Release date: August 7th 2020. Label: Ripple Music. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
Turned To Stone Chapter 2: Masamune & Muramasa – Tracklisting
1.Howling Giant - Masamune
2.Sergeant Thunderhoof - Muramasa
Howling Giant Members
Tom Polzine - Guitar and Vocals
Zach Wheeler - Drums and Vocals
Sebastian Baltes - Bass and Vocals
Sergeant Thunderhoof Members
Mark Sayer
Jim Camp
Dan Flitcroft
Darren Ashman
Review
Ripple Music presents another chapter in their new Turned To Stone anthology series of albums which started earlier this year with Chapter 1: Enter Galactic Wasteland a split album which featured MR BISON and SPACETRUCKER. Now it’s time for Chapter 2: Masamune & Muramasa.
The album features Howling Giant and Sergeant Thunderhoof teaming up for this one and it’s best if the following paragraph explain what the album is all about.
“Chapter two of Ripple's new Turned to Stone series presents the story of two legendary Japanese sword smiths, Muramasa and Masamune, as told in interconnected musical movements by spacefaring psych-metal warriors Howling Giant and their equally cosmic riff-wielding British contemporaries Sergeant Thunderhoof.
In the two pieces, Muramasa and Masamune have a contest to determine whose sword smithery is superior, each crafting a blade of masterful quality and facing off by the edge of the river.”
I was quite interested to hear what both bands had written for this album especially with Howling Giant. As they’re known primarily for creating Heavy Psychedelic Sludge/Stoner Metal with elements of Space Rock and I wonder how their music would transpire to a more classical and realistic setting.
And I’m always excited to hear new music from UK Sludge/Stoner Riffsters – Sergeant Thunderhoof. So lets get down to business with the album.
Both bands offer 20 minutes of intense and superbly played Psychedelic Sludge, Doom and Stoner Metal telling a fantastic story inspired by two legendary Japanese sword smiths from two different time periods as well.
Up first is Howling Giant with Masamune. This is HOWLING GIANT through and through with their Spaced Out Psychedelic Music fitting in superbly well with the source material and playing some epic progressive jams along the way. The vocals are top-notch with the music being constantly challenging and engaging. The band are quite creative on this song with many different parts or chapters of this song having a different feel to them. The cool sounding keyboards/pianos/synths are nice touch and the lyrics are quite poetic when the band slow the mood right down for a more atmospheric style of music.
Sergeant Thunderhoof song Muramasa is perhaps the most emotional song of the two with the band trying some new styles of music that I haven’t heard from the band before. It’s quite LOUD and BOMBASTIC in all of the right places with a slight cinematic feel which Howling Giant offered as well. This is perhaps the most progressive the band have ever been with some euphoric vocals leading the way. The band do return to their classic trademarks style of heavy guitars on the later stages of the song and it’s a powerful slab of Sludge and Stoner Metal that could mean a new musical direction for the band.
I’ve said recently to friends within the Doom/Sludge/Stoner Community that Sergeant Thunderhoof was my favourite part of the album. However, that’s changed recently to myself loving both songs in equal measure and rating Turned To Stone Chapter 2: Masamune & Muramasa as perhaps the Split-Album Of The Year.
I don’t think we’ll hear another collaborative/split album such as this. Unless, Ripple Music have another exciting chapter to be released. Until, then I stick with my original statement.
This is an unmissable album and deserves a place in any Rock/Metal Fan’s music collection.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo. Turned To Stone Chapter 2: Masamune & Muramasa will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Ripple Music from August 7th 2020.
Howling Giant - Links:
Facebook | BandCamp
Sergeant Thunderhoof - Links:
Facebook | BandCamp
Mark Sayer
Jim Camp
Dan Flitcroft
Darren Ashman
Review
Ripple Music presents another chapter in their new Turned To Stone anthology series of albums which started earlier this year with Chapter 1: Enter Galactic Wasteland a split album which featured MR BISON and SPACETRUCKER. Now it’s time for Chapter 2: Masamune & Muramasa.
The album features Howling Giant and Sergeant Thunderhoof teaming up for this one and it’s best if the following paragraph explain what the album is all about.
“Chapter two of Ripple's new Turned to Stone series presents the story of two legendary Japanese sword smiths, Muramasa and Masamune, as told in interconnected musical movements by spacefaring psych-metal warriors Howling Giant and their equally cosmic riff-wielding British contemporaries Sergeant Thunderhoof.
In the two pieces, Muramasa and Masamune have a contest to determine whose sword smithery is superior, each crafting a blade of masterful quality and facing off by the edge of the river.”
I was quite interested to hear what both bands had written for this album especially with Howling Giant. As they’re known primarily for creating Heavy Psychedelic Sludge/Stoner Metal with elements of Space Rock and I wonder how their music would transpire to a more classical and realistic setting.
And I’m always excited to hear new music from UK Sludge/Stoner Riffsters – Sergeant Thunderhoof. So lets get down to business with the album.
Both bands offer 20 minutes of intense and superbly played Psychedelic Sludge, Doom and Stoner Metal telling a fantastic story inspired by two legendary Japanese sword smiths from two different time periods as well.
Up first is Howling Giant with Masamune. This is HOWLING GIANT through and through with their Spaced Out Psychedelic Music fitting in superbly well with the source material and playing some epic progressive jams along the way. The vocals are top-notch with the music being constantly challenging and engaging. The band are quite creative on this song with many different parts or chapters of this song having a different feel to them. The cool sounding keyboards/pianos/synths are nice touch and the lyrics are quite poetic when the band slow the mood right down for a more atmospheric style of music.
Sergeant Thunderhoof song Muramasa is perhaps the most emotional song of the two with the band trying some new styles of music that I haven’t heard from the band before. It’s quite LOUD and BOMBASTIC in all of the right places with a slight cinematic feel which Howling Giant offered as well. This is perhaps the most progressive the band have ever been with some euphoric vocals leading the way. The band do return to their classic trademarks style of heavy guitars on the later stages of the song and it’s a powerful slab of Sludge and Stoner Metal that could mean a new musical direction for the band.
I’ve said recently to friends within the Doom/Sludge/Stoner Community that Sergeant Thunderhoof was my favourite part of the album. However, that’s changed recently to myself loving both songs in equal measure and rating Turned To Stone Chapter 2: Masamune & Muramasa as perhaps the Split-Album Of The Year.
I don’t think we’ll hear another collaborative/split album such as this. Unless, Ripple Music have another exciting chapter to be released. Until, then I stick with my original statement.
This is an unmissable album and deserves a place in any Rock/Metal Fan’s music collection.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo. Turned To Stone Chapter 2: Masamune & Muramasa will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Ripple Music from August 7th 2020.
Howling Giant - Links:
Facebook | BandCamp
Sergeant Thunderhoof - Links:
Facebook | BandCamp
