Andy Synn, Author at NO CLEAN SINGING

Andy Synn

WAKE – THOUGHT FORM DESCENT

Jul 142022

(Andy Synn reviews Thought Form Descent, the upcoming sixth album from Canada’s Wake)

They say that the only constant in life is change – and Wake‘s discography is a prime example of this.

Casting an eye/ear over their back-catalogue you can observe their sound evolving, little by little, with each and every release, but 2020’s Devouring Ruin was such a quantum-leap that I think even the band themselves must have been surprised by what they had created.

Perhaps that’s why their new album, Thought Form Descent (scheduled for release next Friday) feels more reflective – though still blisteringly intense – than anything they’ve ever done before… because they’ve finally taken the time to take stock of who they are, where they’ve come from, and what they might become.

MANTAR – PAIN IS FOREVER AND THIS IS THE END

Album Reviews 1 Response »

Jul 072022

(Andy Synn hopes that this is not the end for Mantar)

I discovered something this weekend. Something which shook me to my very core.

Did you know there are some people out there who don’t like Mantar?!

I mean, to be clear, I don’t expect every person to like every band – that would be madness – but before this weekend I’d never encountered anyone who actively disliked Mantar before.

Honestly, I’m still shaken by this particular revelation… but maybe the band’s new album will be able to change a few hearts and minds?

THE SYNN REPORT (PART 147): KATHAROS XIII

THE SYNN REPORT 2 Responses »

Jul 012022

Recommended for fans of: Black Metal, Dark Jazz, Neo-Noir soundscapes

Romania’s Katharos XIII are a band I’ve been wanting to cover here for quite a while.

But, as you might have guessed already (especially if you’ve glanced at the “Recommended for fans of…” section above) they’re not the easiest band to write about, as their diverse yet distinctive sound is hard to compare to other bands.

Sure, I’d say fans of White Ward‘s sax-infused savagery or Deadspace‘s anguished extremity will most likely find a lot to appreciate here, and the doomy ambience and dramatic clean vocals prevalent in their most recent work will surely appeal to fans of bands like Sinistro and SubRosa, but the fact is that Katharos XIII aren’t easy to put into a box… and that’s a big part of what makes them so good.

BEST OF BRITISH: CONJURER / GOZER / HUNDRED YEAR OLD MAN

Album Reviews 3 Responses »

Jun 232022

(Andy Synn presents three more succulent slabs of metallic vim ‘n’ vigour from his home country)

Really good Sludge/Post-Metal albums from the UK are a bit like buses… you wait patiently for ages and then three come along at once!

Thankfully all three of these bands, each of whom are at a different stage in their career – Conjurer aiming to prove that all the hype around them is firmly, and fervently, justified with their major-label debut, Gozer establishing themselves as “ones to watch” with their highly-anticipated first album, and Hundred Year Old Man reaffirming their status, in the wake of tragedy, as one of the best bands in the British underground – together represent some of the very best Sludge/Post-Metal that you’re likely to hear this year.

Don’t believe me? Well, allow me a chance to convince you.

KRALLICE – PSYCHAGOGUE

Album Reviews No Responses »

Jun 212022

(Andy Synn continues his on again, off again, love affair with Krallice with their new album, Psychagogue)

I like Krallice, I really do.

But that doesn’t mean I like every single thing they put out… or, at least, it doesn’t mean I like everything they put out to the same level.

And that’s ok. Because being a fan of a band doesn’t mean you have to like absolutely everything they do, especially when the band in question are so disgustingly prolific, and cover so much musical ground, that simply trying to keep up with them is enough of a task in itself.

So when I say that I like the band’s new album, Psychagogue, you should know that I really like it… in fact, it may just be my favourite thing they’ve released since 2016’s Prelapsarian.

LIGHT DWELLER – LUCID OFFERING

Album Reviews 1 Response »

Jun 202022

(Andy Synn kicks off a new week with the nasty new album from Light Dweller)

Over the years I have developed a bit of healthy scepticism when it comes to solo artists or “one man bands”.

That’s not to say I actively dislike them, by any means, it’s just that – generally speaking – I find that the collaborative process between band members tends to be more fruitful and fulfilling than simply having a single individual do all the work (often without anyone around them to curb their worst excesses).

There are, of course, many examples of where relying on an individual auteur actually produces amazing results – whether that person is working totally on their own or simply serving as the chief/main songwriter for a band – but it really comes down to a question of whether they have not just the creative vision but also the drive and talent to bring it to fruition.

And, make no mistake about it, Cameron Boesch (aka Light Dweller) has all of these things in abundance, as his latest – and greatest – album demonstrates.

LAST WEEK… TODAY!

Album Reviews 2 Responses »

Jun 162022

(Here’s three albums released last week that Andy Synn thinks you need to hear)

As you may have noticed, we do a fair bit of “retroactive reviewing” here at NCS, mostly because… well, we only write about things that we like and sometimes it takes a while to work out how much we like something and how to express that.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s still cool to be able to offer advance reviews of albums we think you’re going to love (both the new Exocrine and White Ward albums, for example, aren’t out until Friday but have already received glowing write-ups), but when we find something we really like and want to talk about it doesn’t really matter if it’s been out for a while – after all, it’ll be new to someone!

So here’s a triple-header of short-but-sweet reviews for three album released last Friday – some epic Doom from Monasterium, some crusty Death Metal from Neolithic, and some scorching Black Metal from Umbra Conscientia – that definitely deserve some extra love.

WHITE WARD – FALSE LIGHT

Album Reviews 4 Responses »

Jun 132022

(Andy Synn continues our ongoing love-exchange with Ukraine’s White Ward)

To be honest with you, for the longest time I really wasn’t sure how to start this review.

After all, White Ward hail from a country that is still, over 100 days on, in the throes of an invasion, and to fail to acknowledge that fact seems somehow wrong.

And yet, at the same time, I don’t have the words to describe how this must be affecting the band… because I truly can’t imagine what they’re feeling or what they’re thinking right now.

So if I choose to just focus on the music, I hope that’s ok.

THINGS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED (BUT SHOULDN’T)

Album Reviews 2 Responses »

Jun 092022

(Andy Synn offers up four more recommendations of albums you may have overlooked last month)

Boy howdy, did we ever miss a lot of stuff last month.

But, then, you could say that about every month really, as I’ve come to accept (after many, many years in denial) that it’s impossible for us (that’s the royal “us”) to catch and cover everything that’s released.

Accepting this fact, however, has definitely helped me to relax a little bit, as while I still feel a smidgen of guilt that I’m/we’re not covering more bands (or, at least, more underground bands, because, let’s face it, the big dogs don’t need our help or attention quite so much) I’m more at ease with the fact that whoever we do end up writing about will definitely/maybe/probably/hopefully benefit from it.

And, if worst comes to worst, there’s always my annual series of year-end round-ups to help bring attention to some of the more unsung artists and albums.

Speaking of… here are four albums from May that you might just have overlooked (but really shouldn’t).

TERMINAL NATION/KRUELTY – THE RUINATION OF IMPERIALISM

Album Reviews, SHORT BUT SWEET No Responses »

Jun 062022

(Andy Synn drops some heavy thoughts about the heavy new split EP from Terminal Nation and Kruelty)

Let me tell you something, I have always wanted to do a split with another band. I’ve just never been able to get the timing right or find the right collaborators.

And “collaborators” is certainly the key word here, because the very best of these sorts of releases (and some are definitely better than others) have a real collaborative spirit to them – whether that’s in the form of bands covering each others’ songs, guesting on each others’ tracks, or simply inspiring each other to be better.

Case in point, the new split from the USA’s Terminal Nation and Japan’s Kruelty certainly showcases both bands at their very best, offering up five phenomenally heavy tracks of caustic, crushing and cathartic “Hardcore-influenced Death Metal” (or “Death Metal-influenced Hardcore”… the difference is largely academic) which are practically guaranteed to inspire both neck-wrecking bouts of headbanging and some serious civil unrest.

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