Nine Treasures – Seeking the Absolute Review

By Andy-War-Hall

Nine Treasures has been around since 2010, and yet has always seemed like the new kid on the block. Hailing from Inner Mongolia, China, founder Ashkan Avagchuud pursued the integration of traditional Mongolian instrumentation with heavy metal since day one. Nine Treasures saw success with their first three independent releases, but also saw The Hu steal a bit of their black thunder by becoming a global hit with their take on Mongolian folk metal.1 Eventually, Nine Treasures grew dissatisfied with their own sound and disowned their previous records almost entirely in a bid for rebirth. Now, they place their future in Seeking the Absolute, their first partnership with Metal Blade Records and first global release, where Nine Treasures attempts both a greater cohesion of folk instrumentation and heavy metal and to “capture the things that truly excite [them] deep inside.” Fresh starts can make all the difference, but does it make enough of one for Nine Treasures to finally fulfill their potential?

Seeking the Absolute continues Nine Treasures’ pursuit of Mongolian folk metal, but ditches their previous full-throttle metal approach in favor of a more progressive, alternative philosophy. Tracks forgo the verse-chorus structure in favor of songs that ebb and flow, preferring groove over speed (“Indecision,” “The Ultimate Evolution.”). More so than ever before, drummer Namra and bassist Orgil are unleashed on Seeking the Absolute, laying out hypnotic beats (“Real Dream”) and pulsing grooves (“Until Now”) with an expertise that feels effortless. Saina’s balalaika and Nars’ morin khurr,2 while always good, now feel essential to Nine Treasures’ sound, with balalaika providing a percussive role to “Indecision” and morin khurr used for both drone notes and leads on “Steel Falcon.” Seeking the Absolute thrives off repetition, with expert musicianship and clever songwriting keeping the slow progressions more meditative than monotonous. But nowhere does main-man Ashkan forget to bring the big guitars or big vocals when they matter most, dishing out riffs reminiscent of TOOL and alt-era Metallica from opener “Until Now” to the closing title track. Their reinvention succeeded; Nine Treasures landed on a style that works for them.

Nine Treasures are more distinct and interesting than ever on Seeking the Absolute, but not without their shortcomings. Though they reject conventional pop/rock structure, songs on Seeking the Absolute still follow certain patterns of quiet starts, loud verses, quiet bridges and loud finishes. While electrifying on “Until Now” or “Steel Falcon,” even reaching its best execution in the closing title track, there’s nonetheless a sense that you’ve heard it all before by then. A lack of solos also contributes to this issue; a guitar solo here or there would help differentiate things. Further, Seeking the Absolute’s approach to alt-prog draws too much from TOOL for comfort, particularly in its delay-heavy bass lines played high on the fret board that makes me wonder if Justin Chancellor has some missing pages in his notebook (“The Ultimate Evolution”). Seeking the Absolute has all the pieces of a great album, and I know the pieces fit, but in Nine Treasures discovering their sound, they may have played too closely into it.

Regardless, for a band drastically changing sound, Nine Treasures has crafted a remarkably engaging and re-listenable album. Seeking the Absolute sounds much better than its brick-walled DR score would suggest, with every instrument and voice sounding clear and well-balanced in the mix. This lets the fantastic performances shine within Seeking the Absolute’s tight, immediate songwriting, such as the folk-forward groove of “Just Like You,” the 10,000 Days-but-lean “Indecision,” and the thrashy morin-khurr-and-guitar assault on “Lonely Old Horse.” Vocally, Ashkan has the range and control to make lighter moments like “Indecision” and “Just Like You” soar, and the grit and power to belt out the heavier tunes like “Until Now” and “Steel Falcon.” Even though I don’t understand a word of what he’s saying, he still commands ateention like the best frontmen can. Both progressive and concise, easy-listening and inventive, Nine Treasures give Seeking the Absolute broad appeal and artistic depth.

Nine Treasures was always good, but Seeking the Absolute sounds like what the band was always meant to be. Like Pantera with Cowboys from Hell, Nine Treasures exudes confidence in their transformation, crafting a fun, approachable chunk of metal without compromise to their new vision. There’s still room to grow; TOOL will be expecting some compensation/credits for a few of those bridges. But for fans of folk, progressive, and alternative metal, Seeking the Absolute is a joy to behold. Nine Treasures has arrived.

Rating: Very Good
DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Metal Blade Records
Websites: ninetreasures.bandcamp.com | ninetreasures.net | facebook.com/ninetreasuresofficial
Releases Worldwide: October 24th, 2025

#2025 #35 #AltMetal #ChineseMetal #FolkMetal #MetalBladeRecords #Metallica #NineTreasures #Oct25 #Pantera #ProgressiveMetal #Review #Reviews #SeekingTheAbsolute #TheHu #Tool

OU – 蘇醒 II: Frailty Review

By Dolphin Whisperer

Beijing isn’t known for being a hotbed of metal, and what bands do exist (documented) don’t really present many ways to listen on a global scale. But, being comprised of human beings, music persists in that region whether we realize it or not. And of that perseverance OU1 blossomed. Triumphant and glistening, their 2022 debut one wasted no time infecting and warping my listening consciousness with its unique blend of progressive metal, power pop, and dream-like ambient fusion. In a world where bands like Haken and Leprous continue to streamline and commodify their once vibrant and promising sounds, OU planted a crooked and smiling stake amongst the swath of fledgling prog bands everywhere. With that exuberant spirit, lightning threatens to strike twice.

OU’s first adventure caused big enough waves for labelmate Devin Townsend to sign on to give 蘇醒 II: Frailty a level of production one didn’t quite have. Often, Townsend’s most intriguing engineering work has arrived via his softer, layered works (Ki, Ghost, Transcendence) where his minimalist weavings shine bright. And while OU has one foot in the other maximalist realm that earned Townsend a reputation for pushing a throbbing wall of sound, the back half of one, and, consequently, the comedowns of 蘇醒, finds power in the explosions of careful and heavily layered builds. In this space, Townsend allows OU’s spry synthcraft and ethereal vocal layering to wisp about with freedom, frantic abandon, and dreamy oscillation.

As such, every moment of 蘇醒 steps either toward a serene tension or an explosive climb. Drummer and primary songwriter Anthony Vanacore rests the center of OU’s sound, laying foundations that range from a mathematically erratic SikTh kick-infested bounce (“淨化 Purge”) to a Jegog emulating wonderland that’s as much King Crimson as it is “Kaneda’s Theme” (“念 Recall”). Whether the drive of a track calls for virtuosic snare ghosting (“海 Ocean”) or arena-weighted hammering (“破魂 Spirit Broken”), his kit serves as a guide. And in suit, his stringed bandmates render as tonal chameleons, lurching along with chord-expanding drones and pops to build ascending progressions (“蘇醒 Frailty,” “海 Ocean”) or offering Metheny-smooth jazzy counterpoint to swell drifting ambience (“血液 Redemption”). OU’s compositional vocabulary rests in harmonic excess, a point in which this seasoned troupe indulges for 歪歪地愛 YYDS,2 which is both offensive and brilliant in its forceful djent playfulness.

But all of the above hinges on the energetic flow that vocalist Lynn Wu imbues across each track. Again offering her services only in her native Chinese tongue, there isn’t a single word across 蘇醒 that I understand, though lyric translations and title themes paint a picture throughout that lands a touch more introspective than OU’s previous work. In turn, Wu’s chopped and terraced patterns spiral and gather toward sonic peaks where a lead guitar normally might exist in a different context (“蘇醒 Frailty,” “海 Ocean,” “輪迴 Reborn”). As a more traditional and piercing rock voice, Wu holds her own against the equally wailing Townsend on “淨化 Purge” and works alone to swing “破魂 Spirit Broken” between outcry and melancholic resolution. And still reaching further for new levels of manipulation, Wu sees her lines shifted to a vocaloid approximation to match the low-bit charm of “衍生 Capture and Elongate (Serenity).”3 Whatever character 蘇醒 requires Wu embodies in an unparalleled manner.

After all, it’s the idiosyncratic atmosphere into which OU collects its myriad sounds that makes 蘇醒 II: Frailty such a delight. And with a spacious master to back its meticulous construction and snappy runtime, it’s effortless to fall prey to the polyrhythmic hypnosis that OU has mastered. The most unfortunate part, though, about sinking deeper in love with what this singular Chinese act has created is that it’s only real partner is the previous OU album. So if you’re new to the game, you’re in luck, you get one and II. And if you need any extra convincing, just ask yourself whether you enjoy listening to prog that drives lesser music enjoyers up a wall. The real fun is where others fear to look.

Rating: 4.5/5.0
DR: 10 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Inside Out Music | Bandcamp4
Websites: outheband.com | facebook.com/ou.theband
Releases Worldwide: April 26th, 2024

#2024 #45 #Ambient #Apr24 #ChineseMetal #DevinTownsend #DevinTownsendProject #ExperimentalElectronic #InsideOutMusic #KingCrimson #MathRock #OU #PatMetheny #ProgressiveMetal #ProgressiveRock #Review #Reviews #Rush #SikTh #蘇醒IIFrailty

Stuck in the Filter: January’s Angry Misses

By Kenstrosity

March is but a few days away (at the time of writing), so, naturally, we at AMG and Sons feel it’s finally time to leave 2023 behind. Entering 2024 with a fresh vat of anger juice to fuel our findings, we trudge through the thin metal walls of our ever-taxed filtration system. And boy howdy did we get lucky this month!

January’s Filter is stuffed to the gills with great options, sure to find a home in the arms of one of you despicable rascals lovely readers. If there was ever a Filter stocked enough to feed an entire readership in one fell swoop, it’s this one. Now, go! Feast!

Kenstrosity’s Scuzzy Slags

Dark Oath // Ages of Man [January 18th, 2024 – Self Release]

Portuguese symphonic, melodic death metal five-piece1 Dark Oath quietly dropped its sophomore effort Ages of Man to an unsuspecting public midway through January. After a whopping eight years since their debut When Fire Engulfs the Earth released, surely expectations for fans run high. As for me, this is my first foray, and this follow-up is nothing short of striking. Immediately recalling Aephanemer’s excellent Prokopton and Aether’s In Embers, riffs aren’t Ages of Man’s focus. Rather, epic guitar licks and leads command the charge with a cavalcade of orchestral layers forming an army of triumphant melodies and counterpoint just behind (“Gold I” and “Gold II”). Prominently featured and wonderfully effective, acoustic plucking from what sounds like a bouzouki evokes the magnificence and reverent tones of Gorgon’s Elegy, creating another core character for this epic journey that deepens the experience further (“Silver I,” “Bronze I,” “Bronze II”). While I occasionally pine for more engaging, groovy riffs to provide greater dynamics than the chugging gallops utilized instead, there’s no denying that Dark Oath’s infectious melodies and danceable rhythms punch far above the weight of forty-two minutes of lush, epic material (“Silver II,” “Heroic I,” “Iron”). At the end of the day, if you wanna go on cinematic adventures in the near future, queue up Ages of Man. It will be your guide.

Rhûn // Conveyance in Death [January 26th, 2024 – I.K. Productions]

Falls of Rauros’ founding member Aaron Charles, known for his emotive and vicious howls and creative guitar work, established solo act Rhûn back in 2021. Over the past year, a set of singles hinted at what debut full-length Conveyance in Death might hold for the Portland, Maine multi-instrumentalist. Now that it’s unleashed upon the world, this record proves to be a compelling amalgam of atmospheric black metal, post-black, and death metal. Opener “Morningstar” showcases all of these facets with aplomb, shifting from crushing riffs to a gorgeous trem-based ascension in the final third. Further down the line, Song o’ the Year contender “Bone Ornament” suitably shatters my bones with its awesome main riff, swaggering groove, and vicarious pacing. Other interesting forays into multifaceted modality and doom-laden marches help define the darker “Tomb of Andesite” and “Citadels in Ruins.” At a tight thirty-seven minutes of quality material, there’s little here that needs editing, although some lengthier passages in “Howl of Gleaming Swords” and closer “Night’s Glacial Passing” could stand a thirty-second trim here or there. Nonetheless, this is a strong launch for the fledgling project, and I can’t wait to hear how Aaron develops it in the future.

Niemaracz // The Tales of the Dense Forest [January 31st, 2024 – Self Release]

Hailing from Almaty, Kazakhstan, uber-obscure stoner doom black metal band Niemaracz doesn’t even have a date of establishment listed on Metallum. Pulling from fuzzy doom metal, languid stoner rock, folk-tinged heavy metal, and witchy black metal, debut record The Tales of the Dense Forest ushers in a sound I can’t say I’ve ever heard before. Icy and warm, rich and sharp, relaxed and blistering, these sprawling soundscapes challenge every preconception I held for not one, but four distinct styles. Yet, coming in at just under thirty minutes, this record marries them all as fluidly as a babbling brook glides over stone. With the immersive opener, “The Experiment,” Niemaracz’s high-fantasy fueled melodies and classic riffs impress with their uncanny synchronicity, while the fuzzy and warm production deepens the music’s cohesion. Album highlight, “The Faithful Horse,” manages to blend classic Iron Maiden gallops with the sort of furious black metal I’d sooner expect from Emperor, all wrapped up in stoned fuzz, and it’s fascinating. Sometimes, the clean baritones are far too forward in the mix, throwing that delicate balance of tones and textures way off. Thankfully, the consistently entertaining and novel songwriting makes it all worthwhile (“The Secret of Longevity”). Go check them out, and give their lone Bandcamp supporter a new friend!

Tales From the Garden

Slift // Ilion [January 19th, 2024 – Sub Pop Records]

I am going to preface this glowing recommendation by saying that this fucking behemoth is far too long. It’s nigh-on 80 minutes of dense, twisting, and very French psychedelic madness, and the brain can only contain so much of that for so long. The reason I am posting it here anyway is that it is really good dense twisting French psychedelic madness. Slift became an underground darling after 2020’s Ummon, which got them enough acclaim to be Artist in Residence at the 2022 edition of Roadburn, where I first became acquainted with the Toulouse formation. Ilion is a feverish album, a chase through winding soundscapes that always change but never end, layers of vocals and synths passing in and out of view, the hefty riffs hammering your back and Frenchmen hollering at you from behind. Slift has been getting heavier with each release and now firmly finds itself in sludge territory. The phenomenal drums are the tone, the pace, and the foundation here, a colossal presence even if their sound isn’t massive per se. They remind most of the climactic sequences Dvne so excels at, a bludgeoning dynamic shuffle that feels like getting caught in an avalanche, but retaining their old-school jam-band roots. Thankfully there’s enough variation to mitigate the bloat a bit, from left-field saxophone intermissions to more mid-paced material like the excellent atmospheric doom of “Weavers’ Weft.” Ilion is a deep, deep well, but a richly rewarding one for fans of heavy psych.

Carcharodon’s Fanged Fancies

Ὁπλίτης // Παραμαινομένη [January 12th, 2024 – Self-released]

At this point, I am almost relieved that the Chinese black metal-making machine known as Ὁπλίτης (Hoplites, for those of us not well versed in Ancient Greek) resolutely continues to not send us promo. Such is his level of productivity and, crucially, consistency, that I fear I would spend a fair chunk of my time just writing >3.0 reviews for his various projects (Vitriolic Sage being another good one). A case in point, his latest offering, Ὁπλίτης, is another absolute banger. Π​α​ρ​α​μ​α​ι​ν​ο​μ​έ​ν​η actually offers something slightly different from previous outings. While still very much playing in the almost clinically harsh black metal space, there is a more present and more vicious bass groove to this (fifth track “Συμμιαινόμεναι Διονύσῳ Ἐλευθέριῳ”), as well as, more surprisingly, a lot of freeform jazz elements. Screaming sax and trumpets are a big component, particularly in the first half of the record, giving the whole a feeling of White Ward and John Zorn having a particularly raucous threesome with Vredehammer. There is nothing tender about what’s happening though; it’s furious, pummelling, experimental… at least one of which is a thing that a threesome should be. A punishing, relentless listen, with unexpected twists, Ὁπλίτης has once again cranked out a fascinating record, and in record time.

Infant Island // Obsidian Wreath [January 12th, 2024 – Secret Voice]

Infant Island is new to me but, apparently, not to all—I’ve seen a fair bit of buzz around these guys—and Obsidian Wreath is the Virginians’ third record. Probably best tagged as blackened screamo, this record has contradictory feelings of warmth and utterly despairing rage. The band themselves cite Panopticon and Deafheaven as influences. I can hear both in their sound, the melodic complexity of the former, and the atmospheric wall-of-sound style of the latter. However, there are a few other things going on in the mix, with something of the frantic, chaotic precision of Pupil Slicer (“Fulfilled”), as well as the haunted and melodic deathgaze of Kardashev (“Amaranthine” and “Kindling”). Guitarists Alexander Rudenshiold and Winston Givler create such a dense morass of sound, that it often feels like there are more than two guitar lines in play, while Kyle Guerra’s bass adds something faintly grindcore-esque to the mix. All five members are credited with the vocals, which are throat-shredding and packed with pain, mourning, and frustration. Obsidian Wreath is a brutal, percussive listen, that feels like it’s tearing open your ears so that it can scream directly into your brain. At the same time, dark and unsettling electronica and arrangements (“Found Hand”) play a part in lulling the battered listener, preparing you for the next assault, as does the mix, which is surprisingly rich for all the pummelling. Although Infant Island is a screamo band, they reach with confidence into other genres for inspiration, making for a much more interesting proposition.

Thus Spoke’s Reviled Ramblings

Cognizance // Phantazein [January 26th, 2024 – Willowtip]

As most of them are from Leeds, I would have expected Cognizance to know that the objectively correct, British spelling is Cognisance, actually.2 But what the Loiners3 might lack in grammatical precision, they more than makeup for in musical style. Finessing their brand of tech-death, which falls somewhere between The Faceless and Allegaeon, Phantazein realizes the convergence of grooviness, melodic catchiness, and technicality with panache. Stomping, neck-snapping, and irresistibly foot-tapping rhythms tumble over one another with precise eagerness (“Ceremonial Vigour,” “Futureless Horizon,” “The Towering Monument”). Punchy, satisfyingly urgent melodies lead the way in chunky, groovy guitar dances (“A Brain Dead Memoir,” “Shock Heuristics,” “Shadowgraph”). With the exception of the (unnecessary) echoing interlude “Alferov,” this thing wrestles and roils its way into and around your general head area. It’s snappy, slick, and smooth. Phantazein (I think) comes from the Greek meaning “to appear,” as in, to seem a certain way. It seems to me, at least, that Phantazein is a banger.

Resin Tomb // Cerebral Purgatory [January 19th, 2024 – Transcending Obscurity Records]

Having stolen this from Ferox‘s rightful hands due to his punishing work schedule, I find myself, not for the first, or the last time this year I’m sure, singing the praises of a Transcending Obscurity release. But Cerebral Purgatory deserves praise in its own right. Punishingly heavy, yet remarkably listenable, it sees Resin Tomb filter grindy percussive assaults and dissonant death metal through a hard/grind-core medium. Barking screams breaking across ringing, tremolo-ing descending scales and tempos from charge to crushing, headbanging groove. Clanging, twanging guitar beats aggressive and menacing patterns (“Flesh Brick,” “Scalded,” “Putrescence”). Sometimes, this makes for pleasingly slick, melancholic melodies, that play out with stalking grace (title track, “Human Confetti,” “Concrete Crypt”). Other times, relentless blastbeating or chonky bass chugging provides the background for the axe’s more dissonant angularity (“Dysphoria,” “Purge Fluid,” “Flesh Brick”). Like “a more hardcore-y Nightmarer,”4 or perhaps even an extreme metal Knocked Loose mixed with Nothingness. Seriously, just listen to it.

Mystikus Hugebeards’s Stupendous Scrolls

Albion // Lakesongs of Elbid [January 27th, 2024 – Self-Release]

I’ve been on a folk metal streak of late, yet I’ve struggled to find something that really gripped me the way I wanted. Thus did fate decree that some watery tart hangin’ about in ponds would lob a sword at me in the form of Lakesongs of Elbid, the debut album by the British folk band Albion. This album transposes Celtic folklore into lush, lightly proggy folk metal in the vein of Big Big Train, and is written like the music you hear in your head when you picture a grand quest to Camelot or the Isles of Avalon. “Arthurian Overture” begins the journey in earnest, the music cresting triumphant, orchestral hills and striding through valleys of flute passages, all to the rhythmic footsteps of the guitars. From there, Lakesongs of Elbid explores a wide array of musical locales that can range from direct, determined metal riffs (“Finding Avalon”), traces of British tavern rock (“Barret’s Privateers,” “Silvaplana Rock”), or somber, acoustic folk (“Camlann”). The quest is spearheaded by Joe Parrish-James, whose vocals effortlessly merge the buttery smooth cadence of a seasoned storyteller with a youthful yearning for adventure. That idea of adventure is the beating heart of Lakesongs of Elbid; I can think of a few bands that so easily transport the listener to a new world of vibrant color and sound. Adventurous, enchanting, tons of fun, and extraordinarily British.

Dolphin Whisperer’s Slippery Sermon

Cancer Christ // God Is Violence [January 5th, 2024 – Seeing Red Records]

HAIL CHRIST! HAIL CHRIST!! DO YOU SEE THE LIGHT? DO YOU SEE IT?? IT’S AT THE END OF A TUNNEL FILLED WITH RAPISTS, SATANISTS, PEOPLE WHO DON’T BELIEVE IN GOD’S LOVE. “SATAN IS A BITCH.” SEE THE LIGHT. SEE JESUS CHRIST. JESUS KNOWS THE WORLD CAN BE A BETTER PLACE. JESUS KNOWS THE WORLD NEEDS RIFFS. JESUS KNOWS THE WORLD DOESN’T NEED COPS. “GOD HATES COPS.” THEY STAND IN THE WAY OF GOD’S POWER. HUBRIS! JESUS KNOWS THAT WE’RE ALL BETTER DEAD THAN ALIVE. JESUS CAN KILL US ALL JUST FINE HE DOESN’T NEED COPS. DID YOU HEAR? DID YOU HEAR JESUS’ WORD?? WE NEED TO “BRING BACK THE GUILLOTINE” — WE NEED TO CIRCLE PIT AROUND THE SINNERS AND CHOP THEIR HEADS OFF. CHOP THEIR HEADS OFF!! THE ONLY WAY THEY’LL SEE GOD’S LOVE IS IF THEY’RE DEAD. DO YOU HEAR THE SCREECHING? THAT HIGH-PITCHED SQUIRMING? THAT THRASHY RHYTHMIC PULSE? THAT’S THE ONLY WAY WE’LL GET THESE SINNERS WHO HAVE BEEN “BAPTIZED IN PISS AND SHIT.” HAIL CHRIST! HAIL CHRIST!! WE HAVE SKANKS (BEATS)! WE HAVE MENTAL BREAKDOWNS! “JESUS GOT A BIG OL’ COCK” TOO! IF YOU DESIRE SALVATION YOU’LL WORSHIP CHRIST IF YOU KNOW WHAT’S GOOD FOR YOU. SPREAD JESUS’ LOVE LIKE HE’S SPREAD HIS SEED ACROSS THE WORLD. CANCER CHRIST HAS LAID THE PATH BEFORE YOU. DON’T LISTEN TO LESSER GOSPELS EVEN IF THEY SOUND SIMILAR. DEAD KENNEDYS ARE OLD BUT NOT AS OLD AS HIS WISDOM. CHILD BITE HAS NO CLUE OF THE PATH OF GOD. TRAP THEM DOESN’T EVEN KNOW HOW TO BUILD A CROSS LET ALONE HOW TO NAIL JESUS SINNERS TO ONE. COVER YOURSELF IN “THE BLOOD OF JESUS” TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THESE DIRECTIONLESS GOSPELS WHO KNOW NOTHING OF THE LOVE OF GOD. FILL YOUR LIFE WITH MEANING. FILL YOUR LIFE WITH JESUS’ CUM. “GOD BLESS THE RAPISTS.” GOD IS THRASH. GOD IS NOISE. GOD IS LOVE. GOD IS VIOLENCE. HAIL CHRIST!!! HAIL!!!! CHRIST!!!!!5

Dear Hollow’s Magnanimous Muddle

Her Last Sight // Picture Perfect [January 19th, 2024 – Liron Avital Productions / Self-Released]

You see metalcore, you run? Well run, bitch, run. Cuz Her Last Sight is bringing back the 2000s metalcore that made Hot Topic-obsessed millennials go absolutely bananas. Being that this was my well-trod path to the harsher realities of metal’s more textured offerings, I was all for giving Picture Perfect after seeing the Israelis’ incredibly accomplished guitarist Ofek Asulin’s insane licks on TikTok. While completely acknowledging that this bad boy is not going to change your mind on metalcore, Picture Perfect is core nostalgia through and through. Parkway Drive’s fist-pumping brutality collides with As I Lay Dying’s wild technicality, fed through the riff-happy arpeggio machines of Killswitch Engage or Trivium with clean choruses and heart-wrenching melodies straight outta In Hearts Wake or The Amity Affliction. Breakdowns and wild riffs dominate tracks like “In Dying Light,” “Horizons,” and “R.I.P.”, while the soaring choruses of “Paralyzed,” “Careless,” and “Heart // Mind” remain seared in the mind. While the too-loud and frail clean vocals are too often a weak link, the album is overlong, and the sparse electronic trip-hop influence feels largely unnecessary, the formidable technicality and solid songwriting grant Her Last Sight a relatively guilt-free nostalgia trip with Picture Perfect.

Hyloxalus // Make Me the Heart of the Black Hole [January 26th, 2024 – Self-Release]

For those of you who have read my reviews before, you know how much I am not a power metal guy. I reviewed Moonlight Haze twice to make myself more marketable when I first joined these halls, but it is far and away not my cup of tea. Thus, I was cautiously intrigued by the “dark power metal” tag of the Edmonton trio Hyloxalus. How this translates is that we are graced with the powerful operatic vocals of Nina Laderoute while instrumentalists Danial “AniMal” Devost and Mike Bell offer a noisy and relentless thrash riff-forwardness that feels both kickass and cold. Channeling Nightwish’s weirder and heavier moments, the trio rockets its sound to the cosmos, where we’re granted sounds expansive, exploratory, and epic (“Undead in Ward 6,” “Sailors Underneath the Waves”), while unforgiving coldness and isolation are constant reminders of the darkness (“He Dies in the Swamp,” “Severed from the Reborn Sun”). Don’t get me wrong, Hyloxalus is far from perfect in a tinny production and wonky mixing, while slower tracks like “Dream Chasm” and “Beyond the Soil” get bogged down by sluggish tempos. However, Make Me the Heart of the Black Hole is a ton of fun from a young band with a unique and weirdass sound that may just capture your heart.

#Aephanemer #Aether #AgesOfMan #Albion #AmericanMetal #AsILayDying #AustralianMetal #BigBigTrain #CancerChrist #CerebralPurgatory #ChildBite #ChineseMetal #Cognizance #ConveyanceInDeath #DarkOath #DeadKennedys #Deafheaven #DeathMetal #DissonantBlackMetal #DoomMetal #Dvne #Emperor #FallsOfRauros #FolkMetal #FrenchMetal #GodIsViolence #Gorgon #Grindcore #Hardcore #HeavyMetal #HerLastSight #Hoplites #Hyolaxus #IKProductions #Ilion #InHeartsWake #InfantIsland #IronMaiden #JohnZorn #Kardashev #KazakhstaniMetal #KillswitchEngage #KnockedLoose #LakesongsOfElbid #LironAvitalProductions #MakeMeTheHeartOfTheBlackHole #MelodicBlackMetal #MelodicDeathMetal #Metalcore #MoonlightHaze #Niemaracz #Nightmarer #Nightwish #Nothingness #ObsidianWreath #Panopticon #ParkwayDrive #Phantazein #PicturePerfect #PortugueseMetal #PowerMetal #ProgressiveBlackMetal #ProgressiveMetal #PsychedelicMetal #PupilSlicer #ResinTomb #Review #Reviews #Rhûn #Screamo #SecretVoids #SeeingRedRecords #SelfRelease #Slift #Sludge #StonerDoom #StonerMetal #StuckInTheFilter #SubPopRecords #SymphonicMetal #SymphonicPowerMetal #TechnicalDeathMetal #TheAmityAffliction #TheTalesOfTheDeepForest #TranscendingObscurityRecords #TrapThem #Trivium #UKMetal #VitriolicSage #Vredehammer #WhiteWard #WillowtipRecords #Ὁπλίτης #Παραμαινομένη

#ChineseMetal & #SandArt
#TwistedMachine/#扭曲机器 《理想的背后》

https://invidious.tube/watch?v=C2Sa0bPQtzU