Tag Archives: post rock

CULT OF LUNA/THE OLD WIND – Råångest (split EP)

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COL-Old Wind

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Råångest: Swedish for raw anxiety.
Quite possibly the most aptly named release since Strapping Young Lad‘s ‘Heavy As A Very Heavy Thing’, this split EP between Swedish bands Cult of Luna and The Old Wind is heavy, raw and intense. Cult of Luna have gained a big cult following over the years and worked incredibly hard on their art, with 2013’s ‘Vertikal, Parts I & II’ being met with critical acclaim. At the time of this release, The Old Wind are just starting on their journey by comparison, but have members associated with The Ocean and Breach. The idea of a split release came about for two reasons: Cult of Luna found themselves in need of a break, but also are fans of The Old Wind. A split release shows support and helps introduce The Old Wind to an already extant audience who would most likely love them.

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CITIES – Manning Alaska EP

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citiesAlthough compared by others to Mogwai, if Cities’ almost ambient musical approach combined with the use of samples and visuals makes you think of Public Service Broadcasting, you wouldn’t be completely wrong.  There are some key differences, of course, but most importantly – unlike the works of Public Service Broadcasting – it’s not at all derivative and boring. Public Service Broadcasting are all about the samples, to the point where they’ve often forgotten to write interesting music; with Cities, their musical arrangements are the heart and soul of everything they do. Yes, you can spot various influences scattered throughout their ‘Manning Alaska’ EP – but there’s rarely a moment passes that where Cities haven’t added their own twist of musical magic.

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THE FIERCE AND THE DEAD – Magnet EP

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TFATDPost-rock quartet The Fierce And The Dead first captured the attention of listeners the artier end of the rock spectrum with their 2011 full length ‘If It Carries On Like This We Are Moving To Morecambe’.  While the intricacy of the album’s music inevitably found the band gaining the “prog” tag, the instrumental wig-outs pulled far more from various alternative rock sources, with elements of noise rock, often making their love of Hüsker Dü/Minutemen et al fairly obvious.  The following album, 2013’s ‘Spooky Action’ was potentially even more bonkers, showcasing four very talented musicians working their frenzied guts across a variety of angular rock sounds, with most of the material sharpened by brevity.  With no filler, ‘Spooky Action’ is potentially TFATD’s masterwork; in addition to the world of looped guitars and mind bending, gleeful complexities, Kevin Feazey’s bass sound – particularly on ‘I Like It, I’m Into It’ – comes across with a genuine force.  It is a record that anyone interested in quirky and thoughtful musicianship should lend an ear.

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EMPIRES OF LIGHT – Apricity EP

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Empires of LightBorn at the very beginning of 2014, Empires of Light is a post rock/extreme metal band sprung from the ashes of History of the Hawk, sharing members with doom metal band Opium Lord.  On their first release ‘Apricity’, dark tendencies are abound as the quartet of musicians seek to explore as much musical ground as possible within a relatively short duration, resulting in twenty five minutes of both distorted sonic spaciousness and sledgehammer riffs.

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