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

Finnish Doom Trio DÖ Unveil Lyric Video for "Ode to the Dark Matter" from Upcoming Album Unversum

Photo Credit – Hannu Nieminen

Finland's riff-worshipping, cosmos-obsessed doom trio, DÖ, releases the lyric video for their latest track, Ode to the Dark Matter. This powerful new song is taken from their highly anticipated upcoming album Unversum, due out on September 18th, 2024, via Lay Bare Recordings in vinyl format and across various digital platforms.

For the past decade, DÖ has steadily gathered international recognition with their dark, astral-infused sound, which they refer to as "döömer." This distinctive Northern blend combines elements of stoner, doom, sludge, and psychedelia, with subtle nods to death and black metal, creating a unique sonic experience. Their growing discography includes four acclaimed EPs and two albums, all of which have been praised by the global heavy music press, including the prestigious Doom Charts.

DÖ has built a reputation for their loud, high-energy live performances, spearheaded by their infamous maniacal drummer. They have performed at notable festivals like Soulcrusher (Netherlands), Nummirock (Finland), and Desert Hel (Finland), and have shared stages with iconic acts such as Church of Misery.

The new track was created during the recording sessions for Unversum, as the band explains, "Ode to the Dark Matter was the last song we made for the album. It was actually born during the recording sessions, and it replaced another track that was originally planned for the album. The lyrics serve as both a tribute to the fascinating dark matter and to our friend who produced and recorded the album, whose nickname is Ode."

Pre-order Unversum on vinyl

Follow DÖ

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Bandcamp | Spotify

Thanks to Plug Music Agency for all of the details.

Finnish Sludge/Doom Metallers DÖ releases their third album in September

Picture credits: Hannu Nieminen

DÖ, the Finnish trio that channels the dark forces of the cosmos into fierce riffs, will release an album titled "Unversum" on September 18th.

This dark blend of stoner, doom, and psychedelia, featuring eight tracks, will be available on vinyl through the Dutch label Lay Bare Recordings, as well as on CD and digital platforms.

In line with the space theme, the journey to the finished album has been a long one. Songwriting began immediately after guitarist Teröid joined the band in 2019, but due to the pandemic and other setbacks, the production process ultimately stretched to nearly five years. During that time, the band managed to release a preview of the album’s offerings with the ‘Black Hole Mass’ EP in 2020.

The wait, however, has been worth it. More effort has been put into pre-production and recording than ever before, resulting in both the sound and the songs reaching entirely new heights in DÖ’s canon. Once again, the lyrics draw from the ideology of astral worship, celebrating cosmic forces and the insignificance of humankind.

The trio describes the album briefly as follows: “‘Unversum’ is a collection of very different songs that are hard to fit into one genre box. Some are nuanced and even surprising, while others are simply crushing heavy hitters. Influences and sources of inspiration range from the roots of psychedelic music to the ‘everything starts with a riff’ stoner doom aesthetic and pure cosmic escapism to fill the void.”

Unversum - Lay Bare Recordings & Döömernaut Records (2024)

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)

Links

Facebook | Instagram | BandCamp

Thanks to DÖ for all of the details.

Lay Bare Recordings Announces This autumn we are all DOOMED by DÖ, COLTAINE & LOWEN

Get ready to be döömed by Northern dark cosmic doom this autumn! Finnish riff-praising, cosmos-worshipping DÖ are set to release their upcoming LP ’Unversum' at Lay Bare Recordings.

Helsinki’s trio channels dark astral energy into ‘döömer' - a mix of stoner, doom, sludge, psychedelia, with hints of death/black metal - and has been gaining global recognition over the past decade. Inspired by the Astral Death Cult ideology, they promise ‘Unversum’ is more seismic, versatile, and nuanced than ever before.

As Devil’s Horn Zine puts it, “The great thing about this band is they steer away from many sludge bands by mixing in fantastic layers of black metal and even classic hard rock.”

Join us in exploring cosmic riffs of ‘Unversum’ on September 18, 2024. Stay tuned for pre-orders!

OUT ON SEPTEMBER 6, 2024 - PRE-ORDERS OPEN!

COLTAINE - Forgotten Ways (500cps: heavyweight color in color) | transparent purple in bone)

The countdown to COLTAINE’s Lay Bare Recordings debut has begun!

COLTAINE unlocks an adventure in sound with their special ability to transport intuitive creations into unusually exciting and diverse microcosms of dark, atmospheric psychedelia, full of foggy, post-metal-tinged acid rock with somber blackgaze hues.

With a sound that defies categorisation, this German doomgaze band is set to embark on a quest through the deep, misty realms of their own musical craft with 'Forgotten Ways’. As NineHertz said, it’s an album that is “so varied, so unique... moody and gothy, but never cheesy.... savage music!”.

The aural journey through landscapes of desolation begins on September 6, 2024.

PRE-ORDER NOW

OUT ON OCTOBER 4, 2024 - PRE-ORDERS AVAILABLE!

LOWEN - Do Not Go To War With the Demons of Mazandaran
(200cps: heavyweight white in transparent blue - EU LBR) | 300cps: transparent red w/ black splatter - UK Church Road)

LOWEN has dominated the live scene with appearances at Desertfest, Doomlines, Masters of the Riff and Uprising Festival.

On October 4, 2024, they are stopping by Lay Bare Recordings to release their fable-inspired and dissent-echoing ’Do Not Go To War With the Demons of Mazandaran’.

London-based, Middle East-rooted progressive doomers deliver a thought-provoking story about the folly of rulers who expand their power despite their people’s resistance. Songs like 'Corruption on Earth' and 'Waging War Against God’ clearly echo this message, addressing the death sentences imposed on women protesting against the Islamic Republic of Iran during the Woman, Life, Freedom movement in 2022. This issue is deeply personal to vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Nina Saeidi, who was born into exile from Iran in the UK.

Inspired by the fables of the Shahnameh (the Persian Book of Kings), LOWEN once again brilliantly uses the ancient world to explore the pain and longing of the diasporically dispossessed.

Let’s listen to this message together on October 4, 2024.

PRE-ORDER @ LAY BARE RECORDINGS (EU)
PRE-ORDER @ CHURCH ROAD (UK)

Thanks to Lay Bare Recordings for all of the info.

DÖ - Black Hole Mass (EP Review)

Release date: November 13th 2019. Label: Döömernaut Records. Format: DD

Black Hole Mass – Tracklisting

Gravity Sacrifice

Plasma Psalm

Radiation Blessing

Review

Black Hole Mass is the new EP from Finnish Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal Riffsters DÖ and has been dedicated to this year’s winners of the Nobel Prize in Physics who revealed “the darkest secrets of the universe”. Well, with that dedication in mind, what have the band brought to the party since their acclaimed 2019 album Astral Death Cult which became quite a favourite record of mine last year with it’s Pitch Black Doom Outlook on the Sludge/Stoner Metal world.

The EP features the heaviest and aggressive material the band have released to date. Sure, it has the familiar sounds and themes from Astral Death Cult. However, this EP goes even further into the Blackened Doom Metal universe with Psychedelic Sludge/Stoner Metal riffs there for everyone to be consumed and buried under.

Opening song - Gravity Sacrifice - is a pitch black exercise in Sonic Riffery with the band exploring heavy progressive themes and the music allows the vocals to the perfect balance of Harsh Growls and Aggressive Clean Vocals. The music flirts between Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal with the harsh Post-Metal attitude of Neurosis being a major influence but DÖ still holding their own grip and style throughout the 7 minute running time of the song. The song has a wonderfully bleak Spaced Out Atmosphere where the lush and heavy Psychedelic noises come to life.

Second song - Plasma Psalm - continues with the epic sounding Blackened Doom Metal attitude and feels like it’s a song that would have easily fit on their last album. The song is fast-paced and I can detect some High On Fire energy on this song especially when DÖ speed things up and the multi-layered vocals allow the song to be a more gloomier experience.

The final song - Radiation Blessing - is a 10 minute offering where ghostly and psychedelic noises reign supreme for the first few moments before DÖ starts adding layers of heavy guitars with a volatile Sliudge/Stoner Metal atmosphere holding everything together. The distorted parts are quite cinematic in places but DÖ hold their nerve by bringing a threatening style of Sludge/Stoner Metal to hold listeners attention with.

Black Hole Mass is another outstanding release from DÖ and allows this band to be one of best bands coming from the Finnish Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metals scene. If this is the new style of music that DÖ will play on future releases then I’m fully on board and can’t wait to see what the guys will be releasing next.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Warren at Plug Music Agency for the promo. Black Hole Mass will be available to buy Digitally from November 13th 2020.

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp

DÖ - Astral Death Cult (Album Review)

Release date: September 20th 2019. Label: Lay Bare Recordings / Mercyful Tapes. Format: Cassette Tape/DD/Vinyl

Astral Death Cult  – Tracklisting

Intergalacticlude
Atmosfear
Drifting (In Methane Ocean)
Cosmic Communion
Planet Eater
Beyond the Cosmic Horizon

Members

Big Dog (Guitar)
Deaf Hank (Vox & Bass)
Joe E. Deliverance ('E' stands for 'Epic') (Drums & Vox)

Review

Greetings All,

It is always exciting to check out a new album that really and truly blows you away. With Astral Death Cult, Finnish titans DÖ have done just that. The band has a wickedly amazing style that is extremely hard to explain, so I’ll just let their bio do it for me; DÖ is riff'n'fuzz praising, cosmic forces worshipping cult. Their musical style is called "Döömer", a genuine combination of stoner, doom, psych, sludge with death/black metal twists here and there. That is a pretty damn accurate explanation on what Astral Death Cult delivers over the course of it’s six devastating tracks. If you are a fan of any or all of the sub genres of the heavy listed, DÖ is worth the time to check out.

The album opens with an interstellar distress signal coming in from God knows where on Intergalacticlude before exploding with feedback, fuzzed out bass and monstrous drums bringing ominously mysterious vocals. The fuzzed out heaviness continues with Atmosfear and it’s black metal sounding vocals. Massive drums and a sick bass line open the epic track Drifting (In Methane Ocean) an over 9 minute opus with unsettlingly detached vocals and dissonance that give way to unbridled heaviness. The track is a dark journey into the darkest recesses of space or the mind.

The most straightforward rock track of the record is brought to you in Cosmic Communion, with it’s immense driving bass riff and onslaught of riffs and drums it sets the table for the massive Planet Eater. This track is pure heaviness that opens with walls of noise and intense guitar strangulation over this beast that breaks down into a breakneck blackened/punk metal breakdown that almost guarantees whiplash to the listener.

The record is driven home with more blackened intensity on Beyond the Cosmic Horizon. The band unleashes the metal onslaught before breaking down into the dissonant sound of the interstellar distress signal that introduced us to this monster.

With Astral Death Cult, DÖ has brought themselves to the forefront of all that is heavy. This album could very well be a contender for record of the year. It is that good and deserves a listen from any and all that worship at the altar of the riff. I for one am joining the cult. Pass the kool aid, I am down. Let’s all dig on this intense beast. All hail the Astral Death Cult!

- Todd S - Instagram @alltheghoststhathauntyou

Words by Todd Stealey

Thanks to Warren at Plug Music Agency for the promo.

The album is being released on Vinyl by Lay Bare Recordings on September 20th 2019

The album is also being released on Cassette Tape via Mercyful Tapes on September 20th 2019

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp

DÖ Announce New Album Details and Exclusive Song Premiere For COSMIC COMMUNION

Helsinki based, riff-praising, cosmos-worshipping trio DÖ have revealed the lyric video for the new track Cosmic Communion. Taken from their upcoming album Astral Death Cult which releases on the 20th September 2019 on Lay Bare Recordings and Mercyful Tapes.

Astral Death Cult is the bands second full-length album. This vicious death cult lead by Big Dog (guitar), Joe E. Deliverance (drums) and Deaf Hank (vox & bass) feeds on dark astral energy and compresses it into what they call döömer – a unique northern mix of stoner, doom, sludge, and psychedelic elements with hints of death / black metal.

DÖ has slowly but steadily grown the global congregation of döömernauts through a series of independent releases and by touring around Finland and the Baltics, receiving praise from both fans and media all around the world.
The album is being released on Vinyl by the cool folks at Lay Bare Recordings.

The album is also being released on Cassette Tape via Mercyful Tapes

We are happy to premiere the new song - Cosmic Communion - from the upcoming album.

DÖ have released a statement about the new song: 

"Cosmic Communion one of the fast songs on the album. It’s inspired by the great Carl Sagan as it salutes the unity of the universe and the fact that all life is born in the nuclear furnaces of collapsing stars."

Thanks to Warren at Plug Music Agency for all of the details.

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp

Dö - Astral:Death/Birth (EP Review)

Release date: May 26th 2017. Label: Self Released. Format: CD/DD

Astral: Death/Birth – Tracklisting

1.Astral Death 07:46

2.Astral Birth 12:16

Members:

Big Dog (guitar)

Joe E. Deliverance (drums & vox)

Deaf Hank (bass & lead vox)

Review

Firstly I have to apologize to Dö for not reviewing their excellent debut album – Tuho – which was released last year. Sometimes I miss albums when they're originally released and that was one of those times. I'm not making the same mistake with Dö superb new EP – Astral: Death/Birth. A twenty minute two song EP which is packed with delicious dark stoner/sludge/doom riffs.

With these guys being from Finland, you can expect heavy riffs from the start. Opening track – Astral Death – is an ugly sounding track at times with Deaf Hank's vocals providing a nightmarish feel. Dö's sound has a slight punk based vibe and the sound can be very raw at times but it allows the band to merge different sounds for quite an unsettling feel. Deaf Hank's vocals veer from clean based growls to almost death/harsh vocals.

Second track – Astral Birth – is a more upbeat track with the band returning to their earlier spaced out sounds. A different contrast to the opening track and this is perhaps the standout track on the EP. Dö play slow-paced riffs with moments of ambient noises interacting with the Doom/Stoner riffs being played in the background. Dö feel they were influenced by BONG at times as this track has an Ambient Doom feel to it. Though the band return to the EP's heavier sludge/doom metal roots as the once upbeat vibe is obliterated to kingdom come with pissed off vocals and riffs.

Truth be told I wanted the band to keep on playing their more psychedelic stoner based sound as it was a cool contrast to the opening track. The EP leaves you slightly depressed and wanting more at the same time. Astral: Death/Birth is another winning release from Dö and long-time fans of the band will find much to enjoy here.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links:

Official | Facebook | BandCamp