Review from The Inarguable

November 5, 2012
From: The Inarguable
Published: September 28, 2012
Original Link

Ah, Stroszek, it has definitely been a while. Fronted by C. Alcara of Italian black metallers Frostmoon Eclipse, Stroszek explores the sounds of quiet, Americana-influenced folk rock painted in shades of late '90s post-grunge a la Mark Lanegan and Travis Meeks. 

Following in the path set by this trio's previous album, 2009's Life Failures Made Music, Stroszek's latest effort Sound Graveyard Bound shows Alcara turning the volume and aggression down even further, leaving more room for introspection and space, which this album has in spades. The "distant warmth" I had discussed in my last Stroszek review almost two years ago seems even further, and though the cold might have set in, Alcara's calming half-whispered voice is all the more endearing, acting as a beacon of hope in what is an otherwise hopeless and resigned album overall. 

Unfortunately, while Sound Graveyard Bound is enjoyable, I can't help but feel it is more of the same. There is no real middle ground between the quiet classical guitar-led verses and slightly distorted choruses, which is something I'd hoped Stroszek would have achieved after Life Failures Made Music. The dichotomy between the two "faces" of this project is nice, but it feels more jumpy than usual on this album. Also, the riffs and progressions we see on this album are rather similar to its predecessor, as I found myself asking myself if I was listening to either SGB or LFMM at various times. That's not to say that Stroszek is a "one trick pony," rather Alcara has seemed to carve himself deep within his own stylistic niche and seems to be running out of space. 

Though this album has its shortcomings, it is undeniably a Stroszek concoction, and I can't deny how much I enjoy their unique style. Sound Graveyard Bound might sound like previous efforts, but I enjoyed those, so, by proxy, this album is pretty decent. I might end up listening to Alcara's first two Stroszek albums a little more, but hey, there's always more if I'm looking for it! 

Reviewed by: Jon Rosenthal 
 

Review from Don't count on it Reviews

November 5, 2012
From: Don't count on it Reviews
Published: June 14, 2012
Original Link

I've been familiar with Claudio Alcara's solo project Stroszek for quite a while now and am certainly well aware of his mainstay band Frostmoon Eclipse, but this is the first time I think I've actually heard an entire album from Stroszek. I knew from the other songs I had heard that it was more of a singer-songwriter type of a vibe, but beyond that I didn't really come in expecting too much. Believe it or not, I was actually ...

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Review from Music of Shadows Webzine

November 5, 2012
From: Music of Shadows Webzine
Published: June 9, 2012
Original Link

stroszek, the band was founded by FROSTMOON ECLIPSE guitarist Claudio Alcara, has inked a deal with Canadian label Hypnotic Dirge Records for the release of the band’s third full length album. Titled “Sound Graveyard Bound” 

"Can't make things undone" when I've read the title at first I've thought that it will be a very sad and depressive song. But I'm glad that I was wrong the song is calm, a bit melancholic and it gives ...

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Review from Necro-web Magazine

November 5, 2012
From: Necro-web Magazine
Published: June 8, 2012
Original Link
*Google translation of German review

Stroszek is an exceptional Italian band, probably by guitarist Claudio Alcara the band Frost Moon Eclipse, one of the most popular black metal bands in the country, was created. Musically, however, are only slight traces of black metal is visible. 

The band name comes from the Werner Herzog film "Stroszek" back that filled in the late seventies as a celebrated, but also criticized drama to movie the...

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Review from Aristocrazia Webzine

November 5, 2012
From: Aristocrazia Webzine
Published: May 28, 2012
Original Link
*Google translation of Italian review

 stroszek is the band, or the project if we want to define it, Claudio Alcara, known to the metal scene for his adventures with Gionatha Powerful Frostmoon act in Eclipse, Macabre Omen and his past in Handful Of Hate. But you can also put all this aside, as the black metal feeling in the world and enclosed behind this monicker, probably inspired by the films of Werner Herzog in 1977, somewhat pe...
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Review from Metallized Webzine

November 5, 2012
From: Metallized Webzine
Published:
May 28, 2012
Original Link
*Google translation of Italian review

Those of you who saw the film The Ballad of Stroszek by Werner Herzog , 1977 weblog? Not I, quite frankly. But apparently, was the last movie seen by the leader of Joy Division , Ian Curtis , the first of his dramatic suicide at the age of 24 years. The story told in the film, moreover, ends with the suicide of its protagonist, disillusioned and in despair after seeing all your hopes and dreams sh...

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Review from Skartnak Webzine

November 5, 2012
From: Skartnak Webzine
Published: May 5, 2012
Original Link
*Google translation of French review

After two albums released in God Is Myth ('Songs of Remorse "and" Life Failures Made Music '), Stroszek goes out with 'sound graveyard bound' his third album, Hypnotic Dirge Records at this time. Those who are already familiar with the music of Stroszek notice that the change of the fine has not had a major impact on the sound of gorupe: Claudio Alcara remains faithful to the folk project he leads in ...

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Review from Doommantia Webzine

November 5, 2012
From: Doommantia Webzine
Published: April 19, 2012
Original Link

Stroszek’s music does not strictly belong to the genres normally dealt with here at Doommantia (so I’m not going to attribute any mark at the end of this writing). However I remember that at the Sludgeswamp the presence of Stroszek into one of the “legendary” Swamp Compilations and the authorized post of the 2007 debut album by Stroszek, Songs Of Remorse, had gathered much, I must confess unexpected, appreciation. I say “...

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Review from Hierophant-Nox Webzine

November 5, 2012
From: Hierophant-Nox Webzine
Published: April 14, 2012
Original Link

I’ve been following Stroszek since 2007’s beautiful “Songs of Remorse”, and was thrilled to receive the third instalment in Claudio, Davide and Richard’s whimsical, pensive, emotional ride along abandoned night-time highways, “Sound Graveyard Bound”. The aforementioned debut set the bar extremely high with its quiet power and ability to touch on so many raw, melancholy nerves, and I wondered if it would always rem...

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Review from Midwinter Fires Webzine

November 5, 2012
From: Midwinter Fires Webzine
Published: April 10, 2012
Original Link

Not an easy review, I have to say…I listened so many times to “Sound Graveyard Bound”, the third album from Italian project Stroszek, a band founded by FROSTMOON ECLIPSE guitarist Claudio Alcara…I’m not completely into this kind of music, but exploring new paths is something I was really looking for. And I completely enjoyed it. “Sound Graveyard Bound” is a melodic, intimate piece of work where acoustic guitar is...

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 STROSZEK - SOUND GRAVEYARD BOUND

            Released: March 10, 2012
                           300 Copies
                          Acoustic Folk