MUSIC 2022: TOP 6 non-album releases

Before I get to the big main category post you are for sure all desperately waiting for. *harrumph* Here is the "best of the rest" music ranking of 2022!

In consideration for this list were basically all physical items, which aren't albums (studio, live or reissues). Arguable exceptions are split and compilation releases, which some might define as albums, but which I included here nonetheless, because my list, my rules. Other stuff considered were EPs and singles, even though no seven inch ultimately made it here.

I actually didn't buy a lot of any of those formats, so in relation to the total it would already feel excessive to rank more than these six favorites.

TOP 7 NON-ALBUM RELEASES 2022:

1. MIZMOR - Wit's End
   
   
   
   While the atmospheric experimental drone of the B side "Paradolia" scores as an interesting deviation from Mizmor's usual sound, it obviously is the quarter-hour long title track which (of course in slow motion) catapults this EP to the top of this little ranking. "Wit's End" is a sludgy, blackened Funeral Doom threnody, which not only stands out in the subgenre, but is hands-down one of the best things ever in Doom Metal as a whole. A beautifully bleak and hopeless masterpiece!
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. TEMPLE FANG - Jerusalem / The Bridge
   
   
   
   Yes, I've only just refused to write a proper detailed review about this EP a couple of days ago. And the fact that these epic twenty-two minutes of fantastic Motorpsycho masterclass Psychedelic Blues Prog Power Rock tells you more in moments of listening yourself than any of my attempts to capture this greatness in words ever could - that hasn't changed one bit. With their first actual studio release the Dutch band spectacularly proves that they are not only among the greatest live acts around today, but can also capture their magic off stage. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. ELONMUSK / ELECTRIC MOON / KUNGENS MÄN / KANAAN - International Space Station Vol. 1
   
   
   
   Is it a compilation or 4-way split? Who really cares! What matters is that this extends far beyond one hour (digitally even longer) with just four magnificient tracks for zoning out. The international crew of psychedelic / space rock bands curated by Electric Moon / Worst Bassist Records' Komet Lulu compliments each other perfectly and creates a continuous great flow. Ultimately this double album possibly is among the best of any kind of this year's releases in the genre. Fly, Space Station, fly!
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. LUSTMORD - The Others [Lustmord Deconstructed]
   
   
   
   You don't necessarily need to know Lustmord's original 2008 album "Other" to tremendously enjoy this mammoth 130 minutes tribute by a staggering gathering of artists from Årabrot to Zola Jesus. Sixteen bands and artists give these dark ambient compositions new spins in their respective languages. A compilation which features Mono, Godflesh, Bohren & der Club of Gore, Ulver, Steve von Till, Jo Quail... That alone should raise expecations. "The Others" exceeds them by far.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. QRIXKUOR - Zoetrope
   
   
   
   Ok, please cut me some slack with my "only physical items" rule! This one is superimposed over the picture above, because it's a December release and I'm still waiting for the CD. But of course I already know that it will be worth the wait, because this one track / twenty-four minute behemoth of overwhelming chaotic cavernous Blackened Death Metal continues just where the brilliant 2021 album "Poison Palinopsia" left off - but now with even a lot more sick symphonic Classical elements. A reeking maelstrom of cosmic madness. Flush me to hell!
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. OTTONE PESANTE - ...And The Black Bells Rang
   
   
   
   Between relentless Grindcore, frantic Sludge, Mathcore, Jazz, majestic Neo-Classical Post Rock, Blackgaze and brutal Prog Ottone Pesante take us on quite a rollercoaster in the not even twenty minutes of this EP. That the Italian trio does this solely with drums and brass instruments - as "a lovechild of Sons Of Kemet and Naked City staring Into the Pandemonium" - is of course a bonus, which makes this also awesome live band extra special. This release is the ideal starting point for digging into their discography.
   
   
   

Me, voidhanging with FORLESEN, NEPTUNIAN MAXIMALISM, SKYTHALA and ZOS

That's what I love about December: You have already selected your TOP something albums of the year and just finalize the ranking with little write-ups - and then you get a delivery like this from I, Voidhanger Records, where each and every item would deserve a place or at least a shoutout in such a list as well.

But [SPOILER ALERT!] at least one of these albums already has a reserved seat high up in my TOP 22 anyway.
And then there's of course that situation with the joint release from I, Voidhanger and Utech Records, which opens this little review collection:

NEPTUNIAN MAXIMALISM - Finis Gloriae Mundi (CD) (2022)

You could argue that this live album already sits on spot 3 of my TOP 7 live albums of 2022, at least its tracklist, because on paper this recording from September 2021 in Nijmegen exactly equals the one on "Set Chaos To The Heart Of The Moon - Live At Roadburn 2021". So isn't it kind of redundant then? Definitely not! Ok, I get that a more casual fan would be content with just one of these albums - and the previous one has the bonus of also containing a fantastic live video on DVD. So yes, this isn't the most mandatory purchase ever. But it's a damn awesome one!

You cannot expect me to give you a detailed in-depth comparison between these over one hour long chunks of boundless monumentalism, but I can say for sure that the overall feeling is different in a way which I haven't quite deciphered yet. Obviously the track lengths vary a lot, with some pieces being shorter, some longer, which indicates where the most improvisation takes place. And while all the Psych and Jazz and Eastern tradional influence is as present as ever, the production of "Finis Gloriae Mundi" somehow feels rawer and leans more to the Drone and Doom Metal side of the Belgian collective. It's a mostly rather subtle difference which could as well originate in the form of the day, and I couldn't for the life of me decide which one is better - but you know that noone would complain if seven more recordings of John Coltrane performing "A Love Supreme" would appear out of the blue.

So in that spirit more Neptunian Maximalism is always more amazing Neptunian Maximalism, right? I just love this stuff.

FORLESEN - Black Terrain (CD) (2022)

Come now and let it all go...

I HAVE ALREADY REVIEWED THIS ALBUM A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO OVER ON VEILOFSOUND.COM. And as you might have noticed when I'm writing about the same album again, it's sometimes a little bit - don't let me say tedious... but well, sometimes I either more or less just copy from myself or I simply translate the old review into German with some extensions and additional pictures of my own physical copy. In this case however the second run gives me the chance to admit that I am not really happy with my initial text anymore.

But don't get me wrong: Even though it doesn't have many citable upshots or witticisms I still think it's a decent read and from my point of view still an accurate description of what awaits you on this album.
I'm just not sure if my declaration of Forlesen being "the most memorable substitute for the dearly missed SubRosa you could wish for" really was that helpful. Even though there's a very obvious other contender for that title out there, who released a great debut (which will be covered by me too), I still stand by that opinion. But I have the feeling that making "Black Terrain" part of a race/contest in that way just takes away from Forlesen's many very own strengths and the simple fact that they created a vast Doom masterpiece here, which will stand the test of time without any need to get into the ring to fight other artists.
Just mentioning the DNA of Botanist, Kayo Dot and Lotus Thief, which comes with the past and present activities of the band members and then going from there without distracting references would have been a better strategy to structure the write-up. But in hindsight you always know better.

Go now and let it all come...

Needless to say getting to spin the CD without the distraction of a computer screen or (in the car) traffic in front of me for the first time, but now actually reading the lyrics, helped me a lot to appreciate the full grandeur of "Black Terrain". I already loved how this album is segmented rather in movements than in songs. Themes may be reprised, but nothing ever repeats. There's always a stylistic and emotional change of pace with each new chapter. And this change doesn't seem to be informed by obligations of fulfilling genre quota: Guys, we need 20% more melodic Funeral Doom, at least a minute more Ambient and must cut back some of the Black Metal vocals in favor of Bezaelith's voice, so we don't scare away the stockholders!

No, the movements, no matter if they are introduced slowly in long build-ups or start with a sudden jump scare, always go hand in hand with the huge evocative narration. Together the parts flow as an apocalyptic, sometimes harsh, sometimes painfully beautiful epos. Not that I could actually retell a story here, but this soundtrack in four up to almost twenty minutes long parts is meant to let you create an endless gallery of your own moving pictures anyway. And the resulting phantasmagoric movie is among the most magnificent any (Blackened Ambient Psychedelic Funeral Drone...) Doom album has ever stirred in me. In a just world Forlesen's "Black Terrain" would be destined to become a towering classic!

You know at which festival I want this album to be performed in full. One can dream so shortly before Christmas, right?

And like the straw becomes a flame

These chasms open up in the mundane

And the abyss that gazes back's

Greatest horror is that it is sane.

SKYTHALA - Boreal Despair (CD) (2022)

Phew, with six tracks of over nine and a half minutes average length, this is yet another huge colossus of an album. And similarly as special as Forlesen. But while some Doom or semi-acoustic passages here and there could be part of both works, the sonic concept SkyThala are presenting on "Boreal Despair" as a whole is completely different.

The metal side of the album can mostly be described as apocalyptic Deathened Black Metal with very few elements of the aforementioned Doom and maybe... Blackened Thrash (think Vektor!) in it. The other side, which is constantly directly interwoven with it just below the edge of total chaotic overkill and which sometimes even takes the sole lead is Stravinskyan Modern Classical music. And the symphonic / organ arrangements are among the already in themselves darkest and most ambitious I've ever heard within an extreme metal context. The sound here is just spectacularly determined, well integrated and specific.

While I mostly appreciate it, when successful Symphonic / Metal fusions forgo the guitar hero showing off, SkyThala are allowed to burst into some bragging six-string witchery, because it is not only so coherent with the Classical influence, but it also brings me back to good old Nocturnus, who used to run into those wild leads at the end of a riff in a similar way. A lot of this album actually reminds me of them, just minus the bold sci-fi keyboards and plus SkyThala's own special ingredients.

And except for that one part in "At Dawn They Walk", which takes me out of the flow just by uncannily reminding me of Leonard Rosenman's "Lord of the Rings" soundtrack (the old Ralph Bakshi adaptation!) and a couple if instances where listening too much to individual instruments instead of the whole reveals some bits, which would sound cheesy isolated, this is an incredibly overwhelming wave of atmospheric brutality.

Any album of the year list featuring "Boreal Despair" definitely has my respect and approval. It's an outstanding release.

While I'm not the biggest fan of glossy surfaces (less reflections and finger prints on matt, it mostly even feels better) and some typo and colour choices could be a little more concerned with readability, the I, Voidanger CD digipaks so far all looked good and had decent cover artworks.

One however stands out, not only because of its digipak's upright format, which I've seen the label using for -S- and Esoctrilihum releases before. Seeing the combination of album title and artwork was one of those WTF! instances where I really hoped the music would justify the purchase for me.

ZOS - The Whole Of The Body I Call ZOS (CD) (2022)

Well, if the title track / opener of this album did one thing, then it was amplifying that WTF! impression I had from the artwork. What happens after the atmospheric intro especially in terms of production choices just completely escapes any palpable comparison for me. Seemingly low-fi and blurry in an ultra obscure and hardly listenable way, but somehow at the same time just so bold and intriguing that it still was enough for me to decide that this had to go into my basket. I have no clue what this is and where it is going, but hell I will listen to this!

And now I'm in fact listening and I am both dissappointed and relieved. Dissappointed that the Polish Post Black Metal band isn't that ballsy to just keep the brainmeltingly abrasive abstractionism of the first  track going for the whole record. A lot more relieved though that they are actually not a one-trick pony and that the whole of the album is a very diverse journey. Most of its playing time could be labelled as Blackened Doom, even delving into droning, improvisational psychedelica, which frames the - for a metallic context - weirdly hollow guitars and unusually natural drums in a much more conclusive fashion.

Meanwhile a strange yet captivating atmosphere of occultism drenches this complete "phonomachy" (as the band itself calls it) in bloody fog, making "The Whole Of The Body I Call ZOS" for sure the most enigmatic CD of this haul.

Thou who exists in all erogenousnesses
By the power of meanings
Arising from these forms
I make
The talismans that speak the secret

Leitmotif
of desire

We evoke thee!

THE LORD † PETRA HADEN - Devotional

Darf ich mit Ihnen über unseren Herrn sprechen?

Greg Anderson aka The Lord hat nach dem Düsterhorror-Dronemetal auf seinem Debüt-Soloalbum "Forest Nocturne" dieses Jahr noch ein weiteres Album herausgebracht, zusammen mit einer Musikerin, mit der er zuletzt im Jahr 2000 auf  "ØØ Void" von seiner Hauptband Sunn O))) zu hören war.

THE LORD † PETRA HADEN - Devotional (CD) (2022)

Das Riffing auf "Devotional" ist tatsächlich die von Anderson gewohnte, durchdringende Dröhnschule, so langsam, kraftvoll und mit lavaartig blubberndem Eigenleben gefüllt, dass kaum perkussive Elemente - geschweige denn ein Schlagzeug - benötigt werden. Wenn nicht z.B. die Orgel mitvibriert, dann schweben darüber mitunter allerdings ungewohnt hoffnungsvolle, hymnische Leadgitarren, welche hervorragend mit Petra Hadens Anteil an diesem Album korrespondieren.

Haden steuert hier und da Geige bei, prägt das Album jedoch vor allem front and center durch ihren äußerst ungewöhnlichen Gesang, der vor allem dadurch auffällt, wie er sich wagemutig selbst orchestriert. Exzentrische Wege vom spukenden Gewölbe zum Himmelreich beschreitend, erinnernt sein Arrangement dabei an andere Experimentalistinnen wie Jarboe, Björk oder Lingua Ignota, erreicht durchaus oft ein vergleichbares Nivau, ist dabei allerdings von der Stimmfarbe her nur punktuell mal hier mal dort mit jenen Künstlerinnen zu vergleichen.

Die Absicht des Duos ist es, ohne Worte mit Gitarre und Gesang ein Frage-Antwort-Spiel zwischen den Mantras eines Guru und seiner Gemeinde nachvollzuziehen, die Verlockung und den Rausch religiöser Ekstase in musikalischer Form zu binden.
Und dies gelingt höchst eindrucksvoll. "Devotional" ist eine gewollt überzeichnete, aus der Tiefe in stratosphärische Höhen transzendierende Klangübung, die in geringeren Händen zur Karikatur hätte geraten können, in ihrem unbedingten Willen zum Zuviel tatsächlich aber gerade überaus wirksam und berührend ist.

Es ist ein bisschen, wie wenn Laibach einen zu übertriebenstem Kitsch und Bombast innerlich marschieren lassen, man dabei genau weiß, dass man ihnen auf den Leim geht - und es trotzdem genussvoll tut, da die Musik unabhängig davon einfach absolut überzeugend klingt.

Und solange man sich der Manipulation einvernehmlich bewusst ist, stellt Musik ja auch einen sicheren Rahmen dar, um Handlungen und Gefühle zu simulieren. Im echten Leben möchte ich nicht vor mit Schlangen tanzenden Tele-Evangelisten gottesberauscht mit den Extremitäten zappeln und in Zungen reden. Nö, muss nicht sein.
Aber dank The Lord und Petra Haden kann ich das so erlebte Hochgefühl zumindest einfach mal so im still dröhnenden Kämmerchen für mich ausprobieren.

Drone worship mal anders. Preiset den Herrn - und die Dame!  

TEMPLE FANG - Jerusalem / The Bridge

Klein aber fein! Auf der neuesten EP von Temple Fang wurde nun nicht nur erstmals der live schon eine ganze Weile hinterm Kit sitzende neue Drummer des niederländischen Quartetts auf Tonträger gebannt, sondern es handelt sich tatsächlich diesmal nicht um einen Konzertmitschnitt, sondern um Studioaufnahmen. Und keine Sorge - das können die Jungs tatsächlich genauso fantastisch!

TEMPLE FANG - Jerusalem / The Bridge (12" EP) (2022)

Der Vergleich war ja schon durch den kraftvollen Rickenbacker-Bass schon immer gegeben, doch in den beiden psychedelischen Powerbluesprogrock-Epen dieser EP (Achtung, 45rpm!) wird es im besten Sinne überdeutlich: "Jerusalem / The Bridge" ist definitiv die beste mir zu Ohren gekommene Motorpsycho-Scheibe, welche die Norweger nicht selbst eingespielt haben!

Und lasse ich die Rezension an dieser Stelle einfach so scheiße kurz?

Temple Fang live at Right On Mountain 2022

Im Grunde wäre es fair, denn Temple Fang sind halt auch einfach so scheiße gut, wahrscheinlich die beste (großgeschrieben) ROCK-Band der letzten Jahre für mich. Und wenn das damit einher geht, dass die Musik derbe an Motorpsycho erinnert, ist dies doch einfach als natürliches Qualitätsmerkmal zu werten, oder?

Abgesehen davon, dass wir nach "Live at Merleyn" und "Fang Temple" natürlich andere Gesamtspielzeiten gewohnt sind, ist dies eine wunschlos glücklich machende, perfekte Scheibe. 

Denovali Morti Darkjazz Duett: MANSUR - Obscuras Flores / THE LOVECRAFT SEXTET - Miserere

Neulich kam doch mal wieder eine dieser Lieferungen aus dem Denovali-Shop, die nur bedeuten können, dass Jason Köhnen mal wieder aktiv gewesen ist oder wiederveröffentlicht wurde. Diesmal sind es zwei neue LPs, die allerdings gar nicht beide von Denovali selbst zusammengeklöppelt wurden. Doch dazu weiter unten mehr!

MANSUR - Obscuras Flores (clear vinyl LP) (2022)

Zunächst einmal hören wir in das bereits vierte, neue Studiowerk des Trios von Köhnen an Bass und Elektronik, Oud-Spieler Dimitry El Demerdashi und Sängerin Martina Horváth hinein.

Jene Typen, die unter jedem Facebook-Post des Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensembles oder der Nachfolgeprojekte mit "Bring the band back together!" nerven, dürften hier so gut bedient werden wie lange nicht mehr. Zwar haben wir hier zumeist auch die etwas sparsame Instrumentierung und den ganz klar stärkeren asiatischen Einfluss (inklusive sogar etwas Kehlkopfgesang), doch wie dies mit anderen weltmusikalischen Einsprengseln und vor allem Köhnens elektronischen Drones und Rhythmen zusammenkommt, steht schon sehr deutlich in der Tradition des Ensembles. Und ist das schlecht? Nö, natürlich gar nicht, zumal der eigenständige Charakter von Mansur ja immer noch gewahrt bleibt. Und beim Jonglieren mit so vielen Unterschiedlichen Klangbaustellen ist die klare Abgrenzung der Projekte voneinander ja sicherlich nicht immer einfach.

"Obscuras Flores" ist wieder einmal eine kurzweilige, sich eindeutiger Klassifizierung zwischen Ambient, Folk und Avantgarde entziehende Erfahrung, die in mystischer Urkraft entspringt und sich in reiner Schönheit auflöst. Wundervoll.  

Soweit zum Yang. Das Yin dazu kommt in einer ganz finsteren Schattierung von schwarz:

THE LOVECRAFT SEXTET - Miserere (LP) (2022)

So düster ist das dritte Album dieses Projekts, in dem Köhnen sein Darkjazz-Konzept immer wieder mit anderen Genres und Ideen clashen lässt, geraten, dass es nicht mehr ins Profil von Denovali Records passte und stattdessen über Debemur Morti Productions, Heimat von Blut Aus Nord und ähnlich schwarzmetallischem Gebräu, veröffentlicht werden musste.

Auf dem Label sind natürlich auch White Ward zu Hause, deren Stil sich sehr treffend mit Bohren & der Club of Gore trifft Black Metal beschreiben lässt. Jene Kategorisierung passt nun auch hundertprozentig zu "Miserere" - dabei ist die Musik tatsächlich komplett anders.

Zunächst einmal fällt auf, dass das Tempo tatsächlich durch die Doomjazz-Komponente vorgegeben wird und es hier keine Blastbeats o.ä. gibt. Der Rhythmus wird in erster Linie von Köhnen, der daneben auch Orgel und verstärkte Saiteninstrumente bedient, am Kontrabass und mit subtilen elektronischen Sounds erzeugt. Hauptverantwortlich für den Bohren-Vergleich ist das wie schon auf dem diesjährigen Bong-Ra-Album "Meditations" von Colin Webster gespielte sehnsuchtsvolle bis gespenstische Saxophon.
Parallel sind jedoch fast durchgehend die mal bedrohlich nahen, mal weit entfernt im Hall versinkenden Schreie von Dimitris Gkaltsidis zu hören, die neben den sehr unterschwellig eingebetteten genretypischen Riffs die ständig präsente schwarzmetallischen Aura des Albums garantieren.
Die Krone wird dieser dichten Horrormelange jedoch durch seine neoklassischen und Gregorianischen Anteile aufgesetzt. Eugene Bodenstaffs Cello, noch mehr jedoch Lilian Tongs Soprangesang erheben "Miserere" zu einem machtvollen, mal furchterregenden, mal von himmlischer Hoffnung kündendem Erlebnis, für das der Begriff "cineastisch" mir fast noch zu klein scheint.

Kurioserweise war ich ursprünglich drauf und dran, The Lovecraft Sextet diesmal links liegen zu lassen, da ich beim ersten Reinhören wenig mit dieser BlackMetalDarkJazzKlassik-Messe anfangen konnte. Nun jedoch halte ich das nach dem 80er-Jahre-Ausflug "Nights Of Lust" zweite 2022er Sextet-Werk sogar bei aller Liebe für Bong-Ra für Köhnens essentiellstes künstlerisches Statement des Jahres.

Kerze an, in den knarrenden Schaukelstuhl des vollmondbeschienen Turmzimmers gesetzt, Lautstärke auf Kinopalastniveau und Nackenhaare hoch!  

harineweekly 50/52

It's a bigger post of weekly Digital Harinezumi 3.0 pictures today, equal to one full 35mm film. The reason is obvious: Winter broke out this week. First a little, an then a little more, with the snow not immediately beginning to melt away again. This is already edited down quite a bit and I could shoot even more of these today... But I guess this is enough for now. Maybe with another (film) camera. Or I just stay in and drink some tea. Who knows?