"A Year in Review": The Sonic 6 for Doom 2015

By: Aaron Pickford

As part of our review of 2015, over the coming days, I thought it would be a good idea to highlight, “six of the best” releases of 2015 within our most popular genres.  Of course we all gravitate to a favourite genre, however each has its own merit,  last time we covered Black Metal, so today, as we reflect upon an awesome year of music in 2015, we present the Doom “Sonic 6” for 2015

The Sludgelord’s ‘Sonic 6’ for 2015 is compiled based upon page views alone and calibrated into the list below, we will be presenting further lists during the lead up to Christmas, but for today roll up, kick back and Hail the riff!  Check out the Doom “Sonic 6” for 2015 (full reviews can be viewed by clicking the artwork and total views since the date of publication are highlight in red). 

6). Ruby The Hatchet – “Valley of the Snake” (748)

If you’re in the market for a heavy psych/stoner rock record with huge doom tendencies that stand out from the majority of the pack, look no further than ‘Valley of the Snake’.

5). Pentagram – “Curious Volume” (984)

Overall, for my money, Curious Volume is a better album than Last Rites- more focused, more inspired and it crackles with life, it really does. It is the best album from Pentagram in a long while and for that we should all rejoice. Legendary for a reason!

4). Monolord – Vænir (1041)

Now with 2015 engulfing us, what you actually just heard was ‘Vænir’by Monolord and it is your new favourite record by your new favourite doom band. For that ‘you’re, most certainly welcome’.

3). Paradise Lost – “The Plague Within” (1893)

As usual, I cannot categorize them- there are elements of doom, death, goth, even classical- and once again I have been reminded that they are one of the best bands that the British Isles has to offer. You will miss them when they are gone, so get on board with their career now. Whether you be a prodigal son or a new convert, you won't be disappointed as this album is superb.

2). With The Dead – “With The Dead” (2239)

It's evident that Bagshaw has acquired a few new fuzz pedals since the last Serpentine Path album as opening track 'Crown Of Burning Stars' is so oppressive, fuzzy and dense that it made my teeth itch. After the backwards speaking samples, the crunch of the guitar is incredible. The vocals are classic Dorrian and the bands sound on a whole is somewhere between Serpentine Path, 'Dopethrone' era Electric Wizard, early Cathedral and 'Misanthropic Alchemy' era Ramesses.  This for me is an album of the year contender, the kind of thing you'd expect from 3 of the scene's most influential figures. All expectation has been lived up to. Prepare to be blown away.

1). Elder – “Lore” (2855)

It’s a perfect album for us keen on escapism as marvelling at the end result is bound to remove you from your daily experience and carry you off into Elder’s epic tales of yore, the intricacies of which really only start revealing themselves on many a repeat listens. I’m sure we’ll be absorbing this one for some time to come, until they decide to take us along on another odyssey.

Reviews featured in this article were written by: David Heaton, Richard Maw, Joosep Nilk & Chris Bull



Abrahma - 'Reflections In The Bowels of the Bird' (Album Review)

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 12/5/2015

Label: Small Stone Recording

‘Reflections In The Bowels of the Bird’ CD//DD track listing:

1). Fountains Of Vengeance

2). An Offspring To The Wolves

3). Omens Pt.1

4). Weary Statues

5). Omens Pt.2

6). Kapal Kriya

7). Square the Circle

8). Omens Pt.3

9). A Shepherd’s Grief

10). Conium…

Abrahma is

Sébastien BISMUTH | Vocals, Guitars, Synths and Effects

Nicolas HELLER | Guitars

Guillaume COLIN | Bass guitar

Benjamin COLIN | Drums

Review:

Abrahma, a band on Small Stone that I was actually not familiar with at all,  so with having no previous knowledge of this bands history I’ll base my review from that perspective. First thing about this release that will grab you is the absolutely stunning album artwork, second thing is definitely the title of the record. With a title like “Reflections In The Bowels of a Bird”, I’m thinking “what the hell, is this going to be a death metal record out on small stone?” All kidding aside, not at all just a rather abstract and quizzical album title and what “Reflections In the Bowels of a Bird” is right out of the gate, is a declaration of no bones about it heavy rock record with flourishes of psychedelia and tweaks of nineties era hard rock  Each time I listened to this record I kept having this overall feeling of early nineties grunge nostalgia ala Alice in Chains or Soundgarden, then I read the bands bio, which states that exact thought as being a large influence. The key to this statement is one of influence being injected where needed to augment the bands style not an overall clone of music from that era.

“Fountains of Vengeance” starts the record off with a distortion intro right into a modernized approach on an early nineties hard rock sound. Excellent vocals are immediately noteworthy and a good indication of what we’re in for with the record. Second offering “An Offspring To The Wolves” gets darker and slower on the listener and almost sounds like a different band altogether. Really liked this track for the weight and gravity of it, there were some great parts displayed that built up the urgency of the song and then fly off the handle into a nice weird psychedelic part.

With track three “Omens Pt. 1“ begins a trilogy of more spacey and mellow songs that thread through the record, “Weary Statues” puts forward a faster more aggressive approach until the halfway point where they go into something that reminds me of a spacey Solitude Aeturnus or late 90’s Sentenced, before they jump back into the original attack of the song. This is a very cool and interesting track that makes me look forward to the remainder of the record.

“Omens pt. 2” continues with the mellow and ethereal vibe from part one, bringing  to mind Faith No More in parts. Cool guitar parts weave into the psychedelic effects before matching screams with a jazzy saxophone piece! I love crazy instrumentation on rock records and especially the addition of saxophone so this one hits me. Next up “Kapal Kriya” stretches out the ending of “pt. 2” before becoming its own beast, heavier bass and angry sounding vocals do well for the entire track and this is a stand out track on the record for me. I hate to keep coming up with influences and likeness but this track really pulls heavily from the repertoire of Tool. “Square The Circle” comes off as a fast, almost radio friendly hard rock/metal song. Not my thing, but I believe fans of the band will dig it.

“Omens Pt. 3” is a much darker concluding chapter to the trilogy, more dire and dismal in all ways and kind of sets the tone for the last quarter of the record. Next up is “A Shepherds Grief” and this song features Ed Mundell formerly of TAB and Monster Magnet fame, as one would expect it’s got his signature guitar tone all over it. This is a good tune and I like it a lot, more of a straight ahead rocker that showcases the vocal talents as well as the fuzzier direction the band can take. Finally “Conium” closes out the record on the note of a more solemn rocker, sort of a ballad with a dire and somber tone. I might be missing something but it seems like Abrahma decided to close out their second record with a sense of hopelessness and doom but in an accessible way.

So to wrap things up, if you’ve got a yearning for something harkening back to early nineties grunge tinged psychedelia that provides you with a straight ahead rock with chops and hooks to spare, this will definitely be a release for you!

Words by: David Heaton

‘Reflections In The Bowels of the Bird’ is available here

For more information:

http://abrahmamusic.net/ | https://abrahma.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ABRAHMAMUSIC | https://twitter.com/abrahmamusic

Monolord - Vænir (Album Review)

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 28/04/2015

Label: Riding Easy Records

Vænir DLP/DD track listing

1). Cursing the one

2). We will Burn

3). Nuclear Death

4). Died a million times

5). The Cosmic silence

6). Vænir

Review:

With 2014 still visible in your rearview mirror, it wasn’t very long ago that people were compiling their annual best of lists. And justifiably so, towards the top of more than a few, was the fantastic debut album ‘Empress Rising’ from Swedish doom troupe Monolord, bringing HEAVY doom with no bullshit to the forefront of an often oversaturated genre.

Now set to unleash their highly anticipated follow up at the end of April, ‘Vænir’ reflects and amplifies its namesake as Sweden’s largest lake, with a cold and omnipresent example of a goliath distorted doom machine.  This record starts full on with a buzz saw and continues to make you feel like you have been force fed slowly through a giant rusty meat grinder.

Everything about this album is bigger, louder, heavier and more crushing than its predecessor, but all the while being completely melodic at points; melodic in a crushingly sonic destructive kind of way. That being said let us break down this beast.

‘Cursing The One’, which most will have heard already, is full on Monolord doom through and through. Slow, heavy and crushing, the track benefits from haunting vocal effects draped over its colossal structure, it proves a worthy intro to ‘Vænir’ as well as a farewell to ‘Empress Rising’. I really like the tone held within this song and subsequently throughout the rest of the album, its just heavy x10 and puts it all the more in your face,

‘We will Burn’ comes laden with tar thick riffs and something comes to mind with this for me, so allow me to sidestep for a moment. I’m a rather large Electric Wizard fan and one of the things Jus Oborn has said in interviews about his music, is that they make it to sonically disorientate and confuse, well Monolord has apparently taken a cue from this blueprint, because there are passages in this song and indeed the album overall that are so crushingly psychedelic that if you were to have headphones on turned up loud, your likely to forget where the hell you are. Case in point, at around the 4:50 mark, there is a stop in the song and then just this repeating guitar part that reminds me of someone rhythmically playing demolition equipment in a way that would make most death metal bands jealous and most stoner bands envy the groove.

‘Nuclear Death’ serves up some ominous heavy psych doom to your eardrums and ‘Died a Million Times’, just keeps reminding you of the hell you are in, and that you are not going anywhere soon. A nice solemn passage leads you back into being crushed towards the end of the song, echoing “You died a million times” and is yet another example of this bands impeccable onslaught of distortion. Top notch stuff.

‘The Cosmic Silence’ is the shortest song on the record and the one that most reminds me of last years output, kinda quieter, more classical and a nice refrain to briefly catch your breath before album closer ‘Vænir’

‘Vænir’ is a perfect culmination of what has come before it and is the longest most expansive song to date.  For me this is Monolord’s opus of doom, the vocals are less reliant upon effects and further up in the mix, undeniably it feels slightly different but starker than the previous output. I love it, and it gives me a gritty and heavier Solitude Aeturnus vibe. The underlying guitar harmony on this works so perfectly with the weight of the song. it really is spectacular. Haunting reverb filled guitar segments married with tribal drums and a soft thunderstorm; bring a nice touch of peace to the maelstrom you’ve just been willingly hooked on for the past 40 something minutes.  Abruptly the riff comes back and your crushed under the weight of it all again. With that, the tape reel sounds the end of the journey, but ‘my god’ was it completely worth it.

.

I know a lot of people are looking forward to this release and a lot have already placed it high in their minds without even hearing it. Truth is, this record really is all it is hyped up to be. Now, I don’t like the hype machines and I don’t like bullshit. But with this release you get no bullshit and ultimately ‘Vænir’ completely triumphs.

It is still early in the year, but this is definitely going to be a top five record, if not the number one record of 2015. Upon review of last years ‘Empress Rising’ The Sludgelord wrote ”What did I just fucking listen to? The answer is simple. Your new favourite Doom Band, the name is Monolord.“ . Now with 2015 engulfing us, what you actually just heard was ‘Vænir’by Monolord and it is your new favourite record by your new favourite doom band. For that ‘you’re, most certainly welcome’.

Words by: David Heaton

For more information:

http://monolord.bandcamp.com/ | https://www.facebook.com/monolordsweden |

Viajando - 'Counting Days EP' (Review)

Album Type: EP

Date Released: 09/01/2015

Label: Self Release

‘Counting Days EP’ DD track listing:

1). Counting Days (02:39)

2). Nothing is Sacred (04:29)

3). Hell’s Pit (04:14)

4). Rogue (04:55)

5). Dead Mask (03:53)

6). Sleeper (04:38)

Viajando is

Taylor | Vox/Drums

Nick | Guitar

Justin | Bass

Review:

I will start off by saying, this isn’t my usual cup of tea, not by a long shot, but damn this one got me.  ‘Viajando’, which if my Spanish serves me translates to “to travel, or a journey of sorts” and that seems particularly fitting for the band coming off a recent name change from ‘Stone City’ to their current moniker on the bands first EP, ‘Current Days’. This Charlotte, N.C. trio plays a kind of up beat, almost poppy sludge based hard rock (sludge pop?) with punk esque vocals peppering the songs throughout. Fans of bands such as Aeges and Torche take note because this is absolutely going to land on your radar.

‘Counting days’ kicks off with a fuzzy guitar harmony weaving into the drums and bass to flow with the melodic vocals until almost the end of the song where everyone kind of stops and gets pissed off with a screaming, heavy crunchy outro.  ‘Nothing is Sacred’ starts with a nice fuzzy grinding riff and big drum hits right into a clean almost spoken word first verse, which I will add is lifted at least partially from a scene in the first Mad Max film(thumbs way up guys!). Big toms follow and then the punky sort of vocals I talked about early kick in. The singer Taylor has a good screaming/ angry vocal style and I like it when he uses this style more frequently in the songs. The track speeds up towards the end and then cuts right into the next track, ‘Hells Pit’.

Sometimes you can listen to a record and tell which songs will transition well in a live setting and ‘Hells Pit’, is exactly that. A repetitive, nice harmony, clean and harsh vocals make it feel like this song does well live with more of the bands mainstream/poppy tendencies. ‘Rogue’ is probably the fastest song on the record with a big fuzz intro build and a cool vocal harmony building into the faster sludge core sound. Kind of cool and leaves me wanting more.  Closing out the EP, is the crusher of a track called ‘Sleeper’, which is heavy and has a southern sludge influence ala COC.  This builds into the faster fuzzed out melodic sludge which I mentioned earlier, giving a good representation of what they are doing.

I really like how they can go from slow, very heavy tar pit rock into a faster more commercial sound but still with balls, they do this all within the same song and make it work.  If you’re a fan of the bands I mentioned before, sludge pop/ radio sludge (I don’t mean this in a derogatory way at all), get into this band!

If you’re not a fan, check em out anyway, you might just be blown back a few feet. The big upside is that they are only going to mature from here and definitely put their contemporaries on notice. These guys are really good and fun doing their own thing and I really like it despite not being into this exact sort of music. Favorite tracks are ‘Nothing is Sacred’ and ‘Rogue’.

Words by: David Heaton

You can pick up a copy here

For more information:

http://viajando.bandcamp.com/ | https://www.facebook.com/VIAJANDOBAND

https://twitter.com/viajando_band

Ruby The Hatchet - Valley of the Snake (Album Review)

Album Type: Full-Length

Date Released: 24/2/2015

Label: Teepee Records

‘Valley of the Snake’ CD//LP//DD track listing:

1.) Heavy Blanket
2.) Vast Acid
3.) Tomorrow Never Comes
4.) Unholy Behemoth
5.) Demons
6.) Valley of the Snake

Ruby The Hatchet is:

Jillian Taylor | Vocals

Johnny Scarp | Guitar

Mike Parise | Bass

Owen Stewart | Drums

Sean Hur | Organ

Review:

First off, let’s take a second to familiarize with the band. I believe it was back in 2012 that I purchased the first outing by Ruby the hatchet called ‘Ouroboros’, due in no small part to the buzz surrounding the band on the internet. My thoughts on that record were this; a really strong first outing and the band had some genuinely good ideas and hooks that mesh well with everything they are trying to do.  They just needed to find something to separate themselves from the rest of the retro doom/psych pack.

Fast forward to the ‘Eliminator’ 7inch last year, Ah ha! A nice blend of early Danzig-esque darkened blues rock mixed with the ever present Sabbath vibe.  A bit of a different vocal tonality and delivery than we don’t hear every day(I actually described this to a friend as “imagine first run Danzig band mixed with Iommi mixed with Fleetwood Mac and a Hammond organ.“ And I stand by that comparison!). I like it, they are growing and maturing, I like it a lot.  With only 2 new songs I wondered what will come of them next? 1.5 albums in and it could really go any way…..

Fast forward to the present and the upcoming ‘Valley of the Snake’ is the offering I have before me. I am anxious as to what the band now holds; will they have grown or changed? Will they have fallen into the ever growing abyss of heavy rock doom influenced bands populating the world these days? Short answer to these questions, yes, they have grown. No they have not fallen into the rest of the pack. With ‘Valley of the Snakes’ we get six tracks and we see a much more mature, darker, and very well structured Ruby the hatchet with tracks all over the 5 minute mark.

The record starts out strong with ‘Heavy Blanket’, a nice sort of psycho organ note, blending to a guitar and organ intro before the vocals come in strong. The absolute first thing I noticed on this is how much Jillian has grown in both vocal approach and the tonality to her voice, a very Stevie Nicks vibe to it naturally and it fits perfectly with not only this song but the band as a whole.  The whole band is on point for the entire opening track (and the entire album for that matter), fuzzy bass, thumping beats, clean when they need to be and greasy when they want guitars and that organ moved to the front instead of melting into the back, it’s perfect!!

The next track is ‘Vast Acid’ and it builds on what was laid before, until terminating into track 3, ‘Tomorrow Never Comes’.  This is doom!!! Pure crushing almost funeral doom and one of the best examples I’ve heard in recent times. It’s almost funny that there is a line in the song that goes “don’t worry bout tomorrow, because tomorrow never comes” and ill be damned if you don’t think, “well ok I guess that’s it” and smile about it. Another highpoint in the song is the spacey guitar solo about halfway through. This track is worth the entrance fee alone, slow and plodding with soaring vocals and wonderful use of the organ. ‘Unholy Behemoth’ is another chunk of stoner doom that plays as a great sequel to the previous track. (I do appreciate and like the guitar work in this one a bit more than in the previous three tracks.)

Track 5, ‘Demons’, starts with an 80’s horror movie synth and that theme continues throughout the track, but with a faster pace that we have heard on the tracks before it, it is a  super fun track with more of an exploration on all parts, almost funky for all intents and purposes.  About halfway through there is a shift to a groove laden romp, imagine the song like this, (first part your trying to catch a buzz and about three minutes later… there it is, spacey mellow and groovy and then back into mania). It’s a really cool and adventurous track.

Finishing off with ‘Valley of the Snake’, there is a big change of pace with acoustic and clean guitars and big clean organ sounds, very reminiscent of a folk song. I would consider this almost an occult folk song, with the vocal talent and overall melodic prowess of the band on full display here. Not often can a band completely shift gears sound wise, close out a superb record and have it work flawlessly and that is exactly what Ruby the hatchet has done.

Overall this is an excellent record that I suspect will end up on many year end lists, a whole 11 months from its release date. That is a big statement, because obviously this year has just began, but it is a statement I am standing by. If you’re in the market for a heavy psych/stoner rock record with huge doom tendencies that stand out from the majority of the pack, look no further than ‘Valley of the Snake’.

Words by: David Heaton

You can pick up a CD/LP copy here.

For more information:

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Fuzz Evil / Chiefs Split 7" (Review)

Album Type: Split 7”

Date Released: 21/10/2014

Label: Battleground Records

Fuzz Evil/Chief Split 7” track listing:

1). Fuzz Evil – Glitter Bones

2). Chief – Stone Bull

Bio:

The split 7” EP from Sierra Vista, Arizona-based FUZZ EVIL and Southern California’s CHIEFS is out now on Battleground Records.

On the A-side, the FUZZ EVIL trio delivers a nearly five-and-a-half minute, solid, groove-laden, heavy psych rock track, “Glitterbones.” Hailing from Sierra Vista, Arizona, the band is comprised of Wayne and Joey Rudell of Powered Wig Machine on vocals/guitar and vocals/bass, respectively, and drummer Marlin Tuttle. Flip to the B-side, and the more than five-and-a-half minute big time jam of CHIEFS’ fiery "Stone Bull" lets loose. The California-based outfit, on this recording consisting of Paul Valle on vocals/guitar and Stephen Varns on drums, delivers prime, hard-hitting desert rock, as declared from the opening riff of their side of the shared release.

Limited to 300 copies, the heavy grey vinyl with white splatters is cut at 45 RPM, the FUZZ side featuring artwork by David Paul Seymour and the CHIEFS side by the band’s Joey Rudell

Fuzz Evil is:

Wayne Rudell | Vocals, Guitar

Joseph Rudell | Vocals, Bass

Marlin Tuttle | Drums

Chiefs are:

Paul Valle | Guitar, Vocals

Jeff Podeszwik | Bass, Vocals

Kevin Michel | Drums

Review:

This split by Fuzz Evil and chiefs contains 2 excellent and crushing fuzzed out tracks fitting nicely in the stoner/doom/ desert genre.

First up is Arizona three piece Fuzz evil with ‘Glitter Bones’. Fuzz evil Main man Wayne Rudell also pulls double duty as vocals/guitar for Powdered Wig Machine so he obviously knows his way around fuzz. What makes this outing different is literally taken from the name, this is evil fuzz heavy rock, belted out with dirty staccato rhythms and a vocal delivery that at times nods to Danzig-esque heavy crooning. This song has a great beat flowing over it, that at times reminds me of older Clutch and I personally love the execution of it.

Onto Chiefs then, with their debut track ‘Stone Bull’. Slow crunchy fuzz riffs start this track off and continue for a rhythmic slow burn throughout the song. This one rolls through at about the same pace with clear strong vocals and some good guitar work thrown in for good measure until the end of the song, where it shifts gears slightly into a late nineties hard rock sounding guitar part. This would be fitting for a nice track to relax with.

I’m sure this split will be making the rounds in no time and everyone is going to hear about it, so just go ahead and pick it up now! It’s a very strong couple of tracks that introduces these bands perfectly and has me looking forward to the future full lengths from both bands.

Words by: David Heaton

You can pick up a copy here

For more information:

https://www.facebook.com/FuzzEvil
https://www.facebook.com/wearechiefs
https://www.facebook.com/battlegroundrecords
http://battlegroundrecords.bigcartel.com

Spiders - Shake Electric (Album Review)

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 4/11/2014

Label: Spinefarm Records

‘Shake Electric’ CD/DD/LP tracklisting:

1). Mad Dog

2). Shake Electric

3). Bleeding Heart

4). Only your Skin

5). Lonely Nights

6). Back on the Streets

7). Control

8). Give up the fight

9). Hard Times

10). War Of The World

The Band:

Ann-Sofie Hoyles | Vocals

John Hoyles | Guitar

Olle Griphammar | Bass

Richard Harrison | Drums

Review:

Spiders are doing throwback retro rock/metal that a lot of bands appear to gravitate too, right now, but they are indeed putting their own spin on it. This record is definitely a fun raucous record harkening back to Thin Lizzy and Kiss with standout female vocals, the kind of record you put on for a warm summer party.  There really isn’t a dud on this record, ill try to breakdown some of the high points.

“Mad Dog” starts things out with a stomping rhythm and Ann -Sofie’s unique voice. Next up is the album namesake “Shake Electric” and it is a pure unadulterated blast of late seventies pop rock with the best of intentions. And it pulls it off, think Kiss meets Joan Jet and you’ve got the right idea of this super fun track.  The next few songs follow the same pattern of good hooky rock songs with seventies pop sensibilities. Things speed up and get more urgent with track seven “Control”, a faster paced and slightly darker take on the formula laid down previously. This one gets your boot tapping and reminds you this is most definitely a rock and roll album.

Let’s just pump the brakes here and talk about track nine “Hard Times”, Spiders know they are doing throwback sounding rock and they do it very well but with this track they go way back, I’m talking super throwback here. There is a really different sound all over this track, the entire band do their best blues rendition with an almost classic r & b ballad, with the addition of a fuzz pedal and the singer mimicking a near perfect smoky soul vocal. This song is different from the rest of the record and with that it stands out and in turn is my favorite track on the record.

The last track sees Spiders revisiting the sound of the first part of the album, starting with a march into “War of the World”, this one acts as a showcase for all the aspects the band exhibited throughout the rest of the record and leaves a memorable closing to the album.

The immediate take away is that this is a fun rock record with a lot of great hooks and seventies pop feeling throughout, indeed there is a few real surprises and gems thrown in too, to keep things from getting redundant or stagnant. ‘Shake Electric’ is a great record to throw on for a party or anytime you want instant fun. If you’re a fan of the retro rock movement and are open to something with more unique twist, then definitely check these guys (and woman) out!

Words by: David Heaton

You can pick up a copy here

For more information:

http://www.wearespiders.com/?page_id=2

http://www.facebook.com/wearespiders

Crypt Trip - Self Titled (Album Review)

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: Out Now

Label: Poisoned Mind Records

‘Crypt Trip’ LP track listing:

1). Mortis Venificis

2). Wraiths

3). Phantasm

4). Mrs. Absinth

5). Rose Croix

6). Spiral Eyes

7). White Lady

8). Datura

The Band:

Ryan Lee | Vocals, Guitar

Sam Bryant | Bass

Mario Rodriguez | Drums

Review: 

This is technically the follow up full length to this Dallas based doom/fuzz crews EP released in October of 2013. It contains three additional tracks written especially for this vinyl release, in addition to the original EP (Rose Croix, Spiral Eyes, and White Lady). The original EP came up on many peoples radar for good reason, strong fuzz heavy and slightly evil sounding doom songs with no bullshit and no wankery, that can sometimes plague newer bands in this genre.

The record starts with “Mortis Venificis” A classical guitar sounding intro acting as a nice set up for the proto doom/heavy occult rock to come. Rolling right into track two “Wraiths”, the first thing that jumps out is the super crunchy distorted bass laying down an ultra catchy rhythm. The song plays out great with a lot of Pentagram influence but not at all derivative, simply a fitting homage.  The band nicely peppers in some psychedelic influence about halfway in and then at three quarters of the way through the wah pedal kicks in, to usher in the end of the first full song on the record.

The next two tracks sort of follow the same pattern, “Phantasm” has a  more frenetic start, with an explosive and live sound to it. Psychedelic, introspective lyrics, not at all Sabbath–y (joking), the song does remind me of Sabbath but I can’t place why, because it does not sound like them until about ¾ of the way in. The song briefly changes pace with a weird Melvins/Sabbath mix. And I’m in!!  “Mrs. Absinth” follows the same sort of formula, but this time its fuzz fuzz fuzz! I really liked the vocal approach on this one, less effects on the vocals and different flow.

“Rose Croix” is the first truly new song we get and it is straight up psychedelic heavy rock, a  dark eerie and slow intro right into an echo and fuzz laden psyche freakout guitar solo. Great change of pace and demonstration of style, the lack of vocals on this song kind of make it feel like a separate intro to the second half of the album which works well for the vinyl version of the record.  “Spiral Eyes” brings us back to meat and potatoes heavy fuzz rock with psychedelic touches, indeed this is what Crypt Trip does exceptionally well and then ¾ in, a much heavier and faster passage. I really dig this change of pace within the song especially the heavy beat to rapid fire march closing out the track.

“White Lady” is a very psychedelic doom song, haunted lyrics into pure rock and roll, finishing up with an organ driven outro (I’m an absolute sucker for well placed organ work). “Datura” is the outro of the record with sounds of rain falling and church sounding organs.  For me a better use of the track would be as an add-on to the end of “White Lady” instead of a stand alone, but it works well nonetheless.

Overall impressions of Crypt Trip’s full length debut are very positive, I love bands doing this style, but in their own way, with their own elements. I know these guys consider themselves a heavy fuzz doom band, but a lot of the songs are very psych heavy with introspective lyrics, making me not want to pigeonhole them as another run of the mill doom band.

The singer and presumably lyricist has a great knack for story telling that fits great into the body of the song and the overall output of the band making it come across as not so much doom, but heavy fuzzed out psychedelic rock, which is awesome as hell. Crypt Trip is only a little over a year old at this point and they definitely have a clear and concise idea of what they are doing and what they want. My only critique is the band tends to be somewhat formulaic with a change of pace ¾ of the way in every song. It could help the flow of future recordings by structuring the songs different. BUT overall this is a solid record making me very much look forward to the future of this trio.

The full length is out now on the bands bandcamp site and for a minimum of 6 dollars U.S., so go out and pick it up already, you will not be disappointed!

Words by:  David Heaton

You can still pick up a copy of the vinyl here

For more information:

http://crypttrip.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/CryptTrip