REVIEW: Aseethe & Snow Burial, "Split"

By: Andre Almaraz

Album Type: Split Cassette

Date Released: 29/06/2018

Label: Hand of Death Records

With a sound that is as brutal and evocative as it is soothing and chaotic, this is a perfect pairing of two songs by two different bands joined together on one split.

“Split” CS//DD track listing:

1). Aseethe, “Wrong”

2). Snow Burial, “Sever The Bloodline”

The Review:

Coming soon on cassette tape and digital release by Hand Of Death Records is this split recording by two of the most impressive metal trios the midwestern United States has to offer; Iowa City’s Aseethe and Chicago’s Snow Burial.  The cassette will contain one song by each band on each side and is due to be released on 6/29/2018.

Aseethe’s contribution is a song titled “Wrong.”  Howling amplifier feedback fades in and then breaks into a classic four chord death march complete with guttural vocals right from the strum of the very first chord.  The primitive brutality is given a modern spin by the backbeat shuffle of the drummer which takes an otherwise straightforward part into the realm of something that feels slightly askew, as the band is known for doing.  The second riff builds chaos and suspense with a sinister blend of chords, chugs, and noise.  After a short rest, the backbeat death march returns but this time it’s with a howling vocal style which is a bit higher in pitch. This gives the part a more tortured and tormented feel than it had the first time around.  A pummeling third riff brings the track to another rest before a snare roll chimes in to lead the charge into the ending movement of the song;  a frenzied mesh of growls, howls, noise, and thunder.  On the subject of the split, the band states on their Facebook page that their song “is a bit different for us.”  If this is a new direction the band is currently experimenting with, I would highly encourage them to continue on this path because this is the most crushing Aseethe I’ve ever heard.

Now for Snow Burial’s contribution; a song they call “Sever The Bloodline.”  Huge guitar chords introduce the track before the other instruments kick in with a thunderous blast of brute force.  Once the vocals join the attack, you know instantly that this piece of music is seriously pissed off.  The mood teeters back and forth between sludge and post metal throughout the entire track and the inclusion of a laser sharp prog inspired middle section adds yet another precise dimension to the already devastating mixture.  The pristine subtlety of the drums makes the song shine brightly during this portion and lets you know that Snow Burial is purposefully on track to turn some heads in a big way.  Once the impressive middle movement morphs into the closing segment of the track, brutality and complexity coalesce in perfect horrifying harmony for a grand finale that assaults all the senses at once and without mercy.  The flawless interplay of the bass and drums combined with the guitar and vocals floating over the top throughout the entire song can be called nothing less than mastery of their craft as the differing levels of aggression build and break like ocean waves crashing against jagged rocks.

Each band here is extremely aggressive in their interpretation yet uniquely different in their delivery. Both outfits offer something that is sonically massive and each one produces an atmosphere that is recognizable to me as originating from the broad shoulders and clenched fists of the Midwestern United States. As a resident myself, I am proud to share a time zone with bands of this caliber.  With a sound that is as brutal and evocative as it is soothing and chaotic, this is a perfect pairing of two songs by two different bands joined together on one split. 

“Split” is available here

Band info: Aseethe || Snow Burial

ALBUM REVIEW: Hooded Menace - "Ossuarium Silhouettes Unhallowed"

By: Andre Almaraz

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 26/1/2018

Label: Season of Mist

 

“Ossuarium Silhouettes Unhallowed” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1.Sempiternal Grotesqueries
2. In Eerie Deliverance
3. Cathedral of Labyrinthine Darkness
4. Cascade of Ashes
5. Charnel Reflections
6. Black Moss

The Review:

“Ossuarium Silhouettes Unhallowed” is the fifth full length album by Finland’s reigning kings of death-doom, Hooded Menace. It also happens to be their first full length release as a five piece unit since their recent acquisition of new member, Harri Kuokkanen, as stand alone lead vocalist. The recording consists of six tracks which combine to make up forty-two minutes of total running time and the scheduled release date by Season Of Mist is January 26th, 2018. It appears that a seventh bonus track does exist on some formats but unfortunately, we did not have it made available to us for this review.

First track, “Sempiternal Grotesqueries,” is the longest running song of the album. This lumbering juggernaut slowly builds up from an epic graveyard crawl which eventually transcends into that classic Hooded Menace gallop, after which we are thrown into a frenzy of double-kick drums and pummelled into oblivion. This song has all the classic cornerstones that we love about Hooded Menace and it bounces our brains back and forth between them all for over ten and a half minutes. It is an all encompassing thrill ride of pure death-doom bliss in such a way that only Hooded Menace can deliver.

Second track, “In Eerie Deliverance,” begins with those signature guitar harmonies which have always accompanied many of the band’s massively haunting riffs. The opening movement has a bit of a twist in its groove and some unorthodox drumming, slightly akin to something Immolation might do - to give you a rough comparison. I feel like this aspect combined with the melodic chorus part make this track a bit of a standout from their usual repertoire. This is a good indication of a band that is continuing to grow and not afraid to take some chances outside of their usual comfort zone which is very admirable. Plenty of melody and double-kick while having minimal guitar soloing make this one an interesting listen for seven minutes and it works very well.

Third song, “Cathedral Of Labyrinthine Darkness,” lets the heavy dirge rumble of the bass guitar take the lead for a few brief seconds in the very beginning and leaves me wanting more. This one in general is a crawling behemoth with so much gloom and doom that it feels like a slimy dense fog is pouring out of your speakers and into your unsuspecting lungs. It is pure suffocating slow death. Fourth song, “Cascade Of Ashes,” creeps in like an undead zombie dragging its decayed carcass across the night’s shadows after a brief acappella vocal line chimes in to start off the number. The central focus point of this track comes in the form of a small break in the middle that leaves only a solitary guitar to ring out some unconsecrated notes that segue into a groovy tribal drum beat. This seems to me as another venture into slightly unusual territory for the band and again, it works very well.

Fifth song, “Charnel Reflections,” much like the opening track is a stroll through the familiar cemetery of the damned that Hooded Menace have worked so hard to create and perfect over the last 11 years. It is another fine example of the band's classic style of riffs and melodies which we, as fans, have come to know and admire. The sixth and final track, “Black Moss,” is an instrumental two plus minute outro that morphs from a heavy driving riff with plenty of guitar soloing into some classical guitar as it fades off and unwinds us from the bludgeoning assault of dust and cobweb covered ancient headstones that have been hurled at us for the duration of the previous five songs.

As always, the musicianship on this album is indisputable metal mastery at its finest and the production is near flawless. Although the vocals are a bit different this time around, but I feel it is not a drastic change and in my opinion, the new vocalist suits the band well. One can only appreciate that Hooded Menace is still growing and changing ever so slightly with each new release but one thing is certain; as long as Lasse Pyykkö is at the helm, they will continue to hold their place at the top of the death-doom subgenre and never grow stale in their craftsmanship. Hooded Menace, to me, is the quintessential death-doom metal band and this album shows that they remain as relevant as ever.

“Ossuarium Silhouettes Unhallowed” is available to preorder/buy here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

REVIEW: Merchant - "Beneath" (EP)

By: Andre Almaraz

Album Type: EP

Date Released: 12/05/2017

Label: Independent |

Black Bow Records

If you’re a fan of heavy sludge, doom, and death/doom, I don’t see how you could possibly not dig this album. The production is amazing and the tone is ultra-heavy. The drums pound mercilessly, the bass hits like a 50 pound maul, and the vocals pull it all together perfectly. Give this a listen now.

“Beneath” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Guile As A Vice

2). Succumbing

The Review:

Up for review here is “Beneath,” the new 2017 album by Melbourne, Australia’s Merchant, which is brought to us by in part (digitally) by the mighty Black Bow Records. The album consists of only two tracks, but each one is almost fifteen minutes in length so rest assured that there is no skimping on the sludge soaked riffage that lies within the recording.

The album opens with the appropriately titled “Guile As A Vice,” which begins with some chattering feedback and then quickly gives way to a solitary guitar strumming some somber yet powerful chords. Before long, the drums and bass kick in and all is well with the world as the syrupy groove grabs a hold of your soul and moves your bones in agreeable unison to the soothing sounds….

But then suddenly, after we’ve grooved out for about 5 minutes, the mood changes, the vocals chime in, and just like that, things aren’t so smooth and syrupy any longer. Now is the time when the vicious vocals spew forth their venom all over our speakers like a sludge bomb going off in our faces and coating our remains in a cryptic slurry. The track surges and then slows until we are taken by force into a lumbering, crawling  pace. Drums pound and vocals wail away as duress and despair are the feelings evoked from here on out by the rhythmic repetition and droning guitars which set the tone for this ungodly apocalypse. As the song comes to an abrupt end, we are left feeling as if a great burden has been lifted from our chests.

Enter track two; “Succumbing,” which indeed, I feel as if we already have. Havoc, hatred, and hopelessness pound us into the ground from the opening blast. This song does not care to spend any time easing us into the assault as was the modus operandi of the first one. Again, tempos ebb and flow while never losing sight of their groove; an admirable feat of musical dynamics. Billowing clouds of guitars waft over us like we’re drowning in a sea of sanguine serenity. We have no choice but the let the waves wash over us and pull us under the swirling tide. After almost ten minutes, the barrage gradually slows to the bitter end as amplifier hum and whirling feedback drift us out into the eerie unknown.

If you’re a fan of heavy sludge, doom, and death/doom, I don’t see how you could possibly not dig this album. The production is amazing and the tone is ultra-heavy. The drums pound mercilessly, the bass hits like a 50 pound maul, and the vocals pull it all together perfectly. Give this a listen now.

“Beneath” is available on CD/LP here and digitally here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook  

ALBUM REVIEW: Vallenfyre - "Fear Those Who Fear Him"

By: Andre Almaraz

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 02/06/2017

Label: Century Media Records

All in all it’s another good album that sees the band dishing out shorter and faster songs than we’re used to getting from them, while not losing the razor sharp edge of that classic Vallenfyre musical mastery and might.

“Fear Those Who Fear Him” CD//DD//LP track listing:

01. Born To Decay
02. Messiah
03. Degeneration
04. An Apathetic Grave
05. Nihilist
06. Amongst The Filth
07. The Merciless Tide
08. Dead World Breathes
09. Soldier Of Christ
10. Cursed From The Womb
11. Kill All Your Masters
12. Temple Of Rats

The Review:

Vallenfyre is a band that should need no introduction. The group has been kicking all kinds of ass since their 2011 debut and continue to release quality albums approximately every three years, up to and including this year’s new release, “Fear Those Who Fear Him,” which just dropped on June 2, 2017. 

This third full length instalment consists of twelve songs, half of which are under three minutes in length, which is somewhat of a departure from their usual repertoire. The album opens with slow-burner, “Born To Decay,” which gradually warms up and lasts for only about a minute before all cylinders are firing and “Messiah” rips in full force with a classic grindcore blast of spinning buzzsaws that make you feel like you’re trapped in the middle of a drug induced late night knife fight. Then “Degeneration” comes in like a lion and pounds your meat into a tenderized patty with repeated blows of led boots to the head. These first three songs blend together for me, even after repeated listens, seeming as if the three parts make up one mass movement amounting to a seven minute long frenzy. This is most likely due partially to very brief gaps between songs with the best possible outcome. I actually found myself going back several times to figure out exactly where one song ended and the other began. I don’t know if this was the intended effect the band was looking to portray when they laid out the songs of the album but I thought it was a pretty cool experience which left me a bit bewildered in a good way.

When “An Apathetic Grave” kicks in as song number four, this is when the album noticeably shifts gears for the first time and gets down to that sweet and sour Swedeath molasses that Vallenfyre is always able to lay down so masterfully. This one song is just about as long as the flurry of the first three combined. It puts the album right where it needs to be and not a moment too soon as it leaves you with an uneasy feeling in your stomach and radiation poisoning in your mind. Shortly thereafter, “Nihilist” chimes in for a two minute blast like Napalm Death high on a fistful of Swedish crack. “Amongst The Filth” is a dastardly mid-paced head bobber that gallops and grooves over trampled, broken bodies, and gives us a few minutes to reflect on the previous hail storm before the madness returns with the dying world anthem, “Kill All Your Masters.” 

“The Merciless Tide” comes in with more grimoire and groove-laden layers of lightning bolt guitars and “Dead World Breathes” unapologetically jams your face into the bench grinder with no mercy shown. Drums and bass crack the whip and sink your ship as they shove you down further with powerful rage for the most punishing forty seconds of your life. “Soldier Of Christ” has some really interesting shuffled grooves with galloping hooves. The new drummer really shines with an abundance of creative beats and fills on this one. 

“Cursed From The Womb” brings us back to that menacing Swedoom and gloom for what is only the second instalment of slowness on the album. This is the longest song; the epic proportionately speaking, the lyrics of which are where the album title comes from. This is one cruel slab of menacing death doom with an abrupt ending that leaves you empty and questioning your own shallow existence. Album closer, “Temple Of Rats” just feels like the perfect album closer. It’s a belligerent blast of eloquently expressed brutality. It feels like the band put down some serious thought when it came to laying out the order of the songs.

Vallenfyre are masters of combining elements of death, doom, crust, grind, sludge, and all other things we hold dear. They put it all in a blender and then regurgitate the slurry into a delightful elixir that many metal heads regard as divine ambrosia. I would say that in general, this album comes off as being faster and punchier than previous efforts, and that the overall tone of the mix is a bit more on the thin crust side with considerably less bottom end than the previous two full lengths. All in all it’s another good album that sees the band dishing out shorter and faster songs than we’re used to getting from them, while not losing the razor sharp edge of that classic Vallenfyre musical mastery and might.

“Fear Those Who Fear Him” is available now



Band info: facebook

FFO: Entombed, Bloodbath, Bolt Thrower, Paradise Lost

ALBUM REVIEW: Longhouse - "II: Vanishing"

By: Andre Almaraz

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 14/04/2017

Label: Independent

The tone, mix and mood of the album is one of darkness, menace and depression. “II: Vanishing” will terrify your consciousness and haunt your soul into painful contortions

“II: Vanishing” DD track listing:

1). Hunter’s Moon

2). Vanishing

3). Blood and Stone

4). No Name, No Marker

5). The Vigil

The Review:

Longhouse is a three piece doom outfit from Ottawa, Canada. On April 14th of 2017 they released an album of five new songs which is titled “II: Vanishing.” Here is my review of said album….The opening track, “Hunter’s Moon,” creeps in like a thief in the night who is determined to steal your reason for existence. Eerie guitar swells and fades arouse your senses before the whole band joins in to bombard your ears with an extremely grim dirge of epic proportions. The first six minutes of the song are completely instrumental because they need to be in order to put you in the proper state of mind and set you up for the death blow as the vocals finally kick in to terrify your consciousness and haunt your soul into painful contortions for the closing two minutes of the song.

Second track, “Vanishing,” comes in like a rabid lioness on the hunt. Its raw energy and strategic prowess, attack with vengeful aggression right from the opening blast. The heaviness and groove are the driving force that grabs you immediately and does not let up its grip for over six minutes until the very last note is played. This song is the highlight of the album for me, with the opener being a close second. Third track, “Blood and Stone” sounds exactly like its title. It is grimy, slimy, barbaric, and ugly. Some nice guitar soloing elevate the song to the next level which the preceding groove and harmony had already come close to achieving on their own. 

Fourth track, “No Name, No marker,” is another nonstop drive fest. As with the previous track, this one has all the groove and harmony but with a noticeably more melancholic delivery. The end of the song breaks into an intoxicatingly heavy chug riff which eventually fades us off into the netherworld. With the final track of the album, “The Vigil,” the band pulls out its secret weapon; the game changer that are the clean vocals. The sombre beginning breaks into a quintessential classic metal riff in which the clean vocals immediately jump out of the speakers at you completely unexpectedly. Throughout the song we get a great mix of clean and gruff vocals without ever using either one in excess. This is a truly remarkable feat of a perfect combination that very few bands in the history of heavy metal have been able to pull off in my opinion, yet Longhouse seems to be able to execute this very task with minimal effort and I think it was a stroke of genius to wait until the last song of the album in which to do it.

I really enjoyed listening to this album. It feels to be the perfect length and displays a good amount of musicianship, especially with the guitars. The soloing and overlaying of harmonies are exquisite throughout the entire album. The tone of mix and mood of the album are above all dark and brooding, depressing, and bolstered with a straightforward and ever driving rhythm section. I can detect hints of bands like Pallbearer, High On Fire, and even some Type O Negative, all mixed together with an abundance of the vast Canadian outback which I was more than happy to stir well and swallow down, and I am very much looking forward to hearing what this band does next.

“II: Vanishing” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Gurt - "Skullossus"

By: Andre Almaraz

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 01/05/2017

Label: When Planets Collide

 

This is some quality music that draws from many influences and I feel any metal fan should be able to enjoy it…. possibly even as the soundtrack to their next doom party.

“Skullossus” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Welcome to the Shit Show
2. Gimme the Night, any Day
3. Battlepants
4. Double Barreled Shot-pun
5. The Crotch Wobbler
6. Existance is Pain
7. Broken Heart Heroin Man
8. Meowing at the Fridge
9. John Gar See Ya Later
10. The Balled of Tom Stones and Reg Montagne (Part 1)
11. The Balled of Tom Stones and Reg Montagne (Part 2)

The Review:

Gurt is a four piece metal band from London, UK. Their new full length album is called “Skullossus” and it is set to be released on May 1st, 2017. Gurt is a self proclaimed “party doom” band but based on this album alone (it is all I know of the band), I would have to somewhat disagree with that categorization. While it is true that everyone loves a good party and that this album gives off an air of playfulness and sleaze with its song titles, sound, and lyrics, to my ears, there seems to be only slight traces of doom to be found within this volume of their music. Instead, the sounds I hear on it are more like a mix of Black Breath, Pungent Stench, and Clutch; bands that are not very doomy but bands that most metal heads hold in high regard nonetheless. Subgenre classifications be damned - let’s get down to business…. 

The album opens with a short intro track called “Welcome to the Shit Show,” which consists of a cryptic spoken word message that warns of the end of the human race as we know it over what seems to be some type of warping carnival organ notes setting the stage for what is to follow. Shortly thereafter, the recording kicks off the embarkment with a boot stomper called “Gimme the Night, any Day.” This tune initiates their heavy buzzsaw sound and begins with a sludgy pounding groove before a middle section breakdown gives way to a storm of phasers that eventually leads us to a flurry of tortured screams and grim chords which sound like they could have been pulled right from a classic Swedish death metal album. This is a great, no nonsense opener to get the album rolling off to a good start. 

Third track, “Battlepants,” is a rock solid death march loaded with nothing but slam, stomp, and pound, that will pulverize your speakers in a militarized procession for the entire duration of the song. Some eerie and haunting background vocals in the post-chorus part are a very nice touch and give the song that little extra something to show us that Gurt is not just another one-dimensional, ugly face. Fourth song, “Double Barreled Shot-pun,” is another stone-faced groover of classic rock and roll revolutionary riffs. This one, however, has a bit more of a bouncy 80s crossover feel. Being a child of the 80s myself, the song quickly got my blood pumping and my feet tapping with its permeating rhythm. The fifth track, “The Crotch Wobbler,” has a sexy and seductive saunter to it. It is chock full of big stoner rock riffs and I can definitely hear this one being played at numerous strip clubs in the Southern and Midwestern United States as some freckled farmer’s daughter butters your corn cob amidst a back drop of soiled Confederate flags.

Sixth track, “Existence is Pain,” is a playful little instrumental number, almost Primus-like in its funk and silliness. It also comes complete with a cameo appearance by none other than MTV stars, Beavis and Butt-Head to end the song. The track may seem a bit out of place, stuck in the middle of all these heavy ragers but fuck it - this is art and the artist is free to express themselves any way they choose. I salute the band for flying their freak flag high and letting everyone know that they don’t take themselves too seriously. Honestly, to me it’s a breath of fresh air in today’s modern metal climate, especially for a band this heavy. Rolling right along to the seventh track; “Broken Heart Heroin Man,” is a raging, straightforward punk blast that will blow your hat off as it stays in high gear energy for the entire eighty-three seconds of its duration. “Meowing at the Fridge” is a thick and chunky, slow to mid-tempo chugger. The vocalist really gets guttural on this one as he croaks, bellows, and screams his way through almost the entire four minutes of the song.  “John Gar See Ya Later” is another straightforward riff rocker with an extremely catchy chorus which I found myself inadvertently humming after the first listen. Its dominating chorus coupled with a funky and psychedelic middle section featuring some tasteful soloing by both guitar and saxophone making this one a unique and interesting stand out track of the album for me. Tenth track, “The Balled of Tom Stones and Reg Montagne (Pt. 1),” is where we finally get the doom side out of Gurt; death-doom to be more exact. The song is suffocatingly heavy with moroseness, and serves as another nod to classic Swedish death metal.

The closing track, “The Balled of Tom Stones and Reg Montagne (Pt. 2),” consists of little more than some faint gypsy music set to a background of howling winds and is an interesting way to bring the album to a close. It is the final brick in the shit house and brings to light yet another side of the band’s many faces. Although the heart and soul of “Skullossus” proves to be straightforward, lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek, rocking songs, the band also has many other distinctive sounds and quite a bit of depth when they feel like showing it off to us. Many fragmented bits and pieces of death metal, doom, punk, sludge, thrash, stoner, and funk also make their way into the album’s well rounded repertoire. I really enjoyed “Skullossus” and although many others may already be familiar with Gurt as they’ve apparently been touring and releasing material for the past seven years, I was not previously familiar with the band and I’m glad I was given the chance to review their newest offering and become enlightened. This is some quality music that draws from many influences and I feel any metal fan should be able to enjoy it…. possibly even as the soundtrack to their next doom party.

“Skullossus” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Telekinetic Yeti - "Abominable"

By: Andre Almaraz

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 17/03/2017

Label: Sump Pump Records

All in all, the recording has a huge sound and the production is absolutely amazing. It has everything you could ever want and I would rate it as a perfect 10. The album is truly remarkable and is sure to go down in history as one of rock’s greatest debuts. These guys are definitely heavyweight contenders to find their place at the top of the scene

“Abominable” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1.Abominable

2.Electronaut

3.Stoned and Feathered

4.Colossus

5.Lightbearer

6.Apophis

7.Beneath the Black Sun

8.Himalayan Hymn

The Review:

Telekinetic Yeti is a two piece stoner/doom band from Dubuque, Iowa and their debut album, “Abominable,” has just been released in March 2017. Quite frankly, this album is a fucking monster from start to finish. Imagine a mash up between Bongzilla, Pelican, Stinking Lizaveta, and Kadavar, and that will get you close to the same universe as the one where Telekinetic Yeti’s musical mastery is born. Album opener and title track, “Abominable,” starts the recording off by lighting a mighty fuzz bomb in your ear. The song is like a left hook to the face and tips you off to hang on tight for a wild ride to come. The drummer means business and lets you know right away that he is out to blow your mind. At just over three minutes in length, the song is short, to the point, and punchy as all hell with vicious vocals to seal the deal. Although the album is mostly instrumental, there are three songs with vocals and this is one of them in a big way. 

The second song, “Electronaut,” is instrumental. It has the quintessential stoner rock/doom groove with a nice touch of prog. This one is right out of the acid soaked, psychedelic 60s scene and a perfect instrumental rocker. At just about five minutes long and drenched with gargantuan riffs, the song keeps the action going strong. Third track, “Stoned And Feathered,” answers right back with the banshee vocals. This one has more of a 70s slam groove going on. This baby is so bouncy and catchy that even the fillings in your teeth will be rocking. The use of effects and melody within it are undeniable as well as unforgettable. The band has also released a music video for the tune which is really fun to watch.

The fourth song, “Colossus,” is instrumental. This one begins with some hard rocking riffs, which is the main theme of the entire album, but then gives way to some dreamy passages adding some spacey mellowness and again, a tasteful touch of prog. This is the longest track on the album, telling its epic story with a haunting melody that will get inside your subconscious and never leave. When “Lightbearer,” kicks in, you are hearing the last song on the album with vocals. This one is a bonafide jam from start to finish with a barrage of ferocity, harmony, and melody. Sixth song, “Apophis,” is the heaviest song on the album in my opinion, making it a personal favorite as I am a huge fan of the heavier stuff and backbeat rhythms. At barely over ninety seconds in length, its untimely end is truly my only slight disappointment of the album and I sincerely hope they explore this slower, heavier, and more doomed out/sludge driven aspect of their dynamics much further in future releases.

Seventh song, “Beneath The Black Sun,” begins with that awesome mellow/spacey trip that they are so good at creating. Some high register riffing makes the bass guitar really stand out up front in this one. The album’s closing track, “Himalayan Hymn,” again begins with the mellow dreamy stuff and then kicks into become a full on chest pounder. In a nutshell, the yeti is a mystical beast. It is not only telekinetic but also a space traveler, a time traveler, and telepathic. One aspect of the album that I found particularly interesting is how Telekinetic Yeti like to start the barrage right away in their songs, and then end several of them with a relaxing outro whereas most other bands do the opposite; they tend to start their songs with long, drawn out intros, eventually building up to when the band kicks in. Telekinetic Yeti smashes you in the face right of the bat and then cools down after the assault is over. I thought that was a cool twist on the status quo of the genre which works well to their advantage. Another notable aspect that makes the band interesting and unique to me is that while three of the songs have vocals, the other five are instrumental, another cool deviation from the norm.

 All in all, the recording has a huge sound and the production is absolutely amazing. It has everything you could ever want and I would rate it as a perfect 10. The album is truly remarkable and is sure to go down in history as one of rock’s greatest debuts. These guys are definitely heavyweight contenders to find their place at the top of the scene. The drummer is an absolute beast which is something that sets this band apart from the crowd, but the songwriting and riffs are ridiculously strong as well, giving the album a surefire winning combination. I think fans of any kind of stoner, doom, and even just 70s hard rock/heavy metal in general could appreciate their music. As the band’s name itself raises curiosity, I have a feeling that Telekinetic Yeti are on their way to becoming one of the scene’s premiere acts in the near future. You should definitely give this album a listen and check out the music video for the song “Stoned And Feathered.” These guys definitely have their shit down and one listen gives you the feeling that these men are destined for greatness. Judging by their Facebook page, they seem to tour quite often. I hope to witness one of their live shows soon and I suggest you do the same if you get the chance. This is simply outstanding music.

“Abominable” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Rozamov - "This Mortal Road"

By: Andre Almaraz

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 03/03/2017

Label: Battleground Records

 “This Mortal Road” a monolithic behemoth which starts off with a lumbering, pounding rhythm summoned straight from the bowels of hell and does not let up its sonic assault for albums duration. 

“This Mortal Road” CS//CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). This Mortal Road

2). Wind Scopion

3). Serpent Cult

4). Swallowed and Lost

5). Inhumation

The Review:

Rozamov is a band who I’ve been following for several years now, ever since I had seen them play a small club in Chicago back in July of 2013. They made an impression on me then that still holds my interest into the present day and I am pleased to have the opportunity to review their newest offering. Up for review is their fourth recording, yet first full length album, “This Mortal Road,” which was just recently released on March 3rd, 2017.

    

 The album begins with the title track; a monolithic behemoth which starts off with a lumbering, pounding rhythm summoned straight from the bowels of hell and does not let up its sonic assault for almost eleven minutes. The blunt force trauma of the opening riff is eventually slightly offset by some clean vocals, giving the opening segment a very haunting and melancholy feel. The tune is primarily instrumental, but as that thundering opening riff returns toward the end of the song after an introverted and sullen sounding period in the middle, this time they choose to scorch over the top of it with aggressive, shouted vocals, giving it a completely different, more venomous feel the second time around. The second track, “Wind Scorpion,” keeps the lava flowing freely as the scorching vocals chime in right from the top and all the way through this one. This song gives a small ray of hope to the overall bleak landscape by way of a meaningful, expressive guitar solo near the end; a very nice touch. 

The third track, “Serpent Cult,” would have been perfect for the soundtrack of the original Conan The Barbarian motion picture as its serpentine riffs are the sonic equivalent of slithering through the barren desert sands and across hot rocks as you bake in the midday sun. The vocals accompany almost every riff in this one, again employing both clean and aggressive variants, and they all sound phenomenal as always. The fourth track, “Swallowed And Lost,” is a short piano piece set to a backdrop of blowing winds and ominous spoken word echoed out to almost unintelligible proportions with some low end rumble and noise thrown in for good measure. At just under two minutes in length, the piece serves as a brief intermission from all the downtrodden misery before they cast you right back into the depths of their devoted and dire devices, devoid of life, which brings us to the closing track….

 “Inhumation” is the longest song on the recording at a massive eleven and a half minutes from start to finish. This mournful canticle is a true testament to what Rozamov truly is, and wraps the album up nicely as they close the final chapter to leave us stranded in this desolate desert world which they’ve created. The final four and a half minutes of the song slow to a suffocating crawl, as you feel your breath slipping away until finally, we have transitioned through to breach the land of the dead. 

Rozamov has always had a signature sound and the production on this particular release is a perfect storm of low end boomed down into oblivion and high end elevated to laser precision which compliments their song writing style perfectly. The music is extremely expressive and “This Mortal Road” is a collection of darkened dirges that make the perfect soundtrack to accommodate the reminiscence of painful personal memories and thoughts of loved ones who are no longer with us in this dimension. The band is a tightly honed three piece unit of power and complexity which is currently on tour in promotion of this new album, and I highly recommend you witness their live show any time you are able. 

“This Mortal Road” is available digitally here and on CS//CD//LP vinyl here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook