0026-Cavalcade-Sonic Euthanasia Vinyl Record Review

Vinyl Record in the Grass Music Review

Artist: Cavalcade                             
Album: Sonic Euthanasia
Label: Bermuda Mohawk / GTG
Release Date: May 3, 2019
Format: Vinyl Record

This is the newest release from Cavalcade, and I was lucky enough to snag a copy of it at a recent show in Traverse City. As I would expect from Cavalcade, this release is a mix of heavy and weird. The sounds themselves are slabbed onto a chunk of standard black vinyl stuffed within a full color sleeve. A reptilian eyeball covers the entire front of the album, wrapping fully around to the backside. As a bonus addition to the package, tucked inside was a CD version and the ubiquitous free download. Almost every format…but where’s the cassette guys???  I noticed an interesting detail within the album layout. On the insert, written in Braille, was a hidden message which translated to “Rather Be Dead.” I always appreciate anything that makes me stop and really look at the design or layout while I’m doing my listening. This detail took a minute to figure out, and then translate. A nice touch!

Metal Review Back Side Vinyl Record

Sonically, Calvacade fits in the realm of metal. Weird metal, noise metal, noisy metal? Who names these things anyways? They are heavy as hell with lots of sonic texture. Riffs come right alongside a plethora of other wave-forms, creating a unique soundscape, that, to me, is instantly identifiable as the one and only Cavalcade.

Delving into the opening track my ears are instantly soaked in every bit of that weirdness. Leading in with a super thick guitar riff and samples underneath, the track evolves into a noodle guitar soundscape. With the Cavalcade standby gravely vocal delivery, the song bounces from weird to stomping guitars back and forth to a satisfying effect. A great opener for those who are new, and for my ears. I found it to be a very congealed form of Cavalcade, grown up, fleshed out, and ready for business.  

The opening of the second track, “Aspirate on Aspirations,” is noisy as all get out, slowly building into a noise wall of guitars and drums and screaming. Layered guitars and effects make for a thick texture. There is so much going on, creating an almost symphonic sound.

Music Review Blog Record in the Rain

The third track, “Here and Now,” again brings the juxtaposition of thick driving guitars with haunting melodic guitars mixed beneath beside and below. The drum work on this track is great. The minimalist beats in the haunting sections that build into crashing accents to the explosions for the heavy parts. Closing out the track it sounds as if a theremin was brought into the noise wall, and this just adds to the texture!

Fourth up brings the giant riffage right out of the gate, deconstructing into a noise scape that scrapes slowly along, this time balancing the noise to thick riffage and back again. Cavalcade has once again created another great noise rock song. The vocal delivery at the close of this track is sick, one of my favorite sections of vocals on this album.

“Noose Tie” opens with a much more open guitar sound, not as heavy, and verging into an airier and more spaced out sound. The vocals stay in gravely death metal vein, but the music itself molds into a more epic sound. The vocals verging into an almost hook type of delivery, which really changes up the usual delivery for this track.

Cavalcade Record in the rain Review

“Freezing in Fire” begins inside a world of twittering and tweeting noises, mixing with chords, slowly building forward. Noisy and heavy, but not in a “metal” way. It’s more of a dark and brooding slough, slowing the album to a crawl just in time to flip to the second side and see what lies beneath.

Side B opens up with a stomper called “Dead Idles.” The drums lead the attack, mixed low, with guitars and vocals sitting just over-top. The drums carry the frenzy of the song, feedback and guitar texture are again highlighted for the Cavalcade arsenal here. Keys (or accordion?) are an addition in the wall of noise, swelling the already ridiculous wall of guitar licks. We are fully in the chaos of the Cavalcade carnival now, I’m expecting my ears to bleed soon.

Next up is “Tragedy’s Sick Sense of Timing,” bringing more of a punk feel with almost airy guitars. Drums are still frenzied and vocals stay in the death gravel realm, but there are moments of an almost chorus sing-along-style sound. So much texture floats in, and around. At one point there is a saxophone flirting around in the riffs. The drums are nailing it here, hard accents and pounding rhythms make for very tight work!

“Prospective Prospectors” begins with a vocal sample that leads into a meandering guitar riff. The riff is a huge one and slowly builds bigger and thicker, bringing the song forward. This is the Cavalcade of yore that I remember, thick riffs, solid drums heavy as all get out, meandering along with the death vocals right on top.

Nearing the end brings up “We Dig Our Own Graves,” another stomper, firmly back into the metal vein here. I think this is the thickest heaviest spot on the album so far. Not soaked in weirdness, but sticking hard to the riffs and laying them down with a sneer. The guitar work is great, again, so much going on so many textures and the lead-work is sick as well.

“Lost Thoughts” is a reprieve from the heaviness of previous tracks. It has a feeling more like a Zappa track than standard Cavalcade, full of various percussion sounds and multiple voiceings. This track is absurdly hilarious, and, nearing the end of the LP it fits perfectly.

Metal Review Cavalcade Record

The closing track titled “Blackout Radius” is the longest track, coming in at over 5 minutes. Heavy, but in a more reserved way. I feel like this track captivates the weirdness, dual guitar riffage, and vocal delivery of the previous tracks all in one. The song sounds huge and feels like it just keeps opening up, bringing the album to its inevitable close.

Cavalcade rules and no one sounds like them. These dudes are always out playing shows so click the links below for the music and more info. Also check out our previous review of their 7″ here.

Cavalcade on Facebook

Cavalcade Bandcamp

Cavalcade Instagram

Cavalcade Sonic Euthanasia
Photos by Nibiinabekwe – Healy Hardwoods – Millersburg, MI

0017 – Hordes – Self Titled – Digi-Pack CD

Hordes CD on an Icy Trail

Artist: HordesHordes Cover of CD on Icy Trail
Album: Self Titled
Release Date: March 3, 2015
Format: Compact Disc

For what I have known of the Hordes history this is the departure from the Hordes that was and the more structured Hordes that exists now. The newer iterations feature more in your face riffing and less of the meandering drones and avant free formness. Recorded in the winter of 2013, and released in 2015 this disk is 3 years old now. Hordes not only have left this drummer behind but have now moved through to having Todd, from The Jackpine Snag, as their current drummer.  Here are my ramblings on this 3 year old disc.Hordes Back of CD on Ice

The CD was released in 2015 on a digipack, featuring a variety of line drawings in a grey black wash. Some look to be anatomical drawings, while others are, for sure, Guitarist Alex Hudson’s work. Recorded at Troudoudor Studios in Lansing, the sound is thick and well mixed. Right in your face from the get!Hordes Digi-Pack Inside in Snow

The first track “Cold War Echo” is the perfect example of what this album is all about – riffage and pounding drums with raspy throated screams. The thick chords stomp and build, hints of noise are always creeping out the seams and the corners. At about 2.5 minutes in the track reaches, what I feel is, classic Hordes status. The riff slows to a crawl and the bass keeps the rhythm in line while the drums plod behind. This doesn’t last long before that riffage jumps right back in, bringing the close of this track.

Hordes CD Cover in Pine TreeThe second song features a slow building stomper titled “Eyes Dulled Blind.” The riff leads the song, a half crawl stomp fest, with vocals distant in the mix. At 6 minutes this is the longest track on the album, revolving around a fast and a slow riff. To close the track down Hordes slowed the temp to a half crawl. This is where the real guitar work shines. I love the textures that feel so prominent here. Once the riff slows the bass and drums lock in, and this gives room for the guitar to space out. A perfect wrap for that song.

By far my favorite riff from this album is the opener from “Summer”. Again, the spaced out guitar work brings the track to an open. The drums and bass jump to life not long after, and then the song is rolling. The guitar work throughout this track is super satisfying. This is the Hordes that I love.

I know I was just writing about how my favorite riff was in the last song, but the first true head banger on this disc is “Life Chaser.” When the riff really comes who can help but give that subtle head bang? Even as I write this I caught Nibiinabekwe banging her head in just that ever slow nod, reaffirming my thoughts. This is the heaviest moments of the album.

Hordes Cover of CD on IceThe closer track, “Fall,” again brings to the forefront the anger that is so present in this iteration of Hordes. The riffs stomp, the vocals holler, it’s heavy as shit. I dig it! The end of this track, and the close of the album, again slows the tempo to a crawl and gives the guitars room to build that classic wall of Hordes texture.

It has been interesting watching the journey that Hordes has taken, and this album is just one blip on the timeline. At the time of this writing it looks like they had just released a new 7″ split on Silver Maple Kill Records, I look forward to getting a copy of that!

Hordes on FacebookHordes in a Pine Tree

Hordes on Bandcamp

 

 

 

 

 

Photos by Nibiinabekwe
Photos by Nibiinabekwe • Atlanta State Forest Area • Michigan

0008 – The Swill – Thirst For Misery

Artist: The Swill
Album: Thirst For Misery
Label: Self Released 
Release Date: Nov 7th, 2013
Format: Cassette

This is the first pressing, limited edition cassette from Lansing, Michigan’s The Swill. The bands self released debut album, titled Thirst For Misery. Cover art is done by Brad Moore and features a gargoyle before a moonscape. The tape was released 3 times, this is the first version that came on black, all releases are sold out on Bandcamp.

This recording, is super well done, the drums carry the songs well, while Matt Preston and Dan McCormick lay down thick riffage with super intricate and melodic passages throughout.

The last song, “The Void and the Vision” has a great galloping beat, the drums really lead you into the song. Then the guitars build in, swelling to a huge solo. Rael Andrews drums really highlight the awesome guitar-work on this track, pushing the driving feeling all the way to the end.  

It was fun to pull this tape out, these guys rule. Part of this project is digging out old gems or finding new ones to appreciate. This tape was definitely lost in the shuffle of my collection, mostly forgotten, but not anymore.

The Swill On Bandcamp

The Swill Facebook

Photos by Nibiinabekwe. Point Iroquois Lighthouse, Lake Superior.