Morne - Untold Wait (2009)

Band: Morne
Album: Untold Wait
Year: 2009
Country: USA
If you check this band's profile at lastFM you will see that people think this album is either very good, or that it's just a waste of time. I like this album though (and my bunny rabbit too apparently, he jumped straight to the computer and started too sniff it when I was listening to it). Parts of this album reminds me a bit of a sludgier version of Fall Of Efrafa's Owsla, so it has some sort of rabbit connection.
Anyhow, Morne also consists of band members from former bands such as Grief, Disrupt, Filth Of Mankind, and many more. These guys have been in the game for a long time, and you can tell while listening to the music. Partly because you can hear influences from older bands, but also because they're very skilled with their instruments.
If you have a thing for heavy sludgy music, you should listen to this. I told you before that this album reminds me a bit of Fall Of Efrafa (mostly the Owsla album, when they weren't that complex), but it also reminds me of Tragedy (powerful D-Beats, and the vocals and lyrical themes are very much alike), and I Would Set Myself On Fire For You (probably just because of the the cello which is used quite regularly, but still). If you're into something of that, I could imagine that you will like this.

Song(s) you should listen to: The first track Eyes, is the perfect way to start an album. The last track Sorrow, is the perfect way to end an album. The tracks in the middle you have to decide whether they're really good, or barely worth listening to, for yourself.

MYSPACE / DOWNLOAD

Vestiges - The Descent of Man (2010)

Artist: Vestiges

Album: The Descent of Man

Year: 2010

Country: United States

I first heard about this band some months ago from a guy I bought some Fall of Efrafa-records from. After a little bit of smalltalk he then says that he and his band are soon about to release their debut album and that if I like Fall of Efrafa then I might like what they had to offer. That got my attention and I was looking forward to hearing this new mysterious band. During the weeks that past i read about the band on their homepage to see if I could find more information about them. It didn't take long to realize that this was a band that was about more than music and selling records. The record was going to be a storyline describing the creation and downfall of man and the damage we have caused on this earth through industrialization, militarization, theism and so on. Since I'm a sucker for bands that has a story behind their music my expectations was quite high when I finally got a hold of the album, but I did not expect to be blown away the way I did. The record started out with an intro with some distorted noise and a voice which I couldn't interpret. Then, slowly but steady, a guitar sneaks up on me while playing a really cozy melody, then some bass and some drums joined the mellow dance. So far so good. Then suddenly the music smites me down like lightning and the post-metal appocalypse is upon me. I could not believe what I was listening to. This did not sound like a new band whom are just trying out their new wings, it sounded like a band whom has been around and developed for quite some time. The range of different genres that were thrown at me was amazing. One moment I was being cradled by sweet and mellow post-rockish tunes only to be thrown into a hail of speeding Black Metal-riffs and relentless Crust and in the next turn I was being crushed by epic post-hardcore build ups with sing-along parts that stuck inside my brain like glue.

Some months have passed since the first time I listened to The Descent of Man and it has only grown on me. Two more albums are planned to follow the narrative and I for one can't wait to see how Vestiges will progress from here.

Song(s) you should listen to: If I had to choose one song that stands out from the rest it would probably be IV. It's a solid song that has about everything a good post-metal song should have and to please all the crusties out there you find a really good D-Beat part about 5 minutes into the song. This song also contains the best sing-a-long part of the record at the end, it's impossible to not get swept away in the lyrics and I can only imagine how good that particular part must be live. However this record is supposed to be seen on as a whole rather than individual songs. They all connect and it gives a whole other perspective of the message that Vestiges are trying to give across.

HOMEPAGE/DOWNLOAD

Fall Of Efrafa - Elil (2007)

Band: Fall Of Efrafa
Album: Elil
Year: 2007
Country: United Kingdom
This is one of my all time favourite albums. I've been listening to it pretty much regularly since I discovered Fall Of Efrafa about 3 years ago, and I've never ever for a second got tired of it. And still, after our 3 years together, I can still fall in love with new things or parts I've never noticed before. Elil will forever be the love of my life.
So, what is so special with this album? Frankly, I don't know. It consists of 3 songs, each one being about 20 minutes long. "20 MINUTES?! THAT'S LIKE... FOREVER!" people not used to this post-kind of music will say. But the thing with these songs is that they are so well written that you will never understand how those 20 minutes past by. The general pace of this album is quite slow, but just before you get tired of the slow part, one of these amazing build ups kicks in. Then there's a minute or two of "swing the hand your having your beer in" D-Beat. The anthem-like lyrics will also cause any person to transform into an anti-religous bitter anarchistic freedom fighter.

Song(s) you should listen to: Once you've started to listen to one of the songs, there is no return. You won't be able to skip the track. Therefore I recommend you to listen to the whole album while traveling by train or bus. By the time you get off your ride you will be so inspired by all the genius samples featured on this album. How about:
"People sometimes says "there must be more than just this world, and just this life". But how much more do you want? We are going to die, and that makes us the lucky ones. Most people are never going to die, because they're never going to be born. The number of people who could be here, in my place, outnumber the sandgrains of Sahara. If you think about all the different ways in which our genes could be provicted, you and I are quite grotesquely lucky to be here. The number of events that had to happen in order for you to exist and in order for me to exist. We are privileged to be alive, and we should make the most of our time on this world."

DOWNLOAD