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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 a cool debut single.
Written by: The Administrator
At this stage in my so-called career as a scribe here at ye olde Sleeping Village, it is fairly well documented that I relish the opportunity to write about a band's debut single. Negative Bliss, Elsewhere, Slaughtersun, and Am I in Trouble? are a few recent-ish examples, and I'm sure that in all of these mini-reviews I touched on a similar point: it is exciting to witness first steps, and, later, it is exciting to witness potential realized. A band at the beginning of their career inevitably develops upon the ideas presented in their first outing, and going along for the ride from the onset feels like a privilege. Todays debut single in question, "Where Black Stars Beckon," comes from Munich's Dark Solstice. Playing a brand of self-described "dark metal," Dark Solstice possess an enjoyable flair for drama, blending melodic grandiosity with a brooding atmosphere. In terms of FFO's, press material cites the unholy trinity of Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth, and Dark Funeral, which feels accurate. Alongside the implicit moodiness, there's a bombast leading the aggression. "Where Black Stars Beckon" is dark but not oppressively so, and there's certainly a sense that Dark Solstice could erupt into a spooky symphonic passage at any given moment. It sounds crisp and modern, and the interplay of the cleans against the more spiteful and angsty harsh vocals lends an element of tension and interest. Most importantly, "Where Black Stars Beckon" is highly listenable, filled with little moments that stick in the ol' brain with a barbed tenacity. The chorus is catchy, the central riff is a simple but engaging motif. At first blush I felt like the track ran a little long, but after many listens I've come to appreciate the solo that closes out the track--it isn't terribly flashy in the grand scheme, but adds some levity. All told: an impressive first showing. "Where Black Stars Beckon" serves as the final (and title) track of Dark Solstice's forthcoming debut EP, which will be released May 23rd, 2025. Give it a listen below and find the EP preorder here!
Dark Solstice's assorted links can be found here.
Cover art by M. Irvan Dionisi, deathcrow.archive
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Written by: The Administrator
If you're the type to lurk around the metal underground, you've likely heard of Ampwall, a new music platform/marketplace/community founded by Chris Grigg of Woe. Ampwall is a public benefit company explicitly designed by artists for artists, and their clear commitment to empowering independent bands is both rare and admirable in a world of music platforms that prioritize profit time and time again. Since joining when the beta launched a few weeks back, I've seen a variety of artist suggestions taken seriously and changes administered in real time. The community they've built over on Discord is friendly and robust, full of people who are clearly in this for the love of the music. The financial upsides are also immediately apparent: they operate on a very low-cost subscription model if you plan to upload music, and sellers make more per transaction. There's even an option for buyers to cover the transactions fees, a feature that feels so common sense I'm shocked it isn't industry standard. The pages are true showcases with an emphasis on aesthetic, and contain a very handy Press section where artists can link to reviews. The features are numerous and honestly make every other platform feel...remarkably antiquated. You can tell that this was built by musicians who understand what DIY tools are actually useful. Long story short: Ampwall is an alternative that deserves full attention, especially in an era of enshittification where even platforms like Bandcamp are bought and sold by corporations with zero regard for the artists who bring the value. You can read more about Ampwall over on their mission page, and you can sign up for beta access (as a fan or an artist!)here. And! In an attempt to shine a little light, we slumbering scribes are hereby instituting a new column wherein we trawl Ampwall for cool music and, y'know, write about it. Below are 6 bands I highly recommend checking out. Let's get this started, shall we?
Curated and Written by: Josh Alexander of Forgotten Shrine
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 every few weeks to share a curated playlist, along with some words about each song and why they picked it. Our most recent playlist takeover came courtesy of Dead Karma, but now Josh Alexander of folk metal duo Forgotten Shrine drops by the Village with a playlist of influences. The result of Josh Alexander and Sofia Frasz's joint interest in "bardcore," Forgotten Shrine is a folk/medieval style project drawing influences from across the realms of metal including Nightwish and Eluveitie. Original soundtracks from the world of gaming and film, and the traditional/pagan folk genre as a whole, also inspires the band's musical approach. Forgotten Shrine currently has two singles available on bandcamp--check out "The Parting Glass" and "Where Shadows Lie" here! Without further ado, I'll let Josh take over!
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.
Curated and Written by: Sofia Frasz of Exiled Hope
In a (continuing) attempt to give some cool bands a platform to talk about cool music, we're trying something new here at Ye Olde Sleeping Village. Thus, on Wednesdays, a band will be taking over the blog to share a curated playlist, along with some words about each song and why they picked it. Last week wekicked off the series with Cruce Signatus, and for week two, the reins have been handed over to multi-instrumentalist Sofia Frasz of Exiled Hope. Musically inspired by the symphonic likes of Avantasia, Nightwish, Kamelot, and Cradle of Filth, every Exiled Hope single sits within the framework of a shared world, resulting in a catalogue that can be viewed as a dark fantasy metal opera. The latest single, "Blood of the Ancients," is available now, and serves as a harbinger for the forthcoming Exiled Hope album, Apocrypha, out later this year. Once you've checked out the writeup below, check out Exiled Hope over on Linktree andSpotify. Without further ado, I'll let Sofia take over!
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. Here's a mini-review of the debut single from a symphonic metal duo.
Written by: The Administrator
As of late, the ol' promo pit has been overflowing with debut singles from brand new bands. Luckily, writing about them has become a bit of a calling card 'round these parts. As established over the course of several recent mini-reviews--Negative Bliss and Slaughtersun, for those curious enough to dive into the archives--the birth of a band is a pretty exciting event. In the course of promo hunting, I'm often more motivated to check out something new and unknown than a press kit from an established act. Such curiosity has led me to "The Last Ember," a promising debut track from fresh-faced symphonic metal act Elsewhere. The band is a duo comprised of one Nikki and Nic, and the track's vocals come courtesy of a collaboration with Finnish-Canadian vocalist Elvann. While requisite piano and swelling hooks are present, Elsewhere's instrumentation seems more subtle in its bombast than many other paragons of the genre. There's a nice forward momentum punctuated by an engaging ebb and flow--the percussion fills space quite well, with short albeit catchy riffs and requisite orchestral grandiosity punctuating the track. Elsewhere keep things moving nicely, and as a result, the track flies by. Symphonic metal haters aren't going to be swayed, but appreciators of the style will appreciate the execution. On the vocal side, Elvann's presence is prominent and notably agile, switching flows multiple times across the breadth. The intro utilizes a sinister whispered delivery that immediately amps up the drama, but is promptly abandoned for more traditional symphonic cleans. While I do wish the more menacing vocals made a return later on, the initial switch provides a fun contrast. One particularly charming moment on the back half of the track introduces a sing-song chanted cadence that adds an almost childlike element. The attention given to distinct vocal deliveries is thoroughly alluring. Promo material indicates that "The Last Ember" is the "first of many singles to be released in 2024." I, for one, will be keeping an eye out for what comes next--I'm psyched to see how Elsewhere develop their sound and identity. More guest vocalists? More overt power metal braggadocio? Time will tell. In the meantime, give a listen below! Elsewhere - "The Last Ember" was released March 8th, 2024. 
Written by: The Administrator
The holiday season fast approaches here at Ye Olde Sleeping Village, and, a such, our slumbering and ink-splattered populace has begrudgingly begun to prepare for the inevitable. A healthy stock of young evergreens have been sacrificed. Stockings have been hung by the chimneys in, erm, a haphazard and disorderly fashion. Our resident confectioner has nailed down a recipe for sugar plums, which we have elected to feed to the numerous resident mice. And, with the arrival of one Rick Massie, our soundtrack is set. Let the festivities begin. Rick Massie has made quite the habit of releasing holiday-themed singles--the more observant members of our dear readership might remember a premiere of the Halloween inspired "The Dance (of the Dead and Alive)," and those of you who follow Rick's output in general may recall his cover of "We Three Kings" that dropped around this time last year. The tradition continues with a new reimagined version of a well known Christmas tune: today's premiere in question is a cover of the classic "O Come, All Ye Faithful." Give it a listen below, and, as always, we'll catch ye on the other side!
This year, in an attempt to cover more music that would all-too-oft slip through the very large cracks, we're trying something new and novel around these parts. Namely, we're gonna actually publish the little one-off reviews that were previously (and arbitrarily) deemed too short for publication. In that spirit, here's a mini-review of a single worth checking out.
Written by: The Administrator
For those of ye unfamiliar, Settle For Shadows makes music that feels distinctly weird. This is evidenced across a swath of quality projects over the past few years. Even those earliest releases, which feel a little easier to nail down, are nonetheless quite quirky in their willingness to throw unexpected passages into the fray with nary a backward glance. That said, Settle For Shadows makes a fairly substantial turn on this latest single "The Mourn," delivering a blistering blend of raw symphonic black metal with a healthy deathcore stomp and vigor. There's an underlying chug on display that isn't present in the jazzy avant-gardism of Settle For Shadow's (excellent) 2022 The Bleak Demo, alongside a potent sense of organic chaos that feels a far cry from the punkier early EPs. The Bleak also presents a marching momentum that feels almost industrial from a percussive point of view, yet the vocals and symphonic elements lend the whole affair a delightfully untethered quality. Balancing the ethereal with the more overt aggression is always going to be a difficult game, but here, Settle For Shadows walks that line pretty damn well. "The Mourn" is a very cool single. Moreover, it is an intriguing and enjoyable new direction for a band that has consistently delivered intriguing and enjoyable music. I'd be very excited to hear more music like this, but would also consider myself suffonsified should Settle For Shadows elect to switch up the formula on the next release. Unpredictability is an underrated characteristic. Bottom line? I recommend you snag it here. Settle For Shadows - The Mourn was released August 5th, 2022 
Written by: The Administrator
A good symphonic metal album appeals, by default, to fans of symphonic metal, but often has a hard time reaching beyond a fandom predisposed to enjoy the grandiose flair and bombast inherent to genre convention. Luckily, the demographic of people who can kick back and enjoy the likes of Epica or Nightwish is a sizable contingent...albeit not particularly well represented here at the Sleeping Village, both in terms of scriberly inhabitants and our noble readership. In any case, if you drink deep of epic and/or symphonic waters, you'll likely find something worth celebrating in Unfinished. At risk of showing my cards too early, I'm of the mind that the long-awaited debut from Chicago's Shield of Wings is an impressive feat indeed. Moreover, it serves as a very strong foot forward for a band with clear potential to rope in a sizable fanbase. Let's dive in. |
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