Fadensonnen- Badlands (2014)

What initially turned me on to Fadensonnen was their ruckus.  Bands like them and Aufgehoben know how to skirt that fine line between a wall of noise and aggressive, progressive rock music.

With Fadensonnen's newest release, Badlands, the sound remains the same, but the feeling is much different.  For the first two tracks, gone is the rush of intensity reminiscent of Guitar Wolf.  Instead, Badlands places the listener into a static-filled, psychedelic sound.  Yes, the guitars still feel overrun by delay and reverb, and the drums still keep a fast pace, but even turned up to full blast, the underlying energy seems different.  That isn't to say that this is a bad thing, it just wasn't what I expected, and possibly not even what the band had in mind going in to record.

A great example can be found in the final moments of the opening track, "Machete".  As all the feedback fades out, the listener is left with a chopping guitar similar to something out of Boredoms' Vision Creation Newsun or Guardian Alien's body of work.  It is this sound that I hear through both the first tracks, simply buried beneath the relentless wall of noise.

The final track feels much more like Fadensonnen's White Knight album and is about where my initial expectations put the sound of this record to be; the type of sound that would make Air Conditioning want to get back in the studio. 

While overall the album is different than I expected, it still sounds great.  Badlands can be streamed Here, and do yourself a favor and pick up a copy on record while you still can.

Irk-Bread and Honey EP(2014)

Last year cattle' S/T ended up being one of my favorite noise rock EPs, an EP that was brought to my attention pretty early on during the year.  This year's Irk-Bread and Honey feels like a solid contender to repeat such a trend.

Bread and Honey has a ton of passion.  The vocalist is always giving 100%, whether boasting until hoarse or speak singing in a manner like the vocals on Satanized-Technical Virginity or Daughters-Hell Songs.  Occasionally the bass falls into a sludgy rift or backing track, but usually it is at the forefront with its overdriven sound with funky undertones.

Earlier this year I heard Bardus-Solus (2013).  While also a great album, Irk take a very similar sound and perfect it.  Given that the EP is short, I will keep my review the same way.

Expect more great stuff from these guys and stream the album Here.

Aquarelle- Interrupted Forms (2014)

Droney, electro-acoustic music.  This is the first tape of the 11 tape series Dynasty At Ghost Town on Bathetic Records, a tape set I wish I had the spare cash to snatch up before it sells out.

This album reminds me of a happier Gordon Ashworh-S.T.L.A. (another fantastic album from this year).  Despite its genre, Interrupted Forms is quite an easy listen most of the time, and is one that is immersive while still being accessible enough to not overwhelm anyone who would walk into the room mid-listen (save a few moments).

Interrupted Forms I starts out with quite a bit of acoustic in the sound (something I very much like), than works its way into a lighter, ambient sound.  This sound slowely builds into a larger, angelic harmony by the end.

Interrupted Forms II picks up with a booming wall of sound larger than where the first side left off.  Despite the density, the music remains in an optimistic tone, similar to Superstorms' 2012 S/T (highly recommended).  The sound temporarily regresses from electronic denseness to a more open, acoustic structure, only to come back to the dense drones that started the track.  The final minute of the album feels empty and abandoned, as the buildup drops out and only a few background gurgles remain.

Overall, this was a standout release that is sure to sadly go under-appreciated

Stream the album Here.