ALBUM REVIEW: Wychhound, "Earth Orbiter"

By: David Jupp

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 01/05/2018

Label: Independent

The many audio-faces that tell the story of ‘Earth Orbiter’ are proof, that if instrumental music is judged right, executed well, and arranged with craft, riffs beat words. Every damn time.

“Earth Orbiter” DD track listing:

1). Flux

2). Supercluster

3). Comet Shoemaker – Levy 9 (SL-9)

4). Aurora

5). Matter – Antimatter Annihilation

The Review:

When a band parts company with their singer, the ensuing discussion generally goes something like this. ‘Fuck! It won’t be the same man, someone else singing those songs. They might as well pack it in.’ Well in 2017 and only two years on from their debut EP, Wychhound did just this by saying farewell to singer Jimmy Holifield. Rather than start the depressing trudge through London’s abundance of awful singers, the band decided to strike out on a new path as an instrumental four-piece. Shedding the crutches a vocalist provides in both immediacy and structure is a brave decision, and especially risky when you already have an established following who expect ‘songs.’ So, as Wychhound set forth on a new journey the question is, can they fill the yawning void left by words?

‘Earth Orbiter’ sets flight to a wall of feedback. As the pressure builds and ‘Flux’ ignites, Wychhound let fly with a barrage of strings, cymbals and skins. It soon becomes clear how the wordless quartet intend on bringing their old fans with them, and to be honest it’s the oldest trick in the book. Big riffs. Lots of them. Really fast. Before you even reach the minute mark Wychhound have twisted their audio-rubix-cube three times. Twist one, swaggering math-groove. Twist two, euphoric chord progression. Twist again, Tool inflected grunge-swerve. As minute two lands guitarist Miles Mcdonald swaggers in with a howling solo and boots the whole metaphor out the window. Singers? Pfft.

The success of instrumental heavy music revolves around a bands ability to judge phrasing. Without lyrics to convey a message you are left with the subtle art of assembling meaning from a jigsaw of riffs. It’s like the best kind of sign language, hold a riff out for too long and the listener grows bored, take it away too quickly and the message is lost. Track two ‘Supercluster’ serves as an advanced elocution lesson in riff-annunciation. Guitarist Roberto Pini kicks things off with a superb off-kilter riff before Mcdonald laces another emotive lead into the fray. Just as the narrative begins to wane bass player Neil Neighbour and drummer Sid Nagdhi grab the track by the low-end and spread a stuttering bang all over it.

Having seen Wychhound cultivate the seeds of these songs across a variety of London’s venues in the last year I must admit that when I first saw the artwork for the record I didn’t really get it. Don’t get me wrong the art looks great but I didn’t quite see what a planet of faces had to do with the songs I had heard.

Named after a comet that broke apart in 1992 and collided with Jupiter, ‘Comet Shoemaker – Levy 9 (SL-9)’s seven-minutes of aching slow-dawn soon provide me with the artworks meaning. Wychhound are a band with many faces. Just as the opening act of the record’s focus sharpens into a prog-metal guise the second movement softens into soaring arpeggiated post-rock.

Great records are made in small increments. The stunning arpeggio that permeates ‘Comet...’s skyline progression is beautiful enough, but exceptional bands always reach for that extra percent. So, as Mcdonald’s triads arc into the records second half, Roberto Pini’s haunting e-bow adds that last extra lift and I challenge anyone not to crane their neck and sigh.

Next up is ‘Aurora.’ Until now Wychhound’s sophomore effort has worn its influences on its sleeve and that doesn’t stop here. Tool, Russian Circles, early Barrows and “Zidane”-era Mogwai have all stirred in places, but now Elder’s totemic influence on the contemporary heavy landscape looms into view. Luckily Wychhound have no intention of merely paying homage and as the Boston trio’s ‘Spires Burn/Release’ EP flickers in the distance the band re-apply their riff-sculpture and successfully carve another fresh face into the records strata.

‘Matter – Antimatter Annihilation’ brings the album to a close and makes a welcome return to the cinematic melodies of ‘Comet Shoemaker.’ As the spiralling guitar-runs that litter ‘Earth Orbiter’ arch back and dive into another surging chord sequence all fears of a loss of narrative are expelled and the record re-enters the atmosphere on a surge of hefty tone. 

In the last year Wychhound have become a staple of London’s burgeoning heavy-scene. So, by making the decision to record ‘Earth Orbiter’ live, I’m glad to say they have successfully captured the ebb, flow, movement and act that make their live show so popular. What’s more impressive however, is the successful progression from traditional stoner band into a new instrumental landscape. In music, just because a choice is brave doesn’t necessarily mean it is right, so in shedding their singer Wychhound could have easily gotten lost in a sea of riffs that lacked narrative. Luckily the many audio-faces that tell the story of ‘Earth Orbiter’ are proof, that if instrumental music is judged right, executed well, and arranged with craft, riffs beat words. Every damn time.

“Earth Orbiter” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

REVIEW: Green Lung - "Free the Witch" [EP]

By: David Jupp

Album Type: EP

Date Released: 19/02/2018

Label: Deckhead Records

In a genre packed with bands that draw on decades-old tone and aesthetic, it takes a mature hand to re-appropriate bygone creativity without sounding forced. Luckily there is a confidence and craft present in Green Lung’s writing that belies their months.  If Green Lung can expand the template that has served them so well across these four superb songs then a truly exciting future awaits.

“Free the Witch” CS//DD track listing:

1). Lady Lucifer

2). Free the Witch

3). Living Fossil

4). Older than the Hills

The Review:

It’s been two hundred and fifty days or so since Green Lung announced themselves on the UK heavy-stage with their blistering demo ‘Green Man Rising.’ In the months that have passed since that promising release, the London quartet have refined their craft across a host of England’s underground stages. Now armed with a growing following and half-an-hour of new material, the question is can Green Lung transfer the heft and excitement of their live show to tape?

‘Free the Witch’ sparks with lead single ‘Lady Lucifer’ and a crescendo of crisp guitar hammer-on. As the tension builds and we reach the twenty-seventh second, Green Lung proceed to drop the hammer on what is sure to be one of 2018’s stand-out riffs. The groove on display here bangs with such an endearing audacity that you can only hope the record to follow will measure up. As guitarist Scott Masson whittles down the dirt, singer Tom Templar makes his entrance. Washed in reverb and folk-horror croon Templar transmutes the bands 70’s aesthetic, from cover to sound. ‘You smiled with lips incarnadine, whispered black magic, rites obscene.’ As the song climbs to its apex Masson cracks the reigns with an outrageous solo and “Free the Witch”’s opener sets a ridiculous standard.

Title track ‘Free the Witch’ is up next and is a much more direct affair. The lurch and swerve of ‘Evil Empire’ that crackled in the opener is now replaced with a full pelt nod to debut-era The Sword. Just as the record becomes in danger of reverting to type the arrangement peels back and Masson injects another well-judged solo. ‘Free the Witch’ lurches home on a bed of cultish chant and half-time stagger.

In making the jump to Bear Bites Studios (Vodun, Ghold) and employing Wayne Adams on production Green Lung have shed the compressed savagery of their live demo and allowed their stellar rhythm-section room to breathe. Track three ‘Living Fossil’ demonstrates this upgrade perfectly and the song is all Andrew Cave’s. The arrangement follows a similar pattern but before any unwanted familiarity encroaches, Cave’s bass swaggers in for an overdriven solo. The months spent on various stages refining these cuts is evident and Templar hauls the song home, ‘Living fossil, a blast from the past.’

Green Lung’s debut closes in sprawling fashion with ‘Older than the Hills.’ Not content to banish their live demo to audio-history there is a clever re-integration of the vocal hook from ‘Freak on a Peak’ but this time the extended track-length really allows the band to flex their muscles. Across its eight minutes each musician takes a moment in the spotlight, and as Masson’s guitar wails in the storm Cave and Wiseman’s rhythm section rumble home on an array of deft fills and charming girth.

In a genre packed with bands that draw on decades-old tone and aesthetic, it takes a mature hand to re-appropriate bygone creativity without sounding forced. Luckily there is a confidence and craft present in Green Lung’s writing that belies their months. This confidence is only emphasised by the fact that b-side ‘When the Axe Comes Down’ is left off their debut. When you are in a vein of writing so rich you can cast away such strong songs it can only be a good omen. And that is what ‘Free the Witch’ is, an impressive and rousing omen, of greater things to come. If Green Lung can expand the template that has served them so well across these four superb songs then a truly exciting future awaits.

“Free the Witch” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Firebreather - "Firebreather"

By: David Jupp

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 13/10/2017

Label: Suicide Records

Firebreather switch between galloped bludgeon, half-time bang and once Mattias Nööjd detonates the riff bombs, unsurprisingly, big ol’ horns occur

“Firebreather” CD//CS//DD//LP track listing:

1). Fire Foretold

2). Emerald Eyes

3). The Ice Lord

4). Release The Lava

The Review:

The manner in which you discover music is important, especially in this era of faceless Spotify playlists and algorithmic recommendations. Through these new channels the romance of discovering a killer band has sadly, to an extent been lost. Be it via a friend lending you his copy of a debut record or perhaps stumbling across a hungry support act at a show, the process of your introduction to music can often amplify your attachment to it.

For me, with Swedish sludge duo Galvano, it was the later. To be specific it was Desertfest 2015 and I was in the Black Heart killing time before Orange Goblin. I noticed a steady stream of beards heading upstairs to the small stage and figured I would see what all the fuss was about. What I was met with at the top of those stairs, was 40 minutes of the best sludge metal I had heard in years. It was brutal of course, but more importantly it was considered, intricate and progressive.

Galvano were a few weeks’ shy of releasing their sophomore triumph ‘Trail of the Serpent.’ So accidentally seeing a band perform, at their zenith, with such a juggernaut of sound was not only exciting but something special. After the show, I legged it to the merch-desk and parted ways with fifteen quid for a distinctly underwhelming and wonkily printed band-tee. This is a testament to how good that show was.

Fast forward almost year and I’ve devoured both ‘Two Titans’ and ‘Trail of the Serpent.’ Galvano are now firmly one of my favourite bands, but there is a deafening silence coming from their camp. Suddenly singer/guitarist Mattias Nööjd announces his new band ‘Firebreather’ and I’m not going to lie, I was gutted. I know it sounds adolescent, but because I had spontaneously followed that beard-highway to the dark, Galvano were my band, they were gone and I couldn’t believe it. I had only seen them once. So, over a year on, it is with trepidation and a hint of sadness that I approach Firebreather’s self-titled debut.

‘Fire Fortold’ stirs with blowing winds and a full-fat bass stagger. Seconds later Mattias Nööjd detonates the riff bomb and unsurprisingly, big ol’ horns occur. After another weighty tease from Kyle Pitcher’s bass, Tommy Hanning sets drums to flay and Nööjd’s guttural yell pounds into view. For the next seven minutes Firebreather proceed to switch between galloped bludgeon, half-time bang and most encouragingly, for any fellow Galvano fans still in mourning, interesting guitar interludes. Track one is an absolute rager.

‘Emerald Eyes’ opens with Pitcher and Hanning marinating in a low-end batter. Nööjd rapidly storms in with a descending riff that ominously misses the mark, luckily the verse makes a driving entrance and horns are restored. As the song reaches its peak Nööjd deploys one of his trademark guitar-runs and again the Galvano grief subsides. It’s this ear for melody in the fray that made ‘Trail of the Serpent’ such a brilliant record and Nööjd such an impressive guitarist. Whilst it seems like the proggier arrangements from his previous band have been replaced with a more direct approach, it is Nööjd’s ability to inject emotion as well as epicness into a song that set Galvano, and now seemingly Firebreather, apart. As ‘Emerald Eyes’ hits its sixth minute a flicker of musical familiarity kindles in the ear which I will come to later.

Lead single ‘The Ice Lord’ opens with Nööjd’s guitar hammer-on pulling at the reigns. Moments later Pitcher and Hanning’s rhythm-centaur breaks free and the albums stand-out beast hurtles forward. In a genre where tales of war and mythology are so often told, it requires a certain standard of song to not induce eye-rolls. Fortunately, the pace and pummel across ‘The Ice Lord’s six minutes is just outstanding. At minute four as the song flanks left, a slower interlude sees Nööjd roar ‘the oldest vision from this mountain, the eyes fill up the sky, a reign of blood.’ Just as Galvano knew how to accentuate their heft with the contrast of slow builds so do Firebreather and this ancient imagery sits perfectly in such a titanic outro.

Until now Firebreather have taken a more even and direct approach to arrangement so album closer ‘Release the Lava’s sprawling lurch and climb is a welcome about face. In the songs final third Nööjd’s melodic runs rear their head again, only this time they’re accompanied by Hanning’s nomadic slag-bass. The song forges home on a thunder of half-time riffs, like a fatally wounded warrior desperate to outlast the beast. Adam Burke’s stellar artwork is particularly apt here.

Perhaps it is the romance of not knowing what awaited me atop those stairs back in 2015, or maybe it’s the marauding arrangements Galvano affixed to their riffs. But for whatever reason I had never noticed the striking similarity between Mattias Nööjd and Matt Pikes’ vocal. Much like Matt Bellamy of Muse’s breathing, it is something that once heard, is impossible to forget, and it’s only accentuated by Nööjd’s narrowing of the space between Firebreather and High on Fire’s sound. The question is if it matters?

For me that aspect of familiarity glimmers throughout the record but at no point does it feel like pale imitation. I can imagine that this is an issue that will be ignored or emphasised by previous exposure to Galvano. Firstly, any comparisons to High on Fire are always a compliment but more importantly for the Galvano fans amongst us, it is their ghost that flickers in the heart of this record. Luckily, it just a flicker as Firebreather’s debut bludgeons to its own beat.

I am sure that somewhere soon, a riff-nerd will look up from his beer and instinctively follow the beards. Up the stairs, into the darkness and on, to a killer new band: Firebreather.

“Firebreather” is available here

Band info: facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Forming The Void - "Relic"

By: David Jupp

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 17/03/2017

Label: Argonauta Records (CD) |

Lonestar Records (LP)

In a genre creaking under the weight of its own familiarity Forming the Void have built something exceptional that stands apart. ‘Relic’ is a record that will long outlast its creators and live on, forming the foundations, of future sludge-monuments.

“Relic” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1.After Earth

2.The Endless Road

3.Bialozar

4.Relic

5.The Witch

6.Plumes

7.Unto the Smoke

8.Kashmir

The Review:

There must be a point during the writing process for a record, when a band realise they have stumbled across something special. Whether mid jam at rehearsal or in the isolation of a low-lit lounge, when these threads of brilliance choose to offer themselves a bands collective heart must surely quicken. It is then just the small matter of following each thread home to its cohesive whole. Taken in its entirety, Louisiana four-piece Forming the Void’s second album ‘Relic’ evokes a wealth of these ‘imagine being there when they wrote that’ moments.

The seven songs and one cover that make up album number two form a tapestry of contemporary influences that include Baroness, Tool and Soundgarden. But oddly, ‘Relic’ still seems an apt name. A relic is defined as an object that survives from an earlier time, and Forming the Void’s sophomore effort is certainly imbibed with an ancient and timeless quality. This is especially notable in its slower more atmospheric interludes, but there is also an ever-present driving yell to its heavier passages that conjures images of tribal charge.

The record opens with ‘After Earth’ and immediately implements the aforementioned approach. Setting forth with a shamanic and droned exchange between galloped toms and minimal guitar-flutter, this summoning soon bears blackened fruit as a huge wave of sludge crashes in on your already craned audio-neck. Similarly, to Vokonis’ recent standout ‘The Sunken Djinn’ this mass of tone requires an impressive vocal and James Marshall’s layered war-yell doesn’t disappoint. In fact, the heft of the vocals on ‘Relic’ consistently add girth to the records overall spine. The lyrics evoke equally epic themes with Marshall calling across the years. ‘Roam, beside the dead. Time unwinding.’

A large swathe of ‘Relic’ draws on paths well-trodden but each time a dejected sigh might flicker in your throat the band find an extra few percent, be it through delivery or craft. Track two ‘Endless Road’ extracts this differentiation via Marshall’s vocal. The riffs are solid but the combination of Luke Baker’s undertow bass and Marshall’s bellow transform the ordinary into the special.

Next up trudging Miami stalwarts Torche rear their heads. ‘Bialozar’ wouldn’t be out of place on ‘Neanderthal’ with its fusion of vocal harmony and Thomas Colley’s skull-fuck snare. Again though, instead of massaging another band’s sound Forming the Void take a potion to the vein and inject something extra. This time round, the lyrics that supplement the battle cry provide the albums stand out moment. ‘Wings spread, over the mountain.’ I challenge any connoisseur of heavy music not to contort their face at this point. It’s just outrageously good.

Title track ‘Relic’ is up next and its initial two minutes offer the first whiff of a stall in momentum. Luckily just as the blueprint begins to feel a tad familiar the band cast war-paint all over it with a four-minute, Tool inspired grind.

‘The Witch’ follows and immediately picks up the pace with the Louisiana quartets admiration for Baroness raging into view. The song is a perfect example of the application of craft. There is nothing particularly new about the execution but somehow the charging whole erases all memory of its dull set of parts.

Track six ‘Plumes’ offers the records only real misfire. There is perhaps an element of taste at play here though. ‘Plumes’ would fit perfectly on Torche’s latest record ‘Restarter.’ For me that record missed the mark. There is something about a tempo that is neither slow enough for a half-time bang, or fast enough for horns that just doesn’t grab me.

Fortunately, penultimate offering ‘Unto the Smoke’ restores maximum worthy with an 8-minute testament to everything that makes melodic sludge so good. The driving crash and yell make a welcome return as do their symbiotic and shamanistic lulls.

‘Relic’s curtain falls in a slightly bizarre manner. By covering one of Led Zeppelin’s most iconic songs I can’t help but feel that Forming the Void succeed in breaking a spell they’ve toiled so hard to conjure. It’s a decent cover but it just feels out of place on a record with such a pronounced identity and narrative. It plays like a well-executed after-thought that is perhaps better left for the live stage.

Ill-judged covers aside, with ‘Relic’ Forming the Void have taken a familiar set of materials and carved something fresh. One of the beautiful things about music is that it’s timeless, it’s forever. In a genre creaking under the weight of its own familiarity Forming the Void have built something exceptional that stands apart. ‘Relic’ is a record that will long outlast its creators and live on, forming the foundations, of future sludge-monuments.

“Relic” is available here

Band info: Facebook || Bandcamp

ALBUM REVIEW: Elder - "Reflections of a Floating World"

By: David Jupp

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 02/06/2017

Label: Stickman Records |

Armageddon Shop

‘Reflections of a Floating World’ is both a glance back and a stride forward. The direct nature of some of the riffs and the weight of their execution sit it comfortably between ‘Spires Burn/Release’ and ‘Lore.’ The expansion of ambition and variety in musical approach however, keep Elder’s eyes firmly fixed on the horizon

 

“Reflections of a Floating World” CD//CS//DD//LP track listing:

1. Sanctuary
2. The Falling Veil
3. Staving Off Truth
4. Blind
5. Sonntag
6. Thousand Hands 

The Review:

The release of a new record from one of your favourite bands can be a bittersweet affair. The journey home from the record shop is one of both trepidation and anticipation. ‘Oh God, what if it’s shit? But hang on, what if it’s better – surely it can’t be better?’ Not that a record should only be framed in the context of its predecessors but with an LP as good as ‘Lore’ the possibility of something superior incurs such fantasies with ease.
 
When it comes to Elder and their fourth long-player ‘Reflections of a Floating World’ the answer to these questions is a simple yet complex one. Is it shit? Absolutely not! Is it better than ‘Lore’? Now that requires some discussion...
 
Having followed Elder from their outstanding coming-of-age effort ‘Dead Roots Stirring’ (2011), through follow-up EP ‘Spires Burn/Release’ (2012) and then on to 2015’s list-topping masterpiece ‘Lore,’ Elder’s ascension to the peak of the heavy underground is completely justified. They are a band I have watched progress and grow over the last six years and their post-debut trilogy of records would all fight for a place in my desert-island record bag.
 
‘Reflections of a Floating World’ sees an expansion to the formula that has served them so well. Having pushed about as far as a power-trio can on ‘Lore,’ the addition of second guitarist/keyboard player Mike Risberg is an exciting one. Not only can Nick DiSalvo ditch the loop pedal hopscotch but for a band built on the interweaving of melody, a second thread in the loom can only be a good thing.
 
Album four sets flight with ‘Sanctuary,’ a cut that has been around since the early touring for ‘Lore.’ Its proximity in creation to the last record can be felt in both melody and structure and it serves as a superb ‘previously on Elder’ recap. Thankfully the constituent parts that make Elder such an exciting prospect are all still here; Gargantuan riffs, emotive melodic leads and stop-start atmospheric interludes.  More importantly, just as on ‘Lore’ the band's ability to whittle, refine and expand these parts is too. The opening down tuned notes of ‘Sanctuary’ gives a huge nod to fan-favourite ‘Gemini’ and within seconds the trademark time-signature origami is deployed.
 
For a band that revels in songs that outlast ten minutes, an ability to carve act and movement into each journey is vital. As ‘Sanctuary’ approaches the halfway mark and climbs to its apex, Elder deliver one of the best melodic runs they have ever written. But before you can grasp hold, and with typical poise, they abandon it for a quieter interlude that folds in on itself for over five minutes, eventually erupting into an explosion of everything that makes Elder great.
 
Similarly to Russian Circles, Elder have mastered the art of holding a riff to the light for just enough time to take it in, before whipping it away and replacing it with something different. Whilst early listens of the record can prove frustrating as you try and grasp each pattern, subsequent listens bring you ever closer to the familiarity that opens up the narrative.
 
Track two ‘The Falling Veil’ is an intricate exercise in this very process and across its eleven-minute zoetrope of ideas not once is the groove and binding thread lost. DiSalvo scatters riffs into view with his traditional dexterity but before they can land the wheel is spun and new ideas click into place. Jack Donavon’s bass and Matt Couto’s drums supply a base to this kaleidoscope, one that also twists and turns against the flow, always keeping things interesting.
 
‘Staving off Truth’ is up next and follows a similar blueprint. DiSalvo’s vocals take a more prominent role this time delivering a decent vocal melody. The riffs however are not quite up to the standard of previous tracks and the song hints at a large payoff that never quite emerges.
 
‘Blind’ sees the first glimpse of the expansion in sound a fourth member offers. Distorted drums and tremolo guitar flicker in the distance before a vintage Elder riff slams into earshot. A galloped tee-up follows before falling away into an organ backed vocal refrain. DiSalvo’s vocal suits this treatment and as the pulsing keys dissolve, a bludgeoning half time riff pierces the swell. The band’s ability to fuse ideas together with arpeggio enables them to shape a collection of moments into a cohesive whole. It is perhaps this glue that was absent on ‘Staving off Truth.’ 
 
Similarly to ‘Sanctuary’ the halfway mark provides an exceptional guitar-lead zenith. The production on ‘Reflections of a Floating World’ follows on from ‘Lore’ but the variety of tones has been expanded, and here a more traditional stoner-fuzz punctures the storm. ‘Blind’ consists of a truly impressive array of ideas that fly by with surprising cohesion. The production allows each musician room to breathe in the mix and the last two minutes are all Donavan’s. His overdriven bass tows the song home under a typically intricate run of melody.
 
‘Sonntag’ follows next and delivers the album’s only misfire. Whilst relatively short in the context of the record, eight minutes is far too long to dedicate to an instrumental that doesn’t really go anywhere. It is perhaps an idea that was fun to play and meant to serve as a palette cleanser for the album closer to come. Sadly, for me it unnecessarily saps the momentum from the record and becomes Elder’s first notable mistake.
 
Luckily the record finishes on a high. The audacious riff-Tetris returns and just as on ‘Lore,’ subtle strings are deployed to add another touch of epic to an already strong album. As the song rages to a close, the now staple guitar melodies flash and crack in the squall and the record comes to an outstanding close.

Elder have carved out their place at the helm of the underground with a unique sound crafted over time and through force of will. This unique identity is so pronounced in relation to the rest of the stoner canon that they run the risk of becoming our scene’s Radiohead. Whilst it is exciting to have such a talented band flying the flag it is important to be measured and genuine in our support.

‘Reflections of a Floating World’ is both a glance back and a stride forward. The direct nature of some of the riffs and the weight of their execution sit it comfortably between ‘Spires Burn/Release’ and ‘Lore.’ The expansion of ambition and variety in musical approach however, keep Elder’s eyes firmly fixed on the horizon. The welcome addition of a second guitar and keys also widens the lense through which to view their musical landscape. Not all of the angles succeed, but where the record undoubtedly blooms is in the refinement of the band’s ability to assemble their jigsaw of ideas. Whilst I’m not sure the finished piece surpasses that of ‘Lore’ it is a worthy addition to their discography and bodes well for an exciting continuation of their journey.
 
 “Reflections of a Floating World” is available here

FFO: Sleep, Pallbearer, Samsara Blues Experiment, Baroness

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Vokonis - "The Sunken Djinn"

By: David Jupp

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 09/06/2017

Label: Ripple Music

Whilst being undoubtedly heavy what makes this sophomore effort stand out is the variation employed in the bludgeon. By embracing less traditional doom landscapes ‘The Sunken Djinn’ has allowed Vokonis room to demonstrate the full raft of their audio-weaponry, and in doing so propelled them to the forefront of the heavy underground.

“The Sunken Djinn” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). The Sunken Djinn

2). Calling From The Core

3). The Coldest Night

4). Blood Vortex

5). Architect Of Despair

6). Rapturous

7). Maelstroem

The Review:

Ripple Music is a label in the midst of a purple patch. With both Steak and Mothership releasing standout records in recent months, so it begs the question, can Vokonis make it three in a row? As some biblical dude definitely once said: ‘asketh of the sludge gods and you shall receive.’ Well ask I did, and the reply that poured forth was 40 minutes of crafted, brutal and more importantly, interesting sludge-metal.

It has only been one solitary year since Swedish trio Vokonis dropped their debut long-player ‘Olde One Ascending.’ Hewn from the same doomy bedrock as genre titans Sleep, and with Iommi’s influence looming large, the record is about as strong a rebrand as is possible. Having previously released a well-received EP ‘Temple’ under the moniker Creedsmen Arise, the band became embroiled in a legal dispute over the name. Well what better way to stick it to the lesser ‘Creedsmen’ than with six psych-tinged bangers?

Album two ‘The Sunken Djinn’ ignites with its title track. Wasting no time, Vokonis drop the hammer in minute one. A half-time beast of a riff marshals in Simon’s trademark yell and Vokonis are back, the beast has risen. At minute four however, things get a little proggy. The first act gives way to a short meditative interlude, not to fear though the doom soon returns and Simon’s excellent lead-work takes centre-stage. The song closes out in epic fashion with a rousing call: ‘carry on into the sun…’ By the end of only the first cut it becomes clear that Vokonis have refocused their sound. Moving away from Sleep’s more traditional church of doom the band have steered their ship into sludgier, more progressive waters.

Next up is ‘Calling From The Core.’ Along with five of the seven songs on the record, it comes in at over six minutes long. Vokonis make the most of every second of the extended track-length. A slow build of restrained guitars and scattered toms explode into a crushing driven chorus.  Similarly to the title track the rage is then whittled down to another contemplative build with hints of Toronto sludge-stalwarts, Pyres. Having caught its breath momentarily the song then hurtles to a close on a platform of vocal harmony and articulate lead-work.

Jonte’s outrageous bass tone initiates the trudging dirge of track three, ‘The Coldest Night.’  The song proceeds to haul itself through 5 minutes of sumptuous down-tempo sludge before delivering the heaviest moment of the record. Up until now the production has been typical of Ripple Music’s recent output, thick, warm and clear. But as the outro veers into earshot the guitar tone should just plain be illegal. The weight on show here would rival even Black Breath’s work and as Simon’s descending riffs collapse into a forceful chug, Jonte’s bass provides a sopping sub-hertz bookend.

‘Blood Vortex’ follows and serves as a quick-paced more traditional precursor to the sprawling masterpiece to come. ‘Architects of Despair’ takes in a chugging battle cry, emotive guitars leads and best of all some kind of cymbal/lead-pipe outro. Again more contemporary influences swim beneath the surface with evocations of “Red” era Baroness and early Galvano.

‘Rapturous’ employs a similar template and again Emil’s monstrous tom-work propels the song to juggernaut status. Like a dying beast wheezing its final breath after the battle, “Maelstrom”’s three minutes of white noise and distant drums are an apt curtain call to an outstanding second record

The craft that afforded Vokonis such acclaim on their debut has been refined and renewed. Whilst being undoubtedly heavy what makes this sophomore effort stand out is the variation employed in the bludgeon. By embracing less traditional doom landscapes ‘The Sunken Djinn’ has allowed Vokonis room to demonstrate the full raft of their audio-weaponry, and in doing so propelled them to the forefront of the heavy underground.

“The Sunken Djinn” is available preorder/buy here

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