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Luciferian Light Orchestra are a band formed by Therion’s Christofer Johnsson. The songs performed by the band are songs that Johnsson has written over the years that he deemed too retro sounding for Therion. The full band lineup has not been released, however Christofer has announced that they are” a mix of old symphonic rock and progressive musicians, some current Therion members, one ex. Therion member and some artists from other bands. Plus some known and unknown people from Dragon Rouge giving a hand with backing vocals.” This E.P. is the follow up to the band’s self-titled debut album that was released in 2015 and was recorded and mixed by Christofer at Adulruna Studio and and mixed by Lennart Östlund (LED ZEPPELIN, ABBA) at Polar.
Founded in 2000 by Joe Tuck (world-renowned tattoo artist/musician), The Black Scorpio Underground have released numerous releases over their 16 year life. With a dedicated and expanding fan base and endorsements from the like of Watain’s Erik Danielsson and Trepaneringsritualen’s Thomas Martin Ekelund among many others, T.B.S.U. has generated an extensive catalog of releases including splits with such genre heavyweights as Richard Ramirez/Werewolf Jerusalem, The Vomit Arsonist, The Haters, Demonologists, Actuary, and Endometrium Cuntplow.
Dead Procession is a mysterious Portuguese based project who creates stark/ almost punk like take on ritual music in the gloomy drone/ambient bracket. Here we have a two CD release from the project, and it features the bands full length debut with a second disc worth of demos/ etc. The release appears on German based label Dunkelheit Produktionen, who are more known for their underground black & death metal releases.
The Invitation is a sleek, slow-burning & tension building US thriller/horror film from 2015. Here we have the 2016 triple format( DVD, blu-ray, and digital) release of the film on Drafthouse Films- who also put out the excellent release of classic ‘bad’/ ‘distinctive’ 80’s/ 90’s action film, female revenge thriller, cop film & biker movie Dangerous Men at the start of the year.
Here we have a recent duel format (DVD/ Blu-ray) reissue of one of the classic movies of the slasher genre, from the always dependable Arrow Video. The Burning appeared back in 1981, during the golden years of genre- it featuring impressive kills (courtesy of effects legend Tom Savini), a memorable & fairly distinctive killer, and a likeable cast.
I'm Already Dead Inside Anyways is a recent CDR release from Joli- the wall noise project of Jason Wolpert from Spokane, Washington. The discs takes in two lengthy slices of stark & tortuous wall craft, that are both searing yet entrancing.
Friends, gather around me: we have a rarity before us… On this day, in 2016, I am reviewing an album that does not appear to be mentioned anywhere on the internet. I hear your gasps, but regardless it’s true (or at least, I’m beaten). So, with no label details, or anything else to guide me, all I can do is seize on the brief text and suggest that ‘Dom C’ might be the same Dom C behind Faggot Front - or it might not be. These details are photocopied onto an A4 sheet, with the reverse carrying a washed-out, black and white image. This sheet was then slipped inside a jewel case, with a blank (as in, silver) CDR, and then thick tape wrapped around the whole affair. Mystery wrapped in mystery.
Zapp where a funk collective from Hamilton, Ohio. Who where a huge influence on the electro side of the funk genre, landed up been heavily sampled by West Coast hip-hop artists, and had their own distinctive take on funk. The band formed in the late 1970’s, and this new double CD reissue brings together their first three albums from between 1980 & 1983.
EmpirE is the much anticipated third album from Suffolk based Black Metallers Eastern Front. Released on the rejuvenated Cacophonous label, and recorded at HVR studios in Ipswich with producer Danny B (Lock Up and Pentagram). The album is their first with new female vocalist Marder, and features a guest performance from Cradle of Filth legend Dani Filth on ‘Crimson Mourn’.
British two-piece, Necro Deathmort, is back with its newest release, and first on Rocket Recordings, The Capsule. Taking each new release as its own, and doing whatever they feel may alienate some fans, but it helps Necro Deathmort stay true to themselves. This allows the band to craft engaging electronic pieces that can traverse many styles.
Mass Media is a C60 release from this up & coming/ prolific Serbian walled noise project. The tape appeared on Russian based noise label Reason Art Records in August of this year- it came in an edition of ten copies, and as I’ve writing the label still has copies available.
Here we have the definitive edition of Jethro Tull’s highly influential & respected fourth album Aqualung. This 1971 release saw the British band blending together folk-rock, prog-rock, and hard-rock into one of the more memorable, clever, consistent, and undated rock albums of the 1970’s.
Skyclad are one of the more creative, daring & original bands to come out of the 1990’s metal landscape. The band original appeared from the UK thrash scene, adding in straight metal & subtle folk elements to their trashing sound. But over the proceeding years the folk elements grew (along with other genre hints), as the thrash elements died back. This double CD set is an excellent overview of the bands work from between the years 1991 & 1995.
Trespasses is the startling full-length debut from the Brooklyn-via-Detroit artist Nathaniel Shannon and the Vanishing Twin. The record features fifteen tracks. These are the accumulation of nearly a decade of bedroom recordings by singer and multi-instrumentalist Nathaniel Shannon. Originally thought lost in the chaos of several breakups and subsequent moves throughout Brooklyn, Trespasses is an album that almost never was.
Picture Music was the third studio album from this highly respected & inferential German electronic music composer and synth wiz. It originally appeared back in 1974, and is seen as one of his early classic albums. Here is a 2016 CD reissue of the album, which reprints the reissued pressing from 2006.
Post-techno is a vanishing art. Not that there's a shortage of the stuff but rather its skeletal deconstructed form tends towards the compositional vanishing point. This is especially the case with the output of Kouhei Matsunaga here appearing under the NHK moniker along with fellow countryman Toshio Munehiro for a set of abstract experimental pieces bearing a tenuous relationship to what in a less cynically detached age we might have called "dance music".
Brain Tentacles is a sludge metal trio whose self titled debut album was just released in 2016. It skirts the line between the hypnotic minimalism of doom and post metal and the carefully considered angular rhythmic forms of bands like the Melvins, or Ruins.
Here’s another entry in Lurker Bias’ Neon Wall series of cassettes, though I am reviewing a digital version. Two tracks, both untitled (A and B), and both exactly 15 minutes long. The cover features two, apparently tweaked, images, abstract and indiscernible.
VHS is the second ewall-noisef release from this former bootleg VCD label from Thailand, who used to specialise in releasing Mondo and Shockumentary films from Japan and the US. Behind the Death Scenes project is once again Chawin Boonpan, who is either the solo artists behind each of the label wall-noise release, or the collaborator.
Kitty Wildenbrück is a new wall noise project from Swiss based Anto(most known for his layered & fetish based project Anonymous Masturbaudioum). 7 Volte is the projects first release, and it’s also the first release from ArchivioAudioAnonimo- which is Anto’s new wall noise label.
Spirit Mantra is a side project of Timmy Stamper, also known as Timas 23. Where Ghosts Play uses samples and synths to create not only a grim, horror filled atmosphere, but also breaks the mold by taking it light and airy. With seven tracks over forty-seven minutes, Where Ghosts Play is an exciting journey through nicely layered soundscapes.
This is the latest release by Steve Hauschildt for Kranky Records. Steve is something of a veteran of the electronic scene and has a wonderful pedigree, he is an ex-member of seminal electronic wizards Emeralds, and this is his fourth album for Kranky, and the follow up to 2015s “Where All is Fled”. Kranky describe Steve’s music as electronic kosmische enchantment, a term that both intrigues me and seems particularly appropriate.
Train Cemetery is relatively new addition to the HNW scene.This Moscow project seemingly started at some point in 2016, though so far has amassed around 20 releases- taking in tapes & digital downloads. Murum is a C90 release(which also came as a digital download), and it takes in six fairly varied though mainly set 'walls', which each hit the 15 minute mark.
Afterlife Signal is a two set C60 release from Sumbru- which is the now main focus of respected & prolific French wall artists Julien Skrobek. The releases features four half-an-hour 'walls' , and each is imbedded with a bleak, grim, yet seared vibe.