Genre: modern classical , orchestra, soundtrack 11th Hour is one of those doujin music projects that arranges songs from the Touhou Project , and this album's title is inspired by Camille Saint-Saëns ' 1886 work Le carnaval des animaux . "Overture" opens in a classical orchestral style, followed by "le régalec" and "le moineau de nuit," which deliver that signature RPG game soundtrack feel. "La tortue" comes across as more spirited, while "le chat" leans more emotional. "Le mouton" is the heaviest of the bunch, with a symphonic rock/metal style typical of this doujin circle, and "la grenouille" closes things out with a more progressive and jazzy blend. Naturally, I still lean toward my personal preference for emotional tracks like "le chat" and the two RPG-sounding ones mentioned above. Overall, 11th Hour demonstrates impressive skill with great production, and it's definitely worth a lis...

Genre: atmospheric/experimental sludge metal , post-metal Neurosis 's experimental expansion shows a more refined and concrete blend. The atmosphere they create even feels closer to gothic metal —or personally, I'd call it symphonic sludge metal —through the organ on " Lost ," and the combination of synth, violin, and dark piano on " Raze the Stray ." The interlude "Burning Flesh in Year of Pig" contains noise that bleeds into the following tracks. Tribal music brings a new surprise on the 15-minute track " Cleanse ," though unfortunately it isn't fused with their sludge style. I'm starting to applaud this second sludge release from Neurosis , and I'm hoping for a clearer manifestation of symphonic sludge metal. Lol. Tracklist: 1. Lost 2. Raze the Stray 3. Burning Flesh In Year of Pig 4. Cold Ascending 5. Lexicon 6. Enemy of the Sun 7. The Time of the Beasts 8. Cleanse 9. Takeahnase (Demo Version) 10. Cleanse II (Live in Ob...

Genre: atmospheric sludge metal , post-metal Neurosis 's third album marks a major shift in their sound, later recognized as the starting point of post-metal. The structures are no longer conventional, focusing instead on long, instrumental-driven emotional character in the vein of post-rock , with influences from post-hardcore and sludge metal —particularly in the guitar and vocal departments. Other elements like experimental and jazz are also incorporated, such as piano on the title track and trumpet on " Sterile Vision ," offering an aesthetic that was clearly fresh for its time. Yeah, Neurosis are indeed pioneers worthy of respect, though personally, I haven't found full satisfaction with this album yet. Tracklist: 1. To Crawl Under One's Skin 2. Souls At Zero 3. Zero 4. Flight 5. The Web 6. Sterile Vision 7. A Chronology For Survival 8. Stripped 9. Takeahnase 10. Empty OVERALL: 75/100

Genre: post-rock An Initial Sign of Life and Being is a demo from the Belgian band A Periodic , hailing from Antwerp . Despite being a demo, the production quality is already solid. The texture is tight, but the guitar distortion isn't particularly heavy, nor does it come across as cinematic or melancholic. The somewhat rough synth work adds flavor to "[Interlude]" and "...and the demons you hide within"—perhaps serving as an extra emphasis on the darker side of the human character theme they're exploring, beyond just having a heart, mind, and soul. Yeah, I'm a bit unsure which bands to compare them to, but they might appeal to fans of Russian Circles , If These Trees Could Talk , Hiroe , RLYR , and the like. Tracklist: 1. The heart 2. The mind 3. The soul 4. [Interlude] 5. ...and the demons you hide within OVERALL: 75/100

Genre: experimental/alternative pop, acoustic, electronic Thenheturnedaround from Montreal experiments with elements of hip-hop , pop, and singer-songwriter styles to the point where I'm confused about what genre to actually tag this release with. One of the main hurdles is the lack of consistent drums and vocals. Yeah, sometimes the vocals are quite emotional, enhanced with glitch effects and acoustic guitar —like on "Field"—but I'm still hesitant to call it singer-songwriter, let alone hip-hop. Oh, "Pop hit" could maybe be called experimental pop , but still, the boundaries remain blurry overall. Out of 11 tracks, only one has potential for me to take away: the piano piece on "Numi, numi." Tracklist: 1. charcoal.cries()!; 2. Bask+ 3. Homes, yellow 4. Field 5. Pop hit 6. excerpt ° 7. she sits on the bed, legs crossed / cards dealt 8. Yeah, noted 9. Numi, numi 10. ,,&'' 11. Apricate (solos) OVERALL: 70/100

Genre: experimental, soundtrack 23trees sounds somewhat minimal, featuring acoustic instruments, wind instruments, tribal percussion, and more—giving it a feel like field recordings with Central Asian and Middle Eastern nuances . A strong example with the most clear and layered components is " Mandala ." A sort of grand piano appears on " Melancholia ," but it still doesn't sound melancholic enough to my ears. Then the noise waves on " Verse of the Undergrowth " serve as a transition into tracks that feel slightly darker and more peculiar, even without employing strong or pervasive ambient/synth layers. I definitely skipped through most of it, but there was one interesting moment when " Blue Noise " played like a fake ringtone, making me reflexively think it was my actual phone ringing and instinctively reaching to answer it. Tracklist: 1. Dawn (Šestinski dol) 2. Melancholia 3. Mandala 4. Verse of the Undergrowth 5. Blue Noise 6. Formulas ...

Genre: Melodic heavy metal Fan Ray hails from Zaragoza, Spain , with simple melodies that feel far from the harmonic style I associate with Iron Maiden —and indeed, there are no keyboards or similar additions to clarify that approach. Or maybe I'm just putting too much faith in the description on Metal Archives regarding this band. Hard rock/metal is certainly thriving in Latin (Hispanic) regions too, but the Spanish singing style from Fan Ray still don't quite sit right with my ears, so overall I just gave it a cursory listen and moved on. Tracklist: 1. Electricidad 2. El contorno de tu sombra 3. Fan Ray 4. Lobo solitario 5. BSO 6. Sonrisas y lágrimas OVERALL: 65/100

Genre: post-rock Ranges from Montana release their third installment. Unfortunately, I still can't quite put the beauty of their sound into words, but the distinctive DIY drum sound—highlighting rimshots and almost marching-band-style drums on " Silence in the Face of Evil is Itself Evil "—along with the crisp, atmospheric guitars in a crescendo style , remind me of Moonlit Sailor and The Last Sighs of the Wind . The reversed audio on " Not to Speak is to Speak " is a bit distracting, even though the metallic guitar distortion is already perfectly acceptable. So I was actually planning to add all of these to my favorite playlist, but in the end, one had to be cut. Tracklist: 1. Silence in the Face of Evil is Itself Evil 2. God Will Not Hold Us Guiltless 3. Not to Speak is to Speak 4. Not to Act is to Act OVERALL: 80/100

Genre: post-hardcore, sludgecore Barren Hope from Haifa, Palestine move slowly in the manner of sludge/post-metal , though I can't quite consider the weight of the music and the youthful screamed vocals to be fully there yet. Still, it's enough to stoke the emotions and numb me out. Fans of Fugazi and Amenra might find this fitting. I clap, nod for a moment, and move on with a hidden sense of satisfaction. Tracklist: 1. Samsara 2. Sinking 3. Footprints in Sand 4. Submission 5. Hails 6. Crowns 7. Foundations 8. Il Faut Cultiver Notre Jardin OVERALL: 75/100

Genre: post-rock/shoegaze For those familiar with the post-rock giants Mono from Japan, one of the other homegrown bands worth checking out is Origami JP . This group is quite influenced by noise—using it as an intro on "...to a scenery," which also used on "326 (Sheep)" from the album 113,197.73 —while the shoegaze reverb echoes on the title track bring a rainy vibe to this dry season, even though the title suggests auroras, which are far above the clouds and only occur in polar regions. Yeah, this makes me miss the rain. Summer rain. Tracklist: 1. ...to a scenery 2. aurora// OVERALL: 80/100

Genre: black metal Codex Mortis from Utrecht unleashed their sophomore album featuring a clean, modern standard production via Black Lion Records . The performance is fast-paced with noticeable death metal influences, and "It Dies with Me" delivers a melodic-leaning closer—a standout moment that hit the mark quite nicely for my ears. Tracklist:  1. Forsaken  2. Capricious Disembodied Villain  3. Chosen  4. Trenched in Blood  5. Fire Screams and Death  6. It Dies with Me OVERALL: 70+/100

Genre: punk rock/grunge Cold Days from Quebec brings punk rock driven by grunge and hardcore riffs. Even though I don't pay much mind to lyrics, the somewhat heavy vocals deliver an emotional, heart-dumping depth reminiscent of emo—which is one of the main reasons I feel they lean into melodic hardcore territory. The unplugged ballad "Grey" and the acoustic offering "Losing Sight" also act as raw emotional anchors, especially alongside the title track, even with its fairly driving instrumentation. Tracklist:  1. I am Nothing  2. Living  3. Grey  4. Weather  5. Losing Sight  6. T.O. OVERALL: 70+/100

Genre: folk ВелосипедистоВ (VELOSIPEDISTOV) is an Eastern European acoustic folk project, specifically from Minsk, Belarus . This album is dedicated as a tribute to the punk rock band Neuro Dubel ( НЕЙРО ДЮБЕЛЯ ), which was founded by the project's own founder, Aleksandr Kullinkovich . Other members include: Evgeny Brovko (djembe, vocals), Denis Kukovsky (guitar, vocals), and Anastasia Murashko (violin), while Alexander Kulinkovich wrote the lyrics for all the songs performed. The thick vocals, along with the djembe and violin, give this a distinct Caucasus folk music character, all in a clean production. Playing this album is like bringing the atmosphere of a bar and the habits of Eastern Europeans into your space. Yeah, folk music always seems to carry the scent of beer in it, no matter where it comes from. Personally, I'd be more satisfied if an instrumental version were available. Tracklist:   1. Хороши  2. Егерь  3. Раз,два,три  4. Мне пиздец  5. Повор...

Genre: retrowave , dark ambient/experimental I call it retrowave because Rel Meyer here really sounds like odd, dark, and mystical synth music from a few decades ago. Like a soundtrack for mysteries rooted in the post-World War II era up to the pre-21st century, broadcast through classic radio or cassettes found in an attic or basement. Could probably keep The Caretaker company. Tracklist: 1. the wedding of hippomenes and atalanta 2. necker cube 3. the library of babel 4. pyramids inside the building 5. the palace of perpetuity 6. scheduled artificial nihilism 7. platonic solids 8. sponsored ad for the masses 9. saint germain's doppelgänger 10. lights in the night sky 11. picture at an exhibition n. 11 12. i know where land of mu hides 13. the euclidean penrose staircase 14. fluttering at the sacred mantra 15. hyperborea OVERALL: 70+/100

  Genre: Epic power/heavy metal Claymorean from Serbia sound epic with female vocals that are somewhat dry in the style of early heavy metal , but the predominantly mid-tempo pace isn't really my thing. Fans of Battle Beast , Manowar , and the like might find this more to their taste. Tracklist: 1. Hunter of the Damned 2. Battle in the Sky 3. The Burning of Rome (Cry for Pompeii) ( Virgin Steele cover) 4. Lords of Light 5. Spirit of Merciless Time 6. Mystical Realm (Deorum in Absentia) 7. In the Tombs of Atuan 8. Blood of the Dragon (remixed & re-recorded) OVERALL: 70/100

Genre: emo/ screamo Whenitrains. hails from Tucson, Arizona, delivering raw, DIY-style screamo that's emotional and heartfelt. On this debut EP, they've already branded themselves with the sound of rain, starting from the "Intro" and carrying through to tracks like " Rain All Around Us ." Might be a good fit for fans of Merchant Ship , Title Fight , Tiny Moving Parts , and the like. Tracklist: 1. Intro 2. Far From Rest/Sleep 3. To Tread Lightly 4. Path From Another Perspective 5. Rain All Around Us 6. Embers 7. An Honest End 8. As Time Will Stray 9. The Roads Shall Fray OVERALL: 70+/100

Genre: pop punk, punk rock Crucial Awakening from New Jersey serve up energetic pop punk, especially on the unmixed tracks. "One Demon" plays without drums, even though it had potential as a solid post-hardcore offering—especially with the screams at the end—and "Pulling Away" closes out the EP with an acoustic touch. Luckily, there's a hint of something like MxPx here, even if it might be a bit off the mark. Tracklist: 1. Fallen Hero (Unmixed) 2. Distorted Population (Unmixed) 3. Cause and Fall (Unmixed) 4. Badlands 5. True Hell 6. One Demon 7. Pulling Away OVERALL: 70+/100

  Genre: drone/experimental/space rock Like space rock, drone rock, or psychedelic rock condensed into 18 minutes, but with only drums and experimental ambient waves sourced from guitars—no clear guitar riffs to speak of, so Remora sits somewhere in between. Definitely slow and feels desolate. Listen in silence, while sleeping, or for contemplation and meditation. Tracklist: 1. Variations OVERALL: 60/100

Genre: acoustic punk If Secondhand Serenade is acoustic rock , then Menagramo from Milan takes the folk/punk route with distinctive, somewhat dry vocals. There's a sound like scraping against the strings—I don't know the exact term for it—which actually ends up making the listening experience less comfortable, even though I hadn't noticed it before. Tracklist: 1. Justerini and Bluto 2. Working class heroin 3. Basement 4. A story about dignity 5. I just wanna live by Good Charlotte OVERALL: 60/100

Genre: ambient Yeah, good. Music for Sleep is fairly well-known as an ambient artist on Bandcamp , so there's no need to question the quality of the music. The 38-minute runtime is still effective at winning me over, but the audio samples of an elderly woman speaking feel a bit out of place as an addition, even though I usually like that kind of formula. Tracklist: 1. In Assenza OVERALL: 85/100

I'll quickly work on the next Rapid Log to close out this July, while also clearing out the drafts. The 10 releases below are dominated by ambient. 1. 1am バイブBlunts - Who (2021) Genre: ambient/dark ambient Production: 9/10 Competition: 8.5/10 Tracklist: 1. Big picture 7.5/10 2. Birthday 7.5/10 3. Cold rain 7.5/10 4. Entropy 7.5/10 5. Within the Heart 8/10 6. The gift of life 8/10 7. Thought of Tomorrow 7.5/10 8. Bad Blood 7.5/10 9. Who 7.5/10 OVERALL: 75+/100 2. 2muchachos - Teplaja (2011) Genre: dungeon synth/field recordings Production: 9/10 Composition: 8/10 Tracklist: 1. New lands, new places 8/10 2. Long time ago 7.5/10 3. Magic tanner 7.5/10 4. Bicycle travel 8/10 OVERALL: 80/100 3. Brómus - We Never Stop Changing (2022) Genre: Ambient Production: 9/10 Composition: 8.5/10 Tracklist: 1. We Never Stop Changing 8.5/10 2. The things that were important when you fall asleep yesterday have lost their meaning this morning 8.5/10 OVERALL: 85/100 4. Breidablik - Darker ...