I think I came across Cormorant and Dwellings in particular during my search for anything that sounded remotely like Opeth. I probably saw the comparison made in an old issue of Decibel (though they’re far from the only ones who made that comparison) and stumbled across the Bandcamp link during a search. A completely DIY affair, the San Francisco natives do a great job … Continue reading Cormorant: Dwellings (2011)
I wasn’t prepared the first time I heard False. The mysterious Minnesota sextet’s debut EP is two 12-minute tracks of churning, propulsive USBM and it bounced off my brain when I first gave it a listen. I don’t think I tried more than twice before leaving it to sit unplayed in my iTunes library. Then 2015 brought their first full length (also called Untitled) and, … Continue reading False: Untitled (2012)
There’s probably a huge cross section of folks who see Amanda Palmer covering Radiohead and all their toxic buttons are pressed at once. I know I’ve seen a lot of venom directed toward Radiohead in the metal community for some unknown reason, and Amanda Palmer seems to be a magnet for vitriol and anger, whether it’s for her success with Patreon, her vocal stance everything … Continue reading Amanda Palmer: Amanda Palmer Performs The Popular Hits Of Radiohead On Her Magical Ukulele (2010)
Crossover thrash with a serious hard-on for horror? Check. I think I found out about New Orleans’ She’s Still Dead in an old issue of Decibel Magazine, and after discovering the album cheap on Bandcamp took the plunge. Musically this reminds me of a rough and shredded attack similar to what bands like Bonded By Blood were doing, although where there they were hitting hard … Continue reading She’s Still Dead: Immortal, Eternal (2011)
This is what I know: Ghostlimb’s Infrastructure was the first album I bought on Bandcamp. I was probably drawn by the connection to Graf Orlock, who share in Justin Smith a common member, but the music pulses with an angry hardcore energy that is in direct opposition to the film reference-laden grindcore Graf Orlock was peddling at the time. Listening to it for the first … Continue reading Ghostlimb: Infrastructure (2011)
Over at Nine Circles I love the cover but bemoan the lack of spark in the doom sections of Druid Lord’s new full length Grotesque Offerings. There is a lot that works, but there’s also a lot that feels hashed together: all frayed edges and rough ideas. Comes together in the faster moments, though. You mileage may vary. You can check out the full review … Continue reading Druid Lord: Grotesque Offerings (2018) – for 9C
Consuming the Tangible (test) 