CD Reviews

Mireplaner- A Mountain Of Saola Hooves Album Review

Published

6 years ago

April 19, 2019

Hailing from the depths of Finland, Mireplaner is a force to be reckoned with. The band is gearing up to drop their debut album, A Mountain of Saola Hooves on May 3^rd. The band consists of Eeli Helin doing vocals, guitar and noise, Euro Vilppula on bass, and Markus Karppinen on drums. Helin is known for working in similar projects such as Limbs, Infinite Nomad, and Lung Fawn Knots. Mireplaner dropped a 2 song LP in 2018, Diapiric; A Mountain of Saola Hooves takes the parameters of their EP and expands vastly on these sonic embarkments.

A Mountain of Saola Hooves is an amalgamation of metal, combining elements of doom, ambient, dissonance, and mixing it with elements of Post Metal, Hardcore and Sludge. The result is an album that has tons of raw emotion and feeling, with the musical emphasis to physically give you a push. Parts of this album feel as if a ten-ton weight is dropped upon your chest, then drops into what could clearly be the next candidate for the soundtrack to the apocalypse.

The opening track ‘Deadweights’ starts off subtle, with ambient feedback ringing in and out, before breaking into a wave of sonic distortion. A dronelike guitar riff lulls forward with buried vocals that set the ominous mood. This leads up to an eerie music break of bass and single note guitar, accompanied by the drums that gives this track a very dark feel. The band utilizes these elements, of feedback, drone, and thick tone to really deliver a mood to the listener. My favorite part is near the end when the band plays a syncopated break that is like a heavy wave crashing down around you. The feeling is very thick and organic, and you can really feel the weight of this track.

Mireplaner recently dropped their second single ‘Morass.’The song starts of with a very primal feel to it, with a tribal like drum pattern accompanied by various noises that sound like the howling of wind. The drums cut out and there is silence before the onslaught of tone rushes at you. There is something primordial of the riffing as it feels to touch on rhythms that seem like something familiar but also spark an inherent sense of anger and rage. There is a break midway through the song that has a pendulum sway, which immediately will make you bob your head to.

Mireplaner has found a way to tap into raw emotion that many bands cannot. They are not afraid to take their listener into the darkness and leave them there. The band uses many elements to keep its listener enthralled in the miasma. One of their strong points is that the band also is not afraid to let a song breathe, by this I mean not to overbear their listeners with heavy part after heavy part.Taking a different approach of having sonic breaks with ambience or dissonance to break up the discord,before coming back with a cinder block to the head approach of heavy riffs. Be sure to check out A Mountain of Saola Hooves when it drops on May 3^rd. For more information on Mireplaner check them out on the links below.

Facebook: facebook.com/mireplaner

Bandcamp: mireplaner.bandcamp.com

Instagram: @mireplaner

About Author

George Archibald

See author's posts

Related Topics:Empire Extreme featured MirePlaner

Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

CD Reviews

ALICE IN CHAINS “BLACK GIVES WAY TO BLUE” VINYL REVIEW

Published

1 month ago

October 3, 2024

Ron

Alice In Chains have Re-Released the 2009 album on vinyl. This album was the first Alice In Chains in 14 years and the first album with guitarist/singer Willam DuVall after Layne Staley passed away in 2002.

I was a huge Alice In Chains fan and was a big fan of both Layne and Jerry. When this album first came out I remember sorta pushing it the side only cause of sadness about Layne but after hearing “Check My Brain” I gave it a chance and was so glad that I did. This album is amazing and really put Alice In Chains back into the mainstream.

The vinyl not only looks super awesome but sounds amazing. If you’re a fan of Alice In Chains and into collecting Vinyl, this album is a must in your collection. It’s a great packed vinyl with 2 vinyls included.

Side A: All Secrets Known, Check My Brain and Last of My Kind. Side B: Your Decision, A Looking in View. Side C: When The Sun Rose Again, Acid Bubble, Lesson Learned. Side D: Take Her Out, Private Hell, Black Gives Away To Blue

About Author

Ron

Ron has keen eye for new talent, a love for the underground, and a tremendous passion for music of any genera. You’ll probably bump into him at a horror convention or some seedy club checking out the next need-to-know band.

See author's posts

CD Reviews

VENDED: Album Review

Published

2 months ago

September 20, 2024

JJ Ulizio

9/20/24 sees the independent release of the full-length, self-titled debut album from Des Moines, Iowa natives Vended. Featuring vocalist Griffin Taylor, Simon Crahan on drums, Jeremiah Pugh on bass, Cole Espland on lead guitar, and Connor Grodzicki on rhythm guitar.

On this album they have taken more abrasive elements of nu metal as seen in the late 90s from bands like Slipknot and Soulfly and utilized elements of metalcore to slap a fresh coat of paint on the style. There are elements that remind me of the more modern and spastic styles of nu metal, similar to a band like Tallah.

Griffin’s vocal styling showcases mid-range screams as the main driving force bending the vocals. True to the nu metal elements, the rage and anger perceived from the screams are offset by the occasional catchy riff or fast talking, almost rapping stylized lyrics.

Crahan shows an impressive command of rhythm with his double bass drum. Driving each track forward with a machine gun-like purpose, which makes the more groove-oriented parts hit much harder. Crahan, in addition to the rest of the rhythm section (Espland and Pugh), all really work together well to keep the momentum moving forward while not sacrificing said groove.

While I wouldn’t call it album of the year or anything. It’s definitely worth checking out. Standout tracks: “Nihilism” and “The Far Side”.

Vended can be found on the usual socials. And the album is available on all streaming platforms. And physical copies can be purchased though https://www.officialvended.com

About Author

JJ Ulizio

JJ has been a contributing writer and huge asset to Empire and Empire Extreme since the very begining. He is always digging for new bands and has a true heart and desire to see the bands grow and succeed.

See author's posts

CD Reviews

DevilSkin “Surfacing” EP

Published

6 months ago

May 22, 2024

Ron

It’s been 4 years since Devilskin’s last album, “Red.” The New Zealand band has followed up with their new EP, “Surfacing.”

This 6-song EP starts off with “Whale Song,” which just rocks and puts you right in the mood for what Devilskin is going to bring. I love Jennie Skulander’s voice; it works perfectly with the tone and grittiness of the album.

The EP has two covers on it. “Barracuda,” which we reviewed before and is a great cover song. The band also takes a swing at Dio’s “Holy Diver.” I am pretty critical about anyone covering Dio. Most bands try too hard to sound like Ronnie, which doesn’t always work out. However, I like this cover because the band takes their own path when covering it and makes it their own.

“Let Me Breathe,” “Insects,” and “Unborn” round up the rest of the EP. Which makes the EP a great listen from beginning to end. There has been a great resurgence of bands coming from New Zealand that kick ass. DevilSkin is on top of that list of bands. I hope that they make it over to the US soon so we can get a chance to check them out live. If you’re into a great rock EP and want to listen to something new and fresh, I recommend checking out this EP.

THIS IS A SPONSORED REVIEW BROUGHT TO YOU BY TAG PUBLICITY