Album Review: Chris Lastovicka’s Fortune Has Turned (Remixed)

Originally released in 2005, Chris Lastovicka’s classical album Fortune Has Turned now has a new and improved version coming out in April via Ahari Press.  The compositions for piano, strings, horn, and voice offer listeners a stark, emotional journey into the human psyche. Says Lastovicka of the quest to remix and remaster, “When I was thinking about who… Continue reading Album Review: Chris Lastovicka’s Fortune Has Turned (Remixed)

Show Me Your Patches: Sleeping Village Reviews

Sleeping Village Reviews started off sharing in-depth music commentary on Instagram, recently adding a “brick and mortar” website as well.  This week, The Administrator shares some patch love with AltCtrl…. I seldom get to show this thing off, so let me wax poetic for a moment. This jacket is quite young, considering, and patch collecting… Continue reading Show Me Your Patches: Sleeping Village Reviews

Album Review: Brave’s the calm | the storm

Washington DC prog rockers Brave released their sophomore album the calm | the storm on January 8th to positive reviews from AlternativeNation.net, Dead Rhetoric, and now this very blog.  The layered compositions feature active bass, interactive string and keyboard lines, and rich vocals. Singer and co-founder Michelle Schrotz says of the album, “These songs represent ‘life stories’ and lyrically… Continue reading Album Review: Brave’s the calm | the storm

AltCtrlToob Video Premiere: Auditory Armory Covers Type O Negative’s “Love You To Death”

Florida alternative metal band Auditory Armory pays homage to their influences with a thoughtfully produced interpretation of Type O Negative’s “Love You To Death.”  Their black and white version takes cues from the imagery in original song’s video, but notably replaces the heavy metal love scenes with shots of vocalist April Rose singing at the door… Continue reading AltCtrlToob Video Premiere: Auditory Armory Covers Type O Negative’s “Love You To Death”

B-Movie at a Muddy Drive-In Theater: A Review of Wardehn’s Now Cometh The Foul

Now Cometh The Foul is one hell of an energetic stoner/sludge metal offering from Wisconsin’s Wardehns. It’s an engaging and fun listen, loaded with what I would call a fine yet gritty production value. It’s a dirty sound with a smooth texture. One thing that grabbed me immediately is the band’s talent as sculptors of the… Continue reading B-Movie at a Muddy Drive-In Theater: A Review of Wardehn’s Now Cometh The Foul

Show Me Your Patches: Dread These Days

Jeff Apuzzo, vocalist of brutal Connecticut metal/hardcore outfit Dread These Days, shares a thoughtful ode to his battle vest…  The editor suspects many readers will find his sentiment of “adulting on the outside and metal on the inside” highly relatable. My vest.  Where do I even start?!?  It’s the single piece of clothing that still… Continue reading Show Me Your Patches: Dread These Days

Album Review: Thunderbird Divine’s Magnasonic

Thunderbird Divine’s debut full length Magnasonic, released on CD this month through Connecticut label Salt of the Earth Records, offers four tracks of spaced out stoner rock grooves that are sure to please genre enthusiasts.  But what distinguishes this Philadelphia outfit from the pack? First of all, TBD experiments with nontraditional instrumentation right from their… Continue reading Album Review: Thunderbird Divine’s Magnasonic