Terzo/Self Titled/Icons Creating Evil Art/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Terzo  are  a  duo  from  Italy  that  plays  a  mixture  of  drone,  darkwave  and  shoegaze  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2023  album  which  was  released  by  Icons  Creating  Evil  Art.

  Atmospheric  sounding  drones  and  electronic  sounds  start  off  the  album  while  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Darkwave  style  synths  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  the  electric  guitars  also  giving  the  music  a  heavier  edge  when  they  are  utilized.

  When  clear  vocals  are  added  into  the  music  they  also  give  the  album  more  of  an  ethereal  and  medieval  atmosphere.  All  of  the  drum  beats  are  also  programmed  while  some  of  the  melodies  also  bring  in  elements  of  shoegaze  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  gothic  rock  and  folk  music  touches  at  times  and  acoustic  instruments  are  also  added  on  the  closing  track.

  Terzo  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  drone,  darkwave,  shoegaze  and  gothic  rock  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a  mixture  of  Italian  and  English  and  cover  life  and  death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Terzo  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  drone,  darkwave  and  shoegaze  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Walking  Dreams  Awake"  and  "Blue  Crystal  Fire".  8  out  of  10.

  http://www.facebook.com/terzoiii

http://www.instagram.com/lllterzolll    

Canadensis/The Decades Apart Have Weathered Us Both/Medicine For A Nightmare/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Canadensis  are  a  duo  from  Portland ,  Oregon  that  plays  a  mixture  of  drone,  ambient,  experimental,  shoegaze  and  post  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "The  Decades  Apart  Have  Weathered  Us  Both"  which  was  released  by  Medicine  For  A  Nightmare.

  Ambient  style  synths  which  also  use  a  variety  of  many  different  sounding  keys  and  atmospheric  sounding  drones  start  off  the  album.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  repetitive  sounding  while  all  of  the  songs  are  improvised  along  with  some  brutal  yet  distorted  electric  guitar  sounds also  being  utilized  briefly.

  At  times  the  music  also  goes  into  more  of  an  experimental  direction  while  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Touches  of  post  rock  and  shoegaze  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  each  song  also  sticking  to  an  instrumental  direction  and  all  of  the  music  was  also  recorded  live.

  Canadensis  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  drone,  ambient,  experimental,  shoegaze  and  post  rock  and  mixes  them  together  toi  create  a  sound  of  their  own  as  well  as  keeping  everything  instrumental  while  the  production  sounds  very  dark.    

  In  my  opinion  Canadensis  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  drone,  ambient,  experimental,  shoegaze  and  post  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Shedding"  and  "Completely  Incomplete".  8  out  of  10.

  https://canadensis.bandcamp.com/album/the-decades-apart-have-weathered-us-both  

https://www.facebook.com/canadensismusic

https://www.instagram.com/canadensis.sounds      

Deeper Graves/The Colossal Sleep/Disoder Recordings/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Deeper  Graves  is  a  solo  project  of  Jeff  Wilson  best  known  for  his  work  in  Abigail  Williams,  Nachtmystium,  Wolvhammer,  Chrome  Waves  and  Contrition  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  more  of  a  mixture  of  post  punk,  shoegaze  and  alternative  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  album  "The Colossal  Sleep "  which  will  be  released  in  2022  by  Disorder  Recordings.

  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  post  rock  style  clean  playing  a  few  seconds  later.  All  of  the  drum  beats  are  programmed  while  the  bass  guitars  are  also  utilized  as  a  lead  instrument  at  times  along  with  the  guitar  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  shoegaze  style.

  Vocals  are  done  in  mostly  a  clean  style  as  well  as  showing  an  influence  of  goth  rock  at  times  while  the  songs  also  mix  in  a  great  amount  of  post  punk  elements.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  paced  direction  and  touches  of  alternative  rock  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  Deeper  Graves  plays  a  musical  style  that  take s post  punk,  shoegaze  and  alternative  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  melancholic  themes.   

  In  my  opinion  Deeper  Graves  is  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  post  punk,  shoegaze  and  alternative  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Feverish  Dreams"  and  "Distant  Fires".  8  out  of  10.

https://deeper-graves.bandcamp.com

https://www.instagram.com/deepergraves

https://www.facebook.com/deepergravespgh  

Aythis/Secrets From Below/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Aythis  are  a  solo  project  from t he  Netherlands  that  plays  a  mixture  of  shoegaze,  post  rock,  ethereal,  ambient,  neo-classical  and  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  her  self  released  2021  album  "Secrets  From  Below".

  Ambient  style  keyboards  start  off  the  album  while  the  clean  playing  also  adds  in  elements  of  post  rock  and  shoegaze.  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  vocals  being  done  in  a  very  clean  yet  ethereal  style  as  well  as  all  of  the  drum  beats  are  also  programmed  and  the  music  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments.

  When  electric  guitars  are  utilized  they  also  add  an  influence  of  doom  metal  onto  the  recording  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Some  songs  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  percussion  along  with  the  tracks  also  showing  influences  of  gothic  and  alternative  rock  as  well  as  the  album  also  adding  in  a  touch  of  neo-classical  at  times.  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  the  recording  closes  with  a  cover  of  the  Twin Peals  theme  "Falling".

  Aythis  plats  a  musical  style  that  takes  shoegaze,  post  rock,  ethereal  ambient,  neo-classical  and  doom  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  her  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dreams  and  isolation  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Aythis  is  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  shoegaze,  post  rock,  ethereal  ambient,  neo-classical  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Just  Like  A  Tear"  "Secrets'  "Homelights"  and  "Falling".  8  out  of  10.

  https://aythis.com/

https://aythis.bandcamp.com/
https://sptfy.com/dPdN
https://www.facebook.com/aythis
https://www.instagram.com/_aythis_/
https://www.youtube.com/doppel25ganger
https://twitter.com/AYTHISMUSIC

          

healthyliving/until/below/2021 EP Review

 

  healthyliving  are  an  international  trio  with  members  from  Germany  and  Scotland  which  also  consists  of  members  from  Falloch  and  Maud  The  Moth  and  plays  a  mixture  of  alternative,  drone  and  shoegaze  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2021  ep  "until/below".

  Distorted  amp  noises  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  heavier  riffing  a  few  seconds  later  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Clean  vocals  are  also  a very  huge  part  of  the  recording  as  well  as  the  songs  also  adding  in a  good  amount  of  90's  era  alternative  rock  influences.

  Atmospheric  sounding  drones  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording  while  clean  playing  and  touches  of  shoegaze  are  also  added  onto  the  second  track  and  all  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.

  healthyliving  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  alternative  rock,  drone  and  shoegaze  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  beauty  of  the  horror  and  mundane.

  In  my  opinion  healthyliving  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  alternative  rock,  drone  and  shoegaze  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Below".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/healthylivingband
https://www.instagram.com/healthylivingband
https://twitter.com/healthylivingb7 
https://healthylivingband.bandcamp.com

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1w3jO6u1En8_3vZI2UzIrQ  

    

Dylan Dilella Interview

 

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit more about your solo project?

It's solo guitar music. My solo material started as more focused on composition, and less on atmosphere and effects. WIth the new album Human Shield, I've gotten a lot deeper into the drone and noise facets of the music. 

2.You have a new album coming out during the end of July, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

I would say the new album has taken the experimental components of my music to the forefront. I was really focused on texture, atmosphere, and allowing sounds to breathe while I was recording the album. 

3.All of the music on the album was instrumental, are you open to working with vocals on future releases?

I might eventually incorporate some vocals, I've always wanted to dip my toe into doing that.

4.You also have experience playing technical and progressive death metal, how would you compare the musical style of your solo project to the musical style of your previous works?

Pyrrhon has a fairly prominent improvisation and noise influence as well. There are sections of the latest Pyrrhon album that would fit in with my solo material. 

5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the album cover?

It's a collage that I made in photoshop, using a variety of images that I found striking. 

6.With this project you record everything by yourself but have experience playing with other musicians, which one  do you prefer?

I think I ultimately prefer making music as a band, but there's something so immediate and fulfilling about dictating the entire process (including scheduling etc). I definitely want to make more music entirely on my own in the future. 

7.The new album is going to be released on 'Nefarious industries', how would you compare working with this label to other labels that you have been a part of in the past?

Nefarious has been excellent to work with so far, they have a great roster of bands and they are super friendly and professional. 

8.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your solo material by fans of harsh noise, experimental and metal?

I've only just started seeing the reaction to the new material, but people seem to be feeling it so far. 

9.What is going on with 'Pyrrhon' these days?

We just announced a 2 week US tour this fall with Imperial Triumphant, so we're really looking forward to that. We've started dabbling with writing new music as well recently. 

10.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?

I want to continue to solidify Pyrrhon and my solo material. I might have another project or two up my sleeve, you'll just have to keep a lookout for that. I also recently started teaching guitar full-time, which I had been working towards for a while. 

11.What are you listening to nowadays?

I started listening to John Fahey for the first time recently. Absolutely mindblowing acoustic blues/Americana. Jack Rose too. A few other things that I've been putting on a lot: Death Grips, Merzbow, The Cure, Nas, Morbid Angel, Converge, Ministry, Lightning Bolt, Tortoise, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, AFX, Albert King, Howlin Wolf....

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

Thank you! 

http://www.dylandilella.com

https://www.instagram.com/dylandilella

https://dylandilella.bandcamp.com

Morningstar Delirium/Self Titled/2021 EP Review

 

  Morningstar  Delirium  are  a  duo  from  Colorado  with  members  of  Dreadnaught  and  The  Flight  of  Sleipnir  and  plays  a  mixture  of  ethereal  wave,  post  punk,  dark  industrial,  goth,  shoegaze,  drone,  downtempo  and  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  and  self  released  2021  ep.    

  Atmospheric  sounding  drones  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  programmed  beats  a  few  seconds later  which  also  introduces  elements  onto  the  recording  a  few  seconds  later.  Vocals  are  done  in  mostly  a  clean  yet  ethereal  style  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  some  downtempo  touches  and  electric  guitars  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  amount  of  ambient  style  keyboards  and  synths.  Real  drums  are  also  utilized  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  along  with  one  track  also  introducing  acoustic  guitars  onto  the  recording  as  well  as  the  tracks  also  showing  some  influences  of  of  goth  and  post  punk,  male  vocals  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  shoegaze  style  sounds  are  also  utilized  more  as  the  ep  progresses.

  Morningstar  Delirium  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  ethereal  wave,  post  punk,  dark  industrial,  goth,  shoegaze,  drone,  downtempo  and  ambient  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  depressive  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Morningstar  Delirium  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  ethereal  wave,  post  punk,  dark  industrial,  goth,  shoegaze,  drone,  downtempo  and  ambient  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of   those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Blood  On  The  Fixture"  and  "A  Plea  For  The  Stars".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.brooklynvegan.com/stream-morningstar-deliriums-mem-dreadnought-the-flight-of-sleipnir-ethereal-debut-lp/        

Dylan Dilella/Human Shield/Nefarious Industries/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Dylan  Dilella  is  a  solo  artist  from  new  York  best  known  for  his  material  in  technical/dissonant  death  metal  bands  Pyrrhon  and  with  his  own  material  plays  a  mixture  of  harsh  noise,  drone,  shoegaze,  free  jazz  and  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2021  album  "Human  Shield"  which  will  be  released  on  July  30th  by  Nefarious  Industries.

  Distorted  guitar  sounds  start  off  the  album  adding  in  touches  of  extreme  metal  while  all  3  of  his  tracks  are  instrumental.  Harsh  noises  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  some  drones  also  being  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording  and  all  of  the  music  is  also  improvised.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  distorted  style  while  the  music  also  mixes  in  elements  of  free  jazz  and  shoegaze  but  keeps  it  in  more  of  a  heavier  direction  along  with  the  guitars  being  the  dominant  instrument  on  the  recording.

  Dylan  Dilella  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  all  done  on  guitars  and  mixes  harsh  noise,  drone,  shoegaze  and  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own  as  well  as  keeping  everything  instrumental  while  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion Dylan  Dilella  is  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  harsh  noise,  drone,  shoegaze,  free  jazz  and  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Telepath".  8  out  of  10.

http://www.dylandilella.com

https://www.instagram.com/dylandilella

https://dylandilella.bandcamp.com

    

Six Steps Above The Earth Interview

 

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?

Six Steps Above TheEarth are the way to express our everyday emotions, having as basic tool the heavy, slow and monotone sound. Doom, Drone, Doomgaze are the paths that we follow and try to add something different in every circulation either by exploring new sounds or by collaborating with other musicians.

We have released 1 full length album, 6 eps and 4 live recordings.

Also we played some gigs in our hometown Thessaloniki(Greece) and shared the stage with band such us Jucifer, Agnes Vein, Dead Elephant, Morphine Social Club,Ghone and Nanoi.

2. Recently you have been a part of a split, musically how does your newer material differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

Our last releases have a more drone/noise character. Why is this? I think we prefer to play freely and create soundscapes with our tunes.

3. A lot of your music has been instrumental but you have used vocals on previous releases, are you open to using any vocals in the future?

Maybe yes, but who knows…. But if we decide it to happen, it will be more experimental.

4.When you had lyrics you mentioned they where from other bands and poets that you had an interest in, which artists did you take inspiration from lyrically.

This used to happen a long time ago because one of our members at the time contributed that to the group. Now we prefer to give messages with sounds exclusively.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Six Steps Above The Earth'?

The guitarist, the guy who is behind S.S.A.T.E used to live in an apartment that was precisely six steps above the earth.

6.Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you open to expanding the line up or do you prefer to remain a duo?

S.S.A.T.E is a project behind one man, Gallo. Gallo is open to everyone who wants travel with this his spirit while creates sounds. 

7.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?

Every show has something different to give to the audience and back to us. We can’t choose. If we can describe our shows with some words, that will be “emotionally noise reaction”

8.Recently you where a part of a split with 'I, The Chaos', what are your thoughts on the other band that had participated on the recording?

Really enjoy to participated with these guys, because besides good friends, they are also great musicians.

9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of noise, drone and doom metal?

I think it was very well appreciated.

10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

We want to record a drone desert ep with a shoegaze approach.

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Neu, Earth, Sunn O))), Nadja, Aidan Baker

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

Support your local and underground bands, webzines, distros, labels, vinyl shops and anyone who supports you.

1. Facebook
2. YouTube

Six Steps Above The Earth/The Drone Sessions # 2/2020 EP Review

 

  This  is  the  final  review  of  a  recording  from  Six  Steps  Above  The  Earth  which  continues  the  mixture  of  drone,  noise,  doomgaze  and  sludge  metal  of  previous  releases  and  the  ep  was  self  released  in  2020  and  called  "The  Drone  Sessions  #  2".

  Distorted  drones  and  guitar  amp  sounds  start  off  the  ep  while  the  slow  and  heavy  riffs  are  very  heavily  rooted  in  sludge  and  doom  metal.  All  of  the  music  is  instrumental  while  touches  of  sheogaze  can  also  be  heard  at  times  in  the  cleaner  sections  as  well  as  the  recording  also  being  more  atmospheric  than  previous  releases.

  The music also  has  its  cinematic  moments  while  the  whole  recording  is  also  improvised  along  with  more  of  an  ambient  edge  that  was  not  presented  on  previous  recordings  and  the  whole  ep  also  sticks  to  a  slower  direction.

  On  this  recording  Six  Steps  Above  the  Earth  cuts  back  on  the  noise  elements  of  previous  releases  and  focuses  more  on  an  atmospheric  direction  of  drone  as  well  as  keeping  the  sludge  and  doom  metal  elements  of  previous  recordings  while  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Six  Steps  Above  the  Earth and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  drone,  noise,  doomgaze  and  sludge  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp
https://sixstepsabovetheearth.bandcamp.com/album/drone-sessions-2

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXw1HulTM30&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR1TCbHc7C5HYBQqeUqHCnfxGVIY8eXhwniX_g_sHabOZdvkwFtRhMrZS_c    

Six Steps Above The Earth/The Drone Sessions #1/2020 Full Length Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  another  recording  from  Greece's  Six  Steps  Above  the  Earth:  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  mixture of  drone,  noise,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2020  album  'The  Drone  Sessions  #  1".

  Atmospheric  and  distorted  sounding  drones  start  off  the  album  while  the  music  also  mixes  in  a  great  amount  of  electronic  guitar  sounds.  Noises  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  the  whole  recording  also  bein  improvised  as  well  as  the  slow  riffing  also  adding  in  the  heaviness  of  doom  and  sludge  metal.

  Voices  can  also  be  heard in  the  background  at  times  while  the  music  also  gets  more  diverse  as  the  album  progresses.  Most  of  the  recording  is  also  instrumental  along  with  a  small  amount  of  melody  also  being  added  in  the  guitar  riffing  as  well  as  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a  slower  direction.

  On  this  recording  Six  Steps  Above  The  Earth  focus  more  on  improvised  drones  but  still  adds  in  the  doomgaze,  sludge  metal  and  noise  elements  that  where  presented  on  previous  releases  as  well  as  keeping  most  of  the  music  instrumental  while  the  production  also  sound  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  this  another  great  sounding  sounding  album  from  Six  Steps  Above  the  Earth  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  drone,  noise,  doomgaze  and  sludge  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  8  out  of  10.

https://sixstepsabovetheearth.bandcamp.com/album/the-drone-sessions-1

  

Six Steps Above The Earth/Live @ 8 Ball/2020 Live Album Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  another  recording  from  Six  Steps  Above  The  Earth  which  was  also  recorded  live  and  also  shows  them  bringing  in  a  mixture  of  drone,  noise,  doomgaze  and  sludge  metal  and  the  album  was  self  released  in  2020  and  called  "Live  @  8  Ball".

  Live  audience  reaction  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  distorted  sounding  drones  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  riffing  also  brings  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.  All  of  the  music  also  also  instrumental  while  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  noise  elements  and  sticking  to  an  instrumental  direction.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  a  small  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing. Touches  of  shoegaze  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  along  with  the  music  also  sounding  very  improvised  and  always  sticking  to  a  slower  direction.

  On  this  recording  Six  Steps  Above  The  Earth  takes  noise,  drone,  shoegaze,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  as  well  as  keeping  everything  instrumental  while  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Six  Steps  Above  the  Earth  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  drone,  noise,  doomgaze  and  sludge  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  live  album.  8  out  of  10.

https://sixstepsabovetheearth.bandcamp.com/album/live-8ball    

Six Steps Above The Earth/I, The Chaos/Sublimination/Submersion Records/2020 Split Album Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  Greece's  Six  Steps  Above  The  Earth  and  I,  The  Chaos  called  "Sublimination  which  was  released  by  Submersion  Records  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Six  Steps  Above  The  Earth  a  band  that  plays  a  mixture  of  noise,  drone  and  doomgaze.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts out  with  some  distorted  sounding  guitar  drones  while  the  riffing  also  adds  in  the  heaviness  of  doom  and  sludge  metal.  Their  track  is  also  over  20  minutes  in  length  while  also  adding  in  some  loud  distortion  and  elements  of  noise  along  with  a  lot  of  the  music  sounding  very  improvised  as  well  as  adding  in  some  touches  of  shoegaze  at  times  and  the  whole  song  also  sticks  to  a  slower  musical  direction  and  also  keeps  everything  instrumental.

  Six  Steps  Above  the  Earth  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  noise,  drone,  shoegaze,  doom  and  sludge metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  while  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  Six  Steps  Above  the  Earth  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  noise,  drone  and  doomgaze  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  

  Next  up  is  I,  The  Chaos  a  band  that  plays  a mixture  of  drone,  noise,  experimental  and  doom  metal  with  some  touches  of  post  black  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  some  synths  and  atmospheric  sounding  drones  along  with  some  slow  and  heavy  riffing  that  adds  in  the  heaviness  of  doom  metal  while  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  melody.  Most  of  their  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  the  music  also  getting  very  experimental  sounding  at  times.

  Distorted  sounding  noises  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  their  side  of  the  recording  along  the  tremolo  picking  riffs  also  shows  an  influence  of  black  metal.  Harsh  power  electronics  can  also  be  heard  at  times  as  well  as  all  of  the  music  also  being  instrumental  and  all  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  a  slower  direction  while  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  I,  The  Chaos  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  noise,  drone,  experimental  and  doom  metal  with  some  touches  of  post  black  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  the  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Harmonic  Disaster".

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of  drone,  experimental,  noise,  doom,  sludge  and  post  black  metal.  8  out  of  10. 

https://submersionrecords.bandcamp.com/album/sublimation

https://www.facebook.com/sixstepsabovetheearth/

https://www.facebook.com/ithechaos/     

  

Folian/Blue Mirror/Anima Recordings/2020 Full Length Review

  Folian  is  a  solo  artist  from  Portland,  Oregon  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  drone,  shoegaze,  post  metal  and  noise  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  album  "Blue  Mirror"  which  will  be  released  in  2020  by  Anima  Recordings.

  Ambient  style  drones  start  off  the  album  while  acoustic  guitars  and  clean  playing  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.  The  songs  also  mix  in  a  great  amount  of  post  rock  elements  as  well  as  all  of  the  drum  beats  also  being  programmed  and  the  vocals a re  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  heavy  riffs  also  adding  in  elements  of  sludge  and  post  metal.  The  riffing  also  utilizes  a  decent  amount  of  melody  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Some  of  the  tracks  also  add  in  field  recordings  and  psychedelic  sounds  as  well  as  some  elements  of  noise  also  being  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music,  a  couple  of  the  songs  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  all  of  the  tracks  sticking  to  a  slower  musical  direction.  and  as  the  album  progresses  touches  of  shoegaze  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  duality  of  being,  and  the  struggle  for  balance  and  clarity  during  an  intense  emotional  struggle.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Folian  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  drone,  shoegaze,  post  metal  and  noise,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Go  Alone"  "Unwanted"  and  "Erasure".  8  out  of  10.

“Unwanted”: SPOTIFY || DEEZER || GIGWISE Premiere

Folian Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the musical project since the recording and release of the new ep?
I did a short tour around the Pacific Northwest with Troubled By Insects following the release of Ache Pillars, and since then have been focusing on a release plan for the next album, which will be out later this year, as well as booking and playing more shows in the mean time.

2.Recently you have released a new ep, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
I consider this the first "proper" Folian release, in that it is structurally a more song-based work, rather than the past few releases which have been more drone/sound art type pieces. It is mostly centered around guitar, which everything else built around it.

3.According to the facebook page you refer to your music as being 'experimental sludge-pop', can you tell us a little bit more about this term?
I'll admit the term "experimental" is quite broad but there is always a degree of improvisation that goes into creating this work, using and exploring a variety of instruments. There is definitely a poppy element, however subtle, both structurally and vocally. I thought "experimental sludge-pop" just sounded a little fun, and I don't mean it to be very definitive.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with the newer music and also how would you describe your progress as a songwriter over the years?
Much of the lyrical content deals with the feeling of being stuck or unable to emotionally depart from the past. Other ideas explored are escapism, fear and depression, and confronting these things. I think my songwriting style has always been a bit free-flowing, meaning there is no set formula I ever follow. It can be totally improvised recording, layering, and experimentation, or it could be a song I wrote on acoustic guitar that I want to translate into an electric work. Often times, its a mix of both.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Folian'?
Its a made up word with no previously defined meaning. I know the word has been used places before but I don't pay mind to it. It means something to me.

6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new ep cover?
My friend Crystal Lee Lucas does incredible conceptual and thought provoking photography work. Though the image was complete and selected after the music had been finished, it represents this EP very well.

7.On the recordings you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to work solo?
I do enjoy the freedom and the process of recording everything myself, but I do often work with other musicians, both related to the project and not. I play in several bands with people I love, and I have had friends contribute sounds to upcoming Folian recordings. I have not performed with additional musicians in this project before, but it is something I would like to explore.

8.What are some of the best shows that you have done over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
I've had the pleasure of playing some great shows with this project, but my favorite would have to be the EP release show that happened in April here in Portland, OR. It was just a really dreamy night, and I felt really good about it. Recently I have been doing a lot of video work that I incorporate into my live sets via projector. This adds an element that I felt was important to the experience of what I do. I like to create a space for myself and others where it is comfortable to just let go.

9.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
I have several shows coming up in Portland, and plan do to some touring later this year or early next. I just bought a van so I'm hoping to get myself and another on the road shortly.

10.The new ep was released on 'Apneic Void Sounds', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?
Apneic Void specializes in beautifully packaged, short-run cassette and CD releases. The catalogue consists of lots of different sounds ranging from harsh noise to mutilated bedroom pop/rock. My good friend Daniel runs the label.

11.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your newer music by fans of experimental, shoegaze and metal?
Like a lot of bands, I think the music is a lot to digest for people who are totally unfamiliar with the project, but it seems to have been received much better than I had thought it would.

12.When can we expect another full length and also where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?
New full length due out later this fall with some touring to support it. I have a few other releases in the works with this project, and also play in some other bands that will be releasing music and playing shows. Personally, I would like to score film and do some soundtrack work for film and video games even.

13.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
I really like a lot of new music, but otherwise I've been listening to lots of David Bowie, Unwound, Black Moth Super Rainbow and stuff. I feel like I'm often influenced by friends and music they make, or have made... I just feel closer to the music when I know the person. It's a beautiful things to see an artist as a piece of living art. Lately, Troubled By Insects, The Stargazer Lilies, Drowse, High Tides, Juracan, Body Shame, Planning For Burial, Elrond, hold a special place within me... These are all excellent musicians and people and I love what they do.

14.What are some of your non musical interests?
Cinema, hot sauce (I like to make my own), and currently house hunting. Also, my cat, Nebo.

15.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Come out to one of my shows and say hi!

6/2 - Portland, OR @ No Fun Bar
w/ Giardia, CHIBI

6/14 - Portland, OR @ Speck's Records
w/ Juracan, Matt Pollock

7/13 - Portland, OR @ High Water Mark Lounge
w/ Elizabeth Colour Wheel, Drowse, Taarna

7/25 - Eugene, OR @ Old Nick's Pub
w/ Zvi, Entresol

Thank you!

https://www.facebook.com/folianpdx/

Folian/Ache Pillars/Apneic Void Sounds/2019 CD Review

  Folian  are  a  solo  project  from  Portland,  Oregon  that  plays  a  mixture  of  experimental,  drone,  shoegaze,  metal  and  noise  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2019  album  "Ache  Pillars"  which  was  released  by  Apneic  Void  Sounds.

  Harps  start  off  the  album  and  also  gives  the  music  more  of  an  experimental  and  avant  garde  feeling  and  after  awhile  atmospheric  soundscapes  and  clean  guitars  are  added  onto  the  recording.  Melodic  vocals  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  and  the  music  also  adds  in  a  great  amount  of  drones.

  Programmed  beats  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  the  music  also  mixes  in  a  great  amount  of  shoegaze  elements.  When  heavy  riffs  are  utilized  they  bring  in  an  influence  of  metal  into  the  music  as  well  as  some  blast  beats  being  utilized  when  the  drum  beats  speed  up.

  Harsh  noises  and  aggressive  vocals  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  song  structures  bringing  in  some  chaos  mixed  in  with  more  of  a  clean  style.  All  of  the  tracks  sound  very  different  from  each  and  the  closing  track  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  also  introduces  a  touch  of  psychedelia  and  melodic  guitar  leads  onto the  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  dreams,  depression,  love,  fear,  and  nature  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Folian  is  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  experimental,  drone,  shoegaze,  metal  and  noise  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ghost  In  The  Flesh"  and  "Where  All  This  Dust  Comes  From".  8  out  of  10.

https://apneicvoid.bandcamp.com/album/ache-pillars 
https://folian.bandcamp.com/album/ache-pillars  

Barst/The Endeavour/Consouling Sounds/2018 CD Review

  Barst  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  a  mixture  of  ambient,  shoegaze  and  extreme  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "The  Endeavour"  which  will  be  released  on  May  18th  by  Consouling  Sounds.

  Atmospheric  sounding drones  start  off  the  album  while  powerful  sounding  bass  guitars  are  also  utilized  at  times  along  with  some  drum  beats  also  being  added  into  some  parts  of t he  songs  and  after  awhile  clean  vocals  also  start  to  make  their  presence  known  and  the  track  is  43  minutes  in  length.

  Clean  guitars  can  also  be  heard quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  heavier  riffs  bring  elements  of  metal  into  the  music  along  with  a  brief  use  of  black  metal  screams  as  well  as  some  touches of  electronic  music  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  as  the  album  progresses  more  shoegaze  influences  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  some  of t he  vocals  bring  in  more  of  an  industrial  style.

  Barst  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  ambient,  shoegaze,  industrial,  electronic  music  and  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Barst  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  ambient,  shoegaze,  industrial,  electronic  music  and  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  8  out  of  10.

http://www.barstart.eu
https://www.facebook.com/BARSTmaker

  

End Christian/Energy & Strength/Translation Loss Records/2017 CD Review

  End  Christian  are  a  band  from  New  York  that  plays  a  a  mixture  of  blackened  noise, dark  ambient,  psychedelic,  trip  hop,  drone,  shoegaze and  dream  pop  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Energy  &  Strength"  which  will  be  released  in  August  by  Translation  Loss  Records.

  Spoken  word  parts  start  off  the  album  before  the  music  goes  into  more  of  a  trip  hop  direction  while  also  adding  in  elements  of  dream  pop  along  with  some  clean  singing  male  and  female  vocals  a  few  seconds  later  and  on  the  second  track  piano's  and  bass  guitars  are  added  onto  the  recording.

  As  the  album  progresses  elements  of  dark  ambient,  noise  and  psychedelia  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  most  of  the  tracks  sound  different  from  each  other  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  all  instrumental  and  drones  are  also  used  briefly  as  the  album  progresses  and  spoken  word  parts  are  also  used  briefly while  some  of  the  songs  also  mix  in  the  atmosphere  of  black  metal  and  one  of  the  tracks  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  End  Christian  plays  a  musical  style  that takes  blackened  noise,  dark  ambient,  trip  hop.  psychedelic,  drone,  shoegaze  and  dream  pop  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  something  original,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  depressive  and  philosophical  themes.

 In  my  opinion  End  Christian  are  a  very  great  sounding mixture  of  blackened  noise, dark  ambient,  psychedelic,  trip  hop  drone,  shoegaze and  dream  pop  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Froze  Red"  "Delivered  In  Shame"  "A  Relaxing  Time"  and  "Call  About  Trix".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/EndChristianofficial

Sujo Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?

A: I started the Sujo project in 2008 as a solo noise/experimental recording outlet. My first release was the "Pia" 3"cdr that I released on my label, Inam Records. Since then I have done multiple releases; probably in the 20's. I have worked with great labels such as Quiet World (UK), 1000+1 TiLt (Greece), Fedora Corpse (US), and Auris Apothecary (US). It has remained a solo project.

2.Recently you have released an album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?

A: The output of Sujo has always had it's base in noise and drone. I've incorporated some shoegaze and black metal elements into it. The latest release "A Deeper Curse" consists of a 17+ minute track I recorded in 2013 and 5 tracks that were recorded this year. I used different machines to record the older track and new ones. I believe the newer tracks have a more "distant" or "muddy" sound! I used a Korg d1200 workstation for the older track, and a Tascam DP-03SD for the 5 newer tracks. I like to use a lot of field recordings in the mix as well. I think the overall sound is almost ambient with some more structured/melodic elements.

3.So far the music has been instrumental, are you open to working with vocals in the future?

A: I've actually used "vocals" in some of the work including this release. They are not traditional and sometimes no more than distant screams or noises. I've experimented with more traditional vocals but it just doesn't sound right to my ears. I like the ambiguity that instrumental music allows.


4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Sujo'?

A: I honestly don't remember why I chose the name originally but I it is a Portuguese word that translates to "dirty". Seems fitting.

5.With this musical project you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to remain solo?

A: The only collaboration I've done with Sujo is the Sujo + Sun Hammer "Fistula" release. It remains one of my favorites! I enjoy collaborating; it just doesn't seem to happen much.

6.The album was released on 'Inam Records', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

A: It's a label I started in 2005 or 2006. I was living in Austin, TX and wanted to do some releases of my music and had some friends with projects as well. It was never intended to be an official "label" and really hasn't become one! It's mostly cdr's with the occasion lathe record. Runs tend to be limited to 100 or less.

7.James Plotkin did the mastering on the new album, did you feel honored to work with this legendary
musician?

A: James Plotkin mastered the Sujo "Blood Saints" cdr and "Kahane" 12"lp so I've already had great experiences with his work. He's very accessible and does a great job at a great price. What more could you want? He' has an awesome musical and creative mind so it's always an honor!

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your album by fans of underground music?

A: I don't tend to read many reviews and I am rarely contacted by people directly. When I started putting music on bandcamp the response was very positive. It seems I get pretty low ratings in other places! I'm under no impression that this type of "music" will appeal to many people. Of course I am very appreciative of the positive responses!

9.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?

A: Well, I'm getting pretty old and have been doing this for 20+ years in some form. I think I will always have the desire to create music. I like doing more experimental/electronic music as well. I am not very interested in gear or technology so that probably limits me in some ways. I've been using the same $150 guitar since 2005. I enjoy the challenge of being creative with limited options and resources. We'll see what happens.

10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are
you listening to nowadays?

A: About 2 or 3 years ago I really got into early Pink Floyd (Saucer through Meddle). I like electronic music like Machinefabriek, Varg, Actress and Container. I listen to earlier punk and hardcore (Circle Jerks, Cro-Mags, Bad Religion, Bold). My favorite metal bands are VoiVod and Slayer. I also like experimental/field recording such as Howard Stelzer and William Basinski.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

A: Reading books and recently getting into archery.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

A: Thank you for the interview!

https://sujo.bandcamp.com/

Sujo/A Deeper Curse/Inam Records/2017 Full Length Review

  Sujo  are  a  band  from  Dartmouth,  Massachusetts  that  plays  a  mixture  of  drone,  noise,  and  shoegaze  and  this  is  a  review  of their  2017  album  "A  Deeper  Curse"  which  was  released  by  Inam  Records.

  Avant  garde  soundscapes  start  off t he  album  along  with  some touches  of  ambient  and  after  awhile  elements  of  drone  and  noise  are  added  onto  the  recording  while  the  heavier  sections  of t he  songs  are  done  in  more  of  an  atmospheric  post  metal  style  that  is  also  heavily  influenced  by  shoegze.

  A  decent  amount of  post  black  metal  influence  can  be  heard  in  the  bands  musical  style  while  most  of  the  tracks  are  instrumental  and  the  songs also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  variety  and  the  last   track  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Sujo  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  drone,  experimental,  noise  and  shoegaze  and  mixes  them  together to  create  an  instrumental  sound  of their  own  along  with  a  slight  black  metal touch  and the  production  sounds  very  dark

  In  my  opinion  Sujo  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  drone,  experimental,  noise  and  shoegaze  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "War  Of  the  Underground"  and  "A  Deeper  Curse".  8  out  of  10.

https://sujo.bandcamp.com/