Funeral Rain Press Corps

Genre: Atmospheric, Black Metal, Rock, Pop
Label: Eisenwald

This is going to sound horrible right off the bat but please, just give it a few seconds to sink in; What if someone took the might and savagery out of Thrall, replaced it with something resembling a metallic version of Coldplay and managed to keep the wicked black metal edge to most of it? If any of you are left after that (including you, Tim), the answer is easily one of the most unique musical experiences I’ve had since starting the reviewing game all of those years ago!

There is a metric TON of genre melding going on within these six tracks. Everything from relatively simple, yet catchy hard rock riffs to clean vocals and synthy pop keys to banshee wailing and back again can be heard in right here in this EP. It might be a tad overwhelming or just considered aimless to some folks, but I found it to be morbidly captivating. I kept finding myself thinking the same thing over and over again, “This shouldn’t be.” Meaning, these musical elements should never of been mixed! Germ’s sole member… (get ready for it) Germ, is toying with the very essence of what makes popular music popular and metal music that which must live underground! He’s taking those irrefutable elements and making them his own personal soundboard, not to mention, taking a gigantic risk with the possibility of alienating his audiences… and I absolutely LOVE that.

If there was one thing that I had to gripe about, it’s the oldie but goodie “length” complaint. This EP was too damned short! How dare you tease me with such a brilliant yet stingy offering! Damn you Germ!

Overall: Taking a risk on Loss is nowhere near the risk that was taken to bring it to you! Loss is a one of a kind outing that will leave you wondering what the future holds for Germ, metal and music as a whole.

9.5/10

Germ On Facebookable
Germ On Soundcloud 

-  Typhon

Genre: Progressive Metal
Labels: Armoury Records, Mystic Productions

The third CD in that package I got forever ago, Proghma-C sat, unreviewed (but listened to) for a long time. The reason why I haven’t said anything about it yet is simple: laziness. BUT ALAS!
Proghma-C are another Polish package of progressive perfection that will piss off your parents. Think Tool, with some Meshuggah, Portrait of an American Family-era Marilyn Manson, Fear Factory, and a fair amount of drugs. In other words, it’s out of this world. Throw in a Bjork cover, “Army of Me”, and wow.
8 out of 10.

Proghma-C on MySpace.

Genre: Gothic Metal, Pop, Rock, Symphonic Metal
Label: Candlelight Records

Oh Sarah. You look angrier in your promo pictures for this album, but you’re still just as gorgeous sounding as the Angtoria album, and your work with Cradle of Filth. I’m so glad I got to hear this.
Those that don’t know Sarah Jezebel Deva, she’s been the female vocals on all the CoF albums, and has had a successful album with her band Angtoria. And now she’s going (mostly) solo, with friends playing the music but it’s all her pretty much. And man does it show her voice’s range. She goes from sounding like Siouxie Sioux to… well, Sarah Jezebel Deva.
And the album itself is not really a genre specific album, hopping around a little with more rock-influenced songs, and epic sounding stuff too, with some poppy elements, and a cover of Meredith Brook’s “Bitch”, which I really like. I’m definitely a fan. My favorite songs are “The Devil’s Opera”, “Your Wonderful Chair”, and “Bitch”.
I agree with Chase on this album, the songs definitely do stick with you after you’ve listened to them. Very catchy, very good.
8.5 out of 10.

Sarah Jezebel Deva on MySpace.

Genre: Pop, Progressive, Punk
Label: Shit Music for Shit People

My original question when hearing this 7″ was: What the fuck?
It’s four tracks of great stuff that almost seems more like a compilation of different bands than only one band. But alas, this is only one band.
Seeming to mix a bit of indie and punk with Britpop and some prog elements (but definitely not as far as song lengths), these Italians sound a little like The Hives, Tegan and Sara, and other odd shit like that. I like it quite a lot, and I’ve listened to it a fair amount of times, and every time I do I can find something new in it that I like.
7 out of 10.