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This is 'Liberation through Amplification.'
“The Worst” sounds like Torche playing Truckfighters
with the ghost of Dio on vocals while “Where The Ghosts Hide” and “Cape
Buffalo” bring to mind Big Business indulging in secret stadium rock fantasies with
hints of the Deftones in the melodic choruses given free reign with vocalist
Tyler Gurwicz doing his best Chino Moreno impression over foundation-shaking
riffs.This EP is a tantalising glimpse
of what Ghastly Sound has to offer. Hopefully it won’t be long before they
return to show what fist-pumping destruction they are capable of over the
course of an LP.
“Ghastly Sound” DD track listing:
1). The
Worst
2). Where
the Ghosts Hide
3). Cape
Buffalo
4). Cuttlefish
The Review:
Ghastly Sound deal in a very distinct
brand of low-end riff attack on their self-titled debut EP, equal parts dirty
noise-rock rumble and party stoner rock. This combination of gnarly underground
sounds and smoother heavy rock lends the Vermont
trio a unique sound but what really stands out is TJ Maynard’s bass. No doubt
there is a phalanx of bleeding amps and pedals involved in creating the
monstrous racket that brings this EP to life and more
than compensates for being the sole stringed instrument present.
“The Worst” sounds like Torche
playing Truckfighters
with the ghost of Dio on vocals while “Where The Ghosts Hide”
and “Cape
Buffalo” bring to mind Big Business indulging in secret stadium rock
fantasies. The latter culminates in a particularly sweet galloping riff that
almost has an air of NWOBHM about it.
“Cuttlefish” brings the EP home in
crushing fashion, slurring the tempo to a doomy crawl to powerful effect. Hints
of the Deftones
in the melodic choruses of the previous tracks are given free reign here with
vocalist Tyler Gurwicz doing his best Chino Moreno impression over
foundation-shaking riffs.
This EP is a
tantalising glimpse of what Ghastly Sound has to offer. Hopefully it won’t
be long before they return to show what fist-pumping destruction they are
capable of over the course of an LP.
The
idea of Decades Apart is pretty simple.
I’ll choose 5 different albums from 5 different decades and I’ll share a little
information about them and hopefully you’ll check them out if you haven’t
already. Today is 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000
and 2010. Whilst some these albums may not all be considered
classics, they’re certainly amazing records. So be sure to check it out.
Black Sabbath – “Black
Sabbath” (1970)
An argument may still remain whether Black Sabbath truly
invented heavy metal , however what is true to say, is that Black Sabbath
impact and influence on heavy metal music remains unequalled. Famously
recorded in one day, Sabbath’s debut
was released on Friday February 13, 1970. The foreboding title track and “N.I.B”
are perhaps the bands most potent examples of Sabbath’s
fundamental power. Indeed if you ask the question, what is doom? Well
you only have to refer to the title track and there you have your answer.
If satan had an anthem, “Black Sabbath” would be that song. Elsewhere on the
album are traces of blues and psychedelia. Early reviews of the album according
to Tony Iommi’s were “awful”. But in America, “Black Sabbath”
sold a million. In the UK,
it made the Top 10. And over time it would be acknowledged as a landmark album
in the evolution of heavy metal.
The
year proceeding would see the band develop further still morphing from the dark
masters of seemingly occult music to a respected hard rock band, who
would help create the emerging genre of heavy metal. Seemingly
doing the impossible by today’s standard, the four brummies recorded not one
but two classic albums in the 1970, with “Paranoid” following a mere 4
months later, an album that would cause further a tectonic shift in the rock
world. By the time “Paranoid” emerged, clearly Sabbath has
developed greater compositional range to their music and their performances on
their second album were further step up.
To
give some context to what Sabbath
would go onto achieve, in 1968, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy
Osbourne were in a band called Rare Breed
when a certain unknown guitarist Tony Iommi invited them to form a blues rock
group with drummer Bill Ward. This new band would settle on the name Earth, following the recording of some initial
demos and some subsequent positive feedback, the momentum of the band was
stunted slightly following Iommi’s brief dalliance with Jethro Tull. Iommi would soon return and the
group reunited in 1969, deciding upon the new name of Black Sabbath. In the Autumn 1969, the
group was signed to Philips Records
and entered the studio with producer Rodger Bain.
“Black
Sabbath”
was recorded live on the floor in the studio with very few overdubs added
ad if you don’t already know the story, due to the loss of a few fingertips,
Iommi down tuned his guitar for easier playing, with this new tone giving that
synonymous “doomy” effect.
Having
been turned on to Black Sabbath by my
own Father, listening to this self-titled 1970 is arguably the definitive debut
heavy metal record. In terms of a general concept “heavy metal” and it’s
development of the genre was moulded not only tone of the music, but because of
the band underlying lyrical themes, with Sabbath’s devotion to darker themes
that others perhaps had not dared undertake. The band’s
environment, in terms of living in poverty and career choices being limited to
factory worker or petty criminality, Black
Sabbathwere far removed from hedonism hippie music that was popular
when the band formed in 1968, considering themselves a blues band. Instead it
is said that Tony Iommi observed the lines that formed at the local movie
theatre whenever it showed horror films and remarked that if people were so
willing to pay to be scared, perhaps they should try playing evil-sounding
music. So with that in mind, they took their name from a Boris Karloff film.
Indeed the title track to “Black Sabbath” capture the essence of horror,
with Iommi playing a slow, ominous riff based on the “devil’s tritone,”. The
sluggish pacing of the track is truly something to behold and perhaps
personifies what is indeed heavy, with the slow and ominous motif becoming the
primary influence of the doom metal genre. There is no filler on this
record, “The Wizard” with their inspired use of harmonica, ably backed
up by Geezer on bass and a masterful performance from drummer Bill Ward. “Behind
the Wall of Sleep,” inspired by psychological horror writer H.P. Lovecraft.“N.I.B.” a Sabbath song for bass-lovers, man that Butler solo and with
Osbourne at his mercurial best.
Sabbath’s cover of “Evil Woman” by Crow
was their first single from the album, a straightforward blues rocker and
arguably the most accessible song on the record, Sabbath truly but their
own stamp on it, particularly with Iommi’s riffs replacing the brass of the
original.
The
title of “SleepingVillage” speaks for
itself, a sombre dirge with Osbourne crooning over the top of Iommi’s acoustic
guitar from the outset. With dramatic shifts in tone throughout, from a 60s
inspired jam to the rigid structure of an menacing, plodding riff. “Evil
Woman”is up next into another cover, this time in the form of “Warning”
originally by The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation,
clocking in at an immense 10m30s, and taking up most of the album’s second
side. This track was the least accessible on the album with “Wicked World”
completing the album with politically charged lyrics, A politician’s job
they say is very high, For he has to choose who’s got to go and die,
They can put a man on the moon quite easy, While people here on Earth
are dying of old diseases catchy riffs, booming bass guitar and a
master class of intricate drumbeats from Ward. Black Sabbath made music that personified their
environment, dealing with the harsher realities of life in their lyrics,
married with dark and sinister tone of the guitar and the flawless display by
Geezer and Ward. Sabbath truly
have no equal and the next time someone asks you what heavy metal is, reach for
your copy of “Black Sabbath” and utter not a word, because this album speaks
for itself.
Diamond Head – “Lightning To The
Nations” (1980)
“Lightning
to the Nations” also
known as “The White Album” is the debut album by British heavy metal
band Diamond Head.
The album was recorded in 1979 and released on the 3rd October 1980
through their own label Happy Face Records.
The album stands in history as possibility one of the most influential heavy
metal records of all time. Speaking as a Metallica
fan, the band first came to my attention, due to their cover of “Am I Evil?”
which featured on the “Lighting to the Nations” album. One can not
be certain whether Diamond Head’s
would have remained in heavy metal shadows without their association with Metallica , however this union certainly
helped gain the band more widespread attention, given Metallica covered no fewer than 5 of the
7 songs from the album. To put it bluntly if Metallica
fans thought these tracks were cool, the same fans would check out Diamond Head.
Conversely and perhaps unfortunately so, Diamond
Head's were associated more as the inspiration to Metallica rather than composing one of the
best heavy metal records of all time. "Lightning to the Nations"
combines great guitar-driven elements with epic sounding vocals and a sound
unique to them and whilst Diamond Head
never reached the heady heights that Metallica
would achieve 10 years later, they deserve enormous praise from creating a
legendary record, one that would go on to inspire the biggest heavy metal band
of all time.
Megadeth – “Rust in Peace” (1990)
“Rust
In Peace” is the fourth album by Megadeth,
released on September 24th 1990. It feels poignant and only
fitting to be discussing this album, given the tragic loss of drummer Nick
Menza earlier this year, appropriate then that he be remembered for playing a
pivotal role in the creation of perhaps the greatest thrash metal album
of them all. It is safe to say, Megadeth
was never the most stable band, disgruntlement of an ousted guitarist from Metallica, which perhaps Mustaine would never
recover from, coupled with drug addiction, tragedy and a revolving line up, Megadeth were always on the cusp of creating
something huge, but up until this point, the band never quite reached their
peak. Following the release of their 1988 album, “So Far, So Good, So
What” drummer Chuck Behler and guitarist Jeff Young would leave the band,
to be replaced by Nick Menza and an emerging guitar virtuoso, Marty Friedman,
who was known as one half of the speed metal band Cacophony,
who also featured Jason Becker, indeed it was the release of Friedman’s debut
solo album “Dragon’s Kiss” that piqued Mustaine’s attention, remarking
in his biography and I paraphrase that Mustaine was so intimidated by Friedman,
it created some anxiety, that he was hiring someone technically superior to him.
Irrespective of this apparent tension, “Rust In Peace” is
one of the most technically brilliant thrash albums, indeed it is the sheer
technical complexity of the album that would truly define Megadeth and perhaps set a new benchmark for
thrash metal standards.
“Hangar
18” and “Holy Wars… The Punishment Due”, with their continuous tempo changes, elegant neo
classical inspired solos, along with Mustaine at his magnificent songwriting
peak, these two songs would set the tone for the album and inspire it to go
down in history as Megadeth’s apex in
terms of album output. Thematically “Rust In Peace” is
centered around politics, nuclear warfare, religion, UFOs, and personal issues
such as drug and alcohol addiction. “Rust In Peace” is a) an album
written by Mustaine at his creative, b) it was performed by members with the
technical capabilities of MenzaandFreidman members, it is
little surprise then that “Rust In Peace” is one of the greatest heavy metal
album of all time and the best Megadeth
album ever.
Queens of the
Stone Age
– “Rated R” (2000)
The
year 2000 was a turning point for the stoner rock genre and this had a lot to
do with Josh Homme’s band Queens of the Stone Age.
Referred too as trance robot music for ladies, the conception of the band was
to make the desert sound more widely known and to make something that women
could dance to. If you take these two goals and prop them up against QOTSA’s 2000 sophomore album “Rated R,”
then there’s no denying that even this early in the band’s career, Homme could
already mark this as his second greatest musical accomplishment, the first of
course being Kyuss.
Homme
was able to turn heads and grab attention. At the time, “Rated R” was
something new for the mainstream, while for the heavy underground, those
involved felt like they were finally getting recognition. That’s not to say the
underground wanted this recognition, but QOTSA
was arguably the catalyst for many bands like Red
Fang, Mastodon, and Truckfighters to spread the stoner rock gospel
and influence a generation of their own.
It’s
interesting to note that the year 2000 also saw the release of Limp Bizkit’s “Chocolate Starfish and the
Hot Dog Flavored Water,” a record that went on to sell millions and was at
the time regarded as a would-be classic. In the meantime, that album has faded
from our memory, but “Rated R” continues to mature like a fine wine. So
what was it that made QOTSA a band to
notice?
The
album is 11 songs long and ranges from stoned riffing to catchy grooving. “Rated
R” leaned in the direction of experimental rock music without neglecting
the need for a strong hook. Different instruments were used and the songs were
structured in such a way that they could stand alone as a hit single while
simultaneously being an integral part of the album as a whole. The album’s
lyrical content was for mature audiences, but that didn’t stop radio stations
from playing “Feel Good Hit of the Summer,” regardless of the season.
And to top it all off, Homme invited several friends from the desert – amongst
which Dave Catching, Chris Goss, Mark Lanegan, and Pete Stahl – to contribute
to this masterpiece. With all of these creative minds who came from the same
scene, it’s no wonder “Rated R” turned out to be a template for the
burgeoning stoner scene which has since then exploded.
Ghost – ‘Opus Eponymous’ (2010)
First
impressions are pivotal and from the moment the eerie, mysterious swelling
organ chimes of ‘Opus Eponymous’, Ghost
have had thousands captivated. Their anonymity, a driving factor in their
success, is pure theatre, the cold, occultish feel of Black Sabbath and the horror loving, hip
swinging charisma and humour of Alice Cooper
potent flavours on this hors d'oeuvre. Yet, where dark, 70s rock whetted the
appetite of so many, they juxtaposed all that with the kind of melodies that
made ABBA so irresistible. From the
human sacrificing stadium rock of ‘Ritual’ to the poetically haunting ‘Elizabeth’
and the beguiling, lofty sounds of ‘Satan Prayer’, while it may not
stand as a classic album – especially when compared to the ever increasing quality
of their later releases – ‘Opus Eponymous’ provides us with a thrilling
first encounter. With the gift of retrospect we can hear their naivety in some
ways, this is a band still developing, still laying down the building blocks
for a sound that has, today, become truly irresistible.
You
know the drill, each month; you the reader are unwittingly compiling a
list of the top 16 records that we featured in October, covering all genres of
metal. Is it not a chart, in which reviewers or contributors extol their
opinion about their favourite music. The ‘Sour
16’ are the records that have been trending the most at Sludgelord Headquarters.
The
results are compiled based on page views alone and calibrated into
the list below. All reviews can be viewed by clicking the artwork and we
have included album streams wherever possible. (Total views since their publication
is highlighted in red).
16). Headless Kross - "Projection I” (377)
15). Holy Serpent - "Temples" (404)
All in all, “Temples” is a great record.Holy Serpent nailed it.The songs are well crafted, well-structured,
the vocals are right on and the music is perfect parts psych, doom, sludge and
out right heaviness.Don’t hesitate, buy
“Temples”
immediately.
14) Truckfighters - "V" (406)
All in all, a solid offering; a sound that is current;
one that rocks effortlessly and one that proves regardless of line-up changes
Truckfighters continue to be strong.
13) Zaum – “Eidolon (423)
“What makes
Zaum’s music so intoxicating is the sheer density of their sound. Layers of
synths, sitars, flutes and who knows what else, build up to create a foundation
of all-encompassing drone for the bands epic compositions.Prepare to be transported to a higher realm.”
12). Various Artists - “Meantime (Redux)” (442)
Meantime
(Redux)” is a face-melting reinterpretation of what many consider Helmet’s
finest hour, itpulls off the tricky
balance of paying respectful tribute to a classic album while being an
excellent listen in its own right. Hopefully it will introduce long-term Helmet
fans to some exciting new bands and make any other people with their ears stuck
in the underground realise that Helmet were great all along.
11). Charred Wall of the Damned - "Creatures
Watching Over The Dead" (460)
Richard Christy
& Co have created something special with “Creatures Watching over the Dead.” It needs to be heard and talked about.This is metal with heart.Metal with soul.And most of all?Metal that’s larger than life.
10). Vermin Womb -"Decline"(541)
Vermin Womb
succinctly distill the essence of their sound into one word: “Violence”.
It is a grimly exhilarating ride, but an oppressive racket that is hard to resist.
09). Yawning Man - "Historical Graffiti" (563)
“Historical Graffiti” is a
drug that calms the soul of the listener”
08).ObsidianKingdom – “A Year
of No Summer” (578)
“This record is well
constructed and the instrumentation is very impressive. But for those looking
for similar fare to their previous work, they’d best keep looking.”
07). Black Tomb - "Black Tomb" (585)
06). Fistula - "The Shape of Doom to Cumm)))"
(612)
The Shape of
Doom to Cumm)))” is dripping with sardonic hatred for scenesters and fad chasers,
scrapping rusty barbed wire across the speakers as if to wound those who
listen. They bring the noise, the hate, and will tell you to your face if
there’s even a hint at being a douchebag.
05). Witchthroat Serpent - "Sang-Dragon"(640)
This is a
dominating record and something which the band can be sure will appeal to all
kinds of fans of stoner doom and sludge. Witchthroat Serpent have
left a deep scar in the genre and it will take a long time to heal with a
record so devastatingly heavy.
04). Watchtower - "Concepts
of Math: Book One"(781)
The guitars crunch, the vocals bite, and the
band chemistry shines through on each song, almost as if they know what each
other’s gonna do before they do it. A near perfect record, which for
Watchtower, is pretty much par for the course.
03). 40 Watt Sun – “Wider Than The Sky” (827)
Although the record may find itself on the
fringes of metal, the empathetic feelings Walker
shares over soaring ten minute tracks should cause anyone who has felt anything
before to reflect in some meaningful way. “Wider than the Sky” challenges its
listeners to reflect for themselves, because after all it’s important to
remember where one stands. 40 Watt Sun’s latest record is likely to find itself
among the best records released this year.
02). Asteroid - "III" (1716)
It is a hugely
diverse record and shows the advanced musicianship between the band, blending
all kinds of stoner rock and fuzz. This is a band who are firmly on the rise to
the top and know exactly how to get there. One of the best releases of 2016
without a doubt.
1).AlterBridge - "The
Last Hero" (20494)
If you have any
interest in the more commercial end of the rock and metal spectrum i.e.
Metallica, Maiden, Soundgarden and so on then this album could be a fine intro
to the band. If you are a fan already you will enjoy this one immensely. AlterBridge
are leading lights in modern rock and may well be the last of a dying breed.
A
big thank you as always to our amazing writers, your dedication knows no
boundaries and for that I am truly grateful.September’s “Sour 16” features reviews by: Richard Maw, Theron
Moore, Charlie Butler, Victor Van Ommen,
TJ Kliebhan, Jake Wallace, Hunter Young, Kat Hilton, Stiq & Jay Hampshire
Album Type: Full
Length Date Released: 30/09/2016 Label: Fuzzorama
Records | Century
Media Records
All in all, a solid offering; a sound that is current; one that
rocks effortlessly and one that proves regardless of line-up changes Truckfighters
continue to be strong.
“V” CD//DD//LP Track
listing
01. Calm
Before The Storm
02.
Hawkshaw
03. The 1
04.
Gehenna
05. The
Contract
06. Fiend
07.
Storyline
The Review:
With just
7 tracks lasting a smudge over 47 minutes and fresh drummer blood; Truckfighters
offer their fifth studio album, “V”
(I see what you did there you sneaky sods), a journey on their evolutionary
path towards maturity that requires one to switch off pre conceptions, ideas
and judgement and requires the plugging in of headphones and a nice chilled
beverage of choice.
Having
said that in all honesty “Calm Before the
Storm”left me underwhelmed, I
still cannot pinpoint why, it shouldn’t have done. With its Tool-esque
intro, swarthy attitude and an ending which is fuzzier than a tumble dryer’s
lint trap I should have loved it but it wobbled me a little. Fear ye not! “Hawkshaw” is the second little ditty
and quite frankly knocks the spots of the previous number. A powerful bass and
drum intro eases the lugholes to an immense fuzz injection that hits the spot
superbly. With ever flowing peaks and troughs of 0-100 mph in seconds it is Truckfighers
mastery.
As track
3, “The 1”, makes its way through
there is another line-up change with Peter Damin taking the drums; although
subtle, there is a difference- believe it or not more cymbals…who knew that was
possible! “The 1” is a classic Truckfigthers
number; slightly distorted vocals, smooth riffs and an ear blowing assault of a
chorus make it so. For the energy alone it is a clear contender for stand out
song of the album. “Gehenna” the fuzz
gives way to possibly the most satisfying drum roll in existence making this a
veritable time warp of a tune; turning back time it is akin to listening to “Gravity X”all over again. Ok so not as prog like, but the mesmerising vocals
and pacey guitar stand it proud.
As “The Contract”makes its debut with its thundering bass/drum play off building
the track to the properly heavy levels needed; the thick and fuzzy strings
crawl over the senses entwining with the chaotic drums, it kinda shouldn’t work
but it does. It be prog/sludge/fudge/aceballness.
“Fiend”is
the penultimate track; cheeky, pacey and even more drum rolling perfection make
this a fantastic number. Off all the superbly vocalised songs Ozo has done,
this is the one that demonstrates the incredible range and versatility he has.
The ending can only be described as a co-ordinated pissing contest as the sound
increases, the drums hammer more, the vocals step up, the guitars get beefier.
Everything makes this a superb ending.
Last but
no means least “Storyline” has an
instant shift in style and sound; the vocals are the dominant force here.
Melodious, gravelly and solid. On one hand an easy, relaxed and somewhat calm
offering, on the other a hard core Truckfighters number that shakes the listener
to the core. What a delicious juxtaposition.All in all, a solid offering; a sound that is current; one that rocks
effortlessly and one that proves regardless of line-up changes Truckfighters
continue to be strong.
Greenleaf is the heavy rock power house built around guitarist
Tommi Holappa. We know Tommi best from the Swedish stoner rock trailblazers Dozer. What a band that is. The status of Dozer is left somewhat in the middle – will they or won’t
they? – so until we know anything more from that camp we can jump on board with
Tommi’s other musical endeavor, Greenleaf.
Greenleaf got their start around 2001. The band started out as
more of a project than a band, never having a consistent line up but instead a
revolving door of musicians borrowed from Dozer, Truckfighters, Lowrider, and probably every other Swedish
band you know. As the years passed, the band got more and more recognition
thanks in no small part to their powerful performances at our favorite parties.
2016 is going to be an even
bigger year for the band because they’re beginning to settle on a formation of
musicians and are slated to release a new album on February 26th called,
“Rise Above The Meadow.” They’re
just off a tour with Clutch and have
released a killer lead-off single named “A
Million Fireflies” which you can watch here
I got to sit
down with guitarist Tommi and singer Arvid after their show with Clutch and ask them a few questions about their past, their
current state, and what they hope to see happen in 2016. You can watch that
interview here:
“The Harvest” is undeniably good, hitting the spots just right. There’s power in the slow cuts “BlackChurch” and “Rituals of the Sun,” which puts Stoned Jesus’s fine focus on display. Other cuts like “Youth For Sale” or the aforementioned “Wound” stroke our desire to hear something that’s both heavy and catchy, earning “The Harvest” a spot in one’s record collection.
‘The Harvest’ DD track listing:
1). Here Come The Robot
2). Wound
3). Rituals of the Sun
4). YFS
5). Silkworm Confessions
6). BlackChurch
The Review:
Ukranian three piece Stoned Jesus presented their third and most cohesive album in February of this year. That was a time in which Europe was inching its way towards sunnier days and warmer weather, which resulted in a rush on tickets for the various stoner rock festivals across the continent. Stoned Jesus played to these circumstances well, announcing their appearance at Desertfest Berlin as well as releasing their new album, “The Harvest.” The reviews that came rolling in were overwhelmingly positive, some even marking it as album of the year. Now, nine months down the line, I’m presented with the task to review said album, which leaves me with a challenge, because everything has already been said about it and you’ve probably already heard it. The only question that remains is, how has it stood up to the test of time?
So let’s assume I don’t need to tell you how “Here Come the Robots” starts the album with a welcomed shift in focus from the bands past. You probably then also don’t need to be told that ”Wound, ” with its one-liner chorus, is so absolutely addictive and primed for a live setting, which is ironic considering the story the song tells of downtime and other trying moments of tour life. Stoned Jesus also brush up against topics of war and share their views on local politics, making them more than just sun, babes, and hot rods. These songs are all sung to the tune of heavy riffing that’s been sucked through a filter of a clear-minded production, eliminating the dust that hangs in the air on other stoner rock albums like “Action is Go.” It’s a formula that has worked for Truckfighters and all the bands they have since picked up on Fuzzorama Records, so it makes sense that Stoned Jesus would also be such a success.
So here we are, nine months after the initial release date, asking ourselves the question if it stood the test of time. My answer is, though I wouldn’t have dusted off these mp3s had it not been for the task The Sludgelord bestowed upon me, that yes, it still rocks. “The Harvest” is undeniably good, hitting the spots just right. There’s power in the slow cuts “BlackChurch” and “Rituals of the Sun,” which puts Stoned Jesus’s fine focus on display. Other cuts like “Youth For Sale” or the aforementioned “Wound” stroke our desire to hear something that’s both heavy and catchy, earning “The Harvest” a spot in one’s record collection. And that’s because they have crossed their t’s and dotted their i’s. Everything from the musicianship, look, and production is in the right place. I’ll always knock the band for their inane name, but “The Harvest” remains a good trip.
