“Stagnation is an ugly thing. Waters, once teeming with life, become rancid without a flow of movement. It’s also been said that once we stop learning, we should effectively be dead. If we retread familiar soundscapes, eat the same damn foods all the time, and generally never leave that comfortable, insular bubble that we willingly trap ourselves in on a day-to-day basis, are we really growing? Have we gotten so used to where we are, as individuals and as a society, that eventual growth is not only impossible, but also not desirable?” Glazed with shoegaze.
A Sad Sadness Song
Lascar – Wildlife Review
“My relationship with Deafheaven is “it’s complicated” on Facebook. I don’t even know if that’s a thing anymore, but you see, I enjoyed 2015’s Sunbather for its heart wrenching combination of post-rock and black metal. However, what really grinds my gears is the carnage that the band left in their wake, as suddenly legions upon legions of fanboys, ripoffs and mimics started flooding the scene. Lascar, clearly one of these fanboys, is a one-man post-black act from Santiago, Chile, signed to Italy’s A Sad Sadness Song Records.” Sunbathing and trend aping.
Falaise – My Endless Immensity Review
“‘But.’ No other word in the English language possesses the sheer life-building/soul-crushing power of that three-letter word. It tears someone down after a volley of praise and it also builds them back up following harsh criticisms. When that word appears, shit goes down and gets real immediately.” Ifs, ands and buts.
Svärta – Sepultus Review
“Oddly enough, when I was dropped Svärta’s Sepultus, I immediately thought of last year’s debut from Madmans Esprit. Not that the Swedish black metal outfit is completely comparable to the gothic/black metal band from South Korea, but they share their love for disrupting standard black-metal frenzies with perfectly executed transitions of melody and pure sadness.” Sad boy black metal? Let’s kick sand on it!
Madmans Esprit – Nacht Review
“It turns out I’m a judgmental son of a bitch. I admit it, I label people before they even open their mouths and I usually find many decisions made by others to be dumb and immature. I don’t mean to be this way, but I’m very much a person that “judges a book by its cover.” However, I have to say that nothing pleases me more than discovering that the dickhead talking to me with his Corona Light and sport coat over a Superman shirt is actually cool as shit. I like to be proved wrong about someone’s character. It makes for a much better conversation. The same goes for music.” We like judgmental types around here, since we’re in the judging business and all. And this one deserved some real serious judgment.