Craetor - Surrender (EP Review)

Release Date: May 31st 2023. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Surrender: Tracklisting

Intro

Riot

Stone

Wretch

Wither

Members

Sebastian Ross - Vocals/Bass Mason Cheek - Guitar Tim Tinnemeyer - Drums

Review

Doom/Noise/Stoner Rockers Craetor return with their new EP Surrender and sees the band continue their Street Doom sound first heard on their Live EP released earlier this year. Surrender has a more violent and organic energy with Craetor playing a Fuzzier style of music which also brings a lot of distorted reverb on opening track Intro. The song is purely instrumental and acts as the perfect opener for the crazed theatrics that follows next.

Second song Riot is a more snarling Punk based affair with perhaps a manic Motorhead energy appearing and with the vocals perhaps that should be coming from a Thrash Metal and not a Stoner Rock EP. The song moves along at a terrific Sludgy pace with raw production values working surprisingly well for Craetor to make more creative strides within the Psychedelic realm. This is more of a seedy style of Doom/Stoner Rock which allows the band to have a more menacing attitude compared to the other tracks on the EP.

Third song Stone is another Noise Rock fuelled experience with glitchy guitars and a Garage Rock sound becoming more DOOM based. The vocals are a bit out there but the song holds your attention with the Distorted Rhythms and Sounds that soon changes into classic Grunge groove with a certain “Sub Pop Records” charm starting to appear.

Fourth song Wretch is one of the heaviest and distorted tracks on the EP. The mood remains constantly seedy yet again. There is a sense of Paranoia lurking in the background with the Noise Rock and Fuzzed Up grooves that brings a murky style of Slugdy Psychedelics into play. There’s traces of extended Riffs and Jams starting to appear. The best part of the song is when Craetor play a more straightforward style of Psych Stoner Rock with some of the best instrumental work on the later stages of the song.

The final song is Wither that lasts over six and a half minutes. The song follows the same destructive and creative Noise Rock/Fuzzed Up path as the previous track. I can hear influences as diverse as Soundgarden, Whores, BORIS and The Melvins with Craetor still applying their own aggressive style into the mix. The vocals are a bit disjointed in places but matches the DIY themes Craetor have used for the record.

Surrender is another mighty fine release from Craetor and I’m becoming more excited by the prospect of their debut full length album. Craetor offer a different and subtle style of Doom/Stoner Rock and these guys deserve your full attention.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links

Instagram | Spotify

Moonstone - Growth (Album Review)

Release Date May 17th 2023. Record Label: Galactic Smokehouse / Interstellar Smoke Records. Formats: CD/DD

Growth: Tracklisting

1.Harvest 02:40

2.Bloom 07:46

3.Sun 08:01

4.Night 05:04

5.Lust 06:16

6.Emerald 06:12

Review

Growth is the new from Doom/Stoner Metallers Moonstone and it’s a different record compared to their 2021 release 1904. Moonstone have changed into a more Psychedelic band compared to that release. Growth has a more transcendent metal approach with influences such as YOB and Pallbearer coming into the mix. There’s a more adventurous sound to this album with Moonstone wisely merging elements of Post-Metal, Heavy Psych, Prog Rock, Doom Metal and Stoner Metal. 

Growth has an array of different QUIET vs LOUD moments of emotionally charged music with Moonstone having a Cosmic feel to their music. The opening songs of Harvest and Bloom showcase that Post-Whatever dynamic with vocals that are full of SORROW and have a DRONE quality to them. The music is cautiously optimistic at times but comes alive when Moonstone brings a more sombre attitude to the heavy grooves that have a hint of melody to them.

Becoming ever more DOOM based on the songs that follow especially on Sun, Night and Lust that allows Moonstone play a more ethereal style of Prog Doom/Stoner Metal with flashes of Cosmic Metal and Occult Doom slowly appearing. The instrumental work is relentless with harsh sludgy sounds being the main order of business for Moonstone to bring new levels of DOOMED OUT HEAVINESS to their creative repertoire. 

The album has its fair share of sublime guitar solos that can be quite flashy at times but it works within the creative confinements that Moonstone have adapted for this album. Growth allows Moonstone to build a more dramatic world compared to their previous releases. The vocals do take some getting used to but they’re delivered with charm and conviction even when they have a more sinister feeling to them on tracks such as Bloom and Sun.

Growth is another winning and spellbinding album from Moonstone that showcases another brilliant band from the famed Poland underground Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal scene. 

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Growth is available to buy now on CD/DD from Galactic Smokehouse and Interstellar Smoke Records.

Links

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Heldscalla - Two Cathedrals (Album Review)

Release Date: June 02nd 2023. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Two Cathedrals: Tracklisting

1.Swamp Throat 08:57

2.Amhran Scath 06:08

3.A Chapter For Humming Blood 06:24

4.Otis 03:37

5.Witcheim Minor 09:43

6.Deiu Lache 07:23

7.Nightmare Riders 06:18

Members

Jensen White: Bass Guitar

Gregory Marlor: Guitars

James White: Drums

Brian O'Toole: Vocals, Guitars, Keys

Review

Psych Sludge/Doom/Stoner Metallers Heldscalla made a mighty impression with their debut album Fog Creatures Of Antiquity. The band have returned with their even  better new album Two Cathedrals which sees Heldscalla opt for a heavier and progressive sound compared to their debut. The album is a more multi-layered experience with Heldscalla drawing influence from bands such as Neurosis, Mastodon and Baroness but with more leanings into Psychedelic Rock/Metal.

Opening song Swamp Throat has a Post-Doom feel before launching into a heavier and furious style of Sludge/Stoner Metal. The vocals from Brian are self assured and highly confident with his aggressive style working superbly well with the Progressive Sludgy attitude the band play on this track. The later stages are more Ambient and Post-Rock driven which allows the album to have a Dramatic and slightly Theatrical approach. When Heldscalla plays a faster style of music, the grooves become more melodic and groove orientated which shows the listener what lies ahead for the rest of the album.

Second song Amhran Scath opens with a slightly distorted Doomed Out sound before Heldscalla explodes into an avalanche of furious growls, grooves and harsh lyrics that allows this track to be one of the standout moments of the album. Atmospheric Guitars offer an aggressive Psychedelic tone which moves further into RELAPSE RECORDS territory in places. Brian’s vocals are OFF THE CHART with the bombastic style of Death Growls, Grunts and Clean Vocals. Heldscalla are playing music that feels inspired by GOJIRA and MASTODON with the beautiful and chaotic melodies having an ICE COLD appearance to them. 

Third song A Chapter For Humming Blood continues with the Post-Metal attitude of the album with Heldscalla diving right into the action playing harsh sounds with more focus on the Doom element of their music. The song wisely drifts from Post-Whatever grooves to a more PRIMAL style of Sludge/Stoner Metal. The Psychedelic moments add a touch of creative class to the song with trippy sound effects that leaves a lasting impression with the quieter and sombre moments of the album.

Fourth Song Otis is a more riff-driven number with Heldscalla playing the shortest song on the album. Less progressive than the other tracks on the record. The instrumental work is faster and more direct. This is a straight up Sludge/Stoner Metal banger with the band playing some of the most interesting and heaviest grooves on the album. 

The final three tracks on the album Witcheim Minor, Deiu Lache and Nightmare Riders sees Heldscalla return to the Progressive world and offer some of the bleakest lyrics contained on the album. The music moves from Ambient, Atmospheric and Post-Metal based sounds which allows the band to experiment with their sound even further. More SONIC based but the music speaks for itself with a wide array of intense grooves to impress listeners with. Brian’s vocals feel inspired by Bruce Dickinson especially on Witcheim Minor and Nightmare Riders. 

Two Cathedrals benefits from first rate production values with Monolord’s Esben Willems on Mastering Duties from his famed Studio Berserk. Cameron Heck works his magic on Mixing  duties. Cameron is also on Engineering duties with help from Jack McKool. So expect a top-notch listening experience from start to finish.

Heldscalla have released an unexpected delight with Two Cathedrals. The album is complex, bold and daring that offers a more over the top style for a modern day Psych Sludge/Doom/Stoner Metal album such as this. 

Words by Steve Howe

Links

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SlowRepeat - Desert (Single Review)

Release Date: May 29th 2023. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Desert: Tracklisting

Desert

Review

Psych Doom/Stoner Metallers SlowRepeat new song Desert is a trip to the Experimental side of the Doom/Stoner sound with a glitchy and distorted style of music allowing the band to bring a bold DIY flavour to the standard rules of the scene. It’s not the best produced song but there’s a deliciously aggressive edge to SlowRepeat’s overall sound.

The instrumental work can be quite Industrial and Punk based in places but there’s a trippy Desert Rock sound bursting to get out of the seams which can be reminiscent of OM and BONG in places with the trippy GREGORIAN based vocals and chants.

Harsh Soundscapes allows SlowRepeat to build upon their experimental sound I first heard on their 2022 debut self titled release. This release is more self aware and SlowRepeat seem more confident with their creative surroundings especially on the more Doomed Out parts and I admire the slow based approach they allow for their heavy grooves to really gather momentum which really shines in the HEAVY VOLUME department.

Desert is a great track with some fantastic droned out grooves which could serve the band well in becoming more well known within the Doom/Stoner Metal underground scene. 

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links

Linktree | BandCamp

 

Psychedelic Punk Rock Band We Kill Cowboys Unleashes New Single and Music Video “Pink Codeine”

Get ready to embrace a mind-altering journey into the realm of Psychedelic Punk 

Rock as We Kill Cowboys unveils their new single and accompanying music video. 

With their signature blend of raw energy, psychedelic aesthetics, and rebellious 

spirit, this boundary-pushing band is poised to ignite a revolution in the South African 

heavy music scene.

The track, Pink Codeine is a sonic explosion that transports listeners to a 

heightened state of consciousness. Seamlessly merging searing guitar riffs, pulsating rhythms, and ethereal vocals, the single encapsulates the essence of the 

band's unique sound. 

We Kill Cowboys has built a reputation for their high-octane live performances, 

captivating audiences with their electrifying stage presence and infectious energy. 

With their new single and music video, they continue to push the boundaries of 

creativity and deliver a sonic punch that resonates deep within the soul.

Commenting on the release lead vocalist Alex Muller expressed, “It was inspired by 

my struggles with addiction years back. Thinking about the psychological dance that you go through, more so than the physical addiction of a substance. Then it also ties Into my thoughts around the ego and the true self and being able to wake up to what Your truth really is.”

“This song is more of an observation, a sharing of life experience. I think anyone 

could relate to it and let it speak to them in the way it needs to for that individual… I guess the message is that it’s never too late to wake up to stop hiding from yourself.”

Buy / Stream Pink Codeine out not on Mongrel Records

https://orcd.co/pink-codeine

About We Kill Cowboys

We Kill Cowboys is a Cape Town based, 4-piece rock ‘n roll band, the brainchild of 

tattoo artist and singer-song writer, Alex Muller.

The band fuses elements of psychedelic rock, punk rock, grunge and stoner blues 

with an anti-establishment lyrical content, delivered by Alex’s raw, sultry, gritty 

vocals.

Jono’s dirty, wielding guitar riffs, Andrew’s metal drum fills blasting alongside Danie’s 

fuzzy bass grooves … These guys are here to turn the amps right up and blow ear 

holes and minds.

Follow We Kill Cowboys

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Hemplifier - The Stoner Side Of The Doom (Album Review)

Release Date: June 02nd 2023. Record Label: Electric Valley Records. Formats: DD/Vinyl

The Stoner Side Of The Doom: Tracklisting

Headless Chicken (Intro)

Brujo

Invocation

Gort

Weedcraft

Snooze (Outro)

Review

The Stoner Side Of The Doom is the new album from Doom/Stoner Metallers Hemplifier. A band from Malta who' are made up of veterans of the local scene as far back as the 1990's. They state they love AMPS and VINTAGE GEAR which answers why their debut album is ferociously LOUD and full of DISTORTED GROOVES and AMPLIFIER FEEDBACK.

With an album called "The Stoner Side Of The Doom", you know what type of music that Hemplifier will play. However, there's more to Hemplifier's music than Stoner Metal and Doom Metal. The band also focus upon Psych Rock, Fuzz Rock, Grunge and Sludge Metal. The music is mostly FUZZ inspired with a lot of menacing groove that brings back memories of Electric Wizard, SLEEP, High On Fire and Black Sabbath. The "LOW & SLOW" approach is heard from the very start with tracks such as Headless Chicken and Brujo settling the scene. 

Opening song Headless Chicken is a slow Instrumental Doom/Stoner Metal piece with an atmospheric Post-Rock sound. There's a creepy element within the confinements of the track which is used in the later aspects of the album.

Second song Brujo opens with a FUZZ based sound inspired by Electric Wizard and SLEEP. A slow moving monster of a track with heavy amounts of punishing Sludgy based Doom/Stoner Metal. The track has an eerie Garage Rock vibe with Hemplifier playing at their own pace. The production values are quite raw and match the underground aesthetics superbly well. The harsh vocals appear in brief bursts of aggressive energy around the halfway point and they're mostly DOOM & GLOOM based. If you dig GUITAR REVERB and FUZZY DOOM soundscapes then Brujo offers the perfect track to become accustomed to Hemplifier's style of great music.

Third song Invocation is where Hemplifier offer the first of three tracks that run near or past the nine minutes mark. As they bring a more Progressive feel to the album. The grooves are more Classic Doom based with the modern day sounds relate to the Fuzz, Stoner and Sludgy aspects of the track. Adding a droned out MELVINS quality to the track, Hemplifier wisely pick their moments to play more riff-based grooves. As the song is mostly delivered by long drawn out guitars and subtle intricate drumming. The vocals are mostly clean based but with an OCCULT edge to them though they do change to a more primal style of CHANTS on the more gloomier moments.

Fourth song Gort continues the great work shown on Invocation but with a dominant Psychedelic Droned Out aspect. The song is cautiously slow yet again but Hemplifier use their love of AMPLIFIER DISTORTION and VINTAGE SOUNDS to great advantage for the heaviest parts of the album. The song is purely instrumental with a bleak slow-paced delivery allowing the listener to soak up that vital SLEEP/Black Sabbath inspired aggressive energy which comes out the most throughout the thrilling BASS HEAVY sounds.

The final two tracks Weedcraft and Snooze (Outro) allows Hemplifier to play their uncompromising blend of Down-tuned and Doomed Out Stoner Metal theatrics with absolute relish. This part of the album is perhaps the most sinister but the WEEDIAN CREATIVE themes shine brightly mostly on Weedcraft which is another one of the standout moments of the entire album.

The Stoner Side Of The Doom showcases everything we know and love from the Doom/Stoner Metal Underground Scene with Hemplifier's clever use of Sound Manipulation and Amplifier Feedback that all builds upto a highly volatile record that ultimately questions your sanity at times. However, this is a wonderfully LOUD and deceptive album which is helped along by excellent production values. 

Overall, Hemplifier have delivered the goods with The Stoner Side Of The Doom and the Underground Scene should welcome this band with open arms. As this is an absolutely thrilling gem of an album that offers many moments of volatile Sludge/Doom/Stoner Metal to fully lose yourself in.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Qabar PR for the promo.

The Stoner Side Of The Doom will be available to buy on DD/Vinyl via Electric Valley Records from Friday June 02nd 2023.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

REZN and VINNUM SABBATHI to release collaborative album "Silent Future" on August 11th via Blues Funeral Recordings; stream first single!

Blues Funeral Recordings present the next chapter of their acclaimed PostWax series, with a fully collaborative album between Chicago avant-garde doom outfit REZN and Mexico City instrumental cosmic metallers Vinnum Sabbathi. "Silent Future" will be released worldwide on August 11th, with preorders and the first single available right now!

Listen to REZN and Vinnum Sabbathi's new track "Hypersurreal"

On Silent Future, Chicago atmospheric psych-doom outfit REZN teams up with Mexico City cosmic conceptualists Vinnum Sabbathi for a true union of heavy exploration. Allowing themselves a fluid, open canvas to experiment, members of both bands contribute equally to create an album of lush, hypnotic and frequently megalithic ambiance, yielding an utterly cohesive trip into the riff-drenched astral reaches.

About this collaborative album, REZN comments:  "Ever since we played a show in Mexico City with Vinnum Sabbathi, we knew we wanted to find an opportunity to incorporate their cinematic style within the REZN soundscape. The Postwax creative concept helped guide us into making an album that stands out from the rest of our catalog, which was a really refreshing challenge for us. After the songwriting flowed freely, we intentionally left space so we could collaborate together on each song and explore the many shades of psychological cosmic horror." 

Vinnum Sabbathi adds: "We feel honored to be part of the Postwax series with this special collaboration with our Friends Rezn, the creation of “Silent Future” gave us the opportunity of experimenting with new ways of composing and recording, but also adding our own touch to the concept with the use of samples and this is very well represented in the first single “Hypersurreal”.

 

The fluidity with which REZN and Vinnum Sabbathi collaborate is unlikely, yet inarguable. Strong nuclear forces conjoin sections as alternatingly ethereal as celestial light and dense as a black hole collapse.  Ultimately, the endeavor is never limited to being one thing for long, any more than it is limited to being the work of a single band. More than a listening experience, Silent Future’s vitality extends beyond the aural. This is the work of two groups pushing themselves further than they’ve gone before, each answering the other's question of how far they can ultimately go. As heavy as Silent Future gets, as distant as it may range, one cannot regard this righteously thick, molten-tempo journey into the unknown as anything but breathtaking.

"Silent Future" will be released worldwide on August 11th in various vinyl formats, limited digipak CD and digital. The ultra-limited deluxe vinyl edition will be shipped in June to PostWax Vol. II subscribers. Preorders are available now on Blues Funeral Recordings.

REZN & VINNUM SABBATHI "Silent Future" - Out August 11th on Blues Funeral Recordings

Preorder now on BFR website - Bandcamp - EU store

TRACKLIST:

1. Born Into Catatonia

2. Unknown Ancestor

3. The Cultigen

4. Hypersurreal

5. Clusters

7. Morphing

8. Obliterating Mists

Album lineup:

Gerardo Arias: Drums, Percussion, Lead Guitars

Phil Cangelosi: Bass

Patrick Dunn: Drums

Samuel Lopez: Bass

Rob McWilliams: Guitars, Vocals

Spencer Ouellette: Synths, Sax, Flute

Juan Tamayo: Heavy guitars, Synths

Roman Tamayo: Additional FX

Victor “KB” Velazquez: Additional Guitars

Manuel Wohlrab: Spoken Word

The seed for Chicago quartet REZN’s megaton riffs and psychedelic journeys was planted when guitarist Rob McWilliams and bassist Phil Cangelosi began jamming at age twelve in the DC commuter town of Leesburg, Virginia. Relocating to Chicago in 2015, the pair recruited local sound engineer Patrick Dunn to bash on the drums, and, after playing just three shows together, set about recording their molten amp-worshiping debut LP, also inviting their friend Spencer Ouellette to round out the bottom-heavy sound with the hum and squall of modular synth.  Several albums and experimental releases later, REZN has forged a unique style of heavy music by molding disparate textural and musical elements into a shimmering, pummeling cohesion of crushing mass, cosmic weightlessness and lysergic calm.

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Formed in 2012 in Mexico City, Vinnum Sabbathi merges loud, slow and distorted riffs with samples from science fiction and science fact, transmitted to listeners through heavy jams and hypnotic transitions. Across two EPs, four split releases, two albums and a live session, this hyperdimensional foursome's singular goal is to create powerful interstellar soundtracks to both earth-originating and space-born cosmic events, via both studio recordings as well as live outings across Mexico and Europe.

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About the PostWax series: The PostWax vinyl subscription series presents exclusive limited-edition records from some of the best stoner rock, doom and heavy psych bands on the planet. Benefiting from a spectacular success in 2018, PostWax Year One debuted monster releases to subscribers first — including Elder's "The Gold & Silver Sessions" and Lowrider's seminal comeback album "Refractions" — which were subsequently released in standard retail versions to the public several months later. PostWax II will unfold as a series of 9 deluxe releases on gorgeous vinyl, next-level sleeve design, hand-crafted art and illustrations, and behind-the-scenes liner notes, with releases from Dead Meadow, Acid King, Dozer, Josiah, Dopelord, Mammoth Volume, The Otolith, REZN & Vinnum Sabbathi, Lowrider & Elephant Tree.

 

BLUES FUNERAL RECORDINGS links

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