Saturday, November 20, 2010

Black Deal With Snow - "Raum Nie" [2002]

Artist: Black Deal With Snow
Title: Raum Nie
Genre: Dark Ambient
Country: Russia
Release date: 2002

Track List:
  1. When Time Goes Back
  2. Когда Скорбь Везде
  3. Надежда Скрыта Под Землёй
  4. Отмеряйте Свет На Своём Пути
  5. Конец Всех Начал Здесь
Black Deal With Snow is an one-man dark ambient project started by a member of Russian drone duo Exit In Grey. I could find only one photo of them - the creator of "Raum Nie" is on the right:

Not much more info is available about him. But the music is good, and quite simular to my own early ambient works at times (no, I don't want to make them public... but maybe I'll upload them if you ask me...)

Friday, November 19, 2010

Ritual Front - "Излучения / Strahlungen" [2008]

Artist: Ритуальный Фронт
Title: Излучения
Genre: Neofolk / Neoclassical
Country: Russia
Release date: 2008

Track List:
  1. Вечный огонь
  2. Лети, птица, лети
  3. Лиенц
  4. Человек против Времени
  5. Сон Европы
  6. Солнце движется к Северу
  7. Всеосень
In my opinion, it's the best album by Ritual Front, and the only one I've actually enjoyed. Their debut release, "Lightnings Over Crimson Hill", was just awful, and the consequent one, "Sun of the Dead", was listenable (but nothing really special), but this album is very good. Why do i think so? In the beginning of their career, they were unoriginal on many levels (starting from their name - (spi)RITUAL FRONT) and relied more on provocative "crypto-fascist" image and symbolism than on the quality of their music. However, now they managed to do a very decent release. "Strahlungen" is very melodic, and brings truly melancholic atmosphere. Ideal music to listen in early autumn...

Speaking of their ideology, it's interesting to see how they insisted to call their music "combat folk" in the beginning (in opposite to "dark folk" - because of combative nature of their music), and now their songs like "Сон Европы" contain a very apparent anti-war message. Moreover, now they're orthodox christians, even though they stated in their 2003 interview: "We don't have and don't want to have anything to do with orthodoxy and christianity in general, because we don't view it as any productive force" (see their interview in "Stigmata" zine for more info). Anyway, I don't care much about their beliefs as long as their music is good... and their lyrics aren't bad as well. "The flags here aren't the same, the rituals are forgotten, and the new truth came from over the sea, but we still are under the same cold sky, and the corn grows where the blood had been shed... the funeral marches shake the air, the eternal flame throws the light on our faces..." Well, my translation might be very rough, but I guess the message is pretty obvious (and not vey surprising, since WWII and its consequences is a very common theme in neofolk and martial industrial).

Monday, November 15, 2010

Gigantic Brain - "World" [2009]

Artist: Gigantic Brain
Title: World
Label: Mainstay Recordings
Genre: Ambient / Industrial / Grindcore
Country: USA
Release date: 2009

Track list:
  1. We've Reached the Stars
  2. He Became the Machine
  3. Debris
  4. Ember City
  5. We Are Gods
  6. We Come Together in a Hell
  7. Bacteria
  8. Burning Road
  9. World
  10. Colors of Bone and Blood
  11. Eons Pass
  12. Final Life
  13. Melting Brain
  14. Solar
  15. The God in the Flames
  16. The Living Sun
  17. Travel to Earth
  18. Station
This release by Gigantic Brain differs much from "The Invasion Discography" in terms of sound. Most importantly, there isn't much grindcore, it's mostly space ambient/industrial stuff. But the sci-fi and futuristic image is still present at it's best, and the whole album creates the atmosphere of a space journey from a transhuman point of view. Unfortunately Gigantic Brain isn't active any more after releasing his last album, "They Did This to Me" (which I haven't heard yet).

Gigantic Brain - "The Invasion Discography" [2004]

Artist: Gigantic Brain
Title: The Invasion Discography
Label: Razorback Records
Genre: Industrial Grindcore
Country: USA
Release date: 2004

Track list:
  1. Negotiations Lead to Instant Death (The Government is Obliterated)
  2. The Humans Military Confidence Lead to the Death of Them All
  3. The Most Gruesome Scene in the History of Mankind
  4. UnderPiglet Crawls the Earth at High Speeds Eating Anything with a Heartbeat
  5. In the Beginning
  6. Burrowed in Bodies
  7. The Eight Horned Beast
  8. The Grizzly Impalement, One by One
  9. Our Armies Fail
  10. Dehumanize (Ninja Gaiden NES cover)
  11. We Become the Earth (The First Stampede) - (Castlevania NES cover)
  12. My Family, Crushed (The Second Stampede)
  13. Not a Beating Heart, Not a Babies Cry
  14. Cities, Shelled Out
  15. Exo-Brain
  16. Exo-Destroyer
  17. Exo-Girl
  18. Ingrin the Freak (Sequel to Track 42 - Dungeon Freak)
  19. Oh My God
  20. Failure 01
  21. Failure 02
  22. Failure 03
  23. Failure 04
  24. Failure 05
  25. Failure 06
  26. Failure 07
  27. Animal Implant
  28. The Last Supper
  29. Invasion
  30. Bio-Casualties Inflicted by the Overlord
  31. The House of Feasting (Agoraphobic Nosebleed Cover)
  32. Total Humanoid Meltdown
  33. Ashes Fly, Like Butterflies
  34. Devoured for Science
  35. Puddles of Green
  36. Pump Action Decapitator
  37. Phillips Head Face Lifter
  38. Spiral Blood Stain
  39. One Small Town for Research
  40. Cheerleader Holocaust
  41. Creature Made of Bone
  42. Dungeon Freak
  43. Early Funeral
  44. Emotionally Unstable Mother of Four
  45. Finishing The Cake
  46. Hacksaw Kid
  47. Monopoly Money Millionaire
  48. My Aftermath
  49. No One Loves You
  50. Obey The Brain
  51. Obliterated by the Super Train
  52. Pigs In Space
  53. The Impaler Prince
  54. The Third Brand of Human
  55. Ultra-Maniac, Steve
  56. Together, We Make a Family
  57. Tech-Battle (Gigantic Brain playing over real drums)
  58. Intestinal Pott Pie (newer version)
  59. Intestinal Pott Pie (older version)
  60. Incredibly Deranged Piglet
  61. Tickling the Exit Wound
  62. Panty Pisser
  63. It's Been Sick.. So I Tried to Feed It More
This is definitely one of the best grindcore albums I've ever heard. I'm not a big fan of grindcore, but Gigantic Brain is an unique project which isn't like all that stupid generic porngrind/goregrind shit, or boring Napalm Death clones. Gigantic Brain is a concept project which uses "alien" and sci-fi imagery (more typical to industrial metal than to grindcore) and futuristic sound. And of course, a lot of black humour! (as an obvious influence of Agoraphobic Nosebleed) It's also worth mention that Gigantic Brain is a strictly non-commercial project (the man behind GB stated that he has made at most about 200$ from GB, which he started writing for in 2001), and all the albums (including this one) are free to download.

Terror Art (Romania) - complete discography

Artist: Terror Art
Title: 2 albums + some unreleased tracks
Genre: Anarcho-Punk / Post-Punk / Oi-Wave
Country: Romania
Release date: 1999-2000

Track List:
  1. Cu plamini de noroi
  2. De-as ave aun iatagan
  3. Dreptul la existenta
  4. Lasati ne sa respiram
  5. V-ati intrebat de ce?
  6. Virsta maturitati
  7. Voi meritati sa fiti negati
  8. Cuie galbene
  9. Erori umane
  10. Homo mioriticus
  11. Inoculand-ti zilnic
  12. Kosovo nu-i benzinarie
  13. Nu spune nu
  14. Puliver in tara liliputanilor
  15. Rezista
  16. Senatorii melcilor
  17. Tara tuturor posibilitatilor
  18. Zodia cameleonilor
  19. Artelere
  20. Copii sunt aruncati la gunoi
  21. With the bullet in her head
All I know about Terror Art is their biography entry on last.fm: "Romanian punk band formed in Craiova, during 1991, initially named Blockhead Busters, that very naturally mixed punk music with gothic and post-punk elements. Their strong political anti-capitalist, anti-communist and anti-fascist message is present in both albums, “Plamani de Noroi” (1999) and “Baricada Antifa” (2000), and evoke the powerful adjacent movement in Craiova, Romania, often using lyrics written by contemporary Romanian poet, Ionel Ciupureanu. Due to their antiestablishment lyrics, Terror Art was for years banned in their home city, Craiova".

Well, of course it isn't Paris Violence, but they do use a lot of new wave and gothic rock elements in their music, so if you like PV, you'll like at least some tracks by Terror Art. My favourite ones are "Stereotip", "Cuie Galbene" (which has pretty funny vocals, and even some overtones of ska), and "With the Bullet in Her Head". Honestly I'm surprised to see such innovative and politically charged band to come from Romania... Even though there's a fair share of interesting progressive rock bands from Romania - Luna Amara, Travka (Russians, please try not to smile at this name! ;)), Kumm, to name a few - Romanian punk scene is very scarce, and it doesn't look like Terror Art's ideology enjoys much support in there. However, TA aren't an unique phenomenon - many other Romanian punk bands (Radical Din Van, Critica Radicala) also play music highly influenced by new wave and post-punk...

Friday, November 12, 2010

Военное Положение - "Улицы Ждут Твоей Крови" [2010]

Artist: Военное Положение
Title: Улицы Ждут Твоей Крови
Genre: Oi! / Streetpunk
Country: Russia
Release date: 2010

Track List:
  1. Интро / Intro
  2. Рубеж / Borderline
  3. Дороже Жизни / More Worthy Than Life
  4. Горький / Gorky
  5. Улицы Ждут Твоей Крови / Streets Await Your Blood
Very good oi/streetpunk band from my home city, Nizhny Novgorod. The photo on the album cover is funny for sure, but I like their sound. Without a doubt, this is music of revolution. Looking forward for a chance to see these guys performing live.

The Bois - "Cream Of The Crop" [2003]

Artist: The Bois
Title: Cream Of The Crops
Genre: Oi!/Streetpunk
Country: Singapore
Release date: 2003

Track List:
  1. S.H.A.R.P. Skins
  2. Urban Streets
  3. Adelphi
  4. Pride And Dignity
  5. Loser
  6. Cream Of The Crop
  7. Stay True
  8. The Bois
  9. Chant Of Oi!
  10. Hooligans
  11. Skinhead Girl
  12. Real Enemy
Yes, Asian skinhead scene isn't limited to China and Japan! I heard there are a lot of skinheads in South Korea, and most of them are apolitical. As for The Bois, they're from Singapore, and the play music comparable with the best examples of Western oi/streetpunk. Honestly I didn't expect it to be so good! (especially the first two tracks). And yes, they sure are anti-racists, unlike some bands from Malaysia (but this is a separate topic which I'd explore later).

Anarchy Jerks - "Wuliao Contingent" [2005]

Artist: Anarchy Jerks
Title: Wuliao Contingent
Genre: Oi!/Streetpunk
Country: China
Release date: 2005

Track List:
  1. Women Juebu Tuoxie (Never Compromise)
  2. Oh! Sucks!
  3. Oi! Lai Ba! (Oi! Is Here)
  4. Dui Ni De Shenghuo Han Oi! (Oi! Is Life)
  5. Loser's R'N'R
  6. I Don't Know
  7. Cuowu (Mistake)
  8. Chinese Oi!
  9. My One Skin (Hard Skin cover)
  10. Ska Song
Anarchy Jerks were one of the first skinhead bands in China (if not the first). There's not much info about them except they're RASH from Beijing and have at least one more release (a split album with a band called Brainfailure). I downloaded their album "Wuliao Contingent" about an year ago from DC++, and now I decided to share it here. The music is surprisingly good, although naive. Definitely better than the music of their much more known countrymen, Misandao!

Aryan Disgrace - "Faggot In The Family" [1983]

Artist: Aryan Disgrace
Title: Faggot In The Family
Genre: Punk Rock
Country: USA
Release date: 1983

Track List:
  1. Faggot In The Family
  2. LAPD
And one more band very simular to NY Niggers in terms of sound. Aryan Disgrace were a typical "scum punk" band who played music mostly for fun and not for any serious plan. Due to their offensive lyrics, their 7'' even was censored:

"The most disgraceful aspect of this record is indeed its lyrics but not for what Craig Lee railed against. Imagine my shock and disappointment when I found a clean copy of the record only to discover that even the dirty words had been scrubbed right out of the grooves! Instead of "couldn't find a pussy", I got "couldn't find a NOOKIE". Instead of "he was sucking someone's cock", I got "he was STUFFING someone's SOCK"... with an added echo to boot! Huh? A censored version of a punk record? On a independent label in '83?"

But of course here's the uncensored version :) "There's a faggot in the family, if mama only knew!" (c). And i'm not sure if the original release had the same track list (7inchpunk.com says that the 2nd track was called "Teenage S&M").

N.Y. Niggers - "Just Like Dresden '45 / Headliner" [1979]

Artist: New York Niggers
Title: Just Like Dresden '45 / Headliner
Genre: Punk Rock
Country: USA
Release date: 1979

Track List:
  1. Just Like Dresden '45
  2. Headliner
N.Y.Niggers (New York Niggers) (NYN Records NYN 100, 7", 1979?)
Just like Dresden '45 (D. Runge) / Headliner (L. Faison)
Produced by L. Faison & D. Runge


This band's name is awesome for sure! That's why I started a search for their music, and I wasn't disappointed. I haven't expected such nice melodic sound for a late 70's punk rock band... but it's probably because I'm not very familiar with that kind of music in general. That's my fault, I probably shall look a bit more into early punk scene.

Not much is known about New York Niggers. However, you can find their biography and the lyrics for their first and only 7'' here.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Paris Violence - "L'Âge de Glace" [2001]

Artist: Paris Violence
Title: L'Age de Glace
Label: Islika Productions
Genre: Gothic Rock / Post-Punk / Streetpunk
Country: France
Release date: 2001

Track list:
  1. Le Crépuscule Des Idoles
  2. Douche Froide
  3. Psykhouchka
  4. Troisieme Nuit Dans La Bagnole
  5. Raison D'Etat
  6. Dans La Tourmente
  7. Non Conforme
  8. Dur D'Etre Un Ange
  9. Demi-Saison
  10. Aurore Glaciale
If you can't get enough of Amesoeurs' first and only album, here's some more French music which has very simular atmosphere. Meet Paris Violence, my favourite French rock band.

Paris Violence started in 1994 as oi/skinhead rock band, but their sound quickly became much more darker and gothic-influenced. Now they're playing an unique mix of streetpunk and gothic metal, with a lot of keyboards. As for "L'Âge de Glace" ("The Ice Age"), it's roughly 50/50 mix of punk and gothic rock/coldwave (I guess we can call it "oi-wave" ;)) with lots of keyboard too. Tracks like "Dur d'etre un ange" ("Hard to be an angel") even remind me of synthpop - probably because of vocals.

And where else can you find an oi/streetpunk band with lyrics influenced by writings of Baudelaire, Stirner, and Nietzsche? Yes, "Le Crépuscule Des Idoles" means "Twilight of the Idols"... and "Psykhouchka" is indeed about the punitive psychiatry! I'll upload the complete discography of this unique band a little later. Such a shame they're so little known outside France, and even I found them just by accident...

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Amesoeurs - "Amesoeurs" [2009]

Artist: Amesoeurs
Title: Amesoeurs
Label: Code 666 / Profound Lore
Genre: Depressive Black Metal / Post-Rock / Gothic Rock
Country: France
Release date: 2009

Track list:
  1. Gas in Veins
  2. Les Ruches Malades
  3. Heurt
  4. Recueillement
  5. Faux Semblants
  6. I XIII V XIX XV V XXI XVIII XIX – IX XIX – IV V I IV
  7. Trouble (Éveils Infâmes)
  8. Video Girl
  9. La Reine Trayeuse
  10. Amesoeurs
  11. Au Crépuscule de Nos Rêves
Lineup:
Neige: Vocals, Guitar, Bass
Audrey: Vocals, Piano
Fursy: Guitar, Bass
Winterhalter: Drums
Recorded in Klangsmiede Studio E during Winter 2008-2009 By Markus Stock.

"We, amesoeurs, are the children of this sad and metallic century; receptors capturing the aggressive and unhealthy waves of the industrial era. We have always been equally disgusted and fascinated by everything relating to cities and urban lifestyle, that is to say the endless rows of grey and threatening buildings, the throng of souls that they accomodate, the perpetual motion, the danger, the winding alleyways, the smoky and dubious bars, old graffitis, train stations, casinos and other hostile gaming rooms, the freezing neon lights, nightlife, technology, futuristic buildings, sex, depravation, poverty, anxiety, filth, the suffocating smells of pollution combined with sweat, shit and piss.
Human beings have been perverted, swallowed up by urban lifestyle, they have sold their souls cheap. We live in a hell made of metal and concrete where frightened men get lost and merge into one another like the insects of a gigantic hive. Shadows amongst shadows, they more or less carry out their shitty jobs and then drown their issues and sorrow in intoxication. Television, booze, cigs, and constrained laughs are the ways to forget...
The number of degenerates and depressives is increasing each day, narcotics are the latest fashion candies, streets are swarming with junkies and repulsive hobos, AIDS has infiltrated syringes left on public benches. It flows along with drugs, sperm and tears into the veins of the Metropolis.
We are neither intellectuals nor politicians and don't have any message to pass on. We just want to FEEL, contemplate and ECHO the sound that the modern world and its absurdities have inspired us with.
Amesoeurs is a spit, the only way we have to spew out the anxiety and frustration tied to the difficulties of existence and the pursuit of happiness in our modern society" - from band's myspace.

This release gave Amesoeurs a great popularity, but unfortunately the band had split up shortly after. The mastermind of the project was Neige (you may know him as a member of Alcest, Mortifera, Forgotten Woods and several other bands, and as a former member of Peste Noire). The vocals are mostly female, done by Audrey.

While having certain influences of black metal, overall it's definitely not BM, and more close to gothic/post-rock with an overwhelmingly melancholic atmosphere. The sound is very "cinematic" and suitable for a soundtrack to any "technoir" movie. Have you seen the animated movie called "Renaissance", for example? It's French too, done in black and white (just like the cover of this album), and uses the dystopian industrial/cyberpunk aesthetics. I like such kind of aesthetics a lot, and I'm thinking of making an AMV using the music by Amesoeurs and video samples from "Renaissance" ;)

Finally, I should make a conclusion that this mix of French pop, gothic rock, shoegaze and black metal has fairly deserved it's popularity. Sadly there wouldn't be any more albums, but we still can enjoy this one. Just like in case of I Shalt Become, I wouldn't place a download link here, but you can search it for yourself.

I Shalt Become - "Poison" [2010]

Artist: I Shalt Become
Title: Poison
Label: Moribund Records
Genre: Depressive Black Metal
Country: USA
Release date: 2010

Track list:
  1. Like a Lamb to the Slaughter...
  2. Black Swan Events
  3. Harlow's Vertical Chamber Apparatus
  4. No Quarter At the Somme
  5. Ghosts
  6. Leaving Watership Down
  7. The Swarming of the Locusts
  8. Doubt
  9. The Finest Cut of the Scalpel
  10. Absolve Me
This is the latest release of an American one-man DSBM project I Shalt Become, led by S. Holliman. I Shalt Become is often rumoured to be an NSBM band, mostly because it's first demo was released under the moniker "Birkenau". However, it isn't a political project, and S.Holliman has confirmed that the name "Birkenau" was chosen only to be a statement on the horrific nature of mankind.

For me, "Poison" is the best work by ISB. I wasn't much impressed by ISB's debut album, and I haven't heard two previous full-lengths ("Requiem" & "The Pendle Witch Trials"), but I really enjoyed "Poison". It's great depressive BM with symphonic overtones, even though the vocals may be done better... Without a doubt, it's very "wintry" and melancholic music. And is there a possibility for the track #6 to be influenced by R.Adams' "Watership Down"? Judging from the lyrics ("A prophet saw the fields run red..."), it's quite possible.

I wouldn't include a download link here, since it's a recent release, and you'd better buy it, if you live in the United States. Otherwise you can try to search it on mediafire or rapidshape (it's not too difficult).