IAH “IAH” Album Review + Stream…

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IAH

IAH – CD // DD

Necio Records – released July 21, 2017

Reviewed by Eric Layhe

 

Line Up:
Juan Pablo Lucco Borlera: Bajo
Mauricio Condon: Guitarra
José Landín: Batería

Hometown: 
Córdoba, Argentina

Tracklist:
Cabalgan Los Cielos                  (7:39)
Ouroboros                                    (5:16)
Stolas                                            (8:42)
Eclipsum                                      (4:36)
La Piedra Que Sujeta El Sol    (5:45)
Nuboj                                            (7:26)

 

                         IAH – Self Titled EP Demo

Post-Metal, especially Instrumental Post-Metal, is somewhat akin to walking a tightrope: if executed correctly, it can be a true wonder to behold. However, even the slightest misstep can spell disaster for the artist in question. One of the latest acts to walk this tightrope is Argentina’s IAH.

Post-Metal’s largest pitfall is that it can be a very difficult genre to perform while maintaining the interest of the listener. All too commonly, the music is tuned out, eventually being delegated to being “background music” after the listener sets their attention to something more gripping. Fortunately, IAH does an excellent job of making sure their music remains interesting in their debut album, adeptly shifting the feel of their music at the exact instant that the musical idea of the time would wear its welcome.

This album often feels like 3 friends jamming in their garage, and that is absolutely a good thing. An air of familiarity and camaraderie permeates this release- it lacks the disconnect between the listener and the artist that so many larger releases have. It really feels like IAH are sharing something with you and that you are simply hanging out with them, and this feeling definitely pans out in their favor.

Live Band Pic

The sections of this album that yield the biggest and best impact are when the band really lets loose: IAH feels, far and away, most comfortable when their amps are turned up to eleven, the overdrive is blaring, the guitar is detuned, and the drummer is holding nothing back. Approximately halfway through album opener “Cabalgan Los Cielos” the fuzz guitar is taken beyond the point of no return and the song opens up into an outright tremendous stomp that characterizes the band at their best: Loud, heavy, and downright punishing. This sensation is taken to its maximum in the first half of album high point “Eclipsum”, a showcase of world class riffs full of fuzz, wah, and bass chords.

Spacey, Post-metal is at its finest when the band lets loose, just as outer space is at its most interesting when one takes a look at the crushing gravitational forces of stars, supernovas, and black holes, and IAH is a band that certainly seems to be perfectly aware of this. Despite being rather new to the scene, IAH weaves a work that deserves plenty of attention in the metal crowd, and if there is any justice in this great big universe, these masters of musical intuition will receive that attention.

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Enhailer “Grisaille” Album Review + Stream…

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In Case You Missed It Series – Episode 4

Enhailer

Grisaille – CD // DD

Blackseed Records – Released June 2, 2016

Reviewed by Andy “Dinger” Beresky

 

I’m not sure how many of you are familiar with the Akron, Ohio band Mockingbird. I’m fairly familiar with them, as I was privileged enough to be able to share the stage with them on multiple occasions.  Their sound was a progressive and melodic take on sludge/doom metal, in the vein of early Mastodon and Baroness, yet there was something so PURE about them.  They were completely removed from any of the mainstream trappings that the aforementioned bands eventually came to embrace.

I don’t typically like to define artists in terms of their former bands or other projects.  All the same, it’s hard to talk about High On Fire or Om if we don’t also talk about Sleep, isn’t it??  Drummer Chad Beverlin from Enhailer also plays with the criminally underrated Mockingbird, and there are enough similarities in their sound that it’s worth bringing them into the conversation.

 

Enhailer have a slightly goofy name, which is both endearing and problematic for me personally.  I like the name, though I know how using puny names can sometimes come with a stigma or turn people off unnecessarily.  Yes, I play in a band called Palace In Thunderland.  People tend to either love it or hate it. It’s goofy, and funny, and fun….we hope.  That’s really up to you, not us.  It’s also meant to be a bit artsy, and that’s the same vibe I get from Enhailer.  They’re instrumental, so we know that they’re artsy.  However, this is not the more stripped down minimalism incorporated by fellow instrumentalists Karma To Burn, nor is it the hip neo-melodicism of Pelican. This is something far darker and dirtier, like if we truly pushed Mogwai into the depths of despair that they’ve always mildly flirted with.

There’s nothing demure about Enhailer.   They encompass everything that I love about the American Midwest.  If you’ve never been, I’d highly suggest that you spend some time there.

While Mockingbird tended to write more songs with a more traditional vocal-driven structure, the lack of vocals allows Enhailer to work more with a classical, theme and variation motif.  The six songs tend to build, evolve, and intensify organically, which is what prompts me to compare them to Mogwai. The major difference is in the atmosphere itself, which is bleak, heavy and haunting, due largely in part to the guest keyboards, which loom and pulse in the background.  Technically Enhailer are a trio, though it’s hard to talk about this album without bringing in the keyboards, as they truly add a nice touch.  It’s also worth noting that their seem to be some form of growls in the background of a couple songs, though I think this is just for effect, and to add to the atmosphere.  I don’t think there are any discernible lyrics.

 

Band Logo

 

I really dig the production, which manages to sound both full and never excessive.  The songs themselves usually lurk at a comfortable, mid-paced tempo, and combine quieter, more introspective sections with full on dirgy doom riffs.  It’s a nice blend with a unique take that firmly separates them from the rest of the post-metal pack.  I get the feeling that this is really just a sampling of what Enhailer have to offer.  These six songs clock in at just over 30 minutes.  I’m thinking that they’ve got a lot more to say, in their typical manner of not speaking or singing a single word.

IAH – “Self Titled” Album Review + Stream…

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IAH

IAH – released January 20, 2017

Necio Records – CD // Kozmik Artifactz – Vinyl // DD

Album Reviewed by Ric “Suisyko” Dorr

 

 

Location – Córdoba, Argentina

Band Members –  Bass: Juan Pablo Lucco Borlera (Orighen) // Drums: José Landin (S.A.D.E. – Fahrenheit – It Will Be the End) //

Guitar: Mauricio Condon (Pieles)

This first offering from IAH, a three piece outfit brought together, each with a pedigree of previous bands, and they have created something that shines bright from first note to last. Four tracks of instrumental bliss that the band has tagged as a combination of ambient/post-rock/stoner/metal siphoned through an experimental filter. An intriguing descriptor for sure and these are 25 minutes of some of the most coherent meanderings yet to throw those tags together.

Opening track ‘Cabalgan Los Cielos’ (Ride The Skies) has an almost-hidden fade in the beginning three seconds before the band enters with a nice even paced walk of resonating clear notes carried by a lumbering-thick bass line and a cadence from the drum-kit that fits perfectly. By the time the first power chord rings out at 1:40, you are already hooked for the ride and the smile that creeps across your face is one of sonic satiation. The spaced out flow for the duration is seamless from clear notes to distorted screams and back again as you can feel the twists and turns through the atmospheric coursing painted.

Live Band Pic

The last section shows that they can get as fast and hammering as the next, and are not afraid to do it to the fullest extent possible and then shifting back to that doom-heavy slowness and over-modulated purity of power, a slow-fading digital echo taking us into ‘Ouroboros’ with an almost spaghetti-western tone and progression.  Taps of cymbal ringing softly until another hit of snare and we’re off for the next round of instrumental hypnosis that has as many twists and turns and fills that feed off of each time shift effortlessly punctuating that this band as a unit are exactly  the same page and give the same 200% lacking with too many.

‘Stolas’ (Clothing) has a nice jazz-tempo beginning, those clear notes with a slight reverb edge tickle your ears as the time signature makes your fingers tap along involuntarily as the sing-song/stop and go tempo becomes your pulse as you move right along with every note, each speaking every word, never said but still heard. Each member is as solid as stone and flex and flow perfectly, never dropping a second and still maintaining that ‘live-in-the-studio’ feel that lets IAH deliver the goods. Closer ‘Eclipsum’ hits hard and heavy, thick and heavy from the first second and shows even MORE of the syncopational unity these three represent.

This EP had been released in January 2017 and there are two extra tracks available via the band’s bandcamp page. ‘La piedra que sujeta el sol’ (The Stone That Holds The Sun) that listens as the perfect “next song” after the end of ‘Eclipsum’ and is even MORE raw and ‘live’ sounding giving a majesty to their soundscape and when ‘Nuboj’ begins with those harmonic muted tones ringing out followed by the clarity of that sound of brand-new strings permeates the air, you can almost smell the difference and the next seven plus minutes wrap the entire take together with the ultimate mix of heavy and harmonic. Get ALL six of these songs in your library the very second you find them and share out to each person you come in contact with as they NEED to hear this as badly as you do even now and support them live if you get the chance… keep it LOUD!!

MOTHERSLOTH “Moon Omen” Album Review & Stream…

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MOTHERSLOTH

Moon Omen – CD // DD

Argonauta Records – Released March 3, 2017

Reviewed by Ric “Suisyko” Dorr

Formed in 2008, based out of Madrid Spain, this is the third release from MOTHERSLOTH and first released through Italian label Argonauta Records. They described themselves as doom/stoner/sludge metal, but there is a precision to the songs offered here that these tags become useless and unnecessary. Sure, lots of open chords, ultra-distorted bass lines and pounding hammers of doom on each drum head in proximity, but that tech-prowess again belies that there are no limits to what these three are able to create. Listing members as Oscar / drums, Moline / bass guitar and Daniel / vox and guitars, they started playing gigs live in 2010 before their first release in 2012 “Hazy Blur Of Life”, followed up in 2014 with “Moribund Star” and endless shows and appearances followed. Tons of positive reviews and comments filled the air with everyone that witnessed these guys in action and this released has been greatly anticipated since.

‘Shadow Witch’ hits hard from the first second with all the punch you could expect and then at exactly 40 seconds in, we are greeted with softer, clean notes and Daniel in a whisper voice speaking of “nothingness”, and then the dark-heavy looms right back in as the opener lets us know trying to label them is a waste as so many genre’s swirl effortlessly together to be all and none specific at the same time. ‘Once Human’ sweeps directly out of the signal-chirp at the end and lumbers forward, maintaining that staggered pacing that allows Oscar to show his chops from beginning to end and Moline flows in perfect symmetry, keeping the deep and dark bottom end pummeling in presence.

 

Pro Band Pic

 

“Lost souls wander the dark and desolate forest…” is how ‘The Firemill’ enters the room and “bloodlust” is the tone of this seven minute plus crusher that has Daniel’s soaring vocal hitting heights he had not ventured to with a clarity that shows growth in the lapse of time since the last release. The haunting tones of the solo section towards the end echo, the feel of the song is the perfect ‘cherry on top’ for this track.

‘Doomsday Cyborg’ is the one that the hardcore stoner/sludge junkies will gravitate towards with it’s 2/4 core time sig and enough feedback loops hand fed in ‘sugar-cubes’ of phase shifted delight to cause a flashback… or three, all the way to the slow fade out. ‘Wish For Dawn’ begins with a slower back beat and a cleaner guitar progression as a not-distorted bass line allows for the power chords to rip through and set up Daniel’s vocal perfectly. Another searing solo section during the last half will melt your face off and leave you wanting it to go on and on… and on. The harmonic fade out at the end then gives a chill across your flesh.

 

Title track, and personal favorite from this one, ‘Moon Omen’ begins with the sounds of the forest, complete with an echoing whisper traversing the wind blowing from all directions, and then the body is set by a lone guitar screaming in lucid softness. At 3:20, the sky breaks as the fury hits hard with all three members for thirty seconds; back to ethereal guitar progression, alone once more… until joined by the richest lingering notes that force eyes and ears up high to see the glory eminating forth. Moline gets to take the last portion of the song as he steps forth with the body and melody as Oscar busts out some jazz fills that make this section even better than it could have been as Daniel’s 6-string mastery shines as the edge of the final second.

Front to back, the most cohesive collection put forth from this band yet, well worth the wait and another must-have for 2017.  Get it like, yesterday, SEE & support them if you get the chance and keep it LOUD!!

 

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DUSTRIDER Divulge ‘Event Horizon’ Debut Album Details; Share New Song

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Italian psyche-infused heavy rockers Dustrider have unveiled the details of their anxiously awaited debut album, ‘Event Horizon‘. Anticipation has reached a fever pitch as music fans have clamored for a proper release from the powerful instrumental trio. The trio, Bruno ‘Brüno’ Bellisario (Guitar), Andrea ‘Keoma’ Romano (Bass) and Francesco ‘Krundaal’ Romano (Drums) have graciously answered that call. They will unleash the 9-song ‘Event Horizon‘ album via Argonauta Records on May 19th.

‘Event Horizon‘ was recorded and mixed by Matteo Barsacchi at Blotch Recording Studio, Cecina, IT and mastered by Justine Perkins at Mystery Room Mastering, Milwaukee WI., USA.

Pre-orders for Dustrider‘s ‘Event Horizon‘ are available here and make sure to check out the audio-only stream of the new song ‘Cosmo‘ below.

– Pat ‘Riot’ Whitaker

Dustrider EH LP
“Event Horizon” Track-list

1. Warped – 4:55
2. Cosmo – 4:16
3. They Live! – 4:12
4. Fallout Criminal – 3:17
5. Agartha – 6:02
6. Stratosphere – 4:26
7. Event Horizon – 5:54
8. Ultima IV – 4:26
9. Dust Devil – 4:36

A RED DEAD EAGLE ‘Ovum Exclusum Est’ Review & Stream; NYP Item

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From Santa Cruz De Tenerife, Spain we recently received the introductory debut from A Red Dead Eagle here at TNHQ. To be honest, I don’t know a whole lot about the band itself really, other than there’s a member named Mijaíl Komang. I know that because he happens to be the one that brought the band’s new offering, ‘Ovum Exclusum Est‘, to our attention. And man, I am glad he did too! A Red Dead Eagle have crafted an intriguing, multi-textured aural display here, one that’s primarily rooted in atmospherically-enhanced music. That music itself is instrumental and quite powerful though it isn’t what you’d call overtly “heavy” in any sense. No, instead this music is “heady” because it is so aurally vast and exploratory that it takes you places.

Those places are way, way out there in the realm of the infinite cosmos and there is no rush, no hurry or hustle bustle taking place to get there. Instead, once launched..the music looses your restraints from this mortal coil and allows your mind to free-float along with the journey undertaken. Ethereal expanses are mapped out and then moved into on such rides as the amazing opener, ‘Hundred Oxen‘, or the beautifully tranquil ‘New Reverie‘. With a massive aura of carefree vibrations permeating their overall feel, cuts like ‘Silver Swan‘ and ‘Chasing The Great Water Snake‘ provide near perfect escapes. The latter track is especially outstanding and definitely one of the album’s more stellar songs.

If you are a regular partaker of ambient-fueled music, especially the type that is instrumental and seems almost free-form at times, this is for you. Call it Progressive, Space Rock, Post-Rock or what have you, it is irrelevant just as long as you give this a listen. In fact, you can now do exactly that via the Bandcamp embedded stream of A Red Dead Eagle‘s debut, ‘Ovum Exclusum Est‘, below. Then, if you’re just absolutely head over heels smitten with the record, you can acquire it as an NYP (Name Your Price) item if you must. I suggest you throw some coin in for it if you have the means too as we all know how bands struggle to survive but do what you must…for you MUST own this album if you dig psychedelia.

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SPARROWMILK ‘Articles Of Separation’ Review & Stream

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SPARROWMILK
Articles Of Separation: CD//DD
Kultland Recordings 
Reviewed By: Pat ‘Riot’ Whitaker

Sparrowmilk are an instrumental trio based out of Cleveland, Ohio, one that possesses members of such notable acts at Venomin James, Doomstress and Ancient VVisdom. They specialize in a darker style of metallic-tinged Post-Rock with some rather spacey elements embedded within in. Drummer Tomasz Scull, guitarist Joe Fortunato and bassist Erin Lung explore some wide expanses in their music and aren’t afraid to engage in some experimental risk taking. The best possible example of this is their newly released full-length debut for Kultland Recordings, ‘Articles Of Separation‘. The 9-song record is an amalgamation of diverse genre-fusing that plays out with seeming intentionally abstract, yet profound, compositions.

The far-reaching realms explored on this album begin with the sludge-ish alternative rock of ‘Mars In The 7th House‘. The song’s more haunting atmospherics add a sense of mystique to its underlying, subdued doom vibes. Moments of groove-fueled, tight knit levity in the music breaks things up at specific points. Those doomier elements are more in the forefront of songs like ‘Western Reserve‘, ‘Wolf Egg‘ and the crushing album closing cut ‘Teeth Of The Hound‘.

Two of the heaviest tracks here, ones that are possibly my favorites of all, are the depth treading ‘Book Of Armaments‘ and it’s follow up, ‘Sons Of Neptune‘. The doom traits remain rather prevalent in both but they’re bolstered by obvious Southern-influenced flare impacting both cuts. They reverberate with heavily sludgened tones that are then offset with interludes of lighter fare. That’s what I was referring to earlier when I attached the label “abstract” to this music for you never quite know what to expect next. But if unusual, or better yet, uniqueness, is the name of the game then Sparrowmilk provide it in abundance on another pair of songs, ‘Black Night Satellite‘ and the psychedelia-laden ‘Hollow Moon‘. The latter unfurls touches of heady lulls in the music before injecting undiluted energy into them. Those shots result in temporal spans where upbeat tempos and time signatures take hold for a bit more animated musicality.

Lyrics..vocals..who needs’em?  I assure you their absence has absolutely no negative effect on the power and resound of Sparrowmilk‘s ‘Articles Of Separation‘. For sheer staying power in your player and mind both, this album provides more than enough diversity and sonic intrigue to keep you coming back for more. To begin that experience now, check it out via the Bandcamp embed below.

Jim Matheos (Fates Warning/OSI) Forms New Project TUESDAY THE SKY

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The founding guitarist of legendary U.S. progressive metallers Fates Warning, Jim Matheos, has announced the release of the debut album from his new ambient instrumental rock project, Tuesday The Sky. ‘Drift‘, the band’s first full-length effort, is set for release on June 30th via InsideOut Music, and sees Matheos pushing the envelope of his sound and playing ever further. Tuesday The Sky will allow Matheos to explore a type of atmospheric and instrumental music, including expansive textures and ambient electronica, that his fans might not expect of him. The music of the project is being compared to that of such acts as Brian Eno, Boards Of Canada, Sigur Ros and Explosions In The Sky.

‘Drift‘ also features the talents of God Is An Astronaut’s drummer Lloyd Hanney, who provides a rhythmic backbone that is rampant with alternating styles and precision playing. Other guests include long-time OSI collaborator and former Dream Theater member Kevin Moore who plays keys on two songs as well as Anna-Lynne Williams (Trespassers William, Lotte Kestner), who provides ethereal, ambient vocals (of the non-verbal kind) on two other songs.

The album will be released as special edition CD, black LP + CD & digital download. Further details will be revealed soon.

– Pat ‘Riot’ Whitaker

TTS LP

New Album Review – Firmam3nt “Firmam3nt”

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Firmam3nt 

Self Titled – CD / DD

Nooirax Productions – released July 28, 2016

A Journey to the 4 corners of the Firmament with Firmam3mt

Whoa, that’s what I found myself saying after listening to this Quartet of instrumentalists from Madrid known as Firmam3nt and their “Self Titled” Debut Album. In just 4 songs ‘North,’ ‘East’, ‘West’,  and ‘South’ I felt as if I had traveled the globe. I don’t know if travel is the theme of the band’s album but with the four cardinal directions as the name to their songs and it’s big sweeping sound that creates an auditory Panorama, it seems like the theme fits.

 

Pro Band Shot

 

Unlike some bands that concentrate on lead guitar and vocals it seems to me Firmam3nt is a band that takes a different approach to their craft.  As all quality instrumentalists, the band approaches their music from another angle by trading off leads between the drums, bass, and guitars with amazing affect. My favorite is ‘West’ which seems to use the Bass as the foundation of the song.  While you can get this album on Bandcamp at “Name Your Price,” I would encourage you to pay for the download or buy their CD at €8 or more because these guys are tight. Highly Recommended!!

Fans of Toundra, Pelican, Mogwai, Isis the band….

Words by Terry Cuyler