Metal Reviews

Yeah, I'm still not sold on jazz guitarists (why focus guitar when sax/trumpet/piano are available?) but Wes Montgomery's bluesy thumb style is pretty incredible to watch.

This Sonny Rollins is great, thanks for sharing. In jazz I've found the hard bob/modal stuff from the late 50s early 60s the most appealing so far, whereas the material before lacks this period's virtuosity and the stuff after is a little too weird. I realize this is a very common, standard opinion but we can't be experts on every genre. Thoughts on fusion?

Most of my Liszt favorites are much longer and with orchestra, but this will do. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpfbDLFSZb4

I think the guitarists are operating more on a "wow, that is technical skill" level than the sax dudes, it's definitely a step down in genre terms. And yet the sax groupings are equally technically skilled, not least the drummers, who always seem half-forgotten in jazz terms which is insane because there are so many greats.

Glad you dig the Sonny R, and I'd agree, that 50s/60s period seems to be when the creativity was flowering most. It's all hit-or-miss beyond that even before you get onto the likes of Alice Coltrane's later absolute nonsense... And yet there are moments of splendour. Fusion I like, still need to discover plenty but it seems to be a flowering of talent unlike anything since that 50s/60s burst. For example, this modern band are doing interesting things with the genre's building blocks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G55GspnNkBo

(and I like the Liszt! I think part of the issue is getting used to classical pieces. I'll keep coming back to this, and add Liszt to my playlist)

One note on technical skill in jazz, the arguments I've read between some jazz guitarists/fans and metal guitarists/fans are pretty amusing. Jazz people: 'You metal people can play really fast but you don't know why you are playing really fast and what purpose it serves.' Metal people: "Doesn't matter, we play faster than you." Repeat 400 replies.

Hmm, this Comet is Coming is a neat hodgepodge of sound. I really like keys and the beat, not sure about the sax melody in this context, but I'll listen to more of their stuff for sure.

Speaking of modern...how about some dreaded contemporary classical? I really like some of this living composer's longer piano music, not sure about this orchestral piece though. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-UAaMwwjqA

This is... interesting! Seems strange, perhaps just because that amount of percussion in classical music doesn't quite mesh. You could throw some simple riffs over it and turn it into one of Nightwish's wackier moments, almost. But it keeps your attention, doesn't it? Have heard Sir Simon's name before but not Thomas Adès, will have to investigate further.

Not sure where to go after that that follows on naturally, so here's a wildcard from an act I don't think we've mentioned yet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hd-6WweqD0Y

I liked that a lot, thanks for sharing! I heard of Einstursende Neubauten, but I think that is the first time I heard something by them. Very tranquil.

Here's something very recent from a critically acclaimed artist in the booming 'experimental/art pop' genre.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2o-AmKLh_E

If the first link blocks you, go here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPJNMui1qMg but bear in mind the track lasts 4.16, just some dumb ad after it ends on this one.

(first link worked)

Interesting! Bjork meets... Liturgy? Almost, that orchestral cacophony makes me think of them first, which probably suggests I need to listen to more experimental pop!

But it has reminded me of another female vocalist whose voice I love, who certainly experimented with styles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7FP4FEDWrA

I listened to that monster length album from Julia Holter and I hate about half the tracks and love the other half( the bone I posted was in the later category). Fair warning.

I had sworn Opeth was listening to Heijara when they wrote Damnation. Thanks for sharing, I hadn't heard that track before and liked it quite a bit. Joni is super talented.

Since we've been talking about MDB so much lately: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tk6K41Ov8I0

I dig it! Does remind me of my next pick a little much, I know you stan for the individuals behind Godthrymm but they've not quite made their own sound yet...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWqNcw-oIbU

Mackintosh is one of my favorite guitarists ever, which he displays on this song, and Holmes is a good vocalist too, I've just never been completely sold on their 'return to metal' since In Requiem? I've heard good tracks on In Requiem, Faith Divides Us, Plague Within, etc, just whenever I compare them on a album footing with say The Dreadful Hours or Feel The Misery MDB interests me so much more. I think it comes down the songwriting, PL generally writes in conventional rock song format, whereas MDB almost universally does not. I still prefer PL 100 times to modern Anathema though.

Since you went to PL last I'll stay in Halifax for another logical pick. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEdN7yltTeY

That's a good explanation, I do prefer MDB overall like you but PL have made some great gothic metal over the years and this is a good lead-in to their latest due May. Holmes' dry growl is terrific.

Following Mackintosh, eh? But I do dig Vallenfyre! That crusty sound is a cool exploration of one aspect of the goth/doom plethora, and to avoid being too obvious, if you've not heard that Strigoi album from last year do get on it, I nearly got around to reviewing it and it's great. Love how he explores a more extreme take on the PL sound with side-projects.

To mix it up a little, this is a great taster of new stuff from these guys:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhXjwg8zOmk

This track manages to present the same unsettling atmosphere in both the metal and ambient sections with the guitar lead serving as an excellent bridge between them. Oranssi Pazuzu manages to take risks and seemingly always deliver anyway, reminds me of this one man band notorious for Neathe Waters on the forums here 25 years ago. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u81brPxpD2Q

Thy Catafalque! I still need to travel through that back catalogue, but have given Naiv a good few listens and enjoyed it a lot. That funky bass is gorgeous, as is the sax. Reminds me of these Norwegians, who I haven't listened to in a while:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQsYy4q8gH8

Definitely give Neath Waters a listen again if you haven't heard it since Misha was ranting about it back in 2005. Also strongly recommend the first track off of Rengeteg, Fekete Mezok.

Lazare's vocals were never my favorite, but I always liked how Solefald has integrated electronics into their sound over their years and this track is no exception. They blend catchy with avant-garde really well too. I think I have a copy of Neonism somewhere, will have to listen to it again. Speaking of albums I forgot I owned, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewEvhxkjKL8.

This is intense, experimental doom of the best sort, with as much prog in there as doom, and honestly not sure if I knew of these guys and forgot or this is a first exposure! Will have to give the whole album a listen. Doom really works well with prog, should be more of a thing than it is. Here's one of my faves going all-out with it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeUhGe4qFFU

I haven't heard this track in a few years but I still love it! I gave this album an 85 to your 90 but we agreed on tracks like Edwige's Eyes, Painting in the Dark, Journey into Jade and of course Funeral of Dreams being outstanding. The catchy quiet psychedelic verses and monumental riffs make an 8 minute track seemingly go by in half that time. What a great career Cathedral had with so many good to great albums: I guess they fell in love with stoner rock a little too much in the late 90s but that was a minor blemish overall.

Staying in England with this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3GQ2IgL-l4&list=PLcrTYkPF17BXvu-69JQyQI6FPbPbbFQMA&index=19

Swervedriver are new to me, but I like them! This heavier-than-usual alt rock sound is good; almost on the noise rock spectrum. I'll have to investigate them further...

Perhaps a too obvious pick from the genre? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kAIMlISHhU

Jane's Addiction might be obvious but still very good: this is just a great riff. They must have been a very welcome interruption from hair metal at the time it was on the radio. I just recently heard their second album which is also very good. Leaning even more into the math rock/post hardcore sound which was taking off around that time is this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haUJyCRTiXg

Ah, I like this rhythmic, grooving mathy stuff, although I've not heard much Slint. That sound is one of the few types that works instrumentally for me, like so https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUF0cTs8yBU

This Don Caballero is very good! The first part is surprisingly metallic, and very catchy before settling into the more standard mid paced math rock section and then finally fading away to a light conclusion. Makes sense they are also from Touch and Go Records, which released Slint, all of Steve Albini's stuff, and this band: I tried to get an instrumental track because their weakpoint is the vocals, so just a few lyrics was good enough for me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2TdWqnI5yc

I like Polvo's sound but this track ran just a little too long for my liking, I'll have to try other stuff from them. Agreed on the vocals. Overall vibe reminded me oddly of these guys, albeit obviously far less artsy and deliberately weird: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JGBNkLM9_8