Obsidian Sea - “Dreams, Illusions, Obsessions” (Album Review)

‘This is honestly one of the best doom albums I have heard so far in 2015.’

Album Type: Full-Length

Date Released: 15/4/2015

Label: Serpent Eve Records

“Dreams, Illusions, Obsessions” CD//DD/CS track listing

1). The Trial Of Herostratus

2). Confession

3). Child In The Tower

4). Mulkurul

5). The Fatalist

6). Somnambulism

Obsidian Sea is:

Bozhidar Parvanov | Drums

Anton Avramov | Vocals, guitar

Ivaylo Dobrev | Bass

Review:

Obsidian Sea, a 3-piece band hailing from Bulgaria and what they have done is creat an absolute beast of an album with their debut LP, “Dreams, Illusions, Obsessions.”  These guys are all over the doom map…traditional style mixed with new style grooves and some serious crunch!  Hell, there’s even some cowbell thrown in for good measure (and we all know you can’t have enough cowbell, right?)!  This band does doom and does it well.

“The Trial of Herostratus” starts things off with a slightly up-tempo riff with killer fuzz that will have you acknowledging that you’ve made a damn fine choice in picking this album up.  It has a Pentagram vibe to it and gets the album off to a brilliant start.  “Confessions” is next and slows the tempo down a bit, but also lets the guitar player show off his superb soloing skills, guitarist/vocalist Anton Avramov does some really stellar work here and it fits in with the slow groove perfectly.

“Child in the Tower” follows and this is a track that, in my humble opinion, would definitely work as the theme for one of those old school Hammer Films.  I really dig the gothic horror movie style feel to this one.  “Mulkurul” follows in the equivalent mode as the previous song, with same slow, creepy gothic vibe and lots of howling vocals from Anton, though not as guitar-centric, relying heavily on the organ to create its mood.

The succeeding tracks are by far my favorites of the album.  Gothic-vibe be damned, “The Fatalist” and “Somnambulism” gets the listener back to some good old-fashioned doom with killer riffs and some great guitar work.  “Somnambulism” ends the LP on a definite high note with a nearly psychedelic solo by Mr. Avramov.  Excellent stuff here.

This is honestly one of the best doom albums I have heard so far in 2015.  You need to add Obsidian Sea to your collection and make sure to keep a close watch on them as I anticipate great things from them going forward.

Words by Mike Lainez

“Dreams, Illusions, Obsessions” is available on CD/DD here and limited cassette here

For more information:

Listen: http://obsidian-sea.bandcamp.com/

Like: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Obsidian-Sea/238436246221154

Bong Threat - 'Bong Threat' (Album Review)

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 15/12/2014

Label: Self Released

‘Bong Threat’ DD track listing:

1). Most Precious Weed

2). Fisted Sister

3). Legalise It

4). Bong Threat

5). Donkey Bong/War Pigs

6). The Wrestler

The Band:

Jim | Guitar and Vox

Andrew | Bass and Vox

Keenan | Drums and Vox

Review:

Bong Threat, three guys from Ferguson, MO, who appeared on the doom front late last year with their eponymous 6-track debut, have created a sound which they have called “Party Doom.”  Lyrically, they wax poetic on the joys of smoking (and the hopes of legalizing) marijuana, but make no mistake…the music is 100% doom.  I was highly impressed with their first track entitled “Most Precious Weed” upon my first listen, and with that said to myself, “This is the review for me.” 

Starting off with a wave of swirling feedback, it reaches its crescendo then kicks into gear with a head-nodding rhythm around the 1 minute mark.  At 2 minutes it really picks up the pace but then slows down again when the vocals kick in, which I may add fit perfectly with the tone of the music.  A gravelly growl that is not overdone, so thankfully it works well.

The following track, “Fisted Sister,” definitely channels some Eyehategod (especially in the beginning section).  Then slows it down to an almost acoustic-style rhythm before turning the “electricity back on” if you will, and we’re back to doom land once more.  Onwards then and “Legalize It” is a 6-minute droner, lyrically expounding on the injustices suffered by those who partake in the “sweet leaf.”  Heavy, doomy and gloomy.  Excellent!

Next up is their namesake track, “Bong Threat.”  This one starts off slow and heavy as one would imagine, but then alternates in between with some of fastest drum beats of the album.  With very few vocals throughout, this is the track where the drummer gets to intermittently show off his skin bashing skills.  Overall very solid.

 “Donkey Bong / War Pigs,” is up next and is my favorite track of the album.  It’s a slow-churning dirge at first that builds to a faster tempo head-nodder by midway.  It has an excellent riff and a nice, crunchy tone.  Hear this you’ll and see why this was an instant favorite of mine.

The 6^th and final song of the album is titled “The Wrestler.”  This one starts off heavy but soon turns into a somber guitar strummer, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  It’s a great song but I am not so sure this would fall into their category of “Party Doom,” as the tone of the song is very downtrodden and bleak, ending with the screams of a man suffering a pain unknown.  

“Bong Threat” definitely have something good going here, so don’t let this one pass you by and make sure you give it a listen.    

Words by: Mike Lainez

‘Bong Threat’ is available here

For more information:

https://bongthreat420.bandcamp.com/releases | https://www.facebook.com/bongthreat666?ref=stream

Uhna - Demo 2014 (Review)

Album Type: Demo EP

Date Released: 1/8/2014

Label: Bandcamp

‘Uhna Demo’ DD track listing:

1).Only the Dead Go Free

2). Falling

3). Pressure

4). Silenced

Review:

From a slew of albums I could choose to review, Uhna’s Demo EP stood out from the pack.  Their sound instantly grabbed me and held on until the finish, and I knew this was the one.  Hailing from Malmö, Sweden, this 3-piece sludge outfit deliver a heavy dose of sludge style riffs and although not entirely groundbreaking stuff, it is original enough for me to say that they have acquired “their own sound.”

Their demo begins with ‘Only the Dead Go Free.”  At first I didn’t think this slotted into the overall sound of their EP, and it took some time to grow on me, but it finally did.  It’s a somber, slow instrumental intro that will ease you into the sonic bombast to come.  This could have easily been the intro to the track following this, as opposed to being an individual song, but in the end it works out. 

Next is “Falling,” and off we go.  Uhna hits hard with a fierce riff, excellent guitar tones, and the vocal delivery fits perfectly.  No “clean” singing here, this is angry, “yelling style” vocals that can get you into the mood to smash concrete blocks with your skull.  Think Jon Davis of “Conan” and you get the picture.

Third track is “Pressure,” a solid tune that has some “prog-metal” influences to it, ala “TOOL.”  Where I would have liked that style to be a bit less in the forefront, it didn’t dissuade me from listening to it again and again.  Overall they add enough of their own style to keep me interested.    

Lastly we have “Silenced,” the EP’s closing number.  This one is the most gritty (and with just a bit more fuzz than the others) and is by far my favorite track.  Drenched in feedback and reverb, out of the 4 songs this is the one that I hit replay on the most.  Excellent.

Overall this is a fantastic debut EP.  This is a band I will keep my eye on for sure.  As of now, you can download their demo for free at their Bandcamp page.  I highly recommend you do and give these guys a listen.  I doubt you will regret it!

Words by: Mike Lainez

You can pick up the DD here

For more information:

Facebook| Bandcamp

Crobot - Something Supernatural (Album Review)

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 24/10/2014

Label: Nuclear Blast

“Something Supernatural” CD/DD/LP track listing:

1. Legend of the Spaceborne Killer (3:18)

2. Nowhere to Hide (3:03)

3. The Necromancer (3:18)

4. La Mano de Lucifer (5:35)

5. Skull of Geronimo (3:55)

6. Cloud Spiller (3:41)

7. Fly on the Wall (4:10)

8. Night of the Sacrifice (2:59)

9. Chupacabra (3:13)

10. Wizards (3:32)

11. Queen of the Light (5:09)

Bio:

There was a time when rock radio was dominated by great riffs. From DEEP PURPLE’s ‘Smoke On The Water’ and DEREK AND THE DOMINOE’s ‘Layla’ to SOUNDGARDEN’s ‘Black Hole Sun’ and RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE’s ‘Killing In The Name Of’ it was all about that unmistakable guitar sound that instantly identified a band or song.

The four members of CROBOT -- Brandon Yeagley (lead vocals), Chris Bishop (guitar), Jake Figueroa (bass) and Paul Figueroa (drums) -- have united to bring that back.

Blending funk, blues, metal and good old-fashioned rock and roll into a howling vortex of Yeagley’s vocals, Bishop’s guitar and the Figueroa’s backbone, CROBOT have crafted an album of endless good time rock hooks that sound as inspired today as they would have on AOR radio in 1974.  

Crobot is:

Brandon Yeagley | lead vocals, harmonica

Chris Bishop | guitar, vocals

Jake Figuroa | bass

Paul Figuroa | drums

Review:

All you 70’s-style riff diggers take notice!  Crobot’s full-length debut has arrived and brings with it exactly what you’re looking for if that’s your thing.  This Pottsville, Pennsylvania quartet deliver killer vocals and fuzzed-out bluesy guitars (with a slight Southern-style stomp to round out their sound). 

The album starts off with swirling fuzz and “static” feedback as it launches into the first track, “Legend of the Spaceborne Killer,” and if you dig this riff then stay tuned as the rest of the album does not let up.  A track lyrically expounding about an unknown invader (a half bird, a half bot or half alien?), whose mission is to simply destroy all in its path, this sets the tone and mood for the rest of the tracks you’ll hear.  A favorite song I go back to again and again.  The entire album is fantastic and I dig every song, but I will point out a few tracks that I feel deserve special mention.

“Nowhere to Hide,” the album’s second track, contains some of the album’s finest guitar work in my opinion.  The “chicken scratching” is used to great effect here, and adds great rhythm to the already superb riff.  A standout.

My favorite on this album by far is “Night of the Sacrifice,” number nine on the track list.   This is a song I had on repeat in my car and blasted at max volume (with tons of drum bass to boot) with the windows rolled down time and time again.  This is an absolute balls-out rocker and you’ll find yourself wanting to hear the chorus over and over.  They use a killer guitar tone on a slide note on said chorus as well at the end of the second verse that I really dig.  Simply outstanding.

Monsters of legend, sacrificial rites, wizards, and even Lucifer himself are all present and accounted for as themes for Crobot’s songs.  But as dark as the subject matter is, the songs really are more of the “boogie woogie” sort, which Crobot makes work very well.  This isn’t a dark and “brooding” sort of album in any way.  On the contrary, it is a definite “partier” and would fit well into any style get together with some friends or if you simply want to “rock out.”

You can’t go wrong with picking up this album.  This is hard rock music done right!  I should also mention that the bonus track version of the album contains “Tap Dancin’ On a Tightrope.”  Well worth the extra price.  You buy now.

Words by Mike Lainez   

You can pick up a copy here

For more information:

www.crobotband.com

www.facebook.com/crobotband

www.nuclearblast.de/crobot

Black Tar Prophet - Deafen (Album Review)

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 19/4/2014

Label: Domestic Genocide Records

‘Deafen’ CD/DD/LP track listing:

1. Dethroned
2. Judgment Whore
3. Bottom Feeder
4. Ring of Buzzards
5. Back on the Nod
6. Stoned to Death
7. Hypomania
8. Let the Cold Winds Blow
9. Condemned

Bio:

BLACK TAR PROPHET was spawned in 2011 in Nashville by Swinehart, then on drums, and former guitarist Mark Owen with a simple desire to record low quality demos of heavy riffs in Greg’s living room. The pair eventually left the living room jam sessions and recorded their debut LP, Note To Nod. Tracked and mastered in Swinehart’s shed, the record features one gargantuan forty-two-minute track of girthy riffs, feedback and hostility. Following a short live excursion, Owen fled the band for personal reasons. Swinehart moved to bass and recruited drummer Erik Dever. Their enormous volume efforts proved effective and in 2012 the band joined forces with Atlanta sludge bringers, Crawl, for a split CD. The following year the band performed upwards of sixty shows throughout the Southern and Midwest regions, deafening unsuspecting ears one decibel at a time. In 2014, no one is safe.

The Band:

Greg Swineheart | Bass

Erik Dever | Drums

Review:

Let’s start this review by stating that I never believed it was possible for a 2 person group to create a truly coherent piece of rock music, let alone an entire album’s worth.  I always thought that at a minimum, you had to have drums, bass and a lead guitar.  I couldn’t have been more wrong.  Sure I have heard The White Stripes, but their music didn’t really grab me in any way.  But having heard much talk about how great a particular 2-piece band was back in 2009, I checked out Black Cobra’s ‘Chronomega’ LP and was completely blown away by the wall of sound they created.  Had someone said to me this band consisted of 3 or more members without knowing anything about them, I’d have no trouble believing it.  Since then, I began to give duos a closer look, and I’m glad I did. 

Fast-forward a few years to the present, and while searching for new music online, I came across Nashville, Tennessee’s Black Tar Prophet, an instrumental 2-piece band consisting of Greg Swinehart on bass guitar and Erik Dever on drums.  Intrigued by their band name, I listened to a few tracks from their debut LP ‘Deafen’ and immediately acquired everything they had put out.  These guys hit HARD, and it’s some dark and heavy stuff.  That’s exactly what I was looking for, and they delivered in spades. 

‘Deafen’ is 9 tracks of pure downtuned, fuzzed-out sludge fury.  There isn’t a bad track on here or anything that I would consider ‘filler.’  The album starts off strong and does not let up.  Each song is just as heavy as the last. 

Now the tone of Greg’s bass doesn’t change all that much throughout ‘Deafen,’ but it doesn’t have to. In less capable hands that may have been a problem, but here it works well. It’s all about the riffs and believe me, they are massive.  As in “hit you over the fucking head with a sledge hammer” massive. 

Now I can’t forget Erik’s drumming.  It has a HUGE sound on ‘Deafen’ and to me, the mix is perfect.  The drum sound is HEAVY, and that is a definite plus.  Some bands who deal in this style of music sometimes seem to forget they even have a drummer, with a cymbal crash here and there and not more than 3 seconds of continuous drumming at a time.  Often the guitar or in the case the bass can often take all of the spotlight and sometimes, that doesn’t work for me.  Thankfully that isn’t the case with Black Tar Prophet, as the drums play just as an important role as the bass and are as much in the forefront.

‘Deafen’ is an incredible album and I have listened to it several times from beginning to end. I consider this one my best finds of 2014, and definitely rank this in my top 5 albums of the year.  I have been converted into a Black Tar Prophet “disciple,” and if you take this album for a spin, I’m sure you will be to.

Words by: Mike Lainez

You can pick up a copy here

For more information:

http://www.facebook.com/blacktarprophet
http://www.domesticgenocide.com
http://www.facebook.com/domestic.genocide.records
http://domesticgenocide.bandcamp.com