by Marryah Noch Mulligore | Août 30, 2015 | Critiques, Critiques d'Albums
AHAB
«The Boats of the Glen Carrig»
Napalm Records
28 Août 2015
Bands that create their own sub-genres do not cease to wow me in this day and age- refusing to settle for a pre-established rule of thumb is a great way to raise the bar and keep a scene interesting, and in the case of funeral doom, I will say it’s not exactly the simplest feat to actually overcome the pull of your instinct to mimic your influences, according to what I’ve been hearing for the past nine years. When you come up to me and make me question this well-intentioned (and deep-seated) skepticism, I am forced to take notice of the very real fact that you are a noteworthy fascination.
AHAB are qualified as a «nautic doom» unit. «The Boats of the Glen Carrig» is inspired by the novel of the same name by William Hope Hodgson, published in 1907. The theme of this album is thus oriented towards sea monsters and the psychedelic dangers residing in the deep. So far into reading the latter description, I must say I was threateningly close to a deep-throated and sufficiently loud chuckle- and decided to discard the urge in order to focus on the music, and boy am I glad I re-oriented my attention span for a spell.
The meat of their approach to this sub-genre can be pinpointed in the very real fact that it does create an ambience that begs to differ from what I have previously heard in this region of the metal landscape in the last decade- I hadn’t heard this band before, and was much less aware of their approach to instrumentation. It consists of extremely roomy, down-played, and sufficiently unsettling down-tempo passages of stringwork that are accurately tailor-made to support the vocalist’s haunting melodies of self-flagellation; I would listen to this man weep all the way to Thursday without ever growing exhausted of his style and range. He does make us feel he is staring into space on a large boat in the middle of the endless black. The fact that those sections of the songs aren’t overcharged with heavy instrumentation- it serves the purpose of creating a valley where raw emotion begins to build to a crescendo where the stout and sheer aggression of the electric guitar can begin to pour in with a legit effectiveness for a truly poignant impact, because a sense of momentum is definitely up in the air already.
The intricacies of the contrast between the lush subtleties of the elaborate evolutions of the melodies present in the midst of those lengthy tracks and the truly primal and instinctive slabs of searing, escalating pain of the giant hooks scattered throughout- it makes for a perfect balance that truly gets one to understand this tableau in all its feverish glory. It works just as well within a long-winded (but deeply and traumatizingly breath-taking from top to bottom) fifteen minute epic as it slays its way right into your list of essentials in a more compact format (read: «Red Foam (The Great Storm)») where the direct and chemically-induced mesh of both aspects of the sound seems to shine even more strikingly as we begin to discover the wonders of what happens when AHAB starts to sound more accessible while retaining a positively startling know-how in terms of the elaboration of progressive melo-doom epics that breathe a little easier and secure your need to dive back in again for the sheer pleasure of the immediate familiarity that reminds me of how OPETH used to be simply marvelous in the realms of this specific craft whenever they let their hair down and favored some level of simplicity without losing their core identity. Granted, this one record, for the band we have here, is mostly about elaborate tracks- they never over-stay their welcome, but I would like to see them laddies take notice of the fact that they can do both formats and actually reap stunning revelations from a direct mish-mash of all the traits of their personalities within a shorter song duration.
That being said, I will gladly come back to this full-length time and time again with an intensifying hunger for more discoveries within each number. This is a grower, for both the initiated and the naysayers of the funeral doom genre. It comes with the types of twists you will not be able to overlook without coming across as a petty snob that doesn’t know their shit quite enough.
–Noch
by Marryah Noch Mulligore | Août 26, 2015 | Critiques, Critiques d'Albums
HAMMERCULT
«Built for War»
Steamhammer/SPV
4 September 2015
Just think for a minute ’bout what would happen if you blended NWOBHM, oldschool punk, sleazy «biker» groove rock, melodic viking metal and razorsharp modern thrash, and y’pretty much get the general picture of what «Built for War» is about in technical terms- I do, however, adamantly and passionately defend the point that this record is about the fucking feel, grit, and lethal wildfire of the delivery. Where HAMMERCULT is concerned, I wouldn’t give half a rat’s arse if they suddenly ended up switching gears all the way from vintage rock to swedish death metal- they can blend sub-genres in any way they like- the way they bring the goods is as effective as it is because of their commendable attitude problem I love them for so damn much.
In layman’s terms, if you want to guzzle on adrenaline and feel so energized as a result you don’t give half a living fuck about where you are and what you’re doing to the point where you can hardly touch the ground, this is what you wanna spin. This is like a wild and fairly breck-neck ride down a highway where not a single civilian is around for their typical sole purpose to cut across or slow you down.
Saying I’m impressed with the versatility of the guitarwork we have here would be a dramatically astounding under-statement. Guitarists Guy Ben David and Yuval Kramer work together with sticksman Maayan Henik to pull you into this deadly, high-voltage realm of unforgivingly tempestuous song structures that, as mentioned above, range from one style to the other within the often noteworthy short span of less than three minutes, effortlessly steamrollin’ through verses that will burn across flesh with their immediate sex-appeal, interweaving with choruses that are infectious and just as effective everytime they’re back into the framework (as opposed to being a corny annoyance); solo sections don’t appear to be scheduled or force-fed given the varied approaches to such passages, going from wondrously technical speed-riffery to more introspective and luxuriously melodic licks that have a way of making these tracks feel roomier, and slightly more akin to what one would appreciate on a 3 INCHES OF BLOOD record (RIP). The vocals also aptly melt one’s fucking face off with its clear intent to simply grate through your skull ’til you’re gone- that and a bag o’ chips.
This thirteen-track long-player zooms right past you, leavin’ ya so bruised you’ve had no time to process nearly all of its awesomness before it’s done and you’re left physically needing more. This is a dose of high-volume danger you might want to appreciate as it slices through you and allows you to love every minute of the fucking wreckage- really, in other words, I might as well say it’s how metal should always be brought to the table. This type of authentic and merciless onslaught of an approach is simply necessary to make me take notice.
-Noch
by Marryah Noch Mulligore | Août 7, 2015 | Critiques, Critiques d'Albums
SPEEDTRAP
«Straight Shooter»
Svart Records
11 Septembre 2015
*Scroll down for English version
Je vais le dire tout de suite que si vous n’avez pas entendu le premier album de SPEEDTRAP «Powerdose», vous devez revenir en arrière et mordre à belles dents dans ce début remarquable pour la nature dépouillée et hargneuse de cette collection de morceaux. Cet album coche toutes les bonnes cases quand vient le temps de mettre la scène finlandaise à l’avant-plan de ce qui importe dans le domaine du rock and roll NWOBHM et pour ça, il faut remercier un groupe qui n’en était qu’à ses débuts avec un album qui sonne comme la destruction complète et totale d’un local de pratique avec une production demo’ish qui rend le son plus organique, ce qui rend le message clair sans fioritures ou conneries non nécessaires pour prouver le fait que ces mecs sont des leaders du pack et qu’ils méritent leur dû.
Sur leur deuxième album «Straight Shooter», ils ont élevé la barre afin de clairement définir et exposer leur arsenal d’armes d’une manière qui en fait une machinerie distinctement mature et rodée correctement. Ils ne sont pas simplement des rockstars en devenir qui trippent à pratiquer dans un local poussiéreux au dessus d’un pub (pas que j’en ai déjà eu assez de cet esprit spécifique de leur précédente incarnation sur le premier album, et je serais heureuse d’écouter un plus grand nombre de ce type d’enregistrements crus qu’ils ont en dehors du dit LP), ils élargissent la portée de leur approche en modifiant à l’occasion leur style de speed riffing en des trucs plus structurés qui vont du rock qui pourrait passer à la radio jusqu’à des schémas de pensée «off the rails» et l’exécution de chansons qui mettent en valeur plus d’imprévisibilité dans la variation de leur progression, ce qui confirme que leur ancien bassiste Markus Hietamies a fait une brillante décision en optant pour le kit afin de forger un cadre solide pour permettre à la formation de devenir plus créativement maniaque- l’ex-guitariste de RANGER Jaakko Hietakangas est aussi très polyvalent et sait s’adapter aux break-neck meltdowns de ce groupe, au même titre qu’il garde les yeux ouverts pour les moments où des sections rythmiques plus étoffées doivent être mises de l’avant dans les portions de l’album qui sont plus décontractées dans la façon dont ils prennent la grande route.
Cette formation est, à mes oreilles, prête à frapper les arénas et faire des tournées avec les bands qui sont de l’extérieur de la Finlande, afin de prouver que ce pays est d’une nature très symbolique au cours des dernières années quand vient le temps de faire revivre une scène que beaucoup de vieux détracteurs grisonnants (comme Gene Simmons) adorent considérer morte et stérile. Je ne peux pas dire que ça m’arrive souvent d’être aussi impressionnée par un groupe qui décide de sortir l’artillerie lourde à son 2ème album. Une chose est certaine, le délai entre les deux parutions de SPEEDTRAP a été mise à profit, ce qui est clairement perçu par mes oreilles. Ils ont pris le temps qu’il faut pour travailler leur art au point où ils étaient effectivement prêts à montrer qu’ils ont haussé leur jeu d’une coche et même plus. Je serai heureuse de prendre ce type de préoccupation pertinente pour la qualité par opposition à une hyperproductivité prétentieuse qui sert de remplissage parce que c’est comme ça que les vrais rockeurs doivent traiter cet art qui les pousse à botter des culs avec un petit sourire baveux aux lèvres et le doigt bien tendu dans la face de l’autorité.
Noch la Décapiteuse
I’m gonna say right away that if you haven’t heard SPEEDTRAP‘s debut album «Powerdose», you simply gotta go back and sink your teeth into those fucking outstanding beginnings because of how stripped down and gnarly this collection of tracks happens to be. It pulls out all the goddamn stops when it comes to bringing the Finnish scene on the forefront of what matters in NWOBHM-roasted rock and roll thanks to a band that had then only gotten started; this whole record sounds like the complete and utter destruction of a rehearsal space with a demo’ish production that makes it sound more organic, making the message clear that no frills or bullshit are required to over-polish the fact that these dudes are leaders of the pack without the poofter pretense attached to the latter title that they certainly have made it clear they deserve.
On their sophomore «Straight Shooter», they stepped up the plate in order to clearly define and properly expose their array of weaponry in a manner that makes them more of a distinguishably mature and well-honed piece of machinery. They’re not simply rockstars in the making having a ball rehearsing over a pub no more (not that I’ve gotten nearly enough of this specific spirit of their earlier incarnation and I would gladly listen to as many raw recordings as they’ve got outside of that first LP)- they expand the scope of their approach by turning their brand of speed riffing into more structured affairs that range from accessible radio rock type of teases all the way to more off the rails patterns of thought and execution with songs that showcase more unpredictability in variation of pacing, which definitely makes it blatant that their former bassist Markus Hietamies has made a brilliant decision by switching to the kit to forge a solid framework to allow this lot to go properly and more creatively manic- ex RANGER guitarist Jaakko Hietakangas is also very versatile and knows to adapt to this band’s break-neck meltdowns as much as he keeps his eye open for the moments where meaty rhythm sections must be on the dot to bring the goods in sections of the album that are more casual in the way they take the high road.
This unit is, to these ears, ready to hit the arenas and tour with acts that are from outside of Finland, in order to prove that the latter country is of a very symbolic nature in recent years when it comes to reviving a scene many old and greying naysayers (such as Gene Simmons) love to assume is dead and barren. I can’t say I manage to often be this impressed in the case of bands that are comin’ out the woodwork with what is merely their second long-player. One thing is for certain, the delay between SPEEDTRAP‘s releases has a use that is clearly picked up on by these ears- they have taken the time it requires to fully work their craft to the point where they were ready to actually show they have upped their game and ante, and I’ll gladly take this type of significant concern for quality over pretentious and wanky filler hyperproductivity any day, because this is how true rockers treat the art that gets them moving onward and kicking life up the shins with a shit-eating grin and a finger up the face of authorities.
Noch la Décapiteuse
by Marryah Noch Mulligore | Août 5, 2015 | Critiques, Critiques d'Albums
YELLOWTOOTH
«Crushed by the Wheels of Progress»
Orchestrated Misery Recordings
2015
*English version follows
Je dois absolument dire que YELLOWTOOTH est le secret le mieux gardé de la scène stoner (ou devrais-je dire qui correspondait jadis à ce «mold stylistique» alors qu’ils se limitaient à ce sous-genre). Si j’ai un espoir, c’est que leur deuxième album va convaincre le monde que ce groupe mérite plus de visibilité. Leur approche devient certainement de plus en plus difficile à catégoriser. Mettons que c’est construit avec des influences de DOWN, ALABAMA THUNDERPUSSY et CLUTCH mais ne se contente pas de seulement mixer le vintage sludge avec une obsession marquée pour la fondation du blues. Sur cet album, ça vire carré dans le heavy metal avec l’énergie et l’arsenal groovy qui flirte avec le mode d’attaque qu’on associe à PANTERA. C’est avec le couteau entre les dents qu’ils ont travaillé à rendre les riffs encore plus tranchants en plus d’avoir ajouté un sentiment d’urgency aux percussions, et je peux ajouter, plus de clarté, de volume et de «breathing room» dans la production. Ces éléments font que YELLOWTOOTH sonne comme une gang de dudes fidèles à eux-mêmes qui réinventent leur back catalogue d’une manière telle qu’on se ramasse fichtrement surpris de ce qu’on entend en termes de nettes améliorations même en tant que fan pur et dur déjà satisfait par la puissance de leurs débuts.
Noch la Décapiteuse
I gotta say man, YELLOWTOOTH is the stoner rock scene’s best kept secret (or shall I say, -formerly corresponding to that latter sub-genre limitation-); if I have one hope, it’s that this second outing of theirs will convince the world that they need more exposure. Their brand of metal is one that is now hard to categorize; it builds on the foundation of solid DOWN, ALABAMA THUNDERPUSSY and CLUTCH influences, but it doesn’t remain content with the simple endeavor to mix vintage sludge riffs with complex meditations on the foundations of blues. On this one record, it turns into straight up heavy metal with the stamina and firepower of grooves of PANTERA‘esque proportions. A lot more teeth-grinding emphasis is being put on making the riffs sound more cutting, with an added urgency to the drumming- and, if I may add, more clarity, volume, and width to the production. Those elements make YELLOWTOOTH sound like a stalwart version of themselves that’s eating up their back catalogue and spitting it right out in our faces as a transformed formula that is far-reaching, and outstandingly even better than what I already expected as a diehard fan.
Noch la Décapiteuse
by Marryah Noch Mulligore | Juil 29, 2015 | Critiques, Critiques d'Albums
ANTROPOFAGO
«Aera Dementiae»
Kaotoxin
14 Août 2015
*Scroll down for English version
C’est facile de s’emmerder avec du niaisage trop technique et je suis particulièrement tranchée là dessus. Afin de rester dans la mémoire et garder un «staying power» à travers les années, un album doit avoir de la substance et de l’âme; trop de formules scientifiques et de cassage de tête mathématique, ça peut faire perdre toutes traces d’émotion à la progression des riffs. Et c’est autant le cas dans les albums concept de métal symphonique progressif que dans la sphère du métal extrême. Et ce n’est pas de la bullshit que je dis là. Des groupes comme DEATH ont montré aux metalheads qu’il est possible d’être introspectif sans perdre de vue le but premier d’exprimer un message à l’état brut. Certains ont appris la leçon tandis que d’autres ont simplement décidé que cette capacité n’est pas donné à tous, car c’est un genre de don des Dieux (réaction classique des paresseux qui ne veulent pas se forcer plus que ça).
Je dirais que les Français ne sont pas du genre, d’un point de vue général, à dormir sur la switch. Si on regarde l’histoire du death et black metal français, on voit bien qu’ils n’ont jamais senti le besoin de s’emprunter une identité. ANTROPOFAGO nous montrent à leur tour qu’ils connaissent leurs propres racines. Ils n’ont pas oublié l’importance de leur colonne quand ils ont décidé de nous anéantir avec des pièces qui devraient faire réaliser à DYING FETUS qu’ils ne sont pas seuls dans leur party. Ils ont concocté des riffs qui ont du groove tout en gardant une progression qui, bien qu’abstraite, pointe vers une direction avec une intention alimentée par flair pour l’art dans le contexte de l’agression, et par un mépris évident pour la simplicité ennuyante et pré-fabriquée. Ces gars-là sont l’antithèse du «faisons du noir et blanc et laissons-les choisir leur extrême préféré». Ici, vous devez accepter de vous perdre et retrouver votre chemin seul dans un labyrinthe de la mort, en vous contentant de ce que vous aurez rapporté comme souvenir sanglant de l’expérience à chaque fois; vous devrez y retourner mauditement souvent pour en explorer les recoins.
Avec des envolées qui vont du deathgrind au progressive death thrash en passant par des jams groovy old school qui se veulent plus pesant et crasseux et qui célèbrent comment une série de hooks de malades et rebelles (tout à fait anarchy-hugging et war-mongering) devraient être enfilés pour créer des chansons que les autres groupes voudront reprendre. Cet album a pas mal tout pour prouver que ces gars-là ne veulent pas juste montrer un aspect de leur personnalité. Ils osent exploiter tout ce qu’ils font de mieux en termes de talent sur cet album, ce qui forme un tout concis et qui ne manque vraiment pas de couilles. C’est du brutal à souhait.
Préparez-vous à être assommés si vous n’avez encore jamais été invité à une de leurs pendaisons publiques avant aujourd’hui.
Noch la Décapiteuse
It’s easy to get bored with over-technical wankery and I’m adamantly vocal about that particular fact. In order to capture memorability and an enduring staying-power, a record’s gotta have substance and soul- too many mathematical calculations can rob riff progressions from their intended feels. It is as much the case in progressive symphonic concept albums as it clearly is in the extreme metal sphere. There is no bullshit to be found in that statement- bands like DEATH showed the world that it’s possible to get introspective without losing sight of the fact that you’re striving to express yourself all the same. Some learned from that very lesson, while others simply contented themselves on the supposition that this type of a healthy balance is reserved for the gods (which is quite blatantly the lazier, most popular route to take).
I would say the French are, in very general (but still truthful) statistical fact, not the type to fucking sleep on the switch. According to their black metal and death metal history, they don’t see the point of half-assing their quest for identity. ANTROPOFAGO make it clear as a handful of nails to the face that they’re not confused about who they are, either. They don’t forget the importance of their spine as they proceed to annihilate us with the types of song-structures that would make DYING FETUS look up and take notice of the fact that they’re not hanging out alone in their club house. They cook up riffs that have groove, and a progression that is, though abstract, actually pointing to a direction that is alive with an intent fuelled by an artistry in the sheer aggression and bleakness of what is being expressed at such sheer velocity – and out of obvious contempt for the «bang boom poof» type of fucking bored simplicity. Them dudes are the anti-thesis of «let’s settle for black and white and force ’em all to pick one extreme». Here, you gotta accept to find your way through the maze, and accept what sticks with you at the end of each ride, cos you gotta be on it multiple times to appreciate the subtleties of the scenery.
From complex deathgrind flourishes to melodic and dissonant progressive death-thrash numbers, down to groovy oldschool jams that are more focused on getting dirty, filthy, and celebratory of how a rebellious anarchy-hugging, war-mongering series of party hooks should be stringed together to make for songs that you want to cover with your own band- this record has it all, proving that those guys aren’t simply about showing one single trait of their personality. They dabble in everything they do best, which makes for a stout, grandiose slab of diverse brutality that has a clear and well-defined voice, but also some fucking guts to boot.
Prepare to be stunned if you’ve never been invited to these guys’ type of beers & grill before now.
Noch la Décapiteuse
