Shadow Limb - Reclaim (Album Review)

Release Date: March 29th 2024. Record Label: Seeing Red Records. Formats: DD/Vinyl

Reclaim - Tracklisting

1.To Reclaim 04:28

2.Snake Mountain 06:54

3.Destitute 08:29

4.The Maneuver 05:19

5.Riddle of Steel 03:09

6.Burn Scar 11:27

Members

 

Mike Crew

Dan Elsen

Chris Roberts

Adam Scarborough

Review

Sludge/Stoner Metallers Shadow Limb emerge from a five year slumber with their new album Reclaim and sees the band conjuring up even crazier sounds heard on their last album. The album is quite complex with multiple levels of Progressive grooves which have a Mastodon and Neurosis vibe to them at certain parts of the album.

Shadow Limb makes HEAVY ROCK music with brains and brawn to match with their intelligent lyrics written for the whole album. The sound is always multi-layered with multiple different styles of music going on and with the vocals feeling inspired by Mike Patton, Frank Zappa and Maynard James Keenan within the clean vocal passages that appear on the album. Though, there’s a never ending amount of harsh growls that gives Reclaim a more menacing sound.

The opening two tracks of To Reclaim and Snake Mountain are quite different to each other with both tracks using different styles of Sludge/Stoner Metal. To Reclaim is the classic Progressive Sludge Metal style where the grooves are menacing as hell and Snake Mountain is where Shadow Limb become more outlandish and quite freaky with their music. The sound is almost “JAZZ” based on the technical sounds that the band plays on this song alone. As I said shades of Mastodon do appear if Mastodon were fronted by Maynard James Keenan or Frank Zappa but Shadow Limb still create their own delightful and uniquely heavy sound which becomes even stranger and heavier as the record moves on.

Third track Destitute opens with a more “Folk” or “Doom” approach which evokes memories of 1970’s Prog Rock with a sludgy instrumental movement appearing which progresses into more Psychedelic sounds. The vocals once again impress yet again with a different storytelling vibe fully emerging. Though, the mood returns to a more threatening style of modern day Sludge/Stoner Metal. The overall sound feels quite cold and solitary at times which is perhaps down to the stripped back nature of the whole song. This is one of the standout tracks of the album which shows what Shadow Limb do best. 

The next two songs of The Maneuver and Riddle Of Steel combine Progressive Sludge/Stoner Metal themes with fantastical lyrics and extended instrumental passages with kick-ass vocals to match. Shadow Limb even found the time to include moments of Classic Hard Rock and 1980’s Heavy Metal into the mix which was an unexpected delight. There’s a superb level of technical ability being played on these two tracks alone which sees Shadow Limb play some highly original sounds and grooves across the Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal spectrum.

The final track Burn Scar is a progressive musical odyssey where the subtle Psychedelic Sludge sound is played at a mid-to-slow pace with echoes of Prog Doom/Stoner Rock appearing which allows Shadow Limb adequate time to create a more destructive force to the record which they do on multiple occasions. The harsh vocals have a sense of realism and purpose to them with the music becoming ever more HEAVIER and PROGRESSIVE with Shadow Limb closing the album to its natural conclusion 

There was mention of a bonus digital only track called Soon but my review copy never had that track included but I did listen to the track on Shadow Limb’s BandCamp page. It’s a great track but I csn see why it was included as a bonus track. There are some epic progressive sounds and sublime vocals with a great performance by Jake Kilgore as well. Though, I prefer Reclai ending with Burn Scar. As it feels a natural conclusion to such a breathtaking album.

Shadow Limb have delivered the goods with Reclaim which could see them make a mighty impression with the Sludge/Stoner Metal scene and perhaps play on some of the more prestigious stages the scene has to offer. 

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Reclaim is available to buy now on DD/Vinyl via Seeing Red Records - US Store and EU/UK Store.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

O Zorn! - Vermillion Haze (Album Review)

Release Date: March 15th 2024. Record Label: Hard Drugs / Seeing Red Records. Formats: DD/Vinyl

Vermillion Haze - Tracklisting

 1. Features

 2. Slow Mood

 3. Never Saw It Coming

 4. I See Through You

 5. New Suffer

 6. I Got Mine

 7. Cloud None

 8. Ricochet

Members

Bill Kielty - Vocals

Justin Suitor - Guitar

Justin Morales - Bass

Derek Eglit - Drums

Review

Vermillion Haze sees the return from Atmospheric Sludge/Doom/Grunge Riffsters O Zorn! after a four year absence since they released their 2020 debut album Your Killer. An album I’m ashamed to admit that I totally missed when it was originally released. As that was an engrossing and highly accomplished debut with the band playing a multitude of different styles that bridged the gap between Post-Metal, Sludge, Doom and Grunge. This time round O Zorn! come back stronger than ever with a record that has a mighty sludgy and groove obsessed vision throughout.

Channelling bands such as Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, Neurosis, BEASTWARS and Mastodon whilst playing their own great style of Doomed Out Grunge that sees the band encompass a fearless attitude within their haunting lyrics and the intense vocals from Bill Kielty. With a sound that blasts between Progressive Sludge Metal and intense Grunge attitude which shine brightly throughout the excellent opening tracks of Features and Slow Mind.

The lyrics have an Alice In Chains flavour to them but O Zorn! build sublime Sludge/Doom foundations for the heavy waves of Psychedelic and Atmospheric grooves to appear. There’s a harsh emotional quality appearing within the lyrics that can be quite hard-hitting and straight to the point.

With heavy Sludge/Post-Metallic guitars from Justin Suitor employing a more cosmic and muscular sound for the epic rhythm section of Justin Morales on Bass and Derek Elgit on Drums to build masses of heavy volume for O Zorn! to truly flourish within their own creative vision. The instrumental work is always changing for the better with each song taking a slightly different departure from what came before it.

There’s an element of familiarity in parts of the album which harks back to the days of 1990's and 2000's Doom/Sludge Metal with moments of classic leaning Grunge. There’s many different sides to O Zorn!’s music that you don’t initially expect that explodes under a style of aggressive melodies and pitch perfect Psychedelic Doom textures on tracks such as Never Saw It Coming, I See Through You, I Got Mine and Ricochet. 

Vermillion Haze was overseen by producer Ryan Boesch known for his work with powerhouse bands and artists such as  Whores, Andrew WK, Tomahawk and The Eels and perhaps the main reason why the album has such a contemporary and alternative sound at times but still having a fresh HEAVY ROCK momentum that grabs you by throat and never lets go.

As I stated earlier in the review, this is quite a bleak, harsh and hard-hitting album to fully comprehend at times but one that allows Vermillion Haze to be one of the most refreshing and honest albums I’ve heard in some time.

O Zorn! have released an album that will see them appear on quite a few Album Of The Year contender lists before the year is out. This has already claimed a Top 10 slot in my very own favourite albums of the year list. A simply unmissable release that every fan of the Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal underground scene needs to check out now.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Earsplit PR for the promo.

Vermillion Haze will be available to buy on DD/Vinyl via Hard Drugs and Seeing Red Records EU / Seeing Red Records USA from Friday 15th March 2024.

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

GUHTS - Regeneration (Album Review)

Release Date: 26th January 2024. Record Label: New Heavy Sounds / Seeing Red Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Regeneration - Tracklisting

1.White Noise 08:23

2.Til Death 04:46

3.The Mirror 06:22

4.Handless Maiden 03:30

5.Eyes Open 05:37

6.Generate 07:04

7.The Wounded Healer 10:12

Members

Amber Gardner - Vocals

Scott Prater - Guitar

Daniel Martinez - Bass

Brian Clemens- Drums

Review

Regeneration is the new album from New York Progressive Post-Metallers GUHTS (pronounced Guts) and it’s delightful and avant garde style of Prog Metal, Sludge Metal, Doom Metal and Psych Rock. There’s a weird sideline with Doomgaze or Shoegaze elements with GUHTS always thinking outside the box. The album doesn’t follow the same creative path of other Avant-Garde Metal bands with GUHTS adding a subtle slice of underground heaviness from the New York scene into their music.

Regeneration doesn’t follow or fit into a normal creative structure with GUHTS reliance on the unexpected with different Sludge/Post-Metal flows leaning into multiple levels of HEAVY sounds which draws upon bands such as Deftones, The Melvins, ISIS, Julie Christmas, Cult Of Luna and YOB. Though, GUHTS deliver their own emotionally charged style and highly provocative blend of aggressive Doomegaze tones with Amber’s eerie vocals that are a mixture of clean based vocals, growls and shrieks which Amber delivers with an intense delivery that leads the band to play epic progressive grooves that are quite violent at times. 

There’s also a deep 90’s Grunge/Alt Metal atmosphere within this album which allows GUHTS to expand upon their Shoegaze/Doomgaze sounds that expertly soon becomes the dominant tool for the band to deliver their music with. 

GUHTS deliver different styles of music throughout the album with each of the seven tracks having a different feeling, sound and flow to each other. The songs are all bound together by a sense of doom and despair with Amber’s vocals have a startling BANSHEE effect on the most violent parts of the album especially on tracks such as White Noise, Til Death, The Mirror and Generate being the main personal highlights for me.

GUHTS have a real storytelling and therapeutic effect within both the music and lyrics they’ve created for this album. The overall journey is quite downbeat but Regeneration also offers moments of pure uplifting bliss which you don’t initially realise at first. However, the message becomes ever more clearer with repeated listens especially within the epic standout out track The Wounded Healer.

Regeneration is one of the finest debut Avant-Garde based Post-Metal albums I’ve had the pleasure to experience for a long time. The album is pure, honest and most importantly bloody groundbreaking which can see GUHTS deliver on the premier Doom/Sludge/Post-Metal Live Stages sooner rather than later. 

Words by Steve Howe 

You can buy Regeneration on CD/Vinyl from the links below:

Vinyl/CD (Europe) from New Heavy Sounds

Vinyl (USA) from BandCamp

CD (USA) from Seeing Red Records

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Blue Heron - Ephemeral (Album Review)

Release Date: May 27th 2022. Record Label: Seeing Red Records / Kozmik Artifactz. Format: DD/Vinyl

Ephemeral - Tracklisting

1.Futurola 

2.Sayonara

3.Push the Sky 

4.Infiniton Field

5.The Buck

6.Black Blood of the Earth 

7.Where One Went Together

8.Salvage

Members

Mike Chavez - Guitar

Ricardo Sanchez - Drums

Steve Schmidlapp - Bass

Jadd Shickler - Vocals

Review

Ephemeral is the debut album from Desert/Stoner Metallers Blue Heron and is made up of highly talented individuals from the Albuquerque, New Mexico underground scene. Their debut album is an edgy take on the standard themes of Desert/Stoner Rock with extra Sludge/Doom Metal grit with a Blues Rock and Punk Rock flow allowing Blue Heron to stand on their own creative merits.

The album has a gritty attitude to it all which you can hear on the excellent opening song Futurola which fuses the legendary sounds of the Californian desert which give us bands such as KYUSS, Fu Manchu and Yawning Man with a Sludgy distorted attitude that brings out the more streetwise attitude from Blue Heron. A solemn Blues Rock vibe allows lead vocalist Jadd Shickler to stick his Punk-ish based vocals to good use with dark tales of the desert which lives in both the classic days of 90’s Desert/Stoner Rock and the more modern day based Sludge/Doom sounds that surround the later stages of the song.

Second song Sayonara sees Blue Heron go all in with a more Progressive and Psychedelic on the distorted Sludge/Stoner based flow that leads the way with this song. A haunting Desert/Drone attitude allows the band to play a solitary style of music with Jadd’s vocals slowly taking their time to bring their message to the Stoner Rock/Metal masses with a BLUES ROCK twinge being slightly deceptive in places. The music is the main draw here as it slowly moves into different areas of WEEDIAN attitude but that Progressive flair brings a delicate balance of FUZZ based gloomy elements to the album you wouldn’t quite expect.

The rest of the album sees the band return to a less progressive structure seen within Sayanora but still playing a dynamically powerful Psychedelic sound that showcases everything we love so well from the underground Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal scenes. Heavy FUZZY and DISTORTED grooves that have the power to last an age and perhaps show the next generation of music fans who wonderfully exciting Sludge/Stoner Metal can actually be.

You can hear this on great songs such as: Push The Sky, The Buck, Black Blood Of The Earth and Salvage.

These are the other songs on the album where Blue Heron impresses the most with the band switching musical styles with carefree attitudes and a knowing authority of the music they actually play on this album. The music does pay homage to the heavy hitters of the scene such KYUSS, Fu Manchu and Black Sabbath but also newer bands such as Lowrider, Truckfighters and Big Business.

However, Blue Heron proves on Ephemeral that they’re in the driving seat for this release and you’ll be blown away by the amazing instrumental work that Mike Chavez, Ricardo Sanchez and Steve Schmidlapp lay down for this album. With Jadd Shickler stellar vocals holding everything together. 

Jadd also runs famed indie record labels Magnetic Eye Records and Blues Funeral Records and knows a thing or two about the underground scene. Hell, the whole band does. So the quality of this band was never in doubt.

It’s good to see Seeing Red Records and Kozmik Artifactz releasing this album themselves jointly and not Jadd’s famed own record labels. Two amazing underground labels that do stellar work within the scene. 

Anyway, maybe I have waxed too lyrical and perhaps slightly “romantic” about this album. That I offer no apologies.

This is a type of record why I love the Stoner Metal scene so much. As it fuses the classic sounds of the 90s Desert/Stoner Metal scene whilst still bringing elements from today’s vibrant Psychedelic/Progressive based sound that is becoming the norm for bands and albums such as this. 

Ephemeral is a darker style of WEEDIAN based musical therapy that we need for today’s fucked up world we currently live in and I loved every delicious FUZZED up part of this album with a passion. 

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Seeing Red Records and Red Lead PR for the promo

Ephemeral will be available to buy on DD/Vinyl from the links below on May 27th 2022.

Kozmik Artifactz

Seeing Red Records

Links

Facebook | BandCamp

OLDE - Pilgrimage (Album Review)

Release date: March 19th 2021. Label: Seeing Red Records / Sludgelord Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl 

Pilgrimage – Tracklisting

1.Pilgrimage
2.A New King
3.Medico Della Peste 
4.In Defiance
5.The Dead Hand
6.Depth Charge
7.Under Threatening Skies
8.Wastelands

Members

Greg Dawson & Chris Hughes | Guitars
Doug McLarty | Vocals
Ryan Aubin | Drums (and two fiery guitar solos)
Cory McCallum | Bass

Review

Pilgrimage is the new album from Canadian Heavy Sludge Rockers – OLDE – who come out all guns blazing on this release with a heavier and different release compared to their previous albums. Moving away from their earlier “Stoner Metal” sound and more further in to the land of Sludge Metal with the band balancing Progressive Doom/Sludge ideas that has slight “High On Fire” flavour. This allows OLDE plenty of opportunities to play “fast and loose” with the standard rules of Doom/Sludge Metal and rewrite them in their own aggressive style.

Opening song – Pilgrimage – first half of the song is a superbly played Psychedelic Instrumental track with a Post-Doom/Post-Sludge metallic atmosphere being created at first before Doug’s impressive vocals come in and fully take over. The music has pinpoint accuracy with it’s heavy sludge riffs with an early “High On Fire” edge being noticed between the different styles of music that OLDE employ here.

Second song – A New King – has a more “Crust” vibe with the gloomier aspects of OLDE shining through this early on with this song. OLDE are unforgiving with everything contained in this song. Lyrics and Vocals offer a bleak sense of the world with the pulsating riffs having a blackened approach to them. The song also offers moments of THRASH grooves with a not so subtle 80s sounding Psychedelic and Progressive Rock being heard as well. It shouldn’t really work but OLDE will keep listeners entertained and on-board with their adventurous blend of Doom/Sludge Metal. VOIVOD fans will be interested to know that Daniel “Chewy” Mongrain appears on this song.

Third song – Medico Della Peste – which translates as “Plague Doctor Mask” well according to Google and you would assume this would see OLDE go full on DOOM METAL. However, this song is perhaps the most catchiest and addictive song on the album with OLDE playing a modern blend of NOLA grooves splashed with a spice of Classic Hard Rock and Heavy Metal. 

Fourth song – In Defiance – is another track where OLDE fuse Psychedelic Metal with their own style of Doom/Sludge Metal for perhaps one of the best tracks on the album. The music is quite epic in places with a world-weary vocal performance from Doug with OLDE playing a more Progressive and Post-Metal style of music towards the later stages of the song.

OLDE continue to impress even more on songs: The Dead Hand and Under Threatening Skies. With perhaps some of the heaviest parts on the album on these two songs alone.

OLDE have delivered a superbly heavy and entertaining album that is without doubt their best album to date. The overall sound of the album is excellent with OLDE’s very own Greg Dawson producing, mixing, mastering and recording the entire thing. He does a first-rate job in making OLDE new album quite contemporary in places but still thoroughly modern as well.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Pilgrimage will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Seeing Red Records (USA) and Sludgelord Records (Europe) from March 19th 2021. 

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

KEVERRA - S/T (Album Review)

Release date: May 1^st 2020. Label: Seeing Red Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Keverra – S/T – Tracklisting

1.Albion

2.Incendiare

3.Bathsheba

4.Anaesthetic

5.Tioga

6.Bitter Air of Exile

7.Object to Be Destroyed

8.Funerary

9.No God

10.Black Tie Event

Members

Kurk: Guitars, Vocals, Noise

Scott: Bass

Mateo: Drums, Vocals, Sample

Review

Keverra is a new band featuring current and ex-members of the following bands -(16)-, Goatsnake, and Mayan Bull. So there’s no denying that this band have got the talent and experience of playing ferocious Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal. Though the guys have roped in Sanford Parker to record and master their debut self-titled album.

The debut album is one aggressive slab of Doom and Sludge Metal with the band showing a passion for all things dark and aggressive for the majority of the album. Though, Keverra never forget to add a delicious and heavily twisted groove to their album and it makes it quite addictive whilst the band are creating a nightmarish style of Sludge/Stoner Metal.

Opening song – Albion – is dark and oppressive with the fast-paced riffs creating a bleak atmosphere for Keverra to deliver their nightmarish vocals upon. The song has quite an adventurous industrial feel to it as well and the guys cut straight to the bone with their bleak ideas and musical imagery on this song. If you’re a fan of -(16)- or Goatsnake then you’ll be right at home here. The band waste no time impressing from the start and the music is always constantly changing that offers a bolder experience that you wouldn’t initially expect.

Second song – Incendiare – is a song full of Ambient sounds that lasts under a minute but it offers a harsh and droned out surreal experience that fits superbly well with the dark vibes contained on the album.

Third song – Bathsheba – has been doing the rounds lately on YouTube and other metal sites and that’s not surprising since this is one of the standout tracks with a classic mix of Doom and Sludge Metal with a more extreme style of Thrash Metal being added. The vocals or deep growls that the band offer here maybe hard to understand at first but after a few listens you’re fully on board with the dark lyrics that Keverra have written on this song. The song is quite experimental in places and the band even find time to add a more Post-Metallic vibe to their overall sound.

The first 3 songs show you what Keverra play for the remainder of the album but still having the balls to experiment with their sound and offering the listener a challenging listen on the lengthier songs on the album such as: Tioga, Object To Be Destroyed, No God and Black The Event.

These are the songs where Keverra offer the most aggressive and perhaps most thrilling sounds of the album. As the whole flow of the album moves from one destructive environment to the next. There are a couple of shorter songs that sees Keverra play a more nuanced style of Industrial Metal with gloomy ideas that fit superbly well within the whole structure of the album.

This is a superbly produced album that allows Keverra to play to their full potential and perhaps offer one of the bleakest and heaviest debut albums I’ve heard in some time.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Thomas for the promo. Keverra debut album will be available to buy on DD/Vinyl via Seeing Red Records from May 1^st 2020.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

SuuM announce details of New Album For CRYPTOMASS and Premiere New Song

Nothing like a little soul crushing DOOM this holiday season - and right on time!

Cryptomass is the follow-up album to SUUM's debut, Buried Into the Grave, and expertly combines the spirit of the bands influences with their own unique brand of haunting Italian Doom. Although more immersed in the Traditional Doom sound, the band do not lack in the sheer heaviness department. Also notable, the vocals add a very ghastly and spectral atmosphere which I find quite appealing and distinctive. So stoke the fire, and crank the stereo - this album promises to scare everyone away. 

SUUM is:
Mark Wolf - Vocals
Painkiller - Guitars
Joe Grave - Bass
Fed Kemper - Drums

Cryptomass was produced by SUUM during 2018/2019. Recorded, Mixed, and Mastered by Daniele Perticaroli at Circle Music Studio in Rome, Italy.

You can hear the deadly title track from the new album.

 

Thanks to Thomas at Seeing Red Records for the info.

Crptomass will be available to buy from Seeing Red Records from February 14th 2020.

Links
Facebook | BandCamp

Exclusive Song Premiere of Shadow Limb New Song - CRY OFF

Progressive Doom Metallers Shadow Limb will be releasing their new album Burn Scar on October 11th via Seeing Red Records.

We are premiering a new song - CRY OFF - from the album which you can hear below.

Links

Facebook | Bandcamp

Thanks to Thomas at Seeing Red Records and Rob Hammer for all of the info.

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