Phantom Glue - A War of Light Cones

After what seems an age, Phantom Glue are back with their new 

offering - a sonic stew of riffs, shouts and

chaotic madness.

Following the template that the 2010 self titled release gave us,

Phantom Glue once again have produced tracks of sludged up

riffs, hardcore vocals and a glorious noise-rock attitude that

comes across like High On Fire but with a more drunken, reckless

abandon, threatening to implode into chaos but saved by the

very strong song writing.

Some bands try to mix these genres together but never with such

distortion or raw power. At 29 minutes it is pretty shortish but

the running order of the tracks and sheer enthusiasm on display

overcome any feelings of being short changed.

With stunning solos being sprayed all over the place - but never

overstaying their welcome - there is plenty of head nodding to be

had as well as the urge to smash things up. There is a savage 

groove to the songs - unstoppable in its momentum that just takes 

over and makes you want to press play when the climatic

ending is still ringing in your ears.

Band blurb:

Boston, Massachusetts crushers, equally versed in sludge, doom, and noise rock, Phantom Glue churn out their self-proclaimed “avalanche of distortion” with nods to Neurosis, Trouble, and The Jesus Lizard throughout. Colossal drums and bass charge forth while twin guitars cast evil spells. Exclaim! Magazine has hailed the band’s sweet, mountain-moving din as “a heated bastion of caustic riffs and unearthly girth”. Decibel Magazine praised their 2010 debut as, simply, “a headbanger’s journey”. 

Beneath the music lies a heavy H.P. Lovecraft vibe, conjured through the supernatural lyrics and cover art of vocalist/guitarist Matt Oates. Oates describes A War of Light Cones specifically as “a nightmare/occult alternate history of Colonial America”. 

Phantom Glue’s second album and their first for BMA, A War of Light Cones was produced by Converge guitarist Kurt Ballou at GodCity Studio (Torche, Today Is The Day). Ballou’s connection to Phantom Glue dates back to the 90s when he and Matt Oates were bandmates in The Huguenots. 

Phantom Glue’s lineup is completed by guitarist Mike Gowell, bassist/vocalist Nick Wolf, and drummer Kyle Rasmussen.

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Thanks to Mike for the link.

Obelyskkh - Hymn To Pan

After the impressive "White Lightnin'" came out last

year, I have been waiting to see what Obelyskkh

would come up with next.

"Hymn To Pan" delivers in spades. Carrying on with their mix

of sludge/doom, they have opened up the sound with a delirious

shot of psychedelia - rather than sun-kissed dreams, think bad-trip

vibes!

The album has 6 tracks of epic scale and power that bring a feel

of freedom to the fore. The riffs are as plentiful and powerful as

ever but now seem to have a different dimension of free flowing

song composition. 

The trademark sonic heaviness is still there as well as the impressive

vocals which roam between clean and demented. Inspired touches

of samples and what sounds like a treated guitar providing almost

keyboard/horn sounds lift the tracks to higher plains of head

nodding bliss.

Get this at once!

Band blurb:

Io Pan, Io Pan, Io Pan! The wild hunt through Arcadia’s harsh mountains is about to begin. Battle call, you say? Well, while sinking into Obelyskkh’s opus maximus, Hymn To Pan, this is the first impression that comes to mind.

The new album from the Franconian stalwarts combines the monstrous riffs of their 2012 album White Lightnin’ with a new approach to songwriting, a call to arms, warranting cause for alarm. Obelyskkh seem to be picking up speed and urgency with each release, and whilst their cornerstone of majestic, bridging leads enthroned on swarms of bludgeoning riffs remain intact, Hymn To Pan sees the vocals traverse between cutting serenity and harsh shrieks, giving the music breathing space and glimpses into undiscovered psychedelic dimensions, thus attaining freedom in a surprisingly stunning fashion.

Unbuckle yourself from expectations, sit back and soak up this organic creation – an impressive feat for a band existing only for a few years.

Hymn To Pan was mastered by the mighty Brad Boatright (Sleep, Tragedy, High On Fire, From Ashes Rise, Integrity among many others). The album is released on CD, digital and 2xLP, containing 3 sides. Side D is a blank mirror (a great tool to adjust your vinyl player settings)

Order from Mainstream Records

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Thanks to Lauren at Rarely Unable for link.

Cowards - Hoarder

French band Cowards play a mix of raw sounding hardcore

and sludge with a feral crust attitude.

This is brutal stuff with no guitar leads or solos, just crushing

riffs played with wild abandon - overlaid with vicious, hate

filled vocals. The dark, claustrophobic production suits the

songs perfectly.

Heavier and slower than "Shooting Blanks & Pills" from 2012,

these tracks suffocate with the weight of despair and fury.

There is a chaotic edge that threatens to collapse into a wall

of noise but the strong arrangements manage to pull things

back from the edge.

Ending with a fantastic cover of "Blessed Persistence" by 16 

Horsepower, this EP shows Cowards at their best and proving

themselves to be an unstoppable force of nature.

Released on 15th September from Throatruiner Records

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Thank as always to Matthias for links.

11 Paranoias - Superunnatural

When members of Ramesses and Bong get together, you

pretty much know what to expect ....... well ..... yes and no.

Of course it is outrageously slow and heavy but - there are

some atmospherics and a druggy psych feel to this that makes

it a bad trip you want to ingest!

A lot of people seem to think that playing loud, slowing riffs

down and bunging in some '60's horror film soundbites make 

you a doom band. 

Fuck 'em - this collection of sludge/doom drugged tunes

are the real deal - play this and listen to the hymns of 

the doomed.

Heavily echoed vocals shout, gibber and moan with a sense

of unease. Raw sounding guitars make a wall of noise, providing

riffs as well as drones that truly give a nightmare feeling.

Heavy psych textures from the depths of space swirl around the

song structures, giving the powerful music an air of unreality.

This music is what Lovecraft tries to describe when the Elder Gods

from the Cthulhu myths are worshiping in their temples to 

"dread tunes of terror"!

These powerful collection of songs are a rare treat for anyone

wanting to explore fucked up/drugged down heaviness!

Very much recommended.

Band blurb:

After one jam on 11/11/11, members of Ramesses (Adam Richardson and Mark Greening) and Bong (Mike Vest) conjured a new band which they baptised as 11PARANOIAS. Now it comes with great delight to introduce their debut recordings via their spiritual home, Ritual Productions.

In an exclusive interview for Metal Hammer about the demise of Ramesses, Adam Richardson revealed more about 11PARANOIAS…"It’s definitely more psychedelic rock and it’s still experimental and a bit crazy, but it’s a bit less Ramesses. It’s less aggro, but weirdly there are few parts that surpass even Ramesses for heaviness, which does make it a bit of a weird one. We weren’t planning that but it just came out, and some stuff was ridiculously heavy, other stuff just sounded really tripped out and spacey – a 60s/70s psychedelic rock sort of sound.”…he continues…"11Paranoias is going to be combination of Loop, Monster Magnet and Hawkwind, plus of course a bit of Ramesses and Bong. Those last two just basically equal the original three culprits plus ridiculous heaviness, whist bypassing having to sound like anyone else. It does sound fucking out there.”

Anyone who listens to this record will attest to the ridiculously heavy riffs and baselines, none more prominent than on my personal favourite track 'Reapers Ruin'. The freedom of expression and experimentation are particularly fluid throughout 'Ossuaries' and 'Deceiver Of The Deep', with dark psychedelics at play on 'Inside Eusas Head'. These are just the LP tracks too, the CD contains extra bonus material. The LP is adorned by a terrific screen printed cover, rendered by Adam Richardson.

The synergy between the three musicians is perfectly captured on this debut, and is proof enough that 11PARANOIAS have something unique to offer. One thing is certain, we need them right now!

11 Paranoias have been confirmed to play this year's Supernormal festival which takes place on 9-11 August. The exact date is to be confirmed so stay tuned for further information about this, other future live action and the record release.

Get from Ritual Productions

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Thanks to Lauren at Rarely Unable for link.

Northless - World Keeps Sinking

Following up from the mighty "Valley Of Lead" EP

that was released last year, Northless have unleashed

some sonic abuse for your aural pleasure.

This is sludge with a hardcore edge to things. Mid paced tracks

provide a platform for the strong song writing to shine out with

intricate passages and use of dynamics.

Post-metal atmospherics creep into the mix, utilising guitar

motifs that give identity to the circular chord sequences which

use just the right amount of distortion and thickness.

This album hits hard on all counts. The hardcore vocals are clear

enough to hear but without the tired "cookie monster" growls - 

these howls and yells contain passion and anger which have a real

human touch.

These songs batter the fuck out of you but Northless know when

to pull back - but only to emphasise the return to the epic and

heavy riffs.

This is really good stuff.

Band Blurb: 

WORLD KEEPS SINKING, the darkest and heaviest album yet from Milwaukee's NORTHLESS, will be released as a collaboration between Wisconsin labels HALO OF FLIES and GILEAD MEDIA on August 23, 2013. Seven tracks of concentrated aggression and melody make up this expansive DLP that sees Northless surpass us all into a world of their own making.

Northless believes World Keeps Sinking "showcases the heaviness that Northless is known for, along with an expanded palette of tones and timbres heretofore unexplored by the band." The album was recorded and mixed at Howl Street Studios with Shane Hochstetler and mastered by Carl Saff.

600 copies of World Keeps Sinking will be pressed on 180gram vinyl and distributed by Halo of Flies and Gilead Media: 200 on clear, 400 on black. Each DLP includes a download card.

Pr-order from Halo of Flies

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Thanks to Bariaan at The Black Birch for link.

Tyranny is Tyranny - Let It Come From Whom It May

Russell and Jason from the sadly missed United Sons

Of Toil are back, simpler and heavier with the band

Tyranny Is Tyranny.

Influenced by the 90's Am Rep sound but also drawing inspiration

from post-rock/metal hybrids like Cult of Luna and Fall of Efrafa,

the music is full of open dynamics and rawness that thanks to

the crystal clear production, enable you to hear every note.

The vocals are low in the mix and vary between shouts, yelps,

croons, threats and shouts which suit the political lyrics. The tracks

are for the most, mid-paced, meaning they do not get lost in a

flurry of mad trash.

There is unreleased tension in the song dynamics - this can

sometimes reach unbearable peaks before the circular riffs

are unleashed to a climax. There are a lot of minor chords used

that, certainly to my ears, bring in musical motifs of sadness and

regret - these provide an effective mood enhancer for when the

anger and bile start to seep through the tracks.

This is an accomplished and confident start from a band that

have produced one of the best noise rock albums of the year - 

full of intelligence, fire and passion.

Recommended.

Name your price at Bandcamp

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The Runaways - ONE OF DOUG'S FAVOURITE GIGS OF ALL TIME

THE RUNAWAYS AT THE LYCEUM BALLROOM, LONDON, SUNDAY 16TH JULY 1978

Next week will see the 35th Anniversary of the above gig which will always be one of the best of over 650 that I've attended since 1977.

My interest in the band goes back to the summer of '76 when Joan Jett and Cherie Currie featured on the cover of NME around the time of their first UK tour. I heard their first single "Cherry Bomb" 

which immediately became part of my record collection followed by a copy of their debut album "The Runaways". The only explanation I can give for not going to their near legendary gig at The Roundhouse in London was that my late mother wouldn't let me go!! There were early rumblings of Punk looming on the horizon and this would have been the first gig I would have attended....but Mum just said "NO !!".....this was also the reply I got when I asked if I could go and see The Sex Pistols with a neighbour who had a spare ticket. Damn !!!

I quickly obtained any subsequent Runaways releases......Queens Of Noise and Live in Japan albums.....but with the news that Cherie Currie (lead vocals) and Jackie Fox (bass) had departed I thought that my chance of ever seeing them had gone...but no....late summer/early autumn '77 brought news of a new album "Waiting For The Night" and a  European Tour by the revamped 4 piece line up of Joan Jett (on rhythm guitar and taking over lead vocals), Lita Ford (lead guitar), Sandy West (drums) and Vickie Blue (new bass player). This time nothing was going to stop me going and a mate got our tickets for their gig at Hammersmith Odeon on 13th November......at the huge cost of £2 in the back row of the stalls. This was to be my first of well over 100 gigs at Hammersmith Odeon. Support for the gig was 999 one of the original punk bands. It was really only because The Runaways came to prominence during 76-78 that they got lumped in under the Punk or New Wave banner...they were really just a very good high energy rock band who happened to be all female. The gig itself was very good but everyone's enjoyment was somewhat hindered by it being at an all seated venue with overzealous security men. It seemed everyone at the back wanted to get down the front and jump around and bang their heads whilst those in the front blocks didn't even stand up until the last few songs and the encore !! I recall getting about half way down the centre aisle during the first song before we were all repelled backwards by said blue track suited spoilsports !! I enjoyed my first big gig enormously and this set the trend for the foreseeable future. 

I keenly studied the news pages for more tours and finally in late spring '78 the news I'd waited for appeared...a short UK tour that summer......my mates and I got our tickets for The Lyceum asap and we couldn't wait for the day to come. If you've never been to or seen pictures of the Lyceum Ballroom in London it was once a grand theatre venue with impressive Roman columns outside and a superbly decorated and ornate interior.....it should be said that it by '78 it had been a venue for all sorts of concerts from the 60's onwards which had taken quite a toll on the once glorious interior. It was a venue that I would go to on many occasions in the future seeing the likes of The Ramones, The Damned, Johnny Thunders and The Heartbreakers, Bauhaus, Sisters Of Mercy, Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, Motorhead, and Girlschool to name just a few. It was fully restored to its past glory in 1996 and remains a prestige West End theatrical venue to this day.

Back to the summer of '78......It had been a hot sunny day and the inside of the Lyceum was like a very packed sauna. The first support band was The Addicts....they didn't spark my imagination I'm afraid. Next on were the truly marvellous Dickies from California....I'd only previously heard their cover version of Sabbath's Paranoid (the whole song, lyrics solo etc in under 2 minutes !! A MUST hear) but totally enjoyed all their high speed madcap antics. They have always occupied a happy place in my world of music, and indeed I still listen to them quite often. Leonard (vocals) and Stan Lee (guitar) have been touring with countless different line ups ever since and are still going strong. I've tried to see them on many occasions but something has always prevented me. One day eh ?

By the time the Runaways hit the stage we were well positioned in the front quarter of the all standing venue and as they ripped into "School Days" the place went mad.....a combination of pogoing and headbanging at the same time !! They were absolutely superb and really kicked ass from first to last....a million times better than the somewhat restrained performance of the previous December.

After the mayhem had finished and the gig was over I wobbled out, knackered and dripping with sweat, into the cool night air. The only slight disappointment was the lack of any reasonable merchandise on sale.... rather naff badges that didn't even have a picture of the band and equally naff silk scarves.....I still purchased 2 of each though !! The Odeon gig yielded badges, posters, a t-shirt (which is still in one piece if  a little tight under the armpits and a "live" vinyl album purchased outside for £4 !!

Whilst rummaging about checking things for this article I found a scribbled list of songs played at either The Lyceum or The Odeon gig.....in set order :- School Days/California Paradise/Little Sister/Gotta Get Out Tonight/Waiting For The Night/I Wanna Be Where The Boys Are/C'Mon/You Drive Me Wild/Wait For Me/I Love Playing With Fire/American Nights/Queens Of Noise/Wasted/Wild Thing.

Little did I know that that would be the last time that I would see what was the first band that truly enthralled me, as after the release of the rather limp and disappointing "And Now The Runaways" the band split up. I was close to tears when I read the news. There was some hope however as Joan Jett embarked on a solo career and  I got to see her play at the original Marquee Club in Wardour Street in May 1980. It would be some 8 years before I got to see any further ex-Runaways....that was Lita Ford at the "new" Marquee in Charing Cross Road......this cost me a pretty penny as when I got there it was Sold Out so I waited around outside in the hope something would turn up. This gig was to promote one of her albums and the guest list was huge leaving little capacity for fans and the like. With about half an hour until gig time I was still one of a small band of real fans stuck outside...then a bloke came out and said did anyone want a spare ticket...for nothing.....as a chap in front of me put out his hand to take it I thrust out a £20 note  and said "Gimmee !!"......he did !!...and I was in. I ended up right at the front....no Runaways numbers but some great metal guitaring. The plectrum you can see in the attached photo was flicked out by Lita after one number and it landed on my shoulder !!

The Runaways, their music and their various members over the years will always be special to me. Sadly in 2006 Sandy West passed away at just 47 years old after a battle with cancer. Their story and career has been much documented and is well worth checking out.

I'm just glad that I got to see this iconic band twice and who I still listen to on a regular basis to this day.

Suggested listening ......"Queens Of Noise" and "Live In Japan" albums and the following tracks from "Waiting For The Night"...Wasted/School Days and Little Sister.

Suggested viewing......"The Runaways Story", a film documentary by Vicki Blue, which is a brutally honest look at the band and "Live In Japan".

All hail the Queens Of Noise !!

Doug E Dogg

Wolves Carry My Name Interview

Last year, Wolves Carry My Name burst out with the amazing
album "Amongst Ruins and Ashes" which featured in my
top albums of the year. With a new single out, the guys have
kindly agreed to an interview - read the words and
download the sounds!

Who is in the band?

We are Dennis (Bass), Moritz (Drums), Adil (Guitar), Tobi (Guitar) 

and Konstantin (Vocals). Together we form the musical entity known 

as “Wolves Carry My Name”, which was born in late 2011.

You have a fantastic sound of Sludge and Post-metal but the thing 

that sets you apart (for me) are the fuzzed out psychedelic solos. 

Was this something that just happened or was it a decision you all made?

Almost every aspect of our sound from the stoner sludge/post-metal 

hybrid to the solos was a very natural development, which just 

happened during our first songwriting sessions. Our guitar players 

come from very different musical backgrounds. One of them is more 

post-rock/metal orientated and the other has a more stoner background, 

so it was a logical conclusion for us to blend both styles into one sound. 

Adil is the guy, who does almost all of our solos and he really enjoys 

writing and performing his stuff, so we let him do everything he wants 

regarding the solos as long as it fits the song.

Your album from last year “Amongst Ruins and Ashes” burst upon 

the zine and blog world with glowing reviews. Although this sort of 

exposure spreads the music to a much bigger audience, does it have 

any impact for getting people to gigs or new places to play?

We were absolutely amazed by the positive reviews and reactions from 

different corners of the web. It really helped us in finding new listeners, 

supporters and different contacts and it was also a great motivation for us 

to take further steps in developing our sound. This exposure was not as 

useful for us in the case of finding new places to play, since there is not that 

much of an audience for this kind of music in Germany at this moment. The

feedback from blogs and zines is still a major factor for our band and will 

remain  as important in the future as it is now. I am sure, that this also applies 

to almost every small underground band.

You have recently released the track “Bone Carver”. Why just the 

one track? Are you working on any more songs?

The release of “Bone Carver” was intended as a foretaste of our first 

full length release (“Bone Carver” will be a part of it btw) , which will 

hopefully see the light of the day as soon as possible. We also planed to 

make a video for our single, which was shaping to be the most awesome thing 

since the dawn of mankind, but unfortunately we had to cancel it due to lack of 

money. We will hopefully be able to realize the idea at some point in the future.

We are currently standing knee deep in the songwriting process, so yes there 

are more tunes in the making. We wanted the new material to sound more 

diverse without losing the feeling, that made “Amongst Ruins And Ashes” 

special. One reviewer described our sound as Eyehategod on and off their 

medication, which seems to fit the songs quite well. The new material will 

still have  those sludge, post-metal and stoner elements, but will also bring 

something new to  the table.

Is there an active “scene” for your sort of music?

We don't have that much of experience regarding the sludge/stoner scenes 

in other countries and since we started Wolves Carry My Name only 2 years 

ago, there is still  a lot of venues and scenes for us to explore. As for our local 

area...we don't have a particular “scene”, but there a lot of people who enjoy 

stoner sound and some of them  can even get over our pissed off vocals. 

There is even a bigger stoner/blues festival  called Freak Valley not far away 

from our hometown.

Do you have to put on your own gigs or are there plenty of places to play?

We did organise most of our gigs, since it is rather hard do find a people or 

booking agencies, who would be interested in our music. Most venues in the 

underground lean toward hardcore and metal crowd, which is not always 

interested in more atmospheric and slow music.

Your recorded sound is fantastic - powerful, aggressive with a chaotic 

feel to things. I have never been able to translate my live sound to a 

studio, things seem to come out watered down and thin - what method 

do you use ....... it sounds very natural.

We had a couple of great guys who helped us with “Amongst Ruins And 

Ashes” and “Bone Carver”. Both recoding sessions were very low budget 

and were held in our rehearsal room. No special sound magic, just simple 

recording stuff. I guess we just got lucky, since we don't have much experience

 in this field. We were able to use much better recording equipment for our 

single though.

The album is free to download - do you find places like Bandcamp 

are able to get your music out to a much wider audience than just 

gigs and friends?

Absolutely yes! We can't imagine us doing any kind of promotional work 

without sites like Bandcamp and the social media. There are surely many 

downsides to the explosion of band related stuff in the social media, but 

the positive aspects are more relevant in this case.

What plans have you coming up regarding shows/recordings? How 

hard is it to juggle work with playing?

We have to bigger shows coming up which we are very exited about. 

We will support PELICAN in our hometown Siegen and EYEHATGOD 

in Cologne. 

Both bands influenced our sound, so it is something very special to share the

 stage with them. We are pretty sure, that our next output will be a full length 

and not another EP. We can't give you any deadlines at the moment, but it 

shapes up to be rather promising.

Unfortunately work and studying take a lot of time at this moment, so we 

can't spend as much time writing and performing our music as we would like

to, but we are happy, that we can still manage to spend just enough time together 

to keep the things going.

Are there any bands in Germany that other readers may not of 

heard of before that we should check out?

There is a Whole bunch of them. If you are into sludge, post-metal and 

blackened hardcore be sure to check Bitterness Exhumed, Godbreaker, 

Reborn To Conquer, Ablaze, Depravation, Longing for Tomorrow and 

Under The ledge Of Secrecy..and thanks for the interview!

Pleasure talking to you - cannot wait for the new album!

Cultura Tres - Rezando Al Miedo

4 months after this record was released and at least 3 months after
all the blog reviews, I finally get my act together and start
listening to it.

I am a twat and worthless blog-monkey. This is such a fucking
awesome album that I am full of self hate for not being able
to play this a quarter of a year ago.

This is sludge/doom from Venezuela with a psych edge thanks to droning
guitar notes that counter run with the main riff melody.

It is heavy, full of distorted riffs and cleanish singing with songs
that show clever, crafted passages that raise them above the fodder
that sometimes litters this genre.

This is the next evolution from the band that released "El Mal
Del Bien" two years ago. Do not be swayed by the "best doom/sludge
band from South America" - this is simply a band who have become
one of the best at doing this sort of twisted riff worship no matter where
they come from!

If you have any passing interest in the heaviness of sludge or the majestic
pace and tone of doom, this is an essential item to have in your collection.

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Tile - you had a friend in pennsylvania

Using their own tag line of "dirty sludge garage punk noise heavy
vandalism", Tile make a glorious din that is full of unresolved
tension and brittle anger.

Sounding like an AmRep release, this is all angular

rhythms and riffs, the vocalist yelping and shouting

like a David Yow sound-a-like trying to emulate the

manic style of the guy from Crystal Antlers.

The personal lyrics sit wonderfully over the top of

the harsh melodies and feedback that are interwoven

in with technical stop starts - think a heavy Unwound

with Shellac song arrangements.

The powerful guitar barrage has hints of sludge

flying around but never descends into your standard

hardcore sameness.

Bass has the glorious rumble that Steve Albini is famed for -
or - for those of you who are old enough to remember - a
classic sounding Stranglers throb.

For anyone that is still missing The United Sons of Toil,
Tile will be your favourite new band.

Get from Bandcamp

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Horse Latitudes - Black Soil

This guitar-less trio have produced an outstanding slab

of doom with trance inducing drones to give things a really

occult feel.

Horse Latitudes have stripped away any traditional '70's rock

influences and used the power and heaviness of sludge to craft

epic tracks that do not forgive or indulge in frippery but take

you on on a bad trip through the sonic assault that emerges from

the speakers.

Having two bass players give the meaning 'low-end" a new

experience in throbbing, distorted riffs that are played at an

ominous crawl. With no guitar player, the leads are naturally

bass lead but at a pace that just piles on the tension and menace.

Shamanistic drums keep the funereal pace with relentless,

primitive beats to which the bleak vocals are shouted and

moaned. This is doom music in the truest sense.

Play loud!

All versions from Doomentia Records

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Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs - The Wizard and the Seven Swines

Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs -
Like the song" New York, New York" - so good, they had to name the
band 7 times - from now on I shall refer to them as simply Pigs, otherwise
my typing finger will wear out!

"The Wizard and the Seven Swine" is a 22 min track of epic and
heroic proportions. A brilliant mix of sludge and psychedelic stoner
that take a riff and pound it into the ground until you give in and
search for the nearest mosh pit.

Packing more ideas than some bands show over a whole album, Pigs
blew me away from the first listen. Heavy but with melodies that
make you want to jump up and down  - sharp, furious solos - barked
vocals ...... what more do you want.

Take a trip with this relentless piece of riff worship -
Recommended!

Name your price from Bandcamp

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Stuff that Doug plays in his car

Regulus - The End 2013

.....Satisfyingly noisy throughout....nice mix of faster punky parts and doom riffs....great bursts of guitar and some 10 out of 10 solos....album is too short (approx 25 minutes) but, sharp and to the point....I liked it very much.

Black Sabbath -13 2013

..........Marvellous....at long last some Sabbath which is more than just the name on the sleeve...its the real deal.......the band were apparently told by Producer Rick Rubin to take their proposed demo tape away and come back with songs that sounded like they came from their first 4 albums !!...and they did !!....and they do !!!....and they're really good....Tony Iommi on absolute top form throughout.....and thank you Rick Rubin !!!....Is this the best Sabbath album in over 35 years ? You bet it is !!...the only debate is to how it stands up  against their back catalogue....so next week in the car "13" is going on straight after Technical Ecstasy (1976) and Never Say Die (1978) which I think are the only 2 albums by the original line up that it can be, in reality, expected to challenge ...it'll be like Alien v Predator all over again !....I'll let you know the outcome !!

Thinning The Herd - Freedom From The Known 2013

....... Motorhead meets Electric Frankenstein with some excellent heavy doom riffing. REALLY enjoyed this. 

Salems Pot - 2012

..... How my speakers groaned as this lot launched an epic assault on them....Hawkwind/ElectricWizard(dopethrone era) inspired doom of the highest order !!....Fucking marvellous.....fantastic guitar and bass sound......only 2 tracks....35 minutes in total......more next time please !!

The Fertility Cult - Heavenly Bodies 2013

.....This is very clever with more than a touch of originality to it....Doom Stoner with Saxophone !!....which sounds bizarre but think of how proper old Hawkwind sounds with Nik Turner blasting away throughout ??!! Yup...bloody marvellous !! Hard to stick a label on this..."SaxDoom" ??

Church Of Misery - Thy Kingdom Scum 2013

.....This is extremely good...the overall sound (not including the vocals...which are just fine ) is very similar to Sabbath Vol4  with huge satisfying slabs of doomy stoner guitar riffs.

David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars 1972 Live

......if you could only have one Bowie album this would have to be it. Fantastic versions of all his best stuff up to that point.....brilliant guitaring throughout from Mick Ronson, especially on Moonage Daydream. Line up includes Trevor Bolder, who went on to be mainstay bassist with Uriah Heep, and who has sadly recently passed away. I saw him play with Heep on many occasions and once got the chance to say "Great gig...thanks" to him in person. RIP Trevor.

Mott The Hoople - Live 1974

.....some readers may be familiar with at least a few of their famous singles, including one of my favourite songs ever, All The Young Dudes which was written for them by David Bowie. It was this song that gave the band its first real taste of success and what was to come. This live album shows them away from the constraints of single making and shows off their talents well and includes some pretty heavy rocking moments. Good guitar work throughout from the magnificently named Aerial Bender !!

Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures 1979

.....astonishingly, 34 years after it was released I've finally got to hear this album ...and .....I will probably upset all you Joy Division fans out there but  I doubt that I will ever listen to this again....I found it quite a hard listen and immediately afterwards put something on a little lighter to raise my mood....Church Of Misery I believe it was !! (see earlier review ) That goes to show how gloom laden I found this...but then again I suppose it was meant to be wasn't it ? I've seen Shadowplay and a couple of other tracks done live which were ok but as a whole album ?.........or am I missing something ?

Doug.

Integrity - Suicide Black Snake

This is the 9th studio album from Integrity and they show
no signs of resting on their laurels. Rawness is the key
word here. This is hardcore mixed with metal but sounds
a million miles from the dirge of metalcore bands doing the
rounds at the moment.

Fuck the genres - this is ferocious hardcore filth ridden rock'n'roll.

Heartfelt vocals are spat out as the songs thunder along with speeds
varying between trash and mid-tempo. Guitar solos add the metal edge
and these are sharp enough to reach down your throat and rip your insides out.

The sonic intensity of the production means every note crashes out
with a live feel to things. There are song passages of real diversity
which makes each track stand out in their own right  - including -
an evil blues riff that reeks of despair. Clean guitars trade licks
with riffs made in hell but always the emphasis is on heaviness.

I will hold my hands up and admit I have never heard any Integrity
music before and do not know about this lineup but on the strength
of this album I will investigate but ...... why go back to the past when
the future sounds so fucking good.

Probably one of my albums of the year so far.

Released on A389 Recordings

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Mudhoney - Vanishing Point

Dunno how Mudhoney do it - their ninth album has the stamp
of....well...... Mudhoney all over it but it still sounds fresh, new
and invigorated.

Despite becoming one of Seattles longest serving sons, they
still manage to sound like a garage-band, brimming with
enthusiasm and just wanting to make a noise.

Nuggets type guitar solos are spat out in tandem with the
punky but soulful vocals. Dirty riffs keep the songs driving
along while a psych feel brings this fucked up rock'n'roll
a genuine feel and passion.

Play the clip below and see what I am talking about!

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