VIDEO PREMIERE: "Black Mountain" by Soul of Anubis

Portuguese Sludge/Doom act SOUL OF ANUBIS will release their second album “The Last Journey” via Seeing Red Records on 6^th September 2019.   Their attack is ferocious, aggressive, and primitive. Similar to the roar of a Lion, the sound and force the band create demands attention and respect. Since the release of their debut EP in 2013, the band have perfected their own unique style and have created a wall of sound that could stop a rhino!

If you’re a fan of bands such High on Fire, Horn of the Rhino, Ufomammut, Monolord, you absolutely must check out this band. With their record set to drop tomorrow, we are proud to debut a new video for the track “Black Mountain” below.  It is so ferocious it is likely to cripple you. So turn up and watch you speaker die.  PREORDER Cd / Digital

Band info: facebook || bandcamp

ALBUM REVIEW: Son of Cain, "Closer To The Edge"

By: Richard Maw


Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 30/11/2018

Label: Raging Planet

Son of Cain deliver COC grooves and style mixed with the intensity and vocal approach of prime era Danzig, the end result is a mixture of dark and dangerous rock n roll

 

“Closer To The Edge” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Hit the Road

2). Born to Fail

3). Beyond

4). Like Stone

5). Old Man

6). Reach The End

7). Dead Corner

8). Human Prey

9). Boiled

10). Outro

The Review:

Son of Cain deliver COC grooves and style mixed with the intensity and vocal approach of prime era Danzig. Sounds like your kind of thing? It will be, if you like those two bands. In particular, Danzig is writ large through the very core of this release. It's dark and hard rocking at the same time, it's as if the Evil Elvis upped sticks and move to... Portugal?!

Yep, this band is European and not from the US or even South America. Their geographical location doesn't matter to me at all- this is quality stuff and the two piece line up (drums/vocals and guitars/bass, unusually) handles the material well.

There is nothing you have not heard before, but so what?! Most bands are STILL copying Sabbath riffs, so a respectful nod to Mr Danzig is fine by me. From the opener “Born to Fall”, to the “Outro”, the influences are stamped on the bands sleeves (leather/denim/studded gauntlet- I assume). There is more to this than pure pastiche, though. “Beyond” is a rough rocker of a track and “Like Stone” is as hard and heavy as the title suggests.

The two band members nail the grooves admirably and the sound is rough and raw- Rick Rubin is not needed here as the energy crackles out of the speakers. “Old Man” really is like Prime Danzig circa “Lucifuge” or thereabouts. The latter half of the album (you get ten tracks in total- without 99 bonus tracks!) is just as strong, with “Reach The End” rushing out fast and keeping a punk-ish energy in its frantic delivery- which contrasts well with a more laid back vocal.

“Dead Corner”utilises dialogue from what is surely one of the best films of all time and sets the tone for a low down and dirty song. The final trio of “Human Prey”- which showcases excellent melodies and use of variety/dymanics, “Boiled Up” and “Outro” keep the energy levels up and the vibe cranked to maximum darkness. This is dark and dangerous rock n roll- very enjoyable.

“Closer To The Edge” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Sinistro - "Sangue Cassia"

By: Ernesto Aguilar

Album Type: Full length

Date Released: 05/01/ 2018

Label: Season Of Mist

Think a heavier Massive Attack, a dash of post-rock, a helping of menace and a blend of orchestration that makes it really an interesting listen.  This is exceptional stuff for a band you may not hear lots about, but they’re definitely worth your time.

"Sangue Cassia" CD//DD//LP track listing

1. Cosmos Controle

2. Lotus

3. Petalas

4. Vento Sul

5. Abismo

6. Nuvem

7. Gardenia

8. Cravo Carne

The Review:

Most people have heard of Cirque De Soleil, the French-Canadian aerial troupe that has evolved from a hipster, no-animal circus into an entertainment powerhouse in Las Vegas casinos, Beatles and Michael Jackson-themed acrobatic arena tours and worldwide television. Even if you have never attended, you have probably heard of Cirque's elaborate stunts and interpretative dance. It caters to the culturally curious, while staying relatively accessible to the suburbs. Its performances are punctuated by a rich score, one that melds influences from world music, contemporary rock and pop and live instrumentation in a fashion aimed at pulling together its often quirky tales. If you are familiar with Cirque's soundtrack, hearing Sinistro is probably one of the few times you'll be brought back to that mental space of being inside one of the act's big tops.

Such a comparison is a compliment and not a put down. Cirque has a fine attention to detail and effortlessly sets up a scene in a way most musicians struggle with. "Sangue Cassia" is an intelligent and infinitely listenable album. However, the comparison may also serve as fair warning to you, generous listener. If you read the standard descriptions of Sinistro as doom or a rock/metal derivative, you will soon learn the five-piece is not. It shares an atmospheric or tonal quality of doom, possibly – most strongly on cuts like "Cosmos Controle" and "Cravo Carne" – yet it's not that really. It is instead a dash of post-rock, a helping of menace and a blend of orchestration that makes it really an interesting listen. Think a heavier Massive Attack. You may not like it if Morbid Angel or Tombs are your jams, though.

The Portuguese band has been around a minute – 2012 to be exact – but it seemed to take off in 2013, when it added vocalist Patricia Andrade. Andrade brings to Sinistro a particular beauty to the double-guitar stylings of Rick Chain and Ricardo Matias. You will soon discover her range is formidable; songs like "Lotus" and "Vento Sul" are an outstanding showcase for what Andrade does best, using her strong voice to draw the emotion out of Sinistro's heady blend of an experience, creatively supported by Paulo Lafaia on drums and Fernando Matias on bass and synths.

"Sangue Cassia" is at its greatest when his forceful guitars show out on tracks such as "Petalas" or "Abismo." Andrade is commanding with her singing (it's clean, by the way), while the bass and drums foment the energy. A post-rock song like "Nuvem" matches Andrade's ethereal vocals with droning rhythm and guitars. The noise influence on "Gardenia" has underlying hints of paradoxical subtlety. Overall, across these divergent selections, is an aesthetic that has a distinctly symphonic flair. It's not the Carach Angren kind of symphonic, but it has a 'big' feel. Exceptional stuff for a band you may not hear lots about, and worth your time.

"Sangue Cassia" is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook