Swervedriver was one of the best bands of the 90s, full stop. Yeah, they were shoegaze, but they were more accessible than My Bloody Valentine and more punk than Slowdive, settling nicely into the best of both worlds scenario for bands of that ilk.
Loud Pipes Take Lives starts us of with a killer riff and some serious shredding, and sets the tone perfectly. You can smell the exhaust when the next track, Homicycle Maniacs, starts up and you can picture what the miscreants that are the stars of this show are all about as the song beats you about the face and neck. Man does this one rip it up.
The Ecstasy Of Möld is a fun, fast, and filthy instrumental soundtrack to your favorite biker film that doesn’t exist except in your head. Wild and wonderful, The Death Wheelers grime and grit are on full display and should be experienced by all. 8/10
It is criminal that they did not see more success given how amazing their discography is (see: Failure) but it is great to see the groundswell of fans who have been waving their flag for so long starting to make progress, along with a series of reissues, to show the greater music listening community how genius this band was.
Actually, I should say “is”, given we have a brand new Swervedriver EP, The World’s Fair, to help us reintroduce one of the best 90s band to 2025.
Yeah, it’s a tease, but four new songs from Swervedriver are four new songs from Swervedriver. All four tracks are vintage Swervedriver, with the opener, Pack Yr Vision, a dreamy offering that channels another unsung 90s band, Teenage Fanclub. The guitars swirl, the vocals harmonize beautifully, and the rhythm section leads the way.
Yeah, it’s a tease, but four new songs from Swervedriver are four new songs from Swervedriver. All four tracks are vintage Swervedriver, with the opener, Pack Yr Vision, a dreamy offering that channels another unsung 90s band, Teenage Fanclub. The guitars swirl, the vocals harmonize beautifully, and the rhythm section leads the way.
Volume Control picks up the pace a bit, and shows that underneath it all this band really does rock. I love the synths that stand in for an orchestra on this one. The title track is the least straight forward but most Swervedriver track of the four, with keys driving the song to a beautifully messy new classic for the band.
I mentioned Teenage Fanclub, and that is what I get from the closer, Time Attacks, the most straight-ahead pop song on the record, but even their most straight ahead track floats, swirls, and engulfs the listener.
The Verve got shitty after their classic record Storm In Heaven but got super famous. Swervedriver never got shitty, only better or at the very least stayed steadily awesome for a couple decades, but still struggles to this day to get the respect they deserve. I will keep screaming it from the rooftops how much Swervedriver rules, and these four new songs help my cause for sure. 8/10
Lost Sanctuary - Harbinger Of Chaos (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]
Lost Sanctuary or to give them their full name Dan Baune's Lost Sanctuary, is the band he created after relocating to Germany.
Now Baune has always been involved in the Heavy/NWOTHM/Speed style sound and with his 2021 debut he pretty much handled everything except drums, adding plenty of guests too to bring their skills. When I reviewed it I said I want to hear Dan himself sing more and fewer ballads all clumped together, well it seems that at least part of my advice was taken.
As Harbinger Of Chaos features just two guest singers and actually now has more of band feel to it with Oli Rossow (guitar) and Jonathan Murphy (bass) joining returning drummer Sebastian Weiß and Baune himself who handles vocals, guitars, synths and production.
The Verve got shitty after their classic record Storm In Heaven but got super famous. Swervedriver never got shitty, only better or at the very least stayed steadily awesome for a couple decades, but still struggles to this day to get the respect they deserve. I will keep screaming it from the rooftops how much Swervedriver rules, and these four new songs help my cause for sure. 8/10
Lost Sanctuary - Harbinger Of Chaos (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]
Lost Sanctuary or to give them their full name Dan Baune's Lost Sanctuary, is the band he created after relocating to Germany.
Now Baune has always been involved in the Heavy/NWOTHM/Speed style sound and with his 2021 debut he pretty much handled everything except drums, adding plenty of guests too to bring their skills. When I reviewed it I said I want to hear Dan himself sing more and fewer ballads all clumped together, well it seems that at least part of my advice was taken.
As Harbinger Of Chaos features just two guest singers and actually now has more of band feel to it with Oli Rossow (guitar) and Jonathan Murphy (bass) joining returning drummer Sebastian Weiß and Baune himself who handles vocals, guitars, synths and production.
So while the debut was Baune stepping out on his own and adding as many of his friends to collaborate as possible this follow up is more of a 'band' record.
With this set up he can delve deeper into the bands sound from the thrashy sound of Sanctuary on Cosmic Serenade or modern touches of Calloused Heart. It moves down into progressive sounds of Nevermore with Lamia's Call, the pace nice a fast as we move towards the Testament meets Sabaton style of Ocean Grey (Memento Mori).
So it seems that Dan took my advice about slow songs/ballads as Harbinger Of Chaos maintains a breakneck pace up until Not Alone which again is prime Nevermore as Baune plays both Warrel Dane and Jeff Loomis, doing the same on Unbeliever.
With this set up he can delve deeper into the bands sound from the thrashy sound of Sanctuary on Cosmic Serenade or modern touches of Calloused Heart. It moves down into progressive sounds of Nevermore with Lamia's Call, the pace nice a fast as we move towards the Testament meets Sabaton style of Ocean Grey (Memento Mori).
So it seems that Dan took my advice about slow songs/ballads as Harbinger Of Chaos maintains a breakneck pace up until Not Alone which again is prime Nevermore as Baune plays both Warrel Dane and Jeff Loomis, doing the same on Unbeliever.
For my money this second album is a more complete work than the debut, inspired by some of my favourite bands, I've enjoyed Dan Baune's work since he was in Monument but Lost Sanctuary's Harbinger Of Chaos is probably the best of the bunch. 9/10
The Death Wheelers - The Ecstasy Of Möld (RidingEasy Records) [Rich Piva]
The best soundtrack to the greatest fictional b-movie about an evil biker gang just dropped, and it is the new record from Quebec instrumental grime dealers The Death Wheelers.
The Death Wheelers - The Ecstasy Of Möld (RidingEasy Records) [Rich Piva]
The best soundtrack to the greatest fictional b-movie about an evil biker gang just dropped, and it is the new record from Quebec instrumental grime dealers The Death Wheelers.
The Ecstasy Of Möld is thirty minutes chock full of dirty ass rippers that are part Motorhead, part Cramps, part Easy Rider Soundtrack, part early White Zombie, with zero parts vocals that you don’t miss since these guys can tell a story and set the vibe with just their instruments and a few obscure and old move clips.
Loud Pipes Take Lives starts us of with a killer riff and some serious shredding, and sets the tone perfectly. You can smell the exhaust when the next track, Homicycle Maniacs, starts up and you can picture what the miscreants that are the stars of this show are all about as the song beats you about the face and neck. Man does this one rip it up.
Some of my favorites of the ten tracks on The Ecstasy Of Möld include Un Pneu Dans La Tombe - Aide Musicale À Mourir, which sounds like it is leading up to some kind of huge fight scene amongst rival gangs (the ending of this track!!!), the title track, which makes Motorhead look like three sissies.
Bleu Nuit (Les Plaisirs De La Chair), which, dare I say, is a little bit funky. This record, however, should be enjoyed front to back to get the maximum out of it, as it truly tells a story. Plus, at 31 minutes, what else better do you have to do?
The Ecstasy Of Möld is a fun, fast, and filthy instrumental soundtrack to your favorite biker film that doesn’t exist except in your head. Wild and wonderful, The Death Wheelers grime and grit are on full display and should be experienced by all. 8/10
Primrose Path - Ruminations (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]
Primrose Path are modern prog metal band from Perth, Australia, they played with some of the biggest and best Aussie prog bands, Karnivool and Caligula's Horse.
They've already released an EP in the past and on the back of that toured all over while writing their debut album Ruminations. Primrose Path's music is darkly atmospheric, complexly progressive but packed with hooks that keeps you involved with what they are doing.
Their fans have coined the phrase 'Psychadelic Space Witch Metal' and with Lindsay Rose up front they definitely have an occult vibe to the vocals, haunting but full of soul Lindsay dreamily soars above the music with the cathartic and diverse delivery of Courtney LaPlante and Cammie Beverly.
She's such a brilliant vocalist that you may overlook the rest of the band but they all contribute virtuoso performances on the riff driven tech metal of Propensity Brenton Lush (guitars/synth) and Scott Henry (bass/synth), get an extra bit of rhythm on the catahric Unrepent from Taz Gallant. He also adds some extra guitars to Obstruct and HEX while opener Irrelevance is the only song that features drummer Herb Bennetts, the rest of the album has Ashley Doodkorte behind the kit.
Primrose Path are modern prog metal band from Perth, Australia, they played with some of the biggest and best Aussie prog bands, Karnivool and Caligula's Horse.
They've already released an EP in the past and on the back of that toured all over while writing their debut album Ruminations. Primrose Path's music is darkly atmospheric, complexly progressive but packed with hooks that keeps you involved with what they are doing.
Their fans have coined the phrase 'Psychadelic Space Witch Metal' and with Lindsay Rose up front they definitely have an occult vibe to the vocals, haunting but full of soul Lindsay dreamily soars above the music with the cathartic and diverse delivery of Courtney LaPlante and Cammie Beverly.
She's such a brilliant vocalist that you may overlook the rest of the band but they all contribute virtuoso performances on the riff driven tech metal of Propensity Brenton Lush (guitars/synth) and Scott Henry (bass/synth), get an extra bit of rhythm on the catahric Unrepent from Taz Gallant. He also adds some extra guitars to Obstruct and HEX while opener Irrelevance is the only song that features drummer Herb Bennetts, the rest of the album has Ashley Doodkorte behind the kit.
Primrose Path are a band with huge ambition, but they always manage to deliver what they want to do with a track, exorcising issues, purging and purifying through elaborate and always interesting shapeshifting songs such as Obstruct.
I'd not listened to Primrose Path before but there are no Ruminations here, my decision is made and this is one of the best modern prog records so far this year! 9/10
I'd not listened to Primrose Path before but there are no Ruminations here, my decision is made and this is one of the best modern prog records so far this year! 9/10
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