Reviews: Kardashev, Ianai, The Oklahoma Kid, Deathfiend (Reviews By Zach Scott, Paul Scoble, Zak Skane & Rick Eaglestone)

Kardashev – Liminal Rite (Metal Blade Records) [Zach Scott]

In recent years, it has become something of a trend for bands to add shoegaze influence to a heavy core-based sound, with the likes of Loathe, Northlane, and Thornhill blasting into the mainstream with the addition of these elements to a heavy metalcore backing. Kardashev, however, is a little different. While clearly part of this movement, they add it to a deathcore backdrop, with savagely heavy breakdowns contrasting with huge melodies and dense atmospheres to create a truly unique sound. It isn’t without reason that they bill themselves as the “world’s only deathgaze band”. 

The album kicks off with an intro spoken by drummer Sean Lang leading into the black metal-inspired Silvered Shadows, which features some interplay between Mark Garrett’s clean and screamed vocals, with some low gutturals setting the band apart from a lot of other shoegaze-inspired acts. In this track already, the band display their deathcore roots, with some huge breakdowns juxtaposed with very ambient and melodic sections. The production here is noteworthy from the start – the heavy synth atmospheres are blended well with the guitars and drums, allowing both to remain audible and take the forefront whenever necessary. Kardashev’s blending of deathcore with ambient-influence textures is not unlike that of Born Of Osiris, who blended heavy breakdowns and riffs with melodic synth-led lines and clean vocals – however, Liminal Rite leans much further on the side of melody, with tracks such as Dissever and The Blinding Threshold being entirely ambient interludes between heavier songs. 

To expand on the truly unique nature of this sound, the band could’ve taken their heavier side further in order to create more contrast as they do lean very heavily on the shoegaze side of things. Despite that, these songs are still very well-written and create some absolutely beautiful atmospheres and synth textures blended with the traditional guitar and drum attack. There are also some huge stomping riffs, such as the one that features early in Compost Gravesong, demonstrating their ability to create some properly heavy sections amid such strong melody. This album also features some influence from prog-metal giants Opeth. The midsection of Apparitions In Candlelight, with Alex Rieth’s strong bassline, midwest emo-influenced clean guitar, and piano parts almost sounds as if it’s from Damnation – this influence is solidified by the huge wall of sound that follows. Another clear influence is that of atmospheric black metal, with many of the melodic but heavy sections sounding similar to contemporary bands such as Harakiri For The Sky with soaring melodies cutting through a foundation of heavily distorted tremolo chords and blast beats, often mixed with Mark’s powerful voice. 

As previously mentioned, the deathcore influence is not as pronounced here as one might have expected judging by their branding as a “deathgaze” band, and the heavily atmospheric passages begin to feel very samey and overused towards the end of the album. The more pronounced musical influence comes from atmospheric black and progressive metal – however, there is of course plenty of deathcore influence in the sparse use of low gutturals (such as those used in Lavender Calligraphy) as well as breakdowns. It is, all things considered, a very well written and produced record which invokes incredibly strong feelings with Nico Morolla’s highly emotive guitar work alongside the synth, and demonstrates the band’s ability to create beautiful atmospheres combined with darker and heavier material. 8/10

Ianai - Sunir (Svart Records) [Paul Scoble]

Sunir is the first album by multi-instrumentalist and singer Ianai Trevenial. On this album Ianai is joined by many members of the World Music scene along with more than one classical orchestra, as well as musicians from other more current bands such as Massive Attack, HIM, Sisters Of Mercy, Lord Of The Lost, Swallow The Sun and The Rasmus. Despite the inclusion of people from Metal and Rock bands, or this being on a blog called Musipedia Of Metal, this album does not contain any distorted Guitars or pounding drums, this album is far to mellow and beautiful for anything so crass; Ianai has made an album of light, ethereal folk, mixed with some very interesting World music, very subtle electronica, and orchestral elements. 

There is a nice mix of styles of display here, whilst always feeling like Ianai, some tracks are light and ethereal throughout, some open small so they can grow and end huge, and some of the orchestral parts are huge and dramatic from beginning to end. Two tracks that perfectly demonstrate the lighter side of Ianai are the opening pair of tracks Savoj Icoil and Elitha, both of which are very soft and delicate, and build from very quiet openings. Elitha has an uplifting, blissful feeling and a really great chorus that will have you humming it to distraction. Another thing this album excels at is vocals, particularly when they are layered, the album clearly has a number of vocalists apart from Ianai Trevenaial, who together build some of the most memorable sections on this album. The way the vocal harmonies are handled remind me a little of some of Devin Townsend's softer material, there is a smooth choral sense to it that remind me of Townsend tracks like Sprite from Empath. Anaia and Vasariah both have gorgeous vocal parts, Anaia has some very minimalist electronics in addition to the lush voices, and on Vasariah the Vocal element is backed by a softly strummed guitar. 

The world music elements are very good on Sunir. Several of the songs have melodies that are from Eastern rather than Western Music, Manda Navaja is a good example of this sound. Horns, and driving percussion feature in an up-tempo (possibly) 6:8, the song does have a couple of softer sections with minimal electronics, but the main feel on this track is the driving up-tempo sections. O'zana also has this Eastern feel to it, although the verse section is far more brooding and dark than Manda Navaia, but also has an up-tempo chorus, flutes and some fantastic vocals. The later part of Sunir features most of the huge orchestral sections. The songs that feature the orchestra have a definite feel of a modern James Bond theme, Akrar Adi’re and Ovu Lusta both feature lush strings, huge and dramatic Brass and amazing percussion. I found that both of these tracks really stayed with me and caused a large amount of humming. They would both be suitable for the theme to a film about Britain's most famous professional killer. 

Sunir is a stunning album. It’s full of beautiful melodies, lush vocal harmonies, great rhythms, huge, dramatic orchestrations, and soft ethereal folk. The album is ethereal, cathartic, drifting, dramatic, soothing and very, very beautiful. 9/10

The Oklahoma Kid – Tangerin Tragic (Arising Records) [Zak Skane]

Formed in 2012 The Oklahoma Kid have been melding genres and pushing boundaries in the European scene with there past three releases; Fortuneteller (E.P), Doppelganger (E.P) and Solary (LP). With their new release the band want to continue their mission statement of capturing their live energy on to CD with their new album Tangerin Tragic. Opening with Dance of the Fire, we are greeted with waves of 90’s sounding synths rhythmically pulsating before we get assaulted with sharp percussive riffage, that reminisces old school sounding Periphery and Meshuggah. Tomm Brummer’s unique sounding mid highs, give the bands modern sound an identity. 

Pale Tongue starts with some classic drum and bass loops before we get pummelled with spanking guitar and Kick drum in synched grooves dosed with attitude. With the track consisting of gang vocals in the pre-chorus and electric drum bass grooves, I can see this track going down well live. A Velvet Feel takes us down a more melodic and atmospheric route with the band combining layers of delayed effect guitars, soulful lead tracks dreamy atmospheres and emotional lyrics. Words Of Violence carries on the melodic momentum by pushing the synth sounds to the front of the mix, whist Tomm delivers his vocals in a pop format to make one of the mainstream sounding songs of this album. Replaced takes things to a major key with the video game sounding synths intros to the Polythia inspired technical riffs and Waldsterben provides nu metal attitude with combination of dance tracks, bouncy riffs and attitude filled choruses. 

Overall, is was an ok listen I loved how the band combined those 90’s drum and bass that reminded me of Northlane latest material, whilst giving the band a unique sound. I also loved that spanky low tuned guitar tone Andreas is chugging out whilst creating a perfect marriage with David’s kick drum driven grooves especially on tracks like To Dance With Fire and Pale Tongue. Even though this album has a sonic potential I felt like it didn’t keep its momentum when it came to the third track A Velvet Feel, I felt the band could of kept to a more unique sound like they on the opening tracks with the metalcore, mixed with drum and bass and hardcore but, not even half through the album they went for a more safe route with pop meet metalcore sound that Bring Me The Horizon are currently doing. 6/10

Deathfiend – Beyond Life (EMSX-UK) [Rick Eaglestone]

Appearing on my timeline earlier in the week I’m greeted with a band I had not heard of with the type of artwork that commands you stop what you’re doing and immediately go to check this out – this was very much the case with Deathfiend and release Beyond Life. From the outset the short sharp savagery of Crypt Of Fiend gets it’s claws into the listener with serves as precursor the absolutely pummelling and highlight track of the release Rise From Decay love the chorus of this track too…

The drumming on Order Of One made my neck and head constantly rotate in a way that Linda Blair herself would’ve been envious! It’s 3 and half minutes of no-nonsense, hard-hitting death metal. This very much continues with title track Beyond Life but with some standout basslines. Vocally, Embrace Your Fate is the most savage of the release combined with guitar parts burning through the speakers and I can feel this being a particular live favourite down the line, hardly time for a breather before Myngath (The Numinous Way) comes through, now why does this sound like Memoriam? Easy answer it only bloody features Karl Willetts that's why!! 

Final offering Cyclic War is another hand grenade filled with influences from the past, a myriad of harsh breakdowns and already has me feeling a lot of people are going to know who this band are by the end of year if not before, but I can tell you this, they are firmly embedded on my radar now. Limited tapes on Bandcamp you say? Consider that a guaranteed purchase! Old School Death metal delivered like a sledgehammer to the kneecaps 9/10