TAKEN BY THE SUN - Self-Titled (Album Review)

Incredible cover artwork by Nick Keller.

It's not everyday you come across a band that describes their music as "Post-Metal / Jazz / Doom / Ambient Sludge", so it's with a high level of awareness that you approach Chicago's Taken By the Sun. You just know you're going to either love the music ... or despise it deeply and passionately.

Taken By the Sun's self-titled debut is progressive in the truest sense, it speaks the language of stoner and doom metal but invents new phrases, crashing the borders of both extreme and post-metal styles along the way. The patchwork monster of sounds and styles isn't entirely unlike what a Neurosis would produce with the "kitchen sink metal" sensibilities of Philip H. Anselmo & the Illegals thrown in. You may hear an odd-time hammer slam of a drum beat with a haunting melody plucked away in the background before the two elements switch places of prominence. You might hear dry throat cries mingling with melodic vocals atop a choppy chaotic sea of noise, before the entire structure solidifies and girders itself with a stoner riff.

But apart from what sounds familiar, there are times you will hear things on this album you've never heard before, like the soaking wet modulating bass tone of the incredible "Red" or the "bone-dance" riffing in parts of "Volatile". The magnum opus of this first outing would have to be the closing track "Ornaflux", which was premiered over at the terrific Sludgelord blog. You can listen to that track at this location. It's a good introduction to the band, it shows what they're all about, a bludgeoning attack buffeted by polyrhythms, around the world melding of styles a head-sploding chaotic chorus and it just so happens to be a great song to boot. It's incredible when you hear it to think that the album was recorded live with minimal overdubs.

This all might sound like direction-less nonsense, but that's my words failing, not the band. The styles in the utility belt may clash, but each is used in its proper place. This band is Batman. The raw elements of sound are then re-combined in novel ways, by finding just the right mixture to create a powerful new beast never before glimpsed by man. This band is Mr. Hyde.

The album goes live on Taken By the Sun's bandcamp page tomorrow, February 24.

Rating: «««« / 5

Taken By The Sun facebook page

Official website

HORRIBLE NIGHTS - Jacula

Jacula was formed in 1966 by Satanist Anthony Bartoccetti and his wife Doris Norton. Their 1969 album 'In Cauda Semper Stat Venenum' is the most evil music that the world had ever known at the time of its release. That is, until a certain Brummy blues band stormed the world months later.

[Image Source]

Still, the impact of this album remains keen. There is a conspiracy theory that the album was actually recorded in the 80's or 90's and some of the production touches certainly seem to indicate that. In its original form, the album was said to be released as an edition of 300 copies, and they weren't sold in stores. In fact, they weren't sold at all. According to legend, the band gave copies away to anyone they met who had an interest in the occult. Most, if not all of the original copies have been lost or destroyed. I have yet to find any mention online of someone having dug up one up. If they did, I suspect they would hear much the same music as you would today on the iTunes version, for example ... minus some of the crushingly heavy guitar and synth overdubs.

But regardless of its true origins 'In Cauda Semper Stat Venenum' is an amazing album. In 1969 this album wouldn't have fit in anywhere. Church organ, played by Charles Tiring is the lead instrument, followed by thunderous timpani (played by Norton), with the occasional spoken/whispered vocal laced throughout. The album features 6 inverted hymns and insists on being listened to by candle light. This is dark ambient music before there was a concept of such a thing. While the infant prog scene of the day seemed to be focused on some of the more fanciful applications of the hippie ideal, Jacula were provocative, unapologetic occultists. One thing's for certain, this isn't pop music, but is it even prog?

Anthony Bartoccetti [Image Source]

The best way to describe the sound would be to call it devotional music. The thing is, what the group was devoted to would surely have sickened the sensibilities of the masses. They seemed to be made to inspire hatred. One could only imagine the response to the band at the time. Keyboardist / organist Charles Tiring was said to be in his mid to late sixties and married to an 18 year old girl by the time of their second (and last) album 'Tardo Pede in Magiam Versus' in 1972. This is one of those bands that every story you read about them gets crazier and crazier. Jacula is almost too good to be true. Another clue to make one question the authenticity of 'In Cauda Semper Stat Venenum' is to compare it to what came later.

'Tardo Pede in Magiam Versus' is very much a product of its time. It's certainly progressive. At times the album transposes the spookier organ works of J.S. Bach onto a Fairport Convention album. However great that idea looks on (e-) paper, it sounds even better in practice (see "U.F.D.E.M."). Doris Norton's singing voice is deep, rich and powerful, her spoken word passages sound desperate and pleading, whenever possible she leads group chants. Much of the album however is devoted to organ solos. There are jazzier / loungier / dreamier parts of the record however, such as "Jacula Valzer" which belies any proto-metal leanings. In spite of that, much of the record is steeped in eerie moods, but falls somewhat flat when compared to its predecessor.

[Image Source]

After this second record, the band changed parts and Anthony Bartoccetti changed gears into Antonius Rex with new personnel. The new group first appeared in 1974 with their 'Neque Semper Arcum Tendit Rex' album and continue to this day. Their latest record, 'Hystero Demonopathy' came out in 2012.

The beautiful and talented Doris Norton would eventually go on to become an early electronic music pioneer in the 1980s, actually working in IBM's research lab to create music. It's very much "robot music", not entirely unlike Kraftwerk. In hindsight, her fast moving electronic compositions might sound "retro futurist" to modern ears. They are not without their charms.

CABALGATA CÓSMICA - Obscenus EP

Cover artwork by David Vivó.

Got some more space rock and heavy psych for you, this one by a Spanish band, Cabalgata Cósmica. Even if you don't have Spanish, the band name says it all (it means Cosmic Ride). The cover art is another good clue to what you'll find here, kaleidoscopic visions in sound. The band tends to start things off slowly and ethereally, then take off with punkish fury. The EP is 4 songs and 26 minutes long, but the ground that is covered here makes it feel like a full-length album. The sound here is not entirely unlike Spectral Haze or selected moments from Oulu Space Jam Collective. There are moments here that bring to mind 'Revolver' of 'Vincebus Eruptum'. I'm not sure how much the more "popular kids" of the blog world are talking about this one but I consider it to be recommended listening. High energy Space Rock, music that travels.

HORRIBLE MONDAYS - Anima Morte

You may have read about my adventures on reddit in the Gypsy Wizard [et al] feature. Well that little hour or so of spelunking continues to net results. The previously uncharted territory unearthed there is seemingly endless, as is usually the case in musical explorations. One of the names on Thatool's seminal occult rock list is Anima Morte. They've been around for a while but I'd never had the occasion to hear them until now. There aren't many bands that sounds like them. They takes the Goblin-worship one step further than most: rather than recording tunes that sounds like lost gems of the film score superstars, Anima Morte take the Goblin blueprint and blaze their own trail. That is, progressive rock with a horror-inspired cinematic scope.

There are similar bands out there, metal and prog bands at least partially indebted to Goblin, Blizaro is always number one in my mind in that category as they are arguably my favorite current 'band' (in quotations because it's mostly the work of one man, John Gallow), then there's BlackQueen and Midnight Zombie Alligator among the most memorable. But Anima Morte isn't really a metal band at all, although they maintain a hard and dark edge. It would be fair to label this "dark prog".

I like the moods here. Anima Morte are more interested in atmosphere than melody so the results are more 'Dawn of the Dead' than 'Suspiria' (I don't mean to pigeonhole Anima Morte here, but I can't resist the Goblin comparisons). This emphasis creates a truly cinematic experience for the listener. That's not to say they've done away with melody completely, just that their interest lies in the "story" they're trying to evoke.

Take a taste:


If you like the flavor, you might want to order yourself a CD or vinyl by ordering at the Transubstans Records online store. And you can always grab up a digital copy from iTunes.

SPECTRAL HAZE - I.E.V.: Transmutated Nebula Remains

I really dragged ass on picking this one up, but late to crashing the party is better than never having left the house, no? Two years after their bandcamp demo the band re-emerged with their debut album, on Soulseller Records no less. Spectral Haze has upped their game with a more intense sound, marrying the ritualistic aspects of friends Saturnalia Temple with the most g-force pushing moments of Hawkwind. The band is rarely caught without their full throttle rock pants on on this record. Blast off commences from the first moments and continues in lengthy stages over the course of the next three quarters of an hour, give or take a moment of free drift or two. This is an outstanding album. This is another for the "Best I Missed" list, it's too bad I only heard it now because this is one of the best records I've heard from 2014. I got my copy from iTunes, you can pick up a physical copy at the Soulseller online store.

CROWNED IN EARTH - Metempsychosis

Cover artwork by Brian Tutlo.

Got new Crowned in Earth album in the inbox, fist-pumped and happy danced, in that order. Make no illusions, this is a biased write-up. I was already a fan of the first two Crowned in Earth albums, but when I read that Pug Kirby (bass) and Darin McCloskey (drums) were involved I nearly bought a wig so I could flip it. 'Metempsychosis' hearkens back to the heydays of prog, even more so than the decidedly proggy 'A Vortex of Earthly Chimes' with its mind-blowing jazzy arrangements and unearthly structures. At this point Kevin Lawry has all but blasted the doom of 'Visions of the Haunted' out of the Crowned in Earth sound, there's no question what kind of album this is. Biased opinion or not, this album is an instant classic of progressive rock (see video below (Holy shit!)). Fans of King Crimson, East of Eden, Van der Graaf Generator and Peter Gabriel-era Genesis will NOT want to miss this one. That's some lofty company, indeed this album aspires to lofty things.

UPDATE:
You can get CDs here

CIRESIUS - Neptunia

Cover artwork by Claire Buchler.

Not sure how many of you out there have Luxembourgian prog on their radar, but whether it is or not, Ciresius is a band to check out. 'Neptunia' finds a good balance of heavy stoner sounds with odd time signatures and song structures, not entirely unlike Torso. Heavy prog rarely sounded as good as this. For a starting point, why not check out the songs "Love And Real Arguments (L.A.R.A.)" and "Mechanimal" to see what you think. I dig it and at 13 songs and 63 minutes Ciresius fills your plate. The record seems to get heavier the deeper into it, but I'm not sure that's not my brain adjusting to the barrage of sounds.

JUST THE FACTS (according to the band's facebook page):
Start Info: Founded on October 2011

Genre: Progressive-Rock/Noise-Rock/Doom-Metal/Hard-Rock

Band Members
Kevin Misci: Guitar/Vocals
Christophe Rippinger: Bass
Marcel Zimmer: Drums/Vocals

Hometown: Luxembourg

Short Description
ciresius@hotmail.com

Long Description
Formed in October 2011, Ciresius is a new Act of various Genres of Music.
The 2 former members of Noiseferatu, Kevin Misci and Christophe Rippinger, came in contact with Marcel Zimmer in September 2011.
One month later they formed CIRESIUS.

They have performed first on a Birthday and made their official Live Debut on the Eat Your Feet Festival 2012 @ Dudelange.

Now they are making Songs for their upcoming Album.

Influences:
Isis, Neurosis, Coheed and Cambria, Motörhead, Mastodon, Shellac, Turing Machine, Metallica, Megadeth, The White Stripes.

OULU SPACE JAM COLLECTIVE - Umm Srrpt Psst

This is the perfect companion to the Deep Space Destructors album up today as it features all three members of the band, with forces joined by 4 others (see 'facts' below). Finland's space rock answer to the Wu-Tang Clan have kept themselves busy since their debut in August 2013, this release is eight parts of improvised music split into two tracks which tower near or over the 50 minute mark! Now, I've only just begun to dissect this thing, but I've been an avowed believer in this cult's teachings since I first saw a video of the group performing a live outdoor jam (see bio below). As I move past the halfway point through parts I-IV I'm impressed with how the Collective is able to whip the piece into an absolute frenzy from very humble beginnings then gear it all the way back down again. This release has basically given me exactly what I expect which is some windy jams that put the space back into space rock. So nearly two hours worth of kraut-y, psych-y, space-y jams here and the best part is YOU-GET-TO-NAME-YOUR-OWN-PRICE.

JUST THE FACTS:
Genre: Oriental Oulu Kraut Control

Band Members
Joonatan Elokuu – guitar and synthesizers, Markus Pitkänen – drums & percussion, Olli Niemitalo – Black Deck, Petri Lassila – guitar, Jani Pitkänen – bass, also featuring Kalle Veikko – electronics, lap steel & guitar, Petri Henell - percussions and sounds

Hometown: Oulu

Affiliation: Universe

Short Description
Oulu Space Jam Collective is channeling cosmic flows of the universe through their chosen instruments. Jams happen when galaxies collide.

Bio
1st jam 22.08.2013 at the Oulu Night of the Arts

2nd jam 09-10.05.2014 at the Rehearsal Vortex

3rd jam 21.08.2014 at the Oulu Night of the Arts

4th jam 25.10.2014 at Pikku-Berliini, Oulu


Other projects by members:

http://deepspacedestructors.bandcamp.com/

https://soundcloud.com/kiiltomatolyhty

http://kiiltomatolyhty.bandcamp.com/

https://soundcloud.com/black-deck-project

http://boar.bandcamp.com/

http://arsonunderthesea.bandcamp.com/

Email: ouluspacejams@gmail.com

Website: https://ouluspacejamcollective.bandcamp.com/

JUST THE MUSIC:

DEEP SPACE DESTRUCTORS - III

Cover artwork by Ilkka Vuojala

It happened some time back (in summer), but just because it isn't "new" news, doesn't mean it's not news worthy. Deep Space Destructors, arguably the strongest space rock outfit on this and at least two other planets released their third album, fittingly enough titled 'III'. The album picks up their increasingly familiar sound and expands greatly upon it. This is hallucinogenic music, prog, krautrock and space rock at its finest, not for those prone to bad acid trips. Consider this album HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

JUST THE FACTS (according to the band's facebook page):

Founded on January 2011

Genre: Psychedelic space rock from Earth

Band Members
Jani Pitkänen - vocals, bass
Petri Lassila - guitars, backing vocals
Markus Pitkänen - drums

Hometown: Oulu, Finland

Record Label: DIY

Affiliation: Infinite space and chaotic cosmos

Short Description
http://deepspacedestructors.bandcamp.com/ Deep Space Destructors plays psychedelic space rock.The band’s journey continues towards deeper space ∞

Long Description
Upcoming gigs:
4.4.2015 at DEPO, Riga, Latvia w/ Boar and Tuliterähttps://www.facebook.com/events/838659002821657/

Bio
Deep Space Destructors was founded in the beginning of the Earth year 2011 in Oulu, Finland, on band members’ mutual love for 60’s and 70’s hard, prog and psychedelic rock. The band added influences from stoner and doom genres, resulting into collision of musical galaxies to be described as psychedelic space rock from Earth.

A year later, the first small step (one giant leap for mankind) was taken out from the Rehearsal Vortex and “I” was released to the unaware public. In the last quarter cycle of 2012, DSD started performing live and released “II”.

During 2013, DSD met with wizard Olli Niemitalo who had invented and assembled, Black Deck, an optoelectronic instrument out of a broken vinyl player and scrap electronics. Together with a mutual friend, DSD and Olli founded instrumental space rock jam band Oulu Space Jam Collective which performed at Oulu Night of the Arts
in August. The collaboration continued in 2014 as Black Deck joined forces with DSD on “III” recordings and a couple gigs in Oulu.

“III” can be described as an unintentional theme album from the band’s collective subconscious and the most spaced out creation so far. Deep Space Destructors' journey continues towards deeper space and sounds.

"III" tracklist:

1) Beyond the Black Star
2) Spaceship Earth
3) Cosmic Burial
4) An Ode to Indifferent Universe
5) Ikuinen Alku

Deep Space Destructors can be found wandering through space and time at:

http://deepspacedestructors.bandcamp.com/
http://soundcloud.com/deep-space-destructors/sets
http://www.youtube.com/user/DeepSpaceDestructors?feature=watch
https://plus.google.com/106386298155001608425/posts

Current Location: Oulu, Finland

Artists We Also Like
Black Sabbath, Camel, Hawkwind, Eloy, Judas Priest

Influences
Black Sabbath, Camel, Hawkwind, Eloy, Judas Priest

Email
deepspacedband@gmail.com

Other Accounts
https://twitter.com/dsdspacerock(Twitter)

Website
http://deepspacedestructors.bandcamp.com/

Press Contact
deepspacedband@gmail.com

Booking Agent
deepspacedband@gmail.com

JUST THE MUSIC:

LIZARD QUEEN - Third Eye

Lizard Queen, that strange side-project from the even stranger band from the northeastern Italian border, Deep, is back. This is the first we've heard from this collective that has received favorable comparisons to Ice Dragon in the past since the last Lizard Queen album was released about a year and a half ago. But this isn't a quick little jab of a release, at 12 songs and an hour and a half worth of fuzzy goodness this is a twelve-round bout. Thing is, many bands and musicians out there would ask listeners to take out a second mortgage just to hear an album of that magnitude. Lizard Queen is asking you to PAY-WHAT-YOU-WANT.

Now, if there's one thing to complain about here, it's the tinny mix, which will definitely turn off the hardcore audiophiles out there. For me, a good tune is a good tune and I listen to old scratchy records from the interwar period anyway. Once you turn up the volume, adjust the bass and treble, it becomes a kick-ass record fairly quickly. There are little touches of Tool, some desert sounds, a thesaurus of progressive motions and it's all covered in the jelly of stoner fuzz. Judge for yourself on the player below.

SOROR - Self-Titled

Cover artwork by Isabela Brito.

Here's a weird little freebie. Soror is a three piece experimental metal band out of Brazil. Their sound and overall genre can be a bit hard to pin down as these free spirits glide from doom to black with vocals that switch from King Diamond-like to growly. I don't know the specifics because there isn't a ton of information out there about this band but there's a 66.6% chance that the vocalist is a woman. Whatever it is they're doing, it's got a spooky vibe and I like it. I don't imagine it will appeal to everyone but nothing ever does. On top of anything else there is to say about it, this 5 song EP is available for absolutely FREE DOWNLOAD so there's nothing to lose but time by checking it out on the player below.