New Heavy Sounds Release THE BLACK HEART Fundraiser Compilation

London label New Heavy Sounds has released a new digital compilation album with all proceeds going to the #savetheblackheart crowdfunder. 

The Black Heart is an integral part of the UK underground heavy music scene and international touring circuit. The list of incredible bands that have played in the venue is endless. Can you imagine a heavy music community without The Black Heart? Yeah, neither can New Heavy Sounds.

The Black Heart has spent a year adapting their bar and venue to meet government guidelines due to this awful pandemic, but they can go no further on their own. They need to raise £100,000 by the end of March 2021, or they face the very real prospect of never reopening. The venue are independently owned and operated and are proud to have retained all their staff, because they're a family. They are now reaching out to the extended Black Heart family for support as they launch the #savetheblackheart crowdfunder.

The Black Heart has played an integral part in the New Heavy Sounds Record's story. The label themselves have put on numerous gigs on at the venue including a week of shows during which they saw a performance by Vodun that persuaded the label to sign them. Paul from the label comments,

'We have launched many of our albums at The Black Heart including Black Moth, Limb and Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard. Our latest signings, Mountain Caller have a date to play a socially distanced show at The Black Heart to launch their debut album. Our Japanese two-piece noise-makers Blacklab were set to play The Black Heart as part of 2020's Desert Fest.

Ged and I have drunk and hung out there and seen a ton of bands in recent years - we even spent a memorable New Year's Eve when we invited Rob from Limb to judge an air-guitar contest in The Black Heart Bar. We love the bar, the venue, the staff, the vibe, the lot.

The Black Heart is one of the crucial grass roots venues, if not the most important, for the heavy underground scene. Times are hard indeed and we cannot rely of any 'hand-outs' to keep our beloved scene alive and thriving, we have to do it ourselves. That is why New Heavy Sounds and our bands are giving our tracks to The Black Heart in this digital compilation in order to raise funds to keep the venue going beyond the Pandemic.’

Featuring the likes of Black Moth, Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard, Sky Valley Mistress, Grave Lines, Vodun and Mountain Caller, the 11 track compilation is available digitally (suggested donation £5) from: 

https://newheavysounds.bandcamp.com/album/the-black-heart

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/savetheblackheart/

https://www.facebook.com/newheavysounds

DayGlo Mourning - Dead Star (Album Review)

Release Date: 12th February 2021. Record Label: Black Doomba Records. Formats: CD/DD

Dead Star - Tracklisting

Dead Star
The Offering
Bloodghast
Faithful Demise
Ashwhore
Witch’s Ladder

Band Members

Ray Miner - Drums
Jerimy McNeil - Bass, Vocals
Joseph Mills - Guitar, Vocals

Review

Dead Star is the new album from Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metallers DayGlo Mourning and continues their raucous blend of heavy groove and beer-fuelled sounds which whilst not exactly groundbreaking is still a welcome addition to the ever-growing bands playing action packed music such as this.

The album runs for around 35 minutes and DayGlo Mourning manage to find the time within each track to play an addictive style of Heavy Doom Rock with splashes of Psychedelic Rock with a lean and mean Space Rock attitude to match.

Opening song - Dead Star - is a great song to open the album with. As it gives the band the perfect opportunity to play their own style of aggressive Doom/Stoner Metal with a stripped back High On Fire style Sludgy atmosphere holding everything together. The instrumental work is excellent whilst the vocals offer a more “real” sound and that’s what I enjoyed most about this album. DayGlo Mourning keeps things mighty real despite the heavier Psychedelic and Spaced Out parts of the album giving them the creative freedom to run amok with the albums trippiest themes but the band keep everything “REAL”.

Second song - The Offering - is more slow-paced with mellow guitars and drums leading the way. The vocals have a distant effect to them which instantly draws you in but it’s the music keeping your attention with the promise of bigger and better things. The song explodes briefly with an aggressive outburst of flashy sludgy guitars but the band keep the mood at a slow pace before playing faster paced modern Doom riffs with a slightly claustrophobic edge.

Third song - Bloodghast - offers the longest and best track on the album. DayGlo Mourning continue their strong performance from the previous song and bring a more solidified modern gloomy Stoner Metal atmosphere but with a Progressive flair. The song is LOUD and DOOMS ON with heavy grooves being the best part of the album.

The 2nd half of the album sees DayGlo Mourning shine even brighter with more epic sounding guitars that bring the manic energy of High On Fire and Mastodon to the party but given a slightly modern Doom/Stoner Metal makeover. Ashwhore and Witche’s Ladder allows the band the perfect opportunity to play classic Doom/Stoner Metal riffs whilst bringing their own great ideas and themes to the party.

Dead Star is another excellent album from the band and offers 35 minutes of top-notch entertainment that provides everything you want from a thoroughly modern Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal album.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Dewar PR for the promo. Dead Star will be available to buy on CD/DD via Black Doomba Records from February 12th 2021.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp

MATHER - This Is The Underground (Album Review)

Release date: April 26th 2020. Label: Violence In The Veins Psych. Format: CD/Vinyl

This Is The Underground – Tracklisting

1.On 01:32
2.Recoil 05:31
3.A night to remember, a day to forget 09:46
4.Give in 02:36
5.Sympathy for the gods 06:53
6.Co-Lapse 13:23
7.Engine 08:13

Review

This Is The Underground from Greek Psych Prog Rockers MATHER which was originally released back in April 2020. I missed the album’s original release but the cool folks over at Violence In The Veins are releasing this album on CD/Vinyl and it’s given me a chance to listen to this album.

The album is a mixture of solid hooks and grooves that explore the Heavy Rock spectrum with MATHER playing more Spaced Out style of Prog Rock/Metal. The Atmospheric Sounds and Cosmic ideas allows MATHER to bring in heavier Doom/Stoner based elements to the mix with the album being progressive and heavier at the same time.

I haven’t seen many reviews of this album around but there’s a lot going for it. Excellent ideas from start to finish with MATHER fleshing out their sound on perhaps the more lengthier compositions such as: “A Night To Remember, A Day To Forget”, Sympathy For The Gods, Co-Lapse and Engine compared to the other tracks on the album.

Though, overall this album is a welcome addition to the other cool Hard Rock/Metal albums making themselves known recently over the last few years within the Greek scene.

Violence In The Veins have given this album the Vinyl Treatment and it’s a must-have release for all serious Prog-Rock/Metal fans.

Words by Steve Howe

This Is The Underground is now available to buy on CD/Vinyl now via Violence In The Veins.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

Ripcord Records, have just released 2 compilations to raise money for Refuge

Ripcord Records, have just released 2 compilations to raise money for Refuge - a charity in the UK that helps women and children who have experienced domestic abuse (refuge.org.uk). 100% of the money made is going to them.

Refuge: Part I is a post-rock/math rock compilation featuring 72 bands from 22 countries and over 7 hours of music.

 

Refuge: Part II is a post-/black/sludge metal compilation featuring 78 bands from 22 countries and over 8 hours of music.

They are both "pay what you like".

You can find both compilations on our bandcamp at www.ripcordrecords.com.

Kylver - The Plague Tapes (Album Review)

Release date: February 05th 2021. Label: Self Released. Format: DD

The Plague Tapes – Tracklisting

1.The Mountain Has Ghosts - Live 14:11
2.Hy-Brasil - Live 05:13
3.Allghoi - Live 13:04 

4.The Great Storm of 1703 - Live 14:01
5.Monolith - Live 11:28
6.The Dance of the Mountain Ghost - Live 06:13
7.The Frozen Sands - Live 12:51

Members

Jonny Scott (Guitar)
Barry Micherson (Drums)
James Bowmaker (Bass)
James Hill (Keys)

Review

It’s been 4 years since UK, Post-Rock/Post-Metallers Kylver released their last album back in October 2016 with The Island. Kylver are from my home-town of Newcastle Upon Tyne and I’ve seen them a few times over the years and always have time for their blend of Post-Rock/Post-Metal which fuses other areas of music such as Psych Rock, Prog Rock and Cinematic Rock.

The band have just released The Plague Tapes. The Plague Tapes is described below:

Kylver present ‘The Plague Tapes’, a collection of live recordings encompassing music from the bands two previously released studio albums, ‘The Mountain Ghost’ and ‘The Island’ as well as two new unreleased tracks: 'Allghoi' and 'The Frozen Sands'.

This “LIVE” performance was recorded in the iconic North East venue – The Cluny – back in August 2020 and sees the band play through a collection of the best tracks from the bands 1st two albums as well as including two new songs – Allghoi and The Frozen Sands.

This album is a great representation on how Kylver actually sound on the LIVE stage. The band’s Progressive Post-Rock/Post-Metal sound does take time to fully get going as there lots of different textures and themes to get accustomed to. Though, if you’re a fan of bands such as PELICAN, RUSSIAN CIRCLES and WE LOST THE SEA then you’ll soon be right at home.

The live performance itself is superbly recorded and is perhaps the perfect introduction for first-time listeners to become aware of this great band. The album is quite progressive with the many different styles of music the band play on each song.

The real bonus of the live album is to hear the 2 new tracks Kylver have included within the set with Allghoi and The Frozen Sands offering 26 minutes of new material from the band. Allghoi and The Frozen Sands are most definitely the standout moments for myself. Both songs offering a bleaker and doomier narrative compared to other things that Kylver have written previously.

The Frozen Sands is perhaps the best song from the new collection with Kylver showing they have changed their creative style in places and I adored the “Eastern” vibes heard on the song whilst retaining their classic Post-Rock/Post-Metal identity.

The band were going to record their 3rd album in 2020 but as they said recently: “Restricted access to rehearsal space, studio time and everything else the pandemic brought with it forced the band to rethink their plans, use what resources were available to them.”

The Plague Tapes is a thrilling Live Album that showcases the true talent and relentless nature of Kylver with a powerful performance that everyone should listen to.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links:

Official | Facebook | BandCamp 

Indica Blues - We Are Doomed (Album Review)

Release date: February 12th 2021. Label: APF Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

We Are Doomed – Tracklisting

1.Inhale
2.We Are Doomed
3.Demagogue 

4.Soul Embers
5.The End Is Calling
6.Cosmic Nihilism
7.Scarred For Life

Members

Andrew Haines-Villalta - Bass 

Tom Pilsworth - Guitar, Vocals
John Slaymaker - Guitar
Rich Walker – Drums

Review

UK Doom/Stoner Metallers Indica Blues make a welcome return with their new album We Are Doomed and is perhaps the perfect album title to use especially with all the stuff currently going on in the world. However, this album is a mighty fine superb album with Indica Blues focusing upon bringing their own classic style of Doom Metal, Stoner Metal with the band even bringing elements of Classic Desert Rock and Psychedelic Rock to this album.

Opening song – Inhale – has a “KYUSS” based mentality with the Desert/Stoner moments but the band add a more Doomier element but this is perhaps KYUSS would sound like if they were still kicking around today. Indica Blues add a world-weary Blues/Psych Rock vibe to the song. Tom’s vocals are superb on this track which suits the heavy grooves the band play on this song and the entire album. The “DOOMED” part of this album can be felt this early on and the song does have a slight “Apocalyptic” feel hinted at within the stunning album cover.

Second song – We Are Doomed – opens with a gloomy and catastrophic soundclip showing the end of the world is nigh so Indica Blues are fully on board with the end of the world with this record. A long distorted noises appears before a heavy sludgy guitar riff takes control and Indica Blues get straight down to business playing an almost “SABBATH” riff with distorted drone guitars moving onto a more standard style of Doom/Stoner Metal whilst keeping with the gloomy themes the band have written for this record.

Third song – Demagogue – sees Indica Blues play a classic style of Psych Stoner Metal with threatening intent with the heavy bass and guitars slowly easing to heavier levels of volume. The switching of different styles of music is quite good with Tom’s vocals allowing the listener to fully on get board with this dark and slightly Psychedelic slab of Stoner Metal.

Indica Blues carry on their dark and twisted journey with other great songs such as: Soul Embers, The End Is Calling and Cosmic Nihilism which sees the band play to their absolute creative strengths by writing great lyrics and music to match. The album can be quite cynical but when an album is called WE ARE DOOMED what do you expect. The music moves effortlessly between Doom, Psych and Stoner Metal with relevant ease and there is a high volume of great riffs to impress long-time listeners of the band and attract a few more along the way.

If you miss the good old days of Doom/Stoner Metal where bands such as Black Sabbath, KYUSS and Fu Manchu ruled the roost well Indica Blues are here to answer that call.

We Are Doomed is Indica Blues best record to date and offers another great band from the UK Doom/Stoner Metal scene for people to take notice of.

Words by Steve Howe

We Are Doomed can be pre-ordered on CD/DD/Vinyl via APF Records now.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp

JakeTheHawk - Hinterlands (Album Review)

Release Date: 19th February 2021. Record Label: Ripple Music. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Hinterlands - Tracklisting

Counting

Ochre And Umber

Interzone Mantra

Still Life

Uncanny Valley

June

Review

Hinterlands is the new album from Psych Stoner Rockers JakeTheHawk. This is the band's first record for their new label Ripple Music and continues in a similar style of music as that we’ve seen bands such as Forming The Void and Howling Giant played to great acclaim. I can see similar great things for JakeTheHawk on their new album with the band playing a more majestic style of Psych Stoner Rock compared to their debut album.

Hinterlands is a spellbinding collection of epic songs that drifts from one style of Psychedelic Stoner Rock/Metal to another that you wouldn’t expect. 

Opening song - Counting - opens with an almost surreal Ambient Post-Rock texture where the guitars slowly come into focus and move into a heavier style of Post-Doom/Post-Stoner that allows JakeTheHawk to expand on their heavy progressive sound. The vocals are excellent from the start and goes superbly well with the heavy sludgy guitars appearing for a more Alternative Desert Rock sound. 

Second song - Ochre And Umber - adapts a different style of music for this song with a more folk rock atmosphere blending Americana themes and JakeTheHawk’s unmistakable heavy guitar trademark sound. The song then moves into quieter territory for the vocals to take centre stage and the Alternative vibe of the album leading the way. There is still some gloomy atmospherics heard within the song but the song also adds a more despairing Desert Rock flow which the band have delicious fun playing their progressive riffs against.

Third song - Interzone Mantra - opens with a gloomy riff that has fun teasing the listener of what style of music that will appear next. JakeTheHawk plays another wild style of Cinematic Post-Doom Rock with that addictive Psych Stoner Metal having a more direct presence to it. The song takes it’s time to get to its natural conclusion. The vocals whilst not as strong as the opening two songs do offer a different style when the band offer dual vocals that move into CHANT based territory.

The 2nd half of the album sees JakeTheHawk continue their Psychedelic Music revolution with the band changing styles yet again across 3 excellent songs with Still Life and June being the best parts of the album. Whilst there are some challenging parts for the listener to experience, the album is always constantly engaging backed up by fantastic production values. This is a Ripple Music, do we expect anything less.

Hinterlands is a deeply rich and progressive wild album with a few surprises along the way. Such as the harsh vocals that appear out of nowhere on certain parts of the album. 

JakeTheHawk calls their music Appalachian Desert Rock and that is a good description but there’s so much more to the band than that cool description. They have written excellent and emotionally driven lyrics to match the brilliant music contained on the album. Put this altogether and you have the ingredients for an unmissable album.

As I said before, if you dig Howling Giant and Forming The Void then JakeTheHawk will make you feel right at home with this spellbinding and deeply hypnotic album.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo. Hinterlands will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Ripple Music from February 19th 2021.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp