Nachtvorst - "Silence" CD

Forward-thinking post-doom-black metal with swirl and drone...

Nachtvorst are a Rotterdam, Holland-based duo, and their second album, "Silence", shows a remarkable ear for texture and mood, especially for a black doom metal-oriented act. Opening with the epic 11-minute "The Serpent's Tongue", Nachtvorst combine the bewitching ferocity of black metal with classical, drone, post-rock, and electronic textures. "After..." is a lovely piano and string-laden instrumental interlude that shows these guys have skills and interests well beyond the usual, and the album opens up deeper from there.

"Nightwinds" is a moody, atmospheric 9-minute drone/post-metal that strikes hard, while the depressive "Gentle Notice Of A Final Breath" could be a distant cousin of Mono, building to a crushing crescendo before....the track simply cuts off. Not cool. A terrible shame, especially considering this may have been the album's high point. "A Way Of Silence" closes it out with 14 minutes of mid-tempo atmospheres, from speedy thrash to mopey, melodic darkwave. It's a strong track, to be sure, taking us on a journey across a landscape of sorrow and loss. A brilliant ending to a strong, but flawed album.

Code666 / Aural Music

Nachtvorst site

Nachtvorstspace

Neurosis - "Honor Found In Decay" CD

The long-awaited studio album from influential "post-metal" group Neurosis offers much to those who listen. In the wake of other heavy music (don't call them "metal") mavens like Pelican, Isis, or the formidable Russian Circles, Neurosis are like grand-dads now, re-asserting their throne after a 5-year absence.

Neurosis begins with the subtle textures of "We All Rage In Gold", which takes a few minutes to build. By the end of it's 6+ minutes, the band is in full-on sludge mode. This is just about as heavy as rock can get. "At The Well" is initially as plodding/grueling as early SWANS, all slow-motion pummel and agonized wails, before erupting outwards. "My Heart For Deliverance" is a huge 11-minute monolith of down-tuned riffage, scathing vocals, and ambient effects that climax with soft strings and mountainous guitar churn. 

Neurosis haven't missed a beat on "Honor Found In Decay", proving that this former Bay Area hardcore band has evolved well beyond what anyone could've ever imagined. This is a monster of an album, complete with huge riffs, subtle introspection, throat-searing anger, psychedelic textures, and massive drums. Play this one loudly and absorb. 

(Neurot Recordings)

Seidr - "For Winter Fire" album

Hailing from Louisville, Kentucky, this is the full-length debut from the duo of Austin Lunn (of extreme metal act Panopticon) and Wesley Crow. Equally befitting for fans of Mayhem or Mogwai,"For Winter Fire" contains 7 extended-length tracks of forward-thinking post-metal. Mixing sinister, distorted black/doom with more expansive textural instrumentation, "For Winter Fire" is a brilliant and far-reaching collection of sounds, simultaneously haunting and gentle in spots before unleashing a maelstrom of scalding grind. For example, the spacious and beautiful "A Vision From Hllidskjalf", reminds me of Ennio Morricone meets Explosions In The Sky at first, before exploding into a triumphant doom metal beast.

"On The Shoulders Of Gods" invokes Skin Chamber almost, with its aura of impenetrable lurch-and-grind. "Sweltering" brings in the sounds of a casual thunderstorm amidst Mono-style guitar swirl. "In The Ashes" is a solemn hymn, evoking images of a religious ceremony, while "A Gaze At The Stars" is a slow, churning Swans/Neurosis attack. The final cut, "Stream Keeper" begins akin to Icelandic atmospheric band Stafraenn Hakon (a good thing), before erupting into another slow-burn char-broiled doom metal monsterpiece. Seidr have created a rock-solid piece of work that transcends genre. Bravo. Perhaps I will be fortunate enough to see these lads live? (The Flenser)

Seidrspace

Ulver - "Wars Of The Roses" album

Few bands have evolved so drastically (or intelligently) as Norway's Ulver. Beginning life in 1993 as a fairly typical black metal act, Ulver have, in recent years, embraced electronic music, ambient, folk, post-rock, and film soundtrack work, all with equal respect and reverence. "Wars Of The Roses" is the band's 8th studio album, and the evolution is striking and effective.

The surprising and brilliant Krautrock/pop of "February MMX" opens, complete with melodic chorus and hooks. Definitely a long way from the band's roots, but quite good. The rest of the album is similarly textural and layered, yet not at all lightweight. Co-production and mixing by John Fryer (known for his work with the early 4AD Records label) surely contribute to the album's ethereal moodiness, but Ulver's visionary psychedelic soundscapes are deep and almost magical. Their heart is still blackened, but their process and tools are much more colorful and diverse.

Other standouts include "Providence", a gorgeous (but dark) piano-led piece featuring female vocals, and the epic "September IV". The closer, "Stone Angels", runs 15 minutes and is an ambient narrative featuring new member Daniel O'Sullivan reciting poetry alongside lovely meditational ambience and a powerful percussive finale. Fitting. An incredible album from an innovative and unique group. (Kscope Music)

Ulverspace (not official?)

Ulver's own label and official band site

Parlour - "Simulacrenfield" CD

From the fertile musical landscape of Louisville, Kentucky, Parlour arose over a decade ago from the same indie scene as bands like Slint, Crain, and Rodan. In fact, founding member Tim Furnish was also a member of Crain, and has played with Papa M/Aerial M, among others. This full-length is their first release in 5 years, and it's a well-done collision of seemingly disparate musical influences. Parlour are a rock band who don't play rock music. The instrumentation is there -- guitars, drums, clarinet, sax, and synths. But the music reveals itself to be more like a post-rock, proto-jazz soundtrack. There are no vocals, as Parlour let their music do the talking, so to speak. And that's fine by me, as this album proves to be an exceptional melange of moods, textures, and rhythms.

The muscular "Destruction Paper" opens, with a densely-mixed music box effect (a combination of keyboards and guitars) circled by tight, propulsive rhythms. Also particularly effective is the swelling and melodic "Wedder", which drives into a beautiful climax of chiming guitars and clarinet squalls. Fans of Explosions In The Sky will appreciate the textural dynamics here. The 10-minute closer, "Sea Of Bubbly Goo", is a spacy and thunderous confluence of Krautrock-style pulsations (think Neu! or Can) and modern post-jazz broadstrokes (ala Tortoise). An incredible track, and a fitting conclusion to this wonderful recording. (Temporary Residence)

Parlour's site

Parlourspace

U.S. Christmas - "Run Thick In The Night" CD

What this Appalachian (Carolina/Tennessee) psychedelic/metal act does so well, can't be easily pinpointed. They write strong, epic, bewildering rock songs with a bluesy side, but their massive, dense sound aligns them closer to post-rock psychedelia. They are as comfortable writing acoustic mountain folk as they are performing deep, crunchy space-out jams. And that is damned cool. The 13-minute "In The Night" opens with an impressive Hawkwind-meets-SWANS astral dirge. It's a powerful introduction, and a perfect harbinger of what is to come on this 76-minute album that dares to send plumes of smoky drones and lysergic effects into the stratosphere. "Wolf On Anareta" is a feral, tranced-out beast, whereas "Ephraim In The Stars" is a memorable and melodic piece with strings. "The Leonids" is a haunting strings & guitar interlude, and the band amp it up for "Deep Green", which swarms with their powerful noise/drone psychedelia that's both imposing and alluring. "Devil's Flower In Mother Winter" is a woozy folk number with Megham Mulhearn's prominent violin. I could go on an on regarding this album, but suffice to say it's one of my favorites of this year. (Neurot Recordings)

USXspace

USX's Nate Hall lists his 5 top places in Appalachia...great article and photos!

Year Of No Light - "Ausserwelt" CD

From France comes this formidable and majestic post-metal juggernaut which calls to mind the potent tribal nihilism of bands like Isis or Neurosis (sans caveman grunting, thankfully), all the while maintaining a crystalline drone/shoegaze guitar backdrop that could please fans of Mono or Explosions In The Sky. "Ausserwelt" opens with 20 minutes of "Persephone" (in 2 parts), and these crushing instrumentals aptly exhibit the massive, earth-crushing momentum of what must be one of France's most potent bands.

This album only contains 4 tracks, but make no mistake -- it's 48 minutes of carefully-crafted, intense psychedelic-metal that's so stunningly tectonic that YONL must aim to summon primordial beasts from beyond with every reverberating drum laceration and swirling guitar whirlpool. When it all winds down, on the 13-minute "Abbesse", a fleet of ambient sounds gently lulls the beast back to the abyss. An amazing, powerful, and standout release here. I am duly impressed. (Conspiracy Records)

Year Of No Light site

Year Of No Lightspace

Mono - "Holy Ground: NYC Live With The Wordless Music Orchestra" CD/DVD

Among their post-rock brethren, Japanese loud-soft rockers Mono are perhaps the most disciplined and symphonic of all. Their devastatingly intense live shows are consistently among the very best concerts I've ever seen, and it seems I'm not alone in that sentiment. So, joining up with a full orchestra to perform for 2 consecutive nights in New York doesn't seem much of a stretch for this band.

Building with the string section in the opener, "Ashes In The Snow", Mono and the Wordless Music Orchestra lead into the swarming crescendos of "Burial At Sea", as the band rides a cascade of swirling noise and bombastic percussion. "Pure As Snow" is epic -- with mop-haired guitarist Taka Goto kicking over his chair and attacking his guitar and effects boxes with reckless abandon. My favorite, "Halcyon (Beautiful Days)" is as beautiful and majestic as it gets, with the orchestra enhancing the band's gorgeous melodies and crushing finale.

Mono's strength lies in their mastery of juxtaposing gentle, soft guitar lullabies with powerful waves of amped-up noise. Their music is simultaneously energetic, lilting, monolithic, gentle, cathartic, peaceful, savage, and sorrowful...yet it always finishes with unquestionable hopefulness and humble humanity. "Holy Ground" is possibly the group at it's pinnacle. Mixing by Matt Bayles (Mastodon, Isis, Soundgarden) brings the live experience up to par with the studio recordings, while the DVD is a no-frills (but multi-camera) affair that more accurately represents the live experience than their 2007 tour documentary, "The Sky Remains The Same As Ever". "Holy Ground: NYC Live" is a splendid package, and priced more than reasonably. It's a must-see for fans as well as those curious about Mono's blindingly evocative and gorgeous experimental rock. (Temporary Residence)

Mono's website

Rosetta - "A Determinism Of Morality" CD

Taking obvious cues from post-metal juggernauts like Neurosis or Pelican, as well as the expansive, atmospheric guitar landscapes of Mono or Explosions In The Sky, this Philadelphia band's 4th full-length resonates with a duality that's impressive, if a bit hard to swallow for purists of either the avante-metal or post-rock scenes. On one hand, Rosetta's moody, churning guitarscapes are often as ambient and melodic (even delicate) as they are metallic. The throat-shredding vocals by Michael Armine act as a bit of a counterpoint to the band's sound, adding a powerful, lung-shearing anguish to the mix. Opening with the harsh "Ayil", which could be Mogwai if they added the guy from Isis on vocals, the stage is set for Rosetta's sprawling and textural songs, self-described cheekily as "metal for astronauts". Certainly, there are some superb, dense, and even beautiful passages here. Witness the chime & drone of "Je N'en Connais Pas la Fin", broken by Armine's gutteral vocals, and ending with a rather impressive epic buildup. Fans of bands like Envy can relate. Me? I really like parts of "A Determinism Of Morality", but can't get my head around the juxtaposition of brutal shouting with soul-crushing loveliness. (Translation Loss)

Rosetta site

Rosettaspace

Thursday / Envy - "Split LP+CD" CD

Arriving as a nifty and highly collectible 180-gram vinyl LP (the CD is included as a bonus), this split release showcases a pair of bands from two very different backgrounds who (soundwise) share a similar dynamic and direction. New Jersey post-hardcore/emo-gazer group Thursday present the first 4 tracks. Their 'In Silence' is an atmospheric slice of instrumental sweetness accented by what sounds like a heart machine as a metronome - clever and dramatic. 'An Absurd And Unrealistic Dream Of Peace' returns to the rock with Geoff Rickly's tortured vocals and the band's trademark aggressive-yet-melodic approach. Thursday's final song here, 'Appeared And Was Gone' was remixed by Anthony Molina of Mercury Rev, and it begins as a lovely and woozy piece of piano-driven sadness, with trippy electronic effects filtering through until the huge conclusion, which brings down the house with an almost Sigur Ros-style momentum. It's a dramatic and stunning freefall into the abyss - both beautiful and frightening, somehow. Brilliant work.
Japanese act Envy's hardcore/post-rock side begins sweetly, with 'An Umbrella Fallen Into Fiction' - a light and airy yet contemplative piece that steadily swells into a huge screamo/shoegaze monster, complete with death-metal style vocals. It's an odd juxtaposition of the beautiful guitar melodies with grating vox, but it seems to work for Envy. Imagine Mono with gutteral vocals during the crescendos. You'll love it or hate it, I'd bet. Their other tracks follow a similar pattern, with 'Pure Birth And Loneliness' being a particularly skyward explosion of melody, martial drumming, and sad whisper/screamed vocals. Solid and epic work all around, and a must-have for fans of either group. (Temporary Residence)

To Kill A Petty Bourgeoisie – "The Patron" CD

This slice of malevolent beauty comes from a Minneapolis duo who mix angelic female voices with harsh and often jaggedly crunchy ambient/electronic sounds. Jehna Wilhelm's fleeting and ethereal voice reminds me of Rose McDowell (of Strawberry Switchblade/Current 93/Coil infamy) while the sound (courtesy of Mark McGee) is a varied and swirly vapour of textural dreams and fuzzy hallucinations, sometimes heavily rhythmic and at other times with a decidedly sinister ambient (even post-industrial) slant. One standout, “You Guys Talk, We'll Spill Our Guts” is a dark nursery rhyme, like the transfiguration of a soul into the great unknown. The nearest parallel would have to be the amazing and magickal Coil “Solstice” singles, but To Kill A Petty Bourgeoisie conjure their own spirits on this compelling and mysterious debut. (Kranky)

Mono - "The Sky Remains The Same As Ever" DVD

It's been established among the initiated that Japan's instrumental post-rock act Mono is a profoundly engaging live act. Sculpting their dynamic, punchy sound from gentle, lovely melodies (ala Sigur Ros) into grindingly potent noise/feedback screamers (ala classic Sonic Youth), this quartet has a trademark transcendence that expresses itself beyond the need for words. This 110-minute DVD documents their last world tour, and, even if the group's limited English causes some chin scratching, fear not. This is all about the performances. Taken from a variety of venues (Paris, Brussels, New York, and more), as well as some studio recording in Chicago with Steve Albini (and a string section!), this audio-visual travelogue provides a suitable look at Mono's positively cyclonic live gigs. Sure, you don't get the full live effect here (there's no ringing ears or hearing damage included), but it's the closest you're going to get until they come around again. The Sky Remains The Same is a must-see, and when Mono tours again, do yourself a favor. (Temporary Residence)

Christopher Bissonnette - "In Between Words" CD

Sweeping, cinematic urban ambience from this Canadian composer, 'In Between Words' utilizes field recordings (including bits of orchestral work) and electronic processing to dazzling effect. Initially inspired by both visual sound and the legendary Detroit electronica scene, Bissonnette's compositions effectively synthesize these influences into floaty, glacial seas of static, drone, and pulse. 'The Colonnade' is an especially effective track, plunging into a dark swath of melodic strings both sad and strident. The closer, 'Jour Et Nuit' sounds like a late-night cityscape re-tooled into chunks of tonal ambient sound. Beautiful and wonderful work here, tailor-made for inobtrusive reading or solitary reflection. (Kranky)