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Since the 2007 inception of Vancouver band, The Silence Industry has revolved around lynch-pin member Graham Jackson, with other musicians joining him when they are available. The single “As The Walls Close In,” is part of an ongoing project where singles will be released with art work, and each will have two exclusive ‘b-side’ tracks.

The beginning of the title track has that all-encompassing heavy bass, which I associate with early Tool, bubbling with latent tendrils of misgivings, leaning itself to a progressive rock feel. The vocals, crisp and clear, combined with that guitar work, definitely harken back to the roots of 90s gothic rock. The two ‘b-sides’ consist of unreleased versions of “Bags of Clay (Lofi Piano Version)“, which is full of slow burn longing, and “These Long Sunset Shadows ( A Dark Ambient Noise Jam),” that clocks in at just over twelve minutes and the description tells no lies. This is a melancholy at its ambient best.

Fluid and engrossing is how I would describe “As The Walls Close In,” as it beautifully mixes gothic rock with something a little more modern, and with that open door policy with other artists, that only piques my interest more. The single/EP is on Bandcamp for name your price, so you have nothing to lose and the real possibility of gaining some damn fine tracks from The Silence Industry.

▶︎ As the Walls Close In | The Silence Industry (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/thesilenceindustry/

https://www.jamendo.com/artist/486633/the-silence-industry

https://www.instagram.com/thesilenceindustry/

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When the guys from the Swiss band, Far Away From All This, asked if I remembered them…. well, of course! The shoegaze/alt rock stylings of duo VEGA (guitars) and IX (vocals, bass, synthesizer, drums) are highly rememberable. And, too that end, we have the latest single, dropping on the 17th of July, called “To Dream The Universe.”

The bright and upbeat beginning is a front. The glorious guitar laden wall of fuzzy sound, is crowned with the vocals that want to float away to other realms, unbound from this world. Delicate at times, causing shivers down the spine, and melodious shoegaze noise that reminds me ever so much of the late 80s rise of the genre, which then proceeded to mould the alt rock sound of the 90s with grunge. With the return of Scotland’s Teenage Fanclub this year with a new album and touring, Far Away From All Of This are just adding to the mounting joy that this style of music brings, as they take you on the epic journey “To Dream The Universe“.

To Dream The Universe | Far Away From All Of This (bandcamp.com)

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PTSD and depression are subjects that are often skirted around by both government bodies and medical institutions. Philadelphia band, Die Tired, want to drag the spotlight onto the subject, and so the single “Better Off Alive” addresses what, for some, has become the elephant in the room, mental health and how people can reach out to find help.

“Better Off Alive is about raising awareness of these serious concerns in our society and highlighting the available resources in our communities to those in need,” explains bassist Jim Lee.

“The additional focus on our military service members in the video hits close to home. With one of our band members being a veteran, we found it especially important to shine a light on issues with PTSD, depression, and suicide in our military communities.” – Singer/guitarist Matt DeAngelis

Even when one comes home, sometimes the war continues in our head. It’s a big, rollicking rock track, filled with sonic guitars, thundering drums, and lyrics from the heart, to find something to hold onto when everything is falling away.

Die Tired are on the label SODEH Records and consist of members Matthew DeAngelis (vocals/guitar), Sean Boyle (guitar), Jamieson (Jim) Lee (bass) and Brandon Ballantyne (drums).

Personally, I don’t have any connection to the military, but in saying that, I have lost a fair few friends due to mental health and suicide. In Australia, we have R U OK Day, which asks Aussies to check in with each other and simply ask if ‘are you okay’? Three simple words can mean a lot to another, and you can do it all year round. Die Tired are trying to normalise the conversations we should be having.

https://www.facebook.com/dietiredband?mibextid=ZbWKwL

https://dietiredband.com/

https://www.instagram.com/die.tired/

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Not often that you have a group that is known as a collective, but this is just what Flowers Of Hell is, which a group of sixteen musicians revolving through, based between London and Toronto. The project encompasses both classical and modern alternative rock and in 2012, they released the album Odes, a collection of covers, from bands that have influenced them.

Photo by Greg Jarvis

Now, in April 2023, Odes will be getting its first showing on vinyl with Space Age Recordings. At the time, back in 2012, the legend Lou Reed acclaimed it ‘an amazing, amazing album‘. You can’t get much better praise than from the guy who was the voice for The Velvet Underground, about an album that bears one of their tracks. In fact, they have used the original lyrics that were penned by Reed on the Velvet’s original demo for “Walk On The Wild Side“

There are covers of Bob Dylan’s “Mr Tambourine Man“, Siouxsie And The Banshees‘ “Last Beat Of My Heart“, and Stereolab’s “Super-Electric” just to give you an idea of the variation in styles. You can even go check out the new video created for the post-punk track “Atmosphere“, which is of course, originally, by the beautifully sad Joy Division. Flowers Of Hell treat both this, and all the other songs with great reverence whilst giving each a classical twist. Odes is a musical salute to the tracks that have influenced generations, and Flowers Of Hell have acknowledged they are building their own wonderful legacy on the shoulders of giants. The release date is April 22nd.

https://flowersofhell.bandcamp.com/music

http://www.flowersofhell.com/

https://www.facebook.com/TheFlowersOfHell?mibextid=ZbWKwL

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Portland duo Lore City, released their new EP on the 6th of October. Named “Under Way” and consisting of two tracks, Laura Mariposa Williams and Eric Angelo Bessel are the masterminds behind Lore City.

“Animate” has an ocean deep sound, depths of emotion mixed with tribal styled drums and echoing beauty. Laura’s vials delicate and angelic in hushed tones. Second track, “Very Body“, is a sonically engrossing instrumental, wavering electronics like heat off a desert, growing like a phantasm on the horizon, never within reach.

There is a hint of Dead Can Dance, especially vocally, in the first song but also a certain amount of experimentation in both tracks. Weaving sounds to both evoke memories and invoke sparks within dormant ancient genetics. Lore City are handing you something of themselves in “Under Way*

Under Way | Lore City (bandcamp.com)

Lore City Music / Lore City

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Far Away From All Of This are a Swiss band that released their second album last year in September. Called Outward Bound, this duo comprised of VEGA (guitars, synthesizer, harsh vocals) and IX (vocals, bass, synthesizer, drums), describe their music style as space rock/post rock/metal.

These guys obviously like an epic, as “Haven” goes for over eight minutes and is not even the longest number. The track honestly took me back to the early 90s. Teenage Fanclub and the Lemon Heads, IX even sounds a bit Evan Dando. The return to psychedelic swirling, wall of sound guitars and keyboards that take you away on a cloud.

Nice light guitar starts “Reality Check“, a whimsy about not looking too hard at life or it will lose its magic by ‘breaking the spell‘.

They say we are getting older everyday and that this is the “Last Call” to get on life’s roller-coaster. It’s a very positive and uplifting piece with rolling drums and VEGA having momentary cathartic screams.

Break out the synths for a gliding space journey in the “Stellar Stream“. Smooth and relaxing as the engines whisper in the solar slips of this ambient soundscape.

“NGC 4063” is the final and longest of the tracks. It is a gradual build up of electronics, filling the empty places, like a space exploration facing the dark voids to bring knowledge and light, even though this is a very overwhelming prospect.

The first half is all the crazy human emotion of living with hopes, dreams and modern life, with guitars and a more frantic pace. The last two are after they have left Earth with its electronic life-support, going into the unknown. Really enjoyed this album due to my fondness of guitar jangle and wall of soundscapes which Ride were famous for doing beautifully as well. Well worth giving Far Away From All Of This a go with their Outward Bound.

https://farawayfromallofthis.bandcamp.com/album/outward-bound

https://www.facebook.com/farawayfromallofthis