Sacred Fuzz - Beyond The Void (EP Review)

Release Date: August 02nd 2024. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Beyond The Void: Tracklisting

1.The Void Stares Back 04:19

2.Shadownaut 03:56

3.Old Wounds 04:59

4.Living the Dream 04:40

5.Lest We Forget 07:04

6.Grit 03:53

Members

Sam – Vocals

Nate – Guitars

Bill – Guitars

Kevin – Bass

Danny – Drums

Review

Beyond The Void is the new EP from Groove/Stoner Metallers Sacred Fuzz who peaked my interest with their recent Introduce Yourselves feature. Crossing heavy bursts of Groove Metal and Psych Stoner Metal has been multiple times before but Sacred Fuzz adds a solid backline of Death Metal, Alt-Metal and Hard Rock melodies.

The vocals are quite soulful and aggressive in all the right amount places by channelling a wide range of different vocalists from the vast Hard Rock and Heavy Metal spectrum. Lead vocalist Sam puts his voice through a tough workout embracing Harsh, Clean and Death based growls. The production is quite raw and intense that matches Sacred Fuzz style of music down to the ground. 

Opening tracks The Void Strikes Back and Shadownaut have influences ranging from Lamb Of God, System Of A Down and Iron Maiden to them but with that sparse Stoner attitude allowing the band to stay on the right side of the Stoner Metal movement.

Beyond The Void works at it’s best when Sacred Fuzz think outside of the box and merge the more extreme parts of their music into a classic style of melodic intensity where shades of Ambient Rock/Metal start to fully form on other tracks such as Old Wounds, Living The Dream and the superbly progressive track Lest We Forget.

Sacred Fuzz have a tough mentality appearing within their lyrics whilst offering short moments of calm before they unleash a torrent of Death/Groove sounds which could be considered some of the heaviest and ferocious Stoner Metal sounds around.

Give these guys a try and you’ll be surprised by what you hear. This is an a daring and quite a ballsy EP which takes no prisoners.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links

https://linktr.ee/sacredfuzz
https://www.facebook.com/Thesacredfuzz
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredfuzz
https://youtube.com/@thesacredfuzz1331
Thesacredfuzz.com

Swedish Stoner Metal Warlords 10,000 YEARS to release new album "All Quiet On The Final Frontier" via Ripple Music this fall; stream debut single!

Sweden's up-and-coming stoner metal merchants 10,000 YEARS announce the release of their new studio album "All Quiet On The Final Frontier" this November 22nd through Ripple Music, and unleash an earth-shattering first single on all streaming services!

Stream new single "High Noon In Sword City"

Formed in The Year Of The Plague, 2020, 10,000 Years has since churned out their signature brand of skull-crushing stoner metal at a relentless pace. Releasing records in 2020, 2021 and 2022, of which ”II” gave them a much-deserved nomination at the Swedish independent Grammys Manifest for Best Metal, the world may not be ready for the insane massiveness that 10,000 Years have in store for it in 2024 and beyond.

As 10,000 Years now ready their return with their heavily awaited new album, they leave the complex concepts of the Albatross Trilogy behind to explore new frontiers both musically and thematically, focusing on standalone songs and compiling them into the absolute beast that is ”All Quiet On The Final Frontier”. While still very much in the business of stoner metal, and The Riff still reigning supreme, ”All Quiet On The Final Frontier” boasts a more melodic approach. It is a natural evolution while staying true to the band's essence and the sharply focused songwriting makes for 10,000 Years strongest effort yet. Having joined the Ripple Family, sure to be a grand new step in their journey, this album sees 10,000 Years take a massive leap forward into new and hugely exciting territory.

”All Quiet On The Final Frontier” also introduces new drummer Alvin Risberg on wax, his powerhouse drumming providing a shot of adrenaline to the heart of the band and melding perfectly with the guitar wizardry of Erik Palm and Alex Risberg's thundering bass and howling vocals. Recording, as usual, took place at the legendary Studio Sunlight with the equally legendary Tomas Skogsberg manning the controls. Mastering was handled by Magnus ’Devo’ Andersson at Endarker Studios.


10,000 YEARS "All Quiet On The Final Frontier"
Out November 22nd on Ripple Music (vinyl/CD/Digital)
Bandcamp preorder / US preorder

TRACKLIST:

1. Orbital Decay
2. All Quiet On The Final Frontier
3. The Experiment
4. Death Valley Ritual
5. The Weight Of A Feather
6. Ablaze In The Now
7. High Noon In Sword City
8. Down The Heavy Path

10,000 YEARS lineup

Erik Palm – Guitars
Alex Risberg – Bass/Vocals
Alvin Risberg - Drums

10,000 YEARS links

Facebook ⎪ Bandcamp ⎪ Instagram ⎪ Spotify

RIPPLE MUSIC links

Website ⎪ Facebook ⎪ Bandcamp ⎪ Instagram

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for all of the info.

German Doom-Sludge Duo EPIC DOWN Unveils Details for Days of Oblivion Album; New Single Out Now

The German doom-sludge duo EPIC DOWN will release their debut album, Days of Oblivion, on September 27th via Argonauta Records.

Album tracklisting and cover art are as follows:Twisted Perceptions

Leave Banger
Faded Legacies
Days Of Oblivion
Lords Of Doom
Downfall Of Being
Lone Ruler

Today, the band also released their new single, "Faded Legacies," which is now available here

You can buy Faded Legacies from here https://ingrv.es/faded-legacies-4ey-6

Epic Down is a duo from Leipzig, Germany dedicated to the sluggish grooves and lumbering riffs of sludge & doom. Founded in the pandemic turmoil of the year 2021, by Mitzschi (guitar(s)/bass) and Fabian (drums/vocals) to musically express the deeply felt horror about the excesses of the established abysses of a consumerist civilization with pronounced destructive traits and a reality marked by war, disease and destruction, and to preserve it as a defining sound of this so-called turn of the times. 

Influenced by primal doom, drone and stoner, the sound of Epic Down is mainly characterized by solid downtempo grooves and rolling walls of guitars, complemented by slightly melancholic vocals. With the release of their first EP "Equinox Pt1" and it’s sequel "Equinox Pt2" in 2023, which were only available in a digital way, the band stepped into the light of publicity. 

After signing to Argonauta Records the band decided to celebrate that deal with an album with almost new material. With the release of „Days of Oblivion“ they now ring the bells of doom again and celebrate the dance on the volcano.

For more info:

https://www.facebook.com/epicd0wn
https://epicdown.bandcamp.com/
https://www.argonautarecords.com/

Thanks to Grand Sounds Promotion for all of the details.

Anciients - Beyond The Reach Of The Sun (Album Review)

Release Date: August 30th 2024. Record Label: Season Of Mist Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Beyond The Reach Of The Sun: Tracklisting

1.Forbidden Sanctuary

2.Despoiled

3.Is It Your God

4.Melt The Crown 

5.Cloak Of The Vast And Black 

6.Celestial Tyrant

7.Beyond Our Minds

8.The Torch

9.Candescence

10.In The Absence Of Wisdom 0

Members

Kenny Cook - Guitar, Vocals

Brock MacInnes - Guitar

Rory O'Brien - Bass

Mike Hannay - Drums

Keyboards on Tracks 1, 3, 4, 9 and 10 by Justin Hagberg

Synth on tracks 5 and 9 by Jesse Gander

Review

Sludge/Doom/Stoner Metal visionaries Anciients return after an eight year absence after they released their landmark second album Voice Of The Void. Their new album Beyond The Reach Of The Sun takes everything that album delivered and turns everything on its head with Anciients becoming fully immersed with their own unique style of Progressive Sludge/Stoner Metal which has the added movements of Groove Metal, Prog Rock, Psych Rock, Thrash Metal and Folk Rock tendencies to give this record a truly original feel and sound.

Taking creative cues from bands such as Mastodon and OPETH whilst still creating their own highly original sound. The music is wonderfully progressive and offers a more transcendental style of Psych Metal compared to their previous album. The vocals once again are a mixture of clean vocals, harsh growls and death chants which are all delivered with intense delivery especially the death growls within the epic opening tracks of Forbidden Sanctuary and Despoiled. 

The music moves along at a stunning THUGGISH pace where the Thrash/Death/Groove instrumental beats appear though Anciients surround that aggressive style of music with first rate Psychedelic Stoner Metal and Post-Doom creative energy. Taking heavy savage grooves and re-creating them in their own unique way which moves between the finer moments of Hard Rock, Heavy Metal and Extreme Metal. The songs are quite long and very multi-layered for the most parts with Anciients providing a classic way of storytelling that I haven’t heard since the early days of OPETH when matched against the cynical world-building mysticism of early-era MASTODON.

The real beauty and power of this record is the engaging and non-stop switching of melodies and harsh sonic landscapes which allows Anciients to create their own genre of music at times. Not just Hard Rock or Heavy Metal but music in general with each track telling their own individual story whilst fitting in with the whole creative storytelling of the whole album.

My favourite tracks on the album are: Despoiled, Is It Your God, Cloak Of The Vast And Black, Celestial Tyrant, Candescence and In The Absence Of Wisdom.

These tracks resonated personally with me the most especially within the most soulful, uplifting and challenging vocal melodies from lead vocalist Kenny Cook. The amount of technical ability he provides within his vocals and instrumental ability is an absolute joy to listen to. Though, everyone on this record brings their “A” game to the album. 

Anciients perhaps over-deliver on the SONIC and PSYCHEDELIC movements on the record but that aspect is still another one of my favourite things about the whole album. As Anciients could be playing an outlandish Post-Stoner rhythm or instrumental passage before switching gears and playing an intense burst of Death, Thrash and Groove Metal which left me completely breathless at times.

This album could have easily suffered from a real case of identity crisis with the amount of different musical styles that Anciients play here. However, everything musically speaking feels LOUD, VIBRANT and ORIGINAL that moves along at such a breakneck pace. 

Beyond The Reach Of The Sun is boosted by first rate production values and allows Anciients to beoome one the scenes most shining creative lights within the Progressive Sludge/Stoner Metal field. This has all the makings of being another classic album from Anciients and perhaps propel them ever so closely into the grasp of the HEAVY METAL MAINSTREAM.

An absolutely incredible record and one that will become regarded as one of the years must have albums.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Season Of Mist for the promo.

Beyond The Reach Of The Sun will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Season Of Mist Records from Friday 30th September 2024.

ANCIIENTS Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Demon & Eleven Children - Demonic Fascination (Album Review)

Release Date: August 18th 2024. Record Label: Sloomweep Productions. Formats: CD/DD/Cassette

Demonic Fascination: Tracklisting

1.The Shiver of the Vampires(Hail Jean Rollin) 03:38

2.Vertigo 04:54

3.Demonic Fascination 09:45

4.Stabbed by Illusion 05:38

5.Pot Girl Blues 01:55

6.Don't Bury My Coffin until You High 05:32

7.Drown in Hell 10:15

Review

Demonic Fascination is the debut album from Chinese Doom/Stoner Metallers Demon & Eleven Children who conjure up a classic style of Occult based Proto-Metal with that vintage gloomy atmosphere which uses Electric Wizard and Black Wizard as major influences for certain parts of the album. The album is full of low & slow sludgy guitars and has an aggressive classic Doom Metal appetite for things going bump in the night.

I haven’t heard many Doom/Stoner Metal bands from China and if this record is anything to go by then I want to hear more cool bands such as Demon & Eleven Children. The record has a seedy FUZZ tone with shades of down-tuned instruments that can be quite harsh to listen to which you’re shown very early on with the excellent opening tracks of The Shiver Of The Vampires (Hail Jean Rollin) and Vertigo. 

Demon & Eleven Children are quite adept at tapping into the classic Proto-Doom scene and inject a subdued modern Stoner Rock attitude into the mix whilst cautiously adding freaky guitar sounds which can be quite SABBATHIAN inspired in places but the band add a dark OCCULT sludgy sound to the mix again within the standout title track of Demonic Fascination. 

The female vocals are quite soulful and have a psychedelic attitude throughout that are quite different to other female led Doom/Stoner Metal bands. Demon & Eleven Children know how to get down and dirty with their music with moments of Blues Rock, Acid Rock and Classic Rock making an appearing that allows this record to have a more demonic influence within the longer tracks of the album especially on Demonic Fascination, Don’t Bury My Coffin Until You High and Down In Hell.

Demonic Fascination works best when Demon & Eleven Children start playing their own take on the classic style of Proto-Doom with an aggressive and unapologetic take on the Amplifier Worship style of music which dominates their musical landscape on the later stages of the record. Demon & Eleven Children have a freak-out attitude when it comes to the LOW & SLOW sludgy instrumental beats which builds up to a clever use of Psychedelic beats and Proto-Doom sounds that showcase how the band may a have bright future within the global Doom/Stoner Metal scene.

Overall, Demonic Fascination is a wickedly entertaining record that leaves you wanting to hear more. 

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Sloomweep Productions for the promo.

Demonic Fascination is available to buy now on CD/DD/Cassette via Sloomweep Productions

Links

BandCamp | Instagram

RESTLESS SPIRIT announce new digital EP "The Doomed and the Dead... Live" & US Tour Dates October 2024

Rejoice, all ye disciples of doom and sludge, RESTLESS SPIRIT release a string of good news:

The trio from Long Island has announced a digital live EP entitled "The Doomed and the Dead ... Live" to be released on October 2, 2024. The recording took place at the RPM Fest in Massachusetts, USA in September 2023. And even better: the Americans already serve the digital single 'Lord of the New Depression (Live at RPM Fest)' as a delicious appetiser right now.

On top of this revelation, RESTLESS SPIRIT will be joining THE OBSESSED as the direct support on all dates of their 30th Anniversary of The Church Within tour in the US this October! Please see below for all confirmed dates.

Lord of the New Depression (Live at RPM Fest)' is now available below:

RESTLESS SPIRIT comment: "The track 'Lord of the New Depression' has been a staple in our set since our second EP, which turned releasing it on our first ever official live recording into a no-brainer". 

Singer and guitarist Paul Aloisio writes. "It's one of the shorter songs in our discography but still contains all the hallmarks of our sound, which makes it both a nod to our longtime supporters and an introduction for those just getting into us that have not yet discovered our earlier works. After hearing the live recordings from RPM Fest in Massachusetts last September, we figured that it was time to release something that showcases our live sound. It was an awesome event all around with a great community taking part, and we were more than happy to be there and have our performance captured."

You can pre-order the EP from the following link: http://lnk.spkr.media/restless-spirit-live

Tracklisting

1.Judgement and Exile (Live at RPM Fest)

2.All Furies (Live at RPM Fest)

3.Cascade Immolator (Live at RPM Fest)

4.Lord of the New Depression (Live at RPM Fest) 

5.From the Dust Returned (Live at RPM Fest)

RESTLESS SPIRT support THE OBSESSED - (30th Anniversary of The Church Within US tour)

02 OCT 2024 New Kensington, PA (US) Preserving Underground

03 OCT 2024 Cleveland, OH (US) The Winchester

04 OCT 2024 Detroit, MI (US) Sanctuary

05 OCT 2024 Chicago, IL (US) Reggies, Music Joint

07 OCT 2024 Kansas City, MO (US) MiniBar

08 OCT 2024 Oklahoma City, OK (US) 89th Street

09 OCT 2024 Denton, TX (US) Andy's

10 OCT 2024 Austin, TX (US) The Lost Well

11 OCT 2024 Houston, TX (US) Black Magic Social Club

12 OCT 2024 New Orleans, LA (US) Siberia

14 OCT 2024 Orlando, FL (US) The Conduit

15 OCT 2024 Atlanta, GA (US) The Earl

16 OCT 2024 Raleigh, NC (US) Kings

17 OCT 2024 Richmond, VA (US) Cobra Cabana

18 OCT 2024 Baltimore, MD (US) The Ottobar

19 OCT 2024 Brooklyn, NY (US) Union Pool

20 OCT 2024 Cambridge, MA (US) Middle East, Upstairs

RESTLESS SPIRIT will be touring in support of their latest album "Afterimage". Please find details below:

In the case of RESTLESS SPIRIT, the band name says it all, and in more than just one way. Their third album, "Afterimage", embodies the East Coast trio's aim of never wanting to sound exactly like before. Long Island deep-fried guitars meet pounding rhythms and emotionally raw vocals. Where the predecessor "Blood of the Old Gods" (2021) sometimes ushered the listener into twisted complexity, "Afterimage" delivers short, sharp shocks that hit straight home.

 

Lyrically, "Afterimage" is also born out of a restless spirit. Driven by tragedy and personal loss, singer and guitarist Paul Aloisio has put his heart and soul into the album. Confronted with a choice to deal with his pain in a healthy way or go down a destructive path, the singer and guitarist opted for the former but months later found his words to be prophetic for doing the latter. Deciding that artistry requires honesty, Alosio wanted to share his experience as a message to others in similar situations that they're not alone in their despair. "Afterimage" might well be read as a cautionary tale.

 

Embarking on their musical journey very early in life, the band's core of Aloisio and bassist Marc Morello met the summer before Kindergarten and grew up discovering music side by side. Channelling influences like BLACK SABBATH, TYPE O NEGATIVE, and THE SWORD and incorporating aggressive modern metal, unabashed stoner-doom pummelling, energetic changes, and stirring, earnest vocals, their band was finally christened RESTLESS SPIRIT in 2019. Their debut full-length "Lord of the New Depression" (2019) fit equally well into the stoner, doom, and sludge molds, while on "Blood of the Old Gods", the three-piece developed a more varied, melodic approach with added complexity.

 

Discontent at being sometimes labelled 'progressive', RESTLESS SPIRIT, true contrarians that they are, avoided overly-long songs and excessive ornamentation on "Afterimage", intentionally eliminating anything that might distract from the new album's direct, crushing immediacy.

 

On the live front, the Long Island band has undertaken several tours in support of "Blood of the Old Gods" and shared stages with the likes of CROWBAR, THE OBSESSED and CANNIBAL CORPSE.  They will return to the road in winter 2023/24 to present "Afterimage".

 

With "Afterimage", RESTLESS SPIRIT deliver a massive punch to the gut that actually feels damn great once the initial pain subsides.

 

Line-up

Paul Aloisio – guitar, vocals

Jon Gusman – drums

Marc Morello – bass

Links

www.facebook.com/restlessspiritny

www.instagram.com/restlessspirit_

https://twitter.com/Restlessspirit_

Thanks to Magnetic Eye Records for all of the details.

Introduce Yourselves: Sacred Fuzz

What is the name of your band?

Sacred Fuzz

What is the genre of music that you play?

We play groove metal.

Can you give a brief history of the band of how it came together and where it is today?

Once upon a time, a St. Louis local band known as Burnt Inside shared a bassist with another band called Encrypted. All was great, but along the way, everyone grew up and started families and careers. After a decade of hard work and determination, we said, “F¤<k it. Let's rock again.

”We've been writing new music for the past four years with a new vocalist. Now, we’ve recently released an EP and just played our first big opening slot with Hed P.E.

What can people expect from your music?

Thick riffs mixed with thunderous drums, smothered in smooth, uplifting vocals, all set in an abyss of shredding and ambient lead guitars.

What is the best release that folks should check out from your 

Our latest EP, Beyond the Void, was recorded and produced DIY-style in our home studios. It's our strongest production to date, featuring the single “The Void Stares Back.”

Where can people find you on Social Media?

You can find us on Facebook and Instagram, listen to us on Spotify and other streaming platforms, and download the EP on Bandcamp

Socials

https://linktr.ee/sacredfuzz

https://www.facebook.com/Thesacredfuzz

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredfuzz

https://youtube.com/@thesacredfuzz1331

Thesacredfuzz.com 

EP

https://sacredfuzz.bandcamp.com/

https://open.spotify.com/album/3hUUDNU4Ir583ttZlcwjmW?si=VVRtyFNrSH-TbiUAMLinIA

https://music.apple.com/us/album/beyond-the-void-ep/1760240609?ls