Thank you to everyone that has checked out the website and the reviews so far! We're currently at 300 followers on Instagram and just hit 100 page views here on Blogspot. Our Facebook page could use some love though, go follow to stay updated on new posts!

Astronoid - Air (Album Review)

www.metalinsider.net

 

 

Incandescent - The album opens with lush walls of atmospheric sound, leading into solid riffs and drumming to start our journey through Astronoid's newest offering, 'Air'. The vocals rise out of the soundscape, layered and multifaceted, working beautifully with the droning guitars and driving percussion work. The vocals work beautifully to close out the intro.

Up and Atom - The album's second track immediately launches into blistering guitarwork, the soaring sighs and vocalization blending with the black metal styled drumming and guitar riffage. Astronoid's technical prowess is shown off without being shoved in your face, each riff reminding you of their ability and skill at songwriting. The choruses echo beautifully along with speeding guitar and pounding drum and bass rhythms. There's a very airy (appropriate given the album name) feeling to the songs, like if you were to listen long enough you might start levitating. The slower sections float along into blazing fast sections, transitioning seamlessly. The guitar solo hits you like a balloon of nitrous and then backs away for the rest of the band to come in and make sure you'll be humming along to the melodies of the songs for weeks to come while at work or in the shower. This song is full of incredibly catchy sections, broken up by straight up metal riffing.

Resin - Resin opens with a grimy sounding guitar assault, dirty yet pristine and uplifting. The many layers of sound ensure you'll find something new to enjoy with every listen. The harmonious vocals are used excellently throughout the whole album, without feeling cliche or contrived like many modern metal groups' 'Radio Rock' offerings. Resin reminds me of a bittersweet summer memory, driving along highways with someone you used to love and smoking cigarettes or joints on the beach. The  band's self-described genre of 'Dream Thrash' is extremely apropos, the entire album feels like a lucid dream of blinding white lights, angelic choirs, and an element of brutality with the technical drumming and guitar work. The black metal influence shines through often, tremolo picked riffs over blast beats and drum fills while the cloud of sound floats above it.

Violence - An echoing melancholy acoustic guitar intro starts off the next track 'Violence'. Ghostly singing accompanies the dark and depressing chords, conjuring images of walking through futuristic cloud cities. The shortest song on the album at 2 minutes 22 seconds, it serves as a great reprieve, and the fading outro heralds the band's return to form on the next track.

Homesick -  A veritable fortress of heavy guitar, pounding drums, and floating atmospheric layers of sound open up 'Homesick'. The singing reminiscent of fuzzed out alt-rock like Silversun Pickups or Nothing. Astronoid really has hit their stride with this album, especially this track, which contains elements of everything that makes the album so great. Their songwriting ability perfectly underlines the melancholy of Homesickness, while the fast and complex riffing and drum work back it up. A great guitar solo follows and leads into the track's final breathy outro.

Tin Foil Hats - A straight up black metal attack opens up this track, soaring leads, tremolo picked passages and blast beats segue into the choir-like vocalization seamlessly. The middle of the song features an extremely heavy breakdown and the guitars showcase their technical ability well without detracting from the rest of the sound being produced by the band. A slower guitar and drum break follow, the upbeat sounding riffing leading well into the final section with an extended guitar outro.

Air - The album's title track perfectly encompasses the theme of the whole album. An ethereal sounding wall of thrash and black metal influenced instrumental work underneath beautiful, soaring vocals. The song feels like inhaling helium balloons and laughing with your friends until you get a little too lightheaded, then the guitar and drums begin pounding away to bring you back down to earth.

Obsolete - A far away guitar and steady drumming open up this track ,leading to blistering fast sections of guitar, layered on top of one another, creating a giant cloud of emotion. Some more classically death metal sounding riffs are present on this song, working well leading into the open chords and steady rhythms of the choruses. The bass sound is incredible on this track, keeping everything on point. A slow and pounding break down follows in the middle of the track, making way for a great guitar solo accompanied by great rhythm guitar work and drumming. The vocals kick in again, ghostly, echoing, effects-laden crooning. A number of small electronic sounds are used well throughout.

Trail of Sulfur - The album's closer conveys sadness right away, the feeling of farewell, before launching again into the speed and technicality present throughout the album. The vocals never feel out of place among the madness, adding an edge to the sound that harsh vocals could not replicate. Soaring their way through your senses, Astronoid are out to show you why they deserve your attention on the albums last track, making their last impression with their trademark 'Dream Thrash' sound. Around the 5 minute mark, the guitar feedback echoes and the rhythm section keep you on the edge of your seat, waiting for whats next. The vocals come in, the feedback turning into an escalating assault that finally explodes. An insane guitar solo follows, closing out the album with a bang.

Overall this album took me by surprise. I had never heard of Astronoid before a month ago when they popped up on my Spotify, but this album solidifies their place among the best albums of the year and definitely will be a favorite of mine for years to come.

8.5/10       

Vale of Pnath - II (Album Review)

Vale of Pnath - II      Album Review

www.bravewords.com

Blacker Than - A haunting acoustic guitar intro sets the mood to the album opener Blacker Than. The rest of the band then launches its attack, Vocalist Reece Deeter howling and a plinking piano joins the fray. Blast beats and tremolo picked guitar attacks follow, Deeter's vocals leading the march, backed by Alan Parades' masterful bass playing and the ballistic madness of Eric Brown's drumming. The guitarists switch masterfully between complex riffing and blistering speed. A nice little bass break signals a breakdown into a show of technical prowess from all members leading into the first guitar solo of the album. The second lead section complements black metal influenced blast beats and screeched vocals from Deeter to close out the track.

A Nightmare Phantasm - The band begins its assault immediately on A Nightmare Phantasm, the guitars clashing and the rhythm section keeping them in line, allowing Reece's vocals to really shine on this track. The black metal influence is clear in his style, also taking influence from classic death metal. The riffs are insane and technical without feeling like showboating, everything serves the purpose of adding to the musicality of the track. Dissonance is used well before the lead guitar comes in and flashes a little solo before the song ends.

Klendathu - A beautiful piano intro that sounds like it would be on constant loop in Dracula's manor makes way for Brown to lay down some steady drumming. The guitars come in before everything explodes as Reece takes the mic, the song winding and meandering but never getting too far off track. The lead is blistering and masterfully executed, leading into a nice heavy break, the drums punctuating the stabs of the guitar and Deeter's howled vocals.

The Horror in Clay - A pounding drum fill opens up the next track, the guitars entering and intertwining, before a mini bass solo leads into the verse. The complexity of Vale of Pnath's songwriting is evident throughout each song, but instead of feeling masturbatory it stands on its own as an extremely solid and groovy sounding album with nothing out of place. The instrumental breaks are used to great effect, breaking up the speed and intensity well.

Reaver - A speeding tremolo picked guitar intro makes way for big open chords and a wall of sound from Eric's drumming combined with the growls of Deeter. The riffs all flow together well, and the use of start-stop rhythms give the track a bouncing feel. The breakdown in the middle of the song showcases more black metal influence from Deeter's vocals and the lush, atmospheric background instrumentation. This is probably my favorite from the album, it showcases perfectly the feel of the album and the wonderful musicianship of Vale of Pnath. The bass break forces you to make the Meshuggah face and rock back and forth, then the blistering twin guitars launch into a ripping solo.

Heart of Darkness - An organ piece reminiscent of Mr. Crowley opens the track, leading into blast beat-laden technical riffing and deep growls. The guitars work together to command the attention of the listener while Reece spits some absolutely disgusting sounding vocals over the insanity of the bass riffage and technical prowess of Brown's drumming. The sudden stop at the end of the song leads well into the next track.

The Serpent's Lair -  Bass and drums come together to pump you full of adrenaline before the rest of the band kick it into gear. The instrumental breaks are complemented well by organ/piano accompaniment and the shrill shrieking rounds it all out. Complex rhythms showcase technicality while the guitar riffs blow over the top of it, demanding respect, the vocals calling to mind images of dark cultists gathering supplies for a sacrifice. The heaviest breakdown of the album follows, a ghostly choir backing it up for extra punch. A jazzy drum and guitar break follow, accompanied by more piano and choir. The song ends with an evil sounding chord that glitches and fades out.

Unburied - The album's closer, and longest track of the album clocks in at 7:39. It starts off a little calmer than we're used to from the rest of the album, but quickly picks up again as Reece launches into an impossibly long and haunted sounding scream. The guitars lay down driving riffs leading into big grand sounding chords, then switch to a more straightforward technical riffing approach, the drums blasting along. An upbeat sounding guitar break follows a blistering verse, all instruments coming together for one last display of technical ability and musicianship. The last chord echoes out into the end of the album, one last punch to the mouth fading out.

Overall this was one of the greatest albums to come out this year so far, Vale of Pnath popped up on my Discover Weekly playlist from Spotify several months ago and Vale of Pnath I and The Prodigal Empire have both been in heavy rotation ever since. I highly recommend diving into their whole discography.

9/10             

Fallujah - Dreamless (Album Review)

www.metal-archives.com

Fallujah – Dreamless album review

1.       Face of Death – The album opens with an airy, atmospheric track that builds gracefully into a bouncing rhythm and crunching guitars, complemented by layers of ambient noise and guitar leads. Alex Hoffman’s vocals are intense, grating, and deep, contrasting well with the floating leads and groovy rhythm. The ending segues perfectly into the next track’s opening measure.

2.       Adrenaline – Starting with the outro from Face of Death, the guitar kicks in with a rapid lick before the rest of the rhythm section kicks in on a massive sounding verse. Hoffman’s vocals command the attention of the listener while the guitars and drums lay down a ballistic assault underneath. A blistering solo rips through and then makes way for a calmer moment with soaring moody sounds underlined by complex drumming. A swelling and fading instrumental outro closes out the track.

3.       The Void Alone – The twin guitar attack comes and shoves itself in your face, then the drums kick in and the inhuman vocals all come together to form one of the best sounding songs on the album. Quick tremolo picked licks are accompanied by emotional leads and complex bass riffing. A female vocal section works incredibly well with the heavy hitting rhythm section leading into a brief break with an echoing guitar, driving bassline, and the drumming keeps it all together. Things kick up a notch once Hoffman’s vocals are reintroduced, and then it all gives way for a melancholy guitar outro.

4.       Abandon – The use of start-stop rhythms is executed well, falling into a groovy upbeat guitar break before relaunching the assault from the rest of the band. Another female vocal section leads well into a crunching, brutal section, with the guitars intertwining expertly. The noise cuts for a split second before starting right back up again, making way for another greatly executed and technical instrumental break

5.       Scar Queen – A lilting guitar starts the track, leading into an intricate verse with whispered vocals used to chilling effect. The usual twin guitar attack is used very well in this track, the rhythm driving relentlessly, and the vocals round out the experience greatly. Another great guitar solo follows, the drums accentuating the complexity and technicality. Towards the end, there’s a great breakdown with fast double kick fills and shouted vocals that drip with emotion.

6.       Dreamless – The album’s title track starts with a swelling and echoing instrumental, the drums and bass soon kick in, driving the rhythm along. The bass and drums fall away again, before launching into a harmonious segment with layered vocals and effects-laden guitar work. Yet another wonderful guitar solo commences and then floats back out, leaving the intense drumming and lilting atmospheric vocals to do their work.

7.       The Prodigal Son – Harmonizing guitars make way for Hoffman’s vocals to inflict some damage, then give way to a fast, driving breakdown punctuated by growls. The rhythm picks up the pace and then drops it down again repeatedly, allowing the guitars and bass riffage to shine through. Then everything goes black and a lone guitar starts off the next section, the drums flying in to signal the impending melodious solo. The complexity and speed of the band really shine on this track, along with the use of spacy sounding instrumental layers.

8.       Amber Gaze – A hallowing growl ends the relative calm of the intro and the band launches into one of many technically complex and rapid pace attacks before shifting down into a driving guitar rhythm. Alex’s vocals spice up the arrangement well, adding dark and brutal overtones to the mix.

9.       Fidelio – A resonating piano intro combines with sampled vocal tracks to create a welcome break to the insanity, electronic drums, and organ coming together to round it all out as the ethereal narrator continues. Everything swells and inflates into a crescendo before it all fades away.

10.   Wind for Wings – The band’s masterful ability to slowly add layers of instrumentation before exploding into powerful verses definitely comes through on this track. The low end of the crunching guitar blends well with the vocals without feeling too muddy or crowded, and is accentuated well by soaring guitar leads and mechanical bass riffing. Everything drops off to make way for an expressive guitar solo with clean vocals coming in before everything ramps up again, a female vocal section coming in on top to close it out.

11.   Les Silences – An extremely interesting sounding electronic intro combined with whispered vocals and staccato rhythm introduces the song, eventually fading away briefly while the vocalist continues. The track is almost completely electronically produced (from what my admittedly untrained ear can tell anyway) and it serves as a great chill out track.

12.   Lacuna – The final song gives us what we’re used to from the rest of the album with a brief instrumental intro before the twin guitars kick in with some complicated riffing and the drums explode. Hoffman’s Vocals serve well to underscore the rhythm and complexities of the arrangement, with female vocal sections used once again to wonderful effect. The use of silence is also executed well, adding an extra punch when the rest of the band comes back in to make their last impression. Another great lead gives way to a droning outro that closes off the album. 

Overall this album exceeded my expectations, and is an extremely solid offering by Fallujah, who seem to be getting better and better with every new release.