Wednesday, December 30, 2009

New Year, New challenges.

There are plans for 2010. First of all, I’d like to post things here often (sweet dreams ;-), but you know life, so no promises. Second of all, I’m breaking the rule of presenting only jamendo and garageband releases. From now on, it’s every single netlabel or artist that uses CC, if he is worth recommending, of course.

Ok, so have a great 2010, live long and prosper!

Yours truly,

gz.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Light In Your Life – light in your life



Rate:8/10

That’s the nice record, one that sticks with you from the first chords to the end of the album. The content is basically, a guitar-based, new/dark wave melancholic songs. It reminds me of an early Radiohead (the intro in It Would Be Fine for that instance), Editors (just listen to the vocalist style in Smile That Smile), the Smiths (their hypnotic mode - Christian), Interpol (the riff in Psych) or even Arcade Fire (an extremely catchy and in the same way obscure and melancholic guitar work in Emily Scott). Ok... Even with the comparison, because in a way it is degrading for the band. I think that Light In Your Life has its own style, and it seems that if they play their cards right and put a bit of diversity into their arrangement, there is definitely future ahead of them. As for now, I give 8 out of 10, because the cover is a bit amaterish.

Stay cool,

gz.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Guilt trip - Headplate [el:ectro]



Rate:5/5

Good one
This tune has everything I expect from a solid industrial tune. It has good electronic sample (reminding me of early Nine Inch Nails or Nitzer Ebb), the vocal is very much in industrial style - dark and emotional preaching ;-) Rhythm is professional and has good sound, there are nice breaks of it (1'23'') and the chorus is quite catchy. Summarizing, it's two thumbs up!

song's site

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Josh Woodward – Breadcrumbs



Rate:9/10

This Josh’s release is one of his finest – very much keeping up with the style and efficiency of Not Quite Connected and Dirty Wings. The mood on Breadcrumbs is very switfly balanced between folk/americana melancholy and more alternative (maybe even a bit, but really, just a bit experimental) energetic moments. I suppose people that enjoyed earlier albums from this artist would love most of the tracks here, but my top three favourites are: Overthrown wioth a beginning very much similar to Kings Of Leon compositions (that would be something, Josh Woodward in a KOL style), but later on going into this familiar Josh’s soft storytelling, and two last pieces: Ghosts with a really great, dark atmosphere and one of the best guitarwork from this musician and I’m not Dreaming which is in fact a zenith of Woodward’s melancholy. If the whole LP were that way songs mentioned above, it would be definitely a top jamendo album. Now, it’s nine out of ten for me, and I’m still waiting for this Josh Woodward definite record.

Stay cool,

Gz

Friday, December 4, 2009



Rate:5/5

Worth recommending
This track is a real nice mix of thrash-metal and a bit of hard-core ovcals. The track is engagin,g though it lasts for almost five minutes and a half! The sound is a bit poor, but I suppose not everyone can afford really professional recording studio, plus the mood is more garage thanks to that ;-). Guitar riff is really old-school in a positive sense, it reminds me of some Slayer songs. There are also nice speech samples at te beginning at the track, which makes composition more interesting. In summary, two thumbs up.

song's site

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Diablo Swing Orchestra – Butcher’s Ballroom



Rate:10/10

This is definitely an album to recommend. Diablo’s mixture of classic, heavy-metal, swing and whatever comes handy is an extraordinary thing even for such a boiling place as jamendo releases. Butcher’s Ballroom is an almost hour of really professionally produced and skillfully performed music. I feel Mike Patton’s strong influence here, but in my case, it’s more an advantage than a vice. All of the songs are worth mentioning, but my favourite is D’Angelo - a short tune in an almost opra mode. I also loved Rag Doll Physics chorus and extremely energetic Infralove. Every little aspect of the record, beginning from the sound, through the composition and lyrics is very much close to perfection, so do not hesistate to get accustomed with this amazing journey Diablo Swing Orchestra invites you to.

take care,

gz.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

De Zeis - The Meaning



Rate:5/5

Strangely enjoyable
The beginning isn't much - just a motoric, almost obssessive sample, and it doesn't change much through the whole tune!!!The samples differs, one replaces the other or they overlap eachother, and it may sound boring the way I write it, but really, it isn't. It's nice and engaging though it's home-made and minimalistic.

song's site

Saturday, November 14, 2009

CIRC – Anatole Joy



Rate:8/10

I do enjoy the latest CIRC release, because it’s a very neat example of an artist’s progress. His previous albums were very much in the same mode as Anatole Joy is (namely, an abstract electronica/melodic IDM clash), but more recent LP’s have richer production and much complex compositions. As for Anatole Joy, one may expect nice downtempo, a bit psychotic but also engaging instrumental trips. My favourite tunes on the record are abstract bizzoff with trance, drilling bass and lile it litl dat, where the rhythm section is very professional and the composition doesn’t bore a listener though the whole piece is generally based on the breakbeat treat. The biggest musical disappointment was angels needs pollution to breathe that strats up extremely nice, with great distorted human choir sample, but than keyboards and rhythm gets predictable and spoils all fun. It could a highlight of the material, but it simply fails to do it. The next remark I have is the cover. The donkey here is simply ridiculous and it spoils an overall positive impression.
Summarizing, it’s definitely a thing to check. A next step in the music history of the composer that can really achieve something in the future.

Take care,

Gz.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Plague Angel - Schizophrenic



Rate: 5/5

Hard and heavy
That's a nice track, however the second vocals there sound a bit ridiculous and the first vocal growling part it's not a growling at all. Apart from those drawbacks the tune is a very skillful hardcore/metal clash. It doesn't have to much of crossover rap, which is extremely annoying for me, but instead there are really engaging guitar riffs (though no great solo en route), energetic rhythm section and overall capacity to make head bang ;-). It's 5 out of 5.
song's site

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Vomitt times 3000


3000 jamendo listenings. It calls out for a rest.

See you November.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Mental Killing Spree – Vae Victis




Rate:9/10

I’ve got to tell you. That thing ain’t no blues ;-). Maybe I’m wrong, but I’ve got an impression that death metal bands avoid Creative Commons and focus more on the good old underground zine-net and gigs ways of promoting their music, so two thumbs up for Mental Killing Spree for bravery! About the music. There is a quite engaging mixture of a harder side of thrash and a lighter side of death metal here. Riffs aren’t extremely melodic (it’s not Metallica, and no Amon Amarth either), but they’re melodic enough to keep a listener interested. Even the longest composition on the record, Odd Pathos, avoids monothony though it is nearly 8 minutes. However, my favourite track here is twice shorter but as much engaging Desentized, a tune that reminds me of Suffocation or the early Slayer. The other composition are also worth checking, so don’t hesistate! Become a Mental Killing Spree victim! ;-)

P.s. My only annotation is about the length of the album. It should at least two tracks longer! However, as it is Mental Killing Spree first release I forgive and hope that the next one is much more packed.

Live long and prosper,

galaktycznyzwiad

Friday, September 18, 2009

Frostclick


I've just begun a cooperation with frostclick.com site.
Here's my first review

Friday, July 31, 2009

Monday, June 15, 2009

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Friday, June 5, 2009

disgraced from erie pa - not all right



Rate:5/5

Very Nine Inch Nails-like
I must say this tune it's a pretty enjoyable trip into the roots of industrial rock. Though it's raw and garage-sound I should like the trance-like guitar riff, the shoutings of the vocalist and hypnotic rhythm section. Oh... And I'm sorry but no oboe, trumpet or cello here. ;-)

song's site

Monday, June 1, 2009

Psyborg Death - dELETE mE



Rate:4/5

Quite interesting
Though I can't hear my favourite instrument here, a sharp-riff guitar the tune is still quite interesting. It has only keyboard and some vocal samples, but it's distorted in a way it has experimental, industrial mood. The spoken-word Laibach atmosphere makes the tune worth recommending.

song's site

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Uber lulu - Cycle



rate:5/10

It’s not what I’ve expected. The tag said it’s a experimental darkambient kind of music, so I wanted something more like Aphex Twin than Jarre Jr., but maybe I just lifted my expectations too high. The arrangements on Cycle are limited to keyboards, and that’s the first disappointment. What’s more, compositions are not really convincing, I mean, there is nothing very sophisticated there, and sounds lay in the sphere of the basic bank-sound of midi equipment. Even the ambient samples at the begining of Reve d’evolution are pretty pre-packaged and what happens next is a cheerful amateurship.
Generally, it’s not a thing to publish, just some sort of not exactly sound music experiment.

Stay cool,

gz.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Error of Man - Cross It



Rate:4/5

Nice
I must say I pretty enjoyed it. The vocals are really melodic and they somewhat reminds me more of Pixies than some industrial band, which is a nice surprise. The riff is engaging, though simple, but that;s the way a riff should be. Drum section and overall arrangement is also correct. A recommendable piece, that's for sure.

song's site

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Max Waves - Berlin. (herzlich willkommen)



Rate:10/10

I must say this is one of the most engaging ambient records I’ve heard for a long time. There is undoubtedly a Kraftwerk-inspiration in this record, always a good recommendation for me. The mood is extremely ambiental (a stupid thing to say, but it is ;-), with a very professionally arranged sounds and samples, creating sentimental and cold (but not hostile) atmosphere that neatly corresponds with album’s title and an overall concept behind it. As the mood of the record is similar and each piece is a part of whole it’s quite difficult to single out the best composition here, but I pretty enjoyed female (are they female?) voive samples from Bernauer Strasse, and I was also pretty impressed by Nordbahnhof, which is eight-minutes long, but not for a second boring!
In summary, I love the whole record. The sound, the cover, the idea, everything. It’s 10 out of 10 for me. Maybe there are hundreds of similar ambient records out there, but I don’t there. I truly enjoy this one.

Stay cool,

gz

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Springer & Karev - Pretend the Doorway



Rate:4/5

Interesting
I liked the vocal and piano introduction (and outroduction ;-) to the song, and it sounded an old-school Dylan, Springsteen even acoustic way, so I must say, I pretty enjoyed it (even harmonica, which I don't particularly love). A composition is somewhat poorly recorded, but I think it's nonetheless recommendable.

song's site

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Tradmark – Back to the Source



Rate:8/10

It’s a record you won’t play once. This is a good quality electronica with a funky vibe (sometimes too plastic for me, as if in the Francesco Malti), but other ways pretty danceable. It’s quite difficult to point out one definite hit from the album because every song is professionally crafted, but I liked the bass and the old school minimal-techno feeling of Don’t Stop and pretty the same in Rework. I didn’t hovewer like too soft-jazz atmosphere of Mood for December Rendered (just to much saxophone and other corny stuff, I’m afraid), though it may be only my humble opinion.
In general, it’s a record to remember and an artist to look for when he’ll release some other stuff. However, there are little drawbacks it doesn’t hinder a positive opinion I have about Back to the Source. I’d also listen to Tradmark’s live act as well. It could be some pleasure.
Overall, it’s an eight for me.

Ok. Stay tuned,

gz.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Demian Grace - Little Song For Darling



Rate:5/5

Now that was something!!!
This tune, although it's just a piano, a vocal and bass it's a thing that one may remember. It's soft amd melodic, and has a chamber-pop atmosphere, a genre worth popularizing. I quite enjoyed a little bit underground production, which only makes the mood more alternative. Although it's only two minutes, a track is definitely one to check out.

song's site

Monday, April 20, 2009

Bay of Fires - Into the harbours of Eden (demo)



Rate:3/5

I must say I enjoyed it
This tune is not a masterpeice but it's a quite pleasant tune to listen to. What strikes the most it's good, very modern sound. Drums are a little bit to mild, but the bass, samples and keyboard work just fine. The composition itself it's more EBM than industrial (lack of guitar riffs, for example) and the arrangement is so what poor (only electronic no live instruments) but it has nice, engaging atmosphere so overall the verdict must be positive.

son'g site

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Red Emprez – On the Leash



Rate:6/10

This record is quite interesting, though it’s not a masterpiece. Every song has good electro wave dark mood, but it’s so similar to others in the genre, that it’s quite hard to point out the highlight of the record (Broken Toy perhaps, but it’s an instrumental one). Two of the pieces annoyed me: Everyone’s Girlfriend – because of lyrics’ crudeness and Today, more or else for the same reason. Regardless of the negative things I have just written, there is quite a potential in the band, they just need to find this subtle thread of originality that would single them out from hundreds and hundreds electro-industrial ensembles. I see a light at the tunnel, In the Wonderland has an engaging, luring atmosphere and Red Blood Running is almost Nine Inch Nails-like, so I can only wait for one more record to change my mind totally in favour of this band.

Stay cool,

gz.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Next signature review



It seems that I've just gor another signature review at
garageband. This time it's Intervention by Error of Man.
That means I'll take yet another break till the 12th of
April.

see you there,

gz

Sunday, March 22, 2009

420 radiio

check out this site , where ...and nobody cared's song hits over 1400 listenings.
That means I take a break - a day for every hundred of listeners.
See you on the 5th of april with new, fresh reviews.

take care,

galaktycznyzwiad

Friday, March 20, 2009

Error of Man - Rave (working title)



Rate:5/5

This is a really good tune.
Guys had been really dilligent apprentices of Nine Inch Nails and Ministry. The guitars are heavy, samples are hypnotic and vocals are aggresive. It is recorded very much garage, which only makes the record better. This tune is 3-minute battery of raw, industrial energy. It has everything at the right place - the beat, the vocals, the guitars. It is definitely recommendable. Check this out. This is a really good tune.

song's site

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Major Major – major major



Rate:10/10

I need to say that this record what quite a surprise to me. Sometimes it’s hard to find a record that sounds really modern at jamendo, and I’m not surprised that major major’s tune has landed up at the top spot of jamendo best hundred records recently. As it sounds, the guys have done their homework well. One may recognize the sound of Muse, The Mars Volta or Franz Ferdinand here. Moreover, the songs are quite neatly composed and very professionally performed. Almost every tune here has a nice ring, and it’s hard to choose once favourite, but if I have to I’ll point up some of the highlights. I loved the first moments of Chinese Drop, sentimentally reminding me of Roxy Music songs, and I pretty much enjoyed the energy of Blind – which reminds me some of The Jets recordings. I have to mention also the end of the record, Undone, a very nice piece with the piano and At The Drive-In like guitar blast.
Taking all under considerations it’s 10, although I’d give 9 and a half, because I miss a wall of sound here a bit. The songs are a bit underproduced, but well... it’s not a professional album, and in times before the web 2.0 if one would hear such demo he would judge it as great.
Stay cool,

Galaktycznyzwiad.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Vomitt tops the chart!!!

here

That calls for a celebration. I'm off ten days then.
See you on 12th on March with new reviews.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Soul Dysfunction - This Aint Love



Rate: 5/5

But it does rock!!!
With industrial songs on garageband you got crap or gem. Thanks God today it's the latter. I loved all the elements of the composition. The electronic side it's very professional, the beat is really phat and well produced. I miss samples a little, but in a long run it wasn't a big drawback. The lyrics are Ministry-like and when the singer shouts It's killing you, he really means it. The guitar riff is sound and heavy the way it should be. What else can I say? Listen to it, don't hesitate!

song's site

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

I just can't get enough

some more reviews of Stairway to Vomitt from garageband.
I've just received a bunch of this today, and I must
share it, so here you are:

19 seconds?
I dont even know what to think or say about this here song. Was that all?
- crudelegacy Port Huron, Michigan


What The Hell!!!
You guys have been punked! What the hell is this............ 19 sec??? Of what, computer crap?? Get real, how did this get here??
- bdl Hilo, Hawai

...
THIS SONG IS ONLY 19 SECONDS LONG I MUST TYPE 15 WORDS SO YOU GUYS GET A 1
- itliesinruin Hamilton, Ontario, Canada


It's was a splendid idea to put it in a blues-rock section, really...

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Stairway To Vomit -The saga continues

Stairway To Vomit got the garageband's badge for the most original Blues Rock track of the week.

Pretty cool, heh? ;-)

Thanks to that I take a two-week break (you know, a job well done). See you on 25th of February.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Stairway to Vomitt



I'm here to proudly pronounce that Vomitt's
Stairway To Heaven has just reached place #2594 out of the 2595
at garageband's Blues-rock chart

;-)

Friday, January 30, 2009

Vomitt Enter Contest



Vomitt's Stairway to Vomitt has just entered garageband contest in BluesRock category.

;-)

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Silence Is Sexy – This An’t Hollywood



rate:6/10

The first thing: This is one of the best produced and musically skillful records on jamendo. No doubt about that.
The second thing: It’s pop. Maybe they play guitars, maybe there’s some reverb or other distortion on their instruments. Perhaps the vocalist sings quite emotionally and empahatic. Nonetheless, it’s pop. Not a good news for me. It may not be particularly good news for other listeners as well.
The third thing: Although it is a mild version of Coldplay and Radiohead records, there is something uncomplete about the compositions. They all start smooth and neatly produced but suddenly, when it gets to chorus it’s just become to be boring. I’m afraid a serious lack of catchy choruses is to be a reason for that. Of course, not all tracks are that way. The best one on the album are Where Were You (with a nice keyboard touch that enriches the whole arrangement) and You Are A Mirror. Overall, however, it’s a little bit disappointing.

Stay cool,

gz.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

absyn - The prophecy

Rate:4/5

Definitely listenable
Can we survive the blast? That's the question the singer asks us. I liked the Armageddon mood of this industrial electro-beat driven tune, I just wanted more kick (a little bit louder and more agressive guitars). Everything seems to be in the right place, even a little bit ridiculous lyrics about some prophecies doesn't spoil the composition, but it should be definitely recorded in more expanded crew (there's no live bass audible for example). Summarizing, good composition, just needs more arrangement.

song's site

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Josh Woodward – Here Today



Rate:8/10

It’s a nice and enjoyable record. It sounds much more poppy and smoothen than other Josh’s records, but it’s not a disadvantage, just a surprise. When I’ve heard that it’s the very early set of his recordings I expected the sound to be rough and underproduced but I get the exact opposite. The songs are recorded in fairly good conditions, with a full arrangement, not just a songwriter and his/her guitar. The compositions are nice and melodic, though they do not have this Americana, dark folk atmosphere that one may sometimes find in his later records. Nonetheless I found some tunes may be my favourites for the next few weeks. One of the tracks I dig is Home Improvements, a little bit naive but sincere protest song about changing America into the only-for-the-rich state. The next one is Morning After, a very gentle story about all yesterday’s parties.
The album is really nice and melodic, and paradoxically, it may be it’s biggest flaw. The problem is that American songwriter/folk music went ages from the sounds Woodward presents. Sometimes, the album sounds more as Mr. Big than Palace Brothers or Mount Eerie, so if you look for more alternative approach you maybe disappointed. However, there are gems like Nothing in the Dark that get the LP spinning.
The cover is also a little bit too minimal. It does look like as if it was an album for songs that has just been left aside while recording better ones, which is not wholly true.
Generally it’s eight out of ten. It has its advantages, but there are also drawbacks.

Stay cool,

galaktycznyzwiad.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

FailedLife - Need To Feed



rate:5/5

Great!!!
This is what I mean by industrial!!! In this composition I found everything I want what the genre. Creepy movie samples, aggressive and trance-like guitar riffs, very decisive rhythm section and space-like keyboard sound. It's good, it's raw, it's like a gem unground. Truly recommendable.

song's site

Thursday, January 1, 2009

A good start of the year

My review of One In the Grave by Dualistic Nature
has been recently placed at this song's site as
their signature review. That's a really nice
start of the year, but there's still plenty to come,
I tell ya...

Happy New Year Everyone. Live Long & Prosper!!!
 

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