When Ripple Music signed Rainbows Are Free in 2023, I had not heard of the band before and of course had to dive immediately in to the back catalog.
What I found was one of my new favorite bands. The heaviness combined with this almost hippie feel to what they were doing was a different experience than really anything I was listening to at the time.
RAF play heavy psych filled (sometimes) sludgy doom, but you also get a ton of melody and a brightness you don’t get from other heavy bands around today. Plus, they are from Oklahoma, so there’s that too. It is hard to describe the band with words, but listen to their 2019 record Head Pains and you will for sure get it.
Ripple brought us a live record from the band that year, the killer Heavy Petal Music, which is one of the best live albums of the past 10 years or so in my book. While the live record was great, it felt like new music from the band was still a long time off.
The wait is now over, because RAF are back with Silver And Gold, and to say it was worth the wait is an understatement, because this record absolutely rules.
So why does Silver And Gold rule so hard? Many reasons indeed.
So why does Silver And Gold rule so hard? Many reasons indeed.
First, the production has finally met the size and sound of the band. This is the best sounding record from RAF, as if they finally figured out how they are supposed come across on recordings, which is big, bold, and beautiful.
Second, the songwriting is next level. There is a complexity to the tracks and an emphasis on synths that has been there before in bits but seems to be ratcheted up on Silver And Gold, with excellent results.
Josh Elam is now listed as a full, sixth member, just focused on synths, and boy does this make a difference. Just check out the killer track Runnin' With A Friend Of The Devil. The playing on Silver And Gold is a step forward, too. The twin guitar assault of Richie Tarver on lead and Joey Powell on rhythm just rip it up over the nine tracks (Solar Flare is a great example), while the rhythm section of Jason Smith and Bobby Onspaugh hold everything tightly together, with a special shout out to Onspaugh for his drum work throughout (check out the track Hide).
Brandon Kistler’s vocals have always stood out, but if we are talking next level for Silver And Gold, the step up his singing has taken brings the band to new heights. I love his work on Sleep and how his vocals pair perfectly with the synths, and on the next track, Hide, where he brings it an octave or two lower, reminding me of Josh Homme singing like Mark Lanagan.
Another thing I love about the record is how it goes in all sorts of directions, like how The Light has almost a post punk feel to it or how Dirty sounds like a combo of The Murder City Devils and Devo, and boy does it kick ass.
I also love this record because RAF still lets their freaky psych flag fly high, like on the acoustic start, synths and crunchiness finish of Fade Away. The closer, The Gift, sounds like the theme song to the cult that is Rainbows Are Free, and please sign me up as a full-fledged member ASAP.
No band sounds like Rainbows Are Free, and no band could have made an album like Silver And Gold except Rainbows Are Free. This record has everything I love, and should be right there in contention for album of the year, in all of its beautiful, colorful, heavy, freaky, psych glory. 10/10
This Gift Is A Curse - Heir (Season Of Mist) [Joe Guatieri]
No band sounds like Rainbows Are Free, and no band could have made an album like Silver And Gold except Rainbows Are Free. This record has everything I love, and should be right there in contention for album of the year, in all of its beautiful, colorful, heavy, freaky, psych glory. 10/10
This Gift Is A Curse - Heir (Season Of Mist) [Joe Guatieri]
This Gift Is A Curse are a long-running Black Metal band from Sweden that encompass so many different elements and genres into their sound, making for a unique take on this extreme art form.
After years of development with several releases under their belt, they bring us their fourth full-length release with Heir.
The album opens with the appropriately titled Kingdom and its absolute scenes from the word go with frenetic teeth-grinding energy as the pure speed of this track hits you like an incoming truck. The snare drum is played at such a pace and is so loud that you would think that it’s one solitary note.
The album opens with the appropriately titled Kingdom and its absolute scenes from the word go with frenetic teeth-grinding energy as the pure speed of this track hits you like an incoming truck. The snare drum is played at such a pace and is so loud that you would think that it’s one solitary note.
Kingdom goes through several different phases throughout its runtime, starting off with something that falls between Hardcore and Death Metal ala Unsilent Death era Nails, it then jumps into a more Groove Metal section by 1:21 that really gets you moving.
Then by 2:28 Kingdom softens substantially with a Melodic Black Metal with watery phrasings. I particularly love the moment from 3:31 where the drums take centre stage and sound so clear and crisp, as if they were in the room with you. This is how you start a record!
Later on we go into track seven with Cosmic Voice, the most unique experience to be found across Heir. I would describe this song as Blackened Symphonic Industrial Metal as it presents pummeling drums which sound like the end of society as we know it, paired with rising and falling synthesisers, bursts of Harsh Noise and pained vocals which scream and howl for bloody murder.
Later on we go into track seven with Cosmic Voice, the most unique experience to be found across Heir. I would describe this song as Blackened Symphonic Industrial Metal as it presents pummeling drums which sound like the end of society as we know it, paired with rising and falling synthesisers, bursts of Harsh Noise and pained vocals which scream and howl for bloody murder.
Reminding me of such odd bands like Abruptum and Mz. 412, with a healthy dash of Melvins worship. It paints a grim picture, a car crash that is so disturbing and mangled, you can’t help but look at it. This song was made for me and is my favourite on the album.
Heir closes with another mind-blowing effort, known as Ascension. Once again I find myself questioning reality as the drumming feels like it can only be achieved by two people with the venom behind the forever constant tom and snare hits but miraculously, Christian Augustine pulls this off effortlessly with the style and grace of the spawn of Satan.
Heir closes with another mind-blowing effort, known as Ascension. Once again I find myself questioning reality as the drumming feels like it can only be achieved by two people with the venom behind the forever constant tom and snare hits but miraculously, Christian Augustine pulls this off effortlessly with the style and grace of the spawn of Satan.
The power of this individual performance alone leaves me in floods of tears. Comparing that to the guitars which are soaring and majestic, like a dignified king strolling through a castle gate.
Overall, This Gift Is A Curse has carved a marvelous effort made of their blood, sweat and tears. A Medusa’s head full of ideas, whenever you look away, something else always pops into frame.
Overall, This Gift Is A Curse has carved a marvelous effort made of their blood, sweat and tears. A Medusa’s head full of ideas, whenever you look away, something else always pops into frame.
If you enjoy Black Metal and darkness through the eyes of Doom, Sludge, Death, and Hardcore then I guarantee you that you’ll find something to love here. Heir is both downright terrifying and victorious all at once. 9/10
Sacrosanct - Kidron (RPM-ROAR) [Matt Bladen]
Fifth album from German-Dutch progressive metal band features a shake up in the line up as vocalist Max Morton gets his first chance to record with the band since joining in 2022, ending a spell of line up changes since their last studio album in 2018.
Sacrosanct - Kidron (RPM-ROAR) [Matt Bladen]
Fifth album from German-Dutch progressive metal band features a shake up in the line up as vocalist Max Morton gets his first chance to record with the band since joining in 2022, ending a spell of line up changes since their last studio album in 2018.
Signing to RPM-ROAR, Sacrosanct look to re-introduce themselves with their first music in 6 years and their second album after a 25 year hiatus, so really it's not been that long of a wait.
Still led by guitarist Randy Meinhard, Sacrosanct play a progressive type of thrash metal that features lots of bite and roughness in the guitars one minute then clean harmonies the next, put these against a bottom end that has dynamic complexity and speed.
Still led by guitarist Randy Meinhard, Sacrosanct play a progressive type of thrash metal that features lots of bite and roughness in the guitars one minute then clean harmonies the next, put these against a bottom end that has dynamic complexity and speed.
It makes for a sound that's been compared to Fates Warning, Voivod and Coroner. Much of what they do in the technical thrash vein but there's plenty of catchy classic metal in here too.
As I said there's been a few additions to the band since their 'comeback' record in 2018, with the bassist and vocalist being the most recent. The latter is probably the most important shift as Max Morton has a powerful vocal with a stong range too.
As I said there's been a few additions to the band since their 'comeback' record in 2018, with the bassist and vocalist being the most recent. The latter is probably the most important shift as Max Morton has a powerful vocal with a stong range too.
He slots into the Sacrosanct sound very well making for a heroic return from this long tenured German metal institution. 8/10
The 7th Guild - Triumviro (Scarlet Records) [Chris Tsintziras]
The 7th Guild are a power metal with operatic elements, Triumviro is the debut album and it's similar to the Three Tremors project where a trio of singers, Skeletoon’s Tomi Fooler plus two others create a musical genre that is metal meets classical.
The 7th Guild - Triumviro (Scarlet Records) [Chris Tsintziras]
The 7th Guild are a power metal with operatic elements, Triumviro is the debut album and it's similar to the Three Tremors project where a trio of singers, Skeletoon’s Tomi Fooler plus two others create a musical genre that is metal meets classical.
While metal is often characterized by loud guitars, dense bass and drums rhythms, here it's the three sets of opera vocals that is the uniques selling point.
My favourite track is In Nominee Patris but it's one of many great songs on this debut album that celebrate Italian musical melodies and the famous operas from that country.
My favourite track is In Nominee Patris but it's one of many great songs on this debut album that celebrate Italian musical melodies and the famous operas from that country.
The band is full of stars from the Italian metal scene including Simone Mularoni (guitar) and if you like bands like Rhapsody the you'll love The 7th Guild. 7/10
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