Performed by So Percussion and Matmos, these are very interesting and creative works for percussion (including cactus needles and ceramics) and electronics. Check instrumental lineup for each track. Tracks 1-3, 8 lyrical, others more abstract.

File: Classical/avant-garde composer: So Percussion/Matmos

Avant-garde and accessible works by Paul Lansky for vibraphone, drums and other instruments. Trks 3, 6, and 9 have drums in the forefront. Other tracks have mixed instrumental presentation. Some works ambient, surreal. All interesting!

Try 1, 4, 5, 8

File: Classical/avant-garde composer: Lansky

Predominantly boisterous and busy works, with tinges of marching bands--check the composers for idea of what to expect (Zappa, Bjork, Mingus and others). Asphalt Orchestra is a project of Bang on the Can and is supported in part by grants. Play any!

File: Classical/avant-garde collections: Asphalt

Avant-garde works with classical, rock and jazz elements with electric guitar up front. Trks 1-3 with voice in multiple languages. Sample some due to length.

Try 4, 5, 6

File: Classical/avant-garde composer: Johnson

A lovely collection of works by various composers written towards the beginning to middle of the 20th century. Light, modern, but traditional as well. Among  composers included are: Bax,Martinu, Roussel, and De Wailly. Play any!

File: Classical collections: Chamber Music Palm Beach

Consecration – .avi

Release Date: 2010May10 (EU)

Label: Geenger Records

Rating: 5/5

Interestingly, and thankfully enough, I discovered Consecration for myself shortly after learning ISIS was breaking up. As I prepare for their final show tonight at Club Soda in Montréal, I have hope that this Serbian quintet will pick up where that band left off, creating genre-bending atmospheres for our aural pleasure.

Originally formed ten years ago in Belgrade, Consecrationhas endured lineup changes, label disinterest, DIY touring, and self-released albums. Their debut aux was released two years ago for free download, along with a live album entitled 2^nd April 2008. It was these live tracks that would be showcased for their curiously-titled sophomore studio release, .avi.

Recorded in similar fashion to the live tracks themselves, the band manages to sound both organic and spontaneous, feeding off of – and into – one another. “Aligator” starts with a Sleep-y swagger, but defers to a segment more expected of Explosions in the Sky before returning to conclude with delicious heaviness. The title track allows for more of this airy expansion, giving you a lot to drink in at 14 minutes length, before pouring the sludge back on for a slow crawl to finish.

The brief guitar interlude “Cisterna” keeps things loose and fun for about a minute before we break into “Somna”, which features beautiful high, clean vocals by founding member/guitarist Danilo Nikodinovski. It is probably no coincidence that the only song with throaty roars follows, if for no other reason than contrast. Not only does “Idiot Glee” demonstrate the band at its heaviest, it also proves the importance of the bass, as it keeps the song’s midsection gloriously buoyant.

[caption id="attachment_14474" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="photo by Aleksandar Zec"][/caption]

Speaking of importance, Nemanja Trecakovic’s keyboard and sampler work really does that special something to better remember this exceptional group. Whether in the forefront or the background, his contributions are always welcome, echoing Clifford Meyer’s work on ISIS‘ Wavering Radiant.

Consecration is the first band in a long time to put me at a loss for negative words. It is difficult to turn off this album once begun, and certainly falls under the ‘best experienced as a whole’ category. If there is justice in the world and people recognize true talent, .avi will be vastly downloaded from their Bandcamp page, hopefully for more than the bargain minimum of €3 EUR.

A Best of 2010 pick!

FCC OK

Try 1, 2, 4, 5

01. Aligator

02. .avi

03. Cisterna

04. Somna

05. Idiot Glee

06. Djavo Nije Urban

Aeon – Path of Fire

Release Date: 2010May25 (US)

Label: Metal Blade Records

Rating: 3/5

Listening to blasphemous death metal is an awful lot like having sex with an 18-year old guy: fast, unrelenting, and the wad is usually blown before ten minutes are up. You cannot really fault the performance, but after a once-around you know what to expect, and have little reason to revisit besides simplistic satisfaction.

Fresh from their tour with Hate Eternal, they hooked up with that band’s mainman, Erik Rutan, to record their third album, Path of Fire. While I like the sound of the guitars themselves, I was disappointed to hear them take a backseat to the vocals, time and again. Tommy Dahlstöm does spit some vile bile, but I was not moved to the point of fist-raising and lyrical recitation. Then again, most that listen will probably be more concerned with Aeon‘s thick, overpowering execution.

Perhaps due to contrivance, music like this is hard to take seriously. The goofy laughs before the ending lurch of “Kill Them All” or the awkward keyboard outro to “God of War” do less to create genuine interest, but rather induce head shakes and chuckles. They could still add these effects sparingly, as the choral chants within “Of Fire” complement the song well, but one must tread carefully. Aeon is a bit more successful generating mystery with the midalbum instrumental, “Total Kristus Inversus” (which sounds like a Nile refugee), but by this point you will have likely lost interest.

For those that desire brutal, mid-paced death metal that directly opposes Christianity (and wear that fact like a badge), this will sate your appetite. Sure, you have heard this before, but one should give thoseDeicide albums a rest once in a while and let another band in on the devastation.

FCC: 4, 6, 7, 9, 10

Try 1, 3

01. Forgiveness Denied

02. Kill Them All

03. Inheritance

04. Abomination To God

05. Total Kristus Inversus

06. Of Fire

07. I Will Burn

08. Suffer The Soul

09. The Sacrament

10. Liar In The Name Of God

11. God Of War