Category: Hardcore

Vestiges+Panopticon – Split LP

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It’s no secret that I have a personal love and appreciation for the one man project of A. Lunn – Panopticon – so please allow me to harp on about this band one more time. It’s unlikely it’ll be the last time I talk about Panopticon so you’ll just have to deal with it. After 2011s searing Social Disservices and 2012s more melodic affair, Kentucky, Panopticon is back – this time with a split from another favourite of mine, Vestiges.

Vestiges side of the split nicely follows their debut The Descent of Man and their split with Ghaust in 2011 by naming the tracks contained here in a continuation of the songs found on those releases. “VII” and “VIII” deftly progress the sound that Vestiges created on their debut whilst bringing a new sense of coherence and a world of agony into these new works. Pantopicon meanwhile, evokes the landscapes we heard on Kentucky with two new compositions – “A Letter” and “Eulogy” – as well as a furious cover of Suicide Nation’s “Collapse and Die.”
vestigespanopticon-split-cover

Vestiges: Top secret guys. Panopticon: A. Lunn

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2012…it was the best of times….it was the blurst of times.

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This last year has been pretty great in terms of music, but also on a more personal note, 2012 was actually pretty decent. Good things happened and bad things certainly occurred, but 2012 was the year that I realised that I’d found what I wanted to do in life – and now starts the long, hard road to making that a reality. I’ve come across some incredible people in my writing life that have helped me out in more ways than they can ever know. By giving me chances, by allowing me to hear new records, to making sure that I get to see that all important band that I love, and for the people that might actually read the things that I put out there, thank you. This writing lark is a constant learning curve, and I don’t think it ever ends. I’m excited for 2013. I’m excited for the music that I’ve been lucky enough to already hear, I’m excited for the music I’m yet to hear. Despite the fact that my real life job might not exist in six, three maybe even one month, I can’t wait to see what happens in other aspects of my “career.”

Here’s a picture of Darkthrone hanging out to break up the seriousness. Oh, you guys!

Darkthrone

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The Catalyst – Voyager

Cheryl1 Comment

Following hot on the heels of the recently reviewed Unholy Thoughts, comes another Virginia based Forcefield Records band (is there something in the water there?) – a group going by the name of The Catalyst – who have Voyager to offer the world and also the universe. These guys are kinda wonky and definitely enjoy the odd trip or two (take that phrase however you like) into the outer reaches. Evidently this is the first records sans a second drummer – you thought Kylesa had the monopoly on that? Think again. But that loss does no harm to the sound The Catalyst manage to produce over the forty minute running time. Throwing in punk influences, touches of sludge and even the odd dual vocal, The Catalyst are pretty darn devastating considering.

1. (The Final Voyage Of The) Spaceship Catalyst
2. King of Swords
3. Square Waves
4. Occult Blood
5. Septagon
6. Jupiter Brain
7. Breathers
8. Big Bend
9. Open High
10. Voyager

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