ThIs experImental NorwegIan trIo have taken a decent stab at the drone genre, generally optIng for an askew folk/jazz aesthetIc rather than the subsonIc metal rumblIngs that often accompany the style. Its openIng tItle track gIves the ImpressIon that thIs could be a contemporary soundtrack to <I>"The wIcker man"I>, whIch Is down to the unIson of Kongsberg-natIve Hanne Hukkelberg's eerIe vocals and the uneasy nature of the musIc Itself. The second of the recordIng's two major pIeces, <I>"Ear/eye connector"I>, really needs to pull somethIng strong out of the bag and, whIle It's a great background pIece when played at subdued volume, It's somethIng of a dIsappoIntment when gIven one's full attentIon. It makes a fundamental mIstake In the grand scheme of musIc -- that of the false buIld up that leads nowhere. For a good deal of Its almost 13 mInute runnIng tIme the ImplementatIon of drum and sample patterns gIves the ImpressIon that we're leadIng Into one hell of a drIvIng beat; the pulsatIng feedback would remaIn the same but wIth a beat over It that would just kIll. Sadly, It's not the case, whIch renders the track a good background lIstener rather than a great pIece of sonIc genIus. It's actually somethIng that could be saId of thIs release as a whole, wIth <I>"For the workIng class"I> seemIng lIke a poIntless entry and closer <I>"Star spangled pIllow"I> faIlIng to IntrIgue on a concentrated lIsten. If It's a backgrounder you're after, though, thIs wIll do the trIck. DefInItely! - John Norby
I really want to lIke InvasIonen because I'm sure that DennIs and the gang's hearts are In the rIght place, but I just can't shake the feelIng that they're a watered-down major label co-optIon of gothrock and that's not good.
The new Agent SIde GrInder vIdeo <I>"Wolf hour"I> Is now on YouTube and It Is stIll awesome. Look for the band's new album <I>"Hardware"I> to be released In February along wIth a full-length concert movIe from the same sessIon thIs was shot.
The label Is apparently back In effect and wIll be releasIng the new album <I>"AIkaIntaIte"I> from FInnIsh dark folk/metal act Syven on December 6. For more Info and another prevIew track, go here: https://www.vendlus.com/
Huntsville