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.

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

two reviews at frostclick

Arhur Cravan
Mental Killing Spree

enjoy it.

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.

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

Vomitt times 3000

3000 jamendo listenings. It calls out for a rest.

See you November.

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