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So I was going through my small email backlog, to discover an unread Kscope newsletter. Within, I found an update for the forthcoming debut solo studio album by Paul Draper, of Mansun fame. I have never heard either of those names, but as is my usual intent, I gave him a listen. He has four tracks out from said album so far, and in its context, they each bring something a little different to the table. This guy touches on a number of disparate, but compatible genres, to include alternative rock, progressive rock, synthpop, and probably more. I can hear traces of Bôa, Bruce Soord, The Chant, and even Nine Inch Nails ("Feeling My Heart Run Slow" could have come from Reznor's more synthpop-influenced works). And by the stars, this man can sing with a passion!

 

It was just too interesting not to share, and sometimes, I really like to promote promising, obscure acts. So, here are the tracks released so far from Spooky Action:

Spoiler

 

If you've been moved to a buy, as I have, then go here for all of the online retailers either streaming it, or offering up its various editions for sale. I'm getting the deluxe hardback book with the 5.1-mixed DVD because that shit's my bread 'n butter.

 

The album and all of its editions are scheduled to drop three days from the time of this writing, on 2017-08-11.

 

I would have simply put this in the chat thread, but then I got to thinking that maybe it might be fun to extend this format to its own thread so that the rest of you can share material you find interesting and deserving of more exposure. Please note that this is not intended to be another "What are you listening to?" thread; it's intended more for the spread of upcoming or very-recently-dropped works and the provision of links to places wherein they can be bought or heard. Soundtracks are welcome, and so are re-releases and re-prints of older works. All genres are welcome as well. Feel free to discuss and update your submissions as more tracks and information thereof are released.

 

To this end, I found another promising act in the same newsletter (because Kscope's roster essentially represent the zenith of modern progressive music; let's be real, here): White Moth Black Butterfly are marketed as a pop supergroup featuring Daniel Tompkins and Keshav Dhar of Skyharbor/Tesseract fame, producer and string arranger Randy Slaugh, and vocalist and lyricist Jordan Taylor. On offer is their second album, Atone, whose editions drop 2017-09-01.

Spoiler

 

Whether or not it qualifies as "pop" is subject to debate; Taylor's vocals are the "poppiest" element, but the music is otherwise a bit minor and somber for the genre. The track is really more reminiscent of Skyharbor's softer segments, which is to say that it's lovely, regardless of categorization. I'll certainly be keeping my ears open.

See here.

 

Happy listening! :)

Edited by Schmengland
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"The Devourer" is piercing, fiery effort to dive into the ferocity favored in primitive black metal. Here the folk sounds occasionally observable are noticeably absent. It lacks some of the band's noticeable touch but makes up for it in sheer strength. It is a likely centerpiece for Cormorant's upcoming album, called Diaspora.

 

Check out Cormorant's "The Devourer" and other works at their bandcamp:

 

https://cormorant.bandcamp.com/

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29 minutes ago, Zeldaru said:

snip

This is one of those metal bands who really nailed their production. It's clear enough for each instrument to really come through the wall, but just faded and grimy enough to facilitate the oppressive mood for which they're going. "Preserved in Ash" is a pretty damn amazing song; the drummer really carries the first half. For the latter half, the band scales back on speed in favour of mass with an extended death/doom segment that could stand with the best.

 

"The Devourer" is more of a death metal song, but I was astonished to hear power-metal-esque clean singing within. This is not something I expected from a black/death outfit.

 

Great find!

Edited by Schmengland
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Gonna promote two groups I'm in putting out professional-quality stuff.

 

The first is a prog metal band I joined last summer, called Cyderian Son.  We've found a nice balance between heavy, rhythmically intricate, and melodic that fits us well.  We have an album, [R.E:]M.ILY, available as a $5 download on Bandcamp.  My two favorite tracks are "Follow the Fruit Trail" for the silly breakdown towards the end and "Outro: Letters of Last Words" for its funky groove.  The album was recorded before I joined the band, which is why you won't see my name anywhere just yet, but we did record a single last year that we have yet to release.  We'll probably put it out once we either have enough material for another album or we start playing shows again, so I can keep you guys posted if you want.

 

The other group I'm in is a funk rock group that formed earlier this year, called The Hard.  The name comes from our guitarist, Tom Harden, who leads the band both creatively and administratively.  The name is also a penis joke.  As are some of our song titles.   He's taken inspiration from guitarists such as Oz Noy and Jeff Beck, along with his formal jazz training, to shape the sound of the group.  He's uploaded some recordings of our live shows and rehearsals to his personal SoundCloud, and we hope to find some studio time to record something soon.

 

Sorry that my post is self-promotion instead of exposing others to groups that I've found.  I find myself more passionate about making and performing music than listening to it.  Not that I don't like listening, I just like performing more.

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2 minutes ago, Reilly said:

Sorry that my post is self-promotion instead of exposing others to groups that I've found.  I find myself more passionate about making and performing music than listening to it.  Not that I don't like listening, I just like performing more.

Self-promotion is still good promotion. Just make sure to let us know when that Cyderian Son single is out, and when you have new recordings for The Hard. I, for one, want to hear them. :)

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It has been ten long years since the 2007 release of Akercocke's Antichrist. That album represented what was perhaps the pinnacle of their style: A brand of blackened death metal which did not shy away from your occasional soft/acoustic interlude or synth passage--and fairly progressive, to boot. It certainly helps that Jason Mendonça at once has one of the deepest growls and most satisfying vibrato-laden cleans in the genre, then and now. Having finally reformed, they are poised to drop their sixth offering, Renaissance in Extremis, on 2017-08-25. It has been a long time coming.

Spoiler

 

There isn't much else to say: The track on offer is an exemplary specimen of the style described above, beginning firmly in death metal territory before switching gears to something calm as it slowly and progressively dresses itself in subtle black garb for a grandiose finale. If you like this sort of thing, and don't mind a bit of Faust, sex, and Satanism delivered in damned spiffy business attire, then you will lack for absolutely nothing. See here.

 

Good to have you back, gentlemen.

 

And now for something completely different!

Hammock are an ambient/post-rock duo comprised of Marc Byrd and Andrew Thompson. It was only last year that they released Everything and Nothing, but also on 2017-08-25, we will see the arrival of Mysterium. For post-rock, the act have always delivered on the personality of chill-out music, whether they are actually playing post-rock or going full ambient (every release differs).

 

Though no stranger to orchestral and choral touches, Hammock employ them more overtly here, adding to the sombre solemnity. It is appropriate, considering that the album itself has been composed in memory of one Clark Kern, who died last year of a tumour and was as a son to Marc.

 

What tracks have been released can be heard here. This and the rest of their discography can be attained in various formats there, as well.

 

Condolences and thanks. It's beautiful. <3

Edited by Schmengland
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2017 has been a good, if somewhat sparse year in worthy new releases, at least from my perspective. Any year in which Anathema drops a new album (The Optimist) is certainly a good one, and it was appreciated that Pillorian essentially hit the ground running with Obsidian Arc, after the depressing-but-understandable event that was the breakup of Agalloch. Uneven Structure finally dropped their follow-up to 2011's Februus this year (La Partition), and Progenie Terrestre Pura's oltreLuna is an even finer space odyssey than 2013's U.M.A.. Still, a year cannot (or at least, should not) be carried alone by a mere four releases, stellar as they are.

 

Thankfully for us metalheads, it would appear that prolific label Season of Mist are here to save the day. All of the following artists are current signatories to their roster, and all of them are scheduled to drop their respective offerings a little later this year.

 

First up, let's take a look at Cannabis Corpse. No, that is not a typo; they really are the psychedelic parodying counterpart to the best-selling Cannibal Corpse (and others)--not that they don't blaze a trail of their own! I was surprised to find that, stylistically, the band are, like their older namesake, a pure death metal act. (Most metal groups touching thematically upon the plant and its uses fall within the stoner/sludge umbrella.) That in mind, the material might not be the first choice for someone on weed unless their idea of relaxation involves losing oneself in loudness and density, but for the rest of us who appreciate Cannibal Corpse's musical competence--but not so much their lyrical pedigree involving death, torture, mutilation, and rape--one really can't go wrong with Left Hand Pass.

Spoiler

 

Perhaps with this, we can move on from the residual distaste-by-association after the whole CrowdGather fiasco. Said album drops 2017-09-08. One can acquire it here (World-wide) or here (United States). For digital downloads and non-bundled physical copies and shirts, see here.

 

Next up, we take a look at Der Weg einer Freiheit. One of the premiere black metal acts of the current era, they specialize in compositions oozing the same epic length, drama, and grimness one might expect from blackgaze acts like early Altar of Plagues, Hope Drone, and Progenie Terrestre Pura, yet subdue the post-rock elements some in favour of the biting, cold darkness of yore. By extension, this is an accurate description of Finisterre, which arrives 2017-08-25.

Spoiler

 

If you want this, go here (World-wide) or here (United States). I went for the deluxe digibook because I'm a fucking hipster.

 

Now let's check the progressive front: The aptly-named Stranger Times arrives on 2017-09-22, courtesy of Vulture Industries, to deliver an interesting take on progressive metal, with Bjørnar Nilsen giving us the closest thing I've heard to Serj Tankian since Tankian himself (personally, I prefer Nilsen). "Strangers" has one of the most satisfying builds I've heard for a good while, following the introduction.

Spoiler

 

Have at it here (World-wide) and here (United States). One can also find digital downloads and non-bundled physical copies here. It should be noted that the Season of Mist online shop features bundles that include their prior full-length, The Tower, the CD's running for a mere USD$14.00 total. Such is why I ordered from there instead.

 

But let's be real, here: Ne Obliviscaris are the band of the hour, so to speak, and have been carving a swath through the international metal community with their unique and distinct brand of melodic, progressive, and technical death metal--with violin. In my personal opinion, Tim Charles' ability with that instrument, along with his lovely singing voice, might as well be the critical touch that pushes the band over the cutting edge into the golden sun, but that's not to take away from the ridiculous, virtuoso talents of the other members. Probably one of the best groups to come out of the past decade in any genre. Portal of I set the bar so damned high that, even if Citadel didn't quite meet it and Urn doesn't either, both will still go down amongst the best--if not being the best outright--of their respective years. To find out, keep your ears open on 2017-10-27.

Spoiler

 

See here (World-wide) and here (United States).

Edited by Schmengland
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