Blog

I love me an honest promo blurb. In a world where every advertisement promises more brutality than a 20-year exclusive diet of doughnuts and American cheese, and more emotional trauma than walking in your parents whipping you up a sibling, there are points to be earned for labels real enough to simply tell us what this is and who it’s for. The sophomore album by one-man project Agonanist arrived with the very simple description that this was “…adjacent to dissonant black metal in the vein of Deathspell Omega, Blut aus Nord, Xasthur, and Krallice.” I happen to have some degree of appreciation for all those bands, ranging from acknowledgement of importance to unbridled fanaticism, so I couldn’t wait to get my paws on this. Toss in some info about hand-carved microtonal guitars in the spirit of Jute Gyte, and this sets the stage for a blackened slab of ugly indeed. Can The Spirit of Gravity possibly live up to such a pedigree?

No, but the Spirit is definitely there. Agonanist could have just as easily labeled The Spirit of Gravity as experimental atmo-black and still been on the money, as the expected ugliness and mind-warping generally take a back seat to heaps and heaps of spacey, ambient atmosphere. It helps that the whole album is deeply overlaid with synth work, softening the more abrasive edges (“The Gateway”) and offering up transitional passages of beauty (“Collapse”) while rarely turning into their own highlight reel. “Effacement” is the two-pronged statement of intent, beginning with the required ugly chords, murky and full and indeed carrying a whiff of vintage Xasthur, but then blending into much more beautiful, hypnotic notes reminiscent of a less peaceful Cosmosophy. This dual approach is found in the bulk of The Spirit of Gravity, as flirtations with genuine microtonal oppression always give way to something more ethereal, and, dare I say, meditative.

Curiously, Agonanist thrives most when it leans into those moments of beauty and atmosphere over the aggressive and ugly. “Silent Absent” takes on a near shoegaze quality in the riff style and tones, and “Disruption and Decay” features some prolonged simple melodies of melancholy and reflection. Featuring a list of guest instrumentalists from bands as diverse as Krallice, Ripped to Shreds, and even Benighted, the overall sound never wanders beyond the adventurous gardens of the more tranquilly inclined Bluts and Xasthurs of the world. “For Mia” tries to channel some real pathos, with a simple, thick chord progression applying some emotional heft in defiance of the expected cosmic perversion of sound, with decent results. The entire body of work across The Spirit of Gravity lends itself more to relaxing, sky-watching atmospherics, only pausing at times to remind us all of the unknowable everything waiting just beyond the view of the horizon.

It’s in those pauses that The Spirit of Gravity falters. “Cry of Cages” is the most straightforwardly ugly song on the album, lurching here and there without an immediately obvious structure or hook beyond its warped and mutated lead. This song is also a strange blip in the Agonanist experience, as the bulk of The Spirit of Gravity tries to wield its two tonal influences in somewhat equal measure. Most of the speed present on the album finds itself in the uglier bits, with the first third of “Collapse”, the beginning of “Disruption…” and “Silent Absent” using tempo modulations to emphasize the spiritual shift before eventually easing just a touch into more major progressions and softer notes. The greatest riddle of the album is found in “Collapse”, which uses its gorgeous synth interlude to segue into a full five-minute outro of the rawest, screechiest guitar feedback and drumming, reminiscent of Spektr’s Et Fugit Interea Fugit Irreparabile Tempus. Suddenly the fusion is achieved, as the most objectively raw piece of the album masters the introspective and ethereal mood teased at and grasped for throughout, and I’m left desperately wanting more of that. It shows that there are greater things waiting in the project’s future, if they can commit more to a lane or improve in their combination of such disparate ingredients.

Much as the art depicts a mass of bright light surrounded by so much darkness, The Spirit of Gravity is an enjoyable, but imperfect amalgamation of two moods. It isn’t the soul-burning exposure to horrors beyond I was expecting, nor does it turn so beautiful that it can be described as anything truly melodic. What it shows is a unique vision, a sign of promise from a fledgling artist with an already well-crafted and distinct flavor. I’d love to hear more consistency, in one direction or the other; a deeper commitment to the horrors beyond or the beauty within. For now, Agonanist have dropped an interesting release in the realm of dissonant black metal, so come take a dive down this gravity well and pray you land on the right side of the light.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 10 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Transylvanian Recordings
Website: Album Bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: August 28th, 2026

The post Agonanist – The Spirit of Gravity Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.

Posted on August 28th 2026, 12:10pm

As the saying goes, there’s no ‘I’ in ‘Team’. Apparently there’s also no ‘U’ in Colorblind either, but of course this is the name of a band, and they’re not British. Hailing from Austin, Texas the four-piece has been labouring away for almost a decade and, after having signed with Solid State Records, they’re ready to their unleash their debut album. On the subject of grammar, its title contains two questions, but no questions marks; that means it’s a statement, but what is it saying?

Colourblindness can take many forms but essentially it’s being unable to discern different colours, not necessarily red or green, but differing shades. One might blur into another. A varied canvas may appear to be a single swathe, and this makes Colorblind the ideal name for a band whose work exists on an indistinct spectrum. Clearly, their sound is post-hardcore. The drums, and the particularly occasional breakdowns, are lifted directly from hardcore but the overall tone is softer and more indebted to shoegaze. ‘Dreamcore’ they call it, which feels surprisingly accurate with its slightly abstracted sounds and softened edges. Of course, because some of the sounds are intense, even harsh, and layered with imagery the description implies they have some quite interesting dreams. It’s a sound closest to bands like Saosin, or any of the bands featuring Anthony Green but they would sit neatly alongside smaller bands like Parting Gift or Terminals.

The album’s title gives something else away, the track listing contains the whole of their ‘Who Sold You This Truth’ EP. The older songs like ‘Let Down’ and ‘God Complex’ are heavier but fit seamlessly alongside the newer works. The difference between the two is a sense of exploration and alongside Justin Page’s guitar parts there are throbbing synth pulses like on ‘Pressure’ or a snappy shuffle under ‘Royal Blood’. These gentle electronics are wisely deployed so they never feel glitzy or too prominent and just add a gentle layer of atmosphere, meaning it all feels tasteful. And, because of the slightly washed-out dreamy sound, it doesn’t feel as heavy as it is.

The record’s defining features is how constructed it all feels. Although the drums offer a consistent beat the other sounds are strangely distant. There are few defined guitar sounds and instead there is a rush and swell of effects. This make it feel druggy and dreamy on songs like on ‘Lost In Translation’ and ‘Car Crash’ but the higher tempo songs like ‘Incomplete’ skew toward pop music, making the whole record seem accessible and easy.

At a first glance the fifteen track total can be off-putting. It appears to be a lot of music, but it’s an illusion. The album’s runtime actually feels concise and thoughtful. There are two reasons for this, firstly the songs are relatively short and focused so it doesn’t lose its sense of momentum. Secondly, there is a consistent level of quality. Each song is presented like a single with a hook, a solid chorus and solid underpinning idea. This stops it getting bogged down with sonic experiments making the runtime pass quickly and easily.

The band’s most distinctive feature is Travis Moseley’s singing style. It’s high and emotional, similar to Anthony Green or Peirce The Veil’s Vic Fuentes (Particularly on ‘Car Crash’) and is consistently engaging. That’s the trick. Throughout the album he shifts his voice through higher registers to create slick hooks and hold your attention. Put simply, it feels easy. This is a product of the slightly ethereal tone and the music’s softened edges. Even when he’s leaning into harder sound for emphasis on songs like ‘Royal Blood’ there’s a fuzzy, slightly distorted feel that is open and honest. It’s that sound a lot of over-produced singers are searching for, blurred but human.

One of his best tricks is the way he presents words. By using over-pronunciation he shapes the songs in engaging ways, for example using adding letters so the word ‘My’ sounds like ‘May’ or by giving ‘Love’ five syllables and numerous extra vowels. It’s delightful. He also plays with rhythm like on ‘Incomplete’ where the quick rhyme scheme is really effective. On a handful of songs like ‘God Complex’ he dips into screaming, but those harsh moments are woven into the song’s fabric so that they’re neither off-putting nor feel out of place.

Lyrically, Moseley relies on common phrases like ‘fight fire’ or ‘Misery Loves Company’ which is a remarkably effective way of working. It gives the songs a solid base he can then loop his stories around. He also uses strong imagery on songs like ‘Needle Eye’ which add an extra dimension and mean that it’s not all one note. This works particularly well on ‘Chemical Warfare’ which combines all his strongest tricks to create a stinging mixture of melody and meaning, especially during the breakdown where the backing vocal hissing  ‘It burns’ rushes to the foreground. The closing song ‘Cynical’ is a stripped back ending sung over a soft echoing drum loop, like a dream drifting off into morning. It’s a stirring and satisfying ending to the record.

Colorblind make post-hardcore that is both blurred and beautiful. ‘Who Sold You This Truth ++ Was It Yours To Hold’ is a strong statement painted in a variety of shades and colours.

IAN KENWORTHY

The Callous Daoboys have returned with a new track titled ‘Watching Us Kiss’, and it sits on the most chaotic side of their sound.

A crushing, unrelenting, vicious slice of metalcore fury, it pushes the band to a point of heaviness that they inhabit so wonderfully. Bludgeoning breakdowns, banshee screams and brain-melting refrains, it is an absolute belter. One that further cements the band’s place as one of the most unpredictable and unhinged assets to the scene currently.

Vocalist Carson Pace had this to say about it:

‘Watching Us Kiss’ is sort of the answer to every question you’ve had in your entire life. Return to music.”

It follows on from ‘Giant Parasite Tongue’, which was released earlier this year and sounds a lot like this:

The band will be hitting the road as support for Enter Shikari across the UK and Europe later this year alongside Holding Absence. Here are the dates:

NOVEMBER

03 – HAMBURG Sporthalle
04 – MUNICH Zenith
05 – LEIPZIG Haus Auensee
06 – DUSSELDORF Mitsubishi Electric Hall
07 – BERLIN Columbiahalle
10 – BRUSSELS Forest National
11 – TILBURG 013
13 – NOTTINGHAM Motorpoint Arena
14 – CARDIFF Utilita Arena
15 – HULL Connexin Live
18 – GLASGOW Hydro
19 – MANCHESTER Co-op Live
20 – LONDON Alexandra Palace
21 – LONDON Alexandra Palace

The post The Callous Daoboys Unleash Frenzied New Track ‘Watching Us Kiss’ appeared first on Rock Sound.

Source

We’ve barely recovered from the last one, yet Tuska’s line-up for summer 2027 is already shaping up so well that it couldn’t be better. Lorna Shore and Children of Bodom have already been announced as headliners, and now the line-up is rounded off by Judas Priest from England, one of the world’s most beloved heavy metal bands.

Other new additions to next summer’s Tuska line-up include American metalcore giants The Devil Wears Prada, Manchester-based hardcore band Guilt Trip, power metal Stratovarius, the highly entertaining Canadian hard rock trio Danko Jones, the Swedish modern rock phenomenon Smash Into Pieces, and Green Lung, who draw on British musical heritage to blend dark hard rock, prog and psychedelia.

Confirmed Tuska 2027 performers:

Judas Priest, Lorna Shore, Children Of Bodom 
Heaven Shall Burn, Kanonenfieber 
The Devil Wears Prada, Guilt Trip  
Stratovarius – Visions 30th Anniversary show, Danko Jones  
Smash Into Pieces, Green Lung, Fox Lake, Gaerea, Avralize, Sinizter 

The dates of the artists’ performances will be announced at a later date.
Further performers will be announced at a later date.

TICKETS

Tuska 2027 Early Crow 3-day tickets are now on sale for €249.00 through the networks of Tuska’s official ticketing partners, Tiketti and Lippu.fi.

Other ticket categories and VIP tickets will go on sale at a later date.

The minimum age for Tuska is 18.

The post Tuska announces second wave of bands for 2027 edition first appeared on FemMetal – Goddesses of Metal.

Posted on August 28th 2026, 11:22am