2012 a reflection....in 17 Movements

bob. · 12-21-2012, 04:40 PM

this is reviews of the top 15 full length albums of 2012, 1 EP and one amazing reissue of 1960s pop

if you guys want i would love to even make a nice mix for you all at the end

1. Dernière Volonté - Mon Meilleur Ennemi

in the beginning Dernière Volonté was pure Martial Industrial...bombastic beats fused with war speech samples and crypto-fascist images....a pioneer in the genre....somewhere in the early 2000s Geoffroy D took the band in a new direction...creating something amazing and 100% original....Martial pop music....in the past few years he has teetered back and forth with the sound of the band....and this release to captures everything perfect he has done in the past.....all of the songs are fun, militaristic, danceable and with wonderful lyrics embracing the romantic side of war and the romance that is Europe....still a stand out band that really has it's own unique sound...well done sir

Top Tracks
J'oublies que tu existes
Mon Meilleur Ennemi

2. Kiss The Anus Of A Black Cat - Weltuntergangsstimmung

a big game changer for this amazing Belgium band....the sole main member Stef Heeren was talking all last year about this album....and consistently the words "electronics" and "different approach" kept coming up....so i was waiting for this with anticipation and caution....it works...he has managed to make an album that i think really will appeal to people who would not listen to much of their earlier works....while sticking with what we have always loved about his writing....hell the name of the album basically mean "looking like the apocalypse"....not really sure what to call them anymore....but i have to admit for as much as i love their older work....i am really enjoying where they are going

Top Tracks
Ruins
The Shadows Are You

3. Divorce - Divorce

out of all the bands i've been talking about here...i am so happy that people are starting to take notice of Divorce.....this is the follow up to their EP and man is this album nasty....seriously the best headache you could ever wish for....right from the get go you are pummeled with the chaotic nightmares of these Scottish masters....and the best part is there is no break from it....the drums and bass literally punches your face while the guitar shanks you.....and to add misery to pain the vocals are gut wrenching....can't wait for more and more from this band

Top Tracks
Aids Of Space
Stabby (Stabby) Stab

4. X-TG - Desertshore/The Final Report

it was first announced that the final Throbbing Gristle album would be a re-imagining of Nico's Desertshore just about a month after Peter's death in 2010...so in other words i've been waiting two years for this damn album....and it was well worth the wait.....i'm not sure exactly what happened between the three remaining members but obviously Genesis is at odds and has been omitted from the final release.....the first disc is amazing....all of the guest vocals are splendid and well done....specifically the Blixa Bargeld songs....for me it is such a treat to here Throbbing Gristle, with Einsturzende Neubauten, covering Nico.....perfect....the re-imaging is just what i expected....weird, surreal, nightmarish and beautiful all at the same time.....and surprisingly true to the source material....the Final Report is fitting....very ambient, sad and strangely soothing....but it really does not compare with the Desertshore album....a perfect end to what i would consider top be one of the most important bands in history

Top Tracks
Desertshore
Mütterlein (feat. Blixa Bargeld)
All That Is My Own (feat. Cosey Fanni Tutti)
The Final Report
Breach
Emerge to Space Jazz

5. Wovenhand - The Laughing Stalk

David Eugene Edwards is one of the few musicians out there that i can honestly say i feel can do no wrong....and with this swing into a more "rock" direction he has made a damn near perfect album....i feel like he is taking direction from late era Swans and even all of Angels of Light.....while continuing with his "gothic country" feel he has taken to adding wonder distorted guitar arrangements along with his haunting vocal style....i think Pete said it best....this is Wovenhand doing noise rock to the best of their ability....and it';s a gem....by far my favorite album of his since the days of 16 Horsepower

Top Tracks
Maize
Long Horn

TheBig3 · 12-21-2012, 05:14 PM

Bowel Movements.

Kidding.

Looking forward to checking these outs. I'm gunning through all the ones I have this weekend. Thanks, Man.

**Goofle** · 12-21-2012, 06:09 PM

Ahh bummer

Nice list so far, a few cross overs from my list!

bob. · 12-23-2012, 02:18 PM

6. Swans - The Seer

in late 2009 when Michael Gira went online and wrote 4 words "Swans Are NOT dead." i flipped my lid....Swans have been one of the few bands that i've consistently been into since the grist time i heard them...and nothing in my mind could be better than a Swans reunion....at first i was a little put off that Jarboe would not be included but felt really it had to be Michael and Norm...the album gets released and man was i upset....it's not that it was a bad album it just did not feel like a Swans album at all....but rather a nosier Angels of Light....so thank the Gods for The Seer....this is what i wanted out of My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky....it seems to me that Swans throughout their career have managed to always progress with their albums....and Soundtrack was such a fitting end to them....but The seer is such an immaculate rebirth....and much like Soundtracks i don't think i will ever not listen to this album without starting on disc one track one and taking the time to be blanketed by it

Top Tracks
A Piece Of The Sky
Mother Of The World

7. Sabbath Assembly - Ye Are Gods

AS IT IS

when it was announced earlier this year that Sabbath Assembly would record another album my first thought was "well here is my album of the year"....so why at 7?

2 reasons

1. it is much more serious than "Restored To One"
2. no Jex Thoth

so basically the concept behind this band is to cover the hymns of The Process Church Of Final Judgement....for anybody here who has taken any interest in me....you already know i have been obsessed with this doomsday cult of the 60s for well over 20 years now and only within the last 5 years has a floodgate of information about them entered the world
1.
so their first album was amazing and really groovy religious psychedelic rock....this one is much more structured like an actual Sabbath Assembly....with even the inclusion of a high Priest/ess (Genesis P-Orridge)....the songs here are much darker and toned down....it's not that this is a bad thing at all....and in all honest i love it.....but the general feel for this album is a bit different from their first album....this one is a must for anybody who has ever had interest in the occult and or the concepts of duality
2.
even when i read that Jex Thoth was not doing to be a part of this album....i was quite fine with it...and please don't get me wrong Jamie Myers has a beautiful and haunting voice and is excellent on this album....and i think that her vocals are a major reason why i would say that the track "Exit" is by far my top track for the year....but i came to the realization that i have a major crush on Jex Thoth....and it's hard to get over

if you were to pick any of the albums i review here to look into i suggest this one....and also their first album....this band is amazing and i truly hope they continue

Top Tracks
Exit
The Love of the Gods

SO BE IT

bob. · 01-02-2013, 01:15 PM

8. Jastreb - Jastreb

a message from the band

"Hailing from 13th century, these mystical troubadours failed to destroy the Earth in an apocalyptic event gone horribly awry.
After this failure, making music seemed the only way to get cosmic redemption and women.
By opening a diabolical rift and traveling to the future, they escaped the Catholic inquisition and are now getting ready for a second attempt at the aforementioned apocalyptic event."

in reality this band consists of members of Seven That Spells and members of Der Blutharsch and the Infinite Church of the Leading Hand....their debut album is one 40 minute track of absolute kraut rock repetition intermixed with despondent doom....this is the perfect soundtrack for the end of the world

Top Track
Yggdrasil

9. The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Meat + Bone

this album is proof that sometimes back to basics is the only way to go....12 awesome tracks of blasting fuzzed out blues rock that only Jon Spencer can deliver....no watered down crap here....Jon gets back to screaming his vocals rather than attempting to sing them....the tracks are simple and fun....a great return of a great band

Top Tracks
Strange Baby
Boot Cuts

10. Unsane - Wreck

2010's Coextinction ep was a perfect little tease as to what this album would be like....Unsane is by far one of my all time favorite bands....and will always be...this album is much better than their last two albums...which is saying a lot considering they were among the best of their respective years....and this album is no different.....if you are actually reading this and have never heard Unsane....i would honestly say that this album is actually a good place to start....i also suggest driving fast and playing this at full volume

Top Tracks
No Chance
Pigeon

11. Pigs - You Ruin Everything

1 part Unsane, 1 part Slughog and with a squeeze of freshkills....and you get Pigs....seriously i've been reading about this combination for years and waiting and waiting and waiting for a release...it seemed like it was a wasted side project till last year when they release a two song ep on Coextinction...which fucking rocked....this album is no exception to that....i love the fact that Dave took up guitar....so it really seperated from the sound of Unsane and really creates something new while actually still keeping the intensity....the is noise rock 101 class...prepare to bleed

Top Tracks
Outburst Calendar
Scrum

12. Ufomammut - ORO: Opus Primum/Alter

i decided to combine these two albums as i feel they are a continuous concept.....one released in April and one later in September...these albums are an amazing example of the power of this Italian band....a perfect journey into the dark and dirty corners of psychedelic music....sludgy, slow, groovy.....i think i leans towards the second album...but i really think that neither should be ignored...makes me wish i did drugs too be honest...i can imaging how great these would be while under the influence

Top Tracks
Primum
Aureum
Magickon
Alter
Oroborus
Sulphurdew

bob. · 01-02-2013, 02:24 PM

13. Heldentod - The Ghost Machine

putting aside their neofolk/martial industrial roots and concentrating on dark death filled harsh electronic compositions....Heldentod's third release is a frightening and unrelenting journey into misanthropic nightmares....i find it hard these days to truly find good albums by power electronic groups....its one thing to make harsh pummeling noises that attack the listener more than entertain them....it's another thing to make this sound good....this album is a perfect example of the latter.....the soundscapes are mean, painful and dark....and while being unrelenting....there is a certain amount of serenity there....this album also has some very interesting vocal manipulation....for anybody even remotely interested in ancestor worship/ghosts/death industrial music....

Top Tracks
The Ghost Machine
In The Company Of Pure Cold Wind

14. OM - Advaitic Songs

a while back i mentioned that i would take an OM album over a High on Fire album any day.....this album just strengthens my claim....i think calling this doom or stoner metal is a bit off but kind of makes sense....there seems to me to be a certain amount of spirituality here that i feel the band has always been striving for....what we get is a beautiful and somewhat droning album with amazing string instrument arrangements...personally i think this is their best album since their first

Top Tracks
Gethsemane
Haqq al-Yaqin

15. Jess And The Ancient Ones - Jess And The Ancient Ones

a while back i came across an article talking about the new uprising of "occult rock"....i took a bit of interest and as it turned out i had been listening to it for some time....that article suggested listening to this band from Finland....and it was well worth it....you get some great psychedelic hard rock that is nothing short of fun....with wonderful vocals from Jess....and some real witchy lyrics....overall it's just a damn good rock record

Top Tracks
13th Breath Of The Zodiac
Prayer For Death And Fire

Urban Hat€monger ? · 01-02-2013, 02:44 PM

You just reminded me about that Jess And The Ancient Ones album because I downloaded it during the summer after reading something about it too, only never got around to hearing it.
I got The Thousandfold Epicentre by The Devil's Blood from reading the same thing.

I had no idea Jon Spencer released a Blues Explosion album this year.
I hearby revoke my coolness card

bob. · 01-02-2013, 02:47 PM

yeah The Devil's Blood and Christian Mistress....i kind of went with this one mainly because it kind of peaked my interest in the "genre"

and yes....hand in your sunglasses now!

and get that album man....it's really good

12-21-2012, 04:40 PM	#1 (permalink)
bob. Still sends his reguards. Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Trying to get out of the cat town.... Posts: 5,039	2012 a reflection....in 17 (Bowel) Movements this is reviews of the top 15 full length albums of 2012, 1 EP and one amazing reissue of 1960s pop if you guys want i would love to even make a nice mix for you all at the end 1. Dernière Volonté - Mon Meilleur Ennemi in the beginning Dernière Volonté was pure Martial Industrial...bombastic beats fused with war speech samples and crypto-fascist images....a pioneer in the genre....somewhere in the early 2000s Geoffroy D took the band in a new direction...creating something amazing and 100% original....Martial pop music....in the past few years he has teetered back and forth with the sound of the band....and this release to captures everything perfect he has done in the past.....all of the songs are fun, militaristic, danceable and with wonderful lyrics embracing the romantic side of war and the romance that is Europe....still a stand out band that really has it's own unique sound...well done sir Top Tracks J'oublies que tu existes Mon Meilleur Ennemi 2. Kiss The Anus Of A Black Cat - Weltuntergangsstimmung a big game changer for this amazing Belgium band....the sole main member Stef Heeren was talking all last year about this album....and consistently the words "electronics" and "different approach" kept coming up....so i was waiting for this with anticipation and caution....it works...he has managed to make an album that i think really will appeal to people who would not listen to much of their earlier works....while sticking with what we have always loved about his writing....hell the name of the album basically mean "looking like the apocalypse"....not really sure what to call them anymore....but i have to admit for as much as i love their older work....i am really enjoying where they are going Top Tracks Ruins The Shadows Are You 3. Divorce - Divorce out of all the bands i've been talking about here...i am so happy that people are starting to take notice of Divorce.....this is the follow up to their EP and man is this album nasty....seriously the best headache you could ever wish for....right from the get go you are pummeled with the chaotic nightmares of these Scottish masters....and the best part is there is no break from it....the drums and bass literally punches your face while the guitar shanks you.....and to add misery to pain the vocals are gut wrenching....can't wait for more and more from this band Top Tracks Aids Of Space Stabby (Stabby) Stab 4. X-TG - Desertshore/The Final Report it was first announced that the final Throbbing Gristle album would be a re-imagining of Nico's Desertshore just about a month after Peter's death in 2010...so in other words i've been waiting two years for this damn album....and it was well worth the wait.....i'm not sure exactly what happened between the three remaining members but obviously Genesis is at odds and has been omitted from the final release.....the first disc is amazing....all of the guest vocals are splendid and well done....specifically the Blixa Bargeld songs....for me it is such a treat to here Throbbing Gristle, with Einsturzende Neubauten, covering Nico.....perfect....the re-imaging is just what i expected....weird, surreal, nightmarish and beautiful all at the same time.....and surprisingly true to the source material....the Final Report is fitting....very ambient, sad and strangely soothing....but it really does not compare with the Desertshore album....a perfect end to what i would consider top be one of the most important bands in history Top Tracks Desertshore Mütterlein (feat. Blixa Bargeld) All That Is My Own (feat. Cosey Fanni Tutti) The Final Report Breach Emerge to Space Jazz 5. Wovenhand - The Laughing Stalk David Eugene Edwards is one of the few musicians out there that i can honestly say i feel can do no wrong....and with this swing into a more "rock" direction he has made a damn near perfect album....i feel like he is taking direction from late era Swans and even all of Angels of Light.....while continuing with his "gothic country" feel he has taken to adding wonder distorted guitar arrangements along with his haunting vocal style....i think Pete said it best....this is Wovenhand doing noise rock to the best of their ability....and it';s a gem....by far my favorite album of his since the days of 16 Horsepower Top Tracks Maize Long Horn __________________ A kiss is the beginning of cannibalism. Reach out, pierce the fine fabric of the sheltering sky, take repose. Last edited by bob.; 12-21-2012 at 05:20 PM.

12-21-2012, 05:14 PM	#2 (permalink)
TheBig3 killedmyraindog Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 11,172	Bowel Movements. Kidding. Looking forward to checking these outs. I'm gunning through all the ones I have this weekend. Thanks, Man. __________________ I've moved to a new address

12-23-2012, 02:18 PM	#4 (permalink)
bob. Still sends his reguards. Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Trying to get out of the cat town.... Posts: 5,039	6. Swans - The Seer in late 2009 when Michael Gira went online and wrote 4 words "Swans Are NOT dead." i flipped my lid....Swans have been one of the few bands that i've consistently been into since the grist time i heard them...and nothing in my mind could be better than a Swans reunion....at first i was a little put off that Jarboe would not be included but felt really it had to be Michael and Norm...the album gets released and man was i upset....it's not that it was a bad album it just did not feel like a Swans album at all....but rather a nosier Angels of Light....so thank the Gods for The Seer....this is what i wanted out of My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky....it seems to me that Swans throughout their career have managed to always progress with their albums....and Soundtrack was such a fitting end to them....but The seer is such an immaculate rebirth....and much like Soundtracks i don't think i will ever not listen to this album without starting on disc one track one and taking the time to be blanketed by it Top Tracks A Piece Of The Sky Mother Of The World 7. Sabbath Assembly - Ye Are Gods AS IT IS when it was announced earlier this year that Sabbath Assembly would record another album my first thought was "well here is my album of the year"....so why at 7? 2 reasons 1. it is much more serious than "Restored To One" 2. no Jex Thoth so basically the concept behind this band is to cover the hymns of The Process Church Of Final Judgement....for anybody here who has taken any interest in me....you already know i have been obsessed with this doomsday cult of the 60s for well over 20 years now and only within the last 5 years has a floodgate of information about them entered the world 1. so their first album was amazing and really groovy religious psychedelic rock....this one is much more structured like an actual Sabbath Assembly....with even the inclusion of a high Priest/ess (Genesis P-Orridge)....the songs here are much darker and toned down....it's not that this is a bad thing at all....and in all honest i love it.....but the general feel for this album is a bit different from their first album....this one is a must for anybody who has ever had interest in the occult and or the concepts of duality 2. even when i read that Jex Thoth was not doing to be a part of this album....i was quite fine with it...and please don't get me wrong Jamie Myers has a beautiful and haunting voice and is excellent on this album....and i think that her vocals are a major reason why i would say that the track "Exit" is by far my top track for the year....but i came to the realization that i have a major crush on Jex Thoth....and it's hard to get over if you were to pick any of the albums i review here to look into i suggest this one....and also their first album....this band is amazing and i truly hope they continue Top Tracks Exit The Love of the Gods SO BE IT __________________ A kiss is the beginning of cannibalism. Reach out, pierce the fine fabric of the sheltering sky, take repose.

01-02-2013, 01:15 PM	#5 (permalink)
bob. Still sends his reguards. Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Trying to get out of the cat town.... Posts: 5,039	8. Jastreb - Jastreb a message from the band "Hailing from 13th century, these mystical troubadours failed to destroy the Earth in an apocalyptic event gone horribly awry. After this failure, making music seemed the only way to get cosmic redemption and women. By opening a diabolical rift and traveling to the future, they escaped the Catholic inquisition and are now getting ready for a second attempt at the aforementioned apocalyptic event." in reality this band consists of members of Seven That Spells and members of Der Blutharsch and the Infinite Church of the Leading Hand....their debut album is one 40 minute track of absolute kraut rock repetition intermixed with despondent doom....this is the perfect soundtrack for the end of the world Top Track Yggdrasil 9. The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Meat + Bone this album is proof that sometimes back to basics is the only way to go....12 awesome tracks of blasting fuzzed out blues rock that only Jon Spencer can deliver....no watered down crap here....Jon gets back to screaming his vocals rather than attempting to sing them....the tracks are simple and fun....a great return of a great band Top Tracks Strange Baby Boot Cuts 10. Unsane - Wreck 2010's Coextinction ep was a perfect little tease as to what this album would be like....Unsane is by far one of my all time favorite bands....and will always be...this album is much better than their last two albums...which is saying a lot considering they were among the best of their respective years....and this album is no different.....if you are actually reading this and have never heard Unsane....i would honestly say that this album is actually a good place to start....i also suggest driving fast and playing this at full volume Top Tracks No Chance Pigeon 11. Pigs - You Ruin Everything 1 part Unsane, 1 part Slughog and with a squeeze of freshkills....and you get Pigs....seriously i've been reading about this combination for years and waiting and waiting and waiting for a release...it seemed like it was a wasted side project till last year when they release a two song ep on Coextinction...which fucking rocked....this album is no exception to that....i love the fact that Dave took up guitar....so it really seperated from the sound of Unsane and really creates something new while actually still keeping the intensity....the is noise rock 101 class...prepare to bleed Top Tracks Outburst Calendar Scrum 12. Ufomammut - ORO: Opus Primum/Alter i decided to combine these two albums as i feel they are a continuous concept.....one released in April and one later in September...these albums are an amazing example of the power of this Italian band....a perfect journey into the dark and dirty corners of psychedelic music....sludgy, slow, groovy.....i think i leans towards the second album...but i really think that neither should be ignored...makes me wish i did drugs too be honest...i can imaging how great these would be while under the influence Top Tracks Primum Aureum Magickon Alter Oroborus Sulphurdew __________________ A kiss is the beginning of cannibalism. Reach out, pierce the fine fabric of the sheltering sky, take repose.

01-02-2013, 02:24 PM	#6 (permalink)
bob. Still sends his reguards. Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Trying to get out of the cat town.... Posts: 5,039	13. Heldentod - The Ghost Machine putting aside their neofolk/martial industrial roots and concentrating on dark death filled harsh electronic compositions....Heldentod's third release is a frightening and unrelenting journey into misanthropic nightmares....i find it hard these days to truly find good albums by power electronic groups....its one thing to make harsh pummeling noises that attack the listener more than entertain them....it's another thing to make this sound good....this album is a perfect example of the latter.....the soundscapes are mean, painful and dark....and while being unrelenting....there is a certain amount of serenity there....this album also has some very interesting vocal manipulation....for anybody even remotely interested in ancestor worship/ghosts/death industrial music.... Top Tracks The Ghost Machine In The Company Of Pure Cold Wind 14. OM - Advaitic Songs a while back i mentioned that i would take an OM album over a High on Fire album any day.....this album just strengthens my claim....i think calling this doom or stoner metal is a bit off but kind of makes sense....there seems to me to be a certain amount of spirituality here that i feel the band has always been striving for....what we get is a beautiful and somewhat droning album with amazing string instrument arrangements...personally i think this is their best album since their first Top Tracks Gethsemane Haqq al-Yaqin 15. Jess And The Ancient Ones - Jess And The Ancient Ones a while back i came across an article talking about the new uprising of "occult rock"....i took a bit of interest and as it turned out i had been listening to it for some time....that article suggested listening to this band from Finland....and it was well worth it....you get some great psychedelic hard rock that is nothing short of fun....with wonderful vocals from Jess....and some real witchy lyrics....overall it's just a damn good rock record Top Tracks 13th Breath Of The Zodiac Prayer For Death And Fire __________________ A kiss is the beginning of cannibalism. Reach out, pierce the fine fabric of the sheltering sky, take repose.

01-02-2013, 02:44 PM	#7 (permalink)
Urban Hat€monger ? The Sexual Intellectual Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Somewhere cooler than you Posts: 18,605	You just reminded me about that Jess And The Ancient Ones album because I downloaded it during the summer after reading something about it too, only never got around to hearing it. I got The Thousandfold Epicentre by The Devil's Blood from reading the same thing. I had no idea Jon Spencer released a Blues Explosion album this year. I hearby revoke my coolness card __________________ Urb's RYM Stuff Most people sell their soul to the devil, but the devil sells his soul to Nick Cave.

01-02-2013, 02:47 PM	#8 (permalink)
bob. Still sends his reguards. Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Trying to get out of the cat town.... Posts: 5,039	yeah The Devil's Blood and Christian Mistress....i kind of went with this one mainly because it kind of peaked my interest in the "genre" and yes....hand in your sunglasses now! and get that album man....it's really good __________________ A kiss is the beginning of cannibalism. Reach out, pierce the fine fabric of the sheltering sky, take repose.