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Regarde les Hommes Tomber – Ascension Review

By GardensTale on February 27, 2020 in 2020, Black Metal, French Metal, Post-metal, Reviews, Season of Mist, Sludge, Black Metal, Sludge, 14 comments

“Regarde les Hommes Tomber’s soundscape is a vertical stack of black-, post- and sludge metal. The sound is dense and relentlessly insistent, a colliding pile of tremolo rhythms supporting ominous, towering riffs. The vocals are one part black metal screams, two parts hoarse shouts filled with desperation. The effect is like getting caught in a mudslide: unexpected speed, suffocating darkness and crushing weight, surrounded by the screams of the other unfortunate souls dragged to their deaths by the unflinching flow.” It’s the rise and fall.

Shadow Witch – Under the Shadow of a Witch Review

By Saunders on February 23, 2020 in 2020, American Metal, Argonauta Records, Doom Metal, Hard Rock, Reviews, Stoner Metal, Doom Metal, Stoner Rock, 16 comments

“I often marvel at the diversity of the wondrous art form of metal music. Doom is no exception, flowering beyond the traditional Sabbathian foundations. Along with its various genre affiliates, it continues to impress in genre depth without deviating too far from slow and heavy pathways. New York’s Shadow Witch lean towards a hard-rocking, bluesy, riff-centric stoner doom template on their third album, Under the Shadow of a Witch.” Wicked witches.

Sycomore – Bloodstone Review

By Kenstrosity on February 11, 2020 in 2020, Argonauta Records, French Metal, Reviews, Sludge, Sludge, 7 comments

“Sludge metal. Depending on who you ask, it’s either awesome or meh. If you ask me, sludge falls under the hit-or-miss category, with an unfortunate bias towards miss. When everything comes together, e.g. all four records of Beastwars and the first four of Mastodon, the result is usually a monolithic slab of grimy riffs and scathing vocal assaults drowned in the fuzz of the damned. This is a good thing. However, all other times you end up with something about as interesting/enjoyable as room-temperature coffee poured out of a carafe stained as yellow as the dust inside a chain-smoker’s PC. This is a bad thing.” Sludge life.

Elden – Nostromo Review

By El Cuervo on January 31, 2020 in 2020, Fuzzorama Records, Heavy Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Stoner Metal, Swedish Metal, Heavy Metal, Progressive Metal, Stoner Metal, 10 comments

“I selected Nostromo by Elden on the basis of being both a literature and sci-fi nerd (Joseph Conrad’s 1904 novel and Alien, respectively, though Alien itself is referencing Conrad by naming its ship Nostromo), hoping the resultant album would invoke a similarly strong response. How fare these Swedes when embarking in their own vessel called Nostromo?” In space no one can hear you nerd.

Sorxe – The Ark Burner [Things You Might Have Missed 2019]

By Dr. A.N. Grier on December 14, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Doom Metal, Prosthetic Records, Reviews, Sludge Metal, Things You Might Have Missed 2019, Doom Metal, Sludge Metal, 6 comments

“Hitting our promo bin for the first time in 2014, there was little Grymm found interesting on the band’s debut. But when Matter & Void hit the deck three years later, my eyebrows glued themselves to the top of my head. And seeing them play that album live is still one of the best performances I’ve ever experienced. What didn’t hit our bin was this year’s The Ark Burner. But, thank the stars, I’ve been keeping tabs on this band for all you sludge suckers out there. But, will Sorxe continue their streak?” Ark of triumph.

Howling Giant – The Space Between Worlds [Things You Might Have Missed 2019]

By Dear Hollow on December 11, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, American Rock, Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, Sludge, Stoner Metal, Things You Might Have Missed 2019, Unsigned Bands, Post-Metal, Progressive Rock, 19 comments

“A true sleeper hit in every sense of the word, The Space Between Worlds’ style may not be the most innovative, but damn is it tasty. Introducing themselves with three tauntingly brief EP’s since 2015, including the hella fun two-part Black Hole Space Wizard arc, Nashville trio Howling Giant fuses the fuzz of stoner doom with the ambition of prog rock.” Between rock and a vast space.

Timeworn – Leave the Soul for Now Review

By GardensTale on December 4, 2019 in 2019, Doom Metal, Loyal Blood Records, Norwegian Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Sludge, Post-Metal, Progressive Metal, Sludge Metal, 28 comments

“Are we going out with a bang this year? Yes, ladies and other ladies, we are going out with a sizable bang from Norway, as well as a New Year’s resolution for all you concert goers: stop skipping out on fucking support acts, you twats! Because you see, I would not have known about Timeworn had I not seen them open for Kvelertak in 2017.” Support the soul.

The Drift – Seer Review

By Dear Hollow on December 1, 2019 in 2019, Groove Metal, Plug Music Agency, Post-metal, Reviews, Sludge Metal, Groove Metal, Post-Metal, Sludge Metal, 9 comments

“I showed this album cover to my high school students. Their first reaction was, /Is that the new Imagine Dragons album?’ I’m currently entering F’s for all of them. But I also realize that first impressions are often everything for the little-known guys in the promo bin. They’ve got one chance to impress, whether it be their skill set, an interesting style of music, or album art. South African sludge-groove quintet The Drift promises a neat cover, a history of prestigious live performances, and acclaim from well-known musicians. Does Seer find its groove? Or is it stuck in a rut?” Imagine Leviathans.

Bölzer – Lese Majesty Review

By Saunders on November 14, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Death Metal, Lightning & Sons Records, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Swiss Metal, Progressive Metal, 19 comments

“I kept the faith that Bölzer were able to deliver a knockout blow leading up to their 2016 debut LP, Hero. Unfortunately, the album left me feeling indifferent and frustrated due to inconsistent writing and questionable vocal choices, leaving scattered traces of brilliance hidden amidst the wreckage. Finally, Bölzer return on their own label and ready to unleash their sophomore LP, Lese Majesty. With increasingly diminishing returns defining their career thus far, can the dynamic duo reclaim the glory and shoot for the stars this time around?” More or Lese?

GoatHawkBuffalo – Come to Temple Review

By Carcharodon on November 7, 2019 in 2019, Danish Metal, Hard Rock, Reviews, Self-released, Sludge, Stoner Rock, 21 comments

“It’s been quite a long time since I thought about ‘Portlandia,’ the I-have-to-assume wholly accurate depiction of life in Portland, Oregon. But reading the promo material for GoatHawkBuffalo’s full-length debut, I was put in mind of the particularly curious ‘We can pickle that’ sketch. Not because GoatHawkBuffalo are from Portland – the five-piece is based in Copenhagen, Denmark – but because of this statement from guitarist Asger Abel Sørensen, talking about how the band live-recorded Come to Temple but “subsequently recorded various crazy overdubs – we’ve had microphones in empty Jack Daniels’ bottles and buckets of water, we also ran a guitar signal through a pickle …”” Brine and brawn.