Cosmos Project – Le Syndrome De L’univers [2011]

Cosmos Project –  Le Syndrome De L’univers
[Vox Project , 2011]
genre: Progressive, Psychedelic, Post-Rock

Cosmos Project is an instrumental quartet from St-Etienne, France. The band was formed in 2008 drawing its influences from prime names such as GodSpeed You! Black Emperor, Tool, Pink Floyd, Archive, Toundra, Yndi Yalda, At the drive In… and the likes. Cosmos Project sound sprawls on a wide surface,f rom 70’s to today, covering a solid mix of progressive, post-rock, math-rock all with slight feel of jazz. After 20 plus shows around ST-Etienne, The band released it’s first EP through Vox Project label in march. Vinyl and CD was presented around France during their march tour.



http://www.myspace.com/thecosmosproject
http://voxproject.bandcamp.com
http://www.myspace.com/ablaze_load
http://voxproject.bigcartel.com

Tracklist:
1.Cosmos Project - Apocalypse Snow 07:54
2.Cosmos Project - Rabbit 06:23
3.Progressiv Road 08:46

Boris - Heavy Rocks / attention please [2011]

Boris ( ボリス)- Heavy Rocks
[Sargent House, 2011]
genre: metal, stoner, post-metal, sludge, ambient metal, progressive rock, psychedelic, drone
Album Review by Sovereign

After releasing the Japan-only New Album in March, the Tokyo-based trio unveiled two more full-lengths, Heavy Rocks and Attention Please, on the same day. The new album was actually a compilation of the other two plus some other tracks. Boris will be co-headlining a European tour together with new label mates Russian Circles this Summer. Joining them on all the dates will be SAADE. Boris will also be playing a few shows on their own from July 19 - July 24. Their new edition of heavy rocks, remember that they release a same title album back in 2002. They try to redefine, their heavy sound. I thin they did it in a great way. This album is FANTASTIC. If you like Boris for their heavy sounds (like SMILE), progressive sounds, stoner attitude, noise background and dirty smell then you will find another excellent adition to your album collection. This album features guest appearances by Ian Astbury (The Cult, BXI), Faith Coloccia (Mamiffer), Aaron Turner (Isis, Mamiffer) and longtime Boris collaborater Michio Kurihara. All these years Boris explore hundreds of music sub-genres and they release so many different albums. From noise, pop, psychedelic and ambient, to thrash, metal, doom and sludge. This is one of the best albums of their and “Missing Pieces” could be their best ever composition. I could keep my enthusiasm down. This is great. They provide an album with everyhting I ask for. Post modern music with excellent drones and noises, atmospheric and psychedelic passages, stoner rock acceleration and sludge metal dirty spits. One by one the compositions are huge. I could listen to this piece of art for days and months and years…



http://borisheavyrocks.tumblr.com/
http://www.sargenthouse.com/boris_heavy_assets.html
http://www.inoxia-rec.com/boris/

1. Riot Sugar
2. Leak -Truth,yesnoyesnoyes-
3. GALAXIANS (8)
4. Jackson Head
5. Missing Pieces
6. Key
7. Window Shopping
8. Tu, la la
9. Aileron
10. Czechoslovakia
———————————————————————————-

Boris - Attention Please
[Sargent House, 2011]
genre: pop, shoegaze, noise pop, dream pop, post-rock

This is an album for different kind of music fans. This is for sure their least metal album ever. It sounds good, but I cannot compare it to the above cause are tottally different and my music taste goes closer to Heavy music they provide in their other 2011’s release, than this one! Try to explore this to. “Attention Please is the first of the two releases, and it highlights Boris’ softer side, showcasing guitarist Wata’s delicate vocals against an alt-rock, art-rock, and dance-infused backdrop.  Ambient, echoing soundscapes transition to moments of soft electronic/acoustic rumination (“You”), psychedelic solos (“Tokyo Wonder Land”), and classical guitar (“Aileron,” which gets a long drone-sludge reprise on Heavy Rocks).  It’s up and down but shows a potentially exciting new direction for the band.”

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Æthenor – En Form for Blå [2011]

Æthenor – En Form for Blå
[VHF, 2011]
genre: experimental, ambient, noise, abstract, dark ambient, drone, psychedelic
Album Review by Sovereign

This is another release from this truly experimental and improvisational band. Æthenor is an eclectic supergroup constituted by the guitarist Stephen O’Malley (SunnO))), Burning Witch, KTL) and multi-instrumentist Daniel O’Sullivan (Guapo, Monolith, Ulver). This is the 4th official full-length release of the band. Here are some older reviews of ours about 2008 Betimes Black Cloudmasses and 2009 Faking Gold & Murder releases. All these years, great musicians have either contributed occasionally or been band members, the most regular of these being Vincent De Roguin, who contributed to all three of the band’s previous studio recordings. He is unluckily absent on this year’s album but double O’s are here joined by the excellent drummer Steve Noble (Rip Rig & Panic) and Ulver’s frontman Kristoffer Rygg. The sounds rest at this album are truly dark and experimental. There is a free jazz attitude and style and really psychedelic background rugs. This is not a regular music work. This piece of art is not for you mp3 player, it is not even for you car stereo. There must be dark night and clear mind in order to enjoy and taste this fantastic insanely wild and mad release. If you have ever experienced a live performance of them (if not try to find them around) you will understand they way they produce music. Great album, great value and beautiful sounds.



http://www.myspace.com/aethenor
http://www.vhfrecords.com/catalog/124.htm
http://www.myspace.com/danielohsullivan
http://www.myspace.com/stephenomalley

tracks:
A Jocasta
B One Number Of Destiny In Ninety Nine
C1 Laudanum Tusk
C2 Vivarium
C3 Dream Tassels
D1 Vyomagami Plume
D2 Something To Sleep Is Still

[soundcloud width=”100%” height=”81” params=”” url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/8461465”]

Sovereign

Grails - Deep Politics [2011]

Grails - Deep Politics
[Temporary Residence Limited, 2011]
genre: post-rock, ambient, psychedelic, folk, experimental rock, instrumental, prog
Album Review by Sovereign

This is not the classic post-rock. Grails as I said before in Doomsdayer’s holiday, Take Refuge in Clean Living, Burning off Impurities and Black Tar Prophecies IV reviews they create a chaotic, fully atmospheric and psychedelic rock. Their label says that: “Deep Politics was conceived during the lengthiest gestation period between Grails albums, and reflects a deeper, more educated level of concentration. In their ongoing exploration of occult/fringe culture and the rich history of film music, they have cultivated a unique environment that inspires both an eternal sense of longing and an indelible sense of dread” and I think I couldn’t agree more. This album is beautiful. It is not heavy but in this release you can find this kind of music that can trips you away. Psychedelic sounds, with far east instruments and a great drum session accompanied with atmospheric melodies and cinematic vibes.




http://www.grailsongs.com/
http://www.myspace.com/grailsongs

Tracklist
01. Future Primitive
02. All The Colors Of The Dark
03. Corridors Of Power
04. Deep Politics
05. Daughters Of Bilitis
06. Almost Grew My Hair
07. I Led Three Lives
08. Deep Snow

Sovereign

Earth - Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light 1 [2011]

Earth - Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light 1
[Southern Lord, 2011]
genre: ambient, folk, psychedelic, minimal, experimental rock, instrumental, downtempo, drone
Album Review by Sovereign

 Earth is an American drone doom band formed in 1990 in Olympia, USA by Dylan Carlson, Slim Moon, and Greg Babior. This album is the follower of 2008’s “The Bees Made Honey in the Lion’s Skull” that I didn’t like much. I think this one is really hypnotic and minimal that reminds me the previous album but this years’ release is more interesting. This is a low and downtempo ambient drone that provided by guitars and percussions. Quite atmospheric and 5 tracks that should be listened as a whole. The unity of this album is fantastic. Great vibes and a psychedelic atmosphere that reminds grails’ last albums. Sometimes I feel that this band could be a bit heavier like in their first albums, but this style is unique and Earth are innovators of this genre again. Dylan Carlson and his longtime collaborator Adrienne Davies joined by cellist Lori Goldston (Nirvana, David Byrne) and bassist Karl Blau and after all these years they jump to a more folk and psychedelic sound away from drones and doom metal (where they used to be masters). I don’t know if I prefer the drone era or this one, but I have to say that the new album is dreamy. The only sure thing is that you have to listen again and again these compositions in order to understand and like them. The first time it could be a bit boring, but if you give time to it you will understand the greatness of the compositions, the experimental styles that you’ve never face before and the insirational work. I have to say that this is the first part of this years double release.


http://www.myspace.com/earthofficial

Tracklist:
1.Old Black
2.Father Midnight
3.Descent To The Zenith
4.Hell’s Winter
5.Angels Of Darkness, Demons Of Light 1

Sovereign

Barn Owl-Ancestral Star [2010]

Barn Owl-Ancestral Star
[Thrill Jockey, 2010]
Genre: drone,  doom, psychedelic folk, free folk, ambient
Review by Truebelief

San Francisco’s Barn Owl is the guitar drone collaboration of Evan Caminiti and John Porras. Ancestral Star is the duo’s third LP (the other three releases were in CD-R Format) and technically by far their most accomplished and complex album. They provide all the quintessential moments to be expected of heavy guitar drone: the feedback laden resonance expanding into the thickness of its harmonics; the creeping slowness that seems destined to build up but agonizingly fades. They also paid close attention to the composition of each track and achieved a surprising coherence within the album (uncommon for drone releases). As this was the first time that Barn Owl were able to take their time in a professional studio, they benefited from the equipment and explored meticulously the direction and the limits of the genre. Marielle Jakobsons (Oakland based sound artist and violinist, member of Darwinsbitch, Date Palms, Myrmyr) contributed violin to “Flatlands” and “Awakening” which gave the two tracks a more distinctive Americana vibe. On “Incantation”, an ensemble that Caminiti and Porras are members of called “Portraits”, played gong, bells, singing bowls, and other percussive metals which really enriched the ritualistic feeling of the track. Bowed guitar is also heavily explored throughout the whole recording. Every sound contributes to an overall ominous feeling of mysterious desert vastness that dives into an eerie cinematic western landscape. But what elevates Barn Owl’s music to grandeur is its spiritual energy that serves as an amplifier to a more transparent and fulfilling sound-visualising experience. By understanding the virtues of textural variation, Barn Owl have sculpted a dark collection of desert doomfolk dronedrift meditative dreaminess. For fans of Earth, Brian Eno and obscure music in general.


http://www.myspace.com/barnowlband
http://electrictotem.com/barnowl/

tracks
01. Sundown
02. Visions In Dust
03. Night’s Shroud
04. Ancestral Star
05. Cavern Hymn
06. Flatlands
07. Twilight
08. Awakening
09. Incantation
10. Light From The Mesa

A Forest of Stars - Opportunistic Thieves of Spring [2010]

A Forest of Stars - Opportunistic Thieves of Spring
[Transcendental Creations, 2010]
genre: atmospheric black metal, psychedelic, avant-garde metal, dark ambient, metal
Album review by Edenbeast

A Forest of Stars is a new band, formed in 2007 by 5 British guys. Among them is Katie Stone who was playing keyboards and violin with My Dying Bride and in this act she plays violin, flute and she does some vocals. In 2008 they released their debut album called “The Corpse of Rebirth”. While writing the previous lines I was holding myself down not to praise them.  “Opportunistic Thieves of Spring” is one of the darkest pieces of music ever made. Ever! Atmospheric black metal embraces the noisy, progressive and dark ambient elements in a quite haunted and chaotic style. Amazing early 90’s black metal growls and screams, performed by “Mister Curse”, are spreading terror and fear. Katie’s violin is so sick and so sweet at the same time; for sure without this the release wouldn’t be so glorious. Guitars are so noisy and the riffs are thrilling. Drumming is sounding dreadfully distant, sometimes doomy, sometimes progressive and many times black metal. The keyboards are revealing the music’s epic dimension. Ambient sounds and atmospheric breaks give the feeling that something big is about to happen and in some cases, this feeling is confirmed by a blastbeat coming from far away, followed by decayed insane riffing, charging slowly, attacking you and sucking your entire entity. It’s very difficult to describe the feelings which are generated by this music. Emotionally we are talking about a twist. “Opportunistic Thieves of Spring” may exhaust you. It’s not just dark, evil, rotten, haunted and sick. It’s also melancholic, depressive, agonizing, desperate, beautiful and liberating. All these are exposed mainly by 2 factors; its theatrical nature and the unpredictable music progression. Don’t do the mistake and listen to this while doing something else at the same time. There must be nothing to distract your attention. Feel every note and every sound. It won’t take you long to understand that you are dealing with a masterpiece. It’s one of the few times I feel I have to thank the creators. Thank you AFOS for fucking my soul…… repeat.


Links
http://www.myspace.com/aforestofstars

Tracks:
1.         Sorrow’s Impetus                   13:01
2.         Raven’s Eye View                  09:23
3.         Summertide’s Approach         13:27
4.         Thunder’s Cannonade             08:01
5.         Starfire’s Memory                  11:50
6.         Delay’s Progression               16:28

Edenbeast

Kylesa – Spiral Shadow [2010]

Kylesa – Spiral Shadow
[Season Of Mist, 2010]
genre: southern, metal, sludge, crust, punk, heavy, stoner, psychedelic
Album Review by Sovereign

I said a lot for this band last year when I ve listened “static tensions”. I’ ve seen them live two times, and I believe that they are nowadays one of my favorite metal bands. There style is fantastic. Old and modern heavy metal, with punk smell and sludge sounds. This is the future. I said before that they produce some great metal tracks, and I believe that they did again this year. I have no words. The heaviness is unbelievable. Their ryhtm is fantastic. The drum kits are on fire. The guitars flew so well and the vocals, Phillip’s and Laura’s are great and fit so well with this sound of dusted and stoned metal. They are on a tour with Torche and High on Fire at USA now. What else to ask, If you are close just go and see these great bands together. A dream trio live! Sometimes I think that Kylesa make a strange kind of music. Their style is unique because they build hardcore attitude tracks in a heavy metal way and under a monumental psychedelic atmosphere. This is their advantage and no one on earth could play this kind of heavy and southern rock in order to result sludge metal diamonds with psycho bursts. My mind is far away. The tracks are huge!!! This album is great. I do not want to compare it with their previous. There is no point. Both are masterpieces. So just try it. Just enjoy it!


http://www.kylesa.com/
http://www.myspace.com/kylesa

Tracklisting
1. Tired Climb
2. Cheating Synergy
3. Drop Out
4. Crowded Road
5. Don’t Look Back
6. Distance Closing In
7. To Forget
8. Forsaken
9. Spiral Shadow
10. Back And Forth
11. Dust

Sovereign