Thorndale - Lightning Spawn (Album Review)

 

Release Date: 23rd February 2024. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: CD/DD

Lightning Spawn - Tracklisting

1. Lightning Spawn

2. Ain’t the End of My Rope

3. Born as a Stranger

4. I Accuse You

5. Into the Eyes of Old

6. Foreboding

Review

Lightning Spawn is the new album from Thorndale captures a more modern flavour of Grooved Out Stoner Metal with a crunching collection of Doom Metal progressive passages. With a classical Heavy Metal sound which allows Thorndale to play some outstanding moments of Guitar Shredding with the band moving to a more familiar style of music whilst setting the scene with their own blend of harsh sounding grooves.

There’s moments of Pantera, Lamb Of God, Black Sabbath and Crowbar aggressive energy which Thorndale plays very early on within the album with opening tracks: Lightning Spawn and Ain’t The End Of My Rope. With an off-kilter NOLA based Sludgy element moving into more Prog Metal riff-wizardry which keeps a fine style of 1980’s Heavy Metal and modern day Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Metal sounds that lean into almost cinematic world-building moments which allows Thorndale to be quite more dominant with their HEAVY METAL creative side. 

The vocals are primarily clean-based with a slight FANTASTICAL and OTT delivery to them which works superbly well on the more outlandish moments where the guitar solos go off script and becoming more outrageous on tracks such as Ain’t The End Of My Rope, Born As A Stranger, I Accuse You and Foreboding.

Lightning Spawn does have a Post-Apocalyptic flow which keeps the album quite well grounded despite the Post-Doom and Destructive nature of the album. Thorndale even switched to moments of 90’s sounding Grunge for the later stages of the album with the band touching upon Alice In Chains and Soundgarden for direct influences whilst keeping their Doom/Stoner/Groove Metal mentality. The album is superbly melodic with a multitude of different styles from Throndale for listeners to contend with.

This allows Lightning Spawn to be quite an action packed ride that will delight the whole contingent of the Heavy Metal and Hard Rock community with its limitless amount of different styles and ferocious catchy grooves that will leave you breathless at times.

This is a great album and quality sounding release for Thorndale to make themselves more well known within the global Heavy Rock/Metal scene.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe 

Thanks to Grand Sounds Promotion for the promo.

Lightning Spawn will be available to buy on CD/DD om February 23rd 2024.

Links

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Observers Release Cosmic New Single And Music Video "Into The Eye" From Upcoming New Album The Age Of The Machine Entities

Ahead of instrumental doom crew Observers' debut album 'Age of the Machine Entities", out March 4, the band presents new single "Into The Eye" and its accompanying music video. As beautiful as it is mysterious, the track is brought to life by Clint Lewis of Brisbane's Red Tape Pictures. Known for his striking and majestic videos for acts including The Church, Steve Kilbey, and Martin Kennedy's own All India Radio, Lewis creates a dramatic story reminiscent of astronaut Dave Paulson's time-warping journey in 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Featuring otherworldly vistas, looming obelisks, hooded guitar shredding, and more, the video was premiered on Australia's own ABC and rage TV, bringing Kennedy's space doom opera to the masses. To quote rage TV, "Yoooo, the Nazgûl kinda shred?" Turns out they very much do, in space no less.

"A dark, epic trek through the cosmos... atmospheric, melodic, and full of menace and wonder"

ABOUT THE ALBUM:

Martin Kennedy of All India Radio fame brings us the cosmic doom epic "The Age of the Machine Entities", his new instrumental band Observers' debut album. Set to be released into the universe on March 4, 2024, "The Age of the Machine Entities" is a fusion of artistic brilliance that pays homage to the timeless mystery of "2001: A Space Odyssey.”

With decades of experience honing his craft in ambient rock outfit All India Radio, Kennedy pivots into the dark expanses of doom metal with Observers. His mastery of mood and atmosphere proves a natural fit, and across nine tracks the listener is treated to an instrumental reimagining of Stanley Kubrick and Arthur C Clark's sci-fi epic.

"The Age of the Machine Entities" is exactly what it sets out to be - a dark, epic trek through the cosmos, conveyed through Kennedy's molding of doom metal into a sound that's atmospheric, melodic, and full of menace and wonder. But be warned, and prepare yourself for Observers to come aboard. Because without your space helmet, Dave? You're going to find that rather difficult.

IN THE BAND'S OWN WORDS:

"‘Into The Eye’ is the latest single from Observers' upcoming new album 'The Age of the Machine Entities'. The song title is named after a chapter in Arthur C Clarke's novelisation of 2001: A Space Odyssey, where Astronaut Dave Bowman looks into the eye aka the stargate and utters the iconic line 'my god, it's full of stars.'

The album itself is entirely instrumental and takes us on a cosmic journey through melodic metal, atmospheric riffs and psychedelic ambient sequences with echoes of Gojira, Black Sabbath and Tangerine Dream and the early 70’s work of Pink Floyd."

THE LOWDOWN

Observers - The Age of the Machine Entities

Out March 4, 2024 (Digital, CD, Vinyl)

Hobart, Australia

FFO: Bongripper, Clouds Taste Satanic, Pink Floyd

Observers is:

Martin Kennedy (All India Radio) - Guitars and soundscapes

Rich Gray (Annihilator) - Bass

Chris Bohm - Drums

Guest solos by Joe Haley (Psycroptic), Jake Weber, Ido Romano,  Joao Corceiro, and Breno Machado

Mixed by Joe Haley

Cover art by Ryan T Hancock

Tracklist:

1. Into The Eye (2:59)

2. Frank Poole's Dream (2:30)

3. Frozen Lattices of Light (3:27)

4. Strange and Beautiful (3:33)

5. Pod Bay Doors (2:01)

6. Moon Doom (3:24)

7. Metaphor II (11:38)

8. The Star Child (3:03)

9. The Narrow Way Part II (2:57)

Links:

observers.au
YouTube
Instagram
Facebook

BandCamp

Thanks to Good Boy PR for all of the details.

More Than Shadows - But If There Was A Plan (EP Review)

Release Date: 01st February 2024. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

But If There Was A Plan - Tracklisting

1.But if there was a plan 05:58

2.Out from the void 03:12

3.Too many choices 06:45

Members

Ryan Tocchini - guitars, keys, voices

Elijah Tocchini - drums and percussion

Shaun Notdurft - guitar

Joe Pettit Jr. - bass

Review

But If There Was A Plan is the new EP from Post-Rock/Drone/Stoner Rock outfit More Than Shadows who bring an Alt Rock/Doomgaze sound to their new EP. The vocals delve into areas of Post-Punk with the music being quite gloomy despite the Stoner Rock tendencies that appear within the EP. The production values are what you expect with More Than Shadows having a claustrophobic and raw-sounding appeal to their music which you can instantly hear and fully appreciate on the EP’s standout title track.

Opening song But If There Was A Plan has a sludgy Doomgaze flow which allows the Drone/Stoner Rock textures to fully form and appear with an aggressive violent sound which has a lot of guitar reverb when the screeching guitars appear. 

Second song Out From The Void has a certain Sisters Of Mercy and Type O Negative energy to the track especially with the vocals and lyrics written for this track. The sludgy down-tuned fuzzy guitars are quite forceful especially within the heavier Psychedelic sounds appear. The song suddenly ends and fades out which is quite a shame. As things were starting to become very interesting indeed for the EP to fully deliver upon.

The final track Too Many Choices continues with the dark lyrical themes with a subtle Post-Doom/Grunge sound being played at a slow-to-mid pace. The Post-Punk element of the vocals have a certain storytelling element to them with the track also featuring some of the most impressive grooves on the EP.

More Than Shadows have delivered a strong collection of tracks with this excellent EP. The EP could have done with an extra song or two but overall, this is a great release to entice the Doom/Stoner Rock community with. I’m hoping there’s more cool sounding releases from More Than Shadows in the near future.

Words by Steve Howe 

Links

Facebook | BandCamp

Psyrup - El Conejo (Album Review)

Release Date: 01st February 2024. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD/Vinyl

El Conejo - Tracklisting

1.Time Traveler 07:22

2.Ball of Energy 11:08

3.The Rabbit 02:14

4.The Ghostship Lantern 04:25

5.The Motheroot 05:37

6.Interstellar Freedom & The Wayward Homunculus 10:21

Members

Ryan Tocchini - guitars, keys, voices

Elijah Tocchini - drums and percussion

Shaun Notdurft - guitar

Joe Pettit Jr. - bass

Review

Psychedelic/Space/Stoner Rockers Psyrup return with their new album El Conejo. The album has quite a dramatic science fiction feel with Psyrup focusing upon playing a more “Out There” style of Psychedelic Journey with moments of Hard Rock, Doom and Prog Rock sounds. Psyrup adds warped sound effects to their music with the band influenced by bands such as Deep Purple, Hawkwind, Pink Floyd and Black Sabbath whilst keeping everything stuck in a permanent 1970’s sounding time loop within the whole time frame of the album.

El Conejo has a fractured story line where things don’t make sense with the band adding multiple narratives which comes into play early on within the excellent two opening tracks of Time Traveller and Ball Of Energy. Lead vocalist Ryan has a very cool way of delivering heavy digitised vocals and having an out of world feeling which allows Psyrup playing classic style of KrautRock and Space Rock for a more dramatic flow. The sound could be considered Classic Rock with it’s outbursts of “Retro” sounds that soon manifest into more Doom and Blues Rock based pastures which once again allows the album to be very hard to categorise at times.

Third Track The Rabbit has a more laid-back Funk Driven score with some trippy soulful blues sounds which has a certain 60’s/70’s “kitsch” energy to it which showcases another cool style for Psyrup to entice and impress listeners with.

Fourth track The Ghostship Lantern goes full on Pink Floyd with it’s Psychedelic tendencies and it’s groovy off-kilter Poppy vocals and lyrics still evolving into a more classic style of Doom Rock with a loving nod to The Beatles in places. The Electronic beats offer a more sinister sound on the later stages of the track. 

The final two tracks The Motheroot and Interstellar Freedom & The Wayward Homunculus are best described as 1970’s Hard Rock/Doom/Blues Rock flair. This part of the album is where Psyrup operates with a more dynamically powerful Funk Rock/Jam Rock swagger which contains some of the album's standout instrumental grooves.

El Conejo is not your standard Psychedelic Stoner Rock record with Psyrup always thinking outside of the box and taking the listener on a wild exuberant ride which moves across the boundaries of Classic Hard Rock. The end result is a highly satisfying record that’s boosted by superb production values throughout which allows Psyrup to deliver a quality sounding album which will impress you with its delicious trippy sounds.

Words by Steve Howe 

Links

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FUZZORAMA RECORDS To Release Grunge/Stoner Rockers BOTTENHAVET Debut Album Ljud i Tysta Rum on April 12th 2024.

We decided to sign BOTTENHAVET after about 30 seconds of the first demo song we heard. Swedish rock forged in snow. They deliver unbeatable groove and stunning melodies. The band name translates to ’The Bothnian Sea’ so it's not hard to guess that the harsh climate has had an impact of this band! Before even releasing an album they have shows booked in Sweden, Finland and Poland. Listen and you will understand why!

Stockholm-based Bottenhavet is set to make waves in the stoner/fuzz/rock scene with their highly anticipated debut album. With a unique and diverse sound rooted in rock, their music blends elements of 70s hard rock with influences ranging from stoner, prog, and grunge. Prepare to be captivated by their fresh approach.

The upcoming album, titled 'Ljud i tysta rum,' has been expertly mixed and mastered by acclaimed producer Robert Pehrsson at Studio Humbucker. Set to be released on Fuzzorama Records, a label known for their association with fuzz rock giants Truckfighters, in early 2024, it represents everything that Bottenhavet has achieved musically thus far.

'Ljud i tysta rum' is a powerful and melodic collection of songs that pushes the boundaries of the band's signature sound. With a seamless blend of delicacy and strength, Bottenhavet has crafted a formidable album that is sure to leave an impression. Keep an eye out for its release, and immerse yourself in their captivating world of sound.

Touring coming up as well, don't miss out:

APR 13 - LATITUDE 59 - Uppsala, SWE
APR 18 - UTOPIA - Turku, FIN
APR 19 - TULLIKAMARI KLUBI - Tampere, FIN
MAY 4 - TBA - Stockholm, SWE
MAY 16 - 2PROGI - Poznan, PL
MAY 17 - PROXIMA - Warzawa, PL
MAY 24 - DIRTY DEEDS ROCK CLUB - Göteborg, SWE

Get tickets HERE!

Pre-Order Ljud i Tysta Rum via Fuzzorama Records now

Links

Official | Facebook | Instagram

Pre-order for Esben Willem's solo album 'Glowing Darkness' Now Available And New Song Cabaret Street Released

Pre-order for Esben Willem's solo album 'Glowing Darkness' is now open!

"Glowing Darkness" is the fruition of many years of songwriting, conceptual exploration and the pursuit of creative expression no matter one's limitations.

A completely DIY, and multifaceted release full of texturally varied composition and irreverent lyricism, ‘Glowing Darkness’ reflects the struggle and absurdity of the human condition through Esben’s personal lens, and though largely autobiographical, at no point does the album take itself too seriously. Exuding endless amounts of catchy, foot tapping hooks and a healthy dose of anthemic raging, ‘Glowing Darkness’ is an inspiringly raucous ode to creating regardless of one’s limitations and includes nine tracks of hook rich, punk spirited alternative rock.

“Less sludge and more of a post-punk edge, the entirety of “Cabaret Street” is a stomping earworm bound to be repeated multiple times today.” - METAL INJECTION

“I have no idea where this will lead us, but I have a definite feeling it will be a place both wonderful and strange.” - LT. DALE COOPER, TWIN PEAKS

At Majestic Mountain Records you can except the unexpected!

Shadow Demon Edition

180-gram heavyweight vinyl
Color-in-color: black/clear marbled with red center
Single sleeve with 3mm spine
Full color insert
Black poly-lined inner sleeve
Protective plastic sleeve
33 rpm heaviness
Includes a signed A3-poster! (Exclusive for this Edition)
Strictly Limited to 100 copies

Utopiyeah Edition

180-gram heavyweight vinyl
Black/white merge
Single sleeve with 3mm spine
Full color insert
Black poly-lined inner sleeve
Protective plastic sleeve
33 rpm heaviness
Strictly Limited to 100 copies

Caffè Doppio Edition

180-gram heavyweight vinyl
Black like the blackest of coffee
Single sleeve with 3mm spine
Full color insert
Black poly-lined inner sleeve
Protective plastic sleeve
33 rpm heaviness
Strictly Limited to 100 copies

Test pressings with alternative artwork
10 available of 20.

Track Listing:

1. Cabaret Steet
2. Dear Demon
3. Carte Blanche
4. Embrace The Fall
5. Slow Rain
6. Glowing Darkness
7. Space Bob
8. Fortune Teller
9. Across The Everything

Performed, produced, mixed, and mastered by Esben Willems at Studio Berserk Gothenburg.
Photography by Jonas Andersson
Layout by Rickard Höök

These are mockups and the end result will vary!

Pre-Order From Majestic Mountain Records now

Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metallers TROY THE BAND Release New Song/New Video For FAUNA From Their Upcoming Debut Album CATACLYSM

Sludge/Doom/Stoner Metallers Troy The Band release their highly anticipated debut album Cataclysm this Friday and it's already starting to make waves for the and within the underground scene.

You can read my review here

I'm happy to premiere the new video for the single FAUNA from Cataclysm which you can watch below:

Troy The Band say this about the song and video below:

"Fauna is the last song on Cataclysm and one of the last songs we wrote for the album. It's one of the more diverse tracks on the album combining Craig's unusual vocal cadence, some big grooves, tempo changes, as well as some mind bending guitar work from Sean Burn. Lyrically it deals with animal cruelty and right wing conspiracy theorists.

For the video Craig pitched the idea of running and singing the song, which worked well with our limited time and even more limited budget. We ended up driving out to an industrial estate in East London on a particularly gloomy day. Sean D sat in the back of Sean B's car, pointed the camera at Craig and let him chase us while the track played a few times through. Then we came up with the idea of having the character from The Void make an appearance as part of a nightmarish alternate reality, or bad acid trip, and spliced it all together thanks to the editorial work of our friend Ollie who is also responsible for editing The Void."

Thanks to Infecting Cells PR for all of the details.

Cataclysm will be available to buy now on DD/Vinyl via Bonebag Records from Friday 2nd February 2024.

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram