and beautiful experience. As you close your eyes and let this record really seep in it's easy to imagine yourself on a distant world, enjoying the rays of a sun that is not ours, and that violates all the laws of light.

In other words, Mono are innovators and geniuses of the highest degree. Our rules are not their rules, and they aren't going to be confined by any ideas of what we might decide to call 'music'. Instead Mono are going to shape tunes that will flow where they want and ebb into the listeners heart with no concern for whether you want them too or not. Rays of Darkness is monolithic and majestic, the kind of thing you can spin again and again. When paired with its prequel it only gets better, and ultimately proves that this band might just save the world.

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

Mono-The Last Dawn

It's rare that I find a record that truly stuns me, an album that leaves me pick up my jaw from the floor, trying to wrap my head around something that may have shaken what I perceive music can be. Yet with The Last Dawn Mono manage to do exactly that. This band are doing something that is simply mind bending, a mix of dark and light that few other bands can imitate. They are more than a mere instrumental rock group, they tap into the depths of the soul and allow us to find something greater about ourselves. In other words Mono might have just broken my mind.

The album starts off with Land Between Tides and glory which features a strange, sort of atonal guitar line that gently weeps over top of a simmering layer of simmering noise. As the solo gets gradually more melodic you start to see a hole open up before you, so you dive in. Once Mono have let you in to their strange reality their is no coming out. You look from side to side, first you see the mastery that is Cyclone, then the beautiful Elysian Castles. When it is at last time for The Last Dawn you are ready, open to find a new way forward, you may not have been able to this song at the beginning of the album, but now you can freely dive into the records sequel, Rays of Darkness which I will be reviewing next week.

Simply put, with The Last Dawn Mono have created one of those records that's a full sensory experience. It wraps around you and holds you captive, this is more than just an album, it is exposing us to the very souls of the musicians behind it. There is something deeply personal, yet also strangely universal about The Last Dawn which allows it to creep into your consciousness and stand tall as a veritable ode to all we hold holy. This record is going to break your paradigms and force you to re-evaluate a lot of things, so go out and buy it, it might be the album of the year.

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Skies Are Illusionists-Universal Consciousness

So, it's been a while since Skies Are Illusionists last EP, the stunning debut that was Replicating the Sun. Well now Cris Kailer is back better than ever with a sound that is cleaner, better produced, and more sonically engaging than the debut. One of the big complaints about the debut record was the quality of the drum sound, here that issue has been very much ameliorated. On this 15 minute long track I feel like Kailer leaves behind some of the Yes vibes that his debut had and goes more into a Scale the Summit derived feel. This track feels like a very natural evolution on the last one, and the powerful solo passages give off a nice improvised taste. They lock in very nicely with the powerful grooves that Kailer seems to deliver with ease. The sort of music you can groove and meditate too, Skies Are Illusionists has been taken to a new level, filled with powerful rhythm changes and chunky guitar parts. My one complaint is that the track is pretty long, and for 15 minutes, while the ideas stay fairly fresh, at times it's possible to zone out, I would like to hear some shorter pieces from Kailer. Yet, this only makes me more excited for this band to make their live debut. A talented musician with tons of ideas left in him, I'm excited for the future output of this project!

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Lazer/Wulf-The Beast of Left and Right

Groovy and poignant, Lazer/Wulf are not a band to be messed with, in fact, they will mess with you first, smoke your weed and smash in your face. These guys are a pretty much entirely instrumental trio, but they have been known to on occasion bring in a few interesting vocal lines to spice things up. So where does this leave us? Simply with a band who seem set to take over the world with chunky grooves and incredible skill. These guys bring everything together on The Beast of Left and Right with a wonderful 'jam band' type feel, true ascension for all you rock and rollers.

One of the most interesting aspects of The Beast of Left and Right is that it is written palindromically, which means that, for example, the first track on the record uses the same progressions and rhythms as on the last, but they are in different keys. This helps to make something really interesting and exciting, it feels very much like a whole. As if you are finding some sort of glorious heavy metal redemption in the vaguely jazzy, strangely thrashy approach of a band who seem dedicated to busting every possible genre barrier. These guys craft very weird and intricate soundscapes that are surprisingly addictive. Once you spin this record you're going to want to listen again and again.

Lazer/Wulf are exciting and intricate, possibly the most exciting and intricate band to come up in years. These guys don't follow rules, in fact, they seem to be taking rules apart, and then piecing them back together however they see fit. These guys are insanely talented musicians and their skill is almost unmatched by anyone else on the scene today. So open up your heart and let Lazer/Wulf open up your skull, this is instrumental metal madness that could appeal to the masses, driving people insane with walls of sound and earth shattering wails.

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Cecilia::Eyes-Disappearance

Shoegaze is always a hard genre to get in too, especially when it seeks to be as transcendent and mind expanding as Cecilia::Eyes, but perhaps that's what makes it special too. Perhaps the fact that this bands new record, Disappearance is 54 minutes of sonic ebbs and flows what makes the music so special. Though there are only seven tracks on this record, each one will carry you off to a brave new world and bring you into the strange beauties that make shoegaze so darned interesting. While this record may not be for everybody, it will certainly capture the imaginations of many.

Here's the thing, Disappearance is wholly instrumental and a lot of the songs have a rather abstract structure. In many cases there are not clear (Repeated) melody lines and some of the tracks may even be through composed. It creates a very ethereal feel, these Belgians are clearly all very gifted musicians to be able to craft something as exquisite as this new masterpiece. It's hard to put into words, but there are epic sonic landscapes crafted here by very gentle sounds, many of which rarely rise above a whisper. You have to listen to this record again, and again (And again) to really start to grasp what a feat of sonic mastery Disappearance is.

Simply put, this is a record you can get lost in, and in a world with lots of broing disposable and cheap music, that's what we need more of. Sure, it may not fit entirely into my tastes, but I definitely see the appeal,  and as I let these sounds wash over me, I start to look within. Disappearance makes us aware of the wholes within ourselves and encourages us to find a way out, and a step forward, ultimate redemption through otherworldly shoegaze bliss. Cecilia::Eyes are unique and powerful, and I think their legend will only continue to grow.

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