SONG SHORT REVIEW: Kamil Kowalczyk - New World (song review) |self-released, Nova, 2013| 4/5

Kamil Kowalczyk is an electronic musician who prefers dark, droning sounds over light-headed electronica. 'New World' is the last song on his Nova album for which the 'soundscape' term applies perfectly, as it allows listeners to 'escape' the physical body and become an astral traveler in a timeless void. It’s a useful composition to test yourself in this regard.

Imagine that you have been sent on a mission to collect sound field recordings for a Galactic Library. You're zipped into a spacesuit, equipped with a high fidelity recording device, and then teleported afar. The first location is in deep space - an incredibly vast yet seemingly quiet multi-dimensional mix between darkness and subtle light. When you listen closer though, you'll catch soothing frequencies of different amplitudes and full-blown waves, which act like arrangements within a galactic composition. The void opens up your senses, and you're able to receive telepathic messages now - voice fragments of other beings who were sent on a mission akin to yours.
Once you pass a slowly rotating asteroid, you are awestruck with the view of a majestic blue star that hypnotizes you by making unhurried pulsing sounds. The more you gaze, the more psychedelic patterns appear on its surface. Are you gazing at an alien-made hologram? The echoing voices re-appear with bits of messages for you. There's no turning back. Next, you wake up in the engine room on an alien spaceship, following a sudden blackout upon entering the star's core. Your head spins - everything looks so strange! You then recognize a 'welcome home' message expressed through an enchanting palette of silent whispers, echoing voices and layers of sounds. They make you ditch the recording task, lay down in one of the puffy pods and reconnect with your star-based ancestors through deep meditation.

Such an imaginative trip is possible thanks to Kamil's ability to paint a composition with esoteric sounds. Listeners could perhaps expect a bit more adrenaline, but we only get very transitory sounds here. Nevertheless, 'New World' is a perfect soundscape for an SF video game or a short movie, though it can also feed your imagination as a stand-alone audio track. Some spiritual theories state that the human origin lies in the stars, therefore it seems natural that we resonate with sounds of the Universe so well. Make sure to explore this piece of it on your own.

Buy it: Bandcamp

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Music Magazine, December 3rd, 2015. Proofreading: Mike 'Vesper' Dziewoński)

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EP SHORT REVIEW: She Tastes The Sun - She Tastes The Sun EP |self-released, 2015| 5/5

1. Under, 2. Four Legger, 3. Bazilisk, 4. Amber Lights, 5. Saints, 6. Tarsus

She Tastes The Sun is a band from Los Angeles founded by Ryan Marcus Garcia (drums, has since left due to creative differences) and Aldo Vidal (guitars) during their education in the L.A. College of Music in 2013. STTS turned into a quartet with Allen Fuentes on bass and vocalist Jacob Stafford joining the original lineup.

On their eponymous EP, technique meets passion. This mix results with almost 30 minutes of highly dynamic cross-breeding of many genres and possibly defining STTS's own style in the process. In terms of arrangements, expect the unexpected. The band members come from different musical backgrounds but are united by a mutual interest in heavy metal sounds. Therefore, "Under" opens the EP on a proggy note, but then gets heavier thanks to alt-metal styled vocals. Edgy guitars are wrapped up with vital arrangements and aligned to a quite slow tempo.

"Four Legger" could potentially be a hit - it'll draw attention of fans who prefer listening to catchy melodies but are still keen on headbanging, especially if the heavy parts are supported by rapacious vocals. A bit of silence was utilized at the end of the track, playing a big part in writing a full-blown composition, aside of carrying out a massive instrumental assault.
It all gets more intense from here on with "Bazilisk". Dark and light vocals wrestle together to counterbalance each other but are skillfully kept symmetrical, as supported by heavy guitars and drums. The song is very technical but filled with emotion - another potential hit on this EP.
"Amber Lights" begins with the previous tracks' ending - this technique lets the brain slide between separate musical stories stress-free. A diversity of well-matched and synchronized doom/prog-metal arrangements intersect here and keeps every musician entirely involved. When it comes to "Saints", not only is the song fast and furious, but it also has a special place for a marriage of Gojira's and Rush's styles. The cherry on top is a little bit of traditional jazz for good measure.
The subtle opening tones of "Tarsus" start higher to turn into the grande finale track on the EP, proving the talent and creativity of the musicians playing under the banner of STTS. Utilizing jazz in metal is usually a bass player's task, meant to deliver some warmth - the bass solo here was written and performed by Peter Boskovitch, a special guest. Millennials should be satisfied with the song's final vibe thanks to alt-metal arrangements injected into this track.

Writing hooky arrangements is usually easy, but laying all of them out smoothly yet avoiding dull repetitions within a composition is quite the challenge. She Tastes The Sun have totally succeeded here. Fans of hybrid modern metal and elaborate compositions will certainly be pleased with this release.

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Music Magazine, November 25th, 2015. Proofreading: Mike 'Vesper' Dziewoński)

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EP SHORT REVIEW: The Abstract Flower - Further EP |self-released, 2015| 4/5

1. In The Hall Of The Mountain Queen, 2. Fred Cred, 3. Cotard Delusion, 4. The Slowest French Kiss

The Abstract Flower is an unusual project of Italian guitarist Adriano Gattabuia. Not only does his debut Further EP welcome metal fans but also other guitar lovers. Almost 15 minutes of passionate instrumental play performed on a Fender Telecaster offered together with guitar tabs and supported with on-line videos for educational purposes - a must-have for those learning how to jam better.

If watching a volcano eruption gets you excited, then you should be happy to use "In The Hall Of The Mountain Queen" as a matching soundtrack to such an event. The overall guitar & drums cannonade sounds like the accompanying earthquake, with fast and tense guitar play serving as the lava streams going down the slope. The prolonged riffs are the rocks blasting from the volcano's heart, while the soloing stands for bursts and shakes of various amplitudes.
"Fred Cred", on the other hand, is a massively heavy guitar-driven track with additional industrial elements similar to those on Ministry's and mid-era Nine Inch Nails' albums - non-distracting whizzes, samples of political speeches, and reworked guitar riffs. They all build up the tension, partially released later by allowing for more space with the addition of classical metal riffs.
"Cotard Delusion" reveals the guitarist's inspiration with Joy Division's music. The guitar is singing a sad, vibrating melody while weighty drums lay out a solid path underneath. Nostalgia is mixed with metal heaviness here.
Finally, a droning sound opens "The Slowest French Kiss". This slow-tempo composition sounds mature, and is enriched with memorable guitar riffs. These, along with extra density provided by drums and bass, give the track a strong hard rock feel.

The composition and arrangements are extremely well performed and touching, but the audio production needs a bit more work - sometimes your ears can register the noise and recording room ambiance. It's understandable that a self-financed DIY project cannot guarantee the mastering perfection of a major label band - and therefore, listeners should not expect it here.
According to the project founder, TAF's future albums will contain lyrical content but will remain guitar-driven. Bear in mind though that his following releases may not belong to only one musical genre, since Adriano prefers artistic expansion over tight specialization.

Official website

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Music Magazine, November 25th, 2015. Proofreading: Mike 'Vesper' Dziewoński)

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ALBUM SHORT REVIEW: Venus in Furs - Blue |self-released, 2015| 4/5

Venus In Furs is the brainchild of Michael T. Nolan who founded the band in the 1990s. His newest album called Blue is a direct follower of Red from 2013.
The band have their specific, eclectic tone. Therefore, any associations listed below by no means make VIF sound like a copy but may encourage listeners to reach for this album.
The bass guitar plays a most meaningful role on this release, giving the majority of the fifteen tracks a yummy vibe. Fans of Gravity Kills will definitely enjoy "All" and "Life" thanks to the low bass notes and emotionless, spoken vocals. Those who live by My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult & Machine of Loving Grace will most likely get hooked on "Bang" - with the dynamically slapped bass played by Aaron Hutzel and joined by spacey, edgy guitar riffs that make the most of funky, mixed with 90s industrial rock. If the above bands and Sister Machine Gun are in your list of faves, you should pay attention to "Classic", "Fix", "Tumble", and "Different". "Classic" is instantly memorable thanks to the well accented and shouted vocals, supported by melodic arrangements. "Different", on the other hand, brings a highly soothing vibe through the chorus.

There are also purely instrumental, electronic and less dynamic songs such as "Groovy" and "Something". "Hey You" and 'Please" bring a lot of vocal work to the fore. "Lydia" with its burlesque 40s/50s jazz music atmosphere would be great to watch, if enriched with a theatrical performance. Smooth jazz and 70/80s music references can be also found in "Tech". Finally, "Walk" is the sweet icing on the tracklist with its lullaby-esque mood and memorable vocals.
Blue is a must-have sonic recollection for fans of the original 90s industrial rock but also Generation Y-ers, who should add this old-new flavor to their audio libraries.

Buy this album: iTunes

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Music Magazine, September 3rd, 2015. Proofreading: Mike 'Vesper' Dziewoński)

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SONG SHORT REVIEW: Thulnar - Wise Men of Hope |self-released, Nightfall in Theros, 2014| 4/5

Thulnar is an Italian duo featuring the multi-instrumentalist Darken (Diego Vacchiano; all music and lyrics, guitars, bass, drums, keyboards) and Elric Blackcrow as the vocalist - a graduate of The Music Conservatory in Bologna. The two began their collaboration in 2002.
When song lyrics begin with: "Look, Druids are here... Let hear their old peans!" supported by symphonic instrumentation followed then by cannonadesque drums, high pitched keyboards, guitars and screams, you're undoubtedly listening to a black metal track. 'Wise Men of Hope' comes from Thulnar's brand new album. The song composition is rich in a variety of fast paced arrangements which include symphonic metal choirs co-existing with black metal roars. The wall of sound however, is delivered through a combo of drums and a soloing guitar. Both the vocal and the instrumental parts are skillfully arranged and performed with power.
The mix and mastering sound good, which set them apart of grainy amateur productions, though vocals could have been amplified yet opened a bit more. Nevertheless, the song's overall tune with its dramatic ending will definitely earn metal listeners' respect.

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Music Magazine, November 6th, 2014. Proofreading: Mike 'Vesper' Dziewoński)

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ALBUM SHORT REVIEW: bruzed - Animus Apparatus |self-released, 2014| 4/5

1. Retrograde, 2. Drift, 3. Broken, 4. Know, 5. Deserve, 6. So, 7. Even, 8. Broken (Speak Onion Remix)

There's often a thin line between what's labelled 'original' and 'experimental' in terms of music. bruzed (a solo project of Bruce Drummond) has mixed several of his ideas and shaped them into a collection of songs which fit into both categories very well.
Each of the eight compositions is heavily filled with dense beats and sound effects, as expected of noise-makers. This in turn has affected the overall mood, which feels heavy due to changing dynamics. The tracks listed on Animus Apparatus album are electronic but you'll hear vocals and a bit of guitars sampled in as well. "Drift" and "So" try to smuggle easier arrangements, yet are locked into bruzed's 'no compromise' leitmotif. "Deserve" is what industrial fans may like thanks to tangible tension and prickly frequencies but also slow guitars and distorted, shouted vocals. If you prefer Merzbow's cacophony however, make sure you don’t miss "Even" and 'Know".
The album production is outstanding, yet in terms of experimental music it is the artist who decides which pieces are to be put to the forefront.

Buy this album at: Bandcamp

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Music Magazine, October 6th, 2014. Proofreading: Mike 'Vesper' Dziewoński)

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SONG SHORT REVIEW: Ravenous - Nightclub "Stalker" (song review) |self-released, single, 2012| 4/5

This instrumental track may make you slightly anxious since the band operates with intriguing arrangements - less rhythmic parts come after very dynamic ones.
In the beginning, you will hear an intro straight out of gangster or spy movies (think Al Capone or James Bond), based on a swinging duo of synth and bass. The composition develops into a rock-orientated sound once the guitar and drums join in, but then it becomes even more progressive thanks to more synths and looped guitars. When it gets really soft, fans of David Lynch should instantly recall Mulholland Drive thanks to the only voice quote sampled in. The tension comes back with the bass and synths combined at the end, reminiscent of Vangelis' soundtrack for Blade Runner.

This Bulgarian band is comprised of Radoslav Petkov, Ognyan Georgiev and Rumen Yangyozov. Undoubtedly, Ravenous have had a visual concept on their minds when they were recording this track, as if certain parts were written for corresponding, quickly changing scenes and moods. This is a great piece for a movie, but also entertaining on its own. However, any listener expecting a classic composition structure within this track may be left with a feeling of lacking a compositional 'spine'.

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Magazine, August 27th, 2014. Proofreading: Mike 'Vesper' Dziewoński)

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ALBUM SHORT REVIEW: Dulcet Jones - More Halloween, I'm Afraid |self-released, 2014| 4/5

1. Asylum Wedding, 2. Lobotomy Ward, 3. More Halloween, I'm Afraid, 4. Night Circus, 5. November First Coming Down, 6. Red Narasimha, 7. Release The Bats, 8. Steampunk Lullaby

Here's an instrumental album which brings atmospheric tracks with a horroresque feel. The song writing accents moods rather than techniques which is a great option when applied to a soundtrack. Jim Graham - the multi-instrumentalist behind Dulcet Jones, did it successfully as every track here tells a different story.

"Asylum Wedding" sounds slow and melancholic but you'd surely expect some scary voices to come in with such guitar & bass arrangements. "Lobotomy Ward" comes out perhaps a little too gentle compared to what the title could suggest, though the entire composition is well done with a haunting, spacey mood and delicate guitar tunes. On the contrary, in "More Halloween, I'm Afraid" there's a little dialogue between the bass and high-pitched guitar, all wrapped up in a ghostly 'boooo!' atmosphere. A beautiful Russian ballerina accompanied by red nosed clowns may come up in your mind with "Night Circus". Next, there's "November First Coming Down" - a nostalgic acoustic song which is not deprived of darker moments. The piano based "Red Narasimha" may sound as delicate as a feather, but the low tuned synth accompanied by a bit of echoing makes an intriguing contrast and attracts the listeners’ attention. "Release The Bats" has an old-school gothic feel thanks to a notoriously graded bass and noisy guitars but the composition becomes a bit shallow and experimental at times. Finally, what would you expect to hear in a song entitled "Steampunk Lullaby"? Steam SFX, of course. And a bit of an old music box vibe. They are all there but also a spacey, ambient arrangement which finishes the album and in addition, mixes with "Asylum Wedding" very well.

If you're tired of simple, rowdy music, make sure you'll get this album, which will surely fill your imagination with dozens of ideas.

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Magazine, August 27th, 2014. Proofreading: Mike 'Vesper' Dziewoński)

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SONG SHORT REVIEW: Hitoast - Mermaids in Leather (song review) |Art Mayhem, 2013| 3/5

Hitoast are a rock band from Philladelphia, PA. They bring music together with abstract art, as their guitar player Rob is also a painter. "Mermaids in Leather" carries a murmuring vibe based on thick bass lines derived from blues and contrasting, altered guitar rock soloing. The buzzing guitars cut into the bass at several spots stealing your attention. The arrangements are quite memorable and flow nicely throughout the entire composition. Male vocals aren't sung but spoken with a low voice. The classic rhythm doesn't change much from start to finish.
The song sounds as if it was recorded during a live performance (due to some mic feedback in the end), and needs slight production improvements because the vocals sink a bit too much under the instrumental parts. However, if you get a beer and make yourself comfortable on a couch, you may not need to leave the house to check out what your mates are listening to in the nearest bar. "Mermaids in Leather" will provide you with the right mood in spades.

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Magazine, August 8th, 2014. Proofreading: Mike 'Vesper' Dziewoński)

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