Akkolyte
Clues in the Chaospile
Tofu Carnage (2011)
I came to know of Tofu Carnage records when I luckily stumbled upon their first release, Dead to a Dying World. So when we were offered a copy of their newest album, Akkolyte's Clues in the Chaospile, I quickly snapped it up, expecting some more crusty doom-laden metal. What I got was...much more different.Describing Akkolyte's music as "chaotic" would be an understatement; from what I can hear, the band combine elements of hardcore, punk, avant-garde and just about any- and everything else to create short, concentrated bursts of sheer craziness. Imagine listening to Igorrr with about one fifth of the sanity, and you'll get a rough picture of what Akkolyte sound like. Most of the songs clock in under three minutes, which keeps the album moving at a brisk pace; just when you think they've established an idea, they turn it on its head and throw out something else.And don't expect the band to do you any favours, either. Most of the music is rough and abrasive, and any melodic reprieves are few and far between. Except tons of screaming, guttural sonority, atonal guitar churning, frantic drumming, and no remorse for your eardrums. Tempos switch frequently and randomly, songs start … Read more
Various Artists
As We Draw/Euglena/Hexis
Throatruiner (2011)
Split albums generally feature artists at their best, and when they feature artists from a strong label like Throatruiner, there's … Read more
Gardens & Villa
Self Titled
Secretly Canadian (2011)
Gardens & Villa hail from the Santa Barbara area and consists of members Chris Lynch, Adam Rasmussen, Levi Hayden, Shane … Read more
