Horrendous - Ontological Mysterium (Season Of Mist)
Oh shit, this is fucking brilliant. Sorry to swear but it really is. It the accompanying stuff mentions that it's for fans of bands such as Death, Morbid Angel, Pestilence, so that's already a win in my book. Weirdly I'd never heard of this band before this fifth album but I wish I had as Horrendous tick so many boxes for me musically.
Oh shit, this is fucking brilliant. Sorry to swear but it really is. It the accompanying stuff mentions that it's for fans of bands such as Death, Morbid Angel, Pestilence, so that's already a win in my book. Weirdly I'd never heard of this band before this fifth album but I wish I had as Horrendous tick so many boxes for me musically.
They play incredibly technical death metal that finds itself thinking outside of the box with inventive compositions, virtuoso instrumentals, expansive vocals and nothing being off limits. Following up their very off-kilter 2018 album The Idol, Ontological Mysterium streamlines it all for a 37 minute rampage though varying styles that are kept within the extreme metal remit, the album recorded by the band jamming and just recording before refining to what you hear now.
Harking back to their 2015 album Anareta, Ontological Mysterium is inspired by classic metal in the dual leads especially as Matthew Knox and Daminan Herring trade off on every song, both with their guitars and their vocals too, from the opening 2 minutes of The Blaze Horrendous, win you over with the nasty vocals and guitar playing, diving into the blistering shred of Chrysopoeia (The Archaeology Of Dawn), as Jamie Knox's drums set a unnatural pace; slowing, quickening and adding jazz flourishes to the death metal blasts. As the 7 minute epic continues pay attention to Alex Kulick, going on flights of fancy with the bass playing, not content with just giving rhythm, at times he's playing a different song entirely.
The lack of fear in what a death metal band should sound like is obvious on Ontological Mysterium, the intense guitar work outs of the title track, joined by the occult knuckle dragging of The Death Knell Ringeth while Neon Leviathan sounds like Voivod meets Motorhead. The shifts in sound can be a little jarring as Aurora Neoterica is a 2 minute jazz/AOR instrumental as Cult Of Shaad’oah comes as the albums proggiest number with Slayer bleeding into Mastodon as there's also a bit of Nile too on the solo driven outtro, Exeg(en)esis meanwhile is just weird but intriguing, as it goes into intergalactic realms.
I was completely in awe of this record, it sounds like everything you've ever liked and nothing yiuved heard at the same time. I'm obsessed with Horrendous and I'm kicking myself I've missed them before this. Get on Ontological Mysterium if you don't know the band as this is a stunning record. 10/10
Spirit Adrift - Ghost At The Gallows (Century Media)
Like Trevor William Church of Haunt/Beastmaker, Spirit Adrift mainman Nate Garrett, has been releasing albums that capture the brilliance of classic metal for a number of years now. Prolific and always well received, Garrett has evolved from the doom metal beginnings into a chest beating classic metal machine following a similar path to Grand Magus, employing more use of melody and hooky choruses but keeping his status as a riff worshipper, witnessed on the chunky title track (which is absolutly stunning), while that Magus stomp is used on Death Won't Stop Me.
Much of the trad metal posturing of the Priest-like Barn Burner, a long way from his history in the extreme metal scene although tracks such as Hanged Mans Revenge bring lots of speed and tremolo picking. However where as Church is still very much a solo worker Garrett brought in bassist Sonny DeCarlo, drummer Mike Arellano and ex-Carcass guitarist Tom Draper early to make Spirit Adrift a fully fledged band from the beginning, though on record it is still Garrett, with this record, he brings live drum tracking with Mike, both of them in the studio to capture the live feel.
After documenting his sobriety on previous records Ghost At The Gallows moves towards the dealing with the grieving process and ways to morn. Nate pays homage to family friends, pets, contemporaries such as Riley Gale and Trevor Strnad as well as those lost through the pandemic, it's a defiant record with Nate beating his chest and welcoming any hardships head on with his guitar strapped to him, cranking out riffs as he goes. 9/10
Pyrogaric – Home (Self Released)
Hard blues rock storytellers? Psychedelic dreamers? Proto-metal marvels? The bastard offspring of Haight-Asbury by way of Malpas Road? Newport (South Wales) two-piece Pyrogaric are all of these things. Having been featured in these pages a few times now, the songs on this debut album feel like old friends, I mean yes a couple of them appear on their EP but most are new, though have been kicking around the live shows for a while.
With Keelan on guitar and Jamey-Leigh on drums and vocals, Pyrogaric a born from the 60’s blues rock explosion of John Mayall and Cream that took itself over to the States and evolved into the counter culture explosion of free love and kaleidoscopic colour that was the summer of love and Hendrix, Blue Cheer and even The Grateful Dead.
Pyrograic take it further though brining in the forays into witchcraft with the likes of Coven and of course Black Sabbath as well as the prog/folk sounds of Camel and Jethro Tull, the latter very evident on the title track which relies on low slung bass and lots of flute. (Though I’m unsure if it was played on one leg?). This cacophony of fuzz guitar riffs, blues rock riffs, wailing spectral vocals and percussive precision has excited me when I’ve seen the band live and on record they manage to capture the same feeling wrapping it up in warm analogue production that shouts about patchouli oil and paisley shirts.
The driving fuzz rock of When I’m With You is simple yet effective, Critical Borders too brings some echoed riffing and drums, leading to the spectral Persephone, offering a look at both sides of Pyrogaric, the earthy rocking and ethreal soaring. The heavy comes back on the hefty Sabbath worship of duo Don't Open The Door and Bury My Soul before that brooding title track. Anyone who was brought up in the music from the 60's and 70's like I was will find a lot to like on Home, it welcomes you into the Pyrogaric fold and locks the door behind you, warm but unnerving, welcome home. 8/10
Spirit Adrift - Ghost At The Gallows (Century Media)
Like Trevor William Church of Haunt/Beastmaker, Spirit Adrift mainman Nate Garrett, has been releasing albums that capture the brilliance of classic metal for a number of years now. Prolific and always well received, Garrett has evolved from the doom metal beginnings into a chest beating classic metal machine following a similar path to Grand Magus, employing more use of melody and hooky choruses but keeping his status as a riff worshipper, witnessed on the chunky title track (which is absolutly stunning), while that Magus stomp is used on Death Won't Stop Me.
Much of the trad metal posturing of the Priest-like Barn Burner, a long way from his history in the extreme metal scene although tracks such as Hanged Mans Revenge bring lots of speed and tremolo picking. However where as Church is still very much a solo worker Garrett brought in bassist Sonny DeCarlo, drummer Mike Arellano and ex-Carcass guitarist Tom Draper early to make Spirit Adrift a fully fledged band from the beginning, though on record it is still Garrett, with this record, he brings live drum tracking with Mike, both of them in the studio to capture the live feel.
After documenting his sobriety on previous records Ghost At The Gallows moves towards the dealing with the grieving process and ways to morn. Nate pays homage to family friends, pets, contemporaries such as Riley Gale and Trevor Strnad as well as those lost through the pandemic, it's a defiant record with Nate beating his chest and welcoming any hardships head on with his guitar strapped to him, cranking out riffs as he goes. 9/10
Pyrogaric – Home (Self Released)
Hard blues rock storytellers? Psychedelic dreamers? Proto-metal marvels? The bastard offspring of Haight-Asbury by way of Malpas Road? Newport (South Wales) two-piece Pyrogaric are all of these things. Having been featured in these pages a few times now, the songs on this debut album feel like old friends, I mean yes a couple of them appear on their EP but most are new, though have been kicking around the live shows for a while.
With Keelan on guitar and Jamey-Leigh on drums and vocals, Pyrogaric a born from the 60’s blues rock explosion of John Mayall and Cream that took itself over to the States and evolved into the counter culture explosion of free love and kaleidoscopic colour that was the summer of love and Hendrix, Blue Cheer and even The Grateful Dead.
Pyrograic take it further though brining in the forays into witchcraft with the likes of Coven and of course Black Sabbath as well as the prog/folk sounds of Camel and Jethro Tull, the latter very evident on the title track which relies on low slung bass and lots of flute. (Though I’m unsure if it was played on one leg?). This cacophony of fuzz guitar riffs, blues rock riffs, wailing spectral vocals and percussive precision has excited me when I’ve seen the band live and on record they manage to capture the same feeling wrapping it up in warm analogue production that shouts about patchouli oil and paisley shirts.
The driving fuzz rock of When I’m With You is simple yet effective, Critical Borders too brings some echoed riffing and drums, leading to the spectral Persephone, offering a look at both sides of Pyrogaric, the earthy rocking and ethreal soaring. The heavy comes back on the hefty Sabbath worship of duo Don't Open The Door and Bury My Soul before that brooding title track. Anyone who was brought up in the music from the 60's and 70's like I was will find a lot to like on Home, it welcomes you into the Pyrogaric fold and locks the door behind you, warm but unnerving, welcome home. 8/10
Oblivion Protocol - The Fall Of The Shires (Atomic Fire Records)
I may have done a little squee when I read the members and overview/concept of this album. Oblivion Protocol is a prog supergroup led by Richard West founding keyboardist of British prog metal legends Threshold, he wanted to follow up his bands epic Legends Of The Shires but democracy is a funny thing and it was vetoed by Threshold. West though fell in love with the story so wrote his own sequel to that record and decided to record it with an all star cast under this moniker. So we get The Fall Of The Shires, a concept record that follows up the 2017 record.
Taking the songwriting, keyboards and vocals, West's deeper softer tones meant that the record is darker and more orchestral, swelling the cinematic themes of the first record, retaining that sparkle of Threshold magic, along with nods to the first part strewn throughout but bringing in the likes of Rush, Pink Floyd, Steven Wilson and Ghost to continue the story. Joining West is guitarist Ruud Jolie (Within Temptation), bassist Simon Andersson (Darkwater) and drummer Darby Todd (Devin Townsend), as West's Threshold cohort Karl Groom brings some solos. With the lyrics focusing on the main character from Legend Of The Shires becoming a King and his descent into being a malevolent one.
The dystopian themes of Operation Mindcrime or The Wall, along with inspiration from Orwell's 1984. Bookended by The Fall Parts 1 and 2The Fall Of The Shires, starts exactly as you'd want with some dreamy acoustics and scene setting, before the heavy riffing joins on the propulsive Tormented, the Steven Wilson comparisons can be made here, as well as on the claustrophobic, electronic Vertigo. Threshold sound comes in on Public Safety Announcement, the tasty guitar/keyboard solo duel from Groom/West, the keys especially potent on This Is Not A Test. It concludes with the Pink Floyd vibes of The Fall 2.
It could be risky following up a record from your main band as a solo record however with Oblivion Protocol and The Fall Of The Shires, Richard West has curated a worthy sequel that any fan of progressive rock/metal will love. 9/10
I may have done a little squee when I read the members and overview/concept of this album. Oblivion Protocol is a prog supergroup led by Richard West founding keyboardist of British prog metal legends Threshold, he wanted to follow up his bands epic Legends Of The Shires but democracy is a funny thing and it was vetoed by Threshold. West though fell in love with the story so wrote his own sequel to that record and decided to record it with an all star cast under this moniker. So we get The Fall Of The Shires, a concept record that follows up the 2017 record.
Taking the songwriting, keyboards and vocals, West's deeper softer tones meant that the record is darker and more orchestral, swelling the cinematic themes of the first record, retaining that sparkle of Threshold magic, along with nods to the first part strewn throughout but bringing in the likes of Rush, Pink Floyd, Steven Wilson and Ghost to continue the story. Joining West is guitarist Ruud Jolie (Within Temptation), bassist Simon Andersson (Darkwater) and drummer Darby Todd (Devin Townsend), as West's Threshold cohort Karl Groom brings some solos. With the lyrics focusing on the main character from Legend Of The Shires becoming a King and his descent into being a malevolent one.
The dystopian themes of Operation Mindcrime or The Wall, along with inspiration from Orwell's 1984. Bookended by The Fall Parts 1 and 2The Fall Of The Shires, starts exactly as you'd want with some dreamy acoustics and scene setting, before the heavy riffing joins on the propulsive Tormented, the Steven Wilson comparisons can be made here, as well as on the claustrophobic, electronic Vertigo. Threshold sound comes in on Public Safety Announcement, the tasty guitar/keyboard solo duel from Groom/West, the keys especially potent on This Is Not A Test. It concludes with the Pink Floyd vibes of The Fall 2.
It could be risky following up a record from your main band as a solo record however with Oblivion Protocol and The Fall Of The Shires, Richard West has curated a worthy sequel that any fan of progressive rock/metal will love. 9/10