1. // Sumac – The Healer (Thrill Jockey)
On paper, Sumac are the ultimate Post-Metal supergroup. Formed by Aaron Turner (Old Man Gloom) following the demise of his pioneering band in the genre Isis, Sumac was created as an outlet for the new heavy and experimental music he was writing. On the recommendation of Converge guitarist and producer Kurt Ballou, Aaron brought in Baptists drummer Nick Yacyshyn to work on the new material with him.
Before adding ex-Botch and These Arms Are Snakes bassist Brian Cook (Russian Circles) – to complete his new band in 2014. Over the proceeding decade they have been nothing if not prolific, releasing four albums and a further three collaborations with Japanese multi-instrumentalist Keiji Haino. The Healer is their latest offering, and is a record that further accentuates the complete individual vision into total musical experimentation that Sumac convey.
Four tracks book ended by two epic 25 minute work outs, the record opens with the seemingly improv Avantgarde musings of ‘World Of Light.’ Droning guitar scratches and scrapes, impromptu Jazz drumming and the buzzing feedback of bass all collide – while the gruff vocals of Turner drop in and out at will, all colliding and building to a tumultuous climax. Turner screaming “Shame!” at the mid point of the song, perfectly captures the overall tone of the arrangement.
‘Yellow Dawn’ encapsulates the feel of world music with conga style percussion and a lovely rolling bassline on the intro, soon joined by ‘Riders On The Storm’ esq desert style guitars – while also providing a mind bending instrumental section, with wah-heavy bass and shredding leads. While the closing opus ‘The Stones Turn’ slow burns, letting the instruments take the listener on a thoroughly intoxicating journey of sound and noise. Flowing with peaks and troughs, with some incredible guitar work from Aaron throughout the back end of the song – before ending with a crescendo of a climax. KZ
2. // Glassing – From The Other Side Of The Mirror (Pelagic Records)
Glassing are a band who have consistently blurred genres since their inception, releasing a succession of albums which have all been built around a core of Blackened Post-Metal – but which have all then ventured off into all sorts of different musical territories. And with From The Other Side Of The Mirror, the Texas based trio continue their exploration of Metal, while further enhancing the experimentation within the dynamics of their own sound.
The eclectic nature of their music makes Glassing one of those unique bands often thought of under the Post-Metal umbrella, who absolutely set themselves apart from the crowd. And this album only confirms the fact that they are a group of highly individual songwriters, as they deliver another impressive collection of songs that cohesively jump from one sound to another.
From the opening song ‘Anything You Want,’ Glassing deliver an intoxicating mash up of styles. The track starts with harsh Blackened vocals over a mire of Doomy Sludge, before giving way to an uplifting chorus with distinct Indie influences. ‘Nothing Touches You’ contrasts blasts of aggression with melodic surf-guitar style highs, to create an alternative and unique style of Black-gaze.
While both ‘Defacer’ and ‘Nominal Will’ provide enjoyably frenetic cuts of Blackened Post-Hardcore. Respite and reflection is provided by 2 mins of a droning bass on ‘Sallow,’ as well as with the serene soundscapes and tranquil synths of ‘The Kestrel Goes.’ With the latter slowly building to the albums climax of ‘Wake’ – and another infectious slice of Indie infused Black Metal. KZ
3. // DVNE – Voidkind (Metal Blade Records)
Hailing from Edinburgh, Scotland – DVNE named themselves after Frank Herbert’s legendary Sci-fi opus back in 2013, and have slowly built themselves a fine reputation over the proceeding decade. With their music very much moulded by the concept and mythology highlighted by their name, and the Sci-fi / fantasy influences that fuel their songwriting.
DVNE released their debut record Ashen in 2017, and subsequently found themselves touring with the likes of Eyehategod and Elder. Their second album Etemen Ænka (their first for Metal Blade Records) arrived in 2021, and would further enhance their reputation as tours with High On Fire and Bossk followed – along with festival slots at the likes of Hellfest, Arctangent and Damnation.
‘Summa Blasphemia’ opens Voidkind with an infectious rhythmic groove. Heavy vocals then give way to a strong clean vocal hook in the chorus. This is powerful, emotive, progressive music – which perfectly encapsulates what follows on the rest of the record. ‘Eleonora’ invokes an Old-School Mastodon feel with a succession of intricate guitar hooks, while ‘Reaching For Telos’ has a huge chorus which will sound absolutely amazing live.
There is an impressive complexity in their songwriting as highlighted on ‘Reliquary,’ which again conveys heavy Mastodon vibes – and on the epic ‘Abode Of The Perfect Soul’ with its delicious rolling riff and Maynard James Keenan esq clean vocal segment. ‘Pleroma’ also provides soaring clean vocals, while album closer ‘Cobalt Sun Necropolis’ drops like a rollercoaster, before weaving its way through to an stunning conclusion. KZ
4. // Bossk – .4 (Deathwish Inc.)
Bossk have been major players in the Uk Post-Metal scene since their inception back in 2005, initially thriving on a number of EP releases and tours with the likes of Cult Of Luna and The Ocean. A hiatus saw them eventually regroup and sign with Converge vocalist Jacob Bannon‘s US based label Deathwish Inc – before the band released their full length debut LP Audio Noir in 2016.
They followed this with Migration in 2021, and now drop .4 – a rarities album of sorts, with a number of reinterpretations of early tracks providing an intriguing stop-gap, while the band write their next original release. The record is built around the song ‘Events Occur In Real Time,’ a storming Post-Metal workout and a fitting farewell to original vocalist Sam Marsh who appeared on Audio Noir.
The song provides a mystical journey which comes full circle, opening and closing with bellowing trumpets and building slowly before eventually exploding into a very Cult Of Luna style barrage of the senses. Elsewhere .4 provides a very chilled out listening experience, supplying cinematic soundscapes relying on synths and samples as much as they do distorted guitars, to provide a mesmerising soundtrack. ‘Truth II’ builds around a pulsating bassline, juddering guitars and angelic female vocals to provide a mesmerising composition.
While Reuben Gotto’s 2006 remix of ‘I’ provides a clanking industrial rhythm with pulsating guitars which draws comparison to A Downward Spiral era NIN. ‘Albert’ is similarly styled, while ‘The Reverie’ rework from Maybeshewill builds around a gorgeous classical piano, as the track shimmers with the mystics of the orient. .4 eloquently blends Post Rock / Metal with Industrial-Drone influences, often invoking a dreamlike quality for the listener … which just gets better on repeat journeys. KZ
5. // Throwing Bricks / Ontaard – Oud Zeer (Tartarus Records)
Two bands from Utrecht’s underground Metal scene collide for this split release of powerfully emotive music. Following on from the release of their excellent second record The Burden in 2022, Throwing Bricks provide two superb tracks of thought provoking Post-Metal. Drawing comparison with the excellence of Amenra – with the record also having been mastered by Tim de Gieter (Amenra / Predatory Void) at his Much Luv Studios.
An isolated distorted guitar strums ominously on ‘A Selfish Company,’ before the song comes fully crashing in. The distortion is counter balanced with moments of calming melody, until it drops completely with a warming string section – before building back up once again. ‘Abandon Me’ creates a Western vibe on its slow-burning intro, before it eventually goes heavy – and is impressively arranged as it meanders through to a final intoxicating riff.
Ontaard released their debut EP I Am But My Flesh in 2022, and although they have a different style to Throwing Bricks – the combination of sounds from the two bands absolutely works. ‘Spiralling On The Kitchen Floor’ is a completely unique song which upon first hearing provides a breath of fresh air. A delicious punk riff and a pumping bassline collide with the spoken word vocals of Shira van der Wouden. And as the story progresses, an intriguing layered vocal FX creates a thoroughly hallucinogenic effect.
‘Blame Pt 2’ provides a beautifully haunting song which begins with Shira singing in a style that is a little Brutus esq, before she flips her vocals with agonising screams. The instruments remain mellow and combine with her voice to create something quite wonderful. Oud Zeer is a Dutch term for lasting unwanted memories, and is a connecting theme across the record, as lyrically the two bands together explore themes of overcoming trauma and depression. KZ
6. // Knocked Loose – You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To (Pure Noise Records)
Kentucky’s Knocked Loose have built quite a reputation for themselves following the release of their acclaimed second record – the 2019 released A Different Shade Of Blue. They have toured extensively since the COVID pandemic allowed, landing some prime festival slots in the process, including a memorable set California’s Coachella. While also dropping the 2021 EP A Tear In The Fabric Of Life, with a greater emphasis of the Death Metal elements of their sound.
You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To provides a 25 min thrill ride from start to finish, opening with the briefest of overtures on ‘Thirst’ before exploding into outright aggression. This is brutal Metallic-Hardcore of the highest quality, and ‘Piece By Piece’ provides thrashing guitars and some seriously heavy chugging. ‘Suffocate’ adds a new dimension to the record with snippets of clean female vocals and an old-school Metal riff.
Vocalist Bryan Garris’s distinctive higher pitched Hardcore style dominates throughout, while the riffs of guitarists Isaac Hale and Nicko Calderon are always impressive and have a sumptuous tone. ‘Take Me Home’ features some melodic guitar work and spoken words, while vocalist Chris Motionless guests on ‘Slaughterhouse 2,’ screaming “Break down the wall again!” … on one of the albums highlights.
The short, sharp and to the point record finishes on a high as the deliciously dark and heavy ‘The Calm That Keeps You Awake’ bleeds into the brash ‘Blinding Faith’ with some tasty lead noodling. ‘Sit & Mourn’ then rounds things off, finally providing a little respite as a buzzing synth drone and singing birds lull you into a false sense of security – before the pounding aggression naturally resumes with a heavy, rolling and eerie riff. KZ
Words by – Abstrakt_Soul
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