"11 is one Louder": Rising blackened doom dealers Grime Ravine debut "Shrine of Misery" & choose their Top 5 blackened doom albums

On an otherwise unremarkable July evening in 2015, 3 people from Portsmouth decided to meet up with 2 people from Crawley. Past and present members of underground UK bands who were drawn together by a musical appreciation of the slow and heavy. Ale was consumed, obscure bands were discussed and eventually plans were formed to drag their hungover selves to a practice room at the incredibly-doom-ridden time of 10am on a Sunday.

Since that monumental day Grim Ravine released a debut self titled EP in 2015 and will now release “The Light is From Below” on Feb 17th via Black Bow Records.  This new EP contains 4 tracks of suffocating, atmospheric and thoroughly vile sludge metal that is highly recommended for fans of Rwake and Eyehategod. As the band remarks "We are proud to present our latest offering, The Light is from Below. This recording incorporates doom worship, fuzz and misery to create sounds from the abyss."

Suffice to say Grim Ravine are one of the finest purveyors of extreme blackened doom to emerge from the UK and we at The Sludgelord invited guitarist Martin Shouler to share his thoughts on his top 5 blackened doom records, as well as debuting a brand new song from their soon to be released EP, in the form of “Shrine of Misery” and be sure to turn the dial up to 11. 

 
Indian - "From All Purity"

If you're going to do a final album, this is how to do it. A huge filthy beast of an album with one of my favourite vocalists in the genre. Adding the noise element to their sound (probably because they weren't harsh enough on earlier releases??) shows that they were willing to expand their sound, who knows where they would have gone after this...

Wolvserpent -  "Aporia:Kāla:Ananta"

The first half is a beautifully eerie orchestral soundscape which then gives way to a huge wall of distorted guitars and harrowing vocals. Much like taking a long pleasant country walk up a hill, only to fall down a cliff on the other side, break both your legs and be eaten alive by animals. Great stuff.

Culted -  "Below The Thunders of the Upper Deep"

The harsh vocals over droning, doom riffs and general atmosphere make this a very bleak listen. Add in some drone and this is both haunting and very, very heavy. With a vocalist that's never met the rest of the band in person it's surprising how well this album works.

Hell - "II"

Could have chosen any of the trilogy albums for this but "II" was my first introduction to Hell and as good a place as any to start. Moving between dense blackened doom and clean guitars with ease this album is thoroughly unpleasant in the best possible way. A band that truly live up to their name.

Sea Witch - "The Blackened Sea"

Instrumental blackened doom that goes for a dark ambiance rather than all out menace. Crushing riffs and hypnotic guitar rhythms aplenty. A great example of the title and artwork matching the sounds within.  Never judge a book by its cover, but you can judge Sea Witch by theirs. 

Band info: facebook || bandcamp

“Because 11 is one louder”: Nate Garrett (Spirit Adrift) chooses his Top 5 Doom Records

Spirit Adrift is in essence a solo project created by Nate Garrett, a song writer and multi instrumentalist who earned his spurs playing, recording and touring with as many bands as possible.  Following his own sonic path Garrett was guided by the masters in the art of heavy riffs, with bands like Black Sabbath, Neurosis and Eyehategod serving his guide in his quest to forge the perfect riff, during his most formative years.  Garrett would later share artistic and personal relationships with fellow Arkansans such as Deadbird, Rwake, Seahag and Pallbearer, with this experience from the southern heavy music scene leaving a lasting impression upon him.  In 2011, Garrett would move to Arizona, joining Take Over And Destroy and later Gatecreeper, who are currently creating quick a buzz within the underground metal scene. 

On the 21^st of August 2016 Nate Garrett’s Spirit Adrift would return with the release of their debut full length “Chained To Oblivion” via Prosthetic Records. The project in itself is a platform to realise his lifetime dedication to music and is the culmination of every bit of his musical experience.  Musically and lyrically, “Chained to Oblivion” is undoubtedly heavy but uniquely uplifting at the same time.  As the label bio comments “Spirit Adrift is a necessary healing process, and an artist’s attempt at contributing his own drop to the limitless well of music, a well that has kept him alive.”

Today at The Sludgelord, it a our pleasure to have Nate Garrett shares his thoughts on some of his favourite doom records, as we turn the dial up to 11, “Because 11 is one louder”

1. Black Sabbath – “Sabotage” (1975)

Sure, “Master of Reality” probably fits the doom bill more, but “Sabotage” has been my favorite album since the first time I heard it. Though this is a more experimental, maybe even progressive effort, the doom is still strong. Songs like “Hole in the Sky”, “Megalomania”, and “The Writ” are among the heaviest songs Sabbath ever did. I feel like they pushed the boundaries of what heavy music can be with this album, and it features Ozzy's all-time greatest vocals. The lyrics are introspective, surreal, and psychedelic. The songs evolve and grow as if they are living entities. I try to write music that sounds evil and beautiful at the same time, and “Sabotage” taught me how to do this. This album has had a bigger impact on me than any other piece of music.

2. Saint Vitus – “Die Healing” (1995)

This is my favorite Saint Vitus album, largely due to the vocals. Original vocalist Scott Reagers returns with a vengeance on this album. He nails the soaring traditional doom vocals, but what makes his singing special is when his voice disintegrates into psychotic howls and moans. It's one of the most unique vocals performances ever captured, and it's anchored by a band at their heaviest and most menacing. During the “Chained to Oblivion” sessions, I recorded a cover that hasn't been released yet, and the vocals were definitely inspired the unhinged delivery of Scott Reagers on”Die Healing”.

3. Warning – “Watching From A Distance” (2006)

I was thrilled to hear that Warning will be performing this entire album at Roadburn. This album is crushing sonically, and more importantly, emotionally too. Patrick Walker's lyrics and earnest delivery are heartbreaking. One of my primary goals with Spirit Adrift is to move people on a deep emotional level, and this is the album that introduced me to the painfully raw, confessional approach that is required to make that connection with the listener.

 

4. Rwake – “Voices of Omens” (2007)

 

I'm not sure if this qualifies as doom. I'm really not sure what it is at all. Rwake is one of the most fascinating bands that has ever existed. The riffs and song structures are nothing short of genius. This band is on a level that few achieve, and their power is undefinable, indescribable. When I first moved from Oklahoma to Arkansas, I drove to Little Rock by myself to see Rwake play for the first time, right around the time “Voices of Omens” was released. My life has never been the same, and I still can't quite figure out what's going on with this band. It's terrifying.

 

5. Pallbearer – “Sorrow and Extinction” (2012)

The time I spent in Arkansas was crucial to the formation of Spirit Adrift. The creativity and passion I witnessed there will be with me forever. I was friends with the Pallbearer guys before I had any idea of what they were capable of. This album blew my mind when I first heard it, and still does to this day. It has helped me through hard times in my life, and inspires me endlessly.

Spirit Adrift’s latest album “Chained to Oblivion” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook 

Rwake - “Xenoglossalgia: The Last Stage of Awareness” (Album Review)

Album Type: Demo (Reissue)

Date Released: 10/2/2015

Label: Relapse Records

“Xenoglossalgia: The Last Stage of Awareness” CD//DD//DLP track listing:

1. Intro
2. Stairwell
3. Or Die
4. Xenoglossalgia
5. Nagarachi
6. Interlude
7. Calibos/So Fucking Tired

Rwake are:

Kris Graves | Guitar, Mandolin
Jeff Morgan | Drums, Samples
Chris Terry | Vocals, Samples, Noise
Chris Newman | Guitar
Aaron Mills | Bass
Rob Eaten | Keyboards, Vocals

Review

I'm sure I wasn't the only one who got a rush of excitement upon hearing that Rwake was releasing a new album, only to feel a bit deflated upon finding out it was just a remaster of a seventeen year old demo. After the release in 2011 of "Rest", one of the finest forward-thinking sludge albums since the turn of the century, this Arkansas troupe have been pretty quiet. The re-release of “Xenoglossalgia: The Last Stage of Awareness” could be perceived as being a stop-gap, or just a reminder to us that Rwake are still about. However you choose to interpret it, “Xenoglosslgia” is an interesting enough release that is well worth a spin.

For me, the quality of Rwake's material has had a steady upward trajectory throughout their career – each album manages to build upon and better the last record, not just in terms of songwriting but in production values too. “Xenoglossalgia: The Last Stage of Awareness” hardly bucks this trend, but as a first effort, it is enjoyable. All of the hallmarks of what were to make Rwake a household name in the sludge world are here – the mandolin intro, the psychotic dual vocals, and the caustic Eyehategod-worshipping riffs. The first two tracks on here, “Intro” and “Stairwell” are pretty indicative of this. It is clear that back in 1998 Rwake still had a long way to go in terms of arrangements and composition. It reminds me of early Today is the Day and Neurosis, where there is often too much going on, the band too eager to impress, perhaps. Compare it to the slick (in a good way) and relatively stripped back “Rest” and you'll see what I mean. The most compelling moments on the demo come in the staggeringly long closer – "Calibos/So Fucking Tired". Clocking in at nearly three-quarters of an hour, this one track is longer than most albums. It features some of the most suffocating, warped psychedelic riffs you can imagine, with the guitars sounding like they are crawling backwards through treacle at times.

The re-release serves to whet our appetites for the next Rwake album, but it also shows us how far they've come in their near twenty year existence. Let's hope they have a follow up to “Rest” in the pipeline, as I'm sure it would lay waste to a great deal of their contemporaries’ efforts.

Words by: Jack Taylor

‘“Xenoglossalgia: The Last Stage of Awareness” is available via Relapse Records here

For more information:

http://rwake.bandcamp.com/ | https://www.facebook.com/RwakeBand

Deathcrawl- 'Accelerated Rate of Decay' (Album Review)

By: Richard Maw

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 16/10/2012

Label: Independent

Overall, this superb record should enthuse the listener to listen to it again and again- its blackened sludge mixed with doom and black elements make it a varied and worthwhile listen. ‘Acclerated Rate of Decay’ has it all- great vocals, cool production tricks, riffs to rewind repeatedly and a nice sinister vibe throughout. Try it and I guarantee that you will not be disappointed!

 

‘Accelerated Rate of Decay’ CD//DD track Listing

1) Burned Out (07:46)

2) Kill Or Be Killed (04:04)

3) Dead Is Dead (05:27)

4) Blight (6:58)

5) Disturbing The Earth (08:43)

6) Maginot (05:11)

7) Despite Our Best Efforts (05:20)

8) Lucifer's Hammer (06:20)

Deathcrawl is

"BigMetal" Dave Johnson | Drums, throat, nord.
Damon "the Damonowskivich" Gregg | Guitar, throat.
Jason Luchka | Bass, throat, moog,  accordian.

The Review

 

Ohio seems like a perfect place for a band such as Deathcrawl to hail from- being as the state is on the cusp of several areas of the US it is not quite a part of any of them. It is almost the Mid West, almost the North East and even borders the much more southern flavoured Kentucky.  Similarly, Deathcrawl use diversity to their advantage. There are elements of black, doom and more progressive material in the sludge on this, their second full length.  From the ominous, droning feedback that ushers in ‘Burned Out’ it is clear that ‘Accelerated Rate of Decay’ is going to be a somewhat different listen. The vocals come in early with a distinctly black metal flavour. There are crashing chords and sludge type riffing to savour with some distinct and odd rhythms powering things along. There is also a cyclical structure and even, dare I say it... hooks. A burst of pace towards the end means that this opener sets out Deathcrawl's stall early on- the record is diverse but unifies perfectly.

‘Kill or Be Killed’ follows up well with a slow start being replaced by a ride driven groove. The whole track clips along at a head nodding pace- even some very black metal sections splice in seamlessly with varied vocal approaches holding the listener's attention.  ‘Dead is Dead’ brings in a southern-esque groove to start and the riff gives the vocal chance to breathe and again create a hooky verse structure- this is great stuff and builds well to double bass drums being used to good effect with clever progressions of the main motif in the riffing. There are time changes aplenty that lead to a chugging build up. In itself, this gives way to a fine groove based riff.  Deathcrawl have many hats and they wear each one with aplomb! There are three vocals that you can hear on the record- from their website it is confirmed that there is no front man as such as all three band members share vocal duties. This is a great move as it prevents the record from ever being one dimensional and allows each song or riff to get the appropriate flavour. Much like Bob Dylan's famous backing group ‘The Band’; Deathcrawl allow the best person to do the best job for each piece of music. This approach will really hold your attention when you listen to the record, that's for sure!

‘Blight’ stands out for me due to the catchy riffs which kick things off at a fair pace. Once again, the rhythms are unusual with plenty of percussive flourishes from “BigMetal” Dave Johnson on drums. Sludge is again prevalent in this track and around the four minute mark a weird metallic effect backs a droning riff to play the track out to a very effective feedback drenched close. ‘Disturbing the Earth’ starts with slow doom after a ride count in from the previous track. Deathcrawl again keep the listener on their toes by introducing a rather effective (non sellout) and rather trad doom clean vocal! More traditional sludge follows with a nifty use of double tracked high and low vocals brought in for a nice production touch. The seven minutes plus of this track are punctuated by changeable riff patterns and grooves that mesh together very well with the vocal approaches taken- the cyclical song writing approach works superbly and again gives a unified hooky feel that allows the listener to immerse themselves in the record without feeling disorientated. The song finishes around the seven minute mark and is succeeded by odd soaring sound effects that continue for a further one and half minutes. It is great to know that the art of album writing is still alive and well- all these passages have their place. No need to use a shuffle function on this record (or ever, for that matter).

A drum intro combines with bass from Jason Luchka to set up the opening strains of ‘Maginot’ before this foundation is expanded by superb riffing from Damon Gregg. It is incredible that there are only three members of Deathcrawl- this really is a power trio to be reckoned with. The song writing here is choppy and pacey. The guitars work discordant magic over a solid rhythm section. Look out for the riff around the minute mark- it's a killer! ‘Despite Our Best Efforts’ gifts us a longer instrumental passage to start with and then switches to a snail’s pace for some horrific vocals in the blackened sludge vein. Thereafter, monolithic riffs trade space with imaginative vocals. Pick scratches are used to great effect through the middle sections here before the seemingly unwieldy title is used as a chant to finish the song off.

The superbly titled ‘Lucifer's Hammer’ uses feedback and effects (moog?) to introduce the record's magnum opus. The old half time/double time trick is given new life here as nice passages of riffing intertwine with vocal dexterity. The faster pace suits the band and album here as it gives a feeling of the record's end drawing near. Indeed, some of the best riffs on the album are to be found here. The final minute utilises feedback and effects again as the album ends how it began.

Overall, this superb record should enthuse the listener to listen to it again and again- its blackened sludge mixed with doom and black elements make it a varied and worthwhile listen. ‘Acclerated Rate of Decay’ has it all- great vocals, cool production tricks, riffs to rewind repeatedly and a nice sinister vibe throughout. Try it and I guarantee that you will not be disappointed!

You can buy it here. 

FFO: Crowbar, Yob, Thou, Rwake

Band info: Official Facebook Store Bandcamp