Slowenya - Synchronized (Single Review) & Details About Upcoming New Album MEADOW

The Lowdown

Slowenya is a heavily down-tuned, ambient influenced, modern alt doom metal trio formed in Turku, the west cost of Finland in the spring of 2020.

Guitarist / singer / song writer Jan says: ”We strongly believe in our music and feel that it is unique in our own genre. Slowenya’s goal is to make the heaviest and most beautiful music out there. The message is emphasized and deepened with graphic / visual expression.”

Before Slowenya was born, guitarist / singer Jan Trygg and drummer Timo Niskala played in the doom / death metal band Morbid Evils (2014-2018) and toured Europe together with Voivod (CAN) and Entombed A.D. (SE). In Finland, they shared the stage with bands such as Eyehategod (US) and Primitive Man (US) and performed at their country's largest metal festival, Tuska Open Air 2015.

In early 2021, Slowenya debuted with their mini-album “Somer”. Later this year they released song pair “Exhaler / Be Empowering”.

Both of these recordings have been released through the indie record company Karhuvaltio Records. The main domestic music media (Rumba & Inferno) have also strongly supported both releases in their print and online media. In America the debut was premiered via Weedian´s facebook (145k followers) and Youtube channel.

With a strong artistic vision, Slowenya is self-sufficient in cover art, graphic design, music videos and live visuals.

Members

Jan Trygg - guitar/vocals/visuals & photography

Timo Niskala - drums/ambient/samples

Tapani Levanto - bass/backing vocals

Review

Alternative Post-Rock/Post-Doom Metallers Slowenya are returning with a new single Synchronized on March 25th 2022 via Karhuvaltio Records. Their new album Meadow will be released on 22nd April 2022 via Karhuvaltio Records as well.

I was given the opportunity to listen to the new song Synchronized recently and I must say the guys have upped their creative game from their fantastic debut album Somer that they released back in March 2021. You can read my review here.

Slowenya play a brooding and slow-paced style of Post-Rock/Post-Doom with the band even moving into heavier Sludge based layers of heaviness. There's also been an element of Distortion to the band but Synchronized feels like the band have adapted another creative persona especially with the David Bowie influenced vocals and rhythms that accompany the song. Add a "NIN" industrial flow then Slowenya play a more mature style of music compared to their debut album.

This all bodes well for Synchronized and I will be waiting to review that album when I have the chance to. 

If you're looking for Heavy Distorted Post-Rock/Doom Metal grooves that veer on the edge of Ambient Rock, Industrial Rock and even Post-Goth vibes then Slowenya could be more of an interesting listen on their second album. The lyrics have a gloomy conscience to them with the slow-pounding music becoming distinctively heavier along the way. 

This is a stunning single to release the album with and it will be great to see what Slowenya have planned for Meadow. 

Words by Steve Howe

Links

https://www.facebook.com/Slowenya
https://www.instagram.com/slowenyaband/

https://slowenya.bandcamp.com/

Doom/Stoner Metallers Weedevil Announce Details Of Upcoming New Album THE RETURN

Revamped, re-energized and denser than ever. The new formation of the Brazilian stoner/doom metal band Weedevil presents us in 2022 their most solid and powerful version, a five piece that bases their immersive and captivating sonority in lacerating riffs, hypnotic vocals and a refined and vibrant rhythm section. And it's just the beginning.

"The Return" will bring out on April 8 a Weedevil never seen before, reaching the prime shape and taking a significant flight in the national scene of the segment. The quintet formed by Lo Scar (vocals), Paulo Ueno (guitar), Bodão (guitar), Dani Plothow (bass) and Flávio Cavichioli (drums) arrives in their first full album with a select tracklist, builded by five exuberant tracks that keeps winding between the melancholic, dark and electrifying, packed by deep and existential themes narrating a kind of "opera" that promises to draw the listeners into a private, unique universe. "The Return" is the band's masterpiece so far, a masterful work resulting from dedicated work.

With a digital release scheduled for April 8th and a physical LP version already confirmed by the Dutch label DHU Records the album "The Return" promises to reintroduce in the most impressive form a band that was already standing out on the scene, now ready to take the most demanding listeners in a unavoidable way.

The Return - Tracklisting

1- Underwater

2-The Void

3-The Return

4-Isn´t a Love Song

5-Genocidal

Members

Lo Scar-Vocals

Flávio Cavichioli-Drums/ Backing Vocals 666

Dani Plothow-Bass/Keyboards

Paulo Ueno-Guitar/FX /Backing Vocals

Bodão-Guitar/Backing Vocals

Links

Facebook | BandCamp

Am Samstag - Dualism (Album Review)

Release Date: March 18th 2022. Record Label: Black Market Music / Urgence Disk Records Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Dualism - Tracklisting

1. Pills And Wine (4:50) 

2. Burn Notre Dame Burn (2:48) 

3. Meatballs (3:09) 

4. Hardly Wait (3:24)

5. Til Death Do Us Part (1:55) 

6. Auf Wiedersehen (4:18) 

7. Miss Butch (2:50) 

8. Susie Q (3:33) 

9. Do You Wanna Have Fun? (3:32)

10. You Make Me Feel (4:50) 

11. Sheep (1:29) 

12. Church (3:34)

13. Algos (2:36)

Members

Stephane Grand - Bass

Baptiste Maie - Drums

Gabriela Varela - Vocals/Guitar

Review

Dualism is the new album from Punk/Grunge Rockers Am Samstag and it’s an album that has a deep love and appreciation for Nirvana especially in the first few songs. That feeling goes on through the whole album but it’s good to see they have Grunge pioneer Jack Endino on board to help them produce this album. The album does have it’s fair share of groovy Psychedelic, Metal and Pop based hooks with a Punk Rock attitude.

The album is maybe slightly too long with thirteen songs on the record. However, there’s an addictive and easygoing attitude to Am Samstag that allows the album to stay wildly adventurous especially on songs such as: Pills And Wine, Burn Notre Dame Down, Auf Wiedersehen, You Make Me Feel, Church and Algos being the best parts of the album.

Extra points goes to the band for including the track Hardly Wait that I first heard on the classic cult film Strange Days OST which was sung by Juliette Lewis. Though this was originally an unreleased PJ Harvey song from the 1993 4-Track Demos release. This version is a more aggressive version but more grungier as well with some fantastic “Pop” based moments. 

The vocals and thumping bass lines are right out of the Nirvana Rulebook but add Weezer-esque guitar sounds with a little hint of Punk Rock Rebellious Melody allow this album to sound refreshingly different as well.

Dualism is catchy as hell with some delicious modern day pop sounds.

Overall, Dualism is an adrenaline rush of superbly paced tracks that delivers the goods especially if you’re an old-school Grunge or Nirvana fan though moved along by fantastic Punk Rock sensibility.

Words by Steve Howe

You can buy Dualism now on CD/DD/Vinyl via this link

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Shallow Black - D2E0M2O2 [CHAPTERS] (Album Review) And Song Premiere Of WASTED BREATH

Release Date: March 25th 2022. Record Label: Self Released. Format: DD

D2E0M2O2 [CHAPTERS] - Tracklisting

Wasted Breath

Far Away From Home

Crushed By The Weight

Members

Erik Bigelow - Everything

The Lowdown

Shallow Black is the new project from Erik Bigelow who is the drummer of acclaimed Doom/Stoner Metal outfit EMBR. Erik is striking on his own for this project and I’ll let the man himself tell you all about Shallow Black.

"I had a very sleepless night one night and thought to myself “I’m going to write an EP in a month. I’m gonna write all the guitars, keyboards, bass, vocals, drums, lyrics, then I’m going to go record it.”

Then as my brain kept firing off ideas…..”you know what? I’m gonna try and record it myself too…”

I woke up the next morning with that idea clawing away at me….later that day I decided to give that a go. And even added the task of shooting a video. That’s basically the way this project started. So, for the next week I wrote. Then, I started down the path of recording everything in my basement.

I thought it was good enough to release, got some feedback from friends and decided to release it digitally. What resulted is the demo “chapters”. It’s recorded as 1 song split into sections or chapters.

When writing the goal was to write something that was catchy but also drawn out enough to zone out to. I wanted to use samples and bleeds. I achieved my goal for this release and it’s going to be released on 3/25/2022…….

Instruments used were slingerland drums, a bass vi, a sg, keyboards.

I have plans to release more music in the coming months…..as ideas present themselves

Review

D2E0M2O2 [CHAPTERS] is the debut release from Shallow Black and follows a dark path of Dark Doom, Sludge Metal and Industrial Metal. The record runs for around 32 minutes and is a totally different beast compared to EMBR with Erik on mesmerising but bleak form. The sound is quite gloomy and isolated with the industrial beats and sound-clips that appear on the first few moments of the record.

With heavy digitized sounds merged with the slow-paced sludgy guitars you can feel that Shallow Black are dictating their music at their own pace. I’ve never heard Erik sing these types of vocals before. They’re firmly within the Sludge Metal movement. Harsh and fucking primal in cases when Erik delivers an EVIL GROWL with the lush bleak Psychedelic soundscapes giving an almost Ambient Doom effect. The record is constantly evolving to the next level of pure distorted Doom/Sludge Metal heaviness and makes you wonder if this is the same guy behind the drums with EMBR.

Parts NIN, SUNN 0))), Electric Wizard and the pure evil heaviness of Primitive Man but with Erik fully in creative control. The production is a mixture of 80's DIY Crust Punk ethics and 90's Industrial and Doom Metal sounds that can be quite harsh and static but never boring. This is a dangerously and exciting blend of music that has some epic riffs contained within despite the gloomy subject matter and the genres that Erik has used for this release.

Distortion and Gloom is the main order of business for this release and Shallow Black has released a chilling and bone-crunching release especially with the second chapter FAR AWAY FROM HOME that starts around the 11 minutes mark. My favourite part of the EP. As Erik takes a step back and plays a nightmarish style of Post-Doom and Post-Metal atmospherics whilst buried under a layer of Psychedelic based Industrial Noise that remains some of the heaviest “LOW & SLOW” and “AMPLIFIER WORSHIP” I’ve heard for quite some time.

The third track Crushed By The Weight features some stunning dual vocal performances by Erik and his hugely talented wife and EMBR bandmate Crystal provides wonderfully passionate eerie vocals that brings a brief ray of hope underneath the heavy distorted sounds.

Overall, D2E0M2O2 [CHAPTERS] is a one hell of a debut release and I applaud Erik for going to the far depths of his musical imagination for this release. If you’re in the mood for bleak based music that pulls no punches then Shallow Black is the band for you.

This is a brilliantly frightening and beautifully heavy experience. 

Words by Steve Howe

You can experience the full premiere of the new song WASTED BREATH from D2E0M2O2 [CHAPTERS] which will be released on March 25th 2022 via BandCamp. Other Digital Platforms will follow at a later date.

The song and video for WASTED BREATH will be free to view and hear on BandCamp as well.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

You can buy merch from this link

South African psychedelic rock trinity The Tazers release new single & music video ‘Ready To Die’

South African psychedelic rock trinity The Tazers release new single & music video ‘Ready To Die’

Written during the peak of lockdown in South Africa - Ready To Die is The Tazers most cut-throat, honest and heaviest offering yet.

The single starts off slow and smooth, with echoing guitar and vocal melodies for a brief introduction - but the beauty doesn’t last long as the song abruptly turns filthy & loud with its angsty vocals and fuzzy tones.

Ready To Die is relentless in its vocal performance, enthralling psychic drum rhythms and low-end bass riffs that deliver a much-needed kick throughout the song. The lyrics touch on the battles one has in their head when dealing with stress, intense emotions & depression and the delivery of the song tells just that and more.

The music video was shot and edited by Jonathan Purchase (Dizzy Khaki) at SAE studios in Rosebank Johannesburg and features the band performing the single live.

Ready To Die is available now on all digital platforms

The current trio consists of Jethro Lock (guitar, vocals), Timothy Edwards (drums, vocals) and Werner Jordaan (bass, vocals). The Tazers have been extremely active since their inception in 2015. They’ve released 3 EP’s and a full-length album, which has led them to become one of SA’s leading psych-rock bands. They’ve played all the biggest music festivals and venues South Africa has to offer. The Tazers were nominated for ‘Best Rock Album’ at the 2020 South African Music Awards (SAMAs) and received multiple film accolades & nominations for their music video ‘Plastic Kids’.

Although this three-piece fuzz band has accomplished a lot over the years,

the truth is… The Tazers have only just begun.

Follow The Tazers

Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTubev | Twitter

Evert Snyman & The Aviary share the 2nd single and video from upcoming album.

Johannesburg based genre chameleons Evert Snyman & The Aviary share the 2nd single and video from upcoming album.

South Africa’s Evert Snyman has launched and collaborated on various projects over the years, cementing himself as a versatile multi-instrumentalist and producer. I Never Listen When You Speak is the second single from his upcoming album Pruning In The Dark, out on the 1st April 2022 via Mongrel Records.

The new album is the first to feature his entire band, The Aviary as well as a wealth of special guests, all members of celebrated South African stoner/ fuzz / psych bands including Caution Boy, Ruff Majik, KMOD and The Tazers.

 

“I wrote the track with Tim Edwards the morning before we recorded it. For change I wrote the more conventional bits and Tim wrote the weirder bits. It was at the end of 2020, so no one wanted to go on holiday because of yet another Covid wave. Casey Bliss and Brendon Bez did a great job on the bass and guitar respectively. This track was all recorded at the same time except for the vocals which I overdubbed the next day.” Explains Evert, he goes on the add, “The song is about how no one has an attention span today and they're constantly glued to their phones. It's also about being frustrated but not having a way out of the things that you are forced to do, regardless of if it's your responsibility or not. Fun fact is that Brendon learned the song 20 minutes before we recorded it.”

Track Credits

Evert Snyman: Vocals and Guitar
Tim Edwards: Drums (The Tazers)
Casey Bliss: Bass (KMOD)
Brendon Bez: Guitar (Ruff Majik)

Pre-save / Pre-Order - Pruning In The Dark https://orcd.co/pruninginthedark

Follow Evert Snyman

Facebook | YouTube | Instagram | Bandcamp

Follow Mongrel Records

Website | Facebook | Instagram |  Bandcamp | YouTube

UFOMAMMUT Announce Their New Album, "Fenice".

UFOMAMMUT Announce Their New Album, "Fenice". 

Out On May 6, 2022 via Neurot Recordings and Supernatural Cat. 

Hear Their Bold New Sound On "Psychostasia"

Photo by Francesca De Franceschi Manzoni

On May 6th Italian alchemists and power trio Ufomammut return with their ninth studio album, Fenice via Neurot Recordings and Supernatural Cat. But not as we’ve heard them before, now “more intimate, more free.”

For over 20 years, the band has combined the heaviness and majesty of dynamic riff worship with a nuanced understanding of psychedelic tradition and history in music, creating a cosmic, futuristic, and technicolor sound destined for absolute immersion.

Fenice (meaning Phoenix in Italian) symbolically represents endless rebirth and the ability to start again after everything seems doomed. The album is the first recording with new drummer Levre, and truly marks a new chapter in Ufomammut history.

“I think we lost our spontaneity, album after album,” says Urlo. “We tried to make more complicated songs and albums, but I think at some point we just ended up repeating ourselves. With Fenice, we were ready to start from zero, we had no past anymore - so we just wanted to be reborn and rise from the ashes..” 

Whilst the band are well-known for their psychedelic travels into the far reaches of the cosmos, Fenice is a much more introspective listening experience. Fenice was conceived as a single concept track, divided in six facets of this inward-facing focus. Sonic experimentations abound in the exploration of this central theme; synths and experimental vocal effects are featured more prominently than ever before as the band push themselves ever further into the uncharted territory of their very identity. 

Check out the video for "Psychostasia" below

and read on for more about their new album:

The towering synths on the opening track "Duat" evoke an almighty machine rising from the depths of primordial ooze. There’s a shift to a frenetic garage-psych pace before mellowing out into a more familiar doomy stomp. "Kepherer" is a respite, albeit a slight one, returning to the pulsing rhythms of the album’s intro before plunging the listener into the menacing build and release of "Psychostasia" next.

The second half of the record brings with it an even greater sense of dynamic exploration. "Metamorphoenix" oozes with curious synth patterns and noises, before descending into sinister chords and an oddly choral chant. An explosion of emotion heralds the beginning of "Pyramind", all-encompassing in its riff worship and quasi-religious climax of mantra-esque vocals. "Empyros" is groovy yet irregular, with rhythms interplaying and more chanting voices, bringing the records to its end with a sense of dedication and purpose.

Each oscillation of this extraordinary album feels inevitable - Ufomammut are after all, masters of their craft, and when it comes to creating enveloping sonic journeys into the unknown, it’s their uninhibited sense of exploration that breaches new sonic ground.

Fenice is the sound of a band whose very essence has been rejuvenated, and are welcoming the chance to create music in the way they know best; by unfolding carefully and attentively, by melding those extreme dynamics which render Fenice as a living and breathing creature - and by writing gargantuan riffs that herald their very rebirth.

Fenice shall be released on LP and CD formats via Neurot Recordings, with a limited edition LP version of 666 copies on Supernatural Cat. 

Fenice Track listing:

1. Duat
2. Kepherer
3. Psychostasia 
4. Metamorphoenix
5. Pyramind
6. Empyros
 
UFOMAMMUT are:

Poia – Guitars and Fxs
Urlo – Bass, Vocals, Fxs and Synths
Levre – Drums & Fxs
Ciccio – Sound lord

LIVE DATES:

07.05.22 – Alessandria (IT), Laboratorio Sociale - Album release party
14.05.22 – Mezzago (IT), Bloom
24.05.22 – Vienna (AT), Arena
25.05.22 – Karlsruhe (DE), Dudefest
26.05.22 – Bremen (DE), Tower
27.05.22 – Ghent (BE), Dunk!festival
28.05.22 – Groningen (NL), Vera
29.05.22 – Berlin (DE), Desertfest
30.05.22 – Dresden (DE), Chemiefabrik
31.05.22 – Salzburg (AT), Rockhouse
10.06.22 – Munich (DE), 17 Years Sound of Liberation Festival
11.06.22 – Piacenza (IT), Desert Fox Festival
24.06.22 – Wiesbaden (DE), 17 Years Sound of Liberation - Official Festival Warmup
26.06.22 – Clisson (FR), Hellfest
18.08.22 – Pescara (IT), Frantic Festival

For More Info Visit:

www.ufomammut.com

www.facebook.com/ufomammutband 

www.instagram.com/ufomammut 

www.twitter.com/ufomammut_band

www.ufomammut.bandcamp.com  

Thanks to Mona at All Noir PR for all of the details