It's that time people, my list of Buy or Die albums for 2007. This list will include, Doom, Noise, Black Metal, Post-metal and other.It will include band name,album name, genre and label. SO BUY OR DIE.
1.
SHINING- V Halmstad, Osmose Prod, Black Metal.) Let's start it off with Shining- V Halmstad . Released earlier this year on Osmose Productions which I believe is based out of France, this is the 5th Official full length of this Swedish Depressive Band. Shining, led by main man Kvarforth, released it's first album in 1998, when Kvarforth was 14. This album is amazing, and easily the best album of the year. First off, the cover art perfectly describes the listener's state of mind by the end of the cd. The cover depicts a very pretty girl, with a handgun in her mouth. Then slap the cd in my friends, and there it is. The first track starts out with a very depressing sample. Then kick into a vicious spiraling riff. The one thing that really stand out in this entire cd is the vocals. Now let's take it over the the 3rd track, and probably the strongest of the album. Blasting in with a incredibly attracting riff, this track spirals into a mess of depression and anger. Half way through the track the song slows down, and as a sweet piano piece is playing, the sample of teenage girl crying and killing herself send shivers into any listener. The fourth track is by far the most interesting, starting off with some bowed bass and violin, leading into a double bass masterpiece. This song turns into a tribal debacle, and gives you the sense of sheer death. BUY OR DIE....
2..
Sunn O)))-Oracle, Southernlord, Doom/Drone) Last year an album was released that change the Drone/Doom genre forever. This album brought together two drone giants and slammed them together for an collaboration, that's right, not a split a collaboration. This album was Sunn O))) and Boris's, Altar. As a follow up to this amazing album, Sunn O))) did some extensive touring with psychopath Attila Csihar(former member of Hungarian Tormentor and Lead Singer of Black Metal pioneers Mayhem). During one of these shows, Sunn O))) was asked by artist Banks Violette, to compose and original piece to be played during an art gallery show at the Maureen Paley Gallery in London. This show featured all of Sunn O)))'s equipment( including amps, pedals, and instruments) scuplted out of Cast resin and salt. This inspired a new album, titled ORACLE. Oracle has two tracks in true Sunn O))) vein, Belulrol Pusztit and Orakulum. Belulrol Pusztit, which clocks in at nearly 16 minutes, is quite and intriguing piece. Starts off with some awkward noises, almost like a nuclear bomb alarm. Extremely haunting as Sunn O))) would be. After an incredible aural journey,at about 1:40 the chants of Attila can be heard not only through the ears, but envisioned the in the darkest hole in your mind. After some time Joe Preston comes in, not with a bass, not with a guitar, but with a FUCKING Jackhammer. Yes, a Jackhammer. This track is just a precursor of whats to come. Orakulum starts off with a noise reminiscent of a tape recorder being rewound. After that it goes into the Sunn we know and love, I am talking the White1, White2 days. Heavy, hard hitting drone, which murders the senses for about 19:00 minutes. This can be bought directly from SOUTHERN LORD, in Lp format on clear on black, and each copy comes with a free single cd version. Or, if you were lucky enough to buy the ultra limited 2cd version, which includes live disc Helio)))sophist, which was mixed from various performances by Oren Ambarchi. All in all and incredible taste of the next Sunn O))) album, which starts recording in October.
3.
Pelican- City of Echoes, Hydrahead, Post-Metal). I have been playing drums since I was a young lad, and when I slap on a new album I always look forward to some awesome drumming. In the current Post-Metal world, which includes bands like Neurosis, Isis, and Jesu, there is one band that truly stand out to me. Pelican brings to the table a gorgeous array of guitar playing mixed with some heavy doom, but what is the deal with the drummer? Don't get me wrong, his drumming is not that bad, but there are certain times that he tries to fit a roll into spaces it should not go, and other times there are double pedaling that sets the whole mood of the song off. This year's release was City Of Echoes, and the title in itself is a foreshadowing of the incredibly atmospheric sounds contained inside. The cover art and packaging further support that title, and remind me of the ocean and such. Slapping on the first song you immediately know where this album is going, a riff of doomage without the extreme abrasiveness of some doom. Soft and easy but still hard and heavy, this song eventually explodes into a heavy blast of doomage(which is now officially a word). Then it goes into the title track- City of Echoes. From first listen this track is very serene, but upon a closer look this track has some incredible guitar battling going on it. The fourth track, Winds with Hands, is a beautiful acoustic piece. This album is extremely strong and worth the money to buy it. Available on Digipack cd and every color vinyl under the sun.
4.Earth-Hibernaculum, Southern Lord, Drone) What is their to say about Earth that has not been said already. They are the inventors of drone, and have inspired such bands like Sunn O))), STQ-3, and A Death Cinematic. This album is not actually a new album, but instead older tracks, rerecorded and made to sound like their current style of, what can best be described as, Western Drone. The first track, Ouroboros is Broken, starts off this fantastic cd. With Greg Anderson on a Korg, this track is a progressing drone experience, which even though is soft, is equally heavy as the older version. The second track, Coda Maestoso in F(flat) minor, is personally my favorite song. Starting off with a very simple guitar line, it slowly leads into a very peaceful drum piece, played by the gorgeous Adrienne Davies. After a few majors of this, a piano slowly starts to match the guitar, making this song the most relaxing of the album. At about 3:40, a somewhat distorted guitar comes in, and with it's extremely bright sound, leads the rest of the song to the end. The last song of this track features A Plague of Angels, which was previously only available on the Sunn O)))/Earth split lp. Overall an incredible album. Also comes with a second disc, which is a DVD titled Within The Drone, made by Seldon Hunt. It is a very good documentary on Earth and their recording processes. An amazing album, which can still be purchased from Southern Lord.
Well that is the list I have so far, and I plan on including 5 more albums later this week when I am not dead tired from listening to all this music. Here are some links that you should definitely check out
http://southernlord.com
http://hydrahead.com
http://aquariusrecords.org
http://www.inoxia-rec.com/
1. Banshee- Volume 1, Self Released(Fucking Black Metal). I love my Black Metal. I love my raw, hate filled Black Metal. In a world of music where the worse production value means the bigger audience, a few bands really stand out. Ildjarn, Ancestors, Bone Awl to name a few. Banshee doesn't sound like any of these. Banshee is the solo project of Patrick Valentine, which will imply a much nicer sound then the black vomit that spews forth from this release. Hailing for the desolate plains of New Mexico, Banshee attacks your ears with 9 tracks clocking in at just over 50 minutes. The first track is a Prologue tracks, which fades in with a guitar that plays an ominous tune. The guitar is then matched with piano, the perfect intro for the venom about to commence. The song fades out and turns into Chapter I, a 10 minute sonic destruction of the senses. The vocals sometimes are distant, almost being drowned out by the fuzz and drums, which I believe to be real. The first thing you immediately notice about this release is the layers of guitar, one is playing the main tune, while the other guitar may provide a simple melody over it. The vocals are tortured and dying, and some of the best I have heard thus far. Chapter II is my favorite, starting with some tribal drums, which fade into heavy guitar and lots of distortion, and...wait.. what is that...BASS. That is right, this is one of those rare fuzzed out Black Metal releases where you can actually hear the bass. This song calms down for a gorgeous clean guitar interlude, which then explodes into a fucking cry of death. Each of the songs is incredibly strong, and each one epic in its own right. Tribal drums, which go off beat from time to time, providing perfect rhythm. This is an EXTREMELY strong debut release from this USBM horde and one that is a must have. Banshee has an upcoming release with Funeral Doom band Scrolls of Lamentation, but do now what for that. Ltd to 100 copies so get yours fast
