5 Albums You Have Absolutely No Excuse Not To Own

For my first blog post, I figured it'd be a good idea to spread the word about some free (legal!) music that's been critically underlooked.  These are all very underground artists that have decided to make their music available for free because they're awesome like that.  Show them some love by buying some of their stuff, but even if you don't feel like buying their stuff, listen to their music.


maudlin of the Well - Part the Second

 motW has never been afraid to push the boundaries.  They've left behind their experimental metal roots with this album to create a work that is truly beyond genre in every sense of the word, and in the process created a stunning piece of music.  Gorgeous, bizarre, wild, epic... these words barely scratch the surface when it comes to this album.

Белые флаги зажигайте медленно - Даже если пролетариат возьмет власть в свои руки, весна все равно достанется нам, а цели войны останутся целями войны

This band (roughly translated as Set the White Flags on Fire Slowly) has created what's sadly becoming a rarity these days - a post-rock album with balls.  Far from the shoegazing minimalist guitar "riffs" created with 20 delay/looper pedals that are all too prevalent in this style, BFZM rocks out harder than any post-whatever band that doesn't tune their guitars to drop G.  Not only can they play with emotion and attitude, they're also playing some incredibly technical music, with janky time signatures galore. Definitely a band to watch.

Pet Slimmers of the Year - ...And The Sky Fell

Another hard-hitting post-[genre] group with a silly name... I'm starting to wonder if these bands are only unknown because their names are just so ridiculous.  The band follows up their solid self-titled EP with a record that blends crushing detuned sludge riffs, ambient soundscapes, and proggy inclinations for an incredible listening experience.  The band's music is distributed through the excellent Lost Children Netlabel, who make all of their releases available for free.  You should absolutely browse their releases, as pretty much all of them are, at the very least, solid records.

Crepusculum - Sing On In Sillhouettes

An amazing acoustic album by a ridiculously talented guitarist named Fred Baty. The arrangements on this album are superb, each track carefully crafted by one of the finest composers out there.  This album is simply perfect. 


Sleepmakeswaves - In Today Already Walks Tomorrow

Another Lost Children release, and as fine a piece of post-_____ as you'll ever find.  Cinematic, sweeping compositions that incorporate chunky metallic riffs, subtle, expertly placed electronics,  and gorgeous guitar tones to create an album that can hold its own against any album you care to compare it to.  If only they weren't from Australia...

[shameless self promotion]BONUS ALBUM!  You can download my band Wintersiege's demo from our Last.fm page.[/shameless self promotion]