Monday, September 24, 2012

Xenolith - Obscure Reflections

From one end of the spectrum to the other, this is supremely technical and progressive Death done in a more modern vein.  Pretty similar to Moonloop (that I just posted) and Quo Vadis but maybe a little bit more challenging than both.  The production is too dry and the vocals need some edge, but with a band this little-known I should be glad the whole thing doesn't sound like a nintendo.



Putrevore - Macabre Kingdom

Jesus, I guess it's been nearly two weeks since my last post.  It's mainly because it's my final week at school and I really have to hit the shit for a few days.  But, there have been a few gold nuggets that I've found recently, and Putrevore's newest is one of them.  This is really regressive and simplistic Death Metal, just what you would expect from Death Metal "hit-master" Rogga Johansson.  Although Macabre Kingdom is a bit more dark and obscure than his more popular projects Revolting and Ribspreader (which is good).  Admittedly, I usually don't like Rogga's projects, but this really hits my proverbial spot.  The excellent atmosphere is a key ingredient to this otherwise "ho-hum" stew.  The murky tones add just enough obscurity to the overtly simple riffs, resulting in an album that's tastefully dark, decrepit, and brutal.  Not at all cheesy or slick like his other endeavors often are.  Recommended for any fan of early 90's Death Metal and even casual Death fans.



Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Collision - A Healthy Dose of Death

Since that last review was so long, I'll keep this one super short.  Dutch Crossover/Proto-Grind similar to the old masters S.O.D. and Cryptic Slaughter but with a more modern (louder) production.  Either you like it or you don't.  It's a 26 minute circle pit.

  

Heikousen - Parallels

I often question the direction or "theme" for this blog.  At first, I wanted Triple B to be very personal, a place where I could vent about my life.  Not an easy feat.  Very few people have the gift of being a good storyteller, so most end up just being whiny, arrogant pricks (which is what I must sound like right now).  Or worse yet, they bombard you with sentimental pics of their children.  Really man, no one wants to see pictures of your dorky son and we especially don't want to read what his prune-sized brain is thinking about on his very own shitty, non-music related blog.  Or how about those uber-hipster tumblr pages?  I can't believe people think that they're "talented" or "artistic" just because they collect and repost other people's photographs.  Ok, I veered off topic for a bit.  What I'm really wondering about is whether trip B should be more Metal or more Hardcore oriented?  I suppose it doesn't really matter, because you guys seem to be pretty satisfied with both.

So, anyway, Heikousen have bridged my two favorite styles in a very pleasing way.  They've really ramped up the technicality level past their Mathcore/"Post-Everything" contemporaries.  Sure Perth Express, Comity, and Trap Them are competent players, but can they really compare to the musical Kung Fu of Prog Death practitioners?  Not so much. Heikousen can slap, tap, and pinch-harmonize with any Relapse alum any day of the week.  Does that alone make them good?  No, but it does add a tigher, lighter flare to the songs as well as break technical barriers that would hinder your average 'Core musician.



doki doki

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Moonloop - Deeply From the Earth

Pretty fuckin' sweet mid-paced, technical, guitar-oriented Death Metal.  Although influences can be traced throughout the Death Metal spectrum, their style is probably most similar to later-Coroner, Cynic, and later-Death.  Yes, there are some clean vocals here, but they're very tolerable and don't overpower the rest of the album.  I know the band name and cover might scream "skip it", fight the urge and give this a chance.  If you're at all into Prog Death, this band is well worth your time.