Interview with Brett Miller by Daniel Ryan

Interview with Brett Miller by Daniel Ryan

1. How long have you been making music for?

Almost my whole life. I started playing guitar at 10, so now it’s over 30 years later. It’s not going to stop, either!

2. What do you think of LOD music networks stance on cancel culture?

It’s refreshing. I find it ironic that many of the Metal bands that used to hang their hat on “rebellion”, “fight the system”, etc. don’t seem to have much to say about all of this push towards censorship in the culture generally, and music in particular. A lot of ‘em even seem to embrace it, whether it’s humiliating and kicking out of a show someone with a shirt they don’t like, or canceling shows in an entire city or area because of some local law they don’t like. It’s pretty pathetic and weak, actually - definitely not Metal. They think they’re counter-culture, but they’re just doing what giant corporations, totalitarian states, brainwashed “academics”, and huge investment firms want them to do, which is to shut up, cave to some kind of mob and destroy and divide the United States into fractious political and racial groups. If you don’t like someone's music, just don’t listen to it. That’s what I’ve always done, anyway. And if someone has paid to support your band in some way, then don’t kick them out because they’ve got a shirt on you don’t like. If it’s super offensive to enough people, let everyone work it out amongst themselves. Common sense. But it ain’t too common these days.

3. What is your favorite instrument to play on?

Really all that I play for real is Guitar and Bass. And on the 1-900 stuff, DD shreds the bass way better than I could. There’s a lot of keyboard parts and stuff like that in the music, which I write and play, but it’s usually either written out in the DAW (like writing on a music staff), or I just play it in chunks. Same with the drums; I write most of the drum parts from scratch, or will use a part or fill from an EZDrummer library and then edit it manually into exactly what I’m looking for.

4. What acts have you played with before if any?

I’ve released a number of solo records, just under my name (Brett Miller). It’s instrumental Metal Guitar stuff. The way I’d describe it is sort of a heavier version of Joe Satriani or Steve Vai (who were both huge influences on me, by the way!) with a bunch of orchestral elements in a lot of it. The last full album was a while ago, called “Oath Of Dagon”, which is a concept-type record, totally based on the work of H.P. Lovecraft. I partnered with an amazing artist in Argentina named Marcelo Orsi Blanco, and we released the record along with an artbook of Lovecraftian paintings that he did, and crowdfunded it on Kickstarter. Right now though, and for the foreseeable future, 1-900 is my main musical project. I’m very happy with the music, and also love working with the other two guys involved with it. There’s a comic book aspect to it as well, but this time an actual comic - a fictionalized steam-punkesque story, set in the ‘80s and involving the band fighting bad guys.

5. If you had to layout all the bands in order you played in as a timeline what would they be?

A handful of bands in my 20’s that never amounted to much

Brett Miller solo stuff

A side project with a bass player, called Men Of Letters

Composing video game soundtracks, that sort of counts

A short-lived death metal band called Sacrificial Damned

More Brett Miller stuff

1-900

6. What is the coolest experience you have had as a musician?

I’ve had a lot of cool experiences in my life that weren’t necessarily related to being a musician, but specifically music related? Honestly, it would be the compounded coolness of helping all of my Guitar students over the years. I’ve taught a lot of people, all across the World, and that’s been a very fulfilling experience. On a more selfish note, one of the experiences that I enjoy the most is taking part in just pure jamming with people, where you just plug in, look at each other, and go. I haven’t found a ton of people over the years who can or are willing to do that, but it’s a lot of fun, and exciting. Also, I really enjoy the experience of listening to a final master of a song or record, after all the time and effort that goes into making it.

7. What inspires you to keep doing what you do?

Not to sound all pretentious, but as an artist, it’s like you simply can’t not do it. It’s non-negotiable, so that’s the first thing. It’s also a combination of wanting to create the type of music that I would enjoy listening to myself, so why not just create it, and also the thrill of the chase at this point - the challenge of taking the music that we’re proud of, and trying to get more and more people to hear it. With the storytelling aspect of 1-900 as well, the comic books and everything, there’s also this added element of wanting to get that story out there. Because, as fun and ‘80s-inspired as the story is, there are definitely some parables lurking in there about the dangers of the types of insanity that we’re going through as a culture nowadays, the phones, the advancing technology, etc., and how to fight back.

8. If you had to name some influences what would they be?

Here’s a list, non-exhaustive, but off the top of my head: AC/DC, Pestilence, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Carcass, Coroner, Dream Theater, Megadeth, Testament, older Meshuggah, Symphony X, Death, Cynic, Thor, older Devin Townsend, Chris Poland, Hammerfall, Pantera, Manowar…I’d better stop there, or it’ll just keep going! And that doesn’t even include composers like Sibelius, Scriabin, etc.

9. What is your favorite venue you been to or played in?

My favorite venue right now, honestly, is the Sosnoff Theater up at Bard College. It’s a world-class concert hall, and they have a great orchestra there, both professional and student. They perform major orchestral works, operas, etc. I’ve never performed there of course, but it’s such a great venue, and it’s not too far from where I live.

10. To sum up this interview where can we find your latest music and any shout outs to anyone for the readers of Liberty Or Death Music Network.

We want everyone to join the Phone Fighting Force! You can do that over at https://HyperRotComics.com and get access to a lot of cool, behind the scenes stuff as we create the upcoming comic book “Band of Heroes”, as well as the new EP that’s coming out. We just released a new single, ramping up to that, that’s on all the streaming services. It’s called TouchTone Attack, and is pretty representative of what we do, if people want to check it out. For shout outs, I’ll just say thanks Dan, keep spreading the awareness of all these cool bands!

1 900 at Facebook

Daniel Ryan, , 4/13/23

EP Review: Sledgehammer Guillotine "Death by the Hammer" (Conjuring Records) by Dave Wolff

Band: Sledgehammer Guillotine

Location: San Antonio, Texas

Country: USA

Genre: Progressive thrash metal

EP: Death by the Hammer

Format: Digital

Label: Conjuring Records

Release date: August 19, 2024

Omar Guerra, a Texas native who has worked with bands including Dirigiri, Iniquitous and K.O.D. and is currently president and CEO of the indie label Conjuring Records, is one of the co-founders of Sledgehammer Guillotine with Carlos Cereceres.

As his band’s name and the title of their EP suggests, the foundation of “Death by the Hammer” is mostly based on classic/old school thrash, with note progressions constructed similarly to those of Destruction and Kreator in their early years. Sledgehammer Guillotine’s range as a band doesn't end with German thrash, however.

The Mike Sifringer/Mille Petrozza-inspired riffs are given a certain degree of groove by the frequent breakdowns occurring in between the semi-chaotic thrash sections. There are other places where you can hear blast, motifs of power and prog metal, dissonant guitars and tremolo picking, and the ominous undertones of early Death and Pestilence.

The EP's atmosphere brought back memories of when I first saw horror and gore films from the 70s and 80s while discovering thrash bands, and I was reminded of going to a club to see a local band for the first time. This was most likely the subject matter of zombie apocalypses and premature burials, and it brought back memories of seeing local band in clubs. This was probably the theme of premature burials and zombie apocalypses, as well as the cover of Kreator’s “Under the Guillotine” included at the end.

“Cadaver Waltz” features a chorus evocative of early death metal, discordant black metal and a breakdown akin to old Kreator. The musicianship strikes a nice mix between tightness and dirtiness, with the drums contributing linear relentlessness. “Buried Alive” and “Brain Stomp,” in which the vocals at times remind me of Geoff Tate (Queensryche) and King Diamond (Mercyful Fate), are examples of their inspiration in power, prog and American thrash while they enhance their cover of “Under the Guillotine” with blast.

Although Sledgehammer Guillotine is a local band signed to a relatively small label their work goes well beyond that. If they continue to integrate and tighten everything while making it more uniquely theirs, it has the potential to become lethal. –Dave Wolff

Track list:

1. Cadaver Waltz

2. The Guillotines Lines

3. Buried Alive

4. Brao Stomp

5. Under the Guillotine Kreator Tribute

Article: "Music's Evolution in New York City" by Rosemary Sahjaza

"Music's Evolution in New York City"

Article by Rosemary Sahjaza

Music has often been a reflection of societal changes, and the closure of taverns and dance clubs has profoundly impacted its evolution. These spaces historically served as breeding grounds for creativity, where musicians gathered to collaborate, share ideas, and draw inspiration from one another. With their decline, opportunities for spontaneous performances and communal experiences have diminished, leading to a homogenization of musical styles. Instead of the diverse sounds that emerged from vibrant local scenes, we now find a more commercialized musical landscape. The isolation of artists limits their ability to innovate, suggesting that the heart of music's evolution lies in community interaction and cultural exchange.

Goddess Rosemary Sahjaza

Article: "Dark Moon Ritual, October 2021" by Liath Sahjaza

Dark Moon Ritual, October 2021

Article by Liath Sahjaza

Welcome to this month’s Dark Moon ritual. from 2021 repeat she is not able to create one this month but will soon ... and so ... for This month finds us in Libra, which means you might be feeling more talkative and social. Libra is a sign with many positive traits and beneficial energies, so kicking the month off with a healthy dose of Libran energy is not a bad thing.

Dark Moon is the time for closures, to rid yourself of the bad energies of the past weeks and only take what serves you in the future. If you haven’t cut cords, please do so. It truly is a lifesaving practice.

A Libran influence is typically one of balance and peacekeeping. It is the sign represented by a set of scales after all. If you've found yourself struggling with a work/life balance, or with setting boundaries amongst your relationships, this Dark Moon marks a point of reset that will help you recalibrate. It will push you to weigh the value in the things and people around you and find a better alignment in your own life. I hope by now that you all accept that it is truly okay to cut toxic things and people from your lives.

Of course, there is always a flipside of which to be wary. Libra is extroverted, chatty and highly social. With Mercury currently in retrograde and confusing our lines of communication, now is not the ideal time to be embracing the overly talkative or even gossipy sides of ourselves. More than usual, things can be taken out of context. So, while you may feel more inclined to make a snide comment, for the next few weeks, it's best to live by the idea that if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.

For our meditation, I feel the need to go deep inside and search for those cords that need to be cut. As you do this, focus on loving yourself. Be confident that you deserve the best, and therefore need these cords to be cut. As you cut them, focus on resetting yourself. Think of how much better your life will be without these negativities. Stand strong in your power as you place personal boundaries wherever you need them. If there are people you must be around even after cutting them loose, learn to just not react or feel anything when they are around. Yes, you can train yourself to do this. They do not deserve the energy you put into being bothered by them, and you deserve better. Lift yourself up, hug yourself.

Thank you all for sharing this event with me. Much love and dark blessings.

HEOP Liath Sahjaza

Fiction: "LIghts Out!" by Devin J. Meaney

Lights Out!

Fiction by Devin J. Meaney

Jack stared out into the liveliness of the street with disdain. As all the kids walked by in their colorful spooky costumes he couldn’t help his hateful writhing. It was true that if it wasn’t for those kids he wouldn’t be here—as he didn’t “come to life” until he attained his “true” face. But oh—how the knife hurt as his crooked smile and triangular eyes were cut and widened, the hacking and slashing of the plastic orange blade plummeting deeper and deeper with every twist and turn of their wretched little wrists. The kids laughed with festive glee as they carved him into existence for another year, and although Jack’s screams were silent he could hear his own bellows ringing within the confines of his freshly birthed mind right from the start.

Oh, how he wanted them to pay for his suffering. Just like his true face and the sentient existence he learned to hate, if it wasn’t for those kids he wouldn’t have a hot seething flame burning within him.

Jack wondered aimlessly.

What the hell kind of name is Jack anyway?

They gave him the same name every year and placed him on their front porch as a decoration, and as more and more children came to collect the offerings of the night he continued to get lost in his own little world. He couldn’t move and he couldn’t speak. He was nothing more than just a festive ornament, his mind and his thoughts meaning nothing to the oblivious tricksters and treaters of Halloween. He wanted his torment to end, but as the night progressed the chaotic whirlwind that swirled within his fleshy orange cranium continued to seethe and boil as the dim light inside of him flickered on, orange shadows dancing in the blackness that consumed the front porch and all that surrounded it.

For hours his plague pushed forth, and just as he was reaching the peak of insanity, his personal hell nearing completion, he saw three older youths approaching the porch. He knew what was coming next. His mind teetered into a frenzy.

Do it. End it quick, you little wretches…

They picked Jack up from the front porch, and with a symphony of dark cackles they smashed him into the ground. Three good well placed kicks ended him, his vibrant orange guts spilling out into the street. He would be left to rot until he was cleaned from the pavement, and just as his mind flickered back into the direction of non-existence, his hatred exploded into his thoughts just before they were snuffed out for another year.

…Lights out!

But on an endless cycle, he would return the very next year. Year after year his curse continued, and just like the spirit of Halloween, Jack’s seething soul would never truly die—nor would it ever truly “live” again…

Interview with Leonardo Serrini and Donatella of The Beatersband by Dave Wolff

Interview with Leonardo Serrini and Donatella of The Beatersband by Dave Wolff

“Bad Girl”, a posthumous tribute CD to Joey Ramone and Ronnie Spector was released by The Beatersband in September. Who thought up the idea and what made the band follow suit? How were the tracks selected for inclusion?

The original idea was Donatella's (voice and guitar). The rest of the band liked both Ronnie Spector and Joey Ramone and immediately agreed, thinking it was a great idea to honor their friendship and mutual respect. The nine songs have been put in the playlist in chronological order from 1962 to 2006, referring to the recordings performed by Ronnie.

The Beatersband records a lot of iconic rock and punk songs from the 1960s and 1970s. Do you perceive any stylistic similarities between both periods?

Listening to songs by artists such as Ritchie Valens, you immediately get the perception of his being one of the forerunners of punk. If you listen to the Misfits you understand they were inspired by the music of those years. Michale Graves (Misfits) has often included songs like “Tears of My Pillow” by Little Anthony and The Imperials in his live performances. Even Glenn Danzig, founder of the Misfits, was inspired by Elvis Presley of whom he made a cover album entitled “Danzig sings Elvis”.

“When You Walk in the Room” by Jackie DeShannon was covered by The Searchers, even “If I Had a Hammer” by the American singer-songwriter and folk-singer Pete Seeger was covered in 1964 by the Italian singer Rita Pavone.

What made you decide to form a band covering punk and classic rock? Is there a local market for punk and pop punk scene in your area in Italy?

The idea was born from Donatella (voice and guitar) who has listened to 50s and 60s music since she was a child, thanks to her father who passed on this passion to her. The project was born when she met Leonardo (bass), who already played in a punk rock group (Latte+). The two decided to merge their musical acquaintances.

The punk scene in our area is not very active, especially since after Covid they closed a few clubs. Those still active can be counted on the fingers of one hand, and this also applies to the rest of Italy.

Since there’s not much of an active punk scene in your area, how much work did you have to put into advertising and promoting?

We had to dedicate a lot of time to it. Luckily social media exists, without which it would have been difficult to advertise.

Do you always distribute your albums and singles independently, or do you sometimes collaborate with local indie labels to promote your releases?

We are an independent band. We distribute and promote our music independently all over the world, although for some shipments abroad we collaborate with the American labels Smelly Rick Record, River Monster and Outloud Records, and with Discos Polo of Palma de Mallorca (Spain).

Could you describe your relationship-building process with the labels you identified for distribution and promotion? To what extent do they help the band spread word of their releases?

Our relationships with labels were born through social media, simply by sending our material to be listened to. Their help is important, they manage to promote our music to a wider audience.

You can stream the majority of your work at Bandcamp. To what extent does this site aid the band's outreach outside Italy? Do you also stream on other net outlets?

The distribution of our music is mainly with Bandcamp, It’s helping us substantially. Even the labels listed above do it. It’s also possible to find our songs on Spotify and the best streaming platforms.

The band's approach generally seems to lean towards the ferocity of punk bands such as Sex Pistols and Bad Brains, as well as the Ramones. This is largely due to the drums. In the studio, how much focus and energy are you giving the drum tracks?

The drum parts are a fundamental part of the recording. If the drums didn't play with that sound and intensity we wouldn't be able to give a punk rock mood to the songs since they’re from the 50s and 60s.

How much more challenging has it been to promote your live performances than your recordings? Did Facebook and other websites help you spread the word more quickly?

They are both important. Being a totally independent band we have to look for places where we can perform on the one hand. On the other we try to give new life to songs that are now over sixty years old trying to keep their soul intact. As I answered previously Facebook and other websites have helped us a lot. The internet gives everyone the opportunity to be heard and known all over the world in the shortest time possible.

Were you attempting to recreate the vibe of Ronnie’s songs or incorporating your own style?

We have been rearranging songs since we formed in September 2018, even the songs from “Bad Girl” are rearranged in our style, trying to keep their soul.

Producer Phil Spector has worked with Ronnie and Joey. What would you say about his early contributions to rock music? What personal resonance does his production work have for you?

Phil Spector was certainly a questionable person on a personal level, but nothing takes away his great contribution to rock music, of which we follow the same trend.

Phil produced the Ramones’ album “End of the Century” which was met with mixed reviews. What do you personally think of his work there?

“End of the Century” is in our opinion a great album, even if obviously it has a totally different sound from the previous albums, the hand of Phil Spector is felt being the creator of the Wall of Sound.

Were there any songs Ronnie and Joey collaborated on? What was the extent of their friendship?

They recorded the mini album “She Talks to Rainbows” together in 1999, they were very good friends, Joey Ramone, who loved the female bands of the 60s, and in particular the Ronettes, tried to lift her up when she had been overshadowed by the figure of Tina Turner who was debuting in the same period.

Are you familiar with the song Ronnie recorded with The Misfits for “Project 1950”, namely “You Belong to Me”? Who else has she worked with to your knowledge?

It is a beautiful reinterpretation, we know this album very well. We’ve also rearranged four songs from it, including “Donna”, “Diana”, “It's Only Make Believe” and “Runaway”. Ronnie also duetted with George Harrison and Bruce Springsteen.

You released a cover of Blondie's "X Offender" in 2022. Debbie Harry's original atmosphere seems to be evoked by Donatella, and the version combines pop elements with a street-level punk energy. Why did you decide to cover the song?

It was one of the first songs by Blondie brought to CBGB and it is less inflated than their other songs, such as “Maria”, “Heart of Glass” and “Call Me”. We like it a lot.

The second song on the Blondie single is a rendition of "I Only Want to Be with You" by Dusty Springfield, which is also on your album "Vol.Tre." There's a similar punk vibe to the tracks. To what extent did you work on the album?

It was born as the conclusion of the three albums “Vol.Uno”, “Vol.Due” and “Vol.Tre”. It should have closed the circle of our project of 50s/60s covers.

Do any of your CDs feature covers of The Beatles or Bruce Springsteen? Or maybe any recordings from the late 1960s?

No, but we have in common with Bruce Springsteen the fact that we covered “Then He Kissed Me” by the Crystals. Our CDs are mainly rearrangements of songs from the 50s and 60s, but we have also made a tribute CD (EP) to the Misfits, and “Goodbye Eddie Goodbye”, a song included in the musical “Phantom of the Paradise”.

What was the plot of the musical “Phantom of the Paradise” and how were you inspired to cover a song from its soundtrack?

A young naive singer-songwriter, Winslow Leach, is tricked by the legendary but unscrupulous music producer Swan into sacrificing his life's work. In revenge, the composer dons a new and menacing personality and begins to terrorize Swan's new concert hall, insisting that his music be performed by his most adored singer, “Phoenix (Jessica Harper)”, directed by Brian De Palma. The inspiration and idea came from Timothy, the owner of the label Smelly Rick Records (Arizona/Texas) who wanted to make a compilation tribute to the musical, coming out soon on CD, vinyl and digital format on his label.

Who else is on Smelly Rick Records' compilation honoring “Phantom of the Paradise” besides the Beatersband? What is the anticipated date of release?

We know that the other bands are mainly American but we don't know them, the release date is unfortunately not certain yet.

Do the members of the band watch a lot of musicals? Do other musicals inspire the band to cover songs from the soundtrack?

Donatella watches musicals. The inspiration for the soundtrack of the musical was born from Timothy the owner of Smelly Rick Records.

What songs appeared on your tribute album to the Misfits? Has it been received well since it came out? Are there other punk bands you’ve considered tributing?

There are four, specifically “Saturday Night”, “She”, “Nightmare on Elm Street” and “Some Kinda Hate”. It was well received both for sales, positive reviews and many passages on the radio. At the moment we have not considered other bands, even if the Ramones are present in the album “Bad Girl” and in “Danny Says” also re-recorded by us.

Ringo Starr once said the Beatles were the punk rock of their time in their early years. He said the soundtrack of the film "Backbeat" was recorded by bands that reflected the type of band the Beatles were when they started. Have you seen this film? If so, what are your thoughts on it?

We haven't seen this film, but we will watch it under your advice, you've intrigued us.

Little Steven's Underground Garage, which airs Sunday nights at undergroundgarage.com/, is another good source for information about rock & roll’s punk roots.

We know SiriusXM well even if we can't listen from here to Rodney Bingenheimer playing our songs on the radio. However every now and then we manage to listen to Little Steven's podcasts.

Do you have recommendations for obscure bands that helped pioneer punk in the sixties and seventies? YouTube has a number of videos highlighting these bands.

Little-known bands, they don't come to mind offhand, but we know that punk is an evolution of garage rock that developed in America in the early 60s, later towards the end of the decade garage rock took another turn by exaggerating the salient features of the genre, the epicenter of this music was Detroit where that trend that was called proto-punk was born. Among the first groups that can be considered precursors of punk we think of the Kinks and the Troggs.

Would you recommend material about the history of punk to people who may not have seen them?

We read some books about punk, and specifically we would recommend Johnny Rotten's autobiography, Marky Ramone's “Punk Rock Blitzkrieg”, Dee Dee Ramone's “Blitzkrieg Punk”, Will Hermes' “New York 1973-1977”, Dave Laing's “Punk” and Monte A. Melnick's “On the Road with the Ramones” and the documentary “The Great History of Punk”. The books are still easy to find, and they tell in detail what they want to explain, each with its own point of view. 35) I think punk will have its ups and downs as it always has.

Has the band covered any songs recorded by Patti Smith? Would you be interested in songs recorded by Runaways, Pretenders, or Siouxsie and the Banshees?

We haven't recorded anything by Patti Smith even if we like her, we would like to cover songs by the Runaways. Pretenders, why not!

Does the mainstreamization of punk from the nineties to the present, from grunge to pop punk, have more positive or negative aspects? Since major labels began signing bands, to what extent has the genre retained its sixties roots? In what direction do you think underground punk will go in the future? Do you see punk scenes continuing to grow and inspire more people to form bands?

Punk at the time was much more motivated, it was born as a form of protest and was a way to convey various issues of the time, compared to that of the majors which is much more driven by economic ends. I think punk will have its ups and downs as it always has.

Are you planning to release a new full-length album in the near future? Or do you have ideas in mind for one?

In the future we have the idea of doing something of our own. For the next album we are thinking of making our own songs.

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Beatersband at X

-Dave Wolff

Full Length Review: Ihsahn "Ihsahn" (Candlelight Records) by Dave Wolff

Band: Ihsahn

Country: Norway

Genre: Progressive experimental metal

Full length: Ihsahn

Format: Digital

Label: Candlelight Records

Release date: February 16, 2024

Once again, returning to the well in search of new ground for extreme metal, I find it in the new self-titled release from Ihsahn, the musician known for his work with Peccatum, Thou Shalt Suffer and Emperor. I was caught off guard by the soaring classical piece that opened this album, the first indication of how much Ihsahn has evolved as a musician since I last heard him perform on his solo project.

In 1994, Emperor released "In the Nightside Eclipse" with a sound unmatched by other bands at the time, which gave the genre a much-needed push forward. Not only was the music in your face with scorching guitars and blasts, but it was also massive, majestic, and deep, a vehicle to Norway's pagan past with cold, dead spirits returning to haunt the listener.

Ihsahn is notable for building on Emperor's achievements without adhering to the typical guidelines associated with branching out. After years of staring into the abyss, the abyss is looking into him, bringing out what it has found in the immeasurable depths of his mind and finding the places where it all fits. You’ll find that what's revealed is not all ugliness and nightmare if you listen carefully.

“Ihsahn” features an unconventional, well-balanced, tight-knit blend of experimental black metal and outlandish classical music, with a vocal range that’s equally disparate. The distinctive style he brought to “Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk” and “IX Equilibtium” (Emperor) is still present here, infusing you with that unnerving sensation of all the frigidness of Norway in winter, made all the more chilling by the melody he brings to other verses.

Rather than softening things up, the assonance of the ariose strings and canorous vocals heighten the songs’ eccentric quality, a quality that can only be described as far off the beaten path. Ihsahn’s self-sufficient experimenting achieves a transcendent operatic theme with carnivalesque songwriting, discordant and melodic chords, traditional and uneven metre, unhinged and beauteous passages, jazzy refrains and varying degrees of intensity.

Completely chaotic and lacking any saleable inclinations, “Ihsahn” leaves some of its tracks somewhat unresolved, providing an air of mystery that lasts until the final track leaves impressions of something thoroughly extraterrestrial. The musical canvas on which this is painted, complete with clear production and a burnished resonance, might not appeal to everyone, but if you approach it not as black metal, prog, experimental or anything else, you might see it as Aldous Huxley saw the universe once the doors of perception were cleansed. -Dave Wolff

Lineup:

Ihsahn: All vocals and instruments, songwriting

Track list:

1. Cervus Venator

2. The Promethean Spark

3. Pilgrimage to Oblivion

4. Twice Born

5. A Taste of the Ambrosia

6. Anima Extraneae

7. Blood Trails to Love

8. Hubris and Blue Devils

9. The Distance Between Us

10. At the Heart of All Things Broken

11. Sonata Profana