Oh boy, it took me a while to accumulate these four reviews! This summer has surely not my strongest phase when it comes to contributing write-ups for Veil of Sound. But hey, at least it's quality stuff - and there may come times with a higher frequency again.
My write-ups over there are way more elaborate, especially on the actual musical part. So you should best understand the following texts as teasers and info on the physical copies (in case I own one), and hopefully hop over to the main course on VoS!
My write-ups over there are way more elaborate, especially on the actual musical part. So you should best understand the following texts as teasers and info on the physical copies (in case I own one), and hopefully hop over to the main course on VoS!
LAIBACH - Alamut (2LP) (2025)
[MY REVIEW ON VEIL OF SOUND.COM ]
Yes, if you have wondered why there hasn't been a review of Laibach's monumental Iranian-Slovenian symphonic project "Alamut" on this blog yet, this is why!
I don't think that I could add much more to my Veil of Sound review or to my live experience of this work in Frankfurt two years ago. To my honour the band even quoted “An amazing combination of harsh Industrial, Folk and Modern Classical Music.” from my list of favorite live shows in 2023, when they announced this double album in their newsletter.
And to quote myself a little more and give you at least a little bit of musical context in case you haven't read my comprehensive review yet: Besides the Slovenian Avant-Garde group Laibach "this genre-transcending cultural exchange included the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra, the Art/Folk vocal group Gallina from Slovenia [and] the incredible Iranian Human-Voice Ensemble. [...] Written by two Iranian composers and Laibach member Luka Jamnik and conducted by Navid Gohardi, the performance melted European classical music with Persian influences, electronic Industrial sounds and bursts of cacophonous chaos."
The physical release of this incredibly ambitious cross-cultural masterpiece is a little bit patchy in quality. The pressing is... mostly... ok, the big booklet with liner notes, lyrics and many pictures is informative and beautiful, the whole artwork is great. But why pack all of this in one quite thin regular cover, which provokes massive seamsplits. My copy at least already arrived with those, which was an immediate bummer. It's a shame, since this album would have deserved a robust gatefold - if not even a whole solid slipcase or box.
I mean.. Come on, their next release is yet another reissue box of questionable necessity, dedicated to their debut - again. Some of the effort for that one really could have been used here. And while I'm already complaining: A full video of this live performance from Ljubljana exists, but Laibach or Mute Records don't have the rights - or the will - to use it for a bonus DVD? That would have such an obvious addition to the package.
Well, maybe I would have done better with the CD version this time. At least there's no doubt about the relevance and class of the musical content, which may require attention and patience at times, but definitely rewards you with a deeply meaningful experience.
Well, maybe I would have done better with the CD version this time. At least there's no doubt about the relevance and class of the musical content, which may require attention and patience at times, but definitely rewards you with a deeply meaningful experience.
ÅRABROT - Rite of Dionysus (Punk/Orange Marble vinyl LP) (2025)
[MY REVIEW ON VEIL OF SOUND.COM ]
[MY REVIEW ON VEIL OF SOUND.COM ]
Not on Pelagic Records this time, but self-released comes Årabrot's new album, which - it's confirmed in small letters at the very end of the lyrics and credits on the record inner sleeve - "is OF DARKNESS AND LIGHT part 2".
The band of married couple Kjetil Nernes and Karin Park has compiled this record from the same recording sessions and continues on the same level of quality, yet with an greater focus on synth/organ-driven and more solemn, profound and personal pieces. However that doesn't mean there's no room for a couple of Post Punk / Rock'n'Roll bangers or even the dancable closer "Of Darkness And Light" - yes, named after the previous album to make the connection even more obvious than the similar cover artist and design.
Well, I actually cannot fully compare the whole layout, since I bought a cassette copy last time, yet purchased "Rite of Dionysus" on beautiful peach-coloured vinyl in a (justified) gatefold cover with OBI strip and a piece of cloth with a personal dedication. Save the cruel reminder that I'm really overdue getting reading glasses, this is just all around lovely and gives me nothing to complain about. A great album inside and out!
The band of married couple Kjetil Nernes and Karin Park has compiled this record from the same recording sessions and continues on the same level of quality, yet with an greater focus on synth/organ-driven and more solemn, profound and personal pieces. However that doesn't mean there's no room for a couple of Post Punk / Rock'n'Roll bangers or even the dancable closer "Of Darkness And Light" - yes, named after the previous album to make the connection even more obvious than the similar cover artist and design.
Well, I actually cannot fully compare the whole layout, since I bought a cassette copy last time, yet purchased "Rite of Dionysus" on beautiful peach-coloured vinyl in a (justified) gatefold cover with OBI strip and a piece of cloth with a personal dedication. Save the cruel reminder that I'm really overdue getting reading glasses, this is just all around lovely and gives me nothing to complain about. A great album inside and out!
PATRICK SHIROISHI - Forgetting Is Violent (2025)
[MY REVIEW ON VEIL OF SOUND.COM ]
[MY REVIEW ON VEIL OF SOUND.COM ]
Experimental saxophonist Patrick Shiroishi releases another stunningly moving solo work around the themes of racism and Japanese-American history and trauma. This time however, he isn't alone with his horn, loops and effects and his voice, but invites an impressive cast of heavy and avant-garde musicians to complete and enhance his vision:
Aaron Turner (Sumac), Mathieu Ball (Big|Brave), Emma Thompson (Savages), Faith Coloccia (Mamiffer) and last but not least Lane Shi Otay:onii - a great cast full of artistic vision and integrity.
Hard to pinpoint between Ambient, Jazz, Post Rock and Noise, yet always emotionally or sonically (or both) crushing all eight tracks of "Forgetting Is Violent" are amazing and touching. A wonderful album!
[Since I don't want to wait a couple of weeks with publishing this post I cannot praise or slam my vinyl copy yet, but shhhh... I will probably just edit this post and add some pictures then.]
Aaron Turner (Sumac), Mathieu Ball (Big|Brave), Emma Thompson (Savages), Faith Coloccia (Mamiffer) and last but not least Lane Shi Otay:onii - a great cast full of artistic vision and integrity.
Hard to pinpoint between Ambient, Jazz, Post Rock and Noise, yet always emotionally or sonically (or both) crushing all eight tracks of "Forgetting Is Violent" are amazing and touching. A wonderful album!
[Since I don't want to wait a couple of weeks with publishing this post I cannot praise or slam my vinyl copy yet, but shhhh... I will probably just edit this post and add some pictures then.]
KERBEROS - Apostle To The Malevolent (2025)
[MY REVIEW ON VEIL OF SOUND.COM ]
[MY REVIEW ON VEIL OF SOUND.COM ]
So many things could have gone wrong with this Swiss band's recent album: From the mix of Progressive Metal with Opera vocals, Symphonic and Baroque elements and other European Power Metal kitsch elements to the elephant in the room cover art.
Luckily though these guys know what they're doing and so the stylistic explorations of this former Death Metal band are not only competently executed, but result in an overall just fun and entertaining listening experience, actually like a less totally bonkers version of Igorrr (especially since the vocal concellation with male and female opera singers, harsh growling and choirs is quite similar), just without the Electronics and intense post production tricks.
Even though twenty-nine minutes is a very short playing time I still keep finding new details to enjoy on "Apostle To The Malevolent". Yeah.
Ordering the CD from Switzerland plus taxes comes with a hefty price tag though, which makes me content with just owning the download version.
Luckily though these guys know what they're doing and so the stylistic explorations of this former Death Metal band are not only competently executed, but result in an overall just fun and entertaining listening experience, actually like a less totally bonkers version of Igorrr (especially since the vocal concellation with male and female opera singers, harsh growling and choirs is quite similar), just without the Electronics and intense post production tricks.
Even though twenty-nine minutes is a very short playing time I still keep finding new details to enjoy on "Apostle To The Malevolent". Yeah.
Ordering the CD from Switzerland plus taxes comes with a hefty price tag though, which makes me content with just owning the download version.
Keine Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen