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| Horns up. |
New Horizons
Five years on from the underrated ‘Outsider’, ‘Heavy Steps does not fuck around in. Harsh, but melodic guitars rule the roost, and the lyrics speak of positivity and overcoming obstacles, with soaring gang choruses are very much in place. From the opening title track, through to ‘Crossed’ (featuring Gojira vocalist Joseph Duplantier) and ‘Menacing Weight’, this is life affirming hardcore.
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
Jack Endino – Set Myself on Fire
The legendary producer/engineer behind Nirvana, Mudhoney and Zeke (as well as his underrated band, Skin Yard) straps on a guitar and gives us his first solo record in over 15 years. Although not as heavy as anticipated (more garage/70’s rock sounding at times), it’s still an excellent, dirty sounding record that exudes acceptance of one’s mortality and celebrates it at the same time.
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
Possessor – The Speed of Death EP
Bowing out after 9 years’ worth of headbanging, London’s Possessor leave us with this EP as a farewell. And it is blistering. Three tracks (plus an interlude) of no frills riffing, blurring the lines between thrash and black metal. No frills, no pretentions. This EP is a boot in the balls, acting as a glorious farewell and the first genuinely great record from the underground this year.
The EP can be streamed and purchased here.
Mick Chillage – Tides of Melancholy
Dublin based Michael Gainford has been producing records in some sape or form for 25 years. This, his first release of the year, sees him go down a more ambient route. ‘Submerged Cathedrals’ sounds like an outtake from Vangelis’ Blade Runner soundtrack, while the title track lifts us up into the sky for some spiritual healing. One to play whenever you get home from work.
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
Jeremiah Moon – Sputnik
Recorded in a remote cabin in Florence, Oregon, this debut EP demonstrates an artist still in thrall to his influences (Elliott Smith, Sufjan Stevens and Nick Cave) but also one whose songwriting ability lifts him out of the ‘also-ran’ category and into ‘one to watch’ terrain. The orchestration on ‘Melusine’ is utterly sublime and ‘Kinds of Light’ feels like an Emilíana Torrini song.
The EP can be streamed and purchased here.
Masche - Oxia Chaos
An Italian collective who describe their recordings as “…an attempt to express an honest synthesis of what playing together means to us”, this release melds discordant jazz with sedated post punk. ‘There Will Come Soft Rain’ is 20 minutes of demented genius, while ‘Night Meeting’ veers towards the seedier, acting as an alternate soundtrack to Chinatown.
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
Omnibael - Rain Soaks the Earth Where They Lie
Not long after helping to produce one of the finest records of last year, Omnibael are back and ready to level 2022 by putting out this immense record. Embracing the more experimental/psychedelic side of industrial music without forgetting the pounding rhythms, this is a deeply disorienting listen that picks up where the likes of Uniform left off and plummets the listener. Album of the month.
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
Charlie Butler – Deep Space
Cody Noon member Charlie Butler had a prolific 2021 with three cassette releases. This carries on in a similar vein. Taking the post-rock template and adding a dreamier, ethereal background, what you end up with is a release that elevates the listener into the clouds, purging them of all stress and negativity. ‘Garak’ references the ending music from Get Carter, so full points. Love the Vaughn Oliver influenced sleeve as well.
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
Rukus – S/T
No frills, no fucking around, this is US hardcore as it should be: metallic sounding riffage, hardcore drumming and a production that elevates the scuzziness so much that it becomes an integral part of the sound. Six minutes of controlled chaos.
The demo can be streamed here.
Boris – W
Although Boris, for me, peaked with 2008’s ‘Smile’, their prolific nature means that they’re always worth checking out. This, their first for Sacred Bones, leans more on their atmospheric side, with songs like ‘Drowning by Numbers’ conjuring up a raucous, jazzy vibe that is uniquely Boris and ‘Old Projector’ goes from droney menace to black metal riffage via ambience. A quality release.
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
Golden Oldies
Once you get past the immediate power on show, you begin to marvel at the song writing and just how great lo-fi productions can be in generating raw, sinister sounding atmosphere. This album reminds me why industrial rock/metal hit the mark with me all those years ago and why, given the right record, it still does. Simple stuff, but highly effective, with ‘The Light at the End (Cause)’ just flat-out aggression and ‘Night of Fear’ exuding menace.
Code Orange – Forever
Although not a giant leap forward from previous albums, what ‘Forever’ has in its favour is a bigger production sound, better songs and a bigger sonic palate. When it blisters, it takes your breath away at the ferocity on show. But the mellow and industrial tinged moments are the ones that really make the album. They’re cool diversions and add weight to the tortured lyrics. ‘Ugly’ is the best song on here with the lyrics suggesting an internal battle and self-realisation coming through in the chorus.
Pitched as their final album (due to drummer Steve Shelton’s commitments to Confessor), ‘Psalm of the Morbid Whore’ follows the template laid down by ‘Iron Balls of Steel’: short, compact instrumentals which never leave the listener wishing there was a vocalist in place. There’s no fucking around on here, musically speaking (the titles might be a little different). The songs are lean, crisp and headbanger friendly. They’re also dark enough to soundtrack the journey to and from work.
Although not a giant leap forward from previous albums, what ‘Forever’ has in its favour is a bigger production sound, better songs and a bigger sonic palate. When it blisters, it takes your breath away at the ferocity on show. But the mellow and industrial tinged moments are the ones that really make the album. They’re cool diversions and add weight to the tortured lyrics. ‘Ugly’ is the best song on here with the lyrics suggesting an internal battle and self-realisation coming through in the chorus.
Diamanda Galas – All the Way
Whether singing about the AIDS epidemic, Armenian genocides and the torture of alleged traitors, Diamanda Galas taps into the concepts behind all of these: suffering, humiliation and powerlessness. Like Michael Gira and Justin Broadrick, Diamanda Galas gives voice to themes where no words suffice. Because of this simplicity, ‘All the Way’ is an addicting listen. Running under 45 minutes, it’s a terse, nonstop and candid album that delves into the darkest edges of love.
Loincloth – Psalm of the Morbid Whore
Whether singing about the AIDS epidemic, Armenian genocides and the torture of alleged traitors, Diamanda Galas taps into the concepts behind all of these: suffering, humiliation and powerlessness. Like Michael Gira and Justin Broadrick, Diamanda Galas gives voice to themes where no words suffice. Because of this simplicity, ‘All the Way’ is an addicting listen. Running under 45 minutes, it’s a terse, nonstop and candid album that delves into the darkest edges of love.
Loincloth – Psalm of the Morbid Whore
Pitched as their final album (due to drummer Steve Shelton’s commitments to Confessor), ‘Psalm of the Morbid Whore’ follows the template laid down by ‘Iron Balls of Steel’: short, compact instrumentals which never leave the listener wishing there was a vocalist in place. There’s no fucking around on here, musically speaking (the titles might be a little different). The songs are lean, crisp and headbanger friendly. They’re also dark enough to soundtrack the journey to and from work.
⏩ Christopher Owens was a reviewer for Metal Ireland and finds time to study the history and inherent contradictions of Ireland. He is currently the TPQ Friday columnist.
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