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This Week's Recommended New Releases...

2/25/2015

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This week's recommended new releases (02/24/15):
[Click on band name for samples and more info]

Below The Sun - Envoy (Temple of Tortuous)
Debut album from Siberian quintet. Progressive Sludge/ Funeral Doom.

Burweed - Hide (Inverse)
Debut album from Finnish trio. Atmospheric Sludge/ Post-Metal.

Chiefs - Tomorrow's Over (Roosevelt Row)
Debut album from San Diego-via-Phoenix trio. Stoner Metal.

Crypt Sermon - Out of the Garden (Dark Descent)
Debut album from Philadelphia 5-piece. Epic Doom Metal.

Endlesshade - Wolf Will Swallow the Sun (Rain Without End)Debut album from Ukranian six-piece. Blackened Doom/ Death Metal.

Ruby The Hatchet - Valley of the Snake (Tee Pee)
Second album from Philadelphia quintet. Psychedelic Doom Metal.

Soundcrawler - The Dead-End Host (Klonosphere)
Second album from French quintet. Stoner Metal.

Torche - Restarter (Relapse)
Fourth album from Miami quartet. Stoner/Sludge Metal.

The Wolf Council - The Wolf Council (Static Tensions)
Debut album from St. Paul, MN trio. Stoner Metal.

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This Week's Recommended New Releases...

2/17/2015

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This week's recommended new releases (02/17/15):
[Click on band name for samples and more info]

Black Pussy - Magic Mustache (Made in China)

I’ve been waiting for this record to come out since I saw these dudes open for Vista Chino in October 2013 and it was well worth the wait. While the debut album, On Blonde, was recorded mainly by frontman Dustin Hill, this second release is a collaborative band effort and blows the debut out of the bong water. This is one of the smoothest stoner rock releases to come out a while, which is no surprise given that the band has studied under the tutelage of Mr. Brant Bjork.

Brothers of the Sonic Cloth - Brothers of the Sonic Cloth (Neurot)

The debut album from this Seattle trio is devastatingly heavy. Combining doom, sludge and stoner metal, the record plods and crushes with the best of them. I really enjoy the way the understated drums compliment the monstrous riffage, and the vocals from the legendary Tad Doyle are actually pretty solid for a sludge album. I recommend giving this one a few spins at maximum volume in order to absorb all of the typical Pacific Northwest heaviness and nuances.

Furor Gallico - Songs from the Earth (Scarlet)

This is a pretty fun Folk Metal release, though it’s a bit uneven. This is the second full-length release from the Italian 8-member(!) band and it’s full of the usual folk melodies and weirdo instrumentation, including harp, violin, whistles and bouzouki, whatever the hell that is. The instruments are the star of the album, as the vocals are a bit on the atonal side. I think these guys would be a force with a melodic vocalist, but this one passes the test anyway.

Harrow - Fallow Fields (Broken Limbs)

If you’re into that folksy Black Metal scene with nature influences (see: Ulver and Agalloch), you’ll like this one. The Victoria, BC trio blends somber acoustic passages with scorching Black Metal on the four epic, 8+ minute tracks that make up their 3rd album. I take a pass on most BM albums, but I really dig the more progressive, epic side of the genre. This is the perfect record for driving across the Canadian permafrost, which is exactly how I was able to experience the album last week.

King Woman - Doubt (The Flenser)

This one kind of came out of nowhere. This is the third EP released by the San Francisco quartet and it’s pretty stunning. Check out the absolutely haunting female vocals soaring above the doom guitars and atmospheric elements. This band is apparently just a side project for frontwoman Kristina Esfandiari, so I’m not sure if any full releases are on the horizon. If there’s more where this came from, count me in as interested.

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This Week's Recommended New Releases...

2/11/2015

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This week's recommended new releases (02/10/15):
[Click on band name for samples and more info]

Abstracter - Wound Empire (Sentient Ruin)

2nd album from Oakland quartet; Blackened Sludge/ Doom Metal

Dwell - Vermin and Ashes (Hells Headbangers)

Debut album from Danish 6-piece; Doom/Death Metal

Finsterforst - Mach Dich Frei (Napalm)

4th album from 7-member German horde; Folk Metal

Geezer - Gage (Ripple)

2nd release from Kingston, NY trio; Stoner Rock

Twingiant - Devil Down (Medusa Crush)

2nd album from Phoenix quartet; Stoner Metal

Wells Valley - Matter As Regent (Bleak)

Debut album from Portuguese trio; Post-Metal/ Sludge

Editor's Note: I aplogize for the lack of full reviews this week. I've been marooned in Canada for a while and I haven't had a lot of time to write. Back to the normal content next week. As always, thanks for reading! - JO

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This Week's Recommended New Releases...

2/3/2015

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This week's recommended new releases (02/03/15):
[Click on band name for samples and more info]

Spiralism - Chakras (Inverse)

This is one of those records that doesn’t fit nicely into a tidy category. The Finnish quartet incorporates elements of progressive rock, psychedelia and sludge into their strong debut album. At times, it’s difficult to even classify this as a metal album, especially when they’re going off on an exploratory synth part, but they always manage to bring it back to a heavy riff. The best comparison I can come up with is some of the later material from fellow countrymen Amorphis, but with sludgier vocals.

Spook the Horses - Rainmaker (N/A)

I guess I’m still not hip enough to understand all of this post-whatever stuff. This quintet out of New Zealand apparently plays “post-hardcore”, but it sounds like metal to me. The sophomore album is extremely atmospheric, but it’s still just five dudes cranking out riffs and pounding on the drums. The vocals are definitely in the shouted, hardcore arena, but their pretty sparse on the album overall. The mellow parts are good background music, but the crushing parts are worth the wait.

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This Week's Recommended New Releases...

This Week's Recommended New Releases...

This Week's Recommended New Releases...

This Week's Recommended New Releases...

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