Yndi Halda, Enjoy Eternal Bliss

England, 2007.

Yndi Halda (old Norse for "Enjoy Eternal Bliss") are a post-rock band from Canterbury, England. The band’s music is characterized by expansive, cinematic pieces that have seen the group compared to modern classical and post-rock. However, Yndi Halda’s work is usually considered more thematically optimistic or hopeful, and more song-based than artists of the same genre.

Playlist:

1. Dash and Blast
2. We Flood Empty Lakes
3. A Song For Starlit Beaches
4. Illuminate My Heart, My Darling!

Link.

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Alamaailman Vasarat, Huuro Kolkko

Finland, 2009.

Alamaailman Vasarat's latest album, recommended to those who enjoy European folk music played with the ferocity of a punk or metal act.

Playlist:

1. Mielisaurus
2. Liskopallo
3. Meressä Ei Asuta
4. Natiivit
5. Lounto Tuli Lähelle
6. Tujuhuju
7. Luola
8. Omalla Ajalla
9. Lautturin Viivat

Link.

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Mahumodo, Waves (EP)

UK, 2007

This is Mahumodo's last EP. The band formed in '99 and split in 2003 when founding member Mehdi Safa left the UK to live in California and form *shels.

Playlist:

1 - April's
2 - WithMe
3 - *Waves
4 - *4*
5 - California
6 - HerParadise
7 - ByTheWaters

Link.

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Quarteto 1111 - Onde, Quando, Como, Porque, Cantamos Pessoas Vivas

Portugal, 1974

Quarteto 1111's last realease with the classic lineup including José Cid, this LP contains a single, 30 minute song which original spanned two sides. Reveered as a mellotron classic, this foreshadowed a nod in the neo-progressive direction José Cid himself would later take on his solo album, 10,000 anos depois... (previously posted). Highly recommended for mellotron fans.


Playlist:

1- Onde, Quando, Como, Porque, Cantamos Pessoas Vivas

Link.

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From Monument to Masses, Schools of Thought Contend

US, 2005

FMtM are a post-rock band, supposed to sound like Mogwai and Godspeed You! Black Emperor mixed with a post-hardcore structure. This album consists only of remixes, one of them by 65daysofstatic.

Playlist:

1 - Deafening
2 - The Quiet Before (Thunderbirds Are Now! remix)
3 - From the Mountains to the Prairies (Norr Liva and AM remix)
4 - The Spice Must Flow (Automato remix)
5 - Old Robes (nanoMachine remix)
6 - Comrades and Friends (Loquat remix)
7 - Old Robes (Antimc remix)
8 - To Z (Repeat) (65daysofstatic remix)
9 - The Quiet Before (Subtitle remix)
10 - The Spice Must Flow (Turbotito remix)
11 - From the Mountains to the Prairies (Textual remix)
12 - Sharpshooter (Jason Clark remix)
13 - To Z (Repeat) (Last Defender of the One True Waveform. remix)

Link.

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A Storm of Light, And We Wept The Black Ocean Within

US, 2008.

The debut release from Brooklyn, NY trio A Storm of Light comes, unfortunately, after the band's separation. Led by guitarist Josh Graham (also Neurosis visual director, Blood and Time, Battle of Mice and formerly of Red Sparowes), this combination of post-rock and doom metal will please fans of Neurosis and Mouth of the Architect.

Playlist:

1. Adrift
2. Vast and Endless
3. Black Ocean
4. Thunderhead
5. Undertow
6. Mass
7. Leaden Tide
8. Breach
9. Descent
10. Iron Heart

Link (MegaUpload).
Link (ShareBee).

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A Storm of Light & Nadja, Primitive North

US/Canada, 2009.

New York City's A Storm of Light are a post-metal band. Toronto's Nadja are a drone/ambient project. The result of this very interesting collaboration is a noisy drone/doom EP.

Playlist:

1. Brother
2. Sister
3. I Make From Your Eyes The Sun
4. Brother (Remix)
5. I Make From Your Eyes The Sun (Remix)

Link.

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O.S.I. - Blood

U.S., 2009

In Blood, O.S.I. have succeeded in creating a fascinating album at the crossroads between rock and progressive metal. Music that alternates between atmospherically dense and aggressively demanding elements, while effortlessly transcending barriers between different styles and genres.
Following its impressive predecessors, Office Of Strategic Influence (2003) and Free (2006), Blood is the third release by Kevin Moore and Jim Matheos. O.S.I. unites two exceptional composers who share their penchant for the unusual and are on the same artistic wavelength. - InsideOut Music

To be released April 27th in Europe and 15th of May in North America.

As for me, it left me speechless.


Playlist:

1. The Escape Artist
2. Terminal
3. False Start
4. We Come Undone
5. Radiologue
6. Be The Hero
7. Microburst Alert
8. Stockholm
9. Blood


Link.

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Long Distance Calling, Avoid the Light

Germany, 2009

Post-rock band from Berlin, formed shortly before 2006. "Instrumental rock music, based on heavy guitar riffing and shaking hands with psychedelic and calm elements. As most bands with this description tend to explore dark and depressive moods, these guys change between timid beauty and hard boiled reality in tough playing, always based on a driving rhythm section."

Playlist:

1 - Apparitions
2 - Black Paper Planes
3 - 359
4 - I Know You, Stanley Milgram!
5 - The Nearing Grave (ft. Jonas Renkse)
6 - Sundown Highway

Link.

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Jesu, Silver EP

U.K., 2006

Three year old release from post-metal/sludge/and-some-more-tags-if-you-want-to.
It does ring something inside; I have been happily stuck with the first song for years, and silver is just another gold.


Playlist:

1. Silver
2. Star
3. Wolves
4. Dead Eyes


Link.

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An Endless Sporadic, Ameliorate EP

U.S., 2008

Here's a group I can relate to. Young californian progressive metal duo with some Guitar Hero appearances. Nice energy to this EP, along with a crappy cover as well.


Playlist:
1. Anything
2. Impulse
3. Sun Of Pearl
4. The Adventures Of Jabubu


Link.

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Spastic Ink, Ink Complete

U.S., 1997

Even though the amount of musical notes hereby contained actually make my ears itch, this is the proof that Ron Jarzombek is either a lunatic or a tasteful musician; probably both.

It's not usual to find a record with such a sensible notion of music that eventhough positioned as virtuoso/fusion/progressive metal, finds its humility in blending and paying attention to such nuances as human speech factors, dynamic and complex tempo changes, and still find the humour to tell musical tales of a squirrel on the prowl for some breakfast or Thumper's scene from Disney's Bambi.

...it still has a horrible sleeve.


Playlist:

1. Mad Data Race
2. A Morning With Squeakie
3. Just A Little Dirty
4. See, And It's Sharp!
5. Suspended On All Fours
6. A Wild Hare
7. Harm And Half
8. To Counter And Groove In E Minor
9. That 178 Thing
10. Eights Is Enough
11. Mosquito Brain Surgery


Link.

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Jim Matheos, Away With Words

U.S., 1999

In an altogether different fashion from his usual work and recognition as exquisite riff master in such bands as O.S.I. and Fates Warning, this sophomore solo release from Jim Matheos presents a nice and calm – remniscent of Michael Hedges – attitude.
Accompanied by Michael Manring and Charlie Bisharat, Matheos creates a gentle aura in the form of clean and "pure" themes; and although this one may not be a mind-blower, and even fade into the background sometimes, it might be worth relaxing for a while and giving it a listen.


Playlist:

1. A Way With Words
2. Palindrome
3. Astronomics
4. The Language Of Silence
5. Piscataquog
6. A Conference Of Clouds
7. Mumbo Jumbo
8. Tongue Tied
9. The Last Light Of August
10. Goodnight, Goodbye


Link.

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Archive, Controlling Crowds

England, 2009.

Archive's sixth album was released on the 30th of March. Highly recommended, this album is possibly their best work.

Playlist:

1. Controlling Crowds
2. Bullets
3. Words On Signs
4. Dangervisit
5. Quiet Time
6. Collapse/Collide
7. Clones
8. Bastardised Ink
9. Kings Of Speed
10. Whore
11. Chaos
12. Razed To The Ground
13. Funeral

Link.

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Amesoeurs, Self-titled

France, 2009.

In 2004, guitarist/singer Neige of Alcest formed Amesoeurs, a black metal project that incorporates post-punk and shoegaze, accompanied by beautiful female vocals. Unfortunately, the band split up after the release of their first full-length, in March this year.

Playlist:

1. Gas in Veins
2. Les Ruches Malades
3. Heurt
4. Recueillement
5. Faux Semblants
6. Trouble (Éveils Infâmes)
7. I XIII V XIX XV V XXI XVIII XIX ˆ IX XIX ˆ IV V I IV
8. Video Girl
9. La Reine Trayeuse
10. Amesoeurs
11. Au Crépuscule de Nos Rêves

Link.

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The Samuel Jackson Five, Goodbye Melody Mountain

Norway, 2008.

The Samuel Jackson Five is a quartet from Oslo, Norway, that play post-rock with a slight folk, jazz and prog rock influence. This is their third and latest album.

Playlist:

1. Face The Fax
2. Hey Now, Who Really Cares
3. After The Avalanche
4. Eye Eat Lotus
5. Goodbye Melody Mountain
6. So Many Cowboys, So Few Indians
7. Slow Motion Simulator
8. How To Evade Your Obsessive Shadow

Link.

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Disen Gage, The Screw-Loose Entertainment

Russia, 2004.

Disen Gage is a unique mixture of various instrumental genres, including fripp-rock, progressive, fusion, world-music, psychedelic and improvised spots.

Playlist:

1. Solaris
2. Komar
3. Augenapfel
4. Kategeriin
5. Arabia
6. Chinagroove #17
7. Witchtanz
8. Latino
9. Jewboilove
10. Waltz

Link.

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