Dreadnought - Bridging Realms

#FOR FANS OF: Folk/Progressive

Dreadnought (from Denver, Colorado) is one of those bands that defies easy description — but that's a good thing. 'Bridging Realms' is the band’s second release and their first full-length album. Although there are only five songs on this album, each one is epic in scope. The title of the third song, “Minuet De Lune” (Dance of the Moon or Month) somehow brought what meager snippets of junior high school French I’ve retained rushing back to the fore, as it would properly be titled “Minuet De Lune”. It tweaked my last nerve only because this band is so prodigiously literate musically that I found that misnomer distracting. Normally, I tend to dissect each release I review song by song, with an in-depth analysis of a select few. In this instance I will only provide an overview — as this is music so diverse that words truly cannot do it justice. Cliché as though it may sound, it remains nonetheless true that this is a work which must be personally experienced by each listener to be fully and truly appreciated. The music varies in some parts between an almost dissonant acid jazz interplay between guitar, drums, bass, keys and flute to heavy guitar. The comparison here to Jethro Tull is inevitable when the flute enters into counterplay with the rhythm section during jazzy interludes, while the heavier parts seem an homage to the best Mastodon sludge. Vocally, this is an extremely diverse work. This release ranges stylistically from 'Grace Slick' in early Jefferson Airplane to classic Yes-like melodies, to harmonies which could have come straight from a medieval Gregorian chorale — all the way to almost incidental death metal vocals. This is a musical work meant to be experienced holistically—in its entirety. If you’re a fan of progressive rock, metal or psychedelic rock you'll find something enjoyable and exciting to immerse yourself in on this release. Fans of any type of rock or metal need to give at least one uninterrupted and undistracted listen to this work. For the truly diehard fan of music, get yourself a copy of this on vinyl. Doing so will allow you to fully appreciate all the genre-transcendent nuances Dreadnought has seamlessly woven into 'Bridging Realms'. (Bob Szekely)

(Self - 2015)

Score: 90

https://www.facebook.com/dreadnoughtband

Absinthe River - Echoes of Societal Dysfunction

#PER CHI AMA: Heavy/Hard Rock 
#FOR FANS OF: Heavy/Hard Rock

La schiera di recensori/musicisti del Pozzo dei Dannati si allarga con la release di Bob Szekely e i suoi Absinthe River, trio di Colorado Spring, che debutta con 'Echoes of Societal Dysfunction'. Si tratta di un disco di sette pezzi, dediti ad un heavy/hard rock old school. Accendere lo stereo e far partire "Followers of Dogma" è stato un vero back in time per me, un tuffo nel passato che mi ha ricondotto agli anni '80, quando per la prima volta mi avvicinavo, da pivellino, al metal e magari mi spaventavo dinanzi al riffing dei Metallica di 'Ride the Lightning' o all'assetto ribassato dei Black Sabbath, ecco due nomi non proprio messi lì a caso, anche se non rappresentano certo le influenze cardine del trio del Colorado. Qualcosa di atavico comunque ristagna nel sound dei nostri, cresciuti sicuramente a birra, cicchetti di whiskey e hamburger. La song ringhia che è un piacere e si muove tra l'heavy e il doom con una voce votata all'hard rock. Vista l'intercambiabilità dei vari musicisti polistrumentisti, il vocalist cambia nella seconda song, "Broken Sky" e un eco dei primi Metallica lo avverto, ma anche un che dei Candlemass. Anche se la produzione appare quasi casalinga, le idee e la voglia di divertirsi non mancano di certo al combo composto dal nostro Bob, Rob Rakoczy e Steve Stanulonis. Con la terza "Seeker of the Light", è Bob che torna alle vocals con un cantato simile a quello di King Diamond, mentre la musica gioca a richiamare oscure visioni ottantiane, con un duplice assolo finale, uno più rock oriented e un secondo più vicino al blues rock, a dimostrare comunque una spiccata versatilità della band statunitense. Con "Spirit Journey in Modernity", il ritmo si fa più spettrale e anche un po' più affascinante, e soprattutto meno etichettabile. "Haunted Emotions" è un pezzo di poco più di tre minuti di tenue hard rock che si affida ancora una volta alla sciabolata del suo assolo conclusivo, cosi come la darkeggiante "Swing Doors", tre minuti di suoni all'insegna di synth, programming e chorus femminili, in una traccia dall'andatura un po' sghemba. Diciamo che arrivati alla conclusiva "Aurora (The James Holmes Shootings)", non vi è rimasta alcuna traccia degli Absinth River dei primi tre pezzi, che si erano rivelati decisamente più pesanti. Quest'ultima è una sorta di ballad dal forte sapore settantiano, che si evolverà in pochi minuti, a un suono stile videogame ed infine rock, a completare quindi un disco che forse non fa dell'omogeneità sonora il proprio punto di forza, ma che comunque merita un vostro ascolto e un eventuale download (gratuito) dal sito bandcamp. Stralunati. (Francesco Scarci)

The team of reviewers / musicians of the Pit of the Damned grows with the release of Bob Szekely in Absinthe River, a trio from Colorado Springs, in their original debut 'Echoes of Societal Dysfunction.' It's a release of seven pieces devoted to a heavy / hard rock old school sound. To turn on the stereo and listen to "Followers of Dogma" truly took me back in time: drawing me into the past back to the 80s when for the first time Heavy Metal drew me in. On my first exposure to the genre, I was excitedly frightened by the riffing of the Metallica’s 'Ride the Lightning' or even those of Black Sabbath, two extraordinary bands. The Absinthe River sound is mired in the influences of this early era of metal, certainly grown in beer, shots of whiskey and burgers. The song growls: a pleasurable sound, as it moves between heavy and doom with a voice devoted to hard rock. Given the interchangeability of these multi-instrumentalists, the vocalist changes to Rob Rakoczy in the second song, "Broken Sky" and his voice echoes that of Metallica as well as Candlemass. Although the production seems a bit basement grown, The ideas and desire to have fun shines through with this combo composed of Bob Szekely, Rob Rakoczy and Steve Stanulonis. By the third song "Seeker of the Light", It’s Bob who returns to vocals sung in a style similar to King Diamond, while the music recalls more obscure visions of the 80's with a dual final solo: one more rock oriented, and the second more blues rock. This shows, however, the remarkable versatility of this US band. With "Spirit Journey in Modernity", the pace becomes more ghostly and even a little more fascinating. "Haunted Emotions" is a piece of a little over three minutes of tenuous hard rock that resolves once again to the saber of the final guitar solo. The dark "Swing Doors", roughly three minutes of dedicated synth programming and female chorus, is a track that’s a little skewed: as it is a departure from the style of the earlier tracks, being more pop than metal. And now we’ve come to the finale "Aurora (The James Holmes Shootings)", there is no trace of the Absinthe River sound found in the first three pieces, which proved much heavier. This last tune is kind of a ballad with a strong 70s flavor, which evolves a few minutes into a sound style of videogame rock. Although this CD may not be something to your liking, it definitely deserves your listening and a possible download (free) from the band's website. Thunderstuck.

(Kludgeworks Garage Productions - 2014)

Score: 65

https://absintheriver.bandcamp.com/releases

(Reviewed by Francesco Scarci, Translated by Deborah S Szekely and Edited for clarity and flow by Robert E Szekely)

Godhunter/Secrets of the Sky – GH/0ST:S

#FOR FANS OF: Death/Doom/Sludge

There are some bands, that when you first listen to them, certain identifiable qualities immediately jump out you: you can often hear their prominent stylistic influences declare themselves clearly though certain parts of certain songs. This is not the case with Godhunter. It took me a long time for me to get some grasp of what they were trying to say in their "City of Dirt" release. Being an active songwriter and musician myself, I attempt to understand what an artist or band is trying to accomplish before I start to review them in writing. You immediately feel the power (and the dynamics) on the initial listen of this Godhunter release, but there is significantly more to be explored below the surface of the obvious. This isn't throwaway pseudo-Satanic claptrap (Venom) or gore (Cannibal Corpse) designed to appeal to an audience who just wants to be part of shocking mainstream social sensibilities while railing and rebelling against whatever they can, whenever they can. I wonder how many of those listeners and fans realize they've essentially adopted the original 1970s punk movement philosophy of nihilism and anarchy by becoming 'rebels without a clue'. Godhunter, in contrast, manages to be heavy and yet subtle at the same time, which is a rare mix: as metal isn't often known for its subtlety. It's what impresses me most about this band, yet makes them a challenge to do justice to in a review. Their heaviness seems to embody relevant and current political commentary, without coming across as either preachy or alienating to fans of multiple metal and rock genres. GH/0ST:S Varies between psychedelic, progressive, and extreme metal. The first track—"Pursuit/Predator"—indicates a psychotic transference of sexual desire into the thrill of killing another human being. This song is a good candidate for behavioral analysis by FBI profilers as depicted in the TV series "Criminal Minds"; as it is a very telling portrait of obsession and psychosis. There are elements of David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) reminiscent in the guitar playing, with some harkening back thematically to the Queensryche classic, "Operation Mindcrime". Overall, the music is very theatrical and moody throughout GH/0ST:S II. It's important to give the whole GH/OST:S release an uninterrupted and undistracted listen through headphones. It consists of only four songs, laid out for vinyl (two on each side): Side A (Godhunter): 1. Pursuit/Predator. The protagonist of the song transforms carnal lust into bloodlust. Opening narration: "I like killing people. It's so much fun. It's more fun than—hunting wild game in the forest: 'cause man is the most dangerous animal of all. To kill something, is the most thrilling experience. It's even better than getting your rocks off with a girl. I won't give you my name, 'cause you'll try to stop me...." Ending narration: "I wanna report a murder. She was—so beautiful. So I followed her home last night and I shot her in the head with my .45. She's lying here now, next to me; bleeding, not breathing. She was—so beautiful. Goodbye...."; 2. GH/0ST:S Side B (Secrets of the Sky) 3. The Star; 4. GH/0ST:S II. Narration (starting around 7:13 into song), "Impulsive. Sighing, he glanced at the police psychologist's report on the recent desecrations at Holy Trinity Church...." although I had trouble hearing some of the words in this piece of narrative it gets rather graphic and rude...alluding to a sexualized satanic influence in the murder alluded to on the "Godhunter", side (here on the "Secrets of the Sky" side) without making it sound contrived, or necessarily supportive of Satanism. I wonder if Godhunter chose to spell the album title this way (putting a slash after the "GH", substituting a zero for the letter "o", and putting a colon between the "T" and "S") to minimize confusion with the 2008 NIN (Nine Inch Nails) Release "Ghosts I-IV".... Also, why wasn’t this release, as it goes back and forth between driving metal and reflective psychedelia—perhaps reflecting the wild mood swings of the protagonist in this story—instead entitled "Mind of a Madman" or "Memoirs of a Sociopath”: unless perhaps both already taken? This is definitely an album to reflect upon, as there is a story worth hearing on here. (Bob Szekely)

(The Compound/Battleground Rec - 2014)

Score: 90

https://battlegroundrecords.bandcamp.com/album/godhunter-secrets-of-the-sky-gh-ost-s

Godhunter - City of Dust

#FOR FANS OF: Doom/Sludge

This work is highly political, reminiscent of the American protest folk music of the 1960s, such as Bob Dylan and Country Joe and the Fish. The subject matter of "City of Dust" focuses not on general social issues, but rather sharply on issues in the state of Arizona (primarily Tucson), which leads to the conclusion that this is where these guys are from--otherwise, why would they care, unless of course these issues they write about are things which have affected them profoundly and directly? My major complaint with most records in this genre is that they usually omit lyric sheets, leaving it up for the listener to try to and decode the message. I was most impressed in that not only did Godhunter include lyric sheets, but they've provided footnotes as well, that clearly point to the circumstances of inspiration for each piece, and what it's about. Collectively, the footnotes alone add up to a half a page just by themselves. This is a very politically and ecologically aware piece, which to my experience, is not very common subject matter for metal. As I alluded to in my opening, this kind of informed protest has traditionally been the realm of folk music. The included footnotes include several books the listener is recommend to read, to help develop a better understanding of the issues the songs on this release address. Here are the recommendations: "War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning" - CHRIS HEDGES; "Rats in the Walls" - HP LOVECRAFT (short story--also the title of the second song here); "Cadillac Desert" - MARC REISNER; "Hope Dies Last" - STUDS TERKEL; "Blood Orchid" - CHARLES BOWDEN; and "La Calle" - LYDIA R. OTERO. I can see why metal would provide a more emphatic form of protest than acoustic folk. Subtlety this days tends to get lost in the noise of all the TV soundbites and the 24/7/365 news cycle that we’re all immersed in today, that didn't exist in the 1960s. Information traveled a lot slower then, so people responded pretty well to, and actually understood wry sarcasm in music. Less so these days: besides, metal has always been the best musical medium for expressing frustration and anger at things, and this guys have got that going in spades. No posing here: No Venom-like pseudo-glam fake Satanism is used here for the sake of getting publicity. These guys are REAL: they are sincere and committed to their message, and deathly serious about what they have to say. Now enough on the inspiration and on to the music itself (and there's a lot more to be found in the references on the lyric sheets. Make sure that you have them in hand when listening to this). Godhunter gives us a doomy sludge sound worthy of 'Black Sabbath's Volume 4' with a bit of 'Down II' tossed in, a sprinkling of Sleep, and a vocal style which is a cross between that of the lead vocalist of Texas Hippie Coalition and Phil Anselmo. There are 8 tracks on "City of Dust" (subtitled "A Conversation Between Hope and Despair"): (1) "Despite All"; (2) "Rats in the Walls"; (3) "Brushfires"; (4) "Snake Oil Dealers"; (5) "Shooting Down the Sun"; (6) "Palace of Thorn" (yes, that's not a typo - it says "Thorn"--singular--sans "s"--on the lyric sheet); (7) "City of Dust" (the title track), and closing with (8) "Plague Widow". This is real shit these guys are writing about: no dragons, no knights, no cosmic catastrophes, but real-life, close to home issues that this band really cares about. And these are things that they want their listeners to care about, as well. A couple of the songs include spoken introductions. The album opens (in "Despite All") with an excerpt from a speech given by Chris Hedges under foreboding synth swells (see the reference to his book in the recommended reading list cited earlier in this review): "We live now in a nation where doctors destroy health; lawyers destroy justice; universities destroy knowledge; government destroys freedom; press destroys information; religion destroys morals, and our banks destroy the economy." Track 3, "Brushfires" starts with a speech on civil disobedience Howard Zinn gave in 1971 against the Vietnam War: "Learn to disobey. So you police and you FBI, if you want to arrest people who are violating the law, then you shouldn't be here--you should be in Washington! You should go there immediately: and arrest the President and his advisors, on the charge of disturbing the peace of the world." Of note, the pace changes with the fifth track, "Shooting Down the Sun", which is a dark, deeply emotive and soulful acoustic piece with great raw, melodic vocals. It’s very similar in feeling to Black Sabbath's "Planet Caravan" or "Changes", yet imagine Joe Cocker as a metal vocalist in place of Ozzy Osbourne. In short, if you like a mix of doom and groove metal, these guys will pull you right in, and not let you go. But after you’ve given it a few spins just absorbing the feel and the vibe, sit down with the lyric sheet, and explore the deeper meaning of the songs on "City of Dust.” You'll be glad you did. This is true "Metal with Meaning"--and that's not necessarily a bad thing, at least once in a while. (Bob Szekely)

(The Compound/Battleground Records - 2014)

Score: 90

https://www.facebook.com/godhuntertucson666

Sunn 0))) & Ulver - Terrestrials

#FOR FANS OF: Drone/Ambient/Experimental 

Coming in at only three tracks, reviewing this felt like trying to review one of the "Environments" recordings that were popular in the 1970s — soundscapes of nature, recorded to stimulate reflection, meditation and relaxation. Prior to giving this recording a listen, I was familiar with Sunn 0)))'s release 'Black One' —extremely slow, droning, ambient metal. But with the inclusion of Ulver on this recording, who has bounced between black metal, Norwegian folk, electronica, avant-garde, industrial, psychedelic and other genres, it definitely takes on a bit of a more experimental flavor. It took me a while to determine how to review this work, because the nature of this type of composition makes it more amorphous than what we typically identify as metal music. Since it is so atmospheric, I decided to immerse myself in the feelings and images it stimulated, and write of those. In order, now are my impressions of the three pieces on 'Terrestrial': 1) "Let There Be Light" - at almost eleven and-and-a-half minutes, this song opens with a fade-in of echoing notes, very atmospheric and conjuring a surreal, flow-of-consciousness type of feeling. Reverberating strings and keyboards undulate in and out of the mix, followed by bleating horns announcing the break of dawn. This piece is reminiscent 'City of Angels', in which Nicholas Cage, before choosing to fall to mortality, hears the music of the dawn with the other angels. The horns continue, suggesting the endless possibilities of the newfound day which stands before us, alternating between patiently waiting for us to choose a path and teasingly drawing us to choose a potential to start on the path of reality - of becoming more than just a thought or a dream. Halfway through the piece, we here later movements warning of potential danger and conflict of choosing certain potentialities, while simultaneously warning of the greater danger of making not choice at all--of allow all potentials to be irrevocably lost. Around 8:10 the mix thins out--percussion and dissonance come in, heralding the message that the time to choose has past, as our path through the day has now been cast. We must know move through that choice, to wherever it takes us, until we fulfill its potential and arrive at its destination. 2) "Western Horn" - the swell that opens this track is much darker and foreboding that its predecessor. It seems to foreshadow the suggestion of possible imminent danger lurking just ahead, around the next turn. It suggests a ship at sea sailing to uncharted lands--trying to find a better route to a new, yet undiscovered world. It could be a soundtrack to the sailor's map of the middle to late medieval ages, conjuring up the notation of "There Be Dragons" in unexplored territories. Is this voyage a fool's errand? Shall we fall off the edge of Earth, into perdition? Shall we live to return and tell the tale of our trip? Sustained strings and keyboards, occasional buried voices and bass notes set the scene of a potentially terrifying, yet somehow necessary, journey. Between 8:30 and 8:59 it seems that we may well have arrived, as the song then begins to fade.... 3) "Eternal Return" - at 14:10, this is the longest (and final) track on "Terrestrials". Starting with isolated strings, perhaps a Japanese koto, or someone plucking the strings of a piano or a harp, haunting violin melodies and soft organ swim in and out of the forefront of the mix, conjuring the meditative reflection of being fully present in the 'eternal now'. Around 7:30 or so, soft, male voices, piano chords, and pizzicato strings come forth, announcing arrival and a triumph soon to be won. Is this the Buddhist 'satori' - the transcendence of earthly woes through transcendence of self, in union with the cosmic all? Around 10:30, we find ourselves being pulled back from our lofty vantage point — back into the threats and dangers of the mundane existence of the physical. We cannot escape ourselves for long, while we must learn to cherish those times when we do. A bittersweet victory, as we cannot stay outside of ourselves ("in extasis") for very long, if we are to continue to live in this world. Yet, for all of us, lay ahead a permanent escape, at the end of life. If there is an intangible soul which transcends the body, we should expect to be reborn into this world of physicality. All-in-all, with this work, Sunn0))) and Ulver may have arrived at the perfect union of what Sun Ra's Arkestra and Black Sabbath were both trying to achieve. That is, to evoke pure waves of emotion in the listener. The second song, in particular, could easily fit as the soundtrack of a Gothic horror film. 'Terrestrials' is not for cruising, headbanging or windmilling, but it is perfect music for deep and profound reflection, while still providing the necessary catharsis that is a hallmark of heavy metal. (Bob Szekely) 

(Southern Lord - 2014) 

Score: 85 

http://sunnulversl.bandcamp.com/

Ancient Ascendant – Echoes and Cinder

#FOR FANS OF: Black/Death, Bolt Thrower

This band’s name clearly places them toward the earliest positioning in the category of extreme metal: which is either a brilliant marketing move, or serendipitous luck. That having been said, Ancient Ascendant demonstrates some real musical chops: using Pantera-like grooves in the guitar rhythms, they don’t find it necessary to lean on the common technique of using slowly ascending patterns of rapidly double-picked single guitar notes to build tension in the music, nor do they need to rely on the indulgent solos of high-speed neo-classical sweeps along the lines of Yngwie or the finger gymnastics of Petrucci. Rather — where evident— guitar solos and bass runs are simple and melodic, yet soulful. There is a lot of ‘light and shade’ in the songs on this release, as compared to the brief soft break found in Arch Enemy’s “My Apocalypse” around roughly 2:40 into the track, as a point of comparison. I found four of the seven tracks on 'Echoes and Cinder' to be of particular note. The leading track, “Crones to the Flames”, which opens with a standard percussive dark metal a capella vocal growl-shout, caught my attention by its title. More poetic than the hysteric "Burn the Witch", the opening chord is mildly reminiscent of Sekshun 8’s "Black Winged Butterfly". I can’t help but wonder if the title of this track was somehow inspired by the Wiccan trinity of Maiden, Mother, Crone. “Patterns of Bane”, the second track on this release, demonstrates an unusual sense of dynamics for extreme metal: opening with a finger picked diminished chord — as drum accents and bass pedal-like tones shortly join in, followed by power-chord and drum roll accents, which leads us to expect the full-bore heavy part immediately next. But, no — it turns out to be essentially a deceptive cadence, as we are returned to a now-modulated finger picked chord, as a controlled-feedback fade-in leads us into a heavy, groove-oriented rhythm guitar over the top of it, with chord inversions and augmentations reminiscent of George Lynch (Dokken, Lynch Mob). The musicianship evident here far exceeds that provided by seminal bands of the genre such as Venom and Slayer, and partly harkens back to Ozzy-era Black Sabbath, echoing "Don't Start (Too Late)", the instrumental guitar intro to "Symptom of the Universe" from the 'Sabotage' album. Yet it goes a step further — as Tony Iommi would often write and record full song softer instrumentals, such as "Laguna Sunrise" from 'Volume 4' and "Embryo" from 'Master of Reality', or softer works with vocals like "Planet Caravan" from Paranoid, and "Solitude" from 'Master of Reality'. It wasn't until the beginning of the Dio era, where we began to hear these parts becoming more integral to their songs, such as the opening/verse of "Children of the Sea" and the ending of "Heaven and Hell", both from the album 'Heaven and Hell'. In "Patterns of Bane" Ancient Ascendant takes the haunting feel of early Iommi guitar instrumentals, merges it with later post-Ozzy Sabbath guitar interludes, and uses it as a recurring bridge in the song, varying both feel and tempo throughout — making this song essentially a powerhouse of progressive-tech death metal, seamlessly merging the best elements of all in a song that draws its power equally from both the genre elements it utilizes, along with intelligent song construction and superior execution in performance and recording. The third track, “Riders” [of Woe] starts as de rigeur thrash replete with blast beat. In the middle of the bridge/breakdown at about 1:42-1:43 we hear a classic blues rock riff harmonized in fourths ending the part. At approximately 2:56, a soulful, expessive guitar solo comes in (save for the last dissonant note) a refreshing change from the high speed atonal riffery we hear in seminal bands such as Slayer courtesy of Kerry King. In the refrain, the drummer demonstrates his stamina backing up the guitars and vocals with rolling double-kicks — admittedly it's not as overdone here as it is in every song by Dragonforce: but a much more dynamic and effective use of this drum technique is demonstrated by Tommy Aldridge in the opening for Ozzy Osbourne's "Over the Mountain". Double-bass should be used sparingly for accent and dramatic effect. Otherwise, it just becomes background thumpa-thud machine-gun droning, detracting from the song. Lastly, “Embers”, is in this reviewer’s opinion easily the best song found here. It is a beautifully dark instrumental, powerfully evocative of loneliness and struggle. Against a background of gentle sounds like that of a dying fire burning inside a cave, the song begins with a finger-picked nylon-stringed acoustic, as a strumming steel-string shortly joins in. Shortly thereafter also do tambourine and bass guitar. The mix builds as a piano/bass break leads into classical acoustic guitar resounding and haunting with steely ringing strums as accompaniment. Soft mallet percussion joins in slowly like bongos. Diminished chord arpeggios — a blend of soft melodies and bright chording — swell into synth strings and vocals, as drums join in — softly but insistently building up to a swift gallop which alludes to the mysteries of the Far East. A crescendo builds into a profound swirl of sound, as we return to the lonely guitars still singing their song of woe, echoing the earlier sadness of the pianoforte's melody. Picture yourself staring into the softly crackling fire, the only light and heat available. You reflect on your past, present and future — perhaps recklessly immersing yourself fully in all three facets of this never-ending now. You lose your mind and soul to the timelessness of the flame — until it dies and you are finally released back to an uncertain and foreboding present. Even though I only truly connected with about half the songs here, those songs are powerful examples of the craft, power and emotion these musicians are capable of. 'Echoes and Cinder' is highly recommended for newcomers to extreme metal, as well as for current fans of progressive metal, who may tend to like their music just a little bit darker than standard prog-metal fare. (Bob Szekely)

(Candlelight Records - 2014)
Score: 90

https://www.facebook.com/ancientascendant

Lord First - The Wordless Wisdom of Lord First

#FOR FANS OF: NWOBHM, Iron Maiden, Mercyful Fate

Although the words "Lord" and "Fist" are each powerful standing alone, their juxtaposition as "Lord Fist" can be construed as somewhat homo-erotically suggestive, especially considered in the light of the title of the third track, “Velvet Gods” (more on this track below). I don't know if this was the band's intent, i.e., are they first openly gay metal band? If so, in this day and age, I would think that their music should speak for itself regardless, as when Rob Halford publicly outed himself years ago, he amusedly commented that no one noticed his S&M stage regalia (leather and studs) as being derived from the homosexual subculture of the 1970s. Yet he lost no popularity in his standing as the "Metal God" as a result of that personal revelation. I have noticed that vocalist sticks primarily to his lower register except for one high scream introducing the break on "Velvet Gods". It's clear that whoever is handling the vocal chores has a competent singing voice, although most of the melodies are rather monotone, in that regard, and could use some harmonies on the song choruses and refrains—we do hear some of this on “Velvet Gods”, but it sounds like multitracked unison vocals of the same voice, not the harmonious combining of several different voices. Upon later re-listenings I discovered that there actually are some subtle harmonies buried in here, they are the same voice, and they fail to grab the listener’s ear (I couldn’t detect the harmonies until I played the song back through headphones vs speakers in my car). Based on this, I assume that one of the instrumentalists (probably the rhythm guitarist) is also the vocalist? It is refreshing to hear heavy music without the requisite death or black metal percussive growls, which seem to have become de rigeur in all metal subgenres save for power and progressive metal. Even symphonic metal seems to have adopted the juxtaposition of an operatic female vocalist on some verses contrasted against the guttural, neo-percussive vocal growls and rasps which have become so common on so much metal music today. However, that having been said, the vocal timbre doesn't stand out as its own instrument, particularly as the vocals are practically buried in the mix on the first track. This leading track, entitled “Lord of the Night” starts off with a hammered-on riff--removing the pick attack--along with glissando chord accompaniment. It then breaks into a thrash beat, with numerous high speed repeating atonal riffs over the top of the rhythm: almost a 'Maiden meets Slayer meets Dragonforce' kind of vibe, except the overall recording has a very demo-ish sound to it. The drum kit is pretty dry, but the snare, instead of having a sharp 'snap' to it, instead has a 'boxy', amateurish tone, that is distracting from a band trying to present itself as a metal band. The guitar distortion on the rhythm guitars sounds like a weak, early-mid 1960s kind of rock distortion, neither scooped nor having the heavy bottom expected from heavy metal guitars on modern-day recordings. The lead guitar's tone sounds almost like a mild, jazzy overdrive, sort of out of place in these type of compositions. The second track, “Headless Rider” starts off with a drum beat with a bass riff which sounds like an homage to early Paul Di’Anno/Steve Harris-era Maiden. First one guitar starts playing a modal riff, then a second, blends with a twin guitar harmony lines reminiscent of Thin Lizzy. The closing track, “Fire Within”, starts to show the potential of Lord Fist, with more interesting and soulful vocal melodies, than the first three tracks. Also, the riff-progression toward the second half of the song makes a nod to the minor tonalities of classic Sabbath. I’m not sure if “Wordless Wisdom of Lord Fist” is Lord Fist’s first or second release, as I found what was labeled as a demo of theirs elsewhere, entitled “Spark for the Night” which also consisted of four songs. The songwriting and production of “Spark…” seemed more mature than those “Wordless Wisdom….” In any case, the second half of “Wordless Wisdom” seems to contain the better tracks of this release. With an overall improvement in production (updating the guitar and drum tones from the 1960s-era studio sound/1980s basement demo sound), they could well appeal to fans of Maiden, Sabbath, and peripherally, even Thin Lizzy—if they continue to use modal guitar harmonies as a feature in most of their compositions. I think they should continue to shape their style in the vein of classic rock and power metal as that seems to be the niche that fits them best, and this reviewer believes that it is from there that their best material will be yet to come. (Bob Szekely)

(Ektro Records - 2013)
Score: 70

https://www.facebook.com/lordfistlegions

Lifewoven - Dreadnought

#FOR FANS OF: Black Jazz Progressive

Dreadnought is a Denver (CO) band that can best be described as psychedelic jazz/prog-metal fusion. Between frequent drum rim shots and ride cymbal, odd time signatures, clear vocal harmonies that at first hearken to Jon Anderson and Chris Squire in Yes which in the next second they morph into something far more tense and foreboding. Classic rock influences poke their heads though occasionally and briefly--with organ textures reminiscent of Keith Emerson and Jon Lord (Hammond B3) making furtive cameos. Flute melodies on top of power chords meld into sections with black metal vocals which segue into instrumentals leaning into prog-rock territory when suddenly, trumpet solos erupt. Lifewoven can be reflective and jazzy with rock undercurrents one moment and with demonic vocal howls overlaying the song the next. For listeners who like progressive and jazzy elements mixed with rock and metal, I suggest you give this a try. I've yet to find anything quite like this, but it does grow on you. The musicianship is top notch, as the members of Dreadnought take you on emotional and mental voyage, as they explore elements of multiple genres with each song movement, while making the synthesis and evolution of each song somehow sound natural. There are five songs on this release, each with a single-word title: "Nascence", "Lift", "Deluge", "Utopia", "Immolate" and "Renaissance". The shortest song, "Immolate" clocks in at just under five minutes, the longest, "Deluge" at almost thirteen-and-a-half. A lot of emotions and feelings are explored on "Lifewoven". It's a musical journey that is well worth taking. (Bob Szekely)

(Self - 2013)
Score: 90

https://www.facebook.com/dreadnoughtband

Transient - Transient

#FOR FANS OF: Black, Grindcore, S.O.D.

Solid grindcore replete with blast beats and black metal vocals. Each of the 16 tracks on this release are less than two minutes long, with the opener — “Bottom Feeder” clocking in at less than a minute. Initially, I wondered if Transient were trying to be the Ramones of extreme metal, with their ridiculously short tunes, until I remembered that Stormtroopers of Death (S.O.D.) had been there first. Transient is a band which appears to enjoy punning in their song titles: such as “Praying Mantic”, which opens with a heavy bass/drum groove; “Van Grinder” (perhaps a reference to the National Lampoon movie “Van Wilder”?) and “Big Man Plick” (remember the last “Lethal Weapon” film where Mel Gibson’s character keeps saying to the Chinese restauranteur ‘Flied Lice? Flied Lice??” to which the restauranteur finally responds, “It’s FRIED RICE, you PLICK!!”). “Goad” opens with heavy, distorted bass on top of a thrash beat before the guitars and vocals come in. “False Philanthropy” starts with a slow, doomy riff. “Narcissus Nemesis” kicks off with an ‘all guns blazing’ progression (*nod to Judas Priest*), before going into a chromatic riff. The opening of “Sustain the Yoke” is a solid headbanging / mosh-pit groove. It then pulls back into a slower middle riff before launching back into straight ahead balls-to-the-wall (*nod to Accept*) power thrash, then alternating to riff breakdown with heavy bass. I really do wish that bands would include lyric sheets with these releases, as I can recall in the early days of hard rock/proto-metal—which was pre-extreme-screamo-vox—songs such as the Jimi Hendrix classic “Purple Haze” where he was thought to be singing “Scuse me, while I kiss this guy” (instead of “Scuse me, while I kiss the sky”), and the AC/DC classic “Dirty Deeds” (before original vocalist Bon Scott’s death from alcohol toxemia, which was the inspiration for the Ozzy Osbourne song “Suicide Solution”, referring to drinking oneself to death by accident), where Bon was thought to be singing “Dirty Deeds and the Thunder Chief” (instead of ‘Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”). If bands don’t want the message of their music to be misunderstood, they shouldn’t leave the correct hearing of their lyrics to chance. Overall, I expect this release to be truly a joy for lovers of grindcore, with irony and attitude permeating throughout. (Bob Szekely)

(Six Weeks Records - 2013)
Score: 90

https://www.facebook.com/transientbrutality

Centuries - Taedium Vitae

#FOR FANS OF: Black Hardcore

Opening with a slow, atmospheric fade, “Incipit Tragoedia” (First Tragedy), segues into the second track, “Caeruleus” (Water Spirits). Segues are prevalent between most of the songs on this release. Centuries is an extreme metal band with black metal vocals using slower beats—as opposed to standard blast beat fare — and includes some solid headbanging grooves, such as in “Gelu” (Chill of Death) and “Metus” (Object of Dread) — channeling a touch of Pantera feeling in these rhythms. The disc title, which I first interpreted as 'Tired of Life', is more accurately translated as 'Weary of Life'. They are a Florida (USA) band that has added a degree of mystery to their image by choosing Latin titles for all of their songs on this disc, as well as the disc title itself. This makes me wonder if one of the band members is a former seminary student (since they don’t teach Latin anywhere else these days, to my knowledge), or if they just used the ‘Net to translate their song titles for dramatic effect. That having been said, there are additional shades of meaning that may come from alternate translations of the song titles than the ones chosen to appear in this review. This reviewer has barely begun to develop an ear for understanding the guttural percussive effect of death metal vocals, and has yet to develop an ear for deciphering the words rendered in the full-throated screams of the black metal vocal style. “Tabeo” (Decay) is extreme noise-metal with a drumbeat, including a clean narrative vocal in the background in English. All in all, I found 'Taedium Vitae' (although somewhat inscrutable) best described as a cross between Anaal Nathrakh and Dissection, as it should appeal to fans of both groups. Be forewarned, however not to expect the smooth, tight rhythms tones of the latter, as Centuries’ rhythm guitars on this disc are overdriven yet jangling, with the accidental dissonance of occasional open strings retained on the recording for effect (as pioneered roughly a half-century ago on the Beatles’ neo-metal tune, “Helter Skelter” which appeared on their infamous 'White Album'). (Bob Szekely)

(Southern Lord - 2013)
Score: 60

http://centuriessl.bandcamp.com/releases

Theologian - Some Things Have to be Endured

#FOR FANS OF: Black Ambient Drone, Sunn o)))

Upon hearing the opening strains of the first track, "Black Cavern Myopia", the initial impression I formed of Theologian was to describe it as industrial drone metal. However, after repeated listenings to 'Some Things Have to Be Endured' in its entirety, I later came to the conclusion that a more accurate description of the genre for this music might actually be ambient-atmospheric drone rock. The first two plays were on my car stereo driving to and from work (a roughly 40-minute drive) during which I realized that the subdued mix on this recording was probably better appreciated at higher volumes on a high-end system or through headphones. At that point, I raised it from background music volume to a more immersive level, at which point I became aware of the subtleties of the mix. I pulled out and re-listened to some old Sunn o))) and Earth tunes as comparison points, and have concluded that although this release shares the extremely slow tempos and drop bass pedal tones with those two groups on some tracks, it seems to include more progressive and classical elements in its soundscapes. I would suggest that the eight tracks on this release are better regarded as movements in an overall symphony than as individual songs. The imagery of the included e-booklet would suggest black metal, but when this reviewer thinks of black-metal drone, Anaal Nathrakh’s 'Hell is Empty and All the Devils Are Here' is what immediately comes to mind. The lyrics are evocative (as printed in the included e-booklet) but the operatic female vocals are buried in the mix, and in some cases, are also awash in reverb and delay. The closing track, "Welcome to the Golden Age of Beggars", includes the lyric: “The Junkie / That Brings Guilt/ In a Terrifying Darkness / Worship the Sensation / That No Longer Exists / Obsessed With his Obsession / Swallow the Filth / Wanting the Touch / Despising Him / For the Agony is Deep and Heavy”, which carries great emotional weight (but unfortunately, isn’t readily perceptible in the mix). This lyric may possibly explain the cover image (identified as “Mother Love”) of a nude woman covered bodily by a translucent veil; with both breasts bared and her right breast partially penetrated by quills. 'Some Things Have to be Endured' is not a soundtrack for cruising or head banging to, but may be better suited for listening to during reflection or meditation. It is unfortunate that some very profound lyrics are lost in a very dense mix. The best, deepest appreciation of this work may likely result from dedicated and focused repeated listenings: as this is clearly not a work for the casual listener. (Bob Szekely)

(Crucial Blast - 2013)
Score: 60

http://crucialblast.bandcamp.com/album/some-things-have-to-be-endured

Iron Tongue - The Dogs Have Barked, The Birds Have Flown

#FOR FANS OF: Hard Rock, Stoner, Doom

The music of Iron Tongue is steeped in late 1960s/early 1970s nascent hard rock stylings (replete with classic rock organ), with a touch of doom metal and stoner rock tossed in for flavor. The two opening chords of the first song, “Ever After” is reminiscent of the Rolling Stones’ “Angie”, albeit the singer is a second-rate soul shouter along the lines of a pitchy Dan McCaffrey (Nazareth). Later on, this track goes into a moody bluesy Led-Zeppelin styled “Since I’ve Been Loving You” solo section. There is a clear Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath) influence in the style of the bassist on many tracks, whereas even the opening and closing of the track “Lioness” is somewhat reminiscent of Black Sabbath’s “Hand of Doom”, although the bass tone is more reminiscent of doom band “Sleep”. Unfortunately the lyrics are, at best sophomoric: “…she catches a fish/her claws are deep/in two inches”. Track 4, “Moon Unit” opens with a slide guitar, hinting at southern rock a la Molly Hatchet. Although the lead singer provides an impassioned performance throughout, the backup female voices should be brought to the fore in his stead. Unlike black or death metal, atonal (or pitchy) vocals don’t work in this fusion of classic rock and doom/stoner metal, where sticking to minor tonalities and tritone progressions are what ultimately give this music its flavor. So although the music is well-performed, well-produced and is very listenable overall, the vocalist unfortunately makes the experience rather anticlimactic, i.e., the expected catharsis (which is one of the great attractions of metal) never truly materializes. It’s almost as though he’s trying too hard to constantly emote in his vocal delivery. A contrast of a more sedate, moody, consistently on-pitch vocalist with this music may strengthen and unify this band’s material. This is the first release I’ve heard by Iron Tongue: I don’t know if they have a back catalogue, or if this is their first recording. Recommend that in future efforts they get a better lead vocalist, and include some more thoughtful (and poetic) lyrics, in order to bring what this reviewer perceives as their slightly underdeveloped musical vision to fruition. Overall, great potential, but falls short. San vocalist, and in the immediate future, Iron Tongue could be a top-notch instrumental fusion of doom/stoner metal with classic hard rock. If they can get the right vocalist/lyricist fronting the band, they could be a musical force to be reckoned with in the future. (Bob Szekely)

(Neurot Recordings - 2013)
Score: 80

https://www.facebook.com/Irontongue