Imonolith give a catchy first impression of their music

Some bands come out of nowhere just to slam you down to the ground with their sound. Imonolith did just that with the first single "Hollow".

The cover of Imonolith - Hollow (single release 2019)

The music combines two sides that normally are a contrast to each other. It's a mixture of heavyness in the hooks on the one side and melody and compact riffs in the verses on the other. "Hollow" can be called groovy, infectious. It offers the art of putting together music that is hard in it's core but sounds melodic and is highly enjoyable 'caus of it's overall softer sound package.

Many well known musicians can be heard on this one. Vocalist Jon Howard (Threat Signal, Arkaea), drummer Ryan ‘RVP’ Van Poederooyen (Devin Townsend Project), guitarist Brian Waddell (Devin Townsend Project), bassist Byron Stroud (Strapping Young Lad, Fear Factory), and second guitarist Kai Huppunen (Methods of Mayhem, Noise Therapy).

They have some shows coming up in Canada.

February 23 - Vancouver, BC @ The Red Room
March 1 - Calgary, AB @ Dickens
March 2 - Edmonton, AB @ Starlite Room (Temple)

More music is in the works. Drummer Ryan ‘RVP’ Van Poederooyen already gives a little glimpse about what to expect of further material: “As for 'Hollow', musically it represents the catchier side of IMONOLITH’s music. We have varying influences spread throughout the band and we don’t like to play just one style of music.

We have a more metal crushing side, a catchier radio side and then music that fits in-between our heavy and catchier vibes. We always aim to make IMONOLITH’s overall sound diverse and interesting. Most of all, we’re always focused on trying to write a great song, no matter if it’s heavy or catchy."

You can purchase and or stream the song "Hollow" over here.
The band's Facebook page will keep you up to date about the further progress.

Rough Silk back with new video and tourdates

Rough Silk ran across my way many times. First of all way back in 1994 when the band opened up for Helloween. I didn't knew the band before at all but was positively surprised of their sound. Most of all the song "Walls Of Never" left behind something in me.

I kept a eye on them the following years, bought the double best of CD "Wheels Of Time". The german progressive rockers kept changing line up and also the sound changed from lenghty and epic tunes to compact riff rockers.

These days the band sounds more tight and straight fowards than ever before. In addition to putting out a new album "Progressive Oi! Pop" they've put out a decent video showing the new formed band in action in the studio. Besides the work it also captures a lot of the fun moments of those days.

Rough Silk will hit the road on a good many of shows throughout 2019, most of them are located in Germany. Here's the exact list of dates starting already the coming weekend:

19.01.2019 Schänke / Haltern am See
01.02.2019 Café Prinzregent / Ansbach
02.02.2019 Raldy´s Wirtshaus / Pülfringen
09.02.2019 Dublin Road / Rheda Wiedenbrück
16.02.2019 BarRock / Hamburg
08.03.2019 Altberliner Destille / Kassel
09.03.2019 Subkultur / Hannover
15.03.2019 Klimperkasten / Stelle
29.03.2019 Matze's Rock Bar / Bad Wildungen
30.03.2019 Weißes Ross / Immelsdorf
26.04.2019 Teufels / Bargteheide
27.04.2019 B6 / Goslar
18.05.2019 Kapovaz / Bremerhaven
30.05.-01.06.2019 Metal Meeting Festival / Werder
01.06.2019 Kaiserkeller / Hamburg "Punk op de Deel-Festival"
22.06.2019 BarRock / Langenholzhausen / Open Air
07.09.2019 Janja's / Cuxhaven
14.09.2019 Crazy / Hameln
21.09.2019 Mikrofon / Obernkirchen
26.10.2019 ASB Bahnhof / Barsinghausen
01.11.2019 Tonelli´s / Leipzig
02.11.2019 Ranch / Plauen
09.11.2019 Schabreu / Braunschweig
16.11.2019 Gnasteiners / Lauenburg
23.11.2019 Fabrik / Braunsbedra
30.11.2019 Frosch / Limmer
07.12.2019 Muziekcafe / Helmond (NL)

Make sure to check the homepage for further updates.

20 Years of Autumns Eyes - new album sneak peak

"Musicians are the only rich people who share something of their wealth." (Quote, Author unknown)

I found these words some time ago on Facebook. They sticked in my mind. I can't tell you guys out there how much energy, truth and life experience music holds. It's a pure treasure to me. It was like that back in the day and it seems it is more important than ever to me now.

Solo metal band Autumns Eyes already adds since 20 years to the metal scene. These days Daniel Mitchell presents what these years album will sound like with a 5 minute preview video coming directly from the studio.

Daniel Mitchell creating new heavy music for all of us.

I can't stop from watching guitar players playing. Plus these rough riffs are my faves. These sounds are so much fun and fun is fuel for life. It kicks me. Besides the music snippets it also comes with Daniel talking about how old logs, dark sounds, and creepy crunchy guitars will help shape the follow up to the 2017 release.

Make sure to follow the Autumns Eyes social channels on Twitter and Instagram for further updates. Or click the official website for sweet offers like a green (!!!) T-Shirt for a few coins to help musicians to be able to further spread their knowledge with all of us.

CD Review: Drop Oblivion - The War Within EP (Death 'n' Thrash, 2019)

The second part of the dual EP will be out February 2019. Is it better than the first one or just a collection of fillers?

The cover of "The War Within" EP of Drop Oblivion, Artwork done by Barnaby Oakley at Crossfade Productions

Introduction
Having two releases out in a short period of time was something that found it's way into the record market in the 90s. Just think of Guns 'N' Roses "Use your Illusions I & II" albums. Or Iron Maidens two part live release with "A Real Live" and "A Real Dead One".

Now these days the Death 'n' Thrash project Drop Oblivion gives us two EPs in a two months release frame. The first cut was a rough and loud fest of dirty riffs and growling monsterous vocals mixed up with a lot of fun.

Atmospheric midtempo Thrash
These days "The War Within" reminds us of how fine Thrash can be in midtempo mode. The EP starts with a mysterious and darkened intro just to shot us in with "Monster". This particular one is the fastest and heaviest one of the package. It's rude and with a raw note. Most of the other songs on this one happily follow a more midtempo shakin' pattern. I love that. It leaves more room for atmosphere and a brighter display of feelings. The pressed situation of going in fast and loud is left behind.

It's replaced with the fun of going deeper into the riffs itself. They can breathe far more. Happily it's never monotone and also has enough agression under it's surface. You'll be satisfied if you already liked the other offer Narcistic Counsilour. The EP expresses and widdens deeper the inner fight of good and bad in all of us that has been started out with the first EP just a month ago.

"The Last Goodbye" is the best example for that. With it's different voices/vocals in it you'll feel the twisted emotions. The refrain is a wave of redemption. The title track "The War Within" is kept compact. Line by line it's going on with a closing pattern at the end. It explodes in a quick and direct ending giving a good feeling being through after all. 

It's hard to pick favorites but the track "Inner Empire" always pushed the fun factor to the highest point in me. It's this constant riffing along with the drum pattern going step by step through the whole duration.

The last one "Dark Passenger" fades the EP properly. It's the most atmospheric and haunting one. It shows that it's possible to have dark vocals in a clear surrounding and midtempo drums going hand in hand.

Purchase-Link & Prelistening
You'll get the full riffing attack possible. That's why I can recommend to pick up a copy from Bandcamp (registered users on Bandcamp can re-download all purchased music. Make sure to be logged in when buying your copy). This one is one you'll want to keep safe from any possible loss. It'll be online 1st of February 2019 on Bandcamp.

So far one track "Dark Passenger" is online for listening. Listen to it below.

Mark the Facebook page of Drop Oblivion to keep a eye on how this project will move further.

CD Review: Reclvse - Restless One's (Doom Split-EP with Lucifer's Fall, 2018)

Directly from the instruments to the tape - that's how the newest Reclvse effort sounds like. Having checked out the two previous records of the doom band I can say that this one is the most ambitious and technical one to date.

The cover of the split release of Reclvse and Lucifer's Fall

Reclvse contribution
Released as a split single with Lucifer's Fall the song starts out slow just to move up to a more riff-ripping tune. It comes out clearly but the sound remains as direct as on the other band's releases so you'll be able to capture the music as if the band is standing in front of you performing the music. It forms out as one piece making it a more dynamic track.

The new more compact form of the drums adds along with the riffs the basic for this. I would go as far to say that the band put together a new dynamic form of their sound that has been enriched with few new elements. If you loved the previous Reclvse releases you should love this one, too.

Lucifer's Fall contribution is a more agressive and uptempo piece of sound. They keep it faster on their side while the sound recordingwise goes a similar direction like Reclvse. The mix is louder but sadly the drums miss the clearness. It would have been great to have that changed along with a overall less pushing sound. The vocals stand out a bit. They feel like expressing how it is to be "Trapped in Satan's Chains" and wanting to escape this.

Pick the digital split single release from Bandcamp page of Reclvse and have a listen directly in the player below. Join Reclvse on Facebook for further updates.