Irreversible - Age EP (2006)

Band: Irreversible

Album: Age EP

Year: 2006

Country: United States

Just like with all genres you have leading giants in the form of bands who carries the genres flag forward. In the sludgescene these giants are without a doubt Neurosis, Cult of Luna and Isis (yeah I know Isis disbanded but that doesnt make then less crucial to the scene). But every now and then a band from the underground reaches out and shows us that they can do just as good music. Irreversible's "Age" is just that kind of album. Four songs plus an intermission packed with just about everything you can ask for in a sludgeband. Crushing guitars, heavy drumming, layered melodies, eery atmosphere and a hint of darkness sprinkled on top, the recipe for a delicious sludgecake.

Song(s) you should listen to: 8:22

Probably my personal favourite of the album. Slow layers of heavy melodies that fades out into a down tuned and soothing interlude just to explode in a burst of emotion, just the way I like it and a perfect ending for a near perfect album. And if you ever doubted that this band took it's name from the french film with the same name just read the lyrics to this song, "Time has ruined me. Time destroys all things."

MYSPACE/DOWNLOAD

Líam - Journey... Two Years And A Fragment (2008)

Band: Líam
Album: Journey... Two Years And A Fragment
Year: 2008
Country: Germany
This album title may sound like the most thoughtful complex title in the world, maybe a concept album about someone who went through a state of *insert random emotion here*, but I have to spoil it for you - it isn't. Líam just picked out some of the songs they made in the last two years, and made this album. It may not sound so extraordinary, but the album itself is pretty interesting. It starts off with a post-rock sound. Though the band is claimed to be negative about this society we're living, the first track is pretty light and upplifting, sounding like Mogwai's baby cousin. As the album continues, you will start to notice that it will get a bit darker, but still with those instrumental post-rock influences. It flows in the landscape of Alcest, until the middle of the album, when a shriek suddenly wakes you up. This is the black metal-part of the album, where you can truly hear bitterness and agony mixed in a apocalyptic kind of way. This is therefore an album suitable for everyone, since the first part is uplifting for happy days, and the other part is not-so-happy for those days of hell.

Song(s) you should listen to: As I told you before, this album is divided into two parts, one lighter, and one darker. Since I joined the dark path before I was born, I prefer the last one. Etienne is the longest song on the album, and since the post-person I am, I tend to like that one very much. It's very moody from the beginning to the end, so it will best be served in a dark isolated room with a cup of despair to drink.
But everyone has different tastes, so I think you should just listen to the album and pick your favourite.

MYSPACE / DOWNLOAD

Resurrectionists / Battle of Wolf 359 - Split (2010)

Bands: Resurrectionists & Battle Of Wolf 359

Album: Split 10"

Year: 2010

Country: Germany, UK

Yeah we've been lazy as hell lately I know, theres no real excuse to that so I'm just gonna leave it for you to se if you can find it in your broken, black hearts to forgive us.

If not then I strongly suggest that you download this, press play, play it louder than hell and just start beating your fists against the walls.

I picked this record up at a show last night and sweet spawn of Satan is this a good album! It sweeps you off your feat and while lying down it continues to beat you to a pulp. No mercy.

So what was it that just made you its bitch? Resurrectionists play some sort of screamo-influenced powerviolence and Battle of Wolf 359 plays dark, fast screamo/hardcore with some sweet melodies hidden between all the chaos. So now that we have identified your target, get on your feet and get ready for round two. This time you'll be ready for whats coming.

Song(s) you should listen to: Born Into Fire

This song starts of quite slow and sweettalks you into a sense of comfort but don't let it fool you. It suddenly explodes and unleashes a cluster of heavy riffs, wave after wave.

MYSPACE (RES),MYSPACE (BOW359), DOWNLOAD

Cult Of Luna - Eternal Kingdom (2008)

Band: Cult Of Luna
Album: Eternal Kingdom
Year: 2008
Country: Sweden
This blog hasn't been updated for a little while, but at least I have an excuse - I've been having this nasty fever and been slightly delusional. Someone who also was sligthly delusional was Holger Nilsson. He was convicted for the murder of his wife in the beginning of the 20th century. He denied it, but since he was considered to be in a very bad mental condition, he was taken into Umedalens Mental Institution. There he wrote a book of his version of what happened.
And several years later, Umedalen Mental Institution was rebuilt as a cultural building instead, with some rehearsing studios in it. Cult Of Luna played there for a while, and they managed to find the old book Holger wrote. From that they got inspiration for doing this album, which is an interpretation of Holger Nilsson book - "The Eternal Kingdom". The lyrics of the songs are actually taken straight from the book.
There's so much to write about this album, but if I wrote everything I could come up with, this post would be as long as the bible. I know most of you have already this album as an favourite of yours, and if not - COME ON LISTEN TO IT!

Song(s) you should listen to: Following Betulas is the best song on the album. I'm not skilled enough with my words to describe the song the way it deserves, but it starts off like a good song, and then bursts out into a powerful apocalyptic anthem. The ending is lyrically about the moment just before a fight with the good and the evil, and you can definately feel it.
Ghost Trail starts off pretty slow and a bit haunting, let's just call it ghostly. It then turns into an aura of epicness, and ends with an apocalyptic two-drum part. This doesn't happen very fast, since the song itself is 11 minuter long, but song under 10 mintues aren't cool in the post-world.

MYSPACE / DOWNLOAD

The Saddest Landscape - You Will Not Survive (2010)

Band: The Saddest Landscape

Album: You Will Not Survive

Year: 2010

Country: United States

This band has been around for a while now and managed to establish a wide spread fanbase in the screamo-scene. I was lucky enough to catch these guys live when they played in Malmö this year, without a doubt one of the best gigs I've ever attended and really nice guys overall.

Anyhow they're latest effort "You Will Not Survive" is nothing short of a screamo-masterpiece. The softer melodic parts together with chaotic outbursts of emotion together with Andy's desperate vocals almost brings a tear to your eye. Also I have to give an eloge to the drumming on this record, not something I usually pay that much attention to but this time is different.

If this release is to your liking please show your support to this band by buying they're records or going to they're shows or whatever. They really work hard doing something they love and deserve to be recognized for it.

Song(s) you should listen to: So Lightly Thrown

My favourite of the record. If you know TSL since before you know how exceptional they are at creating those heartbreaking-sing-a-long-till-your-throat-bleeds-moments. The ending part of this song just makes me wish I was back at that time in Malmö when nothing but inches of thin air stood between me and the microphone.

MYSPACE/BUY

An Autumn For Crippled Children - Lost (2010)

Band: An Autumn For Crippled Children
Album: Lost
Year: 2010
Country: Netherlands
Okay, so the name of the band really sucks. It sounds like some newfag band with long bangs covering half of their faces, and that cares more about looks than music. But An Autumn For Crippled Children named their band after a song by the UK band Ebony Lake (which is also a horrible bad band name, but they do strange music with some originality to it). So just put a finger over the computer screen where the band name is typed, or name it something else when you've downloaded it, because this band is actually good.
This band, whatever you want to call it, combines elements of Black Metal and Doom, and juice it up with some of the old depression mood. They use the guitar in a very melodic way, so you can easily hum the melody of their songs. It therefore causes some songs to stick on your mind for a little while.
Maybe this doesn't sound like something original, but I've never heard anything like it, so it's hard to write about since you can't really compare it to other bands. It's absolutely depressing anyway, nursing you into a state of melancholy.

Song(s) you should listen to: I Beg Thee Not To Spare Me is MINDBLOWING from the beginning to the end. At least it gives me the shivers, causing emotional overload. As the song title indicates, I get the feeling of someone who was close to death once, but was saved somewhat against his/her will, and is now expressing his/her despair. It's haunting.
Ghost Light is also a great song on the album. It starts off pretty mediocre, but from the middle to the end it builds up and get more and more raw and evil.

MYSPACE / DOWNLOAD

Aäkon Këëtrëh - Dans La Forêt (1996)

Band: Aäkon Këëtrëh

Album: Dans La Forêt

Year: 1996

Country: France

Yeah I dont have a clue how to pronounce the name of this one man project either.

Aäkon Këëtrëh is a part of the infamous Les Légiones Noires, a circle of french underground Black Metal-musicians and their projects. The LLN was known for producing a shitload of demos that are almost impossible to get a hand on, apparently every original pressings of the demos released by Aäkon Këëtrëh was destroyed so the ones existing nowadays are all bootlegs. Don't you just love stories like that?

Anyhow, this isn't pure Black Metal although you clearly hear what environment this music came from. There are no other instruments except guitars and occasionally som vocals, but for the most part it's the guitar that do the talk. Sounds boring? Well if you'r not a fan of Dark Ambient i can see why you would turn the deaf ear on bands like this. To me this is as good as it gets. Each song is a hymn to despair and loneliness that sends shivers down your spine. A true Ambient masterpiece.

Song(s) you should listen to: Hard to say since all the songs are missing proper titles but the first track on the demo really does the work for me. It starts of with 4 simple yet powerfull chords which stays there as the backbone through the entire song. The rest of the songs are a bit more complex but the feeling you get from that first song stays with you through the whole album. Really you should listen to the whole album in it's whole, preferably in a dark room with some candles lit.

DOWNLOAD

Oldseed - The Terror (2009)

Band: Oldseed
Album: The Terror
Year: 2009
Country: Canada
Is this satanic? Is this evil? Is this hell's choir? I have to disappoint you this time, it isn't.
But my friend from Finland told me that this guy from Canada were heading over to Europe for a tour, and that my friend would drive him around the venues in Finland. After the tour my friend told my about this Canadian handsome gentleman, their sauna conversations, and other things that were indicating bromance moments, so I was curious about who Oldseed was.
I actually suspect that Oldseed has a bit religious intentions, so it's not what we normally upload on this blog. It's not original or extremely good. But it's acoustic folk music, perfect for those cold autumn nights with hot chocolate and warm blankets.

Song(s) you should listen to: Under Your Breath is the best song on the album. Includes violin, upbuilding moments in manatee-speed, a nice vocalist, and easy lyrics. For some reason I also like the sample in the ending of Net, when a woman is describing the moment when on of her relatives died. Instead of being all hysterical, she describes it calm and objective, with a great amount of love and respect for him.

MYSPACE / DOWNLOAD

Fall Of Efrafa - Inlé (2009)

Band: Fall Of Efrafa
Album: Inlé
Year: 2009
Country: United Kingdom
The band itself describes this album as "80 minutes of rabbit-obsessed post-hardcore". Two questions might pop up in your head; "What? Wait? RABBIT?!", and "Is that the only damn reason to listen to it?". I will provide you with some answers my friend.
You see, Fall Of Efrafa is a concept band, basing their music on the novel "Watership Down". The novel is pretty complex, but in short terms it's about a group of rabbits who foresees the danger of man, and leaves their colony to find a safe place. Their journey is full of drama, and the author handles a lot of occuring problems in our world, in a more rodent kind of way. Finally they find the colony called Efrafa, ruled by the horrid dictator General Woundwort. The narrative rabbits decides to crash down this colony and save it's slaves. And this is what the band Fall Of Efrafa writes their music and lyrics about.
As far as the reason for listening to this album goes, just do it. It's truly epic and well written. Every song is not really a song, it's an anthem. It's anthems we will rise upon and sing when the human kind is facing it's extinction.
If you're still not convinced, just repeat the album title for yourself. It flows on your tongue. And in Watership Down, Inlé is the black rabbit of death. It can't get better than that.

Song(s) you should listen to: Republic Of Heaven is probably the song you will find the most attractive when you listen to the album the first couple of times. It's the most melodic and energetic song on the album, and includes charming sing-a-longs like "The king is dead, we bound his face, cut off his head. We spit at thee, we curse at thee, our god is dead".
Fu Inlé is on the other hand my favorite song on the album. It's basically about a conversation with Mr. Death himself, and it's therefore pretty dark, but soothing and calming. It's if he tries to calm you down and making you not being afraid of dying, and it's success I would say.
Woundwort gets on a close up second place. It's so beautiful written. It will build up and make you explode into a library of emotions. Especially the guitar in 11:30, which would make the hardest stone face on earth to melt.
Warren Of Snares is also a song that grows on you. In fact the whole album grows on you, so just forget what I said and listen to it again, again, and again.

MYSPACE / DOWNLOAD

Voqkrre - Malveillance Demo (2008)

Band: Voqkrre

Album: Malveillance Demo

Year: 2008

Country: France

Just looking at this cover gives me the creeps. Imagine waking up in the middle of the night and see this fine Frenchman standing at the end of your bed, you would probably never be able to sleep again after that.

This demo is dark,raw, evil and monotonous, a real sinister one. Although the music is very deppressing I would'nt go as far as lable this DSBM. But I leave that for you to decide.

Song(s) you should listen to: La Cave aux Rats Necrophages

This song starts out with a little bit of speed but then fades out in a slower and darker tempo. Featuring some really tormented vocals which further strengthens the evil tone makes this song a perfect end to this demo.

DOWNLOAD

Lantlôs - Neon (2010)

Band: Lantlôs
Album: Neon
Year: 2010
Country: Germany
If you haven't heard this album already, you should, since it's one of the best album of 2010. If not THE best album of 2010, but the year it's not over so I'll try to hold my horses.
Lantlôs is half french and half german, and includes the best of both countries. The french part contributes with atmosphere, emotion, and the almighty touch of Neige. The german part contributes with a rough shell and some small influences from one of the best bands of Germany - Bohren Und Der Club Of Gore. The result is a band that somehow is able to ride the wave of "blackened shoegaze", but I would rather consider this as "shoegazed black metal", or just call it black metal.
This album is fairly short with only 6 tracks, but strong enough to leave an impact. Some songs starts of really jazzy, then turn into an inferno of blasting drums and well written guitar riffs. That maybe doesn't sound as much, but it's intensity vs. it's melancholic calmer parts will leave you in a state of despair and hopelessness. And as if that wasn't enough, the vocals are flawless. Neige's harsh vocals sounds like anxious suffering. And what's even more extraordinary is that he can change it into honeysmoothed singing in "Pulse/Surreal".

Song(s) you should listen to: These Nights Were Ours pretty is without a doubt the best song on the album. It seems to deal with the pestered theme of a wretched lovestory you've heard so many times. But in this song you believe every single word being said. Especially the last sentence, since Neige voice cracks as if someone tore out his heart with their bare hands.

MYSPACE / DOWNLOAD

Femtekolonnare - Valguiden (2010)

Band: Femtekolonnare

Album: Valguiden

Year: 2010

Country: Sweden

Doublepost this evening, yeah we're really spoiling you we know. And as if that wasn't enough, this album sure is not going to let you down if your into fast and angry music.

Femtekolonnare once again prove that they are capable of writing a good album that grabs you by the ears and demands your attention.

This album isn't just a powerviolence-assault of epic proportions but it also serves as a guide to the forthcoming election here in Sweden. So if you live in Sweden ans still don't know what your gonna vote for, just sit back and let Femtekolonnare tell you what parties your NOT supposed to vote for.

Song(s) you should listen to: Every single one of them really. They're just so damn good.

MYSPACE / DOWNLOAD

Suffocate For Fuck Sake - Suffocate For Fuck Sake (2004)

Band: Suffocate For Fuck Sake

Album: Suffocate For Fuck Sake

Year: 2004

Country: Sweden

Thought i'd upload this since the 2008 LP already is up and running. The main theme is the same as on the LP, epic post-rock and heavy sludge fused togethet with a storyline told through samples in the songs. This story I think is a bit sadder and darker than the LP. We get to follow a man named Hasse who has a very serious condtion, he cant sit down.

Song(s) you should listen to: Just like before you really should listen to the whole album from the beginning to the end to get out the most of the experience. But if you just want to listen to a song because you want to hear good music i especially like the first song "Hospital/H/The Social Worker Dragon" and "Promenade".

MYSPACE / DOWNLOAD

Palehorse - Habitual Linestepper (2008)

Band: Palehorse
Album: Habitual Linestepper
Year: 2008
Country: United Kingdom
I came across this band when I was supposed to find some music by the hardcore band Palehorse from Connecticut, USA on Spotify. But I found this band instead, which I've never heard of before.
Anyways, I liked their music, and thought their album title was pretty clever, so I did a checkup on the band. Turns out that they are a pretty known band in the sludge scene of UK. And they are sure playing sludge. Their music is fairly slow and very heavy. One thing that surprised me was the vocals that sounds a lot that something that could fit in any screamo band. If you gave the drummer some POWERTHIRST so he would drum more energetic, maybe this would be liked by all the skramz kids out there.
The band consists of a drummer, two vocalists, and two bass players. Nothing more, nothing less. Who need guitars anyway?

Song(s) you should listen to: We Cannot Love You
This song starts out pretty slow and sad, and with a really catchy bassline, that continues pretty much through the whole song. Then the sludge will squirt all it's juice over you.

MYSPACE / DOWNLOAD

Year Of No Light - Ausserwelt (2010)

Band: Year Of No Light

Album: Ausserwelt

Year: 2010

Country: France

Since my better half posted the Suffocate For Fuck Sake Lp and since I've been listening to this album alot recently i thought it would be in place to post it here. I actually think this album has alot of similarities to Suffocate For Fuck Sake, both when it comes to harmonies and feeling.

This album is slightly different from Year Of No Lights previous record "Nord". The first thing that comes to mind is that this record is entirely instrumental and tends to drift more towards a drone-like style of music. The light harmonies together with heavy bass, guitars and slamming drums create a massive wall of sound that makes it impossible to keep your head still.

Song(s) you should listen to: Perséphone I

There couldnt be a more perfect way to start off this album than with this song. It starts off a bit slow but soon builds up and unleashes upon you like a tidal wave. The harmonies are without a doubt some of the most beautiful stuff I've ever heard and it really moves you in a way thats very hard to describe. Just sit back and relax and let the song speak for itself.

Hiérophante

If Perséphone I is a song suitable for a yoga session Hiérophante is the exact opposite. When this beast comes on its like getting hit by a steam roller.

MYSPACE/DOWNLOAD