TOUR NEWS: Desert Storm announce UK Tour dates in August with direct support from Limb

 

It probably doesn’t need to be said but I’ll say it again, Desert Storm are one of our favourite bands currently from the UK, their blend of blues based stoner jams has won them a whole range of fans and admirers within the scene. We originally reviewed their superb debut album “Forked Tongues” back in 2011and every subsequent release thereafter has been louder, heavier and more kick ass than the last, indeed their latest full length “Omniscient” was no different, a must have album. Plain and simple.  No strangers to the road, Desert Storm are set to head out on a 5 date UK tour sponsored by yours truly, in conjunction with Buried In Smoke and Sleeping Eye.  Adding further weight to these impending live rituals, Limb will act as direct support.  

Make no mistake this is a tour not to be missed.  You can catch them on the following dates

Wed 16^th Aug – London, The Black Heart

Thurs 17th Aug – Manchester, Rebellion

Fri 18^th Aug – Glasgow, Nice’N’ Sleazy

Sat 19^th Aug – Leicester, The Firebug

Sun 20^th Aug – Milton Keynes, The Crawford Arms

Limb: Facebook | BandCamp

Desert Storm: Facebook || BandCamp

Live Review: Oxbow, SUMAC @ Brudenell Social Club. 26/04/2017 Leeds, UK

By: Aaron Pickford & Charlie Butler

Few could argue that Aaron Turner has been one of the strongest advocates for the promotion and composition of heavy music over the last 20 years. Musician, artist and founder of the highly regarded Hydra Head Records, Turner has played a pivotal role in the release of countless classic albums, but it seemed that with the demise of the revered band ISIS (band), perhaps Turner’s appetite for producing suffocating heaviness would end too.

Whilst Tuner was far from inactive in music since ISIS (band), Turner would re-emerge on his own terms alongside drummer Nick Yacyshyn with a new project and they set about creating some of the heaviest music they had ever written, indeed over the course of two albums, their debut “The Deal” and 2016’s “What One Becomes” SUMAC's music seamlessly weaves between periods of crushing heaviness, fragile calm, hypnotic repetition and mind-bending mathematical chaos, taking all of their previous achievements as a foundation and building something even bigger in its own right.

SUMAC have indeed found their voice and with their following growing exponentially, they returned to our shores for the second time in 12 months and on April 26^th in Leeds, my appetite to see them was impossible to quantify. 

Now with a career spanning nearly 30 years, it was a view in some quarters that it was somewhat of an injustice that San Francisco exepermentials Oxbow would act as second fiddle to tonight’s headliner, however the band were consummate pros tonight and their talent was clear to see, showcasing their truly unique sound.  Trying to categorise their music, is the equivalent of putting a square peg through a round hole, it’s like musical algebra, but impossible to quantify by way of rationale mind.  For me the commonalities of their music is indicative of Nick Cave esque post punk circa The Birthday Party, songs laden with staccato guitar and flagrant discordant keys, giving the listener a sense of nausea, whilst front man Eugene Robinson in a typically rambunctious manner spits out his laments, stalking the stage like a prowling cat.  Given that Oxbow was entirely new to me, to my ears their music evokes the quirkiness of The Butthole Surfers, whilst not entirely draped in acid, the songs are of kilter , unconventional and the antithesis of anti pop.  This is a band who don’t play by the rulebook indeed their din of exultant noise leaves you queasy green like a 5 years first boat journey.  With a promise to return next time in under ten years, the final track opens with layers of feedback like the swell of an ocean enveloping your senses, guitars , bass, drums coming at you even more cacophonous than what has come before it and their set is over and my anticipation for SUMAC has literally reached fever pitch. 

It is hard to frame concerts without resorting to the clichéd response of “man it was awesome”, in fact the use of a simple adjectives to describe an experience cannot truly encapsulate that experience and yet here I am attempting to do just that, however truth be told, words fail me for what I witnessed with SUMAC.  Given the dense nature of their recorded material, SUMAC brilliantly translated their music from record to the live arena, shimmering between pummeling heaviness, and more free spirited jam movements.  “Blackout”, “Rigid Man”, “Thorn in Lion’s Paw”, “Image of Control” all were aired tonight, at times the music is as subtle as a brick to the face, with the bass at times overriding the guitar, but SUMAC are more than just a vessel of heaviness, live there is a genuine symbiosis between Turner and Yacyshyn, so much so in fact that if you didn’t know the songs, you could be forgiven for thinking they were improvised jams, Turner flipping between dense riffs to master noise manipulator, allowing the feedback to ring out then we’re awash with psychedelic passages, Turner producing a drumstick to tap the strings, Yacyshyn pulling off impossible drum beats and at times giving the impression this is a man built at a cost of six million dollars, given his apparent bionic abilities.  This was not perhaps a gig that everyone would enjoy, yes at times you're banging your head , but live these compositions are more about feel, dynamic shifts, the manipulation of sound and for me it was an absolute pleasure to witness.  It was a lesson in absolute power.  

Band info: Facebook 

LIVE REVIEW: This Feels Like Never Ending: A farewell To Dillinger Escape Plan

By: Philip Weller



“Farewell, fair cruelty.”

William Shakespeare

“It's just kind of known in the music industry that a farewell tour means 'for now.’”

Nikki Sixx

 

The Dillinger Escape Plan are a violent, Molotov Cocktail of aggressively designed soundscapes. From the rhinoceros charge of hardcore to their chaotic and angular mathcore inhibitions, as strobe lights flash and flicker like a warzone in a thunderstorm in Manchester tonight, it is clear that they are leaving behind a lasting legacy. As of July 2017, The Dillinger Escape Plan’s indefinite hiatus is initialised, and one in which uncertainty hovers over it like a vulture circling its prey. With Greg Puciato moving into poppy, electronic territories with former Nine Inch Nails man Joshua Eustis – albeit ones shrouded in a dark ambience – and with Ben Weinman focusing upon his own label, Party Smasher Inc., nobody knows whether this staggeringly unique band will grace us with their presence again. Yet, tonight feels like anything but a funeral.

 

Bodies packed in tight, a sticky sense of anticipation clogging up the air; an intensity ready to burst. Tonight has the feel of a proper gig, tonight is going to be sweaty. Then, as the band burst, exploding like a hand grenade, into ‘Limerent Death’s’ opening grooves, which resemble the sound of metal scraping on concrete, it begins. Only the day before had Swedish tech metal giants Meshuggah laid waste to the city across town at The Ritz. That was catastrophically heavy, leaving you breathless, motionless, their perfectly timed lights show as mesmerising as the abundance of face distorting riffs. But here, while still being heavier than an elephant’s turd, their music has a different effect. As their lightshow does its upmost to blind you, you watch the band’s silhouettes throw themselves across the stage as if battling an itch that will not be scratched, the urge to do likewise surges inside you. This is heavy, but this is fun.

And their songs have so much character to boot. ‘Black Bubblegum’ is anthemic, it sounds fictionally massive and the whole room gets caught in its web. ‘When I Lost My Bet’ is inhumanly tight, with its off-beat, blitzing attack opening up the mosh pit as if it were the mouth of hell. ‘One Of Us Is The Killer’ is heart and gut wrenching in equal measure; haunted and beautiful, like a wolf dressed in Granma’s clothes, it is a pop single with deadly and sinister intentions.

 

Alongside earlier material, like the sheer musical obliteration of ‘Farewell, Mona Lisa’ – and one where Weinman really flaunts his technical guitar wizardry – ‘Sympton of Terminal Illness’, taken from their aptly titled final record ‘Dissociation’, represents their growth is beholden in all its glory. The latter builds on eerie broken guitar chords, infused with occasional thrust of metallic impotence and capped with a searing chorus. The heaviness and the insanity is still there, but the song writing is sharper, smarter and more dynamic. For all the decibel plundering however, there is so much personality which colours and brightens their songs. ‘Milk Lizard’ however, will always be the true party smasher.

 

Having seen Puciato in The Black Queen, a band where he can really explore the depth and quality of his singing abilities, to see him here in a more rabid setting is a delight. It is credence too, to a special talent.

 

‘Mouth Of Ghosts’ is one of the most incredibly surreal and hypnotising songs to witness in the flesh. That galloping beat, which waltzes with a gorgeous, emotionally distraught piano line brings a kaleidoscope of images to your head. From vast open plains to the red deserts of Cydonia, it is the kind of song which stirs the soul and heightens inner contemplation. It introduces an encore cut unfortunately short. Halfway through ‘Sunshine Werewolf’ they cut the music and raise the lights. Someone in the crowd is having a seizure. Puciato encourages the crowd to give the individual room and calls for medical attention. The atmosphere in the room changes, a real concern blankets us all. It dampens the spirit and indeed the power of the band’s farewell to a city that has supported them for a long time.  But it also accentuates the band’s humility. They sound like animals, play like animals, but have hearts that betray that visage: A heart that will be sorely missed when it stops beating this July.

 

COMPETITION: Win a bunch of Raging Speedhorn swag

Following a recording absence of 9 years, much heralded Corby hate machine Raging Sppedhorn roared back into action with one of the finest comeback albums of recent memory, with the release of “Lost Ritual”.

What we found was a more measured beast. Gone were almost all of the out of control frenetic changes and overall delivery, and what we have instead is a band still capable of viciousness and aural violence, but approaching their craft in a more measured manner.  As Comebacks go “Lost Ritual” was great and the band has lost none of their power, releasing an album of uniformly good quality. Raging Speedhorn produced an album well worthy of your time and a perfect antidote for these troubling times.

So if that write up hasn’t garnered your attention, perhaps this will.  We’d like to offer two lucky winners the chance to win two pairs of tickets for the upcoming Skindred/Speedhorn show in Holmfirth, two pairs of Raging Speedhorn shirts and two pairs of their new album "Lost Ritual"

All you have to do is answer the following question?

Q. John from Speedhorn joined another band during his time with the band. What was the name of the band?

All you have to do is email your name and answer for the attention of Tom here.  The closing date for answers is 2^nd Feb and prizes will be allocated on a first come first served basis. 

 

LIVE REVIEW: Vektor @ The Star & Garter, Manchester, England. 17th August 2016

By: Phil Weller

 

With much of 2015 spent cooped up in writing sessions and locked behind studio doors, Arizona thrash troupe Vektor were always going to spread their wings in 2016, and with an army of blisteringly progressive and technical, gilt-edged songs now adorning their arsenal, it is no surprise they chose to smash through ‘Terminal Redux’ in its entirety during this mini UK tour. And what an album it is. Sprinkled with some form of pixie dust, or perhaps bolstered by main man David DiSanto bargaining away his soul in some form of Robert Johnson type deal with the devil, however they have crafted this album, it has thrust them into the heart of extreme metal’s war cabinet.

 

From shrill vocal shrieks to cannoning drum work and lusciously defined twin guitar attacks, here is a record that has a sickening amount of tricks up its sleeve. As, one by one, they give each trick– such as the sombre openings of ‘Cygnus Terminal’, which morphs into a stomping beast of a song to the dextrous, tapped guitar playing of its successor ‘LCD (Liquid Crystal Disease)’ – they always remain engaging and entertaining. While many modern thrash bands have the tendency to fall into a clichéd formulaic reiteration of the 80s classics, Vektor prove to be much more than just a thrash band and here they parade their rich, coloured plumage before a sweat box of a room.

 

The dingy old pub of The Star & Garter, which nestles just a stone’s throw away from Piccadilly Train Station’s bustling taxi rank, is the most fitting place for music as nasty and visceral as this to mark its territory tonight. As the sky – barely visible through a grubby window at the back of the stage – slowly darkens, and as the block of flats whose figure cuts a striking silhouette upon it slowly becomes illuminated, the temperature becomes increasingly stifling. You sweat, you swig your beers quicker and you cheer even louder. The bludgeoning mess that is playing out before you, even with the PA sometimes struggling to handle the sheer attack of it all, is reciprocated in a packed-together crowd; one detailed by battle jackets and bobbing heads.

 

Though, as boisterous as this music is, it is always tactful in its chaotic expulsion. The whiplash pace of ‘Ultimate Artificer’, one of the more out-and-out thrash numbers, is well received alongside ‘Pillars of Sand’, a more epic sprawling song mercilessly pocked with musical plot-twists and side stories. Extreme their music may be, but thoughtless it is not.

 

Tonight the band seems in complete sync with each other. As they bombard their instruments they do so smiling, performing with a harmonious pleasure which truly crowns their set. They make the 73 minutes of the album’s lifespan seem much less – though dense with character and awe-inspiring moments – and that is testament to both their song writing and performing abilities.



Edit this setlist | More Vektor setlists

Live Review: With The Dead + Beastmaker @ The Deaf Institute, Manchester, UK, 10th April 2016

By: Phil Weller

Photography by Jack Kirwin

With reverberations of With The Dead’s cacophonous debut album still shaking the United Kingdom, Lee Dorrian and company marked their first ever appearance on a sedate Sunday evening in Manchester.

There was a tranquil feel to the evening, outside cars rolled down the city’s usually frantic Oxford Road seemingly slower than usual, everything was calm and quiet.

Inside The Deaf Institute meanwhile, as the birds that characterise the unique wallpaper that backs the stage watch on – yes, wallpaper at a live music venue – with a flick of a switch and a bolt of lightning, this beast became alive and primal. They punctured the room with an enshrouding darkness born from guitarist Tim Bagsahw’s simply massive tone. Forget about the whale that swallowed Jonah, that rapturous sound could swallow the whale.

Joining them for this illustrious occasion, warming up the anxious and eager crowd ahead of the grand unveiling were Californians Beastmaker. Underpinned by chunky grooves that swing and snake like Black Sabbath at an occult sacrifice, the band, in a short space of time, backed the ever-rising hype that surrounds them with a status affirming performance. Bright young things they are, dark, infectious and venomous their sound conflictingly is.

What was strange, but pleasing in equal measure, was how understated With The Dead’s maiden gig was. Absent was the need to ram themselves down your throats or put the egos on a pedestal above the audience. Instead, they kept their heads down and let their droning, apocalyptic lurch lead the foray.

 

‘I Am Virus’ was populated with the most evil phaser guitar setting I’ve ever heard, bewitching that already impenetrable tone yet more, while Dorrian’s Ozzy Osbourne like demeanour barked through the song’s viscous lyrics.

The set as a whole though, was extremely raw. Indeed, that phaser was the only effect utilised throughout the evening, which gave their sound a distinctive primal edge. In a smoky room with blood red lights soaking the walls, songs like ‘The Cross’, full of angst, dread and despair, unveiled their emphatically miserably macabre.

Bagshaw’s Iommi inspired riffs voyaged beyond the normal realms, expanding further and gaining a puppeteer like control over the room as he did.

But before you knew it Dorrian walked off the stage, shortly followed by his bandmates – Bagshaw and new members Leo Smee (bass) and Alex Thomas (drums) – leaving only feedback in their wake.

Out there for only an hour, they played what they had to and left. Short and sour, it was all that were needed. No gimmicks, no holds barred, it was simple and it was savage. 

Live Review: Pentagram / The Order of Israel & Mower @ Sound Control, Manchester, 15/11/2015

By: Phil Weller 

 “Bear in mind that there’s a scene now,” Cathedral vocalist and Rise Above Records founder Lee Dorrian recently mused to me, reflecting on his band’s humble beginnings. “When Cathedral started there was Candlemass – and Trouble if you looked deeper – but there was only a handful of people around the world that actually listened to this type of music. Now it’s a recognised thing and it has a whole scene around it. It’s a genre in its own right with about 40 different sub genres, it’s a lot more recognised than it was.”

Indeed, if it weren’t for Pentagram, the case for argument that doom wouldn’t even be a thing at all is as strong as an ox on steroids. The fact that The Sludgelord itself exists is credence to Dorrian’s comments on the movement’s expansion, on the fact it is now exactly that, a movement. Yet, I’m in two minds whether Pentagram’s headline show in Manchester tonight, in support of their eighth album, ‘Curious Volume’, should have happened.

Put bluntly, Bobby Liebling, a legend though he may be, ain’t no spring chicken anymore. He’s old, haggard, frail and looking more like Golem than an untouchable Rock God. He heavily relies on his microphone stand to keep him upright, his knees always seeming on the verge of buckling. He tries to dance seductively – but a 61 year old’s hairy nipple protruding from a half buttoned up gold shirt is not want I want to see. Ever. Mid-set someone in the audience yells the million dollar question of “how are you still alive?” Everyone laughs, I do too, but I laugh with an air of discomfort. How is he still alive? I spent the set terrified he’d keel over and die at any moment, it was painful.

On the other hand however, you have to admire his balls – but not see them, good god no! At least he didn’t go that far. He could be at home with his feet up having a nice cup of cocoa by the fire and reading Oprah’s book of the week. But no, he’s still at it, making new music with his cohorts and getting out across the world letting people hear it live and in the flesh. As for the dancing and sickening eroticism, my friend strikes upon a point: “That’s what it would have been like seeing them in the 80s.” So yeah, they may not be particularly aging gracefully, but this is authentic Pentagram and it is definitely an honour to witness such a vital band strut their stuff.

Musically they are reasonably strong. It’s nothing mind blowing, but Victor Griffin has some impressive riffs and lead work in his arsenal. Back in the band as part of his continuous yo-yoing in and out of the quartet, he’s the real torchbearer tonight, giving the band some fire and sharpness. The explosions of opener ‘Death Row,’ met with huge cheers, are impressive. But it’s more the weight of their import and gravitas than the performance itself that makes it – you know that once upon a time this was a band capable of giving much, much more.

Elsewhere, described by that same friend as “Misfits with perms” Sweden’s The Order of Israel, one of two support acts, had helped make the night a little more memorable. Blending NWOBHM jaunts, classic rock sensibilities (so many harmonies) and a doom rock gloom, tying it all up in a bow that is resolutely Scandinavian, there is plenty to get into here. Imagine the lovechild of Ozzy Osbourne and Mikael Akerfeldt fronting a band that manages to bring to mind Danzig, Judas Priest and Pentagram themselves across the same song. Those harmonies are an integral bedrock to their sound and it adds a gracefulness that flirts with the darker, doomier aesthetics of the band. It’s hard to decipher whether what they do has an element of cheese or charm to it, but regardless they produce an enjoyable set with plenty of energy and moments which has the crowd nodding in appreciation.  

Yet, the show is stolen, in one hell of a smash and grab, by the local support. Manchester’s Mower is simply incredible. Still seeing themselves as the “new boys” on the scene – especially in a city already rife with doomy goodness – you could forgive them for being nervous. They’re supporting their idols and, with no recorded music out there yet, are still proving themselves to the masses. Under the dim spotlights of Sound Control however, they don’t just grab the bull by the horns but they kill, gut and eat the fucker too.

A three piece consisting of a guitarist, vocalist and drummer, listening to them, you couldn’t even imagine there being a bassist. The guitar tone manages to perform something of a miracle in creating enough low end to fill the void that a bassist would otherwise – and simultaneously cure any constipation suffers  in the room – while maintaining a pinpoint clarity that bolster’s the presence and intricacies of his riffs.

JJ is a hilarious frontman, slapping his slightly obtuse (beer) belly and acting like a bit of a nutter all round. His growls are gigantean and fierce though, a really prestigious forcefulness to them that swallow you whole. Visually they are just as compelling for it.

The youngest and hungriest band on the bill, they give it everything they have and more. The passion and heart they play with is clear to see. So many of the local scene is here to support them too. Getting John Nicholson of Pist to leave the pub for half 7 is an achievement in itself, but in all it shows the admiration people have for them already.

Pentagram may be fading out with age, but without them there wouldn’t be youthful and devastatingly entertaining bands like Mower in existence. It’s time to pass the torch, but thanks to the Virginian hell bringers, they’re spoilt for choice for whom to pass it to.



Live Review: Winterfylleth @ The Key Club, Leeds, UK. 19th September 2015

By: Richard Maw

The Review:

Having seen Winterfylleth once before (at the Black Heart in London whilst living down South), I had a fair idea of what to expect. My wife, having not been to any black metal show before had less of an idea, but as I said to her: “Well, black metal shows are just... different.” On getting to the venue (a basement club at the side of the horrific Merrion Centre in Leeds City Centre) I spotted two likely black metal candidates outside. I was just in time to hear this gem of knowledge from one bearded denizen of the black metal scene: “Black metal is NOT rock 'n' roll! Black metal IS BLACK METAL!” He was right, of course, but I cannot explain his statement any further than that.

Having arrived slightly late (huge apologies to the support acts Ninkharsag and Voices- we had been out of town all day and barely made it back to Leeds in time) we had managed to miss the first track or so, but on entry soon settled into a sweeping set of landscape and nature inspired black metal with slow moving melancholic melodies to go with the rolling blasts and more aggressive elements of the genre's sounds. Being as the tour is in support of the quartet's latest opus “The Divination of Antiquity” some of the album's diamond's were showcased- “Whisper of the Elements” being a stand out. The rest of the set matched old and new well with “The Swart Raven” making a welcome appearance. Things really peaked for me with the closing coupling of “Mam Tor (The Shivering Mountain)” and “Defending The Realm” bringing shivers down my spine. Hugely evocative of the landscapes and people they eulogise, this was black metal at its live best. The band played tight and benefitted from a good live mix. Their “everyman” image belies the grandeur of their music. For me, the best black metal band in Britain.

Queuing up for a vinyl copy of the aforementioned “The Divination...” at the merch stand, it was only when I reached the front of the queue that I realised I did not have enough cash on me. Defeated, but exhilarated, I left the venue empty handed, but with my spirits lifted. Live music at its most distinct and best. 

Live Review: The Sword / Hang The Bastard @ Manchester Academy 3, UK. 16/09/2015

By: Dominic Walsh

The Review:

Just into their second decade as a band, The Sword are currently touring in support of their superb new album; ‘High Country’. Hailing from Austin, Texas, The Sword have a stellar back catalogue behind them.

Prior to The Sword hitting the stage, Hang The Bastard provided support. The London based band ripped through a red hot thirty minute set to a gathering crowd with their collective heads banging in unison. Their sludge driven riffs spliced with largely black metal vocals gradually got more and more heads nodding and banging. The between tracks raft of feedback meant that cried appreciation was largely saved for the end.

The PA tracks that sound tracked the void between the bands ranged from Sly and The Family Stone, to The Band, to Boston. This more chilled out mood that the backing music brought fits in line with The Sword's latest opus. ‘High Country’ feels a little less heavy than some of the bands previous efforts, however this didn't show in the crushing performance The Sword bestowed on Manchester. The Academy 3 is a great venue to see bands. It's small, compact, and the sound is pretty decent in my opinion. All these factors worked in The Sword’s favour.

Taking the stage to a strange mix of Glenn Frey's ‘The Heat Is On’, and ‘Unicorn Farm’ from ‘High Country,’ the band tore through a couple of early crowd pleasers in the form of 'Tres Brujas' and 'Cloak of Feathers.'  Newer tracks, of which there were plenty throughout the set (and rightly so!), sat well with the bands older and frankly harder material. 'The Dreamthieves' bluesy 'Free' feel sums up where The Sword are as a band in 2015. The classic hard rock feel with bags of swagger and groove that hark back to the 70's when Kossoff, Lynott and Bonham inhabited our planet. 'Early Snow' and 'Mist & Shadow' also showcase the kind of blues/hard rock that The Sword are masters of.

If some of the newer material is unfamiliar to the masses, ‘Freya’ is a stonewall classic. All of their trademarks adorn every second of the track and the crowd popped for this quite superb slab of heavy rock. Another classic in the form of 'Maiden, Mother & Crone' also had the crowd lapping up every razor sharp riff and crashing beat.  ‘Dying Earth’, from 2012's ‘Apocryphon’, closed out the main set with some tremendous twin/duelling guitar work. The crash and combustable combination of the riff and drums on ‘Dying Earth’ is immensely powerful on record; the live version just compounds this. Simply stunning.

As the band exited the stage to an exultant crowd, it was clear the band and the crowd were not done. A loud audience during the encore break led to the band returning for a two song encore consisting of new instrumental, ‘Suffer No Fools’, before an almighty rendition of 'Arrows in the Dark' from 2010's ‘Warp Riders’.

As mutual appreciation via the raising of glasses ended the night, The Sword proved once again that they are a stellar band who are going to be around for a long time, especially with how the band have, and continue to evolve their sound.

Live Review: Eyehategod, Siege Mentality, Nomad @ Sound Control, Manchester (UK) 26 June 2015

A cornerstone for so much music that found solace, inspiration and genius in the sludge infested grumblings of their music, EyeHateGod arrive in Manchester to something of a hero’s welcome. The weightiness of tonight’s event has only been intensified with the news that local boys Nomad would be opening the show. It’s a once in a lifetime chance to share the stage with their idols, one of a plethora of local bands here tonight who would have loved the very same slot, such is the love this city has for the New Orleans noisemakers. From Ten Foot Wizard to Arke, Pist and beyond, so many local bands are here tonight, a family atmosphere beckoning within Sound Control’s sweaty confines.

Outside before the show, Manchester’s ‘rock quarter’ was overflowing with familiar faces, the entire metal community out in force it seemed. They soon filter inside however to witness a momentous moment for Nomad. The hypnotic, almost meditative slow and sludgy doom of Nomad is lapped up lovingly, the guitar and bass tones treacle-thick, although that muddiness doesn't always translate the riffs onto stage too well, a distinct air of clarity often lacking. But longer, more explorative numbers like the set-closer ‘Corpse Dragger’ pull me into a dark, contemplative state of mind in which I dwell with a smile.  It's been eight months since their last Manchester show and so plenty of people have turned out to welcome them back onto home turf; the energy and receptiveness of the crowd and the band's tightness and all round powerful professionalism effervescent. 

Atop those sludgy tones and Hayley McIntyre's plodding yet pounding drum work is a vocal style that is rasping and harsh, sounding more akin to terribly produced, tinny black metal albums in a way. But it works and it's given them a real sense of defining character. The musicianship isn't technical, but it's alluring and it captures you. A band I've seen plenty of times now, they always deliver with a cocky swagger, vocalist Nash very much the Phil Anselmo lovable dick style leader of the pack. It's a faultless set, that aforementioned set closer particularly brutal and memorable.

Siege Mentality is a surprise package for this bill. Now I love variety and I wholeheartedly promote the avoidance of linearity of bills - why not throw a fast and punk driven heavy arse band onto a line up which resolutely follows the whole 'tune low, play slow' methodology?, it's fun. But tonight it doesn't land on my ear drums all too comfortably. Between songs there is no crowd interaction, just quiet and awkward pauses; their wildcard aesthetics not quite gelling with the majority of the crowd. They do no work in giving off a sense of their personality, of who the people behind the music are to win us over either. There are some whose heads rage about in a whirl of hair and excitement, trying their damnedest not to spill overpriced beer from their plastic cups. There are some who enjoy it, who really dig it, but the bigger picture doesn't particularly look fantastic for a band bellowing at a slightly leftfield demographic as far as their musical philosophy is concerned.

So here I stand, chants of "EyeHateGod" reverberating around the room, fists pumping in unison. Here I stand surrounded by happiness, by people having a ball and a biscuit seeing a much admired band make light work of a crushing show.  The band is on fine form, those chunky riffs harmonised and sounding so organically powerful, so truthful. This is an act that makes the noise that makes sense to them, the musical channelling of their souls.

  

While EyeHateGod play with passion and a complete and utter lack of quarter, the circle pit opens and the crowd get lost in the jams of ‘30$ Bag’ and ‘Dixie Whiskey,’ both messier than a 14 year old’s bedroom and in the best possible way. I hear the band, I hear how tight they are and I can see they're going down a storm - like heroin in rehab - there's a real sense of occasion in the air tonight. What’s truly amazing is that, live, in the flesh, these songs don’t just sound like merciless metallic slabs to get down and lose your shit too. They sound heavy through their importance and individualism too. If you were to speak to everyone here in the crowd, they’ll be able to tell you a personal story, or about a good memory in which these guttural tones, like during a brilliant ‘Take As Needed For Pain’ have played a key role. It’s mystifying. 

It was a killer night; three bands giving it their all, with the headline act oozing class and a polished, professional brilliance.

Long live EyeHateGod.

Words: Phil Weller

The Sludgelord News - Mother Corona / Welcome the Howling Tones / Welcome Back Delta - UK Tour

UK Dates

21st, The Anvil : Bournemouth
22nd, Mother's Ruin : Bristol
23rd, Bannermans : Edinburgh
24th, Bad Apples : Leeds
25th, 2 Pigs : Cheltenham

3 band's that are dedicated to the Whiskey and Ale soaked uplifting and energetic sound's of stoner/doom rock and metal.

All 3 band's give a serious wink and a nod to 70s classic rock and late 70s punk, mixing in the best parts of 90s-00s rock/metal/punk, thus bringing these 3 shit-kicking alco-fueled UK bands right up to present date! Bring your hit flask, cause this one is going to get messy!

Mother Corona

Originaly formed as Nable in 2006, but after a few small recordings and line up changes the band changed its name to MOTHER CORONA in 2008.Formed by friends David Oglesby and Lee Cressey in the small Oxfordshire town of Didcot. The bands music is "a melting pot of Heavy- Distorded- Sludged out raw Grooves, Melodic Psychedelia and Spaced out Landscapes". They were joined by bass player Robert Glen that following summer.The band released its self titled debut EP on there own Button Mushroom label in the summer of 2010 to positive reviews from local rock press. Devolution mag said that "mother corona are one of those secret bands that everyone love's, well know this dirty little secret is out! While Heavy planet said "With sleazy grinding basslines, a fuzzy guitar tone and chunky rhythms, UK band Mother Corona have created an impeccable slice of psychedelic stoner rock madness!

The band started to gig locally and make themselves a name on the local underground rock scene sharing stages with bands like Desert Storm, K-lacura, Undersmile, and many other local names.

In 2011 the band continued to gig up and around the country, and in may 2011 started recording there debut album out of the dust.Out of the dust was released in april 2012 on the bands oun button mushroom print, This release showcased the bands roots in heavy- spaced out- garage rock n' roll, from the rollocking hook laden Hedonist king to the deep longing of quaalude 74' right through to the landscapian wastelands of nuclear winter.

The rockzine The Sleeping Shaman said "It’s fantastic to hear a solid British 3-piece smashing one out of the park on their debut release" while Sludgelord poured "Mother Corona have an exciting career ahead of them. This album proves why they can be one of the UK’s Leading Lights UK Metal for many years to come"

In 2014 Mother Corona released their 3rd effort "Reburn" on the When Planets Collide label, this was a "Heavy Duty" 15 track album filled with "Sludge Anthems" from the short but pummeling "Black Acid Morning" the paranoid twist of "Vertigo Terror" right through to the Utopian blast of "Stone Cold Universe" and the sweet mantra chant of "lily Mae"- Sludgelord boated that “Reburn” is a colossal album that sprawls and jams for nearly eighty minutes"

While Terrorizer said..."Oxford power trio Mother Corona's Orange Goblin - style riffs and nasally Billy Corgan - esque vocals work well, the grooves roll hard and the wah-wah solos smoke"

For More Information

https://www.facebook.com/mothercorona?fref=ts
https://mothercorona.bandcamp.com/

Welcome The Howling Tones

Friends since short trousers and playing in bands almost as long these four band whores have accumulated a lot of experience going from the DIY scene to professional musician and back.

Formed in 2012 with the desire to play honest rock with classic tone, deep rooted blues, the weight of metal, the attack of hardcore, and a solid groove that can't be ignored. We're happy to say we found our sound.

Gigged with Godsized, The Jamie Lenman Band, Nick Oliveri, The Icarus Line, Breed77, and many more.

For More Information

https://www.facebook.com/WelcometheHowlingTones?fref=ts
https://welcomebackdelta.bandcamp.com/

Welcome Back Delta

The 8-legged rock machine from Cheltenham would have you listen to their tales and share a drink with them.Reel in terror at the outrageous tale of a man being hit by a car! Gasp in horror, at alligators that will stop at nothing to bite your hand off! Tremble in fear of a man too in love with his guitar! Tall tales, or factually accurate retellings of events from the past? We can only postulate. But one thing's for sure, there are many more tales to be heard.

For More Information

https://www.facebook.com/WelcomeBackDelta?fref=ts

Live Review: Arke Supporting Torche @ Sound Control, Manchester (UK) 29th May 2015



The North of England may be a bit shit, rain may constantly mope down from a concrete grey skyline, it’s not as affluent as the nation’s capital and it’s far removed from the sun baked deserts where stoner rock once crawled out from in a haze of marijuana and mescaline. The North of England may be a bit shit, but I’m a proud Mancunian and this is a city which is full of surprises that further distil within me that innate patriotism. Arke are one of those surprises. Their music was born here, under a raincloud in their Ancoats rehearsal room and elsewhere, yet it sounds so authentic, the grease smeared grooves and rhythmic grit that are their foundation embodying everything we’ve come to know and love from the Stoner Rock Movement. More so however, they colour those sounds with their own character and moodiness – sludgy auras more befitting of our overcast weather – and you just can’t argue with the results.

It’s a tough early set that they play here tonight, yet thankfully a decent enough crowd has made the effort to witness their noise mongering. Take that as testament as to what this band has achieved thus far. So as far as support acts go then, their muscular song writing and fatter-than-a-sumo-on-cheat-day phonetics are both a perfect match for Torche’s own signature sound as well as oozing enough of its own individuality to give predictability a kick up the arse.

At times they swim downstream, ‘Katastrophe’ sharing a kindred, slow stomping groove as some of tonight’s headliners more expansive work. ‘Pandora’ wades through a slow-paced, discordant rancour, the lyrics almost storytelling and they guide you towards a series of enrapturing and eccentric crescendos.

The true magic happens though, when they make a U-turn and head upstream, ‘Fassbender’ – getting only its second airing – merges fast, sharp song writing which orbits around a strong gravitational melody before veering off course into a prog-infused doom outro. Indeed, Arke may have an inherent understanding of what makes a good stoner rock song tick, but they bastardise that blueprint with lashes of other musical styles. From Taz Dirania’s superb Neil Fallon-esque holler to Rob Sutcliffe’s anus tickling six string bass work which accounts for much of those excellent progressive left turns, their resulting sound is a collage of different inspirations. As ramshackle as that may sound however, this amalgamation of styles comes out sounding tidier than a nun’s fanny.  

They draw from the booming riffs of Sabbath, the wackiness of Melvins, the thick bluesy sludge of New Orleans and more. They’re fantastic musicians and they sure as hell know how to make you move.      

Words: Phil Weller

For more information:

Listen: https://arkeuk.bandcamp.com/
Like: https://www.facebook.com/arkemusic?__mref=message_bubble