Betelzeus and Ockultist Share Harrowing New ‘Split From The Isolation’
I’ve been warning you Doomers & Stoners that it was coming. A treasure trove of content from those boredom-driven collaborations of the Great Lockdown opened up for the world to see and hear. As one who is endlessly fascinated by the creative process, I’m especially interested in music borne of struggle – especially an experience so many of us have shared. Isolation is a real son of a bitch and it can easily drive a person to languor, restlessness, self-loathing, even madness…or it can inspire some fantastic inventiveness and innovation.
You’re about to be treated to a massive effort between two bands that labored through the fear, uncertainty, and grief of the 2020 pandemic and bared their soul in the process. It’s a record that’s vicious to the core, yet brilliant in its own right. Doomed & Stoned is pleased to give the world premiere of this ‘Split From The Isolation’ (2021) by Betlezeus and Ockultist from neighboring Sweden and Finland. For those of you who have been starving from lack of sludge in your diet, have I got a smorgasbord of wicked nourishment for you!
BETELZEUS
BETELZEUS emerged from Lahti in 2014. Their first album 'Congolese Sterilization’ (2019) was released as a DIY cassette. It contained some original sounding sludge doom with a small twist of post rock soundscapes. Later the album was reissued on cassette (Kohina Records) and on CD and LP (Interstellar Smoke Records). Read the Doomed & Stoned review.
It’s good to have Betelzeus back with brand new material. In fact, Split From The Isolation is just the first of the three records the Finnish foursome is planning for the remainder of the year.
Joonas (vox), Jirko (guitar, noise), Toni (bass), and Efe (drums) dish out a heaping helping of bruising doom, beginning with “Shitborn,” a caustic number underscored by the apocalyptic chords, sawing riffs with sharp dissonance, and Jirko’s acid-spewing vocals, which echo into the long, dark night. This sludgy number is one that’ll be circulating in my playlist for some time.
“Paradise/Parasite” crawls forth next, with a solitary statement of the theme in guitar, accompanied by swirling pedal effects that summon a huge wall of noise. Drums and bass join in, and it feels like we might just have been abducted by UOFs while sound asleep, lounging on a hammock tucked away between two palm trees somewhere in the Carribean Islands. Now, we’ve become the parasite strapped down for probing and dissection by the Roswell Greys. I’m totally making that up, of course. It could have a higher-minded meaning, like how we’re all sucking the life out of this blue planet of ours. That while we’re fighting off bugs and slugs, mosquitos and worms, that we’re the real parasite on Mother Earth. You decide (or make no decision at all).
The last track on the A-side is a cover of “Deathcrush” by Norwegian black metal gods MAYHEM, which the band quips “shows what happens when you strip tremolo-picking guitars and blast beats off the black metal classic.” Hell yeah! And we’re not even through with this sludge feast, either.
OCKULTIST
Are you ready for the B-side of the split? I don’t think you’re even ready, bro. I’m looking at you sitting there with your shoulders hunched over, snacking on your Doritos, and I just don’t think your heart can take it. Well, ready or not, you’re about to be pummeled by OCKULTIST.
The Stockholm outfit arose, as so many great bands do, from the ashes of an old D-beat band with, their bio states, “the goal of crushing themselves with the slowest and filthiest music their minds could create.”
After the release of several demos, Ockultist gave us 'Present Day Neglect’ (2017), followed by the LP 'Festering Wounds’ (2020) on Sludgelord Records. One could sense each release pushing the band further and further in a heavier, angrier, filthier direction.
Ockultist’s contribution to Split From The Isolation sees the band stomping through even muddier territory, seeping with vile death, crust, and black metal along the sludgy way. This is what rises to the surface when Christopher (guitar, vox), Joachim (bass), and Clarence (drums) join forces.
You can feel it in the raw first track, with it’s earthshaking footprint. I’m trying to imagine a more ominous motif than this one, and I can’t. There’s enough rumbling riffage here to wake the goddamn dead (or maybe a Jackass-style rude awakening of Bam’s dad). Go ahead, crank it high and offend your neighbors! This is, after all, “Contempt.”
“Ulcerous” heaves guttural bile as it drags its weighty iron chains with each step. The heavy laden soul summons more and more strength with every drumbeat, it’s race providing it with one last burst of hatred with which to inflame humanity, Primitive Man style.
And wow, what a finish! Sweden covers Sweden in this case, with the younger Ockultist taking on the great Örebro band NASUM, whose name was derived from the 1973 film Flesh For Frankenstein. You can hear the underlying insanity of the original “Fight Terror With Terror” in this monstrosity, which seemed ideal for Ockultist to cover.
Look for the full release of Split From The Isolation by Betelzeus and Ockultist on May 30th (pre-order Side A, pre-order Side B). Each of these heft tracks is dense with doom and slithering with sludge making it a real feast for your jaded eardrums.
Stream it all right here, right now as Doomed & Stoned presents the world premiere of this six-legged Scandinavian beast! The album premier also includes the vinyl bonus tracks. After the stream ends they will only be available on the LP version (ETA: Summer 2021). If you dig the tunes as much as I know you will, remember to show the bands some love!
Give ear…
An Interview With Hell
Oregon has long established itself as a cradle for doom metal, to the point where you’re not really surprised anymore to find out that the new band you’ve discovered turns out to be from Portland. Yet there’s still much gold to be found when you scratch the surface and venture beyond the YOBs and Red Fangs of the world. In short, there’s more to the Beaver State than meets the eye.
Likewise, the Salem-based HELL mastermind MSW would generally not stand out in your typical Roadburn crowd, where long hair, beards, and a ragged denim jacket are standard fare. You might notice the weary eyes and Lucky Strike tattoo on second glance, but you probably wouldn’t know that you’re standing next to one of the most gifted songwriters doom has currently on offer. Which I am thankful for, as we were forced to do interview in a lobby on account of the press room being unexpectedly closed – aside from one person asking for a picture with him, nobody seemed to recognize him.
I was nervous and starstruck in my own way, on account of finally meeting the other half of what I’d like to call the “Oregon Circle” that brought us bands like Hell, Merkstave, Urzeit, Elu of the Nine, et al, having already interviewed the first half, MSW’s frequent collaborator ALN (of Mizmor fame) the day prior. However, he broke the ice immediately by complementing my Primitive Man shirt and informing me that he’d release a split with them next year (which was incredibly hard to keep my mouth shut about, but turned out great, unsurprisingly).
What follows is our conversation on the third day of the 2018 edition of Roadburn, presented here at the one-year anniversary of Hell’s appearance to the storied Dutch festival.
Let’s talk about the new record. Were you surprised about the reception of it? I personally loved it, and it was one of my favorite records of 2017.
Yeah, it was better than I thought it would be.
I felt that the new record leaned more towards the doom metal side, as opposed to the previous material, which was a bit more routed in black metal and had more quiet moments. Was that a deliberate choice?
We, being me and the people I play live with, had been playing the material for a long time and I just wanted to write something that is fun to play live, too. Less slow, quiet moments, more mid-tempo, more fun on the road.
Which I thought was so great about the record. It’s all punishment until the mid-section of Victus, when that one quiet section hits like a freight train.
Yeah, that’s just how I write things. I wanted a little something like Hell III so I put that in there. Little bit of quiet, little bit of loud.
What can we expect from upcoming Hell releases?
Just more of the same.
Not a full blown black metal record?
No. As far as my own songwriting goes, I’m not a huge fan of blast beats. I prefer that groove, you know. Incorporating various influences – stoner metal, death metal.
Just as with Mizmor (whose own A.L.N. provides live drums and vocals for Hell) I think I’m hearing a lot of atypical sounds in Hell’s music, things you wouldn’t normally find in metal. So, for example, what inspired songs like “Foetorem Timere”?
Oh, I worked on that song for three years. Had it on my recorder forever, but classical – that’s my influence. I grew up with it. My ma, my grandma, and my grandpa, my whole maternal side of the family, were all music majors. My grandpa was the music professor at Western Oregon University. I grew up with classical music constantly blasting in the house. I hated it at first, wanted to listen to Nirvana, you know? Eventually, there were some songs like the romantic adagios that really got me hooked on it, with the way the harmonies would work together.
What first got you into metal?
Like most people, Black Sabbath. I started hanging out with the Burial Grounds Crew. They’d have me play bass in really crazy heavy bands and I wasn’t even really into metal. And eventually they’d show me these bands from a genre called doom metal that I had never heard of. I was around 15 at that time and I was like: “What the fuck is this shit? It’s pretty cool. I like this! I can probably write shit like this.” And they were like: “Oh dude, you totally should try.” So, I went home and wrote “Brutus” (which would eventually end up on Hell I). I went back to them, asked them if this worked, and they thought it was rad, that I should write more. And within three months, I had written the rest of the songs.
And you were 15 at when you wrote these songs?
No, no, I was 15 when I started hanging out with those guys and smoking weed. I was 17 when I wrote these songs.
That’s impressive. I love that section in “Brutus” where you just start rocking out, it’s so unexpected.
Yeah, it’s fun.
I’m not sure how much truth there is behind this, but I read somewhere that Hell was supposed to call it quits after ‘III.’ Is that true?
Yeah, I say all sorts of shit. I will get tired. My voice is gone, my throat is sore, I drink too much. The lifestyle of a musician, the touring, it gets to you – but I like playing. Sheene, who plays guitars with me in the band, is my old best friend, and we’re together in a rock and roll/blues band called The Fools. And that’s what I really love to do. Hell represents different phases of my life. Those that were really hard, like when my dad and grandparents died in the span of two years. I wrote all this music in the buildup to and the aftermath of that. Now I’m just not that bummed out anymore. And I’m not going to fake it. I see a lot of people doing – or rather faking – that sound, but I’m not feeling it. And I’m not going to produce music, if I’m not feeling that way.
So if you got the idea for a riff, you just stash it away for later?
If I have an idea I’ll record, but I only get ideas when I’m going through bad times. Or when I’m really high.
But what made you come back then?
Well, I already play live drums in Mizmor for however many shows Liam (ALN) wants me to, and he plays drums for me. I’ve got a lot of traveling anxiety, so I told him that if I go over to Roadburn, we might as well bring along all the other solo projects we are in. And I was really into the whole idea, as long as I’d be home for my birthday to be with my family, but as it turned out Hell is playing on my birthday. But yeah, the traveling anxiety, me not liking big crowds and so on, that led me to saying I’d end Hell, but I’m still here and having a good time.
Is there any new music besides Hell that you’re working on? I discovered Merkstave just a week ago and I totally fell in love with it.
Oh, Merkstave is an old one. That was started by Paul Riedl and Kyle Watson in 2007. They asked me to play guitar and then we wrote Spawn of a Lower Star. Then I played bass in a punk band called Midnight Persuasion and guitar in Teenage Handmodels, which was one of those dirty, sleazy rock and roll bands. And then of course the aforementioned Fools.
And what records have you been listening to a lot recently?
Superfly by Curtis Mayfield. Lots of Leonard Cohen, The War on Drugs, Spectral Voice. Paul is a good friend of mine. He was in Merkstave and he got me doing metal in the first place.
That new Spectral Voice record was great.
Yeah, I just love Paul and their shit is just rad to me. It’s some of my favorite death metal.
What are some sets you’re going to catch here at Roadburn?
I really wanna see Earthless – ideally, each of their sets. And Godspeed. And I wanna catch the Mizmor set. I don’t really know that many of the bands that are playing, so I’ll just walk around and try to catch a little bit of everything. And support them, buy some merch.
Defining records in your life?
The Wall. Paranoid and Master of Reality. And Peasant by Thou. Really funny people, too. Electric Wizard’s Come My Fanatics and Dopethrone.
I find it kind of funny, as I’ve seen people refer to Hell as 'Dopethrone’ being recorded by a black metal band.
People say that. I’m not really hearing it. To me, Windhand and Cough got that EW sound.
How would you describe Hell to someone?
I don’t really know. I mean, there’s blackened doom or however the terminology for that may be – there’s so many different names. It’s hard to describe. It’s a lot of different things, but I can tell you what I like. A heavy tone, low tuning, a good rumble, thumpy bass, tight snare, and a punchy, huge kick drum. Echo on the vocals, so it sounds like you’re in a trance.
Oh, I loved the bass sound on the new record, it’s absolutely rotten.
Yeah, I recorded that one with a guitar amp. Been using the same Fender combo for all my recordings since Hell I. I don’t even know what it is, but it sounds cool.
Last question: What five objects would one have to lay into a Pentagram to summon you?
Oh, Liam already warned me about this question. A blackface Big Muff. A pack of Lucky Strikes. A bottle of gin. An Epiphone SG. Not a Gibson, the new ones are terrible. And a pulled pork sandwich.
Rumble in Red Deer with Alberta’s HAAZE
My old stomping grounds as a baby (well, I couldn’t stomp yet, on account of I hadn’t learned to walk) was Calgary. Not too far away is the community of Red Deer. It’s beautiful country, a thrill for outdoorsmen and a boon to businessmen with its oil, grain, and cattle, yet in short supply of fuzzy licks and dank, downtuned riffs.
Enter HAAZE, a band that’s been shaking things up with their potent blend of groove ‘n’ doom. They’re known in these parts as The Kings of Swamp Riffs. After a promising EP debut in 2017, the band is gearing up to release their first full-length at the first of the year, a record aptly titled Swamp Mama.
In the interim, HAAZE has had the opportunity to play with an incredible line-up of whos-who in the stoner-doom scene: Sasquatch, Hoopsnake, Guevnna, Dead Quiet, Hashteroid, and Great Electric Quest, to name a few.
Initially founded as a two-piece, guitarist Mitch Soloway and drummer Alex Adamson have picked up a third member for the new record, Jack Sutherland on bass and vocals. Much like Soloway’s other pursuits, kickboxing and Twitch streaming, HAAZE’s music is replete with youthful adrenaline. Today, Doomed & Stoned gives you a listen to “Swamp Mama,” title track to the new album.
'Swamp Mama’ (2019) is set for release January 7th via Transistor 66 Records, who are issuing the record on a limited run of vinyl, as well as in digital format. You can pre-order it here.
Give ear…
Some Buzz
In 2017 Mitchell Soloway and Alex Adamson formed HAAZE. Before ever performing live, the duo recorded their first EP Riffs which features the band’s signature swampy sound and live, off-the-floor style. This led the two to gaining some notoriety within the stoner rock community and catching the eye of their peers.
HAAZE was quickly picking up traction. This was brought upon the addition of bassist/vocalist Jack Sutherland, and the band’s next single “Stereotypically Doomed” which was featured on several podcasts including Empthatica Radio, Doom Tomb, The Bangover, and the stoner rock YouTube channel “Mr666 Doom.”
Over the course of 2018 the trio had the chance to continue their onslaught of riffage with the Canadian producer Ranjit Ranawaya tracking their debut album 'Swamp Mama’ (2019) in typical HAAZE fashion, where the majority of the record was recorded live.
'Swamp Mama’ features an array of styles in an attempt to blend rhythm and riff into a brutally heavy mix accented with dual guttural vocals that aren’t all doom and gloom, but actually range from telling ridiculous stories of killer AI robots to dealing with real world personal issues in hilarious fashion, like front man Mitchell Soloway’s internal perspective on slowly abusing alcohol as a coping method for losing a loved one.
In this day and age of constant copycats of riffs and outfits, HAAZE prides themselves on being real with their sound and lyrics, and the way they’re portrayed, the trio stays true to their small town roots and rock ’n’ roll upbringing.
Ephedra Drops Heart-Revving 2nd LP Can’-Ka No Rey
~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~
By Billy Goate (Editor in Chief)
Ok, pop quiz: what is the first word that comes to your mind when I say Switzerland? Alps, Skiing, Nestlé, and The Red Cross? Those big St. Bernards that rescue you with bourbon in little barrels tied around their fat, furry necks? Well, I’m pretty sure I got that last one from the cartoons. I’m here to add something else to the list of Swiss exports: EPHEDRA.
Founded in 2012 by bass player Kilian and drummer Tomi, Ephedra was intended as a fun project in the vein of Kyuss, Karma to Burn, and Monster Magnet. After some early line-up changes, they added Andy and Roman on guitars. Soon after their self-titled debut in 2013, Ephedra began supporting Electric Wizard, Elder, Greenleaf, Goatess, Karma To Burn, Midnight Ghost Train, Monkey 3, Pentagram, Sasquatch, Truckfighters, Yawning Man, and 1000 Mods across Europe.
And now, one week ahead of its release on Argonauta Records, Doomed & Stoned is giving you a listen to the songs of Can’-Ka No Rey. The album’s title is a reference to “The Red Fields of None” – a field bursting full of perfect roses that surrounds The Dark Tower – from a series of Stephen King novels spanning four decades. Of course, since all the songs are instrumental it’s hard to know how close the concept tie-in is (although devotees of The Dark Tower universe may be able to pick up a few hints from the songs titles).
To bring the vision to fruition, Ephedra draw from a big bag of tricks. There high energy stoner rock ala Dozer (“Moonshiner”), the explosive power of The Atomic Bitchwax (“Barstool Philosophy”), and the purring motor grooves of Karma To Burn (“Metamorphosis Calypso”). There are moments when the riffage channels that irresistible bluesy cool of Goatsnake and Down (“Monday Morning”), but can also give us the spacey soundscapes of Asteroid and Nebula (“Coco Mango Soup”). Hell, there’s even a tribute to Credence Clearwater Revival and the feel-good music of a hot day’s road trip (“Summer Love”).
Reviewers love these points of comparison, because they make the music more relatable to the listener and sparks that “what the hell, I’ll give it a spin” kind of whimsy. But let there be no mistake, Ephedra have worked hard to craft a sound that is all their own, and I imagine live performances would elicit incredible range of emotional extremes.
“Vicious Circle” opens the album like a slow, groggy awakening from a long sleep. The words of Charlie Chaplin’s speech in ‘The Great Dictator’ (1940) echo in the backdrop. It’s a bittersweet opening, as one comes to reflect on the world around him. This is a solid number and a smart choice to begin the album, even if other bands might have chosen this as a closer. The song builds, builds, builds and at about the end of minute five, we have an emphatic drumbeat that quickens the heart…and we’re off!
The rest of the album is pounding, grinding, stomping stoner rock that picks up in energy and pace, just like that one time I mixed a Rockstar with a handful of truck stop ephedra pills to stay awake (I’ll spare you the details of the freak-out that happened afterwards). Everything is clockwork on this record. The drumming is on point. The band is synced up, but with sufficient freedom to wander and explore psychedelic realms. The tempos sometimes push us into hardcore, punk, and even death metal terrain. An effective genre blender, it’s hard to put Ephedra into one discernable category. Perhaps this is a good problem for a band to have. It means that the heavy underground is evolving – and we are perched and ready to take flight with it
Ephedra recorded Can’-Ka No Rey in Studio at the Foolpark Studios (Luzern). The album is to be released on digital and CD formats by Argonauta Records on January 30th 2017. Pre-order here.Heavydeath Swings Hard and Doesn’t Miss with New LP
By Hugo Guzman
The first song off HEAVYDEATH’s latest effort, ‘In Circles We Die’ (2016 - Iron Bonehead Productions), is as blunt and self-evident as their name. “As We Foretold” opens with diabolic droning, furious growls, pounding drums, and hypnotic feedback. Although I’m sure plenty of naysayers are already telling me that death-doom is overdone and over with, the first minute of this album proves those guys don’t know shit.
Heavydeath have carved quite a niche for themselves since their debut in 2014. The Runemagick veterans earned top marks from critics with their 2015 full-length, Eternal Sleepwalker (read our take here). While a few reviewers drew issue with its no-frills approach to death-doom (understandable, given death-doom pioneers often drew on other genres to round out their sound), In Circles We Die proves that HEAVYDEATH doesn’t need any crutches when it comes to making their sound unique.
Case in point? Track two: “Slumbering Monolith.” What starts as slow, methodical doom quickly gives way to a torrent of riffage that had me headbanging and jamming out in raw daylight! As the song progressed, I felt as if I really was discovering some ancient, sleeping monument — and it was most definitely waking up. In a genre full of songs either about or named after some kind of monolith, it’s always great to encounter a band that can still move me to embarrass myself in public.
In Circles We Die is full of moments like this. From the title track’s monastic vocals, to Nicklas Rudolfsson’s epic and soaring guitar-work on “Into Death’s Black Void,” this album decorates its heavy death metal with many memorable moments that have me returning for repeated listens. Another big favorite from this album is the closer, “The Fallen One.” I’m not a huge fan of unnecessary build-up, but this song only gives itself the build-up that’s absolutely necessary before unleashing glorious hell on my eardrums.
But then, “The Fallen One” isn’t really the last track on this epic work. If you pick up the album from Bandcamp, you’ll get two extra tracks, “The Old One” and “Fatal Reflection.” Both are seriously solid tracks that err on the doom side of death-doom, but “Fatal Reflection” is the real standout. I actually think it was meant to be the actual album closer. Its ending is so satisfying! Although I know Heavydeath still has plenty to say, given the frequency of their releases, “Fatal Reflection” is such a great closer that I can’t help but feel a sense of finality after that final riff.
I’m a big death-doom fan — yes, even Anathema, despite their journey to the dark realm of alternative rock. Heavydeath is one of the most exciting acts in the genre and I can’t get over how they’ve refined their no-nonsense approach to the craft. In Circles We Die is definitely worth picking up, especially the Bandcamp versions. Don’t miss out on those bonus tracks!
Read Our Heavydeath Interview.
Discover more heavy riffage and fuzzed out stoner vibes through our quarterly compilation series.
Doomed Discoveries: ‘The Burden of Tomorrow’ by Mothermound
By Billy Goate (Editor in Chief)
Just when I think I’m getting kind of bored with the same ol’ same ol’, a band like MOTHERMOUND from Slovenia comes along and shakes me awake again. Now, this album is not new, per se, save to these big, floppy ears - and I except judging by the number of Bandcamp buys at the time of this post, few of you, as well. ‘The Burden of Tomorrow’ actually came out in November of 2013.
So how did I come across this little gem? Well, it aired right after my weekly live show on Grip of Delusion Radio (an excellent source for discovering new music, BTW). At first, the gentle acoustic opening of “Aurora Awaken” had me wondering, is this something from the new “Screaming Mad” Dee Calhoun solo album that came out in June on Argonauta Records? Perhaps it’s something from Steve Von Till or Scott Kelly, both of whom have put out some astonishingly good singer-songwriter albums on Neurot Recordings. The guitar work was pretty intricate and I sensed there were two instruments at play - perhaps it’s Black Mountain, a band that I’ve been a little late to game in listening to, but have quite enjoyed lately (especially their newest record).
Soon, a flute joined in the magic and I was really thrown for a loop, convinced we were moving into retro rocking Purson/Jess and the Ancient Ones, occult Blood Ceremony, or progressive Wucan territory. For a moment, I even wondered if Gary, the station manager, was trolling us with a nice classical trio or quintet of some kind (that’s guest musician Nika Hribar, by the way).
It wouldn’t surprise me, though, if this were some mad fusion of classical and heavy music, as I’ve run into so many metal musicians who have had a classical background and training (I, myself, am an avid classical pianist). Anthropologist Sam Dunn has done a great job in his Banger Film documentary series of tracing the roots of metal back to Richard Wagner’s grandiose operas, and even further back to Liszt, Mozart, and Bach.
The fusion of disparate musical elements is something I’ve been studying quietly with fascination for sometime now. I noticed it bigtime when we released our 'Doomed & Stoned in Washington’ compilation around January. The post-grunge era bands in Seattle, especially, were experimenting with the seamless integration of hardcore, sludge, and post-metal.
As I listened, now with intent curiosity, I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Indeed, it did, in a big way - and it felt as natural to my ears as if the song were to have broken out into full symphony. Janez Zega (bass/vocals), Miha Jukič (guitar), Tomaž Orač (guitar), and Martin Čujec (drums) transition instead into crushing metal chords, roaring death vocals, and a fervent beat as naturally as a stream feeds into a rushing river and cascading waterfall. So who are Mothermound?
“The group’s origins reach way back into 1995 when they were active as a trio under the name of Expulsion. Until their disbandment in 2005 they released two demo recordings and an album entitled ‘In These Glorious Epitaphs’. They reunited in a new line-up in 2009, this time as a four piece with a new name. Music-wise they continue to stick to the previously set guidelines, a sort of progressive mixture of doom and death metal with a hint of rock.”
The nine magnificent tracks that make up 'The Burden of Tomorrow’ were laid down at Gumakura Studio in their hometown of Tolmin. I think you will enjoy them all.
Doomed & Stoned Interviews
Black Urn
By Billy Goate (Editor in Chief)
Photographs by Michael Wolfe and Hillary Lewis-Newcomb
This week, I’m pleased this week to give you a closer look at one of the most promising bands to emerge from the Philly heavy underground. BLACK URN is: vocalist John Jones (JJ), drummer Tim Lewis (TL), guitarists Jordan Pierce (JP) and Ryan Manley (RM), and bassist Alex Onderdonk (AO).
Let’s start with the Black Urn origin story. How did the five of you get together for this project?
JJ: Primarily through Craigslist. I met our first guitarist through CL in 2014, then found Ryan’s ad for wanting to form a doom-band shortly after. After a few lineup changes (we were a 3-piece for a while), we added Jordan on second guitar, who brought in Alex on bass (they knew each other through past bands), and found a Facebook post by our drummer Tim wanting to form a punk band. We all are busy with work and life but Black Urn helps keep our sanity so we find time to all jam/meet up at least once a week.
TL: It’s a really good outlet mentally and physically for me. Black Urn keeps me out of trouble.
RM: Like John said the two of us met through a Craigslists ad. The one thing about CL ads is it could go one of two ways: good or bad. In our case things worked out well.
Have to say, there are not many bands with as arresting a sound as Black Urn. The 2015 debut was monstrous. How soon after that did you start working on ‘The Pangs of Our Covenant’ and how do you view it in relation to the first record?
JJ: A few of the songs were floating around the time we were wrapping up the demo. They were originally intended for a split but meshed well enough that we wrapped them up end of Spring to have some new music out. They’re a lot more focused/experimental then the demo, and most were written by the entire band, whereas the demo was mainly written by Ryan, our only guitarist at the time.
JP: The new EP was much more of a collaboration. I had the basic track for what became ‘Spindle of Spines’ before I joined Black Urn and Ryan brought in '40 Devils’ just a few months before recording. 'Starved by Faith’ originated from a couple of us just messing around before practice, so the riffs came from all over the place. However, the songs always change once all five of us get together and start chiseling at them. Everyone’s input is really indispensable and we tweak and try everyone’s ideas until we’re all happy. Not to say the first release doesn’t include input from all five of us, but the songs were pretty much in place by the time Black Urn in its current form got together. We have very diverse influences and we were really able to forge our sound through jamming and experimenting. Also, In the studio Brad Wallace took the time to tweak the guitars and try different equipment until we got this huge sound that worked well for this batch of songs.
RM: I had most of the songs for the demo finished when Jordan, Alex, and Tim joined. When they joined they all helped with the final touches on the songs, and I think turned out way better than if it were me just finishing them. With this new EP it was us coming into our own as a band. We all draw from different influences and come from different musical backgrounds, which helps tremendously when writing as a group.
Lyrically, where are you drawing inspiration for your songs?
JJ: All of the songs are taken from the recesses of human consciousness.
Both album covers have really captured the concept perfectly, it seems. It’s not often that album covers capture the mood of the music to perfectly. I think it results in a real “three-dimensional” experience, visually as well as sonically.
JJ: Thanks! Both covers came about from us noticing the art of both artists and going from there. We never really gave them a set goal/concept, but it worked out great. The face – more raw, angry like the demo. The fetal birth – a rebirth, firm beginning.
The Philly scene pretty supportive of you guys? If you were putting together a compilation to represent the heavy underground scene in its current emanation, what bands would you definitely want represented?
JJ: The Philly scene is fucking amazing. There’s always dozens of shows happening/solid turnouts. Bands are always popping up. The only people who seem to complain about the scene are the spoiled folks in Philly, ha. We definitely would not be at this point without the support of our local record shops, bands, promoters, homies. Bands – Sunburster, Moros, Fight Amp, the cloth, Legendary Divorce, Hivelords, Wizard Eye, Soul Glo, Die Choking, God Root, HIRS, Hells so many.
TL: Some more bands that deserve more attention (not all from Philly)– Jekylnhyde, Doperider, Hepatagua, Coffinworm, Horrible Earth, Vowws, North
JP: Philly has an incredible heavy music community and we always bring it. Everyone is very supportive and there are too many basement shows to keep track of. There’s a thriving punk/metal community here for sure. John hit most of our Philly friends, but I would add Outer Heaven from Douglassville (Austin, the vocalist, recorded our first EP and we’re working with him on the Black Urn/Moros split that’s in the works), Narcos, and the recently revamped Occult 45, Decap Attak and Heavy Coughin’. I’m also very stoked on Fister, who we are playing with at Kung Fu Necktie w/ CHRCH on July 24th. Other bands I’m digging right now that are killing it include Cult Leader, Onderrock, Sunrot, Empty Vessels, Godstopper, Upheavel, Blackball, Manbeast, the list can go on forever actually. RM- The way I see it is: show support, get support and that’s what Philly does. There’s so many good bands out there it’s hard to narrow it down it just a few but here goes: Ten Ton Hammer, Street Feet, Alula Borealis, Monolithic, Molasses Barge.
Sweet! Ok, now take us behind the curtain. What kind of gear are you all packing? (amps, pedals, instruments – we’d love to know about it all)?
TL: I actually play on an off-brand, highest-of-the-low-end drum set. You can make any shells sound great with some good heads. It also takes a lot of stress away knowing that if something happens to it, it’s not the end of the world because I didn’t pay that much for it. My cymbals, on the other hand, are pretty nice. Currently, I’m smashing a 16" Sabian B8 Crash (original red logo from the 80’s), a 17" Zildjian A Series Medium Thin Crash, a Sabian 17" AAX X-plosion Fast Crash, and a Sabian 18" AAX X-plosion Crash that I also use as a ride. My hi-hats crack a lot, so they vary. My snare is a CB700 Internationale.
JP: Right now I’m mostly using my Hovercraft Falcon head straight up without any added distortion pedals. Gibson guitars and custom strings by Stringjoy. I usually lug around a Hovercraft 4x12 as well, but I’m happy to use whatever decent cab is available. I also use a Hall of Fame Reverb and Jerry Cantrell Signature Crybaby Wah.
RM: I try to keep my live sound the same. Like Jordan, I mostly use my amps distortion when playing live because our amps are so similar and work really well together in a live performance. Sometimes I’ll play a fuzz pedal live just to change it up a bit and when I do it’s between a Dunwich Cthulhu three knob fuzz or my custom made Black Arts Toneworks Black Sheep/Badascan dual circuit fuzz. My amp rig consists of a Jet City 50, and a 83’-84’ Laney 4x12 loaded with Celestion G-12s. The thing that differentiates the two of us live is that I’m using a LTD EC-401B Baritone guitar with Lace Dirty Heshers in it. My sound is a little more low/low end/muddier, and Jordan’s is a little more low midrange/treble which works especially well together live. Now on the other hand when we are in the studio searching for tones, I will usually use a fuzz pedal in front of my amp or the amp we are using. I try to bring in a few different pedals to get the best possible tone.
So what’s ahead for Black Urn? You’ve got a split coming out with Shrine of the Serpent, right? Travel plans in your future, too?
JJ: Yes, we’ll be wrapping up the Shrine of the Serpent split pretty soon. We’re also knocking out splits this year with Moros (Philly) and Doperider (New Jersey). We’re hitting the road early September for a longer tour with Heavy Coughin’, hitting up some new places including down south/up north. Late fall/winter we may begin writing a full-length.
Thanks for taking a few moments to chat with Doomed & Stoned!
JJ: Thanks for talking with us brother! As always thanks for Doomed & Stoned’s support.
Explore the world of Black Urn here and follow the band .
Doomed and Stoned Reviews
‘The Storm,’ 'Dark Phoenix Rising,’ and 'Eternal Sleepwalker’ by HEAVYDEATH
By Zachary Painter
You’ve seen us post their music, and you’ve read our posts about their music that border flattery because we admire them so much. Therefore, you’ve heard what all the hype is about. You’ve felt the distorted pummel and gradual spiritual abrasion. You’ve lost your breath from atmospheric compression, due to the thick darkness invoked by their demonic amp worship.
Or have you?
In case not, the subject of our deepest affection mentioned above is none other than HEAVYDEATH, a Swedish doom trio who have wrought dark music since before many of us were born. They are a band comprised of metal veterans, each of whom has a long catalogue of releases under their belts with former heavy-hitter bands. They are: Nicklas Rudolfsson (guitar & vocals, of Runemagick, Necromancer, The Funeral Orchestra and DOMEDAG fame), Johan Bäckman (bass, also of Necrocurse, Masticator, and Rapid Terrör), and Daniel Moilanen (drums, playing with Katatonia and Runemagick, as well).
As mentioned, HEAVYDEATH are no strangers to the dark arts. Runemagick, primarily a death-metal group with occasional doom leanings, stretches all the way back to the early 90’s. Necrocurse (also heavy death metal) began sometime in 2004, and Katatonia, like Runemagick, have roots that extend all the way to '93 (although Moilanen didn’t join until 2015). Needless to say, each member is seasoned, and it shows in the mix. The spells they weave through their hypnotic vocal chants and menacing tone are quite masterful, a combination of slow-breathing riffs bolstered by dense, low-end and tasteful percussion. Bäckman and Moilanen construct the ultimate foundation for Rudolfsson’s vision as he is the key songwriter and founding member. His compositions focus on strong parts rather than flashy solos and gimmicky showmanship of any kind. The result is a big sound with flow, and that feels good and sounds even better.
An equally impressive trait of HEAVYDEATH’s is their prolificacy. Rudolfsson’s mind is like a warehouse packed with dormant riffs that fall off the shelf and into his lap when he so desires. To date, HEAVYDEATH have 17 releases (lots of demos!), all spanning between 2014 and 2015. None of these are half-ass tunes, either. Some are polished tunes crammed into a single track, creating one, long file. Others are rough sketches of songs, but the ideas are still consistent and thought out, giving them shape.
Of these scraps and pieces, HEAVYDEATH have released three LP’s: 'Awakening of the Forgotten’ (2015), 'Eternal Sleepwalker’ (2015), and 'Dark Phoenix Rising’(2015) — all within the same year (true to form). This review will focus on various tracks from Eternal Sleepwalker, Dark Phoenix Rising, and their most recent demo, The Storm (Demo XII). And, like anything we write about, this review is best supplemented with a good brew, maybe a black IPA, and of course your own strain of fine green. Enjoy!
Eternal Sleepwalker
Ascending
Opener “Ascending” has heft, contrary to its name. It plods with giant’s feet and never loses its girth, though it does shake off its slow tempo a bit. In fact, the only time the song feels like it is ascending is in the very last measures, where the chugging, legato eighth notes merge into whole notes and the drums reduce to fine cymbal play. The airy conclusion is fitting, considering the lyrics speak of an abyss, death, and the imperative “rise” and “die”:
We go in a row
Down towards the abyss
But a few chosen
Know the solution
They hold the key to
Ascending from pestilence
Rise, now, die, now
Rise, now, die, now
Bow Down
This 9-minute eerie trek is the longest on the album, and it seethes despair like a boiling cauldron. The lyrics, sung in both clean and unclean vocals, are concise and demented:
Bow down for me,
Sacrifice your life
Sacrifice, let’s sacrifice
They seem like something straight out of an ancient grimoire tucked away in some witch’s ghastly abode, deep in a murky forest. Enough imagery for you? Well, the skillfully layered guitar and bass propelled by Moilanen’s dutiful drumming evoke it. And Rudolfsson’s soaring vocal melody glides on these passages like a malevolent specter in the wind. Kindle the blue flame and sharpen your knife!
Dark Phoenix Rising
Dead Trees
This song grabs your throat, as Rudolfsson’s spit-in-your-face guttural growls bellow over a fugal backdrop. Around the three-minute mark, a melodic guitar passage harmonizes with the bass. The two voices weave in and out of each other for the rest of the song, leading the listener throughout the bleak and beautiful sonic tapestry tied together by a truly captivating vocal chant. There is so much going on here, so many elements that could go awry, but HEAVYDEATH keep it together with complete composure.
The Ember of The End
Rudolfsson’s vocals in “The Ember of the End” have a dark timbre. Coupled with a rock solid, downbeat-heavy doom riff, the song maintains a latent, dismal presence that gives it unpleasant vitality. It crawls towards you, always seeming like it’s at a safe distance, yet uncomfortably near as it slowly advances.
Dark Phoenix Rising
Thematically, the last three tracks of Dark Phoenix Rising are very similar. Either they trudge or the drums carry the riffs with the ride cymbal. But at some point they all end up trudging, and that’s okay. It establishes an atmosphere that spans throughout the record, and HEAVYDEATH do a remarkable job at that. This ender is not dramatic, it just feels right. Pure, heavy doom.
The Storm (Demo XII)
The Storm
A highly recommended track, this one. The riff is first-degree, the doom as traditional as it gets, and Rudolfsson’s vocal work augments the effectiveness of the parts. “The Storm” is all about rebuilding itself, which is vital considering the same two themes develop over a 7 minute play time. Moilanen chimes in with double bass towards the end, which adds that extra kick, ushering “The Storm” into its final moments.
One Eye
“One Eye” contains some welcomed deviation from the typical HEAVYDEATH playbook. It’s got some very melodic passages and some stalwart, bare-bones doom. The parts with faster tempos i.e. the first half of the song, give the listener a sense of movement, inertia. But then… “One Eye” unwinds and slows down, only to gradually regain its footing, at which point it proceeds with sloth-like diligence to its terminus.
Journey to the Shores of Death
This ender is patient and solemn, if not quite genius. The development is crucial, the dynamics being a big part of that. Rudolfsson’s vocals remain clean during the whole piece. In the last two minutes, Moilanen finally kicks in with the much-anticipated groove, but “Journey” never crosses into heavier territory. It stays put, rather stagnant, which somehow leaves a greater final impression on the listener.
An Interview with HEAVYDEATH’s Nicklas Rudolfsson
By Zachary Painter
So, tell us a little about being in HEAVYDEATH. Between juggling projects, band members (Runemagick, Necrocurse, The Funeral Orchestra, Katatonia), and recording a slew of HEAVYDEATH demos, EPs, and LPs between 2014 and 2015, how do you find the time for it all? Would you consider HEAVYDEATH “top priority” at the moment?
HEAVYDEATH currently consists of myself on guitar and vocals, Johan Bäckman on bass, and Daniel Moilanen on drums. We are all quite busy. Johan and I live close to our rehearsal place, but we both have families, jobs, and other music projects. Daniel lives about five hours away from us and is busy with all that he does and his main band, Katatonia. So he does not have as much time for HEAVYDEATH as we do.
I see HEAVYDEATH as my main musically priority right now. But I’m still active as a drummer and songwriter in Necrocurse although we do not have so many activities scheduled right now.
If there is any time left over, I also write some music to my (at the moment) one-man-project DOMEDAG, it has been active and off since 2003. Wonder if I will ever release any official material? Time will tell.
My old band (and Daniel’s too) Runemagick is still sleeping. We’ll see if it will resurrect in the future for some gigs, maybe. It depends on my wife, too, who plays bass in Runemagick (we have small kids, so it’s not easy to rehearse at the same time).
The same applies to The Funeral Orchestra, also in some kind of sleep mode. As long as HEAVYDEATH is active, it feels that there is no question of reviving these bands right now. Mainly, because the music is not very different. I do not think it is relevant to have several active bands playing in a similar genre.
Johan’s main priority is HEAVYDEATH. He also plays bass in Necrocurse and makes some session bass recordings for other bands.
Each member of HEAVYDEATH is a seasoned musician with lots of versatility and experience in heavy metal, be it doom, death, or something in between. So what exactly led you all to become HEAVYDEATH?
The band was officially born in 2013. It started with me getting the urge to write heavier riffs and songs, which I had not done in a while. I also wanted to play guitar in an active band again.
I had some riffs and ideas lying around already that had I begun working on and I wrote a lot of new ones, as well. I presented the material, as some kind of metal in the genres of heavy, death, and doom, to Johan and asked if he wanted to join in and play bass in a new band. Johan liked the material and then it rolled on. We recorded many demo recordings with a session drummer. Daniel joined the band in the summer of 2014, when we recorded the debut album Eternal Sleepwalker.
There is also another pre-history of HEAVYDEATH that has been “taken into the band.” After Runemagick laid to rest in 2007, I met Daniel sometime in 2008 (or was it 2009?) in a studio to write and record material together. The project, as it was back then, had no name - just an embryo. The result was a long song, “The drones are walking to the downfall.” We did not have time to finish bass and complete the vocal recording. Then, we kind of lost contact with each other for a few years, and the recording was forgotten. In 2014, I got hold of a backup of the recording session. There were some similarities to HEAVYDEATH. So I asked Johan to record bass and I recorded vocals. Johan did a rough-mix, which we then released under the name HEAVYDEATH on our Bandcamp site for about a year ago. It is what it is, may not be 100% representative of how we sound now, but what the hell.
Tell us about your writing process. You are the key composer, as I understand it. What else goes into writing a HEAVYDEATH song? Is it a jam session, do you all come in with riffs, or are individual parts generally written in a big collaborative process?
So far, it is I who write all the riffs and most of the arrangements. Johan has helped with some arrangements. Daniel has also had some input on arrangements, mainly Demo XII, but we all are contributing in our own way by how we play our instruments. Johan’s basslines are as important as how my riffs are played. Some portions of the recordings actually contain some form of improvisation, like the song “Beyond the Riphean Mountains” from Eternal Sleepwalker and the ending of “The Bad One” from the Futility and Death demo session.
Where does HEAVYDEATH record?
We have captured all recordings, both demos and the debut album, at our rehearsal place, with some additions made at home. The conditions are quite simple, so to speak. Most of our demos released so far were not initially supposed to be released officially, but it has become so for better or worse perhaps. I blame Johan for that! (laughs) Several recordings are very sloppy and stressfully recorded. Almost all demos are recorded during lunch breaks. Barely have time to tune the guitar before you press the record button! Despite this, we have received very good feedback on the demos released.
Your first outing as a band was back in September 2015 at Mörkaste Småland Festival in Sweden. Any extensive touring plans this year?
Yes, our first gig was at the Mörkaste Småland Festival in Sweden and it was actually very good, I must say, considering our few rehearsals. It gave us a taste for more!
Our second gig was a few weekends ago. It was very different. Daniel had to cancel at short notice. We had no time to find and rehearse with a session drummer, so we had the choice to cancel or play live with a drum machine!! We took the decision not to cancel, so for the first time both for me and Johan, we did a gig as a duo with a drum machine. It was different and felt very stiff, so it will probably never happen again. But the decision we took still feels right, you should not give up too easily.
We still want to play more live and if there are conflicts with Daniel and his main band Katatonia, we must look for a session drummer. We are open for bookings, so hopefully it will be a some more gigs later this year. Contact us!
Does the band have any more intentions to record and release new material after the re-release of 'Dark Phoenix Rising’ on CD via Dying Sun Records later this year?
There is a lot of new material written and some unofficial demo recordings of songs for our second full-length album. We had intended to record the new album now, in March, but probably we need to revise the plan for several reasons. Actually, it is in no hurry, so it will take the time it takes. Aftermath Music out of Norway will release the upcoming album on CD. We will also work on finding partners for LP and cassette release. Hopefully, the upcoming album will be released during 2016.
If I should say something briefly about the new material, it is a continuation of the Eternal Sleepwalker, but with a bit more variation in the songs.
Photos by Catharina Holmberg & Laurine Backelin
I’m quite drawn to the quote, “Death is heavy, heavy is Death, heavy as Death.” Who is responsible for this loaded maxim?
It is I who wrote it and it is originally a piece from the first version of lyrics to the song “Heavy as Death,” which has since been rewritten a bit after that. But we still use that quote here and there.
Any last words?
Heavy… Thank you for the interview!
‘Freshly Baked and Fully Mixed’ Contest!
Enter for a chance to get your band’s EP/LP mixed by sound engineer Samantha Michelle Smith!
Doomed & Stoned is collaborating with audio engineer Samantha “Rainbow” Smith to give some lucky band the opportunity to have their record professionally mixed! For the last 5 years, Samantha has been providing expert recording and production services to the heavy bands of the New Jersey and Philadelphia area. Having worked with bands like Draugrstone and Ennoea, her production style is an artful blend of old and new techniques. Massive retro sounds achieved through modern production, Samantha’s been helping bands blaze their own paths in a world over-saturated by hyper-quantized and auto-tuned performances.
Check out her handiwork:
Contest Rules
- Submit your band’s demo (with at least one completed song) to doomedandstonedcontest@gmail.com
- Send sound files (any format) to us via DropBox, WeTransfer, Google Drive, etc. or via Bandcamp
- Deadline: February 29th, 2016
- Doomed & Stoned will upload the contestants and give our readership a chance to vote on their favs during the first week in March.
The winner will announced Monday, March 7th and the record’s mixing process will be documented via a video series on YouTube. Spread the word! We look forward to discovering the talent lurking in the heavy underground!
This Riff Will Take Over Your Everloving Mind
I keep forgetting to let y'all know that we have a YouTube channel dedicated to original footage of doom-stoner shows in the Pacific Northwest, and beyond. On Friday night, April 24th, I filmed Portland, Oregon’s SHRINE OF THE SERPENT at a basement show in Salem, Oregon (place called Wisp House). Shrine of the Serpent is an ultra heavy, down-tuned, death-doom band with blackened touches formed from the remnants of Aldebaran, Tenspeed Warlock, and Roanoke.
At the beginning of 2015, they released their debut cassette, three songs which they also performed live on the night of April 24th, 2015. I filmed from the floor, as that was my best vantage point in the crowded residential basement. Garret’s drumming is the real highlight here–a man possessed! He and Todd have played together for many years, and it shows. With the band’s consent, I present to you “9 Gates of Shadow” from their eponymous EP.
D&S Reviews
HeavyDeath ‘Eternal Sleepwaker’
By Guadalupe Bello
Formed just two years ago in 2013, the Swedish trio consists of former members of death metal act Runemagick, namely Nicklas Rudolfsson (guitars and vocals), Daniel Moilanen (drums), and Johan Bäckman (bass). HeavyDeath came together with just one objective: to play “no frills,” “heavy death,” riff-laden doom metal. Pick the opening moments on any of these seven songs and you’ll see the band definitely lives up to its name. This band is heavy as death.
Having already teased us with 10 amazing demos, HeavyDeath has now emerged with their first full-length. Eternal Sleepwalker (2015) was recorded last summer, but just recently released through Svart Records in early March. I have been keeping up with these guys for quite some time now and it is exciting to finally take this record out for a spin. There is never enough death-doom in the world (at least in my world!)
Eternal Sleepwalker was recorded with drums, bass, guitar, and no overdubs, as HeavyDeath specifies. The album is a landscape of crushing riffs and damning beats, with a chilling and morbid atmosphere sweeping through its entirety. Ripping growls alternating with clean, hypnotic vocals are a salient (and rather personal) ingredient for death and funeral doom and here they provide a chilling atmosphere that haunts the listener. Take another look at the album cover, because that is exactly where this trip with HeavyDeath will be taking you!
The seven-track, 52-minute record commences with a hypnotic, but evil opening track “Ascending.” Tormenting you while yet soothing at the same time. Each track on the album flows and congeals perfectly one into the next.
“Road to the Fire” is an almost frightening, yet strangely attractive, track in which Nicklas Rudolfsson’s demos his truly evocative vocal style, accented by Johan Bäckman’s evocative bass playing (a pleasure to listen to to throughout entire record).
The album begins a noticable ascent with “Bow Down,” which amps up the drama with an indelible chorus sure to get stuck in your head. The use of continuous chanted vocals is very effective on this track.
“Eat The Sun” has a slight touch of black metal and unforgettable riffs and melody. This is the album’s shortest song, with a length just shy of five minutes.
“Eternal Sleepwalker,” the albums self-titled track has perhaps the catchiest guitar riffs of the record. You’re going to want to replay this one a couple of times.
Next up, “Heavy as Death” and as you listen, I ask you: is it heavy enough for you yet? This is one of my personal favorites. Simple, yet catchy. Them RIFFS! Certainly one of the most memorable tracks.
“Beyond the Riphean Mountains” is the album’s final coffin nail. It plays out like a wasteland of emptiness, just creepy. Notes are sparse, but the drone never stops. Who doesn’t love a good dose of drone? A treat which I am sure most us doom devotees can appreciate.
After more than several spins, I find Eternal Sleepwalker to be deliberate and effective. It makes me want to take a long and lonesome walk through a misty, desolated land with nothing but the leaves of trees swooshing in the wind, grey and black imagery filling the landscape.
I bet one of the first thoughts that will come to mind when you listen to this record is how endebted HeavyDeath is to the New York-based band Winter, pioneers of the death-doom sound. Eternal Sleepwalker is an impeding, luring piece of art that will satisfy those with a taste for the genre. Though you don’t have to take my word for it. This month, indulge yourself and get the record, then prepare to be mesmerized. Repeat with me all, “Death is heavy, heavy is death, heavy as death.”
Update: This is one prolific band! HeavyDeath dropped this EP, Awakening of the Forgotten on Thursday, April 9th. The early review? Dark, deadly, devastating.
D&S Reviews
Shrine of the Serpent
By BillyGoat
Big highlight of my weekend, seeing members of storied Portland band Aldebaran, along with Tenspeed Warlock and Roanoke, come together for a new project: Shrine of the Serpent. This past week, Todd Janeczek (guitar & vocals), John Boyd (guitar & vocals), and Garret Hubner (drums), released their eponymous three-track debut. We got some monstrous death-doom here, people. For me, it came at just about the right time, when I’d had it up to here with people’s ignorance and bullshit and needed something dark and heavy, yet steady, slow, and deliberate, to help me to feel even again. The riffs from songs like “King In Red” hearken back to the plaintive sounds of Solitude Aeturnus and Candlemass, accented by growling vocals and double-kick drumming for full emotional effect. The Goate is well-pleased with this offering. Strongly recommended!
This is huge, guys! HUGE, I tell you. A split between two bands—one legendary and the other well on its way to becoming so. I’m speaking of St. Louis doomers FISTER, who last released a split with my hommies in Portland, Norska, and now have another split, this time a 12-incher with the monstrous doom-death-drone demons PRIMITIVE MAN! What more can I say? All lovers of heavy filth NEED this in their lives, like today, as in now. First things first, you’ve got to check out this new vid by Fister, which just came out days ago.
Good to hear new stuff from Oakland’s SWAMP WITCH, who have come out of ‘The Slithering Bog’ to deliver this filthy new masterwork (disasterwork?) of sludge. In February, the band will be introducing the LP (their first, following two shorter releases in 2009 and 2011, respectively) in a variety of formats. So far, my favorite track is “Marsh of Delusion,” but I have a feeling it will be a close call by the time I get through my second spin. Definitely sharing a cut on The Doomed & Stoned Show this Sunday (5 pm PST // 8 pm EST on Grip of Delusion Radio).
Ok, I really like this song! The band is HEAVYDEATH from Ljungskile, Sweden and this threesome know their doom. This song has a solemn beat and a plaintive melody that’s as dark as a cloud about to pour down rain (the music video matches the mood perfectly). “They Had No Names” is undeniably doom, but it doesn’t drag—and as the song moves along, the music gets more intense, with an almost post-metal vibe that is very effective. The lyrics are simple and the vocals both dirty and clean, with death metal overtones. I’ll be definitely going after the tape on Caligari Records and checking out the wide-release on Svart Records.
