Instrumental Metal

Siinai – Sykli Review

Siinai – Sykli Review

“One of the best quotes of the year comes from the promo blurb for Siinai’s new album, Sykli: “…this album burst out of us, like when a ketchup bottle loses its cap when you are violently shaking it.” This from a band that in the past has also released an instrumental concept album about supermarkets.Yes, Siinai are a strange Finnish act that do odd things. This album’s concept isn’t as weird as “music to shop to.” Instead, Skyli professes to be about the cyclical nature of life. Considering that this is an instrumental album, figuring out how well it conveys a concept can be tough, but that’s why we get the big bucks, right?” Clean up in aisle Life.

Magma Waves – …And Who Will Take Care of You Now Review

Magma Waves – …And Who Will Take Care of You Now Review

“Not all who wander are lost. In fact, many wanderers know exactly where they are – in the first two-thirds of a post-rock song. Love or hate it, the “crescendo-core” formula has been a successful one, and Magma Waves are not out to challenge it with their debut …And Who Will Take Care of You Now, a record that finds its groove somewhere in roads well-trodden by the likes of If these Trees Could Talk and God Is an Astronaut.” Building it up to tear it down.

Cydemind – Erosion Review

Cydemind – Erosion Review

“Welcome to the most self-indulgent genre of metal in existence: the dreaded instrumental progressive metal. Even I, a lowly and slavishly devoted minion of most things prog, cringe when the internet pleads with me to review an instrumental prog album. This music is tough to do well. Often, it’s much easier to simply wank until your wank falls off rather than write captivating songs. To grab my attention, you need something different, and that’s just what Montreal, Canada’s Cydemind have tried to do: they’ve added a violinist to the mix here, hoping to shake up the genre.” Shake the wank before returning to work.

Kenoma – The Tides Will Prevail Review

Kenoma – The Tides Will Prevail Review

“Having formed in 2004 with only a split with fellow Ohioans Mouth of the Architect under their collective belt, this five-piece instrumental outfit gathered their resources and dropped their debut, The Tides Will Prevail, upon my lap. Taking a chance with 5 songs at 52 minutes in length, and without a vocalist to focus on, The Tides Will Prevail must grab the listener and keep their attention if it wants to succeed.” Ebb, flow or overflow?

Jardín de la Croix – Circadia Review

Jardín de la Croix – Circadia Review

“Winter nights mean crackling fireplaces, warm sweaters, and mulled cider. They mean snuggling under a comfy blanket in the warmth of your house while you watch snow gently fall outside your window. They mean piping hot stew, thick wool socks, and fluffy cats curled up in your lap. What else provides warmth and comfort like that in the dead of winter? Instrumental progressive metal, of course.” Can you cuddle up to a noodle?

Itzamna – Chascade Review

Itzamna – Chascade Review

“One of the may reasons Kronos is more trve than you is that he delves deep into the underground in search of the most obscure sounds in the metal world. The depths of depravity, the spine-twisting abominations that he unearths will challenge your very conception of brutality. Sometimes. Other times, Kronos’ musically omnivorous bandmates make him grudgingly listen to a French prog/jazz/math/djent band and he really, really likes it.” Not brutal enough!

Danimal Cannon – Lunaria Review

Danimal Cannon – Lunaria Review

There is some absurd and crazy shit going on in the world of music. I must admit that, despite being a pretty eclectic guy, my dedication to Angry Metal Guy has made me a little myopic. I focus on a lot of what lands in my promo box and don’t get a lot of output from the outside. Therefore, I’d missed that there is a growing 8-bit music scene developing. Back in the day I thought it was awesome that my buddy made a Nintendocore band called Totally Radd! and we all had a great time with it (including his ridiculously epic cover of “Hallowed Be Thy Name” which works a hell of a lot better than you’d expect as an 8-bit track). But that was 2003 and this is 2016. I have been trapped listening to metal’s own versions of Nostalgiacore­­™—re-thrash, retro-doom, the Nostalgia Wave of British Heavy Metal™, old school death metal, old school black metal, old school old school metal. But there’s a whole other world out there, folks! Filled with other nostalgia that I also like. Enter Danimal Cannon.