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This is 'Liberation through Amplification.'
Undoubtedly, this is one of the best US doom
releases of the year and sits alongside The Skull and Apostle of Solitude as
one of the best albums in the genre for 2018.
“Pale Divine” CD//CS//DD//LP
track listing:
1. Spinning Wheel
2. Bleeding Soul
3. Chemical Decline
4. So Low
5. Curse the Shadows
6. Shades of Blue
7. Silver tongue
8. Ship of Fools
The Review
Pale Divine have been playing this
music for two and a half decades and it shows- in terms of quality and
experience. This record is doom/stoner doom in the traditional sense. Think The Obsessed,
Pentagram,
Trouble
and throw in a heavy dose of Sabbath and The Sword and that gives you a
fair idea of what is on offer here. The band also have some trad metal in their
veins too (some Maiden-esque
passages here and there) and that melting pot makes for a very satisfying
listening experience.
The
vibe is pure doom and comparable to the dark and powerful atmosphere that Iron Man
conjured up on their “South of the Earth” album. “Spinning Wheel” and “So Low” both have heavy doses of
Maryland Doom within their structures and the sound is pleasingly raw and live.
It's melodramatic, downcast and features superb riffing with twists and turns
that Sabbath
circa “Vol. 4” would be proud of.
The
bass work is fantastic- very Geezer. The drums are rock solid and tastefully
done; nice fills here and there, good groove and good dynamic use of the kit.
The guitar work is very Griffin/Iommi esque and therefore superb. The vocals
are of course actual singing- rough edged and smoky and thus another huge plus
for the record. In fact... there is nothing about this that I don't like.
With
songs like “Ship of Fools” and the
closing doom blues of “Shades of Blue”
extending to the seven and eight minute territory, there is the possibility for
the record to drag, but the playing time of around 45 minutes (or so, I am
looking at the MP3 song lengths here and adding up) means that the record clips
by at quite a rate and feels solid front to back. There are riffs and
substances to die for in “Chemical
Decline” as well as archetypal Sabbathian “fast bits”. “Bleeding Soul” manages an epic feel
with a sub five minute running time- quite a feat.
If
anything, the record builds up a head of steam as it goes; the back stretch
providing some of the most satisfying music of the album. “Silver Tongues” is a grooving delight that fits alongside the best
of US doom/stoner material. Conversely, “Curse
the Shadows” strays a lot closer to proto doom/70's rock territory and is a
nice change for the record.
The
aforementioned “Shades of Blue” is a
bassy and bluesy beast and closes the record in some style; large in sound and
scope with a laid back feel to the grooves and delivery. Undoubtedly, this is
one of the best US doom releases of the year and sits alongside The Skull
and Apostle
of Solitude as one of the best albums in the genre for 2018. It may
well be that the Europeans have ruled the doom roost this year with superlative
records from Dawn
of Winter, Witchsorrow, Iron Void (cough!), Conan
and Barbarian Hermit but this record is
truly excellent and I have enjoyed reviewing it almost as much as I have
enjoyed listening to it. Doom on, gentlemen, doom on.
"Excalibur"
is going to win over a lot of classic doom fanatics. Iron Void should be on the
radar of the scene for a revivalism that it owns wholly and proudly.
“Excalibur” CS//CD//DD//LP track listing:
1). Dragon’s Breath
2). The Coming of a King
3). Lancelot of the Lake
4). Forbidden Love
5). Enemy Within
6). The Grail Quest
7). A Dream to Some, A Nightmare to Others
8). The Death of Arthur
9). Avalon
The Review:
Veteran
doom peddlers Iron
Void have had plenty of fits and starts over their career. After
forming in 1998, the band disbanded for a decade before roaring back with a
vengeance, dropping 2010's "Spell of
Ruin," 2014's "Iron Void"
and "Doomsday" in 2015. Now
at their creative peak, Shadow KingdomRecords will issue the European
vinyl of "Excalibur," Iron Void's
Arthurian themed nine-song release tracking at just over 45 minutes.
Vinyl
has been the financial shot in the arm to the music industry that few ever
expected to make the comeback it has. Partially such success can be credited to
bands like Iron
Void. "Excalibur"
offers rich, earthy sonics that seem made for wax. As the LP kicks off with
"Dragon's Breath,"Iron Void
is inescapably catchy as it is dense. The band is also deceptively elegant in
how its songs are constructed; the Sabbathesque "The Coming of A King" boasts a holistic duty to the story it's
telling, while not breaking the power of the song itself, its guitar or rhythm
section. Thus, lyrics inject themselves into just the right points, while not
interfering with the structure of the cut. You hear similar instances on "Forbidden Love" as well.
Those
who love fantasy in metal are going to appreciate the story immensely. Without
spoiling anything, just know that Iron Void set out and succeed at telling an
effecting tale. The vocals throughout are quintessential doom and even
transcendent at turns. As the album builds, it is impossible not to be swept up
in how massive the sound comes across.
In
addition, what doom and sludge devotees may most appreciate with "Excalibur" is its fidelity to
providing a new varnish to classic doom in the vein of Saint Vitus, Pentagram
and the like. As you know, there's been a major renaissance in the old-school
sound of black metal and death metal, hastened surely by the number of
derivative bands in more modern takes on these subgenres. Doom, stoner and
sludge undoubtedly have these bands as well – The Sword may have been the most
popular and prescient of the revamp – and Iron Void stakes its flag admirably. Even
songs like "Enemy Within,"
with clear influences from "Electric
Funeral," feel rejuvenated and original. Iron Void deserve a lot of
credit for having the courage to make an album that is inevitably going to draw
tons of comparisons, yet doing so in a way that feels like a modern makeover of
doom metal. Steve Wilson's riffs are heavy, Iron Void's lyrical themes are
solidly mystical and medieval, and its ultra-thick drums by Richard Maw and
bass by Jonathan "Sealey" Seale compose a ridiculously good
foundation for it all.
"Excalibur" is going to win over a
lot of classic doom fanatics. Iron Void should be on the radar of the scene
for a revivalism that it owns wholly and proudly.
The riffs are infectious, the grooves
hit you right in the gut and their well written songs are accentuated by
climatic dynamics and impassioned performances by all members of the band.Witchcryer have created something really
quite special on “Cry Witch”, a
debut surely worthy of addition to the doom metal cannon.
“Cry
Witch” CD//DD//LP
track listing:
1).
Cry Witch
2).
Ricochet
3).
The Preying Kind
4).
Ma Kali
5).
Embryo (Instructions)
6).
Great Divide
7).
For The Slaves
8).
Witchfinder General (Witchfinder General Cover)
9).
Lapis Philosophorum
The Review:
Do
you like fat, fuzz soaked guitar tones? What about heavy, blues based riffs with
a gloomy, vintage vibe? A singer who belts raspy, darkly melodic vocals about witches,
vengeance and fighting systematic oppression? Well if you are reading THE SLUDGELORD,
there is a pretty decent chance that you are here largely to find more bands that
do exactly what was just described above. If that’s you, then “Cry Witch”, the debut album by Austin based doom quarter Witchcryer,
does not disappoint.
Witchcryer play a form of classic
doom metal revival that owes its biggest musical debt to the bands that played
doom before there was a name for it (Witchfinder General, Black Sabbath, Pentagram).
Their chosen musical territory is far from uncharted by its very definition,
but Witchcryer
play it with so much fire that it feels fresh regardless. The riffs are
infectious, the grooves hit you right in the gut and their well written songs
are accentuated by climatic dynamics and impassioned performances by all members
of the band. Some highlights include brooding, psychedelic track “The Preying Kind” and the vicious,
gravely stomper “For The Slaves”, but
the album’s finest moment is unquestioningly its the thunderous title track. Somewhat
reminiscent of early The Obsessed, “Cry Witch” is a hard-hitting doom metal track at its finest, with
just enough punk rock muscle to give it its needed edge. Its main riff is also
an earlier contender for the best metal riff of 2018.
“Cry Witch” is the band’s first and
only release following a three-track demo titled “The Preying Kind — Demo
MMXVI” from
2016. While those familiar with their demo will recognize Witchcryer’s ear for great riffs
and knack for organic dynamic changes (as well new recordings of all three
tracks), overall “Cry Witch” demonstrates
significant growth for the band. They have grown much tighter and more
confident as a unit (some of which may be due to the recent inclusion of their
bassist, Marilyn) and have created something really quite special on “Cry Witch”, a debut surely worthy of
addition to the doom metal cannon.
By: Richard Maw Album Type: Full Length Date Released: 20/10/2017
Label: Metal Blade Records
Fantastical, epic, dark, heavy and doomy are all
words that describe the record appropriately. There are not too many doom bands
ploughing this traditional furrow these days, but Sorcerer represent the very
best of them. This is another excellent album by an excellent band
“The
Crowning of The Fire King” CD//DD//LP track listing
01. Sirens
02. Ship Of Doom
03. Abandoned By The Gods
04. The Devils Incubus
05. Nattvaka
06. Crimson Cross
07. The Crowning Of The Fire King
08. Unbearable Sorrow
The Review:
Sweden's Sorcerer return, a mere two
years after the excellent “In The Shadow
Of The Inverted Cross”. In my review of that album, I noted the Dio-esque
lyrical themes and stylings, the Sabbath weight and the epic nature of real
doom. Well, I am able to report that all those elements are present and correct
on “The Crowning...”
From
the rolling drum intro, to the first riff, to the first vocal- everything you
would want from a doom album is here. The sound is suitably epic, as are the
song lengths. There is some excellent lead work in opener “Sirens” as well. With both the second and last track here clocking
in at close to ten minutes, this is not a doom record for the casual doom fan-
or the “doom” fan who thinks that sludge is doom. This is true doom for true
doom heads- start with Sabbath, go to Saint Vitus, Pentagram,
Trouble,
Candlemass
and The
Obsessed and then... Sorcerer would be a logical next step.
The
album is dramatic, textured (acoustic guitars shimmer here and there, melodies
are plentiful, riffs are massive) and as heavy as lead. The likes of “Abandoned By The Gods” feature riffs
that you would swear were from the hands of Iommi himself. Indeed, the solo
backed by rhythmical bass is straight out of the Tony Martin era. An acoustic
instrumental bridges the record and the final three tracks are as strong as the
first three; the band save the title track for next to last, showing that the
record is not front loaded.
Fantastical,
epic, dark, heavy and doomy are all words that describe the record
appropriately. There are not too many doom bands ploughing this traditional
furrow these days, but Sorcerer represent the very best of them. This
is another excellent album by an excellent band. Doom on.
It's impressive
that, only a year and a bit after their debut, Beastmaker have taken their
sound and improved upon it with sharper song writing and an impressive grasp of
what makes music of the trad doom genre tick.
“Inside The
Skull” CD//DD//LP track listing:
1. Evil One
2. Heaven To Hell
3. Now Howls The Beast
4. Of Gods Creation
5. Give Me A Sign
6 Nature Of The Damned
7. Psychic Visions
8. Inside The Skull
9. Night Bird
10. Sick Sick Demon
The
Review:
One year after “Lusus Naturae”, California's
Beastmaker
return for more retro true doom. This time around, they have improved on all
elements present on their debut. Mixing Pentagram, Sabbath, Danzig
and a healthy dose of classic horror appreciation the band have struck on a
winning formula.
Once again, the sound is raw and live sounding;
the bass clanks, the drums pound and clatter and the vocals are a pleasing
mixture of melodic and sinister. Right off the bat, you know what the record
will be like: riffs, hooks and macabre atmosphere aplenty. “Evil One” sounds as the title implies
(great solo too), “Heaven To Hell”
is menacing and weighty in equal measure.
The album highlight for me is “Now Howls The Beast”, replete with
werewolf atmospherics and a riff that Victor Griffin himself would be very
proud of! It's impressive that, only a year and a bit after their debut, Beastmaker
have taken their sound and improved upon it with sharper song writing and an
impressive grasp of what makes music of the trad doom genre tick.
On a general level, there is nothing to pin-point
as a misstep on this album; it's uniformly heavy, sharply written and really
quite catchy in places. No twenty minute drone work outs here: this is doom
rock in the vein of all acts mentioned above. To make a lazy comparison, this
is perhaps an American equivalent (by dint of geography, but not in total
sound) of Uncle
Acid and The Deadbeats. The two bands plough a similar furrow and
will appeal to a similar set of fans, I suspect.
Whether it be the plodding drama of “Nature of The Damned” or the swing of “Psychic Visions”, the power trio work
as a tight unit and keep things stripped down and raw- exactly as it should be.
With the title track promising nine eternities in doom and the riffs making
good on that promise, the album goes into the closing straight very strongly.
Taking a nod from Sabbath by not going overboard on album length
has allowed the band to turn in a very strong set of focused songs- all nicely
uniform in terms of sound and content.
The short, sharp and sinister “Sick Sick Demon” is a very strong
finish to a very strong album. If you have any interest in Sabbath and/or Pentagram,
then this album will be for you. It's gritty, great and even gruesome in parts.
Their satanic majesties have returned.
Quite simply, I can't find anything on
this album I don't like. The best comeback of the year, without a doubt. This
record will be turning up in many year end lists, without a doubt. It could
even be the best album by The Obsessed, but only time will tell on that one. I
can't recommend this highly enough.
“Sacred” CD//DD//LP track listing:
1.Sodden Jackal
2.Punk Crusher
3.Sacred
4.Haywire
5.Perseverance of
Futility
6.It's Only Money
7.Cold Blood
8.Stranger Things
9.Razor Wire 03:32
10.My Daughter My Sons
11.Be the Night
12.Interlude
13.On So Long (Bonus
Track)
14.Crossroader (Bonus
Track)
The Review:
The Obsessed, or at least Wino and side men
(ever changing), return after a twenty three year hiatus from releasing albums.
While Saint Vitus is not Wino's band, so are
discounted here, of all Wino's bands- the ones he runs- The Obsessed
enjoy the greatest reputation. The rep is deserved. Their self titled, “Lunar
Womb” and “The Church Within” are all classics in their own right.
To
be fair, Spirit Caravan was a great band, The Hidden Hand was a great band, Wino's solo electric and
acoustic records... all great! “Sacred”, though, has something more.
From the moment I pressed play, I was hooked. This is a record that I find very
hard to fault. The production is great; thick guitar, lots of low end, punchy
drums, great mix. The songs are even better.
Kicking
off with the re-recording of “Sodden Jackal” is a solid move; it
sets out where the band is at these days and it also makes it clear that
business as usual has resumed. It's still a powerful and creepy track after all
these years. Wino's on great form vocally too. Henry Rollins once described The Obsessed as being the sound of someone getting really angry, really slowly.
Indeed.
The
rest of the record simply thunders by and keeps song lengths taught and toned.
Those who have looked out for advance tracks will know “Punk Crusher” already.
It's a great Motorhead-esque blast of rock 'n' roll. The title track is trippier in
sound and scope than you might expect and nods back, as much of the album does,
to 60's/70's psychedelic rock as well as Black Sabbath. The
record has some crossover with Victor Griffin/Place of
Skulls/Pentagram; it's doom, but doom rock as opposed to metal a lot
of the time. This sensibility makes “Sacred” a very listenable album
indeed. It is never heavy for heavy's sake. The song writing shines through.
There
are punkier moments on offer such as “Haywire”, too. It's a trait that
Wino shares with his compatriots in Saint Vitus; no one
tempo runs through the album and there is more variety than you might expect.
The grooves come thick and slow on “Perseverance of Futility”, with nice
organ and percussion flourishes along with the drums and guitars. There are
other quirks on the record too, Wino and the since departed Sherman trade lines
to great effect on Thin Lizzy's “It's
Only Money” and makes the song into an event (kind of like how “Step
Down” sits as a curio on “Bomber” by Motorhead).
As a big fan of Thin Lizzy, it's great to hear this turn up
mid album on a record by a band who (on paper) are quite different.
The
instrumental “Cold Blood” proves that Wino can riff with the absolute best of
them (Iommi, Griffin et al) and it is a real stand out and left field highlight
of the record. The solos are really good, too. There is more bluesy doom/rock
to be had on “Stranger Things”, which uses a weird acoustic guitar figure to
open and close and has some very strong riff passages and vocals. Another of
the preview tracks, “Razor Wire”, is absolutely badass
and an album highlight for me. When Wino sings “I'd rather get high, than pay the
rent” I absolutely believe him. “My Daughter My Sons” is a track
which is in some ways closer to Wino's acoustic output, both in lyrical content
and laid back vibe.
By
the time we get to “Be The Night”, dripping with biker attitude and some inspired
soloing, the album proper is nearly over. I have not heard an album which clips
by like this in a long while. Sweet is the sound of expectation being met,
that's for sure.
There
are two bonus tracks on offer here, “On So Long” is over nine minutes of
doomy goodness, while “Crossroader” is a very catchy nod to
Steppenwolf/Hendrix era rock. Quite simply, I can't find
anything on this album I don't like. The best comeback of the year, without a
doubt. This record will be turning up in many year end lists, without a doubt.
It could even be the best album by The Obsessed, but only
time will tell on that one. I can't recommend this highly enough.
Iron Void are the UK's leading exponents of
traditional doom: doom with singing, doom with riffs, doom with... songs?!
Their lineage is not hard to trace: try Sabbath as a starting point. Having put out a
stellar EP and two full length albums, Iron Void are preparing to play The Asylum2
in Birmingham
on Saturday 15th October as a celebration for the vinyl release of
album number two: “Doomsday”, which
is out now on Fear
Me! Music.
Today
as part of a two part article with Iron Void, bassist, Jonathan “Sealey” Seale chooses
his top five albums from their band's chosen genre. Read on for a trip into the
arcane and mysterious world of doom...and expect part II featuring guitarist
Steve Wilson in the coming weeks ahead. In the meantime, turn the dial all the
way to 11, “Because 11 is one louder”
1.Black
Sabbath – ‘Master of Reality’ (1971)
Masters of the art! I had to mention Sabbath,
it goes without saying doesn’t it? They invented not only Heavy Metal but Doom
Metal too. The self-titled song, ‘Black
Sabbath’ from their debut is THE Doom Metal blueprint; thunder and rain,
heavy riffs, softer passages and the up-tempo build-up in the middle which
concludes the song. A classic formula, repeated many times since by a lot of
bands, ourselves included! It’s so difficult to pick a favourite Sabbath
album as I love all eras of the band. The Ozzy and Dio eras are definitely my favourites though.
If I had to pick one album, it would be this one. It’s definitely the heaviest Sabbath
record in my opinion and also the most ‘stoned’ sounding one if you catch my
drift? They tuned down for the first
time on this record (the first 2 were in Standard tuning) which made for a
darker atmosphere and I love the contrast of the acoustic tracks, ‘Embryo’ and ‘Orchid’ with heavier numbers such as ‘Lord of This World’ and ‘Into
The Void’, the dynamics work perfectly.
2.Saint Vitus – ‘Born Too Late’ (1986)
Sabbath invented Doom in the 70’s, but it was the bands who
followed in their wake such as Saint Vitus, Pentagram and Trouble
who defined Doom Metal as a genre in the 80’s. Again, it’s very hard to pick
one particular album from a band I love so much but this is as classic as it
gets. Stand out songs for me are ‘Dying
Inside’, which is a stark warning about the dangers of alcoholism and the
title track, a Doom anthem with lyrics every Doom fan can relate to. I also
love the Scott Reagers fronted Vitus and the Lord Chritus era too but Wino is
one of my all-time favourite singers and guitarists so this album is as perfect
as it gets for me. If I had more choices I would also probably have included an
album from
The Obsessed in this list, maybe ‘The Church Within"
3.Pentagram – ‘Relentless’ (1985)
Another stone-cold classic and the first record I
heard by them. This album is just killer from start to finish. Victor Griffin’s
guitar tone sounds like a buzz saw (in a good way!), Bobby is genuinely
sinister in his vocal delivery and Joe Hasselvander pounds the hell out of the
drum kit throughout while Martin Swaney holds down the low end. So many classic
songs too! There’s no filler on this album at all, every song just slays. You’ve
got to love the cow-bell in the middle of ‘Sinister’
too! A close second choice to this album would be ‘Be Forewarned’ (1994) but I adore everything they have released. It
was a real honour and pleasure to play with them at Day of DoomBarcelona in 2015, a dream come true.
4.Trouble – ‘Trouble’ (1990)
Most True Doom heads would probably pick ‘Psalm 9’ or ‘The Skull’ over this but I got into Trouble via ‘Manic Frustration’ in the early 90’s then worked my way backwards.
I just really like the vibe of this album. The lyrics, riffs and solos are
exceptional. Bruce Franklin and Rick Wartell are one of the best twin guitar
teams in the business. I’ve seen them live several times with different
line-ups and they don’t miss a note, they’re so tight! It’s cool nowadays that
we have both Trouble
with Kyle Thomas on vocals and The Skull but I do sometimes wish this line-up
(minus Barry Stern, R.I.P.) would get back together for a few shows, that would
be ace!
5.Sleep – ‘Sleep’s HolyMountain’ (1992)
Some would argue that Sleep aren’t really ‘Trad Doom’.
Although they kick started the whole ‘Stoner Doom’ genre I still consider this
to be a trad Doom album, heavily influenced by Sabbath’s early albums and
copious amounts of weed! Most Sleep fans bang on about ‘Jerusalem’ (AKA ‘Dopesmoker’) as the best record but I disagree. ‘Jerusalem’ has its charms but ‘Sleep’s HolyMountain’
is where it’s at! When I first heard it I thought it was so heavy, the bass is
just off the scale! This was one of the first Doom albums I ever heard and I
still listen to it regularly now. I would also highly recommend their debut, ‘Volume One’.
Album Type: Full Length Date Released: 23/09/2016 Label: Season of Mist
With several
decades of music to choose from, the set list here is a fine thing- not one
track is wasted and in my view this does represent a fairly solid “live best”
of the band.This is a first rate
representation of one of the greatest doom bands of them all. Suffice it to say
that for fans of the band this is a must buy.
“Live Vol. 2” CD//DD track listing:
01. War Is Our Destiny
02. Look Behind You
03. Let Them Fall
04. The Bleeding Ground
05. Patra (Petra)
06. The Troll
07. The Waste Of Time
08. White Stallions
09. Thirsty And Miserable
10. Dying Inside
11. Born Too Late
The Review:
Saint Vitus return to the recorded
live format for what is officially the first time since 1990(!). This second
official live record features Wino on vocals rather than the current incumbent
Scott Reagers.The track list here is no
surprise; a good whistle stop tour of the band's catalogue with most eras
covered- No “C.O.D” or “Die Healing”, though.
At
eleven tracks, stretching this to a double LP release is a little much, I
think, but most tracks here run to a decent playing time. The sound is pretty
damn good, too, with the trio of musicians plus vocals sounding clear and
focused. Henry Vasquez is remarkably solid and a fine replacement for the late
Armando Acosta. The band kick things off in up-tempo style with “War Is Our Destiny” and “Look Behind You” and thereafter they
mix up the timeline with material from “Lilie
F-65” and the early albums.
“Patra (Petra)” from “V”
and “The Troll” from “Mournful Cries” get an airing as does
the evergreen cover of “Thirsty and
Miserable”. Comparing the track list to their 1990 live outing, it is
interesting to see that “Born TooLate” is now a nine minute plus set
closer- compared to an early in the set crowd warmer all those years ago. “White Stallions” is a quick and punky
classic and “Dying Inside” is one of
their best songs.
Saint Vitus today are venerable elder
statesmen of true doom. There are many, many “doom” bands around these days,
but back when Saint
Vitus started out there were not, with only perhaps them and Trouble
being able to claim the genre. That “doom” has become an over-saturated market
place with many bands who are not really doom at all is, frankly, bizarre. Doom
as a genre has a straightforward lineage: Sabbath, Vitus/Trouble and then everything else. It has
everything to do with riffs, songs and a certain attitude and world view.
With
several decades of music to choose from, the set list here is a fine thing- not
one track is wasted and in my view this does represent a fairly solid “live
best” of the band. Wino, for his part, sounds fantastic and really delivers the
lyrics with conviction. Is his exit permanent? Time will tell. It would have
been very interesting to have a two disc live album with one disc each for him
and Reagers, but for now this will do: a fine representation of one of the greatest
doom bands of them all. Suffice it to say that for fans of the band this is a
must buy.
