“Post-metal and stoner rock both struggle to escape the shadows of their forebears. Nothing gets me off like a well-developed soundscape, but countless bands claim to be the next Neurosis or Kyuss while bringing nothing to the table but fuzzy minimalism. This Melvin can attest firsthand that the Melvins already exist, and imitating them is a losing battle. So I approached the sophomore release from Houston’s sludgy post-metallers Pyreship with high hopes and a raised eyebrow.” Riding posts.
“I miss the 1980s. There’s a special place in my heart for bands that foreshadowed the development of extreme metal while keeping one foot firmly planted in their thrash or NWoBHM roots, like Sodom, Venom, and Slayer. German first-wave black metal enthusiasts Blood Torrent agree. We get lots of promos that cite early-90s second-wave bands as influences, but it’s rarer that albums purport to revive their mid-80s ancestors.” Blood and olde treasure.
“As a reviewer who largely gets to pick my own assignments, I face a desire to branch out once in a while. Most of us like discovering new things, but it can be a little off-putting to follow up the discovery with a review, knowing that you may not be “getting” the concepts. For myself, I like the idea of stoner doom, rock, metal, or whatever you’d like to call it. The hazy, laid-back, ambient-but-not-quite music appeals to me. I’m not a particular fan of the genre—but every once in a while, I want to try. That is how I find myself here, reviewing An Endless Feast for Hyenas, the debut full-length release from France’s Decasia.” Mellow mauling.
“Well, List season is pretty much over, TYMHM posts are drawing to a close and here we are, back to the grindstone. I am kicking off the year of our Jørn 2022 on a high. Well, so I am told. You see, I have in my clutches the third full-length from Canada’s Seven Nines and Tens, an album that—I am informed by the accompanying blurb— “aims to be one of the finest metal albums to be released in 2022″. I have no problem with bands setting themselves lofty aspirations but, when you come out swinging like that in the first week of January, you kinda have to deliver.” Tree hangover.
“I remember a comment in a discussion about stoner, of which a paraphrase would come down to ‘stoner doesn’t have anything left to strive for because Kyuss created and perfected the genre with the same album.’ But still, there’re exceptions. Elder and Boss Keloid are two prime examples of putting a different twist on stoner, Clutch has been an offbeat banner-carrier for years and even lesser-known acts like Realms of Vision get to tweak the formula a little. Does DayGlo Mourning’s Dead Star take break new ground, or is it the same old song?” Dead stars and glo-sticks.
Huck N’ Roll and Eldritch Elitist will now hold court with their well-thought-out Top Ten(ish) lists. Appear or be held in eternal contempt.
“As I’ve adjusted to 24-7 confinement with a toddler who needs constant help staying alive and a half acre property sorely in need of spring yard work, I’ve taken a little break from the AMG salt mines. It probably would have lasted longer, but the editors presented a seemingly unprecedented opportunity to review one of my fellow writers, and I’ve got a lot to say on the subject of Holden. As part of the same n00b class, I’ve had front row seats to the man, the myth, the overrating bastard, and I’ve got some bones to pick.” Holden grudges.
“It didn’t become apparent how little I like Omens until I revisited Elder‘s back catalog. Running through the halls of their ethereal proghalla didn’t just make clear that, next to the sum of Elder‘s previous achievements, Omens isn’t great; it cemented that Omens isn’t good.” Disrespecting the Elder.
“Album premieres are a gimmick. At least that’s what I thought until I had the chance to showcase this lovely example of epic/doom/stoner metal courtesy of up-and-coming Cincinnati rockers Blessed Black. Of course, to review an album is one thing, but to premiere that album, it better be worth clicking on more songs than just the single, and that’s certainly the case here.” Blessed luck.
“Is there such a thing as a universal archetype of a genre? A band that perfectly embodies everything you expect from, say, melodic death metal or power metal, and nothing else? After all, many bands mix in at least some influence from other genres in an attempt to keep things fresh and not everyone has the exact same view of what such a default state should look like. Stoner metal, on the other hand, often seems bent on conforming to a template, perhaps more so than any other of metal’s subgenres. All you need is a bunch of catchy, straightforward riffs, generally played at mid-pace, with a good measure of fuzz and with a dusting of psychedelic interludes and solos, and clean, ’70s style vocals on top, and you got yourself a stoner metal album.” Desert rock for dessert.
