Albums we liked circa ’11
I know, it’s been a long time. But I already served my time as a soldier in Cyprus and right now I am studying my master program in Sweden, so I have been dealing with a lot of stuff. Dephosphorus have been busy with releases and recordings too. I missed this interaction too much; it doesn’t have that much to do with users and people that will comment what I do. It’s all about myself. I feel good doing this, so if this means that it has to take some time, then shall be it. There is not much free time left but there is a lot of willing. I made a list and fortunately more are about to come soon.
1. Young Widows – In and Out of Youth and Lightness (Temporary Residence)
It’s really difficult to express myself regarding this record. It became difficult as well to get into it and dig it because it demanded a lot of time. But in most cases, records like this demand attention and patience. I am so in an awe how these guys transformed their noisy rock into this dark, heavy and complex but always effective sound. The most glorious moments in this record belong to the vocals which this time are just unique. It’s been a great movement and step for Young Widows as now the possibilities of going anywhere are more than obvious. Damn, I would be fuckin proud if I could play the noise rock that these guys are playing. Intelligent, dark, monotonous, heavy. Dig it.
2. Hebosagil – Ura (Kult of Nihilow)
I couldn’t believe in my ears when the first sounds of “Ura” came out of the stereo. Shit, what an improvement! These Finnish guys are so talented and it’s a pity that no one seems to know them or listen to them. “Ura” is a noise rock poem. It’s not just plain noise rock and it has nothing to do with Young Widows or even Årabrot. Hebosagil have a unique sound and most of the times the lyrics that are in Finnish exclusively, giving a terrifying atmosphere to their songs. But it’s this really dark sound and atmosphere that leaves me speechless, let alone the perfectionism of the musical instruments. The boys have mastered their craft and after having released another mindblowing 7” this year as well, I cannot predict where all this will lead. The only thing I know is that I trust these guys and sometimes this means more than anything for a band.
3. Lee Noble – No Becoming (Foxy Digitalis)
I can’t remember how many times I have been listening to this tape but who cares. Lee Noble triggered my mind some time ago with their astonishing “Infinity Bore”. This tape here traveled me a lot of times where I could feel some kind of healing. I love this kind of repetitive ambient soundscapes that this artist produces because he is not doing just that. He is adding special elements into his craft which make him unique and dynamic. Excellent job.
4. Blut Aus Nord – 777 Sects – The Desanctification (Debemur Morti)
Well, this is probably the way I prefer Blut Aus Nord more than ever before. Maybe this would be what Godflesh would play, if they went into black metal. Maybe not, but the thing is that in such mid tempo paces things for the french guys are hitting the spot. Glorious and apocalyptic melodies by the guitars which build the territories for these stark, frozen and repetitive robotic rhythms. There is not a filler here, everything is just there for a specific reason. They also changed a lot the vocals on this one and provided more mysticism which amplifies, in a very satisfying way, the whole atmosphere. “The Desanctification” is an absolute winner.
5. Oranssi Pazuzu – Kosmonument (Spinefarm Records)
I was not too excited by Oranssi’s first full length, but here things are totally different. The overall atmosphere in this one shocked me from the beginning. The Finnish band creates many soundscapes in the second record while retaining the black metal characteristics. The most significant aspect though is the psychedelic aura of “Kosmonument”. Most of the times in the record distortion is not the case. Ideas are expanded and progressed while the vocals function as acid to neutral chemical solution. Oranssi Pazuzu decided this time to compress more their sound with a lot of noise, which to me seems more than great, cause their work can actually have a lot of experimentation in it. Seriously, one of the best efforts in 2011.
6. Ken Mode – Venerable (Profound Lore)
Ken Mode are from these few bands that put a smile on my face when I think of their evolution. While listening a lot of the times to all of their records, I could not predict how good “Venerable” could be. I trust the two brothers in this band and I know that for them impossible is an unknown word. Their decision to work with Kurt Ballou had only positive effects and all of them are captured in “Venerable”. Intelligent compositions, more noise rock patterns, distinctive Ken Mode riffage and drumming, Jesse’s voice is more powerful, more organic and still, songs are breathing air. I can’t wait to watch them live along with Kylesa in a few days here. Winner.
7. Leviathan – True Traitor True Whore (Profound Lore)
Wrest is one of the few artists I respect so much in the extreme sound. I wasn’t too much excited by his contribution in the other recent projects though. But I kept believing that the new Leviathan would rule. Wrest though is an unpredictable musician, so instead of blasting our head as he did in” Massive Conspiracy…”, he actually decided to capture what he was feeling nowadays, the best and fastest way possible. Because in the end, this is what this record is all about. Yes, some times the drumming is sloppy, the vocals could be better but in overall these were his thoughts and he captured them really in a successful way. Also, there is an aura of his old material in this one, creating this dark and disturbing atmosphere that works like “Sacrifice Love at the Altar of War” had. It’s not surprising either that Wrest decided to redo 2 old tracks. It seems as the circle of the old Leviathan just came to an end, which to me seems more than justifiable.
8. Enablers – Blown Realms & Stalled Explosions (Exile on Mainstream)
Enablers continue their own kind of path they chose to walk in. They must be also the only band from the Neurot roster I am following with the same enthusiasm as before, even if they don’t belong there anymore. They are so alone in that and maybe that’s a reason why I like them so much. But not without another reason. Pete Simonelli keeps writing epic poems and puts them in a brilliant way into the guys’ music, which every time is getting better and better. Their music is very close to the scientific regulation. It has so many dynamics and it is so fluid that it really needs a lot of attention. But on the other hand, this is pure emotion. And thinking about both of the above, Enablers show that they can actually handle this like no one else. World’s best spoken word band? Definitely.
9. The Psychic Paramount – II (No Quarter)
Progressive stuff is something I really avoid these days as progressive for the majority of people is really different and varies a lot. The Psychic Paramount though in this effort blend Don Caballero and Laddio Bolocko of course but with post rock elements as well and hopefully, this post rock is decent and has nothing to do with the dead genre of the repetitive one note thing. The drummer of the mighty Sabers, Jeff Conaway is playing God in this record and the rest are building up the sounds for his freaking drumming. At times it’s totally chaotic, other times is groovy, primarily psychedelic rock but overall it’s an apocalyptic record and I can’t avoid revisiting it many times, making it a successful album. Wow.
10. Lunar Miasma – Arrival (Field Studies)
Last but lot least, the spaceship of Panos Alexiadis. I was eager to listen in which planet he landed with his new tapes and this one trapped me in its manifestic, warm, cosmic and apocalyptic atmosphere. It’s not many times that my stereo is hijacked by tapes that are playing all the time, but I remember a lot of the times just changing sides on the cassette player and just pushing ‘play’. Panos in this tape is more psychedelic than ever, creating even more focused soundscapes with healing elements and cosmic, new age approach. You might think that this is not something new for him but every time his music is more balanced and more mature, leading to different paths. What I really love in his music is the fact that every time I listen to it, I keep dreaming of the next step which in the end, is always different than the one I think he is going to head on. But, this is the beauty of music, isn’t it?
stealing the light 