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This Week's Recommended New Releases (09/25/15)...

9/28/2015

This week's recommended new releases (09/25/15):
[Click on band name for samples and more info]

Editor's Note: I really wish I had time to prepare proper reviews this week, but my real job has been a bit crazy lately. This was an absolutely insane week for fantastic Metal releases, so take some time and check all of these out. - JO

Black Breath - Slaves Beyond Death (Southern Lord)

3rd album from Seattle 5-piece; Death/Thrash Metal

Deathcode Society - Eschatonizer (Osmose Productions)

Debut album from French quintet; Symphonic Black Metal

Mord'A'Stigmata - Our Hearts Slow Down EP (Pagan)

4th release from Polish quartet; Post-Black Metal

My Home on Trees - How I Reached Home (Heavy Psych)

2nd album from Milano 4-piece; Stoner Rock

Old Man Lizard - Old Man Lizard (Heavy Psych)

2nd album from Sudbury, UK trio; Sludge/Stoner Metal

Snail - Feral (Small Stone)

4th album from Seattle quartet; Psychedelic Stoner/Doom Metal

Soijl - Endless Elysian Fields (Solitude)

Debut album from Swedish duo; Melodic Doom/Death Metal

We Hunt Buffalo - Living Ghosts (Fuzzorama)

4th release from Vancouver trio; Stoner Rock

Windfaerer - Tenebrosum (N/A)

2nd album from New Jersey trio; Black/Folk Metal

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This Week's Recommended New Releases (09/18/15)...

9/18/2015

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This week's recommended new releases (09/18/15):
[Click on band name for samples and more info]

88 Mile Trip - Through the Thickest Haze (N/A)

The debut album from this Vancouver quintet packs in a shitload of gnarly Stoner Metal riffs. The Jim Morrison-esque vocals are a little grating after a while, but don’t let that deter you from taking a chance on these dudes. The rhythm section is particularly impressive on this record, as the drummer and bass player split time in a Thrash outfit and bring that aggression to the realm of Stoner Metal, offering a unique perspective. The record is a bit front-loaded, slowing down the tempos drastically towards the end. There are also a handful of bass solos, if that floats your boat. If these guys stop listening to The Cult, they’re going to be a force to be reckoned with.

Church - Unanswered Hymns (Battleground)

The debut album from the Sacramento quintet (who use the names Church and Chrch concurrently) is a dissertation in filthy Doom/Sludge Metal. With just three tracks totaling nearly 45 minutes, be prepared for a lengthy, sometimes uncomfortable listening session. With equal parts crushing Doom and eerie drone, the record makes fantastic use of dynamics to lull the listener into a sense of calm before circling back and pummeling them into oblivion. The vocals just kind of float in the background, letting the music take center stage to devastate your eardrums. As is the case with these lengthy Doom albums, repeated listens are probably your best bet.

King Heavy - King Heavy (Cruz Del Sur)

Chile has long had a thriving Black and Death Metal scene, but I haven’t heard a lot of Doom coming from west of the Andes. On their debut album, this quartet blasts out some epic Candlemass-style Doom with vocals reminiscent of the great Matt Barlow. It’s pretty straightforward Doom for the most part, but they do pick up the tempo quite a bit in places, which lends a nice heavy touch. I don’t really have much to add on this album. If you like Candlemass and Iced Earth, I can pretty much guarantee that you’ll dig this record.

Serial Hawk - Searching for Light (Bleeding Light)

Absolutely crushing debut album from the Seattle Sludge Metal trio. The emphasis here isn’t on fancy riffing, but just sheer heaviness. For three dudes just bashing away on one chord for minutes at a time, there’s something hypnotic about the album. They manage to make the simplest of riffs seem interesting and devastating at the same time. The vocals are basically your standard Sludge shouts, which is to be expected. The 18 minute final track takes nearly 5 minutes to kick in, but it’s definitely worth the wait, with some of the best guitar work on the entire album.

Windhand - Grief's Infernal Flower (Relapse)

I’m a huge fan of this Richmond quintet, so I’ve been anticipating this release for a long time, ever since my mind was blown by 2013’s Soma. The follow-up, the group’s 3rd album, exceeds every one of my expectations. Clocking in at over 70 minutes, there’s just so much to absorb here. The Doom riffage is some of the heaviest around and Dorthia Cottrell may be the best vocalist in all of the land, not just in Metal. The haunting vocals floating above the maelstrom are a perfect complement to the fuzzed-out heaviness. Strong contender for 2015’s best record.

Witchsorrow - No Light, Only Fire (Candlelight)

It’s tough to play traditional Doom in 2015 and sound fresh, but this UK trio has managed to pull it off over the course of their three albums. The latest release is definitely a step up from the previous two, with the band coming into their own sound and leaving behind some of the overt Cathedral worship that was a bit too prevalent during their Rise Above Records era. The album opener makes that statement in a huge way, with thrashed-out tempos, before the record reverts back into a more traditional Doom pace. If you’re a Doom fan, this is a must listen.

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This Week's Recommended New Releases (09/11/15)...

9/11/2015

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This week's recommended new releases (09/11/15):
[Click on band name for samples and more info]

HellLight - Journey Through Endless Storms (Solitude Productions)

The always reliable Solitude Productions hits another homerun with the 5th album from the Brazilian Funeral Doom/Death Metal quartet. Slow and haunting throughout, the record conjures up an absolutely devastating melancholy. Every track begins and ends with rain, which always works for some reason.

Limb - Terminal (New Heavy Sounds)

No frills Sludge/Stoner/Doom Metal on the 2nd album from the London quartet. Fantastic riffs and very solid production that really highlights the guitar/bass/ drum interplay. They’re kind of like a British version of Valley of the Sun with a little more aggression in the vocals. Solid combination. Bonus points for the boss album cover, too.

Sardonis - III (Consouling Sounds)

Not only do these Belgians play instrumental Stoner/Sludge/Doom Metal, but they do it with only drums and one guitar. That sounds like a recipe for boredom, but they pull out so many tasty riffs that they more than exceed expectations. As a bass player, I should be offended, but they get a pass. Prepare yourself for 38 minutes of constant headbanging.

Speedtrap - Straight Shooter (Svart)

I’m not generally a fan of Speed Metal, so it takes something pretty strong to get my attention. This Finnish quintet managed to do just that with their second release. Furious riffage, face-melting leads, pounding drums and soaring vocals…Heavy Fucking Metal the way it was meant to be (without all of the goofball bullshit that submarines most bands in this genre).

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This Week's Recommended New Releases...

9/10/2015

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This week's recommended new releases (09/04/15):
[Click on band name for samples and more info]

Ancient Altar - Dead Earth (Black Voodoo/ Midnite Collective)

The second album from this Los Angeles quartet is a brutal exercise in sludged-out Doom Metal. It’s a bit more caustic than your average modern-day Doom record, thanks in part to the tortured screams of the dual vocalists. The album only contains four songs, but it totals more than 40 minutes, so be prepared for some long journeys. The strong riffs are pure, classic Doom Metal and the guitar leads are pretty excellent. It basically sounds like a killer European Doom record with the standard American sludge shouts. Not a bad listen, especially the instrumental moments.

Beneath the Storm - Devil's Village (Argonauta)

This is another fairly abrasive Doom record, courtesy of a Slovenian solo act. On his 3rd album, Igor Šimon conjures up a terrifying blend of Doom, Sludge and Drone that mixes in a healthy dose of soundbytes and weirdo synth parts on each song’s intro. The rest of the record is detuned heaviness to the max, with pounding rhythms, chugging guitars and beastly, guttural vocals. All in all, it’s a pretty ambitious record for one dude to take on. It’s not the easiest listen, but it’s too damn heavy to pass up. Check it out.

Clouds Taste Satanic - Your Doom Has Come (Kinda Like Music)

Stunning instrumental Doom records are a rare find, but this Brooklyn quartet manages to pull it off with their second release. With the album cover homage to 1980s Candlemass, you have an idea of what to expect here: classic riffs, gorgeous tone and fairly complex song structures that generally eclipse the 6-minute mark. With no vocals to preach about impending misery and woe, the onus for conjuring up the feeling of crushing Doom falls squarely on the instruments and they are certainly up to the task. Very cool record.

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This Week's Recommended New Releases...

9/1/2015

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This week's recommended new releases (08/28/15):
[Click on band name for samples and more info]

Ahab - The Boats of the Glen Carrig (Napalm)

German quartet; 4th album; Funeral Doom Metal

Carousel - 2113 (Tee Pee)

Pittsburgh, PA quartet; 2nd album; Heavy Metal

Cavern - Outsiders (Grimoire)

Oakland, MD trio; 2nd album; Progressive Sludge/Thrash Metal

Egonaut - Deluminati (Mighty Music)

Swedish quartet; 3rd album; Stoner/Doom Metal

Kalmen - Course Hex (Ván)

German quartet; Debut album; Doom Metal

Plaguewielder - Chambers of Death (HPGD)

Luxembourg quartet; Debut album; Atmospheric Doom Metal

The Spirit Cabinet - Hystero Epileptic Possessed (Ván)

Netherlands quartet; Debut album; Heavy/Doom Metal

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This Week's Recommended New Releases (09/25/15)...

This Week's Recommended New Releases (09/18/15)...

This Week's Recommended New Releases (09/11/15)...

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This Week's Recommended New Releases...

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