How to describe Satarial? Aside from possessing a broad extreme metal tendency, this Moscow based outfit are almost impossible to pigeonhole. A rather clumsy description might be “operatic battle black metal”. It sounds implausible, but that’s kind of where the bulk of their inspiration comes from on their 2016 release ‘Blessed Brigit’. It should be a mess; it should be so confrontational that almost no-one would want to listen…but, somehow, their noisy sound collages are fascinating in their aural brutality – and after over a decade of plying their ugliness, the fact that they still sound so original and so vibrant is no mean feat.
Tom Baker & The Snakes set to “Make It Hurt”
Back in February 2016, Tom Baker & The Snakes dropped their debut EP, giving listeners a short burst of high-octane rock driven by three guitars. It’s hard not to at least half-love a band with three guitarists, right?!
They’re back – and this time they’re set to stun with a full length release. On the basis of a couple of sneak previews, the album promises more of the same, but as the old saying goes “you can’t fix what ain’t broke”. If you can’t wait until ‘Lookout Tower’ is released digitally via Rum Bar Records on March 31st, then check out lead track ‘Make It Hurt’ via the stream below. If you crave a trashy rock hit that takes its cues from Tommy Stinson’s Bash & Pop, you surely won’t be disappointed!
DAMAGE LIMIT – Crank EP
Formed in 2010, Helsinki based rockers Damage Limit spent six years plying their trade on the live circuit and released a couple of demo EPs before taking the plunge and entering the studio to record their first professional release. The years of stage toil and sweat shows, too, since ‘Crank’ has an edge that very much sounds like the work of a hard-driving live act. Throughout the seven tracks, the riffs come thick and fast – aided by a reasonable crunch, too – and some of the hooks not only feel like they’ve been honed not just in front of an audience, but created very much with that audience in mind; a more than reasonable translation from stage to disc.
DARK HORSE – Shot Down EP
The names Matt Knee and Rosie Doonan might not be at the forefront of your mind, but prior to the launch of Dark Horse, both musicians had been fixtures on the music scene in the north of England. Matt had been drummer with Wakefield post-punkers Last Gang, while Rosie – among other things – had found herself with a much higher profile gig as part of Peter Gabriel’s orchestral shows in 2012.
Within Dark Horse, Doonan’s slightly trill vocal style is a good match for the retro pop sound and for some people, this may well prove to be the EP’s main attraction. However, as good a performer as she is, it’s the music that really counts here…and ‘Shot Down’ offers three songs that are an instant mood lifter. The band knows all about making that important first impression, too, making no apologies for front-loading what is arguably their best track.
Check out the new video from Bullet Proof Lovers
Towards the end of 2016, the debut release from Bullet Proof Lovers finally got a belated US release. The cross continental band, fronted by Kurt Baker and featuring members from Spain and the US served up plenty of excitement in a short duration and suggested the band would deliver the goods on subsequent releases.
The wait is over.