Weekly Round-Up: 18th April 2014 (Part 1)

Due to the overwhelming volume of new music this week, not to mention the backlog I have, there will be a second post sometime during the weekend. The 5 new releases below should be more than enough to satisfy your little ears for the time being, though.

The Oath

What is it about German duos this year? First we had the amazing, Mantar and now I give to you, The Oath. That this is the band's debut album is unreal. Ok, to be fair, even though the band is based in Berlin, one of the two members, Linnéa Olsson, is a Swede. Pedantry aside, I'm expecting (even) great(er) things from these ladies in the future. Add this to your "names to watch" list...if you've got one. Which you probably haven't. The band plays a very authentic sounding take on Doom / Trad Metal, not a million miles away from the likes of Pentagram, Black Sabbath and Witchfinder General. If this had been released in the so-called golden age of the '80s it is likely that it would be held in reverence by the long-haired masses. As it is, it's likely to go un-noticed by most people. Which is a shame as this is top quality stuff.

Combichrist

With its pounding electronic beats, crushing guitar riffs and tribal / martial drumming topped off with the tortured rasp of vocalist, Andy LaPlegua, Combichrist's latest (and greatest?) album will almost certainly appeal to fans of the likes of Ministry, KMFDM, Skinny Puppy, Laibach and even Deathstars. But if you are a fan of the genre, it is very likely that you are already familiar with the band. Whereas the first few tracks are exactly the sort of dancefloor-filling Industrial stompers you have come to expect from Combichrist, the melancholy "Evil In Me", comes across as a  Monster Magnet / Marilyn Manson hybrid and "Love Is A Razorblade" is weirdly reminiscent of "Kill Fuck Die" era W.A.S.P. Overall though, Industrial junkies will enjoy the varied collection of songs that make up the oddly-titled, "We Love You".

Sebastian Bach

Bach is back (ahem)! After the full on hard-rocking excellence of his 2007 "Angel Down" album, I was left a bit cold by the slightly lacklustre "Kicking & Screaming", which not only lacked the punch and songs of its predecessor, but also found Seb on weak form, vocally. Thankfully, it seems as if that was merely a bump in the road. "Give 'Em Hell" kicks off with the brilliant "Hell Inside My Head", with its stomping riff and catchier than Pokemon chorus and carries on from there with song after song of the type of the groove-laden, Grunge-tinged Rock that has made up the latter part of Seb's career. Another great release from a man who is not only a bonafide legend, but also one of Rock's greatest vocal talents. All hail King Bach. Long may he reign.

Twilight

Sadly, the Black Metal "supergroup" - now oddly featuring Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore in its ranks - has said that this will be the final album the band will release - but on a positive note, they have no intention of going quietly. Unlike the teen film franchise with which they unfortunately share a name, there is nothing syrupy, sweet or remotely mainstream about this band. Instead, this is the harrowing, horrific soundtrack to your worst nightmares.Twilight's lumbering, dynamic Black Metal is as dark and brooding as it is ferocious and is definitely not for the faint of heart.

Gravehill

Think Venom, (vintage) Sepultura, Motörhead and Darkthrone in the jam room and you won't be far off the mark. There is nothing sophisticated about this primitive, yet satisfying, Punk-fuelled, Blackened Death Thrash, but neither is there supposed to be. The guitars wail, the drums pound rhythmically and you can almost hear the vocal chords tearing. Brutal, yet strangely catchy. In your face nastiness is the order of the day here - and there is a beauty to be found in this foul sonic ugliness.