Abrasive Audio…to Soothe the Senses. Werewolves in Siberia’s Top Five of 19′

Abrasive Audio…to Soothe the Senses.

Another Year End List – Werewolves in Siberia

The year has come and gone, it’s cold, Santa is busting out his supply of energy drinks for his annual global philanthropist trek, the trees are…blah, blah, blah. Enough with all that! Welcome to another Year End list. Another one? Yes, another one. This one however, you can guarantee is going to slightly different than those before it. This is plucked, in the nicest way possible (naturally), from the creative mind of none other than synth mastermind Werewolves in Siberia. In short, he’s responsible for introducing me to the world of synth. Let me be more specific.

Great synth. In actuality, one of my first, non- metal, music reviews was of his “Beyond the City of the Dead” album (from 2014). https://werewolvesinsiberia.bandcamp.com/album/beyond-the-city-of-the-dead

If you enjoy listening to audio which puts you in mind of raunchy celluloid from a bygone era whereupon people are being feasted upon by the undead, having their face pulled toward “inconspicuous” splinters or being torn limb from limb by frustrated Amazonian natives then this is a must listen. But it gets better.

His newest, “Terrifying Tales from the Mausoleum” (released December the thirteenth. On a Friday, which seems to be his thing) is a step up and widely considered his best work to date (I agree, although the aforementioned holds a special place in my music collection). Before you continue feel free to give it a listen (or do so as you read this, it doesn’t matter!)

https://werewolvesinsiberia.bandcamp.com/album/terrifying-tales-from-the-mausoleum-3

Without further waffling, I’m honored and proud to present…

Werewolves in Siberia’s Top 5 of 2019

Usually, it would probably be pretty hard to come up with a list of my top 5 favorite albums of the year.  This year though, I really didn’t get into many more than five albums all year, to be honest.  The year just kind of flew by.

I’m not going to actually rank these albums because none of them are really in the same vein with one another.  There’s something different about all of them but, either way, these were my absolute favorites from the year.  I can’t see even a possibility that, no matter how many albums I listened to this year, these wouldn’t be my top 5 anyway.

I’m also linking the Spotify pages for each of these albums for easy access to their music.  I mean, just about everybody’s using Spotify these days, right?

Municipal Waste – “The Last Rager”

I’m a big fan of old school thrash.  The kings, Slayer, have just hung it up but Anthrax and Testament are putting out some of their best albums ever after over 30 years of being around.  Municipal Waste, though, are the leaders of the new school of thrash.  I say new school and realize they’ve been putting out music for over 15 years.  They embody all that the old school brought and never stray from what they do well… full-on, all out thrash metal.

In 2019, they released the EP “The Last Rager” and I jumped on it.  It’s a great follow up to 2017’s “Slime and Punishment”.  If you haven’t heard them yet, it’s a great way to dip your toe into the water because it’s about ten minutes of thrashing fury and it’s over.  If you’re a thrash fan, this will leave you wanting more.  Luckily, they have a whole slew of other albums for you to enjoy after this one.

https://open.spotify.com/album/2DUJrtvNvNprAipiCJP3fK?si=SXaV_JHnReOH4fpM-yQR3A

The Seatopians – “Underwater Ally”

If you’re a fan of beach life, tiki culture or just dig a little surf rock once in a while. The Seatopians have got to be on your radar immediately.  I came across these guys earlier in the year on Instagram when surf-promotion-site-turned-surf-record-label Altered State of Reverb happened to mention them.  Then, I saw something really weird; they’re from the little city I live in.  That little city is Boise, Idaho.  I was definitely intrigued.  I was skeptical… because, Boise?  Surf rock?  Intrigued, nonetheless and had to check them out.   Their demo was good.  Really good.

Altered State of Reverb took the steps to jump into the record label game and released “Underwater Alley”, the debut from The Seatopians.  I quickly snatched that up and immersed myself in it.  I still can’t get enough of this album five months later.  Pretty sure I listened at least once a day for the first couple weeks and I’m still throwing this one on at least every couple of weeks.

There are legends in the surf rock game.  Legends that will live on forever; from the early days of The Ventures, Dick Dale and The Impacts to those who took the torch in the late 80s and beyond like Los Straitjackets.  Then, there is this new wave of surf bands coming around.  While I’ve come across some really good ones, The Seatopians are sitting on top of that heap as kind of the kings of the new wave of surf rock.  I mean no disrespect to any other surf band.  I’m listening to tons of it on a regular basis these days, but these guys are really making waves.  (See what I did there?)

https://open.spotify.com/album/3SuP80CDsuybUk7S8StMS0?si=lJf4AIdJTKS1yJaIZiNTnw

Voyag3r – “War Mask”

I’ve said it so many times but when it comes to synth driven music, Voyag3r are on a whole different level than most anyone out there.  They bring a full band to the mix that most don’t.  Maybe a lot of synthwave doesn’t need a full band to make a good album… but these guys are still just on a different level.

Voyag3r don’t actually fall into that synthwave category to me but they bring plenty of that culture to their sound.  They’re also bringing inspiration from horror and sci-fi soundtracks as well as crossover prog rock bands like Goblin.  Again, another level.

“War Mask” was released in April and instantly took the synth world by storm.  Rightfully so.  This album took their already sci-fi, horror and cult film score-inspired sound and leveled up.  Their sound has broadened a bit on this release but still has that Voyag3r sound we’ve all come to love.  Stellar guitar, synth and drum work is even accompanied by the occasional saxophone this time around.

If you’re a fan of John Carpenter, Fabio Frizzi, Goblin or anything in between, this is for you.  As a side note, synth master/smooth saxophonist, Steve Greene, has some amazing solo albums, too.  Check out everything any of these guys have done that you can find.

https://open.spotify.com/album/7kxmLiqSrEx3U8AnNmLnT1?si=uaWHuSnoTwy-lR1xxIOccA

Calabrese – “Flee the Light”

What can I say about this one?  Calabrese shot onto my radar way back in 2005 with their catchy-as-hell horror punk.  Rather than heading up the often-taken route of just sounding like a Misfits ripoff, they had their own sound.

Over the years, they took a more rock and roll approach, sort of a death rock sound.  It took a little getting used to at first and, while I wasn’t as into this sound as their earlier material, I still really liked those last couple albums.  With “Flee the Light”, the brothers Calabrese have reinvented themselves yet again by adding synths to their ever-evolving sound.

Usually, when a rock band adds keyboards/synths to their already-stellar arsenal, it kills the vibe.  It’s overkill.  Not here.  Not at all!  I’ll be damned if they didn’t pull it off and end up with their best release since 2012’s “Dayglo Necros” album.  I never would’ve thought that synths could add anything great to a Calabrese record.  I really wasn’t into the idea but over the years I’ve rocked out to the albums, I’ve done some distro for them, I’ve taken in their live shows, interviewed them, you name it.  Now, somehow, they have absolutely blown me away 14 years after first hearing them yet again.

https://open.spotify.com/album/1sNY7MpBrQ0qpwv9rLsDI5?si=qXXYLB_uScOt9LxutZI-vA

Majeure – “Mass Flashback”

You might not be familiar with the name Majeure.  It’s the solo project of AE Paterra from synth/prog rock duo Zombi.  Aside from it being the name of the Italian release of Dawn of the Dead or the Italian version of Fulci’s “Zombi 2”, you also might not be with Zombi.  Let me help you with that.

They’ve been one of my favorite bands since I stumbled across them on a Relapse Records sampler in ‘04.  They stood out amongst the extreme metal acts of the label and grabbed my attention like no other non-punk or non-metal band had in years.  They sounded like all those killer scores from horror movies like Dawn of the Dead and I was hooked.

Over the years, the two members have done numerous solo records and side projects.  Steve Moore has really made a name for himself with some great film scores and even jumped into Goblin’s live lineup for several shows.  Paterra has made some great music, himself.  He made a couple sci-fi synth collaborations with UK new age artist Paul Lawler called Contact that I really dug as well as quite a few singles, EPs and splits.

When this year’s “Mass Flashback” came out, it drew me in.  Something about this release feels head and shoulders above any of Paterra’s past solo releases to me.  There’s a very laid-back tone overall that you get lost in.  Close your eyes and take the journey.

This album is only six songs long but it can loop endlessly for days.  It’s that good.  If you’re not into the synth thing, it might not be for you but I’d still say you should give it a try because, to me, it transcends all barriers.  It’s not just a synth record.  It’s a damn near flawless album for any genre.

https://open.spotify.com/album/2puInERaWhQ0HVcUM8UFZq?si=sGaMX7RZQImuOYpl4Jh50g

 

C’mon whatcha doing? Bang out some synth already!

Editor’s Note ; Thanks goes out to Chris for allowing me to jog his memory and send over his thoughts and recommendations. Admittedly, the only release here which I’m familiar with (although I have yet to lay ears upon it) is the first mentioned. It appears I have some exploration to embark upon and a diverse pool of audio in which to leap into.

Abrasive Audio…to soothe the senses Polkadot Cadaver

The year is 2007. Dog Fashion Disco call it quits.

But out from the ashes something crawls, twists, hiccups then howls in fury. A new beast is born and some might even say it’s wearing eerily similar skin from the that which it was birthed. 

Whatever your opinion, Polkadot Cadaver have proven they’re sticking around for the long haul, regardless of varied lineup changes, albeit with a discography that’s rather sparse, all the while defiantly raising their finger to any and all semblance of genre conformity.

So. What’s in a name? 

It’s odd. I’ll give you that!

The word ‘Cadaver’ gives off a slight grotesque vibe. But it isn’t as blunt, or as brutal a descriptive word, as say, Corpse or Zombie. These words as part of a moniker invoke thoughts of more an act prevalent in the death or thrash arena. Most certainly an active form in the horror realm. Be it one traipsing around in a sluggish manner with an insatiable flesh rendering urge or another kind that does the unconscious bidding of a practitioner of the Dark Arts (see White Zombie and more recently Wes Cravens The Serpent and the Rainbow).

A slew of Zombie film images, and why not?

The word ‘Cadaver’ is a touch more scientific leaving much more open for suggestion. In regards to ‘Polkadot’, this makes me think of clowns (not the menacing blood thirsty kind portrayed in Terrifier or 100 Tears), a carnival in full effect, fun, party hats and of a musical outfit which might not quite be so serious, one that’s a tad outrageous perhaps? Humor obviously plays a part in the big picture somewhere, especially when you place both words together. Is this an undead form which sports colorful attire? Was he/she caught up in an untimely demise either to or from Coachella? The mind reels with the possibilities. Although one thing is, without a doubt, beyond discussion… Polkadot Cadaver are unique, much as the moniker suggests, and unquestionably unpredictable in the direction their musical style meanders.

I think you’ll agree we don’t meander anyplace!

Purgatory Dance Party was the bands first full length on the Rotten Records label. Released in 2007 it introduced the bands style, drive and willingness to experiment much like the act that which they arose from the ashes of. Sex Offender (also on Rotten Records) was next up and followed a 7″ split (Wolf in Jesus Skin/Wolfs Head). It met with critical acclaim, peaking at 17 on the “Heatseeker” charts there was no doubt that they had an audience but where to next?

2013 was a busy year for the band. They switched labels (moving to Razor to Wrist Records), released a full length based on the Jonestown Massacre, Last Call to Jonestown, and a Holiday themed EP, From Bethlehem to Oblivion, which is, not too surprisingly, hardly family oriented in the slightest. A track from which brings me to the reason for scribbling this. You Don’t Deserve a Goddamn Thing for Christmas is chock full of clever lyrics and an acoustic melody which is hard not to like, elements that combine to form an Xmas song I can’t resist and I generally dislike much everything to do with the season. Featuring in the end credits of Lifechanger (directed by Justin McConnell) it exquisitely tops off a thought provoking viewing experience, drenched in immortal, supernatural and (get this) “shapeshifter” themes which is absolutely not to be missed.

A movie that warrants attention

Get Possessed was released in November of 2017 and is Polkadot Cadavers latest. Bearing cheeky vivid cover art, including a Ouija board and a green preacher, it leaves little to the imagination as what to expect. Regardless, this is Polkadot Cadaver album, I’ll guarantee there’s at least a landslide of surprises in store.

Their latest offering of audio insanity

The album commences with synth the likes of which Goblin are famous for and that which made a slew of Italian cult films in the late 70’s and early 80’s, bordering on unwatchable, that much easier to digest.  ‘Dead Beats’ soon changes its feel to incorporate more an infectious drum salvo, piano tinkering and a hypnotic sway quality that’s difficult not to bobble your head to (and I didn’t say Funky Pops! I am amazed – whoops!). Guitar adds to the mix soon enough to make for an exciting opener to leave any long-time listener salivating for more and virgins to the style colored with intrigue.

‘Couldn’t Move Far Enough Away’ bears an introductory Mutoid Man guitar riff assault and leads the listener into a lyrical assault which is poetic and quite brilliantly, a staple of the band to be sure. An early standout that’s difficult to categorize even easier to let just wash over the senses.

‘Powder Pink Baby Coffin’ sees synth collide with stabbing guitar riffs and an alternate edge. The lyrics, again, are of a mesmerizing nature and I’m left jerking around saturated in spastic movements like someone desperately in need of medication.

Up next, ‘Robot Assisted Suicide’ sports a cosmic dreaminess, rhythms, as the track suggests, more robotic in nature.

I would class this as a pallet cleanser but seems as most Polkadot Cadaver tracks could be deemed the same I’ll not bother.

The title track ‘Get Possessed’ bolts from the starting block with an Anthrax type pace, a bouncing rhythm, guaranteed to get the heartbeat spiking. As it progresses more a Ministry vibe comes to the fore to keep the blood pumping at dangerously excited levels.

Another standout nestled among tracks of an exquisite quality that’s hard to deny.

‘Stewards of a Syphilitic Emperor’ sees punk and hardcore values checked off the styles not yet covered. This however, doesn’t last long as much like the remainder of the album stagnant is not an adjective that’s been laid out a welcome mat for.  

Stagnant nor predictable, much like this car and picture

‘Skin in the Game’ towards the albums finale is another standout. Utilizing melodic riffs, of definite thrash leanings, and keyboard melodies it takes the listener on a wild ride devoid of land marks, mileage signs and anything that might indicate a Final Destination. (Hooray for me, I managed to slyly maneuver a movie title into the ‘music review mix’).

The final track to caress the ears sounds more like a frat party initiation ‘Gasoline Enema, Bend and Light’. Slightly chaotic in tone and feel it stylistically places the proverbial cork in the bottle closing off an album that’s wildly off the beaten track, expertly composed and a virtual delight for the senses to devour.

The second Acid Bath album, though both demand attention.

I’m hitting play again, did I mention I liked this?

Recommended for fans of vintage Faith no More, Mr. Bungle, Mutoid Man and Acid Bath.

Be prepared to widen your musical listening horizons. Genre definitions be damned!! 

 

Cult