Through echoes and surreal tones the enigmatic band/entity Horte has concocted the first anonymous and eponymous record.

“Sekvenssi” is all about dreamlike melodies lingering through multi layered atmospheres with strong shoegaze accents.

“Taajuus” offers heavily spacey undertones, calm ethereal female vocals, and fuzzy rock guitars.

On “Viimeinen Linja” brightening retro vibes surround overlapping noise layers that produce intense atmospheres and chaotic swirls.

“78” brings some familiar retro rock grooves with more dominant guitar and bass lines showcasing palpable psychedelic elements.

“Koko Kalmo Pakassa” builds a steady shroud of melancholic harmonies with occasional shimmering distortions that continuously evolve cutting through electronic haunting atmospheres.

Horte is not a traditional band that writes easy melodies suitable for a wide and variegated audience but if you enjoy spacing out through an atmospheric/drone soundscape then you might appreciate and embrace the band’s particular music style.

Among bizarre/eclectic bands to check out, if you feel the need for music that fearlessly cross standard boundaries, Finnish Hisko Detria will inevitably surprise the occasional listener with the purely avant-garde album “Mal Du Siècle”.

“Vitamin E” is filled with sludgy guitars and space rock attitude that create a healthy groove but at times everything gets easily lost in the midst of an experimental galore.

“Cul De Sac/Secret Sound” has a soft approach with clean vocals and jazzy/proggy guitar work that manages to create easier traditional melodies before drifting into full blown drone.

“Sugar Hills” might start as a “normal” slow rock tune with interesting retro accents but ends up drifting away into lengthy wild music experimentations that range from jazz fusion to prog rock. Needless to say, this is not exactly a catchy song but maybe you can find19 minutes to try to embrace the instrumental/electronic chaos and intricate arrangements.

“Mal Du Siècle” is not only impossible to classify due to the overload of sonic surprises and special effects but it is also tends to be uneasy to follow and fully comprehend.

 

Finnish indie band Ghost World is proud to release the self titled debut album characterized by raw 90’s rock themes and shiny pop melodies.

On “Middle Finger Hitchhiker” galloping guitar riffs create a moderately happy rhythm amplified by a bittersweet pop oriented chorus with abrasive vocals.

“Is There Something” is filled with melancholic guitar melodies that bring more variety in the unsophisticated alt rock music core.

“(Come On) Die Happy” relies on super catchy guitar riffs and chorus and a general dazed & confused mood.

“Crazy Angel” is made of grungy daydreaming and acidic rock elements with the omnipresent no frills groovy rhythm and raspy screams.

“You Made Me Smell Your Fingers” gains heavier undertones, but also great melancholy, and the rebellious soul grows stronger with loads of screeching guitar riffs and relentless sloppy wild rhythms like it’s always time to party somewhere.

Overall, Ghost World feels more like a rebel teenage anthem rather than a mature piece of music, which is not entirely surprising for an emerging band, but a young crowd will be happy to stomp around following the band’s rough grooves.

Norwegian symphonic black metal icons Dimmu Borgir have been silent for some time but have recently announced that a new full length will be released later this year. Right now the highly anticipated double DVD “Forces Of The Northern Night” will keep fans happy and busy while eagerly waiting for the band’s next music endeavor.

“Forces Of The Northern Night” includes the 2011 majestic live performance with the Norwegian radio Orchestra and the Schola Cantorum Choir in Oslo and the 2012 Wacken Open Air show. It is immediately noticeable that the orchestral contribution truly enhances the renowned and beloved symphonic aspects of Dimmu Borgir’s music. The orchestra & choir versions of “Dimmu Borgir” and “Eradication Instincts Defined” offer a particularly magical sonic experience with incredibly rich atmospheres and stylish classic arrangements. Famous songs such as “Gateways” featuring Djerv front-woman, Agnete Kjølsrud, “Progenies Of The Great Apocalypse” and “Mourning Palace” shine for the enhanced majestic sound and sophisticated epic mood.

Dimmu Borgir put a lot of effort in the creation of such spectacular live show and it’s certainly a pleasure to watch and hear these beloved songs performed with a real talented orchestra.

Finnish bluesy rock duo Black Magic Six has released a rather playful fourth album entitled “Choose Death” full of loud and dirty rock ‘n roll anthems with tasteful retro vibes and devilish wittiness.

Black Magic Six channels an exquisitely dark humor with “Dance With Me Satan” which is all hilarious and delirious with crazy addictive gritty guitar riffs and a highly entertaining rhythmic crescendo that will get you moving.

“Shake Shake Shake” has a great rockabilly soul particularly amplified by harmonious choruses and a winning combo of melodic guitar leads and rougher riffs with a lovely vintage attitude.

“Red Cloud” becomes somber and mysterious with slow burning bluesy guitars and laid back vocals as Black Magic Six delivers again a generous dose of massive catchy melodies.

“Grease The Machine” is another “happy” wild track with raw guitar riffing and a simple yet incredibly catchy danceable groove.

“Golden Jackal” stands out for the irresistible rockabilly guitar riffs that inevitably require some dancing and stomping in order to be fully enjoyed. Raucous vocals channel a sense of rebellion but the same time there is a subtle dark veil of loneliness, acceptance for whatever misery has taken over our little lives.

“Choose Death” is a fascinating timeless piece of music that will take you through a diabolical bluesy journey so be aware that anything could and/or will happen.

Italian quintet Sawthis proudly unleashes the newest musical effort titled “Babhell” which offers a passionate modern melodic metal hybrid with scattered chaotic extreme patterns.

“The Burning Place” showcases a straight forward musical fury focusing on a thunderous rhythmic section and raw guitar riffing but Sawthis also adds a healthy dose of melodic hooks with easy choruses and smooth guitar leads.

“This String Is For Your Neck” combines crushing riffs and intense speed to produce an enraged groove according to familiar modern metal standards while a traditional melodic solo adds a brighter mood.

On “Seabed” explosive tight guitar riffing enhances the extreme aspects of the band’s music style but, once again, trendy influences surface in the clean vocals and atmospheric themes.

“Waiting For Love” stands out particularly for the polychromatic emotive nuances where catchy melodies spontaneously evolve into super crunchy guitar driven grooves while ravenous screams and polished cleans create a good contrast.

“Never Alone” surprises with a calmer emotional atmosphere created by shimmering piano melodies and sorrowful vocals.

With “Babhell” Sawthis puts together a trendy collection of songs shifting focus from harsh rhythmic assaults to frequent radio friendly choruses but the album as a whole might still lack a unique artistic identity.

Renowned German instrumental band My Sleeping Karma has released the first live record titled “Mela Ananda – Live” that will make you space out with a blissful collection of the band’s beloved hits impeccably performed on stage.

With a mystical mood “Prithvi” and “Enigma 42” are a perfect spiritual gateway filled of smooth melancholic melodies and psychedelic rock accents.

“Brahama” explores dreamlike territories with ethereal tones, “Psilocybe” offers irresistible hypnotic melodies and “Hymn 72” delivers slow burning guitar driven grooves.

“Mela Ananda” translates to “a gathering of bliss’ which is truly appropriate as with this live album My Sleeping Karma offers rich sonic textures and enchanting atmospheres that always emanate positive soulful energy. “Mela Ananda – Live” will become a cathartic musical experience for the band’s longstanding fans and will definitely gather new listeners.

In the last few years progressive doom band Pallbearer has gained wider audience and critical acclaim therefore the newest effort “Heartless” comes with great curiosity and high expectations. With a dramatic melodic soul, Pallbearer aims to establish a stronger presence in the current music scene delivering a confident and mature sound.

“I Saw The End” evokes immense melancholy with stylish somber melodic guitar leads layered over doom oriented heavier riffing, grandiose gloomy guitar solos and a timeless mournful mood.

“Thorns” focuses on traditional doom heaviness that inevitably fuels crunchy rhythmic patterns and a sorrowful series of darkly catchy guitar melodies that naturally culminates in a smooth melodic guitar solo followed by an introvert atmospheric momentum.

On “Lie Of Survival” every guitar melody is covered by a shroud of desolation particularly expressed in the musical depth of calmer atmospheric harmonies as well as the emotionally charged vocals.

On the title track soaring guitar riffs are executed in perfect doom fashion to create organic rhythmic textures and once again Pallbearer masters the art of melancholy effortlessly shifting focus from moody shimmering guitar leads to dramatic atmospheres.

Pallbearer still draws inspiration from traditional monolithic doom but the band’s sound continues to evolve with a more progressive creative force and “Heartless” successfully conveys the desire to explore wider musical territories to create a unique sonic palette.

Felix Martin isn’t your typical guitarist. In fact, He plays a special guitar made just for him, with 16 strings. Wonder how it would sound if someone wrote an album utilizing that? Well here it is.

“Flashback” starts the album pretty intense, and is followed by some interesting chord changes. It has a full sound overall. All the sections sound very thick for only having 3 members to the band.

“Carnatt,” Probably one of my personal favorites. This track just gets you moving and grooves. It has a little bit of everything happening here with some really noticeably cool tapping parts.

“Nomadic Tree” has a unique feel to it and gets pretty damn heavy. Heavy and Groovey is always good. It’s combined with some very nice melodic sections that almost remind me of the early Gothenburg movement of melodic death metal.

“Bom” is a track that is filled with a bit of an aggressive feel, in the sense that the energy is high, even on light parts. Some cool drum work on this track as well.

“Santos” is another track I really enjoy. It also happens to feature a really nice solo from the awesome Angel Vivaldi, who is a guitarist that I would recommend checking out. The song overall moves quite well with some nice dynamics. The solo gives it a new life, in my opinion.

“Bridge Clock Disparity,” Is a great closer for the album. It has some very relaxing progressions that end the album with a good vibe. It’s not too frantic, but still interesting enough.

This is definitely a cool album, and worth checking out. It’s quite impressive that someone can write that much material by playing guitar, only using tapping techniques. The rhythm section on this album are top notch and add a lot to the composition.

With the debut EP “Funky Queen” emerging Belgian rockers Black Mirrors are ready to take the listeners on a wild rock ‘n roll ride spiced up by intriguing funky rhythms.

The title track shines for the sharp vocals layered over a super catchy groove with palpable retro rock vibes as classic rock influenced guitar riffs hold a steady entertaining rhythm.

On “The Mess” Black Mirrors effortlessly nail that exquisite vintage rocker style with a fuzzy flavor, super catchy traditional crispy guitar melodies and impressive raw emotional vocals.

“Canard Vengeur Masqué” is infused with a more somber atmosphere as the rhythm slows down to focus on vibrant bass lines and a generous round of stoner rock oriented guitar riffs further embellished by smooth slow-burning guitar leads.

Containing only four lovely songs “Funky Queen” is a promising musical effort that will trigger curiosity about what Black Mirrors has in mind for the next sonic endeavor.