Written by: The Administrator
On January 1st, 2025, whilst writing a premiere for Am I in Trouble's excellent debut album Spectrum--after previously premiering two singles and reviewing a third, no less--I knew in my heart of hearts that I was not done writing about Am I in Trouble's excellent debut album Spectrum. After all, it still qualifies (spoilers!) for and merits an appearance on my (forthcoming) Favorite Album Art of 2025 and Favorite Albums of 2025 list, neither of which have been published for a variety of very real reasons. But, despite assuming that my past and future wordsmithery regarding Am I In Trouble's excellent debut album Spectrum was thoroughly mapped, I was wrong, for another Spectrum was made. In a manner of speaking. Enter Facets, a remarkably cohesive 15 track remix and/or re-imagining that presents "the seven songs of Spectrum explored, stretched, condensed, lightened, darkened, ripped apart, and stitched back together." Facets notably features a massive roster and an updated color palette for modern times. It serves, as it must, as a celebration of the original album's successes. A victory lap of sorts. But it also represents a broader sense of collaboration germinated both by the lesser-known annals of avantgarde metal and the fertile soils of the Ampwall community. Am I in Trouble's solo visionary Steve Wiener has used this project as a platform to "come together to find different shades and hues within the spectrum." Very cool idea; very cool execution. By overtly embracing remix culture, Facets demonstrates an exploratory drive, a creative mindset, and an openness to community that far more metal bands, in my humble opinion, should actively strive towards. I'm very pleased to present here today, in its lengthy entirety, Am I in Trouble's Facets several days before official release. Look for it on June 5th from SHIFT+CTRL Music. In the meantime, check it out below! I'll be waiting with ample wordcount, as always, on the other side.
How best, I have asked myself many times whilst preparing this premiere, to write about a 15 track album representing the reimagining of as many artists? The inevitable conclusion was: write about it all, obviously. At extreme risk of penning a review that takes longer to read than the album's mighty 1hr 25min runtime, I shall limit myself to one (1) sentence per track. Let's get into it, shall we?
Things start off on a lovely and tranquil note with the Ed Herbers helmed "Seafoam," which feels to me like the smooth sea-worn seaglass a beachcomber might find decades after the bright shard of "Green" was cast into the surf. This sense of calm is swiftly interrupted by the chiptun'd (and intensely sick) "Cobalt," which ramps up the speed and aggression to the exact levels of chaotic freneticism you almost certainly expect from Gonemage. Negative Agent keeps the genre whiplash rolling with a chanting and industrialized version of "Red," injecting the track with an extra dose of misanthropic violence and vitriol that the title "Scarlet" simply can't avoid implying. Next up, Imrryr (who previously impressed on Gray EP's "Obsidian") presents "Pearl," which leans into the airy angelic grandness of "White" without becoming untethered from the blackened aspects of the original. The following feel-good bop embodied by Adventsong's "Xanthous" continues embellishing the lighter side of AIiT?, taking cues from the intrinsic radiance of "Yellow" while amping up the percussion and apricus sun-drenched energy. Onward! "Rouge," an AIiT? solo effort, brings a blushing bombast to the proceedings, acting as a impassioned companion piece to the original material and a smart switch into more aggressive territory. And, speaking of aggression, Voidscan's dynamic and hostile "Onyx" is up next, utilizing Alex Loach's acidic blackened tone to great effect and very possibly clearing the high bar set by Gray EP's "Opal." Exit Chamber slows things down with the mighty droning atmosphere of "Crimson"--not the direction I was originally anticipating for a "Red" reimaging, but this track serves a notably monolithic role in the tracklist. Next up is Sylfvr's more vivacious "Viridian," which provides a little whimsy via some exceptionally charming fantasy synth. MEGAFAUNA's genre-mashing electro-frenzy cyber-infused "Fuchsia," much like the original "Pink," seems to find substantial joy in walking the delicate line between the cheerfulness and the abject horror represented by its subject matter. Moving along, "Snow," Chipped Topaz's take on "White," builds drum-forward growling menace around that delightful pure-driven melody before fading into bliss. Jude Kerr's "Canary" turns up the brightness and birdsong and sense of frolic present in "Yellow," nearly quadrupling the runtime without ever dragging the whimsy beyond a breaking point. The end approaches! In a true feat of well-executed excess, Witchtᴉde's "Fuchsia" somehow exemplifies every element of the original, delivering both clapping production and winding guitars alongside a significant cast of vocal stylings. The penultimate track "Fern" maintains the circus-like jubilance of "Green," but builds the ditty into a bit of a lush rocker--I was previously unfamiliar with Raccoon Fink, but will be checking 'em out post-haste on the basis of this exellent track. Finally, the closer "Yellow + Blue = Green," an appropriately entitled amalgamation brought to life by Petridisch, is a dreamy and otherworldly long-form 10+ minute affair that reflects the lushness of its inspiration's component parts--a fitting outro to a project that respects source material without ever being afraid to strip it down and stretch it out. Facets is truly is a curatorial masterclass. As should be apparent, this project is exceedingly diverse from a musical perspective, representing a wide range of sounds and aesthetics that somehow always compliment and never clash with the the original vision. On paper the deliberately eclectic genre conglomerate shouldn't work, or at the very least shouldn't mesh. But it does, and the resulting listening experience is quite the aesthetic journey. Listening to multiple iterations and reinventions of each track allows the Spectrum audience to recontextualize their relationship with the familiar while simultaneously exploring new artists and genres. Beyond what the album sounds like, however, Facets also represents a creative ethos that I have a profound admiration for. Steve has found a way to extend his album's lifespan without the re-imagining ever feeling like a marketing gimmick or a promo hack. It is a project, not a product. The longevity never feels forced. The collaboration at the heart of Facets allows the album to fulfill its own purpose, independent of the typical "practical" reasons that one might release a remix album. And yet! Here I am, many, many months after the initial release of Spectrum, experiencing Am I in Trouble? with a vested and perhaps even revitalized interest. Ignoring the pull of the promo pit for days and weeks. Writing about "Red" (or variations thereof) with the same enthusiasm as I was literally 653 days ago. That alone is worth applause! Am I in Trouble? - Facets will be released June 5th, 2026 via SHIFT+CTRL Music
0 Comments
In a continuing attempt to cover more music that would all-too-oft slip through the very large cracks, we slumbering scribes are making an effort to publish short reviews at a greater frequency, thereby shining our very small spotlight on more cool shit. Without further ado, here's some thoughts on the latest two singles from the exceptionally prolific Ourobonic Plague.
Written by: The Administrator
Those of you with frighteningly acute memories may recall a mini-review we wrote back in July of 2025 for "Blunderbuss," a jarring-yet-mesmerizing track that combined muffled klaxons with a stuttering drive. This was but one of 40(!) tracks Ourobonic Plague released last year, and the Green Annex train doesn't seem to be slowing down quite yet. The forthcoming EP G.A.: Four: Consecration will see release on February 5th, and the two singles before us--"Machine-kun" and "23 Gems"--serve as highly listenable harbingers. "Machine-kun" (released Dec. 15th of last year) is a garage-esque banger with a potent injection of the industrial presence and general weird energy we've come to expect from the established Ourobonic Plague aesthetic. I wouldn't call it future garage by any stretch, from what I understand of the genre conventions, but it certainly qualifies as futuristic garage. If, y'know, such a thing exists. In any case, this track is driven by the erratic and energized heartbeat of the skittering two-step. There's an obvious mechanical edge that permeates, but alongside the more overt danceable elements, there's a menacing squirm that becomes increasingly prominent on the back half, thrumming and breathing like some cosmic or otherwise alien entity. Unsettling and also dancey is a rare but powerful combo, and Ourobonic Plague nails it here. "23 Gems" (released Jan. 7th ) makes me wish, in hindsight, that I didn't already us the term "banger" above. While fitting a similar vibe, this track cranks up the tempo a tad, leaning into a clamorous grimy rattle. There's an aggression here displayed both in the intense rhythm and the writhing and punchy synths, which promo accurately describes as ''dueling." They are at the very least engaged in heated conversation, with retorts and flying rebuttals adding a greater sense of urgency to the already urgent beat. I really enjoy the energy on this one. It feels irresistible, and I'm excited to see how that energy plays out across the remainder of the EP. Give "Machine-kun" and "23 Gems" a listen below, check out their respective visualizers over on the Ourobonic Plague youtube, and consider pre-ordering G.A.: Four: Consecrated here!
Ourobonic Plague's assorted links can be found here.
Written by: The Administrator
Welcome back to AMPWALL Roundup, our (unfortunately infrequent) column dedicated to shining a little light on the music we slumbering scribes find whilst trawling through the explore page over on Ampwall. It's been a little while since we checked in, but rest assured: Ampwall is still cool. They have also updated the embed display since the last Roundup, which is exciting and much appreciated. As far as introductory fluff goes, I've written myself into a bit of a corner here at this stage in the game, so let me quote the intro from Volume II: "If you don't know what this whole Ampwall thing is all about, please take a quick gander at Volume I, where we get a little more in-depth regarding the many virtues of the new platform/marketplace/community. We here at ye olde Sleeping Village are big advocates for the integration of additional resources into the independent artist's promo toolkit. To that end, having more music-purchasing people become aware of Ampwall's existence will only help it grow as a viable option moving forward." Let's get to the music, shall we? Below are 6 (more!) bands I recommend checking out!
In a continuing attempt to cover more music that would all-too-oft slip through the very large cracks, we slumbering scribes are making an effort to publish short reviews at a greater frequency, thereby shining our very small spotlight on more cool shit. Without further ado, here's the latest from the prolific Ourobonic Plague.
Written by: The Administrator
The oeuvre of Ourobonic Plague is extensive and intimidating. While I have casually listened to (and enjoyed!) the project's two EPs released thusfar this year, I feel like I've only scratched the surface of the bandcamp back catalog, let alone the assorted supporting written documentation, videos and visuals, and so on. There is undeniably a lot going on, and we haven't yet even touched on the quality of the music itself. Needless to say, the Ourobonic Plague rabbit hole lurks enticingly. As someone who enjoys a deep dive, I find a certain excitement in that notion. In any case, today's track in question, "Blunderbuss," serves as the first single from the third EP in Ourobonic Plague's continuing G.A. series, which I believe will be released May 30th. "Blunderbuss" is described as a "a frantic scattershot hyper-garage meltdown," and is mesmerizing and jarring in equal measure. Long-form drone elements are absent--this is much more immediate. The track perpetually emphasizes its presence rather than fading into the background. While the stuttering and lurching percussion is forward, the focus soon shifts to a muffled klaxon that fondly reminds me of the echoing alarms in Half-Life 2--which, to be fair, many things fondly remind me of Half-Life 2. In any case, said klaxon evokes a sense of distant albeit omnipresent danger, surveillance, anxiety. Once all the elements are in play, it is quite immersive. On the surface, "Blunderbuss" feels like it should be danceable, but the restless lurching momentum is a bit of a tease. The track is watery yet skittery, and seems deliberately designed to keep the listener on edge. It doesn't feel entirely truthful to say that I enjoy the anxiety per se, but I do really like this track. Give "Blunderbuss" a listen via the Ampwall embed below! After you're done with that, I wholeheartedly recommend working your way backward through the Ourobonic Plague discography at large. I'll be doing that myself in short order.
Ourobonic Plague's assorted links can be found here.
Written by: The Administrator
When presented with a new release from British Columbia's MEGAFAUNA, there are few guarantees. Sonically, thematically, emotionally, a whole lot is variable by design. A true sense of experimentation permeates the project, and beyond aesthetic clues surrounding the visuals, you're never entirely sure what you're going to get. However! If there is one unifying factor of every MEGAFAUNA release, it is the immutable and established fact that I love them all very much. There's a standard of high quality maintained across the discography, whether it lurks within the dread and anxiety of Venator, or the layered and dynamic I Owe This Land a Body, or the haunted funhouse dance party vibe of the "Ghoulish Haunt" single, or the slowburningly ominous Nosferatu soundtrack. I could go on. In any case, I walk away from a listening session feeling like the music has made made a genuine impact on an emotional level. In short, MEGAFAUNA has been doing intriguing things since inception, and I have very much enjoyed the project's eclectic output. And, needless to say, I'm always ready and excited to check out new stuff from the MEGAFAUNA camp when the opportunity arises. This heavily redacted latest EP, the four track cnʁʁԍuϝ λԍɑʁ ɑʁმnwԍuϝ, will be officially released tomorrow, April 20th. We're pleased to premiere it here a day early for your listening pleasure and/or discomfort. Give it a listen below, and, as always, we'll meet you on the other side! 
Written by: The Administrator
If MEGAFAUNA doesn't represent the perfect antithesis of easy listening, I shudder to think what else could have possibly earned that designation. Indeed, in my review of MEGAFAUNA's unsettling and engrossing Venator, released back in April of 2024, I wrote that the project is "not a light nor carefree listen." I also called it "unabashedly weird and intense" and referenced both an "uncomfortable urgency" and a tendency to nail a sense of "terrible disassociation that paradoxically makes you hyperaware of your physicality." In short, I liked Venator very much, and found MEGAFAUNA's articulation of anxiety, fear, paranoia, and depression to be quite poignant. I Owe This Land a Body similarly presents an intense soundscape, leaning into a lonely and foreboding eeriness. This is, after all, an album explicitly exploring the notion that "how dying is the last decent thing we can do." A sense of profound despair implicitly and intentionally seeps forth from the Megafauna corpus, and this latest isn't exactly a cheery listen. With that said, I Owe This Land a Body is less immediately jarring than Venator, and even manages to undercut its own sense of unease with some unexpected bright spots. 
Written by: The Administrator
As a someone who enjoys new music, there are fewer joys greater than "discovering" a band that has 0 monthly listeners on Spotify. And yes, that feeling isn't diminished even when the act of "discovery" actually refers to clicking a link that a band has emailed directly to me. In any case, we slumbering scribes are happy to get in on the ground floor--albeit a whole year after said email was received--and I hope that this review leads to a double-digit listener count for today's band in question. The band? Bighead, a solo act reveling in the kind of overt noisy goregrind grotesquery that makes me wish, for the reader's sake, that I could hide this review behind a tasteful blur. If you are preemptively imaging track titles and samples detailing medical procedures gone terribly wrong, that's exactly what Backwoods Medical Anomalies has in store. And for that reason, I highly recommend NOT clicking "read more" if gore and the assorted words and sounds that come with it don't sit well with your stomach. Otherwise, see you on the other side! 
Written by: The Administrator
We slumbering scribes are honored to premiere here today a sonically eclectic charity compilation benefiting a Gazan family. In the words of Basil Elzeenaty: "amidst the chaos, we yearn for a helping hand to provide sustenance, essential medical aid, and the means to secure shelter." Purchasing Love Songs is a direct way to provide assistance. This 11 track compilation was compiled and curated by Ben Serna-Grey of Mother Anxiety, and is currently available for pre-order on bandcamp for an exceptionally fair $1. It will be released in full tomorrow, July 26th, but if the meantime you can listen to it in full below! We'll talk more about the music itself shortly, but first, let's talk about the cause itself. Whereas many charity projects I've encountered are vague when it comes to where exactly the money goes, 100% of the funds raised go towards supporting Dr. Basil's campaign through Operation Olive Branch to help safely evacuate his family (parents, 4 sisters, and 2 brothers) from Gaza. More info about the campaign can be found via Gofundme--I encourage you to read Basil's story in full. At the time of writing, €36,603 has been raised of €55,000 goal, and if this compilation can narrow that gap by any amount, it has been a worthwhile endeavor. In the midst of genocide it is far too easy to lose sense of the victims on an individual basis, and understanding the impact of the charity on a personal level reinforces the importance of fundraising. Supporting directly and/or purchasing the compilation is a very concrete and tangible way to assist Gazans in dire need of security and basic human amenities. Additionally, Ben will generously send a free Mother Anxiety patch and some stickers (while supplies last) to anyone who donates at least $5 to any Operation Olive Branch campaign and shows proof. Without further ado: listen to Love Songs below! As always, we'll meet ye on the other side.
Curated and Written by: Patrick of Disconnected Souls
In a (continuing) attempt to give some cool bands a platform to talk about cool music, we're having a band take over the blog each Wednesday to share a curated playlist, along with some words about each song and why they picked it. Last week's playlist came courtesy of Sofia Frasz from Exiled Hope, but now is time for the change of guard. Patrick from Disconnected Souls is taking over. An eclectic and cinematic ensemble, Disconnected Souls emerged in 2018 out of a desire to incorporate and blend the three great pillars of music: electronic, classical, and metal. The quintet based out of Chester, England, striving to create a distinctive sound that draws upon the depths of metal, while playing with tones and textures. Each member brings a diverse range of musical interests to the table and the resulting sound encompasses a wide variety of instrumental and vocal styles. Their debut conceptional album, Fragments of Consciousness, was released Jan. 19th of this year. Once you've checked out the writeup below, check out Disconnected Souls over on their official website. Without further ado, I'll let Patrick take over!
For this playlist, I (Patrick) have collated a sampling of some of the most influential tracks/albums on my writing process with Disconnected Souls and other projects. These tracks and their associate artists are but a part of the DNA that makes a Disconnected Souls song.
Written by: The Administrator
Those of you with an uncanny memory may recall that, towards the end of my recent review of Megafauna's eerie and excellent Venator, I made mention of a premiere. Here we are, folks. Venator will officially be released this Friday, April 19th, via Syrup Moose Records, but if you're unwilling to wait, we invite you to listen to it in full below. Of course, some preparation is called for If you're invested in full experience, I highly recommend hiking into the deepest darkest forest you can reasonably find. Walk until you find a dilapidated shack, or perhaps a large pile of bones that look suspiciously familiar. Set up camp. Wait for dark, and then wait for your flashlight battery to die. Make peace with the fact that there is almost certainly something in the woods, and i̵̲̾͑̏t̷̜̝̳̏ ̸̼͝i̴͉̥̲̗͋̊s̵̨̬̹͙͓͕̿̈̉̔̌͠ ̵̡̭̜̩͌̈́̽͛̌̚ͅͅw̶̧̹̮̯̌̈ą̴̹̼̮̼̖́̆̑͆̓͝t̵̨̨͇̺̂̇̇̅͆̋͜͠c̶̢̧̻̞̈́̓͝ḥ̶̢͐̉̄̓̓̋i̷̦͈̠̎̇̊͂̔͠n̵̼͛g̴̨̮͉̲̠͆. Check out Venator below, and, as always, we'll meet you on the other side. Much to the chagrin of pretty much everyone, I'm not done waxing poetic just yet. |
WELCOME!We provide thoughtful reviews of the music that wakes us from slumber. Archives
April 2026
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed