Tunic, Malice Devine, and cEvin Key
Tunic
Tunnel Vision Eyes EP // Artoffact Records
Hovering around the twenty-eight minute mark, Tunic’s Tunnel Vision Eyes EP offers a larger dose of sonic passion over the course of its nine tracks than some punk full-length albums. The fact that the EP is currently only available as a free download when fans sign up to get placed on the mailing list is almost a shame given the quality of this buried release, but that just makes the album feel more like a delectable secret. While the covert nature of the release feels pretty hush hush, the album itself is about as subtle as a sweaty barfight. The songs are twisted, unpredictable and full of a garage-born post-punk fervor.
While bands like Metz and fellow Winnipeg noise rock trio KEN Mode might serve as the best reference points for Tunic’s sound, the guitar work on Tunnel Vision Eyes EP helps convey Tunic as vicious offspring of Deerhoof, with teeth. While guitarist David Schellengberg isn’t afraid to join in with the pummeling rhythm section, the guitar often finds its own path, creating beautifully dissonant counters to the post-punk romps. Vocally, Schellenberg has little in common with Deerhoof’s Satomi Matzusaki (does anyone?), but his impassioned wails add even more grit to the songs. That’s not to say it’s all screams here though; Schellengberg shifts his vocal delivery to fit with the music as all the best singers do, and the Dr. Jekyll vs. Mr. Hyde delivery of “White Blinds” showcases the singer’s different modes.
Through the use of dynamics Tunic avoids wearing out the listener even though they rarely slow down. Not only does the rhythm section of Rory Ellis (bass), and Dan Unger (drums) set a solid foundation that allows for the guitar to explore its own mathy, dissonant impulses, but Schellenberg knows when to keep the guitar simple in order to let the vocals take the spotlight. Tunic speeds into noisy chaotic bursts often, but they’re also fine with minimal grooves. The single-note CD skip check opening of “J.F.” is the most blatant embrace of minimalism, but the verses of “Sandpaper,” and the slowburn of “Kevin” show the same affinity for simple hypnotic grooves that let the vocals stand out. When the guitar holds back, it makes the frenzied moments that much more explosive.
With a colossal twenty-three track album from Tunic set to release in April, Tunnel Vision Eyes EP serves as a scrumptious appetizer before they bring out the main course. However, it’s the type of appetizer that you would warrant a visit to the restaurant on its own. If Tunic’s free download mailing list EP is this good, I can’t wait to hear Exhaling in a couple months.
- Devon Dozlaw
Tunnel Vision Eyes EP is only available as a free download when signing up to Tunic’s mailing list.
Malice Divine
Malice Divine // Self-Released
Often times, parting ways with a band can be devastating, especially when you were in the midst of working on an album. But for Toronto’s Ric Galvez, he made the best of his situation after leaving Astaroth Incarnate, where the majority of the music on his album was created. Galvez took the album into his own hands, writing the guitar solos and lyrics for what would become Malice Divine. If you love Melodic black/death metal the likes of Dissection and Skeletonwitch, this self-titled album is most certainly for you! The vocals are sharp, catchy, and straight up devilish, and the lyrics are powerful and uplifting. The soloing goes from melodic to savage shredding, and the riffs are as big as they come! Backing all of that, the drums blast along with incendiary speeds to get the heart pumping! The album art is a perfect fit for the piercing cold sounds this record creates!
The hair raising adventure takes off with the epic instrumental titled “Somnium Lucidis”, the melodic soloing will get the listener prepared for the chilling journey they are about to embark on. Track number two is a riff heavy banger by the name of “Quantum Manifestation”. The heaviness is matched with haunting melodies, and lyrics of self betterment taken to an immortal level! Following that is the blisteringly quick “Malicious Divinity”, the fastest track on the album, with mind melting blast beats and some seriously noodlely solos! Next, we find “Triumphant Return”, and it is indeed Triumphant! This song is about not letting hardships break you, but make you stronger and even more determined to meet your goals. These uplifting, exuberant themes are a perfect match for instantly energizing vibes the rest of the track gives off. “Into Subconscious Depths” is next, and though it clocks in at just over eight minutes, it is not the longest track on the album, not even second. It begins the same way it ends off, with a beautiful acoustic guitar section, and melodic shredding and chaos takes place in between! Next on the menu is “Ancient Visions”, which is the most unique sounding to the rest of the album. Extra harsh whispered growls and odd time signatures set this one apart from the rest. Now for the second longest track, “In Time”. The lead guitar carries this one on it’s back a little more than the others, and the result is profoundly impressive guitar work that anyone could admire. The themes on the album continue with lyrics of rising over your enemies out of spite and vengeance… delightfully evil! “Intuitive Realization” is the shortest song that has vocals, and it takes no breaks to breathe, with intense speed and great rapid fire vocal patterns. The close off to this album is a ten minute adventure titled “The Transcendence of Isolation”. Every millisecond of this tracks run time is worth the listen, from gentle classical moments, to soaring choruses, and truly inspiring lyrics to those who feel they have no one to turn to. This is my personal highlight of the album.
Malice Divine have no doubt started off with a bang, and I am beyond excited to see what’s next for this project! There is plans to get a live lineup together, so when shows start up again, do not miss your chance to catch Malice Divine if they play near you!
- Justin Olson
cEvin Key
Resonance // Artoffact Records
I was a tad confused when I first began this review, as the promotional materials I received were for an album with a different title, X̱wáýx̱way (“Whoi Whoi” in English pronunciation), a Salish village that stood in what is now Vancouver’s Stanley Park (Skinny Puppy fans will recall that as the titular location of the 1990 classic Too Dark Park). Following up on Key’s website, I discovered that the artist had changed the title of the album at the request of members of Vancouver’s Salish community. I strongly recommend anyone interested in Key and his work have a look at the artist’s statement addressing his reasoning behind the change. It’s a great example of an artist showing real integrity and respect in listening to the concerns of an Indigenous community over sensitive issues of appropriation. It’s also opened up some important discussions about cultural erasure, both historical and ongoing, and I’m curious to see where Key goes with this in his promotion of the album.
Controversy notwithstanding, this album is a solid effort from Key, and I think fans of Skinny Puppy’s classic works will find a lot to dig into on the record. The production is crisp and tight, with a old-school feel that recalls some of the New Romantic and Synthpop influences of Skinny Puppy, while eschewing the heavier 90’s elements of their sound. I occasionally had to remind myself that this was a solo record, especially on lead single “Night Flower” where his longtime Tear Garden collaborator Edward KaSpel (of foundational Industrial legends The Legendary Pink Dots) guests, his vocal style evoking big Skinny Puppy energy.
Ultimately, I’m not sure I would classify this as a strictly industrial record, as several of the instrumental tracks feel like the type of hard edged electro that might pack the dance floors of a Berlin Techno club, and there’s a decisive lack of the darker tropes and sample-heavy sound of classic industrial, accompanied by a real mixed bag of guest slots from a fairly diverse range of electronic artists, collectively billed as The Subconscious Electronic Orchestra. Second single “Anger is an Acid,” almost sounds like a lost James Bond theme song at times, it’s huge cinematic feel punctuated by its grandiose, soaring chorus, courtesy of guest vocal IAMX (formerly known as Chris Corner from Sneaker Pimps).
Production wise, Resonance is a slick offering of cerebral dance music with a lot of 90s and 80s stylistic touchpoints that fans of the poppier, dance music elements of Skinny Puppy will enjoy. There’s headier, more experimental and textural parts here as well, but in general, this represents a fairly accessible, uplifting aspect of Key’s work, and I get the impression that the artist was in a good head space while he crafted it.
- Shaun Lee
