Magic Circle - ‘Journey Blind’ (Album Review)

By: Daniel Jackson

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 20/11/2015

Label: 20 Buck Spin

Magic Circle throws hook after hook and riff after riff at the listener, giving us no shortage of big moments to latch onto, without falling back on the most tired aspects of Sabbath’s catalogue as the default.  Although Magic Circle isn’t going to wow anyone with innovation, for what it sets out to do, Magic Circle does it better than just about anyone going right now

‘Journey Blind’ CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Journey Blind
2. The Damned Man
3. A Ballad For The Vultures
4. Lightning Cage
5. Ghosts Of The Southern Front
6. Grand Deceivers
7. Antediluvian

The Review:

There’s no scarcity of doom and classic heavy metal worship as we’re closing in on the end of 2015. There are, of course, folks who can’t get enough, and that’s fine. I’m a lot more temperamental when it comes to this style, particularly when the bands being worshipped are bands like Black Sabbath. Orchid for example, was fun the first time around, but the returns have diminished greatly for me from album to album. The truth is that Sabbath worship has been done to death by hundreds of bands over the years, and unless you’ve got a genuinely good approach, you’re doomed to mediocrity from the start.

Magic Circle, thankfully avoids that trap by remembering that Sabbath worship doesn’t have to mean ‘70-’78 only. ‘Journey Blind’ is a healthy mix of 70s and 80s Sabbath, with nods here and there to other 80s doom bands as well. Why Magic Circle succeeds where other bands fall short is that they embrace a much wider variety of those classic albums of influence had to offer. So many bands stick to the “Lord of This World” or “Hole in the Sky” formulas, but there’s a lot more to Sabbath than just a few ultra-specific tropes.

After opening with the sort of dirge you might expect of any traditional doom band, the album’s lead and title track, “Journey Blind”, picks up the pace into something akin to “Neon Knights”, though Magic Circle’s interpretation is looser, and less palm-muting centric. We’re also treated to some slow gallop ala “Country Girl” in the song's second half, which makes for a perfect tempo break for that point in the song. The song exposes a lot the lack of variety that has plagued so many Sabbath-worshipping bands over the last 20 years, and that’s just in the first song.

For the rest of the album, Magic Circle throws hook after hook and riff after riff at the listener, giving us no shortage of big moments to latch onto, without falling back on the most tired aspects of Sabbath’s catalogue as the default. I suppose it’s a strange thing to compliment a band on finding a more interesting way of paying homage to another band’s work, but I also suppose that metal’s a strange genre that way. In any event, Magic Circle isn’t going to wow anyone with innovation, but that’s by design. For what it sets out to do, Magic Circle does it better than just about anyone going right now.

“Journey Blind” is available digitally here and a CD/LP copy here.

FFO: Black Sabbath, Pagan Altar, Orchid, Crypt Sermon

Band info: official

Orchid - 'Sign of the Witch' EP (Review)

By: Kat Hilton

Album Type: EP

Date Released: 17/07/2015

Label: Nuclear Blast Records

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 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.  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 with a 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.

‘Sign of the Witch’ is out now

Band info: official | facebook | twitter |youtube

The Sludgelord News: ORCHID - announce new EP!

San Francisco-based classic doom metallers ORCHID have announced to be releasing a brand new EP, named Sign Of The Witch. The band's fourth EP is slated for a May 25th release and will contain 4 brand new tracks.

Commented guitarist Mark Thomas Baker: "It's been a few years since we've recorded and we've all gotten so much better at playing and working together. We're excited to let people hear what we're up to these days."

Tracklist Sign Of The Witch:

01. Sign Of The Witch
02. John The Tiger
03. On Strange Winds
04. Burning Eastern Skies

Sign Of The Witch marks the band's first release since 2013's highly successful The Mouths Of Madness.

Surft to http://smarturl.it/ORCHID-SignNB to secure your copy.

ORCHID are playing live all over festivals in Europe this summer:

www.orchidsf.com | www.facebook.com/orchidsf | www.nuclearblast.de/orchid

Source: Nuclear Blast UK

Orchid - The Zodiac Sessions (Album Review)

 

Album Type : Full Length

Date Released : 15.11.2013

Label : Nuclear Blast

The Zodiac Sessions, album track listing :

1. Eyes Behind The Wall 7:13

2. Capricorn 4:41

3. Black Funeral 6:27

4. Masters Of It All 6:34

5. Down Into The Earth 6:24

6. He Who Walks Alone 6:48

7. Cosmonaut Of Three 5:45

8. Electric Father 7:20

9. Albatross 5:52

10. Into The Sun 3:24

11. Eastern Woman 4:23

12. Son Of Misery 2:13

13. No One Makes A Sound 5:53

Bio :

Founded in 2006 with the sole intention of a bunch of buddies playing some rock music, things went pretty fast for San Francisco’s finest, ORCHID. No three years later, the band would release their first EP, »Through The Devil’s Doorway«, which set the foundation for a bright future – causing a real buzz in the underground, 2011’s debut album, »Capricorn«, took ORCHID’s promising, but still young career to a whole level. Receiving raving reviews all around the world, the band embarked on a first, successful European tour to bring their perfect blend of 70ies psychedelic heavy rock to the stages.

Pretty much right after that, Nuclear Blast offered the band a deal. Again, things turned for the best for ORCHID – before releasing their second full-length album, the two collector’s EPs, »Heretic« and »Wizard Of War«, sold out in no time and prepared the steadily growing fan base for what was to come. With the release of »The Mouths Of Madness« (hitting the official German media control charts at #18), the following highly successful tour with label mates FREE FALL and the frenetically celebrated show at renowned Rock Hard Festival pushed ORCHID to the very top of today’s vintage rock scene.

Now, their stunning early works (»Through The Devil’s Doorway« & »Capricorn«) are being re-issued as »The Zodiac Sessions«  on one disc in a lavish digipak featuring an all new cover art by the band’s gifted singer, Theo Mindell. On vinyl both parts of »The Zodiac Sessions« will be released separately – on 10“ (»Through The Devil's Doorway«) and on 2LP 12“ (»Capricorn«) and will be made available in various colors.

The Band :

Theo Mindell | vocals

Carter Kennedy | drums
Mark Thomas Baker | guitar
Keith Nickel | bass

Review :

Orchid.  Like the reanimation of classic seventies hard rock, the San Francisco group are living, breathing nostalgia: their music is evocative, hard-hitting and, most importantly, utterly compelling.  The quartet made major waves when their album ‘The Mouths of Madness’ barrelled onto the scene in early 2013, causing the rock world to stand up and take notice.  Now, Nuclear Blast have taken it upon themselves to release ‘The Zodiac Sessions’, an LP which combines their two earlier releases ‘Through the Devil’s Doorway’ and ‘Capricorn’ into one massive slab of dark rock.  Gaze upon their mighty works in awe, brief mortals.  Classic rock lives again! 

You’d be forgiven for thinking that the LP was found in a time capsule from decades ago.  As soon as ‘Eyes Behind the Wall’ pounces upon you, it’s almost as if you’re transported straight back to the glorious beginnings of doom and dark rock.  Mark Thomas Baker’s sublime riffery instantly brings to mind the classic tones of early Sabbath, his playing on this record both powerful and precise: a rock ‘n’ roll heavyweight with mighty knockout power.  And when the breakdown hits midways through?  Yep- welcome to heavy music country. 

It’s followed up by ‘Capricorn’, another sure-fire hit of deepest, darkest doom, introduced by Keith Nickel’s John Paul Jones-style bass and thickened to cement-like proportions by Baker’s catchy guitar hooks.  Spacy, heavy, and with vocalist Theo Mindell channeling the very spirit of bygone rock days, this track just exudes power like a jet engine exudes thrust.  This was the title track of one of their earlier releases with good reason: if you want to hear Orchid at the top of their talents, look no further than this song.  In fact, look at this song and then keep looking at all their other works, don’t deny yourself some truly epic soundscapes! 

For the sludge-fanciers among you, you are well catered for with this release.  A fine example of this is ‘Cosmonaut of Three’, an oily, sickly beast that practically oozes its way down your ear canals, infecting your mind with such delightful darkness.  Not enough?  Crave more?  Well, you’re in luck: ‘Son of Misery’’s bassline is so gloomy and doomy it threatens to change weather patterns to heavy rain whenever you put this track on.  The only thing stopping it from turning it into an all-out monsoon is Baker’s guitar, stabbing through the blackness like bolts of ice-white lightning. 

2013 has been a very good year for Orchid, and deservedly so.  Nuclear Blast have signed themselves the reincarnation of the heady early days of heavy music, making their label all the more vibrant and Orchid themselves able to reach a much wider audience with their dark, bluesy, potent magic.  Harvest Orchid for your metal garden- and marvel as it blooms for you. 

Words by : Chris Markwell

You can buy it here.
 

For more information :

www.orchidsf.com

www.facebook.com/orchidsf

www.twitter.com/orchid_sf

www.youtube.com/user/orchidsf

www.nuclearblast.de/orchid