AGENTS OF OBLIVION.

I've been trying to figure out how describe the A.o.O. sound to you for days now, and I'm STILL having a hard time trying to nail it down. To me, this means that it is an epic band / epic recording transcending the rules of any set genre.

There it is.

One minute you get a lilting melody & the ethereal voice of Dax Fuckin' Riggs singing you a lullaby, the next he's howling like a banshee -like only Dax can do it.

This album runs the gamut of emotions, and in a way that - while this is a "heavy" record - they get their "heavy" from somewhere else besides the usual "beat-you-about-the-head-and-ears" with amplification & distortion, etc. Dynamics, songwriting & comeptent players that lay back in the pocket until it is time to strike, and then when they do, they do it tastefully, and with power to spare.

An excellent fucking record from a band that I sure as fuck wished could have lasted longer.

Don't be "scairt", son…

Agents of Oblivion - Agents of Oblivion

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HOLY TERROR.

Some serious mind-blowing twin-guitar thrash action going on here!

Really hard to pin-point / peg their sound; the vocals on this thing are fucking over the top.
If there is any band I could compare them to, early Savatage mixed w/ some early Metal Church might be a close call.
Add some early Kirk Hammett solos and a young Slayer in there too, whydontcha?

You're either aware of this band or not, and you love them or hate them - it's your call - but if you ask me, this is one of the most underrated thrash bands that most people think they have heard of, yet actually never have heard them at all.
Their attack is relentless - the pace never slows - and while they put out two killer albums, no one gives / gave a fuck. Don't be "that guy"...

Holy Terror - Mind Wars

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SAMHAIN.

Offered up today for your internet leeching consumption is a collection of (studio) outtakes from Samhain's "Magnum Opus" album, November Coming Fire.

The mix is loud, unbalanced, and awesome.

Honestly?
I'm always a fan of the rough mix / demo stuff more often than not, and this one is far more fun for me to listen to than the final product.

Fuzzy/overdriven chorus guitarage, plodding "soggy" drums, buried keyboard melodies, lots of howls & shit like that… no spray-on hair or cat litter shopping frenzies yet…

Samhain - November Coming Fire (Outtakes)

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LICKGOLDENSKY.

Chaotic hardcore fuckery.
A ton of melody floating in a cesspool of electronic catharsis.
Fat hooks, jarring rhythms, abrasive vocal caterwaul.
The heaviness of the load - the load being something like a giant piece of shit-flavored cake drizzled with a Robitussin-and-Adderall frosting / glaze-type of icky goodness.

Just put it in your ear / mouth already, willya?

LickGoldenSky - LickGoldenSky

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