BEAK - EYRIE REVIEW

Beak is a 4 Piece Atmospheric Sludge Metal Band From Chicago, USA

The members are:

Chris Eichenseer
Jason Goldberg
Jon Slusher
Andy Bosnak 

Beak are classified as a Atmospheric Sludge or Post-Metal band but they are more than that. They blend Death, Hardcore, Doom, Sludge, and Thrash Metal into their own hard-hitting style of Post-Metal. I am going to call them of one of the finest Experimental Extreme/Post-Metal bands of 2012 and probably Post-Metal’s next breakout act.

Beak have just released their superb debut release – EYRIE – A 5 song 25 minute blast of amazing Sludge/Post-Metal vibes that expertly blends all of the other genres listed before.

This is one of the best Post-Metal releases I have heard since ISIS landmark classic – OCEANIC and VYGR’s Hypersleep. Even though the release EP is on 25 minutes or so it has some of the best Post-Metal music I have heard this year.

These guys are loud from the word go adding top-notch hardcore based vocals as well. EYRIE is being acclaimed all over the place and rightly so. It shows a band with a very bright future ahead of them.

All of the tracks are brilliantly put together and showcase the band’s talent from the word go. Blending all of the different genres and sounding highly original at the same time.

You really don’t know what to expect next on this great EP. I can’t fault EYRIE at all. All of the songs feel like in the right order and flow together perfectly.

The vocals add a truly haunting feel to the overall atmosphere that will send chills down your body at times. Especially on tracks like “Angry Mother Of Bones”, “Hands Collide” and the epic track “Man At Arms”.

The production is another highlight. Everything is pitched at the right level. And is loud as anything you will hear all year.

EYRIE showcases what brilliant musicians Beak actually are. The amount of genres they go through is astonishing in s such short space of time. This is one release you will be listening to over and over again as you will miss the odd riff here and here like I did.

My final thoughts on this great release is that Beak have proved they are a band to be reckoned with. They have the talent and vision to go a long way. They have the potential to be the leading shining light in Post-Metal. 

Beak are on the road to greatness and nobody is going to stand in their way. Brilliant. Another contender for one of 2012 best records.

You can buy this brilliant release here.

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Major Kong Album Review

Major Kong is an instrumental Sludge/Stoner/Doom Metal Band from Lublin, Poland

The members are:

Domel - bass
Misiek - guitar
Bolek - drums 

Major Kong play a great blend of Instrumental Rock blended with Sludge, Stoner and Doom Metal with added superb noise effects as well.

These hugely talented rockers have been on this blog before with their excellent debut release. Well the guys are back with their proper full length debut album – Doom For The Black Sun. An amazing 6 song hard hitting 46 minute odyssey that you will be coming back for more.

Taking influence from Church Of Misery, Sleep, KYUSS and many other great bands. Major Kong have a great style of their own adding cool psychedelic riffs as well.

This release has been a long time coming but is definitely been worth the wait. I promised the guys a review and its an album I haven’t stopped listening to for the last couple of weeks or so. Even if it was on BandCamp Page. But I relented I bought this masterpiece at the weekend. Its been on constant repeat.

This is a work of genius at times. The riffs are loud, heavy and crushing all at the same time. The album has it fair share of epic tracks. Two of them are on past the 9 minute mark. And these are the best two tracks on this brilliant album.

“Primordial Gas Clouds” and “IDDQD” both show what this band does best. Playing heavy hypnotic riffs laced with a great psych undertone to their music which draws the listener in right away.

This is probably the best Instrumental Psych Doom/Sludge/Stoner release I have heard since L’Ira Del Baccono’s 2008 brilliant live album.

In fact I would say this is the better release. It has more riffs you can shake a stick at. Plus it has some of the best drumming I have heard this year.

The album is brilliantly produced and will have you coming back time and time again. Major Kong have proved on this great release they are ready to be major players on the international Sludge/Doom/Stoner Metal scene.

Amazing album for a truly great band. So headover to BandCamp and buy this masterpiece now. Awesome Stuff.

Highly Recommended!!!

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The Great Sabatini - Matterhorn Review

The Great Sabatini is an Experimental Sludge Metal Band from Montreal, Quebec, Canada

The members are:

Steve Sabatini, Sean Sabatini, Rob Sabatini, Joey Sabatini 

The Great Sabatini play an intriguing blend of Sludge Metal mixing Doom, Stoner, Hardcore and even Ambient Rock to great effect.

These guys are a very rare beast indeed. Bringing something new and original to the Sludge Metal scene with a great DIY Punk Experimental vibe.

This band have a well deserved reputation in their local underground scene and its not hard to see why. The Great Sabatini just flat out rock in a great loud and angry way.

They have just released their amazing new record – Matterhorn on No List Records. It’s a 6 song and 28 minute blast highly original Experimental Sludge Metal which combines the genres listed above to great effect.

These guys play fast, heavy and loud sublime Sludge Metal on most of the tracks but do show their tender side on the 2:17 minute ambient driven track – “Invisible Door.” This acts more like a halfway point before the heavy riffs kick in once again.

All of the tracks are brilliantly produced and performed by all involved. You can hear every angry loud note played to maximum destruction.

The albums stand out track is the 10 minute epic “Sad Parade Of Yesterdays” which blends what has came before it but on a larger and wider scale. This song is the reason why this release is such an outstanding release to own.

It’s full of epic riffs that will leave you breathless at times. OK it would be great if there was a couple of more songs to make it slightly longer. But it’s a sign of a great band leaving you wanting more and not outstaying its welcome.

Running Time issues aside, this release as a whole shows why The Great Sabatini have the potential to become big stars of the underground scene. They mix the intensity and anger of CONVERGE with the technical prowess of early-era Mastodon but all done in a way that only The Great Sabatini can pull off.

Simply an outstanding and brilliant release from a great band that I want to hear more of in the future.

You can buy this release from No List Records and its highly recommended from ourselves at Sludgelord.

Brilliant!!!.

If you want to hear more before you buy then check their BandCamp Page where you check out all of their other great releases. It shows why I rate these talented Sludge Rockers so highly.

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Stone Axe - Stone Axe II Deluxe Review

Stone Axe is a Hard Rock Band from Port Orchard, WA, USA

The members are:

~STUDIO
Tony Reed - Instruments
Dru Brinkerhoff - Vocals

~LIVE
Dru Brinkerhoff - vocals
Tony Reed - guitar
Mykey Haslip - drums
Mike DuPont - bass 

Stone Axe is the other band from Mos Generator and multi-talented Tony Reed.

Now its hard to believe I didn’t know much about Mos Generator but I know a lot about Stone Axe. They play a great blend of 70s based Hard Rock mixed with great Blues Rock Overtones.

If your into Thin Lizzy, AC/DC, Free and Sabbath then your going to love these guys. As the guys have released a couple of albums already but I am going to highlight their 2nd and best offering to date.

II was originally a 10 song hard rocking blast of top-notch riffs released back in 2010 that was acclaimed by fans and critics alike. They even managed to perform with legendary acts like Wino and Saint Vitus amongst many others. Plus they played a legendary brilliant set at Roadburn as well.

So you these guys are super-talented and are masters at what they do. Well the good guys at Ripple Music have released a Deluxe Edition of their brilliant 2nd album.

But this time it features a 2nd disc of 15 rare and unreleased Stone Axe Tracks. This makes the album even better to get as the 15 tracks shows why this band is very highly thought of all over the place.

They have been featured on all the best blogs and websites with great reason. As these guys are amazing musicians who can write brilliant hard-rock tracks in their sleep.

This deluxe edition made me love this album all over again like I originally did back in 2010. I forgot how great an album it is and full of high energy hard rocking tracks that will have you rocking in no time.

If you’re a fan of this great band you don’t need convincing in buying this great album. If you’re a new fan then like the recent Mos Generator re-issue this demands your full attention now.

So if your into 70s Hard Rock/Blues Rock then look no further as Stone Axe are one of the best bands around.

Ripple Music have done it again in releasing a superb collection of songs and giving them the treatment and respect they deserve.

This is a must for every Stone Axe fan there. 2012 seems to be the year of Stone Axe as they have just released their legendary Live At Roadburn Set on CD/LP available here. Plus a live concert DVD is in the works as well for this great band as well.

Well I have gone on long enough. This is a fantastic package for a brilliant band. This is available from all good stockists everywhere and Ripple Effect.

Highly Recommended.

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Mos Generator - Deluxe Edition Review

Mos Generator are a Hard Rock/Stoner Rock band from Port Orchard, WA, USA

The members are:

TONY REED / guitar, vocals, keyboards (stone axe, treepeople, goodbye harry, twelve thirty dreamtime.
SHAWN JOHNSON / drums (x-mindfunk, twelve thirty dreamtime)
SCOOTER HASLIP / bass (artimus maximus, voodoo gearshift, saltine, twelve thirty dreamtime)

Mos Generator have been going since 2000 and have built a very respectable following and respect amongst the Hard Rock/Stoner Rock Scene.

They have released quite a few releases since they have formed and they have a formidable live reputation wherever they go.

Well its hard to believe I didn’t know much about this great band. I had heard of them sure but had I ever listen to a Mos Generator album. I am afraid not. Shame on me.

Well that is going to change as brilliant label Ripple Music have released a 10th anniversary edition of their landmark debut S/T album. The album has been remastered and has an extra CD of live tracks to rock out to.

Their debut album is true work of genius. Blending modern Stoner Rock Riffs with good old fashioned Hard Rocking Riffs. It’s a 17 song hard rocking monster of an album. Paying homage to great bands past and present but adding their own great take on Modern Hard Rock/Stoner Rock Music.

Its hard to believe this album is 10 years old as it feels fresh and stands upto today’s modern Hard Rock/Stoner Rock bands.

It has the perfect blend of 70s Based Rock Bands spliced with Modern Stoner Rock Riffs that will put a smile on your face in no time. Standout tracks include – “Sleeping Your Way To The Middle”, “F-1” and the amazing “Pentagramagraph” which is apparently a live fave of this great band.

The album is brilliantly produced and you can hear every note played to perfection. If you’re an old fan re-discovering some old classics or a new convert like myself you will find loads to enjoy here.

The added bonus for the die-hard fan is the live recordings that will have you head-banging in no time. A great bonus disc that make this package stand out from the rest of the crowd.

This album has made me a fan of this great band. So much so I have bought their entire back catalogue. This is hard rock/stoner rock of the highest order.

The guys are all brilliant musicians and know how to play a mean fine riff that will have you converted in no time. Its time for all of us to worship at the church ofMos Generator.

All in all a brilliant package for everyone to checkout for a true great Hard Rock Band. Awesome Stuff.

Highly Recommended. Available from all good stockists everywhere.

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IRON CLAW - Album Review

Iron Claw is a Hard Rock Band From Scotland.

The members are:

Alex Wilson, Bass. Jimmy Ronnie, Guitars. Ian McDougall, Drums

Iron Claw are a rare beast indeed. They were one of the original Blues Metal Pioneers from 60s/70s who split up before getting any well deserved recognition.

Well 35 years later in 2009 their self titled CD was released to massive acclaim. Iron Claw regrouped with a new lead singer Gordon Brown (Nope not the one your thinking about) and where were then signed to brilliant US Record Label Ripple Music.

Iron Claw went back into the studio to record their first new material in over 35 years. And “A Different Game” is the outstanding result.

This album shouldn’t exist. There are not many instances that bands get together after a long hiatus. But Iron Claw are living proof and legends in my book. This album is brilliant. No question about it.

Full of hard rocking songs that blends 70s based Blues Rock, Doom and good old Southern Boogie Rock to great effect.

The album is an absolute blast at 56 mins and takes you back to your younger days with the amount of great riffs involved.

This album is getting praise all over the place for the right reasons. Its simply the comeback album to end all comeback albums in the respective genre.

These guys know how to rock. They can even show a thing or two to their younger counterparts.

The album is brilliantly produced from the word go and is full of standout tracks that will have you rocking in no time at all.

The vocals are another highlight as they have the right blend of passion and fury needed in a hard rocking combo like this. But it’s a shame they have parted ways. No malice involved just two parties agreeing its time to move on.

Well the guys have a new vocalist - Gary Hair - and are recording new material which will be heavier than before. So this album is another standout highlight in a legendary band’s career. I cant wait to see what these rejuvenated rockers put out next.

If you’re a fan of 70’s Hard Rocking Blues-Rock/Metal then these guys are for you. They do add a few modern touches but it mainly stays in the good old days of Hard Rock. An era that I am very fond of.

You can buy this brilliant album from all good stockists everywhere on Ripple Music.

Highly Recommended.

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You Slut!-Medium Bastard Review

You Slut! are an Instrumental Post-Rock/Math-Rock band from Nottingham featuring the talents of the fantastically named.

Vanilla Christ
Sato D'Angelo
Rhyll Styzer
Dr Marc Zwei

Its been a bit of a wait since You Slut! released their debut "Critical Meat". So it was with great anticipation I received "Medium Bastard" and it doesn't disappoint. Full of furious riffing, demented rhythm and a sense of mischief, You Slut! continue to make quality energetic music that punches below the belt, and demands your attention.

There been a bit of a deluge of Instrumental releases lately, Pelican, TFATD and Mental Architects amongst others. "Medium Bastard" stands alongside them while still managing to offer something different.
You Slut! haven't changed the formula from "Critical Meat" too much but if it ain't broke.. etc. Although there is a more mature approach to constructing the songs here, riffs at times dominating tracks rather than off-kilter madness, although there's still plenty of that present. Finding the balance of rip your face off riffs and mind bending instrumentation is what You Slut! do so well here.

The songs on "Medium Bastard" are kept short, so there's no unnecessary repetition creating an instant impact with each track. Highlights include the flurries of melody on "Fifzteen", showcasing their gentler side . The barrage of riffery on "Magnifiererer", the drive an menace of "Elton Chong". The chirpy "Sellshock" also gets the head nodding combining refined melody with dazzling guitar work throughout.

I had intended naming just one or two tracks here as highlights but its difficult to leave any out, the massive riffs on "Shopping Placenta" for instance or final track "More Than One Seamless" kitchen sink approach, cramming more riffs and dynamics in one track than most albums.

You Slut! have proved they are another essential band in what's becoming a highly populated genre of music. With touring plans likely to keep them busy throughout the year I'd check if they're coming to a town near you. Armed with the tracks on "Medium Bastard" their live show is sure to be explosive!

"Medium Bastard" is released on April 12 on Stressed Sumo records and can be Pre-Ordered on the link below.
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