ALBUM REVIEW: Blind Monarch, "What Is Imposed Must Be Endured"

By: Peter Morsellino
 
Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 05/04/2019
Label: Dry Cough Records | 

Heavenly Vault
 

“What is Imposed Must Be Endured” DD//LP track listing:

1). Suffering Breathes My Name
2). My Mother, My Cradle, My Tomb
3). Blind Monarch
4). Living Altar

The Review:

Blind Monarch usher us into their world with a sparse atmosphere, crawling with hints to the bleak ether that will soon engulf us. Soon the crushing weight of the music will be realized, and those empty spaces (which will graciously rear their heads throughout the release) will be a welcome reprieve from the sonic assault.

“What is Imposed Must Be Endured” is nothing if not punishing. With an emotional weight that hits equally as hard as the dense tonality of the music, Blind Monarch creates a piece of art here that is meant to stick with the listener long after the final notes have rung out to completion.

One thing that is instantly noticeable within this release is the organic nature of the music. Slow and dirge like, low tuned and impenetrable, yet never falling into a mechanical loop. The overall sound of the band brings to mind the panicked vocalizations of a cornered animal. Guttural and shrieking, fearful and dangerous. Listening to the album, the audience can never be sure what is coming next. It is unpredictable, capable of turning its warning growls into a fierce gnashing of teeth in an instant.

“What Is Imposed Must Be Endured” is cold, but it is never stagnant. Vampiric, it seems to feed off of the energy that the listener puts into it. This can be a very dark and dangerous album. It can be a very powerful and moving experience. This is one to be handled with care. Not a light listening experience by any means, this is one to be examined with full attention. Give this record your all, and it will return it ten fold.

Blind Monarch hit us with everything they've got on their debut, and the gamble paid off in spades. It is visceral and laser focused.  Any doom or sludge fan would be remiss to sleep on this one. Give it a listen; give it a good, hard, focused listen, and see where it takes you.

“What is Imposed Must Be Endured” is available on vinyl for the first time HERE 

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

SLUDGECAMP: A deep dive into the newest black/death metal releases on Bandcamp w/c 15/06/2018

By: Daniel Jackson

Dryad

Welcome to the inaugural edition of THE SLUDGELORD’s “Sludgecamp”.  I’ve been doing my own weekly deep dives into the newest black and death metal releases on bandcamp for some time through the joy of the site’s “Discover” feature, so I thought “why not share what I’ve found with the rest of you”?

I’ll be covering new releases first, followed by classic albums that have been recently added to the site, and finally some notable pre-orders for albums coming out down the road. I hope you find something to enjoy!

Released the week of 15/6/2018:

Dryad, “The Silurian Age”

    

My favorite discovery of the week goes to Iowa’s Dryad. The band have crafted an absolutely brilliant style for themselves with a combination of raw, primitive black metal, hardcore punk, and moody keyboards. As of right now, it’s my favorite release of the year, with the only negative being that I’m selfishly disappointed that it isn’t a full length’s worth of material.

Forlorn Citadel, “Songs of Mourning”

 
The bandcamp page for this release indicates that this is a remastered demo release from May, but is seeing a new official release through Dark East Productions. With that out of the way, this is absolutely essential if you’re a fan of Summoning. People have understandably heaped praise upon Caladan Brood’s ‘Echoes Of Battle’ from 2013 for its brilliant recreation of that classic Summoning sound, but Forlorn Citadel is every bit as good at Caladan Brood, and maybe even a tad better. They absolutely NAIL that buzzing, reverb-drenched guitar tone, and the vocals are excellent as well.

Tired Lord, “Demo”

 
Tired Lord is apparently a one-and-done project out of San Francisco, and it’s a shame they’re only ever putting out this one demo. This is black metal with a strong emphasis on groove, which is all the more impressive when you consider that the drums here are programmed. If you’re a fan of Cobalt or Black Anvil, to cite a couple of loose comparisons, you’d do well to give this a shot. Tired Lord, for their ultra brief existence, were undoubtedly a riff factory. (Note: I’m cheating a little bit here as this was actually released June 8th, but From Corners Unknown Records uploaded it during the week of the 15th.)

Ashen Chalice, “Kroz život sa razbijenim očima”

    

Croatia’s Ashen Chalice are a bit of a mystery. No social media presence to speak of and the band seem intent on drowning their music in reverb and fuzzy distortion. The focus here is all on mood and atmosphere, as opposed to traditional songwriting and memorability. Typically that wouldn’t be my thing here, but the ambient world this album creates is so engrossing that I can’t help but recommend it. This is the sort of musical alchemy that gets me to throw my standard tastes out the window for the sake of getting lost in new sonic worlds.

Sanguinary Trance, “Wine, Song and Sacrifice”

 
I had a hard time finding much info on Austria’s Sanguinary Trance. The band seem to have a thing for Dionysian mysteries, as it relates to wine and ritual. This is a case where the aesthetic elements in the album cover and in the song titles set the table nicely for the music, which could be called black metal with a sense of drama, without crossing over into Cradle of Filth style shlock.

Newly available through Bandcamp:

Imperial Crystalline Entombment, “Apocalyptic End in White”

 
A nostalgic pick here, as Imperial Crystalline Entombment originally released this album back in 2004. The album’s a total blastfest, and acts as something of an American counterpart to Cadaver Inc’s black metal and grindcore hybrid from the prior year. For their part, the music mixes in some Immortal (naturally) and a bit of death metal into the mix as well, which makes sense for a project brought to us by members of Aurora Borealis.

Pre-orders:

Kosmogyr, “Eviternally: The Remixes” (Out 13/7/2018)

 
A unique idea here, as Kosmogyr have commissioned various artists to remix their excellent debut EP. The idea of a remix album isn’t unique on its own, but when the original album is this kind of muscular melodic black metal, that can change things quite a bit. I’m woefully underqualified to evaluate this sort of project, but the idea warrants attention and investigation.

Hellish, “The Spectre Of Lonely Souls” (Out 31/8/2018)

    

Unspeakable Axe is always coming up with the goods, counting Scorched, Voidspawn, Act of Impalement and more as some of the great previous and upcoming releases through their label. Add Hellish to that list too, as their particular brand of blackened thrash features riffs that are smarter and catchier than you’re likely to find from your average 1st wave diehards, as evidenced by the album’s advance track “The Walker of Shadows”.

Gravecoven, “Coughing Blood” (Out 11/7/2018)

Some strong sounding black metal infused doom coming to us care of Transylvanian Tapes in just a few weeks. This has the downtuned filth you love in your doom, coupled with the chilling atmosphere you want in your black metal and Gravecoven pull the combo off nicely. 

ALBUM REVIEW: Lowered, "Lowered"

By: Mark Ambrose

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 01/02/2018 | TBC

Label: Indpendent |

Throne Records (LP)

"There’s a progressive element running through this self-titled debut, but it’s not full on prog metal, and while there are lurching, sludgy, doom inflected passages, the overall style skews closer to black metal with strong melodic overtones.  

“Lowered” DD//LP track listing

1. Semaphore

2. Unreal

3. Blame the Hunger for the Throat

4. Call of the Moon

The Review:        

               

Describing hybrid metal genres may be the ultimate cringe activity.  Whenever “gaze” or “blackened” or “symphonic” or “melodic” gets appended to some agreed upon metal genre, all the trve kvlt tryhards come out to “WELL ACTUALLY” all over the description (often throwing in a smattering of homophobic slurs).  It’s the shallow, reddit redpill subculture of modern metal, but there is a case for staking out new descriptions, especially when black, groove, and death metal have been so amalgamated that there are few “pure” modern examples that don’t consciously push for “throwback” status. 

There was a brief period where “Extreme Metal” was slapped on bands as disparate as Cradle of Filth, Napalm Death, Gojira, and Behemoth – I blame Kerrang and the other trashy UK metal mags of the era.  Frankly it sounds a little too late 90s/early 2000s limited edition Mountain Dew flavor to me.  I’ve heard the term “dark metal” bandied about recently, and maybe that’s the best modifier for a group like Lowered.  There’s a progressive element running through their self-titled debut, but it’s not full on prog metal, and while there are lurching, sludgy, doom inflected passages, the overall style skews closer to black metal with strong melodic overtones.  Regardless of how the album FITS into a glutted field, there is no doubt that Lowered is one of those rare genre mashup debuts that feels assured, distinct, and never gimmicky.

               

Opener “Semaphore” rides on absolutely sickening low end bass tones sprawled across a doomy soundscape – it had me thinking of Celtic Frost, until the band slams into double time, chugging blackened rhythms.  Vocalist Anna Vo is an expert metal screamer – pushing her voice to extremes but remaining somewhat comprehensible.  I could make out a good deal of the words even without a lyric sheet, and that doesn’t diminish her inhuman capacity.  Most importantly, she shows dynamic range on the record, pushing out low death growls and piercing screams with aplomb.  Nate McCleary, who handles all guitars and basswork on the record, is a surprisingly virtuosic shredder, and his brief forays into tech wizardry put a unique stamp on Lowered’s sound that never feels forced.

               

Drummer Ian Makau owns the second track, “Unreal”, sprinting through marathon blast beats and throwing in little rhythmic twists that show true mastery of the kit.  The tribal shift in the mid-song bridge is a stroke of genius, while the doom coda is soul-crushing.  “Blame the Hunger for the Throat” is a slab of blackened death that continues to pummel, and is only slightly less interesting than the other tracks on the record.  Vo’s delivery is the best feature of the song – it’s a truly gut-wrenching performance.

               

“Call of the Moon” is the apotheosis of Lowered’s capacities.  McCleary’s eastern-tinged open guitar chords and shrill riffs are hypnotic, especially over Makau’s militaristic pounding.  There's a particular beauty in the guitar dynamics on this track, with soaring harmonies and deft solo work.  The abruptly sludgy bridge is a great twist on the tightly controlled black metal precision, especially as the track moves toward a stirring crescendo.  The broken-sounding coda seemed like overkill at first, but with subsequent listens I’ve found it especially stirring.  Lowered achieves a rare feat for most groups who never write tracks below the 6 minute mark: they had me clamoring for more.  I hope this debut carries them toward further output, further experimentation, and greater exposure – they’ve certainly earned it.

“Lowered” is available here

Band info: bandcamp

ALBUM PREMIERE & REVIEW: Phantom Winter, "Into Dark Science"

By: Ernesto Aguilar

Album Type: Full length

Date Released: 02/03/2018

Label: Golden Antenna Records

From the opening chords of "The Initiation Of Darkness," Phantom Winter create an experience that grinds into you relentlessly and the results are truly phenomenal.  You'll be thankful for this experience, harrowing though it may be.

"Into Dark Science" CD//DD//LP track listing

1. The Initiation Of Darkness

2. Ripping Halos From Angels

3. Frostcoven

4. The Craft And The Power Of Black Magic Wielding

5. Into Dark Science

6. Godspeed! Voyager

The Review:

Following 2016's well-received "Sundown Pleasures," German sludge/doom crew Phantom Winter rejoin the living in 2018 on its latest. Its six-song "Into Dark Science" are hereby your reminder that doom and sludge, like cold brew coffee, are best served pure and without flourish.

The subtle beauty of Phantom Winter's music has always been its truth in vision. It stands out because it isn't preening with the idea of being something more exceptional that a doom group. They do not need to: the performance is so unique and powerful that its presence is all that is necessary. Such focus on craft is freeing. What's more the sheer quality of the musicianship virtually guarantees that the band does not require a hyphenate sort of marketing. Instead, Phantom Winter, from the opening chords of "The Initiation Of Darkness," creates an experience.

"Into Dark Science" is effective because of its claustrophobic soundscapes and baleful vocals. Storytelling is very much part of this mood; Phantom Winter shares its lyrics with fans, and its misanthropic vignettes are certain to sit with you for awhile. "No god can help you here, no sun will ever shine," goes "Frostcoven." "We are usurpers of the night… the ghosts who haunt us scream in pain." " The Initiation Of Darkness " crashes against your head in fits and starts, with words inspired by poet Sylvia Plath and activist Adrienne Rich. "Ripping Halos From Angels" throbs with Full of Hell-style abandon. "The Craft And The Power Of Black Magic Wielding" sets a mood and grinds it into you relentlessly. In all, these are seem disparate, but share common bonds, sonically and lyrically. The results are truly phenomenal.

As you come to the album's conclusion, Phantom Winter present more of that harsh edge of doom it presented earlier. Broken-glass vocals and a tumultuous guitar sequence will leave you spellbound. You'll be thankful for this experience, harrowing though it may be.

"Into Dark Science" is available to preorder/buy here

Band info: facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Nest - "Metempsychosis"

By: Charlie Butler

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 03/03/2018

Label: Independent

The thick distortion-encrusted tones are riddled with a nasty evil buzz that brings to mind a union of Unearthly Trance and Unsane that sometimes veers into psychedelic realms worthy of Yob. “Metempsychosis” is an awesome offering from Nest that demonstrates their startling power and a terrifying amount of potential for the future.

“Metempsychosis” DD track listing:

1. - (00:31)
2. The Cowardice And Rashness Of Courage (03:52)
3. Gallows Of Forever (03:16)
4. Heretic (02:38)
5. Divining By The Entrails Of Sheep (05:06)
6. Jewel Of Iniquity (03:59)
7. From The Darkness In Me, Illuminate (04:09)
8. Life's Grief (09:50)
9. - (00:27)

The Review:

2018 is still only a few weeks old but Nest are already making a strong play for end of year lists with new LP “Metempsychosis”. The Kentucky duo make a huge spaced-out sludge racket delivered with an aggressive noise rock attitude that really hits hard here.

Although there are many two pieces throughout the heavy underground that create a massive sound from minimal resources, Nest manage to construct a particularly impressive wall of noise from a single guitar, drums and vocals. I don’t know what set-up Kyle Keener is running his guitar through but it makes the crushing riffs that open up the likes of “The Cowardice And The Rashness Of Courage” and “Jewel oF Iniquity” register high on the Richter scale. The thick distortion-encrusted tones are riddled with a nasty evil buzz that brings to mind a union of Unearthly Trance and Unsane that sometimes veers into psychedelic realms worthy of Yob.

“From The Darkness In Me, Illuminate” is a mini-epic that covers the full width of Nest’s sonic spectrum in four minutes. Pummelling blast beats and lumbering doom riffs emerge from a cloud of menacing noise that brings an air of black metal mystery to the track. The second half of the track shows that the band are equally as captivating when they dial back the distortion to craft a hypnotic passage from minimal guitar picking and distant violin. This works as suitable preparation for the monstrous finale of “Life’s Grief”. Nest take everything that has come before and blow it up on a grand scale. Huge reverb-laden melodies pave the way for one final punishing riff that can only be silenced by a rising tide of harsh static and sonic manipulations.

“Metempsychosis” is an awesome offering from Nest that demonstrates their startling power and a terrifying amount of potential for the future.

“Metempsychosis” is available to preorder here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Circadian Ritual - "Befallen"

By: Ernesto Aguilar

Album Type: Full length

Date Released: 22/12/2017

Label: Live Fast Die Recordings

When all is said and done, "Befallen" is certain to stake Circadian Ritual as a band to watch, and an exemplary representative of the peaking Minneapolis doom scene.

“Befallen” CS//DD track listing

1. Solomon's Temple

2. Befallen

3. Elysian Desire

4. Pyramids of Form and Matter

5. The Heirophant

The Review:

Just like that, Minneapolis is turning into a hotbed for doom metal bands. Boson, Ulkum and Circadian Ritual are among those leading the charge right now. In the case of Circadian Ritual, the quartet released its self-titled debut last year and concludes 2017 with "Befallen," Fans of the group's debut may remember those languid tracks – the four selections were all 10 distorted minutes or longer – and vocals by Jake Quittschreiber that cast a deep, rumbling shadow over already blackened, dirge like events. As you might guess, Circadian Ritual made a big impression with its premiere.

With their sophomore offering "Befallen," fans get to experience a leap for the group, which features more music, tighter orchestration (three of the five songs are under 10 minutes this time) and new layers to its delivery. On "Solomon's Temple," the band gives a melodic chord series before Quittschreiber pours on the harshness. Guitarist Rick Parsons and bassist Jim Clark lather upon the vocal a molasses of mutilated noise, here and throughout the campaign. Later, "Elysian Desire" sees bassist Ben Shaffer with some of his monstrously distorted playing that proves positively brain damaging.

"Befallen" offers a few surprises as well.  The title track features guest vocals by Jori Apedaile, the principal of atmospheric black metal/blackgaze act Eneferens, also hailing from Minnesota. This song's promise is realized, too. Almost on cue after that, "Pyramids of Form and Matter" strikes a perfect balance of atmospheric doom and hints of black metal. This is easily one of the most engrossing songs on the album, with the whole band taking their effort to another level. Burly, slow rhythms, prowling guitars and a vocal that is menacing while not overpowering the rest of the composition, makes this track especially good. Similarly, that title cut churns, building to a typhoon of a climax, with effects and instruments building haltingly. The bell here is a nice touch as well.

As the longest song, "The Heirophant" at 12 minutes is a risky move. While Circadian Ritual has made long cuts in past outings, virtually everything on "Befallen" is abridged to one degree or another. In many ways, going trim makes Circadian Ritual's music even more interesting. Where "The Heirophant" goes well is in its organization. The band makes crests with purpose, and takes full advantage of Quittschreiber's fierce verbiage by accompanying it with a depressive stupor of noise. The band takes a turn about four minutes in, blending melancholic chords that scatter as colossal riffs take center stage. All said and done, "Befallen" is certain to stake Circadian Ritual as a band to watch, and an exemplary representative of the peaking Minneapolis scene.

"Befallen" is available to pre order/buy here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM PREMIERE & REVIEW: Weed Priest - "Consummate Darkness"

By: Ernesto Aguilar

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 31/10/2017

Label: Cursed Monk Records

If you are a fan of Weed Priest's ultra-heavy music, you will walk away pleased. However, those new to the now-quartet will also be impressed by such additions turning out its best work so far.

"Consummate Darkness" CD//DD//LP track listing

1. Witch's Curse

2. Vampyr

3. Sky Daddy

4. The Mass

The Review:

It is quite a feat for a metal band to have a really distinctive opener, one that seizes your attention with its sound and fury. So when Irish blackened doom band Weed Priest launches its new album, "Consummate Darkness," with the song "Witch's Curse," a blistering opus if ever there was one, you can't help but stand at attention. Dishing out classic metal into the denser style of today, Weed Priest's uniquely heavy return is most welcome.

The group dropped a demo in 2011, then a full-length in 2013 and an EP in 2014. After changes to its squad – Weed Priest switched drummers and added a guitarist during this period – the four-piece issued splits in 2015 (with Astralnaut) and 2016 (with Black Capricorn). Adding players is always iffy business. "Consummate Darkness" marks the first chance for Weed Priest to spread its batlike wings on a full length using its fresh lineup.

Vocalist Adamus de Sabbator gets one hell of a backdrop to build on with that opening cut. And on "Vampyr," a track that surfaced as a preview to the album, he flips the vocal to be especially haunting. Paralleled with guitarist Sean Sullivan, de Sabbator's riffs as well as Sullivan's prove intimidating too. The vivid lyricism gets a fun touch with clips from German filmmaker Werner Herzog's 1979 adaption of "Nosferatu the Vampyre," featuring longtime collaborator Klaus Kinski and, for the sake of the song, Ronald Topor's wonderfully unhinged performance as Renfield. "Vampyr" comes in at just over 10 minutes, but feels quite complete, without bloat or overlong elements.

"Sky Daddy" brings Weed Priest back to familiar ground as some of its past work. The song is undoubtedly more on the classic metal and stoner vibe you may have heard before when the group was just a trio. Bassist K.H. Rhaagulus does a particularly good job of knitting the cut together by balancing his playing with the drums and adding some ballast to the twin guitars. Overall, it a pleasing entry, and certainly red meat for the stoner rock heads out there.

"Consummate Darkness" closes out with "The Mass," a 14-minute-plus slab of aural concrete hurled at you. Here, all of Weed Priest's parts come together seamlessly. Bass and drums build slowly, until the guitars swoop in. This is doom at its best, and the black metal-inspired growls mixed in to make those ominous guitars feel all the more threatening. "The Mass" demonstrates a new maturity for Weed Priest. The song is deliberate in a different way than some of its better past work, and the added guitar offers far more depth than previous outings. A critical ear might suggest the solos 11 minutes in might be a bit much, but they are forgivable, given all the energy the group puts into such a sterling cut.

If you are a fan of Weed Priest's ultra-heavy music, you will walk away pleased. However, those new to the now-quartet will also be impressed by such additions turning out its best work so far.

"Consummate Darkness" is available to preorder/buy here and you can stream the album in full below ahead of release on Halloween. 

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Owlcrusher - "Owlcrusher"

By: Mark Ambrose

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 18/07/2017

Label: Seeing Red Records

With three tracks spread across 45 minutes, each song embraces sprawl and space: the reverb heavy drum tone pounds like the pulse of a leviathan.  The low end guitar tone crackles with fuzz, while the bass rumbles so menacingly that, with the right sound system, you may get your guts churning like you’ve just been forced to smoke a whole pack of unfiltered cigarettes – you’ve got the cold sweats, your insides feel poisoned, and you’re probably gonna puke, but god damn it you’re hooked

"Owlcrusher" CD//DD track listing

1. Feeble Preacher

2. Owlcrusher

3. Spoiler

The Review

One of my oldest friends also happens to be one of the most skilled musicians I’ve ever met.  He’s not exactly unimpressed by speed shredders, but he taught me a lesson a few years back: if you want to truly punish yourself and hone your precision to a razor fine edge, try running through a song at half speed.  Try to cut that in half again.  You will never see skilled musicians doubt their own abilities when each flubbed chord, each sour note, each early cymbal crash rings out like a screamed expletive during an Easter Sunday mass.  Sludge.  Doom.  Funeral doom.  These aren’t “easier” versions of metal when they’re played with the ferocious intensity and terrifying precision of a group as remarkable as Owlcrusher.  This Northern Irish trio has been ripping for nearly a decade and have just self-released their debut LP: their combination of glacial riffing, blistering vocals, and sludge chaos have caused ripples in the underground metal press.

From the opening of “Feeble Preacher”, the whole mammoth affair has a delightfully unsavory flavor: even the ambient tones recall the scuzzy industrial planetscapes of Eraserhead.  But when the trio comes to life, the sheer scope is undeniably menacing.  With three tracks spread across 45 minutes, each song embraces sprawl and space: the reverb heavy drum tone pounds like the pulse of a leviathan.  The low end guitar tone crackles with fuzz, while the bass rumbles so menacingly that, with the right sound system, you may get your guts churning like you’ve just been forced to smoke a whole pack of unfiltered cigarettes – you’ve got the cold sweats, your insides feel poisoned, and you’re probably gonna puke, but god damn it you’re hooked.  Speaking of poisoned viscera, guitarist/vocalist Andrew Spiers sounds like he’s been living on an unholy mix of crematory ashes and sulphuric acid, in the best way possible.  His whispers, shrieks, and guttural moans weave through the massive spaces between riffs and fills, creating unbearable tension before retreating to the shadows for some triumphant guitar solos.

Title track (band theme song?) “Owlcrusher” has an undeniably catchy guitar hook that repeats, harmonizes, and curls on itself in the final few minutes, settling into a groove so sweet it’s nearly human – before collapsing into sublime, shrieking feedback and demonic wails.  But don’t let Spiers’ almost classic metal riffs, harmonies, and trills fool you: “Owlcrusher” is a punishing, depressive experience.  Closing track “Spoiler” feels like a real-time treatise on decay.  For a brief span, Hobson and McKeown drop out entirely, and their absence highlights their crucial, precise rhythmic balance to Spiers’ looser, sludgy guitars.  When the trio reasserts itself in the album’s closing minutes, the lurching propulsion is as exhilarating as funeral doom gets.  With a debut this dirty, this skilled, and this menacing, I hope to hell I don’t have to wait nearly a decade for more Owlcrusher.

“Owlcrusher” is available digitall here and on limited cd here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook