Tampere, Finland’s Skyjoggers are as space rock as space rock gets these days. A heavier, crunchier Hawkwind is what you will find on their new full length, 12021: Post-Electric Apocalypse. This is oversimplifying the controlled chaos that these four songs in 36 minutes brings to this intergalactic trip. There is a lot going on here and it is all excellent.
The first 14 minutes of the record is the pure frantic chaos of Huevos Rancheros / Rapid Round. This is fast paced heavy psych space rock with killer guitar work and an amazing rhythm section that just brings it for that entire time. I really dig the vocals too. I am tired just listening to it, but it is a good tired. Like every good trip the last minute-plus brings you down easy, but while still seeing all of the colours and lights flashing. A killer track.
Dare I say the next track Newtonin Kanuuna gets a little funky while traveling with the comets, but only for a brief, four-minute interlude while the ship is getting refuelled. Once the tank is full again, the six-plus minute Døpehølm brings the slow, chunky and doomy riffage to the forefront, which sounds like the ship is heading right for a black hole and shit is getting real dark amongst the crew. This seamlessly flows into the 12-minute Tessæil, which is all about turning that ship away from the danger via the power of the riff and all the space rock atmosphere you can fit in an intergalactic vessel, with no words needed on this one to feel like art of the journey.
Give me heavy psych space rock any day, especially when it is executed as well as Skyjoggers do on 12021: Post-Electric Apocalypse. The trio makes so much frantic, chaotic noise for just three players, and I love every second and every note that floats out into space. 8/10
Moonsoon - East Of Asteroid (Apollon Records Prog) [Matt Bladen]
I always love discovering a prog band, especially if the album is their debut, there's so much potential, a frisson of excitement over what style they are going to go for, who their influences are and whether or not they are on to something. Moonsoon are the latest band to catch my ear, coming from the fertile Norwegian prog/experimental rock scene, the band is essentially a duo creating symphonic, progressive rock that forms a conceptual journey.
Where it starts is with a beat, Helge Nyheim, the creator of Moonsoon is a drummer so this whole album is hooked on the percussion, there's a throbbing beat to Crack Our Codes alongside some marimba and various percussion instruments to swell the soundscapes. I think of it as a little like how Sound Of Contact/E-molecule based their music around the drums and vocals of Simon Collins, Moonsoon is driven by the impressive and interesting drumming and lead vocals of Helge.
Daniel Hauge is the other main member of the group, he's the co-songwriter, producer and arenager, concocting the sonic landscape of the record. He's an accomplished producer and nnotnonly co-wrote the record he produced, mixed and mastered it to give it the textural identity, taking the listener away on this galactic journey through the stars with multi-layered instrumentstion, fluid songwriting and vocals that are almost spoken word.
The latter is reminiscent of Roger Waters solo records, just listen to Ones And Zeros and you'll hear it clearly. No wonder then that saxophonist Ian Ritchie, who has played on Waters' solo record is a special guest, he also produced Radio K.A.O.S which East Of Asteroid is influenced heavily by. Joining Ian on sax is Kjetil Møster while brings some keening emotive guitar playing to the record, impressing on The Nasty Man with his feel and defy touch.
There's host of players on this album in fact, but at its core Moonsoon's music is driven by Helge Nyheim rhythm and Daniel Hauge's composition. Inspiration from Pink Floyd, Van Der Graaf Generator or Eloy, Moonsoon's debut album is worth indulging in if you're a prog fan. 8/10
Under Ruins - Age Of The Void (FHM Records) [Mark Young]
Formed in 2023, Under Ruins have come together with a singular vision, a goal if you will to bring the best of what I believe is their take on the burgeoning NWOTHM movement. From what I’ve seen it means that they (and others) look to the past (the good bits) in order to inspire a new set of fans. Probably, I mean I could be completely wrong but there you go. So, it’s with a heavy heart that I report that just didn’t get on with this at all.
On the surface, they have all of the necessary tools to make this a pleasurable experience but there is something that is cloying about the album and its on every song. They have the right amount of bombast required, its just that it comes through as being incredibly safe. I’ve said this before that metal has to have an edge to it, something akin to a layer of grit that makes it exciting or dangerous. This is so important when you are younger, knowing that you are listening to the (delete as applicable) fastest, heaviest etc and it’s carried on as an adult. Under Ruins falls into that category where it doesn’t sound heavy enough or dangerous in anyway. Its like Aliens Vs Predator, a sound idea but one delivered in a bloodless manner.
I’m probably being a little harsh here, each of the songs is put together as well as any of the ‘lighter’ metal acts from my youth and there is a lot of effort made in trying to make the songs have the necessary amount of metal moments including suitably OTT solo’s (this is a good thing, its always a good thing) but I can’t shift that feeling that had I heard this at school, I would have hated this on site. So rather than continue with what will descend into just an exercise in being snarky, I’ll leave it here and say that it will appeal to those who like their metal to lean more into the power side of things, its just not for me. 5/10
Recall The Remains - Revenant (Self Released) [GC]
Metalcore? What is it? This much maligned genre has so many different sounding bands nowadays when you hear a band get that label you genuinely don’t know what to expect, Recall The Remains are another band adding their name to the long list of bands who want to make you pay attention to metalcore, and they aim to do this with new album Revenant.
It doesn’t instantly make you sit up and pay attention with Fairfield which is very mid-paced, there are the expected chugging riffs and melodic choruses that try to add the drama to everything, but this song never really kicks into a higher gear and isn’t the introduction I was hoping for, The Night Will Bleed takes on a melodic death metal mood and is probably more of the type of song that validates the slower style but if you are going to keep this up, please at least make the song a bit more interesting, this just plods and huff and puffs but once again never kicks on and the clean vocals and solos are both way to power metal for my liking.
I’m probably being a little harsh here, each of the songs is put together as well as any of the ‘lighter’ metal acts from my youth and there is a lot of effort made in trying to make the songs have the necessary amount of metal moments including suitably OTT solo’s (this is a good thing, its always a good thing) but I can’t shift that feeling that had I heard this at school, I would have hated this on site. So rather than continue with what will descend into just an exercise in being snarky, I’ll leave it here and say that it will appeal to those who like their metal to lean more into the power side of things, its just not for me. 5/10
Recall The Remains - Revenant (Self Released) [GC]
Metalcore? What is it? This much maligned genre has so many different sounding bands nowadays when you hear a band get that label you genuinely don’t know what to expect, Recall The Remains are another band adding their name to the long list of bands who want to make you pay attention to metalcore, and they aim to do this with new album Revenant.
It doesn’t instantly make you sit up and pay attention with Fairfield which is very mid-paced, there are the expected chugging riffs and melodic choruses that try to add the drama to everything, but this song never really kicks into a higher gear and isn’t the introduction I was hoping for, The Night Will Bleed takes on a melodic death metal mood and is probably more of the type of song that validates the slower style but if you are going to keep this up, please at least make the song a bit more interesting, this just plods and huff and puffs but once again never kicks on and the clean vocals and solos are both way to power metal for my liking.
Fever Dreams does actually pick up the pace and has a bit more about it but once again they manage to slow the song down in places that completely drains the force and I just can’t cope with these melodic vocals, they just sound out of place, and I’m sorry but the power metal styling and rhythms of the verses just totally does my head in!
Darker Path FINALLY shakes of the shackles and the staccato riffing pays off and the energy is matched vocally until guess what there they are again, those fucking vocals, I just don’t understand the obsession with them, the heavier parts of this song are some of the best on the album and not every song has to follow the heavy/melodic formula because if anything it gets repetitive very quickly which is a shame as this song had potential.
Empty Woods actually sounds like a power metal track but with death metal guitars and I appreciate that they can wear some of their influences on their sleeves and have the balls to try something different and because of that the melodies do fit into what they are aiming for and that light against the dark shows through in a much more genuine way than ever before, the only problem is I cant stand power metal, the cheesiness is just horrible and I feel it all over this song.
Lifetaker has an unbearable spoken word opener and it doesn’t get much better when the song kicks in, the riff is so predictable and mundane and holding the slow paced nature you hear it so much it becomes painful, about midway I almost completely give up and skip but then they do manage to randomly insert some deathcore that while its nowhere near enough to save the song its done well enough but of course the ending is my worst nightmare and I almost wish I has skipped the song.
Cerebrus is a baffling song, it’s full of plinky electronics, nu-metal influences and more power metal cheese, I just sit with a confused look on my face for the full song as I just don’t know what they are trying to do here, this even by the low standards so far is a new low point. By the time I get through the predicable sounds of both Our Hell and Brothers Until Betrayal I have given up any kind of hope that I may hear anything I genuinely think is any good and I am just glad this album is over.
Objectively, I really did not enjoy this album at all, I didn’t set out to not like it but unfortunately Revenant was just not the sort of music I enjoy at all. I am sure there may be many more albums from Recall The Remains in the future, and honestly? Good luck to them but I won’t be listening to any more of them. 2/10
Objectively, I really did not enjoy this album at all, I didn’t set out to not like it but unfortunately Revenant was just not the sort of music I enjoy at all. I am sure there may be many more albums from Recall The Remains in the future, and honestly? Good luck to them but I won’t be listening to any more of them. 2/10
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