Drone

Via Vengeance – Harsh Conditions Review

Via Vengeance – Harsh Conditions Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on March 12, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Battleground Records, Doom Metal, Drone, Sludge, Doom Metal, Sludge Metal, 41 comments

“There are one-man bands and there are one-man bands. Via Vengeance is the latter. Shane Ocell is not only the sole-instrumentalist of this Arizona-based doom band, but also performs guitar, drums, and vocals simultaneously. Yep, you heard me. The Via Vengeance live experience consists of Ocell sitting behind a kit, chugging away on a guitar, and belting out vicious incantations through his monitors. For this reason, Ocell’s songwriting is simplistic, proving that doom can be done well without over-the-top epicness.” One man, big doom.

Aluk Todolo – Voix Review

Aluk Todolo – Voix Review

By Roquentin on February 3, 2016 in 2016, Avante Garde, Black Metal, Drone, French Metal, Reviews, The Ajna Offensive, Black Metal, Drone, 10 comments

“It was on a tepid spring night that I witnessed, for the first time, the show put on by three mysterious French shamans going by the name of Aluk Todolo. A psychedelic, trance-inducing “krautblack” assault washed over the audience, permeating and shaking each molecule and atom of their beings. An unforgettable experience.” Darkness, beauty and brutality.

Black Yo)))ga – Asanas Ritual, Vol. 1 [Things You Might Have Missed 2015]

Black Yo)))ga – Asanas Ritual, Vol. 1 [Things You Might Have Missed 2015]

By Dr. A.N. Grier on December 5, 2015 in American Metal, Avante Garde, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Drone, Stoner Rock, Things You Might Have Missed 2015, Avante Garde, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Stoner Metal, 28 comments

“Yoga has become quite the fad in recent years. It seems like there’s a new joint popping up every other week. Each pushing a new style, better accommodations, and better results. The only thing that has even remotely piqued my interest is the free beer administered at the local brewery at the completion of their Sunday yoga sessions. But it turns out, there is a yoga course for people just like me. Black Yo)))ga is a vinyasa-styled center in Pennsylvania that focuses their sessions around metal music, rather than the traditional yoga/tree-hugger noise.” Stretch those quads as you expand your mind.

Sunn O))) – Kannon Review

Sunn O))) – Kannon Review

By Roquentin on December 4, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Doom Metal, Drone, Reviews, Southern Lord, Doom Metal, Drone, Experimental Metal, 61 comments

“The music of American drone metal duo Sunn O))), even though structurally simplistic, is anything but easy to consume. The richness of their sound still pours through layered subtleties that require attentive listening lest they be drowned out by the incisively crumbling riffs.” It’s all about that riff, that riff, that riff.

Mammoth Storm – Fornjot Review

Mammoth Storm – Fornjot Review

By Grymm on November 3, 2015 in 2015, Doom Metal, Drone, Napalm Records, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Doom Metal, Drone, 40 comments

“I learned a major lesson this year writing for Angry Metal Guy Industries Unlimited, Inc.. No, I still keep the toilet seat lid up after I go. Rather, band names are everything. This calendar year alone, I’ve reviewed bands named after long Biblical phrases, Roman numerals, house breaking your dog, and even a band that was one letter away from sending homophobic metalheads running for their nearest vial of eye-bleach. And now? Mammoth Storm from Sweden is here.” A hard rain is gonna fall.

Windhand – Grief’s Infernal Flower Review

Windhand – Grief’s Infernal Flower Review

By Steel Druhm on September 17, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Doom Metal, Drone, Relapse, Reviews, Doom Metal, 11 comments

“Windhand is the bane of those cursed with ADD. They write long, glacially slow, minimalist doom songs with little variation or tempo shifts. Their songwriting approach is mostly limited to unearthing one mammoth riff and beating you with it for anywhere from six to fourteen minutes without respite, mercy or bathroom breaks.” The beatings will continue until morale improves and/or cake is served.

Hope Drone – Cloak of Ash Review

Hope Drone – Cloak of Ash Review

By Kronos on August 3, 2015 in 2015, Australian Metal, Black Metal, Drone, Post-metal, Relapse, Releases, Reviews, Black Metal, Drone, 106 comments

“Longtime readers may recall the genesis of my infatuation with Hope Drone in late 2014 when I featured them on the very first Sampling Bias (um, yeah I’ll do another one of those sometime) which covered the proud continent of Australia. I lauded their self-titled debut as ‘possibly the most devastatingly nihilistic recording I’ve ever heard, both instrumentally and lyrically’.” Relapse blurbed that little line, so does Kronos love Hope Drone’s newest record enough to merit a second blurb? Or did he fawn himself into a corner only escape-able through a good panning?

Autokrator – Autokrator Review

Autokrator – Autokrator Review

By Kronos on June 15, 2015 in 2015, Death Metal, Drone, French Metal, Iron Bonehead Productions, Reviews, Death Metal, 29 comments

“Remember that scene in A New Hope where our rebel heroes get caught in an imperial trash compactor and have to somehow get out before they’re crushed into a Jedi-flavored bullion cube? Autokrator watched that classic escape and thought it would be a great idea to musically explore a similar situation in which R2D2 fails to shut down all of the garbage mashers on the detention level and Han, Leia, Luke, and Chewy are replaced by Stephen O’Malley, Nergal, Chris Barnes, and a the GM Frigidaire 1-18, respectively. It was a stupid, stupid idea.” Nuff said.