An Album A Day Keeps The Doctor Away | 365 Album Challenge

[Xayphon]

(no particular order)

TOKiMONSTA - Midnight Menu
Teebs - Collections 01
Teebs - Ardour
JIM - Samouraï Soul
JIM - Short Stories (1)
arai tasuku - Sin of Children (only heard two songs of this, want to know what the whole thing is like)
trog'low - Late Night Travels
Eon Ra - The Path of Ganesha
Monster Rally - Return to Paradise

And just because...

Metrosound - Rhodes
The Avalanches - Since I Left You

[EzExZeRo7497]

I'll add those albums tomorrow.

Well I don't review albums that I've listened to, so I'm not reviewing Rhodes and Since I Left You. I could tell you what I think about the albums though:

Rhodes... I'm actually not sure anymore. It has probably been two years since I've listened to it fully. Different Tool was a really neat little jam. Actually, most of the tracks in the album are pretty nice. Good variation too, ranging from plunderphonics to breakbeat. I haven't rated it on RYM, but I'd give it a 7/10.

Since I Left You is really good, one of the best chillwave (it qualifies) albums I've listened to in a while. I do have some qualms about the album, some of the tracks are pretty weak I feel. They're more than tolerable though, just not substantial enough. Avalanche Rock-Flight Tonight-Close To You-A Different Feeling is a fantastic string of tracks. Kinda disappointed that they didn't manage to keep up the same type of consistency. It's still a solid album though, I initially gave it an 8/10. Hasn't grew on me since though, it's sitting at a 7.5/10 at the moment.

[EzExZeRo7497]

July 7th, 2014
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Promise by Eminence Symphony Orchestra
The Eminence Symphony Orchestra was founded by Hiroaki Yura in 2003, based in Australia. They have made symphonic arrangements for works of Blizzard Entertainment and Joe Hisaishi, essentially large VGM/anime soundtrack producers. Promise is a set of arrangements based on the pieces in Makoto Shinkai's movies. Namely, 5 Centimeters Per Second, She and Her Cat, The Place Promised In Our Early Days and Voices of a Distant Star. I'm quite fond of Tenmon's works, so this caught my interest pretty quickly. Whether this will appeal to me the same way Tenmon did, is something I'm not too sure about.

I'll split my thoughts into 4 separate parts. Starting off with the first three tracks - which are arrangements of pieces from 5cm/s. One More Time, One More Chance is a far more grandiose arrangement than Masayoshi Yamazaki's. It feels a lot more dynamic, it looks much prettier too. However, both tracks can't be compared. Tenmon and Yamazaki's versions of it are far more subtle, but still magical. This is also magical, but in a very different sense. It's very cinematic, reminiscent to most American animated movies actually. Aside from the rather oriental flare, I could see this being used in the likes of Pixar. It's very nice, but I do prefer the original more. I do prefer subtlety over dynamics.

Omoide ha Tooku no Hibi is a longer arrangement of the original piece Tenmon has composed. It is a tinge bit more melancholic than the original, with lower tones being used halfway through. Doesn't appeal to me the same way the original did, but it's still heart-tugging to say the least. Not sure if I prefer the original more, but this is a nice rendition nonetheless. Kanae no Kimochi is essentially the same piece as the one in the original, only with more intricate instrumentation. I like this more than Tenmon's arrangement - and I really like the original off the bat. It does portray a different picture - this seems more magical and dreamy. In contrast to the original, which is more laid-back and serene. The change does make the piece stand out a lot more though, I absolutely adore this.

The Place Promised In Our Early Days is next, six tracks here. I have not listened to the soundtrack for this yet, so I have no point of reference. The main theme does remind me very strongly of Joe Hisaishi, especially with its orchestration. It's neat and all, but I just don't feel the connection to it. The melodies aren't particularly engaging, but they're okay. I do prefer the piano version of this more. Futari no Keikaku / Kibou to Akogare reminds me of a more cinematic Kan Gao. A more complex arrangement of pieces such as Launch, actually. Very high in energy, as if it's trying to raise the energy levels of everyone. It does get a little long-winded (a track that builds energy for 4 minutes isn't necessarily the best), but it changes towards the end. It shows a more depressing side of the piece, but it's still beautiful enough to make you smile of joy at the end. Really nice.

Sayuri reminds me of the original composition of Kanae no Kimochi. Not quite as laid-back, relaxing or subtle unfortunately. Still a great listen nonetheless, just a little replaceable. Futari no Kattou is absolutely heartbreaking, to say the least. It does feel rather formulaic in its approach, but it's barely any consideration in my mind. The formula works, and I feel like crying even though I've never watched the movie before. Incredibly visceral violin, it almost feels as if it's weeping. For some reason that instrument creates a direct passage to my heart. Aside from the piano, there has been no other instrument that has really made me feel strong emotions. The orchestra makes good use of the violin in Kimi no Koe as well, albeit not quite as cathartic.

The last four tracks are based on two short films - Voices of a Distant Star and She And Her Cat. Through The Years and Far Away evokes a yearning atmosphere. While the track is beautiful, I can't help but feel this distance as I listen to the track. A distance from what? I'm not too sure. I can only assume that it's someone that I truly cared about. Not an emotion I'd regularly go through, but it is accompanied with engaging melodies. Moments of loneliness and triumphance keep me on my toes as I listen to it. You know a piece is good if it catches your attention quite considerably. Not too fond of the symphonic arrangement of She And Her Cat, but the piano version is nice. The former is a bit too cinematic for me, it doesn't quite capture anything too magical. Still a decent sound, regardless.

I'll fully admit that I absolutely love depressing/heart-breaking/heart-warming anime soundtracks. Soundscapes/catchiness aren't necessarily what I'm looking for when it comes to soundtracks. I want more of an emotional connection. This album established this connection very well. While I obviously can't say that the album is consistently good, it does a good job at being engaging and visceral. It really puts the pieces Tenmon has made under a different light. Eminence Symphony Orchestra twisted and modified the pieces in a way that it makes the tracks feel quite different from their original counterparts. Usually for the better. It is able to evoke emotions that the original pieces couldn't - which is quite a feat. It is good enough if you're able to best the original in terms of quality. However outdoing the original by doing something quite different... is quite impressive. The orchestra did this very well, and I have to commend them for that.

There's only two flaws I can think of when it comes to this album. First off, there are some weaker tracks. She And Her Cat's theme is rather weak in comparison to the others, but it's more than tolerable. The other flaw is that I have to get in a particular mood to really like this album. Fortunately, I do get in the mood rather easily, so nothing much to complain there. Flaws aside, there's really no reason not to get this album if you're into emotional anime soundtracks. While I can't say that it's one of the best soundtracks I've listened to, it's still solid. It has variation, a lot of emotion and it's simply beautiful. If you like Joe Hisaishi, Tenmon (of course), any artist from Key Sounds Label, get this. It will be a ride you will never forget. I know I won't, I'll probably be listening to this more in the future. Probably going to skip a few tracks though... which is why I'm not giving it as high of a rating as I'd like to. Regardless, phenomenal album.

Album Highlights: Kanae no Kimochi, Futari no Kattou, Omoide ha Tooku no Hibi
Track Average Rating: 3.73/5
Overall Rating: 8/10

[EzExZeRo7497]

Shoutouts to FFR being down yesterday when I had time to review albums.

July 9th, 2014
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Zatracenie by Matryoshka
Matryoshka is a Japanese ambient/downtempo/trip-hop duo. People have described their music style as a fusion of post-rock, ambience, contemporary classical and hazy vocals. I have listened to Matryoshka before, and I can agree for the most part. I don't quite hear the post-rock component, but the other elements are there. Zatracenie is their debut studio album.

Sink Into The Sin is trip-hop with ambience, which is pretty standard for Matryoshka. The best artist I could compare it to is Ferri, another Japanese contemporary whom produces very similar music. Even then though, the comparison is a little far-fetched. Ferri is a lot more ethereal, this is mainly abstract. Pretty, but it doesn't catch my interest. It's not bad, in fact it's rather atmospheric. It's just not my cup of tea. It just feels like it's there the whole time at a distance. Not really the best way to start off an album.

Slowsnow is darker and colder, true to its name. It reminds me very strongly of a winter night, actually. Not an unforgiving one, in fact one that's quite warm. It does appear to be bitter at points, but there's this warmth inside that is really intriguing. Never really had a track with such a personality, this is interesting.

Viridian is a cross between Ferri's sound, Piana's Muse with more glitch. It's pretty odd, but not in a compelling way. It's just pretty, nothing else I could really say about it. It does have some nice melodies here and there, but not enough for me to like the track as a whole. Same problems as Sink Into The Sin, I guess.

The general recurring themes are dreaminess and abstractism. Sometimes a combination of the two. Did they achieve any of the two atmospheres I've mentioned in any of the tracks? Not really. I could feel some dreaminess here and there, likewise with abstractism, but nothing overly prominent. These melodies are indeed beautiful, but only on a superficial level. They just don't go much deeper than just a pretty sound. The only two tracks that do it for me are Tyrant's Miniature Garden and Slowsnow. The former starts off quite depressing and defeated, but towards the second half it explodes of joy - almost triumphantly. A wonderful aural treat. Shame that the other tracks don't have the same level of catharsis.

Doesn't quite help that the songs sound quite similar too. It almost becomes formulaic, starting with a pretty atmosphere and later toss some nice melodies. Normally that'd be great, but I don't think Matryoshka managed to execute the formula successfully. It's usually lacking in emotion and/or lackluster as a whole. There are some oddballs when it comes to the melodies, such as Ezekiel, but it ends up being lackluster like the other tracks. Usually, more so.

I'm not saying that this is a mediocre album though, it's just not very appealing compared to similar artists like Piana and Ferri. It is VERY pretty and there are some good tracks here. Anyone who is into dreamy music or Japanese ambient in general would like this, at least slightly. It's just that I've heard better albums - in dreaminess, catchiness and overall quality. Ephemeral, A Broken Carousel, Laideronnette and a few other albums come to mind. This is generally replaceable in this aspect.

But yeah, decent album, but there are far better albums in the given genre. I feel that their later album, Laideronnette is a lot more refined. It sticks to one idea (dreaminess) and it doesn't seem to falter in quality nor stick to a general template for the most part. But still, Zatracenie is worth getting if you're into dreamy/trippy ambient. It might be the album for you. I know it isn't for me, but it's a respectable attempt regardless.

Album Highlights: Slowsnow, Tyrant's Miniature Garden
Track Average Rating: 3.2/5
Overall Rating: 6/10
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Return to Paradise by Monster Rally (recommended by Xayphon)
Monster Rally is the brainchild of American chillwave musician Ted Feighan. His chillwave style is generally tropical, almost exotic. He combines genres like soul and plunderphonics to create his sound, an interesting one at that. Return to Paradise is his latest LP.

It's so odd to describe his music. As I mentioned before, it is a tropical and exotic sound. I'm not sure how to elaborate on it, but if you listen to tracks like Orchids, you'd get what I mean. Tracks like Barefoot / Eyes also has this tropical flare as well, can't help but think of Hawaii and all when I listen to the first half. Not necessarily engaging in the beats section, but the visions are interesting. Second half is pretty neat. There are some jewels here, like Palm Village and Baja Samba. Palm Village is a nice mixture of catchiness, nostalgia and uniqueness - which is great. Palm Village feels a little cartoonish - quite entertaining. It's also a little sombre too, though. First chillwave track that I've heard that was sombre, this is pretty interesting.

Most chillwave releases have the same problems - they have too many tracks and too little substance. This album does have those issues. The tracks are generally under 2.5 minutes, which is pretty short. It has eighteen tracks as well, so it's a bit difficult for me to orientate myself to different tracks. The tracks are just a little unsubstantial - they just don't provide enough to be memorable. Even without extending the tracks, they could still be catchy. Teams vs. Star Slinger's Close to Me is my favourite chillwave track - incredibly mesmerising and catchy. It's a little over a hundred seconds long, so it does show that short tracks could be amazing too. This album doesn't really have much catchiness or substance for me. There are even some occasions where there were great moments but were ruined by abrupt changes in atmosphere. Barefoot / Eyes and Roses are victims of this.

Sound is really authentic. I do dig his unique style of chillwave. Combining exotica with instrumental hip-hop is really nice, though not all of his attempts work. I have to respect him for that, it's really not like any chillwave I've listened to before. It gives these tracks quite different personalities from their typical chillwave counterparts. So different that I'm actually no longer familiar with the sound. I'm too used to the typical sound of chillwave. Maybe that's why I don't like it as much I should - I couldn't quite form thoughts when I listened to this. I was still trying to familiarise myself to his sound.

I could see this album as a grower. The album didn't click with me as well as Since I Left You or Teams vs. Star Slinger, but it's decent nonetheless. Generally laid-back, with a tropical twist which is hit or miss. There are some times when I wish that the tropical elements were less prominent, and the other way round. The latter moreso though, so I'd say the addition is a plus - no pun intended. Recommended for anyone into chillwave, this does stand out considerably. I'll have to give this a few more spins to appreciate this more, though. As it is, it's alright. Not the worst I've heard, but it's most certainly not the best either.

Album Highlights: Baja Samba, Palm Village, Tropical Showers
Track Average Rating: 3.09/5
Overall Rating: 6/10

[EzExZeRo7497]

July 10th, 2014
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Dream Tempest by 36
Meet Dennis Huddleston - an ambient musician hailing from the United Kingdom. Most people know him as 36. Fairly prolific, he has made a total of 11 albums (including EPs) over five years. Dream Tempest is his latest work, just released yesterday actually. I'm no stranger to 36's music - in fact he is one of my favourite ambient producers. While he is no Thomas Koner or William Basinski, he certainly has what makes ambient so wonderful. He seems to be a jack of all trades as well, from the innocent Hypersona, the pitch-black Lithea to the ethereal Memories in Widescreen. All of the albums I've mentioned clicked with me very well - and I personally find them excellent. While I'm not too fond of his latest album (and his style change as a whole), his work is still memorable. Dream Tempest is to him, his most optimistic work, with a tinge of melancholy he can't shake off from his music.

The album starts off with the playful yet astral Dream Tempest. Dennis does introduce a sound that has never been used in any of his works - a high-pitched synth melody. It appears to be rotating back and forth, which is interesting. However, I can't say that I find that element particularly interesting. It's a little detrimental, more than anything else. Fortunately, the track does make up for it with layers of ambience. It reminds me of a much darker Hypersona, actually. It is quite a pleasant listen, but not the best. The track isn't quite overwhelming. I feel that a track like this would be better if it's overwhelming.

Neon Sunset sounds exactly how you'd imagine it to be. A little synth melody that gives direction to the music - music that reminds me of... sunset. It's relaxing, the atmosphere is pretty nice. The ambience here does complement it slightly, creating this night sky - which does sound hypocritical. It does seem like that though, a sun that really shouldn't be there sinking to the black abyss. Again, pleasant listen - but not the best. The problem with this track is that it's not quite engaging. It is a pretty sight for sure, but it doesn't provide anything deeper.

Sun Riders reminds me very strongly with Dennis' work in Shadow Play. Particularly tracks like Dangerous Days. It's purely ambience - no additional melodies whatsoever. I feel as if the simplicity is what makes his music so beautiful sometimes. While it does leave a lot of ambiguity, it gives me comfort. There's a lot of space to float in, I could just sit back and feel at peace while listening to this. No additional layers of music, just drones on top of another. Ambient at its purest - and also its most cathartic.

Dennis isn't lying when he said that this is his most optimistic work. Tracks like Airglow and Play are nothing short of jovial, but there's a tinge of sadness. It's more prominent in the latter. Airglow is a very bright track, arguably one of his brightest works to date. The melody is pretty similar to Dangerous Days, but it's much shorter. Doesn't quite do it for me, it's too bright. Not the type of ambient that I particularly like.

Most of his old sounds are prominent here, though Shadow Play is arguably the most prominent. Sounds from Lithea and Hypersona can definitely be heard here though, especially in tracks like Tired. In addition to his older sound, he does bring in some experimentation to the mix. This is arguably his most experimental album to date, but it's not saying much. His most experimental track is Hyperbox, an incredibly playful work. Continuous melodies from a music box, a recurring melody - all sounds he has never used. It's not really ambient at that point, but the label doesn't matter. Not fond of this by any means, too playful. Coming a close second in experimentation is Perfect Numbers - a combination of number station broadcast samples and IDM. Not necessarily ambient, but interesting nonetheless.

Have to admit that none of the first nine tracks aside from Sun Riders has fazed me though. I'm just not used to his form of experimentation, or the tracks were underwhelming. Just when I thought that the album was rather weak for 36, he pulls one last trick up his sleeve. He really did save the best for last, because the last three tracks are some of his best in years. Redshift takes the minimalistic beauty of Sun Riders and adds layers of overwhelming drones. While it does sound juxtapository on paper, the drones actually blend in very well. It does take on a different life compared to Sun Riders, but the catharsis is most definitely there. In fact, it now has this shade of wonder which I'm really intrigued by. The album ends off with Entropy, an optimistic and bright drone with very clear shades of bleakness. I feel as if it does sum up the album as a whole, minus the experimental bits. It's solid - it appeals to me in a way that Sun Riders does.

Always is my favourite track here. It starts off with a pristine drone, with the innocence of Hypersona and the clarity of Shadow Play. Not particularly impressive... but it just explodes three minutes in. The sound just becomes absolutely overwhelming and noisy, combining melancholy and beauty in a way that Dennis has never done before. The overwhelming drones remind me of October Language/Memories in Widescreen, particularly Remove the Inside or After Time. While the sound is heavy, it sure doesn't feel that way. This track also has the light-weightedness of Hypersona - which complements the atmosphere well. It's so hard to describe it, it's like floating in a sea of noise. There aren't many tracks like this - but most of them have this cleansing effect on me that I always want in music. This track is no exception, simply exquisite.

While I'm not disappointed with the release (in fact I found it great), it leaves quite a bit to be desired. It still has that catharsis that we all know and love. It's just not as prominent here. I really want 36 to tone down the experimentation, more than anything else. I understand that he's trying to do something different here, but the elements clash more than complement. He seems to be more ambitious in this album as well, perhaps a little too ambitious. Maybe it's just me not being used to this change, but I just don't feel it. His simplicity and minimalism is what made some of his works beautiful. Wraith, Another World, Home, Nephyr... all tracks that are great because of simplicity. His newer works (Shadow Play and onwards) generally don't have that charm. The tracks feel more layered than his other works. Not too fond of that, but some of them still click. Just not as much of a proportion as it used to.

Nothing else I could say about it. It's a great album. Sure, there are some weak tracks like Hyperbox and Perfect Numbers, but there are some solid tracks here as well. The good does outweigh the bad, so I'm leaning towards a higher rating. Putting this album as the same level as Hypersona, Lithea or MiW would be silly. The weaker tracks do bog down the rating quite a bit. I'd say it's around the same level as Shadow Play. I gave that one a 7.5, so I think this should too.

Album Highlights: Always, Sun Riders, Redshift, Entropy
Track Average Rating: 3.67/5
Overall Rating: 7.5/10
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Like Flies on Sherbert by Alex Chilton (recommended by rayword45)
Alex Chilton is an American songwriter and guitarist, most notably known for his contributions for power pop band Big Star. I don't know much about Big Star, but I know that they are pretty well acclaimed. Like Flies on Sherbert is Alex Chilton's second solo album - mainly garage rock.

Incredibly unfamiliar with genres like this. Will just go through a train of thought I guess.

1. Boogie Shoes is the weirdest thing. So eccentric and goofy, in all its cheesiness too. The distortion part at the end was funny, pretty sloppy. I don't quite get the energy here - it's just silly. Probably too level-headed for music like this.
2. My Rival isn't as eccentric as Boogie Shoes... but it's still goofy. The vocals are contrasting with the instrumentation pretty badly. Not a fan of that at all. It's so weird... what the fuck. The solo is okay, it hurts my ears a bit though.
3. Hey Little Child is mediocre at best - just boring. The vocal entrances just feel sloppy at times, it drives my OCD nuts. Instrumentation isn't compelling, the vocals are pretty boring. What's with the random piano in the background just now? Why are you doing this to me Alex Chilton?
4. Hook or Crook is actually okay. Vocals are unenthusiastic, but still tolerable. The instrumentation is pretty catchy, but not the best thing in the world. That solo is unnecessary though, the intro of it was so loud. Not to mention it was short, I didn't see the point of that.
5. I've Had It. Huh. Not sure what to think of this. The vocals are pretty damn weird - not a fan of that. Instrumentals have their cheesiness cranked up to a deafening volume. It actually becomes so cheesy it's decent tier. Just decent though - I don't think this is very good overall.
6. Actually had to skip Rock Hard. That was pretty bad.
7. What song is this? Girl After Girl. Oh, oh. *instrumentation plays*
8. ???????????????????????????????????
9. Those lyrics are so dumb, jeeeeesus. Instrumentation is pretty whimsical, not sure what to think of that. I think it's alright, I guess. The vocals though... man. Are the vocals supposed to be an impression of Elvis? They definitely sound like Elvis, anyway. If it was a parody, that's alright I guess. It's still bad.
10. I don't really have anything to write for Waltz Across Texas. It's something. Next track.
11. Tell me when to start. *instrumentation plays*
12. ??????????????????????????????????
13. I think at this point I just think that this album is not for me. I think I'll stop writing my train of thought. I'd be repeating the same things over and over again.

Sigh. So, this album is a mess. It's sloppy, it's disjointed, but it's pretty clear that it's intentional. I'm just really not sure on how to listen to this. Are you supposed to get really drunk and listen to this? Are you supposed to blast this ironically? It IS a very eccentric album, but it's so disorderly and ditzy it drives me nuts. None of the tracks really stood out as great, whether in a weird way or not. Couldn't tell if some of the tracks were supposed to be enjoyed ironically or not. There are some people who said that it is a compelling mess, but I don't see it. It's just mediocre, ironically or unironically. There are some catchy moments here and there, sure. It's just that the moments are too sparse for the album to be worth listening to. The album as a whole is just nearly everything I dislike about classic pop rock and more. Just don't see the appeal, honestly.

Maybe I'm being a little too serious or level-headed with an album like this. I just... don't understand how anyone would consider this a masterpiece. If this album is supposed to be someone fooling around in the studio, I just don't think it's very funny. Props to Alex for releasing this though - takes some courage to release something this messy. Maybe someone would find enjoyment in something so messy. I know I won't, I'm way too orderly of a person for that.

tl;dr Too deep for me. Sorry rayword.

Album Highlights: Hook or Crook
Track Average Rating: -
Overall Rating: 3.5/10

[choof]

ctrl+f hyperbox
not nearly as mad I as I expected

I'm diggin the experimentation on Dream Tempest, tons of new textures. I have a feeling this is a transition album of sorts, the transformation of sound from Hypersona to Lithea is nuts, and I think this is going to be the Hypersona in this new direction of ambient.

Neon Sunset though, that guitar lick asdfkdjlakjh

[rayword45]

Yeah Like Flies on Sherbet is deliberately terrible, which is basically the appeal. Definitely an album that one out of a few hundred will enjoy.

[EzExZeRo7497]

365 albums is just not happening. 250 is probably a far more realistic number.

July 12th, 2014
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bloweyelashwish by lovesliescrushing
Lovesliescrushing is an American shoegazer band. While they are compared to the likes of MBV and Cocteau Twins, their sound definitely stands out from the crowd. Aside from the typical shoegaze elements like soft vocals and distortion, they add layers of sound to create a dense wall. Not really something MBV would do by any means. bloweyelashwish is their debut album.

Really really dense. Babysbreath has incredibly heavy instrumentation, almost soothing. Feedback reminds me of October Language, actually. I could sleep to this. It's not quite shoegaze with vocals though, and there are soft vocals here. Honestly the elements clash horrendously. Not sure if it's because of the lo-fi sound of distortion, it's just that the vocals are too ethereal. Fortunately the vocals aren't quite common in this track. There is one part that I can't quite name that's bothering me though - ruins the ambience of the track.

Iwantyou is yet another heavy and distorted track. Instead of reminding me of October Language however, it reminds me of hana sumai's Growing Pains. That, and a shitload of distortion. Way way too much at this point, it becomes clunky. Vocals don't quite help complement the track either, they're just there the entire time.

This is most definitely shoegaze, but man. You really can't call it just shoegaze, there's elements of noise and drone here. It reminds me of multiple shoegaze/drone albums, but this... doesn't quite make the mark. Dizzy for example, reminds me of The Door Opens The Other Way by Belong, but far less cathartic. While slightly mesmerising, it's too short and doesn't do enough. I'm not sure if it's just the lo-fi recording or not though. I just don't think it's as overwhelming as it should. I could say the same for almost every track here. Some of these tracks are a little scary, but that's really it. They don't provide much else.

Oh, there's some mainly noise tracks here. Burst is pretty noisy, but with some drone elements. Not quite comparable to the likes of Tim Hecker, however. It just feels very lackluster. Pick any low-pitched noise track and typical shoegaze/drone, you'll end up with something like Burst. While it's still pleasant, it's incredibly replaceable. I don't really get or feel anything while listening to this. While shoegaze isn't a genre that I'd get catharsis from, this really isn't a shoegaze album. It's better to view this as a drone/noise album.

There's a lot of things I could talk about the album, but I think it'd be better for me to sum my main thoughts in two paragraphs. It's decent, but nowhere as spectacular as I'd want it to be. Drone, noise and shoegaze are all genres that create wonderful soundscapes. Combining all of them seems like a match made in heaven, and it really is. October Language is my personal favourite album, and it's a mixture of the three mentioned. Growing Pains has also those genres too - though mainly shoegaze and drone. That used to be in my top 10 albums. Bloweyelashwish... doesn't quite hit me the same way October Language or Growing Pains does. It just feels incredibly underwhelming. Both in sound, and in emotion.

Why is Bloweyelashwish nowhere as good as October Language or Growing Pains, you might ask? Other than the incredibly horrendous production, the tracks seem disorganised and messy. They feel like tracks that didn't take much time to compose - multiple shots in the dark. There are some good tracks, but they're quite a rarity here. Most of the tracks just solely have a superficial level of beauty. Either that, or they're grating on the ears. Both of which aren't very positive descriptions of tracks. I would sleep to this because it's so pleasant, but there are some parts that I just can't sleep to. They're too high-pitched.

I'm not going to call this terrible because it really isn't. If I've never listened to October Language, Growing Pains or pretty much any shoegazy drone album, I'd probably give it a 7.5. A 7, at least. It's a pleasant sound that I'd instantly fall in love with because of how different it is. My love for breakcore and IDM (noise) and serene soundscapes (ambient) finally came together to form this... massive wall of sound. Grandiose, but also detailed in texture. While I still have an opinion like that... I just can't think as highly as I would. October Language has outperformed this album in multiple ways. While comparing my favourite album to an album like this seems far-fetched, it's the best comparison compared to everything else I've listened to. This just... doesn't quite make as much of a mark as I'd like it to. You could say that I'm disappointed, I guess. No big deal though - I heard their next album is way better. Maybe I'll get to that one day.

Also, those track titles are terrible. What the hell man.

Album Highlights: Moinaexquisitewallflower, Youreyesimmaculate, Halo
Track Average Rating: 2.72/5
Overall Rating: 5/10
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Space Eagle (The Motion Picture Soundtrack) by Alaska in Winter (recommended by _.Spitfire._)
Do you know a couple of albums/soundtracks to movies that don't exist? Soundtracks for the Blind, My Downfall, all that jazz. Alaska in Winter has also produced a soundtrack for a film that doesn't exist - Space Eagle. Apparently the movie was supposed to be out in 1986 - the album was originally available on cassette back then.

I actually... have no idea how to talk about this album. The entire album has this retro feel to it, more than anything else. Not particularly surprising, considering the fact that the soundtrack is complementing an 80s movie. Pretty spacey too. Crystal Tears is a sombre track, with soft vocals in the background. Despite the incredibly upbeat spacey atmosphere, I can't quite help but feel this sadness as I listen to this. It's like a feeling of isolation, more than anything else. Pretty nice.

While Crystal Tears is a depressing lonely track, Space Eagle evokes a completely different mood. I can't pinpoint what specifically, but it reminds me more of adventure more than loneliness. The synth melodies and kickdrum does keep the energy constantly high throughout the track. It's pretty neat, though the vocals do take some time to get used to. I was pretty startled by the very low hums at one point. Not particularly bad, but I do prefer a different voice.

Can't help but think of all of the space invader-esque games I've played years ago. The tracks here remind me of that, though this is a lot flashier. Variation as a whole is quite commendable. We have the desolate Crystal Tears, the adventurous Space Eagle. We also have tracks of wonder/awe like Night Falcon Returns - generally upbeat but also majestic. There's also just overall energetic tracks, like Airwolfe (in Miami). Most of these tracks are decent, but not anything overly great.

That brings me to what I feel about the album overall. While I don't think the tracks are bad by any means, they certainly aren't mindblowing. Given, tracks like these aren't my cup of tea. Track like these usually sound a little bit too dated for me. This manages to break out of that "dated" barrier, but not quite enough for me to say that these tracks are fantastic. There are some great tracks here though like Castle in the Sky, but again, nothing too special. Just doesn't do much for me.

That's really the only thing I could complain about though. I keep forgetting that this is a soundtrack, kept thinking of this OST as if it's an album on venturing through space. Probably a good thing. It is pretty interesting - a travel through space in a rather vintage/retro way. It is a breathe of fresh air, as I don't really listen to music like that. Though, I can't quite see myself returning to this again. At least, not on a regular basis. Travelling through space isn't quite an atmosphere I'd indulge in regularly. This album is a pretty odd experience, though it feels all so familiar. Rather nostalgic, more than anything else. Regardless though, I did like the experience. Some good tracks here and there, and no mediocre ones. All it needs is a little push in any direction (emotion, catchiness, etc.), and it'd probably be a lot better.

Album Highlights: Digital Angel of Death, Castle in the Sky, Crystal Tears
Track Average Rating: 3.14/5
Overall Rating: 6/10

[choof]

I'm not entirely sure I agree with your review of bloweyelashwish, solely because you compared it to October Language.

While I definitely agree that Belong took what loveliescrushing did and made it better, you have to keep in mind that bloweyelashwish came out in 1994, and October Language came out in 2006. 12 years is a huge amount of time, especially when it comes to the same genre of music.

[EzExZeRo7497]

July 13th, 2014
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Autumn Interlude EP by Amethystium
Øystein Ramfjord, better known as Amethystium, is a Norwegian new age musician. I've heard some of his works before, but never a complete EP or album. His style of new age is pretty different from the likes from Bryan EL - more tribal in his approach. Quite interesting sounds, basically. Autumn Interlude is his very first album - an EP with only five tracks.

I can describe his work as otherworldly and ethereal, as well. For example, Ilona is quite surreal - with its dreamy landscapes. Rather rich in landscape as well, very very dreamy. I feel like I'm floating, but there's some substantial weight to it. Particularly because of the beat going on. It does clash with the dreamy landscapes at points, though. It doesn't make it sound grating, but the part of the effect is definitely lost. It's decent though, but it could be better. That hard-hitting beat has to go.

Arcane Voices is a very techno-influenced new age track, with Gregorian chant samples. It does sound considerably different from the one in his studio albums, though. Not too big of a deal - just a small gripe. Very meditative actually - also quite rich in atmosphere. Could listen to this on repeat for a very long time, especially when I'm doing homework. My main problem is that it's too short, but it could be fixed with the repeat feature. Very good track, quite engaging and light.

The entire album is essentially like Ilona and Arcane Voices. Some are better than others, some aren't. It's a pleasant combination of new age synths, ethereal wave and folk music. Nothing in particular that catches my attention, but it's nice. These tracks are admittedly a little bit too short to really be engaged with. While yes, four minutes is pretty long for most songs, new age is ultimately ambient. I feel that ambient music is almost always more engaging at a longer length. It doesn't have to be as long as The Disintegration Loops, but seven to eight minutes is usually substantial. Half of that... you really need something impressive. These tracks... aren't particularly impressive. They're definitely good, but they're missing something. Take Meadowland for example, it's not really relaxing at that point. The synthesizer is a little too prominent, the beat is a little too high-pitched. Doesn't quite that the beat is in the foreground, while everything else is in the background. Not terrible, but definitely not very pleasant.

Not much else I can talk about - I'm also really tired so I can't write much. It's basically new age doing its thing, really. It's not very memorable, but it's relaxing and uplifting. While Amethystium definitely put a different spin on it, it doesn't quite differentiate himself from the typical new age crowd. It does suffer from the same issues that most new age tracks have - it's just pretty. It's not particularly cathartic, though it is catchy at some bits. I just want more depth in his music - like most good ambient artists. He definitely has potential - he just needs more consideration in the emotional/texture department.

Album Highlights: Arcane Voices
Track Average Rating: 3.1/5
Overall Rating: 6/10

[rCaliberGX]

recommending

El Dorado - Prologue
El Dorado - Rêventure

[Skwid1]

One Man Army And The Undead Quartet - Grim Tales
Pathfinder - Beyond The Space, Beyond The Time
Sabaton - Carolus Rex
Omnium Gatherum - Beyond
Dirty Old Men - I and I
NOFX - Wolves In Wolves' Clothing

i'm gay.

[EzExZeRo7497]

Yeah, I'll add them. Give me a sec.

July 15th, 2014
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Waking The Fallen by Avenged Sevenfold (recommended by master q60)
Everyone should know who Avenged Sevenfold is. One of the biggest metal bands of the 2000s, probably one of the first few bands many metalheads started with. They have made multiple albums, their most popular being their self-titled album and City of Evil. I've actually rarely heard people talk about Waking the Fallen - despite its popularity. Most fans have said that this is their best work - we'll see. I've listened to a couple of A7X songs before, I thought they were mediocre for the most part. Just grew out of it, I suppose.

Waking the Fallen is A7X's hardest album, so to speak. It's definitely the heaviest-sounding, though I don't think it's necessarily that heavy. Unholy Confessions is pretty catchy, though rather typical. Can't help but feel that I've heard guitar melodies like that before. Vocals are pretty poor, but I've never been a fan of Shadows' vocals by any means. While the song isn't bad overall, I definitely want something harder. It's just a little too tame for me to really enjoy.

There are some songs with considerably heavy instrumentation - like Remenissions and Chapter Four. While hard-hitting instrumentation is something I like, it is flawed in some form or another. For Remenissions' case, it's just how dormant the track is. It doesn't seem to go anywhere - it just stays there. Loud for the sake of being loud. It's definitely a nice listen every now and then, but it doesn't stick with me. It's not particularly catchy to me, generally unimpressive as well.

I don't know, none of the songs here do it for me. They don't catch my attention in any way, maybe aside from some negative moments. I'm not sure if it's because I'm not in the mood for metal (I have a flu atm), or I just grew out of music like this. Either way though, I'm not really enjoying this. Just not substantial enough for me. It's usually not catchy enough, or doesn't click with me. I don't think it's because of the members themselves though. Aside from the vocalist, the members know their stuff.

My biggest gripe with the songs are really the song-writing, more than anything else. It is very clear that these guys are quite talented. Tracks like Desecrate Through Reverence, feel quite devoid of ideas and just generic. It's dormant, it's uninspiring and quite trite. It feels as if I've heard this before, though years ago. Maybe I would've liked them years ago, but it hasn't aged well since then. There definitely are some sparks of brilliance here and there though, like some parts of Second Heartbeat and the midsection of I Won't See You Tonight Part 1. If they managed to keep up that consistency, I could imagine the album to be really solid. Not the case here at all. Doesn't quite help that's quite a long album for non prog-metal standards too. 68 minutes is a considerable amount of time - you'd expect something large to happen with that much time. A7X didn't quite accomplish that, unfortunately.

I don't really have much to talk about, regarding the album. I've never been a fan of Avenged Sevenfold. While this is definitely better than any other album I've listened to from them, it's still not great. The tracks definitely aren't as cheesy and boring as their later works, but the issues are still there. Just less so. I feel that the problem lies in the songwriting, more than anything else. Faster songs, maybe? It'd be leaning towards melodeath, but I don't think that's a bad thing by any means. Maybe just more intense instrumentation? I feel that the thrash/heavy metal component is what makes this album shine. Regardless though, I don't think these suggestions will apply anymore. Their style of music has definitely changed a lot since then. Appealed to a larger audience and became what they are today. I can't say that I like the change in style, but it is what it is. Oh well.

Album Highlights: Second Heartbeat, I Won't See You Tonight Part 1
Track Average Rating: 2.67/5
Overall Rating: 5/10

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Remains of Shapes to Come by Ruby My Dear
Ruby My Dear is a French breakcore/IDM producer. People have praised his work for having a "unique beat", but I'm not sure. I'm not familiar with his works - the only track that I remember clearly from him is Cha-Cha Moderne. While that is definitely unique, I didn't think it was that great. Remains of Shapes to Come is his first full album - clocking at 71 minutes. Far longer than most breakcore releases.

The album starts off with Maiden, an uneventful sparse yet dark track. It is rather gothic, but nowhere as gothic as say, My Love Is A Bulldozer. It's not painful to the ears, it's just pretty uneventful. Doesn't quite help that it's not atmospheric either. The album changes gear after that with Rubber's Head - a mixture of dubstep and Venetian Snares-esque breakcore. It starts off as a rather cookie-cutter subtle breakcore track, but morphs halfway through. What used to be the breaks in the breakcore component are now wubs. Quite original, but not very intriguing. It's just not experimental enough for me, not abrasive enough.

Karoshi starts with a sombre (and slightly sinister) atmosphere, with oriental string instrumentation. Intro strongly reminds me of clonepa, actually. After the intro however, it turns to a typical breakcore track. Very strong Venetian Snares vibes for the first two minutes, which isn't really a good thing. Fortunately the structure does become a little uncommon halfway through, which makes it a little more interesting. Its stealthy approach is pretty neat. Doesn't do too much, but a pleasant listen.

There's a lot of variation in this album. Not in terms of genre, but there definitely are many ideas thrown around. Uken for example, is raggacore. While not particularly unique by any means, it's a nice change. Hawa is a dark and subtle breakcore track. Rather slow as well - nowhere as stealthy/piercing as Plunging Hornets by VSnares. It's probably one of the few times where I can say that there's too much variation. While Ruby My Dear clearly shows his proficiency in most styles of breakcore - he lacks quality. With this many ideas, you'd expect one or two tracks to click wonderfully. While a few do, most of the tracks don't do it for me. They're generally cookie-cutter with a twist here and there. It's not really groundbreaking by any means. Ruby My Dear jumps around with multiple ideas, but fails to put any consideration to one idea. He just worked on one idea for a couple of minutes, and jumps to another. Not a very good way to make a strong album. The Flashbulb has this problem, and Ruby My Dear's nowhere as good as a musician as Benn is. Ruby's not very engaging, rather uninteresting when you dig deeper into his works. Other than a slight deviation of style, it's generally the same.

With many ideas in place, many tracks are needed. There are thirteen tracks here - which is a little more than the typical breakcore release. However... its length. Seventy one minutes long. I do have a gripe against most non-ambient albums that are longer than an hour. You do need something exciting to really catch my attention. Some albums managed to do it well. Palmless Prayer/Mass Murder Refrain, Kirlian Selections, Flood are just a few that floored me, despite its length - around 80 minutes long. This album however, doesn't quite do it. It becomes long-winded, instead of a captivating experience. I honestly felt like shutting off the album after the eleventh track. I didn't think that there was much to enjoy, I'm probably going to be unfazed for the most part. Surely enough, the last two tracks didn't help either.

Just a mish-mash of ideas that really would've been better with more consideration. While there are many tracks here, there is little to no substance. Ruby My Dear definitely knows how to make his tracks sound unique, but the atmosphere is generally the same. He just needs to be a little bit more experimental, more bold. Either that, or he could concentrate on 4 or 5 ideas instead of thirteen. I could imagine these sounds to be far more engaging if Ruby didn't have to juggle with so many ideas. Maybe his next album would be better?

Album Highlights: Pannonica, Chazz
Track Average Rating: 2.62/5
Overall Rating: 5/10

[t-rogdor]

yo i don't wanna be too reactionary here but

Originally Posted by EzExZeRo7497

113. Avenged Sevenfold - Waking The Fallen - 5.0

Originally Posted by EzExZeRo7497

65. My Bloody Valentine - You Made Me Realise - 4.0

11. Clark - Body Riddle - 4.5

?__?

[Zageron]

Originally Posted by t-rogdor

?__?

Remember, this guy is an ambient fanatic. It's not too surprising. Just look at the rest of the scores.

[EzExZeRo7497]

I don't know, I felt that You Made Me Realise and Body Riddle had parts that were grating - moreso than Waking The Fallen. While WtF (which is a pretty low 5) is just bland for the most part - I'd rather listen to that than say, Body Riddle.

Originally Posted by Zageron

Remember, this guy is an ambient fanatic. It's not too surprising. Just look at the rest of the scores.

[EzExZeRo7497]

July 16th, 2014
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Ravedeath, 1972 by Tim Hecker
I've already talked about Tim Hecker, so I won't go into too much detail. Canadian drone artist - a pretty experimental one at that. His signature mixture of noise and drone is quite unique. No one is quite able to sound like him - they're either too dormant or unengaging. Tim Hecker somehow manages to create structured soundscapes with his mixture - which is very intriguing to say the least. Harmony in Ultraviolet, Virgins and Fantasma Parastasie are all albums that I've enjoyed from him. Ravedeath, 1972 is his sixth studio album. I've heard that this album is pretty different from his other works, but we'll see.

Quite interesting. The album starts off with The Piano Drop, a melodic shoegazy drone filled with noise - almost like October Language. It's probably the only track Tim Hecker has made that really screamed Belong to me. It's pretty good, though it does feel pretty hollow.

Tim Hecker goes back to his typical sound with In The Fog I, a spacious drone that reminds me of a more crystalline Whitecaps of White Noise I. It's not nowhere as noisy as most of Hecker's works, like Radio Spiricom, but the sentiment is still there. I feel that it's magnified moreso in this track, actually. Its purity is really makes it shine here. While not the most engaging of tracks, it is a very nice listen throughout. A fantastic track I could put in the background and just work all night.

The next track, In The Fog II, is a little more layered than the previous one. It's no longer a crystalline clear track. It's considerably noisier than the first track - especially in the latter half. I'm honestly not too sure what to think of that. The oscillating drones create this claustrophobic atmosphere for me - I feel trapped. I'm assuming that it's supposed to create fear or anxiety, but man. It's such a odd transition from the pure and innocent In The Fog I. It's most definitely not bad, but it's rather displaced.

The next track (In The Fog III) is a step up the noise scale - but not quite as intimidating. In fact, I think the additional noise made the track a lot more majestic. The wall of noise is now large in scale, but the humanity of The Fog I is still there. Inside the gargantuan monster that is In The Fog III, there really is something pristine here. Something... sombre. Maybe even depressing. It just feels so human, despite sounding so inhuman. The piano really does it here, it really gives the track a heart. Really really interesting.

Tim Hecker doesn't quite bring anything new to the table. This album gave me some really strong Harmony in Ultraviolet vibes, in terms of sound. That's not necessarily a bad thing though. What differentiates this from Harmony in Ultraviolet however, is that Ravedeath feels a lot more human. It's not quite as synthetic and clinical as Harmony in Ultraviolet, at least from my experience. It feels considerably warmer, I could really feel the atmospheres. The sadness and purity of No Drums, the melancholic Hatred of Music II, these are all experiences I've never felt from Harmony in Ultraviolet. Virgins might've did that, but nowhere as impactful as this album.

I don't quite get as many soundscapes from this album as I did from Harmony in Ultraviolet, if any. That's really the biggest difference between Harmony and this. Harmony in Ultraviolet is based on soundscapes, this is based more on viscerality. As I'm a bigger sucker for catharsis more than soundscapes (see Insen), I'm more captivated by this album. While it is substantially lighter than Harmony, it is still a very enjoyable experience. Perhaps, even more so. It does take considerable skill to have a visceral effect throughout the album, but Hecker did it well here.

The only problem I have with this album is that I can't quite get into a mood to enjoy this album fully. In some days, I will fully enjoy noisy tracks like In The Air I and In The Fog II. In some other days, I'll enjoy No Drums and Hatred of Music II more. I can't be in a particular mood to enjoy the album in its entirety. Of course, this is merely a personal gripe. Most of the tracks are fantastic, though my enjoyment does vary based on how I feel for the most part. The deviation isn't too significant though, so it's not a big deal. I'll probably enjoy most of the album on a typical day.

Flaws aside, this is an excellent album. This is the more visceral counterpart of Harmony in Ultraviolet to me. It has everything that a noise-drone hybrid sound so great, but with a twist. Hecker brings in emotions that you get from great ambient music, and throws it into the mixture that is Ravedeath. It's a wonderful experience - my favourite type of drone, with catharsis to boot. If you want to start with noisy ambient/drone music, start with this album. It is truly, a unique and beautiful experience.

Tim Hecker is slowly becoming one of my favourite artists - probably a good thing.

Album Highlights: No Drums, Hatred of Music II, In The Air III
Track Average Rating: 3.96/5
Overall Rating: 8/10

[EzExZeRo7497]

July 18th, 2014
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Kyuusai no Gihou by Susumu Hirasawa
Susumu Hirasawa is a Japanese electronic synth pop/art pop artist and soundtrack composer. He was in bands such as Mandrake (prog rock) and P-Model (new wave), the latter band being quite successful. He's also responsible for the soundtracks of two of the most popular anime movies - Paranoia Agent and Paprika. Kyuusai no Gihou, or Technique of Relief, is his eighth solo studio album. I haven't heard too much from Susumu, but most of his tracks have blown me away. The epic addictive march Parade, the over-the-top energetic Forces... all so catchy. I don't know if this album will reach that level of enjoyment, but we'll see.

The album starts off with the infectiously catchy electropop Town-0 Phase-5. Incredibly fast-paced and upbeat, very addicting vocals as well. Not necessarily my cup of tea, feels a little weak outside the chorus. I can't help but feel my head bob when I listen to this though, it's so catchy. This is probably a grower, will have to relisten to this track in the future. Pretty good nonetheless.

The album takes a turn for the darker with Moon Time, significantly less energy than the fun-loving Town-0 Phase-5. The instrumentation here is decent, it captures the essence of a deep night quite well. There are some instruments (I think drums?) that are a little too loud though - it ruins the atmosphere a little bit. The vocals are okay, nothing too great. Just not something that I'd like, I guess. Just not very good, there are some clashing elements here. Doesn't quite help that it's pretty long too - 6 minutes long. Track does get promising towards the end though, which is neat.

The music picks up again with Gardener King, a pop song with grandiose elements, almost orchestral. Despite its orchestral instrumentation, it does feel pretty weak at first. It's really missing that "epic" atmosphere that some of his best tracks like Parade has. It does pick up towards the midsection with catchier vocals, but only momentarily. Oh well, the recurring techno sequencer is pretty neat though.

The slower tracks, such as Moon Time and Ghost Bridge, are mainly decent. Their strongest aspect is just how crystal clear the pictures they create are. They have incredibly meticulate textures, very deep colours as well. They don't create anything else though, I didn't feel too much while listening to this. It feels like they're just there the entire time. Not very engaging, just quite pretty. The only one that stands out is the The Man From Narcissus Space, an incredibly subtle and spatial track. While it is rather subtle in its approach, it just feels extremely large. It has such a grand scope, it really fascinates me. The vocals here are stunning, it pulls my heartstrings sometimes because it's so sombre.

The more energetic tracks range from decent to solid. While there's the infectiously catchy Town-0 Phase-5, there is also the tribal new age Strange Night of the Omnificence. It's quite difficult to classify his work into one concrete genre, however. His mixtures of genres tend to be hit or miss, not so much in between. Take Mother, for example. An electropop track with lots of cinematic and dancey elements. While I can see how it would appeal to other people, I just can't enjoy it. While I respect it for what it is, but it feels like it's missing something. Perhaps Susumu wasn't being too assertive with the catchiness? I don't know. I just don't think it's that great.

While I can respect this album as an intricate and grandiose progressive electropop album, it just leaves a lot more to be desired. There are many tracks that would've so much better if they were far more engaging. The self-titled track for example is essentially an extravagant orchestra filled with power. However, it just doesn't resonate with me. I feel someone who's listening to it at a distance, it doesn't really provide me. It just has a large sound, but nothing else to it. Most of the tracks have the same issue - just too distant. That's the only gripe I have, but it's a very big one.

Maybe I came in with overly high expectations, but I was pretty underwhelmed by this album. This album is definitely not bad, but it could have been so much better. Maybe Susumu Hirasawa is better at making striking singles more than cohesive stories, since this doesn't quite faze me as an album. There are some good tracks here, but there are more average ones than good ones. I think it'd be fine to call this album "decent", at most. Just an album that I'd loop one or two tracks over and over more than anything else.

YIN YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Album Highlights: Town-0 Phase-5, The Man From Narcissus Space
Track Average Rating: 3.2/5
Overall Rating: 6/10
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Shining by IneartheD (recommended by Hateandhatred)
IneartheD is a Finnish melodic death metal band, though fairly unheard of. However, most people would know the band under a different name - Children of Bodom. IneartheD is the band CoB formed before they were CoB, back in 1993. I'm not too familiar with Children of Bodom, although I've heard some of their works. I thought they were decent. Their sound seems to be more melodeath instead of melodic power metal though, so it should be an interesting listen. Shining is their last EP before forming Children of Bodom.

Wow, talk about horrible audio quality. I mean eighteen years ago audio quality isn't the best, but it's not that bad. Anyway, Talking of the Trees is pretty harsh. Lots of blast beats, many growling sections, just aggressive overall. It is metal being metal. The female vocals here are a neat touch, it keeps the track fresh. In its harsher moments though, I could really feel its energy - despite its lo-fi sound. The lo-fi sound does detract from my enjoyment significantly - it's not like Burzum's Filosofem. While both albums have poor production, Filosofem actually benefits from its raw quality.

I could say the same for Vision of Eternal Sorrow. While the recording quality is ever so slightly better, it's still rather poor. Very intense energy as a whole - significantly more than your typical melodeath release. Maybe that's where the poor recording quality benefits? Most good melodeath releases to me are insanely catchy, but never overly aggressive. Shining isn't necessarily catchy, but it definitely is a very raw sound. It's quite unique, I usually get similar energy from something like black metal, instead of melodic death. Interesting.

Homeland is probably the track that I'm most familiar with. It's the track that reminds me of melodic death metal the most. While the energy and atmosphere still reminds me of black metal, it's definitely the catchiest track in the album. Fast paced keyboard, harsh vocals/blast beats/guitar, insanely fast atmosphere, it's nuts. Again though, the recording does reduce the atmosphere significantly. The energy however, is stronger than ever. It does lead me to believe that the track's main appeal is the energy, rather than the catchiness. Perfectly understandable, but there are some other metal tracks that are more overwhelming. Erblicket die Töchter des Firmaments for example, is just absolutely insane. It's dark, overwhelmingly disturbing and just all in all fantastic.

The self-titled track is a cute acoustic ballad. The energy level does rise every now and then, but it's not much to talk about. It's nice sounding though, if not just a little bit bland. Anyway, I see this album as sincere, more than anything else. Despite the horrible recording quality, IneartheD tried their best to emulate an overwhelming and powerful atmosphere. The conditions might not be flawless, but I could tell that they put their heart and soul into it. The asinine recording quality further proves it. I'd say that they have been successful, but the recording quality is incredibly detrimental to it overall. While I do agree with its sincerity, it doesn't really mean that I'd like it. If anything, I would just respect it for what it is. Just not something I'd listen to again.

It's a shame that the quality is really what bogs down the album so much, though. While I could see how it could be a plus for some, it really isn't for me. I do like some lo-fi recordings, like Natural Snow Buildings. This though... doesn't quite do it for me. It's TOO lo-fi. I don't really need overly pristine production, something like Burzum's Filosofem would do. This is just... too poor. Aside from that though, it's not bad. The tracks aren't overly fantastic, but they are good for what they are. The songwriting and all is great, better than most melodeath I've heard. Even with horrid sound quality, they still managed to convey their energy in their songs. Always a good thing. Little disheartened by the fact that Children of Bodom doesn't make tracks similar to this anymore (to my knowledge), this is quite promising. A mixture of melodic death metal and black metal sounds like a wonderful idea.

Album Highlights: Homeland
Track Average Rating: 3/5
Overall Rating: 6/10

Wanted to watch Paprika today, but I don't have time for that anymore. Goddammit.

[Zageron]

Wanted to watch Paprika today, but I don't have time for that anymore. Goddammit.

Prepare for some serious wtf-ery.

[EzExZeRo7497]

Paprika was okay. I expected more though.

July 19th, 2014
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$ Vol. 10 by Kid606 / Xanopticon (recommended by xVaLoRx)
The $ series is a series of collaboration EPs/singles, though I'm not too sure which label came up with the idea. This is the last album of the series. The artists involved in the $ series include (and are not limited to) Cex, Electric Company, kid606 and Xanopticon. Kid606 seems to be the main collaborator, as he has appeared in 9 out of 10 splits. The other collaborator, Xanopticon, is one of the biggest breakcore acts out there. His intricately structured and extreme style of breakcore is very unique - it's breakcore at its hardest. I love most of his works - he's one of my favourite breakcore artists. I feel that for genres like breakcore, it's best to go all the way to make it as loud as possible. The overwhelming effect is what I want from breakcore, and Xano does this wonderfully.

Anyway, there's only two tracks here. The first track is Flip Da' Bird, by Kid606. Starts off quite minimal, then a predominant sample takes the spotlight. The intricate melodies/breaks are now in the background. The melody is rather pretty in the first half, it does remind me of Autechre a little. The track then progresses to a predominantly glitch hop track. Not too fond of it, but it's not really bad. Never been a fan of glitch hop in the first place, so I'm not really surprised that I didn't like this.

The second track is Bizarre, by Xanopticon. It's pretty different from Xanopticon's works, mainly because there's actually a hip-hop sample going on. The breakcore component of the track however, is one of the hardest he has made. It's not necessarily intricately structured a la Liminal Space, but it's really loud. While it doesn't quite sound like a chaotic wall of noise at first, it becomes far more aggressive in the second half. Normally I'd find it fantastic, but the hip-hop sample really gets to me. It's just so intrusive, intrusive to the point that it even brings down the intensity of the track. The only time the sample actually complements the track is at the last minute, where the voice is incredibly distorted. It's just annoying otherwise - hip-hop and breakcore doesn't create the best of mixtures. I don't think I could call it hip-hop even, it's just someone rapping over an intense breakcore track. Almost always a bad thing.

I know that I'll like this way more if it weren't for the hip-hop component. It just feels completely unnecessary. It doesn't improve the tracks by any means, in fact it makes them significantly worse. Bizarre would've been a monster of a track, while Flip Da' Bird would've been decent at least. As it is, there's a prominent clash between elements that doesn't allow me to enjoy this as much as I really should be. Maybe it's just showing my apathy towards hip-hop in general, but I just don't see how this could appeal to many people. Maybe the rapping would take some time to get used to, but I don't think it's quite worth the time to get used to. Would much rather listen to other Xanopticon/Kid606 tracks instead.

Album Highlights: -
Track Average Rating: -
Overall Rating: 5/10

I've rated three albums 5.0 consecutively (Paprika OST + some other Celer album before this), that's not good. Probably not in the best of moods.