What Are We Listening To? - February 21st. 2020

What Sam Has Been Listening To

Kvelertak - Splid (2020)

Much has been said about the evolution (or lack thereof) of contemporary rock. Artists either change too much and resemble something totally foreign or change too little and become a played-out cliche. This record manages to strike a perfect balance between the two with ludicrously fun hard rock riffs and boisterous blackened melodies. Certainly an early AOTY contender for me.

Loathe - I Let It In and It Took Everything (2020)

Adam went on about this record last week and I must say I disagree with his healthy praise. Something about squeaky clean progressive metalcore feels a little too close to the style’s late 2000s boogymen for me to really enjoy it. That being said, the clean sections are very well done and seem more similar to Deftones and later-era The Contortionist than Architects or Bring Me The Horizon, which is definitely a good thing.

Turia - Degen van Licht (2020)

Speaking of fellow writer’s opinions, I wholeheartedly agree with this review from earlier in the week. This record leads to some phenomenal tunes with anthemic highs which are uncanny for the subgenre, but the latter half isn’t quite as strong and a bit long-winded. I also love the warmer guitar tone on display here and it certainly contributes to the sprawling compositions.

Denzel Curry x Kenny Beats - Unlocked (2020)

Denzel Curry sports a ridiculous batting average when it comes to recently released projects and his latest is no different. In a scene known for inconsistency, he always delivers an aggressive and fun take on modern trap. His flows rest wonderfully on Mr. Beats production and the quirkier nature of the whole thing makes Curry’s nerdy one-liners and punchlines hit a little harder.

King Krule  - 6 Feet Beneath The Music (2013)

The vast world of modern indie isn’t something I’ll claim to be knowledgable about, but King Krule seems to have carved out his own niche within the vast scene. His eclectic blend of jazz, punk, and alternative is fascinating to a metalhead such as me and his debut album is a strong overall showing.

Ihsahn - Telemark EP (2020)

The Norwegian legend whose solo career has always been solid and boundary-pushing returning to the trademark metal style of his nation in the first of two 2020 eps? Sign me up! Ihsahn’s post-Emperor output is nothing short of unheard of in metal and this ep is a treat through and through. He approaches black metal on the first three tracks with the ear of a seasoned veteran to craft swirling blizzards of sonic texture and the two covers here are stupid amounts of fun. 

Meshuggah - Catch Thirtythree (2005)

After taking a short trip down the djent rabbit hole (case in point the Vidhjarta album on this 3x3) I decided I should refamiliarize myself with the genre’s forebearers. The polyrhythmic Swedes never fail to amaze with crushing rhythmic complexity and unrivaled “brvtality.” Their 2005 album presents a more nuanced, cinematic take on their trademark sound and remains a personal favorite.

Ramleh - Hole In The Heart (1987)

I find myself routinely amazed when digging through the vast canon of noise classics and Ramleh’s 1987 opus is no exception. This album feels endlessly crisp and modern 30+ years after its release. A truly stunning display of cacophonous synths, buzzsaw guitars, wretched vocals, and tasteful reverb.

Vildhjarta - Masstaden (2011)

It’s bizarre looking back on the djent explosion of the early 2010s for a myriad of reasons, but a prevailing theme lies in the fact that these albums have aged horribly. What was hailed as “innovative” at the time sound utterly played out and Vidhjarta’s debut (and only lp to date) does not manage to escape this fate. Also, the term “thall” is somehow stupider than “djent.”

What Adam Has Been Listening To

Have A Nice Life - Deathconsciousness (2008)

I must admit that this being so high up on my list can be attributed to the fact that my alarm clock on my phone is linked to my Spotify. So I wake up every morning to this masterpiece, and it has yet to grow stale for me. If you aren’t already familiar with this post-punk/doomgaze/experimental rock album, get yourself acquainted. It is a personal favorite of the writers here and the majority of the internet too.

Turia - Degen van Licht (2020)

I posted a review for this album but a few days ago, and my opinions there have not changed two days later. So rather than typing out my feelings once again, I will just link you to that article, here.

Kvelertak - Splid (2020)

Huh. It seems that Kvelertak has completely returned to form on this record. When you change your vocalist, that’s usually when a big change happens, and this group has shown that that alteration could be in reverse. This album is far more enjoyable than it should be. There is really no reason that I should enjoy this hard rock/hardcore punk/black ‘n roll love child. But here I am, spinning it over and over again. Splid is a nice break from the gloomy and depressing music I listen to, and that change is welcomed (I really don’t like the spoken ‘Air guitar, come on’ in “Bratebrann '' though).

Phalanx - Golden Horde EP (2020)

This is another one I’m not going to speak too much on, as it is going to be included in a returning segment to the blog very soon. But basically, Phalanx is a death metal quartet with three vocalists, insane riffs, and catchy songwriting that has challenged my opinion of the best death metal project yet this year.

Mark Morton - Ether EP (2020)

I am not ashamed to say that I really enjoy the vocal performances of John Carbone, of Moon Tooth fame. I’m not a huge fan of that band, and they are unfortunately one of the few bands I disliked seeing live (that’s another story). But I’ve always kind of liked his hard rock timbre, and when he appears once on this EP, in a track entitled, “The Fight,” he gives just as strong of a performance as he ever does. So blasting that song on repeat is its reason for its inclusion on this list. The rest of the release is only ok, and only if you like modern day hard rock.

Izthmi - The Arrows of Our Ways (2020)

Now this is progressive black metal! I’ve been hankering for a good and experimental release of this genre since Liturgy and White Ward last year, and newcomers Izthmi have brought the heat on their debut LP. The Seattle five-piece have released one of, if not the strongest black metal project all year (might have to fight with that Nechochwen/Panopticon split later this year) that is undeniably thought-provokingly intricate and expertly written and performed. If you like progressive metal or black metal, this is a highlight of the year.

Envy - The Fallen Crimson (2020)

It hit me that post-hardcore often is just screamo and post-rock smashed together. Like this is exactly what Touche Amore sounds like, but so much better. Envy is what I want this blend of genres to sound like, and this record is phenomenal. Perfectly constructed from front to back, its quality only grows as the album goes on. “Fingerprint Mark” might be my song of the year, and it's only February. Please, if you only have time to listen to one album on this list, let it be this one. I promise you, the Explosions In The Sky meets Converge crossover event you have been looking for is exactly as good as it sounds.

OvO - Miasma (2020)

An uncomfortable noise rock record from a veteran Italian/German duo that I’ve never heard of? Now that's something I wanna hear, and fortunately, OvO provides just that. At this point, I’m in the camp of this album is more weird than it is good. I like it, but this music unabashedly screamy, in-your-face and unrelenting and not for the faint of heart. If you are looking for something really really out there, give Miasma a listen.

Godthrymm - Reflections (2020)

Reflections is a really good album. Nearly an hour of infectious riffs and soaring clean vocal melodies, Godthrymm’s debut is a masterfully crafted release, and one that will appear on many year end lists. It tows that perfect line of just heavy enough, but has enough clean guitar solos and melodies to create a really engaging listen.