Alcest

Chapel of Disease – Echoes of Light Review

Chapel of Disease – Echoes of Light Review

“Evolution is hard to avoid. Humans evolved over the eons, and each individual evolves as they grow older and experiences the outside world (except for Steel and Doc Grier). Bands inevitably evolve as well as members grow in ability and outside influences creep into their sound. It seems evolution eventually finds every band to some degree (except Sodom). That brings us to the fourth album by Germany’s Chapel of Disease.” Going through changes.

Sgàile – Traverse the Bealach Review

Sgàile – Traverse the Bealach Review

“I get few opportunities for hiking thanks to my urban-adjacent residency, but were I to pick my ideal hiking spot, the Scottish Highlands would be up there. In lieu of a plane ticket, it seems I must settle for yet another spin of Traverse the Bealach, the long-distance hiking-inspired concept album about a nomad’s journey through post-apocalyptic Scotland, from Tony Dunn’s Sgàile. Dunn has an impressive resume that spans playing bass in Cnoc an Tursa, singing for Falloch, and some live performances with his former bandmate Andy Marshall’s Saor, but Sgàile is his one-man show.” Walkabout-core.

Of the Muses – Senhal Review

Of the Muses – Senhal Review

“Good blackgaze feels way too hard to come by. There’s just something about the crossroad of metal and not metal that eludes so many artists and listeners. Done right, it’s one of my preferred styles of metal, allowing for intense beauty and vivid emotion at the same time, so I was excited to have the opportunity to review Senhal, the debut full-length album from Italy’s Of the Muses. According to its promotional material, the album mixes doom, black, and post-metal alongside dreampop elements in a mesh of blackgaze.” Gaze into the void.

An Autumn for Crippled Children – Closure Review

An Autumn for Crippled Children – Closure Review

“For a while there, around 2013, when black metal briefly flirted with being cool, it seemed like everyone and their dog were trying to be the next, “Black metal but with [insert random genre here, the weirder the better].” One of the weirder projects, both conceptually and in name, was The Netherlands’ An Autumn for Crippled Children (AAfCC). Fusing black metal and dream pop, it was shoegazey… but lighter; post-metally… but shriekier.” Crippled but able.

Demiricous – Chaotic Lethal Review

Demiricous – Chaotic Lethal Review

“When you listen to Demiricous’ first two records, they clearly didn’t know what sound, style, or production they wanted. One is more At the Gatesy and relatively dynamic in the mix. The other is a Hatesphere punishment that makes your ears scream in pain. Back in the saddle, Demiricous has brought all their death/thrash influences together on Chaotic Lethal.” Chaotic good or chaotic bad?