Crone - Endless Midnight

When I heard the news that former Isis bassist, Jeff Caxide, had a solo project called Crone in the works, I became very excited. Although Isis are no longer a band, each member has gone his separate route and Jeff Caxide gets a little help from the other members, of what was Isis, on Crone's debut album Endless Midnight. Isis frontman, Aaron Turner, contributes on the album and also does did the artwork. Aaron Harris (Isis), Cliff Meyer (Isis, Red Sparowes), and John LaMaccia (Candiria) also appear on the album. To start, Crone's music is very slow and reflective. Don't expect any spacey or hard-hitting post-metal. Crone's album is made up of more composition-like pieces than traditional song structures.

Upon my first listen of this record, the sound came off as more of an experience than a traditional song. The album begins with 'What You Dream Of', an eleven minute soundscape that is very slow and has a quality keyboard arrangement that is beautiful and relaxing. Pink Floyd was definitely one of Caxide's influences on this piece, but his arrangement is very different than theirs. 'Ghost City' has more of a futuristic feel that is comprised of keyboards, heavily delayed guitars, and deep synths. This track could easily be the score for a science fiction television show or novel. The most expansive track on the album, and my personal favorite, is 'The Silver Hammer'. This track shows off its soft guitar work and unique percussion, and is the closest thing to melody you will find on the album. Caxide's bass work on the track brings to mind his former work with Isis. 'Cellar Holes From A Lifetime Ago' has a very similar feel to the previous track but has minimal synth and concrete guitar techniques. The title track 'Endless Midnight' closes out the album in a very melancholic fashion. The track brings to mind some of the softer material from Isis and Tool. Ticking guitar parts and layered, dreamlike plucks build up throughout the eleven minutes, finally ending with a beautifully layered climax.

Overall, this album is a must have for earlier, softer Jesu, Thisquietarmy, and EUS fans. Although not everyone will enjoy this record (as it is not a popular or upbeat sound), fans of the drone genre are sure to enjoy. Jeff Caxide has proven himself to be a very gifted and talented musician with the release of Crone's Endless Midnight. I enjoyed the record a great deal and I highly recommend it to drone and ambient fans alike.

Check out the track 'Ghost City' off of Crone's Endless Midnight:

Sleepmakeswaves - ...And So We Destroyed Everything (2011)

Sydney, Australia natives and post-rock adventurists Sleepmakeswaves have proven themselves to be real hard-hitters in this genre of music. Since their inception in 2006, they have made quite a career without even releasing a full-length album until this year. They have only released a few independent EP's and received little airplay since 2006, but boy were those five years worth the wait. Sleepmakeswaves' newest album ...And So We Destroyed Everything does not necessarily mean they literally destroyed everything but basically means that they have taken an enormous step forward in their career as a band. Their new album puts their other releases to shame. On past releases, Sleepmakeswaves had many influences in the metal genre but on ...And So We Destroyed Everything they take the more melodic heavy route. Sleepmakeswaves' music is a lot more accessible this time around, leaving out the soft, loud, soft, loud approach that post-rock is known for.

The album opens with 'To You They Are Birds, To Me They Are Voices In The Forest', which begins with a warm and full wall of sound. This is a fast song full of melodic and rhythmic rock. The greatest thing about this track is that it does not drag on like many songs in the genre. It is straight forward and to the point, with the exception of a few ambient breakdowns. The next track, entitled 'In Limbs And Joints', moves quickly along and is about half the length of the first track, but has a similar musical approach. This track leads into 'Our Time Is Short But Your Watch Is Slow', which shows the band diving into their electronic influences. Glitch noises and synths loop through out the track, while glockenspiel and guitar lay over top of these effects. The fourth track, eleven minute epic 'A Gaze Blank And Pitiless As The Sun', really displays the band's full potential. Each member is able to showcase their talents through out this eleven minute masterpiece. '(Hello) Cloud Mountain' is the first single off of the album and is a shorter, more straight forward track. The second heavily electronic track on the album, 'Now We Rise And We Are Everywhere', follows in the same footsteps as 'Our Time Is Short But Your Watch Is Slow'. 'We Like You When You're Awkward' is the shortest song on the album and is another ambient piece that is coupled with acoustic guitars. Lastly, comes the twelve minute explosion of a finale and title track '...And So We Destroyed Everything'. This track follows in the same vein as 'A Gaze Blank And Pitiless As The Sun' and is just as epic but the metal influences are more noticeable here. Towards the end of the track, quiet vocals can be heard layered behind the instrumentation, which is something new for Sleepmakeswaves.

Overall, Sleepmakeswaves have proven themselves to be innovators of the post-rock genre with the release of ...And So We Destroyed Everything. While only a four-piece, Sleepmakeswaves are very skilled at what they do and their level of energy is beyond words. They have the sound of what you would hear coming from a sextet. ...And So We Destroyed Everything easily puts all other post-rock releases, this year, to shame. It is also an independent release, which goes to show that the DIY approach is just as good or better than the major label/production approach. Sleepmakeswaves are at the top of their game, so do yourself a favor and support these wonderful and talented musicians by picking up a copy of their newest release ...And So We Destroyed Everything.

Check out the track 'In Limbs And Joints' off of Sleepmakeswaves' new album ...And So We Destroyed Everything:

Check out the eleven minute epic 'A Gaze Blank And Pitiless As The Sun' off of Sleepmakeswaves' new album ...And So We Destroyed Everything:

The Fierce & The Dead - Part 1, 10X10, If It Carries On Like This We Are Moving To Morecambe

Hailing from London, UK comes The Fierce & The Dead, a three-piece post-rock band that is bringing something fresh and exciting to the genre. The band is comprised of Matt Stevens - Guitar, Kevin Feazey - Bass/Electronics, and Stuart Marshall - Drums. On January 3, 2010, The Fierce & The Dead released Part 1. The single is created by Matt Stevens and Kevin Feazey, and is just about nineteen minutes long. Part 1 is an all instrumental track that relies heavily on ambient and drone. The band's second release, 10X10 was also released in 2010 and is a two song EP that was recorded and mixed by Kevin Feazey. On May 16, 2011, The Fierce & The Dead released their incredible debut album If It Carries On Like This We Are Moving To Morecambe. This is an amazing album that is very refreshing to the post-rock genre. It features saxophonist Terry Edwards on two of the tracks. Terry Edwards has also played saxophone for legendary artists such as Nick Cave and Tom Waits, among others. The Fierce & The Dead definitely put together some very creative compositions and I was more than thrilled when I heard their music. If you are a fan of post-rock you should definitely go out and buy The Fierce & The Dead's three releases, but don't expect to discover your typical post-rock. This is music that needs to be heard, so do yourself a favor and go listen.

Check out the track 'Part 2' from The Fierce & The Dead's album If It Carries On Like This We Are Moving To Morecambe:

Metazen - Oh Great Sun, Nourish Her Rotting Roots EP & The Conscious Cicatrix EP

Justin Howard (Metazen), who hails from the Northern California area, creates a unique blend of experimental rap that is in a league of its own, but has many influences. Howard had been playing with numerous Northern California based bands while not letting anyone know that he had a solo project called Metazen up his sleeve. In June 2010, Metazen released "Oh Great Sun, Nourish Her Rotting Roots EP" which had influences such as El-P, GYBE, Nine Inch Nails, Dalek, and RATM. In July 2011, Metazen released "The Conscious Cicatrix EP" which sounds very much like the 2010 EP, but has more of a dubstep style and structure. On "The Conscious Cicatrix EP", Metazen's vocals are based on his own thoughts and interests. Many strange topics are covered including mind control, alien abduction, and terraforming. Although the topics are strange, they fit perfectly with this style of music and they let the listener explore topics beyond this world. Overall, Metazen has created some incredible experimental rap that covers many boundaries. Anyone that enjoys rap and post-rock should really pick up both of Metazen's EP's. I highly doubt you will be disappointed with the outcome.

Click the link below to hear Metazen's "Oh Great Sun, Nourish Her Rotting Roots EP" and "The Conscious Cicatrix EP":

http://metazen1.bandcamp.com/