CONJURER - SIGILS (Album Review)

Release date: April 03^rd 2019. Label: Self Released. Format: CD/DD

Sigils – Tracklisting

01. Will Of The Hag

02. Rusted Crown

03. Incantate

04. At Last

05. Across The Void

06. Light Of Death

07. Servitor

Members

Dustin Mendel | John Rau | Gabe Whitcomb | Brian Wyrick

Review

Sigils is the new album from USA Progressive Doom/Sludge Rockers – Conjurer. The band released their excellent debut album about three or four years ago. This album sees the band return with a more experimental, gloomier and heavier approach. This all builds up to the band playing some heavy epic psychedelic sounds. The album moves away from the harsher sounds first heard on their debut album for a more melodic tone but Sigils still has it’s fair share of heavier parts.

Opening song – Will Of The Hag – is a song built on many different musical styles such as Doom, Sludge, Stoner, Psych, Post-Hardcore and Post-Metallic vibes that all have the same part to play and that’s creating the environment for Conjurer to impress people with. The vocals are a mixture of clean vocals and harsh growls and they complement each other surprisingly well.

Second song – Rusted Crown – opens with an industrial/sludge riff that soon moves into the standard Doom/Stoner Metal sound that sees Conjurer play a slower style of music compared to the opening song. You can hear elements of Kowloon Walled City and Mastodon on this song and ends up as one of the standout songs on the album.

Third song – Incarnate – has a more direct CONAN influence on this song as everything starts really slow before Conjurer gather pace and bring a wide range of heavy Doom based riffs to the party and the results are gloriously violent especially when the sombre psychedelic sounds appear.

Fourth song - At Last – is one of the darkest songs on the album. As Conjurer settle for a standard Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal song that fully comes alive thanks to the intense dark lyrics the band have written for this song. I had some issues with the vocals as they feel out of place at times but soon settle down for an exciting and action-packed finish.

The final three songs on the album Across The Void, Light Of Death and Servitor carries on the gloomy and almost apocalyptic tone of the album. Across The Void and Savour are perhaps the best songs held on the album. As these songs you how exciting Conjurer actually are when playing a more aggressive style of music.

The production on Sigils is superb with Conjurer’s music flowing naturally from beginning to end. The whole tone and atmosphere of Sigils is bleak but the band are not afraid to play a more hopeful style of music especially on Across The Void.

Sigils is an album that will hopefully see the Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal community stand-up and take notice of Conjurer. As they’ve really the goods with Sigils and delivered a genuinely exciting and daring album.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Conjurer and Leanne at Mettle Media PR for the promo. Sigils will be available to buy on CD/DD from April 3rd 2019.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

An Interview With John Rau and Dustin Mendel from CONJURER (US)

This interview is about the US Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal Band – CONJURER and not the UK Doom/Sludge Metal band of the same name.

Conjurer first came to my attention back in July 2015 when they sent me their blistering debut album – Old World Ritual – to review. Old World Ritual was the very first album review published on the blog.

Looking back at Old World Ritual, I was impressed of the band’s style of Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal that took influence from Mastodon and High On Fire but with Conjurer offering their own style of heavy based sounds.

Fast Forward 3 years later and CONJURER will be returning later this year in December 2018 when they will be releasing their 2nd album – Sigils. I’ve heard Sigils and it’s a leaner, heavier and moodier album than it’s predecessor. I will be reviewing the album in November 2018. Nearer the albums official release date.

Until then you can read this interview that I did with John Rau and Dustin Mendel from CONJURER where we discuss the making of the new album and what you can expect from the album.

Hi guys. Thanks for doing this interview. How are things with you today. Congratulations on your new album.

JR: Thanks for having us, Steve. We’re doing great, excited to share this record.

Can you give a brief history of how the band formed and where it is today.

JR: We formed the tail end of 2010, after a couple line-up changes initially, we released our first s/t EP in 2012, a full length “Old World Ritual” in 2015, and a split 7” on Small Hand Factory, in 2016. Since then we have been writing and recording our new full length “Sigils”. 

You’re probably aware there is another Doom/Sludge Metal band from the UK called Conjurer as well. Has this caused any issues having the same name as that band. Have you checked that “Conjurer” out. Or do you just focus on your own thing. 

DM: We’ve had a couple things get tagged incorrectly online. It has been a little comical, but for the most part people get which band is which.

How would you describe the music that Conjurer creates on your new album - Sigils. As there are many different elements and levels to your overall sound compared to your debut album.

JR: Stylistically “Sigils”, was the next step. It is definitely heavier and it has more doom influence than our first record, but that change wasn’t something we set out to do. It just organically evolved as we wrote.

Was that the plan to release something different compared to your debut album.

DM: We definitely wanted to capture more of the heaviness that we had live. Playing songs live always shows you what works and what doesn’t, when we recorded “Old World Ritual” we were still figuring that out. I feel like this record is a much more cohesive album and much heavier.

Sigils has quite a dark and gloomy narrative running throughout the album. Was recording the album a hard experience or was it just something you wanted to release on Sigils.

JR: When we started writing we had a rough idea of the narrative, and Dustin had an overarching concept for the album.

What is the main concept of the album.

DM: Lyrically, the album deals with issues that may arise when a person tries to fulfil their desires by using metaphysical things like chaos magick, astral projection et al. And gets bit in the ass by doing things wrong or trying to rush.

You’re looking for a label to release the album. Have you found a label yet to release the album.

JR: It feels great to say, yes! “Sigils” is going to being coming out on Doom Stew Records, out of San Francisco, in December. We are stoked to join an awesome group of bands that are crushing as hell. It will be coming out on CD/LP/Digital.

Will you be performing any more gigs to promote the upcoming new album.

JR: Yeah, living in Indy we can get to a lot of cities pretty quick, so we are planning to cover a lot of ground in 2018/19. We’re also hoping to play some fests.

Do you have an active scene to perform gigs on a regular basis. Or do you have to travel further afield to perform gigs. 

JR: Indy has a great metal scene there are so many great bands like: Shroud of Vulture, Obscene, Archarus, Photian Schism, Drude, Pot Slammer, Steed, and Battersea. I’m sure I forgot a bunch too. We feel very fortunate to be part in the scene here in Indianapolis.

You have a lot of different styles on this album. Doom, Sludge, Post-Metal and Stoner Rock. How would you class your own music as.

DM: Transdimensional Blues.

The album artwork is quite striking and fits the overall mood of the album. Who designed the artwork and how much input did you have into the final design.

JR: A good friend of ours, Dusty Neal from Black Anvil Tattoo, painted it for us, and it turned out fucking amazing. He’s one of the best tattoo artists I’ve ever seen, and I am so awe struck with what he came up with from our very basic concept.

When you’re creating new music. What comes first. The music or the lyrics. 

JR: With us, it’s always music first. While the song is being written, Dustin figures out how he wants to phrase things, and then writes lyrics. For “Sigils” we talked about Dustin’s lyrical concept and recorded demos of each song as we went, so that Dustin could write and plot the story.

What is the songwriting dynamic within the band. Is it a group collective or down to one individual.

DM: Our songs usually start with one of the guys bringing a riff or two, and then we finish writing the rest and do the arrangement as a group.

What is your current equipment/setup when recording music and playing live. 

JR: I play a Jazzmaster into an Ampeg V2 and a Sovtek Mig 50h. Brian plays a Peavey T60 into a Sunn Beta Lead. Gabe plays a Sterling into a Sunn Concert Bass. Dillon plays some giant Ludwig drums, and Dustin shouts at everyone while playing an Ensoniq ESQ-1 organ.

We pretty much used our normal rigs to record “Sigils”, plus a few extra things. We used an old Traynor TS-10, a Marshall 2555 head, an Orange Tiny Terror, an EGC Standard, and a Korg SV-1 organ.

Thanks for doing this interview. Before you go do you have any words of wisdom to say to your fans.

DM: Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentation of their weak riffs.

Words by Steve Howe and CONJURER

Links:

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Old Rituals, New World - Interview with Conjurer

Since today's guests where the first review I've published on the new blog. I thought I should interview as well. As these guys have delivered quite frankly a brilliant debut album with OLD WORLD RITUAL.

I've had this album for a couple of months now and I was supposed to review it for The Sludgelord. But the guys were kind enough for me to review it here which I'm very grateful for, as the album is a powerful slab of Sludge/Stoner Metal spliced with Doom and Gloom cosmic interludes. The vocals are killer and are pissed of as hell.

I'm talking about CONJURER – the Indianapolis based Sludge/Stoner Metal collective who are starting to turn some heads within the Sludge/Stoner Metal scene. Give it time as these guys have the potential to become one of your fave new bands. If you're into Mastodon/Baroness (before they went into radio rock friendly territory) then check these guys out now.

Before then you can read this interview.

DM = Dustin Mendel JR = John Rau DE = Dillon Enright

1 – Hi guys. Thanks for doing this. And allowing me to publish the review for your new album on the new blog. How are things with you all today.

DM: We’re pretty good, thanks for having us.

2 – From a recent article I read about bands and the questions they hate being asked the most. I'm afraid I'm going to ask it for people who haven't heard of your band. How did the band come about.

JR: After our last bands had kind of run their course, Gabe and I decided to put something together that was a little slower and tuned down, even more than our previous projects. After we solidified the lineup, we started writing a hand full of songs that became the first EP.

3 – Your debut album – Old World Ritual. Wow, what a record that is. What is the album about and what can people expect from the album.

DM: The psychonaut Terrence McKenna said, “The real secret of magic is that the world is made of words, and that if you know the words that the world is made of you can make of it whatever you wish.”, so all I am doing is making worlds with words.

4 – I loved how you guys mix Sludge/Stoner Metal riffs with an almost Space Rock driven Doom/Gloom outlook. Do you agree with that statement or do you call your music good old fashioned Rock and Roll.

JR: We really tried to not tie ourselves to just one thing, even though we can definitely fit into the genres you listed. We love all of those, but it’s also hard to claim any one of them, since we try not to stay in just one.

5 – I read my good friend – Melissa from Doomed and Stoned's review of your new album. She nailed the feel and tone of the album. Did that review surprised you. As I think you will be receiving similar reviews over the next few months or so.

DM: Who wouldn’t be happy to be mentioned in the same breath as Crowbar? We are stoked she reviewed the album and are just happy that people who dig the same stuff we do seem to like it.

6 – I love the album cover for Old World Ritual. It doesn't give too much away on what's on the album. Was that intentional. To create/design a cover that leaves an element of surprise.

DM: When the band starting talking about album art, I had those 80’s Time Life paranormal books and old UFO books in mind. John and I sketched it out during practice and had the other dudes toss out ideas that got incorporated into the design.

7 – Who designed the cover. And what does the cover mean to you as a band and for the album in general.

JR: I designed it from the sketches that we worked on together. Overall we wanted it to be minimal but still linked to the lyrical ideas of the album.

8 – What's the song-writing dynamic within the band. Is it a group collective or down to one individual.

DE: Usually one of us comes to practice with a riff or a song idea, then we add to it and arrange it together over the course of a couple weeks.

9 – What have been people's reaction to your music. Good or bad reactions.

DM: Really great for the most part. The only bad response, has been a dude that thought we played too slow…

10 – How do you deal with negative reactions to your music. Do you take suggestions or criticisms on board or do you focus on your own thing.

DE: We mainly focus on our own thing because we have our own internal editing process. Even after completing songs we sometimes scrap them if they’re not up to snuff.

11 – Do you guys perform gigs on a regular basis. Do you have to travel further from your home town to perform on a regular basis.

DM: We play a little more than once month. We try to play outside of Indy as much as we can.

12 – Dustin, this is a question for you. One of my fave parts of the album is your vocals. They're very hardcore based though with a slight Doom Metal vibe. Was it hard recording vocals for you album as you're pissed off and loud as hell through out the album. And which Hard Rock/Heavy Metal vocalists influenced you as a musician.

DM: It actually went easier than I thought it would. I came into the band with kind of a Matt Pike style in mind. It quickly turned into to something else completely, mostly in order to be heard over the amount of amps we play through, haha.

13 – I suppose I could throw that part of the question to the rest of the band. Which bands and artists inspired you to become musicians. Any particular albums that stand out.

JR: There are a shit ton of bands I could list here. The band that really turned me on to darker metal at a young age was Alice in Chains (Dirt). But the band that later made it feel possible to play in a band was Burn It Down (Eat Sleep Mate Defend) from Indianapolis.

DM: White Zombie is definitely the biggest influence on me from my childhood. Also, I always go back to Black Sabbath (Masters of Reality) and Burning Witch (Riff, Canyon, Dreams)

DE: Mostly early 90’s grunge and I grew up listening to Led Zepplin.

14 – Well guys thanks for doing this interview. All the best with your new album as it's a killer record.

JR: Thanks a lot Steve. Best of luck with the new blog!

conjurer.in

Words by Steve Howe and Conjurer

I want to thank Conjurer for doing this interview. Check out their debut album – Old World Ritual – as it's an absolute blast from start to finish.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp

Conjurer - Old World Ritual (Review)

Conjurer – “Old World Ritual”. Release date: June 06^th 2015. Label: Self-Released. Formats: DD/CD

Old World Ritual - Tracklisting:

1.Never Enough 05:43

2.Trudge Down 03:48

3.Entheogen 03:42

4.Black Throne 03:23

5.Singularity 04:13

6.Flesh To Ash 05:28

7.Witch's Hale 02:51

8.Time Stands Still 04:50

9.Marauders 05:43

10.Gold Mask 05:45

Band Members:

Dillon Enright | Dustin Mendel | John Rau | Gabe Whitcomb | Brian Wyrick

Review:

Here’s my first review for the new blog and the first I’ve written in about 6 weeks, so I maybe a little rusty. Bear with me. Anyway, I’m reviewing Conjurer’s debut album – Old World Ritual. Conjurer’s sound can be described as Sludge/Stoner Metal though with Doom Metal and Space Rock influences holding everything together. The vocals have a slight hardcore edge as they’re more of the shouting variety than the normal style of clean harsh vocals and even death based growls. It’s a great choice as the vocals more than matches the heavy angry atmosphere Conjurer create with conviction.

Opening track – Never Enough – starts with a space-rock driven Sludge/Stoner Metal riff that becomes more powerful with each passing moment. Fans of TAINT and H A R K will get a kick out of this album as Conjurer play a similar style to those fantastic bands. Conjurer plays to their strengths through out this track by combining doom and gloom atmospherics with a Hardcore Punk sound especially where the vocals are concerned. The album is loud and angry from the word go and will have many of you headbanging in agreement. The final two minutes of the song sees Conjurer play a more stripped back approach of Post-Metal that will leave you in a peaceful mood. Trippy and endearing moments that I didn’t expect.

Second track – Trudge Down – is a more direct song compared to the opening track with different vocals to show you another side of Conjurer. The song has a true DIY feel as the music convinces you that these guys don’t rely on recording studio trickery at all. You get the impression this is what Conjurer actually sound like live in the flesh. The song is another Punk/Sludge Rock driven track with Conjurer creating more sublime moments of Doom/Stoner Metal madness. The riffs have a down-tempo feel though played at a fast pace.

Third track – Entheogen – is one the angriest tracks on the album as you can feel the intensity from lead vocalist – Insert Name Later – vocals. Conjurer’s mood and riffs become more distorted and direct with the band shifting from one musical spectrum to the next. Doom, Stoner, Sludge and Hardcore Punk combine to create an addictive sound with hard-hitting lyrics to match. Conjurer is in full confident mood and it’s impossible to resist the violent manic energy they’ve created here.

Fourth track – Black Throne – carries on the angry vibe and with 10 songs on the album Conjurer are going to make sure you pay with heavy bombastic riffs with enough power to cause permanent damage to you’re well being. Heavy slabs of Sludge/Stoner Rock are fused with a cosmic sound with the distorted guitars played at maximum volumes. It’s an interesting style of early Mastodon/Baroness crunching riffs with a more space rock sound. Though without any of the commercial rock/pop trappings that has hindered those bands albums recently.

Fifth track – Singularity – is perhaps my fave song of the album as Conjurer open with down-tempo riffs that slowly builds up the atmosphere for all hell to break loose. The mood slowly becomes more psychedelic with the vocals offering that sense of despair from the earlier songs. Though it’s the riffs that are the main attraction here with intense drumming to match.

The 2nd half of the album sees Conjurer venture into even heavier territory as the band continue on their gruelling and punishing journey. Expect even more heavier and intense sounds to blast your hearing with. Tracks such as Flesh To Ash, Time Stands Still and Marauders sees Conjurer offer a sense that the whole world is going to end. With the recent warnings from leading scientists and world scientific bodies saying that the end of the human race is nigh possibly in the next 100 years, Old World Ritual may not be the best album to lighten your mood with as Conjurer offer a more Doom and Gloom on the remaining tracks compared to the first half of the album.

Old World Ritual is a stunning debut album. It’s packed full of intriguing ideas and visions that will have you listening to the album over and over again. Old World Ritual is an exciting and action packed ride that will turn some heads within the Sludge/Stoner Metal scene. Conjurer is a band to look out for in the future.

Words by Steve Howe

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp