MonstrO is a newly formed hard-rock quartet featuring a melange of experienced heavyweights: drummer Bevan Davies, bassist Kyle Sanders, guitarist Juan Montoya, and guitarist/vocalist Charlie Suarez. If none of those names rings a bell, perhaps some of their former bands will: Bloodsimple, Skrew, Danzig, and Torche. On September 6, MonstrO released its debut album, a self-titled record produced by Alice in Chains guitarist William DuVall. Hot on its heels comes this new seven-inch, Anchors Up!.

Currently on tour with Kyuss and The Sword, MonstrO makes a groove-heavy racket that touches on grunge, post-rock, metal, and straight-up classic rock. Suarez's voice is closer to Ted Leo than Ozzy Osbourne, lending clean, vaguely theatrical overtones to the hard-driving low end of bass and chunky riffs.

Released today to the tune of just 575 total copies, Anchors Up! is available in three different colorways: 75 copies on black vinyl, 250 copies on blue marble, and 250 copies on pink marble. You can buy individually, or you can buy a three-record bundle for just 18 bucks. Buy here.

Dälek: "No Question"

“A mix of Eric B. and Rakim and Black Sabbath” is how MC Dälek describes Gutter Tactics, the latest release from his eponymously named hip-hop duo (pronounced dial-ect) — but only if you press him to do so. The New Jersey-based pair, which also includes producer Oktopus, isn’t necessarily eager to place labels on its brand of moody, dissonant hip hop that recalls the heaviness of rock acts like Melvins and Torche.

But since the duo’s 1998 debut release, Negro Necro Nekros, critics and fans alike have attempted to fit Dälek into a genre — any genre that isn’t hip hop. It’s little surprise: decades of mainstream-music conditioning have diluted the definition of “true” hip hop to bling, bravado, and track loops. Any contemporary US hip-hop artist that dares to draw from anything but the musical well of mainstream pop and R&B has an uphill fight in proving his or her authenticity. Dälek takes things a step further than what most fans even come to expect from experimental hip hop, with a sinister sound that has more in common with grindcore than crunk, and lyrics that dwell on issues of social and political inequality.

But for MC Dälek, the duo’s musical affiliation to hip hop is clear — he’s not interested in creating a new category of hip hop or to distance the group from the genre. “[Critics] always attempt to put certain parameters around different types of music,” he says. “We started 11 years ago, and from the start, people have attempted to put us into these sub-genres — glitch hop, experimental hop, doom hop — and come up with all of these ridiculous names. That’s not what we really are, though these fads come and go. You can call us whatever you want, but after 11 years, we’re still making records. Our sound evolves, but to me it’s just hip hop. Hip hop is my culture, what I grew up with.”

Arguably one of the more anticipated underground releases of 2009, Gutter Tactics is unrelentingly abrasive, immersing the listener into a sea of jagged, atonal sound and lyrical bleakness. It’s both hypnotic and frustrating — and meant to be. But unlike the gloomy, apathetic drone of 2006 album Abandoned Language, the tracks of Gutter Tactics resonate with a sense of passion, hope, and action.
 

"I’m proud to be American; I love this country, but I also have no problem pointing out its faults."

“A lot of people listen to our records and think that it’s just noise, and we understand that,” MC Dälek says. “Our music’s not for everyone. But it’s not just about the anger; it’s not just about showing the ills of the world. The idea is to highlight things that people don’t talk about, things that are going on in communities that don’t have a voice. To me, that’s what hip hop always was. It’s always been the voice of the community, the voice of the lower class. That’s what I’ve always embraced and loved about it, and regardless of what elements we use in our work, that’s what we try to put across.”

And in this, Gutter Tactics succeeds, pairing the duo’s signature ambience with sludgy, lo-fi-rock influences and some of Dälek’s most pointedly political messages yet. The lead track, “Blessed Are They Who Bash Your Children’s Heads Against A Rock,” starts with the now-infamous speech of President Barack Obama’s former pastor Jeremiah Wright, a damning rebuke of US foreign policy. MC Dälek says that it wasn’t included on the album for shock value, but it was intended to be provocative, or at the very least, intended to challenge listeners to hear the words in their full context, beyond how the mainstream media chose to frame Wright’s persona.

“We’re usually not that topical of a band,” MC Dälek says, “and that’s not really the reason that we included the speech.” He pauses to collect his thoughts, continuing, “It’s funny how the media works. Everyone was in an uproar over what [Wright] said, but most places would only play one or two sentences from his speech. When I finally heard the entire speech [on YouTube], I couldn’t find one line that was offensive to me, or one line that was a lie. I’m proud to be American; I love this country, but I also have no problem pointing out its faults. I just want people to hear the speech in its in entirety, not just the snippets that Fox News will show you.”

Even so, Dälek doesn’t expect much backlash from its choice to include the speech. “If anyone’s gonna be pissed about it, they should at least listen to the whole thing,” MC Dälek says.

Though Gutter Tactics is an admitted departure from the duo’s more abstract direction in Abandoned Language, MC Dälek says that it’s by design and a logical progression from earlier work. “We have a good idea of what we want to do from album to album,” he says, explaining that he and Oktopus had started to conceptualize the sound of Gutter Tactics while working on Absence in 2004. “In comparison to Absence, we knew that we needed to take a different approach with Gutter Tactics. We always knew that it would be in some ways heavier than Absence. [Gutter Tactics] has the melodies of Abandoned Language with the brutality of Absence; we think that it’s a nice mix of the two.”

Dälek acknowledges that its approach to writing is unusual. “We work in really bizarre ways,” MC Dälek says. “We have blueprints for the next two albums. I always said that I’d be making music regardless of whether it’s my job or not, so I just make beats, and Oktopus and I just start grouping things together for potential albums. There’s no set formula. There’s some tracks that Oktopus just puts together himself, but we have that trust in each other to put together the best possible songs, the best possible albums.

"We have ideas of where we’d like to go next,” he laughs, “though we don’t always like to say!”

As usual, ALARM leaves no genre unexplored in our list of this year's overlooked gems.

Sigh: Scenes from Hell (The End, 1/19/10)

Sigh: "The Summer Funeral"

With a history of fusing other revered genres to a doomy combination of black metal and thrash, Japan's Sigh used its eighth studio album to deliver symphonic, epic metal that calls upon classical instrumentation to top its rock foundation.

Brass, woodwind, and string instruments — as well as organ and piano — accent as well as lead sinister melodies that take surprising turns through fanciful themes. Raspy, menacing vocals coat each track, resulting in a dramatic presentation that isn't much at odds with its complex backdrop.

RJD2: The Colossus (RJ’s Electrical Connections, 1/19/10)

RJD2: "Games You Can Win"

Following a divisive album that saw the introduction of poppy, soulful vocals, producer RJD2 returned with something of a split release — an album that leaves no shortage of accessible, vocal-driven tunes but that emphasizes some inventive instrumentals.  Whether or not you dig the soulful RJ, there's no doubt that the music on The Colossus is some of his best to date.

Chicago Underground Duo: Boca Negra (Thrill Jockey, 1/26/10)

Chicago Underground Duo: "Spy on the Floor"

For 15 years, the Chicago Underground Duo (and Trio, Quartet, and Orchestra) has been an avant-garde jazz outlet for prolific Chicago musicians Rob Mazurek (Exploding Star Orchestra, Isotope 217) and Chad Taylor.  Boca Negra is an interesting dichotomy, as spiraling vociferation leads to upbeat grooves, shifting piano chords, harmonic electronics, and ambient samples.

Algernon: Ghost Surveillance (Cuneiform, 1/26/10)

Algernon: "Broken Lady"

The brainchild of guitarist Dave Miller, Algernon walks a thin line between melodically driven post-rock and instrumental unconventionality.  Ghost Surveillance places greater emphasis on synthesizers and sprawling song structures, but at its core is the combination of accessibility and technicality that has defined Miller's style. Noisy, circular rock riffs transform to tranquil, wandering passages. "Timekiller," the album's fourth track, is a beautiful, buoyant number — and one of the band's best creations to date.

Bei Bei & Shawn Lee: Into the Wind (Ubiquity, 1/26/10)

Bei Bei & Shawn Lee: "East"

In the hands of a marvel, the guzheng — a gorgeous Chinese zither — resonates with tactile beauty as its many strings are plucked with precision.

Bei Bei, a native of Chengdu, China, is one such musical technician. And this collaboration with Shawn Lee, a prolific producer who can man as many genres as he sees fit, is undoubtedly one of the year's finest albums.  Together, the two use Into the Wind to navigate through funky down-tempo jams, Kung-Fu flavor, hip hop, soul, and driving grooves.

Daníel Bjarnason: Processions (Bedroom Community, 2/1/10)

Daníel Bjarnason: "Bow to String I: Sorrow Conquers Happiness"

Best known as a conductor and arranger for indie groups such as Sigur Rós, composer Daníel Bjarnason also holds a lofty classical résumé. Processions, his proper debut, is, at many points, a challenging classical work.  Powerful cellos scale and race with crackling percussions before settling into gently bowed and pizzicato string accompaniments; easily half a dozen strings battle for dominance in a sorrowful, harmonic piece that resonates long after hearing it.  Undoubtedly, Processions is a daring and original debut.

Shining: Blackjazz (Indie Recordings / Distribution, 2/2/10)

Shining: "Fisheye"

Beginning as an experimental acoustic jazz ensemble, Norway's Shining — the brainchild of saxophonist Jørgen Munkeby — transformed to a progressive jazz-fusion outfit before delving into its darker side for a collaboration with black-metallists Enslaved.

Blackjazz pushes deeper into the band's dark recesses, forging a progressive industrial sound for the young century.  Big, complex rock riffs, twisted through gnarly distortion, form the foundation and support a mass of frantic, whirring synth lines and gut-wrenching black-metal screams.  In all, Blackjazz is a new epic — and perhaps the best metal album of 2010.

Pillars and Tongues: Lay of Pilgrim Park, LP + download (Endless Nest, 2/9/10)

Pillars and Tongues: "The Center of"

With just three members, Pillars and Tongues manages to craft powerful folk abstractions and interwoven, trance-inducing vocal dynamics. Both composed and improvisational, these shifting forms evoke spiritual vibes in their soulful essence, heavenly harmonies, and repeated patterns.

Dessa: A Badly Broken Code (Doomtree, 2/9/10)

Dessa: "Dixon's Girl"

The only female member of Minneapolis hip-hop collective Doomtree, Dessa is a spoken-word vocalist, singer, and MC whose awaited full-length was finally released earlier this year.

On A Badly Broken Code, her true solo debut, Dessa's vocal diversity is matched by its underlying music, ranging from hard-hitting beats and rhymes to lilting harmonic overdubs.

The Bastard Noise / The Endless Blockade: The Red List (20 Buck Spin, 2/16/10)

The Bastard Noise: "Mutant World of Shame / Underworld"

A spinoff of treasured "power-violence" hardcore group Man is the Bastard, The Bastard Noise is approaching its 20th anniversary of creating noisy electro-doom brutality.  For this split release with hardcore/punk experimentalists The Endless Blockade, the group utilizes the trademark drum-and-bass style of Man is the Bastard in combination with its far-out sounds.  The Endless Blockade contributes three tracks to the release — one 14-minute epic and two avant-garde remixes.

Freeway & Jake One: The Stimulus Package (Rhymesayers, 2/16/10)

Freeway & Jake One: "Know What I Mean"

Continuing his life after Roc-A-Fella Records, former freestyle star Freeway now makes his debut on Rhymesayers, a fitting new home — if only temporary before a move to Cash Money.  Fellow Rhymesayers standout Jake One provides a funky, malleable backdrop for Freeway's fiery delivery and lyrics that are alternately personal and light in content. And though Freeway deserves his accolades, Jake One's production is the MVP of this collaboration.

Carolina Chocolate Drops: Genuine Negro Jig (Nonesuch, 2/16/10)

Carolina Chocolate Drops: "Hit 'Em Up Style" (Blu Cantrell)

Beholden to the traditions of Americana and early African-American folk, the string trio Carolina Chocolate Drops continues blurring the lines of old and new. On Genuine Negro Jig, the group's fifth album, a few original numbers and a trove of traditionals take root in banjo, fiddle, and percussion. Three-part harmonies shimmer on the famous folk tune "Trouble in Your Mind," and simplicity shines on gripping renditions of "Why Don't You Do Right?" by Kansas Joe McCoy and "Trampled Rose" by Tom Waits.  Most surprisingly, Genuine Negro Jig includes an enjoyable rendition of "Hit 'Em Up Style," an unintentionally farcical pop hit by Blu Cantrell.

Mako Sica: Dual Horizon LP (La Société Expéditionnaire, 2/16/10)

Mako Sica: "I'Itoi"

A translation of the phrase "land bad," Mako Sica has more than a nominal Native American influence; the trio's distant vocal reverberations and dirge-inspired tunes recall the spirituality of America's original inhabitants.

Between the vocalizations of Brent Fuscaldo, the melodies of guitarist Przemyslaw Krys Drazek, and the rhythms of drummer Michael J. Kendrick, Mako Sica maintains a strong balance of abilities — with a brooding combination of jangly guitars, reverberated vociferation, and instrumental dynamics.

High on Fire: Snakes for the Divine (E1 Music, 2/23/10)

High on Fire: "Snakes for the Divine"

Stoner-metal trio High on Fire has built a devoted following over the past dozen years as fans fell in love with Matt Pike's gruff vocals and thunderous guitar riffs. On Snakes for the Divine, Pike uses his throat to channel Lemmy Kilmister; meanwhile, the band has picked up its pace and crafted an album that isn’t as outstretched. Hard-hitting riffery leads an effort that, though diverse at times, may be the band’s most driving release.

Jaga Jazzist: One-Armed Bandit (Ninja Tune, 2/23/10)

Jaga Jazzist: "One-Armed Bandit"

Five years have passed since we've heard the powerhouse melodies of Norway's Jaga Jazzist, the post-rock/"nü-jazz" conception of brothers Lars and Martin Horntveth.

One-Armed Bandit, immediately the group's best album, resembles symphonic prog rock, arguably a few steps removed from parts of Frank Zappa's expansive catalog and closer to countryman Jono El Grande's diverse and theatrical style.  This album, however, is much more cohesive than either of those comparisons suggest, and at times it is nearly overwhelming with grooves and harmonious refrains.

Rob Swift: The Architect (Ipecac, 2/23/10)

Rob Swift: "The Architect"

Turntablist/DJ Robert Aguilar, formerly of the X-ecutioners, has long utilized his love of jazz, R&B, and other musical movements to create compelling hip-hop instrumentals while displaying his tight beat-juggling skills.

The Architect is Swift’s foray into the classical world. In addition to a multitude of sampled styles and sounds, classical cuts comprise a substantial chunk of this Ipecac debut. Rearranged strings, organ, and horns often make the foundation of a given track, occasionally evoking high-tension Italian Westerns, as Swift’s scratches dance atop banging beats.

Rotting Christ: Aealo (Season of Mist, 2/23/10)

Rotting Christ: "Aealo"

For more than 20 years, Athens' Rotting Christ has traversed different directions on the metal path.  With its previous release, Theogonia, the group released a striking, original album that fused its dark sound to the ethnic sounds of its ancestors.

Like its predecessor, Aealo features female Benedictine chants, lingual pipes, and a medieval feel. Combined with dueling high-pitched harmonies and powerful guitar work, these new elements highlight an album that should be among the most original metal releases of the year.

Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté: Ali and Toumani (Nonesuch, 2/23/10)

Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté: "Ruby"

As two of Africa's most internationally renowned musicians, guitar legend Ali Farka Touré and kora phenom Toumani Diabaté have displayed impeccable abilities while integrating the styles of other cultures into their ethnic sounds.

Each Malian, the two collaborated for the acclaimed In the Heart of the Moon in 2005, shortly before Farka Touré's passing in 2006. Fortunately, the two set aside time to record new material before touring for In the Heart of the Moon, and the result is another beautiful set of duets that sees a posthumous release.

Throughout Ali and Toumani, Farka Touré roots each creation in melodious African-blues pieces. Diabaté's virtuosity accents each track in the form of fanciful scales, which at times evoke classical harpsichord passages, perhaps most notably on "Sabu Yerkoy."

Fang Island: s/t (Sargent House, 2/23/10)

Fang Island: "Sideswiper"

Mostly comprised of ex-Daughters, the good-time rock quintet Fang Island was one of the most quickly ascending bands of 2010, jumping onto tours with The Flaming Lips and Stone Temple Pilots following the release of its first full-length album.

The self-titled release is chock full of palm-muted and speed-infused indie-prog anthems, with über-layered vocal harmonies to go with a triple-thick guitar assault and distorted-bass bludgeoning.  It's one of those rare releases that feels absolutely radiant and thrashing at the same time.

B. Dolan: Fallen House, Sunken City (Strange Famous, 3/2/10)

B. Dolan: "The Reptilian Agenda"

Going way back with Sage Francis, rapper B. Dolan is a like-minded MC and slam poet whose style isn't terribly dissimilar to that of his long-time friend. Fallen House, Sunken City is Dolan's second full-length for Strange Famous, and it's full of the sociopolitical themes (if often in quick blasts or asides) and contentious delivery for which he's known.

In addition to some seemingly personal lyrics, Dolan takes passing shots at big business, taxation, the pharmaceutical industry, the concept of ownership of natural resources, the Israeli razing of Palestinian developments, and, among many other things, the so-called New World Order — dropping clips of Dick Cheney and George H.W. Bush in "The Reptilian Agenda."  On top of Dolan's socially conscious rhymes, A-list production by Alias makes this one of the year's top hip-hop releases.

Archie Bronson Outfit: Coconut (Domino, 3/2/10)

Archie Bronson Outfit: "Shark's Tooth"
Archie Bronson Outfit: "Shark's Tooth"

With its warbled vocals and driving percussion, British psych-rock trio Archie Bronson Outfit is like a more adventurous Wolf Parade — as comfortable burning up the dance floor with clean, bouncy riffs as it is turning up the reverb and rocking in a garage.

Coconut is the band's first LP in nearly four years, and it kicks off with a crunchy, swirling guitar line and a hypnotic bongo-laden beat. Produced by DFA's Tim Goldsworthy, Coconut gets spaced-out and drone-like at times, but it always offers a hint of pop accessibility amidst the static and haze.

From 1982 to 1997, New York's Swans built a cult legacy for a solitary blend of industrial, folk, noise, and avant-garde music.  It was less music than an experience, helmed by songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and vocal oddity Michael Gira.

Along the way, the group's sound evolved from raw to delicate and anywhere between, channeling ambient sounds, acoustic tenderness, post-rock, field recordings, cinematic drama, and much more. But Gira wanted to turn his attention elsewhere, and Jarboe, Gira's partner and one of the group's only other constants, went her own way.

Gira focused on acoustic works in a solo career and with a group called The Angels of Light, and he released other people's material on his label, Young God Records.  Though a new Swans album never seemed likely or possible, Gira now has delivered one that far exceeds expectations thanks to an all-star cast.

In a new, balanced mix of noise rock, strange ballads, and stratified power, My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky calls on Thor Harris, Bill Rieflin, Devendra Banhart, and a number of other multi-talented collaborators.  Whether droning, marching, building to a crescendo, setting a creepy tone, or simply delivering melodies, this marks a new and important chapter in the Swans story.

Swans: "Eden Prison"

Torche: Songs for Singles EP (Hydra Head)

Over the course of two albums and a few EPs, Florida’s Torche has developed an appeal across genre lines, attracting stoner-metal fans as well as the sing-along crowd.

The band (now a trio) earned some serious buzz from its 2008 full-length album, Meanderthal, which coupled a strong melodic emphasis with thick distortion, catchy riffs, and wailing vocals.   Songs for Singles, essentially, is more of the same two-minute tracks, each powerful yet approachable enough to be played on the radio.

The EP, however, also holds a pair of the band’s longest jams, including penultimate track “Face the Wall,” which slows the tempo to establish an epic, My Bloody Valentine-esque vibe over five-and-a-half minutes.  The closer, “Out Again,” is a six-minute mid-tempo rocker that rides a trance-like outro for four minutes.

These slow jams close Songs for Singles in a similar fashion to Meanderthal, which back-loaded the longer tracks.  They create a nice contrast to the first six tracks, even though they do little to change Torche’s direction.

Listeners who loved all of Meanderthal, however, should have no problem with more of the same.  Regardless, if you’re not familiar with the band’s signature combination of punk melodies and beats, guitar harmonics, and overdubbed vocals, you should get acquainted.

Torche: "Arrowhead"

Exploding Star Orchestra: Stars Have Shapes (Delmark)

Composer/cornetist and multimedia artist Rob Mazurek has been at the leading edge of experimental jazz for more than 15 years, searching out new expressions of a classic genre in outfits such as Chicago Underground Duo (Trio, Quartet, etc.), Isotope 217, Mandarin Movie, Sao Paulo Underground, and more.

In 2007, Thrill Jockey released the full-length debut of Exploding Star Orchestra, one of Mazurek’s newest creations that fused hard bop with untamed improvisation, electronics, and far-out samples (including an electric eel).  The large, member-shifting ensemble followed in 2008 to present a collaboration with the since-departed Bill Dixon — a three-suite album that directed the players to musically interpret one of Mazurek’s video works.

Stars Have Shapes finds Mazurek further exploring the interplay between aural and visual stimuli, most notably on “Three Blocks of Light,” an interpretation of his similarly titled three-part photo piece, “Three Projections of Light.”  Each track (with the exception of the five-minute “ChromoRocker”) is a slowly building sphere of sound, a layered cacophony that swirls with fervor.

There isn’t the same type of powerful, circular jazz grooves as on the debut, We Are All From Somewhere Else, but there are moments of refinement between the chaos.  As a whole, it’s a much less accessible album than the debut, but it operates on a much more subconscious level.

Exploding Star Orchestra: "ChromoRocker"

Flying Lotus: Pattern+Grid World EP (Warp)

In May, laptop guru Flying Lotus released Cosmogramma, the electronic producer’s grand opus and third full-length album.  Showcasing an expanded palette and a stronger compositional skill set, the album received glowing reviews and catapulted Flying Lotus (named Steven Ellison) to the forefront of an evolving sound.

Pattern+Grid World, the latest in Ellison’s line of EPs, goes back to basics.  The seven songs focus on pure electronics and synthesizers, as opposed to the diverse timbres and elaborate samples heard on Cosmogramma.  It’s still a complex, beat-driven tangle, but the material isn’t nearly as layered or expansive, and the melodies aren’t as wild.

The EP excels as a synth-driven IDM release, and its style makes it more likely than its full-length predecessor to be heard in a club.  If you like Flying Lotus but Cosmogramma was too intense for you, check this out.

Flying Lotus: "Camera Day"

Maximum Balloon: s/t (Interscope)

Producer/multi-instrumentalist Dave Sitek is best known as a co-founder and driving force behind TV on the Radio.  His dense style has led to production credits for Liars, Foals, Scarlett Johansson, Thee Oh Sees, and others.

Maximum Balloon is Sitek's solo debut — 10 synth-pop tracks featuring 10 different guest vocalists.  Sitek has always worked in the realm of pop, but Maximum Balloon is substantially sunnier and more upbeat than TV on the Radio or his other efforts.

Over the duration of the debut, the music's feel seldom wavers.  Digital beats, light-rock instruments, synthesizers, and even some funk guitar and fake horns create a layered, danceable album.  The biggest difference from track to track, as might be expected, is the guest spots by vocalists such as David Byrne, Tunde Adebimpe and Kyp Malone of TV on the Radio, Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Holly Miranda.

"The Lesson" finally shifts gears to a down-tempo, minor-key ballad — one of the album's better tracks — and the closer takes a similar route.  At that point, however, Maximum Balloon has already established its foundation, and pop fans will appreciate it.

Maximum Balloon: "Absence of Light" (feat. Tunde Adebimpe)

Honorable Mentions

Chloe Charles: Little Green Bud

The Hundred in the Hands: s/t (Warp)

John Legend & The Roots: Wake Up! (Columbia)

Margot & The Nuclear So-and-Sos: Buzzard (+1)

La Otracina: Reality Has Got to Die (Holy Mountain)

Qemists: Spirit in the System (Ninja Tune)

Rez Abbasi Acoustic Quartet: Natural Selection (Sunnyside)

Thievery Corporation: It Takes a Thief (ESL)

US Christmas: Run Thick in the Night (Neurot)

Bongripper: Satan Worshipping Doom 2xLP (August 13, 2010)

Bongripper: "Hail"

Morrow: Chicago's Bongripper makes the type of music that you might glean from its name — bleak, crushing doom metal that's built on stoner riffs and down-tuned guitars.  I will preface this by saying that I'm not a huge fan of the genre, but the band already has two strikes in my book for the lame pot-related name and the (presumably tongue-in-cheek) Satanism.

Hajduch: A decidedly juvenile aesthetic (bong name, crazy metal titty-demon artwork, hailing Satan at every opportunity) may not be Morrow's bag, but it's hard to fault a band who does instrumental stoner/doom metal in such a solid fashion.

The four tracks — yes, they are titled "Hail," Satan," "Worship," and "Doom" — each take up an entire side of a lovingly crafted two-LP set.  Each gradually spans styles, from bluesy riffs to down-tuned sludge stomp, with occasional flourishes of synthesizer and even a little bit of blast-y black metal.  It's ridiculously effective, and you can't stop head-banging, ever, and then you seriously wind up worshipping Satan.

Morrow: Ha! Well, unfortunately, this album only makes me want to rip off a mean nap.  There just isn't enough to sustain these songs, let alone for 11–13 minutes each.  The riffs are dull — often just 2-3 notes — and it's just minutes and minutes of the same thing.  I know that's the point of doom metal, but they don't add other layers or anything.  It's just the usual metal-band instrumentation.

I was into it for the first few minutes, but as is often the case with the genre, it got stale.  There are bands who do similar things well – Sunn O))), Khanate, Bloody Panda, even “lighter” bands like Cavity and Torche – and Bongripper, to me, isn’t doing anything different or better.

Hajduch: Khanate are cool if you like feedback, and Sunn are interesting if you think it's cool that a dude who played on the hottest Herbie Hancock records contributed (Julian Priester, trombone on Hancock's Mwandishi trilogy and bandleader for the insanely great 1973 album Love, Love).  But too much stoner metal went up its own ass listening to My Bloody Valentine and died there.

It's cool to hear a band that just wants to crush you with riffs.  I hear you that metal-band instrumentation could use a little fresh polish (KTL deserves to be a household name), but I think that years of horrifyingly dour and terrible orchestral metal (how can you be so gaudy and so boring?!) has scared everybody back to guitar/bass/drums monotony.  Nobody criticized this formula when Pelican rode it all the way to the top, and their drummer didn't even know how to play.

Morrow: For the record, I criticized Pelican!  (And I will defend orchestral metal — at least something like Sigh, not Metallica playing with a symphony.)  Also, yes, it’s awesome that Julian Priester and people like Eyvind Kang (Secret Chiefs 3, Bill Frisell) are all over the last Sunn album.  They called in the proverbial big guns, and it paid off.

Digressing, I’m all about riffs – big, massive riffs – but I don’t think that these are very good.  And though I’m glad that they didn’t add vocals just for the sake of it, having something else would have been nice.  The second track, “Satan,” is a nice tempo change from the opener, but at more than 11 minutes, it’s still way too long.

Hajduch: I think this album is a lot more well thought out than prior Bongripper releases, and I have no complaints. I could see why somebody else might find this type of stuff repetitive, but I don't, and I'm sure that there's plenty of people out there like me who like basic bread-and-butter doom metal.

The first-press vinyl was limited to 300, and the upcoming colored stock is sure to be gone after they add the sticker onto the front with Morrow's glowing praise ("big, massive riffs…very good…a nice tempo change!" – Scott Morrow, ALARM).

Morrow: Normally, the Morrow seal of approval is a kiss of death, but I'm willing to suspend disbelief and guarantee them a good 5-6 sales.  Besides, it's better than your press quote ("I have…complaints." – Patrick Hajduch, ALARM).

To enter to win, enter your E-mail below for the biweekly ALARM newsletter, the Alarmist.

We'll contact the winner via E-mail on September 27.

Update: Contest has ended.

On top of another reunion show from Snapcase and dozens of other performances, Riot Fest 2010 features bands such as Bad Religion, Anti-Flag, Propagandhi, Jello Biafra, Smoking Popes, Negative Approach, High on Fire, Torche, Kylesa, Circle Jerks, The Bronx, Corrosion of Conformity, Agnostic Front, and Cap'n Jazz.

Five-day passes are sold out, but you can still buy three-day passes and individual tickets for any show. In addition, VIP passes are available for the Congress Theater shows for $75. With a VIP pass, you'll get admission to that night's show, admission to the TBA secret shows, access to the VIP/press area, re-entry into the venue, free beer, and a premium stage view.

Take a look at the full lineup at riotfest.org/chicago.

The new album was produced again by Kylesa’s guitarist/vocalist Phillip Cope, who has manned the boards for Baroness and Withered.

The Savannah-based band is presently on a European tour with Converge but has set up a massive North American tour. Starting on September 29, the coed quintet will tour with High On Fire and Torche until November 7. Kylesa is also planning several festival performances, such as the Hopscotch Music Festival in Raleigh and the Soundwave Festival in Australia next year.

Tour dates

August

12 Vienna, Austria Arena

13 Jaromer, Czechoslavakia Brutal Assault

14 Mikkeli, Finland Jurassic Rock Festival

15 Leper, Belgium Ieper Fest

19 Hasselt, Belgium Pukkelpop Festival

20 Dinkelsbuhl, Germany Summerbreeze Festival

21 Ludinghausen, Germany Area 4 Festival

September

11 Raleigh, NC Hopscotch Festival

29 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall

30 Pomona, CA The Glass House

October

1 Flagstaff, AZ Orpheum Theater

2 Albuquerque, NM Launchpad

3 Denver, CO Bluebird Theater

5 Minneapolis, MN Varsity Theater

6 Milwaukee, WI Turner Hall Ballroom

8 Rock Island, IL Rock Island Brewing Co.

9 Urbana, IL Canopy Club

10 Chicago, IL Riot Fest @ Metro

11 Bloomington, IN The Bluebird

13 Newport, KY Southgate House

14 Detroit, MI Majestic Theatre

15 Cleveland, OH The Grog Shop

16 Rochester, NY Water Street Music Hall

17 Northampton, MA Pearl Street

19 Halifax, NS The Paragon Theatre

21 Portland, ME Port City Music Hall

22 Providence, RI Club Hell

24 New York, NY Webster Hall

26 Philadelphia, PA Starlight Ballroom

27 Carborro, NC Cat's Cradle

29 Gainesville, FL The Fest 9

November

7 Austin, TX Fun Fun Fun Fest

February

26 Brisbane, QLD Brisbane Soundwave Festival

27 Sydney, NSW Sydney Soundwave Festival

March

4 Melbourne, VIC Melbourne Soundwave Festival

5 Adelaide, SA Adelaide Soundwave Festival

7 Perth, WA Perth Soundwave Festival

Hans Zimmer: Inception soundtrack (Warner Bros.)

As you likely know from dozens of trailers, Inception is the latest film from Christopher Nolan, best known for directing the new Batman movies but beloved for his mind-twisting thrillers Memento and The Prestige.

Ranking 72nd on the Telegraph’s list of 100 living geniuses, German composer Hans Zimmer is a Grammy-winning soundtrack maven. And though blockbuster scores often all blend together with the same soaring, emotive motifs, Zimmer’s talents are unique, and his material for Inception stands out amid the typical Hollywood fare.

The music here is dramatic and eerie — as one would expect for a dream-based, mind-bending movie — but its range is more dynamic, making use of Zimmer’s penchant for electronics.

Tracks such as “Mombasa” (heard below), percussive and built around synthesizers, sound modern but also inspired by classic scores from the ’70s and ’80s. Ominous strings and synths swell in the background, but the pounding foreground keeps the focus with PVC-ish banging and a pulsing rhythm.

To coincide with the film’s LA premiere and the score’s release, Zimmer is performing the music with guitarist Johnny Marr (The Smiths, Modest Mouse) and a 20-piece orchestra. If you can’t make it, stream the performance here.

Or if you’d like the studio version, stream the whole soundtrack here — and walk into the movie feeling like you’ve dreamt it already.

Hans Zimmer: “Mombasa”
Hans Zimmer: "Mombasa"

Gifts from Enola: s/t (The Mylene Sheath)

Coming just a year after its last full-length, the new self-titled release from Gifts from Enola is surprising in the maturation that it reflects over a short course of time.

From Fathoms, the band’s 2009 release, was an interesting blend of instrumental post-rock and shoe-gaze influences, with echo-delayed palm muting leading into swirling effects and aggressive, mid-tempo rock riffs. This latest full-length maintains those attributes, but it sounds like an entirely different band thanks to one key element: power.

Much of this might be due to the addition of of Jud Mason on drums, and his potent kit sounds are a major factor. But the band also succeeds here with newly down-tuned guitars, righteous atmospherics, and focus. Each tune has its own direction, and though the diversity of previous efforts was a perk, Gifts from Enola shines thanks to solidarity.

Gifts from Enola: “Lionized”

So Percussion & Matmos: Treasure State (Cantaloupe)

Experimental electronic duo Matmos is a noted contemporary practitioner of musique concrète, a cut-and-paste art form that channels existing sounds into new and surprising pieces. The duo differs from its forebears, however, by welcoming listeners into its world via techno beats and dance rhythms.

And despite delving into what seems like a juxtaposition to electronic music, Matmos uses Treasure State to team with So Percussion, a Brooklyn quartet that brings to life the works of contemporary composers like David Lang, Iannis Xenakis, and John Cage.

“Needles” uses an electrified cactus to pluck sharp notes that are simultaneously melodic and rhythmic. “Cross” most obviously bears Matmos’ stamp; it’s a wheezing, thumping piece, screeching a collage of noise and sound effects that tear up and re-purpose So Percussion’s instruments.

Other physical objects — ceramics and metal — are explored elsewhere, and acoustic instruments play a substantial role on a number of tracks. The pairing sounds natural, and it’s surprising that it didn’t happen sooner.

So Percussion & Matmos: “Treasure”
So Percussion & Matmos: \"Treasure\"

Calibro 35: Ritornano Quelli Di… (Nublu / Ghost)

Formed to recreate the funky and creepy Italian soundtracks of the 1970s, Milan’s Calibro 35 has evolved into something much more, creating original pieces that rival some of their inspirations in range and “jam kicking.”

To accomplish this feat on just the band’s second album, recording engineer Tommaso Colliva (Muse) again assembled a murderer’s row of funk players, banging out no-nonsense shit that also calls upon moodiness and off-the-wall effects. Wah pedals, organs, horns, and bass grooves lay the foundation, but lap steel, guitar fuzz, and a stray xylophone provide the decoration.

Now, having played at ethnically inspired New York club Nublu last year, Calibro 35 is getting some exposure in the USA, thanks to the venue’s record label of the same name. If they cross the Atlantic again soon, don’t miss ‘em.

Honorable Mentions

Angel Eyes: Midwestern (The Mylene Sheath)

Autechre: Move of Ten (Warp)

Canvas Solaris: Irradiance (Sensory)

Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse: Dark Night of the Soul (Lex / Capitol)

Devotionals: s/t (Alive)

Glenn Branca: Symphony No. 3 (Gloria) [reissue] (Atavistic)

Grasscut: 1 Inch / ½ Mile (Ninja Tune)

Mad Sin: Burn and Rise (People Like You)

Melvins / Isis split 12″ (Hydra Head)

Nox Aurea: Ascending in Triumph (Napalm)

Quantic Presenta Flowering Inferno: Dog with a Rope (Tru Thoughts)

School of Seven Bells: Disconnect from Desire (Vagrant)

Sun Kil Moon: Admiral Fell Promises (Caldo Verde)

Torche / Boris: Chapter Ahead Being Fake split 10″ (Hydra Head)

Zoroaster: Matador (E1)

Here's the list in alphabetical order:

1. An Albatross: The An Albatross Family Album (Eyeball)

For a decade, An Albatross has blurred the lines between psychedelic rock, synthesized circus sounds, tech riffs, and grind. Building on the group's adventuresome past, this thirty-minute sonic carnival is the most complete expression of An Albatross ever put to tape.

Progressive, epic, trippy, and heavy tunes commingle with layers of strings, horns, flute, and organs — as well as a lengthy spoken-word narrative. The An Albatross Family Album is the band's magnum opus.

2. Dub Trio: Another Sound is Dying (Ipecac)

From the moment that each of us heard the Brooklyn trio’s third studio album last January, we were in love.

A mix of rock, metal, punk, electronica, and of course, dub, Another Sound… is the group's most audacious album to date, speaking to fans across genre lines while pummeling them with the heavy riffs from opener "Not for Nothing" and the rippling low end of closer "Funishment." Mike Patton provides guest vocals on “No Flag.”

3. Firewater: Golden Hour (Bloodshot)

The Golden Hour is the product of one man’s personal and musical odyssey over land from India to the Mediterranean Sea. Firewater’s Tod A. blends his punk roots with field recordings of musicians in five countries, resulting in a mix of past and present, familiar and exotic.

Tod A.’s pairings of music samples recorded in nations that are in conflict with one another shows that “sonic harmony” can be produced even where personal harmony seems unobtainable. The Golden Hour is an ambitious recording that remains intensely personal while encouraging the listener to think about a greater picture.

4. Fucked Up: The Chemistry of Common Life (Matador)

To us, Fucked Up was one of the most successful bands of 2008, and we were thrilled by The Chemistry of Common Life. With this album, the group has brilliantly drawn from the traditions of hardcore and created something comfortably familiar and powerfully new.

5. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds: Dig!!! Lazarus, Dig!!! (Anti-)

Influenced by the stripped-down rock of Cave and company's 2007 Grinderman project, and inspired by both the biblical story of Lazurus as well as Harry Houdini, (whom Cave dubs as the world’s first- and second- greatest escape artists, respectively), Dig… finds a modernized “Larry” sprung back to life in the seamy underworld of 1970s New York City.

Each expertly crafted, hook-driven song provides vivid imagery to add to the story. “Today’s Lesson,” “Lie Down Here (And Be My Girl),” and “Midnight Man” are particular highlights.

6. Rodriguez: Cold Fact (Light in the Attic)

On first listen, the psychedelic folk styles of Detroit’s Rodriguez sound so familiar, it’s as though you’ve known his songs your whole life.

Originally released on the Sussex label in 1970, the album was largely overlooked in its home country, but unbeknownst to the inner-city troubadour, it grew an international cult following of millions (Rodriguez even became known as “Jesus” to many South African fans).

Upon its 2008 resurrection, Cold Fact became an instant classic, with tunes like “Sugarman” and “Hate Street Blues” still hitting a personal chord with every listener.

7. Roky Erickson and the Explosives: Halloween Live 1979-1981 (SteadyBoy)

Released on the heels of the decade’s most exciting and miraculous rock 'n' roll comeback, Halloween Live showcases the rock icon’s stunning voice and talent for songwriting, despite his then-fragile mental state.

Comprised primarily of material from the sci-fi-laced, psychedelic hard rock of 1980 album The Evil One (Roky Erickson and The Aliens, 415 Records), Halloween Live is perfect for fanatics and newbies alike with tracks such as the eerie “Creature with the Atom Brain” and “Bloody Hammer” and a ferocious rendition of “Stand For the Fire Demon."

8. Secret Chiefs 3: Xaphan: Book of Angels, Vol. 9 (Tzadik)

Led by multi-instrumentalist/composer Trey Spruance, Secret Chiefs 3 has re-imagined Masada material for Zorn's Book of Angels series. The group's use of Indian instruments and melodies, combined with surf rock, cinematic flourishes, African guitar, bits of electronics, and bursts of death metal, is unparalleled in execution and contemporaries.

Used here with Zorn's material, the outcome is magnificent.

9. Torche: Meanderthal (Hydra Head)

Meanderthal, the second full-length from Miami-based Torche, is in essence, a big “fuck you” to naysayers who would have you believe there is nothing fresh to be heard in rock 'n' roll.

Between the driving rhythms of “Speed of the Nail,” the punk-pop blend of “Healer,” and undercurrents of sludge, the album is accessible without losing any of its punch (these ain’t no “monster ballads”). Meanderthal is a wholly original, powerful album that will resonate with listeners for years and will undoubtedly mark a turning point in the band’s career and musical legacy.

10. Why?: Alopecia (anticon.)

The love- and death-riddled lyrics, shuffling snare drums, devious scenarios, and strangely un-pop hip-hop sound of Alopecia is somehow relatable.

It's evasive, but tempting, and acceptably poetic. With quirky wordplay and creative rhyme schemes from frontman Yoni Wolf, Alopecia slowly unfolds and then devours you into its own neurotic world.