Funeral Rain Press Corps

Genre: Instrumental Psychedelic Rock
Label: Independent
Format: Digital Promo (Freeman Promotions)

Ninth Moon Black hail from the USA, specifically Eugene, Oregon, right in the Pacific Northwest, and they are currently promoting their latest release of psychedelic rock instrumentals.
Having never heard of these chaps and lady before, I was very intrigued when I saw the album cover. I love the band name, and with a translated title to mean Time Eater, it just seemed right up my alley. Barely two minutes into the first track, “Renascentia”, and I knew I was going to like this.
The music really reminds me at times of Tool (especially their Lateralus era), and then the Pink Floyd elements kick in, opening whole new sound palettes that Ninth Moon Black explore. The songs all meld together, creating one gapless track in essence, but each song is truly it’s own at the same time, and it’s good enough to throw onto repeat for a few listens in a row.
One of the bonuses for everyone is that the album is available at Bandcamp for a Pay-What-You-Want. The link is below. Also, it will hit vinyl soon through Orca Wolf Records.
Favorite songs are “Via Dolorosa” and  ”Mors Carnis”.
7 out of 10.

Chronophage Tracklisting:
1. Renascentia
2. Via Dolorosa
3. Bestia Devorat Tempus
4. Mors Carnis
5. Animus Lumino
6. Numeratio

Chronophage Personnel:
Erin – Guitar/Visuals
Caleb – Bass
Kasey – Drums
Eric – Keyboards
Atom – Guitar

Ninth Moon Black Official.
Ninth Moon Black on Facebook.
Ninth Moon Black on Bandcamp.

Genre: Doom, Sludge
Label: Independent

FIVEWILLDIE (Five Will Die, FWD, 5WD) have been one of my favorite bands ever since Funeral Rain Zine was a shitty hole on MySpace. These Irish lads were one of the first bands I hooked up with and ever since then I’ve been wanting to hear more from them. And now I have. And wow.

Worth & Soul is a killer doom album, perfect for fans of faster, angrier doom. Elements of death metal and hardcore are all over the place, with slow breakdowns and beatdowns. If you’re expecting a Katatonia or My Dying Bride here, you’re looking in the wrong direction. Instead what you’ll get is a face full of fists. Tracks take an anti-Christian bend as well, in a more atheistic way, and some spots (especially in “Seeds”) are even reminiscent of Tool.

The album itself starts with “Wrecks of Men”, which features Andy’s roar right from the start, going straight for the eyes. The riffage is slow, deep and solid. Perfect for headbanging while pounding your fist on the patch-laden vest of the bloke in front of you in the pit. The general feel really doesn’t change, but “Nothing Against Your Conscience” does slow it down even further for a time to get you ready for the next assault. “Sons of Horus” is just fucking vicious, viscous doom, and “Great Minds and Fools” keeps it up. “Blood and Soil” is one of those songs that I can see getting covered by other bands. It’s slower than your grandmother driving and just as scary. “Blame the Martyr” takes on a more classic doom feel at the start, then brings in that FWD flavor with tons of crunchy broken noses; one of the best tracks on the album. “Seeds” takes the same route, with a clean guitar at the start and some asskicking through the rest, with a slow and clean spot in the middle to breathe for a moment. The pit stays slow again for the final track, the title track “Worth & Soul”, a time to wipe the blood and sweat from your face and finish off another pair of beers before heading into the night.

So needless to say, FIVEWILLDIE have outdone themselves. Worth & Soul is by far their best work, and hopefully indicative of where they will be headed in the future. A fucking masterpiece, I’ll be spinning this shit for years to come.
10 out of 10.

03 Sons Of Horus by Five Will Die

FIVEWILLDIE on Facebook.

Nightmare Records is pleased to announce the signing of Los Angeles, California’s Clandestine. Clandestine is female fronted melodic rock with a serious kick you in the face attitude. Their debut album The Invalid will be released on February 15, 2011. Nightmare Records is based out of St. Paul Minnesota and is distributed by RED.

Mixed by well known producer Sylvia Massey (Tool, System Of A Down), this band has wickedly infections melodies and music that crosses many lines in the sand of purists rock, alternative, electronic and metal genres an extremely impressive, 10 fresh songs equaling a 45 minute slab of hard edged rock that never fails to deliver on all levels.

The band is fronted by singer June Park who wields a very impressive almost otherworldly and fierce voice. Enigmatic and engaging she is without a doubt, a star on the rise. The four-piece is fulfilling the thirst of today’s music fans that are in search of a new sound that triggers their ultimate aural pleasure.

Clandestine‘s ultimate goal is combining diverse influences and styles that mark a new generation with an unnamed creation while striving to provide a sonic link from the past to the future.

Clandestine is a truly unique band, combining progressive rock with female fronted metal, a touch of electronic music that enhances the futuristic timbre, and some smooth huge pop melodies. “The Invalid” is a must for fans of bands as diverse as Evanescence, Dream Theater, Fair to Midland, Rush, Lacuna Coil, Tool and Between the Buried & Me.

What more can you ask for?

Clandestine on MySpace.

Genres: Hard Rock, Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock
Label: Independent

I found an email from Thesis in my inbox, asking if I could do a review of their new body of work, Channel 1. They described themselves as a progressive rock with metallic leanings, so I said sure. I’d be happy to.
And if only I knew what I was getting into.
Thesis don’t fall into an easy to define area of music, because they are very progressive, with some psychedelic elements. Amazing musicianship, with an extremely strong voice, Thesis remind me of a slower, more melodic and pretty sounding Tool or Cynic. At times even reminding me of Opeth.
Violins, heavy riffs, and an occasionally oppressive feeling fill this album, and it’s great. Check it out if you’re into progressive music.
8 out of 10.

Thesis on MySpace.

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.