tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58597149425625732852024-02-07T05:32:48.250+00:00The Burning Beard~ Finding the best stoner, doom & psych music then slapping you around the face with it!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1566125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859714942562573285.post-57984595338460659022021-09-04T17:00:00.025+01:002021-09-04T17:00:00.272+01:00Upon This Earth...<p style="text-align: center;">Caged Wolves - <i>Act of Nature Beyond Control</i> (2021)<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj93ZIOFh9PDra5u6ekMl9J_xGzjLMIoZLO2_nIAJBIV7yh71iJfssfwH6F-YxDAW6o4puuFB9MzNinGN-l7JIp5qKbUy1F3zdwjnV9SmyoT9MO2Tn_NSJxsc13bmahkrsEBsJ323a7HQXq/s2048/Caged+Wolves+-+Act+Of+Nature+Beyond+Control+-+1x1_2500px.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj93ZIOFh9PDra5u6ekMl9J_xGzjLMIoZLO2_nIAJBIV7yh71iJfssfwH6F-YxDAW6o4puuFB9MzNinGN-l7JIp5qKbUy1F3zdwjnV9SmyoT9MO2Tn_NSJxsc13bmahkrsEBsJ323a7HQXq/s320/Caged+Wolves+-+Act+Of+Nature+Beyond+Control+-+1x1_2500px.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Coming to us from the cultural hub of
Vienna, this is the third release from Caged Wolves, following their
back-to-back studio and live EPs in 2019. This time around, the band
brings three songs to the table, each settling in the eight to ten
minute range, working a mix of desert rock, doom metal, and
alternative approaches to each.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">First of the tunes is “Cosmic Rage”,
which kicks off on a psychedelic groove with some phasing guitar over
heavy rolling drums. Settling into a slow-moving but powerful groove
which hangs around for much of the song's remainder, the band
counterpoints it with bursts of glowering energy, punching up the
vocals right alongside the strings and drums. The vocalist is
gracious enough to bow out for a stretch, letting the listener soak
in some instrumental interactions as they gradually build to a
crescendo, leading to a real banger of a climax. “Chronos”
follows, leading with an interesting intro finger-picking and rim
percussion before sliding to an almost wistful arrangement. They put
the high-energy bursts of the opening track to work again here, but
raise the time spent in those outbursts each time, making for a cool
study in alternation of their intensity. Thankfully, there's enough
emotion put into the slower portions that they don't lose the thread,
though the momentum does get stretched pretty far. Again, the climax
delivers on the build-up, and the band shows some striking chemistry
in the way they riff off of each other in this one's release.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Lastly, “Through the Rainbow Valley”
introduces itself by pulling out a blanket of fuzz for the strings,
which, along with the fatness of the ensuing riffs, shifts things
deep into Kyuss territory. As the band shifts their way back out
along the course of the song, the psychedelic and prog elements get
turned way up, culminating in a fantastically shagged-out roar. Oh,
and then you get all three songs again, in instrumental form. The
persistent quality of the songs is a testament to the work that this
crew has been putting in since their last releases, and it certainly
pays off nicely. Great song-writing and powerful playing, well worth
checking out for anyone in the mood for something with some heavy
music to take them away for a while.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">~ Gabriel</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">For Fans Of; Acid Rooster, Broughton's
Rules, Don Caballero, Fatso Jetson, Frozen Planet....1969</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/cagedwolves/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> • <a href="http://www.cagedwolves.eu/" target="_blank">Official Website</a> • <a href="http://instagram.com/cagedwolves" target="_blank">Instagram</a> •</b> <b><a href="http://soundcloud.com/cagedwolves" rel="nofollow">SoundCloud</a> • <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJIpsWqZpMpEcMph9huyBcg?view_as=subscriber" target="_blank">Youtube</a> • <a href="https://cagedwolves.bandcamp.com/">BandCamp</a></b><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://cagedwolves.bandcamp.com/track/chronos" target="_blank"><b>Caged Wolves - Chronos <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(320 kbps)</span></b></a></p><p style="text-align: center;">~ <br /></p>Commercial_Radiationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298239786128534539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859714942562573285.post-39321308018310971292021-08-14T17:00:00.016+01:002021-08-16T17:41:56.603+01:00Burning Fields Forsaken...<p style="text-align: center;">The Slow Death - <i>Siege</i> (2021)<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghh8MRshE-kxn0ll0fT4d-VicE4TovjKF6IVxREY7ZkzmM8gGMnsUX_pgccHPQK2DZ4C7YMnwHYOHNaCtNkAOYeQtdf-j7sjBi2vsWYXpGVUucHid5kgVuFmf3xoDM0sbRqD0L_7CJjCEd/s1400/797339.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghh8MRshE-kxn0ll0fT4d-VicE4TovjKF6IVxREY7ZkzmM8gGMnsUX_pgccHPQK2DZ4C7YMnwHYOHNaCtNkAOYeQtdf-j7sjBi2vsWYXpGVUucHid5kgVuFmf3xoDM0sbRqD0L_7CJjCEd/s320/797339.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Hailing from Australia, this death/doom
quintet has some common ground leading up to their current
incarnation. Not only is this the fourth non-split album to come from The Slow Death, but three of the members are also in Horrisonous and Illimitable
Dolor, with the two vocalists (one of whom also handles keyboards)
having been plucked from Muskrat and Oracle of the Void. With the
shared history between the main instrumental members, you'd expect to
find this project approached with a strong sense of purpose, and just
from glancing at the track times, that suspicion seems borne out.
Totaling just over an hour, split between four songs, it's clear that
the band has their ambitions set high,
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Opening track “Tyranny” leads into
its body with a lush intro, strings and keys drifting over each other
in a dreamlike softness. Of course, it's not too long before a
harder edge shows itself, as the bassist steps in with a staunch riff
and gliding resonance, eventually joined by faster guitar and one of
the vocalists (Mandy Andresen), who provides an earthy vibe not
dissimilar from early Windhand or Jess And The Ancient Ones. That
warm vibe is counter-balanced by the deeper growls from second
vocalist Gamaliel, allowing the band to give a more human than usual
manifestation of the death/doom contrast. Where Andresen's vocals
might be put against chugging guitar, Gamaliel's might find some
lightly plucked acoustic string backing, and so on. It's a clever
and compelling approach to the music, but even beyond that clear
hook, the songs are structured with care. Lengthy as they are, the
numerous sections within the songs manage to avoid dragging.
Instead, there's both emotion to savor in the moment, and the
anticipation of the next shift, with the assorted movements flowing
smoothly into one another.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The band also brings a pleasing variety
of tonal and timbral qualities. Even within the opening track, the
guitars shift their moody presences around from menacing, to
meditative, to mournful, and more. While there's not the sort of
overt time signature jumping and staggered rhythmic play that might
make your mind jump to prog, there's certainly some progressive
spirit animating the musicians' approach to the song-writing. Take
“Famine”, for example, which alternates a rolling, almost Iron
Maiden-ish rhythmic pull (down-shifted to doom gear, of course) with
slower, more somber sections. Not a new trick for doom, but the band
deploys it wonderfully, returning to the harder riff each time with
increased ferocity, chewing right through the song's thirteen
minutes. Even if you're not intent on picking apart the songcraft,
it's easy to sink into their deep grooves and savor the work put into
them. All together, it's an excellent and impressive piece of work. If
you're in search of thoughtfully crafted doom, don't let this one go
unheard.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">~ Gabriel</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">For Fans Of; Bell Witch,
The Fateful Hour, Heavydeath, Ksyatriya, Ufomammut</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://facebook.com/theslowdeath" target="_blank"><b>Facebook</b></a> <b>• <a href="https://theslowdeathband.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">BandCamp</a><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Txk4jSmAfNI" target="_blank"><b>The Slow Death - Famine</b></a><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Txk4jSmAfNI" width="320" youtube-src-id="Txk4jSmAfNI"></iframe></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">~<br /></p>Commercial_Radiationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298239786128534539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859714942562573285.post-31694900117441740032021-08-07T17:00:00.019+01:002021-08-07T17:00:00.206+01:00Slime, Scabs, and Soil...<p style="text-align: center;">Black Wound - <i>To the Endless Depths</i> (2021)<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBDK_I__NTDa5W5keP-xCmbaplBWfZA4nU4lk0d5DHxs0qi3ZCWxiOfDFImMsPqilTslGRTYU_ABbAnu3J7A2pi_MobKRx-Rx4M1wQLmbAcp4USmkDOyziMKPyYJ0jQu-iGzpAseKKOYLQ/s2048/356752.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1895" data-original-width="2048" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBDK_I__NTDa5W5keP-xCmbaplBWfZA4nU4lk0d5DHxs0qi3ZCWxiOfDFImMsPqilTslGRTYU_ABbAnu3J7A2pi_MobKRx-Rx4M1wQLmbAcp4USmkDOyziMKPyYJ0jQu-iGzpAseKKOYLQ/s320/356752.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">On the physical release of their debut
EP, the Swedish trio of Black Wound serve up a heady mix of death and
doom metal. Despite their young ages (with a drummer who's currently
17), the band has a solid lock on the style and substance, delivering
music with enough dark potency to shame groups twice their age.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Opening track “Absence of Will”
jumps right into their swampy stew of deep bass riffs, growling
vocals, and clanging percussion, with abrupt time signature and tempo
change-ups meshing into the grim gurgles and noisome grooves. “From
Eternity and Beyond” continues the intense outpouring, with the
clangor of the cymbals rolling against the buzzy fuzz and submerged
howls. All the while, they keep up some hooky rhythms, pulling
listeners along through the surface-level chaos and into the sunken
structuring. It also features one of their more memorable breaks,
with a desolate-sounding solo taking advantage of the speed and
separation contrasts.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“Unending Labyrinth” carries on
with more of a classic death metal groove, though it's one which lets
the drummer really flex and showcase his chops. Meanwhile, the
guitarist goes hard in on his riffing, with a circling progression
that suits the track title. “Lurker of the Threshold / Dweller of
the Depths” brings a touch of Lovecraft to the imagery, though it
doesn't alter the flavor of the music itself in any drastic way.
Some extensive tone sustain fits with the monstrous depths and
distance ideas of the title (at over seven minutes, this is also the
EP's longest excursion). Then it's on into closing track “Traitor”,
which shifts back into a more focused grind to match the succinct
title. It's one of the cleaner-sounding tunes on the EP, with
another stand-out solo freed from the ambient din that marks most of
the songs found here. All together, it's a damn impressive first
work from any band in the death/doom cross-pollination, with
heaviness and brutality overflowing. Here's to the arrival of Black
Wound, with hopes that their next release arrives soon.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">~ Gabriel</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">For Fans Of; Coffin
Lurker, Fleshpress, Heavydeath, Leechfeast, Primitive Man</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://drycough.bandcamp.com/album/to-the-endless-depths" target="_blank">Dry Cough BandCamp</a> • <a href="https://blackwound1.bandcamp.com/album/to-the-endless-depths" target="_blank">BandCamp</a></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://drycough.bandcamp.com/track/unending-labyrinth" target="_blank"><b>Black Wound - Unending Labyrinth <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(320 kbps)</span></b></a><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3349317211/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=7137dc/tracklist=false/artwork=small/track=1017506615/transparent=true/" seamless><a href="https://drycough.bandcamp.com/album/to-the-endless-depths">To The Endless Depths by Black Wound</a></iframe></p><p style="text-align: center;">~ <br /></p>Commercial_Radiationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298239786128534539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859714942562573285.post-84861587410426133192021-07-31T17:00:00.022+01:002021-07-31T17:00:00.249+01:00Honoring The Name...<p style="text-align: center;">Big Smile Revival - <i>The Universal Veil</i> (2021)<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjXuxaRIgZGRPGG79gUGUyXVTPNhYt9ppI1N-wixaKrJC18ssUr7aptnX9SA-VVGLKHnoam1jLeunjqeCnVu4jUVms2pBj7AHliyriHycT1C8y78ttupxq9Dw5PcIalHYn3n2APN_S2il/s392/image004.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="392" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjXuxaRIgZGRPGG79gUGUyXVTPNhYt9ppI1N-wixaKrJC18ssUr7aptnX9SA-VVGLKHnoam1jLeunjqeCnVu4jUVms2pBj7AHliyriHycT1C8y78ttupxq9Dw5PcIalHYn3n2APN_S2il/s320/image004.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Coming at us from the Bristol region of
the UK with this, their debut EP, the trio of Big Smile Revival
balance retro psych rock leanings with some more modern rock rough
'n' tumble looseness.
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Lead track “Sacred Mushroom” lays
in a choice sample before sliding into a warm groove, which finds its
way into bigger, faster, and rowdier forms as the group gets down
with it. Staying instrumental, they keep the focus on the tones,
rhythms, and interplay, and turn out a high-charged piece of cool
exploration as a result. As the move into “Divided Kind”, a bit
of a twist on pub rock rhythms sneaks its way in, spiked with enough
grungy attitude to turn it on its ear. This song also brings in the
vocals, which merge with the grumbly fuzz to great effect, dipping
into and rising out of it as the harmony keeps moving. A tasty
guitar solo gives it that much more kick, and keeps the energy up as
the EP moves to its second half.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“Amhran Siog (Fairy Song)” gives a
big nod to the group's regional roots, and while there is some
starry-eyed folksiness to the acoustic guitar lead-in, and
accompanying lightness of the vocals, BSR tap back into the
straight-out rock before they lose momentum. That play with
contrasts fuels the rest of the song, with the band taking
alternating scoops from each, and the clearer sections put a bigger
spotlight on the band's lyrical facility. Closing things out, “The
Helm” indulges in some tonal lushness, riding the listener in on
echoing guitar chords, with the same effect giving the vocals a spacy
vibe. There's a wistful quality to the playing on this last track,
pushing the band's emotional position out from the mass of the EP's
rock-out approach. It's a nice show of their range, and the slowed
tempo is given enough change-up in the breaks to keep it from turning
into a closing lullaby. All together, great work from this group on
their first outing, and enough quality across the songs to have me
eagerly awaiting their next release.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">~ Gabriel</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">For Fans Of; Fossil,
Frozen Planet....1969, The Heavy Co., Pale Grey Lore, Vanilla
Trainwreck</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/BigSmileRevival" target="_blank">Facebook</a> </b><b><b><b>•</b></b> <a href="https://twitter.com/BigSmileRevival" target="_blank">Twitter</a> </b><b><b><b>• </b></b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/bigsmilerevival/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> </b><b><b><b>• </b></b><a href="https://soundcloud.com/big-smile-revival/big-smile-revival-the-universal-veil-04-the-helm" target="_blank">SoundCloud</a> </b><b><b><b>• </b></b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh1FhxT4-_DLbswPbgrWJUw" target="_blank">Youtube</a> </b><b><b><b>• </b></b><a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/00PLpOSuFJxpcoa2E3sNuw" target="_blank">Spotify</a></b><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzJlS4z45N0" target="_blank"><b>Big Smile Revival - Sacred Mushroom</b></a><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uzJlS4z45N0" width="320" youtube-src-id="uzJlS4z45N0"></iframe></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">~ <br /></p>Commercial_Radiationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298239786128534539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859714942562573285.post-7977523609694374242021-07-24T17:00:00.001+01:002021-07-24T17:00:00.199+01:00Temporary Graveyard Holding...<p style="text-align: center;">Crypt Monarch - <i>The Necronaut</i> (2021)<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimLaBJKJTI4Kzmqazr7YCLHAtfzqqIttiiAtKsat8cXgEvHz0bVW8QmFW_ElqRcXeEJ8B0-cMUJ3hOz6v-RJmtYhdY2Qe2rYvIJW-kKFiMjVm78IqjSk7f0X15Bzim5Kik83Bqg-YTUlhG/s1600/053509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimLaBJKJTI4Kzmqazr7YCLHAtfzqqIttiiAtKsat8cXgEvHz0bVW8QmFW_ElqRcXeEJ8B0-cMUJ3hOz6v-RJmtYhdY2Qe2rYvIJW-kKFiMjVm78IqjSk7f0X15Bzim5Kik83Bqg-YTUlhG/s320/053509.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Hailing from Costa Rica, the power trio
of Crypt Monarch are making their debut with this three-song,
thirty-six-minute album, recorded (according to the liner notes)
“live in a cabin in the woods.” Thanks to their name and some woodcut cover art
(especially that fine shade of purple), they've got a good sense of
character from the start. That's especially welcome, since for the
most part, the vocals aren't the focus on this album.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The evocatively titled “Morning Star
Through Skull” opens things up, leaning into some heavy,
hard-landing beats and long-sustain riffs to build up an atmosphere
of rumbling aggression. As the song plays on, the violent aspects
get more life, from bellowing vocals to fuller body on the guitar's
ringing chords, and while the finishing moments don't quite pull out
a solid conclusion, it still has enough appreciable moments before
then to have stoner doom fans nodding along. “Rex Meridionalis” (your guess is
as good as mine on the meaning; 'King of the middle,' maybe?) picks up in a
similar style once “Morning Star Through Skull” winds to a close.
Once it hits its stride, though, it brings in some winding riffage
alongside some metallic percussion for a nicely creepy serpentine
vibe. As they lay in some heavy distortion and lean further into the
riff, the rhythms hit fantastically, making for a real dark groove
tune.
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“Aglaophotis” keeps up the mystery
titling, and finds the band taking more of a fuzz feedback tone for
the guitar, feeling a bit like a lost B-side from <i>Come... My
Fanatics</i><span style="font-style: normal;">, at least
instrumentally. The vocals get pushed way down in the mix, leaving
the yells as muffled periphery. A late-song shift into more melodic
focus helps put a nice capper on the album, with the circling low
notes feeling like a sliding comedown. Throw in a distorted sample
at the very end, and what you've got is a confident, well-realized
album of deep-submersion stoner doom. Sure, there are rough spots
here and there, and the length of the songs leads to some filler, but
for the first album from the group, and one that was recorded live,
it's more than satisfactory. Check this one out if you wish Demon
Head had continued more in the vein of their original demo.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">~ Gabriel</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">For Fans Of; Candlemass,
DoomLord, early Electric Wizard, Pilgrim, Reverend Bizarre</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/cryptmonarch" target="_blank">Facebook</a> </b><b><b>• </b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/cryptmonarch" target="_blank">Instagram</a> </b><b><b>• </b><a href="https://cryptmonarch.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">BandCamp</a></b><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://cryptmonarch.bandcamp.com/track/rex-meridionalis" target="_blank"><b>Crypt Monarch - Rex Meridionalis <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(320 kbps)</span></b></a><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=4231458351/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=7137dc/tracklist=false/artwork=small/track=1151657531/transparent=true/" seamless><a href="https://cryptmonarch.bandcamp.com/album/the-necronaut">The Necronaut by Crypt Monarch</a></iframe></p><p style="text-align: center;"> ~ <br /></p>Commercial_Radiationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298239786128534539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859714942562573285.post-80270110740868609262021-07-17T17:00:00.001+01:002021-07-17T17:00:00.198+01:00Elusive Illumination...<p style="text-align: center;">Fell Harvest - <i>Pale Light in a Dying World</i> (2021)<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrHX2ZuMwpZ7s_diuriWdc02piK4STglBKMZ19_uWeAamLSwYh20W9vskO6iGYT2zNY15OLqj-HAmLKtaOEZkmRmB-MfplgxhjAs6-wmk5OxpbYgLt4-rLIDezfCiJ9yBGyMsvjne8qNzs/s2048/Fell+Harvest+-+Cover+-+Pale+Light+In+A+Dying+World.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrHX2ZuMwpZ7s_diuriWdc02piK4STglBKMZ19_uWeAamLSwYh20W9vskO6iGYT2zNY15OLqj-HAmLKtaOEZkmRmB-MfplgxhjAs6-wmk5OxpbYgLt4-rLIDezfCiJ9yBGyMsvjne8qNzs/s320/Fell+Harvest+-+Cover+-+Pale+Light+In+A+Dying+World.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Following up on their self-titled EP
from last year, the power trio of Fell Harvest have made their return
with a solid forty minutes of forceful doom metal. Peppering in a
little bit of spoken word samples here and there, the main focus
remains firmly on the strength of the instruments' impact, moods that
lean more towards rage than sorrow, and pressing ever onwards.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">With “Titanicide”, the opening
track, the band sets a powerful first foot forward. Pounding
percussion, strident vocals, and insistent strings come together in
punchy chords and hooky riff arrangements. Some sharp guitar work
gives those hooks all the more ability to lodge in the back of your
brain, and the speed with which the band rams through their ideas
makes the four-minutes-and-change practically zoom past. As the
title track follows up on that initial salvo, expanding into an
eight-minute rambler, the band finds more room for slow melodic
focus. It should be noted that, in spite of the song names, there's
fairly few moments of sorrowful calm to be found in the album;
funeral doom, this is not. But the times when it does arrive (as
with the extended bridge in the title track) are well-used, making
the inevitable returns to thunderous pummeling feel more impactful.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Thankfully, the interplay of the band
members is reliably interesting and inventive, shifting focus around
the trio's talents to strong effect, and keeping the songs feeling
that much more vitalized as a result. In particular, when they unite
around a main driving riff, things really kick into gear (see “The
Lark at Morning” for a strong example). Similarly, when they give
attention to grinding down a particular rhythm (as in “Thy Barren
Fields”), the results are some of the album's heaviest. All in
all, it's a very strong album from the band, and one with enough
twists in the compositions to reward return visits. Here's hoping
that their next album finds a little more time to spend in the
melodics and sorrow, though.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">~ Gabriel</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">For Fans Of; Candlemass,
The Fateful Hour, Heavydeath, Opeth, Pilgrim</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/fellharvest" target="_blank">Facebook</a> • <a href="https://fellharvest.bandcamp.com/releases" target="_blank">BandCamp</a></b><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fellharvest.bandcamp.com/track/thy-barren-fields" target="_blank"><b>Fell Harvest - Thy Barren Fields <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(320 kbps)</span></b></a><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2302269115/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=7137dc/tracklist=false/artwork=small/track=1531530493/transparent=true/" seamless><a href="https://fellharvest.bandcamp.com/album/pale-light-in-a-dying-world">Pale Light In a Dying World by Fell Harvest</a></iframe></p><p style="text-align: center;">~ <br /></p>Commercial_Radiationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298239786128534539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859714942562573285.post-41387102301817140922021-07-03T17:00:00.015+01:002021-07-03T17:00:00.195+01:00Heavy Cosmic Tides...<p style="text-align: center;">Inner Missing - <i>Deluge</i> (2021)<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTxKV8Y84lKJZuNWqMYfZxmrL6tCwOPCChNSKNepS36gbxOJgqhp9wuDGkfKgXa6csZil3XG758Zgd7lWMJdABAK-FTRrx6RfDDeGXEUZFnDiaWT-maQgYYHwiDZBkFBtCZNtJj3s5rikC/s960/inner_missing-album_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTxKV8Y84lKJZuNWqMYfZxmrL6tCwOPCChNSKNepS36gbxOJgqhp9wuDGkfKgXa6csZil3XG758Zgd7lWMJdABAK-FTRrx6RfDDeGXEUZFnDiaWT-maQgYYHwiDZBkFBtCZNtJj3s5rikC/s320/inner_missing-album_cover.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">On their first album since clearing the
one-decade anniversary of their first release, the Russian group of
Inner Missing have put together eight tracks of gothic doom metal,
blending melancholic reflections with powerful rhythmic work and
aching tones from their strings.
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“In the Haze” gets things off to a
strong start, showcasing the band's skill with nimbly sliding from
one exploratory movement to the next, carrying listeners along
through rousing action and somber focus. While that lush songwriting
style persists throughout the album, as does the general mood of
regretful introspection, the band has clearly taken pains to
distinguish the tracks, to excellent effect. From the broad-buzzing
guitar timbre affected for “Daybreak”, to the hard riffing of
“Locusts” and the staggered beats of the title track, the songs
find ways both immediate and more subtle to stand apart while
cohering to a recognizably persistent musical personality.
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The work put in by drummer Dmitry Kim
deserve special mention, as it does a fantastic job of shaping the
emotion and energy of the songs, even when just providing a backbeat
to more elaborate guitar tonality. The band plays wonderfully
together, building off of each other's heat to reach some blow-away
crescendos, and accenting the more emotive parts of the songs without
getting treacly. Ultimately, it's an excellently crafted set of
songs, and one from which fans of textured, heartfelt doom will get
plenty of enjoyment.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">~ Gabriel</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">For Fans Of; Below,
Devastating Light, Earthling, Heavydeath, Pilgrim</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/InnerMissing/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> • <a href="https://innermissing.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">BandCamp</a></b><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://innermissing.bandcamp.com/track/daybreak" target="_blank"><b>Inner Missing - Daybreak <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(320 kbps)</span></b></a><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=763909582/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=7137dc/tracklist=false/artwork=small/track=1428543056/transparent=true/" seamless><a href="https://innermissing.bandcamp.com/album/deluge">Deluge by Inner Missing</a></iframe></p><p style="text-align: center;">~ <br /></p>Commercial_Radiationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298239786128534539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859714942562573285.post-9148619029446208112021-06-19T17:00:00.023+01:002021-06-19T17:00:00.216+01:00Into The Cosmos...<p style="text-align: center;">Planet of the Dead - <i>Pilgrims</i> (2021)<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8F_O-PwL7qoAMr8-6DGC_6shhGPqKkjyQu2Pf_wVWBHGf3fy_BrX_3TyvdCkI-bQuM_3XTpfI6mFHrRe4CGqZiDu5qLZJJGDBDAyrTJJYA3v0Xw4VJqlrUnXkH2IpgjLo-kGYXI9bHj-N/s2000/506483.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8F_O-PwL7qoAMr8-6DGC_6shhGPqKkjyQu2Pf_wVWBHGf3fy_BrX_3TyvdCkI-bQuM_3XTpfI6mFHrRe4CGqZiDu5qLZJJGDBDAyrTJJYA3v0Xw4VJqlrUnXkH2IpgjLo-kGYXI9bHj-N/s320/506483.png" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Following up on their debut album from
February of last year, the New Zealander quartet of Planet Of The
Dead have made quick turn-around to bring us this sophomore LP.
Filled with references to sci-fi hallmarks like <i>Alien</i><span style="font-style: normal;">,
</span><i>Dune</i><span style="font-style: normal;">, and </span><i>RoboCop</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
in the track titles and lyrics, with asteroid-drifting art for the
album cover, the band makes no bones about their inspirations and pop
culture fondnesses.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Opening
with “Gom Jabbar”, the band takes a few moments for spaceship
engine noise feedback to set an atmosphere before crashing into full
sludge banger mode. Confident guitar crunch and flavorful bass-lines
join the cymbal-heavy percussion and deep growls from the vocalist,
coming together as a tight sludge package. The rest of the album
doesn't drift far from that initial MO, but each song does get some
tweaks to help it stand out. For semi-title-track “Pilgrim”, for
instance, there's more of a groove focus, while “Nostromo” gets
some slowed breaks, “The Sprawl” lets in some tasty soloing, and
so on.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">For
those looking for sludge with overt sci-fi flavoring, news of PotD's
continued output should come as welcome news. The band's willingness
to switch to doomier slowness for breakdowns serves the spacy
settings well, and a scattering of opening samples from the
referenced movies add an extra touch of fun. With all the color
pressings of their previous album already sold out (and one of the
special pressings for this one already in the same boat), you'll want
to act fast if you prefer your sludge on wax. Whether the band keeps
up their annual schedule, or spaces the next one out a bit more,
they're certainly becoming big players in a niche sub-genre.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">~
Gabriel</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">For
Fans Of; </span> Gallileous, giant gutter from outer space, Space God
Ritual, Tides of Sulfur, Voidlurker</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/planetofthedeadband" target="_blank"><b>Facebook</b></a> <b>• <a href="https://planetofthedead.band/" target="_blank">Official Website</a> </b><b>• <a href="https://www.instagram.com/planetofthedeadband/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> </b><b>• <a href="https://planetofthedead.bandcamp.com/album/pilgrims" target="_blank">BandCamp</a><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://planetofthedead.bandcamp.com/track/escape-from-smiths-grove" target="_blank"><b>Planet of the Dead - Escape from Smith's Grove <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(320 kbps)</span></b></a><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2187525980/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=7137dc/tracklist=false/artwork=small/track=2794383465/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://planetofthedead.bandcamp.com/album/pilgrims">Pilgrims by Planet of the Dead</a></iframe></p><p style="text-align: center;">~ <br /></p>Commercial_Radiationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298239786128534539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859714942562573285.post-91650664056895447762021-06-12T17:00:00.017+01:002021-06-12T17:00:00.202+01:00Stellar Travel Report...<p style="text-align: center;">SpaceMetal - <i>Highness</i> (2021)<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjId8-PVZpmfel6-9e6Oh_Tj-8PJqbqa3XkMXlZvVZW4z6o_1klWB3BAqJg3RTlQOTQr8iZwM10J93hhmaavbdv2wVOGlJumwi3a9PgNkHq4I77EwCcaw6NOlH3SGCyPokhTPCfWwCP4TIS/s1200/SpaceMetal+-+Highness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1164" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjId8-PVZpmfel6-9e6Oh_Tj-8PJqbqa3XkMXlZvVZW4z6o_1klWB3BAqJg3RTlQOTQr8iZwM10J93hhmaavbdv2wVOGlJumwi3a9PgNkHq4I77EwCcaw6NOlH3SGCyPokhTPCfWwCP4TIS/s320/SpaceMetal+-+Highness.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">It's been a while since we last heard
from the NOLA-based group of SpaceMetal; their last LP, <i>Shroud</i><span style="font-style: normal;">,
dropped back in 2018, and it's been fairly quiet on their digital
front since then. Now, thankfully, the group has returned with
another batch of songs, this time in honestly-titled EP form, to
reassure the world that their heaviness is alive and well. </span>
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">First
of the EP's four tracks is “Stare”, an eight-minute cruiser which
plays around with acoustic guitar and spoken-word vocals for an intro
before diving into the deep bass and big-body riffs which make up its
majority. With a wizard standing at the center of the lyrics, the
band keeps a friendly vibe going through the crunch of the tunes, and
the strong flow makes the eight minutes fly by. “Cry” follows,
working a twistier main riff loaded with earworm hooks. Playing with
rhythm change-ups and brandishing big guitar chords, the band manages
to make this song feel just as full (if not more so) as the
eight-minute track, despite running three minutes shorter.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">The
title track opens up the EP's second half, ratcheting up the
psychedelic traces with some echoing vocal effects and more sedate
guitar work. The drums get to come out a bit more in this one,
flexing on the cymbal emphasis and experimenting with the fills
mid-measure. Lastly, “The Seed” holds on to the psych touches
while bringing back the acoustic guitar from the very start of the
EP, providing a nice cohering element while wrapping things up. All
in all, while it runs just under half an hour, there's enough depth
to the songs to let listeners dive right down while it plays, and
come out feeling not just that their time and attention was
well-spent, but that there's more to be heard next time they spin it.
Grab it for yourself once it releases June 26th, or just head over
to the BandCamp now to stream it ahead of time.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">~
Gabriel</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">For
Fans Of; Attalla, Dead Hand, Tar Pit, Wizard Cult, Wizard Smoke<br /> <br /></span></p>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><a href="http://facebook.com/spacemetalnola">Facebook</a> • <a href="http://spacemetalnola.com/">Official Website</a> <b>• <a href="https://spacemetal1.bandcamp.com/album/shroud">BandCamp</a></b></b></div><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://spacemetal1.bandcamp.com/track/cry" target="_blank"><b>SpaceMetal - Cry <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(320 kbps)</span></b></a><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3903762230/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=7137dc/tracklist=false/artwork=small/track=941179124/transparent=true/" seamless><a href="https://spacemetal1.bandcamp.com/album/highness">Highness by Space Metal</a></iframe></p><p style="text-align: center;">~ <br /></p>Commercial_Radiationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298239786128534539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859714942562573285.post-88819205018309862732021-06-05T17:00:00.017+01:002021-06-05T17:00:00.211+01:00Weight Of A Heart...<p style="text-align: center;">Bong-Ra - <i>Antediluvian</i> (2021)<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwu-vyKhU9emP29EYi0buzZATxpv_7xhgOW4SQxJraJGITSSjxWpMLomrug0MU5npNJU_iapQ8ibBDzaFlgHqV7D_PRS7w2L2VXZnVnbsR5YPLA8x53YcJpbN1JBrqoybOw6ZU34skPc1/s1200/Antediluvian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwu-vyKhU9emP29EYi0buzZATxpv_7xhgOW4SQxJraJGITSSjxWpMLomrug0MU5npNJU_iapQ8ibBDzaFlgHqV7D_PRS7w2L2VXZnVnbsR5YPLA8x53YcJpbN1JBrqoybOw6ZU34skPc1/s320/Antediluvian.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">While Bong-Ra is best known for decades
of work in the breakcore style, back in 2016, the one-man band
experimented with doom metal, on the two-track <i>Palestina</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
release. Half a decade later, musician Jason Köhnen is taking a
deeper run at the style, bringing together about half an hour's worth
of material across four songs.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Opening
with “Kheper – Pharoah's Serpent” (sic), the album's ten-minute
opener operates with delicate female vocals over kicks of drums,
long-reverbed waves of bass, crashes of cymbals, and squeals of
feedback. Though most of the song takes a dirge-like tempo, there
are outbreaks of drum frenetics, which add to the overall feel of
churning currents moving deep beneath the surface. “Amun –
Hidden Chambers” follows, taking its seven minutes to operate in
much the same arrangement, but with some drifting piano and increased
drum activity spurring things on, and the female vocals swapped out
for some male groaning.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“<span style="font-style: normal;">Precession
of the Equinoxes” leads into the second half of the album, still
more drum-driven than the preceding tracks, and more dramatic with
the impacts and contrasts. The female vocals return, though they're
all but drowned out by the crashing percussion, and we actually get
something in the way of a riff from the down-tuned guitar presence.
Lastly, “Aton – Mind Machine” follows up on that by working a
distinct rhythm out of the elements in play, keeping the drums
relatively concrete while the other instruments swirl around them.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Intriguingly
atmospheric from start to finish, there's no denying that this album
is the result of a musician wanting to push the boundaries, not just
with their own talents, but also with the musical style they've
chosen to play. Though there's a lot to remind listeners of
Godflesh's industrial doom, the more abstracted nature of Bong-Ra's
approach leans things hard into funeral doom territory, with the
complementary Egyptian themes of the titles adding their own twist to
things. One of those albums to put on for the purpose of letting
yourself sink into the music.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">~
Gabriel</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">For
Fans Of; Dirge, Godflesh, Fleshpress, Mudslide, Ommadon</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://tartarusrecords.com/album/antediluvian" target="_blank"><b>BandCamp</b></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://tartarusrecords.com/track/aton-mind-machine" target="_blank"><b>Bong-Ra - Aton - Mind Machine <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(320 kbps)</span></b></a><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2172013150/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=7137dc/tracklist=false/artwork=small/track=3130978044/transparent=true/" seamless><a href="https://tartarusrecords.com/album/antediluvian">Antediluvian by Bong-Ra</a></iframe></p><p style="text-align: center;">~ <br /></p>Commercial_Radiationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298239786128534539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859714942562573285.post-49527117758079390112021-05-29T17:00:00.017+01:002021-05-29T17:00:00.200+01:00Turning The Cards...<p style="text-align: center;">Hermit's Weedsom - <i>As Above So Below</i> (2021)<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBECxHRuJ8gpNPoSym1ZdKK06vj2zyZO5SShYRRh37GUBSUev3oOaKHoTF5eoEU6C-GpeZB95RuKY7w5A6XllvM-nbWeze0qyp6b38mpkarqjHfT-1DHuI1wHjjsPOon2gu-KM-x39w53u/s1200/As+Above+So+Below.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBECxHRuJ8gpNPoSym1ZdKK06vj2zyZO5SShYRRh37GUBSUev3oOaKHoTF5eoEU6C-GpeZB95RuKY7w5A6XllvM-nbWeze0qyp6b38mpkarqjHfT-1DHuI1wHjjsPOon2gu-KM-x39w53u/s320/As+Above+So+Below.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Making their return about half a year
after the release of their first album, with a follow-up that's about
twice as long as the debut, the French duo of Hermit's Weedsom are
clearly aiming high and keeping their momentum up. Coming together
at just over an hour across its eight tracks, the album works with an
instrumental cocktail of heavy rock and prog metal, with some stoner
dabs to keep things warmly casual.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Leading off with “Wheel of Fortune”,
the band works a tight groove, spinning it out into elaborations,
riding those out, and circling back to the original riff with some
new twists to incorporate. Sharp guitar-work and tasty tones mesh
well with the hold-it-down and flare-it-up styles of the drums, which
pack plenty of punch in the mix. As the band continues through the
album, each song gets its own focus and flavor, from the moody sorrow
of “End of Cycle” to the inward-spiraling “Broken Chariot”,
the craggy menace of “Emperor's Fall”, and on. Not a
disappointment to be heard among them, and the band keeps things
inventive from start to finish.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The track titles are all nice and
evocative, and loaded with Tarot references, complementing the
emotive performances of their songs while providing a sense of occult
mystery to the whole package. While some may have issues with taking
the whole album in one go (the shortest song is just two seconds
short of seven minutes), if you've got a spare hour to sit and soak
it in, you'll find the time spent to be well rewarded. Here's hoping
that some savvy label signs them up for a vinyl release of these
tunes; if they do, expect them to be snapped up fast. Even if this
doesn't get a vinyl pressing anytime soon, get on over to the
BandCamp page and grab yourself a CD or download of the album, and
save it for a day when you've got time to savor some excellent music.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">~ Gabriel</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">For Fans Of; Acid Rooster,
Frozen Planet....1969, Necro (Brazil), Porcupine Tree, Weedpecker</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/HermitsWeedsom" target="_blank"><b>Facebook</b></a> <b>• <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hermitsweedsomband/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> </b><b>• <a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/4t7LUHoEM8VUi75pxddPmX" target="_blank">Spotify</a> </b><b>• <a href="https://hermitsweedsom.bandcamp.com/album/as-above-so-below" target="_blank">BandCamp</a><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://hermitsweedsom.bandcamp.com/track/broken-chariot" target="_blank"><b>Hermit's Weedsom - Broken Chariot <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(320 kbps)</span></b></a><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2492534210/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=7137dc/tracklist=false/artwork=small/track=3037139352/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://hermitsweedsom.bandcamp.com/album/as-above-so-below">As Above So Below by Hermit's Weedsom</a></iframe></p><p style="text-align: center;">~ <br /></p>Commercial_Radiationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298239786128534539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859714942562573285.post-31616932983059670512021-05-22T17:00:00.014+01:002021-05-22T17:00:00.195+01:00Studies In Decomposition...<p style="text-align: center;">Coffin Lurker - <i>Foul and Defiled</i> (2021)<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaMDxgk5CTFsv7GEL4WKyQbkq-Uf0TxzT2m6SFCaiqIfzyhKe06ncMd2x5R86x96awpJ5-iGyz2aEzVkvQcJ56lOY1i38oTtZlGhjywbgsHZTeHT8-GYAAz_V78FvU5Sy6-0Q4RwJFh4kE/s2048/coffin_lurker_foul_and_defiled_digicover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaMDxgk5CTFsv7GEL4WKyQbkq-Uf0TxzT2m6SFCaiqIfzyhKe06ncMd2x5R86x96awpJ5-iGyz2aEzVkvQcJ56lOY1i38oTtZlGhjywbgsHZTeHT8-GYAAz_V78FvU5Sy6-0Q4RwJFh4kE/s320/coffin_lurker_foul_and_defiled_digicover.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">This is the first album from a two-man
Dutch supergroup of dark music veterans. Bringing together Maurice
De Jong (probably best known for Gnaw Their Tongues, though there's
at least a dozen other projects to his name) and Rene Aquarius
(likewise prolific, and half of Dead Neanderthals), this is billed as
an experiment in pushing the qualities of doom metal to extremes.
With the album coming together at just over half an hour in length,
it's implicit that to meet that goal, these are going to be some
dense songs.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Opening track “Crypt within a Crypt”
gets things off to a suitable start, with an enveloping rumble of
fuzzy bass joined by low, guttural vocals. The song operates mostly
as an audio cocoon, shrouding the listener in morbid ambience, with
shredding guitar lines mixed down to become another textural
component in the murky din. “Of Suffering” continues in much the
same vein, though with some of the textures changed up, and a
different rhythm to the massive rumbling. The drums also get more
play in this song, though they're suitably muffled, adding to the
subterranean feel.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“Suspended Animation” carries on
the oppressive atmosphere, with grinding guitar feedback elevated a
bit in clarity, and the vocals groaning with more fervor. There's
also a shift into what amounts to a bass solo, with clanging piano
and drum counterpointing, for one of the more impactful passages in
the album. “Sacrificial Chalice” turns up the tempo of the
rumbling bass, making it a throbbing presence in the stereo field,
and “Cadaverous Odor” brings things to a close with a big riff
carrying it along.
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">While it's not quite as confrontational
and unprecedented as the press releases might have it, there's still
a lot to respect with the ends to which the duo have pushed this
music. It's incredibly heavy, almost to a tangible degree (assuming
you've got your speakers turned up loud enough), and the grime is
virtually palpable. If you find yourself wanting to just sink into a
pit of auditory doom, this should punch your ticket.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">~ Gabriel</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">For Fans Of; Cult Of
Occult, Evaporated Sores, Heavydeath, Leechfeast, Meth Drinker</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/album/foul-and-defiled" target="_blank"><b>BandCamp</b></a><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/track/of-suffering" target="_blank"><b>Coffin Lurker - Of Suffering <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(320 kbps)</span></b></a><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3867284941/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=7137dc/tracklist=false/artwork=small/track=4124594891/transparent=true/" seamless><a href="https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/album/foul-and-defiled">Foul and Defiled by Coffin Lurker</a></iframe></p><p style="text-align: center;">~ <br /></p>Commercial_Radiationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298239786128534539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859714942562573285.post-26475437587998937802021-05-15T17:00:00.021+01:002021-05-15T17:00:00.203+01:00Anticipation And Dissolution...<p style="text-align: center;">Devastating Light - <i>I Have Already Failed You</i> (2021)<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQnXwX25dx_-JV0dHkGiJf2fkwmwed8Y40ztM7YB7M42flmxeF6YDw3zXM3-tzCPlQZL-EuKUD3VbKt2_gHiSqK2UPgx-3k_M2R-V0Cv99HygapJAGe1I0yZEy0xruixO_RelBCrsylPVM/s1200/cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQnXwX25dx_-JV0dHkGiJf2fkwmwed8Y40ztM7YB7M42flmxeF6YDw3zXM3-tzCPlQZL-EuKUD3VbKt2_gHiSqK2UPgx-3k_M2R-V0Cv99HygapJAGe1I0yZEy0xruixO_RelBCrsylPVM/s320/cover.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">On the debut album from the Finnish
band of Devastating Light, the group delivers a concept album mixing
doom, sludge, and post-metal styles, built around the story of a man
becoming a father, and struggling to exist in the world that
surrounds him. Heavy concepts, but the band brings the music up to
the level of quality to handle them. Split into three parts (titled,
aptly, “Part One”, “Part Two”, and “Part Three”), the
album flows with sorrowful grace and a direction to its anger.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“Part One” is almost entirely
instrumental, moving from one slow and meditative riff to the next
while keeping production and instrumentation pared down to a sharp
and chilly minimalism. There's a bit of blackened lo-fi quality to
things, with the buzzy strumming of the guitar over the sound of
burning leaves, for instance. Despite the apparent simplicity of the
melodies, they're emotionally affecting, with subtle twists to their
progressions which slip them in even further. As “Part Two”
takes over, the vocals arrive in the form of a down-mixed howl,
evoking the sense of the singer being buried beneath the weight of
the instruments. It works on a narrative level, too, adding another
quality by which to be impressed to this debut release. On top of
that, it's worth noting here that this is a one-man band, with
everything “played, recorded, mixed and mastered by” musician
Teemu Toikka.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Following the emotional turns and
curves of the music, with its shifts through a wide range of dynamics
and techniques, makes this a compelling and harrowing journey, if
you're willing to sink yourself into the experience and listen along
closely. Fantastic stuff, and an amazing start for the band.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">~ Gabriel</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">For Fans Of; Dead
Existence, Dirge, Endless Floods, Odradek Room, Stonerror</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://devastatinglight.bandcamp.com" target="_blank"><b>BandCamp</b></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://devastatinglight.bandcamp.com/track/part-two" target="_blank"><b>Devastating Light - Part Two <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(320 kbps)</span></b></a><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1121380138/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=7137dc/tracklist=false/artwork=small/track=3147838562/transparent=true/" seamless><a href="https://devastatinglight.bandcamp.com/album/i-have-already-failed-you">I have already failed you by Devastating Light</a></iframe></p><p style="text-align: center;">~ <br /></p>Commercial_Radiationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298239786128534539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859714942562573285.post-43997422372785109752021-05-08T17:00:00.016+01:002021-05-08T17:00:00.208+01:00Crumbled By Existence...<p style="text-align: center;"> Crust - <i>Stoic</i> (2021)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLI8ceinrrpJmJ8zYcF-XuzEYq8tO4tX1Y9KDlWK9KC10rdhyphenhyphenXSlKFqcK-phKH0vG3kDjYw5nJwyRVx-fROfTUzdvwWSLDtl3zf760c__KHj6yo7QKMHlHU-oei9Ezx-hHWdbnBZDIkd8k/s2048/cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLI8ceinrrpJmJ8zYcF-XuzEYq8tO4tX1Y9KDlWK9KC10rdhyphenhyphenXSlKFqcK-phKH0vG3kDjYw5nJwyRVx-fROfTUzdvwWSLDtl3zf760c__KHj6yo7QKMHlHU-oei9Ezx-hHWdbnBZDIkd8k/s320/cover.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">On the last album from this
long-running Russian crew, the band operates at high quality in a
blending of metal styles. Influences from black and death metal can
be heard creeping into the base, which is largely a mix of doom and
sludge. Unsurprisingly, the music is incredibly moody, and capable
of shifting from aggression to withdrawn brooding on a dime.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Leading with the title track, the band
establishes their MO in clear terms, and expands on it in intriguing
ways through the album's remainder. From the melodic atmospherics of
“Watching Emptiness” to the acoustic interlude of “Willow
Forest”, threads of drone in “A Blind Man in Darkness”, and the
sample/scream interplay of “Darkness Becomes Us”, Crust show
themselves to be well-versed in ways of keeping the heavy music
engaging and varied.
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The production is well-suited to their
work, letting the bass end swell into an encompassing presence, while
the higher register has an interesting ceiling in the mix, providing
the guitars and cymbals with a touch of compression. The gentler
parts of the song-writing are integrated in natural ways, letting the
band fade from one harsher section to another while keeping it
impactful, and when they're in hard gear, it comes off as
consistently genuine and earnestly delivered. Though it can be taken
as just a wash of dark metal, there's more than enough small details
worked into the song-writing to reward careful listening as well.
Excellent from start to finish.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">~ Gabriel</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">For Fans Of; Dead
Existence, Fleshpress, Malsten, Mudbath, O.D.R.A.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://fb.com/crustsludge" target="_blank"><b>Facebook</b></a> <b>• <a href="https://www.instagram.com/crust.band" target="_blank">Instagram</a> </b><b>• <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgjxezP8KU0" target="_blank">Youtube</a> </b><b>• <a href="https://slowsnowrecords.bandcamp.com/album/stoic" target="_blank">Slowsnow Records BandCamp</a> </b><b>• <a href="https://crustband.bandcamp.com/album/stoic" target="_blank">Crust BandCamp</a><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://crustband.bandcamp.com/track/desert" target="_blank"><b>Crust - Desert (320 kbps)</b></a><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe style="border: 0; width: 560px; height: 435px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/VideoEmbed?track=712144808&bgcol=333333&linkcol=0f91ff" mozallowfullscreen="1" webkitallowfullscreen="1" allowfullscreen="1" seamless></iframe></p><p style="text-align: center;">~ <br /></p>Commercial_Radiationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298239786128534539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859714942562573285.post-78778575281072203392021-04-17T17:00:00.021+01:002021-04-17T17:00:00.228+01:00Waves And Depths...<p style="text-align: center;">Ascension Throne - <i>Oceans</i> (2021)<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3KeQb1akOmqBTp56mxGafNZiL6i-_EtVH78fG8MCaHmebgOs1WUttC_de-BaBPuMpcM30ssKmV07gql9i2hEzQ0Ywnsz6J5SIIZbWTUx0xKciD-UeEVIEHzTNvYvgJaKpTbRLWGRVgAbD/s2048/Oceans+Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3KeQb1akOmqBTp56mxGafNZiL6i-_EtVH78fG8MCaHmebgOs1WUttC_de-BaBPuMpcM30ssKmV07gql9i2hEzQ0Ywnsz6J5SIIZbWTUx0xKciD-UeEVIEHzTNvYvgJaKpTbRLWGRVgAbD/s320/Oceans+Cover.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Well, here's something uncommon, at
least to the genres we tend to focus on around here. It's a concept
EP based on a videogame series (the <i>Nier</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
series, to be specific). Running three tracks long, it's also the
debut release from the German group of Ascension Throne, put together
during the dull days of pandemic lockdown.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Opening
with “Warriors”, a nine-minute slice of slow-moving metal, the EP
gets off to a gentle start with dreamy female vocals over thrumming
bass-lines, with male counter-parting joining in before long. The
contrasting vocal presences make for an interesting dynamic, and the
music itself finds an uncommon blend of styles; there's some doom
flavor to the big bass reverb, a general post-metal attitude, and a
proggy nimbleness as it moves through its paces. The female singer
(credited as Tetem) has a bit of a Julee Cruise thing going on, very
tender and sweet in delivery, and to be honest, she kind of steals
the spotlight.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Middle
track “Kainé”, at six minutes, is the shortest song on the EP,
and it shifts the focus to piano for its intro, backed by some heavy
drum-work. When the guitar comes in, it's with a swerving bit of
growl reminiscent of Yasunori Mitsuda's work on the </span><i>Chrono
Cross</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> soundtrack, if we're
looking for other video game comparisons. The sectional change-ups
are more distinct in this track, possibly owing to the comparative
compression of the song-writing against the lengthier track that
preceded it, and it makes for an easier time of picking out the
individual musicians' respective talents.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Lastly,
the title track opens up with some moody synth textures, allowing for
a meditative atmosphere before the rest of the instruments come
crashing into action. Balancing melodic lightness with the bass'
grinding weight, it adds to the band's defiance of easy
categorization, while continuing to showcase their skills in layered
song-writing. Altogether, an impressive debut, and one that should
draw in even listeners who aren't familiar with the games that
inspired it.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">~
Gabriel</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: normal;">For
Fans Of; Crown Larks, Mamaleek, Symphony X, Ulver (</span><i>Blood
Inside</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> era), Venus Sleeps</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Ascension-Throne-101064097918560" target="_blank"><b>Facebook</b></a> <b>• <a href="https://ascensionthrone.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">BandCamp</a><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://ascensionthrone.bandcamp.com/track/kain" target="_blank"><b>Ascension Throne - Kainé (320 kbps)</b></a><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=700026694/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=7137dc/tracklist=false/artwork=small/track=3380130394/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://ascensionthrone.bandcamp.com/album/oceans">Oceans by Ascension Throne</a></iframe></p><p style="text-align: center;">~ <br /></p>Commercial_Radiationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298239786128534539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859714942562573285.post-43609100557856738692021-04-10T17:00:00.008+01:002021-04-10T17:14:36.998+01:00Weighing In Together...<p style="text-align: center;">Bongzilla / Tons - <i>Doom Sessions Vol. 4</i> (2021)<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPq6OXSVpwWPds72BWkIHXZedAwQJZ9Plz5Oi1DD_912IKsB7N9mCEwIux9hRjN5a_WL5z1WJ1l1YdwxRSm3dL-G1gFM__frQMcAjj0CwPNLILKDQet1HgQqzZ7x4AsRcZjzBGQR1qeXOS/s1440/HPS161_Bongzilla%2526Tons-DoomSessionsVol4_72dpi_1440px_RGB_web.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPq6OXSVpwWPds72BWkIHXZedAwQJZ9Plz5Oi1DD_912IKsB7N9mCEwIux9hRjN5a_WL5z1WJ1l1YdwxRSm3dL-G1gFM__frQMcAjj0CwPNLILKDQet1HgQqzZ7x4AsRcZjzBGQR1qeXOS/s320/HPS161_Bongzilla%2526Tons-DoomSessionsVol4_72dpi_1440px_RGB_web.jpg" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Continuing a steady pace for their
split albums in this series, this is the second <i>Doom Sessions</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
release from Heavy Psych Sounds this year. Bringing together the
long-running Bongzilla with the Italian group Tons, this installment </span>
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">The
elder of the two bands gets the A-side, and Bongzilla leads with
“Mother Flowers Little Helper”, and despite seeming a bit word
salad, it makes a big impression. Plugging along on a main riff that
does enough work for a stretch of nine and a half minutes, spiced
with groaning vocals, hard beats, and a fair amount of high-hat
clanging, the tune is a heaping helping of opener to get listeners in
the stoner doom mood. “Cosmic Distillate, Nectar Collector”
follows, picking up the pace (relatively speaking) with a hooky pull
from guitarist Jeff Schultz. Some chuggy breakdown adds to the fun,
gaining enough momentum to build a slow-swinging rhythm up and into
the exit. “Cupcake” (I'm gonna go out on a limb and say it's an
ode to an edible) takes a similar tack, but brings in more feedback,
spiking things up as the sludge gets consumptive, eventually crawling
the tempo down to a seething end.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Tons'
side is a single track split into three parts: “Chronic Morning
Obesity”. As dismally heavy-sounding as the title suggests, the
quartet gets down to semi-psychedelic sludginess, raw vocals and
crunching chords complemented by the concessions to harmony which
perk up the music. Highly in tune with the style of Bongzilla's
contributions, the band thunders along in swampy style, crashing and
crushing. A low-mixed sample of someone rambling through a list of
all the food they want to cure their munchie cravings shows up in the
last slice, making for an entertaining shaping of the
mostly-instrumental grooves.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Both
sides fit together extremely well, so if you've been in the mood for
some fresh and dirty stoner doom, all splashed up with sludgy
tendencies, then this double serving is right up your alley. The
split officially releases April 23rd, but pre-sales are already up,
and going fast, with an assortment of colorways for the vinyl.
Cheers to HPS for another winner.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">~
Gabriel</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">For
Fans Of; Bomg, Cavity, Dead Existence, Dopethrone, Wizard Smoke</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="http://www.heavypsychsounds.com/" target="_blank">Official Website</a> • <a href="https://heavypsychsoundsrecords.bandcamp.com/album/doom-sessions-vol-4-bongzilla-tons" target="_blank">BandCamp</a></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://heavypsychsoundsrecords.bandcamp.com/track/tons-chronic-morning-obesity-part-1" target="_blank"><b>Tons - Chronic Morning Obesity, Part 1 <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(320 kbps)</span></b></a><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=502596963/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=7137dc/tracklist=false/artwork=small/track=4134054812/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://heavypsychsoundsrecords.bandcamp.com/album/doom-sessions-vol-4-bongzilla-tons">DOOM SESSIONS VOL.4 - Bongzilla // Tons by HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS Records</a></iframe></p><p style="text-align: center;">~ <br /></p>Commercial_Radiationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298239786128534539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859714942562573285.post-49437934162519391752021-04-03T17:00:00.004+01:002021-04-03T17:00:00.648+01:00Faces Behind Faces...<p style="text-align: center;">Planeetta 9 - <i>Pirun Piiska</i> (2021)<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz0Yi9T14Xzl_pKdn3QTLyDrA9rzuUMmzrLlBnxZCruKAu_tIEJ2-Xv2dlvcm1TJ_Ax749vdRqWXTkE_l6bauUyHxrrkmJ9khskjDAgZii8t6NfzrMTOUdqGrN0tpsxgDr2VhpqYkFFr0x/s1200/cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz0Yi9T14Xzl_pKdn3QTLyDrA9rzuUMmzrLlBnxZCruKAu_tIEJ2-Xv2dlvcm1TJ_Ax749vdRqWXTkE_l6bauUyHxrrkmJ9khskjDAgZii8t6NfzrMTOUdqGrN0tpsxgDr2VhpqYkFFr0x/s320/cover.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Following up on their single by the
same name from earlier this year, the Finnish sextet of Planeetta 9
bring a concept EP to life across four tracks. Blending doom metal,
rock, and folk music, the group delivers an undeniably distinctive
style, and shows how deep the well of ideas they drew from in
concocting these songs is.
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The title track is the first of the
four, working some tight-knit grooves with twisting rhythmic
arrangements, earthy vocals, and a rich diversity to the
instrumentation. The breakdowns are inventive with their heaviness,
the switch-ups in band-member focus feel like natural flows to the
song, and the escalating intensity is handled to very nice effect. A
bit of guitar soloing, paired with deep-beat drums, gives the
unpredictable path of the song a helpful anchor, and an extra hook to
fix it in memory. Track two, “Sama hauta”, opens with a more
traditional doom metal riff, bringing Saint Vitus, Candlemass, or
Below to mind with the dramatically-delivered vocals alongside the
melancholy string tones. The band hits a fine line between weight
and melody in the mood, with the nimble handling of shifts and
augmentations casting them in excellent light.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“Juoksuhiekka”, the third in the
run, brings the somber tones used in the preceding songs to fuller
life, employing bowed instruments and piano, along with a hushed
vocal presence, to thoroughly evoke a regretful ache. Easily the
most withdrawn of the EP's songs, it encourages a bit of
introspection before “Vakuumilapset” leaps the energy back up.
Returning the electric guitars and cymbals to the fore, this closing
piece finds the band luxuriating in winding chord progressions, rich
tones, and plenty of reverb. A frenzied crescendo ridden right into
another one lets the band exit the EP with flying colors. Each of
the songs has so much going on, and with such fine technique, that
despite the four-song length, this is one that can easily be
relistened to time and time again while still finding new details.
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">~ Gabriel</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">For Fans Of; Crown Larks,
Hukkunud Hinged, Monolith Grows!, Odradek Room, Stonerror</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Planeetta9/" target="_blank"><b>Facebook</b></a> <b>• <a href="https://planeetta9.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">BandCamp</a><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://planeetta9.bandcamp.com/track/sama-hauta" target="_blank"><b>Planeetta 9 - Sama hauta <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(320 kbps)</span></b></a><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3191330352/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=7137dc/tracklist=false/artwork=small/track=1897002425/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://planeetta9.bandcamp.com/album/pirun-piiska">Pirun piiska by Planeetta 9</a></iframe></p><p style="text-align: center;"> ~ <br /></p>Commercial_Radiationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298239786128534539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859714942562573285.post-60051367563808634482021-03-27T16:00:00.013+00:002021-03-27T16:00:19.904+00:00Burnt By Starlight...<p style="text-align: center;">Gods of Space - <i>Against the Falling Sky</i> (2021)<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6POWGCjxtLghkzXFE2wBhyhvJyY_xTKaAut126AKGlmODjai4ZkUJkQYqbslDJ0bgGevM2yuj_BUuAP-D4qjZQZIPidMNGQ9Uq2k_15QBcZUVugTXYVHsOW5qepifaWjKoHNKVnuYWYnT/s1400/Album+Art+1400%25C3%25971400.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6POWGCjxtLghkzXFE2wBhyhvJyY_xTKaAut126AKGlmODjai4ZkUJkQYqbslDJ0bgGevM2yuj_BUuAP-D4qjZQZIPidMNGQ9Uq2k_15QBcZUVugTXYVHsOW5qepifaWjKoHNKVnuYWYnT/s320/Album+Art+1400%25C3%25971400.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Delivering their latest in a string of
releases stemming back to 2014, the Pennsylvania-based trio of Gods
of Space provide a concisely cosmic trip this time around. Packing
five tracks and coming in a few minutes shy of half an hour, the band
makes great use of their time, pushing ideas in a range of directions
while keeping the hard psych flavors flowing continuously.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">First of the tracks on the EP is
“Against All Odds”, a soaring ignition piece with some hard
bass-line riffs cranking it along. The gritty timbre of the strings
contrasts nicely with the clear tones of the vocals, while the
drummer's change-ups in intensity add a further layer of action. Pop
in some tasty (though brief) guitar soloing, and it's a solid
groover, not to mention an enjoyable wake-up tune if you play it
early in your day. “Exit Point” follows, shifting to a darker
tone; fitting with the EP's concept, this is presumably the point at
which our intrepid crew of astronauts hits the point of no return,
and the deep, quick-moving riffs fit the mood wonderfully.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“Falling Sky” picks up at the
mid-point, employing a bit of retro stoner rock foundation before
amping it up and skewing into full-blown '60s psych touchpoints.
It's one of the easier tracks to let your mind glide along with,
thanks to an extended breakdown section that really evokes the ship
reaching its peak, and then beginning to collapse. “Sub Orbital”
follows that up nicely with strains of melancholic melody contrasted
against harder, engine-like chug riffs. The flow is good, the
concept flavors are on-point, and the music is reliably solid.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Lastly, there's “Surf”, the EP's
longest track, which opens on a stripped-down arrangement using
string hammering for a chilly, desolate vibe. As it sprawls out into
livelier tones, the band shows their facility with delicate
arrangements, while the drummer keeps a reminder of the doom in store
for the cosmonauts evident in his brooding beats. A fiery crescendo
into an unwinding finish provides the perfect cap on the experience,
and making for a truly impressive release from Gods of Space. The
official release date is April 20th, so if you didn't already have
that date circled on your calendar, go ahead and make a note to grab
a copy of this that day. I promise you, it will not disappoint.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">~ Gabriel</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">For Fans Of; Acid
Elephant, Demonauta, Frozen Planet....1969, Giant Gutter From Outer
Space, Tuber</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/godsofspace" target="_blank"><b>Facebook</b></a> <b>• <a href="https://www.instagram.com/godsofspace/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> </b><b><b>•</b> <a href="https://godsofspace.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">BandCamp</a><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://godsofspace.bandcamp.com/track/exit-point" target="_blank"><b>Gods of Space - Exit Point <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(320 kbps)</span></b></a><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1809589762/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=7137dc/tracklist=false/artwork=small/track=598170553/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://godsofspace.bandcamp.com/album/against-a-falling-sky-2">Against A Falling Sky by Gods of Space</a></iframe></p><p style="text-align: center;">~ <br /></p>Commercial_Radiationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298239786128534539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859714942562573285.post-73845557213707607022021-03-20T16:00:00.008+00:002021-03-20T16:00:09.918+00:00True To The Name...<p style="text-align: center;">Heavy Trip - <i>Heavy Trip</i> (2020)<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPE2XLIE-fpQ12DN-XdyVvmS9Kz_Wpk8-QZzETdmm0rgY2bS3AvrcuZv64Nlr49OPyG5Q7lZtWPOUkgB_wPusWz5zV-4mOZVZk75-X6ialQzo9eUNg3pQjchBaXYNrgzts2EQFf2Yqn8L8/s1800/005915.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1790" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPE2XLIE-fpQ12DN-XdyVvmS9Kz_Wpk8-QZzETdmm0rgY2bS3AvrcuZv64Nlr49OPyG5Q7lZtWPOUkgB_wPusWz5zV-4mOZVZk75-X6ialQzo9eUNg3pQjchBaXYNrgzts2EQFf2Yqn8L8/s320/005915.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Coming
at us from the fabled land of Vancouver, the crew of Heavy Trip
released their self-titled LP around this time last year. They're
getting a worldwide boost in visibility, though, thanks to the
reissuing of that LP by Burning World Records, who are also
responsible for the excellent live label of Roadburn Records. With
plenty of high-esteem bands to their respective catalogs, it's a
great way for Heavy Trip to get some more well-deserved recognition,
as anyone lucky enough to grab one of the splatter-styled records (or
CDs, or digital copies, or online streams) will quickly agree.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Leading
off with the punny “Hand of Shroom”, the band dives right into
their heavy psychedelic metal MO with enticing flair, snaky guitar
lines, and enough fuzz to get your head well and truly clogged. A
coolly confident bass maneuvers about the roiling guitar action with
supportive finesse, while the drummer keeps things grooving, whether
pacing it high or low. The music does a great job of blending
old-school psych melting with a more modern toothiness, letting the
music really lunge out and grab you right after rolling off a sweet
and slippery progression.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“<span style="font-style: normal;">Lunar
Throne” follows, taking more of a chill approach to the vibes,
while keeping up the impressive interplay and flexibility from the
performers. Some truly savory shredding is on display with this one,
spinning it out to the edge of the rails before pulling things back
on track, only to roam off in another wild direction. “Mind Leaf”
carries the spacy cruise on with more of a desert rock tinge to the
proceedings, letting gritty soloing flow over a bumping bass-line,
while the drums bang out a lifeline of percussive care. The crazed
crescendo this one reaches is a jaw-dropping display, even when
listened to completely sober, so be careful it doesn't knock you on
your ass when you're a little loaded.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Lastly,
there's “Treespinner”, which settles back down from the
high-intensity of “Mind Leaf”, at least initially. Exploring
just how many ways they can bend the main riff into new but
recognizable forms, the band finds lots of answers, and keeps the
energy feeling just fine as they do so. It adds up to a wonderful
thirty-six minutes or so, though you must play it at high volume.
You'll feel the guilt if you don't. In any event, grab up one of
this new run of vinyl, or whatever option for listening best floats
your boat, and have yourself a grand time with this one.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">~
Gabriel</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">For
Fans Of; Acid Rooster, Bomg, Earth Drive, Frozen Planet....1969,
Ufomammut</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/HeavyTripDudes " target="_blank"><b>Facebook</b></a> <b>• <a href="https://heavytripdudes.com/" target="_blank">Official Website</a> </b><b>• <a href="https://heavytripdudes.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">BandCamp</a><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://heavytripdudes.bandcamp.com/track/lunar-throne" target="_blank"><b>Heavy Trip - Lunar Throne <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(320 kbps)</span></b></a><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=177372991/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=7137dc/tracklist=false/artwork=small/track=197587802/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://heavytripdudes.bandcamp.com/album/heavy-trip">Heavy Trip by Heavy Trip</a></iframe></p><p style="text-align: center;">~ <br /></p>Commercial_Radiationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298239786128534539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859714942562573285.post-81650361010814054002021-03-13T17:00:00.021+00:002021-03-13T17:00:03.268+00:00Making Heavy Contact...<p style="text-align: center;">Stonus - <i>Séance</i> (2021)<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimc5Jm9luHrQEQKRWnafyh61MI9HSHWQxwTQ0NahB4huutZ5iV7uqtO8yqn3MNJYcTTUrOMV2TyCfXzlRxk7FAoTHP0ix-TzDHU8R578aJzmU5jWfwzKk5X0BDh-MMTCN6I6C_ghlRmBMq/s2048/022678.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimc5Jm9luHrQEQKRWnafyh61MI9HSHWQxwTQ0NahB4huutZ5iV7uqtO8yqn3MNJYcTTUrOMV2TyCfXzlRxk7FAoTHP0ix-TzDHU8R578aJzmU5jWfwzKk5X0BDh-MMTCN6I6C_ghlRmBMq/s320/022678.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Keeping their momentum going from the
release of their first LP about this time last year, the Cyprian
quintet of Stonus are back with their third EP. Coming together at
just under twenty minutes across the three tracks, the band leads off
with “Evil Woman”, a gritty blend of heavy and hard rock, working
a riff that circles through repetitions of trailing off and coming
back in force. Tasty guitar tone and plenty of cymbal action keep
the energy high, while the breakdowns show a desert rock-ish
poignancy and streaks of psychedelic spaciness.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“Messianism” takes over from there,
keeping up the fuzzed guitar hooks but sliding in a bit of darker
tone on the bass side. The riff approach gets changed up, too,
opting for more of a back-and-forth slide, to compelling effect.
Again, it's in the breakdowns that the band really shines, with the
instruments coming down enough to let the vocals bask in smoky
enticement, then some knotty guitar-work amping things up for a big
finish. Lastly, “El Rata” slides the style dial further over
into desert rock territory, with a thrumming bass hook dominating the
track. Riding the waves to a mid-song climax lets the band spend
time exploring the aftermath for the song's remainder, soaking up
more sun-baked vibes as they navigate craggy chords and wade through
the fuzz. Quite a fun set of songs, and one to spike up the ears of
newcomers to the group's output. Electric Valley Records are putting
out a stylish vinyl treatment on March 26th, but pre-orders are going
fast, so you might wanna jump on that right this moment if you want
one for your collection.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">~ Gabriel</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">For Fans Of; Acid
Elephant, Craneon, Kyuss, Manthrass, Tuber</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/stonerscy/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> • <a href="https://www.instagram.com/stonus.band/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> • <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWi7ZQTuIhCjAPHMTZDsxUg" target="_blank">Youtube</a> • <a href="https://stonus.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">BandCamp</a> <b><b><b><b><b><b><b>• <a href="https://evrecords.bandcamp.com/album/stonus-s-ance" target="_blank">Electric Valley Records BandCamp</a><br /></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://evrecords.bandcamp.com/track/evil-woman" target="_blank"><b>Stonus - Evil Woman <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(320 kbps)</span></b></a><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1854069962/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=7137dc/tracklist=false/artwork=small/track=3438810518/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://evrecords.bandcamp.com/album/stonus-s-ance">Stonus - Sèance by Electric Valley Records</a></iframe></p><p style="text-align: center;">~ <br /></p>Commercial_Radiationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298239786128534539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859714942562573285.post-19918353492862277492021-03-06T17:00:00.023+00:002021-03-06T17:00:01.394+00:00Grasping and Rending...<p style="text-align: center;">Grale - <i>Agitacion</i> (2021)<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY6sTzzcHKfOF0ryIpfY2ir1d9xqfWtLmuiv43CsZKIyDzW-m26haWLNbFP-7CJrGs0hU9ukmDAxcpMlwMiP3F5_Tqe1_BfdKMhgXaNUU14UpugGb2yPfYlg6qgyjB-YykViNH9_eiIYtl/s2048/cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY6sTzzcHKfOF0ryIpfY2ir1d9xqfWtLmuiv43CsZKIyDzW-m26haWLNbFP-7CJrGs0hU9ukmDAxcpMlwMiP3F5_Tqe1_BfdKMhgXaNUU14UpugGb2yPfYlg6qgyjB-YykViNH9_eiIYtl/s320/cover.jpg" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Formed under the pressures of the
pandemic lockdown, with members from Olde, Indian Handcrafts, and
Cross Dog, this quartet of Canadian metal-makers have put together
five tracks for their debut EP. Blending death metal aggression with
sludgy grime, the band finds ways to keep their high-tempo
maneuverings engaging and healthily diverse, never settling for too
long into any one groove.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Opening track “Meth Aggressor” gets
things off to a fine start, meshing grinding riffs with rhythmic
deftness, and letting the harsh vocals of guest Rob Urbinati set
tones of near-vicious acidity and swelling doom. Fine instrumental
work gets the motor running, and “No Justice for All” picks up
that momentum to run into a disarming bit of melodic indulgence,
hooking listeners before pummeling them with more hard-beat action.
A bit of throwback soloing comes in quick and sharp, swaying heads
and setting ground for some spacier effects the band has in store.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Midpoint tune “The Blade”, in spite
of its name, actually brings things down to a slower pace, working a
staunch set of riffs to savory effect. Splashes of guitar tone
exploration give way to speedier shredding, clean tones clashing
excellently with the bass' weighty presence. “The Emptiness
Project” punches in for its penultimate spot with still another
powerful lead riff, swinging its downbeats with solid power, then
cranking up to harder drive. The banging beats brought in towards
the end might have this one slotted in as my personal favorite of the
five. Lastly, “Terror Control” hits a churning back-and-forth
swing for its commanding guitar and drum alternations, bringing the
EP to a fiery finish. Excellent work on all five tracks, and one of
the better things to emerge from the circumstances of the pandemic.
The EP dropped at the end of February, so get on over to Grale's
BandCamp and grab yourself a copy already!</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">~ Gabriel</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">For Fans Of; Abstracter,
Body Void, Lifeless Gaze, Mountain God, Rainbows Are Free</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/graleband/" target="_blank"><b>Instagram</b></a> <b><b>• <a href="https://grale.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">BandCamp</a><br /></b></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://grale.bandcamp.com/track/meth-aggressor" target="_blank"><b>Grale - Meth Aggressor <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(320 kbps)</span></b></a><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2263492881/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=7137dc/tracklist=false/artwork=small/track=1295575611/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://grale.bandcamp.com/album/agitacion">AGITACION by GRALE</a></iframe></p><p style="text-align: center;">~<br /></p>Commercial_Radiationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298239786128534539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859714942562573285.post-86874382159525795472021-02-27T17:00:00.001+00:002021-02-27T17:00:11.073+00:00Skimming The Top...<p style="text-align: center;">Dope Skum - <i>Tanasi</i> (2021)<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCNQ2zGNkFIyOMgKQmupF1n7niqQ66UpUIE0kPcdqpSaQx1YKJH3SGhuG_sttgh6u0T-4tQ7zEg6G5OIxoHjJlqtygHyeeueGF98iAfRLovnoOv6ZGbGVYYe6_nB8D9oBM6hFJmfoP8xRv/s625/Tanasi+EP.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="625" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCNQ2zGNkFIyOMgKQmupF1n7niqQ66UpUIE0kPcdqpSaQx1YKJH3SGhuG_sttgh6u0T-4tQ7zEg6G5OIxoHjJlqtygHyeeueGF98iAfRLovnoOv6ZGbGVYYe6_nB8D9oBM6hFJmfoP8xRv/s320/Tanasi+EP.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Rising up from Chattanooga, Tennessee,
this two-piece group works a guitar-and-drums approach to sludge
(with a few choice booms of bass), letting the punkier side of the
style's roots show through in the leanness. <i>Tanasi</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
(try saying it out loud, with a bit of twang) is their first EP,
following up on the advance single of “Feast of Snakes”, which is
also the first track on the EP.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">In said song, the duo work a grinding
groove, with gritty production and dirty vocals keeping things
grounded. The vocals and instruments twine together well around the
main riff, which has a big enough hook to leave it stuck in your head
for days. After that, “Anxiety” takes over, creeping along on a
snaking rhythm, and letting it build up a while before adding in the
vocals. It's one of the spacier tracks of the EP, but with
relatively little feedback drenching it, making for an interesting
dynamic.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“Chickamauga” takes center space in
the track line-up, the title giving another nod to the group's
locale. With this track, the band slips further into the moody
instrumental groove, keeping enough uneasiness baked in to keep
listeners on their toes. Some big drum boosting towards the end,
along with plenty of cymbal-riding, makes this more of a showpiece
for the drummer, though the guitar strains are a solid touch. “The
Levee” picks up from there, and despite a quick run-time, it sets
up a fun give-and-take roll on the rhythms, with a big and chunky
culmination.
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Lastly, “Mountain Cur” picks up the
pace for an aggressive finish, gnarling through more feedback than
the rest of the EP, though it comes to an abrupt stop. It still
makes for a fun first effort from the group, with enough energy and
exploration to entice further listening. Give it a go if you're
looking for some sludge without all the studio polish most of it
seems to get these days.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">~ Gabriel</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">For Fans Of; Clutch,
Dopethrone, EyeHateGod, Iron Monkey, Weedeater</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://instagram.com/dopeskum?igshid=17o7vll9itt2o" target="_blank"><b>Instagram</b></a> <b><b>• <a href="https://dopeskum.bandcamp.com/releases" target="_blank">BandCamp</a><br /></b></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://dopeskum.bandcamp.com/track/feast-of-snakes" target="_blank"><b>Dope Skum - Feast of Snakes (320 kbps)</b></a><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/track=935635482/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=7137dc/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://dopeskum.bandcamp.com/track/feast-of-snakes">Feast Of Snakes by Dope Skum</a></iframe></p><p style="text-align: center;">~ <br /></p>Commercial_Radiationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298239786128534539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859714942562573285.post-35638815692640445672021-02-20T17:00:00.017+00:002021-02-20T17:00:17.137+00:00Crushed By Existence...<p style="text-align: center;">Urza - <i>The Omniprescence of Loss</i> (2019)<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKTE5mK0P52fLVygONPJE84irgWul8tH5m7D2DpojUauW0ModvTCeix56SPJ2Lf4AF7Y1iLf3_916bbkcKUVJ7vusXCerLF8C2htuJmKMN3jQHQUNyTWyk4WlKlVUz291gI228YrNi-n-0/s1200/cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKTE5mK0P52fLVygONPJE84irgWul8tH5m7D2DpojUauW0ModvTCeix56SPJ2Lf4AF7Y1iLf3_916bbkcKUVJ7vusXCerLF8C2htuJmKMN3jQHQUNyTWyk4WlKlVUz291gI228YrNi-n-0/s320/cover.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Yeah, so we're technically a couple of
years behind on checking out this album, but we've got an excuse.
The first physical release of this album will be happening next
month, so if you think about it that way, we're actually ahead of
things, yeah? In any event, this is the debut album from the German
group Urza (a name some nerds in the audience no doubt recognize from
a different context), and it's one steeped in funeral doom morbidity.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Opening track “Lost in Decline” is
seventeen minutes long, to give you some idea of how things are gonna
roll. Rising from bass drones to slow-stomping gloom, and passing
through bridge after bridge, it delivers an atmosphere to make you
straight-up shiver. Excellent winter music, and probably even better
if you can somehow arrange yourself a listen in an underground crypt.
The music is almost physically heavy, moving along on tank-tread
riffs, and the vocals, deep and booming, are a fantastic fit.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Things continue on in that vein for the
remainder of the album, with an evocative track title for each
sprawling excursion. “A History of Ghosts”, “Path of Tombs”,
“From the Vaults to Extermination”, and “Demystifying the
Blackness” make up the remainder, in that order, finding reliably
satisfying ways to explore fusions of morbidity and heaviness. If
you're already a funeral doom fan, you'll find a lot to savor here;
for those new to the style, it'll likely be akin to jumping in the
deep end. Songs flow smoothly from one to the next, and it's easy to
find yourself sucked into the tarry gravity of the tracks. Coming
together at just about an hour of abyssal anguish, it's a stunning
debut, and a thorough testament to the band's abilities. The
physical release is on cassette, through Nailbat Tapes, and
officially drops on March 5th, though pre-orders are already up. If
funeral doom so deep-toned you can practically drown in it is your
thing, don't miss out on this release.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">~ Gabriel</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">For Fans Of; Heavydeath,
Jupiterian, Malsten, Primitive Man, Thergothon</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/UrzaDoom/" target="_blank"><b>Facebook</b></a> <b><b>• <a href="http://www.urza-doom.com/" target="_blank">Official Website</a> </b></b><b><b>• <a href="https://nailbattapes.bandcamp.com/album/the-omnipresence-of-loss" target="_blank">Nailbat Tapes BandCamp</a> </b></b><b><b>• <a href="https://urza-doom.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">BandCamp</a><br /></b></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://nailbattapes.bandcamp.com/track/path-of-tombs" target="_blank"><b>Urza - Path of Tombs <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(320 kbps)</span></b></a><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3102382445/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=7137dc/tracklist=false/artwork=small/track=2231948578/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://nailbattapes.bandcamp.com/album/the-omnipresence-of-loss">The Omnipresence of Loss by Urza</a></iframe></p><p style="text-align: center;">~ <br /></p>Commercial_Radiationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298239786128534539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859714942562573285.post-38619254696767755852021-02-06T17:00:00.002+00:002021-02-06T17:00:03.873+00:00Carved Into Being...<p style="text-align: center;">Dopelord - <i>Reality Dagger</i> (2021)<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxcygBPVfooKg97PAftFMKVGGVLMJtW7iDpCGgxVX2YacZWPNLd-XelL41znvDjmR5OqFRR6nVClWDwLrxJpM98EE9BOcS5yFjJTGgwAiey3YLxhIkZ_ghi0ndgDoezVacm66xMvhSukFo/s2048/493725.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxcygBPVfooKg97PAftFMKVGGVLMJtW7iDpCGgxVX2YacZWPNLd-XelL41znvDjmR5OqFRR6nVClWDwLrxJpM98EE9BOcS5yFjJTGgwAiey3YLxhIkZ_ghi0ndgDoezVacm66xMvhSukFo/s320/493725.png" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Arriving about a year after their most
recent album, <i>Sign of the Devil</i><span style="font-style: normal;">,
this EP finds the Polish psych-doomers of Dopelord still flying in
high form. Sporting a </span><i>Suspiria</i><span style="font-style: normal;">-styled
bit of cover art, the three-track release leads off with “Dark
Coils”, a fuzzy groover with thick bass, deep-mixed drums, and
hazed-out vocals. Working riffs with all their usual mind-hooking
adeptness, the band is right in its element, and the intensification
towards the end comes through with great execution.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“<span style="font-style: normal;">Your
Blood” takes place for track two, keeping the fogged-out atmosphere
going smooth. Some tasty guitar soloing over a bass riff makes for a
fine bridge, before the song slides into echoing vocals and reverb
worship. Those first two songs put together come to about the
runtime of the title track, coming up to close out the EP with nearly
eleven minutes of down-tuned psych metal. Low-pitched groove digging
from the bass keeps things plowing along, while the drummer keeps
things low-key until it's time for him to cut loose. Some
goosebump-inducing vocal effects tilt things in a darker direction
than the band usually operates, while the guitarist gets some more
solo time with a crunching progression leading back to the
pedal-powered morass.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">It's a
quick trip, but one which clearly shows the group still operating in
fantastic form, while trying out some fun tweaks on their usual
style. Established fans will get good times out of this, while
newcomers will find it a compelling reason to jump into one of the
full LPs. Green Plague Records will be handling release across
various formats come February 19</span><sup><span style="font-style: normal;">th</span></sup><span style="font-style: normal;">,
so mark your calendars to pick it up before it vanishes as fast as
their physical releases usually do.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">~
Gabriel</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">For
Fans Of; Dopethrone, Electric Wizard, Keef Mountain, Tar Pit, Uncle
Acid<br /> <br /></span></p>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Dopelord666">Facebook</a> </b><b><b>•</b> <a href="http://dopelord.bandcamp.com/">BandCamp</a></b></div><p style="text-align: center;">~ <br /></p>Commercial_Radiationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298239786128534539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859714942562573285.post-80625493900865418822021-01-30T17:00:00.013+00:002021-01-30T17:00:01.961+00:00Outrunning The Imminent...<p style="text-align: center;">Cortége - <i>Chasing Daylight</i> (2021)<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW0cSX4YHxkQqy54y_ztEmJwF95vhR6CDW1f3tA2CfXknwN7zQbYaWzIV8I_bbt40AtSoU36Ay4R8CnHacvo-IKPob0BvdlnP4mvHvcG_-YDY0ajTZF1qJzfYmPWrP3WHq16unV19hyphenhyphenubq/s640/087625.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW0cSX4YHxkQqy54y_ztEmJwF95vhR6CDW1f3tA2CfXknwN7zQbYaWzIV8I_bbt40AtSoU36Ay4R8CnHacvo-IKPob0BvdlnP4mvHvcG_-YDY0ajTZF1qJzfYmPWrP3WHq16unV19hyphenhyphenubq/s320/087625.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Having been around for about half a
decade, the Austin-based duo of Cortége have put out a good
half-dozen releases. With the sci-fi flavor of their presentation,
and the doomed Western vibe to the music, it's tempting to compare
them to the KC-based Merlin, of <i>Christ Killer </i><span style="font-style: normal;">fame.
But with this new two-track EP, coming together at just over a
quarter of an hour, the band clearly shows their own distinctively
Texas-sun-scorched character, with morbidity and melancholy never
entirely deprived of stylish swagger.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Starting
off with some tone-setting engine cranking and radio-tuning
(including reports of a Texas-sized meteor), Cortége then slam into
a huge and moody funeral stomp, shift gears into a dirge-like gloom,
and rumbles on from there. Despite the rowdiness of the opening, a
considerable part of the song is focused on drifting tones and slow
riff grooving, simply relishing the details of the instrumental swamp
they're exploring. It's like a mix of the classic Italian film music
for low-budget but high-ambition flicks in the western and horror
genres, fused around dramatic and goosebump-raising foci. </span>
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">The
break into the second half squeals through on rough tires, but
carries listeners smoothly into deeper and darker audio territory,
somehow almost somber in its bar-twang guitar and boot-step
percussion. As much as it tends to hang onto one riff for a while,
the musicians coax an amazing amount of nuanced characterization from
the wide-spaced clangs and chords. It helps that they're willing to
experiment with instruments, bringing keyboards and bells to
prominence alongside the usual doom metal bass/drums/guitar. All
together, it's a very impressive EP, and a concise, compelling
argument for the band's skills across an open range. If you haven't
checked the band out before, this makes for an excellent intro; and
if you have, it's a welcome reminder of just how damn good they are.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">~
Gabriel</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">For
Fans Of; Broughton's Rules, Farflung, Frozen Planet....1969,
Strato's, Tumbleweed Dealer</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://facebook.com/cortegeatx" target="_blank"><b>Facebook</b></a> <b>• <a href="https://cortege.bandcamp.com/album/chasing-daylight" target="_blank">BandCamp</a><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: center;">~ <br /></p>Commercial_Radiationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298239786128534539noreply@blogger.com0