75/100 Genre: Dark ambient -5°C , a Malaysian ambient project, delivers a cold and dark expanse. It feels like being in the dead of a silent night, where an eerie, menacing aura creeps up your spine through tracks like " Supernova " and " Lost ," both of which sound rather harsh and sharp. This isn't a view of sparkling starlight; rather, it feels driven by something far beyond human reach—be it astral entities on Earth , or the absolute void and shifting cosmic frequencies of celestial bodies like the ones published by NASA . Personally, I find a bit of a connection with "Lost," which manages to conjure a horror-esque atmosphere when I recall supernatural stories. However, as is usually the case for me, I'll lean toward the smoothest tracks available. Tracklist:  1. Stranded  2. Away  3. Departure  4. Supernova  5. Lost  6. The Absolute Zero

70/100 Genre: Alternative/Punk rock, Pop Punk I haven't had the chance to follow the BanG Dream! franchise, despite having plans to do so after watching K-ON! a few years back. The situation was worsened by the death of my interest in forms of entertainment outside of music, leading me to eventually forget about it altogether because the underlying genres surely wouldn't have met my expectations at the time—which was metal. However, out of curiosity, I looked up some information and sampled Roselia , who came closest with their symphonic rock style—a genre that feels somewhat distinct amidst the sea of J-Pop and mainstream rock. A few years later, BanG Dream! spawned another exclusive band, Ave Mujica , which hits closer and heavier with a metal edge, but once again, I didn't just blindly accept them. I kept wishing they would just go all out and play power metal instead. Now, amidst the erosion of my interest in power metal itself, I found myself daydreaming about...

65/100 Genre: Indie/Art Pop/Rock Arcade Fire is one of the indie rock giants that I completely brushed aside 10 years ago, simply because it lacked the energy my teenage self was looking for. But does it hit differently today? We serves as my very first trial run with them, and honestly, I didn't even know they had a Grammy-winning album under their belt. The first thing that caught me off guard was the conceptual structure —something I feel is rarely utilized by mainstream bands or artists, quite apart from the fact that it's a theme I don't highlight much anymore. There is no opening hook, but I found myself wishing I could hear " Age of Anxiety I-II " as pure instrumentals, given how synth-driven they are. The subsequent section carries a conservative aura dominated by acoustic guitars, which initially led me to think they were exploring Christian themes —though upon looking into it, that turned out not to be the case. Section after section passed by, yet th...

Oh, a new breakthrough?! Not really. In the end, it’s just because I can only accept specific genres and tracks, while still struggling to respond to anything outside of them. Well, back to the most fundamental concept: documenting the existence of these releases. The following is a list dedicated specifically to single releases that would be quite a shame not to archive. 1. Abby Bland – Teach Me (2023) Genre: Acoustic/Indie/Folk Country: USA FFO: not found yet Rating: 65/100 2. City by the Sea – Moving for the Sake of Motion (Underøath Cover) (2017) Genre: Post-rock Country: Russia FFO: This Will Destroy You , Explosions in the Sky , This Patch of Sky Rating: 75/100 3. Crayon Case – Surabaya (2025) Genre: indie rock/shoegaze Country: Indonesia FFO: Slowdive , Slow Crush, Yuragi, Parannoul Rating: 75/100 4. Diesel – Far (2026) Genre: Sludge/doom/post-metal Country: Canada FFO: Grief, Conjurer, Hemelbestormer, Bongripper Rating: 70/100 5. Evening Reflection – Just Let It Go (2021) ...

75/100 Genre: Ambient Steve Roach . This is no ordinary name when it comes to discussing the ambient genre , even though his mainstream renown still seems eclipsed by the prestige of Brian Eno . Immersion Four marks the fourth installment in the Immersion series and sits roughly around entry #106 in his massive discography. Right from my initial trial run, I had placed this 73-minute single track into my favorites playlist. However, during the most recent playback, it felt somewhat flat—it is so deeply immersive that you practically need to crank up the volume to catch it. The urge to delete it actually crossed my mind, though I was still hesitant. Well, what a bizarre stroke of timing. As I was sitting here writing this exact commentary, a coworker suddenly approached me and started recounting a horror experience they had just lived through. Naturally, hearing it gave me goosebumps, and that instantly altered the texture of this track, making it feel far more mystical, as if it we...

75/100 Genre: Breakcore .｡*ﾟ+.*.Curren｡+..｡*ﾟ+ arrived at the exact right moment. After being completely exasperated by that sprawling vaporwave mess, the mood instantly dissolved into a brand of breakcore that isn't overly chaotic or fast. Unfortunately, I didn't recognize any of the sample choices, though the signature J-Pop flavor is quite engaging. Oh, this looks like it would be a perfect fit for fans of Curren Chan from Uma Musume , given that she is featured on the album cover. It’s a similar concept to the X Tamamo X project, which uses the character Tamamo Cross as its core theme. Hashire!♪ Tracklist:  1. Give u kawaii!  2. Worldwidesuperstar  3. Still Dreaming  4. INTERNET_IRIS  5. Just relax｡:ﾟ･*☽:ﾟ･⋆｡♪  6. Can You Hear My Voice?  7. City Lights

45/100 Genre: Vaporwave Another vaporwave offering comes from ２８ : ４４ (28:44). This project delivers just two tracks, yet the total runtime clocks in at a staggering 57 minutes. This means the length of each individual track is engineered to match the numbers in the project's own name. What makes it disappointing is the constant loop repetition spanning across those 28 minutes. It is essentially the equivalent of watching a YouTube video with a title formatted as "(something) in 10 hours!" If this were shaped as a wall of ambient/drone, I could still tolerate it, but what we have here is slowed-down city pop . It’s insane! If a five-minute version can't even capture my interest, how am I supposed to handle something that bloated?! Oh, "真夜中の電車" does appear a bit more dynamic, which is perhaps salvageable due to the presence of vocals. Tracklist:  1. 土曜の夜の恋 (Doyō no Yoru no Koi)  2. 真夜中の電車 (Mayonaka no Densha)

65/100 Genre: Vaporwave/synthwave The eccentric names of vaporwave projects—which frequently utilize specific stylized fonts—make them rather difficult to track down via Google and platform algorithms, and 𝙋𝙄𝙕𝙕𝘼 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐀𝐒𝐇 ( Pizza Trash ) is a prime example. If I recall correctly, "Pizza" is rendered in a bold, italicized Arial font, while "Trash" uses just a bold Times New Roman. The compositions here employ the typical formula of city pop or jazz tracks that have been slowed down and transposed downward, resulting in low, thick tones. There isn't anything I would truly take away from this, though the nostalgic vibe in the instrumental track " I Feel Sick " is worth consideration. I also quite appreciate the dark, doom metal-esque guitar tone on "What Could've Been," which feels reminiscent of Abyssal , Illimitable Dolor , and Bell Witch . I strongly advise against playing this album while driving at night, as it is highly lik...

70+/100 Genre: alternative rock/shoegaze/emo 路傍の石 (Robō no ishi) has become a fairly active Japanese band, and this album opens up their chapter for 2026, despite being released back in February. The primary departure from the My Dear Family album is the inclusion of screams for the emo sections, as heard on "Right of Left," "L.o.v.e," and on "To Do One's Duty," where Hatsune Miku 's own vocals are made to shriek at the tail end of the track. Meanwhile, the rawest musical impression comes forward most prominently on "Fact." Naturally, that isn't really what I'm looking for here. The maiden playback kept spinning, but right from the outset, it felt flat. However, an emotional aura finally wafted out upon entering "Come Back" and the three subsequent tracks. Distinct midwest emo/math rock plucking is most visible in "何もかも," while a pop-punk vibe serves as the opening hook for "明日に向かって撃て！"—a track ...

70/100 Genre: IDM , electronic Electronic music feels like a realm I simply cannot conquer. Perhaps it's because I've never consumed any major names in the genre, especially within the instrumental sphere. _Nyquist is a prime example. At a glance, a vibe that I assume is acid techno —or at least carries acidic elements—renders this an offering that is distinctly synthetic, alien, alienesque, and spacey. This is reflected in several of the track titles, such as " Abstract Minds ," " Sudden Void ," " Velocity Vector ," and " Electric Rain ." " Spiralized " might also be a fitting word for this release, as I find myself spinning in circles, left entirely dizzy while attempting to describe _Nyquist 's music. In the end, there is nothing here I can willingly highlight. If forced, I’ll pick "Velocity Vector." Tracklist:  1. Abstract Minds  2. Micro Expression  3. Sudden Void  4. Spiralized  5. Velocity Vector  6. Scipr...

50/100 Genre: Acoustic/anti-folk/country True to its title, ( )()(@*:::!? (Not The Punctuation)  plays like someone messing around in their spare time, writing and recording songs on the fly. It is clearly just for fun and bare-bones—or what you could literally call garbage-tier music. That said, the recording quality is decent enough to pass as a tolerable live recording style. One particularly awkward moment occurs in "Toucan Play at That Game" because I misheard the lyrics as "Two c*nts play at the gay." Appalling, isn't it? Were they aware of that too? Or was it entirely intentional? Who knows. Then there is a parody of Radiohead ’s staple track, "Fake Plastic Trees," transformed into "Fake Plastic Soap." So, are there any tracks here that lean a bit more serious? Given the method used above, it's a bit confusing to determine which tracks could actually be deemed serious, especially since I myself am well-accustomed to listening to ...

70/100 Genre: Atmospheric/melodic death/doom metal Officium Triste 's latest album is somewhat disappointing. It lacks a compelling, emotional opening hook on par with " The End is Nigh ." Wading through it repeatedly yielded no real connection. It wasn't until I reached the threshold of the exit, " Angels with Broken Wings ," that I finally found myself bowing my head in deep mourning. "Why wasn't this placed at the front? Why is this the only track capable of piercing my heart? I wanted more, like the previous album." The final playback has been initiated. Consequently, a couple of other tracks have surfaced as potential saving graces—even if they still sit slightly below my standard and I'm unsure if they'll stand the test of time—namely, " Anna's Woe " and " Walk in Shadows ." Tracklist:  1. Behind Closed Doors  2. My Poison Garden  3. Anna's Woe  4. Walk in Shadows  5. Forcefield  6. Angels with Broken ...

70/100 Genre: Electronica, post-rock Fans of Winterlight , Sleepmakeswaves , A Ninja Slob Drew Me , and Cosmos in Collision will likely find Dextro to be a good fit. The most relevant moment for me is " The Unknown ," which ditches the drums, making it sound much more emotional to my ears. That said, this album will require further inspection. Tracklist:  1. Closer  2. The Pacifist  3. Momentary  4. The Unknown  5. Ilm  6. Sanna  7. Ring Cycle  8. Pillar  9. Distance

60/100 Genre: Experimental, ambient, electronic I was on the verge of despair upon entering this album, but the synthetic shapes of early morning or twilight birds on " Push " offered a decent bit of comfort while staring out at the clouds and the blue sky right before sunset. Unfortunately, Ghost on This Earth has since set their Bandcamp account to private, so it is no longer accessible to the public. Tracklist:  1. Analog Drift  2. Phase Two of an Apocalypse  3. The Air Lifted Me Higher  4. Push  5. Phenomena Rising  6. The Lake (poem)

75/100 Genre: Heavy/Power Metal Landmine . A South Korean heavy/power metal band cut from the same cloth as Audio Blossom and Artifact but sounds more epic. From what I can gather at a glance, they lean toward a classic style akin to Manilla Road and Jag Panzer , though I can't name any other specific reference points for sure. Essentially, the vocals are a bit crispy with epic approach on several songs like " Fight to Live " and " His Darkest Hour ". They present a conceptual fiction theme and utilize growled vocals on a few tracks (" Ruined Inn " and " Punishment by the Name of ") to create an effect that, unfortunately, just doesn't sit well with me. Tracklist:  1. Intro  2. Kingdom Destroyed  3. Rude Invaders  4. Ruined Inn  5. Fight to Live  6. Lost Pioneer  7. His Darkest Hour  8. Punishment by the Name Of   9. March of the Bloods  10. Your Heavy Dignity  11. Slow Fading Yesterday

60/100   Genre: Heavy/Power Metal Audio Blossom (오디오 블로썸) chooses a path similar to their fellow South Korean labelmates Artifact , employing a raspy female vocal style that likely takes cues from the likes of Judas Priest , Girlschool , Doro , or whoever else. Unfortunately, their delivery feels rather forced, pushing past what I would consider a reasonable, tolerable limit. Tracklist:  1. Retribution  2. Marionette  3. Don't Look Back  4. Five Thousands One Hundred Fifty  5. Day Another Day  6. Wait Not Now  7. Hollow Shadow  8. Horns  9. Always with You  10. Breezy

70/100 Genre: Symphonic power metal 4th Dimension is an Italian band reminiscent of Rhapsody of Fire and Sonata Arctica , with added synths in the vein of Vision Divine that occasionally take on an organ-like tone. For this debut album, they even invited Fabio Lione to guest on " A New Dimension ," a track that feels intentionally grandstanding just for him. There are a few similarities to other songs here, though it's a bit tough to recall them. It might be a bit of a stretch, but the intro to "Angel's Call" sounds like the vocal chorus humming from Schönberg ' s "Rosa Velmentis." What’s a bit disappointing is the high number of ballads or mid-tempo tracks, which fails to really deliver the adrenaline rush I look for. Case in point: "Goldeneyes," "Everlasting," "Winter's Gone," and "Landscapes (Vestige of the Past)." Tracklist:  1. The Sun in My Life  2. Consigned to the Wind  3. Goldeneyes  4...

I intend to plug in some more doom metal because my self-control and time management are completely in the gutter. My attention span for anything long-form is practically dead. I just want this finished quickly. I just want this finished quickly. Dammit! Here are eight doom metal and derivative offerings. Diesel – Diesel (2025) 70/100 Genre: Sludge/doom/post-metal A solid debut from the band. It isn't quite as torturous as Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean because there's still enough atmosphere left to act as a breathing room—it doesn't completely constrict your throat—but it still hasn't fully stuck with me yet. The heaviest weight is carried by "III." Highlight: - Diesel – Cry (2026) 75/100 Genre: Post-metal/rock A rather different approach compared to their self-titled release. A post-rock soul perfectly envelops both tracks, making it much more digestible for me, while pouring the metal weight entirely into "II." Highlight: all tracks...