This is the debut album from Chinese progressive rock band OU.
OU have a very striking and unusual sound. Dynamic, vibrant, and atypical, One is an album made for those looking for something a bit different from their music. Continue reading “OU – One (Review)”
This is the third album from US experimental rock act Genghis Tron.
Thirteen years after their last album, and with a new drummer, (Sumac/Baptists), and singer in tow, the mighty, inimitable Genghis Tron have returned to us. Dream Weapon presents us with 46 minutes of new music, and it might not be what you’re expecting. Continue reading “Genghis Tron – Dream Weapon (Review)”
Vordemfall are a German noise rock band and this is their debut album.
Here we have 32 minutes of experimental rock, mixing elements of noise, progressive, and post-rock together into an expressive and quite thrilling collection of tracks. Continue reading “Vordemfall – Gravity Problems (Review)”
Teeth of the Sea area a UK experimental rock band and this it their fifth album.
This is my first exposure to Teeth of the Sea, but it’s a very positive one. This is a band that combine all manner of styles and ideas into their music, producing 49 minutes of material that covers experimental, psychedelic, Continue reading “Teeth of the Sea – Wraith (Review)”
Aux Era are a US experimental/progressive rock band and this is their debut album.
Here we have around 38 minutes of experimental psychedelic rock. Fusing elements of psychedelia, post-rock, progressive rock, and punk into involved and exploratory songs, this is a compelling release that’s easy to like if you’re a fan of expressive and well-developed progressive rock. Continue reading “Aux Era – Aux Era (Review)”
Big | Brave are an experimental doom band from Canada and this is their third album.
This is minimalist experimental music, expressed as vast sheets of abstract soundscapes and diligently pieced together emotional compositions. Continue reading “Big | Brave – Ardor (Review)”
Darsombra are a psychedelic drone band from the US.
Here we have some spaced out, cosmic-spanning psychedelic doom rock drone…quite a mouthful really, but one well-worth getting your chops around as Polyvision is a substantial cocktail of heady proportions. Continue reading “Darsombra – Polyvision (Review)”
The Great Curve are from the US and this is their second release. They play experimental/Progressive Rock.
The Great Curve play an interesting and richly-coloured form of Rock that involves a complex blend of technicality and emotion.
The music has a certain cinematic quality to it and could easily be viewed as a soundtrack of sorts. The tracks are synth, keyboard, strings and piano-heavy, featuring layers upon layers of instrumentation and vocalisations. This is Progressive Rock in the truest sense, sharing common ground with 70s sci-fi-influenced greats, albeit updated for the current era.
The singing on these tracks is used purely as another form of instrument that blends in with the overall musical framework. There are no “lead vocals” as you would expect from most bands, (well there are, they just blend in with the music so well). This leaves the band in the curious position of kind of being an instrumental band, but with vocals, (as odd as that sounds).
This is just one of many contradictions and juxtapositions that the band heartily embrace in order to get the sound that they have. Another example of this is that The Great Curve sound, in some ways, like a Djent band only without any of the Djent guitars. Yes, I know that also sounds odd, but it’s a strong impression; the band have the technical drumming, electronic enhancements and experimental mindset that good Djent can have, but without any of the Djent guitar riffs that mark the style so well as to make it an easily-stale sub-genre.
So, if you take a Djent band, (minus guitars), add a Devin Townsend influence, add a science-fiction-esque influence, add a touch of the instrumental, (maybe Russian Circles or Cloudkicker), wrap it up in Progressive music and frame it as a soundtrack…it’s a good start to understanding The Great Curve.
Or you can just give them a listen, which I heartily recommend.
There’s a lot to enjoy here, so much so that you’ll need a few spins to properly appreciate just how good this is. For all its initial impact, it’s definitely a grower too, like all of the best music really. Something Grand Is Dying worms its way into your head and stays there, subtly working away at its own agenda. Before you know it you’re returning to it again to revel in its sense of grandeur.
Hopefully, this grandeur isn’t dying; hopefully it’s just getting started. Hopefully, there’ll be more where this came from in the future.
Årabrot are from Norway and this is their latest EP. They play Noise-Rock.
I have no idea what’s going on in the album cover, but it’s very striking nonetheless. Combined with the name of the EP, which I love, this is something I was itching to listen to. Having never encountered Årabrot before I was unsure what to expect.
It starts off with Cannibal Manifesto, which is a dramatic spoken word performance. I’m not a fan of this kind of stuff, so this is not a good start.
However, once you get past this pointless intro track and onto the first song proper, Time to Pull the Sticks, things are looking up.
Here we have some charismatic Rock with some nice Therapy?-esque riffs and vocals that carry high performance levels.
The music is Experimental Rock that still manages to be catchy and memorable. The songs have Punk undertones and a nervous energy to them.
I hear elements of bands like Therapy? and Smashing Pumpkins mixed up with their own brand of Rock ‘n’ Roll. There’s even some Progressive Rock influences, especially on the last song It’s Hot Drop It.
Once you get past the first track, this is a very enjoyable collection of songs and is even better than I was hoping for.
Check them out.
The Von Deer Skulls have their origins in many different countries and have a suitably unusual sound to boot.
I suppose the best way to describe this band is Experimental Rock with elements of Drone, Ambient and Electronica/Industrial.
The tracks here are largely laid back, relaxed affairs. Low-key riffs and sounds move the compositions forward whilst soft vocals and gentle noises punctuate the flow.
This is relatively easy listening and the overall mood is an atmospheric one. Although I wouldn’t describe them as having a dark sound per se, it’s certainly not a bright and hopeful one either. They seem to be aiming for a slightly creepy, unnerving sound and I think they’re headed in the right direction.
The guitars are largely lo-fi but the distortion is noticeable here and there. They even approach a Rocky beat in places.
This is a good release from a band who are still finding their sound and these songs give them a good base to work from. If you enjoy this kind of Experimental Post-Rock then The Von Deer Skulls should be right up your street.
Give this band some of your time and see what you think.
Wonderbox Metal 