7/13/13

Arabs in Aspic - 2013 - Pictures in a Dream (Review)



on Black Widow Records

     Не так давно норвежская группа Arab In Aspic явила музыкальному миру свой новый, третий по счёту, альбом "Pictures In A Dream". Если Вы каким-то образом прошли мимо творчества этой группы или устали от шквала риффов, гроулинга и запредельного напора в музыке - Вам просто необходимо обратить своё внимание на этот коллектив.

     Ребята исполняют музыку в жанре ретро прогрессив рок, однако этого определения явно маловато, чтобы охарактеризовать полностью данный шедевр. Альбом состоит из 11 композиций, разнообразных и в тоже время уникально прочувствованных и исполненных.

     Основной причиной тому служат ПРОСТО МАГИЧЕСКИЕ и КОСМИЧЕСКИЕ партии клавишных, за что стоит сказать спасибо волшебнику Stig A. Jørgensen. Ну и конечно же вокал - он великолепен во всех композициях, где он есть. Слаженная игра и тонкое переживание исполняемого материала создают поистине волшебное ощущение,хотя давайте по порядку  :

     Заглавная композиция Rejected Wasteland / Pictures in a Dream - этакий вариативный отсыл к самим Pink Floyd, но со своими ньюансами. За ней следуют одна за другой Let U.S Рray и You Аre Blind - шикарные, с утяжелённым саундом и хорошим ритмом. Альбом явно набирает обороты, как вдруг - Вы встречаете пронзительно-инструментальную Felix, уносящую Вас в космос. Но не спешите улетать - Hard to Find быстро догонит и взбодрит, а Difference in Time вновь поднимет градус и поддаст драйва. Что дальше, спросите Вы? Инструментально-космический боевик Lifeguard@Sharkbay, безмолвно-эпичен и прекрасен одновременно.

     Есть в альбоме песни и на родном музыкантам языке, Ta et Steg til Siden хороша, а Vi møtes sikkert igjen начинаясь весьма бойко, сменяет темп и выравнивает Ваш пульс, поэтому можно и не заметить, как захочется подпеть. Предпоследняя вещь Prevail to Fail спокойна, легка и мелодична. Завершает альбом акустическая версия Pictures in a Dream, дающая повод для размышлений и желаний, точнее ОДНОГО - А не послушать ли мне Ещё раз?!!

(Review by Dron)




7/10/13

ROBUSTFEST vol.III 1st Announce




Ladies & Gentlemen, Fellas & Fellitas, Dudes & Dudettes !

Robustcrew gladly presents :
This Autumn Robust Circus comes to town with it's 3rd volume.

Date : October 12th 2013
Place : "Old Opera House" (Angar)
Tickets : TBA (Preorders will start in August)
Gates Opened :14:00
Show Starts : 15:00

We've found the ultimate "Robust line-up" formula since past year's volume :
9 bands from 6 countries on one stage.


Let us introduce you first three bands from the line-up :

LOINEN



BEWARE !
Neanderthal nightmare is coming from the Northern Swamps !!!

After 2 years of close correspondence with this finnish band we're finally glad to say :
LOINEN is coming to ROBUSTFEST !!!

If your child suddenly asks : "What is sludge ?"
You can answer without any doubt : "Try Loinen, please"

The stick to one's memory and sick artworks are doing good work while listening to Loinen.
 Loinen disclaims any Guitars - It's Double Bass attack.


The band was formed more then 10 years ago.
It became a cult after the debut Selftitled LP, split with STUMM, and couple of demos and various splits.  Then Secundus (vox/guitars) passed away in 2009.
But the band is still acting well during past years :
Check their fresh split with Horse Latitudes, Doctrines of Desolation (Tape)
and crazy collaboration with Paanin Kuoro called "Mutajazz" 
New LP is also on the way.

(Text by PhillO))))




THE GRAND ASTORIA





Ladies and gentleman, please welcome our mysterious Mr. Astorius. What a skull, what a hat, and what god-damn brilliant stick he’s got! Is there a man or a skeleton under his cloak?! Who knows! What we do know is that this guy loves to experiment. He’s surely got a lot of aces under his sleeve - whether it’s stoner, psychedelic, punk, doom or you-name-it-classy-stuff, he’s got it and he’s going to show it right when you least expect it, so brace yourself.



Europe has seen his shows more than 300 hundred times, but Kiev has never experienced his outstanding performances. Robust Crew brings you the first show of the outstanding Mr. Astorious in Kiev. His latest mesmerizing music-box “Punkadelia Supreme” as well as his earlier works will be available at the show.
(Text by Stonezilla)



BELZEBONG




That’s what all of you have been waiting for! Following the requests from our dear visitors of the second Robustfest we have invited this giant to our party. Applause to bong-smoking, body-building, riff-laden monster Belzebong. What he does for living amazes not only men, women and children but all kinds of heavy underground creatures as well.



His evil-twin shadow is always behind him. While he’s busy showing his best smoke-doom muscle tricks, his shadow is busy offering pot to everyone around him. Some say that if you stare at him for too long there will be no coming back to sanity and you will remain stoned forever. But it’s not something you want to avoid, eh? Pay us a visit on the 12th of October at the third volume or Robustfest, and you’ll see this monster in action.     
(Text by Stonezilla) 
Check one track of their new  LP here :




SOME ADDITIONAL INFO :

All Arts and Posters by xNinja

ANGAR's facebook page :
Make a virtual tour around the place here :

Read some interesting historical info about the place here :
Wiki

VOLUNTEERS :
We try to do our best from year to year.
And we really glad to see new fellas in the Robustcrew.
Please write us (robustfellowship(dog)gmail.com) if you think that you can help us with the following things.

for the Robust Blog/Advertisement/Sponsorship :
- web design for www.robustfellow.com
- writing reviews/interviews/scene reports/whatever
(recieving exclusive downloads/cd/vinyl instead)
- Radio (any useful contacts)/TV/Press(any Zines/Magazines)
(If you know how to expand Robustfest's audience)
- Sponsorship/Fund Rising

during the fest :
- Prepearing/cleaning the festival's area
-Help with the bands (guiding, possible housing)
- Feeding the Bands & Robustcrew during the fest
- Help with Afterpaty (details will be announced later)

for Robust DVD vol.III :
(vol.II isn't so bad ?, but we wanna go higher)
-Video operating (It's cool If you can bring and shoot videos with your HD camera/GoPro)
-Video Mixing/post-production
-Sound Reording/Mixing
-Interviewing Bands/Crowd

If you aren't on this list but you think that you could help - please write to us.
We will find the solution.


Thanks for the support :

"AGGRESSIVЕ TATTOO"

and

«STUDIO ANDREA MMXII»



ROBUSTFEST vol.III in social net :

7/7/13

Kings Destroy - 2013 - A Time of Hunting (Review)


Yep. We've said few words about their debut album on our blog before.
Now It's time to review the new one.

After a year of relative hiatus , despite  many gigs with  luminaries of doom and stoner scene the time has come for the NY doom outfit to shine with their sophomore effort "Time of Hunting". Three  years  have passed since the purveyors of New York hardcore scene made the first congregation  which resulted in the emergence of the depute LP "The Rest will surely Perish". The first album was more trad-doom oriented release, following the footsteps of Sabbath , Vitus and  others standing at the forefront of doom battleground. Some blamed the album for being to derivative and lacking the spirit of its own, while others praised  it for meticulous production and straightforward heaviness. Well, maybe there is a grain of truth in these claims as the album was recorded too fast since the band formation and may not have lived up to its potential simply due to the HC background of the founding members.  However, I truly enjoyed the band's debut effort , as it was just  a good piece of heavy doom with nothing to intrude upon the purity and heaviness of the sound. Still noticeably above the average and nice to listen to, "and the rest..." seems slightly rough and generic when you've got now "Time for Hunting" between your ears ! it can be now considered like just a little overview of the band's real potential and identity to come. 




What becomes noticeable from the first  chords,  is that two years of "hiatus" have brought the results for which we all are seeking. With incredibly  massive production, utilizing heaviness undertuned to  ferocious degree and adding somewhat raw impression to the sound, the band has crafted a potential nominee for the " heaviest shit  of the year". Indeed, the whole eight yards of the album are nearing perfection, and overall it appears that 5 NY friends have reached  the highest degree of excellence with "A time of Hunting".




The  overall tone of the album has become more darker, not only interns of sound, but also in terms of lyrics as Steve Murphy elaborates on burning issues of our decaying world.  The album still retains the heaviness and straightforwardness of the original,  however  occasionally leans towards  more prog-oriented  approach with rare bluesy solos protruding out of the massive riffage. The considerable development towards the70-s heavy rock patterns is also evident in several songs, and such rare throwbacks  perfectly blend with the ear-punishing doom riffage  prevailing throughout the album.

(Reviewed by Den)

Check the video from this album :