All posts by vladkraykulla

Active member of alternative underground scene and culture since early 1990-ies. Underground is a way of life!
Reviews

(review) Enslaved – ‘Heimdal’ (Nuclear Blast)

Leave a comment

Purveyors and legends of Norwegian Viking black metal are back with new full length opus consisting of seven songs. As you might have listened on last two EP-s, they continue with their path where they left off with last full length ‘Utgard’ but I can say that for me this new one is better than the last full length opus. More epic, more melodic, with more interplay between screaming black metal vocals and clean vocal lines which touch your heart and yourself to your bones. There is brutality on this album like harsh and strong ‘Congelia’, but also there are gentle melodic atmospheric song parts like excellent ‘Forest Dweller’ which is in my personal favorite along with ‘Kingdom’. Of course, Enslaved continue in their prog part besides Viking black metal, so I can also hear some seventies style influenced keyboards in some parts. Speaking of keyboards, they are essential to this opus, because I think that they are even more high in the mix and represent a lion’s share of melodies and main themes involved in song structures. Now, for more than three decades, Enslaved are better than ever, you know what they say, wine is old but is also the best when it is old! Long live Enslaved, long live prog spacy Viking black metal.

10/10

Reviews

(review) Tryglav – ‘The Ritual’

Leave a comment

Tryglav is back with new full length opus, first in four years, second in all. This project is named after a mountain in Slovenia, also after three headed Slavic deity, but the mountain is a bit differently pronounced. This is an entity from my home country, Croatia, brain spawn of one Boris Behara and it is fantastic. This opus offers seven songs of melodic yet aggressive black metal. When I listen to this opus, it feels like I am in some ruins fort on a dark night at the mountain, with wind blowing in my faces and bones, at the same time being alone, yet not alone. Guitar melodies and work are awesome, creating such melancholy and emotionally filled soundscape combining it with blast beat drums, but also with some more calmer and mid tempo atmospheric parts, though thrash influenced drumming rears its head too. Vocals are screaming, but you can understand most of what is being sung, with lyrics in English language. This opus can easily concur for one of the best melodic black metal releases of the year. My personal favorites: ‘The Plague’, ‘The Vengeance’.

10/10

Bandcamp

News

(new single – punkrock) Punk rock group Urethane unveils new single!

Leave a comment

Photo Credit: Jeremy Frasca

Emerging pop-punk group URETHANE has unveiled their brand new 2-song EP Dog Years which is now available worldwide via Cyber Tracks. Lifted from the album, the infectious sing-along punk rock anthem ‘Remember Me’ features Brenna Red (The Last Gang) on vocals and Matt Hensley (Flogging Molly) on accordion. The song was produced, engineered, and mixed by Cameron Webb (Motörhead, Megadeth, Alkaline Trio, NOFX, Pennywise).

Featuring two professional Hall of Fame skateboarders (Steve Caballero, Matt Hensley), the official music video for “Remember Me” made its debut earlier this week on THRASHER. 

‘I was watching the real Buddy Holly story that Paul McCartney wrote in the early ’80s,’ says bassist Chad Ruiz. ‘In one of the interviews, Buddy Holly’s brothers sang this melody that instantly got trapped in my head. Throughout the years it was always on my bucket list to turn this melody into a punk anthem. An anthem of love, hope, friendship, and prosperity.’ ‘Our best music video to date,’ adds guitarist, professional skateboarder, and cultural icon Steve Caballero.

The music video takes place in a bar while URETHANE performs on stage with Brenna Red and Matt Hensley with Cameron Webb slings drinks and artist Mark deSalvo burns.

Also, limited edition autographed copies of their debut album Chasing Horizons on gold vinyl as well as variations of black orange splatter, orange crush, piss yellow splatter, and classic black are available via Cyber Tracks’ webstore.  

URETHANE formed during the infectious pandemic in 2020. The lineup consists of vocalist/guitarist Tim Fennelly (War Fever), guitarist Steve Caballero (The Faction, Odd Man Out, Soda), bassist Chad Ruiz (Skipjack), and drummer Dylan Wade (The Bombpops). Their musical roots are undeniably influenced by punk rock, pop-punk, and melodic hardcore.