Wonderbox Metal

Drowned – Idola Specus (Review)

This is the début album from German Death Metallers Drowned.

With an album cover that gives nothing away I was, for some reason, expecting Old-School Death Metal. What we get, however, is far more interesting.

Their brand of Death Metal is complex and mature. Elements of both Doom and Progressive Metal have evidently taken root in their sound and have blossomed on this release.

Drowned have a warm, organic sound that allows the riffs and melodies to come to life and virtually jump out of the speakers. The guitar tone is thick and syrupy and the entire production is satisfyingly heavy and well-judged.

Deep growls punctuate the journey into Drowned’s world as the guitars breathe tar into your lungs and the drums assault from all angles. It may be atypical Death Metal in some respects but this is to be applauded.

Idola Specus reminds me of a Proggier Incantation; Incantation crossed with Death, Gorguts and Immolation perhaps. Either way, it’s a great thing to hear and Drowned have certainly made an impression.

This is a class example of esoteric Death Metal that may have a firm base in the genre but is not afraid to incorporate more Progressive/Doom elements to enhance the core substance of the band.

It may have taken the band a considerable amount of time to put this album together but the end result has been worth the wait.

Have a listen to Drowned. Just remember to hold your breathe before wading in.

Interview with Orbseven

Orbseven is a one-man Experimental Black Metal project that has recently released a very impressive new album. As I’d not heard of Obseven until relatively recently and knowing next to nothing about the project I decided to find out more…

For those who are unfamiliar with your band – introduce yourself!

This is A. Zeven and Orbseven is my own personal solo project out of the US. Texas to be exact.

Give us a bit of history to Orbseven

I first thought about creating Orbseven in late 2004 and spent the next few years preparing the first release “The Linear Divide”. Since then I’ve released two more albums “Fall Below the Earth” and “.ismos.”. The latter of which has just been released this past year.

What are your influences?

Life is my main influence. My life. Others lives.

What are you listening to at the moment that you would like to recommend?

I just finished listening to the latest Anathema album “Distant Satellites” for the hundredth time. I love everything they do. Aside from that the recent releases from Overkill, Cannibal Corpse, and Bolzer. And I’m always listening to Rainbow (Dio era)…which I still believe is very under appreciated. In my opinion, the best work that both Ronnie James Dio and Ritchie Blackmore ever created. I think those first Rainbow albums should be looked into more by the general metal fanbase. I can go on and on about Rainbow. They’re essential listening.

What did you want to achieve with your new album?

After the first two releases, I had the urge to write something more open. Music that breathed a bit more than the previous material. I admit the first releases are really claustrophobic in sound and production. Very intense, and very exhausting. My idea for a third release was to counter those feelings but still create something that had impact…just without that frantic in-your-face approach. The music had to have clarity. I wanted it to have an inner and emotive pulse that resonated sonically.

Are you happy with how it turned out?

Pretty happy yes. I’ve always been happy about how my releases turned out. Being a solo artist that doesn’t have label representation and produces all the music alone, I have that luxury of releasing exactly what I want. It just so happens that I’m getting a bit better at representing the material with better production with each album. I think the two previous albums suffered because of my direction of the production. But it was the best I could do at the time and I’m happy about that.

What can you tell us about the lyrics?

Not a lot. The lyrics are the most personal thing about Orbseven. For “.ismos.”, it’s generally about existence. Just being. What that is, I don’t know. And I think thats the point of it. I have an idea of existence. Of being connected to everything. Of being aware. I have ideas…but I’m not certain. No one should be certain. Existence is too big for us. The contemplation is too enormous. No answers…all questions. That in a nutshell is what “.ismos.” is. I may release a lyrical line or two through social media from time to time. But never all of them.

Give us a bit of information on the songwriting process.

Each album has been quite different. Guitar is my primary instrument so it usually starts with that. And then I fill in the rest. With this latest one, it was a bit of writing before recording..and recording while writing. That just happens to be how the previous albums came to be. The first was pretty much written before any studio time. I had an over abundance of material and I was prepared before recording. And with the second album, 90% of the music was written while I was recording it…so I didn’t familiarize myself with it very much. I think that also contributes to that chaotic pace that you hear on that release. And in actuality, I can still play most of the first album by memory. The second album not so much. I only remember bits and pieces. I’d have to relearn how to play it. Again, with “.ismos.”, it was both knowing some of the material and still writing the rest. Lyrics would always come last because its the part I’m most intimidated about.

How do you see your songs/direction developing in the future?

I think for the next release, I’ll go back to that more aggressive style. After writing and recording “.ismos.” which is very minimal in guitar playing, I’m itching to play the heavy and fast stuff again. But at the same time, I want another “.ismos.” too. So it’ll probably be a marriage of both I think. That could all change. Orbseven is not very predictable.

What’s next for Orbseven?

Possibly a second video. But for now, I’m letting “.ismos.” do its thing. Letting it have its early life. I do that with all albums. I let it runs its course. By not preparing and writing a new Orbseven album, I’m allowing it to reach out and expand. It deserves that.

0 – Silence (Review)

This is the second release from 0, a Greek one-man Blackened Experimental Doom/Drone project.

0’s first album Simplifying a Demon was a surprisingly enjoyable slab of minimalistic Drone Doom in the vein of Khanate only with more Black Metal.

Once more the same foreboding atmosphere hits you. The cloying stench of something dark, dank, rotten and forgotten that slowly, agonisingly rises from the depths of some long lost pit of bleakness. But this time, something’s different.

This time around 0’s music is more considered and thoughtful. If Simplifying a Demon was the birthing throes of something horrific, then Silence is the sound of it growing and discovering itself, learning more about what it’s capable of.

Silence’s landscape is minimal and desolate, but for all this it is also a textured and alluring one. The songs wrap you in their deadly embrace and slowly take you into their world, warmly embraced by the darkness.

The Black Metal influence is still there on this release but it’s more subtle and less overt than previously. Silence has more of a droning Doom feeling, like some of the work by bands like Earth, Blackwolfgoat and Om, albeit a Blackened version of these.

The vocals have developed also. Black Metal shrieks are still in attendance but these are now very much a rarity. For the main vocals we are now treated to some very well performed and varied cleans that wouldn’t be out of place on more traditional Stoner Doom releases. Powerful and ominous.

Overall Silence is a positive progression for 0. The development shown on this album is really something and the songwriting has come on in leaps and bounds. I’m happy that 0 is not resting on its laurels and is continuing to push the boundaries of what a bass and a voice are capable of.

So get lost in the misery and enveloped in the Silence of 0.

Pineal – Smiling Cult (Review)

Pineal are from the UK and this is their début EP. They play Post-Metal.

Opening up with a clean, clear sound the band treat us to their take on the Post-Metal genre and like most things in Post-Metal it’s wonderfully individual.

As I’ve remarked on before, the one aspect of most Post-Metal bands which is relatively rare is clean vocals; most Post-Metal groups either go for harsh vocals of some description or no vocals at all, only a few have sung cleans. Pineal are one of the latter bands.

The cleans are initially unexpected but they do fit the music well. They sound very influenced by Alice in Chains and have the same kind of easy, laid-back power inherent in them.

The songs unhurriedly pass through their playing time with the band exploring the rich Post-Metal landscape and the singer producing plaintive, mournful tones on top of everything.

Smiling Cult is a skilful display of songcraft and shows a very adept band finding their sound and working out what feels best for them.

This largely eschews the normal Cult of Luna/Isis/Neurosis triumvirate in favour of a sound that condenses elements of Tool and Alice in Chains into this 25 minute EP.

Already in their short career Pineal show big promise. This EP is an enjoyable listen and if they continue to develop their sound even more then a full album from this band should herald great things.

Lavatory – Morbid Terror (Review)

Lavatory are a Death Metal band from Malaysia. This is their début album.

Just like the shambling, rotten monstrosity that graces the album cover, Lavatory’s brand of Death Metal is a putrid and corpse-ridden ode to that oh-so-satisfying of sub genres – Old-School Swedish Death Metal.

The album is aptly named as the band use all of the chainsaw-shaped tools available to them in their box of chainsaws to create Death Metal that’s heavy in both guitar tone and deathly dread.

If you know Swedish Death Metal, (and I know you do), then you know what to expect here; the chainsaw riffs, the haunting melodies, etc.

It’s all delivered by a band that sounds a little bit more unhinged than is the norm for the style though. It’s almost like the levels of rot have taken hold so much and so deep that they’re in danger of falling apart.

It’s like they’ve mixed Old-School Death Metal with an equally Old-School brand of Hardcore and taken the energy levels from the latter and messily transplanted them into the former. Well, the operation may have killed the patient but it’s been a success anyway.

The singer sounds like he’s going to rupture something and the guitars sound like the chainsaws haven’t had maintenance in a very long time.

The album reeks of the grave and sounds as ancient as a curse. The songs are primitive and stubbornly refuse to be anything other than what they are; there is no pretension here and the band are completely true to their decaying roots.

Check out Morbid terror; just make sure you bring clean underwear.

Interview with Boddicker

Earlier in the year Boddicker released their False Flag EP. It was like a kick to the face and really caught the attention of the authorities. I wanted to find out more so I contacted them via the underground and I’ve shared this communication below.

Since this EP they’ve released their début album Crime Upheaval, which is another short, sharp bout of violence that will surely raise their wanted status. Let’s find out what it’s all about…

Tell us a bit about the Boddicker concept – can you fly Bobby?

Clarence Boddicker is an uncompromising cold-blooded killer driven by profit and sadism. So are we.

What are your influences?

80’s UK grind and crust, old school death metal, New York, Scandinavian, and Japanese hardcore, Slap-a-ham era powerviolence, Eyehategod.

What are you listening to at the moment that you would like to recommend?

Nothing really new except for Water Torture, Teitanblood, and Vallenfyre. Right now the OCP office has been spinning 70’s Aerosmith, early At the Gates, Dark Angel, D-Clone, Machetazo, and God Macabre.

How do you feel the current Grind scene is holding up – healthy or not?

Hit or miss. There are a lot of great grind bands currently hustlin’ like Nak’ay, Archagathus, Water Torture, but at the end of the day we’d rather rob a liquor store while Repulsion’s ‘Horrified’ plays in my camaro.

You have an unusual Grind sound in that you also have a large Sludge influence. Is this something that’s intentional or did it just happen?

A little bit of both. Everyone has their own eclectic tastes, but one of the few bands we can all agree on is Eyehategod and Buzzov*en. It’s only natural that their influence made their way into our sound.

Boddicker Band What did you want to achieve with False Flag?

We wanted to curate an intense, distinctive, aggressive and memorable release. Whether or not we did that is in the eye (or ear) of the beholder.

Are you happy with how it turned out?

Overall, yes. However, we’ll be a little generic and self-serving and say that we’re overall more satisfied with ‘Crime Upheaval’. Saying that, we all firmly believe that ‘False Flag’ is a ripper.

What are the lyrics all about then?

Crime, anarchy, and spitting in the face of all authority.

What’s the meaning of the EP title?

A false flag is a covert military operation designed to deceive in such a way that the operations appear as though they are being carried out by entities, groups or nations other than those who actually planned and executed them. Collectively, we’re all interested in operations perpetuated in this manner, and felt it was a fitting EP title.

How are your songs written?

Usually after a crack binge and getting down with our favourite Napalm Death, Celtic Frost, Carnivore, Cro-Mags and Black Flag records.

How do you see your sound/direction developing in the future?

Louder, faster, and more ignorant.

What can we expect from a future album?

Well, it’s technically already out since we took a ridiculously long time to answer these questions. Pretty much more of the same, but with more succinct sounds, and more comfortable and confident songwriting. You won’t get too many surprises from Boddicker. We’re very much one-track minded individuals.

What’s next for Boddicker?

More recording, more touring, more playing, more criminal activity, more crushing the false and weak, more money, more problems.

Listen to their album below…

Rings of Saturn – Lugal Ki En (Review)

This is the third album from US band Rings of Saturn. They play Technical Deathcore.

This is hyper-technical and full of crazy time changes and enough complex riffery to send even hardened Metallers into hiding.

Rings of Saturn have an extreme Deathcore aspect to their sound that lends them that ultra-modern edge whilst retaining every single aspect of brutality that any form of Extreme Metal has. In this way they’re similar to the excellent Infant Annihilator; this is modern, complex and devastatingly heavy music.

Vaguely Electronica/Sci-fi-influenced melodies abound and stick out from the studied chaos like serrated knives ready to carve up the unwary. The band combine frenzy and precision like few others and these songs are exemplars of what happens when a clearly talented band combine Deathcore with Technical Death Metal and proto-Progressive tendencies.

The sheer mind-numbing extremity of this release is a joy to behold. Some may criticise the band for this and they may find certain aspects of the band’s sound distasteful or too fashionable, or whatever, (poor, much-maligned Deathcore), but it’s hard to care about such facile remarks when the music is this energetic and outright extreme.

My personal complaint with a lot of Deathcore, (and also Djent), is that it’s a style that lends itself to mediocrity too easily. Mediocrity is a word that could never be applied to Rings of Saturn though; love it or loathe it, Lugal Ki En is an album that is bright enough to transcend the mediocre and shine brightly with a thousand burning stars.

Me? I love it. Bring on the chaos.

Lo-Pan – Colossus (Review)

Lo-Pan are from the US and this is their fourth album of Stoner Rock.

Bursting straight out of the speakers with the kind of direct, fat riffing that lets you immediately know where their priorities lie, Lo-Pan make a noticeable entrance.

The lazy, melodic vocals recall the early 90’s where there was an embarrassment of lean, hungry vocalists filling the airwaves with choice melodies. Lo-Pan’s singer reminds me of these times and his voice is like liquid honey.

Like a joyous cross between Soundgarden and Torche; Lo-Pan give me a big happy smile and make me want to stomp around to their colossal riffs whilst grinning like a maniac.

The songs on Colossus are instant gratification and sound like they’re very much written with a live audience in mind. As such they’re high energy, catchy and have an easy rolling attitude about them.

Lo-Pan are surely the latest incarnation of the Stoner Rock gods, sent from on high to teach us lesser mortals to rock the fuck out.

So let’s do it.

Gust – Gust (Review)

Gust are from Sweden and play Hardcore. This is their second album.

This is violent and angry Hardcore that goes straight for the throat but isn’t afraid to do so in different ways.

There is a touch of the chaotic and dissonant about Gust. The band eschew the usual Hardcore clichés and generic guitar patterns and instead go for an atypical and the far more interesting take on hardcore.

As well as brutal and belligerent anger they also display a penchant for nuance in their riffing; it’s certainly not one-dimensional. There’s a creative flair at work here that makes Gust an absorbing listen.

Their riffs also have an apocalyptic feel to them and they’re almost tinged with a slight Black Metal feel as they drip with darkness and malevolent intent.

With largely short songs you’d be forgiven for thinking they were largely taken up with pure aggression; while they do have aggression in spades this is tempered by melodic walls of guitars and dynamic leads.

The end result is an album that mixes the creativity and energy of bands like Every Time I Die and Converge with the occasional slight nod to some of the extreme elements of bands like The Dillinger Escape Plan and Zao. Smother all of this in a Crusty, apocalyptic delivery and Gust are onto a winner.

A highly rewarding listen.

At Dusk – Anhedonia (Review)

At Dusk is a one-man Black Metal project from the US. This is his début album.

The album starts with an extended section of winds and Classical piano. After this it’s onto the roiling Blackness of Depressive Black Metal in full, morbid flow.

This album features 4 epic-length tracks that are full of lo-fi Black Metal with enhanced keyboard backdrops and expressive downbeat riffing. The melodies are miserably grim and the general aura is one of misanthropic darkness.

Anhedonia’s recording is distinctly underground and this fits the uncompromisingly negative nature of the music well. Fuzziness, distortion and raw Black Metal are layered with Depressive zeal to create works of near-suicidal art.

These songs are like waves of gloom on a twilight sea, ebbing and flowing with capricious vigour. They wear their bleak emotions on their sleeves and listening to At Dusk is like a constant barrage of negativity and woe. But in a good way.

Screams are buried under the blanketing cover of shadows and slash through into the light like serpentine predators.

At 1 hour in length this is a Blackened journey that leaves the listener raw, bruised and emotionally drained.

Listen to this at loud volume and with the lights turned off.