SIGIRIYA - Maiden Mother Crone (Album Review)

Release date: April 15^th 2020. Label: Burning World Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Maiden Mother Crone – Tracklisting

1.Mantis

2.Cwn Annwn 05:57

3.Tau Ceti 05:28

4.Peace Of My Mind 05:57

5.Seeking Eden

6.Dark Call

7.Arise (Darkness Died Today)

8.Crushed By The Weight Of The Sky

Members

Stu, Mead, Rhys, Matt

Review

Since Sigiriya first emerged with debut album Return To Earth, they continued where Acrimony left off with huge riffs and thunderous grooves and with their first two highly enjoyable albums, they continued to produce great music. Now with the release of their third album, the eagerly awaited Maiden Mother Crone you can strike that up as another must listen album.

Maiden Mother Crone can be added to a list of albums that can rightfully be called long awaited and it has to be said that it has been rightfully worth the six year wait as soon as storming opening number Mantis blasts from the speakers.

From then on in, the riffs, courtesy of Stu O’Hara never stop and are as vast as the Welsh valleys from Sigiriya’s homeland. Matt Williams vocals sound better than ever, his fearsome roar is there but there is even more of a soulful feel to them which works so well over the bands soaring groove which new drummer Rhys Miles and bassist Mead capture so well.

Songs like Cwn Annwn, Peace Of My Mind and Seeking Eden sound absolutely massive and as the album reaches his epic conclusion with the majestic Crushed By The Weight If The Sky, you will feel a sense of joy at what what you have just listened to, it’s a positive experience which is must needed in these times of darkness.

This is an album that you will consume time and time again and will make you want to explore where it came from, what inspired it and you will want to go far back to achieve that. Acrimony’s Tummuli Shroomaroom remains an absolute classic (as is Hymns To The Stone but it is Acrimony’s second album that remains the firm favourite) and has never strayed far from listening habits and the recent remaster was another excuse to delve into the world of Acrimony again and it has to be said that Maiden Mother Crone has songs that are absolutely on a par with the likes of Hymns To The Stone and Million Year Summer.

As a body of work, both albums have that killer combination of riffs, power and soul that makes them such epic listening experiences so that is something to explore now and there isn’t a better time to do so. Maiden Mother Crone, is the sound of now though and it has to be said, has a crisper and more pristine production which makes the songs sound even more massive and the power hits you in the face from the get go and doesn’t let go resulting in an all consuming listening experience.

It’s great to have Sigiriya back and Maiden Mother Crone is a collection of songs you will listen to over and over and the sound of it is good. A life affirming album for sure and a must listen experience.

Words by Gavin Brown

Thanks to Jurgen at Burning World Records for the promo. Maiden Mother Crone is available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via BurningWorld Records from April 15th 2020.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp | Twitter

Cult Of Luna - A Dawn To Fear (Album Review)

Release date: September 20th 2019. Label: Metal Blade Record, Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

A Dawn To Fear – Tracklisting

1.The Silent Man 10:36 video

2.Lay Your Head to Rest 06:23

3.A Dawn to Fear 08:53

4.Nightwalkers 10:48

5.Lights on the Hill 15:07

6.We Feel the End 07:06

7.Inland Rain 07:00

8.The Fall 13:13

Members

Magnus Líndberg

Johannes Persson

Andreas Johansson

Thomas Hedlund

Fredrik Kihlberg

Kristian Karlsson

Review

Following on from their triumphant collaboration album Mariner with Julie Christmas, Cult Of Luna return with the eagerly anticipated A Dawn To Fear and it has been more than worth the long wait for this album. While Mariner had all you would hope for with a Cult Of Luna release, we’re talking the vast and transcending soundscapes that the band are renowned for and also had the added bonus of Julie Christmas sublime vocals and it made for a compelling and all encompassing listen. That album did whet the appetites for a brand new Cult Of Luna album from all of those who listened to it and thankfully those prayers have been answered with A Dawn To Fear.

Opening track The Silent Man is a statement of intent from Cult Of Luna from the get go and signals that the band are truly back where they belong, the song ranks as one of the heaviest things that they’ve ever released and grabs you as soon as it begins. The track has a very cathartic feel to it and from the heaviness, something grows and the track just builds and builds before ending with a soaring feelings d it feels great to hear the band play with such passion.

The triumphant Lay Your Head To Rest follows and continues the quality from that opening salvo with another epic song and shows that the band are still on par with the high standards they’ve set themselves in the past, constantly evolving but also reassuringly familiar sounding.

The albums title track is a sprawling epic track with whispered vocals aplenty over an epic soundscape that takes in many twists and turns while Nightwalkers combine formidable heaviness with an air of aural menace with Johannes Persson giving his vocal chords a workout when they come into play and shows what a powerful singer he is.

The monumental Lights On The Hill is A Dawn To Fears centrepiece and demonstrates exactly what makes Cult Of Luna such an immense band, with every facet of the bands brilliance is combined into this track. From then on, the band slow it down with the mournful We Feel The End Before the Power gets turned up again with Inland Rain, a track that builds and builds again before climaxing with a fearsome heaviness.

The album ends with the thirteen minute epic, The Fall and this song is the perfect way to end the album. Initially starting off as a downbeat hymn, the track morphs into a mixture of heavy and epic before ending in the most triumphant fashion that will leave you breathless and sees off the album in fine style, and you will be wanting to experience the whole thing again, from start to finish.

The songs themselves on the album are epic, perfectly paced and demonstrate exactly how far Cult If Luna have come when it comes to crafting songs.

With A Dawn To Fear, Cult Of Luna have made an album that is emotional, vast and the heaviest thing they have done to date and they’ve done it with a mixture of passion and assured confidence, not many band can go away for a number of years and come back with something as devastatingly strong as this album.

This album is a statement of intent from Cult Of Luna and it feels great to have them back so sit down, listen and let A Dawn To Fear utterly captivate and consume you with its epic nature

Words by Gavin Brown

A Dawn To Fear is available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl now via Metal Blade Records.

Links:

Official | Facebook | BandCamp

Temple Of The Fuzz Witch - S/T (Album Review)

Release date: March 08th 2019. Label: Seeing Red Records. Format: CD/DD

Temple Of The Fuzz Witch – S/T – Tracklisting

1. Bathsheba - 5:45

2. Death Hails - 3:52

3. The Glowing of Satan - 6:21

4. 329 - 6:53

5. infidel - 6:16

6. The Fuzz Witch - 6:27

7. Servants Of The Sun - 5:38

Review

Detroit doom masters Temple Of The Fuzz Witch return with their self titled debut album. Having garnered acclaim with their debut EP from a couple of years ago and having whetted our whistle further with the Bathsheba single from last year, the band finally unleash their first full length to much anticipation and it definitely lives up to that anticipation.

That single opens the album and those already familiar, with both that song and Temple Of The Fuzz Witch will know that they excel in huge doom laden riffs executed with electricity along with trademark hazy vocals.

From then on in, alongside those huge riffs, the album takes in more stoner-esque grooves and even some funeral doom vibes but they never lose sight of what they want to achieve and that is to knock the listener sideways with the garagatuan sound of their riffs.

The likes of The Glowing Of Satan, Infidel and The Fuzz Witch certainly do that, great swathes of noisey guitar led goodness explodes from the speakers throughout these tracks in particular and it is easy to see why the band are named Temple Of The Fuzz Witch, the fuzzy riffs contained are a thing of triumph and beauty.

There is an eclecticism at work here too though, especially on a song like 3/29 which slows things down even further and adds a sludgy feel to proceedings to maximum effect and even on the song that closes the album, Servants Of The Sun, which is a mellower affair than what has gone on before and still packs a punch, these two songs however are still propelled, of course, by those killer riffs and that makes for a superbly enjoyable listening experience.

Temple Of The Fuzz Witch is prime Sabbath worship from a band who follow that blueprint naturally but add different elements of their own personality to create a well executed and assured debut album. The riffs that litter the album are immense and elevate the well crafted songs into something that is infinitely great and demonstrate that this is a band with a bright future ahead of them for sure.

Words by Gavin Brown

Thanks to Seeing Red Records. Temple Of The Fuzz Witch will be available to buy on CD/DD via Seeing Red Records from March 8^th 2019.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

Earthless - Black Heaven (Album Review)

Release date: March 16th 2018. Label: Nuclear Blast Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Black Heaven – Tracklisting

Gifted By The Wind

End To End

Electric Flame

Volt Rush

Black Heaven

Sudden End

Members

Mario Rubalcaba

Isaiah Mitchell

Mike Eginton

Review

Earthless have always been masters of their own audio reality, channelling a mix of Sabbath-esque power with ZZ Top inspired hard rocking boogie and the laid back and free vibe of their Californian homeland to create joyful soundscapes and on their masterful new album Black Heaven (a title inspired by the Joshua Tree night sky where the album was recorded) they let loose a mixture of sheer power, tight knit musical grooves and an improvised sense of freedom.

Aside from their awesome split release with Harsh Toke a couple of years ago, the band haven't released any material since 2013s From The Ages album but with Black Heaven, they blast back in fine style with an assured and potent return packed full of the riffs, groove and attitude that they are renowned for.

Black Heaven kicks off with the free flowing Gifted By The Wind, a song that alongside the driving energy and catchy riffs is a fine line in harmonica playing that compliments the song brilliantly and gets the album off to a rocking start and doesn't let up until the last notes from the albums beautifully mournful closing track Sudden End have rung out.

Tracks like the rolling Electric Flame and the aptly named Volt Rush (with a special mention of the killer guitar solos on this one) have a focus to them that gives off an awesome sense of both urgency and energy and both of theses tracks are non stop

The tracks again are largely massive instrumental freak outs but with the added addition of vocals on this album (only two of the six tracks on Black Heaven are wholly instrumental) and when those crooned vocals of guitarist/singer Isaiah Mitchell do surface, they sound immense and only enhance the cavernous Earthless sound even further and fit perfectly.

Drummer Mario Rubalcaba and bassist Mike Eginton also play faultlessly throughout and their groove combined by the non stop riffs from Mitchell creates an epic sound (just check out the huge and epic freak out that is the albums title track for proof)

The album as a whole can be summed up as a mixture of their laid back nature and that energetic focus and with Black Heaven, Earthless have made an album that resonates sunshine, good vibes and above all, good times but with a vital edge full of energy and vivacity and is a sublime album perfect for the upcoming hazy summer months.

Words by Gavin Brown

Thanks to Monica at SpeakEasy PR for the promo. Black Heaven is available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl now via Nuclear Blast Records.

Links:

Official | Facebook | BandCamp

An Evening With Knives (Album Review)

Release date: 26th January 2018. Label: Argonauta Records (CD) / Lighttown Fidelty (Vinyl). Format: DD

Serrated – Tracklisting

1.Come Undone 04:33

2.Restless 05:46

3.Blind Man's Guess 06:31

4.Hysteria 06:41

5.Fade Out 09:37

6.Thoughts & Regrets 07:49

7.Drowning in Daybreak 02:33

Members

Peter van Grunsven - Bass guitar

Ivo Jonkers - Drums & samples

Marco Gelissen - Guitar & vocals

Review

An Evening With Knives, the Eindhoven trio who first whetted listeners appetites with their self titled debut EP in 2015 return with their debut album Serrated and without a doubt, this is an extremely hypnotic album that is heavy on riffs and creates an atmosphere that drags you in and doesn't let go. Since the release of the EP the band have spent the time honing their sound and Serrated is the highly anticipated result and those results are decidedly massive.

Serrated begins with the discordant Come Undone and the sprawling mournful mysticism of Restless and these two well crafted tracks set the tone for the album superbly. The woozy Blind Man's Guess follows and is a track that revels in its passion with its hypnotising and an almost repetitive nature taking you into its grasp and consuming you whole and when it reaches its epic conclusion, you cannot help but marvel at its glory.

Hysteria has more post-metal leanings that are just as hypnotic and certainly shows off a different side to An Evening With Knives, but one that sits at ease with what has come before it, it is noticeably bleaker and vaster but never anything other than sublime and sublimely executed with echoes of Neurosis and Amenra in there. That sublime execution is also very evident on the track that follows it which is entitled Fade Out, a track that explodes in a triumphant state and is nine and a half minutes of sheer riff joy.

Serrated concludes with the powerful and pensive Thoughts & Regrets before closing track, the almost all instrumental Drowning In Daybreak finishes things off with a bang. The song has a noticeably shorter running time but it's shimmering glory is definitely a great way to call time on the album.

The main thing that strikes you about Serrated is how well crafted the songs on the album are and how well they are executed with the band playing their hearts out and the vocals, riffs and grooves all coming together splendidly, resulting in a cacophony of sludge, doom and stoner sounds wrapped up in a psychedelic blanket.

An Evening With Knives have created an album that takes you in and mesmerises you but just after doing so, pummels you with its heavy riffs and absorbing rhythms and you will want to listen to it time and time again.

Words by Gavin Brown

Thanks to NeeCee Agency for the promo. You can buy the album here from Argonauta Records on CD and Vinyl from Lighttown Fidelity

Links

Facebook | BandCamp

Wolftooth - S/T (Album Review)

Release date: DD – Jan 19^th 2018, CD, Mar 05^th 2018. Vinyl, May 2018. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Wolftooth – S/T – Tracklisting

1. Blackbirds Call

2. Aegaeon

3. Sword Of My Father

4. White Mountain

5. Frost Lord

6. The Huntress

7. Season Of The Witch

8. Forged In Fire

Members

Chris Sullivan - Guitar/ Vocals

Terry McDaniel - Bass

Jeff Cole - Guitar

Johnny Harrod - Drums/Vocals

Review

For those who were enamoured by last years phenomenal three track EP by Richmond, Indiana's Wolftooth (and those who are not enamoured with it, simply haven't heard it yet and once they do as well as this album they undoubtedly will be), and who were wildly awaiting more material from the band, salvation is at hand with the release of their self titled debut album.

This monolithic eight track record (which thankfully feature the three stunning tracks that made up the EP) showcases a band who both promise and deliver outright with their music.

Wolftooth mix classic riffs (whether they are doomy, thrash, alternative, metal, stoner or a simply mesmerising mix of all) with the soaring, bluesy vocals of frontman Chris Sullivan and sweeping and heartfelt rhythms to create a behemoth of sound that is impossible not to get swept up by, this is music that will consume your heart and your head.

The trio of tracks that made up the EP still stand out and those tracks, the beautiful and hypnotic Aegaeon, the blissful and powerful The Huntress and the energetic bass led rhythms of White Mountain slot in perfectly with the rest of the album. Their inclusion results in the whole record standing out as a cohesive piece of artistry and the result is an eclectic mix of all that makes this kind of music so good and heaven for all fans of riff filled joyous music.

Songs such as the sublime opener Blackbirds Call, the pure power of Sword Of My Father, the magnificent Season Of The Witch and grooving album closer Forged sin Fire to name but a few are perfect examples of the brilliance of Wolftooth's music and the brilliance of this album.

The band play their hearts out throughout and the quality of the songs is unsurpassable in terms of execution with Sullivan (who also plays guitar) and the rest of the band (guitarist Jeff Cole, bassist Terry McDaniel Jr and drummer Johnny Harrod) demonstrating their skills as musicians and their vivacity for the music they are playing.

Even though it is so early into the new year, the quality of Wolftooth music is so strong and their songs are so well crafted and passionately delivered (and you also won't hear as many great riffs on an album) that it can be confidently stated that this album will feature at the top of many year ends lists when we finally get there, its that good an album.

Words by Gavin Brown

Thanks to Niels from Cursed Tongue Records for the promo. The album will be available to buy on DD – Jan 19^th 2018, CD - Mar 05^th 2018 and Vinyl - May 2018.

CD will be released by Blackseed Records. Vinyl will be released by Cursed Tongue Records.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

Outlaws Of The Sun Top Albums Of 2017

Here is the "official" Outlaws Of The Sun Top 25 Albums of 2017. Same process that we used for last year. Mainly using the similar process that The Doom Charts use on a monthly basis.

So thanks to Simon, Håkan, Gavin, Bruno, Simon Ohlsson and Todd for their great lists and for the hard work the whole team have put in over the last twelve months.

1.Elder - Reflections Of A Floating World
2.Mastodon - Emperor Of Sand
3.Ufomammut - 8
4.Monolord - Rust
5.The Obsessed -Sacred
6.Vokonis - The Sunken Djinn
7.Telekinetic Yeti - Abominable
8.Lowflyinghawks - Genkaku
9.OHHMS - The Fool
10.Vinnum Sabbathi - Gravity Works
11.Spaceslug - Time Travel Dilemma
12.Forming The Void - Relic
13.Summoner - Beyond The Realm Of Light
14.Samsara Blues Experiment - One With The Universe
15.Spirit Adrift - Curse Of Conception
16.Converge - The Dusk In Us
17.Iron Monkey - 9-13
18.Howling Giant - Black Hole Space Wizard, Part 2
19.HARK - Machinations
20.In The Company Of Serpents - Ain-Soph Aur
21.Spidergawd - IV
22.With The Dead - Love From With The Dead
23.Pallbearer - Heartless
24.Amen-Ra - Mass VI
25.Beastmaker - Inside The Skull

Gavin Brown - Best Albums Of 2017

1 Iron Monkey - 9-13

2 Ufomammut - 8
3 The Obsessed - Sacred
4 Lowflyinghawks - Genkaku
5 Black Capricorn - Omega
6 Coltsblood - Ascending Into Shimmering Darkness
7 Wolf Counsel - Age Of Madness/Reign Of Chaos
8 Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs - Feet The Rats
9 Amen-Ra - Mass VI
10 Unsane - Sterilised
11 Poseidon - Prologue
12 The Bug vs Earth - Concrete Desert
13 Dead Heavens - Whatever Witch You Are
14 Tombs - The Grand Annihilation
15 Destroyer Of Light - Chamber Of Horrors
16 Steak - No God To Save
17 Widows - Oh Deer God
18 Mastodon - Emperor Of Sand
19 Ohms - The Fool
20 Super Snake - Leap Of Love
21 Hark - Machinations
22 Cardinals Folly - Deranged Pagan Sons
23 The Riven - Blackbird
24 Morass Of Molasses - These Paths We Tred
25 Monolord - Rust

Chosen by Gavin Brown

Black Capricorn - Omega (Album Review)

Release date: November 02^nd 2017. Label: Stone Stallion Rex Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Omega - Tracklisting

1.Alpha

2.Evil Horde of Lucifer

3.Accabadora

4.Flower of Revelation

5.Antartide

6.Black Capricorn Seal

7.Devil and the Death

8.The Man Who Dared

9.Stars of Orion

10.Quest for Agartha

11.Omega

Members

Fabrizio: guitar, vocals

Virginia: bass

Rachela: drums

Review

After a series of splits and an EP, Italian psychedelic doom merchants Black Capricorn follow up their last album Cult Of The Black Friars with the sprawling and dominant force of Omega. The band have always been capable of delivering powerful and affecting music as they so ably demonstrated on Cult Of The Black Friars and its predecessors Born Under The Capricorn and their self titled debut but on Omega, they raise to another level, such is the albums sheer hypnotising power.

This is mesmerising music of the highest order and the riffs (courtesy of riffmeister general and vocalist Fabrizio who also is blessed with a formidable howl) on this album aren't just set to stun, they are set to pulverise on sight and they certainly do that as they are cranked up to full power, and they are are not just heavy though, these riffs are as catchy as they are powerful and their droning eclecticism proves a sublime combination. The bands rhythm section that consists of bassist Virginia and drummer Rachela conjure up a crushing backbone of a groove as well and that only adds to Black Capricorn's powers.

The psychedelic elements of the bands music are even heavier than they have been before but are just as sprawling. Just take one listen to the monolithic and trippy solo on the song Accabadora for proof and get hypnotised by its sheer ascendant vibe.

Evil Horde Of Lucifer is an early highlight as is the sublime Flower Of Revelation but this is an album that has so many of them and is an album that you definitely have to listen to in full, there's no picking and choosing here. It needs to be consumed in full and as such it will consume you back in kind.

Omega is a gripping listen and when the bands doom is unleashed in full on tracks like Devil And The Death and Stars Of Orion and the music takes an eclectic turn on The Man Who Dared (a song that features some stunning vocals from guest soprano Illaria Falchi) and Black Capricorn Seal which features sublime use of strings, it is such a gripping experience that your head and your heart feels like it will explode with joy at times.

This is an epic album, to say the least, and it will consume you and your senses as you listen. From the opening drone of Alpha right through to the funereal conclusion of Omega, thus is a journey that will bewitch and transfix you, just turn it up loud and let the music of Black Capricorn take you over.

Words by Gavin Brown

Omega is available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl now from Stone Stallion Rex Records.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

Iron Monkey - 9-13 (Album Review)

Release date: October 20th 2017. Label: Relapse Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

09-13 - Tracklisting

1.Crown of Electrodes 04:21

2.OmegaMangler 04:48

3.9-13 05:36

4.Toadcrucifier - R.I.P.PER 05:31

5.Destroyer 04:16

6.Mortarhex 03:30

7.The Rope 04:46

8.Doomsday Impulse Multiplier 05:10

9.Moreland St. Hammervortex 09:46

Members

Jim Rushby - Guitars, Vocals

Steve Watson - Bass

Brigga - Drums

Review

As band returns go, the news that Iron Monkey were returning after eighteen years was extremely unexpected and the reactions mixed with some bemoaning the fact they had returned while others rejoiced at the news but listen to their new album 9-13 and you will see that they are just continuing where they left off and completing some unfinished business, which is fair enough given how the band ended.

Now consisting of a trio featuring original members, vocalist and guitarist Jim Rushby and bassist Steve Watson who are joined on drums by Chaos UK/FUK man Brigga, the three piece simply annihilate with this new material. 9-13 sounds as vital and angry as you'd expect and the riffs and grooves that threaten to kick in your speakers are immense.

It's to his credit that vocalist Rushby does his own thing and delivers a storming performance while he doesn't try to ape Johnny Morrow (the bands original vocalist who sadly passed away in 2002) and why should he even try, this is the new Iron Monkey and they sound just as pissed off on 9-13 as they did back in the 1990s and the albums raging sound pays tribute to Morrow perfectly.

9-13 kicks off impeccably with the furious hardcore sounding Crown Of Electrodes and the rest of the album that follows is just as good as that initial detonation of noise. Omegamangler follows and it is like the band have never been away with its massive sounding wall of riff led noise and this continues with the albums title track. That song that starts with that familiar Iron Monkey feedback and another lurching and extremely heavy groove while Toadcrucifier - R.I.P.Per is a giant ball of focused rage.

Other tracks on the album like the rabid Destroyer, the furious blast of Mortarhex and the rabid lurch of The Rope sound as unhinged as you would want and as 9-13 concludes with the majestic nihilism of Doomsday Impulse Multiplier and the feedback laden closing track Moreland St.Hammervortex, it feels great to have Iron Monkey back doing what they do best.

There is a big hardcore punk influence on 9-13 and that merges in well with the bands sound and although the sludge elements are obviously there in the bands sound, there is a rawer and more precise vibe going that sounds immense.

When Iron Monkey announced their return, the sound of the online community moaning that it wouldn't be as good as before was as boring as it was predictable and started up straight away after the announcement was made much to the delight of the band . As Iron Monkey were always a band who didn't give a fuck what anybody thought and just got on with their misanthropic and brilliant noise and that is exactly what they do with 9-13.

This is an album to be played loud with a complete disregard to anything else and its great to have the band back, hopefully the next album won't take as long to come this time around.

Words by Gavin Brown

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

UFOMAMMUT - 8 (Album Review)

Release date: September 22nd 2017. Label: Neurot Recordings (US)/Supernatural Cat Records (Europe) Format: CD/DD/VInyl

8 – Tracklisting

1. Babel

2. Warsheep

3. Zodiac

4. Fatum

5. Prismaze

6. Core

7. Wombdemonium

8. Psyrcle

Members

Urlo

Poia

Vita

Review

The last two Ufomammut albums, 2012's Oro: Opus Primium And Opus Altar and 2015's Ecate were the bands first releases for Neurot Recordings in North America and Supernatural Cat Records in Europe. This saw the bands songs and production elevating them to new levels through their sheer power.

With their latest and eighth album (again on Neurot/Supernatural Cat), they have raised the bar again with a phenomenal display of intensity and the songs take on their own sense of epic power. The riffs that propelled the band from their earliest material are still there in spades and they sound fresh and fuller than ever on this record and just as hypnotising.

It is these hypnotic riffs that are the cornerstone of the Ufommammut sound and sound bigger than ever, riffs that could destroy planets, such is their power. They also have a graceful nature to them too though and sound human and real with soul and depth to them despite their massively heavy sound.

The riffs are not the whole story obviously though and the bass and drums form a formidable backdrop for the riffs to snake around and all three of these elements congregate together to overwhelm you with that constantly satisfying Ufomammut barrage of pure sound. Add to this the bands trademark droning vocals and more fantastic use of synthesizers and you have an album that will delight any fans of doom, sludge, stones, drone and many more styles of heavy music.

From opening track, the mammoth Babel to the spacey closet Psyrcle, the riffs and grooves come not thick and fast but thick, slow and encased in a hazy groove but with enough power to more than satisfy the heaviest appetites of rabid fans.

From epic tracks like Babel and the monumental Zodiac to more shorter, more precise but no less impressive tracks like the riffs that appear like a massive cloud of smoke on Warsheep, the fantastic vision of Prismaze and the haunting Wombdemonium to name but a few, this is a masterclass in heavy riffing and aggressive but hazy grooves that you will not tire of listening to.

The trio of bassist and vocalist Urlo, guitarist Poia and drummer Vita play their hearts out and the band have matured into a formidable musical unit with the songs taking on lives of their own both as single entities and as a whole, in fact the entire album is a trip to listen to from start to finish.

Ufomammut have been steadily growing as a band with each album they release and when the results are as good as they are on 8, it has been well worth the wait for each record. The bands next challenge is just how they will top such a momentous and powerful album like this.

Words by Gavin Brown

8 will be released to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Neurot Recordings (US) and Supernatural Cat Records (Europe) from September 22^nd 2017.

Links:

Official | Facebook | BandCamp