If you're into electronica/indie, then Ladytron's the band for you. Not exactly unknown but not very mainstream either. Anyway, they come from Liverpool, England and are pretty good.
Witching Hour
Get past Ladytron's aloof exterior on this album and you'll discover bristling guitars that anchor the most pneumatic of beats--and supremely catchy songs that pulse with life. Mediafire
Velocifero This album embodies the highlights of the band's past work, and is imbued with the progressiveness that has made each successive Ladytron release a step above its predecessor. Loadsa catchy tunes on this one. I've even included a Toxic Avengers remix of "Ghost", just as an extra goodie. ;) Mediafire
Aight, so this post we have a drone/ambient band from Macon, Georgia, USA, called The Angelic Process. Words fail me. This record is one of the most beautiful pieces of music that my ears have ever fell upon. Very emotional and, contrary to a lot of drone, lacking any "build-up" in atmosphere. Consisting of 2 members, one of which, Kris aka K.Angylus passed away on April 26,2008. The band split up after that. However, the remaining member of the band M.Dragynfly, has decided to re-issue all their releases. So head on to their myspace and order a few.
The Angelic Process signed to Profound Lore Records, which then released this brilliant album.10 out of fucking 10. Myspace Purchase Listen
I'm gonna compress 2 completely different albums into one post. Like it or not, here it comes.
Circadian Rhythm by Thurisaz
Thurisaz are kind of hard to categorize, especially on this album. I guess the most accurate description would be melodic/atmospheric black metal. That pretty much sums it up. The songs on this album are beautiful in their melody and they all have a very melancholic atmosphere which really seals the deal in making this a solid album. The musicianship is also brilliant. Thurisaz are definitely masters at what they do. Mediafire
The next album is actually a demo by a great powerviolence band from Aberdeen, Scotland called Uncalm. One of their members, Dave, has been in several bands of similar genres, the most notable being Filthpact (their album Plague Carriers of the Crust Apocalypse is fucking great) and actually used to be live in UAE. Anyway, their demo is simply blistering. Czech it. Mediafire
Perversion (old-school death metal) One of my favourite, if not the favourite, local bands. They have a brutal old-school vibe which I just love and they have influences such as Suffocation, Morbid Angel and Hate Eternal. They've released an EP entitled Origins of Horror Unfortunately, their drummer is leaving so that means the band will be M.I.A. for a while. Check out their live video, myspace, and metal-archive page.
Capricious Alchemy (death metal) Another death metal band that has formed very recently. Its members have been part of previous local acts such as Specator (thrash, R.I.P.) and Mausoleum (doom, R.I.P.). The session vocals are performed by Bilal Yehia (ex-Nephelium, ex-Nervecell). They've released an EP entitled A Brief Demonstration of a Mind in Matter. Myspace Metal-archives
A Shot Of Adrenaline (death metal) Another relatively new band. There's not really much to say about these guys, except that they make decent death metal. Check em out. Myspace
Nervecell (death metal) These guys need no introduction, as they are Dubai's premium metal export. They've been involved in the Dubai metal/music scene since 2001 and their hard work has definitely paid off, with them now playing festivals such as Rock Am Ring/Rock Am Park, With Full Force Festival AND Wacken Open Air Festival! They've recently released a full-length entitled Preaching Venom. Myspace Official website
I don't wanna give the impression that the scene is made up mostly of death metal acts. Check the following out:
Nikotin (rock/alternative) When this band first started out, they got a lot of bad rap which was due to their arrogance and lack of talent. Then all of a sudden, they decided to show up again with a new attitude and new music. I for one was pleasantly surprised at this change of direction. Check them out at the following pages. Myspace Facebook
Sandwash (rock/punk/alternative or simply "groovecore") Sandwash are one of the earliest bands to be involved in the Dubai rock scene. With an upbeat attitude and music, it's almost impossible to not bob your head to their music, which they describe as "groovecore"- a blend of 70's guitar rock, modern metal dynamics, and sing-along choruses. Myspace
Diligent Thought (hip-hop with an oldschool vibe) I don't know why I didn't discover this band earlier, but better late than never. They're an alternative hip-hop group, in the vein of Common, The Roots, Pharcyde and more. Greatly recommended. Myspace
Well, that's all for now. The main purpose of this post was to give people an idea of the music in Dubai, as well as show them that it's not all camels and terrorists. Peace.
Variante Alla Morte by Cripple Bastards This band needs to be acknowledged more amongst the grindcore heavyweights. They have been kicking ass since 1988 and have become increasingly brutal with time. Variante Alla Morte doesn't compromise any of the brutality, even by being very hook-oriented in several songs. They've clearly built more on their hardcore punk foundations. Released in 2008, it should be no surprise that the production is crisp and has that modern, Nasum-y feel. Get it, it's fucking intense! Mediafire
I've only just listened to these albums and both of them have blown me away equally. First up: Magrudergrind s/t Ah, definitely one of my favourite grindcore/powerviolence bands that come from the US. They haven't put out a single album that I didn't like but I'll say this: the new Magrudergrind is definitely 10 times better than the old. Mediafire
Next: Agorapocalypse by Agoraphobic Nosebleed HOLY FUCKING SHIT is all I could say after the first track of this album finished. ANb is also up there with my favourite grind bands (the guitarist is also the guitarist of Pig Destroyer) and this album is definitely testament to that (their other albums are fucking sick too). The thing about this album is that the songs actually have structure and Scott Hull (guitarist) really fucking kills it on here, with catchy riffs and even...wait for it...mini-solos! Also, there are only 13 tracks on here (as opposed to the 30+ tracks on other ANb records) and most songs are over 2 minutes (as opposed to the short and sweet songs on past ANb records). The vocalist is Kat from Salome (another sick band...watch for an update coming soon) and you couldn't believe it was her if I showed from this picture Anyway, get this album if you're into having your face kicked in by a hailstorm of 10000 bpm drums, all topped off with some chaotic grind goodness. Fucking A! Mediafire
Honestly now, there really isn't much to say about this album, perfectly constructed and beautifully executed are the first things that come to mind. Apparently this album includes lyrics about vocalist Pat Flynn coming to terms with his family’s history and present situation. Have Heart will be breaking up in the fall of 2009. This is fucking gay. However, this also means that I'm going to have to catch them in London with Shipwreck A.D this summer.
Continuing my shoegaze/dream-pop related string of posts, here we have Pooma, a Finnish band which obviously takes influence from MBV, from the previous post. Below is a link to their one and only album, Persuader. Some really nice tunes to be found here, so if you have a lazy evening ahead of you, grab a cup of coffee, some books, and put this on. Trust me, you won't regret it.
Right then, upon exploring the whole shoegaze scene which was, until a few weeks ago, pretty foreign to me, I came upon a band which probably kick-started the whole dream-pop/shoegaze movement, My Bloody Valentine. Confused by many n00bs with Bullet For My Valentine, this Irish 4-piece formed in 1984, released this album in 1991 and split in 1997, only to re-unite in 2007. They are currently on a european tour, just thought you should know.
Anyways, here it is.
Try it! Buy it! I really get annoyed when people mix them up with BFMV Honestly guys, if you like the music, buy the album. Musicians need to eat too!
Well, I've been on a black metal binge for the past week or so and have collected some really evil shit. This is gonna be a big, fuck-off post that should keep you guys busy for some time.
To start things off:
Casus Luciferi by Watain (from Sweden) This is one awesome fucking album by one of my favourite orthodox black metal bands. It's well crafted and near perfectly executed with some beautiful production to boot. The riffs don't let up, the music is chaotic and dissonant (a bit like Deathspell Omega) but there are some beautifully haunting and atmospheric melodies (not in the gay keyboard driven way). For fans of Dissection and Deathspell Omega. Mediafire
Next up..Consummatum Est by Orcivus Orcivus seems to be a fairly new band but their debut puts them far ahead of the curve in this style of black metal. They take a more driving approach to black metal, though, than many in this style. While their debut is a bit rough around the edges because of its production values and the early stage of the band, I think you'll find that there's plenty of dissonance and driving black metal to be found on Consummatum Est. Mediafire
Let's keep things rolling... Dödens Evangelium by Ondskapt Ondskapt's Doedens Evangelium is an amazingly evil, dissonant piece of work. It easily places Ondskapt among my favorite Orthodox BM bands, along with Watain and Deathspell Omega. Although the album is not particularly fast, it manages to constantly keep your attention which gives me the impression that it's got a lot of 'momentum.' It certainly progresses quickly, anyway, and it doesn't hurt that the vocals are fantastically chilling. Mediafire
And the last album for today's post on black metal...
Black Cascade by Wolves In The Throne Room
Oh, where to start with this one...Having discovered WITTR only very recently and Black Cascade being the first album I got by them, they've (quite unusually) quickly become one of my favourite black metal bands ever. I honestly cannot recommend this album enough. It's not evil or any of that grim shit, it's just so fucking beautiful. Wolves in the Throne Room's Black Cascade is one of the best modern examples of the raw, emotional power of black metal, and is highly recommended to fans of any of the aforementioned groups, or those who seek the musical equivalent to an acid rainstorm in the middle of a heavily wooded area. Mediafire
So, without any further ado, the first post shall be Minsk-The Ritual Fires Of Abandonment. This band from Illinois has recently been grabbing everyone's attention with their brand of very Neurosis-like sludgy post-metal.Taken from their last.fm: "Minsk is an eclectic experience of passion, aggression, rhythm, noise, and trance. The music is as organic as it is other-worldly, infusing the rhythms of the earth and the resonance of the human voice with the synthetic sounds of machines, amplifiers, and effects".
Artist:Minsk Album:Ritual Fires Of Abandonment Genre:Post-metal/sludge Label:Relapse Records
Get past Ladytron's aloof exterior on this album and you'll discover bristling guitars that anchor the most pneumatic of beats--and supremely catchy songs that pulse with life.
This album embodies the highlights of the band's past work, and is imbued with the progressiveness that has made each successive Ladytron release a step above its predecessor. Loadsa catchy tunes on this one. I've even included a Toxic Avengers remix of "Ghost", just as an extra goodie. ;)
