Since this is my first review of the year, it’s a good time to mention one of my annual music resolutions. I try to evolve my listening habits with a new focus come Jan. 1, with this year’s theme being to cut down on my “Lazy List.” With all the…
Classical elements have always been inextricably linked with black metal. There’s the obvious example of symphonic black metal, but beyond that, the genre has shared classical music’s vision for massive sonic displays on the scale of an orchestral delivery. Ulver went so far as to drop black metal entirely and…
In his review of Sequestered Sympathy, the excellent new album from Exulansis, Eden wrote a line that truly hits the nail on the head: “Arresting is a word which should be used for music more often.” That feeling of being totally overwhelmed by the beauty of music is something worth…
For a six-year run leading up to and through The Ark Work (2015), Hunter Hunt-Hendrix’s output as Liturgy made him public enemy number one in the black metal community. Some of this wasn’t entirely his fault, namely the unexpected “indie seal of approval” bestowed on Aesthethica (2011). The album’s response…
Though I have no first-hand experience with this, my sense is that it’s more difficult for women and members of the LGBTQ+ to break into the relative mainstream of experimental music. Sure, you could argue that people with an affinity for “outsider” art would naturally be more inclined to accept…
Sixty years after Ornette Coleman released The Shape of Jazz to Come, contemporary musicians continue to challenge and expand upon the core tenets of the genre. Besides its notable anniversary, I mention Coleman’s breakthrough specifically due to its embodiment of disruption. The reception for his playing style has softened considerably…
Covering music for the blog provides both an avenue for curation as well as a means of tracking stylistic movements in various scenes. We’ve used our platform to chronicle the evolution of dissonant death metal, the new wave of traditional heavy metal, progressive stoner/sludge/doom, and a myriad of other subgenres…
Premiering new music from familiar faces is one of our favorite things to do. Not only does it give us the chance to highlight more incredible songs and albums, but it gives our readers another opportunity to discover an artist they may have missed the first time around. Which brings…
Like the seminal Swans album, this column contains an eclectic collection of experimental music recommendations, all of which provide sonic landscapes for the listener to lose themselves within. Expect offerings from the genres of ambient, drone, electroacoustic, free improvisation, post-minimalism and more. … Other writers may do things differently, but…
There’s really nothing like the concert experience. From road trips to overpriced venue beers to unforgettable performances, every show’s pros and cons extrapolate from the music to create new, unique meaning. One of my favorite aspects of live shows, and specifically tours, is the ability for larger acts to introduce…