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This is 'Liberation through Amplification.'
The opening quartet of tracks here offers up a
relentless onslaught of earth-shaking doom. Tim Bagshaw is on fine form,
unleashing an endless stream of mammoth riffs and lead guitar that channel the
hazy evil of his finest moments in Ramesses.Lee Dorrian’s half spoken, half roared vocals work well in amongst the
carnage and are a breath of fresh air in the modern doom landscape.
“Love From With The Dead”
CD//DD//LP track listing:
1).
Isolation
2). Egyptian
Tomb
3). Reincarnation
of Yesterday
4). Cocaine
Phantoms
5). Watching
the Ward Goes By
6). Anemia
7). CV1
The Review:
The future
of With The
Dead seemed bleak following the sudden dismissal of Mark Greening shortly after the release
of their debut. New LP “Love From With
The Dead” shows there is plenty of life left within these undead servants
of the riff.
It’s
noticeable even from the bowel-churning opening notes of “Isolation” that “Love From
With The Dead” is a different proposition from the band’s debut.
Fortunately there is no change on the punishing heaviness front, but the
strange atmosphere of their first album has been supplanted by a more
conventional production and sound that befits the development of With The Dead
from a studio project to a full live band.
The opening
quartet of tracks here offers up a relentless onslaught of earth-shaking doom. Tim Bagshaw is on fine form, unleashing
an endless stream of mammoth riffs and lead guitar that channel the hazy evil
of his finest moments in Ramesses, particularly during the epic churn
of “Egyptian Tomb”. Lee Dorrian’s half spoken, half roared
vocals work well in amongst the carnage and are a breath of fresh air in the
modern doom landscape. The new rhythm section of Leo Smee and Alex Thomas
do a grand job of laying down an unshakeable foundation of low-end filth.
With The Dead could probably draw upon
an infinite well of sludged-up ragers like “Reincarnation
Of Yesterday” and “Anemia” but
it’s the deviations from the script that lead to the album’s finest moments. “Watching The Ward Go By” is a haunting
and crushing dirge built around a single, desolate chord sequence. It emerges
from a fog of eerie faraway sounds as a hushed, funereal hymn with Lee Dorrian’s spoken intonations
heightening the dread. Around the mid-point the track erupts into a distorted
nightmare that wrings maximum torment from the glorious monotony.
The best is
saved for last in the form of the monstrous 17 minute “CV1”. It begins in
familiar territory with lumbering riffs acting as a perfect foil to Dorrian’s impassioned rant about the
sad decline of his home of Coventry.
Around the mid-point the band lock into a minimal droning groove that the band
hammer into oblivion. This acts as the backdrop for swirling psychedelic sounds
and a rising tide of harsh electronic squall that finds With The Dead moving into a
higher dimension of dark, mind-expanding noise.
“Love From With The Dead” could probably do with
trimming some of its mammoth sixty minute plus duration to maximise impact but
this is a minor complaint. This is a massive offering
from With
The Dead that demonstrates the band are still a force to be reckoned
with in terms of heaviness and hints at a weirder future ahead.
“Emanations” was
the sophomore album from NYC doom super group SERPENTINE PATH. The band’s 2012
self-titled debut was a boldly grim statement of unforgiving misanthropy that
referenced both the filthy riffs of Autopsy and the stoney doom of Sleep. Now officially augmented by
second guitarist Stephen Flam, the mastermind behind NYC doom/death legends Winter, SERPENTINE PATH were
truly a heavy metal all-star team (the band also features current and former
members of doom legends Electric
Wizard, Unearthly
Trance and Ramesses).
Sure, the pedigree is undeniable, but regardless of their ‘members of’ status, SERPENTINE PATH were
one of the heaviest bands on the planet.
Although there is no word on the current status of the band, Unearthly Trance
reformed and Tim Bagshaw formed With The Dead with former Cathedral front man Lee Dorian. SERPENTINE PATH released a previously unreleased song called “Venom”
on August 26, 2015 which is available via their bandcamp page, but today
our focus is on their sophomore release “Emanations” as we rewind the
riffs 3 years ago to the day and look back at this masterpiece of doom which
was reviewed by Richard Maw on 19/5/2014.
By: Richard Maw
Album Type: Full Length
Date Release:23/5/2014
Label: Relapse Records
It is with a great pleasure that I can say
Serpentine Path have returned and consolidated the reputation built on the
first album. This is an example of the genre done right- the essence of metal
is here with all the horror and darkness you could wish for. Gripping and
repulsive all at the same time.
“Emanations” CD//DD//LP tracklisting :
1). Essence of Heresy (03:48)
2). House of Worship (04:17)
3). Treacherous Waters (07:46)
4). Claws (07:31)
5). Disfigured Colossus (05:59)
6). Systematic Extinction (07:15)
7). Torment (08:25)
The Review:
Serpentine Path return with their second LP of hate filled doom/death.
The band's pedigree (Electric Wizard, Ramesses et al) is well known, so let's cut to the music.
First off, this is destined to be one of the genre's
greatest releases this year. It is an excellent record. From “Essence of Heresy” onwards, the
record oozes menace and horror. The tempos are slow and the riffs suitably
snaking, creeping forward with insistence.
“House of Worship” is slightly quicker with riffs/lead work that recalls the early 90's
DM scene. Think Obituary, not Cannibal Corpse,
though. “Treacherous Waters” ups
the song length and downs the tempo to a crawl. The vocals are brutal, the
drums slow, the riffs stellar. There is something very nasty about the vibe of
the album- in that regard it carries on the work of the superb self-titled
debut. Grim stuff, and compelling to listen to with it- the track has double
bass drums, good riffs and progressions and that intangible extra quality of
unpleasantness.
“Claws” has a
lovely downtrodden and sinister guitar refrain in the intro as the song builds
up the sense of dread and paranoia. Again, the deathly vibes are there along
with the doom- not as overtly as Hooded Menace, say, but
present all the same. This is doom, no doubt, but with a strong injection of
the slower elements of death metal as well- and it makes the band unique.
“Disfigured Colossus” brings the band to the latter half of the album and it sounds as the
title reads- massive, hulking and ugly. The track fits perfectly as a set up
for “Systematic Extinction”.
Seven minutes of pitch black darkness. The grooves created are head nodding, to
say the least, and the overall effect is of a car crash happening in front of
you in slow motion.
“Torment” finishes
this doom colossus with well over eight minutes of iron-fisted spite. The song
is a good example of what Serpentine Path are all
about- unstoppable riffs and rhythms that just keep moving forward, crushing
all in their path.
It is with a great pleasure that I can say Serpentine Path have returned and consolidated the
reputation built on the first album. This is an example of the genre done
right- the essence of metal is here with all the horror and darkness you could
wish for. Gripping and repulsive all at the same time.
This is another perfectly fuzzed out
slab of doom from a band that doesn’t seem to know any other way.
“Ouija”
CD//DD//LP track lisiting:
1.Intro
2. Dead
3. Drawing Down The Moon
4. Ouija
5. Mind Funeral
6. A World of Darkness
The Review:
Dead Witches is the latest incarnation
of occult doom perpetrated on an unsuspecting world by Mark Greening (former Electric Wizard,
also of Ramesses,
With The
Dead) and vocalist Virginia Monti (Psychedelic Witchcraft). With
the help of Carl Geary on bass and the dearly departed Greg Elk on guitar, they
have churned forth “Ouija” for your
consideration, meditation and devastation. They aren’t trying to reinvent the
genre here. With their history and pedigree, you wouldn’t expect them
to. This all to brief slab of sludgy goodness is just the latest chapter
in their already stellar careers.
“Ouija” creeks to life with a classic
doom intro of rain on organ with cavernous guitar emanations, perhaps giving
rebirth to the cover arts dead witch in the graveyard, courtesy of the always
epic and over the top Goatess Doomwych. The intro gives way to “Dead”,
a lumbering slow burn with crisp percussion and thick riffs, along with our
first taste of Virginia Monti’s vocals, hazy and slightly distorted, with a
tinny almost ham radio quality, like a voice from beyond.
On
“Drawing
Down the Moon” everybody flexes just a little. They take the tempo up a
notch, Mark Greening gets loose on the kit, the riffs get thicker and more
fuzzed out and the vocals wail and get more insistent as the song progresses.
The back half of the track revs up to an unhinged gallop as Greg Elk works out
a brief keening solo that struggles for life over the top of the jam session
created by the rhythm section. The title track, “Ouija” follows, stepping
the pace back to the lumbering burn of “Dead” but with a heavier back beat
at the chorus. This track is also the best showcase for Virginia Monti’s
vocals, which find more range and swagger throughout.
The
final two tracks are a perfect pairing of heavy doom, and my favorites of the
album. “Mind Funeral” is the heaviest track and Mark Greenings finest
behind the kit. Engulfed by a huge riff and a filthy vocal delivery from Monti,
Greening throws away the wing nut on the high hat and proceeds to lay about the
place, dealing fills at every opportunity for an epic highlight. They segue
with ease as Greening cools it down with the 90 second intro to “A World of Darkness”. Everything goes quiet and a girls voice says “you’re
gonna die up there” and they launch into another thundering riff,
another stellar jam, another perfectly fuzzed out slab of doom from a band that
doesn’t seem to know any other way.
What sets
11PARANOIAS apart from other bands operating in the realms of psychedelic
heaviness is the otherworldly atmosphere they conjure. Every note is enshrouded
in a hazy fog that lends their music a darkly unsettling feel.
“Reliquary for a Dreamed of World”
CD//DD//LP track listing:
1).
Peripheral Metamorphosis
2).
Destroying Eyes
3).
Avallanius
4). Mutus
Lieber
5).
Meditation on the Void
6). Phantom
Pyramid
7). Milk of
Amnesia
The Review:
11PARANOIAS are a rare example of a
super group that are as good, and possibly even better, than their constituent
parts. Featuring Mike Vest (Bong, Blown Out, etc.) on guitar, Adam
Richardson (Ramesses)
on bass/vocals and Nathan Perrier (Capricorns) on drums, the band fully deliver
on their impeccable heavy credentials, as demonstrated on previous LP “Stealing Fire From Heaven”.
Expectations of greatness weigh heavy on new LP “Reliquary for a Dreamed of World” and 11PARANOIAS rise to the occasion
and then some.
Opener “Peripheral Metamorphosis” wastes no
time in getting down to business as the band launch straight into a huge,
treacly riff. This track acts as a satisfying reminder of all that makes 11PARANOIAS great;
minimal punishing riffs that bludgeon the listener senseless whilst elevating their
consciousness to a higher plain, striking a delicate balance between hypnotic
repetition and organic progression. What sets 11PARANOIAS apart from other
bands operating in the realms of psychedelic heaviness is the otherworldly
atmosphere they conjure. Every note is enshrouded in a hazy fog that lends
their music a darkly unsettling feel. The band also show a rare grasp of
dynamics, sometimes falling away to a hushed, restrained quiet that makes their
ferocious onslaught all the more terrifying when it arrives.
11PARANOIAS marked themselves out
previously by their inclusion of weirder elements that stretch beyond the
standard boundaries of doom. “Reliquary
for a Dreamed of World” sees them fully embrace these influences with
incredible results. Monstrous, sixteen-minute highlight “Destroying Eyes” begins with their characteristic leaden riffs but
as the track progresses the tempo slowly picks up until the track blossoms into
a high octane stoner punk explosion. Relentless filthy baselines drive the track
to ever-higher levels of intensity, a glorious racket that sounds like the Stooges
jamming with AcidMothersTempleas Yob
set the controls for the heart of the sun. “Phantom Pyramid” sees the band embrace extended periods of clean
guitars to create an ominously intoxicating two chord slow burn that eventually
erupts into molten distortion. This track sees them move away from doom to a
more psychedelic rock sound although still crushingly heavy, like an iron-clad Bardo Pond.
This bleeds seamlessly into the storming finale of “Milk of Amnesia”. Based mostly upon one churning riff of almost
garage-rock simplicity, the band throws everything they have into a four minute
adrenaline rush of primal ferocity. Its impact is all the more devastating in
contrast to the longer, drawn out songs that precede and its unexpected
immediacy makes for a brilliant end to the album.
“Reliquary for a dreamed Of World” is an
incredible release from 11PARANOIAS. It sees the band raise their
already impressive game to another plane with a cosmic onslaught on the senses
that makes all other psychedelic doom bands sound like Oasis in comparison. This is the
album that should make the band member’s other
achievements irrelevant; what matters is that they were involved in the
creation of this monumental record.
“Reliquary for a Dreamed of World” is available here
Thrown
into life amongst the nothingness of Siegen/Germany in 2011, Wolves Carry My
Name play a bastardised infusion of 90s Sludge-Metal and ruthless
Hardcore, making for an undulating sonic onslaught of blackness.
October
14th will see Wolves Carry My Name release their latest EP
in the form of “Black Earth Tongue” and
today you can stream it in full below.This
one is guaranteed hyberbolic earworm for fans of Wolves in the Throne Room, Eyehatehod,
Thou,
Electric
Wizard and Ramesses.So if you like how that sounds, remember the three rules of Sludgelord,
“Stop, Look, Listen” and prepare for
sonic detonation.Check out the EP and pre-order/buy it here
If
that wasn’t enough, check out my short interview with drummer Moritz about the roots of
the band and how the new record came together.
SL: Can you give us an insight into how you started playing
music, leading up to the formation of Wolves Carry
My Name Moritz
(Drums) Yeah, sure. Back then in 2011 some of us were on the lookout
for people to start a new band/project. At that time we didn't even really know
each other. It pretty much was a typical “a
friend of a friend knows someone, who might be into it” thing that made us
connect with each other and so we somehow ended up jamming out some riffs
together. That worked out way better than we'd ever expected and a couple of
months later we were a band with an EP.
All
of us have been in several bands before. Tobi played in a band blending
Alternative Metal/Rock with some Stoner vibes, Adil and Konstantin were into
Thrash and Death Metal while Dennis and me were rooted in the Hardcore scene
and played in a band together. I think that our different backgrounds helped us
a lot with getting this band started. You know, all the basics like 'how to
write a song', having connections to the scene, bookers and so on.
SL:Although you are set to release “Black
Earth Tongue” which will serve as your 2nd official release, For folks
unfamiliar with your band, is there any bands on the scene past and present
that you would use as a reference point to describe your band, and who or what
continues to inspire you and push you to try new things?
Moritz: This is a tough one. Some of
our influences are pretty obvious, I guess. You know, like Eyehategod, Weedeater, Iron Monkey, The Abominable
Iron Sloth... the whole Sludge Metal starter pack. This might be the
common sense we have. Of course, each of us has his own favorites. Some are
into the classic Nola bands or prefer a more stoneresque sound, you know, like Elder
for example, some are into Post Metal, some like Crust, Hardcore, Black &
Death Metal, Punk-Rock, Indie, Rap, 80s synth wave, whatever.
Not
all of this is a real influence, but a lot of it inspires us in one way or
another, maybe not even the style itself but the way some bands write songs,
perform live, their artworks and attitude whatever. In the end each of us
contributes his part. For me personally, Hang the Bastard were a huge influence, both
their old and new stuff. I love that rough and angry hardcore energy mixed up
with the Nola and Sabbath-riffing. SL: What can you tell us about your upcoming
record and where do you feel it sits within the context of current metal scene?
Moritz: After our first EP and the “Bone Carver” single we had trouble
writing new stuff. We jammed out a shit load of riffs and had like up to twenty
songs half finished. But it didn't even sound close to what we wanted it to
sound. We also had some struggle because of the typical work issues. Some of us
moved to other cities and it wasn't easy to manage the whole rehearsal and song
writing process. It took us about two years and a serious period of laziness
and bad mood to know where we wanted to go. We developed a more consistent
sound. The songs are shorter and to the point, the riffs are bigger. It's
pretty straight, pissed off and heavy. We skipped most of the atmospheric Post
Metal influences and added a certain hardcore appeal. At least that's what it
feels and sounds like to me. So long story short.. If you're into heavy riffs
and pissed off vibes you should check out "Black Earth Tongue”.
SL:
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?
Moritz:
As I said before it was a long hard road with plenty of obstacles. We did a DIY
pre-production in my apartment and the shitty drum machine sounds I used for
the demo recordings (because I'm not a real technique freak or know much about
programming drums) still haunt me. We've all put a lot of work and time into
the production but it was worth it. We are really happy with the new songs. I
think it really is a step up compared to the “Amongst Ruins And Ashes”-EP. After all the struggle with getting
our shit together we now rehearse frequently and can't wait to play live again.
Seems like the vibes in this band are way too positive for a nihilistic Sludge
Metal band. Well, we'll be working on that, for now it feels really good. SL: What stands out as your overarching
memory from the recording sessions?
Moritz:
I remember the first day of recording very well. We hooked up with Manu (Parabol Audio),
a really cool guy I know from a recording session in the past. He told us he
wanted to try something different with the drums. So when we arrived in Viersen it turned out
that I would record drums in a huge hall that was built for orchestras. The
setting was really impressive and the sound was really BIG. I felt pretty
important, too, more like I was recording takes for a new Pink Floyd album. I think the
whole recording session was a cool experience for each of us. Working with Manu
was really chilled and he did a damn good job.
SL:
With a solid new album in the bag, how is your schedule shaping up over the
next 12 months?
Moritz:We
will play a couple of shows this year and we plan to do waaaaay more shows next
year! So to each and every promoter/booker who likes the new songs: just drop
us a line, we seriously want to play your favourite club, church, living room,
whatever! We will continue writing new songs in the meantime. Next step is a
full length album. We'll see! SL: Finally, do you have any final
comments/word of wisdom you’d like to bestow upon us?
Moritz:We just wanna thank you for your
support, Aaron! We really appreciate the time you put into supporting small
bands like us. Cheers to our UK
friends in Telepathy
– check them out, if you're into mind-blowing atmospheric prog/post-metal!
“Barren Fields” sounds like doom, it relentlessly rumbles forth with unstoppable perpetual motion. There is more light and shade with Tombstones, but they are no less weighty, the compositions are all stand alone pieces of music, but all with a vibe running through them and a sound that identifies them.Simply put, this is a modern doom record and those of us who enjoyed the their last record, Conan, Electric Wizard, Ramesses et al will find much to enjoy here. A fine album, then.
‘Vargariis’ CD//DD//LP track listing:
1. Barren Fields 2. And When The Heathen Strive, Vargariis Rise 3. Oceans Of Consciousness 4. The Dark High 5. Underneath The Earth 6. Pyre Of The Cloth
The Review:
Having heard “Red Skies and Dead Eyes” back in 2013 and enjoyed it a lot, I had high hopes for this Scan-Doom outfits' latest release. From the off, it does not disappoint. “Barren Fields” sounds like doom, all right, but of the Conan rather than Sabbath variety. It relentlessly rumbles forth with unstoppable perpetual motion. There is more light and shade with Tombstones, perhaps, than with their UK equivalent, but they are no less weighty. “And When The Heathen Strive, Vargariis Rise”acts as a quasi title track, a little quicker at base tempo but it is no less downtuned or doom filled. The vocals, when they arrive, are positively anguished (more akin to Moss, or something, initially). Good to hear the high hat foot pedal getting used too- not something you hear a lot of in doom.
“Oceans of Consciousness”starts with a rolling blast beat (think black metal, not death metal), which is both surprising and a great change of approach for the band. Things slow down to a grooving and low slung riff, of course, but again the band prove that tempos and dynamics are one of their strengths as the blast returns...
Naturally, as the track lengths are all uniformly around the nine or ten minute mark, it would be hard to argue that there are songs per se. This is doom, after all, and as a genre generally it will go for repetition and groove over hooks most of the time. That is not to take away from the compositions here- they are all stand alone pieces of music, but all with a vibe running through them and a sound that identifies them. “The Dark High”gives an almost trippy vibe; loose and open as opposed to some of the more claustrophobic tracks elsewhere and it breaks things up effectively. It gets heavier as it goes, of course and ends with a suitably feral thrashing of the bands' collective instruments. “Underneath The Earth” is a pleasingly downcast listen, all stops and starts and riffs.
“Pyre of the Cloth”finishes the record with another nine minutes plus of percussive battery and doom laden riffage. Simply put, this is a modern doom record and those of us who enjoyed the their last record, Conan, Electric Wizard, Ramesses et al will find much to enjoy here. A fine album, then.
