Top ten music releases of 2017

There is no doubt that 2017 has been an excellent year for live music, especially for myself. But how did it fair in terms of new music releases? This post is going to be a little looser in format than some of my reviews, something that I might continue into the future. So here is my list, the top ten music releases of 2017... presented in no particular order except for the number one spot. 

10. Ecostrike - Time is now

I've got a big soft spot for metallic hardcore... so I always enjoy when I see it done right. This EP definitely does it right. Filled with stompy mosh-pit riffs from start to finish. It's reminiscent of early Earth Crisis in both style and lyrical content (not a bad thing in my book). Though it is a little rough around the edges at points this EP is an excellent statement of intent. A great EP that makes me excited to see what Ecostrike have in store for us in the future.

If you only listen to one track: Act Of Militance

9. Boak - Movies

Aberdeen's Boak provided us with a masterclass in brevity with their EP Movies. Short and violent, this six track EP clocks in at under six minutes itself with no track breaking the minute marker. Boak are one of the best powerviolence bands active in the UK at the moment and this EP shows why. 

If you only listen to one track: Just listen to the whole thing, it's only 6 minutes long. haha

8. The Domestics - Cherry Blossom Life

The Domestics came to my attention through a friend and I glad this one didn't manage to slip me by. Cherry Blossom Life is the hard hitting punk album that I had been waiting to listen to all year. Fast paced, angry and belligerent. Track 6, Human Ikizukuri, a spoken word piece actually gave me goosebumps the first time I heard it. The Domestics and Pizza Tramp are the two most exciting modern UK hardcore bands.

If you only listen to one track: Don't Tell Me What Love Is

7. Dalek - Endangered Philosophies

2017 felt like a slow year for Hip-Hop, maybe that is because 2016 for me was such a great year for the genre. When I went back to some of the releases from this year and mopping up some of the releases I had managed to miss along the way I realised my initial assesment may have been a little unfair. One album, for me, stood head and shoulders above the rest... Endangered Philosophies. Probably the moodiest Hip-Hop release from 2017, this album is built on dark minimalistic beats and howling ambient noise. Dalek might be something a little different but I think that is something to get excited about.

If you only listen to one track: The Son Of Immigrants

6. Mastiff - BORK

I've said it before and I'll say it again... Mastiff are better than your band. But seriously, Mastiff are the one of the best sludge metal bands in the UK at the moment. One of my favourite things about Mastiff is they don't forget the hardcore punk roots of sludge metal... And BORK is no different. An aggressive and confrontational EP that makes good on all the threats they had made in previous releases.

If you only listen to one track: Eternal Regret


5. Blanck Mass - World Eater

Dropping fairly early in the year, World Eater is the electronic album that makes this list because how many times it has had me coming back for repeat listens. Drawing on a wide range of genres, this album has elements of electronica, noise, ambient and vaporwave... whilst also having a sound that is distinctly it's own. Though there have been some more challenging electronic albums released this year World Eater has a replay-ability that is undeniable.

If you only listen to one track: John Doe's Carnival Of Error


4. Power Trip - Nightmare Logic

 Power Trip are giving crossover thrash the boot up the arse that it needs. Nightmare logic absolutely left this years releases from both Municipal Waste and Iron Reagan for dust with its catchy neanderthalic riffs. The entire album has a party mosh pit vibe to the sound but with a clenched teeth anger behind it. And if you get the chance you absolutely need to catch Power Trip live.

If you only listen to one track: Executioner's Tax (Swing Of The Axe)

3. Corrupt Moral Altar -Eunoia

Eunoia is the best release to come out of Corrupt Moral Altar so far. Their sound is one that is hard to completely pin down but this album has elements of grindcore, powerviolence, hardcore, death and black metal and blends them all seamlessly. Essential listening for anyone who likes their music intense.

 If you only listen to one track: Survivor's Guilt

2. Stupid Cosmonaut - Algol

It's been a busy year for newcomers Stupid Cosmonaut after a hand full of releases and slew of live shows. The yawning spacescapes contained within Algol perfectly showcases their blend of electronics and ambient post-rock. Stupid Cosmonaut are definitely one to watch.

If you only listen to one track: The Demon Star Pilot

1. Bell Witch - Mirror Reaper

In my opinion Bell Witch's Mirror Reaper is the best release we saw in 2017. An album that commands your full attention. The emotion contained within the 83 minute composition is palpable. Extremely heavy, mournful, moody and dark. Although for a lot of people a single 83 minute track is a big slog it is well worth the effort you have to put in whilst listening to it.

If You only listen to one track: Hahahaha

A perfect soundtrack for crying.

Bell Witch

Mirror Reaper

 Seattle based two piece Bell Witch have been making miserable music for a number of years now. Their extremely down tempo brand of Funeral Doom is both powerful and haunting at the same time. Over their tenure they have dealt with the themes such as ghosts, supernatural events, life, death and loss within their music. After their former drummer Adrian Guerra passed away last year these themes took on a much more cathartic meaning. Although he had already made his departure from the band the loss hit Dylan Desmond hard and Mirror Reaper is the first album the band has released since his passing and is dedicated to his memory. What they produced in this record is an extremely fitting and heart felt piece of art. Mirror Reaper is not for the feint of heart. This 86 minute long single track composition is challenging and the requires undivided attention of the listener (preferably in a darkened room). However the payoff from this album is definitely worthwhile. As is to be expected with a Bell Witch, Mirror Reaper is a slow and methodical piece of music building on themes and motifs throughout the entirety of the track. In many ways it isn't as heavy as some of their previous works, employing even thicker ethereal atmosphere than previous with extended lighter guitar sections and dizzying amounts of amounts of reverb. Whilst the addiction of organs add an almost mass like quality, like the listener is being given a peek into some kind of dark ceremony. This doesn't mean however that Mirror Reaper isn't a heavy record. Passages of crushingly heavy guitars are paired up with thunderous and methodically deliberate drums. Low inhuman guttural roars or echoed shrieks often sound like they coming straight from a dungeon. These harsh vocals are balanced perfectly with stunning clean vocals that deliver abstract and melancholic lyrics. Chanted vocals in the later half of the record add too the aura of a ceremony for the listener. The atmosphere in the record is palpable from start to finish managing to be both haunting and beautiful. Album artwork is something a don't really cover in any of my reviews, but the artwork for this album feels like a perfect accompaniment to the music. An eerie image reminiscent of the art of Zdzisław Beksiński that reveals more depth the more time you spend looking at it.  As I've already mentioned Mirror Reaper Is an incredibly cathartic piece of work. It feels introspective and mournful  but in many ways isn't as bleak as previous Bell Witch releases. The cathartic nature of the record almost feeling uplifting, especially in the latter half. You can feel the emotion that has been poured into Mirror Reaper... and what that amounts to ultimately is a haunting and accomplished work of art. 

FFO; Ahab, Mournful Congregation, Nortt

9/10 

BA'AL THO...

Ba'al

In Gallows By Mass

Ba'al have been a name whispered on the UK metal scene for a while now. This post metal quintet from Sheffield have quietly been making a name for themselves over the past year or so through  their  sporadic yet heartfelt and enigmatic live shows. So far their sludge infused take on post metal has managed to win over audiences, leaving many people wanting to finally see a studio release. Well, the wait is over as Ba'al become the next member of the ever growing APF family with their debut EP In Gallows By Mass. This 3 track EP clocks in at just over 30 minutes and in that time Ba'al manage to deliver much have what they have become known for during their time on the live circuit. Each track is a journey in it's own right, building upon motifs and taking the listener through passages of spacious post rock up to the more crushing ends of sludge metal. Songs twist and turn from being ethereal and introspective before the guitars and drums swoop in to deliver much chunkier metal and breakdowns. Steffan's vocals throughout the EP mirror this format, with his ability to switch between echoey yet soaring clean vocals to throaty screeches, whilst the lyrics seem to mirror the introspective nature of the music. The EPs highlight, closing track Days Of Yore, takes all of these elements to create a triumphantly building track that journeys through everything that Ba'al has to offer. In Gallows By Mass isn't an EP without issues though. Unfortunately some areas do feel like they need tightening up slightly, especially the timing from the drums on the odd occasion. The production does also leave something to be desired and I can't help thinking some of the heavier passages would feel heavier if the EP was produced slightly different. Having said that In Gallows By Mass is still a decent post metal EP and a decent debut effort as well. 

FFO: Cult of Luna, Hundred Year Old Man, Bossk, Isis 

7/10

In Gallows By Mass is available from the 11th of November on CD and digital formats through APF

As heavy as a really heavy thing

Primitive Man

Caustic

Colorado three piece Primitive Man have been attacking the metal scene with their depressing, violent, misanthropic take on sludge metal for a number of years now. This is a band that has made a name for themselves by making extremely heavy terse music and performing dark and sinister live shows. The bands latest full length offering, Caustic, doesn't breakaway from this tradition. Right from the word go you are hit in the face with a tonne of feedback that breaks into crushingly heavy guitars on opening track My Will. The vocals are a terrifying mix of low inhuman growls and gutturals. This paired with the slow, methodical and crushingly heavy guitars helps to create the uneasy and claustrophobic atmosphere that Primitive Man are known for. The sound they manage to create often feels like it sits somewhere between Sludge metal and Funeral Doom. The entire album is uncomfortably tense. Despite the slow pace of the album the drummer manages to earn his keep, never missing an opportunity to fit in flurrys of drum fills in between the slow caveman-like crashes and slams. The album does also find room to pick up the pace with vicious bursts of grindcore, these moments make up some of the highlights of the album such as the closing section of second track The Victim and track from deeper in the album Sterility. I'm also personally very fond of the fact that their are several named tracks on the album, Caustic, Ash and closing track Absolutes entirely dedicated to harsh and uncomfortable feedback. Absolutes especially, a track close to the nine minute mark and made up entirely of samples, yawning ambient noise and feedback is another highlight and a great way to close an already tense album. This isn't to say however that it isn't an album without its problems. Caustic is an incredibly long album clocking in at close to an hour and twenty minutes and with a large number of tracks that are over the ten minute mark. This makes for an incredibly exhausting musical experience especially once you manage to get about three quarters of the way through the record. I think in a lot of ways Primitive mans music may lend itself better to the EPs and Splits we are used to them releasing as apposed to a full length album like this. That doesn't change the fact that Caustic is still an extremely heavy album and definitely a worthwhile listen for fans of Primitive Man and any fan of extremely heavy music.


FFO: Thou, Seabastard, Meth Drinker, Corrupted

7/10

Remember... they own your scene...

Iron Monkey

9-13

Anyone with a passing interest in sludge metal know who Iron Monkey were. Their aggressive brand of metal, dark cryptic lyrics and gargled black bile spewed out as vocals have made an indelible mark on the UK underground metal scene. This along with the band's incredibly short tenure after the untimely death of twistedly charismatic front man Johnny Morrow has given the band a mystique that  helped garner their cult status. The band's reformation in January of this year was met with a considerable amount of excitement and intrigue but after they announced their comeback album, 9-13, the cracks began to show and the whole affair started to split opinion. For the most part the album delivers what we would expect from an Iron Monkey release. Opening track crown of electrodes kicks off the tone with  a hardcore flurry before breaking into the meat of the album. The album is full low end groovy riffs played on crunchy distorted guitars that jolt and lurch their way through each track. The tempo swings between a slow trudge and faster paced hardcore sections. The vocals are probably the most interesting aspect of the entire album which is a pleasant surprise. The distorted snarls and gargles of Jim Rushby are distinctly his own as he delivers confrontational lyrics alongside straight howls and unsettling laughter. However, it doesn’t take long to realise that Iron Monkey don’t have a great deal of anything new to show us. Only a few tracks into the album the songs become repetitive and very formulaic as certain patterns emerge. The unremarkable drums are one of the blandest parts of the album. This isn’t to say that it  doesn’t have its highlights. Track 7, The Rope, is one of the high points of the album as it rolls in straight off the previous track and feels like an extended uneasy breakdown with it’s slow trudge and unsettling vocals which are mostly lyric-less growls and the track title barked in pain. For the most part however the album really does have very little to show us. It’s not necessarily a bad album… Just an incredibly average album which in a lot of ways feels worse. The whole album has an air of complacency about it, like the bare minimum effort has been put in to make a passable sludge metal album. Unfortunately something that has also worked to the album’s detriment is the inability to leave any preconceptions behind when listening to it. Because of Iron Monkey’s “legendary” status for certain fans this album was never going to be an easy sell. The band's general arrogance on the lead to this album hasn’t done anything to ease any of this apprehension. Comments like “we own your scene” have managed to turn a lot of people cold to the idea of Iron Monkey comeback. When framed with miscalculations and missteps like this even the album cover has an air of cynicism about it. Unfortunately with a band like Iron Monkey, for better or for worse, the expectations were always going to be high. It’s near impossible to recapture lightning in a bottle and this album goes a long way to proving that.

5/10

Mastiff are better than your band.

Mastiff

BORK

Seemingly bursting out of nowhere Mastiff have been making a huge name for themselves on the live music circuit with their dark brand of metal and intimidating live performances. By their own admission this hate sludge quintet from hull are a miserable band from a miserable town. Not here to make friends and definitely not here to make party music these lads have set out to carve their own black festering mark on the UK metal scene. Their first recorded effort Wrank acted as a kind of mission plan, giving listeners just a taste of the hostility yet to come. Mastiffs upcoming EP, BORK, makes good on all of these threats. Everything is turned up to 11... its nastier, more aggressive and more importantly heavier. Filled with downtuned heavy riffing and guitar tones so thick they will crack your teeth, BORK doesn't shy away from mixing up the tempos. Mastiff are able to switch from a methodical grinding trudge to faster paced hardcore beats at a moments notice all kept together by the tight drumming throughout the EP. This is one the things that is great about mastiff, they seem to have remembered the Hardcore punk roots of sludge bands like Eyehategod, Buzzoven and graveyard rodeo that many modern sludge bands seem to  have forgotten. Tracks like Nil By Mouth and Threats show their chops as a hardcore band just as much as a sludge band. All this is coupled with the confrontational, nihilistic lyrics. Jim's vocals throughout the EP sound great with his ability to switch between aggressive barks, piercing shrieks and gut wrenching low growls that at times almost sound inhuman. Blazing through the 6 tracks on the EP, BORK barely gives the listener time to breath, creating a dark and claustrophobic atmosphere throughout and eventually reaching a crescendo when yawning feedback breaks into the final track Eternal Regret. An excellent way to close out the EP, this track almost feels like a ballad compared to the rest of the album and with heavy shades of introspection and self loathing as the title suggests. Bork is one of the heaviest things to be released this year and with how heavy the EP sounds its almost unbelievable that the entire thing was recorded in two days! For fans of real sludge metal BORK is a really exciting EP. This isn't another wish washy affair from a band that don't know whether they want to be stoner, sludge or doom whilst somehow missing the point of all three. Mastiff know exactly what they want and what they want is to produce real nihilistic sludge metal, which in my opinion is something the UK music scene needs more of. There is no bullshit, there is no pretension... just pure fucking hatred. 

FFO: Eyehategod, Buzzoven, Seven Sisters Of Sleep, Methdrinker, Noothgrush, Fistula

9/10

BORK will be released on the 31st of august available in physical and digital formats through APF records.

Melancholic echoes in the distance

Jon Vernon

Every Living Creature Dies Alone

No one can accuse Jon Vernon of being lazy. Drumming in a successful metalcore band whilst also providing his talents in a two piece grind band and an amp worshiping post black metal band has shown us not only his versatility as a drummer but also his amazing work ethic. Amazingly along with all of this he has found time to be producing a solo music as well! Every Living Creature Dies Alone, now Jon's second solo effort exploring ambient and electronic ideas, is an EP that feels like it has two distinct halves. The opening tracks Emissary and Glassworks make up the first cohesive half of this EP pairing ambient noises with melodic strings, pianos and building to a thickly layered burst of post rock at the end of the first track with searing guitars. Glassworks carries over the motifs of the first track but pairing the pianos with an off kilter drum beat making for a sound that is strangely beautiful and the highlight of the EP. The next track, Song Of The Lord, acts as an interlude with its samples of religious ramblings and bell chimes eventually making way for the closing track. White Coffin is an epic fourteen minute track that takes further exploration into moody ambient vibes but this time with a distinctly eastern flavour with addiction of oriental strings. Without warning the EP closes with a jarring burst of harsh noise that jolts the listener out of their melancholic malaise in a most unceremonious and uncomfortable way and brought a wry smile to my face. Melancholic is probably the best way to describe Every Living Creature Dies alone. It's a moody and dramatic exploration into down-tempo and ambient music. Its an EP that is incredibly sure of itself and definitely in a good way. He manages to blend electronic and live instruments near seamlessly and It feels like an incredibly accomplished piece of music with complete and articulate musical ideas. Every Living Creature Dies Alone is an incredibly exciting EP and personally I can't wait to see where Jon takes this solo project.   

FFO: Aphex Twin, The Orb, Lustmord, The Body, Godspeed You! Black Emperor 

8/10   

Listen to Every Living Creature Dies Alone for yourself now. Available to stream and download through Jon's bandcamp.

The spirit of Motorhead lives on!!!

Blind Haze

The Bastard EP

After high kicking their way onto the scene a few years ago Blind Haze have made steady waves in the UK music scene with their high octane take on hard rock and energetic live shows. After a previous single and EP release and with a new guitarist in tow this Leeds trio now have their third offering with The Bastard EP. Right off the bat as the EP kicks of with the opening track Never Getting Out Alive the first noticable thing that really sets this apart from previous Blind Haze releases is the production quality. This cleaner production is something Blind Haze really benefits from. Conan's graveled vocals and the guitars sound much thicker and not a moment of the drums are lost. The pace of the EP is relentless as we are hammered with amphetamine fueled riffs and the double kick of the bass drum. The tempo only ever slows down to a jogging pace on the tracks Crawling Through Hellfire and You Can't Have It. Blind Haze predominately deliver Motorhead worshiping hard rock and this EP is no exception. Graveling vocals, power chord bass, break neck speeds and a live fast die young attitude can all be found on The Bastard EP. Even the title of the EP feels like a nod to Motorhead. But in my opinion if you are going to pay homage to any band it might as well be the greatest band in the world! having said all this Blind Haze still manage to bring something of their own flavour to this sound. John's slick and tight guitar solos that are scattered throughout the EP are distinctly his own and occasional moments of groove add slight stoner tinge to the sound whilst the drums also carry Jason's signature with his equally slick drum fills and unrelenting double bass peddle. This adds something of a modern edge to this extremely classic sound. All in all This EP is much like Blind Haze's live show... It's tonnes of fun, packed full of energy and well worth your time. So grow out your side burns, bust out the Jack Daniels and put on The Bastard EP!

FFO: Motorhead, Speedwolf, Midnight

7/10

listen to The Bastard EP for yourself now, available in CD and Digital formats through APF Records

X-men... welcome to DIE!!!

Hexagon Trail

Double EP release- Broken Dialogue /Castlevanian Hunger

On a dark and stormy night the residents of Salford can be seen lighting their torches and picking up their pitchforks as lightning cracks all around pulsing electric into the tense atmosphere. In the distance buzzes and shrieks can be heard from the building in which a mad scientist performs his experiments into the dark realms of electronic music. This can only herald one thing. The upcoming release of Dark Electronic act Hexagon Trail's double EP: Broken Dialogue and Castlevanian Hunger. Although they Share similar themes and are being released at the same time, packaged as a double EP, they do exist as separate musical entities and should be approached as such.

With a glance over the four track titles, those in the know may notice that Broken Dialogue takes it’s song names from famously humorous miss translations in classic games. The first track Welcome To Die makes good on this, opening the EP with a sample taken from the X-Men game its song title took inspiration from. Erratic glitched out beats make their way into the song along with low stomach churning sub-woofer bass tones. Filled with human pain, echoing screeched vocals give the sound emotion whilst still feeling scarily alien. A stumbling off balance beat leads through haunting dark ambient In following track I AM ERROR. Electronic noises crackle and gurgle as the faint command of “kill” begins to make a presence towards the middle of the track and slowly winds down again carrying on the foreboding tone of the EP. Conglaturation!!! You’re Winner! Is the highlight of the EP. It’s building jangly beat builds a lot of tension. Drawing on elements of synthwave the song feels reminiscent of 80s anime soundtracks eventually building into a disconcerting chiptune cacophony and eventually breaking way for a jarring jolt of pure noise. The EP ends on an eerie ethereal note as an incredibly simplistic beat is paired with howling ambient noises in All Your Base Are Belong To Us making for an unsettling finish. Broken Dialogue is not easy listening, but it never tries to be. Hexagon Trail wants to challenge his listener and this EP is both challenging and unique. Unfortunately a lack of cohesion in sound in a few sections of the EP makes for particularly uncomfortable listening.

7/10

Sister EP, Castlevania Hunger doesn’t suffer from the same issue with cohesion in sound. The sole track,The Morning Sun Has Vanquished The Horrible Night, is twenty two minute long epic that flows through different musical ideas. The opening ambient sounds of dank wet cavern begin the  journey that takes us through various musical ideas that draw on inspirations ranging from dungeon synth, ambient and harsh noise. Thick layers of atmosphere throughout and repeated drum beats create the motifs that hold each section together. In the second half of the track an abrasive klaxon like beat creates a warning for the arrival of the tracks highlight. A buzzing jolt of harsh noise accompanies Hexagon trails best and most terrifying vocal performance to date. A performance filled with aggression as well as pain. Ominous bell tolls slowly fade the track out with a tone that is as atmospheric as the track started making the song feel like a complete journey. Still as challenging a listen throughout, Castlevanian Hunger however feels like a slightly more accomplished musical work than it’s partnered EP. Each musical idea flows seamlessly to the next whilst still making for a dark and disturbing journey of sound.

8/10

It’s clear that Hexagon Trail is a very personal music project. Frenchie, the man behind the project, puts a lot of his own personality into this music. It can often feel like a love letter to the darker side of electronic music, whilst his love for computer games and horror films also shines through. Yet in this there is still lots of room for what feels like his own unique experimentations with these sounds. From these two EPs you get a real sense of the dark and moody world he is trying to create with his music.

FFO: Autechre, Aphex Twin, Prurient, Pharmakon, Fuck Buttons

Broken Dialogue and Castlevanian Hunger are available directly from Hexagon Trail from the 30th of June. Available separately in digital format or packaged together as a physical CD.

GUITARS AND TESTOSTERONE

Diesel King

#gofuckyourselves

After several years on the live circuit, two EPs and an album to their name Diesel King are no strangers to the UK metal scene. Hailing from London these lads have made a name for themselves with their aggressive take on sludge metal and their intimidating live show. Their upcoming release, the sardonically titled EP #gofuckyourselves, delivers what we have come to expect from Diesel King. From the get go the tone of the EP is set with Mark O’Regans confrontational lyrics aggressively delivered in his trademark bark on opening track Declaration as Brutish meat head riffs begin their trudging march through the song. The guitar tones are crunchy and riffs groove laden throughout the EP, The drums hammering out steady streams of double bass pedal whenever needed. Mark’s vocals swing from aggressive barks to occasional burst of disgusting gutturals but are always dripping with testosterone. The EP’s highlight, a track titled Cut The Cord, turns up the pace with chugging metallic hardcore riffing before slowly descending into an unholy doom breakdown and closing out again with groove laden guitars. The EP Finishes with an unlisted cover version of the Phil Collins' power ballad Easy Lover beefed up with thuggish metal guitar chugs and delivered with a knowing smirk showing the band's sense of humour. This is the thing to keep in mind when listening to the three original tracks on this EP, it never feels like Diesel King want you to take them too seriously. Their over the top cartoonish machismo and aggression is the musical equivalent of watching a classic Schwarzenegger action flick. It’s dumb, fun mosh pit music and that is all it's meant to be. Diesel King’s sound does draw inspiration from a range of down tempo metal. Drawing on elements from sludge, groove and even Entombed’s Wolverine Blues era death metal with forays into metallic hardcore as well. Diesel King have distilled their sound into a tight formula and if you have enjoyed their output so far and want more of what they do this EP will deliver exactly that. What the EP doesn’t do unfortunately is strive to show us anything new and the caricature thuggish metal head machismo, however tongue in cheek it is, for me personally is beginning to go from endearing to tiresome.

FFO: Crowbar, Eyehategod, Pantera, Entombed, Sepultura.

6/10

#gofuckyourselves is released on 23rd of June through APF Records available in digital and physical formats. Stream the first track for free now through the Diesel King Bandcamp page.

Sheer Attack

Maguire’s Pizza Bar

27/05/17

This was my gig at Maguire’s Pizza Bar and i was almost as excited to see the venue as i was for the gig itself. It is a cool little spot to hold smaller gigs as it isn't a huge place. Even though this was a sell out gig it never felt uncomfortable, unlike some smaller venues that can tend to over sell. And to be honest what’s not to like about a somewhere that is a bar, pizza place and a venue. With great options for vegan pizza too! I managed to stuff my face between bands. The only negative thing i've got to say is the sound for the entire night probably wasn't as strong as it could have been, which was a shame. But all in all great bill of bands put together by Baitin’ The Trap promotions at a cool little venue.

Abominate

The show opened with strong 90s metallic hardcore vibes from newcomers Abominate. Chugging meat head riffs were delivered at a trudging pace with outbursts of speed bringing energy to their sound. Gravely barked vocals delivered lyrics filled with anger and anti-capitalist sentiment. Screeching thrashy solos added a stylish edge to their sound.Their sound delivers heavy amounts worship for bands like Earth Crisis with moments that had strong vibes if Arise era sepultura. It was the first show from these guys and unfortunately this did show as their performance could have been tighter, but this will come with experience and playing more shows. Although they aren’t really breaking the mold in any way it was nice to see a band bringing that crushing 90s hardcore sound and I’m excited to see these guys tighten up their performance as they play shows in the future.

6/10

Horsebastard

Horsebastard are one of the more bracing and challenging powerviolence bands in the Uk at the moment. Their ferocious live performances deliver a barrage of songs at breakneck speeds with very little down time. Snare heavy drums cut a machine gun beat through their sound. Their entire sound is completely unrelenting as they thrash out short violent burst of noise. Unfortunately this wasn’t Horsebastard at their best. Normally these guys can change tempo on a dime but it didn't feel any where near as tight as they can be or have been at previous shows. Luckily this didn’t phase front man Chris Reece, who as usual stole the show. This guy is absolute tornado of energy that always delivers a performance dripping with intense charisma as he shrieks out his cryptic, paranoid lyrics.   

7/10

Dysteria

Next up london based Dysteria brought their crusty d-beat sound to the bill. Fast paced crunchy guitars riffs occasionally broke down to moments of uncomfortably slow trudge making for another performance that felt unrelenting. Their drummer held the entire performance together perfectly crashing out classic d-beat drum beats. Screamed and half snarled vocals were delivered from a singer that had a wild glint in her eyes and animalistic charisma. Her confrontational stage presence was something to behold. This was the first time I’ve managed to catch these guys and i wasn’t disappointed by their tight, intense performance that even managed to coax some movement out of the crowd.

8/10

Sheer Attack

Finally Sheer Attack finished off the night with their take on early 80s hordcore. Thick bass lines were paired up with bouncy 3 chord punk riffing. Snotty belligerent vocals were shouted over top the rest of the band tying their sound together. A ropey start to their performance was quickly brought back and didn’t seem to phase the audience. Everything about their performance was fun. Their energy was electric and contagious as the crowd rarely stopped dancing. Their music oozes coolness with their 80s hardcore and skate punk vibes thats also has moments of punk ‘n’ roll. It is real party music and I can see their EP spending a lot of time on my turntable.

8/10

Under - Slick

Under emerged from the dreary depths of stockport and over the past few years, armed with beautiful hair and proggy riffs, have managed to forge themselves a reputation as a force to be reckoned with. This three piece have honed their sound on the live circuit through emotion driven live performances that have left audience’s jaws dropped and minds blown. Their eclectic take on stoner metal, that takes heavy inspirations from more experimental bands such as Melvins and Big Business, also draws sounds from a wider range of genres. Suffice to say after all their hard work the anticipation for their debut album is high and what they have to offer audiences in Slick does not disappoint. From the first lurching discordant riffs at the start of the album to the closing vocal harmonies, this 9 track treasure trove musical ideas delivers everything we’ve come to expect from these lads and a little more. Erratic complexity and odd time signatures are paired up against trudging heavy riffs, whilst passages of eerie calm often lull the listener into a false sense of security before the next bout of intensity. Thick groovy basslines add huge amounts of texture to their sound, sometimes break into twanging psychedelic licks. Whilst the ever present rhythmically building drums are ready to ricochet into a flurry of noise at a moment's notice. Scratchy distorted vocals play off clean vocal harmonies that have a real depth of sound, all the while delivering disquietingly cryptic lyrics that hint at a sinister world just behind the curtain of our perception ready to be drawn back and fully revealed at a moment's notice. Each song flows brilliantly into the next very rarely showing any wrong footing and building to the album's highlight, Below In The Wreck. A triumphantly building track that closes the album on a dizzying high. Slick is an album that begs to be listened to in its entirety due to its excellent composition with each new sitting revealing something new to the listener. Under’s music works so well because they wear their inspirations beyond stoner genres on their sleeves and let them heavily inform their sound. Musical elements that range from art rock, avant garde rock, noise rock, prog rock and even sensibilities taken from jazz, are what make Under such an incredibly exciting band. In a scene that is becoming increasingly stagnated as bands seem happy to rest upon their laurels, this is the album bands on the UK stoner circuit should listen to and think “this is the sort of music we could be making”.
9/10

If you want to listen to this album for yourself, Slick will be available on CD and digital formats through APF Records from the 31st of May

Black Cloud All Dayer

Black Cloud All Dayer

Rebellion - 06/05/17

Black Cloud all dayer for me was easily the best all day metal event I’ve attended so far this year. This for most part can be put down to the lineup consisting of genuinely interesting extreme metal acts. What at first may have seemed like an oddly diverse mixture of bands for me was coherently drawn together through the theme of bands that rely on a mixture of misanthropy, atmosphere and sheer volume to make up their aural assaults. I was disappointed to see Let It Die to pull out at the  last minute as they were one of the acts I was most looking forward to catching, but luckily due to the quality of the rest of the bands that played this didn’t put a dampener on my mood for too long.

Ba’al

The days openers, Ba’al, were a band I was looking forward to seeing on the merit of their reputation alone and I’m glad to say they did not disappoint. These lads from sheffield provided everything you could want from a post metal band. Drawn out atmospheric riffing and weighty sludge laden tones. Their use of song motifs was excellent with sounds that built and journeyed organically developing on each song's core idea but never straying too far away from it that it became lost. Each passage flowed well, never feeling disjointed from the last with a dynamic drummer that effortlessly kept everything in check with interesting drum fills segwaying into each new section of the songs. Over the top of this their singer slathered the sound with a great mix of ferocious screeches and soaring clean vocals that never seemed to miss a note or key and performance that was bursting with energy. All in all Ba’al’s sound is one that is slick and well thought out and I’m excited to see them climb the billing in subsequent shows they play, which i’m sure they will.

8/10

Petrichor

The second band of the day, blackened doom act Petrichor, are a band I hadn’t encountered before and for me unfortunately were the least inspiring band of the day. Their commendable commitment to a traditional doom sound undercut with black metal influences unfortunately relied heavily on paint by numbers doom metal riffing and passages of lacklustre black metal. Vocals were a mixture of traditional black metal shrieks and cleaner epic metal vocals that felt heavily inspired by the vocal stylings of King Diamond but nowhere near as dynamic. A lot of the stage persona and atmosphere felt somehow miscalculated, missing the mark slightly. Bones hung from a stage mic and black body and face paint mixed with cartoonish nihilism all felt slightly off and a piano sample towards the end of the set thrust the sound into realms of symphonic black metal. Having said that, all of this can be put down to personal taste and the set was well played with tight instrumentation. For me though Petrichor were the one band on the lineup that felt out of place, with musical ideas that felt somewhat primitive next to the evolved sounds offered up by other bands on the billing.

5/10

Tides Of Sulfur

Next up cardiffs blackened sludge act, Tides Of Sulfur, were another band I was looking forward to finally catching live and another band that didn't let me down. Their sound was a fantastic mixture of dark technical mid paced riffing, face melting break neck black metal and slow heavy tones all held together by a brilliant drummer keeping time of all the twists and turns. Their bass tone was truly punishing. Their crunchy guitars were well balanced with a mixture of duel vocals offering up throaty shrieks and guttural growls. They even had time for a scattering of groovy riffs that never felt out of place amongst their sound. Their use of samples throughout their set felt well thought out, only ever adding the the misanthropic atmosphere and intense stage presence. Tides Of Sulfur have an incredibly nasty sound and delivered a tight, well performed set.

8/10

Khost

Khost took the stage with something that was a little more challenging than previous acts of the day with their blend of industrial and drone metal. With a stage almost devoid of light bar a projector shining flickering animated clockwork images revolving around their logo onto the wall, it set the tone for their set. Khost were dark. Booming electronic drum beats, Howling industrial ambience and crackling buzzes were paired with uncomfortably slow rumbling guitars. The atmosphere was oppressive, shrill feedback cutting through harsh industrial sounds leading to crushing drones. Graveling distorted vocals could be heard beneath the sound often played off against vocal samples that added tension. The sheer volume of their set was overwhelming. However, their set may have been filled with some great ideas but it did lack a variety of sound, in places some ideas overstaying their welcome. On the whole a great set.

7/10

Groak

Leeds three piece Groak delivered exactly what I’ve come to expect from them in the few times I’ve seen them so far. A fantastic mix of bleak chugging sludge metal interlaced with rough and ready grind mayhem. All this tied together with horribly piercing shrieked vocals. For me Groak are the type of band I've been wanting to see for a long time, mixing two genres of music that I love and doing it a way that works. Although there set had moments that were a little bit looser than they could have been they played a great set and are a band that keep getting better every time I see them. Groak are definitely a band i’m going to continue to keep a close eye on.

7/10

Gnaw Their Tongues

Dutch industrial noise act Gnaw Their tongues gave a set that truly put me on edge. With a sound that draws heavy inspiration from black metal it's one of the most punishing aural assaults my body has ever been put through. Rumbling walls of harsh noise. Scratchy electronic drones. Erratic electronic drum beats invoking a blackened edge. Grim distorted vocals. Physically overwhelming volume. Any moments of respite presented in softer passages were soon ripped away as the all out barrage of noise commenced again. Gnaw Their Tongues were able to create an incredibly uncomfortable atmosphere with ease, pumping dogmatic sounding religious samples into their sound. At one point employing a truly disconcerting sample of of a child's voice with a sound close to a nursery rhyme. Everything about Gnaw Their Tongues was utterly frightening.

8/10

Space Witch

For me the biggest revelation with psychedelic doom band, Space Witch was the new addition of howling epic vocals in the opening track. I’ve got to say it works for them perfectly, adding a new facet to their sound that felt fresh. This didn’t feel like a new gimmick that was overused though and Space Witch definitely delivered bags of what people have come to expect from them. Rolling proggy riffs and drumming lead to crushing tone heavy doom drops. And the psychedelic synths and yawning ambient drones conjured apocalyptic cosmic imagery. Despite some unfortunate stage malfunctions (fixed by hero sound tech Emloin) it was the most interesting set I’ve seen Space Witch play in a long time.

7/10

Downfall Of Gaia

Finally, the crowning jewel of the evening, Germany’s Downfall Of Gaia. Downfall Of Gaia are the kind of black metal band I can really get behind, mixing in bags of atmosphere and a heavy injection of post metal. Sprawling spacious riffs lead perfectly into unrelenting speed driven black metal. The drums were a scathing barrage of the double bass pedals and blast beats exactly when they needed to be, but kept perfect timing into every change in tempo. Raspy pain stricken vocals and animalistic howls added to their terrifying stage presence. Both sides of their sound gut wrenchingly powerful with palpable amounts of atmosphere; but their sound allowed for moments of reflection as monolithic building doom or grim black metal would break for softer, beautiful, introspective passages. On more than one occasion I found myself getting lost in their music as it washed over me. With a very long set that clocked in at around fifty minutes it never seemed to overstay its welcome. For me, Downfall Of Gaia are a band that display everything that is interesting

and enjoyable about black metal.

9/10

All in all Black Cloud was a great day of extreme music that was pretty busy despite the fact Deftones were playing across the other side of Manchester. excellent debut from a pair of promoters that I can see making waves in the Manchester scene if they carry on with what they have started.