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This is 'Liberation through Amplification.'
By: Richard Maw Album Type: Full Length Date Released: 07/10/2022 Label: Metal Blade Records
“Angels Hung From The Arches of Heaven” CD//DD//LP track listing: 1. Invocation 3
2. Born of Satan's Flesh
3. The Bestowal of Abomination
4. Angels Hung from the Arches of Heaven
5. Death from Above
6. Ruinous Liturgy
7. Victory Is the Lightning of Destruction
8. Voracious Blood Fixation
9. The Devil's Warlords
10. Weight of a Soulless Heart
11. Nihil
12. And I Was Delivered from the Wound of Perdition The Review: Yet another classic band
from NOLA, Goatwhorehave been at the coal face
of extreme metal for twenty years plus. Unbelievable, but true. They’ve enough
albums under their (studded?) belts now that I was wondering if the spite, the
energy, the ferocity would still be there. Well, it’s not only there- it’s
burning brighter than ever! “Invocation 3” sets
the tone and then “Born of Satan’s Flesh” brings the speed and power.
From there, it’s all ferocious… and with a myriad of genres cropping up. This
is not one dimensional at all. It mixes death metal, thrash, post metal and
black metal in a gumbo that I can only really describe as ‘extreme metal.’ Each
track brings something different, whether it be the blackened/post vibes of the
title track or the thrashing brutality of “Death from Above”. The songs themselves are uniformly
tight and muscular in terms of composition; and they are aided by an
appropriately tight and muscular production and mix. There’s no fat here and
only the closer “And I was Delivered from the Wound of Perdition” really
lengthens the band’s stride. Elsewhere it’s all focus and drive. It’s one of my favourite
extreme metal releases from the last year and I can’t fault it. It has the
energy and burning ambition of bands half Goatwhore’sage (both in the band members’ physical age and
in terms of their recording career). There is everything to like about this
gnarled beast of an album and nothing to complain about it. It’s well balanced,
streamlined and brutal in the right measure. Just have a listen to any track,
or try “Victory Is the Lightning of Destruction” or “The Devil’s
Warlords” Or “Ruinous Liturgy” or… well, any track. Superb and vicious metal, in every way. “Angels Hung From The
Arches of Heaven” is available now
Wow, where the hell does the time go, eh? It has been 4 long years since our last
Records of their Years feature and you must turn the clock back even further still,
to 2013, since we last featured the sludge juggernaut that isArmed for Apocalypse.
The feature, which was published on June 21st
2013, has stuck with me over the years for a couples of reasons, firstly, I wrote the article on Fathers day and
like today’s guest Cayle Hunter, he is also a family man and knows the struggles
of balancing their work and home life against their passion for music and
secondly, 9 years later, I am scratching my head and wondering why the hell are
this band not huge by now.
People, that time is now, for in the year two thousand and
twenty two, the riff gods have answered our prayers. Armed for Apocalypse are back baby. Not only that, they have also dropped their
heaviest and best album to date in the form of “Ritual Violence”
and today I have hooked with my mate, Cayle Hunter to discuss his “Records of
their years”.
Before we get into that, remember, when you listen to
their new album “One does not simply listen to Armed for Apocalypse,one must listen at maximum volume, to achieve
maximum violence”
THE SLUDGELORD: Hey
Cayle, thanks for doing this. Can you
tell our readers about your favourite album or albums from the year you were
born?
Cayle: This is a tough one because I’m old as hell,
there were a ton of absolute classics that came out during that time, and I’ll
bet my answer would have changed several times throughout my life.
It should also be noted I’m answering your question,
my favorite, not “the best”, because I think “Rumors” by Fleetwood Mac or The Clashself-titled are probably
the best.
My favorite: “Bad Reputation” by Thin Lizzy.
From the opening gong sound of “Soldier of Fortune”
I am completely invested in this record, especially when it kicks right into
the signature guitarmonies Lizzydoes better than everyone,
including Iron Maiden.
The title track is a snarling rocker that definitely lands on the darker side
of the band’s catalogue, which I love.
The highlight for me, and what makes it my favorite
from this year, is the back-to-back combo of “Southbound” and “Dancing
in the Moonlight”. These two songs have been played in our band van
hundreds of times. We walk around randomly singing the hooks out loud to each
other and it gets a sing-along or a laugh every time. It’s a perfect soundtrack
for driving through the open spaces of places you’ve never seen before, and I
highly recommend the experience to everyone reading this.
THE SLUDGELORD: Who
were some of your musical heroes growing up and how did the shape your musical
journey?
Cayle: My earliest musical heroes oddly enough were
rappers. I grew up going to the worst elementary school in my town, but the
kids there had great taste in music. My taste in hip hop followed the same arc
as my taste in rock: I started light, then gravitated towards the darker or
more extreme artists. At the time it was NWApushing the limits, getting arrested, getting censored and
having their music banned. They were so damn cool! Dr Dreis still a hero of mine to this day because the music he
creates is so timeless, and Ice
Cubescared
every parent in America back then. Bad ass.
As I grew and my tastes evolved, I got new heroes. Black Sabbath. Page Hamilton. Bad Brains. Danzig.
Pantera. Then I went back to see what music came before my time and
found even more heroes. Miles
Davis, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonderetc. Far more than I can list here.
These heroes shaped my musical journey because of what
they have in common. They don’t sound like anyone else, and they don’t want to
sound like anyone else. They are independent thinkers who are only interested
in sounding like the best version of themselves. That authenticity is my
highest aspiration. True expression. We try our best to apply that to AforA.
THE SLUDGELORD: First
record you bought with your own money, how old were you and where did you
purchase it?
Cayle: Can I throw a little curve ball at this one and
give you the first record I stole? Haha! It was “Vivid” by Living Colour, and I
stole it from a drug store in Redding, California when I was in middle school.
Great record, stupid thing to do.
The first CD I purchased with my own money was “Betty”
by Helmet.
I’ve talked about this a lot in the past, but that band and that record changed
everything for me.
THE SLUDGELORD: An
album or albums you bought based purely on the album artwork?
Cayle: This was a pretty normal occurrence for me
before you could listen to everything so easily. My biggest hit is an easy one
to remember: “Chaos A.D.” by Sepultura. I didn’t think the artwork was especially good,
or even that striking really, but it was in the “Metal” section, the name was
unique and it kept jumping out at me. I remember thinking it was going to sound
industrial or something, which is why I didn’t pull the trigger. But one day I
took the leap and was greeted by one of the finest collection of riffs ever
assembled. A total classic.
It should also be said, I bought some complete bull
shit based on the artwork too but finding “Chaos A.D.” was worth all of
the failures.
THE SLUDGELORD: What
is your go to non-metal / rock album?
Cayle: Man! These are such tough questions! You keep
asking me to be so decisive when I love so much music!
If I have to pick one, it would probably be the blue
album by Weezer.
To me it’s perfect. It’s pop music played in a heavy way. The guitar and bass
tone on that record would put most stoner and doom bands to shame, and there is
a melancholy to it that makes it personal and relatable.
It’s my favorite driving record, and driving is my
favorite time to listen to music.
THE SLUDGELORD: An
album from the past or present that disappointed you at the time but you have
since grown to love?
Cayle: This is the most embarrassing answer ever,
especially coming from a metal head, so please don’t laugh me off the internet:
“The Great Southern Trendkill” by Pantera.
I KNOW!!!!
I don’t know what I was expecting, and to this day I
can’t imagine why I didn’t connect with it on the first listen. I do remember
going through an artsy fartsy stage at the time and being sort of turned off by
the overtly macho side of metal for a while, but that’s no excuse.
Later, after I got over being cooler-than-though, I
gave it another shot and was immediately filled with shame. I had slept on one
of the best metal records ever for no good god damn reason. We all make
mistakes…
THE SLUDGELORD: Your
favourite album of all time or if you prefer, an album or album (s) you’d run
back into a burning building to rescue?
Cayle: I do not have a favorite album. I have an upper
echelon of records and it’s impossible to pick one. But I don’t want to be a
coward and ditch this question, so I’ll say “NOLA” by Down.
This was another record I missed out on, but I didn’t
sleep on it as much as I simply didn’t hear about it. I remember my friend
telling me one day that Phil from Panterahad
a band with the dudes from Crowbar,
COCand Eyehategodand I thought he was
joking! Then he said, “I heard it’s not that great”, and I didn’t even know
what it was called so I didn’t really go dig for it. Then one day he had it in
his car and we checked it out. Game over.
The cool part about that record is the more I listened
to it the more I loved it. I liked it at first, I love it like an old friend
now. It’s like Black
Sabbath andtuned-down
Lynyrd Skynyrdwith Phil Anslemo singing
over it, at the top of his game no less. It simply doesn’t get old.
There was a time that I owned four copies of that
record. One for my car, one for my house, one for work and one to have in a CD
folder to take in other people’s cars in case they didn’t have it. That’s how
badly I wanted it around me at all times.
THE SLUDGELORD: What
are some of your favourite album (s) of year?
Cayle: In no particular order:
Conjurer,
“Pathos”
Fit For an
Autopsy, “Oh What the Future Holds”
Cult of Luna“The Long Road North”
Cave In“Heavy Pendulum”
Immolation
“Acts of God”
Bloodmoon:
I
Undeath“It’s Time…To Rise from
the Grave”
THE SLUDGELORD: ..and
finally The last album you bought
Cayle: Conjurer, “Pathos”. Always have to support great friends doing
great things!
By: Richard Maw Album Type: Full Length Date Released: 16/09/2022 Label: Weathermaker Music
“Sunrise on Slaughter Beach”CD//DD//LP 1. Red Alert (Boss Metal
Zone)
2. Slaughter Beach
3. Mountain Of Bone
4. Nosferatu Madre
5. Mercy Brown
6. We Strive For Excellence
7. Skeletons On Mars
8. Three Golden Horns
9. Jackhammer Our Names The Review: Clutchare
one of those reliable bands- an album every couple of years, all of them at
least good, no bad records… they have their own sound and style and operate in
a league of one. In a sense, they operate in a similar way to Motorheador Overkill: you kind of
know what you are likely to get. The only question that remains is how good it
will be? I’m of the bracket of Clutchfans which thinks that the
similarly-produced-trio of “Blast Tyrant”, “Earth Rocker”
and “Psychic Warfare” are their best albums. Sure, “Robot
Hive/Exodus” was great, “From Beale Street To Oblivion”
was cool… but “Strange Cousins From The West”, “Pure Rock
Fury” and “Elephant Riders” are merely worthy albums and
so on. So, with “Sunrise on
Slaughter Beach”Clutchhave the perfect
opportunity to roar back with a high energy record after the more meandering “Book
of Bad Decisions” and please members of their fanbase such as myself
who enjoy the quirky themes and lyrics, the preaching vocal style and the
bluesy/stoner-ish riff work that runs like a river through their best work. Well, first off, the
production is pretty punchy- not maybe Machine punchy- but punchy nonetheless.
The record is short- these are focused songs and a playing time that would not
fill one side of a TDK90 tape. So far, so good. However, it lacks something to make
it stand out. Across the nine tracks, there are good and catchy/hooky songs
here- all well formed and played. “Red Alert (Boss Metal Zone)” is a
strong opener, elsewhere, “Nosferatu Madre” really stands out with its
loping groove and creepy story telling. The band play superbly, as usual. However, other tracks
just happen and pass by- “Mercy Brown”, “Mountain of Bone”, “We
Strive For Excellence”- all perfectly serviceable, all Clutchbut just lacking that
killer bite that their best material has. In a sense this is a lot like a
latter day Motorheadalbum- nothing wrong with
it, a few great standouts and then the sound of the band you love, comfortably
and competently delivered. If the above sounds
negative, it isn’t really. This is a decent album- a good album, even. To my
ears it just lacks something- spark, inspiration… maybe even a little danger?
So much has happened since the “Book of Bad Decisions” record
that could have made it into the lyrics here, but instead the lyrics reference
nostalgia rather than current events- a missed opportunity? Or a deliberate
move so as not to distract from the band’s key manifesto of groove and good
times. Overall, this is, by Clutch’sstandards a mid-table
record. By other band’s standards, this is of course excellent- but other bands
are not Clutch.
Fans of the band will enjoy it but may not love it. Those new to the band may
love this- the frame of reference will not be there, so that is a possibility.
Have a listen and hear for yourself. “Sunrise on Slaughter
Beach” is available HERE
By: Richard Maw Album Type: Full Length Date Released: 16/09/2022 Label: Maggot Stomp
“The Nine Choirs” CD//CS//DD//LP track listing: 1). Cold Devotion 2). And How They Wept for
Eternity 3). With This Creature I
Return 4). To Gather in its Presence 5). As a Thousand Voices
Sing 6). Jealous Messiah 7). Shapeless Sovereign 8). Jungle Rituals 9). Worthless Offering The Review: Dallas, Texas -not
Florida- this time around for your death metal… This is nine tracks of death
metal but with a distinct hardcore vibe. Think Obituaryjamming with Nailsand Hatebreedwith a whole lot of early Morbid Angelthrown in for good
measure. It goes without saying
that this is weighty- the mid-tempo sections hit particularly hard across all
the tracks. The blasting sections are effective and while opener “Cold
Devotion” may run past the six minutes mark with an intro etc… the rest of
the album is down to business with three to four minutes of violence each and
every time. There are some serious
neck snapping riffs throughout- listen to that head-stomp in “And How They
Wept For Eternity”! The Morbid
Angelvibes
are cranked up for “With This Creature I Return” and from there, well,
there is no let up. Old school DM vibes abound in “As a Thousand Voices Sing”-
it has that ‘out of control’ riffage that Deicidedid so well. As the album plays out,
the old school squeals and tempo changes of Trey et al are in full effect and
with “Jealous Messiah” and “Shapeless Sovereign” bringing the noise,
the album turns out to be anything but a “Worthless Offering”. I’d pick “To Gather In
Its Presence” as a stand out as it has that perfect headbanging tempo going
for it, but there is something to enjoy on every track here. Recommended for
fans of all mentioned bands. “The Nine Choirs”
is available HERE
By: Richard Maw Album Type: Full Length Date Released: 09/09/2022 Label: Metal Blade Records
“Netherheaven” CD//DD//LP track listing: 1). Diabolical Majesty 2). Lessons in Occult
Theft 3). Nihilistic Violence 4). Strange and Eternal 5). Galleries of Morbid
Artistry 6). The 9th Chasm 7). Godforsaken 8). The Intervening Abyss
of Untold Aeons 9). Re-Crucified (feat.
Trevor Strnad & George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher) The Review: Revocationblast
back to resume their place as the leading light of the tech-death/thrash
masters. I’ve not followed the band fully since “Deathless” back
in 2014, but I’ve dipped in and out. On that basis, I can proclaim that this is
a great record- even by Revocation’slofty standards. So, the good news is
plentiful here; tight and punchy sound, loads of riffs- for days and days-
catchy sections and endless musical dexterity. The band, collectively, perform
incredible musical gymnastics and from the very fast start, it’s obvious that
they mean business. The lead work is sublime all the way through, and the drums
are both technical and hooky- lots of repeated motifs and ‘framing’ of the
labyrinthine structures. The album is very thrashy
in parts- the sections in “Nihilistic Violence” when the band puts their
foot down are an aural feast of, well, nihilistic violence. The record further
endears itself to me by being nine tracks long; ideal for this type of thing
where a little goes a long way. The songs aren’t nine-minute exercises in
repetition either; they’re punchy and brimming over with ideas and changes;
leads to start “Strange and Eternal”, rhythms and guitar progressions
reminiscent of “Individual Thought Patterns”… it’s pretty
majestic stuff. This type of music, of
course, is something you build up to and get or you don’t… If you’ve been
craving something a little more complex than what you’ve been listening to or
have felt that traditional thrash bands don’t go far enough in terms of
technicality or extremity, then this is for you. Likewise, if you are a fan of
everything from Deathto Arkaikor even Nile, then there will
be a great deal to delve into and enjoy for you here. There are no bad tracks
across the nine on offer, and while they broadly conform to a type/style, there
is variety in terms of tempo, rhythms and hooks. “Galleries of Morbid
Artistry” employs quiet/loud dynamics and rhythmical approaches that are
not just aimless blasting or thrashing. It’s different from the opener “Diabolical
Majesty”- but still sounds like it belongs on the same record. There is
melody here in sections of all tempos but mainly this is not an album of hooks
per se. It is still memorable, but the technicality is to the fore. While the band don’t
quite get to the jazz infused side of a band like Atheist, again there are jazzier/fusion type
elements to the playing, and this adds a light and shade to the record which
would have been easy to miss out. The instrumental, “The 9th
Chasm”, bears this out. I much prefer my tech-death/thrash to have these
types of departures (or additions) as they make things more interesting and
listenable. There are few things harder to listen to than dull death metal-
either live or on record.
So, what else can be said
here; the artwork is fantastic- Paulo Girardi has delivered a nightmarish
sleeve (his work for latter day Manilla Roadwas perfect), the production and mix is superb- it’s just crystal clear-
and I really can’t find any faults at all. This is a superlative example of the
sub-genre and the blending of the genres involved. All hail Revocation. “Netherheaven”
is available HERE
“Hell is only a word,
the reality is much worse” Event Horizon 1997
Delivering a record
with the ferocity and intensity of Pilori’s sophomore Quand Bien Meme L’Enfer et le
Deluge S’abbattraient sur Nous,” roughly translated as “Even though Hell and the Deluge Would Fall on Us”, makes
me wonder whether the band themselves, have actually visited hell and brought this
record back with them.
To experience “Quand
Bien Meme L’Enfer et le Deluge S’abbattraient sur Nous“in all its
hellish glory, is to imagine being wrapped up in barbed wire and thrown down a hill. Today we have invited front man Greg from Pilori to discuss how this punishing record
came to be.
SL: Hey Greg, welcome to THE SLUDGELORD!! Could you tell our readers a little about yourself, how you started playing music, leading up
to the formation of your band?
Gr. (vocals): First
of all, I wanna say 'hi !' to all the readers of this. Then, we're Pilori, we come from
Rouen, in Normandy (France), and we're four lads in the band. As so many and
many bands, the start of Pilori
is simple and not so interesting. I know my guitarist, R., for years now and
one day, at the release party of his other band, The Birds End, which is instrumental
post-rock, he came to see me cause he wanna play something different, something
more in his black metal/death metal/crust hardcore roots. I was fucking excited
about the idea to play this kind of sounds that I loved, but even more excited
to play with him cause he’s a fucking good guitarist and a fucking good guy. We
began to write the first tracks, we began to looking for musicians to play with
us... So it was, as simple as it seems, the beginning of Pilori. Nothing more.
You see : not interesting haha !
SL: For those people unfamiliar with Pilori, are there any
bands on the scene past and present that you would use as a reference point to
describe your band, and who or what continues to inspire you and push you to
try new things?
Gr. (vocals): I think that Pilori is a sum of a lot of different bands, of a lot of
different influences. I think this is our print now, our style, and it's that
people often write and say about us. You can find black and death influences,
blend with some grind, chaotic and crust influences. So, I could tell about
bands like Napalm Death,
Entombed, Cannibal Corpse, Deicide, Morbid Angel, Angelcorpse, Immortal,
Watain, Rotten Sound, Darkthrone, Nails, Full of Hell, Gaza, Cult Leader...
For the most recent stuffs, and also more local cause they're french, I wanna
also talk about Fange,
Mourir, Plebeian Grandstand, Celeste...
I just talk about bands from the scene that we really like, cause we aren't
listen just extreme music. For example, I'm a huge listener of post-punk shit
and there are a lot of bands who inspired me in this kind of sounds. It's the
same for the other members. I really think that the other genres are opening us
to new sounds and allows us to try new things.
Personally, there are plenty of songs in this album that I really really
like, that I like to listen to, that I like to play. I like my own voice, what
I've done, which is not always the case, even if I still think that here or
here I could do more, I could bo better... Regarding our local scene, in Rouen,
I think that no one does the same sound or the same style as us. I also think
this is real for the French scene in general. We're pretty unique haha !!! But
I don't like comparison, competition, so I'll stop it right now.
SL: What was the
writing and rehearsal process like for your album
Gr. (vocals): Our first LP, “À Nos Morts”, was released in
May 2020, during the Covid pandemic. So we were in a dynamic, we wanna make
things, and in the meantime we were very frustrated, but not resigned. We try
our best to take all the opportunities to play and tour when it was possible,
and we also have some times to keep writing songs with the curfew or lockdown.
This first album was very well-received, so it motivated us a lot. We took this
dynamic and this frustration, and, in addition to “classic” rehearsals, two
times we rent an Airbnb in the Normandy countryside, in the middle of nowhere,
and lock ourselves during days, to write this new album. We just played music
all day long between us. After that, we keep writing and make the song
arrangements from home cause it's very easy now, all the new technologies
allowed it.
SL: What
stands out as your overarching memory from the recording sessions? Gr. (vocals): A lot of positive things. Really. Even if I try hard, I
can't remember something negative. We were very well-prepared, we made demo of
each song, we went a lot in rehearsals, and we recorded in a place that we know
by heart with a guy who know us by heart (La Gare aux Musiques with Bertrand
Lebourgeois, at 30 kms of Rouen). When we made our first album, we were less
prepared, and, except for the drum parts, we done it in some kind of DIY
spirit, ‘cause we recorded it ourselves in the super tiny home studio of our
former bassist. For this new record, we took more times, in a “real” studio with better
stuffs, better materials, and a “real” sound guy. Everything was easier, and every
one of us was super excited to play and record his parts. If I could keep just
one memory, I would say the first day of guitar takes. When my drummer, my bass
player and me came at the studio, our guitarist was already there and has already
prepared all his stuffs with our sound guy. There were 4 cabinets with 4 amp
heads and a ton of pedals around, and nearly ten mics to record all this shit.
I can easily remember the smile on all our faces, and the excitation that we
all felt at the moment where we started recording the guitar and when we heard
that crazy sound. SL: Does
anything spring to mind when you think about the completion of your new
album and with than in mind, how is the mood in the camp at present?
Gr. (vocals): In our camp,
the mood is always good, always positive! I think that is why the things goes
so well for Pilori : I've the huge
chance to work with great dudes who are great friends, they all have a good
mentality, a good state of mind. I'm serious, I mean it, this is the best
line-up and the best people to work with. So, the mood is offensive now: we
wanna do things, play a lot, defend this album anywhere and everywhere !
SL: There
is often very little focus given to the album artwork, which for me is an
integral part of the record, can you tell us a little about the artist, how the
artwork come to fruition and your thoughts on the completed piece? Perhaps tell us about some of your own
favourite album covers? Gr. (vocals): The artwork was made by an Indonesian artist, Jois Cabe.
He's also the guy behind our first album cover. It's an amazing artist and a
great dude, it was a real pleasure to work with him again. I've just gave him
the name of the album, the meaning of it, and he can do whatever he want and
feel. Our talks and exchanges were good, he quickly understood the point. Like
you, the visuals are an important part of an album for me, and I really think
that this artwork is the perfect fit for this album. We're very proud of it,
really, we find it awesome, more than expected! And we've very good feedback on
it.
To talk about my favorite album covers, I just wanna say that I've always loved
covers without artist names. When you have just an artwork, a visual, and no
other infos. I always found it great, that's why we do it with Pilori haha! SL: With your new record
completed, what are you planning as far as shows in the near future? Gr. (vocals): We plan to do a lot of shows cause we love playing and
touring so much. Be on the road, it's one of the thing we like the most. So
it's the plan: play as much as possible, anywhere. Till the end of 2022, we
already have 19 shows scheduled, in Germany, Belgium, Czech Republic, Hungary,
Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, and for sure, in France. Some shows and tour are
also already booked for 2023. And, when we'll be tired about playing and
touring, we'll do a new album ! SL: Finally,
do you have any last words? Gr. (vocals): Thanks to you for your interest, thanks to everyone who's
reading this, thanks to everyone who support us in any way. And don't forget to support your local scene
and independent/underground bands. Go to the shows in the tiny club of your
city, buy some merch, and keep listening to all the underground scene. It's
always a thug time for this scene, and it's always getting worse and worse. So
many independent venues are closing... The End.
By: Richard
Maw Album Type: Full Length Date Released: 04/09/2022 Label: Independent
“Gargantuan Blade” DD track listing: 1). Necromancer’s
Blood 2). Black Lotus 3). Dungeon Lord 4). Spectral
Pillagers The Review: Well, this is a
pleasant surprise! This is 35mins of pure traditional doom metal from these
Finnish defenders of the faith. This is not stoner and it does not have death
metal inflections. If the cover art makes you think this might be a trad-metal
fest or an old school DM outing, think again. This is, simply, doom metal. Looking at the song
lengths and titles, it’s clear that the spirit of The Gates of Slumberis alive and well; “Necromancer’s Blood”,
“Black Lotus”, “Dungeon Lord”, “Spectral Pillagers”…
that’s the track list and the vibe. Conaninfused,
Robert E Howard worshipping doom! The sound is of
course epic, maudlin and mournful. You get the massive and drawn-out riffs of
huge weight; you get the faster passages (see “Necromancer’s Blood” and “Black
Lotus” for the up tempo coda trick) and solos. This is a perfect crystallisation
of how the genre should work and how it should sound- massive, raw and epic. The four-piece line
up makes for a satisfyingly thick sound- two guitarists mean that the solos are
backed by rhythm playing which bulks things out and allows for a little
interplay elsewhere. The sound and production is good- well suited to what is
on offer. Even the bass can be heard correctly (as it should be in doom). The
vocals of Samuel Wormius hit the right sorrowful notes while the mountainous
beats of Rex Torr again capture the true spirit of the genre. They hit the
right epic note again and again- “Dungeon Lord” has a touch of “Dark
Avenger” about it- excellent. If the above makes it
seem that Gargantuan
Bladeare
wholly derivative, that would be a little disingenuous to the band. Yes, this
is doom metal- and only doom metal. However, this is not a pastiche or homage:
it is doom in the purest form. When a genre is done so well and with such
sincerity, issues such as originality are very much secondary compared to the
quality of what is on offer. Quite simply, this is a perfect example of what
traditional doom is and what it should always be. Highly recommended. “Gargantuan Blade”
is available HERE
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