Archive for February, 2011

Album of the day: Fen – Epoch

Posted on Monday, February 21st, 2011

Lovingly pinched from Sputnikmusic: The progression made by Fen since their debut LP The Malediction Fields proves to be introverted and rather subtle, with their latest album Epoch clawing further down into their niche of atmospheric black metal, post-rock and shoegaze.

It’s this very identity that has drawn comparisons to such titans as Agalloch and Wolves In The Throne Room, but those who continue to shell out such labels may need to think twice. Epoch, aside from its winding and heavily atmospheric structures that focus almost wholeheartedly on the darker and more surreal aspects of nature, is its own beast; drawing heavily from the sheer intensity of black metal while also leaving ample room for exploration into the ethereal soundscapes of shoegaze and post-rock to levels beyond that of their so-called counterparts in the metal scene.

Whether or not these further elaborations add to or detract from the overall product is up in the air, but the flourishing ideas that are strewn about Epoch show a band that is on the cusp of becoming something worth talking about.

Continue reading: Fen – Epoch (album review) | Sputnikmusic.

Tags: Album of the day, black metal, Code666 Records, Epoch, Fen, Kyle Ward, Sputnik Music
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Roadburn Festival 2011: David V. D’Andrea’s White Hills Poster

Posted on Monday, February 21st, 2011

We’re proud to unveil David V. D’Andrea‘s second installment of his Roadburn series: the White Hills poster. David V. D’Andrea comments: “White Hills is one of my absolute favorite contemporary bands. Their astral meld of Hawkwind, grungy riffs, and uncharted psych freakouts is the perfect cyclopean eye gazing into the ...read more

Album of the day: The Skull Defekts – Peer Amid

Posted on Sunday, February 20th, 2011

Praise for The Skull Defekts‘ Peer Amid from San Francisco’s aQuarius Records: It’s like the second coming of late great rhythmic post rockers Lungfish. This latest disc from Swedish hypno rockers Skull Defekts finds the group teaming up with modern musical shaman (and former Lungfish frontman) Daniel Higgs, for what ...read more

Album of the day: Tia Carrera – Cosmic Priestess

Posted on Saturday, February 19th, 2011

Lovingly pinched from The Obelisk: ‘Slave Cylinder’ opens with a nod to Sabbath’s ‘N.I.B.’,  and from there, Cosmic Priestess — the second album from Tia Carrera on Small Stone Records — only gets trippier. The Austin, Texas, trio made their label debut in 2009 with The Quintessential, and while that ...read more

Album of the day: Highgate – Shrines To The Warhead

Posted on Friday, February 18th, 2011

Praise for Highgate‘s Shrines To The Warhead from San Francisco’s aQuarius Records: Latest blast of downtuned, crusty, sludge-soaked ultra doom from these Kentucky killers, released on the always kick ass Israeli label Total Rust. Somehow we missed out listing the first Highgate record, which we’re kicking ourselves for now, cuz ...read more

Album of the day: Nachtmystium – Live At Roadburn 2010

Posted on Thursday, February 17th, 2011

Praise for Nachtmystium‘s Live At Roadburn 2010 (LP) from Thee Sleeping Shaman: Chicago, Illinois’ progressive black-metallers Nachtmystium are truly one of the most innovative yet heavy bands of this generation, so it comes as no surprise that they pull out all the stops in their extravagant debut live release from ...read more

Black Mountain Performs On KCRW’s Morning (Video): Headlining Roadburn Afterburner

Posted on Wednesday, February 16th, 2011

On this St. Valentine’s Day, Black Mountain showed up bright and early to KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic to play a rare radio set for all the lovebirds in the Los Angeles area and beyond. KCRW posted both video (embed below) and a stream of the 45-minute show for the masses. ...read more

Album of the day: Lo-Pan – Salvador

Posted on Wednesday, February 16th, 2011

Lovingly pinched from The Obelisk: For nearly seven years, my measuring stick for Small Stone debuts has been the first, self-titled Sasquatch album, and each new band that’s come along on the label (there have been plenty) since then, I’ve said, “Well, okay, but is it as good as the ...read more

Death Row Interviewed by Ritual (Video)

Posted on Tuesday, February 15th, 2011

Cristiane of Ritual-Muzo.TV conducted an interview with Death Row, the band led by Pentagram / Place of Skulls guitarist Victor Griffin, at last years Roadburn Festival. You can now watch the chat below.

Wino Says Saint Vitus Will Enter Studio This Summer (Blabbermouth)

Posted on Tuesday, February 15th, 2011

Earlier this week, Justin M. Norton of Hellbound.ca conducted an interview with Saint Vitus frontman Scott “Wino” Weinrich. Wino discussed  Saint Vitus’ recording plans. An excerpt from the chat follow below. Hellbound.ca: Vitus has been touring a lot .. are you working on new songs? Wino: We’re already doing new ...read more