De Arma – Lost, Alien & Forlorn
Post pop, post metal, shoegaze… whatever you feel most comfortably describes something like this, De Arma is a dreary gothic tinged band consisting of metal folks choosing to explore their fragile/wounded side. Featuring Andreas Pettersson (Armagedda) and Frank Allain (Fen), De Arma strikes me as more along the lines of post “Brave Murder Day” Katatonia with similar downtrodden pitch singing and the bands overall affinity for those tense melancholic melodies that soar above a pulsing power chord foundation. Think Discouraged ones and Tonight’s Decision, though a bit more upbeat for a close starting point. The meat of the tracks is distorted, but the clean melody lines act as the hooks and ultimate depressors for each track. This formula has been pretty thoroughly tested and proven effective by others before De Arma, but this projects contribution to the “woe is me” continuum is effective and enjoyable after several listens and the right mood. Being rooted in the metal scene, the songwriters behind this trio just can’t let the blackness go, finding harsh vocals entering tracks like These Filthy Panes and Wretch to allow a greatly appreciated edge to enter into this otherwise downtrodden, though well written album. The music takes note during these heavier segments of sound, embracing more of a distorted buzz at its core and an effective black metal atmosphere set to a simplistic 4/4, if not “Poppy” time signature. Granted, bands like Alcest, Katatonia, or The Cure really don’t have to nervously look over their shoulder here, but De Arma could be a contender in that more commercial world as they are an effective sum of all the aforementioned parts. This isn’t a style that I frequent in my day to day listening habits, but I do like it and can appreciate what De Arma has achieved with their debut full-length. -Marty
Trollmusic
Worm Gear 
I listened to one of the songs posted by the label. The bit rate has to be a very low one because the sound quality is shitty as hell, and not in a good way. ha! this sounds pretty gay to me.
I thought only 18 year old deathcore fans call music they don’t like gay.
So says the man with a deep V-neck picture posing for Vanity Fair. Yes, I use the word gay to describe bands that I think encompass a bit of a light fluffy aesthetic that I feel is off putting. Or guys that pose with deep V-necks. One or the other, but nothing else really. Just those two occasions. Sycophant.
You’re quite the humorless hothead eh? And I fail to see how I am a sycophant; “a person who uses flattery to win favour from individuals wielding influence”?
Yes, censoring my language via accusing me of being a juvenile Deathcore fan is highly offensive. Those are fighting words boy.
Take a chillpill boy.