Noteworthy Albums of No Renown: Avangard - Presently

'Presently'

Artist: Avangard
Album: Presently
Year: 2011
Label: Self Released

I stumbled upon this very eclectic progressive metal album months ago, and though it became lost in my never ending to-listen list, the quick impression it left on me lead me,  eventually, enthusiastically back.

I can find no information on this album outside of a single forum post on a Russian forum (Google it). It might be easier to find the album directly in the comments section, however.

I hate the band name, and while this album's innovative qualities may be debatable, 'Presently' is a pretty diverse metal-genre feature. As one big guitar feature, the primary guitarist - and I assume principle member - finds any and every excuse to shred over every style of metal he can think of. Progressive, heavy, technical, black, death, brutal black, brutal death - all conveniently tagged on the files for the album in advance just in case you were wondering. More succinctly, Avangard sounds like Sleep Terror after kicking its cocaine with Adderall habit and really finding a groove.

As I look over my previous paragraph, I realize how negative I'm sounding. This is a really good and long album (over 75 minutes). I have no idea where one could purchase this album and I know and can find nothing about the artist. So, until someone tells me otherwise, check the album out and let your friends know.

For fans of: Sleep Terror, Carcariass, Aeon of Horus, heavier melodic black metal.

Noteworthy Albums of No Renown #4: Zelophilia - Lust, Loathing, and Love

Artist: Zelophilia
Album: Lust, Loathing, & Love
Year: 2011
Label: Noydian Records





The video above is the official press release from Noydian Records for Lust, Loathing, & Love. I appreciate a band that makes fun of themselves and their potential fans.

I don't remember where I came across Zelophilia for the first time (thank you unfortunately forgotten blog!), but they definitely rekindled my appreciation for Patton-esque metal a couple of months ago.

LL&L is full of raw frustration and angry, sexual energy.  Dancing in Bloody Leather is probably my favorite track on the release and is a great introduction to Zelophilia's sound. The breakdown at 1:30 in Deconstruction evokes an almost road-rage level of pent-up aggression. The Fornicator's Suicide Note is a fantastic display of the vocalists melodramatic flair and range, audibly representing the depressing consequences of uncontrollable human urge.

The general song and album structure of LL&L remains interesting, unexpected, and keeps the listener off-kilter without feeling forced - a common problem I find with bands that try to capture a sound like this. In addition, this album is also fantastically produced.

And remember: you can stream/download Lust, Loathing, & Love for free through Zelophilia's bandcamp site. The album is definitely worth tossing a few dollars at, however.

For fans of: Hunab Ku, Cephalic Carnage, and everyone else named in the promotional video.

Noteworthy Albums of No Renown #3: Old Ironsides - The Path of Madness

'The Path of Madness'

Artist: Old Ironsides
Album: The Path of Madness
Year: 2011
Label: Self Released

Preview all of the tracks and purchase on their CDBaby page. Listen much more extensively by visiting KeepGem.

There are no Youtube videos available for tracks from this album - and they only have 32 listeners on last.fm.

This is my favorite non-metal, progressive rock release since The Decemberists' The Hazards of Love. A driving, early-70s style psychedelic trip that makes me spontaneously air guitar and yell out words like "righteous!". All of the songs are fantastic (no filler tracks, really) - but the three March of War tracks (Rise, Fall, and Redemption) that end the album are absolutely medieval epic-fantasy battle ready. The solo at 2:48 in March of War: Rise hits a "harness your wyvern, we're going to fight some wizards on top of a volcano" level of grandiosity.

Seriously. I can barely contain my excitement.

For fans of: Deep Purple, The Mars Volta, Blue Oyster Cult, new bands with old sounds

Noteworthy Albums of No Renown #2: Golem - Dreamweaver

Artist: Golem
Album: Dreamweaver
Year: 2004
Label: Nuclear Blast



Faces from Golem's 2004 release 'Dreamweaver' absolutely pulverizes with one of my favorite metal openings and riffs (1:01). Reviewers complain of the album's overly produced nature, but I agree with Metal Archives reviewer Thamuz that the 'metalcore' polish on the album actually contributes to the cold, machine-like mood of 'Dreamweaver'. Thamuz, by the way, is one hell of an album reviewer and even though he hasn't been active on the site for a while he is a great read. In fact, after reading his review I'll just leave my review at that: if you like the opening and primary riffs from this track, you'll like the whole album. It is very consistent.

For fans of: Gojira, Amon Amarth (not thematically), Decapitated

Noteworthy Albums of No Renown #1: Wicked Innocence - Omnipotence

Note: I won't give complete reviews of these albums, as I've discovered people generally only read full reviews of albums they are already interested in - and I'm not above generalizations. In fact, most of these albums already have informative, comprehensive reviews you can find other places on the internet. So - I take a look at albums that will probably never get the notoriety I think they deserve one track at a time. Talking about individual parts and characteristics of a sound with particular examples readily available seems to get people more interested than complete reviews anyway. So, that's usually what I'll do. And, as always, support the artist and use yer Google to find the rest of the  album.

Artist: Wicked Innocence

Album: Omnipotence

Year: 1995

Label: Napalm Records

Surreal, nihilistic death metal from the mean streets of Salt Lake. Lead vocalist is an alien pig demon that has come to Earth to vomit forth prophecies of our race's demise. Or at least it seems that way. The chaos of Wicked Innocence's sound is barely contained. All instruments are played masterfully on the album (listen to the tone on that bass!), and the bands abstract song structure only adds to each songs' growing sense of uneasiness and dread. A great example of this is in the above track, Lines, that starts with lurching, funeral march riffing. The arrhythmic vocal pattern adds to a feeling of drugged, angry confusion and foreshadows the hallucinogenic build that begins at 0:54 in the video. The entire song gives me a strange, 'House on the Borderland' feeling of flying haphazardly through alien time and space.

For fans of: Mithras, Gigan, Demilich, the artist Virgil Finlay