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

0021 – Olde Growth – Tour EP 2012 Owl EP

Artist: Olde GrowthOlde Growth Cassette Tape with Butterfly
Album: Tour EP 2012
Label: Self-Released
Release Date: 2012
Format: Cassette Tape

Olde Growth is a 2-piece bass and drum group from Boston. This tape is the second and final release, and a pre-release to the Vinyl that Hydro-Phonic Records put out officially retitled “Owl EP.” I was lucky enough to pick the tape up from these 2 dudes at a show in Boston.  When I was researching for this review I realized that the later released Owl EP was the same tracks as what is contained on this cassette. I snagged the “Owl EP” off Bandcamp and compared. The tape has some audio artifacts from the dubbing and the limitations of tape. The sound of the digital files is much fuller and less distorted. Saying that, I did thoroughly enjoy the character that the tape flavors added to the mix.Tour EP Cassette Tape in Bush

This tape is in a clamshell cassette case, with a lightweight paper style cover that wraps around both sides. The cassette itself has a paint-marker embellishment on both sides and has audio duplicated to each side. With the full album on side A and B you don’t have to rewind and flip endlessly!

The sound that is Olde Growth consists of a super heavy, groove-oriented base that flows in and out of classic stoner rock. The drums are tight and carry the songs well, while the bass fits into its own pocket. Even without a guitar lead present, sounds pop in and out. Slow rumbles and combines with more intricate phrasing, melding in with a strong vocal delivery.Olde Growth Cassette Tape in Pine

The opener track, “Brother of the Moon,” comes in with a simple clean bass line, followed by the drums and then thick bass waves of distortion. Heavy, in all the right ways, finally the song builds into large chords that fully bring the ears into the woods. Finally, to bring the song to full throttle the drums step into a stomp and the bass flips over into more of a lead style delivery. The drums and vocals carry the song from here, while the bass chugs slowly just below.

The transition into track two, “Warrior Child,” is near seamless. The feel and the groove are similar to the previous track. Drums lead the charge, vocals and chugging bass lines right beside. Another great song, fun to tap along to and keep the head bobbing.Olde Growth Cassette on Beach

The third track is “Tears of Blood.” This brings a departure from the first half of the EP. The riffs are again in the galloping stoner rock feel, but the hook is more prominent. The crashing chords and vocal delivery, at the end, is by far some of the heaviest moments on the tape. One of my favorite parts about this group is the way that the bass transitions from standard rhythm to thick chords. This sound, this style, really lends to the heaviness of Olde Growth.

“Edge of the Sea” has a great hook, the vocals reach a near singalong status. Fun, dark, and full of good imagery, the music underneath helps to transport my mind. I love closing my eyes and taking in the waves. This song is pure fun, full of that classic stoner rock bounce that keeps my head nodding.

I had always meant to pick up this album, never realizing that I already had the album on my tape rack! Hilarious! I still want the vinyl, I imagine it has a much better audio treatment than this tape. I believe Olde Growth is on hiatus, and they will be missed. Click the links below to check out the music for yourself.

Olde Growth BandcampOlde Growth Cassette Beach Butterfly

Olde Growth Facebook

 

 

 

Photos by Nibiinabekwe Ocqueoc Michigan Lake Huron
Photos by Nibiinabekwe • Huron Beach • Ocqueoc, MI

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.