Funeral Rain Press Corps

Genre: Ambient, Noise
Label: Malignant Records

Ugh. It’s finally happened. I’m listening to something from my favorite supplier of audio crack and I ain’t feelin’ it at all. This isn’t the normal offering that I’m used to. It a ton more abrasive and too far into the realm of BORING.

Sure, there may be a lot going on in some of these tracks (a random scream here or there as well as some inorganic swells and jolts) but ultimately, this album just feels directionless. As the listener, I was in the same boat. I was never really sure what I was supposed to be feeling or what the artist wanted me to feel, even though the Sin (re: emotion) was the name of the track! The sad hallmark of a unrealized idea.

Broken down, Deadly sins has a cool premise: each track is meant to remind the listener and/or relive an experience related to the Seven Deadly Sins (something I think that Negru Voda would of hit with a direct bull’s eye. But, hindsight and all that…). Instead, the listen is reminded that there are much better releases out there that make them feel more than just utter annoyance.

All Deadly Sins sounds like to me is noise. Other releases in similar genres make me feel something. Relive something. Transport me somewhere alien or familiar. Deadly Sins just gives me a god damn headache.

Overall: I am thoroughly disappointed that my new go-to genre isn’t as bulletproof as I wished it was. Foolish. :(

3/10

Control On MySpace

Genre: Melodic Death Metal

Label: Independent

You might recognize this band from reviews past (re: Paradigm Shift and their 2009 Demo) and remember that the compare greatly to the likes of In Flames and maybe even a little to Scar Symmetry and Soilwork. Well, not a lot has change since then in terms of melodic metaliciousness, so if you aren’t a fan of awe-inspiring melo-riffs and the usage of clean vocals in a genre that REALLY loves it’s brutal growls, then scroll down to a different review.

Vocalist Josh Brewer has cleaned up his clean vocals quite a bit since the demo days and his death-y screams are just as ferocious as ever. His guitar work, coupled with fellow axeman Joey Westerlund is a sonic storm of immeasurable awesome! The riffing here is just as tight and inventive as any of the big boys that I mentioned earlier. Now, the drum work is another story. It’s always been the one part of this band that hasn’t been nearly as… melodic as the rest. It is here that you realize that I’m being a douche and that I have nothing but great things to say about the just right use of blast beats and erratic beating the crash gets without missing a beat (heh). Pacing, it’s what’s for dinner.

It always amazes me just how much melodic metal the guys in Dusks Embrace manage to cram into their releases. If the Melodobytes capacity is 5k, they say fuck it and stuff twice that in. The addition of the superbly melodic female vocals in Desecrated Labyrinth proves my made up fact and was greatly appreciated. This is something that I would like to hear incorporated more often. The contrast in vocal quality and style was just too damn cool to use infrequently.

It should also be said that three of the four songs from their 2009 Demo were re-recorded and slapped on here with varying degrees of success. Imagination’s Cruelty and Oracle’s Song Of Unceasing Wrath were done up right purdy and polished to a shine. Meanwhile, the grittier version of  Oblivion At Hand hit the target closer to center on the demo.

Overall: You’d be hard pressed to find a more melodic, versatile and under appreciated band that absolutely NEEDS to be signed. The world has been deprived of Dusks Embrace for too fucking long! SIGN THESE FUCKERS ALREADY!!!

9/10

Dusks Embrace Official

Dusks Embrace On MySpace

Genre: Ambient, Industrial, Experimental

Label: Malignant Records

And here we are again with another collection of new, re-released and previously unreleased music. This time, it’s from The Swedish Ironic Commando known as Negru Voda. Oh… and did I mention that there is THREE DISCS WORTH of music in Vald De Luxe? This is going to be an endurance trial that could end in ambient madness, isn’t it?

Three Hours Later…

…I think I jizzed a little.

Negru Voda’s four years in the making, Vald De Luxe is easily the most diverse sounding ambient album I’ve ever laid my ears on! There’s a ton of distorted vocals, lots of mild static, soft feedback in some spots that EXPLOEDES on you if you’re not ready for it, wrenches hitting pipes, mothers slapping babies, a kitchen sink and a partrige in a pare tree! I think it goes without saying at this point but, Vald De Luxe is DENSE! One of the reasons might be due to the fact that this collection is split up into different albums.

Disc 1: Vald De Luxe – This disc houses the newest material that is, in my opinion, the strongest material of the three. Lots of light and airy tracks that are laid in contrast next to some pretty fucking heavy tracks! Most noticeably, Infected By Remix which is a remixed version of the gut-ripping V:28 song, Infected By Life (if you don‘t know who V:28 is, do yourself a favor and check them out!).

Disc 2: Dark Territory – An appropriately named disc if there ever was one! Originally released in 1998 to the tune of five hundred copies, Dark Territory is a down and dirty mixture of industrial and dark ambient. Dark Territory transports you to an Eraserhead-ish land of rubble, mutants and black and white industrial areas. It’s literally the stuff of nightmares.

Disc 3: Whispers From The Silent Shaft – This one is the most diverse in terms of release type. Most of the tracks come from different periods in the artist’s career, so there’s a schizophrenic element to this disc with certain styles clashing. Yes, clashing. But not ever really breaking the flow at all. And what’s this? A live track to take us out with? How thoughtful!

Overall: Vald De Luxe is a monster of a release! Each of these three discs would of done great standing on their individual merit, so you know that a release with all three (if you can, play them back-to-back-to-back) is going to send you through a damn wall!

10/10

Negru Voda On MySpace

Genre: Dark Ambient

Label: Malignant Records

Wow… pretty box…

Er, hmm… yeah. This is the celebratory fifteen year anniversary re-release of one of the more groundbreaking dark ambient records ever recorded (or so I’m told by diehard fans of the genre), and it’s presented in a blood red box containing two discs! Disc one is the six tracks that made up the original Blood Music, re-mastered and with a couple of extra tweaks here and there and a previously unreleased track, Beneath The Sun. The first five tracks of disc two are from a limited edition cassette from 1993. While the sixth track is from a limited release seven inch vinyl from 1996 and the last track was a single from a compilation from 1997.

Within about a minute of the first track, entitled Infinite Domain, it’s no real surprise why there was need to re-introduce this ambient gem to the masses: it fucking owns! The Blood Music reissue is an intense ride from beginning to end, pulsing (probably an intentional sonic tongue in check joke. Or maybe I’m just reaching here) with a vibrancy and blazing spark that could of only been set by trailblazers of the genre. This reissue on it’s own was pretty much perfect. Now, let’s talk about the extras…

Immediately, Beneath The Sun feels unnecessary. The flow is broken since it goes from a smooth as silk ending in Absolute Zero to an abrupt beginning with Beneath the Sun. It’s not a bad song at all, it just feels tacked on. I guess that Yen Pox had it right the first time.

The material from the ’93 cassette is, on the other hand, very welcome in the realm of bonus material. So much so in fact, it rivals the aural badassery that was emanating off of the original Blood Music material! The same can be said about the remaining bonus material, just in a shorter sense. And unlike Beneath The Sun, all of the other extra material gels together in a complex weave of intense ambient music.

Overall: I usually turn my nose up at reissues and the like, but I’m all over this baby! Blood Music is bloody fantastic! It stands the test of time and still manages to tower over several other releases from fresher faces. Yen Pox did it right!

9.5/10

Yen Pox On Facebook
Yen Pox On MySpace

Genres: Folk Rock, Goth Rock
Labels: Mars Needs Music, Projekt

Voltaire’s newest album is a collection of songs from the Cartoon Network show “The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy”, as well as songs he performed for the online game AdventureQuest Worlds, and some other songs from other sources.
It’s a classic romp through Voltaire’s crazy mind, filled with violin, acoustic guitar, cello, horns, zombies, werewolves, vampires, and cannibals. Its definitely one of those albums where if you’re not on the train, you’re not going to get it, but for fans of Voltaire’s strange sense of humor (and your kids), this album is perfect.
I personally, as well as Mrs. Blaspheme, am very much on this train. I love Voltaire’s music and his humor-filled macabre lyrics, and I’d definitely recommend this CD to pretty much anyone that likes to laugh and have a good time with evil things.
8 out of 10.