ROME - Nera 2006

Jerome Reuter is mainly known in the punkrock scene but with this album he composed something else made up of a mixture of neo-classical, dark industrial, and ambient elements. This album is quite interesting in the way it is composed, however i am a bit disappointed with the vox which are always performed in the same way all along...but not too much of a problem whatsoever there's not much singing! =)

ROME - Nera 2006
Genre:Ambiant, Industrial
Tracklist:
1 Der Zeitsturm
2 A Burden Of Flowers
3 Reversion
4 A La Faveur De La Nuit
5 Das Unbedingte
6 Rape Blossoms
7 Beasts Of Prey
8 The Blade Unmasked
9 Hope Dies Painless
10 Nera
11 Birds Of Prey
12 Les Hirondelles


Let my ears bleed!

Arckanum - Fran Marder 1996

Arckanum is a one man project from a guy in sweden called Shamaatae. He calls his music Troll metal and more or less dedicates it to the spirit of nature. There are many great ambiances in that album which i bought a long time ago and though it's basic BM and it was recorded a while ago i still enjoy listening to it...so i reckon it's a good one!lol
ps to 老K:as you'll see, it's quite similar with the one man band you played, though there is ten years gap in between!lol

Arckanum - Fran Marder 1996
Genre:Black Metal
Tracklist:
01 Hvila Pa Tronan Min
02 Pe Alder Hoerskande Voesende Natur
03 Svinna
04 Kununger Af Poen Diupeste Natur
05 Gava Fran Trulen
06 Fran Marder
07 Boerghet del I
08 Trulmoelder
09 Kolin Voeruld

Lord of the hellish Forests!

Coffins - the other side of blasphemy [2006]

you certainly already heard about Coffin, a japanese Doom metal band. Actually i'm not so sure this is their genre, cause their music is rather slow paced (more on their first records than on that one) and it's damn heavy, ...like doom metal so far!lol but they style is to me closer to death metal...remember that band which blew me away when you played it (catasexual urge motivation), here it's a bit the same, very low detuned guitars and bass with a fuzzy distorted sound....well that's a genre!...and i like it!lol

Coffins - the other side of blasphemy [2006]
Genre: Doom, Death
Tracklist:
01 blood and bone
02 the other side of blasphemy
03 evil infection
04 destiny to suffering
05 countless grave
06 only corpse
07 rise

Lower than low!

METHADRONE - RETROGRESSION 2005

Methadrone is somewhat the pinnacle of industrial ambiant, their music is rather heavy (that's for sure!lol) and almost all their tracks are punctuated by a thumping, mesmerizing (or repetitive, depend on your viewpoint!) rhythm. Well how to explain??? let's just say that if the dark side of the force had a new musical style that would be it...or as in the matrix movie, if there was two pills, then you just took the wrong one!! ah ah!
have a nice trip!

METHADRONE - RETROGRESSION 2005
Genre:Dark Industrial, Ambiant
Tracklist:
01 Emotionless
02 Retrogression
03 Despondency
04 Ebullient Drift
05 Impurify
06 Transient Release
07 Of Less Emotion
08 Sex, God, Sex (Swans cover)

Pounding Industrial Hammer!

大塚愛 - 通常盤

With 大塚愛, we're really entering the chilled out world of Jpop! As always music-wise it is really cool and well composed, and she's got quite a nice and sweet voice, so the whole thing is really enjoyable! i really like her music which i find quite funny and light-hearted, it always changes your mood to a good one no matter what you felt when you started listening, she release you for a few moments! so lay back! lol

大塚愛 (Otsuka Ai) - LOVE COOK(通常盤)
Genre: Jpop
Tracklist:
1 5:09a.m.
2 羽ありたまご
3 ビー玉
4 SMILY
5 U-ボート
6 ネコに風船
7 Cherish
8 ラーメン3分クッキング
9 東京ミッドナイト
10 プラネタリウム
11 Birthday Song
12 LOVE MUSiC

Let my ears bleed!

八厘米天空 (8mm sky) - Finders Keepers (2006)

⊙关于专辑：Finders KeepersMyPlaces(自我空间 自由展现)
伸出手 感觉天空的情绪MyPlaces(自我空间 自由展现)
我们可以从音乐中汲取到能量。温暖的大爆炸，吉他旅行，烟雾弥漫的一个晚上。MyPlaces(自我空间 自由展现)
2002 年4月成军，由吉他手阿隆、贝斯手/主唱孙彼得和鼓手zen三人所组成的八厘米天空，参与了春天呐喊、野台开唱、秋虎祭等大大小小音乐活动演出，同时担任 Explosions In The Sky 与 Mum 的台北演唱会暖场团体，早已累积了许多死忠乐迷。使很多人想起 Yo La Tengo，八厘米天空的旋律，拥有对明亮景物与低回空气的分神向往，同时对秘密与自由的渴望。街道旁的灯光被快速掠过的音线远远抛在脑后，一边跟着吉他旋律用力点头打节拍，一边伸手，感觉天空的潮湿气息，感觉到与世界远远隔开的一种自由…


八厘米天空 is a post rock band coming from Taiwan. Their music a bit in the vein of Té or Explosion in the Sky except that there are vox in 八厘米天空, which is not the case in Té or EitS. Overall the album is rather calm and you can easily listen to it while working or chilling out!

八厘米天空 (8mm sky) - Finders Keepers (2006 - 02 -18)
Genre:Post-Rock/ Experimental
Tracklist:
01 We Do Not Even Shake Hands
02 The Painter
03 Finders Keepers
04 So Let Is Go
05 Something Upstairs And Something Behind
06 Her November Diary
07 Eli In Tv
08 What If Next Autumn
09 Check The Other Side
10 Rocket No 7

Let my ears bleed!

자우림 (Jaurim) - 2집 연인 (1998)

자우림 is a band from Korea (south). They are well known for their music which is always on the move and their keenness to always try new things! their music could be likened to that of the Cranberries as they are also a pop/rock band, but it would be a bit too restrictive to label 자우림 only that...actually i made this comparison because of the voice of the vocalist which is really similar in these two bands! check it out!

자우림 (Jaurim) - 2집 연인 (1998)
Genre: Rock / Pop
Tracklist:
01 戀人: 연인 3/3
02 미안해 널 미워해
03 金家滿盛 : 김가만세
04 落花 : 낙화
05 戀人: 연인 2/3 (lover)
06 동두천 Charlie
07 이런데서 주무시면 얼어죽어요
08 그래,제길 나 이렇게 살았어
09 숨은그림찾기
10 戀人 : 연인 1/3 (queen)
11 하늘로 가는 상자
12 아파
13 알아
14 戀人 : 연인 3/3 (angel)

Let my ears bleed!

Lair Of The Minotaur - The Ultimate Destroyer (2006)

Here's come what we call Heavy Metal in the military sense of the word! in other words, it's time to buckle up your belt ...or your pant's gonna fall down! Lair Of The Minotaur is damn heavy and a true representative of an old headbanging style in the vein of Celtic Frost, Slayer, or Venom...if it's too loud, you're too old! ah ah!

Lair Of The Minotaur - The Ultimate Destroyer (2006)
Genre: Sludge
Tracklist:
01 Juggernaut of Metal
02 Behead the Gorgon
03 The Ultimate Destroyer
04 Horror
05 Grisly Hound of the Pit
06 Cannibal Massacre
07 Lord of Butchery
08 Engorged with Unborn Gore
09 The Hydra Coils Upon This Wicked Mountain

Let my ears bleed!

Septic Flesh - Esoptron (1995)

While we are in Greece, let's turn our attention to undeniably the most famous death band from the country, that is to say Septic Flesh! I got this album at the same time that i got Nightfall - Athenian Echoes and as you will see/hear , the two are not similar at any rate! Nevertheless these two album are truely awesome! Spectic Flesh has more of an ambiant oriented touch in its music and the complexity lies not so much in the technicality as in the intricate organisation of their music piece.

Septic Flesh - Esoptron (1995)
Genre: Death Metal
Tracklist:
01 Breaking The Inner Seal
02 Esoptron
03 Burning Phoenix
04 Astral Sea
05 Rain
06 Ice Castle
07 Celebration
08 Succubus Priestess
09 So Clean, So Empty
10 The Eyes Of Set
11 Narcissism

Let my ears bleed!

王菲 (菲比尋常Faye Wong Live演唱會 2CDs )

Here's is an artist whom i had never heard about despite her being considered like the "ultimate" pop princess or the pinnacle of pop art (..shame on me!)and i understand why cause she's really great! her voice reminds me a bit that of Dolores Mary O'Riordan Burton, the Cranberries vocalist, the music has nothing to do with it though!lol as i have no idea how to describe her style I advise everyone to listen to her, she's really worth it!

王菲(菲比尋常Faye Wong Live演唱會 2CDs )
Genre: Pop / Rock
Tracklist:
Disc 1
01 Opening
02 天空
03 誓言
04 純情 (粵)
05 背影 (粵)
06 夢中人 (粵)
07 流浪的紅舞鞋
08 我願意
09 假如我是真的
10 只願為你守著約
11 但願人長久
12 新房客
13 香奈兒
14 將愛
15 開到荼蘼
16 償還 (粵) / 紅豆
17 暗湧

Disc 2
01 光之翼
02 悶
03 Heart of Glass
04 旋木
05 只愛陌生人
06 The Look of Love
07 如風 (粵)
08 愛與痛的邊緣 (粵)
09 精彩
10 尾班車 (粵)
11 靜夜的單簧管 (粵)
12 守時 (粵)
13 約定 (粵)
14 給自己的情書 (粵)
15 冷戰 (粵)
16 人間

Let my ears bleed!

Nightfall - Lyssa - Rural Gods And Astonishing Punishments (2004)

The same band again...but roughly 10 years later,... their style has considerably evolved! Honestly i prefer what they did before but this album is quite interesting and worth a listening whatsoever otherwise it wouldn't be here!...it's just that they have now a different style and a new, more powerful sound which does not match with my definition of death metal, it's too much NUmetal oriented (though it is still remains death metal, perhaps a bit too slow for me overall!)...well i can't reproach them with not going in circles! Hail nightfall, keep it up!

Nightfall - Lyssa - Rural Gods And Astonishing Punishments (2004)
Genre:Dark/Death metal
Tracklist:
01 Dark red sky
02 Swollen
03 Christless
04 Master of my dreams
05 The perfect li(f)e
06 The end times
07 Synastry
08 One of these days
09 Victimized
10 So(u)l invictus
11 Essence

Let my ears bleed!

Nightfall - Athenian Echoes (1995)

This is a pretty old album which i bought quite a while ago, 11 years already! it sounds now a bit old...but the production is somehow better than some actual BM bands so there nothing to be ashamed of i reckon...lol. The music sounds like "classical" deathmetal but it was pretty avant garde at the time and there are still elements (like a subtle keyboard) which are pretty uncommon in death bands... i guess they were a bit ahead of time then! There is one funny thing about that band, which might be explained by the fact they come from Greece!...actually even with the booklet right under my eyes i have NEVER EVER been able, no matter how hard and earnestly i tried, to follow the lyrics as they were grunted and growled, i usually got lost after the first two lines!lol....so if you get the trick, just tell me!lol you'll get my everlasting respect!

Nightfall - Athenian Echoes (1995)
Genre: Death metal
Tracklist:
01 Aye Azure
02 Armada
03 Ishtar (Celebrate Your Beauty)
04 The Vineyard
05 I'm A Daemond
06 Iris (And The Burning Aureole)
07 My Red, Red Moon (Emma O)
08 Monuments Of It's Own Magnificence

Let my ears bleed!

Psycroptic - Symbols of Failure (2006)

It's beginning to be late but let's not fall into slumber! Here is an AWESOME (IMHO of course!) death band! They are technical, brutal and downright effective!... and they come up with original material, ...but that goes without saying! A bit in the vein of bands like Benighted and the likes...so sharpen your blades, it's gonna hurt!!

Psycroptic - Symbols of Failure (2006)
Genre: Technical Death metal
Tracklist:
01 Alpha Breed
02 Missionaries of a Future to Come
03 Merchants of Deceit
04 Minions the Fallen
05 Repairing the Dimensional Cluster
06 Epoch of the Gods
07 Our Evolutionary Architecture
08 An Experiment in Ttransience
09 Cleansing a Misguided Path

Let my ears bleed!

Porcupine Tree - Voyage 34 - The Complete Trip

Feel like exploring the depth of the human mind? Then this is for you! Porcupine tree is a trippy band believe me...and if you get caught by their music, who knows where you're gonna drift! but after these 4 track and no less than 1 hour of musical raving you will no longer be the same. Recommended to all lunatics and Pink Floyd fans!

Porcupine Tree - Voyage 34 - The Complete Trip
Genre:Delirium Rock ;P
Tracklist:
1 Voyage 34 - Phase 1
2 Voyage 34 - Phase 2
3 Voyage 34 - Phase 3
4 Voyage 34 - Phase 4

Let my ears bleed!

Té - ならば、意味から解放された響きは『音』の世界の深淵を語る。

Té is a great postrock band from Japan made up of two electric guitars, a bass, and drums. They play a mixture of rock and progressive often played in minor mode or scales. The musicianship is very good and their music is all but boring, so i advise anyone to listen to them, it is really a shame that they aren't more famous worlwide!

Té - ならば、意味から解放された響きは『音』の世界の深淵を語る。
Genre: Post Rock
Tracklist:
1 己が分を知りて及ばざる時は速やかに止むるを『智』と言うべし。
2 思想とは我々の選ぶものを見せず、我々の好むものを『見』せる。
3 不安なのは事柄にでは無く、それに関する人の『考』えにである。
4 欲は全ての言葉を話し、全ての役を演じ、無欲者すら『演』ずる。
5 退屈な原作の滑稽さを直視させる模倣だけが真の『模倣』である。
6 暗黒中での想像力は明るい光よりも逞しく働くのを『常』とする。
7 沈黙中の表情にこそ、言葉選びに勝る本当の雄弁が『存在』する。
8 怒りは愚かな者を殺し、妬みは馬鹿者の生命を『瞬間』ごと苛む。
9 我々は希望に従って約束をし、恐怖にかられて約束を『果』たす。
10 人が空想で描く世界よりも、人が生きる現実は『遥』かに物深い。

Let my ears bleed!

ALEXEY TEGIN - Gyer. Sacred Tibetan Music Of Bon Tradition (2002)

Well this age-old musical art is really astounding, whether you are tired, working, or just relaxing it is quite enjoyable and inspirational! Actually every time i listen to that album it gives me the impression or the feeling that i am thrown into the twilight zone, launched out into roaming and exploring uncharted territories...quite an experience indeed!

ALEXEY TEGIN - Gyer. Sacred Tibetan Music Of Bon Tradition (2002)
Genre:Ritual Ambient
TrackList:
01 Bod
02 Mi Dud
03 Nag Zhig (Part 1)
04 Nag Zhig (Part 2)
05 E Ma Ho
06 Bon Ngo (Part 1)
07 Bon Ngo (Part 2)
08 Dud Tsan (Part 1)
09 Dud Tsan (Part 2)
10 Dud Tsan (Part 3)
11 So

Let my ears bleed!

Rie fu (りえふぅ) - ROSE ALBUM (通常盤) (2006)

ROSE ALBUM, Rie fu's second album, sees the London-based singer both returning to familiar sounds and experimenting with, among other things, a slightly more rock-oriented style with help from British band The Pretenders.

Rie fu (りえふぅ)- ROSE ALBUM (通常盤)(2006.03.24)
Genre: Jpop
Tracklist:
01 そのままで
02 5 Minutes
03 Funny Dream
04 I Wanna Go To A Place ...
05 Realize
06 Tiny Tiny Melody
07 Conversation
08 They Always Talk About
09 Kiss U Goodbye
10 Vintage Denim
11 ROSE
12 Long Long Way
13 ねがいごと

Let my ears bleed!

Olivia - The Lost Lolli (2004)

A great (and very nice!)artist from Japan. She's mainly known under the name of Olivia but you may found her under the Olivia Lufkin moniker. Lately she also used OLIVIA inspi' Reira (Trapnest)as a stage name. If you like modern rock music in the broad sense of the word, you should listen to her at least once in your life. She has a great voice and her music is well composed and original...still here??.. what are you waiting for??!

Olivia - The Lost Lolli (2004. 02.18)
Genre: Rock/Pop/Electronic
Tracklist:
01 Alone in our Castle
02 Fake Flowers
03 Blind unicorn
04 Devil's in me
05 Celestial Delinquent
06 Space Halo
07 SpidERSpins(Lost Lolli Mix)
08 026unconscious333
09 Under Your Waves
10 Dreamcamp
11 Denial
12 Sea me (English version)
13 Into the Stars(Live Arrangement ver.)

Let my ears bleed!

Olivia - Synchronicity 2000

This is Olivia's first album, it is perhaps my favourite between the two posted here. Though this album is beginning to get old now, it's still a pleasure to listen to it anytime cause it's very varied and the melodies alway put you in a good mood. check it out! =)

Olivia - Synchronicity (2000.12.06)
Genre: Rock/Pop/Electronic
Tracklist:
01 Solarhalfbreed
02 Walk On By
03 Dear Angel
04 Color Of Your Spoon
05 Escape The Flames
06 Dress Me Up (English Version)
07 Soulmate
08 Dekinai
09 Grapefruit Tea
10 Crystalline
11 Liquid Skies
12 re-ACT (Album Mix)
13 I.L.Y ~desire~ (Album Mix)
14 Mint (Bonus track)

Let my ears bleed!

Cult of Luna - Salvation (2004)

Cult of Luna belong to a small group of bands who are slowly creating their own sound and genre (slow and sludgy metal).The music of "Salvation", when it isn't beautiful and melodic is nearly always punishing, feeling like it is crushing the listener's skull.The album has a couple of songs that have a jazzy slant to them, but nowhere near being actual jazz. Another amazing part of this album is it's complete openess and honesty. The lyrics of "Salvation" are extremely honest, emotional and depressive and the music reflects the lyrics extremely well.As the music of this album is extremely heavy and a bit inaccessible to someone not interested in heavy music, it isn't for everyone. But anyone interested in heavy music or even ambient music must own this album. Just don't expect it to make you smile.

Cult of Luna - Salvation (2004)
Genre: Experimental (Doom/Metal/Stoner)
Tracklist:
1 Echoes
2 Vague Illusions
3 Leave Me Here
4 Waiting For You
5 Adrift
6 White Cell
7 Crossing Over
8 Into The Beyond

Let my ears bleed!

Elend - The Umbersum

Elend is a very peculiar band! actually they are not part of the metal scene, so to speak, but the emotional content of their music is on par with the darkest BM band. The Umbersum is part of a trilogy (inspired by Milton's Paradise Lost) and this chapter is undeniably the most sinister...and it is quite an experience in itself...just try to listen to it at night in the middle of a forest or jump in your car and drive to any remote places where human being can hardly access, when you get there, listen to it...you might just experience what many people call fear!

Elend - The Umbersun (1998)
Genre:Dark Neo-classical
Tracklist:
01-Du Trefonds Des Tenebres... [From the Very Depth of Darkness]
02-Melpomene
03-Moon Of Amber
04-Apocalypse
05-Umbra
06-The Umbersun
07-In The Embrasure Of Heaven
08-The Wake Of The Angel
09-Au Trefonds Des Tenebres... [At the Very Depth of Darkness]

Let my ears bleed!

冷酷仙境 - 陌生仙子国

This is a female fronted band which play a very tuneful pop/rock. Given my poor reading of chinese i have very few information about that band. Notwithstanding i called it progressive because it is inspired and imbued with many chinese musical elements which entails that the musical complexcity is at a level we often find in jazz. Don't expect to hear any distorted guitar parts or double bass on that album, it is more like ambiant rock then, or some free jazz/fusion bands! But it's worth listening to whatsoever!

冷酷仙境 - 陌生仙子国 (Kingdom of Benevolent Strangers)
Genre: Progressive Rock
Tracklist:
１　 凌晨三点　[3A.M]
２　 飞翔主题 [Soaring]
３　 沉睡秋天 [Autumn Sleep]
４　 玻璃刀　[The Glass Cutter]
５　 死在报纸上的孩子　[Dead Children in the Newspaper]
６　 嘟嘟对你说 [DuDu! You Say]
７　 手心里绝望的花 [Holding the Flower of Dispair]
８　 巴黎猫　[The Cat from Paris]
９　 小仙子　[Little Fairy Girl]
１０ 暮色 [Colour of Sunset]

Let my ears bleed!