National CD Reviews
Issue 239 / November 2008 More from this Issue
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Abigail Williams
In the Shadow of a Thousand Suns
Candlelight Records
Street: 10.28
Abigail Williams = Cradle of Filth + Behemoth
My experience with Abigail Williams actually stems back about four years ago, when they sent me a friend request on this little website called MySpace, and I’ve checked in on them occasionally ever since. Finally, they’re signed to a reputable label, and here we are today. Unfortunately for me, the production is a bit too cleanly processed, but it’s a snag I’ve been able to mostly ignore. Aside from a useless interlude keyboard track and a few symphonic song interludes which overstay their welcome, the music doesn’t really let up from the relentless pummeling that I do so enjoy taking. Did I say pummeling? The drumming on this album is ferociously ridiculous. There are several good moments here, giving the album some decent replay value. I am pleasantly surprised at what is offered here. I only hope they try to push the boundaries a bit further on the next album. –Conor Dow
AIDS Wolf
Cities of Glass
Skin Graft Records
Street: 09.16
AIDS Wolf = CromTech + Black Dice
AIDS Wolf has a distinct Gravity Records noise feel to it: The combination of stark musical expressions, traditional "rock" instrumentation and shit-tons of feedback is reminiscent of groups such as CombatWoundedVeteran, CromTech, and early Black Dice. What AIDS Wolf brings to the table that other West Coast 90s retro noise-violence bands don’t are haunting vocals and stunning song composition—the ability to piece together atonal sounds and dissonance into an edible work of art that is as expressive as it is genuine. Gone are the sensationalist noise tendencies to be louder and as aurally overloading as possible; instead the group cleverly develops these sound into a unique palette of sound—leaving plenty of white space—a skill many "noise" artists quickly forget. –Ryan Powers
Amadan
Pacifica
Afan
Street: 09.29
Amadan = Mxpx + The Corrs + Gaelic Storm + U2
What a piece of shit. After listening to this record, I had a dream that Ken Casey and Al Barr of the Dropkick Murphys, Shane McGowan of the Pogues, and Dave King of Flogging Molly got together and after pints of Guinness and shots of Jamison, all tracked down this band Amadan and just beat the bloody piss out of them for creating this watered-down version of the real music the guys and their bands have been creating. As you may have guessed, this six-piece band tries to fuse pop rock with Irish folk elements, but to a really terrible outcome. There just doesn’t seem to be anything real about them; they’re as honest as a fucking Old Navy commercial. Basically it comes down to the fact that real folk music is not pop music and once you try to force that, you’ve gone too far. –James Orme
Amon Amarth
Twilight of the Thunder God
Metal Blade
Street: 09.30
Amon Amarth = God Dethroned + Gardenian + Capharnaum + Viking tales
The always-epic Amon Amarth has always been just in my radar, but never enough to call myself a hardcore fan. For me, the replay factor on the more recent records With Oden on Our Side and Fate of Norns was low, great records in their own right, but for some strange nagging reason, I’d listen to them and move on with the exception of the fantastic Versus the World album. Twilight Of the Thunder God’s replay value, on the other hand, has become a new addition to music I regularly listen to. The song craft on this record is exceptionally well done, the groove in the main rhythm guitar keeps momentum pumping and the melodies the band has become known for, well, they stand out more than usual on this new effort, l the band’s Versus the World album. While the entire record is solid, I find myself going back to certain tracks, "Free Will Sacrifice," "The Hero," and "Live for the Kill," in which the main riff, along with some string accompaniment, is a bit of a deviation from the standard Amon sound. –Bryer Wharton
Antenne
#3
Helmet Room Recordings
Street 07.01
Antenne = Portishead + Orinda Fink + Eluvium
Meandering along like Air's Moon Safari, Antenne's #3 (their third full-length album) is sure to be as much as a cult favorite. Antenne is more widely known throughout Europe, as Kim G. Hansen (Denmark) was a founder of the experimental noise-rock band Grind. Grind transitioned into Armstrong, playing trip-hop, which resonates over to this album with "Long to Kiss" and "Blue Light." Electronic keyboards and static programming are quantified by blocks of acoustic guitar. These tracks are two of the few with sultry, harmonious vocals slowly sung by Marie-Louise Munck. The majority of tracks need no vocals over fuzzied tempos, gorgeously sequenced among soundscapes of nature walks. I love "Ttreaa 7," just as well-crafted and timed as any Kid A song. And I would love this on vinyl, please. –Jennifer Nielsen
In the Shadow of a Thousand Suns
Candlelight Records
Street: 10.28
Abigail Williams = Cradle of Filth + Behemoth
My experience with Abigail Williams actually stems back about four years ago, when they sent me a friend request on this little website called MySpace, and I’ve checked in on them occasionally ever since. Finally, they’re signed to a reputable label, and here we are today. Unfortunately for me, the production is a bit too cleanly processed, but it’s a snag I’ve been able to mostly ignore. Aside from a useless interlude keyboard track and a few symphonic song interludes which overstay their welcome, the music doesn’t really let up from the relentless pummeling that I do so enjoy taking. Did I say pummeling? The drumming on this album is ferociously ridiculous. There are several good moments here, giving the album some decent replay value. I am pleasantly surprised at what is offered here. I only hope they try to push the boundaries a bit further on the next album. –Conor Dow
AIDS Wolf
Cities of Glass
Skin Graft Records
Street: 09.16
AIDS Wolf = CromTech + Black Dice
AIDS Wolf has a distinct Gravity Records noise feel to it: The combination of stark musical expressions, traditional "rock" instrumentation and shit-tons of feedback is reminiscent of groups such as CombatWoundedVeteran, CromTech, and early Black Dice. What AIDS Wolf brings to the table that other West Coast 90s retro noise-violence bands don’t are haunting vocals and stunning song composition—the ability to piece together atonal sounds and dissonance into an edible work of art that is as expressive as it is genuine. Gone are the sensationalist noise tendencies to be louder and as aurally overloading as possible; instead the group cleverly develops these sound into a unique palette of sound—leaving plenty of white space—a skill many "noise" artists quickly forget. –Ryan Powers
Amadan
Pacifica
Afan
Street: 09.29
Amadan = Mxpx + The Corrs + Gaelic Storm + U2
What a piece of shit. After listening to this record, I had a dream that Ken Casey and Al Barr of the Dropkick Murphys, Shane McGowan of the Pogues, and Dave King of Flogging Molly got together and after pints of Guinness and shots of Jamison, all tracked down this band Amadan and just beat the bloody piss out of them for creating this watered-down version of the real music the guys and their bands have been creating. As you may have guessed, this six-piece band tries to fuse pop rock with Irish folk elements, but to a really terrible outcome. There just doesn’t seem to be anything real about them; they’re as honest as a fucking Old Navy commercial. Basically it comes down to the fact that real folk music is not pop music and once you try to force that, you’ve gone too far. –James Orme
Amon Amarth
Twilight of the Thunder God
Metal Blade
Street: 09.30
Amon Amarth = God Dethroned + Gardenian + Capharnaum + Viking tales
The always-epic Amon Amarth has always been just in my radar, but never enough to call myself a hardcore fan. For me, the replay factor on the more recent records With Oden on Our Side and Fate of Norns was low, great records in their own right, but for some strange nagging reason, I’d listen to them and move on with the exception of the fantastic Versus the World album. Twilight Of the Thunder God’s replay value, on the other hand, has become a new addition to music I regularly listen to. The song craft on this record is exceptionally well done, the groove in the main rhythm guitar keeps momentum pumping and the melodies the band has become known for, well, they stand out more than usual on this new effort, l the band’s Versus the World album. While the entire record is solid, I find myself going back to certain tracks, "Free Will Sacrifice," "The Hero," and "Live for the Kill," in which the main riff, along with some string accompaniment, is a bit of a deviation from the standard Amon sound. –Bryer Wharton
Antenne
#3
Helmet Room Recordings
Street 07.01
Antenne = Portishead + Orinda Fink + Eluvium
Meandering along like Air's Moon Safari, Antenne's #3 (their third full-length album) is sure to be as much as a cult favorite. Antenne is more widely known throughout Europe, as Kim G. Hansen (Denmark) was a founder of the experimental noise-rock band Grind. Grind transitioned into Armstrong, playing trip-hop, which resonates over to this album with "Long to Kiss" and "Blue Light." Electronic keyboards and static programming are quantified by blocks of acoustic guitar. These tracks are two of the few with sultry, harmonious vocals slowly sung by Marie-Louise Munck. The majority of tracks need no vocals over fuzzied tempos, gorgeously sequenced among soundscapes of nature walks. I love "Ttreaa 7," just as well-crafted and timed as any Kid A song. And I would love this on vinyl, please. –Jennifer Nielsen
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