1. // Gozer – The Path Always Leads To The End (Self Released)
A new EP from the Sheffield based Post-Metal outfit, The Path Always Leads To The End provides four tracks and follows on from the quite frankly superb An Endless Static (2022). Opening with ‘The Beginning’ Gozer provide an atmospherical soundscape to set the tone, before launching into the crushing distortion of ‘Celestial River’ picking right up where An Endless Static left off.
The song meanders with poise and precision through the doomy waters of the Post-Metal sound, with the vocals dropping in with pure venom at the half way stage. ‘Gone Away’ builds around a monotone synth-line creating a dystopic Sci-Fi overture, while ‘Where The River Meets The Ocean’ is lush and atmospheric with an element of Viking folk, and alluring experiments with sound in a Neurosis kind of way. KZ
2. // Rosa Faenskap – Jeg Blir Til Deg (Fysisk Format Records)
A debut album with a difference as this unique Norwegian trio provide their own compelling take on a Black Metal sound. The obvious blend they provide with the extremities of the style is that of an influence of Shoe-Gaze and Post-Rock, with the sweeping intro and bouncing rhythm of opening song ‘Livredd’ indicative of the Black-Gaze sound. A mix of distorted Indie guitars with blackened riffs and screaming Hardcore style vocals is the sound they transmit, and all delivered with an intelligence in songwriting that will absolutely hit the spot for fans of Møl and Deafheaven.
Rosa Faenskap have created a record in Jeg Blir Til Deg which flows eloquently from start to finish. They comfortably morph from Shoe-Gaze to sludgy moments of down-tuned mania, with hectic instrumental sections and glorious use of guitar feedback and harmonics. The album is heavy but maintains a constant air of melody, passages of acoustic respite always come with a sense of foreboding darkness and at certain points when the band are raging, they effortlessly hit a Harakiri For The Sky style sweet spot. KZ
3. // Ken Mode – Void (Artoffact)
In 2022 Ken Mode released Null, the first part of a pandemic inspired double opus of new music which featured some of their classiest work. Now a year on they deliver part two of their modern journey through extreme Noise-Rock with Void, the perfect accompaniment to Null separated by one trip around the sun. Whether they are playing fast or slow Ken Mode tend to build their songs around a hypnotic guitar riff, and the record opens with ‘The Shripe’ which is a typicaly noisy cut of Hardcore from the band when that mood takes them.
The aggression continues on ‘Painless’ but from here the record gets whole heartedly more experimental as Ken Mode tap into a slower dark and mysterious side. They fully strip back with melancholic melody on ‘These Wires’ before providing a beautifully intoxicating instrumental on ‘We’re Small Enough.’ ‘Cannot’ supplies a haunting guitar hook and closes out with a chaotic blend of saxophone and feedback. ‘A Reluctance Of Being’ is deliciously sludgy, ‘He Was a Good Man, He Was a Tax Payer’ is deep and pondering, while Void plays out with a slithering bassline on the delicate ‘Not Today, Old Friend.’ KZ
4. // Rorcal – Silence (Hummus Records)
Silence is a relentlessly dark offering from the Geneva based Rorcal, and it is record number six for the alluringly dissonant Swiss band. They take a little bit of everything from the sounds of Black Metal, Doom and Sludgy Post Metal, throwing the various styles into the melting pot and eloquently blending into a ferocious concoction of textured noise.
Bitter industrial soundscapes supplied by droning synths sometimes break up the fluidity of the pummelling aggression, and all is delivered with a style where no one sound dominates. Specifically the harshly delivered vocals sit perfectly in the mix with a subtlety allowing the mesmerising sound of the guitars and pounding rhythmic drums, to provide the catalyst for the hypnotic influence of the music. KZ
5. // Sugar Horse – Truth Or Consequences, New Mexico (Fat Dracula)
An ambitious release from Bristol based Doom-Gazers Sugar Horse, Truth Or Consequences, New Mexico is one 17 minute exploration in the key of A, broken down into six components and providing an intriguing journey of melancholic sound. The track opens with isolated vocals on ‘Truth’ which become harmonised and choir like as an ominous single synth tone and a thudding drum builds the tension.
A soft guitar enters the fray and the track eventually drops into pondering Post-Metal with ‘Or’ as the vocals of Ash Tubb take a darker turn before the song mellows again with the dreamy passage of ‘Consequences.’ Sugar Horse step it up a notch once again on the chugging groove of ‘Comma’ which morphs into the bass-centric ‘New’ as the vocals scream “Inhale … Exhale!” before providing an avant-garde exploration of guitar feedback. The song culminates with a pulsating riff on the finalè of ‘Mexico’. KZ
6. // Vokonis – Exist Within Light (Majestic Mountan Records)
Exist Within Light is a taster EP for the fifth Vokonis album which will be arriving in 2024, while it also marks the first release for the Swedish band since signing with Majestic Mountain Records. ‘Houndstooth’ opens the EP with a delicious Mastodon – esq feel with a twinkling lead guitar hook. There is a Progressive-Stoner vibe to the song with a touch of Tool in the breakdown, before the vocals take on more of a ferocious quality.
‘Revengeful’ once again let’s a trippy guitar lead draw you in before a chaotic Punk influence rears its head, building with more of an uplifting chorus which eventually gives way to a sumptuous instrumental finalè. Closing song ‘Exist Within Light’ builds on the progressive side of the Vokonis sound, as the band grow into the track with passionate melody and some extraordinary guitar work. KZ
Words by Abstrakt_Soul
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