ALBUM REVIEW: Elder, "Omens"

By: Andrew Field

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 24/04/2020

Label: Stickman Records

“Omens” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Omens

2). In Procession

3). Halcyon

4). Embers

5). One Light Retreating

The Review:

“Omens” is the destination Elder have been promising to arrive at since 2011’s “Dead Roots Stirring”. If “Lore” (2015) and “Reflections of a Floating World” (2017) were the building blocks, “Omens” is the finished product and a staggering summation of all that makes this powerhouse quartet so essential in 2020.

The fearlessness with which they’ve approached this record is testament to their confidence and maturity, gained from 15 years of honing their craft. Across five songs and 56 minutes Elder take the listener on a sonically beautiful journey whilst lyrically – as ever – things are notably darker. That light and shade pays off time and time again as “Omens” envelopes you. Put on your headphones and wonder at the detail, which is at times breath-taking.

Nick DilSalvo is on record as saying the writing process for “Omens” was long and tedious but rewarding. You honestly wouldn’t know. It all sounds so natural, with the ebb and flow of their technically dense music made fully accessible for the first time. “Omens” is by far the best-sounding Elder album: every instrument breathes and has its own clear space in the mix.

The appeal of “Omens” is encapsulated in its title track, which opens the record. It’s an 11-minute modern progressive psychedelic masterpiece featuring chiming guitars and Michael Risberg’s keyboard flourishes and wooshes. It brings to mind, wide open spaces, traveling and moving, forward motion. It is both of the 1970s and of now. Much like Jack Donovan’s beloved Rush, “Omens” is their Clockwork Angels to Lore’s Moving Pictures: an album that could only have been made when you’ve paid your dues and really learned how to do things. Donovan’s fingers still delightfully run up and down his fretboard. DiSalvo still picks at his strings and creates delightfully original motifs. The dirt under the fingernails of their stoner doom years has largely gone now, and that’s not a bad thing at all based on the evidence presented here.

“In Procession” is stunning. It builds from a wah guitar entrance into a DiSalvo picked riff over which an echo-drenched keyboard tinkles and chimes, before abruptly opening up into a massive heavy passage which is pure “Lore”. The second half of this 13-minute epic is where Elder really fly. It’s a majestic, serene, dynamic passage built over a deft and light George Edert shuffle. It will cover you in goosebumps.

Elsewhere “Embers” throws you right off guard, starting like The Tragically Hip with its college rock vocals before morphing into a pure prog section full of time changes and sweeping chords.  Album closer “One Light Retreating” is a better sounding “Reflections”: the spirit of “Lore” meets jamming of “The Gold and Silver sessions”. Yet whilst it pays back to those albums, it sounds completely distinct from them. 

Like all the best albums, “Omens” rewards repeated listens. Once familiar with its themes and structure you will find yourself focusing on the intricacies which lie within its grooves, those magic moments which make the record so interesting and special. Once it’s under your skin you’ll likely want to immerse yourself in it for an extended period of time, coming back to it time and again. 

It’s exciting that Elder are still exploring, still diversifying, still developing their sound and style. The results of their recent labours are masterful and electrifying. We might only be in April, but “Omens” is an early candidate for album of the year.

“Omens” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

REVIEW: King Buffalo, "Dead Star"

By: Peter Morsellino 

Album Type: EP

Date Released: 20/03/2020

Label: Independent | 

Stickman Records

“Dead Star” DD//LP track listing:

1. Red Star Pt. 1 

2. Red Star Pt. 2

3. Echo of a Waning Star 

4. Ecliptic 

5. Eta Carinae 

6. Dead Star

The Review:

After rocketing to the top of New York's stoner rock pack over the last several years, Rochester's favorite sons return with their most ambitious album to date. The fine folks in King Buffalo set out to prove that they have not stagnated with success but blossomed into the psychedelic flower they were always meant to be. “Dead Star” takes us by the hand, showing us all these lads have learned on this journey of theirs so far. 

A varied mix of sounds are presented here, creating a strong narrative within the album as tones and moods ebb and flow organically. King Buffalo are up a great level of maturity by stepping out of their comfort zone and incorporating new elements without ever forgetting what brought them to the party. The swampy acoustic dirge of the title track is of particular intrigue. Showing off a bit of levity without losing a bit of the band's inherent badassery, this southern tinged number is sure to delight. 

The real star of the show here is album opener “Red Star Parts I & II.”  It's almost unfair to the rest of a wonderful album that such a masterpiece sits right at the helm. King Buffalo could have easily offered us “Red Star” with a few psychedelic sound collages and filler blues romps and called it a day, but to have such a fleshed out pack of tunes following this epic of modern stoner prog is simply a testament to the musical prowess of these masters of the genre. 

Thick with very organic sounding synth atmospheres, “Red Star” is a monument to the band's progress. Powerful bass lines and tribal drums reign supreme as guitars conjure a sound that is as much the love child of David Gilmore and Adam Jones as it is wholly unique. The epic track progresses into a slamming doom rocker seamlessly, yet without ever losing its dreamscape feel, creating a living breathing organism that cements King Buffalo on their throne as the kings of east coast stoner rock. 

King Buffalo prove with “Dead Star” that they are capable of amazing things. By reaching out into the musical stratosphere, this promising band have produced something incredible, and I don't see them slowing down any time soon. Long live the king.

“Dead Star” is available HERE

Band info: Website || Facebook || Bandcamp

ALBUM REVIEW: Domo, "Domonautas Vol. 1"

By: Peter Morsellino

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 15/12/2019

Label: Independent

“Domonautas Vo1.1” DD//LP track listing:

1). Oximoron

2). Astródomo

3). Ritual del Sol

4). Planisferio

The Review:

Alright folks, let's get weird. I listen to a lot of music. As such I tend to have to work harder at times to find something that really lights my fire. I found myself at one point not listening to a whole lot of music at all, finding myself dulled to the whole thing from not finding what I was looking for. This particular low point lead me to my discovery of doom and sludge, some of the great musical loves of my life. And yet, every now and again, I still feel the need for a little extra bit of a freaky booster shot to keep my spirits up. If you are currently in need of a little something on the fringes to help bring you back to center, I present you with Domo.

I've always said that I wanted a metal band that could conceivably cover “Ummagumma” era Pink Floyd and neither sound cheesy, nor like a bunch of lunatics set loose upon an unsuspecting recording studio. Domo has granted me this wish.

Riffs crunch hard into the earth when not floating into space, with experimental interludes occurring frequently. Notes of early 70's experimental rock flow throughout the album. My mind keeps returning to the thought of a Black Sabbath/Tool mashup that I didn't know I wanted.

“Oximoron” starts the album off as something off an overture, letting you know what you've given yourself into. With dense atmospheres, psychedelic guitar work and exotic horns creating an incredibly dense tone that prevails throughout the album.

“Astrodomo” starts out strong with doomy riffs reminiscent of an early Electric Wizard track, before dropping into a distinctly Pink Floyd like piece and right back again. “Ritual Del Sol” kicks off with an amazingly mellow jazz jam that puts the bass on center stage before giving us some more of that hard rock power, right when we need it. “Planisferio” opens with another bass heavy Tool type of jam before descending into pure metal mayhem.

This album is expertly put together. No part feels like it clashes with another, with Domo skillfully gliding from one genre to the next.

“Domonautas Vol. 1” was released in late 2019 and was promised to be the beginning of something much larger. I for one will be keeping my ears open for the next installment. I'm hooked.

“Domonautas Vo1. 1” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

REVIEW: Shinji Kazama, "Shinji Kazama"

By: Peter Morsellino

Album Type: EP

Date Released: 04/01/2020

Label: Independent

“Shinji Kazama” DD track listing:

1). Wot I Like

2). I’m Enough

3). Blackfoot

4). Future99Corridor

5). Whorls of Hydrilla

The Review:

There are few places I have travelled to that I dislike more than Western NY. Granted, these experiences are mainly based on personal strife’s, sports team preference, and anecdotes about weather that I have graciously never been subjected to; but I am a grown man and as such am entitled to hold irrational grudges at my own discretion.

But in the interest of fairness, despite personal grievances, I would be remiss if I did not point out that the good city of Rochester seems to breed some of the best doom and stoner rock in the state. From the bluesy acid jams of King Buffalo, to the earth rattling gloom of Orodruin, there just must be something in the water. Today, I am very glad to add to that list: Shinji Kazama.

The self titled release from these spaced out fuzzheads is stoner rock at its absolute finest. The jams are smooth enough to make you move but complex enough to keep you thinking. We're not looking at potheads with displaced aggression here, folks. This is a finely tuned psych-metal machine. This is Orange Goblin goes to art school, in the best possible way. The jams are fresh and keep the listener engaged, without once approaching the realm of overstaying their welcome. Honestly, I was two tracks into this album before I realized this was an instrumental band.

With guitars evoking violin like sustain, seismic shifting bass lines and drums expertly straddling the line between jazzy technicality and just plain heavy as hell, this band has it all.  Reminiscent of Pink Floyd just as much as Mastodon and perfectly blended at that. Stand out track "I'm Enough" opens with riffage that could wake the dead before gliding seamlessly into a middle section that would fit perfectly in with the best of the summer festival jam rockers.

This is a band to keep an eye on, and if you are anywhere near the area, Rochester is worth the visit if only for a taste of what the finest in Stoner Metal has to offer. I'll be sparking up to these guys tonight, and I highly recommend doing the same.

“Shinji Kazama” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

REVIEW: Smock, "Interstellar Nobdy" [EP]

By: Mark Ambrose

Album Type: EP

Date Released: June 15, 2018

Label: Independent

Smock harnesses the darkest corners of retro rock, riding on surf guitar lines, fuzzed out bass, tight as fuck drum fills, and the often sweet but occasionally sinister vocals of Jenne Benicaso.

“Interstellar Nobody” DD track listing

1. Interstellar Nobody

2. Weird One

3. High Life

4. Bleach

The Review:

Maybe it’s the heat.  Maybe it’s the relentless humidity.  Maybe it’s that godawful haze that hangs over the industrial skyline.  But for me, this summer has been punctuated by tripped out psychedelic, punky, metallic garage rock weirdness.  In the same way that black metal treks through frozen tundra feels most effective after the truly bitter January chill has set in, the slick, sweaty, kind of nauseating midsummer swelter makes me feel like around every corner there could be a freakish Robert Crumb caricature or a roving pack of S. Clay Wilson pirate-bikers primed to bash my face with a bottle.  And there are few records as appropriate for these paranoid delusions as “Interstellar Nobody”, the debut EP by NJ’s own Smock.

A lot of neo-psych lays the flower power bullshit on thick, missing the speed-addled discomfort inherent in a lot of the best shit that influenced a generation of Pebbles and Nuggets listeners.  I mean, sure, the blissful Eastern mystic stuff has its place, but does it rock?  Not hardly.  Thankfully, Smock harnesses the darkest corners of retro rock, riding on surf guitar lines, fuzzed out bass, tight as fuck drum fills, and the often sweet but occasionally sinister vocals of Jenne Benicaso.  When, on closer “Bleach”, he croons “You know it. / I’ll wait, I’ll wait / I’m still waiting for you…” there’s something a bit unsavory, especially layered with reverb and over a krautrock progression their forebears from Neu! would be proud of.

The title track on is a sweet slice of doomy stoner rock that reminded me of the most promising tracks by Uncle Acid, but unlike the steadily midtempo jams of the English post-Wizard class, Smock launches into faster garage punk on “Weird One”.  The warbling, trebly high end guitar work of Benicaso and Zach Inkley is deftly balanced by Cameron Smith’s hefty bass tones, and the steady rhythms (courtesy of Dee Morris) makes “Weird One” the type of banger someone could (gasp!) maybe bop along to.  “High Life”, the fastest song on the EP, is also the most neurotic.  Benicaso’s hallucinatory narrations – “Sun becomes the sky / The Mud turns into the clay / The kingdom crumbles down / Are you listening” – are eerie but strangely beautiful.

“Bleach”, the aforementioned krautrock-indebted closer, is really a marvel and a testament to how promising this quartet is.  The opening buildup feels like the classic live-in-studio cuts of the garage greats Smock draws from, but organic, in this case, doesn’t mean low quality.  Both guitars are balanced in the mix, the bass has a solid presence, and Benicaso’s vocals maintain that distance in the mix that more rock bands need to aspire to.  The guitar harmonies are really lovely too, and manage to sound heavy without sounding like atonal noise.  It’s the rare record that drew me in more the further I went, and left me aching for the next (hopefully full length) release.  And while it’s the perfect jam for my summer, I’d be happy to spin these tracks any time of year.

“Interstellar Nobody” is available at here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW & TRACK PREMIERE: Monster Magnet, "Mindfucker"

By: Victor Van Ommen

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 23/03/2018

Label: Napalm Records

If you’re ready for a simple space rock record that’s sturdy, hooky and well written, take “Mindfucker” out for a spin. 

“Mindfucker” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Rocket Freak

2). Soul

3). Mindfucker

4). I’m God

5). Drowning

6). Ejection

7). Want Some

8). Brainwashed

9). All Day Midnight

10). When The Hammer Comes Down

The Review:

Monster Magnet’s evolution has been fun to follow. Back in the day, when front man and key driving force of the band, Dave Wyndorf, got his band of psychedelic gods together, they got weird. As time progressed, the ‘Magnet remained a psychedelic powerhouse, but one that consistently moved forward from where they began. The days of long, drawn out and druggy jams are behind us. Now, we’re reveling in a period of shorter, leaner songs with big hooks. Fans of Monster Magnet are sometimes divided in the camps of “early” and “modern” Monster Magnet. There’s no need for these camps, though, because Monster Magnet has always been - and will always be - a band that knows when it’s time to get weird and when it’s time to rock out. Isn’t that what stoner rock is all about?’

So it’s now 2018, almost five years removed from Monster Magnet’s last studio album, “Last Patrol.” Where that album, and certainly the redux albums that followed it, brought both hooks and jams to the fold, this new album, “Mindfucker” is all about the rock and the roll. “Mindfucker” tells a simple story to the tune of compact riffs and songs that move pretty quickly. About half of the songs are around the 4 minute mark, which reflects the simple song structures.

But rest assured, simple isn’t bad, by any means. In the case of “Mindfucker,” simple is even somewhat a breath of fresh air. There’s that MC5 vibe in these songs and punk rock is never far out of reach. The hooks are firmly mounted and effortlessly carry the weight of the songs. Bob Pantella and Chris Kosnik play their asses off, running the sturdy rhythms up and down the dance floor.

Like any good Monster Magnet set list, the weirder tracks are spread out evenly between all the ragers. “I’m God” (exclusively streaming below) rears its head after the three songs that open the “Mindfucker” party. This track is the largest of the bunch, with a huge chorus that has Wyndorf stepping to the mic to proclaim that he, in fact, is God. Kind of a strange claim to make, sure, but Wyndorf’s lyrics have always been pretty out there, rather arrogant and more or less out of this world. After all, he delivers these lines with such conviction that he makes the lyrics work. The song uses every second of its 6:16 run time to fly off into space, in only the way that Monster Magnet knows how; Wyndorf at the helm, one foot on the monitor, colorful, flashing lights everywhere…all seen through a fish-eye lens.

The songwriting aside, the production of this album is also top notch. “Mindfucker” is a party, despite some of the themes in the lyrics. The way the guitars sound and how this is mixed with Pantella’s cymbal work, makes this record sound rambunctious. “Mindfucker” even goes so far as to sound like a live recording, one that has Wyndorf pulling in the crowd and having the audience scream their lungs out for the entire duration of the record.

If you’re ready for a simple space rock record that’s sturdy, hooky and well written, take “Mindfucker” out for a spin. Go on, let loose of the hopes that Monster Magnet are going to make another “Spine of God.” The band’s moved on and is having a great time doing it. Join them for the ride, you won’t regret it.

“Mindfucker” is available here

Band info: facebook || bandcamp

REVIEW: Windhand & Satan's Satyrs - "Windhand & Satan's Satyrs Split"

By: John Reppion

Album Type: Split LP

Date Released: 16/02/2018

Label: Relapse Records

This is two bands at the top of their game, producing some of their finest work to date

“Windhand & Satan’s Satyrs Split” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Windhand – “Old Evil”

2). Windhand – “Three Sisters”

3). Satan’s Satyrs – “Alucard AD 2018”

4). Satan’s Satyrs – “Succubus”

5). Satan’s Satyrs – “Ain’t That Lovin’ You, Baby”

The Review:

I was lucky enough to catch Windhand and Satan's Satyrs playing together when they toured the UK at the end of 2017. At the time I didn't quite see the kinship between the two bands, but thanks to this new Relapse Records split release, the connection is now somewhat clearer to me.

On first listen Windhand’s opener, “Old Evil”, sounds like a track straight off of “Griefs Infernal Flower” (and that’s definitely no bad thing). Further plays however, reward the listener with something that’s actually a few degrees heavier, and tighter than the content of the 2015 album. Essentially it’s like the most Windhand that Windhand have ever been; they are well and truly on point here. “Three Sisters” is built around one simple and massive riff, with added keyboard gloom courtesy of Jonathan Kassilow (of Sinister Haze and former Windhand Split-buddies Cough). The track is staggeringly doomy: lumbering and powerful and miserable, and pretty fucking wonderful overall.

“Alucard A.D.” starts things off on the Satan’s Satyrs half of the record, and it does so in heavy style. Now previously, thanks to their 2015 album “Don’t Deliver Us”, I thought of Satan’s Satyrs as a kind of Glam Punk retro rock kind of band, but that’s not what they sound like here. This is juicy, juicy stuff which reminds more than a little of Electric Wizard’s “We, The Undead”, in the best possible way. 

“Succubus” follows on wonderfully well with a main riff that’s both doomy and kind of cheeky and funny. There’s more than a hint of NWOBHM in the guitar work, and the whole thing just slots together in such a way that, even after several listens, still hasn’t failed to put a smile on my face. Closer “Aint That Lovin’ You Baby” is much more in line with my previous expectations with regard to Satan’s Satyrs. It’s a sleazy 12 bar blues that clicks into double-time half way through before going down in a blaze of Cock Rock guitar solos. Claythanas'/Clayton Burgess' shout of “thank you, goodnight!” is all that’s really missing from the end of this obvious set-closer.

Sometimes these split EPs can feel a bit like filler between “proper” releases; songs that didn’t make it on to the main record, or versions of some work in progress that’s not yet quite come together. That is definitely not the case with this Windhand / Satan's Satyrs release however. This is two bands at the top of their game, producing some of their finest work to date. So much so in the case of Satan's Satyrs that

I’m really regretting missing the beginning of their set back in October.

“Windhand & Satan’s Satyrs Split” is available here

Band info: Windhand || Satan’s Satyrs

SATAN'S DOZEN: 13 Unearthly Hymns Unearthed #6 (January 2018)

Compiled by: Andrei Moose

Artwork by: Josh Mashesh

SATAN’S DOZEN is THE SLUDGELORD’s attempt to present the very best music the underground scene has to offer and whilst we’d love to review every band submission we receive, not to mention the countless recommendations you send our way, in practical terms that is just not possible.  Therefore because we don’t want killer music to pass you by, each and every month our member of the Russian chapeter Andrei Moose  painstakingly sifts through the music labelled  killer  riffs” and chooses 13 of the best new albums released via bandcamp and bundles them together into the mightiest riff sandwich.

Whilst all the albums we have included below are top tier stuff, we have compiled them into a chart on a sliding scale of 13-1. So we hope you dig our selections for January 2018 and enjoy 13 Unearthly Hymns Unearthed.  

These bands need more exposure, so go “like” “share” and “follow” their pages, but most of all enjoy some of the best music the underground has to offer.  THE SLUDGELORD most sincerely approves.   Now, go heavy or go home.

13) Sons Of Nibiru – “Hellspirit” (Rzeszow, Poland), Released December 16, 2017

Psychedelic / Stoner-Doom

   
12) Borgonaut – “Borgonaut” EP (Trieste, Italy), Released January 31, 2018

Stoner-doom / Sludge

   
11) FILTHxCOLLINS / SKINLOVER – “Split 7” (Cardiff, UK), Released January 21, 2018

Sludge / Grindcore / Powerviolence

   
10) Taser – “Social Exclusion Blues” (Lahti, Finland), Released January 19, 2018

Sludge

   
9) Dowager – “Hymns for the Dead” (Los Angeles, California), Released January 1, 2018

Stoner-Doom

     

8) Nerveshatter – “Madhouse” (New York(, Released January 9, 2018

Noise / Hardcore / Sludge

   
7) Troll Teeth – “Boiled Alive” (New Jersey), Released January 1, 2018

Psychedelic / Stoner-Rock / Stoner-Metal

   
6) Psychic Lemon – “Frequency Rhythm Distortion Delay”(London, UK), Released January 12, 2018

Instrumental / Psychedelic / Kraut / Prog / Rock

   
5) Floaters – “WAITING FOR AMNESTY” (Tokyo, Japan), Released December 29, 2017

Stoner-Doom / Sludge

4) Smoke – “Stoned To Death” (Houma, Louisiana), Released January 12, 2018

Stoner-Doom / Sludge

   
3) The Mothercraft – “Pillars” (Edmonton, Alberta), Released January 5, 2018

Stoner-Rock

 
2) Legalize Crime – “Beat The Law” (Wroclaw, Poland), Released March 30, 2017

Sludge / Hardcore / Stoner-Metal

    

1) Orphans Of Doom – “Strange Worlds/Fierce Gods” (Kansas City, Missouri), Released January 26, 2018

Progressive/ Sludge / Doom / Metal

Band info: Orphans of Doom || Legalize Crime || The Mothercraft || Smoke || Floaters || Psychic Lemon || Troll Teeth || Nerveshatter || Dowager || Taser || Skin Lover || FilthXCollins || Borgonaut || Sons of Nibiru