Yakuza – Of Seismic Consequence (Profound Lore)
This epic progressive metal group combines so many influences that they sound like nobody else. Heavy, technically complex riffing connects to dark melodies and portentious ambient passages. Best of all, the singer plays saxophone solos that fit perfectly with the rest of the music. Awesomely weird, or maybe just awesome.

School Of Seven Bells – Disconnect From Desire (Vagrant/Ghostly)
This band is often labeled shoegaze due to their particular melodic sense. However, the clarity of their sound, and its basis in keyboard and drum machine rather than fuzzy guitar textures, is more like mid-80s New Wave. The songs are great, though, regardless of genre. Isn’t that what really matters?

Sightings – City Of Straw (Brah)
Imagine Suicide vocalist Alan Vega making an album with a band of angry artificial intelligences stuck between stations on the shortwave radio band. That’s what this record sounds like. Foreboding hums, rhythmic static popping, dark mumbles full of portent. Forget freaking out the squares–this record will freak everybody out.
Yakuza – Of Seismic Consequence (Profound Lore)
This epic progressive metal group combines so many influences that they sound like nobody else. Heavy, technically complex riffing connects to dark melodies and portentious ambient passages. Best of all, the singer plays saxophone solos that fit perfectly with the rest of the music. Awesomely weird, or maybe just awesome.

School Of Seven Bells – Disconnect From Desire (Vagrant/Ghostly)
This band is often labeled shoegaze due to their particular melodic sense. However, the clarity of their sound, and its basis in keyboard and drum machine rather than fuzzy guitar textures, is more like mid-80s New Wave. The songs are great, though, regardless of genre. Isn’t that what really matters?

Sightings – City Of Straw (Brah)
Imagine Suicide vocalist Alan Vega making an album with a band of angry artificial intelligences stuck between stations on the shortwave radio band. That’s what this record sounds like. Foreboding hums, rhythmic static popping, dark mumbles full of portent. Forget freaking out the squares–this record will freak everybody out.



