One Louder Magazine… RESURRECTED!

One Louder Magazine… RESURRECTED

Introduction
Album of the Week
Honorable Mentions
Missed The Cut
Addendum
On The List
Looking Forward To
Fine Print
About One Louder Magazine

It’s Thursday, time for another mailer! Or blog! Or… whatever the heck you wanna call it.

I usually kick these things off with what I’ve been up to lately, but honestly… not much. I think there are two main reasons for that.

First: the weather. It’s been pissing cats and dogs. Windy, rainy, heck, it even snowed one day. Those are the kind of days where you stay indoors and eat hot soup, right? Mmmm… now I’m craving French onion soup.

Every winter, Costco carries these frozen French onion soups that are ridiculously good. Unfortunately, they’re gone for the season. Apparently we have to wait until next winter again. Brutal.

Second—and a bit more disconcerting—the gig.

I’ve talked over the years about how much I like my gig. I get to be creative, I learn about new products… it’s a good time. Well, mostly. I mean, it is still a job, so there are moments.

Since 2006—yes, TWENTY years—I’d go into the office once a week – one day per week – simply to just “show my face.” And yes, that started 14 years before the whole world shut down for a couple of years.

After COVID restrictions lifted, though, everyone was asked to start coming back. First one day a week. Then two. Then three. It stayed at three days a week for a couple of years… but last month it moved to four.

And starting next week?

Five.

My typical day used to start around 9-ish. I’d roll out of bed, brush my teeth, and head downstairs to start the daily grind. Well… actually, before the grind I’d give the doggies their morning lovins. Very important step, ruh! But otherwise? No shower yet, no shaving, still in PJs… you get the idea.

Now?

My day still starts around 9-ish… but in the office.

So now I’m up at the crack-ass of dawn, showering, shaving, getting dressed, and spending a couple hours on the road every day (total, not one way). Yada yada yada.

And I’ve quickly discovered something: the commute absolutely gasses me.

To be clear, I have no issue with the gig itself. It’s the commute.

It got me thinking about who actually needs to be in the office. Based on the COVID years… apparently no one. But if I really think about it?

Sales could work from home. Finance/accounting could, too. Technical support. Marketing. Leadership already meets once a week anyway, which frankly could just be a Teams call. Maybe some of Engineering or R&D needs to be on-site sometimes, but certainly not all of them.

That’s about it.

And here’s another thing: you all know I can’t work without music playing. That’s partly why this weekly blog exists. I’ve got noise-canceling headphones on my noggin pretty much all day.

But occasionally I take them off—bathroom break, lunch, whatever—and suddenly I hear people talking on phones everywhere. Sometimes I even hear them between songs.

I can’t imagine how distracting that must be for people who don’t wear headphones.

Anyway, long story short: today is Thursday, the day of the weekly mailer.

My alarm went off this morning and I immediately Teams’d my boss:

“Lol, nope. Too early. I’m using a floater PTO day today. I’ll fill out the paperwork later. Going back to bed.”

I work from home tomorrow (Friday), but then… BANG.

Five days a week in the office starting next week.

I’m already tired just writing that.

And speaking of tired: I usually work on these intros in the evenings or on weekends. But lately I’ve had zero interest in doing that after a day at the office. By the time I get home, I’m cooked.

So I’m curious to see whether these intros get shorter or longer in future mailers.

Oh—and there’s one more thing about commuting five days a week: gas prices.

Have you seen them lately?

They’re soaring, and it’ll probably get worse before it gets better. At this rate I’ll be making less money than I have in… I don’t even know how long.

Fuuuuugh.

Anyway—Godspeed to all of my friends who are in the same boat.

And hey… thanks for listening to me complain out loud.

In lighter news…

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TUESDAY IS ST. PATRICK’S DAY – DON’T FORGET TO WEAR SOMETHING GREEN! Doing so will make you invisible to leprechauns. If you do not wear green, prepare to be pinched! This is your first and last warning!

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A friend sent this to me, and I thought it was too cool not to share. The M’s were ONE GAME AWAY from their first-ever World Series trip last season. Hopefully they get there before my demise…

I was thinking, “it’s gonna cost you your first kid’s life” or something like that, but it’s not bad, actually. Only an $8 dollar upgrade to get the ferry (on top of whatever the cost is for whatever protein is ordered). Not listed, garlic fries! Shit, I’d get chicken tenders and/or garlic fries to get a ferry, hellz yeah, count me IN!

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For the fourth consecutive week, there is no Album of the Week, unfortunately. That said, the self-titled Axe Dragger album is a really fun listen, and I can’t wait to jam it again. Perhaps it rises to the top and ends up becoming this week’s AOTW… or maybe not. I just remember smiling and lovin’ it as it played. Start there!

Actually, continuing on… We are in mid-March of 2026, and there has been one AOTW and a handful of high-five Honorable Mentions. What a dreaded way to start the year, musically. Next week looks promising, but who knows… TBD.

Interestingly, it’s not just new albums that are kinda meh-ish this year. How long has it been since I’ve recommended a new movie or TV series? Seems like forever… they’ve all been kinda meh-ish, as well. Hoping for a turnaround in both departments ’cause I’m looking for the goods and I know they’re out there!

Alas, onto the musics…

Ah, fuck it… I’m spinning again. There are about three songs left on this Axe Dragger album. I f’n love it, haha! Classic ’80s butt rock… done right. Man, some newer bands can’t really pull it off, but I gotta say, this is pretty solid. Riffs for ages, face-melting solos, and Terry Glaze (original vocalist of Pantera) sings/screams his ass off. This is fantastic! It’s their debut, but I hope they come back for more, ’cause I’m all for it.

😁 BE THE REASON SOMEONE SMILES 😁

Be sure to let me know what you agree / disagree with, etc… always fun to hear your opinions, too. Happy listening… and see you next week!

Cheers,

Troy

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Album(s) of the Week** – March 6th to March 12th, 2026:

651 – Axe Dragger – Axe Dragger

Oh hellz yeah, throw them horns in the air and bang your head to this new band… that sounds as if they stepped into the 1980s! Fat, beefy riffs, high-pitched vocals that reach the rafters, this throwback album rules! Not all bands that try to release ’80s-sounding rock albums sound great, but Axe Dragger delivers! Fun album… enjoy! The band features vocalist Terry Glaze (original vocalist of Pantera), guitarist Bob Balch (Fu Manchu), bassist Fredrik Isaksson (Dark Funeral), and drummer Pete Campbell (formerly of Pentagram).

From their bandcamp page: “American heavy metal supergroup AXE DRAGGER (featuring current and former members of Fu Manchu, Pantera, Dark Funeral, and Pentagram) team up with Metal Injection to present the rip-roaring debut single off their upcoming self-titled album “Axe Dragger”, to be issued on March 6th via Ripple Music.

Forged across state lines and fueled by sheer riff worship, AXE DRAGGER is the true supergroup heavy metal has been waiting for. Born from the long-distance communion of Fu Manchu guitarist Bob Balch and ex-Pentagram drummer Pete Campbell, the project achieved legendary status with the additions of original Pantera vocalist Terry Glaze and Dark Funeral bassist Fredrik Isaksson.

Soaked in the soaring 80s metal spirit of titans like Riot, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Dio, and Armored Saint, and adorned with modern weight and production, their self-titled debut album is a timeless, earth-shaking beast, meticulously crafted crash by crash over a relentless year. AXE DRAGGER reloads the golden age of heavy metal in legendary fashion, staging a full-blown takeover of all headbangers’ stereos worldwide. Prepare for the next heavy metal classic!

With a lyric video designed by Emmy-nominated motion designer and art director DJ Summitt, debut single “Axe Dragger” is an absolute face melter that will ravish fans of Judas Priest, Riot, Iron Maiden, and Dio. Guitarist Bob Balch comments: “This was the first song we wrote. When drummer Minnesota Pete Campbell reached out to me about collaborating on a metal record, those riffs came out of me moments later. The song pretty much wrote itself. I thought Terry Glaze would sound great on it, so we sent it over to him. When we both heard the vocals and lyrics, we knew we had something special. I mean—he sings the words “heavy metal” in the first verse! Haha. That song lit a fire under all of us and ended up spawning the entire record. Pete then mentioned bringing in Fredrik Isaksson on bass. Fredrik absolutely killed it on that track, and at that point, the lineup was solidified. Hope you dig it!”

Drummer Minnesota Pete Campbell adds: “This was the first track Bob sent me for the project. At first listen, I was like, “Okay… I see where this is going!” I laid down my drum tracks and sent it back. He told me Terry was interested in doing some vocals, and I was stoked. When we got Terry’s vocals back, I knew right away we were onto something—and ten songs later, we had a whole record. Fredrik’s bass playing is ungodly, and he’s the perfect man for the job. Bob is a freakin’ riff machine—such an honor to jam with. I’m super excited for people to hear this band. Proud of the music and the guys involved. Hail Metal!”

Their debut album “Axe Dragger” was mixed by Brian Scheuble (Mötley Crüe, Whitesnake, Stone Temple Pilots, Nine Inch Nails) and mastered by Dave Collins (Metallica, Soundgarden), with vinyl and CD mastering by Carl Saff, and album artwork by Seldon Hunt.”

Honorable Mentions (in order by “popularity”*):

7,057,210 – Johnny Cash – Pure Johnny Cash – As all of us know, country legend Johnny Cash died over two decades ago, in 2003. Therefore, this is a posthumous release. That said, there are multiple previously unreleased takes, demos, and more. As y’all know, I am NOT a fan of (most) country music, but JC (and Willie and very few others) are in a world by themselves. JC is the MAN!!! RIP Johnny!

From Music Row: “Sun Records is digitally releasing Pure Johnny Cash, 18 rare recordings from Cash’s formative years at Sun Records, today (Feb. 20) via Qobuz, the independently-owned streaming platform.

Originally released as a vinyl collection in partnership with McIntosh, Pure Johnny Cash features seldom-heard recordings from Cash’s formative years at Sun, remastered from the original analog tapes to preserve the immediacy, warmth, and unvarnished power that defined Cash’s earliest sessions. Featuring alternative takes and standout versions of classics including “Train of Love,” “Ballad of a Teenage Queen,” and “I Walk the Line,” the collection offers an intimate window into Cash at the beginning of his legendary run.

To mark the digital debut, Sun Records is premiering a new lyric video for “Ballad of a Teenage Queen.” Pure Johnny Cash will receive a wide streaming release on March 6.

“Sam Phillips had a way of capturing lightning in a bottle, and these early recordings of Johnny Cash perfectly exemplify that,” says Chase Gregory, Senior Director A&R + Sync, Sun Records. “Releasing Pure Johnny Cash digitally, in partnership with Qobuz and the HiFi digital platform they offer, is another way to honor what makes these performances so special. Everything you hear was performed in one take with no overdubs. It’s a direct line to the room, the moment, and the voice that changed American music.””

782,632 – Gnarls Barkley – Atlanta – Gnarls Barkley is a funky neo-soul duo featuring Thomas DeCarlo Callaway-Burton (bka CeeLo Green), who sings on the album, and producer Brian Joseph Burton (bka Danger Mouse), who is responsible for the majority of the programming, synths/organ, drums, piano, and production. Elements of hip-hop, rock, and psychedelia also enter the mix throughout. This is the duo’s third and final release, 18 years after their sophomore release, 2008’s ‘Who’s Gonna Save My Soul’… it’s got some stank on it, yeah! Fun fact: the album is named after the city where both currently live.

618,103 – Black Stone Cherry – Celebrate EP – Been listening to (and loving) this kick-ass blues-tinged hard rock band since their debut release in 2006! Crunchy, chunky riffs, great songwriting, cool bluesy wah-wah psychedelic soloing, etc. Plus, they’re an amazing live band! This EP ends with a raging cover of Simple Minds’ ‘Don’t You Forget About Me’. These dudes rule!

From their bandcamp page: “On Celebrate – produced by the band and recorded at High Street Studios in Bowling Green, Kentucky – they embody all this at the height of their powers. There’s happiness and heartache. Muscular hooks and raw soul. The life experiences of four men approaching forty (two of them parents), in one emotive, unpolished diamond of a record. Six commanding, stage-ready original tracks and an inspired cover of Simple Minds’ Don’t You (Forget About Me) featuring Tyler Connolly (Theory Of A Deadman).

Celebrate’s roots stem from the road, where (in true Black Stone style) riffs and lyrics cropped up in soundchecks and tour-bus journeys across the world. In early 2025, they began meeting at guitarist Ben Wells’ home studio, two days a week, to write together in earnest. It was a rewarding experience. Surrounded by band posters, Star Wars figures, and Elvis memorabilia – and with Wells’ three beagles as their first critics – they fleshed out ideas, often swapping instruments to nail the best ones.

The titular opening track Celebrate epitomises that dynamic mindset. Built on a heavyweight intro riff, it went through several verses and choruses, with drummer John Fred Young coming up with a melody that took it somewhere new. The final result is an ode to rejoicing in small, everyday milestones – a thoughtful response to the mental health challenges faced by so many of us. It’s the sort of thing Black Stone Cherry are masters of: taking a somber subject and flipping it on its head, creating a punchy, empowering rock song.”

201,058 – Prong – Live And Uncleansed – Looooooong time fan of the band. Prong brings heavy-duty riffage, killer tunes, and not a step lost. Groovy thrash metal at its finest. I need to see these guys live again… I always seem to forget just how good (and under-appreciated) vocalist/guitarist Tommy Victor and Prong really are. This is their second live album, but only their first since 2002’s ‘100% Live’, a span of nearly 25 years. ‘Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck’ indeed!

From amazon: “There’s one thing that everyone readily agrees on: Live concerts are the icing on the cake for musicians and fans alike. Every show is a very special experience and sometimes even creates an almost magical performance. Such moments are beyond explanation, you just have to be there to believe it or, in a best-case scenario, have them recorded for posterity – as American metal act Prong have done with their latest live album.

Which is exactly what guitarist/vocalist Tommy Victor and bandmates Christopher Dean (bass) and Tyler Joseph (drums) have achieved on ‘Live And Uncleansed’. Recorded over seven nights in July and August 2025, they are now ready to present eleven powerful live songs (plus three live bonus tracks), all pure and unadulterated, authentic and honest, which is the reason why the result is so incredibly captivating.

“We were really well rehearsed, this is truly a live (!) record, everything is as is,” explains Tommy Victor, proudly adding: “You can hear some of the little mistakes here and there, but that makes it cool!””

197,044 – Katelyn Tarver – Tell Me How You Really Feel – Well, it looks like Katelyn got my note! I wrote the following about her last release, 2024’s ‘Quitter’: “Katelyn plays poppy singer-songwriter tunes. I loved the singer-songwriter stuff, beautiful voice, beautiful tunes, but the “poppier” stuff was less interesting. She has a bright future if she stays on the singer-songwriter side of her tunes!”

Guess who returned two years later with a new album packed with all singer-songwriter tunes? F’n A, Katelyn, this was great (even if the subject matter was not, read ahead).

From Nettwerk Music Group: “Katelyn Tarver has never shied away from the truth — even when it hurts. On her third full-length album, slated for spring 2026, the Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, and actress chronicles the raw process of self-reinvention after the end of her decade-long marriage, turning heartbreak into hard-won clarity. The result is an intimate collection of an indie pop confessional that feels like overheard conversations — honest, unguarded, insightful, and deeply human. Written with a renowned cast of co-writers and recorded with Grammy-nominated producer Mikey Reaves (Luke Combs, Jelly Roll) and Chad Copelin (Sasha Alex Sloan, Sufjan Stevens), the album captures the tension between freedom and fear on songs like “$82 at Erewhon,” “The Price,” and “IDGAF.” It’s a rebirth — vulnerable, hopeful, and achingly self-aware.

A Georgia native, Tarver first made waves with her viral 2017 anthem “You Don’t Know,” which has amassed over 83 million Spotify streams. Her acclaimed projects Subject to Change (2021) and Quitter (2024) cemented her as a rising voice in emotional indie pop. Praised by Billboard, NPR, NYLON, FLOOD, Rolling Stone, FLAUNT, Atwood Magazine, and LADYGUNN as “a captivating storyteller who fearlessly dives into life’s complex questions,” Tarver continues to merge diaristic honesty with cinematic melodies. Katelyn has also captivated audiences with powerful live performances. She has notably shared the stage with James Bay, Donovan Woods, and Elle King, while she marked a full-circle moment touring with Big Time Rush on the 2025 “IN REAL LIFE WORLDWIDE” tour.

Simultaneously, she shined on screen with key roles on HBO’s Ballers, ABC Family’s The Secret Life of the American Teenager, ABC’s No Ordinary Family, and Nickelodeon’s Big Time Rush in addition to emerging victorious as a contestant on NBC’s Songland. Next up, she will join Will Ferrell, Molly Shannon, Jimmy Tatro, and Fortune Feimster as part of the cast for NETFLIX’s forthcoming untitled golf comedy series—expected to premiere in 2026. With her forthcoming album, Katelyn Tarver invites listeners into her most personal chapter yet — one defined by truth, transformation, and the courage to begin again.”

Recommended For Fans Of: Noah Cyrus, Sasha Alex Sloan, Chelsea Cutler, Fletcher, Charlotte Lawrence, Wrabel

32,608 – Moon Tooth – Bastard EP – So I LOVED 2016’s ‘Chromaparagon’ and liked 2019’s ‘Crux’, saying “I have absolutely LOVED their previous releases as evidenced by previous reviews: “Wow, blown away. There is a lot of love in the metal community for this band, and it’s easy to hear why… they have this Mastodon [the proggy shit] meets Dillinger Escape Plan [the zany punk meets jazz metal and more shit] sound… and it more than works. My legs were tapping throughout the entire album. Tasty stuff here!”

Since then, I have been overwhelmingly underwhelmed with their releases since then, including 2022’s ‘Phototroph’, and now this, 2026’s ‘Bastard’ EP. I’ll spin them again because there are definitely parts I love, but as a whole, I wasn’t as thrilled as I was with previous releases.

17,762 – Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers – Hell To Breakfast – Damn, this AZ-based rock band has been around for nearly 30 years, and my introduction to them was their last release, 2017’s ‘Native Heart’. Kinda has that Hold Steady roots-rock / Americana sound… I like. Nothing amazing or anything, but solid. I like!

From RSD: “Roger Clyne and drummer Paul “P.H.” Naffah formed Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers in 1998, after the short major-label run of their previous band, The Refreshments, They’ve been an important musical force in Arizona for the better part of three decades, and have toured all over the US, achieving a faithful following through great music and energetic live performances.

As Clyne prepares to release his 11th studio album, “Hell to Breakfast,” he continues to transform his life experiences, inspirations, observations, and his own muses into timeless music. And whether he’s wearing his Converse high tops, boots or sandals, Clyne’s blend of punk rock, americana, indie-pop and mariachi influences have made him, drummer PH Naffah, guitarist Jim Dalton and bassist Nick Scropos – collectively known as Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers – one of America’s best live rock-n-roll bands.”

16,611 – Dan Swanö – Moontower [Reissue/Remaster – 1999] (2 CDs) – Yo, this was kind of rad! This was Dan “The Man” Swanö’s one-and-only solo album, packed with plenty of prog-death metal tunes. He plays all instruments and sings. Typically, this is out of my wheelhouse – and I’m not particularly fond of his vox – but the music is so f’n good that it’s difficult not to enjoy! It kinda sorta reminded me of Dream Theater, but with growly Cookie Monster vox. Really great musicianship… including keys! Disc one is the original album remastered, while disc two contains a bunch of demos. Unfortunately, I only streamed the remaster as I couldn’t find the demos streaming anywhere. Shit, I know it’s been two-and-a-half decades, but I hope he releases a follow-up!

From Century Media Records: “After 27 years, acclaimed musician/songwriter/producer Dan Swanö’s first (and only) solo album, Moontower, is finally available again. Remastered by Swanö (Opeth, Katatonia, Oceans Of Slumber) and featuring a jam-packed bonus tracks disc (16 songs / 71 minutes), the reissue comes at a crucial time when all Edge of Sanity and Nightingale releases are also available again through Century Media Records.

Moontower finds Swanö at his most creative, a sort of homage to “death metal from 1972”. The album features pivotal tracks such as “Sun of the Night”, “Uncreation”, “Add Reality”, and “In Empty Phrases”, which are some of Swanö’s best to date. His guitars hum, keyboards swirl, and vocals intimidate against introspective lyrics. The long-overdue re-release of Moontower is available as Ltd. 2CD (8 album tracks on CD1 and 16 bonus tracks on CD2) with O-card and as a 180g LP (8 tracks) on transparent light blue vinyl. Fall through the passage of time one last time!”

From Metal Injection: “After 27 years, Dan Swanö’s cult solo opus Moontower returns in a newly remastered edition, complete with a 16-track bonus disc. Originally conceived as “death metal from 1972,” the album captures Swanö at his most adventurous, weaving progressive rock ambition into extreme metal frameworks. Known for his work with acts like Opeth and Katatonia, Swanö revisits pivotal tracks such as “Sun of the Night” and “Uncreation” with renewed clarity, spotlighting the record’s swirling keys, humming guitars, and introspective menace.”

16,514 – Katherine Priddy – These Frightening Machines – Man, what a voice! She writes beautiful tunes and has an amazing voice on this singer-songwriter album.

From amazon: “The new record follows Priddy’s sophomore LP The Pendulum Swing, which firmly established her as one of the most exciting artists on the contemporary British music scene. Produced by Rob Ellis (PJ Harvey, Anna Calvi, Bat for Lashes), These Frightening Machines was written over the course of a year as Priddy made the transition from her 20s to her 30s.

The most sonically varied of her career, the songs span a full spectrum of emotions from anger and despair to hope, longing, and lust, from reclaiming the voices of women silenced by history, to expressing solidarity and love, to confronting illness, disconnection, the vulnerability and importance of relationships, and the general ache of growing older and not always wiser.

They explore what it means to keep going when things fall apart, to hold onto connections in a world that sometimes divides, and to figure out where we fit into the machines and systems we find ourselves a part of. “I wanted to end this album on a question mark,” said Priddy, “as whilst I’d have hoped to have it all figured out by the third album and my third decade, I’ve come to accept that perhaps part of being human is being a perpetual work in progress.

Could this collection of songs be enough? If it strikes a match and casts a little light for anyone who has ever felt their body falter, their love waver, or time slip through their fingers, then that’s enough for me.”

Guests include singer/songwriter Torres, who duets on ‘Madeleine’, and Richard Walters, who duets on ‘I’m Always Willing’. Revered, alt-folk multi-instrumentalist Ben Christophers (Natasha Khan, Guy Garvey, and many more) features on most of the album’s tracks. Priddy will take to the road in April/May 2026 for a lengthy UK headline tour.”

12,734 – Erik Wøllo – Snow Tides – Dreamy, all-instrumental, ambient soundscapes. Man, I just love this stuff. So relaxing and awesome…

From his bandcamp page: “Erik Wøllo’s latest, SNOW TIDES, artfully weaves rich electronic layers and sonic textures, guiding listeners from reflective serenity to expansive grandeur, from calm introspective passages to sweeping majestic auditory adventures. Guitars and synthesizers unfold onto a sparkling, snowy sanctuary, encapsulating the serene beauty of nature’s whispered stillness.

Spanning 55 minutes, the 10 tracks draw deeply from Norway’s stunning natural environment, reflecting the rugged terrain and long winters of Erik’s homeland. Articulating the quiet of winter, a period Erik regards as his most creative, the slower rhythms and introspective stillness bring solitude and emotional depth to these compositions.

The opening track, “Winter’s Breath,” introduces a wide and slow perspective that sets the mood for the album: a chill-out invitation into a soundworld of the nordic winter geography. “Luminara” is a slowly expanding embrace with melodic grand piano and guitar themes. The title track, “Snow Tides,” surrounds the audience in tranquility with distant ethereal chords and evolving intricate percussive patterns and textures. As the album progresses, “Glacial Veil” captures more dramatic and eerie moments, while “Jan Mayen” transports listeners to faraway, resilient shores. Erik says, “I have never been to Jan Mayen, a remote Norwegian arctic island. But I guess I would have made this music after a visit.” These five tracks share a thematic connection, forming a cohesive suite.

A contrasting change comes with “Glass Reverie,” a shimmering piece that shows Erik’s long-time fascination for minimalistic structures built upon repeated electric guitar motifs. Continuing with “North Trek,” a vibrant vivacity at a warmer place where drifting synthesizers lead into a lively pulsating section, almost as if spring is getting closer. “Astral Travelers” is a fast-paced sequencer track blended with clouds of rotating drones that can evoke images of satellites and other objects moving across a nordic winter night sky. Next is the contemplative “Arctic Moon,” a slow guitar piece, enchanting in its simplicity and harmony. The album concludes with “Falling Snow, Whispering Tides,” the longest track on the album. A soothing enveloping finale, lush and radiant that intertwines gentle waves with soaring ebow lines as if the stars above flow endlessly.

The album’s cover images, designed by Erik, capture the ethereal essence of the music. The luminescent snowy mountains serve as an invitation into a crystalline sonic space, both warmly welcoming and bone-chilling.

SNOW TIDES encapsulates the serene beauty of nature’s whispered moments, leaving an unforgettable resonance that will linger long after the final note.”

8,318 – Black Lung – Forever Beyond – I absolutely LOVED 2019’s ‘Ancients’ and 2022’s ‘Dark Waves’, stating something like: “I had not heard this band until their 2019 release, ‘Ancients’ and immediately fell in love. They’re fucking rad! It’s like proggy stoner / doom rock… these dudes are for real!”

Unfortunately, other than a few songs and moments throughout ‘Forever Beyond’, I was a bit underwhelmed with this release. I mean, sure, it’s pretty cool, but taint the last two. The last two songs on the album are probably the best, but as a whole? Eh… still putting here based on past accomplishments… but start there, then work your way here.

From their bandcamp page: “When you find yourself adrift at zero gravity with a dreamy smile on your face, you’ve probably booked a flight into space on BLACK LUNG’s latest inter-dimensional transport “Forever Beyond”.

The veteran trio from Baltimore, Maryland have fine-tuned the recipe of their musical rocket fuel, distilled from stoner doom, psychedelic rock, and other fiery ingredients. BLACK LUNG’s unique concoction drives every track with captivating tunes, melodic riffing, pumping rhythms, and the inimitable vocal cords of Dave Cavalier taking it home.

Every single song on “Forever Beyond” hits its mark perfectly. Undertones of anger and defiance manifest as many of the songs are artistic reactions to the historic political upheaval in the USA, dealing lyrically with the lure of fascism, blind nationalism, and corporate oligarchy.

BLACK LUNG came into being when two founding members of Baltimore’s well-established psych rock band THE FLYING EYES, guitarist and organ player Adam Bufano and drummer Elias Schutzman, teamed up with multi-instrumentalist Dave Cavalier in early 2014. The trio set themselves apart from the crowded field of psych doom and heavy blues with a sonic interchange of fuzzed-drenched guitars, deep driving drumbeats, and Cavalier’s raw, blues-tinged vocals.

During the pandemic years, BLACK LUNG managed to push forward with new guitarist Dave Fullerton, which resulted in the fourth album “Dark Waves”. On this milestone, they abandoned some pet ideas such as eschewing bass guitar live in favour of guitars through bass amps, along with the black and white aesthetics that had dominated their artwork of their first three full-lengths.

With “Forever Beyond”, BLACK LUNG demonstrate that it is possible to rage against injustice with an utmost joyful defiance!”

6,901 – Clouds Taste Satanic – Berlin 2023 [Live] – Hellz yeah! Been listening to this all-instrumental post-doom metal band since 2021 (four full-lengths, one EP). This is their fifth full-length, even though it only consists of four (long) songs. Their music is fantastic, their album artwork is tasty… and more. A good starting point is side two of 2023’s ‘Tales of Demonic Possession’. Grooooooovy, man…

From their bandcamp page: “Berlin 2023 is the second in a series of “Live in Studio” Clouds Taste Satanic albums. Recorded at Big Snuff Studios in Berlin, DE, in May of 2023, this is a no overdub document of the band’s set while on tour in Europe that year.”

4,579 – New Age Doom – Angels Against Angels – OMFG, this is fucking wild! I don’t know if I love it, hate it, am somewhere in the middle of it or what, but I am definitely intrigued and will spin it again! It is an experimental drone dub-jazz album featuring Bad Brains vocalist, H.R.

From their bandcamp page: “Critically-acclaimed experimental band New Age Doom presents its collaboration with H.R., lead vocalist of the legendary Bad Brains, releasing on March 6, 2026, through Toronto label We Are Busy Bodies.

“The vision was to bring H.R. into a space he hasn’t visited in a long time, a sphere he helped create and pioneer. The album thrives at the intersection of chaotic hardcore and spacious dub. Though it was never planned as a dub record, that sound’s gravitational pull affected the music, shaping it naturally,” said Eric J Breitenbach, drummer and co-producer.

“We didn’t just want to revisit history, but to make a sound that doesn’t exist anywhere else. H.R.’s voice evokes survival, chaos, and hope all at once. This album is heavier, stranger, and more alive than anything we’ve done. We’re inspired and can’t wait for people to hear it.”

New Age Doom’s ever-expanding musical lineup now includes Andy Morin of Death Grips, Bowie BLACKSTAR keyboardist Jason Lindner, Quicksand drummer Alan Cage, and Pussy Riot (Riot Days) member Alina Petrova on electric violin.

Returning musicians include bassist Tim Lefebvre, now also on electric guitar, along with trumpeter Dan Rosenboom, Gavin Templeton on saxophones, drummer Benedicte Pierleoni, DJ CrookOne, and Cola Wars on keyboards.

Musically, the album explores the harder sides of New Age Doom’s sound, including punk rock, prog metal, and post-rock, while also returning to the chill dub vibes of 2021’s Lee Scratch Perry’s Guide to the Universe, in Lefebvre and Morin-led tracks such as “Radio On” and “Aetheopia Dub.”

“The heavier cuts have been staples of our live sets over the past few years during tours of Europe and Canada, and I’m glad our discography is finally starting to catch up to our live shows,” said Greg Valou, multi-instrumentalist and co-producer. “I think we’ve struck a good balance between pummelling riffage, introspective ambience, and exalted melodic moments that our listeners are hungry for.”

H.R.’s lyrics reference the struggle for survival in an unforgiving world, his deep spirituality, and calls for us all to embrace truth, love, equality, and mercy as core morals. The record is about life, death, and existential crisis. H.R.’s voice embodies survival and spirit in the present tense, reminding us that life is fragile and not guaranteed.

“The chance to make new music with H.R. is a gift, and this album is our contribution back to the world: heavier, stranger, and full of truth,” said Breitenbach.

This project is funded in part by FACTOR, the Government of Canada and Canada’s private radio broadcasters.”

3,173 – Desert Storm – Buried Under The Weight Of Reason – We have a ‘tweener release leaning heavily on the ‘yes’ side of things. There’s enough groovy badassery in this doom metal / stoner rock album to keep my eyes on ’em for future releases. The vox are iffy at times, but not throughout; the music, though, is really diverse, going from nice, clean passages to soaring solos over heavy rock riffage. Kinda dug this, yeah.

From their bandcamp page: “With their latest body of work, Desert Storm carve out a sound that is as primal as it is progressive—melding sludge, doom, and heavy metal weight with moments of softness, space, and surprising vulnerability. Across these tracks, the band summon the wilderness, ceremony, and chaos of the human condition, pushing their sound into new territories while staying true to their instinct for heaviness.”

1,471 – Darsombra – Syzygy – These releases are pretty wild, or as they call it, “trans-apocalyptic galaxy rock”. This husband-and-wife duo – Brian Daniloski (guitar, vocals) and Ann Everton (synth, vocals, projections) – draws on elements of ambient, drone, space rock, and, above all, experimental/avant-garde. This is not an album, but rather a journey. I’m not totally in love with this release, but it’s certainly an interesting listen. RIP Ann Everton :-(

From their bandcamp page: “These are not outtakes, and this isn’t exactly an odds ’n’ sods collection. An album like this was part of a plan at one point in time.

Ann and I had talked about doing a trilogy of albums—a monolithic one-album-length-song requiem, an album of shorter “pop” songs, and a rawer, minimal-ambient-experimental, less composed-type album. 2019’s Transmission was our one-long-song requiem album, sort of. 2023’s Dumesday Book was our “shorter ‘pop’ songs” album, sort of. If those albums loosely fulfilled the first two parts of that once-dreamt-of trilogy, then this album loosely fulfills the third. But, like I said, it WAS part of a plan at one point in time.

In spring 2020, when the initial COVID lockdowns were in full effect, we had nowhere to go for a while. We did an internet livestream concert series tour from the different rooms of our home in Baltimore in place of a last minute canceled European tour. And we also ended up jamming…and jamming…and jamming, a lot. And recording a lot of those jams. After only a couple of months, we realized that we had probably recorded several albums’ worth of material, and that we should devote time to polishing some of it up and releasing it. Might as well put out some new music and videos since we weren’t going anywhere anytime soon, and neither was anyone else.

A chunk of those recordings turned into the Dumesday Book double album and its companion piece, the Call The Doctor/Nightgarden EP. Some were earmarked for the aforementioned “minimal/experimental” album. Others were merely archived in a huge computer file labeled “CORONAJAMS” to be possibly considered at some point in the future.

Someways into the Dumesday Book touring cycle, Ann started working on videos shot in 360° for a live music planetarium show, plus the band started to develop a separate new suite of music, which was going to be a departure piece of sorts for us (more on that at another time). As is typical for many artists, we became really excited about the newer projects, and the “minimal-ambient-experimental” album just sort of got forgotten about, until now.

This music was recorded between spring 2020 and spring 2022, with the bulk coming from spring 2020, between mid-March and mid-May, right after everything was canceled and we were told to shelter in place. Plague times.

It has been quite a roller coaster of emotions going back through these recordings in preparation for this release. At the time we were making these, we thought the world was coming to an end, and yet, thinking back on it now, those were somehow magical, transformative, rooting, and reconnective times, whose memories I’ll always treasure.

Because of Darsombra’s heavy touring schedule, it had been many, many years since we had stayed in one place for more than a few months, including our home. We were so frustrated and despairing at the time, yet unexpected wonders revealed themselves. We explored neighborhoods and parklands that we had never been to before, which were within walking distance of our home all along. We connected deeply with our neighbors and our community.

We made the effort to make our home an even more homey place to be and come home to. We spent nights in our garden wondering over the fact that we had witnessed the azimuth of the sun in relation to our home change fully over the course of a year, rather than our usual routine of leaving our home during one season to not come home until well into the next.

On listening to these recordings now, what I hear is raw, searching, experimenting, reaching, sometimes grasping, sometimes fumbling, and at times even goofy and playful. Ann Everton’s sense of wonder and humor fully shine throughout. It’s every bit the minimal-ambient-experimental-whatever-you-want-to-call-it album we once dreamt about releasing. I hope you enjoy it.

Much love,
Brian Daniloski
DARSOMBRA
December 2025
released March 6, 2026

Recorded spring 2020-spring 2022 at Whale Manor, Baltimore, Maryland, USA, Earth, Solar System-Orion Arm, Milky Way Galaxy-Local Group, Virgo Supercluster-located in The Local Supercluster outskirts, part of the Laniakea Supercluster, within the Pisces–Cetus Supercluster Complex, located somewhere in the Cosmic Web within the Universe Itself (LSS).”

Sounds : Ann Everton, Brian Daniloski, Brood X
Produced : Brian Daniloski
Mastered : Jon Smulyan
Illustration : Katy Clark

IN LOVING MEMORY OF ANN EVERTON 1981-2025

937 – The Mon – Songs Of Embrace – “The lead vocalist/bassist/keyboardist of Ufomammut – Urlo – goes solo with his sophomore release and… I dig Ufomammut, but this was a bit underwhelming. I had a difficult time getting into this psychedelic-ambient-drone-Americana-ish singer-songwriter album.”

That’s what I said about 2025’s ‘Songs Of Abandon’. ‘Songs Of Embrace’ is much more enjoyable as an all-instrumental, ambient-drone album. This was great!

From Earsplit PR: “Songs Of Embrace, the new LP by THE MON – the solo vision of Urlo, vocalist/bassist of Italian heavy-psychedelic trio Ufomammut and co-founder of the internationally renowned poster art collective Malleus Rock Art Lab and the independent label Supernatural Cat – is nearing release in early March. Today, the Sleeping Shaman is hosting the video premiere of “Ritual Of Night Violence,” the latest preview from the album.

Songs Of Embrace was written, performed, produced, recorded, mixed, and mastered by Urlo at The Howl, Italy, and as with all Supernatural Cat releases, completed with artwork and videos by the Malleus Rock Art Collective.

Urlo reveals, “‘Ritual Of Night Violence’ is one of the most central tracks on Songs Of Embrace. It unfolds as a ritual, a passage in which anger is not released outward, but gathered, contained, and slowly transformed. Built on dense layers of synthesizers, the track moves through one of the darkest moments of our journey: a nocturnal space of isolation, where images accumulate inside the mind without leaving room to breathe: A continuous, silent violence is exercised on perception itself, until the boundary between dream and reality becomes indistinguishable, as if existing in a state of permanent darkness.

“Here, violence is not an act but a condition, something that circulates, inhabits bodies, and persists even after the one who carries it has disappeared. The only possible form of salvation turns inward. A minimal, fragile sound, like that of a buried music box, capable of reactivating memory and interrupting the cycle. Not an escape, but an awakening, the first step toward finding the strength to remain, to resist, and to rise again.”

The Sleeping Shaman writes alongside THE MON’s new song, “Where that first instalment stripped things back to raw vulnerability, this companion piece plunges into murkier, more ritualistic waters – and this movement sits right at the heart of that descent,” calling the video itself, “a genuinely unsettling piece of visual work that’s difficult to articulate in words. It’s creepy, disorienting, and the kind of imagery that burrows under your skin and lingers long after the screen goes dark. It’s a perfect marriage of sound and vision, mirroring the track’s suffocating layers of synthesizers and its slow, hypnotic pull into nocturnal isolation. This isn’t a video you simply watch; it’s one you endure.”

Where Ufomammut projects massive, otherworldly soundscapes, THE MON offers a more vulnerable and introspective experience. The music moves through shadowy electronic landscapes, ambient textures, and hypnotic dark folk, always guided by an emotional core that searches for meaning, balance, and transformation. The moniker evokes several layers of meaning: a contraction of “demon,” “monk,” and the Japanese word 門 (mon, meaning “gate”), a symbolic passage toward altered states of consciousness and inner truth. This duality of light and dark, sacred and profane, runs through the entire project.

Embrace The Abandon is the two-album series by THE MON, structured in two complementary chapters – Songs Of Abandon and Songs Of Embrace –depicting a journey of duality: loss and surrender on one side, acceptance and rebirth on the other. Following the November 2025 release of the somber, acoustic guitar-driven Songs Of Abandon, its companion album, Songs Of Embrace, is now ready to be heard.

Songs Of Embrace is an instrumental counterpart – darker, ambient, and ritualistic – expands the emotional landscape of the series, rather than closing it. While the first part explored abandonment and loss, this one focuses on presence, proximity, and the physical act of staying. It is the answering breath, the inner voice. The album avoids resolution and comfort, embracing slowness, repetition, and bodily tension. It is not just music, it is a stream of consciousness, an inner search, a way of inhabiting what weighs without letting go.

While Songs Of Abandon is a collection of songs, nine tracks written in nine days, Songs Of Embrace is a continuous musical flow. It is a movement that changes, grows, erupts, slows down, settles, and rises again. Like the sea, it’s calm and still one moment, then moved by a simple breath of wind, suddenly breaking into a storm. The pieces are deeply interconnected, like embraces: some bring comfort, others carry pain; Compositions meant to be listened to in one continuous breath, allowing yourself to be held, rocked, and sometimes pushed away, just like in an embrace.”

1 – Desert Collider – Generation Ship: Endless Drift Through Infinity – Giggity! A baller of a debut from these Italian psychedelic-stoner rockers. So much riffage, so much groove… get in on the ground floor with these guys. They rip!

From their bandcamp page: “Desert Collider is a Psych/Desert/Stoner Rock four-piece from Italy. Born as a convergence of the individual and diverse experiences of Federico C, Federico G, Andrea, and Manuel, the band’s primary focus has been the search for a distinctive sound, finding in stoner rock the perfect answer to the musical needs that emerged from the members’ previous individual projects.

Drawing inspiration from the hypnotic grooves of the ’90s desert rock scene, Desert Collider blends elements of stoner, metal, space rock, and progressive rock with subtle psychedelic undertones to forge an expansive and immersive sound. Echoes of Kyuss, Lowrider, Monster Magnet, and Yawning Man give rise to a compact and determined sound that evolves into a loud stoner style: both raw and sophisticated, balancing monolithic riffs with deep, atmospheric textures and a sense of cosmic storytelling.

After a year of relentless experimentation, the band entered Stone Bridge Studios to lay down their debut full-length album, Generation Ship: Endless Drift Through Infinity. Mixed by Andrea Cola and mastered by Karl Daniel Lidén (Lowrider, Dozer), the album features eight tracks that revolve around themes of self-loss and rediscovery, a yearning for the primordial, and the inner journey as the sole mission and pathway to redemption.

Shifting between heaviness and atmospheric passages, the album adds to modern psych-stoner rock arrangements featuring an intricate soundscape through the use of synths and acoustic interludes. The album takes quiet yet deliberate steps on the pages of Robert A. Heinlein’s masterpiece “Orphans of the Sky” and lays the groundwork for a creative approach that aspires to the “conceptual,” free of artistic limits or preconceptions.”

For fans of: Dozer, Black Elephant, Kyuss, Monster Magnet, Free Ride

0 – Gold Pyramid – Gold Pyramid – Here is an album that I truly enjoyed… but I didn’t love it. This brand-new instrumental duo features guitarist John D. Cronise (of The Sword!) and drummer Evan Diprima (of Moon Destroys, ex-Royal Thunder). I suppose one would call it “groove-heavy sci-fi psychedelic rock” perhaps…? Will continue to follow them and hope they release a sophomore album in the future.

From their bandcamp page: “”In times of darkness and negativity, it’s easy to lose sight of the good stuff. Luckily, Evan Diprima and John D. Cronise are here to help. As the drummer of Moon Destroys (and formerly of Royal Thunder) and guitarist/vocalist for The Sword, respectively, they know a thing or two about making music that elevates. Joining forces as the instrumental duo GOLD PYRAMID, they’ve put a fresh spin on their mission to transcend and uplift. Combining heavy rock with sci-fi synths and the occasional Southern groove, their self- titled debut just might be the cure for what ails you.”” – J. Bennett

Evan Diprima – Drums / Bass / Synth
Additional guitar on “Beast”, “A Hero’s Return”

John D. Cronise – Guitar
Bass on “Beast”

All songs written by Gold Pyramid except “Holiday on the Moon” by Love and Rockets
Produced and recorded by Evan Diprima and John D. Cronise
Mixed by C.J. Ridings
Mastered by Carl Saff at Saff Mastering in Chicago, IL
Artwork and Layout by Jonathan Sirit

From Metal Injection: “The instrumental duo Gold Pyramid – uniting drummer Evan Diprima and guitarist John D. Cronise – deliver a self-titled debut that fuses heavy rock muscle with sci-fi synth shimmer and Southern groove. Known respectively for their work with Moon Destroys and The Sword, the pair channel their knack for uplifting, expansive sounds into a wordless journey aimed at transcendence. The result is a cinematic, riff-driven record that feels both grounded and otherworldly, offering a restorative blast of instrumental heavy rock.”

Missed the Cut (in order by “popularity”*):

34,557,231 – Harry Styles – Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally. – Well that was a bit of a letdown after his past two releases. I “enjoyed” Harry’s previous two releases – 2019’s ‘Fine Line’ and 2022’s ‘Harry’s House’ – stating, “Color me surprised. This former One Direction member releases [another] solo album and it’s… decent! Dude’s got a great voice, the tunes are well written… I am pleasantly surprised. The only reason it’s really here is that I don’t anticipate ever reaching for this album again, so…”

But, like I said earlier, this release, his fourth, was a bit of a letdown after the past two… pass.

2,898,326 – Denzel Curry & The Scythe – Strictly 4 The Scythe – Ok-ish rap / hip-hop mixtape featuring rapper Denzel Curry and a slew of special guest artists and other collaborators… there were moments here and there, but too few and far between. Give me that old school rap and hip-hop!

1,255,183 – Morrissey – Make-Up Is A Lie – Ah, yes, another release from alternative singer-songwriter Steven Patrick Morrissey, former frontman of legendary band The Smiths. He’s never done much for me, and apparently this album isn’t working for fans and critics, either.

352,975 – Squeeze – Trixies – I admire Squeeze’s longevity and rabid fan base, but I was never a huge fan of this new wave / pop rock / alt-rock band, and this release didn’t do anything to change my mind. That said, I love that it was written and demoed back in 1974, but was never released. They got together and re-recorded, mixed, and mastered the album for their adoring fans.

From amazon: “Trixies, the new studio album by Squeeze, could have been their very first record. Written by Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook when they were just 19 and 16 respectively, Trixies is a concept album born of imagination and nostalgia. Inspired by a fictional members’ club dreamt up in the early ’70s and imagined as existing in the “future” (the ’80s), the album channels a world reminiscent of a ’20s or ’30s speakeasy – glamorous, smoky, and populated by colorful characters.

Although the album was demo-ed at the time, it was never released, and only revisited decades later. Now, the record is fully realized with today’s musicianship and production, combining teenage brilliance with seasoned artistry; its lyrical themes and narrative sweep offering fertile ground for storytelling and immersive campaign touchpoints. Deluxe Edition 2 CD/Blu-ray Audio set features the album, plus a bonus disc of demos and live tracks, along with a Dolby Atmos mix of the album.”

321,814 – ERRA – silence outlives the earth – Eh… it’s like metalcore meets djent. I like the latter part of that, but not the former. But, hey, what do I know? The album was very well-received by fans and critics alike…

137,025 – Bonnie “Prince” Billy – We Are Together Again – Bonnie “Prince” Billy is singer-songwriter Will Oldham. He’s been releasing albums as BPB since the late ’90s, yet my introduction to him was with 2025’s ‘The Purple Bird’. He’s been releasing albums for even longer than that (under other aliases). Unfortunately, I found that release (and this one) to be quite boring …

102,681 – Lost Society – Hell Is A State Of Mind – Another metalcore album I could’ve done without… pass.

83,601 – Blackbraid – Nocturnal Womb EP – The band’s bio states, “Blackbraid is a solo indigenous black metal project from the depths of the Adirondack wilderness creating music as raw and powerful as the mountains from whence it came.

The music of Blackbraid is inspired by the forces of nature in the land around us, overpowering emotions of rage and sadness, and the deep spirituality of the project’s creator. Blackbraid is a fiercely independent artist, viciously carving a new and inspiring path for indigenous people & underground musicians alike.”

It sounded intriguing on paper, but, unfortunately, the majority of it sounds like (almost) every other black metal band out there. The silver lining, though, is that it’s only three songs and has a run time of 20:08.

83,165 – Filth – Welcome To Shell Town EP – What would you call this? Hardcore hip-hop? Nu metal? Regardless, it wasn’t meant for me. There were three cover songs [Drowning Pool’s ‘Bodies’, Limp Bizkit’s ‘Rollin’, and Disturbed’s ‘Stupify’ to go along with three originals. Six songs totaling 22:07. I didn’t suffer for too long…

64,740 – Shabaka – Of the Earth – Shabaka Hutchings is a composer, saxophonist, clarinetist, and flutist (or flautist, both are correct), and he plays a blend of what he calls “African folk, jazz, and jazz-fusion”. Yeah, sure, I guess… It was perhaps a bit too “out there” for my taste, almost sounding like an experimental / avant-garde jazz album. This is an easy album to pass on, unfortunately… and I was looking forward to hearing it when I read what I saw below:

From his bandcamp page: “‘Of the Earth’ was entirely written, produced, performed, and mixed by Shabaka. It’s a deeply personal album which establishes Shabaka as a new form of instrumentalist/producer and shows the musical range that connects his dance-based work from groups Sons of Kemet and The Comet Is Coming to the intricate textural sound world of his recent solo works (‘Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace’, ‘Afrikan Culture’).

Beats and loops made on portable devices whilst on the road lay a foundation for choral flute melodies to soar within. Sequences of electronic rhythms outline a story of diasporic progression, and words contextualise the record’s lyrical framework. Shabaka raps on the album – “I’ve never rapped before but was actually inspired by André 3000’s courage in exploring new dimensions with fearlessness and sincerity; I decided to find my voice on this album”.

A self-imposed saxophone hiatus ended mid-2025 with a performance for South African drum maestro Louis Moholo’s memorial concert. This album marks Shabaka’s first recording made after a year and a half not playing the saxophone, and a reckoning as to what his time on flutes primarily has shown him to be the future for his relationship with the instrument.

Shabaka says of an initial inspiration for the album – “D’angelo’s Brown Sugar was the first CD I bought, and it sparked a lasting curiosity about the emotional possibilities allowed by the self-produced and performed album. This record is my celebration of freedom in creative self-expression. Before the pandemic, I could only play the clarinet and saxophone and knew nothing about music production (or how to play the flute), so this has been a journey of learning and a reflection on the music that’s been created as a result.””

18,682 – Temple Of Void – The Crawl – Doom metal meets death metal on this forgettable album. The addition of keys makes it a bit interesting, but it’s still a pass.

15,414 – Bosse-de-Nage – Hidden Fires Burn Hottest – Bosse-de-Nage is a San Francisco-based post-black metal band. It’s a bit more “palatable” than most black metal releases I’ve had the opportunity to listen to, yet the growly/screechy vox just lose me. The music is pretty interesting and unique, though…

7,066 – Our Oceans – Right Here, Right Now – A buddy sent me the single off their 2020 release [‘While Time Disappears’] and I liked it. They’re a Norwegian-based trio that is “…blending singer-songwriter intimacy with modern progressive rock.” As a whole, I wasn’t sure how I felt about that album, a true ‘tweener. Some parts are excellent, other parts are total throwaways. With this new one, I am even less impressed. I’ll continue to keep my eyes on ’em, but eh… … But, hey, that album artwork is pretty sexy.

1,713 – The Bandit Queen Of Sorrows – The Magnolia Sessions – Singer-songwriter album in the vein of folk meets Americana. I enjoy the idea of these ‘The Magnolia Sessions’ releases, yet I haven’t really caught on with them, unfortunately.

1,084 – Lightlorn – The Ebb And Flow Of Galactic Tides – Ah, drats… This is an “atmospheric black metal meets post-black metal” album, which I’m typically not for, but I love the theme behind the album (see ahead). Unfortunately, I don’t care for the album itself, musically or vocally.

From their bandcamp page: “Aeons after the Universe was spat forth from the unknowable nothingness of pre-existence, upon a small, rocky world orbiting an unremarkable G-type main-sequence star located within an arm of an unexceptional spiral galaxy, a carbon-based organism experienced the emergence of consciousness; ergo, the Universe became self-aware.

The organized chaos and entropy to which all matter necessarily succumbs notwithstanding, these ill-fated creatures rage against the inevitability of their demise.

They love, hope, and dream, and they kill, destroy, and wage war; they erect ageless, towering monuments and build vessels to carry them to the stars at which their species has gazed for millennia.

Although they are vast in number, each one feels itself unique, extraordinary. With myriad aspirations, desires, and fears, these life forms persevere through the most arduous adversity, with an immutable yearning to be part of something greater than themselves, but rarely comprehending the true marvel of their existence – despite its bewildering improbability.

Generation upon generation they proliferate, evolve, and philosophize, seldom recognizing that all they are, all they know, and all they ever will be, is solely contingent on the ebb and flow of galactic tides…”

199 – Azken Auzi – Infernua – Forgettable doomy-sludgey occult metal album from these Frenchmen. This is their sophomore full-length, but if this is any indication, I am glad to have missed the first one. Music, vox, all gotta go…

81 – Steve Blanco – Shadow Arc Suite – Ooph. Steve is the bassist, keyboardist, and composer in NYC-based experimental / avant-garde metal band, Imperial Triumphant. Like that band, I simply could not get behind this release… but I had high hopes! It’s all-instrumental piano-heavy extreme music. Like Imperial Triumphant, this solo release is also experimental / avant-garde. It almost felt like I was listening to someone speaking in tongues… but musically. All gibberish. Hey, if I can’t dance to it, hahahaha…

From his bandcamp page: “Steve Blanco is a bassist, pianist, and composer exploring the border between structure and the unseen. Bassist of Imperial Triumphant. He led a jazz piano trio for many years, and his solo piano works channel this improvisational lineage through resonance, space, and form.”

From Metal Injection: “Steve Blanco, bassist, keyboardist, and composer for Imperial Triumphant, is set to self-release Shadow Arc Suite on March 10 – a three-movement work for piano and extreme ensemble.

Blanco’s work stretches beyond traditional metal, merging the density and tension of extreme music with avant-garde composition and piano improvisation. The suite reflects his interest in cinematic soundscapes, architectural structures in music, and the creation of ritualistic intensity.

Blanco is widely recognized for his contributions to Imperial Triumphant, touring extensively across North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. His solo endeavors continue this exploration, bridging jazz-influenced harmony, experimental contemporary composition, and improvisational techniques.”

16 – Squeaky Bones – The Magnolia Sessions – Singer-songwriter album in the vein of folk meets Americana. I enjoy the idea of these ‘The Magnolia Sessions’ releases, yet I haven’t really caught on with them, unfortunately. Squeaky Bones is the stage name for Caleb Nunez.

2 – Last Scene Alive – World Class Pep Talk – Ah, man, I really wanted to love this “Transatlantic Jazz Fusion/Prog Trio’s” debut album, but only came away mildly entertained. It sounded amazing on paper (read ahead), but the delivery was a bit too disjointed and artsy-fartsy/experimental for my taste. That said, there were some interesting parts here and there; enough to keep my eyes on the band for future releases – this is their debut – but not enough to give it a thumbs up.

From Earsplit PR: “American/Dutch jazz fusion trio LAST SCENE ALIVE arrives with their debut album, World Class Pep Talk, today unveiling the record’s cover art, track listing, and releasing its lead single/video, “Mad News Travels Fast.”

A hard-hitting hurricane of saxophone, synths, and rhythm, the transatlantic trio LAST SCENE ALIVE sees Amsterdam-based saxophonist Graham Robertson (Odd Circus) and Washington, DC-based synth player Zack Be (ex-Pretty Bitter, XK Scenario) and drummer Sean Sidley (Jack Waugh, The Economy, Dissenters) collaborating on the band’s debut album, World Class Pep Talk. The band occupies a space where the bizarre meets the accessible: math-rock anthems, jazz-fusion breakbeats, expansive progressive-rock passages, punk-rock energy, and synth-rock club bangers seamlessly coalescing under one umbrella.

LAST SCENE ALIVE’s powerful, singular sound on World Class Pep Talk guarantees a unique experience to listeners from a wide array of genres, injecting a tongue-in-cheek cynicism into the music almost entirely without lyrics.

The album was recorded and mixed by band members Graham Robertson and Zack Be, mastered by Be, and completed with cover art by Ange Omer Rheaume. Garrett Gleason provides guitar to “Better To Be Alone Than In Bad Company,” and Taisha Estrada adds vocals to “Summit Not The Chasm.”

At a crucial time for the trending “alternative jazz” movement, this trio emerges poised to plant a flag. When you’ve exhausted the alternatives, you go to the LAST SCENE ALIVE.

Saxophonist Graham Robertson offers some words on the first single: “Like absolute lunatics, we booked our first show three weeks away without any material written. The urgency lit a fire under us, and the first thing I wrote when I picked up the bari was the opening riff to ‘Mad News Travels Fast.’ It killed at the show, but in the studio, our drummer Sean unleashed this wild breakbeat thing that kicked it into another gear. Once that drum and bass engine sat under it, the track suddenly transformed into the real white-knuckle ride we imagined.””

Addendum (in order by “popularity”*) – Albums that were released earlier in the year (or previous years) that I missed, but are worth mentioning, anyhow:

None.

On the List (in order by “popularity”*) – Albums that I didn’t get to (yet) for one reason or another. Will (hopefully) get to them at a later date:

Only listing ones that made me take notice, not everything…

1,675,725 – Rainbow – The Temple Of The King – 1975-1976 (9 CDs) – Hard rock. From amazon: “To celebrate 50 years since the formation of Rainbow and the release of the debut album ‘Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow’, Demon Music are proud to present a comprehensive Deluxe CD Box Set covering the years 1975-1976.

As well as including the seminal first two studio album, the Box Set includes a trilogy of live albums from Rainbow’s debut world tour and documenting the band’s first shows in Europe with shows from Cologne, Dusseldorf, and Nurnberg.

The final disc of this 9-disc set features a multitude of rare mixes, edits, and studio rehearsal performances, all Newly Mastered by Andy Pearce & Matt Wortham. When Rainbow finally landed in Europe for their debut live shows there, it was on the back of both the albums ‘Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow’ and ‘Rainbow Rising’, having charted, so the band was playing sold-out venues with the line-up consisting of Ritchie Blackmore, Ronnie James, Cozy Powell, Jimmy Bain, and Tony Carey.

As one of the cornerstones of British Rock, Rainbow, led by the never-predictable but ever-astonishing guitarist, Ritchie Blackmore, became synonymous with some of the most well-regarded and popular charting Rock songs of the seventies and eighties.”

• Expanded 9 -CD Deluxe Box Edition version of Rainbow’s early era classic albums during the era 1975 – 1976
• Featuring newly mastered albums plus B-sides, live performances, demos, and alternate versions.
• Newly mastered by Andy Pearce & Matt Wortham
• Expanded packaging to include a 24-page booklet featuring extensive liner notes, rare artist photos, and memorabilia.
• 3 Shows from the bands’ 1976 European tour
• New sleeve notes by Rich Davenport reflecting on the impact of the band after Ritchie Blackmore’s split from Deep Purple
• Artwork features rare picture sleeves, photos, and memorabilia
• The first Rainbow box from this era and the start of a major reissue campaign for the band with the support of Ritchie Blackmore.

Looking forward to (in order by “popularity”*) – These albums will be released this week and should be in next week’s AOTW newsletter:

2,348,019 – Lamb Of God – Into Oblivion

893,005 – The Black Crowes – Pound Of Feathers

276,301 – Foy Vance – The Wake

152,623 – Witchcraft – A Sinner’s Child EP

151,654 – Soft Machine – Thirteen

97,227 – Kim Gordon – Play Me

57,707 – Johnny Blue Skies – Mutiny After Midnight

848 – Lesotho – A Flashing On Plain Glass

760 – Meejah and HIRAKI – Interwoven Split EP

0 – Osmium Gate – Cannibal Galaxy

…and several others. Some that I am looking forward to and others not so much.

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Small print that’s normal size print:

*These albums are listed in order by “popularity”. Wait, what? How? By no means is it a measured calculation. They’re listed in order by number of ‘followers’ on Spotify. While it is listed by Spotify ‘followers’, the order would (most likely) be similar if looking at the number of ‘likes and/or followers’ on each band’s social media pages. Speaking of “popularity”, there is a BOLDED PURPLE NUMBER. This number (more or less) represents the number of Spotify ‘followers’ at the time of review.

**Album of the Week. No promises, but I will do my best to NOT include Greatest Hits, Best Of, Live releases, re-releases, etc. Even if these “new” releases include a ton of bonus goodies, multiple unreleased tracks, demo versions, etc, I’ll still (try to) hold off.

All albums are listened to IN FULL unless stated otherwise.

Some artists are quite controversial. My goal is to review the album on its own merits, not based on the history, beliefs (political or otherwise), police records, and/or anything else that could be considered “unsavory” of the artist(s).

(Almost) all albums are hyperlinked. I link in order by Bandcamp first, YouTube next, then Spotify last. This is so you can check out (AND PURCHASE) the album, if interested. I do and hope you do, as well!

Do you have any friends or family who might be interested in this weekly blog? If so, send ’em this way!

Until next week…

Cheers,

Troy