Hell - Hell III (2012)

Full Length, Eternal Warfare
2012

Genre: Doom Metal
Region: USA

Having spent a little more time with Hell's recent full length it has begun to grow on me as much as their first record and their split with Thou. In fact it's easily in the top 20 last year (definitely in the top 5 doom releases) and would've made it high on said list of mine had I allowed myself to spend more time with it.

Often on this album Hell slowly start sounding closer to black metal, especially in the long stretches of tremolo riffs and drawn out rasps. Still  they somehow retain a full on doom pace, heaviness, atmosphere, etc. without resorting to bland funeral laziness. Hell still very much have their own sound and it's even more emphasized here. There's quite a bit of successful experimentation with the use of violins and string instruments and varied dramatic vocals in the second track, never forgetting to make it all bleak and crushing.

Overall at least half clean, harmonized, sorrowful builds echoing alone before drums, bass, vocals or distortion are introduced, which isn't completely off from their past stuff but still threw me a little. III balances the frigid quiet with the explosive tremolo wandering and dissonant doom very well, the simple structures and intensity of the rhythms combine with well crafted writing (maybe their best following their split) and come out with an under appreciated smoldering doom gem.

Only two tracks this time, structured similarly and clocking in at just under 20 minutes each. Both are honed, very strong pieces of charred doom that will collapse mountains if played loud enough. "Mourn" takes a few minutes to climb on clean melancholy before plunging into a very sick series of tremolo attacks, which lose momentum and collapse into a moaning abyss of feedback and down-tuned ugliness.

And then, right when you think its ended a reconstruction begins to take place over top the distant howls, leading into the second side of the tape. "Decedere" opens with another clean reverby passage, the tone a bit different but entirely groovy; accompanied by violins. This is a another wonderful slow build as the tone changes again to almost

Following a silence we start to ascend through mournful chords, before feedback bleeds in to claim the song. The main riff here is mesmerizing, feeling slightly crooked in it's depressive gait, made even more so by the operatic vocals — intensified by a dialed-up pace, altered by tremolos and powerchords to bring the heaviness to higher level. There's a switch midway to some serious fuzzed-out doom trudging (by way of Joe Preston), sampling and noise, a final spiraling push (which has some serious atmospheric black metal characteristics), before lonesome and clean finale.

All of which will sweep you into the darkness guaranteed.

Hell's III is probably a grower for some, as it was for me strangely. I should've liked this immediately but I think the inclusion of operatic vocals put me off instinctively despite enjoying other elements. It could've just been an illogical bout of low expectations. Anyway if you give it a chance it will flatten you.

This is one to check out for sure. Right now the cassette version is sold out, but since every previous release has been pressed on wax I'm assuming this will be too. I would also assume it's going to be Pesanta Urfolk, Gilead Media, Eternal Warfare, or their label Woodsmoke who will press it so watch those for updates. Or buy and stream it on their bandcamp.




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Hell - Hell II (2010)

Full Length, Eternal Warfare / Pesanta Urfolk
April, 2010

Genre: Sludge/Doom Metal
Region: USA

Oregon's Hell brings you something dark and towering with their second record. A layering of bleak sounds that evolves slowly with great care. It took me a while to get to this one and it's clear to me I've been missing out once again.

For me this feels like a big step up from their debut. It's far more refined without losing the raw, hideous textures and atmosphere they so easily manifest and yet moves into other territory too. A tragic and violently crushing tome which withers all it comes in contact with like acoustic gravity waves emitted from the core of Earth.

They come at you with four fierce and intimidating tracks, the shortest of which is just shy of 8 minutes and the longest is the opener clocking in at 20. This track "Gog" takes on a more drone-like form, slithering from trudging doom chords and feedback which barely move at all to ebbing noise and soundscapes that leave the listener feeling touched as if by some spectral molester.

It spreads out meticulously often with gaps of silence, rumbling distorted bass and sustained notes. Subtle dissonance is tasted from the down-tuned madness, and vocals range from a vile gurgle to unholy growls while the drums are paced so slow with some nice cymbal work. There's also some very haunting clean sections especially in the middle of "Gog" that are very reminiscent of Thou's sludgery in some ways, echoing and shining as the only light in their cavernous atmosphere; it's no wonder why they collaborated on their recent split. This is the most straight forward song on the record if you can believe it, breathing its hot and sour breath like a fallen titan that has collapsed on top of you — drawing it's final gasps as it drags you into it's crater-sized grave.

However if you're wondering this album is just nothing but plodding doom you'll be pleasantly surprised by the three tracks that follow. If it was, I would certainly have no problem with that; who doesn't like a good slow battering from that genre? What first seems like a simple formula slowly grows, crawls from it's hellish sludge shell and carefully pulls in with it's huge gravity elements of black metal and a slight folk tinge. By the end of the record you've almost completely parted ways with undulating sludge but have been so easily, comfortably pulled away that it feels natural.

You hear a little of the blackened influence near the 6 minute mark in "Gog", but if you made it out of that sludge slide alive you find that it's in "Ublilicus" and "Metnal" where we first get a more definite hint that all is not what meets the eye here. "Metnal" opens with a powerfull groove (seriously addicting) and is quickly accompanied by a nice slice of blackened tremolos, nodding towards the growth I mentioned before the vocals enter.

They do not rely on this brief injection and continue to crush with riff after riff of clawing doom before letting the melodic black influence creep back in. This gradual introduction of change is both very tasty and intriguing. When things become silent we hear subtle use of cold synths and cycling feedback, awash with sorrow when suddenly (near the two-thirds mark) we get a depressive acoustic melody which builds with intensity. A striking set of black metal riffs are pushed forward, and acoustic chords infect the doom again, accompanied by wavering synths. The distorted melancholic tones build and fall away until the black metal (akin to atmospheric bands such as Fell Voices or Ash Borer) forces its way into the fray; dismal and dark.

The bassy doom comes back momentarily, as do the frightening acrid rasps, feedback and eerie synths — and this process is continued before the jump is made to"Ubilicus": a track which takes those previous evolutionary steps and sets them aside momentarily (and only slightly) before the final throes of the album. At this point the record is starting to feel extremely cohesive, all elements coming forward to a stunning high. This is just fantastic writing  Yes, the creaking sludge makes a return with whirring noise behind it — the sound of souls being sucked down the cosmic drain. Punishing riffs abound here, straining bends and then the tremolo buzz reveals itself once again as war-like drumming emerges behind it. And in the final grasps of this track, a solitary bass riff leads us to a clean melodic doom section and opens up into the writhing blackened pits to close

The final song "Trucid" where it seems the blackened plague has swept their writing almost completely, the growth and blend of genres all comes to ahead here. Clean and mournful is the atmosphere that is quietly fomented, again rolling drums stay subdued for a time beneath this dark melody. Some time later the climb is beset with rising bass groans as we feel the song reaching a summit, and the clean section is smashed by a foul black metal riff from both bass and guitars; an air of triumph is met. And suddenly a bouncing doom section surfaces only to fade to a clean and acoustic journey.

How this album twists in and out of these moments never feels forced. It's quite an accomplishment, never over-dramatic or boring. We can get this sense once more at around the 8 minute mark a droning, depressive blackened riff cuts through alongside the harsh screams which evoke torturous pain — and again the switch is flipped to a stomping pace, doom slabs dive and feedback washes over everything. The final moments of "Trucid" bring back the cold, clean melody as the light sweeps and fades from the tomb of sludgy hate they've carved here in vinyl.

What a dark and epic trek through Hell this is. A surprisingly deep tunnel of sounds. This is definitely an overlooked doom gem well worth your support, especially if you love monstrosities like Thou. I bought this beast at the Gilead Media fest and it quickly sold out there. You fine readers can buy a copy in vinyl form from Pesanta Urfolk which comes with a download code and a spiral etching on the final side — it's limited so work fast if you want one. It was originally offered in cassette form but that has long since sold out.

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Thou / Hell - Resurrection Bay (2012)

Split, Pesanta Urfolk / Gilead Media
April 23rd, 2012

Genre: Sludge/Doom Metal
Region: USA

What a perfect combination for a split. Two tracks from two devastating monsters of doom: Hell and Thou. No doubt this will be one of the top splits (if not general releases) this year.

I don't know what you want me to say about this. It should speak for itself by just having both bands attached, not to mention being released by two excellent labels. Side A is Hell's side, titled "Sheol". They played this to end their set at the Gilead Media fest so that was my first taste of the split, and for sure you won't be disappointed. It's just over 5 minutes long and very thick, pounding doom with hoarse distorted screams echoing throughout. It plods at a snails pace and shakes the ground beneath you like a titan roaming the earth. Dark and filthy with one section of clean riffs before returning to pitch black ugliness.

Thou's side is a track called "Ordinary People". It's fucking Thou guys — once again they spew forth an amazing, groove-ridden tsunami of sludgy excellence over 6+ minutes. They can do no wrong really. "Ordinary People" crushes you into a fine powder effortlessly with heavy riffs and bouts of dissonance as Brain rasps hatred and defeat that will pierce your skull, leaving you to bleed out on the cold ground alone. It's massive bone-breaking riffs, crushing drumming and bass licks form a tragic trek through a bleak and impure realm that only Thou can deliver.

I can't imagine why you wouldn't want to hear this if you like doom. Highly recommended. Not only is the music awesome but the packaging is truly beautiful: thick screen printed white jacket and obi strip, embossed with letter-pressing, and all white 7". It really contrasts heavily with the dark music it holds within.

Go pick this beautifully packaged and heavily executed split from either Pesanta Urfolk or Gilead Media and support these guys (limited to 1000 guys). You can also listen to this on the Gilead Media bandcamp page.

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Gilead Media Music Festival

— GILEAD MEDIA MUSIC FESTIVAL —

ANOTHER HALF-ASSED FESTIVAL REVIEW

The Gilead Media Music Festival.... where to start? What an incredible weekend. Even six days later I'm at a loss for words in terms of what I experienced. It took me a little while to write this and even then I don't think I could ever do it justice. Be prepared for a disappointing account of a wonderful weekend. You had to be there.

Before getting into the bands and their performances I want to sincerely thank Adam Bartlett, founder of Gilead Media and generally humble and awesome dude, for putting this shit together. The fest went off without a hitch — it was very well organized. Much praise to him, his crew and all the people who came together to make the fest an unforgettable experience.

After the break I'll get into the sets and all that great shit. I took some photos and video but the large amount of pro photographers and press allowed me to take it easy on that end of things; I only got shots of those bands that interested me the most but even then the cramped conditions and thrashing going on made it difficult for someone as unprofessional as me to get much — which again relieved me and allowed me to sit back and just enjoy the fest.

Anyway on with the review.