Pallbearer "Sorrow And Extinction" (2012)

Sorrow And Extinction is a gloomily fitting title for this sullen, bewildering debut record by the acclaimed American Doom Metal band Pallbearer of Arkansas. Charmed by their newer albums Foundations Of Burden and Heartless I wanted to complete my journey through their catalog, which is rooted in a genre Ive never fully connected with. Their artistic approach to Doom Metal has the deathly slow pace traversed with burly lunges of oozing guitar distortion, making a mark on the genre far more interesting and intricate. Coming back to this origin point one can hear the cracks and creeks in the sound that would be greased out by their sophomore but even its flaws are mostly aesthetic.

Once again Pallbearer have me at the mercy of their sludgy pacing and dense foggy distortion tone. The feeling of imminent gloom and suffering revels in a bleak landscape that seems to find life just above the swampy guitar movements that crawl and lunge forward with a burden weighing it down so. This dark and esoteric sound has a natural and decaying quality where music of this nature so often falls into the realm of of evil and fantasy, something feels root and grounded, deeply earthly about Pallbearers journey through sorrows.

The guitar are poised at the mercy of singer Campbell who swings it in this carnal, earthly direction as his light and cruising voice swiftly sails out from the depths with finely held notes that coarse through the mist with an ambiguous touch of reverb that's both ghostly and living at the same time. The moments where he sings as lead guitars erupt over the brooding guitars are the most fantastic on this record. The leads too inflict much needed respite from the monstrous guitars as they break up the monotony and blossom with color and motion.

The album falls short where it fails to maintain its balance, or keep from letting the gloom become too engulfing. Treating the album as a single experience their are lengthy passageways devoid of that important break and respite that brings the music to life and gives the sprawling guitar sludge a sense of hidden beauty, for when it drags it drags its feet slowly. In the moments the chemistry is ripe its a very captivating listen but lengthy compositions hold these moments at bay. I also found the production to be a little jagged with its handling of the dense guitars which can all to easy dominate in a very interesting musical setting.

Favorite Tracks: Devoid Of Redemption

Rating: 6/10

Childish Gambino "Because The Internet" (2013)

Gambino's final album Awaken, My Love was a real treat of rich, indulgent, soulful music reviving the sounds and emotions from genres mostly originating in the early decades of the last millennium. I very much enjoyed it and going back to his prior releases I was expecting the shift to Rap and Hip Hop but not the freedom and creativity this record endures. At the time I caught wind of the release was only through negative reviews and I'm wondering what on earth they heard that was so bad?

This album is warm, breezy and fun, an exploratory journey with plenty of the Soul, R&B, Psychedelia and Jazz creeping in that would blossom to become the main focus on Awaken. If there is a complaint it may be Glover's rap persona, a rather wild, fun and carefree character who jumps all over the place with topics and a wide variety of eccentric moments to disrupt the norm in his raps which come with a healthy variety of flows. Personally I find it refreshing even if its not a home run each time, Glover is expressing himself with an endearing charm and plenty of mature lyrics between his energetic outbursts.

The album warms up with the aforementioned sounds of previous decades, fusing soulful, jazzy instrumentation and samples with tight, sharp beats. As it grows, modern sounds of Dance, Synthpop and even Rave creep into some tracks for some real banging party numbers in between a flow of rather indulgent, experimental and unstructured music. From the mid to end the album struggles with pacing as many halfway tracks are littered between skits and short quirky tracks. Its mostly good artistic fun but the album suffers from a lack of direction from this point as the music falls into a whirlpool of ideas that keep jumping from one to the next before being fully realized, despite showing lots of musical chemistry and charm.

Because The Internet is a fun free for all of musical ideas and inspired creativity that's fresh, exciting but unstructured, youthful and without focus. Your opinion could swing either way and I find myself in awe of the moments where its chemistry flows and a little frustrated when it dips into the swirling of ideas that don't lead anywhere. For it to be one thing or the other would be great but caught in the middle it becomes a mixed bag of fruits that certainly yields some fantastic songs to come back to over and over again. As a listening experience its drags its feet periodically and that's a little sad as Donald Glover is clearly a very talented man but on this release its perhaps its a lack of experience that hinders it.

Favorite Tracks: Crawl, Worldstar, Shadows, Oakland, 3005, Life Is The Biggest Troll

Rating: 7/10

Suicidal Tendencies "Get Your Fight On!" (2018)

It would seem that Suicidal are in a stride. The legendary Crossover Thrash outfit from Venice beach have graced this decade with dedicated touring and a couple of albums, of which this short EP is warming us up for another album to come later in the year. Their last effort World Gone Mad was a reasonable release but for an old band sticking to their roots there was little too surprise with. If they wanted to wet the appetite with this EP then there isn't much in sight of originality or creativity beyond doing their sound again. Consisting of a Stooges cover, three new songs and two re-recordings from singer Mike Muir's solo project Cyco Miko. The EP is brief and fun for a couple of listens but that's about it.

 With new tracks Get United and iAuthority, the band stir up a warm atmosphere with jiving baselines prowling and acoustic guitar riffs in the main sections. It creates a rather musical and relaxed setting for Mike to get angry with his passionate shouts. The full on guitar distortion comes in with an exotic color in the chorus, flavorful and punchy however on Nothing To Loose and S.E.D. its business as usual with fast chomping Hardcore beats and dizzying thrash guitars with Mike throwing down is usual eccentric vocal inflections. With just a singular moment of interest through Get United this EP offers little other than what you'd expect, if its the same old Suicidal your looking for then you got it right here.

Favorite Track: Get United

Rating: 3/10

Migos "Culture II" (2018)

Prior to picking up this album I watched a video essay about the length of the record. At a trying hour and forty five minutes this follow up to their hit record Culture is a double album loaded with mediocrity. The essay theorized that artists may pursue longer play times in order to inflate stream numbers and increase record sales certifications. Its a reasonable theory that sighted Drake's More Life as a release which is actually labeled as a playlist as opposed to an album or record.

If the Migos where aiming at streaming culture and extended play sessions then they certainly achieved that. Culture II's production has a hypnotic, indulgent and easy vibe one can sink into as the lyrics and words pass you by. The length comes at a price, with exception to a less that a handful of tracks most these songs only hit a reasonable faction of excitement. There are very few gems in a lengthy lull that plays like background music, mood setting but hardly immediate. Even if condensed to a single album It would struggle to peak beyond setting the Migos tone.

The trio give an impression of being self indulged, "in the moment" and living in the moment. In other words, It doesn't feel like much of whats being said is thought through or even revised. Many of the hooks lack depth, wit, weight or anything other than feeling like they are vibeing with the music. On occasions it works but the lack of filter means a lot of repetition and a plethora of goofy, ridiculous lyrics, "pulling up like huggies" a line that makes me chuckle every time, of which there are many.

The Migos vocals and instrumentals have that middle line of trendy noises and vocal quirks like the "skrt skrt" that tie the two aspects together. In this instance they go overboard, to the point I was constantly laughing at the dorky vocal inflections and auto tune manipulations that again come in abundance with very little filter. I think I said it with the last record but a decade or two from now these are going to sound very dated. They are executed with style, image and swagger over artistic intent and articulated expression. It says very little other than "cool" and trendy.

Culture II is a slug of a record on the lyrical front. It has a handful of mediocre, uninspired features. Post Malone sounds under utilized but a surprise came in the way of Cardi B and Niki Minaj who brought two strong verses, vicious and full of attitude they dropped train of thought narratives that rise like a monolith with nothing similar else in sight. It lit up a track the Migos where mumbling their way through until the two of them gave it some substance. Its obvious the Migos are all about mood and tone which no one can do it like they do, unfortunately this record has very little beyond a saturated vibe.

Favorite Tracks: Stir Fry, Motorsport

Rating: 5/10

Judas Priest "Firepower" (2018)

The legendary Judas Priest return once again, delivering a mighty fine record that pays tribute to their catalog of eighteen albums across a career that's soon to hit a whooping fifty years. At this point I wouldn't be surprised if it isn't their last but it would certainly be a rock solid chapter to close their discography with. After several hiatuses, farewell tours and reunions it feels like the Priest guys just can't give it up and who could blame them? Now approaching their seventies the live shows have been muted for some time but in the studio they rock as hard as ever.

Firepower is a bright, crisp sounding record brimming with the Priest attitude, the triumphant march of Heavy Metal vitality sound potent and vigorous. At an hour and fourteen tracks it paces through its intensities with a few moments break. It starts with its first pumping anthems, loaded with hasty crunching guitar riffs and blazing guitar solos that soar and scale with an electric charge. After marching through a weight of head banging goodness the album steadily winds down the tempo and its slower, thematic songs take hold in the second half as calm, melodic intros set a tone for the more measured and steady lunge of Metal in their arsenal.

Halford gives one heck of a performance, sounding as keen, youthful and on point as ever. At sixty six years young his falsetto scream is as blisteringly sharp, as ferocious as its always been and when dropping in with his more twisted and layered hooks they hit hard! The theatrical nature of Priest and their songs about fantasy driven tales of evil and necromancers has always been a wonderful fit for Halford but this time around the chemistry is ripe, the music firing on all cylinders and he is the icing on the cake.

Initially I wasn't so keen on Firepower. It was a typical Priest album as I would of expected, their style unfaltering. As the quality of the songs quickly grew on me with each listen It became apparent that no one can do it as good as these guys. Sometimes you want band to evolve and grow, try new things but at this stage in their career their is only one thing these musicians want to do and its really reflected in the music. Approaching fifty years as a band they can still write music that will sound fantastic alongside their classics.

Favorite Tracks: Lightning Strike, Evil Never Dies, Necromancer, Rising From Ruins

Rating: 7/10

Chaos Moon "Eschaton Mémoire" (2017)

While browsing record label Blood Moon's latest releases, the ghoulish, foreboding artwork of this Pennsylvanian duo, Chaos Moon, caught my eye. The music is equally frightening and monstrous as the eerie, ghostly figure on the cover art would inspire. Eschaton Mémoire is an esoteric breed of Black Metal, conjuring engulfing atmospheres of arcane mysticism, witchery and the occult. Far from the barbaric, brutal thrashings of rebellious satanism heard in the genres primitive roots, Chaos Moon craft indulgent journeys through unforgiving realms beyond the grave. Although a grip of aggression is felt through blast beats and the grisly, glaring roars of the singer, the albums charm and wonder comes with passing swells of dreary, haunting melodies that collide into ambiguity, drowning in its own mood as deranged guitar riffs and swamping synths of obscuring fog meet under the light of a full moon.

With many listens the song structures of these three lengthy tracks still feel illusive. Its thick and howling tone is overwhelming and keeps the listener locked into each passing moments gravity. Even when recurring themes and compositions reveal their familiarity the thick, smothering tone and wealth of bulging sound just enriches the ghostly, ambiguous feel. Its fondly reminiscent of I Shalt Become whom I'm yet to talk of on this blog. Their miserable and mystic character is likely to have been an influence but the power of this music sheds no thoughts of other influences. Its atmosphere is massive, harrowing and black yet memorizing and trippy, like a psychedelic journey through the world of the dead. Its looses some charm when dominating screams pound alongside furious blast beats, its chemistry is in atmosphere and when the drums slow down to guide the direction it is truly wonderful if not eerily creepy slightly madening.

Rating: 8/10

D12 "The Underground EP" (1996)

The Dirty Dozen, better know as D12 are a Detroit based rap collective formed in 1996. They are best known for their association with founding member Eminem, who created his Slim Shady persona for the group, each of the six members had alter egos to make up a dozen. My recent foray into some of Marshall's early records and Soul Intent demos led me too this record I completely forgotten about. Its no surprise because its a poor demo release, perhaps hindered by the poor fidelity of some tracks which border inaudible as the bass rumbles and overpowers the rappers.

I was never big on D12, Purple Pills and the like where fun back in the MTV days but only one track, Fight Music, still sounds reasonable today. The rest of their material sounds immature and intentionally shocking upon reflection. Lyrically this EP has more substance in flashes but also some indulgences in intentionally provocative lyrics. Its a high pitched, Beastie Boys alike, Eminem and filthy Bizzare that lead the front on the shock lyrics. Proof on the other hand comes with far better verses than anyone else around him and gives the record a couple of credible track.

The production style dominates my lack of enjoyment. The beats are stripped back and dull. Popping snares groove of light, brief bass kicks and thin hi-hats while melodies are reduced to a minimal amount of notes. The sub bass rumbles with a lack of coherence, just punching in the space around the kick drum adding next to no value. Cock And Squeeze ads some thickness and color to the sound with an indulgent, hypnotic sample but the the choice to cut the volume dead in time with the beat is a firm reminder this style is just not my cup of tea. Its all to stiff and monotone, I can't groove with it. One track, Derelict Theme, manages to overcast this style with some powerful, moody strings that bring a rich and gnarly atmosphere to the track but one reasonable song in a stint of drab duds couldn't save this record.

In their inception there is little other than Proof that stands out and shows promise. You can however hear some obvious influences on Eminem's career, especially when he gets into production in the mid 00s, his hard cut style has some similarities to whats attempted here. The Underground EP is unfortunately a dull record and given the fidelity of Art Of War it could be argued that the quality of this lost, out of print record may play a big hand in its lifeless feel but since this is all we have, it is what it is, somewhat of a stinker.

Rating: 2/10

Ministry "AmeriKKKant" (2018)

Legendary Industrial Metal pioneers Ministry, led by Al Jourgensen, are back with their fourteenth album in a journey spanning over four decades! Their last album was released five years ago, around the time when I was really getting into the bands classic records like The Land Of Rape And Honey and ΚΕΦΑΛΗΞΘ. This is my first record as an invested fan, I eagerly awaited its release but had no real expectations and have found myself in awe of how this record encapsulates all my favorite things about this band. AmeriKKKant is as if group have been thawed out, once frozen on ice during their peak in the 90s, coming back with a vengeful spirit of anger towards the post-truth age we currently inhabit.

Al Jourgensen has a track record of disputes with American presidents. His music took aim at both Bush's and now Trump, as well as the current social-political climate coming under scrutiny in his paranoid, doomsday soundscapes that shine a light on the worst interpretations of current affairs. I can't agree with all his views but I have to commend the simplistically of taking samples like Trump saying "Chop Off Heads", playing them against his dark and worrisome music. AmeriKKant opens with an intro track bolstering eerie strings against jolting Industrial noises and haunted pianos. Slowed down samplings of Trumps most infamous phrases set a rather unusual tone that intersects darkness with a touch of foolishness and calamity.

The next two tracks lavishly unfold these feelings as Ministry deploy the best of their unique composition style. Crunching, thumping guitars and crisp, snappy drums lay down the mechanical backbone at a burly, lunging pace. Dissonant sounds, vinyl scratching and manipulated samples play out, setting the optimum tone for Al's angered shouts to cry out between dystopian melodies. Victims Of A Clown turns the pace with a classic, marching, determined baseline that pumps out a groove endlessly through the dangerous atmosphere, reminds me of the esoteric Golden Dawn revolving around Aleister Crowley. Its followed by a maddening noise piece, bombarding the listener with hateful quotes and a barrage of fast, jolting aggressive gun blasts and extreme manipulated samples, a nauseating treat.

Its as if Al is checking of a list of Ministry's best numbers. We're Tired Of It delivers a fast and thrashy track more akin to the 00s era. Its pummeling aggressive guitar riffs assult with a typical barrage of disorienting samples. Wargasm feels like an intentional tribute, its chorus fondly alike to Killing Joke who were a massive influence on this band. Then we have Antifa, the records best song! I'll make no comment on the group themselves but Jourgensen essentially writes the anthem for unchained anarchy and rebellion lashing out at the system. Its hypnotic lead melody dazzles over the tight mechanical drive of palm-muted chugging distortion guitars, its a real head banger.

They have really hit the mark on this album, the sonic intensity is wonderful. The constant barrage of intricate sounds and overload of samples adds a wealth of depth to the hellish, dystopian atmosphere conjured but best of all the use of unexpected instruments like horns and strings deploys some of the records most striking and memorable melodies. I'm in awe of how this albums has covered all the corners of what they did in the 80s and 90s, admittedly it comes in shades among long and droning songs however that is pretty much what I'm in the mood for right now, I want to be indulged in the slower pace and soak in the atmosphere. Its a decent record that happens to be precisely what I didn't know I wanted to hear.

Favorite Tracks: Twilight Zone, Victims Of Clown, We're Tired Of It, Antifa

Rating: 8/10

Frank Ocean "Blonde" (2016)

A musicians name can only be mentioned so many times before it becomes an obligation to give them your time. This blunt sea I kept hearing of is part of the Odd Future collective led by Tyler The Creator and it seems that his acclaim and success has out run both of them. Frank's silky and soft yet powerful and swooning voice has all the traits of a timeless R&B singer. The ultra indulgent, laid back and careless vibes of the album in its psychedelic setting put the young singer in an unrivaled position of uniqueness, a potent potion has found its audience with those who give it the time.

For me the glorification of hyper-sexual, drug abusing lifestyle can be a a real turn off in the opening stages of the record, Frank technically prostituting a women for drugs with a rather precarious choice of words among other lyrics can be difficult to stomach. Despite some disagreeable perspectives his voice is golden and it resonates with the instrumentals wonderfully as even pitch shifts, vocal effects and a splash of auto tune sound ever so tasteful, creating unique expressions rather than compensating a weak vocalist. He brings you invitingly into his world, the easy going persona and soothing singing is simply infectious.

Dreamy and psychedelic instrumentation with big washes of of reverberations and an arsenal of pianos, strings, violins, cellos, guitars, organs and keyboards bring about an organic expression, a tapestry unraveling in the simplest of forms as many of the songs here have luminous complimentary sounds that build on top of a simple, minimalist song format. Its not particularly dense, just light and airy, breezy as a few instruments build up the atmosphere around Frank's voice which is given its due spotlight on every song, remaining the focal point.

I'm very fond of the Be Yourself interlude, who I assume is Frank's mother giving some sound advice to avoid peer pressures and be comfortable with oneself. It seems almost to be ridiculed by the following tracks lyrical content. Poetry and expressive use of words are not my strong point and so I have a hard time pinpointing who he is on this record as there are many contradicting lyrics to my interpretation, it dispels a little of the indulgence but the vibes of the record are wonderful.

The album has a lot of content, its pacing is slow and steady, the variety of tracks, the avoidance of relying on drum tracks and interesting interludes pack a lot of substance into the experience. Although the opening tracks are the ones I anticipate the most its always fun to see it through as musings like Facebook Story between the more estranged tracks make markers leading to the curious interviews in the "hidden track" at the end. The whole thing feels structure less and lucid, a nice experience. This record is really something, will have to back track on Frank's other two albums!

Favorite Tracks: Nikes, Pink + White, Be Yourself, Skyline To

Rating: 8/10

Watain "Trident Wolf Eclipse" (2018)

My opinion of this band will be forever tainted by their live performance. Severed pigs heads impaled on the stage and the stench of animals blood filling your nostrils was one thing but the moment singer Danielsson decided to put out a burning stick with his hand grasping a fist around the flames just took the biscuit. He huddled wounded on the stage, nursing his hand which has dripping with blood, clearly in a lot of pain. It was all rather pathetic and although I like evil and satanism in the form of art or entertainment, it often becomes utterly ridiculous when in practice. The so called "ritualistic" performance came across as a joke and they were the punchline.

Either way I'm here for the music and Swedish Black Metal outfit Watain have risen to prominence with their fifth album, The Wild Hunt, released five years ago. I have never been massively into them but you can't ignore that they have become one of the genres biggest names in recent years, a time where experimentation and diversification has seemed ripe. Watain have gotten here by sticking to a very traditional approach on the genre, one which makes their music obvious, atypical and unsurprising yet its execution and production value gives it a weight of value in pursuit of dark and evil sounds that have been thoroughly explored before they arrived.

If you're hoping for new Black Metal records like the classics De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas & Pure Holocaust etc... then there is probably a lot to like about this record. Its sharp, fast and vicious, loading in and endless stream of creepy, evil melodies between furious bursts of jagged tremolo picking and punishing blast beats. Its got enough measure to illuminate its own atmosphere with demonic ambiguous vocal passageways, the booming of deep tribal drums and cymbals striking like a gong give it that extra spark of mischief. Plenty of breaks disperse the intense atmosphere with plucked chords breaking up the linear power chord riffs that drive most the record.

All in all its all just a little to expectant for my ears. Despite a terrific production and well written songs, the album could do little to surprise or feel fresh and different from what Ive heard of the genre before. Their success is possibly paramount to appealing to the old guard who resist change within the sound but for me that is boring and so this record sounds as good as my appetite for Black Metal on the given day that I'm listening to it. That being said the closing track Antikrists Mirakel defines itself as different, having the final say it takes a step beyond the norm with a deeply ritualistic atmosphere of ruin and heresy that's simply engulfing. Its slow sluggish pace, illusive chants and gloomy wash of reverb makes for a gem in an all too typical record.

Favorite Track: Antikrists Mirakel

Rating: 5/10

Nina Simone "Pastel Blues" (1965)

It's been years since I first got my hands on this record. As with some of the great, appraised music from past generations it can take some time to get into. Walking home from a Kendrick Lamar gig in an ecstatic mood another song from Pastel Blues came on and I was captivated, engulfed. In an instant it all clicked and since then Ive binged on this fantastic record from Nina Simone. She has a fascinating voice, ranging from softly effeminate to a shade manly with a powerful, navel tone that's drenched in a strange sadness. A strong vibrato resonates when she holds a note, somehow able to squeeze the sound to a point almost inhuman, but not too far gone. Its wonderful and not saturated as she awaits the inspired moments to let it flow.

With jazzy pianos, folksy acoustic guitars and soft percussion the instrumentals play a resounding roll in tipping the mood as the temperate backings swing back and forth, track to track, between bluesy, worrisome sorrows and self-empowered songs of resolution and poetic wisdom. Even in these uplifting numbers something in Nina's voice feels as if it would easily slip into a sadder setting. Even when the words don't quite match there is somehow a lingering sorrow as if she sings to escape something haunting her. Given how little I know beyond the music of this record, her life, or who she is it may simply be the way I hear things but I can't shake the sadness.

The record has all the roots of black music showing themselves, Jazz and Blues dominate the spectrum but shades of Soul, Gospel and R&B creek into the fold and most noticeably the opening tracks "Be My Husband" has the dominating clank of a chain gang song, the singing between often tailing of with soulful vocal afflictions. Its a rather short run of songs bolstered by the ten minute Sinnerman which stands out for its, in comparison, ambitious song structure which grows and broods in a healthy amount of repetition. The best moments for me are the sadder songs, that's when her voice illuminates and becomes truly special.

Favorite Tracks: Be My Husband, End Of The Line, Tell Me More And Then Some, Strange Fruit

Rating: 8/10