Giant Squid

Fall of Leviathan – In Waves Review

By Dear Hollow on March 1, 2024 in Reviews, Instrumental Metal, Post-Metal, 23 comments

“As you may guess by its minimalist cover art, Fall of Leviathan takes inspiration from the ocean. Its placid surface, an unassuming miles-wide smile at the sun, and its brutal depth, a guttural roar and a gnashing of magnificent teeth, quietly collide to create a face that looks down upon man as he stands atop it, his hubris an engorgement of sails and a swelling of his chest. When faced with its might, the relentless apathy and his insignificance in the face of mountainous waves and the abyss at our rocky borders, man crumbles – sand castles deserted by distracted children. Fall of Leviathan embodies this dichotomy: sunbathed beauty and sunless brutality.” Deep waters flow DEEP.

Anareta – Fear Not Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on April 6, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Gothic Metal, 42 comments

“Somethin’s a brewin’ down in Nawlins, and it’s not just the festering street sludge that remains from this year’s Mardi Gras bash that has gone and passed. In fact, despite the region’s historical connection to the genre of that festering namesake, Anareta hasn’t an ounce of that groove and vitriol-fueled sound in their DNA—Fear Not comes with its own determined sense of dread and horror, though. You see, this sextet of stringed things and a drum kit play a form of gloomy and rollicking blackened metal led by the screech and saunter of a chamber orchestra trio—cello, viola, and violin fill the air of this grief-laden venture.” Crouching ferocity, hidden chamber pot.

Khôrada – Salt Review

By Saunders on July 19, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Post-Rock, Progressive Metal, Prophecy Productions, Reviews, Sludge, Stoner Metal, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Post-Metal, Progressive Metal, Rock, Sludge, 81 comments

“It’s probably fair to say that Agalloch and Giant Squid went out with differing degrees of success on the recording front. Both issued their final albums in 2014, with Agalloch’s The Serpent and the Sphere garnering mixed opinions, while Giant Squid’s Minoans opus was a fine conceptual piece that stands among their stronger releases. With the dust settled on two stellar careers, can the ex-Agalloch collective of Don Anderson, Jason Walton and prolific drummer Aesop Dekker combine successfully with former Giant Squid and current Squalus frontman/guitarist Aaron Gregory?” Salve for loss or salt in the wound?

Grayceon – IV Review

By Treble Yell on June 3, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Djent, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Translation Loss, Djent, Progressive Metal, 31 comments

“Upon seeing that the new album by Grayceon was available, a band made up from former members of Giant Squid, Amber Asylum and Squalus, I decided to dip my toes back into neglected waters. Time to discover if good things come to those who wait.” Several more shades of Gray.

Legend of the Seagullmen – Legend of the Seagullmen Review

By Roquentin on February 10, 2018 in 2018, Alt-Metal, American Metal, Dine Alone Records, Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, Reviews, Rock, Alternative Metal, Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, 0 comments

“What makes concept records ‘successful’? The expectations attached to them are never merely about the music alone. Much like musicals and operas, they transcend the genres they’re based on and approach the programmatic. But is it the originality and immersiveness of the concept, the quality of the accompanying music, or an intermedial dimension and interaction between the two that defines them the most?” Nautical tales and torn sails.

Squalus – The Great Fish… Review

By Saunders on September 20, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Doom Metal, Post-metal, Progressive Metal, Punk, Reviews, Rock, Sludge, Translation Loss, Doom Metal, Post-Metal, Progressive Metal, Punk, Sludge, 59 comments

“When the trailblazing and difficult to classify Giant Squid went on indefinite hiatus in 2015, the heavy music world lost one of its great innovators and truly underappreciated acts. They signed off with their exceptional 2014 album Minoans before news eventually filtered through of their demise the following year. While all good things must end, thankfully the creative juices are still flowing for the Giant Squid band members. Vocalist/guitarist and mastermind Aaron Gregory has collaborated with the bulk of the Giant Squid crew to deliver the debut LP from Squalus.” Once squided, twice shy.

Ebonillumini – Arktos Review

By Lord Doom on May 30, 2015 in 2015, Avante Garde, Black Metal, English Metal, Reviews, Wickerman Recordings, Black Metal, 22 comments

“Rather than a true sub-genre, “avant-garde” seems more a default category for bands who can’t be pigeonholed with a nice, tidy tag. With a name like Ebonillumini it’s almost a given this is a band worthy of the avant-garde label. Less obvious is that they’re far removed from anything like an Arcturus style of forward-thinking, unconventional metal.” Icebergs ahead!

Giant Squid – Minoans Review

By Saunders on October 31, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, Doom Metal, Post-Rock, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Translation Loss, Doom Metal, Progressive Metal, 22 comments

“Firstly, before I delve into the guts of this review, here’s a bit of context regarding the elaborate conceptual narrative San Francisco’s Giant Squid have once again crafted with their latest weird and wonderful musical trip, entitled Minoans. The Minoan civilization emerged on the island of Crete and thrived from roughly 2700 to 1450 BC. I’m not here to give you a fucking history lesson, but for those seeking to get the full engagement of another carefully constructed and highly ambitious Giant Squid concept album, there’s an interesting backstory behind this mysterious civilization well worth investigating.” I feel like we just got a fucking history lesson.

The Ocean – Pelagial Review

By Noctus on April 18, 2013 in 2013, 4.0, Doom Metal, German Metal, Metal Blade, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Doom Metal, Progressive Metal, 15 comments

“No one can fault The Ocean’s ambition. Ever since their 2007 opus, the double album Precambrian, they’ve been setting their eyes on bigger and bigger projects. In the past few years they’ve released two albums arguably designed to be thought of as a double album — Heliocentric and Anthropocentric. These dealt with the origin of man and the redundancy of God in a two-hour, post-metal journey constantly switching between the conventional and unconventional that made for a disorienting yet satisfying experience. However, I can’t help but feel Anthropocentric, the second album, was somewhat of a blunder.” Noctus has had some issues with The Ocean and not because he’s afraid of water. That’s fortunate, because their new opus is aqua-themed. Will Noctus take the dive or stay high, dry and judgmental?

Trillion Red – Two Tongues EP Review

By Chalimar on January 3, 2012 in 2011, 3.0, American Metal, Reviews, Things You Might Have Missed 2011, Unsigned Bands, Sludge, 4 comments

When a band states that they make “truly unique music” or something to that effect, I’m always skeptical. Most of the time it just means that it a) sucks ass or b) isn’t “unique” at all, but just more of the same. Trillion Red, however, really do have a sound of their own, and it doesn’t suck. While you could just throw them on the huge pile of Neurosis copycats, it really wouldn’t do them justice, because there’s more to their music. It has the typical ingredients of atmospheric sludge, the down-tuned guitars, the huge riffs, the minimalistic drumming, the synths, and, unfortunately, boring and sometimes awkward ambient sections.