Cower / Thou - War is the Force That Gives Us Meaning: A Two Part Analysis of Personal and Inter-Personal Conflict (2011)

Split, Vendetta Records
June 21st, 2011

Genre: Sludge/Hardcore/Doom Metal
Region: USA

I wish I was more attentive to Cower's side of this brilliant split record with Thou when I first heard it. I mean Thou's side is just more unquestionably awe-inspiring and malice-soaked doom metal so it's hard to tear one's attention away from their side of any split; even when paired with the likes of Hell and in this case Cower.

Between the two bands and their strong, proven approaches to the niches of sludgey hardcore and callous doom it goes without saying this split has excellent variety. This is not at the expense of spellbinding song weaving whether it be furious beauty or an unbearable darkness as Cower and Thou only cull their best for each release.

When matched with Thou one might assume the younger Cower may not be up to the task of balancing the monolithic tendencies of the Baton Rogue sludge beasts, but they easily hold their own. Their use of a varied of vocal styles, the strong bass foundation throughout each track, and the creative blend of genres ensures they can stand next to such towering doom pillars like Thou.

In fact I've grown to enjoy their contribution just a bit more than the second side.

Cower's side is titled "Act I: Burn The Banks" and starts with the track named after themselves, and the subject of giving up. It's heavy and between sludge and stoner rock at first, the speed is increased briefly to bring in the hardcore but after a silence the sludgy vibe returns as we barrel into "Clonorchis Sinensis. Rhythmic hardcore takes hold for a moment before the slow jog heaviness returns, it's compouded at various points through hoarse shouts and  splashing cymbals over a wicked breakdown.

"Cut Down" is only 27 seconds but not necessarily in the powerviolence mindset despite being fast — it's contrasted by the acoustic interlude direcly afterward which is melancholic and somber. It brings other elements into the collection sounds like a piano and digital modulation near the end. Later on "Vise Grip" takes a similar approach There's a concerted effort to return to devestaing sludgcore with "Sixty Years", a track that trudges at first but hits the boosters at the one minute mark and scorches shit with noisy, drum blasts and scraping riffs. The return to slugging with trilled bends and stomping riffs. Lots of big grooves in that last moment alone

This leads to "Torch" which is my second favorite on the split. It starts similar to "Sixty Years" blending stoner riffs and hardcore pacing but by the time we're into the middle of the track, delay and reverb effects engulf the sparkling tremolo riff left hanging. It becomes manipulated for about a minute creating very pretty textures befire

My favorite track by far is "Rainmaker", it sounds closest to their material on Mind Over Matter:  bouncy and terribly catchy, considerably moreso once the great bass solo hits (these guys can punch those things through at just the right moment it seems). Bursting from that to a upbeat climb and descent through multiple noise rock attitudes, they eventually setltle on something amazing. It's probably the most memorable moment on the record, simple too, coupled with the lyrics there's a longing for release pervading this song and it's heartfelt:

"So come my friends and let us share our last breath. Let me live under the sun and remember. It's only for fun. Just remember... The tides will go in. And the tides will go out, and the leaves will grow again. Every beginning has to end, and every ending brings new beginnings, don't forget to scream and shout. There is no end."

It ends on a slightly depressive series of fuzzed out notes, and bleeds into a bonus track I don't know much about; I suspect it's a cover. Cower have done well on this split and it was a great prelude to the full length last year.


Moving on to Thou's side titled "Act II: Big City" which was released as a single EP online and kicks in with a even more sluggish interpretation of a Cower song from their first record (Hatred Songs) — it's fuckin ugly. Nothing but feedback, vocals and singular tom strikes for the majority of the track.

Then we get to dig into newer material with "View of a Burning City", a clouded lament to the state and industry's siege on humanity (in classic Thou fashion) starting darkly melodic and discordant much like their Hell split — and then straight into what I recognize as the down-tuned beat in Eminem's "Guilty Conscience"... it's bizarre. The song progresses away from this into more recognizably torturous swaying through low guitars and black vocals and I immediately feel quite cozy here. No one does this better than Thou or at all like them.

"How Lonely the City Sits" continues the vitriolic assault found before it calling out bred mediocrity, urban stagnation and the alienation it brings. This one has a fucking gripping groove midway through that flows so smoothly as Brian shouts "THE DEAFENING, ENDLESS, COMPLETE ISOLATION!!!". Thou show again and again why they sit on the throne of doom. The last section of the track brings scratchy dissonance back briefly as it slowly fades in feedback.

Closing with "Milestone" the desperate struggle continues unabated. Sliding warbled downtuned slaughter for the first while, with a great use of pinched harmonics interspersed in the marching. It gets a little more claustrophobic for a few seconds for the change in pace, where Brian's vocals become increasingly haggard and deformed in his bleak recitations. Near the end the vocals turn to clean slow chants while a buried lead riff distorts and drowns, however it reverts to more slogging before the abrupt close.

An awesome split with two dedicated acts I love a lot. This is worth the cash if you can find a copy of the LP, even if you're just in it for Thou. The art is fantastic and high quality outside of the crumbling doom and sludge imprinted on the black record. I don't know of any big labels or distros who still have copies (some smaller ones like this maybe) but they might have a few while touring still (I got mine at the Gilead Media Festival)

You can grab Cower's side for free on their band camp and Thou make all of their material available on their official site.

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Oxtongue - Where The Light Is Mute (2013)

Full Length, Self-released / Holy Mountain Printing
January 15th, 2013

Genre: Sludge/Doom Metal
Region: Canada

Brooding and fomenting in Ontario for years amongst different projects apparently, three young gentlemen come together and former Oxtongue in 2012, finally releasing this slab of doom to the public at the beginning of this year. I think fans of doom will find something to enjoy in these friends heaping their sounds into the fray, and you can thank Severed Heads Open Minds for illuminating Where The Light Is Mute.

Oxtongue are new to the game but there's no denying Where The Light Is Mute is a half hour choleric ache, down-tuned and pavement splitting in three songs mired in darkness. There seems to be a theme flowing through the tracks but I do not have lyrics so I can't confirm; just going by the song titles. There's definitely some classic sludge influence that goes alone with the desolate semi-funeral doom acts like Atriarch and Bell Witch (you can hear it in the ending progressions of several tracks here), and for a self release the production is pretty damn good. The material is even better: keeping shit simple with dour sludge tonnage that sounds like it comes from veterans.

"Humanity: Born In The Way Of Eternal Greif" is the longest clocking in at just under 15 minutes. It's a clean chord driven procession of gloom for its entirety. The thundering, trudging drums for the entire opening three minutes are like sledgehammers wedging iron into stone, later taking a more measured pace once the bass guitar demolishes the build ambiance wonderfully. The only vocals are first heard as a faint whisper in the edge of an oceanic rift of silence between tom strikes and thick plucks — then a titanic upheaval is ushered in as the callous roars flood with the distortion, a return that crumbles all walls in its wake.

At this point it's a merciless steamrolling and it's getting clearer that while supposedly young, all three members are well versed in expressing sinister energies through foul trudging. After that plowing over the second half transitions to a sludgy build, aided at first with low, clean ceremonious chants but when the explosion comes the growls do too, along with another pancaking passage.

Actually following this the final legs of this song give me feelings of familiarity. My guess is it's close to the sound of the long defunct UK sludge band Capricorns' self-titled demo (a favorite gem of mine). The rhythm is totally reminiscent of that, but slowed and aided by modulated effects, a second lead of drowned tremolo harmony is also supporting it. That is not the end however: there's one final jaunt through the sludge with a tremendous groove, wallowing in crashing cymbals and heavy fuzz. Fucking heavy man and a promising start to the record.

Then we have "Anguish: Abide With Suffering" which takes that kind of structure heard at the tail end of the first track and runs with it for a bit before returning to a agonizing slither, circling a dark pit and slowly but surly returning to a midpaced sludge ritual. Oxtongue then bring shit back up to catastrophic heaviness, adding breaks in their slams to plam mute and moan chants into the gloomy air; a great section. There's a return to the drag for the down ramp of this track that gets progressively louder on the percussive end onyl to spike back up suddenly for the final two minutes back into that deadly groove.

The feedback and cymbal frenzy that leads from the last track into the last one, "Cessastion: The Shade Rapes Nativity", settles into a bassy, ebbying feedback with only cymbals and snare/kicks keeping the rumble company; distant shouting can be heard. The kick-in comes abruptly again and we're swept into a series of slow but powerful dirges. And one evolves into an even more evil section that grinds the listener into a pulp — it drops out again like the intro for just drums and vocals, a frightening and desolate moment before the hammer blows return in earnest. Again in the last few minutes a fantastic sludge groove bursts forth through a bass solo that kills. This climax is fucking captivating.

Another excellent doom act from the east. If you like shit like Bell Witch, Sound Asleep, Capricorns, Batillus, Haggatha, or good sludge and doom in general then I suspect you'll want to check this record out. Outside of not being heart-stoppingly innovative (which isn't a real complaint in most contexts)  there's really nothing to complain about. Just turn the lights down and the volume up, and prepare to be compressed in 31 minutes.

Where The Light Is Mute will soon be available via Holy Mountain Printing on limited vinyl (only 300 pressed) but was just recently pressed and sold in test-press form of which I was lucky enough to procure one of the five available (of 11 pressed). You can also stream it on bandcamp and they've made it available as a mediafire link in the sidebar there as well. Updates over yonder if you're into that.


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Crawl - Mine Maille Shone Not The Light of Death (2012)

Demo / Live, Self-released /Independent

August 1st, 2012

Genre: Sludge/Doom Metal
Region: USA

Not long after I listened to Crawl's demo I purchased the cassette release that follows it titled Mine Maille Shone Not The Light of Death. As I mentioned in that previous post this Texas experiment in tortured ambient doom has found a more unique avenue to express the weight of defeat and uncaring isolation through a simple ceremonial set up of drums, bass and vocals (and here a didgeridoo), and with Mine Maile... Crawl capture this desolate expression more intensely live.

"The recordings herein serve as an interpretation of failure. They are not intended as a gift to the spiritual inner, but merely as a gateway to the tunnels of depression brought unto the underwhelmed. 

These tracks have been released onto tape in order to properly express the beaten and downtrodden aspects of aural imprisonment."

This is how the author wishes to express this records goal and perspective. The three tracks here do a good job at instilling those feelings of swirling around a frigid and dark drain, droning agony filling your consciousness. Instead of shorter dissonant doom spells, on Mine Maille... Crawl is reveling in a slow, blunt bludgeoning from the out set, swamped in rust and archaic ritual odours. However the change is a shift away from the heavily distorted machine-like pace and sound in order to find other paths to grow from.

That is not to say this element is completely gone, but this tape seems more focused elsewhere. The first blow comes in the form of "Breath of the Dying", a ten minute descent marking the start of that different approach for Crawl. This kind of sonic force does well this way if tailored properly — again it's not funeral doom but it's also not the dual bass stoner rockfall of Horse Latitudes either. Crawl desires to meddle in more chilling, martial horrors. After a quiet build that brings the anxiety up with tribal thumps, feeback announces the journey has commenced. With this track it is the closest the record sounds to anything on the first demo (track two would be a good example).

You'll get an intoxicating dose of tone all the way through the opening song from the thick humming and growling that takes heavy swings in the pitch black atmosphere. A solid and slow groove is carved out in the tolls of a girthy bass tone and enormous, hammering percussion in harmony with one another. The way the track flows gives more insight into the title. It progresses to a point of feedback resembling a flat-line and kick/snare drops, and then becomes cold with only the beat that slows drastically like a dying heart in the cold of night.

(Unmarked black cassette)

"Summon Greater Bonespirit" is a pretty substantial track despite what it might sound like. This is where the didgeridoo is utilized to surprisingly great effect, much like a siren in the middle of a either a raging fire or torrential downpour as thunder rolls ominously above. The combination works well, drawing you into Crawls hex from a different position. Those blasts oscillate occasionally as if off kilter sometimes (foreshadowing), the atmosphere only disturbed by eerie whispers in the right channel at around the four minute mark — and suddenly you're shocked from this fade by an augmented howl from the didgeridoo. Digitized, industrialized. Much more 'noise' oriented for that brief section, a very clever use of that instrument in my opinion especially for doom — blending a little death industrial in there.

By now it's easier to recognize that this heap of sludge has been experimenting more even within it's own forming niche, in "Frozen Horror" the ambient side comes out for four minutes but does not expand much. It consists of a chime or bell that has been distorted and morphed, and flexes over the course of the track sounding like something out of a horror film. The dragging samples are the final sounds on the tape.

As a live recording it sounds fucking crisp: bass and drums while pounded ferociously are not distorted or muddy, sharp cymbals, though the vocals are a little too far back. The style though may lend to being a little more buried: frenzied screaming like the angered caws of a raven fighting over a cadaver. It's a cryptic release and feels more like an interlude or teaser of what is to come than a proper or thirst-quenching record but what is hear is not replicated elsewhere too often, if at all.

If you're into the heavy and obscure there's no reason not to check this 19 minute live ritual out, it's free and crushing so I recommend you do. The changes do nothing but make the project more intriguing. Below you can get a taste of Crawl's recent pulverizing ceremony.

Also if you like what you hear you can grab a copy of the limited cassette over at Crawl's big cartel store in both regular and limited edition, and at Murder/Suicide Incidents, or a digital copy on their bandcamp page. I was informed he was going to update the store with more merch in the near future so check back if later if shit's not up. Follow on facebook for show and future release information.



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Mudlark - Mudlark / A.D.H.D. + 7" (2009)

Full Length + EP, Schizophrenic Records

June 1st, 2009

  

Genre: Grindcore/Sludge
Region: Canada

It's safe to assume you're all probably tired of the core being touted around here by now, especially if it's branded with a maple leaf, but bear with me for one more post before I try to diversify a little.

One of the reasons for me posting this, outside this being really good, is that there's virtually no digital presence of this great sludge infused grindcore act and thus it's hard to get a taste of what they're dealing out. That's a shame because I managed to get a copy of this compilation recently, a rare and dusty version of their record release edition of Mudlark / A.D.H.D. — and I'm really enjoying it. I guess those dedicated and in the know of local grindcore scenes have been aware of these guys since 2006 but it's time I try to untuck Mudlark from the grime and write some words about what they've concocted.

I'm a little confused as to if this is a compilation or a full length and EP actually but for now it's the only material I've been able to get my hands on physically or digitally. I'm calling it a full record and a bonus 7" which may or may not be self-titled. There's some footage of them playing out there too if you're interested.

Anyway Mudlark were a four piece once but the majority of their existence has been as a three piece, the members over the years being involved with Massgrave, Osk, and Scumbelly which makes a lot sense when you hear some of their tracks. The slower moments easily make the jump from this to some of Osk's slow-downs. I'm still uncertain as to their current status because I've heard they have splits that are in the works and also that they broke up a few years back (which would be a major shame). There's footage of them in 2010 but not much else in the 3 years since.

This elusive Vancouver mutant is draped in kaleidoscopic imagery of mines abandoned and collapsing, enclosing a sound that is one part grindcore or powerviolence and the other is vaguely sludge and doom. And when I was absorbing the music while admiring the art (both the above version, plus the original artwork much like the 7" below) it was easier to see some of the links in imagery, concept, and the sound/style: the quickness and finality of a mine shaft collapse, wood splintering and rock grinding on rock crushing bodies in an instant. An explosion that rips through metal tracks and bodies. The grind they make is very much on this side. Other times the mine traps you and slowly starves you of light and oxygen in cold, rough abyss. The sludge is here, calculated and crawling. The only problem is there are no lyrics but I have some suspicions based on the above.

Overall the resulting sound is arguably similar to Black Arrows of Filth And Impurity if the sludgey aspects were emphasized more. And Mudlark do enter comparable atmospheres, once or twice in shorter tracks like the wonderfully brutal "Old Black Wood" but two more surprising tracks experiment in this direction. First the six minute "Blood Movement" which grows slowly with intoxicating, meandering slams simultaneously from the cymbals and guitar, mushrooming sporadically, climbing and falling — finally setting into a very comfortable rhythm. Hypnotic and heavy as fuck.

Then there's eight minute closer "Swamp College" is where you really hear the doom influence. It stretches with noise between trudging guitar blows, an entire section that sounds similar to a section in either a Weakling or Dispirit song; picking up and becoming more martial with some added angularity by the end. It's enormous and hard not to enjoy if you love weighty riffs. As it progresses Mudlark create a very enjoyable drone I think. Both of these longer songs are similar to the chaotic final tracks on "1984 (Eternal)" but with more structure, and leading to a more recognizable place.

Unlike the previously mentioned monsters of this record which come clean with the slowness up front, sometimes Mudlark disguise the beginning of a track as chaotic which leads one to believe more mincing will be the focus — when suddenly the e-brake is pulled and you're suffocating again. So just when you're into the mincing groove they will snap you back with a huge dirge.

They're very good at doing this. "A.D.H.D" is a great opener and shows the above formula off perfectly. It might be one of my favorites and it blends smoothly with the following track "Napalm" which is gripping too, thrashing for a good portion of the track before slowing to a drag. "Face Your Hate" and "Lie To Speak" take the opposite approach and are no less intense or absorbing and "Frank Slide" is a crusher with real ugly vocals. "Gross Shitty Mess" (all slow) and "Agravated Brain" mix the flailing fury with the drudgery similarly in a very short span of time. They make it a varied experience without lessening the ferocity at all. "Agravated Brain" is a memorable track too for being a particularly harsh bludgeoning.

The discernible grind influences they play with range from Norwegian Gadget style with very clear North American Insect Warfare contamination making for a very gritty and thick sandblasting when they're at full speed. Tracks like "Crematorium Grinder", "Klunk", "Rapid Mangulation" (frantic and amazing song that borders on death metal), and "Kunumdrum" (a burst of "Swamp College") which all stand alone as malicious whirlwind grind without contamination from the slower styles. Blazing riff conniptions ending with feedback usually.

And then we have the self-titled 7" record hat came with the main LP. It has four extra tracks to add to the pile of disorienting grind though not necessarily anything to go bat-shit about: "Told How To Live" and track three are minute long hammerings while "High" and "Carolyn's Catalog" take a more slow and groovy approach. I prefer the longer tracks on this one but nothing here is bad by any means.

The production is damn nice across both records for a small band, the bass and vocals stand out between the chaos of the percussion and guitars. No plastic feel, there's still plenty of grit and rawness and weight behind each jagged sound. Speaking of vocals they' re as you would expect: raspy, sometimes pained screams and disgusted roars from multiple members. Nothing feels out of place there. Overall what I really like about Mudlark (outside of the local bias) is they seem to be lurking and altering the dark and ugly path that defunct Black Arrows of Filth And Impurity took, and I'm always looking for bands that do this. Dephosphorus and A Scanner Darkly come close as do Crowpath sometimes. Mudlark flip the switch cleanly and churn out gold on both fronts.

So you're lucky if you've been searching for this and manage to catch the link before it gets taken down because I took the time to rip both the LP and the 7". If you like it I encourage you to head over to Schizophrenic Records and ask if they have copies available, or Give Praise Records who have a few copies I believe (also having a massive LP sale). Or if you're in Vancouver the Zoo Shop has the standard version of the record release edition for $40 I believe. Fans of the above mentioned bands plus stuff like GridLink and Discordance Axis will enjoy the hell out of this.

(also let me know how dropcanvas and the new Mega work)

LP + 7" :

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Cower - Mind Over Matter (2012)

Full Length, Howling Mine / Vendtta / Television Records
December 21st, 2012

Genre: Sludge/Hardcore
Region: USA


I've become obsessed with Cower over the past few months, this record in particular but even more their split with Thou (who's members really dig this as well). I'll be putting up the rest of their catalog eventually but Mind Over Matter deserves a little more time first. I said it pretty concisely in my list so lets see if I can mess it up here.

Cower are definitely flying under the radar despite their odd accessibility, putting out four records so far all of which are really good as I found out. This one is at the top with their split. Their grand, usually upbeat style of stoner-sludge hardcore is difficult to not enjoy and has mad staying power.

I think they're sometimes a four piece but usually a three piece, drummer Logan and bassist Jakob providing both clean and scratchy punk shouts. The important thing about the cleans is that they're melodic without becoming cheesy or overdone. That doesn't mean everyone will like tit of course. Tons of thick riffs sometimes filtered through tremolo and flang effects bringing a little stoner psychedelia into the mix but never oversaturating the riffs; it remains fuzzy and loud. Cower also offer a lot of aggressive punk energy that can quickly part the dope cloud and stir shit up nicely.

Mind Over Matter has a lot of variation even if you want to boil it down to just sludgecore. Listen to "Skylids" which is loud and anthem-like and also quiet and bluesy., it's ridiculously catchy from every angle and one of my favorites on this. "The Secret Garden" has similar qualities but it's arranged a little differently so as to make shit fresh, ending up with another hypnotizing song with a sick build from the beginning. Those bass lines are engrained into my mind.

Then check out something like "Fungus Summer": a pretty acoustic balad that turns into something much more once the drums and bass creep in. Even from "The Secret Garden" you leap into something much different directly afterwards. It changes over to a bouncy almost southern rock near the end before slipping into the pure hardcore "404" which only progresses into a more sludgy Converge section at the end. This is the mark for the next track "A Rocket Man's Reality" which falls right in line with the first two mentioned as it carries that Converge-twang for only a few quiet moments, yet again morphing into a swampy sway.

As on previous releases each song shows that Cower does these genres extremely well separately and fused, with passion and making them just internally enjoyable. Another example of this is in "The Lonely Road" which is a bit dark but clear cut hardcore while "Fifteen" sounds like something out of the fastcore punk '90's or maybe Touche Amore these days; high speed, frantic with a bit of a screamo vibe by the end without the vocal style. The final track might be my pick though. "Moving Day" is just so heavy and hypnotizing, from the scratchy punk intro to the  heavy rhythms and cadence of as he shouts along jerkily, it really couldn't get much better you'd think until the slow fade and build at the end.

Admittedly you might get a different impression from the first track "Cops" as it is deceptive for the first half of the song, more obtuse and angular hardcore then most of what Mind Over Matter sounds like; though these elements are certainly incorporated. The switch is made and like that the stoner-sludge influence takes over at the same pace. Its even more palpable from "Cowboys Pt. 2" (appropriately titled) onward. They do some of this mid song flips in other tracks like "Thieves of the Night" which becomes very melodic and chilled, grooves pulsing and vocals turning clean, as well as in "A Rocket Man's Reality".

Cower on each release have brought this accessibility to a manageable/tasteful level, as with the experimentation, so there's no way you can't enjoy it even if you're on a strict diet of kvlt. A sludgy Cave In is what I would describe it as except I'm getting far more consistency and enjoyment out of Cower than Cave In.

This doesn't have a physical release yet but considering the fact that all their previous records made it on to wax and cds you can bet this will, and probably from Television Records too. Possibly Howling Mine or Vendetta in Europe if I had to guess. For now it's up on bandcamp as a pay-what-you-want download along with the rest of their discography (which I will also be posting in the future) so please give these guys what you can if you like what you hear.




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Crawl - Demo (2011)

Demo, Self-released / Unsigned
July 11th, 2011

Genre: Noise/Sludge/Doom Metal
Region: USA

The album cover is simple, the moniker evoking some kind of Nails copycat riding on the blackened sludge wave. Don't be fooled though. Crawl is very deserving of the title, a new Khanate-esque mutant that fans of patient, surgical heaviness will want to take note of. Crawl is one guy with a bass and drums making bone-scraping sludge in Texas unlike much out there right now. I don't remember how I came across this whether by random search or through email request but I found the link today and popped this demo on, resulting in me being surprised and subsequently squashed.

This demo is only 15 minute long over five tracks but these four minute chunks of cold sludge drag in the best way possible. Each untitled song is like a glacier collapsing on top of you, suffocating and biting with every lead-weighted strike of the bass strings, distorted and sterile almost taking on an industrial feel — the breaths of silence adding an abrupt ambiance and heightening the creepy atmosphere. All this makes four minutes feel like it's swollen to ten from the raw stomping Crawl dish out.

Very loud, machine-like rhythms through fuzz and feedback, the percussion blending with the slams of the bass into a blurry and menacing bombardment; in the slower moments its more martial. The most straight forward track is probably the first one, which breaks into a more normal gait in the middle but is book-ended by savage eruptions. 'II" and the following tracks make use of silence more before delving into the down-tuned churn that I'm very much loving. It gets really blown out sometimes which embellishes the heaviness sometimes.

Both that and "III" are songs that bend slow, plodding riffs and the rising static distortion while shaking bass lines are left to grow and rattle the soundscape apart. "IV" takes the approach of oldschool swans on "Coward" with gravel bass jerks to a halt with the drums, eventually becoming far noisier than those early influences.

Crawl have some unreal industrial heaviness on very simple terms and I suggest you give this demo a listen. They kind of give off a power-electronics/death industrial feeling but in a different context.

Crawl offers this frigid record for free on bandcamp so throw him a few dollars if you want and you can check their store for physical copies. A second record Mine Maille Shone Not The Light of Death (a live recording) is pressed on limited tapes over at Murder/Suicide Incidents, which I'm sure I'll be reviewing soon. Follow the blog. Big recommendation especially for lovers of harsh heaviness like Swans, Khanate, and Whitehorse and shit.


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Ahna - Empire (2012)

Full Length, Choking Hazard Records
September 18th, 2012

Genre: Experimental/Drone/Sludge/Doom Metal
Region: Canada

Here's a case where I missed something that a) should've made a few of my lists last year, and b) I should've been on top of because I've been aware of Ahna's presence since I saw them open for Mitochondrion a few years back. Once again I find I'm kicking myself for being more oblivious than I think I can be when it comes to great local bands hammering out interesting sounds.

And that is definitely what Ahna are doing. They're a two piece — a dude on bass and a chick on drums/vocals — from Vancouver who since at least 2008 have been crafting an intriguing blend of drone and doom lightly coated in black metal and crusty powerviolence; what they've dubbed "drone violence". Very bare bones, very simple in structure and concept, and very heavy, jarring and strange.

Despite this being only 20 minutes Ahna have made every second captivating, intimidating, loud, and harsh. Their sound is quite recognizable. Empire really shows that you can birth doom that crushes without going over six minutes per song (of which there are five here), and still make it a unique experience without being gimmicky or pretentious.

I've only heard some of their previous material (plan on catching up immediately) but the impression I get from the blend of styles and lyrical content there's a very oldschool punk 'lefty' ethos surrounding their records, which makes sense given the general vibe of B.C. So if you're into that it's definitely a bonus. The tone of Empire is serious for sure and that comes across in all aspects here, thankfully they do it well without hammering you over the head.

What strikes me most now, and indeed when I saw them live, is Anju's vocals. While both members contribute in this department, Anju's are immediately what you focus on and could be the deciding factor of your enjoyment level of their rituals. Not only is she handling the percussion (powerful and solid) but she does so while emitting some of the most ear-splitting, visceral, and loud vocals I've heard in a while. They're on the higher pitched side and resemble fulminating cries of a furious demon, enunciating very clearly as she recites raw hymns about history, war, injustice, imperialism, etc. often in a Canadian context.

Her vocals are balanced out by the low death rasps of Graham who handles the bass duties, pounding out some ugly riffs both slow and doomy and occasionally fast, blackened and crusty. The main ingredient of the songs on Empire are enormous wrecking-ball blows of doom but as you progress through it the blackened and punk influences seep in without being offensive. Arguably you can even hear the powerviolence (boardering on screamo) influence in Anju's vocals, in terms of pitch and tone.

The title track and "Mental Corrosion" shows the mixture I mentioned in action. On "Empire" the pace picks up as the bass spews rumbling, crusty lines after the first minute, while on "Mental Corrosion" the black metal attack bleeds into a few moments of punk galloping, and a full blown avalanche by the end. Her rasps have a definite blackened texture without a doubt, just listen to "Shouts In My Ear". In fact in that one the approach is quite angular and the quick blasts of grind between the doom make for a very dynamic song.

I gotta say "Colony", "Empire", and "Declaration" are my favorites here. The vocals are particularly overwhelming and passionate on "Declaration", piercing you physically as the bass feedback drones and throbs, the pace grinding to a hault over noise. A perfect song to cauterize this short but weighty slab. "Colony" is really just one riff that bulldozes onward at different levels of heavy but the cadence and rhythm builds so nicely it feels like there's more going on. "Empire" has some wicked blackened howls from Anju much different from her more clear invocations, providing a nice change.

In conclusion I want to apologize to my Canadian brethren in Ahna for not being more astute last year (or indeed the past few) and giving some props on my 2012 best of Canada list at the very least, because Empire is an absorbing, scornful record that should get more attention and support. Certainly from Canadians.

They're playing a few shows in the coming months so I want to catch one of them, but for now I'm playing catch up on their stuff and the west coast scene in general. I think one of the reasons I wasn't more aware of Ahna even after I saw them was just due to the nature of their sound and my own lack of expectations. Took some time to process while I was focused on seeing Mitochondrion close the show I guess. I remember circling their merch table contemplating buying something but decided not to, and this has come back to haunt me several times; I'm sure you're all familiar with that scenario.

Anyway you can buy copies of this from Choking Hazard Records or on the west coast from Scream // Writhe, and I highly recommend you do. You can download it (name-your-price) from bandcanp too which I've linked below.


DOWNLOAD (Bandcamp)

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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Velnias - RuneEater (2012)

Full Length, Pesanta Urfolk
September 8th, 2012

Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal/Doom Metal
Region: USA

"From the mountains 

Where storms are born 

The wind blows Cold and ruthless 

Before that 

All tremble"

The above passage was written in Lithuanian, in a silver-wax sealed letter on a cardboard slip accompanied with a handmade key. It was a precursor to something slowly approaching.

 Over a year ago I chipped in to a kickstarter project for an ambitious album from a secluded and frostbitten musical entity. The promising album and the handmade wooden boxset packed with merchandise (Beyond Victory edition) was something I was highly anticipating. A lot of dedication and thought was put into this project, both the music and the packaging.

And finally a few weeks ago (nearly a month after the above mentioned letter arrived) the ancient box, secured with a heavy lock, arrived with something equally primeval laid down on vinyl residing within, emanating sounds hidden deep within forested, snow-capped mountains echoing times when the surrounding landscape was untouched by modernity.

This project was undertaken by Velnias, a five piece black metal group from Colorado who have slowly been building their catalog since 2007 — showcasing a fairly unique doomy atmospheric black metal with folk influences.

This is their second full length record entitled RuneEater and is definitely their most cohesive, thoughtful and tightly written material they've released thus far. Previous to this they've released two tour cds, a demo and a full length called Sovereign Nocturnal, which was heavier on the doom elements compared to this new piece of work. While I enjoyed it, the first record did not feel as impressive as I was hoping it would be, but you could feel Velnias working through their sound and forming a style that was different from the rest of the 'cascadian' circle of metal bands in existence.

And on RuneEater they have achieved this with great precision, a palpable undercurrent of disgust for the modern civilization in which we reside paralleled with an equal passion and reverence for nature, and unwavering archaic atmosphere found in the deepest, darkest undergrowth of the most untouched thickets.

All of this comes through in every aspects here: the darkly mystic earthen lyrics, the bemoaning tortured vocals, the meticulous analog production, the intermittent flurries of acoustic beauty between the blackened mass of scorched riffing — this guitar work which acts like a forest fire clearing deadwood to birth new life in each following track, leaving billowing smoke that will smother the listener in an acrid atmosphere. In the shuddering bass lines which rise high enough to be clear through the thunderous drum beats that crash down upon you like a magnificent rock slide.

The cd and vinyl version of the album have different masters; the vinyl version is meticulously dedicated to a pure analog vision, recorded on a two-inch tape with the lacquers being cut directly from the tape by a different team from the cd. The packaging is also different, but both sound and look brilliant regardless of which you choose to absorb.

"Proclaim your best intentions with all your heart from atop the highest hills, you are naught but the substance of the life you choose to lead."

The lyrics express a deep commitment to the earth, abhorrence for the ills man in their pursuing modern development against nature, the slow decline of our civilization, and the glorification of times passed. Throughout the record this is made clear but one passage in "Desolation Of Grandeur" these sentiments are laid bare:

"How long will you writhe amidst the ruin of another's folly? Where are we to sow our seeds amidst the endless decay? Mine will be the hand to cast the torch to this empire ripe in its falling!"

The words are put elegantly in each sentence and with passion through the hoarse howls rolling over the woeful guitar melodies.

And when it comes to the material on RuneEater it is incredibly strong throughout all five tracks. I would argue that it is their strongest, most resolute and well written to accompany the distinct theme it permeates. The first track includes a brief intro "Velnio Maldavimas", booming tribal drums, spoken words in Lithuanian and slow "auns" to break the album open, while the third track "Velnio Ugnis" is a short acoustic piece to announce the second half.

Both songs break up the impassioned assault that makes up the core of RuneEater: "Desolation Of Grandeur", "Reverend Flames Of Antiquity", "Reclamation Of Valour", and the closer "Iconoclast". Two extend past eleven minutes and two fall just short of ten, but all of them have been carefully written to make each minute important and meaningful. The tracks flow by in no time despite their length, a testament to the enveloping atmosphere, robust song craft,  and talented musicianship.

You can hear the growth of their style throughout each track since their first record. "Desolation Of Grandeur" displays some fantastic riffs and rhythms, and they lead off with one immediately here: powerful tremolo galloping ascending and dropping back down to repeat before the vocals tear through the atmosphere. This opening riff coupled with the concussive bass is a perfect way to open such a record.

We experience the gritty distorted guitar tone for the first time, jagged and raw as it churns in and out of harmonies and feedback. The journey they pave is memorable, leading to a slow breakdown three quarters of the way through where we feel the doom peak in briefly. The scratchy howls linger as the pained strings bleed into a calm and sad acoustic melody at the end.

In the track that follows titled "Reverend Flames Of Antiquity", Velnias find a satisfying balance between atmospheric black metal and elements of doom that circles around Lycus, Pallbearer, and some of the earlier incarnations of the style. If you were worried that with their move towards a more 'modern' black metal style in the first track they were boiling down their sound to a more essential level, Velnias show here they have not left old elements to rest with this song.

This is easily my favorite track on this record. The blend of genres, the peaks and valleys it snakes through, the changes in pace all without losing the sense of isolation and cold beauty, it's all so excellently crafted and powerful. It starts quietly and cleanly, meshing subtle additions of the acoustic alongside the electric guitar; the tone is dark and tragic as the cymbals begin to shimmer in and out before the doom bursts into full bloom. This slow build and the feedback makes the oncoming crushing melodies all the more cathartic.

Heavy notes hang and dip low, wandering about like a lone traveler in the forest. It's a track that slowly melts into black metal before you're aware of it, once the pace is quickened it becomes all the more intense. But then they return to the drudgery, punctuating the pained notes and shaking bass lines with pinched harmonics and scraping.

It gets all the more sorrowful with a beautiful clean/acoustic build at the halfway point, leading to a climax with a return to raw riffing. We're met with some excellent reverb drenched passages that break away from the rhythms before the song ends — soaring from the mountain tops, drawing ever closer to the ground which they left; landing in feedback and darkness.

"Reclamation Of Valour" is interesting in that I feel it has a slightly nautical rhythm to it. You don't get it as much in the clean/acoustic intro but once the distortion, drums, bass and vocals kick in I get the distinct feeling of swirling stormy seas battering a lone vessel as it approaches feral coasts. The lyrical themes do not indicate such intentions however — speaking of the valor of vengeful battle with steel against steel, and the readiness for conflict to right wrongs of the opposing forces which built a system degrading men and the land they walk:

"Upon what skull is crown beset to afford such travesty as writ, that in darkness we are left to stumble with our hands devoid of sword's hilt? 

Truly tis the folly of fools to tread any path unarmed for unbeknownst is one when time shall come for need to spear or sword.

Hark, brothers - let radiant infinity open sleeping eyes! 

Again let hands blades hold fast and thrust them to the face of man's facade. 

Beneath open sky again shall burn the flames of our revelry. 

Beneath our feet shall run the blood of those who had stood in our way. 

With the grimace of kings, as from gallows they swing, again shall true strength reign.

Through the Vacant stares of your beheaded sons this world shall see its rebirth.

Burn by our hands!

Burn by our hands!

Never shall you see remorse; for every wrong you have ever wrought yours shall suffer a thousand fold!"

Regardless the track is quick paced and sharp, swaying with excellent rhythm through tremolo chords, and actually picking the pace up a notch through an acoustic intermission and the following passage. The slow down again is soaked in a wicked sorrow, single notes ringing strongly before another acoustic intermission to change the attack; and with this the deep choral moaning underneath. This track again ends in a somber acoustic ballad with some backing from the drums at times.

We end with "Iconoclast", the shortest song and a tale of what it means to be legend, to revere the old ways of men and nature once intertwined. Opening strong on a loud note, this gives way to another acoustic flourish that slowly builds pace and we rush into the whirlwind fury of distortion again. This happens again shortly after, but the riffs and drumming preceeding and following these sections do not lose steam and are quite creative, those at the half way mark break through with a wonderful gallop.

It's strange but these a few rhythms here that I swear feel familiar but I can't place where I may have heard them; specifically the acoustic section at 6:12 in which is followed by a reworking in multiple forms after. Regardless this final section is addictive, leading to the final acoustic push to close the record down.

Overall this is a great record with some great writing that sets it apart from the rest of the bands in the genre, with great integration of folk and doom elements sprinkled throughout. Admittedly the doom elements are lessened here but when they appear its blended so well. The drums could be a little higher in the mix, I feel they're a little buried under all the other elements. Outside of that I don't have any complaints, it's very tightly written and arranged.

I highly recommend getting this album. While it's not necessarily breaking new ground it is full of raw expression and their best work to date, a huge step up from their past efforts. It is well worth your money and Velnias are a band that deserve your support.

If you would like to procure a copy of this excellent record you can it in digital form from bandcamp, or if you want it on cd or vinyl in various forms you can go to Pesanta Urfolk's webstore. The boxset is not available, it was only possible to get it through the kickstarter preorder project and limited to like 25.

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Mare - Mare (2004)

EP, Hydra Head Records
October 5th, 2004

Genre: Atmospheric Sludge/Doom Metal
Region: Canada

I'm perpetually behind on this years great releases at this point, but I promise I'll get to them soon. The new Ash Borer, Dephosphorus, Bereft, The Howling Wind, Protestant, Morigon, Swans, Evoken, Torch Runner, Panopticon, A Forest of Stars, Old Man Gloom, etc. Not that it matters really with the thousands of other great blogs out there tackling them in a responsible and timely manner — the top of the list obviously being Forever Cursed and The Living Doorway. So get your ass over there and show some love.

However I'm gonna use up a few posts to repost and properly review some of my favorite records (most likely 3) in between catching up on all that so bare with me. I started writing for Cvlt Nation last month (joining my friend Haxan from Forever Cursed) and I recently had the pleasure of writing an article about Mare's reunion shows here in Toronto. I also slipped in a review of their only release which is one of my favorite records of all time, and I wanted to post it here with a link to the record.

I posted this record when I first joined Equivoke but said very little about it — the link is down now and instead of just updating that I wanted to start fresh. So if you want you can head over and check out the full article about the live shows in their entirety, but below is just the review of the record and their performance last week (edited so it will make sense in the context of this blog). I would hope more people know about this than I'm inclined to a assume, but it never hurts to spread the magic and get others into such a great record.

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

(Originally published at Cvlt Nation)

This past Thursday and Friday I and many others were blessed enough to be witness to several Toronto reunion shows of the legendary sludge three-piece Mare. I attended two of them, there was nothing that was going to keep me from seeing such a rare and visceral performance, and the supporting local bands Titan, Gates, White Ribs and Godstopper helped make the night even more special.

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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Horse Latitudes - Awakening (2012)

Full Length, Doomentia Records
February 10th, 2012

Genre: Doom Metal
Region: Finland

I was told a few months back that this record was heavier than Pallbearer's Sorrow And Extinction, but because I had not heard it I wanted to hold off judgement. Even so I had a little difficulty suppressing a scoff of disbelief. Judge for yourself.

Having now heard this Finish doom trio I am still reluctant to say it's heavier than that aforementioned monolith of an album. Not because Awakening is a slouch in the heaviness department — to say that would be so far from the truth. The fact is this record crushes effortlessly. My point is that these two bands have completely different styles in all avenues of they approach to the doom genre. Pallbearer being more Black Sabbath oldschool and melodic while Horse Latitudes are more minimalistic, bass focused, droning and ritualistic. Both being utterly massive in their own right.

And when I say "bass heavy" I mean that literally: there is no guitar here. It's two bassists of thundering power that will weigh down upon you like a horrific rock slide. A suffocating line of slow, grumbling riffs that would crack mountains if played loud enough. Both of them, while definitely low and fuzzy, are very clean and smooth. Plucked with a deliberate, torturous pace and strength as the ceremonial, rhythmic drumming crawls and strikes thunderous blows in every moment.

The moans and drones from the clean vocals sink you further into a ritualistic ether — this combination of sounds will put you into a meditative state as if you were transported to a temple high upon a dark and misty mountain range. Sometimes the vocals will become sung with more melody or get a crusty edge injected into them but for the most part they remain in a chanting clarity.

Awakening's material hovers around the 8 minute mark and rarely break its pacing. Only on "Decline of the Ages"  does it break from it's gigantic gait for several minutes near the finish line, and it does not feel out of place. It only heightens the titanic majesty in my opinion. In all other moments it is a roaring, shuddering beast to listen to.

Each droning song heaves boulders of doom towards you. The title "Awakening" seems entirely appropriate once you pass the intro as this really does evoke the image of an ancient lumbering creature having just awoken from the tribal meditations of a powerful, archaic cult. It could be criticized for being monotonous or lacking much depth if you had to lay some issues down but there is beauty of the simplistic heaviness heard here.

While I personally prefer Pallbearer's recent album more, this is a doom record that holds its own and is certainly recommended. A towering monster in all aspects. If you like shit such as Monarch!, Atriarch, Bell Witch, etc. than you'll want to check this out. You can stream it in full on their bandcamp page or if you want a hard copy go to Doomentia Records and snap it up on vinyl.

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Aseethe - Reverent Burden (2011)

Full Length, Gilead Media / Floating Cave
August, 2011

Genre: Doom Metal
Region: USA

Saw these dudes at the Gilead Media fest and they were pretty damn good. I believe they played this album in full and it was fuckin' brutal so why not share it right?

Aseethe are a fairly new three piece act fashioning some droning doom metal on various splits since 2008, and Reverent Burden is their first full length record. Its a modest outing of 2 songs between ten and fifteen minutes each. These guys have got a great sound that burns slowly. Both tracks incorporate pieces of drone and ambience with the doom dirges which makes for some menacing atmosphere.

"Reverent" is the first side of the album and it begins with a very deliberate crawl, creaking strings and fading symbols roll onward and swell for a good four minutes before we get to the meat of the track. The riffs and chords here have a dissonant quality.  It's heavy no doubt, the yawning guitars build at a snails pace as the dissonance is traded for mountainous powerchords with drowned out and hoarse vocals bellowing under them. Aseethe use a very simple structure here to pound you into the mud. A cycling howl of noise begins to slowly envelop the instruments by the end of this first track, and this continues as riffs shift to loud feedback in the final 3 minutes.

"Burden" follows on the next side, slightly shorter. It does not lead with a noisy intro but instead crushes you immediately with titanic riffs until you begin to hear that drone build up again behind just as the vocals come in. That ominous noise is always there and becomes more noticeable when the riff grinds much lower, straining and bending like a beast pulling at its chains — "Burden" is an appropriate title. It continues like this for a little while before some shift occurs but the pace stays the same: a leaden gait that sears into your mind. It returns the previous riff but sped up only slightly as if that beast has suddenly began to break its restraints, and the moaning drone gets louder right to the finish.

Do check these guys out if you like the heavy stuff like Hell. They pull off droning doom of serious quality. You can get this over at Gilead Media, Halo of Flies, Howling Mine, Robotic Empire and a few others. This is a vinyl rip just so you know.

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Thou - Tyrant (2007)

Full Length, Robotic Empire / One Eye / Gilead Media
September, 2007

Genre: Sludge/Doom Metal
Region: USA

"I realize all the grim sternness of my own cold building with its wealth of breathing misery and my own desolate heart to endure it all.

 But it is the curse of greatness that it must step over dead bodies to create new life. 

 And now there is change. 

The serpent has turned its head to strike its master. 

Those suffocating under dominion have broken their chains. 
Privilege destroyed. 

Wealth ground to dust. 

Power laid to waste. 

Grinding teeth in contempt, with black swords in hand, stepping over dead bodies, and creating new life."

I had to finally get this up here. I've been listening to it everyday for the past month. I've listened to it twice today. And yeah I know it's quite late to be raving about and posting this but who cares, the album is phenomenal and part of what Equivoke's about is getting both new or old but always fantastic records out there. So excuse the masturbatory rant-review I'm about the embark on.

If you don't know Thou by now than you've been missing out big time, especially if you're a doom fan. Tyrant is a tremendous effort especially for their first LP. It is 5 songs of venomous, malicious, oppressive doom that is practically unapproachable even from veterans of the genre.

It hinges on intelligent, socio-political and religiously charged lyrics spewed fourth in Bryan's truly despicable, harsh rasps and screams that would be completely comfortable on the darkest of black metal releases. This is in stark contrast with much of the doom or sludge genre which is usually encased in low, deep moans and growls. When I first heard Tyrant it was this aspect that I didn't quite like about their style but over time they grew on me immensely and now I cannot imagine the band sounding the same without them. This is one point of the record I could see a lot of people finding fault with, in fact it may be the only one.

When it comes to the riffs, drumming and structure Tyrant is all gold and very creative. Mitch's grumbling bass is mighty and does so much for the sound to keep it thick and crunchy, while Terry's drumming is potent and aggressive but very flexible, providing a more than sturdy foundation for what Mitch and Andy lay down on guitar. From the moment you enter this record on the title track you are greeted with a formidable growl, as low and slow as can be. And while this quality sticks throughout the record their are occasions where the tempo is cranked up a little, and manages to work just as well in those instances.

The quiet moments that you'll come across are so powerful: the title track displays this perfectly when both Matt and Andy go clean it turns into a sombre and melodic interlude as Bryan's only clean, soft section emerges. The atmosphere is thick. A healthy dose of delay saturates the riffs to great effect and things slowly build to a destructive climax of fuzzed out heaviness which is also where the tempo changes — giving you a taste of their faster side; the quality doesn't dip in the slightest.

It's very clear that all members here have unified on some spiritual level and can write like no others in the genre. It all flows so effortlessly. From lumbering gigantic dragging slabs to shimmering, quiet cleans, to aggressive sludgy slams and chugging — they keep it cohesive and passionate. They even make a brief excursion into a southern bluesy twang (influenced by their Baton Rouge heritage no doubt) at the end of "With a Cold, Life Extinguishing Elegance": while Bryan maintains his cold rasping, the guitars whine and bend sadly. It's very beautiful and shows how well the members can adapt different styles and make it feel natural.

Tyrant is an album I have a hard time deciding on a favorite track as it's all so catchy, ugly and pleasing. If I had to for the moment I would settle on "I Was Ignored. And Judged. And Cast Down." as it encompasses all that I love about Thou in one track. The opening section is packed with memorable riffing, heavy and ominous, but once the track slows that is where I am overwhelmed by the sheer force these guys conjure. It comes suddenly and with enough mass to make black hole seem pitiful, the screeching and scraping of the brakes being put on as the bass slides thickly is magnificent. It might be my favorite moment on the record actually. Terry's crashing symbol work here really keeps shit nice and bright. Once Matt punches in with the slow, delay-laden taping it becomes even more jaw-dropping, melancholic, intense.

From that point Andy comes in with a great reverbed solo and they slow it down again right before the conclusion. Bryan's vitriolic spitting as he roars about the oppressed masses rising to slay opulent rulers is brings the intensity to a new high, and the interplay between both Matt and Andy here is stunning: one finishing the others' riff low and high, the riffs soar. This is such a great moment, they work so well off of each other. Then they slam back down with some monstrous slides and chugging, to finish it with a slow feedback fade.

This version includes the two bonus tracks that later appeared on their The Retaliation of the Immutable Force of Nature EP, and usually bonus tracks on albums are nothing to get excited about. This being Thou though that is entirely not the case. Specifically "Acceptance" (an instrumental) which veers into an almost post-rock area and manages to destroy most of the bands in that genre with that one track alone. It still holds some semblance of doom underneath but without the oppressive negativity of the previous tracks — in fact it's very uplifting, atmospheric and beautiful. '

There are wonderful climaxes and valleys they wind through with grace in this song, tastefully using their effects to make them count. Once again Thou show their ability to change it up and make whatever they write sound powerful, meaningful and serious.

The other track is "What Blood Still Flows Through These Veins?" which is more in the vein of the rest of Tyrant. Nice and slow with some sick riffing, creeping and heavy as glaciers with a short moment where they leap from that; as well as a section where Bryan rattles off lyrics quickly with his grating bark (almost like spoken word), while both guitars drone alone behind him. It finishes with a generous helping of feedback and scraping, slow rhythmic toms, etc.

I could not recommend this record enough. I'm in love with it and all of Thou's efforts and would suggest anyone who has even a passing interest in the genre to listen to Tyrant. The vinyl version has been sold out for a long time (I was fortunate enough to find a copy a few years back at a local record store) but you can pick up a third repress of the cd over at Gilead Media or Robotic Empire. The boys have (as always) put this up for free on their official site too, and you can listen to it on Gilead Media's bandcamp.


Oh. And if you ever have a chance to see them live, don't waste your time hesitating. Go and bask in the unbelievable talent and heaviness they lay down.

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