Drone Metal

Throane – Plus une main à mordre Review

Throane – Plus une main à mordre Review

By Roquentin on October 25, 2017 in 2017, Avante Garde, Black Metal, Debemur Morti, Drone, French Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 16 comments

“In retrospect, Throane’s tantalizing début Derrière-Nous, La Lumière is one of those records whose piercing splinters, given time to gestate, have a tendency to deeply ingrain themselves into thoughts. Almost imperceptible at first, its monochromatic strokes paint uncomfortable rooms of the mind. Rooms filled with anguish and darkness, shaped equally by fears of the void and an existential dread of the mundane. Spaces hidden behind walls upon walls, repressed but always present. The idea of revisiting this world is one that is simultaneously exhilarating and frightening.” Splinters in the mind’s eye.

BIG|BRAVE – Ardor Review

BIG|BRAVE – Ardor Review

By Roquentin on September 15, 2017 in 2017, Canadian Metal, Doom Metal, Drone, Experimental Metal, Post-metal, Post-Rock, Reviews, Southern Lord, Doom Metal, Experimental Metal, Noise Metal, Post-Metal, 52 comments

“Ardor, the third full-length by Montrealers BIG|BRAVE opens with a sustained, unending riff. As it reverberates eerily, it suggests that the trio picked up right where they left off with their sophomore release Au De La, veering even further into fields of textures and sparse instrumentation. Their signature sound is a combination of elements from multiple genres and idioms, from post-rock to drone, shaped into an experimental, caustic, and often hermetic concoction.” Bliss in the abyss.

Sektarism – La Mort de L’Infidele Review

Sektarism – La Mort de L’Infidele Review

By Grymm on May 19, 2017 in 2017, Doom Metal, Drone, French Metal, Reviews, Zanjeer Zani Productions, Doom Metal, 31 comments

“As anyone who knows me well enough can attest, I function in strange ways. I enjoy my iced coffee in the wintertime. In the summertime, though, when everyone is either at the beach or cruising down the highway of their choice, I prefer to shutter myself in my house, grab a beer, and listen to either Kyuss or funeral doom. Strange, I know, but there’s something to be said about taking it easy on days where it’s overly sunny and hot as balls outside. So imagine my delight when I discovered La Mort de L’Infidele by France’s Sektarism in the promo bin, just waiting for me to engage in enough summertime sadness to make Lana Del Ray blush.” There ain’t no cure for the summertime blues.

Alkerdeel – Lede Review

Alkerdeel – Lede Review

By Roquentin on April 12, 2016 in 2016, Belgian Metal, Black Metal, ConSouling Sounds, Drone, Reviews, Black Metal, 30 comments

“Harsh and fairly abstract genres such as drone, noise, and left-field black metal are conceptually subtle, fragile things that require a careful balancing act to pull off properly. There are two ways that successful bands do this. One group of musicians immerses itself fully into the abyss of extremes, slowing down tempos to the point of near immobility and amplifying texture beyond thresholds of painful saturation (Sunn O)))). The other group carefully crafts concoctions that are ultimately dynamic in their repetitiveness and cohesive in their chaos (Aluk Todolo). Belgian four piece Alkerdeel belong to the latter.”This high-wire act is about to get real.

Boris with Merzbow – Gensho Review

Boris with Merzbow – Gensho Review

By Roquentin on March 17, 2016 in Avante Garde, Doom Metal, Drone, Japanese Metal, Relapse, Reviews, Noise Metal, Shoegaze, 15 comments

“To write about Gensho, the latest in a 15 years long series of collaborations between illustrious Japanese experimental metal, rock, and everything in-between trio Boris and legendary noise musician Merzbow (alias Masami Akita), is to write about three different records: a Boris shoegaze-cum-drone meditation, a Merzbow harsh noise attack, and a mammothian combination of the two.” What’s with guys who like drone and writing run on sentences, anyway?

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.

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.