Tesseract - One

At long last, Tesseract's debut album has arrived, but after three years of writing, recording, touring, line-up changes and labels, how does One stand up? Click HERE for the review.

Atlantis - Mistress of Ghosts

Click HERE for the review of Mistress of Ghosts, the second full length album instrumental project Atlantis.

Death Ray Vision track online

It’s looking like a good day for new music, something that has well and truly dispelled the Monday shite buzz. Earlier in the day the new Jesu track ‘Birth Day’ was posted and now it’s time for the debut track from Death Ray Vision.

If you’re unaware, Death Ray Vision is a new project featuring members of Overcast, Killswitch Engage and Shadows Fall. The band features Brian Fair, Mike D’Antonio and Pete Cortese along with Zack Wells and Colin Conway.

They will be releasing their debut EP Get Lost or Get Dead and for the next week will be streaming a track a day from the five song release. First up is ‘Shattered Frames’. You can listen to the track below or on their bandcamp page. It’s clear the modern metalcore influences of its parts have shun through on ‘Shattered Frames’ but there’s an unavoidable nod in the music to their more old school hardcore inspirers in Integrity and Cro-Mags.

New Jesu track

The great Justin Broadrick will be releasing the new Jesu album in May, Ascension. It will be the follow up to 2009’s Opiate Sun EP as well as the brief Christmas EP released in December. The new song ‘Birth Day’ is streaming over on Stereogum now.

Jesu has accomplished an instantly recognisable sound by now, one characterised earth shatteringly dense heaviness and eerie, somnambulist melody. ‘Birth Day’ is no different with intense, droning guitars colliding with chiming electronics. Broadrick’s vocals are buried beneath the dissonance, a trait now well present in the Jesu sound.

New tracks from In Progress and A Lot Like Birds

In Progress will be releasing a new EP in the coming months entitled North Atlantic Echoes. It will be the follow up to last year’s Signal Failure album. Kevin Moore is a guest collaborator on the record, lending his keyboards and backing vocals to three tracks on the EP. Listen to the new track ‘Chasing Ghosts’ below or on their Soundcloud.
Chasing Ghosts by inprogressmusic

Remember A Lot Like Birds? The review of their album, Plan B, last year was suitably praising for what was, genuinely, a mixed bag of sounds that was always unabashedly hooky and poppy. 'Tantrum (Far From the Tree, the Apple Grew Rotten)' is a new track from the band. Listen to it below. Even though it’s only one track it hints to even more depth in their new material.

New Periphery track

Periphery are continuing the wave of momentum on their side after a successful European tour early in the year with a new EP, Icarus Lives. A new track (well, sort of) is online now, entitled 'Frak The Gods'. The track is streaming now over on Metal Sucks but can also be heard down below.

‘Frak The Gods’ is not too dissimilar from the material of last year’s self titled. The riffs are of course thick and dense, and Spencer Sotelo’s high clean vocals are quite prominent but his opening growls mark an intriguing performance from him.

The track listing of Icarus Lives
1 - New Groove
2 - Icarus Lives!
3 - Icarus Lives! (PeteyG Remix)
4 - Icarus Lives! (Zedd Remix)
5 - Icarus Lives! (Bulb Remix)
6 - Jetpacks Was Yes! (Radio Edit)
7 - Captain On
8 - Frak the Gods
9 - Eureka

The EP is released on April 19th.

Two years old

Back on March 4th The Grind That Annoys turned two years old. It’s coming just a little bit late but here’s a quick post to say cheers to you for reading any post on the blog, commenting or sharing it on Facebook or Twitter or whatever. Seriously, cheers. It’s cool that you’ve actually taken the time to read something here. Also, since Blogger introduced its stat counter in May of last year The Grind That Annoys has received over 5,200 views. Again, thank you.

Anyway, enough babbling! There are some new posts coming in the next few days as always and here’s a quick reminder of some of the top posts of this month.

The storming demo from Hexis

Debut music from Twisted Mass

Bonesaw live review from Dublin

Woods of Ypres interview

Scale The Summit’s blinding new album, The Collective

40 Watt Sun gracing us with their debut album

One other thing, this was just posted a few days ago but because it’s so, so good here it is again. The new Devin Townsend track:

Born of Osiris - The Discovery

Tech deathcore heavyweights Born of Osiris are back with a new album, The Discovery, the follow up to the acclaimed A Higher Place. Click HERE for the review now.

Sodb track online

New Irish black metal act Sodb has put a track online for your consumption. The nine minute ‘Don tSeantalamh a Chuid Féin’ can be heard below. The quality of the track is quite rough as it is merely a practice room recording but it alludes to promising things.

It’s worth checking out as it will be interesting to see what comes of more material in the future and particular when a release lands. You can listen to the track on Sodb’s blog page HERE or just down below. Sodb are playing in The Lower Deck this Saturday with Abaddon Incarnate, Putrefaction, Twisted Mass and Sickener. Be sure to check that out!

Don tSeantalamh a Chuid Féin by Sodb

New Devin Townsend track - Feather

Yes, you read that right. A new Devin Townsend track is online and can be heard below. ‘Feather’ is taken from the forthcoming album Ghost, which Townsend has described as the “mellowest (by far) and prettiest record I've done so far”. The album is slated for release in late spring or summer and will be the third album of The Devin Townsend Project series. The fourth album, Deconstruction will be released with it, in a double album package.

There’s a similar vibe to ‘Feather’ that was found on the most graceful moments of (2009 album) Ki. Townsend’s vocals are lush and stunning and the mood is strengthened even more by the ethereal voice of guest vocalist, who for now has only been going by the name, Katrina.

As the title of the video below would suggest, the track, at eight minutes, is an 'edit' so there may be more. However for now, this is a striking taster of what the album may entail.

This is the second salvo we have gotten from Ghost. A video of Townsend performing the track ‘Fly’ at NAMM can be viewed HERE. Listen to ‘Feather’ below.

Red Enemy EP Launch - Fibbers, 18/3/11

Click HERE for the review of Red Enemy's killer launch of their new EP What We Are Contained In, Is What We Are Worth last Friday. Also, on the bill were Shattered Skies, We're Wolves, Crows, Xenocide and Hero In Error.

New Wreck of the Hesperus track

‘Kill Monument’, a new track from Ireland’s filthiest purveyors of wretched funeral doom metal, Wreck of the Hesperus. It is taken from their new album, Light Rotting Out, coming later this year.

Unsurprisingly the track is otherworldly dejected and disgusting with dirty riffs complemented by the thick, prevalent bass lines. The slow throaty vocals add even more depth to the doomy trenches.

Listen to the track below or check out the song on WOTH’s Facebook page HERE and be sure to check out Light Rotting Out.

40 Watt Sun - The Inside Room

Warning's Patrick Walker is back with new band 40 Watt Sun, but how does it compare to the staple of Watching From A Distance? Click HERE for the review of the 40 Watt Sun debut album, The Inside Room now.

New Napalm Death track

The grindcore veterans Napalm Death have released a new track, ‘Legacy Was Yesterday’. It is from their new album forthcoming, the follow up from 2009’s Time Waits For No Slave.

People will argue that at this stage Napalm Death are just producing their grind by numbers. But recent efforts have all been solid slabs of vicious grind, and by no means ever weak, and ‘Legacy Was Yesterday’ is no different. It’s just over two minutes of the red-eyed rage you’d expect. Listen to it below or over on Decibel.

Napalm Death "Legacy Was Yesterday" by Decibel Magazine

Drop-d Re-launch this weekend.

This Friday Drop-d.ie is being re-launched with a whole new layout. So please do visit the site on Friday to check it out and by all means stick around. But wait there’s more! On Saturday night in Dublin, Drop-d writers including yours truly will be convening on The Twisted Pepper for the official re-launch party and you’re invited of course! There will be sets from Hope is Noise and The Bastard along with DJ sets into the night. So come along and spread the word.

Check out the Facebook event page HERE.

Oh yeah, and Happy St. Patrick's Day.

New Altar of Plagues track

Yes, the mighty Altar of Plagues has posted a new track online – ‘Neptune Is Dead’ from their forthcoming album, the highly anticipated, Mammal.

As expected ‘Neptune Is Dead’ is a sprawling epic. 2009’s White Tomb and last year’s Tides EP were both immense pieces of work and that’s continued here and will be presumably across all of Mammal. This clip is however an edited cut with the full 18 minute version being on the album.

Listen to the track below and check out the artwork for Mammal:

Altar of Plagues- Neptune is Dead [EDIT] by Candlelight Records

The Winchester Club - Negative Liberty

The new album from post rock band The Winchester Club, Negative Liberty is released on the 28th. Click HERE for the review now.

David Gold, Woods of Ypres interview

Canadian blackened doom band Woods of Ypres have a lot of momentum behind them right now. Being recently signed to Earache Records and with last album Woods IV: The Green Album getting reissued, 2011 could be their year. Click HERE for the interview with guitarist/vocalist David Gold about what led up to their new record deal and the next album.

Bonesaw & others... - Fibbers, 11/3/11

Check out this live review of Scottish death metal act Bonesaw and their show in Dublin last Friday with support from On Pain of Death, Dwell In Sun, Zombified and Sickener. Click HERE for the review on the Terrorizer website.

Burzum - Fallen

A year after Belus, Varg Vikernes has released a new album - Fallen. His second work since release from prison how does it hold up against Belus? Click HERE for the review now.

New In Case of Fire track

Northern Irish alt. rockers In Case of Fire have put a new track online, ‘Pretender’, which can be heard below. The band is working on the follow up to their powerful debut album from 2009 Align The Planets.

Unsurprisingly the track is hook heavy and like its predecessors is, dare we say, radio friendly but with much more bite and vigour.

The band is in something of state of limbo of late, having departed from their record deal and management agency. An update from Steve Robinson recently outlined that the band are still without a label despite an album’s worth of material ready to go. “The last year and a half has been a write-off in terms of moving forward and it's proved extremely difficult for us to get a second album off the ground”, he stated. You can read the full statement HERE.

Pretender by In Case Of Fire

New Unexpect track

Remember Unexpect? They released their second album In A Flesh Aquarium in 2006 and it was wonderfully mental. So much so that it got them on the Progressive Nation tour with Dream Theater and Opeth. Now, the band is finally following it up with a new album in the coming months, entitled Fables of the Sleepless Empire.

There’s something of a buzz for this album, primarily because Unexpect aren’t exactly what you would call prolific, In A Flesh Aquarium was, after all, released seven years after its predecessor.

This new track ‘Orange Vigilantes’ is (surprise surprise!) mental. The riffs and strings are catastrophically disjointed while the harsh vocals are devastatingly cruel only to collide with Leïlindel’s ethereal clean voice. Of course the track needs multiple listens to soak in, with all the madness buzzing around in the music.

You can listen to ‘Orange Vigilantes’ below or on their website HERE where it’s also available for free download.

Twisted Mass track online now

Dublin hardcore/crust band Twisted Mass, featuring members of Divisions Ruin, Refraction, Abaddon Incarnate, On Pain of Death and Droppin’ Bombs; have put their first track online – ‘Behind The Veil’. It is taken from their forthcoming self titled 7” vinyl release.

The track, just over two and half minutes in length, is a ferocious barrage. The riffs are suitably filthy but the riff that pierces through 47 seconds in is a particular standout moment and is accentuated when it meets the frenzied vocals.

The 7” was recorded in The Hive Studios in Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow. There is the possibility of a CD run of the EP too. Listen to 'Behind The Veil' and check out the artwork below.


Click image to enlarge

Twisted Mass - Behind The Veil by stevef

New Primordial track

Indeed. Primordial have released a new track from their forthcoming album Redemption at the Puritan’s Hand – ‘Bloodied Yet Unbowed’.

Unsurprisingly, ‘Bloodied Yet Unbowed’ is a grandiose piece of work with Primordial making its eight minutes drift by. Alan ‘Nemtheanga’ Averill is particularly apparent here with his deafening bellow.

Redemption at the Puritan’s Hand is released April 23rd. Listen to ‘Bloodied Yet Unbowed’ below or HERE.

Scale The Summit - The Collective

Scale the Summit have released their third full length, The Collective, the follow up to 2009's acclaimed Carving Desert Canyons album, but how does it compare? Click HERE to find out.

Prison Chapel - Total Fucking War [demo]

Click HERE for the review of this erratic hardcore punk demo, Total Fucking War, from Prison Chapel, formerly known as Total War.

New Wound Upon Wound track

Dublin black metal band Wound Upon Wound have put a new track, ‘Descent’, online. This is the first recording with the band’s new vocalist who seems to be adapting quite well to the band. The riffs and vocals both have a whole new atmospheric texture, accentuated by the airy interlude.

Even though it is only one track at five minutes long, the band appears to be making quite a strong transition from the foundations laid by last year’s Grievance EP. The band is currently in The Hive Studios in Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow recording their first full length album with full details to follow soon. Listen to ‘Descent’ below:

Refraction album launch - Fibbers, 4/3/11

Last Friday Refration officially launched their debut album with an impressive headlining set with an eqaully impressive bill in The Continuous Battle of Order, I'll Eat Your Face and Ropemaker. Click HERE for the review on Drop-d now.

New 40 Watt Sun track

40 Watt Sun, the doom band features remnants of the much lauded Warning, have finally released a salvo from their debut album The Inside Room.

Much like the Warning material, ‘Restless’ is deeply poignant but no less heavy. This is mostly down to Pat Walker’s painfully affecting vocals that always add a macabre beauty to the music.

The Inside Room is release next week. Listen to the track below:

New A Storm of Light track

A Storm of Light have released a new track ‘Collapse’ from their forthcoming new album, As The Valley Of Death Becomes Us, Our Silver Memories Fade.

The track is noticeably shorter than previous outings but no less heavier. The riffs are thick and powerful and together with Josh Graham’s increasingly unique vocals and the refined drumming, ‘Collapse’ is a strong indication of things to come.

Last November, in an interview HERE, Josh Graham hinted at one “huge” guest appearance on the new album. That can now be revealed as Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil, who plays on the songs 'Missing' and ‘Black Wolves’.

As The Valley Of Death Becomes Us, Our Silver Memories Fade is released May 17th. Listen to ‘Collapse’ on A Storm of Light’s Facebook page HERE , the Profound Lore website HERE or below:

Hexis - Hexis [demo]

Hexis, from Denmark, have just released their self titled demo. It's a ferocious effort that hints to great things to come. Check out the review on Drop-d now by clicking HERE.


Furthermore, this is the 400th post on The Grind That Annoys. Thank you very much!

New Stephen Brodsky track

Cave In mainman Stephen Brodsky has a new track online, a cover of Still Life’s ‘Sometimes’. Last December Brodsky played in Dublin with Scott Kelly and this rendition featured in his set; now listen to the recorded version.

First off, it’s an acoustic cover of the post hardcore pioneer’s track. Brodsky’s vocals are sublime here with the strum of his acoustic and the whirring background noises creating a powerful atmosphere. The track is included on the latest Exploding In Sound compilation. To download the album and check out more of the tracks click HERE. Listen to ‘Sometimes’ below.

Also, at that said December show Brodsky announced that a new Cave In record was completed.