ALBUM PREMIERE: It's a new horizon for Komatsu

Komatsu is a super-massive rock band from Eindhoven, formed  in early 2010, their years of musical experience in all kinds of bands and individual creativity created a brutal mix of sludge, stoner rock and metal, the beast that is Komatsu was born.

After playing 85 shows in France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, England, The Netherlands, Brazil and Austria in support for the album 'Recipe for Murder One' released in 2016, Komatsu entered The Void Studio with producer Pieter Kloos in January 2018 to record the new album 'A New Horizon'.

Set for release on Friday September 7th 2018 on Argonauta Records (Vinyl/CD/digital formats) their new album will once again smash listeners, and to  make sure you get the first listen before anyone, we’ve been given the opportunity to debut the record a day early, which you can check out below.  Pre-Orders are available at: www.argonautarecords.com 

Band info: facebook

Rising - "Oceans Into Their Graves" (Album Review) & Exclusive Full Album Stream

By: Phil Weller

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 29/04/2016

Label: Indisciplinarian

Armed with fat, sledgehammer riffs, crafty harmonies and glorious vocal melodies bigger than any giant David and his pesky slingshot could handle, with ‘Oceans Into Their Graves’, Rising have created a monster.

“Oceans Into Graves” DD//LP track listing:

1. All Dirt
2. Burn Me Black
3. Old Jealousy
4. Blood Moon
5. The Anger
6. Coward Heart
7. Death Of A Giant
8. Killers Of The Mind
9. Waste Deep
10. The Night

The Review:

Armed with fat, sledgehammer riffs, crafty harmonies and glorious vocal melodies bigger than any giant David and his pesky slingshot could handle, in ‘Oceans Into Their Graves’, Rising have created a monster.

Sludge metal potency is here merged with a forward thinking, macro consciousness dedicated to creating songs of epic possibilities. Just as you are happily hurtling down a highway of thrash-ravaged Mastodon/Baroness musicality, you are suddenly jerked down a dark alleyway by the scruff of the neck. It’s an album full of surprises, of shock left turns, elevated by its sense of energised inspiration.

But it wasn’t always like this.

2013’s ‘Abominor’ had all the hallmarks of a record tailor made for critical acclaim amongst journalism’s filthy, riff loving inner cult. Yet, despite the intensity and power propelling its compositions down your speakers and into your lug’oles, it fell flat of expectation and desire. It just didn’t have that ability to quicken the heart’s palpitations and dilate your pupils like the artists much of their musical blueprint is drawn from.

It wasn’t a bad album. But in the ever-rapid world of music journalism, unless a record grabs you resolutely by the balls from the off and refuses to let go, it can often be washed away with the tide – forgotten about as soon as the next wave of releases come to shore.

It would be smart of me to write a witty line here about everyone deserving second chances. Perhaps I could quote a much-lauded philosopher or some do-good Bible extract. But, truth be told, it was only after being genuinely blown away, inspired and adrenalised by this album that I did my research, connected the dots and realised that this album was conjured by the same band that had bored me so much with ‘Abominor’. Volumes, in the fact alone, are spoken.

That’s not to say that there is a remarkable difference in the record’s sound, but it presents itself as a more ambitious, imaginative release than its predecessor and it is the cut-throat conviction of each member’s individual and collective performances that make the biggest difference. 

They sound more together, freer and confident in themselves. From the earthquake opening of ‘All Dirt’, with its booming, wrung out chords and heavy tom work onwards, it sounds a complete success. The opening track’s chorus is a triumph in itself, the almost operatic tenor vocals soaring atop the mix and proudly so.

‘Old Jealousy’ is driven by a fast, sharp riff that has its foot firmly on the accelerator. Harmonies bolster the classiness and those enormous operatic vocals again storm in to claim their spoils of war. It’s a real fist-in-the-air kind of song, rich in the kind of anthemic qualities that makes a song like this so damnably convincing, and characterised by a guitar tone that most definitely ate all the pies – and all the better for it.

“Illusion shatters” hollers vocalist Morten Grønnegaard on ‘Waste Deep’ above a pounding snare and venomous guitar motif. It soon releases you into an uplifting chorus, the kind that makes you feel ten feet tall, while never surrendering any of the grit and aggression of the build up.

The graveyard jam of ‘The Night’ and the possessed NWOBHM channelling ‘Death Of A Giant’ round off an album that not only does everything to your senses that ‘Abominor’ simply couldn’t, but makes up for lost time with menace.  

Oceans Into Their Graves” will be released on 12” black 180 grams vinyl and digital formats on April 29^th, and the vinyl version is now available for pre-ordering in Europe HERE and in the US HERE. Check out this stunning album in full  below.  

Band info: bandcamp
|| facebook

RISING has recently been confirmed for a performance on July 2nd on this year’s Roskilde Festival in their native Denmark, one of the biggest festivals in Northern Europe, sharing the bill with acts such as Sleep, Slayer, Ghost and Gojira. Prior to Roskilde, the band will play a a release show on April 29^th in Copenhagen, and more DK shows and a full European tour will be announced in the months to come.

RISING Live:

4/29/2016 Spillestedet Stengade – Copenhagen, DK *record release show w/ Orm, Fossils

7/02/2016 Roskilde Festival – Roskilde, DK w/ Slayer, Sleep, Ghost, Gojira

The Sludgelord Presents: Godhunter -vs-Destroyer of Light Interview & Exclusive 'Endsville' Album Stream

GODHUNTER vs. DESTROYER OF LIGHT presents ‘Endsville’, a marriage of primal heaviness, a juggernaut release, pairing together two underground heavyweights slugging it out in a bid to out muscle each with nothing more than treacle thick riffs that culminate to form brand new material from both acts. Essentially two 12” EPs, they are  united in a gatefold setup on two different colour of vinyl and will see a collaborative release through GODHUNTER’s co-owned Battleground Records and DESTROYER OF LIGHT’s Heavy Friends Records on July 24th.

If that wasn’t enough, the bands are gearing up for a mammoth collaborative tour together, which will see them maiming and pillaging the East Coast of America.

Both bands are well known to The Sludgelord, therefore nothing gave us greater pleasure than to be asked to sponsor this tour, so with ‘Endsville’ set for release on the 24^th July and the tour kicking off on the 29th, please check out this exclusive interview about the forthcoming tour from both camps and if that wasn’t enough, we present the full and exclusive stream of ‘Endsville’ in it’s entirety.  Hail the Riff

 

(SL) Guys, let’s get straight onto the imminent release of ‘Endsville’ and the subsequent tour.  Who approached who in terms of making the release happen, had you a mutual admiration for each other’s music, toured with each other etc? 

Steve Colca: David and the Godhunter dudes, we first met each other at Headhunters in Austin playing a show together. Since then, we’ve kept in contact. David and I found out that we have the same gumption and passion when it comes to our music and touring. So, David approached me about a split and tour, and we were all down for it.

Jake Brazelton: We met DoL playing in Austin awhile back. They were rad dudes and David stayed in contact with them. So we were thinking about doing a split release/tour with someone, David asked if we wanted to do it with Destroyer of Light and we were all stoked about it.

SL) What springs to mind when you think about the completion of your new split?

SC: Fuck, it’s about time! It’s always the getting the album pressed on the vinyl that is the stressful part. Writing the music, recording the album, and mixing/mastering is always the fun part. The rest is just the waiting game…

JB: I am just super stoked about getting it out there. I think it is some of the best songs we have written and I am real proud of them. I am super excited for everyone else to hear them.

(SL) Did you approach the composition of these songs differently given that the tracks would form part of this split?

SC: No, one of us always bring something to the table and then we all add our flavor. In the end, if the riffs are cool, and we all like it. Then, we feel that it is good enough to record. One coincidence was that we all wrote the lyrics based off a theme of “killing the masses,” and none of us talked about it prior. It just happened. So, that was eerie and cool at the same time.

JB: Not really. While writing the songs we tried to keep in mind the format of a split and keep the tracks short enough to fit. It didn’t end up working too well but fuck it, we tried.

(SL) How long was the gestation of ‘Endsville’ from conception to delivery?  

SC: We started writing songs in September 2014, and then we went into the studio in November at Orb Studios with Matt Meli in November, and then we had the split mixed and sent for mastering in December. Then, the masters from James Plotkin came in the April. So, more than half a year. Like I said, fuck, it’s about time!

JB: We started working on new riffs as soon as ‘City of Dust’ ended. I am not sure how long the songs took to emerge from the riffs, but you can’t rush things like that. A few of these songs came for riffs I had been playing for a year or so. Some of them were written while jamming, which could turn into a complete song within an hour. So it depends really.

(SL) From a personal standpoint, split releases are great because you get two artists for the price of one, what are some of your personal highlights in terms of split release

over the years. 

SC: Some splits that come to mind are the Church of Misery/Acrimony split, Orange Goblin/Electric Wizard split, and the Eyehategod/Soilent Green split. It’s cool because it’s usually two bands you dig, or maybe it’s one band you dig and you find a new band to like afterwards. It’s great promotion and exposure either way.

JB: I dug the Graves at Sea/ Sourvein split that came out last year. And the Red Fang/ASG split was great too.

(SL) You’re set to hit the road on the upcoming joint tour sponsored by The Sludgelord, what is the best and worst things about being a touring band, given there seems to be ongoing issues of gear being stolen from bands etc, does that affect the mindsight of the band going into it? 

SC: The only time that we were REALLY worried about our gear was in St. Louis. I mean, obviously, we are protective of our gear and it is what we love to do. So, we are very cautious and attentive when it comes to our equipment.  You are always have to be aware of your surroundings. The Best thing about tour is going to a new city every night, meeting new fans, or seeing the same fans from the last time you were in town, and playing music. The worst thing is when you don’t get a lot of sleep from long drives, partying too hard, or sleeping in the passenger seat of your van.

JB: Gear getting stolen would be fucking terrible but hopefully being careful will minimize that risk. The best things about touring is just being out on the road. Seeingnew places, meeting new people, getting to play my guitar every fucking day. The worst things about it is being away from home. Sleeping in a familiar bed every night,next to my fiancé.

(SL) What are your survival tips for the road?

SC: Bring tons of water, beer, and have a lot of snacks stored away for when you play the waiting game before going on stage. Have a nice place to crash in your van, so, everyone gets a chance to get some decent rest before the show. Always be cautious of your equipment. Find a nice rest stop/gas station to give yourself a manual release on a regular basis. Stay hydrated, loose, and have fun!

JB: Smoke weed, drink beer, masturbate.

(SL) One thing you can’t live without on the road? 

SC: Music, a shit ton of music

JB: Naps.

(SL) Will you be playing the split in full in your respective sets?

SC: We are playing 3 out of the 4 songs on our split. We will be playing songs from every release from us thus far.

JB: Since two of the songs on our half of the split are acoustic, we will probably not beplaying those.  But we will be playing the other four. Maybe not every night but they all will be played.

(SL) Fast forward then and finally, once the tour is over and your home reflecting on the countless miles you’ve driven, to play shows in venues you’ve destroyed with a cold beer in hand, what is the thing you want to take away from it? 

SC: Just like every tour, I hope that we have gained more fans and grabbed people’s attention to the shit that we are doing, and will continue to do. Plus, fuck it was a lot of fun playing music and hanging out with all of our friends. Let’s get the next one going!

JB: That we made a couple more fans. Just hanging out with for awhile on the road with my best bros, playing music every night, drinking and smoking all while not having to go into the day job is really what all of this is about.

Thank you on behalf of The Sludgelord.

Words and Interview by: Aaron Pickford

GODHUNTER vs. DESTROYER OF LIGHT Endsville 2015 Tour:

7/29/2015 Club Congress – Tucson, AZ [info]
7/30/2015 Yucca Tap Room – Tempe, AZ [info]
7/31/2015 The Sandlot – El Paso, TX [info]
8/01/2015 The Launchpad – Albuquerque, NM [info]
8/02/2015 Seventh Circle – Denver, CO [info]
8/03/2015 The Reverb Lounge – Omaha, NE [info]
8/04/2015 Triple Rock – Minneapolis, MN w/ Ambassador Gun [info]
8/05/2015 LiveWire Lounge – Chicago, IL [info]
8/06/2015 Shakespere’s Pub – Kalamazoo, MI @ Fat Guy Fest [info]
8/07/2015 Fifth Quarter Lounge – Indianapolis, IN [info]
8/08/2015 Magnolia Bar – Louisville, KY
8/09/2015 Pour House – Raleigh, NC
8/10/2015 The Empty Glass – Charleston, WV
8/11/2015 Gooski’s – Pittsburgh, PA [info]
8/12/2015 Mohawk Place – Buffalo, NY [info]
8/13/2015 Saint Vitus Bar – Brooklyn, NY w/ Immortal Bird [info]
8/14/2015 KoTo – Salem, MA
8/15/2015 The Outer Space & Ballroom – Hamden, CT @ Death To False Metal Fest [info]
8/16/2015 Kung Fu Necktie – Philadelphia, PA
8/17/2015 The Depot – Baltimore, MD [info]
8/18/2015 Thomas Creek Brewery – Greenville, SC
8/19/2015 The Basement – Atlanta, GA [info]
8/20/2015 Vino’s Pizza Pub Brewery – Little Rock, AR [info]
8/21/2015 Saturn Bar – New Orleans, LA
8/22/2015 Holy Mountain – Austin, TX [info]

You can purchase the vinyl here

 

For more information:

Like: http://www.facebook.com/godhuntersludge
Official: http://www.dirtweedmetal.com
Shop: http://battlegroundrecords.bigcartel.com
Listen: http://destroyeroflight.bandcamp.com
Like: http://www.facebook.com/destroyeroflight

The Sludgelord Presents: ABATON & VISCERA/// - 'Diade(ms)' Exclusive Stream & Review

We at the Sludgelord are extremely excited and grateful to the folks of Sentient Ruin Laboratories to announce the exclusive stream of a monolithic release, a collaborative release in every sense of the word from two of Italy's finest, most forward-thinking and heaviest sludge/doom/post-metal bands around these days, namely Abaton &  Viscera///.

Abaton is a project created in 2009 and the characteristics of the sounds are a mixture of obscure and gloomy doom and sludge, with powerful hardcore openings.  The ultimate purpose of the band is to create dark and meditative atmospheres, to scratch the most introspective and oniric side of every individual.  Viscera/// are an italian psychedelic metal trio. Their style gathers the experiences of post HC, 70's space rock, drone and ambient, in order to create an intimate and extremely personal view of heavy music. So with that description firmly in mind this is what the folks at Sentient Ruin had to say about this groundbreaking release

‘This 7" vinyl EP Titled Diade(ms),  is the collaborative EP manifestation of the wills of both bands to materialize a synergistic, interwoven, and multi-layered work, in which the two bands become fused together into one multi-headed hideous sonic monstrosity, to materialize and represent their own vision of complete aural annihilation.’

A Co-release with: Hypershape Records (IT), Insomnia Isterica (CH), Bare Teeth Records (ITA),Drown Within Records (ITA) and Dio Drone (ITA), Unquiet Records (PL).  This is set for release on 23^rd June and will be available here

Find out what we had to say about the record below about the record

‘Diade(ms)’,  track listing:

Side A: Special Needs (05:31)

Side B: Pandemic (06:21)

Review:

Of the common split, a true collaboration is indeed a rare thing. Today, we have a coSLABoration between 2 Italian extreme music juggernauts: Abaton and Viscera///. 

This is a very sludgy, very caustic slice of extreme metal from across the Big, Blue, Wet Thing, all the way from the Roman Empire. Being a true collaboration, both bands had contributions to each others songs, without either overpowering the main band. So, Viscera/// is the major artist on track 1, ‘Special Needs’, with a bit of credited help from the guys in Abaton, and vice versa for the flip track, ‘Pandemic’. And while both are very extreme, they do have their differences.

On ‘Special needs’, the music and tone is quite a bit more frantic, almost playing with a panic to the song. The vocals are just the most evil sounding rasping screams, carrying a blackness and depravity in tone alone. The track is just evil, with lyrics of selling ones soul, for what sound like nefarious reasons. It's ridiculously black metal in a sludgy format. The bleakness of the vocalist bleed into the guitar, with a harsh, jagged tone hammering at you. Alternating at different points in the track, Viscera/// do like to slow it down a bit, then speed up to drive the nails in deeper. Its a very destructive give and take throughout the 5 and a half minutes it jabs at you.

From there we reach the slower, and just as heavy, Pandemic by Abaton w/ Viscera/// adding some touches. Still have the blackened feel to the song, with a tone and vocal delivery, but it's slow, much slower than ‘Special Needs’, It feels more gritty to the ear, with more effects giving a space like a cavern, black and unending. The vocalist has that severe rasp, pretty much the entire run time. He uses it to strip the skin out of your ear cavities, as the guitars and drums just chew through you. 

Of the two tracks, this one wins my pick, just because it’s that little extra that catches my fancy, due to just that slow building horror they capture so well. Fans of extreme, caustic, bleak metal pay heed, this is very much a combination you don't want to miss at all!

Words by: Hunter Young

For more information:

https://www.facebook.com/Abaton.it

http://abaton.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/viscera3stripes

http://twitter.com/viscera3stripes

http://viscera3stripes.bandcamp.com

http://soundcloud.com/viscera3stripes

The Sludgelord Exclusive - Sideburn New Song Streaming - Masters and Slaves

Swedish Stoner Metallers - Sideburn are about to release their 5th album - Evil Or Divine on Metalville Records. Sideburn and Metalville Records have given this exclusive song - Masters and Slaves - to stream from the new album.

Release dates: May 22 (EU) / June 9 (N. America)

For more information on SIDEBURN, visit:

www.facebook.com/sideburnswedenfanpage

Grim Van Doom / LLNN – Split Album - Sludgelord Exclusive Stream

Album Type: Album

Date Released: December 2014

Label: Self Released

Grim Van Doom / LLNN – Split Album – Track Listing

• Grim Van Doom – Child Of Light
• Grim Van Doom – Ropes
• Grim Van Doom – The Ripper
• LLNN – The Guardian
• LLNN – Swarms
• LLNN – Engineers Of Ire
• LLNN – Nostromo Falls
• LLNN – Eye Of The Covenant

Grim Van Doom - Bio

Grim Van Doom, founded during 2011's winter, manage to step into the tiny spot between common Doom and dirty Sludge, creating a musical monster in the process.

Dark sound-sculptures, gooey downtempo-beats and neck-breaking groove define the drop-tuned sound of the band, while nihilistic lyrics are shot at the audience through massive shouting. Their passion for the raw and dark, for the twisted and tainted is undeniable.

It's this intensity, that allowed GVD to gather a loyal fanbase throughout North Rhine-Westphalia, who immediately stripped the band of their first demo, which was recorded in D.I.Y.-manner and mastered at the well-respected HeyDay studio.

In fall 2014 GvD released a split LP with the danish band LLNN, followed by a short, but intense tour. Also, the band hit the studio (the sludge-wise well known Tonmeisterei in Oldenburg, Germany) to record their forthcoming album, planned for early 2015.

Grim Van Doom - Heavy and slow since 2011!

Grim Van Doom - Members

Lansky - Vocals

Dennis - Guitar

Nils - Bass

Leo – Drums

LLNN - Bio

LLNN is a new four piece outfit from Copenhagen.

LLNN – Members

Christian | Ketil | Rasmus | Jakob

Review:

We have an exclusive Sludgelord Exclusive of a split album between German Sludge Metallers – Grim Van Doom and Danish Sludge Metallers – LLNN – which they have kindly provided an advanced copy for you all to listen. The split album offers almost 30 minutes of ferocious action packed down right ugly Sludge Metal for you to contend with.

  

Both bands offer almost 15 minutes of insane and intense head-banging material for you to survive from. It's a great split album from two awesome bands to check out. The split album will be released on Vinyl very soon and be available for free download from BandCamp as well in the near future.

Until then you can witness the full power and fury of Grim Van Doom and LLNN bringing destruction wherever they go.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Grim Van Doom and LLNN for the exclusive stream. The Split Vinyl will be available to buy soon.

For more information

Grim Van Doom

Facebook

BandCamp

LLNN

Facebook

BandCamp