The Blog of Doom - News

This Week in Metal (02.03.23)

2/3/2023

One month down already? Time for a 40% uptick in metal releases. Sign me up. We're getting quality along with quantity this month. First up this week, we have the second album from Nashville trio Act of Impalement - Infernal Ordinance. This is the kind of cavernous HM2 Death Metal that I've been eating up lately and I'm shocked that there wasn't more buzz around this release. The absolutely filthy tone is enough to garner a thumbs up, but they back it up with propulsive riffage and reverb-soaked drums with enough tempo shifts to keep you on your toes. This should honestly be celebrated alongside the massive wave of Death Metal releases we're getting during this second golden age we're experiencing at the moment. Album of the week...Ough!

With as much love as Bolt Thrower rightfully gets in metal circles, it's kind of amazing to me that no one really talks about Memoriam, the British Death Metal quartet fronted by Bolt Thrower's Karl Willetts. Yeah, it's not the same, but it's still really good stuff and they're on album #5 now with the release of Rise to Power. I can't say I've spent much time with the back catalogue so I'm not sure where this ranks, but it's something I would listen to regardless of the connection. Just 45 minutes of classic, old-school, war-themed British Death Metal. Nothing wrong with that.

It seems like Ripple Music puts out something excellent on a weekly basis and this week's winner is Thieves and Liars, the fourth album from Oakland Stoner/Doomers Blackwülf. These guys take that NoCal stoner sound, add in a healthy dose of Blue Öyster Cult and a shitload of swagger and the result is as catchy a Stoner Metal release as we've seen in some time. The third track "Killing Time" is verrryy reminiscent of my favorite BÖC song..any guesses?

We had some pretty solid metal shows and tours announced this week, headlined by the return of Milwaukee MetalFest, May 26-28 in...Milwaukee. What a lineup, right? Lamb of God is about the only band there that I would skip and there at least a dozen bands that I would go out of my way to see on tour. Where the hell was this festival 4 years ago when I had time to do stuff like this? Thanks, Jamey Jasta.
We also had incredible tour announcements from Carcass, Municipal Waste, Sacred Reich & Creeping Death and the Decibel 2023 Tour with Dark Funeral & 200 Stab Wounds. Unfortunately, neither is coming anywhere near me but you guys should have some fun.

That's it for this week. Stay tuned next week when I defend a universally reviled In Flames record. That should be fun. As always, until next time...Doom It Up.

This Week in Metal (01.27.23)

1/27/2023

We've almost made it through January, doomsters, and that's fantastic for a couple of reasons. First off, there's no real upside to January, right? It's cold, it's dark, the godforsaken NFL is still hanging around. More importantly, though, the end of January means the metal release calendar is finally heating up after a couple of down months. This week we have three new records that I'm recommending. First up we have The Fires of Heaven, the debut full-length from Boston's blackened speed metallers Malleus. This is January metal right here - unrelenting, frigid and punishing. Check out the mid-paced thrash stomp on the title track...chef's kiss. "Into the Flesh" is so catchy that it's almost a singalong and then they drop the tempo for the penultimate track, setting up the eerie nine and half minute closer that delves back into the maelstrom, wrapping things up beautifully. Fans of Bewitcher and Midnight and that old 80's speed vibe can't miss this one.

Next up we slow things way down and head out to sea with Sorrowful Land. Beautiful, brutal and haunting, the latest release from the Ukranian one-man project, Faded Anchors of the Past, is absolutely stunning. From the very first note I got Solitude Productions vibes and guess what? This band used to be on the venerable Russian doom label that somehow churned out masterpiece after masterpiece in this very vein. (Note: This release is on Black Lion Records.) I'm a sucker for crushing doom with epic, emotional solos so I was hooked right away. The vocals shift from death growls to serene cleans (featuring a handful of guest vocalists) and it works on all fronts. This clocks in at just over an hour so be prepared for a deep dive (look...keeping the nautical theme going), but there's enough variety and shifts here that it never really drags or bogs down under its infinite weight. In fact, the layers just keep revealing themselves. Stick with this one; it's that brilliant.

Last but certainly not least, we head over to Greece for the second album from the doom trio Seer of the Void, entitled Mantra Monolith. This more of your meat and potatoes Doom Metal right here, which isn't a bad thing. You could probably generate an AI review for this one - fuzzed out Sabbathian tones, pounding drums, hamfisted riffs, etc. Again, none of that is bad. This is a really good record, almost like a more streamlined Electric Wizard. If you're into Doom, you're going to enjoy this one, simple as that.

That's it for this week. There wasn't any huge news to cover and I don't think I needed to catch up on any releases I may have missed. We'll see you back here in February and let's hope that goddamn groundhog gives us some warm news next week.

This Week of Doom in Metal (01.20.23)

1/20/2023

We're moving right along; another week down in 2023. We didn't have that one big release that everyone's talking about this week a la Obituary, but it wasn't a bad week for January. I haven't had a chance to listen to the new albums from Katatonia or Faithxtractor yet, but I'll rectify that today and I don't plan on being disappointed. I did really enjoy The Lord Knows, the latest release from Swedish heavy stoner rockers Tidal Wave. It's the kind of meat and potatoes riff rock that we've come to expect from Ripple Music and while it doesn't hit quite as hard in the middle of a cold, gray winter, I'll be bookmarking this one for warmer days ahead when I'm cruising down the highway with the windows down in my Trans-Am, I mean minivan. I also dug the Cosmic Reaper side of the split Doom Sessions Volume VII on Heavy Psych Sounds.

So what did we miss last week? I think I'm covered there. I had a couple more releases trickle onto my radar, but nothing that made me take notice. There were a few big tour announcements this week. Mastodon is heading out with Gojira. That's a pretty huge tour right there and it's coming to Cincinnati, which is notable due to the fact that metal bands forgot the city existed for like 20 years. I can't say I'll be checking that one out. I could never get into Mastodon despite repeated tries. What am I missing? I did see them live once. Did they open for Slayer or am I imagining that? I think that's the one where I went last minute after work and caught a Slayer/Mastodon/Bodom show in business casual. The Black Dahlia Murder is going out with Terror and Frozen Soul. And then there's Elder hitting the road with Ruby the Hatchet. That one's not coming to Cincy, but I do need to see Ruby again, and not just because I already outgrew my t-shirt from the last time. So good stuff there. Catch them all if you can.

Let's see...what else? Metallica released another underwhelming single from their forthcoming album. I just don't understand how you guys do the 21st century James Hetfield voice. It's nails on the chalkboard for me. If it was just some rando Joe Schmo Rock n' Roll Band and didn't say "Metallica" on the front of that record, that shit would be openly mocked, right? Didn't even make it past the first verse. I give one-man black metal projects more time. Just turrible.

I want to start a new feature here where I highlight an older album that revisit each week. This week we're listening to Sheavy - The Electric Sleep. Released in 1998 on Rise Above Records, this is the only Sheavy record I own and I think the only one I ever listened to. I probably hadn't listened to this in nearly 20 years before I popped it on this week and I instantly remebered nearly every riff and lyric. Either I listened to this way more than I remembered or it's just that catchy. Either way, it's kind of strange that I never pursued them further. That probably has a lot to do with the availability of stoner and doom in the pre-streaming age. I have no idea where I even picked this one up; maybe mail order or something. Anyway, it's fantastic Sabbath worship from back when that wasn't so ubiquitous. I always loved the dreamy ballad "Savannah" and it's still a banger. Do you have a favorite Sheavy album or track? Every caught them live?

Okay, looking ahead to next week we have some promising stuff coming out from Malleus, the blackened death unit out of Boston. I also like what I've heard so far out of Seer of the Void and Sorrowful Land so we'll probably talking about those in more detail next week. Until then, have a great weekend and remember to keep doomin'.

The Blog of Doom is BACK!

1/13/2023

Wow. It has been a while, huh? Almost 5 years, I guess. So what happened to your favorite blog? Let's just say I got kind of busy. I really don't have an excuse for 2018, but in 2019 I spent most of the year on the road for work before Cult of Sorrow released our record Invocation of the Lucifer (look at that - a shameless plug three years after release!) on Black Doomba Records in September and did a little regional touring. Hot off the heels of that release, we ended up opening for Doom Metal legends The Obsessed right before COVID hit and shut everything down, so that was awesome. Also right before COVID, my wife and I welcomed our first child and then I took a transfer to a role that had me working 60-70 hour weeks for the remainder of the year, so doom blogging wasn't really in the cards. Having spent the past 8 years driving 8 hours back and forth to Canada or flying all over the country, I had plenty of time to check out and absorb new releases, but the move to a demanding desk job for the next two years cut that time almost completely out. Then at the tail end of 2021 we had triplets, so that effectively put an end to all of my free time for the next 20 years. So that brings us to today. Why now? I don't really know. It's not a New Years resolution or anything. I'm just feeling recharged and excited about Heavy Metal again. I'm holed up in a basement office most of the day with ample time to listen to music and I have 15 minutes a week to publish something for the first time in 5 years. Cool? Cool.

So enough about me, let's get into the music. January is typically a slower month for releases and 2023 is no exception. Where I used to track up to 200 new releases per month, I'm looking at 25 this month. Easing back in at opportune time, right? Nothing really caught my ear last week, but this week we have the return of the legendary Obituary, as the Florida stalwarts release their 11th album and first in 6 years. To say that Dying of Everything is already a contender for many 2023 year-end lists isn't hyperbole, but it'll be interesting to see how such an early release impacts that end. I'm not incredibly familiar with Obituary's back catalog so I can't say exactly where this one ranks, but I can say that it's the only thing I've listened to for a week and it just gets better every time. The razor-sharp riffs fluctuate from 16th note blitzkrieg to mid-paced stomp with groove to spare. I really like the vocals coming through with clarity and force at the same time. Then you have the dive bomb solos and plenty of high hat and it's pretty much everything I need in a Death Metal album. So there it is, your Album of the Week. I'm sure those guys will be thrilled.

So where do we go from here? I can't say for sure. I'd like to get back to weekly recommendations. I'd also like to add a feature for upcoming records to keep an eye on. (In that vein, if you like Stoner Metal, keep an eye on Tidal Wave - The Lord Knows coming out next week on Ripple.) I do kind of like this freeform stream of consciousness format, too, so maybe I'll keep that going. The only thing I know for sure is that I'm back and I want to keep doing this as long as I have time. Thanks for reading and we'll talk soon!

IRONFEST VI @ Southgate House Revival - Nov. 13 & 14...

11/10/2015

The time for IronFest has once again rolled around, with 51 bands set to take over The Southgate House Revival this weekend over two nights and three stages. While I probably won't be able to attend this year (due to a lack of heavy bands on the bill), I still think it's an incredible event put on by some of the hardest working folks in the local musical industry and the proceeds go to a good cause. If you're looking for some live music in the Queen City area this weekend, you could certainly do worse. Also, it's the only remaining Valley of the Sun show in the States this year. Below is a list of bands playing each night with links to music samples, followed by a schedule graphic. Please let me know if you have any information on the stuff I couldn't figure out. Thanks and enjoy. (And, yes, I'm aware that the columns look like shit on the mobile site. Working on that.)- JO

Friday, November 13

Indie Rock
Alternative Rock
Punk
Rock
N/A
Americana/Alt-Country
N/A
Punk/Folk
Stoner Rock
Hardcore
Hardcore
Experimental/Cello
Punk
Punk/Post-Hardcore
Punk
Rock
Punk
Metal/Stoner Rock
Alternative/Hard Rock
Honky Tonk
Rock/Post-punk/Reggae
Alternative/Indie Rock
Punk/Rock
Stoner Rock

12:20 AM-12:50 AM
11:30 PM-12:00 AM
9:50 PM-10:20 PM
11:30 PM-12:00 AM
8:50 PM-9:20 PM
7:10 PM-7:40 PM
8:00 PM-8:30 PM
1:00 AM-1:30 AM
9:15 PM-9:45 PM
10:30 PM-11:00 PM
10:45 PM-11:15 PM
7:45 PM-8:15 PM
8:30 PM-9:00 PM
7:20 PM-7:50 PM
12:10 AM-12:40 AM
8:10 PM-8:40 PM
10:00 PM-10:30 PM
12:15 PM-12:45 PM
1:10 AM-1:40 AM
9:00 PM-9:30 PM
7:00 PM-7:30 PM
9:40 PM-10:10 PM
11:20 PM-11:50 PM
10:40 PM-11:10 PM

Lounge
Lounge
Lounge
Sanctuary
Revival
Revival
Revival
Revival
Sanctuary
Revival
Sanctuary
Sanctuary
Sanctuary
Lounge
Revival
Lounge
Sanctuary
Sanctuary
Lounge
Lounge
Sanctuary
Revival
Revival
Lounge

Saturday, November 14

Black Signal
Blood on the Blade
Casino Warrior
Crooked Rook
Current Events
Dandelion Death
DC Planet
Good English
Hand of Doom
Heavy Hinges
Hide
Honeyspiders
Husk/Skull
Kristen Kreft
Mala In Se
Moonbow
Mudpies
New Strange
Punching Moses
ScissorKick Rituals
Subsets
The Dopamines
The Skulx
Tiger Sex
Vamp Wknd at Bernie's
Wonky Tonk
Zebras in Public

Dark Electronic
Classic Metal Covers
Stoner Metal
Rock
Alternative Rock
N/A
N/A
Alternative Rock
N/A
Rock/Soul
N/A
Alternative Rock
Hardcore/Punk
Singer/Songwriter
Post-punk/Thrash
Stoner Rock
Rock
Rock
Metal/Punk
Alternative Rock
Punk
Pop Punk
Rock
Punk
Covers
Folk/Bluegrass
Alternative Rock

12:45 AM-1:15 AM
11:25 PM-11:55 PM
8:55 PM-9:20 PM
6:50 PM-7:20 PM
10:25 PM-10:55 PM
12:35 AM-1:00 AM
7:35 PM-8:05 PM
7:35 PM-8:00 PM
8:20 PM-8:50 PM
9:05 PM-9:35 PM
10:20 PM-10:50 PM
11:05 PM-11:35 PM
9:00 PM-9:25 PM
9:50 PM-10:10 PM
11:55 PM-12:25 AM
9:35 PM-10:05 PM
10:35 PM-11:05 PM
1:00 AM-1:30 AM
8:15 PM-8:40 PM
7:00 PM-7:25 PM
7:40 PM-8:05 PM
11:10 PM-11:40 PM
11:50 PM-12:20 AM
8:20 PM-8:45 PM
12:10 AM-12:40 AM
6:55 PM-7:20 PM
9:40 PM-10:10 PM

Revival
Lounge
Sanctuary
Lounge
Revival
Sanctuary
Lounge
Sanctuary
Lounge
Lounge
Sanctuary
Sanctuary
Revival
Lounge
Revival
Sanctuary
Lounge
Lounge
Sanctuary
Revival
Revival
Revival
Sanctuary
Revival
Lounge
Sanctuary
Revival

Shadow Woods Metal Fest - UPDATE...

7/30/2015

There have been a few changes to the upcoming and highly anticipated Shadow Woods Metal Fest since my interview with festival organizer Mary Spiro a few months ago. Most importantly, the SWMF has moved from its original location in Pennsylvania to Camp Hidden Valley in White Hall, Maryland. The new camp contains all of the amenities featured in the interview and should provide a fantastic setting for a weekend of camping and Heavy Metal. In addition, the lineup has slightly changed. Refer to the photo below for the updated lineup. Tickets still remain and this WILL BE the one and only year for the festival if the even doesn't sell out. I know I'm really stoked for the festival and I hope it can become a yearly pilgrimage, so please do your part for the metal community and spread the word (or buy a ticket!)

Electric Wizard Announces North American Tour...

12/17/2014

For the first time in over a decade, England's doom behemoths Electric Wizard will be invading North American soil. With support from Virginia's Satan's Satyrs, the mighty Wizard will be spreading misery and woe across the continent for three weeks beginning March 31 in Philly. Unfortunately, the closest show to Blog of Doom Headquarters is a Tuesday nighter in Chicago, but I'm going to figure out a way to see this tour. Electric Wizard remains the final band on my tour bucket list and I'm not too keen on waiting around another decade. Doom on. Destroy those who love God.

Tuesday, March 31
Wednesday, April 01
Thursday, April 02
Friday, April 03
Saturday, April 04
Sunday, April 05
Tuesday, April 07
Wednesday, April 08
Friday, April 10
Saturday, April 11
Monday, April 13
Tuesday, April 14
Wednesday, April 15
Friday, April 17
Saturday, April 18
Sunday, April 19

Union Transfer
Baltimore Soundstage
Webster Hall
Royale
Corona Theatre
Lee's Palace
Metro
Mill City Nights
Summit Music Hall
Urban Lounge
Neumos
Rickshaw
Hawthorne Theater
Slims
The Observatory
The Roxy

Philadelphia, PA
Baltimore, MD
New York, NY
Boston, MA
Montreal, QC
Toronto, ON
Chicago, IL
Minneapolis, MN
Denver, CO
Salt Lake City, UT
Seattle, WA
Vancouver, BC
Portland, OR
San Francisco, CA
Santa Ana, CA
Los Angeles, CA

Guide to Ironfest V at The Southgate House Revival...

11/10/2014

The fifth installment of Ironfest, Cincinnati's premier 2-day rock festival, takes place this Friday and Saturday, 11/14 & 11/15, at The Southgate House Revival in Newport, KY. Ironfest was created to pay tribute to the late "Iron" Mike Davidson, a former local musician and supporter of local music, and is intended to help raise money for his family. As I intend to cover both nights of the festival here on The Blog of Doom, I've put together a handy reference guide to all of (most of) the weekend's featured bands. Tickets are only $5 for each night, which is an absolute steal for all of this fantatstic music. Doors open both nights at 6:30 and the music starts at 7:00. Tickets are available at the venue or can be purchased in advance here:
http://www.ticketfly.com/event/676937-ironfest-v-night-1-newport/
http://www.ticketfly.com/event/676939-ironfest-v-night-2-newport/

IRONFEST V (NIGHT 1) - Click on band names for details.

BAND

GENRE

N/A
Post-punk/Thrash
Dark Electronic
Pop Punk
Alternative/Indie Rock
Hardcore Punk
Punk
Punk
Rock
Punk
Punk
Punk
Alternative/Hard Rock
Black/Thrash Metal
Rock
Punk
Rock/Post-punk/Reggae
Stoner Rock
Stoner Rock
Doom Metal
Rock

LOCATION

Cincinnati, OH
Cincinnati, OH
Edgewood, KY
Cincinnati, OH
Dayton, OH
Cincinnati, OH
Cincinnati, OH
Cincinnati, OH
Cincinnati, OH
Boston, MA
Cincinnati, OH
Cincinnati, OH
Newport, KY
Cincinnati, OH
Cincinnati, OH
Newport, KY
Ft. Mitchell, KY
Topeka, KS
Cincinnati, OH
Wichita, KS
Cincinnati, OH

IRONFEST V (NIGHT 2) - Click on band names for details.

BAND

Honeyspiders
500 Miles to Memphis
The Blue Rock Boys
Punching Moses
Moonbow
Husk/Skull
Draculas
Hand of Doom
The Dopamines
Mudpies
Cadaver Dogs
Ethicist
Blood on the Blade
Gay Vultures
We are Hex
Oxboard Drain
Slam'd
Crooked Rook
Kristen Kreft (Perfect Children)
Sticky Honey
Territorial Puddings

GENRE

Alternative Rock
Country/Punk
Bluegrass
Metal/Punk
Stoner Rock
Hardcore/Punk
Stoner Rock
N/A
Pop Punk
Rock
Rock
Black Metal
Classic Metal Covers
Screamo/Ska
Goth Rock
N/A
Rock
Rock
Singer/Songwriter
Alternative Rock
N/A

LOCATION

Cincinnati, OH
Cincinnati, OH
Cincinnati, OH
Cleveland, OH
Kentucky
Cincinnati, OH
Cincinnati, OH
N/A
Cincinnati, OH
N. Kentucky
Columbus, OH
Cincinnati, OH
Ohio/Kentucky
Cincinnati, OH
Indianapolis, IN
N/A
Cincinnati, OH
Cincinnati, OH
Cincinnati, OH
Cincinnati, OH
N/A

Editor's Notes: I had a hard time finding info and/or links for a handful of the bands listed above. If anyone has any information on these bands or if I've misclassified any bands, feel free to send me a message or post the info in the comments section. I'll update this post with set times and stage assignments as that information becomes available. - JO

Lo-Pan Announces Tour w/ Black Cobra...

8/8/2014

In advance of their upcoming album, Colossus (10/07/14), Columbus stoner metal giants Lo-Pan will hit the road with Black Cobra for several weeks across America this Fall. If you're anywhere near one of these shows, do yourself a favor and check out these bands. I can't vouch for Black Cobra, but Lo-Pan puts on one hell of a live show and their albums are killer, as well.

Lo-Pan w/ Black Cobra:
8/28/2014 Club Red - Phoenix, AZ
8/29/2014 Sister - Albuquerque, NM
8/30/2014 Conservatory - Oklahoma City, OK
8/31/2014 Doublewide - Dallas, TX
9/02/2014 Red 7 - Austin, TX
9/03/2014 Fitzgeralds - Houston, TX
9/04/2014 Siberia - New Orleans, LA
9/05/2014 Handlebar - Pensacola, FL
9/06/2014 Orpheum - Tampa, FL
9/07/2014 Gramps - Miami, FL
9/08/2014 Back Booth - Orlando, FL
9/09/2014 529 - Atlanta, GA
9/10/2014 The Mothlight - Asheville, NC
9/11/2014 Chop Shop - Charlotte, NC
9/12/2014 Strange Matter - Richmond, VA
9/13/2014 The Pinch - Washington, DC
9/14/2014 Dusk - Providence, RI
9/15/2014 Nectars - Burlington, VT
9/16/2014 TT The Bears - Boston, MA
9/17/2014 Kung Fu Necktie - Philadelphia, PA
9/18/2014 Saint Vitus - New York, NY
9/19/2014 Lost Horizon - Syracuse, NY
9/20/2014 Bug Jar - Rochester, NY
9/22/2014 Howlers - Pittsburgh, PA
9/23/2014 Reggie's - Chicago, IL
9/24/2014 7th St Entry - Minneapolis, MN
9/26/2014 Replay - Lawrence, KS
9/27/2014 Lost Lake Lounge - Denver, CO
9/28/2014 Burt's Tiki Bar - Salt Lake City, UT
9/29/2014 Dive Bar - Las Vegas, NV
10/01/2014 The Garage - Ventura, CA
10/02/2014 New Parish - Oakland, CA

Pallbearer Announces Fall North American Tour...

7/7/2014

Following the August 19th release of their upcoming album Foundations Of Burden and a European tour with Yob, Pallbearer will head out on the road for a North American with Tombs and Vattnet Viskar. A second leg of the tour will be announced shortly, with stops in the western N.A. That Lexington show is a Saturday, so you can count on me stopping by to get my skull crushed.

10/17 Nashville, TN – Exit/In
10/18 Lexington, KY – Cosmic Charlie’s
10/19 Champaign, IL – High Dive
10/20 Madison, WI – The Frequency
10/21 Detroit, MI – Magic Stick
10/23 Cleveland, OH – Grog Shop
10/24 Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace
10/25 Montreal, QC – Il Motore
10/26 Boston, MA – Great Scott
10/27 Brooklyn, NY – Saint Vitus
10/29 Philadelphia, PA – Black Box
10/30 Baltimore, MD – Metro Gallery
10/31 Chapel Hill, NC – Local 506
11/01 Atlanta, GA – The Earl
11/02 Tampa, FL – The Orpheum
11/05 Houston, TX – Fitzgerald’s Downstairs
11/07 Austin, TX – Fun Fun Fun Fest
11/09 Dallas, TX – Three Link