Micah Rose-Trespeuch’s new album, "Coughing Up Blood," feels less like a listening experience and more like witnessing an urgent, almost involuntary act of transmutation. Rose-Trespeuch (piano, vocals), with Julien Baraness masterfully texturing the soundscapes and Gaetan Allard providing the often-fractured, sometimes thunderous pulse on drums, has crafted something akin to a diary written in volatile ink. One moment, you're amidst Chopin-esque piano runs that...

When the Australian band Evol Walks stripped down this version of "Sleeping with a Ghost," they bravely went where no one had gone before. The ominous words and heavy music in the song are well known. The song's version from a year ago is interesting, and it gives us a sneak peek at the band's much-anticipated EP. Evol Walks is known for its raw energy and...