CD Review: Final Coil - Persistence Of Memory (Alt-progressive Metal, 2017)

A dark toned alt progressive album with lots of details to discover and a lyrical concept
that provides a critical look upon our technical overloaded existence.

This album comes around a bit different than the previous recordings. The first full length goes a different way to keep you on the stereo while listening.

The artwork of Final Coil's debut full lenth "Persistence Of Memory", (c) by Final Coil, used with kind permission

Summary and Track by track review
First of all it kicks in with the well known heavyness of the previous EP "Closed To The Light" just to throw you into cold water with softer and fragile vocals. These elements need a moment to sink in but we'll see later why it makes sense to be this way. "Corruption" is a great opener and introduction anyway.

The following "Dying" comes around with a simpler structure and feels familar, yet it also is not so straight as other tracks of Final Coil. The more rounds you'll give this the more you'll enjoy the atmosphere and details in this song.

"Alone" variates a lot throughout it's duration, while the basic riff is kept simple. It reminds of the first ever EP of the band but with better vocals.

A touch of Depeche Mode reaches your ears with the next one. The second single "You waste my time" comes with pop appeal yet it's much more dirty and rough than songs from that style.

A surprise is send our way with "Myopic". This is going back to the heavy formula, yet it's structure builds tension just to stop at it's climax. Great tune and fat production.

A band picture of the Leicester based band Final Coil, (c) by Final Coil, used with kind permission

If you started to discover the band while they put out the "Live with doubt" EP you'll love "Spider Feet". It has lot's of the music of that release. A hard tonality mixed with soft notes in the verses just to give you a blast with it's long and stretched refrain. One of my faves of the record.

The best is yet to come. This saying comes true with "Failed Light". It's epicness is a love letter to the beginnings of progressive music in days when Pink Floyd started to record music. It's giving me chilling freeze and lot's of noise tension in the end. One of the best tracks ever written IMHO.

"Lost Hope" provides what the song title promises. Sweet and slow suffering mixed with melodies sounding like lost in the haze.

The rough edge returns with "Moths to the flame". A cutting riff runs through this one. It's definitely for the fans of early material of the band.

Want more riffs? You got it! "In silent reproach" has a propeller rotating riff shaker with it. The drums kick heavier in here. Something less often to be found on "Persistence of Memory".

The album is closed with a silent number called "Alienation". Musically I would compare it with the "Somnambulant" accoustic sessions. A piece of music deeply rooted in thoughts and emotions yet the end holds something like a "won't give in" sound with it.

Finally the question: has the band become soft and are the vocals too easy?
I think it was the best decision to keep a eye on change and progression. Life is change. Everything is changing. I would've been silly to keep it all the same. As for me the band has found a way to maintain the hard riffs but to build  them into the music a intelligent way to give room for atmosphere and darkness.

The vocals are lighter most of the album but looking at the lyrical concept of digital distortion and destruction of humans (my interpretation of the lyrics) other styles wouldn't have fit. It's about hurt and regret so this needs to be expressed properly in my ears.

Finally I would recommend this record to you but listen to it on a real stereo system. The full ingridents only come to life with a extended sound system. All the laptop and smartphone stuff I tried never provided the full listening experience. Don't worry: a normal stereo system of a basic range already fit's your needs. Just make sure it has sharp sound and good bass sound available.

Album Stream / Purchase Link / Contact Data
It's a treat of great music recorded and mixed for full audio pleasure so it's worth giving back with some money. Remember that music can give you enjoyment for years if treated a good way. Few things in life will do the same for you.

The digital release is available via Bandcamp as of today. The CD version looks gorgeous but will be released September 22th. Pre-order packs of the physical edition with T-Shirts and more goodies will be set up earlier to the release date of the CD version. Just make sure to like the band's Facebook page to be notified or have a look on their homepage the good old way.

Pryti uses music and video to express her darker feelings

I've found out that music can speak to me and others much more than other ways of art ever could do. The same thought may have been one of the reasons for Pryti to start writing music. She is a Alternative / Singer Songwriter based in Birmingham / UK.

Her influences range from Sarah Mclachlan to Deftones and I think you can hear that a lot in the video single for the track "Bitter Pill".  Pryti wrote, sang, played the guitars and bass on all of the songs of her debut album ‘Tales of a Melancholic’, and released it on her label Welcome To Pariahville.

In a statement about the track Pryti pointed out: "Bitter Pill is a dark song about struggling and trying to explain how you feel. I love how the video captures that."

As for me this one comes with a special dark, haunting vibe to it. I love the slow way the track moves in the verses just to finally explode in the refrain parts. The voice gives so much of sensibility to the overall tone of the music while the beat keeps it hard and dry but it feels naturally throughout the whole track duration.

Pryti during the video shoot of "Bitter Pill", (c) by Pryti, used with kind permission

You can pick up the song or the whole longplayer from iTunes and all other digital retailers.

Also make sure to stay in connection with Pryti through sites such as Twitter, Youtube or Facebook.

Fins a Luminous share haunting Double A side single

This brand new digital single released by UK based band Fins A Luminous shows that you can also work with fine electronic elements to create a deep and intense atmosphere. I think it's the idea that stands behind the music and how detailed it's worked out that decides if it touches the listener.

The cover of the Double A side single, (c) by Fins A Luminous, used with kind permission

This said the single starts out rather soft and silent with "Setting Souls". The song is styled in a minimalistic way but once you let it sink in you'll discover what this simpleness will do for you. It's this easy toned style that helps to concentrate on the music itself. This track that will take you away from your everyday life and lead over to a more relaxed state of mind. Enjoy some refreshing of your soul while listening to it.

The second number "Funeral Shake" gives things a more raw and powerfull tonality featuring elements of drone and shoegaze in it. While it still creates landscapes of imaginations through the music it definitely goes a bit deeper and works with various sound layers to create it's atmosphere. The lyrics are inspired by the Twin Peaks series.

If you enjoy what you hear don't hesitate to go to Bandcamp and pick a copy of this release. While the band has been so kind to give it away for free please consider giving at least a few bucks back on a donation basis to help them creating more atmospheric and refreshing tunes for you.

Follow the band through their social accounts on Facebook or Twitter to stay up to date about all the upcoming works of Fins A Luminous. You can also visit Soundcloud for more tunes of the band.

Dark Music collection helps victims of tragedy in Bucharest

On October 30 2015 local band Goodbye to Gravity were celebrating the release of their second album at the nightclub Club Collectiv n Bucharest when the tragedy occurred and a massive fire began to spread. First hints point to a massive lack of security as the reason for this sad event. 

More than 50 people died and many dozens more are still in hospital. The victims and their families continue to need help with all sorts of things from funeral expenses to medical care.

Happily the Romanian artist, Costin Chioreanu has released a collection of avant-garde dark music, entitled "The Quest For A Morning Star", to raise funds for the people in need. The download features one hour of very dark tunes that in my ears perfectly fit to the dark situation we are all facing these days. 

Chioreanu is well known and highly respected for his graphic works for At The Gates, Arch Enemy, Napalm Death, Arcturus, Darkthrone, Mayhem, Ulver and many others. A musician himself, he has collaborated with various artists to create "soundtracks" to accompany his exhibitions in the past. The result can be purchsed now for the first time as a download album.

So if you want to help out the people affected by this sad event please consider buying a copy of the digital album through Bandcamp. This download is available for a limited time until November 27th 2015. You can listen to the full record below to get a idea of how the record sounds like.

Update 30.11.2015: The campaign is over and was a big success. The exact amount that has been raised will be announced on 5th December on the Facebook page of Costin Chioreanu. The digital compilation will remain on Bandcamp for the price of 1 Euro to keep it online forever.

If you still want to help the victims of the Club Collectiv tragedy you can purchase a physical copy of the record through Avantgarde Music. 

Limited to 300 copies, this A5-sized digipack features 8 beautiful art works by Costin Chioreanu on a 7 pages booklet. Includes unlimited streaming of The Quest For A Morning Star via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

All profits of this physical edition will be collected and donated to the Foundation “fundatiamereuaproape.ro". You can check out all the details of the release and find the pre-order link on the pages of Avantgarde Music.

September Mourning releases lyric video and expands Kickstarter campaign

The first time I heard about a collaboration between a metal band with the world of comic characters was way back in 1996. Iced Earth released their "The Dark Saga" album, a concept record about the world of Spawn which also was used as a front cover of the album. I liked the record also it was much softer than the very heavy previous effort "Burnt Offerings". The addition of emotions and more variantions in the songs made it interesting for me.

September Mourning makes a different approach. It is not "only" a character in a comic universe but also a woman who performs under the same name and appeareance a combination of dark alternative Hard Rock. The music part of the project has just released their "Children Of Fate" lyric video from their upcoming EP due out this fall.

The character of September Mourning is a human-reaper hybrid, who feels the need to give some human souls a second chance, and thus toys with Fate. The real human artist carries positive passions into her music constantly encouraging their fans to have “the courage to embrace their passion… to allow yourself to follow your heart and not be a slave to your fears. To know that the only boundaries that exist in our lives are the ones we allow.”


Currently a Kickstarter campaign is up and running to help bring September Mourning's story from the stage to the pages of a comic book. An amazing all female team has been assembled to bring the story to life. The first issue has already been written by Mariah McCourt, illustrated by Summeye Kesgin, and conceptualized by Emily Lazar (September Mourning) & Marc Silvestri.

At the time I'm typing these lines the project was able to reach their initial Kickstarter funding goal for the first issue of the September Mourning comic book in under 72 hours! The first stretch goal of $20,000 has been announced.

When the stretch goal is reached, every person receiving a print or digital copy of September Mourning #1 will now also receive a corresponding digital and/or print copy of September Mourning #2 with a new Summeye Kesgin cover. This is a completely separate comic and continues the story of September Mourning. This exclusive cover edition will only be available through Kickstarter.

The #2 issue is not a separate pledge level, it's a stretch goal added to all who receive #1. So you can pledge other levels or spread the word about the campaign to your friends to help push over the $20,000 pledge level. You can make a pledge on September Mourning's Kickstarter page HERE. 
 
A pdf version of the comic is available for 5 Dollar including a free download of the song "Children of Fate". The prices for a  physical copy start at 15 Dollar. Just check the link for more details.

If you'd like to connect with September Mourning make sure to see the Facebook page or have a eye on Twitter or check in at Instagram.