Written by: The Administrator 

​As time goes on, our posting here at ye olde Sleeping Village is increasingly determined and defined by whim. Promo procedure has fallen out of fashion 'round these parts. We operate primarily on meandering vibes and a disinterest--perhaps even a disrespect--for deadlines. However, for today's Very Important Announcement, exceptions must be made, which explains why we went through the trouble of dragging our town crier out of semi-retirement. No one issues a proclamation quite like the town crier.

Anyways! Enough blathering. We slumbering scribes are pleased to announce that Wince and Frisson's debut album, entitled Tumult, will be released on Sept. 4th. The pre-order is active now, and, for any denizens of Bandcamp, today would be an excellent day to pick it up.

At this stage, it is (hopefully!) clear that I have only the highest level of recommendation for Wince and Frisson. I've had the privilege of (consistently, obsessively) listening to this forthcoming album for several weeks now, and am happy to report that it is as utterly astounding as the singles indicate. Tumult is cacophonous and exceptionally well-executed. There's a real brilliance in the ability to refine, and Wince and Frisson writes songs that are exactly as long as they need to be. Of the seven tracks here, every single one is a genuine standout, not least because they all strive to represent sonic chaos incarnate. The debut album, says the band, is "a virulent cocktail of extreme metal genres. Seven tracks, all blackened and swathed in dissonance. It gets to the point immediately and offers no rest to the listener until its conclusion. All the while, guitarist, bassist, and vocalist Triumvir Kaleido maniacally spews warped interpretations of his experiences with religious and psychological abuse, and struggles with mental health." Completing the duo, Steve Wiener provides drum programming, additional vocals, and the assorted production/mixing/mastering duties.

The first two singles, "Kärrhäxan" and "Liftoach Pandemonium," reviewed and premiered here respectively, serve as a fantastic appetizer. And, if for some reason you require additional convincing, we are very pleased to premiere here today a third single, entitled "Hypnagogic Haunt." It serves as Tumult's sixth track, and it is, as you might expect, an absolute bruiser. Check it out below! We'll meet you on the other side.

Wince and Frisson can be found​ at their linktree. Preorder at Bandcamp or Ampwall!
Art by Triumvir

Written by: Blackie Skulless

Half a decade ago now, the Florida death metal act Hexorcist came forth with a beefy but predictable release, selling me on their no-frills brand of the style born in their state. Things seemed to stay relatively quiet after that digestible serving, until they decided to cook up a follow-up just this year. Titled, Crucificial Imprecations, the band seems to show no sign of deriving far from their roots, even down to the album art style. Oftentimes, this can be good or bad.

And because both their debut and its follow up are brief and straightforward, avoiding generic finishes and overzealous technicality, there’s no issues in terms of stagnation (yet). Indeed, Crucificial Imprecations flies through in a half-hour’s time, keeping the formula rather safe with choppy rhythms and extremely nasty sounding vocals. Actually, I may even go as far as saying that vocally, things almost take an even more gruff stance, treading on that blackened line not dissimilar to Abbath’s style. Speed was never not a feature of their writing, but with the crunched time also seems to come even faster songs, with very few sections slowing down to a simmer even a bit.

Unfortunately, folks, that also brings us to a bit of a paradox; the few changes to the formula have done very little. While I don’t find the extreme speeds and punishing vocal delivery unflattering (in fact, they pair nicely), I’m going to say Hexorcist fell into the trap that many metalheads retrospectively (and incorrectly) attribute to Reign In Blood; much of this seems fast for fast’s sake and very little of it is memorable. Solos fly all over the place, overloading us with whammy attacks that overwhelm the otherwise competent riffing, and the writing itself serves very little to help itself stand with a unique purpose as is. The classic Slayer record may hold some similar descriptors, but I can find clear intent with almost every song there. For this, the opposite is true. Finishing it leaves very little that I remember.
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​Do I think this is a bad record, though? Absolutely not. At the end of the day, it’s an obvious continuation of what came before, with competence in execution but little that I found worthwhile in concept. For how short it is, it’s still worth checking out, as maybe I just missed some of the depth, and I think on the surface it’ll be pleasing to any death metal enjoyer. I just don’t see much of a reason to return to it.

​Hexorcist - Crucificial Imprecations was released July 31st, 2026 via Godz ov War. Find it here!

Hexorcist can be found on Facebook
Artwork by Johny Prayogi

Written by: Blackie Skulless

Since their 2019 album entitled Exile, the Chicago based heavy metal outfit known as Black Sites has been on my radar under close watch. They’ve followed heavily in their prog-adjacent steps ever since, curating two records in a similar vein, and while that held up nicely for a bit, I did find it to run slightly stale by the previous outing. This year, they’ve brought For Eternity, one I was unsure about what to expect. I’m happy to report that they’ve since tweaked the formula a bit, and for the better.

Rather than focusing on more intricate rhythms in a Queensryche-meets-Iced Earth type blend, Black Sites has done something that I’ve been implementing in my own life to feel more peace as of late; slowing down. I mean this in a literal and figurative sense, as this record very clearly nods towards more doom metal ingredients than they’ve ever showcased before, in pace and general vibe. However, the noticeable stripping back of progressive elements, while not being completely void of them, shows them clearly no longer taking the focus. This allows for a more cohesive whole, likely being the most focused record since Exile.

Black Sites can be found at Bandcamp and Facebook
Cover photography by Marsell Gorska Gautier

Written by: Blackie Skulless
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It's amazing that it took me two years to stumble upon Snakebite's latest record, considering how much their 2018 gem Rise Of The Snake absolutely blew me away back then. While nothing overly special, the German outfit has a keen ear for catchy, glam metal oriented structures not dissimilar to Wanted, so you can imagine how attractive such a presentation is for me. With Cobra Crew dropping a little over two years ago, I may even say they lean into this glammier spectacle even more, going a similar way of Enforcer in 2019.

This is not to say that hairspray and glitter coat every surface, as these days, short of self-parody bands, the glam oriented outfits are just a bit too self aware. Instead, their third outing just simply takes their heavy metal roots to even more welcoming levels, focusing on melody, harmony, and strong emotions without anything too corny (though I can’t deny it sneaking in from time to time lyrically, if “Kill Wig Metal” is anything to go off of). Of course, it’s also not to say that you won’t find the occasional keyboard dig, but structurally, it’s far easier to compare to early Dokken than later Poison. In other words, beefy rhythms, competent solos, and strong vocal delivery with clear intent are still the majority of what makes up the ingredients.

Snakebite can be found at Instagram, Facebook, and Bandcamp

Written by: Blackie Skulless

With the astounding eight year gap since the German black/thrash outfit’s prior overly long-titled album, Witching Hour has finally mustered up a follow-up to the one record that really snagged me. Earlier efforts stuck to a digestible yet predictable formula, but it was album three that seemed to give the band an identity. Descending… Where Time Has Ceased To Exist continues the name trend as much as it does the stylistic evolution. In other words, there’s a lot more emphasis on heavy/speed metal than there is on the blackened side of things.

In fact, I would almost struggle to call this a blackened thrash record, as it emphasizes rhythm and melody and all but ditches the hazy atmosphere that still drew melancholic layers the last time. True, the vocalist still boasts a pretty gruff and throaty delivery, one that’s admittedly an acquired taste, but it’s quite comprehensible and lets the band feel a bit more unique, if nothing else. Moreover, the instrumentation seems to have a bit more clarity in its delivery thanks to the cleaner atmosphere. Hell, even sharp basslines come through tighter than ever, quite evident on “The Graves Yearn For The Dead.”

Witching Hour may not have gone full mind-blowing this time around, but the fact that they’ve stuck to their path and maintained an identity without going stale really means something. An easy comparison to make would be Cruel Force, as their path had a similar trajectory, but this should sit well with anyone interested in the black/thrash/heavy sphere. It may take a minute to settle in, but the eight years have been kind of this act.

Witching Hour - Descending… Where Time Has Ceased To Exist was released May 22, 2026 via Dying Victims Productions. Find it here!​

Witching Hour can be found at Bandcamp and Facebook​

Written by: Blackie Skulless

With one quick glance, it’s pretty easy to figure out what the Michigan act Wanted are all about. Retro looking artwork, simplistic aesthetic, and obvious themes point to yet another throwback heavy metal band. It would be their third album in only four years that hooked my interest, being last year’s Cutting Edge, brought to me by a friend of many great tastes. What made it stand out, however, is the glam laced fun that lacks no energy while still actually feeling like the ‘80s.

That latter point becomes important due to how rare it is these days, even with the gigantic market of classic-oriented heavy metal. Instead of merely sounding like a clone of Dokken, Ratt, L.A. Guns, or early Pantera, they actually sound like one of the contemporaries of those bands. Gigantic guitar solos are nothing unique, but the way they’re weaved into calmer waves like in “Override” would impress even the late Eddie Van Halen. Naturally, these calmer numbers strike the tightest chord with me due to the songwriting itself feeling more personal, especially with the calm-down before one more chorus swing. Similarly, “Chained To Your Love” and closer “Prowl Alive” could qualify as ballads, but pull no sugary toppings, opting instead for a ride on cleaner guitars and emotional layering. Even the bluesy “Feel Your Rhythm” has a nice sway boosted by calm but calculated basslines, fitting into the blend nicely.

Modern production and replacing the organic aesthetic of a time period with intentional fervor often becomes obvious, but I truly think Wanted sidesteps that entirely. It would be false to call this anything original, as it became so easy to compare it to ‘80s glam metal bands, but I can safely say that they’ve achieved a sound closer to them while still being more fresh than just about any other attempt like this. If concise playing that’s not overly in-your-face but still carries muscular riff energy is your cup of tea, give this a spin. Don’t let labels turn you away, even if ‘80s glam was never your thing.

WANTED - Cutting Edge was released  June 26th, 2025 via Eonian Records. Find it here!

For the uninitiated and/or unfamiliar, RRAAO's patented "doomviolence" delivers the weight of the world with the kind of deliberate brevity typically reserved for powerviolence or grindcore.  Songs are succinct and powerful, preferring to exist as a single knockout blow. And then another blow, and another, until the album is complete. Clips of news reports and interviews candidly discussing police brutality, make frequent appearances. Each song typically represents a single idea, and said idea is delivered with utmost violence. Case in point: the longest track here is the inflammatory opener "Buried Evidence" (reviewed here!) It is over in a fairly swift 2:34. The shortest track, "Proud of What," which buries Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the U.S.A" in a shroud of staticky distortion until it sounds like an unearthed analog horror clip, manages to very effectively introduce the premise and nail the execution in a mere 1:22. 

Instrumentally, RRAAO is as thick as music can reasonably be. Any thicker and we start entering the realm of literal physicality. Check out the sheer weight of a track like the succinct-but-mighty "Blue Lies Matter"--the first clanging second alone could sum up the project as a whole. Utterly bituminous stuff, especially when contrasted with the clarity of the stark spoken word samples. There are even moments that feel drone-adjacent, albeit condensed into an impossibly short timespan. Take the midpoint of "Forced Responders," which, despite only lasting like 20 seconds, somehow feels like a slow burn frozen in time.​

Revered and Reviled Above All Others can be found at Bandcamp

JUNON - ​The Golden Citadel of the Astral Sphere (May 15th, 2026)

I was really pleased to see ​The Golden Citadel of the Astral Sphere pop up in various different publications. It's always cool when weird black metal garners itself a sliver of the spotlight, and lemme tell you: when it comes to weird black metal, JUNON isn't messing around. The four tracks on this album represent a consistently strange de- and re-construction of genre, resulting in some of the most unpredictable song structure I've encountered in black metal. It's avant-garde in a way that means it, kaleidoscopic in a way that seems more akin to psych rock than anything else. This is an anxious album, roiling and bottled-up. The dissonance and ambiance flirt tensely, with the extreme variety of vocal styles presenting a whole cast of characters. Truly a bizarre and complex experience. I'm multiple listens deep and am compelled to continue; I've barely scratched to surface on what JUNON are doing here. This is an extremely intriguing album. Not merely strange or off-kilter, The Golden Citadel of the Astral Sphere is truly eldritch. And yet! It is still highly listenable. Bravo.
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Written by: The Administrator

As far afield as my many odd music-listening proclivities may take me, the warm embrace of the low 'n' slow will always feel like home. Be it tied to the various stoner subgenres, or heavy psych, or doom proper, I will always enjoy being lovingly enveloped in fuzzy riffage. Add in a lil' desert grit or some rockin' gusto and we've officially got a stew going. Needless to say, Slow Goats tagline--"gamy riffs cut from the flank of the Pacific Northwest"--indicates that their stuff is most definitely up my particular alley.

I first encountered Slow Goat via No Clean Singing's premiere of the excellent "Love Like Water," the first single from the forthcoming debut album Where the Wisest Fear to Tread. It's a very impressive track, and I was excited to jump on the opportunity to premiere the album's second single. "Under the Glass" is equally strong, and, as a good outro should, it effectively sums up the general vibe Slow Goat present on Where the Wisest Fear to Tread.

Enough intro. Nothing left to do but listen. In that spirit, I highly recommend that you throw on some headphones, sit back, and relax! Enjoy "Under the Glass" below! We'll be waiting, as always, on the other side.

This song's sonic voyage is one of deliberate (yet seemingly effortless) ebb and flow. After a stage-setting calm, the drums hit and, the promised gamy-ness shows its face, and we're off to the races. Indeed, when that big gnarly riff hits, you feel it with the entirety of your being. Forget full-body experience; this shakes the soul. The impact of the riffage contrasts warmly with the smoother vocals, which in term are juxtaposed against the rawer edge and intensity that erupts in the chorus.

Rosie's vocals represent exactly what I look for in doom and doom adjacent music: the sheer versatility required to deliver mellowness and power in equal measure, and a clear willingness to lean into the asperity of harrowing emotive peaks. It's an impressive performance. But! That's not to say anyone else is slacking here. There's a cohesion and a sense of ease, even in the most weighted moments, that makes the track (and album at large) extremely inviting. A strong sense of fluidity is at play, and despite having clearly indicated "mild" or "heavy" moments, at no point does it feel like the track is segmented or constructed from distinct parts.

Says Rosie, Slow Goat's lyricist & vocalist: "'Under the Glass' is a play on the parable of throwing stones from a glass house. They judge and lash out because of their own envy and insecurities. Like the light through a magnifying glass, when the protagonist is examined through that same lens of judgment, and the light shines in on them through that house of glass, they burn like an ant that is victim to a child with a magnifying glass under the sun."

All told: this is really great stuff. This is heavy psych/doom/etc. done right. This album (and by extension, track) will be in rotation some time to come here at ye olde Sleeping Village if I have anything to say about it. Which, y'know. As the sole occupant, I do.

Slow Goat - "Under the Glass" will be available on streaming tomorrow, June 12. Where the Wisest Fear to Tread will be released July 10th, 2026. Find it here