ALBUM REVIEW: Dusteroid - "To Fathom Hell"

By: Bobo Coen

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 30/04/2016

Label: Independent

They serve up a king size slice of skull crushing, heavy Sludge that feels like being hit with a sledgehammer repeatedly. Job extremely well done and then some

"To Fathom Hell” DD//LP track listing:

01. Crack (08:28)
02. To Fathom Hell (12:37)
03. The One (13:58)
04. Underdog Basement Jam (08:10)

The Review:

With so much great music at moment it can be a bit overwhelming knowing where to start when looking for new music. Some bands may slip your attention. Some great records may slip by unnoticed. Every now and then you stumble by sheer luck across a gold nugget. Dusteroid is that band. Hailing from London they have been creating music since 2004. They took a hiatus in 2013 but came back this year not only to play at Desert Fest in Camden but also release second album “To Fathom Hell” which they recorded live in the basement of the Underdog Art Gallery, and what a corker it is! Consisting of four tracks spread over forty-four minutes it delivers on all levels. You want heavy? You got it. You want a raw sound? You got it. You want songs that will stick with you? You got it in spades.

“Crack” opens the album with an abrasive guitar tone by Blaine, before kicking into a doom style vibe. TJ on bass and Sammy on drums lay down a groove that both swings and loosens your teeth. The sparse vocals have a similar attack to Jaz Coleman showing the influence of Killing Joke which is an alternative to the usual cookie monster vocals associated with music this heavy. A breakdown is followed by short vocal and bass interlude with mantra type lyrics. Krautrock repeated music motifs are abundant and just when the claustrophobic weight of groove threatens to crush itself, it opens up into a chorus and takes off like a greyhound out of a trap, albeit a very noisy one before masterfully jumping back into a mid paced stagger. A jangly guitar and delicate bass line sees the song over the finish line.

Next up is the title track “To Fathom Hell” A fat toned Bass line kick starts the song as melodic guitar warms up in the background. When the whole band kicks in it’s a mid-pace stomp following the bass line. A guitar riff with thrash tones is the intro to the main body of the song, which again delivers heavy with a capital H. The vocals have just enough gravel to match the stop start feel. It settles down into a syncopated march but doesn’t compromise the ragged quality of the song. Another mantra style lyric overlays this before the song opens up in to trashy middle section with a Crowbar like feel to. A wah drenched guitar solo and then it speeds up even more, hitting a wall of noise and feedback before a staccato guitar riff summons a landslide of crashing volume that the rhythm section crawls out of almost unscathed to allow a Iommi flavoured solo to birth a son of “Iron Man” stomp and then back into the original groove to wind up the whole affair.

“The One” opens with a long reverbing echo guitar with a trippy space rock flavour. A pulsating bass line and cymbals similar to Pink Floyd trickle up to the surface under this. The tension in this build up expands into a marching riff before another riff moves it along, nicely building all the time. Nice loud ride cymbal work adds an almost Kyuss feel. It drops away to leave a riff playing, again building tension, before kicking back in, to great effect. The forward motion of the song is driven by some excellent drumming. At over the five-minute point with musical power firing on all cylinders’ the voice kicks in. The lost child of Jaz Coleman vocal adds even more tension and dynamics driving the song to even higher peaks. This leads to a chorus that pounds you into submission. The repeating motif rhythm does have elements of drone metal but without the quieter passages. The dam breaks and a short guitar solo escapes before being steamrolled by the forward propulsion of the song. A longer solo abuses the wah pedal to great effect. The longest and heaviest track on album which is really saying something.

The final track is self-explanatory. “Underdog Basement Jam“is the shortest track on the album and does what it says on tin. It fades in with the band playing a laid back psych groove. A discordant solo plays over a driving rhythm with the wah pedal in the forefront. This feels like Earthless, with added occasional chorus. It also conjures up eastern scales and Hawkwind grooves. A staccato guitar and tribal rhythm, break up the song before the chorus comes back around. An extremely quiet (by Dusteroid standards) outro see us to finish line and  it feels like it has left leaving me wanting more.

Overall Dusteroid wear many influences, particularly Killing Joke on their sleeve, but rather than doing an impression they take these and form them into a sound that is theirs alone. Considering this was recorded live in a world where mainstream metal bands use pro-tools as a fix it all, the complexity and dynamics of the songs is extremely impressive. They serve up a king size slice of skull crushing, heavy Sludge that feels like being hit with a sledgehammer repeatedly. Job extremely well done and then some  

“To Fathom Hell” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Testament - "Brotherhood of the Snake"

By: Richard Maw

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 28/10/2016
Label: Nuclear Blast

In simple terms, this is an excellent thrash album which reaches the heights of Testament's classic records. With ten tracks of quality you cannot lose. This is vicious and state of the art. Highly recommended.

“Brotherhood of the Snake” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Brotherhood of the Snake (4:14)

2. The Pale King (4:51)

3. Stronghold (4:00)

4. Seven Seals (5:39)

5. Born In A Rut (4:59)

6. Centuries of Suffering (3:34)

7. Neptune's Spear (5:26)

8. Black Jack (4:22)

9. Canna Business (3:52)

10. The Number Game (4:38)

The Review:

Testament are the band most often mentioned as the band just outside of the Big Four of thrash (I think Overkill is up there as well). Certainly, they are the band that Metallica could have been had they stuck to their roots and guns- if Lars wasn't involved, anyway.

With Gene Hoglan on drums, the musicianship here exceeds anything that Ulrich has even thought about in the last twenty five years. Sure enough, Hoglan blasts off on the title track as Peterson supplies brutal riffage. Testament 2016 is on top form. They have been building up a head of steam for the last decade; “The Formation of Damnation” was a very good record, as was “The Dark Roots of Earth”. This is even better. It is a feast of thrash all the way through. It blows away their tepid early 90's records. It is up there with career high points (the two most recent albums certainly count) such as “The Legacy” and “The Gathering”. Track after track, this is a relentless beating.

It is fantastic to hear that the Bay Area thrash bands that matter have still got it. With Exodus coming off a decade of really solid albums, Testament are also vying for the West Coast crown. To be fair, Death Angel are also on the form of their lives at the moment too. It is a good time to be a thrash fan. Skolnik produces lead pyrotechnics as per, while Chuck Billy remains one of the best thrash vocalists (and certainly the most versatile). “The Pale King” is a stormer, “Stronghold” is a muscular beast, “Seven Seals” sounds absolutely vintage in content and delivery, “Born In a Rut” is catchy and menacing... the album is only half way and already it is a winner.

The latter half of the album is just as vicious- it kicks off with a real banger in “Centuries of Suffering” and does not let up form there. The material here is concise and epic sounding- no mean feat- while the band are playing with some real fire in their bellies. As “Neptune's Spear” and “Black Jack” sprint past, the album is nearly over. It is an engaging listen and an easy album to listen to all the way through, too. “Canna Business” expresses thoughts that many readers will agree with and “The Number Game” is an excellent closer.

In simple terms, this is an excellent thrash album which reaches the heights of Testament's classic records. With ten tracks of quality you cannot lose. This is vicious and state of the art. Highly recommended.

“Brotherhood of the Snake” is available everywhere now

Band info: facebook

FFO: Metallica, Exodus, Death Angel, Overkill

ALBUM REVIEW: Fatso Jetson - "Idle Hands"

By: Victor Van Ommen

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 07/10/2016
Label: Heavy Psych Sounds

Desert Rock debonaires Fatso Jetson fry up riffs and hand out grooves supreme on their sixth album.

“Idle Hands” CD//DD//LP track listing:

track list Vinyl:

A 1 Wire Wheels and Robots
A 2 Portugese Dream
A 3 Royal Family
A 4 The Vincent Letter
A 5 Then and Now
B 1 Last of the Good Times
B 2 Nervous Eater
B 3 48 Hours
B 4 Idle Hands

track list CD:

1 Wire Wheels and Robots
2 Portugese Dream
3 Royal Family
4 Nervous Eater
5 Seroquel
6 Idle Hands
7 Last of the Good Times
8 Then and Now
9 The Vincent Letter
10 48 Hours
11 Dream Homes

The Review:

Desert Rock debonaires Fatso Jetson fry up riffs and hand out grooves supreme on their sixth album. It goes by the name “Idle Hands,” but where the band got this name from is anybody’s guess. It certainly has nothing to do with how Mario and his son Dino twist and turn their way up and down the fret board. Let alone the amazing drum work of the ever present Tony Tornay or how Mario’s cousin, Larry (it’s a family affair), effortlessly handles the four string. If there’s anything to say about this album, it’s that the hands used to craft these songs were anything but idle.

At eleven songs long, the album flirts with the one hour mark. It’s a long sit but it’s one that’s as interesting as it is entertaining. Album opener “Wire, Wheels and Robots” digs its claws in deep with how the guitars spin around each other in chaotic unison. Tornay jumps out of the speakers in “Portugeuse Dreams” until Mario flies off the handle, ranting in his lonesome about hanging out in a cave where he inadvertently ends up summoning demons. He breaks down in such a way that it’s hard not to look. Good thing, too, because at this point we’re only two songs in.

The rest of the album follows suit. At times its temperament is boiling over, at others the songs are inviting you stare out into the serene night sky. There’s a Queens of the Stone Age vibe felt throughout – or do Queens have a Fatso vibe? – but Fatso Jetson own this by staying true to their underground. By doing so, Mario and his family are allowed to drift off into strange tangents without needing to ask themselves the question “will Clear Channel Radio still wanna play this?” Luckily, we here at The Sludgelord don’t give a shit about mainstream radio, either. In fact, we love getting on board with these bizarre statements of artistic freedom that we hold up albums like “Idle Hands” as our freak flag and we let it fly proud.

“Idle Hands” is available here

Band info: facebook || bandcamp

ALBUM REVIEW: Wasted Theory - "Defenders of the Riff"

By: Eric Crowe

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 30/10/2016

Label: No Slip (Vinyl) |

Doomsayer Records (Cassette)

“Defenders of the Riff” CD//CS//DD//LP track listing:

1. Get Loud or Get Fucked

2. Black Witch Blues

3. Atomic Bikiniwax

4. AmpliFIRE!

5. Gospel of Infinity

6. Belly Fulla Whiskey

7. Under The Hoof

8. …And The Devil Makes Three

9. Throttlecock

10. Odyssey Of The Electric Warlock

The Review:

“Defenders of the Riff” is right! Thank God for bands like Wasted Theory that keep straight up rock ‘n roll alive and well. High in the ranks along with Gruzer and The Medusa, this album is some serious hard hitting slab of badass, from the killer artwork by Alexander Von Weiding to the intense drive and catchy hooks. This album is perfectly crafted and completely ups the ante from “Death and Taxes” which was a flawless album in itself. Dirty rock, gritty vocals mixed either with riffs that have tons of drive, or slow chug that even makes you feel like a badass. Drums are fluent, clean, yet powerful as fuck. From beginning to end “Defenders of the Riff” will not disappoint.

These guys have really crafted something great and I know that I have been hooked on it for the past week, so I’m curious to see what will come in the future. This is definitely for fans of Clutch and Nashville Pussy, so get on this album.

 “Defenders of the Riff” is available here

 Band info: bandcamp || facebook

"fuzzy riffs, stomping bass, pounding drums and gutteral wails": Ballymena's Elder Druid present "Magicka"

Elder Druid formed in early 2015 in Ballymena, Northern Ireland. Five lovers of heavy riffs and  molten fuzz came together to add their stamp to the world of stoner rock and doom metal. With  heavy influences from Black Sabbath, Electric Wizard, Kyuss and Sleep, the riffs began to take  shape and all the elements started to fuse.

With two guitarists, Jake Wallace on lead and Mikey Scott on rhythm, a wall of sound is generated  from the slow, rhythmic riffs. The coarse vocals of Gregg McDowell are guttural war cries with  enchanting, occult lyrics to tell the stories of warlocks and wizards. The low end is also ferocious with Dale Hughes providing a deep level of twang which lays the foundations to the riffs, complementing the reserved sense of calm from Brien 'Grizz' Gillen delivering a very soft but heavy canvas to the songs.

In August 2015, Elder Druid released two songs recorded live in the Loft, Belfast. 'Otherworld' and 'The Ides of March' kicked off their song writing process. In late 2015, after a lot more time writing music, Elder Druid recorded a live EP at Attic Studios in Belfast comprising of 3 tracks: 'Sellsword', 'The Warlock' and 'Reigning Hell' and released them as live music videos as well as on Bandcamp. The band chose a live performance to try and capture the raw energy.

After gigging through the summer of 2016 across Northern Ireland, the band went into the studio with Andy Shields (Hornets) and recorded a 5-track EP entitled ‘Magicka’ which caught the attention of Black Bow Records and who subsequently released the EP digitally on 23^rd September and can be streamed in full below.

Delving into the world of magic, wizards, warlocks and the occult, 'Magicka' is packed full of thick, fuzzy riffs, stomping bass, pounding drums and gutteral wails, so be sure to pick up a copy here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

“Because 11 is one louder”: Budgie (Warcrab) chooses his Top 5 Death metal albums

Critically acclaimed doom/death/sludge band Warcrab returned with their new album “Scars of Aeons”, a five track masterpiece that was released on digital formats on October 15th via Black Bow Records.

Warcrab have been making a name for themselves in the UK underground Metal scene since 2011. Hailing from the South West of England, the six piece have played the length and breadth of the country wowing audiences with their carefully crafted blend of Death, Sludge and Doom Metal.
 

The first release, a Self-titled EP, came in late 2012 and was very well received. Showcasing the bands heavy, sledgehammer approach to songwriting. The band began 2014 with a string of dates across the UK with London-based doomsters Diesel King, this provided great exposure for some of their crushing and dynamic new material from their eagerly awaited second EP “Ashes of Carnage”. This was premiered and the EP released when the band played to a huge audience on the New Blood stage at Bloodstock 2014 which was swiftly followed by a UK tour with Brazilian death mongers Krow. This second offering was a step up for the band as they strived to hone their sound and enhance what they had previously written.

In late 2015 the band entered Skyhammer Studios, with Chris Fielding (Conan) at the desk to embark on recording the third release “Scars of Aeons”. 2016 looks to be very promising for Warcrab, so following our exclusive reveal of a brand new track entitled “Conquest”,  a few weeks back, today we have invited guitarist Budgie from the band to choose his top 5 death metal albums, a genre that Warcrab are not strictly known for,  however they certainly do have elements of the sound in their music .  It’s time to turn the volume up to 11, because after all “11 is one louder”

"Hey guys. I’m Budgie from Warcrab and I’ve been asked to provide you all with my top Five Death Metal albums of all time. To be honest this is gonna be tricky for me as I rarely listen to any newer Death Metal and when I do listen to Death Metal it is always albums from when I was a kid ya know? I kinda also don’t do the genres and sub genres thing to well, to me its just all metal except that some is more extreme than others. So my list of my all time fave albums might not all be Death Metal as such."

1) Slayer-“Raining Blood” (1986)

Bought this when it very first came out from Rival Records in Plymouth. We all used to go there on a Saturday to see what was new in and hang out (sadly it closed many years ago). I remember getting it home and putting it on in the front room and my Mum hitting the bloody roof. I also though what the fuck is this!!!! But just to be a pain in the ass I stuck it out to annoy her more than anything......Didn't play it for a few months after that. But that age my musical tastes were changing so quickly that when I had the guts to put it on again.......it never left me again.

2) Bolt Thrower- “Warmaster” (1991)

This is purly because at the time to me it sounded so sonic, with the never too fast chuggy riffs that were never too complicated and that sinister undercurrent of War running through it. Without really meaning to I think this has had a fair influence into Warcrab now. I used to live with an old friend of mine called Sicky, he used to live with Bolt Thrower in Leamington Spa when they were releasing “In Battle there is no Law”. If you look at the cover of it there is a standard being held above the battle with a guy holding a staff. Well Sicky drew that and also painted it on the back of my leather.....it looked cool as fuck.

3) Deicide-“Deicide” (1990)

Bought this home on a Saturday afternoon with my mate John, dropped acid and had a smoke then remembered what we had bought......stuck it on......freaked the fuck out.....turned it off.......listened to it when we were straight. Sounded so fucked up haha. Just an amazing album. Saw them in London around that time and they were staggering.

4) Sabbat-“Dreamweaver” (1989)

Thrashy dark magick entwined with amazing vocals/lyrics from Martin Walkyier and such good musicianship. Used to love the first two albums so so much.

5) Obituary-“Cause of Death” (1990)

When this album came out death metal was just exciting, we were all at that age where we just fell over each other to listen to new stuff that was coming out. Back then the market for extreme metal was nit flooded like it seems to be now. So when something hit it all felt like your eyes and ears had been opened to this new level of brutal sickness.....and i couldn't get enough of it. This album sums up for me the bands that were coming out of Tampa at the time and the guitar sound is just so fucking heavy, the solos are just fluid smooth liquid and John Tardy's vocals!!!!!!! Saw them on this tour and always remember John Tardy windmilling and every time you saw his face he had a massive fucking grin......that is what being in a Metal band is about right there.

 

Warcrab’s new album “Scars of Aeons” is available here

Band info: facebook.  || bandcamp



ALBUM REVIEW: Holy Serpent - "Temples"

By Theron Moore

Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 30/09/2016
Label: Riding Easy Records

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.

“Temples” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Purification By Fire
2. Bury Me Standing
3. Toward The Sands
4. The Black Stone
5. Sativan Harvest

The Review:

The snake is writhing; the storm is brewing from beginning to end with “Temples.” Clocking in at 43:19 seconds, Holy Serpent delivers five songs the way music was meant to sound – heavy, psychedelic, fuzzed out sludge. And the Serpent, on this their second record, have seemingly perfected their sound.  I point this out because it usually takes most bands several records, maybe three or four, to truly dig deep within themselves and pinpoint their musical identity and really work that out on a sonic level.  Holy Serpent managed to do just that right here. 

The band is re-inventing the wheel with this record, they’re making said wheel much more efficient and effective.  Its better parts Cathedral and Sleep, fused together, performed as only Holy Serpent can.  The bass and guitars drive this record.  Heavy wah-wah, down tuned, low end, that dance and play around a wall of distortion, mapping song routes and musical direction for singer Scott Penberthy’s hypnotic, almost dream-like vocals that define and carry each song.  “Temples” isn’t doom or sludge for the sake of such.  The songs are well done, well structured, that speak to you on visceral levels, stimulating cortex and neurotransmitters.  They’re easy to connect with and stay connected with.   

“Purification by Fire” opens the record with a somewhat sinister, ominous vibe, building and prodding along, laying the foundation of what to expect with “Temples.”   Slow, methodical and dirge-like at times, is a great way to describe second song “Toward the Sands,” however, there’s a buried gem at the 6:25 mark with an up tempo Sabbath meets Cathedral boogie-groove type section, which quite frankly, I’d like to have heard more of, but, what a cool way to cap off the end of this song, I really dug it, it fit perfectly. 

“Bury Me Standing,” track three, reminds me a lot of Sleep but changes tempo and goes full on Serpent.  The guitar parts on this song are remarkable, they really guide this track from start to finish.  “Sativan Harvest,” like “Toward the Sands,” hits that melancholy, dirge like vibe again, but harder, slower, allowing Holy Serpent to showcase that sheer wall of sound technique they’ve been developing throughout this record. 

Capping off “Temples” is “The Black Stone,” a dreamy, psychedelic slab of distortion laden goodness that properly ends the record.  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.

“Temples” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

FFO: Sleep, Black Sabbath, Cathedral, Electric Wizard