Helms Alee
Night Terror
Hydra Head (2008)
Following up a surprising teaser EP with a limited release earlier this year, Helms Alee drop their debut full-length on a mostly unsuspecting public; Night Terror is a great point to latch onto this three-piece and enjoy some noisy music that will leave heads spinning or throbbing or whatever head trip that it could impose. The ten tracks that Night … Read more
Helms Alee
Sleepwalking Sailors
Sargent House (2014)
Helms Alee’s Sleepwalking Sailors is a ferocious asteroid of post-hardcore, doom metal, and noise rock. The Seattle-based trio’s third album, released on Sargent House Records, hurls you through a deathly metal ocean, into the Earth’s burning core, and back out again; it’s Michael Bay making rock music.“Pleasure Center” puts the 11-song fireball into motion. Starting with synchronized guitars and drums, … Read more
Helms Alee
Sleepwalking Sailors
Sargent House (2014)
Sleepwalking Sailors is just too good, promptly inserting itself at the top of my list for album of the year (for now, and yes, I keep a running list all year long because I am a weirdo); and Helms Alee continues to impress me with every new release not just in the fact that with a few exceptions, there music … Read more
Helms Alee
Weatherhead
Hydra Head (2011)
Apologies are in order, and before we even get into this, let me be perfectly frank; Helms Alee is a great and terribly underrated band that ensnared me the minute that I heard their 4 song EP, and when Weatherhead was announced, I could barely contain my excitement at hearing a second album from this three piece from the land … Read more
Henryspenncer
Saturn
Bookmaker (2013)
After enjoying the light, acoustic stylings of Seabuckthorn, I started checking out Bookmaker records for some similarly oriented artists. That's how I found myself stumbling upon the French musician Valentin Féron (aka Henryspenncer, hopefully not as a reference to Eraserhead). And while Féron is of course true to Bookmaker's heavily folk-influenced sound, he brings in so much more, all of … Read more
Her Breath on Glass / Championship
Split
Reap What You Sew (2007)
As much as people don't want to admit it, independent music is based on trends just the same as mainstream music. Five or six years ago it was all the rage to listen to screamo, and now look where we are now. Despite being eight years removed from the band and now fronting Hot Cross, Billy Werner will probably never … Read more
Her Space Holiday
The Young Machines
Mush (2003)
Let's get this out of the way first, like always. Her Space Holiday is the name of Marc Bianchi's project. He recently left Tigerstyle in favor of Mush to release this, his third full-length. He played in a band that all you "screamo" kids adore, known as Indian Summer. The best way to describe him would be The Postal Service … Read more
Heresi
Psalm II: Infusco Ignis
Hydra Head (2006)
In my experience, there is no such thing as a bad one-man black metal project. Every single one I have heard has impressed me in some way or another, and Heresi is no exception to this rule. Although Heresi shares the misanthropic attitudes of other black metal soloists like Xasthur and Leviathan, the sound is significantly more technical and thrashy. … Read more
Herra Terra
Hyperborean
Independent (2013)
Herra Terra has released a new EP entitled Hyperborean with the title taken from ancient Greek mythology about a race of people from Hyperborea who reportedly lived for 1000 years in complete happiness. The band members include John Paul Tonelli (Lead Vocals, Synths) Gregg Kusumah-Atmadia (Guitar, Synths) Shawn Pelkey (Percussion) and Adrian Bettencourt Andrade (Bass, Synths).Their sound has been compared … Read more
Herra Terra
Quiet Geist
The Mylene Sheath (2010)
The Duo of Herra Terra seemed to come out of nowhere when their signing was announced by The Mylene Sheath. Seemingly no prior releases could be found and just the usual myspace was available to see online. What was noted early on is that Herra Terra were going to be the odd band out on the label. Known generally for … Read more
Hessian
Manégarmr
Southern Lord (2013)
There are at least two bands named Hessian. As such, one of them is supposed to be referred to as Hessian A.D. I refuse to play that game. If movie sequels can be released with nothing more than an indefinite article added to the title, we can have more than one Hessian. In any case, this is the one from … Read more
Hex Machine
Run to Earth
Molsook (2007)
Hex Machine was formed in 2004 by drummer Dave Witte of Municipal Waste, Melt Banana, Burnt by the Sun and Discordance Axis. The four-song EP, Run to Earth, was recorded by three of the original members, as Witte needed to devote his time to his other bands. Chris Gallo (Clockhammer, Chainsaw Jazz) took Witte's place alongside guitarist Scott Hudgins (Sliang … Read more
Hexvessel
All Tree
Secret Trees (2019)
Hexvessel’s pastoral folk has been gradually building momentum since their inception ten years ago and on All Tree, their fifth album, this forward motion comes to a beautifully morose head with songs that live in the undergrowth and call to mind ancient mossy forests and a longing for simpler times. While Hexvessel’s music is charming on the surface, what lies … Read more
Hexvessel
When We Are Death
Century Media (2016)
Mat McNerley is sure keeping himself busy. A few months back the new Grave Pleasures (ex-Beastmilk) album came along, and soon enough a Hexvessel album would follow. That would mark the third full-length record that Hexvessel would release, coming after Dawnbringer and No Holier Temple, and following an excellent EP in Iron Marsh.When We Are Death carries on the psychedelic … Read more
Hi Ho Six Shooter!
Empire
Good Night (2007)
I'm not going to classify Hi Ho Six Shooter! as a gimmick band. Granted they play shows with bandannas wrapped around their neck and sing songs about country twangs and bar room brawls, but knowing some of the members I think it's pretty safe to say that they aren't gun toting Confederates. Rather, I would say that Hi Ho Six … Read more
Hi Red Center
Architectural Failures
Pangaea Recordings (2005)
Hi Red Center hail from Brooklyn, New York and Architectural Failures is their debut record, initially recorded in 2004 but finding a home the following year at Pangaea Recordings, home of Capillary Action. The band mixes a wide variety of influences to creature the fairly unique offering which is presently spinning around in my stereo. Opener "Red/Green" is an Apple … Read more
High on Fire
De Vermis Mysteriis
E1 (2012)
California’s High On Fire let loose an album of gargantuan proportions with De Vermis Mysteriis, the follow up to 2010’s massive Snakes For The Divine. Similarly huge, De Vermis Mysteriis is a much dirtier affair; pummeling riffs and absolutely gigantic swells of sound make up this mystical journey into darkness. Based loosely on a grimoire written by Robert Bloch (the … Read more
High on Fire
Death is this Communion
Relapse (2007)
What else can you expect from High on Fire other than an album with a thick, punishing sound that just sort of rumbles on across the hour or so that it takes to listen? For a band as consistent at their craft as High on Fire, it may come as a shock that this release includes the debut of the … Read more
