Post-Mr Bungle’s dissolution in the early 2000s, Clinton “Bär” McKinnon relocated to Melbourne, Australia with stacks of material he’d written originally for the Eureka, California eccentrics. Thereafter, the formation of Umlaut followed, and a line-up that currently reads as the aforementioned McKinnon – Tenor Sax/Flute/ Clarinet/Keyboards/Guitar/Lead Vocals, Angus Leslie – Guitar/Backing Vocals/Keyboards, Bassist Shane Lieber, and recent addition Danny Heifetz (ex-Bungle) on Drums.
Tag Archives: album reviews
EP REVIEW: Phobetor – A Solitary Sigil
For Metal to feel its heaviest, it must also hold with the powerful attack of the guitar, a bleak emotional darkness to it, or it is just guitars beating your ears as fast as they can.
Phobetor has succeeded in finding the sweet spot here with their new album, A Solitary Sigil (Black Jasper Records).
ALBUM REVIEW: Scalp – Not Worthy Of Human Compassion
If the name doesn’t give it away already, Scalp is your one-stop shop for anything and everything devastating enough to rip the top of your dome clean off.Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Hell – Submerus
On Submerus (Sentient Ruin Laboratories/Lower Your Head for digital), his fifth full-length from Hell, the sludge project leans into a nasty wall of downtuned rumbling. This wall of rumble is set behind the tortured screams of someone who’s more intent on losing their mind than adhering to the bounds of songwriting. It feels more like someone who create art from a dense heavy sound, that is impressive due to it’s sheer heaviness, but in consuming an album the goal would be for the music to hook you in rather than a test of endurance as to what you ears can stand at high volumes, though not to kink shame anyone who is into sonic masochism.Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Tèlma – Ανθρωποβόρος
Heavily rooted in the traditional Doom Metal-centered alignment, Athens-based Tèlma has consistently presented melancholic sounds with ceremonial atmospheres. They have been around for roughly eight years and are profoundly inspired by many names across the globe when it comes to musical influences – including Russia’s Scald, Finland’s Reverend Bizarre, and Chile’s Procession – though most listeners probably also can sense some Candlemass-esque hints of references in their sounds.
ALBUM REVIEW: Red Brick – Thrown
Just one quick look at the cover of Thrown (Horror Pain Gore Death Productions), the debut album from Philadelphia duo Red Brick, tells you everything you need to know. The next twenty minutes or so is not going to be an easy ride.Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Toxic Youth – Still Hungry
Sometimes you just need a good thrashy, Crossover Punk band to get your blood pumping. Toxic Youth have been dishing out what you crave now for thirty-five years with no signs of slowing down. Their latest album, Still Hungry (Time To Kill Records), continues that mission statement relentlessly for over thirty minutes.Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Hypomanic Daydream – The Yearning
Hypomanic Daydream is the brainchild of an artist who goes by the name Manic Dream Girl. The Yearning (The Fiadh / self-release) is Hypomanic Daydream’s first full-length, following a split album and two EPs. Almost everything on the record, including the mixing and artwork was done by MDG herself, with some bass clarinet solos by Quetzal Tirado and additional drum production by Garry Brents (Gonemage, Sallow Moth, many other projects). Mastering was handled by Breandan Sloan (Convulsing).Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Pixel Grip – Perceptide: The Death of Reality
Are you feeling sexy? If the answer is no, that is about to change once you press play on Pixel Grip’s Perceptide the Death of Reality. The grooves on this album will stir your loins in a way that will have you side-eying that jar of Vaseline you’ve been too depressed to touch in weeks. There is a bit of foreplay to set the mood as it opens with an atmospheric pop song that simmers with introspection. Rita Lukea is very aware that singing is a lot like sex, as it requires putting your heavy breathing in all the right places, which she has mastered on “Bet You Do.” This gives the song a sensual slither that licks your ears and tells you to turn the lights off. Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: In The Company Of Serpents – A Crack In Everything
Since their inception in 2011, Colorado Sludge trio In The Company Of Serpents have slowly but noisily gone about making a serious name for themselves in the Stoner Doom scene. With four albums already under their belts, the fifth comes in the shape of an independently released behemoth, A Crack In Everything.Continue reading