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1000 results for “less_beauty”
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Hope is essential to our survival and our flourishing
From Nick Cave’s most recent Red Hand Files:
So, what is hope, and what is hope for? Hope is an emotional temper that emboldens the heart to be active, it is a condition, a mood, an aura of being. It is a feat of the imagination, both courageous and ingenious, a vitality that inspires us to take innovative action to defend the world. Hope is essential to our survival and our flourishing.
We achieve this vitality of spirit by rejecting the relentless promotion of despair and opening our eyes to the beauty of things, however imperilled, degraded, or difficult to love the world may appear to be. We try to view the world not as it is packaged, presented and sold to us but as we imagine it could be. We do not look away from the world, we look directly at it and allow the spirit of hope – the necessary driver of change – to inspire us to action.
It immediately made me think of Bright Horses in which he offers two ways of looking at the same scene in successive verses:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfKYImFP_Pw
The bright horses have broken free from the fields
They are horses of love, their manes full of fire
They are parting the cities, those bright burning horses
And everyone is hiding and no one makes a sound
And I'm by your side and I'm holding your hand
Bright horses of wonder springing from your burning handAnd everyone has a heart and it's calling for something
And we're all so sick and tired of seeing things as they are
The horses are just horses and their manes aren't full of fire
The fields are just fields and there ain't no Lord
And everyone is hidden and everyone is cruel
There's no shortage of tyrants and no shortage of fools
And the little white shape dancing at the end of the hall
Is just a wish that time can't dissolve at allOver the weekend I saw this David Hockney installation which promised an invitation “to experience the world through [his] eyes”. It didn’t entirely work for me for fairly pedantic reasons (was it a retrospective? an autobiography? an artistic statement? it tried to do all 3 and didn’t quite do any of them as a result) until a moment towards the end where the ageing Hockney talked about why he paints. I think this might be the interview which was sampled in the installation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUBLx7M8wWQ
The world is very very beautiful if you LOOK at it. But most people don’t look very much do they?
It immediately reminded me of a letter C Wright Mills wrote to his friend, the historian William Miller, who was struggling with a new job he had started:
You ask for what one should be keyed up? My god, for long weekends in the country, and snow and the feel of an idea and New York streets early in the morning and late at night and the camera eye always working whether you want or not and yes by god how the earth feels when it’s been plowed deep and the new chartreuse wall in the study and wine before dinner and if you can afford it Irish whiskey afterwards and sawdust in your pants cuff and sometimes at evening the dusky pink sky to the northwest, and the books to read never touched and all that stuff the Greeks wrote and have you ever read Macaulay’s speeches to hear the English language? And to revise your mode of talk and what you talk about and yes by god the world of music which we must now discover and there’s still hot jazz and getting a car out of the mud when nobody else can. That’s what the hell to get keyed up about.
The trouble with you and what used to be the trouble with me is that you don’t use your goddamned senses; too much society crap and too much mentality and not enough tactile and color and sound stuff going on. So now if you’re like I was a year ago, you’ve got to coax the sight and sound back, carefully tease it to life again and it will fill you up.
This leaves me with a conundrum. When I watch the robin outside my window feeding, notice the pigeon footprints in the snow or the complex fractals of the trees I feel hopeful. A reductive explanation for this would be that these activities lead my Parasympathetic Nervous System to kick in which lowers the level of stress. But I think it’s obviously deeper than that. To notice being is to encounter its worth which lends itself to hopefulness because that which has worth should be preserved:
“I have been defending a completely general thesis about being: that being as being is good (Augustine), or as the medievals put it, that the terms ‘being’ and ‘good’ are convertible … of course the Augustinian position that I am defending includes the idea that human beings have intrinsic worth, and indeed more intrinsic worth than other natural entities. I am proposing the worth of being as the ‘intransitive dimension’ of the whole of ethics, which every moral code approximates to more or less well, and under the constraints of its time-and-place-bound ideological determinants.” (Collier 1999: 90)
But if I look beyond the immediate, if I look to the horizon, I despair. The real possibility that the first year of the Trump presidency might see a bird flu pandemic and terror attacks seems almost calculated to generate the most possible chaos and destruction out of this event which would have seemed absurd ten years ago. The idea that Donald Trump would be starting his second Presidential term, having won a sweeping victory? How can the hope found in the worth of the everyday be a foundation for hopefulness, in the sense of ‘optimism with a broken heart’ as Cave once called it, in the face of global unravelling? The risk is that without this link, unless we find some way to connect the satisfactions of the drives to a desirable vision of a future, the immediacy of present experience licenses a turn away from the broader horizon of things? A retreat from despair into immediate comfort, even if those who have it now (such as myself) can not realistically assume that it will last, whatever strategic conduct seemingly present itself as a means to preserve it.
#AndrewCollier #cWrightMills #DavidHockney #despair #fantasy #hope #NickCave #worth
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.> I told my friend there was no such thing as a perfect story. I said in any case hers was an external view of things, this assumption that the trajectory of a person’s happiness, or let’s say fulfilment, had peaked (and now must trough) because she had accidentally stumbled upon ‘success’. It was premised on the unimaginative belief that wealth and fame were the mandatory stuff of everybody’s dreams.
.> You’ve lived too long in New York, I told her. There are other worlds. Other kinds of dreams. Dreams in which failure is feasible. Honourable. Sometimes even worth striving for. Worlds in which recognition is not the only barometer of brilliance or human worth. There are plenty of warriors whom I know and love, people far more valuable than myself, who go to war each day, knowing in advance that they will fail. True, they are less ‘successful’ in the most vulgar sense of the word, but by no means less fulfilled.
.> The only dream worth having, I told her, is to dream that you will live while you’re alive and die only when you’re dead. (Prescience? Perhaps.)
.> ‘Which means exactly what?’ (Arched eyebrows, a little annoyed.)
.> I tried to explain, but didn’t do a very good job of it. Sometimes I need to write to think. So I wrote it down for her on a paper napkin. This is what I wrote: To love. To be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all, to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never to forget.
#ArundhatiRoy #ArundhatiRoyOnFailure #Success #ArundhatiRoyOnSuccess in The End Of Imagination #TheEndOfImagination but I think I heard her say a lot of this in her conversation with Howard Zinn after the Come September speech. I found the quote in My Seditious Heart. #MySeditiousHeart -
.> I told my friend there was no such thing as a perfect story. I said in any case hers was an external view of things, this assumption that the trajectory of a person’s happiness, or let’s say fulfilment, had peaked (and now must trough) because she had accidentally stumbled upon ‘success’. It was premised on the unimaginative belief that wealth and fame were the mandatory stuff of everybody’s dreams.
.> You’ve lived too long in New York, I told her. There are other worlds. Other kinds of dreams. Dreams in which failure is feasible. Honourable. Sometimes even worth striving for. Worlds in which recognition is not the only barometer of brilliance or human worth. There are plenty of warriors whom I know and love, people far more valuable than myself, who go to war each day, knowing in advance that they will fail. True, they are less ‘successful’ in the most vulgar sense of the word, but by no means less fulfilled.
.> The only dream worth having, I told her, is to dream that you will live while you’re alive and die only when you’re dead. (Prescience? Perhaps.)
.> ‘Which means exactly what?’ (Arched eyebrows, a little annoyed.)
.> I tried to explain, but didn’t do a very good job of it. Sometimes I need to write to think. So I wrote it down for her on a paper napkin. This is what I wrote: To love. To be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all, to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never to forget.
#ArundhatiRoy #ArundhatiRoyOnFailure #Success #ArundhatiRoyOnSuccess in The End Of Imagination #TheEndOfImagination but I think I heard her say a lot of this in her conversation with Howard Zinn after the Come September speech. I found the quote in My Seditious Heart. #MySeditiousHeart -
.> I told my friend there was no such thing as a perfect story. I said in any case hers was an external view of things, this assumption that the trajectory of a person’s happiness, or let’s say fulfilment, had peaked (and now must trough) because she had accidentally stumbled upon ‘success’. It was premised on the unimaginative belief that wealth and fame were the mandatory stuff of everybody’s dreams.
.> You’ve lived too long in New York, I told her. There are other worlds. Other kinds of dreams. Dreams in which failure is feasible. Honourable. Sometimes even worth striving for. Worlds in which recognition is not the only barometer of brilliance or human worth. There are plenty of warriors whom I know and love, people far more valuable than myself, who go to war each day, knowing in advance that they will fail. True, they are less ‘successful’ in the most vulgar sense of the word, but by no means less fulfilled.
.> The only dream worth having, I told her, is to dream that you will live while you’re alive and die only when you’re dead. (Prescience? Perhaps.)
.> ‘Which means exactly what?’ (Arched eyebrows, a little annoyed.)
.> I tried to explain, but didn’t do a very good job of it. Sometimes I need to write to think. So I wrote it down for her on a paper napkin. This is what I wrote: To love. To be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all, to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never to forget.
#ArundhatiRoy #ArundhatiRoyOnFailure #Success #ArundhatiRoyOnSuccess in The End Of Imagination #TheEndOfImagination but I think I heard her say a lot of this in her conversation with Howard Zinn after the Come September speech. I found the quote in My Seditious Heart. #MySeditiousHeart -
.> I told my friend there was no such thing as a perfect story. I said in any case hers was an external view of things, this assumption that the trajectory of a person’s happiness, or let’s say fulfilment, had peaked (and now must trough) because she had accidentally stumbled upon ‘success’. It was premised on the unimaginative belief that wealth and fame were the mandatory stuff of everybody’s dreams.
.> You’ve lived too long in New York, I told her. There are other worlds. Other kinds of dreams. Dreams in which failure is feasible. Honourable. Sometimes even worth striving for. Worlds in which recognition is not the only barometer of brilliance or human worth. There are plenty of warriors whom I know and love, people far more valuable than myself, who go to war each day, knowing in advance that they will fail. True, they are less ‘successful’ in the most vulgar sense of the word, but by no means less fulfilled.
.> The only dream worth having, I told her, is to dream that you will live while you’re alive and die only when you’re dead. (Prescience? Perhaps.)
.> ‘Which means exactly what?’ (Arched eyebrows, a little annoyed.)
.> I tried to explain, but didn’t do a very good job of it. Sometimes I need to write to think. So I wrote it down for her on a paper napkin. This is what I wrote: To love. To be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all, to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never to forget.
#ArundhatiRoy #ArundhatiRoyOnFailure #Success #ArundhatiRoyOnSuccess in The End Of Imagination #TheEndOfImagination but I think I heard her say a lot of this in her conversation with Howard Zinn after the Come September speech. I found the quote in My Seditious Heart. #MySeditiousHeart -
.> I told my friend there was no such thing as a perfect story. I said in any case hers was an external view of things, this assumption that the trajectory of a person’s happiness, or let’s say fulfilment, had peaked (and now must trough) because she had accidentally stumbled upon ‘success’. It was premised on the unimaginative belief that wealth and fame were the mandatory stuff of everybody’s dreams.
.> You’ve lived too long in New York, I told her. There are other worlds. Other kinds of dreams. Dreams in which failure is feasible. Honourable. Sometimes even worth striving for. Worlds in which recognition is not the only barometer of brilliance or human worth. There are plenty of warriors whom I know and love, people far more valuable than myself, who go to war each day, knowing in advance that they will fail. True, they are less ‘successful’ in the most vulgar sense of the word, but by no means less fulfilled.
.> The only dream worth having, I told her, is to dream that you will live while you’re alive and die only when you’re dead. (Prescience? Perhaps.)
.> ‘Which means exactly what?’ (Arched eyebrows, a little annoyed.)
.> I tried to explain, but didn’t do a very good job of it. Sometimes I need to write to think. So I wrote it down for her on a paper napkin. This is what I wrote: To love. To be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all, to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never to forget.
#ArundhatiRoy #ArundhatiRoyOnFailure #Success #ArundhatiRoyOnSuccess in The End Of Imagination #TheEndOfImagination but I think I heard her say a lot of this in her conversation with Howard Zinn after the Come September speech. I found the quote in My Seditious Heart. #MySeditiousHeart -
Flummox – Southern Progress Review
By Kenstrosity
Originally slated to be my main Thing You Might Have Missed feature, Tennessee avant-garde metal quintet Flummox’s fifth LP Southern Progress caught me completely off guard. Attracted to the prompt “their most obnoxious album yet,” I wasn’t sure what to expect from my first exposure to Flummox’s work. I figured it might be weird, but it’s also distinctive, fun, and infectious. Fearlessly creative, deeply detailed, lyrically cutting, and stupidly intelligent, Southern Progress rapidly became my favorite record released so far this year. It doesn’t seem likely now that anything out of the metalverse this year will surpass it.
Southern Progress embodies a rhizomic system of inspirations and influences that, when harnessed by Flummox’s wacky brains, emerges from the soil as something wholly unique in style, sound, and intent. My best attempt to contextualize this material would involve names from the progsphere like Fair to Midland, Native Construct, Pink Floyd, early Queen, and Mike Patton; purveyors of the extreme such as Strapping Young Lad and Slugdge; avant-garde touchstones like Mr. Bungle, Igorrr, and Diablo Swing Orchestra; genre-jumpers such as King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard; and even cinematic composers like Danny Elfman and Hans Zimmer.1 Ultimately, though, there is no comfortable comparison. Flummox are a singular entity of weird, wild, theatrical metal capable of nailing every bizarre idea they throw at me, such that in less than a week, I had a majority portion of Southern Progress’ 57-minute runtime pinned to my psyche. All the while, its candid exposition of the queer and genderfluid experience in the Bible Belt (“Southern Progress”) struck a chord so rarely plucked by music on this sphere, and its inspired exploration of the neurodivergent experience as one of its parallel plot lines (“Executive Dysfunction”) gave me an easy avenue to resonate even more deeply with its voice.
The tricky reality of Southern Progress is that 750 words is woefully insufficient to encompass all that Flummox achieves, but its primary triumph is in universal songwriting excellence. Music like this marks a once-in-a-blue-moon occasion—and an ambitious undertaking—but Flummox makes it look effortless as they balance the beauty of melodious, theatrical compositions with the livid, frothing rabidity of searing, off-kilter riffs, thunderous rhythms, and revolutionary attitude (“Southern Progress,” “Femto’s Theme,” “Long Pork,” “Executive Dysfunction”). While these elements are familiar to anyone with experience in the metalverse, their twisted forms instead leave a vivid impression of something altogether more eccentric and uncanny (“Southern Progress,” “Nesting Doll,” “Locust Eater,” “Coyote Gospel”). Well-defined structures and concrete themes play their part in making sure these warped representations stick. Presenting every unhinged idea, cynical line, and explosive outburst inside a digestible package makes Southern Progress somehow even stranger and more enthralling for its deceiving accessibility (“What We’re In For…,” “Always Something Going Down,” “Siren Shock,” “Flumlindalë”).
In spite of its unquestionable adoption of metallic methods, Southern Progress is an intensely theatrical affair unfit for the genrephobic, but is nonetheless something everyone should experience at least once. Challenging in a different way than Imperial Triumphant or other known creators of what certain pundits call “not music,” Flummox is similarly fearless in their exploration of style and technique, and equally meticulous in application and execution. To that end, Southern Progress’ music is mutated and maniacal, but grounded through several root elements: emotional depth, societal awareness, thoughtful critiques, and artistic integrity. More than just a vehicle for that cogent societal commentary, the potent passion that each member of Flummox hemorrhaged into Southern Progress is unmatched by all except the unfuckwithable technical quality of their writing and performances. The fact that this intangible factor boasts such strong presence inside of, and coalesces so harmoniously with, the tangible product proves that Flummox’s dedication, attention to detail, and intentional artistry contributes meaningful substance and significance not just to Southern Progress on its own, but also to the greater body of metal as we know it today.
It is for this reason that Flummox’s Southern Progress isn’t just an excellent album, but also an important one. Aside from its high artistic merit, Southern Progress is a timely and fierce challenge against the dehumanization of queer, gender-nonconforming, and even neurodivergent communities across the American South—and, by extension, the country—especially by organized religious (read: Christian) entities. But it’s also a celebration, a triumphant expression of pride and love and resilience that only comes from openly and unashamedly discovering, struggling with, and ultimately embodying all that you are in spirit, body, and mind. Everyone deserves to know this feeling without fear of stigmatization, fetishization, violence, or isolation. Southern Progress is an unorthodox and fun, but wildly effective, advocate for that cause.
Rating: Excellent!2
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Needlejuice Records
Websites: flummoxed.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/flummoxband
Releases Worldwide: April 11th, 2025#2025 #45 #AmericanMetal #Apr25 #AvantGarde #BlackMetal #DannyElfman #DeathMetal #DiabloSwingOrchestra #ExperimentalMetal #FairToMidland #Flummox #FolkMetal #Gospel #HansZimmer #Igorrr #ImperialTriumphant #KingGizzardAndTheLizardWizard #MelodicMetal #MikePatton #MrBungle #NativeConstruct #NeedlejuiceRecords #PinkFloyd #ProgressiveMetal #Queen #Review #Reviews #Slugdge #SouthernProgress #StrappingYoungLad
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Flummox – Southern Progress Review
By Kenstrosity
Originally slated to be my main Thing You Might Have Missed feature, Tennessee avant-garde metal quintet Flummox’s fifth LP Southern Progress caught me completely off guard. Attracted to the prompt “their most obnoxious album yet,” I wasn’t sure what to expect from my first exposure to Flummox’s work. I figured it might be weird, but it’s also distinctive, fun, and infectious. Fearlessly creative, deeply detailed, lyrically cutting, and stupidly intelligent, Southern Progress rapidly became my favorite record released so far this year. It doesn’t seem likely now that anything out of the metalverse this year will surpass it.
Southern Progress embodies a rhizomic system of inspirations and influences that, when harnessed by Flummox’s wacky brains, emerges from the soil as something wholly unique in style, sound, and intent. My best attempt to contextualize this material would involve names from the progsphere like Fair to Midland, Native Construct, Pink Floyd, early Queen, and Mike Patton; purveyors of the extreme such as Strapping Young Lad and Slugdge; avant-garde touchstones like Mr. Bungle, Igorrr, and Diablo Swing Orchestra; genre-jumpers such as King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard; and even cinematic composers like Danny Elfman and Hans Zimmer.1 Ultimately, though, there is no comfortable comparison. Flummox are a singular entity of weird, wild, theatrical metal capable of nailing every bizarre idea they throw at me, such that in less than a week, I had a majority portion of Southern Progress’ 57-minute runtime pinned to my psyche. All the while, its candid exposition of the queer and genderfluid experience in the Bible Belt (“Southern Progress”) struck a chord so rarely plucked by music on this sphere, and its inspired exploration of the neurodivergent experience as one of its parallel plot lines (“Executive Dysfunction”) gave me an easy avenue to resonate even more deeply with its voice.
The tricky reality of Southern Progress is that 750 words is woefully insufficient to encompass all that Flummox achieves, but its primary triumph is in universal songwriting excellence. Music like this marks a once-in-a-blue-moon occasion—and an ambitious undertaking—but Flummox makes it look effortless as they balance the beauty of melodious, theatrical compositions with the livid, frothing rabidity of searing, off-kilter riffs, thunderous rhythms, and revolutionary attitude (“Southern Progress,” “Femto’s Theme,” “Long Pork,” “Executive Dysfunction”). While these elements are familiar to anyone with experience in the metalverse, their twisted forms instead leave a vivid impression of something altogether more eccentric and uncanny (“Southern Progress,” “Nesting Doll,” “Locust Eater,” “Coyote Gospel”). Well-defined structures and concrete themes play their part in making sure these warped representations stick. Presenting every unhinged idea, cynical line, and explosive outburst inside a digestible package makes Southern Progress somehow even stranger and more enthralling for its deceiving accessibility (“What We’re In For…,” “Always Something Going Down,” “Siren Shock,” “Flumlindalë”).
In spite of its unquestionable adoption of metallic methods, Southern Progress is an intensely theatrical affair unfit for the genrephobic, but is nonetheless something everyone should experience at least once. Challenging in a different way than Imperial Triumphant or other known creators of what certain pundits call “not music,” Flummox is similarly fearless in their exploration of style and technique, and equally meticulous in application and execution. To that end, Southern Progress’ music is mutated and maniacal, but grounded through several root elements: emotional depth, societal awareness, thoughtful critiques, and artistic integrity. More than just a vehicle for that cogent societal commentary, the potent passion that each member of Flummox hemorrhaged into Southern Progress is unmatched by all except the unfuckwithable technical quality of their writing and performances. The fact that this intangible factor boasts such strong presence inside of, and coalesces so harmoniously with, the tangible product proves that Flummox’s dedication, attention to detail, and intentional artistry contributes meaningful substance and significance not just to Southern Progress on its own, but also to the greater body of metal as we know it today.
It is for this reason that Flummox’s Southern Progress isn’t just an excellent album, but also an important one. Aside from its high artistic merit, Southern Progress is a timely and fierce challenge against the dehumanization of queer, gender-nonconforming, and even neurodivergent communities across the American South—and, by extension, the country—especially by organized religious (read: Christian) entities. But it’s also a celebration, a triumphant expression of pride and love and resilience that only comes from openly and unashamedly discovering, struggling with, and ultimately embodying all that you are in spirit, body, and mind. Everyone deserves to know this feeling without fear of stigmatization, fetishization, violence, or isolation. Southern Progress is an unorthodox and fun, but wildly effective, advocate for that cause.
Rating: Excellent!2
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Needlejuice Records
Websites: flummoxed.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/flummoxband
Releases Worldwide: April 11th, 2025#2025 #45 #AmericanMetal #Apr25 #AvantGarde #BlackMetal #DannyElfman #DeathMetal #DiabloSwingOrchestra #ExperimentalMetal #FairToMidland #Flummox #FolkMetal #Gospel #HansZimmer #Igorrr #ImperialTriumphant #KingGizzardAndTheLizardWizard #MelodicMetal #MikePatton #MrBungle #NativeConstruct #NeedlejuiceRecords #PinkFloyd #ProgressiveMetal #Queen #Review #Reviews #Slugdge #SouthernProgress #StrappingYoungLad
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Flummox – Southern Progress Review
By Kenstrosity
Originally slated to be my main Thing You Might Have Missed feature, Tennessee avant-garde metal quintet Flummox’s fifth LP Southern Progress caught me completely off guard. Attracted to the prompt “their most obnoxious album yet,” I wasn’t sure what to expect from my first exposure to Flummox’s work. I figured it might be weird, but it’s also distinctive, fun, and infectious. Fearlessly creative, deeply detailed, lyrically cutting, and stupidly intelligent, Southern Progress rapidly became my favorite record released so far this year. It doesn’t seem likely now that anything out of the metalverse this year will surpass it.
Southern Progress embodies a rhizomic system of inspirations and influences that, when harnessed by Flummox’s wacky brains, emerges from the soil as something wholly unique in style, sound, and intent. My best attempt to contextualize this material would involve names from the progsphere like Fair to Midland, Native Construct, Pink Floyd, early Queen, and Mike Patton; purveyors of the extreme such as Strapping Young Lad and Slugdge; avant-garde touchstones like Mr. Bungle, Igorrr, and Diablo Swing Orchestra; genre-jumpers such as King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard; and even cinematic composers like Danny Elfman and Hans Zimmer.1 Ultimately, though, there is no comfortable comparison. Flummox are a singular entity of weird, wild, theatrical metal capable of nailing every bizarre idea they throw at me, such that in less than a week, I had a majority portion of Southern Progress’ 57-minute runtime pinned to my psyche. All the while, its candid exposition of the queer and genderfluid experience in the Bible Belt (“Southern Progress”) struck a chord so rarely plucked by music on this sphere, and its inspired exploration of the neurodivergent experience as one of its parallel plot lines (“Executive Dysfunction”) gave me an easy avenue to resonate even more deeply with its voice.
The tricky reality of Southern Progress is that 750 words is woefully insufficient to encompass all that Flummox achieves, but its primary triumph is in universal songwriting excellence. Music like this marks a once-in-a-blue-moon occasion—and an ambitious undertaking—but Flummox makes it look effortless as they balance the beauty of melodious, theatrical compositions with the livid, frothing rabidity of searing, off-kilter riffs, thunderous rhythms, and revolutionary attitude (“Southern Progress,” “Femto’s Theme,” “Long Pork,” “Executive Dysfunction”). While these elements are familiar to anyone with experience in the metalverse, their twisted forms instead leave a vivid impression of something altogether more eccentric and uncanny (“Southern Progress,” “Nesting Doll,” “Locust Eater,” “Coyote Gospel”). Well-defined structures and concrete themes play their part in making sure these warped representations stick. Presenting every unhinged idea, cynical line, and explosive outburst inside a digestible package makes Southern Progress somehow even stranger and more enthralling for its deceiving accessibility (“What We’re In For…,” “Always Something Going Down,” “Siren Shock,” “Flumlindalë”).
In spite of its unquestionable adoption of metallic methods, Southern Progress is an intensely theatrical affair unfit for the genrephobic, but is nonetheless something everyone should experience at least once. Challenging in a different way than Imperial Triumphant or other known creators of what certain pundits call “not music,” Flummox is similarly fearless in their exploration of style and technique, and equally meticulous in application and execution. To that end, Southern Progress’ music is mutated and maniacal, but grounded through several root elements: emotional depth, societal awareness, thoughtful critiques, and artistic integrity. More than just a vehicle for that cogent societal commentary, the potent passion that each member of Flummox hemorrhaged into Southern Progress is unmatched by all except the unfuckwithable technical quality of their writing and performances. The fact that this intangible factor boasts such strong presence inside of, and coalesces so harmoniously with, the tangible product proves that Flummox’s dedication, attention to detail, and intentional artistry contributes meaningful substance and significance not just to Southern Progress on its own, but also to the greater body of metal as we know it today.
It is for this reason that Flummox’s Southern Progress isn’t just an excellent album, but also an important one. Aside from its high artistic merit, Southern Progress is a timely and fierce challenge against the dehumanization of queer, gender-nonconforming, and even neurodivergent communities across the American South—and, by extension, the country—especially by organized religious (read: Christian) entities. But it’s also a celebration, a triumphant expression of pride and love and resilience that only comes from openly and unashamedly discovering, struggling with, and ultimately embodying all that you are in spirit, body, and mind. Everyone deserves to know this feeling without fear of stigmatization, fetishization, violence, or isolation. Southern Progress is an unorthodox and fun, but wildly effective, advocate for that cause.
Rating: Excellent!2
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Needlejuice Records
Websites: flummoxed.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/flummoxband
Releases Worldwide: April 11th, 2025#2025 #45 #AmericanMetal #Apr25 #AvantGarde #BlackMetal #DannyElfman #DeathMetal #DiabloSwingOrchestra #ExperimentalMetal #FairToMidland #Flummox #FolkMetal #Gospel #HansZimmer #Igorrr #ImperialTriumphant #KingGizzardAndTheLizardWizard #MelodicMetal #MikePatton #MrBungle #NativeConstruct #NeedlejuiceRecords #PinkFloyd #ProgressiveMetal #Queen #Review #Reviews #Slugdge #SouthernProgress #StrappingYoungLad
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Flummox – Southern Progress Review
By Kenstrosity
Originally slated to be my main Thing You Might Have Missed feature, Tennessee avant-garde metal quintet Flummox’s fifth LP Southern Progress caught me completely off guard. Attracted to the prompt “their most obnoxious album yet,” I wasn’t sure what to expect from my first exposure to Flummox’s work. I figured it might be weird, but it’s also distinctive, fun, and infectious. Fearlessly creative, deeply detailed, lyrically cutting, and stupidly intelligent, Southern Progress rapidly became my favorite record released so far this year. It doesn’t seem likely now that anything out of the metalverse this year will surpass it.
Southern Progress embodies a rhizomic system of inspirations and influences that, when harnessed by Flummox’s wacky brains, emerges from the soil as something wholly unique in style, sound, and intent. My best attempt to contextualize this material would involve names from the progsphere like Fair to Midland, Native Construct, Pink Floyd, early Queen, and Mike Patton; purveyors of the extreme such as Strapping Young Lad and Slugdge; avant-garde touchstones like Mr. Bungle, Igorrr, and Diablo Swing Orchestra; genre-jumpers such as King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard; and even cinematic composers like Danny Elfman and Hans Zimmer.1 Ultimately, though, there is no comfortable comparison. Flummox are a singular entity of weird, wild, theatrical metal capable of nailing every bizarre idea they throw at me, such that in less than a week, I had a majority portion of Southern Progress’ 57-minute runtime pinned to my psyche. All the while, its candid exposition of the queer and genderfluid experience in the Bible Belt (“Southern Progress”) struck a chord so rarely plucked by music on this sphere, and its inspired exploration of the neurodivergent experience as one of its parallel plot lines (“Executive Dysfunction”) gave me an easy avenue to resonate even more deeply with its voice.
The tricky reality of Southern Progress is that 750 words is woefully insufficient to encompass all that Flummox achieves, but its primary triumph is in universal songwriting excellence. Music like this marks a once-in-a-blue-moon occasion—and an ambitious undertaking—but Flummox makes it look effortless as they balance the beauty of melodious, theatrical compositions with the livid, frothing rabidity of searing, off-kilter riffs, thunderous rhythms, and revolutionary attitude (“Southern Progress,” “Femto’s Theme,” “Long Pork,” “Executive Dysfunction”). While these elements are familiar to anyone with experience in the metalverse, their twisted forms instead leave a vivid impression of something altogether more eccentric and uncanny (“Southern Progress,” “Nesting Doll,” “Locust Eater,” “Coyote Gospel”). Well-defined structures and concrete themes play their part in making sure these warped representations stick. Presenting every unhinged idea, cynical line, and explosive outburst inside a digestible package makes Southern Progress somehow even stranger and more enthralling for its deceiving accessibility (“What We’re In For…,” “Always Something Going Down,” “Siren Shock,” “Flumlindalë”).
In spite of its unquestionable adoption of metallic methods, Southern Progress is an intensely theatrical affair unfit for the genrephobic, but is nonetheless something everyone should experience at least once. Challenging in a different way than Imperial Triumphant or other known creators of what certain pundits call “not music,” Flummox is similarly fearless in their exploration of style and technique, and equally meticulous in application and execution. To that end, Southern Progress’ music is mutated and maniacal, but grounded through several root elements: emotional depth, societal awareness, thoughtful critiques, and artistic integrity. More than just a vehicle for that cogent societal commentary, the potent passion that each member of Flummox hemorrhaged into Southern Progress is unmatched by all except the unfuckwithable technical quality of their writing and performances. The fact that this intangible factor boasts such strong presence inside of, and coalesces so harmoniously with, the tangible product proves that Flummox’s dedication, attention to detail, and intentional artistry contributes meaningful substance and significance not just to Southern Progress on its own, but also to the greater body of metal as we know it today.
It is for this reason that Flummox’s Southern Progress isn’t just an excellent album, but also an important one. Aside from its high artistic merit, Southern Progress is a timely and fierce challenge against the dehumanization of queer, gender-nonconforming, and even neurodivergent communities across the American South—and, by extension, the country—especially by organized religious (read: Christian) entities. But it’s also a celebration, a triumphant expression of pride and love and resilience that only comes from openly and unashamedly discovering, struggling with, and ultimately embodying all that you are in spirit, body, and mind. Everyone deserves to know this feeling without fear of stigmatization, fetishization, violence, or isolation. Southern Progress is an unorthodox and fun, but wildly effective, advocate for that cause.
Rating: Excellent!2
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Needlejuice Records
Websites: flummoxed.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/flummoxband
Releases Worldwide: April 11th, 2025#2025 #45 #AmericanMetal #Apr25 #AvantGarde #BlackMetal #DannyElfman #DeathMetal #DiabloSwingOrchestra #ExperimentalMetal #FairToMidland #Flummox #FolkMetal #Gospel #HansZimmer #Igorrr #ImperialTriumphant #KingGizzardAndTheLizardWizard #MelodicMetal #MikePatton #MrBungle #NativeConstruct #NeedlejuiceRecords #PinkFloyd #ProgressiveMetal #Queen #Review #Reviews #Slugdge #SouthernProgress #StrappingYoungLad
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Emma Swift Sings “Beautiful Ruins”
Listen to this track by Nashville-based classic pop songwriter and singer Emma Swift. It’s “Beautiful Ruins” a single from her second record, 2025’s The Resurrection Game. That record is the follow-up to her superb and critically acclaimed 2020 debut album Blonde on the Tracks, a selection of curated and gorgeously rendered Bob Dylan songs. That release accomplished a few things for Emma Swift, not the least of which was clearing a creative block to make way for original work that retains a similar mood and atmosphere of reflection, rumination, and crystalline melancholy.
“Beautiful Ruins” is one of the highlights on her follow-up album, serving as its third single. It finds Swift conjuring the classic pop sound of the late 1960s, but also sounding completely timeless. This tune blends a sumptuous orchestral folk pop sound behind Swift’s pure and Sixties British folk-influenced lead voice. Her singing comes off as an interior monologue, lending the song a quiet and contemplative intensity. True to that approach, her lyrics deal in images and emotional evocations rather than a straight narrative. There is a definite sense that this material is highly personal. Yet there are elements to it that make it more universally resonant, too.
The album came out of less than ideal circumstances. Emma Swift suffered a nervous breakdown, finding that she needed space and time to heal and reflect. The new songs that appear on her second album came out of her process of recovery, lending a facet of meaning to the title The Resurrection Game. Some of the time she spent recharging and reflecting was in her native Australia. Swift writes in her Substack:
Where “The Resurrection Game” song is set in Northern California, this one takes place in regional Australia, in the wheat belt between Sydney and Melbourne. It’s inspired by my early life, and also by the Irish poet Louis MacNeice, whose poems were hugely influential in the making of this record.
~ Emma Swift, Nothing and Forever (August 13, 2025)
Like Louis McNeice before her, Emma Swift conjures the themes of mortality and hope in this song that seems to come from her interior reflections, and sounding like a cathartic release as she sings it. The reference to coming from the place of many crows that pick at her bones is suggestive of the struggles she faced. Yet even in those opening lines, there is a distinct tone of gratitude at having come out on the other side of her harrowing experiences with that much more insight on her own identity and what is valuable to her. The song explores the dynamics of how events and turning points, good and bad, are interwoven into the fabric of a life to make it unique and ultimately something to be celebrated.
Emma Swift in the video for her song “Beautiful Ruins”. The video is a montage of images reflecting the song’s lyrics and themes of struggle, beauty, and hope.“Beautiful Ruins” collects opposites—beauty and ruination being two— and places them in the same space. As gloriously forlorn as the song is in terms of delivery and tone, it’s also coupled with an undeniable sense of hope. The music and the arrangement helps to draw this into focus, with a Joe Boyd-like quality that can be heard in a similar way in a song like Nick Drake’s “Northern Sky”. That comparison is not just because of the soaring string arrangements as matched with acoustic instrumentation heard in both songs.
Like that earlier song, this one is sung in a voice full of blue melancholy, but also one that tells a story of how beauty can be found even in the middle of struggle, often being all the more vivid because of it. “Beautiful Ruins” goes beyond the reductive idea that sad music, or songs about what it feels like to be sad is meant to make the listener feel that way as they listen. In truth, it can make the listener think about how happiness and sadness in all their variations and combinations are so intertwined that they become extensions of who we are. When we cast our memories back, each happy one or sad one is revealed to contain elements of both.
Emma Swift’s song suggests that maybe all feelings are like that under most circumstances, experienced as they are in combination, but always present. We hold them inside of ourselves and they live there together. Wherever we find ourselves, those feelings stay with us, waiting to be manifest as we take in the world around us. In this, our hardships and joys and our emotional reactions to them aren’t separate from each other or from us. In a subtle way, “Beautiful Ruins” suggests the idea that the episodes human beings face in our lives are also inextricable from who we are and who we become. Our life experiences shape the way we learn to cope, change the way we see things, and affect the ways we express ourselves. They make us who we are.
When we build things up, sometimes events lay it all to waste, and we have to start again. When that happens, we pick through the rubble to salvage the good in what we find so that we can build something new and more true to the people we’ve become. “Beautiful Ruins” ultimately is a song about being glad to be alive so that we can do that work, and be able to tell stories about the things that have happened to us. In singing it, and in hearing it sung, the gap between devastation and delicate beauty doesn’t seem quite so wide. Sad songs, or ones of struggle like this make us feel less alone, whether we’re singing, listening, or both.
Emma Swift is an active singer and songwriter today. You can learn more about her at emmaswift.com. You can also follow her on Bluesky.
Visit the Emma Swift Bandcamp page for new releases and touring information.
Enjoy!
#2020sMusic #EmmaSwift #orchestralPop #singerSongwriters #songsAboutIdentity
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Hello Fediverse. Here's my #introduction and welcome to it.
I'm a late #boomer and #eldergay living in the #PNW with my lovely and talented husband, Eric. We are both musicians and singers, though he makes a living at it while I have become a happy amateur, choosing instead to make my living tapping and cursoring about screens, mostly building signage to sell products I don't actually care much about. Still I love collaborating with creatives, making things and being good at what I do.
I'm a longtime #Mac fanboy, #InDesign and #Photoshop expert and #writer - mostly on the subject of sex, particularly between men. I often wish I'd pursued a career in sex research. Since I chose the arts, I instead created a podcast in which I could spout a few opinions and ask a ton of questions of people who understand sexuality in ways I don't, which is enormously fun.
Though it's been dormant a while, I produce The Heart of Jacks Podcast, and listening to it will tell you way more about me than any introduction. For example, I'm what's commonly considered an ethical slut, and I pursue a sort of mission to encourage people to find their way to authentic and joyful sexual expression that does what sex is fundamentally meant to do for humans: connect us meaningfully to ourselves and each other.
I operate a Mastodon instance that I will not name here and will not link to, because it is explicitly for the purpose of shamelessly sharing sensitive media. I intend to share thoughts, ideas and less-sensitive media here, and mainly find interesting interactions that require fewer CWs.
Things I believe:
Life is like most good games: a compelling combination of luck and skills.
"What seems to be coming at you is coming from you" —Jack Flanders
If you want it to be delicious, try adding butter.
Adult relationships require consistent, persistent effort.
"Every human being has a basic nature of goodness, which is undiluted and unconfused. That goodness contains tremendous gentleness and appreciation. As human beings we can make love. We can stroke someone with a gentle touch; we can kiss someone with gentle understanding. We can appreciate beauty. We can appreciate the best of this world. We can appreciate the yellowness of yellow, the redness of red, the greenness of green, the purpleness of purple. Our experience is real. And when we appreciate reality, it can actually work on us. We may have to get up in the morning after only a few hours’ sleep, but if we look out the window and see the sun shining, it can cheer us up. We can actually cure ourselves of depression if we recognize that the world we have is good." — Chögyam Trungpa -
Hello Fediverse. Here's my #introduction and welcome to it.
I'm a late #boomer and #eldergay living in the #PNW with my lovely and talented husband, Eric. We are both musicians and singers, though he makes a living at it while I have become a happy amateur, choosing instead to make my living tapping and cursoring about screens, mostly building signage to sell products I don't actually care much about. Still I love collaborating with creatives, making things and being good at what I do.
I'm a longtime #Mac fanboy, #InDesign and #Photoshop expert and #writer - mostly on the subject of sex, particularly between men. I often wish I'd pursued a career in sex research. Since I chose the arts, I instead created a podcast in which I could spout a few opinions and ask a ton of questions of people who understand sexuality in ways I don't, which is enormously fun.
Though it's been dormant a while, I produce The Heart of Jacks Podcast, and listening to it will tell you way more about me than any introduction. For example, I'm what's commonly considered an ethical slut, and I pursue a sort of mission to encourage people to find their way to authentic and joyful sexual expression that does what sex is fundamentally meant to do for humans: connect us meaningfully to ourselves and each other.
I operate a Mastodon instance that I will not name here and will not link to, because it is explicitly for the purpose of shamelessly sharing sensitive media. I intend to share thoughts, ideas and less-sensitive media here, and mainly find interesting interactions that require fewer CWs.
Things I believe:
Life is like most good games: a compelling combination of luck and skills.
"What seems to be coming at you is coming from you" —Jack Flanders
If you want it to be delicious, try adding butter.
Adult relationships require consistent, persistent effort.
"Every human being has a basic nature of goodness, which is undiluted and unconfused. That goodness contains tremendous gentleness and appreciation. As human beings we can make love. We can stroke someone with a gentle touch; we can kiss someone with gentle understanding. We can appreciate beauty. We can appreciate the best of this world. We can appreciate the yellowness of yellow, the redness of red, the greenness of green, the purpleness of purple. Our experience is real. And when we appreciate reality, it can actually work on us. We may have to get up in the morning after only a few hours’ sleep, but if we look out the window and see the sun shining, it can cheer us up. We can actually cure ourselves of depression if we recognize that the world we have is good." — Chögyam Trungpa -
Wildlife Photojournalist and Animal Advocate Dalida Innes
Dalida Innes
Wildlife Photographer and Portrait Photographer
“If I could tell animal activists and conservationists something, I would say: Never give up! Once a species is gone that is a terrible loss to us all! #Boycott4Wildlife #Boycottpalmoil” #Wildlife Photographer @dainnes67
TweetDalida Innes @dainnes67 specialises in #wildlifephotography and #portrait #photography. She captures rare intimate moments with animals in all of their emotional complexity. Read more about her and her incredible photos
Tweet“I am against all supermarket brands that have deforestation in their supply chain. I am a vegan for the animals and I #boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife” Wildlife Photographer Dalida Innes @dainnes67
TweetMy name is Dalida Innes, I am from France originally and I live in Sydney, Australia. I love wildlife, landscape, travel photography and everything between. I travel as often as I can and try to make the most of it. Encounters with nature have taken me to incredible places and I have met fantastic people.
I am self-taught with a sincere passion for all things photographic
Adventurous spirit with camera in hand, I try to capture moments of wonder and serenity. For me, capturing images is like freezing the time and I can go back to it whenever I want. Trying to get that precise moment that your eye doesn’t have time to memorise or to remember.
I love witnessing special moments between animals
You never know what’s going to happen. Everyday is a new adventure when you’re photographing wildlife. No two days are exactly the same.
We can learn so much just from watching animals
I have always worked with animals. I just love watching them, observing their behaviour is something I am fascinated by. I have learnt so much from them and I want to share all of the beauty that I have witnessed with the world.
Buy Dalida’s photographic printsWhen I was a child, I used to play with a broken camera
I dreamt that as an adult I would become a filmmaker and make animal documentaries, as I loved watching these shows as a child. Later when I started to work, initially I bought my first video camera but I quickly realised that this wasn’t for me. So instead I started doing photography and it all accelerated from there.
Never give up the fight to save wild animals!
If I could tell animal activists and conservationists something, I would say: Never give up! Once a species is gone that is a terrible loss to us all!
Always respect a wild animal’s personal space
To wildlife photographers just starting out, I would say that it’s important to respect the animals’ personal space. Don’t try and encroach on the animals too much, as they will feel uncomfortable and won’t behave naturally. Always be prepared for the unexpected, it may not happen, but if it does, be ready for it.
Morning Glory by Dalida Innes Wildlife PhotographyI am against all supermarket brands that have deforestation in their supply chain
Less trees means less habitat for wild animals. Not only this, today with so much advanced research and technology there should be other ways, other methods of producing palm oil and other commodities. They have the technology to make anything they want. So I still don’t understand why they don’t just do that instead of destroying forests!
I welcome you to connect with me on social media and visit my shop to buy prints
Visit my website #Africa #ArtistProfile #Artivism #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #conservation #CreativesForCoolCreatures #MountainGorilla #Photographer #photography #portrait #Primate #TigerPantheraTigris #wildlife #wildlifeActivism #wildlifePhotography #wildlifephotography -
Wildlife Photojournalist and Animal Advocate Dalida Innes
Dalida Innes
Wildlife Photographer and Portrait Photographer
“If I could tell animal activists and conservationists something, I would say: Never give up! Once a species is gone that is a terrible loss to us all! #Boycott4Wildlife #Boycottpalmoil” #Wildlife Photographer @dainnes67
TweetDalida Innes @dainnes67 specialises in #wildlifephotography and #portrait #photography. She captures rare intimate moments with animals in all of their emotional complexity. Read more about her and her incredible photos
Tweet“I am against all supermarket brands that have deforestation in their supply chain. I am a vegan for the animals and I #boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife” Wildlife Photographer Dalida Innes @dainnes67
TweetMy name is Dalida Innes, I am from France originally and I live in Sydney, Australia. I love wildlife, landscape, travel photography and everything between. I travel as often as I can and try to make the most of it. Encounters with nature have taken me to incredible places and I have met fantastic people.
I am self-taught with a sincere passion for all things photographic
Adventurous spirit with camera in hand, I try to capture moments of wonder and serenity. For me, capturing images is like freezing the time and I can go back to it whenever I want. Trying to get that precise moment that your eye doesn’t have time to memorise or to remember.
I love witnessing special moments between animals
You never know what’s going to happen. Everyday is a new adventure when you’re photographing wildlife. No two days are exactly the same.
We can learn so much just from watching animals
I have always worked with animals. I just love watching them, observing their behaviour is something I am fascinated by. I have learnt so much from them and I want to share all of the beauty that I have witnessed with the world.
Buy Dalida’s photographic printsWhen I was a child, I used to play with a broken camera
I dreamt that as an adult I would become a filmmaker and make animal documentaries, as I loved watching these shows as a child. Later when I started to work, initially I bought my first video camera but I quickly realised that this wasn’t for me. So instead I started doing photography and it all accelerated from there.
Never give up the fight to save wild animals!
If I could tell animal activists and conservationists something, I would say: Never give up! Once a species is gone that is a terrible loss to us all!
Always respect a wild animal’s personal space
To wildlife photographers just starting out, I would say that it’s important to respect the animals’ personal space. Don’t try and encroach on the animals too much, as they will feel uncomfortable and won’t behave naturally. Always be prepared for the unexpected, it may not happen, but if it does, be ready for it.
Morning Glory by Dalida Innes Wildlife PhotographyI am against all supermarket brands that have deforestation in their supply chain
Less trees means less habitat for wild animals. Not only this, today with so much advanced research and technology there should be other ways, other methods of producing palm oil and other commodities. They have the technology to make anything they want. So I still don’t understand why they don’t just do that instead of destroying forests!
I welcome you to connect with me on social media and visit my shop to buy prints
Visit my website #Africa #ArtistProfile #Artivism #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #conservation #CreativesForCoolCreatures #MountainGorilla #Photographer #photography #portrait #Primate #TigerPantheraTigris #wildlife #wildlifeActivism #wildlifePhotography #wildlifephotography -
Wildlife Photojournalist and Animal Advocate Dalida Innes
Dalida Innes
Wildlife Photographer and Portrait Photographer
“If I could tell animal activists and conservationists something, I would say: Never give up! Once a species is gone that is a terrible loss to us all! #Boycott4Wildlife #Boycottpalmoil” #Wildlife Photographer @dainnes67
TweetDalida Innes @dainnes67 specialises in #wildlifephotography and #portrait #photography. She captures rare intimate moments with animals in all of their emotional complexity. Read more about her and her incredible photos
Tweet“I am against all supermarket brands that have deforestation in their supply chain. I am a vegan for the animals and I #boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife” Wildlife Photographer Dalida Innes @dainnes67
TweetMy name is Dalida Innes, I am from France originally and I live in Sydney, Australia. I love wildlife, landscape, travel photography and everything between. I travel as often as I can and try to make the most of it. Encounters with nature have taken me to incredible places and I have met fantastic people.
I am self-taught with a sincere passion for all things photographic
Adventurous spirit with camera in hand, I try to capture moments of wonder and serenity. For me, capturing images is like freezing the time and I can go back to it whenever I want. Trying to get that precise moment that your eye doesn’t have time to memorise or to remember.
I love witnessing special moments between animals
You never know what’s going to happen. Everyday is a new adventure when you’re photographing wildlife. No two days are exactly the same.
We can learn so much just from watching animals
I have always worked with animals. I just love watching them, observing their behaviour is something I am fascinated by. I have learnt so much from them and I want to share all of the beauty that I have witnessed with the world.
Buy Dalida’s photographic printsWhen I was a child, I used to play with a broken camera
I dreamt that as an adult I would become a filmmaker and make animal documentaries, as I loved watching these shows as a child. Later when I started to work, initially I bought my first video camera but I quickly realised that this wasn’t for me. So instead I started doing photography and it all accelerated from there.
Never give up the fight to save wild animals!
If I could tell animal activists and conservationists something, I would say: Never give up! Once a species is gone that is a terrible loss to us all!
Always respect a wild animal’s personal space
To wildlife photographers just starting out, I would say that it’s important to respect the animals’ personal space. Don’t try and encroach on the animals too much, as they will feel uncomfortable and won’t behave naturally. Always be prepared for the unexpected, it may not happen, but if it does, be ready for it.
Morning Glory by Dalida Innes Wildlife PhotographyI am against all supermarket brands that have deforestation in their supply chain
Less trees means less habitat for wild animals. Not only this, today with so much advanced research and technology there should be other ways, other methods of producing palm oil and other commodities. They have the technology to make anything they want. So I still don’t understand why they don’t just do that instead of destroying forests!
I welcome you to connect with me on social media and visit my shop to buy prints
Visit my website #Africa #ArtistProfile #Artivism #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #conservation #CreativesForCoolCreatures #MountainGorilla #Photographer #photography #portrait #Primate #TigerPantheraTigris #wildlife #wildlifeActivism #wildlifePhotography #wildlifephotography -
Wildlife Photojournalist and Animal Advocate Dalida Innes
Dalida Innes
Wildlife Photographer and Portrait Photographer
“If I could tell animal activists and conservationists something, I would say: Never give up! Once a species is gone that is a terrible loss to us all! #Boycott4Wildlife #Boycottpalmoil” #Wildlife Photographer @dainnes67
TweetDalida Innes @dainnes67 specialises in #wildlifephotography and #portrait #photography. She captures rare intimate moments with animals in all of their emotional complexity. Read more about her and her incredible photos
Tweet“I am against all supermarket brands that have deforestation in their supply chain. I am a vegan for the animals and I #boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife” Wildlife Photographer Dalida Innes @dainnes67
TweetMy name is Dalida Innes, I am from France originally and I live in Sydney, Australia. I love wildlife, landscape, travel photography and everything between. I travel as often as I can and try to make the most of it. Encounters with nature have taken me to incredible places and I have met fantastic people.
I am self-taught with a sincere passion for all things photographic
Adventurous spirit with camera in hand, I try to capture moments of wonder and serenity. For me, capturing images is like freezing the time and I can go back to it whenever I want. Trying to get that precise moment that your eye doesn’t have time to memorise or to remember.
I love witnessing special moments between animals
You never know what’s going to happen. Everyday is a new adventure when you’re photographing wildlife. No two days are exactly the same.
We can learn so much just from watching animals
I have always worked with animals. I just love watching them, observing their behaviour is something I am fascinated by. I have learnt so much from them and I want to share all of the beauty that I have witnessed with the world.
Buy Dalida’s photographic printsWhen I was a child, I used to play with a broken camera
I dreamt that as an adult I would become a filmmaker and make animal documentaries, as I loved watching these shows as a child. Later when I started to work, initially I bought my first video camera but I quickly realised that this wasn’t for me. So instead I started doing photography and it all accelerated from there.
Never give up the fight to save wild animals!
If I could tell animal activists and conservationists something, I would say: Never give up! Once a species is gone that is a terrible loss to us all!
Always respect a wild animal’s personal space
To wildlife photographers just starting out, I would say that it’s important to respect the animals’ personal space. Don’t try and encroach on the animals too much, as they will feel uncomfortable and won’t behave naturally. Always be prepared for the unexpected, it may not happen, but if it does, be ready for it.
Morning Glory by Dalida Innes Wildlife PhotographyI am against all supermarket brands that have deforestation in their supply chain
Less trees means less habitat for wild animals. Not only this, today with so much advanced research and technology there should be other ways, other methods of producing palm oil and other commodities. They have the technology to make anything they want. So I still don’t understand why they don’t just do that instead of destroying forests!
I welcome you to connect with me on social media and visit my shop to buy prints
Visit my website #Africa #ArtistProfile #Artivism #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #conservation #CreativesForCoolCreatures #MountainGorilla #Photographer #photography #portrait #Primate #TigerPantheraTigris #wildlife #wildlifeActivism #wildlifePhotography #wildlifephotography -
Answering Some Randomly Generated Questions
I know I have posted anything in a while, so today I’m going to change that. Thanks to the Blog Questions Bot that Jcrabapple has on Mastodon, I’ve decided to take the list of questions it posted yesterday and jot down my answers. So let’s go ahead and dive in and get started.
What Color Always Makes You Feel Happy, And Why?
Super easy to answer, PURPLE! The color purple hasn’t always been my favorite color. When I was a little kid and even very early adult, my favorite color was blue, and mostly dark blue over light blue. However, that started to change in my early adult days. My dad’s favorite color was always purple and he had a lot of it around the house, on clothes and most anywhere. It started growing on me over time and eventually I accepted that my favorite color had changed from blue to purple.
Purple just feels relaxing. A lot of people say that purple symbolizes the beauty of life and in a lot of ways I would agree with that statement. To me, purple is beautiful, regardless if it’s a dark purple or a light purple. While I prefer dark purple in a lot of cases, there are definitely times that I prefer a lighter shade of purple.
If You Could Speak Any Language Fluently, What Would It Be?
I’m not going to lie, this is tough. Mainly because there are so many different languages used around the world. In fact, there are numerous languages that I don’t know about or know very little about.
With that said, since I have to pick one, I guess I’m going to go with French. I know a few French words, but only a few, as in less than 10 most likely. But to hear, to hear people speak French, it just sounds smooth and relaxing in a lot of ways. Kind of hard to explain, but I think it would be the language I’d want to learn first. Not for any particular reason such as having French speaking friends, because I don’t, or needing to know it for work related stuff, because again, I don’t need to know it for that either.
Describe The Best Sandwich You’ve Ever Had
What’s with all these tough questions this time around? I don’t even know where to begin with this one. Therefore, I’m going to go out there a bit with my answer and mention something that a lot of people likely don’t know too much about. The sandwich I’ve chosen for this is the Monte Cristo from an old restaurant called Bennigan’s.
Bennigan’s was hugely popular when I was a kid an early adult living in Houston, Texas. They had a little bit of everything, but the only thing I’d ever order when I went to Bennigan’s, which was actually quite often, was the Monte Cristo.
Bennigan’s describes it like this: Honey wheat bread layered with tender ham, roasted turkey, Swiss and American cheeses. Batter-dipped, gently fried and coated with powdered sugar. Served with red raspberry preserves for dipping.
I know other restaurants who serve something similar, but I’ve never found any place that comes even remotely close to being as good as Bennigan’s made it. It’s something I wish I could replicate at home, but I’ve never been successful.
What’s One Tiny Ritual That Makes Your Day Better?
Yet again, another tough question. Tough for me since I don’t really have any “daily ritual” so to speak. I guess most people would say the usual stuff such as, starting the day with coffee/tea, taking a hot shower right after getting up.
Once again, I’m going to do something totally different with my answer and I’m going to say, hugging and kissing my wife! I start each and every day by giving her a hug and giving her a kiss. We’ve done that for the entire 12 years we’ve been together and I hope the “ritual” continues for many more years to come.
Final Thoughts…
These were some really good questions, which is why I decided to answer them. Two or three of them really made me stop and think for a minute before I could give a good answer.
If you’re a blogger, like to write somewhere at random times, I’d like to see you take these questions and answer them too. Feel free to tag me on Mastodon – Cliff On Mastodon or link back to this post or just mention me in the article. Or don’t do any of those and just provide the answers for others to read. I’m ok regardless of how you do it!
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Hours of Worship – Death & Dying Vol. II Review
By Thus Spoke
When it comes to metal, “depressing” can mean a number of things. There’s funeral doom depressing—melodramatic, with heartbreaking melodies and savage growls. There’s DSBM depressing—hopeless, with listless refrains and inhuman shrieks. Then, there’s something like the music of Hours of Worship, which, now we come to it, isn’t metal at all. But it is depressing, and that’s precisely what the duo intend. Death and Dying Vol. II is, as you might expect, the follow-up to sophomore record Death and Dying Vol. I, and continues along the ambient gothic trajectory mapped out by that predecessor. The path that Hours of Worship have trodden has now reached a place truly apathetic and sober, which makes even their debut The Cold That You Left look upbeat. This is the most miserable electronica you’ll ever hear.
Death and Dying Vol. II. is an instant portal to the morose, mopey world that’s become Hours of Worship’s signature. Instantly recognizable for its solemn, stringlike synths and spaced-out, apathetic vocals, this visit sees it mired still further in gloom. The (relatively) uptempo rock and pop sensibilities of the debut have now been all but stripped away. The lone exception, cover of Faith and the Muse’s “Shattered in Aspect,” is still glummer than a song with its chirruping refrain ought to be, while its companions threaten to totally ruin your day—or make it, if you’re a masochist like me. Moving away from a moody Depeche Mode, Joy Division vibe and into what’s essentially a synthesized, clean-sung version of None, Hours of Worship are only getting darker and less eager to be part of this world.
Hours of Worship know that bleakness goes down best when it’s beautiful. The sedate, melancholic melodies are a brilliant backdrop for Wound and Trembling Master to sigh out their ennui in breathy baritones. Little chimes ring resonant in the air alongside pulsing bubbles of warm noise and quivering ethereal refrains (“Losing the Will to Live”). Drum beats echo. Vocals layer and melt into the syrupy synths as they drawl (“Opaline Ashes”). Sometimes sobriety wraps this prettiness in a shroud of monotony, the repeating flickers of is-that-guitar-or-keyboard1 almost sinister before they meet with an airy descending aria (“Bunker in Disarray,” “Derelict & Ruined”). Stand-out “Losing the Will to Live,” however, hides nothing of its pulchritude. With weeping chords and delicately developed descending scales, a heartbeat of echoing drums, and painfully morose moans, it’s a masterclass in wretched allure. Beside this, the bluntness of “Beneath a Hanging Tree”—the most depressing piece of all—is only intensified. Its low ratio between bluntness and beauty magnifies that of others—the carillons of keys breaking dull chords (“Derelict & Ruined”), subtle chorals and warped notes forming mournful refrains (“Losing the Will To Live”), and listless drones alternating with Byronic near-whispers (“Opaline Ashes”).
The dour sensibilities of Death & Dying Vol. II do nonetheless take their toll. Despite being moody as hell, opening duo “Bunker in Disarray” and “Derelict & Ruined” are neither confrontationally joyless as “Beneath a Hanging Tree,” nor grimly graceful like “Losing the Will to Live,” and “Opaline Ashes.” Their brand of washed-out disinterest therefore sits in the limbo of placidity, and they aren’t as strong as the songs that follow. The smooth drum transition between the two of them is, however, very nice. More broadly, there remains a nagging thought that Hours of Worship’s recent proclivity for the particularly funereal is holding back their talents for music with a bit more grip. But perhaps one ought not complain about a lack of sparkle from a record whose primary goal is to disillusion them with the land of the living
Death & Dying Vol II achieves what it sets out to do. You will come out its other side weary and jaded. Its ability to swallow up hope and cast a gloomy veil really is second only to DSBM, even surpassing it, at its most monotonous—for better or worse. If you enjoy wallowing in misery as much as Hours of Worship do, indulge yourself for a while.
Rating: Very Good
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: PCM
Label: Worship the Dead
Website: hoursofworship.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: October 31st, 2024#2024 #35 #AmericanMetal #DarkAmbient #DeathDyingVolII #DepecheMode #Gothic #HoursOfWorship #JoyDivision #None #NotMetal #Oct24 #Review #Reviews #WorshipTheDead
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Hours of Worship – Death & Dying Vol. II Review
By Thus Spoke
When it comes to metal, “depressing” can mean a number of things. There’s funeral doom depressing—melodramatic, with heartbreaking melodies and savage growls. There’s DSBM depressing—hopeless, with listless refrains and inhuman shrieks. Then, there’s something like the music of Hours of Worship, which, now we come to it, isn’t metal at all. But it is depressing, and that’s precisely what the duo intend. Death and Dying Vol. II is, as you might expect, the follow-up to sophomore record Death and Dying Vol. I, and continues along the ambient gothic trajectory mapped out by that predecessor. The path that Hours of Worship have trodden has now reached a place truly apathetic and sober, which makes even their debut The Cold That You Left look upbeat. This is the most miserable electronica you’ll ever hear.
Death and Dying Vol. II. is an instant portal to the morose, mopey world that’s become Hours of Worship’s signature. Instantly recognizable for its solemn, stringlike synths and spaced-out, apathetic vocals, this visit sees it mired still further in gloom. The (relatively) uptempo rock and pop sensibilities of the debut have now been all but stripped away. The lone exception, cover of Faith and the Muse’s “Shattered in Aspect,” is still glummer than a song with its chirruping refrain ought to be, while its companions threaten to totally ruin your day—or make it, if you’re a masochist like me. Moving away from a moody Depeche Mode, Joy Division vibe and into what’s essentially a synthesized, clean-sung version of None, Hours of Worship are only getting darker and less eager to be part of this world.
Hours of Worship know that bleakness goes down best when it’s beautiful. The sedate, melancholic melodies are a brilliant backdrop for Wound and Trembling Master to sigh out their ennui in breathy baritones. Little chimes ring resonant in the air alongside pulsing bubbles of warm noise and quivering ethereal refrains (“Losing the Will to Live”). Drum beats echo. Vocals layer and melt into the syrupy synths as they drawl (“Opaline Ashes”). Sometimes sobriety wraps this prettiness in a shroud of monotony, the repeating flickers of is-that-guitar-or-keyboard1 almost sinister before they meet with an airy descending aria (“Bunker in Disarray,” “Derelict & Ruined”). Stand-out “Losing the Will to Live,” however, hides nothing of its pulchritude. With weeping chords and delicately developed descending scales, a heartbeat of echoing drums, and painfully morose moans, it’s a masterclass in wretched allure. Beside this, the bluntness of “Beneath a Hanging Tree”—the most depressing piece of all—is only intensified. Its low ratio between bluntness and beauty magnifies that of others—the carillons of keys breaking dull chords (“Derelict & Ruined”), subtle chorals and warped notes forming mournful refrains (“Losing the Will To Live”), and listless drones alternating with Byronic near-whispers (“Opaline Ashes”).
The dour sensibilities of Death & Dying Vol. II do nonetheless take their toll. Despite being moody as hell, opening duo “Bunker in Disarray” and “Derelict & Ruined” are neither confrontationally joyless as “Beneath a Hanging Tree,” nor grimly graceful like “Losing the Will to Live,” and “Opaline Ashes.” Their brand of washed-out disinterest therefore sits in the limbo of placidity, and they aren’t as strong as the songs that follow. The smooth drum transition between the two of them is, however, very nice. More broadly, there remains a nagging thought that Hours of Worship’s recent proclivity for the particularly funereal is holding back their talents for music with a bit more grip. But perhaps one ought not complain about a lack of sparkle from a record whose primary goal is to disillusion them with the land of the living
Death & Dying Vol II achieves what it sets out to do. You will come out its other side weary and jaded. Its ability to swallow up hope and cast a gloomy veil really is second only to DSBM, even surpassing it, at its most monotonous—for better or worse. If you enjoy wallowing in misery as much as Hours of Worship do, indulge yourself for a while.
Rating: Very Good
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: PCM
Label: Worship the Dead
Website: hoursofworship.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: October 31st, 2024#2024 #35 #AmericanMetal #DarkAmbient #DeathDyingVolII #DepecheMode #Gothic #HoursOfWorship #JoyDivision #None #NotMetal #Oct24 #Review #Reviews #WorshipTheDead
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Hours of Worship – Death & Dying Vol. II Review
By Thus Spoke
When it comes to metal, “depressing” can mean a number of things. There’s funeral doom depressing—melodramatic, with heartbreaking melodies and savage growls. There’s DSBM depressing—hopeless, with listless refrains and inhuman shrieks. Then, there’s something like the music of Hours of Worship, which, now we come to it, isn’t metal at all. But it is depressing, and that’s precisely what the duo intend. Death and Dying Vol. II is, as you might expect, the follow-up to sophomore record Death and Dying Vol. I, and continues along the ambient gothic trajectory mapped out by that predecessor. The path that Hours of Worship have trodden has now reached a place truly apathetic and sober, which makes even their debut The Cold That You Left look upbeat. This is the most miserable electronica you’ll ever hear.
Death and Dying Vol. II. is an instant portal to the morose, mopey world that’s become Hours of Worship’s signature. Instantly recognizable for its solemn, stringlike synths and spaced-out, apathetic vocals, this visit sees it mired still further in gloom. The (relatively) uptempo rock and pop sensibilities of the debut have now been all but stripped away. The lone exception, cover of Faith and the Muse’s “Shattered in Aspect,” is still glummer than a song with its chirruping refrain ought to be, while its companions threaten to totally ruin your day—or make it, if you’re a masochist like me. Moving away from a moody Depeche Mode, Joy Division vibe and into what’s essentially a synthesized, clean-sung version of None, Hours of Worship are only getting darker and less eager to be part of this world.
Hours of Worship know that bleakness goes down best when it’s beautiful. The sedate, melancholic melodies are a brilliant backdrop for Wound and Trembling Master to sigh out their ennui in breathy baritones. Little chimes ring resonant in the air alongside pulsing bubbles of warm noise and quivering ethereal refrains (“Losing the Will to Live”). Drum beats echo. Vocals layer and melt into the syrupy synths as they drawl (“Opaline Ashes”). Sometimes sobriety wraps this prettiness in a shroud of monotony, the repeating flickers of is-that-guitar-or-keyboard1 almost sinister before they meet with an airy descending aria (“Bunker in Disarray,” “Derelict & Ruined”). Stand-out “Losing the Will to Live,” however, hides nothing of its pulchritude. With weeping chords and delicately developed descending scales, a heartbeat of echoing drums, and painfully morose moans, it’s a masterclass in wretched allure. Beside this, the bluntness of “Beneath a Hanging Tree”—the most depressing piece of all—is only intensified. Its low ratio between bluntness and beauty magnifies that of others—the carillons of keys breaking dull chords (“Derelict & Ruined”), subtle chorals and warped notes forming mournful refrains (“Losing the Will To Live”), and listless drones alternating with Byronic near-whispers (“Opaline Ashes”).
The dour sensibilities of Death & Dying Vol. II do nonetheless take their toll. Despite being moody as hell, opening duo “Bunker in Disarray” and “Derelict & Ruined” are neither confrontationally joyless as “Beneath a Hanging Tree,” nor grimly graceful like “Losing the Will to Live,” and “Opaline Ashes.” Their brand of washed-out disinterest therefore sits in the limbo of placidity, and they aren’t as strong as the songs that follow. The smooth drum transition between the two of them is, however, very nice. More broadly, there remains a nagging thought that Hours of Worship’s recent proclivity for the particularly funereal is holding back their talents for music with a bit more grip. But perhaps one ought not complain about a lack of sparkle from a record whose primary goal is to disillusion them with the land of the living
Death & Dying Vol II achieves what it sets out to do. You will come out its other side weary and jaded. Its ability to swallow up hope and cast a gloomy veil really is second only to DSBM, even surpassing it, at its most monotonous—for better or worse. If you enjoy wallowing in misery as much as Hours of Worship do, indulge yourself for a while.
Rating: Very Good
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: PCM
Label: Worship the Dead
Website: hoursofworship.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: October 31st, 2024#2024 #35 #AmericanMetal #DarkAmbient #DeathDyingVolII #DepecheMode #Gothic #HoursOfWorship #JoyDivision #None #NotMetal #Oct24 #Review #Reviews #WorshipTheDead
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By Steel Druhm
Sometimes a promo one-sheet actually does its job and gets you incredibly curious to hear something. That was the case with Ireland’s unusual death metal act Vircolac. I had no knowledge of them, but the one-sheet made it sound as if I had to hear their sophomore release Veneration or risk missing out on something unique and special. Steel hates missing out on something good as much as the next Viking gorilla, so I grabbed it and stashed it in the Jungle Room. The trials and tribulations began soon thereafter. You see, Vircolac are a very tough bird to pigeonhole with a sound ranging from OSDM to crust, doom, and several niche places in between. They’re not so much proggy as they are fucking crazy, and Veneration is all over the damn map in an unpredictable, haphazard way that feels devoid of a plan or blueprint. It’s filthy and ugly, but there are rare moments of unexpected beauty and grandeur too. In a nutshell, it’s a hot, soupy mess.
Things open with ” The Lament (I Am Calling You) ” which is 100% pure Celtic folk music with passionate female singing and sawing strings. It’s primal, powerful, and leaves a big impression. As it fades out with increasingly frantic, unsettling strings, you’re launched abruptly into the gaping maw of vicious death that is the title track. It’s scuzzy, punky death in the vein of Autopsy with abrasive riffs and gruesome vocals tearing at your ear flesh. Over the next 5 minutes, Vircolac deliver a series of aural experiences that don’t always seem to be part of the same song. At one point the bruising death lapses into something that sounds a lot like recent Dark Tranquillity, only to stumble into moments that feel like the early Hellmammer demos from the 80s. It’s a wild ride for sure. Is it a good one though? Tough to say. “Repentant” is also chaotic, abrasive crust-death but this gives way to large Black Royal-esque power grooves that shake the rafters. It’s wild and woolly and there’s good stuff going on, but as with the title track, segments feel pasted together with boogers and bubble gum without rhyme or reason.
Then there are the mammoth tracks like “Our Burden of Stone on Bone” where the band really cuts loose with their Build-a-Bear song construction using extra glue, glitter, and googly eyes. As before, there are interesting pieces to this musical Frankenstein, but the madcap way they stitch things together makes for a tough listening experience. Transitions are like jump cuts in some artsy-farsty try-hard indie movie and nothing seems to develop logically. They latch onto a cool riff or groove and then leap into something unrelated without warning. Many of these jumps are between blasting death and plodding doom segments. While Incantation do these kinds of transitions seamlessly, Vircolac can not or will not. This gives the listener musical whiplash and makes it challenging to stay focused on the madness. Nearly 9-minute closer “She is Calling Me (I. War II. Death III. Redemption)” is better, with a somewhat more linear direction, but it too suffers from the band’s ADHD composition style. At a slim 36-plus minutes, Veneration ends up feeling much longer due to the disorganized writing. I struggle mightily to absorb the album in one sitting, usually bailing around the halfway point to go listen to something less chaotic and challenging, like Archspire.
The players here are talented enough. Brendan McConnell uncorks some blistering, dissonant riffs and also offers some gonzo soloing. Some of his playing is actually quite striking and at times, beautiful. He’s a Renaissance man of sorts and his playing is easily the most interesting thing going on here. Darragh O’Laoghaire comes from the Chris Reifert school of rabid wolfman vocals and he goes all in at all times. He’s a good death vocalist, but his somewhat one-note croaking feels out-of-synch with the wildly shifting music at times. It’s the songsmithing that really derails the journey here, with a completely undisciplined, tumultuous style that tests the listener’s resolve.
Veneration is a tough album to grasp and an even tougher one to score. There’s so much going on that it becomes difficult to process. The core style is well within my wheelhouse and there’s a lot of potential, but it isn’t fully realized. With some smoothing and a modicum of focus, I could see Vircolac being a deadly force. For now, they’re just a sanity destabilizing one. Mileage may vary for the criminally insane.
Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Dark Descent
Websites: vircolac.bandcamp.com/album/veneration | facebook.com/vircolacdeathmetal
Releases Worldwide: February 23rd, 2024#25 #2024 #Autopsy #DarkDescentRecords #DeathMetal #Feb24 #Incantation #IrishMetal #Review #Reviews #Veneration #Vircolac
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By Steel Druhm
Sometimes a promo one-sheet actually does its job and gets you incredibly curious to hear something. That was the case with Ireland’s unusual death metal act Vircolac. I had no knowledge of them, but the one-sheet made it sound as if I had to hear their sophomore release Veneration or risk missing out on something unique and special. Steel hates missing out on something good as much as the next Viking gorilla, so I grabbed it and stashed it in the Jungle Room. The trials and tribulations began soon thereafter. You see, Vircolac are a very tough bird to pigeonhole with a sound ranging from OSDM to crust, doom, and several niche places in between. They’re not so much proggy as they are fucking crazy, and Veneration is all over the damn map in an unpredictable, haphazard way that feels devoid of a plan or blueprint. It’s filthy and ugly, but there are rare moments of unexpected beauty and grandeur too. In a nutshell, it’s a hot, soupy mess.
Things open with ” The Lament (I Am Calling You) ” which is 100% pure Celtic folk music with passionate female singing and sawing strings. It’s primal, powerful, and leaves a big impression. As it fades out with increasingly frantic, unsettling strings, you’re launched abruptly into the gaping maw of vicious death that is the title track. It’s scuzzy, punky death in the vein of Autopsy with abrasive riffs and gruesome vocals tearing at your ear flesh. Over the next 5 minutes, Vircolac deliver a series of aural experiences that don’t always seem to be part of the same song. At one point the bruising death lapses into something that sounds a lot like recent Dark Tranquillity, only to stumble into moments that feel like the early Hellmammer demos from the 80s. It’s a wild ride for sure. Is it a good one though? Tough to say. “Repentant” is also chaotic, abrasive crust-death but this gives way to large Black Royal-esque power grooves that shake the rafters. It’s wild and woolly and there’s good stuff going on, but as with the title track, segments feel pasted together with boogers and bubble gum without rhyme or reason.
Then there are the mammoth tracks like “Our Burden of Stone on Bone” where the band really cuts loose with their Build-a-Bear song construction using extra glue, glitter, and googly eyes. As before, there are interesting pieces to this musical Frankenstein, but the madcap way they stitch things together makes for a tough listening experience. Transitions are like jump cuts in some artsy-farsty try-hard indie movie and nothing seems to develop logically. They latch onto a cool riff or groove and then leap into something unrelated without warning. Many of these jumps are between blasting death and plodding doom segments. While Incantation do these kinds of transitions seamlessly, Vircolac can not or will not. This gives the listener musical whiplash and makes it challenging to stay focused on the madness. Nearly 9-minute closer “She is Calling Me (I. War II. Death III. Redemption)” is better, with a somewhat more linear direction, but it too suffers from the band’s ADHD composition style. At a slim 36-plus minutes, Veneration ends up feeling much longer due to the disorganized writing. I struggle mightily to absorb the album in one sitting, usually bailing around the halfway point to go listen to something less chaotic and challenging, like Archspire.
The players here are talented enough. Brendan McConnell uncorks some blistering, dissonant riffs and also offers some gonzo soloing. Some of his playing is actually quite striking and at times, beautiful. He’s a Renaissance man of sorts and his playing is easily the most interesting thing going on here. Darragh O’Laoghaire comes from the Chris Reifert school of rabid wolfman vocals and he goes all in at all times. He’s a good death vocalist, but his somewhat one-note croaking feels out-of-synch with the wildly shifting music at times. It’s the songsmithing that really derails the journey here, with a completely undisciplined, tumultuous style that tests the listener’s resolve.
Veneration is a tough album to grasp and an even tougher one to score. There’s so much going on that it becomes difficult to process. The core style is well within my wheelhouse and there’s a lot of potential, but it isn’t fully realized. With some smoothing and a modicum of focus, I could see Vircolac being a deadly force. For now, they’re just a sanity destabilizing one. Mileage may vary for the criminally insane.
Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Dark Descent
Websites: vircolac.bandcamp.com/album/veneration | facebook.com/vircolacdeathmetal
Releases Worldwide: February 23rd, 2024#25 #2024 #Autopsy #DarkDescentRecords #DeathMetal #Feb24 #Incantation #IrishMetal #Review #Reviews #Veneration #Vircolac
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Massen – Gentle Brutality [Things You Might Have Missed 2023]
By Kenstrosity
If you know me—and most of you should by now—you know that I love bands who fearlessly combine multiple genres into one pot. I want to be blown away by their exploratory vigor, dismissing all pretense of genre loyalty with gusto. Give me something that challenges my advanced ability to categorize and compartmentalize, and you are likely to garner an instant fan. Enter Massen, a Belarusian/German Frankenstein monster who unleashed one of the best records of the year, Gentle Brutality. ENERGY SYSTEM.
Imagine, if you would, what would happen if you smashed together Anaal Nathrakh‘s grindy, hooky extremity with Harm’s Way‘s and Dyscarnate‘s chunkiness, then dressed the result in a warm Silent Stream of Godless Elegy coat. That is essentially what Massen sound like, and let me tell you, it’s brilliant. Of all the things you could merge into one sound, this is one concoction I never expected. Yet, Gentle Brutality is pure magic, brutally heavy and unrelenting while simultaneously exuding a violin-led beauty that lures its audience towards the next indelible hook with unstoppable momentum. ENERGY SYSTEM.
Gentle Brutality’s immensity reveals itself early on in its forty-two minute runtime, with “Energy System” representing possibly the best opening track of 2023. Its ridiculously catchy verses and swaggering riffs are somehow overshadowed by the song’s bridge, featuring eponymous lyrics that I’ve been singing to myself every day, multiple times a day, for four months straight (so far). Then, I have the immense mid-album highlight “Askoma (Sorethroat),” which guarantees several fractures of my vertebrae in ten seconds or less, pounding skulls with the kind of groove that only diagnosed sociopaths have the emotional immunity to resist. Just when I think they can’t inject any more razor sharp hooks into Gentle Brutality, Massen shove another throbbing slab of grinding groove into my face with closer “Our Melody is Not Dead,” wrapping up the record with a resounding bang and leaving me wanting another round. ENERGY SYSTEM.
Immensity notwithstanding, Massen’s musicianship across the board are truly what make Gentle Brutality special. Stealing the show almost every time she features, vocalist and violinist Kara brings power and majesty into every second she gets the spotlight, transforming even the grindiest of Massen’s material into a jig-worthy romp brimming with vitality and emotion (“Corps de Ballet,” “Disgusted,” “Askoma (Sorethroat)”). That’s not to shortchange Alex “Aleerma” numerous contributions as primary death vocalist, guitarist, drummer, keyboardist and bassist. His monstrous roars characterize many of this record’s biggest hooks, and his and fellow guitarists Karymon’s and Eugene’s riffs, leads, and solos provide a palpable sense of force to each of Gentle Brutality’s eight tracks (but especially “Disgusted,” “Askoma (Sorethroat),” “Throwing the Stones,” and “Our Melody is Not Dead”). Even the softer quasi-ballad “Together Alone” succeeds as a result of this group’s collaborative efforts, giving me an excellent bit of belting to practice in the car. ENERGY SYSTEM.
Simply put, Massen are a relentless, unstoppable machine, seemingly incapable of putting a bad song on record. Gentle Brutality proves that beyond a shadow of doubt. No other record in 2023 sounds like it, and few reach the same standard of quality. Gentle Brutality is irresistible, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. ENERGY SYSTEM!
Tracks to Check Out: “ENERGY SYSTEM,” “Askoma (Sore Throat),” “Disgusted,” “Throwing the Stones”
#2023 #AnaalNathrakh #ApostasyRecords #BelarusianMetal #BlackMetal #DeathMetal #Deathgrind #Dyscarnate #GentleBrutality #GermanMetal #Grind #Grindcore #Hardcore #HarmSWay #Massen #MelodicBlackMetal #MelodicDeathMetal #Review #Reviews #SilentStreamOfGodlessElegy #ThingsYouMightHaveMissed #ThingsYouMightHaveMissed2023
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Massen – Gentle Brutality [Things You Might Have Missed 2023]
By Kenstrosity
If you know me—and most of you should by now—you know that I love bands who fearlessly combine multiple genres into one pot. I want to be blown away by their exploratory vigor, dismissing all pretense of genre loyalty with gusto. Give me something that challenges my advanced ability to categorize and compartmentalize, and you are likely to garner an instant fan. Enter Massen, a Belarusian/German Frankenstein monster who unleashed one of the best records of the year, Gentle Brutality. ENERGY SYSTEM.
Imagine, if you would, what would happen if you smashed together Anaal Nathrakh‘s grindy, hooky extremity with Harm’s Way‘s and Dyscarnate‘s chunkiness, then dressed the result in a warm Silent Stream of Godless Elegy coat. That is essentially what Massen sound like, and let me tell you, it’s brilliant. Of all the things you could merge into one sound, this is one concoction I never expected. Yet, Gentle Brutality is pure magic, brutally heavy and unrelenting while simultaneously exuding a violin-led beauty that lures its audience towards the next indelible hook with unstoppable momentum. ENERGY SYSTEM.
Gentle Brutality’s immensity reveals itself early on in its forty-two minute runtime, with “Energy System” representing possibly the best opening track of 2023. Its ridiculously catchy verses and swaggering riffs are somehow overshadowed by the song’s bridge, featuring eponymous lyrics that I’ve been singing to myself every day, multiple times a day, for four months straight (so far). Then, I have the immense mid-album highlight “Askoma (Sorethroat),” which guarantees several fractures of my vertebrae in ten seconds or less, pounding skulls with the kind of groove that only diagnosed sociopaths have the emotional immunity to resist. Just when I think they can’t inject any more razor sharp hooks into Gentle Brutality, Massen shove another throbbing slab of grinding groove into my face with closer “Our Melody is Not Dead,” wrapping up the record with a resounding bang and leaving me wanting another round. ENERGY SYSTEM.
Immensity notwithstanding, Massen’s musicianship across the board are truly what make Gentle Brutality special. Stealing the show almost every time she features, vocalist and violinist Kara brings power and majesty into every second she gets the spotlight, transforming even the grindiest of Massen’s material into a jig-worthy romp brimming with vitality and emotion (“Corps de Ballet,” “Disgusted,” “Askoma (Sorethroat)”). That’s not to shortchange Alex “Aleerma” numerous contributions as primary death vocalist, guitarist, drummer, keyboardist and bassist. His monstrous roars characterize many of this record’s biggest hooks, and his and fellow guitarists Karymon’s and Eugene’s riffs, leads, and solos provide a palpable sense of force to each of Gentle Brutality’s eight tracks (but especially “Disgusted,” “Askoma (Sorethroat),” “Throwing the Stones,” and “Our Melody is Not Dead”). Even the softer quasi-ballad “Together Alone” succeeds as a result of this group’s collaborative efforts, giving me an excellent bit of belting to practice in the car. ENERGY SYSTEM.
Simply put, Massen are a relentless, unstoppable machine, seemingly incapable of putting a bad song on record. Gentle Brutality proves that beyond a shadow of doubt. No other record in 2023 sounds like it, and few reach the same standard of quality. Gentle Brutality is irresistible, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. ENERGY SYSTEM!
Tracks to Check Out: “ENERGY SYSTEM,” “Askoma (Sore Throat),” “Disgusted,” “Throwing the Stones”
#2023 #AnaalNathrakh #ApostasyRecords #BelarusianMetal #BlackMetal #DeathMetal #Deathgrind #Dyscarnate #GentleBrutality #GermanMetal #Grind #Grindcore #Hardcore #HarmSWay #Massen #MelodicBlackMetal #MelodicDeathMetal #Review #Reviews #SilentStreamOfGodlessElegy #ThingsYouMightHaveMissed #ThingsYouMightHaveMissed2023
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By Dr. A.N. Grier
After a much-needed vacation,1 and being sick as fuck for weeks, ole Grier is back with something you might not want in your life but you need it. In 2016, AMG Himself reviewed the third record from Bombus, a little-known Swedish outfit. Like AMG, I was surprised that something so simple could plant a seed in my ear and keep me returning for more. But, I suppose it’s no surprise when surrounded by endless extreme metal that a palate cleanser like Repeat Until Death would find a home in my regular rotation. The band basically plays metalized rock with predictable song structures and hooking choruses, where nothing overstays its welcome. Three years later, we appeared to have missed the release of Vulture Culture. But maybe that was for the best considering it only contained a handful of new ideas and struggled to come together as a complete album. I was hesitant when I saw this year’s Your Blood in the bin. Though one spin in, I knew something magical was happening to Bombus and Your Blood turned out to be their most ambitious record to date.
After spending years with Century Media Records, Bombus has penned a new deal with Black Lodge Records. Not only that but co-founding vocalist and guitarist Matte Säker left the band. In his stead, not only was another vocalist/guitarist recruited (they have two), but a third guitarist was added to the mix to bring the band from a four-piece to a five-piece. With these newfound axes, the band traveled a new road that brought soaring solos, intricate leads, and harmonizing soundscapes. Your Blood also offers the most melodic collection of pieces the band has ever accumulated. The result is far less predictable than previous albums, introducing new twists that’ll pull at your heartstrings, bob your head, and raise an eyebrow (or two). If you know the band’s previous output, nothing will prepare you for what’s to come.
While one of the more straightforward ditties on the record, “Killer” does a decent job introducing you to the new Bombus direction. After opening with all three guitars lending their strings to soaring leads, the song settles into a melodic groove. As the song builds, the passion and sadness of the track intensifies, sucking you into its mere three-and-a-half-minute runtime. With an accessible piece setting the mood, things get real weird, real fast. The follow-up track, “The One,” zaps you into a time warp that introduces a slow-moving vocal style akin to Nick Cave and a poppy drum beat that could have come from The White Stripes. I know, it’s a couple of odd descriptors, but the song is absolutely hypnotizing as it weaves in and out of intense moments and drum-led spoken-word interludes. But, the weirdest track of them all is the title track. Like so many other bands these days, Bombus reaches into Spaghetti-Western influences. With cawing crows and more sinister Ghoultown vibes, this track slithers around like a sidewinder, erupting into the catchy chorus while passing through cold, dark desert nights.
Between these oddities, Hellhammer-esque nastiness, Motörhead beauty, speed metal licks, Pain-like psychedelics, and Volbeaty clapping segments,2 a couple tracks truly crawl to the top. “Carmina” is one of the most interesting tracks on the album, showing how much time the band spent to improve and diversify their sound. Probably one of the heavier tracks on the album, much like their style of old, this track uses a combination of hammering vocals, bass, and drums to set up the chorus. The chorus is interesting because it passes through two phases: first, punching Rob Zombie-ish shouts, and then low, overlapping vocals. After passing the midway point, the band settles into Chug Land, pounding away on a riff as the guitar leads swirl around the background chants. The best song on the album immediately triggered me in the strangest way possible. The simple riff of “Take Your Down” is almost identical to the soundtrack of one of my favorite revenge scenes in television history: when Frank Castle finally gets his hands on William Rawlins. It’s a powerful song with a fantastic chorus that punches on those revenge qualities and puts goosebumps on my arms.
Outside of the weirdly cool (but also still weird), synthy guitar work of “No Rules” and the howling wolf at the beginning of “The Beast,” which had me spitting out my coffee in laughter, Your Blood is a great new direction for Bombus. The songs are painstakingly structured for a style like this, the choruses are some of the best they’ve ever written, and the diversity makes it exciting on repeat listens. The album flow is also well done vocally. As the album plays out, the vocals get nastier and more pained. After introducing some cleans toward the beginning of the album, the back half finds them more and more raucous, concluding the record with the most desperate performance. Your Blood might not be the vicious metal record you want, but if you take a minute to explore the band’s discog, you’ll be surprised by the results of this new record. Everywhere I look on the interwebz, people ask, “Why are these guys not more popular.” And you know what? I have no idea.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 267 kb/s mp3
Label: Black Lodge Records
Websites: bombusmusic.com | facebook.com/bombusmusic
Releases Worldwide: November 1st, 2024#2024 #35 #BlackLodgeRecords #Bombus #Ghoultown #HardRock #HeavyMetal #Hellhammer #Motörhead #NickCave #Nov24 #Pain #Review #Reviews #RobZombie #SwedishMetal #TheWhiteStripes #Volbeat #YourBlood
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By Dr. A.N. Grier
After a much-needed vacation,1 and being sick as fuck for weeks, ole Grier is back with something you might not want in your life but you need it. In 2016, AMG Himself reviewed the third record from Bombus, a little-known Swedish outfit. Like AMG, I was surprised that something so simple could plant a seed in my ear and keep me returning for more. But, I suppose it’s no surprise when surrounded by endless extreme metal that a palate cleanser like Repeat Until Death would find a home in my regular rotation. The band basically plays metalized rock with predictable song structures and hooking choruses, where nothing overstays its welcome. Three years later, we appeared to have missed the release of Vulture Culture. But maybe that was for the best considering it only contained a handful of new ideas and struggled to come together as a complete album. I was hesitant when I saw this year’s Your Blood in the bin. Though one spin in, I knew something magical was happening to Bombus and Your Blood turned out to be their most ambitious record to date.
After spending years with Century Media Records, Bombus has penned a new deal with Black Lodge Records. Not only that but co-founding vocalist and guitarist Matte Säker left the band. In his stead, not only was another vocalist/guitarist recruited (they have two), but a third guitarist was added to the mix to bring the band from a four-piece to a five-piece. With these newfound axes, the band traveled a new road that brought soaring solos, intricate leads, and harmonizing soundscapes. Your Blood also offers the most melodic collection of pieces the band has ever accumulated. The result is far less predictable than previous albums, introducing new twists that’ll pull at your heartstrings, bob your head, and raise an eyebrow (or two). If you know the band’s previous output, nothing will prepare you for what’s to come.
While one of the more straightforward ditties on the record, “Killer” does a decent job introducing you to the new Bombus direction. After opening with all three guitars lending their strings to soaring leads, the song settles into a melodic groove. As the song builds, the passion and sadness of the track intensifies, sucking you into its mere three-and-a-half-minute runtime. With an accessible piece setting the mood, things get real weird, real fast. The follow-up track, “The One,” zaps you into a time warp that introduces a slow-moving vocal style akin to Nick Cave and a poppy drum beat that could have come from The White Stripes. I know, it’s a couple of odd descriptors, but the song is absolutely hypnotizing as it weaves in and out of intense moments and drum-led spoken-word interludes. But, the weirdest track of them all is the title track. Like so many other bands these days, Bombus reaches into Spaghetti-Western influences. With cawing crows and more sinister Ghoultown vibes, this track slithers around like a sidewinder, erupting into the catchy chorus while passing through cold, dark desert nights.
Between these oddities, Hellhammer-esque nastiness, Motörhead beauty, speed metal licks, Pain-like psychedelics, and Volbeaty clapping segments,2 a couple tracks truly crawl to the top. “Carmina” is one of the most interesting tracks on the album, showing how much time the band spent to improve and diversify their sound. Probably one of the heavier tracks on the album, much like their style of old, this track uses a combination of hammering vocals, bass, and drums to set up the chorus. The chorus is interesting because it passes through two phases: first, punching Rob Zombie-ish shouts, and then low, overlapping vocals. After passing the midway point, the band settles into Chug Land, pounding away on a riff as the guitar leads swirl around the background chants. The best song on the album immediately triggered me in the strangest way possible. The simple riff of “Take Your Down” is almost identical to the soundtrack of one of my favorite revenge scenes in television history: when Frank Castle finally gets his hands on William Rawlins. It’s a powerful song with a fantastic chorus that punches on those revenge qualities and puts goosebumps on my arms.
Outside of the weirdly cool (but also still weird), synthy guitar work of “No Rules” and the howling wolf at the beginning of “The Beast,” which had me spitting out my coffee in laughter, Your Blood is a great new direction for Bombus. The songs are painstakingly structured for a style like this, the choruses are some of the best they’ve ever written, and the diversity makes it exciting on repeat listens. The album flow is also well done vocally. As the album plays out, the vocals get nastier and more pained. After introducing some cleans toward the beginning of the album, the back half finds them more and more raucous, concluding the record with the most desperate performance. Your Blood might not be the vicious metal record you want, but if you take a minute to explore the band’s discog, you’ll be surprised by the results of this new record. Everywhere I look on the interwebz, people ask, “Why are these guys not more popular.” And you know what? I have no idea.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 267 kb/s mp3
Label: Black Lodge Records
Websites: bombusmusic.com | facebook.com/bombusmusic
Releases Worldwide: November 1st, 2024#2024 #35 #BlackLodgeRecords #Bombus #Ghoultown #HardRock #HeavyMetal #Hellhammer #Motörhead #NickCave #Nov24 #Pain #Review #Reviews #RobZombie #SwedishMetal #TheWhiteStripes #Volbeat #YourBlood
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By Dr. A.N. Grier
After a much-needed vacation,1 and being sick as fuck for weeks, ole Grier is back with something you might not want in your life but you need it. In 2016, AMG Himself reviewed the third record from Bombus, a little-known Swedish outfit. Like AMG, I was surprised that something so simple could plant a seed in my ear and keep me returning for more. But, I suppose it’s no surprise when surrounded by endless extreme metal that a palate cleanser like Repeat Until Death would find a home in my regular rotation. The band basically plays metalized rock with predictable song structures and hooking choruses, where nothing overstays its welcome. Three years later, we appeared to have missed the release of Vulture Culture. But maybe that was for the best considering it only contained a handful of new ideas and struggled to come together as a complete album. I was hesitant when I saw this year’s Your Blood in the bin. Though one spin in, I knew something magical was happening to Bombus and Your Blood turned out to be their most ambitious record to date.
After spending years with Century Media Records, Bombus has penned a new deal with Black Lodge Records. Not only that but co-founding vocalist and guitarist Matte Säker left the band. In his stead, not only was another vocalist/guitarist recruited (they have two), but a third guitarist was added to the mix to bring the band from a four-piece to a five-piece. With these newfound axes, the band traveled a new road that brought soaring solos, intricate leads, and harmonizing soundscapes. Your Blood also offers the most melodic collection of pieces the band has ever accumulated. The result is far less predictable than previous albums, introducing new twists that’ll pull at your heartstrings, bob your head, and raise an eyebrow (or two). If you know the band’s previous output, nothing will prepare you for what’s to come.
While one of the more straightforward ditties on the record, “Killer” does a decent job introducing you to the new Bombus direction. After opening with all three guitars lending their strings to soaring leads, the song settles into a melodic groove. As the song builds, the passion and sadness of the track intensifies, sucking you into its mere three-and-a-half-minute runtime. With an accessible piece setting the mood, things get real weird, real fast. The follow-up track, “The One,” zaps you into a time warp that introduces a slow-moving vocal style akin to Nick Cave and a poppy drum beat that could have come from The White Stripes. I know, it’s a couple of odd descriptors, but the song is absolutely hypnotizing as it weaves in and out of intense moments and drum-led spoken-word interludes. But, the weirdest track of them all is the title track. Like so many other bands these days, Bombus reaches into Spaghetti-Western influences. With cawing crows and more sinister Ghoultown vibes, this track slithers around like a sidewinder, erupting into the catchy chorus while passing through cold, dark desert nights.
Between these oddities, Hellhammer-esque nastiness, Motörhead beauty, speed metal licks, Pain-like psychedelics, and Volbeaty clapping segments,2 a couple tracks truly crawl to the top. “Carmina” is one of the most interesting tracks on the album, showing how much time the band spent to improve and diversify their sound. Probably one of the heavier tracks on the album, much like their style of old, this track uses a combination of hammering vocals, bass, and drums to set up the chorus. The chorus is interesting because it passes through two phases: first, punching Rob Zombie-ish shouts, and then low, overlapping vocals. After passing the midway point, the band settles into Chug Land, pounding away on a riff as the guitar leads swirl around the background chants. The best song on the album immediately triggered me in the strangest way possible. The simple riff of “Take Your Down” is almost identical to the soundtrack of one of my favorite revenge scenes in television history: when Frank Castle finally gets his hands on William Rawlins. It’s a powerful song with a fantastic chorus that punches on those revenge qualities and puts goosebumps on my arms.
Outside of the weirdly cool (but also still weird), synthy guitar work of “No Rules” and the howling wolf at the beginning of “The Beast,” which had me spitting out my coffee in laughter, Your Blood is a great new direction for Bombus. The songs are painstakingly structured for a style like this, the choruses are some of the best they’ve ever written, and the diversity makes it exciting on repeat listens. The album flow is also well done vocally. As the album plays out, the vocals get nastier and more pained. After introducing some cleans toward the beginning of the album, the back half finds them more and more raucous, concluding the record with the most desperate performance. Your Blood might not be the vicious metal record you want, but if you take a minute to explore the band’s discog, you’ll be surprised by the results of this new record. Everywhere I look on the interwebz, people ask, “Why are these guys not more popular.” And you know what? I have no idea.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 267 kb/s mp3
Label: Black Lodge Records
Websites: bombusmusic.com | facebook.com/bombusmusic
Releases Worldwide: November 1st, 2024#2024 #35 #BlackLodgeRecords #Bombus #Ghoultown #HardRock #HeavyMetal #Hellhammer #Motörhead #NickCave #Nov24 #Pain #Review #Reviews #RobZombie #SwedishMetal #TheWhiteStripes #Volbeat #YourBlood
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By Dr. A.N. Grier
After a much-needed vacation,1 and being sick as fuck for weeks, ole Grier is back with something you might not want in your life but you need it. In 2016, AMG Himself reviewed the third record from Bombus, a little-known Swedish outfit. Like AMG, I was surprised that something so simple could plant a seed in my ear and keep me returning for more. But, I suppose it’s no surprise when surrounded by endless extreme metal that a palate cleanser like Repeat Until Death would find a home in my regular rotation. The band basically plays metalized rock with predictable song structures and hooking choruses, where nothing overstays its welcome. Three years later, we appeared to have missed the release of Vulture Culture. But maybe that was for the best considering it only contained a handful of new ideas and struggled to come together as a complete album. I was hesitant when I saw this year’s Your Blood in the bin. Though one spin in, I knew something magical was happening to Bombus and Your Blood turned out to be their most ambitious record to date.
After spending years with Century Media Records, Bombus has penned a new deal with Black Lodge Records. Not only that but co-founding vocalist and guitarist Matte Säker left the band. In his stead, not only was another vocalist/guitarist recruited (they have two), but a third guitarist was added to the mix to bring the band from a four-piece to a five-piece. With these newfound axes, the band traveled a new road that brought soaring solos, intricate leads, and harmonizing soundscapes. Your Blood also offers the most melodic collection of pieces the band has ever accumulated. The result is far less predictable than previous albums, introducing new twists that’ll pull at your heartstrings, bob your head, and raise an eyebrow (or two). If you know the band’s previous output, nothing will prepare you for what’s to come.
While one of the more straightforward ditties on the record, “Killer” does a decent job introducing you to the new Bombus direction. After opening with all three guitars lending their strings to soaring leads, the song settles into a melodic groove. As the song builds, the passion and sadness of the track intensifies, sucking you into its mere three-and-a-half-minute runtime. With an accessible piece setting the mood, things get real weird, real fast. The follow-up track, “The One,” zaps you into a time warp that introduces a slow-moving vocal style akin to Nick Cave and a poppy drum beat that could have come from The White Stripes. I know, it’s a couple of odd descriptors, but the song is absolutely hypnotizing as it weaves in and out of intense moments and drum-led spoken-word interludes. But, the weirdest track of them all is the title track. Like so many other bands these days, Bombus reaches into Spaghetti-Western influences. With cawing crows and more sinister Ghoultown vibes, this track slithers around like a sidewinder, erupting into the catchy chorus while passing through cold, dark desert nights.
Between these oddities, Hellhammer-esque nastiness, Motörhead beauty, speed metal licks, Pain-like psychedelics, and Volbeaty clapping segments,2 a couple tracks truly crawl to the top. “Carmina” is one of the most interesting tracks on the album, showing how much time the band spent to improve and diversify their sound. Probably one of the heavier tracks on the album, much like their style of old, this track uses a combination of hammering vocals, bass, and drums to set up the chorus. The chorus is interesting because it passes through two phases: first, punching Rob Zombie-ish shouts, and then low, overlapping vocals. After passing the midway point, the band settles into Chug Land, pounding away on a riff as the guitar leads swirl around the background chants. The best song on the album immediately triggered me in the strangest way possible. The simple riff of “Take Your Down” is almost identical to the soundtrack of one of my favorite revenge scenes in television history: when Frank Castle finally gets his hands on William Rawlins. It’s a powerful song with a fantastic chorus that punches on those revenge qualities and puts goosebumps on my arms.
Outside of the weirdly cool (but also still weird), synthy guitar work of “No Rules” and the howling wolf at the beginning of “The Beast,” which had me spitting out my coffee in laughter, Your Blood is a great new direction for Bombus. The songs are painstakingly structured for a style like this, the choruses are some of the best they’ve ever written, and the diversity makes it exciting on repeat listens. The album flow is also well done vocally. As the album plays out, the vocals get nastier and more pained. After introducing some cleans toward the beginning of the album, the back half finds them more and more raucous, concluding the record with the most desperate performance. Your Blood might not be the vicious metal record you want, but if you take a minute to explore the band’s discog, you’ll be surprised by the results of this new record. Everywhere I look on the interwebz, people ask, “Why are these guys not more popular.” And you know what? I have no idea.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 267 kb/s mp3
Label: Black Lodge Records
Websites: bombusmusic.com | facebook.com/bombusmusic
Releases Worldwide: November 1st, 2024Show 2 footnotes
- A real one. Not just a vacation from all you fuckheads. ↩
- Yeah, this album is wild. ↩
#2024 #35 #BlackLodgeRecords #Bombus #Ghoultown #HardRock #HeavyMetal #Hellhammer #Motörhead #NickCave #Nov24 #Pain #Review #Reviews #RobZombie #SwedishMetal #TheWhiteStripes #Volbeat #YourBlood
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Protest planned over Clyne Valley bridleway resurfacing
A protest is being organised this weekend against Swansea Council’s decision to resurface Old Carriage Drive in Clyne Valley Country Park as part of its Active Travel programme.
‘Overwhelming opposition’ from residents
Local resident Will Allen said hundreds of people responded to his online post raising concerns about the scheme, with the “overwhelming majority” opposed.
“We wrote to councillors, Active Travel officers, MPs and MSs and were told that our concerns were being considered. However today they got back to us to say they are ploughing ahead with the scheme,” he said.
Allen added:
“I feel angry and frustrated at this – someone drew a line on a map during a city‑wide consultation, after which we hear nothing until the work is irrevocably approved by the Council. The feedback we provide when we finally learn is politely listened to but basically ignored.”
“As polite emails have not got anywhere I have decided to organise a protest. It should be well‑attended, and will give people the chance to show their concerns and highlight the beauty and history of the location,” he said.
Council defends scheme as part of Active Travel duty
In a letter to campaigners, Stephen Williams, Swansea Council’s Active Travel Officer, said Old Carriage Drive was identified in the 2021 Active Travel Network Map consultation and is intended to provide a safe, direct off‑road link between Killay and Derwen Fawr.
“This route is important as it reduces the distance required to travel actively between Killay and Derwen Fawr, and enables those journeys to be made free from traffic,” he wrote.
Williams said the resurfacing would not change the bridleway’s designation or access points, but would improve drainage and accessibility.
“We believe that by improving the surface of this path, we can enable more journeys to be undertaken actively, without disadvantaging the needs of any existing user group,” he added.
He also pointed to wider benefits:
“If we are to improve outcomes such as health, environmental, economic, obesity rates, and travel independence for children, we will need to make changes to our physical environment. We accept that some members of the public will not welcome these changes, however we believe this scheme will enable more journeys to be undertaken actively.”
Concerns over housing development
Former council cabinet member Jen Raynor suggested the resurfacing could be linked to future housing development.
“One of the key drivers to making this route into a mini tarmac road is the likely chance of the fields adjacent to the route being granted planning permission for houses. If it can be said there is an Active Travel route then less space is needed for car parking so more houses can be squeezed onto the land,” she wrote.
Raynor added:
“I was a councillor when the first Active Travel routes were proposed and this carriageway was certainly not proposed for tarmacking. In fact I and other councillors were assured that the Country Park would retain a variety of routes and surfaces because of the different users.”
Calls for councillor involvement
Local resident Carol Edwards urged campaigners to keep pressing elected members, pointing to a previous case where community pressure stopped a cycle path plan in Uplands.
“It was because of a lot of complaints, and the involvement of local councillors, that the active travel plan to put a cycle path through Uplands from the railway station was stopped,” she said.
“Councillors’ involvement is really important, and getting many people to write a short email to the Council with reasons why it shouldn’t proceed regardless of what the Council have decided.”
Protest details
The protest is due to take place at 4pm on Saturday 25 October at the Clyne Valley Road entrance to the woods. Organisers say they expect a strong turnout from local residents opposed to the scheme.
Related stories from Swansea Bay News
Residents voice anger over plans to resurface historic Clyne bridleway
Initial community reaction as campaigners opposed Swansea Council’s Active Travel resurfacing plans in Clyne Valley Country Park.Future transport plans lead to rethink on city centre walking and cycling route
Swansea Council reviews its city centre active travel route in light of new transport strategy priorities.Funds for controversial Sketty Road cycle route to be diverted to other schemes
Welsh Government reallocates funding away from the Sketty Road project following local opposition.Raised boardwalk plan for new walking and cycling route along River Tawe
Proposals unveiled for a raised boardwalk to improve access and safety on the River Tawe corridor.Gowerton’s long‑awaited cycle and walking link to station finally opens after delays
New active travel link connects Gowerton railway station after years of planning and setbacks.#ActiveTravel #CllrJenniferRaynor #Clyne #ClyneValley #ClyneValleyCountryPark #ClyneValleyWoods #DerwenFawr #Killay #protest #Sketty #Swansea #SwanseaCouncil #tarmac #woodland