Various Artists - Thalamus III

A thalamus is a small structure deep in the brain that helps coordinate sensations and consciousness. If you want to make yours rattle and hum, listen to Thalamus III, a two-disc set of intense ambient music recorded live in 2005. The performance took place in St. Petersburg and the artists are pillars of the Russian Industrial music scene. It's dark and gritty noise music that draws you in and freaks you out at the same time. Expect trippy collages of musical and industrial sounds, not pulsing house music...MORE

Sora - Heartwood

I put on Heartwood, the most recent album by Canadian singer/songwriter Sora, for a friend of mine and he said “I feel like I'm in Lord Of The Rings.” With Sora's courtly style, Celtic influences, and operatic voice, she'd perfectly fit the soundtrack of a Fantasy epic. Relax and listen to these dreamy soundscapes and you may be transported to a dewy Irish briar, sprites and fairies fluttering about, or you might be bored out of your mind. Either way, don't put this disc on during a party unless you're trying to clear it out and get to bed...MORE

Dreyelands - Rooms Of Revelation

This just in: slammin' virtuoso metal band arrives from Budapest! If you've got a hankering for superior progressive metal, heavy on the chops, then Dreyelands is what you crave. This Hungarian quartet thunders high-energy meticulous rock with a touch of gothic flavor. Each member (and a session keyboard player) gets his chance to shine on the band's debut Rooms Of Revelation.

The first track on Rooms is a minute and a half of reverb-soaked footsteps and creaking doors called “Entering.” Ok, so it's not replacing The Wall as rock's greatest concept record. Just let the fact that all the song titles begin with a room number (“Room 1: Seek For Salvation,” “Room 2: Can't Hide Away,” etc.) give you a chuckle and forget the concept. Think of it as eight burnin' metal tunes with lyrics about personal stuff. Any classic Metallica album could fit that description...MORE