Pharoah Sanders - Pharoah (1978)

 

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Sander's 14th effort shows him and group exploring a slower, almost psychedelic vibe on Side A. There's definitely something spiritual and meditative in the droning. Side B is a bit more upbeat and features the brilliant guitar work of Tisziji Muñoz and keys player Jiggs Chase trading solos, and even Sander's himself sharing his vocals.  You need more Pharoah in your life. I know I do. 

Pharaoh

n.hir / Rudy Decelière - Alcôve 07 (2022)

 

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With recordings like this, I love nothing more than grabbing my headphones, a pair of large, brightly color sunglasses and laying in a hammock in the park on a warm sunny days. Preferably with a headful of smoke. I'm relatively new to this French label, specializing in ambiance, field recordings, and general loner music. Some music nerds refer to this as lowercase, but who cares. It's great heady music, and the 7th in the series, herein featuring a split by n.hir & Rudy Decelière. Slide over to the label's page and have a look around. They're taking part in the cassette tape revival and I am into that. 

Alcôve 07

Frank Lowe - Fresh (1975)

 

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Frank's 3rd album features the help of the Bowie Brothers in churning out a pair of Monk tunes, and 3 Lowe originals. There's moments of far-reaching freakouts, and moments of clear and concise jamming. I've been really enjoying the U.K. based Black Lion releases pretty constantly over the years. It's always a treat when the internet gods bless me with a new find, and I hope this share gives you the same feelings

Fresh

Tomasz Stańko - Chameleon (1989)

 

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Almost deadcenter in the middle of Stańko's career and he was still pumping out quality tunes. Albeit, dated sounding at times, what with those big ass 1980's synths and larger than life basslines. The group makes up for it with outstandingly eerie sounding tracks like Euforila and  Balladella. Give it a chance. 

Chameleon

John Abercrombie - The Third Quartet (2007)

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By this point in John's life, he'd already recorded over 100+ albums as a leader or with other groups, and with a sizable number of those recordings with the prestigious ECM records. Herein the guitar virtuoso plays open, playful tunes, while allowing Feldman an opportunity to shine as well. The album carries a relaxing and upbeat vibe that's a welcome change from all the thunderous noise I've been filling my head with, as I battled these few remaining days of the cold. 

The Third Quartet

Storm Kvlt - Europas Weg zum Grab (2022)

 

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Another delicious bowl of raw black metal served up fresh and ready for ear absorption. I will not lie, this album does not reinvent the wheel, but damn if it doesn't show us a great was to use it. Grab a drink and have a smoke and tune in for today's program. 

Europas Weg zum Grab

Хмарь - Мгла (2021)

 

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Debut effort from Russia's Хмарь is full of emotion and humility, coupled with crisp, clean production and the rawest vocals I've heard so far. I have been consuming truckloads of BM the last few months and have to admit, I have never been happier emotionally, or felt more stable then now. Fuck the hype, fill your ears with this and do something good for yourself today.

Мгла 

Turris Eburnea - Turris Eburnea [EP] (2021)

 

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This set was recorded primarily during the first quarantine period, when we all were locked in our homes, hotels, and hospitals, completely unaware of the feastering shitstrom we were all about to experience. This EP is short romp through existential dread, longing, and utter fucking confusion. It's a great distraction from life. Each track flows tragically into the next, seamlessly, sometimes like the early days of this pandemic. 

Turris Eburnea

Ominous Resurrection - Judgement (2020)

 

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Ominous Resurrection pushes the emotional, starkness of black metal into new and uncharted territory with their latest effort. The album delivers the blasting drive we all love, mixed with sludgy, thick as syrup lofi production. And the guitar tones are fucking incredible. Grab this and go for a walk. It's starting to get warm again. 

Judgement

Katla - Allt Þetta Helvitis Myrkur (2020)

 

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A most epic journey through the frozen lands of Iceland are present herein for Katla's recent effort. The album title roughly translates to All this Damn Darkness and that is what's expressed on this release. This album represents winter and it may still be snowing here but I imagine it's nothing compared to what gathers and falls in and around this county. 

Allt Þetta Helvitis Myrkur

Darkenhöld - Arcanes & Sortilèges (2020)

 

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It took awhile for me to warm up to this recording, mostly because of the medieval/viking-esque vibes I get when listening to it. It feels like I'm going into battle, to defend the Kings honor and protect my homeland from the evil cocksuckers who are trying to invade it. 

Arcanes & Sortilèges

Drakonis - Blessed By Embers (2020)

 

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In between the hollow shrieks and blast beats you will hear faint ethereal voices, calling you towards the light, protecting you from the dark. That's the theme I feel when listening to this album. 

Blessed By Embers

Horrenda - Díoltas (2020)

 

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I like to play this record first thing in the AM, right as the sun is rising while I am begrudgery driving to work. Sometimes twice, depending on how the commute goes. It's a subtle ebb and flow of heavy as fuck BM, interspersed with the occasional thick-as-mud sludge riffs. The whole record is really well-balanced, just like the breakfast I had this morning.

Díoltas

Skeletal Remains - The Entombment Of Chaos (2020)

 

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I spend a lot of time driving for work, so I used that time this morning listening to this on repeat. The opener lulls you in with a false sense of calm and comfort, then stabs you in the ears. It's packed full of noodly solos, brutal guttural vocals, and a rhythm section that resembles a machine gun. For fans of old school death metal, this is right up your ass. 

The Entombment Of Chaos

Omination - The Pale Horseman (2020)

 

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A big powerful sound fills this single track. Clocking in at almost 27 minutes, this record is a stark reminder of the unrelenting alienation that swallowed the plant whole at the beginning of this decade. This track drips with dread and picks at the smallest cracks in your sanity. It's a heady trip, so tread lightly.  

The Pale Horseman

Mass Worship - Portal Tombs (2022)

 

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These dudes have managed to craft a densely layered, suffocating sound that fills me with absolute dread with every spin. They've also mastered the the quiet to loud dynamic on this album, pulling me in with beautiful acoustic passages, and then punching me right in the ears with the heaviest of riffage. 

Portal Tombs

Mammatus - Mammatus (2006)

 

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This record is absolutely stoner rock ear candy. It's fantastic on long roadtrips, bike rides, or out baking in the sun. The group has developed an incredible wall-of-sound that seems to attack your senses from every single direction. This is highly recommended for anyone into sludgy, doomy space rock.  

Mammatus 

Mongrel's Cross - Arcana, Scrying And Revelation (2020)

 

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Well produced, thrashy at times, Australian Black Metal at its finest. This record is chock-full of  great solos, and catchy riffs. I like to imagine the ghoul on the cover is narrating a story for the listener. The vocals are certainly ghoulish enough for me. 

Arcana, Scrying And Revelation

Гнёт - Дыханье [Дemo] (2020)

 

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Super tight, low-fi raw back metal, served fresh from the darkest pits of Russia. I love finding gems like this, tucked away in the furthest reaches of the interwebs. This dude has been pumping out massive amounts of material for the last few years, all worth a listen. 

Дыханье [Дemo]

Mystic Circle - Mystic Circle (2022)

 

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Upon first listen, I had this incredible urge to play the first Castlevania game. It was as if something deep inside me awoke and demanded that I play that damn game. I think it's because the content of this album has very similar sounds that conjured up this nostalgic imagery. The guitars are often played so fast that they sound robotic, almost 8-Bit in nature, coupled with elegant piano passages and drums that blast nonstop for 45 minutes. Also, the solos are fucking amazing. Grab this and a whip and kill your demons!

Mystic Circle

Persefone - Metanoia (2022)

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I've been seeing this monolithic concept on so many records the last 3+ years, and for some reason I am drawn to them. This means something. The record flows really well, keeping my attention completely for the entire duration. The band melds and manages to balance a unique mixture of genres, resulting in large sounding tracks, that are sometimes so big they have their own atmosphere. This record is definitely not for everyone. I am speaking mostly to the elitist pigs that shit themselves at the first sign of clean signing. This isn't for you. As for the rest of us normal folk, this record is pretty damn great and deserves a wider audience. The album is relatively cheap as well, so grab a copy of you like it.    

Metanoia

Nerada - Icons of Ignorance (2021)

 

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There has to be something said about the high quality of extreme music and the magnificent artwork that comes along with it. If I'm scouring the internet, or on the rarest case, flipping through selections at a record store, it's often the art that stops me. This one in particular stood out. The music therein had the same effect as the cover. Crushing, suffocating, technical madness. This is just what we needed to start the last week of March.

Icons of Ignorance

Rat King - Santa Hipocresía (2021)

 

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I remember as a kid hanging out with my uncle on cold snowy days, sorting through his old cassette tapes for the ugliest cover I could find. Once I found it, that was the tape I would listen to all day. As soon as I saw the Santa Hipocresía cover it brought back some of those memories. After a single listen I immediately had to purchase a copy, and what do you know? The EP comes in a fucking  Cassette Tape format. Slide over there and check them out. The tapes are moderately priced as well. Totes worth a couple of bucks for those oh so warm nostalgia feels. 

Santa Hipocresía

Boredoms - Vision Creation Newsun (1999)

 

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This has to be the most accessible Boredoms record that I have heard so far. Often, EYヨ and company can reach way our far. Sometimes catching small pieces of heaven and showing us what it sounds, like. Other times they reach a bit further and try to break our eardrums. This album is moving away from some of the harsher noise, and more into tribal, psychedelia, freakout music. It's sometimes even meditative. This album sounds exceptionally great in my headphones, while laying in the grass at the park.

Vision Creation Newsun

The Tiger Lillies - The Devil's Fairground (2018)

 

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Over the years every single person I've ever played this group for has had but a single and common complaint, Martyn's vocals annoy the shit out of them. That's unfortunate. I think his voice fits neatly into every song they've crafted. As those years progressed, I've watched the Tiger Lillies continue to produce amazing, high quality music all the while smiling in face paint. Annoying voice or not, this trio puts on an amazing show. This record deserves a nice glass of wine and a joint. Enjoy the music, it's been a good week.

The Devil's Fairground

Yellow Machinegun - Father's Golden Fish (1996)

 

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I've been really enjoying the thrashy-punk madness this record offers. It's unapologetic and in your face loud, which is what my brain has been demanding of late. I chalk it up to being indoors too long, due to shitty weather and the like. A lack of sunshine can make you an asshole, or at least that's the excuse I'm using. So take this for a walk around the block a few forty times.  

Father's Golden Fish

Rollins Band - Life Time (1987)

 

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The sheer intensity of this record is fucking incredible. It's raw, animalistic power has a hypnotizing effect on me, everytime I play this album. This is Rollins debut LP after the split of Black Flag, and you can almost feel the anger and madness coursing through his veins. Here's our Henry being a fantastic fellow. 

Life Time

Deerhunter - Rainwater Cassette Exchange (2009)

 

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I try my hardest to keep up with Cox and Company. I enjoy their antics, how weird their interviews are, and the chill sometimes drony, always catchy tunes. Besides their debut, this is the record I reach for the most when I get a good ole fashion Deerhunter hankering. This is a great bike riding record.

Rainwater Cassette Exchange

Tomorr - Tomorr (2020)

 

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So many slowburner riffs fill this 48 minute saga, through the most remote reaches of the Italian town of Empoli. This was definitely my 2020 go-to album. I discovered these dudes a short while after they released their eponymous debut record, and lived with it on repeat listen for several weeks. It's great for early mornings, midday stretchings, and late-night deep listens. I really do enjoy this Italian trios first effort and look forward to following their career.

Tomorr

Paul McCartney - Ram (1971)

 

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For his 2nd solo record Paul wrote some of his catchiest and in my opinion, best material. Despite backlash and shotty critics handing out poor ratings, I think this record stands up pretty well, even 50+ years after its release. Each track is carefully constructed and catchy enough to get stuck in your head for weeks. My personal favorites are Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey, Ram On, and his most playful tune on the record, Monkberry Moon Delight. 

Ram

Pig Destroyer - Natasha (2008)

 

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This single 38 minutes long track is a sidestep from PD's normal  mind-draining, earfucking maddness. The group considers this record a continuation of themes shown on the end of their Terrifyer record, released just 3 years prior. It's sludgy, and sometimes features elements of drone. It definitely satisfies, nonetheless. This is one hell of a soundtrack for a day before spring bike ride. 

Natasha

Sun Ra - Deep Purple - (1973)

 
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Recorded at various times and locations between 1953-1973, Deep Purple [also known as Dreams Come True] showcases some wonderful jazz tunes, that aren't too far-out reaching like some of  The Arkestra's later works. A friend of mine once described Ra's later 1970's work as "Space Blowing its Nose", and I couldn't agree more. This collection is shortly after Ra set up shop in Philly, and before he really started directing space traffic. 

Deep Purple

Ray Charles - Yes Indeed! (1958)

 

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I truly believe the one of the most overlooked, and brilliant songs of Ray Charles extensive career came early, on his 4th record in the form of the 2nd track, It's Alright. This song has all of the makings for the greatest break-up/kiss off song of the 20th century.  While the rest of this collection holds some other strong contenders, like Get on the Right Track Baby, and I Had A Dream, nothing holds like that 2nd track. This is a great collection over all, and I find myself reaching for it a few times a year, for the last 20 years. 

Yes Indeed!

KoЯn - Requiem (2022)

 

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I want to punch myself in the face for typing this, but the new KoЯn record is in fact listenable. It's actually really good if I have to be honest. There's subtle hints of blues almost, however still dripping with overprocessed distorted nonsense, and oh so much PAIN. I will admit that at first listen I had a bit of a shit-eating grin on my face because I haven't felt this excited listening to a KoЯn record since Issues in my youth. 

Requiem 

Don Cherry - Brown Rice (1975)

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Don was one of the hardest working musicians in the business. He'd play with virtually anyone, on any idea, no matter how far reaching or controversial. This set, and in my opinion his greatest recording, features some of the usual suspects; Frank Lowe on sax, Charlie Haden making an appearance on bass, and Billy Higgins holding down the drums.  The direction on this recording touches on jazz fusion and world styles, all wrapped neatly together in 4 tracks. Sometimes its very pensive, and almost meditative. Other times all you want to do is shake your ass. I believe this record represents all of the influence of his career for the last 25+ years. There are a few moments on this recording that remind me of another great trip. I enjoy this record the most when I'm walking on a brisk day through the crowded streets of downtown Chicago.

Brown Rice

Noah Howard - Live in Europe - Vol. 1 (1975)

 

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We briefly touched on Howard a while back, with his The Black Ark record. This set was recorded during his tour of Europe in the early 70's, featuring once again Muhammad Ali on the drums. The set is far reaching, sometimes spiritual at times. Which shouldn't come as a surprise, considering he covers Coltrane's Olé. Overall this is a solid record with a lot of great moods to hold your attention. 

Live in Europe - Vol. 1

Elder - Elder (2008)

 

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Elder's first full length LP, full of slow and heavy jams. This is a beautiful Sunday soundtrack. 

Elder

Cauldron Black Ram - Slaver (2020)

 

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We cannot get out. They have taken the bridge and Second Hall. The end comes soon. We hear drums, drums in the deep. They are coming...

Slaver

Lord of Doubts - The Gates of Doom (2011)

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A quick set of droning doom for your Friday morning commute. The snow is melting and the air doesn’t feel like it wants to kill you as much.

The Gates of Doom

Thorn - Yawning Depths (2022)

 

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HOLY SHIT we’re back with more mind melting death metal. I couldn’t stay away for long. I’ve been reaching for this record quite a bit this week. Aptly named, and with a cover to help illustrate, Yawning Portal is a deep dark cave that’s easy to fall into, with a terribly difficult climb back out. This is definitely not the sweet album you play for your kids at bedtime. Ironically, today I found out that I'm going to be a father.

Yawning Depths

Boris - W (2022)

 

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The latest effort from one of Japan’s best experimental trios. This is a much welcome change from all the doomy shit I’ve been pumping into my head. This release differs only slightly from the Boris repertoire, mixing moody ambient guitar textures and featuring the beautiful, albeit almost lost in the mix at times, vocals of Wata. There’s still elements of Boris’s trademark heaviness, however it’s subtle, and appropriate. This is such a beautiful record. 

W

Hooded Menace - The Tritonus Bell (2021)

 

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When I think of Doom I think of Hooded Menace. They literally sound like what every 1980's horror movie felt like. Despite the recentness of this release, it has a very nostalgic feel to it. Every spin conjures up late weekend nights with my brother watching night of the living dead, or tales from the crypt. Grab this shit and get spooky.  

The Tritonus Bell

Monolord - Your Time to Shine (2021)

 

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I cannot get enough of Monolord. I got turned on to these dudes with their Vænir record and have been riding that wave since. Their latest effort here are 5 tracks of hazy dreams filled with so many riffs, I don’t want to wake up. Everything blends so wonderfully on this one. They’ve managed to hone in on their sound, and now they’re just having fun. Kick your feet up and have a smoke with this one. 

Your Time to Shine

Inferi - Vile Genesis (2021)

 

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My eardrums feel violated after every listen to this record. It’s a nonstop assault on your senses right out of the gate. I hate making comparisons, but any Cattle Decapitation fans will eat this shit up and ask for more. The music is tight, the vocals not over the top bullshit, and the songs flow really well. This is a must listen. 

Vile Genesis

Druid Lord - Relics Of The Dead (2022)

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I've been on this huge Doom kick lately and this record was just the right fix. A portion of the internets whom I normally trust didn't seem to like this effort at all. Normally they're spot on, but they came up short on this one, in my opinion. This set gave me the exact feeling I wanted it to give me, which is why we listen to music after all, right? Give it a spin and decide for yourself. 

Relics Of The Dead

Venom Prison - Erebos (2022)

 

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I was introduced to this band in late 2019 with their album Samsara, which I promptly ignored for almost a full year, before giving it a spin. I will admit that I slept on this group for the longest. I tend to avoid hype and steer clear of anything the internet has to say about what's good and what's not. Fortunately this time the hype was real. Their sound blends so many extreme labels that I refuse to limit them with a discription. I will say that this new release has a big, fat ass sound that completely enveloped me so much so that I easily listened to this record 3 times the day I got it. Grab a pair of noise cancelling headphones and dedicate a deep listen to this record. 

Erebos

Weedpecker - Weedpecker (2013)

 

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A fantastic debut effort from Poland's Weedkeeper. Hazy guitars, beautiful harmonizing vocals, and extended jams throughout. A perfect midweek soundtrack.  

Weedpecker

Mizmor (מזמור) - Yodh (2016)

 

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There is a perfect balance of black and doom metal on this recording, all packaged together with beautiful acoustic passages. The cover art does really add to the experience of longing, and loneliness this record can sometimes produce. There's a really great article here that explains the relationship between the 2 art mediums. It’s cold and snowy and this is the soundtrack. 

Yodh

Beck - Morning Phase (2014)

 

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A dozen albums in and our friend Beck traded in his maddening sounds for a more peacefully matured structure on this record. I love listening to this first thing when I wake up, as I'm making tea or coffee, and getting the day started. There's a subtle sadness on this recording, but it's delivered so beautifully that I cannot help but feel really great after every spin. 

Morning Phase

Teeth - Finite (2021)

 

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Extremely crushing with subtle hints of beauty dispersed over 5 tracks, this release, albiet short, left me feeling awestruck. What seperates these dudes from what's mostly labeld death is their use of dissonance, making their tracks feel large and open. I am really into this release. Not to mention the vinyl format of this album is fucking amazing. Check it out here and really consider purchasing a copy.

Finite