Andy Synn, Author at NO CLEAN SINGING

Andy Synn

HYPNO5E – SHEOL

Feb 212023

(Andy Synn takes us on another epic journey soundtracked by French Prog-Metal maestros Hypno5e)

There’s every chance that, while you’re reading this article, I’ll be out at the massive Gojira arena show here in Nottingham.

The only reason I mention this is that, for years now, Hypno5e have been (lazily) compared to the Big G, despite the fact that the two bands have little in common apart from their nationality.

In fact, if anything, the two groups have only grown further apart as time has gone by, with Hypno5e opting for the path less-travelled and growing more complex and ambitious with every new album.

Which brings us to Sheol – simultaneously both a sequel and a prequel to A Distant Dark Shore (the two albums forming a closed conceptual cycle) – which finds the band continuing to stretch themselves, and their sound, in ever more compelling, challenging, and unpredictable ways.

HEXER – ABYSSAL

Album Reviews 1 Response »

Feb 162023

(Andy Synn turns his attention once more to long-time NCS favourites Hexer)

To say that Hexer have been on a journey over the course of their career might be considered a cliché, but it would be true all the same.

Beginning with the otherworldly aura of their debut album, the aptly-named Cosmic Doom Ritual, the band then turned their eyes towards the psychic mindscape with the hallucinatory Realm of the Feathered Serpent, and now – on album number three – they’ve shifted the focus of their gaze towards the depths of the abyss.

So let’s see what might be gazing back, shall we?

BEST OF BRITISH: GRIEF SYMPOSIUM / HELLRIPPER / MAN MUST DIE

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Feb 142023

(Andy Synn waxes philosophical in this latest edition of “The Best of British”)

I’ve been accused – more than once – of “overthinking things”, especially when it comes to music… or movies… or, indeed, art of any form.

So today I’ve decided that the best thing to do is to lean into these accusations by asking some, ahem, “deep”, philosophical questions during this particular edition of “The Best of British”.

THE SOUND OF SUFFERING

Album Reviews 4 Responses »

Feb 092023

(Andy Synn presents three recent releases which might ease your pain)

As some of you may be aware, the last 18 months or so have been a steady stream of set-backs, fuck-ups, and tragic events for me, all culminating (I hope) in my upcoming surgery to remove an infected wisdom tooth.

So… yeah, I’ve been in quite a bit of pain – both physical and mental – for a while now, and this has clearly carried over into my listening habits (especially in the past month or so).

Still, I’ve always found that a good dose of auditory agony can serve as a pretty effective painkiller in other areas of life, so here’s a selection of things that have been easing my suffering recently.

THINGS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED (BUT SHOULDN’T)

Album Reviews 2 Responses »

Feb 072023

(Andy Synn recommends four albums from last month which you may have overlooked)

So we’re officially one month into the new year and… my list of artists/albums that we didn’t cover in January is already four or fives times longer than the ones we did write about.

Maybe it’s time to accept that it’s impossible for us to stay on top of everything, and just be happy with what we are able to do?

Hell, usually it’s another couple of months of stress and strife before I/we inevitably come to this realisation, so perhaps this is a sign of what I think they call “growth”?

Whatever… here’s four releases from January that you might have missed (but which, thankfully, we didn’t).

ALL OUT WAR – CELESTIAL ROT

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Feb 062023

(Andy Synn has a few words to say about the new album from Metalcore legends All Out War)

From what I can tell, it’s common in a lot of genres for bands/artists to mellow out as they get older.

But I’m sure we’re all aware of a lot of exceptions to this particular “rule”… especially in the Metal/Hardcore sphere.

Case in point, while I wasn’t the biggest fan of All Out War‘s initial “comeback” album in 2017 (heck, I didn’t even end up reviewing it, despite my initial excitement) it felt like they really found a new gear, and a new level of intensity, with 2019’s Crawl Among the Filth (which I did review, and you can check that out here) which found the band embracing an even more “blackened” and grind-influenced edge.

And now, some 26 years since their debut, they’ve once again kicked things up a notch with Celestial Rot, which proves once and for all that some bands just get nastier with age.

THE SYNN REPORT (PART 154): FALAISE

THE SYNN REPORT 2 Responses »

Jan 312023

Recommended for fans of: Alcest, Lantlôs, An Autumn For Crippled Children

Call it what you will – call it “Atmospheric Black Metal”, “Post Black Metal”, “Blackgaze” – the music of Italian duo Falaise remains as searing, as soulful, and as spellbinding now as it was when they first stepped out onto the proverbial stage a little under ten years ago.

And to prove the validity of this statement, I’ve selected them as the focus of this month’s Synn Report, which covers all four of their albums, up to and including their latest record, After All This Time, which was released just last week.

ORATOR – THE BURDEN OF EXISTENCE

Album Reviews, SHORT BUT SWEET 3 Responses »

Jan 302023

(Andy Synn gets up on his soapbox to proclaim the superiority of Orator‘s new EP)

Well, here we are again, another Monday and another week of existence.

But if you’re looking for something short, sweet, and utterly savage to help ease your burden then I’ve got just the thing for you.

UNSUNG HEROES OF 2022: DARRVA – ŌVIŠ

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Jan 272023

(Andy Synn takes another look back at another album from last year that went unheralded and unsung)

There’s lots of reasons why a band might not get the attention and exposure they deserve (trust me, I know), and I could write reams upon reams about all the different factors which come into play when promoting a new album (successfully or unsuccessfully).

But, ultimately, sometimes it just comes down to “wrong place” and/or “wrong time”.

That certainly seems to be the case when it comes to Darrva and their second album, Ōviš, as not only does the band hail from a location (Latvia) that’s often overlooked, but their decision to release the record right in the middle of the festive season last year meant it was quickly lost in the shuffle, and it was only by mere chance that I stumbled across it a few weeks ago myself.

I’m very glad I did though, as the band’s sound – an intriguing mix of Black, Death, and Progressive elements that doesn’t fit neatly into any one particular box – is well worth shouting about and, hopefully, at least some of you will agree with me.

DEATH CRUSADE – ZNÓW PŁONIE NIEBO

Album Reviews 1 Response »

Jan 242023

(The sky may be on fire, but Andy Synn still has new music to share with you all)

While the start of 2023 has (thankfully) been relatively calm – release-wise, at least – allowing us all to take a metaphorical (and also literal) breather before the inevitable onslaught of new albums begins again, there have already been a handful of highly-anticipated, and justifiably hyped, which have received the lion’s share of the coverage over the past few weeks.

As a result, there’s also been a fair few more underground and/or underappreciated artists/albums which haven’t received their due, including (but by no means limited to) the new album from Poland’s Death Crusade – eleven tracks of crusty grindy, Punk-infused Death Metal (and I know some may argue with this description, but I hear at least as much Entombed in this album as I do Extreme Noise Terror and their ilk) whose gnarly riffs and gravel-gargling vocals disguise a keenly-honed sense of structure and flow.

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