Reviews

The melodic death metal style has grown over the years, and morphed into a multi-headed hydra that may strike in many ways. As an analogy, a multi-headed hydra also works for the band Hand Of Kalliach. It is hard to nail them to one particular death metal style, but of the many heads this beast has, beauty is surprisingly one of them. Corryvreckan starts out quiet and builds slowly, and by mid first track 'Three Seas' is a symphonic cacophony. The band is a Scottish husband and wife duo, with haunting female vocals ethereally drifting across the music regardless of its force. This is on full display on 'Fell Reigns', with the growled gravel vocals offset by the beauty of the disembodied female voice. The guitar backing is crushingly heavy, but Scottish folk motives are played throughout giving this a timeless feeling. By 'Dioghaltas' the listener thinks they have this album nailed, but a brutally heavy straight up death metal track blasts that idea away, and yet somewhere buried in the mix those Scottish folk tunes are still playing away. It is an album that is hard to decipher at first, and constantly surprises (or maybe disappoints) as it twists and weaves through unpredictable timing changes and a mixture of styles. By track 6, it sounds like the album has found its heavy groove, but then 'The Hubris Of Prince Bhreacan' veers the ship toward the rocky waters of an almost gothic rock style, its serenity interrupted abruptly by the demonic growls. Although the album is heavily symphonic in places, it certainly isn't light in the slightest - with most of it brutally heavy and foreboding. It is a punishing listen in one sitting, and will require multiple listens to really sink in with even the final track 'Of Twilight And The Pyre' starting out pleasant but ending the album in a wall of brutal noise. This album won't be for everyone, and even hardened death metal veterans may struggle with the female backing and passages of serenity, but for those who do connect with it, it is a totally rewarding listen.

The Cars would never have hit my radar as a band to listen to until I started my first job as a warehouse staff member in the local Woolworths on weekends. Back then the store manager got to select what music was played in the store during the day. Amongst others he had The Beach Boys and The Cars on constant repeat. From this point my interest in The Cars grew. I've chosen to review a 'best of' from them rather than a single album as this is what I have been familiar with. It could be argued however their first release, self-titled in 1978, encompasses the majority of their hit songs. To get direct to the point, it is straight up and down rock and roll music. I hate the term 'Easy Listening', however it is how you would describe The Cars - classic, catchy songs such as 'Let the Good Times Roll', 'My Best Friend's Girl', and even to their 80's work such as 'Tonight She Comes'. This compilation includes some songs I had not previously heard however are addictive in nature and you'll be singing the chorus before you know it. When I want a pick me up this release is one I lean on quite a bit.