I Built the Sky — Promise Me You’ll Thrive (Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock)
I’ve been a fan of I Built the Sky for over a decade. This solo guitarist from Australia just writes really good songs. Instrumental music, especially guitar-centered, can be tricky. Too often, it devolves into being showy, and the musicality of it gets lost.
That is what makes IBTS so good. Every song feels like just that: a song. A full composition that has been thought out, well written, and has a flow to it. This actually dropped on Bandcamp yesterday, so I’ve had some time to spend with it, and initial impressions are astoundingly good. This could be his best album yet. Time will tell, but it is a powerful album of beautiful guitar music, with plenty of heavy grooves.
Godthrymm — Projections (Doom Metal)
I was afraid. Very afraid. Over at Angrymetalguy.com, this album got hammered yesterday. I love, I mean capital L LOVE Godthrymm. It is just heavy, atmospheric, powerful doom metal. And AMG loved the previous releases as well.
Projections? Not so much. So I was nervous. I’ve made it through a couple of times, and maybe I’m just not hearing it. But I think it is a great album. Not their best, but still a very good album of heavy-hitting doom metal. I’m here for it.
Devin Townsend — The Moth (Progressive Metal, Orchestral Rock)
Oh Devin, you musical genius (and chameleon), you.
I want to love Devin’s music. I really do. And there is a lot I love. I love SYL, The Devin Townsend Band, The Devin Townsend Project, and his solo stuff. Up to Epicloud in 2012. Since then, well, it has been a lot more wanting to love than actually loving.
The truth is, I respect the hell out of what Devin does. And he seems to be enjoying himself and is putting it all in his music. It just doesn’t click for me. It is too silly, too happy, too poppy. He should do what he wants, and I will (eventually) listen to all of The Moth. But holy shit, is it a lot of music. And I only sort of like what I have heard so far.
The man has insane amounts of talent. I just don’t love his recent work, and that’s okay.
Monolord — Neverending (Doom Metal, Stoner Metal)
Monolord is a bit of an enigma to me. I jumped in, feet first, on a few of their previous albums. But I’ve also bounced off some. Still, they intrigue me enough that I am certainly going to check out when they have a new album.
Neverending feels a bit more concise. Only two tracks reach over 8 minutes. Yeah, that is actually an accomplishment. I hope that translates to some songs that have a few more hooks and riffs that bring me back. I don’t love Monolord, but they fit certain mindframes very well. Sometimes I just want doomy, sludgy grooves, and they often deliver that.