ORPHAN DONOR – Old Patterns
Abrasive and complex are two watermarks for Orphan Donor’s latest release called Old Patterns. The soundwaves reverberate in our brain in a state of chaos gestation. Confusion and aggressiveness maintain a wild balance that bind us into submission during the 9 themes of Old Patterns. As intense as it can be, the melodies delve into uncharted territories of the extreme. Ferocious vocals, abrasive drums and savagely creative and aggressive guitars are the mainstay for the album.
Orphan Donor is the solo project by Jared Stimpfl (from Secret Cutter and ex-Oktober Skyline) and its patterns may be dubbed old but hits us with a new sort of ferocity and urgency.
It kicks off with Hamsteria and never lets us go. Screamo, emo-violence and metalcore are mashed together in a symphony of chaos and disarray. It never quiets or pacifies, and it maintains a feral energy through the whole album that clocks at about 27 minutes.
A must for fans of extreme and unrelenting sounds that make you quiver in the presence of sonic chaos.
IN WOLVES CLOTHING – It Eats Itself
In Wolves Clothing (Virginia, USA) loudly announce their return with an 8 track LP armed with new and old schoolings from the University of Screamo in Skramzville. The band generates a sonic playfield for our own twisted and uncovered emotions, blending aggression and emotion in a way that the genre seems to do best.
Maniacal textures and dynamics intermingle with intimate and almost contemplative riffs that do not lose their edge or energy. In 25 minutes, the band manages to distil as much primal emotion as it can.
It is hard to pinpoint highlights, but one can elect the serpentine and wild riffing in the track Sorry about your Friend, that is as contagious as is surprising. Different textures and directions take place in furious sonic bubbles of untainted emotion.
Pure and undiluted screamo with emo-violence tinges for the bravest and most committed students in Skramzville.
STORMLIGHT – Natoma
An exclusive Zegema Beach Records release unites musicians from such bands as Loma Prieta, Lord Snow, Elle and Lautrec. Natoma is a delicate yet intense album that is infused with a high sense of melody and catchiness without losing its integrity and character.
We may be instantly hooked by the melody that erupts in the first song, Farsick. A dynamic and captivating song that is a brilliant start to an album that seems simple but is quite complex.
With short but effective songs, the album guides us through landscapes of emotional wandering, looking for fulfillment, the anxiety of longing and the inherent melancholy of existence.
Vibrant and colorful, the sonic moods in Natoma are constantly changing and bringing new textures without ever sounding dull or generic.
Text: Cláudia Zafre