Gold and Grey by Baroness

A couple of days ago, Baroness released their newest work entitled “Gold and Grey” as a natural closure to their chromatically-themed record-sequel. They started off with  Red (heavy, aggressive & raw), then went on to Blue (their most sludgy work). Then explored their progressive side with Yellow and Green, a colour that symbolizes fear (a change of direction towards their proggier side perhaps), on to Purple (a colour that is used to imply stability & creativity – perhaps a settle down phase on their progressive side).  

The natural closure to this story of symbols is offered by Gold and Grey, as the peak and at the same time end of their work with the sense of achievement. As a whole, this album starts right where Purple left off. This heavy/progressive side is slowly transitioning into works that are by far the most emotional of the band. The use of harsh vocals is restricted and gives way to more harmonic vocals, doubled by Gina Gleason. This is the first album that features Gina and she absolutely nails it. Her vocal output matches that of John Baizley greatly. She offers perfectly matching harmonies throughout the music. This is solidified by the following fact: There is less heavy shredding in this album, and far more guitar harmonic parts between Gina and John, which acts as an extension to their vocal coordination. This work was devoid of Peter Adams, who left the band mid 2017.

The rhythm section remains faithful to the standards raised by Baroness since Red. The work of Sebastian Thomson and Nick Jost is strong and sturdy, but at the same time more innovative and of course more prog-friendly as is the whole flavor of Gold and Grey.

There is only one drawback to this record and sadly enough it’s nothing new to the music world. The mixing is sloppy, especially towards the later stages of the album.

All in all, the music is a lot different since Red came out. The band has evolved both musically and culturally and Gold and Grey is probably one of their best works so far.

Favorite tracks: Front Toward Enemy, Tourniquet, Anchor’s Lament, Cold-blooded Angels

You can listen for yourself here:

https://www.facebook.com/YourBaroness/

https://baroness.bandcamp.com

https://yourbaroness.com/

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A Grand Misconception by Kalpa

Kalpa is a 5 people DIY-loud-hardcore band from Athens, Greece. They released their last work “A Grand Misconception” on 2^nd Aprin 2019, exactly 3 years after their debut release “Dissosciation” (APR 2016). The band plays a hybrid-like musical combination of sludge/hardcore, as if The Dillinger Escape Plan and Eyehategod had a (very pissed) child.

It was a regular morning at the office, and I have a cup of coffee in my hand when the sound of Cross Sections hit me (“When did everything turn into shit?”). This work is full of great energy and this is something you are exposed to right from the start: heavy (as shit) rhythm sections (amazing drumming), paranoid leads and flamboyant vocals.

Lyrically there is a nihilistic approach to modern society and human relationships in it. The struggle to get close, the struggle to get better and do so as fast as possible, the downside, the stress, the anxiety. The grand misconception is this modern way of life.

Favourite tracks: Bystanders, Discomfort/Anxiety(“Discomfort is what I’m taught. Anxiety is what I’m used to.”), Open parties, empty streets (“Rock stars are dead”).

https://www.facebook.com/wearekalpa/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjZlPFojbNhGzO_V18VgolQ/feed

https://kalpaband.bandcamp.com

-Gamma

Fall of Efrafa – Owsla

It is anything but easy to successfully describe anything about this band, both musically as well as conceptually. They were created with a sole purpose: To share their (sociopolitical) view regarding the reflection of the allegoric novel by Richard Adams’ Waterhsip Down. Their work is divided in 3 concept albums, Owsla, Elil and Inle – all taken from the language that the protagonists speak. This rabbit tongue is inherently rough and coarse, which greatly serves the album aesthetically and is often used throughout this work, here and there, as words or small phrases.

 

Owsla means warrior or protector. The soldiers of the rabbit society bear this title. The title implies respect and shows that the foundation of this community is somewhat militaristic (Pity the weak) and largely based on the beliefs of their elders that serve as an oligarchy. This serves as fuel for a social revolution of sorts. Initially, one has doubt about the functionality of this setting (A soul to bear starts with Man built God). This song is an accusation against the human species and how we are destroying the earth in the name of religion (“Every man shall bear a soul, a right that no other beast shall have”. And in the shadows the dogs shook their heads “shame upon those apes, pride comes before the soul”). We must all begin to understand that all life is equal, and to kill and eat other life when we no longer need to (where we understand that we can draw all the nutrients we need from plants) is cruel and unnecessary, and that man-made gods do not offer pardons. This sudden realization produces extreme sadness to the soul, which leads to a desperate cry (Lament). This lament brings out the plant to overthrow the existing regime. But before this happens, one asks for the blessing of their dead (Last but not least) in the form of what looks like a prayer – not to the man-made gods, but to those who lost their lives because of those gods (“Give us this day!” , “I will witness the fall of Efrafa”). The fight follows (Fall of Efrafa). We are offered plenty of savage images (“Fur will hang in ragged clumps”). Moreover, the haunting voice of Fiver (one of the main protagonists) warns us that “the fields are covered with blood”. But even though their numbers are fewer (“To turn the tide, in our numbers”), they are determined to change their fates (“Peace is lost to us now”, “In death we make our charge, our last lament”). The outcome of the battle is devastating (“The warren is empty”), but death is not the only change. It is disgust that describes the outcome (“Butchers! We are worth nothing”, “Liars! We are worth nothing”) which is followed by regret (“all I can say is that I am sorry for what we have done”). The epilogue is the sounds of rain, which functions both literally and metaphorically to cleanse.

As mentioned above, it is not an easy task to describe the band musically. They combine elements of hardcore, ambient (black) metal and post-rock. The vocals of Alex are hauntingly beautiful, the guitars have an amazing tone and the fast-paced drumming is so tightly synced with the rhythm section, that it hardly resembles a debut album. Occasionally, we get some samples of a bleak violin tune which adds greatly to the ambient element.

Depressingly slow riffs, heavy drumming and throat-shredding vocals. This band is a gem.

Links:
Fall of Efrafa FB
Alerta Antifasista Bandcamp

-Gamma

 

Review: Their Methlab – The Last Second

The post rock/metal trio from Athens, Greece, as of July 2018 have released their first album – after releasing an EP in early 2013. They continued walking on the path they started, obvious for the listener to catch onto: Psychedelic and stoner rock, very carefully merged into one music milkshake.

The trip starts pretty strong with “Arctik Funk” and “A Call to Arms”. It shifts later to a very atmospheric “Decompression” a track that serves exactly as such, only to lead into a dreamy “Muktuk” – my personal favorite. The album closes with “Golden Bond of Ambition”. This track kicks in as the heaviest of the album, before it interludes into a buildup of (almost) 4 minutes into the heavy outro of the journey to the (actual) Arctic. Continuous references to the perma-frozen continent, the album describes the whole process of hunting, with a beginning (Arctic Funk-location, A Call to Arms-hunt), a middle point (Decompression-phychology, Muktuk-survival) and an ending (Golden Bond of Ambition-satisfaction).

It seems that Mogwai and My Sleeping Karma have had a strong influence on the band, which can be intuitively sensed throughout the journey, but nevertheless the listener is not confused by the fusion. The band respects its roots distinctly but at the same time creates original material. The mixing is phenomenal and I appreciate the sound of the bass throughout the whole work.

Dreamy, space rock during a trip to the north pole. This work deserves your time.

Links
Their Methlab – The Last Second (2019)
TheirMethlab FB 
TheirMethlab Bandcamp 

-Gamma

 

 

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Best gigs of 2018

Dear all,

2018 except being rich in new releases & artists, it was also super rich in gigs as well. During the year, we have been to more than 30 gigs, watched over 130 performances in 2 countries (Greece & Holland) and visited more than 20 venues in 8 different cities. Well, one thing is for sure; in Tzertzelos, we really love gigs! And we believe that in gigs people gain experiences more than just watching their favorite artist’s performance; they meet other people with similar musical taste, have the opportunity to meet their favorite artists & exchange opinions on things, it is way more than just seeing a performance. As an individual, i started going to gigs & taking photos, initially from my mobile phone, where the results weren’t good enough. Then, i got a starter Sony digital camera and later purchased my Canon, accompanied with different lenses. The gigs allowed me to get an interest in photography, a hobby that i wouldn’t fall in love with if i wouldn’t go to gigs; so for me, going to gigs is a quite valuable & life changing sport.

In this article, i would like to present photographic material from 17 amazing gigs i have been during 2018. For each gig, i provide links to each artist’s facebook & bandcamp page, venue links, and the artist’s musical genre, so you could access the material with one click. The photographic material was shot either by my Sony DSC RX-100 , either by my high-end Canon 7D Mark II and all photos were slightly compressed due to wordpress storage limitations. All gigs were exciting, thus i am providing them by chronological order. So, let’s talk a dive!

 

#1. Ufomammut (IT)@Fuzz Music Live Club, 3-4-2018, Athens, Greece

Genre: Psychedelic doom
Check photo album
Visit Ufomammut’s bandcamp page

 

#2. Friendship (JP)@Bloodshedfest 2018, Effenaar, Eindhoven, NL, 15-9-2018

Genre: Powerviolence, hardcore punk
Check photo album
Visit Friendship’s bandcamp page

#3. Palm (JP)@Bloodshed Fest 2018, Effenaar, Eindhoven, NL, 15-9-2018

Genre: Powerviolence, hardcore punk
Check photo album
Visit Palm’s bandcamp page

#4. Catharsis (US) @Bloodshed Fest 2018, Effenaar, Eindhoven, NL, 16-9-2018

Genre: Anarchist hardcore punk
Check photo album

 

#5. High On Fire (US)@Mezz, Breda, NL, 4-10-2018

Genre: Doom metal, heavy metal
Check photo album
Visit High On Fire’s bandcamp page

 

#6. Yob (US)@Soulcrusher III, Doornroosje, Nijmegen, NL 6-10-2018

Genre: Progressive doom metal
Check photo album
Visit Yob’s bandcamp page

 

#7. Crowbar (US)@dB’s, Utrecht,9-10-2018

Genre: Sludge metal
Check photo album
Visit Crowbar’s bandcamp page

 

#8. Toner Low (NL)@Gebr de Nobel, Leiden, NL, 20-10-2018

Genre: Psychedelic stoner doom
Check photo album
Visit Toner Low’s bandcamp page

 

#9. Amenra (BE) @Gebr de Nobel, Leiden, NL, 20-10-2018

Genre: Post-metal, sludge metal
Check photo album
Visit Amenra’s bandcamp page

 

#10. Acid King (US)@dB’s, Utrecht, Holland, 21-10-2018

Genre: Stoner doom metal
Check photo album
Visit Acid King’s bandcamp page

 

#11. Grime (IT) @Black Earth Festival, dB’s, Utrecht, NL, 27-10-2018

Genre: Death doom metal
Check photo album
Visit Grime’s bandcamp page

 

#12. Fistula (US) @Black Earth Festival, dB’s, Utrecht, NL, 27-10-2018

Genre: Sludgecore
Check photo album
Visit Fistula’s bandcamp page

 

#13. Rosetta (US)@The Progressive Alliance, Effenaar, Eindhoven, NL 4-11-2018

Genre: Post-metal, post-hardcore
Check photo album
Visit Rosetta’s bandcamp page

 

#14. The Ocean (DE) @The Progressive Alliance, Effenaar, Eindhoven, NL 4-11-2018

Genre: Progressive post-metal
Check photo album
Visit The Ocean’s bandcamp page

 

#15. Rotor (DE) @Baroeg, Rotterdam, NL,9-11-2018

Genre: Instrumental stoner rock
Check photo album
Visit Rotor’s bandcamp page

 

#16. Napalm Death (UK)@Baroeg, Rotterdam, Holland, 16-11-2018

Genre: Grindcore
Check photo album
Visit Napalm Death’s bandcamp page

 

#17. Paradise Lost (UK)@Piraeus 117 Academy, Athens, Greece 22-12-2018

*Paradise Lost’s photos were shot by my dear friend GV! I took also some, but GV’s photos were really amazing!

Genre: Doom, gothic
Check photo album

 

I hope you liked the photos! You could also try it, as i started back in 2012 with capturing photos through the mobile phone. Then, if you are into it, you could go further read about the photography’s holy trinity; ISO & shutter speed & aperture. And then, go get a starting kit & go to gigs and practice your understandings. Practice, practice, practice. If a humble software engineer can do it, you can do it as well!

For 2019, for now, we made our arrangements to attend Roadburn Festival 2019 in Tilburg, Holland, Freak Valley Festival 2019 in Netphen, Germany & Sunn O)))‘s gig in Amsterdam. You can consult & subscribe to our gig tracker web app, the Tzertzelos Tracker to get notified every day for new gig findings in your countries of interest. We will also do that, and hopefully tons of interesting gigs will be announced for 2019.

We will  see you at the pit,

have a great 2019,

Kaze of Tzertzelos

 

ps1: Tons of thanks to Eba Beleba for driving me to all this gigs & scheduling our gig trips! It was amazing & looking forward for infinitely more 🙂

ps2: The photos from Paradise Lost’s gig in Athens, were shot by good friend GV!

ps3: Tzertzelos Team Best Picks for 2018

1. Ebabeleba’s favorite DOOM/STONER/PSYCH/SLUDGE OF 2018
2. Kaze’s favorite post-metal & sludge albums for 2018
3. Kaze’s favorite HxC punk/crust albums for 2018
4. Kaze’s favorite death doom, death, black metal albums for 2018
5. Kaze’s favorite doom metal & psychedelic rock albums for 2018
6. f’s favourite Extreme releases of 2018

f’s favourite Extreme releases of 2018

Hey all!

This is an interesting first post (for me) as an editor of Tzertzelos (thank you Kaze and Eba). The list that follows sums up my heavily redacted list of 2018’s favourite releases the majority of which are strongly affiliated with Death Metal (death/brutal death/deathgrind/blackened death etc).

Here we go:

#12. Impetus of Death by Corpsessed

Origin: Järvenpää, Finland

Genre:  Death metal

Release date: November 23, 2018

Label: Dark Descent Records

#11. Bestial Hymns Of Perversion by Of Feather and Bone

Origin: Denver, Colorado

Genre:  Death metal

Release date: March 23, 2018

Label: Profound Lore Records

#10. Hamkar Atonement by Dakhma

[

Origin: Zurich, Switzerland

Genre:  Blackened Death metal

Release date: September 5, 2018

Label: Iron Bonehead Productions

#9. Sulphur Soul by Gevurah

Origin: Montreal, Canada

Genre:  Black metal

Release date: September 28, 2018

Label: Profound Lore Records

#8. Perpetual Hunger by Serpents Lair

Origin: Sjælland, Denmark

Genre:  Black metal

Release date: Februrary 19, 2018

Label: Fallen Empire Records

#7. Within A World Forgotten by Infernal Coil

Origin: Boise, Idaho

Genre:  Death/Black metal

Release date: September 14, 2018

Label: Profound Lore Records

#6. Grevious by Convulsing

Origin: Adelaide, Australia

Genre:  Death/Black metal

Release date: August 22, 2018

Label: Independent

#5. Perverse Offerings To The Void by Golgothan Remains

Origin: Sydney, Australia

Genre:  Death metal

Release date: February 8, 2018

Label: Independent

#4. Permanent Destitution by Hissing

Origin: Seattle, Washington

Genre:  Blackened Death metal

Release date: October 26, 2018

Label: Profound Lore Records

#3. Chasm by Mutilation Rites

Origin: Brooklyn, New York

Genre:  Death/Black metal

Release date: July 20, 2018

Label: Gilead Media

#2. Vessel of Iniquity by Vessel of Iniquity

Origin: Oxfordshire, UK

Genre:  Blackened Death metal

Release date: Januray 19, 2018

Label: Sentient Ruin Laboratories

#1. Misery Rites by Wake

Origin: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Genre:  Deathgrind

Release date: February 23, 2018

Label: Translation Loss Records

honorable mentions;

The list above, as previously mentioned, is heavily redacted for various reasons. There are excellent albums from great bands like Portal, Svartidauði and Kriegsmaschine which fell short to my expectations (I probably had insane expectations from these bands but maybe that’s just me). Also there albums that wouldn’t aesthetically or genre-wise find their place in my list but I feel I need to mention.

Some of these albums are as follow (not ordrered or ranked);

Svartidauði – Revelations of the Red Sword
Portal – ION
Kriegsmaschine – Apocalypticists
Καταχνιά – Κρεσέντο Απελπισίας
Six Brew Bantha – Blight
Lividity – Perverseverance
C.H.E.W. – Feeding Frenzy
夢遊病者 (Sleepwalker) – 一期一会

Happy new year everyone! Cheers!

Honorable Mentions for 2018

Dear all,

2018 was a year full of interesting releases in the spectrum of all musical styles. Thus, it would be unfair to not mention bands that didn’t make it in our favorite picks of 2018 due to a variety of reasons. For instance, some referred bands’ latest releases didn’t occur in 2018, other artists were discovered by us in gigs that we attended and we saw significant potential on them, thus we would like to suggest them. We compiled this list of artists after tremendous meetings with our team, and here it is! Our honorable mentions for 2018! Keep in mind, that we would like to recommend each artist individually and actual enumeration doesn’t mean increased or decreased importance. All of them were amazing in their corresponding musical style & our expectation are high for all of them.

Enough talking, now let’s dive into our honorable mentions list for 2018!

#20. Altin Gün – On

Origin: Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Genre: Psychedelic folk
Release date: March 30, 2018
Label:  Les Disques Bongo Joe

Visit Altin Gün’s label bandcamp page

 

#19. Potion – Women of the Wand

Origin: Sydney, Australia
Genre: Psychedelic doom
Release date: June 19, 2018
Label:  Independent

Visit Potion’s bandcamp page

 

#18. Spectral Voice – Eroded Corridors of Unbeing

Origin: Denver, Colorado, US
Genre: Death doom metal
Release date: October 13, 2017
Label: Dark Descent Records

Visit Spectral Voice’s label bandcamp page

 

#17. Keitzer – Ascension

Origin: Germany
Genre: Death metal/ Grindcore
Release date: October 28, 2016
Label:  F.D.A Records

Visit Keitzer’s bandcamp page

 

#16. Necrot – Blood Offerings

Origin: Oakland, California, US
Genre: Crust/ Death metal
Release date: June 9, 2017
Label:  Tank Crimes Records

Visit Necrot’s bandcamp page

 

#15. Friendship – Hatred

Origin: Chiba Prefecture, Japan
Genre: Power violence, hardcore punk
Release date: November 3, 2017
Label:  Southern Lord Recordings

Visit Friendship’s bandcamp page

#14. G.L.O.S.S – Trans Day of Revenge

Origin: Olympia, Washington, US
Genre: D-beat/crust/hardcore punk
Release date: June 13, 2016
Label: TOTAL NEGATIVITY

Visit G.L.O.S.S. ‘ bandcamp page

 

#13. Sūrya – Apocalypse A.D

Origin: London, UK
Genre: Post-metal/Sludge
Release date: May 27, 2016
Label:  Argonauta Records

Visit Sūrya’s bandcamp page

 

#12. Feast – Hybris

Origin: Beverwijk, The Netherlands
Genre: Doom/Sludge metal
Release date: March 21, 2018
Label:  Independent

Visit Feast’s bandcamp page

 

#11. Mass Culture – Primal | Ephemeral

Origin: Athens, Greece
Genre: Post-metal/Sludge
Release date: August 10, 2018
Label:  Independent

Visit Mass Culture’s bandcamp page

 

#10. Inter Arma – Paradise Gallows

Origin: Richmond, Virginia
Genre: Doom, progressive metal
Release date:  July 8, 2016
Label:  Relapse Records

Visit Inter Arma’s bandcamp page

 

#9. Teethgrinder – Nihilism

Origin: Zwolle, The Netherlands
Genre: Death metal/grindcore/crust
Release date: November 18, 2016
Label:  Lifeforce Records

Visit Teethgrinder’s bandcamp page

 

#8. Sküma – Vol. [0]

Origin: Herakleion, Creta, Greece
Genre: Stoner rock/metal
Release date: November 29, 2018
Label:  Independent

Visit Sküma’s bandcamp page

 

#7. Ultha – Dismal Ruins, Pt​.​II

Origin: Cologne, Germany
Genre: Black metal
Release date: July 17, 2018
Label:  Century Media Records

Visit Ultha’s bandcamp page

 

#6. Cult Leader – A Patient Man

Origin: Salt Lake City, Utah, US
Genre: Hardcore, metal, crust
Release date:  November 9, 2018
Label:  Deathwish Inc.

Visit Cult Leader’s bandcamp page

 

#5. Message in a Cloud – Anassa

Origin: Athens, Greece
Genre: Post rock
Release date: June 20, 2018
Label:  Ikaros Records

Visit Message in a Cloud’s bandcamp page

 

#4. Golden Core – ᛒᛅᛚᛏᚱᛋᚴᚢᛁᚦᛅ

Origin: Oslo, Norway
Genre: Progressive Stoner Metal
Release date: February 15, 2018
Label: Snake Oil Kassettforlag

Visit Golden Core’s bandcamp page

 

#3. Year of the Cobra – Burn Your Dead

Origin: Seattle, Washington, US
Genre: Doom/stoner metal
Release date: October 27, 2017
Label:  Magnetic Eye Records

Visit Year of the Cobra’s bandcamp page

 

#2. Kaleidobolt – The Zenith Cracks

Origin: Helsinki, Finland
Genre: Psychedelic stoner rock
Release date: July 1, 2016
Label:  Pink Tank Records

Visit Kaleidobolt’s bandcamp page

 

#1. Mastiff – Bork

Origin: Kingston Upon Hull, UK
Genre: Sludge metal, hardcore punk
Release date: August 31, 2017
Label: APF Records

Visit Mastiff’s bandcamp page

 

If you would like to dive in specific genres, check our favorite picks for 2018:

Best picks for 2018

1. Ebabeleba’s favorite DOOM/STONER/PSYCH/SLUDGE OF 2018
2. Kaze’s favorite post-metal & sludge albums for 2018
3. Kaze’s favorite HxC punk/crust albums for 2018
4. Kaze’s favorite death doom, death, black metal albums for 2018
5. Kaze’s favorite doom metal & psychedelic rock albums for 2018

Thank you so much for your support and keep in mind if you like an artist’s material, go watch them in a gig next to you and don’t forget to actively support him by getting some merch & say some good words! They really appreciate it and this is what gives them strength to continue writing amazing stuff! Support the underground!

Cheers,

the Tzertzelos Team