Leather Nun America - Kult Occult

It's getting harder and harder for me to write a review about Leather Nun America.  After pouring my soul into reviews of two of their albums so far, what do I have left to say about their latest long player, Kult Occult?

How about it's even better.  How about the heavy is heavier and the beautiful is beautifuller.  (?)

Let's face it, Doom is a rather limited template.  The framework was established over 40 years ago by Black Sabbath, and it frankly hasn't changed much since then.  Leather Nun America faces this challenge by fully embracing the entiretly of their doom heritage while not being afraid to mix things up a touch.  Drop in a stoner riff here and there.  Mix up the tempos.  Flavor the stew with rock and grunge and metal.  Dribble in some Vitus and Obsessed and Wino.  Create your own magic powder spice.  Stir with a detuned bass.  Flavor to taste. 

And as before, the resulting concoction is deadly.  Kult Occult is the work of a band fully at ease with their music, stretching their arms and legs against the frames of their genre barriers, and coming up with new ways to destroy their rock.  "Murderkkult" shows this off beautifully.  Doom is the word here, hard and heavy and plodding and thick, as the song trounces in at a brontosaurs pace.   And the earth feels it, trembling under each massive note.  The dual vocal effect is cool here, as is the ascending guitar riff that flavors the end of the verse.  Then, just as the song may be reaching a point where the plodding pace is becoming too familiar, lightning strikes!  In a second, the riff is transformed, the drums infused with adrenaline.  John Sarnie explodes into a guitar solo that sears the screens of my speakers as it flares out.  Another riff changed, another breakdown.  We're into full-on, fist-pumping stoner/doom/metal/rock/whatever mode here and the song is a corker.  The band drop back down to the opening doom to wrap things up and the whole thing feels about as complete as a messy, satisfying orgasm.

"Indra" has a guitar tone so fat and thick you could melt it down to pave roadsides.  I'm think Wino here in one or all of his variations, but it's all Leather Nun.  As always, they manage to find the groove that grabs the song and pulls it out of doom doldrums.  That groove so obese I could saddle er up and take her out for a ride.  Leather Nun have always done this over the course of their career.  Found that groove.

"Lasting Dose" is an example of the beautiful.  Yeah, Iommi established that template also, adding brilliant acoustic/classical passages to Sabbath albums to create a break from the pounding.   And every band since has found a way to work that thread into their album fabric, but Leather Nun do it better than most.  Sarnie's guitar is just so beautiful and the arrangements of the atmospheric numbers add to the depth of the album, not just serve as a distraction from the heavy.  In fact, I could argue that "Lasting Dose" with it's stark acoustic guitar, gentle hand percussion, and long-effected guitar is just as heavy and just as haunting as the heavy numbers. 

Start to finish, Leather Nun America have released one of the best doom/metal albums of the year.  Sarnie is an under-rated Axe master and should be whispered in the hallowed halls of the doom guitar Gods.  Noel Holloway and Mark Markowitz lay down the foundation with precision and abandon.   I hear lots of talk on the internet about bands like Elder and Orchid.  They're great bands.

Leather Nun America should be spoken of in the same sentences.  And Leather Nun America should be mentioned first.

--Racer

http://shop.psychedoomelic.com/

Electric Wizard - Black Masses

 


In the almighty Pantheon of Doom Metal, next to such immoveable pillars as Black Sabbath and Saint Vitus, there stands ELECTRIC WIZARD from Dorset, England.

Recognized as one of the greats of the genre, ELECTRIC WIZARD has a reputation to live up to. Recently, Jus Oborn and friends have returned with a killer new album titled Black Masses, further guaranteeing their tenure in the Pantheon. Black Masses, released in North America on January 18 via Rise Above Records, was produced by Grammy-winning engineer Liam Watson (THE WHITE STRIPES) in London’s Toe Rag Studios. Upon dropping the needle on this dangerous piece of wax, I expected quality production – something only found on newer releases from the band. Luckily, that’s precisely what I got - but I’m only “scratching the surface.”

At first listen, Black Masses serves as a good ELECTRIC WIZARD album, exhibiting an ever slumberous aura - something I have come to expect – along with all the Fuzzed-out, Blues-infused riffing I could ask for. Yet, after my third or fourth listen, it became clear that what makes Black Masses awesome is that the album neither solely relies on the titanic, weighty riffs of Dopethrone, nor the psychedelic atmosphere of Come My Fanatics. Rather, it kicks-off with a straight-forward, up-tempo title track and maintains a driving vibe for the first half of the record. The tracks on side-A follow a more accessible format as each includes a verse, chorus and solos. It picks up right where Witchcult Today left off, continuing to showcase a more consistently ordered, 70s sound. Jus Oborn really sings his ass off on this one, hitting higher pitches with a hint of vibrato in his voice. A couple of my favorite moments from side A are the guitar solo in ‘Night Child,’ and the aptly-titled song, ‘Turn Off Your Mind.’ Then, things change.

As I start to feel contented with the predictability of the first side of this already loud LP, the B sides are slower and HEAVIER. When ‘Satyr IX’ starts playing, plumes of volcanic ash might as well have come pouring from my speakers – it’s SO heavy! ‘Satyr IX’ displays ELECTRIC WIZARD in its true form, alluding back to some of the band’s earlier, more experimental stuff. The album closes with a 10 minute study on Drone* titled ‘Crypt of Drugula,’ a soggy and murky dwelling that some of us might have cerebrally visited once or twice.


“This ritual incantation of heavy metal sorcery will break down your psyche as wave upon crushing wave of lead weight acid-laced Doom leaves you numb and broken before our unholy altar," boasted bandleader Oborn. "Violent, bleak and ritualistic, we bow to the black altar of the RIFF. We do not rock, we kill!”


ELECTRIC WIZARD must have been feeling a little ambitious upon entering the studio to record Black Masses, as the more conventional arrangements and well-formed techniques proved to create a more accessible, yet ever enjoyable album. It’s obvious that ELECTRIC WIZARD can do anything it sets out to do – and do it well.

*a popular evolution of Doom Metal which aims to focus on, through tonal manipulation, the mechanical timbre of the instruments and amps used. Discernible melodies are sparse in Drone, hence the name, so an entire piece of music could rest on the tonic, thus allowing various competing frequencies to feedback off of each other.

-- Bones

Mares of Thrace - The Pilgrimage

Mares of Thrace is guitarist/vocalist Thérèse Lanz and drummer Stefani MacKichan. They play largely-improvised alterna-doom metal. The Pilgrimage tends to sound like a combination of Kylesa and Black Cobra.

If you read the Hornmeister (patent pending) with any regularity, this you already know.

What you may be asking yourself, is: why is he reviewing this record again?

It occurred to me that I'd never reviewed the same album twice in rapid succession. Ghost's Opus Eponymous I actually did review twice, but there was a year and half between reviews.

Since I love jazz, I thought I would do the review again, but this time, live.

Whereas the first review was the considered, pre-planned studio version, here is the "live" one: i.e., exactly what I think at the time I hear some part of this (spell-corrected, but otherwise unaltered-- I swear my journalistic integrity on this claim*).

(For my psychology nerd homies --holla!--): the album review as projective test [Google it]!)

And thus:

"Act I: David Glimpses Bathsheba," a jagged 7/8 time riff before the Kylesa-ish shrieking comes in, some pick-sliding to add a strange dissonance to the background sounds during the main riff's transposition a half step up... tribal drums like High on Fire...

Track two, "The Pragmatist," uses what I think is a flatted fifth-based riff with a scrawly, rock-type riff thereafter, and tends to use the root chord to great effect, occasionally transposing up a half-step for maximum dissonance... "The Gallwasp," sounds like a Satanic blues, with its repetition and riff-based insistence, its sludgy languor... overall, the best track so far... actually, yanno what? They're starting to sound more like High on Fire now, but with a songwriting succinctness that HOF don't have....

"The Perpetrator," a flatted-fifth riff with a very vaguely-bluesy-rockish riff behind it... very Kylesa again, and not because of the female vocals, which are barely recognizably female... at 1:29 sounds truly daunting and powerful (is it weird that at this precise point I wonder what Thérèse Lanz must be like in bed?)....

At this point ("Act II: Bathsheba's Reply to David") that the pattern of songwriting emerges as obvious: opening riff in the root note/chord, occasionally hit the flatted fifth, and during the next song point (whether it's sidewalk, bridge, chorus, or whatever) use a spidery-vaguely bluesy-rock riff which also introduces the shrieked vocals....

And for the most part it totally works.

"The Goat Thief," is nearly drone in its minute-and-a-half intro, before it becomes nearly black metal in its sludgy, tremolo-picked riffs and erratic drums....

Overall: the more I listen, the more I like.

Maybe you will, too. Just sayin.
[The Pilgrimage is released 4/24/12.]
*Shut the fuck up!-- I do so have some.

--Horn

link to Brooklyn Vegan and "The Gallwasp"-- http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2012/03/mares_of_thrace.html

Ufomammut - Oro: Opus Primum

 
My favorite Italians are back with a new album! About 2 years ago I was introduced to the joys of Ufomammut through their excellent album Eve. I've been looking forward to hearing new material from them ever since and now the wait is over. Oro is their 6th album and is the first installment in a 2 part series. I really have no idea what the lyrical concept is behind Oro but the music is some of the heaviest shit out there. Lots of bands try to combine Black Sabbath heaviness with Pink Floyd trippyness but only Ufomammut and Yob do it the way I want to hear it. And as much as I like Yob, I like Ufomammut just a hair more. Probably has something to do with my Italian heritage. Even though these guys are from Northern Italy and I have Southern Italian roots, I can't help but love this band and consider them paisanos. I also had the pleasure of interviewing them for Ripple. They had a great sense of humor and even referred to themselves as Ufomammone (mama's boys).

Eve was basically a metalized version of Pink Floyd at Pompeii. Oro continues in that direction but is even heavier but with a strong cinematic feel. Album opener "Empireum" starts off like some electronic sounds that might possibly be influenced by the intro to Steve Miller's "Jet Airliner." This music would be great in a James Bond movie when they're introducing a sinister villain. The band kicks in about halfway through this 13 minute head trip with a slow crushing riff and tribal drumming. They follow it up with "Aureum," another long, slow, heavy one that picks up speed as it goes along. "Infearnatural" and "Magickon" are both about 7 minutes long and have some evocative vocals and samples buried in the mix. Some electronic melodies from earlier in the album are reintroduced with dramatic effect. The album wraps up with an exhausting 9 minute nightmare called "Mindomine." Even though the songs are long, the album never wears out its welcome. And just when you think it can get heavier or weirder it does. Over and over again.

Way back when I was a little boy, every summer I would accompany my grandmother to a farmers market in the Bronx near Yankee Stadium. She would buy bushels and bushels of tomatoes to make enough sauce for all her family and friends to last a year. As the youngest it was my job to lug all this stuff from the car into her basement. That shit was really heavy and it was always hotter than hell. This new Ufomammut album is ALMOST that heavy. If I could deal with that back then, you can deal with this now. Marone a mi!

--Woody

http://www.ufomammut.com

Goatwhore - Carving out the eyes of God

What with their (as of this writing) upcoming album Blood For the Master, I revisited Goatwhore's previous LP, Carving Out the Eyes of God, playing it on tank-like, if outdated, speakers at jet-engine volume.

At its best, in other words.

"Apocalyptic Havoc" the lead single (see below) opens with all out Venom/Celtic Frost 32nd notes updated for this year (which actually is a pretty good synopsis of the entire album), and contains the immortal line "Who needs a God, when you've got Satan?!"

"The All-Destroying," next, is blastbeats then D-beats then flat-out downbeats, and contines the Goatwhore tradition thusfar, of grimly-satisfied-nodding-to-riffs, rather than out-and-out funky jams... and I love every time singer Ben Falgoust says "Ooooh!" à la Tom G. Warrior.

"Carving out the eyes of God," has a cool, melodic blastbeaten chorus (and is pretty hummable), and on the right sterio/headphones, the triplet bass drum patterns are Alex Van Halen on "Hot For Teacher" cool.

"Shadow of a Living Knife," in its middle section fires up a great triplet-bass-drum blast beat and segues into a sweet semi-sweep-picked solo... "Provoking the Ritual of Death" opens with tribal drums and sludge riffs before its blastbeaten percussion returns... "In Legions, I am Wars of Wrath," with its refrain of LIES! is fucking Epic... "Reckoning of the Soul Made Godless" slows down and rocks out in 4/4, "Razor Flesh Devoured" is pure fury, blastbeat to D-beat to-blastbeat, ad infinitum, wherein it fades out (officfially ending the album), although...

"To Mourn and Wander Forever Through Forgotten Doorways," a bonus track, comes up next, ominous minor-chorded arpeggios leading to a spoken-word invocation-- easily the moodiest track here, not unlike "Lucifer" from Behemoth's Evangelion. I can see why it wasn't on the official LP, but it probably should've been, maybe right in the middle as a tempo-velocity respite....

The entire album is perfect "blackened death metal," i.e., the guitars are detuned (i.e., bass-y as hell) and there are as many hyper-kinetic D-beats as there are blast beats, but the lyrics and imagery is occult/Satanic.

Overall, generic but completely invested in what they do.

--Horn

Goatwhore, Carving out the eyes of God

Confused Little Girl - Southern Gentlemen

Skeeters are snackin'. They're as big as half-dollars and they'll bleed you dry if you let 'em. The gators are patiently waiting. Some are stalkin' their prey. Shine a light and you can see the battalion of reptile eyes, like fallen stars strewn across the water's surface. Yes, we're in the icky Florida swamp, where it's scary-dark and it's nasty. I lived there once, and it's also where Confused Little Girl  and Southern Gentlemen rose from the filthy muck.

I told Racer that I've been listening to the independent release of this album for almost a year but I clearly wasn't the only one. Rotten Records took notice and signed the Orlando-based group, turning out Southern Gentlemen internationally on Oct. 11. They brought an exceptional and original rock band on board, in my opinion. Here's some information from their bio for those who haven't heard about Confused Little Girl yet.

"Confused Little Girl are a four-piece, deep-fried, southern swamp-rock band from Orlando, Florida. Their songs are filled with themes of drinking whiskey, murdering people and burying them in the bellies of alligators, pigs and the bottom of the water in the Everglades, and of course, selling your soul to Satan. The music that accompanies this subject matter is filled with loud guitars; heavy, groove-based big drums and enough fat-bottom for even Freddie Mercury to be disgusted. Since 2005, these beloved bastards of rock have been working tirelessly to shove their brand of heavy rock and roll down the throats of as many people as humanly possible."

Influences include: AC/DC, ZZ Top, Black Sabbath, Down, C.O.C., Clutch, and Queens of the Stone Age. What more do you need to know? Want details? Too bad. I don't know much else about Confused Little Girl, aside from the fact that Billy Van Muddlestein, David Washburn, Red Reilly and Josh Henry like booze, bitches and barbecue. Hell, who doesn't?

"We come from the Swamp," Confused Little Girl says. "We play rock-and-roll music. Loud, angry, drunken rock-and-roll. Being from Florida, where tons of southern rock bands came from, we have southern music in our hearts. The details about how we met and who we've played with and all of that bullshit isn't important. It's music, you listen to it. So listen to it. "

I have listened to Southern Gentlemen - many times. Too many to count. I'm listening again right now and I'll tell you something: it never gets old. Like I said before, I've been playing this release since the beginning of the year and I'm not stopping now. I won't bother with trying to describe every song because it's all good. The guitars are southern-scuzzy; the vocals are hefty and raunchy, but they're definitely still clear enough for me. The bass and drums are just monstrous. It's everything I love about swamp rock. No wonder I can't get enough.

Oh. And the song titles. Don't get me started on that. "I'd Rather Booby Screw A Walrus" is a favorite, along with "Honestly, Who Gives Their Genitals Pet Names". "Hookers on Horseback", "(Hey Dad) Stop Looking at Porn on My Computer", "Jordan Catalano Needs to Break Up His Shitty Band" and "How Satan Stole My Heart". C'mon. Aren't those some of the most interesting song names you've ever heard? Just reading those names makes you want to listen, doesn't it? Go ahead. You'll be happy you did.

The sick, 12-song Southern Gentlemen was sort of an obscure title earlier this year. Well not any more. I'm glad to see Confused Little Girl get signed by Rotten Records. Now the world has a better chance to hear the swamp-rock I've been trudging through for months. Head to the Rotten Records site for this record and get your copy NOW.

Hail the swamp!

--Heddbuzz


http://store.rottenrecords.com/confused-little-girl-southern-gentlemen.html
http://www.bastardsofrock.com/
http://www.reverbnation.com/confusedlittlegirl

Shovel's Unearthed Treasures - free music for your ears

Five more bands that you should take note of.

Traitors return to earth - Columbus, Ohio's purveyors of downtuned sludge assault. Running the full gamut of classic heft: Name your price @ http://traitorsreturntoearth.bandcamp.com/

Fire Spoken By The Buffalo - If you like Russian Circles, Pelican, Explosions In The Sky then this will be right up your street. Name your price @ http://firespokenbythebuffalo.bandcamp.com/album/hiatus

Dodaren - Genius Swedes who dig Soundgarden. Free download @ http://dodaren.bandcamp.com/album/flyttar-in

Switchblade Jesus - Sounding like a heavier,more pissed off version of fellow Texans Wo Fat. Fuzzing huge. Free download @ :http://switchbladejesus1.bandcamp.com/album/switchblade-jesus

Judd Madden - Instrumental stoner doom riffing of considerable quality. Free Download @  http://juddmadden.bandcamp.com/album/drown

Ogressa - Warts And All

Man, sometimes I really wish I could afford to pack up and move to the California desert. For almost 20 years, many of the bands who I love the most have come from that area, but I'll never have the chance to see any of them play a live show where I'm at now. Who the hell comes to Nebraska? A lot of my favorite groups won't, but sometimes their cd's will.

Warts And All, the debut by Ogressa, is the latest prize possession I've greedily snatched out of my mailbox with my grubby hands. "Dali's Llama Records, Palm Springs, CA.," I'm reading on the big yellow envelope. Oh shit. I'm like a skinny, strung-out junkie fumbling with his stash I'm so excited. I wanna get this in the stereo and pumping through my veins as soon as possible.

I know...I have a problem. Admitting it is the first step, right? You wouldn't understand unless you're an addict like me because Ogressa are not just another spin-off. Some of my favorite all-star players in the game make up this rock band.

First, we have the one-and-only Zach Huskey (Dali's Llama) on guitars and some vocals and such. He wrote all the songs on Warts And All - except 1 cover - and I shouldn't have to tell anyone about the riffs commanded by his hands. Trent Ramsmeyer (Whores of Tijuana) supplies his 'spellbinding throat' on lead vocals. He's also the producer/engineer for the album. Then there's...wait for it...desert rock legend Scott Reeder (Kyuss, etc.) on bass for 3 songs. Ian Dye (Ape Has Killed Ape) is the main skin-slapper and Mike Jacobsen (Hot Beat Pussy Fiend) provides the bottom-end on most of the tracks.

"Ogressa is a heavy-sounding band and the name of Shrek's evil blue-headed stepmother. Ugly human males yelling and singing loud; rumbly low sounding doomy noise, with guitars and pounding and thudding things." according to the band. "Heavy, down-tuned rock and sludge." Sure, it's part desert-rock. It's rock music from desert, isn't it? But it's also part doom. It's part...DESERT DOOM. Yep. That's a new term for me; heard it from another music-lover a while back and I'm sure I'll be talking about it again.

"Lady Ogress", "Snake Head" and "Animal Mask" are perfect examples. They're what I would consider pure desert doom and I believe they're some of the heaviest songs by Ogressa. Think of sand turning to glass. That's what desert doom is to me. The elements can be that extreme.

It's definitely not all sludge, gloom and doom; ogres and witches, though. "Sonoran Desert" is a real place in the southwest and it's also one of my favorites on Warts And All. It's mainly acoustic and it's beautiful, just like the desert sunflowers I'm picturing in my head as I'm listening. I hear the site-seeing there can be amazing. "Rational Man" is yet another fave. It starts spooky and gloomy, but grows funky and up-tempo as hell after the first 40 seconds and I find it hard not to start shakin' my ass. Oh...piss on it. Let's boogie down.

Know something? I'm feeling a little ashamed after listening to Warts And All for days on end now. You see, I practically begged Ogressa for a copy after hearing the first 2 songs, "Give Me Some Space" and "Mange", which I've included below for you listening pleasure. The band obliged, but I shoulda forked out my hard-earned bucks because this album is a 10-track, 50-minute precious bounty of heavy rock music. I'm sorry, Ogressa. I'm making it a mission of mine to save up enough money to get at least a few more releases from Dali's Llama Records. And a t-shirt, too. Extra-large.

You can also buy Warts and All from iTunes, Amazon and CDBaby. Hell, you can probably get it most anywhere and I highly recommend that you do. I should get you a copy 'cause I didn't pay for mine, but I can't afford it right now. Seriously.

--Heddbuzz

http://ogressa.com/
http://www.dalisllamarecords.com/
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ogressa

Black Tusk - Set the Dial

This one gave me some difficulties.

I hated it at first.

And I like Black Tusk a lot, don't get me wrong.

I liked the previous LP, Taste the Sin, I saw them live and thoroughly enjoyed their show, particularly their energy-- I don't even care how much they sound like Kylesa.

I went so far as to write most of a review of my hating it, which I discarded. Here are the high (low) points:

"Brewing the Storm" starts with a cool, low-gain sludgy-disco riff, and then proceeds to play it too long.... "Bring Me Darkness" starts with a "six-six-six" chant over a riff that starts great but by 1:32 has overstayed its welcome.

vaguely malevolent, apocalyptic sorcery lyrics comically contrast with lightweight, almost whimsical southern metal.

no great power here; sound like kids

Then I think I had that click experience. I was listening to Set the Dial wrong.

Black Tusk--

are a comic book band!

Now, this is said not with disdain but with love-- as someone who loves and still reads comics.

Like most characters in comic books and graphic novels-- they're larger than life and not really meant, generally, to take seriously, but, in an odd way, are just as serious about their art as anyone. E.g., "Yeah, I'm writing about things we both know don't exist, but I'm using them as serious props."

Maybe this will sum up my paradigm shift: Set the Dial is like the experience of going into a Haunted House commercial attraction for Halloween-- and not an actually haunted house (like, say, listening to Reign in Blood might be).

It's not gonna found any religions, but it will scare [rock] the shit out of you while you're listening.

"Carved in Stone" great, as is "Set the Dial to Your Doom" and "Crossroads and Thunder" [in retrospect, the song titles should really have tipped me off as to the tongue-in-cheek-ness on display here]; the sound overall of Set the Dial is much more stripped-down, production-wise, than previous LPs-- it's almost live-sounding, and it really suites their music:  the energy and enthusiasm I saw them display live actually comes through the speakers.

 

--Horn

Shovel's Free Music Ripple Treasures - featuring Engine, Kadavar, Wiht, and Kraken,

Engine

Quality sludge heftiness from Olympia WA. Stream the whole demo from their bandcamp page.

http://engine1.bandcamp.com/album/engine-demo-album

Kadavar

Retro styled fuzz fiends from Berlin, Germany. One to keep an eye on I feel....you heard it here first.

http://kadavar.bandcamp.com/

Wiht

Splendid epic UK heavy duty goodness with a hint of post whatever it is. Another up and coming band worth keeping tabs on.

http://wihtleeds.bandcamp.com/album/the-harrowing-of-the-north

Kraken

My demo of the moment. Full EP freely available via their soundcloud page, retro styled witchcraft-esque doom. Where they succeed is in the melody and execution. Don't miss out.

http://soundcloud.com/luciferskraken/sets/demon




Doom on,

--The Shovel

Black Cobra - Invernal

There are, in my mind, two Black Cobras: the radically-detuned, guitar-way-louder-than-vocals-and-drums sludge/doom masterpiece of Bestial, and... the rest of their albums. It's like after that they changed into a more-realistic version of Lair of the Minotaur, mixed with High on Fire: faster songs, more punk/Motorhead influence....

Bestial to me is, easy, top 20 doom albums of all time. I used to not like their stuff after that, but I tell ya...

...this new stuff is really growing on me.

Invernal (especially with its evil-Dr-Suess cover art), is a furious detuned screamathon. There's no filler, no "ambient intros," they get straight to it.

"Avalanche" roars out of the gate first, and, though no one number sounds particularly different from the rest, it all works. Fast sludge cut with a Helmet flavor. A blackened Helmet with more obvious, tribal drums. "The Crimson Blade" shows most obviously this combination of extreme metal styles. "Erebus Dawn" and "Abyss" are rippers, too. "Abyss" is the slowest one here, and the most moody/seething.

Do yourself a favor and check this bad boy out. You'll probably dig it, and if you don't-- there's always Bestial to return to.


--Horn

Borracho - Splitting Sky

Calling Borracho's debut Splitting Sky  'heavy' is like saying Heddbuzz 'enjoys' stoner rock. It's a severe understatement. This album is an epic, earsplitting fuzz-fest and it's certainly in my top 5 releases of 2011 so far. It might even be my #1. We'll see.

'You can't go wrong with Borracho. One of my favorite new bands,' I told Racer when he asked what I thought of the D.C. rockers. Of course he already knew I was a fan and probably had the album, too. He was right. I didn't tell him but honestly, I was as excited as a puppy during playtime when I learned I could give my opinion of Splitting Sky in writing. I think I peed just a little bit.

Borracho and Splitting Sky are looming large above the current landscape and distant horizon of stoner rock, in my opinion. Others may want to seek shelter. Torrents of powerful vocals and illustrious lyrics pour down while thick bluesy riffs, waves of booming bass and thunderous drums merge to form a massive musical supercell. Get the picture? Splitting Sky is a friggin' F-5, people. It's an 8-song rock typhoon that will flood your senses and knock you on your ass.

Think I'm not dead serious? Never take a storm warning lightly.

The first 2 are the only tracks under 6 minutes. "Redemption" literally startles me in a millisecond, as a thunderclap would, it's so loud. This rock instrumental (1:36) is a sign of the devastation to come. It's not gonna let up and it'll be one hell of a ride. "Concentric Circles" arrives with a bang, too, with a great beat and rhythm. 'One shot it's over....' Ya damn right. It was for me. A jaw-dropping moment, like seeing a tornado in person for the first time.

Borracho have exactly the guitar sound I love. Dead-on. Hell yeah.

"Bloosucker" has the wah and the crunch, with a great groove. Amazing solos. A thick bass line and a rattle greet you in "Grab the Reins". This song's over 11 minutes long. Blues rock and doom-laden sound to much of it, i think. "All In Play" (8:23) starts with one of my favorite riffs on the album and has some great lyrics too.

"Never Get It Right" reminds me of an old 'Chains song in the beginning. I'm thinking this is gonna be the eye of the hurricane that is Splitting Sky. When things are gonna calm down for a while and I can catch my breath and survey the damage. But I can only rest for a few minutes. A commanding riff march tells me there's much more wreckage to come.

"Grinder" just chews you up and spits you out. Super fuzzy southern guitars here that makes me move. Memorable chorus. Jeez this band is awesome. I'm almost at a loss for words.

"Plunge/Return" is saved for last on Splitting Sky. Could be my first pick though. It's more of the same musically but there's just something about it to me. Plus it's the longest (11:36) so there's more for me to enjoy.

Here's some history on the band taken from their Facebook page:

"The band took root in 2007, when four friends and bandmates set out to create a side-project that would indulge the heavier side of their musical tastes, and challenge their musicianship in new ways. The idea for Borracho was to create a straight-up stoner rock band to feature the vocals of Assrockers drummer Noah. In order to move him out from behind the kit, Adam West/Assrockers lead guitarist Mario moved onto the drums, an instrument he’s dabbled with for years. Adam West bassist Steve picked up his trusty flying V and like a riff machine, began unleashing material that quickly grew beyond the bounds of any one genre, probing further and deeper than his prior musical pursuits and, indeed, than the current group’s expectations. Assrockers rhythm guitarist Tim filled up the critical low end on bass, and the final piece was in place."

Borracho are here to stay and they're firmly planted in my forecast for stoner rock. I can't wait til the skies darken and another crushing release rolls in from the east.

--Heddbuzz

http://borracho.bandcamp.com/album/splitting-sky

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Borracho/27452683494

http://www.reverbnation.com/borracho

XII Boar – XII

This is the 2nd installment in my random reviews. Racer sends me tons of stuff to check out and unfortunately I don’t get to hear all of it in a timely basis so once a month I pick something completely at random and write it up. The only rule is listen first, look at promo material later.

August’s victim is a UK based outfit called XII Boar and their new 4 song demo simply titled XII. Track one starts off with a blast of feedback, the drummer counts the band in and we’re off into the void of a metal rendezvous. I chose wisely! XII Boar describes themselves as a stoner/sludge hard rock band and who am I to argue? The first song is called “Trainwreck.” Fast n furious that brings to mind Entombed and Cathedral with a little bit of early Venom and Bathory thrown in. Production is crude but suits the music very well and the vocals are guttural but not completely buried in the mix.

“Beg Borrow Steal” is up next and is slower but more pissed off sounding. Especially when the singer yells “God damn! Fuck yeah!” I would gladly salute that in concert with my can of beer. About a minute in the band shifts into a faster tempo jam that sounds like it was inspired by Black Sabbath’s “Behind The Wall Of Sleep” then slows down again for a bass break and a “Snowblind”ish guitar solo. These guys cram a lot of riffs into a 5 minute song. The song “Sludge” is pretty much how you would expect it to sound. Heavy and sludgy but faster than a lot of bands that play in this style and they’re done in less than three minutes. The last song “Skol” is a killer pillaging machine of riffs with some excellent cowbell during the “Supernaut” drum break. Each of the instruments take turns trading solos before the vocals come back in and a very heavy jam brings things to a conclusion.

XII Boar play a little too fast to be considered doom metal, but have enough slow and heavy stuff to satisfy that audience. They also bring in a much stronger classic rock influence of Motorhead speed and Blue Cheer fuzzed up blues riffs to reach the grizzled old timers. Lucky for me I picked this one at random. Definitely looking forward to hearing more from these guys. You can download the entire demo at their website. Check ‘em out.

--Woody

http://www.xiiboar.com/

Backwoods Payback – Momantha

For many years I thought I was the only one who remembered Kinghorse, the obnoxious band from Louisville who blended Black Flag/Misfits hardcore with Black Sabbath and The Damned during the early 1990’s. When my band had the pleasure of sharing the stage with Backwoods Payback it turned out that singer/guitarist Mike Cummings was a fan, too. The shadow of Kinghorse looms large over the new Backwoods album for me since it combines several styles of heavy music I love into one hot n nasty rip ride. There’s a strong Misfits/Samhain/Danzig influence for sure and Mike’s howling vocals bring to mind Glenn (Anzalone) Danzig as well as Sean Garrison’s powerful screaming with Kinghorse. There’s also a lot of post-My War Black Flag mixed with Sabbath spawns Trouble and Kyuss. Diversity is always a good thing as long as it’s heavy. And loud.

Momantha is a helluva album. So was their 2007 self titled debut but this new one is a major leap forward. The songwriting shows off many more layers, the musicianship is tighter and the production is much improved. The guitars of Mike Cummings and Rylan Caspar are heavy and crunchy but never get mushy sounding. Jessica Baker’s probably got the 10-and-a-half in this band based on her ballsy bass tone and W.S. Curtiss murders his drums to form a very tight and in the pocket rhythm section.

Opening song “You Know How This Works” begins with the sound of a guitar throwing up, then the drums come in and an almost happy sounding riff starts up. The mood changes once the vocals start “I’ve got no one on my side, what the fuck else is new?” The negative vibes continue with “Flight Pony” an excellent “Hole In The Sky” style stomper. “Knock Wood” and “Mr. Snowflake” are mid-tempo ragers with tortured vocals and some nice melodic lead guitar fills.

The middle of the album has a bunch of mid-tempo heavy rockers like “Parting Words,” “Lord Chesterfield” and “Velcro” that maintain their groove from start to finish but will keep you amped up behind the steering wheel without getting a speeding ticket. “Velcro” is the longest cut on the album (just under 6 minutes) and contains positive thoughts like “if I had a gun I’d clean it everyday to keep it in its finest working shape.” Things speed up and get really pissed off on “Timegrinder.” This one really reminds me of Kinghorse at their most furious with an early C.O.C. intervention. Album closer “Ballad Of A Broken Horse” is kind of a summary of the entire album. Parts are fast, parts are slow, there’s some Sabbath (maybe even from Born Again!) and the thing flat out rocks.

Backwoods Payback has come up with a real winner with Momantha, one of the better heavy music releases so far this year. As good as the album is I’m sure all of the songs will be even better live. If you’ve never seen Backwoods Payback before you’re in for a real treat. They will play at just about any dump that will have them and they always go insane even if there’s only one person in the crowd. As a matter of fact, I think they go even more insane when there are fewer people. They’re also some of the coolest people you’ll ever meet. Whether you’re a new friend or old they will always offer to take you out to their van and share their Wild Turkey with you. I’ve had the hangovers to prove it. The album is currently available on itunes and physical CD’s will be available shortly. Don’t snooze on this one, mutha!

--Woody

Buy here: http://www.smallstone.com/albuminfo.php?album=115

www.myspace.com/backwoodspayback666

 

A Burst of EP's - Featuring After Oblivion and the Great Sabatini

After Oblivion - Vultures

This three song promo found it’s way onto my hard drive and into my heart just the other day.

That band is the technical death metal band After Oblivion.  These dudes are based out of Tuzla, Bosnia & Herzegovina…try and say that three times fast. I am a fan of all things metal…especially good death metal. That being said, I am very skeptical of new death bands. It seems as though nothing has hit my tastes buds and made me want more. After Oblivion is a different story.

Their new Ep, Vultures is everything an up and comer in the death scene needs to be. Fast and thrashy yet not relying heavily on meaningless guitar solos. Their singer Adnan has an epic approach to his vocal stylings, which are very reminiscent of Death singer, Chuck Schuldiner. Almost as if he has risen from the dead. Could Adnan be the long lost love child of Chuck Schuldiner…possibly conceived during a late 90’s tour of Bosnia??  Maybe. The band itself reminds me of a 90’s tech death band. Again, you can hear their influences from the band, Death. 

The lead off track to Vultures is a song called “Septic Mind“. A very cool song that starts off with a very epic thrashy intro. Which leads into Adnan’s screeching vocals. Thrashy breakdowns and an awesome guitar solo make this one a keeper. I could see this band opening up for Amon Amarth or maybe even The Faceless.

Hopefully soon we will be graced with new full length album soon from the boys in After Oblivion. My musical taste buds cannot wait.

-Cicatriz

Listen to the album here: http://www.myspace.com/afteroblivion

The Great Sabatini 7"-- By the Power of Greyskull

A 3-song EP/ 7" (though essentially 2, since middle track "Helter Skeletor" is a minute instrumental), Montreal's The Great Sabatini and their self-titled 7" are a Lo-Pan-ish mix of rock with doom and stoner features.

They get big lyric points for so many diverse references in three songs (Rafael Sabatini, Vincent Lugosi/ Charles Manson, Jon Heder, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe), even though the lyrics are screamed into incoherence-- and the music is just as cheeky and surprisingly innovative: "Napoleon Sodomite" pounds along with a nice detuned-yet-nimble single-minded riff and "Trap Sequence" use a cool sequence of octaves to make things more heavy (rather than the ubiquitous power/fifth chord) and, even though it's instrumental is the best and most interesting track on here, eventually speeding up and into oblivion.

Kudos for writing catchy yet short doom songs. They get in and out cleanly and well.

Also there's banjo.

Nothing terribly unique, but fun stuff. Makes me wanna hear a full-length from these guys; if they can hold their penchant for being cute down to a dull roar (letting it enhance their music and not define it), should be very cool.

--Horn

buy and listen here: http://www.myspace.com/thegreatsabatini

Groan – The Sleeping Wizard

This is what happens when unsupervised youth is allowed to fester in a basement of cheap beer, dirt weed and Cathedral tapes. Groan are a 4 piece doom metal outfit with members spread out across the UK but close enough to Stonehenge absorb some of its triptych wicked powers. The Sleeping Wizard is their debut. 7 songs in 26 minutes makes it either a short album or a long EP, take your pick.

Musically, Groan is in the tradition of Black Sabbath influenced bands like Candlemass, Electric Wizard, etc but include a bit more Hawkwind than usual and some straight up classic rock, too. They also have great stage names. Thor’s Hammer pounds the drums, The Riff Wizard is obviously the guitarist, Mazzareth is the singer and the bassist is The Forest-Dwelling Fuzz Creature. The production is low budget, but suits the band well. The songs are bashed out with gusto and Mazzareth’s vocals are swathed in a “Planet Caravan” gauze for an outer space effect. I was hoping he would yell “take me to your leader” in one song, but there’s always next time.

All 7 songs are very solid doom metal jams, but “Witchy Woman” is probably my favorite. Sounds like someone replaced Master of Reality on the stereo with Burn and it opened a new avenue for these guys. David Coverdale wishes he wrote “she rides the Pegasus, she makes the priest forget about Jesus” on his new album. Other highlights are the anti-work “Psychedelic Demons” and the rampaging “Sleeping Wizard.” “Ride Of The Antichrist” sounds like something Raven might have come up with in 1981 after a heavy dose of cough syrup. Most of the songs are pretty fast, but album closer “Ancient Space (Master Of Time)” moves at a Sleep-y snails pace.

If doom is your bag, then give these kids some support. Just think of the jams they’ll come up with if they can get better quality weeeeed. Get in on the ground floor and Groan.

--Woody

Buy here: Sleeping Wizard

http://www.myspace.com/groanuk

Beehoover - Concrete Catalyst

I strode with purpose into the anteroom outside of the Oval Office on my way to see the President.  The President’s receptionist attempted to stop me, but one look at my intense demeanor was enough to convince her that I would not take kindly to being hassled or delayed.  Five strides and I was across the room, forcefully opening the door, and making one last mental check of all the information I needed to relate to the Commander in Chief.  I knew I would be interrupting a meeting the President was having with some of his top advisors, but this situation could not wait.

“Ladies and gentlemen.  No time for pleasantries I’m afraid.  I need the room…right now.”  My words complemented my glare in persuading all of the advisors that I meant business, and they quickly extricated themselves from the office.
“Okay Secretary Penfold.  Would you mind telling me what this is about?”
“Mr. President, we have a situation.”
“A situation, Secretary Penfold?”
“Yes sir.  We have just received intelligence defining a clear and present danger to the United States of America, as well as the rest of the world.”
“All right.  Where does this threat come from?”
“Germany sir.”
“Germany?”
“Yes sir.  Two Germans have created a new weapon ripped directly from our worst nightmares.”
“What kind of weapon are we talking about here?  Nuclear, chemical, or biological?”
“None of those, sir.  This appears to be an entirely new type of weapon.  It is auditory in nature; a sonic weapon so to speak.”
“It uses sound?”
“Yes sir, music to be exact.”
“Music?  Seriously Secretary Penfold?  What exactly can this music do?  I listen to music everyday, but we don’t raise the country’s alert status every time I turn on my stereo.”
“Correct sir, but this music has been specially formulated to affect the environment it’s played in; specifically buildings and structures.”
“What do you mean Penfold?”
“Sir, what was the last Hollywood action film that you watched?”
“I think it was a James Bond movie or something, but what does that have to do with anything?”
“Just humor me sir.  Were there many explosions in the movie?”
“Of course!  It was an action film for crying out loud!  There were things exploding in almost every scene!”
“Mr. President, do you remember any ordinary building blowing up, one that did not contain any kind of explosive or accelerant?”
“Yes.  Now what is the point of this line of questioning?”
“That is exactly what happens when this music is played.  This music acts as a concrete catalyst.”
“Penfold, are you saying…”
“Yes sir.  Point a speaker playing this music at a concrete structure, or even something built with a small concrete component, and it will explode like a giant stick of dynamite!”
“Mercy!”  The President paused for a moment exhibiting grave concern.  “Tell me we know who has this weapon Secretary Penfold.  Tell me we know where it is!”
“We do sir.  The two men responsible form the band Beehoover.  Their base of operations is Esslingen, Germany.  They are located there now.”
“Good.  Send a representative immediately.  We need to make contact with these men as soon as possible.”
“Yes sir.”

Waveriders I give you Beehoover; the righteous, mighty, and inventive two piece ensemble from Germany that is out to send your musical enjoyment scale into tilt territory.  Analyzing my own listening history, it was a forgone conclusion that I would embrace this band with wide open arms.  Honestly, I feel as if a focus group looked into my brain, checked off the musical elements necessary to excite me, and compiled several of them to produce Beehoover.  Let’s break it down as simply as possible, shall we?  Beehoover sounds like an aggressive version of Tool, with a splash of Primus, topped off with Clutch-like vocals.  Don’t worry.  I’ll wait for that last sentence to properly sink in before continuing.  No…I completely understand.  Trust me.  I feel exactly the same way!

Concrete Catalyst is the third full length album, and fourth overall release from this dynamic duo.  The epic nine song experience monopolizes attention spans for its entire fifty minute duration.  There is no let-up.  None.  Zero.  All killer, no filler.  You know the drill.  Take care of any errands or responsibilities before listening because once that play button is pressed, you’ll be lost to the world under a constant barrage of enormous riffs, bottomless grooves, and brave explorations.  Perhaps the highest compliment I can give this album is that it makes me lose track of time.  I’ve lost multiple hours already, and this album shows no sign of relinquishing its grasp on me any time soon.  Problematic?  Not remotely!

As previously noted, Beehoover throws an avalanche of hammering riffs at the listener that refuse to be ignored.  Pick a song, any song.  No matter which one you choose, at some point you will be enveloped by wicked bass riffs and thunderous drumming.  It is unavoidable.  My two favorite songs from the album are “Sultana” and “Counted Is Bygone”.  “Sultana” begins with majestic, cascading bass chords that quickly transition into dissonance complemented with booming, echo heavy drums.  About a minute and fifteen seconds into the song the central heavy groove kicks in, producing instant fist pumping and head gyration.  “Counted is Bygone” burns brightly right from the start.  Quick, intricate bass strumming coupled with staccato drumming dominates the first half of this song before the latter half springboards into a full-on exploratory journey.  All of the musical exploration perfectly complements the sonic makeup of the song, serving to greatly enhance an already riveting performance.  Just fantastic stuff!

So there you have it waveriders.  If you a) are a fan of incredibly interesting heavy music, b) need a group to prove to you that a bass can in fact make you forget the need for a guitar, c) miss the sound of some of the nineties biggest non-grunge bands, or d) simply want to keep an eye out for what those wily Germans come up with next, you need to pick up Beehoover’s Concrete Catalyst.  Now let’s get back to the White House.

“Secretary Penfold, give me a status report.”
“Mr. President, our representative got there too late.  The music had been pressed and shipped out already.  The album had been uploaded onto the internet as well.”
“What does this mean Penfold?  What can we do now?”
“There is only one thing to do Mr. President.  We can’t stop the spread of this music.  We fully understand what chaos will result when people listen to this album.  All we can really do is set our top scientists and industrialists the task of finding a substitute for concrete.  I have a feeling we’re going to be rebuilding a great many things in the near future.”  After I finished my last sentence, the noise of distant explosions began to reach my ears.  It had begun.

--Penfold


Buy here mp3: Concrete Catalyst
Buy here: Concrete Catalyst

The Might Could - S/T

Truth in advertising is always a nice bonus and the debut album from The Might Could is a perfect example of it. The front cover is an homage to Blue Cheer’s Vincebus Eruptum with 4 ugly dudes instead of the Cheer’s 3. And one guy is wearing a Sun Gods In Exile hat. Before hearing a note I knew I was going to be all over this like 69 on a summer’s day.

Richmond, VA’s Might Could play straight ahead, no nonsense kick ass rock just like I expected. Fans of contemporary loud rock losers like Backwoods Payback, Roadsaw and the rest of the Small Stone roster probably already own this by now. After a few spins I definitely picked up a strong Blackfoot influence, especially on a slow song like “When The Spirits Take Control.” This one rivals Sun Gods In Exile’s “495” as the best “Highway Song” re-write in several decades. In addition to the Blackfoot influence, I also picked up a whiff of forgotten Louisville creeps Kinghorse. “Mad Dog Blues” uses their “whoa-oh-oh” Elvis/Danzig chorus style to great effect.

Their overall sound is flat out pissed off. Recorded, mixed and mastered in 3 days it’s obvious they went for the “set it and forget it” method of making a record. Most of the songs are pretty fast but won’t make you drive too far over the speed limit because you’ll be too busy banging on the steering wheel. The 2 guitars blend well into 1 big punch to the nose while the tight rhythm section knees you in the groin at the same time. Vocals are suitably gravelly and destined to get you funny looks from the John Mayer fan next to you at the red light.

Despite all the riffing frenzy, there are a few surprises to keep things interesting. “Let ‘Em Up Easy” starts with nice bluesy lap steel guitar playing before the rest of the band comes pummeling in. “The Widower” is a heavy dirge to counter balance the faster songs. The Might Could also win song title of the year award with the brilliant “I Don’t Even Like Pantera No More.” Excellent title aside, this might be the best song on the album.

Another winner from Small Stone and another excuse to spend too much money and call in sick to work the day after these guys blow through your town.

 --Woody


Buy here: Might Could

http://www.myspace.com/mightcouldrva

Black Thai – Blood From On High

When the formation of Black Thai was announced in 2009 I couldn’t stop making references to ye olde Thai stick that you just can’t find anymore. No one ever invites me out for Thai food because they’re tired of hearing me complain about it. Turns out the name Black Thai has something to do with a drunken conversation about a restaurant, and luckily for me these guys are good sports and are polite when I bring up the subject of forgotten weeds.

I’d give them a good review just for that but luckily the music rocks, which is a nice bonus. Black Thai’s debut EP is 6 songs in 30 minutes – a perfect introduction to a heavy band like this. I wish more bands would put out all killer no filler EP’s. “Leave ‘em wanting more” is the one showbiz tactic that never goes out of style. These guys are sort of a Boston supergroup with Jim Healey (from We’re All Gonna Die) on vocals/guitar/red beard and Scotty Fuse from Cortez on guitar/black beard. Kyle Rasmussen played drums on the record but has been replaced by the Cozy Powell loving Jeremy Hemond, also of Cortez and Roadsaw. Cory Cocomazzi has the best Italian metal bass playing name since Anthony Fragnito of Black Lace.

There’s a strong Soundgarden feel to this band, but you can also tell that these guys grew up on a lot of the same bands that Soundgarden were influenced by – Black Sabbath, obviously, but maybe even some early Killing Joke mixed up with 70’s Judas Priest. Jim’s voice is very powerful, somewhere in between Chris Cornell and Bobby Liebling of Pentagram, and his lyrics are good, too. Too many bands concentrate on making the music heavy and then writing throw away lyrics. The dueling Les Paul guitars are heavy but not tuned down to mush and the rhythm section swings with authority.

Opener “The Ladder” has a heavy “Hole In The Sky” groove that gets your noggin moving and contains a great guitar solo. “Satan’s Toolshed,” “Saturation Point” and “333” are all over 6 minutes but never get dull. “333” is my favorite song on the EP and sounds like the type of song that if Johnny Cash was still alive, Rick Rubin would have him do a version of it. There’s also a killer Black Sabbath/Bad Brains riff at the end that they jam out and then ends unexpectedly. “Sinking Ships” is the shortest song at 4 and a half minutes that has a pissed off Motorhead vibe to it.

As good as this EP is, their live show is even better. I was lucky enough to catch them on their recent East Coast tour in Brooklyn at the acoustically perfect Hank’s Saloon. Despite an exclusive Sunday night crowd they blew the roof off the place and gave me a nice 2 day hangover. Is there anything better than that?


--Woody

http://www.blackthaiband.com/


Buy direct

http://www.blackthaiband.com/shop

Doom On - Featuring Leather Nun America and Sanctus Bellum

With Ripple Music’s signing of Cleveland’s destructive Doom Gods, Venomin James, I just couldn’t resist the urge to plunge myself headlong into some serious doom metal.  Sinking down to the depths of darkness, I emerged safely, if not subtly twisted with these two doom-alicious nuggets.

Leather Nun America – Absence of Light

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

Sanctus Bellum – Return to Dust

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