Free Music Monday does exactly what it says on the tin. Every Monday I will scour BandCamp for only the best free albums.
Free Music.
Every Monday!
Got that? Good.
Let's begin.
Birnam Wood – Birnam Wood
Free Music.
Every Monday!
Got that? Good.
Let's begin.
Birnam Wood – Birnam Wood
The hard and heavy Blues of Black Sabbath was incredibly
dangerous to the first generation of metal fans and as traditional styles of
metal become more and more popular (perhaps as Metal tries to hold on to its
ever distancing roots) an increasing number of bands are attempting to recreate that danger. And in the case of Birnam Wood, this is no bad thing.
If you’re not nodding your head 30 seconds into this record,
you might want to check that you’ve not died or suffered some serious injury to
your groove gland (If this is the case I recommend 30cc of Earth, Wind and Fire.) This Boston outfit bridge the gap between Black Sabbath and
Electric Wizard, expertly capturing the thiny veiled vibe of evil of the former
and the far out psychedelia of the latter whilst submerging it in a vat of the heaviest
grooves. They are not a one trick pony however, at times the band break from the traditional slow pace and speed it up
and go straight for the throat; channelling bands such as Judas Priest into
their miasmal mix of Trad and Stoner Doom. It’s extremely effective and Birnam
Wood’s self-titled release is a great album to both mong out and headbang to.
Whilst it is fair to say that Birnham Wood is product of its
influences, so are the majority of Trad Throwback bands. This group easily
punches above its weight and gives some of the biggest bands in the genre a run
for their money.
The O’ too close comparison between this New Mexico band’s name and a certain zany crime sandbox video game may put you off, however I urge you to take Saintly Rows very seriously indeed. The world of DIY Punk is somewhat of a mystery to those any less than those fully submerged in it. Much like the Underground Metal scene, thousands upon thousands of musicians are doing it for themselves and without the big label budget needed for intensive marketing. Saintly Rows are a gold vein in this deep, deep mine
The aptly melancholy title of this release, coupled with the
faded creased photograph cover (DIY to the extent that it's cassette cover sized) which brilliantly imbues a sense of joys long
past, is a perfect preview to what lies within. Melding evenly both Emo and
Screamo music, Saintly Rows have crafted a stunningly emotional, yet incredibly
honest record. At no point does it feels as if the band are being melodramatic
or making a record to target the teen angst demographic; it is very easy to
believe every single wavering word. This is no small part aided by the lyrical content, the band
has not taken the easy root of simply listing bad things that have happened to
them or using trite metaphors to explain their sadness. Instead they have opted
for something far more poetic, reading the lyrics along to this album is a
special kind of joy. The kind of joy that is really depressing.
(Also yes I know this was posted at 1am on a Tuesday, shush you)
Saintly Rows – In A Year, We Were Nothing
The O’ too close comparison between this New Mexico band’s name and a certain zany crime sandbox video game may put you off, however I urge you to take Saintly Rows very seriously indeed. The world of DIY Punk is somewhat of a mystery to those any less than those fully submerged in it. Much like the Underground Metal scene, thousands upon thousands of musicians are doing it for themselves and without the big label budget needed for intensive marketing. Saintly Rows are a gold vein in this deep, deep mine
(Also yes I know this was posted at 1am on a Tuesday, shush you)
