tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58841698779215615712024-01-27T02:59:17.986+01:00Natures With No Plaguesxmoonxhowlerxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15149950277567744302noreply@blogger.comBlogger250125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884169877921561571.post-50472150062736812562023-12-16T21:13:00.003+01:002023-12-16T21:13:25.107+01:00Interview: Ivan (Nikad, Clean)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Today I have the absolute pleasure of introducing you to something truly special. "Nikad" is undoubtedly the most important screamo band that rose up from Croatia (and the Balkans in general!) during the early 2000s, largely flying under the radar of a lot of people in the West. The passion and energy that they brought in their songs has always inspired awe, thus I am thankful to Ivan for taking the time to reflect on those years and talk to me about what drove the band to such greatness. Enjoy!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7sdq31gkOfWxrpe9YIzbckUIVSiXrKvPeREq9sfl3czQEe60OEM5C-DPhcXG-FmqbgUPcT5TvJ4i61f6limqqLWORZJxtftOu_h4ZaoLSAR9kFT6Jx6Lxf6VvthUJdKl2DhXyqCv5dS1c/s770/dc88565dbb4d428eaf48bb44f24ae80f.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="770" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7sdq31gkOfWxrpe9YIzbckUIVSiXrKvPeREq9sfl3czQEe60OEM5C-DPhcXG-FmqbgUPcT5TvJ4i61f6limqqLWORZJxtftOu_h4ZaoLSAR9kFT6Jx6Lxf6VvthUJdKl2DhXyqCv5dS1c/w640-h354/dc88565dbb4d428eaf48bb44f24ae80f.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><b>1. Welcome Ivan, great to have you on the blog! Please introduce yourself and the rest of Nikad.</b></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Hey Stefan, thanks for having me on your blog. My name is Ivan and I used to play guitar and sing for Nikad, together with Neven who played drums and Krešo who played bass and also sang.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>2. How and when did you first became interested in hardcore/punk?</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Unfortunately, nobody from my school, neighbourhood or my family wasn't into any kind of alternative music when I was growing up. Although, when I was still in elementary school, I was briefly introduced to some Yugoslavian new wave and punk bands (KUD Idijoti, Azra...) and some mainstream punk and alternative bands from abroad (Nirvana, Ramones, Sex Pistols...). </p><p style="text-align: justify;">But I definitely started to discover the world of punk rock when I went to high school. I remember I was seated next to a skater guy wearing Misfits t-shirt on a first day of high school. So through him and two other punk girls from my class I started to discover various bands. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Also, during that time in the early 90's, mainstream music industry started to sign a lot of alternative/hardcore/metal bands which were definitely quite influential for me (Rage Against The Machine, Helmet, Sick Of It All...). RATM were definitely a band that introduced me to radical politics.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>3. What was the state of the local underground scene back then?</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Similar to the wave of major labels signing bands that I previously mentioned, the local record company Croatia Records started it's sub-label called T.R.I.P. records which released albums from local underground bands (Hladno Pivo, Majke, Overflow...). I believe that's how punk music started to be more visible to kids in Croatia.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">And then when you dig deeper you found out there is a bunch of small underground bands that you never heard of. During the war years, there was not too many concerts, but after the war ended, somewhere in 95/96, people started to do more local punk gigs and even the bands from abroad started to visit Croatia. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Since more things started to happen, more and more kids were into it and local punk bands started to pop up all around the country and scene kind of flourished. So the scene in the second half of the 90's was really vivid and diverse. A lot of bands, fanzines, shows...</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>4. A few years prior to Nikad, all members played in a band called Clean. What can you tell me about this project?</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">We basically wanted to make a first real straight edge band in Croatia. Prior to Clean there were a couple of bands with some (or even most) members who were SxE, and a couple of those bands even had some overtly SxE lyrics (Razlog Za, My Life My Dreams,...) but to my knowledge, Clean was the first all straight edge band in Croatia and we were all vegetarians at the time.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>5. That band was vocal in support of a straight edge and vegetarian lifestyles. Do you still personally live by these ideologies?</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Some members of Clean are still SxE and vegetarian. I've been SxE and vegetarian since 1996, went vegan in 2000 and I'm still going strong for 20+ years.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>6. What sparked the decision to leave Clean and form Nikad? And what are the main differences between the two, for you personally?</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I would probably say that musical differences were crucial. Three of us wanted to do something different so we formed Nikad. There are, of course stylistic differences and the fact that Nikad was not overtly SxE band, although, during the existence of Nikad, we were all vegan and SxE.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>7. What were the biggest musical influences for Nikad at the time?</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">We were heavily influenced with all things HeartattaCk and Ebullition related. I think our biggest musical influences at the time were Portraits Of Past, Yaphet Kotto, Closure, Shotmaker, Union Of Uranus, Orchid, Swing Kids and the likes.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>8. Your demo came out in early 2001. The demo was self-released under your own label "My Favourite Records", which also previously released a mini-album for Clean. The label is still active to this day, so please tell me something more about it, what motivated this idea and how it evolved over the years.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">As most DIY labels start, we wanted to release music from our band and our friends bands. The first release was a mini CD from Clean, then we released the tape from our friends in band Essence and the last release of that period was a tour CD-R demo for Nikad. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I recently resurrected the label name when my current band Ponor released its albums so I can have something that sounds more professional than "self-released" written on the back of the cover. :D</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>9. The cover art for the demo was done by Krešo's mom and it is a piece that truly goes nicely with the band. Did she make the art specifically for you guys? What does it represent in relation to Nikad?</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLr1ttXkWbrno4V3ZQGJyjomzltogVGVCVKge-ijGPFDfH3lBIuZ-zw2CNKnb_ulPYFJo_nR0VHmpc-pxHqfYGhfSPj7qfWAyMLuJYtwFfKdJiSosf_zt3imbuPmTixEYJdGUnWuAVpCZX/s600/R-3072966-1314441020.jpeg.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLr1ttXkWbrno4V3ZQGJyjomzltogVGVCVKge-ijGPFDfH3lBIuZ-zw2CNKnb_ulPYFJo_nR0VHmpc-pxHqfYGhfSPj7qfWAyMLuJYtwFfKdJiSosf_zt3imbuPmTixEYJdGUnWuAVpCZX/w400-h400/R-3072966-1314441020.jpeg.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Krešo's mum was teaching an art class in elementary school at that time and was drawing and painting in her free time. Krešo found that painting and thought it would fit nicely as our cover art. I don't think it represents much in relation to Nikad except that it looked nice at the time. It might mean more to Krešo but he never shared that with us. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>10. What was the initial response of the local scene to Nikad? Did you guys play a lot of shows locally? Any certain other bands you were close with?</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I want to think people liked what we were doing, but I kind of believe Nikad was more appreciated locally after we disbanded. We played less than 10 shows in Croatia. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">At the time we were close with The Farewell Reason and Outre from Čakovec, Man In The Shadow from Slovenia, Analena, Usud, Chang Ffos, Amok and Senata Fox from Zagreb. Both Krešo and I also played in Senata Fox at the time. And of course, we were close with Costa's Cake House from Germany and Children Of Fall from Sweden, both which we later toured with.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>11. Already 2002. was a big year for the band. You released the self-titled LP on "Fire Walk With Me", which is a label that later put out records for bands such as The Saddest Landscape, Dominic, Van Johnson, etc. Tell me something more about this, how did you get in touch with Thomas from the label?</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">2002 was a big and final year for the band. :) Neven spent a couple of months during 1999 in Vienna studying German and he went to some shows there and met some local punks that we later became friends with (and are still friends with some of them 20 years after). </p><p style="text-align: justify;">One of them was Thomas who ran Fire Walk With Me Records and also Yummy, a skate and record store. After hearing our demo and seeing us play in Vienna couple of times, we talked about doing a full length for his label which we did. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Why he decided to invest time and money into some Yugo kids doing silly music is still beyond me, but we're all eternally thankful and grateful to him. I guess he was just a great guy overall and I'm sure Nikad probably wouldn't be the band it was without Thomas. Rest in peace dear friend.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>12. The lyrics you wrote on almost all the releases are powerful in their simplicity, but together with the instruments they manage to tell quite a tale. What inspires you the most when writing and how do you personally craft this "less is more" style? Is it something that you consciously aim for or is it simply the way you write?</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Since English is not our primary language, we were trying to be brief, make some points and be poetic at the same time. In addition to that, our songs were quite short so we couldn't fit more lyrics even if we wanted to.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>13. There's a sample quote from the movie "City of Angels" in the song "This Letter Says". Is there any specific connection between the two?</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">That is a typical song about lost love and hearts being broken. I thing Krešo came up with that sample and it fit the mood and lyrics nicely.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>14. You also recorded an amazing cover of "Hidden Wheel" by Rites of Spring. Any particular reason you chose this song? Were there any other runner-up covers that didn't make it to the LP?</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Besides being influenced by the current bands at the time, we were all fans of the late 80's emo and Dischord stuff from that era. Even today, I would say that Fugazi is the best band ever, and huge infuluence to my music taste, politics and worldview. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">We were considering doing a cover from one of the bands from that era and eventually went with Rites Of Spring. I think it also has to do with knowing that Thomas, who was about to release the record, was also a big fan of the band. :)</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>15. The same year you joined forces with Children of Fall with who you released a split titled "Four Symptomatic Poems Of A World Gone Insane". Tell me something more about this collaboration.</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiohdvYdPElH16Dj9qNZgstuUNus5Vx_51Fgz7XaGqs3ORJWcr-KlQ7oxV-0reNktSJ-eAGUB9w5oit_0bqB9Id0kPZkr5lEDUkE2WbehHrlrLnwWTHvOM9PI27bzyl6NnntFh8TzIoWdl/s600/R-2561834-1311687693.jpeg.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiohdvYdPElH16Dj9qNZgstuUNus5Vx_51Fgz7XaGqs3ORJWcr-KlQ7oxV-0reNktSJ-eAGUB9w5oit_0bqB9Id0kPZkr5lEDUkE2WbehHrlrLnwWTHvOM9PI27bzyl6NnntFh8TzIoWdl/w400-h400/R-2561834-1311687693.jpeg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Those two songs were from the same recording session as the album. We knew we would tour wit COF and decided to do a split 7" together. Due to some unforeseen circumstances it ended up being a split CD and not 7", which was kind of a bummer but it had to be done at the time.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>16. There's an interesting piece of text on that split, in short, about bands coming from less privileged countries and whether or not they get equal treatment. What sparked this essay and who wrote it? And did you ever feel this on your skin, seeing as how you are coming from the Balkans that were engulfed in war just a few years prior?</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I can't really remember who exactly wrote the text, but I'm sure it was one of the COF guys. We were not too concerned with that matter, but it is the fact that most modern music after WWII onward is Western-centric and mostly sang in English and for that matter band from different parts of the globe (South America, Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa...) just didn't have the same treatment.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>17. On a similar topic of the text on the split, there's this mood circling around Nikad that you guys would have been a much more popular band if you were from the "west". Realistically, you could easily stand shoulder to shoulder next to Orchid or Yaphet Kotto. What does it even mean to be a popular screamo band? And does it even matter to you? Are you happy with the noise your band managed to create?</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I really don't know what would "popular screamo band" mean. We were never bothered with anything but playing the music we liked and hanging out with like minded people. The opportunity to travel around playing shows and having our music released in physical format was just a bonus. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Of course, it is always flattering to find out that someone liked what we were doing, but it was never our intention to be popular or whatever. But I still do like the music we did and I'm quite proud what we achieved considering we had no clue what we were doing. :D</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>18. If I remember well, you played a show in Switzerland with Children of Fall, was this part of a larger tour? There are also two live recordings from France, which can be found on the "Spiruline: Quelques Traces..." compilation. How often did you manage to play shows outside of Croatia?</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">It turned out we played more shows abroad than in Croatia. The main reason is that we went on two European tours, one was a 12 day tour with Costa's Cake House and another one being a mammoth, 41 day, destined to doom, tour with Childeren Of Fall.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>19. If Nikad could do a split with any band that was active at the same time, which one would you choose and why?</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">We had a plan to do a split 7" with Costa's Cake House contributing one original track each and one cover track of each others band, but that never saw the light of the day. CCH eventualy did a Nikad cover that is included on vinyl version of their 555 album.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I also wish that split with COF was released on vinyl as it was intended.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">And if I could choose any active band at that time, I think a split with Yaphet Kotto would be nice. :D</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>20. Looking back at your time with the band, would you do anything differently?</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Not really, I'm satisfied how the things worked out. A lot of nice memories and a lot of life lessons.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>21. What was your most memorable Nikad moment?</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Uh, that's a hard one... Being able to meet wonderful people all around Europe, seeing places I would probably never visit otherwise, holding the LP in our hands for the first time...</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>22. When did your last show take place? And what prompted the band to end afterwards?</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Our last show was on June 6th, 2002 at Wommyn Not Chicks Fest in Vienna. That room in EKH was filled with friendly faces and was quite an emotional experience. We decided a couple of months earlier that we'll play the last couple of shows and end the story with Nikad, mostly due to personal reasons.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>23. Probably the most important question in this interview, how does it actually feel to be ran over by a Volvo?</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">It feels exactly how that song sounds like. :) We decided to keep that rumbling, driving song as an instrumental and partly name it after the Volvo GL240 that Neven's father let us borrow when we needed a ride.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>24. What have you been doing nowadays, 20 years after Nikad? Do you have any future band plans?</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I've never stopped playing in band all these years. After Nikad disbanded, we continued with Senata Fox all the way until 2014. In 2003 I joined Amok and after Amok broke up, we formed Ponor which is still going on. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Neven went to play drums in Radio Free Isaac, and when they disbanded he played piano in Don't Mess With Texas and later again drums in Storms. He had a brief stint as a drummer for a local mainstream emo punk band Kinoklub.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3km4ftNbbvZjSL7eLvLFxYq9nYJ5cYFgYHSWrxSS1Ht_m033We6vofhbSlk-piG6Kpd6kCA97AFw3u7y5uKRd0eu2cN1MuP6l6t21OP2DsNbwQiD1Uz5oqDlTIqH8hUxl1sxaOL8ktD6t/s518/new.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="518" data-original-width="398" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3km4ftNbbvZjSL7eLvLFxYq9nYJ5cYFgYHSWrxSS1Ht_m033We6vofhbSlk-piG6Kpd6kCA97AFw3u7y5uKRd0eu2cN1MuP6l6t21OP2DsNbwQiD1Uz5oqDlTIqH8hUxl1sxaOL8ktD6t/w308-h400/new.JPG" width="308" /></a></div>After Krešo left Senata Fox in 2003, he quit playing music. Although I think he recently started to jam again with people from The Farewell Reason. Hopefully they'll write some new music together.<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>25. What are your current favorite bands? What about all-time favorites?<br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">My musical taste is quite eclectic and I listen to everything from easy listening electronica to most primitive death metal and grind. My favorite bands at the moment are Wrong, Tame Impala, Maniac, Gouge Away, Sect, Mannequin Pussy, Caribou, Burial, Gulch, the list goes on...</p><p style="text-align: justify;">My all time favorites are Fugazi, Helmet, Coalesce, Shotmaker, Union Of Uranus, The Promise Ring, Rage Against The Machine, KUD Idijoti, Earth Crisis, Snapcase, Integrity, Minor Threat, Los Crudos, Strain...</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>26. Time for you to ask a question!</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I'm just here for an interview, no questions asked. :D</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>27. All things come to an end... Do you have any final message to the readers?</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Thank you Stefan for showing interest in Nikad and doing this interview. Dear readers - be kind, stay punk and go vegan. ;)</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>###</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Disclaimer:</b> This interview was done way back in April 2021, but has stayed in my drafts due to reasons unknown. It coincided with the interview I did with Johan (Mihai Edrisch/Celeste), a rather big milestone for the blog, and I rode that high into oblivion basically. Thanks again to Ivan for the patience. </p>xmoonxhowlerxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15149950277567744302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884169877921561571.post-83889580585461937012023-05-24T20:30:00.000+02:002023-05-24T20:30:18.897+02:00Gig review: Nadja, Elin Piel<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>For the hundredth time, I've entered a bit of a lull period with posting things. Life has been extremely difficult in the past few months and what little energy was left to spare was used on other things. Which is somewhat sad, since I've attended a few great concerts (Wolves In The Throne Room and Godspeed You! Black Emperor, to name a few) and simply didn't have the willpower to write about. C'est la vie! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtzHNMVtIdishEab1YRHOw41wI_HUbjiL45CSbSW-8bgONIAMcH86cJ5AZp5kz4ikZ-oK-QjXB3rPTHvqu65XKmTqEyrpAxJZx7w0oRBZvmgH9kSOV-RPNGU05TtQ7uEZlfVi3BjZe1FZv6I9guwXpVMHz_klJ5ZBtWxOPbskuwduRw-SrsB0loBna4A/s2048/345444488_1656634078175889_724089451556122111_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1448" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtzHNMVtIdishEab1YRHOw41wI_HUbjiL45CSbSW-8bgONIAMcH86cJ5AZp5kz4ikZ-oK-QjXB3rPTHvqu65XKmTqEyrpAxJZx7w0oRBZvmgH9kSOV-RPNGU05TtQ7uEZlfVi3BjZe1FZv6I9guwXpVMHz_klJ5ZBtWxOPbskuwduRw-SrsB0loBna4A/w453-h640/345444488_1656634078175889_724089451556122111_n.jpg" width="453" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Tour poster taken from Nadja facebook page, found <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LuvNadja" target="_blank">here</a></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The concert took place yesterday evening, namely 23rd of May 2023, at a venue called Oceanen in Gothenburg, Sweden. Never been to this locale before, but I must say that the choice was superb for this kind of event. Getting to the back side of the building through a cafe garden leads you to tiny half glass, half wooden entry hall which takes you to the room with a bar and a small stage at the far end. Usually I find drone and noise concerts to be a bit extra demanding on the venue and its acoustics, since if the location is not up to the task it could be quite detrimental to the experience, even more so than compared to the regular strings/drums/vocals acts. Oceanen managed to pull its weight and proved to be an excellent host for the occasion, with truly great containment of sound and a miniscule addition of its own tones which actually contributed to the whole experience. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>Elin Piel</b> was the first to take the stage, standing in front of a small table filled to the brim with synthesizer electronics. I was instantly hooked to the sound as the venue was slowly flooded by gentle tones quickly transforming into a harsh, pulsating wall of noise. The said harshness and crackling was brought to extremes, swallowing the crowd, but periodically broken by calming blips in a sea of noise. Just when you think that the sound is on its way to become even more aggressive and nigh unbearable, it slowly swings into a kind of relaxing and almost meditative binaural blip therapy. In my mind, the entire session was a sort of a clash between this truly heavy, industrial-like monstrosity being wrapped in an innocent, nature-infused gentleness. A big part of the whole experience was witnessing how Elin shapes the soundscape, a constant moving of hands which were manipulating buttons, knobs, plugging and unplugging and rearranging the cables, swinging between the two opposites of sound. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> This part of the evening</span> was a complete surprise to me and truly wonderful at that. I'm excited that Elin actually lives in Gothenburg, so hopefully some time in the near future I'll be able to attend another show. Definite recommendation to anyone reading this to check out Elin's work, which can be done on bandcamp <a href="https://elinpiel.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">here</a>. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ4LZf9_qpahMffw5qrENwKIC13ez6g04AzPOk0WeBtuGLARijGb4k-naZeAsELUhyL84fLqzdIaBHcczBzBfvIoLGCAcgDF1yOO-9UWTzVjqH-fXWUB6EzIRxh232hlJBJtRGhVRHY6qFtAmhPd2E9U8R98eA_KhsbIvzDhH9H8sViw1H-3slRSYp2g/s4000/IMG_20230523_211813.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ4LZf9_qpahMffw5qrENwKIC13ez6g04AzPOk0WeBtuGLARijGb4k-naZeAsELUhyL84fLqzdIaBHcczBzBfvIoLGCAcgDF1yOO-9UWTzVjqH-fXWUB6EzIRxh232hlJBJtRGhVRHY6qFtAmhPd2E9U8R98eA_KhsbIvzDhH9H8sViw1H-3slRSYp2g/w640-h480/IMG_20230523_211813.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Nadja</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Ah, <b>Nadja</b>. It actually took me several deep breaths and a few minutes of contemplation to actually come up with words that will open this following paragraph. Nadja is simply one of those projects which radiate a specific kind of energy and demand a certain type of respect from the listener. Personally, I am amazed and in utter awe of long running projects which never seem to slow down their pace and in fact become more and more brilliant over time. I get similar emotions about "Envy", who bring a tear to my eye when I consider their endurance and influence on the screamo genre as a whole, about which I wrote <a href="https://natureswithnoplagues.blogspot.com/2022/10/gig-review-envy-bossk.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Or, in a different genre, when I think of "Thou", a band with so much passion infused with inexplicable quantities of hard work and dedication to their craft for almost 20 years straight. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Simply put, Nadja is exactly like that in their field of music. They've been creating their soundscapes ever since 2003. and have never stopped to amaze with their process of two decades of metamorphosis. Pushing the boundaries with every release, year after year of experimentation and developing their craft, they've become more marvelous with each of their steps. Even if you are not familiar with the entirety of their career, simply knowing a small amount of their repertoire and history is bound to produce a certain kind of awe in you, if anything by the sheer volume of work put into their music. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>And frankly, that being said, reviewing their live performance is rather pointless and almost dull, in comparison to the actual experience one gets on their shows. There's just this special something that Aidan and Leah do with their sound that is so powerful and beautiful, but so maddeningly indescribable and fleeting. The second they went on stage, that aforementioned power was undeniably present and the sound which they unleashed instantly had that special Nadja ingredient. The sheer amount of deafening and nigh violent audio was overwhelming, but at the same time soothing and self-reflective, both quirks so unmistakably Nadja. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I saw them perform once before and back then I remember the drum machine was not used extensively. Now however, it seemed like an integral part in the soundscape which they were weaving and it somehow gave them a little bit of steady ground, making them a step closer to resembling a metal band, and I use this term extremely lightly. Trust me when I say that there is absolutely nothing standard or conventional about Nadja's music, instead I am merely referring to the overall structure that the use of drums adds to their song structure. Their entire performance was fused into one huge maelstrom of sound with the drums as the only solid, unmoving part. Above that loomed Leah's bass which was this omnipresent force that absolutely dictated the mood and setting of a particular section. The way she manages to mutate the ambiance and somehow grasp the entirety of the band in order to control the boundaries of what is happening is astounding. And then, amidst all that chaos comes Aidan's guitar which fights all this turmoil and sends out shockwaves of strings played in a variety of ways, tempos, and rhythms. The vastness of sound constantly remained on the highest of levels, while the groove of its message fluctuated, forming islands of well structured segments in a sea of turmoil. As you are listening it feels like you can get lost or it can easily slip into being "too much", but a solid anchor of the whole performance is the accompanying video collage running <i>over</i> the band.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>As briefly mentioned, I previously saw Nadja live way back in 2011 in Serbia, alongside Ghone*, and reading that gig review (which you can check out <a href="https://natureswithnoplagues.blogspot.com/2011/11/gig-review-ghone-aidan-baker-nadja.html" target="_blank">here</a>) I can't help but notice how perfectly that blog entry and this new one align. The craftsmanship of Nadja absolutely evolved over time, undeniably so, but the brilliance and awe which they leave you with is all too intangible for a review and must be experienced first hand in order to understand what these words of mine are trying to describe. Even if this type of music is not your cup of tea, you need to give it a chance because it is bound to leave you speechless. Until next time... take care everyone. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">*remember Ghone? In 2019 I <a href="https://natureswithnoplagues.blogspot.com/2019/11/showcase-ghone.html" target="_blank">showcased</a> his entire discography, which was also followed up by an <a href="https://natureswithnoplagues.blogspot.com/2019/11/interview-ghone.html" target="_blank">interview</a>.</div>xmoonxhowlerxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15149950277567744302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884169877921561571.post-47286893019056144352022-10-31T21:49:00.000+01:002022-10-31T21:49:59.022+01:00Gig review: Elder, Pallbearer<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq4aur0vUqErERtDbDlJuLZt6BPJGsqeBm7zqPTcTmxYaF0XcfuJ7O0fL28x73gUhfMdQJQhdPMvXAU_xF0RobqAiT7w3pA6iKISsnZpt7Ad1ADaWowDjDnyR2mrlMhr_6mL3JT4qIYsycydN8e2roBu_HDJvK--XHhj08wvUUblpN5udE9Me9xrWhjg/s1674/tadc-pe-web.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1674" data-original-width="1200" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq4aur0vUqErERtDbDlJuLZt6BPJGsqeBm7zqPTcTmxYaF0XcfuJ7O0fL28x73gUhfMdQJQhdPMvXAU_xF0RobqAiT7w3pA6iKISsnZpt7Ad1ADaWowDjDnyR2mrlMhr_6mL3JT4qIYsycydN8e2roBu_HDJvK--XHhj08wvUUblpN5udE9Me9xrWhjg/s600/tadc-pe-web.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taken from the show organizer, found <a href="https://tadc.se/" target="_blank">here</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Oh man, here we go again. This show happened immediately the next day after "Envy" and I seriously needed some time to collect my thoughts. Two exceptional shows in two days is not something neither my mind nor my heart can handle anymore. October was glorious.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>As you can see on the concert poster, the event was held on the 26th October 2022 in Gothenburg, Sweden at the venue called Pustervik. I've so far listened to quite a few bands at this place, most notably "Neurosis"/"Author & Punisher" back in 2017, which sadly I haven't covered on the blog, and the "Cult of Luna"/"Brutus" show which was written about <a href="https://natureswithnoplagues.blogspot.com/2019/10/gig-review-cult-of-luna-brutus.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>"<b>Irist</b>" opened the gig that evening, but sadly I missed them completely due to a botched "let's meet up for pizza before the show" gathering with friends. I truly hate when that happens, but life throws you curveballs like that some times. Sorry to "Irist", I'll make sure to catch you the next time around.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrFANKSkmzMmV7JNm5DvBD7QodVXVGyp-d0J8orETnIiWfi8wcUaSeWqrZr16ba2tYIrqgI6T8oMO_uGY1Rhn2Z7AUV9tlc2875SN1oXJg7A_2RcriioioEmABdc_fANaF6a55C-PPLRxqWjbOdJrG3dbS9eYubWNX5wkptKhH7_XCkGmj20zgUmnmhQ/s4000/IMG_20221026_205445.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrFANKSkmzMmV7JNm5DvBD7QodVXVGyp-d0J8orETnIiWfi8wcUaSeWqrZr16ba2tYIrqgI6T8oMO_uGY1Rhn2Z7AUV9tlc2875SN1oXJg7A_2RcriioioEmABdc_fANaF6a55C-PPLRxqWjbOdJrG3dbS9eYubWNX5wkptKhH7_XCkGmj20zgUmnmhQ/w640-h480/IMG_20221026_205445.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pallbearer</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>"<b>Pallbearer</b>" was the first opening act for my fellowship and myself. In all honesty, they weren't so keen on attending this part of the concert either, but I kept insisting on it to the point where I was probably quite annoying so they gave in. In the end I'm happy that I kept pushing them, because I was rather mind blown by the end of their set.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The doom metal quartet hit the scene way back in 2008, but it wasn't until 2012 that I personally heard their music, which back then came in the form of the "Sorrow and Extinction" release. It boggles my mind that 10 years have passed since that album... Time flies when you're having fun, since that record became a sort of golden standard for me when it comes to this particular genre. I've always been easy to fall for various doom metal bands and albums, but "Sorrow and Extinction" had that truly special something that elevated it from all the rest. It harbors a unique intricacy in its sound that urges you to keep on exploring it and it resulted in me coming back to it over and over again, each time discovering a little tidbit that will make me want to revisit once more. To my utmost pleasant surprise, they continued this through the other releases as well, especially "Foundations of Burden" which I also thoroughly adore.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>And indeed, the full range of these merits of sound came into full bloom during their live performance in Pustervik. A towering wall of music showcasing expert craftmanship of sound-scaping, "Pallbearer" weave an epic narrative with every note, the singer's nigh angelic voice followed by a monstrous entourage of instruments. The band absolutely picked up a fitting name, since visually they do sound like you are witnessing a funerary procession of some great cosmic entity. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>They don't shy away from writing songs that are 10 minutes or beyond in length, but what is truly amazing with their style is that they take that time to slowly build up the said narrative. It's a steady, droning progress with so much room given to the listener to enjoy and pay attention to all the minute details, the newly added notes to the melody or interesting pitch changes. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I realize now that this gig review reads more like an album review, but I feel like this speaks volumes to the capabilities of this band. It simply felt like listening to them in as high quality as on their recordings, but magnified a thousand fold in grandeur and enjoyment. I was insanely thrilled that they played the legendary "Foreigner", first song off of "Sorrow and Extinction" which instantly took me back 10 years into the past, as well as "Caledonia" which is my current favorite from their latest 2020 "Forgotten Days" release.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Hopefully this made you want to check the band out, which you can do on their website <a href="https://www.pallbearerdoom.com/" target="_blank">here</a> or support them directly via their patreon page found <a href="https://www.patreon.com/pallbearer" target="_blank">here</a>. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf203cxhEJK7Px36wal9YZ4629_QwVZmKgb-p72TDjWCf0ubEhR_MOt9cOlijekQ7Ent-LbeYwLDPspLVtxhAMRLLztKoz7RG4a7zk5V062gLQJdJOZ-qTz_4VoG6UfSmS7EWwInx4nS09IAAmJ_XKBDARw6XeDPqzb5lqpCWlW_ts4OtlNENuuDkoGw/s4000/IMG_20221026_215351.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf203cxhEJK7Px36wal9YZ4629_QwVZmKgb-p72TDjWCf0ubEhR_MOt9cOlijekQ7Ent-LbeYwLDPspLVtxhAMRLLztKoz7RG4a7zk5V062gLQJdJOZ-qTz_4VoG6UfSmS7EWwInx4nS09IAAmJ_XKBDARw6XeDPqzb5lqpCWlW_ts4OtlNENuuDkoGw/w640-h480/IMG_20221026_215351.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Elder</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>A short break later and "<b>Elder</b>" kicked it off in a fashion only they know how to pull off. I've already seen this US-based quartet perform back in 2018 which was arguably my favorite concert that year, sadly undocumented. On both these occasions there has been a lot of hype about attending, since several friends of mine, and myself included, swear by them when it comes to live shows. They know how to pack a punch and make their performances a wild and entertaining ride. But I'm getting ahead of myself a bit...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The band has been kicking ass and taking names since 2006, but they've largely flown under my radar up until 2011, mostly due to my own "fault" since those years I've been fully consumed by screamo and discovering more bands there than I could properly digest. But 2011 saw the release of "Dead Roots Stirring" and, man alive, was that a massive sucker punch! Funnily enough, I thought that this release was a record from the screamo band "<a href="https://elderphilly.bandcamp.com/music" target="_blank">Elder</a>" (active from 2008 to 2009, which released the album "Reflect"), so hearing "Dead Roots Stirring" can be contributed to a destined mistake. Truly a happy chance.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>By now, that album has climbed legendary heights in my mind. It dishes out an amazing fuzz-induced progressive metal wrapped in a delicious <span style="text-align: left;">psychedelic </span>coating of stoner goodness. Over time, the band progressed a bit farther from their crunchy, distorted sounds into a more clean and pristine version, but also ramping up the epicness of their melodies into literal space. In several reviews I saw them being tagged with "space rock" and I can definitely see why. On a surface level, their writing style is sometimes chaotic and it feels like a 10 minute song actually has four different songs packed together, all with vastly different melodies, pacing, and riff construction. But once you actually delve deeper into their sound, you notice how all these tunes are masterfully entwined and go perfectly hand in hand with each other. That is where the beauty of "Elder" shows for me, the vastness and infinite possibility of sound.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Quite literally, their performances do seem like a voyage through space and time. Buckle up because they won't leave you time to breathe. A rushing melody with an intense solo can instantly drop and change pace, an atmospheric tune can take a sharp turn to a rising wall of sound chased by a crazy up-front drum section, you simply can't rest with these guys. Fast or slow, thrilling or sluggish, they take you on a sonic adventure which you don't want to stop. I vividly remember in 2018 when they played "The Falling Veil", a song that has to be one of the most thrilling metal experiences when viewed from the crowd.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>This time around the attendees were blessed with songs such as "Compendium", the titular "Dead Roots Stirring", "Sanctuary", and the amazing "Halcyon" which became my new live favorite from "Elder". In case you don't know any of these songs, you can check them out on bandcamp <a href="https://beholdtheelder.bandcamp.com/music" target="_blank">here</a> or check out the band's website found <a href="https://beholdtheelder.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The thing that resonated quite clearly for me near the end of that evening is that these two bands go hand in hand together. They are two perfectly complementary bands for one another, similar yet utterly unique at the same time. While with "Pallbearer" you can focus on the subtle changes in music and the developing of narrative, with "Elder" you just let them guide you and there is no clue where they will take you. Rare are the occasions where touring bands fit so well together and this is something that I most definitely must applaud.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>That's all for now folks, I hope you enjoyed the read. Stick around, many fun things approach!</div></div>xmoonxhowlerxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15149950277567744302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884169877921561571.post-68864114267046763562022-10-27T20:03:00.000+02:002022-10-27T20:03:04.927+02:00Gig review: Envy, Bossk<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhey9A58oWF3_JvAhqqwPLDBg7SBfKx6TOWQ--dsmQEQowO9EygFmk9jjQIiMhGNvegYRfXNbItl4CsqQYLEnT5vLsBPfy72tJ-50J4XH8vZU5Z7k0KXmF_FqkJTTUJshXk8xxwIO1i_CcSJv02rs0P0YVxjTscByTJMuOZO4o0GGyrEymFTkYlRoVI_Q/s1259/1647519935.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1259" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhey9A58oWF3_JvAhqqwPLDBg7SBfKx6TOWQ--dsmQEQowO9EygFmk9jjQIiMhGNvegYRfXNbItl4CsqQYLEnT5vLsBPfy72tJ-50J4XH8vZU5Z7k0KXmF_FqkJTTUJshXk8xxwIO1i_CcSJv02rs0P0YVxjTscByTJMuOZO4o0GGyrEymFTkYlRoVI_Q/w458-h640/1647519935.jpeg" width="458" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taken from the official Envy website, found <a href="https://envybandofficial.com/" target="_blank">here</a></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>One month, two important bands (three if you count the review which will soon follow this one). I could say that I am at a loss for words, but seeing how this prelude is probably going to be followed by a wall of text, I'd be misleading you. Let's just dive into this! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>This magnificent spectacle took place on a gloomy evening, October 25th, at Musikens Hus in Gothenburg, Sweden. I've already attended a concert in this venue on one previous occasion when "Draconian", "Harakiri For The Sky", and "Rome" performed back in 2018, a performance which sadly went undocumented by yours truly. By now I can safely say that I find the venue quite lovely, small enough to be nice and cozy, but also spacious enough to host a vast number of people without everyone being crammed together too tightly. A small flight of stairs takes you to a wardrobe and a space for a big merch table and then one more set of stairs leads you to the actual gig space with a big stage and a bar, lined with chairs at the far left and right ends of the hall. The acoustics of the venue are superb, so far proving the ability to respect a plethora of different sounds, coming from both mellow acoustic tunes of "Rome" and absolute chaos wrought by "Envy". Musikens Hus definitely lives up to its name.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLAJMr_K4bx9CY4aAu9OcAUjfOgUXDQK_IX6sOUalUorEkTuFfWDKjwO2njr80hKFTyT6_Z6Nma8iNSfDkIpabCP5nVwV-jKKbbf5lrdo7Udj3mmTjRNITPccPPpLCQFySYb30NWBbmYIGt2ArqYOnBixM5eT6EtSVtJrD-pXiCzzuyeI_RR_smVKg1Q/s4000/IMG_20221025_195123.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLAJMr_K4bx9CY4aAu9OcAUjfOgUXDQK_IX6sOUalUorEkTuFfWDKjwO2njr80hKFTyT6_Z6Nma8iNSfDkIpabCP5nVwV-jKKbbf5lrdo7Udj3mmTjRNITPccPPpLCQFySYb30NWBbmYIGt2ArqYOnBixM5eT6EtSVtJrD-pXiCzzuyeI_RR_smVKg1Q/w640-h480/IMG_20221025_195123.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bossk<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>First in line for the evening were "<b>Bossk</b>". This UK-based quintet has been killing it ever since their formation in 2005, with numerous releases, music videos, and literally hundreds of live shows to boot. During this time they have continually kept playing to their strengths, dishing out an impressive post-metal/sludge amalgamation, which is all the more powerful when witnessed live. If you want the epitome of "massive", then this band is undoubtedly for you. Wave after wave of heavy riffs, moody bridges, droning swampy tunes which are at times reminiscent of good old "Crowbar", but then also at times refreshed by groovy stoner rhythms, the plate of soundscapes that you're served with is truly diverse, but all neatly packaged. This whole packet lays lumbering when listening live and it is hard to explain just how it feels when their enormous crescendos fall down and just completely flood over you. My own mistake was that I haven't listened to them prior to the gig in ages, so most of the played songs sounded rather unfamiliar to me, so I just tuned my brain out and enjoyed the show. Definitely go and see them live if you have the chance and, in case you haven't already, you can check them out on their bandcamp page, found <a href="https://bosskband.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>A short break ensued, just enough time to get a breather and a sip of liquid... and a burning sensation in the chest. Even though I was laughing and talking on the outside, there was some turmoil on the inside. A sense of positive anxiety that crept up on me. After so many years of waiting, almost two decades, they were coming, they were finally here, and I had no idea if I was ready. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhroibF19GSObvGiWGoeDaXr7l2Fsa1jVolQACU3T4s9fP_gKcZIh9vOTkYx51iYJteOecOe9OmgeRnMK9aRIc2myuWL-z5tWuWCgJpOiFplTsioIuhLqXoPQH2gesRfuaLQSGk1x7npS9QIs_-v2rT-u6vkfz2wlArwwiFcnWGndENJJRVrR-AlJQ4Ww/s4000/IMG_20221025_211146.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhroibF19GSObvGiWGoeDaXr7l2Fsa1jVolQACU3T4s9fP_gKcZIh9vOTkYx51iYJteOecOe9OmgeRnMK9aRIc2myuWL-z5tWuWCgJpOiFplTsioIuhLqXoPQH2gesRfuaLQSGk1x7npS9QIs_-v2rT-u6vkfz2wlArwwiFcnWGndENJJRVrR-AlJQ4Ww/w640-h480/IMG_20221025_211146.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Envy</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>"<b>Envy</b>". That is all the introduction they need. Simply by uttering their name you invoke a tenure and legacy spanning 30 years, three decades of genre-pushing recordings, international live shows, collaborations with so many other artists of various genres, a seed planted heavily in the post-hardcore genre that never could and never will be underestimated. Their vigor and persistence has arguably granted them the title of the longest active screamo act, hitting the Japanese scene in 1992 and not stopping for a second ever since, a fact that will leave many other important names envious. How fitting. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>To put it in my own personal perspective, "Envy" started playing when I was 5 years old... This blows my mind on so many levels. It was not until 2003 and the release of "A Dead Sinking Story" that I first heard of them, almost by accident since that release was randomly added to a burnt DVD compilation of hardcore bands my older brother made for me. I clearly remember the evening at home when I browsed the compilation and saw a folder named "Envy", the name catching my attention instantly. From the very first second of "Chain Wandering Deeply" I was captivated beyond comprehension, the song remaining one of my all time favorites to this very day. Still it represents an iconic monument of sound that is above anything I ever heard of at that point. The enormity of the soundscape, an inescapable feeling of vastness and melancholy, the sheer talent displayed with every tone and word, it completely obliterated me and hooked me for life.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>"Envy" is the same today, bearing the same qualities, the sum of all their individual magnificence, but it would be insulting not to say how much they grew and changed over the years. They always represented progress within the post-hardcore/screamo scene with their exceptional fusion with post-rock, yet it is impressive how much they have evolved while also remaining true to their sound and their roots. The accent is put on those epic post-rock melodies that are worthy of being a movie soundtrack, but with no shortage of the chaos and emotional impact that was omnipresent in their earlier works. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>And after so many paragraphs of praise and "basic" introduction, how do I even describe their concert in Musikens Hus that night? It would be an understatement to say that it was emotional for me. They were there, in front of me, a band so important to the developing of my own musical tastes and education, one that I never imagined I would see live. The first tones flooding from the stage opened a portal and the first words from Tetsuya Fukagawa pushed me through and I was back in my room in 2003 hearing them for the first time, the lyrics I heard back then echoing in my mind again. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"We are accustomed to the habit of waiting so much..." </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>But the wait was worth it in the end. They exploded on stage with "Footsteps in the Distance", later with "Statement of Freedom", "Two Isolated Souls", "Swaying Leaves and Scattering Breath" and so on. I couldn't believe how insanely good they sound live, definitely being an example of a band you love to listen to at home, but are even more so enamored with when seen live. The songs impactful and loud, right at the tipping point where they are perfectly clear, but also so massive that you are absolutely consumed by them. The band's physical performance was entrancing, the swaying and dancing and being one with the music, being unable to look away as a spectator and just completely giving in to the spectacle. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>At some point in their performance they played an unreleased song which is set for release on November 9th, which was a beautiful cherry on top of the whole event. It is unreal to me that they keep being so creative after three decades of work, never shying away from the chance to impress, never losing a milligram of passion and dedication. The song was a wonderful teaser of some grander thing "Envy" has in store for us and it makes me excited of what is yet to come. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="359" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8SDcavClUas" width="432" youtube-src-id="8SDcavClUas"></iframe></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Nearing the end of the set they performed "Farewell to Words" from their 2001 release "All the Footprints You've Ever Left and the Fear Expecting Ahead", beautifully going full circle with the showcase of their discography, the song a thrilling and chaotic homage to the band's beginning. Ending with a maddening crescendo the crowd was craving more, thus we were gifted with one more song, "A Warm Room", and a promise that they will be back to Sweden in the future.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>If somehow you never heard of "Envy", you can listen to them on their bandcamp page, found <a href="https://envy.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">here</a>. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>So what to say at the end of it all? It is my impression that I've become a lot more emotional in my reviews lately, as well as with my overall experience and recognition of music. This blog has always been a diary of sorts, but it has become even more so after the <a href="https://natureswithnoplagues.blogspot.com/2019/11/gig-review-jeromes-dream.html" target="_blank">Jeromes Dream review</a> back in 2019 and the overall self-reflection and contemplation in the years slightly before and during the pandemic. Life, in general, has been extremely difficult for the past 20 years, but as cliché as it might sound, music has always been there to pull me through, and it is remarkable to me that the older I get the more opportunities I get to make many of my dreams come true, both personal and musical ones. After so many years of struggling, I have found my "warm room", a place where I can breathe and flourish, and surely "Envy" has finally become one of those materialized dreams. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> "I see the end now. Let's go home."</i></div>xmoonxhowlerxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15149950277567744302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884169877921561571.post-2974332588426486672022-09-28T18:31:00.019+02:002022-09-28T18:39:39.238+02:00Gig review: Suffocate For Fuck Sake, Young Mountain, Nathan Aeli<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQZ8qwlBbBB0OXsRVKfYgSsCOMvsrCVmIZrzrbnkTtkAmCYn267UEnTq80AGGQjUUE9INV7cftiMNYdamiPWtzgYtIMh0yoWzSxMvl_P0eq80udgxPFCAEEwlpY1QDYtlWmuy3wQXK7vum_E1UgtzuFYdj0QHqlXtMIPs9LYgyT-H-Hp9C1PLa2DwgCw/s885/Screenshot_20220927-122214_Instagram.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="885" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQZ8qwlBbBB0OXsRVKfYgSsCOMvsrCVmIZrzrbnkTtkAmCYn267UEnTq80AGGQjUUE9INV7cftiMNYdamiPWtzgYtIMh0yoWzSxMvl_P0eq80udgxPFCAEEwlpY1QDYtlWmuy3wQXK7vum_E1UgtzuFYdj0QHqlXtMIPs9LYgyT-H-Hp9C1PLa2DwgCw/w325-h400/Screenshot_20220927-122214_Instagram.jpg" width="325" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span>Taken from Revival Booking's Instagram, found <a href="https://www.instagram.com/revivalbooking/" target="_blank">here</a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Long time no see. Life has been hectic (a global and personal understatement), but I am still around. This was my first live show ever since the plague began, so it was a thing to be excited about. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The concert took place on a rather gray but lovely evening on September 24th, at a secret location in Gothenburg, Sweden. This has been my first "secret" show and I have to admit that I like the concept. Basically, the location is unknown up until 48 hours before the gig, at which point you are informed about the location via SMS. The idea behind the whole thing is to give people an incentive to explore less familiar parts of Gothenburg, outside of the more popular venues like "Pustervik", for example. This time around the event happened in an empty apartment in Majorna, two rooms and a bathroom, a corner for the bands to play on the floor, a small merch table, a fridge for drinks, and enough space for... I guess roughly less than a 100 people (this could be way off, as my headcount at shows is exceptionally bad)<br /><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> "</span><b>Nathan Aeli</b>" was the first band to kick off the evening. Never heard of them before, so the only knowledge I went off of was how they were described by the show organizer: "a gay Nine Inch Nails" and "another black metal appropriator in the wrong style of music". I mean, truly difficult to not become curious after reading that.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Curiosity surprised the cat this time around and I've been instantly hooked into their performance from the very first tone. In reality, the organizer's teaser of the band definitely didn't do them justice now that I think about it, because the band completely subverted my expectations. The 30ish minute performance was just... insane, in a very peculiar way. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmw1X36KYyjSbI722FywxV6G_GKZy1Y08gdjSJQYaup-txUzM56gYm9xqwO5xqww2rrssjz9bwVl7dtxENFyHUjh6sMTbtVljSSGhROWLgUE9nqWAKF5jDyquVbj5D2nOLkqECE9Ns6mmxt63OBL7w8qRIEcVGV_do-_FI-3kqG0UUHj0yZH_2H_6b0w/s4000/IMG_20220924_201549.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmw1X36KYyjSbI722FywxV6G_GKZy1Y08gdjSJQYaup-txUzM56gYm9xqwO5xqww2rrssjz9bwVl7dtxENFyHUjh6sMTbtVljSSGhROWLgUE9nqWAKF5jDyquVbj5D2nOLkqECE9Ns6mmxt63OBL7w8qRIEcVGV_do-_FI-3kqG0UUHj0yZH_2H_6b0w/w400-h300/IMG_20220924_201549.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>To backtrack a little bit, there's not a lot of info about the band on the internet. Hailing from Gothenburg, Sweden, they apparently have two albums, the first one being an acoustic 4-song release from way back in 2013, while the second is an LP from 2019. There are several interesting interviews floating around the net, so definitely sink your teeth into those if you're interested in finding out more.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Looking back at the show, their performance that night seems like a step beyond what they usually do, since their recorded material involves less (or more accurately, no) electronic segments. I listened to them while writing this review and the experience of the stuff they put up on bandcamp is like you're listening to an entirely different project. The duo unleashed digital soundscapes which do sound reminiscent of a crunchy, hungover kind of NIN, but the madness goes way beyond that. Electronic sounds were at times hazy and dreamy, only to break off into glitch-infused industrial pounding which at times morphs into some kind of drugged up version of pop with jungle beats/dnb. I heard sounds that reminded me of work from Mike Cadoo, sections of "Tapage", and some beats shooting straight up from video game soundtracks like "System Shock" or "Unreal Tournament", wrapped with a blanket of raw distortion. And all the while layered with the singer going completely nuts, gentle singing, at times almost a spoken-word with a deep melancholic voice, but then wailing and screaming and hitting high notes and nigh crazy "oooooooooh" sounds. It pretty much borders madness, jumping between calm and extremely loud, the band just pushing the boundary ever so close to being mental and unpleasant, but keeping it well in the confines of the enjoyable. Loved every damn second of it. I was truly impressed with their show and would love to see them perform again, especially to see whether this electronic infusion was a one-off experiment or a solid path straying away from their existing recordings. Show them some love on their facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ndotaeli/" target="_blank">here</a> or check out their current recordings on bandcamp <a href="https://ndotaeli.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY5Q6zo0CxKxuNt1Jn0D3AdOJn0xS466UlnP-WKCIa-umv-d370LVSjIdE9LKAENCp0_O9OclrgmrD2TzJLfZWln1dPWZNDfK-1EvLBjxqwF7TzDH22BHQRx_1Or2DUuuuIJFImMYCLkFIeOr9WTw-HGS-NPpy9LgoWVXaTiuV6dHdQwVvsTi6l2tXkw/s4000/IMG_20220926_190557.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Young Mountain sticker" border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY5Q6zo0CxKxuNt1Jn0D3AdOJn0xS466UlnP-WKCIa-umv-d370LVSjIdE9LKAENCp0_O9OclrgmrD2TzJLfZWln1dPWZNDfK-1EvLBjxqwF7TzDH22BHQRx_1Or2DUuuuIJFImMYCLkFIeOr9WTw-HGS-NPpy9LgoWVXaTiuV6dHdQwVvsTi6l2tXkw/w240-h368/IMG_20220926_190557.jpg" title="Young Mountain sticker" width="240" /></a></div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Next in line after a short break was "<b>Young Mountain</b>", another band from Gothenburg. I was vaguely sure that I was familiar with the band, but my old brain couldn't recall what was it that I heard from them, until I sat down to write this. Then I finally remembered that I've listened to "Fragile" way back when it was released in 2014, at the time the band's second release. This Gothenburg 5-piece screamo project formed in 2013 and it came a long, long way since then, piling up an impressive number of regular releases. I need some catching up to do. <br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Short, sweet, and very direct, their performance was both a gentle touch to the feels and a severe punch in the throat. An outstanding and truly inspiring screamo manifestation, their 30 minute segment took me to all sorts of places. Their sounds was a raw homage to early works of "Adorno", with chaotic bits from "Someplace To Hide", occasional vibes from old "Damezumari", epicness of "I Create", but sprinkled with that special Swedish screamo seasoning that the scene is famous for. They weaved and swung on notes that were delicate and nostalgic towards downright fast, thrilling, and anxious, with the aggression hitting hard, but the melancholy hitting even harder.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I took a listen to their discography today while at work and it's unreal how much growth they show with each passing release. My mistake for letting them slip through the cracks and my attention avoiding their development, but definitely a lesson to be learned. You can check them out on their bandcamp page <a href="https://youngmountainswe.bandcamp.com/music" target="_blank">here</a> or get in touch via facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/youngmountainSWE/" target="_blank">here</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>And now, the grand finale of the evening, the time reserved for "<b>Suffocate For Fuck Sake</b>". Their name is deeply established in the post-rock/screamo genre, so much so that I believe there is no true need for an introduction. The Swedish septet hit the scene way back in 2004 with their self-titled EP and have since become a true landmark for their own genuine take on sound delivery. From day one, their mark of uniqueness came in the form of using audio samples as the main source of storytelling. The said samples, featuring people talking about their addictions and mental disorders, superbly set a truly heavy kind of atmosphere which is then built upon with absolutely massive layers of sound that rival beasts such as "Cult of Luna" and "Neurosis", while also showing a more delicate and fragile side of the equation by the likes of "Mono" or "Sigur Rós". </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Thus far the band produced four albums, each a worthy piece of their puzzle. Like a true gentle behemoth, they have a tendency to submerge themselves under the waves and spend many years in silence, most notably the 8 year break between their second and third albums, thus it is a true wonder to catch them live. I saw the show announcement by complete accident thanks to the mercy of one friend who doesn't even know the band but simply thought that "the name sounds like something that you might enjoy"... and oh boy was he correct.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8hNpUZPDe1-UETUTWLvfR2evu29lF4Pjo9C8MDipGNd1PviF4KtvY91B9sIsdHAgJ6CbRC3ZUOHSsOWEiGXnDPwn0v-xsaFztPSoXiUUPiIP5Y3Y5f9k7RjLxlTtiqaAOXVfBKp_ov1Lvl1zDhPLDt4oPY0EnPJykWiCTR9GLKsgV0sJCpOA9mGEBjw/s4000/IMG_20220924_222628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8hNpUZPDe1-UETUTWLvfR2evu29lF4Pjo9C8MDipGNd1PviF4KtvY91B9sIsdHAgJ6CbRC3ZUOHSsOWEiGXnDPwn0v-xsaFztPSoXiUUPiIP5Y3Y5f9k7RjLxlTtiqaAOXVfBKp_ov1Lvl1zDhPLDt4oPY0EnPJykWiCTR9GLKsgV0sJCpOA9mGEBjw/w640-h480/IMG_20220924_222628.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">You can follow this <a href="https://youtu.be/kUMjtlxfQiA" target="_blank">link</a> to view a short video of the opening song (YT decided to age restrict it cause of the name, so can't embed the video into the post...)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Their set was everything I hoped for and that much more. I honestly never dreamed that I would see them live, yet there I was being slowly overwhelmed by the opening sounds of "Blue Lights and Sunshine" from their masterpiece "Blazing Fires And Helicopters On The Frontpage Of The Newspaper. There's A War Going On And I'm Marching In Heavy Boots". The opening moments were perfectly showcasing what this band has always been famous for, the slow buildup of sound and the anxious unraveling of the story which they want to tell. The mood cold and melancholic, expressed both with soft spoken words contrasted by piercing screams and the gigantic wall of sound crashing all over you, they took the crowd on a journey where everyone was consumed by the unraveling spectacle. "Hope" came up close, in my opinion the crown jewel from their latest album "Fyra", putting a spotlight on the a more droning melody enhanced by an oasis of beautifully chilling clean vocals. I'm listening to the song now as I type this and cannot help myself but marvel at how powerful it sounded when witnessed live, despite already sounding amazing as a recording. The absolutely brightest merit of SFFS has always been the ability to create a specific atmosphere and drench you in a particular mood, yet the ability to replicate those feelings in an even stronger way live is a talent few musicians manage to cultivate.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The concert came full circle, ending with sounds from "Blazing Fires...", the crowd absolutely elated despite the unreal heat and lack of air in the small room. I was truly beyond myself with various emotions and all I could do was muster strength to go and buy a record to support the band and then head home. You can also support them via their bandcamp page <a href="https://suffocateforfucksake.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">here</a> or get in touch via facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SuffocateFFS/" target="_blank">here</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I mentioned previously that this show has been important since it is the first one since the pandemic began, but it means to me so much more beyond that. I've landed on the SFFS bandwagon way back in 2009 when "Blazing Fires..." has already earned its status as a record that pushes the boundaries of its respective genres. It is 13 years since then and I can't seem to deny myself the desire to think about what my life was then and what it is now. Back then I was listening to them with my girlfriend at the time in the same room where this blog came into existence, thinking about the fact that this band comes from a country so distant to me, so unknown, speaking in a language that seemed so alien. And now, more than a decade later, I am actually living in Sweden, sharing my life with the same girl from back then who turned out to be the one partner in crime and my dear wife, standing there together in an apartment show, the epitomal screamo setting of a scene I always wanted to be a part of, listening to samples I can now understand but a little, the language not so unknown anymore as it surrounds me every time I step outside... Life is beautiful as much as it is vicious, and this show made me realize its sense of the poetic. An experience which will surely leave an imprint in my mind forever, a mark of change and endurance, yet I certainly hope another 13 years don't have to pass for me to see this band again.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Not sure how to close this review after such a personal outpour, so I will leave it at that. Whoever reads this, I hope you enjoyed the read and thank you for still being here, after so many years. Be good.</div><p></p>
xmoonxhowlerxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15149950277567744302noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884169877921561571.post-46354483353526173022021-05-19T00:05:00.001+02:002021-05-19T00:05:57.335+02:00Exclusive premiere: Mihai Edrisch - Farewell Show (live at Sonic, Lyon 07/2006)<p style="text-align: justify;">As promised, following the previous interview with Mihai Edrisch is a video premiere of their final show, straight from Johan's archive. It is simply an amazing performance, although rather bittersweet, since we are given a few glimpses of things that were yet to come, sounds which were sadly never recorded in a studio. The final tunes ringing and dying as the video ends, knowing that such an important and iconic band of the genre will never play again... it all weighs heavily on you when you're left alone in silence.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Not much else to add, since you should be watching the recording instead of reading my words anyway, but I just have to say that I am truly beyond excited and proud to be hosting this on the blog. Enjoy!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/s6FgoK_ezdQ" width="432" youtube-src-id="s6FgoK_ezdQ"></iframe></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>xmoonxhowlerxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15149950277567744302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884169877921561571.post-31906129527720712982021-05-06T19:09:00.000+02:002021-05-06T19:09:54.571+02:00Interview: Johan (Mihai Edrisch/Celeste)<div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>It is with great pleasure that I'm posting this today, an interview that has been arranged more than a year ago, but was dragged out by the, back then newly encroaching, global pestilence. "Mihai Edrisch" is undoubtedly one of my absolutes and it has been such a thrill to have this conversation with Johan and I thank him once again for his time and willingness to revisit and share his memories of the years spent with this legendary screamo band.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Stay tuned for next week, since this interview will be followed by an exclusive "Mihai Edrisch" video release, the never before seen live video footage from their farewell gig. So, without further ado...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCnu5NyEArFektEL1OmYZ5PUCQpNEEp4YMfQsRvawoJPkKe-82EIQhExA5P70Hv6uPvNxZTqDmrcNhjcvqBj1EZo1li-moDZbZt9nSUuTuUUGzoWOgdn-Fnazp-2cHbrw7dpB1eU96FRnZ//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="578" data-original-width="770" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCnu5NyEArFektEL1OmYZ5PUCQpNEEp4YMfQsRvawoJPkKe-82EIQhExA5P70Hv6uPvNxZTqDmrcNhjcvqBj1EZo1li-moDZbZt9nSUuTuUUGzoWOgdn-Fnazp-2cHbrw7dpB1eU96FRnZ/w640-h480/be13dad39bc44cdbae48855ad36a4fd5.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>1. I have to start with “Mihai Edrisch” and asking about “his” name. In the few interviews I’ve read, you guys give different answers to who Mihai is. The most popular version floating around is that he was a Hungarian mathematician, but the research I did doesn’t show this person actually existed. Another version stated that he was a Czech pianist, while another claimed he was a band member’s deceased relative. I guess it would be pointless to ask you the same question, who he is, so instead my question will be: what is your favorite version of the origin of Mihai’s name?</b></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Haha I don’t remember all of them actually, but probably the Hungarian Mathematician, because when Remi answered this one he also set up a whole story behind it which was quite funny.</div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>2. Your first album, “L'un Sans L'autre”, is quite fast and chaotic, but it deals with very intimate and tender subjects. As a musician, how do you manage to successfully fuse these two extreme contrasts together?</b></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There was no fusion to do in my mind because at the time what we were doing was exactly what I loved, what I wanted to hear and what I wanted to tell. There’s no huge reflection behind it, this thing comes from my/our guts and our state of mind during this period.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>3. “Un Jour Sans Lendemain” is pretty much a concept album in all respects. How did you come to the idea to create an album that actually represents stages of life?</b></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It’s such a while ago that it’s quite hard for me to remember the whole process and the intentions behind it. I remember how I felt at this period and what I wanted to deal with which is quite personal actually. I for sure felt like that the album as a whole could be more meaningful if there was a story behind it. Since the main topic is about love and suicide, it probably felt quite obvious to me to depict the whole story of a guy who lived in love and pain and who was thinking about giving an end to all of it</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm9poT9GMxK7E4DgOZ8hq2v32EDg6hslwdgqHfWn0aJzgh2v17rfot7ohvU1fngo0vXdBdTu_DfwvZ_GuxxqYcLGXfK-F_3d1E3y-DwnfWwYEzpSyv18kbu249dnUrTETRt8HMGZUjAZ-7//" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm9poT9GMxK7E4DgOZ8hq2v32EDg6hslwdgqHfWn0aJzgh2v17rfot7ohvU1fngo0vXdBdTu_DfwvZ_GuxxqYcLGXfK-F_3d1E3y-DwnfWwYEzpSyv18kbu249dnUrTETRt8HMGZUjAZ-7/w400-h400/81cjjjIUODL._SS500_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>5. In a previous interview, you explained that you do not wish to analyze your lyrics and that people should come to their own conclusions. But how do you feel after listening to “Un Jour Sans Lendemain”? Given the fact that the person commits suicide in the end, do you find the album entirely depressing or can you find traces of hope within?</b></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It’s a pretty dark album, but not only. You can feel hope, nostalgia and other feelings here and there which probably help the darkest parts to be even darker I guess. From my side, I can’t be objective about it because that’s an important part of my musical life. I feel a lot of nostalgia and a feeling of un-achievement too because I think that we should have made at least one more album after that one, because the unreleased stuff we had done after « ujsl » was promising in my opinion.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>6. You also did the artwork for the band, what was the driving force behind that inspiration? It is a unique art style, did you have any formal education or are you self-taught?</b></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I was self taught. Actually I drew with that style only on that artwork and the repress of « Lun sans L’autre » otherwise I was more a graffiti artist, so I was drawing things totally different than this. I actually never really tried to draw again for CELESTE’s artworks or any other stuff. I was more into photography after that.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>7. I’ve always been curious about the meaning of the one red leaf on the white cover of “Un Jour Sans Lendemain”. Any specific secret behind it or was it simply an aesthetical choice?</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sorry to disappoint you but that’s just an aesthetical trick which also reminds of a bit blood, but there’s no deep meaning behind that</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>8. Was the decision to disband after the second album a conscious one? It seems rather poetic that the end of that album symbolizes the end of the band. Or did something else signal the end?</b></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Unfortunately there’s nothing poetic behind that decision. Our bass player Florian decided to quit the band because he didn’t felt comfortable anymore with this kind of music, and not much later Remi our guitar player decided to leave the band too because he didn’t enjoyed playing guitar anymore. So there was no meaning to continue.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>9. You’ve been quite adamant at keeping politics away from “Mihai Edrisch” in the past. Do you think that there’s a trend, so to say, in the scene of making everything and anything political? Even towards the bands that are not political, per se. In contrast, does it irritate you that people immediately assume that you have to be political, just because you are in a hardcore band?</b></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Honestly I don’t give a fuck about the hardcore scene anymore. I have my political opinions but I don’t mix them with my music, I let that aside and I don’t want anybody to blame me for this. I don’t know if there is a trend about getting everything political. I just see a sad trend which tends to kill any freedom of speech and creativity. Now everybody wants to avoid any controversy, because reputation is the most important thing to stay alive as a band. You’re getting judged for any of your moves and people forget how to differentiate art and reality. It’s getting more and more difficult to be subversive without risking to get judged/banned.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It’s not related but from from what I see, bands who are very engaged when they start tend to loosen up things with time.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>10. This is different with “Celeste”, yes? Here you tackle political themes, issues that society is facing and difficult subjects of the human psyche. Was this intentional from the start with this band?</b></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Actually it’s not different. It’s not because I talk about the society we live in that it’s political. The intention from the start with the band has nothing to do with my lyrics. We just wanted to make dark and violent music, and I just wrote things that fit to this music</div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>11. Maybe a direct question, but how do you feel about life and the human condition, outside of your music? Is it all as bleak and nihilistic as you portray in “Celeste” or is there a spark of positivity?</b></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It’s pretty much as bleak as I portray it. And I’m not really helping the thing, because even if I don’t feel like being a bad guy, I can at least say that the more I grow the more selfish I become.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>12. Did you enjoy other screamo bands back when “Mihai Edrisch” was active? I read elsewhere that, in regards to “Celeste”, you guys aren’t into black metal, so I’m curious if the same applies to screamo?</b></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Not that many or bands that I consider being more than screamo bands. It’s not because we shared the same drummer, but Daitro was and is still definitely my favorite band in the « genre »</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>13. If you could turn the clock back, would you do anything different during your time with “Mihai Edrisch”? Do you miss that project?</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I missed it a lot for a while. I still do but I miss it less and less, and I also think I wouldn’t feel comfortable to play such music now on. The thing I missed the most are the melodies that we built. That’s something that I would love to hear elsewhere but that I never really found anywhere</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB4dMsBaJ5SWrJbQ9hUUAVUCRQ7Kuxsg-a0Lg3vLkHHeeTmPhk8A8OjxgnH3SxIaiHvmvecQp_JPowsIRQa89QOtwfBBqaHh8EPzcI5RGoIpJyJJo_E7ZCreWg2PnlPmFgiJ3QUet7bIq_//" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="242" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB4dMsBaJ5SWrJbQ9hUUAVUCRQ7Kuxsg-a0Lg3vLkHHeeTmPhk8A8OjxgnH3SxIaiHvmvecQp_JPowsIRQa89QOtwfBBqaHh8EPzcI5RGoIpJyJJo_E7ZCreWg2PnlPmFgiJ3QUet7bIq_/w217-h400/A-1464121-1535727930-9863.jpeg.jpg" width="217" /></a></div>14. In contrast to the previous question, for the entire duration of your involvement in music, what has been your most memorable or cherished moment?</b></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For Mihai Edrisch, I would pick 2 events. The first one would be the first time I listened to l’un sans l’autre mastered. I really didn’t imagine that we would’ve done something that great. I felt so proud about it. And the second time is when we played Sant Feliu Fest. I remembered that I was in the audience a few years before, I didn’t have any bands and I was thinking that being on that stage would be the greatest achievement I could think of. So it was really something to be there for real a few years later</div><div style="text-align: justify;">With CELESTE, even if we’re having an amazing career, I lived this story with Mihai’s background so I discovered less things. It’s more an overall thing that I cherish because I’m just enjoying it every time we’re on the road since almost 15 years now.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>15. How is your local music scene right now? Is “Celeste” involved much in local happenings or are you just doing your own thing?</b></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In my opinion, the scene is almost dead in our hometown and we’re not helping since we’re only focused on our own « business »</div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>18. What are your favorite music releases in the past few years?</b></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I’m so bad at name dropping. I listen to stuff that is really different from what we’re playing. For example the last things I listened the most are Northlane and Tesseract. Now I’m looking forward to the new Deftones, I liked some songs from Korn, Caspian, Heaven In Her Arms, Newmoon…. Really hard to name more, sorry, I don’t listen to music very often actually.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>19. Time for you to ask a question!</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Johan : How did you discovered Mihai Edrich and CELESTE? Do you really still listen to us and why?</b></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>I discovered ME by accident and there is a funny story behind it. I remember that I stumbled upon some blog (or it was via P2P fileshare, can't remember) which had a huge database of hardcore/screamo bands so I grabbed all of it en masse and started listening. To be completely honest, I recall that I skipped listening to Mihai because I confused the name with one other Spanish band called Enoch Ardon haha and they didn't click with me on the initial listening. Later at some point I was viewing my music folder and realized these are two different bands, so I finally gave Mihai a listen and I was instantly in love. Celeste I discovered more naturally, as I've read online that similar people were involved in the band and I had to check it out.</div><div><br /></div><div>And yes, I still listen to both bands, a lot in fact. Even though I love both projects, Mihai Edrisch is more dear to me, since it has a certain something that no other band has. As you say, it directly triggers many different feelings, sadness, hope, grief and nostalgia, to which I am quite sensitive to. Even though I don't speak French, the music speaks to me in a peculiar way and listening to it never fails to stir up emotions. </div><div><br /></div><div>And if this doesn't answer your question well, two years ago I tattooed my right arm with parts of the cover and the song titles of "Un Jour Sans Lendemain".</div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>20. Thank you so much for doing this interview, on a personal level, this conversation truly means a lot to me. Do you have any final message for the readers?</b></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Just come to our shows if we hopefully can do some again, that’s the best way you can please us.</div></div>xmoonxhowlerxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15149950277567744302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884169877921561571.post-31370456109600332462020-02-20T20:17:00.000+01:002020-02-20T20:17:13.845+01:00Derek Piotr - Raj (2013)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhToGvo_AYjZIMAdm-80vpflnDaKg0XIoYB1FfHLfmx4kJXU8_bErLEGBgqtajbYDMc4eYh12JhAVT84sdlSVHpFf0Gai0VlS__h4mf7vPV2vN5oIir0HaPKLm-YatnEdwh4z_4ti1cjF2Q/s1600/a3343159992_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhToGvo_AYjZIMAdm-80vpflnDaKg0XIoYB1FfHLfmx4kJXU8_bErLEGBgqtajbYDMc4eYh12JhAVT84sdlSVHpFf0Gai0VlS__h4mf7vPV2vN5oIir0HaPKLm-YatnEdwh4z_4ti1cjF2Q/s640/a3343159992_10.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>After sending out the previously mentioned work-in-progress interviews, I found myself in somewhat of a slump as to what to write about next. Musically, I’m all over the place right now in my free time and I’m also currently working on another writing project which I’ll share sometimes soon, for those interested. So in the end, the good ol’ submission basket saved the day once again.</div>
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<a href="https://derekpiotr.bandcamp.com/album/raj" target="_blank">Derek Piotr - Raj</a> (bandcamp)</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Based in New England, US, this Polish-born composer/producer dropped into my view out of nowhere. Back in 2013, I wasn’t too deep into electronic music and noise, so in all honesty I was completely oblivious to his past work even though his repertoire up to that point contained a number of previously released albums. The main focus of his work is centered on samples of the human voice which are then used in various incarnations of electronics, ranging from noise, glitch, industrial and even something that would be considered dream poppy.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Immediately after the first tone of “Raj” kicked in, it grasped me fully. “Spine” manages to create a certain kind of mood within seconds, setting the tone for the rest of the record in a very direct and simplistic way. It easily gears you up for what is coming up ahead and, let me tell you, you should come prepared.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Compared to other electronic noise projects that I’ve listened to, “Raj” is not as dirty and harsh. Sure, even the opening track hosts a considerable amount of static waves and crackling walls of distortion, but it is all executed in a delicate way. In the midst of the noise, you get introduced to small oases of serenity. There’s a weird elegant swinging going on between the violence and the peacefulness, an almost naturally calculated ebb and flow. </div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>It feels like this edged precision is the main characteristic of the vocal section of “Raj”. One of the interesting things about Derek’s work in general is his previously mentioned focus on using and manipulating vocal samples. On this record specifically, those samples create a thin line which is continually pushing the aforementioned ebb and flow. You would assume that the vocals would bring a certain dose of calm into a noise project, but even though they are peaceful they are also quite eerie in a way, droning and almost mentally violent somehow. The way they are sampled, cut, used and looped, gives a nigh maddening feeling and it ends up seeming like the whole record has a ritualistic theme to it. These samples build such an image in your mind’s eye that they can go towards both ends of the spectrum, soothing and aggressive, but never quite tip over fully. The cacophony of it all is methodical, almost technically precise and even cerebral in many instances. It's an endless dance of contrasts and steep divergences.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Another flavor to all this, despite having this ritualistic and naturally flowing trait, the record seems cold and alien. There’s just something strangely robotic about the entire thing, as if “Raj” was a recorded diary of some rusted and malfunctioned android from an age long forgotten. And it demands that you listen to it.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>When I listened to “Raj” a couple of times for this review I then decided to check out some other material from Derek. There is a whole swarm of recorded material up on his bandcamp profile, so I seriously need some catching up to do. It sincerely warms my heart when I see artists so passionate and active after so many years of working on a project. All the best of luck to Derek in all his future endeavors and I hope all of you decide to give him a chance and check out his work. Thanks for reading!</div>
xmoonxhowlerxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15149950277567744302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884169877921561571.post-66122956182959710862020-01-31T20:16:00.002+01:002020-01-31T20:16:52.629+01:00Wolf Shaped Clouds - Demo (2011)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>It’s been a while since I managed to get a submission review on my writing schedule, mostly since I was so focused on working on the “Ghone” showcase and trying to hunt down some names for future interviews. The latter bit is going relatively slow at the moment, but some of the planned interviewees I’ll be extremely proud to host on here. Just have to stay patient and time will tell!</div>
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<a href="https://wolfshapedclouds.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Wolf Shaped Clouds</a> (bandcamp page)</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Wolf Shaped Clouds was a 4-piece screamo band from Budapest, Hungary, active from early 2011. up until 2013. These years might not be the most accurate, since bandcamp states 2011. as the year of their conception, while their discography tape lists 2009. as their beginning. In any case, they had a fruitful run in those few years, chugging out a nice selection of works including this demo and a rehearsal room recording, two splits (one with “Black Hourglass” and another with “Oaken”, respectively) and they were also featured on the “Swollen Lungs” 7’’ compilation, which is a selection of artists featuring songs less than 30 seconds. Short, but sweet.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>This release was not a blog submission per se, but instead an actual gift from Tomi, the band’s vocalist. Back in 2011 I was staying at a friend’s apartment in Budapest (hi Botond, hope you’re still out there!), a place where Tomi was also living at the time. We didn’t really hang out all that much, but after some music talk the name of his band popped up, which I thought sounded super cool. Turns out it was screamo which made it a complete hit with me, obviously. Long story short, I walked away from that conversation with a neatly packed CD pictured above and I was extremely excited to take a listen.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Apparently, only 50 physical copies of this demo were made, judging by the handwritten number at the back of the case. Aside of the wonderful little black and white booklet with lyrics, the audio contents of this CD are everything you would ever want to hear from a screamo band's demo, a raw, passionate, perfectly imperfect collection of debut songs that just hit hard and ask questions later. Its five songs are fused in such a way that they simply call out to be listened in one sitting, with one breath. It’s a whirlwind sweeping you off your feet with the very first song and carrying you all the way to the end, relentlessly. And it is only when the final song ends that you get a chance to catch your breath and contemplate on what you just heard. I think that is why my favorite song on the demo would probably be the first track, “Rotting Sea”, simply because it sucks you in and sets the tone so well. </div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The overall sound of the band is a strongly compressed amalgam of aggressive “Loma Prieta” outbursts, melodic “Raein” strings and at times the pounding beats of chaotic German influences from bands like “Danse Macabre”. Add to the whole mix some very bleak, almost crust-like lyrics performed with an exceptionally haunting wailing scream and you got yourself a package which you shouldn’t avoid.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What I always associated with this band was that pure passionate energy which always seemed to radiate from their releases. You could listen to them regardless of your mood and they would always manage to get your blood flowing. In all honesty, this is something that I severely miss with some of the bands today and that’s why I guess that bands like “Wolf Shaped Clouds” need to be cherished. They popped out of nowhere and brought something great to the table. It saddens me that they didn’t have a longer run at this project, it would have been an absolute pleasure to watch them grow and evolve. </div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>At the end of the day, this is a great little release and a definitive invitation to listen to the rest of the band’s discography. You can find them in their entirety on the above linked bandcamp page. Hope you give them a listen, they deserve it!</div>
xmoonxhowlerxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15149950277567744302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884169877921561571.post-50242544147361440722020-01-05T19:49:00.000+01:002020-01-05T19:49:14.204+01:002019 blog retrospective<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>During the heyday of the blog, I enjoyed doing the traditional retrospective at the end/start of a year. It was always interesting to look back and revisit the releases/experiences which marked the passing year and which made it so great. </div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Let’s start with my favorite recorded material of the past year. Since I didn’t have a chance to cover any of these on the blog, I’ll just sum up my thoughts with a few lines on each of these. So, without further ado...</div>
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<b><u>Top releases of 2019 (in no particular order):</u></b></div>
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- <b><i>"Potence - Le Culte Des Bourreaux"</i></b> - Members of “Daïtro”, “Géraniüm”, and the insanely underrated “I Was A Cosmonaut Hero”, need I say more? Rushing between being melodic and extremely aggressive, they mix and match the best violent pieces of neo/crust and the somber tones of screamo/post-hardcore. Aurelien’s voice gets me every time.</div>
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- <b><i>"Tool - Fear Inoculum"</i></b> - I’ve been an avid fan ever since I first saw their music videos on a local TV station back in early 2000’s when “Lateralus” got released. The 13-year-wait since their previous recorded material and the patience needed paid off. In my mind this album is a well morphed mix of “Ænima” and “Lateralus”, yet at the same time it shines light on a completely new incarnation of the band. Marvelous and mesmerizing in all aspects.</div>
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- <b><i>"Senza - Even a Worm Will Turn"</i></b> - I don’t even know where to begin with this one other than saying that it is simply an amazing record and probably some of the most important and outstanding screamo material written in the last 5 or so years. Chaotic, brooding, atmospheric and explosively violent when needed, they take the best parts of bands such as “Jeromes Dream”, “Sailboats” and even some elements of “The Spirit of Versailles”, all the while adding a strong touch of their own magic. Just outstanding across the board and an absolute must. </div>
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- <i><b>"Mgła - Age of Excuse"</b></i> - This band has already been covered twice on this blog in the form of concert reviews and if you read those articles then you should have a pretty solid idea about my thoughts on this project. “Mgła” continues to be a remorseless beast, as this album is a perfect descendant of “Exercises In Futility” while bringing so much innovation to the table, completely removing the option of being boring or repetitive. You could zone out and focus on only one instrument at a time and be shocked with the displayed creativity. Listening to this made me feel like I re-discovered the band all over again and is one of the rare albums that I was eagerly anticipating and was genuinely excited for it to finally drop.</div>
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- <b><i>"Jeromes Dream - LP"</i></b> - The screamo legends are back, what more do you need to know? A perfect amalgam of the “Seeing Means More Than Safety” and “Presents” eras, while also showing signs of musical maturity and evolution. An excellent stroll down memory lane performed by some of the most influential screamo storytellers of all time, adorned with a new incarnation of sound.</div>
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<b><u>Honorable mention: </u></b></div>
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- <b><i>"Alcest - Spiritual Instinct"</i></b> - I feel like this band is not capable of creating something less than absolutely wonderful and simply by being material with the “Alcest” tag is enough for me to feature it on this top list.</div>
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<b><u>Top performances of 2019 (in no particular order):</u></b></div>
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- <b><i>Jeromes Dream</i></b> (Vienna/AT)</div>
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- <b><i>Cult of Luna</i></b> (Gothenburg/SE)</div>
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- <b><i>Tool</i></b> (Firenze Rocks Festival, Florence/IT)</div>
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- <b><i>Ólafur Arnalds</i></b> (Belgrade/RS)</div>
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- <b><i>Mgła</i></b> (Belgrade/RS)</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The only concert from the list above which I didn’t review was “Tool”, which kinda makes me sad since it has been such a mind blowing experience. This was the second time I got to see them play live, first time being in Serbia in 2007, and I can say that the concert in Italy can easily drop into my top 10 concerts of all time. Now that “Fear Inoculum” is still fresh and a new European tour might be looming on the horizon, I’m absolutely certain that I will make an effort to catch a show wherever it may be and share my thoughts with you afterwards.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Looking back, 2019 was an excellent year for music and at moments it felt quite surreal, especially when it comes to concerts. Some of those show reviews have been the longest I have ever written and it is while writing those that I fully realized how much some of those performances moved me. Thinking about them now, especially JD and CoL, I’m tempted to write a few words about those experiences now, but the reviews have been so extensive (and exhausting) that there really is no need to say anything else. Just scroll down the page and delve into the wall of text, in case you are interested in the specifics. </div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The last time I did one of these retrospective posts was 2013 and it is unbelievable to me when I realize that I’m writing this one in 2020, seven years later! Back then there were more “categories” for the top whatever and I remember that it was quite difficult to make the choices, simply because the blog was way richer with content. It is my sincere hope and goal to keep writing and bring back the blog to the post count per year that it once had. To start that journey, after this post I’m planning to cover one old submission release while also currently working on the next interview. Stay tuned!</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In the end, I’d just like to thank you all for still visiting and reading. It warmed my heart to see people mentioning and visiting my blog even when it was defunct and now that it is getting back on track with content, the slow and steady increase of visitors has often put a smile on my face. Thanks for sticking with me for all these years and I hope that 2020 will bring an abundance of great music, strength, inspiration, joy and wonderful experiences for all of us.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>P.S. If you would like to share your top picks of 2019, feel free to leave a comment, I’d love to read about your thoughts!</div>
xmoonxhowlerxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15149950277567744302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884169877921561571.post-91045636783752234652019-11-28T21:35:00.001+01:002019-11-28T21:35:40.192+01:00Interview: Ghone<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2P01sKAobUXN6ZusLlvJDHwfZeWtNTCXqgiDfBvdFU7BQGdJzBdMRvv75A2mcSHWS6t3lFNfK_Ki7-duCUKRkzwhrzsKiHh7yZGdWtgbo6Iy3TeL6dJOeYuZf0mU4f1gozKLxaFtVQVnL/s1600/Ghone-live_at_Cult_Of_The_Amps_vol2-%2528photocredit-Chris+Lemonis%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="801" data-original-width="1200" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2P01sKAobUXN6ZusLlvJDHwfZeWtNTCXqgiDfBvdFU7BQGdJzBdMRvv75A2mcSHWS6t3lFNfK_Ki7-duCUKRkzwhrzsKiHh7yZGdWtgbo6Iy3TeL6dJOeYuZf0mU4f1gozKLxaFtVQVnL/s640/Ghone-live_at_Cult_Of_The_Amps_vol2-%2528photocredit-Chris+Lemonis%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">"Ghone" live @Cult of the Amps vol. 2 - by Chris Lemonis</span></i></td></tr>
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<b>1.</b> <b>First off, I'd like to thank you for doing this interview. Nice to have you on the blog! Please introduce yourself to the readers.</b></div>
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Thank you for your interest. Great to hear a site from abroad is curious about your work. So, I’m John from Athens, Greece and Ghone is my personal sonic project with which I’m exploring the abstraction of sound spectrum through noise, produced by both natural and electronic media and manipulated mostly in real time, trying to create gasping and aerie environments.</div>
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<b>2. Describe "Ghone" in three words.</b></div>
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That’s a hard one. I think I’ll go for: Party-crashing Noisy Ritual</div>
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<b>3. </b> <b>I discovered your project when I saw you play live in Novi Sad along with Aidan Baker and "Nadja". In our previous conversation you told me that it was one of your favorite shows to date. What made this set so special for you, so much so that you even decided to record it as a proper release?</b></div>
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It was actually my 4th show on this tour -and, in matter of fact, my first ever as Ghone in general- and it was the time my set was coming together. It felt like I had finally tamed my equipment to a satisfying level and felt more confident that I could communicate what I had in my head. I remember the venue was full and the audience was very quiet. This can be stressful and flattering at the same time, a very compelling feeling which I have rarely experienced over the years I’ve been performing with various bands. The venue itself helped a lot as well of course. It was the third time I had the chance to be there and first time as a performer. Such warmth and hospitality always give a substantial boost in general. I was lucky enough to have my set recorded by the sound guy, and it only felt right to share it.</div>
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<b>4. Any plans of coming back to Serbia again some day?</b></div>
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I actually played this May as a guest of the legendary Athenian noise-punk band Rita Mosss, along with the mighty Cassilas. They made a great couple. But anyway, I don’t have any solid plans for touring yet since life gets in the way constantly. I do want to come and play the soonest possible, so I’m open to ideas.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0mzWhtQEu5jutPY0l2u0eLLHA3hbxhiRsNmn8s6vQsmRBFdLbWh97H5KThVF-gPvCaORpOr3qhtuBfibE3bQq7LblWbXpzTsWuZbwBVZ0P4AoUGcEL3dyc87WGDWq-Ladyrwa5DBB8lwV/s1600/ssate+ghone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0mzWhtQEu5jutPY0l2u0eLLHA3hbxhiRsNmn8s6vQsmRBFdLbWh97H5KThVF-gPvCaORpOr3qhtuBfibE3bQq7LblWbXpzTsWuZbwBVZ0P4AoUGcEL3dyc87WGDWq-Ladyrwa5DBB8lwV/s320/ssate+ghone.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>5.</b> <b>One of your other releases is the live show in Thessaloniki with "Six Steps Above The Earth", so please give us some more details about that collaboration.</b></div>
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I’ve known Bill and Sakis from the band for quite a while now. In fact, with Bill we have previously collaborated with his solo project The Dandelion Fields (https://thedandelionfields.bandcamp.com/) a couple of times. The guys asked me to open a show of theirs and long story short we ended up playing a seamless show with the middle part having me jamming with the full band as they started entering the stage one by one, and this is the track you hear as “intro” at the release with Six Steps Above The Earth.</div>
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<b>6. How does your overall process for live shows look like? Do you go into it with a specific idea in mind or do you just let it flow out of you in the moment? Also, do you record all of your sets or just some of them?</b></div>
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For me it begins toying around with field recordings, feedback loops and new equipment, putting all those together and trying to make some sense out of it and how it can be manipulated to some kind of form of communicating. You can say curiosity is the driving force, I guess. When performing I’m generally trying to follow a skeleton idea but it can always swift to a different direction very easily depending on the moment. I think most of my sets have been recorded in a way or another.</div>
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<b>7.</b> <b>You were part of an interesting collaboration recently, the "Spit" wine tasting performance art event where you created live sound-scaping. Could you tell us something more about that event? Are such collaborations/projects common for you?</b></div>
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It was an incredible experience! The location, the performance, the wine. Could do this again any time given. I was invited by the curator Eleni Tranouli to create the soundscape that Despina Charitonidi and Panos Profitis have prepared. They even created a number of incredible ceramic spittoons and laser cut “exoskeleton” suits for the waiters. An event of high aesthetics and great wine. What else can someone ask for?</div>
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The closest I can remember I’ve been a part of something similar was when I played a two-day live soundtrack for a live painting performance of Friki Krux back in 2014. You can’t say it’s pretty common then, but it’s definitely an area I’d like to explore further.</div>
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<b>8. With all the relatively frequent live performances happening, does that mean there is an active noise/drone crowd in Greece?</b></div>
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Experimental music (and arts in general) community is quite active actually, mainly in the biggest cities though, but there are probably more stuff happening nowadays than ever. Small shows are taking place more and more often, and more people are curious to explore this side of the music spectrum. There are some really interesting artists that rarely have the chance to present their work abroad like Dead Gum, Savvas Metaxas, Georgios Karamanolakis, Acte Vide, Panos Alexiadis just to name a few, which is a real shame.</div>
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<b>9.</b> <b>Are there any other music projects from Greece which you would recommend?</b></div>
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I think I answered this one above :)</div>
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<b>10.</b> <b>What do you think of the overall state of the music scene in the world? Do you consider noise/drone to be a relevant genre in the "big picture"?</b></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApIZrtX90ZfuzkZo3mEIaA-Nfld5vXbxcWa30ZrpMj6beZQbq2JBRQhyePcQANvmfZDBZFsDahpgIyT6NJWooEL-Ljko24XOEb-h_ZyHAALagrmIAFkKoUUBxUpR0K5bGKYHbUAxH9TP2/s1600/Sram+Schet+-+cover-%2528photocredit-Evi_Karastamati%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApIZrtX90ZfuzkZo3mEIaA-Nfld5vXbxcWa30ZrpMj6beZQbq2JBRQhyePcQANvmfZDBZFsDahpgIyT6NJWooEL-Ljko24XOEb-h_ZyHAALagrmIAFkKoUUBxUpR0K5bGKYHbUAxH9TP2/s320/Sram+Schet+-+cover-%2528photocredit-Evi_Karastamati%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Sram Schet" cover by EviKarastamati</td></tr>
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It sure is. Just in the form of constant TV static-like pattern in the background.</div>
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<b>11.</b> <b>A somewhat similar question asked above, what is your process for recording studio material? Does it differ from live performances?</b></div>
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I don’t think I have an answer for that. So far I didn’t felt the need to go through the labor of preparing a “studio album”, carefully layering noises and crackles. I’m focusing on live performance and presenting a coherent piece and if it still sounds like it stands as a recording as well, that’s great and it’s out there with no further ado.</div>
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<b>12.</b> <b>"Ghone" had yearly gaps between recent recorded releases, any particular reason for that?</b></div>
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Mostly life just got in the way and had to focus on things other than playing. Looks like this is changing though.</div>
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<b>13. What inspires you the most to create music like this?</b></div>
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Surely the grey period we are living through is great inspiration for anyone to create dark art in general. Trying to avoid getting psychoanalytic here, I’d say that I’ve always been drawn by darker themes in general. Horror movies, anatomy, insects, worn out patterns, abandoned buildings, history of crime and naturally that extends to my taste in music I suppose.</div>
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<b>14. When working on a split release, how much do you get inspired by your split partners? I'm under the impression that there is a kind of symbiosis between Ghone and its collaborators.</b></div>
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It's pretty different when it's a split release from a collaborative wort, but you get it right about the symbiosis part. When it comes to split releases, personally I want to keep some kind of flow from one side to the other, meaning that for example I'd try to avoid giving a harsh noise piece for a split release with an ambient artist. I don't consider myself to have a standard approach when it comes to experimental music (it's all an ongoing experiment after all), and I enjoy this challenge to create something that resonates with me personally and in the same time keeps a release from being incoherent. On collaborations on a same track now, it's a whole different procedure. It feels more like a dialogue or dance if you prefer. The dynamics between the participants have great impact on the direction the improv. session will take.</div>
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<b>15. What was it like to collaborate with Frans De Waard/Modelbau? I actually didn't know who he was, but seems like he's quite an influential figure in the Dutch/global music scene. How did you guys get in touch?</b></div>
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Frans part from being some kind of legend in the scene, also used to publish the now cult Vital Weekly zine from late 80s to mid 90s. Nowadays he has switched online of course and you should check it out: http://www.vitalweekly.net/ We got in touch with Coherent States to review our new releases back then and one thing lead to the other and we agreed on releasing something for him. I had this recording in the vault already and thought I suggest to put it out there as a split release, and there you have it.</div>
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<b>16. From the perspective of the listener, even though there are no lyrics it still feels like all your records are trying to speak to the audience. Is there actually a message that your music is trying to convey?</b></div>
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If we were in the 60s I’d encourage you to play my records backwards and find out yourself. But no, there are no intended hidden messages. Maybe what you are hearing is my inner world trying to find its own language.</div>
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<b>17.</b> <b>Out of all your recorded material, what is your favorite release and why?</b></div>
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To be honest I like them all equally, each one for its own reasons. For me they double as bookmarks for life events too. The part you can hear plays like a soundtrack for these periods in my head. I’m always more satisfied and at the same time challenged by every last one. A pretty weird sentiment.</div>
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<b>18. If you could do a collaboration record with any other artist/project, who would it be?</b></div>
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I tend to observe that people with no musical education or those who are not even aware that this side of music exists at all, tend to have the most interesting and genuinely curious approach when it comes to experiment with it. Or maybe, playing with it. That’s a more proper word for it. I’d work with everyone if I could! Including you reading this right now.</div>
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<b>19.</b> <b>What gear do you use to create music? Do you have a favorite piece or a specific gadget which you deem essential?</b></div>
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This is a question that will get you multiple answers depending on when it’s asked. For a while it was an electric upright bass through distortions and loop pedals. Later it was a thrashed snare wire with contact mics. Right now I’m having TONS of fun with Stereo Fields by Landscape which gives a whole new way of expression with it’s unique haptic interface. I’m also waiting on the new Dreadbox Antiphon monophonic synth to be assembled. My anticipation vein is pumping hard!</div>
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<b>20. </b> <b>What are some of your other interests/projects/hobbies outside of Ghone?</b></div>
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I’m working as a freelance graphic designer, concert promoter and production manager. I’m also run Coherent States -a small experimental music label- with my friend Manolis. We have just released an amazing new vinyl record, for the French artist Gaël Segalen, for which I’m really excited to be finally out! You can safely say that Ghone is an extension of my everyday activities.</div>
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<b>21.</b> <b>Time for you to ask a question!</b></div>
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<b>Any drone/noise/experimental acts from Serbia to recommend? Pretty lame question, I know, but I’m genuinely curious.</b></div>
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To be brutally honest, aside of a handful of noise/drone projects, I'm not too deep into the genre, so I don't really know of any such bands from these parts. There is an ambient project that I would recommend though, called "Paleowolf". It's an amazing dark tribal ambient inspired by prehistoric ages when humans were still hunter-gatherers. </div>
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<b>21.</b> <b>2019 is coming to an end, what have been your favorite music releases so far? Any guilty pleasures?</b></div>
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Pleasure shouldn’t go with guilt whatsoever. Having said that I really liked Tyler, The Creator’s new album “Igor” and from the experimental-esque side of music I can’t stop listening to Gaël Segalen’s album we released. But don’t take this as a plug. I’d still be playing this album non stop regardless of the label. It’s just so good! 2019 was a very good year in general. So many interesting new releases. The list would be pretty big and I’m sure I’d leave a bunch titles out, so I’d prefer to restrain myself.</div>
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<b>22.</b> <b>Do you have any book/movie recommendations?</b></div>
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I’m not much of a reader nor a cinefile. I really enjoy flipping through my most recent photography book purchase though which is a documentation of the African Ndebele tribe murals. A tradition going back hundreds of years among the women of the tribe with great vibrant colours and forms.</div>
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<b>23. What does the future hold for "Ghone"?</b></div>
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Looks like it holds more performances and more traveling. And hopefully new recorded material and collaborations as well. But life is a curious path with many crossroads, so I try not to make long term plans.</div>
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<b>24.</b> <b>Do you have any final message to the readers?</b></div>
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I miss Serbia! Hope to have the chance to return sooner than later. I often recall my visits there fondly.</div>
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xmoonxhowlerxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15149950277567744302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884169877921561571.post-44901155431927658632019-11-25T19:53:00.000+01:002019-11-25T19:53:04.208+01:00Showcase: Ghone<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK1twQg7IM_Emris8o_90RkLUi3kYm8ZEhF1C-b8QgWi3mbwFLIhAho67jaVWw8INVd5Do46V4d-ZVyxQx_OBNbLiIQet72AVcD_9_M35mPpbG627APkLWA0dHeZZUyEUor4qp-fpFm9D5/s1600/Ghone-live_at_Place-%2528photocredit-Manos_Chrysovergis%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK1twQg7IM_Emris8o_90RkLUi3kYm8ZEhF1C-b8QgWi3mbwFLIhAho67jaVWw8INVd5Do46V4d-ZVyxQx_OBNbLiIQet72AVcD_9_M35mPpbG627APkLWA0dHeZZUyEUor4qp-fpFm9D5/s640/Ghone-live_at_Place-%2528photocredit-Manos_Chrysovergis%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Ghone" live @Place by Manos Chrysovergis</td></tr>
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<a href="https://ghone.bandcamp.com/music" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Ghone.temple" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC64FosEPx0MkL8MVe1pN94A" target="_blank">YouTube</a><br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>"<b>Ghone</b>" is a rather peculiar entity. It is a native of Athens, Greece, found in the dark corners of the city, brooding and composing its tunes in the shadows cast by the ancient temples of the Hellenic pantheon and high-rise buildings of the urban sprawl. It is an extraordinarily rare being, only one of its kind known to exist, currently residing in the body of a musical maestro known as John Kontandreopoulos. John has been a powerhouse for creating a mesmerizing concoction of experimentally ambient noise. Proof of this is that since 2011 he has amassed twelve releases under the “Ghone” tag and has no apparent intention to stop.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Personally, I was exposed to this music by mere accident back in 2012 when “Ghone” opened a show for “Nadja” and Aidan Baker in Novi Sad, Serbia. The epilogue of this concert was phenomenal and all of my thoughts about it back then were summarized in a gig review which I wrote <a href="https://natureswithnoplagues.blogspot.com/2011/11/gig-review-ghone-aidan-baker-nadja.html" target="_blank">here</a>. I think I wasn’t as nearly as descriptive (edit: <strike>annoying</strike>) with describing the experience in that article, but the bottom line is that I was severely impressed, both from the audial and the visual perspective. It was stunning to see one person creating such a vast and abundant soundscape, especially considering that the way he performed was completely new to me. Using drumsticks as a tool for playing bass, what? Creating such a massive wall of sound with so little equipment? If I hadn’t seen it, I wouldn’t believe it. Back then such creative insanity was a whole new dimension of music to me and I never saw someone play music live in such a way. All of this immediately made me want to delve deeper into the rest of the music made under the name of “Ghone”. However, in 2012 there was only one other record available on his bandcamp page.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXoIuXlkEMEA3-kRNThPrUmLY3fbPWSB6n3SJXcsiJL070VhyxmCBr1goGo79px-CaTR84Yee8ZH74hHJM2bMrnJuoWbhkEBwKBz60SbreEMZO3C2GT78YRSKPk09qpiei7XK2XtYFcNh/s1600/luceum+sequimur.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXoIuXlkEMEA3-kRNThPrUmLY3fbPWSB6n3SJXcsiJL070VhyxmCBr1goGo79px-CaTR84Yee8ZH74hHJM2bMrnJuoWbhkEBwKBz60SbreEMZO3C2GT78YRSKPk09qpiei7XK2XtYFcNh/s320/luceum+sequimur.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“<b>Luceum Sequimur</b>”, recorded and released near the end of 2011, is the “Ghone” first-born. Consisting of only one song (keep in mind that this is something you’ll notice to be a trend with this artist), a 17 minute long eerie ambient crawl, slowly sucking you in with droning vibrations and tubular resonances. It takes you on a space-like voyage filled with vastness and nostalgia, later on replaced with a much more claustrophobic sounds sprinkled with tiny sporadic tingling noises, as if you just landed on some strange alien planet. The song builds up towards a climactic anti-climax ending, which sounds like a paradox, but it makes sense in a strange way. On one hand, the aforementioned tingling kept hinting that there was going to be something horrific waiting at the end but finishes on such a note that it leaves you hanging and wanting more. Yet on the other hand, to me this represents the branching evolutionary path for future work, which can be visible as such once you view the entire discography as a whole. “Ghone” has just begun playing with your senses and this is simply saying that he will be back and more will follow.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Published as a 3’’ CDr, “Luceum Sequimur” was made to be a limited tour release and has been sold out since then. Worth noting is that it seems like the 3’’ medium has been a favorite of “Ghone”, something that I’m really loving actually, as I am a huge fan of these less popular formats.<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>A while after I attended the show in Novi Sad I went back to the bandcamp page and I was pleasantly surprised to see the gig recording offered to people as a proper release. Another surprise came in the form of more material, namely “<b>Untitled</b>”, recorded straight to a cassette without further editing. It consists of two songs, together ramping up to 40 minutes in duration. The first track immediately hooks you in with melancholic tones periodically layered with a distant spoken word. The monophonic synthesizer used to perform this provides such a fragile tune which leaves a strong impression on the listener. Some minutes into the song you get thrown into a whirlwind of crazy sounds being generated by a loop station. The whole mid-section of the song is so weirdly layered, sounding like a straight up LSD trip in a room full of twirling memories. Eventually it starts calming down, as if the trip is wearing off, and drifts off into a droning tone.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The second “Untitled” song is my favorite, as it manages to quickly set the overall mood and keeps it strong until the very end. Right from the start you’re faced with vibrating tones building up with intensity, so much so that you are feeling like they are going to lash out at you all of a sudden. The entire song keeps a steady momentum with one specific wave-length of sound, but then along the way it introduces a different pitch or a single note that completely changes the moment, as if you’re discovering a whole new chapter of some unknown story. I got some exceptionally strong cyberpunk vibes from this one, painting images of bleak, rain-soaked dystopian cities in my head.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>This release came in an extremely limited physical format consisting of only 10 cassettes, each with a unique handmade collage cover. As you will see, stuff like this is a bit of a “Ghone” signature when it comes to physical releases, as it seems to me that most of them are true works of art by themselves.<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>To be absolutely honest, after this release I somewhat drifted away from “Ghone” and I failed to come back to it for quite some years. It is only now in 2019. while in the process of resuscitating the blog that I returned to it. During my hibernation “Ghone” was tireless, so once I came back there were nine (9!) new releases waiting for my ears, oh the pleasure!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzk5rsIof1XxS4lkOfIafTs9F_yfgvcjRzNBvdCuMEgxsPw6hWdwrF0CXb05iOimrJwq3Nnc8Vvqe2LncOj-VkNuPnQPqQWtdQMCy4iSUEmc8JFYHT2ee4KSxBnyJ3k2hH0pB7A-KFg_Ch/s1600/amen+ophis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzk5rsIof1XxS4lkOfIafTs9F_yfgvcjRzNBvdCuMEgxsPw6hWdwrF0CXb05iOimrJwq3Nnc8Vvqe2LncOj-VkNuPnQPqQWtdQMCy4iSUEmc8JFYHT2ee4KSxBnyJ3k2hH0pB7A-KFg_Ch/s320/amen+ophis.jpg" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I decided to listen chronologically, so “<b>Amen.Ophis</b>” was first on the list. Similarly to “Untitled”, this is another two song release and on this occasion it is on the shorter side as far as “Ghone” standards go, consisting of “only” 15-ish minutes of music. Let me tell you immediately, this one could very well be a soundtrack of a mind-bending horror movie.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The first song, “Amen” oozes with dread, a tension-filled composition which provides superb background ambiance for a persistent mantric singing sample. The way it builds up, it truly feels like you’re walking into a cave and stumbling upon an eldritch ritual performed by a cult worshiping some unknown entity. Add to this the fact that throughout the song you can periodically hear some kind of squeaky noise, as if made by a rocking chair, superbly adding eeriness to the already horrific scene.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Ophis” does not lack in horror either, only this time it takes on a wholly different form, as if the sleeping god was successfully awakened by the previously mentioned ritual. There are these unexpected thumping and explosive electrical shocks which don’t fail to make you feel unnerved somehow. The squeaky noise is present again, this time in the final moments of the song, making the whole release somehow come full circle.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>It was fascinating how some of these subtle tones weaved together manage to create certain images in your mind. Who knows what kind of image or inspiration was in John’s head while creating this and maybe I’m completely off with what the “aim” of his music is, but whatever the background and whatever the message, something manages to get across to the listener in a successful way.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>To put it mildly, I was impressed. So immediately after I finished listening, I knew that it would be amazing to talk to the person behind “Ghone” and to help spread the word about the music via an interview.<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>While writing the initial message to get in touch, I put “<b>10.6.2012</b>” as background music. This release comes along with an interesting “one day” concept, meaning that the entire thing was written and recorded within a single day. It is an initiative from “Somehow Ecstatic Records” based in Greece, where they invite numerous artists to have a take on this recording concept. Most of these releases are available for free download on their bandcamp page found <a href="https://somehowecstatic.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">here</a>, while the physical format is always limited to 30 hand-numbered copies. Give them a listen.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The contribution to this initiative done by “Ghone” are two surprisingly contrasting pieces. The first track is filled with calming noise, droning you into serenity. It starts off in an aggressive fashion and being exceptionally loud around the 4 minute mark, but the more the song goes on the more it shifts in dynamic and eventually it begins emitting a lulling bass tune. Even the buzzing and crackling of static near the end seems to be calming in a way and the vocal samples bursting through are somewhat assuring.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The second one, to me, was not so relaxing and is somehow a stark difference to the first part of the release. The whole song is infested with some sort of static-induced high pitched wail, which truly tickles the nerves. This crackling noise also permits a deeply low, rumbling growl to vibrate along, which in unity makes you feel like you’re standing in the midst of some lightning-charged electric maelstrom. It certainly gets its point across, whatever that point may be, but I feel like this is not pleasant for every day listening, or at least it isn’t as peaceful as its predecessor.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Ultimately, when you take into account that these two songs are roughly 40 minutes in length, the “one day” thing mentioned above becomes truly impressive.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB5D-1PToJc4bgHdRpayqnUYdVHgfxVgZErPimTzY4DtUMLDx7qhKdpuxXga1n17anvjPkQEozDEgCncx8mmNivDlBcECvPFf9PumNtJ9dTnnSUO1WWuGY6jhqfUhWqrj-jb2PGrh1JBys/s1600/Protos+Orofos+-+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB5D-1PToJc4bgHdRpayqnUYdVHgfxVgZErPimTzY4DtUMLDx7qhKdpuxXga1n17anvjPkQEozDEgCncx8mmNivDlBcECvPFf9PumNtJ9dTnnSUO1WWuGY6jhqfUhWqrj-jb2PGrh1JBys/s320/Protos+Orofos+-+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“<b>Varstatg Arre</b>” is by far the shortest “Ghone” track, but the background is interesting. The song is actually a part of a compilation called “Protos Orofos - 4” which includes 13 artists in total. “First Floor”, as the two words translate from Greek, is a group of people who organize concerts for experimental bands, which take place at 1ος Όροφος (“on the first floor”), in Thessaloniki. And thus, a new compilation comes out each year (currently ramping up to issue #11), featuring artists who played the year before. I actually ended up picking the whole #4 compilation from a guy in Serbia and it is worth the listen for every single performer. Highly recommended that you check it out, you can easily find the CD on Discogs for cheap.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>As far as “Ghone” goes, the contributed song is short and direct. A slow four minute long drive through static noise enhanced with deep rumbling wobbles and barely noticeable electric tingling.<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>A year long break followed for “Ghone” only for it to come back better than ever with “<b>Imnissel Mill Dinja</b>”, featuring an hour long monster of a song. The bandcamp page linked below actually has this track split in two, but the CD version features the original full-length. Worth mentioning is that this was recorded as part of a rehearsal for the first “Fresh Music Festival” in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>This release brings me back into “this should be a soundtrack” territory, as this is some unbelievably good ambiance work. “Part 1” features excellent usage of the electric double bass, at times sounding sophisticated and classical, yet at others it seems broken and mad. The deep vibrations of the instrument take you on a 19 minute voyage through some truly desolate soundscapes, pierced by high pitched screeching and feedback that could wake the dead.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Part 2” continues with this same clash on a much grander scale and it is actually no surprise that these two parts were originally one song. It simply does not let you rest. Every tone produced here is at its maximum, be it in the form of the resonant moaning taking you to new ever-lower depths, of the bass feedback tormented to the point of screaming or even in the form of both these extremes clashing together to form a cacophony of sound.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>This second part, at times, reminds me of the soundtrack (surprise, surprise) of the “S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Shadow of Chernobyl” video game, as you continually feel unnerved and on edge during all these twists and turns. Especially near the end when certain smashing sounds are heard and you feel like it’s someone bashing on your door trying to murder you. Superb release and probably one of my favorites!<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Half a year later we come to witness the birth of something very interesting. A new chapter of sorts in the history of “Ghone”, the start of collaborative split work with other musicians. Symbolically, the premier one is called “<b>The First Harvest</b>”, a split with Greek experimental post-rock act known as “<b>The Dandelion Fields</b>”. I won’t go too far into reviewing their part of the split, but in short they deliver a grim, bleak and even existentially nihilistic sound. For the most part the songs are peacefully brooding, yet deeply melancholic and sad, especially when you delve deeper into the lyrics.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>On the other end of the spectrum, “Ghone” did an excellent job in following up with that specific tone set by the other collaborator. John opted to present a less noisy version of “Ghone”, focusing more on a compressed soundscape. The sounds burst towards you in a rippling motion, as if their full power is contained in an endlessly moving bubble and only snippets of volume come to attack your ears. For the most part it seems like the bubble you’re facing is filled with scratching noises or chains being dragged across a huge hallway made of metal. Near the end of the track there is a bass-infused rumbling sound, reminiscent of the one displayed in “10.6.2012”, but in a calmer tone and thus tying up with the melancholy created by “The Dandelion Fields” part.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz3q_vpw5kANnz5pc_x9nnHL6kbEzmpo4NQtZ2URXOrCfYhMIJYoKyNJ6pnoqLQQ5ZomT0rHMkM3r1ctTWGyqPpygQ_v02V3glYiWgPZpVtJaIUZ2nvEZV0u4y9AYEvxfnUVed9czEpJT6/s1600/rushing+for+coal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz3q_vpw5kANnz5pc_x9nnHL6kbEzmpo4NQtZ2URXOrCfYhMIJYoKyNJ6pnoqLQQ5ZomT0rHMkM3r1ctTWGyqPpygQ_v02V3glYiWgPZpVtJaIUZ2nvEZV0u4y9AYEvxfnUVed9czEpJT6/s320/rushing+for+coal.jpg" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Not even a full month after the split “<b>Rushing for Coal</b>” was released. I’m not a 100% sure why, but just by looking at the cover of this one I got excited and I had a clear feeling that this was going to be something different. Writing this now I can say that the feeling was weirdly accurate.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>This release has been cut into three songs, all clocking out at around 30 minutes total. “Somm” is the opening track and it perfectly sets the tone for the entire thing. A somber mix of gloomy synths and soft electrical currents produce a strange feeling of listening to some long forgotten voice message noise decaying in a loop stretched out to infinity. This is continued and expanded upon in “Naam”, which greatly expands the pensive mood, especially in moments when guitar tones are introduced. It paints such a bleak picture in your head, reminding me at times of some works produced by “Earth” on their more dark jazzy albums. The guitar creates excellent dark jazz/folk sounds, completely overtaking the song and taking it into its own direction. This mutates to a whole different level on the final song called “Ruum”, as the guitar takes an aggressive turn creating an echoing wall of distortion. This violent burst of sound is only brief and it seems like it was placed as a cutting point to let more calm notes back in. The synthesizer is back in the spotlight from this spot onward and it somehow takes the sounds from the first song and morphs them into a gentle, almost hopeful and cheery tune.<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>A hibernation period ensued and roughly two years passed until a new release appeared. Next in line was another split and this time a live one at that! Recorded live at Ypogeio, Thessaloniki on 21st May, 2017, when “Ghone” performed along/with “<b>Six Steps Above The Earth</b>”.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>There’s a big contrast when comparing this and “The First Harvest” split. There we saw “The Dandelion Fields” opening and setting the tone which “Ghone” gradually took and morphed, while sticking to the mood previously established. Here, however, the roles swapped and it feels like “Ghone” is building the setting. Opening up with a sample of some beautiful music by Astrud Gilberto (the song “Trains and Boats and Planes”, to be exact), “Ghone” starts slowly piercing the melody with clean, sharp noises. He gradually adds more and more elements, the low growling bass, static showers, gentle folkish guitar tunes changing into resonant feedback. By the end of the 20 minute track you come to a conclusion that this seems like a perfectly condensed showcase of what “Ghone” is. This seems to be an excellent comeback piece after such a long wait.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The second song is actually an introductory jam between “Ghone” and “Six Steps Above The Earth”, which is a really eerie, yet madly entertaining track. They somehow layered the tones well, the former providing consistent shifting ambiance while the latter introduces creepy string plucking melodies. Great improvisational skills on all sides as you feel both contribute with their own tones, sounding broken and perfectly aligned at the same time.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The final part of the split/live is reserved for the split partner, who bring out a slow and noisy drone-inspired doom. A tongue twister for sure, but worth checking out, as I find them to be a solid stage partner for “Ghone”.<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Our showcase artist goes to sleep for another two years and comes back with a new split release in 2017, this time with a project called “<b>Modelbau</b>”. Full name of the entire collaboration is “<b>Zagtel Jaar Mileit / Pulse/Phases</b>”.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Ghone” has been absolutely superb on this one, simply because you can sense the evolution of the project which has been gifted by these yearly breaks. The titular song possesses a sublime note to it, presenting a clean cut amount of noise that is highly technical and accurate. He plays with only a handful of electrical notes, but the culmination of those is no longer a cacophony of harshness, but is instead a precise purring of a well-oiled machine. It oozes with a sense of minimalism that is rich with various elements at the same time.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Same can be said for “Modelbau”, the experimental electronic act of Frans De Waard. The seven tracks that make up “Pulse/Phases” are hitting the ceiling of minimalism with droning ambient tunes which are borderline meditative.<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>By now it is safe to say that this “two year hibernation” experiment has been an absolute benefit for “Ghone”, as all these releases have been some of my favorites. The same applies to the final addition called “<b>Sram Schet</b>” which saw the light of day in 2019 as a live recording of a show done in April of the same year.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>We’re back in soundtrack land and I honestly believe that this is peak “Ghone” material in those regards. This brilliantly horrific track takes you on a 23 minute deep dive into a decaying rust-covered haunted (mad) house. Or post-apocalyptic ruins of a once vastly populated city. Or a thick, vast forest filled with shadows and moving eyes or whichever other scenario gets your spine tingling. It’s creepy. It’s chilling. It gives you goosebumps. And it’s done perfectly. You hear how “Ghone” plays with sounds, keeping the overall mood at an edge, but adding layers, melding them together, breaking the pattern with unexpected high pitched samples and then putting it back together, but never stopping. It is times like these where I wish the tracks had lyrics, as I imagine that they would have quite a story to tell. Then again, the music paints a far better picture than words ever could.<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>There you have it ladies and gentlemen, “Ghone” in the smallest of nutshells. Each of the above listed releases is worthy of a longer, proper review. It feels like each of them successfully manages to transfer a unique feeling, which I think a lot of noise artists can’t always achieve.<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>To sum this whole showcase up, if I had to rank my top 3 “Ghone” releases, my list would look something like this:<br />
<i>#1</i> - <b>Sram Schet</b><br />
<i>#2</i> - <b>Rushing For Coal</b><br />
<i>#3</i> - <b>Imnissel Mill Dinja</b><br />
<i>#honorable mention</i> - <b>split w/ Modelbau</b> (as the <i>#1</i> split release)<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Overall, as mentioned at the start of the showcase, I’m impressed by “Ghone” and have been captivated by it ever since I heard the first tone. Objectively, there are areas where it excels at and some which might be room for improvement. Some tracks are intimidatingly long and they could be a bit shorter while still managing to get the feels across to the listener. This is why I would love to see John exploring some shorter song formats, as I think some of these already existing briefer tracks are surprisingly impactful. Similarly, at times I much more prefer “Ghone” in the clean cut, more minimalistic and technical incarnation, compared to the harsh noise variant simply because I feel like the cleaner ones manage to send a stronger message.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>And yet, whatever kind of opinion you have regarding “Ghone”, one thing is for certain. It is a passion project in constant motion and evolution, ever-growing and forever changing. It is a machine fueled by creativity, a thing which it doesn’t seem to run out of, and thus you never truly know what will another release bring. “Ghone” can slow down, but it will never stop.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I hope these little snippets of my thoughts are enough to inspire you to check out this wondrous noise from Greece. You can find the entire discography up on bandcamp found <a href="https://ghone.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">here</a>, some selected works on youtube <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC64FosEPx0MkL8MVe1pN94A" target="_blank">here</a> and you can also follow “Ghone” on the official facebook page found <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Ghone.temple" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>As promised, this showcase will be shortly followed by an interview I did with John, which will be up on the blog this upcoming Thursday. Great conversation, truly can’t wait to share it with you all. Stay tuned!</div>
xmoonxhowlerxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15149950277567744302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884169877921561571.post-40685881012998878942019-11-23T19:42:00.000+01:002019-11-23T19:42:23.180+01:00Gig review: Ólafur Arnalds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I knew for quite some time that I would be attending this concert, but I wasn't entirely sure if I'll end up writing my thoughts about it afterwards, especially during this period when I've been actively working on the "Jeromes Dream" review (which made me quite exhausted) and the huge showcase/interview that I'll be posting next week. However, the performance was such that it would be a complete loss not to host here. </div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>Ólafur Arnalds</b>, an Icelandic multi-instrumentalist, needs no introduction, simply because he has been sprouting his roots throughout various corners of the music world. He played drums in “Fighting Shit” and “Celestine”, Icelandic hardcore and post-metal bands respectively, and has contributed various material for “Heaven Shall Burn”. Both bands being quite superb, I might add. He is also part of an experimental techno duo along with Janus Rasmussen of “Bloodgroup”, their joint project called “Kiasmos” which I’m really enjoying lately. During the years he has touched many genres with his solo project, ranging from post-rock, experimental ambient and neoclassicism. Along the way, he has worked with many notable artists, such as “Sigur Rós” and Nils Frahm, to name a few, and has also contributed vastly in the soundtrack world where he eventually won the BAFTA Best Original Music award for the show “Broadchurch” in 2014.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>He is also considered a music pioneer along with Icelandic audio developer Halldor Eldjarn, with whom he worked for two years to develop a custom-designed software called “Stratus”. Essentially, a musical system focused on a central piano which, while being played, triggers two different notes on two other self-playing pianos, creating unbelievable melodies and harmonies.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>This is all just a brief, condensed background, but it boils down to Ólafur being an exceptionally talented artist making some truly wonderful music, a prodigy only Iceland is capable of raising.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The event took place at “Sava Centar” in Belgrade on 20th of November 2019. It’s a really old place, but one with a rather cult-like status for grandiose events like this and it has been a place of some fond memories for me. The most recent event which I attended here was the “Dead Can Dance” concert a few months back and I was blown away by how exquisite the acoustics of the concert hall were. Truth be told, I was a little skeptical for that gig because the venue is so old and with a bit of a rusty appearance, but the whole event just pushed all those doubts aside and I was actually quite happy that Ólafur will have his performance there. As he mentioned when addressing the crowd during the opening of the show, this was their 142nd (out of 143) concert on the “Re:member” tour which has been spanning for 18 months.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect from the concert and I somewhat went blind into it, as I haven’t really listened to his music all that much. I mostly knew some of his background and have heard a few songs here and there, so in my mind it would be <i>just</i> an enjoyable evening. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdH3WdBmge7BW8M7HNTY6nWeGklyRHXrPuLndivQgfWkZLHTnPQchz0Jl0tO-hSMbHN1G4RuT4uDNVkteQYtmrEW3HAE6eYlR5rikd9-ptJRDQ90yvyS7dQUTHjcCflugZQwDgSujfMLXn/s1600/WhatsApp+Image+2019-11-21+at+18.31.53.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdH3WdBmge7BW8M7HNTY6nWeGklyRHXrPuLndivQgfWkZLHTnPQchz0Jl0tO-hSMbHN1G4RuT4uDNVkteQYtmrEW3HAE6eYlR5rikd9-ptJRDQ90yvyS7dQUTHjcCflugZQwDgSujfMLXn/s400/WhatsApp+Image+2019-11-21+at+18.31.53.jpeg" width="300" /></a><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Right from the get go, the concert was a sight to behold. Ólafur came out alone and sat at his piano, a single beam of light high from above focusing on him. Soon enough, he was joined by five other band members, a cellist, a drummer and three violinists, all walking into the darkness and taking their positions. Slowly, each of them began playing, one by one, each note making another ray of light coming down and illuminating them. </div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Immediately I have to talk about the lights which were such a key element to the entire performance, as if they were the final member on stage making this group a septet. I have literally never attended an event where the lighting was utilized in such an astounding way. Not only was it beautiful aesthetically, but there was a real artistic merit to it, being perfectly synchronized with the music, constantly adapting to almost every created tone. It played such a pivotal part in establishing and enhancing the atmosphere that you cannot take it away from the music.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The music itself was divine. “Þú ert jörðin”, “re:member”, “Verses”, “Ypsilon”, “Ekki Hugsa” and “Near Light” are just some of the songs which spread through the concert hall that evening. The audience was grasped and taken on a hundred minute otherworldly journey. Collectively, we even actively participated in the said journey, when Ólafur asked the crowd to sing so that he can record it and add it to a song. For the most part, everyone in the crowd was stunned by the spectacle and there would always be dead silence near the end of a given song, everybody patiently waiting for the very last tone to go mute so that we could all burst into applause and cheer. There were moments where the piano would be so very quiet, almost as if it was not playing at all, and you could sense the electricity in the air as hundreds of people sit on the edges of their seats, so deeply focused and absorbing the moment.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>There’s a pure lack of words when trying to describe music like this. It was so mesmerizing to literally see and hear all these beautifully weaved melodies playing with and rearranging your momentary emotions. So many perfectly clear, gentle, somber, melancholic, uplifting and epic tones, but all together so very powerful and moving. You simply can’t sum that up in writing. I like to explain this to myself in a way that such music is created by not only genuinely talented individuals, but by those who are also able to tap into something deep down in their soul, a thing so pure and primordial, and transfer it into music.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The last, but absolutely not the least, song which Ólafur performed alone during an encore was “Lag fyrir ömmu”, which he explained was a song he dedicated to his late grandmother. So pure and wonderful, as he has also been while previously addressing the audience, the last tones echoing that evening in Belgrade were deeply moving. </div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In the end, this was an evening blessed with truly magical music. It is one of those events which you experience and then you go home with your soul feeling warm and comfortable. It’s an experience which doesn’t hit you hard, but instead it lingers on you for the days to come and makes you smile because somewhere in the back of your mind you still hear some of those beautiful piano melodies playing. It doesn’t blow your mind, but it does take your breath away.</div>
xmoonxhowlerxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15149950277567744302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884169877921561571.post-85974912808649611032019-11-10T19:14:00.000+01:002019-11-10T19:14:22.349+01:00Gig review: Jeromes Dream<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I was trying to do my best to have this review (and one other planned post) crammed into October, but writing the previous wall of text and gathering my thoughts on this one was an endeavor. Sitting here now in front of my laptop and trying to believe that I'm ready to spill out my emotions about the concert, I'm honestly still not sure if the thoughts have all settled down.<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Thanks to a work related trip I managed to see "Cult of Luna" play in Gothenburg, but the maddening thing about the whole thing was that the trip got booked literally on the same evening when JD announced their European tour. Initially I saw the dates and most places where I usually travel for concerts were during my stay in Sweden and this was disheartening, to say the least. There was absolutely no chance that I would miss them and somehow I managed to come up with a plan, so a handful of hours after the announcement I bought tickets for the show in Vienna and tickets for a connected flight scheduled for some hours after "Cult of Luna" which would first land me in Berlin and then into the Austrian capital. Mad 24 hours, that's for sure.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Wien Arena is located in a sort of industrial section of the city close to the Danube river, on its western bank. As much as I have managed to understand the location, Arena is actually a group of multiple venues of different shapes and sizes. This concert in particular took place in the Kleine Halle (small hall) which is divided into three connected rooms, featuring a bar, a room with a merch table and the stage space, aesthetically perfect for a hardcore show with lots of cool posters and interesting names up on the walls.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Already we slowly creep to the part of the review where I have to stop and start thinking about how am I going to structure the rest of the text. In reality, this whole thing was written backwards somehow, since I first wrote the more heartfelt second half of the review and then I scrolled back to the start to compile the more technical part. I completely spilled the emotional beans, but then I realized this will end up looking more like a diary entry than a concert review, so the cold technicalities simply needed to be done.<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>"<b>Jeromes Dream</b>" truly needs no introduction. For those unfortunate enough to not be familiar with the name, they are a 3-piece screamo band formed in Connecticut, USA way back in 1997, and being extensively active up until 2001 when they broke up. Those four fruitful years gave birth to numerous releases, most of which were splits with other notable projects such as "Amalgamation", "Usurp Synapse" and "Orchid", to name a few. They went above and beyond with the way they played, exploding on the music scene with an extremely violent incarnation of screamo, masterfully using screeching guitar feedback and unexpected outbursts of melodically melancholic tempo drops. By far the definite thing that sets them apart from any other band is the decision to not use a microphone for live performances and most of their recorded material. Hearing the raw power of the vocals, grasping the idea and the message behind it, realizing the passion needed to perform in such a way, is truly mind blowing. This "style" of screaming was a perfect clash of destructive energy, an almost painfully aggressive wail, but so pure and sincere at the same time. Truly a one of a kind characteristic which can't be found anywhere else. </div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Without any kind of exaggeration, they are one of the most influential bands of the genre and their legacy has lived on to this day, almost two decades later. We all woke up from the dream back in 2001, but since then we fell asleep and the dream came back in 2018 when it was announced that they are recording new music. So here we are now, one year and one new "LP" later.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The show was everything that I have hoped for and so much more beyond that. They were fast, chaotic and remorseless, but above everything else they radiated with pure, unbridled passion. It's worth noting that the latest release was somewhat done as a culmination of pre-"Presents" and "Presents" era, combined with two decades worth of musical evolution of the band members. The most controversial thing about it, again, are the vocals, since the band still keeps generating the hate of some of the listeners due to the so called "robo-voice" which initially showed up in their final 2001 record. Not to get too deep into it (not like this review will lack in length), but I fall on the bandwagon of people who love the vocal changes, despite the fact that I absolutely adored the no-microphone act and consider it the "Jeromes Dream" signature. Personally, "Double Who? Double You!" is in my top 5 JD songs for sure, so to me it came almost natural that they continue with a similar style on the "LP".<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Again worth noting is that similarly to how I think the new record is a amalgamation of all their collected work and growth into an album, so did their performance feel the same way. Jeff sounded insanely good, as if he was performing in all his recorded styles all at once. The aggression, the passion, screaming into the microphone in a way that did sound "robotic" yet fragile and genuinely human at the same time. The instruments were poised to collapse the venue with the sheer force released, the constant beating, rending and maniacal rhythm bursts and shifts. Their setlist was composed of mostly new material, but they managed to nudge in a few oldies, most notably "It's More Like A Message To You" which hit me like a truck since it is one of my favorite songs overall.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>30 minutes and one broken guitar string later, they finished. After so much chaos and rushed heart beats it was done. Silence. I felt like I was drifting, physically I was present, but the mind was stunned. So much so that it didn't even occur to me that the band is still there at the small venue and that the chances to bump into one of them was high. I moved a bit into the room where the merch desk was, trying to just get a grip of myself, and then I accidentally notice Jeff walking past me. My initial response was null, I didn't want to disturb him and somehow I felt like I was lacking the trigger which I always had previously on shows where I would almost always say hi to band members and thank them for the gig. Guess I'm getting old.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Despite this, almost instinctively in a second I was close to him, tapping him on the shoulder. And it was... such a weird encounter for me. There I am, just some random person from the crowd, and there he was, also just some random person playing some music. But it just so happens that this specific music and this particular band means <i>something </i>to me, without me knowing why and what exactly. It has simply existed in my life for so many years, rooted in a particularly special place in my heart. The music that was present through love and loss, hope and tragedy, through inspiration and depression, invoking so many different emotions that I can't even begin to describe all of them.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>My memories of this band aren't as vivid as those of "Cult of Luna" in the previous review. I can't remember the first song I heard or when and where I heard it. I can't recall how and why they stuck with me. Discovering screamo back in the day was a chaotic experience for me, I fell into the genre and I was flooded by the amount of bands which were so damn superb. There is only the memory of "Saetia" being the absolutely first screamo tune which echoed in my ears, but after them the sheer number of amazing projects just overwhelmed me.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>At some unknown spot in time, somewhere deep in that ever-turbulent vortex of music, two bands emerged. "Mihai Edrisch" and "Jeromes Dream", the names which rose up and stood tall as my absolutes, not just within the screamo genre, but overall. And even to this day, so many years later, they are still there for me and still I don't know why.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>"Jeromes Dream" has been <i>the band</i>. Where swarms of bands came and went, their music stuck with me, maybe simply because they truly did succeed in stirring up emotions. Among many of those sensations were feelings of nostalgia and melancholy in the tunes, which were always highlighted by the fact that they were a band from the 90's who broke up by the time I discovered them and I would never see them perform. They were a youthful trio doing something unbelievably unique and powerful, there were awe-inspiring stories to their name and horribly recorded live shows which, even despite the bad quality, were nothing short of groundbreaking. Many bands of that era have been long dead by the time I discovered them, but somehow the death of "Jeromes Dream" disturbed me.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>It's so hard writing this without being too emotional. It's hard writing this at all, in fact. I'm inexplicably happy that I managed to see them play live and actually thankful that I even got a chance to do so... yet, at the same time, I feel extremely sad. The same way that their music can make you feel uplifted and alive, but also cause depressive feelings to erupt, so too did this concert make me feel. I was there with them, witnessing the full spectacle of the chaos they created, but somehow I can't shake the melancholic feeling of sadness that I wasn't present near them some 20 years ago when they initially hit the scene, in the "golden age" so to speak. Not there at the Munoz Gym in Bakersfield, not there for the "Chased by Bees" tour with "Orchid" or not there for some random house show. Especially when I think about the fact that at the time I was a kid living in the war torn part of the European continent, in a country that was bombed for months in 1999, completely displaced from a part of the world where some other kids were focused on creating music and where something truly magical was happening. I was displaced and unable to physically be there on shows to support them. I don't know why, but all these thoughts weigh heavily on me.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>But maybe all this was what made seeing them so surreal to me. They were a cherished possession which got lost in the past, even though I never actually owned it, yet felt tremendously connected to. I finally had my chance to be a part of that experience and I would be lying if I said that it didn't change something in me. I'm sitting now at my laptop (at work actually), listening to the "Completed" CD and my heart is just rushing with invigorated passion. It feels as if I'm hearing them for the first time again and it's hard to suppress tears in my eyes. I am again that kid in the 90's discovering screamo for the first time, so ardent and full of energy. This is pure proof of timelessness of the music, always invoking something in you, no matter how, when and where you hear it. And for a short, 30 minute glimpse I finally had a chance to be a part of something that has always been my dream.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>And it is such a strange phenomenon, not just in and through music, but in and through life as well, that we might touch, inspire, move or change other people, without even being, or in fact ever being, aware of this. And I believe I saw genuine surprise and amazement in Jeff's eyes when I approached him and said "thanks". Himself, Erik and Nick do something they love, for themselves, but that love spreads through all the speakers playing their music and it does touch other people.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Some minutes later, I was off home. I simply couldn't stay. I saw Erik standing at the merch desk, but I was just so emotionally exhausted, completely lost in all these thoughts and feelings. I also couldn't bring myself to conceptualize the fact that "Jeromes Dream" would be an opening act for some other band, no matter which band it was. To "Daughters", I am sorry. I'm fully aware that you deserved my attendance and I'm certain that I'll respect that on some other occasion, but just not now.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>At the start of the review I wrote that I'm not sure if my thoughts have settled and even though there are many words in this text I don't think they have. I don't think they ever will, at least not enough to express them verbally. I simply feel like crying out of joy, nostalgia or whatever third thing that is charging through my mind as I write this, again literally holding back tears even as I'm done writing everything and am just editing the review. It is that kind of experience, one that I have been trying to materialize in writing for numerous days after the gig and I could continue trying, but I'll never truly manage to explain to someone why this meant so much to me. I guess the bottom line and the point of all this is the same very first thing I said to Jeff after I tapped him on the shoulder, "thank you for everything".</div>
xmoonxhowlerxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15149950277567744302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884169877921561571.post-12928913667560068552019-10-28T12:39:00.000+01:002019-10-28T12:39:25.167+01:00Gig review: Cult of Luna, Brutus<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7dVW62WKil_YWoejoybsBfdKJvUFzZ1GR5dq7fM2r3i4lKmt7zZcGotdvG2odEMLWwzBDLF8EUTXPGyaLp8NyBmdtUwT3vIOFAm48OOGco7tdCECK84Ca0howoLisa7U1ISU2ii8PgNUC/s1600/square-tour-1800x1800.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7dVW62WKil_YWoejoybsBfdKJvUFzZ1GR5dq7fM2r3i4lKmt7zZcGotdvG2odEMLWwzBDLF8EUTXPGyaLp8NyBmdtUwT3vIOFAm48OOGco7tdCECK84Ca0howoLisa7U1ISU2ii8PgNUC/s640/square-tour-1800x1800.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I did a fair share of travelling for the past ten or so days, thanks to which I managed to attend two extremely important shows for two nights in a row, back to back. It took me several days to process this information and to gather my thoughts, but now I'm finally ready to share my impressions with you. Buckle up!<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Pustervik was the place hosting the show that night and it is a venue that I've grown quite fond of, not only because of its physical excellence, but also because I have already seen some amazing bands there, like "Neurosis" for example. It is located at one of my favorite spots in Gothenburg and the building always lures my eyes to take a peek whenever I'm passing by. Once you enter, you're greeted with a long bar and a slight curve around the corner leading you into a huge gig hall with yet another bar, merch desk and a spacious stage. Every time I visited the club was packed with people, yet despite the high numbers there always seemed to be just enough room for everyone to hang out without a hassle. All this is backed up by superb sound quality. In all honesty, I don't think I've ever visited a venue with such crisp acoustics, literally every band I heard there seemed like you're listening to them directly in the recording studio.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>"This Gift Is A Curse" opened the show and I managed to grandiosely miss them. I literally walked in on their last song at the moment when they were wrapping it up. This made me so sad and irritated, since the concert tickets stated that the doors were opening at 19:00 and the show starts at 20:00. I was at the venue at eight sharp and the first band was already closing?! I've been burned by the organizers like this a number of times now, guess I need to finally learn my lesson.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The first band from my perspective that evening was "<b>Brutus</b>", a trio from Belgium which formed back in 2013. Even though they have quite some years under their belt along with 2 albums and numerous live performances, their music somehow managed to stay away from my radar, so I actually discovered them thanks to this show. As soon as I saw their name on the line-up I checked them out and the initial song I listened to was "War", the live version from Rain City. The song got my head swinging and my eyebrow raising from being impressed, so I was like "ALRIGHT, this will be great live". And I was absolutely right, I'll tell you that.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>"Brutus" packs a swift and solid punch, swinging between the lines of mellow post-rock and vicious hardcore punk infused with math-like precision. The said line is extremely blurry and most of the times you don't know what comes next, the soundscape ranging between melodic and chaotic, technical and raw, almost dream pop-ish and downright aggressive. Saying this applies not only to the instrumental section, but also to the vocals, as Stefanie (singer/drummer) transforms from sounding like an angel one moment and then like a demon the next. It is absolutely mind blowing to me how anyone could pull off doing both of these all the while playing drums as well, not only creating just any kind of random sound, but coherent, creative and high quality at that!</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Truth be told, at certain moments you can hear that their sound forcefully comes to a drastic tempo drop just so that she can manage to inject singing and still keep playing her kit at the same time. Like I said before, I find it extremely impressive that she can pull off both, you truly don't get to see that often, but the sound somehow loses momentum because of it. This is not a flaw, simply a manifestation of a physical limitation which is reflected in the music. Being a project of constant contrasts which manages to bend and weave their sound exceptionally well, I feel like this "limitation" successfully anchors their sound in place, otherwise it would drift off all over the place. Either way, this was a great performance and I'd make another effort to see them live at any given time. Definitely check them out, you can do so on their website <a href="http://www.wearebrutus.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The way I usually write reviews is that I just throw down all the things that pop into my head on the subject. A bit of an intro and then I might jump all the way down to the outro, then maybe cover second band, venue, first band, bits and pieces flying all around. Literally every section would get some part of the text until I, in the end, collect it all together and form a cohesive article. </div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>This review I somehow stepped away from that process... or, more honestly, I was blocked from it. I wrote almost the entire thing without writing a single thing about the main band of the evening. As I write this, I still feel the difficulty and the hesitation to get to it. I look below this piece of text at the band name which I usually write down to declare it as their section. "<b>Cult of Luna</b>". It is an intimidating beast blocking my path. I feel compelled to pay respects to this entity before I can descend further down into my thoughts and make sense of all these emotions.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Rewinding the time back some 15+ years into the past, the vast majority of my overall introduction to music was through my older brother. Even though he is just a year older than me, he picked up an interest in music from a young age due to getting into guitar playing as his hobby which naturally led him to pay attention to the music world. Although he landed into punk relatively fast, the range of genres which he was versed in was impressive back then. I was a bit late to the party (although still extremely young at the time), but as soon as he sniffed out my interest in heavier music he took it upon himself to show me as many bands as possible. I'd sit in front of my PC with numbers upon numbers of CDs and burned music and I devoured all of it.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>However, some bands managed to slip through the cracks and remain unnoticed for a while. But not for long, not forever. I clearly remember that one faithful evening. A weekend, spending the night home alone, frustrated that a couple of days previously a broken hard drive resulted in me losing all my music. It was time to load up the new one with my desired music so I was digging through my brother's CDs. Several of those were pride possessions, DVDs with scores of bands burned on them. One of those had a peculiar name which I somehow missed before... "Cult of Luna". No album name, no song titles, just numbers 1 through 10. I scoffed at this, being annoyed at the shitty disorganized pirated copy of the album. But then again, the name made me unable to click away and close the folder. "Cult of Luna". It stuck in my mind for a moment, resonating with some strange sensation, a mystifying veil of something unknown, deadly, yet tempting. I pressed play.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>A short noise-induced introduction sucked me into their music and the rest absolutely crushed me. Whatever the names of those songs were, the sounds that were coming out of those speakers obliterated me. For more than an hour I sat there, listening to the entirety of the album in one go, periodically moving to increase the volume until the knob just wouldn't budge any further. Again... And again... I listened to all of it several times in a row and I was utterly consumed. This band was such a monster of insane proportions that I was simply not equipped to understand back then. After many hours of listening just to these ten songs, I sat a bit in silence and then went to bed, trying to gather my thoughts and contemplate on what I just experienced and why on Earth did such a behemoth remain hidden from me for so long.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What I know today as the album named "The Beyond" literally changed me. It completely morphed my perception of music and how massive, impactful, atmospheric and purifying it can be. To this day I consider this collection of songs to be absolutely divine and deserving of reverence, in a way self-worthy of its name, and I'm always moved and shook up by listening to it.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Now the beast moved away from my path and we may thread ever downward. For those living under a rock, like I did apparently, "Cult of Luna" is a band from Sweden formed way back in 1998 as an epilogue of one other project disbanding. Ever since they hit the scene they have been persistent with an extremely heavy post-metal, sludge-infused sound, which has always been unique and innovative. All these years after their conception they have had a score of releases, collaborations, tours and an overall vast background which any band could be envious of.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The cult assembled that night, seven members on stage and a swarm of followers hungry and waiting. Their tidal wave of sound flooded the venue and I instantly felt the same way I did so many years ago when I first heard their music. 3 guitars, a bass, two drummers and a keyboard, the massiveness of all those sounds is nigh indescribable. Try to imagine the sheer chaos and strength of the tones that so many people can create... the reality is much more grander than you can envision. It is an amalgam of world shattering shock waves which attack all of your senses, created by seven talented musicians playing their instruments with a violent passion. At this point I think it is actually worth noting what the overall setlist looked like:<br />
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"The Silent Man"</div>
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"Finland"</div>
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"Nightwalkers"</div>
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"I: The Weapon"</div>
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"And With Her Came the Birds"</div>
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"Lights on the Hill"</div>
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"In Awe Of"</div>
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"Passing Through"</div>
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"The Fall"</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>When the songs are put down on paper like this, it shows the brilliance of this live performance in so many ways. They kicked it off with "The Silent Man", a ten minute epic track from their latest album called "A Dawn To Fear", followed by "Finland", an almost classic "Cult of Luna" song. The former was a superb impact hit, demonstrating the above mentioned massiveness of sound, yet also showing the crispness of the quality despite the chaos. The latter completely sealed the deal, fully showcasing the ability of the band to shape a fascinating atmospheric soundscape by getting close to touching the post-rock genre. I almost forgot how beautiful this song is and they succeeded in nudging me back to it. The show moves onward with "Nightwalkers", a highly aggressive, yet somehow weirdly droning sound, which then morphs into "I: The Weapon", again with a touch of post-rock. <span style="text-align: center;">"And With Her Came the Birds" stops everyone in their tracks as a perfect middle track, the band dishing out an astounding dark jazz/folk masterpiece. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="text-align: center;">There was a certain kind of movement within the song selection, a sort of ebb and tide flow corresponding to the Moon. The moods, song tempos, the variance in aggression, it was all swinging constantly. In the end, the show ended with sounds of "The Fall", a truly poetic choice for one last crescendo:</span><br />
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<i>"...In the fall came the rain</i></div>
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<i>Flooded the fields</i></div>
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<i>Cleansed what remained</i></div>
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<i>With new eyes she appears</i></div>
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<i>But I am no longer here."</i></div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>One final note I have to make was that the two sets of drums were an absolute highlight for me. The only other time when I managed to see two drummers play live was open air on Fluff Fest in 2011, listening to "Year Of No Light" (which you can read <a href="https://natureswithnoplagues.blogspot.com/2011/08/festival-report-fluff-fest-2011-day-two.html" target="_blank">here</a>) and I was stunned. Here, in a closed space packed with people the impact of the sound was increased a tenfold. My body was constantly vibrating with tremors and it felt like I was being stomped on the chest. If I recall well, this was especially present during "Nightwalkers" and it was magnificent.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>There are a lot of words in this review, probably the longest gig report I wrote thus far, but despite having so much to say now I left the concert completely speechless. Truth be told, this was difficult to write since I was so shook up after it. And I still am, as it took me several days to write the part of the text which addressed "Cult of Luna". It was as if I was reliving that night from so many years ago when I first discovered them. I needed silence and time to digest. I've been wanting to see them for years and now that desire has finally been satisfied, expecting a lot but getting so much more. I hope you enjoyed the review!</div>
xmoonxhowlerxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15149950277567744302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884169877921561571.post-67638987338502071392019-10-15T21:07:00.000+02:002019-10-15T21:07:45.138+02:00Sun Worship - Surpass Eclipse EP (2013)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF8wTQM4PrRBialAXs0hA4mF5EDiFIoXB4r1TjFOlqb1Tzab7PLgY2-hvRlWSZYgLLWgqymU_f7w0s4TTZxLtxpK6Bt4EBMk_uXAbmJPuwFYpURy1iyaCnjQ633FUBowZAvhJrZgSCdpMj/s1600/a2887073609_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF8wTQM4PrRBialAXs0hA4mF5EDiFIoXB4r1TjFOlqb1Tzab7PLgY2-hvRlWSZYgLLWgqymU_f7w0s4TTZxLtxpK6Bt4EBMk_uXAbmJPuwFYpURy1iyaCnjQ633FUBowZAvhJrZgSCdpMj/s400/a2887073609_10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>October turned out to be a busier month than I initially expected, mostly since I have been bouncing between being sick for a number of days, the LoL World Championship (yes, I used to play a lot of league a few years ago and love watching professional games) and now being stuck on a work-related trip. Despite this, I've been itching to sit down and write a review, so tonight seems to be the night when I finally sit down with a drink and let my written words do the talking.<br />
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<a href="https://sunworship.bandcamp.com/album/surpass-eclipse-ep" target="_blank">Sun Worship - Surpass Eclipse EP</a> (bandcamp page)<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Coming out of the submission box is a peculiarly captivating creation from Germany, a trio which conjures a rather interesting take on black metal. To give you a brief historical summary of the band before we delve deeper into their music, the first spark which they crafted came in the form of a demo way back in 2011, closely followed by a split with "Earth Chaos" in 2012 and then this EP saw the light of day a year later. They have a total of eight releases, having five additional releases which come after "Surpass Eclipse", the newest being their live show recorded on the famous Roadburn Festival in 2018. These guys seem to be working hard non-stop and the sheer number of their material speaks volumes. To be completely honest, for the purposes of this review I limited my knowledge of their music to "Surpass Eclipse" only, since I knew that I would end up straying all over their releases if I jumped in too deep.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>So, what's so interesting about this EP? To begin with, the band could be put in the basket of the Cascadian black metal sub-genre and they immediately manage to shine next to the likes of "Wolves in the Throne Room", "Panopticon", "Ash Borer" and many other well-established names, yet at the same time they successfully make your blood freeze with the classic Norwegian sound of desolation.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The EP opens up with a song called "Castle High" and it instantly jumps at you with remorseless tremolo riffs, reminiscent of the already mentioned tones of the northern European wastes. The intense blast beats carry you all the way to the end of the song, yet the sound overall isn't as static as some black metal acts tends to be. There's a sort of vibration flowing through and moving the tones, subtle variations of sound which make the overall experience extremely melodic. </div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>A complete contrast to this is the second, and final, song named "Eclipse", which starts off in the same vein as its predecessor, but only to fall down entirely after the three minute mark. What ensues is a droning melody filled with melancholy and a gradual incline towards atmospheric screaming and a slow feedback-enhanced fade out. I enjoyed this track quite a lot, as it is a true mood setter.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Judging by these two songs, or in other words by the entirety of this EP, it is these sudden atmospheric changes where the band excels at. They somehow manage to weave a specific ambiance for the listener and these drops and tempo shifts are successfully nudging you in the proper direction. The initial fast speed sets you on a specific path, but then the contrasts provide such an impact that it makes you feel like you don't know what to expect around the corner of the next riff.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Additionally, the sound itself is raw enough to evoke the well-known sensations of listening to black metal, yet at the same time clean enough to deliver a discernible message. That is a fine thin line that needs to be balanced and it seems that "Sun Worship" manage to thread on it properly.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>My only complaint about this release is that it is simply too short. I feel that an inclusion of one more song could properly display the full range of creativity of this band, because the current shortness somehow seems to leave things unsaid. On the flip-side, you could consider this as a sort of teaser for what is yet to come from this band and it's possible that I'm just being picky and hungry for more.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The bottom line is that this band is certainly capable of delivering an explosion of a recording which is a superb entry level for people who just discovered "Sun Worship". As stated above, the band is still going strong to this day and I've had a very dear friend from Germany confirm to me that they are still great indeed, without a second thought.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Before I wrap this review up, I'd like to take a few lines and let everyone know that the band is doing a 10-day tour in the following weeks, so in case you like their tunes I highly recommend making an effort to try and catch them live. I have copied the dates below, but you can also check them out and get in touch with the band on their facebook page found <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sunworshipband/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<u><b>"Emanations of Desolation" Tour 2019</b></u><br />
25 Oct - Berlin // Zukunft am Ostkreuz<br />
26 Oct - Mannheim // Forum<br />
27 Oct - Bern // Reitschule Cafete<br />
28 Oct - Metz // La Chaouée<br />
29 Oct - Liège // Kultura<br />
30 Oct - Tilburg // Little Devil<br />
31 Oct - Köln // Halle am Rhein<br />
01 Nov - Utrecht // dB's<br />
02 Nov - Bielefeld // JZ Stricker<br />
03 Nov - Hamburg // Rote Flora<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>That's all for now, I hope that you enjoyed the review and that you will give these guys a listen, this release definitely puts them under my spotlight. My sincere apologies to the band for having to wait so long for the review, it somehow breaks my heart to realize that I have neglected your music for so long. I truly hope this review makes up for the lost time. Until next time, see you later everyone, I've got some more "Sun Worship" tunes to discover!</div>
xmoonxhowlerxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15149950277567744302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884169877921561571.post-15921286389503347222019-09-30T21:46:00.000+02:002019-09-30T21:46:01.515+02:00Little Mountains We Move...<div style="text-align: justify;">
...or how elated I am about seeing the blog alive again! This post is here just to give you a brief end/start-of-the-month update on what is coming up, since there are some additions to the blog that I'm excited about.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The first thing I definitely feel the need to talk about are the <b>physical submissions</b> which I have received way back from when the blog was fully active in 2011/2012. As mentioned in the introduction of the "Enemies" review, I've already went ahead and sorted out the box of submissions. Most of those have been completed and posted, yet some still remain untouched. I know it has been years since these were sent to me, but I feel fully committed to reviewing all of that material. Sadly, the majority of those bands/projects have disbanded, but I would like to honor their trust in me, even if it was from back then and even if none of those people might care about it anymore. Somehow it's the least I can do.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Another point worth mentioning are all the <b>unanswered e-mails</b> that are in the NWNP inbox. It contains literally hundreds of unread messages, all from bands wanting to be covered here. I have already started to slowly reply to some of those, some I am getting replies to and some are, again sadly, not active projects anymore and nobody seems to monitor those addresses or might not care to respond. Whatever the case, if a reply comes back to me, I will surely do reviews, but it's just a matter of getting confirmation that they are still interested and me having overall approval to host their material.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>One of the things that got me super excited when I wrote the comeback post was the inclusion of other music genres (aka whatever the hell music I enjoy) on here. This gave birth to an idea of how to actually go and cover those projects. I'll include a new kind of post tag called "<b>Showcase</b>" where I will write a potentially long article about a specific artist and their full discography, somehow trying to deconstruct and analyze their music. This kind of post will especially be tied to an idea to also do interviews with said artists, so a showcase would be a sort of prelude to an actual interview. I actually have a confirmed interview and I want to do a showcase for it, both scheduled to be up in the upcoming month. The artist in question was mentioned previously on the blog on one occasion, but was never fully covered. I'm both excited and afraid of writing such a deep, analytical text, but I hope it will be something that I'll manage to pull off, so we'll see how this pans out.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I had some more updates that I wanted to share with you, but realized along the way that there's no way I'll manage to cram all of those into October. For now, these points are enough and they are a good road for me to focus on. I have a ton of ideas at present, but I don't want to make promises I can't keep. It is slow progress, but eventually it will be in full swing again and so far I'm happy how everything is shaping up. This is also in part thanks to a steady influx of readers which is an enormous motivational force for me. Thank you for the continued interest, it is good to be back.</div>
xmoonxhowlerxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15149950277567744302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884169877921561571.post-5020788316359036042019-09-25T14:31:00.001+02:002019-09-25T14:31:57.625+02:00Gig review: Mgła, Martwa Aura<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ7LfzYnr-KzPh2BELlxq8AaGwrMSxWyIkrAts08w0zIu9C0XursTXEDPmH5UCOczMtgOT8JdsdOZlGd7bJk-ozVu6Ie0LmLJis8NUIUuLaChG33nlQUr97vA9rCSiAT0tAbxIqCyJPAbO/s1600/69741482_2068166266620718_3954990367887065088_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="683" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ7LfzYnr-KzPh2BELlxq8AaGwrMSxWyIkrAts08w0zIu9C0XursTXEDPmH5UCOczMtgOT8JdsdOZlGd7bJk-ozVu6Ie0LmLJis8NUIUuLaChG33nlQUr97vA9rCSiAT0tAbxIqCyJPAbO/s640/69741482_2068166266620718_3954990367887065088_n.jpg" width="454" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>It is always a curiosity for me to see a band name appear twice on the main page and I think the last time that this happened was when I was riding along with "Vestiges" back in 2012. That adventure was pre-planned however, but this one came as an unexpected surprise.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Gig took place on September 18th in "Dom Omladine" ("Youth Center") in Belgrade. Truth be told, I haven't been there since 2017 when I saw "Alcest" play, something that I completely failed to review which is actually bad because their concert was excellent. In the back of my mind I'm thinking about doing a late review of all those shows I didn't talk about, but we'll see, that's a topic for another occasion. In any case, this is one of those cult-status venues that never lets you down and I absolutely adore it due to its sheer spaciousness and the fact that it always has superb sound quality.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Worth mentioning is that the information which I saw regarding this gig was that it was completely sold out. I caught this the day after the show and it made me insanely happy, especially when you could see literally everyone going out of the venue with amazement on their faces. Warms my heart to know that so many people love "Mgła" in Belgrade.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Right off the bat, I was somewhat late to the gig and I completely missed the opening band "<b>Dagorath</b>". This fact sucks and is sad, but what can you do. I talked a little bit about them with a friend who also attended and she seemed extremely pleased, so it might be a good idea to do some homework and listen to their recordings.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg73HPLVCgGAS41H4HeJCWaxJ0eEctubDcFIpxUifnehZ3spu3YAsqRNWCFV7v9gUH-DIUp_sPDZ10lfWhaeMPiAnNSVuyNICFQXV4Qlr_L7zY8XBLtUJ8d41pZrLkHQ2tpJA7SOHXrlTCY/s1600/Martwa+Aura.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg73HPLVCgGAS41H4HeJCWaxJ0eEctubDcFIpxUifnehZ3spu3YAsqRNWCFV7v9gUH-DIUp_sPDZ10lfWhaeMPiAnNSVuyNICFQXV4Qlr_L7zY8XBLtUJ8d41pZrLkHQ2tpJA7SOHXrlTCY/s400/Martwa+Aura.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The first band that I did see live that night was "<b>Martwa Aura</b>" and I'll give my Slavic-speaking readers one try to guess what the name means. For those not fluent, it means "dead aura" and for some reason I find that name to be extremely evocative. Truth be told, I was not familiar with the Polish quintet, but after their performance I definitely got the wish to check out what they offer on recordings. The funeral black metal band from Poznan kicked it off instantly. No talking, no theatrics, minimal movement on stage. The main focus definitely falls on the singer who is a truly imposing figure, drawing attention with his slow, hulking movement and a commanding aura, if you will.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Their set was fast, aggressive and at times exceptionally melodic. The drums were a joy to focus on, since some songs featured interesting changes of rhythm, all the while the string section was shredding without a break. What I found to be unique about their sound was the addition of clean vocal singing. It seemed so well placed, especially during intense moments when the instrumental section was chaotic yet the singing added a contrast which was almost soothing.<br />
"Martwa Aura" was definitely a pleasant surprise of the evening. Be sure to check them out, you can do so on their bandcamp page <a href="https://martwa-aura.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">here</a> or get in touch with them via facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/martwaaura/" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzP_8UI25tTsScQMijfn0DREJVq8TJlmYD0_Aps1AA4cNzkqCmX6W_zn2BS7IC1LPheYLaPgzsawDM4ZtA67p2mNLuG5qCJ9WkSqW_9fECO-F_OerNO7McLoMwc3HBQlCwfmQ2JE-ssHA3/s1600/Mgla.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzP_8UI25tTsScQMijfn0DREJVq8TJlmYD0_Aps1AA4cNzkqCmX6W_zn2BS7IC1LPheYLaPgzsawDM4ZtA67p2mNLuG5qCJ9WkSqW_9fECO-F_OerNO7McLoMwc3HBQlCwfmQ2JE-ssHA3/s400/Mgla.jpg" width="400" /></a><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I would never manage to guess that I'll be seeing "<b>Mgła</b>" play twice, let alone in such a short time span and even less in my hometown. As I was listening to their new, recently released album called "Age Of Excuse" and then also re-listening their older material prior to this show, I came to realize that I was still under extreme impression from their previous concert. That entire journey to Szalki-Sziget along with the time spent on the festival and finally "Mgła" itself (about all of which you can read <a href="https://natureswithnoplagues.blogspot.com/2019/07/festival-report-rockmaraton-2019-day.html" target="_blank">here</a>) was an endeavor drenched in passion and I jumped into it without much thought, heart first. I was entirely consumed by various emotions for those two days that the entire thing somehow resonated within me even after so much time. This time around however, I decided to reset and cool down, so that I could experience the show clearheaded and with a bit more technical approach.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>This plan turned out to be impossible, since this band doesn't care what your current state of mind is. The chilled out attitude was immediately crushed the second they got up on stage. The seemingly familiar beast was in front of me again and it shattered me without hesitation once again. They do this within the first chord and it is unbelievable how their sound induces some kind of entranced state of mind where time is irrelevant and you completely forget about your surroundings, your complete focus is on their music. I experienced this only with a handful of bands and it is a merit worthy of coronation. </div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>There's just something utterly fascinating about watching them play live, this time directly from the front row. I was staring at their guitar player who was just a few steps away from me and I couldn't help but notice how he reminded me of a sculpture by Antoni Pujol (<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:066_Tomba_de_Nicolau_Juncosa,_escultura_d%27Antoni_Pujol.jpg" target="_blank">this one</a>) and then realizing that this menacing figure is performing a song about nihilism, civilizational spread of rot, death and the bleakness of existence... and there is just something entrancing and grotesque about the entire scene.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV6RKSjl2W-PKrH338zJeTiAiIY-d-lEtGZ3kB4l2kHQb_DEG1WkXqbzXiOmMpC4vwLLC5iTdGxrLl7CHiZSC0gmoaluEmbpX4jLf6bA4TGl1mEr3xFgS4IkzeZh_aieO14L0yS-GFJgO8/s1600/Mgla+setlist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="612" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV6RKSjl2W-PKrH338zJeTiAiIY-d-lEtGZ3kB4l2kHQb_DEG1WkXqbzXiOmMpC4vwLLC5iTdGxrLl7CHiZSC0gmoaluEmbpX4jLf6bA4TGl1mEr3xFgS4IkzeZh_aieO14L0yS-GFJgO8/s400/Mgla+setlist.jpg" width="300" /></a>And what to say about the sound of the hooded quartet other that it is a force to be reckoned with, simple as that. Their signature was as strong as ever, a remorseless and relentlessly thrilling tempo that doesn't stop for a second. It's impressive to notice the amount of precision and quality that they show while creating such a raw and violent sound, since they truly sounded as good as on their recorded material. I have to say that the overall quality was so much better than the previous time when I saw them play, especially regarding the clearness of the vocals. This is largely in part because of the venue. The acoustics of the space superbly supported this audible onslaught and the band was free to unleash whatever kind of destruction they deemed fitting. Some tunes I've heard before, others were new to my ears. "Exercises in Futility I", "Age of Excuse II", "Mdłości II", "With Hearts Towards None VII", these are just some of the songs that echoed in Belgrade that night (you can see the full setlist on the trophy I managed to get after the gig). The previous "Mgła" gig review which I wrote ended with the lines from "Exercises in Futility V", one of my absolute favorite tracks of the band. Back then in Hungary they didn't perform the said song, but it was somehow fitting to end the review with those lines since I personally felt rather exalted that I finally managed to see them play live. However, this time around they did and my entire being was exhilarated to witness this. Like with my review, ending the show with that song seemed perfect in some way, the last sounds dying even after the band itself left the stage minutes ago.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>It is difficult writing reviews for bands like this. Even if I go around the fact that I love "Mgła" with a passion and the fact that I might be biased because of these emotions, it is an exhausting task to pick right words because I feel they will hardly do the band justice. In fact, I think this review is a chaotic piece of nonsense and that it is too short to express everything on my mind. But I find it okay to post, since I'm also under the impression that senseless texts without any proper structure speak volumes by themselves. It might simply be another form of being "stunned", "speechless" or "mind blown". Maybe it's too soon to write a review, because all these chaotic thoughts haven't matured in my mind yet. Or maybe this is just proof of "Mgła" being one of those bands which can't be confined by words. Maybe...<br />
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<i>"Acknowledge healthy confusion..."</i></div>
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xmoonxhowlerxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15149950277567744302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884169877921561571.post-84120626917068749442019-09-23T12:27:00.000+02:002019-09-23T12:29:38.646+02:00Enemies - Framing Choices To Silence Our Voices (2012)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC-uUHC_MbGPijMQ_HWYvHVNJVPw0NVYYet28pkMI6lJ5dyI2YJMJ2xMHw_G4IfDWLz2nG5NWqhHEXnUnY8MsKq62tWbGuxtpsWIna4Zcs6YyBVTqyp3mh-g9W_oBqd_2GxBjitZEadBfc/s1600/a1996724003_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC-uUHC_MbGPijMQ_HWYvHVNJVPw0NVYYet28pkMI6lJ5dyI2YJMJ2xMHw_G4IfDWLz2nG5NWqhHEXnUnY8MsKq62tWbGuxtpsWIna4Zcs6YyBVTqyp3mh-g9W_oBqd_2GxBjitZEadBfc/s400/a1996724003_10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>After my previous post I became fully committed to writing on here again and one of the first things I did once that blog entry went live was checking out the big box I used for the storage of physical submissions that were sent to me. Lots of work ahead!</div>
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<a href="https://yourenemies.bandcamp.com/album/framing-choices-to-silence-our-voices-2" target="_blank">Enemies - Framing Choices To Silence Our Voices</a> (bandcamp page)</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>On today's repertoire we have "Enemies", a 5-piece hailing from Tampere, Finland. The band formed way back in 2011, "Framing Choices To Silence Our Voices" being their first recorded material in the following year. When I was introduced to the band I was told that they play "metallic hardcore" with other influences ranging from sludge, black metal and even grind.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Right off the bat, the band wastes no time on gentle introductions. The first track "Collar" grabs you with a choking start-stop rhythm which gives hints of something dystopian looming ahead. It tricks you with an impression that it will be a moody mid tempo song with a gradual buildup, but instead it takes an extreme turn that dramatically increases the speed. The rushing sounds hit you so hard and you instantly find yourself with increased blood pressure. I was hooked to their sound and I ended up listening to the opening track at least ten times before I finally moved to the rest of the album. This was going to be a great ride.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The following two songs keep you in this rushing vortex of angry sound. During all this I noticed how the instruments and the vocals compliment each other, since all the while it seemed to me like the screaming is just the perfect pitch and somehow overflows the instrumental section and ties it all together. This harmony changes a bit with "Set Back", the track stopping the previously mentioned rush and introduces a more sluggish, atmospheric tone where the vocals seem to be literally set back into the distance. It changes from an angry scream into a wail of sorts. The instrumental ambiance evolves and it paints a completely different kind of image in your head.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>This whole release continually bounces between these two states, being superbly aggressive and fast, yet at other times brooding and ambiental. They manage to do an excellent job at both these incarnations and I like the fact that they manage to paint a clear picture of what they are about in the first half of the record. Even the dystopian elements previously mentioned turned out to be correct, since the band tackles some pretty bleak themes of the human condition in their lyrics. With all this in mind I completely let go and enjoyed the rest of the ride until the final tones of "In Ruins" died. That song is an utterly great finisher as it perfectly summarizes the entirety of the record, as if it compressed everything you heard previously into one epic 8 minute beast which trails off in the end and leaves you wanting more.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In terms of production, the album has a perfect combination of being both technical and raw, not too clean and not too dirty. "Framing Choices..." came out on CD and, aside of the awesome cover, the insert features more excellent artwork (all done by one of the band members, Veli) which sets an appropriate mood before you press play.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The years following this release saw "Enemies" put out several other recordings. I gave them a brief listen just to get an idea what is going on with their sound and you can almost instantly hear evolution in the way they play. I will definitely be checking out the rest of their discography and I would recommend the same to you. You can also get in touch with them via their Facebook page found <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EnemiesHC/" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Last but not least, I'd like to thank Vesa and the rest of "Enemies" for being kind enough to send their CD towards me and for initially expressing interest in being featured on this blog. Sorry for the wait, but I hope you enjoyed the read!</div>
xmoonxhowlerxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15149950277567744302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884169877921561571.post-26962436197758098182019-09-15T22:02:00.000+02:002019-09-15T22:28:11.296+02:00The Shape of Blog To Come<div style="text-align: justify;">
The moment I sat down to write tonight I felt like this kind of post has actually been a long time coming. I've always injected a dose of "personal" on here and somehow I've been compelled to share bits of myself with the readers, now especially for some reason. Seems like this will be a long one, so strap yourself in, we're going on an emotional roller coaster!</div>
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Whoever was here from the beginning (2010, holy crap!) knows what kind of approach I had to this blog. Back then I was some random young dude (in my early twenties) in love with a music genre that was entirely nonexistent in my surroundings and without material means to travel around and go to countries where the gigs were happening. The vast internet space filled with bands and an active blogging community were my window into the music world and I was absolutely captivated by it. I lived and breathed screamo ever since I first downloaded a "Saetia" song (think it was "<i>Endymion</i>") on my horrible 56k internet connection. Numerous bands later, I was so fascinated by the genre that I wanted to give it a special place of my very own, a sort of altar if you will. I was never lucky (or good enough of a bass player actually) to have my own band, so the written word was what I had left. And I behaved accordingly while on here, I wrote with reverence, passion, honesty and without much thinking, it simply flowed out of me. And, to be quite frank, I ended up being proud of myself and thinking that this creative process will be unstoppable.</div>
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Alas, things are not always going according to plan. It's easy to notice on the blog roll that my output started moving to a grinding halt in 2013. The year before slowly started throwing me curve balls which I wasn't ready to catch. During that entire period, I was faced with numerous losses, of friends, of love and, several times, even of life. The reality of my existence within the boundaries of my family was rapidly crumbling. Through some escape routes which I desperately clinged to I managed to additionally fill my life with abuse, depression and even more tragedy. No matter how much I struggled to stay on solid ground I was, in fact, nowhere. Physically I was present (and deteriorating), but mentally and emotionally I was completely drifting away.</div>
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Naturally, somewhere along the way it became almost tormenting to write about anything or to come up with decent, creative material, since I clearly didn't have a peace of mind. It wasn't passion anymore, it was a chore and a part of a now broken, chaotic routine. In the back of my head I kept telling myself all sorts of excuses, that this was (at least, partially) caused by the blogging community dispersing and screamo itself slowly dying, so there was no point to write since nobody will read. In reality, life simply managed to crush something in me.</div>
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Some sparks of my old flame persevered, showing up from time to time. There were signs of life and yet, there still looms a post from 2013 on the front page of this blog. Undeniably I have endured and to me these scattered embers represent my climb out of the sinkhole. My existence is much healthier now, I am still healing and even though the scars are still there and some wounds are fresh, I'm getting out.</div>
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The culmination of everything is that I've also been struggling with the identity of this blog for a while, in terms of what it was, what it currently is and what I want it to be in the future. This place was born out of my infatuation with screamo and my wish to give something back to a community that had my utmost admiration. I wasn't completely lying to myself before, these two things are not what they were before, but they are far from dead. Fact is that there isn't AS MUCH material to write about as there was in previous years and some of those vacant spaces have been filled with other genres and other names. Because of this, I was scared whether or not those "others" deserved a place here or should I simply create a new blog for them. It somehow felt like I would taint the screamo altar which I built. Even though there already are some other genres on here, moving away from the DIY scene seemed to invoke dread of not being true to what this place was. Which is an utter shame, since because of this way of thinking the blog was denied so many good things... I've seen concerts from "Tool", "The Smashing Pumpkins", "Deftones", "The Cure", "Dead Can Dance", "King Dude" and so many other amazing artists who left a mind blowing impression on me which absolutely deserved to be written about. I discovered scores of talented electronic projects, some of which completely annihilated my anxiety with their tunes and whose names should be spread around. Tons and tons of possible album reviews and interviews have been ignored and cancelled, because of my own doubts, lack of direction, peer pressure and constant thinking about whether a thing is "true" enough or not.<br />
Looking back at all this, part of me gets angry and another one gets sad, yet I can't hide a chuckle as well, since I realize how limiting and crippling that way of thinking was. I have evolved and I think that this blog also deserves a part of this evolution. Nothing will ever be tainted, as long as I remain like I always was, passionate and honest.<br />
So what does all this gibberish mean? It means that, as long as I am alive and kicking I want to keep this blog active because it still means a lot to me and it always will. All these words might seem silly or overblown to you, but I came to realize that writing here indeed means so much to me. <i>Natures With No Plagues</i> has always been my safe haven (unintentionally, the name turned out quite self-explanatory in a way) and a significant part of my life and who I am and who I am becoming. It has been a catalyst of many real life adventures, fond memories and strong friendships that last to this day (you know who you are!). Ultimately, music saved me many times, as I am sure it will do so in the future as well, and this is my praise and recognition of it.</div>
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Moving forward, I'll do my best to write about the music I deem worthy, regardless of the shackles of genre. Screamo will forever hold an immense part of my musical being, but there are others worthy of standing side by side with it. Even though it might take some time to start doing interviews and collaborations again, rest assured that I will certainly head in that direction. There is much to do on here and I plan on taking it slowly, this post being the first small step. In those regards, one recent noteworthy change is the small section on the left, a list of gigs where you might encounter me. If you happen to be on any of those gigs, feel free to get in touch, would love to hang out with you all.</div>
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Last, but absolutely not the least... thank you. Yes, you. Thank you for reading this and for being with me on this journey. I am sincerely grateful to all of you, for all your time spent on here and for all the comments left to me. To all the people who bumped into me on gigs and said hi or who had an opinion (positive or negative) regarding my work. To anyone who ever donated. To every band who ever showed any kind of interest in being hosted here. To the things and people who tried to break me, but who ended up making me stronger. To anyone and everyone. Thank you. <b>This is</b><strike>n't</strike><b> for you</b>.</div>
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<b>TL;DR:</b> Emotional wall of text. Life can be horrible, but music and passion can heal all wounds. Old/current blog content going through clean-up, new content (screamo+other various genres) coming. Thank you (!!!) to everyone who has ever supported me on here. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF AND NEVER LET THE BASTARDS GET YOU DOWN.</div>
xmoonxhowlerxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15149950277567744302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884169877921561571.post-54485455145817562722019-07-18T15:43:00.000+02:002019-07-18T15:43:56.507+02:00Festival report: Rockmaraton 2019, day three<div style="text-align: justify;">
I'm back, this time not in black, but with some black! This previous weekend I've attended a, for me predominantly black, metal festival in Hungary and have decided to finally sit myself down and write something on here. The bands which I saw on this occasion are listed below and I'll let you try and figure out which group made me want to pull the trigger and travel so desperately into the deep clutches of Hungary:</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">- Perihelion</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">- Carach Angren</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">- Mgła</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">You guessed it...</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BpmdhVXAEYH/?hl=en" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img alt=" Mgla@RockMaratonPoster" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg39-xnYLI56XbDOwu2RhlgK8B0wY81E8j7U7LVt_i2HLAdVB0oNOn8v3F8v6XKH3NbtfAchODr9tFcZAxRyPHcdh65TY2Wp6g_cINdLE3YosXhLzc-SZcoqhadyFWVJEp0ZtXZrUKPzTak/s640/45146889_10157816551201521_819522954562895872_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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To kick this review off, let's talk a little bit about the fest itself. Rockmaraton is an annual festival in Hungary which brings together a huge list of performers from every corner of the world of metal and an even bigger score of dedicated fans. The range of bands goes from US-based hardcore "Terror" to the legendary "Paradise Lost", the progressive hit of "Jinjer", the good ol' classic "Soulfly" and all the way from Russia the "Siberian Meat Grinder" powerhouse and many, many more. This impressive list of artists was arranged over a 5-day long festival, although yours truly cherry-picked only a single day to visit.<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This year the festival was located on the Szalki-Sziget island in Dunaújváros, some 70km southeast from Budapest. To be completely honest, it was a real endeavor to locate and travel there since the trip involved a 6 hour van ride, an hour and a half train ride, taking a local bus to... well, somewhere and then walking a few kilometers. Despite the "hardships", I was insanely excited about this trip, since I missed the get down and dirty way of travelling where you have everything packed on your back, when you're on the road for 7+ hours, when you sleep (if at all) on painfully hard ground cause you didn't bring a soft enough mat... but fuck it, you're doing it cause you want to sacrifice 2 days of your life just to see that one band you love.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">At the end of the long journey you are greeted by a wonderful little island housing the festival. Four stages, several tents with various other activities (among which was one where you could get corpse paint done!), numerous food and drink stands, an official band merch shop, several wide camping areas and even a large swimming area in the surrounding Danube river, all of these are situated around the spacious grounds of the island. Getting from where we set up camp close to the entrance of the festival towards the farthest stage is a rather nice, long walk.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"<b>Perihelion</b></span>" <span style="font-family: inherit;">was the first band of the day that I managed to dedicate my full attention to. This Hungarian post metal quartet caught my ear with loud, piercing, semi-clean vocals which stood out in the midst of a massive, rolling avalanche of sound produced by the instrumental section. I was instantly hooked by this strong vocal/instrumental contrast which persisted during their entire set, the divergence growing into high impact crescendos at the end of each song. There are moments where the singer would break free from the gentle, droning melody and burst out screaming his lungs out (ah!) and you, as the listener, just get completely swept away. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I did a bit of research on them after the festival and have stumbled on their bandcamp page (which you can visit </span><a href="https://perihelion-official.bandcamp.com/" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">) on a description of their album "Örvény" (meaning "Maelstrom" in Hungarian) and it is absolutely accurate: "[album] is to be interpreted as a single journey with its seven songs seamlessly woven into each other... [lyrics] revolve around dreamlike passages towards the subconscious." Couldn't have said it better myself. Definitely check them out!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaanYWCz9-T_Vt4ZeS7Sp9g53kUuqxHQGykw058bZ9oBFcpaqNpZwSv8khYOhlAe9tZjjpNLKHSevPma6TUYuRX-82vUhL7qNk_OqBEQs_cYaPnjcmFeTdMXf__wUGh5V4w9fArqFebyXG/s1600/IMG-20190717-Grabi8-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaanYWCz9-T_Vt4ZeS7Sp9g53kUuqxHQGykw058bZ9oBFcpaqNpZwSv8khYOhlAe9tZjjpNLKHSevPma6TUYuRX-82vUhL7qNk_OqBEQs_cYaPnjcmFeTdMXf__wUGh5V4w9fArqFebyXG/s400/IMG-20190717-Grabi8-01.jpeg" width="225" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">"<b>Carach Angren</b></span>"<span style="font-family: inherit;"> was next in line and this band was hyped by my travelling companion, who saw them live on a previous occasion. "<i>Trust me, they are fun,</i>" was all I've been told and it's hard to imagine a black metal act being "fun", in a literal sense of the word. Needless to say I was utterly surprised in the most pleasant way possible! The symphonic black metal trio (a quartet on this occasion) from the Netherlands put up an amazing performance which is certainly memorable. Maybe some of my readers remember how mind blown I was by the stunning "Cattle Decapitation" show which I covered </span><a href="https://natureswithnoplagues.blogspot.com/2012/10/festival-report-ieperfest-2012-day-three.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and pretty much the same amount of exploding brain matter can be applied here. My, oh my, where to begin? It is hard to decide what to write about first, since both the instruments and the vocals are amazing on their own and are absolutely worth the praise, but the sheer beauty and brutality when the two are mixed together is astonishing! It has been a long while since I saw the two sections compliment each other so much, both in an audio and in a visual respect. Audibly, this band is a cacophony of pure black metal savagery wrapped in veil of symphonic insanity, yet precisely cut by maddening technical start-stop rhythms. Visually, they are a rush of blood to the head caused by flickering lights and a plethora of nonstop movement which your eyes are trying to soak up. The band as a whole are a sight to behold, but the singer absolutely takes the cake. An insanely talented showman holding the crowd in the palm of his hand, mesmerizing with constant movements which were somehow precisely in tune with the sounds coming from the instruments, something that it is truly impossible to explain without you actually seeing it for yourself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Important to note is that the band had some technical difficulties during their show (which was in no way on their part), yet despite that they still managed to keep the crowd standing on the top of their toes, hungry for more. The band would simply continue blasting away after those small breaks, not losing a single drop of momentum. If you haven't figured out the bottom of the line, it's simply "just go and see them live, if you can." Maybe they are not your cup of tea, but even then you're in for a performance worth remembering! They have a load of material on their repertoire, so check them out and support them on their website found <a href="http://www.carach-angren.nl/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiecHnWChVebAmnC3dxTM7gPQ6Kp2CAJNRkskOGhAVsm2qn8Hrc7Gy0yx3zHvuJIakH_8slDqDAh1crWYikgbhwFV9_CYTtg2e7IhkwjVHTlEye6jvVHTIPSa1TlsMXSWBdqAY6XGrlfC0b/s1600/20190711_213100-1-01-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1193" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiecHnWChVebAmnC3dxTM7gPQ6Kp2CAJNRkskOGhAVsm2qn8Hrc7Gy0yx3zHvuJIakH_8slDqDAh1crWYikgbhwFV9_CYTtg2e7IhkwjVHTlEye6jvVHTIPSa1TlsMXSWBdqAY6XGrlfC0b/s400/20190711_213100-1-01-01.jpeg" width="296" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"<b>Mgła</b>". "Fog" in Polish and rightfully named so, as it managed to cloud a score of other bands that I've been listening to for years before discovering them. They were evading my radar for an extended period of time since their formation in the early 2000's (well, that is if you count the demos or the first EP in 2006; 2012 if you count when they actually started to perform live), but once I heard their "Exercises in Futility" album back in 2015 I was swallowed whole. This was <i>THE </i>band, that one act that you discover once in some years which immediately sticks and it's there to stay. The evocation of misanthropic feelings borne out of human negligence and greed, wrapped in the tones of </span>desperate soundscapes, the nihilism and the poetry, the noises of untamed rage and the painful ache of silence ending it all. All the while adorned in visual aesthetics which would make Tolkien's Nazgul envious. "Mgła" was a beast and I was spreading my arms towards it, prepared and willing to be devoured. </span><br />
The wish to see them perform live was instantly born, yet I've been unlucky with that endeavor ever since 2015. On one occasion, my trip got postponed and I wasn't in town for the gig. On another, the concert I targeted was sold out in a matter of days. So when I saw Rockmaraton adding their name to the lineup I knew that this was it, now or never.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6JOq_QMV2AIOgTj2xvk62T42IXomHrxXSaGakO1aQQTUynn00jZSA8SdUjBhZCm4jweolqgvSmdOOOy4XWFlZvdXxPEWSuQdEPZIf5XPngIAYAlie4UEJEcvULDwDCmcSD7UOw1YWWoU2/s1600/20190711_213052-01-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6JOq_QMV2AIOgTj2xvk62T42IXomHrxXSaGakO1aQQTUynn00jZSA8SdUjBhZCm4jweolqgvSmdOOOy4XWFlZvdXxPEWSuQdEPZIf5XPngIAYAlie4UEJEcvULDwDCmcSD7UOw1YWWoU2/s400/20190711_213052-01-01.jpeg" width="300" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the end, it was <i>now</i> and the moment was staggering. Darkness crept on stage that faithful night on the 11th of July and four hooded figures emerged from its depths. "Exercises in Futility I" exploded through the venue and there was simply no way to escape the audio/visual onslaught which ensued. </span>"<span style="font-family: inherit;">Mgła</span>" were vicious and relentless in their attack on all the senses of the crowd. "Exercises in Futility IV", "Mdłości II", "With Hearts Toward None I", "Exercises in Futility II", "Groza III", they all lined up and melded into one huge unstoppable wave which continuously crashed down on us. It was superbly chaotic and powerful, yet at the same time remarkable how much I could simply feel all the qualities and sensations which I loved and respected on their recordings. At the same time, it was visually pleasing to see them in the flesh at last, black figures staring back at you with nothing but abysmal darkness underneath their hoods, an almost nietzschean perspective. It proves a good point, in fact, that none of this is about them, it doesn't matter who the people behind the hoods are, it doesn't matter who you and me are, it's purely about the music and the words screamed towards you and the message and meaning which they convey. This blissful chaos lasted for an exciting long hour and the ending of "Exercises in Futility VI" brought their set to a close, a perfect conclusion to a mind bending experience which left me thoroughly trembling when the final tone died.<br />
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<i>"...As if all this was something more than another footnote on a postcard from nowhere, </i></div>
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<i>another chapter in the handbook for exercises in futility..."</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Similarly to what I commented on "Carach Angren", the band had difficulty setting up prior to the set and it was apparent that they had a hard time to get their instruments in tune with the venue, which definitely left a mark on their "quality" during the show. From my experience, I'd fault the event space and not the band on this. Regardless of the issues, I still consider this </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">"</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mgła</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">" show to be one of the highlights of this year's concert list, but it definitely left me hungry for more, since I believe that hearing them on their own solo concert would be a much more spectacular event. Patiently I shall wait for another opportunity. Until then, you can get in touch and support them <a href="https://www.facebook.com/mglaofficial" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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That is it for now, hope you enjoyed this brief festival report. I'm in the mood where I'm rather starved for writing more and there's so much to write about, so hopefully I'll update the blog again sooner rather than later. Until then, <i>blessed be</i>.</div>
xmoonxhowlerxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15149950277567744302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884169877921561571.post-78134795533220544532017-08-14T22:07:00.000+02:002017-08-14T22:16:35.958+02:00Gig review: City of Caterpillar, Unable To Fully Embrace This Happiness<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="text-align: justify;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhymP5Qx56gAgvYVI6IEL4GRfn0Ql4zJCHxRU2bjGGVJzRz1SYmbN8gvHBvc7g1WLkkhPNEy1f-yiuj_sNt0wNSp4njgN-gmmyzB2aKS_2dkOTK1i2aMuqQ1MWpOkgUafo3PlkX7vFcApns/s1600/CITY-OF-CATERPILLAR-tour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="895" data-original-width="636" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhymP5Qx56gAgvYVI6IEL4GRfn0Ql4zJCHxRU2bjGGVJzRz1SYmbN8gvHBvc7g1WLkkhPNEy1f-yiuj_sNt0wNSp4njgN-gmmyzB2aKS_2dkOTK1i2aMuqQ1MWpOkgUafo3PlkX7vFcApns/s640/CITY-OF-CATERPILLAR-tour.jpg" width="452" /></a></div>
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I'm free to guess that you are utterly surprised to see a new post on this blog, the same as I am surprised that I actually got a chance to see "City of Caterpillar" live. Lame intros aside, I've been having this blog on my mind at an alarming amount recently and what better way to kick it up from the dead than with a legendary screamo band which was also believed to be dead ages ago.</div>
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Can't actually recall when I saw that "CoC" will do a reunion show...somewhere in May or so? Basically the second I saw that they are going to come as close to me as Vienna I started planning a trip to the Austrian capitol city. I was in such utter shock that they are coming that I didn't even stop to think which day they are playing, how I'll get there, can I take days off from work, nothing. Just had to be there since this seemed so unreal. Even when I planned everything out and when I was finally standing in the venue that evening, it kinda felt unreal to be there and to see such an important band. Honestly, I think I wasn't even aware what kind of spectacle was going to unfold before me because it really felt dreamy, to say the least.</div>
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But I'm getting a little ahead of myself here. First and foremost let's talk about the setting. The show occurred on July 20th at a place called "<b>Venster99</b>". Located near one of the metro stations of the city the place is everything you would wish for from a badass punk locale. Small and somehow cozy, decorated with tons of graffiti and posters, and more importantly loud speakers that will make your ears bleed.
It's also shaped rather strangely since it's located literally under a narrow metro line bridge, so the venue is kinda squeezed and elongated. It might seem too small at first, but once you move around it a little bit there's pretty much room for everyone. And I really have to give praise to the few strategically placed doors present in the place, since standing in a room full of people on a hot summer evening would be unbearable without the air flow they provide. So good job with that. You can check out the venue for yourself <a href="http://www.venster99.at/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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I sadly managed to miss the first opening act, mostly because I'm retarded and have decided to go find the venue without a map and with no internet on my phone... sigh. So please do yourself a favor and come prepared, the venue is easily located if you know where to look.</div>
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And thus the band that kicked this evening off for me was "<b>Unable To Fully Embrace This Happiness</b>". This young trio from Klagenfurt, Austria formed in 2015, if I did my homework right. They seem pretty active as far as recording goes, since they already have four releases under their name. Well, technically they have three, the fourth one is a compilation of their previous work, but still it is rather impressive for such a short span of time. And let me tell you this, these guys pack a punch! Fast, furious and beautifully chaotic, they reminded me of something like "Louise Cyphre", "Tristan Tzara" or "Shikari". Raw and noisy, just the way we like it here! The venue burst up with this crazy, shredding, pounding sound which was constantly followed by truly passionate movement from the band, making it a real enjoyment to watch them play. I especially liked the vocals, reminded me a bit of "Phasma Phasmatis" at some points. Definitely check them out, even better if you can catch them live. They are actually playing at Venster99 again this week (16th of August), try not to miss out! You can take a listen to them <a href="https://utfeth.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">here</a> or give them a like on their FB page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/unabletofullyembracethishappiness/" target="_blank">here</a>. </div>
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A little anecdote though, the vocalist/guitarist of the band approached me before they played to ask me something about the shirt I was wearing that evening, obviously I realized that he was from the band when they actually started playing. So if you're reading this, hi! I'm the guy in "The Pine" shirt.</div>
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This is the part of the review where I literally got stuck and I couldn't continue writing for a good week or so. An absolute writer's block, until I decided to just put my thoughts on paper in the plainest way possible. This show was fucking phenomenal. So, here we go.<br />
Seriously though, these guys blew me away. Ever since I first heard their record (the self-titled release, I believe) they were on a whole different level from the rest of their peers and simply stating that they created some kind of post-rock/post-hardcore/screamo concoction just doesn't do justice, at least in my mind. There is something about the eerie mood, the frantic singing and screaming and whining, the mesmerizing and hypnotizing tones that just says "<b>City of Caterpillar</b>". They created such an utterly unique sound that no other band ever dared to come close and I think never will.<br />
This is also why I didn't write a proper introduction for them here, because you all know them. If you know the name, you know the band and you know the sound. All you need is to hear their name and boom, you hear those atmospheric and crazy guitar riffs in your head. You don't even have to put their songs on to get dragged into the city of caterpillar, you're already there just by thinking about it.<br />
But now imagine hearing and feeling those tones being played live. Trust me, whatever you imagine, it's nowhere near the actual physical experience. I tried to imagine this gig so many times prior to that evening and whatever I came up with just didn't cut it in the end. They managed to beat every single expectation I had by such a large margin that it makes it so hard to describe.<br />
Every time when I would listen to "When Was the Last Time We Painted Over the Blood on the Walls?" I tried to envision what it would be like to get stricken live by that buzzing, spastic intro and that beautifully epic and melancholic bridge. I simply wasn't ready for those emotions that evening. Even now I get goosebumps remembering how they masterfully performed this piece, the sound being so gigantic and unreal, swallowing the entire venue and the crowd with it. With every single song they managed to strike a specific chord in me and leave me in awe. "A Little Change Could Go A Long Ways", "Maybe They'll Gnaw Right Through", "An Innocent Face", these are just some of the songs they played that night. Each song was played flawlessly, as if ripped from the record itself, but performed with insane amounts of passion.<br />
Again the writer's block returns since there's just no way to explain the awesomeness. I could probably go on and on and on praising them, but it would probably get boring for you at some point. You get the point by now. I always loved their work and this show put a final seal on that appreciation. I sincerely hope that the members of "City of Caterpillar" are aware that it is because of bands like them that the genre was/is so special and I'd like to thank them from the bottom of my heart for years of amazing and inspirational music.</div>
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And in the end, completely unrelated to this review, I'd just like to let the people reading this know that I have several other gigs that I attended and am planning to review, so stay tuned!</div>
xmoonxhowlerxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15149950277567744302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884169877921561571.post-41273887162424170172015-08-10T17:09:00.000+02:002015-08-12T18:02:26.098+02:00Gig review: Agalloch, Crown<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>First review to resurrect this blog and what an event it was! I bought tickets for this gig way back in April and ever since then I was just sitting on needles with excitement. At first I was scared that I will miss yet another "Agalloch" tour and I was very well prepared to travel to see them no matter how far the gig would be. Luckily, by some twist of fate, they came as close as Hungary and it just became apparent that I will finally be able to attend their show. The experience ended up nothing short of perfect.<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>This amazing lineup performed in "Dürer Kert", a venue in Budapest, Hungary. The venue has already been mentioned before in a few reviews, those being <a href="http://natureswithnoplagues.blogspot.com/2012/08/gig-review-rosetta-kings-destroy-torn.html" target="_blank">Rosetta</a> and <a href="http://natureswithnoplagues.blogspot.com/2011/09/gig-review-la-dispute-touche-amore.html" target="_blank">La Dispute/Touche Amore</a> gigs. Despite the fact that I was at that place before, it feels like the venue keeps growing and changing every time I visit. On this occasion the bands were playing in a different room, this one being much bigger than the previous one I saw. A rather simple rectangle-shaped room with a bar to the right, a big merch table to the left and a stage covering the entirety of the far side of the room. It is perfectly spaced and somehow you are able to see everything so well, regardless of where you are standing. This is especially made possible due to the fact that on both the left and right side of the stage there are some sort of steps which are a little elevated, so you can easily stand there and have full view of the crowd and the bands. </div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Speaking of visibility, the light is dim, but just enough for you to see everything with ease and not walk over people or bump into things. The stage lights were beautifully toned blue and red colors, depending on the band which was on stage at the time, which really set an awesome mood for both acts.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Last, but not least, I have to praise the sound and the acoustics of the place. Even when you are not wearing ear plugs, the sound is extremely clear and you can easily distinguish every little detail of a given song. I had plugs for the majority of the sets, but at one instance I removed them and I was just mind-blown by the purity of the sound. </div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>But okay, now we get to the though part, the show itself. I don't know if it's hard to find the right words because I haven't been to a gig in a long time, because I didn't write for you boys and girls for so long, or simply because this concert was so damn amazing. Whatever the case, I hope you enjoy what is about to ensue.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSgFEMBRFW08MuRnHRvQFUb5ofUjdiEACgdu4Kr4b8-kiUpZ6ruCy2M1BKMMnb5E9_1WKV2fZYEp4AI6SFmmGaw8qRJ6R3SpHFN0y3HOGp-BXM71fxMi8C5st5IVs88zTMwpY4aDQKovx/s1600/Crown+1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSgFEMBRFW08MuRnHRvQFUb5ofUjdiEACgdu4Kr4b8-kiUpZ6ruCy2M1BKMMnb5E9_1WKV2fZYEp4AI6SFmmGaw8qRJ6R3SpHFN0y3HOGp-BXM71fxMi8C5st5IVs88zTMwpY4aDQKovx/s640/Crown+1a.jpg" title="Crown" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>First in line was "<b>Crown</b>", a band hailing from France. Ah dear France, an indisputable European heaven where insanely good bands keep growing and constantly push the limits of your expectations. Whoever reads this blog even a little will know how much respect I have for this part of the world when it comes to music and this band just fits into that category oh so well. This project was born back in 2011 when they were a two-man project, or as they like to call it "man machine" since there's also a secretive third member in the form of a rhythm-machine. During their performance in Budapest they also had one more band member, so I'm fairly certain that they have evolved into a trio/quartet in recent years. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoyr78odW9BWOr2nrBORbsnfRzAI15ZnUVgTGk1QbcoUr6oWE4HX2nW_mk9sE-_QCxLEuwhx1_-asxPE4DWtvXIJ23Y2SOSPvFIMduHf3nDh2LvE0-j8s9whZI2Y5jvnoLUpz64bJaprHK/s1600/Crown+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoyr78odW9BWOr2nrBORbsnfRzAI15ZnUVgTGk1QbcoUr6oWE4HX2nW_mk9sE-_QCxLEuwhx1_-asxPE4DWtvXIJ23Y2SOSPvFIMduHf3nDh2LvE0-j8s9whZI2Y5jvnoLUpz64bJaprHK/s320/Crown+2.jpg" width="240" /></a><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The light on the stage became blood red and "Crown" took the stage, unleashing a beast bearing just a colossal tidal wave of sound which is just so damn hard to classify. At first you get hit hard with heavy riffs, even heavier drops and breakdowns, shrieking vocals and just overall massiveness of their tunes that can easily jump into the sludge/industrial genre. But then, all of a sudden, comes a brooding melody which creates some very doom-like ambiance all around you with slow eerie tones and melancholic humming. One might argue after reading this description that they sound like any other post-metal/sludge/doom band, but trust me that you're so very wrong. </div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The vastness of their sound keeps expanding. I remember they played the song called "The Words You Speak Are Not Your Own" and it just blew me away with how diverse their sound was. There's this amazing apocalyptic melody making you stand on edge with tension before it finally explodes into your face with a sound so heavy it washes over you. The song is sprinkled with audio samples which immediately reminded me of stuff we got to hear on "Seeing Means More Than Safety" from "Jeromes Dream", a fact that basically made me fall in love almost instantly with what "Crown" is doing. </div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Yet the vastness of their sound doesn't stop there. Some elements produced by their machine member are just superb in their own right. Aside of the crushing tones it spews forth, there are certain instances where it sounds all too electronic, like something that would come out from mixing "Access to Arasaka" and "Nine Inch Nails". </div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Taking all these little bits and pieces and mashing them all up, the crowd was served with an amazing cocktail of 30 minutes of audio bliss. The mania of two passionate, shredding guitars, a deep, vibrating bass line, ever-changing vocals and a cold, calculated and destructive machine just leaves you stunned. Their sound is completely different to that of "Agalloch", but it set the mood in such a great fashion that I couldn't have asked for a better support band. France, you've did it again. I definitely urge everyone to check these guys out, which you can do on their bandcamp profile <a href="http://crownritual.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">here</a> and get in touch with them on their Facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CROWNBAND?fref=photo" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>There was a small break after "Crown" finished and my excitement was reaching a boiling point. At this moment I was just too thrilled to function properly and I was in no way prepared for what happened next. Getting closer to the huge speakers before the band came up I noticed that there was a big wooden log placed at the center of the stage, as well as a banner of a coiled serpent which adorned the platform. From then on the mood and the setting just kept intensifying. Light turned cold blue, smoke filled the background and small pots of incense were lit, sending out a calming, woodland aroma. Four figures climbed the stage in dim, misty lighting and the journey began.<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What is there to say now, since "<b>Agalloch</b>" really needs no introduction. If by some abysmally unfortunate event you don't know about this band just stop what you're doing, stop reading my gibberish and do yourself a favor and listen to their work. This quartet formed way back in 1995 in Portland, Oregon and for a strong 20 year period they have been spawning amazing pieces of work in which they combine elements of black metal, neofolk and doom, inspired by the wondrous, cold reaches of Cascadia, or the Pacific Northwest if you will. There are simply no proper words for me to use to describe their work and to give it proper justice, since every little piece of sound they gave to the world has ended up being something of a masterpiece. Go listen to their discography and you will see what I mean. </div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>But back to the gig. The sounds of "(serpens caput)" filled the room with the same subtlety with which the above mentioned mist crept around the stage. It felt like the ambiance changed. We weren't standing in "Dürer Kert" anymore, but some ancient forest guarding aeon old secrets unspoiled by human hands. The melody was so pure and entrancing that the sudden transition towards the aggressive and fast "The Astral Dialogue" completely caught you off guard. Now, I have to be honest, although I knew the band released their newest creation last year, that being the album called "The Serpent & The Sphere", I didn't listen to it prior to the show. I'm not so sure why, possibly because my hopes about the music world have been turned to fears due to the lack of good material in recent times, so I was scared of a possible disappointment with the album. Hang me right now, because I was so wrong to doubt these people. Every millisecond of sound they created that evening was superb and the new, unknown songs just instantly grasped my love. The new material was everything I could hope for and even far beyond that. "Vales Beyond Dimension" was played soon afterwards and it just sealed the deal for me. </div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I do have to say that listening to "The Serpent & The Sphere" now at home has a little different sort of feel than the rest of their material, which I mostly contribute to the production and technical aspects of the album. This is in no way bad, since it provides you with a different kind of experience, kind of stepping away from the clear, polished version of "Agalloch" and instead adding a little more of a raw kind of ambiance and possible rawer emotions.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd6xenJYrCpNHp9qupR5-rH56MorIK1syO0vwd9_auhlEnyppYCe6lSlKeE6eBQ56XPI7O-Hgse4uX6i7u1Q3eGhT3iqLSFxqMUx03VKGFKE-C5cY-N6SYoINwgbjgIdITTQfkcQZiyGSr/s1600/Agalloch+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd6xenJYrCpNHp9qupR5-rH56MorIK1syO0vwd9_auhlEnyppYCe6lSlKeE6eBQ56XPI7O-Hgse4uX6i7u1Q3eGhT3iqLSFxqMUx03VKGFKE-C5cY-N6SYoINwgbjgIdITTQfkcQZiyGSr/s320/Agalloch+4.jpg" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>They stepped away from the latest album for a bit and just exploded with "Limbs". Simply <br />
remembering those first tones gives me goosebumps and now when I listen to it I have a newly found love for it. Flawless execution and just sheer passion with which they played made this just an emotional whirlwind. They transitioned towards "Ghosts of the Midwinter Fires" and just... damn. When I was writing the review, I had to step away for a little while and recollect myself because I have such a hard time explaining what happened to me at this point and I'll just be brutally honest. In all my time when I would think about "Agalloch" I always imagined that I would most likely cry if they would end up playing "Falling Snow", since this is my favorite song, but this exact thing happened to me when they played "Ghosts...". The intensity with which they performed the song, the sheer unexpectedness of the song being played at all, managed to take me back a few years back into my life and remind me of certain personal emotions which go along with this song. And it just crushed me. I never had teary eyes during a show, but there I was, basically crying yet feeling like the happiest person alive. This plain fact is more than enough to tell you how much this show and this band mean to me.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>After this positive mental breakdown more songs were played, each better than the last. "Dark Matter Gods", "Hallways of Enchanted Ebony" (which by the way also made me cry), "...And The Great Cold Death of The Earth" rang through the venue, moving the crowd and evoking all kinds of emotions. The band itself seemed so swept away with the very tunes they themselves were creating, since you could simply see how passionately they move and react. There was just no stopping, no time to back down and take a breath, as if the entire set was just one world shattering epic unfolding right in front of your eyes and ears and body. "Into the Painted Grey" was the last song left ringing almost endlessly as they moved away from the stage.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>But it wasn't over yet. They came back, ripping "Falling Snow" through the crowd. As I said before, I was almost certain that I would shed so many tears during this piece for various reasons. Just thinking about the lyrics and the melodies makes me shiver, simply creating a masterfully woven scene of death, desolation and passing. Yet hearing it live made me feel something different and unique, something I'll never forget. </div>
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<i>"The snow has fallen</i></div>
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<i>And raised this white mountain</i></div>
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<i>On which you will die</i></div>
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<i>And fade away in <a href="https://youtu.be/qAaq0mpk9TE?t=6m32s">silence...</a>"</i></div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The ending moments which ensued after the final pieces of the lyrical section have been released into the air took all of those negative feelings I had and just threw me into something I can't really explain. The song just moved me so much in ways I can't explain and I simply felt alive. And I felt happy. Up to this point, I wasn't sure if I'll even write a review here and resurrect my blog, but the experience which they created for me with this song removed all those doubts and gave me a strange sense of purpose and determination. If "Agalloch" ever gets to read this, you guys are the sole reason why my writing is alive again. And for that, I thank you.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The last encore song was "Plateau of the Ages", but at this point the state of bliss and nirvana I had in my body was still keeping me in some far away place and I wasn't truly there for the ending song. Despite my semi-absence, the song was performed perfectly and a long, chaotic improvised outro was an amazing finisher to an otherwise mind-blowing show.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>After it was all said and done, the band members were walking through the crowd, talking to people and giving away autographs and I felt honored to be able to shake their hands and give a huge thank you to them. This has to be one of the most amazing and emotionally intense shows I have ever attended and the memories will be forever sealed in my heart.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I'd just like to give a special thank you to my dear friend who accompanied me on this epic journey, since if I came alone and without her I probably wouldn't have had as nearly as much fun. It was amazing sharing this therapeutic experience with her and hopefully we will conquer more roads and shows together.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Hope you enjoyed the review! It's good to be back.</div>
xmoonxhowlerxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15149950277567744302noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884169877921561571.post-38874525122145927282013-05-01T13:00:00.000+02:002013-05-01T13:01:23.164+02:00Cancelled show<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Sadly, due to a certain amount of reasons, the "<b>Deuil</b>" and "<b>Paramnesia</b>" gig had to be cancelled. It was a last minute decision, but it had to happen, since May Day is a really bad time for a show here. I'll leave the gig announcement post just for archive's sake.</div>
xmoonxhowlerxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15149950277567744302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884169877921561571.post-51070363773249405232013-04-29T00:58:00.001+02:002013-05-01T12:56:21.155+02:00Gig announcement: Deuil, Paramnesia CANCELLED<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>This is an unexpected gig announcement post, but it came to be here in an extremely subtle manner. Recently I was contacted by "Deuil" regarding a potential record review and, as we were discussing things, they mentioned that they also have a show in Belgrade. As it turns out, a day later I realize that this gig is booked by "Resetor bookings & promotion", so here we are now.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>"<b>Deuil</b>", a quartet hailing from Belgium, already started dragging their brooding black metal imbued sludge/doom across Europe with this eight day tour. Along them will be "<b>Paramnesia</b>", a raw black metal project coming from dark parts of France. You can check these two bands out, if you dare, on the following links <a href="http://deuil.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://paramnesiaxpa.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>These two bands plan on unleashing a grim performance in Belgrade on 1 May 2013 in "Club Fest", starting at 9:30 PM. At the moment, there is a tiny possibility that "Resetor" will manage to add some local support, but this is yet to be announced. Entry fee into the void will be a mere 2 euros. Don't miss out on this! In case you do, expect a gig review and, later on, a review of a record released by "Deuil".</div>
xmoonxhowlerxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15149950277567744302noreply@blogger.com0