Dewinged
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Last Active 01-01-70 12:00 am
Joined 01-01-70

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 Lists
03.15.24 Deweekly: March 15th to March 21st03.08.24 Deweekly: March 8th to March 14th
03.04.24 Deweekly: March 1st to March 7th03.01.24 Deweekly: February 23th to February 29t
02.16.24 Deweekly: February 16th to February 22n02.09.24 Deweekly: February 9th to February 15th
02.02.24 Deweekly: February 2nd to February 8th01.30.24 10 Albums of 1950
01.26.24 Deweekly: January 26th to February 1st01.23.24 10 Albums of 1965
01.19.24 Deweekly: January 19th to 25th01.12.24 Deweekly: January 12th to 18th ♦
01.10.24 10 albums of 196401.04.24 Deweekly: January 1st to 10th ♦
12.27.23 Dewi's 2023: A Year in Review ♦12.26.23 10 albums of 1963
12.21.23 10 albums of 196212.18.23 10 albums of 1961 ♦
More »

Deweekly: January 26th to February 1st

I know you were all waiting eagerly for this list. Last week of January! First 100 albums! Slift leading the competition! Let's see if they actually bring it home cause there's a few names that hold my atention this week and there's always surprises! But more importantly, will I ever to keep the color theme all the way til December? Let's find out.
1Alkaline Trio
Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs

Rise Records // Punk Rock

For some reason, the first time I skimmed over the first tracks I didn't get the impression this was a punk rock or pop punk band. Once I heard the whole thing, yeah, the second half specially delves deep into pop punk territory but I still remain astonished by the first half of songs, really good stuff. I'm not gonna add much to this since it's the first time I hear them and fellow staffer Rowan wrote a tasty review for it so go and read that!

Highlight: Hot For Preacher

No BC but here's a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CprfYX6hij4&ab_channel=riserecords
2Lucifer (DE)
Lucifer V

*** ALBUM OF THE WEEK ***

Nuclear Blast // Occult Rock / Hard Rock

This is the album I was more excited about this week, and it makes no sense because it's also a band I have never been able to fully enjoy. I think my love for Blood Ceremony's last year release opened my mind to a certain frequency, because I actually really enjoyed this latest album by the German/Swedish crew. Johanna Sadonis sounds incredible on this one and I'm pretty confident in saying that this might be their best record up to date.

Highlight: A Coffin has No Silver Lining

https://luciferofficial.bandcamp.com/album/lucifer-v
3Heave Blood and Die
Burnout Codes

Fysisk Format // Post Punk / Alt Rock / Experimental

Another record I was really looking forward to. I reviewed their 2021 release, "Post People", right when hardly anyone on this site knew about them and... yeah I'm sure hardly anyone knows about them here yet. This album feels special for them since between its recording and its final release, their bass player, Eivind Imingen, decided to end his life. Really sad story, but the truth is that this album is fantastic, and even if it's hardly any consolation, I'm glad his last gift to the people that enjoyed the band's music is finally available.

Highlight: Men Like You

https://heavebloodanddie.bandcamp.com/album/burnout-codes
4Slower
Slower

Heavy Psych Sounds // Sludge

Well this is definitely something I didn't have on my bingo cards for this year. The story goes like this: Bob Balch from Fu Manchu was giving guitar lessons to one of his students and while teaching her slowly a Slayer song he realized he could do a whole album of Slayer sludge covers... with the right people. His first partner in crime was Poison Idea's drummer Steven Hanford, but unfortunately the project could never be completed, since Steven passed away before he even received the demos Bob had recorded. Fast forward and here is Bob with members from Kyuss, Kylesa, Monolord, Lowrider and Year of the Cobra and voilá... Slayer bangers at 0.5x. Interesting but... I don't know man... Also "Reign in Blood" is missing!

Highlight: War Ensemble

https://heavypsychsoundsrecords.bandcamp.com/album/slower-slower
5Blood Red Throne
Nonagon

Soulseller records // Death Metal

Long running veterans from the Norwegian death metal scene, featuring ex-members of Satyricon, although I don't know who's who anymore in this band because they have suffered a lot of line-up changes along the years. It's also the first album I hear of them and probably not the best entry into their catalogue. It sounds good, but I highly doubt this will resist the test of time this year without getting buried under releases of the same ilk. Absolutely wild cover art though.

Highlight: Split Tongue Sermon

https://soulsellerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/nonagon
6Rhun (USA-ME)
Conveyance In Death

House of Inkantation // Death Doom / Black Metal

This was the best possible way to start the week. Amazing album from Falls Of Rauros founder Aaron Williams with a little help on the drum kit from also FOR's drummer Ray Capizzo. The project has a very solid blackened death metal foundation with a lot of room for melody and a fair balance between sheer aggression and embellished passages. Strong contender for best of the week, and I feel a review incoming.

Highlight: Morningstar

https://rhun-official.bandcamp.com/album/conveyance-in-death
7Christoph Grab
Reflections: Oneness

Nicolas Hadorn / Christoph Grab // Jazz

Intepretations of Thelonious Monk's rather occult tracks made by Swiss saxophone player Christoph Grab. Interesting take on these classics with Christoph Grab adapting Monk's piano melodies to sax, trombone and other instrumentation. The album itself sounds pretty great too but this is as standard jazz as it gets,

Highlight: Who Knows

No BC, but have a taste: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZZYgceFuDI&ab_channel=christophgrab
8Guhts
Regeneration

New Heavy Sounds // Post Metal / Doomgaze

Sniff dealed me this rec in times of need like a boss. Spot on stuff for dewi-core conosseurs, the man knows me well. So yes, as you can imagine, this is slow, dark, heavy and has a lady on vocals. It's pretty dense all things considered and melodies are not an easy digestion. First impression was good but it holds something that I think it will only show through several sessions.

Highlight: The Wounded Healer

https://guhts.bandcamp.com/album/regeneration
9Benny The Butcher
Everybody Can't Go

Def Jam Recordings // Hip Hop

First time I heard Benny the Butcher was just a couple of weeks ago on that UnLearn the World album I really liked. As always, still can't give an accurate review on a hip hop album because I'm just getting acquainted with the genre, but I really like the bases here (The Alchemist really lived up to his name) and Benny himself is a sick MC.

Highlight: Pillow Talk & Slander

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVR3yn3KpkQ&ab_channel=STILLVILLAIN
10The Smile
Wall of Eyes

Self Help Tapes LLP / XL Recordings // Indie Pop / Art Rock

Second album of the explosive project of Radiohead's Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood with Sons of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner. Listening to this afetr lunch at work won't tank among my top 10 decisions of 2024 at the end of the year but I was still conscious enough to catch a glimpse of the greatness behind the recording. Fellow staffer Sunnyvale wrote this up better than I ever will so don't forget to read that too!

Highlight: Under Our Pillows

https://thesmile.bandcamp.com/album/wall-of-eyes
11NewDad
Madra

A Fair Youth Release / NewDad Partnership // Dream Pop / Indie Rock

Debut (I think) of this Irish indie rock band led by the soothing vocals of Julia Dawson. At times they sound like Cherry Glazerr, at times they sound like Wolf Alice, and other times just sound like they never let the bedroom where these songs were probably conceived. Very pleasant record, with some of the tracks bolstering really catchy chorus melodies and playful beats. On the other hand, there's this constant feeling that all of this have been said and done before but it's still an enjoyable listen.

Highlight: Where I Go

This new video will premiere in a couple of days so... be hyped? No BC though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZHkutFyUV8&ab_channel=NewDad
12Caligula's Horse
Charcoal Grace

InsideOutMusic // Progressive Rock

I have tried to get into this band for a few releases now. I remember looking for some bands similar to Fair to Midland in the past and these guys would show up every time. Unfortunately, I could never really connect with the vocals even if the music was rather interesting. I've tried this one today and it just bored me to tears. The songs dragged for too long with uninteresting ideas, their singer is overtly dramatic and only a few riff explosions prevented me to fall into a slumber. I think this sets the deal. This band is just not for me.

Highlight: ZzzzzZZZzzz...

https://insideoutmusic.bandcamp.com/album/charcoal-grace-24-bit-hd
13Hiraes
Dormant

Napalm Records // Melodic Death Metal

It only takes a few seconds hearing German melodeath Hiraes' second album "Dormant" to notice they really like Arch Enemy. This sounds uncanny... to the older Arch Enemy because they lack the melodic approach they took on the last album. Hiraes seem more concentrated on shredding, some of the drums are unnecessarily fast and while it's a good time, I doubt this album will stand its ground til the end of the year without being buried by similar releases. I guess we'll see.

Highlight: Undercurrent

https://hiraes.bandcamp.com/album/dormant
14Masta Ace & Marco Polo
Richmond Hill

Fat Beats Records // Hip Hop

This is the second collaboration between Brooklyn rapper Masta Ace and and Canadian, New York based producer and beatmaker Marco Polo. It seems to tale the life of Marco Polo or at least that's what I got from the interludes. The album is ok, but it has a couple of really good songs like "Outside In" and "Certified" that make me wish they would have played with r&b elements a bit more. Still, good record, and a nice addition to a hip hop catalogue I thought I never had.

Highlight: Outside In

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGWKgY6d4KY&ab_channel=PakaThePlug2.0
15Madder Mortem
Old Eyes, New Heart

Dark Essence Records // Progressive Metal / Doom

I had only listened to one Madder Mortem album before this one and that was their 2001 release "All Flesh is Grass". Pretty impressive for the year it was released, the Norwegians had a concoction of doom with progressive metal elements powered by the amazing voice of Agnete M. Kirkevaag that made quite the impression the first time I heard that record. For reasons unknown I never went back to check their other albums so this new album was a good chance to get re-acquainted and what a nice surprise. This new album is outstanding. Really, for those of you that enjoy progressive metal with a lady on vocals and leaning into the gothic doom of things, this album won't disappoint you.

Highlight: On Guard
16Dermabrasion
Pain Behaviour

Hand Drawn Dracula // Post Punk / Darkwave / Deathrock

From Toronto comes this duo practitioners of the dark arts of post punk and self proclaimed deathrock but tags aside, this shit rips your pants and gets under your skin. Godly bass lines and abrasive guitars on ten tracks commanded by the sharp and cold voice of Kat McGouran. Imagine Siouxsee fronting Joy Division and add buckets of Ministry. Irresistible, isn't it? Cheers to someone (our someone) for putting these guys on my plate!

Highlight: Betrayer Moon

https://handdrawndracula.bandcamp.com/album/pain-behaviour
17Dissimulator (CAN)
Lower Form Resistance

20 Buck Spin // Thrash Metal

Nominated for the best use of vocoder since Cynic award, this trio from Pittsburgh, which is not to be confused with Jared Dines' band, brings back the sound of early 90s thrash metal like 40 years haven't passed. Their musicianship is something to behold, tight as my ass cheeks in winter, and the vocoder tricks really work in favour of their sound.

Highlight: Outer Phase

https://20buckspin.bandcamp.com/album/lower-form-resistance
18Katy Kirby
Blue Raspberry

Anti / Singer Songwriter / Folk / Indie Rock

Fellow staffer Blush made a stunning review for this one so I won't waste words when you can be better off reading his better words. I really liked the tracks where Kirby jumps outside her puddle and tries on some indie rock for change, but her lyricism and sensibilities as a songwriter really shine through the starker tracks too.

Highlight: Cubic Zirconia

https://katykirbyon.bandcamp.com/album/blue-raspberry
19Stuporous
Asylum's Lament

Void Wanderer Production // Black Metal

Another album covered by a fellow staffer. Sunnyvale brought up this one and I'm glad I submitted myself to its... charms? This one relies on atmosphere heavily which is always appreciated. Reminded me of Abigor somehow but with their personal touch. The work on the vocals is maniac stuff, so many layers and registers that it really feels like you're trapped on an asylum cell with them.

Highlight: Throne of Madness

https://voidwandererproductions.bandcamp.com/album/asylums-lament
20Knoll
As Spoken

Self released // Grindcore / Black metal

Third album from the Tennessee young sextet (?) and I have mixed feelings about it. They really can't let go of that Full of Hell influence, it's all over the album plus this time they added some drone passages with human beast regurgitations as background that I honestly can't say they make me want to revisit it. "Metempiric" was definitely a better display of what these guys can do. This one goes to extremes when there was no need to do so, in my opinion, but who knows, maybe you'll like it more than me.

Highlight: Merward

https://knollgrind.bandcamp.com/album/as-spoken
21Kill The Thrill
Autophagie

Season of Mist // Post Punk / Industrial / Experimental

I still don't know how I feel about this. On the surface, it should be up my alley, considering the bands these guys have played with but I think this is gonna need some time and dedication. What I heard on my first run was pretty impressive for sure. In any case, if you wanna know more about this record just go and read fellow staffer Mars' review, because he has the answers, I just have questions.

Highlight: Too early to say but... A la derivé (for now)

https://killthethrill.bandcamp.com/album/autophagie
22Svitogor
The Howling Void

insArt Records // Black Metal

Stunning one man black metal project from Croatia signed off by an individual that goes by the name of Insanus, and that seems to have played or contributed to half of the metal bands in Croatia, busy dude. The album is amazing, mixing operistic and symphonic black metal with more darkwave passages, doom and a bit of everything. The length is pretty unforgiving, to the point that i couldn't finish the album in one sit. It goes for an hour and it really feels like an hour.

Highlight: Frequencies

https://insartrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-howling-void
23Ty Segall
Three Bells

Drag City Inc. // Progressive Folk / Garage Rock

I've called Ty Segall "insufferable" in the past, especially during that time he was churning out albums without much thinking but I gotta say that my opinion on his craft really changed with "First Taste" in 2019. That album had an incredibly opener that sat in two drums playing with a prog beat that was really captivating. His last release mantains that little prog influence combined with his usual raw rock sound and introducing progressive rock elements ala Comus too. Really interesting album but again, it could have been trimmed into almost two albums worth of material.

Highlight: Void

https://tysegall.bandcamp.com/album/three-bells
24The Infernal Sea
Hellfenlic

Candlelight Records // Black Metal

Yes, lots of BM this week, I can't help it! Even less if it's a green cover, I don't know why! Anyway, this is the UK BM squad's fourth full length I believe. The first two tracks will make you believe they are your typical run of the mill black metal band but third track takes the album for a ride and honestly quite enjoyable. The album is about burning witches but King Diamond did it better.

Highlight: Witchfinder

https://theinfernalsea.bandcamp.com/album/hellfenlic
25Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes
Dark Rainbow

International Death Cult // Alt Rock

This is not gonna look good on my pie chart but you gotta take some hits in order to grow friends. I really love this man's voice, his music is good, is well produced and easy to jam so I don't have a single complaint about, well I don't like his haircut, but that's a story for another time. The album is also short and sweet and more importantly it has a green cover which was important to close the list. And if I didnt convince you, go read Gonzo's review, he will surely lead you to it like the Pied Piper of Hamelin.

Highlight: Self Love

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwWMAtNhsuA&ab_channel=FrankCarter%26TheRattlesnakes
26Lucifer (DE)
Lucifer V

I can't believe the first month of the year is already down. 100 albums heard, 4 reviews penned, and as expected, a lot of good albums, mid-stuff and honestly not as much garbage as other January months in years past. Very strong start for 2024, all in all.

This week had quite of black metal because I can't resist a cool cover but Lucifer have dominated the week for me with their catchy and contagious brand of Sabbath meets Ghost. Another surprising release was Rhun, which I reviewed just yesterday and it might be top 10 black metal of the year, seriously go jam it, it's an amazing record. Madder Mortem's comeback and Heave Blood and Die's follow up to "Post People" were also among my favorite records this week. Recs also were great so keep doing that too and see u in February!
27Lucifer (DE)
Lucifer V

**********************************************************

TOP 10 OF THE WEEK

1. Lucifer - V
2. Rhun - Conveyance in Death
3. Madder Mortem - Old Eyes, New Heart
4. Heave Blood and Die - Burnout Codes
5. Dermabrasion - Pain Behaviour
6. Dissimulator - Lower Form Resistance
7. Guhts - Regeneration
8. Kill The Thrill - Autophagie
9. Alkaline Trio - Blood, Hair and Eyeballs
10. Ty Segall - Three Bells

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