Toronto’s WITCHROT Conjure Sprawling Bluesy Doomer ‘Live In The Hammer’
We last checked in with WITCHROT before the pandemic, when they aired the comeback single “Dug Your Grave”. Since then, the band has dropped a full-length record, ‘Hollow’ (2021), and now give us their most expansive effort to date, 'Live In The Hammer’ (2023).
Witchrot strings together a fantastic medley of two of their earliest songs and one of their more recent for the 18-minute opener. Lea Reto’s vocals are on par with Sara Bianchin of Messa in the smooth, jazzy opening sequence of “Dug Your Grave/Strega,” two songs that were released as singles in 2019/2020. Peter Turik’s guitar ventures into dreamy psychedelic realms, and the rhythm section of Cam Alford (bass) and Nick Kervin (drums) is unflinching. The scratchy, dirty feel of the recording recalls Salem’s Pot’s early demos and bolsters the hazy, smoke-filled atmosphere.
“Acedia” is an instrumental with acid-drenched guitar distortion and serves as a good palate cleanser for the remaining three tracks. “Who Scared You” launches a slew of soulful, apocalyptic cacophony, like an orchestra warming up. It reminded me a bit of the amp worship that Eyehategod does at the beginning of a show. Then Witchrot break into a bluesy fuzz-laden stoner-doom dirge, with Lea singing fluidly with the jam. I definitely felt like clapping in the closing seconds of the song.
“Colder Hands” is the clear standout of the lot, however. The bass is on fire with stomping groove, accompanied by strange guitar crooning. When Lea belts out “I’m going to leave this world” it has real dramatic punch, and the eerie chorus that follows is haunting and unforgettable. Her erratic vocal intonations are rivaled only by Emma Näslund of Gaupa.
“Million Shattered Swords” was a thoughtful choice for the finisher. I let out a big sigh of release as I eased into the chill vibe. Violinist Laura C. Bates fits right into the grungy mold and bewitches us with deft skill as the song unfolds.
Witchrot’s Live In The Hammer is a hefty, mystifying, and absorbing listen that really doubles down on the doom. The 2XLP is available in limited edition vinyl via Fuzzed and Buzzed Records (pre-order here), and the album will be available digitally everywhere on March 10th (get it here).
Give ear…
SOME BUZZ
Sizzling, soulful and bewitching, Witchrot is gearing up for their latest offering 'Live in the Hammer,’ due out for its international release on March 10, 2023. All sleaze and psych, 'Live In The Hammer’ has the fuzz-fueled quartet playing in the grease trap of Ontario. Smoky vocals overtop mesmeric psychedelic doom fill the room to the brim.
Formed in Toronto in 2018, Witchrot was founded by Lea Reto (vocals) & Peter Turik (guitar). After some international press over band disputes, betrayals, and a temporary break up, the band recruited Lea’s boyfriend Nick Kervin (drums) and Cam Alford (dass). Together they recorded the band’s debut full-length 'Hollow’ (2021) and most recently 'Live In the Hammer.’ Currently, Nick “Nido” Dolphin has joined the band on bass.
Pulling from the lost psychedelic masterpieces with fuzz erupting like a volcano and the ethereal shoegaze music of the late '80s and '90s, Witchrot has carved their own haunting path. The all-consuming wave of divine music that is terrifying by its sheer velocity and force rather than dissonance.
Simultaneously beautiful and putrid, 'Live In The Hammer’ pays homage to the grime of the past, paved over by the glitz of the present. Live in the Hammer was recorded at Boxcar Sound in Hamilton, and mastered by Tony Reed at Heavy Head Recording.
The bubbling cauldron that is 'Live In the Hammer,’ serves as a bridge between Hollow and the band’s forthcoming next album, currently in the works. There’s no escaping the strange web of Witchrot. Fall into the chasm and embrace the dark.
Toronto’s SUN BELOW Take Us on a Cosmonautic Trip for Their Full-Length Debut
Though I’ve spent the majority of my adult life in the United States, I was actually born in Canada. As such, I’ve been entirely fascinated by the growing heavy music scene over the past 10-20 years in cities like Vancouver, Edmonton, Regina, Whitehorse, Quebec, and Toronto. To the latter we now scatter, converging upon a singular band: SUN BELOW.
This band just gets me high, man. Maybe it’s because Jason Craig (guitars, vox), Will Adams (drums), and Garrison Thordarson (bass) have a good feeling for concepts and the musical implications of fantasy. They’ve been grinding away since at least 2018, releasing three EPs and forging a sound worthy of a bonafide full-length record. Before us: the band’s first album, ‘Sun Below’ (2021) – a psychedelic doom adventure for our age.
It kicks off with “Chronwall Neanderthal,” which grabs us by the shirt right away with its boisterous drumming, hellish fuzz, and reverberating vocals. The lyrics are a bit of an esoteric riddle, painting a picture in three word phrases like “hallowed flame Harvest,” “crystal stone Dooman,” and (my favorite) “bong and bone Awaken.” We featured this track on our recent compilation, 'Doomed & Stoned in Canada (Volume II)’ (2021) – which came out in October. It’s one I continue to enjoy, especially in the early mornings when I’m looking for a peppy vibe to carpe diem.
Sun Below continues the chronicles of the “Holy Drifter,” a motif that has been central to their work so far. Track number (and indeed, the whole album) elucidates Holy Drifter’s nature and motivation.
Ragged drifter walks the holy path
Seeking out the ancient herb
Gift of sight a curse in stranger’s eyes
Fear the future yet untold
Shifting down in tempo, we can really appreciate the low-lows of those deliciously downtuned instruments of doom, while the drumming remains strong. Hommages to Dopesmoker are hinted at here and there, especially in the impressive guitar play that seems to tune right into that Matt Pike wavelength, while distinguishing itself with sanguine moments of chill phrasing. Even at a doom’s pace, the drumming is meaty and full of heart, something that’s not easily accomplished in slower tempos. All three join in unison for an anthemic vocal section in the waning moments:
Wisdom’s eyes, burning red
Sativa rising from red shed
Calling to the peaks of pike
Smoke builds up and frees the mind
Ever wondered if doom can dance? Sun Below makes it happen with third track “Shiva Sativa” – one of three instrumentals on the record, reminiscent of those lively Black Sabbath B-section romps.
Craving a return to the low 'n’ slow, the trio conjure “Green Visions” next. The bass generates a dank wah as the guitar croons to the crushing weight of skins and cymbals. The reverb on the vocals reminds me so much of Orchid here.
Green visions
What did you see?
Green visions
What did it mean?
After another instrumental (“Bong Psalm”), Sun Below bring us the off-beat “Kinetic Kief” and a murky “Doom Stick” before summoning their full powers for “Twin Worlds” – an 18-minute behemoth in two parts that gets very psychedelic. Warning: it’s quite easy to get lost in this one! Beginning with a march-like beat, the Holy Drifter trips out and falls into an alternate timeline in history. Explains the band:
By this part in the album’s story, the Drifter has grown fatigued with his lack of understanding of his visions and decides to scale the Chronwall to the peak of his mountain shrine. There, he commences a ritual that creates a rift in space-time, and through the newly created void looming above him, he encounters a future version of himself in the distant future. Through a telepathic link established between them, the Drifter learns that many years from now, the sun is threatening to imminently burn out in the future, and the future Drifter decides to impart this knowledge of impending doom, as well as an enhanced strain of the Sativa herb, to his younger counterpart. Musically, it is the most ambitious track on the record in length and in scope, as it combines groove with the crushing weight of impending doom as well as spaced out vocals which themselves seem to echo across time.
At last, we reach our destination, the aptly titled “Solar Burnout.” It’s the bluesiest number of the set and my personal favorite (maybe because me and burnout are such close acquaintances).
Light flickers from the smoking star
Scorched embers, burning low
Depart for worlds of potent green
Drifting somewhere in the galaxy
It’s got a good share of groove, too. Some will be reminded of the more jaded tracks from Electric Wizard’s catalog, all the while cognizant that we have here a talented young crew with a vision uniquely their own. Jason Craig’s guitar solo really sings on this one, too, guiding us all the way to the record’s rumbling finish.
Look for Sun Below to drop this weekend (pre-order here), which you can hear in the meanwhile as Doomed & Stoned brings you the album’s exclusive premiere!
Give ear…
SOME BUZZ
Sun Below is a heavy stoner/doom power trio from Toronto. Playing a signature brand of self-described Sativa rock, a combination of fuzz, volume, and heavy grooves, Sun Below seeks to spread their infectious, rollicking sound to the masses.
Starting as a humble seedling in 2018, the trio formed with a desire to create heavy rock with stoner/doom elements in a groovy Sabbath style, and through constant improvisation, the material is grown organically first with the music and then with the lyrics.
Engaging, extended tracks compiled with a crushing amount of volume touch on topics including cannabis, the occult, Lovecraft, unexplained occurrences, the infiniteness of space and the Holy Drifter. Even at length, each track is an exceptional sonic journey through space and time. Inviting their listeners to get into the groove and the headspace of the music, Sun Below is the perfect combination of a mellow trip with an energetic Sativa boost.
The trio of Jason Craig (guitars/vocals), Garrison Thordarson (bass/backing vocals) and Will Adams (drums/backing vocals) specialize in loose, long burning jams that worship at the altar of tone, riffs, and smoke, but also brim with raw bombastic heavy metal rock to keep the energy up high. Smoke up, tune down, play loud, burnout.
Still relatively new, but reaching towards the light and maturation, Sun Below have been hard at work sharing the stage with the likes of Black Mastiff and Chron Goblin – releasing three EPs: Black Volume EP (2018), Black Volume EP II (2019), Black Volume EP III (2019), and a music video “Into the Haze.” In addition, they were featured on Doomed & Stoned in Canada, Volume 2 (2021). With a new stoner sun set to rise this autumn, the power trio will release their first full-length debut on November 19th to keep the fuzzy momentum going.
The self-titled album has a running time of an hour and ten minutes. It was self-produced, mixed by Will Adams (drums), engineered by Farmer Jesse, recorded at Rival Sound Studios and the album artwork was done by Adam C Design and Illustration.
According to Sun Below, anyone who has been following them through their previous releases will see this record as the final destination on the holy path they have traversed. The concepts and themes present in their past work have now come together fully formed after years of practice.
Fans of big riffs, fuzzed-out guitars, crushing drums, and driving bass will not be disappointed in this record especially those with an interest in Sleep, Electric Wizard, and Red Fang.
Comet Control “Keep On Spinnin” on ‘Inside The Sun’
It’s just not summer without COMET CONTROL, and we’re so happy that Chad Ross (guitar, vox), Andrew Moszynski (guitar), Nicole Ross (bass), Marco Moniz (drums), and Jay Lemak (keyboards) are back! This time, they’re revealing new sounds from a third album. Having blown our minds initially with Comet Control in 2014, followed by Center of the Maze in 2016, the Toronto band is going straight ‘Inside The Sun’ (2021).
According to frontman Chad Ross: “Andrew and I decided to write and record this record on our own. Most of what you hear was performed by the two of us. We’ve been playing together for a long time now (The Deadly Snakes, Quest for Fire, Comet Control) so it was only natural for us to progress in this direction. Our music is for the freaks, the rockers, and the dreamers.”
I think it’s safe to say that you, my beloved Doomers & Stoners, easily fall into more than a few of those groups. That’s why we’re pleased to give you a first listen to the record’s second single, “Keep on Spinnin,” dropping this weekend. Dig the hailstorm of drumming that begins the song, followed a short distance later by Comet Control’s trademark sanguine vocals and sawing guitar riffs, making this a very groovy affair. Like the band’s new album, it’s veritable rocket fuel to sonically propel you through your day.
“Keep on Spinnin,“ Chad tells us, "is a mantra for today’s insanity. Keep on living through the dizziness or just sit down. Andrew had this whole song mapped out in his head, he laid down the drums by memory and it all just flowed together, into this hypnotic riff. Nicole and I knew exactly what to do with the vocals.”
I do love it when a plan comes together!
Inside the Sun by Comet Control will be released on 27th August via Tee Pee Records. Pre-order the album on CD/LP here.
Give ear…
Some Buzz
Formed in Toronto in 2013, after the break-up of Chad Ross and Andrew Moszynski’s acclaimed outsider outfit, Quest for Fire, Comet Control requires little introduction to anyone well-versed in the realms of contemporary psych.
After hashing out ideas for a new record following a European tour with Earthless in 2018, Ross and Moszynski escaped down the rabbit hole of their own Palace Sound Studio, to write and record new material. Material that will be unveiled this summer with the release of the band’s third studio album, Inside the Sun, on New York’s legendary underground label, Tee Pee Records.
Alongside bassist and fellow founder Nicole Ross, drummer Marco Moniz, keyboardist Jay Lemak and Godspeed You Black Emperor’s Sophie Trudeau, Comet Control form what is arguably one of the most kinetic and dynamic rock bands in recent memory.
Drawing on a cosmic well laced with the imposing riffs of Dead Meadow and Sacri Monti, the motorik grooves of Krautrock, and those dimly lit passages of noise synonymous with the European shoegaze of Spiritualized and Ride, they are a phenomenal band, both on record and on stage. As anyone who has witnessed them live in support of acts like Boris, Black Mountain, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard and Vibravoid will attest.
Produced by Ross and Moszynski and recorded and mixed by Steve Chahley (U.S. Girls), Inside the Sun by Comet Control will be officially released on 27th August via Tee Pee Records.
Witchrot Rebound With Bittersweet “Dug Your Grave”
I confess, 2018 is like a blur. Whatever was important last year, well, let’s just say I’ve moved on. You kind of have to as a music reviewer, not because you necessarily want to but because there’s so damned much going on in the scene right now. For people wondering about the state of doom metal, it is as robust as ever, riding that big, fat, bubbalicious growth spurred on by the popularity of Windhand, Yob, and Sleep. You could forgive any band for feeling lost amidst the erruption of activity we’ve tried to document through our scene-by-scene compilation series.
Enter WITCHROT, who last year made big headlines on all the music sites for their high profile break-up and then reunion. On the one hand, you have to chuckle at it all. On the other, it does serve as a sobering reminder just how quickly a band can be plucked from relative obscurity into the limelight. Despite it all, their music remains strong and today, Doomed & Stoned has the opportunity to give you a listen “Dug Your Grave,” the latest single from the Toronto band. I think you’ll agree the crew has never sounded better.
Says Witchrot’s Peter Turik:
“I wrote this song back before any scandals happened within the band. It’s funny how it fits in with that whole situation, but it’s interesting how I had this song and these sort of feelings in my gut the whole time, too.
"I went into the studio with Dylan Frankland back in December and he got us Shane Tyer (from Wild Side) to play drums. I told him to just feel out the songs. He hammered most of them out within a take or two. After I laid down bass and guitar I got Lea to come in and wail. On this record you can hear her really honing her vocals. I’m so impressed by her ability to grow so much within such a little time.”
Give ear…
Ian Blurton Brings Heft To ‘Signals Through The Flame’
Sometimes it’s damned near impossible for me to describe what I’m hearing. This is one of the reasons I refused to do music reviews for years and years. How can one put into words the extraordinary transcendence of sound? I could just as soon attempt to write a book for my cats and dogs. I’m pretty sure, aside from a few choice words (their name being one), they don’t have a clue what I’m saying on a good day. One thing they do understand is the warmth of love and affection. In similar vein, music operates in a vocabulary all its own. While at once defying human description, it has this uncanny knack for tapping into a kind of emotional language. I may not be able to describe the music adequately, but I can tell you how it makes me feel.
Here’s what I can tell you: longtime indie musician Ian Blurton has yet again tapped successfully into that “lexicon of feels” to bring us another definition-defying album. ‘Signals Through The Flames’ (2019) is accessible. I think just about anyone listening to this would ask, “Say, what band is this?” Whether we’re talking about the searing guitar leads and vocal harmonies of “Seven Bells” or the deft noodling of “Into Dust,” there’s much to love about this Budgie-esque offering.
Do you see now why reviewers frequently reference other bands when describing newer ones to their readers? It kicks the can back aways, sure, but at least it’s a landmark we can all recognized and get down with. In addition to Budgie, Signals Through The Flames offers up dense textures ala Blue Öyster Cult, chipper, riff-driven tempos like Thin Lizzy, the dark hues of Motorpsycho, soaring Monster Magnet-style verses, and engaging vocal harmonies the likes of which Greenleaf and Taiga Woods fans will gladly flock to.
Not that Ian needed help from any of these bands to belt out the incredible vibe of this record. Hell, he’s been doing his thing in a storied number of bands since at least the early-'80s. I feel like I’m being disrespectful by not calling him Mr. Blurton. If you’re not familiar with his craft, Signals Through The Flames is the ideal introduction. The record comes out on vinyl and cassette, in addition to its digital release, June 7th via the Pajama Party label (pre-order here). Today, Doomed & Stoned is delighted to bring you the third single from the new spin, a stoner rock number with sky-high aspirations entitle, “Night Of The Black Goat.”
Give ear…
Some Buzz
It’s time for a veteran to show the new generation how it’s done. After 35+ years in the Canadian music industry, playing in over 40 bands and producing, engineering and mixing over 100 albums, Ian Blurton is finally releasing a solo record. You’ve probably seen Blurton play in your town, fronting Change of Heart, Blurtonia, Bionic, C’mon, or the still-active Public Animal. If you missed those bands, his name is still likely to pop up somewhere in your record collection; you’ll find Blurton’s producer credit on career-defining albums for Blood Ceremony, Cursed, Tricky Woo, the Weakerthans and more. Or you may have caught him guest with acts as diverse as Richard Lloyd, Buffy Sainte-Marie , the Sadies, Teenage Head, Twink or The Viletones.
It’s no surprise that Blurton’s inaugural solo effort pulls from an impressive pool of talent and a range of influences. In 2017 a sudden torrent of inspiration brought him a slew of songs best suited to a power-trio format. Enlisting friends who also happened to be some of his favorite drummers and bassists, he set out on a quest to create a combination of dark pop hooks, molten riffage and ambient soundscapes that is his heaviest work to date.
Between Blurton’s layers-upon-layers of guitar, a plethora of gifted musicians such as Mike Armstrong (King Cobb Steelie), PJ Dunphy (Iron Giant), Eric Larock (Tricky Woo), Glenn Milchem (Blue Rodeo), Damon Richardson (Danko Jones), Anna Ruddick (Randy Bachman), Nick Sewell (Biblical), and Darcy Yates (Flash Lightnin’) all make appearance on Signals Through the Flames. The result is a heavy music melting pot with one foot in the past and the other planted firmly in the future.
Mixed by Daryl Smith (Godspeed You! Black Emperor) at Chemical West and mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege, Signals Through The Flames will be released by new Toronto imprint Pajama Party digitally, on vinyl and cassette June 7, 2019.
The live band, Ian Blurton’s Future Now, draws from the same talent as the record, and currently features drummer Glenn Milchem, bassist Anna Ruddick and Aaron Goldstein as second guitarist. This spring and summer sees the band playing dates between Montreal and Calgary, including appearances at Sled Island and Hillside Festival.
Ian Blurton’s Future Now Tour
June 6 - Toronto - Sneaky Dees w/ Spirit Adrift
June 7 - Kitchener - The Starlight w/ Hawkeyes
June 14 - Toronto - secret show NXNE
June 17 - Sudbury - The Townehouse
June 18 - Thunder Bay - The Apollo
June 19 - Winnipeg - The Handsome Daughter
June 20 - Saskatoon - Amigo’s
June 21 - Edmonton - The Rec Room Edmonton South
June 22 - Calgary - The Palomino/Sled Island Festival
June 23 - Regina - The Club at The Exchange
July 14 - Guelph - Hillside Festival
July 19 - Hamilton - This Ain’t Hollywood
July 20 - Toronto - The Horseshoe Signals Through The Flames record release
Doom Around The World
Episode 1.4
Trapped in the middle of a presidential campaign which becomes more nauseating by the hour, this month I offer you reprieve, my dear doomers and stoners (or should I say “bad hombres”?). And unlike the false dichotomy presented to voters, we have some real choices before us today. Join me now, as we explore….and DOOOOOOOM)))))) Around the World~!
Australia
Damning doom by OHM RUNE gives us our launch, and what a lift-off it is. The riff that opens is instantly likeable and will be a recurring track in your playlist. If you’ve ever wondered, “What if Cobra Commander had started a band?” Ohm Rune is your answer. Alex’s venomous vocals are a clear standout on this release, the Perth duo’s debut on Arrest Records. ‘Star Destroyer-Adrift" was recorded/mixed by Sam Ford at Tone City Recording Studio in Perth and mastered by Brad Boatright at Portland’s Audiosiege. Good shit, y'all.
Austria
A doom band can easily subsist on the power of its own riffs, but there are times when the vocals completely set it apart. We’re used to epic singing, but nothing has prepared you for the gravelly, pitched-low-as-a-snake-to-the-ground sound of Philipp 'Five’ Seiler’s vox. Pulling double duty on guitar, Five is joined by another guitarist, who goes simply by Rotten, and a drummer, Marian Waibl. We were first introduced to Vienna’s TAR LUNG in 2014, a record that really put a vice grip on our precious privates. Now, this down-tuned, amp worshipping blues machine is back with more of that swampy southern soup, and 'Void’ is simmering with hurt and vengeance. If you had any doubts about pressing play on this one, well, how can you say no to a song titled, “Demon Sugar Blues”? You’ll be in the sway of its swagger in no time. A friend of mine tipped me off to this one, and I swear I could not. stop. listening.
Belgium
Following last May’s introduction, 'One Mic Garage Takes’ (2015), Leuven psychedelic doom foursome DORRE drops their most substantial offering to date. Adriaan De Raymaeker (guitar), Wolf Overloop (drums), Etherik Heyns (guitar), and Andrew Hockley (bass) are downright impressive in 'One Collapsed at the Altar’ (2016). The 30-minute heavy instrumental composition is a churning sea that starts tranquil enough, but steadily grows more tumultuous, buttressed by wicked fuzz and gritty downtuned riffs, which gradually become more polyphonic, creating a complex weave of textures that cannot help but pull you into this beautifully tangled web of destruction. For points of reference, think Seattle’s Giza, San Diego’s Deep Sea Thunder Beast, or even the great Inter Arma. There is also an element of calm that one could compare to OM, though the Belgian band always has something more ominous bubbling.
Canada
I’ve been a huge fan of the young Toronto outfit HORSE LUNG since their formation. You may recall their LP, 'Gethsemane Haze’ (2015), was a favorite amongst underground music bloggers and placed well on the Doom Charts last year. This fall, Horse Lung are back with a new track, featured on a split cassette with Santa Monica death-doom 'n’ power violence act ERODE. “Rattenkönig” is a massive number, clocking in at over 21 minutes, that builds, builds, builds on a simple monastic riff, growing ever more dense and complex as the song evolves, with baroque variations. The complex fugal development can make for challenging listening, though I found it utterly engrossing. You can feel the tension, the frustration, the pain, like the swirling vortex of Hades in Dante’s Inferno. Drummer James Marrow says, “It’s a lot different from our older material” and his dirge-like rhythms help the piece to stay together as it stretches the boundaries of tonality. More to the point, this instrumental feels like it is coming to terms with a psychotic breakdown.
Chile
One of the players in Chile that has gotten my attention this year is Santiago’s DEJALOSANGRAR (“let it bleed”), who have released a remarkable pair of albums within the mere space of months. They’re the only band I know of besides Karma To Burn that numbers their songs, rather than give them titles. Perhaps it’s because the songs are instrumental, but more than likely it’s because the sounds defy words. Habach / Polanco / Robles is what you hear when you awake in the still of morning, coming to terms with the surreal events of the night before. The songs make me think of an Iommian cadence that has jumped off from the middle of a Sabbath song and is soaring into space.
I hasten to add that rarely do we hear heavy music played with such deftness, sensitivity, and attention to detail (check out the bad-ass seesaw bassline 2 minutes into “1234,” and the tight drumming and subtle incorporation of Latin rhythms that follow). If there is a loudness war, Dejalosangrar are its pacifists. Rodrigo, Hernan, and Jorge can pull off quiet in an otherwise stentorian medium, rivaling peers who have tried similar. And when they do get revved up, best get the fuck out of the way, because Dejalosangrar is anything but predictable.
By the way, did you know we have another blog dedicated solely to tracking the doom scene in Latin America? Roman Tamayo from Vinnum Sabbathi does a great job as editor of the blog. Check it out here when you get a chance.
Czech Republic
Doom gels into all kinds of twisted shapes. Take Gothic doom, for example. Admittedly, it’s taken a bit of cajoling for me to give this sub-genre a fair listen. Opeth, Type O Negative, and My Dying Bride have brought some form of Gothic doom to the ears of heavy music listeners who might not otherwise be engaged by doom. It’s time you meet another compelling voice in this sub-genre: SELF-HATRED. From the record’s opening bars, it’s clear that this is a band that thinks and feels deeply about the music they compose. Hearkening back to bands of symphonic proportions like Draconian, Paradise Lost, and Abysmal Grief, the Czech band accomplishes their designs through blackened tremolos, aggressive beats, the incorporation of some pretty gnarly growls and shrieks, and an atmosphere that summons all the grandiosity of a cathedral’s spire. 'Theia’ (2016), Self-Hatred’s first album, is surely a remarkable addition to the annals of Doom Gothique and one that I found quite accessible.
Denmark
“I’m tired of living. In my desk, I have a revolver and every night I take it out and pray for the courage to pull the trigger, but I can’t.” The band is DRUNKER from Copenhagen and this is their self-titled debut. There’s a lot to like about this release, from the story-telling quality of the opening of a song like “Get High On Your Own Supply,” which you realize mid-way through doesn’t really need lyrics. This song and others on the album bear the influence of the Sleep School of Doom Metal.
We do get vocals, of course, in songs like “I Am The Savior, And So.” They remind me a lot of Mammut (one of my favorite stoner bands). Song after song, Drukner continues to impress me with their musical instincts and inventiveness (that riff in the closing moments of that last track is just brilliant). My favorite of the record, though, is “Gnarnia,” which samples from the dark monologue of the Twilight Zone’s 'Long Live Walter Jameson.’ “I’ve been close to death, but never close enough” has never sounded more chilling, amplified by the dank, fuzzy haze. 'Drukner’ was recorded live in Copenhagen by Anders Haaning and mastered by the great James Plotkin. A very promising beginning for Casper, Kåre, Palle, and Mikkel and easily one of the finer records you’ll encounter in the whole of 2016.
France
We know doom gets slow and low right and it can up its game and blow you away with an up-tempo stoner rhythm or simply wallop you with a massive wall of sound, but can doom be as effective with a more subtle approach? Bordeaux three-piece ENDLESS FLOODS juxtaposes crusty, gut-wrenching vocals (a la the body) and powerful, lumbering chords with a quiet, gentle touch. The result not only works, it is extraordinarily moving. Listening to this didn’t feel like an exercise in patience, as some funeral doom can.
Let’s talk sonics. The reverberating low end and the quiet moments are both captured so gorgeously it practically moved me to tears. I can’t say enough good things about the dynamic range of these compositions! If you’re worried about the ever-escalating “loudness wars” in sound engineering, mixing, and mastering, I think you’ll find the Endless Floods debut to be nothing less than an oasis (case in point, track #3: “Floods”).
Having just recently witnessed the conscientious detail to which a band like Mars Red Sky crafts its songs, unfurling them with extraordinary care live (to great emotional effect), I’m tempted to make some glowing generalizations about French heavy music. It appears that gourmet cuisine is not the only thing the French pursue with passion and excellence. Just when you think doom has made its last stand and said all it needed to say, bands like these come along and renew your confidence in the rich diversity inherent in the genre’s genetic code.
Germany
More beautiful, fuzzy doom to take with you on your next family picnic. This record comes all the way from Garlstorf, Germany and contains six tracks with a dark hue. There’s also a feeling that each song is searching for something, on a quest maybe. 'Traumakarussell’ is the title of the EP, and I suppose that alone speaks volumes for the intent of this record. It’s an exploration of a life fettered by traumatic events and the defiant response to them. Designated as a “demo” by four-piece GONGER-OM, there are varied musical influences at work here. I have to say, I was really taken in by it the moment the verse begins into the lead track, “Brunt.” While they are death vocals, singer Marvin Thiemicke never overstates his case and somehow that works very well for these songs. The pace picks up for “Maniac In The Fog,” as the band rages against the intruder in the unknown. Give 'Traumakarussell’ a go. Well worth the ride.
Guernsey
Well, this is a surprise. Guernsey, truly your doom has come! Yes, I admit, I had to look the place up (and if I had to, so do you). Meet BRUNT. You may actually remember them as the band that brought us that iconic album cover by Nikita Kaun and Natalie Foss for their debut some years back. They do know how to pick 'em, for the new art by Eric Krick is quite compelling, too. Not that the music takes a back seat to the gorgeous visuals, much the contrary. Brunt cares as much about crafting their sound as their image. This three-tracker is performed and produced with extraordinary presence, reminding me of the grandiosity of bands with that big sound, like Inter Arma, Pelican, and Russian Circles. As I listen to the opening track, I melt into the mix, my mind stolen away into a world of sound that is both exquisite and dreadful.
Hungary
When I saw Cough was going to be playing the Desszert Feszt in Budapest, part of me was bemused they were booked in a predominantely stoner rock festival. Would they follow Yawning Man? Zippo? Planet of Zeus? Perhaps Karma To Burn or the Atomic Bitchwax was not too far a stretch, but still, Cough seemed the odd band out…until I saw who was opening for them: OAKEN. So I started listening, intending to just sample their latest, 'King Beast’ (2016) and I couldn’t stop. Each time I thought I’d move on to something else, the ravenous singing, the obsessive drumming, and the deadly riff-making kept me thoroughly engaged. Man, this album does not let up!
Sweden
Now this is an interesting find: “Six songs of Deadly Black Doom played with dedication to Sathanas Trismegistos.” The release by Stockholm-based HEAD OF THE DEMON has gradually taken hold since its quiet release on Walpurgis Night, so much so that it has since been issued on CD and in the past month was pressed to vinyl. The brainchild of Johannes Kvarnbrink (of the black metal band Mortus), Head of the Demon’s opus is steeped in the foggy mysteries of the Lovecraftian underworld. Another reviewer called their sound a “perfect blend of doom and spookiness.” Heartfelt is the word that comes to mind when listening to Sathanas Trismegistos. The simple use of arpeggiated major-minor chords is put to great effect when contrasted with the full-bodied growls of Kvarnbrink’s throaty vocals.
This journey has taken us around the world and across the alphabet, and now we land in the native stomping grounds of the Goate and close our tonal excursion for today…but do not fear. We shall be back in the weeks ahead for more DOOOOOOOM)))))) Around the World~!
One of last year’s best doom-stoner records: ‘The Demon Haunted World World’ (2013) by Toronto’s backwoods gang of four, Ol’ Time Moonshine.
New Song from BLOOD CEREMONY!
Hey, I was just talking about Blood Ceremony the other day! Look for a new album from them April 28th (Europe) and shortly thereafter everywhere else (Rise Above Records)! Meanwhile, the Blood Ceremony April Tour continues:
10 RONCADE, IT - New Age
11 MÜNCHEN, DE - Strom
12 VIENNA, AT - Arena
13 WARSAW, PL - Progresja
14 PRAGUE, CZ - 007 Klub
15 BERLIN, DE - Magnet
16 COPENHAGEN, DK - Loppen
17 STOCKHOLM, SE - Debaser Strand
20 MOSCOW, RU - Volta*
21 HELSINKI, FI - Nosturi
23 OSLO, NO - BLÅ
24 GOTHENBURG, SE - Truckstop Alaska
25 HAMBURG, DE - St. Pauli Rock Café
26 FRANKFURT, DE - Nachtleben
27 ZÜRICH, CH - Hafenkneipe
29 GEISELWIND, DE - Out & Loud Festival*
30 NETPHEN, DE - Freak Valley Festival*
31 NIJMEGEN, NL - FortaRock Festival*
BLOOD CEREMONY Live in Portland!
Every so often I discover a hidden treasure on YouTube. People finally decide to transfer their digital files from camera, phone, pocket recorder to their computer and up them to YouTube. Hard & Heavy Old has some real treasures on his channel. For example, this full concert by Toronto’s BLOOD CEREMONY from May 27th, 2013, who played the Star Theater in Portland, Oregon, along with Kylesa, White Hills, and Lazer/Wulf. For those of you unfamiliar with the “witch rock” quartet, I’m including a pair of music videos to bring you up to speed!
Photo by Matthew R. Manna