Sunday 30 September 2012

Fistula - Northern Aggression (Album Review)


Fistula are a notoriously sick Sludge/Doom act from Medina, Ohio formed in 1998.



Their current line-up consists of:

Bahb - Vocals
Corey - Guitars
Sean - Bass
Nate- Drums

Tracklist:

1. Sobriety Is Overrated - 1:29
2. The Fang - 4:09
3. Black Sunday - 1:29
4. Harmful Situation - 1:49
5. Kanker Nose - 2:39
6. Lightbulb Smoker - 5:47
7. The Spider - 1:40
8. Going Through Your Purse (Mentors cover) - 4:30 (Feat. Jesse Kling)

 

Bio:

Fistula are currently active, having experienced a number of line-up changes throughout the years. They are a filthy class-act in the sludge arena indeed, heralding former -  as well as ex- members -  affiliated with bands such as Ultralord, Sollubi, King Travolta, Rue, 16, Trenchant, Scumchrist, Accept Death, and Sloth (US).

With the output of unique and varied sound both have to offer, the Ohio scene reminds me of the close ties members of various well known New Orleans bands have in common, often sharing the same members in any given outfit. Fistula aren't your run-of-the-mill sludgers, with their fast paced take on the genre, they would definitely appeal to crust/punk fans as well.

You get psychotic vocals, thickly layered sludge riffs, and an overall gritty sound that picks up in speed at unpredictable moments. Lyrically, their sick and indifferent attitude shines through nicely, with easily audible vocals on most tracks, and the point they are trying to convey is observable in song-title alone. Mostly dealing with topics of suffering, failure, addiction, religion and other hardships in life.

Review: 

Toting their latest album 'Northern Aggression', we get everything we expect from these sick, depressed individuals. Their true-to-life lyrical nature and down-tuned, oppressive break downs attract me the most, as there is no room left for fantasy. As a special treat, they do not hesitate to rip faces with aforementioned speedy sections, rounding it off perfectly for fans of this blend.

My favorite track on this release is definitely 'Lightbulb Smoker'. For me, it is highly reminiscent of  their 'Idiopathic' days from back in 2003. A perfect mix of doom and aggression.

Two of the tracks feature Jeff Hayward (Grief) on vox and Fistula will be back in full swing with new vocalist Dan Harrington beginning with the 4-way split, 'Garage Days Retarded' 12" and the collaboration with Blowfly covering Black Sabbath.

Past works: 

If you are not already familiar with Fistula, I would recommend looking into their 'For a Better Tomorrow' and 'Burdened by Your Existence' EPs, which were put out between 2006 - '07 - the most classic choice to jam when things are feeling hopeless - thankfully, it has the opposite effect and makes me gleam with joy.

Shifty Records put out a multi-split from 2004, entitled 'Crushers Killers Destroyers!', an extremely well put together compilation featuring artists such as: Cruevo, Moho, Goatsblood, Sloth, Headache, Mugwart, Molehill, and King Travolta. This is not to be missed!





Even more useless info, but still worthy of noting: Fistula jazz it up a little bit with their two full-lengths from 2008, 'Inverted Black Star' and 'Lessons in Lamentation', which are completely different to the otherwise untainted sound we all know and love, as they are instrumental, noisy, and very droned out, like fellow experimental sludgers, Bongripper and Drug Honkey, from Chicago.

The highlight here remains 'Northern Aggression', but with my hardcore fan tendencies, I have to drone on about them in other areas, as they simply slay my fucking face off. Corey Bing, creator and mastermind behind Fistula, is a modern day lyrical genius. Thanks for your cooperation.



Fistula - Northern Aggression (2012)


Patac Records | Facebook | Bandcamp | Myspace

Sludgelord Compilation - Lullabies Of Despair

Sludgelord

Right. Here it is. The first Sludgelord Compilation. Lullabies Of Despair - A 17 song and 2 hour blast of some of the best bands we have featured on the blog.

I want to thank all the bands and artists who agreed to let me use their music. If you want to find out more about them then please search the blog for more info.

It's in two parts on Dropbox via the following links.

Lullabies Of Despair Part 1
Lullabies Of Despair Part 2

1
Grimpen Mire
Bloodcult Reborn
06:37
2
Traitors Return To Earth
Locust Race
04:52
3
Snail
Recursion
05:03
4
Law Of The Tongue
Children Of Crake
04:58
5
Bearfight!
Beerwulf
05:00
6
Sorry For Nothing
16oz
04:05
7
Battle Path
Closer
06:42
8
Carrion Mother
Venus, Goddess
13:19
9
Caravan Of Whores
9 Bar
11:19
10
Adrift For Days
Gravity Well
08:29
11
Steak
Machine
05:59
12
Alaskan
Mecca
08:33
13
DSW
Requiem
06:16
14
Signo Rojo
The Calling
07:15
15
Galaxicon
Snake Oil
06:02
16
Swarm Of Spheres
Fear Is The Killer
07:29
17
Talbot
Observer X
08:25


Well everyone enjoy. And please check out all the featured bands.


Interview with ZIPPO


Today on Sludgelord I am interviewing the brilliant Italian Sonic Maestros - ZIPPO – The brilliant Stoner/Sludge/Post-Metallers who released one of 2011 best albums – Maktub. Which I reviewed in 2011.

Well Dave (Vocalist) and Stonino (Bassist) have kindly agreed to do an interview with me. Which I am pretty excited about as they have became one of my fave bands since I started doing Sludgelord.

Q1 – For People not in the know – Can you tell them how the band came about, When you formed etc...

(Stonino) The band officially born in 2004 when the singer Dave joined in. Before that, we played different music, for different purposes.

Q2 – How would yourselves describe your sound.

(Stonino) Our sound is a mixed juice of stoner rock, Italian prog and a touch of metal, with a lot of melody, sometimes powered by tch inspiration.

(Dave) It's unconventional music played from the heart.

Q3 – Which bands influence you on your music.

(Dave) We listen to a lot of music, really. I grew up with metal and heavy obscure music in general, some of the guys grew up listening to punk or 60s/70s rock, but when we started togheter we found in Kyuss and stoner rock our common passion. It's hard to say which bands influence us the most 'cause we hardly ever think about this or that band when we write our music, but surely all the shit we listen to affect the way we are. Journalists say we sometimes remind of Mastodon, or Tool, or even King Crimson.


Q4 – How has your music been received by fans and critics. Has it all been positive.

(Dave) The reactions of fans and critics toward our music have generally been enthusiastic. Of course we also received some bad critics through the years, but they can be counted on the fingers of one hand.

Q5 – Is the band a Full Time Project or do you have normal jobs to do as well to support the band.

(Stonino) I would say that the band is a full time job, but it doesn't gives us enough money to go ahead independently, so we have to do other boring jobs.

Q6 – How do you cope with families, full time jobs and being part of a band. It must be a struggle at times.

(Stonino) It is a real struggle indeed, we always try to raise money from concerts and merch, money that we basically use to pay the rent of the rehearsal room, and other investments within the band. It's a tough life, even if many people think we are only having fun and fucking around.


Q7 – Your latest album 'Maktub' is your best work to date. You must be really happy with the reception it has got. Every review I have read has been positive. Was it a rewarding experience to record that album.

(Dave) Of course we are. Many webzines talk about "Maktub" as a masterpiece, and we're very proud of our Son when we read such statements. The process that leads to the recording of every album and the recording sessions themselves are always a rewarding experience to me, because you see the creature taking shape. We recorded "Maktub" in just 5 long days, can you believe it?

Q8 – How did you get the legendary Ben Ward from Orange Goblin and Luca T. Mai from Zu to record with you guys on Maktub. Bet that was a rewarding experience in itself.

(Dave) We shared the stage with Orange Goblin and Zu few times in the past, and after one of these shows we simply asked them to appear on our new album and that's it. With Luca it was easier because "Maktub" was recorded in Rome and he simply came to the studio one afternoon and recorded his parts straightaway, though he had never listened to the songs before. Ben came to Pescara instead, our hometown, where we spent a cool weekend together, recorded his vocal parts, ate big amounts of Italian food and drank a lot of beers. We also had the pleasure to have him as a dj in one of our favourite clubs. All in all, we had an amazing time.


Q9 – What is the song-writing process like in the band. Is it a whole band collective or individuals that write the music.

(Stonino) We usually put the song structure togheter, without voice, though Dave is almost always in the room when we're jamming. After that, he works on the lyrics and the vocal melodies, which are the last blocks to be added to our buildings, the glue that binds everything together.

Q10 – What has the reception been like to your music when playing live at home and abroad. I have seen plenty of YouTube videos and you guys look like you kill it on the live stage.

(Dave) It's really hard to be an underground band in Italy. There are always less structures willing to invest on original music and there's a crushing crisis everywhere, that's why many venues are closing. We tend to play more abroad, where people is generally more curious about what we do. But it doesn't mean we don't like to play Italy, we've had some great shows here too. I must say that the reception is usually pretty good, maybe a little more outside the country.

Q11 – Italy has a great Stoner/Sludge/Doom Metal scene thanks to bands like yourselves, Ufomammut, Morkobot, Zu, and Rotorvator (OK Black Metal but what an awesome band) – Can you tell our readers of any upcoming great bands to keep an eye on from Italy.

(Dave) You're right, we have plenty of cool bands here, even though it's always hard to emerge from the swamp. You should check out Doomraiser, Lento, The Orange Man Theory, Last Minute To Jaffna, Gandhi's Gunn, Quiet In The Cave, Viscera///, Veracrash, Le Scimmie... We also have cool festivals dedicated to the genre (Stoned Hand Of Doom, Mi Odi/Solo Macello, Pietrasonica, Tube Cult Fest, etc.) and also a great website called perkele.it.


Q12 – You recently released Maktub on Limited Edition Blue Vinyl on Subsound Records. A great label specialising in great underground bands. How did you hook up with them. Have you got any plans to release your other albums on Vinyl.

(Dave) With our first album"Ode To Maximum" I spread many promos looking for a label, the true story is that we found no label interested in its release, so we simply put it out it by ourselves. I met Subsound Records' boss in person after some time when I was living in Rome and he told me he really dig the promo. Few months after we signed a deal with Subsound Records in order to release two albums, simple. We have in the plans to release our sold-out debut on Vinyl, can't wait.

Q13 – Have you toured with any famous bands and have you got any interesting stories from your tours?

(Dave) We've done many gigs with well-known bands, we've had the pleasure to share the stage with Orange Goblin, with Karma To Burn, with Brant Bjork as well as Entombed, Crowbar, Ufomammut just to name a few, but we've never shared an entire tour with these bands unfortunately. We've toured with underground bands such as Stereochrist and The Orange Man Theory instead.

(Stonino) I think it would take more than a book to tell what happened on the road so far. We saw naked girls in wooden houses on the lonely Czech roads longing for a truckdriver to stop, we played in an underground bunker from Second World War in Germany, we met two 45 year old punks from Belgium and slept in their scruffy house, we ate mushrooms in Amsterdam and fried chicken in London, we spent hours at the borders, talked with every strange people from all over Europe, played in a boat on the Danube as well as in a garage in a Slovenian village... I think my brain cannot recollect all the crazy things we've seen.


Q14 – What are the most and least rewarding aspects of participating with the band.

(Stonino) There are good things and bad things, but I hope that good things will be much more than bad ones in the end

Q15 – It seems like the Sludge, Stoner and Doom Blogs took to your music in a big way especially with Maktub. I know blogs can have their good points and bad points. Like giving music away for free. What is your stance on that. Some bands are for it and some are not.

(Stonino) I don't think we'll ever become rich with the music we do, so I prefer to know that our albums can reach as many people as possible, even for free, and that those people will come to our shows and party with us.

Q16 – Finally what are the future plans for the band.

(Dave) To keep on writing new material for our fourth album, an european tour in spring and nothing else in particular. Maybe a 7'' vinyl split with a cool band one day, I'll put it on the list.

Well guys thanks for answering these questions. All the best from all of us at Sludgelord.

Check this brilliant band from the links below

Official
Facebook
Soundcloud - Check this page where you can download a few songs from their past albums for free.

Check out "The Personal Legend" from Maktub to see why I rate these guys so highly.


Interview with Soph from Alunah

White Hoarhound cover art

Today on Sludgelord I am interviewing Soph Day from brilliant UK Doom/Psych/Stoner Metallers – Alunah – who have got quite the reputation for their intense blend of Doom/Stoner Metal Music mixed with Psych and Occult Rock through out their music.

Alunah have just released their superb new album – White Hoarhound which is receiving praise all over the place. This is a must have album which I reviewed very recently. Well Soph (Lead Vocalist and Guitarist) kindly agreed to talk to me.

Q1 – Hi Soph. Firstly, thanks for doing this and taking the time to talk to us at Sludgelord. We really appreciate it.

No worries! Thanks for the support, anyone who knows me will tell you I love to talk.

Q2 – For People not in the know – Can you tell them how the band came about, When you formed etc...

We started in 2006 by accident really, Dave (who's also my husband) used to play in a band called Sonic Lord and we always used to see this couple at their shows. During one of my drunken episodes I started chatting to them and kind of signed Dave up to have a jam with the guy (who is now our drummer Jake). I went along with him, tried some vocals out and the band was born. Gaz replaced our previous bass player in 2009, and we met him from playing gigs with his other band General.


Q3 – How would yourselves describe your sound.

We used to call ourselves "psych, blues, doom" but you tend to get pigeon holed then and people turn up expecting a psychedelic band or a blues band. We have doom, blues, stoner, rock 'n' roll and psychedelic elements to our sound but when it comes down to it, we're just a straight up heavy rock band.

Q4 – Which bands influence you on your music.

We each have many different influences, and we don't always agree with each other's view of what makes a great band hahaha. Between us we're influenced by a broad spectrum of music including Alice in Chains, Acid King, Soundgarden, Goatsnake, 13th Floor Elevators, Sabbath, Zeppelin, Iron Maiden, Pink Floyd, Bottom, Cream, Sleep... I could go on forever. For me personally, vocalists that inspire me include Janis Joplin, Lori S, Grace Slick, Tairrie B and Joni Mitchell.

Q5 – Is the band a full time project or do you have full time jobs to contend with.

Unfortunately we have full time jobs as well, without them we couldn't do the band but they also get in the way of doing the band, it's a vicious circle. Between us we work in marketing, electronics, design and printing, so some great skills for being in a band haha. I'm chuffed that Orange Goblin have recently announced that after 17 years they are finally giving their jobs up to go full time with the band, that's the dream right there!

Q6 – What is the song-writing process like in the band. Is it a whole band collective or individuals that write the music.

Generally the whole band write the songs, we each have our own sections but it usually starts with the riff which Dave usually comes up with, then we build the song around that. Melody and lyrics come last, and that's my job. Having Gaz (who is primarily a guitarist), in the band, really helps as he's an awesome song writer and comes up with great riff and song ideas. For example, White Hoarhound was Gaz's riff and you can really tell the difference from Dave's more doomier and more bluesy riffs. It's cool to have that variety.


Q7 – You have received a whole load of great praise for your first two albums that most of took you by surprise. Are you happy with the response you have got so far.

So happy, like you say we did well from reviews for Call of Avernus, and have done so far for White Hoarhound. The second album is so important, especially when your debut was so well received, and I hope that people can see how Alunah have grown and even more importantly, like the album. To be honest, even if it was poorly received, we made it for ourselves and we're happy with it, anyone else enjoying it is a bonus. The most nervous we've been was when Mark at PsycheDOOMelic Records listened for the first time, he's the one investing in it and he loved it... phew!

Q8 – Can you tell us a bit more about White Hoarhound. What it's about as it's got a lot of creepy vibes going on.

I think there's a lot of melancholy on this album, probably a lot of it subconscious. This is the first time I've explained the idea behind the name and title track, the name was originally conceived in Llandudno in North Wales. Dave (our lead guitarist and my husband) and I were there on holiday and my Dad had recently been diagnosed with lung cancer. 

We went up the Great Orme which is a huge, beautiful headland which I've been going to since I was in the womb! We were reading some info about the plants which were natural to the area. White Hoarhound (normally spelt White Horehound) was one of them and was used by the monks to treat coughs and general lung conditions. In my head there and then I wrote the song. 

It seemed so apt to my current situation fuelled by my interest in mother nature, and was just a great name. After chatting to the guys we decided that was the name of the album. That's the only personal song on the album, and perhaps the most emotional. The rest of the songs are about moments in English pagan history and just generally about witchcraft, sacrifice, myth and magic. I love reading about those subjects, I can escape into a different world and it helps explain things to me - I suppose in a way other religions do to other people.

Q9 – Now your partner Dave is in the band. Is that a hard dynamic to contend with having your partner being in the same band as yourself. Does it cause any extra stress at times.

No its totally cool, no stress or dramas at all. Dave's my husband of almost a year and we've been together for 14 years. I love being in a band with him, when we're doing band stuff we're just band mates. He's my rock and best mate, he was the one to encourage me in the first place to have the confidence to be in a band. He gives me guidance on the best equipment to buy as he's a complete music geek, and indulges my interest in paganism and the occult (and pretends to look interested when I explain my lyrics). 

As I said earlier, my Dad has been very poorly recently, and we've gone through a very tough time of late, I couldn't have got through it without Dave - as well as Jake and Gaz. Dave went through the same with his Dad when we recorded our Fall to Earth EP, and we were all there for each other then. Jake was our best man, his girlfriend Liv was one of my bridesmaids, Gaz and his girlfriend Michelle (and the lady who recently tattooed some Alunah artwork onto me) were also at the wedding. This is going to sound cheesy, but we're all extended family - we know when to be there for each other, and when to back off.


Q10 – What has been the reception like to your live gigs. Has it all been good responses. Any major live highlights so far.

We have a great response from most of our live shows, of course any band will tell you that there are amazing gigs and shit gigs, but generally we have a great time. Our early shows were a bit hit and miss but we were all trying to find our feet and a lot of people in the 'scene' didn't get what we were about. Our 3rd gig was supporting doom legends Trouble, and we were quite frankly shit! That didn't do much to raise our profile amongst fans, but the venue asked us back to support Paradise Lost so not too bad overall! 

My personal highlights have been supporting Acid King and Fu Manchu as well as our numerous tours including my favourite with Italy's Doomraiser. That tour should have been Solace headlining but because of Visa issues they couldn't make it and Doomraiser stepped up from main support - such an awesome band! We've also played with Witchcraft, Karma 2 Burn, Graveyard, Nebula, Firebird, Orange Goblin... amongst many other awesome heavyweights! We've worked very hard and have had some amazing opportunities.

Q11 – Do you get many gigs in your home town. Or do you have to travel around a lot.

Not so much our home town as between us we live in Solihull, Coventry and Brownhills, so the closest place to all of us is Birmingham. Bearing that in mind, we do play Birmingham a lot - especially our home from home, Scruffy Murphys. We do also travel around a lot, but so far only in England. In 2013 we have plans to get out of England, and are currently planning for a couple of tours.

Q12 – When you started the band what were your original hopes and dreams for the band. And have they been met yet.

When we started we just wanted to make great music that we enjoyed, then as you develop you have fresh hopes and dreams such as playing with certain bands, getting a record deal, having an album in the shops etc. We've achieved the majority of what we originally set out to do, and have met so many amazing people along the way whilst doing it. The next step is to give up our day jobs and go on tour with Black Sabbath!

Q13 – Now I know Gaz is involved with the brilliant Sludge/Stoner Rock Band – General. Are any other members involved with any other projects of any kind we should know about.

Yeah, General are awesome and that's how we met Gaz initially. Jake and I aren't involved with any other musical projects. Dave used to play guitar in Sonic Lord and bass in Godsize. Unfortunately, both bands have now split up but when Alunah started he was busy with all 3 bands.


Q14 – What are your favourite bands around at the moment. Do you listen to modern day rock/metal or do you just listen to the classic era of Stoner Rock/Hard Rock

I tend to mainly listen to classic bands and artists such as The Doors, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Joni Mitchell, Jeff Buckley and Led Zeppelin. I also love more modern bands such as Red Fang, Jucifer, The Black Keys, Blood Ceremony, Big Elf and Ghost. We're lucky to be part of a great scene in England which is busily bubbling away under the surface, getting ready to blow up and hopefully make a massive mark. We're lucky to have friends in awesome bands such as Gringo, General, Dead Existence, Trippy Wicked, Gurt, Grifter, Desert Storm, Burden of the Noose, Bastard of the Skies, Selfless, Berserkewitz, Sally and Undersmile! That's a very small list amongst some top bands, we're very lucky to play amongst these guys.

Q15 – What are the most and least rewarding aspects of participating with the band.

For me the most rewarding aspect is seeing people bang their heads at our live shows, and see them get into the music. It's also really lovely to meet new people all the time, especially those who we finally meet after chatting on the net. I'd say the least rewarding is that shitty moment at 4am when you've played a long sweaty gig, driven back for hours and unloaded the equipment, only to have 2 hours sleep before getting up for work. You've got to love being in a band to constantly put up with that.

Q16 – What is your view of bands and blogs giving away music for free. Lot of bands and people have different perspectives.

If the person who has paid for the recording and pressing, whether it be the band or the label, has agreed to the giveaway then why not. If it helps to get a bands music out to a wider audience then fair play. However, when I don't always agree with free music is when someone else decides to leak the music. 

We had that with White Hoarhound when a press contact leaked the album to torrent sites, a month before the release date. Saying that however, it did actually help us out in the end, our website visits went through the roof and we had tonnes of pre-orders, the opposite could have happened though, we actually benefited from it. I have no issue with a band making the decision to give their own music away for free, it's another form of promotion and in this day and age it needs to be considered as part of the wider picture.


Q17 – I think it's great that female vocalists like yourself, Mlny (Royal Thunder), Hel and Taz (Undersmile), Stevie from Dark Castle and Sara from Bezoar are making a name for yourselves and bringing a fresh perspective to a male orientated genre. You must be proud of doing something different and unique.

Yeah I suppose so haha, I don't like to concentrate on the female vocal thing too much. We used to sell ourselves using the "female fronted doom" angle, but really there shouldn't be a separation of genders, we're just all making heavy music. I'd rather us be known for doing something different regarding how we put melodies and songs together, rather than the fact that I'm a woman. It is nice for people to recognise us for doing something different, but I'd rather it be down to all of our efforts rather than just my gender.

Q18 – What advice or words of wisdom would you give to upcoming bands and musicians who are about to start a Sludge/Doom/Stoner Rock Band.

Write music for yourself and don't listen to, or follow trends. If we listened to what people said about us in the early days, we wouldn't be here now. It's very satisfying to read comments or reviews from people now, who I know for a fact detested us 2 years ago. That's why I'm in love with Jucifer - you can't pigeon hole those guys, every song you listen to is different. 

They're doing what they want to do without giving a shit what's fashionable. Very few music fans like bands who try to do new things, it challenges them and if they don't instantly understand it they presume they hate it. If what you're doing is of a decent quality, these people will eventually get on board (not always, but sometimes), but until then, don't let their shitty comments ruin what is a truly awesome experience. You'll meet plenty of amazing people who are moved by the music you write.

Q19 – What are your views of blogs such as the Sludgelord reviewing your records, as opposed to mainstream music magazines? Has your music reached the mainstream mags, at home or around the world?

Awesome! I don't care which publication writes about Alunah - big or small, or even what they say, I'm just happy anyone takes the time and effort to write about us. I've told this story so many times but it's how I see things. The artist Salvador Dali never read his press, instead he weighed it regularly and if it got heavier, he knew more publications were writing about him - job done, happy Salvador! I now have the same outlook, I do read all of our press but I don't beat myself up anymore if it's shit. 

We have had the likes of Terrorizer, Kerrang, Zero Tolerance, Rock Sound and Metal Hammer take notice which is cool. In fact, we were recently MSN Entertainments album of the week, and featured in Terrorizer's Doom issue where we were amongst Undersmile and Trippy Wicked as the "Future of Doom" which was very flattering. We're equally as happy with the more underground publications such as Sludgelord, Doomantia, Soggy Bog, The Obelisk, Metal Kaoz, Planet Mosh, Soda Shop, Ninehertz and Fast 'n' Bulbous write about us. Support is support and were very blessed to have recently received a lot of it.

Q20 - Lastly do you have anything you want to say to your fans.

Massive love going out to you Steve for the support you've shown us with your recent review, and with this interview. Thanks to everyone who has brought a copy of White Hoarhound, seen us at a recent live show, brought us a drink and just been generally supportive of us. Check out updates at http://www.alunah.co.uk or http://www.facebook.com/alunah.doom.

Well Soph thanks for answering these questions. All the best from all of us at Sludgelord. I hope to see you guys in concert one time

SEDNA

Sublime End cover art

Sedna are a Stoner Metal Band from Brasil.

The members are:

Pablo Wilard - Bass/Vocals
Fábio Lyra - Guitar/Vocals
Rodrigo Lacerda - Guitar/Vocals
Damien Murch - Drums
Sedna are fucking superb Stoner Metal band from our South American brothers. They are another great band for you to check out.

If your into the usual top great bands of Stoner Metal then your going to love this. As Sedna mix superb Stoner Metal riffs with a truly outstanding grunge vibe.

More like a Stoner Metal version of SoundGarden and Alice In Chains. But there is so much more to their music. Their new album - Sublime End - is just that. Fucking Sublime indeed.

A 13 song and almost 50 minutes of wonderful music. This seriously is a great release for you all to check out right now.

Check out excellent tracks - Storm At The Gates, Phasya 8, Our Damnable Need To Speak and Fall From Grace. Tracks showing how supremely talented this band actually are.

Blending powerful Grunge/Stoner Metal riffs and passionate vocals to match.

Look headover to BandCamp right now and download this brilliant album for free right now. You won't regret it. It's a brilliant release that I can't recommend highly.

This showcases another outstanding South American Stoner Metal Band you need in your life right now.

Brilliant and Highly Recommended.

Check This Band Below

Facebook
BandCamp

OUTWAILED

Black Earth (EP) cover art

Outwailed are a Sludge/Doom/Post-Metal band from Tampere, Finland.

The members are:

T - vocals
V - guitars
J - bass
E - drums

Outwailed are a very heavy and loud Post-Metal band blending Sludge and Doom to brutal effect.

They have just released their excellent new EP - Black Earth. And like that bleak title this is some heavy and powerful riffage going on. Coming from the teachings of Neurosis style of Post-Metal. This is one release you cannot pass up.

The 3 songs on show here show a band with huge potential. As they play some mighty impressive riffs and vocals to match.

The 25 mins will leave you wanting more. Especially the 11 minute track - Black Earth, A brutal attack on the senses which you cannot ignore.

This is an excellent release you need right now. So headover to BandCamp and download on Pay Anything You Want Type Deal. 

Brilliantly produced. This is one of the loudest and heaviest releases I have heard in a long while. And it's better for it. So do yourself a favour and check these guys out now. You won't regret it.

Highly Recommended.

Check This Great Band Below:

Ilenkus/Shardborne - UK Tour - Oct 2012 - Help Needed


Ilenkus are a 5 Piece Progressive Sludge/Post-Metal from Galway, Ireland.

The members are:

Rory Guyett
Sam Ellis
Chris Brennan
Rob Van Der Klooster
Josh Guyett

I featured these excellent Prog-Sludge Rockers back in Oct 2011. Well the guys are going to be doing a UK Tour. Details shown below.


But they need help with a date on October 20th. Preferably in the North East of England area. So if anyone knows who could help these great guys. They will greatly appreciate it. 

Contact them via their Facebook Page.

Check These Guys from the links below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGabcR8aYZI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zp_qLpVBvpk
https://www.facebook.com/ilenkus
http://twitter.com/ilenkus
http://ilenkus.bandcamp.com/
http://ilenkus.tumblr.com/
http://www.savouryourscene.co.uk/site/

SHOCK RADAR - Live Like Lions Vinyl Review


Shock Radar are an Experimental Stoner Rock Band From New York City, USA fronted by the extremely talented Lee Diamond.

I featured these guys back in March 2012 when I reviewed there excellent release - Generator. Well the guys kindly sent me a copy of their limited edition vinyl - Live Like Lions.

A 2 song and 11 minute blast of awesome music that only Shock Radar can do. The other track is possibly my fave Shock Radar track - Generator.

But Live Like Lions is still such a masterclass of Grunge and Stoner Rock done right. Shock Radar harness the anger and energy of 90's Chris Cornell and mix it with superb modern Stoner Rock Riffs with a great grunge undertone.

The lyrics have a great energy to them and one that will take you back to your youth. Well it did for me as I felt I was back in the mid 90's listening to classic bands such a Soundgarden, Pearl Jam and Alice In Chains.

But Shock Radar are their own band. Oozing originality from the very start. The song has a great riff to it that takes time to build up the atmosphere before exploding big time around the 3rd minute. Awesome stuff.

If this is the sound of things to come then I can't wait for the eagerly awaited full length. It's been a long time coming. The Vinyl is brilliantly produced. So top marks to Shock Radar for releasing such an exquisite record.

The B side is my Shock Radar track - Generator. This is the guys best work to date. I just love the mixture of energy and emotions that this track delivers. Gets to me on an emotional level every time that I listen to it.

Check it out below.


I originally said the following about Shock Radar - "Thank Fuck the world of Stoner Rock/Metal has artists like Shock Radar to shake things up a bit."

Well I am going to change that statement a bit. Thank Fuck the world of Music has artists like Shock Radar to shake things up a bit. We need these guys more than ever.

Fucking Awesome. End of.


Check this great band below.

http://www.facebook.com/shockradarfanclub

Check The Awesome New Track - Live Like Lions


Wednesday 26 September 2012

Rabbits - Bites Rites (Album Review)

Rabbits are a 3-piece Sludge outfit based in Portland, Oregon.



Their line-up consists of:

KG - Drums
Booze - Vocals/Guitar
Sethro - Vocals/Guitar

Tracklist:


1. We and Zoo
2. Fight Right
3. Lame in Vain
4. Move Her Body
5. Meth Valley 99
6. 2:35
7. Suck It or Blow
8. On Mars II
9. What's Going On




This almighty trio features members of ex- Angel Hair and various side-projects from the punk/hardcore scene. They carved out a sound of their own as Rabbits and were signed to Relapse shortly thereafter.

Rabbits are back with their latest monster 'Bites Rites', another sludged out, yet upbeat full-length full of awesome and win only they can pull off. This band has stuck with me ever since I caught wind of them back in early 2011, with 'Lower Forms'. Another heavy-duty release worth a spin or ten.

I'm not too sure when they got together but they are pretty active at this point, playing live gigs fairly often. I enjoyed 'Bites Rites' from the  very first listen because it's that pissed off sludge I love so dearly with added grittiness thrown in.

Honing a style all their own, the sound is a blend of doom, sludge, punk, thrash, and hardcore elements churned into one entity. They can be likened to many bands out there, with the sludge label being the prominent tag attributed to Rabbits, we would expect alot of monotonous, steady paced riffs, and the occasional groove. Well, not with these guys - even though I enjoy that style immensely - they tend to bring on the right amount of violence nicely.

I'm very pleased they are so active right now, as I thought we wouldn't hear from them after 'Lower Forms', although they have played tirelessly alongside other notable bands in the meantime (YOB, Red Fang, Burmese), hinting towards more material. Well, this release is  definitely not lacking in delivery and conception, not that I suspected it anyway, because they fucking slay!

The artwork is also another eye catching feature worthy of a poster print. I have a bad habit of collecting music with excellent art, but the sound is usually up my alley in those cases, as is with this one.

Incredibally, I have been blessed with yet another album that is flawless from beginning to end, but that is what this is all about. We take great pleasure here in highlighting gems like this. Song for song does not disappoint, and things really start to kick in mid-way through with 'Meth Valley 99'. Vocally, I sense a sort of hybrid blend between Cable, The Melvins, and High on Fire . Sonically, they are as turbo-charged as ever, outdoing their first full-length entirely, in my opinion. Truly an entity to be reckoned with.

'Bites Rites' was released September 18th, 2012 on Good to Die Records, which can be previewed and purchased with the provided links. Get those asses in gear and support these dirty bastards.



Rabbits - Bites Rites Promo
 
 






RABBITS will gnaw their way across the Western US on a live shitfest in support of their newly-birthed sophomore LP Bites Rites beginning tomorrow. Since previous announcements, new gatherings have been confirmed, the now thirteen-date excursion including live mayhem alongside Black Cobra, Dietso, Witch Mountain, Castle, Sons of Tonatiuh, Drunk Dad and others.
RABBITS: Thirteen-City Western US Rampage Begins Tomorrow
Newly Birthed Live Footage And Sophomore LP Now Playing


Catch a whiff of what all the fuzz is about with some freshly harvested live footage of the RABBITS shredding those in attendance at their hometown Bites Rites record release show last week at the Good To Die Youtube portal and listen to the whole goddamn LP, dubbed the Onion's A.V. Club LOUD #10 of the month at Rabbits’ Bandcamp joint.

RABBITS’ Uncaged Stage Rage:
10/04/2012 Thee Parkside - San Francisco, CA w/ Black Cobra, Diesto
10/06/2012 [afternoon BBQ] - San Francisco, CA w/ Diesto
10/06/2012 Sugar Mountain - Oakland, CA w/ Diesto, Owl
10/11/2012 Plan B - Portland, OR w/ Witch Mountain, Castle, Holy Grove
10/12/2012 The Kraken - Seattle w/ Monogamy Party, Lord Dying, Same Sex Dictator
10/13/2012 The Shredder - Boise, ID w/ Drunk Dad, Phantahex
10/15/2012 Aqualung's Community Music Space - Denver, CO w/ Sons of Tonatiuh, In the Company of Serpents, Western Ritual [ALL AGES]
10/16/2012 Lost Lake Lounge - Denver, CO w/ Glass Hits, Damaru
10/17/2012 Larimer Lounge - Denver, CO w/ Witch Mountain, Castle, Primitive Man
10/18/2012 Burt's Tiki Lounge - Salt Lake City, UT w/ INVDRS, Oldtimer
10/19/2012 Zoo City, Missoula, MT w/ Drunk Dad, Shramana, Darshan Pulse
10/20/2012 Baby Bar - Spokane, WA w/ Belt of Vapor, The Ax, Drunk Dad
10/21/2012 Ray's Golden Lion - Richland, WA w/ Drunk Dad

Bites Rites captures RABBITS’ disharmonious riffage is at the most scathing yet, the nine pulverizing poems engulfing twenty-seven minutes you’ll never get back. The follow-up to their Relapse Records-released 2011 debut Lower Forms was recently issued by Good To Die Records on 180-gram LP and via digital download, the album recorded and mixed by Fester at Haywire Studios, Portland, (Wizard Rifle, Atriarch, Nux Vomica) and mastered by Ryan Foster at Foster Mastering, Portland (Agalloch, Muslimgauze, Fishbone). The cover art was created by Sacramento artist Skinner (author of Every Man Is My Enemy) and the layout includes drawings and titles by Portland artist Kevin Abell (co-editor of Nudity in Groups).
-The Doomentor

                                                                                                                         


Tuesday 25 September 2012

Cool Fanzine From Argentina To Check Out

underground subculture press

Hi all. I have been contacted recently by Leandro, a rock journalist from Buenos, Argentina.

Leandro has just started his own fanzine - Subcultura Underground Press. And it's a brilliant fanzine that features some great well known names and some not so well known names.

Leandro certainly knows his stuff. OK's mainly written in Leandro's native language. But let Google Translate for you and you can read some excellent news, reviews and interviews.

So headover there now and give it a try. Anybody who can read Spanish can also check the free digital fanzine that Leandro is also involved in.

A great blog from our Argentinian Friends. Highly Recommended.

LION SPLICER - Holiday in Dystopia

Holiday in Dystopia cover art

Lion Splicer are a Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal Band from New York City

The members are

Maximus Splice - Guitars, Bass, Voice
Danny Splice - Drums, Swagger

Lion Splicer are a band that I am a very big fan of. They have been featured twice in the last 12 months or so. Here and Here.

Lion Splicer play a fucked up experimental style of Sludge/Doom/Stoner Metal but blending in Punk, Thrash, Speed Metal and Prog Rock for good measure to fuck up your perspective of them.

Just call them a superb out there experimental crazy metal band. How I would call them anyway.

Well they are back with their outstanding and out there new album - Holiday in Dystopia. An 8 song and 30 minute blast that is crazy as fuck as it is inventive. Lion Splicer have lost none of their insane magic at blending the genres. Especially on tracks like - Jezebel, The Whip and Utopia In Regalia.

Look if you want some ace crazy experimental Sludge/Stoner Metal then Lion Splicer is your band. It's their best work to date. And it will have you coming back for more.

It's brilliantly produced which shows off their insane skills to perfection. I can't rate it highly enough. Plus it's available for fee Download on their BandCamp Page.

So head over now and see what all the fuss is about. Awesome. End of.

Highly Recommended.

Check out this Superb Band Below

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BitterChupChupWeLose are Back!!!

Split 7" Up Yours // BCCWL cover art

BitterChupChupWeLose are a Hardcore/Stoner/Sludge Metal Band from France who have been on this blog before.

They play fast and furious Punk/Sludge/Stoner Metal and who are influenced by Torche & Baroness. But with a great sense of humour to it all.

I have been a fan of this great band ever since I originally featured them. Well they are back with a Split 7 inch with Up Yours.

Their 2 songs only last 5 mins in total. But what a 5 mins.This has more passion and anger than most mainstream Metal bands could ever imagine or release.

It's brilliantly produced for what it is. Just a great head-banging time from one of France's best upcoming Sludge/Stoner Metal Bands.

It might not be the most sophisticated release (Look at the freakin cover - Awesome) of 2012 but damn it sure if fun. Headover to BandCamp and download this excellent release from BandCamp rignt now for free. Download their other excellent releases as well. You won't be sorry.

Awesome and Highly Recommended - Time for BitterChupChupWeLose to release that long-awaited full length record.

Check This Great Band Below:

FORKS OF IVORY - The Isolator

The Isolator cover art

FORKS OF IVORY are a Sludge/Post-Metal Band from Jonesborough/Johnson City.

The members are

Dylan Rutherford- Guitar
Ross Grindstaff- Drums

FORKS OF IVORY play down-tempo Sludge/Post-Metal music. Taking influence from a whole range of bands past and present from the Sludge/Post-Metal scene including Neurosis and Generation of Vipers amongst many others.

That is what I originally described this great band back in Aug 2011. Well the guys are back with their latest EP - The Isolater - A 3 song and 16 minute blast of absolute carnage and destruction.

Forks Of Ivory have lost none of their majestic power. Their still loud and powerful as ever. It's great to see the guys back in action where they belong.

The centre piece of this excellent EP is the 11:48 minute epic - Sentenced. A song that shows what Forks Of Ivory is all about. Playing sublime Sludge/Post-Metal riffs to crush your puny little soul to. Fuck Yeah it's seriously that good.

This EP is starting to show on some of the great blogs now. So you know its going to be good. So head over to BandCamp right now and download it. As it's available on Pay Anything You Want.

Highly Recommended.

Check Out These Excellent Sludge Rockers Below:

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BandCamp

EL YETI

Demo cover art

EL YETI is a Stoner Rock Band from Barcelona, Spain.

The members are:

Marc Rockenberg - drums, vocals
X-Wong - bass
Edko Fuzz - guitars, vocals

EL YETI are a young Stoner Rock Band making their way in the world. They have just released their excellent Demo for free download on BandCamp.

It's a 4 song release that runs for a superb 17 minutes or so. The Demo is a bit under produced but it shows what the guys do so well. Playing heavy monolithic riffs that pays homage to great bands past and present.

Their own description should tell you more that I could possibly ever do.

"El Yeti is a power trio (though the demo was recorded as a two-piece) formed in Barcelona (Spain) on 2011. We just finished our first demo, simply called "Demo". 4 songs dedicated to some of our favourite 80's action films such as Cobra, Commando, Die Hard or 48 Hrs...

Our music has already been described by some as a "powerful mix of Masters Of Reality and The Cult" or "COC meets Kyuss" thanks to the song "El Presidente" being featured in 2012's compilation of the prestigious Azkena Rock Festival (Vitoria, Spain). A festival in which has featured acts as Blue Cheer, Ozzy Osbourne, Orange Goblin, Black Label Society, Pentagram or Clutch."


El Presidente is a fucking brilliant song to rock the fuck out to. This is a brilliant song to put on a soundtrack in a low rate "B"-Movie action flick. As the song knows what it is and it doesn't give a fuck what anybody else thinks.

Just 4:10 mins of sublime Stoner Rock that will leave you with a big smile on your face. And the other songs are great as well. Especially 48hrs. An action packed track that shows these guys could have a bright future indeed.

I can't wait to see what they release next. If your into Clutch, Orange Goblin and Kyuss then your going to love these guys. So head over to BandCamp right now and get downloading. Or use this Mediafire Link which the guys kindly sent me. So much appreciated guys.

Highly Recommended.

Check This Great Band Below:

CERBER - NEW EP!!!

MAMMOTHIAN cover art

Cerber are a 3 Piece Stoner/Sludge Metal Band from Poland.

Cerber play an intense blend of Sludge/Stoner Metal to great effect. Influenced by a whole range of bands but bringing their own style of hypnotic Sludge/Stoner Metal riffs with great hardcore vocals to match.

Cerber have been mentioned on this blog twice before. And I keep raving about them as a band to keep an eye out for.

Well with their previous two excellent releases "Z Prochu" (From Dust) Demo and Mad At The Soul.

Well the guys are back with their best work to date - MAMMOTHIAN - is a 5 song and 23 minute blast of excellent Sludge/Stoner Metal riffage that only Cerber can deliver.


The best track has to be the 7:22 minute epic - My Tribe. A song worth it for the download alone. As it soon gets under your skin and is very hard to forget. I love the riffs in this song matched against the great Hardcore based vocals.

Cerber are a fave of mine since doing this blog as they always deliver the goods time and time again. And this is no different. Awesome Stuff.

Like their previous great releases they are giving this away for free download on BandCamp and Soundcloud. So head over there now and get downloading. You won't regret it.

Get Downloading Now!!! – Highly Recommended

Check This Great Band Below.

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Check Out The Making Of The Album from the video below.


Sanhedrin/Maranatha - Split Album

Split cover art

Here is a superb split by two excellent artists - Sanhedrin and Marantha.

Here is the article from their BandCamp Page

"Sanhedrin brings a barrage of raw, blackened hardcore to the table that would be just as at home with the Scandinavian d-beat bands as it would with late-90s American metalcore. Maranatha comes with a sound that mixes equal parts Entombed, Crowbar, and heavy hardcore. Both bands lyrical content deals with the shame American Christianity has brought upon itself and the world, as well as the struggle of doubt, disbelief, and the reflection of self."

Now if that doesn't get you interested then nothing will. As this is a cracking release by two great artists. It's bleak and heavy as fuck from the word go.

These guys blend together brilliantly well. Brutal riffs to take over your soul to. Just headover to BandCamp and download this excellent release right now. You won't regret it. It's available on Pay Anything You Want Type Deal.

If you like what you hear then head over to the guys separate BandCamp Page's to download even more outstanding music for free.  Awesome Stuff.



SPACE BONG AUSTRALIAN TOUR SEPT 2012


Space Bong tour September 2012


Much has been made of Earth's first journey to Australian shores, and of the unforunate cancellation of Sunn O))). But how many have turned to look at the standard-bearers of drone in our own backyard?

Having peddled their degenerate form of doom across Australia for the last 6 years, Space Bong are a band operating on another level.

Their sophomore album 'The Death of Utopia' has become a cult hit -- and rightly so. Space Bong are one of the most raw, the heaviest, and above all believable doom bands on earth -- as every bit as dark as Sunn O))) and Kharnate, and as in-tune with drone as Earth and Yob. There is nothing ambiguous about the weight of their their nihilistic sludge; nothing is faked or forced.

Now - in the middle of recording their long-awaited new album 'Deadwood to Worms' - this South Australia sextet are hitting a string of shows on the east side of Australia, including an appearance at ThisIsNotArt 2012 in newcastle.

Be sure to catch then when they come through your town. Drone-merchants take note.

Space Bong September 2012 tour

Thursday 27 September 2012
Karova Lounge, Ballarat
w/ Nobody Knew They Were Robots, Israel, Nous

Friday 28 September 2012
The Reverence, Melbourne
w/ Pneumatic Slaughter, Nous, Extinctexist, Mortarian

Saturday 29 September 2012
The Pharmacy, Newcastle
At TINA Festival 2012 w/ Last Measure, Thorax, No Action, Yes I'm Leaving, Leprosy, Split Teeth, Spoonfed, Osedax and many more

Sunday 30 September 2012
Black Wire Records, Sydney (all ages)
w/ Battle Pope, thedowngoing, Last Measure (VIC), Spoonfed

Friday 5 October 2012
Animal House, Adelaide
Line-up TBA

Earthship - Iron Chest Reivew


Earthship are a Sludge/Stoner Metal band from Germany

The members are:

Bastian Gutschke: Bass
Dennis Boettcher: Drums
Robin Staps: Guitar
Jan Oberg: Guitar, Vocals

Earthship blasted their way into our vortex in 2011 when they released their superb debut album – Exit Eden. It was warmly received by fans and critics along for it’s mixture of Sludge, Doom and Stoner Metal with a slight progressive edge.

Well the guys are back with their even better follow up – Iron Chest. A 10 song opus that runs for a superb 42 mins or so. Earth Ship have brought in a cool prog sludge rock vibe to their music.

The album plays more a slight homage to Isis, Neurosis and Mastodon. 3 of the finest bands to grace the Sludge Metal scene of the last 20 years or so. But Earthship still add their own great ideas to the genres. They play a mixture of Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal that is virtually impossible to ignore.

First track – Old Woman’s Gloom – shows you what to expect. A 4 minute brilliant blast of Progressive Sludge blended in with awesome modern Doom/Stoner Metal riffs.

If you like this track from the start then your in for a treat. As this album follows the same sort of path of playing excellent Sludge/Stoner Metal riffs with a slight Post-Metal edge. But done in a more robust and less time consuming time frame. The songs run form 3 mins to 5 mins in length.

If you’re a fan of Mastodon’s – The Hunter then you going to find much to enjoy here as it follows the same sort of template but with more aggressive and better vocals that suits the fast paced riffage going on.

Earthship have out done themselves here. As this album is a brilliant blast from start to finish. They know exactly what needs to be done. To rock the heck out and entertain the listener from start to finish

It’s not all sweetness and light. Earthship do feature some bleak lyrics in their music to portray an eerie and atmospheric atmosphere at times. Especially on the amazing track – Boundless Void – which is probably my fave track on the album.

As it has some of the best riffs on the album especially at the start before the excellent vocals kick in. It shows how talented these guys actually are.

I don’t want to spoil anymore of the surprises for you. All you need to know this album is an outstanding collection of expertly written tracks that will have you coming back for more.

As you expect with the talent involved, this is one brilliantly produced all-round package. Everything is played loud, crisp and clear and shows off the bands talent for playing superb Sludge/Stoner Metal riffs from start to finish.

Even the album cover is excellent. Fit’s the albums tone perfectly well. You know your in for a great time and this is an essential purchase.

My final thought is you need to check out this album right now. Earthship have released their best material to date and this is one band that I want to get bigger and bigger. As they truly deserve it.

Awesome and Highly Recommended.

Iron Chest is available on Pelagic Records and is available to buy from 15th October 2012 and from all good stockists everywhere.

Big Thanks again to Pelagic Records for letting us review this great album. Much appreciated.

Check This Great Band Below

Official
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Abraham - The Serpent, The Prophet & The Whore Review

Abraham   The Serpent, the Prophet and the Whore (2012)

Abraham is a Sludge/Post-Metal Band from Switzerland,.

The members are:

Schlagmeister - vocals
Jakkob Wierdmann - guitars
Mat Axwielder - guitars
Verde DiCabillo - bass
Renzo Tornado Especial - vox, keys
David Burzum - drums

Abraham first burst onto the scene in 2010 with their debut album - An Eye On The Universe. The album left me rather cold. I did try to enjoy it but I couldn’t find that emotional connection. And I haven’t listened to it since until recently.

Well when Aaron advised me had a copy to review of their new album – The Serpent, the Prophet and The Whore – I thought I would give them another try as I heard many positive things about their new album. So here goes with my review.

What we have here is an 8 song album that runs for 47 minutes or so. I don’t know what has happened but this album is a work of Sludge/Post-Metal brilliance.

The guys are heavier and louder than ever. They have an adrenaline fuelled purpose not seen on their debut album. Everything comes together brilliantly. The riffs, the lyrics and the vocals all have an equal part to play.

First track – Start with a Heartbeat – draws you in with its heavy pummelling riffs and great blend of Clean and Hardcore based vocals to drive the hard hitting atmosphere home. This album will have you instantly hooked as it has a sombre and bleak mood all the way through. Especially with the great song titles the band have came up.

If your into ISIS, Neurosis, The Ocean and Cult Of Luna then get ready to add Abraham to your must have Sludge/Post-Metal bands. The guys have really excelled themselves here. They have written a blistering album that should set them amongst the leaders of the new breed of Sludge/Post-Metal artists.

The vision of the songs is quite startling and breathtaking especially on “This is Not A Dead Man Yet”, “New King, Dark Prophet” and the epic 8:28 masterpiece – “Carcasses”.

The album is expertly produced and performed by all involved. This is brutal and bleak Sludge/Post-Metal to drown your sorrows to. Don’t expect uplifting Post-Rock interludes or ambient passages as Abraham keeps things lean, mean and very angry. And it’s the better for it.

Abraham have delivered a truly career-defining album for themselves. And one that will see them go a very long way indeed.

This is an album that deserves your maximum attention now. And I urge you all to check it out. Thanks to this album I am now a confirmed fan of these hugely talented Sludge Rockers. So much so I am beginning to enjoy their debut album in a whole new light.

Awesome and Highly Recommended.

You can buy this brilliant album on Pelagic Records from 28th Sept 2012 and from all good stockists as well.

I have to thank Pelagic Records for hooking us up with this. Much appreciated.

Check This Great Band Below

Saturday 22 September 2012

Stinking Lizaveta - '7th Direction' (Album Review)

By: John Slaymaker

Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: Europe 27/8/12 USA 23/10/12
Label: Exile on Mainstream/Translation Loss
 


 Lizaveta is a Russian girl’s name meaning consecrated to god. Well god is not on this record coz this band remains consecrated to ROCK!  Awesome stuff.


‘7th Direction’ CD//DD//LP tracklisting:

1). The Seventh Direction (4:18)
2). View From The Moon (4:23)
3). Moral Hazard (3:52)
4). Dark Matter (2:12)
5). The Space Between Us (4:25)
6). Z (5:11)
7). Burning Sea Turtles (3:24)
8). One To The Head (3:14)
9). American Dream (CD only) (2:48)
10). Ten Thousand Hours (4:06)
11). Stray Bullet (CD only) (5:34)
12 ). Democracy vs. The Machine (3:19)
13 ). Johnny Otis (4:42)

Stinking Lizaveta is:

Yanni Papadopoulos | Guitars
Alexi Papadopoulos | Upright electric bass
Cheshire Augusta | Drums

The Review:

This album ‘7th Direction’ is their seventh full length and is released on Exile on Mainstream in Europe and Translation Loss in North America.  It was produced by the legend that is Sanford Parker.

From the first few notes you just know that this record is going to be a corker. The first and title track, ‘The 7th Direction’ immediately twists and turns, taking you round the houses in and out of different rooms, like some kind of twisted psychotic estate agent.  So many riffs packed into each song that you cannot imagine that most of this record isn’t improvised. The guitar playing is amazing and the bass and drums lay a great foundation for groove, so tight but they have been doing this together now for the last 18 years.  13 tracks over 50+ mins, this band has enough material on this one record that would last most ordinary rock bands a whole career.

We continue with ‘View from the Moon’, and at only four and a half minutes, this song takes you there and half way back.  ‘Moral hazard’ keeps up the pace with more mega riffs, head banging furiously until the wah induced leads weave in and out.  Great guitar effects, not over used but skilfully applied.  ‘Dark matter’ the shortest song at just 2.14 mins is another manic lick induced trip.  The Space between us’, now this baby is my personal favourite track on the album, a nice clean guitar intro, meandering melodically leading into the most awesome lead break I have heard in a long long time.  Amazing control and use of the tremolo bar into some even more ear blistering solo.

‘Z’ continues with the awesome hypnotising guitar expressions. There are so many different themes on this record, and as an instrumental band, you can try to compare them to so many obvious choices, but there really is no pigeon holing them as they completely own their sound.
Another highlight is halfway through ‘One to the head’ where Yanni Papadopoulos truly excels with the lead work, and it’s just hard to imagine any other guitarist being quite so good.  Stray bullet with its surf guitar intro is the longest track here, but still has lots of exciting ideas going on, and these continue into the 13th track, the mellow closer ‘Johnny Otis’ named in honour, I think, of the famous band leader and Godfather of rhythm and blues who died earlier this year.

Lizaveta is a Russian girl’s name meaning consecrated to god. Well god is not on this record coz this band remains consecrated to ROCK!  Awesome stuff.


You can purchase the record in Europe here and in USA here.




Band info: Official