What Remains | Q1 2023

In the blink of an eye, we’re three goddamn months into 2023. Even with what seems like a goddamn timelapse in this stupid fucking simulation we live in, it’s been a pretty fucking productive year here on Thy Kingdom Scvm! Already four reviews and a What Remains into this year already, due to being struck by a writing itch of feverish proportions all throughout January and into early February, things have been moving smoothly and steadily here on this dumb little blog that only the schmo who runs it thinks is important in any way, shape or form.

Nonetheless, if you’re one of the few who do care about the mental diarrhea that I spew from my maw for whatever reason, you know it’s time to be graced with my unsolicited thoughts on the rest of quarter 1’s output that I was able to get around to. (Insert recycled gravedigging metaphor here).

So, let’s cut through the bullshit and get to the bangers that started the year off with a fucking BANG, which I’m delighted to say, there’s been quite a few! Q1 has been absolutely STACKED and I’m reveling in every last bit of it.

What Remains for Q1 2023:

Melissa: II (Urge Records)

Starting off with EP #2 from Brooklyn NY’s band of Blackened Punk misfits, Melissa, who bursted onto the scene with a gut punch of a self-titled debut, that cut through the monotony of artsy fartsy drek that New York usually produces, and offered a much needed breath of fresh, smog-filled city air. It only gets uglier, as Melissa II kicks it up a notch and targets the rest of your body, frothing at the mouth for some violent catharsis, formulated through scratching guitars, head-stomping grooves and belligerent, but deliciously catchy riffs, yanked straight from frostbitten roots of early Darkthrone, and bandaged together with the snide disposition of Poison Idea, Discharge and the likes. Filthy, deplorable, crustified Blackened Punk, straight from the gutter.

Profane Order: One Nightmare Unto Another (Nuclear War Now! Productions)

Canadian War Metal death machine, Profane Order came rolling in on a warthog and bursted through the gates of 2023 and set the bar as high as a nuclear mushroom cloud for any of its genre peers to ascend to! An unrelenting masterclass in slack-jawed, barbarian savagery, executed at high caliber, breakneck speed and the crushing weight of a rogue Panzer IV. Belligerent, savage and surprisingly well-rounded, with a seasoning of old school Death Metal for extra spice on this bloody piece of red meat. As high octane as it gets.

Malleus: The Fires of Heaven (Armageddon Label)

There’s no shortage of Blackened Speed Metal degenerates running around this day and age, but very few capture the essence of Black Metal’s prototypical roots and serving a nice, steaming hot platter of head-stomping riffs, served ice-cold and raw. Malleus is bewitching Black Metal, cut straight from Tom G’s pioneering clOÜGHth (sorry…) and crafted with prudent finesse, all the way down to the production. Nasty, raw and catchy in the nastiest way possible. Same can be said for the next entry…

The Gauntlet: Dark Steel and Fire (Nihil Verum Nisi Mors)

If Blood Fire Death-era Bathory is more your speed, hop on this motorcycle and grab on for dear life, because you’re in for the ride of your life across the NJ Turnpike! New Jersey’s The Gauntlet rides the line of Bathory worship with the highest level of grace and fluency as sonically possible, and execute it as if Quorthon came down with a sword and anointed him the chosen one to carry on his flame into the modern era on said spiked, shiny motorcycle, wielding the flaming sword of triumph across the horizon. Don’t just dismiss this one on the account of hearing the words “Bathory worship” alone. The “worship” part is merely a wistful homage to the warriors of Black & Speed Metal’s past, crafted with pure zest, which shines through every tantalizing riff that this old soul-bearing beast belts out with every track. All killer, no filler. As the gods (and Quorthon, but what’s the difference?) intended.

Høstsol: Länge Leve Döden (The Sinister Initiative)

The latest project of the infamous Black Metal boogeyman, Niklas Kvarforth, featuring members from what I personally consider the unholy trinity of Black Metal regions, in Sweden, Finland and Norway. Pretty much exactly what you’d expect from the camp of Kvarforth and anything he gets his hands on (for better or worse), and his brand of spiraling, manic Black Metal, pulling from the melodic well of Shining and the barren bleakness of Mgla (at least to my ear) and drowning it in a bottomless pit of the black tar of nihilistic contempt and societal indifference. Unmistakenly a Kvarforth project and primarily a product of his vision, not too far off the beaten path of his usual style. but with enough wet grit to get by just on that merit alone. Enjoyable enough for my taste.

Funeral Winds: Stigmata Mali (Osmose Productions)

Funeral Winds never disappoints. One of the most underrated Black Metal acts on this wretched planet, as far as I’m concerned. If you like your occult Black Metal with the wet grit of a group of satanic bikers hanging around a rundown dive bar in a sketchy part of town, who will fuck your shit up and stab you with a coke residue-encrusted switchblade without a second thought? Funeral Winds got you covered. Filthy, deplorable, and straight from the necromantic void! Plain and fucking simple. A SOLID follow up to their last one, which I reviewed in full.

Tribe of Pazuzu: Blasphemous Prophecies (VIC Records)

Murderous Blackened Death Metal featuring members of Cryptopsy and Incantation. Need I say more? The long-awaited debut full-length of Canada’s Tribe of Pazuzu is a high caliber fist in the face of all the mediocre trite that clogs up the pipeline on a near-daily basis, curated by noted, seasoned veterans of the scene. Drummer, Flo Mounier lends his otherworldly abilities to this beast, serving as its backbone, as John McEntee of Incantation lends smoldering Death Metal riffage to the mix. An ungodly union of styles and philosophies, culminating in this unforgiving, confrontational beast of blasphemous and politically incorrect aversion to the current status quo, both musically and otherwise. An upheaval of sonic wrath from start to finish, and well worth the wait!

Minenwerfer: Feuerwalz (Osmose Productions)

Sulfuric annihilation with catastrophic consequences. Sacramento’s Minenwerfer further solidifies their standing as something special in the USBM scene, with the fourth chapter in their storied chronicling of World War I, treading DEEP into the sonic trenches of extremity, with no shortage of heavy artillery to unload at all costs. Setting off like a gas bomb directly to the face and hailing an array of melodic, but serrated riffs, drenched in the nihilistic haze of chemical warfare, poisoning the atmosphere surrounding the disarray. Wartorn Black Metal, with the ferocity of Panzer Division Marduk and sick with the radiation leftover from the latest Kommandant outing. Proceed with caution and get checked for Agent Orange if you make it through to the other side.

Vosbúð: Heklugjá (Independent)

Another one that I’m fairly new to, but wasn’t going to miss out on, due to its regional origins. Vosbúð is Icelandic Black Metal at its most… well, Icelandic! Sharp, intricate riffs and layered compositions, engrossed in overcast desolation, that pierces through the haze with crystalline melodicism and voracious triumph, with each element complimenting the others, with a healthy amount of breathing room, to shine through as liberally as sonically possible. Atmospheric, but not overbearingly cavernous. Not to mention some strikingly memorable moments, that jump out when you least expect it and stick with you for a good while. Another superb product of Iceland’s ever-expansive scene.

Azaghal: Alttarimme on Luista Tehty (Immortal Frost Productions)

Finnish Black Metal veterans Azaghal with their 12th full-length, still going strong and hitting hard on all counts, sticking within the framework of their signature melodic, but triumphant Black Metal sound, but without tethering it to the point of one-trick pony monotony. The riffs are strong and catchy, tone is icy and sharp and filled with radiant leads, one of which kind of reminds me of Blue Oyster Cult’s Don’t Fear the Reaper (you’ll know it when you hear it). Relatively tame compared to their earlier works, but still fierce and rich with melodic textures that lubricate the blade.

Genocidal Rites: Exsanguination of the Gods (Hells Headbangers)

Bestial War Metal is as common as the cold in 2023, but still has its boot firmly on the jugular of the corner of the underground that it inhabits, as illustrated by Abysmal Lord blowing up an abundance of year-end lists in December 2022. Ringing in 2023, comes a new perverted beast of primitive barbarity, with a swift, but proper bludgeoning of feral, knuckle-dragging, snarling, sonic goat perversion of ungogly proportions, pulling no punches and getting the point across and rubs its blood and entrails-covered hands as it rides off on its tank into the sunset shadowing the bodies of nuns, priests and sheep decomposing into oblivion. Bestial Blackened savagery in the most straightforward form. If Abysmal Lord, Weregoat and Blasphemy are your bag, then give this a spin and worship the goat!

H​ä​xanu: Totenpass (Amor Fati Productions)

One of the many, MANY projects of USBM mastermind, Alex Poole, proving once again that he has the Black Metal Midas touch, fiercely in tune with his eye for detail and ear for tone and feel, whether it be for the oppressively atmospheric, the chilling, cold symphonies of keyboard-laden moodscapes, or searing melodicism. Häxanu falls in the last category and their debut full-length was an instant hit in my book, but Totenpass builds further on the groundwork laid by its predecessor, adjusting the sails and riding the treacherous waves into even harsher tides, culminating in texturally rich and hauntingly melodic meat n’ potatoes Black Metal, blended with chilling, lurid keyboards, humming along with the chaos in perfect harmony. Occult USBM with a message and motive.

Verminous Serpent: The Malign Covenant (Amor Fati Productions)

Finding Blackened Doom that I can really sink my teeth into is a rare occurrence these days, but this outing formed like a mysterious black cloud, breaking through a bright, Spring day and rendering all of the blossoming flowers to ash, and pleasantly surprised me, as it immersed me into its sunless chill, woven into a ghastly shroud of crushing Blackened Doom, cloaked in a mantle of chilling atmospherics and voracious gloom, mired in unfathomable oppression. A hideous incantation of ancient spirits, channeled through every detail, that reaches out with its skeletal, putrified hands. Bleak, crushing and mesmerizing all the way through.

Hail the Void: Memento Mori (Ripple Music)

Anyone who knows me, knows that I’m at my absolute pickiest when it comes to Stoner Doom. It’s a genre that I dip my toes into every now and again, but finding new stuff that I can actually chew on like I got a bad case of the munchies, is few and far between. When it does happen, however, it’s glorious. Victoria, British Columbia’s Hail the Void is a rough and tumble, smoked out slab of Doom, rich with catchy. and earth shatteringly chunky riffs, belted out with haste, but balanced with raw power, high energy, cathartic emotion and blistering sincerity; reaching beyond the threshold of any typical Sabbath-worshiping, shroom-laden trip down the yellow brick road. A small, but noticeable semblance of Dax Riggs/Agents of Oblivion shining through some parts was also part of its allure, that roped me in, especially in the vocals. Pure, head-rattling DOOM, built from parts borrowed from every sector of the genre’s vast and fathomless galaxy!

Billy Odal: …and the Search for Agartha Part II (Hidden Hand Records)

Album number two from the psyched out Post-Punk enigma that only I seemingly seem to talk about, but know will catch on eventually. Billy Odal continues to blur the lines between Post-Punk, Psyche Rock and Gothic Rock, with a lurid convergence of groovy melodies and icy symphonics, chromatically dancing among each other like a melting pot of LSD and sex potion. Lot of Sisters of Mercy’s darkest moments, mixed with some dirty, funky Rock n’ Roll grooves, to dance drunk beneath the moonlight over a campfire to. Luscious and golden, just like its predecessor.

Other Mentions:

Calderum: Lord Cramridor (Death Prayer Records)

Ieschure: The Mystic Fields (Ars Funebris Records)

Bong Coffin: The End Beyond Doubt (Syrup Moose Records)

Aivvass: Occult Rites I (Independent)

Menace: Open Fire (Razorbleed Productions)

Available through Razorbleed Productions.

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And on that note, we pack up the shovels and head to the next burial site. I’ll be sure to have more gravedigging metaphors next time around… I’m tired, okay?

But anyway, I’m looking forward to what’s in store for us as we head into Spring time (except the weather) and seeing if I can top myself for Q2! Hopefully I don’t hit any valleys along the way. Until then, stay hydrated, stay hateful and fuck the sun!

Album Thoughts | Windhand: Eternal Return

Well, this is it. It’s here. The long-awaited follow-up to my undisputed #1 album of 2015, by, in my honest opinion, the best Stoner Doom band currently walking this ball of grass, dirt, chaos and stupidity we call a planet. I’ve been foaming at the mouth for this one ever since it was announced and for good reason. Windhand have always been one of my top-tier acts of the Stoner Doom and Doom Metal genre as a whole, but they made their biggest impact on me 3 years ago with Grief’s Infernal Flower, which I could not let go of for months after hearing. That album was one of the best and most captivating works of smokey, psychedelic and crushing as hell Doom Metal, with so many tricks, tropes and nuances that gave it it’s own identity and showcased Windhand at their peak. I still, to this day, deem that album as nothing short of fucking incredible. Fast forward to 2018, they made a splash a few months back with their split with fellow Doomsters, Satan’s Satyrs, which was pretty damn good and surely served as a sign of other things to come. Sure enough, a few months later, we get the announcement of this stoned, tripped out monster of an album and I threw my hands up and shined up my number 1 spot for the year and got it ready, because it’s very possible that they could become repeat holders of the spot. I thought this, because if you listen to Windhand and they don’t make you want to give up on society, join a hippie cult, sit in a drum circle, load up on some shrooms and other psychedelics, lay on the grass and become one with the universe, then you’re fucking up.

So, does Eternal Return hold up? Well, it certainly is the same majestic, smokey and super thick and bassy Doom that these guys and gal have been belting out for nearly a decade now and I was still just as enthralled and riddled with chills on my first listen, as I was the first time I heard their last 3 albums. The crushing chords, catchy grooves, searing riffs and the harmonious, cloudy voice of Dorthia Cottrell, that serves as the centerpiece of the puzzle, are all very much present and still show no signs of slowing down or losing touch. As the crunchy chords of Halcyon kick in to start things off, like any good Windhand song, they make sure you can feel the rumbling bass, vibrating through your brain (or your whole body if you’re listening on a quality stereo system) as the groove begins and Dorthia’s signature crooning voice echoes through the foggy air and paints itself onto your brain, to be stuck on for as long as it wishes to be. Even on that small section of bass picking in the middle of the track, you can feel it rumbling through you. Great opener that lets you know straight away that this is still Windhand at their fullest. Grey Garden follows with more of those droning, rhythmic chords and thick, patterned drums, under that smokey, trippy atmosphere. The verses are particularly catchy on this one. Dorthia’a affectation, coupled with the psychedelic riffs, really make you feel a sense of euphoric calm, the same way eating a shroom or taking some acid would. Just 2 tracks in and I was already getting chills.

Things switch up a bit with Pilgrim’s Rest, which is slower and strips away some of the thick, chunky chords and crushing grooves, in favor of a more Bluesy feel. Definitely one of the main standouts and one of the shorter tracks on the album. Another standout and the main highlight of this album for me, is the super catchy Red Cloud. Taking on a faster, more Hard Rock-ish tempo, this definitely the most fun track of the bunch, with it’s bouncy, upbeat groove and energetic flow. It reminds me a little of The Mortician’s Flame by Acid Bath, being the most upbeat and flowing song on and album of slow, Doomy chaos. Pretty refreshing and surprising track. Diablerie follows the same formula; also a really good track, though I enjoyed Red Cloud a bit more. It’s not the first time they’ve gone into Stoner Rock territory, but it’s always nice to have a switch-up of tempo every now and then, to add some semblance of variety, that’s where I feel a lot of Stoner Doom bands fail and that’s why I consider Windhand such a favorite. Versatility matters, especially in a genre like this. The 13-minute closer, Feather also has a good deal of seasoning to it, starting off slow, with some light, brushing chords and slowly building into that chunky, smoke-filled array of rumbling guitars and muddy drums, with dreary croons sweeping over them and continuously pounding it all into you until the last second drains out. Excellent closer!

So overall, can I say this was as good or better than Grief’s Infernal Flower? Ehh, not quite, but that doesn’t mean that this isn’t another exceptional outing by these guys, because it absolutely is, just in it’s own way. In a genre where very few bands have a style and sound of their own and most channel Black Sabbath far too excessively, Windhand have something special, that stands out like a bright star that you notice while gazing at the night sky, stoned off your ass. Dorthia really adds to that uniqueness too with her voice (and it’s not just because it’s a female voice rather than a male one). This is trippy, heavy, riffy, atmospheric and crushing all at once and it has all kinds of elements to it, from Doom, to Sludge, to Blues, to Hard Rock and whatever else you can pick up on. They really have a wealth of tricks up their sleeve and can blend it all in while staying true to their core sound, and that’s what makes them a favorite of mine, when it comes to Doom, Stoner and Metal in general. A true anomaly in a genre riddled with clones and creative stagnancy, with very few exceptions, and they are the biggest and best one, without question.

Album Thoughts | Electric Wizard: Wizard Bloody Wizard

Just when you thought 2017 couldn’t get any Doomier, the Wizard cometh. Everyone’s favorite pill-popping, plant-smoking, virgin-sacrificing, satanic Doomsters are back with their 9th full-length album… which was a curious one. After Time to Die, which was good, but I can’t exactly say was my favorite Electric Wizard offering, there was no telling where they’d go from there. It was obvious that their usual formula of catchy, groovy, bassy and sonically crushing Stoner Doom was starting to get a little tired and repetitive. A good amount of fans were starting to be put off by hearing the same thing over and over again, and at a lesser level than previous albums, which is understandable. Doing the same thing too many tines will get old after a while. It’s one of the reasons I lose interest in a lot of bands. The album that everyone seems to cling onto when it comes to Electric Wizard is Dopethrone, which don’t get me wrong, is a great album, but people seem to long for another one of that caliber. In my opinion, lightning doesn’t strike twice, so you can’t expect another Dopethrone, because there won’t be one. That’s just the way it is. However, I can understand why people were underwhelmed with their last couple albums. They’re good, but not their best works, so going into this one, things could have gone either way… and sweet merciless fuck, what a way it went.

Wizard Bloody Wizard is a step in a new direction for sure. It may surprise a lot of people, either positively or negatively, depending on what you’re into and what you were expecting. I honestly loved it. It’s something different and fresh, especially if you were growing tired of them, which I honestly was. For this album, the bassy, crushing tone is stripped away and the band’s style shifts into a more Bluesy Stoner Rock kind of feel. I’m sure a lot of you won’t want to hear that, but trust me, it’s a complete refreshing of their sound and it works well for them. I had my doubts too going in, but I was pleasantly surprised. From the start of See You in Hell, it was already clear that this wasn’t the same Wizard as the one we’re used too, which as goes for everything else, could be good or bad. REALLY bad. Well, I was cautious, but that first track in, I was enjoying it splendidly. Even without their usual tropes, the smokey, psychedelic riffs and grooves are still very much present and Jus Oborn’s echoy, crooning vocals are as good as ever. So not THAT much has changed, but just enough of it to keep things fresh and lively. Something I wish a lot of bands knew how to do.

Necromania follows with it’s early Black Sabbath-like feel; a fun, groovy track with catchy riffs and a smoky, hypnotic tone. The tempo slows down and get a little Sludgy with Hear the Sirens Scream, perhaps the most reminiscent track of the signature Electric Wizard style. The Reaper is another unique one that has a Doom meets 60s/70s Punk sound to it. Keyboards are also implemented and it creates this campy and trippy atmosphere that enhances the already trance-inducing sound of the music itself. Great track, perhaps my favorite. The super Witchcult Today-reminiscent Wicked Caresses is my other favorite. The Doomy, Bluesy closer, Mourning of the Magicians wraps things up perfectly and leaves off with a reminder that this is still the Wizard we know and love and they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. I was left wanting more, no doubt.

Maybe the reason I enjoyed this album so much is that it’s basically Witchcult Today (my favorite Wizard album), but with a more Bluesy and trippy feel to it. Jus’ vocals are sleazy, croony and sound the most inspired i’ve heard him sound in quite a while. This isn’t a compete shift in style, but to me, this is a total rejuvenation of the band overall. This is indeed a fresh route for Electric Wizard’s sound, but they’re still remaining consistent in their core style that I think everyone should give a chance before dismissing it altogether. I can definitely see why it would put some people off, especially if you know their previous stuff well. It won’t jive well with everyone. So if it isn’t your thing, that’s fine, but I do encourage at least one good listen of it before you decide how you feel. To me, it’s worth it. This is definitely a step up from Time to Die, which I thought was lackluster, and it’s another stamp in the legacy of the Wizard. A new favorite of mine for sure.

Until next time.

-Scvm

Album Thoughts | Acid Witch: Evil Sound Screamers

Halloween 2017 has come and gone. As predicted, it was a pretty bittersweet day for me. Being that i’m older now and less prone to fun, I didn’t take part in any interesting “activities” that the kiddies and young adults do during this time. I did however, do something that made my whole day. I got shitfaced, went over to the ol’ Bandcamp and gave this absolute banger a listen! Released on Halloween (duh), this is the long-awaited 3rd album by Detroit bearers of spooky, Stoner-Sludgey Death Doom, Acid Witch, and after 7 years, things have only gotten grimier, nastier and freakier than ever. Evil Sound Screamers continues the groovy, psychedelic Doomy sound that was present on their previous releases and like a nice, delicious gourmet birthday meal (which I didn’t have), add in hints and pinches of all other kinds of ingredients like the new direction in vocal style, with higher pitched screams and howls, as opposed to the usual bellowing growls, and some ghostly keyboards mixed in as well and blended together very well.

The sound is as catchy and groovy as it is crushing and bassey; from the start of Mr. Beistal, I was instantly hooked and nothing can make me click pause. The psychedelic vibe the keyboards give off as the thick, chunky riffs lay into you is the main selling point that kept me invested and held my attention all throughout the 36-minute running-time, as drunk off my ass as I was. I Hate Halloween continues the Sludgy Death Doom feel with riffs that remind me of the early works of Eyehategod and Electric Wizard, while still maintaining it’s own identity. You also have your more aggressive tracks like Nain Rouge (The Red Dwarf), where the riffs get slightly more intense and some sick tremolos are added in. Shagrat’s swampy, witchy vocals work wondrously in enhancing the nastiness and Sludginess of this track, dare I say the best out of them all. Then there’s Mutilation Mansion; things get a bit slower again, but the intensity remains as the guitars and drums trample you with muddy, crushing might. Easily my favorite track!

Standout tracks aside, the entire batch is a hypnotic and head-jamming experience of a listen and was a super fun way to end my Halloween. This is a band that I wasn’t always a fan of and took me a while to get into, but once I did, I was way into them and i’m glad I am now. This is easily their best release yet and their most complex and creative one to date. Necrophagia are my usual go-to Extreme Metal jams for Halloween, especially after the masterpiece that was WhiteWorm Cathedral (which i’ll review on here in the future), but after this performance, Acid Witch joins that list as well. This is definitely one to check out if you’re a Doom head, especially Stoner or Death Doom, or if you’re just looking for something unique and out there altogether; you’ve surely come to the right place with this one.

This is a sort of unexpected but very much welcome new contribution to the continuing outpour of Doomed goodness for this year. It’s a pretty different brand that combines two styles that don’t often mix. Stoner Doom and Death Metal are obviously very distinct genres but these guys find a way to create something out of the two and paint wondrous pictures with them, telling tales of ghouls, goblins, killers and mischief, perfect for any Halloween festivities… like your costume parties where there’s always that one person who wears corpse paint and gets mistaken for The Crow. OR if you just wanna drink and lounge like my boring ass did. So sit back, relax, cuddle up with your thick Goth gf (no dude actually says that, by the way) and enjoy this absolute banger of an album! Listen to it every other day too, every day is Halloween for us freaks.

Until next time.

-Scvm

Album Thoughts | Goya: Harvester of Bongloads

It’s been a while since I indulged in a nice, thick, crunchy Doom Metal album of the Stoner variety. Reason being is that I haven’t really come across too many in recent months that really caught my eye. One of my favorite Stoner Doom bands is Windhand, because they’re exactly what I look for in a band within this genre; heavy, burly, crushing and atmospheric riff and drum-wise with a powerful and vibrant vocal performance to top it off. That’s exactly what they possess, especially on their latest album, which made it my #1 album of 2015. I don’t come across that kind of thing too often these days, so it’s kinda rare that a Stoner band or album really lands on my radar. There’s always bound to be one, though.

Goya is a band from Phoenix, Arizona, fronted by Jeff Owens, who’s also the man behind this excellent collection of Electric Wizard covers under the moniker Acoustic Wizard.

I found out about his main band through this project and after enjoying his performance so much on this, I was pretty pumped to give this band a listen. Their first two outings floored me right off the bat. They had everything that made me love the last Windhand opus. It’s a steady, well-structured blend of thick, smokey guitars, thick, murky drums and a very impassioned and fervent vocal delivery by Owens that has kind of a raspy, Hard Rock feel to it and is pretty different from most Stoner vocals I’ve heard, but it fits and works like a charm. His style is what made the Acoustic Wizard stuff work so well too, his intense delivery is what gave it the punch it needed to really grasp your heed and keep it until it was finished. It works just as well on this album, even for the 20-minute opener Omen: I. Strange Geometry, II. Fade Away, III. Life Disintegrates. Even the brief instrumental that follows, Germination is an attention holder with it’s psychedelic riffs and overall groove.

Then we have my favorite of the 4 tracks on this album; the super abrasive and epic Misanthropy on High. 11 minutes of cloudy, psychedelic riffy goodness and searing, raspy cries about smoking yourself into a come while this shitty world passes you by. Excellent track that really put the cherry on top of this one for me. Things wrap up with the mid-paced and groovy Disease, which closes this on a strong, satisfying note. Despite the lengthy song lengths, this isn’t too long of an album at all, clocking it at only 40 minutes and not overstaying it’s welcome, though with a sound like this, it’ll always be welcome into MY ear canals. That’s for damn sure. This is a fairly standard but at the same time, unique and gripping offering of hazy, muddy Doom that’ll please any fan of the genre, especially if you’re looking for something ardent and hard-hitting. This will do the trick in more ways than one. Jeff Owens shines here just as much as he does on Acoustic Wizard and got me hooked on this band just as easily as he did for that project. Again, he brings a degree of uniqueness to a genre known for a highly duplicated vocal style that makes many of it’s acts very generic and stale. Jeff’s voice and the overall feel he gives off is very distinct and gives the band it’s own identity; much like Dorthia of Wndhand does.

So, needless to say, I may very well have found a new favorite within this smokey realm and another one to add to the year-end list in December. Like I said, it’s not every day a Stoner Doom album really catches me off guard and hits me right in the gut totally out of left field like this, but when it does happen, it’s glorious. So I can’t recommend this one enough to all Doom heads out there who are looking for something different and powerful. This sure as hell isn’t a bad one to turn to. In a saturated genre like Stoner Doom, it’s rare to find a band that sticks out like a sore thumb and offers something truly fresh and outside the box, and if bands like Goya and Windhand can pull it off, then there’s always a chance for it. So yeah, get your ears on this one and thank me later!

Until next time.

-Scvm

Quick Album Thoughts | 4/4/2017

It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these. The reasons for that are because firstly, I decided to try my hand at full individual album reviews, which I’m sure most of you have read by now. I know they suck, but i’m trying to get better at it, so bare with me there, and secondly, I haven’t really heard that many albums in the last month.

However…

As I said in my last post on this blog. Wrestlemania was this past weekend, and leading up to the event I caught up on some new albums and movies I had yet to check out. These 5 albums were the ones I was the most intrigued by, thus why I chose them. They were mostly met with a positive reception by me… mostly.

Well, here are those albums.

Iron Reagan: Crossover Ministry

Starting things off with some more Retro Thrash! Iron Reagan, the side project of Municipal Waste voice Tony Foresta, is another product of the ‘Retro Thrash’ craze of today. Does that mean it’s bad? Surely not, because this is a very fun album. This is an excellent offering of fast, loud, energetic and relentless Crossover Thrash that doesn’t sound like a cheap imitation at all. Old school at heart but loud and young spirited, super aggressive and unrelenting, non-stop riffs and grooves and just balls to the wall crazy. I will say that it is a little weird for an older fellow like Foresta to be talking about partying at a house and pissing off the neighbors, but hey, that’s what this is all about; channeling the spirit of fun 80s Thrash and they do that well. Awesome track, by the way (Fuck the Neighbors). Highly recommended of you haven’t heard it already!

Assimilation: The Laws of Power

Holy fuck!

This is the debut album by these Canadian Death Thrash monsters and it is a fucking ripper! The best way I can describe this one is if you take Cannibal Corpse’s Eaten Back to Life & Tomb of the Mutilated and Death’s Human & Individual Thought Patterns, sprinkle a little early Slayer on top and put it into a blender, you get this. This album is a fithy, disgusting, extremely brutal and absolutely ruthless slab of Thrash-driven old school Death Fucking Metal. Raw, dirty production, sounds like an album straight out of the late 80s/early 90s, and just kicks you in the face from start to fucking finish. Easily the best 40 minutes of my 2017 thus far when it comes to Death Metal. Nothing much else to say about this one, really. Just a brutal fucking masterpiece. Give it a listen! I implore you.

Darkest Hour: Godless Prophets & the Migrant Flora

It’s been quite some time since I’ve even thought about listening to anything put out by Darkest Hour. The style of their last number of albums just doesn’t do it for me. It’s just your typical Metalcore that can easily be heard on the Jamie Jasta-hosted Headbanger’s Ball from the mid 2000s. I am a fan, however, of their more aggressive earlier works like So Sedated, So Secure & Hidden Hands of a Sadist Nation. Undoing Ruin was the last album that had me interested in these guys, everything after that one I just can’t get into. Then I found out about this album being released and heard a track from it by chance, I dug it! Then I found out it was produced by Kurt Ballou. Anything he touches has a good chance of being great. Just look at his resume. Anyway, I gave is a listen and alas, it’s their best one since Undoing Ruin!

This is the most aggressive and intense they’ve been in years and I was pleasantly surprised at how good it is. It still has your usual Metalcore tropes; Melodic Death Metal-ish riffs and a breakdown here a and there, but not overly done and therefore, I can look past it. This is a surprisingly good release by these guys and I recommend it to the open-minded! Well done.

Obituary: S/T

Now on to the disappointment of the bunch…

There’s a reason I said these were mostly met with a positive reception by me. This was the reason. We all know Obituary are a fantastic band who have released some of the most recognized and celebrated classics in the entire history of Death Metal. Cause of Death & World Demise are two of my all time favorite albums in the genre. The ruthlessness and ferocity those albums brought to the table is stuff of legend. Most of their albums after that, spanning the mid to late 90s and the 2000s are also really good. What they have released so far in the 2010s, however, has been far from their best work. The only tracks on this one that I can say I really enjoyed were A Lesson in Vengeance and Kneel Before Me. Those two songs have the really dirty, intense and super brutal feel to them that embodies the Obituary of old. Unfortunately, that’s where it ends.

Overall, this isn’t necessarily a terrible album. It’s just very underwhelming. Even more so than Inked in Blood. Aside from those two bangers of songs that save it from being a total disappointment, that’s really all I can say about this one. Not Obituary’s best work by a longshot. Still love ’em though.

Pallbearer: Heartless

Closing out the weekend on the music front, we have some high quality, riffed up, groovy, catchy, old school stonery doomy goodness. Pallbearer return with their 3rd full length album and one of the most anticipated albums of the year thus far among many, with good reason too. If you take Pentagram and inject them with the majestic crushing heaviness of Candlemass & Solitude Aeternus and the sweet, dreamy flow of Windhand, they will become Pallbearer! These fellows bring to the table the perfect combination of crushingly heavy and harmonious and epic that creates such an eminent dynamic that allows you to just sit back, relax and just soak it all in and it holds your attention and awe from start to finish. Excellent album by an excellent band that gets better with each new release.

And those were this weekend’s listens. I’ll be back with more in the coming weeks. I have a SHIT ton of new Black Metal releases to catch up on and that will probably be the next Quick Album Thoughts post. So keep an eye out. I hope everyone had a nice weekend. Here’s to the future!

Until next time.

–Scvm

Album Thoughts | King Woman: Created in the Image of Suffering

So, I decided to take advantage of my Doom Metal kick as of late and give this album a listen. Out of all of them that I have in the queue, this one was the most intriguing. After hearing the very compelling latest Miserable album, also fronted by Kristina Esfandiari, I was really anticipating this one, as I didn’t really hear much from these guys prior to this album, but what I did hear, I kinda liked. So, this was an interesting one going in. How did Kristina transition from mellow, ethereal, Shoegaze Rock to gloomy, gothy Doom Metal? Well…

The band’s sound, at least the way I see it, can only be described as a cross between Windhand & Chelsea Wolfe. With the combined elements of hefty, chunky, Stoner-style Doom Metal complete with crushing, bassy guitars and dragging, heavy drum and bass and the gloomy, Shoegazy, vocal style of Kristina herself, how can you not make that distinction? This album strikes a solid middle-ground between Doom Metal and Gothy Post-Rock and should please fans of both, and maybe fans of other acts such as Acid King or Emma Ruth Rundle as well. Who knows? What I do know is that this is a pretty damn good debut full-length by these guys and gal and my first real impression of them is a good one.

The album starts out with the spoken-word intro Citios, which is the album’s title in acronym form said over and over again over a smokey, gloomy ambiance. Pretty cool start. Then we dive right into Utopia, where the intensity picks up and the band’s sound fully shines through as Kristina’s almost potent monotone yet ethereal voice soars though the mounting wave of thick, chugging Doom riffs and drum patterns laced in a gloomy, foggy atmosphere that structures itself to create quite an interesting experience. Not the most innovative of sounds per se, but still very well done. After this opener, we’re then treated to a slower, more Post-Metal kind of feel as Deny opens with a slow, treading and sorta Black Metal-ish build that leads into more gloomy, Doomy goodness and potent Post-Rock gothery (is that a word? No? Oh well). Other songs that give you this treatment are the excellent Worn and album closer Hem. Kristina clearly has a type of niche style and unique delivery that can demand your attention and hold onto it for a good amount of time, as also evident in Miserable. I’m not the biggest Shoegaze or Post-Rock fan, but the moment I christened my ears with both of her bands, I automatically became a fan. Not an easy task, so well done.

This isn’t exactly the most innovative of styles, as I said, this can easily please fans of the likes of Windhand, Acid King, Chelsea Wolfe or Emma Ruth Rundle, who are all very similar to both King Woman & Miserable in their own unique way, but it’s still a very compelling piece of Post-Rock & Shoegaze laced Doom Metal art done by obviously great artists and musicians. I highly recommend this to fans of any of the aforementioned genres or bands. Again, it doesn’t quite reinvent the wheel, but it can sure keep it rolling. So give this one a listen!

This is my first full album ‘review’, so if it sucks, I apologize. I’m working on it.

Until next time.

-Scvm

Random Recs | February 2017

Strap in, folks. This is gonna be a bit of a long one.

While I haven’t found much time lately to listen to many new albums, amidst all the chaos this month has brought my way, I did listen to plenty of stuff that has been already established in my musical repertoire. I’ve gone threw a couple of interesting kicks in the last few weeks of certain genres that have greatly influenced this months edition of this feature. That being said, prepare for a good amount of Blackened Death, Goregrind & a little bit of Stoner Doom for this one. As weird as that sounds, if you know me, you know it isn’t unusual.

Anyway, here’s what has blessed my ears throughout this month that I recommend to you fine folks.

Thy Sepulchral Moon: Incantations Inciting Demise

I came across this album in early January and kicked myself for not finding it last year. Holy fuck. This is yet another offering of raw, dissonant, filthy Black Metal that has been pleasing me for quite some time now. It’s also just as good. Very intense, extremely vicious and downright nasty, under-produced, super-distorted, sick twisted Black Metal that will please the purest of fans everywhere. If you’re looking for somehing along the lines of Orgy of Carrion or Utzalu, definitely give this a listem! This is a fantastic slab of Raw Black Metal complete with dirty, evil as fuck riffage, just as dirty blastbeat drumming and sick, nasty shrieks for vocals laced with a murky, muddy, almost ritualistic atmosphere that creates a very freakish feel all around. Highly recommended for collectors of all things raw and vile. Great fucking stuff!

Armaggedon: Kill Yourself or Die

On to some more old-school oriented filth. Armaggedon also play a raw brand of Black Metal. Though not as nasty or twisted as the album above, it’s still as evil and ‘kvlt’ as you can get. Nothing fancy or innovative here. Just straight up, simple tremolo riff, blastbeat and shriek-laden Black Metal that harkens back to the days of Burzum, Darkthrone and Judas Iscariot. Simple, but as evil, raw and hateful as it gets. Recommended for old school fans the world over.

Forgotten Tomb: Songs to Leave

Now to trudge into some Blackened Doom territory. Most have heard the name Forgotten Tomb already. They are a pretty well established band at this point. Why are they on this list? Well, why not? I honestly drifted from these guys in the last year or so, but recently reconnected with them and got right back into them. Especially this album. Songs to Leave is a very intense and harrowing 5-song journey of an album that I suggest anyone first discovering these guys to start with. Some may call it Depressive Black Metal, some may classify it as Blackened Doom, but whatever you call it, it’s still a great album of slow and melodic but dark and brooding grooves and tortured, almost mental patient-esque screams and extremely melancholic overtones. Basically, don’t listen to this one if you have a gun to your head or noose around your neck. It won’t help your situation. Either way, great album and still one of my favorites, not only by these guys but in Black Metal in general.

Deiphago: Into the Eye of Satan

On to the Blackened Death side of the spectrum. Starting with this violent, ruthless masterpiece. Deiphago have a reputation of being one of, if not the heaviest and most brutal purveyor of the ‘War Metal’ style, creating some of the most vicious, hateful and insanely fast and unrelenting Blackened Death Metal this side of Revenge and Teitanblood. Don’t expect anything different from this one either. This album, just like their other three, is a 34-minute audio assault on every eardrum unfortunate enough to encounter it. Almost nothing but Blastbeats, ruthless, thick, hellish riffs and demonic growls that would put the beast himself to shame. All of this combined with the harsh and dirty production creates this apocalyptic atmosphere that only adds to the madness. Fantastic stuff by one of the best doing it today. If you haven’t already, give these Phillipino fuckers a shot. It’s well worth it!

Black Witchery: Inferno of Sacred Destruction

The second Blackened Death Metal masterpiece on this list. This time by one of the crown jewels of the sub-genre. Black Witchery are well known and well renound all throughout the Extreme Metal community. This was made evident in February of last year with the unfortunate passing of guitarist Steve “Tragenda” Childers that was felt all throughout the scene. Similar to when Nunslaughter drummer Jim “Sadist” Konya died from a stroke in October 2015. 2 great musicians who left us far too soon but will be remembred as part of 2 of the best acts in all of Death and Black Metal. Anyway, this album is another fantastic offering in the Blackened Death Metal department that offers up a just as evil and ruthless style as Deiphago and Revenge but unique in it’s own way. You’ll find riffs just as evil, drumming just as blasty and vocals just as demonic, but still be able to recognize the style they bring to the table whenever you hear it, just as you would with the other bands mentioned in this paragraph. Another fantastic offering by one of the best to come across and highly recommended to new fans starting out!

Chainsaw Dissection: Zombie Decimation

Also this month, as I said, I was in a mood for some putrid, disgusting, incomprehensible, fast, ridiculous and sexy as fuck Goregrind. Starting with this one-man eardrum wrecking crew of Death Metal-laced Grindy deliciousness, Chainsaw Dissection plays a very raw and primitive style of Goregrind with a very noticeable seasoning of Brutal Death Metal. Some compare him to Mortician, I think mainly because of the Horror themed lyrical subject matter, but to me, this is a totally different animal. The only similarity between these two, really, is the lyrical content and not much more. While Mortician plays a bit of a slower, groovier, more techy style of Brutal Death, Chainsaw Dissection ups the intensity, drops the techiness and brings on a much more ruthless brand of this style. Blasty, programmed drums, nasty, pukey vocals and ripping guitars galore is the best way I can describe this one, which is a good thing, or else this wouldn’t be on this list. If you’re into Brutal Death, Slam or Goregrind, or a mix of any of those, I definitely recommend this one, as well as his other albums. Mortician as well! I like them both.

Last Days of Humanity: Putrefaction in Progress

One of the more notable bands on this list and in this genre, probably the most notorious, Last Days of Humanity is, in my opinion at least, considering they were one of the first bands I found while exploring the genre several years ago, one of the top and most mentioned acts when it comes to Goregrind, alongside Disgorge, Torsofuck and Haemorrhage. If you know about them, you know what they’re about and what they play. Once you put those headphones on and press play on one of their albums, you better be prepared for the loudest, most incomprehensible, fucked and disgusting form of sound out there. There’s a reason these guys are so revered in the underground ‘anti-music’ scene. These fuckers took what bands like Meat Shits innovated with the more Punkier feel in sound and elevated it to even more ridiculous levels of extreme. Some may call it Goregrind, some may call it Gorenoise, but whatever it’s correct fucking pronouns are, it still has everything you’d expect from either description. Retardedly fast drumming, vocals that’ll make you swear he’s actually vomiting all the way through (and probably is) and ruthless, repulsive guitars and bass that don’t give two flying shits or a single solitary fuck about being riffy or sounding pretty. The reason these guys are one of the most mentioned bands in this genre is because they’re one of the best at it and this is one of their best releases doing it. Which doesn’t really take that much skill, but fuck that. Who needs it! Highly recommended for lovers of all things putrid and unfriendly.

Disgorge: Forensick

On to another one of the most well known bands in this scene. Mexico’s Disgorge, other than being confused with the American band of the same name, are known for playing a Brutal Death Metal-laced style of Goregrind, sorta similar to Last Days of Humanity and Chainsaw Dissection, but to a little bit of a lesser degree, but not that far removed. This is just as intense and noisy as the other 2 but in it’s own unique way. Nothing pretty, definitely nothing fancy and only for those with a taste for the sick and disgusting. Again, this is the Mexican Disgorge, so type in ‘(Mex)’ next to their name when you search for them. Give the American one a listen too if you want. They’re not bad either.

Acid King: Busse Woods

Not that would have been the end of this post, and could still have been, but lately I’ve developed a new found infatuation with this genre and I could wait until next month to include these but fuck it! Why the hell wait? Time for some good ol’ Stoner Doom to enjoy a nice hotbox to… or virgin sacrifice if you’re into the Occult side of it. Starting with this female-fronted gem of a band. Acid King is one of the pioneering names within the genre, often mentioned among the best of them, including Electric Wizard (Discography Dialogue on them in the future), Sleep and Windhand. With good reason too. They bring to the table a classic, straight up brand of old school, Black Sabbath style thick, slow, groovy riffs, just as slow and just as thick and bassy drums and perfectly completed by the bass and fantastic vocal styling of Lori S. Very similar to Windhand, whom I absolutely love but still unique enough to be recognized on it’s own. Great album, great band and highly recommended.

Witchhelm: Conjuring

On to the darker side of things. Witchhelm are probably one of my favorite newer acts in the genre. They take a different approach to the style, offering up a more Black Metal-influenced sound and aesthetic. They follow the core formula of Electric Wizard-influenced Occult Stoner Doom, but give it their own little twisted flavor, adding a touch of early to mid 90s Black Metal attitude. As a result, comes an intriguing blend of dark, witchy Doom Metal with heavy, thick riffs that can also fit easily on a 90s Black Metal record, or even a newer one and completed with, eerie, echoed vocals, which i’m a sucker for, in both Doom and Black Metal. Put all those things together and you get this, the first album by now one of my favorite more obscure bands in the genre. If you’re a fan of Stoner Doom, I urge you to check these guys out. It’s well worth it and worth a listen. Especially if you’re into the darker and witchier side of the spectrum. Check out their other 2 albums too. Very well done and very unique. Recommended!

Cough: Still They Prey

When I first heard this album I didn’t like it very much. Mostly because it wasn’t really what I was expecting. I saw Cough as more of a Sludge band at the time because I only heard a little bit of them and took them as such. So upon first listen, I was like ‘meh’, but now, as I listen again, i’m loving it! Now that I know what Cough are really about and am getting my taste in this genre back, I can enjoy it more. This is a ridiculously heavy, atmospheric and very well done mix of the two genres at hand. Just as Sludgey, with crushing guitars, heavy, bassy as shit drums and gnarly growls, as it is Stonery, with groovy, fuzzy riffs and smokey, well done clean vocals. A great dynamic very well utilized. If you’re a Sludge head, a Stoner head or both this is an album for you to bless your ears with. Give this and their first two albums a listen and don’t make the same mistake I did! If you don’t like it at first, give it a few more listens before dismissing it. Trust me, it could be worth it!

Uncle Acid & the Deabeats: The Night Creeper

Last but sure as fuck not least, we have my favorite of the bunch. A discovery I should have made at least 2 years ago. I’ve known of this band since they started buzzing but never really cared enough to give them a listen until now. Fucking hell, was that a mistake on my part! These guys are fucking fantastic. I can now see where the buzz comes from. Especially with this album. If you’re looking for an excellent mix of bluesy, Sabbathy, old souled riffs and solos and distorted, heavy, bassey, Doomy goodness, this is your album & band! This is such a good slab of Psychedelic Stoner Doom Metal that could even please jaded old school fans everywhere. My only gripe is that they remind me a little bit of Ghost, but they are without a doubt far beyond those gimmicky goobers’ level. They don’t need rely on shitty, cheesy costumes or lame characters to get themselves noticed like those hacks do. They let their music speak for itself and it works! This album is full of catchy, gripping and just aesthetically pleasing songs from front to back that just demand your attention from start to finish with a mix of Classic Rock & Doom Metal injected with some old-school Occult aesthetics similar to the likes of Electric Wizard or even Coven. There’s only so much I can say to properly describes these guys to you so just hear them for yourself. If you’re a Doom Metal fan and haven’t heard these guys yet, trust me, it’s worth it, so take the initiative and do so!

That’s all for now, ladies and gentlemen. Hopefully this isn’t too much, but it’s what I’ve been mostly into this month. Give some of these a shot if you want. I know Goregrind isn’t for everyone, but I know some of you who like it follow me on Twitter… even though it’s currently suspended, but there’s also my backup account, so follow that one too! I’ll be sharing this one on there.

So, yeah, that’s it. More to come next month.

Until next time.

-Scvm