ÂGE ⱡ TOTAL – ÂGE ⱡ TOTAL (Album Review)

Release date: February 05th 2021. Label: SOZA / COLLECTIF 5024. Format: Cassette/DD

ÂGE ⱡ TOTAL – ÂGE ⱡ TOTAL – Tracklisting

L’Armure
Carré
Metal
The Songbird

Review

ÂGE ⱡ TOTAL is a collaborative album featuring two of France’s most promising Doom/Sludge Metal bands GREYFELL and Endless Floods creating a beautifully made and equally emotional album. The album runs for 46 minutes spread across 4 songs with the record being a stunning journey of Post-Rock, Post-Metal, Sludge Metal, Doom Metal and is held together by hypnotic Psychedelic waves of Progressive Rock/Metal.

Both bands collaborated on all 4 songs for this album. This album is a work of genius with it’s different styles of music and how it embraces the LIGHT and DARK philosophy of Doom/Sludge Metal with uplifting musical passages and bleak down-tempo grooves that are spliced throughout the album.

Opening song – L’Armure – is more of an Ambient Doom style of music with the Post-Metal and Cinematic grooves being played quite slowly at first before exploding into a HEAVY WALL OF NOISE with superb vocals that have an uplifting feel to them. The Psychedelic Doomgaze fully takes over around the half-way mark and ÂGE ⱡ TOTAL becomes a more emotionally involved album with intense riffs and soaring vocal melodies leading the way. There is a very subtle Stoner Metal riff being played in the background but this still primarily a wild ride of Ambient Doom/Progressive Sludge sounds.

Second song – Carré – is a more experimental Drone/Doom based song running slightly less at over 4 minutes. The song is full of sonic glitches against a psychedelic backdrop with various soundbytes being merged into an almost nightmarish vision. The song has some brief vocal chants that elevate the song to a more gloomier level.

Third song – Metal – is where the album leaves the uplifting parts behind and becomes a much bleaker album with the heavier parts of the album starting with this track. The music feels quite remorseful with the Post-Rock/Post-Metal atmosphere leading the record further down the Doom/Sludge Metal rabbit-hole. This is offset by some wonderful vocal harmonies yet again and you can feel a “Type-O Negative” influence being added here with the vocals and lyrics painting a more realistic style of music.

Fourth song – The Songbird – runs for almost 17 minutes and is perhaps the most “Doom Metal” offering on the record. As ÂGE ⱡ TOTAL goes for the jugular here with it’s progressive mix of Doom, Sludge, Post-Metal and Psychedelic weirdness. It’s quite a cold and emotionally distant song to begin with and it doesn’t fully get going until around the 3rd minute when a top-notch Drone riff appears out of nowhere followed by almost angelic vocals. The orchestral and instrumental parts of this song is nothing short of magnificent.

ÂGE ⱡ TOTAL is a bold, unique and sombre listening experience which is helped along by outstanding production values. This is one of the best, if not the best collaborative album I’ve heard in years.

ÂGE ⱡ TOTAL is a phenomenal record and deserves a place in anyone’s record collection. I wouldn’t be surprised if this album ends up on a few “Albums Of The Year” list towards the end of the year. It’s already gained a spot on mine.

Awesome stuff….

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo. ÂGE ⱡ TOTAL will be available to buy on Cassette/DD via SOZA / COLLECTIF 5024 from February 5th 2020.

GREYFELL Links:

Facebook / Bandcamp / Instagram

ENDLESS FLOOD Links

Facebook / Bandcamp

An Interview With Andy Murray From ALLUVION

It’s hard to believe that Psychedelic Rock/Metallers ALLUVION have been going as a band for 20 years now. The band have gained quite the reputation since then and in my humble opinion they should be more well known within the Sludge/Stoner Metal scene.

Hopefully with the release of their upcoming 3rd album – The Secret’s Out – due to be released on Sept 6th 2019 that the band will gain more attention as they truly deserve it.

With that in mind, I managed to chat to Andy Murray (Drums/Vox) from the band where we discussed the making of the new album and ALLUVION epic journey so far...

Hi Andy. Thanks for doing this interview. How are things with you today?

Very good, indeed.

Can you give a brief history of how Alluvion came together and what the current line-up is today?

1999... Just kids with a passion for music. Playing for our friends, and our friend's bands. The current line-up is the best it could possibly be.

How would you describe your own music in your own words?

Experimental heavy rock and metal fluctuating with sensory overload at times. A variety of sorts with a solid core. Very collaberatory between the members, whom bring their own influences and point of views across.

You will be releasing your new album – The Secret’s Out very soon. What can people expect from the album?

Great tunes; interesting sounds and production. This one is thorough, and not to be missed.

Was recording the new album a hard or easy experience for the band?

Not too difficult, thanks to Stickman Studios which is operated by our own Brian Carnes.

What is the song writing dynamic in the band? Is it a group collective or down to certain individuals?

It can vary at times. The song "By Design", for example, was song written by Steve collaborating with other local musicians. Now composed by Alluvion to be a track that holds a lot of weight on the new album. Where was "Husk" was a spontaneous jam session where everything falls into place at once.

What comes first when writing and recording new music? Music or lyrics?

It's hard to pin-down a method for songwriting because it can start with lyrics sometimes. Other times it can be certain members jamming or swapping demo recordings of ideas and such. The four of us get together to complete it and add their flavor to the mixture.

What inspires you when writing music?

Everything. I'm always searching for sources of inspiration, usually finding it at live shows.

Did you have the opportunity to perform live on a regular basis in your home town or do you have to travel further afield?

Yes we've certainly covered most of the ground in our home town. That's not saying a whole lot because it is a small town. However, we are lucky to be about an hour away from two major cities D.C. and Richmond. This providing some different opportunities through the years.

How would you describe the Alluvion LIVE experience?

A full-effect experience; Intense and fun. We aim to make it memorable, inspiring, and heavily gratifying. To show our appreciation to everyone who came to the show, and make the show possible.

Alluvion have been going as band for over twenty years. Did you ever expect for the band to last that long? 

That is very rare. At this point I think we recognize that and can all agree to protect it. To avoid self destructing something so powerful and uplifting, and something that rocks so fucking hard.

What have been your high points and low points within that period? 

We've had hiatuses, our arguments, disagreements. We've pursued other musical ventures. And to focus on those would be a complete waste of energy. I would say a high point would be right now. We got our health, our chemistry in the band. We're dropping a brand new solid record. Let's ride this wave it feels good. 

Looking back over your epic career, would you change anything that the band has experienced?

Nah I guess not. It may sound cliche, but the experiences make us what we are today. Helps us learn from mistakes and hone our craft whatever that may be.

Thanks for doing this interview. Before you go do you have any words of wisdom to say to your fans?

Be inspired, support bands, have a good time.

Words by Steve Howe and Andy Murray

Thanks to Curtis at Dewar PR for arranging this interview. Thanks to Andy for doing this interview.

The Secret’s Out will be available to buy from Sept 6th 2019.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp