Black Engine - Ku Klux Klowns (2008)

I guess I know why these guys aren´t momre known, which can be a good thing from one point of view, but a bad thing in the other hand... I guess most people would start listening to this and the immediate reaction would be :"whatafuckisthisnoise?!?!?" or maybe I´m the one with issues, that could also be a possibility!
Anyway, this is a special post for people with a strange taste in music, or, what most people would consider "not-music". Black engine features 3 members of the Italian jazzcore/experimental band Zu, (Luca Mai - alto & baritone saxophone;
Massimo Pupillo - bass guitar, Jacopo Battaglia - drums), meaning, the musical approach will be very similar but exploring more into free jazz and sometimes drone-jazz, if theres such a thing, than Zu! i guess that comparing to this zu kind of sounds mainstream!! This is headbreaking, but it´s really good music!
If you´re into Zu, Shining, and John Zorn "disciples" you´ll love this!

Tracklist

1		I Hate Clowns	3:29
2		Ku Klux Klowns	3:33
3		Bones Circus	3:11
4		Fishtank Midget Surfer	3:32
5		A Wolf Day	3:46
6		Cut It, Pack It, Ship It	4:17
7		Mene Tekel Peres	4:54
8		Controversy Over The East Bank	6:23
9		The Humiliation Of An Impotent God	5:41
10		Ignite, Isolate	4:29

Credits

Bass - Massimo Pupillo
Design [Graphic Design] - Petulia Mattioli
Drums - Jacopo Battaglia
Guitar - Eraldo Bernocchi
Mastered By - Michael Fossenkemper
Mixed By - Eraldo Bernocchi , Matteo "Speinzeit" Spinazze'*
Producer - Black Engine
Recorded By - Matteo "Speinzeit" Spinazze'*
Saxophone [Alto & Baritone] - Luca Mai*

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Shining - BlackJazz (2010)

If you:
- are always expecting new challenging sounds; have a taste for awkward and extreme music; don´t care for your state of sanity, then, I guess you will definitely love this!!!
Shining is a recent band hailing from Norway, and if you know what usually goes on in those deep and cold corners of the world, you know "strange" and usually agressive are good words to describe their musicality! I found this out recently and I was amazed on how good and bizarre this is! I mean, these guys managed to experiment way beyond anything I (n)ever dreamt, managing to do a fusion if some kind between jazz, blackmetal and industrial, achieving a sonority I never heard before. great musicianship (afterall we´re talking about jazz people), constant change of pattern and time-signatures, use os strange notes... huge amount of creativeness, and you´re ears will have some work for some plays through this album!
To what refers to production, nothing to point out 5/5. It was produced by Sean Beavan (NIN, Marilyn Manson, Slayer), so... you´re shure to hear something "decent" and giving you the clean perception of all the layers in this record!
By those who may concern, the last song is a cover from the song "21st century schizoid man" from King Crimson, guesting Enslaved´s Grutle Kjellson on vocals!
This one is for demanding people with demanding taste (I guess).
\m/

01. The Madness and the Damage Done
02. Fisheye
03. Exit Sun
04. Exit Sun
05. Helter Skelter
06. The Madness and the Damage Done
07. Blackjazz Deathtrance
08. Omen
09. 21st Century Schizoid Man

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OK... this was a first time... the "get it" link has been removed due to copyright issues. the record label decided to report to the host service, so we won´t repost this one again, sorry! they have the right to do this wether we like it or not, so in this case we will only post a link where you can hear the entire album.... hope you understand! cheers

Xerath - I (2009)

I know this is brand new, and I know that these guys just released their debut album a couple of months through Candlelight records, and I also know that according to my own "music-blog-beliefs" they shouldn´t be here! But the truth is, they are! Why?! because this is a nice way to promote a new band, even taking into account the perspectives of them being a "bigger" band in a short period of time (I hope).
Why saying all this! The thing is, I´ve listen to this, and I came to the conclusion that these guys know their music! Mixing something trapped between Meshuggah and Dimmu Borgir, they would have to, otherwise it could definitely result in total chaos - not in the good way of course-!
Well, I´m not a big Dimmu Burguer fan, even though they have already had their moments in the past, but I´m a Meshuggah fan, so, If there was something too "copy-pasted" in this, it would´ve left my player instantly! Many bands nowadays consider themselfs as "math-metal", or "mesuggah-oriented" or whatever, these guys managed some kind of combination I´ve never thought possible, mixing the math metal or meshuggah riffs and heaviness with symphonic elements similar to the ones used in Dimmu Borgir! Well, i´m not a big orchestrated metal fan or whatever but they know how to use them in a way that won´t cause you the "I´m sick of these shit" syndrome, but will improve the heaviness they´re trying to show!
Brilliant technician musicians, without being that "virtuosos", but being extremely creative! The only thing I will have to point out my finger is that being these layered-full album, couldn´t be the production a little better?!?! Maybe its just me!
If you´re a Borgir hater, then I don´t think this will siut you, If you are an hardcore meshuggah fan maybe you´ll think it´s fun, if you like new things, then maybe you like this as it is!! advised to fans of Meshuggah, cloudkicker,animals as leaders, textures, strapping young lad, exivious....

1. Intrenity 3:32
2. Alterra 2:48
3. Nocturnum 3:46
4. Consequences 4:28
5. Interlude 1:40
6. False History 3:47
7. Abiogenesis 5:54
8. Reform Part I 3:21
9. Reform Part II 4:35
10. Right to Exist 5:40

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Apokatastasia - Shedding (2005)

Once again it´s been a really long time since the last post, but, what matters is the blog its still running!
A few months ago I stumbled with this band and I was about to post it several times before, so I guess it´s just time for me to do so!!
Apokatastasia is a band hailing from Switzerland, and performs something trapped between prog metal and instrumental metal... well... it´s prog! The smart way thew use string quartet and the other instruments atached to that artform of playng music called metal \m/ got my atention, and gave this album its chance at Earcraft.
While listening to this album, sometimes it reminds me of Apocalyptica, but if you get trapped to this idea you won´t apretiate the whole album. After a few listenings you´ll understand that these guys have their own sound, and being an independent band I´ll have to give them my applause, cause seeing this live must be great.... anyway, if you like it click on the 2buy it" link below and support the band, if you don´t, go there anyway and tell it yourself :)

01.Intro
02.Shizophriend
03.Sag Lessek
04.LysergSäureDiäthylamid (LSD)
05.Shrugga
06.Raped Visions
07.Rebellion
08.Nothing
09.Empty Flower Vox Edit (Bonustrack)


part 1

part 2

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The Pistil Cosmos

The Pistil Cosmos is the solo project of Vincent Caylet ( "V" and The Monks of the Balhill). Here is some of his work, the 21st century Popol Vuh sound, full of ambient, drone, noise and folk. Be ready to travel!

2008 - Wandering in the Dark


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2009 - Smoking Clouds in the Land of Fire


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2009 - The Praying Eyes


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Enjoy :)

Exivious - Exivious (2009)

Exivious is a band-project featuring members of Cynic and Textures producing whats commonly known as fusion-metal or math metal.... knowing this do you really need more to make you get this stuff?!?! and look out because the release will come in 1000 limited edition numbered copies.

1. Ripple Of A Tear 7:30
2. Time And Its Changes 4:39
3. Asurim 5:31
4. All That Surrounds pt1 3:38
5. Waves Of Thought 6:24
6. The Path 5:45
7. All That Surrounds pt2 3:39
8. Embrace The Unknown 4:44
9. An Elusive Need 4:39

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Illogicist - The Insight Eye (2007)

Amazing tech death by these Italian guys. I´m still amazed with this after a few months!!! Imagine a sound influenced by Death´s album Sound of Perseverance with a way better production and with a more actual technicality, but don't think this is just some simple rip-off, oh no, this is way more.. Illogicist present the polyrythmical structure usually used in tech, with great musicianship (the drummer Marco Minnemann kicks ass, and so all of them), and a touch of omnipresent groove to it,, and a great perceptible death growl!!! \m/
For fans of Cynic, Atheist and Death!!! Enjoy and be advised that the new one has just came out!!! :) (after all, it hasn´t, false alarm... my mistake, sorry, but its on his way!!)

01. The Insight Eye
02. Brain Collapse
03. Rooms Of Emptiness
04. The Absolute Or Nothing
05. Soundless Pain
06. Core
07. Be My Guide
08. Secrets Of Human Hate

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