This Week in Metal, 2022 Week 41
- scuttlegoat
- Oct 16, 2022
- 8 min read
This post collects the reviews posted to Instagram for the week. They cover mostly metal, but other genres might be considered. Blog exclusive reviews from other writers are featured, as well.
Scuttlegoat's Curmudgeonly Critiques
The Lovecraft Sextet - Miserere
Genre: Dark Jazz / Neoclassical / Drone
Label: Debemur Morti Productions
Release Date: 07-10-2022
Dark jazz as a genre can be tricky to pull off. The more populist interpretations of the style can easily be banal, feeling like dark library music more than any artistic push. On the other hand we have abstract offerings that have high aspirations, but ultimately end up not saying much because they present a fully unpenetrable sound. Jason Köhnen has experience in the genre, but his involvement with artists like Bong-Ra shows that he can look beyond the genre itself. Miserere is a highly ambitious piece of work that combines the atmosphere of dark jazz with the grimy nihilism of black metal in the form of a warped baroque mass, which he calls the Doomjazz Blackmass.
That the work doesn't completely fall on its face would be a miracle already, but The Lovecraft Sextet probably made the best atmospheric record of the Year. It is with a deep understanding of the different textures involved that Köhnen is able to pull this off. The droning background sounds, often warped guitars or synths, seem to be treated to be more lo-fi than the foreground elements. Saxophones in particular play the simplest of notes but, supported by the ethereal harmonies below, always seem to hit the notes that convey the most meaning. The baroque soprano singing on most of the record delivers ancient texts by Gregorio Allegri and similarly contrasts to the harsh black metal shrieks. Each element is treated in specific ways and placed in specific parts of the sonic space. For the clean soprano, the texture almost becomes an engulfing threat and the disparate elements work together to produce a sound distinctly out of time. Abstractly, the record achieves its goal of painting a picture of repentance, penitence, grief, mourning of humiliation and manages to paradoxically communicate it better by being so abstract.
Rating: (high) 7/10
Ripped to Shreds - 劇變 (Jubian)
Genre: Death Metal
Label: Relapse Records
Release Date: 14-10-2022
The Swedeath revival has come with the issue that, when it comes down to it, there isn't much that can be done with the style that hasn't already been done by Entombed and Dismember. It is no surprise that those two bands shifted focus after their initial masterpieces. Most of the modern Swedeath scene seems to be unable to let go, however, and there is sadly very little differentiating acts of the movement from each other. As an Asian American, Andrew Lee has chosen to connect his heritage lyrically with his chosen style. Jubian deals both with his experience as a minority in the US as it does with the history of East Asia. A lot of the album seems to be more politically minded, as well, as it particularly mentions unjust carpet bombings done by the US Military in the Korean war. This separates Jubian from the usual gore and horror of the scene.
I must admit that I mention all of this as much out of a feeling of obligation (It's evident Lee cares, in some way) as I do mention it because I need to find an angle on an album that doesn't particularly do that much that is special. While Lee's heritage informs the lyrics, it doesn't really inform the musical choices in any way. This is Swedeath to a tee. It might be an unfair criticism but at this point, we have heard these riffs, these instrumental mannerisms so often that even if this was the best possible version of it, I would probably still not be able to muster any enthusiasm for it. The best tracks are generally the shortest, grindiest ones - two of them concluding the album. Contrasting with this is his shred oriented soloing, that sticks out positively against a lot of the whammy bar abuse common in death metal. At the same time, Lee himself has done this better - particularly on 埋葬 - and it is just not enough to get over the fact that I am done with straight Swedeath worship.
Rating: 5/10
Metalligatorrr's Additional Album Assesments
Hegemone - Voyance
Genre: Blackened Post Metal
Label: Brucia Records
Release Date: 15-09-2022
Fresh out from my recent encounter with a mix of djent and black metal I stumbled upon the new album by Hegemone, a band that mixes black metal, post metal and blackgaze. Those tags would usually make me run away but there is something about the melodies on Voyance that made me pause. "Nourishment" hits straight out of the gate with moaning bellows and a post metal attack that somehow has taken on the atmospheric feel of black metal. It's drawn out but sets the mood well before moving on to two shorter post metal tracks. The blurb for the album on bandcamp lists the FFO as "Cult of Luna, White Ward, Conjurer, Downfall of Gaia" and I'd say it's the last one of these that is the most accurate one. Like Downfall of Gaia, the songs here work well when managing to build up to a climax. "Odium" and "Abeyance" are the highlights as they use urgent riffs to lead the songs through different ideas that feel cohesive, utilizing post metal writing to great effect. These specific songs impressed me a lot during my first play-through and the shorter songs on here are unusually succinct for the genre. Alas, while I think Hegemone are good at producing strong riffs that they base their songs on, the longer ones lose the plot.
Unsurprisingly, the blackgaze influence might be to blame here. Most of the songs are more akin to moods than songs, really. The shorter tracks survive this as they don't drag things out as much but an album full of this kind of songwriting leaves me wanting more substantial writing. Funeral doom bands like Loss and Ivan can write 10-20 minute songs that are engaging and know when it's time to introduce a change that takes the music somewhere interesting. It's a skill I've come to appreciate more lately. If fun doom is a step too far, I'd advice the band to look to one of their proposed colleagues in Cult of Luna to study what makes long songs engaging. I find myself wanting to like Voyance more than I actually do. The bass is allowed to live, the core of the sound and the visceral feel of the riffs are pleasing but the last puzzle piece for this band is still missing: engaging songs. With a push towards making the material utilize the root genres better and serve the songs instead of the other way around I think these guys could put out something good or even great.
Rating: 5/10
SONJA - Loud Arriver
Genre: Heavy Metal, Goth
Label: Cruz del Sur Music
Release Date: 23-09-2022
As inviting as that album cover is, whenever I pick up a heavy metal album I feel a sort of resigned expectation of being bored for an hour or so. Loud Arriver started out the same way. But as it kept going it surprised me with a riffing style that reminds me of the last stages of a Mega Man/Rockman game and I mean this as a clear compliment. SONJA opt for relatively simple song structures on their debut album but there's enough energy in the riffing (obviously due to the fact that these songs are written by Absu's previous guitarist) and turns that the material stays engaging throughout. I'm reminded of the way Unto Others twist what could be too simple songs into something intriguing by just adding the right, albeit small, touch. While Unto Others are masters at this, SONJA could use some training in where to add this kind of touch even if they handle the skill well enough.
That said, this really is a guitar focused album. Saying that about a heavy metal album might look like a joke or stating the obvious, but I get the feeling that the guitar really drives the sound more than usual. Riffs go between being bouncy and upbeat, doomy and urgent at the drop of a dime, which in this seemingly simple style belies someone experienced in playing heavier and darker material. The weakest point I can think of here are the vocals but this is only true half the time. Melissa Moore's vocals can stay in one mode for too long and grate a bit but when they work in tandem with her guitar playing, like in "Pink Fog", the songs take on a propulsive quality that's to be admired. Another thing that's completely dialed in is Grzesiek Czapla's drums which matches the upbeat nature of the material with tasteful energy, sometimes even stealing the focus from the guitar for a moment. Completing the picture there's a slight goth bent to the songs that tweak them even further from your standard heavy metal. I'd say that SONJA have indeed arrived loudly and I'm glad they did as I finally have a trad album to enjoy this year.
Rating: 7/10
Ars Onirica - II:Lost
Genre: Melodic Death Doom
Label: Ardua Music
Release date: 23-09-2022
I was half expecting this album to be death metal, given how prolific the genre has been this year, but to my surprise Ars Onirica turns out to be melodic death doom with a greater focus on the doom. The project description on the bandcamp page states that the music is inspired by "old Katatonia, Anathema, Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride and Swallow The Sun", however it's the last one of those that rings more true with only some small shades of Anathema's The Silent Enigma creeping forth in "Forever and a Day". Generally, the songs sound good with a production fitting for the style and the harsh/beautiful contrast where these bands live is wholly intact. Alessandro Sforza handles everything here and I can't fully state how impressive this is to me. The leads are appropriately weepy, the growls powerful and the cleans emotional without grating.
To hear Swallow the Sun's style done this well again is a treat and unfortunately puts a finger on how they haven't quite managed to handle the tragedy that struck them enough to get back to what made them great. II: Lost spends a lot of time resembling something like Ghost of Loss (especially apparent in "My Heart... Your Tomb") and this has me constantly pulling in two different directions on how much I appreciate it. The line between homage and pastiche can be hard to walk and while I think that this is better than the last few Swallow the Sun albums, it's also not as compelling as them when they are at their peak. Don't put too much significance at the score below, these are good songs executed fantastically for this genre. Alessandro just needs to step out of his inspiration's shadow and create something that is uniquely him. I'm pretty sure I will enjoy it when he does.
Rating: 6/10
Eldritch Abbot's Egregious Evaluations
Riot City - Electric Elite
Genre: Heavy Metal, Speed Metal
Label: No Remorse Records
Release Date: 14-10-2022
The bandcamp blurb for Riot City reads "Screaming Heavy Metal from Canada, recommended for fans of Judas Priest, steel, spikes and leather!", which tells you a lot about where we are going: Traditional metal with a lot of Judas Priest worship. Especially 80s Judas Priest. There are also what sounds like some Manowar elements along the way. The cover (featuring a cyber-jaguar shooting lasers out of its eyes) is awesome and super 80s. The album is well played and clearly wants to play 80s metal with the main inspiration being Judas Priest. Only problem is, I am not impressed with the overall result. It feels more like an homage than a pastiche to me, in that there is not really any references to Judas Priest, Manowar and similar 80s bands in the album. Riot City just tries to sound like those bands to me.
The best way to express my feelings about Electric Elite is that I think it has passion, but it lacks soul. All the songs sounds like they could have been written by Judas Priest, Manowar or Accept and sadly more on the filler side of things. I have a hard time distinguishing between the songs if I am not actively looking at their bandcamp page. I will give Riot City this: They clearly play their songs like there is no tomorrow and I especially like the drummer. The material sadly feels most lacking and unoriginal to me, even though I have to give Riot City credit for their last track "Severed Ties", which is pretty decent.
Rating: 5/10
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