Pelagic HHV Records 145 Items

For over ten years French cinematic post- rockers Lost IN Kiev have been creating massive, narrative-driven atmospheric rock opuses that have brought them to play on renowned festivals like Dunk!festival and AMFest, as well as on tours with acts like Enslaved or Maserati. After three years of pandemic-induced inertia, the four gentlemen from Paris return with their new record Rupture which sees them turn the page to a new chapter in their considerable career. Being recorded in a live-setting, Rupture concerns the band's feelings about the drastic environmental changes that can be perceived all over the world. Casting their eco-angst into nine soaring and explorative tracks, Lost IN Kiev channel a sound that's raw and pristine, reaching an emotive power beyond anything they have done before. What sets Lost IN Kiev apart from their peers is not only the perfection of their produced sound but also their composition and musicianship_on Rupture their experience oozes through the cracks. With Rupture, Lost IN Kiev have delivered another tour de force that surpasses their previous outings in many ways. Every song is pure melancholic ecstasy and rapture, while it also sees the band tread new ground. Going through various layers of dynamic composition, these nine tracks easily suck you into the band's much needed narrative in which they lay bare their concerns and their anxieties. Rupture sees Lost IN Kiev at their most raw and authentic, and in a time where climate concerns need to be put back on the agenda, the album is a much needed experience: a gripping portrait of mankind's deteriorating relationship with its planet, this record will resonate with many fans of instrumental rock, both aesthetically and emotionally.

Veteran Japan-based instrumental rock band MONO return with `OATH', their 12th full-length album of genre-defying contemporary classical orchestration and transcende...

Veteran Japan-based instrumental rock band MONO return with `OATH', their 12th full-length album of genre-defying contemporary classical orchestration and transcende...

Electronic music pioneer Lustmord released an album titled [other] in 2008, to date the only Lustmord album with guitars on it, performed by Adam Jones (tool), King Buzzo (melvins) and Aaron Turner (isis). The albums The Dark Places of the Earth and Beyond, both released in 2009, areextensions of the ideas explored in [other] and are taken from the same recording sessions, but with the guitars removed and the essence of [other] distilled and reduced.[other] was a journey with friends, whileThe Dark Places of the Earth and Beyond take the concept and listener further, deeper, in-between and beyond. While is some ways [other] is as close to a "rock" album as Lustmord will ever make, The Dark Places of the Earth and Beyond are pure Lustmord, a sound that many others imitate but can never equal. Lustmord is the artistic moniker of Brian Williams. Born in North Wales, he started his musical career in 1980 and soon became a pioneer in the early industrial music scene in the UK. He was a former member of SPK during arguably their most crucial era, and went on to work with Throbbing Gristle members Chris & Cosey as well as appearing on early albums by Current 93, Nurse With Wound and others. After relocating to Los Angeles in 1993, Williams worked on dozens of motion picture soundtracks including The Crow, Underworld and Paul Schrader's First Reformed. Additionally he created several video game soundtracks, television scores and solo albums, as well as collaborating with artists as varied as THE Melvins, Clock DVA, Jarboe, John Balance of Coil, Paul Haslinger (tangerine Dream), Puscifer, Wes Borland and more, including Grammy Award-winners Tool on their much acclaimed effort Fear Inoculum. To this day, Lustmord is actively recording and releasing music, his latest release being the collaborative album Alter with Karin Park of A°rabrot, and he is considered to be the founding father of the dark ambient music genre.

Transparent Red Single Color Vinyl Edition! Year OF NO Light`s lengthy, sprawling compositions of towering walls of guitars and sombre synths irradiate a sense of dire solemnity and spiritual gravity, and couldn't be a more fitting soundtrack for such grim medieval scenarios. But there is also the element of absolution, regeneration, elevation, transcendence in the face of death. Consolamentum is dense, rich and lush and yet somehow feels starved and deprived. With debut album Nord (2006) and sophomore release Ausserwelt (2010), the band made themselves a name in the European avant-metal scene. Extensive tours of Europe, North America and Russia in 2013 and 2014, including two appearances at Roadburn festival, Hellfest and a spectacular performance in a 17th Century fortress in the Carpathian mountains introduced them to a broader and quickly growing international audience. The cinematic scope of their music implies that Year OF NO Light are a group of artists that pay a great deal of attention to their visual representation, from the classy album artworks and merch designs to the carefully designed lighting design of their live show. With their seminal 3rd album Tocsin, released in 2013, Year OF NO Light reached the peak of their career thus far - a logical decision that Consolamentum was made with the same team again: recorded and mixed by Cyrille Gachet at Cryogene in Begles / Bordeaux, mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side. "We wanted this album to sound as organic and analog as possible", comments the band. "All tracks were recorded live. The goal was to have the most natural, warm and clean takes possible, to give volume to the dynamics of the songs. We aimed to have a production with a singular personality." Consolamentum is huge, poignant, frightening, sublime, smothering and cathartic - and, much like its predecessor, "audacious, memorable and supremely confident." (Decibel magazine).

Mono Live In London With The Platinum Anniversary Orchestra!Classic Black Vinyl In Gatefoldfold With Special Metallic Inks And Thick 40-Pages Booklet Including Pictures From The Event!For Two Decades, Mono Have Defined And Re- Fined A Kind Of Orchestral Rock That Is As Emo- Tional As It Is Experimental. Their 10 Studio Al- Bums Over Those 20 Years Have Established Mono As What Pitchfork Described As "One Of The Most Distinctive Bands Of The 21st Centu- Ry." Meanwhile, Their Live Concerts Are Typically More Subdued In Instrumentation - And More Supercharged In Volume And Voltage. Rarely Is There The Opportunity To Combine Those Two Experiences. In Their 20-Year History As A Band, Mono Have Presented No More Than A Half-Dozen Live Concerts Featuring The Support Of An Orchestra. Such Events Are Not Only Un- Usual - They Are Also Unforgettable.Beyond The Past Live In London With The Platinum Anniversary Orchestra Documents Mono's Extraordinary Performance From The Beyond The Past Event That Celebrated The Band's 20th Anniversary, Which Took Place At The Historic Barbican Centre In London, England On December 14, 2019. For That Once-In-A-Life- Time Event, Mono Selected A Memorable Lineup Of Old And New Friends, Including Fellow Japa- Nese Underground Icons, Boris And Envy, As Well As French Post-Metal Legends, Alcest, And Uk Collaborators A.A. Williams And Jo Quail. The Event Culminated With Mono Performing With The Platinum Anniversary Orchestra, Featuring National Youth String Orchestra To A Rapt, Sold-Out Audience Of 2,000.Playing Through A Two-Hour Set That Touches On The Band's Entire History, The Sheer Euphoria And Dynamic Resonance That Engulfed The Massive Crowd Was Captured In Brilliant Detail By Mono's Live Sound Engineer, Matt Cook. Meticulously Mastered By Bob Weston And Presented Here In Its Entire Two-Hour Glory, Beyond The Past Is One Of The Most Essential Mono Recordings. Pack- Aged In A Gatefold With Accompanying 40-Page Photo Book, This Is The Rare Document Of An Event T...

Classic Black Lps Housed In Gatefold W/ Special Canvas Cardboard Stock And Silver Hot Foil!Nordic Pop Diva Karin Park Of Årabrot Adds Her Ethereal, Mournful Voice And Keys To The Primordial Sound Of Legendary Electronic Pioneer Lustmord For This Sublime And Poignant Collaboration. Alter Is A Ritual Of Our Times.On The Pair's Frst Collaborative Work, The Nine Tracks That Make Up Alter Are Every Bit As Heart-Wrenching As They Are Terrifying, Mining New Sonic Territory, It Is A Fascinating Study Of Light And Shade That Delves Deep Into Vast Uncharted Darkness. Their Ability To Create Atmosphere On The Album Opener "Hiraeth" Is Second To None, Perfectly Assembling A Harrowing Backdrop For Park's Lilting Sound Of Longing. From There, Park's Vocals Add All Of Theemotional Depth And Power Found In Names Like Kate Bush, Maynard J Keenan And Elizabeth Frasier, Perfectly Playing Against Lustmord's Waves Of Dark Drama And Creating A Wholly Unique Record That Recalls Dead Can Dance, Massive Attack And Portishead At Their Greatest.Considering Park's Credentials, It Might Be Surprising That A Collaboration With Lustmord Would Ft So Seamlessly. Utilizing A Sound Comprised Of Elements Of Industrial, Synth Pop And More, The Celebrated Swedish Solo Artist And Member Of Norwegian Rock Band Årabrot Utilizes Experimentation In Her Work, Blazing Trails And Bringing To Mind The Work Of Her Peers The Knife, Scott Walker, Robyn, Depeche Mode And Burial With Her Darkly-Rich Compositions. Multiple Winner Of Norway's Spellemann Award, Park Co-Wrote The Norwegian Entry For The 2013 Eurovision, Fnishing Fourth Overall. But It Is The Sensibility Of The Sacred Music Of Her Youth That Park Adds To Alter, Contributing A Powerful Vocal That Guides The Listener Through The Cavernous, Mystical Depth Of Their Collaborative Work."Lustmord Is The Gustave Doré Of Music", Karin Park Ofers Pensively. "Painting Magical Pictures With A Sound That Is So Vast, It Gives Space For Your Own Imagination." Brian Williams Grew Up In...

Ultra clear vinyl with purple and black splatter!Since their inception in 2010, Whores. has laid waste to both presumption and audial functioning.Natives of Atlanta, Georgia, members Christian Lembach (vocals/guitars), Donnie Adkinson (drums), and Casey Maxwell (bass) have spent the last six years establishing Whores. as one of heavy music's most distinctive acts thanks to the formidable combination of the group's punk ethos and the ferocity of their sound.Beginning with 2011's Ruiner EP, Whores. brought a welcomed new vision to the often-tired "extreme music" scene. Two years later saw the release of the Clean. EP, a six-track musical display of visceral rancor and songwriting brilliance. Highly anticipated by critics and fans alike, Clean. sold out within a month, prompting the group to release a second pressing. Touted by Spin as one of 2013's best Metal Albums', Clean. simply reaffirmed what listeners had suspected all along. Whores. isn't here to fuck around.For Whores., the cavalcade of anticipation provides no pressure or expectation as Lembach states: "We don't just want to fill in the blanks." The only pressure here is to maintain authenticity, and to that end, Whores. are the quintessential example of genuine malice. "You have to bring a sense of realness to [the music], otherwise it's fake, and it sounds fake. You have to be honest about it, and it's about getting to the really ugly stuff inside of you, and that's what we do." Whores. has eagerly shared that ugliness with their audience having crisscrossed the US four times on separate tours, including headlining shows and stops at festivals like Sxsw, Spillover Fest, Fun Fun Fun Fest, as well as a tour supporting Cult OF Luna. To that end, the band's tireless dedication to the road is simply a mirrored image of their music's relentless power, an attribute that has undoubtedly resulted in their most unforgiving effort yet, proof that good and heavy things come to those who wait.

Second pressing in milky clear haze vinyl available from June 2020! Firmly placed as both progenitor and progressor within their field, Mono is like no other artist - visceral, engrossing and showing no signs of decay after two decades spent creating waves of beautiful and expansive rock music. Many an artist lays claim to setting the template - or many have this claim placed upon them - but this Japanese artist has long-since simply set their own template. Listening to Mono is like entering another world, where the majesty of the noise embraces you and the delicacy of the space around it breathes warmly in your ear. A.A. Williams came from nowhere. An EP arrived in January 2019, and a debut show at the prestigious Roadburn Festival three months later confirmed what this first taste of music had suggested: this is a special artist. The woman in black: one arm aloft after the delicate yet decisive strum of a chord, a stillness in the room focused on the graceful soaring of a unique voice. To arrive so fully formed is a feat in itself; to take the audience's breath away with such immediacy is something else entirely. As soon as Mono's Takaakira `Taka' Goto heard the music of A.A. Williams, an unwavering resonance was triggered. For A.A. Williams, the appreciation was emphatically mutual. A musical connection developed into a collaboration; introductions were made, ideas exchanged. At the end of Mono's 2019 summer tour, these ideas were committed to tape in London and the result is `Exit in Darkness' - a mesmeric coming together of two artists from opposite ends of the globe whose creative approach could not have melded more eloquently.

PG.Lost need no introduction. For 4 long years, fans have been eagerly awaiting the follow-up album to 2016's critically acclaimed Versus, which in the meantime has become nothing less than a cult album in the post rock world. Despite bass player Kristian Karlsson's heavy engagement in his other band Cult OF Luna, PG.Lost toured with Versus around the globe, in support of bands like Mono, Alcest and Cult OF Luna in Europe, and playing their own headline shows to crowds of 1.000+ in China. The 4 piece from Norrköping, Sweden also appeared at Robert Smith's prestigious Meltdown showcase festival in London, personally chosen by the man himself. While the follow-up to Versus is due for a release later this year, to sweeten the wait we are now bringing you a remastered re-release of PG.LOST's debut album, Yes I Am, for the first time ever on vinyl. And right here, we'd like to leave you with what the band has to say about this long overdue re-issue themselves.,Sometimes when we have listened to those songs that we made roughly fifteen years ago we've thought of how we could make them sound better if we recorded them with the skills andknowledge that we have now. We made a halfhearted effort a while ago, and we learned quite quickly that it was not as easy as we thought. Something just got lost in the mix. A feeling. For better or worse that album, as it was recorded in our early twenties, is simply embedded in our DNA and stands as a testament of our evolution as a band. It was Yes I Am that attracted interest from labels and landed us our first record deal. It was those songs that took us out in the world tomeet people and do all the things we love that we had only dreamed of before. We still play them live with the same immersive feeling we got when we made them. So now, with all that in mind, when we ask ourselves "are you proud?" the answer will always be "Yes I Am!"So, we are really happy to finally be able to offer you the re-release of "Yes I Am". First time on vinyl and with a new/o...

Formed in 2006 in Boston, Massachusetts and now based in Berlin, Germany; Arms and Sleepers is the electronic trip hop project of producer Mirza Ramic (formerly a duo with Max Lewis), who has subsequently released 13 full albums and 20 EPs of glitched-out grooves that take as much inspiration from leftfield hip hop experimentalism as they do from the slowburn ambience and panoramic euphoria of contemporary post-rock. His forthcoming 14th full-length album, `What Tomorrow Brings' is a breathtaking aural account that charts the life-changing journey of being forced out of your home over four distinct, musical sections. Initially inspired by watching Kenneth Branagh's award-winning coming-of-age drama Belfast as the fighting in Ukraine broke out, MIrza found himself reflecting on his own experience as a child and how it has formed the man he is today. As such, the album's four sections, titled `Innocence', `Melancholy', `Rupture' and `Reflection', serve as the reification of the life and experience that Mirza lost as well as a representation of the identity he has since shaped for himself. Whereas more recent Arms and Sleepers releases, such as 2022's full-length `former kingdoms', are peppered with the sultry saxophone refrains, syncopated 16ths and smoky ambience of a New York jazz bar; `What Tomorrow Brings' is instead acute and driving, with complex drum breaks reminiscent of powerful post-rock acts such as Battles, Mogwai and Caspian brought insistently and urgently to the fore

Oslo-based sludge-metal power trio SAVER are back with a vengeance. The band's new album `From Ember And Rust' channels the bare-knuckle ferocity of their 2019 full-length debut, `They Came With Sunlight', alongside a formidable command of dynamic, texture and sonic space that belies the relative youth of the project.Having erupted into the Norwegian metal scene without warning, SAVER is the result of heavy veterans Ole Ulvik Rokseth, Markus Stole and Ole Christian Helstad combining their years of experience into one three-headed beast, hellbent on pushing the boundaries of what the band is collectively capable of.Restless by nature, SAVER are constantly refining and reinventing their sound. The band's debut record was followed by two wildly creative collaborations which saw the trio marry their signature ferocity with some unlikely creative bedfellows in order to test new depths. `Emerald', 2021's full-length release, paired SAVER's calculated minimalism with the frenetic, percussive energy of Belgian post-metal collective Psychonaut whilst last year's `Split EP' saw SAVER and Norwegian folk singer/songwriter Frodekal reinterpret a song from each other's back catalogue with hauntingly spectacular results.With this revelatory experience still ringing in their ears, `From Ember And Rust' bears all of SAVER's heavy hallmarks alongside a newfound sense of dynamic anticipation and organic progression, which ties the seven tracks together as a significant body of work in the band's ascendant trajectory. As well as sharing their years of experience making the heaviest music they can, SAVER also share a passion for the unmistakable soundscapes of classic science-fiction. Already a key component of SAVER's distinctive sound; Rokseth's otherworldly, cinematic synth work is given centre stage on `From Ember And Rust' as the band boldly embark on a new journey together.As their first non-collaborative release in four years, `From Ember And Rust' could be interpreted as the band returning to the s...

Time to resound the trumpet as Australian blackened sludge veterans Lo! return with another grand infernal vision, captured in capital riffs and gargantuan grooves! After the universal acclaim of the band's 2017 studio endeavour Vestigial the Australian interstate quartet show no intention of slowing down with The Gleaners_a soul-ripping hell-ride across nine visceral anthems; an affair of raw violence with a touch of sophisticated madness. Lo! herald the end of the existing order of things, executing crushing judgement upon those tyrants who put the poor to powder.On The Gleaners Lo! firmly continue in the vein of their much-lauded third album, setting an over-arching storyline with multiple characters to a symphony of sonic death and destruction. "Vestigial opened up the writing arena for Lo! in many ways," explains guitarist and main-songwriter Carl Whitbread about the predecessor of The Gleaners. "We created an album of anthems without losing the groove or viciousness of performing live, using defined characters and themes that are revisited and interwoven across the record, while also experimenting with atmospheric and cinematic samples to breathe life into the recording."Above all, this record is nothing but a firm rattling of your cage - and who could expect something else from the minds of this Australian quartet who have been churning out nothing but stellar sludgy blackened hardcore over the past twelve years? Like a Hieronymus Bosch painting, the storyline of The Gleaners has little of a focal point, the characters crawl all over the place - its chaos is complete - but somehow its impact is phenomenal. Lo! have gone and done it again, creating a terrifying vision of the infernal madness of our reality that shakes you to your core!FFO Converge, Baptists, Black Breath, Mastodon, Trap Them, LLNN

German post-metal formation THE Ocean will release their new album "Holocene" in May 2023, as usual there is an instrunemtal album available as well. With Holocene, The Ocean add the new and final chapter in their paleontologically inspired album series. This time, the hardness of the collective is extended by some electronic dimensions. Founded at the beginning of the millennium, the group of musicians around guitarist Robin Stapps has not lost its intensity even after more than 20 years. The Ocean come together each time with a shared vision of boundless sonic exploration, never standing still, the band enjoys a stellar reputation in the genres of post-rock, progressive metal and even hardcore. Robin Staps commented on the final work in the Paleontological album series: "Holocene is an appendix to the 2 Phanerozoic albums and Precambrian, or the final and concluding chapter, making it a quadrilogy if you will. It deals with the Holocene, the most recent and shortest chapter in Earth's history, but essentially it's an album about fear, alienation, the loss of reason and critical thinking, the rise of conspiracy theories and the deconstruction of values in modernity." On the creation process and electronic basis of the new tracks, he adds: "The writing process of every album we've ever done started with me coming up with a guitar riff, a drum beat or a vocal idea. This album is different because every single song is based on a musical idea originally written by Peter (Voigtmann, synthesizer). He came up with these amazing synth parts that sounded great even in pre-production, and he sent me some of these raw, unfinished ideas in the middle of "Lockdown 2020"... and even though it was all electronic, it had this definite Ocean vibe to it. I immediately wanted to pick up my guitar.... And I did, and it wasn't long before we had an inspiring creative exchange that went in completely unforeseen but very exciting directions." For fans of Massive Attack, Lorn, Archive, Trentemöller, early Moderat, Portishead, Isis, Mastodon, Katatonia, The Pineapple Thief LP packaging: gatefold + metallic pantone inks + UV spot gloss + printed inner sleeve

German post-metal formation THE Ocean will release their new album "Holocene" in May 2023, as usual there is an instrunemtal album available as well. With Holocene, The Ocean add the new and final chapter in their paleontologically inspired album series. This time, the hardness of the collective is extended by some electronic dimensions. Founded at the beginning of the millennium, the group of musicians around guitarist Robin Stapps has not lost its intensity even after more than 20 years. The Ocean come together each time with a shared vision of boundless sonic exploration, never standing still, the band enjoys a stellar reputation in the genres of post-rock, progressive metal and even hardcore. Robin Staps commented on the final work in the Paleontological album series: "Holocene is an appendix to the 2 Phanerozoic albums and Precambrian, or the final and concluding chapter, making it a quadrilogy if you will. It deals with the Holocene, the most recent and shortest chapter in Earth's history, but essentially it's an album about fear, alienation, the loss of reason and critical thinking, the rise of conspiracy theories and the deconstruction of values in modernity." On the creation process and electronic basis of the new tracks, he adds: "The writing process of every album we've ever done started with me coming up with a guitar riff, a drum beat or a vocal idea. This album is different because every single song is based on a musical idea originally written by Peter (Voigtmann, synthesizer). He came up with these amazing synth parts that sounded great even in pre-production, and he sent me some of these raw, unfinished ideas in the middle of "Lockdown 2020"... and even though it was all electronic, it had this definite Ocean vibe to it. I immediately wanted to pick up my guitar.... And I did, and it wasn't long before we had an inspiring creative exchange that went in completely unforeseen but very exciting directions." For fans of Massive Attack, Lorn, Archive, Trentemöller, early Moderat, Portishead, Isis, Mastodon, Katatonia, The Pineapple Thief LP packaging: gatefold + metallic pantone inks + UV spot gloss + printed inner sleeve

German post-metal formation THE Ocean will release their new album "Holocene" in May 2023! With Holocene, The Ocean add the new and final chapter in their paleontologically inspired album series. This time, the hardness of the collective is extended by some electronic dimensions. Founded at the beginning of the millennium, the group of musicians around guitarist Robin Stapps has not lost its intensity even after more than 20 years. The Ocean come together each time with a shared vision of boundless sonic exploration, never standing still, the band enjoys a stellar reputation in the genres of post-rock, progressive metal and even hardcore. Robin Staps commented on the final work in the Paleontological album series: "Holocene is an appendix to the 2 Phanerozoic albums and Precambrian, or the final and concluding chapter, making it a quadrilogy if you will. It deals with the Holocene, the most recent and shortest chapter in Earth's history, but essentially it's an album about fear, alienation, the loss of reason and critical thinking, the rise of conspiracy theories and the deconstruction of values in modernity." On the creation process and electronic basis of the new songs, he adds: "The writing process of every album we've ever done started with me coming up with a guitar riff, a drum beat or a vocal idea. This album is different because every single song is based on a musical idea originally written by Peter (Voigtmann, synthesizer). He came up with these amazing synth parts that sounded great even in pre-production, and he sent me some of these raw, unfinished ideas in the middle of "Lockdown 2020"... and even though it was all electronic, it had this definite Ocean vibe to it. I immediately wanted to pick up my guitar.... And I did, and it wasn't long before we had an inspiring creative exchange that went in completely unforeseen but very exciting directions." For fans of Massive Attack, Lorn, Archive, Trentemöller, early Moderat, Portishead, Isis, Mastodon, Katatonia, The Pineapple Thief Vinyl packaging: gatefold + metallic pantone inks + UV spot gloss + 20 pages booklet + printed inner sleeve

Mono have long drawn equal inspiration from the light and dark of life, spawning more than two decades of musical turbulence and melodic transcendence. Heaven Vol. 1 marks the beginning of a new annual tradition from Mono: A new EP released on Christmas Day each year, leaning into the light at precisely the time when we need it the most - surrounded by loved ones and hopeful for what the turn of the calendar may bring us. Recorded by Takaakira `Taka' Goto at his home studio in Japan (with drums recorded by Amak Golden at Golden Hive Studio in Prague) - and mixed by Rafael Anton Irisarri and Jeremy deVine at Black Knoll Studio in New York - Heaven Vol. 1 finds Mono at their most hopeful and cinematic. Of each of Heaven Vol. 1's three tracks, Mono offers these words: Lucia: "This song was written when our beloved longtime partner Jeremy (the owner of our American label Temporary Residence Ltd.) welcomed his second child. The song is constructed with two parts; the first part celebrates the birth of a new life and the second part heads towards dreams and hope. We wrote this song with the feeling of Santa Claus riding a sleigh through the snowstorm, smiling, jumping into the swirl of pure white light and carrying many dreams." Smile: "We drew upon the snowy scenery of Christmas that we experienced when we were young. Your exhaled breath is white. Your heart is dancing in the endless silvery white world, and when you are about to grab the snow with your hands and turn around, your parents look back at you with a smile. We wrote this song whilst remembering moments like this." Silent Embrace: "Time passed and we became adults. Life is like climbing and descending many steep mountains, but the reason we're still able to continue walking is because of our loved ones, colleagues, friends and family who quietly stand by us and giving us courage and strength. We wanted to express our gratitude with this song."

MONO have long drawn equal inspiration from the light and dark of life, spawning more than two decades of musical turbulence and melodic transcendence. Heaven Vol. 1 marks the beginning of a new annual tradition from MONO: A new EP released on Christmas Day each year, leaning into the light at precisely the time when we need it the most - surrounded by loved ones and hopeful for what the turn of the calendar may bring us.Recorded by Takaakira `Taka' Goto at his home studio in Japan (with drums recorded by Amak Golden at Golden Hive Studio in Prague) - and mixed by Rafael Anton Irisarri and Jeremy deVine at Black Knoll Studio in New York - Heaven Vol. 1 finds MONO at their most hopeful and cinematic. Of each of Heaven Vol. 1's three tracks, MONO offers these words:Lucia:"This song was written when our beloved longtime partner Jeremy (the owner of our American label Temporary Residence Ltd.) welcomed his second child. The song is constructed with two parts; the first part celebrates the birth of a new life and the second part heads towards dreams and hope. We wrote this song with the feeling of Santa Claus riding a sleigh through the snowstorm, smiling, jumping into the swirl of pure white light and carrying many dreams."Smile:"We drew upon the snowy scenery of Christmas that we experienced when we were young. Your exhaled breath is white. Your heart is dancing in the endless silvery white world, and when you are about to grab the snow with your hands and turn around, your parents look back at you with a smile. We wrote this song whilst remembering moments like this."Silent Embrace:"Time passed and we became adults. Life is like climbing and descending many steep mountains, but the reason we're still able to continue walking is because of our loved ones, colleagues, friends and family who quietly stand by us and giving us courage and strength. We wanted to express our gratitude with this song."

China's leading post rock band Wang Wen are releasing their 12th album on March 10th, the follow-up to much acclaimed 2021's "100.000 Whys" "Wang Wen's new album Painful Clown & Ninja Tiger is named after the traditional Chinese method of chronology year name < Xin-Chou & Ren-Yin >(dedf & DEDD).The two years just passed by. The sexagenarian cycle of the Chinese calendar is like the FE- against-FD polyrhythm in music. Two separate paths that travel six times through the Heavenly Stems and five times through the Earthly Branches and then reunite. However, this is just a superficial interpretation. The reality is the dark side has been approaching and countless miserable accidents occurred in front of us. All the savage and dictatorship come back, repeating itself over and over again in a dead loop in the history, which becomes less distant and fuzzy nowadays. They are not just "years","people" or "places" that we read in books. They jump out suddenly in front of us, turning into vivid and bare details that we are confronted with every day. To put it simply: this album was composed and recorded in those two years, and it records the life experience of the band in those two years, hence the name. For fans of Radiohead, Mono, 1099, Radare, Condor Gruppe, Godspeed YOU! Black Emperor, Caspian, IF These Trees Could Talk

Frokedal is a popular folk singer-songwriter whose haunting vocals have scored the music of various acclaimed bands over the past decade. The members of Sa^ver are veterans of the Norwegian heavy scene. Having toured all over the world playing renowned festivals like Roadburn and Psycho Las Vegas, they now fill and orchestrate the gap between eerie softness and furious anger as a three-piece atmospheric sludge metal ensemble. This split 10" sees each of these artists present a song from the respective other artist's back catalogue, finding a transcendental middle ground between the other artist's musical realm and their own sphere. Commenting on the beginning of her own musical career, Frokedal notes: "Because everyone has a computer these days there's no limit to how many times you can multi-track. I [was] sick of that. I hoped to go the other way - to remove as much as I could and be left with a beating heart." Remarkably, Sa^ver have done just that in their execution of Frokedal's track «Shot-Put», turning down their guitars to give space to clean vocals and laying bare the synths that are an integral part of their sound. Driven by deep drones and soft layered vocals, the Homeric simile of a meeting at the shot put becomes even more compelling, turning the folksy original into a haunting ambient rock opus. In turn, Frokedal lays bare the heart of «I Vanish» from Sa^ver's debut LP in a gently swaying but bewitching folk version. In a world somewhere between the triple harmony magic of The Staves and the polyphonic madness of Le Myste`re des Voix Bulgares, Anne Lise conjures the unsettling path towards obliteration. Many things can be said about the way these songs sound and even about how they transcend the originals in some ways, but the true beauty of this EP lies in the way both Frokedal and Sa^ver incline towards each other to find a middle ground that is yet unexplored in their respective careers. Coming together, they prove that beauty is found in the eye of the beholder, but transcendence is found in the eye of the storm!

For over 28 years envy have been crafting soaring compositions with captivating melodies that owe as much to Explosions in the Sky and Mogwai as they do to Bad Brains and Cro-Mags. Their new EP continues to display a masterful control of tension and release in chords and melodies behind the steady spoken-word Japanese of singer Tetsuya. Throughout their storied career, Japanese Envy have paved the way for iconic bands like Isis, Converge and Deafheaven with their unique sound blending elements of hardcore / punk with reverb-drenched tremolo-picked guitar lines owing to the world of post-rock. Envy sit right in between these 2 worlds, and prove that they are not as disparate as it seems at a first glance. Opening track ,Seimei` marries tear-inducing melodies with gut-wrenching grooves to create a soul journey, while ,Zanshin` (meaning ,uninterrupted heart` in Japanese) dashes forward with an upbeat groove and soaring post rock leads. On ,Tamayura', the energy is dialed back as reverb-drenched tremolo-picked guitar lines wash over you from behind alongside Japanese spoken word-parts and a throbbing heartbeat. This is Envy at their very best. FFO Mono, Mogwai, Explosions In The Sky, Isis, Swans, Pelican, Caspian, Thursday, From Autumn To Ashes, Thursday, Birds In Row, Deafheaven

For over 28 years envy have been crafting soaring compositions with captivating melodies that owe as much to Explosions in the Sky and Mogwai as they do to Bad Brains and Cro-Mags. Their new EP continues to display a masterful control of tension and release in chords and melodies behind the steady spoken-word Japanese of singer Tetsuya. Throughout their storied career, Japanese Envy have paved the way for iconic bands like Isis, Converge and Deafheaven with their unique sound blending elements of hardcore / punk with reverb-drenched tremolo-picked guitar lines owing to the world of post-rock. Envy sit right in between these 2 worlds, and prove that they are not as disparate as it seems at a first glance. Opening track ,Seimei` marries tear-inducing melodies with gut-wrenching grooves to create a soul journey, while ,Zanshin` (meaning ,uninterrupted heart` in Japanese) dashes forward with an upbeat groove and soaring post rock leads. On ,Tamayura', the energy is dialed back as reverb-drenched tremolo-picked guitar lines wash over you from behind alongside Japanese spoken word-parts and a throbbing heartbeat. This is Envy at their very best. FFO Mono, Mogwai, Explosions In The Sky, Isis, Swans, Pelican, Caspian, Thursday, From Autumn To Ashes, Thursday, Birds In Row, Deafheaven

Somewhere between the late 1990s and the early 2010s, the rif largely disappeared from mainstream rock & pop. Its transformative power - the rif as a means to transport the listener into another dimension - became an art cherished only in the underground of rock and metal. One of the strong proponents of that transformative power is Astrosaur, an overlooked gem in the international heavy psyche rock and post- metal scene. The Norwegian power trio has been employing the rif as their principal mode of transport since their 2017 debut album Fade In // Space Out. Now, with the release of their third album Portals, Astrosaur are sounding more expansive and convincing than ever, delivering an intuitive exploration of the infnite powered by soaring guitars and surging grooves. With their third full-length album, Astrosaur have delivered an incredibly diverse and musically challenging and satisfying experience, showing that this band is greater than the sum of its truly great parts. Over the course of fve tracks and 48 minutes, the band use the best traits of the aforementioned genres to take you on a sonic journey into the deepest caverns of space and time. First single «Black Hole Earth» is masterclass soaring post-rock guitars, with its magnifcent main melody, which is ofset against a blistering desert rock rif, like a star ship phasing in and out of hyperspace, alternating between crushing your guts and showing you the most marvellous views of deep space. From a compositional viewpoint, «Eternal Return» is a mind-blowing afair. This giant psychedelic prog epic has been built from diferent themes and motifs that take turns in appearing, shifting form and developing as they go along. Segueing into new themes or returning to earlier ones, «Eternal Return» gloriously comes full circle, ending the mind-boggling journey of Portals. With the addition of vibraphones, Moog and acoustic guitars, the sound of Astrosaur is fuller and more diverse than ever before. From the soaring overture of «Opening» to the glorious fnale of «Eternal Return», Portals shows the next great post-metal band at their most accomplished. Fans of dynamic rifs and intricate compositions can once again rejoice as they're able to tune in and fade out once more with another wild ride courtesy of this exciting Norwegian powerhouse. Limited Eternal Return Vinyl Edition!

Somewhere between the late 1990s and the early 2010s, the rif largely disappeared from mainstream rock & pop. Its transformative power - the rif as a means to transport the listener into another dimension - became an art cherished only in the underground of rock and metal. One of the strong proponents of that transformative power is ASTROSAUR, an overlooked gem in the international heavy psyche rock and post- metal scene. The Norwegian power trio has been employing the rif as their principal mode of transport since their 2017 debut album Fade In // Space Out. Now, with the release of their third album Portals, ASTROSAUR are sounding more expansive and convincing than ever, delivering an intuitive exploration of the infnite powered by soaring guitars and surging grooves.With their third full-length album, ASTROSAUR have delivered an incredibly diverse and musically challenging and satisfying experience, showing that this band is greater than the sum of its truly great parts. Over the course of fve tracks and 48 minutes, the band use the best traits of the aforementioned genres to take you on a sonic journey into the deepest caverns of space and time.First single «Black Hole Earth» is masterclass soaring post-rock guitars, with its magnifcent main melody, which is ofset against a blistering desert rock rif, like a star ship phasing in and out of hyperspace, alternating between crushing your guts and showing you the most marvellous views of deep space.From a compositional viewpoint, «Eternal Return» is a mind-blowing afair. This giant psychedelic prog epic has been built from diferent themes and motifs that take turns in appearing, shifting form and developing as they go along. Segueing into new themes or returning to earlier ones, «Eternal Return» gloriously comes full circle, ending the mind-boggling journey of Portals.With the addition of vibraphones, Moog and acoustic guitars, the sound of ASTROSAUR is fuller and more diverse than ever before. From the soaring overture of «Opening» to...

After five years of radio silence Sweden's most accomplished cinematic post-rock ensemble EF return with a stunning comeback studio album which channels the band's raw emotion and aptitude for melancholia, capturing their signature sound in unprecedented clarity and richness. We Salute You, You and You! is the picture capturing a thousand words, like the first light of day falling on your face or the exuberant smile of a young lover_ it is the dance of eternity in the single moment: a warm "welcome back!" for long-time fans and a resounding "nice to meet you!" for those who yet have to get to know the great four-piece from Gothenburg.For over 20 years EF have been bridging the divide between the sublime and the fragile with magistral compositions characterised by moments of emotional catharsis and marked human frailty. Combining the indie rock mannerisms of EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY with the hardcore attitude of MOGWAI and the orchestral approach of GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR, EF capture the magic of post-rock around the turn of the millennium, when the genre was still young and freshly exciting.Their 2006 debut album Give Me Beauty_ Or Give Me Death! is an underrated post-rock classic that marked the start of a storied career with many seminal studio albums ahead of them. However after 15 years that fabled career seemed to come to an end as: after one last performance at Pelagic Fest in Berlin in 2018, the members of EF became quiet and little was heard of them since.Mastered by Magnus Lindberg, We Salute You, You and You! is a veritable celebration of the grandeur of post rock. From the giant ringing piano intro of album opener Moments of Momentum to the massive syncopated bass lines of Wolves, Obey! all the way to the enchantingly beautiful lone horn break on Apricity and the intricate union of horn section, strings and band in the climactic build-up of Chambers. Sprinkled throughout the record are countless instances of these little grand moments and gestures. EF have opened their treasur...

The immense success of Psychonaut's Pelagic debut album Unfold The God Man, which has been repressed 3 times throughout the pandemic and sold close to 3.000 vinyl copies to date, has proven that Psychonaut are a force to be reckoned with. Now, with the release of their sophomore album Violate Consensus Reality, the Belgian three-piece take you on a visceral trip into our collective human consciousness. A journey marked by explosive riffs, soaring vocals and intricate yet catchy compositions. An impressive album which cements Psychonaut's standing as aspirants to the throne of the contemporary European progressive / post metal community. Violate Consensus Reality engages the senses in a way that is quite rare for concept albums, it is raw and brutal, unlike the lofty concept albums of yore with their endlessly repeating motifs and needlessly complex song structures. It stands in a long tradition of activism in music, but it also deconstructs this tradition by taking its loud and admonishing tone and providing it with a thoughtful base rooted in philosophy and spirituality. Violate Consensus is not for the faint hearted, concept-wise but also music-wise as it contains some of the most gnarly riffs and technical playing on any Psychonaut record to date. Violate Consensus Reality constitutes a wild ride from the breakneck paced riffing of «A Pacifist's Guide To Violence», through the undulating neo-classical piano passages of «Hope» to the glorious finale of «Towards the Edge». The mantric title track opens with the angelic voice of Stefanie Mannaerts (Brutus) and slowly builds up to erupt in an explosive sermon delivered by Colin H. van Eeckhout (Amenra, Chve, Absent in Body), the appearance of both gifted musicians affirming Psychonaut's stature in the Belgian metal scene and beyond Psychonaut have played big Belgian open air festivals like Alcatraz, Rock Herk or Boomtown Festival and boutique festivals like Soulcrusher, Roadburn Redux or A Colossal Weekend. The band has supported bands like Amenra or Brutus and they just concluded a European tour with Pelagic label mates The Ocean and PG.Lost

After five years of radio silence Sweden's most accomplished cinematic post-rock ensemble EF return with a stunning comeback studio album which channels the band's raw emotion and aptitude for melancholia, capturing their signature sound in unprecedented clarity and richness. We Salute You, You and You! is the picture capturing a thousand words, like the first light of day falling on your face or the exuberant smile of a young lover_ it is the dance of eternity in the single moment: a warm "welcome back!" for long-time fans and a resounding "nice to meet you!" for those who yet have to get to know the great four-piece from Gothenburg. For over 20 years EF have been bridging the divide between the sublime and the fragile with magistral compositions characterised by moments of emotional catharsis and marked human frailty. Combining the indie rock mannerisms of Explosions IN THE SKY with the hardcore attitude of Mogwai and the orchestral approach of Godspeed YOU! Black Emperor, EF capture the magic of post-rock around the turn of the millennium, when the genre was still young and freshly exciting. Their 2006 debut album Give Me Beauty_ Or Give Me Death! is an underrated post-rock classic that marked the start of a storied career with many seminal studio albums ahead of them. However after 15 years that fabled career seemed to come to an end as: after one last performance at Pelagic Fest in Berlin in 2018, the members of EF became quiet and little was heard of them since. Mastered by Magnus Lindberg, We Salute You, You and You! is a veritable celebration of the grandeur of post rock. From the giant ringing piano intro of album opener Moments of Momentum to the massive syncopated bass lines of Wolves, Obey! all the way to the enchantingly beautiful lone horn break on Apricity and the intricate union of horn section, strings and band in the climactic build-up of Chambers. Sprinkled throughout the record are countless instances of these little grand moments and gestures. EF have opened their treasure trove to show what's still in it, and it is full of riches. But We Salute You, You and You! is not just induging in past glory, it is also transcending the narrow realm of instrumental rock: almost all tracks on the album have vocals this time around, and even screamed vocals make a debut in EF's discography here. "We've previously had pretty heavy aggressive parts in songs, but we've never screamed," explains A°strom once more. "With this album we've tried to be more direct, more consistent. Maybe take it back a few notches to rhyme better with our youth as hardcore musicians. The screaming just came naturally." EF have tremendously broadened their sonic palette with this album, while at the same time staying true to their charismatic formula of sound which we love them for. With a host of immediately memorable melodies and truly sublime compositions, the four from Gothenburg have once more delivered an overwhelming experience of glorious wistfulness and melancholia - an album which is right up there with the classics that have inspired them.

The immense success of PSYCHONAUT's Pelagic debut album Unfold The God Man, which has been repressed 3 times throughout the pandemic and sold close to 3.000 vinyl copies to date, has proven that Psychonaut are a force to be reckoned with.Now, with the release of their sophomore album Violate Consensus Reality, the Belgian three-piece take you on a visceral trip into our collective human consciousness. A journey marked by explosive riffs, soaring vocals and intricate yet catchy compositions. An impressive album which cements PSYCHONAUT's standing as aspirants to the throne of the contemporary European progressive / post metal community.Violate Consensus Reality engages the senses in a way that is quite rare for concept albums, it is raw and brutal, unlike the lofty concept albums of yore with their endlessly repeating motifs and needlessly complex song structures. It stands in a long tradition of activism in music, but it also deconstructs this tradition by taking its loud and admonishing tone and providing it with a thoughtful base rooted in philosophy and spirituality.Violate Consensus is not for the faint hearted, concept-wise but also music-wise as it contains some of the most gnarly riffs and technical playing on any PSYCHONAUT record to date. Violate Consensus Reality constitutes a wild ride from the breakneck paced riffing of «A Pacifist's Guide To Violence», through the undulating neo-classical piano passages of «Hope» to the glorious finale of «Towards the Edge». The mantric title track opens with the angelic voice of Stefanie Mannaerts (Brutus) and slowly builds up to erupt in an explosive sermon delivered by Colin H. van Eeckhout (Amenra, CHVE, Absent in Body), the appearance of both gifted musicians affirming PSYCHONAUT's stature in the Belgian metal scene and beyondPsychonaut have played big Belgian open air festivals like Alcatraz, Rock Herk or Boomtown Festival and boutique festivals like Soulcrusher, Roadburn Redux or A Colossal Weekend. The band has supported bands like...

Private Collection' is Karin Park at her purest, rawest and most beautiful essence: an album stripped down to the core of her mesmerizing voice and the haunting sound of the pump organ. An introvert and intimate album that shows her not just as a stellar musician but as a mother, a wife and a humble human being. Karin Park has been referred to as the Scandinavian Nico for her persona, and dark ambient legend Lustmord called her a "force of nature". However, despite a Eurovision song contest entry, a year of sold out shows as the lead in Les Miserables in Oslo and performances alongside Lana Del Rey and David Bowie, Karin's talents have still remained somewhat under-exposed for the really broad public. This might change now, with a stunning new album and an extensive European tour with A.A. Williams this fall. "This record is very much a journey in solitude that I've been longing to make," Karin tells us about her seventh studio album. Consisting of nine re-recordings - with radically diferent instrumentation - of classic tracks from her impressive back catalogue, as well as the newly written opener «Traces of Me», Private Collection is the quintessential expression of Karin Park's artistry. "These are my favourite songs from 20 years of writing, re-recorded as I hear them now. Many of these versions are how I play them live, alone with my synths, mellotron and organ." Joining her on some tracks are her husband Kjetil Nernes (A°rabrot) on guitars and Andrew Liles (Nurse With Wound) on synths, as well as Benedetta Simeone on cello. Otherwise, Private Collection is indeed a very private affair. On Private Collection, Karin Park marries the past with the present. Her idiosyncratic and charismatic mezzo-soprano voice has often been compared to iconic female voices such as those of Kate Bush or Bjo"rk, but it is with these familiar timbres that she portrays a world that is truly unique to her. Dark, alien and brooding, but nevertheless oozing with familiarity and coziness. "That's why I had to go all the way to California," she sings on «Glasshouse» and before you know it, you'll fnd yourself singing along, convinced that somewhere in your own past you travelled to the Sunshine State. Somewhere in that line, and in many others, lies an inexplicable persuasive power that convinces us to believe that her world is also our own world. "I say the magic word, 'till you're beside me," she sings on «Bending Albert's Law», capturing an everyday magic of domestic darkness. Private Collection reveals the humanity behind the force of nature called Karin Park, and in that cavernous church, the sound of her presence foats under the high ceiling, but at the same time she is next to you, near. Her breath in your ear, her silence in your heart. Limited pink vinyl version (Shine Edition)!

For over ten years French cinematic postrockers Lost IN Kiev have been creating massive, narrative-driven atmospheric rock opuses that have brought them to play on renowned festivals like Dunk!festival and AMFest, as well as on tours with acts like Enslaved or Maserati. After three years of pandemic-induced inertia, the four gentlemen from Paris return with their new record Rupture which sees them turn the page to a new chapter in their considerable career. Being recorded in a live-setting, Rupture concerns the band’s feelings about the drastic environmental changes that can be perceived all over the world. Casting their eco-angst into nine soaring and explorative tracks, Lost IN Kiev channel a sound that’s raw and pristine, reaching an emotive power beyond anything they have done before.

Private Collection' is Karin Park at her purest, rawest and most beautiful essence: an album stripped down to the core of her mesmerizing voice and the haunting sound of the pump organ. An introvert and intimate album that shows her not just as a stellar musician but as a mother, a wife and a humble human being. Karin Park has been referred to as the Scandinavian Nico for her persona, and dark ambient legend Lustmord called her a “force of nature”. However, despite a Eurovision song contest entry, a year of sold out shows as the lead in Les Miserables in Oslo and performances alongside Lana Del Rey and David Bowie, Karin's talents have still remained somewhat under-exposed for the really broad public. This might change now, with a stunning new album and an extensive European tour with A.A. Williams this fall. “This record is very much a journey in solitude that I’ve been longing to make,” Karin tells us about her seventh studio album. Consisting of nine re-recordings – with radically diferent instrumentation – of classic tracks from her impressive back catalogue, as well as the newly written opener «Traces of Me», Private Collection is the quintessential expression of Karin Park’s artistry.

Nothing raises the spirit like the soaring guitars and evocative atmospheres of post-rock, and in the past 2 years we needed it more than ever: to be dragged out of the quicksand of apathy, to be reminded of what it means to feel alive_ Philadelphia-based fve-piece Hiroe (pronounced `hero-way') deliver 5 stunning tracks that serve this purpose more than anything else we've heard this year. Hiroe's architecture is built over the walls of sound created by the band's three guitarists Eric Kusanagi, T.J. Schilling, and Jef Dent, towering over the foundation of the huge sounding bass of Jill Paslier and the powerful drumming of Mike Norris. The larger-than-life sound of the band is forged by a carefully selected all-star line up of producers, their debut being recorded by Mario Quintero (Spotlights), mixed by Matt Bayles (Caspian, Mono, Russian Circles, Isis, Pelican) and mastered Will Yip (Caspian, Circa Survive). "We wanted to hold ourselves to a very high standard, so to sonically achieve our goals, we enlisted the help of Mario, Matt, and Will," explains Kusanagi, indicating that this is a production team Hiroe will likely continue to employ in the future. "Mario was essentially another member of the band in the studio," continues Kusanagi. "They all brought their ideas to the table to help us achieve something greater than just recording a band in a room." Wrought is a work of a quality that is rare among debut albums, an album which epitomizes the original idea of the genre as described by Simon Reynolds in The Wire back in 1994. "Post-rock means using rock instrumentation for non-rock purposes, using guitars as facilitators of timbres and textures rather than rifs and power chords". Wrought is confdent, powerful and incredibly well-produced, combining the elegant, pretty side of post-rock staples like Pg.Lost, Mogwai and God Is An Astronaut with the heaviness of Deftones or Thrice. Somewhere within the soaring rifs and the crushing heaviness of Wrought lies a moment in which the listener will fnd a sonic manifestation of the sublime, a place of reassured hope as well as a thrill of possibility that makes the album an immensely uplifting experience to propel us all through the despondent aftermath of the pandemic era. With these five fery tracks, Hiroe position themselves as an exciting new player in the heavy instrumental rock world.

Nothing raises the spirit like the soaring guitars and evocative atmospheres of post-rock, and in the past 2 years we needed it more than ever: to be dragged out of the quicksand of apathy, to be reminded of what it means to feel alive_ Philadelphia-based fve-piece HIROE (pronounced `hero-way') deliver 5 stunning tracks that serve this purpose more than anything else we've heard this year.HIROE's architecture is built over the walls of sound created by the band's three guitarists Eric Kusanagi, T.J. Schilling, and Jef Dent, towering over the foundation of the huge sounding bass of Jill Paslier and the powerful drumming of Mike Norris. The larger-than-life sound of the band is forged by a carefully selected all-star line up of producers, their debut being recorded by Mario Quintero (Spotlights), mixed by Matt Bayles (Caspian, Mono, Russian Circles, Isis, Pelican) and mastered Will Yip (Caspian, Circa Survive)."We wanted to hold ourselves to a very high standard, so to sonically achieve our goals, we enlisted the help of Mario, Matt, and Will," explains Kusanagi, indicating that this is a production team HIROE will likely continue to employ in the future. "Mario was essentially another member of the band in the studio," continues Kusanagi. "They all brought their ideas to the table to help us achieve something greater than just recording a band in a room."Wrought is a work of a quality that is rare among debut albums, an album which epitomizes the original idea of the genre as described by Simon Reynolds in The Wire back in 1994. "Post-rock means using rock instrumentation for non-rock purposes, using guitars as facilitators of timbres and textures rather than rifs and power chords". Wrought is confdent, powerful and incredibly well-produced, combining the elegant, pretty side of post-rock staples like Pg.Lost, Mogwai and God Is An Astronaut with the heaviness of Deftones or Thrice.Somewhere within the soaring rifs and the crushing heaviness of Wrought lies a moment in which the listen...