Cosmic Reaper - Bleed The Wicked, Drown The Damned (Album Review)

Release Date: September 26th 2025. Record Label: Heavy Psych Sounds. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Bleed The Wicked, Drown The Damned - Tracklisting

1. Hammer

2. Bloodfeather

3. Pot Of Gold

4. Parasites

5. Dwelling

6. Perfect Organism

7. Bones

8. Waiting by the Gallows

Members

Thad Collis - Vocals / Guitar

Peter Snasdell - Guitar

Garrett Garlington - Bass

Jeremy Grobsmith - Drums

Review.

Doom/Stoner Metallers Cosmic Reaper return with their latest album Bleed The Wicked, Drown The Damned which sees the band become master practitioners of the Proto-Metal world with their sound playing homage to the likes of Black Sabbath, Saint Vitus, Candlemass and Pentagram. What makes Cosmic Reaper standout is their foray into areas of Psych, Space and Cosmic pastures with certain elements of Alt Metal and Grunge to give their sound quite a destructive and distinctive quality.

This time round Cosmic Reaper performs with a mature storytelling aspect compared to their celebrated debut album with tales of horror and science fiction that allows the album to be quite fantastical and horror obsessive at the best possible moments. The lyrics have a real blood curling effect with Thad Collis vocals settling firmly into the role of Ringmaster and master storyteller all in one go.

The music itself is destructively heavy and downright gloomy with flashes of aggressive melodies with flashes of MONOLORD-esque FUZZY heaviness injected within the Proto-Doom surroundings of the superbly played opening tracks of Hammer, Bloodfeather and Pot Of Gold. Sludgy guitars can be felt more than ever that allows the excellent rhythm section of Garrett Garlington (Bass) and Jeremy Grobsmith (Drums) generate a pounding and intense Doom Metal ENGINE that really makes Cosmic Reaper actually tick and perform to the best of their musical abilities.

Thad also handles guitar duties along with newest member Peter Snasdell which gives the band a holier than thou METALLIC quality with down-tuned and suitably paced melodies combining for a record that’s ultimately perfect for the upcoming HALLOWEEN season. Cosmic Reaper have found a great balance of NWOBHM based vibes and influences on the other parts of the record that pushes the whole experience into one of SONIC and AUDIO manipulation with FUZZY and VIOLENT amplifier riffage dominating the musical journey on other standout tracks such as Parasites, Dwelling, Bones and Waiting By The Gallows. 

Cosmic Reaper always have an authentic creative energy to their music which allows the band to merge classic sounds of Seventies Heavy Metal  against Nineties Alt Metal/Stoner Metal that always leads to places you don’t initially expect. There’s excursions into areas of Blues Rock which adds a gritty undertone that fully transforms the backdrop of Cosmic/Spaced Out Doom into something with real human emotion.

Bleed The Wicked, Drown The Damned is an emotionally satisfying, thrilling and emotionally charged experience with dangerous LEVELS of FUZZ and GLOOMY instrumental passages that leaves a lasting impression long after the record has finished. 

Cosmic Reaper will no doubt make a bigger name for themselves with this truly outstanding record.

Words by Steve Howe

 

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.

Bleed The Wicked, Drown The Damned is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Heavy Psych Sounds.

Links

Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram | Spotify

Doom Metallers COSMIC REAPER debut first track off new album "Bleed The Wicked, Drown The Damned"; out September 26th via Heavy Psych Sounds

North Carolina's stoner doom specialists COSMIC REAPER announce the release of their sophomore album "Bleed the Wicked, Drown the Damned" on September 26th via HPS Records.

Stream Cosmic Reaper's new track Pot Of Gold

Since 2017, Cosmic Reaper has carried a black-flamed torch of tradition, forged in the long lineage of doom and sludge. Emerging from the shadows of Charlotte, North Carolina, the band blends a raw, southern swing with the full circle of heavy metal, creating a sound as steeped in American mysticism as it is overloaded saturation of amplifier worship.

Their highly anticipated second full-length "Bleed the Wicked, Drown the Damned" is a deeper descent into psych-doom’s haunted core and sees a big step away from older stoner elements, promising to push their sonic boundaries further into the void—heavier, stranger, and more apocalyptic than ever before.

“Bleed the Wicked, Drown the Damned is an album we poured our hearts into. With our sophomore LP, we wanted to take our sound to a new level, but also call back to the roots of doom, with a touch of 90s angst. Lyrically, it touches on everything from standing up to tyranny, to revenge, to sacrifice, to love, lust and betrayal- all wrapped in themes of horror, science-fiction, and history. For the best listening experience: light one up, and turn it up loud.”

New album "Bleed The Wicked, Drown The Damned" - Out September 26th on Heavy Psych Sounds

TRACKLIST:

1. Hammer
2. Bloodfeather
3. Pot Of Gold
4. Parasites
5. Dwelling
6. Perfect Organism
7. Bones
8. Waiting by the Gallows

While their roots lie in the hallowed halls of Sabbath and Saint Vitus, the band’s DNA mutates further, pulling from the textured anger of Soundgarden and even the chaotic forces of Snapcase. Cosmic Reaper isn’t interested in simply echoing the past; they swirl it in a glass, layering a cocktail of thunderous bass and drums, brink-of-destruction fuzz, and ethereal vocals into a sonic ritual all their own.

The band’s self-titled debut, released in 2021 on Heavy Psych Sounds, announced their arrival with cataclysmic force, earning praise for its crushing atmosphere, hard rock-influenced riffs, and psychedelic accents. Tracks like “Hellion” and “Planet Eater” showcased their ability to drift between galactic doomscapes and swamp-born grooves. 2022’s follow-up, "Doom Sessions Vol. 7," saw a brief evolution in tempos and themes pulled from the remnants of the self-titled record.

Since then, much has changed. With lead guitar duties being passed not once, but twice, Cosmic Reaper welcomed guitarist Pete Snasdell into the fold. A longtime stalwart of the UK heavy music scene, Snasdell brought an evolved sense of harmony and heaviness, expanding the band’s twin-guitar attack and deepening the commitment to the cult of heavy metal. Now armed with a sharpened lineup of Thad Collis (vocals/guitar), Garret Garlington (bass), Jeremy Grobsmith (drums), and Pete Snasdell (guitar), Cosmic Reaper continues to burn slow, but ever blinding.

COSMIC REAPER is

Thad Collis - Vocals / Guitar
Peter Snasdell - Guitar
Garrett Garlington - Bass
Jeremy Grobsmith - Drums

COSMIC REAPER links

Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram | Spotify

HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

Doom Sessions Vol VII Feat: Endtime // Cosmic Reaper (Album Review)

Release Date: 20th January 2023. Record Label: Heavy Psych Sounds. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Doom Sessions Vol VII Feat: Endtime // Cosmic Reaper: Tracklisting

ENDTIME - Tunnel Of Life

ENDTIME - Beyond The Black Void

COSMIC REAPER - Sundowner

COSMIC REAPER -  Dead And Loving It

COSMIC REAPER - King Of Kings

Review

Here's the exciting new Doom Sessions chapter from Heavy Psych Sounds featuring Swedish Doom/Sludge Rockers ENDTIME and USA Heavy Psyched Doom Stoner Rockers COSMIC REAPER. Both bands who released acclaimed albums on the ever present Heavy Psych Sounds label. It's good hearing new music from both bands especially from ENDTIME who impressed me greatly with their last release.

ENDTIME offer two songs here running under twelve minutes with Tunnel Of Life and Beyond The Black Void allowing the band to play a different style of Psychedelic Doom Metal compared to their last album which you can hear with Tunnel Of Life. An excellent track that sees ENDTIME bring Heavy Psych Grooves and Gloomy Synths that gives a more "Goblin-esque" feel to their standard Sludge/Stoner Metal sound. The vocals are quite abrasive when they appear but they do hold your attention. Though, it's the music that impresses the most and the bold creative choices ENDTIME makes for this track. Some epic synths and psychedelic beats give ENDTIME a more cerebral outlook with the band still finding time to play epic riffs along the way.

Their second track Beyond The Black Void is a more darker and disturbing affair with glitchy distorted noises having a slight industrial and seedy feel. The distorted vintage doom grooves are essentially what ENDTIME excel at and when the SABBATH inspired AMPLIFIER grooves appear then the music moves from 70's Doom Metal to modern day Sludge/Stoner Metal atmospherics. The Crust Punk inspired vocals add a more classic "HORROR" element to ENDTIME's music but with the music moving cautiously slow, you begin to notice a more progressive and harsher sound that could easily came from their acclaimed debut release. 

Time for Cosmic Reaper to take over with three tracks running around nineteen minutes in length with tracks Sundowner, Dead And Loving It and King Of Kings showcasing how different the band are to ENDTIME but working superbly together for this release. 

Sundowner is a great mix of Cosmic Rock, Psych Rock, Doom Rock, Stoner Rock and Classic Hard Rock which reminds me of Black Sabbath, Monolord, GEEZER and Thin Lizzy. Heavy Stoner Grooves packed with a fantastic Space Rock energy with Cosmic Reaper in fine storytelling mode. As the band have written excellent lyrics to match the sublime gloomy and groovy sounds. There's a high amount of classic hard rock guitar solos that venture off into darker areas of Psych Stoner Rock or perhaps Spaced Out Doom. 

Dead And Loving It is a bleak alternative to Sundowner with Cosmic Reaper playing into the darker reaches of Doom/Stoner Metal with a thunderous creative drive that can be quite punishing to listen to at times. The band are perhaps more BRASH and IN YOUR FACE with this track but it's good to see a different side to the band. The vocals are quite operatic at times but the music is always fully bang on point with echoes of Classic Doom and Proto Metal leading the way. The song can be quite slow in places but Cosmic Reaper knows what they're doing and that's delivering the album's finest track.

King Of Kings is another great track from Cosmic Reaper that matches Classic Doom, Proto Metal and highly atmospheric Stoner Metal with a warped progressive sound. The music is very multi-layered and once again the band take their time bringing the heaviest sounds to the party. The Psychedelic grooves even become slightly creepy and freaky which brings a twinge of Occult Rock to the record. When the band starts bringing a gloom based narrative and progressive vibe to the track, everything becomes more clearer with the music being some of the finest music Cosmic Reaper have written to date. If you dig Black Sabbath and Uncle Acid but with a more Cosmic/Space Rock approach then this track tells you why Cosmic Reaper are highly thought of within the scene.

Doom Sessions Vol VII is a fantastic and thrilling release showcasing not only the two great bands involved but also the wonderful work that Heavy Psych Sounds continue to do within the Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal underground scene. Though, ENDTIME and COSMIC REAPER deserve the majority of the plaudits here. As they've both written outstanding tracks that will delightfully entertain the Underground Community for some time to come.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Claire at Purple Sage for the promo. 

Doom Sessions Vol VII will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Heavy Psych Sounds from January 20th 2023.

ENDTIME Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

COSMIC REAPER Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

Cosmic Reaper - S/T (Album Review)

 

Release Date: 19th March 2021. Record Label: Heavy Psych Sounds. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Cosmic Reaper - S/T - Tracklisting

Hellion

Heaven’s Gate

Stellar Death

Wasteland I

Wasteland II

Planet Eater

Infrasonic

Members

Thad Collis - Guitar/Vocals

Dillon Prentice - Guitar

Garrett Garlington - Bass

Jeremy Grobsmith - Drums

Review

Cosmic Reaper are the latest band to join the Heavy Psych Sounds Records revolution with their spellbinding debut album which crosses the boundaries of Classic Doom Metal and Psychedelic Stoner Metal with a heavy Spaced Out vibe for equal good measure.

Their debut full length album is a mixture of Sabbath/Saint Vitus classic Doom Metal passages but with the band showing a modern Psychedelic Stoner Metal flavour which brings Monolord to mind. Though, this album is still great evidence of Cosmic Reeper doing their own thing and bringing a more flashier style of vocals to the mix.

Opening song - Hellion - oozes 70s Doom Metal atmosphere but with a modern FUZZ heavy Stoner Metal backdrop with jagged guitars leading the way. The vocals and lyrics are quite theatrical but it adds to the overall enjoyment of it all. The song is quite SPOOKY and TRIPPY with Cosmic Reaper walking a fine line between Classic Heavy Doom and Modern Fuzz/Stoner Metal grooves. The instrumental work is first rate and I can see why Gabe at Heavy Psych Sounds signed this band to his ever-growing roster.

Second song - Heaven’s Gate - opens with a bass-thumping riff before a vintage Psychedelic guitar appears with powerful drumming slowly dictating the action. The song has a manic claustrophobic energy which reminds me of early Uncle Acid but perhaps more Progressive and way heavier. The band take their time with this slowly-played song and it’s a great creative choice which allows Cosmic Reaper to make this song feel actually longer than it’s almost 6 minutes runtime. 

Third song - Stellar Death - sees Cosmic Reaper go further into their Doom Metal persona with one of the bleakest songs on the album. The vocals and lyrics are on-point with a more bleaker style of music leading the way. The song is more restrained but the band do play a faster style of music on this song, Though, it’s the vocals that’s the best part of this song. As they add a real sense of impending Doom and Occult Rock thrills.

Fourth song - Wasteland I - is more of a modern Doom/Stoner Metal flavour with the band adding a cool Blues Rock touch. The song is one of the shortest on the album running under 4 minutes but there’s still a lot of meaty action to digest. Even with this song being purely an instrumental offering. Slow-paced but packed with the right amount of gloomy menace and psychedelic wonder.

The 2nd half of the album sees Cosmic Reaper carry on with their engaging style of Classic Doom Metal and Modern Psych Stoner Metal with songs Wasteland II, Planet Eater and Infrasonic. The second half is perhaps where the Psychedelic and Cosmic Rock attitude of the band leads the way and you can tell that by the song titles. 

The best two songs on the album are Planet Eater and Infrasonic which offers almost 17 minutes of finely tuned and superbly played music that will delight both Doom and Stoner Metal audiences.

This is a deeply rich and extremely satisfying debut album that’s bolstered by top-notch production behind the scenes. The album sounds epic and wonderful from start to finish. This is the perfect album for Cosmic Reaper to make a name for themselves within the Doom/Stoner Metal community.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo. The album will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Heavy Psych Sounds Records from March 19th 2021.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp