Eclectic Vibes - February 2008
CD/DVD Micro Reviews by Andrew Frey
This Month, Micro Reviews of: Ascension of the Watchers, Chip Raman, Dreamscape, Egypt Central, Farmers Market, ID Guiness, Imperia, Dub Trio, Kick To Tha Head, Mannhai, No Redeeming Social Value, Ryan Montbleau Band, Yelworc, Vanishing Point
Ascension Of The Watchers
NuminosumRecord Label: 13th Planet Records
Review published: February 2008
Rating: 3
New brainchild of recently re-inspired vocalist Burton C Bell (Fear Factory, G/Z/R). This stab at emotive spiritually uplifting rock unfortunately comes off bearing a droning, nebulous, implosion of talent and musical fortitude. Not good.
Reader Votes: 0
Dreamscape
5th SeasonRecord Label: Locomotive Records
Review published: February 2008
Rating: 8
Progressive metal from Munich, Germany portrayed with theatrics and grandeur. The male vocals are sung with just the right finesse between intense and emotive plus the headbanging grooves are parted with a friendly amount of atmospheric interludes.
Reader Votes: 0
Dub Trio
Another Sound Is DyingRecord Label: Ipecac Recordings
Review published: February 2008
Rating: 8
Swirling metal, reggae, dub, jazz and a sphincter load of talent together with unscrupulous sounds in an elevator shaft of musical potential that also swings the fulcrum of nefarious fanaticism to produce outlandish yet cohesive results in a Melvins kinda way.
Reader Votes: 0
Egypt Central
Egypt Central (self titled)Record Label: Fat Lady Music
Review published: February 2008
Rating: 4
Originating from Memphis, TN (not Egypt) this highly emotive, overly pimped and polished nu-ish metal is undeniably very hard rock radio friendly, but they appear to have sacrificed their integrity and sold their musical souls to get there. Yawn!
Reader Votes: 0
Farmer's Market
Surfin’ USSRRecord Label: Ipecac Recordings
Review published: February 2008
Rating: 8
Improbable permutations of traditional Bulgarian melodies along with jazz, folk, and rock that have been percolated to oblique perfection. The songs often lead with uptempo folk rhythms that are broken with soundtrack-ish ambiance and other delightful distractions.
Reader Votes: 0
ID Guinness
Cure For The Common CrushRecord Label: Guinness Records
Review published: February 2008
Rating: 9
A creative Canadian dripping on the goss of Bowie and Pink Floyd via his anthemic psychedelic rock platitudes with ambient quagmires and juxtapositions of frilly frivolity ultimately producing sustained excitement.
Reader Votes: 0
Imperia
Queen of LightRecord Label: Locomotive Records
Review published: February 2008
Rating: 8
Orchestral bombastics are common place for this atmospheric, melodic, gothic tinged metal outfit. Led vocally by the beautiful and very capable Helena Iren Michaelsen (ex-Trail of Tears) the compositions posture from an aggressive yet progressive viewpoint that is as effective as it is entrancing.
Reader Votes: 0
Kick To Tha Head
As We Think So We AreRecord Label: Turkey Vulture Records
Review published: February 2008
Rating: 6
Spurting raw punk rhythms coalesced by hardcore attitude, these short yet intense and guttural emanations examine pain and aggression via a curmudgeonous introversion of fantastic frivolity.
Reader Votes: 0
Mannhai
Hellroad CaravanRecord Label: Locomotive Spain Records
Review published: February 2008
Rating: 8
Heavy groove rockers from Finland with ex-Amorphis front man Pasi Koskinen handling the vocal crooning and cajoling. Their stoner rhythms have a tendency of headbanging their way into my heart and CD player.
Reader Votes: 0
No Redeeming Social Value
Still DrinkingRecord Label: Dead City Records
Review published: February 2008
Rating: 7
Determined to live up to their name, these unabashedly confrontational and alcoholic fueled New York Hardcore addicts hammer home a gaggle of humorously juvenile songs, with titles and concepts to frame their unredeemable status.
Reader Votes: 0
Chip Raman
Edge Of A SongRecord Label: Rosebud Records
Review published: February 2008
Rating: 7
This talented singer/songwriter has packaged art, heart and musical revelry into one cohesive package bearing his name and providing a nice platform for spreading his thought provoking, easy going compositions.
Reader Votes: 0
Ryan Montbleau band
Patience on FridayRecord Label: Self Released
Review published: February 2008
Rating: 8
This album, a tribute to the band’s good friend and backup drummer Denis Babin who died in 2006, shows off a zippy, zesty, robust and charismatic singer/songwriter with his band strutting a stoic resonance with a sturdy stance.
Reader Votes: 0
Vanishing Point
The Fourth SeasonRecord Label: Locomotive Records
Review published: February 2008
Rating: 8
Australian born melodic metal with synth and actual singing. Hints of goth and a mixture of progressive and power metal elements manage to magnificently funnel the guitar riffs into a formidable force that has been seen around the globe.
Reader Votes: 0
Yellworc
IcolationRecord Label: Metropolis Records
Review published: February 2008
Rating: 8
Dark and creepy gothic industrial perturbed by prickly electronic tantalizations of unforeseen atmospheres in a realm of unrequited synthetic love and hate. Icolaiton is the conceptual continuation of the infernal “Trinity- journey.”
Reader Votes: 0
