ALBUM REVIEW: Hymn - "Perish"

By: Josh Nichols

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 17/02/2017

Label: Svart Records

“Perish” delivers a dense and grim dose of sludge doom and post metal that creates an atmosphere of dread that frequently erupts in a variety of subtle and different ways.  The entire album is full of gripping tension and visceral despair, muscular and somber, aching weight and gut punching physicality.  It’s an excellent debut from two very talented individuals.”

“Perish” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1.Ritual

2.Rise

3.Serpent

4.Hollow

5.Spectre

6.Perish

The Review:

On February 17^th, Svart Records will release “Perish”, the debut full length from Hymn, hailing from Oslo, Norway. “Perish” delivers a dense and grim dose of sludge doom and post metal that creates an atmosphere of dread that frequently erupts in a variety of subtle and different ways. Hymn are adept at creating tension while never leaving the listener on the rack for too long. I know some may like being left on the rack, but I was really impressed with their ability to alter the beast they create, be it by simple tempo and texture or genre shifting. No small task for a two man operation, or what Svart calls the four handed Norwegian beast.

The beast is comprised of guitarist/bassist/vocalist Ole Rokseth and drummer Markus Støle. Both have labored for several years in other projects.  Namely Tombstones and Buckaduzz.  Their previous efforts have ranged from psychedelic stoner to jammy riff heavy doom.  The main difference I’m hearing with Hymn is the level of ferocity and the fact that instead of using riffs to change it up, they are using anxiety. You wouldn’t guess from the dark and all to brief drone opener, “Ritual”, just what is in store for you.

Perhaps that’s the point.  After less than two minutes, the drone gives way to the epic twelve minute “Rise”. A plodding heavy struggle between the insistent wailing vocals and the rhythm section that won’t be rushed.  They battle throughout, sluggishly slowing and adamantly picking back up, but never too much. A total breakdown in the middle, ala Neurosis, leads back into the anguished battle.  By the end, you think you have this band pegged, but you would be wrong.

The dirge doom of “Rise” is replaced by the brutal intensity of “Serpent”.  The choppy buzzsaw riff and cymbal wash now battle for supremacy with vocals that reach next level anger. Personally, they bring to mind Ben Verellen from Helms Alee, but name your own strident wailer. The effect is brilliant.  The landscape totally changed.  It’s like a tank commander roaring over the engines at his crew in a pitched battle. “Hollow” dials it down a touch while retaining the battlefield atmosphere.  Perhaps post battle.  It’s desperate and anguished with wonderful textural shifts on guitar and then a complete vocal change around the midway.  Gone is the roar, replaced by a sinister snear.  Its brief and a great reset before a crippling break down on the back half.

It’s at this point that you’re finally understanding that this bands strength is in keeping you guessing. If you guessed “Spectre” would turn into a wall of sound like waves of menacing dread you can’t escape from, then well done. The finale and title track, “Perish” really steers out of the doom waters and headlong back into Neurosis-esque post metal.  This doesn’t make it any more predictable.  In fact, if you’ve listened to metal in the last 30 years, that tells just how unpredictable it is. Much like the entire album full of gripping tension and visceral despair, muscular and somber, aching weight and gut punching physicality.  It’s an excellent debut from two very talented individuals.

“Perish” is available to preorder/buy here

Band info: facebook | bandcamp

Tombstones - ‘Vargariis’ (Album Review)

By: Richard Maw

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 04/12/2015

Label: Soulseller Records

“Barren Fields” sounds like doom, it relentlessly rumbles forth with unstoppable perpetual motion. There is more light and shade with Tombstones, but they are no less weighty, the compositions are all stand alone pieces of music, but all with a vibe running through them and a sound that identifies them.  Simply put, this is a modern doom record and those of us who enjoyed the their last record, Conan, Electric Wizard, Ramesses et al will find much to enjoy here. A fine album, then.

‘Vargariis’ CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Barren Fields
2. And When The Heathen Strive, Vargariis Rise
3. Oceans Of Consciousness
4. The Dark High
5. Underneath The Earth
6. Pyre Of The Cloth

The Review:

Having heard “Red Skies and Dead Eyes” back in 2013 and enjoyed it a lot, I had high hopes for this Scan-Doom outfits' latest release. From the off, it does not disappoint. “Barren Fields” sounds like doom, all right, but of the Conan rather than Sabbath variety. It relentlessly rumbles forth with unstoppable perpetual motion. There is more light and shade with Tombstones, perhaps, than with their UK equivalent, but they are no less weighty. “And When The Heathen Strive, Vargariis Rise” acts as a quasi title track, a little quicker at base tempo but it is no less downtuned or doom filled. The vocals, when they arrive, are positively anguished (more akin to Moss, or something, initially). Good to hear the high hat foot pedal getting used too- not something you hear a lot of in doom.

“Oceans of Consciousness” starts with a rolling blast beat (think black metal, not death metal), which is both surprising and a great change of approach for the band. Things slow down to a grooving and low slung riff, of course, but again the band prove that tempos and dynamics are one of their strengths as the blast returns...

Naturally, as the track lengths are all uniformly around the nine or ten minute mark, it would be hard to argue that there are songs per se. This is doom, after all, and as a genre generally it will go for repetition and groove over hooks most of the time. That is not to take away from the compositions here- they are all stand alone pieces of music, but all with a vibe running through them and a sound that identifies them. “The Dark High” gives an almost trippy vibe; loose and open as opposed to some of the more claustrophobic tracks elsewhere and it breaks things up effectively. It gets heavier as it goes, of course and ends with a suitably feral thrashing of the bands' collective instruments. “Underneath The Earth” is a pleasingly downcast listen, all stops and starts and riffs.

“Pyre of the Cloth” finishes the record with another nine minutes plus of percussive battery and doom laden riffage. Simply put, this is a modern doom record and those of us who enjoyed the their last record, Conan, Electric Wizard, Ramesses et al will find much to enjoy here. A fine album, then.

‘Vargariis’ is available here

FFO: Conan, Electric Wizard, Ramesses, Slabdragger

Band info: bandcamp | facebook

The Sludgelord News: Egypt & Tombstones Euro Tour 2015

Fargo, North Dakota and Oslo, Norway a distance of some 6,457 km or 4,012 miles and yet two bands, Egypt and Tombstones have united together with a mission to wreak sonic devastation across Europe.  With both bands having released critically acclaimed records and with new material long overdue from both comps, this may well be the only opportunity to see these guys in or around Europe before they regroup to the respective practice spaces to record new records. 

Fresh from short Euro Tour, Tombstones played a number of shows with the likes of Eyehategood and having seen the band first hand, they are a band you wont want to miss.  With what is likely to be their first foray into Europe, Egypt are a power trio with some reputation and hopefully with the next release, they will begin to find the fan base they so richly deserve.  Kicking off in London, the bands head out on a 14 day tour.  So go support them. 

Check the dates below

23.05.2015 UK - London, Underworld -
24.05.2015 UK - Hastings, Union Bar
26.05.2015 CH - Geneve, Kalvingrad
27.05.2015 IT - Kulturcafe Schlachthaus, Dornbirn
28.05.2015 CH - Olden, Coq D'Or
29.05.2015 A - Innsbruck, PMK
30.05.2015 A - Vienna, Arena
31.05.2015 DE - Nürnberg, K4
01.06.2015 NL - Brussel, Le Bunker
02.06.2015 F - Paris, Glazart
03.06.2015 BE - Antwerpen, AMC
04.06.2015 NL - Nijmegen, Onderbroek
05.06.2015 CH - Winterhur, Helvti
06.06.2015 DE - Netphen, Freak Valley Festival

For more information  

http://www.facebook.com/tombstonesoslo

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Egypt-Doom/220951734668136



Tombstones - Year of the Burial (Album Review)

By: John Slaymaker

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released:  20/04/2012

Label: Soulseller Records

The ‘Year of the Burial’ is an excellent sludge/doom album with its thick warm live sound. Though it might only swagger up the road at 20mph like a 3am drunken quest for more beer, it is most likely gonna be one of the most valued sludge/doom records this year.

‘Year of the Burial’ CD//DD//LP tracklisting

1) Unveilng (6:40)

2) Silent Voices (4:33)

3) Quinessential (7:15)

4) Egypt (7:57)

5) Year of the Burial (7:06)

6) Sabbathian (6:02)

Tombstones is:

Bjorn Viggo Godtland | Vocal, guitar

Ole Christian Helstad | Bass, vocals

Jorn Inge Woldmo | Drums

The Review

‘Unveiling’ is a good and steady introduction to the record from this band. A nice mix of stoner/doom dishing out thick sludged up riffs that you’d need a diamond equipped chainsaw to cut into. The pace of this song is that of walking and when it ends you don’t realise as the sonic wave of persistence continues into the next song. ‘Silent Voices’ the shortest track clocking in at four and a half minutes.   It’s not until the drums come in and change the structure, do you realise a new song has begun. With Bjorn and Ole’s bellowing vocals trying to climb above the pounding sludge that ooze’s from my speakers, I cannot get over the thick velvety textures of the guitars. The hardest treacle toffee sounding sludge I’ve heard in a while.

‘The Quintessential’ carries the same theme but at over seven minutes I can’t stifle a yearning for a guitar solo. Track 4 ‘Egypt’ is, I think, the best song on the ‘Year of the Burial’. It has a cool catchy riff from the start and they utilise light and shade to best effect.  The title track leads us on a bit of a drone mission for two minutes then you get treated to some druid like vocal chanting mixed up with some wicked head bang inducing riffing, and I reckon this song goes down a storm live.

The ‘Year of the Burial’ is an excellent sludge/doom album with its thick warm live sound. Though it might only swagger up the road at 20mph like a 3am drunken quest for more beer, it is most likely gonna be one of the most valued sludge/doom records this year.


You can buy the vinyl and CD here

Band info: Facebook