ALBUM REVIEW: Satan's Satyrs, "The Lucky Ones"

By: John Reppion

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 19/10/2018

Label: Bad Omen Records |

RidingEasy Records

“The Lucky Ones” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Thrill of the City

2). The Lucky Ones

3). She Beast

4). Take It and Run

5). You and Your Boots

6). Too Early to Fold

7). Pulp Star

8). Trampled by Angels

9). Permanent Darknes

The Review:

What if, rather than dying in that car-crash in 1977, Marc Bolan had instead taken over guitar and vocal duties in Angel Witch, and decided they needed to tune down to couple of steps? It’s something we’ve all pondered, I’m sure, but thanks to Satan’s Satyrs we need wonder no longer.

“The Lucky Ones” is the fourth full length from the Virginia quartet, following their split EP with tour-mates Windhand, released on Relapse Records earlier this year. Once again the garage rock/proto-punk influences of MC5, Blue Cheer, Ziggy Stardust era Bowie, and all the rest, clash head on with NWOHBM dual guitars and chunky, swaggering Cock Rock riffs.

What are Satan's Satyrs? Are they a Glam Punk band? That sounds a bit shit. Are they a Retro Rock band? That sounds ever shitter. But they're undeniably a band whose sound, look, and attitude is rooted in the 1970s. Of course, the same could be said for a lot of bands in 2018, but Satan's Satyrs are a lot more The Sweet than Sabbath.

“Thrill of the City” is a tyre-screeching Stooges-like opener, with tasty Thin Lizzy twin lead work from Nate Towle and Jarrett Nettnin. “The Lucky Ones” like a raw, garage cover-version of some unlikely song you've definitely heard before, but somehow can't remember the name of. “She Beast”’s main riff is a weighty, sleazy Southern Rock strut with Clayton Burgess' chunky bass grunting away octaves below his pouty, boy-Bowie vocals.

“Take it and Run” is an acoustic driven number, equal parts Lizzy, T-Rex, and Ziggy. “You and Your Boots”' fat, chugging verses give way to straight up rock n roll choruses, with unashamedly triumphant leads which wouldn't sound out of place on a track by The Darkness. “Too Early to Fold”, similarly sounds like it could be some raw, rough and ready pre-“Permission to Land” lost demo.

There's more than a whiff of early Guns N Roses throughout the record, but “Pulp Star” is pretty much straight up L.A. Hard Rock. “Trampled by Angels” sounds exactly like it's being performed (mimed to, I suppose) on a 1978 Christmas edition of Top of the Pops. “Permanent Darkness” is the most thoroughly NWOBHM sounding track on “The Lucky Ones” and, as such, it's a strong closer – bringing the kitch levels down several notches.

So, to return to the question, what are Satan’s Satyrs? Is it possible to be a brand new Classic Rock band? Even if it is, that’s still not quite right in terms of describing what they’re up to. They’re more like a brand new proto-Classic Rock band – a band capturing the sound and energy of what happened in venues like The Rainbow in London in the lead up to the dull, grey 1980s, and the dawn of Stadium Rock proper. Sweaty, urgent, cocksure, and raw; as much as I can list all these forty-odd year old bands and artists that Satan's Satyrs undeniably sound like, there’s no sense that they’re a mere pastiche of what’s gone before. Whatever exactly it is that they’re actually doing, whatever you want to call it, they seem to be the only ones out there doing it right now, and they’re doing it well.

“The Lucky Ones” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Biblical - "The City That Always Sleeps"

By: Victor Van Ommen

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 15/09/2017

Label: Tee Pee Records |

New Damage Records

“Mature Themes,” the opening track and lead-off single, certainly showcases a barrage of noise that hits like a barbed-wire baseball bat, but rather than making miles doing this sludgy-psych thing, Biblical branches out far and wide, traversing sonic landscapes that are as vast as the country the band calls home.

“The City That Always Sleeps” CD//DD//LP track listing

1. Mature Themes
2. The Last Thing I Remember
3. Regicide
4. Fugue State
5. Gallows Humor
6. Spiral Staircase
7. The City that Always Sleeps
8. House of Knives

The Review

               

Come on, let’s take a trip down the heavy-psych highways with Biblical. Their trip starts in the dirty streets of Toronto, but it doesn’t take long until they’ve hit the off-ramp and flown out into space. “Mature Themes,” the opening track and lead-off single, certainly showcases a barrage of noise that hits like a barbed-wire baseball bat, but rather than making miles doing this sludgy-psych thing, Biblical branches out far and wide, traversing sonic landscapes that are as vast as the country the band calls home.

When taken in front to back, Biblical’s sophomore outing “The City that Always Sleeps” plays out as a crafted piece of art that steers clear of a paint-by-numbers psych band. Biblical allow their ideas to flourish in their songwriting, and the fantastic production and recording – man, listen to those drums! – makes for an extremely well-rounded record that smoothly brings the listener across the sludge-psych spectrum of the stoner rock world.

Some parts are psych, there are even elements borrowed from post-punk, others are sludgier, and the brash moments are used as points of reference to take off from. The addition of the piano in the instrumental “Staircase” brings a little drama to the mix, and how this is pinned up against an uplifting chorus before a giant crescendo finishes off the song that exemplifies how Biblical takes control of the experience they’re providing.

Steady toe-tappers, fuzzy guitar solos, murky intermezzos, and catchy space rock. It’s all there and it all makes sense. There’s not much in the way of jams – you know, that moment when the music takes control – but there’s enough thought and effort put into presenting a well-rounded record that the jams aren’t missing. There’s plenty more to get lost in here than what’s on offer in the album’s lead-off single and you’d be doing yourself a favor by taking 40-some-odd minutes out of your busy day and let these tunes pick you up and take you away.

“The City That Always Sleeps” is available here

Band info: facebook || bandcamp

ALBUM REVIEW & TRACK PREMIERE: Blues Funeral - "Awakening"

By: Ernesto Aguilar

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 25/08/2017

Label: Independent

Close your eyes and you can hear hints of Mountain and Blue Oyster Cult throughout "Awakening." The rolling title track is a true showcase for how these inspirations have shaped the Texas band. Such attention to the details most people probably never notice further ensures a level of quality that may surprise you. Not only is the music masterfully played, but nothing overpowers the composition

“Awakening” CD//DD track listing:

               

1. Shadow of the Snake

2. Awakening

3. Illusions of Reality

4. Firedrake

5. Casimir

6. The Gathering Dust

The Review:

Progressive metal is arguably one of heavy music’s most gutsy disciplines. In this subgenre, you have a crop of originators as well as emerging acts devoted to creating an atmosphere as they are to writing compelling lyrics. Consider the performers included in the progressive metal tent and you’re guaranteed to stir up conversation among people. From Meshuggah to Kings X, the acts are memorable. Subsequent crews thus have some big expectations to live up to.

What makes Blues Funeral of Houston, Texas an important and challenging addition to progressive metal is the fact that “Awakening” is the combo’s follow-up to its 2016 debut, "The Search." Sophomore releases can be incredibly rocky experiences. That’s because, chances are, one of your favorite musicians probably had its own problematic second release.

Fortunately for Blues Funeral and fans, the team’s new release "Awakening" is not that package.

If you heard "The Search" – and kudos to the guys for regularly delivering new music – you may recall one of its most distinguished facets was Blues Funeral’s magnetism. A discerning music aficionado can almost pinpoint to the note where there’s tension in a group. If Blues Funeral members have that, they hide it well, as their music together is just outstanding. Listeners may have gotten a sense of that unity in its initial offering, but the latest confirms this accord. As a result, Blues Funeral serves up a seamless return.

The song construction on cuts like opener "Shadow of the Snake" play exquisitely to the strengths of guitar and rhythm sections. Close your eyes and you can hear hints of Mountain and Blue Oyster Cult throughout "Awakening." The rolling title track is a true showcase for how these inspirations have shaped the Texas band. Such attention to the details most people probably never notice further ensures a level of quality that may surprise you. Not only is the music masterfully played, but nothing overpowers the composition. You notice issues like this when a guitar is overplayed or the vocals wash out other crucial ingredients. Insofar as overall production, Blues Funeral feels faithful to the listening experience first. Such makes "Awakening" a real pleasure to hear.

At various points of the full-length, bassist Gabriel Katz deserves a nod for anchoring the festivities. Katz’s lines are pronounced without being overwhelming. A true prog-metal believer has to further give it up for drummer Cory Cousins, whose contributions are technical without being mechanical. His drumming draws out some of the best elements throughout, such as on "Illusions of Reality."

In no other metal style is the range of a singer as important as it is in progressive metal. Beyond the note she or he can hit, moreover, a performance is as much about the emotion a vocalist can stir up for an audience, as well as the picture a song can paint. Jan Kimmel and Maurice Eggenschwiler represent Blues Funeral marvelously. They together and separately strike the right mood on songs like "Casimir." "Feeling so heavy/With demons on his shoulders/Yet so enlightened and/Never getting older" gets the intonation such realizations deserve. The duo handle much of the quartet’s songwriting, so such vocal presence is understandable. Twinned with their exceptional guitar work, Kimmel and Eggenschwiler deliver something special to this second recording for the band. 

"Awakening" will be available here from the 25/08/2017 and you can check out an exclusive stream of the track “The Gathering Dust” below

Band info: facebook || bandcamp

TRACK PREMIERE: Demon Eye deliver a hard charger of epic proportions with "Dying For It"

DEMON EYE are back with their third offering and another dose of their own blend of Heavy Classic Rock, Proto Metal and Traditional Doom!

The new album "Prophecies and Lies" was recorded by Mike Dean of CORROSION OF CONFORMITY in the band's hometown of Raleigh, North Carolina, and displays a strong musical progression with mighty riffs, haunting melodies and fist-raising anthems. DEMON EYE are bringing vintage heavy darkness for modern times and current day evils, giving their listeners dynamic songs to empower them against all adversaries.  With the release date of 11 August 2017 just over a week away, today were serving  another sonic brew from the album entitled “Dying For It”,  a hard charger with a bit of Voivod dissonance meets classic Dio. You can check it out in full below. Preorders are available here

Band info: facebook  || bandcamp

VIDEO PREMIERE: Wolf Counsel play it slow and heavy with new video “Pure As The Driven Snow”

 

Wolf Counsel came into existence in 2014 when two veteran musicians merged their enthusiasm for monumental low-tuned music and a great appreciation of heavy riffs into a new band. Primarily rooted in the style of late 70s and 80s prototype doom, sludge and metal, their sound quickly developed a unique signature drawing influences from everything that's heavy and slow.

 

In January 2015 their debut album "Vol. I - Wolf Counsel" was released digitally, on vinyl and CD by Counsel Records/Dead Center Productions.

 

A mere  twelve months has passed and Wolf Counsel’s second album "Ironclad" was written -recorded, mixed and mastered at Little Creek Studio and was a released on 23rd September 2016 by Czar Of Crickets Productions.

 

Wolf Counsel’s music has been called “authentic, and elegantly classic“by various print and online magazines with comparisons to a “nonstop evoking riffage summoning forth an experimental urge to slaughter a herd of sheep with razor sharp groove and bludgeoning vocal girth."

 

Take it from us; if you’re fans of Black Sabbath, St. Vitus, Orange Goblin, Goatsnake and Cathedral, you’re going to want to check out this band.  Today we are keeping it heavy and slow, with the debut of the Wolf Counsel video for “Pure As The Driven Snow” which you can viewed below and “Ironclad” is available here



Band info: facebook || bandcamp

INTERVIEW: "From the cradle to the grave": In Conversation with Maurice Eggenschwiler of Blues Funeral

By: Aaron Pickford

Blues Funeral, a proto doom band from Houston, formed in late 2014 and play a unique brand of 60’s and 70’s infused music with a metal twist. The band name, inspired by the 1969 Groundhogs cut, “Blues Obituary”, is an ode to many of the group's influences including classic bands like: Deep Purple, Blue Oyster Cult, Mountain, Black Sabbath, Jimi Hendrix, Cream, 

Through many email exchanges over many weeks between myself and guitarist Maurice Eggenschwiler, his enthusiasm and passion for his band shown through, moreover his dedication to his craft and his unabashed determination to get his band heard is a measure of the DIY scene that has produced so many great bands over the years.  Maurice's commitment to encourage the scene to take notice certainly won me over and after recently being voted "album of the day" over at Roadburn.com, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the band scored a record deal before the end of the year, not to mention a bunch of new followers in the process.

So, today it is my pleasure to present a short interview with Maurice, not to mention a full stream of their superb debut album “The Search”.  Welcome to the procession.... Blues Funeral 

SL:  Can you give us a brief history of your playing career to date leading up to the formation of Blues Funeral and release of your current record?

Maurice Eggenschwiler: Absolutely.  3 quarters of Blues Funeral (Jan, Cory, and I) have played together for several years in another band called Sanctus Bellum.  In November of 2014, Sanctus Bellum went on hiatus for a period of time which allowed us to shift our attention and focus to Blues Funeral.  Cory knew Gabe from way back as they both went to Carnegie Mellon, and luckily was able to recruit him into the fold.  The idea was to form a band that would allow us to incorporate some musical influences that wouldn’t have been at home in Sanctus… but that are very much a part of the fabric of our musical being.  The prominent inclusion of the Hammond organ sound (which we achieve through the use of a Nord Electro 3) is probably the most important aspect of that thought process.  Blues Funeral is essentially the apex at which our metal influences and our deep love of the 60’s and 70’s converge. 

With Blues Funeral we’ve had the chance to share the stage with bands like: Venomous Maximus, Night Demon, Royal Thunder, Black Tusk, The Obsessed, Sierra, Karma To Burn, Helstar, Deadhorse, and Marty Friedman.  The year and a half that we’ve spent playing live shows has given us the opportunity to write and refine the 6 tracks that ended up on the record (as well as a few others that are already in the works). 

SL: What can you tell us about your debut record and where do you feel it sits within the context of the current doom scene?

Maurice Eggenschwiler: Having played together for more than 5 years, Jan, Cory, and I have developed a natural rhythm when it comes to song writing.  We’ve always been huge fans of harmony (both instrumental and vocal) and that plays a vital role in these songs.  The sound we were able to achieve on this record is the product of using more complex chord extensions with the instrumentation and then layering that over a rock solid rhythm section.  Gabe’s bass tone, which is nice and punchy in the mix adds another dimension to that.  Lyrically, the album deals with a range of topics that are both introspective as well as reflections on aspects of the human condition that we observe in the current state of our world.

In the context of the current doom scene, I think we bring something to the table that certainly sits well alongside many of the stalwarts in the scene because we share common influences.  Simply put… we all owe Black Sabbath (and several bands that came before them) a debt of gratitude for laying the foundation for this kind of music.  And if we’re being honest… the most direct line you could draw between Blues Funeral and the doom scene would use Candlemass as the connector haha.  Where Blues Funeral separates themselves from the pack, however, is with the aspects of our sound that owe more to jazz and prog.  This goes back to the comment about chord extensions.  To my knowledge there aren’t a lot of bands in the doom scene that play major 7 chords or minor 13 chords.  The organ sound is something else that I think creates a dynamic that connects us to bands like Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, Atomic Rooster, and Procol Harum that I’m sure resonate with fans of doom, but that aren’t inherently a part of the sound that’s most common to the scene.  The net effect is that I think we are able to give fans something that they’re used to sitting squarely next to something that’s maybe a little more of a surprise.

SL: How was the mood in the camp going into the recording of the record?

Maurice Eggenschwiler: Pure unbridled excitement!  For the last year and a half, we have been incredibly humbled by the positive response we’ve gotten to our music in our own local scene.  The biggest point of feedback that we’ve gotten at every show we’ve played is that people were clamoring for recorded music that they could take home and digest.  Some people might have rushed to get in the studio just to get something out, but we really wanted to take our time refining the songs so that what ended up on the record was pure meat, no filler.  We really think we got that.  It had a lot to do with focus and preparation.  We spent a lot of time before going into the studio on pre-production (this was a process that I think was a bit newer for us) to make a lot of decisions on the front end about tempo, layering, effects, and harmonies.  Before we even set foot in the studio, we had pages of notes for our sound engineer and we had strong ideas about the direction of every song.  With all of that front-end prep, the studio process was actually fairly relaxed and allowed us to spontaneously give rise to some new ideas in studio without pressure over time constraints. 

SL: Finally then, what can fans look forward to from you over the next 12 months? How is your schedule shaping up?

Maurice Eggenschwiler: Well our next show is slated for 9/3 at Rudyard’s British Pub in Houston alongside Destroyer of Light and Witchcryer.  We have some other events planned locally through the end of this year and beginning of next year.  We’re also working on arranging some newer songs that we’ll be unveiling at these shows over the course of the next few months.  From there, we’re really setting our sights towards some sort of a European festival.  It would be amazing to share the stage with some of the great bands that frequent the annual renditions of Desertfest, Roadburn, and Freak Valley.        

Band info: Facebook | Bandcamp

Duel - "Fears of the Dead" (Album Review)

 By: Victor Van Ommen

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 12/02/2016

Label: Heavy Psych Sounds

My guess is that this Austin, Texas four piece has been raised on a steady diet of slasher films and Danzig. And what do you know, that’s exactly what we get to hear.  What makes these horror-doom rockers so interesting to listen to is the general good times they’re serving up. The lyrics are dark, yes, but the palm muted riffs that explode into infectious choruses turn each song into a celebration and once “Locked In” closes out the record it’s hard to believe these 38 entertaining minutes of horror-doom and good time rock n’ roll have already passed us by.

“Fears of the Dead” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Fears of the Dead
2. This Old Crow
3. The Kraken
4. Fell to the Earth
5. On the Edge
6. Electricity
7. When the Pigs Are Fed
8. Locked outside 

The Review:

Let’s go ahead and judge Duel by the cover of their debut album “Fears of the Dead.” The background is red, The Grim Reaper stares off into the distance, and the band’s name is written in a font common for horror movies. My guess is that this Austin, Texas four piece has been raised on a steady diet of slasher films and Danzig. And what do you know, that’s exactly what we get to hear. 

What makes these horror-doom rockers so interesting to listen to is the general good times they’re serving up. The lyrics are dark, yes, but the palm muted riffs that explode into infectious choruses turn each song into a celebration. Such is the case with how “This Old Crow” bounces around between rollicking guitar riffs, simple lyrics, and a crisp snap of the snare drum. And when singer Tom Frank sings “it’s time to release the kraken!” in the stage-ready third cut, all fists in attendance will fight gravity and start punching at the sky. In short, Side A has you running to your turn table and placing the needle back at the beginning to go through all of this one more time.

Feel free to do that but let us not forget that where there’s a Side A, there’s also a Side B. It’s on this side that the burl makes way for cleaner melodies. Opener “On the Edge” offers up a taste of some quality proto-punk which is balanced by the doomier 8 minute closer “Locked In.”  Between these two songs lies a homegrown bluesy shuffle in “Electricity,” a song that really takes the cake once Tom Frank hits his higher register in the chorus. “When the Pigs are Fed” is a cut that drips 1970’s classic rock and again uses the snappy snare drum to drive the chorus. Once “Locked In” closes out the record it’s hard to believe these 38 entertaining minutes of horror-doom and good time rock n’ roll have already passed us by.    

“Fears of the Dead” is available here

Band info: facebook

Taarkus - "Stones" 7inch (Review)

By: Richard Maw

Album Type: 7inch

Date Released: 29/01/2016

Label: Rise Above Records

“Stones” 7inch track listing:

1). Stones

2). At Midnight

The Review:

So, two tracks of proggy rock/proto metal from Rise Above Records. A much more straightforward proposition than, for recent comparison, High Priest of Saturn. This is more riff based with Hammond organ, of course, and both female and male vocals (female lead). It also features a flute, for those with a hatred of prog... or a love, for that matter; you have fair warning.

As I was expecting something a bit like ELP (for obvious reasons) I was pleasantly surprised by this single- slow in pace, gentle in melody but still with a level of heaviness and doom elements. Both tracks plod forth at a pedestrian pace but with plenty going on. Whether or not Taarkus can sustain this for a whole album, or whether they will diversify their approach, remains to be seen. For now, though, we can enjoy this single for what it is: a throw back to the seventies, when giants walked the earth.

“Stones” is available here

Band info: facebook | bandcamp

Fogg - 'High Testament' (Album Review)

‘If you like your music with heavy riffs, fuzz pedals in overdrive and mixed with various styles, Fogg are worth checking out.’

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 23/06/2015

Label: Tee Pee Records

‘High Testament’ CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Joy of Home

2). You are Welcome

3). The Garden

4). Seasons

5). Mountain

6). Hand of the Lord

7). Grass in Hand

Fogg is:

Ethan Lyons | Drums

Chase Jowell | Guitar

Brandon Hoffman | Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals

Review:

It has been a long time since a band has sent tingles down my spine on a first listen, but Fogg have done just that with their new record entitled ‘High Testament’, an absolutely monster of an album. It’s all here Proto-metal, Doom, Psych, Jazz, and Stoner Rock, surrounded by riffs Mr Iommi would be proud of. Fogg hail from Fort Worth, Texas and there must be something in the water there for an album to be produced to this standard. A benchmark for this genre, it is raw and beautiful!

‘Joy of Home’ gets us on the way. A nice relaxing acoustic intro opens things up accompanied by Brandon Hoffman’s understated chilled raw vocals, indeed this intro lulls you into a false sense of security as we are met with thunderous fuzz soaked riffs intent on pummel your senses. Before you know it, the track is coming to the end, not before a howling guitar solo arrives to make the hairs on the back of my neck stand to attention. Now that’s what I call a start to an album.

‘You Are Welcome’ arrives with riffs saying hello, the structure then changes to a sixties psych vibe mainly due to the echoing vocal harmonies (Wolfmother?). Don’t worry though, riffs are in evidence throughout the track and they blend in so well. ‘The Garden’ is completely different, an acoustic ditty with very raw vocals, giving this track a lovely charm. Innocently sang but sang with feeling and emotion, a flute solo arrives taking you to the bottom of your garden to sit with the enchanted creatures while the wind blows. ‘Seasons’ arrives with a deep throbbing bass intro and smashing riffs wake you up from your slumber in the garden of enchantment you previously found yourself in. The new season has arrived awash with cosmic fuzzed ambience, causing the leaves to fall and die. We are met with a great wailing guitar solo before the track returns to the throbbing bass line taking you to journey’s end.

‘Mountain’ is the track of the album for me! A bluesy intro sets things up to cries of “let’s get into something heavy” and boy does it ever. The rumbling guitar riffs work in unison with a powerful throbbing organ entwining together and producing one hell of a noise. You feel you are entering the void of death, where the grim reaper awaits you. This track is truly something special. ‘Hand of the Lord’ is a slow burner, beginning again with acoustic guitar and understated raw vocals, but the middle section brings you back to riff heaven, powerful, emotive, eerie and then back to a chilled ending. What more can you ask for?  Then finally we have ‘Grass in Mind’, more deep riffs and raw vocals driving the track through an eerie landscape of bliss. Lovely Jazz guitar loops arrive to take you to a different mind space but not for long, the riffs return leading to a little acoustic interlude to end this opus of awesomeness.

Fogg have produced something extraordinary with this album, it’s like a fine LSD soaked wine. It has everything, passion, great lyrics, magical song arrangements and fantastic musicianship.  What’s more Fogg are adept at switching the tempo of the record, to increase and decrease the tension at just the right moment and this is done to devastating effect. If you like your music with heavy riffs, fuzz pedals in overdrive and mixed with various styles, Fogg are worth checking out. Spin this record now and you’ll almost certainly buy the vinyl, I know I did. Wow! Now that does sound incredible.

These guys have totally graced my eardrums with ‘High Testament’!

Words by: Brian Mclean

‘High Testament’ is available here

For more information:

Listen: http://fogg.bandcamp.com/album/high-testament

Like: https://www.facebook.com/pages/FOGG/128373060568956

Demon Eye - ‘Tempora Infernalia’

Album Type: Full-Length

Date Released: 08/05/2015

Label: Soulseller Records

‘Tempora Infernalia’ CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). End Of Days

2). Listen To The Darkness

3). I’ll Be Creeping

4). See The Signs

5). Poison Garden

6). In The World, Not Of It

7). Black Winds

8). Give Up The Ghost

9). Please, Father

10). Sons Of Man

Demon Eye is:

Erik Sugg | Vocals, Guitars
Larry Burlison | Guitars
Paul Walz | Bass
Bill Eagen | Drums, Vocals

Review:

Demon Eye, as their name implies, are firmly rooted in the 70's. Yes, there may be a lot of this kind of stuff around at the moment and indeed over the last decade (UAATDB, Blood Ceremony, Witchcraft et al) but there is something worth noting... The three bands I just named in the bracket are all very good at this. Demon Eye are too. The songs plough the same furrow stylistically as those mentioned, but with a twist. These guys are from the good ol' US of A and it sounds like it. UAATDB could not be from the US- too British in sound and atmosphere, even with Mind Control's Manson obsession.

Demon Eye are polished underneath the analogue production with shades of classic Pentagram in there on “End of Days” and “Listen to the Darkness”. The band play fluidly with changes aplenty and lots of snaking riffs. They are rather more dexterous than some of their counterparts and sound very professional indeed (just as many US bands do). Tracks such as “I'll Be Creeping” mine a similar ground to the aforementioned Uncle Acid in tempo and even atmosphere, and possess the same pop sensibility too. It's also catchy in the extreme. There are vocal melodies (often backed with echoing riffs) that will worm their way into your head.

The sound is indeed very analogue (who knows if it is or not?!) and features a very old school drum sound and the sound of guitars run through valve amps and suitably reverbed vocals. The band try their hand at very Sabbathian territory on ‘Poison Garden’ and in doing so show that they can do other tempos along with the swing of other tracks. “In The World, Not Of It” returns to a more jaunty approach, and the occult vibes come thick and fast. Again the melodies lift this above other bands of this rather niche yet overflowing genre, proving again that Demon Eye are up there with the best, not riding on the coat tales of lesser bands who like the idea  and imagery of Electric Wizard but just don't understand why they have to be so noisy or not have catchy songs. ‘Black Winds’ is positively fleet of foot for this type of thing and is, I suppose, Proto-metal that would not be out of place of an early BOC album. “Give Up The Ghost” goes back to walking pace and has a kind of Iron Maiden played at half speed vibe. Acoustic guitars finally make an appearance on “Please,Father” and bring a moody atmosphere to the track, augmented by ethereal vocals and a downcast approach.

The percussive battery of “Sons of Man” marks the beginning of the end of the album and the band rock hard on this one- five minutes of joyous playing that is full of energy. In straight forward terms, this is a 70's rock throwback that is way ahead of others operating in a similar arena. If you like this type of thing, you will be impressed. If you were unmoved by an album such as Blood Lust, then this will be lost on you as well. For me, it is superior and expertly executed. Even if it does not quite match the genius of Uncle Acid, it is still a damn fine album.

Words by: Richard Maw

‘Tempora Infernalia’ is available here

For more information:

Listen: http://demoneye.bandcamp.com/ | Like: https://www.facebook.com/demoneyenc