Americana

Wailin Storms – Rattle Review

Wailin Storms – Rattle Review

By Cherd on May 19, 2020 in Reviews, 16 comments

“Five years ago, Madam X found Wailin Storms’ debut full-length One Foot in the Flesh Grave to be a tasty treat, accurately calling it a mix between Danzig and 16 Horsepower. Their sound, which has changed little in the interim, is what you’d get if you conducted an experiment on band composition. Tell the bassist he’s playing in a doom outfit, tell the guitarist it’s psychobilly, tell the drummer to play post-hardcore, and let vocalist Justin Storms do exactly what it says on the tin. For an album that falls somewhere outside the usual bounds of metal, Rattle is all hot-blooded heaviness.” Weather the Storm.

Lord Buffalo – Tohu Wa Bohu Review

Lord Buffalo – Tohu Wa Bohu Review

By Cherd on March 26, 2020 in 2020, American Rock, Blues, Blues Funeral Recordings, Folk, Not Metal, Reviews, Rock, Folk, Not Metal, 22 comments

“Tohu Wa Bohu, a Hebrew phrase found in Genesis describing the Earth as “formless and empty” before the creation of light, is the second album from this Texan quartet, and it’s chock full of earthy darkness. First track “Raziel” creaks into the world sounding like a lost track from Nick Cave and Warren Ellis’ The Proposition soundtrack crossed with Low Estate era 16 Horsepower.” Lost in Americana.

Huntsmen – Mandala of Fear Review

Huntsmen – Mandala of Fear Review

By GardensTale on March 11, 2020 in 2020, American Metal, Progressive Metal, Prosthetic Records, Reviews, Sludge, Progressive Metal, Sludge Metal, 33 comments

“Huntsmen was one of the best left-field surprises of 2018 with their American Scrap album. By mixing progressive sludge and Americana, they created a sound not quite like any other. The songs neatly encapsulated heartfelt stories about working in the coal mines, a tragedy in Atlantic City, and others, closing on “The Last President” which included a dramatic performance by Aimee Bueno as the POTUS who unleashes nuclear Armageddon and hangs herself right after. It was a potent storytelling format that was bolstered by strong riffs, earnest vocals and succinct songwriting. So it makes sense that Mandala of Fear continues in… Wait… Does that promo sheet say “85 minute double LP dystopian concept album?!”” More as less.

Bask – III Review

Bask – III Review

By Kenstrosity on November 8, 2019 in American Metal, American Rock, Folk, Hard Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Reviews, Season of Mist, Stoner Rock, Folk, Hard Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Stoner Rock, 14 comments

“Asheville, North Carolina. A bizarre cultural potpourri famous for its beer, food, music scene and road construction, Asheville is one of those strange places that is both cripplingly flawed and difficult to resist. It’s a fascinating place, and it has my heart. So it should come as no surprise that I Bask in the glow of III, an Americana-spiked hard rock album that comes direct from my current hometown. We write infrequently about stuff from or within spitting distance of this city, but it seems like every time we do we like what we get—I direct you to Aether Realm and Undrask, for starters—and Bask’s latest continues the trend.” Sweet home Carolina.