North Star Union has released "Echoes of decay", a slice of melodic heavy metal that feels less like a standard studio tracking and more like something dug out of the permafrost. There is a curious quality to Icelandic composer Myrmann’s work here; because he handles all the instrumentation and composition himself at Midgard Studio, the track possesses a singular, frighteningly cohesive nervous system. It...

With the new album "Climax", Decadent Heroes captures the precise sound of an artist exhaling after holding his breath for an eternity. Italian musician Luigi Chiappini has spent years building this instrumental rock project, using his electric guitar as a leading voice. Here, he reaches the exact point of creative evolution where a player abandons the exhausting pursuit of external validation. He trades showing...