VOLUME SIX
OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE
MELISSA GRACE _________ TAYLOR JANZEN ZOON ____________ SEAN O’DAY SOPHIE HUNGER
OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE VOLUME SIX - QUARTER TWO
FOR THOSE WHO ARE COMPELLED TO WEAR THEMSELVES DOWN TO THE FLESH & BONE IN ORDER TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT SHOWS THEIR HEART.
OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE C R E AT I V E T E A M
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & C R E AT I V E D I R E C T O R Brandynn L Pope DESIGN
Brandynn L Pope WRITERS
J a m e s L i a m Wa rd PHOTOGRAPHERS Brandynn L Pope
Cassie Deadmond Sean O’Day
W W W. O B S E S S I V E C O M P U L S I V E M A G . C O M E M A I L fleshbonemagazine@gmail.com I N S TA @obsessivecompulsivemag
INDEX 06
SOPHIE HUNGER MUSICIAN
10
ZOON MUSICIAN
16
S E A N O ‘ D AY PHOTOGRAPHER
24
TAY L O R J A N Z E N MUSICIAN
30
MELISSA GRACE STUDIO SOLACE
36
ALBUMS IN REVIEW W RT N B Y J A M E S L I A M WA R D
SOPHIE HUNGER Let’s talk about your upcoming record, Halluzinationen. How do you find that the title works to encompass all of the songs? What themes did you explore on this record? “Halluzinationen” are what we see, hear, taste or feel which does not exist outside our minds. It’s an essential tool for creating music. It is an ambivalent power. On the one hand it creates a parallel world in which we can live and exist under conditions we desire but at the same time it can lead into isolation because it is not a collective experience. This is the second record that you have worked alongside Dan Carey. How did this collaborative relationship come to fruition? What is it that you enjoy about working with Carey? It’s a kind of deep friendship that expresses itself through music What did the process of building this record look like for you? Would you mind elaborating on the “Full Risk” that you have commented on in regards to how you recorded it? After having written the songs, we decided to record the album live as one continuous take, in opposition to the way we did the last album “Molecules” where we spent a lot of time processing sounds and really building the album as if it were architecture. This time we wanted it to be one breath, everyone playing at once, no overdubs, one movement.
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While much your record you are singing in English, there are hints of German throughout. How did you approach establishing both languages on the record and why was it significant for you to do so? Is there a reason why you prefer to work a lot in the English language versus other languages? As any singersongerwriter of the 21st century I am most influenced by british/american music culture. So that impregnation is hard to get rid of, also I grew up in London as a small child so English never felt extraterrestrial. But still I insist on using my other languages, it has alwyas shaped my identity and is an expression of being European that I wouldn’t want to neglect, I’d rather celebrate it as much as I can.
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In the past, you have said that you’d like to think that you are defying the tyranny of Anglophone Pop Culture, at least on a good day. I would love to hear your perspective on Anglophone Pop Culture and how it has influenced any of your decisions as well as how you’d like to keep pushing against it. We all know that the world is more divers and complex and multi-dimensional. Especially as a European we understand this notion, it’s what defines us. The more signs we have at hand to express our complex, ambivalent selves, the easier it is to breath and feel confident and live a life on a higher level than merely to function. You have quite a few records under your belt now, how have you found your approach to writing music has changed since your first release? I think my understanding of what quality means has changed, my judgment. I used to think putting tons of reverb on everything was amazing and sounded spooky and mysterious. But other than that I don’t think we develop in a linear way. I’m sure at times I had much more to give than at others. This comes and goes, I don’t like to think of this occupation as an infinite competition. I think music should be a rebellion against logic, it should defend chaos and failure as much as it should also impress at times. Tell us a little bit about the album art that you have chosen for Halluzinationen, and how you went about deciding what you wanted it to look like? Since a couple of years I work with a graphic designer called Jerome Witz. Usually, I just send him the music and then I let him do whatever comes to his mind. His artwork is more like an artistic reaction to the music rather than an illustration of what I think. Thank God. With the state of the world, how have you been coping with the effects of COVID-19? I spent the quarantine quite withdrawn. Working, however, much like before, writing songs, playing around on the instruments. Musicians are maybe naturally resilient, used to change, to uncertainty, we are used to living off empathy and hallucinations! I worry more about the women in our societies, who carry the essential burden of these crises, in child- and healthcare and still don’t have equal structural power. All the economic programs should now be a reflection of this acknowledgment, but I worry they will be the contrary and halt the feminist movement or even set it back. With the Halluzinationen coming out on August 28th are there any last sentiments that you would like to give in regards to it? Is there anything else your audience should be on the look out for from you? I’m going to film the whole album played in a trio setup next week, this will come out for the release, together with some b-side material. Much looking forward to that!
ZOON After some technical difficulties, we were finally able to reach Daniel Monkman, the creator behind the transcendent musical project Zoon. The name Zoon comes from the word, Zoongide-ewin, an Ojibwe term for bravery and courage. Through subtle narratives, Zoon’s songs revolve around his life and experiences as a an Indigenous Youth in Canada. He has not come to live the easiest life, even when he went to record demos for this record his gear had been stolen from him, forcing him to be at his most minimal with a single guitar and delay petal. Even while only in his mid-20s he has seen and experienced a lot and brought all of his emotions and life experiences forward into the sounds that are Zoon and explored on his upcoming record, Bleached Wavves. “It’s been quite a journey trying to put this record out,” Daniel Monkman stated, acknowledging that there was finally an official release date for his music, “Even on tour two years ago people would be like, ‘Hey man, the songs you are putting online are sounding pretty good, when are you going to put out a full length?’ I kept putting it off and a couple summers ago I decided to actually do this and now everything is playing out.” With the release set for June 19th, 2020, it was surprising to learn that the ideas for these songs started coming together back in 2016 and 2017. Monkman stated that it was around this time that he actually started finding clarity for what he was trying to do and say with the music, “Before it was a lot of random songs here and there, but there was a big push with all of these other songs in a month ... It was more of a feeling. I wanted it to feel good together.”
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While many might expect the sound of Zoon to come from a lot of shoe-gaze influence, they would be surprised to learn that a lot of the structure of Bleaches Wavves comes from listening to movie scores as well as other ambient music. Going into the songs there was this background acknowledgement that it could would like a score in the sense that it had that kind of narration, or that there was room to play with only having instrumental tracks among those with lyrics, “It’s kind of like a concept album too,” Monkman commented, “Right now we put out singles, what we thought would be the most digestible. When you hear the rest of the songs on the record you’ll get to hear the score side. There’s a lot of textures. Even songs that don’t say anything, just instrumentals, are there to comfort you.” While each of the songs can be listened to on their own candidly, there’s more of an experience with a focused front-toback listen.
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Scores may have held out a hand of inspiration for a large portion of the music, but when it came to Monkman’s discovery of shoe-gaze kind of music, there is only one true authentic form of it all that showed him the potential of textured sound, and that’s My Bloody Valentine. With how expansive the genre is now, I was surprised to learn that there’s very little shoe-gaze that Monkman actually listens to, “Growing up in a small town, I wasn’t aware of shoe-gaze music. It took me a while because how I did come across it was somewhat blurry,” Monkman briefly mentioned how he had been abusing different substances while in Junior High and High School during his founding years. A friend had reminded him that they had showed him My Bloody Valentine in Junior High, “At the time I didn’t really like it that much. I thought it was too abstract. I can’t even digest any of these sounds, and it wasn’t until a few years later when I was coming out of High School that I re-listened to it. I was like, ‘This is so beautiful, this makes so much sense to me, I love all the sounds,’ it kind of gets me away from my head. It made me feel like this was an alternate way to express myself.”
After that, there was not a lot in the shoe-gaze genre that spoke to Monkman, at least not in the same way. He notes how a lot of the genre in its modern form is gear heavy, focuses too much on expansive pedal collections, and different effects, “I only listened to MBV and I know they only have two records but it was all I listened to,” He laughed at that acknowledgement before expressing how he felt Kevin Shields did the whole genre best, the “proper way.” Kevin Shields is all about guitar tones and getting out the fuzz in his sound, something that Monkman admires and enjoys most, “That’s what I want to preserve. Luckily enough, some people like to notice that.” He continues to note that there is one pedal in particular that has been special to him. It’s why people always lean in and comment on the fact that he is able to make the sounds that he is making with it and it’s a classic delay pedal something that has enabled him to be minimalist but still stand out. Now, he has upgraded knowing that to remain minimal it is a lot less tedious to have to get down and fix his pedal between every song but remains with a minimal set up. With their live sets, Monkman has a goal of bringing the album to life to the audience. With the musicians that he has working on Zoon with him, they started discussing album art and music videos, compiling footage to make a certain style that would work with the music. It’s a large part of the reason that Monkman dreams of being able to get a projector for their live performance in the future. It would be another key feature to allow people to truly experience the music and feelings that come from the music. When preforming live, he doesn’t like to talk between sets, and likes to keep things flowing, “People don’t clap, they don’t even know when we start a song or finish one. I want that to be a visual so we can put imagery of First Nations people and still have it there rather than talk into a mic and bring up those issues. People can talk to me after, but when it’s the live experience I want it to just be that and people can see the imagery.”
Monkman reflects on seeing A Tribe Called Red it being the first time that he had seen nonIndigenous people running around in Pow-Wow T-Shirts while listening to Pow-Wow music, “It was so amazing. They haven’t even say anything about it but I just felt so connected.” It’s that part of where there were no words necessarily said that resinated with him, “I haven’t been able to speak publicly so having a projector would be a perfect idea for us.” Having visuals is something that is important for the representation of Zoon all together. Everything that they have put together has come organically as rthey were experimenting, enabling Monkman to be his most comfortable, “I haven’t talked about my art in many years. I stepped away from it for several years. So, this is the first time I have really talked about my art,” he states.
“It’s hard to put your heart and soul into a project and show it to the world. You want people to respect and understand. For a lot of people, they drink and stuff and I just don’t like having that stuff around. It’s very specific and challenging to find the right people. Anytime that something has gone wrong in my life alcohol or drugs have been in the picture. I promised myself that if I were to do music again I would be genuine and show positivity through my music,” A statement that Monkman made noting that he wanted to shatter the idea of living in a rock and roll illusion as a group of musicians.
Now, Daniel Monkman prepares for the final days before the released of Bleached Wavves. It’s a record that’s been the making for four years now. The record is set to be released on June 19th, 2020 and is full of true, genuine feeling. There is no doubt that every aspect that Daniel Monkman In the process for making some of the visuals approaches in his art is thoughtful and well for Bleached Wavves, Monkman was able to considered. Giving his closing remarks, Monkman have a deeper conversation with Drew Rutty, states, “I hope people feel good when they listen the videographer behind the music video, “Light Prism” As it turns out, the week prior to the music to it and look up First Nations people. In one of the songs there’s a hand-drum and maybe people video being recorded Monkman had asked his bassist to leave stating, “We weren’t on the same will notice that and ask ‘What’s rthat instrument?’ page.” Through the scene, Monkman was already and do some research.” familiar with Rutty but when they got together in this context they clicked and were able to get all of the visuals done before the other members of Zoon showed up.
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SEAN O ’ DAY Tell us a bit about your journey with photography? When did you first start using the camera and how did you grow and find the things that you wanted to focus on as subjects in your photographs? My journey into becoming a photographer was a long road. I was in one of those art curriculum classes in High School that I took for two years, I believe. We learned a lot of art related things but my main goal was to become a graphic designer. I told my teacher that before I even started the class yet she would always put a camera in my hand. I always told her “I don’t want to be a photographer, I want to be a graphic designer!” Fast forward to College (Cleveland Institute of Art) where I majored in Graphic Design class and one of my required classes was Photography 101. A couple of years later I somehow convinced my mom to buy me my first camera which was a Canon XT. I never made this decision till I went and saw the band Thursday at the Grog Shop. I saw photographers all over the venue and told myself that I wanted to do that. The camera was old but it worked. I would shoot all around my area and eventually shoot the shows my cousins rap duo, Smoke Screen, would have. Time passed and noticed a photo of Vic Fuentes taken at our local House of Blues venue. I thought a photographer from Cleveland took it. Turns out it was Adam Elmakias! That photo inspired me to get off my butt and actually start doing music photography. I was told to contact a local band and ask if I could shoot one of their upcoming shows so that’s what I did with the band Reverse The Curse who had a album release show up at the Grog Shop. They said yes and gave me a free shirt as a thank you for taking photos of them! This was around August of 2013.
Were you ever formally trained? How did you go about finding the information you needed to become a photographer, including that of shooting shows? Well, I mentioned that I did take Photography 101, but I didn’t learn anything [laughs]. This wasn’t the professors fault, I wasn’t ready for college when I went and never paid any attention. I never finished Cleveland Institute of Art so when I got my first camera I had to teach myself. I watched a lot of Youtube videos, looked at editing information on Flickr, and anything else that could teach me how to do better in photography, especially when it came to live shows. I even had to look up how to shoot big concerts. Doing this back in 2013/2014 there wasn’t a lot to look up when it came to music photography because the community wasn’t as crowded as it is now. So [I had to do] deep research when it came to how to shoot bigger shows other than club shows. Being from Cleveland, OH, how have you found the city has affected your work as an artist as well as your work in the music scene? I feel that the music scene here really picked up a lot since I started doing music photography. That or I just never noticed how busy Cleveland is with shows till I started actually doing bigger shows and paying attention to when these bands/artists were coming to town. It did feel a bit limited at first because it was hard to find a publication around here that wasn’t Alternative Press or Scene Magazine. It would have took a miracle for me to start off on photography and just land on AP Magazine. So I made my own publication, It was made on tumblr then I moved it to wix. It was short lived but it got me into a Chiodos show.
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What was one of your proudest moments as a photographer? This might be a tie between two moments. One was doing a photoshoot with the band Fever 333. I first met Jason Alan when he was in his previous band letlive. and fast forward years later I got to do a shoot with his band Fever 333? Incredible! My second proudest moment might be a bit controversial for most but being able to have a photo of mine on a Moose Blood shirt was a peak milestone. While a lot of your work is focused on live music, what are some other things that you want to do with your photography? I realize that I want my main goal to be a portrait photographer for bands/artists but not for magazines. I want to do it for the sake of art and hopefully increase that into doing said portraits for celebrities.
What and who are some of the influences that you have? Are any of them different now than they were when you first began your journey? Music videos have been my influences since the beginning. Like last year I saw the video Turn by the band ROAM and have not gotten over how amazing the tones and aesthetic looked since then. My photographer influences, however, changes a lot. I have been extremely influenced by Jake Wangner, he does a lot of film portrait photography and it’s incredible. Like words can’t describe how incredible his work is. Max Fairclough is another. He’s based in Australia and his tones for any of his work looks so simple yet comforting. Doug Elliott is another one, he is based in the UK and mainly does work for Against the Current but the way he makes his photos look like they’re stills from a movie is something I could never recover from.
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When you do more portrait work, how do you approach it? Do you find that you prepare for your shoots revolving around specific themes? It started with me asking friends and I practiced direction and location from there. I’ve been learning that doing shoots later in the evening around golden, or blue, hour is key. Eventually my friends or models in general started asking me for shoots and it’s been an amazing ride. I recently compared my first portrait to my last and I was surprised at how far I’ve gone. I never know what the location looks like till we get there and I always have to go by where we’re at. Back to that Fever 333 shoot, I [had] done that shoot within a minute and it was in the back of the festival where everyone’s trailers were. All the photos turned out amazing thanks to them being super photogenic but also my direction being on point. With COVID-19 affecting music, shows, and physically interacting with one another, how have you coped with the time? What do you find yourself doing? Lockdown has made me realize that music photography is my only personality trait. So, I have been trying to find out who I am as a person. But I have found myself re-editing old pictures from as late as 2016 and noticed a big change in my editing technique which has been dope.
Is there any advice that you would give to someone that you wish that you had been given prior? What was one of the most ground-breaking things that you learned that potentially changed how you approach what you do?
Do you have any other final words that you feel are important to leave people with, both in personal regards as well as to those who are also pursuing the arts?
Black Lives Matter! Death to Tokenism! Also please be nice to others in whatever community Regardless if you’re the greatest photographer in you are trying to be in. That includes other your city, if you’re a person of color or a woman, artists, the people running the events, everyone! your goal might be a reach higher than any white Even if they’re a dick to you, show them that you are better than that. guy out there in the scene. Trust me when I say that it’s way faster for them to get where you want to be than it is for you and it really sucks but it just means that you have to work much harder than them. Because once you earned what you’ve been dreaming of doing, it wouldn’t be because of your color or gender, but because you are killer at what you do, and that’s gonna feel so much better.
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Taylor Janzen Back in January I had been introduced to singer, songwriter, Taylor Janzen. She had graced the stage right before Half Moon Run with her gentle songs and powerful voice, both as a full band and in moments on the stage alone. Since then, she has been slowly releasing a series of songs starting with, “I Feel A Darkness,” a track that stuck out to me in her live performance. Now with both “What I Do” and “Devotion” out, we were able to take the time to talk about these new tracks, as well as the story of Janzen that has lead them on their path as a musician. “I am a nerd with how much I love Winnipeg. The music scene here is really easy to get into and so full of talent,” Taylor Janzen started off, gushing over the vibrant music scene in Winnipeg. It’s a city full of talent and prominent artists of all different genres. For Janzen specifically, she was able to get involved shortly after High School via a program associated with the Winnipeg Folk Fest. This program is step up to let you get into groups of local song writers and get you set up to perform at the city’s Folk Fest, acting as an agent to help people meet other artists and get a foot in the door to the music scene. Janzen even went on to say that, “I think Winnipeg is the most underrated Canadian Music Scene. The music that comes out of this city is so phenomenal ... Begonia is probably one of the best live voices I have ever head in my life.”
Through the local scene, Janzen was able to meet the rest of her band and fill out the sound that she had been hoping to with her music. They set off on their first full-band tour on the Half Moon Run that I had been introduced to her. She commented on the experience that, “Having a band with you is a different experience, and I am very extraverted and I appreciated it a lot.”
There were moments of back and forth where she was not sure if she could continue on the path of music as much as she wanted it, especially in those darker moments, but as we now know after High School she pushed herself to ensure that the tracks were out there. They But having a band backing her was not no longer for just herself and the small few of necessarily unplanned. At the time that she people that she would send them to, “Eventually first started getting involved with the music released Interpersonal and I was really scared of community and released Interpersonal she had that one. And then I released Shouting Matches been limited to using herself and an acoustic and I was even more scared of that one and guitar. She had always envisioned playing in a now I am releasing songs that I am even more full band, “When I was eventually able to do that scared of. I think I am consistently being scared it was a dream come true. It sounds cheesy, but of honesty but having to just do it anyways it was.” because I feel better after.” It’s something that Janzen thinks about from time to time, Now with two EP’s released it’s time to focus questioning why even now she is still scared of on the new music and with three new tracks releasing her music and allowing herself to feel out and available, it’s easy to see this great justified in that vulnerability, “Why am I still so progression in Janzen now that she has even more resources than before. In a short two years scared to release these songs?” It’s a question of releasing music, she has a reasonable amount that she has even asked her therapist as a way to move forward. She continues on, “I feel feel of dedicated fans. When she was around the ages of nine years old she started writing songs, like I can’t talk about my feelings properly, and that I am not allowed to express myself. I still noting that they were not particularly good but that they were still her form of expression, “They feel like the same silenced person, somewhat, were my own world. As I grew up I always knew even though I am not and I can say what I want. It’s weird how things are ingrained in your brain. that I wanted to be song writer and be in music ... I went through more things and the songs got I think that’s something I will struggle with forever, but it’s fine as long as I keep pushing.” more darker.”
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It is the genuine and vulnerable place that Taylor Janzen comes from that makes her music so easy to gravitate towards. Janzen starts talking about the relationship between the three newest tracks and how “What I Do” revolves around the relationship with another and “I Feel A Darkness” explores the relationship just with herself. With “Devotion” the track lands somewhere in between. She self assessed a habit of her own where, “I was devoting myself to people and other things where I could not remember who I was without it. It’s very unhealthy.” She couldn’t help but laugh acknowledging that. But it’s a reality that many people live through and can read in themselves while listening to her music.
When it comes to the visuals for Janzen, everything is crisp and consistent as she continues to go with the same people for videos. She notes that while she is not much of a visual artist, she has a great appreciation for it and can be really picky about what goes along with her music. “I explain the meaning of the song in really great depth,” she explains also noting that she doesn’t decide on the treatment of the visuals over all. With “What I Do” and “Shouting Matches” the songs didn’t have any direct reflection of what the song is about but still explore the themes parallel. Where with songs such as “I Feel A Darkness,” there was an ability to have it be very literal to the concept of the song. And all of the videos associated with Taylor Janzen have these same hints of vulnerability in her music while also, at times, poking fun at different things that she is selfaware of. They are further proof for the mantra, “Sad Songs For Everyone.”
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With the current state of the world, it’s hard to avoid the different thoughts or strings that our brain chooses to follow. Right now for Taylor Janzen, she has found out that she can can bake, that she is genuinely good at it. Like many, it’s been something that has been occupying a good amount of her time. “I’ve found so many different things in my brain,” she comments but also notes that it’s a good time to deal with the craziness of her dog, a Border Collie Blue Heeler who is full of energy. “I’ve been trying not to think too hard about what I am going to do when it’s okay. I don’t know when that is and it frustrates me,” She says, mirroring thoughts of many other frustrated musicians, “I don’t want to get too antsy, because it turns into a lot of other emotions I don’t like entertaining. There’s a part of my brain that does, but for the most part I am thinking about what’s in front of me and what I can do.” At this time, she’s trying her best to adapt, something that she has a hard time with, but still finding focus into other things such as figuring out how to release music without coupling it with a live show or a tour. Anything that can make it easier. “I’ve been doing a few live streams [but] I don’t do a whole lot of them,” Noting that she is an extraverted person who enjoys talking to a bunch of people at once, but being new to the live stream game it’s taking some time to figure out. When asked about the status of any more new music that could be coming along with the three tracks that she has already put out she let out a small laugh and cryptically said, “They live in the same world. There are more songs that live in the same world.” We are left with the promise that for anyone who is keeping an eye on Taylor Janzen, that there is still a lot to look forward to.
Melissa Grace Solace Studio
Describe a bit about your work, the medium that you take part in and the feelings that you associate with the work that you produce. Hi! My work is mainly mucking around with ceramics and I’ve been known to venture into textiles and printing and painting too. Absolutely everything I make is made with so much love and passion, I really do care about my craft - I hope that is apparent! My work is deeply inspired by nature, the beach, De Stijl, naive artwork and well, all sorts really. A crack in the pavement, peeling bark on a tree. Someones socks on the bus. I think that my work ‘reminds’ different people of different things. You’re based in Newcastle, UK, correct? How have you found that the environment there has effected your work? I’m actually from Newcastle, and have recently moved back after 10 long years! Rediscovering my motherland has effected my work alot. It’s very peaceful up here, I’m lucky enough to live close to the countryside and the beach. Since moving back my work is definitely more fluid and playful, I’ve experimented alot with form an shape too. I lived in London for a long time and my work because super rigid, probably because that’s how I felt! How you feel can totally transfer into your work init!
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Did you ever receive any formal training for ceramics or design work? Or, have you ever sought after post-secondary for something unrelated? Haha, Studio Solace is a hobby that got out of hand! I played around art with sculpture alot when I studied Fine Art at Leeds Uni, but that’s about as close as I’ve got to training. When I was living in Bristol about 5 years ago I was so broke, I had no TV or internet, so I spent alot of time in Bristol Library…and the pub admittedly. I read alot about Egyptian ceramics and went ahead and ordered some clay using the ONLY library computer. I made some little ring dishes in my tiny bedroom, popped them on Etsy (using the library computer) and a store in Exeter called No Guts No Glory reached out and asked to wholesale my work! It all went a bit bonkers from there really.
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How did you come to find that ceramics, and specifically housewares, was the thing that you enjoyed to create? Describe a bit about what the process looks like from the beginning to the end? My slogan used to be ‘fun, fresh and functional’ hahaha. It’s a bit lame now but I suppose it’s true! I really, really like things to be multifunctional and homewares felt like a natural area to explore this. I always begin with lots and lots of sketches and imaging what the piece could be used for. It’s final purpose is totally down to the buyer, that’s quite nice, isn’t it?
What sort of objects or things do you like to keep in your studio space for inspiration? I work in a really clean, very organised space with lots of plants that live in sample pots I’ve made that didn’t quite make the cut. HOWEVER. I have all sorts of ~things~ and ~stuff~ furrowed away that I’ve collected for inspiration. We’re talking drift wood, vintage fabric swatches, marbles, magazines, sketchbooks, my Dads sketchbooks, badges and HUGE lumps of blu tac that I use to experiment with form and shape. When I work I like to get all these bits out and study them for inspiration. It can get well messy.
What are one of your proudest moments or accomplishments, so far? I don’t think people shout about their achievements enough and this needs to change! Celebrate yourself and your skills! My big proud moment was being flown to Nice in the South of France to host a ceramic workshop on a fucking huge cruise ship for Red Bulls 30th anniversary party. It was a huge party for 3 days in the middle of the ocean. Bondax and Cigarettes After Sex performed and dolphins breached behind the ship. It was just a real pinch yourself sort of moment. Corrr.
You have a really clear presence with your work in terms of design where I can tell that it was made by you. How your geometrics flow is really well established. How did you find yourself establishing this kind of brand for your work? Oh wow, thank a lot! That’s great to hear. I have a background in branding which has really helped to built the foundations of my own. It’ also taken alot of time. And alot of sketchbooks. And alot of opinions, I always ask people what they think of my work! Sharing ideas is super important and often super insightful too.
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Recently, you have started to make ceramic rainbows in regards to the NHS. Can you explain to those who might not be aware of your particular situation where this idea came from as well as the purpose behind them? Sure! The rainbow has been adopted as a national symbol of gratitude to our wonderful NHS workers! You can see it on T-shirts, in peoples living room windows, on the TV - it’s a sign of thanks and hope as well, I suppose. I’ve been super inspired to see so many people lending their skills and talent for good during these strange times, and I wanted to lend a hand myself by making some rainbow trinkets to share a lil love. It’s a national scandal our NHS workers aren’t provided with the correct PPE to stay safe, so 100% of every rainbow sale goes to the NHS for PPE
With your particular experience at this time, you have even revisited some of the prices of your ceramics for people. Although I am sure it is a draining reminder, would you care to explain a little bit more about what you are doing in your “free” time during COVID-19? What aspects do you expect to change once restrictions are looser or lifted? I’ve been doing lots and lots of gardening with my partner. We don’t have a garden so we’ve got super crafty with our growing space. Somewhere last week I read “to plant is to believe in a tomorrow” and that really rang true with me. We all need to believe in a tomorrow at the minute, things will get better, The change I hope to see is that the togetherness and care and community sticks. I hope we change how much we take things fore granted. I hope we hug our friends and family tighter, savour every sip of your pint at the pub and explore further when we’re allowed to adventure again!
How do you hope to see your work evolve in the future? Are there any particular things that you have wanted to do with your work that you are hoping to achieve in the next five years? I’d like to share with others that to be featured in The Guardian, for your brand to be stocked globally, to work internationally, to be your own boss - all you need is a Bristol Library computer, a ball of blu tac and a bit set of bollocks.
A
LBUMS IN REVIEW
WRITTEN & CURATED BY JAMES LIAM WARD
THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER 04.17.2020
8.3
Verminous Metal Blade
The Black Dahlia Murder are a Michigan metal band whose prolific output in the 2010’s led to some of their most lackluster material released to date. The Black Dahlia Murder has stuck to their guns when it comes to their melodic death metal sound but considering the technical spectacle of Deflorate or the majestic masterpiece Nocturnal, most of the new material feels average. It appears the band has become aware of this, as Verminous is The Black Dahlia Murder’s strongest album in over a decade due to its oppressive atmosphere, fierce performances, well-structured songs and intriguing lyrical concepts. Kicking off with the distinctive title track, “Verminous” opens with ghoulish, droning guitar leads and spacious drums. The left guitar consistently makes this shivering, descending noise that adds a lot of character to the mix; almost sounding like a filthy, verminous rat skittering down the neck of the guitar. The song feels notably more fluid than their typically polished material, particularly during a rhythmic pattern where a sharp ride cymbal and chugging guitars are interrupted by shots of dramatic chords. “Godlessly” is a throttling follow-up, whose flurries of rapid percussion and heavily harmonized guitars transition at a break-neck pace. Trevor Strnad’s screeching hook soars over pummeling blast beats and face-melting guitars, and the false end makes the final refrain hit even harder. Cultish guitar leads drive the melody of “Removal of the Oaken Stake”, in between galloping riffs that make a terrifically tight groove. It’s a classic vibe for the band, calling back to the grim glory days of Nocturnal while still feeling fresh and engaging. “Child of Night” keeps things cultish with layers of freaky chanting on the chorus that add a demonic, other-worldly quality to it. Throughout the verses, Trevor’s screams remain low and guttural to compliment the suffocating and swift guitar passages. “Sunless Empire” is the centerpiece of the record and the first song on Verminous that sounds truly epic, slowly swelling in with eerie drones before the band
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busts into a triumphant and cinematic instrumental intro. The verses ride a distinct, staggering groove before dropping into a passage with double shots of cymbals and guitars that follow a tense melodic progression. Following this, lead guitarist Brandon Ellis drops the best solo on the entire album; the expression and technicality of his playing is spectacular, as if he is an almighty demon sent from Hell to melt my face into mush. The second half of Verminous is well contrasted with “The Leather Apron’s Scorn” and “How Very Dead”; The former being a labyrinthine technical marvel while the latter focuses more on snappy songwriting and memorable structure. “The Wereworm’s Feast” opens with a blistering solo but quickly loses energy as the verse’s spacious hi-hat grooves stop the song in its tracks. The tremolo heavy pre-chorus picks things up again but the refrain simply falls flat. The track isn’t a total loss however as the thrash-inspired instrumental outro has an engaging progression and the lyrical concept is fun also. “A Womb in Dark Chrysalis” is the prelude to the finale, featuring Machiavellian acoustic guitars surrounded by the atmospheric sounds of dripping walls and squeaking rats. It sounds like the performance is taking place within the expansive scene depicted in the album’s artwork, and greatly enhances the grim tone of the album. It sets the stage well for the monolithic “Dawn of Rats”, a song with incredible momentum that perfectly balances the elegance and ferocity in the band’s music. Verminous ends with shots of dissonant chords as a Dracula quote marvels at the “Children of the Night”; a swarm of vermin suffocates the mix entirely. I didn’t think it was possible so late in their career, but The Black Dahlia Murder was able to come through with an album that is fresh, engaging and well-structured throughout, creating a rich and fun atmosphere that is consistently worth returning to. BEST TRACK: “Sunless Empire” WORST TRACK: “The Wereworm’s Feast”
half alive 05.01.2020
7.5
In Florescence
abruptly swelling into the first verse. Similar to the original song, it’s not a smooth transition, but the verses themselves are pleasant and blissful. The first hook builds immense tension as strings slowly rise, but the band simply drops back into another In Florescence is a new collaborative EP between verse, descending into a rather mild instrumental California pop band half alive and composer Miguel Atwood-Ferguson; the two entities have joined forces jam layered with staccato choir vocals. The new adaptation follows the original arrangement of to reimagine four songs from half alive’s debut LP, “BREAKFAST” quite closely, which is unfortunate Now, Not Yet. It is clear from the beginning that since the initial version severely lacks direction and the band is taking their usually ambitious route, doesn’t seem to go anywhere grand or ambitious. boldly extending and rearranging these tracks with After a briefly stunning refrain, the band once again spectacular orchestral arrangements. Exultant devolves into a reserved drum loop as expressive horns and a glittering harp introduce the band’s strings make way for an unexpected marimba solo; it hit single “RUNAWAY”, as a chorus of soaring is far from fireworks and makes for an underwhelming strings introduces a familiar, driving groove. Josh finale to say the least. Considering the previous Taylor’s reserved singing is reinforced by angelic three tracks are nothing short of astounding, choral vocals, before the refrain takes an amazingly unexpected turn, dropping the song into a satisfyingly “BREAKFAST” is a surprising misstep, as it is the longest song with the weakest arrangement by far. jazzy swing. Everything about this works; Miguel’s bold arrangement, the band’s triumphant chorus and Omitting the track entirely would certainly cut the project’s runtime by a quarter, but it also would have a colorful collection of orchestral embellishments make this reimagining an impressive improvement on improved the overall consistency and pacing of In Florescence the original “RUNAWAY”. RCA
The following and funky “still feel.” also goes off without a hitch. Josh Taylor’s tradeoffs with the background vocalists sound fantastic, and the tender layers of flutes throughout the verses are a pleasant touch. The chorus blossoms with a wall of arranged horns that elevate it to explosive new heights, but it’s the remarkable bass performance that ends up stealing the show. A tensely plucked acoustic guitar is surrounded by bright rushes of horns and strings on the opening of “creature”, giving way to Josh’s gentle verse. The orchestral arrangement adds a layer of urgency and power to this track that the original palate of swelling synthesizers and blipping arpeggiators simply did not possess. Layers of choral vocals flourish in the bridge, giving way to Taylor’s vocals poking through a wall of quivering strings. As his rhythmic vocal passage continues, an off-kilter drum groove slowly fades in, transitioning “creature” into a groove-heavy outro layered with ascending pizzicato strings and a warbling synth bass. Lush strings, choral harmonies and twinkling harps fluctuate throughout the beginning of “BREAKFAST”, setting a dramatic scene for the final song before
BEST TRACK: “Runaway” WORST TRACK: “Creature”
LAURA MARLING 04.10.2020
8.6
Song For Our Daughter Partisan
Song for our Daughter is the latest LP from UK singer/songwriter Laura Marling and follows a loose concept surrounding the ideas of love, motherhood, escapism and even infidelity. My first introduction to Laura was the mystifying lead single “Held Down”, a fantastic tune led by a dreary chord progression, ascending bassline and layers of cascading harmonies that blossom like a bouquet of flowers. A stunning refrain and the surprising addition of warm, harmonized lead guitars made me more than intrigued to review Song for our Daughter in a formal capacity. What strikes the listener right away about this album is its subtlety; the way the percussion slowly creeps into the mix on the melancholic “Only the Strong”, or the sparkling pad reverb that drones ethereally through “The End of the Affair”. So many artists attempt to add as many layers and textures as possible to ensure an immersive experience, but the strength of Laura Marling’s voice, playing and songwriting are more than enough to carry this project without extraneous instrumentation. “Hope We Meet Again” is a great example of this, as a majority of the song is driven by Laura and her finger-picking guitar before swells of cello and swirling pedal steel accompany the mix, propelling the song to its end. There is a fantastically folky tone to this penultimate song that evokes feelings of a forlorn country road at sunset. “Fortune” maintains this rustic tone with a strong Simon & Garfunkel influence as Laura lyrically describes a tragic character portrait. “Alexandra” and “For You” are the tunes that bookend the Song for our Daughter and are evidence of the album’s distinct versatility; the former being a hard-hitting opener with a punchy drum groove and strummed guitars while the latter is the album’s tender farewell, as if Song for our Daughter is giving the listener a warm hug goodbye. Returning to the previously mentioned “Alexandra”, this song is a phenomenal kick off to the record and the wall of angelic harmonies in the bridge never fail to induce goosebumps. The graceful piano ballad “Blow by Blow” is equally as spine-chilling,
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particularly because of Laura’s intimate and heartfelt vocal performance. The layers of gentle strings and harmonies add an eerie beauty to the song, especially as they swell with intensity before a quiet and mournful conclusion. These lush layers of cellos and violins are full of life and character on the title track “Song for our Daughter”, soaring over the instrumentation and solidifying the song as the critical centerpiece to the record. “Strange Girl” is perhaps the only black sheep in the track-listing, but its peppy drum roll, nimble bassline and breezy, upbeat feel make it essential amongst this collection of powerful and emotive ballads. BEST TRACK: “Alexandra” WORST TRACK: “Only The Strong”
KALI UCHIS 04.24.2020
7.0
To Feel Alive Virgin/EMI
TO FEEL ALIVE is the second EP by Colombian/ American singer Kali Uchis, and her first project following her eclectic debut album Isolation. Kali described the palette of this new EP as an amalgamation of sounds from her first two projects, which serves as perplexing inspiration for the EP’s cover art. Aesthetic aside, TO FEEL ALIVE does little to serve up any new sonic experiments for Kali, but it does provide a brief and breezy collection of new songs. The penultimate “I Want War (But I Need Peace)” is the only cut on the EP with a deliberate structure; opening with a murky piano and descending vocal harmonies, Kali commands the track with a stunning performance, flowing elegantly over a swaying groove. Her refrain is simultaneously powerful and beautiful as the song’s percussion oscillates beneath. Despite only being ten minutes in length, TO FEEL ALIVE seems to succinctly span the course of an entire relationship, resulting in its dissolution. The hard-hitting “Angel” is another highlight, with its glimmering synthesizers and booming sub bass. The instrumental’s intoxicating quality is only enhanced by Kali’s rhythmic singing, which further explores these psychedelic themes through mesmerizing repetition; forgoing a second verse, Kali extends the concept of her chorus while adding a more consistent lyrical flow. TO FEEL ALIVE concludes with its title track, a mournful mantra over a loop of pizzicato strings. The lack of percussion is made up for by the rhythmic plucking of the strings, and Kali’s vocal delivery lends a ton of momentum as she layers striking harmonies that build to the song’s conclusion. The only real misstep of this project is the beginning. The tender pianos and crisp percussion of “honey baby (SPOILED!)” make for a solid instrumental, but Kali’s opening verse is very awkward as she fumbles to find a compelling melody or flow. The lyrical sentiment to this song is admittedly cute, and although the beginning is shaky, Kali eventually hits her stride before the song ends. Something about TO FEEL ALIVE feels inherently missing. This is in part
due to the lack of songs, lack of song structures and most importantly the lack of sonic diversity which is uncharacteristic of Kali’s infamous versatility. As a result, it wouldn’t be surprising if gems like “Angel” landed on Kali Uchis’ eventual sophomore album, hopefully reworked into an even more satisfying and compelling piece. BEST TRACK: “i want war (BUT I NEED PEACE)” WORST TRACK: “honey baby (SPOILED!)”
THUNDERCAT 04.03.2020
7.2
It Is What It Is Brain Feeder
Stephen Lee Bruner is an American singer/ songwriter and producer, known more prominently as Thundercat. Over the course of his two-decade career, Bruner has gained renown for his virtuosity on the bass guitar and his consistently spectacular contributions to artists from Kendrick Lamar to Suicidal Tendencies. Thundercat’s latest album is called It Is What It Is and revolves around the concepts of life, loss, love and acceptance. The LP is dedicated to the singer’s late friend and collaborator Mac Miller. Thundercat introduces the album with the nebulous “Lost in Space / Great Scott / 22-26” and the following “Interstellar Love”; both of these tracks contain Thundercat’s signature falsetto and bassline, but the lack of strong percussion leaves both tracks feeling amorphous and forgettable. The album’s introduction is starkly contrasted by the ear-grabbing peppiness of “I Love Louis Cole”. Louis, who is featured on the track, delivers an outstandingly nimble and bombastic drum performance that is uncharacteristic for a Thundercat record; It’s a huge surprise right out of the gate, and the tense strings coupled with Thundercat’s layers of ascending vocal harmonies perfectly compliment the percussive intensity. Childish Gambino joins the mix on the following “Black Qualls”, delivering an expressive and memorable performance. The consistent rotation of vocal guests gives this song a strong momentum, but Thundercat’s incredible bassline is what really drives the track. Beyond this point, It Is What It Is descends into a series of inconsistent vignettes, many of which feel underwritten or completely unnecessary. The inconsequential lyrics of tracks such as “Miguel’s Happy Dance” and “Overseas” make me wish they were simply instrumental, whereas tracks such as “How Sway” and “How I Feel” present good sound play, but little in the way of memorability or strong songwriting. The only shorter tracks that really feel essential are the bubbly bliss of “Funny Thing” and the effective prelude “Existential Dread”. While this suite of songs doesn’t span a significant runtime, their placement is enough to severely hurt
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the album’s pacing, which desperately needs more robust and structured songs following “Black Qualls”. Thankfully this is delivered with the hilariously unique “Dragonball Durag”. One of Thundercat’s greatest songs to date, this track’s fantastic chord progression, ludicrous lyrics and great saxophone embellishments make the single an immediate highlight in the midst of a suite of forgettable material. As the album transitions into its final third, It Is What It Is becomes notably moodier and more somber, beginning with the eerie and atmospheric “King of the Hill”. Flowing, watery synthesizers and a mournful bassline are supported by booming percussion on the reserved ballad “Unrequited Love”; the wall of strings that slowly creep into the mix add an undeniable layer of beauty to the song and transition perfectly into the melancholy, down-trodden groove of “Fair Chance”. Featuring agile arpeggios and a stunning performance from Ty Dolla Sign, the only Achilles heel of “Fair Chance” is the monotonous and amateurish verse from Lil B. His mumbling bars stop the song in its tracks, but thankfully the musicians around him keep the song from being a total loss. This album is equally as inconsistent as 2017’s Drunk, which was bogged down by the same issues as It Is What It Is; inconsequential or underwritten songs that fill in the gaps between moments of sheer brilliance. The final song is definitely the latter, as Thundercat’s mournful reflection transitions the album from a glittering guitar performance into a touching instrumental tribute to his late companion. BEST TRACK: “Dragonball Durag” WORST TRACK: “Overseas”
TRIVIUM 04.24.2020
6.6
What the Dead Men Say Roadrunner
What the Dead Men Say is the ninth studio album from American metalcore band Trivium. I was an immense fan of Trivium growing up, but I found their work in the past decade to be inconsistent at best; by the time Silence in the Snow dropped in 2015 I had completely lost interest in the band. This was mainly due to the lack of intensity and impressive musicianship that drew me to them in the 2000s. Surprisingly, Trivium appears to make up for this by delivering some of the heaviest material I have heard from the band on this new album. This is the most apparent from the single “Amongst the Shadows & The Stones”, where blood pumping riffs and a throat-shredding refrain are the main attraction. The penultimate “Bending the Arc to Fear” is the band’s ode to classic metalcore, trading off between blistering tremolo-picked verses and a rhythmic, chugging chorus. The title track introduces the album with a satisfyingly groovy riff, complete with raking natural harmonics and savage double bass kick. The verses are high energy as well as melodic, and the reprisal of musical concepts from the introductory “IX” make this track a monolithic opener. Unfortunately, the only weak point of the song is the chorus, as it runs repetitive and lacks significant energy relative to the rest of the song. The following “Catastrophist” has a better refrain but comes with a slew of its own issues; Matt Heafy’s vocal performance comes off slightly cheesy throughout this song, and the riffs and solos are far from impressive considering the rest of the album’s chops. Clocking in at six and a half minutes, this track egregiously overstays its welcome, especially after Trivium doubles the last chorus and takes a full minute to close out the song. “Bleed into Me” appears to be the focus-grouped alt-metal track that is a new (and frustrating) standard for many modern metal releases. It follows a tried and true formula, at the cost of sucking the energy from the tracks surrounding it. “Scattering the Ashes” is a much better attempt at a friendlier sound, with a soaring chorus and shamelessly melodic instrumental palate. What the Dead Men Say sees
Trivium consistently reaching for epic and anthemic refrains, but they typically fall flat. This is not the case on “The Defiant”, where the band really hits the mark by striking a balance between intricate musicianship and powerful vocal melodies. “Sickness unto You” is another highlight, as momentous riffs weave through a driving bass line before ascending tremolo guitars build the track with fantastic intensity. Dedicated to Heafy’s deceased dog, “Sickness unto You” has a great structure with an effectively groovy bridge and powerful chorus. It is important to note how Trivium structures songs, as the band consistently follows musical paths that diverge from the core song ideas; the band goes too far down the rabbit hole of riffs that they rarely find a smooth transition to bring the song full circle. “The Ones We Leave Behind” leaves the album on a surprisingly energetic note, wasting no time by diving right into melodic lead guitar riffs and thunderous drumming. There is a fantastic section towards the end of the track that is simply harmonized lead melodies, spacious drums and a grimy bass guitar; this is a clear reminder that Trivium successfully made this album sound huge with very little in regards to production and layers, a feat that few modern metal bands can achieve. This album has moments of true greatness but in the end, they are only moments. Although Trivium has trouble delivering fluid, well-structured tunes, the band’s eclectic influences and strong performances make What the Dead Men Say an overall solid listen. BEST TRACK: “Sickness unto You” WORST TRACK: “Bleed into Me”
serpentwithfeet 04.29.2020
8.0
Apparition EP
Secretly Canadian
Josiah Wise or serpentwithfeet is a Baltimore singer/ songwriter, who weaves intoxicating tales of love with a strikingly unique, operatic, and vibrato-heavy vocal timbre. His latest effort Apparition feels like a transitionary phase, as it sees Josiah experimenting with new sound palates and a notably more reserved vocal delivery. What makes this project a success however is that serpentwithfeet is able to captivate the listener even without his vocal acrobatics, and can simply deliver solid songs with strong, direct melodies. The opening track on Apparition explores the concept of being stuck and attempting to move forward with one’s life in the wake of heartbreak; “A Comma” displays serpentwithfeet hopeful and determined that his situation will improve, over a dreamy and immersive instrumental with strong percussive elements. The brisk and elegant piano introduction sets the tone well as heavy synth bass and watery arpeggios swirl into the mix. Many of serpentwithfeet’s instrumentals take a characteristically rustic tone, and it is refreshing to hear such a sleek and modern sounding canvas for Josiah to experiment. The following “This Hill” feels sunny by comparison, with its gentle harp embellishments and bright synth chords. Josiah sounds positively radiant as he jubilantly expresses his mantra of “I’m Better Now”, backed by layers of rich harmonies. This song is a great display of serpentwithfeet’s instrumental versatility and vocal dexterity, as there is a strong Beach Boys influence in the backing vocals of this track. The luminous tone of “This Hill” is immediately contrasted with the eerie whispering and subterranean bass of “Psychic”. This track revolves around Josiah’s romantic fixation with his medium, giving the tune a uniquely bizarre personality and calling back to the quirky lyrical gems of 2018’s Soil. The lyrical sentiment carries an idyllic romanticism that is now trademark for serpentwithfeet, and the modulated instrumental palette that concludes the EP is incredibly textured and alien.
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BEST TRACK: “ A Comma” WORST TRACK: “This Hill”
UMBRA VITAE 05.01.2020
6.8
Shadow Of Life Death Wish
Shadow of Life is the debut LP from American metal supergroup Umbra Vitae. Comprised of members from Converge, Wear Your Wounds and even Job for A Cowboy, the band’s cutthroat approach draws influence from deathcore, death metal and metalcore. “Decadence Dissolves” establishes an abyssal mood before the band obliterates the listener with a pummeling barrage of double kick drums and tremolo picked guitars. The labyrinthine structure of this track remains engaging throughout, chock full of angular riffs and animalistic breakdowns before closing out with a wailing lead guitar line. “Atheist Aesthetic” fully embraces the Converge influence, which is only exacerbated by Jacob Bannon’s vocals. It is important to note Umbra Vitae’s emphasis on groove throughout Shadow of Life, making this record significantly more deathcore influenced than Converge’s material. The serpentine guitar riffs that spiral around a sharp, half-time drum groove make for a crushing conclusion. By “Mantra of Madness”, it is clear that the band is going for a cute alliteration theme with the song titles, but there is nothing cute about this song; the drum performance is particularly impressive, as the powerful ride accents and breakneck transitions propel this absolutely blistering track. Jacob Bannon’s vocals are supported by Umbra Vitae’s guitarists throughout Shadow of Life and assist Jacob like a chorus of Hell spawn with their guttural growls. The guitarist’s screams are the most effective when they emphasize the riffs they are playing; this is most prominent in “Fear is a Fossil” as well as the “Do not resuscitate” mantra on the penultimate “Blood Blossom”. These demonic vocals are not always optimally used however, as their endless repetition in “Return to Zero” becomes redundant, regardless of the destructive instrumental. On the topic of redundancy, “Polluted Paradise” fails to bring any interesting ideas to the album other than playing six pinch harmonics in a row. There is a stark black metal influence on the opening riffs of “Intimate Inferno” as sinister guitar melodies tremolo over furious blast beats. The strange,
quivering guitar lead adds an interesting texture before busting back into the savage riffs. Halfway through the track, the song is given time to breathe with a ride-heavy drum groove and spacious, dissonant guitars. It sounds very reminiscent of death metal acts such as Gorguts or Blood Incantation but ends up more meandering than atmospheric. By the final track “Shadow of Life”, it is quite clear the band is running out of ideas, although the wall of freakish screams that bookends this track are shocking and ear grabbing. The riffs that follow feel slightly amorphous, lacking a strong groove and instead shooting for a dreary tone to close out the album. Overall this is a tight, pummeling, but clearly derivative metal record; Umbra Vitae does little to extend themselves outside of the genres that each member is comfortable with, but they still deliver electrifying performances. BEST TRACK: “Mantra of Madness” WORST TRACK: “Return to Zero”
W E A L L H AV E T H I S O B S E S S I V E
COMPULSION TO CREATE
