Sorry, Heels - She (CD Review)

Sorry, Heels - "She"

01.Through The End

02.She Burns

03.Follow Signs

04.Something Real

05.The Spell´s Ballad

06.My Dolls House

07.Another Lapse

08.The Void

09.The End Of Desire

Davide Messina (Guitar, Keyboards)

Simona Pietrucci (Vocals)

Additional Musicians:

Ettore Pistolesi (Vocals, Guitar)

Filippo Strang (Drums)

Bubi (Vocals)

Italian band formed in 2010, Various line-up changes mark a radical change in Sorry, Heels' sound, abandoning rock standards and diverting their compositions towards electronic music, while maintaining references and sounds linked to new wave and early post-punk.

This album is a work dedicated to the love journey of a woman who faces infatuation, falling in love, disappointment and frustration. Both the lyrics and the sounds were written in an attempt to evoke all the various stages she has gone through.

 So we have the concept Starting from infatuation, 'Through the End' and passion with 'She Burns'.

These are delivered with haunting vocals, minimal synth and drum backing and occasional guitar, each perfectly balanced to create quite a cold electronic ambience.

We continue with rejection on 'Something Real', my fave track so far, all the previous elements are still present this has the added aural pleasure of some dark gothic guitar work.

Obsession gets two songs, 'Follow Signs' and 'The Spell's Ballad' as does loneliness, with 'My Doll's House' and 'Another Lapse'. The latter of which becomes my second fave song here with more dark and disturbing gothic undertones and some great Bass riffs.

Finally, repentance with 'The Void' followed by a somewhat depressing acceptance that nothing will change with 'The End of Desires'.

Rating 8/10

For Fans Of: Portishead, This Mortal Coil, Cocteau Twins, Black Tape For A Blue Girl

XCIII - The Blue (CD Review)

XCIII The Blue

01.Sway

02.Abstract

03.Life Seeks Death

04.The Blue

05.S.A.L.T 

06.Sway Remix 

07.Abstract Remix 

Guillaume (All instruments, Vocals)

Maélise (Additional Vocals)

Sarah (Additional Vocals)

 XCIII is an Avantgarde Rock / Metal project located in France. The bands name is a reference to Charles Baudelaire's "Les Fleurs du Mal", poem 93, titled "A une passante".

Its aim is to combine different styles going from Black Metal to Trip Hop with no limitation, but with the will to keep a musical and lyrical coherence between all the tracks. 

A kind of "Art Total" where music, lyrics and pictures respond to each other. The former idea to play a folk black metal disappeared by the time Guillaume composed new songs, which were more open to new horizons, including Experimental and Progressive elements.

The gradual transformation of XCIII has reached a provisional end with The Blue EP, which was released on the 10th of December 2019 to celebrate the ten years of the existence of the project. Even more sensual and direct, it overlaps all the band's experiments of the last decade, even more eclectic, with some hint of industrial Metal, but also more pop-influenced atmospheres. Several songs were specially composed in order to be played live. The 2021 digipack version contains a bonus track as well as two remixes by BartosAntos and by Maquerelle.

'Sway' starts with a simple guitar riff then via a sampled speech begins to form with synthesizers, as it builds female vocals come in and the song starts to take form, relentless in its building of instrumentation the final piece creates a nice easy to listen 'pop song'.

Getting a touch weirder is 'Abstract' reversed synth pulses and sampled vocal builds and then the whole song changes with some heavy guitar playing and and some more spoken words.

Track Three is 'Life Seeks Death' a strange but well composed mixture of pop music with "hints" of the heavier stuff.

It is 'The Blue' that stands out for me, a superb atmospheric near gothic song, haunting vocals and great keyboard work.

'Salt' has an 80's sound that would have been perfect for '4AD'.

That just leaves us the two remixes, which don't seem to add anything interesting to the normal versions and seem a touch pointless.

Rating 7/10

For Fans Of: Portishead, Massive Attack, Garbage, Brian Eno

Martyr Lucifer – Gazing at the Flocks (CD Review)

Martyr Lucifer – Gazing at the Flocks

Martyr Lucifer (vocals, synth, programming)
Leìt – (Vocals)
Adrian Erlandsson (Drums)
Nagaarum  (Guitars)
Simone Mularoni (Bass)

01. Veins of Sand Pt. 1
02. Veins of Sand Pt. 2
03. Bloodwaters
04. Feeders, aka Heterotrophy / Saprotrophy
05. Leda and the Swan Pt. 1
06. Leda and the Swan Pt. 2
07. Wolf of the Gods
08. Somebody Super Like You
09. Benighted & Begotten
10. Spiderqueen
11. Flocks
12. Halkyónē's Legacy, aka The Song of Empty Heavens

Formed in 2011 as a solo project, Martyr Lucifer teamed up with some Hortus Animae members, the Ukrainian artist Leìt and international artists like Adrian Erlandsson (At the Gates, Paradise Lost) and Vrolok (ex-Nokturnal Mortum, Ygg) to form an alternative rock music project with echoes of wave and goth and the subsequent worldwide release of his first output as solo artist, “Farewell to Graveland”, via Buil2Kill Records.

In 2013 he released his second set of recordings, “Martyr Lucifer's Shards” (Outline Rekordz) a collection of three previously unreleased EP's which started showing a stronger presence of Leìt's role, and featured, among others, Simone Mularoni (DGM, empYrios) on guitars and bass, Antarktica (Darkend) on the strings' section, Dario Ciccioni (empYrios) & Adrian Erlandsson returning on drums.

2017 – A new band, a new sound. Martyr Lucifer recruited drummer Fox (ex-Educis Nubila, Zachary) and guitarist Alexios (Deadly Carnage) to prepare live dates and new album. In the meantime, a new digital single “Lady Bird”, a retro/future take of a Nancy Sinatra classic, is released.

Bringing us right up to date and Martyr Lucifer signs a deal with Seahorse Recordings, an Italian label which is flag-bearer in the alternative/indie scene. This contract leads to the worldwide release of the “Gazing at the Flocks” album in two different editions: Digipack CD and 2CD Slipcase, the latter to contain the bonus disc “The Oniric Session”, recorded live at Domination Studio and featuring a selection of new and old songs.
Returning to the studio once again is Adrian Erlandsson.

Loaded this one into the player and was struck almost immediately by the quality of the music, ‘Veins of the Sand Pt1 & Pt2’ has this wonderful retro gothic metal sound, powerful drumming (as to be expected), great riffs and an interesting vocal delivery, at times spoken and then some impressive harmonies.

This moody and melodic style continues until we come to ‘Leda and the Swans Pt 1 & Pt2’ very different sound, more electro pop and with some neat little synth pulses added in. Really great duet between male and female vocals. Then some pounding doom guitar and drums to end!

‘Wolf of the Gods’ could almost be an early Sisters of Mercy song, but I think I detect a hint of ‘Deathstars’ (a band that Mr Erlandsson also worked with).

Next really stand out song is ‘Benighted & Begotten’ a six minute slow and atmospheric piece that starts off with quiet vocals over a simple guitar sound, as the song progresses it just builds, becoming more aggressive whilst the vocal remains at the same slow and dark pace, brilliant and once again benefits from the added female vocal.

‘Flocks’ is a strange one, full on death metal drumming with a harmonic dual vocal and keyboard work, then it just stops and turns into a gothic ballad.
Last up is ‘Halkyónē's Legacy, aka The Song of Empty Heavens’ , this one offers much more, blending as it does, slow piano and superb female vocal with a neo prog/acid-folk composition, its melancholic tones come through the speakers as if floating on clouds, a pure joy to listen to.
Rating 10/10
For Fans Of: Deathstars, Sisters Of Mercy, Fields of the Nephilim, Tiamat. Paradise Lost.

Schlaasss - Slaasssch (CD Review)

01.Zéro
02.Selfie
03.La Bagarre
04.Salope
05.Crève
06.Interlude Tapin
07.Pin Pon
08.La Love
09.Paris Satan
10.Kilimandjaro
11.Interlude Minouche
12.I Want To Be With You
13.Onani
14.Interlude Tigidiyayé
15.Hippie
16.Miaou
17.Anvers



Charlie Dirty Duran (Vocals)
Daddy Schwartz (Vocals)
Le Dix (Beats/Mix)
Bonetrips (Mix)

One year after having subjected its public thanks to "Tapin Volvo", an EP with tracks as wild as the catchy title, the duo from Saint-Etienne lauches its first burning album: SLAASSSCH.

Fully recorded by Schlaasss with Le Dix aux intrus, SLAASSSCH is the achievement of a process as audio as visual that comes after about sixty concerts everywhere in France. With rough lyrics and a catchy beat, the first album of Schlaasss attracts with its 14 songs out of all music category which will blow away people who take things at face value and will delight the reckless ones. A detonation mixture for a duo that can count on many great fans. It is therefore thanks to them that SLAASSSCH has been released, after a successful crowdfunding campaign. However, Schlaasss does not confine itself to express problems with music: the visual appearance is also viral. All the titles of the album will have a video clip and the stage performances will be as fractious as passionate.

Composed of Charlie Dirty Duran (aka La Bigleuse, the one who squints) and Daddy Schwartz (aka Le Grand Maigre, the tall skinny guy), Schlaasss continues to play on paradox and disrespect through a loud music that use the senseless for serious subjects.

Two micros, some fury and kisses, fluffs and blood: this is cathartic.

A quirky mix of electro funk, pop and electronica, delivered in a fun style, with all songs sung in French i am not sure how this would break out of their home country.

This style of electro rap has a punky element to it, much in the style of Atari Teenage Riot, While other songs are more laid back and commercial, there are Industrial elements as well, all in all making a refreshing change from the usual manifactured pop crap we get forced fed here in the UK.



Rating 7/10
For fans of: Atari Teenage Riot, Lolita Storm, Sonic Subjunkies, Gangstar Toons Industry

SPIDERBABY - WHERE THE STRANGE ONES GO (Cd Review)

01.Last Disco On Mars

02.Erotic Nymphos In Love

03.Scream My Name

04.Gone In 60 Seconds

05.Naked

06.Stardust

07.Witches Of Suburbia

08.Baby Gone Disco

09.Blaze In The Heart Of Hell

10.Scary But So Much Fun

11.Chilled

Shannon Lee (Vocals/Guitar/Bass)

Nathan James (Bass/Guitar/Keyboard)

Ashleigh Jade (Vocals)

Jonti (Drums)

Starting off with a sample about putting on a bikini, yep Spiderbaby are back!

'Erotic Nymphos In Love' is a sleazy disco/rock crossover that hits the right spot and has a great guitar solo thrown in just to let you know that they can add just the right element of rock when required.

'Scream My Name' is very "Depeche Mode" but with sexy female vocals, great synth sounds punctuate this potential dance floor clasic.

'Gone In 60 Seconds' starts with a sample from a news programme about some nameless (but obvious) britians got talent star,the song has this great old school new wave feel like its 1978! catchy chorus and great lyrics.

'Naked', "Do you like it when i do that" goes the sample that starts this six minute sleaze epic, how can i put this...music to fuck too!

'Stardust' is a goldfrapp/Marilyn Manson electronic rocker again some great vocals and well written lyrics.

Up next is 'Witches Of Suburbia' has a nice quiet intro that goes into a rockish chorus and then drops back to quiet, get 3 minutes in to another great solo and you have the albums slow burner track that will eventually get you.

'Baby Gone Disco' has a "Visage" like synth riff that drives yet another dance floor classic.
The black metal inspired 'Blaze In The Heart Of Hell' (Well okay i lied about the black metal, but what a cool title) this is a simple pop rocker that gets the head nodding in time to the bass drum and is driven nicely with a little guitar riff.

'Scary But So Much Fun' could sum up Spiderbaby anyway!Its a bouncy electronic swing rocker again that guitar work shines through, secretly i think that there is a full blown heavy rock band lurking underneath all that sexy sleaze pop.

The album ends with 'Chilled' a beautiful ballad sung fantastically by Ashleigh, it is the natural progression from the previous albums 'Baby Doll' though not as erotic lyrically, in fact this is quite a dark and bitter song about (i assume) being a married mans mistress.Once again this has a great guitar solo, a real eyes closed "shredder".

Overall this is a a superb album and i would recommend it to anyone, including all my Viking metal hoard friends, this is a fun album, well put together, well written and just plain fun.

STU

Rating 10/10

For Fans Of : Goldfrapp, Electric Six, Scissor Sisters, Blondie

BONUS VIDEO

And here is the promo video for 'Erotic Nymphos In Love'.

This is a video in two halfs, one is happy and colourful with Shannon dancing with a couple of sexy girls which is nice, the other half is much more fun with Ashleigh and Nathan in leather administering an unholy communion to two slaves of wine and cherries followed by a little spanking :)