Doom metal godfathers THE OBSESSED sign to Ripple Music for their new studio album release in 2023!

Californian heavy rock and metal powerhouse Ripple Music is proud to welcome iconic doom metal veterans THE OBSESSED to its ever-expanding roster for the release of the band's awaited fifth studio album in 2023!

Led by legendary frontman Scott "Wino" Weinrich, a heavy music lifer admired and acclaimed by the likes of Dave Grohl, Pepper Keenan, Henry Rollins and Phil Anselmo, Maryland-based doom godfathers THE OBSESSED just inked a deal with Californian powerhouse Ripple Music for the release of their fifth studio album and eagerly anticipated follow-up to 2017's "Sacred".

About joining Ripple Music, the band says: "The Obsessed are really happy to be signing with Ripple Music and joining the great bands on their roster. We have already begun recording and we're looking to be finished in January. Thanks to Todd and everyone at Ripple for this opportunity and we look forward to working with them on this release."

Ripple Music founder Todd Severin adds: "Having had the honor of working with the legendary Wino on his solo album, you can only imagine how thrilled I was when he came to me with the idea of a new album by The Obsessed. The band are doom legends, having contributed mightily to the doom template that we all love today. Can't wait to unleash this album upon the world."

Ripple Music will soon unveil more details about The Obsessed new album, stay tuned!

THE OBSESSED was formed in the late 1970s in Potomac, Maryland by legendary guitarist Scott “Wino” Weinrich (Saint Vitus, Spirit Caravan). The band spawned in the realm of musicians/artists such as Black Sabbath, Frank Zappa, The Dictators, and The Stooges. The earliest lineup consisted of Wino, bassist Mark Laue, guitarist John Reese, and drummer Dave Flood. In 1983, Wino took over vocal duties and the band became a three-piece to record the Sodden Jackal EP.

The band broke up in the late ’80s after Wino moved to California to join Saint Vitus. At that time, a German label, Hellhound Records, and the booking agency that had signed Saint Vitus, released The Obsessed, originally recorded in 1985, prompting Wino to reform THE OBSESSED. After multiple lineup changes, the band signed to Columbia Records in 1994 to release their third and final album, The Church Within. Despite highly acclaimed reviews, THE OBSESSED would breakup following the release, seeing Wino forming Spirit Caravan (then Shine) and other projects.

In September 2011, THE OBSESSED returned to the stage at Roadburn Festival with The Church Within‘s legendary lineup (featuring Wino, Greg Rogers, and Guy Pinhas). The band played a few more reunion shows over the next couple years at Hellfest Open Air 2012 and Maryland Deathfest XI in May 2013 with bassist Reid Raley.

Wino announced the full-time return of THE OBSESSED in March 2016 and the band’s official signing to Relapse Records to record the follow up to The Church Within. The new lineup originally consisted of Spirit Caravan bassist Dave Sherman and Wino’s longtime friend and former road crew member Brian Costantino (drums). On October 31st, 2016, Wino announced another new lineup change for THE OBSESSED, including Bruce Falkinburg (bass) and Seraphim (guitar), making that the first time the band had been a four piece in over thirty-five years.

In 2017, THE OBSESSED unleashed Sacred, the band’s first studio album in over twenty years, further pushing the band into the annals of heavy metal history. After a few years on the road, the lineup stabilizes around Brian Constantino on drums, Chris Angelberger on bass, Jason Tayler on guitar, and of course, Wino at the helm.

THE OBSESSED line-up:

Chris Angleberger - bass
Jason Taylor - guitar
Brian Costantino - drums
Scott "Wino" Weinrich - guitar and vocals

THE OBSESSED links

Bandcamp - Facebook - Instagram - Twitter - Spotify

RIPPLE MUSIC links

Website - Facebook - Bandcamp - Instagram

Grandier - The Scorn And Grace Of Crows (Album Review)

Release Date: 18th November 2022. Record Label: Majestic Mountain Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

The Scorn And Grace Of Crows: Tracklisting

Sin World

Viper Soul

Soma Goat

The Crows Will Following Us Down

Smoke On The Bog

Moth To The Flames

My Church Of Let It All Go

Members:

Patrik Lidfors - Guitars

Lars Carlberg - Vocals

Review

Swedish Psych Doom/Stoner Metallers Grandier showcase their own blend of LOW & SLOW style of WEEDIAN  sounds on their debut album The Scorn And Grace Of Crows. Taking that familiar Black Sabbath template of FUZZY and DISTORTED DOOM and merging it with that Psych Stoner Metal sound the Swedish Underground Scene is known for. Grandier has a more theatrical delivery to their music especially with the vocals and lyrical content.

The album contains seven tracks all exploring the more gloomier aspect of the underground scene. Opening song Sin World is a slightly Progressive based track with the band playing a DISTORTED and FUZZ based number with a slow-paced style of music allowing Grandier to play extended grooves and jams to get their wicked style of music across. More Doom based than anything with a trippy Occult vibe appearing near the end of the song.

Second song Viper Soul is another atmospheric dark tale from Grandier with echoes of gloomy FUZZ and long drawn out WEEDIAN passages. The vocals have that Operatic Doom based feeling but still having that classic modern day Swedish Underground mentality within the creative themes of the song. There's a distinctive Seventies Classic Doom Rock flavour within this track that works in a seductive way when matched with the LOW & SLOW and AMPLIFIER based grooves. This song sees Grandier play a faster style of music with a cool Post-Stoner or Post-Doom psych based effect that allows their music to have modern day appeal.

Third song Soma Goat carries on the magical Doom/Stoner Metal riff worship heard on the previous two tracks but with more modern occult and trippy based sound. The vocals have a less is more approach which allows the music and distorted rhythms dictate the action. Though, the vocals have a major chance to shine during the slower parts of the song. The lyrics are poetry in places that easily draws the listener into Grandier's dark world. Taking influence and cues from bands of the legendary Seventies Doom scene, this is perhaps the standout track on the album.

The remaining four songs (The Crows Will Following Us Do, My Church Let It All Go, Moth To The Flames And Smoke On The Bog) on the album sees Grandier play heavier and melodic songs that's packed full of sublime Psych Stoner Metal extended jams and intense Doom Metal atmospherics. This is where Grandier fully loses themselves within the bold creative choices they make for this album. Swirling Atmospherics are used to great effect especially on The Crows Will Following Us Do which I didn't expect for an album such as this.

The heaviest sounds of the record do appear on this part of the album. The vocals become a bit more direct and nuanced with the bleak lyrical content that Grandier has written for the album.

Grandier are another band signed to ace record label Majestic Mountain Records who are getting a brilliant and well deserved reputation in bringing the best bands from the Nordic/Scandanavian Doom/Stoner Metal scene to a wider audience.

However, this is Grandier's show and The Scorn And Grace Of Crows is a wonderfully dark and vivid album that packs quite an emotional punch from start to finish. This is an album that will easily find an audience within both the Classic Doom Metal and  modern day Psych Stoner Metal scenes. There's an undeniable addictive energy to Grandier's music that will last long in the memory.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Sheltered Life PR and Majestic Mountain Records Viral for the promo. 

The Scorn And Grace Of Crows is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Majestic Mountain Records

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

South African's Ethyl Ether unveil the video for new single Six Feet Of Snow.

Six Feet of Snow is the latest single from SAMA (South African Music Award) nominated rock and roll 5-piece Ethyl Ether. The track charges with shoegaze aesthetics and classic loud-quiet-loud sonics. A surrealistic, wall of sound tsunami, Six Feet Of Snow nods to classic moshpit gymnastic-styled choruses that detonate with alluring magic and subsiding tides of hypnotic sedation. Taken from the bands forthcoming album Violent Entertainment which is out on the 27th of January 2023 via Mongrel Records. 

“The song speaks about the feeling of struggling to carve ones' way forward in life. When you are stuck in the past or in your head, that is the snow, that is the crown that you bleed from. Social media perpetuates this, driving us all slowly insane”. – Ethyl Ether

Buy//Stream Six Feet Of Snow out now on Mongrel Records

https://orcd.co/sixfeetofsnow

Links

Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

DAEVAR Premiere New Song Yellow Queen From Upcoming New Album Debut Album "Deliriuos Rites" out on Jan 27th 2023

Debut Album "Deliriuos Rites" out on January 27th

DAEVAR are here to shake up the stoner/doom-metal scene with a menacing lo-fi sound and a fresh set ideals. Fronted by the enigmatic Pardis (bass, vocals) and completed by Caspar (guitars) and Moritz (drums), DAEVAR serve up moody anthems inspired by what really happens in the world, rather than singing about the sweetness of the leaf or spreading eternal gloom. The young trio from Cologne have recorded five atmospheric slow-burners at Hidden Planet Studios with Jan Oberg, who oversaw production and helped the band create a deceptively complex sound. Washed in an ocean of crunchy fuzz, Delirious Rites drowns the listener in a raw conflation of gritty textures and exalting melodies.

Album opener «Slowshine» is an astonishingly raw punch to the ears, ripping open the carefully produced atmospheric opening with the crushing sound of bass and guitar merging together in a haze of lo-finesse. «Leviathan» gives further insight in the intricacy of the DAEVAR sound, opening with a lone crusty guitar glued together by feedback to elementary tribal drumming of Moritz. Then, like flesh enfolding the talons of an eagle, like a hand clenching the hilt of sharpened sword, the fuzzy bass grips around the raw and gritty guitar, reinforcing it and rendering it powerful.

Driven by this punchy guitar and bass-combination, DAEVAR plough through five moody stoner-doom anthems dissecting consequential themes like enforced disappearance, sleep paralysis and female empowerment. The depth of Delirious Rites is ready to unfold itself with songs inspired by the work of political philosopher Thomas Hobbes and quotations from Iranian psychedelic rock anthems from the 70s. Somewhere between Sleep and Paradise Lost this mysterious trio have found a pocket that is completely their own. Like a transmission through the snowy static, like a ghost through the wire, Delirious Rites sees the mysterious hand of DAEVAR reach out to grip the soul of whomever is ripe for the taking.

You can listen to the stunning new single Yellow Queen from the upcoming new album Delirious Rites

You can Pre-order the new album from The Lasting Dose Records that is released on January 27th 2023.

Links

Official | Facebook | Bandcamp 

Psych Stoner Rockers AKTOPASA Premiere New Album JOURNEY TO THE PINK PLANET

Italian Psych/Prog/Stoner Rockers Aktopasa release their stunning new album Journey To The Pink Planet this Friday and here's the exclusive premiere below.

You can read my review here

Thanks to Grand Sounds PR for the promo. 

Journey To The Pink Planet will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Argonauta Records from December 02nd 2022.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Apocalyptic desert psych unit JACK HARLON & THE DEAD CROWS to release new album on Blues Funeral Recordings; first video and preorder up!

Melbourne's psychedelic fuzz rockers JACK HARLON & THE DEAD CROWS share the first single and video taken from their forthcoming third album "Hail to the Underground", to be issued on February 17th through Blues Funeral Recordings. Watch their fire-driven new video for "My Pal" right now!

As Australia began a series of flash pandemic lockdowns in early 2021, Melbourne psychedelic fuzz rock band Jack Harlon & the Dead Crows’ prolific frontman Tim Coutts-Smith began experimenting with home recording some of his favorite old songs. This rabbit-hole deep-dive eventually led him to bring the fans in on the project, with a social media post inviting suggestions of old underground songs they'd like to hear “Harlon-ified".

The result is 'Hail to the Underground,' a collection of renditions by Jack Harlon & The Dead Crows selected for their musical importance and personal meaning, with the general throughline being that none of the original artists are household names. Filtered heavily through the spaced-out psychedelia of Jack Harlon's inimitable style, this fuzz-drenched, genre-crossing love letter includes songs by under-the-radar icons like Bauhaus, God, Butthole Surfers, Joy Division, The Melvins, and more.

Watch Jack Harlon & The Crows new video "My Pal"
Listen to the song on all streaming platforms

About the cover, guitarist and vocalist Tim Coutts-Smith comments: “The debut cover is a tribute to the Australian band GOD, who formed in 1986 and released the song 'My Pal' in 1988. The song is seen as a national treasure by a lot of alternative Aussie bands with it being covered by artists such as Magic Dirt, Violent Soho and Peabody. Our band put a call out to our fans to ask which songs they would like performed in our sound. We received an overwhelming response requesting we cover 'My Pal'. I've always loved this song, so the choice was a no-brainer. There is something so mysterious and strangely emotional about this song which, despite its simplicity, I can never fully put my finger on.”

"Hail to the Underground" will be released worldwide on February 17th, 2023 on various vinyl editions, digipack CD and digital, with preorder available now through Blues Funeral Recordings. 

Jack Harlon & The Dead Crows "Hail to the Underground"
Out February 17th on Blues Funeral Recordings
Preorder the album on the website and Bandcamp

TRACKLIST:
1. My Pal (God)
2. Copache (Melvins)
3. You Made Me Realise (MBV)
4. Dust Devil (Butthole Surfers)
5. Day Of Lords (Joy Division)
6. Roll & Tumble (Hambone Willie Newbern)
7. Dark Entries (Bauhaus)
8. Eye Shaking King (Amon Duul II)

 

Formed in 2016, Jack Harlon & The Dead Crows are a psychedelic fuzz rock band from Melbourne, Australia, who incorporate elements of blues, stoner rock, folk and doom metal into their distinctive sound. Much of their music follows the character of drug-addicted outlaw Jack Harlon, with songs that spin tales of desperation and survival in a fictitious western landscape.

In 2018, the band independently released their debut album 'Hymns,' which Outlaws of the Sun called "an exciting record that actually takes genuine creative risks and a psychedelic and spaced out journey packed full of inventive ideas and heavy riffs". The album was highlighted as one of the best albums of 2018 by Doom Charts and was subsequently re-released by independent tastemaker labels Tuff Cuff Records and Copper Feast.

Their follow-up album 'The Magnetic Ridge' was released in 2021 via Psychedelic Salad Records, with Heavy Blog Is Heavy characterizing the massive LP as "enough to tickle your frontal lobe as much as it rattles your eardrums". Skipping to the renaissance year of 2023, the band is now ready to unleash the power of their third full-length with 'Hail to the Underground' on Albuquerque, NM-based independent label Blues Funeral Recordings.

Jack Harlon & The Dead Crows is

Josh McCombe - Drums
Tim Coutts-Smith - Vocals, Guitar
Jordan Richardson - Guitar
Liam Barry - Bass

Jack Harlon & The Dead Crows links

Facebook⎮Bandcamp⎮Instagram⎮Spotify

Blues Funeral Recordings links

Website⎮Facebook⎮Bandcamp⎮Instagram | Youtube

Gavran - Indistinct Beacon (Album Review)

Release Date: 02nd December 2022. Record Label: Dunk!records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Indistinct Beacon: Tracklisting

Dvorac

Talas

Dim

Duhovi

Pesak

Review

Sludge/Doom/Post-Metal noisemakers Gavran impress greatly on their second album Indistinct Beacon which takes the bone-crunching grooves from Cult Of Luna and merges it with the Doom Metal vibes of early-era 40 Watt Sun for an album that's bleak and distinctively progressive from start to finish. Vocals are gloomy throughout with a mixture of clean vocals and harsh growls.

The aggressive nature of Indistinct Beacon is one of the albums main strengths with Gavran playing a more distorted and droned out style of Sludge and Post-Metal. There's elements of Neurosis and ISIS within Gavran's music with a warped Psychedelic down-tuned sound that allows Gavran to be masters of their own creative thoughts and identity which you can feel instantly from the excellent opening track Dvorac. Post-Rock vibes are placed in the middle of the song for a more calmer approach that is also quite solitary as well. Though, Gavran are a Sludge/Doom/Post-Metal band first and foremost which means the heavier and violent gloomier sounds are never far behind.

Second song Talas opens with a slightly hopeful Ambient Post-Rock solitary groove with Gavran soon exploding into a loud volcanic eruption of Post-Metal grooves with soulful Psychedelic elements working superbly well with the fantastic vocals. The vocals once again are a mixture of clean based vocals and harsher guttural growls. This allows this track to be one of the most thrilling parts of the album. The instrumental work is EPIC without being flashy with the band laying down a non-stop avalanche of impressive riffs before stepping back and playing slow-paced Post-Rock and Shoegaze sounds that drifts into the world that Pallbearer usually inhabits. 

Gavran moves further into the dark vortex of Sludge/Post-Metal on tracks such as Dim, Duhovi and Pesak. The mood becomes heavier and gloomier with the band adding a more experimental drive to their music. Instrumental progressive passages merge with the bleak Psychedelic and Ambient landscapes of the album with a wonderfully harsh Shoegaze flow appearing on Duhovi and Pesak. 

Indistinct Beacon is a challenging and complex record to listen to but if you're looking for a more bolder Sludge/Post-Metal album with high amounts of violent and aggressive grooves then Gavran are very hard to beat. Featuring fabulous production values with a slight DIY edge, Gavran excel themselves greatly here which allows Indistinct Beacon to be one of the most definitive Post-Metal albums of the year.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Viral Propaganda PR for the promo. 

Indistinct Beacon will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Dunk!records from December 02nd 2022.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram