Supervøid - The Giant Nothing (Subsound Records)
Ambient music can be a little odd to review, especially on a metal/rock blog as a lot of the time it's not what you would consider 'the norm' however Supervøid's debut album is a very dark, brooding project that touches on post-metal, drone and industrial music making for a vivid cinematic soundscape at the middle of which is a heart of desolation. The project was initially devised by Eraldo Bernocchi (Sigillum-S, Obake), who plays riffs laden with lots of low end and sub frequencies from his use of baritone guitars, Xabier Iriondo (Tasaday, A Short Apnea, Buñuel) who is another virtuoso guitar player and finally drummer Jacopo Pierazzuoli (Morkobot, Obake). Having spent a lot of their careers in experimental bands you sort of get an idea of what to expect from the Supervøid debut but it's still very much a left field offering. Rounding out the band as a four piece is avant garde cellist Jo Quail who has collaborated with numerous metal acts and is a feature at festivals such as Roadburn and Damnation. So to the album and it's got a wide scope to it, pitched as a soundtrack, songs like The Acceleration Of The Universe have an electronic drive, while A Rip In The Fabric Of Space rumbles, the cello used like a voice flowing through the songs with mellifluous harmony. The Giant Nothing is something a little different but a very intriguing listening experience. 7/10
Ambient music can be a little odd to review, especially on a metal/rock blog as a lot of the time it's not what you would consider 'the norm' however Supervøid's debut album is a very dark, brooding project that touches on post-metal, drone and industrial music making for a vivid cinematic soundscape at the middle of which is a heart of desolation. The project was initially devised by Eraldo Bernocchi (Sigillum-S, Obake), who plays riffs laden with lots of low end and sub frequencies from his use of baritone guitars, Xabier Iriondo (Tasaday, A Short Apnea, Buñuel) who is another virtuoso guitar player and finally drummer Jacopo Pierazzuoli (Morkobot, Obake). Having spent a lot of their careers in experimental bands you sort of get an idea of what to expect from the Supervøid debut but it's still very much a left field offering. Rounding out the band as a four piece is avant garde cellist Jo Quail who has collaborated with numerous metal acts and is a feature at festivals such as Roadburn and Damnation. So to the album and it's got a wide scope to it, pitched as a soundtrack, songs like The Acceleration Of The Universe have an electronic drive, while A Rip In The Fabric Of Space rumbles, the cello used like a voice flowing through the songs with mellifluous harmony. The Giant Nothing is something a little different but a very intriguing listening experience. 7/10
Kataan - Kataan (Prosthetic Records)
A new project recently signed to Prosthetic Records Kataan is a two piece comprised of Nicholas Thornbury (guitar/vocals) and Brett Boldan (drums/bass), both men are known in the US metal scene and from the looks of things this is something of a coup that they are working together. This self titled EP is the first release from the duo and it's bristling with modern death metal, brought through a blackened gaze and emboldened by some wide groove craters. If I was to try and entice you to this EP now, I'd say that if you found Gojira's last two albums a little lacking, this takes things back to their earlier heavier sound. There is a deliberate downbeat style to the record, the riffs a thick mire of distortion brought to some kind of pace by exploratory drumming. It makes for skull rattling listening but never moves too far into extremity that it's not listenable. When/if they play live I'd expect several organs to shift due to the audio density. Brett is the producer here with Magnus Lindberg, who has mastered some of my favorite albums of 2020/2021 (DVNE/PG. Lost/Lucifer/Dead Lord), has mastered Kataan's EP so there is that thickness to the tracks that bellow out of your speakers/headphones. As the sludgy Vessel closes the EP, you want more from Kataan, so the promise of a full length coming will hopefully mean soon. 7/10
Trucker Diablo - Tail End Of A Hurricane (Self Released)
This record was originally slated for release in 2020 but the Norn Irish rockers Trucker Diablo have returned with their new album Tail End Of A Hurricane. Now I'll be honest I sort of lost touch with Trucker Diablo since their reformation but on the basis of the Nickelback-like opener BTKOR they still have that blue-collar rock sound I remember but with a couple of shifts to keep them pumping the diesel into the future. The extremely radio friendly Rock Kids Of The 80's (originally debuted at Planet Rock Winter's End in 2019), is a clear single which will be sung at many gigs to come. They have also brought some some punk snorting on the socially motivated Insects, a bit of Southern swagger on title track and the folky sound of Woodstock To Vietnam. Between the muscular rockers, there are couple of meaty ballads such as The Edge Of Tonight while Bury The Ocean ramps up the epic with a crunchy guitar and bit of Ozzy-like emotion, listen to see what I mean. It will be lapped up by the Planet Rock fraternity in their droves, but Tail End Of A Hurricane is rock album with mass appeal, this Big Truck keeps on rolling into the future. 7/10
Out Of Hand - Exility (Self Titled)
Out Of Hand - Exility (Self Titled)
Coming from Puerto Rico, Out Of Hand are crossover thrash/death metal band that take from bands like Bolt Thrower, Gatecreeper and Power Trip unleashing face ripping riffs and shouted gang vocals that are used widely as an accompaniment to Joel Rivera's growls (on Exility Bradley Pacheco adds the screams). Exility (the album) is their debut release and it's a nasty one with a definite crossover appeal Weak Willed coming in with hardcore punk/grindcore assault, Rivera's bass and Daniel Maymi's rhythm section working at double speed throughout, from here we shift into the frenzied Becoming The Enemy which keeps a breathless pace. Exility in its entirety is a record that doesn't slow down very often the only occasionally pausing for Angel Rosado and Omar González to power on with some OSDM grooves that make up tracks like Condemned To Fall and Self Mutilation. Pit starting brutality from the first minute so grab your cargo shorts and DM's ready before you press play. Crossover heaviness from South America that will have you raging. 8/10
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