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: Black Metal
Label: Moribund Records

There was a little bit of a hype machine in my head for this band. I was stoked to listen to them on the pretense that they are not a standard anti-Christian band from a heavily Christian area of the world, but rather an anti-Islamic band from a heavily Islamic part of the world.
I expected a bit of a Middle East sound, perhaps some traditional instruments to make their sounds heard, but no. And this does not disappoint me at all. Ayat are crushing down some classic sounding black metal that could have come from the US or South America (it has that slightly more chaotic sound that’s not as present in most European black metal) with touches of thrash and tons of punk elements.
Vocal-wise, it’s fucking evil; and a perfect mix of black metal shrieks and blackened thrash screaming.
The fact that these guys stand a huge chance of getting murdered in their own home country for writing and recording this music doesn’t faze them at all either, and to my ears it seems to help them that much more, adding more fuel to their hatefires.
Songs of note are “Puking Under Radiant Moonlight (Followed By A Century Long Ejaculation)”, “Fornication and Murder”, and “Thousands of Pissed Motherfuckers…”.
7.5 out of 10.

Brooklyn kings of atmospheric doom, A Storm of Light, are gearing up for a short stint of U.S. tour dates next week that include performances with experimental metal/noise exhibitionists Today Is The Day and reunited stoner metallers Sleep before heading to Europe for a month’s worth of shows in October. Said guitarist/vocalist John Graham of the upcoming shows: “The next couple of months are going to be a lot of fun for us. We’re lucky enough to share the stage with the legendary Sleep, brutalists Today Is the Day, and then embark on our fourth European tour. Awesome!”

A Storm of Light U.S./Euro Tour Dates 2010

08/31/10 32st St Pub – Pittsburgh, PA w/ Today Is The Day
09/01/10 Ottobar – Baltimore, MD w/ Today Is The Day
09/03/10 Santos Party House – New York, NY w/ Today Is The Day
09/04/10 AS220 – Providence, RI w/ Today Is The Day
09/07/10 Starlight Ballroom – Philadelphia, PA w/ Sleep
09/08/10 Brooklyn Masonic Temple – Brooklyn, NY w/ Sleep, Lichens
10/01/10 Brudenell Social Club – Leeds, UK
10/02/10 Whelans – Dublin, Irelandw/ Stand Up Guy
10/03/10 The Spring And Airbrake – Belfast, Ireland w/ Stand Up Guy
10/04/10 Captain’s Rest – Glasgow, Scotland
10/05/10 The Croft – Bristol, UK
10/06/10 The Underworld – London, UK w/ Sedula, Sons Of Alpha Centauri
10/07/10 Nouveau Casino – Paris, France
10/08/10 Simplon – Groningen, Netherlands
10/09/10 013 – Tilburg, Netherlands
10/10/10 Juha West Matinee Show – Stuttgart, Germany
10/12/10 Rhiz – Vienna, Austria
10/13/10 Kset – Zagreb, Croatia
10/14/10 Randall – Bratislava, Slovakia
10/16/10 Firlej – Wroclaw, Poland
10/17/10 Powiekszenie – Warsaw, Poland
10/20/10 Nabaklab – Riga, Latvia
10/21/10 Nosturi – Helsinki, Finland
10/23/10 Garage – Oslo, Norway
10/24/10 Debaser – Stockholm, Sweden
10/25/10 Loppen – Copenhagen, Denmark
10/26/10 Hafenklang – Hamburg, Germany
10/27/10 Feierwerk – Munich, Germany
10/28/10 Spazio – Turin, Italy
10/29/10 Urban – Perugia, Italy
10/30/10 Init Club – Rome, Italy

A Storm of Light — guitarist/keyboardist/vocalist Josh Graham (Neurosis visuals, Blood And Time, Battle Of Mice), bassist/vocalist Domenic Seita (formerly of Tombs and Asea) and guitarist/keyboardist Joel Hamilton (Book Of Knots, Battle Of Mice) — released their second full-length, entitled Forgive Us Our Trespasses via Neurot last October.

Sri Lankan noise black metal band Plecto Aliquem Capite have unveiled the above artwork for their new EP, As the Sane Crumble. The EP will feature the songs “Cemetary of the Deep” and “Disembowelment”.
More details are to come soon.

Plecto Aliquem Capite on MySpace.

Genres: Black Metal, Noise
Label: Independent

The title of this tape says it all as far as what the sound is. A fast, grinding black metal with noise overtones that’s covered with an angry atmosphere. Thrashy riffs and old school black metal mixed with punk is the order of the day, with fast snare infested drumming to bang your head to.
Nak’ay is not an animal to be fucked with, and this is one of the most violent tapes I’ve ever heard. I fucking love it.
8.5 out of 10.

Order This Release from Funeral Rain.
Nak’ay on MySpace.