2010 Listens

Not sure I’ll get to the record store before the end of the year, so here it goes… These are the only releases from 2010 to come into my collection this year, most of what I’ve purchased has been older.

I’m a little embarrassed to say I really only bought one of these, Grinderman. Bindrune Recordings is a label I helped found, Detrivore came as an unsolicited promo, and the others are projects of comrades who were kind enough to send copies my way. (none of them were mp3 downloads)

Blood Of The Black Owl - A Banishing Ritual (Brindrune Recordings)
Celestiial - Where Life Springs Eternal (Bindrune Recordings)
Detrivore – Pakt (Lyderhorn Records)
Grinderman – Grinderman 2 (Anti/Mute)
Luasa Raelon – Vampyre: Light Of The Beast (Fatal Beliefs)
posted about this here
Nazca – Out (Geoglyph Records)
posted about this here
Nechochwen – Azimuths To The Underworld (Bindrune Recordings)
The Urge Within – Blood Red Sun (Malsonus)

I’d recommend every one of these, there is some exceptional music there.

Hit the links for Luasa Raelon and Nazca, Grinderman should need no introduction.

The Urge Within release contains a previously unreleased track that was to appear on the “Those Of The Long Shadows” compilation I had planned to release on Crionic Mind until unemployment killed the label. Also included is the first new music from the project in years. The Urge Within is Jonathan Canady & David E. Williams doing churning and gritty Death Industrial

Blood Of The Black Owl is the is a project masterminded by Chet Scott. “The Banishing Ritual” is the third installment in the Black Owl triptych and may or may not be the last. Ritualistic Blackened Doom, epic spiritual purge.

Celestiial Ambient Woodland Doom, transcendental soundscapes and crushing dirges  – brushed with melody. Submerge.

Detrivore is a an project I hadn’t heard of until it showed up. Post-Doom maybe? Enjoyable, and unique.

Nechochwen combines Neo-folk and Black Metal elements revolving around Native American themes. The musicianship is top notch, some great material here.

Addendum:
I did make it to the record store and picked up a couple releases that came out in 2010.
Agalloch – Marrow Of The Spirit (Profound Lore)
Jesu – Heart Ache/dethroned (Hydra Head)

If I had to guess, the album I have listened to the most this year:

Blacklist - Midnight Of The Century (Weird Records)
Released last year, but I didn’t pick it up until this year. Outstanding modern Post-Punk. Everything about this records is spot on. Here’s a taste…

Nazca – Out

I have posted about Nazca previously, but they have a new record out and they are still an amazing band, so here you go.

I received the new disc in the mail from Karstein a month, because he is a swell guy. It’s been far too long since “Non-Grata” came out on Eibon records in 2002. On the new release, “Out”, they have continued down the path that really took shape on that record. Moody Post Punk with an understated infusion of spaghetti/surf guitars and analog synth that really fleshes out the dynamics of the band. Lyrically, it is a mix of personal and social… The bio which is one of the numerous papers on my desk… perhaps it’s under this cat here… sums it up something like “hippies without flowers, punks without mohawks.”

Every track on the record is excellent. This is a band that I still listen to on a regular basis even with the long break between releases. My understanding is that they are already anxious to get back in the studio. Can’t wait.

They have just released an official video for the track “Real Love.” This is probably the most “aggressive” track on the record.

And while we are on the subject here is a live version of “Malady” which – unless I am missing something  – is a non-album track that is only available on their DVD “Free For All”

visit them here… http://www.songsfornazca.com/

Anti-Septic

Nazca is a band from Helsinki I count among my favorites, and this track in particular is simply brilliant. It comes off the album Non Grata released on Eibon Records back in 2002. The clip below is an incomplete video for the track “Anti-Septic.” It’s not the entire track, but there is enough here to appreciate, and the visuals are well done.

I interviewed Karstein Volle their vocalist and guitarist a few years ago for Worm Gear, but I guess I haven’t added the interview to the new blog driven version of the site yet. It was the middle of the night for him and he was stuck working on a design project and was gracious enough to spend a couple of hours chatting. You should listen to Nazca.