Arson Panda

Khorada-Salt

In 2016, those of us who are big fans of the black metal coming out of the Pacific Northwest were treated to some very unfortunate news. That year, the legendary band Agalloch imploded and ceased to be a band. In its wake, vocalist and lead guitarist, John Haughm set off on his own and created the more traditional black metal based Pillorian. The remainder of the band, guitarist Don Anderson, bassist Jason William Walton, and drummer Aesop Dekker decided to join forces with Giant Squid’s vocalist, Aaron John Gregory to form a new group called Khorada.

I always hate seeing bands that I really love split up, but one saving grace is if the members end up finding other creative outlets that end up being quality bands. Whereas Haughm’s Pillorian stayed fairly close to the sound that Agalloch had (albeit in a much more traditional and harsher form), the dudes in Khorada have gone in a completely different direction than what was Agalloch.

I have to say that on my first pass with this record I really didn’t know how I felt about it. It’s different. It’s not really even metal in the traditional sense. It’s got elements of prog, post-metal, a dash of death metal and even some emo/goth pop influences. This last element is very prevalent in the vocals of Gregory. He’s got a very strange delivery and in some respects, he really reminds me of some of the funeral doom bands such as My Dying Bride. The one element that reminds me of the Agalloch influence is the focus of the project on nature and environmentalism. It’s a clarion call for all of the destructive things we are seeing in the world today that are a direct result of climate change.

Even after listening to this album a couple of times now, I’m honestly not really sure where I stand on it. My opinion of it definitely grew after my second listen. There’s a lot of really good instrumentation on here and I really like that they are trying to create something completely unique and distinct from Agalloch. I’m just not sure how much I actually like it yet. I don’t mean this to be back-handed in any way because I kind of think that this is one of those albums that really grows in appreciation after each listen. I can honestly say that I think my rating of this album will be higher by the end of the year than it is right now.

3.5 flip flops out of 5

Skeletonwitch-Devouring Radiant Light

I had a chance to see Skeletonwitch back in May of this year open up for Obituary (you can find the review in the archives). At that time, I remarked how Skeletonwitch was one of those bands that on paper I should really love, but that in practice, they never truly won me over. Sure, they always seemed to put on a decent live show. The dudes in the band have some good musical chops. But, their songs just never fully pulled me in. I just never had that moment where I felt these guys were ever going to move beyond that second rung on the ladder status among the heavy hitters in the thrash metal world.

Well, I think something changed with the release of Devouring Radiant Light. Not only is this the first full length album featuring new vocalist Adam Clemans, it feels like the beginning of an entirely new direction for the band. It feels like this album is going to be one of those that may raise the hackles of their die-hard fans. Early Skeletonwitch was firmly in the thrash vein of things. They were fast and in your face. This new version seems more mature somehow without sacrificing any of the heaviness. The songs are longer and just have more emotional heft than the material they have released in the past. To me, these songs left an impression. That’s always been my main complaint with this band in the past. There was just nothing memorable to hang onto. With this new album, I really feel like Skeletonwitch has finally announced their presence in a major way and I hope that the response they get from it is positive. We need more metal like this in the world. Cheers, boys! You done good.

4 flip flops out of 5

Jungle Rot-Jungle Rot

Jungle Rot is one of those blue-collar, in-the-trenches, no-bullshit death metal bands that just keeps on putting out solid album after solid album to little or no fanfare. And it’s a damn shame because these guys bring the goods every time out. It feels like Jungle Rot is one of those bands whose reputation within the industry is higher than it is with the general public. This is evidenced with having Max Cavalera guest on their previous album and having Max Schmier from Kreator guest on this current album.

I’m honestly not sure why these guys aren’t bigger than they are. They’ve been at it for more than 20 years. They tour a lot and have had supporting slots on some good tours. They play a style of death metal that is slower in tempo than a lot of bands which allows them to bring a bit of groove to the proceedings. Kind of like a melding of Cannibal Corpse with AC/DC. They are one of those bands in which you will find yourself unconsciously head banging along simply because the rhythms are so infectious.

Side note: If I were going to bitch about any one thing on this album, it would have to be the title. I just hate self-titled albums. It just feels lazy. Especially when it’s not the debut album. I can kind of give you a pass when it is the debut since it is your first introduction to the public at large as a band. But, when it’s album number 10. C’mon. You’re better than that. At the very least, use the title of the strongest cut on the album or the most creative song title from the album. This is not just aimed at Jungle Rot, but for bands everywhere. No more self-titled albums, OK? I don’t ask for much. Please, consider this one little thing.

3.5 flip flops out of 5

Between the Buried and Me-Automata II

So, I still don’t understand we they didn’t release this thing as one complete album. Both parts are around 30 minutes long. It would have been possible to easily package this as one LP. I think the whole Automata sequence is just screwed up by releasing them as two separate albums. I suppose there was a reason behind doing it this way, but I just don’t get it because the album really needs to be viewed as a whole.

Anyway, obviously, this is part two of the new Between the Buried and Me album. Part one was released earlier this year and my review of that part can be found in the archives if you feel like taking a look (4 flip flops out of 5). Part two is composed of four songs (really three proper songs since one is a short transitional track). The music is obviously in the similar vein from part one of the album. It’s very progressive in feel. The guys break out some different instruments for some flair (accordion, banjo and even some horns). The opening track and the closing track are both phenomenal and are in line with some of the classic BTBAM tracks. The middle two tracks are kind of the oddball numbers. The short interlude, Glide, has almost a polka-type feel, while the third track, Voice of Tresspass, has almost has a 1920s swinger or scat-type sound. I can picture flappers dancing to the first part of this song.

Anyway, I think it is really necessary to sit down at some point and listen to both parts together to fully view this thing as one proper album. I have a feeling that you may end up seeing this one on my year-end list and I’ll try to bring a unified perspective on the thing at that point.

4 flip flops out of 5

Deafheaven-Ordinary Corrupt Human Love

Deafheaven takes a shitload of grief. On the one hand, I understand it. They trade in black metal and black metal is a very staid form of art. There are traditions and these traditions are not upended easily. From the get-go, Deafheaven has intentionally thumbed their nose at these traditions and forged their own version of black metal. Seriously, you’re not going to release your band’s debut album with a pink album cover and not expect a little bit of gnashing of teeth and rending of garments by the denizens of the frozen tundra of traditional black metal. I get it, my little corpse-painted friend. On the other hand, lighten up, Francis. Ultimately, are the songs good? That’s why we’re all here, right? Deafheaven still packs some serious chops musically. Sure, there are emo and indie flavored interludes between their black metal assaults and their lyrical content isn’t as grim or trve as some of your traditional Scandinavian black metal bands, but if you can take the black metal blinders off for a moment and put the non-traditional elements aside, I think at the end of the day you have to admit that these guys have game. Plus, it’s always good to have bands that are willing to try something new within the genre. It keeps shit from getting stale and helps propel the genre into some new areas. That’s a good thing, right? You’re damn tootin’, it is!

This new album puts forth what Deafheaven does. Tweak, tweak and more tweaks to the diehards. First, the album cover. I mean, seriously. What. The. Fuck. Not metal at all. Second of all, the title. Mentioning the word “love” in the title is going to send the blackened masses into cries of apostasy. You mean qualifying it as “Ordinary Corrupt Human Love” isn’t black metal enough? Fuck no. Who are you? And finally, there is the opening track, You Without End. Definitely a ballsy choice to open the album. This is a weird piano driven track with a female spoken-word vocal over most of it. This is just not a normal way to begin an album. But, as I said. This guys are kind of like the internet trolls for the traditional black metal dudes.

All in all, the album tends to meander from oddball indie-flavored interlude to more traditional black metal song. It kind of switches back and forth from track to track throughout the entire album. It’s a little more jarring than on their past releases, in my opinion, and it kind of keeps this album from generating any real momentum. There are some good moments throughout, but I kind of view this as their weakest effort to date. Still, I think there are enough positives on here to warrant a listen.

3.5 flip flops out of 5

Neurosis and Converge at Emo’s, Austin, TX 7/21/2018

This bill was a contrast of both musical styles and performance, but for some reason it ended up blending really well. On the one hand, you had the hyperkinetic in-you-face bashings of hard core Converge to get the evening off to a bang. And on the other, you had the slow-building dirge of Neurosis’ sludge to send the evening off into a wash of despair. The whole evening just reminded me of my dog Ruby getting a case of the zoomies and going apeshit for 20 or so minutes and then just passing out for the rest of the evening. To fully illustrate the styles of the two bands: Converge played a total of 20 songs over an hour long set. Neurosis played a total of nine songs over an hour and a half long set. Hardcore vs. Metal in a nutshell.

So, Converge started the evening off. I have to admit that I’m kind of a lukewarm fan of Converge overall. I understand the appeal, but their brand of hardcore isn’t firmly in my wheelhouse. However, their live show is something to see. It’s all frenetic energy and cathartic exorcising of demons. Vocalist Jacob Bannon’s screaming style is just painful to watch. It really hurts to hear the rage and disillusion coming through his incomprehensible shrieks. At one point, he doubled-over near to the side of the drum kit and looked as if he was going to vomit. To counter Bannon’s painful performance, you’ve got a near manic, almost Robin Williams-esque performance out of drummer, Ben Koller. Dude has got some of the tightest drumming chops going today and he just couples it with some of the goofiest facial expressions. I don’t think there is anyone in the metal world today having as much fun as Koller is.

After having Converge whip everyone into a frenzy, everyone was able to take a breath, grab a drink and exhale while waiting for Neurosis. For many years, Neurosis was known for bringing an immersive visual stage show with them. However, this has been dropped by the band in recent years and the band simply come out to a no-frills stage. No backdrop. No fancy light displays. No stage props. Just the band with minimal lighting. It’s a live performance in its basic element. Neurosis is not a band that is going to make you jump or dance. It’s hypnotic. They are one of those band in which you really have to leave all of your personal shit at the door and just allow yourself to get sucked in by the music. Honestly, it’s not the most pleasant experience. This isn’t Van Halen. It’s dark and murky. It’s pain and not much salvation. But, it is powerful. Not for the faint of heart these guys are.

Neurosis-The Last You’ll Know

Converge-Arkhipov Calm

Lucifer-II

Lucifer is a little band with a winding backstory all centered on the musical vision of frontwoman, Johanna Sardonis. A few years back, Sardonis and guitarist Linnea Olsson came together to form the waaaay underground cult band The Oath. If you never heard of The Oath, don’t fret. They basically broke up the day their debut album was released. Which was a damn shame because the album ended up being a really weird mixture of the first couple of Danzig albums with Dreamboat Annie-era Heart. It was a bad ass album and it’s a shame they couldn’t hold their shit together.

In the wake of The Oath’s demise, Sardonis regrouped with ex-Cathedral guitarist Garry Jennings to create Lucifer. The first Lucifer album was a pretty decent attempt to keep the same sort of creepy and doomy sound of the first album from The Oath going. It was decent, but I didn’t think it quite lived up to the promise The Oath portended.

So, here we are at swing number two from Lucifer. Jennings has left the band and has been replaced by multi-instrumentalist Nicke Andersson of Entombed and The Hellacopters fame. This new collaboration sees Lucifer step in a newer and retro direction that works quite well with Sardonis’ voice. Musically, you’ve got more of a Sabbath-meets-Blue Oyster Cult-meets-old Aerosmith-meets-Alice Cooper with Sardonis playing the mistress of ceremonies with her solid Ann Wilson-esque vocals. It’s really old school rock-n-roll more than anything. Sure, it plays pretty campy and it is fairly derivative in a lot of places, but it’s fun. I can see this one being a great album to crank up on a summer day out on the lake. Grab yourself a pop and feel yourself float back to 1978.

4 flip flops out of 5

Immortal-Northern Chaos Gods

I’ve got to be honest. I really didn’t expect this album to ever see the light of day. Now, that it has finally arrived, I am here to report that I am pleasantly surprised not only by its arrival, but also its content.

So, Immortal is another of these bands who has endured an implosion a few years ago. Tensions between principle members Abbath and Demonaz finally came to a head back in 2015 and resulted in Abbath calling it quits to embark on a solo career. Demonaz and drummer Horgh announced their intention to continue on under the Immortal moniker. Abbath beat Immortal out of the gates and released the well-received and Immortal-ish sounding self-titled Abbath album. Immortal just seemed to disappear and there wasn’t much news out of their camp as to any progress being made on new material.

Well, lo and behold, here we are in 2018 and we have a brand spanking new Immortal album. Demonaz has recuperated enough from his health issues and has been able to reclaim his spot as Immortal’s guitarist. He has also taken over the vocal duties from Abbath. So how does it sound? It sounds like Immortal. It’s frosty black metal. Demonaz’s vocals are delivered in the same style and cadence as Abbath and, honestly, the band doesn’t really miss a beat without having Abbath as frontman. It’s the same sort of bleak northern wilderness black metal that Immortal has always delivered. Song titles such as Grim and Dark, Where Mountains Rise and Called to Ice will give you a good sense of where this thing resides.

While I’m sad that the original core of Immortal is no more, we do have two offshoots from the ashes and both camps are producing quality metal. It’s not optimal, but we’re still getting some good music from the people involved.

4 flip flops out of 5

Cavern-Eater

Man, that album cover just shrieks “METAL!!! \m/\m/”, don’t it? I mean, that thing has nothing on The Number of the Beast as far as metal as fuck albums covers go. Well, chalk this one as another confirmation of the adage “don’t judge a book by its cover”.

Cavern is one of these two-man groups instrumental groups. One dude on guitar. One dude on drums. Bassist? Who needs a stinking bassist? These kind of groups always make me wonder: Do they just not like the way the bass sounds? Are they just confident enough in their collective sonic powers that they feel the foundation the bass provides is just unnecessary? Or do they just not have that many friends and none of the friends that they do have play bass? Do they have weird hazing rituals that any potential bassist has to endure and no bassist has made it through the gauntlet as of yet? I just have so many questions.

Anyway, that went way off track. Regardless of the formation of the band, these guys really kick some serious musical ass. Their sound is in that post-metal, sludgy instrumental world that is exemplified by Russian Circles, Pelican and the like. If you happened upon their previous release from 2015, Outsiders, then this current album will not surprise you. It is tasty melodic and crunchy riffs throughout. I think my only real complaint is that this feels more like an EP than a full-fledged album. At only six total songs (one of which is a short intro track), it moves very quickly from beginning to end.

4 flip flops out of 5

The Sea Within-The Sea Within

Here we have another prog super group thrown together by some of the heavy hitters within the genre. This one is spearheaded by Flower Kings’ guitarist/vocalist Roine Stolt and is rounded out by Pain of Salvation vocalist Daniel Gildenlow, Flower Kings’ bassist Jonas Reingold, drummer of a multitude of various project Marco Minnemann and keyboardist Tom Brislin. Also featured in guest spots are Yes’ vocalist Jon Anderson, Flying Colors’ Casey McPherson and Dream Theater’s keyboardist Jordan Rudess.

These kind of supergroups are always kind of hit and miss with me. Sometimes they really come together as with Transatlantic (which also sports Stolt as a member) or Liquid Tension Experiment and sometimes they look better on paper than they actually end up being in practice. The current project is decent, but not spectacular given the talents of some of the participants. The first three cuts on the album are really great, but the remainder of the album doesn’t seem to capitalize on the promising beginning. Overall, this is a fairly middle-of-the-road slab of dreamy prog pop. They are clearly trying to craft some solid songs rather than just trying to show off as happens with some prog projects. I like the idea and the effort. I just wish the final product would have turned out a little more inspired than it did.

3 flip flops out of 5