To our fellow Orthodox Christian believers, we wish you a blessed Paschal Feast and period. May there be peace in your homes, as well as a lot of music, culture and good food.
[Music] Orthodox – Axis
In honor of the Harrowing of Hell, where Christ destroyed the place and released the souls waiting there for relief, I present you the Spanish progressive doom band Orthodox. Noisy metal bordering weirdly on free jazz, this is a bit of a score for me. The music is brutal, loud, but there is something comforting in this kind of sludge.
[Music] The Rosenshoul – Low Winter Sun (Deluxe Edition)
The Rosenshoul are a side project of the folks behind Flowers For Bodysnatchers (namely Duncan Ritchie). If you thought FFB were bleak, this goes a bit deeper into the bowels of Hades.
What is particularly remarkable is the fact that time stands still for a good portion of this album. One can feel like they fell into a bottomless pit and know that there is no place you’re going to crash at. You simply fall and fall into the music, and the coldness and terror emanating from the album never seems to cease.
This is dark ambient music that would have been stellar listening during the 1990’s. It’s incredibly well-done.
[Film] Czech poster of Rocky (1976) —
Rocky (1976, by John G. Avildsen) Original Czech movie poster. Check out John Garfield on set of Body and Soul here
[Music] Vadim Petrenko – RIO-Collection /Rock In Opposition/
The Rock-In-Opposition movement had a very short shelf life, but produced some of the most amazing avant-progressive rock bands. Think of acts like Univers Zero, Henry Cow, Art Zoyd, the Art Bears, Stormy Six and others. Their influence was felt far and wide, and you can hear it in the work of former ZGA guitarist Vadim Petrenko. He has synthesized the influences of his favorite artists and added his own take on the genre. His work with ZGA was stunning, so I’m looking forward to hear how he develops as a solo artist.
[Music] Sea of Åland – Extended Play Three
Sea of Åland are an experimental music band out of Cottingham, England, who have been releasing a batch of rather great albums. Though experimental music seems to be their main focus, their sound also digs deeply into post-rock, ambient and even a bit of a dark soundtrack vibe. Very impressive listening.
[Film] Olivia Hussey: The Girl on the Balcony — The HOBBLEDEHOY
Shakespeare Unlimited: Episode 113 Olivia Hussey was just fifteen when Franco Zeffirelli cast her in Romeo and Juliet. When the film was released in October 1968, it catapulted Hussey and Leonard Whiting, the young actor playing Romeo, to global stardom. For many Shakespeare lovers, Zeffirelli’s film is still the definitive film adaptation of the play. Now, fifty years […]
via Olivia Hussey: The Girl on the Balcony — The HOBBLEDEHOY
[Music] Djam Karet – The Devouring
I’m particularly pleased to be reviewing this album, as it comes from a VERY local band. They were living in city of Claremont, California, a college town minutes from my home, and the drummer, Chuck Oken, Jr., owns Rhino Records, by far the best independent record shop in the Inland Empire. It was the first place I whet my appetite in new music. Also, the fact that it’s on Cuneiform Records, who were based not too far from me (in Silver Springs, Maryland) when I my then-wife and I lived in Germantown. It’s so nice to see this album being offered by the label.
Djam Karet are a progressive rock band, but I saw the comparisons to Pink Floyd off-putting. Floyd is Floyd. Karet is Karet. There may be points of commonality here and there, but Djam Karet drift off into a more exploratory mode of long rock improvisations. If there is anyone who DJ should be compared with, I’d reckon it would be King Crimson between 1973 and 1981, though without the intricacy of Adrian Belew’s guitar skronk. This is exceptionally good prog, even after 22 years.
[Music] Stvannyr – Valley Of Shadows
Stvannyr consist of 2/3 of the post-rock/atmospheric metal group Realm of Wolves, but this project might actually be heavier. We’ve come to expect some fine instrumental tracks from István and his crew, and this album is no exception. The guitar playing is clean, sharp, excellent in terms of metal music (which is not my cup of tea normally, making this album that much more exceptional). It’s crisply recorded, and loud enough
Post-rock music keeps branching out into fresh territory, which makes musicians practicing this dark art a pleasure to enjoy.
[Music] Lifetime Achievement: 7 Albums That Show The Many Sides Of Merzbow — Bandcamp Daily
His project is infamous for its sheer extremity and unapologetic harshness, but the din’s more nuanced than meets the ear.
via Lifetime Achievement: 7 Albums That Show The Many Sides Of Merzbow — Bandcamp Daily
A Miscellany Of Tasteful Music 