Cardinals Folly & Purification - Possessed In The Ritual Grove (Split Album Review)

Release Date: March 4th 2022. Record Label: Rafchild Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Possessed In The Ritual Grove (Split) - Tracklisting

1.Cardinals Folly - Law And Enlightenment 06:42

2.Cardinals Folly - The Second Seal 03:23

3.Cardinals Folly - Prince Prospero 07:35

4.Purification - 1st John 2:18 (King James Version) 02:59

5.Purification - The Crowning Mercy 06:54

6.Purification - Six Horn Cult Of The Sword 05:07

7.Purification - Adrianople (Suicide Morning) 04:29

Cardinals Folly - Members

Mikko - 4 Strings & Doomed Preaching

Juho - 6 Strings of Nordic Wrath

Joni - Battery & Brutality

Purification - Members

Grand Field Marshall William Purify

Count Darragh. 

The Resurrected Lord Donangato provided moral and spiritual support through these trying days, but does not play on this recording.

Review

Possessed In The Ritual Grove is a split album featuring legendary Finnish Doom Metal Legends Cardinals Folly and rising USA Doom Metallers Purification and it’s an album that perfectly shows what both bands bring to the Doom Metal genre whilst still bringing their own individual sound to the record.

Cardinals Folly offers three tracks running for around 19 minutes in length and Purification with four tracks clocking in at 20 minutes. Cardinals Folly are masters of the European Doom Metal Scene and they’re at their gloomy best with tracks that span the Heavy Metal and Classic Doom atmosphere especially on their opening track Law And Enlightenment.

The opening track is what Cardinals Folly do best by blending vintage sounding Doom Metal with a cool modern Heavy Metal sensibility and with a fast-paced approach. The vocals are OTT but with a menacing style when the heavier growls appear. The clean vocals are excellent with the band offering plenty of terrific guitar work along the way.

The other two songs from Cardinals Folly offer more great gloomy ideas and sounds especially on the stunning second song The Second Seal. The swirling psychedelics are a great touch and this has a Post-Doom flavour with the band playing a more restricted style of music that they’re mostly known for. 

Their final song Prince Prospero is the standout track from the band firing on all DOOM METAL CYLINDERS for an aggressive style of Heavy Metal and Doom Metal that has the right amount of modern day Doom Metal attitude whilst paying respects to the classic grooves and sounds that was laid down over the last 50 years or so. The song is one of the best offerings the band have written in some time. 

Now it’s Purification’s chance to impress listeners with their style of Occult based Doom Metal. I will admit this is my first time listening to the band and I’m mightily impressed. Their music is a mixture of Doom Metal, Occult Metal and NWOBHM that allows the band to be more aggressive in the volume department. 

Their standout tracks for myself personally are The Crowning Mercy and Six Horn Cult Of The Sword. As they are fantastic showcases of what Purification is all about. With both classic and modern day Doom Metal and Heavy Metal riffs matched against hard-hitting lyrics. Their overall sound is quite distorted in places compared to Cardinals Folly and I may have enjoyed their part of the album a little bit more. 

However, this release works so well is down to the bleak surroundings both bands adverse themselves in with their individual sets of songs that allows Possessed In The Ritual Grove to be one of the best split album releases seen in the Doom Metal field for quite some time.

This could end up being considered one of 2022’s Doom Metal Best Split Records Of The Year. It’s a seriously outstanding release that will keep the Legion Of Doom Metal fans happy and excited for a long time to come.

This is true DOOM METAL at its very best. You dig.

Awesome stuff…

Words by Steve Howe

Cardinals Folly Links

Facebook | BandCamp

    

Purification Links

Facebook | BandCamp

Psychedelic Punk Experimentalist Hugh Davison releases the video for new single Southern Cross

Hugh Davison has spent most of his life making music in some form or another. While he currently makes a living writing music for adverts, his true passion lies in self-expression and experimentation. He came up in the Johannesburg punk scene playing in scrappy bands like The Evil Eddies, The Slashdogs and Submachine, but is also partial to classic soul, experimental jazz, noise rock and a healthy dose of psychedelia. He has wide ranging interests like politics, philosophy, magical thinking and the acts of creation and destruction. Suffice to say the current meaning crisis we find ourselves in is fascinating to him. 

“Southern Cross is like a kind of purge - so much negativity! But I feel like there is a lot of negative shit going around and a lot of it is connected.” Comments Hugh when asked about the inspiration behind the track. “It’s about altered states, privileged states, ‘United States’, addiction, capitalism, colonialism, extractive mentality - all the stuff I (we?) see on a daily basis in South Africa and now, thanks to the internet, the World - I feel like we as humans need to start asking ourselves some very serious questions… Perhaps moments of chaos may even be necessary in order to bring about massive system change?”

Watch the video for Southern Cross 

The name references the constellation that guides night-time travellers/sailors in the Southern Hemisphere, but also resembles a fallen crucifix, or alternatively, a diamond - many of us grew up on mines around Southern Africa, but diamonds and gold (Johannesburg is built on gold) also refer to the idea of symbolic, hypothetical wealth which, in a way, equates to a kind of magical thinking on the part of humanity. There is also a lot of referencing of individual and collective addiction throughout the song, “as an addictive personality myself I feel both deep frustration with, as well as deep empathy for the addictive state.”

Hugh would like to shout out the awesomeness of the muzo’s who contributed to the production: Portia Sibiya’s bass swaggers like a bull, while Nozi Mnunguni lays down thick (yet elegant) 12/8 grooves. “I knew there could be no way of doing this project without these two - mavericks of the Afro/Jazz/Prog scene - they brought an irreplaceable Magic (with a capital M - Portia has also been called to ’Twasa’ or Sangoma duties in another life). They also brought a deep sense of funk, stemming from a powerful love for music on many interconnected levels.”

Southern Cross is available now on all digital platforms including

Spotify Apple Music  Bandcamp

Grotto - Lantern Of Gius (Album Review)

Release date: October 18th 2019. Label: Stickman Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl 

Lantern Of Gius – Tracklisting 

1. Lantern of Gius
2. The 12th Vigil

Members

Marvin Dinneweth - guitar
Jeroen Moerman - bass guitar
Arno Tucker Cottyn - drums 

Review

Belgium's Grotto have been pretty busy during their relatively short career. One EP and three full-lengths since the EP debut in 2015 is good working but I have to admit not knowing about them until their new album, 'Lantern Of Gius', hit the streets in October 2019. Being late to the party doesn't matter since I'm all game because the instrumental take on stoner and heavy psych these three gentlemen purveys is pretty bad-ass, to say the least.

I am a proponent of instrumental music, something which has grown quite a lot for me the last few years. However, there is a fine, very thin line between genius and complete catastrophe when you have to rely on your playing alone to create a storyline, or paint the images you want to channel. When done right though, the way Grotto does it, the music absolutely wonderful and there's no limit to what can be done!

Since I haven't listened to any of Grotto's previous recordings, I can only speculate on the progress they've made through the years. Regardless, putting "only" two songs on your new album, with both clocking in at over 17 minutes each, is brave no matter who you are. But this is where Grotto's main strengths shines really bright. They know what they can do, they know how to do it and most importantly, they are boundless and unshackled which gives their music so much freedom and air to breathe. All throughout opener, and title track, Lantern Of Gius', the rhythm section of Jeroen Moerman and Arno Tucker Cottyn, bass guitar and drums respectively, are the heartbeat. No matter what avenues guitarist Marvin Dinneweth walks, no matter what adventures he takes off on, they keep the pulse steady which allows me, as a listener, to enter a state of equilibrium and meditation. Add the wonderful images Marvin creates to the equation and you have the best soul cleansing, cathartic tool you could ever find.

'The 12th Vigil' drop the tempo a little bit at first before upping the ante somewhat, only to weave back and forth in pace. This gives the perfect flow to the song, as well as being the conductor leading me out of the cleansing and rebirth of myself. Absolutely wonderful! In the end, the two songs, 34 minutes and 9 seconds of instrumental magic and beauty, are the best conduit imaginable for either simple enjoying great music or for taking a journey through the mind and clear out negativity and recharge yourself in the process.

I absolutely love it when a, to me, unknown band comes my way who completely floors me. And that's definitely the case with Grotto. To be perfectly honest, I was about to discard them after the first spin but since I wasn't paying proper attention that time, a second spin beckoned. And I am so thankful because that second time 'Lantern Of Gius' jumped out and stuck its claws in my brain revealing an album of fantastic quality. So, dear readers, check these three gentlemen out because their band is something else, something truly amazing.

Words by Håkan Nyman

Thanks to Nick at Stickman Records for the promo. Lantern Of Gius is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Stickman Records.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

Little Jimi - EP.1 (Album Review)

Release date: November 16th 2018. Label: MRS Records. Format: DD/Vinyl

EP 1 – Tracklisting

1.Jimi 06:40

2.Lamp Song 05:33

3.Dock 11 04:50

4.Molimoh 06:08

5.Goodbye Katus 07:01

6.Midnight Mojo (live) 08:20

Review

EP1 is the album release from French Psychedelic Stoner Rockers – Little Jimi. Not a name that you would associate with the Stoner Rock genre but it operates within the story that unfolds on the band’s highly charismatic and gloomy debut album. The band take influence from The Black Angels and Mars Red Sky. As you will hear heavy psychedelic stoner sounds that gives away to a more gloomy atmosphere.

The EP is quite loud from the start with opening song – Jimi – having a surreal eastern vibe to the song but all held in the confinements of Psychedelic Stoner Rock. The vocals are quite different as I was expecting something else but they have a 70s feel to them. The music moves from different eras of Stoner Rock but still maintaining a modern Stoner groove.

Other songs on the EP such as Lamp Song, Dock 11 and Molimoh – allow Little Jimi to slowly build a heavy Space Rock sound to their music and the results are quite trippy and very weird at times. The songwriting is first rate even if the lyrical content is OTT and doesn’t make sense at times. However it adds to the overall enjoyment of this larger-than-life record.

If you’re a fan of Mars Red Sky then you will surely enjoy this band. Which isn’t surprising since this record is being released by Mars Red Sky own record label – MRS Records. So the influence is definitely there for everyone to witness and rock out to.

The standout song has to be the final two songs – Goodbye Katus and Midnight Mojo (Live) – as the band play some of the heaviest sounds on the entire album.

Little Jimi are not your usual Psychedelic Stoner Rock band and that’s what makes them so appealing and equally addictive. EP1 is a gloomy experience but there are moments of blissful Psychedelic Stoner Rock that you won’t forget. Overall, EP1 is an absolute joy from start to finish and I want to hear more from the band in the future.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Claire at Purple Sage PR for the promo. Little Jimi is available to buy now from MRS Records.

Links:

Official | Facebook | BandCamp

MOAB - Trough (Album Review)

Release date: October 19th 2018. Label: Falling Dome Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Trough – Tracklisting

Skeptics Lament 4:09

Into The Sea Swine 3:38

All Automatons 3:40

Moss Grows Where No One Goes 4:53

The Onus 3:37

Medieval Moan 2:38

Fifty Thousand Tons 3:19

The Will Is Weak 4:21

Turnin’ Slow 4:48

Fend For Dawn 4:07

Members

Andrew Giacumakis - Guitar/Vox

Joe Fuentes - Bass

Review

Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Metallers MOAB return with their 3^rd album – Trough, which has a sound that is influenced by the mighty Black Sabbath. The band released their last album Billow back in 2013. Back then the band were a 3 piece with Erik Herzog on drums. Sadly, Erik passed in 2016.

There was a time when I thought if MOAB would continue as a band or release any records in the future. Well the guys are back with Trough.

Trough does have a different gloomy atmosphere compared to MOAB’s last album. Trough delightfully embraces it’s gloomy psychedelic with MOAB playing a heavy stylized version of 70’s Doom Metal. There are a few cool psychedelic pop sounds spliced throughout the album.

MOAB are not afraid to add a true “heavy metal” guitar sound to the albums overall sound. The album itself is a different album to Billows with opening song – Skeptics Lament, having a lush deep progressive an psychedelic spaced out sound. There’s a few ambient noises being played in the background. The music is a mixture of Doom, Psych, Stoner and Hard Rock vibes that doest take some time to fully come together. The vocals from Andrew are steeped in a heavy monolithic and classic doom sounding atmosphere that feel heavily inspired by Ozzy Osbourne.

MOAB continue the heavy psychedelic sounds on the rest of the album with songs such as: Into The Sea Swine, All Automations, Moss Grows Where No One Goes, The Onus, Fifty Thousand Tons, Turnin’ Slow and Fend For Dawn, being the best songs on the album. Though that’s pretty much of the whole album I’ve listed there.

Most of the songs run for 3 to 4 minutes each in length but all feel consistently longer and that’s down to how progressive and creative all the songs are. MOAB add a lot of different sounds into their music that only draws you into their dark musical world.

The production on Trough is another highlight, as the album sounds very powerful from the start. The instrumental work is dynamically powerful and heavy which is what you need from an album such as this.

Maybe some people will complain that the whole tone and feel of the album can be too similar and doesn’t take enough creative risks. That maybe true from your first listen to Trough. Give the album a few spins and you begin to realize MOAB have their own deep and powerful DOOM based sound.

The final song, Fend For Dawn, sees MOAB play a THRASHIER kind of sound that works superbly well with MOAB’s standard Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Metal sound.

Overall, Trough is an addictive slice of Psychedelic Doom Metal and one that will offer a few hidden surprises along the way. This is an album to admire, savour and rock out to, all in one go.

Trough is a brilliantly entertaining album and ranks as one of the best albums of the year. No question.

Words by Steve Howe

Trough will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl from October 19th 2018 which you can buy here.

Links:

Official | Facebook | BandCamp

Ancestors - Suspended In Reflections (Album Review)

Release date: August 24th 2018. Label: Pelagic Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Suspended In Reflections – Tracklisting

1.Gone

2.Through a Window

3.Lying in the Grass

4.Into the Fall

5.Release

6.The Warm Glow

Members

Justin Maranga

Jason Watkins

Daniel Pouliot

Review

Ancestors return after a six year absence with their new album Suspended In Reflections. This version of Ancestors is very different to the band that released their debut a decade ago. Back then, Ancestors were a Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Metal band with a sound similar to bands such as Sleep and Mastodon.

Though with each passing record, Ancestors have changed and refined their sound to something more progressive and heartfelt. Ancestors of today follow the same path as YOB, Pink Floyd and Pallbearer. As the new album is a moody and progressive doom metal album with flourishes of Psychedelic Rock. The music can be extremely slow at times compared to their previous albums.

Opening song - Gone - is a very abstract and distant song with the band playing heavy slow-paced psychedelic doom rock passages. The song has an ambient and post rock sound holding everything together. The vocals feel inspired by Pallbearer but Ancestors do enough work to be judged on their own talents and convictions.

Second track - Through A Window - carries on the psychedelic and heartfelt vibe with ambient noises allowing Ancestors to extend their musical vision to a more cinematic approach. The music once again is deliberately slow-paced and the lyrics have a slight depressing feel. The song has an almost delicate sixties sounding Pink Floyd vibe. It's an interesting approach and one that I didn't expect.

Third track - Living In The Grass - has an interesting style of digitized vocals. It works for the most part but it would have been better if the band included actual vocals all the way through the song. The music is impressive as normal. The haunting piano track allows the album to create a more soulful post-rock sound though Ancestors still include elements of heavy doom based music.

The final three songs on the album Into The Fall, Release and The Warm Glow offer perhaps the most exciting parts and melodies contained within the album. As the album drifts from one different sound with each individual song. The highlight of these three songs has to be The Warm Glow. An epic Pink Floyd musical style odyssey mixed with the albums familiar Psychedelic Doom Metal sounds.

It's a shame that the album is too short running under thirty five minutes. Other than that minor complaint, Ancestors have released an album to become genuinely excited about. Has the album been worth the wait? Most definitely. Though It will take a few listens to become accustomed to Ancestors new sound. Overall, Suspended In Reflections is a highly engaging and superbly entertaining album that ranks as one of their best albums to date.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Daniel from CZ Promotions. Suspended In Reflections will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via PelagicRecords from August 24^th 2018.

Links:

Official | Facebook | BandCamp

Radiant Knife - Science Fiction (Album Review)

Release date: August 08th 2018. Label: Self Released. Format: DD/Vinyl

Science Fiction – Tracklisting

1.Stereo Lords

2.Wasted Minds

3.All We Are Is All We Know

4.The Human Condition

5.Awakened

6.Swarming Lights Surround You

7.Withered Hands

8.Suffer Under God

Members

Stephen Sheppert - Guitar, Vocs, Keys

Greg Travasos - Drums

Review

I remember hearing Radiant Knife's music in the past. As I recognised some of the themes and progressive ideas they used on their last album. Science Fiction follows the same progressive and heavy path as their last album. Though this album is more experimental and perhaps Doom/Sludge Metal orientated. The album doesn't shy away from blending quieter sounds to a heavier style of Doom/Sludge Metal.

The opening two songs of the album - Stereo Lords and Wasted Minds - offer a lot of different sounds that need time to fully digest. There is almost Torche-esque pop sensibility here but those vibes are very few and far between. As Radiant Knife always excel when the harsher and heavier riffs appear. There are only eight songs on the album running past the forty five minute mark. However the album feels longer and that's perhaps down to the more experimental themes and layers of music contained on some of the songs. Ambient Music is a big part of Radiant Knife's identity. As they like to experiment on almost every aspect of the album. The strongest has to be the vocals.

The vocals from Stephen do take influence from Devin Townsend or they have the same emotional feeling. Songs such as: All We Are Is All We Know, The Human Condition, Awakened and Swimming Lights Surround sees a forward thinking band with the lyrics being decidedly different compared to different bands within the Doom/Sludge Metal spectrum. If you enjoy the more complex lyrics and themes of Doom/Sludge Metal then Radiant Knife are on another level.

Science Fiction is one of the weirdest and psychedelic offerings I've heard this year. Next to Boss Keloid, Radiant Knife is merging real intelligence into the realm of Doom/Sludge Metal.

Truth be told I did find this album very hard to review at times. As there is perhaps too much going on when you first listen to the album. My advice is to listen to this album multiple times before making a final conclusion. As you could be missing out on understanding the whole journey of Science Fiction.

Radiant Knife manage to include elements of Grunge and Stoner Rock within the album.

The final two songs Withered Hands and Suffer Under God are the standout parts of the album with the band leading you on another progressive and surreal journey that packs quite an emotional punch.

Overall, Science Fiction is a rich and deeply rewarding album that undoubtedly demands your full attention.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Curtis at Dewar PR for the promo. Science Fiction will be available to buy on DD from August 08^th 2018 and Vinyl from August 15^th 2018.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

Turtle Skull - S/T (Album Review)

Release date: May 17th 2018. Label: Art As Catharsis. Format: CD/DD

Peace – Tracklisting

1.No News is Bad News 06:55

2.Take It Or Leave It 08:26

3.Eden 06:08

4.Empty Ships 08:23

Members

Dean McLeod

Charlie Gradon

Julian Frese

Dan Frizza

Tobia Blefari

Review

I wasn't fully sold on Turtle Skull debut album when I first listened to it. Maybe because the band create a different Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Metal sound. As they merge pop based melodies and vocals with heavy psychedelic doom/stoner metal sounds. Then again if it worked for Mars Red Sky then no doubt it can work for Turtle Skull. Though both bands sound very different to each other. I'm describing how Turtle Skull weave pop style sounds against the Doom/Stoner Metal atmospherics that the album fully contains.

Opening track - No News Is Bad News - opens with drone based guitar that blends elements of Psych, Doom and Stoner Rock for a heavy trippy sound. The vocals softens the mood as Turtle Skull build their heavy riffs on solid poppier foundations. The band fully take flight with a sublime progressive guitar riff that drifts between the different genres that Turtle Skull have included here. There is a dreamy sixties psychedelic vibe being played in the background that is paired against a free-flowing Doom/Stoner Metal backdrop. You may not realise this at first but Turtle Skull use a heavy amount of Drone based noises. This gives their music a slight unsettling feel.

Second track - Take It Or Leave It - is a darker neo-psychedelic number with the band playing a faster style of music. The trippy FUZZ based elements become the main focus with Turtle Skull's music building upto a faster and aggressive momentum.

The final two tracks - Eden and Empty Ships - continue with the hybrid and heavy progressive Doom/Fuzz/Pop/Stoner Rock sound have devilish fun creating. My only criticism is the album can be too repetitive at times with certain riffs and vocal arrangements that seem to go on for too long. It's only a few parts of the album but it did drag in places. I do admire Turtle Skull for creating a highly inventive and original sounding album at times.

The production is perhaps the best part of the album as Turtle Skull's music sounds fresh and dynamic. Even when played at a low volume this album is superbly heavy and overflowing with rich inventive ideas.

Turtle Skull have unleashed one of the truly weirdest psychedelic Doom/Stoner Rock albums I've heard this year. This is a trip worth taking over and over again.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp