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This is 'Liberation through Amplification.'
With their
fifth album, “Peace”,GRAVEYARD
guides the listener through an ever-changing musical landscape filled with
their trademark take on classic rock. From the opening track’s blistering
declaration that ‘It Ain’t Over Yet’ to
the final note of heart beating bass on the epic and moody rocker ‘Low (I Wouldn’t Mind)’ the band manage
to squeeze out every last creative drop of what there is to know, hear and love
about GRAVEYARD in 2018.
To anyone
who has followed GRAVEYARD throughout their career it
comes as no surprise that »Peace« offers yet another passionate
display from band that utilises a wide variety of styles and moods. But, if you
were to pin-point the one thing that really sets “Peace” aside from
the band’s previous albums, it would be that the production on “Peace” is the band’s heaviest and most solid to date. With the
album release last Friday, 25th May, today you can check out an
exclusive video of Truls Mörck talking about why the album is fucking awesome
and what new drummer Oskar brings to the fold.
“Peace” is available HERE
Album Type: Full
Length Date Released: 11/11/2016 Label: Fuzzorama
Records
It is a hugely diverse record and shows the advanced musicianship
between the band, blending all kinds of stoner rock and fuzz. This is a band
who are firmly on the rise to the top and know exactly how to get there. One of
the best releases of 2016 without a doubt.
“III” CD//DD//LP Track
listing
1). Pale Moon 2). Last Days 3). Til' Dawn 4). Wolf & Snake 5). Silver & Gold 6). Them Calling 7). Mr. Strange
The Review:
The Asteroid has landed. Swedish
heavy psych giants Asteroid have set
the release date for their highly-anticipated third album for 11th November
through Fuzzorama Records. It has
been almost 7 years since their well-renowned second album ‘II’ was released and the band are
back with their most polished, solid record to date. A 7-track album following
the naming trend of its predecessors, this is Asteroid - ‘III’.
Firstly,
the album artwork is strikingly brilliant. Whoever is in charge of the design
and creative direction of Asteroid deserves credit for an unbelievably
eye-catching and vintage styled arrangement of their instruments taking pride
of place as the album cover.
The album
kicks off with ‘Pale Moon’
delivering a thick, rumbling bass line which gives way to some eerie
psychedelic slide-guitar work. It has a triumphant sounding vibe with lots of
dark nuances that give it a truly evil sound. It also has a somewhat spacey
feel, with effects playing their part in the backdrop towards the end as the
song comes to a close.
‘Last Days’ is the second track from the
album and was the first track that was publicly released on Bandcamp by the
band after announcing the news of the record coming out this fall. The intro
has some nice big chords and paves the way for what’s to come as the vibe
changes abruptly. Robin Hirse’s vocals begin as the song slows down and takes
on a very similar vocal feel to Alice in Chain’slate great vocalist Layne Staley
in ‘Love/Hate/Love’. Memories
of the opening track, ‘The Great Unknown’, from
their first release are also re-kindled in this track. The guitar effects bring
some very unique sounds to the table and the drum breakdowns are instrumental
in making those parts as hard-hitting as they are around the 3:40 mark. The
chord section comes back round again at 4:06 and reminds me of a Dead Meadowor Screaming Trees
kind of feel. Two tracks in and we already have a diverse selection of music
and it’s evident that Asteroid haven’t rushed into their song
writing, it was most certainly worth the wait.
The third
track ’Til Dawn’ rips back into the
classic stoner rock style that we know and love Asteroid for. Their dynamic
skill of switching from fuzzed riffs to beautiful, clean sounds is remarkable
and they flit effortlessly between the two styles. The middle-end section slows
down and each chord is powerfully punched out with some impeccable harmonised
vocal parts between Hirse and Johannes Nilsson on bass. Drummer Jimmi
Kohlscheen stands out on this final section as the drums are building in power
and ferocity as the track climaxes before winding down with ease and ending on
another sweet, clean chord.
‘Wolf & Snake’ has a very mellow
vibe and reminds me of something that should be played as the sun sets on the
beach at the infamous Dunajam Festival. This specific style of
stoner rock is extremely pure and incorporates both the calm, mellow vibes and
the earth-shaking fuzz. The intro section reminds me a lot of bands like Colour Hazeand Sungrazeralthough
Asteroid
have their own brand of heavy psych and it’s still incredibly unique. At the
2:00 mark, the song takes off with a blasting rhythm section and some lead
parts from Hirse, showcasing his searing guitar abilities. The drums and bass
are extremely tight and give Hirse a blank canvas to let rip. Near the 3:50
mark, the tempo drops and the fuzz doubles and we’re witnesses to a crushing,
sludgy section. The final outro section is another sharp contrast with clean
guitar playing some beautiful sounds.
‘Silver & Gold’ begins with a slow,
angelic sounding guitar section before the vocals come in and bring so much to
the sound. This track stands out on its own and its superb blend of layered
vocals and guitar, gives it that kind of Tarantino movie soundtrack feel,
definitely one of my favourite songs on the album.
The
penultimate song ‘Them Calling’
takes things back up a few fuzz gears and we’re dropped into an Uncle Acid
& the Deadbeats style riff which just rumbles on ferociously
throughout the song. It also has elements of the late Graveyard from Sweden. Around 3:35 they flick on
the ‘evil’ switch and the riff gets steeped in gloom.
The final
track ‘Mr Strange’ makes use of some
awesome guitar harmonies to begin with before progressing into a lighter
sounding, almost Zeppelin-esque section. Around 3:20 the vibe changes again
and we have another killer, thumping riff with some spaced out lead guitar
dodging and diving through the mix. The end section has some chanting vocals
which go extremely well with the harmonies and it all blends into a perfect
stoner rock package.
‘III’ is a
masterpiece of an album from a band who need no introduction or a manual on how
to create masterpieces. It is a hugely diverse record and shows the advanced
musicianship between the band, blending all kinds of stoner rock and fuzz. This
is a band who are firmly on the rise to the top and know exactly how to get
there. One of the best releases of 2016 without a doubt.
With
an established and impeccable reputation that started back in 1995, Small Stone
Records, the self proclaimed dealers in the finest in fuzz rock, continue
to churn out gold standard releases some 21 years later, not bad when you
consider the label was started with a loan of $5000 and a desire to put out
record by his friends.
The label continues to put out approximately 10 to 12 new
releases a year and many of his bands keep busy touring schedules, therefore a
band could consider them fortunate to taken under the wings of this truly great
label.One such band is Captain Crimson, a banddealing in the kind of badass blues rock that has made their peers and
fellow Swedes, Graveyard,
Witchcraft,
and Blues
Pills household names within the underground doom scene.
Formed in 2010 by vocalist Stefan Lillhager, formerly
of Blowback,
Captain Crimson draws inspiration
from the classic sounds of The Groundhogs, Blue Cheer, Jethro Tull, Cactus,
and Emerson,
Lake & Palmer, meeting heavy boogie head-on with a modern
swagger that has carried over to their latest and third album, “Remind”,
which will serve as their first for Small Stone Records.
“Remind”
will be released on October 14th, 2016 on CD, digitally and limited edition
vinyl and preorders of the record are available here.Today
at The
Sludgelord in association with our friends at Earsplit PR we are debuting
another new cut to remind you how
much you need this band in your life.Check
out “Black Rose” below
Kadavar have avoided the pitfalls of slavishly recreating the sound of rock legends of yesteryear. Instead they have taken their obvious influences and reassembled them in an exciting new configuration. The sheer exuberance and energy of their delivery, combined with masterful songwriting skill, sounds completely vital whilst being unashamedly in thrall to the past.
“Berlin” CD//DD//LP track listing:
1. Lord Of The Sky 4:27
2. Last Living Dinosaur 4:05
3. Thousand Miles Away From Home 4:53
4. Filthy Illusion 3:45
5. Pale Blue Eyes 3:28
6. Stolen Dreams 3:57
7. The Old Man 4:05
8. Spanish Wild Rose 4:30
9. See The World With Your Own Eyes 4:07
10. Circles In My Mind 3:47
11. Into The Night 4:30
12. Reich Der Träume (bonus track) 6:39
Kadavar is:
Christoph “Lupus” Lindemann | vocals, guitars
Simon “Dragon” Bouteloup | bass
Christoph “Tiger” Bartelt | drums
The Review:
I’d never heard a note of Kadavar before my first spin of “Berlin”. This is the Berlin power trio’s third LP and sees them in possession of a massive following earned via their retro 70S hard/psychedelic rock stylings. I was going into this expecting some serious Sabbath/Purple worship in the vein of Witchcraft and Graveyard, but what I found was something a little bit different. While Kadavar are certainly not averse to sounding like Aston’s finest, particularly on the suitably monstrous “Last Living Dinosaur”, it appears they’ve cast their net further into the seas of classic rock than the standard doom touchstones.
“Lord of the Sky” kicks the album off with a fizzy Stooges style riff before settling into a groove reminiscent of The Who drenched in fuzz. The band mine this furrow further to great effect on “Filthy Illusion” and “See The World With Your Own Eyes” while elsewhere things take a more psychedelic turn. “The Old Man” adds a Hendrix/Cream flavour to proceedings and packs a killer chorus which will be lodged in your brain for weeks to come. “Spanish Wild Rose” sees the band slow down and space out with some tasty lead guitar and vocal echo. “Into the Night” closes the record in fine style, switching from fist pumping heavy metal to a swooping effects laden climax which brings a welcome injection of prog grandeur.
Make sure you get a copy of “Berlin” featuring bonus track “Reich Der Traume”. A cover of an obscure Nico track, it offers a stark contrast to the rest of the album featuring an array of synths and minimal drums. Here the band sound almost contemporary, conjuring up a strange and effective mix of Yes, Kraftwerk and even modern weirdoes Animal Collective. It will be interesting to see if this is a sign of things to come in the future.
Kadavar have avoided the pitfalls of slavishly recreating the sound of rock legends of yesteryear. Instead they have taken their obvious influences and reassembled them in an exciting new configuration. The sheer exuberance and energy of their delivery, combined with masterful songwriting skill, sounds completely vital whilst being unashamedly in thrall to the past. “Berlin” is a killer album that may help them to attain the immortality of their heroes in the eyes of future generations.
Welcome, all lovers of the riff, you know the
deal by now, however for those of you that do not, let us recap. Each
month, you the reader are unwittingly compiling a list of the top 16 records of
the month, covering all genres of metal, but predominately the best the
doom, sludge, stoner-psychedelic genres have to offer. Is it not a chart,
in which reviewers or contributors extol their opinion about their favourite
music, but simply, the ‘Sour
16’ are the records you guys (readers) have been most
interested in over the last month and checking out on this page.
So here is the The Sludgelord’s‘Sour 16’for
October 2015, the 16 records you’re most looking forward too or are currently
checking out. Dig in, spread the word and perhaps revisit some records
you may have overlooked. The results are compiled based on page views
alone and calibrated into the list below. So without further ado,
enjoy the ‘Sour
16’. Roll up, kick back, chug a beer and Hail the riff! For
more info click on the artwork. (Total views at the time of
publication highlighted in red)
16). Zillah – ‘Serpentine Halo’ (210)
I don’t think I’m going out on a limb by saying that ‘Serpentine Halo’ is easily the band’s most accomplished work to this point. If forced to give an easy reference point, I’d say that this is a blend of ‘Whisper Supremacy’-era Cryptopsy along with very early Mastodon and a dash of Gorguts at their most disjointed and jarring. If that sounds as appealing for you as it does me, you should be in good hands with this album.
15). Seahag – ‘The RX Epidemic’ (220)
Metal never sounded so good and I’m
glad these dudes woke from their slumber to produce this powerful and chaotic
release. So many elements woven together with immaculate structure creating an
intense ride that keeps this in constant rotation for me.
14). Suma – ‘Ashes’ (233)
It's a masterpiece of post metal
tinged doom. The riffs are straightforward but able to smash through concrete
with the volume and vehemence of which they're played. The guitars are layered
heavily to allow them to invade your consciousness and claim your brain. If
you're reading this and have yet to listen to this album, stop wasting your
time and listen at full volume!
13).Great Falls – ‘The Fever Shed’ (236)
Right
from the first note of “Dressing the Saints”, there is nowhere to hide as the
band assault the listener with an abrasive opening salvo of shards of metallic
noise. Even when the volume dips during sparse minimal sections, there is
always a taut menace to proceedings which feels like it could give way to chaos
at any second.
12). Goblin Rebirth – ‘Goblin Rebirth’ (235)
If you want something that is out
there, entertaining, and from a legendary band, look no further than Goblin
Rebirth's self titled debut. Bend your mind, but only to the best of beats with
these Italian masters of the reptilian beat!
11). Ravens Creed – ‘Ravens Krieg’ (239)
Once again, it is all about the riffs-
Steve Watson managing to accurately mimic the sound of tanks rolling through
your town and laying waste to it. What you get is thirteen tracks of
spiteful fury as the riffs and songs rage by. If you like metal, you
really should like Ravens Creed, being as they present the genre in its purest
form: riffs, aggression, adrenaline and pace all combine to make a satanic
racket of biblical (ha!) proportions. Uncompromising, extreme music
from an island of festering resentment. Hail The ‘Creed
10). Drowning Horse – ‘Sheltering Sky’ (246)
I am
brought back to why I listen to this kind of dirge: it taps into the static,
that universal thrum, and serves as a meditation, a reprieve from the chaos and
noise surrounding us. A job extremely well done and I’ll have my eye
on Perth’s Drowning Horse going forward, hoping that they continue to
churn out the catharsis
9) = Graveyard – ‘Innocence & Decadence’ (247)
All in all, “Innocence and Decadence”
could be viewed as a polarizing record. Graveyard may lose fans, or they could
very well gain them. They’ll probably always have older fans pissing and
moaning over “the good old days,” but it’s also likely that, regardless of the
extreme reactions people may have against this album, Graveyard will remain one
of the most top notch bands around today.
9) = Hyne – ‘MMXV’ (247)
They show off groove without being
flashy, talent without being full of themselves, and honestly which puts many
bigger bands to shame. If we can see more of this, I am going to have to get
more hours in my day! And listen for that little Sabbathian charm!
7). Bastard Grave – ‘What Lies Beyond’ (255)
From the opening of ‘From The Depths’,
you know exactly what you are getting; feral death with a punk sensibility.
This continues right the way through the album, I am pleased to say. Each song
fits nicely with all the others. No melodies here; straight forward
Entombed/Dismember/Grave worship- chainsaw guitars, meaty but rough and ready
drums and that bass sound you love are all present and correct. For
fans of all the bands noted along with Entrails and any other sons of Northern
darkness you care to name. Ripping stuff!
6). Grim Van Doom – ‘Grim Love’ (273)
I can tell from the off that run of
the mill stoner/doom this most definitely is not.
'Goddamn This Love' has your doomy qualities but with an Unsane edge to it
(without being too obvious an influence). Vocally I'm reminded of Stephane Azam
from French avant-sludge troupe CROWN, and Fade Kainer from Batillus. 'Snowfields'
is straight from the Abominable Iron Sloth/Will Haven school of riff writing,
jagged and angular but at the same time, round and smooth. This band has set a
high standard for whatever they follow this up with, can they do it? I'll be
waiting to find out
5) Terzij de Horde – ‘Self’ (283)
As someone who has been listening to
black metal for nearly twenty years, I’m thankful that there are bands out
there like Terzij de Horde challenging black metal’s standards, to keep it from
losing what made it special to me in the first place. Beyond being one of this year’s
finest albums, ‘Self’ is important because the beliefs and mindset that gave
this album life are as purely black metal as it gets.
4). Clutch – ‘Psychic Warfare’ (311)
It’s the precise interplay in each of
these songs that make “Psychic Warfare” – dare I say it – a competitor for
album of the year. Be it the way Maines bridges Gasters swing with
Sult’s stiff blues in “Quick Death in Texas,” or how the chorus in
“Firebirds” only works because of the foundation provided by the verses,
“Psychic Warfare” is a mature, well-written album.
3). All Them Witches – ‘Dying Surfer Meets His Maker’
(320)
Groovy and slow like the rocking back
and forth of a fishing boat on a quiet lake seems to be the state of mind, but
it’s not a lazy album. The free falling jams are certainly laid back and the
songs are no different, such as the case with “Open Passageways,” a prime cut
that tells a bizarre story while being guided by a wonderful string section
that takes this song to a whole new level.
2). Girra – ‘Girra’ (329)
Girra plays a gothic form of blackened
doom, and they play it effectively. Their tones, bleak and unflinching, wash
like a tide with their almost clanging rhythms, over a very melancholic flat
sounding drum beat. It sounds like the beating of a rotted gourd made into an
instrument.
1). Horrendous – ‘Anareta’ (439)
There’s so much to enjoy and unpack as
I listen to this album again and again, because every song offers a new wrinkle
to the formula or another compositional element that most bands wouldn’t think
to use. It’s so fucking rich and dense. To put a finer point on things,
‘Anareta’ is the sort of album that lifts death metal as a genre up. It’s
everything I could ask of a death metal album in 2015 and there’s virtually
nothing in metal as a whole that’s in Horrendous’ league right now
The
‘Sour 16’ features reviews by, Chris Bull, Eric Crowe, Hunter
Young, Dan Jackson, Richard Maw, Mike
Wilcox, Victor Van Ommen, Charlie Butler & Eric
Sugg
With bands such as Witchcraft and Graveyard turning away from the overtly Sabbath styling’s; I wonder do Orchid do the same?The San Francisco stalwarts however shun this trend instead opting for full on Sabbath worship in all its glory; their latest EP ‘Sign Of The Witch’ demonstrates this with sophistication, style and damn good riffs. A lean offering of 4 songs in just 18 minutes, it blasts the senses throwing forth their dominant influences; Osborne and Iommi.
‘Sign of the Witch’ CD//DD//LP track Listing
1. Helicopters (4:05)
2. John The Tiger (4:52)
3. Sign Of The Witch (4:22)
4. Strange Winds (5:30)
Orchid is:
Theo Mindell | Vocals
Carter Kennedy | Drums Mark Thomas Baker | Guitar Keith Nickel | Bass
The Review:
You like Sabbath…we’ll give you Sabbath; with bands such as Witchcraft and Graveyardturning away from the overtly Sabbath styling’s; I wonder do Orchid do the same?The San Francisco stalwarts however shun this trend instead opting for full on Sabbath worship in all its glory; their latest EP ‘Sign Of The Witch’ demonstrates this with sophistication, style and damn good riffs. A lean offering of 4 songs in just 18 minutes, it blasts the senses throwing forth their dominant influences; Osborne and Iommi.Fuck Me its goooooooood.
‘Helicopters’ is a blatant homage to ‘Paranoid’ with 70’s rock and roll; groove tinged bass and thumping drums making this epically good; with the guitars almost an afterthought it leads the drum/bass attack to hammer through with ease. Theo’s vocals here are immense, smooth and penetrating they inflame the senses and ensnare the mind.‘John The Tiger’ has a markedly increased tempo; that little bit easier on the sludge, with the main guitar beat almost peppy. Offering an unexpected blast in its final third as it breaks down into a Latin influenced jam; a firm progressive note
‘Sign Of The Witch’ the title track and definitely the heaviest amongst this EP, it is a Dio-era Sabbath extravaganza; riff heavy, earthy, gravel tinged vocals and intriguing vocals make it an instant hit. Although it lacks the momentum of the others, it has more twists and turns than the rocky mountain road and is immensely talented offering with enough guitar magic to leave me breathless for a week *ahem*
‘Strange Winds’ concludes the EP and kicks off witha malevolent start; hinting at the evil lurking within, it is a silky, hypnotic keyboard heavy little number. Once more Theo shines through; the timbre of his voice, the eerie quality with heartfelt, raw emotion bordering on blues quality strikes me to the core.Teetering on the edge of a full blown jam; the band draw it out to full effect; with each note there is an expectation that this is it, this is the one where they go hell for leather and leave one in a dribbling pile to the next EP. Instead they leave unresolved tension; the string of sanity pulled taught and I for one panting for more- the clever fuckers.
