Ethereal Tomb - When The Rivers Dry (Album Review)

Release Date: September 10th 2023. Record Label: Black Throne Productions. Formats: Cassette/DD/Vinyl

When The Rivers Dry - Tracklisting

Face The Facts

WHen The Rivers Dry

Born Into Pain

Victim Mentality

Save The Man

Reclamation

Pure, Radiant Energy

The Sufferance Of Mourning

Members

Alexander Senum - Guitar/Vocals/Lyrics

Aidan Weatherall - Bass

Aidan H - Drums

Review:

When The Rivers Dry is the second full length album from Canadian Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metallers Ethereal Tomb who move further into the dark void that bands such as CONAN, THOU and Primitive Man permanently reside. Ethereal Tomb have carried on their harsh and hard hitting social conscience from their early releases which you can fully experience and feel on the subtle opening track of Face The Facts which offers a harsh indictment on modern day life and politics throughout the world. Tne instrumental sounds is a gloomy and simple Doom driven Acoustic track before allowing the next song to explode into a LOUD SLUDGE and FILTH ridden vortex.

Second song When The Rivers Dry runs under three minutes but Ethereal Tomb play some down-tuned CONAN inspired metallic riffage with a slight bleak distorted energy. The band add a certain downbeat Stoner groove to the mix but it's the more harsh leaning Doom/Sludge Metal sounds that allows Ethereal Tomb to play a more primal style of music which encompasses the pissed off and bleak vocal passages of lead vocalist Alexander Senum. There's a certain WEEDIAN aspect to the lyrics with the sludgy guitars reminiscent of WEEDEATER and BONGZILLA but with a more complex sounding political message. 

Third song Born Into Pain opens with a slow-pounding solitary guitar that's spliced with that pissed off and almost NOLA mentality. The lyrics should be given a warning of some sort especially of those of a nervous disposition as Ethereal Tomb don't hold back for one of the most eye-opening and nihilistic tracks on the album. The music continues with that Distorted style of AMPLIFIER WORSHIP with elements of sludgy guitar and amp feedback. The song does have a frantic Hardcore Punk mentality whilst offering flashes of cool sounding bleak Stoner Metal passages. 

Fourth song Victim Mentality sees Ethereal Tomb continue with the bleak downbeat moments of trippy Sludgy WEEDIAN grooves with the harsh vocals of Alexander becoming more comfortable with the bleak creative surroundings of the whole album. The music is beautifully chaotic, erratic and moves further into the brutal areas of Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal that reminds me of COUGH especially when Ethereal Tomb unleash a torrent of epic sounding instrumental sounds. The lyrics delve even further into the human psyche especially with even more twisted lyrics that the song title ultimately is named after.

Fifth song Save The Man changes the creative instrumental formula ever so slightly by adding level of swirling Psychedelic sounds but it's still business as usual with Ethereal Tomb playing their dynamically powerful and wonderfully aggressive style of Primal Metal with a despairing WEEDIAN atmosphere being played on certain stages of the track. Ethereal Tomb do allow themselves more time to experiment here for one of the standout tracks of the album.

The final three tracks of Reclamation, "Pure, Radiant Energy" and The Sufferance Of Mourning sees Ethereal Tomb become more PISSED OFF with the world mostly on Reclamation and The Sufferance Of Mourning with a lot more experimentation appearing but still allowing Ethereal Tomb to concentrate playing more of that nasty sounding music they've played throughout the album. The Sufferance Of Mourning is a ten minute epic which does have some Progressive  elements to the track to stretch out their subtle grooves to a more extreme level in places.

When The Rivers Dry allows Ethereal Tomb the perfect opportunity to vent their frustrations with modern day society through a wealth of different musical means which firmly resides within the Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal scene. The production of the record is quite grimy and violent in places but always for the right reasons which allows this to be a thrilling audio experience if you want a more bombastic style of music to be delivered through your speakers.

Ethereal Tomb have delivered an album that kicks, punches and pulverises everyone into submission who dares to listen to this wonderfully FUCKED UP and TWISTED release.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to C Squared Music for the promo.

Ethereal Tomb is available to buy now on DD/Cassette from Ethereal Tomb and Vinyl via Black Throne Productions

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Slowjoint - Piss And Gravel (Album Review)

Release Date: August 15th 2022. Record Label: Virkelighedsfjern. Format: Cassette Tape/DD

Piss And Gravel - Tracklisting

Screwdriver

Stick On A Pig

Reek

Snot From Shit

Don't Fit

Burn

Eggs And Bitter

Lesson Lost

Members

Dennis Fumblefinger - Vocals/Bass

Patrick Lazy - Guitars

Tor Arge Mammen - Drums

Review

Piss And Gravel is the upcoming third full length album from Danish Doom/Sludge/Stoner Riffsters Slowjoint and is perhaps their most mature release yet. Gone is the self depreciating WEEDIAN humour of earlier releases and that has been replaced with a more grown-up attitude. The album is undeniably full of SLUDGE/STONER filth with a top-notch Doom Metal atmosphere.

Opening song Screwdriver is one extended DRONE based jam with pounding atmospherics and distorted vocals to match. The song can be considered "one-dimensional" in places but the song has some epic grooves contained within. Slowjoint are their true selves on this album and the Bongzilla/Weedeater comparions are a thing of the past. The music is powerful and features different distorted Drone/Noise Rock levels. There's a subtle Psychedelic sound that allows the heavy bass to have a more forceful approach. The lyrics are WEEDIAN through and through with the song being about using your BONG with a screwdriver. Thanks to Dennis for that info.

Second song Stick On A Pig offers a more fast-paced style of music with Slowjoint playing their standard WEEDIAN sounds but with a more playful and upbeat attitude. The vocals from Dennis are superb yet again and quite easy to understand despite the harsh vocal growls that are here. The song can be downright funky in places but still retaining a harsh Sludge Metal attitude.

Third song Reek opens with a thumping bass solo with the music being slow paced at first. Though, Slowjoint add levels of Sludge/Stoner Metal with a thrilling layer of Drone Metal energy allowing the band to play more extended WEEDIAN based jams. This could be considered one of the more upbeat parts of the album but that isn't saying much as Slowjoint press on with their bombastic style of music.

Fourth song Snot From Shit sees the band keep moving ahead with their "Bass" heavy sound with a less dramatic approach. Levels of Psychedelic Noise can be heard in the background with the band being more progressive with their music. The down-tuned guitars and intelligen drumming make this become one of the best tracks on the album. The music is cautiously slow and only moves up a gear before the half-way stage. The music is beautifully volatile and the great lyrics may raise a smile or two as Slowjoint are in their creative element here. 

Other standout tracks are: "Bum", "Eggs And Bitter" and "Lesson Lost" with Slowjoint playing some new styles of music along the way. The final two songs Eggs And Bitter and Lesson Lost are perhaps the heaviest parts of the album. With Slowjoint playing a more vivid style of music than we're normally used to from them. 

The production values are excellent for the most part. There's a few moments where I wanted to hear more volume and depth with the guitars. However, apart from that minor complaint, Piss And Gravel is another wicked bleak insight into one of the best bands from the Danish underground Sludge/Stoner Metal Scene. 

If you're a fan of Bongzilla and Weedeater plus any bands that play "LOW & SLOW" style of music then it's time to get invested with Slowjoint. As this album shows everything great about them and is their best release to date.

Piss And Gravel is a dirge ridden and action packed RIFF FEST.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Slowjoint for the promo.

Piss And Gravel will be available to buy on Cassette/DD via Virkelighedsfjern from August 15th 2022.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp

Lamprey - III (Album Review)

Release date: July 25^th 2015. Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

III: Tracklisting

1.Iron Awake 01:36

2.Harpies 07:35

3.Golden Mean 05:59

4.Nokken 02:57

5.Lament of the Deathworm 06:03

6.Gaea 05:27

Band Members:

Spencer Norman

Justin Brown

Blaine Burnham

Review:

Why did I have to be late to the party in checking out Lamprey. The Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal mob who have just released what appears to be their final album with III. As Lamprey have sadly called it a day. But what an album to release as your last album. As III is a heavy slab of epic riffs and gigantic noises to match.

Opening track – Iron Awake – is a 90 second blast of intense Sludge Rock riffs played at a fast pace. Lamprey played with two bassists and that is evident right here are the music is fucking loud!!! - You can hear the heavy pounding bass lines being played all around you. That's just the tip of the iceberg as the rest of the album becomes even louder as time goes by.

Second track – Harpies – is where you start to feel the pain and intensity of Lamprey's music. If you dig the early heavier sounds of CONAN and SLOMATICS then wait until you experience the heavy bass dual attack of Lamprey with great drumming to match. The vocals drift in and out at different times of the song. Though it's the heavy down-tuned riffs that is the main attraction here. And Lamprey have tons of great riffs to punish you with.

Third track – Golden Mean – is perhaps the more doomier affair on the album with traces of drone based noises and vocals appearing at the start before Lamprey bring the pain with more down-tuned riffs to slay you with. The album sounds superb from start to finish which isn't surprising since Adam Pike mixed, engineered and mastered this album. Golden Mean simply crushes everything around it as Lamprey bring the thunder as the dual bass guitars unleash a torrent of doom and gloom sludge metal riffs.

Fourth track – Nokken – has shades of Scott Kelly's solo work especially with the vocals and droned out noises which creates an unsettling three minutes for the listener to lose themselves in. This shows another side to Lamprey's music as it's haunting and even beautiful to listen to.

Fifth track - Lament of the Deathworm – is perhaps my fave song on the album as it merges the sounds from Nokken with the heavier style of droned out Sludge/Stoner Metal riffs from the earlier songs. It's a slow-paced affair but wait until Lamprey bring the noise as hell breaks loose. The vocals are superb as you can feel the pain coming from lead vocalist Blaine.

And now we come to the final song that Lamprey will ever release. - Gaea. It's all come down to this final round of heavy pounding epic doom/sludge/stoner metal down-tempo and low-tuned carnage for you to survive from. Lamprey are taking no prisoners on this song. Just listen and embrace the noise for one final time. Once it's finished, press play and experience this heavy as hell amazing album over and over again. It's what Lamprey truly deserve....

III is a brilliant album. No doubt. Check it out for yourself as it's available on BandCamp Buy Now.

Words by Steve Howe

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp