Andy Synn, Author at NO CLEAN SINGING

Andy Synn

THE CIRCLE – OF AWAKENING

Aug 102023

(Andy Synn reviews the debut album from The Circle, out 18 August)

While we try our best here at NCS to keep up with everything that’s coming out, the truth is we’re easily distracted by shiny things and loud noises, so we don’t always catch every new release before it comes out.

But we do try our best, at the very least, to keep an eye on bands and artists we’ve written about before – case in point, check out The Circle‘s first EP, Metamorphosis, which I reviewed here back in 2021 – to see how they grow and develop over time.

So how does the band’s new album, Of Awakening, compare to their debut?

THINGS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED (BUT SHOULDN’T)

Album Reviews 2 Responses »

Aug 072023

(Andy Synn catches you up with a bunch of releases from last month you may have overlooked)

Since it’s likely I won’t have chance to write much else this week – we’re filming a new music video, for one thing, and prepping for that is taking up more time than I expected – I’d better make today’s “Things You May Have Missed” column count, hadn’t I?

I don’t think you’ll be disappointed though, not least since this bumper edition contains six, rather than the usual four, albums – several of which I have no doubt will end up making numerous appearances on lots of “Best Of…” lists come the end of the year.

BEST OF BRITISH: DECOHERENCE / DEITUS / THE SUN’S JOURNEY THROUGH THE NIGHT

Album Reviews No Responses »

Aug 022023

(Andy Synn presents a killer collection of British Black Metal to tantalise/traumatise your ears)

As I may have mentioned a few times already, my experience of 2023 so far has been that the proggier side of the spectrum has been producing a lot of the most interesting and impressive albums of the year.

Sure, I know there’s been a lot of digital ink spilled about the health and fertility of the Death Metal scene as well but, to my ears at least, most of it has erred more towards just “good” rather than “great”, with a lot of the praise seemingly confusing “quantity” for “quality”.

But we also shouldn’t count out our more blackened brethren either, as there’s been a slow but steady drip-feed of absolutely fantastic Black Metal albums coming out over the last six-seven months too, and today’s edition of “The Best of British” features three more examples that could well throw some discord into your end of year lists come December time.

THE SYNN REPORT (PART 161): SOMNURI

THE SYNN REPORT 1 Response »

Jul 312023

Recommended for fans of: Mastodon, Baroness, Byzantine

As I’ve mentioned several times already,2023 has been a pretty Prog-friendly year so far, with lots – if not most – of the year’s best bands and albums showing off their proggier proclivities over the last seven months.

Case in point, the new album from New York sludge-slingers Somnuri found the band really pushing the boat out and digging their proverbial oar into even proggier waters, and has been receiving widespread applause and acclaim from pretty much everyone who’s heard it as a result.

But to really understand and appreciate their newest album we need to go back to their first record, because it’s only by going back to look at where they came from that we can properly appreciate just how much progress they’ve made over the years.

So let’s get to it, shall we?

THE GORGE – MECHANICAL FICTION

Album Reviews 2 Responses »

Jul 252023

(Andy Synn wants you to think a little differently about the new album from The Gorge)

As I’ve stated a few times now, 2023 has been a surprisingly Prog-friendly year so far – for me, at least.

But it’s worth noting that words like “Prog” or “Progressive” mean different things when applied to different styles and sub-genres of music.

After all, what’s considered “progressive” in one genre might be par for the course in another, and vice versa.

Case in point, the sinuous songwriting and impressive instrumental abilities underpinning Mechanical Fiction certainly suggest that The Gorge are a “Prog” band.

But what sort?

OUTER HEAVEN – INFINITE PSYCHIC DEPTHS

Album Reviews No Responses »

Jul 192023

(Andy Synn delves into the depths of Outer Heaven‘s new album, set for release on Friday)

It’s no secret that I’ve found a lot of Death Metal albums this year to be both overhyped and underwhelming.

Sure, there’s nothing necessarily wrong with giving people what they want – I mean, The O’Jays wrote a whole song about it – but sometimes it often feels as though large swathes of the Death Metal scene (especially those of the “Old School” persuasion) are more concerned with preaching to the choir than with finding their own voice.

But what I love about Outer Heaven (and, if you remember, I really loved their first album) is that they don’t just play to the cheap seats.

Heck, on Infinite Psychic Depths it feels like they aren’t all that bothered about playing to the crowd at all, with the result being an album that’s a little bit uglier, and a little bit more unorthodox, than both its predecessor and the majority of its peers.

AGRICULTURE – AGRICULTURE

Album Reviews 1 Response »

Jul 172023

(Andy Synn digs deep into Agriculture‘s highly-anticipated debut album, out this Friday)

The Circle Chant, the debut EP from self-described “ecstatic Black Metal” band Agriculture, received a lot of hype – in certain circles, at least – when it was released last year.

And while I, perhaps unsurprisingly, felt that some of these reactions were a little overblown – two really good tracks and two bits of filler content does not make for a great release overall, in my book – the best moments of the EP (most specifically the opening title-track, which is basically five minutes of raw emotional energy in musical form) convinced me to keep an eye and an ear open for whatever the band did next.

Which is where their self-titled album comes in.

RANNOCH – CONFLAGRATIONS

Album Reviews No Responses »

Jul 122023

(Andy Synn continues his impromptu “Best of British” week with his thoughts on the upcoming new album from Rannoch)

The word “masterpiece” has been roundly, and soundly, (over) used and abused so much over the years that it’s almost lost all meaning.

But, originally, a “masterpiece” wasn’t just something of exceptional quality – it specifically referred to that piece of work which first demonstrated an artist’s mastery of their craft and, in doing so, signified their acceptance into (or, at least, their eligibility for) the highest echelons of the artistic community.

Strictly speaking, then, no band should ever have more than one “masterpiece” to their name.

So if Rannoch‘s previous album, the masterful Reflections Upon Darkness, represented the moment when they stepped into the big leagues – in terms of both talent and ambition, at least, if not fame – then what does this mean for Conflagrations?

BEST OF BRITISH: BURNER / CALLIGRAM / COFFIN MULCH

Album Reviews No Responses »

Jul 102023

(Andy Synn is back with three recent examples of “the best of British” for you to enjoy)

Despite my ongoing efforts to expose and highlight some of the “best” and/or up-and-coming examples of British Metal over the years, there’s still a fair few people who seem to think I don’t do enough to “support the scene”.

Of course, digging into this a little deeper, it inevitably transpires that this accusation stems either from the fact that I don’t cover everything that the UK scene has to offer – both because I simply don’t have the time to cover it all and because, to be honest, it’s not all worth covering – or is a consequence of my attempts to offer a more measured and balanced critique, which sometimes involves providing some constructive criticism, rather than just flying the hype flag simply because something is “home grown”.

The consequence of this is – or should be – that you know that when I write about something I do so because I think it stands out from the crowd a little (or a lot). And while I’ve definitely been guilty of underrating/overrating a few things here and there before now, I don’t think I’ve ever written about anything that isn’t at least interesting. And the three albums you’re about to read about are definitely that (and much more besides).

THINGS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED (BUT SHOULDN’T)

Album Reviews 1 Response »

Jul 062023

(Andy Synn presents four albums from the last month – or so – that you may have overlooked)

What is there to say about today’s selection of albums – which run the gamut from Hardcore to Black Metal to Death Metal to Doom – beyond the fact that you really should check them all out?

Well, hopefully a lot, because otherwise this is going to be a fairly short (and boring) article!

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