Daughters: s/t (Hydra Head)
Daughters is a strangely grooving maelstrom.
Around since '01, the Rhode Island hardcore group has worked through a bevy of lineup changes while maintaining the same dizzying fret work and guitar leads that sound like tornado sirens.
Underneath the madness is a behemoth low end and series of gnarly rock riffs, not unlike Lightning Bolt at times. On top of that are spoken vocals in the vein of The Jesus Lizard, Cougars, etc.
With just its third "full-length" album since 2003 (and first over 25 minutes), Daughters has lengthened its songs a bit, pressing into three- and four-minute territory to expand and better realize its style. Powerful, progressive, and full of grooves, Daughters is the band's best release to date.
Imperium Dekadenz: Procella Vadens (Season of Mist)
As self-described "intelligent black metal," the music of Germany's Imperium Dekadenz reflects influences from its Scandinavian counterparts, but with a stronger balance of melodies, epic arrangements, and acoustic passages.
Haunting minor-key piano melodies and acoustic guitar lead or augment assailing mid-tempo black metal, which levels diminished keys over the steady pounding and relentless double-bass beats of drummer Vespasian.
Joining Vespasian is guitarist/vocalist Horaz, who shares instrumental duties for sorrowful, reverberated clean-channel guitar and a synth-pad backing. Horaz adds pained shrieks and growls, often recalling Sweden's At the Gates, and the result is an album that isn't far removed from the dark beauty of the Swedes' Slaughter of the Soul.
Imperium Dekadenz: "An Autumn Serenade"
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Following lengthy stints in cities around the USA and abroad, adventurous art-rock trio Liars has returned to LA and released an album that was inspired by the city of its origin.
Fans of the band have known to expect the unexpected, and Sisterworld is no different. "Scissor," the album's opener and successful single, morphs from harmonized wails to big rock action. Beautiful ascending strings, guitar, and piano highlight "Here Comes All the People," which builds to a tension.
Other pieces either hit or miss: "Drip," for example, essentially is circular noise until a piano wanders into the frame, taking attention off unnecessary vocal offerings.
Nevertheless, Sisterworld is another bold effort from a group that is keeping "post-indie" rock interesting.
Known by many as "that indie-rock band with the marimba," Aloha is now four albums into its era with T.J. Lipple, a multi-instrumentalist producer who helped expand the band's style with Here Comes Everyone in 2004.
Home Acres continues lengthening the quartet's reach ever so slightly. Original tracking for the album took place back in 2007, and since that time, Aloha rebuilt a number of songs with different instruments.
"Moonless March" is one of the album's hardest-rocking tunes, with distorted bass and snare rolls as the foundation for the song's melodies. "White Wind," though a bit new for Aloha, reflects the mood of modern indie music with soft, multi-tracked vocal harmonies taking the spotlight.
In all, it's another sound effort. Fans won't be disappointed.
Aloha: "Moonless March"
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Honorable Mentions
Acrassicauda: Only the Dead See the End of the War (Vice)
Besnard Lakes: Besnard Lakes are the Roaring Night (Jagjaguwar)
Eluveitie: Everything Remains: As it Never Was (Nuclear Blast)
Gonjasufi: A Sufi and a Killer (Warp)
Gorillaz: Plastic Beach (Virgin)
Iannis Xenakis: Works with Piano (Mode)
Zu: The Way of the Animal Powers reissue (Public Guilt)
