“Hello operator, give me no-man's-land/Collect call to no one at all/Been yelling into an empty closet/To the point of no return (and no deposit)/ Fiddling and watching while Rome burns/A roll of the dice: The worm turns.” Foetus
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| Horns Up |
New Horizons
All Out War – Celestial Rot
I’ll just state it: this is my album of the year so far. For a band who have been going for over twenty-five years, the brutality and speed on display here is astonishing, with d-beats, divebombs and crunchy, metal riffing that is utterly invigorating. This is the record that the likes of Hatebreed should be making today. 25 minutes of ferocity from veterans who know what metalcore should sound like.
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
Pus – II
Hailing from Peru, Pus play a sick mix of hardcore, death rock and blackened thrash. This LP puts them in the same league as Devil Master. However, Pus’ sound is a lot thrashier and, due to the production, have a trebly and overwhelming guitar sound (exactly what is needed). It would be cool to hear more of the death rock influences come through but, regardless, a fantastic debut LP.
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
Dead Mammals – Chew the Fat
After recording one of the finest records of 2021, I had high expectations for what Rochester’s finest would come up with next. This EP, complete with a taster for the next record, shows that they’re on fine form. Said taster ‘Thick PPL’ is a lot more straightforward (in terms of structure) than the rest on here but feels more menacing due to the insanity being channelled. Bring on the new full length.
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
Machiavellian Art – Indoctrination Sounds
Described as a mix of Albert Ayler and Spacemen 3, this is a punishing listen. Mixing Stooges garage rock, the mid paced rhythms of sludge, the cacophonous saxophone of Sun Ra and the heaviness of both doom and shoegaze shouldn’t work but, in these hands, not only does but will overload the senses as well, making it proper psychedelia.
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
Laibach – Sketches of the Red Districts
From upsetting President Tito to playing songs from The Sound of Music in North Korea, Laibach still have the ability to make us scratch our heads in bemusement. Soundtracking both a fascist uprising in Trbovlje on June 1st 1924 as well as Laibach’s first gig fifty six years later, the LP is an incredible, moody piece of industrial music, with tribal drumming, off kilter electronics and askew guitar riffing.
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
Halalchemists – Annihilation Man
Sometimes there is nothing more powerful or expressive as a noise show. Hence why, for this release, Halalchemists not only rework recordings of their live shows from mid-2000s, but also a forty-year-old recording from the daddies of noise, The New Blockaders. The end result is exactly what you would expect, which doesn’t detract from its power. A nice pick me up.
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
Kelela – Raven
Long awaited, Kelela has created the American equivalent of Burial’s ‘Untrue’. Deeply atmospheric and haunting music that sounds just at home in the clubs as it does through a pair of earbuds on a wet Tuesday afternoon while sitting on the bus. Vocally, she articulates a desire for a rebirth (bot personally and politically) while retaining a balance between sultry and aloof. Amazing.
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
Ddrome – Power City
As a follow up to 2021’s ‘Beyond the Thunderddrome’, Dublin based drummer Jamie Davis moves into more ambient terrain with ‘Power City’. Although his jazzy drums still play a part in the sound of the record, they take a back seat this time in favour of more ethereal and spooky atmospheres. There are even hints of This Heat evident in some tracks. This, of course is a very good thing.
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
Golden Oldies
Crows – Better Off Dead
Coming to prominence due to a minor tabloid scandal over a t-shirt they released featuring broadcaster Gerry Ryan and the phrase ‘Just Another Dead Junkie’, you had to admire the vitriol on show at the parochial, two-faced aspects of this country. Luckily, their music was just as visceral and flattening. A classic Dublin crust record that needs a re-release.
Wolves In the Throne Room - Celestite
Moving away entirely from black metal, ‘Celeste’ is more akin, sonically speaking, to the likes of Tangerine Dream, Brian Eno and Vangelis. Wanting to soundtrack the earth and glades rising through the soil and into the air, it’s an icy, challenging listen that doesn’t always work. However, if you’re in the right frame of mind, it will soundtrack your weekly existential crisis.
⏩ 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.
Christopher have you ever thought about coming out of your musical comfort zone and listening to other kinds of music to review?
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