THE DEVIL'S MONTH: January 2025
Rounding up some of the finest releases of the previous month - including Andy's picks too!
They say all new music sucks, but here we are going into the third year of The Devil’s Month and we’ve never suffered from a lack of awesome stuff from every genre to choose from - if anything, I wish we had more time and patience to bring you more than our usual 5+5 picks every month. They say no one buys records anymore, but the Mondo Negro record store is still here supporting us, going strong and featuring all of the gems you want to get from the comfort of your own browser. They say rock is dead, but Andy Cairns is still out there, constantly on the road with his wonderful cohorts Michael McKeegan and Neil Cooper bringing the Therapy? rock to thousands of sweaty, smiling, cheering fans - and after the lights go out, he still finds time to dig out awesome new underground records to recommend us every month, and that’s just one of the many reasons why we love him.
So who cares what they say, right? Crank up the volume and let’s go!
The Blood Mountain Black Metal Choir
DEMO I - “Folklore”
(self-released)
The first release by this one-man project from the Appalachian mountains, technically a demo as its own title suggests, but whatever - it will singlehandedly restore any loss of faith you might have suffered towards the more atmospheric kind of black metal with these simple five tracks, two of which are piano/acoustic interludes that actually sound like lost old recordings from the 1930s. The remaining is windswept, gloriously melancholic and inspiring black metal, furiously emotional, melodic and raw in equal parts. The one obvious reference point that springs to mind is Panopticon (which is a very good thing), but still, The Blood Mountain Black Metal Choir seem operate solely within their own personality and that’s the most exciting thing about this debut release. That the person behind it seems to be the same person who does Isleptonthemoon and Wounds Of Recollection is a great sign, as both those projects have had brilliant, uniquely-sounding releases and seem to be in it for the long haul too. And hey, given the sudden, unexpected turn that Deafheaven have shown on their recently unveiled single ‘Magnolia’, it might just be the right time for this sort of thing too. Stay tuned.
Century
Sign Of The Storm
(Electric Assault Records / Dying Victims Productions)
Traditional heavy metal is a sort of inexhaustible resource, if you do it right. Which is neither easy nor obvious, of course, but it’s mainly a question of authenticity and dedication. If you’re really passionate about this stuff, and of course if you are talented in songwriting and performance, that will shine through as your own individual personality and take on the genre, no matter technically derivative it might be. Of course you’ve heard albums like ‘Sign Of The Storm’ a million times before, but the way this Swedish duo (a particularly appropriate format for this sort of thing, it seems - the amazing Spell immediately come to mind) checks all the right boxes immediately sets it apart like a true highlight for the genre for 2025 already. From ‘70s Blue Öyster Cult-like hard rock to a particularly strong NWOBHM influence (think of melodic gems like Demon or Grim Reaper) enriching the classic Maiden/Priest blueprint with much-needed variety, Century’s super-catchy, carefully crafted fist-raising anthems will go straight to your heart if you have even an ounce of true metaller in you.
Ethel Cain
Perverts
(Daughters Of Cain)
Superficially (or, to be really honest, if you just paid attention to the Lana-esque “hit” on her ‘Preacher’s Daughter’ debut), Ethel Cain seemed to be an exciting new addition to the current indie/alt-pop canon when she started to become more well known, appearing in all kinds of big summer fests and all. But if you happened to go down that album’s rabbit hole with any kind of care towards its narrative, or even just listened to some of its deeper cuts, it was already clear that this association was accidental at best. Let’s face it, even the other most well-known song on that album, the haunting, soul-destroying ‘A House In Nebraska’, already isn’t your typical radio hit. There is a disturbance, a malaise, a very sombre sort of Weltschmerz (this is how far I’ll go to avoid the word “dark” and any of its variants since that interview with Sophia made me look at the word in a whole new way, okay?) to Ethel’s songs, both thematically and sonically, that doesn’t entirely fit with that world. To put it half-jokingly, though admittedly little arrogantly, she seemed much more to be one of us. Even before I had seen one of her excellent playlists (like this one, for example), I think it was clear she was a Midwife, Anna Von Hausswolff, Jesu, Black fucking Sabbath kind of girl rather than just another “pop” icon to be disposed of come the next big hit or whatever. Well, just in case any doubts were still lingering, then this absolute monster of an album that she’s subjected us to now will absolutely remove them completely, like a bag of dollar-store makeup dissolving in a vat of acid. ‘Perverts’ is, simply put, a nasty piece of work. It’s been great reading all the reviews of people who loved the idea they had built of Ethel (to be more precise, before we call her “Ethel” again, her name is Hayden Silas Anhedönia, with Ethel Cain being her stage name/fictional protagonist of the songs) based on parts of the first album and watch them fumble and misunderstand their way through colossal dark ambient pieces like ‘Housofpsychoticwomn’, abstract minimalist exercises like ‘Pulldrone’ or uncomfortable slabs of crescent menace like ‘Thatorchia’, which could easily have been pulled out from somewhere in the middle of Swans’ ‘Soundtracks For The Blind’. “Southern gothic,” which seems to also have become a common way to refer to her music, is typically a relatively safe umbrella genre that you could throw at music with this kind of vibe just to mean that it’s a little darker than what you might be used to, but that doesn’t even begin to cut it in this case. Even the typical reliable The Guardian ends its review with a mystifying notion: “The result is perhaps the most wilful perversion of all: an artist on the brink of stardom who seems to be actively pushing it away,” as if all of this is a fully conscious process and “stardom” or the absence thereof were some sort of motivation or inspiration on Hayden’s mind as she wrote these songs. Ironically, however, some of her most deeply fragile and rewarding moments are on ‘Perverts’ too, almost hidden between the swathes of noise and sinister sound texture weavings, and they become all the more affecting for that contrast - if the middle part of ‘Vaccilator’, for example, doesn’t slowly bring you to your knees while fighting back tears, you might want to check if there’s still some soul left to save in you.
Godzillionaire
Diminishing Returns
(Ripple Music)
Turns out I had been totally sleeping on this album even after Ripple Music had kindly sent me the advance promo and everything. It had to be my good friend Rennie Resmini - go read him! - to poke me towards it with one of his typically awesome recommendations. I had almost forgotten how great this band is (check out their two previous records, 2016’s ‘Small Change’ and 2020’s ‘Negative Balance’), but goddamn it, ‘Diminishing Returns’ is a reminder and a half. It’s immediately obvious that it’s their strongest effort so far, but even better than that, it’s such an explosive mix of grungy infectiousness, noise rock rumble and psychey space-rock mind-expansion that no matter what you’re into, it will be an instantly rewarding shot of gruff, gritty awesomeness. Not to say that there isn’t depth here - these razor-sharp rhythms hold plenty of riches, not least in Mark Hennessy’s frankly extraordinary lyrics, which really underline the difference between having a truly gifted writer behind the pen and, well, someone else. Mark Hennessy from the criminally underrated Paw, I hear the ones with the best taste among you ask, or even King Rat and The Diamond Heart Club, the really nerdy ones add? Yes indeed, that very same legendary Mark Hennessy, dear friends. As if you needed more reasons to get all up on this album, right?
Matt Berry
Heard Noises
(Acid Jazz Records)
I’m sure that by now mostly everyone knows that Matt Berry, the very silly and very funny man who has given life to immortal characters like Douglas Reynholm, Steven Toast or Laszlo Cravensworth, is also a remarkable musician, but hopefully everyone has also really investigated and dived into his discography. As amazing as he is as an actor and comedian (I mean, Laszlo’s diction alone, right?), his music really is sublime, each album never quite the same as the previous, meandering between folk, psych, ambient and a very peculiar brand Americana with a constantly dreamy, pleasantly hazy approach. ‘Heard Noises’ might be his “rockier” album so far, vague as that description might be, but the loose, groovy (didn’t you just hear regular human bartender Jackie Daytona pronounce that word as “grooovay”?) way Matt tears through massively catchy and bouncy tunes like ‘Wedding Photo Stranger’ or opener ‘Why On Fire?’ really goes beyond any frivolities like genre boundaries or comparisons to other stuff. Even with a couple of distinguished guests that could have a disruptive effect on such a wonderfully free-flowing album, it all feels so natural (Natasha Lyonne’s unmistakable voice on ‘I Entered As I Came’ is a particular highlights), as if the songs were made up on the spot, that ultimately, the record is like a reunion of all the great inspirations that have fueled Matt’s past material all fused into one sunny, relaxed and intensely addictive whole.
Chain Circuits - Demo (Invisible Audio)
From Indonesia, this hardcore release has that “touch of Chorus Pedal” guitar sound that I love so much. A sensational barrage of riffing and d-beat drums all delivered with a boisterous intent. At times early Die Kreuzen pop up as a reference point as the choppy, harsh, brick wall guitar sound conquers all. ‘Resistencia’ and ‘Fist To Fist’ are my favourites here.
Cornerstone Boys - Midnight In Doagh (Local Music For Local People)
Doagh is a village in County Antrim in the North of Ireland not far from where I grew up. I had friends there and used to have to cycle to visit them. Cogry Road was a narrow, crooked road with (in those days) no street lighting which would pass by an abandoned mill and was flanked by fields. At night, on return journeys, bats would swoop down while I was trying to navigate the darkness and rusted, stationary agricultural machinery would inhabit nearby pastures leaving their intimidating silhouettes on the skyline. ‘Midnight In Doagh’ is the soundtrack to those bike rides, a seemingly endless journey with clattering, crunching night calls flying in and out of ear shot, post-rock guitars, samples that drop in and out of the mix and an elastic, booming bass line that suggests there’s something over your shoulder. This is sensory music and it’s wonderful.
Gossip Collar - Spinning Silk For Parasites (No Norms Records)
Energetic death/goth punk shrouded in modulating keyboards (?) and guitar.
Emboldened by a huge sound the new wave style vocals guide the great hooks skywards. ‘Midnight Ride’ is a masterclass in pop shadowplay and ‘Shallow Eyes’ puts me in mind of some of the aesthetics at play on the recent album by Die Verlierer. The album closes with the awesome ‘Windsong’ shimmering through a kaleidoscope of sparkling and trembling guitars. Perfect for this time of the year, trying to see through frosted windows, at a series of dark evenings yet to reveal themselves.
ΠΛΕΚΤΑΝΗ - Καλλιτεχνικές Ανησυχίες (Sorry State Records)
From Athens, Greece, this fierce outfit delivers relentless and incendiary hardcore guaranteed to shake you out of any remaining post holiday malaise. Deadly riffing, classic crossover vocals and, most importantly, a sense of unstoppable momentum.
Rifle - Pack Mentality (Year 0001)
Raw, London punk with touches of US hardcore, specifically the more blown-out variety (early Black Flag, Void). ‘Soldier Doll’ is a romper room of delights with touches of early Wire and ‘Pack Mentality’ is almost Hüsker Dü in places with its bright, chiming guitars. All three tracks on this fantastic EP clock in under two minutes which only serves to make listening incredibly addictive as you return to play it again... and again.
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