Cormorant - Dwellings

Cormorant - Dwellings
Independent




Dwellings has to be one of the most interesting and compelling metal albums released in 2011, and will definitely be on my best of the year list. Cormorant play a brand of progressive death metal not quite like any other band I've heard. The album manages to be quite technical without being dismissively pretentious in its execution. In some parts Cormorant remind me of the mighty Opeth, but mostly only because of the fact that both bands found ways to merge the largely inaccessible sounds of death metal with more palatable and refined auditory experiences, and both do so without sacrificing punishing moments.

The songs on Dwellings will certainly keep you guessing, the arrangements are creative and ear pleasing, but make no mistake; this is still a metal album, and a pretty kick ass one at that. You're never quite sure where these guys are going to go, and that just adds to the joy of the experience. Fans of prog metal will find much to like here, but people turned off by the wankery of Dream Theater may indulge in the retained heaviness of Cormorant.

If you like Iron Thrones, Talanas or Kalisia, check these guys out.


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Deafheaven - Roads to Judah

Deafheaven - Roads to Judah
Deathwish Iinc.




There have been a few bands emerging out there mixing black metal with other styles. We've seen a lot of black metal mixed with crusty d-beat and hardcore, but Deafheaven fall more in line with the bands attempting to merge elements of post rock with the nihilistic fervor of the black metal sound. I have to say, these guys do it better than most. Roads to Judah perfectly eclipses the lines blurring the two genres and establishes itself as a listening experience both tranquil and emotionally punishing.

At times one can get lost in the soaring beauty of this release, and at others have your heart wrenched out and stuffed in your ears by the scathing, bleak, barren wasteland of metallic fury. The vocals are particularly seething with pain and anguish; Deafheaven have delivered a truly memorable album here.

Get on this if you like Wolves in the Throne Room, Alcest or Lantlos.


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Divorce - S/T 7" EP

Divorce - S/T 7" EP
Optimo Music




Divorce are an anything but an average noise-rock group. From Glasgow, I imagine a huge part of their sound, particularly on this album, comes from, well... drugs, drinking, violence, education, and any other callous, depraved forms of excess these young people have found time to expose themselves too.

Although Divorce do not adhere to the rules of any specific genre, I would classify some of their earlier recordings as a mix of 90s bands such as Jesus Lizard, Sonic Youth sort of noise-rock, and no-wave groups like Arab On Radar, Aids Wolf, and Pre. This new self-titled 7", however, is a huge departure for them; the focus seems to be much more on the weird and on the unrelenting filth, grime and torture of existing in a world that never has nor ever will have a place for you.

The first two tracks could be described as hazy at best (hazy like the morning after too many bottles of wine and codeine pills), mixed in a harsh discord of volatile and emotional outbursts and followed by what seems like hours of internalized terrorism. These tracks are the only of the six track EP that last longer than 45 seconds, and the length can wear on you if not properly hydrated and mentally secure.

The next four tracks range from spazzed-out harbingers of bloody ear canals to a more free-form grinding, and sludgy pastel soaked canvas of faeces.

I recommend this album for fans of nihilism. I give this album a rating of "A flaming bag of human shit hurled at that one teacher you always hated in high-school"

DIVORCE - wet bandit from Anna McCarthy on Vimeo.

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Puberty - Invitations 7"

Puberty - Invitations 7"
Telephone Explosion




This quirky indie duo have released two songs here that are conducive to either dancing, grooving or just chilling out to. The opening track, "Invitations," starts out with a short and settling surf rock riff and tapers off into a hypnotizing bass line that is accompanied by semi-monotonous yet dreamy male and female vocals. The track eventually gets a bit more colourful when drums and synth enter the equation, coalescing into a mysterious vibe of almost classic-rock era psychedelia.

"Parties," the second track is a bit more upbeat and dancey, with catchy melodies and anti-climactic lyrics. Between the ironically bubblegumish style of the verses is an interluding riff that sets a completely different tone, building up with a crescendo of post-rock sensibility only to jump all too soon back into the next verse.

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Puberty - Invitations by telephoneexplosion

Eternal Fags - S/T

Eternal Fags - S/T
Winning Sperm Party




Eternal Fags are a three piece from Glasgow. This release at it's heart is in many ways a pop-punk album, if not for the dissentious barrage of squeaking guitars and curdled screeches. It is at times loud (loud with a side of 11) and at times just pure fun... shrill, terrorizing fun.

Released on Winning Sperm Party, Eternal Fags have an extremely raucous, direct and spazzy sound. Although this is a 2010 release I felt it appropriate to include this on the blog, as I feel the record is so good, not even two years could hold it back.

After my first listen I thought of what must be in the water in Glasgow that's causing so many young musicians to be in such a state of chaotic flux; but, as long as they keep producing music of this caliber, I can get behind it.

I would compare them to The B-52s if The B-52s were a good band, but they're not, so that does nobody any good. I also highly recommend you check out Winning Sperm Party; the roster they've built is astonishingly good.

I give this album a rating of "the satisfying feeling of finding three slashed tires on your car, then realizing that one tire is still in tact".





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