Language can be useful for its specificity or its generality, with the latter being exemplified by the phrase “chord progression.” It means a sequence of root notes and harmony notes and in rock music signifies the harmonic backdrop to a song, where in jazz it means more the geometry of a melody in relation to the notes of the scale, signifying what harmony will be used to write melodies within it.
3 CommentsTenebra Re-Issues Through Crying Souls I See What I Was On Cult of Parthenope
Italian late-1980s style proto-black metal (Morbid, Venom, Tormentor, Goatlord) at its core, Tenebra speeds up the process somewhat and incorporates 1990s black metal of the Teutonic and Nordic varieties, eschewing the traditional melodic approach of Southern European bands for an advancing front of sawing riffs, using these to produce the backdrop for the slow emergence of atmospheric melody which stays minor-key without getting maudlin.
1 CommentTags: Black Metal, cult of parthenope, tenebra
finiteCell – Liquor Store (2019)
Sometimes creativity emerges best from a limited palette, and finiteCell by generating its sounds via custom programming on an original Game Boy and then sampling the result, adding breakbeat percussion, and editing the outcome into songs, demonstrates the possibilities found by experimenting in a sandbox of restricted options.
7 CommentsTags: chiptune, finiteCell
Forensear – “Single” (2019)
Forensear come to us from the Argentinian scene, part of that wide South American envelope where the distinctions between subgenres blur, and sounds roughly like an early Testament playing death metal at moderate speed metal pacing, resulting in a trudging but energetic delivery.
1 CommentTags: forensear, Speed Metal
Megadeth Rust In Peace
This is one of the classics worthy of its praise, and should unite both casual listeners and underground connoisseurs in this opinion. It might feel rather fruitless to review a classic of this scale at this point, but after re-listening to it multiple times lately and learning to play some of the tracks I felt compelled. Most of everything that can be said about this album was probably already said but I figured I’d give some further analysis of the songwriting and tracks.
28 CommentsTags: megadeth, Speed Metal
Emperor As The Shadows Rise Re-Issued As Picture LP
The most epic bands often struggle to clarify their voice, which includes composition, technique, and performance. For Emperor, the first foray consisted of crepitant necrotic recordings which emphasized solidarity with the early works of Hellhammer, Sodom, and Sarcofago. Later they refined their approach.
35 CommentsTags: Black Metal, emperor
Necrophiliac – No Living Man Is Innocent (2020)
In nature, nothing can exist in stasis, but radical change forms the same chaos that stasis does, namely a loss of energy potential. This means that anything enduring exists in a constant state of internal conflict but within the parameters of continuity between past and future to its roots.
4 CommentsTags: ambient metal, death metal, Necrophiliac
Mayhem Releases De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas 25th Anniversary Box Set
For the low price of only $129.99, you can acquire the 25th anniversary box set release of Mayhem Me Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, a five-LP release including all versions of the best-known Mayhem album and the one that, as digestible black metal with throwbacks to heavy metal, inspired many to undertake the genre.
6 CommentsTags: Black Metal, earache records, mayhem
Lucifer Releases “Ghosts” From Upcoming Lucifer III
Like most of the death metal crowd, Nicke Andersson reverted to his hard rock and 70s stadium rock roots after participating on a few classic death metal releases. Once you have said the vital portion of your worldview in musical form, you are forced to articulate it, which is less fun than the unformed but emerging image.
8 CommentsTags: 1970s, hard rock, lucifer, Nicke Andersson
Peterson Royal Yacht versus Dunhill Royal Yacht
The venerable Royal Yacht serves many a pipe-smoker as a staple, since it presents the ultimate rarity, a high-powered Virginia-based blend that also manages to be flavorful, smooth, and sweet. Famous for its unique topping — a combination of rum, Tawny Port, citrus, and possibly honey — this blend has delighted smokers since 1912 and proves to be the most divisive blend most will encounter.
5 CommentsTags: Dunhill, peterson, pipe tobacco, royal yacht, tobacco