This is quite the intense listen. Bleak, heavy and punctuated with moments of beauty it is a release that can captivate and boil piss in equal measure. The oppressive mood starts almost immediately with Cauterise; the initial piano trod on by a repeating guitar measure. Its when the bass joins the fray and just fills your ears. Its just a massive sound that pulls forward at all times and drags the rest of the band with it. Its not the start I expected, but its one that I’ll take as it understands the brief that the opening track has to do something that is worth your time to stay.
If I thought that the bass on Cauterise was big, Christ it is colossal on Lowest. The almost happy sound espoused on the start has been replaced and we are in that dark doom arena where riffs are slow moving but demand your attention. This is an early indication of how well they can put a song together. That descending motion is offset with a manic, almost out of control lead that sounds as though it was seconds from collapse. Put this together with that truly massive sound and you have something that has the capacity to cause physical pain. I can only imagine what this would be like live, how it would expand from its current state.
Compared to Place To Bless A Shadow, Lowest is like their accessible warm welcome song, flying through its 7-minute runtime without lagging. Place... is tortuous, and I know that others have compared this (like the album) as a soundtrack to a film that is yet to be written and the words associated with this release notes visions from Ben Wheatley’s A Field In England. I couldn’t say to that, but it’s a 10-minute trip that starts almost imperceptibly and builds with a steady pulse. For me it evokes images of a chase and escape, or of a near-escape. Its beauty is in its simplicity, efficient build means that this stays with you.
Luckily for us they avoid trying to repeat that and go almost upbeat on Fallen Debris. Possessing a similar arrangement to Cauterise, any familiarity is there due to the speed it moves at and its ability to convey a lot within a small time. Its role is to act as a palate cleanser before they drop another audio nightmare on you with Leaves.
Spoken word combines with that by now trademark super wide sound that now has added noise to add to its darkened edge. I keep going back to how big they sound on this, its something that you have to experience for yourself and is one of the main reasons why their songs on here are so affecting. Drums come in here, volume swells there with no rhyme or reason and yet it doesn’t strike you as being put together in a haphazard manner. Its directed with purpose, orchestrated to unsettle, to put you on edge.
Rude, Awaken is their goodbye. Its muted start would sit comfortably within any Doom scenario as it unhurriedly unfolds, vocals that come in with an almost angelic sheen to them. Replete with feedback and sonic degradation it switches from the light into the maddening with vocals now spat with venom. Entering the final minutes, it shrugs off any restrictions and bounds towards the end in a lumbering manner and then we are done.
Rude, Awaken is their goodbye. Its muted start would sit comfortably within any Doom scenario as it unhurriedly unfolds, vocals that come in with an almost angelic sheen to them. Replete with feedback and sonic degradation it switches from the light into the maddening with vocals now spat with venom. Entering the final minutes, it shrugs off any restrictions and bounds towards the end in a lumbering manner and then we are done.
Is it for everyone? No, I don’t think it is. This is an album that can’t be listened to in fits and starts, or as part of a playlist. Even its more immediate moments, as good as they are need the longer, more involved tracks because without they lose a lot of their power. It’s a definite soundtrack to your worst nightmare, but consider this: What has driven them to write and record such a thing? 9/10
Preyrs – The Wounded Healer (Pelagic Records) [Cherie Curtis]
Preyrs is a modern alternative rock band with a technological / Industrial feel and their debut album - The Wounded Healer, is deliciously authentic with a fierce attitude and an airy almost languid quality throughout all 11 tracks.
Change Change has raw almost raspy vocals paired with a pulsing build and distorted guitars which offers an utterly cool and smooth listen; it is powerful and atmospheric rather than the knockout heavy metal we’re used to. Bring Ur Bruises is slightly faster with some ethereal, more melodic backing vocals which pair nicely with the harsh ones as well as adding depth.
Preyrs – The Wounded Healer (Pelagic Records) [Cherie Curtis]
Preyrs is a modern alternative rock band with a technological / Industrial feel and their debut album - The Wounded Healer, is deliciously authentic with a fierce attitude and an airy almost languid quality throughout all 11 tracks.
Change Change has raw almost raspy vocals paired with a pulsing build and distorted guitars which offers an utterly cool and smooth listen; it is powerful and atmospheric rather than the knockout heavy metal we’re used to. Bring Ur Bruises is slightly faster with some ethereal, more melodic backing vocals which pair nicely with the harsh ones as well as adding depth.
What interests me is that the tracks build up slowly adding while adding more layers and instead of leading to a riff heavy breakdown; we get louder and more emotional vocals and a more textured composition which to me is a creative spin on this genre. The Wounded Healer is my favourite track from the album, its fluid and effortless with a magnetic bassline and weighty instrumentals for extra flair.
To summarize, Preyrs delivers a great one. It is an album that works for everyone and anything. It’s great for a drive or a night out, and it goes without saying that these guys are talented. Professionals all round and even though they’re not for me specifically and at times can fall flat, I see the appeal and I know that Preyrs will put on a great show if you want to see them live. 7/10
Wheel Of Time – Asymmetry (Self Released) [Simon Black]
One of the joys (and occasionally the terrors) of this reviewing lark is that you get to listen to music that you would not necessarily come across unless a wily editor sticks it into your inbox, along with a deadline. To be fair he’s pretty good at assigning things that I’m likely to react well to and Wheel Of Time are certainly managing that today.
99.99% of the music in the vast and extensive canon that is all things Metal tends to be predominantly Western in origin, with South America (and particularly Brazil) coming in closely behind the vast cohort of European, North American and Australasian acts. Asia and the Middle East don’t get so much traction with the notable exception of Japan, although I’ve had some crackers from Israel (Sinnery), India (Against Evil) and even Nepal (Arogya)in recent years – all found through this reviewing lark, and whose music I continue to dip into just because I like it. The one positive of Global distribution via streaming means that even acts that really are well outside of those established circles have a chance to get out there, and I’m happy to say Wheel Of Time are also the first act from China that I have had the opportunity to review.
One of the problems bands hailing from countries where Rock and Metal don’t have a thriving Metal underground is the inability to get a studio or a producer who has a clue how it should sound, so having cracking tracks let down by a production that sounds like a four track bedroom from the 90’s is not unusual, but Progressive musicians tend to know exactly how they want things to sound, and frequently are more than capable of doing quite a lot on their own. I’m sure there’s some of that home schooled skill in play, but they do have help here too. The first point to make is that the Production here is absolutely top notch.
Secondly, this Power / Progressive hybrid isn’t really a band – it’s mostly the superbly talented multi-instrumentalist Jimmie Hong cranking most of what you can hear, with support from several rather noteworthy guests and with British Producer and fellow Prog maestro Tom MacLean handling the Production from deepest, darkest errr, Guildford…
To summarize, Preyrs delivers a great one. It is an album that works for everyone and anything. It’s great for a drive or a night out, and it goes without saying that these guys are talented. Professionals all round and even though they’re not for me specifically and at times can fall flat, I see the appeal and I know that Preyrs will put on a great show if you want to see them live. 7/10
Wheel Of Time – Asymmetry (Self Released) [Simon Black]
One of the joys (and occasionally the terrors) of this reviewing lark is that you get to listen to music that you would not necessarily come across unless a wily editor sticks it into your inbox, along with a deadline. To be fair he’s pretty good at assigning things that I’m likely to react well to and Wheel Of Time are certainly managing that today.
99.99% of the music in the vast and extensive canon that is all things Metal tends to be predominantly Western in origin, with South America (and particularly Brazil) coming in closely behind the vast cohort of European, North American and Australasian acts. Asia and the Middle East don’t get so much traction with the notable exception of Japan, although I’ve had some crackers from Israel (Sinnery), India (Against Evil) and even Nepal (Arogya)in recent years – all found through this reviewing lark, and whose music I continue to dip into just because I like it. The one positive of Global distribution via streaming means that even acts that really are well outside of those established circles have a chance to get out there, and I’m happy to say Wheel Of Time are also the first act from China that I have had the opportunity to review.
One of the problems bands hailing from countries where Rock and Metal don’t have a thriving Metal underground is the inability to get a studio or a producer who has a clue how it should sound, so having cracking tracks let down by a production that sounds like a four track bedroom from the 90’s is not unusual, but Progressive musicians tend to know exactly how they want things to sound, and frequently are more than capable of doing quite a lot on their own. I’m sure there’s some of that home schooled skill in play, but they do have help here too. The first point to make is that the Production here is absolutely top notch.
Secondly, this Power / Progressive hybrid isn’t really a band – it’s mostly the superbly talented multi-instrumentalist Jimmie Hong cranking most of what you can hear, with support from several rather noteworthy guests and with British Producer and fellow Prog maestro Tom MacLean handling the Production from deepest, darkest errr, Guildford…
And those guests – former Dream Theater keyboard player Derek Sherinian plays on many of the songs, Stratovarius founder Timo Tolki pops up, drummer Alexandre Aposan adds some depth vocally and even shredder extraordinaire Tony MacAlpine puts in an appearance. For an act without a touring audience, and only one EP to date, that’s one hell of a roster to assemble and the kind of Supergroup line-up that labels like Frontiers would drool over.
Thirdly, that’s not as easy as you might think. Yes, the world is connected via the internet and pan-Global collaborations are not unusual, especially since Covid forced everyone out of their comfort zones, but China is not a country well known for its free and easy access to Global connectivity. Logistically that is quite something…
Finally (and perhaps most importantly) however they did this logistically, the songs are really rather good. There are some really strong arrangements in here, with songs that manage to walk the fine line between demonstrating the innate and significant musical skill from Mr Hong, with all the technical flourish and musicality one would expect yet balanced with a strong ability to make songs that are easy to listen to.
Thirdly, that’s not as easy as you might think. Yes, the world is connected via the internet and pan-Global collaborations are not unusual, especially since Covid forced everyone out of their comfort zones, but China is not a country well known for its free and easy access to Global connectivity. Logistically that is quite something…
Finally (and perhaps most importantly) however they did this logistically, the songs are really rather good. There are some really strong arrangements in here, with songs that manage to walk the fine line between demonstrating the innate and significant musical skill from Mr Hong, with all the technical flourish and musicality one would expect yet balanced with a strong ability to make songs that are easy to listen to.
Whereas bigger bands in the field might have an ear for hooks, but often get distracted with over-indulging the individual members of the band in order to allow the audience to marvel at how good they each are, especially when they stop soloing and synchronise (sit down Dream Theater, everyone knows I mean you) a one man band doesn’t need to do that, unless he’s stepping back to allow one of those guests to shine and thus the overall impact of the song is far more focal, and Hong nails this here.
Not that he isn’t rather good at everything he plays. Even the drums (no doubt delivered electronically) sound organic and full fat, with the kind of sensitive interplay with the other instruments that really creates the feeling of a band with years of experience together whose chemistry is just spot on. I’m not sure you can thank Alexandre Aposan for this either – he’s only credited on one track.
Not that he isn’t rather good at everything he plays. Even the drums (no doubt delivered electronically) sound organic and full fat, with the kind of sensitive interplay with the other instruments that really creates the feeling of a band with years of experience together whose chemistry is just spot on. I’m not sure you can thank Alexandre Aposan for this either – he’s only credited on one track.
Even vocally Hong completely surprises. He has a good strong, charismatic delivery presence, and his grasp of English and annunciation is absolutely perfect and a powerful, broad range with just enough rock ‘n’ roll rawness to hook you in and keep you there.
I have to say that this really rather surprised me. And that’s why I do this gig. 8/10
I have to say that this really rather surprised me. And that’s why I do this gig. 8/10
Fimbul Winter are a melodeath band from Sweden featuring Amon Amarth founding members Anders Biazzi (rhythm guitar) and Niko Kaukinen (drums), long time Amon Amarth drummer Fredrik Andersson on lead guitar and vocalist Clint Williams.
They were formed as an excuse to jam Amon Amarth's 1994 demo but shifted into writing their own music that keeps a similar vein to those early Amon Amarth release before the power/viking metal stylings started to become more precedent.
This isn't nostalgia though, some of these songs were written for Amon Amarth but others are brand new, this is a collection of veteran musicians drawing from their musical history and the genre their country innovated to create new music with an old soul.
Across five songs the aggression and visceral nature of those early years is obvious, there's more death than melo, snarling vocals, tremolo picking and double kick drumming, and some session bass by Tobias Cristiansson (Necrophobic).
What Once Was is melodeath when it was unrefined and nasty, the members of Fimbul Winter began this journey until the changing winds prevailed, but now their back to return Swedish death metal to is aggressive roots. 7/10
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