1. Pupil Slicer : Blossom (Prosthetic Records)
London based Pupil Slicer have had a whirlwind of a career since dropping their debut album Mirrors in 2021. Plenty of plaudits arrived for the raw and abrasive debut which was heavy as hell, and full of mind bending intricate arrangements of innovative Math-Core and Death-Metal, which saw them immediately become an in demand live and festival act in the UK’s Metal scene. But with Blossom, released at the beginning of June, Pupil Slicer have developed and enhanced their sound even further. Creating a record which is bursting with a maturity in their songwriting and delivery, and acting as the perfect sophomore follow up.
The abrasive and aggressive energy of their debut is still here on tracks such as ‘No Temple’ and ‘Terminal Lucidty’, but it’s when the clean singing of vocalist Kate Davies becomes prominant on songs such as opener ‘Momentary Actuality’, or on the Post-Grunge style of the verse on the title track, that Blossom becomes so much more of an artistic statement. As a complete record it ebbs and flows from moments of outrageous heaviness, to downbeat moments of calming respite, with influences ranging from Dub to Black-Gaze contrasting with the Math/Death-Core like noises they made their name with … and it’s fair to say that Pupil Slicer thread it altogether beautifully. KZ
2. // Predatory Void : Seven Keys To The Discomfort of Being (Century Media Records)
Predatory Void is a new project born from Belgium’s Church of Ra collective of artists, conceived by Amenra and Oathbreaker guitarist Lennart Bossu, as an outlet for music he was writing that didn’t quite fit with either of those esteemed bands. He’s brought together Amenra and Doodseskader bassist Tim De Gieter, Carnation drummer Vincent Verstrepen and Cross Bringer vocalist Lina R, to create a band that on paper tick all the right boxes to deliver something special, and its safe to say mission accomplished. Seven Keys to the Discomfort of Being is unquestionably a heavy record, crafted in a Blackened Death-Doom style, with Sludgy guitar riffs and a distinctive vocal style from Lina. She naturally draws comparisons to Caro Tanghe of Oathbreaker when she is screaming, but in providing melodic clean moments of singing, she channels more of a Chelsea Wolfe or AA Williams vibe.
The album opens with a deep and mesmerising riff on ‘Grovel’, which explodes into a cacophony of blastbeats with old-school Death-Metal licks, and Lina’s rasping vocals. From here the record infectiously twists and turns from the chaotic to the melodic. There is an almost angelic acoustic midway moment of clarity on ‘Seeds of Frustration’, before ‘The Well Within’ slams back in with pure unadulterated ferocity and Lina screaming bloody hell once again, before the song melts into a moment of ponderous Doom. The record closes with the 10 minute epic ‘Funary Vision’, which has an intoxicating guitar hook and is intricately arranged, highlighting just how impressive Predatory Void’s song-writing is. KZ
3. // The Ocean : Holocene (Pelagic Records)
The Ocean are one of the most acclaimed bands in the Post-Metal genre, and have released an extraordinary body of work since their inception in 2000. The Berlin based collective of artists have built their albums around guitarist and song-writer Robin Staps, who has collaborated with many different musicians over the years, as the sound of the band has progressed and matured from album to album. Holocene is The Ocean’s ninth studio outing and completes a concept exploring palaeontology, an idea which first began with the album Pelagial in 2013, and it features some of their most diverse and experimental work to date.
Holocene introduces a strong element of Electronica and the use of synths to The Ocean sound, which beautifully blends moments of Trip-Hop and dark 80s Synth-Wave, with the crushing distorted guitars that the band have always been known for. We hear a lot more of a clean vocal style from singer Loic Rossetti, who uses his raw screams more sparingly as a subtler nuance throughout the record, so that when they do arrive on tracks such as ‘Subboreal’ and ‘Subatlantic’, the vocals are that much more impactful. While there is so much variety in style throughout Holocene, that it is all the more outstanding just how impressively The Ocean manage to blend everything together, into one inspirational journey of sound. KZ
4. // Spotlights : Alchemy For The Dead (Ipecac Recordings)
Alchemy for the Dead is the fourth full length album from the New York based trio, who have been releasing a consistently fine body of work since their debut Tidals landed in 2016. While their unique sound, which blends elements of Post-Rock with a Doomy kind of Shoe-Gaze, has seen them land coveted tours alongside the likes of Deftones and Quicksand. And for anyone who enjoys it when Deftones meander into their exploratory softer moments, or who appreciates Chino Moreno’s work with the likes of Crosses, you’ll find plenty to wrap your ears around here.
Spotlights seem to effortlessly merge a laidback and downbeat style, with moments of crushing down-tuned distortion, with riffs that have a distinct Doom and often Stoner-ish vibe to them. It’s an intriguing mix which makes the album a thoroughly engaging listen from start to finish. Standouts songs include ‘The Alchemist’, which features a subterranean bass creating an industrialised Portishead kind of style, and the hypnotic Nine Inch Nails esq riff of ‘Repeat the Silence’, which beautifully blends Post-Grunge, Shoe-Gaze and Indie. There are also moments of a classic nineties feel akin to The Smashing Pumpkins scattered throughout, as well as the contemporary feel of bands such as Big/Brave and Brutus at times. KZ
5. // Allochiria : Commotion (Venerate Industries)
There is a tasty Metal scene bubbling away down in Greece, and Athens based Post-Sludge outfit Allochiria are at the forefront of the movement, citing the likes of Isis, Cult of Luna and Neurosis as influences, whilst having shared the stage with an impressive roster of bands including Amenra, Year of No Light and Deafheaven. They’ve been plying their trade for the last 15 years, and Commotion (released in April) is their third album following Omonoia (2014) and Throes (2017), and is arguably their finest work so far. ‘We Have Nothing’ opens the record in typical Allochiria vein, with a deep and heavy riff complimented perfectly by the rasping vocals of Irene P. Towards the end of the track she introduces a second vocal style, with Blackened shrieks that take the Allochiria sound in a new direction, and wouldn’t sound out of place on a Cradle of Filth record.
The blend of intoxicating Doom and Black Metal continues prominently throughout Commotion, with a wonderful transition between the vocals of Irene on tracks like ‘9’, ‘Still Life’, ‘Ocean’ and ‘Darklight’. While Allochiria show that they are far from being a one trick pony, as they strip back the distortion on ‘Shedding Character’, where mellow guitars and subtle marching percussion take centre stage. They provide a long meandering instrumental passage with a strong bass hook on ‘Casualties’, while also providing a Deftones – esq riff on ‘Turning Point’, which turns melodic and shoegazey with a spoken word sample, slowly building to an inevitable explosion of distortion with Irene’s trademark snarl. KZ
6. // Räum : Cursed By The Crown (Les Acteurs de L’Ombre)
The scene in Belgium seems to be on a roll at the moment when it comes to producing quality Post and Black Metal, and with Cursed By Crown we have an intriguing debut record from new players on the block, Räum. Hailing from Liège, the quartet feature members from the now defunct Post-Sludge outfit Kiss The Goat, as well as Dawnbreath and Down To Dust, and have created a highly memorable debut record for anyone with a penchant for the Black art. Released in March 2023, Cursed By The Crown features four lengthy songs which all highlight a beautifully extreme representation of everything that classy Black Metal should sound like, in the modern era.
There is a strong nod back to the inspiring sound of the Norwegian 2nd wave of the nineties, along with a sweeping and melodic modern Post-Black style. Standout moments sit with opener ‘Andromeda’, with smooth sweeping guitars and the vocals of Olivier Jacqmin sitting perfectly in the mix. Räum initially then drop the pace on the evil sounding intro to the title track, before exploding into life, building to a beautiful and melodic drop and then introducing an intoxicating repetitive Filosofem era Burzum style riff. The record climaxes with the epic 12 minute ‘Beyond the Black Shades of the Sun’, which really encapsulates Räum as they throw everything within their repertoire into the mix, slow burning with a melodic old-school vibe, and building to an explosion of infectious phrenetic chaos. KZ
Words by Abstrakt_Soul
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