EP Review: Phil Stiles - The Anchorite (Electronic Ambient Rock, 2020)

Some may think that electronics and effects are not for people like me. But I like the atmospheric elements these stuff can add to the music. The new output of Phil Stiles is a good example for how good these pieces of music can fly through the notes of (partly) heavier music.

Cover Photo by Phil Stiles, Layout and Design Jola Stiles.

"The Anchorite" feels like a dark and atmospheric soundtrack to a dystopian reality. Throughout most of the duration of this EP tasty guitar compositions can be heard. They easily find it's way into my ears and let me drift apart into a isolated society. This is simply good music that touches the soul.

It's the simpleness of the songs that grab's me. In contrast to many of today's bands Phil Stiles concentrated on the main theme of the song and works it out throughout each track's duration. It feels as if each song evolves over time.

Sadly the start is a bit complex. "A Nation's Trust" is a rough and hard to grab song. I recommend starting with the first single "A Slide Into Depravity". It has a bit more of sound thickness inside that enriches the music's message.

Same goes for the excellent "Antipathy" - a riff hacking ride backed by a electronic drum pattern. Great - finally someone dares to go a fresh and different way these days by using the snare a unusual way.

Cold elements also find it's way through the mentioned effects and electronic gimmicks into the four tunes plus the intro of the offering. They point to a society being in chaos. "Critical thinking" perfectly matches that in music form. With it's nearly robotic rhythm pattern topped with riff arrangements floating through the song it gives this "Lost World" flair to me.

Make sure to get the limited tape from Bandcamp. It has a impressive bonus track that's more intensive than the previous five numbers. This song goes beneath the skin more than ever before and is not available for streaming. The silver sparkle cassette tape only costs few more than the download of the song package.

Finally keep in touch with Phil Stiles through Facebook or Twitter or have a look on the homepage from time to time.

Single Review: Skin For A Canvas - Autumn fireflies (Ambient Acoustic, 2018)

The atmospheric time of change has arrived. We turn from summer to winter. Skin For A Canvas provide the proper soundtrack to this time of the year.

This summer has been long and heated. Slowly we go to the colder days so it's time for some softer stuff. The cover alone already speaks out what the music inside is all about. It's a catchy tune full of touching moments. Close your eyes and let it fully sink in. Time to relax for a while...

The beautiful cover gives a hint of what to expect of the music

One of the creators behind this single is Ian Mortimer. Readers of this blog may remember his name for his work on his other project Drop Oblivion, a much heavier Death 'n' thrash metal offering. But this man also has a tatste for softer tunes. This reviews looks into what is about to come out soon.

"Autumn fireflies" fades in slowly a classic acoutic way but some percussive elements add in every here and there already. It combines the soft glimpse of fine guitars and harmonic vocals along with surprisingly rougher notes coming later in. The first section is based on clearer parts with some tasteful rhythm. "Autumn fireflies" builds up with more keyboards and dual vocals further to rush up towards a outgoing point marking the end of the track with a climax.  

You can pre-order this release through the Distrokid service. It will be added automatically on 2nd of November 2018 to your Spotify library. There's also a link on the page to pre-save the track on Apple music. Below is a little sneak peak of the single.

The artist Ian Mortimer already works on more stuff together with Dani Burnett. It's a limited album that's in the works based on music written in different time periods.

Some of the songs of this album are brand new songs, some written before Dani was planned to be on this album and some songs Ian Mortimer and Dani wrote back in 2006 but were not recorded or released but now this album will finally see the day of light. Be sure to follow the both further through the Facebook account of the Skin For A Canvas to know how the story goes on.

Jupiter Hollow reveal tourdates and send us Deep in Space

The release of the debut EP of the progressive duo Jupiter Hollow is drawing near. And as much as you (hopefully) are excited about the release as much I am looking forward to hear the final product.

As of today I can at least share one more video of the EP with you. It reveals one more track and shows how much diversity and feeling the two guys are able to transport with thir music to the listener. This time around it comes more to the rough and cutting side of the band but don't worry: there is still enough space for the melodies and big riffs to shine through the harder parts of the sound. Besides that it is also a perfect demonstration of how good the guys are when it comes to playing shows.

Shows is a good word: the band was able to confirm more dates in the meantime. Just check the column underneath the video to read all the details about the new tour dates.


Show Dates:
December 9 - Barrie, ON - Foxx Lounge
December 10 - Montreal, QC - Club Lambi
January 14 - Toronto, ON - Smiling Buddha (CD Release Show) - info

In the meantime pick up a free download of their track 'Ascending' available at http://www.grantmackenzie.ca/jupiterhollow

The prog duo Jupiter Hollow,
L-R- Grant MacKenzie (guitar, bass, synth), Kenny Parry (vocals, drums, synth/keys). Photo by Sandra Beatty 

The EP 'Odyssey' will drop on January 13th. The concept record will feature 5 tracks to introduce their ambient experimental progressive songwriting plus will act as a prelude to their planned full length 'AHDOMN'. Their sound is referred to as spacey, experimental and refreshing, reminding listeners of bands like Tool, Pink Floyd, A Perfect Circle, Tesseract, The Contortionists and Rush.

For more info make sure to see the band's homepage.

Jupiter Hollow introduce upcoming social/Sci-Fi concept EP with new video

As for me it's impressive to see what people are able to do if they really want to. This thought just came across my mind when I heard about this ambient progressive rock/metal duo from Barrie, Ontario.

It's only these two guys called Grant MacKenzie (guitar, bass, synth) and Kenny Parry (vocals, drums, synth/keys) who've put together music that is breathtaking for me. It is for sure dominated by a progressive tonality but they keep things more straight forward and give the music room to breathe.

You never feel stressed with all the elements they bring in to the sound but instead it's more of a deeply emotional music which keeps sounding straight forward, harmonic and you can understand the song structures straight away. In addition to that the new video is calming with it's beautiful nature recordings. What's even better is the fact that this song is part of their upcoming EP 'Odyssey' which has some concept behind it that reminds me of a novel-like social/Sci-Fi story.

The EP that will be distributed by Milagro Records and is set for release on January 13, 2017 will feature 5 tracks to introduce their ambient experimental progressive songwriting plus will act as a prelude to their planned full length 'AHDOMN'.  

The following column contains spoiler! Please only read on if you like to know things in advance instead of discovering them for yourselves step by step.

The cover of the upcoming Jupiter Hollow EP "Odyssey", (c) by Jupiter Hollow, used with kind permission

"This EP is a concept record, it will tell the story about two characters fighting one another in order to save their civilizations, but they just can’t do it. They’re in control of their civilizations future, but then you actually find out that there's only one person, who’s actually fighting with themselves. They're unhappy with who they are when they look in the mirror and realize they can’t grow past their indifference, and that they actually aren't a good person and the people from their civilization will die." says the duo. "The cool thing about the EP's title track Odyssey is that the story then takes place after the civilization is destroyed, and the character leaves on a spaceship somewhere else looking for a new start. This track will be the introduction into our second record, which will be about them looking for a new start. It will be a more hopeful record. Spoiler Alert! Overall this EP is like the “trailer” to a movie. Odyssey will help listeners get acquainted with us and prepare them for our full album AHDOMN later in the year."

If you'd like to listen to some more stuff right now (like me) you are surely happy to read that some tracks of the EP have already been released. You can buy and listen to these songs on the band's homepage and keep the contact via YouTube, Facebook or Twitter.

CD Review: Vision Lunar - Luna Subortus

Band Introduction

The band was founded by Alexandre Julien (who has also played in Soufferance, Citadel Swamp,Éphémère and Vision Éternel, to name a few). From 2006 to 2007 Vision Lunar released seven demos. After going through a hiatus and ultimately breaking up in early 2009, a complete discography CD was issued, entitled “Phase One (2006-2009)”. This was given away to close friends and collaborators eventually released as a free download, massing over four hundred downloads since October of 2010.

A re-issue of that release was put out on a limited run of CDs starting August 29th 2015 by Abridged Pause Recordings. This second pressing features upgraded artwork, proper chronological track listing and a new song that was discovered in 2014, not found on the original issue.

Alexandre Julien started working on new Vision Lunar material back in February of 2015. After some re-thinking he finally re-animated the band and has just recently put out a brand-new EP entitled "Luna Subortus".

(c) by Vision Lunar, used with kind permission

Summary

So normally when I think of Black Metal I mostly think of very brutal music. It brings the raw power and energy of metal out the most direct and sounds uncompromising like only few. This band called "Vision Lunar" has surprised me a lot. It is Black Metal for sure but with a very atmospheric and haunting attitude in it. It shows that this musical style is not necessary limited or even bound to it's pure darker tone but can also bring in a lot of melody and vibe to it.

Album-Stream
 

Track-by-track Review

Listening to the new EP on Bandcamp I was very pleased to be introduced with a melodic first track called "Desperation". It takes you into a own mood which makes you calm. It perfectly fits to the change of nature which is going on these days with the summer leaving and the silence and darker sounds of autumn coming it. It also prepares you to listen closely.

The second track "Spiritus Luna" see's us going into a heavy metallic guitar storm, proofing the riff abilities of Vision Lunar. Here comes the moment that you realize the heavyweight of the EP. Still it all remains a instrumental song. I think band's doing instrumental stuff need to bring a lot to the table to keep the listener at the Stereo system but this riff monster definitely manages to do so.

Finally the third song "In Hues of Blood Orange" leads you away from the heavy style and brings you back to the melodic site of the record. You're leaving with your mind filled with new impressions. Plus I think you'll long for more once you've taken a ear on this. A very promising release and one which made me think on a different and new way when it comes for mixing musical styles that may sound impossible on a first try.

Final Words and Purchase Link

What makes this release so special is that it follows a sort of release circuit. In earlier times of the band from 2006 to 2007 Vision Lunar released seven demos, always on the day of a  full moon. The September 28th 2015 release date was chosen deliberately as it was the night of a full moon and also a lunar eclipse.

The full moon captured in Lingen, Photopgraphy taken from me in 2014

"Luna Subortus"  (meaning "revived moon" in Latin) is offered digitally. A cassette version is also in the works. Just head over to the Bandcamp page of the record company to purchase the EP.
There's also a physical version available on CD that comes in a clear DVD case for all readers living in Europe. Just head over to the website of Winterwolf Records (based in Germany) or visit their shop at Ebay to get a copy.