Articles
ORKA
livandi oyda (2009/ICI D'AILLEURS)
AMBIENT/NOISE/POST-ROCK. "livandi oyda" is ORKA'S debut full-length. All instruments heard on the record were built during Christmas 2005 by Jens, family and friends using scrap material and power tools found at their farm. After finishing building the instruments ORKA started composing and recording for only 5 days, which ended with a concert in the farm’s machine hall on New Year’s Eve 2005. As well as the original live material, the record features remixes by THE THIRD EYE FOUNDATION, BOOKWORMS, OKTOPUS/DEADVERSE, and COM-DATA. CD release comes with a DVD which features 2 music videos, 2 live videos, from the concert New Year’s Eve 2005 and a short documentary explaining how the instruments were made.
ÖROKU
living through.. (2007/INIMICAL)
CRUST-HARDCORE. 9 crushing and brutal tracks from Seattle's sludgy swamp-crust bastards ÖROKU. They have recorded this apocalyptic beast (CD also has their 3 song 7'' as bonus tracks) with the addition of Lisa from GARMONBOZIA on cello. Once compared to FROM AHES RISE, this is no longer the case. With that full-length they have a REMAINS OF THE DAY and even EYEHATEGOD feeling, meets doom (the genre) meets filthy crust thing happening. The whole artwork looks great. The recordings also features guest vocals from Renae of SKARP.
ORTEGA
the serpent stirs (2013/NARS)
SLUDGE/DOOM-METAL. ORTEGA Ortega is a four-piece sludge/doom collective from the north of Netherlands. The sound is described as dark metal balanced with spheric soundscapes together with slow and heavy riffs. ORTEGA returns with their longest output so far, clocking over 18min. of psychedelic doom. "the serpent stirs" is a sonic voyage. A trial of battles with inner demons, which binds us in our mind. This release is a one-sided LP with a great etching on the b-side. Total pressing of 300 colored records.
ORTHODOX
baal (2011/ALONE)
DOOM-METAL. Spain heavy avant-doom masters ORTHODOX' 4th album, back to the roots, a heavy-metal album in the heavy tradition. The new ORTHODOX album moves again towards a search of spirituality and the sense of innovation that is part of their music. The album is composed by 5 tracks in which the band shows the improvements of the experience gained in their previous recordings. The band explores its roots to leave behind the search for alterations in their musical language and the emerging psychedelic and progressive atmospheres that appeared in their previous work "sentencia". ORTHODOX stills a long way on the path of musical experimentation and research. Special limited vinyl release - 180gr vinyl with printed inner-sleeves.
ORTHODOX
sentencia (2009/ALONE)
DOOM. One of the few European doom bands to get the Southern Lord "two thumbs up", Spain's ORTHODOX are back with their 3rd full-length called "entencia". The LP comes in a beautiful gatefold, with debossing on cover, printed inner sleeve. "sentencia" is another jumb in the sense of the evolution for a band like ORTHODOX. With an instrumentation closer to jazz than ever before, the album is best example of the music progression the band always wanted to show, from their unique heavy-metal perspective, and particular vision of the traditional andalusian music has to be performed in their own repertoire. This is one of the most original, sophisticated and downright beautiful doom albums ever!
OSS
demo (2011/KING OF THE MONSTERS)
HARDCORE. Featuring vocals by Frank Hanney of MK-ULTRA and FOURTEEN OR FIGHT, this short-lived Arizona band's demo was limited to 100 copies and disappeared almost as fast as they did. This 7" collects all 3 songs from the demo, housed in a die-cut sleeve. The 2 a-side tracks are mid-tempo and melodic with screamed vocals and a bit of a rock 'n' roll tip while the b-side is a bit '90s screamo akin to PORTRAITS OF PAST.
OTAN
sociedad despreciable (2009/LA VIDA ES UN MUS)
HARDCORE-PUNK. OTAN from Barcelona are back with their 2nd 7". You'll get 7 really raw tunes of lawless anarchist hardcore-punk that is equally influenced by the Italian and Spanish hardcore scenes of the early '80s while sounding current. Intense lyrical content that will remind you that there is punk who still cares about the place and time they live in. Comes with a 12 page booklet and housed in silk-screened recycled covers.
OTHER, THE
the place to bleed (2008/FIENDFORCE)
PUNK-ROCK. Nothing much needs to be said about Europe’s # 1 horror-punk band THE OTHER. "the place to bleed" is another stormer of a release from THE OTHER. Good solid production and yet more great songs. This 3rd full-length shows that the band has progressed and has more hit-potential today, than ever before, while still remaining truly scary. They have a variety of different styles mixed with their songs, but they still manage to keep it fast! If you like BLITZKID, of course THE MISFITS you will like THE OTHER, too!
OTOPHOBIA
malignant (2002/DEEP SIX)
HARDCORE. Make way for your thrashcore heroes. Philly's sons of sonic mayhem are a fearsome foursome who deliver an aural anvil to the cranium with twenty blistering, high-speed anthems. After leveling every club, squat, and basement in America over the course of multiple tours, these ass-kickers have established a massive cult following. Previous 7" releases and compilation appearances have laid additional groundwork for this ultimate hardcore epic.
OTTAWA
s/t (2010/RESIDUE)
HARDCORE. This re-issue (from the groundbreaking split with JIHAD from 1994) has been delayed longer than what was intended, but is now out! It will be limited to only a 750 copies with an amazing new master and mix plus new artwork! This is one of the darkest and most brutal sounding bands to ever come out of Detroit. A true hidden classic that blends the speed of early grindcore with a painful hardcore precision. No boring '90s emo or screamo on this ripper! It includes the only recording done by this band featuring tracks that are long out-of-print on various compilations and the split LP. So many people missed out hearing this record back over the last 16 years - do not sleep on this record!
OUR GANG
uprising (2010/JACK ROY)
HARDCORE. This LP collects the demos recorded at Don Fury's studio in 1988 and 1989 from OUR GANG, who played fast, intense, late '80s NYC-hardcore. Members would go on to be in CITIZENS ARREST, BORN AGAINST and HELL NO.
OUR LAST NIGHT
The ghosts among us (2008/EPITAPH)
POST-HARDCORE. New Hampshire newbies OUR LAST NIGHT are one of the latest additions to the roster at Epitaph Records and their debut album "The ghosts among us" demonstrates that they could make a really big wave. OUR LAST NIGHT's debut is a dynamic album where lush soundscapes interweave with taut riffs. OUR LAST NIGHT craft brilliantly catchy songs while maintaining cred with their astounding technicality and their talent for finding a balance between the heavy and the melodic. Fans of SILVERSTEIN, SENSES FAIL, SAOSIN and UNDEROATH take note.
OUR WAR
if you're not now.. (2002/DERANGED)
SXE-HARDCORE. Featuring ex-members of CHOKEHOLD, LEFT FOR DEAD. SWARM and HAYMAKER, OUR WAR come at you with some pissed off straight-edge hardcore from the frozen wastelands of Canada. Songs about staying true, fallen friends, failed promises, and hardcore pride set to a rumble of brutal hardcore and screaming vocals. Straight-edge, straight-edge, straight-edge.
OUT COLD
(0/)
HARDCORE. This is OUT COLD's 6th full-length album and contains 14 tracks of white-knuckled, two-fisted, redlined hardcore. Those who are familiar with them know what to expect. Those who aren't, educate yourself.
