Straight out of the
High Desert Sound studios in New Mexico this week, come three brand new releases on
BlueFreya.com.
I don't say enough about these guys. From the fledgling episodes of
Independent Share, to the shows that I produce today. I always have a place in my playlist for these folks. Why? Because not only does their music rock and in many cases, rock hard, but they have written some of the best metal and rock I've heard in years. The range from progressive metal to space rock to Viking metal to haunting melodies and riffs, have always filled my ears with pleasurable sounds. Yeah, I know, you're thinking, "Viking metal? Pleasurable sounds?" You know, the death metal voice might be something grating to some, but in the realm of telling the story, it really does grow on you.
They reside on
BlueFreya.com. Blue Freya Media has been a home to many indie metal acts over the years and is run by Karl Lean. Distribution through
BlueFreya has placed them in the major retail outlets like iTunes and Amazon as well as Spotify. Order it from anywhere, but also, you can order it directly from
BlueFreya.com. This not only helps the band but helps the label thrive. When you order through the outlets, the convenience is great for some, but also takes away from the indie labels and artists out there. I have preferred to order from where it best supports the artist and the label alike. I suggest purchasing these from
BlueFreya.com, always. Check out some of the other bands available on the site, because there is a lot of great music to be found outside of the four stellar releases I am going to share with you here. Three brand new and one sort of brand new release.
Onto The Releases!
First, let's talk about the super-group project of
Tornatil. Formerly started as Pathless Land. This project features Richard J. Baysinger on guitars, piano, fretless bass and drums, S. Lee Baysinger on vocals, Eric Confer (aka
Xaoslord) on guitar and keyboards and Daron Olson on bass. This group brings together the best of
Fateless Tears (the former project of Richard and S. Lee) killer guitar riffs from Richard and S. Lee's haunting vocals and lyrical storytelling with Xaoslord's signature keyboards and lead guitars. Daron and Richard drive home the backend bass and Richard kicks the beat home on drums. "
Crawling in the Aquarium" was an epic first release from these folks, but the
self-titled EP being release on BlueFreya takes it up a notch in quality of playing and songwriting. "Wall" has become my favorite song on this album.
Second up is a brand new release from Xaoslord. With "
Everything Dies", Eric takes us on yet another journey. Introspective at times, but a down-right sonic masterpiece again. I get lost in his music. From the sweeping synthesizers and arpy passages to the driving lead guitar stories that paint my eardrums with their voices calling out of the darkness. Eric takes me to places that are visually pleasing and audibly exciting at times and touching at other times. My first exposure to this album was via an early release track that Eric sent me called "Glide". I've played it on several different shows now. Independent Share,
Dave's Space Place and
Dave's Deep Space Place. It doesn't have the driving guitar of most Xaoslord pieces, but it builds over a period of time and is both meditative and soothing. I feel as if I am gliding down the musical star stream in front of me while listening to the music.
Thirdly, a brand spankin' new release from the guitar master Richard J. Baysinger. I've loved everything Richard has released. I'll say this again about him. His songs are not only beautifully written in structure and theory, but they kick ass on so many levels. In today's music market, there are a plethora of solo guitarists to choose from and listen too. Most leave me dry and empty. Not just from a song writing perspective, but from a recording angle as well. Obnoxious, tinny, poorly recorded messes of yuck. Not to mention the over exaggeration of guitar masturbation of some over bloated egos. Ugh. Enter Richard J. Baysinger's music. It's always a breath of fresh air. Killer recording as well. I also find that the melodies have me humming them later on in the day. I find myself pulling up his tracks on my phone while I'm driving, because great music helps to take your mind off of bad traffic. It really does. So, let's talk about the latest release, "
Feminosity". It covers a lot of different genres. The album, itself, is a celebration to the women who have had a major impact on Richard's life. Including the 4 tracks that he has named specifically. It also debuts a great song which I have been playing for a while now on Independent Share called "Desert Sky (Susan's Song)" in which Richard sings a love song to his wife. His voice has a hint of many artists, but is uniquely his own. Something I hope that he explores more of in the future. I love the song and his vocals! Keep it up man! The rest of this album is chalk full of great music. I've only just received this a few days ago and have listened through a few times, but I know it's not only going to be a favorite release now, but will be played in heavy rotation on Independent Share.
Last, but definitely not least, is an album which was released last year by the other great project that Richard and Daron produce.
Viggenblot is not just another death-metal band, it IS Viking Metal. The stories that come out of these guys are epic tales, as well they should be, because when hasn't a tale told by Vikings not been epic. The latest release to grace our ears is called "
Valediction in Frost" kicks ass from the very opening track "To Breathe No More" to the last track "Cold Frailty", which is my personal favorite. The story revolves around the Svalbard Global Seed Vault and how it plays a huge role in coming global climate changes. While you're at BlueFreya.com, grab the other great releases from Viggenblot. "
Barriers" and "
Last Song of Sigrid" are two of my favorite albums from these guys.
To sum it all up. Four excellent releases coming out of High Desert Sound. Go grab this great music from
BlueFreya.com. You won't be disappointed. Support these great indie artists so that they can keep creating and exposing the world to their talents. Music keeps the world in motion. Help keep the world in motion and these artists thriving.
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