Friday, December 29, 2006

五人一首 - 五人一首(2000)



This band isn't known that much and really deserve all your attention cause they are simple OUTSTANDING! to me they sound as if Nuclear Rabbit (that stupendous band of crazy lunatics!) took on an even more violent form!

here's the explaination of the name they give on their website:
The name of Gonin-ish is named from referring to the Japanese classical literature “Hyakunin-ish”. Hyakunin-ish is the literature which contains hundred of poems. The poems are constructed by divided characters, and the dividing rule is 5, 7, 5, 7 and 7 characters. “Hyakunin” means people of one hundred, and “Ish”means one poem. A man at A.D.800 selected 100 excellent poems from a lot of poems. For this reason, the literature was called “Hyakunin-Ish”, and these poems were inherited in the card game. The rule of this game is very simple. when introduction of poem was read aloud, players are to scramble for cards. In the new year, a championship of Japan is held for this game.
Refer to the above. A word "Gonin" (means five people) and "ish" (means one poem) were selected for a name of Gonin-Ish. We decided the name of “Gonin-Ish” which is a coined word, meaning to unite songs by five members.

music wise here the opinion of the band members about their music (and i quite agree with their descrition):
Gonin-ish is progressive metal band, the music futures "silence" and "chaos". To express these, we are careful about to manage beautiful melody, death voice, a delicate piano, a percussive piano, irregular time, tension chords and the techniques. When audience experience our shows, everybody expresses our sound as "Progressive Rock", "Death Metal", "Gothic Metal", "Punk?", etc. However, a division of a genre does not have a meaning.Songs of Gonin-Ish are bond to Japan, with lyrics, melodys and artworks. On lyrics, Anoji chooses words from Japanese classic literature which never use modern-day , and it is difficult for modern Japanese to understand the lyrics. This point is not handicap, because Japanese language contains “kanji” characters (They attain to Tens of thousands!). The “kanji” has many meanings by only one character, then Japanese are able to image something easy from lyrics.

五人一首 - 五人一首 (2000)
Genre: Avant-Garde Progressive Death Metal with a somewhat traditionnal Japanese ambience!
Tracklist:
1 狂骨の夢
2 経文刻印身体
3 二人遊び
4 月と半魚人
5 楼の主
6 経文刻印身体Demo1999

Let my ears bleed!

Thursday, December 28, 2006

Derek Sherinian - Blood of the Snake [2006]



In the dead of night, there's always time to listen to intricate musical pieces! actually that's when i come to understand them best ...cause i'm not at all into progressive (especially when singing is involved!lol which fortunately is not really the case here)! The star is of course a keyboardist and not a guitarist (the former keyboard hero from dream theater)! but there's so many guest on this one album that it's better to remain concentrated on the music,... indeed, the musicianships flies high on that album. This is progressive/jazz metal in the pure vein of the style, most of the tracks have a malmsteen-esque feeling (you'll hear why!) and bear the mark of that insatiable being! luckily i happen to enjoy him a lot!lol so check this out, it's good for your health!

Derek Sherinian - Blood of the Snake [2006]
Genre: Progressive Metal
Tracklist:
1 CZAR OF STEEL
2 MAN WITH NO NAME
3 PHANTOM SHUFFLE
4 BEEN HERE BEFORE
5 BLOOD OF THE SNAKE
6 ON THE MOON
7 THE MONSOON
8 PRELUDE TO BATTLE
9 VIKING MASSACRE
10 IN THE SUMMERTIME

Musicians:
Derek Sherinian (Keyboards)
John Petrucci (Guitar)
Zakk Wylde (Guitar)
Yngwie Malmsteen (Guitar)
Simon Phillips (Drums)
Tony Franklin (Bass)
Brad Gillis (Guitar)
Brian Tichy (Drums)

Special Guests:
Billy Idol (Vocals)
Slash (Guitar)

ps:track 2 is faulty at 3'27, but it's worth it anyway!

Let my ears bleed!

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Cradle Of Filth - Thornography (2006)



Well, it is rather unusual for me to present a well known band, but a friend of mine lent me this CoF album and being a fan since A principle of evil made flesh i was quite interested in listening to it and a bit reluctant as well, for i didn't really like some of their in between/latest stuff (like cruelty and the beast and others which i forgot the name of!). This Thornography has been quite a surprise cause it's actually much more in the style of their very first album (the principle of evil made flesh), that is more metal oriented with thrashy guitars and catchy riffs! but it's not exactly the same thing, this one album is much more accessible and somewhat intended at a wider/different audiance, as a significant part of the album sounds more or less metal or gothic and not black metal at all! but in the end this is perhaps my favourite since their first and i find the whole thing awesome and almost addictive! though i'm well aware many fans will not agree with me and flame the band down! this album is dedicated to all the metalheads that don't give a f*ck about trends or styles and just go for the music! Hail! \m/(([[x*x]]))\m/

Cradle Of Filth - Thornography (2006)
Genre: Gothic, Black Metal, Heavy Metal
Tracklist:
01 Under Pregnant Skies She Comes Alive Like Miss Leviathan
02 Dirge Inferno
03 Tonight In Flames
04 Libertina Grimm
05 Byronic Man
06 I Am The Thorn
07 Cemetery And Sundown
08 Lovesick For Mina
09 The Foetus Of A New Day Kicking
10 Rise Of The Pentagram
11 Under Huntress Moon
12 Temptation

Let my ears bleed!

The End - Elementary 2006



If you like it heavy, this may well be your next purchase! The End plays a harcore/metal which is downright effective and original. Such "in-your-faceness"(!) calls names like Neurosis, The Dillinger Escape Plan or even A Perfect Circle to my mind! quite an enjoyable band with a powerful sound that follows its own path, ...and it's been a while since i found a hardcore band that makes me shiver but that one makes me feel all twitchy!!lol =) so rush to get that one they deserve it! \m/


The End - Elementary 2006
Genre: Trippy / Post Hardcore
Tracklist:
1 Dangerous
2 The Never Aftermath
3 Animal
4 The Moth And I
5 Throwing Stones
6 My Abyss
7 Awake?
8 A Fell Wind
9 In Distress
10 And Always...

Let my ears bleed!

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Wooden Wand & The Vanishing Voice - Gypsy Freedom (2006)



confounding, amazing? you said it!lol WW&tVH is a mysterious and loony troupe of musician from N.Y.C and to say the least their music is quite experimental, almost akin to free jam workouts,... like bluesy insanity mixed with a smidgen of jazz and pop!lol overall, it's close to traditional/folk and acoustic music so if you like epic groovy melodies from outter space, you should really consider digging that one!

Wooden Wand & The Vanishing Voice - Gypsy Freedom (2006)
Genre: Experimental, Acoustic, Neo-psychedelic folk
Tracklist:
1 Friend, That Just Isn't So
2 Didn't It Rain
3 Don't Love the Liar
4 Hey Pig He Stole My Sound
5 Sun Sets on Clarion
6 Dread Effigy
7 Dead End Days With Ceasar
8 Genesis Joplin

Let my ears bleed!

Sunday, December 24, 2006

KEHLVIN - The Mountain Daylight Time 2006



Kehlvin is a band from switzerland and they play metal mixing death, hardcore and atmospheric parts. The vox are often scream or growled (not like death metal but rather death-thrash stuff) but they can also be performed in a somewhat Radiohead way! music wise the closest band that comes to my mind would be Deftones but it's only a loose link, they can be much more agressive and they music is more "experimental" and ambiant overall cause they also dabble in electro-pop from time to time! an ecclectic band indeed, so check 'em out!


KEHLVIN - The Mountain Daylight Time 2006
Genre: Post Hardcore
Tracklist:
1 Albatross
2 John Lemon
3 How To Lie With Maps
4 Band Over
5 Frankenstein Bis
6 Fat Freddy
7 Moksa
8 The Mountain Daylight Time
9 Red Diesel Revolver
10 1 cabeza / 2 brazos

PS: to 老K兄:obviously They don't want you to get it!lol so i re-upped the album to another location, now your problem should be solved...well i hope so!lol ;)
Let my ears Bleed!

Monday, December 11, 2006

Jojo Mayer & Nerve - Live @ Modern Drummer Festival 2005



Jojo Mayer got his first drum set at two years of age. He improved his skills to a very high level. Now he is considered a technical master by many drummers working today. Like many other drummers in his style, one of his main influences is Buddy Rich. He was described as "godlike" by Modern Drummer and lives in New York City.
So if you feel you have the soul of a drummer buried deep within or you were one in a former life then i dedicate this one to you! ;)


Jojo Mayer & Nerve - Live @ Modern Drummer Festival 2005
Genre: Drum n' Bass
Tracklist:
1 Far
2 Jabon
3 Pleasure Control
4 Syncophat

Let my ears bleed!

Sunday, December 10, 2006

Lullabye Arkestra - Ampgrave 2006



Lullabye Arkestra is definitely a strange band and i can tell that it's not intended at anyone!lol actually the beginning of the album is quite misleading and unrepresentative of the style of the band so don't let yourself be lured into their trap and remain on your guard!lol music wise it's noisy rock with a psychedelic coltrane like sax but of course it's not always like that! if you like stuff like sonic youth, the who and old trippy r'n'r (and even ska to some extent!) then you're likely to set foot on a familiar ground!

Lullabye Arkestra - Ampgrave 2006
Genre: Alternative Rock, Experimental
Tracklist:
1 Unite!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2 All I Can Give Ya
3 Hold On
4 Y’Make Me Shake
5 Come Out, Come Out
6 Nation Of Two
7 Bulldozer Of Love
8 Ass Worship

Let my ears bleed!

Saturday, December 09, 2006

Vanessa Mae (陈美) with London Philharmonic Orchestra - China Girl



Some classical music here by a very talented artist! she composed the second and third track on this album, the first one was done by Zhan-hao He and Gang Chen, but she took part in the performing of them all. Her music is somewhat inspired by traditional chinese melodies but it's done in a very modern way and i find her style very epic and lyrical. To me it's a bit like a mixture between R.Wagner and P.I.Tchaikovsky, two of my favourite composers with,to say the least, rather different styles! So check her out forthwith, her style is simply devastating!

Vanessa Mae(陈美) with London Philharmonic Orchestra - China Girl
Genre:Classical
Track List
01. Violin Concerto ("Butterfly Lovers")
02. Violin-Fantasy on Puccini's "Turandot"
03. Happy Valley, the 1997 Re-Unification Overture

Let my ears bleed!

Saturday, December 02, 2006

Harlassen - A Way Now 2006



Harlassen is a weird and very cool band (as someone made the remark, it's one of many names under which Richard Skelton performs, so it's a one man band!), and the music is not easy to describe! To me the ambiance they create is very reminiscent of those found in Ravi Shankar's, the indian sitar master. However there's nothing like a sitar on this album, and the music is mainly made up with piano, violin and an acoustic guitar, but they manage to create hypnotic and drifting percussive melodies that are really worth hearing! enjoy!

Harlassen - A Way Now 2006
Genre: Experimental Instrumental
Tracklist:
01 What the River Said [Edit]
02 An Eddy of the Blood [Edit]

Let my ears bleed!

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

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!

Saturday, November 18, 2006

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!

Friday, November 17, 2006

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!

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

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!

Sunday, November 12, 2006

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!

Saturday, November 11, 2006

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!

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

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!