ALBUM REVIEW: SubRosa - "For This We Fought the Battle of Ages"

By: Dan Brownson

Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 26/08/2016
Label: Profound Lore

If you love really emotionally charged hard hitting music, give this record a listen. I had very high expectations of this record, and those expectations were met and then exceeded.

“For This We Fought the Battle of Ages” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Despair Is a Siren,
2). Wound of the Warden,
3). Black Majesty,
4). Il Cappio,
5). Killing Rapture,
6). Troubled Cells

The Review:

If you've been paying much attention to the underground doom/sludge metal scene in the last few years, then you've probably heard of SubRosa, an unusual quintet from Salt Lake City, Utah, boasting two highly skilled violinists (in addition to the more traditional guitar, bass, and drums). After toiling in relative obscurity for several years, 2011's “No Help for the Mighty Ones”, the band's second full length, gained some notice. The next record, “More Constant Than the Gods” then really catapulted them onto the international metal stage. With its further refined atmospheres, arrangements, and ancient feel, the record garnered them more of the recognition they deserved.

I have to admit, given that I loved “More Constant Than the Gods”, I was very curious how they'd follow up such a tremendous record. In “For This We Fought the Battle of Ages”, I suppose I have my answer.

The album opens with "Despair Is a Siren," which some fans who caught them on their recent tour with Cult of Luna may recognize. The song, and with it the album, begins with an almost innocent, serene quiet, before gradually getting more ominous until a full-on cataclysmic crescendo. The rage and, indeed, despair of the vocal line sets the tone for the rest of the album. Like the second song, it's quite lengthy, occupying the entirety of the first side (side "Rose") of the record.

Up next (on side "Lily of the Valley") is "The Wound of the Warden," a song that's been released early for a peek at what the album sounds like. Immediately the band settle into a mid tempo groove from which they expand further sonic textures, including some very nice vocal harmonies, before gradually getting heavier, off-setting bassist Levi Hanna's screamed backing vocals with guitarist Rebecca Vernon's clean main vocal line, using different lyrics in an almost Neurosis-esque manner. A clean prelude of harmonized singing between Rebecca and violinist Kim Pack precedes the denouement, with Rebecca adopting the defiant, accusatory tone to her vocals I loved so much on the last album's track "Fat of the Ram." Where that song got more hopeful, however, this one only gets darker. Given the lyrical content here, I believe the march-like feel at the end is quite intentional.

"Black Majesty," the first song on the side "Henbane" of the double-LP, begins with a radical departure. Accompanied by no rhythm, only violin soundscapes, Rebecca sings what sounds like a sweet, carefree melody, which, jarringly, contains the darkest lyrical content yet on either this record or anything I've heard from this band. The effect is a very unsettling, creepy sense of mental/emotional dissonance. Naturally, it's followed by a pounding, heavy rhythm, which soon enough is broken up by another quiet segment of cheerful duet singing between Kim and Rebecca, preceding an even angrier and slower crescendo. The use of light textures with dark lyrics, interspersed with some of the heaviest music so far on this album creates some real mood whiplash. This is not easy listening music, as the entire song's lyrics are phrased in the form of questions. Very uncomfortable ones.

Following this emotionally demanding track is "Il Cappio," an interlude much like "House Carpenter," on “No Help for the Mighty Ones”, this one consisting entirely of violinist Sarah Pendleton's voice accompanied by lyre. It's enough of a musical contrast for the listener to breathe, but not to escape the dark theme of this record.

"Killing Rapture" opens the final side ("Wormwood") of the album. Over the top of a slow, plodding, monumental riff, Rebecca's voice soars with more word painting, a serene, nearly emotionless tone matching the subject of the lyrics. A sudden shift in tempo breaks the heavy serenity with a sense of frantic panic, as if of a mind only suddenly coming to realize the hell it is trapped in and struggling to get out. However, we return to the previous tempo, as if the rebellion in the bridge section has been coldly crushed. On the album closer, "Troubled Cells," there is a saxophone solo in the intro, giving a feel like walking through a dark city downtown on a sombre, rainy night. Combined with the violin and guitar soundscapes, it's a very eerie noir atmosphere. This precedes the main lyrical content, which is a tragic response to the rest of the album, with a truly moving multi-vocal/lyric climax.

The version I reviewed is the vinyl double LP version. Very nice artwork, as usual. Each of the sides has names, separate from track names, as mentioned earlier, and each also has its own individualized artwork.

When I received this album, I did the whole reading along to the lyrics thing and the experience left me shaken. “For This We Fought the Battle of Ages” is a brutal record, though not in the way the term is usually used in the metal scene. My only criticism is the same biased one I have for virtually all metal records, make the bass louder, but only very slightly in this case (I am myself a bassist), as the sound, like its predecessor, is very good. I know reviews are supposed to contain criticisms as well as praises, and while I might say that I would like to hear more of the things I really loved, like the several vocal lines at once spots, having more of them might lessen their impact. Honestly I think this is the most bold and vulnerable vocal work that Rebecca Vernon and SubRosa as a whole have done yet.

I may not be the most objective person to do a review, given that I already really like this band, but I had very high expectations, and those expectations were met and then exceeded. The songs are individually great, but the effect of the whole album, played all the way through, is greater. If you love really emotionally charged hard hitting music, give this record a listen. If you're looking for feel-good party jams, maybe look elsewhere (still listen to this record though). Earlier I've described SubRosa as sounding like some lost, ancient civilization... but on this record I suspect that said lost civilization is our own.

“For This We Fought the Battle of Ages” is available here

Band info: facebook || bandcamp

RIYL: Yob, Neurosis, Chelsea Wolfe, Julie Christmas

Usnea - Random Cosmic Violence (Album Review)

Album Type: Full-Length

Date Relased: 07/11/2014

Label: Relapse Records

‘Random Cosmic Violence’ CD/DD/LP track listing:

1). Lying in Ruin

2). Healing through Death

3). Random Cosmic Violence

4). Detritus

Bio:

USNEA’s Relapse debut ‘Random Cosmic Violence’ is a 4 song masterpiece.  Blending the sounds of the doom forefathers like Disembowelment and My Dying Bride with the gritty sludge of High On Fire, USNEA have created a classic of the new millennium.  Pulsating with tribal intensity, ‘Random Cosmic Violence’ is one of those rare records that elevates itself above the boundaries that its genre typically self-imposes.  Yes, this is a mighty heavy piece of sludgey doom, but the musicality and songcraft exhibited throughout the entirety of ‘Random Cosmic Violence’ immediately place USNEA not just at the forefront of the blossoming American doom scene, but at the tops of heavy music altogether. 

Usnea is

Zeke Rogers | Drums
Joel Williams | Bass & Vocals
Johnny Lovingood | Guitar
Justin Cory | Guitar & Vocals

Review:

I’ve heard the name Usnea come up a few times, almost always followed by “you should check them out!” or variations on that sentiment. For whatever reason, I hadn’t got around to it until now; as I sit down to review their second full length album (though it bears mentioning that they did a split with Ruins earlier this year). Looking over the lyrics, the themes of the songs are interesting, and occasionally bring up thoughts I’ve sometimes had. As often seen in this genre, these Portlanders take a rather dim view of… everything, it seems.

Their new ‘Random Cosmic Violence’ release opens with the track “Lying in Ruin.” An ambient intro of string noise, delay and reverb is reminiscent of both desert hallucinations, and also some of the warbly clean guitar tones I’m more used to hearing in the works of Yob. What turns out to be the main riff is slowly, ominously introduced in the background by the bass, before the whole band kicks at once, including vocals, which shriek over the top and then growl along with a nice, heavy, slow riff. The guitars drop out to make room for morose clean vocals that remind me of the earliest singing in My Dying Bride’s old material. This sparse mix makes the re-entrance of the guitars all the more heavy. While the song would seem to speed up after about halfway through, this is in fact an illusion created by a busier subdivision of the beat in both the drums and the riffing, as the tempo actually stays more or less constant, setting up a dissonant sounding staccato which in turn heightens the contrast when the texture opens to legato guitar harmony. The drumming at the close of the song is particularly noteworthy in adding to the chaotic yet still brooding atmosphere at the piece’s close.

“Healing through Death” opens in startling and fairly unusual fashion for a metal song. I won’t spoil it here, but at the risk of sounding completely lame, I’ll admit it made me jump. This song is immediately ferocious despite its slow pace. Quite a few notes last long enough for the feedback of the guitars to provide almost an echo of the screaming vocals. But seemingly out of nowhere, the volume drops to a more introspective section, with vocals that sound as if they come from the depths of an almost interminably long cavern, as if more wind than human voice. The song’s dynamics shift yet again with a brutal pounding rhythm, the vocals reaching tortured heights. Only halfway through, as the song continues, the sound builds and builds until reaching a climax of sorts, though this proves to be a false ending.

The sounds of wind and mournful acoustic guitar begin the title track. The vocals enter with the bass, sounding almost like ritual chanting. This is so far perhaps the most atmospheric section on the record… and probably also the slowest in tempo. Once the overdriven guitars kick in, the vocals actually remind me quite a bit of those on the most recent Indian album. The overall mood, though, stays the same here: desolation, and about a third of the way through, the band kicks into what sounds like a fast waltzing tempo. After a somewhat uncomfortable pause (intentionally so, from the sounds of it), the band play what could actually be called fast, the style here somewhat akin to black metal, though the vocals are mostly death growls. This section suits the song title. A denouement sounding almost like the musical equivalent of the results of a crash, another uncomfortable pause, and drums begin another expansive outro section, similar in arrangement to the opening song, though this one really reminds me of Neurosis, in a really good way. It’s that same mixture of chaos and epic riffing. The last change at the end is unexpected.

Usnea concludes their record with the song “Detritus.” The atmosphere at the beginning is nicely creepy, and for me it evokes an atmosphere of emptiness and isolation. I’m not sure if fellow Oregonians Yob is an influence on this band, but the clean guitar tone and style here again sound similar. This is not a criticism, I would note (as Yob are my favorite band in the genre). Even as the guitar and bass get overdriven and the vocals come in, the overall texture remains fairly open for quite a while. It gets sludgy and heavy and more intense so gradually that until quite a long time has gone by, it’s hard to even notice it is happening. This is a long meandering track, and a fine way to conclude things, evoking a sense of endless, solitary wandering. I had to just sit for a moment after it ended; listening to the sounds of rain outside my window (it happens to be raining in the bay area, as I’m writing this).

There isn’t a whole lot to criticize on this record, to be honest. I prefer the higher of the two vocal styles, but that’s really more a reflection of my tastes than the vocal quality, as these sections are fairly similar in some ways to Ahab. The title track at times seems disjointed, but with a name like that, well, it should, shouldn’t it?

This record is depressing and exhausting… and I’m sure that’s deliberate. It is not easy listening, but a great, emotional work of art. Random Cosmic Violence is worth a listen if you’re into this genre. I especially recommend it for fans of Ahab, Indian, and Yob. I’d heard this band recommended quite a bit recently, and they do not disappoint.

Words by: Dan Brownson

You can pick up a copy here

For more information:

Official Site | Facebook | Bandcamp

11Paranoias - Stealing Fire from Heaven (Album Review)

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 10/11/2014

Label: Ritual Productions

‘Stealing Fire from Heaven’ CD/DD/LP track listing:

1. The Great Somnambulist
2. Paranoiditude (Beyond The Grave)
3. Surrealise
4. At The Cursus
5. By The Light Of A Dying Star (Neutron Start)
6. Lost To Smoke
7. Retribution of Dreams

Bio:

Adam Richardson (bass/vocals) provides an insight into the recording process for the album:
"We have made full use of the 'automatic' process again on Stealing Fire From Heaven - not just the lyrical/incantation aspect, but the entire process - and it has rewarded us with this 'unseen apparition' which we love! It takes guts, blood, trance dwelling exploration of inner and outer space, and an unflinching will to make a record in this method....

"Surrealise, despite its 'born of nothing' approach, delves naturally into a mournful lament, of 'killing sadness' - that could only be divined and not written. We have coaxed Stealing Fire From Heaven from our consciousness and the stars into this dull dimension we (think we) know. Any idiot can write a great song, learn it and record it, but this traditional approach has become dead to us...

"Long live the new flesh!"

The Band:

Adam Richardson | Bass, vocals

Mike Vest | Guitar

Nathan Perrier | Drums

Review:

A new day, a new band (to me), a new album. 11Paranoias is a doom metal trio from England… or, at least, I think they’re doom metal. Don’t know yet. Let’s have a listen.

The first song, “The Great Somnambulist,” begins at a low simmer with a driving, but restrained bass groove, while clean guitar seem to improvise spacey licks over the top. Whispered vocals and some samples (or at least, they might be samples… they might also be various noises created with the guitar) join to create a mysterious atmosphere. While most of the instruments keep going on in this manner, the drumming switches to tom work to create more tension, and then the song abruptly seems to fall off, though not in a bad way, serving as an extended intro to the album.

“Paranoiditude (Beyond the Grave)” follows with a change in feel. More of the true opener after the previous track, noise precedes a funereally slow riff that seems to surround the listener in decay. Somewhat throwing me off balance, the drums occasionally erupt into fast bursts and fills even while the other instruments continue with their slow but relentless procession. I can’t decide if the vocals here are angry or rather just full of despair. A little over halfway through the song, all the instruments drop out except for the (filthy sounding) bass, producing the effect of dividing the song into two distinct sections. Interestingly, the vocals return before the guitars, which later join in to continue a slow build-up before a noisy guitar lead outro that is somewhat reminiscent of older Electric Wizard.

The next song, “Surrealise,” begins with a strange, depressed intro with a distant, improvising saxophone, creating an overall mood that reminds me vaguely of… well… being hungover. Not that it’s bad by any means, but it sounds like the soundtrack to that sort of painful, disoriented weariness. This transitions instantly to rage, as the band increase the volume, albeit playing the same chord progression, when the vocals enter. Here the overdrive is so intense on the guitars and bass that they sound almost like some sort of machine. As the instruments drop out, all that’s left is eerily echoing feedback.

As the last echoes of track 3 fade out, a slow and steady bass riff begins “At the Cursus,” while various sounds from the guitar precede the heaviness to come… and once it comes, it does not disappoint. Despite its slow march, this riff is one that gets the head nodding along. I’d love to see them play this song live if they ever make it over to the west coast of the USA. After a slow(er) break, a strange high part comes over the top of the sludgy riffing, which is a nice touch, expanding the sonic texture. Just when the song feels like it’s over; the band comes back in with an even heavier riff to close it out.

“By the Light of a Dying Star (Neutron Start)” has a similar feel at the beginning to the opening of the album, albeit, oddly, less dark, with an almost middle-eastern sounding groove, which expands into what sounds like a section that live is probably mostly jammed. When the song gets heavy, it does so with a crushing riff. This constitutes most of the song, but it’s such a heavy riff that that I’m pretty much okay with that. The even slower outro contains the first death metal vocals I’ve noticed so far. I like how overall this song goes from a relatively light atmosphere into darkness by the end. Suits the title and, I imagine, the subject matter.

No quiet intro for the penultimate track, “Lost to Smoke.” A slow waltz tempo, it is nonetheless the fastest song so far on this album. The opening riff is classic doom, and then during a break with building drum work, the time signature switches to 4/4, and when the band comes back in, things are not the least bit standard. At risk of overusing the word “spacey,” this section is very much that, and a bit of a trip. Even more surprising, the band is now playing a tempo that is very fast for doom… and steadily, deliberately speeding up. I have to admit, after the previous five songs, this one was a bit of a shock.

The final song’s intro continues in this psychedelic fashion, “Retribution of Dreams” even including what sounds like Hammond Organ at the beginning. The energy builds here mainly with increasingly complex drumming, and the crescendo is so gradual that at first I hadn’t even noticed that the guitar and bass had gone from clean(ish) to overdriven. In some ways, this experimental track creates symmetry with the opening of the album. Could have been a little longer though. The fadeout comes somewhat unexpectedly. But perhaps that’s the intention.

After listening to this whole album, I feel a bit tired, actually. It is certainly not “easy listening,” despite the solid grooving often contained within. Its texture is unfriendly and dense, though worth the effort to explore.

As always, I have a couple criticisms (I’ve never heard a record that was absolutely perfect). The simplest is that, biased as my opinion on this particular matter may be, I feel that the bass could be a little more present in the mix. Another aspect I find strange is the drum sound. The guitars and vocals are soaked in reverb and sometimes delay, and next to them, the drums sound somewhat dry (though I’m sure they have quite a bit of reverb as well, in actuality… just they sound significantly more up front than the guitars and especially the vocals). Perhaps this is intentional, as if the drums are right next to us and the guitars are booming from a great distance? The structure of the album as a whole is also somewhat odd, but putting the listener off-balance could very well be their intent.

Overall, it’s a very good album. Cover art, ‘The Temptation of Saint Anthony’, by Max Ernst, is interesting as well and somewhat reminds me of old Sepultura album art.

I’d rate ‘Stealing Fire from Heaven’ a low to solid seven out of ten (I should mention here, I suppose, that I would give very few albums ever released a full ten) on a number scale. Musically to me 11Paranoias sound somewhat like older Electric Wizard mixed with Ufomammut, though Adam Richardson’s vocals are considerably lower in pitch than those found in either of those other groups. Very cool band to check out.

Words by: Dan Brownson

You can pick up a copy here

For more information:

http://www.facebook.com/11Paranoias
http://11paranoias.bandcamp.com
http://www.ritualproductions.net
http://www.facebook.com/ritualproductionsuk
http://ritualproductions.bandcamp.com
http://twitter.com/ritualmusic

Jupiterian - Archaic EP (Review) & Full Stream

Album Type: EP

Date Released: 26/7/2014

Label: Self Release

‘Archaic’ DD track listing:

1. Archaic

2. Procession Towards the Monolith

3. Currents of Io

Bio:

The debut EP from Jupiterian "Archaic" was released on July 26th 2014.

Jupiterian are a Sludge, Death/Doom Metal band from Brazil. They was born in november 2013. After some line-up changes, in april of this year they started to record "Archaic", their debut at Improviso Studios.

To create their path through the catacombs, Jupiterian invited Moires (Gnaw their Tongues, Aderlating, Seirom) to collaborate on the on the homonymous opening track and James Plotkin (ex-Khanate), who previously worked with Bongripper, Conan, Windhand among others took care of the master.

The Band:

V | Vocals/Guitars

G | Drums

A | Guitar

R | Bass

Review:

Settling in to listen to a release by a band I’ve never heard before, the Archaic EP by Jupiterian. Given the band name and the titles of the songs, my interest is definitely piqued.

The title track comes first, and opens with feedback in classic doom style, before drums signal the band to come in with a brutish sludge riff. I find myself turning up the volume. Soon enough, the vocals come in, and the entire atmosphere to me sounds somewhat akin to Ahab, except more… raw. Especially similar are the vocals. Being a musician myself, I take note of the tones, which sound as if the amplifiers used are at their very limits. Just when I think I know what to expect and have this song pegged, the band break into a faster section that is far more atmospheric, with layered guitars and what sounds like strings, possibly a synth. Near the end of the song, the tempo drops again into pounding heaviness, but keeps the eerie atmosphere.

Moving on, the next song is entitled “Procession Towards the Monolith,” bringing to mind 2001: A Space Odyssey. Beginning with a soft, clean guitar intro makes the entrance of the full band all the more heavy. The riffing is complex despite its slow tempo, with harmonized guitars. Soon enough, the band moves to a steady but driving section that seems almost akin to a march, before the guitars diverge with one playing an unsettling lead higher up during the vocal parts. Later on, I’m struck by how this band has a knack for contrasting complexity and sparse simplicity. It’s almost as if the dual guitars weave in and out of each other, sometimes playing in simple unison, other times playing harmonized parts that sound almost like one instrument, while still other times playing very different parts that interact in interesting ways.

The third and final song, “Currents of Io,” is introduced with a sample from an old astronomy documentary (possibly the original Cosmos with Carl Sagan?); with music in the background that inspires trepidation. Slowly, distorted guitar fades in, the whole band kicking in right after the documentary narrator pronounces “This... is Jupiter.” A funereal waltz ensues, with a high guitar lead playing off arpeggio lines by the other guitar and bass, before the other guitar moves to an almost Iron Maiden-esque harmony. Complex playing, despite the slow tempo.

Soon enough, another complex riff comes in, but this time the band plays almost in unison (almost, because the bass part is audibly different than the guitar line) when the vocals roar, and the time has switched to 4/4. Around halfway through, what could almost be called a bridge comes in, with epic, almost triumphant chording, before dropping off once again for the documentary narrator to come back in, describing Jupiter’s immensity, “almost a thousand times the size of Earth,” at which point verse riff kicks back in, but this time with a guitar harmony. Seven and a half minutes in, building off the momentum previously in the song, the band increase the tempo to a driving march, beginning with staccato chugging by one guitar and the bass while the other guitar leads, before the texture opens up, revealing the preceding section to have been an intro of a sort to the song’s, and therefore the record’s, grand finale.

This is the band’s most cinematic songwriting yet, and it does call to mind a vision of a spacecraft flying through the Jovian system, humans reduced to insignificant specs against the majesty of Jupiter and its moons, while also perturbed by the utterly alien setting. And then, a little over ten minutes in, the band suddenly stop, leaving the listener with almost the audio equivalent of sea legs or whiplash.

Listening to the record again, the sound/production is interesting. As a bassist, I’m pleased that the bass sound is both very aggressive and quite audible. It’s always a pleasure to hear a metal album where that’s the case. The guitars are thick and heavy, but somewhat oddly dry sounding. It isn’t bad, it’s just not the sound I may have gone for myself, especially during the more atmospheric sections.

One thing I hadn’t mentioned before, but will now, is that the drumming on this record is superb, especially in the title track. In fact the performances from all the musicians are quite solid. Some say that doom metal, due to being slow, must be easy, but anyone who has played it knows that this is not necessarily the case, especially with parts as divergent as some of those on this record get.

Of course, even on a good record, there are some things I thought could have been better. Sorry guys, this is a review. Gotta do it. Firstly, I feel that the transition between “Procession Towards the Monolith” and “Currents of Io” could have been smoother. I don’t normally go for fadeouts, but I think letting the middle song’s last notes ring out and fade out while the last song’s intro begins could have sounded nicer, and not doing so was in some ways a missed opportunity. Then again, perhaps they tried this in the studio and it didn’t work. It’s a very minor complaint, I must stress.

The vocals are good for this style, but while competent, I would suggest trying different pitches/vocal textures. There were a couple moments of that on this release, but they were rather brief.

But back to the good stuff… this is a solid, heavy record. “Currents of Io” is my favorite on the record so far, and I think Jupiterian made a good decision in closing with it. It’s the song in which their tendencies towards both the epic (I know that word is overused somewhat these days, but it applies to some moments on this record) and atmospheric are on full display… tendencies I hope that will be further explored in the future.

Overall, on a number scale, I’d rate this album a high seven to low eight out of ten.

If this band makes it up to northern California at any time in the future, I will definitely be going to see them, and I’ll be looking out for future releases by them as well. I expect some great things.

I would expect fans of bands like Loss, Ahab, and Lycus to get really enjoy this record. Jupiterian is worth checking out.

Words by: Dan Brownson

You can pick up a copy here

For more information:

http://jupiterian.bandcamp.com/releases

https://www.facebook.com/jupiteriandoom?fref=ts

Bog Oak - A Treatise On Resurrection And The Afterlife EP (Review)

Album Type: EP

Date Released: 28/11/2014

Label: Svart Records

‘A Treatise On Resurrection And The Afterlife’ CD/LP track listing:

1). The Science of the Afterlife (06:58)

2). The Resurrection of Animals (04:47)

3). Time Drift of Seasons (03:21)

4). A Seas Without Shore (05:23)

Bio: 

"Bog Oak formed in October 2013 around the core of Phillip Gallagher and Matthew Woods Wilhoit, who both lived in the Sacramento area. They met when Gallagher answered an ad placed by Wilhoit looking for someone to jam with. The pair bonded over their mutual love of heavy metal, tube amplifiers, and occult philosophy, writing the songs 'A Shepard’s Teeth for a Winter’s Coat' and 'Dragger' during their first jam session with Gallagher on drums and Wilhoit on guitar.

"After recording these songs at Earth Tone Studios in Rocklin, California, with session bassist Robert Lander, the pair decided to shop their demo around and place an ad for a vocalist. Julie Seymour responded, and got the job after one audition: Gallagher and Wilhoit were impressed with her ability to switch back and forth between black metal screams and ethereal clean singing.

"After a few rehearsals, Gallagher, Wilhoit, and Seymour entered Earth Tone Studios to add vocals to the first two songs and record two new songs, 'Behold, The Valley Of Slaughter' and 'Experiments In Extinction' with Gallagher and Wilhoit sharing bass duties. To achieve a fuller live sound and to expand the harmonic possibility within Bog Oak, Gallagher switched from drums to baritone guitar after recruiting drummer and longtime friend Steven Campbell. Wilhoit recruited longtime friend DBC to act as bassist for live performances.

"Conceptually, Bog Oak embrace all things occult, pulling inspiration from a wide range of esoteric ideas like those of Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa, Aleister Crowley, and Laveyan Satanism, to the ideas of more extremist occult groups like the O9A and the Temple Of Black Light, into the more mystical concepts of Pythagoras, the metaphysics of Mulla Sadra, Suhrawardi’s philosophy of illumination, and the alchemy of Al-Ghazali."

The Band:

Julie Seymour | Vocals
Phillip Gallagher | Guitars, Bass
Steve Campbell | Drums

Review

Today, I find myself preparing to listen to ‘A Treatise On Resurrection And The Afterlife’, by a band known as Bog Oak. Given the name of the group, I expect some filthy sounding sludge (perhaps they should play a show with Swamp Witch?), which is always good, but then, my predictions do not always pan out. This review is largely a first impression, as I'm writing as I'm listening to the songs for the first time.

The first song, "The Science of the Afterlife" opens in classic doom/sludge fashion with feedback and a single, filthy sounding guitar. Almost immediately, though, the song takes an unexpected turn, as the whole band comes in with a surprisingly fast riff. Soon after, the vocalist makes her presence known, and does not disappoint. Julie's growls remind me vaguely of both Laurie Sue from Ludicra, and the late Tristessa of Astarte. After a brutishly heavy section, the vocals switch to a clean singing style, about halfway through the song, the vocal style not quite crooning, but not operatic either. Shortly thereafter, the band returns to their previous pace before descending once more, at the conclusion, to an almost march-like staccato pummelling. A great opening track, though if I have one criticism, it feels a little too short to me. But then, I tend to like my heavy music long and drawn out.

This band seems full of unexpected turns, as "The Resurrection of Animals" opens with a much different riff than anything heard in the opener, the full band coming in with a syncopated drum beat. The style so far is somewhat reminiscent of Black Cobra, except heavier due to there being, it sounds like, bass on this album. Just under three minutes into "Resurrection," the band pauses, and the furious pace set before (if anything, even faster than the opener), is dropped in favor of massive sounding chords with a haunting guitar lead high above them. This lead is replaced by equally eerie clean vocals from Julie, and overall it's almost as if this section is in answer to a hypothetical question "what if Ludicra had played doom metal?" I suppose I should note here, that Ludicra (who sadly broke up a few years ago) put out some of my favorite black metal. Again, if anything, I wish this ending section were longer, as it's fantastic, and I'm guessing that it'll remain stuck in my head for quite a while.

Unlike the previous two songs, "Time Drift of Seasons" does not open with a lone guitar. The whole band comes in with a crushingly heavy riff, though the feel (albeit not the triplet tempo) slows down for clean singing sections that seem to be choruses, before a quiet guitar interlude prefacing an even heavier riff. I wondered how they were going to follow the haunting outro of the previous song, but so far this is some of the best songwriting on the record, and the vocal work further demonstrates that Julie really knows what she's doing, as the singing on this music is incredible. Sadly, it's the shortest song so far. But, again, I'm biased, and would probably listen to this song over and over again even if it were twice or even three times as long.

Concluding the release is "A Sea Without Shore." This album opens with what sounds like some sort of Indian or east Asian instrument... I wish I could identify it just by sound, but I can't, as I admit my knowledge is unfortunately somewhat lacking in that area. The slow riff that follows is suitably heavy, and if anything, combined with the vocals, sets for a deeply mournful atmosphere. The first time I listen to music, I generally don't pay close attention to lyrics, but rather just to the overall sound. The title of this song is quite appropriate, in that sense, as it brings to my mind unending vastness and one's own insignificance in the face of the universe. The clean vocals give way at the end to growls similar to those of Nathan Misterek from Graves at Sea and Laudanum, upping the intensity of the song. Great track, though, this is becoming a bit of a refrain in this review, I feel it could be longer.

On second listen, the record as a whole is well put together, structurally. As I can't read minds, I've no idea if the song order was intentional or just a happy accident. I'm inclined to think the former, however. The overall feel somewhat mirrors that of the individual songs themselves. Through the album, there is a general movement towards slower tempos and heavier riffing, while vocally there is more and more clean singing as the album progresses. I would add, that in my own subjective opinion, the music gets better and better with every song. I expect that upon further listens I'll notice more subtleties as well.

The sound itself is very good, which is always somewhat surprising for an underground band, and the entire mix sounds massive, especially the guitars, but it is also very well balanced for a metal album. Nice work there.

As for criticisms... well, my main issue with this record is, and given my earlier comments, this will not come as a surprise... the songs could be longer. "Time Drift of Seasons" especially I think is just too short. Admittedly, even in doom, it is better to leave the listener/audience wanting more than to wear out your welcome, and perhaps Bog Oak wanted to make sure the songs were tight with no unnecessary material, but I feel that as strong as the work on this record is, they could expand things a bit in future compositions without much risk of getting repetitive. This is especially the case because the slower parts are, in my opinion, the most powerful parts of the record. I like that Bog Oak vary their tempos quite a bit, though. Contrast keeps things interesting. Though, again, I would point out that while this is a criticism, it may be very much due to my own biases when it comes to this style, because as mentioned, I tend to listen most to longer, more drawn out, slower stuff. And this criticism is relatively minor. All of the music on this record is good, I just wish there were more of each song.

An additional, albeit minor positive, is the cover art. I love it. Very nicely done. Clearly this band pays attention to the little details. On a 1-10 scale, I would give ‘A Treatise On Resurrection And The Afterlife’ about... a strong 7, I'm thinking. If you like Black Cobra, Stoneburner, Dark Castle, Ludicra, and Graves at Sea, you should definitely check out Bog Oak. I'm looking forward to hearing them play live with Graves at Sea, soon, and I'll be very interested to hear future releases by them.

Words by: Dan Brownson

For more information:

https://officialbogoak.bandcamp.com/releases

https://soundcloud.com/bog-oak

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bog-Oak/384359481667899