Utopia Platafórmica

  Psychonaut 4 “… Of Mourning” (Immortal Frost Productions, 2024) Psychonaut 4 have been spreading their specific human condition for several years now, 14 to be more precise, and only now have I contacted their sound! The name was well-known, but the music was not. I have never been a fan of the more depressive side of the genre, and these lads live inside that sphere; thing is, their sound has small details that sound differently. There is a different dynamic in all their sound, an almost progressive and psychedelic approach. No, not a Floydian one, ok? They have guitar solos that sound quite cheerful. Wait… are they not on the depressive side of the globe? Maybe they are… The more you listen to this record, the more you are able to hear the different moments the band has crafted. Several emotions and stages of existence. Funny how their sound has these 2 opponent personas: sadness and joyfulness. Well, I can hear and feel moments of clarity and clear skies. But sadness does ...

  Blockage “Berlin Takedown” (DBNO Records, 2024) Ah, shit! DBNO Records is fucking great, and all they release is epic as Hell! The end. We could just leave it at that, right? Cannot be any clearer about the quality of their releases, but I feel I need to talk a bit more about this specific one. Blockage is a German quartet that plays Old School sounding Hardcore with an immense nostalgic feel to it. I get an absurd Agnostic Front feel from this one, Old School Agnostic Front of course, but also UK and all that. It even has some Oi thrown in there! It sounds really killer, and it has been on a fucking constant loop! They sound very much like something I cannot name at the moment. It is like you are hearing a specific tune but cannot name that tune. I just hate when that happens. This is a pretty short release, but we got used to Hardcore being short but effective… and killer! Blockage has me hooked, and I cannot wait for what is coming next. Destruction and Rage! Oppositio...

  Ars Veneficium "The Lurking Shadow of Death" (Immortal Frost Productions, 2024) To Belgium we fly, shall we? Easily would hop on a plain and indulge myself in all those amazing beers they have. These lads truly know how to craft beautiful Trappists. But music is the subject of today’s writings. Ars Veneficium, former quintet and now reduced to founding members Ronarg (Antzaat, Bloedmaan, Ronarg) and Surtur (Immortal Frost Productions, Hammerstorm). “Usurpation of the Seven”, their last LP was released in 2020, and it was “just” the confirmation that their sound is very solid and a guarantee of excellent Black Metal. What mostly struck is how reminiscent of old melodies their sound is. Ars Veneficium is, at heart, a Melodic Black Metal band, but the overall melody is immense! I dare say this is their best album to date, and that is saying a lot, considering their previous releases.   At times you get a 90ies feeling, completely a 90ies feeling. The melodies are never c...