Farid Aslanov - "Planetary Shift" [2012]

Artist: Farid Aslanov

Title: Planetary Shift
Genre: Ambient/Electronic, Soundtrack
Country: Azerbaijan
Release date: 2012

Track List:

1. Passive
2. Long Journey
3. Lost In Time
   

The latest release from Farid Aslanov up to date, this time more "cosmic" in atmosphere (as opposed to his previous EP, "War With The Z", which was intended to resemble a soundtrack for a zombie movie). As for me, it's too soundtrack-like, which makes it a little boring for ordinary listening, but I can't blame Farid for this - I understand he has a family and a lot of work which leaves little time for making music, plus he lives in a country where underground music scene barely exists. Perhaps I should try to contact him once again and ask him about his future plans and the current state of his main project, Mechanic Fist (I heard they've split up...)

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Abu Lahab - "As Chastened Angels Descend Into The Thoracic Tombs" [2011]

Artist: Abu Lahab

Title: As Chastened Angels Descend Into The Thoracic Tombs
Genre: Noise / Avant-Garde / Industrial Black Metal
Country: Morocco
Release date: 2011

Track List:

1. Sentient Graves
2. A Ripple of Matricide
3. Prayers of the Kyphosis
4. Fear-Induced Faith
5. To Stab a Pregnant Sun
6. Bismih

Very, very strange release from North Africa that definitely won't appeal to everyone. However, I found this (anti-)music actually interesting and carrying that atmosphere of insanity that most generic noise/PE/BM releases lack. Just look at the tracklisting - the music is just as weird as these song titles. Certainly not an album for everyday listening, but a good addition in a collection of weird/avant-garde DIY stuff from obscure countries. As for the moniker "Abu Lahab", it means "Father of Flame" and probably comes from the Islamic mythology where it's a nickname of Muhammad's uncle who later became one of his most staunch enemies.

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ID:VISION - "Destination Cybermind" [2011]

Artist: ID:VISION

Title: Destination Cybermind
Genre: Industrial Metal
Country: Belarus
Release date: 2011

Track List:

1. Enter The Cybermind (Intro)
2. Human Hazard
3. Zarathustra XXI
4. Eschato-Logics
5. World Wide Wrath
6. Pandora's Box
7. Destination Cybermind
8. Hi-Tech Knell
9. X-Ray Sun
10. Seven Days Before The Fall (Prelude)
11. Vośmy Dzień
12. The Man
13. Sic Transit Gloria Mundi

One more Belarusian band, one of whose members used to post on "M-Forum" ~10 years ago. Back then, he seemed to be quite immature (your typical "trve black metal" fan), but junging from this album, he grew up into a good musician. The best track on "Destination Cybermind" is probably "Zarathustra XXI", but the whole album is quite good and definitely recommended to every fan of industrial death/black metal (and what's important - it's officially FREE for download).

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Pulsar (BY) - "Civilization" [2005]

Artist: Pulsar

Title: Civilization
Genre: Power Metal
Country: Belarus
Release date: 2005

Track List:

1. The Voice of the Earth (intro)
2. Civilization
3. Fire & Ice
4. Eternity
5. Путь к фортуне
6. Солнце Бессмертных
7. Пегас
8. Орден Креста
9. Моя любовь, моя печаль

One more band named Pulsar, this time from Belarus and playing power metal. First I heard about them was circa 2003, when I used to read the "M-Forum" (probaby the only Belarusian metal forum back then). They were quite unpopular among the users of said forum (because it was considered "cool" to listen to BM and brutal death metal, not gothic or power metal), but I personally liked some of their promo songs ("Civilization" and "Eternity") very much, even though I couldn't find their first and only full-length album anywhere. Now I found it, and I have to say that the 2 songs I mentioned are indeed the best. "Fire & Ice" isn't bad either, but the rest of the tracks (with lyrics in Russian) are just generic power metal, and the album cover image is so stereotypical it hurts. "Civilization" and "Eternity" are very beautiful songs, though - a good example of power metal that's about more serious topics than fantasy and dragons. The vocal work isn't perfect, though, as well as the overall quality of production, but it's good enough for an underground metal band from the ex-USSR.

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Pulsar - "The Strands Of The Future" [1976]

Artist: Pulsar

Title: The Strands Of The Future
Genre: Progressive Rock
Country: France
Release date: 1976

Track List:

1. The Strands Of The Future
2. Flight
3. Windows
4. Fool's Failure

Second album by Pulsar, which is in my opinion better than their debut "Pollen". Excellent progressive/space rock, would be a perfect soundtrack for some French sci-fi movie or cartoon like "Les Maîtres du Temps" (I don't like its original soundtrack, except for the closing theme). After "The Strands Of The Future" Pulsar released one more album called "Halloween" (which wasn't as popular as their first two albums due to rise of punk rock scene, which seriously diminished the fanbase of classic rock), and then split up. Personally I found "Halloween" not as interesting as either "Pollen" or "Strands of the Future", but it's still definitely worth listening (won't post it here, though).

Pulsar - "Pollen" [1975]

Artist: Pulsar

Title: Pollen
Genre: Progressive Rock
Country: France
Release date: 1975

Track List:

1. Pulsar
2. Apaisement
3. Puzzle / Omen
4. Le Cheval de Syllogie
5. Pollen

And one more classic progressive/space rock release that may appeal to those who liked "Martian Chronicles" by Solaris. Listen to the whole album on youtube:

P.S. If you want to have "Pollen" on your HD as MP3, just use Google blogs search - I'm sure it was already posted in a lot of blogs.

Hidria Spacefolk - "Symetria" [2007]

Artist: Hidria Spacefolk

Title: Symetria
Genre: Progressive Rock
Country: Finland
Release date: 2007

Track List:

1. Symetria
2. Futur Ixiom
3. 322
4. Flora/Fauna
5. Radien
6. Sine

This Finnish band is often recommended to those who want something more in the vein of "Martian Chronicles" by Solaris. However, I think they're closer to bands like Ozric Tentacles in terms of sound, although the melancholic and "cosmic" feel is definitely present in their music too. They're also compared with such Hungarian bands as Korai Öröm and ColorStar, but I don't like both of said bands (or maybe I should give their albums one more listen?..) Can't say "Symetria" is a masterpiece (compared to "Martian Chronicles"), but it's certainly very good.