Di'Aul - EvAAvE (Album Review)

Release Date: February 07th 2025. Record Label: Minotauro Records. Formats: CD/DD

EvAAvE - Track Listing:

1. Duende

2. Tar Wings

3. Mad Dalena

4. Petricore 

5. Succubi et Incubi

6. F.O.M.O.

7. Geosmina

8. EvAAvE 

Members

MoMo – Vocals

Lele – Guitars

Rex – Drums

Jeremy – Bass

Review

Doom/Sludge Metallers Di’Aul have been creating their own blend of heavy Psychedelic music for the best part of fifteen years now since their inception back in 2010. Their music has a mighty SONIC based presence with a twinge of slow-paced atmospheric sludgy undercurrent to give them a cool presence of their own making. 

Their fourth album EvAAvE is their most impressive yet with Di’Aul blurring the lines of Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal for a record that is more primal than ever before. With a stripped back creative approach with progressive sludge metal sound that’s been recorded by Enrico Baraldi and mastered by MONOLORD’s Esben Willems, the record has the all right ingredients for a truly haunting record.

The album is made up of eight songs with influences ranging from Black Sabbath, Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, Crowbar, YOB, UFOMAMMUT, and Neurosis that can be heard. However, Di’Aul always creates their own epic SONIC based sound where the lyrics are deft, emotionally charged and brilliantly poetic especially on tracks such as Duende, Tar Wings and Mad Delana which open the album in spectacular fashion. The music is cautiously slow and down-tuned at times which adds a certain element of surprise when the album becomes way heavier than it actually is.

Di’Aul employ a certain 1990’s element to their music with traces of Grunge, Alt-Metal and Shoegaze appearing from time-to-time which gives EvAAvE a contemporary feeling but still retaining that classic Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal underground energy which has served the band brilliantly well over the years.

The second half of the album offers a more muscular and realistic style of music where the band take the time in bringing the heavy sludgy grooves to the forefront of their music especially on tracks such as Succbi et Incubi, F.O.M.O. and EvAAvE. These tracks have the most intense vocals and spellbinding lyrics on the whole album with Di’Aul exploring some daring themes you wouldn’t initially expect. 

EvAAvE is the type of album you savour over multiple listens to get the full PSYCHEDELIC and COSMIC effect as EvAAvE works on so many different levels that you don't expect to understand everything from your first listen. As there’s a lot going on with EvAAvE which Di’Aul make no apologies for and that makes EvAAvE their most boldest, baddest and greatest record to date.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to NeeCee Agency for the promo.

EvAAvE will be available to buy on CD/DD via Minotauro Records from Friday 07th February 2025.

Links

https://diaul.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/diaul111
www.instagram.com/diaul111
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4nyu1yYsebSDtRmsMFINoQ

11PARANOIAS - Asterismal (Album Review)

Release date: March 15th 2019. Label: Ritual Productions. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Asterismal – Tracklisting

1.Loss Portal 08:16

2.Bloodless Crush 03:21

3.Vitrified Galaxy 06:32

4.Prelude 02:07

5.Slow Moon 09:07

6.Quantitative Immortalities 11:55

7.Chamber of Stars 06:14

Members

Adam Richardson (bass/vox)

Mike Vest (guitar)

Nathan Perrier (drums)

Review

Asterismal is the epic new album from Progressive Doom/Sludge Metallers 11PARANOIAS. This album is a very dense and heavy affair and I wouldn’t expect anything less from these guys. The album is a Space Rock odyssey though the band a nightmarish and surreal vision to their music. The music is constantly heavy and always evolving into a different style of Spaced Out Rock that only 11PARANOIAS could possibly make.

Asterismal runs for around seventy-two minutes and it’s epic as they come. The songs all have a deep meaningful sound and identity of their own. Each song sounds very different to each other. As the band play many different styles of Doom, Sludge and Psychedelic Metal. The whole feel of the album has an almost TRIBAL feel to it especially on songs such as: Loss Patrol, Bloodless Crush, Vitrified Galaxy, Slow Moon, Chamber Of Stars and the excellent two-part song of Acoustic Mirror.

If you’ve listened to previous albums by the band then you know what to expect. However, the band take a darker and slightly depressing turn on this album and it works wonders for their overall sound. Their music now has a more threatening purpose and the music becomes heavier as a result.

The vocals from Adam are superbly sung from the start. As they’re a mixture of clean chants, harsh growls and regular clean vocals. Though I do have an issue understanding what is being sung on certain parts of the album. It’s a good job that the music is brilliantly played and highly original in its own right. The heavy droned out sludgy guitars allows the band to have a more nuanced approach to their music.

Asterismal has a distinctive stop-start approach where the band could be playing an epic riff and they stop for a split second and decide to play a different style of music. For the most part this works in the bands favour. However, this style of music could be distracting to the more casual listener than a die-hard fan of the band. Asterismal is perhaps best suited to people who know what to expect from this great band.

Asterismal is a thrilling and very surreal album that delves right into the darkness of i 11PARANOIAS music. This is an album that you need to be in a certain frame of mind to fully appreciate and understand the whole meaning of the album. 11PARANOIAS have always been the type of band who are never afraid to experiment with their music and still make you want to experience more.

I may not fully understand the full themes and ideas of Asterismal yet but it’s going to be a great journey trying to figure this out for myself. Overall, Asterismal is a thought-provoking and complex album that ranks as one of the best albums the band have released yet.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Barbara at NeeCee Agency and Ritual Productions for the promo. Asterismal will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Ritual Productions from March 15^th 2019.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

The Red Coil - Himalayan Demons (Album Review and Exclusive Album Stream)

Release date: June 22^nd 2018. Label: Argonauta Records. Format: CD/DD

Himalayan Demons – Tracklisting

Withdrawal Syndrome Wall

Godforsaken

Oriental Lodge

Opium Smokers Room

The Shroud

Moksha

The Eyes Of Kathmandu

When The Levee Breaks

Members

Marco Marinoni (voice)

Luca Colombo (guitar)

Daniele Parini (guitar)

Gelindo (bass)

Bull (drum)

Review

Italian Sludge/Stoner Metal band - The Red Coil - new album, Himalayan Demons, doesn't offer anything new or ground-breaking within the genre. However their album is a thrilling and hugely entertaining ride that sees the band take direct influence from Spiritual Beggars and Corrosion Of Conformity though with a touch of NOLA/Southern Metal vibes holding everything together. It's a groove laiden affair with plenty of Psychedelic Weeidan style riffs and sounds that sees the band offer a melodic edge to their music.

Opening track - Withdrawal Syndrome Wall - is an almost down-tempo slice of modern Sludge/Stoner Metal with an equally heavy Doom and Gloom sounding atmosphere. The vocals are a mixture of harsh growls and clean vocals with both very easy to understand. The music is constantly heavy and gives the listener a good chance on what to expect for the remainder of the album.

Second track - Godforsaken - has a more NOLA-esque approach with The Red Coil channelling a more aggressive style of music. The vocals can be quite hard to understand at times but the music is main focus here. With hard-hitting riffs having the right amount of flair, creativity and passion. The sound and atmosphere of the album is very raw but the album is still superbly produced. Even two songs into the album.

The next two songs Oriental Lodge and Opium Smokers Room offer a more demonic and doomed out experience with the music being second best to the crazy lyrics The Red Coil have written here. The vocals are sung superbly well despite a few more rough moments where the listener maybe wondering what the lead vocalist is actually singing about. As he excels more at the clean based vocals than the hardcore based growls.

Other cool songs to check out on the album are: The Shroud, Moksha and When The Levee Breaks. All showing how good The Red Coil actually are merging the albums different sounds on the majority of the songs. Especially when the NOLA vibes fully take over on the second half of the album. As I stated earlier in the review, the production is fantastic despite the sound having a very raw and almost DIY feel.

The Red Coil makes you feel directly involved with the music itself and that's down to the band playing superbly heavy addictive riffs throughout the album. If you're looking for an album to settle your NOLA/Southern Metal cravings then Himalayan Demons is the album for you.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Argonauta Records and NeeCee Agency for the promo. Himalayan Demons will be available to buy on CD/DD via Argonauta Records from June 22^nd 2018.

However you can listen to the album in full with this exclusive album stream.

Links:

Official | Facebook | BandCamp

ORIGOD - Solitude Of Time And Space (Album Review and Exclusive Album Premiere)

Release date: March 30th 2018. Label: Argonauta Records. Format: CD/DD

Solitude In Time And Space – Tracklisting

1. REACHING OUT

2. PERCEPTION OF DREAMS

3. WELCOME TO THE NEW WORLD

4. STRIDENT CHORDS

5. CONFESSION

6. ICY BREATH

7. CITY OF PAIN

8. NOW

9. SOLITUDE IN TIME AND SPACE

Members

Dario Chiadini: guitars

Vincenzo Circosta: vocals

Luciano Chertan Cotta: drums

Marco "Bobo" Miglietti: bass

Review

Solitude In Time And Space sees the return of Post-Metallic Progressive Sludge Rockers - Origod. With an album title such as that you can expect to hear a heavy cocktail of post-hardcore, sludge metal, doom metal and even noise rock. Perhaps heavily influenced by Mastodon, Baroness, Cave-In and ISIS (The Band), this album sees Origod create a sound on their own uncompromising terms.

The album has a very raw and honest sounding post-metallic sound. Not too polished but not overdone either. Opening track - Reacting Out - sets up the whole flow of the entire album.

Angry vocals and precise Sludge/Noise/Post-Hardcore guitar sounds. It may take a few minutes to become accustomed to Origod's brutally fast paced sound. Though if you're familiar to the early vibes of Mastodon and Baroness then you will soon be at home with the ferocious riffs. The production is quite good and allows Origod to build up a whirlwind of different noises and textures. The vocals are a mixture of clean vocals and heavy growls that appear in the background.

Second track - Perception Of Dreams - carries on the frenzied Post-Hardcore/Sludge Metal attack with the band never letting up with the fast-paced sounds. The vocals are less angry than the opening song but that doesn't stop Origod laying on the post-hardcore aggression. As the guitar sounds become heavier and more direct. Maybe the production on this song is too raw at times and could have done more work. Though Origod carry on with the show and power on through playing their intense blend of post-metal/post-punk/hardcore vibes.

Songs such as Welcome To The New World, Strident Chords, Confession, Now and Solitude In Time And Space only endear the listener to Origod's cause. As the music veers to heavier progressive territory with outbursts of violent sonic riffs that will perhaps delight and confuse listeners in equal measure. That's a good thing as Origod prove they can create music on their own terms whilst still paying respects to their musical influences. Maybe the album is slightly long by one or two tracks but that doesn't stop Solitude In Time And Space being a violent sounding tour-de-force of Sludge Metal.

Origod play so many different genres that the album could have easily become lost with the many different themes and ideas contained on the album. It's to the band's credit they keep on playing this style of music and keeping the listener entertained to the very end.

I was surprised Argonauta Records announced they were releasing this album. As it's not their usual style of music they promote. I'm glad they did release this album. As I would have perhaps not given this album the attention it thoroughly deserves.

Hopefully the Post-Hardcore/Sludge Metal community will embrace this album as much as I did. Solitude In Time And Space is a stunning album. Enough Said...

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Barbara at NeeCee Agency for the promo. Solitude Of Time And Space will be available to buy on CD/DD from March 30^th 2018 via Argonauta Records.

If you cannot wait that long then you can listen to this exclusive album premiere of the entire thing below courtesy of Argonauta Records.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

THAL - Reach For The Dragon's Eye (Album Review)

Release date: 16^th February 2018. Label: Argonauta Records. Format: CD/DD

Reach For The Dragon's Eye – Tracklisting

1.Rebreather 06:40

2.Under Earth 02:57

3.Her Gods Demand War 06:01

4.Thoughtform 03:48

5.Soulshank 05:55

6.Death of the Sun 04:41

7.Punish 03:20

8.Reach For The Dragon's Eye 04:58

Members

John "Vince Green" Walker - Vocals, Guitars and Bass

Kevin Hartnell - Drums, Guitars and Synth

Review

A lot of things have changed for THAL since their debut album. Newly expanded to two members now and newly signed to Argonauta Records. THAL's new - Reach For The Dragon's Eye - is a more aggressive sounding Stoner Metal album with the band adapting Kyuss/DOWN style Stoner Metal sounds with a classic Heavy Metal approach. THAL are confident from the start with the heavy layered sounds offering a different kind of Psychedelic Desert Rock journey.

The whole journey of the album is one of steel-eyed confidence with the Stoner Metal riffs portraying a band at ease with their own sound. Opening track - Rebreather - is my favourite song on the album as it opens with a cool psychedelic desert/stoner metal riff before John's vocals appear and take you back to the Stoner Metal scene of the nineties where Kyuss and Fu Manchu reigned supreme.

To THAL's credit they manage to create their own style and deliver a more modern sounding hard rock. The other seven songs on the album easily match the addictive vibes of the opening song. The lyrics on the album are superbly written and realised when matched against the heavy stoner metal sounds. As THAL aren't afraid to experiment with their sound. One moment you could be enjoying a straight-forward Stoner Metal riff and then THAL opt for a heavier Grunge/Garage Rock style of music.

The second song - Under Earth - sees THAL adapt a more classic sounding Thin Lizzy approach with their music. Though it's more distorted with the whole atmosphere being slightly dirtier than you originally expect. THAL embrace the sound of 70s Doom Rock in a big way on songs such as Her Gods Demand War, Thoughtform and Death Of The Sun.

If you ever wondered what Kyuss would sound like adapting a classic seventies rock sound then Reach For The Dragon's Eye would be that album. The overall sound of Reach For The Dragon's Eye is very diverse and makes for a bold and superbly entertaining album.

The instrumental work is a major step-up from their debut album and could help THAL establishing their reputation even further within the Stoner Metal scene.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to NeeCee Agency for the promo. The album is available to buy on DD/CD now via Argonauta Records.

Links:

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

Exclusive Stream - An Evening With Knives New Album - SERRATED

Argonauta Records are releasing the brand new album from Sludge/Doom/Metal Collective - An Evening With Knives.

Serrated sees the band adapt a Psychedelic Sludge/Post-Metal sound that fans of YOB, Neurosis or Pelican simply cannot miss. 

We will be doing our review soon until then you can hear this album in all it's violent Doom/Sludge Metal glory. 

Thanks to the kind folks over at Argonauta Records and NeeCee Agency for the stream. 

You can buy the album here from Argonauta Records on CD and Vinyl from Lighttown Fidelity

Links

Facebook | BandCamp

Bible Black Tyrant - Regret Beyond Death (Album Review)

Release date: February 16th 2018. Label: Argonauta Records. Format: CD/DD

Regret Beyond Death – Tracklisting

Instead of...

The Irony

New Verse Inferno

Regret Beyond Death

Wilderness of Steel and Stone

The Standard

A Terror to the Adversary

Members

Aaron D.C. Edge: Guitar / Bass / Vocals

Tyler Smith: Percussion

David S. Fylstra: Additional Guitar / Vocals / Soundscapes

Review

Bible Black Tyrant is the new group featuring members from Eagle Twin and Lumbar. Two bands who are well known for creating heavy doom/sludge riffs of their own. Though with this band, the mood is more psychedelic and progressive with a few flashes of Stoner Metal grooves being played to maximum effect. Their debut album Regret Beyond Death is a sludgy monolithic blast of Psychedelic Doom Metal and Progressive Metal sounds.

Opening track – Instead Of... - opens with a distant ambient/post-rock style of vocals before a simple sludgy doom riff appears before the intense vocals make their appearance known. The vocals are firmly within the Doom/Hardcore/Sludge Metal realm but you can still understand what they are singing about. This is always a good sign. The music is heavy and progressive whilst having a cool sounding post-rock/post-metal influence. When the band play a more psychedelic blend of music, the album suddenly becomes more hopeful with the gloomy atmospherics keeping the whole flow of the album quite melodic at times.

Second track - The Irony - is eight minutes of intense sounding progressive grooves with the band adding a cool build-up of sonic experimentation. The music does take influence from Neurosis at times but the song soon settles down into its own rhythm and that's perhaps down to the complex Stoner Metal parts that appear within the song. The vocals yet again are very exciting and quite precise in parts. The music soon moves into post-sludge/post-metallic territory. The lyrics are perhaps more depressing than they should be but this perhaps reflects the overall mood of the album and I admire the band's drive and vision for the overall theme of the album.

The following two tracks New Verse Inferno and Regret Beyond Death sees the band continue with their heavy progressive psychedelic dark sound. Both of these songs move between Doom and Sludge Metal, as the whole flow of the album continues with violent authority. The instrumental work is the standout part of the entire album. As Bible Black Tyrant are relentless in playing their blend of high voltage Doom/Sludge Metal.

The final three songs on the album Wilderness Of Steel And Stone, The Standard and A Terror To The Adversary offer the heaviest moments on the album with a more drone based atmosphere starting to appear on certain parts. Bible Black Tyrant still retain their brutal Doom/Sludge Metal identity but it's good to see that there is more to this band than the genre's standard sound.

The production of the album is superbly realised. As the whole sound of the album contains a threatening presence that's very hard to ignore and resist. You have to give the band credit from sounding very different to their more famous bands. I'm not calling Bible Black Tyrant a supergroup as I kinda hate that term. This is a band that stands on their own merits and convictions by creating a wonderful sounding and complex album. Bible Black Tyrant is a band you need to listen to.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Barbara at NeeCee Agency for the promo. Regret Beyond Death will be available to buy on CD/DD via Argonauta Records from February 16^th 2018.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

Greyfell - Horsepower (Album Review)

Release date: January 12th 2018. Label: Argonauta Records (CD) / Atypeek Music (Vinyl). Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Horsepower – Tracklisting

The People's Temple

Horses

No Love

Spirit of the Bear

King of Xenophobia

Members

Clément

Thierry

Boubakar

Hugo

Review

Greyfell's new album - Horsepower - is a very dark and brooding album with the band creating an atmospheric take on the usual Doom/Stoner Metal sound. The album does have an Alt Rock/Alt Metal feel to it.

The first track - People's Temple - opens with a psychedelic drone sound that's merged with a heavy underlying FUZZ sound. Greyfell start playing a more aggressive Doom/Post-Rock/Stoner Metal style delivery with eerie vocals from Hugo. His vocals has an uncannily resemblance to Josh Homme at times but with a more demonic presence. The thumping bass line allows the music to flow more freely and the psychedelic overtones of the song are played throughout the whole album. The song becomes increasingly heavier as Greyfell finally find the right balance of LIGHT and DARK gloomy moments.

Second track - Horses - is a loud distorted Drone/Stoner Rock opus that for the most part works really well. However there are a few rough parts where the whole feel of the album becomes bogged down by too many unnecessary sound effects. Though when the band focus on the riffs, the song becomes a more exciting song to listen to. The thing I enjoyed most about this album is the gloomy and psychedelic aspects of the album. As the whole tone and mood of the album becomes bleaker.

Third track - No Love is a gloomy post-metal offering that sees Greyfell relishing in creating a heavy distorted psychedelic stoner metal sound with creepy lyrics to match. The organs/keyboards being played in the background offer a not so subtle Occult Rock/Doom Metal atmosphere. This is perhaps the best song on the album with the song building up to a heavy and loud finish that leaves you under Greyfell's spell.

Fourth track - Spirit Of The Bear - is a slow-burning song with the intriguing bass line keep the mood sparse and fresh. The band takes their time on this song as they have a lot of ground to cover with the almost nine minute running time. Distorted psychedelic sounds are the focus yet again. As Greyfell perhaps play the heaviest sounds on the album with this song. The instrumental work is simply exquisite with the band sounding more and more like a gloomier early-era Queens Of The Stone Age. I mean that as a huge compliment. The organs offer a more post-doom/post-rock with the band creating a more highly atmospheric and apocalyptic mood compared to the other songs on the album. The vocals become more Sludge based as the harsh growls from Hugo have a slightly depressing feel to them.

The final track - King Of Xenophobia - carries on the depressing psychedelic doom based vibe. This is perhaps the angriest song on the album as the dark lyrical content gives Greyfell licence to fully unleash their anger with surprising results. Greyfell have delivered the goods with Horsepower. It maybe too complex and dark for the casual Doom/Stoner Metal listener. However for the more experienced Doom/Stoner Metal fan, Horsepower is an album that will offer a high amount of thrills and spills with a few hidden surprises along the way.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Barbara at NeeCee Agency and Magnus at Creative Eclipse PR for the promo. Horsepower will be available to buy on CD via Argonauta Records and Vinyl via Atypeek Records from Jan 12^th 2018.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp