REVIEW: Arctic - "Arctic" (EP)

By: Gerardo Pacheco

Album Type: EP
Date Released: 24/06/2016
Label: Outer Battery Records

This is a fine example of well executed rock, with an excellent blend of influences that don’t overstep anywhere to make the band sound like rip offs of any kind.

“Arctic” DD//LP track listing:

1.Over Smoked (08:36)

2.Cryptic Black Sun (04:07)

3.Burnt Ice (08:05)

4.Daewon (04:57)

5.Higher (03:23)

The Review:

I’m well aware that every time your intention is to read a review, your expectation should be that subject matter will trump personal opinions. You want to know what the album is about, prior to putting it on the device of your choosing for listening, or measuring your proper judgment of said album against a peer of the realm, namely a reviewer from whatever your source of information is. That said, I find myself perplexed with this band, more by the individuals that play the actual sounds they taped. This being a debut EP, I did some research on who these guys were, as I only had the EP to go by, which was given as a gift from a fellow Sleep fan. Digging beyond the cool as fuck cover art from Arik Roper (Sleep, Earth, Weedeater) I hit a wall when I found references for these people on skateboard related articles. These three dudes are pro-skaters. Pro-skater defined as sponsored athletes, backed by a brand named Volume 4 (sound familiar?). And of all places, they come from California. Oceanside, to be precise, dating back to 2011. So, by definition you would expect them to sound like they belong on a Tony Hawk game soundtrack, right? Prepare to have your archetypes broadened.

A blizzard of flangered white noise along with numbed cymbals gusts in to prepare us for what’s to come. Reverbed guitars that remind us of cavern echoes compliment the intro before allowing the fuzz pedals to take over and reveal the beginning of this 30 minute trek. “Over Smoked” then gives way for the initial riff to further develop, as well layered production from Jordan Andreen (Earthless, JOY) provides quite the lysergic experience over the course of its almost 9 minutes. And I say almost, as the band hits the brakes and shift gears mid-track to steer us towards stoner rock pastures. “Cryptic Black Sun” lures you in with 70s infused classic rock, cornering the listener to bathe its ears in slow burning acid, leaving us charred with psychedelic euphoria.

As we continue to dwell on the Arctic soundscape we can appreciate the tripping textures on “Burnt Ice”, which features heavily distorted vocals, a first on the record. The LSD-dipped melodies mangle riffs with blues roots and fry them in blown-out amplifier tar. A face-melting solo stretches well over half of the track, which serves as a conduit between chunky power chords juxtaposed against hallucinatory hooks. “Daewon” bridges over the drum fill from “Burnt Ice” and sways over to colourful psych-doom for a minute, or 3, as organized chaos brakes out to throttle your senses as the song progresses, throwing a spotlight on ‘Figgy’ who shreds solo after solo as if he was hitting a perfect line of park benches, sidewalks and the occasional obstacle. Much like a buffalo stampede “Higher” rolls in with the kind of bravado and muscle that was apparently the norm for well-respected bands back in the day. That does not last long, as the band surprises us with a turgid mass of crushing filth. Not much is left on this hike and as we soar to the peak of the proverbial mountain, a final sprint is made by the guys in an effort to conclude the ascent.

This is a fine example of well executed rock, with an excellent blend of influences that don’t overstep anywhere to make the band sound like rip offs of any kind. Definitely keep them on your radar, I would not be surprised if Heavy Psych Sounds Records picks them up and issues a split with Karma to Burn? One can only wish.

“Arctic” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

REVIEW: Devil Electric - "The God's Below" (EP)

By: Gerardo Pacheco

Album Type: EP
Release date: 06/06/2016
Label: Independent

Hailing from the Melbourne, Australia, Devil Electric unleash a bevy combination of, ‘riffs of old and new in a collision of unholy matrimony’.

“The God’s Below” DD//7" track listing:

1.Devil's Bells (05:42)

2.The Dove & The Serpent (05:19)

3.Confusion of Mind (03:56)

4.Holy Ghost (06:00)

The Review:

As society continues to rightfully empower women in all areas of gender equality, rock seems to be following the trend. Female fronted bands are nothing new in the industry, but the recent rise of groups such as Blues Pills, Psychedelic Witchcraft, Castle, among others, further proves it is increasing exponentially and welcome by almost everyone in the scene.

Hailing from the Melbourne, Australia, Devil Electric unleash a bevy combination of, I quote from their site, ‘riffs of old and new in a collision of unholy matrimony’. It may sound pretentious, but we all have to agree that when a week after releasing an EP you gain label contract attention, either they've sold their souls to the devil or they put their money where their mouths are. Home of fine acts such as Ruby The Hatchet and Mammothwing it was a no brainer putting pen to paper with teuton stoner label Kozmik Artifactz.

The rite is short for those keeping time, 21 minutes worth, which commences with “Devil’s Bells”, where the main riff lurks like a giant powering through a beer mile. Riding on top of that lumbering beast is evil sorceress Pierina O’Brien, leading the chant with some soulful vocal work. It is noteworthy to comment at this juncture on the production value, for which rookie Aussie native Tom Glover is responsible for. For this EP to be a self-release, the quality is very respectable. The track then takes a left turn near the end towards doom/prog territory, releasing us from the dark brooding atmosphere that crept thru the first minutes of the record.

We then move on to “The Dove & The Serpent”, which carries on with the doom mood to then bridge over to Christos’ guitar tip-toeing like a ghost on eggshells, until it reaches the chorus to bring us full circle with the opening structure. Like in "Devil’s Bells", a hard turn is made towards heavy metal grounds as the song progresses and unwinds, literally. A classic rock intro and an overall evil vibe coupled with what is an obvious spotlight on Tom Hulse’s offbeat bass we get the band lighting a church on fire with “Confusion of Mind”.

That leads us to the end of the left hand path with closer “Holy Ghost”, which to me gives us a glimpse at what the band can achieve when they commit to allowing the riff monster to breathe, developing longer passages with a tried and tested quiet/loud dynamic boiling over a stoner witch’s cauldron. So, occult rock does abuse a few elements such as the dreaded vocal enchantress, 70s Univoxs or Muffs and coven subject matter, but never forget that it’s not about believing in Satan, it’s about Satan believing in us.

Well worth bookmarking, check back when they release their debut LP next year.

“The God’s Below” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Earthship - "Hallowed"

By: Gerardo Pacheco

Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 24/06/2016
Label: Napalm Records

“Hallowed” is well represented with monolithic riffs, multi layered vocal arrangements and in standout track “Monolith” it delivers one of the heaviest moments within the course of the album. To me it appears as if the band had held back on us up until this point, because they have unleashed a truly astonishing album, which pummels and pounds you with a thick narcotic groove.  This album is sonic alchemy of all their best elements, making this album a great listen and one to be admired.

“Hallowed” CD//DD track listing :

1.Reduced to Ashes (04:11)

2.Hollowed (04:26)

3.Valley of Thorns (03:42)

4.Conjured (03:25)

5.Monolith (04:04)

6.In Fire's Light (04:13)

7.In the Arms of Medusa (03:14)

8.Castle of Sorrow (03:46)

9.Safeguard of Death (04:38)

10.Red Leaves (04:26)

11.The Edge of Time (07:09)

12.Blood Candy (Bonus on Limited edition) (03:08)

13.The Edge of Time (Bonus on Limited edition) (04:11)

14.Hollowed (Bonus on Limited edition) (03:33)

The Review:

The almighty vessel that is Earth Ship (or Earthship, depending on who you ask) set sail back in 2011 from the Grey City of Berlin, DE, with their debut album “Exit Eden” (Pelagic Records, 2011).  The aforementioned LP set the model of sound they were striving to achieve, that which became evident when they literally dropped the bulky “Iron Chest” (Pelagic Records, 2013) followed by hasty riff-seared “Withered” (Pelagic Records, 2014).

This new entry in their proverbial log marks the departure from Germany’s Pelagic Records, wayfaring to Austria’s well respected Napalm Records. This 47 minute jaunt (or 58 minutes on the Limited Edition) gets under way with eerie atmospherics on “Reduced to Ashes”, unfolding the sludge canvas to take advantage of favourable stoner winds.

A progressive tide hits the keel on the title track, and we get a glimpse into the Oberg’s (Sabine & Jan) multi layered vocal arrangements that leads into a pounding breakdown bringing Earth Ship about.  Coming at you like a knockdown wave in the middle of a thunderstorm comes “Valley Of Thorns” the albums 1^st single, rolling with the fury of a hundred oars, guided by Florian Häuser’s pulsating beats, which then give way to a blinding solo to finish it all off. Sabine then steers the tempo on “Conjured”, which reminds us of early 90s Seattle fuzz-infused resonance. Dissonant riffing complements the underlying bass tone in conjunction with the Oberg’s crooning. Standout track “Monolith” carries on with the post-grunge banner, only to strike those colours and supplant it with one of the heaviest moments within the course of the first half of the record.

Opening the second leg of the expedition, “In Fire’s Light” sees the band harken back to their sludge foundation, pummelling and pounding through a thick narcotic groove with some math rock hooks, supplemented by melodic dual humming which compliment Janus’s harsh vocal work expertly. Kicking things up a notch, the tempo for “In The Arms Of Medusa” arrives like a Gorgon army ready to smash your teeth in, and do pay attention to the commanding ride cymbal accents on this one, some fine wrist work on display.

Don’t be fooled by “Castle Of Sorrow”s gloomy title as it picks up right where “Medusa” left off. A commanding riff smack in between thrash and black metal drives the chant, until it gives way to a head banging chorus. It is from this point forward that I truly believe that the band starts experimenting with their sounds and evolve to what was presented on the 2^nd and 3^rd singles that pre-empted the release. For example, the figurative view from the “Safeguard of Death” provides a different take on Jan’s vocals, going for a clear, trance-inducing approach, riding shotgun on top of a sped-up doom/heavy metal pattern, before shifting without skipping a beat to a more radio commercial friendly sound to lock up the track.

Keeping up with that sound I alluded to before, they plunge further into the heavy tone while holding the clean singing routine on “Red Leaves”, another standout track on its own. As we near shore, we see the band reach “The End Of Time”, well represented by its monolithic opening riff. It’s stupid to judge this, but to me it appears as if the band had held back on us up until this point, where they unleash a truly astonishing anthem. Sonic alchemy of all the elements that make this album a great listen can be admired here. A truly sombre (not in a bad way) and majestic way for Earth Ship to meld with the sunset.

If you happen to get the Limited Edition of this release, you get “Blood Candy”, an interesting sludge/post metal instrumental one off that reminds me of the “Withered” days, as well as acoustic versions of “Hollowed” and “The End Of Time” which present a different shade to the bands traditional sound, well worth acquiring if available.

“Hollowed” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

Graves At Sea - "The Curse That Is" (Album Review)

By: Gerardo Pacheco

Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 01/04/2016
Label: Relapse Records

The album opener and title track drops the anchor to establish the length, tone and rhythm this 76 minute voyage is about. An unpredictable, violent haze of amplifier worship, “The Curse That Is” is a strong candidate for one of the top 10 albums of 2016.

“The Curse That Is” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). The Curse That Is (11:14)

2). Dead Eyes (11:08)

3). Tempest (07:02)

4). The Ashes Make Her Beautiful (15:15)

5). This Mental Sentence (05:00)

6). The Waco 177 (09:22)

7). Luna Lupus Venator (02:53)

8). Minimum Slave (14:19)

The Review:

Graves At Sea have been around the metal block, a few times I may add, for the better part of this century. Formed originally in Phoenix, AZ, the band gained traction with their debut EP “Documents Of Grief” (Self Release, 2003). They inked a deal to put out the “Cirrhosis/Atavist Arise 7” (Southern Lord, 2004) and then delivered a tormenting split with Asunder (“Life Is Abuse”/20 Buck Spin, 2005). During the course of those two recordings, they relocated to Oakland, CA and rumours boiled over about a potential full length, which never materialized. Hitching on the maritime nature of their name, they returned to the ocean and vanished in the horizon, disbanding in 2008.

2012 came around and the North-Pacific current carried them to Portland, OR, where they resurfaced. More or less following the previous pattern, they put out the “This Place Is Poison 12”” (Eolian Empire, 2014) accompanied by a “Master Of Reality” side B that I’m sure made The Eternal Idol proud. That snowballed to yet another split, this time with Cape Fear’s sludge veterans Sourvein (Seventh Rule Recordings, 2014).

Last year, when I heard GAS had signed with Relapse Records I rejoiced. Then, when they announced the release date I thought: are they serious? Slated for April 1^st, 2016 it seemed like the joke was on everyone. You see, it’s easy to dismiss the information, as the band had never released a full length in their entire career. So here we are, 13 years later with high expectations and trust me, they are met with aplomb.

Before we dive in, I just want to point out the fact that Orion Landau (YOB, Red Fang, Inter Arma) continues to astonish me with his ill-as-fuck art.

The album opener and title track drops the anchor to establish the length, tone and rhythm this 76 minute voyage is about. Feedback emerges like a Megalodon from the Marianas Trench courtesy of Nick Phit’s left handed custom SG, crushing you with one of most progressive riffs I’ve heard from the band ever, to then blast off full throttle and unleash that characteristic GAS brand of sound. We can attest here that the production has been polished by Brad Boatright’s skilled hand. Nathan Misterek’s vocal range is on full display here, going from hellish screeching to low rumbling growls. “Dead Eyes” comes in next and features the band riding a more familiar song writing pattern, discharging power-chords right behind Bryan Sours’ burly fills. The track closes with what I interpret as the first of a few well-orchestrated interludes, those which emphasize on alternative instrumentation. As unpredictable as Tiamat herself, “Tempest” honours its name with a violent whirlwind haze of amplifier worship. All 3 of these tracks were released before the record came out, from here on out we head into uncharted waters.

Bisecting the album, comes the magnum opus “The Ashes Make Her Beautiful” which intertwines with the second acoustic interlude on the record. A 15+ minute testament of GAS, this track unfolds and expands their sound beyond anything presented so far in their multiple previous offerings. Grab your headphones and allow it to drag you to the depths of the Challenger Deep. An auditory delicacy. The record moves forward to bring us back to the plodding sludge roots of the group with “This Mental Sentence”, one of shortest and catchiest songs in their entire repertoire.

I happened to be in Texas, just north of Waco, for business reasons, during the unfortunate shootout that took place there over a year ago. People who were clearly not part of the Motorcycle Club lifestyle all had an opinion on the situation and all coincided that this was more of a slaughter than a shootout. “The Waco 177” pays tribute to this sad moment in Texan history. The momentum shifts yet again with the final interlude in “Luna Lupus Venator” and leaves us at the end of the plank with closer “Minimum Slave”. Much like Tiamat’s multiple heads, the track rolls like a frenzied shanty, traversing effortlessly through sludge, doom ‘n’ roll and stoner rock. It is here where the bass really shines and drives most of the riff action.

All in all, this is a solid effort by Graves At Sea, I appreciate that they did not include any old tracks and delighted us with brand new material. I enjoyed the faster tempo that they are now playing versus the slower, more traditional sound they were known for. Don’t get me wrong, impending doom will still make you break your neck mid-air, but slicker pace rounds out the mix overall. A strong candidate for top 10 2016.

“The Curse That Is” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

Cough - "Still They Pray" (Album Review)

By: Gerardo Pacheco

Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 03/06/2016
Label: Relapse Records

“Still They Prey” CD//DD//LP track listing

Haunter of The Dark (7.50)

Possession (10.24)

Dead among the Roses (10.46)

Masters of Torture (7.54)

Let It Bleed (9.36)

Shadow of the Torturer (10.34)

The Wounding Hours (6.37)

Still They Pray (4.09)

The Review:

With this release, Cough barely breaks the decade span career-wise. Formed back in 2005 in Richmond, VA, as a trio originally, It didn’t take them long to write and record their first EP, “Kingdom” (We Are The Label, 2006), followed by their debut full-length, “Sigillum Luciferi” (Forcefield Records, 2008) which garnered the attention of Relapse Records. Their second full-length “Ritual Abuse” (Relapse, 2010) was widely well received by critics and their cult-like following. Sanford Parker (MINSK, Pelican, Indian) was behind the board for the aforementioned LPs.

It seems almost ironic then that Jus Oborn is heavily involved in this affair. After drawing Electric Wizard comparisons well over the course of their career, it seems only fitting that they asked him to produce and record this time around. On the other hand, Garrett Morris’ involvement seems like a natural move given Parker Chandler’s other gig, that band being none other than, Windhand. We can bitch about Cough taking so long to put new material out, and one can only assume and attribute it to Chandler’s band juggling. But in hindsight, “Reflection of the Negative” (Relapse, 2013) allowed us to witness the magnitude of his musicianship holistically and established him in the pantheon, or graveyard if you will, that is the Demons [gods] of Doom. On a separate note, coming up with material such as what is presented, you need to acknowledge the fact that they did not put this record out to fill their pockets and run.

Let’s just get something off the table to boot. While their previous efforts clocked in at 56 and 53 minutes respectively, “Still They Pray” runs for 68 oppressive, slow burning, mind-bending minutes. Just about the same length as your regular black mass. To begin this ritual, in true Cough fashion, feedback drips from David Cisco’s rig, before full riff utopia bursts out, with swirling kaleidoscopic antics weaving seamlessly throughout opener “Haunter of the Dark”. Slowing things down a bit, Chandler shows us a glimpse of his heavy bass tone, not before he falls into full despair mode to carry on with the regular Cough M.O., in which they hit us with back to back 10+ minute tracks in “Possession” and “Dead Among The Roses”, the LP’s 2^nd released single. Speaking of that third track, the song writing made me nostalgic, as it sounds like 90s grunge had sampled some Indica-laced blunt. Here, it is undeniable that Brandon Marley really joins the fray to provide some much appreciated dual-guitar melodies. To close off the first leg of the record, we are slapped with some of the sludgiest and darkest riffs in “Masters of Torture”. That is, until they pick up the tempo quite considerably for one of the most memorable head banging moments up to this point.

“Let It Bleed” really sets the tone for the 2^nd half and serves as a bridge between the concepts that the band intend to marry in unholy matrimony, namely the psychedelic with the doom. If you have not been partaking in some sort of leaf hailing by now, “Shadow of the Torturer” is as good a time as any to do so. A 10+ minute sonic attack of instrumental, fuzzed-out groove galore, going from sweet southern rock to an overwhelming wall of sound. There, the record’s 1^st single, “The Wounding Hours” kicks in. Its painfully obvious how this would be the 1^st single out, as it presents Cough at their pinnacle. The organ is a new wrinkle on the recording, haunting the mix, complemented by solid, fat riffs along with Joey Arcaro’s dominating and hypnotic drumming. The vocal work conveys such misery that it is beautiful in its own tragic way. Which brings us to the title track and album closer, “Still They Pray”, which presents an acoustic madrigal. This may be a shot in the dark, but its apparent to me how this track ties the entire record together, revealing the band at their most vulnerable.

Don’t sleep on this; I can assure you it’ll be included on a bunch of best of, end of year lists. Abuse your speakers and play it fucking loud!

“Still They Prey” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook