ALBUM REVIEW: Immortal, "Northen Chaos Gods"

By: Daniel Jackson

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 6/7/2018

Label: Nuclear Blast

Fans of each era of Immortal will find something that speaks directly to them, and as a beginning for a new era in Immortal’s career, it’s an obviously strong one.

‘Northern Chaos Gods’ CD//CS//LP//DD track listing:

1. Northern Chaos Gods

2. Into Battle Ride

3. Gates to Blashyrkh

4. Grim and Dark

5. Called to Ice

6. Where Mountains Rise

7. Blacker of Worlds

8. Mighty Ravendark

The Review:

The story surrounding ‘Northern Chaos Gods’, Immortal’s first new album in nearly nine years, is all about what transpired during their long hiatus, and the absence of their longtime and charismatic front man Abbath. It’s a difficult thing, trying to move out from under the shadow of someone whose personality and voice were so intrinsically linked with the band’s very existence. On social media, the announcement of this album was plagued by comments from long time fans deriding the very thought of Immortal continuing without Abbath. It felt like an impossibility to them, like trying to imagine Motörhead without Lemmy.

Heavy metal history is brimming with stories of bands trying to continue on without legendary vocalists: Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and so on. And we know that those stories rarely end with the band continuing to succeed at a similar level once that change is made. But there are exceptions to that rule. The most prominent example of this, at least from an extreme metal perspective, is probably Cannibal Corpse. Corpsegrinder has proven to be a more dynamic vocalist and an equally, if not more engaging live performer. It’s hard to find the basis for an argument that the band’s popularity has suffered without Chris Barnes, as you won’t find any evidence supporting that idea based on comparing sales for last year’s Six Feet Under and Cannibal Corpse albums.

Making predictions for something like this is never easy, but the Cannibal Corpse analogy may hold water still, even though they and Immortal represent different subgenres. Cannibal Corpse’s first post-Barnes album was ‘Vile’ in 1996, an album that was met with mixed reviews from fans. And while it’s pretty likely that ‘Northern Chaos Gods’ will fare somewhat better in its reception, there are some issues with the album that deserve consideration.

The main concern I have with ‘Northern Chaos Gods’ is what I’ll call “going to the same well too many times” with certain compositional choices. In specific, it’s using very similar-sounding triplet-based clean guitar parts in several songs throughout the album. They first appear early on in the song “Gates of Blashyrkh” and show up again and again as the album goes on. Directly related to this is Demonaz’ continued love affair with viking-era Bathory, which in and of itself isn’t a bad thing. But the way that slower, epic sound manifests itself here causes the album to lag somewhat as we get late into the album. By the time “Mighty Ravendark” ends, we’ll have heard the “clean triplet guitar interlude into epic Bathory” device in three separate songs. For those who remember Demonaz’ solo album ‘March of The Norse’, you’ll remember that nearly every song on that album featured the same central rhythm. The man gets a specific musical idea in his mind and isn’t afraid to invest huge chunks of an album to that one idea, exploring it from every possible angle over an album’s duration. The repetition isn’t as difficult to sit through here, but it definitely warrants discussion.

Where ‘Northern Chaos Gods’ shines brightest is when it’s going full speed ahead. The lead single and title track was absolutely the right choice to showcase up front, with its callbacks to the pitch black frenetic energy of ‘Battles in the North’. ‘Into Battle Ride’ is another blast fest, sticking out in particular because it’s the only song on the album in which large sections of it are in straightforward 4/4 time, with the triplet rhythms waiting nearly a full minute before coming into play. “Grim And Dark” is a great combination of the two central styles of the album, with blast beats giving those giant chord progressions some extra energy via Horgh’s blistering speed.

‘Northern Chaos Gods’ is largely a great album. I’ve spent a large section of this review pointing out the album’s faults and hammering Demonaz for dwelling on a certain compositional style, and that’s because I think that’s a valid criticism of what he’s shown us as a composer between his solo album and now this album. But even keeping that criticism in mind, this is still a better album than Abbath’s solo album, which hasn’t held up especially well as time has gone by. Abbath’s album definitely holds the advantage in variety, but ‘Northern Chaos Gods’ is better as a fully realized listening experience. Fans of each era of Immortal will find something that speaks directly to them, and as a beginning for a new era in Immortal’s career, it’s an obviously strong one.

“Northern Chaos Gods” is available digitally here and on CD/CS/LP here. 

Band info: Facebook

REVIEW: Acid Priest, "Drop Out" [EP]

By: Mark Ambrose

Album Type: EP

Date Released: 05/06/2018

Label: Independent

Like the best psychedelic art they explore the bizarre, the beautiful, the sinister and the sensual all at once and leave your mind reeling.  Strap in, drop out, and follow the Acid Priest to stoner salvation.

“Drop Out” DD track listing

1. Initiation

2. WarWagon

3. The King Tide

4. Let Go

5. EYEZZ

The Review:

My media libraries seem to be inundated with odes to psychedelic explorations – the complete Zap Comix line my shelves next to the midnight movies of Alejandro Jodorowsky abutting mind melting genre writers and the discographies of prolific drug takers too numerous to mention.  But I have to admit up front that for all my rhapsodizing about stoner riffs and psychedelic freakouts, and a less than saintly life in 33 years, I’ve never taken the plunge into LSD.  I’m cripplingly neurotic on my best days and convinced I’ll step into a nightmare vision out of a Beksinski painting the moment I drop acid.  But after listening to the warped, fuzzy, oddly beautiful tunes on “Drop Out”, the church of the Acid Priest may find new lysergic converts.

It’s all about the riffs for these punky metal rockers.  There’s a warm current of Thin Lizzy running through all five tracks of their debut EP, but intro track “Initiation” is like a harmonic blast of golden 70s hard rock.  Guitarist Zakk Mild’s riff is so finely crafted, in fact, that it feels a bit wasted on an intro.  No matter, since there are stellar riffs to spare in the four remaining bangers.  “WarWagon” hinges on a gallop that recalls the early days of NWOHBM – when it still retained a strong crossover appeal to punkers and heshers alike.  Bassist and lead vocalist Spliff Burton doesn’t reinvent the wheel of classic metal bass playing – he lays it out solid and thick, with few frills.  His unique cadence as a vocalist is really something – belting out some snarling lines on this one and sliding into a gothy croon on “Let Go” and “EYEZZ” that feels like some desert rock cranked to 11.  The doomy, stoner outro of “WarWagon” manages to pull of pyrotechnic shreds and ignorant riffs – not an easy feat for seasoned veterans, let alone guys cranking out a debut.  The “King Tide” is steeped in Cali hardcore but way more headbanging than half that shit could aspire to.  Loaded with hooks and equipped with a memorable, shouted chorus, it’s no wonder that this was the band’s first single.

“Let Go” shifts gears from sheer aggression to weirder, sinister tones.  Between Burton’s smoothed out vocals and the reverb-laden guitar lines of the verses make recalls the golden era of stoner metal.  The shuffling rhythms here are key; Steve Kunzel’s drumming is jazzy punked out metal precision that would make Bill Ward proud, and make plenty of modern metal drummers blush from embarrassment at their own double kick monotony.  When the mellow sheen drops, the chaos lurks beneath, and it’s largely because of this percussive dynamic.  The eerie, spacey ending, complete with spoken word poetry, makes it a memorable and oddly affecting track.  The closer “EYEZZ” is another total left field freakout.  Layered with sinister organ playing, monastic chanting, and gothy whispers, I found myself recalling the bizarre Euro-metal outliers of 80s metal, especially Italian creep-doomsters Black Hole, before a hardcore break, followed by some evil prog like the bastard spawn of Deep Purple and “Red” era King Crimson.

If the genre shifts, tempo changeups, and mashup of clean and shouted vocals sound overwhelming… well that’s because it is!  But in a remarkably cohesive, rocking way.  There’s no gimmick at the heart of this trio, just strait up headbanging rock indebted to the classics while not playing the boring game of nostalgia-fueled pastiche.  Like the best psychedelic art they explore the bizarre, the beautiful, the sinister and the sensual all at once and leave your mind reeling.  Strap in, drop out, and follow the Acid Priest to stoner salvation.

“Drop Out” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Astrosoniq, "Big Ideas Dare Imagination"

By: Victor Van Ommen

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 02/06/2018

Label: Van Records

“Big Ideas Dare Imagination” DD//LP track listing:

1). King

2). The Great Escape

3). Mindless

4). KEPPRA!

5). Vision Factor

6). Freezen

The Review:

A year ago, Astrosoniq lost a close friend and sometimes band mate. His name was Bidi. He was a guy who clearly made an impact on the heavy rock scene of The Netherlands and beyond. As a tribute to their fallen brother, Astrosoniq took to the studio and made this, their new album, “Big Ideas Dare Imagination.” The band brought in many friends to participate in the making, writing and performing of this album. It’s a group effort. It’s an album the band and their surrounding community needed to make.

Astrosoniq has been around for quite some time. The amount of recognition that they’ve received for their work is arguably underrated. Albums such as “Made in Oss” (technically an EP), “Son of A.P. Lady” and my personal favorite, “Speeder People” are incredibly adventurous. These albums push the borders of every genre in existence – yes, even that one – and they make it work. Doomy jazz with a country twang? The Wizards of Oss master it.

Surprisingly enough, this new album is not as adventurous as the band is known to be. Each song on here is a rock song- sometimes metal, sometimes stoner – but the adventure factor is missing. The experimentation can be heard when it comes to song structures and the addition of a saxophone, for example, but the wild ride Astrosoniq is known to offer just isn't here. For me, as a fan of the band, this took some getting used to.

So I wondered - does the passing of a friend call for a wild adventure? The slow, weirdo hook of opening track “King,” certainly doesn’t think so. It makes its point just fine. The rolling bass and passionate vocals of “The Great Escape” also see no reason to fly off the handle. It’s a sturdy song, just as the straight up rockers of “Mindless” and “Keppra!” are pretty cool songs. Album closer, “Freezen,” is the weirdest and most refreshing track, even if it is just leaning on 1 idea the whole time. So the songs are good. But where does this album fit in the Astrosoniq discography?

I’m left with mixed emotions here. Astrosoniq have made an album that’s close to their hearts. That’s obvious. The passion, courage and heartfelt emotion are certainly present in these 6 tracks. Involving guest musicians was a good move. Bidi made an impression on many people, so it’s a no-brainer to involve these people when making a tribute to the guy. At the end of the day, though, “BIDI” doesn’t gel as an album. Each song very much stands on its own, almost to the point that “BIDI” sounds like 6 songs made by 6 bands. However, considering the context of the album, this isn’t a critique in the slightest. This is the album that Astrosoniq needed to make. This is the adventure Astrosoniq needed to take. The listener will just have to approach these songs with an open mind.

“Big Ideas Dare Imagination” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Tomb Mold, "Manor of Infinite Forms"

By: Mark Ambrose

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 08/06/2018

Label: 20 Buck Spin

“…through sheer inertia and boundless enthusiasm, Tomb Mold have gone from impressive acolytes to new standard bearers in death metal.”

“Manor of Infinite Forms” CD//DD//LP track listing

1. Manor of Infinite Forms

2. Blood Mirror

3. Abysswalker

4. Final Struggle of Selves

5. Gored Embrace (Confronting Biodegredation)

6. Chamber of Sacred Ootheca

7. Two Worlds Become One

The Review:

If past years have been hallmarks for North Amercian black metal, North American doom, North American sludge and the various permutations, 2018 may be a new high water mark for underground North American Death Metal.  While the stalwarts of the genre have bounced back some in recent years, the current class of death metal freshmen have been conjuring albums that are among the best the genre has ever unleashed.  Genocide Pact, Gatecreeper, and Of Feather and Bone are putting out some of the balls to the wall best metal in the US of rotten A, while Canada’s Tomb Mold has, with “Manor of Infinite Forms”, crafted a contender for personal favorite of 2018.  Indebted to genre legends but forging its own unholy amalgam of complex riffs and memorable hooks, Tomb Mold have a massive slab with their second full-length and debut on 20 Buck Spin.

Primary songwriter and guitarist Derrick Vella loads the title track with snaky, infectious leads.  Drummer/vocalist Max Klebanoff pulls off remarkable kitwork that runs the gamut from headspinning blasts to punky gallops, with some remarkable fills thrown in for good measure.  While Tomb Mold borders on progressive death metal, and the leads have a refreshing level of clarity (shred worshipers will have two new icons with Vella and second guitarist Payson Power), there is a stomach churning element of crusty decay seeping through the shimmering technical prowess.  When the bridge of “Blood Mirror” slows to a crawl, then gradually ratchets back to midtempo bashing, it’s pure Neanderthal magic. “Final Struggle of Selves” is a perfect martial anthem for the ignorant orcs out there, with a solid, dirty bassline that highlights the sonic balance the quartet has mastered: high leads anchored by thick low end.

Can I mention the remarkable storytelling on display here?  Because Tomb Mold’s wicked lyrical descriptions are cosmic horror that I generally have to turn to Lovecraft or Ligotti or Kiernan to approximate.  The denizens of the Tomb Mold universe inhabit dead planets, unholy underworld dominions, infected by unimaginable decay and contemplating sheer nihilistic terrors.  “Chamber of Sacred Ootheca”, a vicious chugging assault loaded with chaotic guitar work, also has some truly harrowing imagery: “Harness the cosmos from within / This hidden planet / Awaken / Reanimate the remaining petrified / Realign the signals / Usher in the age of universal torment / Hear the calls”.  Klebanoff’s vocal placement in the mix is perfect – just distant enough to be eerie, but also intelligible (with a lyric sheet firmly in hand anyway).  Album closer “Two Worlds Become One” acts as a perfect apotheosis for the Canadian wizards.  Vella displays his prog bona fides with a haunting classical guitar intro, before delving into a nightmare tale of demonic ascension.  Vella and Power craft sinister harmonies, Musgrave lays out precise bass work, and Klebanoff’s maniac drumming and curdled screams elevate the 8 minute closer to genuine epic status. 

It’s hard to describe why it all works so well.  There are homages to Finnish death metal (like the weird, wonderful Demilich) running through Tomb Mold’s oeuvre, as well as a general obsession with horror fantasy imagery that is fully realized and rarely cliché.  What I’ve gathered from Tomb Mold is total sincerity – these guys put out tons of songs in two short years because they are in love with this brutal, old school, gnarly, weirdly catchy riff-oriented metal.  It shows on all their prior releases.  But with “Manor of Infinite Forms” they’ve broken through to a new level.  Maybe it’s the addition of Power and Musgrave on their first full-length (all work prior to “Cryptic Transmissions” was recorded as a two-piece).  Maybe it’s the step up in production.  But I think it’s also that through sheer inertia and boundless enthusiasm, Tomb Mold have gone from impressive acolytes to new standard bearers in death metal.  With the pace of their output and the abundance of riffs they seem to have on hand, there is a wide, dark universe these guys can explore for decades to come.  I think, somehow, this is only the first phase of a stellar discography.

“Manor of Infinite Forms” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM PREMIERE: Brighton's Herd Mover deliver a thousand fists of hate on “Vol. 3: Section 59's”

Following up last year's “Vol. 2: Rural Banishment”, Herd Mover return with Vol. 3: Section 59, a polished take on their rough around the edges noise-rock/doom.  Merging the grindcore of Pig Destroyer and Famine with the noise rock of acts such as Shellac and The Jesus Lizard, Herd Mover's unrelenting flurry is intentionally demanding yet direct and very much to the point. Adding a further layer of grit, Zak Duffield's primal vocalisations add a complimentary mid-tone to the low end of Jake Burgess and Sam Evans, rounding off the trio's bastardised sound.

No nonsense and to the point, “Vol. 3: Section 59's” 5 tracks sit at just over 10 minutes, with riffs scattered throughout in handfuls, either in developed sections or at 90mph – nothing is done in half measures. Herd Mover's take on genre bending doesn't waste any time. Set for release on Friday 6^th July 2018 via Astral Noize Records, the label that brought us the stunning debut from new SLUDGELORD favourites Aerosol Jesus, now we can add Herd Mover that list and today we’re debuting their gnarly a fuck new EP in full.  You can check  it out below.  

Band info: facebook || bandcamp

SLUDGECAMP #2: A deep dive into the newest black/death metal releases on Bandcamp w/c 22/6/2018 & 29/6/2018

By: Daniel Jackson

Necrophobic (2018)

Welcome back for another round of “Sludgecamp”! This batch is a mix of the raw and primitive, the sharp and precise, the tried-and-true and the fresh and new. Hope you find something you can sink your teeth into!

Released the w/c  22/6/2018 & 29/6/2018:

1). Eskhaton, ‘Omegalitheos’

   
Fucking hell! It’s hard not to get hyperbolic about something like this. ‘Omegalitheos’ is powerful, vicious, and chaotic in a way that your garden variety Blasphemy worshippers can’t really compete with. It’s a destructive force of nature in musical form. Call it death metal, call it war metal, but whatever your descriptor of choice: you need to hear this.

2). Arthedain, “Infernal Cadence of the Desolate”

   
Some really strong black metal here, alternately melodic and dark. This sound relies more on doing a tried and true sound really well rather than reinventing the wheel. Fans of that Dissection/Naglfar/Necrophobic style will so well to check this out!

3). Archemoron, ‘Year of the Harvester’

   
Highly technical and super-tight, Archemoron has riffs for ages, and should appeal immediately to anyone into ‘Armada’ era Keep Of Kalessin, although this is engaging and interesting in a way that KoK hasn’t been in years. Some truly fantastic guitar work here, but everybody is an absolute maniac on this album.

4). Ancestor, ‘Age of Overload’

     

Some super fun German-style thrash coming out of China! Nothing that reinvents the wheel, but this an excellent execution of a well-worn style. Anyone with a love for early Kreator or Sodom should be all over this!

Newly available through Bandcamp:

5). Necrophobic, “Remastered Classics!”

   
Hammerheart Records is putting out remastered version of Necrophobic’s  first 4 classics, ‘Nocturnal Silence’, ‘Darkside’, ‘The Third Antichrist’ and ‘Bloodhymns’ on vinyl and cassette! The “Darkside” remaster in particular sounds much beefier than before. Well worth a look if your physical collection is missing one or all of these albums!

Pre-orders:

6). Twilight Fauna, ‘Where Birds Sing My Name’

 
Harsh, atmospheric and deeply intertwined with his beloved Appalachian home region, Paul Ravenwood’s Twilight Fauna is always a fully immersive experience. Ravenwood’s own words on the album:

“This is an album about family, my home, and the things I love about this often painful existence. It’s about rebuilding your life after tragedy and finding a small piece of contentment in a chaotic world.”

7). Mortuary Drape, “Necromantic Doom Returns”

   
This new compilation combining the band’s “Necromancy” demo from 1987 and ‘Doom Return’ demo from 1989 are an excellent way to experience this legendary band’s formative stage. The sound is ugly and unforgiving, but absolutely capture the grim brutality of its time.

8). Hadal Maw, ‘Charlatan’

Some absolutely gargantuan progressive death metal here. The riffs coming out of the preview track, “Idolatry” come at you fast, with depth and complexity to spare. I have to imagine we’re going to be hearing A LOT about these Australians as we get closer to release date.

Band info: Lava Dome || Arthedain || Archemoron || Ancestor || Necrophobic || Twilight Fauna || Mortuary Drape || Hadal Maw

ALBUM REVIEW: Witchsorrow, "Hexenhammer"

By: Richard Maw

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 25/05/2018

Label: Candlelight Records |

Spinefarm Records

“Hexenhammer” is surely one of the most talked about doom releases of 2018, more focus, more weight, more riffs... and better songs, once again confirming the band's status as one of the UK's premier doom acts.

“Hexenhammer” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Maleficus
2. Hexenhammer
3. The Devil’s Throne
4. Demons of the Mind
5. Eternal
6. The Parish
7. Like Sisyphus

The Review:

Witchsorrow are one of the handful of bands that play doom in the UK; not sludge, not sludge doom, not stoner doom, not stoner rock: just doom. Firmly from the Electric Wizard school of tempos and grooves, but with a little more in the way of songs.

On this record, the band have improved again; this is undoubtedly their best album yet. A very weighty production job combines with the best song craft from the band to date. After a suitably portentous intro, it's down to business with the title track, which is more dynamic than you might expect from the Witchsorrrow of yore. The record certainly sounds like a Skyhammer recorded production- deep drums with a nice tone, thick guitars and the whole thing is well mixed with the vocals occupying a pleasing slot in the centre of the soundscape.

Witchcraft themes abound as the band lurches from slow and leaden to downright brisk on “The Devil's Throne”, which has a great NWOBHM feel.  The album knocks anything from their debut into a neatly cocked hat. It is more concise and focused, the band play in a very assured manner and sound as if they have found a musical groove which really works for them.

There is very weighty material on this release; “Demons of the Mind” is a fine example of the band lumbering into a dark groove with full force. At seven tracks, the album does not outstay its welcome- even with several songs running past seven minutes. In fact, the final three offerings to the gods of doom play really well and go by without anyone having to look at their watch. Such is the power of Witchsorrow in 2018; more focus, more weight, more riffs... and better songs.

Whether it be the creepy riffing of “The Parish” or the epic closing statement of “Like Sisyphus”, the album delivers consistently and powerfully. This is a huge step up from their self titled debut and a consolidation of the improvements made on “No Light Only Fire”. “Hexenhammer” is surely one of the most talked about doom releases of 2018 and it once again confirms the band's status as one of the UK's premier doom acts. Doom on.

“Hexenhammer” is available here

Band info: facebook