ALBUM REVIEW: Mountain Caller – Chronicle II: Hypergenesis


Mountain Caller’s latest release, Chronicle II: Hypergenesis (Church Road Records), is the much-anticipated follow-up LP to 2020’s Chronicle I: The Truthseeker. The London-based three-piece (Claire Simson on guitar, El Reeve on bass, and Max Maxwell on drums) perform mostly instrumental music that (so it is said) “[transcends] language and [communicates] through the universal language of sound”.

And, true to the words of the press hype in question, Hypergenesis does indeed cross musical boundaries in a way that, whilst not entirely new, feels burstingly fresh and urgent.Continue reading


PODCAST: Episode 228 – Duncan Evans Interviews Producer and Musician Marc Urselli About his “SteppenDoom” Album


 

Ghost Cult scribe Duncan Evans caught up with acclaimed music producer and artist Marc Urselli (U2, Foo Fighters) to discuss his new album Marc Urselli’s SteppenDoom, out now via Magnetic Eye Records. Duncan chatted with Marc about his producing career, the unique new album combining stoner doom with indigenous music, working with a bevy of special guests such as Matt Pike (Sleep, High On Fire), Aaron Aedy (Paradise Lost), Steve Von Till (Neurosis), Christopher Juul (Heilung), Dave Chandler (Saint Vitus), And Scott “Wino” Weinrich (The Obsessed) From The Metal Side, and masters of Throat Signing such as Alash Ensemble, Batzorig Vaanchig “Zorigoo”, Huun-Huur-Tu, Tanya Tagaq, Albert Kuvezin (Yat-Kha), and Alexey Tegin, and much more! Continue reading


INTERVIEW: Jesse Matthewson of KEN Mode Discusses “Null”


 

Like a deadly, grizzled beast that lurks in the shadows, KEN Mode emerges every few years with a new record, tearing off limbs as it goes, before skulking back into its pit. With September 23rd seeing the release of Null, on Artoffact Records — the band’s eagerly anticipated follow-up to 2018’s Loved — founder and singer/guitarist Jesse Matthewson talks about the new record and what keeps the KEN Mode fires burning. Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Gaerea – Mirage


 

Yes, I think I’ve figured it out. What’s that? Well, I’m listening to Gaerea’s Mirage (Season of Mist) and for whatever reason, my brain keeps bringing up modern-day Lorna Shore. How does that make any sense, you ask? The former is clearly a black metal outfit, while the latter traffics in the death metal – deathcore, whatever – side of things. Sure, but as stylistically distinct as they are, boy do both bands enjoy being self-indulgent.

How so?

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Neurosis Responds to Scott Kelly’s Admission of Family Abuse


 

TW for abuse.

 

Neurosis has commented on the shocking public admission by co-founder Scott Kelly about his systematic abuse of his family. The band has confirmed they knew about the abuse but were asked to delay revealing the information or going public at the request of Kelly’s wife. It would appear the band is officially confirming their end. Read the statement below.

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Scott Kelly of Neurosis Admits to Abusing His Family, Announces His Retirement from Music


 

TW for abuse.

Neurosis co-founding member Scott Kelly has publicly admitted to engaging in “the emotional, financial, verbal and physical abuse” of his wife and children. He also announced he is “100% permanently retired from being a professional musician,” adding that “my sole focus for the rest of my life is on taking care of my family, allowing them safe space to heal and rebuilding their trust.” Kelly is also a member of Neurosis-related projects Tribes of Neurot, Blood and Time, his solo musical output, supergroups Shrinebuilder and Corrections House, and as a frequent guest on Mastodon albums.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Grave Lines – Communion


 

Continuing down the same nihilistic and misanthropic path of their previous releases, southern England’s Grave Lines are back with their third bouncy and joyously upbeat full length, Communion (New Heavy Sounds). Taking the doom of Neurosis, the post-punk rock of Killing Joke and gothic punk tendencies of Bauhaus, the perpetually disgruntled four-piece return with a little more ambient experimentalism which, however momentarily, relieves at least some of the crushing isolation.Continue reading