Singles and EPs | Aural Aggravation

Archive for the ‘Singles and EPs’ Category

Watch: ‘Heroic Dose’ by Worshipper

Posted: 23 May 2024 in Recommended Streams and Videos, Singles and EPs
Tags: Heroic Dose, lyric video stream, Magnetic Eye Records, Melvins, One Way Trip, Psychedelic, Stoner Rock, Worshipper

WORSHIPPER drop a psychedelic lyric video featuring the super heavy track ‘Heroic Dose’ as the next single taken from the Boston psychedelic hard rockers’ forthcoming third album One Way Trip which is scheduled for release on July 19, 2024.

WORSHIPPER comment on ‘Heroic Dose’: “This is the final song that we wrote for the record, and probably the most personal for me”, guitarist and singer John Brookhouse reveals. “I lost my dad in 2022, and one of the last conversations that we had was about his time in Vietnam. As I was writing the lyrics for this song, I realized that I had all of these remarkable stories, which he had told me about that period of time. Essentially, he flunked out of college, and in the midst of a ‘spirit journey’ he realized that he needed to enroll in the Army to avoid being drafted. I cannot even imagine being faced with such a grave decision. I made a bunch of war sounds with a Moog and a theremin that my dad gave me and handed them over to our producer, Alec Rodriguez. Alec just nailed the sound design, especially when mixed with all the acid fuzz freakout stuff at the end over Jarvis’ excellent drum fills.”

Watch: ‘Hero’ by Esoterik

Posted: 21 May 2024 in Recommended Streams and Videos, Singles and EPs
Tags: dark electro, Esoterik, Folk, Hero, Pagan Synth, synthpop, video stream, visualizer

Pagan Synth duo, ESOTERIK have just unveiled their new single, ‘Hero’.

For the new single, ESOTERIK explores the beauty in evolution and transformation. The hero’s journey is one of introspection with an effort to shed light on the flaws that stifle forward progress. But this process can also lead to rumination without the balance of right action. There comes a point in every hero’s journey where they feel as though they aren’t ready to take on the momentous call to duty that lies ahead of them. But it soon becomes clear that a path less-followed is the only option left.
The trial by fire truly cleanses the mind of all doubt giving way to an unfounded strength and focus to achieve their purpose.

Diving headfirst into one of the more well know archetypes, the ‘Hero’ is front and center in their new single. The listener will immediately notice a more guitar-oriented arrangement which is a slight departure from recent releases, although still retaining the band’s synthpop formula. Like a melodic freight train going full throttle, this track is steady in propelling the hero into uncharted territory.

Watch the promo clip – or visualiser, if you will – here:

Founded in 2013, US Dark Pop outfit, ESOTERIK, have steadily evolved into what fans have lovingly coined as Pagan-Synth. The band, comprised of Allison Eckfeldt and Brady Bledsoe, is known for their heady potion of soundscapes that highlight the melodic side of 80’s synthpop alongside the intensity of rock sensibilities. With lyrical content that explores the human condition and how we experience life with senses known and unknown, each compassion beckons the listener towards deep exploration of shadow and light. Their last release, Alchemy, has been described as ‘an album which has mystical folk tendrils, spliced together with electronic synths and rhythms. It is beautiful and danceable with a spiritual center, calling back to a time when our ancestors were more in-tune to the world they walked in and the earth was far more listened to.’

EXCLUSIVE AUDIO STREAM: ‘Haswell’ by Vorare & Earthflesh

Posted: 20 May 2024 in Previews and Editorial, Recommended Streams and Videos, Singles and EPs
Tags: Audio, bleak, Capitalism, collaboration, Harsh, Haswell, Heavy, Industrial, industrialisation, Rope Tower, track stream, Vorare & Earthflesh

Finish purveyors of extreme noise, Vorare, has paired up with Earthflesh to create the abrasive blast of an album which is Rope Tower. We’re on the edge of our seats for the album, and are beyond thrilled to present an exclusive premier of the second track from the album to be unveiled after ‘Seepage’.

On the face of it, a mining disaster in the North of England which occurred way back in 1844 may seem like an unusual choice of subject matter for two artists based in mainland Europe: it’s a pretty niche piece of local history. But it’s also a harrowing historical event that warns of the risk to life the industrial age brought. County Durham had a long mining heritage, and Haswell was one of the county’s largest collieries, employing over 300 men and boys. This single incident – an explosion – caused the deaths of almost a third of the workforce, with the blast itself killing 14, and a further 81 dying by suffocation.

For a moment, just imagine the scene, and the sensation. ‘Haswell’ makes for a fitting soundtrack, with a reflection on not only the how of their deaths, but the why…

Lyrics:

We find ourselves in the mines day in and day out, breaking our bones, shoveling our route to the alluring ore necessary for someone else to thrive off of. The caged canary leads the way deeper and deeper into the uncharted maw of Earth left gaping by bombs built by weak little men far from here. The clangs of pickaxes haunt our dreams while the fetters on our ankles might as well be extensions of our limbs alongside the instruments designed to violate the soil below our homes. As the morning seeps in lightless, we continue our work. Descending to the black hole stretching for miles on end, the explosions seem particularly strong today. We can’t see, but we can hear and feel. The chirp of the canary abates and soon runs out. Is this the smell of profit?

An account of the Haswell Colliery Explosion can be found here.

Listen: ‘I’ll be your doctor’ by Argonaut

Posted: 18 May 2024 in Recommended Streams and Videos, Singles and EPs
Tags: alternative, Argonaut, DIY, electro, I'll be your doctor, Indie, Post-Punk, single stream

The thing about Argonaut is that they’re continually evolving, continually pushing themselves, striving to do something different, and to create something new, constantly. No sooner had they completed their track-a-month ‘open-ended album’ project, Songs from the Black Hat, which saw them try out a range of styles, than they’re back to banging out new tunes at a remarkable rate.

Having deadlines or other set parameters doesn’t work for a lot of artists, but Argonaut seem to thrive on targets and goals, and ‘I’ll be your doctor’ is testament to that.

They describe it as ‘A song for the companions and for everyone courted and wooed with promises of excitement and adventure. A reminder to those making such vows to continuously reinvent, strive for greatness and never grow complacent. Musical nods to Depeche Mode, Nine inch Nails and Pink Floyd, lyrically inspired by Dr Who and the Velvet Underground. Delivering on our promise.’

It certainly incorporates an array of elements in its four and a half minutes, with some dark, stark post-punk electro vibes paired with some driving chords and some exploratory guitar work, all brought together with, of course, a strong hook.

Listen here:

Listen: ‘Under the Influence’ by WyndRider

Posted: 15 May 2024 in Recommended Streams and Videos, Singles and EPs
Tags: Doom, Electric Valley Records, Psychedelic, revival, single stream, Stoner, Under The Influence, WyndRider

WyndRider’s second record, Revival, is scheduled to hit shelves on 7 June on vinyl and digital via Electric Valley Records, with a CD release handled independently. The East Tennessee stoner doom band is now streaming the second single, ‘Under the Influence.’

Of the track, WyndRider states: “Everybody is under the influence of something. Pick your poison.”

Listen to the track here:

After playing all over the Eastern US, WyndRider returned to their home in the Appalachian Mountains, focusing in on the hopes and horrors of living there with an unapologetically heavy Southern groove. The album Revival, washed in the blood of its region, sheds light on the smoke and mirrors of life in the Bible Belt and provides a fix for those left craving more after the first dose that WyndRider brought to the scene.

This year, WyndRider will be hitting the stage at Maryland Doom Fest, Gravitoyd Doom Fest in Houston, and Holler of Doom IV, alongside numerous other cities and states.

Upcoming Shows:

5/24 – Knoxville, TN – BrickYard Bar & Grill
5/26 – Charlotte, NC – The Milestone Club
6/08 – Johnson City, TN – The Hideaway
6/20 – Indianapolis, IN – Black Circle
6/21 – Akron, OH – Buzzbin
6/22 – The Maryland Doom Fest at Cafe 611
6/23 – New York, NY – The Bowery Electric
7/05 – Asheville, NC – The Odd
7/11 – Nashville, TN – Springwater
7/12 – London, KY – Holler of Doom Fest at Mountain View Farm
7/13 – Cincinnati, OH – The Comet

Watch: ‘Death Comes Home’ by Oathswan

Posted: 14 May 2024 in Recommended Streams and Videos, Singles and EPs
Tags: Death Comes Home, Metalcore, Oathswan, Prog, Those Who Breathe From Darkness, video stream

Greek prog-driven metalcore newcomers Oathswan have recently shared a music video for a brand new song off the band’s debut EP For Those Who Breathe From Darkness, which was released last Friday, May 10.

Titled ‘Death Comes Home’, you can watch it here:

The band had this to say about the new song ‘Death Comes Home’, the 3rd track from the EP For Those Who Breathe From Darkness. “The song deals with the idea of home, our safe space, our sacred place. The place where we feel secure and distanced from our fears. Anyone who wishes to stay there without permission, means to end you.”

EXCLUSIVE VIDEO STREAM: ‘Archive of the Sky’ by All Are to Return

Posted: 13 May 2024 in Recommended Streams and Videos, Singles and EPs
Tags: All Are to Return, Archive of the Sky, dark, Demonic, electronics, exclusive video stream, Harsh Noise, Heavy, Industrial, Tartarus Records

Following on from our effervescent review of All Are to Return’s monumentally brutal harsh assault in the form of their new album III, we’re inordinately proud to present a video exclusive of the track ‘Archive of the Sky’.

As the duo’s bio sets out, this is bleak music born of bleak times:

‘We have entered a new age of extinction – of poisoned lands, habitat destruction and encompassing climate catastrophe. AATR III reflects the harshness of life laid bare to the vagaries of capital, of uncaring generations heaping misery on their successors and the life-forms with which they share a fragile biosphere… Manmade disasters borne from decades of unfettered greed, of carbon capital plundering the earth and choking its habitants – capital unleashed through self-interested short-sightedness, decades of
corruption and denial of clear fact.

‘Our habitats swallowed by rising seas, engulfed in flames. As we drown, burn, or slowly parch and wither, we remember. Oceans heat and corals die as pale sludge in bright blue waters – thousands of years of unfathomable complexity undone in decades. Forests burn and ancient trees that were young when the pharaohs build their monuments perish in the flames. Poisons have spread through all ecosystems. The product of profit-maximizing agriculture at war with life. As insects disappear they signal extinction on a massive scale.

‘What is lost, is lost forever.

‘We will remember you through your shattered bones, your battered skulls turned fossil. We will remember you through your plastic deposits, your carbon waste, your radio-active poisons still leaking into our bodies. We will remember your bright and brief existence – and the inevitability of your demise.’

Dark times call for dark music, and All Are to Return bring it.

We are proud to present the apex of bleak in the form of ‘Archive of the Sky’. It hurts and we love it. Watch it here:

Pic: Dejavie

Listen: ‘How I Need You’ by SUPERNOVA 1006

Posted: 11 May 2024 in Recommended Streams and Videos, Singles and EPs
Tags: dark, electro, How I Need You, Negative Gain Productions, Post-Punk, Single, SUPERNOVA 1006, Synth Pop

Post-Punk duo, SUPERNOVA 1006 recently unveiled their latest single, ‘How I Need You’ via Negative Gain Productions.

‘How I Need You’ is a semantic continuation of SUPERNOVA 1006’s Chains album. It was planned to release it as a bonus initially. However, it looked isolated and self-sufficient. Therefore, it was decided to make the song an independent work. Its distinctive feature was a return to the old sound, characterized by the “stringiness” and buoyancy of a cold sound.

‘How I Need You’ gives the feeling of being immersed in a big cold black lake in which no one lives with the silence and comfort of a lonely existence. It is a sonic journey through a cyberpunk landscape, filled with pulsating rhythms and melancholic melodies.

The single release also features remixes from artists such as Casket Cassette, Giirls, CULTTASTIC & Blind Seagull.

Listen here:

Mayflower Madame – A Foretold Ecstasy

Posted: 11 May 2024 in Reviews, Singles and EPs
Tags: A Foretold Ecstasy, atmosphere, Bass, Craig Adams, goth, Groove, Mayflower Madame, mood, Post-Punk, Reverb, Shoegaze, Single Review, texture, theatrical

10th May 2024

Christopher Nosnibor

Back in April 2020, writing on the release of their second album, Prepared for a Nightmare, I remarked that it had been four years since their debut, Observed in a Dream, and it had felt like an eternity. And here we are, a further four years on, and ‘A Foretold Ecstasy’ has landed as the prelude to album number three, due in the autumn.

Here, they’re straight in with that tight, solid rhythm section – a chunky bass with a hint of chorus to fatten it out while also giving it that classic spectral goth sound, melded to a relentless four-four metronomic thump, minimal cymbals, no flamboyant fills, just taut, a tense, rigid spine around which the body of the song grows. This, of course, is the foundation of that vintage gothy / post punk sound which originated with The Sisters of Mercy and, thanks largely to Craig Adams – who is arguably one of the greatest bassists of all time by virtue of his simple style of nailing a groove and just holding it down for the duration – carried on in The Mission. The Mish may lack some of the style and certainly the atmosphere and lyrical prowess of The Sisters, but the musical ingredients – and in particular that unflinching rhythm section – are fundamentally the same. And so it is that while the dominance of that thunking bass and bash-bash-bash snare may have become something of a formula, it’s hard to beat and absolutely defines the genre.

Mayflower Madame have always sat more toward The Mission end of the spectrum, whipping up songs which owe a certain debt to Wayne Hussey’s layered, cadent guitar style. But what they bring that’s unique is a swirly, psychedelic / shoegaze hue, a fuzzy swirl of texture and light. There’s a dark decadence, a lascivious richness to Mayflower Madame that accentuates the dramatic aspects of the gothiness: theatrical, flamboyant, but without being hammy or campy. And of course, Trond Fagernes’ vocals drift in an ocean of reverb, and the cumulative effect isn’t simply atmospheric: it carries you away on a sea of mesmeric sound.

With layers of synth which drift like mist across a production that balances dreaminess with a driving urgency, ‘A Foretold Ecstasy’ floats between haunting verses and surging choruses – and it’s hinting at their best work to date.

PHOTO CREDIT: MIRIAM BRENNE

Listen / Download: ‘The End of Radio’ (Shellac cover) by James Adrian Brown Featuring Benefits

Posted: 10 May 2024 in Recommended Streams and Videos, Singles and EPs
Tags: Charity, James Adrian Brown Featuring Benefits, Kingsley Hall, Letters to Santa, Pulled Apart by Horses, Shellaac, Steve Albini, The End of Radio, tribute

Within hours of receiving the devastating news that musical behemoth, recording artist and producer Steve Albini had passed away, former Pulled Apart By Horses guitarist turned electronic musician James Adrian Brown and Kingsley Hall of art-punk band Benefits set to work collaborating on their own take of one of Albini’s tracks. Kingsley and James’ interpretation of the classic Shellac track ‘The End of Radio’ fuses Hall’s provocative, moving vocals with Brown’s sonic sound-scaping; the cover is far removed from the original but is an apt tribute to the lost legend.

All proceeds from download sales will be donated to Steve Albini’s wife’s charity, ‘Letters to Santa’, which provides direct assistance to families facing urgent financial hardship.

Listen and download / donate here:

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