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Showing posts with label Doom Stew Records. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Doom Stew Records. Show all posts
Kurokuma prove once again, that trends in heavy music never last, but creating something unique and personal within the boundaries of heavy music, undoubtedly will.
“Dope Rider” CD//CS//DD//LP track listing:
1).
Dope Rider Part 1
2).
Dope Rider Part 2
The Review:
I'm
always drawn towards bands that tread their own path, so it's rather fitting
that I get to review the phenomenal Kurokuma's latest EP, 'Dope
Rider'. While the concept maybe based on a comic strip from marijuana themed
publication High Times, fans of traditional stoner will be shocked at the lack
of copy and paste pentatonic riffs and banshee wails.
Part
one of this 2 part release teases the eardrums with Joe E. Allen's always
hypnotic, tribal drumming while feedback and droning guitars build slowly. The
verse riff is superb showing just how unique the band are in their approach to song
writing and riff crafting. Driven by Allen's drumming, vocals are traded back
and forth between guitarist Jacob Mazlum and bassist George Ionita to
accentuate the rhythmic flow and as the track draws to its natural conclusion,
awash with gritty psychedelic textures, it's Allen's use of the mighty cowbell
that closes.
Part
Two starts off meatier than a caveman barbecue with devastating, muted riffs
amid drumming that seems off kilter but is nevertheless absolutely on point.
The tremolo riffing caught me off guard and had me gurning and nodding in
definite approval. By the time the most accessible closing riff bleeds out to
some droning, notes, listeners will want to press play all over again. At least
I did...about 6 times...
Kurokuma
prove once again, that trends in heavy music never last, but creating something
unique and personal within the boundaries of heavy music, undoubtedly will.
“Dope
Rider” is available digital here.
Cassette and CD available at www.doomstew.com/store/.
Vinyl coming September 2018.
Blowing brains wide open since the release of an
early two track demo in 2014, Sheffield based atomsmahers Kurokuma have made quite
the impression on the doom scene, supporting the likes of Crowbar, Trap Them, Conan, KEN Mode,
Skeletonwitch, Goatwhore and Samothrace. As well as tours with Dvne and then Vinnum Sabbathi in
2017, it seems that despite the gap of almost two years since the release of their
acclaimed debut EP “Advorsus” Kurokuma have built a solid foundation based upon their devastating lives shows and unrelenting work
ethic. Now as we begin to the enter the
second half of 2018 and although they have never been away, Kurokuma are set to
make some big announcements and we felt it was appropriate to get the
scoop. I recently hooked with Kurokuma drummer Joe E.
Allen to chat about the roots of the band and what the future holds. Check it out below
Can you give us an insight into how you
started playing music, leading up to the formation of Kurokuma?
Joe:
Jake and myself have known each other since we met a long time ago at Corp in
Sheffield. After I moved back from Japan more recently we were hanging out,
smoking, listening to Electric Wizard,
jamming, you know. Isn’t that how all doom bands start? We also wanted to make
sure we were adding more exotic instrumentation and rhythms into the mix. We
found our exotic bassist, George through an online ad after our original one
left.
For those people unfamiliar with your
band, are there any bands on the scene past and present that you would use as a
reference point bands to describe your band, and who or what continues to
inspire you and push you to try new things?
Joe:
It was originally Black Tusk, Black Breath and other bands that start with Black. The
more primal, rhythmic elements came from listening to “Battle Against Clown” from the Akira
soundtrack, me playing the taiko drum in Japan and a shared appreciation of
South American electronic music. Also George being a percussionist as well
helps.
We
have pretty high and adventurous standards when it comes to what passes as
worthwhile music. Seeing off-the-wall bands like Granule
and Birushanah recently in Japan feeds the
creativity. Our music is meant to represent raw power at its core. All music is
an inspiration. In fact, anything at all is - you can draw that power from
anything and anywhere and then put it back out for the people.
Since the release of your well received
debut “Advorsus” in September 2016 can you summarise what you guys have been up
to over the last 18 months or so. Any highlights you’d like to mention and any
forthcoming announcements you’d like to share with our readers?
Joe:
A lot has happened since that. UK tours with Under, Dvne
and then Vinnum Sabbathi from Mexico. “Siege of Limerick” in Ireland last year
was our first show abroad, then earlier this year we did Japan with Conan and Granule, then Iceland
for the 4/20 weekend…
Japan
was just as dope as you’d expect. Probably more actually. The fans were
receptive to us and Conan, especially cos
it wasn’t a kind of music they were necessarily used to. We had a team of
people linked to “The Doom Doc”
following us round and they’re working on a short film. I’ve seen clips and
it’s gonna be a nice piece exploring touring, as well as Japan’s metal scene
and cannabis culture there. It’ll be out later this year.
And
we’ve got a video diary we filmed ourselves in Iceland coming out very soon. We
were there for a 4/20 event with the Icelandic premiere of “The Doom Doc”. A lot happened that
weekend, including one of the members of Morpholith getting
arrested haha. So that video diary will be out at the start of June along with
the release of “The Doom Doc” on
DVD, finally.
Soon
we’re playing in an actual cinema down in Bristol soon for another screening of
“The Doom Doc”. That’s with 11paranoias, Under, A Horse Called War and Shrykull - five bands all featured in the film. That will
be sick, visuals and the lot
Then
we have our first release in over a year and a half coming out in August on Doom Stew Records. They’re based in San Francisco and run
by the drummer from Brume.
Does anything spring to mind when you
think about the completion of your upcoming record and how is the mood in the
camp at present?
Joe:
We’re enjoying everything that’s happening right now, soaking it all in. But
we’re very pleased to finally have some new music to put out, and on vinyl this
time. Feels like a very long time since “Advorsus”
came out and we don’t really play those songs much anymore. We’ve gone to town
with this new release - it’s a concept EP and it’s pretty special. I mean,
check the artwork for a start.
It’s
all based on the Dope Rider strip from High Times in the 70s. We got in touch
with Paul Kirchner - the creator and artist - and he was very into the idea so
he let us use any of the art. The lyrics in one of the tracks are from one
specific Dope Rider story, and that whole story is printed in full on the lyric
sheet insert. It’s gonna be a very nice thing to hold in your hands, especially
for fans of beautiful and surreal art.
What stands out as your overarching
memory from the recording sessions?
Joe:
We recorded it with Sam from Slabdragger down at “The Cro’s Nest” in Croydon. It was a
funny few days for a few different reasons which I won’t go into, but looking
back on the positives Sam has a really nice place where we stayed and the
weather was hot so it was a good, sweaty time.
One
thing that sticks out was having to dash to see this guitar tech guy after Sam
was hearing some weird notes on George’s bass during recording. This guy has a
little shop and has worked with bands like Judas Priest. After
getting it reset the bass was sounding perfect. We did a couple of experiments
with South American instrumentation as well, some of which made it onto the
final mix.
We
ended up taking the tracks to Chris from “Skyhammer
Studio” and he did a mix that left the two tracks sounding nice and big.
It’s been a very long process up until the release but that’s what can happen,
ya know.
With you new record in the bag, how is
your schedule shaping up over the next 12 months?
Joe:
This August we hit up Eastern Europe on tour, including Rockstadt in Romania
and Brutal Assault in Czech Republic. We’re playing with Converge
twice so I’m gonna ask Kurt Ballou if he wants to record our next release. Also
gonna get a photo with Danzig.
We
have a split EP planned with some friends of ours on a notorious Sheffield
label. We’re recording a cover we’ve been working on and some deep, dubby cuts.
Then
we do a UK tour with a dope powerviolence band from Japan, announcing that
officially soon. Then a handful of dates with Boss Keloid.
We’re on about going back to Japan, maybe Ireland again. We might be just about
ready to record an album at some point next year...
We
also have one more track left over from that last studio session so we’ll be
putting it out on a split with a certain Mexican band - you can probably guess
who if you think hard enough.
Finally, do you have any last words?
Joe:
Big up THE SLUDGELORD and the Sheffield sludge
crew.
“A Universal Emptiness” is a nihilistic
record that is thrilling and disconcerting in equal measure.With their second release, California sextet Catapult
the Dead have emerged as brutally heavy hitters who display musical might and
audio finesse.
Think
about the last time you felt sheer, unabashed terror.I’m not talking about the controlled violence
of a roller coaster or rickety carnival ride, but the “holy shit I could have died” nausea that floods your organs after
you spin out across a highway doing 65 and somehow avoiding that oncoming
tractor trailer.You know that giddy joy
between nervous laughter and bursting into tears?“A
Universal Emptiness” is the soundtrack to that feeling – a nihilistic
record that is thrilling and disconcerting in equal measure.With their second release, California sextet Catapult the Dead have emerged
as brutally heavy hitters who display musical might and audio finesse.
Multi-instrumentalist
Garrick O’Connor opens “Till It Goes
Away” with a piano melody straight from a horror soundtrack, foreshadowing
the extreme dynamics of “A Universal
Emptiness” – at one moment the album can be quiet and nearly tranquil,
before thrusting into pure dissonance.Vocalist Ben Hiteman shows remarkable facility from his first
lines.Though he punctuates certain
phrases with high register shrieks or even melodic, chant-like notes, Hiteman’s
delivery is usually a low-end shout that is gruff but intelligible.And that qualifier rings true with every
element of Catapult
the Dead: each layer of instrumentation is heavy but clear.For once I could believe there were three
separate guitars actively playing in each song because I could make out the
variations in tone and style.The
combined effect is classically sublime: breath taking verging on overwhelming.
“Anti-Aether”, a personal
favorite, again hinges on musical diversity, opening as a folky, dark dirge,
bordering on balladry that never drops emotional sincerity once the full band
kicks in.After frenzied tremolo picking
the tempo crawls to a standstill at the midway point before sliding into a
lurching, lumbering stomp.Patrick
Spain’s brutal, multifaceted talent behind the kit cannot be discounted
throughout “A Universal Emptiness”,
but his work here is particularly invigorating.The mix of low end guitar crunch, Brownson’s thick bass riffs,
O’Connor’s subtle keyboard work, and the sitar-like, psychedelic guitar leads
builds towards a hypnotic closing refrain –“Swim against the sea” – the
perfect counterpoint to the elemental, tidal power surging underneath.
“Last Breath” opens with a
double fakeout: angelic organ music that segues to lo-fi cacophony, before the
façade drops and the band launches into HD brutality.The tremolo guitar work here is particularly
noteworthy, as it recalls the pipe organ intro, but with a decaying, blackened
edge.The shifting roles and transposed
melodies shared by Dajani, Lilliston, and O’Connor belies a keenly honed
collaborative ethos that permeates the whole of the record.
It’s
remarkable that in the midst of this group onslaught, album closer “Burning Womb” is as effective a
metaphor for agonizing solitude as I’ve ever heard.Hiteman’s lone voice, still shouting but
dropped to a murmur in the mix, is less a defiant scream than an impotent cry
of rage.When the volume normalizes and
the pummeling resumes, complete with memorable, sludgy riffs and shimmering,
open chords, you can almost forget the dark melancholy that anchors the
song.As the band crescendos, the urge
to joyfully, masochistically beat your head into the concrete may be too much
for some listeners.For those that can
stomach it, treasure the scars “A
Universal Emptiness” leaves you.
“A
Universal Emptiness” is available to preorder/buy here
Catapult The Dead is a sextet from Oakland,
they have been together for around 5 years, playing the style of music which
could be broadly described as atmospheric doom. Thematically their
debut full length, ‘All is Sorrow’ released
in 2014, felt very cinematic and is very layered production wise, driven as
you’d expect from a massive sounding guitar tone, but what felt quite unique is
the use of keyboard. Indeed it is the use of keys which made the
band feel truly unique, giving their music a dynamic appeal. Much like the
movie The Matrix, no one can really
be told what is, you have to see it for yourself. In fact if you
substituted Catapult the Dead for the Matrix in that quote, it quite accurately summarized their debut album
What
Catapult the Dead have managed to do in their short tenure,
is to produce progressive sounding doom, oppressively heavy but never idle, in
the sense that it never seems to repeat singular repetitious phrases of
music. Their music is stylistically cinematic because it feels
typical of how films are made, like there is one continuous story to be told,
and it is always moving forward, evoking a sense that their music is a
narrative to some macabre Lovercraftian tale. I feel Catapult the Dead
are innovators and perhaps one of the best bands no one seems to know about,
but that is about to change with the release of their spectacular new album “A
Universal Emptiness” released on 15
November 2017 via Doom Stew Records, and
we’re stoked to be able to premiere a brand new track from the album which you
stream in full below. Preorders of the
album are available here
