Various Artists - Deep Seven Vol I (Album Review)

Release Date: December 06th 2024. Record Label: Electric Witch Mountain Recordongs. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

DEEP SEVEN Vol I - Track Listing:

1.PALM DESERT Elegy Of The Past 09:22

2.MOUNTAIN OF MISERY Hollow Water 05:36

3.SOLAR TRIP Blueshift 06:18

4.SPACESLUG Lost In The Tide 07:36

5.GOZD Disguise The Emptiness 06:22

6.O.D.R.A Breslau Babilon 05:15

7.SEALESS Fading Away 04:30

Review

Deep Seven Vol I is a compilation album featuring perhaps the best bands from the Polish Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal scenes with heavyweights such as Palm Desert, Mountain Of Misery, Solar Trip. Spaceslug, GOZD, O.D.R.A and Sealess all perform tracks of new material that explores the whole underground scene that Poland has given to the world over the last decade or so.

The album is a stunning collection of outstanding tracks with heavy Psychedelic passages high on the agenda and subversive Sludgy grooves that have a thrilling dynamic to them with Palm Desert, Mountain Of Misery and Spaceslug being personal favourite bands of mine. Though, I have to say the tracks that impressed me the most were from Solar Trip, GOZD and Sealess which was a very cool surprise. I've only heard these bands in passing but their songs were technically impressive throughout with stunning musical melodies that have an air of classic Doom and Stoner passages to them.

We all know what Palm Desert, Mountain Of Misery and Spaceslug are capable of with their trademark heavy cosmic sounds which is no different here. Palm Desert offers a dreamlike Post-Rock sound with Elegy Of The Past  that’s topped off with a muscular Post-Sludge atmosphere with a trippy Shoegaze aspect to the track. 

Mountain Of Misery’s track Hollow Water could have easily come off their acclaimed two albums In Roundness and The Land. This has a classic KYUSS and FU MANCHU based structure at times where the world of Desert Rock is given a Sludge Rock makeover. The levels of FUZZ is quite intense with the vocals being more Gloom based in places. The instrumental sounds have a rich level of detail within the Progressive flow that Mountain Of Misery delivers on the later stages of the track.

Solar Trip’s track Blueshift has a desolate Space Rock tone with minimal Electronic and Synth effects that expands into a heavier Desert/Stoner Rock tone. The long drawn out Droned textures is a cool deft touch before Solar Trip delivers a swirling vortex of Post-Rock and Post-Stoner energy which builds upto a classic style of subtle instrumental freakout passages and clever guitar solos that leave you wanting to hear more.

The next track Lost In The Tide from the mighty Spaceslug is perhaps the main draw for most people and you can’t blame them. As the band are once again delivering beautifully played and wonderfully constructed Cosmic Doom sounds that offer a monolithic sound that most bands cannot reach. The ethereal vocals are represented here with Spaceslug playing a more emotionally charged and abstract style of music with a rich Progressive Sludge Rock sound becoming quite intense along the way. 

The final part of the album features music from bands I’ve haven’t had much experience with as mentioned previously but I have to give GOZD, O.D.R.A and Sealess credit for impressing me with their individual offerings. As they offer their own highly original style of music that ventures further into Space Rock and Post-Doom territory with deep levels of Ambient surroundings especially with GOZD’s stunning track Disguise The Emptiness.

O.D.R.A is more of a full on Doom/Sludge Metal number with moments of Industrial paranoia within their excellent track Breslau Babilon. I can hear influences from acts such as AUTHOR & PUNISHER at times within this track with a familiar sludgy undergroove once again providing a different creative narrative that Deep Seven Vol I continuously provides.

The final track Fading Away from Sealess is more of a sullen Post-Rock and Post-Grunge entity and is the most quiet and restrictive offerings which allows Deep Seven Vol I to close the album with a confident Ambient delivery and heartwarming vocals that once again has a different contrast to the other tracks on the album.

Deep Seven Vol I is a record showcasing the finest talents from the Polish Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal scene. I would have loved some other big hitters from the Polish underground scene to be involved such as DOPELORD or SUNNATA but maybe that could happen with future volumes of the series. However, as the recent Elephant Tree and Lowrider compilation album proved, compilation albums done right can be considered as Album Of The Year material and you can rank Deep Seven Vol I as one of those great albums deserving of that accolade.

Words by Steve Howe

Deep Seven Vol I is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Electric Witch Mountain Recordings.

Links

BandCamp

Various Artists: A Tribute To Budgie - Never Turn Your Back On A Friend: 50 Years Later (Album Review)

Release Date: June 30th 2023. Record Label: Pale Wizard Records. Formats: DD/Vinyl

Never Turn Your Back On A Friend: 50 Years Later: Tracklisting

1.Alunah - Breadfan 05:29

2.Firegarden - Baby Please Don't Go 05:24

3.Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell - You Know I'll Always Love You 03:42

4.Regulus - You're The Biggest Thing Since Powdered Milk 07:25

5.Syncolima - In The Grip Of A Tyrefitter's Hand 06:23

6.Great Electric Quest - Riding My Nightmare 03:38

7.Sergeant Thunderhoof - Parents 10:22

8.La Chinga - Guts - Bonus Track 04:20

9.Low Voltage - Forearm Smash - Bonus Track 05:46

10.Solar Sons - Melt The Ice Away - Bonus Track 03:53

Review:

Never Turn Your Back On A Friend: 50 Years Later is a new tribute album from acclaimed UK Underground Record Label Pale Wizard Records home to Sergeant Thunderhoof. Following previous dedicated album releases to Alice Cooper and David Bowie, now it’s time for Welsh Hard Rock/Metal legends BUDGIE who have influenced and been covered by the likes of Iron Maiden, Metallica, Megadeth and Van Halen to name but a few.

Budgie were one of the heaviest Hard Rock/Metal bands in the 1970’s and 1980’s scene and helped inspire the NWOBHM scene so the band are worthy of a tribute album such as this with their legendary third album Never Turn Your Back On A Friend getting the Pale Wizard Records treatment. 

This is more of a Doom/Stoner Metal tribute to such as an iconic album thanks to the artists involved with bands such as Alunah, Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell, Regulus, Great Electric Wizard and Sergeant Thunderhoof offering their creative talents and providing their own spin on Budgie’s most classic songs with Alunah being giving the famous track to perform with Breadfan that opens the album. Alunah put in a barnstorming performance which pays homage to the original song with the heavy sounds being given a slightly modern makeover whilst paying huge respect to the original song’s legacy. 

Firegarden are up next with perhaps the albums second most famous track Baby Please Don’t Go and it’s Blues Rock based cover which is perhaps play at a more faster pace than the original but the the original’s Hard Rock grooves are there especially when the frantic and action packed grooves that oozes Blues Rock soul appears with the classic Power Rock Trio stance that Budgie were known for. 

Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell brings their usual madcap style of Hard Rock/Stoner/Punk Rock chaos to this track and it works amazingly well with the “in-your-face” style sounds the original version offered. There’s a Garage Rock drive that appears with this track that Budgie would undoubtedly approve of. The production is not perfect but the band’s performance is and allows this to be one of the best performances on the album.

Regulus are up next for You’re The Biggest Thing Since Powdered Milk for over seven minutes which is one of my favourite Budgie tracks of all time. Regulus belongs in the 70’s Rock environment with this barnstorming performance. The song has echoes of Regulus' modern Psych Stoner Rock sound with the flashy Progressive guitar tones that soon moves back to Budgie’s groundbreaking style of Guitar based Heavy Rock. Regulus injected a style of 80’s Heavy Metal pomp into this track especially with the extended guitar solos but still paying huge respect to Budgie along the way.

The next two tracks In The Grip Of A Typefitter’s Hand and Riding My Nightmare are performed by Syncolima and Great Electric Quest respectively and they both perform play their own superb versions of these two great tracks  Syncolima play the heaviest of the tracks with perhaps the most modern sounding track on the album. As the band moves between Stoner, Doom and Classic Hard Rock with their interpretation of this great song.

Great Electric Quest play the most laidback track on the album which showed a different and tender side to Budgie. This album is full of mostly Heavy Rock bangers but Riding My Nightmare is more of a Pop/Rock song but with small touches of Heavy Blues Rock grooves. Another one of the standout performances of the track as it even allows Great Electric Quest to show their fans a different style they’re normally associated with.

Sergeant Thunderhoof makes a welcome appearance on the album’s closing track Parents and I couldn’t think of another band who could play this track. The song is everything you would expect from “The Hoof”, Soulful and emotionally charged from start to finish which is mostly down to Dan’s intense vocals. Looking more and more into this song I can see now why Budgie are a big influence within Sergeant Thunderhoof and nothing encompasses that belief is the similarities of the original version compared to the Hoof’s acclaimed last album The Sceptred Veil. 

However, the fun doesn’t end there as Pale Wizard Records offer three more classic BUDGIE tracks with Guts, Forearm Smash and Melt The Ice Away as bonus tracks. La Chinga cover Guts, Low Voltage cover Forearm Smash and Solar Sons cover Melt The Ice Away. 

These tracks follow the original versions quite closely but still allow all bands to impress with their own style and variation of the track. The songs are perhaps bombastic and DOOM based compared to the other performances on the album but La Chinga, Low Voltage Sons all play fabulous covers with a more metallic sound finally starting to emerge.

Never Turn Your Back On A Friend: 50 Years Later is a first rate tribute album and ranks as one of the very best ones I’ve heard in a long while. I’m a huge fan of Budgie and this is a loving tribute to one of the most undeniable creative forces from the UK Hard Rock/Heavy Metal scene whose influence is felt around the global Heavy Metal scene. 

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Memphia Music PR & Management for the promo.

Never Turn Your Back On A Friend: 50 Years Later is available to buy now on DD/Vinyl via Pale Wizard Records

Pale Wizard Records Links:

Official | BandCamp

Bow To Your Masters Volume Two: Deep Purple (Album Review)

Release date: May 07th 2021. Label: Glory Or Death Records. Format: DD/Vinyl

Bow To Your Masters Volume Two: Deep Purple – Tracklisting

1.Big Scenic Nowhere - Demon's Eye 05:24
2.Gygax - Speed King 04:42
3.RedWitch Johnny Ft. Matthew Putman - Maybe I'm a Leo 04:58
4.Topsy Kretts - Black Night 04:41
5.Saturn - Into the Fire 04:34
6.High Reeper Ft. Jillian Taylor of Ruby The Hatchet - Burn 05:21
7.Great Electric Quest Ft. Francis Roberts - Highway Star 06:23
8.Steak Ft. Chantal Brown - Smoke 04:42
9.Mos Generator - Love Child 03:06
10.Asphodel Wine - Child in Time 10:14
11.Temple of Love Ft. Anton Pukshansky - Gettin' Tighter 03:27
12.Red Wizard - Fireball 03:18
13.KOOK - Space Truckin' 05:17
14.Worshipper - Pictures of Home 06:21
15.Yob - Perfect Strangers 06:13

Review

Glory Or Death Records have just released another exciting chapter in their “Bow To Your Masters” series with Volume Two paying homage to Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Legends – Deep Purple. If you heard the 1st volume paying homage to Thin Lizzy, well it’s time for Deep Purple to be given the same treatment with famous Stoner/Doom/Psych/Sludge Metal artists doing their own take on some of the finest Deep Purple tracks currently out there.

There a 15 songs with artists diverse as Big Scenic Nowhere, Gygax, Saturn, High Reeper, Mos Generator and Doom Metal Legends YOB bringing their own unique creative spin on some famous and not so famous Deep Purple tracks.

There’s a lot to take in on this release and I will admit this album did take me a few listens to fully enjoy. Where as the Thin Lizzy volume I loved right off the bat. That’s perhaps down to myself not being a massive Deep Purple fan. Though, this is still an outstanding collection of different covers from a wide range of different artists from the Doom, Stoner and Sludge Metal community.

The tone of the album is quite different from start to finish and the songs don’t follow the same style as each other. It’s still DEEP PURPLE but the artists involved bring their own thing to the album especially the covers by Big Scenic Nowhere, Gygax, Great Electric Quest and Red Wizard being some of my personal favourite tracks on the album.

Though the biggest selling point here is YOB’s extraordinary cover of Perfect Strangers. I’ve only heard this song a couple times before and YOB have done the original song justice and even brought their style of “DOOM” to the song with Mike on inspired vocal form.

Bow To Your Masters: Volume Two is a spellbinding tribute album that any fan of Deep Purple will appreciate and have in their record collection.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Glory Or Death Records for the promo.

Bow To Your Masters: Volume Two is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Glory Or Death Records now.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp | BigCartel

Planet Of Doom: First Contact (EP Review)

Release date: June 22nd 2018. Label: Ripple Music. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Planet Of Doom: First Contact – Tracklisting

1.Sword of the Sea - Mos Generator 04:00

2.Serpent Libido - Messa 07:09

3.Runa - Vokonis 05:05

4.Jagaer - Slomatics 06:13

Review

Greetings All,

Movies and music have become synonymous with one another for decades. Christ, there are movies out there that are more well known for the soundtrack than the actual film itself. I could rattle of countless soundtracks that are loaded from beginning to end with excellent music from amazing artists who have taken the time to craft songs to fit the mood and style of the film at hand. Planet Of Doom: First Contact fits that mould.

This is an impressive four song EP of some amazingly, killer tracks by 4 great bands. Stylistically my mind goes directly to the great 80’s animated Sci-Fi epic, Heavy Metal. If, for some reason, you are not familiar, check out the movie and the soundtrack. It has Motorhead and Judas Priest, that’s all you need to know. First Contact is a new age Heavy Metal soundtrack.

The record opens with the always amazing Mos Generator and their track Sword of the Sea which showcases the bands multi-faceted, dynamic sound. This killer track opens with the bands trademark, stoner rock groove in full effect before dissolving into an acoustic vibe with some ethereal sounding female vocals (My apologies for not know this amazing singer) before closing with a big time raucous close.

The stunning Messa follows. I will admit that this is the one band on the record I didn’t know anything about, but that is going to change in a hurry. Their track Serpent Libido brings slow, heavy doom inspired riffage behind some absolutely amazing Female vocals. The track also brings some unsettling quiet moments that, I assume, would fit well in the film and add to the dark vibe of this awesome tune.

The mighty Vokonis follows with the excellent Runa, a hard hitting, powerful track with a riff heavy and monster vocal attack. This is an immense stoner rock jam that is worth the price of admission.

The record closes with the always awesome Slomatics and their jam Jaeger. These guys bring the thick and heavy fuzzed out doom on this brilliant track. The sludge and vibe of this song is intense and satisfying.

I will be the first to admit that I am not a big film buff, but I will definitely check out Planet Of Doom when it’s released in 2020. I hope the rest of the soundtrack is on the same level as these four amazing bands.

Check out this killer record and let your mind soar!

Todd S - Instagram @alltheghoststhathauntyou

Words by Todd Stealey

Thanks to Richard at Sheltered Life PR for the promo. Planet Of Doom: First Contact – is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Ripple Music.

Links:

Official | Facebook | BandCamp

The Sun The Moon The Mountain: A Passage Through Greek Psychedelia by Various Artists - (Album Review)

Release date: September 04th 2017. Label: Archaeopia. Format: DD/Vinyl

The Sun The Moon The Mountain: A Passage Through Greek Psychedelia – Tracklisting

1.Tau & Villagers of Ioannina City - Wakey Wakey 05:07

2.The Road Miles - 600 Miles 04:05

3.Cyanna Mercury - The Flood 05:09

4.Sleepin Pillow - Amplifier In My Heart 05:12

5.Green Yeti - Monkey Riders 08:21

6.Craang - When In Ruins 07:55

Review

The Sun The Moon The Mountain: A Passage Through Greek Psychedelia is a concept album put together by newly formed Greek Record label - Archaeopia. This concept of the album is described below which I've taken from the label's BandCamp Page

The Sun. The Moon. The Mountain. Three fundamental elements of the Greek psyche. From the Homeric hymns of the fiery-stallion-riding sun-god Helios and his ethereal sister Selene, goddess of the moon, to the myriad myths and legends surrounding the highlands and the consecration of Mount Olympus as the dwelling of the gods, these inextricable components of the Greek landscape, brimming with rich symbolism and religious gravitas, have dominated indigenous lore, mythology, literature, poetry and music for millennia.

Juxtaposing our title to the collection of songs featured on this vinyl, the following concept might arise: The sun represents psychedelic rock in its most lurid expression, a euphoric desert plain walkabout towards a bacchic celebration of light. The moon takes us on a slow-burning trip into the night, with the melancholic exaltation of glazed psychedelia. The mountain is manifested by a massive wall of sound, evoking visions of dark rites and primordial cults. Each featured band mirrors a singular element, steering into a substantial whole.

The album has the big hitters of Green Yeti and Craang showcasing some new tunes. Which is always good to hear. There are other bands on the compilation that I haven't heard of before but I'm majorly impressed with. Tau & Villagers Of Ioannina City and Cyanna Mercury being the standout bands for myself.

This is a very cool idea featuring Greek bands writing new material and bringing them all together for one wonderful sounding trippy as hell psychedelic ride into the unknown. The album drifts from psychedelic rock to the heavier Stoner based sounds that Green Yeti and Craang are known for.

The Sun The Moon The Mountain: A Passage Through Greek Psychedelia could have easily followed the same boring compilation route of putting these bands together without any real thought or imagination. So Archaeopia deserve full credit for bringing these bands together and creating a beautifully sounding and heavy album that stands on it's own merits.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links:

Official | Facebook | BandCamp

DHU Records - DHU SAMPLER MMXVII VOL. II

Release date: September 02nd 2017. Label: Self Released. Format: DD

DHU SAMPLER MMXVII VOL. II – Tracklisting

1.OLD BLOOD - Silk Road Rash 06:21

2.Brume - Call the Serpent's Bluff 09:28

3.Black Road - From Hell 08:01

4.Youngblood Supercult - Burning Messiah 05:01

5.The Red Widows - Witchcraft 05:18

6.Doomstress - Sleep Among the Dead 06:51

7.Sparrowmilk - Eerie Depths 07:44

8.Ancient VVisdom - Light of Lucifer 02:36

9.DHU RECORDS SAMPLER MMXVII VOL. II (FULL ALBUM) 50:16

Review

DHU Records or Dark Hedonistic Union Records, given it's full title, have just released their superb second sampler. DHU SAMPLER MMXVII VOL. II features the artists currently signed to this great label. As DHU Records have released some bloody fantastic vinyl releases of the bands that appear here.

The main draw here is perhaps the excellent new single “33” by cult Doom/Occult/Acoustic Rockers – Ancient VVisdom – from their forthcoming new album – 33. Though the sampler does include mighty fine slabs of Doom/Stoner Metal bands from great bands such as OLD BLOOD, Brume, Youngblood Supercult and Doomstress.

All the bands that appear on this sampler – KICK ASS. Plain and simple. If you want to discover some new bands within the Doom/Stoner Metal world then this is the perfect introduction for you.

Words by Steve Howe

Links:

Official | Facebook | BandCamp