iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Out to see Man/Woman/Chainsaw tonight. On the Thekla which is not my favourite venue. But quiet for support so far so hoping to get a good spot. #gig #musicsky

Sign for Man/Woman/Chainsaw behind the bar at the Thekla in Bristol

deathvoidterror.bandcamp.com

I really like the Death. Void. Terrors new album - To the Great Monolith 3. Black metal full of the heavy, drone and ritualistic sounds I love. Now I work through the rest of their works. #metalsky

To The Great Monolith III: Rifts, by DVT

5 track album

Inspired by the jazzier element of Japanese post-rock I've been listening to, Apple Music fed me the pure, high tempo jazz of J.A.M. with Just Another Mind. It's fun, an easy listen, I tend to like jazz that's more dissonant and chaotic.

Just Another Mind by J.A.M on Apple Music

Album · 2010 · 15 Songs

The Ocean's new album, Solaris, leaves me divided. I'm not into a lot of the prog-y, harmonic elements and vocals, but it has got some heavier stuff in there too. Not enough to win me over. #metalsky

theocean.bandcamp.com

Solaris, by The Ocean

𝚁𝚞𝚜𝚜 @somerandomruss.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Continued listening to Japanese post-rock with this early Downy album - No Title 1. It's good stuff. Noisy, has quite a raw feel. One of 8 untitled albums to explore. #postrock

No Title 1 by downy on Apple Music

Album · 2014 · 12 Songs

𝚁𝚞𝚜𝚜 @somerandomruss.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Happy with my super early bird ticket now. Next year's ArcTanGent line up is off to a great start.

120

𝚁𝚞𝚜𝚜 @somerandomruss.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Gave Foundry, by Yu Su a listen. A diverse electronic album I like most when it's ambient and experimental and less when it feels more house or techno. The range is such I'm not sure where I sit on this one. #musicsky

yusu.bandcamp.com

Foundry, by Yu Su

𝚁𝚞𝚜𝚜 @somerandomruss.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

230

Also really enjoyed this new EP from mouse on the keys. Another Japanese post-rock band with a huge Jazz influence in play. #musicsky

music.youtube.com

Portrait of Impulse

EP • mouse on the keys

𝚁𝚞𝚜𝚜 @somerandomruss.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

More Japanese post-hardcore, an older album from a band called Z. Post-rock elements, big jazz influence with some fantastic sax. Really very good, sadly no longer performing. #musicsky #posthardcore

𝚁𝚞𝚜𝚜 @somerandomruss.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

絶塔 by Z on Apple Music

Album · 2012 · 8 Songs

120

Been listening ot a lot of Japanese alt rock this week. Kicked off by the band CONGRATULATIONS’s new album 2. A post-hardcore, underground sound that grabbed me. #musicsky

2 by CONGRATULATIONS on Apple Music

Album · 2026 · 7 Songs

𝚁𝚞𝚜𝚜 @somerandomruss.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

While I listened to dark music I started a new post-apocalyptic manga series: The Color of the End. Strong style and steady, pacing. Broad plotting felt familiar, but it’s a good take and I like the world building so far. #manga #apocalypse

120

𝚁𝚞𝚜𝚜 @somerandomruss.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

What’s this? Not had time to sit and listen to some vinyl in ages. Put on The Black Hours by Dead Space Chamber Music. Picked up at a gig earlier this year. Dark, doomy and experimental. #vinylsky #metalsky

A blue record of The Black Hours by Dead Space Chamber Music, playing on a record player.

140

Necropolitan, by GREEN LUNG

Something about Green Lung doesn’t work for me. This remains true with their new album, Necropolitan. #metalsky

greenlung.bandcamp.com

370

Dipping into some contemporary jazz, concluded Tigran Hamasyan isn’t for me. Too calm. I tend to prefer something noisier, verging on chaotic. #musicsky #jazz

Manifeste by Tigran Hamasyan on Apple Music

Album · 2026 · 14 Songs

021

electriceelshock.bandcamp.com

As they’ll be playing in Bristol checked out the most recent Electric Eel Shock album. It’s kind of fun and evokes some nostalgia. Not that deep, could be good live. #metalsky

HEAVY METAL BLACK BELT, by ELECTRIC EEL SHOCK

13 track album

Listened to more Sluggor. Not entirely sure why given I felt the last album I heard was solid but not that exciting. This one is too - decent enough atmospheric black metal. #metalsly

skuggor.bandcamp.com

The Expanse, by Skuggor

dreadnoughtdenver.bandcamp.com

Wars of Spirit// Wards of Light, by Dreadnought is the most interesting things I heard this week. Super varied, prog/post metal. Really liked this one. #metalsky

Wars of Spirit // Wards of Light, by Dreadnought

040

I really liked Loved, by KEN mode. In your face, noisy sludge. Punchy short tracks that don’t hang around. #metalsky

kenmode.bandcamp.com

Loved, by KEN mode

050

Not released yet but I’m liking what I hear on Firtan’s upcoming album. My sort of atmospheric black metal. #metalsky

firtan.bandcamp.com

Helios, by Firtan

11 track album

I missed Kulk at Arctangent and also their recent Bristol gig. A shame because this is a nice, heavy, doomy album. #metalsky

kulk.bandcamp.com

Choosing To Die, by Kulk

And while I’m making the effort. I’ll dump out some of my recent listening…

𝚁𝚞𝚜𝚜 @somerandomruss.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Electric Wizard and Magick Potion were both great the other night. They opt for lighting and smoke to make it really difficult to get good pictures. #metalsky #gignight

Electric Wizard performing at the Peospect Building in Bristol

Magick Potion on stage at the Prospect Building in Bristol

140

Been a while again but I’ve got a minute while I wait for the support to come on. It’s a gig night: Electric Wizard with Magick Potion in support. Very excited for both. #metalsky #gignight

The stage at the Prospect Building in Bristol before Electric Wizard and Magick Potion perform

140

And one last bit of melodic black metal that helped me through the flight. Hulder’s new album is good, although again I’ll add the caveat I didn’t feel I was hearing anything new. #metalsky #blackmetal

hulder.bandcamp.com

Verbolgen, by HULDER

Where Sun Resigns, by Skuggor

I can’t go too long without moody music. I quite liked Where Sun Resigns, by Skuggor. Not ground breaking but delivers a gloomy, atmospheric black metal sound. #metalsky #blackmetal

skuggor.bandcamp.com

russiancircles.bandcamp.com

Naturally the new Russian Circles album is a delight. Saved it to make an early morning flight more tolerable. They didn’t disappoint. #musicsky #postrock

Nine, by Russian Circles

Megafauna, by And So I Watch You From Afar

Working backwards, yesterday’s poolside soundtrack was And So I Watch You From Afar. Definitely in the mood for more positive, uplifting sounds. Also on the bill with Caspian in October. #musicsky #postrock

asiwyfa.bandcamp.com

caspiantheband.bandcamp.com

Today’s poolside soundtrack was some Caspian. Uplifting post-rock was the right mood and I’ve just bought tickets to see them in October. #musicsky #postrock

On Circles, by Caspian

040

After some hectic months, work and life absorbing all my bandwidth, I’m taking a break. Sat in the sun, by a pool drinking the occasional cold, cheap beer. And after a bit more relaxing going to get back into some posting.

Palm trees growing by a pool in Lanzarote.

Alien Metal, by King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

Almost forgot, King Gizzard's new techno album. Electronic music made up much of my 20s so I don't mind this. But I'd have appreciated it more back then. #musicsky

kinggizzard.bandcamp.com

Panopticon (Remastered), by ISIS

And today, a nice bit of post-rock/post-metal from Isis. Great album that deserved more than the car stereo for a listen. #metalsky

isistheband.bandcamp.com

mournfulcongregation.bandcamp.com

Stumble upon this chunk of funeral doom from Mournful Congregation. It's been a while but I love some heavy, slow funereal metal. #metalsky

The Incubus of Karma, by Mournful Congregation

130

Layers Of Wax, by Longheads

Having seen Longheads supporting Frankie and the Witch Fingers I gave their most recent album a listen. Really heavy psych rock, hints of doom, and very good. #musicsky

longheads.bandcamp.com

Rituals of Shame, by Warning

I really like Rituals of Shame, by Warning. Slow and sombre Doom. A clean vocal style that I'm surprised I actually enjoyed. #metalsky

warningdoom.bandcamp.com

5 track album

Waste Where Life Begins, by Apogean

New album from Apogean does black/death metal things very well. Good vocals. I like it.

apogean.bandcamp.com

021

Rapid dump of listening form the last 10 days now follows...

001

After yet another long gap in posts. Off to #Arctangent tomorrow. Less prepared than last year - lots of bands I've not heard. But there's plenty I want to see and hopefully discover some new acts on the way.

110

Love Is In The Shit, by otay:onii

I think I’ll have to see Otay:onii at #arctangent because this album was so unexpected. Diverse and experimental, I’m going to have to explore her music further. #musicsky

otayonii.bandcamp.com

000

Back To Shilmarine - EP, by HAAL

Continuing #arctangent listening with Haal. Local band and not bad - darkly toned noise rock. They’re clashing so probably won’t see, but I’ll likely catch them in Bristol sometime. #musicsky

haalband.bandcamp.com

5 track album

000

TOTAAL TECHNIEK, by KLAMP

Completely failed to do much #arctangent prep work this year. Gave a few more bands a listen this week. Starting with KLAMP and quite a krautrock-y album. I liked, I’ll probably check them out. #musicsly

klamp.bandcamp.com

000

wailinstorms.bandcamp.com

The Arsonist, by Wailin Storms does a lot that I typically don’t like. But it combines a bluesy and gothic feel and I kind of like that, a lot. #musicsky

The Arsonist, by Wailin Storms

000

Signal Fire, by Genghis Tron

Genghis Tron brought me something new with Signal Fire. First time hearing them. Tagged Cybergrind (?? Whatever that means), classifications aside it’s a varied album with a good dose of noise and anger in the mix. #metalsky

genghistron.bandcamp.com

10 track album

firesinthedistance.bandcamp.com

I liked the new album from Fires in the Distance. Melodic death metal - really felt they got the balance right. #metalsky

Circadian Promise, by Fires in the Distance

Cycles in the Infinite Dream, by REZN

Thought the new REZN album was ok. No more than that. Wanted something that felt darker. #metalsky

rezzzn.bandcamp.com

ifthesetreescouldtalk.bandcamp.com

Didn’t really connect with the new If These Trees Could Talk album. It’s decent post rock but not doing much for me. #musicsky #postrock

The Hidden Hand, by If These Trees Could Talk