Abramis Brama - Live! CD (Transubstans Records)

If you are a fan of Abramis Brama's November influenced 70's hard rock sound, then you will love this live CD. It was recorded at several locations and dates between December 2005 and June 2006. It is a good selection tracks from the bands studio CDs. It also includes an unreleased studio track as a bonus. I don't know if it is the promo CD or not but the editing is quite sloppy with these 2 second gaps and the first track listed on the artwork is not actually on the CD. Well, played and well recorded with most versions of the songs performed quite close to the studio version. The band plays around and has a bit of jam on a couple of the tracks (Mjölk & Honning) as well as throws in a cover of Men mitt hjörta ska vara gjort av sten from November's 2a LP (1972). Overall, quite an excellent selection of live Abramis Brama and a good starting point as well if you have not heard this excellent band.

http://www.recordheaven.net
http://www.abramisbrama.com
If you dig: November, Svarte Pan, Swedish stoner rock

Scott

The Aches - The Aches CD (Diapazam Records)

Some bands can sound so incredibly Scandinavian, it's amazing. Listening to The Aches' debut album here, it shouldn't take you more than a few bars to fix them somewhere in Sweden, even though their inspiration stems from the early 80's post-punk scene, bands like Magazine, Elvis Costello's edgiest material, even some early Cure, the latter mostly down to Daniel Pamnert's vocals. He does take some getting used to, but the way Birgitta Linder supports him, and the way the rest of the band chops away at the extremely catchy melodies they've got to work with, it's hard to help falling for this band. Even if they'll make you afraid of looking both indie and emo at the same time. This is definitely some angsty stuff - "love is suicide" they happily chant in "Suicide", echoing proto emo-goths Smashing Pumpkins - and just imagining what their audience would look like is enough to make me shiver, but this is the most melodic and youthful record I've dug for close to a year. Thank you. Now bring me the mascara.

http://www.diapazam.se
http://www.aches.se
If you dig: Fireside, The Division of Laura Lee

Jon A

Acid King - The Early Years CD (Leaf Hound Records)

I just saw Acid King playing at the Roadburn Festival in Holland, and they absolutely blew me away - I was standing at the same level as Lori's double Marshall amp stack, the sound washing over my face, and it was pure bliss! Shit, if I weren't married, I'd have just called in and quit my job to travel around with this band as Lori's personal slave! This CD is a nice comfort, then, collecting the first Acid King 10" and their debut album "Zoroaster", and if it's not as ultra heavy as they were live at Roadburn, 12 years later, they definitely got some great stuff there. Especially "Midway", which I'm sure I've heard somewhere before, although I can't place it. Both records are produced by Dale Crover from Lori's old band, Melvins, and have been out of print for ages, so this is a good chance to catch up.

http://www.leafhound.com
If you dig: Melvins, Monster Magnet

Jon A

Alien Planetscapes - A Visitation CD (Primecuts Recording)

A Visitation was originally released on the Xkurzhen Sound label on cassette in 1988. Primecuts Recordings has remastered the original tape and added an extra bonus track, providing 46 minutes of spaced out improvised electronic madness. The first two tracks feature Doug Walker and Carl Howard on as many synthesizers as they could get their hands on. The 3rd track is recorded by Michael Thomas Jackson. These 3 tracks are all based on sequences of sounds produced by banks of synthesizers masterfully played by experts. Very challenging but quite cool music, if you really open your mind real wide (much wider than you can open your mouth!).

http://www.microearth.com/jackson
http://www.alienplanetscapes.com
If you dig: Tangerine Dream (early), Heldon

Scott

Alpha Wave Movement - The Regions Between CD (Harmonic Resonance Recordings)

Alpha Wave Movement is the brainchild of Gregory Kyryluk from Massachusetts. The CD contains 8 ambient space excursions in 47 minutes. IT has a really great and spacey sound. Nucleogenesis has a bit of a darker sound to it but still very much out in deep space with lush synthesizer sweeps and spacey wind. Solar Dub and Rubicon are much more new age like and he plays a very nice synth solo in Rubicon. Desert Light is back into space again… Distant Nebula is the longest track at almost 10 minutes and it builds really slowly as more and more sounds are layered in. Nice track. Metamorphic Dawn is really soundtrack music of some sort, very spacey, a bit romantic or something… Great sound on this CD of space music… I almost forgot to say, the liner notes tell you something about what inspired each track and in some cases what synths were used etc..

If you are interested in obtaining the CD or learning more, please write to Gregory at: Alphawav2@earthlink.net

If you dig: Richard Garrett, Tangerine Dream, Ash Ra Tempel

Scott

American Gun - Dark Southern Hearts CD (Stepoutofline Music)

Well, this is not really my cup of tea. The band wants to be a little punky, a little countrish and pop. A lot of strummed acoustic guitar and melodic songs that were just not all that interesting. The CD starts off with Picture, which is some sort of pop punk music like Green Day or something but with a more rock and roll guitar. The next song (American Gun) is a sort of countrish pop track with with a hard driving rhythm. Little Sister is an Americana track. Anyway…if you like Americana with a bit of attitude, country and rock thrown in, check these guys out…The liner notes say "this is a band for the Teenage punk who has grown up and lived life… " And I will add gotten pretty boring..

http://www.americangun.net
If you dig: country rock??? No idea as I never hear music like this..

Scott

Amplified Heat - Amplified Heat CD (Arclight Records )

Amplified Heat is based in Austin, Texas and this is the re-release of their debut CD-EP that is long out of print. It includes two extra tracks from the original session. The band is a trio of brothers, the Ortiz Brothers…. Heart Attack starts the EP and is quite a high energy down and dirty number with a punky edge. I don't Care is where the blues, dirty side of the CD starts to show.. Bi-Polar is a very fast bluesy track and sounds like just early Motorhead! Mornings Warning feature Paul on organ and one I could hear them really jam out live! . Contrabandista is fast footstomping raw blues rocker. She drank that Wine slows things down for some stoned blues. Dead Man Walkin' ends the CD and is the best track on the CD, with a long jammed out psychedelic rock freak out. Cool stuff… I look forward to hearing more from these guys!

http://www.amplifiedheat.com
http://www.archlightrecords.com
If you dig: Grady, Honky, 5 Horse Johnson

Scott

Armour - Sonichouse Tape CD

Armour is a new Finnish pure 80's style metal band. This demo was recorded in December 2006 and features 5 tracks. Speeding into the Night sounds like a mix between Accept and WASP. The singer (Vince Venom) has quite a gritty voice and is good for the music and reminds me of UDO. Lick the Blade speeds things up. Love Crime is next and a sort of HM track like Dokken might write. Heavy Metal Drinkers ends the CD and is a melodic quite uptempo track. Really good metal debut but nothing very original! Accept is the closest comparison that I can make… Rock on!

http://www.myspace.com/metalarmour
If you dig: Accept, Saxon, WASP, Motley Crue

Scott

Asteroid - Asteroid CD (Fuzzrama Records)

The Swedish band Asteroid are back with their first full length CD and wow do they have a different sound on some of the tracks compared to the split CD with Blowback, but still cool. The first major change is the huge organ sound used on a few tracks and the sort of King Crimson meets Uriah Heep sound of the opening track, The Great Unknown. Guitarist Robin has played all the organ.. Not sure how they will pull it off live?? Anyway, the large heavy fuzzed out bass and guitars are still there and the band stretch most of the tracks to between 5 and 6 minutes. This is a record you have to be patient with and give it some time to suck you in. There are not many really fast paced in your face tracks here. The band has a couple of instrumental tracks as well like The Infinite Secrets of Planet Megladoom and Little Fly. I really dug the acoustic track, Water. The weakest track on the CD is Strange Trip, which is so much QOTSA. Like a bad cover..
The last few tracks on the CD are really cool and feature some guests as well on harmonica and vocals (The 13th Witching Hour). This is a great CD and will grow on you..

http://www.fuzzoramarecords.com
http://www.asteroid.se/
If you dig: Hypnos69, King Crimson, Truckfighters, QOTSA (a little)

Scott

Black Sunday - Cut Out! 7" (Tic Tac Totally)

Black, bleak, blasted synth punk for those biting their nails and smoking too many cigarettes in dusty rooms with the curtains drawn. This is not a nice record, but it's probably a great soundtrack for drinking port wine and reciting French poetry in between having bad sex with bulimic waitresses. Appealing in that slightly disgusting way.

http://www.tictactotally.com
If you dig: Suicide, Chicks On Speed, B-52's

Jon A

Brain Eaters - Monsters, Sex And Rock'n'Roll! CD (Nicotine Records)

As the band's name and album title imply this is indeed dragster punk'n'roll/rockabilly with b-movie lyrics. Clichés galore, but Brain Eaters is so damn good at it, and fortunately they got a great singer in Prof Boubou. One of the better graduates of the Cramps School of Sleazebilly. From the country that brought you Jean Rollin's lesbian vampires. Très Bien!

http://www.myspace.com/lesbraineaters
http://nicotinerecords.com
If you dig: Cramps, Sin Alley, The Untamed

Jens

Brimstone Howl - Uptight! 7" (Shake Your Ass Records)

"So what do you want? Porter, ale, IPA, wheat, lager, roasted chocolate coffee stout?" "Nah, I think I'll just have a beer, thank you. Just today." Because sometimes you just need something simple, something you don't want to listen to Converge. This is a great little record, pure no-fi garage rock that's over and done with before you've even paid for your beer.

http://www.syarecords.it
If you dig: The Gories, Dead Moon, early Jon Spencer Blues Explosion

Jon A

Caufield - I Love the Future CD (Cph-sound Records/Bonnier Amigo)

Wow, in a way I kind of respect this Danish band debuting here - one thing is for sure: You definitely can't accuse them of being bandwagon-jumpers, or else something's happening in indie land that I'm blissfully unaware of. If nothing else, this is ambitious and grandiose - kind of reminds me of Mansun's "Six" and Ultrasound's "Everything Picture": Total indie prog mayhem. I even kind of respect them for naming themselves after that annoying, angsty character in "The Catcher in the Rye", because that shows guts - everyone's gonna laugh their pants off when they hear that name, you know - and I guess it's a good indication of what they're about. OK, so I've been open-minded now, can I take it off?

http://www.cph-sound.com
If you dig: Mansun, Ultrasound

Jon A

Clutch - From Beale Street to Oblivion CD (DRT Entertainment/Target)

Ok.. the masters of heavy swing or groove are back with yet another killer records. This band just keeps getting better and better. The style has changed dramatically but they have got the goods and kick your ass all the same as they did before, they just have a newer cooler sound, if you ask me and more of their roots are sticking out…. The record starts off quite hard and heavy with You can't stop progress right into Power Play. The sound production is awesome and the swing-groove is addictive… The Devil and Me tells a really cool story and I love the organ and the killer foot stomping groove of this track. White's Ferry begins quite spacey but then it really picks up and then spaces out again at the end. Electric Worry is one of the most catchy tracks on the CD with the voice and guitar talking to each other at the beginning before the track really pick sup in classic early 70's ZZTOP style, including some harmonica! One Eye Dollar is a very short 1½ minute track. Child of the City is a heavy blues jammer… Rapture of Riddley Walker has a very cool effected guitar and a great simple groove and great lyrics. When Vegans attack has features some nice slide guitar and organ interplay as well. Funny track.. Opossum Minister brings back the more harder rocking side of the record with a killer groove. Black Umbrella and my favourite track, Mr. Shiny Cadillackness end this awesome CD. Clutch has never been more bluesy than this but that is cool with me as they keep writing great songs and getting more and more like the old bands that I love. I just wish they would start jamming in concert, then I would be in heaven….

http://www.pro-rock.com
If you dig: old ZZTOP, Gov't Mule, Black Crowes

Scott

Paul Collins Beat - Flying High CD (Get Hip)

The Godfather of Powerpop's latest album (the first in 12 years) is the Paul Collins we know and love. Although it's a bit more acoustic oriented than the heydays of "The Beat" (1979) and "The Kids Are The Same" (1981), and he's got a Spanish backing band, the knack of writing of a good catchy r'n'r song never left Mr. Collins. And he can still raise hell on a stage as he proved at Rotterdam Rumble last year. This is true heartfelt music in a world that celebrates BS before honesty and timeless craftsmanship. Some of it might sound a bit too mellow for people only familiar with the old stuff, but play "Flying High" a couple of times and it'll grow on you.

http://www.paulcollinsbeat.com/
http://www.gethip.com
If you dig: Nick Lowe, Raspberries, Romantics

Jens

The Devil Wears Prada - Dear Love: A Beautiful Dischord CD (Golf/Target)

What more can you do to make an emo metal band suck than just by being emo metal? Well, you can name yourself after a chick lit bestseller. You can employ gothy keyboards. You can be Christian. I think music like this exists solely to sour my days.

http://www.golfrecords.co.uk
If you dig: Norma Jean

Jon A

Dexter Jones Circus Orchestra - Side by Side CD (Fuzzrama Records)

First off, if you see the biography or read on the web page, "Imagine QOTSA jamming with the Allman Brothers", they aren't talking about this band. They also state ridiculous things like "their songs are as heavy as it gets".. Not sure what planet or what album they have heard but not this one… Anyway, this is a damn good CD it is just not heavy and it has nothing to do with the Allman Brothers…there is not even one song over 5 minutes and guitar solos come and go…
The band plays really well crafted rock songs with a lot of character and spunk and room for jamming but sadly they never do, at least on the record. The singer reminds me a lot of the guy from the Brimstone Solar Radiation Band but also sometimes like Sting (when he is not wining). Some of the tracks are really stands out and amazing songs, like We don't Care and Feel the Cold. These guys have a cool and unique sound of their own and have a very promising future…

http://www.fuzzoramarecords.com
If you dig: Brimstone Solar Radiation Band, Hypnos69, Dexter Jones

Scott

Disrupt - Unrest CD
Disrupt - The Rest 2XCD (Relapse Records/Target)

Disrupt sounds like something I would've loved if I'd heard them in the early 90's around the time I got into Napalm Death and Discharge. Of course, that only means I love them now. Disrupt's one and only album, "Unrest", came out in '94, and soon after the band split up, but allegedly, they gathered a following and are hailed as forerunners of the crust core scene, which has now merited them a re-release of "Unrest" along with a 2XCD compilation of everything else they ever released on various compilations, 7"s and splits. All of it adds up to 108 songs in total, and that's a lot of crust to stomach in one run. There are some really good things in here, though, and it's music to make you feel righteous.

http://www.relapse.com
If you dig: early Napalm Death, early Ratos de Porão

Jon A

Dragon Tears - 2000 Micrograms from Home CD (Bad Afro Records)

Dragon Tears is not really a band but the name of a jam session when the old On Trial/Spids Nøgenhat guys meet up with the Baby Woodrose guys and do some drugs and make some killer psychedelic rock!!!!!!!!!!!! The CD begins with Microdot, a totally spaced out track with really cool vocals by Lorenzo. The sound is really amazing with backwards guitars, acoustic guitars and plenty of delay!!! Borderline features this really raw drum beat box sound and a very psychedelic guitar and organ taking you back to 1967! Super cool stuff. Hobbitten's Drøm is a short, dreamy piece with organ, spaced out guitar and a total acid vibe… Doublestains, could easily be a Baby Woodrose song if you gave the band some acid! The Doors of Perception is a totally Krautrock meets 13th Floor Elevators track, stretching out for 14 minutes and very repetitive and with loads of stuff hiding in the soundscape… Don't get too stoned…. Heliodrone is a strange 2 minute piece to help you put your mind back together after The Doors of Perception… Great, no, amazing, a world class psych classic.

http://www.badafro.dk
http://www.myspace.com/dragontears2000
If you dig: Spids Nøgenhat, Aron, On Trial, Pandemonica, Baby Woodrose

Scott

The Dt's - Filthy Habits LP/CD (Get Hip Recordings)

On a weekday night two years ago, in a dodgy Madrid neighborhood some time after midnight, The Dt's completely blew me away. It was an otherwise grim and drunken night, there was almost no one at the club, the local support band sucked, but for some reason we hung around for this Yankee band none of us had ever heard of to play "hard soul punk", as the poster promised. And it was hard, and it was soulful, and it was so good, once again I forgave rock'n'roll for all the bad times it has given me. This is a band that can pull off all the rock clichés they want to - the leather pants, the riffs, the four-to-the-floor rockers, songs called "Freedom" - and still there's something so elementary great about them, you can't help love them. Diana Young-Blanchard sounds like a female John García, Dave Crider sounds like Malcolm Young - this is the shit, basically.

http://www.gethip.com
If you dig: The Dirtbombs, Hermano, Brant Bjork & the Bros

Jon A

Sergey Dudin - Guitar Ballads CD (MALS)

Sergey is a Russian guitar player (also does programming and plays synthesizer). This is his 3rd CD, from what I can see on the internet. He also looks young! While the title might suggest instrumental love songs, that is not what you get! It is very melodic, mostly instrumental rock music. Sergey can clearly play the guitar and he has a nice tone and he does not try to show off that much. Sadly, all the drums and percussion are programmed so this takes some away from what this could be. From his web page you can see what he has in his home studio and his selection of guitars. The MALS web page describes this as Camel inspired artrock. 100% nylon is a solo acoustic number. Cassiopea begins with a lush (sounds like the KORG Triton) synth sound and is quite a laid back track with some nice guitars. Black Diamond is quite a bluesy track. Nostalgia is mostly a synth based track and features the acoustic guitar at the end. While I liked some of the CD, it is a bit too slick and nice and new agey instrumental music for my tastes. Well played.. Oh yeah.. It is quite strange that the track, Come Back, which features Trombone is the 7th track and appears again on the CD as a bonus track.. Not sure what the point is..

http://www.mals.ru
http://www.dudinmusic.com/
If you dig: instrumental melodic guitar driven tracks

Scott

El Caco - From Dirt (Black Balloon Rec)

Oyvind Osa have apparently taken up singing lessons and the record is once again produced by Daniel Bergstrand. The result is not bad. It's more metal than stoner and it's actually very melodic. Some of the more complex song structures could be inspired by A Perfect Circle or something like that. El Caco is still capable of some really great riffs, but the vocal is way too polished. The music is actually a very, very cool blend of almost progressive metal and old-school El Caco. I'm just not fond of the singing and it takes the pleasure out of my listening. Sorry!

http://www.elcaco.com
http://www.myspace.com/elcaco
If you dig: A Perfect Circle, Amplifier or Sinch

Tomsen

Electric Orange- Platte CD (Sulatron Records)

Sulatron records have just released this 2003 (previously available only on vinyl) release on CD with two bonus tracks. For those not familiar with Electric Orange, they are a mostly instrumental German kraut-psychedelic rock band. They have been making records since the early 90's and have released a lot of stuff on their own. All of their stuff is recorded in their own studio in Aachen. Kwark (19:55) opens the CD. It is a slow building track with the organ playing the main part of the track as it slowly builds up and kind of keeps you on the edge as you expect they will take off and jam but the closest you get is a Pink Floyd like organ solo as the slow stoned pace continues in it's mysterious way.. Holzbock is more upbeat and a bit like CAN as this has a very cool, steady groove and some psyched out guitar noodling comes in. Columb takes us back to a slow grooving track like the opening number but a few more stranger sounds are mixed in and the organ plays a more spacey role in the track. That was the whole original record but here we have two unreleased tracks, Dedicated to MK and Flurstück. Not sure if these are from the same era as Platte or not. Anyway, Dedicated to MK is a pretty cool jam with acoustic guitar and building strange sounds before suddenly becoming quite normal towards the end… Spaced… Flurstück, features mainly the piano and organ over a simple manufactured beat. Electric Orange are due to have a new full length release out on Sulatron in the summer and look for them at the Berg Herzberg Festival this summer!

http://www.electric-orange.de
http://www.sulatron.com
If you dig: CAN, Embryo, Pink Floyd (tiny bit)

Scott

El Gordo - The Man Behind the Machine (Glen Ghost Rec)

Another cool stoner rock effort from Sweden. "The Man Behind the Machine" is the debut album from El Gordo - and what a cool debut! This powertrio has got what it takes to blast an audience out of the room. Heavy distorted guitar on top of a thunderous bottom layer of bass and drums. Nice hypnotic licks to end the riffs. And vocals? Who cares about vocals when the music is driving wild and energetic. My feet won't stop stomping, my head won't stop banging and my thoughts keep drifting away. This is how all music should be: energetic and powerful, yet progressive and inspirering. All this said, this band still have some way to go to get over the top. There are some needs for improvement - but not much! So hit for the Mexican border on a desert highway, with this big fat truck in front of you ...

http://www.myspace.com/glengordo
http://www.elgordo-music.com
If you dig: Dozer, Terra Firma or even Kyuss!

Tomsen

Ex-Vagus - Ãmes Vagabondes CD (Galileo Records)

Ex-Vagus are a back with their 5th CD in 10 years, including 2 rock operas! They are a five piece French progressive rock band in the tradition of Ange, Marillion with a bit of more modern bands like Spock's Beard thrown in. The singer has quite a special, almost operatic voice and is an excellent singer (all songs are sung in French). Astrodelica is a short 5 min track to get you warmed up. Le Cheval des Nébuleuses is next at 11½ minutes and builds up in a really cool way before the band gets to solo (guitars and keys). A fantastic mood piece and some very interesting vocals, especially at the end. Pluton begins like a ballad but then becomes quite Marillion like and then heavy at the end.. A very unique arrangement. Le songe de surfeur d'argent is again quite moody like the opening track with some really crazy and dynamic singing. The track gets a bit spacey in the middle and has an excellent build. Lci is the radio friendly ballad and the only weak song. Un petit Empire features some of the heavier (slightly metallic) guitar on the CD. The CD ends with Rideau, a very dramatic track, like some of the Italian prog. An excellent CD….

http://www.galileo-records.com
http://www.ex-vagus.com
If you dig: Ange, old Genesis, Dream Theater, Marillion, Runaway Totem, PFM

Scott

Thomas Function - The Insignificants 7" (Tic Tac Totally)

I wasn't expecting much from this new label after hearing The Indecision Alarm, and this particular 7" looked alarmingly indie to me. But with this one and The Aches, it looks like I'm all set for Spring: This is catchy, melodic, edgy, and fun.

http://www.tictactotally.com
If you dig: Magazine, The Clash

Jon A

Furious Styles - Life Lessons CD (Alveran Records)

Like so many other metal labels, Alveran Records has been flooding the market with metal core records this last year, and even if a few of them have been good, most of them have drowned in all the other similar sounding stuff coming from Metal Blade, Roadrunner et al. Furious Styles aren't breaking new ground here, and it certainly doesn't bode well with the hip hop intro (that's where the plural "styles" comes from, then), but this is a notch better than all the Hatebreed clones you get. Furious Styles know their Agnostic Front and Biohazard records for sure, but they've learned the craft of actually writing catchy riffs and keeping things moving. I'm not sure I'm actually going to listen to this record again, but I can dig it for being better than average in its genre.

http://www.alveranrecords.com
If you dig: Agnostic Front, Biohazard

Jon A

Golden Young Lovers - Punk Rock Exploitation

Did he sing: "Wanna see my bollocks again"? Sure he did! This record contains six stupid punksploitainious covers by four stupid guys with a little help from the former Grand Prix darling Sanne Gottlieb. The torture hits ABBA, Black Sabbath, Leonard Cohen, Tina Turner, Bee Gees and The fucking Beatles. This is a piece of Danish fun - and damn well done! Behind names like Massa Lumumba Wellington, Jupiter Braag, Leon "Butterfinger" Ramirez and Larrup "Stickleback" Stiffenstar hides former members of notorious Heatfarm. Well, actually this must be the real Human Garbage - if you know what I mean! This is the CD that without doubt can make you feel that you're not that stupid at all. And no matter what you might think, this band kicks the butt of more than 92,3% of any other Danish bands. They might be fags, but who cares - it's a hard gay's delight ...

Http://www.goldenyounglovers.com
If you dig: Weird Al Jancowich, Y.M.C.A. and Ramones

Tomsen

Greedy Mistress - Your Shoes, My Tongue CD (Chorus Of One Records)

Some bands' butt ugly album covers don't do them any justice, Italy's Greedy Mistress ain't such a band. As much as they love Russ Meyer, Joe D'Amato & Charles Bukowski, it can't hide the fact this is blatantly weak 'bad taste' punk/hardcore. There's maybe one or two good tracks but the godawful production annihilates every nugget that might've been buried in the album. The drum sound is especially annoying.

http://www.chorusofonerecords.it
http://www.greedymistress.it
If you dig: Weak late80s euro hardcore

Jens

HateSphere - Serpent Smiles and Killer Eyes CD (Steamhammer/Target)

The mainstream press might want you to believe that Denmark's biggest metal band is the over-produced, radio friendly Volbeat, but as most will know, for years HateSphere have been building up a reputation as keepers of the death thrash flame and one of the most energetic and tight live acts in the scene. With "Serpent Smiles and Killer Eyes", their 5th album, they show no signs of mellowing or losing touch: So many other bands are getting into this style at the moment, it's getting to be a bore, but HateSphere show how death thrash can still be made interesting and catchy. Extremely professional and well-executed by all players, and with a slick production from Jacob Bredahl and the kind of metal mix you'd expect from Tue Madsen.

http://www.spv.de
If you dig: Arch Enemy, Pantera, Slayer

Jon A

Heldon - Live 1975-1979 CD (Captain Trip Records)

Heldon, for those who do not know, were a groundbreaking French band lead by Richard Pinhas. Heldon were very unique as they took rock music and mixed it with analog synthesizers in a very unique and special way. Richard Pinhas is a master at guitar looping (probably learned something from Fripp but then took it into his own unique world of music). This collection of live Heldon material is very special. It starts at their earliest time in 1975-76, where you can hear the raw, acidic, psychedelic nature of the band before the synthesizers started to take an equal role with guitar on the first track. He had a hell of a band backing him as well at this time. The 2nd track (Distibution Deterritorialisation) is very much based on a repetitive synth line under which (I wish it was over) Richard totally rips it up on the guitar but also does a synth solo as well. The next 4 tracks on the CD are all taken from a concert in Paris in 1975 and just feature the duo of Richard Pinhas (Mellotron, ARP2600 Synthesizer, AKS and guitars) and Alain Benaud (Guitar and analog keyboards). Heldon is Back was not that interesting, while Lady from the North devolves into a pure strange guitar solo piece, where Richard ends up just ripping it up. Hendrix would be smiling…Klossowski's Circlus Vitosus brings the ARP2600 back and the other synths space out over the repetitive theme that eventually gets taken over by what sounds like an airplane and this leads into Death of Omar Diop Blondin and some really cool guitars take over the soundscape. Intense stuff that dies out into some feedback and synth sounds before a bit of guitar noodling (Track of Cocaine). That ends CD 1.

The 2nd and 3rd CDs are the entire concert from Nancy, France on March 19th, 1979 and feature the 3 piece line up of: Richard, Francois Auger (Drums) and Perrot Boussel (Bass and Mellotron). The CD begins with some incredibly intense drumming with some spacey synths fighting for space in the sound in the background. This leads into Heldon UFO War Machine, which slowly builds up on a synth and gets more and more intense as the drums kick in and the very intense guitar takes over and the drums gel with the synths.. It eventually comes down to just synths and bird like sounds before the next piece (which I will spare you the very very long name) begins. The track slowly spaces out over the interplay of the bass and drums. The track gets very intense like Alien Planetscapes as the drums pound and the synths trip out. Red Line Target ends the 2nd CD and returns to the interplay on the cymbals and repetitive ARP sequences, while Richard does some introductions of something in French, before getting down to business again, with some intense guitar and heavy bass underneath. CD3 features 2 18 min long tracks. The first begins with some AKS synth like sequences (Remember On the Run from Dark Side of the Moon) that slowly takes time to build. Around 7 mins, the bass comes in and the drums start becoming more intense and Richard picks up his guitar to let forth a fury of intense playing as the drums get more and more intense, Richard is practically buried in the background. Mellotronic Dune Dance ends this really excellent documentation of a very unique band who was a trailblazer at this time making music that no one else dared to try… Enjoy…

http://www.captaintrip.co.jp
If you dig: Richard Pinhas, Tangerine Dream, Ash Ra Tempel, Alien Planetscapes, CAN

Scott

Hidria Spacefolk - Symetria CD (Nextbigthing)

The masters of Finnish instrumental Astrobeat-Space Rock are back! IT was a long journey for this CD that you can now here but it is worth it. The CD comes in yet another really cool and unique packaging. While some of the old Hidria sound is still here, the band are really opening up to a more melodic sound on this record and the CD features some trumpet and trombone as well as harmonium and cello as well on selected tracks. Sami's guitar is really Steve Hillage like at times as it soars with amazing melodic guitar lines, while Mikko has a more dirty, heavy sound this time around to contrast Sami's. The backline of the band, Kimmo and Teemu are as solid as ever on bass and drums. Janne provides those killer synth lines and space sounds as always. Symetria starts the CD off and is a very fast paced and melodic track with some great guitars that really take off and the mix is really psychedelic at times with the synths and guitars spaced all over. Futur Ixiom begins with a heavy riff but mostly becomes very melodic and drifts in and out of some very cool themes. 322 has a quite heavy guitar riff and very spacey synths and then Sami' layers in the Hillage like guitars before the tune goes funky and has a cool horn section! Flora/Fauna starts off quite melodic and features accordion before Mikko's guitar riff builds up to be quite heavy and then they come back down with the accordion again and slowly builds into a very hypnotic track that gets more and more psychedelic while maintaining its true melodic nature. Great stuff.. Radien features a really crunchy guitar riff and some cool organ and synth leads by Janne. Sami is taking a bit more of backseat on this track rather than the lead. You really get sucked into this track with the cool groove and the way the two guitars slowly build up into each other at the end. This one was great live! Sine ends this really cool CD and is 11½ minutes long and the most like their older material than anything else on the CD, with this very electronic, almost techno groove that is so catchy and hypnotic. A mind blower…. The grooves are solid, hypnotic and 100% HIDRIA! Buy it now…you won't be disappointed…

http://www.nextbigthing.fi
http://www.hidriaspacefolk.st
If you dig: Kingston Wall, Ozric Tentacles, Korai Öröm, Steve Hillage

Scott

Highway Child - On The Old Kings Road CD

For some bizarre reason this excellent 11 track album hasn't found a label yet, which speaks volumes of clueless Danish record companies. This is topnotch bluesy hardrock with mucho international appeal, and the production is superb. Highway Child is still hopelessly in love with how r'n'r sounded around 1970, be it Cream, Led Zep or Leaf Hound. They still have a psych flavor but have expanded their musical universe with more country and folk, making the tunes a bit more varied. One of Denmark's most underrated rock acts, hopefully their debut on this year's Roskilde Festival will open more people's eyes to the undisputed greatness of Highway Child. Beyond old school, but way ahead of most bands on the Danish scene. "On The Old Kings Road" is a minor masterpiece!

http://www.myspace.com/highwaychilddk
If you dig: Leaf Hound, Led Zep, Cream

Jens

I Killed the Prom Queen - Music for the Recently Deceased CD (Golf/Target)

Please, can't the whole emo metal thing be done with soon? And take all the metal core bands with it to the Midwest hell that spawned it? It's not like anyone I know actually likes this stuff, and as for the kids with tussled hair and black make-up, they'd be better off listening to some Sacred Reich or Snapcase or something else, anything else. I'm OK with them listening to pop music, as long as I don't have to hear one more record of this stuff. Please.

http://www.golfrecords.co.uk
If you dig: Killswitch Engage

Jon A

The Joxfield Projex - Pond Intermezzo CD (Tin Can Music)

Pond Intermezzo is a project by the duo of Yan and Oax (Stefan) based in Göteborg, Sweden. This package contains 3 CD-r's with 193 minutes of music! There is a lot of diverse stuff on these CDs. CD1 features 10 tracks in 60 minutes. The title track begins the CD with 17 seconds of strange harsh noise before going into Dr. Balanova (7min), a dark mysterious feeling track with a basic drum rhythm, some shimmering synth sounds buried in the back but mainly lead by a distorted guitar lead.. Interesting. No More Treasures features some spoken word like singing with a very repetitive synth line going along with the more techno like drum beat. Morning Silence begins with what sounds like real drums and a disorted bass line, This one builds up into quite an intense psychedelic track with a wild distorted guitar line and lead synth. New Frontiers-Leaving Home, is the main track on this first CD, something the band calls 21st century psychedelia. Listen closely.. Anyway, this is the CD with a lot of psychedelic stuff with mostly electronic drums or beats/rhythms, occasionally vocals, guitar, bass and synths in multiple layers..

CD2 is 9 tracks in just over an hour. Black Night Theme Suite 1-V starts it off, this has a dark theme to it and some pretty twisted guitar sounds and strange layers of stuff coming and going all the time. The last 4 tracks are more ambient material. Arabian Night is a very cool track with tabla like drum, strange and mysterious synths and bass line. Madame Balanova Hallucinates is a 7 min ambient psychedelic trip with some nice guitars.

CD3 is a little over 71 minutes long and features 5 tracks. Morning a bit Later starts the CD and as the band says is a bit more orchestral but still quite dark in nature yet beautiful and melodic. Not sure I like this stuttering drum or whatever it is in the Dark Castle track… just my taste. Heavy Oax Missing (does that mean this track was made only by Jan??).. Majestic Pattern City Revisited Evolution Parts I-VIII is the major piece on this CD and features a lot of guitar noodling. Pretty cool track.. The CD ends with Morning a bit Later Vietnamese.

http://www.myspace.com/joxfieldprojex
If you dig: GONG, The Spacious Mind, Pink Floyd

Scott

The Kill Devil Hills - Heathen Songs CD (Bang! Records/Munster Records)

"Heathen Songs" is a re-release of this Aussie band's 2005 debut album. The 6-piece's brand of dark roots music is a highly haunting and eerie yet very beautiful listening experience. A menacing cocktail of country, folk, and blues with a semi-acoustic setup give The Kill Devil Hills a unique rural vibe that's expertly accompanied by superb sinister and atmospheric vocals. If they ever make a sequel to "The Proposition" this music would fit the soundtrack bill perfectly! The new album "Draught" will be released in the fall.

http://www.myspace.com/thekilldevilhills
http://www.myspace.com/gorkabangrecords
If you dig: 16 Horsepower, Nick Cave, Dead Brothers

Jens

Kopecky - Blood CD (Unicorn Digital)

This is the 4th record by the Wisconsin brothers (bass, drums and guitar). This is dark, strange, emotional and challenging instrumental progressive rock music and probably the bands most melodic in some ways. The interaction between the members is tight and also quite amazing. Sometimes you think you know where the band is heading with a track and they take the turn the other way and wrap around under the bridge and over the field and nearly taking out the farmer's cows in the process! 7 tracks performed in 57 minutes with two epics (11½ and 13 minutes). Garden of Immolation starts things off in a intense fashion… Infernal Desire Machine begins more slowly and a bit spacey and dark before and features the amazing bass playing as the guitar riff keeps things moving and then the riff and intensity of everything increases. The guitar player is really a master of riffs. There is not a lot of intense soloing but there is some. This is really complex stuff. I have no idea how they can remember it all. Windows, the 11½ minute track in the middle of the CD features some really beautiful guitar playing while the rest of the band lays back a bit before the intense playing reappears. Eden's Flow features really amazing intertwined playing between the 3 brothers. Cool guitar! The Red Path features a quite metallic guitar but it is countered by some very not heavy metal playing by the others (more jazzy). Opium, the 13 min monster ends the CD and features some really cool spacey bass playing. An exhausting CD to listen to… fucking good…

http://www.unicorndigital.com
http://www.kopecky.8m.com
If you dig: Tangle Edge, King Crimson, TOOL

Scott

Korai Öröm - Volume Zero CD (Lollipopshop)

This is the first official compilation CD by the amazing Hungarian band, Korai Öröm! It features tracks mainly from their records from 2000 and up with the sole exception of the great opening track from the 1997 CD. IT opens with two tracks from the bands latest studio CD in 2005. Then we have the excellent opening track from the 2000 CD. It is a great mix of their more polished material as well as very groove psych stuff like track 5. Track 6 is some sort of remix track that I have never heard before (and I have all their CDs). The final track is Music fi Last (the only track on the CD with a real title!) and this is a short spacey piece… Not that representative of the band's material. There is also a video called Hey Peasant, which shows the band driving around in these funny 3 wheeled cars and looking and doing strange things. If you have never heard this really amazing ethnic psychedelic groove band, this is a great place to start!

http://www.lollipopshop.de
http://www.korai.hu
If you dig: Ole Lukkoye, Trottel, Color Star

Scott

KURvE - Demo 2007 (prkr.records)

Some time ago we accidentally ended up at Turbinehallerne for something called The Great Rock 'n' Roll Spectacle. Canned beers were cheap and the vibe was strange and kind of desperate in the dark underground room. The night was hosted by some decadent and very sleazy couple that introduced every band in a greasy manner - quite strange, yet funny. We didn't have a clue about who they were. It all seemed very weird - especially the pole dance show that suddenly happened (I later found out it's some artyfarty couple called Sigma specialised in installation art). Anyway, the second band that entered the stage that night blew me and my friends away. Balkanpunk with loads of energy - and damn well played. This band is called KURvE and resides in Århus.

Their Demo contains seven songs in 13 minutes! And it's simply amazing. This is high-speed madness-rock complete with synthesizer and a crazy trumpet. The rhythm section is making me loose my breath and the gypsy vocal tops it all. The production is rough, but the music is captivating and original. I'm looking forward ...

http://www.kurvekanal.dk
http://www.myspace.com/kurveband
If you dig: Gogol Bordello and stuff like that ...

Tomsen

Lower Class Brats - Loud And Out Of Tune/Live CD+DVD (TKO Records)

Austin's Lower Class Brats has been around since 1995, and are obviously very dedicated to English '77 oi punk. The 17 track live album has decent sound, and there's a neat bonus live dvd included. Still, it's pretty generic stuff, although it's better than acts like Casualties and Total Chaos. Fans of the genre will eat it up I'm sure, I prefer listening to my old Adicts records.

http://www.tkorecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/lowerclassbratsrule
If you dig: Sham 69, Casualties, Rancid

Jens

Lunch with Beardo - Surrealistic Picnic CD (FDH Records)

Lunch with Beardo play deeply troubling and spaced out music. 3 tracks in 46 minutes designed to fuck up your mind! Don't play this music for schizophrenic people, please… The CD features 3 tracks on 45 minutes or so, with the last one begging you to kill your stereo after 26 minutes…. The music is dangerous, psychedelic, free form spaced out rock with a bit of punk in the attitude department. Brilliant, insane stuff…

http://www.myspace.com/lunchwithbeardo
http://www.fdhmusic.com
If you dig: Something far out like you have never heard before!

Scott

LU7 - Efflorescence CD (Musea)

LU7 is a Japanese duo of Luna Umegaki on keyboards and guitarist Tsutomu Kurihara. The web site describes them as cyber ethnic sound while the Musea bio calls them progressive rock. In a recent interview (Nucleus) the band describes a lot of details that I won't go into here. Anyway, this is a re-release of their debut CD, which was originally only released on the internet in 2002 at mp3.com. All of the drums-percussion is programmed and the music is pretty laid back and melodic, even though some of the tracks are uptempo. Luna plays some beautiful and amazing piano, very jazzy but I don't care much for her synthesizer work. IT is too new agey, sweet and sappy, not all that challenging. In the middle of the CD they perform a suite of 3 tracks by Ravel and feature the guitarist Tsutomu. Interesting to see that they have this man, Vagabond Suzuki pictured on the inside but he is not listed as playing on the CD. They forgot to list him under Flying Seed (found on the internet that he plays on this track). The CD also has a bonus track, UT06, which was not on the original internet release. The music is a little to mainstream light jazz for me….

http://www.musearecords.com
http://www.lu7.biz/
If you dig: Cipher, Pat Metheny, Lee Rittenour

Scott

Mainliners - Mainliners CD (Crusher Records)

This 6 piece Swedish band is back with their most mainstream record ever. The sound is not very raw and more slick Rolling Stones like rock and roll. I like the way the lyrics are written in the booklet like a story. The band plays straight up rock and roll with a commercial edge but not really pop music. While the Stones are big influence, some Dylan, Neil Young and others shine through as well. I am quite surprised theses guys are not on a major label… Grab your dose of kick ass Swedish rock and roll….

http://www.crusherrecords.com
If you dig: Rolling Stones, Soundtracks of our Lives, Neil Young

Scott

The Migrators - Goodbye Uncle CD

The Migrators are a band from Italy that have created this interesting Rock Opera, of sorts. They are inspired by Quadrophenia. Here is what the band has to say: "Goodbye Uncle" is about the sudden, but clear realization of one person - Shiny Kid - that the city he lives in is a Rubber city. He finds out that what he has always suspected as wrong around him is actually the very existence of the Rubber. He finds out too, that the production of Rubber is a plot. Behind that plot there`s one person - Uncle - and his victims are the inhabitants of this city, who by Uncle`s deceptions become the very producers of the rubber, Uncle`s slaves, and enemy to themselves and each other - therefore Rubberons. Moreover, they don`t have a slightest idea about what is going on, or what they are actually turning into, but when Shiny Kid begins understanding the truth, he immediately sets off to tell his fellow-citizens about the amazing discovery that can set them free. How will good win over evil, where will good come from, why didn't Shiny Kid become a Rubberon? How can Uncle be defeated ?

But is the music any good, do you want to hear this? It comes with a cool booklet with a picture for each song. Actually it is quite cool. The music features both male and female vocals and the music is pretty cool psychedelic indie rock with a melodic catchy mentality but it is quite interesting. A damn fine record.

http://www.migrators.net
If you dig: Some cool rock music that tells a story….

Scott

MOB - Polygon CD EP (Quartermain Records/Target)

Cph's own MOB just keep getting heavier and noisier and better and better with the years. With this EP, they've almost discarded their indie leanings in favour of a full-on noise onslaught - it's as if MOB and And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead are moving in opposite directions: While the latter have moved towards ever more melodic terrain, leaving behind the noise and heaviness that made them appealing in the first place, instead of mellowing, MOB have picked up their gear and wandered into the wilderness without fear, ready to plot new territory for noise rock to tread. Their findings so far are awe-inspiring, mining the same well of leaden roars that a decade and a half ago fostered Bathory's "Hammerheart", and it's a real treat just watching this band get more and more intense.

http://www.mobsite.dk
If you dig: Sonic Youth, And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead

Jon A

Monsters from Mars! - Surfing Through a Creepy Castle 7" (Tic Tac Totally)

Sure signs of spring: You shave off your hair, girls look gorgeous, you can't get any work done, and surf punk is fun. This is a little green slab of vinyl covered in skulls and drowned in reverb. They cover "Toxic" by Britney Spears - who probably felt that same spring itch when she shaved her head and is now shimmying away to obscure surf punk records in a clinic somewhere in California along with these guys. Let's hope they can put her off making more albums.

http://www.tictactotally.com
If you dig: Tremolo Beer Gut, Dick Dale

Jon A

Murder By Guitar - On Parade CD (Human Audio Records)

The Stockholm combo sports an impressive list of musicians from garage punk bands like Dixie Buzzards, Sons Of Cyrus, The Blacks, Rev. Savage & His Holy Rollers etc. Murder By Guitar differs a bit with their unashamed love for late70s English punk/new wave like Soft Boys and Buzzcocks. There's a quirky naïve pop feel to the 13 songs, but also some twisted moodiness. Fresh yet vintage sounding, Murder By Guitar is a trio that's fuckin' hard not to fall in love with!

http://www.myspace.com/murderbyguitarsthlm
If you dig: Soft Boys, Buzzcocks

Jens

Neurohumors - Cosmic Relief - A Neurohumors Anthology CD

The Neurohumors are a San Francisco based music collective lead by David Jayne. They have a rotating line up of members similar to the Øresund Space Collective and they also play largely improvised jamming music. The current line up features some members from the Open Space Music Project (http://www.openspacemusic.net/). Anyway, this is a 2CD-R anthology-compilation taken from the bands 56 San Francisco Bay Area live shows and 19 albums and EPs. All the music is improvised, except for the occasional used, borrowed or stolen them (My Favorite things,etc..). Disc A takes you from 1997 to 2003 and starts with the bands more ambient material and moves forward into the rock music and features 6 tracks from 3- 23 minutes. The 2nd CD 2003-2006 Rock moving towards Jazz, is quite a bit different from the 1st CD (that was the point of the compilation!). The opening track, Bringing 'em back Alive is a bit like instrumental Grateful Dead. Arriba, is a bit of a world music style track due to the cool drumming and guitar but then it gets totally spaced out at the end. Rise of the Phoenix, is 16 minute more experimental (jazz) psychedelic rock track. There are a few short tracks on here as well 2-3 minutes but they don't do much for me. Some interesting drumming on all these tracks but too short to develop into much. Conjuring Pradash features Gordon Anderson on Sitar, which makes the track quite special but be careful, the bass will blow your speakers out on this one if you are not careful. The CD ends with My Favorite things jam and features the piano player and also has a sax player. A great introduction into a unique collective of musicians.

http://www.neurohumors.com
If you dig: Open Space Project, Øresund Space Collective, Intrepid Improv, Steve Kimock

Scott

Ogre - Seven Hells CD (Leafhound Records)

This is the most kick ass old school 70s rock record I have heard in a while. Fucking amazing stuff. These guys just go for the throat on every track. The CD opens up with Dogmen (of Planet Earth), where they briefly borrow a riff from Capt Beyond at the beginning before the vocals (cool voice, a bit like a less whiny version of the guy from Sheavy) kicks in and the track develops its own kick ass rock and roll riff and the band just hit it hard and heavy and jam like a motherfucker with some ripping lead guitar for 8½ minutes! Solider of Misfortune (10 minutes) begins with some bullets and then a killer opening guitar solo before the slow doomy blues takes over…. Another great jamming track.. The Gas is quite doomy and Black Sabbath influenced and reminds me of Count Raven. Woman of Fire brings back the kick ass rock and roll and ending with some nice guitar soloing. Review your Choices is the only short song on the CD (3 minutes) but also a great one featuring the guitar with some tasteful licks! Sperm Whale, is a monster, like the title suggests, with a down and dirty blues doom riff and even features a drum solo like some of those records from the 70s! Fleash Feast, weighs in at nearly 14 minutes and ends this monster of a CD. This is a dark, evil a bit spacey track. Amazing…

Play this one fucking loud!

http://www.leafhound.com
http://www.ogrerock.com
If you dig: May Blitz, Count Raven, Church of Misery, Hidden Hand, Black Sabbath

Scott

On Broken Wings - Going Down CD (Alveran Records)

If Furious Styles (see elsewhere) show that you can still make metal core sound engaging in 2007, OBW are a perfect example of what's wrong with the majority of the bands in the genre: Way too many clichés, way too much attitude, and way too little inspiration to do anything other than follow the road that's been paved by all the other jocks before them. That, and melodic emo vocals. This is completely unnecessary.

http://www.alveranrecords.com
If you dig: Hatebreed, Terror

Jon A

Pigshackle - EPIG CD (Genin Records)

This is a 4 track Ep by a all instrumental UK band from London. This is a precursor to the full length CD that the band is working on. The band is influenced by bands like Melvins, Isis, Pelican and Shellac. The band apparently has quite a following in London. Anyway, the EP opens with Winged Snail of Golgotha, an instrumental track, which is not all that interesting, until the heavy end part. What Fisticuffs, follows and is quite melodic and dreamy and occasionally gets heavy and then back again. Sounds like quite an incomplete track? Tatsu maki sen pu kyaku is next and the the longest track on the CD at 6½ minutes. The band doesn't really take the track anywhere interesting. The CD ends with viderbeest/gernoo (listed as 19 minutes but most is silence until a strange synth thing appears towards the end). This is the heaviest drone-doom thing on the CD. I don't know, I just was not very impressed…

http://www.genin.co.uk
http://www.pigshackle.com
If you dig: Melvins, Pelican, Monkey 3

Scott

Pilotos - Thank God For The Devil CD

Swedish haddock's'roll with some stoner rock-ish influences. Insanely boring stuff with horrible vocals. An insult to hardrock, r'n'r and stoner rock - so dismal I'd almost rather be watching a Michael Bay movie, thank god the cd's only 23 mins long.

http://www.pilotos.se
If you dig: Boring scan rock

Jens

Pinboys - Teenage Wasteland CD (Iceberg Records/Off the Record)

Oh. This hurts. Deep inside. Feels like being stuck in front of MTV, munching down candy, letting the hours slip by. Really, there are so many better things to do with your life than to spend it on this kind of misery. For the record, this is the debut album from a Danish band that does pop punk with male/female vocal harmonies. According to their bio, they have 9000 friends on MySpace, which apparently is some kind of achievement for them.
If you like this kind of stuff, you're in the wrong place. And you're wrong.

http://www.iceberg-records.com
If you dig: MTV

Jon A

The Pink Fits - Fuzzyard Gravebox CD (Off The Hip Records)

I always draw a breath of relief when I receive a cd for review and discover it's an Australian band, cuz these r'n'r cavemen rarely disappoint. And Pink Fits follow that tradition. Hardass scuzz garage punkrock'n'roll that's fuzz crazed and rough edged yet melodic, and at the drop of a that, the band suddenly crank out an impressive soul tune like "Whistling Disco". Recorded live in less than 4 hours, "Fuzzyard Gravebox" shows that The Pink Fits is a force to be reckoned with. Off The Hip Records got another winner in their catalogue!

http://offthehip.com.au/
http://www.myspace.com/thepinkfits
If you dig: The Bored!, Stooges, Lazy Cowgirls

Jens

President Fetch : Cruel Beats...Gently Slumbering CD (Heptown Records)

To say that President Fetch is an institution in Danish punkrock is a gross understatement! This year, the Copenhagen boys celebrate their 20th anniversary with their 3rd album, "Cruel Beats...Gently Slumbering", their first in 14 years. And they've never sounded more vital and fresh than now, slaying every competition on stages around the country. And believe me, I see close to 300 bands every year, but only a handful comes close to rival the live phenomenon that is President Fetch! A lotta youngsters who never saw the band were in for a surprise last year (2006) at Gutter Island Festival, where President Fetch showed everyone who the undisputed rulers of Danish punkrock are! One could say the band is in their 3rd phase, music-wise, with wildman Molle as frontman and crazed energizer bunny. This phase is the one that takes no prisoners! Like good wine, the boys have aged gracefully and, by some ungodly influence, they seem more fit than any 18 year old hardcore kid. I don't know if they sold their souls to Beelzebub, but the 13 tracks on "Cruel Beats...Gently Slumbering" perfectly capture the energy of their legendary live performances, quite an accomplishment. To these ears, the album combines 3 of my favorite albums of all time; "Feel The Darkness" (Poison Idea), "Let There Be Rock" (AC/DC) and Turbonegro's "Ass Cobra". Hardcore/punkrock, rock'n'roll and hardrock all united in a sonic mushroom cloud packed with hearts, guts, balls and a swagger that only comes from perfecting your craft through decades of hard-earned r'n'r cred! Guest musicians include some well-respected peers from Baby Woodrose and On Trial. There you have it: the Danish rock album of 2007 - "Cruel Beats...Gently Slumbering"!

http://www.myspace.com/presidentfetch

If you dig: Poison Idea, Turbonegro, AC/DC

Jens

The Psyke Project - Apnea CD (Cph-sound/Bonnier Amigo)

With "Apnea", local pretty boys The Psyke Project have proven "Daikini" wasn't just a lucky shot. They've been able to evolve and bring the noise to another level with one of post-metal's most ambitious albums this year, in scope and execution almost equalling that of Converge's "No Heroes". At first, "Apnea" might sound as coherent as "Daikini", but after a few listens you start to realize how it all comes together and forms a dark, twisted whole. The sound is a lot clearer this time, and some of the songs are more melodic, all of which serves to make the album more accessible, but make no mistake: This is one gigantic monster of an album, and it's not something you're likely to hear your mom humming along to. With the possible exception of closing power ballad "Not In My Time", which is something of a venture for a band like Psyke Project, but they get away with it. Or maybe that's because of my weak spot with power ballads, I'm sure to some it's gonna be horrible. Nonetheless, this is an awe-inspiring effort that makes me optimistic for the future of not only Pyske Project, but metal as a whole.

http://www.cph-sound.com
If you dig: Converge, Mastodon, Neurosis

Jon A

Pure Country Gold - S/T CD (Empty Records)

Portland's Pure Country Gold's debut album is nothing less of sensational! This 2-piece's brand of garage punk, r&b, and blooze is rock'n'roll stripped to bone with basic raw melodies, not unlike The King Khan & BBQ Show, and to-the-point guitar strumming that'd be make old pappa Chuck Berry proud. 10 killer tracks in less than 30 minutes, just perfect. My favorite album of this issue!

http://emptyrecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/purecountrygold
If you dig: Mojomatics, The King Khan & BBQ Show, Dirtbombs

Jens

Radiopuhelimet - Viisi Tänteä CD (If Society)

This Finnish cult band has around for over 20 years or so, but I guess I'm too stupid to get their art-funk-punk. It's original and all, but doesn't really connect with me. For fans of The Pop Group and the more experimental side of NoMeansNo.

http://www.radiopuhelimet.net/
http://www.ifsociety.com
If you dig: The Pop Group, NoMeansNo

Jens

The Rotten Leprechauns 12" (Kadaver Records)

10 tracks of fast sing-along horror punk/hardcore that recalls bands like Misfits and Meteors. Most of the songs are in Danish and it's obvious these youngsters are dedicated horror film fans with the bloodspattered lyrics, but the anti-environment tongue-in-cheek "180 Oktan" is the funniest, Al Gore sure won't like it, haha. Although musicwise Rotten Leprechauns ain't breaking any new ground, they're pretty entertaining. My copy was in yellow vinyl limited to 100 copies.

http://www.myspace.com/therottenleprechauns
If you dig: Misfits, The Snipers, Meteors

Jens

Salmon - Rock Formations CD (Bang! Records/Munster Records)

Kim Salmon has ruled the Aussie rock scene for 30 years with godlike bands like The Scientists and Beasts Of Bourbon, so what's he up to in 2007? Speed Prog Metal!?! Well sorta. "Rock Formations" is a vicious and aggressive sonic kick in the nuts with no less than SIX guitars and TWO drums. Mr. Salmon means serious business, this ain't no limpdicked give-the-people-what-they-want release, as Penny Ikinger states; "If you have heart problems, avoid listen to it." There's hardly any singing on the album, just fast pounding crunching riffs from hell. Imagine Sabbath and Pink Fairies jamming with Slayer with a bit of a Hawkwind vibe. Still I don't think "Rock Formations" would appeal to the average metalhead. A very brave and uncompromising record, which is also released in a limited (to 500) gatefold double vinyl edition.

http://bang-records.net
http://www.myspace.com/kimsalmon
If you dig: Slayer, Hawkwind, Sabbath

Jens

The Setting Son - In A Certain Way/I'm A Loser CDS (Bad Afro)

When I saw Setting Son for the first time at last year's Bad Afro's 10 year birthday I think I described them as 'if Brian Jonestown Massacre sounded any good they might sound like Setting Son'. This is a bit more rock'n'roll, especially "In A Certain Way" which could have been on the first Baby Woodrose album. Great track! "I'm A Loser" is a bit more psych-ish, not unlike Golden Dawn. Speaking of Baby Woodrose, Lorenzo produced the 2 tunes and plays drums and little backing vocals. Recorded by the busy Ralph A. Rjeily at Black Tornado. Copenhagen's got a new killer act, welcome The Setting Son, I'm thirsty for more!
http://www.badafro.dk
http://www.myspace.com/thesettingson
If you dig: Baby Woodrose, Golden Dawn, On Trial

Jens

Snöwball - Baby's Got A New Deal EP 7" (Rabalder Records)

Last issue I reviewed Snöwball's excellent 13 track demo, and this debut EP is 5 tracks of that session, in white vinyl! "Sugarfix" period Dwarves gets a serious ballsy workover with a neat mix of speedy and midtempo songs packed with hooks, aggression and melody. Rocks harder than the final shootout of "The Wild Bunch"!
Snöwball consists of ex-members of Godless Wicked Creeps and Tæve.

http://www.myspace.com/inbedwithsnowball
If you dig: Early Dwarves & Supersuckers, Ramones

Jens

The Soul Survivors - Blow Your Whistle CD (Vampi Soul)

Vampi Soul reissued their 1968 funk psych masterpiece "When The Whistle Blows Anything Goes" last year. "Blow Your Whistle" has songs from "We The People" (1972) and "Salt Of The Earth" (1974), but unfornately the material isn't as strong and nowhere as soul rockin' as "When The Whistle Blows". Still there's some great funky dance tunes with a lotta bongo drum action, sadly also some tacky flyte. If you're into Sly & The Family Stone you will definitely groove to The Soul Survivors.

http://www.vampisoul.com/
If you dig: Sly & The Family Stone, Betty Davis, Jimmy Castor Bunch

Jens

Sideburn - The Newborn Sun (Buzzville Rec)

If you dig the 70's, you might find this record ok. If you don't, you will probably hate it. Sideburn plays 70's inspired hard rock. This can be fucking great with killer riffs and cool guitar solos. Unfortunately Sideburn never hits the nerve and the vibe convincingly enough. A major problem is the vocal that sounds like someone you have heard too often before. It's not a bad effort, but it simply needs something extra to go all the way. In this form Sideburn reminds me more of a coverband than a real band.

http://www.sideburn.nu
http://www.myspace.com/sideburnsweden
If you dig: Firebird, The Quill and Spiritual Beggars

Tomsen

The Spacious Mind - Gentle Path Highway CD (Goddman I'm a Countryman Records)

The Spacious Mind are really quite prolific these days and this new CD with 4 long tracks is heading back to the sound of the earlier days in some way, with some vocals and some intense psychedelic freakouts. The CD begins with Rider of the Woodlands for 17 minutes. A very hypnotic and spacey groove begins the track as it slowly builds and the mystery of the Rider begins to unfold.. At 8½ minutes the track really starts to take off out into space and it builds and builds an builds and then the guitar solo (buried in the spaced groove)… 17 minutes later….this leads straight into the title track, which is a more uptempo space rock jam like stuff on The mind of a Brother CD. Great to hear the band playing like this again as they do it so well, with all instruments melting into each other in a very psychedelic fashion, until the track dies out into a very spacey atmosphere. Honja is a slow and spacey track with a Pink Floyd vibe to it for the first 11 minutes before some vocal chanting begins and the heavy guitars kick in and the track really takes off. This band has such amazing dynamics going from the most quiet and spacey to really killer space rock. The CD ends with Civilization Blues and it is for sure not Blues unless you are from some alien world.. A very spaced out and strange piece of music.. Cool ending.. This band never disappoints!

http://www.countrymanrecords.com
If you dig: Pink Floyd, Bardo Pond, Acid Mothers Temple

Scott

Stolen Cars - Can't Stop Thee CD (Nicotine Records)

Old school garage r&b rock'n'roll with a neat mixture of raunch and catchiness. This band has been around for years, and their craftsmanship is pretty flawless - Italy's answer to the Fleshtones? Of course they steal/borrow like hell, "Criminal People" is basically Clash's "Janie Jones" with new lyrics, haha.

http://www.myspace.com/theestolencars
http://nicotinerecords.com
If you dig: The Fleshtones, Defectors, Cynics

Jens

Daryl Stuermer - Rewired- The Electric Collection CD (Unicorn Digital)

Daryl is famous for playing with Jean Luc Ponty, Genesis and with Phil Collins. This CD lets him show off his hard rocking side. A lot of the pop and easy listening synth stuff is still mixed in their with this very fusion style of playing on a lot of the tracks. On three of the tracks he actually plays all the instruments (synth, drums, bass and guitar). While I like a lot of his lead guitar playing I don't find the compositions all the interesting and a bit too polished and the pop music influences are just all too present. Think of the pop bands he has played in but with a more hard rocking and ripping guitar and this is what you will get…

http://www.unicorndigital.com
http://www.darylstuermer.com
If you dig: Mike and the Mechanics, Marillion, Genesis

Scott

Sula Bassana and Modulfix - Half Past Six CD (Sulatron Records)

This is a new release on the Sulatron label, with Sula Bassana (Synth, drum box, guitars, drums, flute) hooking up with Modulfix (Synth and sequencer) for a mostly improvised electronic music space out. If you like the Sula Bassana Sulatronics CD, you will probably dig this stuff as well. Elektrance begins with a repetitive synth sequence over which they layer all sorts of spaced out sounds. It is not at all techno music. A little over half way through it gets really spaced out and then picks up again. Schon is next and 9½ minute trip into ambient space with a chill out feeling to start but it evolves into a darker theme as it goes along. The Birds is the longest track at 15 minutes and begins with some recordings of Birds and then the strange synth sounds slowly bubble forth and some beats come in and an almost reggae like synth rhythm begins. The track continues evolve and devolve with the birds still churping away (both real and synthetic!). Von Menschenhand, is a darker track and features a cool guitar line, almost giving the piece an Eastern flavour at times as the synth oscillates back and forth. Real drums kick in and this one develops into a sort of space rock jam but still heavily dominated by the synthesizers. Great track.. The title track, Half Past Six, ends this pretty spacey electronic adventure. If you dig experimental electronic music, then you must check this one out!

http://www.sulatron.com
If you dig: Sula Bassana, early Tangerine Dream, Bionaut

Scott

Tangle Edge - Serpentary Quarters LP (Tangle Edge Productions)

Well, the amazing instrumental Norwegian band, Tangle Edge is back with their first studio release in almost 10 years! The LP begins with Emerald Mound (5:14) and some quite melodic guitar under which some heavy bass is played. Tom is laying down some interesting percussion and drums along the way. It slowly evolves. Transcendental Virtue Part I: Serene Processsion (18:59) is quite a different track. IT is lead by the bass (and this is not any normal bass playing, we are talking about!) and drums and then Ronald slowly layers over his very special guitar playing (quite Fripp like at times at the beginning of the track). The track is really an showcase for Ronald's outstanding guitar playing as Hasse and Tom push and challenge the composition. The track devolves into a strange push and pull between bass and guitar (making unusual, unnatural tones). Amazing stuff. Side B continues with Transcendental Virtue Part II: Beyond Elevation (14:52), where the real guitar melodically enters the picture and then Ronald just masterfully takes off and rips it up in the guitar as the whole band just push the composition to the next level. The bass playing is really incredible. The Seventh Tide (2:00) is a short sound collage or guitar loops and sounds. Strange.. The LP ends with Daidalos Hunt (7:49). The track begins with a a very tortured guitar under which a feedback like bass oscillates and then gradually kicks in as Tom is killing the drums. Ronald eventually takes control and rips off some cool guitar.

This is music for musicians to listen to and just get sucked into the playing of these guys and space out. . This is not music to rock out to. These guys play at a very high level and make challenging music. I am very willing to take the challenge, are you?????

http://www.tangleedge.com

Scott

Titan - A Raining sun of Light and Live for you and you and You CD (Teepee Records)

Wow… this is a damn cool record.. The opening track begins with some vocals and acoustic guitar but this is not what this record is about.. Is soon devolves into a heavy distorted monster of a sound with a huge organ driven jam. The 2nd track (there are no titles on the CD case or the CD and they don't show up on my computer!) begins with a heavily distorted guitar and organ jamming out once again but more intense and psychedelic but they bring it down to a cool spacey ending that leads into the monster 3rd track, which is a heavily Hawkwind (early) inspired freakout spacerock jam. One of the coolest I have heard in some time. Powerful stuff.. The track comes down to a sort of drone at the end which leads into the last and completely different trip… This track slowly builds up based on the synth and drums and gradually the guitar joins in, first with some feedback and then riffing as the track is totally tranced out. What a surprise and amazing CD. Take a trip with Titan..

http://www.teepeerecords.com/
If you dig: Hawkwind, Mystk Crewe of Clearlight, The Spacious Mind

Scott

Transitional Phase - Transitional Phase CD (Last Visible Dog Records)

This CD is taken from some jam sessions that members of SubArachnoid Space had back a few years ago (1998). The people playing on the CD are: Mason Jones (guitar), Melynda Jackson (guitar), and Chris Van Huffle (drums), Jason Stein (bass) and Gravitar noise-maker Geoff Walker (guitar, brass, vocalizations).It is pretty free form spaced out material with some added space your head sound effects. The CD is simply broken up into 7 pieces of music each entitled Phase One, Two… Phase Seven. The CD begins quite spaced out but eventually builds up into a psychedelic jam when the drums really kick in. Phase 2 is a mellow spacey piece. Phase 3 starts spaced out and then at around 4 minutes really takes off and can get quite noisy and far out.. Phase 4 has a load of harsh sounds and spaced guitars. Phase 5 is full on space rock jamming! Phase 6 is arranged around the bass playing. Phase Seven, is quite experimental, perhaps like Bardo Pond, with the layers of feedback and guitar noises. Experimental and quite far out….

http://www.lastvisibledog.com
If you dig: Sub Arachnoid Space, Øresund Space Collective, Bardo Pond

Scott

Valse Triste - Madon Luku CD (If Society)

This hardcore act has been around for 20 years. Very 80s hc sounding, pretty aggro with angry shouted Finnish vocals but fortunately there isn't much of a metal influence. It's okay, but I'm sure they would slay more on a stage.

http://www.students.tut.fi/~koivuluo/mainpage.html
http://www.ifsociety.com
If you dig: Septic Death, early Poison Idea, Rövsvett

Jens

Chuck Violence - Bandolero Mexicano 7" (Sin In Can Records)

Four tracks of honky tonk tex mex punk from a Brazilian guy who used to live in Mexico. Completely crazed and deranged but extremely entertaining stuff that makes you want to eat peyote, howl at the moon and chase senoritas. A must for fans of mad one-man-bands!!! Red vinyl, and sung in Spanish, mucho sexico.

http://www.myspace.com/chuckviolence
http://www.myspace.com/shitincanrecords
If you dig: Possessed By Paul James, King Louie, Hasil Adkins

Jens

Whiskey Daredevils - The Essential CD (Knock Out Records)

Ohio's finest roots rockers are back with a bang! Although a handful of songs have been recycled from their last album ("Greatest Hits", my pick of 2005), "The Essential" sports 20 flawless rockers that oozes with twangy swagger and humor. Be it country, r'n'r, blues, cowpunk, and rockabilly, Whiskey Daredevils is second to none! Why listen to indie Americana crap like Ryan Adams, when Uncle Sam's got geniuses like Whiskey Daredevils!?! Too bad I missed their recent Euro Tour, well this awesome record will ease the pain. BUY!

http://www.knock-out.de
http://www.whiskeydaredevils.com/news/
If you dig: Cowslingers, Eddie Spaghetti, Reverend Horton-Heat

Jens

YuñJan - Duos de Macabre: Watering the issue CD (Tangle Edge Productions)

In July 2001, Hasse and (former and now current) Tangle Edge drummer, Tom Steinberg hooked up for two days of bass and drum sessions. Hasse also plays electric guitar and slide guitar but it is mostly bass. The work sat around for some years before being picked up again and it was mixed in November 2006 by Hasse and Ronald (Tangle Edge Guitarist). What we have here is 2 hours of very intense stuff. Very experimental and difficult to describe and listen to. This is pure musical masturbation for bass players and drummers. These guys excellent musicians and are very creative and have created some pretty incredible pieces of challenging music. It is nothing like the RUINS or OM for instance. It is much more like jazz rather than riffs being played on the bass. There is some pretty amazing interplay between the two musicians. Not much more to say… if you like Tangle Edge and these musicians, you might want to get into this..

http://www.tangleedge.com
If you dig: Jazzy Drum and bass work outs

Scott

V/A - Bad Acid (Tab 4)

Bad Acid magazine is back from the Dead. Bad Acid was a cool magazine and record label that disappeared a few years back but is back in a totally new format with loads of cool articles and interviews (mainly). In addition, it comes with a DVD with a bunch of cool videos and a few hours of MP3 files as well. They cover the heavy doom stuff, the space rock, psych and just plain strange and experimental music stuff. The Danish psych scene is well represented in this issue with interviews and articles on On Trial, Dragon Tears and the Øresund Space Collective. Cool interviews with Sula Bassana, Vibravoid, Farflung, Church of Misery (on the DVD), Sourvein, Ramesses, Witch, Ufomamuut, Unimother 27, Grand Magus, Rose Kemp and many more… 102 pages plus the DVD and MP3. Several hours of stuff to read and watch. Well worth the money! Bad Acid- PO Box 6657, Poole BH12 9DW, England Send $12 or 11€. Includes the postage,

http://www.myspace.com/badacidmagazine
Scott

V/A - Knock Out...In 8th Round! CD (Knock Out Records)

A 70 mins comp of bands who mostly sound like oi versions of Social Distortion, 'cept for the mighty roots rockers of Whiskey Daredevil. File under 'B' for Boredom.

http://www.knock-out.de

Jens

V/A - Movers! comp CD (Vampi Soul)

Normally comps of a label's artists can be a drag, but the wonderful Vampi Soul label isn't such a deal. This sampler consists of almost 80 mins of mindblowin' soul, r&b, jazz, funk and 60s psychedelia that'll make you groove like baboon in heat! Some of the South American exotic psych stuff is especially amazing. File under 'S' for Sexy!

http://www.vampisoul.com


Jens

V/A - Ruf Records Anthology - 12 years where blues crosses over CD (Ruf Records)

RUF Records is a cool Blues label based in Germany. They released this great compilation that comes with a DVD to celebrate 12 years of releases. They have tried to include something from every year but they miss a couple, which is explained nicely in the booklet. The CD features some famous people and some less famous people (ones I don't know!). The highlights for me were hearing these kick ass female guitar players (Sue Foley and Ana Popovic) who rip it up on the CD and the DVD! The unreleased video of Luther Allison is quite cool. You get Robin Trower, Jeff Healey, Walter Trout, Canned Heat, Omar and the Howlers, and many others. IT is offered at a good price and quite a good value. I enjoyed it quite a lot!

http://www.rufrecords.de/
If you dig: The fucking blues!

Scott

V/A - Trip in Time Vol. 1 CD (World in Sound)

World in Sound is a German label dedicated to preserving the sounds of the 60's and early 70's and are totally into psychedelic rock! This is their first CD in a new series called Trip in Time dedicated to progressive psychedelic rock. This CD is all previously unreleased tracks except for Siena Root, Fantasyy Factoryy and Dragonwyk. Siena Root starts the CD with Mountain II found only on a 7" release. Vibravoid perform the cover of Mother Sky by CAN. Stoned Circus, give a live track from their reunion gig in Germany in 2005 (they were a US band from Kansas that split in 1972!). La Ira de Dios, from Peru, give a spaced out track called Eterna Ascencion. Treacle People perform a unique version of Atom Heart Mother by Pink Floyd. The folk-psychedelic rock group, Loxley Beade perform Fatty Morgana I & II. I H8 Camera, a experimental Dutch group perform a live version of Jeroen's Song. Ma-Nia, a German-Italian band also give a live track called Beautiful City. The CD closes with Karmic Society, performing a jam on Dark Star by the Grateful Dead. Quite a damn cool compilation!

http://www.worldinsound.com
If you dig: cool psychedelic rock compilations with unreleased tracks..

Scott