CD

On our last get-together to update the website, our editor-in-chief had this album playing when I entered the CW headquarters, quite on purpose as it would turn out, because the moment he noticed that I was hummin' along with the song at hand, he readily volunteered the info that this (picking up the CD from his desk and handing it over to me) was his newest “discovery”, and that, in fact, he wanted the album to get the best promotion possible...and was therefore handing its review over to me.

This Metal/ Hardcore act hails from the town of Stirling (once the capitol of Scotland) in the Central of Scotland (25 miles from the center of Glasgow in NE direction, and 36,6 miles in WNW direction from Edinburgh center), and was formed in 2006.

This Aarhus based Danish Metal act was founded in 2006, and as far as I know, they still have the original line-up except for singer Troels Pedersen (whom joined in 2010) and drummer Nikolaj Jensen (whom came into the fold in 2011)...the rest of the band consisting of guitarists Patrick McCaffrey & Anders Berg, bassist Kalle Herborg.

Nay...actually this is not a new album by this interesting Nashville based Pop Rock act, as it was already released (but only in the US) on March 26, 2012. However, as we'd never have heard of the band before...let's start with some history lesson, shall we?

Unpleasantries Abundant is a new digital release by the very productive Bukowski Family (say hi to Fats, Piggy, Mimi, Wiktor, Frank and Roman Bukowski), constructors of some rude EP’s (Bukowski Family, Dig Your Own Grave, Initiation) and contributors to a handful of samplers (compilations released via Torn Flesh Records especially).

This band originated as a side-project of Raw Funk 'n' Soul Dutch act Lefties Soul Connection frontman Onno Smit (vocals & guitar) in 2008, when the latter came to this idea to record a solo album without having to spend too much money, by inviting befriended musicians to come and contribute to his recordings in exchange for a copious meal afterward.

Letting me review Canada's top selling Thrash Metal act Annihilator's 2005 and 2007 albums Schizo Deluxe and Metal, our editor-in-chief suddenly (if I remember correctly, I was kinda swamped in other work in those days, with new labels the Chief had pulled in and which needed to be impressed by our writing skills) relegated the job of auditing the band's self-titled 2010 album to colleague Jeroen, whom made that a relatively good but short job!.

In their on-going quest for musical oddities, the guys at Ektro Records came across this truly wacky recording, which may well be considered as one of the first encounters of Spoken Word with Electronic Music. Now, seek as you will, you won't find any info on this project except on the label's website (which is also where you'll find a link to two sound samples from the album at SoundCloud.

A2aThoT are the solo project by a Portuguese guy with the very same (professional) moniker, and this mini-record (24:23 minutes for three titles) is the successor of the self-called 2012-full length. In the vein of that first album, Trust Your Ear stands for an eclectic and eccentric mixture of different musical genres. Basically, the project brings a mixture of Doom Metal and creepy Psychedelica of a highly experimental kind. The psychedelic experimentation, however, isn’t of the tech-progressive yet rather atmospheric and ambientally industrialised.

It’ll come as no surprise to anyone who’s familiar with Swedish vocalist Lord Chritus’ former bands Terra Firma, Count Raven, Saint Vitus  and Lord Vicar that Goatess are a stoner/ doom metal band. Goatess takes you all over the place with deep cut grooves, power jams and a true electrifying feeling that you are riding right along with Findus’ bass laden, heavily distorted wall of soundmachine in the slow to mid-tempo range.