At times, I often think
to myself why the hell do I bother with a blog. More importantly, who
on earth reads my inane babble? My blog was originally a continuation
of my works from the 'death' of Myspace, the newly crowned 'ghost
town' of social networking sites (with Google+ becoming a close
second). Back in the day, I had many people reading them and Myspace
was also cool – a fun and inventive way of social networking that
wasn't as mundane and dull as Facebook, not forgetting I made many
new friends in real life via it (and some enemies along the way).
Basically, I use a
blogger as a bit of a 'brain vent'; it can be a cathartic experience
to have a good old chill out and bash away at the keyboard to bring
forth my often ham fisted thoughts online for all to see if they so
desired. It's hardly a new thing, and on the basis of what I read
online I'm far from being alone. In fact, I often find many enjoyable
blogs to read – be they technical blogs, random thoughts and
opinions, whatever. There's a lot to be said for the medium of the
free and independent press that makes a refreshing change from what
the TV and newspapers force down the necks of the blissfully ignorant
and stupid, who wish to feed their brain on the empty calories of
shitty gossip magazines about irritating celebrities and other shite.
To read such things is fuelling ignorance, stupidity, and herd
conformity as far as I'm concerned, and you're probably inclined to
agree.
Anyway...
One night, I get a
direct message from a follower overseas on Twitter – a message that
made me fall over in shock. Turns out, there's a guy in Holland that
rather likes what I write and is an avid follower of my works. Said
guy actually owned his own music review website and had a team of
independent writers reviewing rock and metal albums from all over
the globe; South Africa, America, Britain, and Finland – to name a
few places. This guy, wanted me to become a part of THEIR team.
I have a couple of
friends who also do this, and I wonder how on Earth they got the
'job'. Turns out, that they were contacted in a similar manner and
even interviewed band members and got other perks such as a free pass
to a festival as long as they reviewed it. Nice work, I thought to
myself. Eventually, the site closed BUT they amalgamated with a far
bigger website that has a massive worldwide audience and my
'employer' became one of the editors for their site.
The perks are that you
get free music, as long as you write a review about. Alas, it's not
paid work and is of a voluntary basis – but, most Goths and
Metalheads worth their salt are very passionate about their scene and
those who have a very good sense of English language and literature
will find that reviewing albums a very cathartic and enjoyable thing
to do. Although, I haven't been entirely immune from writer's block
with some bands of course. You are also helping to promote your scene
and the independent, free thinking press. How often have you read
about something, where you feel you could have done better and feel
they have got it entirely wrong? I'm willing to wager probably more
times that you've had hot dinners if you're and intelligent person
like myself.
Many of these websites
are crying out for more staff as they're drowning in promo albums,
for example fellow writers have had stuff like the latest Paradise
Lost, Burzum, and Meshuggah albums to review. In my case, I was
delighted to receive and review Wodensthrone's latest album 'Curse' –
which is an absolute essential and I urge anyone to buy if if they
like Black Metal like I do. Not forgetting discovering new and
interesting bands you may like. If you're up to it, send them an
email asking if they want a new recruit. If they're after staff, they
will ask you to write a test review for them to check out. If you do
well, you get the job. Simple as that.
Alas, I wish this was
my PAID job. But who knows? Maybe I might get recruited to write for
a magazine one day? Never say never.
To conclude this blog,
here is the 'test review' I wrote.
(Credits: To Ray, all
the staff and readers who write for ThisIsNotAScene)
Esoteric – Paragon of
Dissonance **TEST REVIEW**
There are many bands
that are part of the Doom Metal genre, from the more accessible works
of Cathedral post 'The Ethereal Mirror', Candlemass with their
melancholy and the soaring vocals of Messiah Marcolin in their
heyday, and the sadly defunct Colosseum with its slow and methodical
catchy flavour of Doom.
But out of them all,
one that stands out to my ears is Esoteric, a band that certainly
doesn't do anything by halves; often making 2 CD/LP long opuses that
can (especially with their earlier albums) be extremely suffocating,
dizzying, and mind warping to listen to. There truly isn't anything
quite like them and a real challenge to all but the most committed
extreme metal fan.
This album, follows in
the same path – but I feel with a refinement that has improved from
the 'Subconscious Dissolution Into The Continuum' album onwards, and
also spans over two CD/LP's just like their previous output. In fact,
I believe that if there was a parallel universe where Funeral Doom
somehow replaced Prog Rock then Esoteric would be said parallel
universes version of Pink Floyd's earlier works – large,
comprehensive, spiralling, and enveloping the listener in a
bottomless but aurally attractive form of darkness that certainly
lives up to the Funeral Doom tag, and then some. If you are after a
simple 'bish bash bosh' 30 minute album that departs as quickly as it
leaves, it will not be found with Esoteric's work.
The opening track,
'Abandonment' is a perfect case in point. Slow, lumbering riffs with
conjure up a sense of melancholy that envelops the listener but in a
more 'ear friendly' manner that can be heard on 'The Maniacal Vale';
in fact I find it to be a track that covers it all for me and ticks
all the boxes – emotive and mind blowing solos to full on speaker
destroying chuggerama's and one that I can't stop playing over and
over.
The rest of the album
takes dramatic, and dizzying turns that sound like an icy black dirge
– notably found in the track 'Loss of Will', which truly does sound
like the track does indeed 'Lose The Will' on many levels, but
obviously not in a bad way. 'Cipher' picks it up a notch and changes
gear with some faster riffing and some much needed stomp which ends
in a sea of distortion, fading out like a violent tropical storm.
'None Being' comes into view, with a near tranquil swathe of synths,
which starts on the same path of speeding up, and slowing down to an
near perceptible crawl which in its own right can be a difficult
track to swallow which then ends in a stuttering stop.
The 2nd CD
contains just three tracks which clock in on an average of 15
minutes a piece and continue in the same dizzying fashion, slowing,
ebbing, draining, speeding it up a notch and then creeping to a point
where it feels as slow as natural land erosion – such is the
expansive span that is stretched into and crammed into the tracks.
'Disconsolate' starts with the same dreamlike state similar to 'None
Being', that breaks into a double bass thump and soaring guitar
solos, slowing down and then stunning the listener by striding back
with a bludgeon. Lastly, 'A Torrent of Ills' drags on in a slow
plodding manner making the listener thinking they've been listening
to the album for an eternity, to fade out in a mesmeric swirl that
sounds like planets imploding in slow motion.
If you're already a fan
of Esoteric and have purchased 'The Maniacal Vale', then this will
slot in perfectly as a perfect companion in your album rack. To my
ears, it's possibly a micron short of the brilliance of the previous
album – but it's something that is barely measurable to point
excessive criticism. If you're willing to take the plunge with
Funeral Doom after not having any prior experience of the genre, then
you can't go wrong with Esoteric – closely followed by Colosseum.
Buy it, find a quiet moment with no distraction in the day and let it
take over. You won't be disappointed.
