ALBUM REVIEW: Grand Magus, "Wolf God"

By: Richard Maw

Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 19/04/2019
Label: Nuclear Blast 

This is a strong and dark record made by veterans of the form and sees Grand Magus further cementing their reputation as front runners in the niche of traditional heavy metal.

“Wolf God” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Gold and Glory  

2. Wolf God 

3. A Hall Clad in Gold 

4. Brother of the Storm 

5. Dawn of Fire 

6. Spear Thrower 

7. To Live and Die in Solitude 

8. Glory to the Brave 

9. He Sent Them All to Hel 

10. Untamed 

The Review:

Grand Magus are now in the enviable position of being a very well established metal band- this is their ninth album. As noted in previous reviews, their sound has gone from stoner/rock to doom to heavy metal, detoured into hard rock and then gone back to the type of metal that Dio, Priest, Manowar et. al. have made millions from. That Grand Magus are still a somewhat underground band is a travesty. If this was 1984, they'd be headlining Long Beach Arena by now.

As it stands, though, Grand Magus may not be financially rewarded, but they are rewarded with the reverence held in reserve by fans for the very best in the genre. As far as their discography goes, there are no howlers; the debut is an oddity but a fine album and “The Hunt” was just too restrained for my liking- but still with great songs.

Coming off the back of two great records, expectations are high for “Wolf God”. “Triumph and Power” and “Sword Songs” contained some classic metal songs and put the band into a very enviable bracket indeed- that of an act with multiple 4*+ albums. 

The question here is: can Grand Magus sustain their run of form and/or outdo themselves eighteen years into their career? Read on to find out... 

The orchestral opener, “Gold and Glory”, sets the tone in grandiose terms. From there, it is straight into the title track. First impressions? Huge drum sound, mid-paced riffage and bombastic vocals courtesy of JB. Make no mistake, this is weighty stuff and the toms sound as if they are being played by Thor himself.

“A Hall Clad In Gold” picks up the pace and delivers a pounding snare to back each beat of the bar through the verses. Good hooks through the bridge and then an unexpected switch to bass and drums back to the verse. Once again, the band excel at cutting the fat from the songs and delivering catchy verses, strong riffs and memorable structures- think Judas Priest at their best. “Brother of the Storm” is a mid-paced rager; great hooks- before “Dawn of Fire” delivers a more epic approach. Grand Magus have done this kind of 6:8 time feel before and they have done it well (“Triumph and Power” springs to mind) and this is another example of the band nailing a groove to the (longship) mast.

At the halfway point, then, this is an album that has more in common with “Triumph and Power” than “Sword Songs”. It is a little more restrained, a little less bombastic, a little slower and a fair bit darker than either of the two most recent albums. All of that said, when “Spear Thrower” kicks off then the album takes a turn. The tempo goes up, the histrionics are back and the hooks are stellar. The band thus start the second half of the album in the best way possible. The solo is fantastic too. A killer track, front to back.

“To Live and Die in Solitude” is similarly hard rocking- triplet time feel, a muscular riff and the band firing on all cylinders. This is rousing stuff and fits in nicely with the “Wolf's Return”/”Iron Will” era. It's worth noting at this point that Grand Magus may well have paved the way for bands such as Visigoth to rise to prominence. The two bands may be from different continents, but they share the same musical DNA;strong hooks, energetic performances and epic feel. “Glory to the Brave” starts moody and features a rim shot (seldom heard in metal) prior to the guitars bursting in. The band then goes for quiet/loud dynamics and tried and true heroic themes. 

“He Sent Them All to Hel” has a much more hard rock feel to the rhythms and pacing; If AC/DC ever decided to pursue a Viking themed album, then I guess it might sound a little like this. It's a fine and hard rocking track and easily one of the catchiest on the album. The closing “Untamed” tells its tale of rage with conviction and tempo shifts. Strong riffing is the order of the day.

And there we have it. Ten tracks, a mostly fairly dark feel and some real stand outs. Overall, then, this is another good entry into Grand Magus' body of work but does not quite scale the heights of “Sword Songs”. Of course, it is mandatory listening for fans of the band and may well make new converts as well. This is a strong and dark record made by veterans of the form and sees Grand Magus further cementing their reputation as front runners in the niche of traditional heavy metal.

“Wolf God” is available HERE

Band info: facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Contrarian, "Their Worm Never Dies"

By: Richard Maw

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 15/03/2019

Label: Willowtip Records

if you miss latter day Death, feast your ears on Atheist or love the Cynic debut then this will be music to your ears, because this is impressive stuff.

“Their Worm Never Dies” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Vaskania (The Evil Eye)

2. Exorcism
3. My Curse
4. The Petition
5. Among The Misled
6. Their Worm Never Dies
7. Whomsoever Worships the Whiteworm

The Review:

Technical and progressive death metal is surely an acquired taste- particularly when it comes with the jazzy inflections that bands such as Contrarian deliver by the bucketload. I reviewed the debut “Polemic” back in 2015, but I missed their sophomore effort, “To Perceive Is To Suffer”. 

So, what have the Rochester, New York, based outfit come up with this time around? Well, it once again references the past greats of the niche genre; latter day Death and Cynic are both in there. Naturally, George Kollias being behind the kit is a huge draw for many DM heads anyway. However, this is no Nile re-tread as he plays technical and jazzy; he's using brushes at the start of “Exorcism” for satan's sake! The sound is pretty great- quite spacious and not too slick. In fact, there is audible hiss and an almost demo like quality to the sound. It's not compressed beyond believe and it sounds authentic, old school and “real” in a way that albums made on pro tools grids alone do not. The drum sound may take a little getting used to, but that is for the listener to decide on. Don't expect boxy and muted sounds... but don't expect zero triggers either!

As the record progresses, it's clear that a fan of the first album will like this one; the leads that open “My Curse” are great, the vocals are another selling point; closer to Schuldiner than Corpsegrinder and they help by dialling down the brutality- this is not hyper-aggressive stuff. The riff passages are excellent and the clean intro of “The Petition” segues perfectly into some mesmerising riffage.

The progressive riffing of “Among The Misled” coupled with the off kilter rhythms does a great job of making the listener pay attention (cracking bass work, too). The title track is three minutes of melancholy vibes and keen lead work- an unexpected twist in the album's tale. The closing eight minutes of “Whomsoever Worships The Whiteworm” is the most extreme track on here, in terms of structure, delivery and sounds. The bass is super dexterous the time changes come thick and fast and the playing is sublime. 

To sum up, then, this third album is a highly credible slice of technical and progressive death metal. This is for all fans of any of the bands mentioned here in comparative terms. Just like the debut, if you miss latter day Death, feast your ears on Atheist or love the Cynic debut then this will be music to your ears. Impressive stuff. 

“Their Worm Never Dies” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

VIDEO PREMIERE: TEL deliver cold, depressive and melodic sludge doom on "Ouroboros"

“Lowlife”, the debut album from Richmond Virginia sludge doomsters TEL will be released on March 29 2019 via Aural Music. The album's five songs bridge the gap between the spacious doom of Yob, the raw sludge of Acid Bath, the progressive tendencies of Mastodon, and the sorrowful atmosphere of Katatonia.

Produced by Garrett Morris (the guitarist of Windhand, who has also recorded for the likes of Cough and Electric Wizard) and mastered by Dan Randall of Mammoth Sound Recordings (Iron Reagan, Ghoul, Cannabis Corpse, and many others).  Today at THE SLUDGELORD we’re excited to present TEL’s debut on the blog with the incredible video for the album track “Ouroboros” which you can check out below.  “Lowlife” is available for to order HERE

Band info: facebook

TRACK PREMIERE: 1782 deliver the perfect blend of stoner doom with "Oh Mary"

In 1782 Anna Göldi was condemned, she was tortured and killed, this was the last witchcraft trial in Europe. Fast forward to the present day and in honor of all the "witches" murdered by the bigoted minds of many generations, Italian duo Marco Nieddu and Gabriele Fancellu formed the stoner doom band 1782 and today at THE SLUDGELORD you can check out a brand new track by the band entitled “Oh Mary” which is taken from their debut album “1782” set for release on May 24th 2019 via Heavy Psych Sounds. Now douse those fires with water, turn up the volume and prepare to let your speakers die!!! You can preorder the album HERE

Band info: facebook

VIDEO PREMIERE: Orso deliver the unique the intense and the monolithic with "Mitraillette"

Born again from the ashes of bands such as Kruger, Lausanne based instrumental post metalists, Orso play slow, thick and massive music, consisting of three guitars, a bass and drums, their music is tainted with dark melancholia.   Following up their debut EP “Primi Piatti” back in 2016, Orso are set to release their debut full length on the 5^th April, entitled “Paninoteca” via Czar of Crickets and today we’re excited to debut a video for the track “Mitraillette” taken from the album. 

Preorders are available HERE and you can check out the video in full below. 

Band info: facebook || bandcamp

VIDEO PREMIERE: Progressive sludge trio Everest Queen debut "Blood That Binds The Iliad"

Hey folks.  I promised you a double helping of riffs today and that is exactly what we’re going to do with another video exclusive from an amazing band who I think you are all going to love.  I am very excited to welcome progressive sludge trio EVEREST QUEEN to the SLUDGELORD.

On the 18^th April 2019 EVEREST QUEEN will issued their debut full length entitled “Dead Eden”, and having heard many different versions of the record, from an early mix to the finished mastered version, “Dead Eden” is built upon desne thick riffs that crush, swing and shift from all angles. EVEREST QUEEN are elegant song writers because they undertake a more progressive approach to their songs which in turn enables their compositions to twist and turn, their music is like a mind blowing collision styles ploughed from bands such as Mastodon, Gojira, Isis, Baroness and Conjurer but all of which flow seamlessly together.

“Dead Eden” will be self-released by EVEREST QUEEN on CD and Digital formats on April 18th 2019 with pre-orders being taken HERE.  But let us not forget about dem riffs, check out the fantastic performance video for the track “Blood That Binds The Iliad” below.  Turn it up loud and watch your speakers die!!

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

VIDEO PREMIERE: Lisburn City death doom ensemble The Crawling debut "Rancid Harmony"

Happy Friday folks and what better way to kick start the weekend than offering out some righteous riffs and today we have two brilliant bands for your attention and if I am not mistaken, they’re both making their first appearances at the mighty SLUDGELORD.  First up is The Crawling from Lisburn city, Northern Ireland a band whose music personifies heft and the might of the bludgeoning riff, added to that a mix of guttural vocal to combine melancholy with weight, they churn out a heavy, doom/death ensemble.

The closure of 2018 would see the release of their sophomore album entitled ‘Wolves and the Hideous White” a reflective batch of songs that deals with the human desire to belong, the sacrifices made to be part of someone, disillusion from loss of self, and the final inability to escape.  “Wolves and the Hideous White” is available to order HERE but for now  less chitter chatter and let us deal out some riffs.  Check out the brand new video from The Crawling entitled “Rancid Harmony” which you can check out in full below as well as a band insight for the track. 

“Is experiencing a connection with someone on any level better than none at all? Rancid Harmony reflects the facade of enjoyment, the dance we sell to the world, when inside it’s nothing but rot, and everyone sees it.”

Band info: facebook