Not to be confused with that other Leather Nun from Sweden, or the classic underground comic by the same name, Leather Nun America sum up just about everything that I love in doom. Ferocious riffs, massively absurd bottom end, and lyrics that search for that evasive ray of light amongst the darkness. Coming to us on the fiercely independent underground metal label, psycheDoomelic, Leather Nun America is a surprisingly easy listen for the genre. Vocals are roughened, but clean, not growled, gurgled or vomited, which is always a major plus for me. The riffs, while intense and devastatingly heavy, move with a nice inherent groove, not sludgy or moribund. And the guys actually know how to play, not hiding behind senseless walls of feedback noise. They’re out there, right in front riffing right along. And I like that.
Now, none of that is to say this shit isn’t heavy. One listen to the opening of “Portcullis,” and you’d better be prepared. The wall of despair hits you like a sledgehammer to the testicles. Wave after wave of impossibly low-end riffs blast away, liquefying any internal organs in their path. All the requisite influences are there, Motorhead, Spirit Caravan, Obsessed, Crowbar, and the tip of the crown to Lord and Master Sabbath. But what Leather Nun America does with these influences is what draws me to them. Rather than try and out doom the world, slowing things down to the absurdly slow pace of Sleep or the unwieldy (in my mind unlistenable) drone of Cough, Leather Nun America aren’t afraid to simply rock. Check out the opening riff to “Ly Loa.” Damn, that’s tough. Throw in some electric soloing, searing through that monster of a groove and we really got something. Loud? You bet. Dark and heavy enough to scare mother’s of small children? Oh, yeah. If it didn’t we wouldn’t listen to it. But damn, besides all that, it just freaking grooves.
“Below Zero,” attacks me right out of the speakers with a Motorhead frenzy. “Emblem” is a seven-plus minute doom epic that never loses its focus or my attention. “Some Might Grow,” is a stunningly beautiful acoustic passage to match the best of Iommi’s classic interludes. “Tools of the New Church” just assaults with its monolithic glory. Beautifully done.
The album isn’t new. Their third long player, it was originally released in 2008. But for doom fans who like their music to move with an actual heartbeat, this one shouldn’t be missed.
http://www.myspace.com/leathernunamerica
Man, I don’t know what’s drifting in the bayou’s down Houston way, but damn if they aren’t churning out some seriously heavy bands. Recently, Pope touted the weighty wares of Project Armageddon, and now we got another monster of a doom band to bally about; Sanctus Bellum. Return to Dust is their 6 song debut and if this indestructible platter is any indication, we got a monster doom player on our hands.
Recently, I’d been watching the history channel, and have become fascinated with ancient civilizations and their monolithic structures like Puma Punko, with their 800 ton ruins. Images of those megalithic structures raced through my ravaged brain as “Shoggoth’s Ascent” erupted out of the speakers. Truly epic in its scope, this is the music of an ancient, timeless race. And let me tell you, those multi-ton slabs of granite at Puma Punko got nothing on the weight of the riffs here. Small nations could collapse under their mass. Dense and impenetrable. Sanctus Bellum lay it on thick and massive.
Now, if the vocals sound familiar, it’s because they belong to long time Ripple favorite Mr Plow’s singer Justin Waggoner, and his vocals work perfectly here, particularly on a track like the blazing epic “Dagon’s Bride.” Waggoner’s not afraid to gruff up his voice or leave it clean and soaring when the part calls for it. Either way, the dude can actually sing which in my mind is always a plus for any band.
As for where Santus Bellum comes from. Of course we got the requisite Sabbath, but they bring in more of the post-grunge riffery to them than simply lose themselves in the 70’s. Trouble is here, so is some post-Alice in Chains, as are others. They even bring in some tasty classic metal harmony guitar riffs which just blare out all fiery and mean. Lyrically and thematically, each song on the self-released Return to Dust references H.P. Lovecraft, but you don’t have to be a fan of that demented author to get into the metal meal these cats lay out. Just embrace the neck-breaking riffery of “Curwen,” or the massive epic, and monstrous refrain of “God’s Own Warrior.” Imagine yourself at that ancient granite ruin of Puma Punko as “The Reddening West,” blares from the stereo. See the ancient people, the warriors, the sacrifice. Or simply lose yourself in the twilight groove of “White Cat.” Heavy and inspiring. Dense and moving. Sanctus Bellum are one to watch.
--Racer
http://www.myspace.com/sanctusbellum
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