REVIEWS

CD | DVD | FILM

REVIEWS ARE THE OPINION OF THE REVIEWER AND MAY NOT
REFLECT THE VIEWS AND OPINIONS OF MOVEMENT MAGAZINE.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

HIM
DARKLIGHT
Sire
HIM is one of those bands that should not have fans older than 18. This album is no exception. While I do admit that the songs are well-structured and the band can play their instruments, the overwhelming impression I got is that HIM are treading water, Titles like "Rip Out The Wings Of A Butterfly" and "Drunk On Shadows" are indicative of the attempts at poetry that invariably fall flat. That being said, if you are a HIM fan chances are you won’t be disappointed.
- Adam Naworal
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Brent Amaker and the Rodeo
S/t
MTF
I really wanted to like this. Being a fan of country mutants like Palace and Wilco, I was hoping for something along those lines, What I got instead was a collection of sub-par and far too serious country. Nothing here is better than anything Johnny Cash or Hank Williams did years before. The addition of crude language to the mix is also superfluous, A complete letdown, and only recommended to severe masochists.
- Adam Naworal
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

K-Os
ATLANTIS: HYMNS FOR DISCO
Sire
K-Os strives to be some sort of alternative hip-hop. For the most part he does an admirable job, but this is a fairly spotty affair. Some tracks could have been saved for b-sides, and others tend to drag, but the majority is indeed well-composed weird hip-hop. Using live strings and odd samples certainly helps K-Os’ case. Given time I can see this man doing some amazing things, but for now this is a flawed but promising effort.
- Adam Naworal
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Charlotte’s Shadow
HUSH
The Art
Extremely enjoyable 80s-style darkwave. Charlotte’s Shadow are a duo act consisting of vocalist/multi-instrumentalist J. Catala and bassist A. Avalos. Their music is reminiscent of such great 80s acts as the Cure circa PORNOGRAPHY, Fields Of The Nephilim, and the Sisters Of Mercy. The slightly odd production (drum machine VERY up front in the mix, strange echo effects on the vocals) adds a lot to the decidedly retro feel. Highlights include "Wherever You Are", the gorgeous female-sung "Cruces", and the title track. Definitely an enjoyable album, and highly recommended to fans of old-school darkwave and goth rock.
- Adam Naworal
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Guitar Bomb
S/t
Crafty
Fairly enjoyable rockabilly is the order of the day for Guitar Bomb. Varying between slow twang and punky frenzy, this 8-song EP doesn’t overstay its welcome. The delightfully raspy vocals are a nice touch as well. Extra kudos for the packaging, which includes a match and a firecracker in the case and a film-style disclaimer on the CD itself. For fans of the Gun Club, the Cramps, et all.
- Adam Naworal
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Annuals
BE HE ME
Ace Fu
The missing link between alternative rock and psych-folk is fully explored on this album. Featuring instrumental credits ranging from pedal and lap steel guitars and organ to banjo and melodica (a sort of harmonica with keys), Annuals certainly know how to meld genres with aplomb. Opening track "Brother" begins like a quiet pastoral folk song before exploding into a powerhouse rocker. This sets the tone for the album, and results in one of the better fusions to come along in a while. Not a single track reeks of filler. Think Animal Collective in a cage match with The Mars Volta while the ghost of Syd Barrett nods approvingly and you’re on the right track. Highly recommended to adventurous listeners, and ESPECIALLY to fans of Danielson and their permutations.
- Adam Naworal
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Through You
SILHOUETTE & SINCE
Days Of Infamy
A live recording of a sub-par emocore band. If you like emocore, go right ahead, you may like this. Others should stay far far away. The package includes a bonus DVD for the truly brave.
- Adam Naworal
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Summer Wardrobe
S/t
Rainbow Quartz
Druggy and dreamy psych-folk with country hints. Four of the tracks exceed seven minutes, with "Outcry In The Barrio" clocking in at a mammoth ten minutes and thirty seconds. The specter of Gram Parsons hangs heavy on this album, along with influences ranging from FSA to early Pink Floyd. Pedal steel guitar, dulcimer, and sleigh bells are among the less conventional instruments used. The liner notes state that it was recorded live, with keyboards, vocals, and percussion added later. This makes for a surprisingly warm experience. Perhaps a few tracks drag, but overall this is a promising debut.
- Adam Naworal
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Asteroid #4
An Amazing Dream
Imagine the Beach Boys circa PET SOUNDS filtered through some serious weirdness after about a dozen bong hits. That’s the impression I got from the Asteroid #4. Gorgeous vocals coupled with a desolate-yet-warm guitar tone and some odd touches make this an impressive album. It IS spotty, and some of the songs reek of filler, but overall this is a must for avant-pop fans.
- Adam Naworal
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sol Invictus
SOL VERITAS LUX
Tursa
Essential reissue of the first two outings by this neo-folk/darkwave legend. Formed by ex-Death In June member Tony Wakeford, Sol Invictus has long been a force to be reckoned with. Formerly available as a 2-disc set, this reissue consolidates AGAINST THE MODERN WORLD and the live follow-up IN THE JAWS OF THE SERPENT along with some bonus tracks (a few are hidden and seem to be new recordings of material from AGAINST THE MODERN WORLD). If you missed them the first time around, now is your chance to hear one of the more intriguing early neo-folk outings. The eight tracks of ATMW are formative, coupling drum machine beats and acoustic guitars on such tracks as the grim "Raven Chorus", the loop-based "Wolf-Age, Axe-Age", and the very Joy Division-esque "Long Live Death". The recording may be slightly lo-fi, but the roughness adds to the charm. IN THE JAWS OF THE SERPENT is even rawer; you cannot hear the audience, and some of the live tracks would not be recorded in the studio until far later. Perhaps even more imposing than ATMW, the highlights of this set include a truly grim and weird (thanks to what sounds like a distorted accordion) version of the traditional "Twa Corbies", an even more desolate take on "Raven Chorus", and the fan favorite "Gold Is King". This CD is essential to everyone from fans of Joy Division to the neo-folkies who love Death In June and Current 93. Get it and do so quickly. Hopefully Strange Fortune will reissue the entire back catalog; I really would love to see LEX TALIONIS reissued.
- Adam Naworal
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Black Dice
BEACHES AND CANYONS
DFA
Perhaps the weirdest band on the DFA roster, Black Dice completely baffle me. Over five tracks, three of are epic-length, Black Dice deconstruct the very notion of rock music. Distorted drum machines and synths are the main instruments, but picking out what makes what sound is near impossible. Not quite ambient, not quite noise, sticking to set structures but achieving a sound of freeness, this truly defies categorization. Fans of the weirder side of things are highly recommended to check this out.
- Adam Naworal
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

BT
THIS BINARY UNIVERSE
DTS Entertainment
BT scores major points with his latest release. Packaged as a CD/DVD set, THIS BINARY UNIVERSE is decidedly electronic music for headphones and/or home listening. An ambient vein is mined, with soft synth lines punctuated by clicks and whirs that would do Kraftwerk proud. The seven lengthy tracks never overstay their welcome, slowly evolving enough to be engaging while never becoming boring or stale. Highly recommended for fans of ambient and BT in general, this may also appeal to fans of Aphex Twin’s SELECTED AMBIENT WORKS VOLUME 2, which is perhaps the closest point of comparison. However, BT is no copycat; his compositions are each uniquely his own, and they don’t owe debts to any one artist. The accompanying DVD has stunning visuals for each track of the album, which is quite the bonus treat.
- Adam Naworal
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Laibach
VOLK
DIVIDED STATES OF AMERIKA DVD
Mute
The industrial stalwarts have done it again! Laibach’s latest album VOLK continues their deconstructions of popular music with a twist. Tackling the national anthems of twelve countries (plus a version of the NSK anthem), Laibach turns what normally is considered dross into an amazing sonic journey. Featuring perhaps more electronic tweaking than their last couple of albums, the material perfectly fits Laibach’s bombastic style. You will never hear any of the anthems presented the same way again, and you will agree that anthems are the ultimate in popular music (as the liner notes made clear). The DVD presents us with a documentary of Laibach’s US tour last year as well as an entire live show from Europe. While the show is recorded well, and the sonics come through loud and clear, you are left wishing you were there. The documentary part is another thing entirely. Words cannot completely express the impression that this leaves on the viewer. The title refers to the very-real divisions of opinion in the US. Laibach take their typically irreverent view of the subject to new heights, and the effect is amazing. Both releases are very highly recommended to fans of industrial old and new.
- Adam Naworal
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Die Princess Die
LIONS EAT LIONS
GSL
Imagine a combination of Big Black’s noise rock maelstroms and At The Drive-In’s spazzcore tendencies. Now mix that with surprisingly tuneful vocals and a running time too short to overstay its welcome. That, friends, is the new LP by Die Princess Die. Highly recommended to noise rock freaks and spazzcore fans alike.
- Adam Naworal
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Children Of Bodom
Chaos Ridden Years -Stockholm Knockout Live
DVD
Judas Priest always has a motorcycle driven out on stage, but Finnish metal masters Children Of Bodom do one better. They have a car. That's right, a car. It starts up at the beginning of the show, to signal the bands entrance. And it only gets better. Children Of Bodom are fast becoming one the hottest acts in metal at the moment and with good reason. Lead vocalist/guitarist Alexi Laiho drives the metal message home with his snarling vocals and amazing guitar skills. His guitar partner in crime Roope Latvala is no slouch either. He has to keep up Laiho throughout each and every show, and on this DVD you will see for yourself how truly impressive the entire Bodom crew really is. Keyboardist Janne Wirman keeps pace with both guitarists doubling super fast lead lines note for note. The rythym section of Henkka Seppala (bass) and Jaska Raatikainen (drums) are like a semi truck rolling over anything that gets in their way. Their music has the feel of eighties thrash combined with current death metal styles. Some have labled them "power death metal" and many have said they transcend classification. Regardless, they rock. Hard. The DVD consists of 18 songs covering all six albums, clocking in at around 97 minutes. The concert footage is crystal clear with excellent sound quality and to my relief, there were no weird camera stunts or special effects, just the guys doing what they do best. The band also have a bit of fun with their pyro on stage by roasting some sausage over the fire. It was pretty comical. There are also seven bonus videos, deleted scenes, and a documentary on the making of the DVD. For Bodom fans this is a must have!
- Craig Harvey
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Unter Null
The Sacrament EP
Alfa Matrix
I was very impressed with Unter Null's first album "The Failure Ephipany" and I was not let down whatsoever with "The Sacrament EP." Unter Null is a one woman industrial machine by the name of Erica Dunham. In my opinion she creates harsh, grinding, electronic music that rivals any of her male peers.The combination of nightmarish lyrics, distorted vocals (a must in this genre), brutal beats and sinister ebm/electro make for a devastating assault. Her blood-soaked stage shows create disturbing visuals that only add to the intensity of her music. "The Sacrament EP" is the twin of the "Absolution EP" (which at this time I don't have) that when put together, allow you to see the complete set of cover artwork. (So get both of them!) And while this CD bears similarities to Hocico, Suicide Commando, Wumpscut and many others in the industrial scene, it still manages to keep it's own sound. Maybe it's a woman thing? Who knows. Regardless, "The Failure Ephipany" is a brutal slice of industrial that you should definitely pick up.
- Craig Harvey
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Implant
Audio Blender
Alfa Matrix
While "Audio Blender" is Implant's seventh release, it's my first time actually hearing these guys. Now, I've heard quite a bit of good press surrounding this Belgium duo, and after putting my ears to the test, it seems the press was indeed correct. Implant defies all attempts at classifying what they do. Call it industrial, ebm, experimental, dance or whatever and you would find that all of these elements are part of the make up of Implant's musical design plus a whole lot more. It's danceable, but intelligent electro that makes you not just move your body, but really listen to all the intricate parts that are flowing through the compositions. And if that doesn't inspire you to check it out, how about the fact that there are appearances by Jean-Luc De Meyer (Front 242), Anne Clark, Erica Dunham (Unternull) and Jennifer Parkin (Ayria) all lending their talents to an already impressive album. So what are you waiting for? Get on-line and order this album!!!
- Craig Harvey
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mastadon
Blood Mountain
Relapse
With "Blood Mountain" Mastadon have released the most bizarre prog-metal album I've ever heard. Trust me, this is a very, very, good thing. The concept of the album is so far beyond description I won't even try to explain it. (From what I understand these guys smoked some seriously good weed and then set pen to paper to come up with the story). Regardless of the lyrical inspiration, "Blood Mountain" will hit you in the face like Mike Tyson back in the day. It's got massive complex riffs, odd time signatures, gruff vocals and as I said earlier, an extremely unique concept. The songs tend to be a bit lengthy because of the instrumental interludes that permiate each track, but for fans of progessive music this is what we live for."Blood Mountain" gets my vote for the most original album of the year. Who knew that such a sleeping giant would emerge from Atlanta Georgia?
- Craig Harvey
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Die Verbannten Kinder Evas
Dusk And Void Became Alive
Napalm
On their forth release D.V.K.E. put forth yet another haunting masterpiece that is layered in depths of beauty and shadow. Various influences from gothic, medieval, and classical permeate the songs in rich musical tapestries filled with, dark keyboards and elegant piano lines. There is some percussion for effect, but the rich beautiful vocals of Christina Kroustali take center stage. Her range is impeccable, and she fills the songs with a plethora of emotions. The other half of the team, Richard Lederer provides all the music as well as some backing vocal tracks as well. I have to say this is very impressive, and for fans of bands such as Dargarrd, early Mortiis, or similar symphonic gothic styles it ranks as one of the best I have had the pleasure of listening to.
- Craig Harvey
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Fairyland
The Fall Of An Empire
Napalm
Fairyland is a power-metal band from France that delivers epic, fantasy based songs that sounds like a mix of Dream Theatre meets Queen. Not a bad combination really. The musicianship is dead on with great virtuoso guitar and keyboard parts and vocals that are not to over the top, but can reach the high registers when needed. The songs from what I can gather, are set in a world of the band's own creation entitled Osyhira. Some bands might not be able to pull off this type of music without the proverbial cheese factor bringing everything to a crashing halt, but Fairyland not only pull it off, but they do it with style. Power-metal is making a comeback here in the states with bands like Dragonforce and Trivium gaining huge followings, and many European bands such as Stratovarius, Blind Guardian, Hammerfall, Symphony X and now Fairyland are set to explode on US shores. It's great to see this type of music back in the limelight, and Fairyland are an excellent example of how it should be done.
- Craig Harvey
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Draconian
The Burning Halo
Napalm
Draconian sound a lot like late 90's Theatre of Tragedy. They sure have the formula down pat. Evil, death metal vocals contrast with beautiful angelic female vocals, combined with sinister guitar riffs, and somber keyboards are the perfect solution for your gothic/metal fix. However, as good as this album is, I've already heard it several times before. By that I mean, a lot of bands are doing this same style and it's hard to differentiate between many of them. Still, "The Burning Halo" has some great moments to it, and for those who are searching for a great metal band with a truly haunting style, Draconian fits the bill.
- Craig Harvey
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

TYR
Ragnarok
Napalm
Just from the name of the band alone, you can probably already guess what these guys are about. It's true in form with it's tales of Norse mythology, grandiose vocals, and power-metal guitar riffs. There are also elements of Norse folk influences which you can here throughout the CD. While the music is well done and the production is very good, none of the songs really grabbed my attention. I really wanted to like this album, but I found myself drifting off while listening to it, which is usually not a good sign with me. It does have it's moments, but I think Leave's Eye's does this sound much better overall.
- Craig Harvey
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Trentalange
Photo Album Of Complex Relationships
Coco Tauro Records
"Photo Album of Complex Relationships" is the debut solo release from musician/visual designer Barbara Trentalange. What struck me right off the bat was the beautiful cover art that was also done by Barbara as well. Somehow I new the music was going to be good just by looking at the cover, ( which is not always true, but in this case it is. ) This is truly an impressive body of work, primarly because Barbara plays most of the instruments (guitar, piano, keyboards, bass, flute, percussion, programming, etc...) writes intelligent songs that are soaked with emotion from one end of the spectrum to the other, and does all the vocal work as well. Speaking of vocals, Barbara's voice is fluid, haunting and passionate with such an alluring pull it just brings her lyrics to life. If this album gets the respect it deserves, we will be see much, much more of Barabara in the near future.
- Craig Harvey
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Technoir
Manifesto Ep
Alfa Matrix
The German duo known as Technoir, return after a long hiatus with their "Manifesto" Ep. The cd consists of four songs ( "Silence, Liar, Breathe, and the title track") that are essentially all remix versions from various other artist's in the electro scene, including two from the band themselves. The music is a nice mix of catchy ebm/synthpop with some gorgeous female vocals that are incredibly captivating. There are some fabulous remixes on this disc by Dj Ram, Dj Rabuke, Beborn Beton, Rotersand and Daniel Myer. These alone make this release worth getting, as they enhance an already great band. Technoir's full length release "Deliberately Fragile" is due out soon, but in the meantime this ep is the perfect solution to hold fans over till then.
- Craig Harvey
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

I: Scintilla
Harvestar Ep
Alfa Matrix
These guys are sure to be compared to acts such as Theatre of Tragedy, Lacuna Coil, and Evanescence. Mainly because of the combination of heavy guitars, electronics, and female vocals. Regardless of the similarities, this quartet from Illinois lays down a grinding barrage that merges goth, industrial, and metal. One of the high points of this band is singer Brittany Bindrim whose amazing vocals are powerful and full of emotion. However, I thought the guitars were a little muddy in places and could have had more definition to them (probably due to the fact that they were severely tuned down) but this was a minor complaint. There were also some great remixes by Combichrist, Klutae, Implant, Diskonnekted, and Neikka RPM. I would highly recommend this release to anyone who is a fan of strong female singers and hard hitting guitar/industrial based music.
- Craig Harvey
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Alfa Matrix
Re:Connected 2.0
Alfa Matrix
It's now been five years for the Alfa Matrix label and they are celebrating with a deluxe 2-disc compilation featuring every artist on the label packaged in a special carton box. With over 30 songs for your listening pleasure from some of the hottest bands in the scene, you can't go wrong. Oh, did I mention that all the music is previously unreleased? So you have a tons of great songs that are exclusive only to this release. You've got veterans such as Leatherstrip (and his alter ego Klutae), Front 242 (but again why did they choose yet another version of Headhunter?) Mentallo And The Fixer, Aiboforcen, along side newcomers Zombie Girl, Dunkelwerk, Technoir, Headscan and Unternull just to name a few. There are many, many more on display here, with a great mix of everything from synthpop, ebm, industrial, and noise. Definitely one of the best compilations to come along in some time.
- Craig Harvey
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Schulz
What Apology
Sudden Death
"What Apology" is the solo effort of ex-KMFDM guitarist Guenter Schulz. You may recall that Guenter, along with co founder En Esch, left the KMFDM camp a few years back to form Slick Idiot. (After seeing Slick Idiot live it was painfully obvious that without these two, KMFDM has severely lost it's edge). Anyway, Guenter now steps up to the plate to give us some new material of his own, with newcomer Jeff Borden handling the songwriting/vocal duties and Guenter doing what he does best; playing guitar. Remember all those great KMFDM riffs? That was Geunter baby. So, as you would expect you get more of that here, plus some dazzling displays of his excellent lead work as well, which was not showcased quite as much in his KMFDM days. Oh, he also does the programming, but it's really all about the guitar.
With regards to the other half of the team, Jeff Borden's vocals have a dark, raspy edge to them, which helps build a sold foundation on top of Guenter's six string mastery. It's a great mix, and yeah you can hear a little of the old KMFDM style slipping in here and there, but for the most part it's a nice departure. The opening rocker "Resolve" starts things off hard and heavy with Borden throwing out some vocal gusto and a shredding solo by Schulz. The album moves from mid-tempo songs ("LowTract") to fast thrashy numbers ( "March" and "Fear Tactic" ) showing that these guys have a wide arsenal of sounds at their disposal. The spoken word style on "Uncertainty " has an eerie mysterious vibe to it, and reminds of a similar song David Lynch did with some musicians on the soundtrack to "Twin Peaks-Fire Walk With Me". There is some cool, funky wah-drenched guitar on "I Feel Fine '' not to mention their smokin' cover of "Love Will Tear Us Apart" by Joy Division. This is just a great album any way you slice it, full of great vocals, excellent guitar, and cool songs. A definite must buy!
- Craig Harvey
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

THE SECRET IS OUT
30 Second To Mars - Live Review

After seeing 30 Seconds to Mars about 9 times over the past 2 years, I knew that with every show they get better. And I was right. This time around they are headlining the MTV2 $2 bill tour with Rock Kills Kid, Cobra Starship, Receiving End of Sirens, Head Automatica and Street Drum Corp. I went to see them at Jannus Landing in St. Petersburg. It’s venue that I don’t particularly like, but it turned out for the better cause of the late night breeze that picked up as the crowd for this sold out show started to arrive.

Rock Kills Kid was up first. I have seen them 4 times now, and every time is just as good as the last. Their pop rock vibe is great start to the long road ahead of me. Their keyboardist Reed is just fun to watch jump and dance during the show.
Next up was Cobra Starship. Despite the singer coming out onstage and saying he just woke up, the whole band seemed to have endless energy. They got the crowd jumping around and dancing to the blend of hip hop, dance and rock music. If anything else they entertained to the fullest.

Receiving End of Sirens had some difficulty keeping the crowds attention. It was a bit different than the acts before, more of a screamo type band and they lacked life onstage. I would definitely give their cd a listen in a local cd shop, to see if they are better on cd than live.

As Head Automatica was setting up, you could tell the crowd was getting excited. They started moving closer to the stage in anticipation. You could see some people really enjoyed them, but others wondered if they had just time warped back to a Rolling Stones show during the british invasion.

Now that everyone is good and drunk, Street Drum Corp is setting up. I notice them start taking their gear back off stage. I saw SDC play this tour in Orlando and they were amazing. The group is like a street drum punk rock riot version of stomp! It’s a blast to watch them! Bobby Alt stood up on the crowds hands and walked on them to the back of the venue in Orlando. Unfortunately, because of a city curfew at Jannus Landing, they didn’t have time to perform.

You know that 30 Seconds to Mars is coming out, as you hear part of the famous Carmina Burana opera play over the speakers. And then the fans start screaming as 4 figures in all white, with white masks on and 30 seconds to mars flags in their hands walk out. They break into Beautiful Lie as singer Jared rips off his mask. The crowd goes nuts. If you’ve never seen them live, you’re in for a treat. Every show is unique and Jared always does something outrageous!!! During a breakdown in one of my favorite songs the Fantasy,the band started playing NIN’s hit closer! Near the end of the set, Jared called up the SDC and had them improv with Shannon Leto 30stm’s drummer. It was definitely something to be seen, and later the band told me that’s the only time that they’ve ever done that. As they close the show with their huge hit Attack, you can hear the whole crowd singing along. The secret of 30 seconds to mars is out, next up is an arena tour in Febuary 2007
- Kimber Parrish (Orlando)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Scott Walker
THE DRIFT
4AD
Scott Walker is a legend. Beginning with the Walker Brothers in 1965 (nope, they weren’t really brothers), moving on through the acclaimed SCOTT 1-4, and then taking a complete left turn with CLIMATE OF HUNTER AND TILT, the man has had a career longer than most. The man was an influence on David Bowie’s singing style; he also influenced a vast wave of singers throughout the decades. Well, throw that aside. THE DRIFT is absolutely the most frightening record ever released. Sounds ranging from a string section to slabs of meat being punched to the death throes of some beast of burden fill this album. The operatic voice of Walker keeps some level of sanity to the proceedings, but only just so. Traditional structure isn’t the name of the game here; Walker references “blocks of sound” being used to make this album, and it shows. From the frightening “Jesse” (Elvis singing to his stillborn brother about the state of the world) and the absolutely terrifying “Clara” (about the corpses of Benito Mussolini and his lover being strung upside down in public), this is far from a happy record. Regardless, any adventurous listener NEEDS this. It’s a very beautiful sort of terror.
- Adam Naworal
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

SunnO))) and Boris
ALTAR
Southern Lord
Drone/doom/sludge worshippers, approach thy temple. Featuring two of the three heavyweights of the drone metal movement (the third one being Earth, whose Dylan Carlson IS on the LP bonus track), ALTAR redefines the whole ambient metal scene. Less about pure volume than some of SunnO)))’s past epics, and not nearly as psychotic as some of Boris’ material, this is a perfect melding of the two. Kim Thayil from Soundgarden guests, as do Adrienne Davies from Earth, Joss Stone, and Joe Preston from Melvins and Thrones. You already know if you’ll like this if you’re into any drone, and if you aren’t sure, this is an excellent introduction to the world of droning metal.
- Adam Naworal
_________________________________________________________________________________________________