Exclusive Premiere Of Heavy Stoner Rockers BLACK LUNG New Song/Video For LET IT OUT

Baltimore Heavy Stoner Rockers BLACK LUNG return with a blazing and hard rocking new song LET IT OUT which is taken taken from the 7" digital release LET IT OUT/FALL IN LINE out on September 20th on Heavy Psych Sounds.

You can listen to the track below thanks to this premiere thanks to the ever-cool folks over at Purple Sage PR.

Dave F from the band says about the track

"We tracked Let It Out and Fall in Line while we were in the studio recording our 2022 HPS debut album, Dark Waves, but neither song ended up making the final cut. Fast forward to 2024, we found ourselves in the practice space, joking around about how Let It Out sounded like it belonged in a pickup truck commercial for some reason (probably the harmonica and the twangy guitars in the intro). 

Elias sort of tweaked the idea and came up with a quirky concept for a music video to pair with a digital 7” release of the two tracks. The video was truly a DIY project in the sense that we didn't have much of a budget or many filming resources available to us. But we had a couple of willing friends, a truck, a dog, and a guitar that we wanted to burn. So in six chaotic and fun hours, we shot the video, ending the day by extinguishing a burning pile of guitar chunks in the middle of a dead-end street." 

Let It Out Video Details

Starring:

Matt Friedman as "The Urban Cowboy"

Pongo as "The Trusty Sidekick"

Directed by Elias Mays Schutzman

Filmed and edited by Kevin Considine

Dog handling by Alexandra Friedman

Black Lung Line-Up

Dave Cavalier - Vocals and guitar

Dave Fullerton - Guitar and organ

Elias Schutzman - Drums, percussion and harmonica

Charles Braese - Bass

Black Lung Links

Facebook - Instagram

The 7" digital release LET IT OUT/FALL IN LINE will be out on September 20th on Heavy Psych Sounds.

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for all of the details.

Doom/Stoner Metallers SEUM Announce New Song EFRIT From Upcoming Split Release With TEMPLE OF THE FUZZ WTICH

EFRIT is the newest single from SEUM off their upcoming split with Temple of the Fuzz Witch titled "CONJURING" - due for release in Fall 2024 via Black Throne Productions

The band comments: "We had our first drug experiences as kids with Moroccan Hashish. Cheap, mixed with weird stuff - the urban legend claims it was tires - it was a way to escape our daily teenage boredom but it could also take you on the worst paranoid trip.

Éfrit is about those days, we used this cunning Arabic demon as a metaphor and it inspired us to write one of our heaviest song to date: Éfrit chose us as her sons."

Please Note - due to delays in the recording studio, the finalized date for the full split release is still tentative for fall 2024 - however, Efrit is due for release on September 20th 2024.

BIO:

SEUM is a bass-only sludge band from Montreal (Canada) formed by 3 doom veterans formerly in Lord Humungus (Gaspard - vocals), Mlah! (Piotr - bass) and Uluun (Fred - drums). Adding a ferocious punk energy to their New Orleans inspired sludge, the band is known for its intense live performances, workaholic attitude and nihilistic, tongue-in-cheek lyrics.

SEUM means Venom in Arabic and is French slang for disappointment and frustration: No guitars.

The band released two albums, Winterized in June 2021, DOUBLE DOUBLE in February 2023 and is about to head to Europe for the Problems tour before releasing a split album with Temple of the Fuzz Witch on Black Throne Productions in Fall 2024.

CREDITS:

Written by Seum and Noureddine El Ouarite.
Recorded in March 2024 at the Seum-Cave by Marteau.
Mixed in May 2024 by Marteau.
Released via Black Throne Productions

 
LINKS:

Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

Thanks to Black Throne Productions for all of the information.

Lungburner - Natura Duale (Album Review)

Release Date: September 13th 2024. Record Label: Electric Desert Records. Formats: DD

Natura Duale - Track Listing:

1. Requiem (8:29)

2. The Hidden Hand (4:44)

3. (Prey) Job (7:52)

4. Barren (6:11)

5. Astral Projection (7:12)

Line-up:

Jens Anderberg - Guitars, Vocals

Dylan Mincey - Drums

Joseph Mills - Bass

Review

Atmospheric Doom/Sludge Metallers Lungbearer released their stunning debut EP - Embers - back in January 2024. I loved the heavy mix of Psych, Sludge, Doom, Stoner and Progressive themes that the record carried. The guys are back though with a new member Joseph Mills on bass. Natura Duale is their debut album (according to the press release that accompanied the promo) and continues a similar sound captured on Embers but perhaps with a sinister narrative. Lungburner employs a wave of hard-hitting audio clips to press the message of Natura Duale even further.

The record continues with the heavy mix of Ambient Metal, Prog Metal and Post-Metal sounds heard on Embers but with a more thrasher outlook which you begin to feel within the early surroundings of opening tracks of Requiem and The Hidden Hand. Lungburner feels influenced or inspired by acts such as YOB, A Storm Of Light, Mastodon and Shrinebuilder in places. The sound is quite mystic based with the trippier elements that allows the band to build sludgy cosmic rhythms even within the real-life audio clips that becomes part of the action within the stunning second track The Hidden Hand.

You can feel a real life political intensity which reminds me of Church Of Misery before Lungburner started playing a classic mix of Thrash Metal guitars while interlacing them with strands of Atmospheric Sludge Metal based melodies. The vocals from Jens Anderburg are superb and bang on point yet again which can be quite chilling at times with the hard-hitting lyrics that accompany the music. This record could be considered more “EXTREME” compared to EMBERS but this is down to the creative narrative at Lungburner have created than the music itself. Though, the music still branches out into other areas of Blackened Metal along the way.

Lungburner are more adept at playing a more uplifting style of YOB-esque based Ambient Metal with some hidden surprises of their own to stand out from the crowd. Naturala Duale allows Lungburner to come into their own highly original sound on tracks such as (Prey) Job and Barren. The music is quite abstract with a classic style of Post-Metal starting to form whilst never leaving the punishing Doom/Sludge Metal landscape that’s followed the band since EMBERS.

If you miss the good old days of early-era Mastodon especially the REMISSION and LEVIATHAN years then Lungburner will no doubt impress you with Natura Duale with similar harsh growls and complex technical Progressive breakdowns spliced with fast-paced Sludge Metal grooves with first rate lyrics to match.

Lungburner are perhaps at the start of gaining some major momentum within the underground scene with this album and I can see the band only becoming bigger, better and more well known in the next few years. 

All I can say this is an outstanding album in every sense of the word. Add this album to your record collection right now. This has all the makings to be a major Album Of The Year Contender for many folks before the year is out.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Good Boy PR for the promo.

Natura Duale is available to buy on now on Digital Download via Electric Desert Records.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

DÖ - Unversum (Album Review)

Release Date: September 18th 2024. Record Label: Lay Bare Recordings. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Unversum - Track Listing:

1. Call of the Supervoid (6:46)

2. Nuclear Emperor (5:17)

3. Sulfur Incense (5:35)

4. At the Melting Gaze of the Origin (4:27)

5. Ode to the Dark Matter (4:59)

6. Faster Than Light (6:51)

7. Moldy Moon (5:37)

8. Wasted Life Form (6:28)

Review

Unversum is the new album from Acclaimed Psych/Doom/Sludge/Stoner Riffsters DÖ and is their third full length album with the band moving themselves deeper into the Cosmic Vortex of the Spaced Out aspect with their music. With a primal style of Progressive Metal and sometimes Death Metal growls appearing, this is a heavier version of DÖ that we’ve encountered compared to their previous releases. 

Opening track Call Of The Supervoid sees DÖ’s music still has their trademark COSMIC DOOM themes that allows the Psychedelic based Stoner/Sludge Metal grooves to build up a muscular and aggressive FUZZY style of music. Warped sound effects and glitchy noises allow DÖ to play a cinematic style of Intergalactic pounding rhythms which becomes quite “out there” with the cerebral vision of DÖ’s music especially when waves of Ambient Post-Rock appear out of nowhere especially within the closing seconds of the track.

DÖ demonstrates that style of music throughout the album but they include a Pitch Black sensibility into the mix within the second track Nuclear Emperor. The music once again moves within the Extreme elements of Black Metal and Death Metal whilst retaining a catchy Sludge/Stoner Metal movement. The vocals are harsh and violent but always full of purpose that are quite easy to understand. The subtle flashes of distortion and down-tuned experimentation has always been a major part of DÖ’s creative philosophy and it’s good to hear it’s been moved up to an altogether different style of Psychedelic heaviness.

The music is always full of LOW & SLOW and Down-Tuned instrumental passages with a disturbing use of Amplifier Reverb which only adds another level of sonic heaviness with gaps of glitchy sound clips that DÖ fill with highly intricate flashes of Psych Metal with epic guitar solos along the way especially on tracks such as Sulfur Incense and At The Melting Gaze Of The Origin.

The album does feel inspired by well known Science Fiction franchises but given a unique and refreshing storytelling spin that DÖ brings a destructive quality throughout the whole album. Unversum sees DÖ taking creative cues from bands such as UFOMAMMUT, Mastodon, High On Fire and SLEEP but playing a slightly more extreme style of COSMIC DOOM spliced with extra APOCALYPTIC FUZZ METAL goodness.

Though, DÖ do play classic Sludge/Stoner Metal structures on various parts of the record where the music becomes more riff-centric with the “PITCH BLACK” metal aspect being left out especially within the stunning fourth track Melting Gaze Of The Origin. This is DÖ playing a stylish take on the Post-Doom and Post-Stoner genres but giving a highly vicious SPACE ROCK spin that also includes some of my favourite instrumental moments on the whole album.

Unversum sees DÖ conjuring dark tales of the COSMOS within the second half of the record which does become more DOOM & GLOOM with the heaviest and trippiest parts of the whole album. There’s a free-flowing Post-Rock attitude that appears within the quieter sections of the record before DÖ unleash a torrent of nasty Blackened Doom grooves before solidifying the mood with a heavy cosmic creative energy that would make fans of UFOMAMMUT extremely happy.

The final few tracks of Faster Than Light, Moldy Moon and Wasted Life Form once again allows DÖ to explore familiar sounds they created on their previous records but still creating highly original music to entice new fans with. The vocals when they appear are superbly aggressive with an unapologetic attitude with the music continuing to grow naturally with a true destructive purpose. You’ll be surprised at how melodic Unversum can actually be though that aspect is buried under a MEGATON of destructive COSMIC RIFFAGE.

Unversum is perhaps where DÖ have shown they’ve matured as songwriters and musicians which allows the album to be their most complete and technically impressive record to date. This is also my favourite album from them as it explores themes that we haven’t heard from the band before and this only adds to the overall experience of UNVERSUM which will no doubt be considered as one of the best albums of the year.

Unversum is a jaw-dropping experience that deserves your full and undivided attention.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to DÖ and Plug Music Agency for the promo.

Unversum will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Lay Bare Recordings from Wednesday September 18th 2024.

Links

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Bandcamp | Spotify

Primate Matriarca - PRIMATE MATRIARCA (EP Review)

Release Date: July 27th 2024. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

PRIMATE MATRIARCA - Track Listing:

1.Noche sin estrellas 03:01

2.Cazadora 03:29

3.Hacha 02:16

4.Fuego 02:53

Line-up:

Guitar/Vocals: Joan Lorenzo

Drums/Vocals: Tristán Rico

Review

Stoner Metallers Primate Matriarca describe their music as STONER PRIMITIVE METAL in their recent Introduce Yourselves feature. The music does have a certain “PRIMITIVE” theme to the aggressive and DIY Punk Rock aspect to the recording and production techniques used for their self-titled EP.

Their music is boosted by elements of Proto-Metal, Doom Metal and Hard Rock appearing within the EP. It’s not the most original of sounds but Primate Matriarca take the riffiest parts of the Doom/Stoner Metal scene and then go onto play a wicked blend of FUZZY and PSYCHEDELIC grooves that allows the band to “GET THE JOB DONE”.

The vocals are sung in Spanish so I can’t comment on what the lyrics actually mean but vocal performances are good with a raw aesthetic allowing the band to be quite direct when they appear. The music can be dominated on heavy FEEDBACK and REVERB passages which was quite surprising to hear especially within tracks Noche Sin Estrellas, Cazadora and Hacha.

The EP only lasts for eleven minutes but it shows that Primate Matriarca are on the right path for making a name for themselves within the Stoner Metal underground scene. Give it a couple more releases with perhaps some better production values behind them and these guys could have a bright future within the scene.

Overall, this is a superbly entertaining release that I can’t recommend highly enough.

Words by Steve Howe

Links

https://www.instagram.com/primate_matriarca?igsh=MWRrM2h1Yjh6ZG5sYg==
https://youtube.com/@primate_matriarca
https://primatematriarca.bandcamp.com
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2yKFE0W2R4obHaOTHXX1Gj?si=HTa_wM9GQVm3De1Nms440g

Introduce Yourselves: Primate Matriarca

What is the name of your band?

Primate Matriarca

What is the genre of music that you play?

Stoner primitive metal

Can you give a brief history of the band of how it came together and where it is today?

The University of Wisconsin made surprising discoveries in 2024 at an archaeological site in Alicante thanks to a new technique known as paleophony. The team of archaeologists has managed to extract latent sound material in fossil remains dating back between 40 and 50,000 years, that is, during the ice age. After the analysis, it was decided to transcribe this material into musical language, which will be performed by a guitar and drum duo, Joan Lorenzo and Tristán Rico respectively.

What can people expect from your music?

According to Dr. P. G. Berry, the material that makes up these prehistoric pieces consists of “heavy rhythms, riffs that move to the rhythm of a mastodon and cryptic and hypnotic voices”.

According to the expert, the most suitable sound for their interpretation could be somewhere between Black Sabbath and Slift.

What is the best release that folks should check out from your band?

Our first EP, Pleistoceno, check the videoclip “Noche sin estrellas” on Youtube.

Where can people find you on Social Media?

https://www.instagram.com/primate_matriarca?igsh=MWRrM2h1Yjh6ZG5sYg==
https://youtube.com/@primate_matriarca
https://primatematriarca.bandcamp.com
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2yKFE0W2R4obHaOTHXX1Gj?si=HTa_wM9GQVm3De1Nms440g

Romanian Post Rockers METHADONE SKIES Return with New Album and Video

Formed in Timisoara, Romania, 2024 finds instrumental rock titans Methadone Skies celebrating their fifteenth year around the sun with the release of their sixth studio album, Spectres at Dawn.

Due for release this October on their own imprint, Haywire Records, their latest forty-minute foray into the realms of heavy psych, doom, and prog, pushed the key tenets of underground rock through the stratosphere. Offering up post-rock landscapes, stoner grooves and sonic concepts, Methadone Skies have cut the formula of previous releases with a more direct, hyper intense focus on shorter, punchier bouts of uncompromising sound. As Metal Storm put it best, “If you’ve ever wondered what post-metal would sound like if it developed from stoner metal instead of sludge metal, Methadone Skies clearly share your fascination.”

To herald their return the band is thrilled to share a brand-new video. Directed by Flavius Retea and Alexandra Dragu (AKA Eclecticat Design) ‘) ‘’87 via ’94’ is an aural vortex of big riffs and swirling raves, and the first single to be lifted from Spectres at Dawn.

“It was actually the first song we put together for this album,” explains guitarist Casian Stanciu. “We’ve played it live for a couple of years and it’s always fun for us. It’s catchy so it always gets the audience dancing. The video however takes a 180 degree turn on this vibe and follows a person fed up with his corporate 9-to-5 job. He ultimately has a nervous breakdown. It was fun to film.”

Having played over two hundred shows with acts like Samsara Blues Experiment, Motorpsycho, Yawning Man, My Sleeping Karma, Stoned Jesus and 1000MODS, and taken in several festivals across Central and Eastern Europe (Doom Over Vienna, Lake on Fire, Thulsa Doom Fest) Methadone Skies will also embark on a tour in support of Spectres at Dawn, dates for which can be found below.

Spectres at Dawn is released 25th October 2024 on Haywire Records and can be pre-ordered here. 

Watch the video for new single ‘’87 via ’94’ by Methadone Skies here or below:

TOUR:

26th October – Escape Hub, Timisoara (w. Valerinne, Black Water)
20th November – Quantic Pub, Bucuresti (w. Valerinne, Black Water)
21st November – Love Bar, Sibiu
22nd November – Flying Circus, Cluj-Napoca (w. The Thirteenth Sun)
30th November – Rockstadt, Brasov (w. Black Water)

Links

Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Linktree

Thanks to Sheltered Life PR and Methadone Skies for all of the details.

Introduce Yourselves: PAST AND SECRETS

What is the name of your band?

The project is called Past and Secrets.

It was created in September 2019 following the end of one of my former bands. It has the particularity of being a ‘one-man band’.

I write/record each musical part and I involve international solo artists.

What is the genre of music that you play?

Past And Secrets is a masterful fusion of atmospheric, ambient, and djent elements, complemented by a progressive and quirky touch.

This instrumental project offers a musical journey through

Compositions that are both melancholic and ethereal. The tracks, adorned with heavy and catchy riffs, are enriched with impressive solos featuring international guest artists

Can you give a brief history of the band of how it came together and where it is today?

Initiated in 2019, this One Man Band took shape with the singles "Baby M" and "Born", before unveiling its debut album, "Memories", in October 2020.

Drawing inspiration from past and present events, the album received a warm welcoming, fueling the motivation

An exceptional cover of Pink Floyd's famous track, "Learning To Fly", further solidified the project's reputation.

Driven by unwavering motivation, a second EP titled "Another Day, Another Time" is about to see the light. Each track of Past And Secrets is a true invitation to introspection, offering complete freedom to be overwhelmed by the emotions it evokes.

What can people expect from your music?

Every listener who discovers my tracks finds themselves transported on a journey where they can create their own emotions.

Sometimes I'll write a track where I'm feeling a certain emotion myself and then discuss it with someone who tells me they've felt things completely differently.

The aim of each album has been to transport listeners and make them experience emotions from the first to the last second through each track.

What is the best release that folks should check out from your band?

According to me, it's very difficult to make a choice, but I'm really focused on a track from the latest album called "World" (featuring Brian Bajak). This track really inspired me because it talks about what the world can mean in the eyes of a child and even an adult.

Above all, it represents what the human race is capable of doing for it, both positively and negatively.

They can discover it on this link

https://youtu.be/uBuV6u1wSn8?si=0bAlX17MFOTZs9OY

Where can people find you on Social Media?

Past and secrets is available on Facebook and instagram

You can find my music on Bandcamp and on my Youtube channel with the same name You can listen all tracks from the project on all platforms like Deezer,Spotify,Amazon,iTunes ect…

All albums “Memories” and “Another Day,Another time” (CD) are available on bigcartel The best way is this link to join the project

https://linktr.ee/pastandsecrets

Thanks to Bad Dog Promotions for all of the details.

Brant Bjork Trio - Once Upon A Time In The Desert (Album Review)

Release Date: September 20th 2024. Record Label: Duna Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Once Upon A Time In The Desert - Track Listing:

1. U.R. Free

2. Backin' The Daze

3. Higher Lows

4. Down the Mountain

5. Magic Surfer Magazine

6. Sunshine Is Making Love To Your Mind

7. Rock And Roll In The Dirt

8. Astrological Blues (Southern California Girl)

9. Do You Got Some Fire?

Line-up:

Brant Bjork - guitar & vocals

Mario Lalli - bass

Ryan Güt - drums

Review

Desert Rock/Stoner Rock icon Brant Bjork is back with a new project simply titled Brant Bjork Trio and this is their debut album Once Upon A Time In The Desert. This time round Brant has recruited another legend of the Desert Rock scene Mario Lalli on Bass Guitar and Ryan Güt on Drums once again. The record is a classic mix of Desert Rock and Stoner Rock sounds that Brant has helped define for the best part of over thirty years with his work with KYUSS, FU MANCHU and his other countless projects. 

I was expecting Stöner 2.0 before hearing the record and it’s a totally different beast with this record more closely aligned to Brant’s recent solo work and his earlier bands such as Brant Bjork and the BrosBrant Bjork and the Low Desert Punk Band whilst still being quite different as well. As the record has a sublime Classic Hard Rock sound influenced by the Seventies Californian Rock scene. The album has an excellent feel good factor throughout which harks back to the classic days of Stoner Rock. Brant Bjork Trio have a joyful and playful attitude appearing within the lyrics which you’ll experience within the opening tracks of U.R. Free and Backin The Daze.

The record does feel quite personal at times with Brant singing about his youth and the adventures perhaps the whole band got upto. If you dig hazy Psychedelic grooves with a fresh SUNNY attitude then Brant Bjork Trio is here to save the day but they do add moments of seedy 70’s RAWK AND ROLL when the time calls for it of course.

The instrumental sounds are first rate which is what you would expect with a band consisting of the talents of Brant Bjork, Mario Lalli and Ryan Güt. You can hear echoes of the members other bands such as Yawning Man and Fatso Jetson being added into the mix for a cool retrospective Desert Rock sound especially when Mario’s bass fully takes centre stage on tracks such as Higher Lows, Down The Mountain and Magic Surfer Magazine.

Once Upon A Time In The Desert works best when it’s acting as a celebration of the iconic sounds all three members have created over the years and give it a Classic Rock twist with some surprising modern day elements appearing especially on the second half of the record. There are some tender Blues Rock grooves which have a slight WEEDIAN haze courtesy of the spicy lyrics that allows Brant Bjork Trio to become more rebellious with their music.

The second half of the album is perhaps more influenced the 1970’s Rock landscape with a deeply rich style of melody and raw sounding guitars but still having that quintessential Stoner Rock rhythm on tracks such as Sunshine Is Making Love To Your Mind, Rock And Roll In The Dirt and Astrological Blues (Southern California Girl).

Brant Bjork has also relaunched his record label Duna Records after an eighteen year hiatus with Brant saying: 

“Things come and go and sometimes they come back again. With that said, It's an exciting time for me to be officially re-launching Duna Records. Duna was a vision I had in the mid-'90s and it finally became a reality in 2002 until its hiatus in 2006. Duna Records was and will continue to be my personal record label that is a home for all things creative amongst myself and others that are close to me. 

The timing couldn't be better for Duna to begin a new life. I'm very lucky to be able to sustain a life as the musician that I am. I certainly wouldn't be able to do so without all of the musicians, music industry partners and of course, the fans that have supported me for 25 years. I can't think of a better way to celebrate my musical journey and show my appreciation than to re-launch Duna Records and release new and old music directly to my fans, the way it was always meant to be. Thank you and stay tuned for more desert rock." 

With the promise of more Desert Rock to come in the future that’s always worth celebrating in my book. However, let's keep with the present and this record which is helped along by superb production values, that allows the kings of Southern California Desert Rock deliver a record that feels like a GREATEST HITS PACKAGE and not a debut release.

Once Upon A Time In The Desert has all the makings of being the standout Desert Rock album of the year. 

WOW, what an album. That’s my final word on the album. You know what to do.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.

Once Upon A Time In The Desert will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Duna Records from Friday September 20th 2024.

BRANT BJORK TRIO links

Facebook ⎜ Bandcamp ⎜ Instagram ⎜ Spotify ⎜ Duna Records website

Hand Of Omega - The End Of The Beginning (Album Review)

Release Date: September 13th 2024. Record Label: Cursed Monk Records. Formats: CD/DD

The End Of The Beginning - Track Listing:

1.Survival Of The Shittest 04:47

2.Cyberspace Conscript 03:28

3.A Mentats Oath 06:49

4.Foundations Built On Shifting Sands 11:29

5.Amazon Burning 07:34

6.Convolution 05:12

Line-up:

Matt Doughty - Bass

Daz Rowlands - Guitars

Matt Kilmister - Vocals/Electronics

Review

The End Of The Beginning is the debut album from Blackened Doom/Sludge Metallers Hand Of Omega who play a brutal and nihilistic style of music that’s downright ugly for all the right reasons. The record is brutally fast and has a sublime Speed Metal sound which feels like a Black Metal version of High On Fire and Motorhead in places.

With the band adding moments of Groove and Thrash into their Extreme sound which is quite riff-centric when you cut through all the murky Death/Sludge Metal surroundings which remains harsh but also has a cool sounding technical ability from each of the individual members that make up Hand Of Omega.

I’m quite surprised that lead guitarist Daz Rowlands is playing this fast-paced style of guitars as Daz is mainly known for his work with the cult Doom/Drone/Stoner Metal band Space Metal where they play LOW & SLOW style of music compared to the furious sounds played here. The album is quite vicious with Matt Kilmister’s Death Metal charged vocals, howls and growls but they’re quite easy to understand which is always a good thing for me to fully understand the record.

Hand Of Omega do play some classic riff-centric instrumental sounds amongst the brutal landscape of Extreme Metal that appears here. The songs are superbly constructed with each track having its own distinctive sound and creative journey especially on tracks such as Survival Of The Shittest, A Mentats Oath and Foundations Built On Shifting Sands. This is where you can see Hand Of Omega drift into Prog Metal and Psych Metal which gives the record a whole new level of complexity which impressed me even further.

The heavy pounding bass guitar provided by Matt Doughty is a constant reminder of how primal and ugly Hand Of Omega really are throughout the whole record and is perhaps my favourite aspect of the whole album. Sometimes his bass playing is very understated but it’s always a firm threat with a subtle gloomy presence that allows the other members of the band to do their thing.

The End Of The Beginning is a winning combination of Extreme Metal blended with the surroundings of the Doom/Sludge Metal underground scene which allows this album to be quite a thought provoking ride with first rate grooves to match. This is an outstanding release from the more extreme side of the UK Metal Underground scene that takes a NO HOLDS BARRED approach which leaves you wanting to hear more. 

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Daz Rowlands for the promo.

The End Of The Beginning is available to buy now on CD/DD via Cursed Monk Records.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp