It seems there is no dedicated Qrixkuor thread so let's get one going. Invictus have put up the debut album, Poison Palinopsia, for pre-order. There's a tiny snippet of music on the video which sounds promising. I've enjoyed this band in the live setting in the past and found their recordings interesting but a bit hard to penetrate resulting in my spending less time on them than I should have. Hopefully this one will have a little more clarity because Steve is a maniac on the guitar.
The album was recorded with a totally new lineup. Steve on guitar, and now on vocals too, with Dani from Grave Miasma (etc.) on drums and Phil from Vassafor (etc.) On bass, so no doubt that will affect the sound in some ways.
The artwork is fucking savage, I think. It's very reminiscent of Tool which is not a comparison you'd often see in the world of black and death metal, but it's got enough of a grotesque atmosphere with the choice of colours and morbid imagery for it to make sense. It stands out in a world of very predicable and worn out cliches.
I'm curious to have a read of the lyrics because, again, it seems they are covering their own unique ground. I'm anticipating this a lot more than I expected I would.
https://invictusproductions666.bandcamp.com/album/poison-palinopsia
I wasnt familiar with them but the art work did catch my eye.
Quote from: Blizzard Beast on July 09, 2021, 07:13:56 AM
I wasnt familiar with them but the art work did catch my eye.
Very DMT inspired alright.
He talks about it being influenced by ayahuasca in an interview I read in a zine lately.
I think it's a masterpiece and works perfectly in 2 movements. More clarity than Three Devil's Dance but keeps the demented style that is Qrixkuor. As stated, Steve is a maniac on the guitar and this really highlights his talent.
That's what I was hoping. I think his playing is so nutty that cleaning up the production a little, giving each element a bit more space to be heard, wouldn't neuter the insane vibe they are going for. Maybe even enhance it.
Fup it, I just pre-ordered d'LP.
Nice one. Some sweet merch en route as well.
For easy access:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuBgQze74YU
Got this for review and I think given the density of it I'll be hard pushed to listen to it again for a long time once I'm finished writing..but I will say it definitely delivers on the promise of what they've done before very well. It's an exhausting piece of work but in a good way. It's an interesting thing in an increasingly populist genre to hear a death metal record and think "this is going to alienate people", they're a band who strive for a little bit more from the listener.
Big fan of Three Devils Dance. Looking forward to hearing the new one. So far the production sounds great to me. I couldn't care less about pristine production, everything needs its own identity and this sounds savage.
Quote from: Pentagrimes on July 12, 2021, 08:17:24 PM
Got this for review and I think given the density of it I'll be hard pushed to listen to it again for a long time once I'm finished writing..but I will say it definitely delivers on the promise of what they've done before very well. It's an exhausting piece of work but in a good way. It's an interesting thing in an increasingly populist genre to hear a death metal record and think "this is going to alienate people", they're a band who strive for a little bit more from the listener.
Where you reviewing for man? Wouldn't mind reading some stuff.
Strange. I've seen similar said but I at no point find this, nor found it, a challenging listen.
Quote from: Pentagrimes on July 12, 2021, 08:17:24 PM
Got this for review and I think given the density of it I'll be hard pushed to listen to it again for a long time once I'm finished writing..but I will say it definitely delivers on the promise of what they've done before very well. It's an exhausting piece of work but in a good way. It's an interesting thing in an increasingly populist genre to hear a death metal record and think "this is going to alienate people", they're a band who strive for a little bit more from the listener.
Now my interest is piqued even further. Would have been disappointed to hear a straightforward album from these lads in fairness.
I found Grave Miasma's new one a tougher listen.
It's specifically the song lengths I found challenging. It's pretty relentless having 2 long death metal songs, and I suppose for context I listen to little to no death metal nowadays for the most part, so the density rather than the complexity is the issue for me I guess. Maybe challenging isn't the right word, perhaps "Gruelling"
Found the GM a fucking chore tbh, didn't like it at all.
Couldn't get into 3DD for a long time, was only late last year I think I threw it on out of interest. Felt like a diff record entirely - part of that prob due to overconsumption of similar-ish DM around that time. That sample sounds savage, will be interested to hear this. Can see the Tool comparison with the art for sure, definitely makes it stand out.
Big fan of the new Grave Miasma too, thought the art is gack.
Quote from: Squigs on July 16, 2021, 12:16:44 PM
Couldn't get into 3DD for a long time, was only late last year I think I threw it on out of interest. Felt like a diff record entirely - part of that prob due to overconsumption of similar-ish DM around that time. That sample sounds savage, will be interested to hear this. Can see the Tool comparison with the art for sure, definitely makes it stand out.
Big fan of the new Grave Miasma too, thought the art is gack.
Thought the GM art was brilliant myself. Was the same with the former Qrixkuor release but once it clicked it was excellent.
http://www.bardomethodology.com/articles/2021/08/04/qrixkuor-poison-palinopsia-interview/?fbclid=IwAR11tQs3JqOVWLF5f1m63ZM9SMraLxcVhwyOO3HXi35MQ129lqLh8PP6uaI
Interview and full stream up now.
Simply incredible. 50 minutes of this type of warped and chaotic death metal should be far harder to endure than it is but the production and the playing/songwriting all just work together beautifully. I'm astonished by it, and that's after one listen. There's a lot of music to absorb, and so many layers. Hopefully my LP arrives soon...
Edit. It sounds like there's fretless bass toward the end of the second song. Very fluid and warpy.
Yah it's brilliant, very engaging... The warped lead playing is great!
Just been giving these guys some attention for the first time, very impressive must order a copy of the new one.
I listened to it twice yesterday, but while totally occupied with some work, so it just kind of happened in the background. When I did briefly float into more attentive mode, it was certainly intense, and spurred me back to what I was doing. I think that's a good sign. Anyway, will try give it some proper time over the weekend.
My initial impression of it was that you have a central droning style riff in the vein of Irkallian Oracle and then you have these sweeping, incessant leads floating around it. The production is so clear that you can follow the main riffs, even if they seem to continuously morph into new patterns, and keep a thread of continuity going. It means you can focus your attention on different details in the surrounding chaos of solos and vocals at different times but you can always go back to the central part.
Only getting around to giving this a go while working this morning.
And my concentration and productivity has gone totally out the window.
Too much going on with it to fully commit to 100% to work duties. :abbath:
The track lengths look a bit daunting, but hardly even noticed while playing in the background.
Well! Trying to play it in the background, anyway. My attention keeps getting dragged into some of the 'finer' details of the music.
Good stuff!
Quote from: Eoin McLove on August 04, 2021, 04:04:57 PM
Simply incredible. 50 minutes of this type of warped and chaotic death metal should be far harder to endure than it is but the production and the playing/songwriting all just work together beautifully. I'm astonished by it, and that's after one listen. There's a lot of music to absorb, and so many layers. Hopefully my LP arrives soon...
Edit. It sounds like there's fretless bass toward the end of the second song. Very fluid and warpy.
I feel pretty similar to this about it after only the two listens. Looking forward to diving into it again. I definitely expected it to be harder going than it is, but you're right, the whole thing is put together excellenty so that it never becomes a task to listen to, and the production on it is great, it's clear without being polished or overcooked at all. A grand surprise, had never listened to these lads at all before but was in the mood for something vicious last night so I just stuck it on blind.
I gave it a proper attack earlier today, a double listen again. It really does have everything that's great about this style. From the stuff I know (less than some of ye more permanent cosmic slime dwellers), it reminds me most of the heaviest parts of Tchornobog, which probably explains why I found it so easy to get into as that is one of my favourite albums of recent years.
I've listened to this the past couple of days, it really is a great piece of work. It's ambitious but it doesn't ever lose itself trying to be technical either, the riffs are still catchy. The whole thing just flows together really well.
I wonder if they'd be able to pull it off live.
That's it, yeah. It's not trying to bamboozle you with nonstop intricacy which becomes exhausting to listen to, at least for me. It's complex but doesn't lose itself in technique.
It flows and meanders perfectly. Incidentally like Esoteric or even Pink Floyd et al.
This is a serious, serious piece of work, ticks so many boxes. Its creative and exciting, doesn't get in its own way, overstay its welcome or unnecessarily overcomplicate things. Just the right amounts of everything I'd want from it. Magic.
I've listened to it a good few times now since my earlier post. It just keeps getting better, definitely a highlight of the year so far.
Finally getting to listen to the LP properly. Incredible stuff.
Just saw they have a one track EP called Zoetrope coming out next month, clocks in at 25 mins, preview...
https://fb.watch/gqVn63mdyQ/
Tis another exceptional beast of a thing.
Brilliant track as expected.
Can't wait for it
Listening to Zoetrope here on the phone. It sounds promising, but of course it's hard to get anywhere near the scope of it through these speakers. I'll pick it up in the coming weeks.
Buzzing to hear this.
There should be a thread for bands who's name you think you know until you actually have to type it into a search engine
This is so, so good. The art of writing hooky riffs in this style is so rare. It's complex and layered, but it's memorable and not consumed with it's own sense of importance. Leads that elevate and add as opposed to being included for the sake. Weirdly there's the choral production reminds me of the mid-section of Unas Slayer of the Gods.
Quote from: Squigs on December 09, 2022, 04:07:55 PMThis is so, so good. The art of writing hooky riffs in this style is so rare. It's complex and layered, but it's memorable and not consumed with it's own sense of importance. Leads that elevate and add as opposed to being included for the sake. Weirdly there's the choral production reminds me of the mid-section of Unas Slayer of the Gods.
Couldn't agree more quality throughout.